Peoples Daily Newspaper, Saturday, May 12, 2012 by Peoples Media Limited

www.peoplesdaily-online.com www.peoplesdaily-online.com

VOL. 1 NO. 92 SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

. . . putting the people first

JTF arrests top Boko Haram suspect, wife in Kano >> Page 3

JIMADAL AKHIR 21 - 22, 1433 AH

Nationwide doctors’ strike looms >> Page 2

Constitution:

Lawmakers want more powers >> Page 3

Seek powers to sack ministers, others

Want force of law for resolutions

2015: Jonathan not in the card, says PDP >> Page 2

Explosions rock Maiduguri again

>> Pages 9, 10 & 11 >> Page 2

N150

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News

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

2015:

Jonathan not in the card, says PDP By Lawrence Olaoye

o n t r a r y to speculations that President Goodluck Jonathan was eyeing a second term in office, the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the President has not intimated it that he intends to run. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisah Metuh stated this yesterday in Abuja while reading out a marching order released by the party to all its elected political office holder to perform as such will determine if

the party would field them in 2015. Asked if such order to perform or get dumped was applicable to Jonathan, Metuh said the President has not said that he was interested in the 2015 polls. “The President has not said that he is running”, Metuh said. Handing down the marching order, the party spokesperson said the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur had always restated his concern that the party manifesto should not be observed in the breach, as it could undermine the party

fortunes. “We will not come to Nigerians until we see that we have delivered, at least, fifty percent of our electoral promises. The PDP will ensure that the government delivers on their promises. 2015 is even far and we should get there first before we decide. Our stand will apply to all our elected representatives in the National Assembly and our governors as well. “This is why the national leadership had stated categorically that the PDP will assist, supervise and monitor the

activities and performance of its elected officers from the national, state and local government. So, the party is watching those elected on its platform at all levels, to deliver on their promises to the electorate. That’s the only way, PDP will maintain its position as the number one party in Nigeria”. Asked if the stand of the PDP National Working Committee will also apply to who picks the party presidential ticket, the National Publicity Secretary replied: “The President hasn’t said that he is running.”

Planned protest: Who blinks first? h e stage appeared to be setting gradually for another mass action in the country as President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday declared that he was not going to sack any of his ministers despite demands by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) that he should sack all those in his cabinet indicted in the recent probes by the National Assembly. The group led by Pastor Tunde Bakare last Monday gave the Federal Government a two weeks ultimatum to arrest and prosecute all those indicted in the fuel subsidy probe or face a mass action akin to

the January nationwide protest. The ultimatum which expires on next Monday came despite assurances by the Presidency that all those found culpable would not be spared. The group specifically wants Jonathan to sack the Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison Madueke, who was indicted by the committee as well as the prosecution of former National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmadu Ali, who was Chairman of the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) in addition to the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and some other oil companies who were indicted in the subsidy probe.

President Goodluck Jonathan

Pastor Tunde Bakare

By Richard Ihediwa, Etuka Sunday and Joy Baba

The SNG also wants the sack of Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku in addition to immediate and full implementation of the fuel subsidy, power sector, pension probe reports. It also demanded that steps be taken to determine actual daily consumption rate for petrol, actual daily production capacity for petrol by domestic refineries; and Nigeria’s actual daily import requirement for petrol. However, Jonathan, in a statement signed by his spokesman, Reuben Abati on Wednesday was emphatic that he was not planning any changes in his cabinet though he was reacting to speculations that he was set to reshuffle his cabinet. “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has implicit confidence in the ability of the current crop of ministers to deliver and has no plan to undertake any replacement at the moment”, the statement reads Inclinations that government will not yield to the demands of the group came last Friday when the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Mohammed Bello Adoke was reported to have said that the probe by the House of Representatives was as fact finding and that the

government should not be stampeded to take hasty decisions on the matter. Adoke had said that there was the need to ensure that thorough investigations are carried out by relevant law enforcement agencies. Meanwhile there are indications that Nigerians might not be fully mobilised for the planned protest as obtained in January over the removal of fuel subsidy. Some Nigerians who spoke to Peoples Daily Weekend indicted cold feet about another protest as many of those interviewed said protests have not solved problems in the country. According to Mr. Ayenugba Adeshina, “we should not protest because protest will not solve our problems, it will only cause us more hunger. I am not in support of any protest because it will affect my business. My advice is that everybody should be hard-working and forget about what the government is doing. Another respondent, Mr. Isaac Sunday from Delta state also rejected the idea of another mass protest adding that he no longer trusted the intension of the civil society groups especially over what he described as confrontational demands from government.

Bomber attack Police in Jalingo again, as LG poll hold today From Ayodele Samuel and Yusha;u Alhassan Jalingo

a n y people in Jalingo metropolis along Barde way took to their heels to save their lives following an attempt by unknown persons to detonate a bomb in the state capital. An eye witness account said the unknown bombers were on a motorbike when they threw the explosive at a Police Hilux van. Reacting to the incident in a telephone interview, the police public Relation officer in the state, Ibiang Mbaseki said the explosive was locally made and has been defuse by the police. He said no casualty was recorded but that the police have commenced investigation on the circumstances surrounding the bomb attack. He also called the people in the state to come out and cast their vote and advise them to shun violence. However there was chaos when another bomb was defused at the State Ministry of Work secretariat. Meanwhile Taraba Sate Independent Electoral Commission (TSIEC) has distributed sensitive election materials to electoral officers for local government elections slated for today. Speaking with Peoples Daily Weeekend at Jolly Nyame Stadium, Jalingo TSIEC Commissioner in charge Public Affairs, Sadiq Nuhu Mbulo said the election materials such as ballot paper and result sheets were being distributed to electoral officers.

IGP M. D. Abubakar

Explosions rock Maiduguri as JTF kill ‘high profile’ militant From Mustapha Isah, Maiduguri

s the wave of violence and serial killings continued in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, operatives of the Joint Military Task Force, (JTF), yesterday killed a ‘high profile’ militant during a gun battle along customs road bridge. Our correspondent reported that

the shootings caused commotion in the area as commuters and traders scampered for safety even as roads leading to the scene were immediately deserted. The latest incident came less than 10 hours after multiple bomb explosions, suspected to have been detonated by the militants went off along the Maiduguri railway quarters.

Spokesman of the JTF, Lt- Col. Sagir Musa, told newsmen that some improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which were buried at the road side had went off in the early hours of yesterday without recording any casualty. According to Lt-Col. Musa, security operatives who rushed to the scene of the incident had also discovered two other unexploded

IEDs, which were immediately removed and detonated. He added that the second incident took place later in the day when three gunmen, who drove in a tricycle, opened fire on a team of soldiers, leading to a gun duel, which left one of the attackers dead, while others were apprehended. “Our troops were on a routine patrol when terrorists drove in a

tricycle and fired at their direction, the soldiers hurriedly fired back and a shoot- out had ensued, leaving ‘high profile’ militant dead while others were nabbed”, the spokesman said. He explained that arms and ammunition were recovered from the gunmen, while no casualty recorded from the side of the JTF personnel.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

News Constitution:

Lawmakers want extra powers By Richard Ihediwa

h e a d of the next round of constitution amendment, there are indications of moves by some forces in the National Assembly to give the federal and state legislatures powers to exert more control over the executive so as to ensure greater checks and balances in the system. Sources in the National Assembly hinted that some prodemocracy elements are already pushing for the inclusion of clauses in the constitution that will make resolutions passed by the twothird of the members in the two chambers of the National Assembly to automatically have the force of law. They also want a clause that would empower the National Assembly to sack erring or non performing government officials including cabinet ministers. Already, a bill seeking to make it mandatory for the President to specify intending portfolios for ministerial nominees as prerequisite for their clearance by the Senate has already been

Seek powers to sack ministers, others Want force of law for resolutions tabled for consideration in the National Assembly. The move to secure the force of law for National Assembly resolutions is said to be coming against the backdrop of refusal by the executive to implement resolutions made by the legislature, which government officials largely consider as advisory and not binding on government. Those pushing for the review of the powers of the legislature are irked by the failure of the executive to prosecute those indicted for fraud in the series of probes by the National Assembly despite evidences obtained against them. They were angered by recent statements credited to Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and Special Adviser to the President on Media, Reuben Abati, who in reaction to the demand by the members of the National

JTF arrests top Boko Haram suspect, wife in Kano …as gunmen assassinate man From Edwin Olofu, Kano with agency reports

e c u r i t y operatives under the umbrella of The Joint Military Taskforce (JTF) in Kano early Friday morning raided Farawa Quarters in the outskirts of Kano metroplis and arrested a man who they said was a high profile leader of the dreaded Boko Haram sect. Our correspondent gathered that the suspect, who was identified as Suleiman Mohammed is said to be a Yoruba man from Ogbomosho, Osun state. Also arrested in his residence located at Baban Layi of the Farawa sprawling slum included his wife and five children. JTF sources said the suspect and his entire family have been flown to Abuja for interrogation. The counter terrorism personnel that stormed the residence recovered three pistols, one AK47 assault rifle, 1, 000 live ammunition and 10 wired improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Confirming the incident to reporters, Kano state Police Commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim Idris revealed that “we made one arrest at Farawa Quarters this morning”, adding that details of the suspect are not for public consumption now.

Idris further revealed that military hardware and explosives were recovered from the residence after the raid, stressing that “investigations have commenced on the arrested suspect”. The arrest also coincided with the recovery of seven trucks of empty disused cans from an uncompleted building in Kano metropolis. The commissioner of police said that the cans numbering thousands were veritable components in making low calibre IEDs. Meanwhile, reports on Premium Times on Friday, said unknown gunmen shot dead one Mohammed Ali in Kano, on Friday morning. The assailants apparently killed the man after a car they stole from him was disabled shortly after they began to drive it away. Witnesses say the gunmen, had approached the cleric demanding to use his car for God’s work. He gave out the car but few metres away from the cleric, the car’s security activated, disabling it. The gunmen, apparently angered, came back on bikes and shot him dead in his residence. The police in Kano say they were yet not aware of the incident.

Assembly that those indicted in the House of Representatives subsidy probe and other probes by the federal legislature be prosecuted, noted that the resolutions were not binding on government. Our source said though the issue is not officially in the list of items for consideration published recently by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, it already has the backing of some influential lawmakers who are now pushing for its inclusion in the list. “I can tell you that there are moves by some very powerful elements to ensure the inclusion of a clause to make resolutions of the National Assembly to have the force of law. What I cannot confirm is if it is having support but I know that some members of the National Assembly are pushing it. But you know the process is only starting and people

are lobbying for a lot of things. “Many people are not happy that all the investigation conducted by the National Assembly amount to nothing even when people are indicted. Some members of the public have been complaining about it. So I will not be surprised if it surfaces”, the source said. According to our source, lawmakers feel handicapped that their efforts in exposing corruption have always been in vain and want the inclusion of a clause that will ensure a process that will guarantee that those indicted were prosecuted. They worry that while the constitution empowers the National Assembly to carry out investigation, it only restricts such for the purposes of lawmaking and exposure of corruption without specifying what sanction should be given to those indicted in the probes.

Also they are not happy that resolutions demanding that erring ministers and other government functionaries found wanting be sanctioned or sacked were not respected. In empowering the National Assembly to conduct investigations, the section 88 (2) only states that the powers conferred on the National Assembly under the provisions of this section are exercisable only for the purpose of enabling it to (a) make laws with respect to any matter within its legislative competence and correct any defects in existing laws; and (b) expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it.” It was gathered that the forces in the National Assembly have already started contacting their colleagues in the state to support the move as it would also give same powers to state legislators.

Nationwide doctors’ strike looms Augustine Aminu with agency report

erilous time may be in the offing brewing as the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) on has said that doctors in federal hospitals may join the dismissed Lagos state doctors “on a solidarity strike in support of their colleagues”. NMA National President, Osahon Enabulele, the told journalists at the NMA secretariat in Lagos that the state chapter of the association has been directed to “explore all options it deems fit”. “NMA will be convening an emergency meeting soon to review the health crisis in the state, and take a national position,” Mr. Enabulele said. The body called on the Lagos state government to reverse the sack notices and queries issued to doctors and open themselves up for “sincere and genuine dialogue” with the doctors.

“Nobody forced them to enter into an agreement reached with the doctors on March 24, 2011 to implement Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) in full,” he said. “They should honestly take responsibility for all that has happened because what has generated the crisis is their inability to keep faithfully to the agreement,” he added. The state government announced recently that it had sacked about 1,000 doctors who were on strike as a result of the failure of the state to implement fully the CONMESS. In justifying the sack, Adesegun Ogunlewe, the State’s Head of Service, stated that the doctors were sacked for failing to respond to queries earlier issued to them for going on a three-day warning strike. A late Thursday evening meeting between the doctors’

Patients stranded at a Lagos hospital recently

national executives and the state government over the health crisis ended in a deadlock. Mr. Enabulele blamed the deadlock on the state government’s “fixated and vexatious position” to discipline its doctors, adding that Mr. Ogunlewe insisted that the matter was beyond him. The NMA president also criticized the ongoing forceful eviction of the sacked doctors from staff quarters. “The eviction is totally rejected by the NMA; it is not in order and it even violates the Tenancy Law,” he said. In his reaction, Olumuyiwa Odusote, the Chairman of the Medical Guild, the umbrella body of doctors employed by the state government, said that the eviction, which started on Wednesday, was enforced by armed police officers. “The power to forcefully evict tenants resides with the court,” said Mr. Odusote.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Photo News An overloaded Okada, out for business, at Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

Park and Pay Officer, at work near Merit House in Maitama, Abuja yesterday.

Hawking continues in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja despite restrictions.

A truck pusher along Kugbo hill Abuja, yesterday

Catching them young: This young farmer hoes away at Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Photos: Mahmud Isa Justin Imo-owo

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

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News

We’ll force Igbo kids to school —VP Sambo … Almajiri a social, not Islamic problem —Sultan By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

he Federal Governmenthas issued a strict warning that it will no longer condone a situation where children of school age roam about the streets begging for alms or selling wares. Vice President Namadi Sambo who chaired a special meeting on Almajiri Education Programme convened by the President Goodluck Jonathan at the Banquet Hall of the State House, disclosed this on Friday. He said government had discovered that apart from the

North where there is ‘almajiri’ phenomenon, there are many children in other parts of the country that are not also in school hence, the need to extend an intervention programme like the ‘Almajiri’ Model School to the South. He particularly cited the happenings in the South East where children of school age prefer trading to attending school, saying the Federal Government had resolved to build schools near major markets and shopping areas in the region to afford the young ones access to formal education.

Vice President Sambo therefore, informed his audience that there was a renewed resolve by the Federal Government to ensure that all children of school age are in school in every nooks and crannies of the country. Also Speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Saad called on the Federal Government and the populace to see the ‘almajiri’ phenomenon as a social problem that must be fixed rather than as an Islamic religious problem. He noted with satisfaction, the various comments made by the governors on the sustainability of the Almajiri Model School

Programme, pointing that it shows that “our political leaders are now living up to their responsibilities.” In his brief remarks, the Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers again used the occasion to call on the Federal Government to declare Education Emergency in the north. The highlight of the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government and states on the running of the schools after they have been transferred to the latter.

Alleged certificate forgery: Court stays Suswam’s suit By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

A Benue Gov. Gabriel Suswam From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

overnor Gabriel Suswam of Benue state has at last dissolved the care taker committees of the 23 three local government councils in the state. However, his deputy Chief Steven Lawani who announced the dissolution was alleged to have tampered with the list.

Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja, on Friday, stayed proceedings on a defamation suit instituted by Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue state against Power Steering magazine and others. Chief Magistrate Hafsat SosoSadiq, stayed the proceedings following an order from an Abuja High Court. “In view of the order obtained from the FCT High Court dated May 10, the court is thereby compelled to stay proceedings on this suit

pending the determination of a motion filed in that court by the counsel to the defendants”, she said. Chidozie Ukpabi and Dan Ekah are defendants along with the Power Steering magazine in the matter. An FCT high couArt presided by Justice O.O Goodluck had granted leave to Chidozie and other defendants in the matter to apply for judicial review of the case of Rt. Hon Gabriel Suswam v Power Steering and 3 others case no. CR/ 50/2010 (later changed to IGP v Chidozie Okpabi and 3 others) Mr. Alexander Oketa, counsel

representing the defendants had approached the court located in Zuba with an exparte motion for a leave to enable the applicants apply for a judicial review of the proceedings so far. Oketa explained that the defendants had approached the superior court with a motion that sought to disqualify the judge from further handling the matter. The counsel submitted that the defendants were not comfortable with the alleged overbearing involvement of Hafsat Soso-Sadiq in the matter.

...Suswam dissolves councils A press statement signed by Suswam’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Dr. Cletus Akwaya stated that the caretaker committee chairmen of five local governments cAouncils; Makurdi, Tarka, Gboko, Agatu and Okpokwu were re-appointed. He explained that the retained

chairmen were appointed only early this year unlike the dissolved ones who have spent over one year in office. The affected care taker committee chairmen were directed to handover immediately to their respective Directors General Services and Administration, DGSAs.

However, there are allegations that the deputy governor doctored the list to favour some of the favoour some of the chairmen loyal to him. Reacting to the allegation, Chief Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Mr. Ejembi Ogwuche described it as ‘false, mischievous and mere pedestrian talk’.

Lagos evicts sacked doctors, says action in order From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

o l l o w i n g controversy trailing the eviction notice issued to sacked doctors from their official quarters, the Lagos State Government, yesterday said that the action was in order as the doctors were not tenants to it. The state Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, who stated this at a news conference in Ikeja also, described, as false and misinterpretation of court judgment, the claims by commercial motorcyclists, popularly called “Okada” the Federal High Court, sitting Ikeja had ruled that the state government has no right to ban their activities. The state government had in an

eviction notice dated May 8, 2012, and signed by Secretary, Staff Housing Board for the Head of Service, Mr. L. Shoyemi, directed all doctors to immediately vacate their official residence with immediate effect. The letter stated: “Consequent upon your dismissal from the service of the Lagos State government with effect from May 4, 2012 and in accordance with the Civil Service Rule 13115, (a)’No officer shall continue to occupy state government quarters after the date on which his resignation/dismissal takes effect.’ “I wish to request you to vacate the state government staff quarter allocated to you immediately. In view of the above, you are hereby requested to submit the keys to the

quarters to the Secretary of Staff Housing Board to forestall forceful ejection.” It was also gathered that the affected doctors have been given up till 5 am yesterday to vacate the staff quarters. In his swift reaction, the first Vice Chairman of the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Johnson Emene, criticised the eviction of the sacked doctors from the official quarters, saying they are covered by the tenancy law which the state signed nine months ago. According to Emene, the state tenancy law states that tenants should be given at least six months’ eviction notice, adding that the NMA has instructed the doctors to

ignore the quit notice. It will be recalled that the state government had sacked over 1000 doctors who embarked on strike which movement declared as illegal.

Lagos Gov. Babatunde Fashola

STF gets new commander From Nankpah Bwakan, Jos

h e Special Task Force code named “Operation Safe Haven” drafted to the troubled city Jos, Plateau state to restore peace and order yesterday got a new commander. He is Maj. Gen. Henry Ayoola, who took over from Maj. Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim. Before the appointment of Ayoola as STF commander, he was the Director, Armed Forces Simulation Centre, Jaji, in Kaduna state. Ayoola is the sixth commander of the STF since its incAeption in 2008 after the local government elections that turned bloody in Jos North LGA. Speaking shortly after, the takeover ceremony, Gen. Ayoola disclosed that his mandate is restore peace in the state and some parts of Bauchi state and warned those fomenting trouble to desist as anybody caught would be dealt with. He pledged to consolidate on the efforts of government and the out-going commander to restore permanent peace in the state. He however, called on the people of the state to collaborate with the STF by providing about mischief makers.

BSU to rake in N90m from students From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

e n u e State University, BSU Makurdi, is poised to realise a whooping sum of N90 million as levy imposed on the students for last month’s riot that led to massive destruction of properties in Makurdi. The institution resumed Thursday after a two week’s break and the over 20,000 student population has been levied five thousand naira as payment for damages for the deAstruction of government properties. A press statement signed by the registrar of the institution, Dr. Timothy Utile said each student was to pay the sum of N5, 000 as part of damages caused by their violent protest and further directed them to sign an undertaking to be of good conduct. When Peoples Daily Weekend called at the institution, students were seen rushing to the bank to pay the imposed levy as well as sign the undertaking. Others were however, lamenting over the imposed levy. It could be recalled that the students had on March 28, 2012 staged a riot over the alleged killing of one of them by a truck that was loaded with cement.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

News

Ajimobi attributes growing insecurity to faulty police From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state has attributed the growing insecurity in the country to what he called the faulty structure of the Nigeria Police Force. Besides, he also flayed the current revenue allocation which he said was skewed in favour of the Federal Government, thus incapacitating states and local government from effectively implementing programmes that would affect the lives of the people positively. The governor, while delivering a paper entitled “Making Progress in the Midst of Challenges: the Nigerian Example”, at the 13th Foundation Day Lecture of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo state, submitted that a police force that was alien to a community could not be effective. “Our police should be community-based. The way to efficient policing should include elements of state police, moderated by checks and balances to curtail abuse by state governments”, he said. Gov. Ajimobi noted that the current federal structure was weak and defective, stressing “the distribution of powers and resources is such that as a people, we are not encouraged or empowered to be the best that we can”.

Niger procures 1,000 tri-cycles to replace motorcycles A I

Legislator kicks against review of revenue formula From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

From Iliya Garba, Minna

n an effort to phase out the use of motorcycle in Niger state especially in Minna the state capital, the state government has purchased 1,000 tricycles to replace. This is as a result of the high rate of accidents security threats caused by the commercial motorcycle in the state and country in general. The Commissioner for State

Planning, Alhaji Saidu Ndako made this known during a press briefing after the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting in Minna. He said that the replacement of commercial motorcycles by tricycles will only be restricted to Chachanga and Bosso local government areas of the state for the time being adding that other local government councils will be included later. He however said the

government is not pushing out those involved in commercial motorcycle business as they will be involved in the usage of the tricycles. Alhaji Ndako said the state government has liaised with the Association of Commercial Motor Cycle Riders in Niger state (ACOMORAN) to be involved in the running of the tricycles to reduce increasing number of jobless people on the streets.

Accept dialogue, Mark again urges Boko Haram

e n a t e President David Mark has again called on the members of the Boko Haram Sect to accept the overture made by the Federal Government for dialogue. Senator Mark, who made this call at the Stakeholders’ Broadcast Summit organised by the Broadcasting organisation of Nigeria (BON) in Lagos yesterday also challenged broadcasters to fashion out programmes that would assist the Federal Government in stemming the tides of terrorism. “There is no government that

would fold her arms and watch innocent citizens being murdered in schools, markets, churches as well as mosques. This carnage has to stop. “As brothers and sisters, we must listen to each other’s grievances. I believe that in line with this, the Federal Government has expressed readiness for dialogue and I urge the members of the Boko Haram, their representatives, sponsors ot sympathizers to key into this dialogue,” he further said. Stressing that the Federal Government cannot engage in monologue with Boko Haram, the

President of the Senate said “the members of the sect must be courageous enough to come out and state their grievances. They should be bold and state their anger so that the nation can find solution to those grievances.” Assuring the broadcasters of the readiness of the National Assembly to enact laws that would ensure that the nation’s broadcast stations meet the challenges of digitization in 2015, Senator Mark however challenged them to fashion out programs that would help in the fight against terrorism particularly

Education remains a thing Taraba begins land of pride in the caliphate‘ management survey From Sadeeq Aliyu, Sokoto

overnor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto state has stated that education will continue to remain a thing of pride as his administration will accord priority attention to education upon which the Caliphate was founded. Speaking at the commissioning of blocks of class rooms at Magaji Bello Model Primary School in Shagari town, Governor Wamakko reiterated his administration’s resolve to

rekindle the scholarship which brought the state to limelight in the global arena. According to the governor, 30 percent of the annual budget of the state goes to education and so far 30 schools have been constructed, 16 rehabilitated while 21 blocks of classrooms were also constructed. In his remarks, secretary to the Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board, Ibrahim Haliru Dingyadi, stated that over N40 million was expended for construction and renovation class rooms, libraries and offices.

From Yusha’u Alhassan, Jalingo

overnor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba state has reiterated the determination of his administration to partner with viable firms aimed at developing the state. He gave the indication yesterday in Jalingo during a presentation by an expert, Professor Larry Awoshika on land management to enhance the revenue base of the state. The governor said there was every need to explore other

sources of revenue generation to meet the yearnings and aspirations of people of the state. Earlier, the expert, Prof. Awoshika said the new geosurvey to be carried out in the Jalingo metropolis would enhance effective land property management to generate revenue to meet competing demands of the government. He said it would also develop an integrated data base system as well as provide efficient layouts for the purpose of situating infrastructure and conducive atmosphere for land management.

Self esteem crucial to Vision 20.20.20 By Augustine Aminu

i g e r i a n s have been urged to develop a self esteem as a pivot of social change as the country strives towards achieving vision 20.20.20. This was stated in Abuja yesterday at a private lecture organised by Lifeline Care Association, in commemorating

the 40th birthday celebration of its founder, Dr. Nkem Momah, and also the unveiling of 2012 Essay Topics of Sir Dicksen Sanomi for secondary schools with the theme “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs- The Nigerian Scenario”. According to the discussants, “Until we fix the citizens, it will be hard to fix the country, you cannot get there until you change your mind, and the people of this

country are starving not for food but for what they believe in”. It was revealed that Nigeria will only change, if the citizens see change as a necessity, and also by asking the right questions from the leaders that can effect meaningful change. The Director General of National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Umar Bindir stated

that Nigeria has the resources to become a better country, but until we begin to see the big picture, things will remain the same. In his view, the Country Director of IPAS, Dr. Ejike Oji, stressed that “if we really want to be where we want to be, we will need to take the urgent step to take us there”. Adding that, things will remain the same until we learn how to do things right.

member representing Azare constituency in the Bauchi state House Assembly, Hon, Baba Abubakar Suleiman, has criticised the proposed review of the nation’s revenue allocation formula for the three tiers of government. “I am not so keen on the issue of reviewing the country’s revenue allocation formula, even the formula we now have in place if it can judiciously utilised, is okay to develop our infrastructure”, the lawmaker said. Hon. Baba Suleiman explained that the issue is not about reviewing the revenue sharing formula but rather about the judicious use of the allocations. He told the press in Bauchi that the issue of revenue allocation was even more compounded at the two lower tiers when unconstitutional deductions are being made from councils’ funds for projects that could not directly benefit the people.

We’re committed to generating revenue internally —LG Chair By Joy Baba

h a i r m a n of Karu Local Government Area in Nasarawa state, Hon Jibril Gurku has reiterated the council’s commitment to generate revenue internally to supplement the monthly allocation from the state. Gurku, who stated this yesterday during the inauguration of Committees on Land Related Activities and that of Internally Generated Revenue at the council headquarters, assured the people of the area of his determination to pursue the policies and programmes the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) led administration in the state. “We need to properly and fully harness our internally generated revenue to supplement the normal monthly allocation”, he said. Gurku named Mallam Yusuf Mararaba as Chairman for the Revenue Committee and Hon. Rilwan Idris as Chairman for the Land Related Matters Committee. The terms of reference of the committees includes to collect revenue due the local government and to determine all landed property registered under the local government respectively. He urged the two committees to work in collaboration and show high sense of expertise, dedication, transparency, accountability and fear of God in the discharge of their duties.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

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News Extra Real-life mermaid swims with whales using very own fish tail And holds breath for two minutes on deep sea dives Hannah Fraser, 36, was inspired to make first tail after watching Daryl Hannah in mermaid film splash

n d e r w a t e r swimmer Hannah Fraser has been fascinated with mermaids since she was three years old. Hannah, 36, an Australian who now lives in LA, made her first mermaid tail at the age of nine, after seeing the film Splash with Daryl Hannah. Now she works as a model, actress and performer, swimming with whales, dolphins, stingrays and even sharks. Hannah can hold her breath for up to two minutes and swim to depths of 45 feet, allowing her to move like a real mermaid, without the restraints of diving gear. In these images she is seen swimming with humpback whales off Vava'u Island, Tonga, to promote marine conservation and oppose whale hunting. Hannah and her then husband Dave Rastovich, a surfer, were upset and frustrated after International Whaling Commission meetings where whaling nations were allowed to continue their slaughter under the guise of 'scientific research'. 'It was depressing and we wanted to go somewhere to connect with the whales and to raise awareness,' said Hannah. The couple flew to Tonga with photographer Ted Grambeau, who was able to capture beautiful images of humpbacks swimming with Hannah, in scenes documented by filmmaker Bali Strickland. 'A baby humpback was curious and actually came up to me,' said Hannah.

'The whales were singing so loudly and the baby whale was squealing, which sounds even louder under the water. It was a very powerful experience.' Many photographs for antiwhaling campaigns show brutal acts including harpooning and whales being winched onto ships, which can be too horrific for ordinary observers. But Ted's images appear in the children's book, The Surfer and the Mermaid, and aim to inspire whale conservation. He added: 'All the shots of Hannah are really poetic - really just surreal, beautiful shots.' In 2007, Hannah swam in the sea in Taiji, Japan, with 30 surfers, celebrities and musicians, in an attempt to halt the ruthless slaughter of thousands of dolphins by local fishermen. Hannah remembers: 'Half of the dolphins had been caught and the others were roped off in the middle of the bay to be herded towards the fishermen. 'Instead of being frightened, the dolphins were trying to come closer to us in their net, as if they knew we wanted to help them. 'But at this point the fishermen were hitting us with sticks and moving their boat propellers towards us. We couldn't get any closer and we couldn't save the dolphins. 'It was indescribable to see this happening and have to abandon them. I cried for hours afterwards. It was hard to be part of the human race at the point.' Two years later, in 2009, Hannah swam in her tail with

Deep blue: Hannah is seen here swimming with humpback whales off Vava'u Island, Tonga, to raise awareness of marine life and oppose whale hunting 14ft Great White Sharks off Guadalupe island, Mexico. 'I thought if I was going to be a professional mermaid I'd have to face my fear of sharks,' she admitted. After trying out the sharkinfested waters in scuba gear, Hannah was about to put on her mermaid tail, when one of the sharks became trapped in the diver's cage. 'Luckily the shark freed itself in time. But it made me realise it was safer not to use the cage,' she said. 'I got my tail on and got into the water. I was supposed to be surrounded by divers, but in the mermaid tail I swim much faster than anyone else. I realised I was on my own, but I stayed calm.' She added: 'Another time a shark turned round and came towards me, so I made a scary face and screamed at it in the water. Amazingly I scared it off. I felt invincible for months afterwards.'

Spreading her message: Filmmaker Rob Benavides is currently shooting a documentary about Hannah, which will feature her work as a mermaid and sea-life campaigner

Filmmaker Rob Benavides is currently shooting a documentary about Hannah's life, which will feature her work as a model, diver, and sea-life campaigner. 'One of the imperative messages in marine conservation right now is overfishing,' she said. 'We should be asking countries to

better regulate their fishing industries. 'We shouldn't be eating any fish, but if any it should be only little ones. Large fish take years to grow and reach maturity. If we continue taking them from the ocean it will be a long time before stocks are replenished.' Source: Mailonline

Fish out of water: Deep sea swimmer Hannah Fraser has been fascinated with mermaids since she was three years old and can swim to great depths using her homemade tail. Now Hannah works as a model, actress and performer, swimming with whales, dolphins, stingrays and sharks

PAGE 8

Focus

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Big Brother Africa: Who goes tomorrow? S

i n c e the opening of 2012 Big Brother Africa Stargame, it has been tension socked as the time ticks in the next 85 days before the USD 300 000 is handed over to the ultimate winner. The show has since Sunday continued to present great entertainment and drama in all in one mode. The house has been divided into two with the Upville residence, hosting a group of seven celebrities including our very own Lady May. The Downville house has now become home to 28 vibrant, chatty and loud housemates who are making use of their time to get to know each other considering there are a lot of long days to go. Despite the fun, there is tension about who gets evicted tomorrow as some persons have already been slated for eviction. Housemates in the Downville house entered in pairs and this Sunday nominated Housemates from Tanzania Hilda and Julio along with Zimbabwe's sisters Maneta and Tecla could be heading home come this Sunday. The nominated housemates have managed to go on with the game without dwelling on the possibility of leaving. There were a few tears when IK announced the nominations for eviction last Sunday. However, there was a twist when Angola's Esperanca has volunteered to exit Big Brother Star Game due to personal issues. Housemates have since started having their set of tasks. This is one of Big Brothers many secret tasks to simply see if housemates can put aside their differences and work together towards making sure they win their task wagers. Housemates entered the house as either best buddies, siblings and only one couple dared to enter this season, namely

Unforgettable, highly successful R&B diva Mampi from Zambia (25

Unique and hugely popular, soulful musician Roki from Zimbabwe (27)

Tough, talented rap icon Prezzo from Kenya (32)

Stylish entertainer, stand-up comedian and television pro DKB from Ghana (26)

Hilda will be Head of House next week if she is not evicted Sunday

Famed socialite, model and businesswoman Barbz from South Africa (34)

Boldly dramatic pop music sensation Goldie from Nigeria (28)

Award-winning songstress Lady May from Namibia (25)

Ghana's Mildred and Keita who are confident enough to say that being a couple will not be their weak point, nor will it deter them from going all the way for the cool USD 300 000. It surely will be a tricky one considering people are already liking each other not even a week into the game. Twists has started coming with Angola's Esperanca’s decision to pull out of the game. Biggie had called Esperanca into the Diary Room and asked her what was on her mind. Esperanca didn't hesitate to

mention that she had made up her mind on this decision and had even discussed it with the Head of House, Keitta. However, Biggie gave Esperanca 24 hours to rethink her decision and suggested that she gets the other Housemates' views on her decision. Though hesitant, Esperanca agreed to Biggie's time frame but said she preferred to discuss the matter with a select few Housemates that she trusts. As she left the Diary Room, Esperanca looked a tad worried and went straight to Tswana sisters, Edith

and Eve. Meanwhile it appears that Barbz and Prezzo have buried the hatchet though some believe that they are only being civil having their eyes on the prize money. Since the beginning of the week, Prezzo and Barbz haven’t been seeing eye to eye especially after he started calling her names. Prezzo has been telling anyone who cares to listen about how ‘fake’ Barbz is and how she just wants the Upville girls to worship her. However, it seems as though the two have realized that for the

sake of peace, they will have to get along. In the evening, Prezzo was seen helping Barbz with the condiments for the surprise barbecue that Biggie threw for them. Prezzo and Barbz followed each other from the House to the garden and back and he even went to the extent of chilling in the kitchen while she marinated the meat. Barbz also fired a joke or two about Prezzo having a wife in the House and he politely reminded her that his wife was in Kenya with a smile.

Big Brother Africa Star Game: Eviction prone Hilda is Head of House

This is the BBA STARGAME house

a n z a n i a n housemate in the on-going Big Brother Africa StarGame, Hilda has been named Downville Head of House for next week. The Tanzanian housemate, who is up for possible eviction Sunday, together with her partner Julio, was named after she won the Head of House task Friday. For the Head of House task, Big Brother divided the Downville housemates into two groups and asked them to stand at a starting line where he gave them a mathematical calculation. The housemates were to figure out the correct answer to the question and run to the correct answer. After two rounds of that, Hilda was declared winner and becaqme the Head of House taking over from Ghanaian housemate Keitta. The interesting twist however is that, Hilda, Julio and Zimbabwean pair Teclar and Menata are all up for possible eviction come Sunday. The big question here is what happens should Hilda be evicted Sunday or would she be exempted from eviction since she will start her job as Head of House Monday morning? Sunday's eviction definitely holds the answer. Meanwhile Zambian housemate, Mampi who seems to have found a 'friend' in Ghanaian representative, DKB, is the new Upville Head of House for next week.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 9

Cover Smelly deals:

Onyiuke-Okereke

Ms. Arunma Oteh

How a few plundered the wealth of many

By Richard Ihediwa and Lawrence Olaoye

hen the House of Representatives opened its investigation into the causes of the prevalent near collapse of the Nigerian Capital Market, many Nigerians did not expect the revelations of colossal fraud and smelly deals that have continued to surface at the hearing. While people were still shuddering at the unearthing by the Senate, of massive stealing of over N150 billion pension fund by a handful of government officials at the expense of ageing and dying pensioners, the House of Representatives was reeling out figures amounting into trillion of naira siphoned by officials through the controversial subsidy scheme. As if these were not enough for a quarter,

more smelly deals are now being unearthed in the capital market probe by the House of Representatives with revelations of how a few have been plundering funds entrusted in their care by investors. The investigation into the handling of the activities of the Capital Market followed the rapid dive in its fortune in the recent years resulting in the crashing of value of equities, leading to massive loss by investors. Reports have it that since the spiral fall started in 2009, investors have lost over ten trillion naira. Many Nigerians have not been able to recover from the anguish of the collapse of share prices as people invested lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s savings, gratuities, borrowed funds, inheritances and business capitals in the market and watch helplessly while they go down the drain. Prices of shares fell by over 80 percent with many equities dropping from two digits

to one digit in value. Worst hit were banking and manufacturing sectors as they were also very much exposed to the vagaries of investment manipulations. Consequently, many of the quoted stocks lost liquidity as their holders are trapped, not being able to convert them to cash to meet their domestic and other investment needs. On the other hand, fresh investors are cautious of jumping into a vehicle that does not seem to have a brake should they wish to disembark. Initially, those who manned the Market made Nigerians believe that the fall was basically as a trickling effect of the then much orchestrated global financial meltdown, giving a little consolation to the unwary investor. However, with the recent revelations at the hearings, Nigerians now know better; the crash of the Market now have a new

culprit as the blame is now heaped on the feet of those in charge who are now being questioned for alleged malpractices such as tripping, price manipulation, outright abuses including, unauthorized sale of shares, to withholding of proceeds of sale of shares, withholding of share dividends among others. Currently, former red necks at the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) are now trading words with officials of the Market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with accusations and counter accusations of colossal fraud while the nation again watch with utter disbelief as figures of stolen or mismanaged fund continue to run into trillions of naira. Public attention was drawn to the Capital Market probe when the Director

Contd on Pages 10,11

PAGE 10

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Cover Smelly deals:

How a few plundered the wealth of many Contd from page 9

General of SEC, Ms. Arunma Oteh threw cautions to the winds and pointedly accused the Chairman of the disbanded House of Representatives Committee on the Capital Market, Herman Hembe of demanding for bribe of N44 million as well as taking millions of money as estacodes for trips he never made. Oteh’s allegation came in reaction to allegation by Hembe initial allegation that Oteh was involved in series of financial abuses running into millions at SEC. Hembe had put it to her that she spent as much as N30 million on hotel accommodation in eight months and N850,000 on meals in one day. “You stayed in a hotel for 8 months and spent over N30 million. In one day you spent N85,000 on food at the hotel; the other day you spent 850,000 on food. These are the things we should look at to see how you will regulate a market that is collapsing,” Hembe said to Oteh pointedly. Another revelation was that Oteh, recruited staff of Access bank, Charles Ughele and Titi Olubiyi, as SEC’s advisers, who were said to be receiving salaries akin to those of directors in addition to their salaries from their banks, a move that goes against the regulatory role of the commission over the bank. Ms. Oteh was accused of multiple violations, flouting of rules, compromising of position and spending spree in the last one year she has held office. Lawmakers said the DG’s unbridled spending and her relationship with some of the organizations she oversights have eroded the commission’s regulatory role and eventually led to the inability of the capital market to recover. But it later became a story of the hunter hunted as Oteh looked at Hembe in the face and accused him of financial impropriety. “Hembe collected estacode and other travel allowances from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to travel to the Dominican Republic on a capacity enhancement conference for capital market regulators. He did not go neither did he return the money collected. Also, he asked the commission to contribute N39 million towards the ongoing charade of a public hearing and demanded another N5 million cash on Tuesday, March 13, 2012. He made both demands by proxy”, she alleged. Following the finger pointing, the House of Representatives had disbanded to committee and set up a new one led by Ibrahim El-Sudi to dig into the issues while Hembe and his deputy, Chris Azubogu are

Herman Hembe ...to face charges

now to face criminal charges over the allegations as the court on Thursday granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) powers to go ahead with the prosecution. However, with the inauguration of El-Sudi committee came the unearthing of more under hand dealings by managers of the capital market. In fact, rather than being the cause of the collapse, the pulling of funds from the market by foreign investors which led to the eventual crash was occasioned by loss of confidence in the management of the market and the regulators agencies. Witnesses after witnesses reeled out to bewildered Nigerians how those entrusted with the jobs of ensuring standard, fair play and sanity in the system engaged on abuses and reckless spending that

Ibrahim El-Sudi ...leads fresh probe

eroded confidence and led to the fall of fortune at the market. First to unearth the rot in the market was Oteh, who accused the former Stock Exchange Director General, Prof. Ndi OkerekeOnyiuke of crass mismanagement of the market’s fund and went ahead to paint a graphic picture of how the alleged looting spree went. Oteh told the lawmakers that the former NSE DG shared N1.7 billion to the members its governing council and employees. She also accused her of other fraudulent transactions, including alleged reclassification of N1.3billion originally expended on business travels. The SEC Director General explained that she met a rotten NSE when she assumed office in 2010 and that the fraud at the Exchange accounted for the

“

The SEC Director General explained that she met a rotten NSE when she assumed office in 2010 and that the fraud at the Exchange accounted for the removal of Prof. Okereke-Onyiuke before the end of her tenure by the regulatory agency.

removal of Prof. Okereke-Onyiuke before the end of her tenure by the regulatory agency. According to her, in 2009, N1.7billion of the 2008 operational surplus was distributed to Council members and employees in violation of CAMA and SEC rules which preclude the NSE from such given that the NSE is a company limited by guarantee. This happened in previous years. Other notable fraudulent transactions include the reclassification of the sum of N1.3billion originally expended on business travels. “It was also brought to our attention that there were incidences of financial skimming, misappropriation, false accounting, misrepresentation, and questionable transactions. For instance, the NSE bought a yacht for N37million and wrote down the book value within one year by recognizing it in the books as a gift presented during its 2008 Long Service Award (LSA), yet there are no records of the beneficiary. “The Exchange also spent N186million on 165 Rolex wristwatches as gifts for awardees out of which only 73 were actually presented to the awardees. The outstanding 92 Rolex watches valued at N99.5million remain unaccounted for. These were the kinds of financial imprudence that

were perpetrated at the NSE. These transactions were routed through companies owned by some senior officers of the Exchange. “Of this sum, N953million was reclassified under “Software Upgrade” and subsequently expended as against being capitalized. There were other cases of unethical accounting practices.” She stated that when she joined the SEC in January, 2010, she was giving briefings including a report of an inspection of the Nigerian Stock Exchange undertaken in September 2009. “The findings of that inspection were shocking, she said, adding that they included weak corporate governance, risk management and internal controls, insufficient oversight of brokerage firms and listed companies, inability to enforce its rules. The inspection team also found that more than 2,700 investor complaints lodged with the NSE had not been treated. These complaints ranged from unauthorized sale of shares to withholding of proceeds of sale of shares”. During that regime, the market was characterised by round tripping and price manipulations even in the face of regulations. While brokers were Contd on page 11

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 11

Cover Smelly deals:

How a few plundered the wealth of many Contd from page 10 said to have been engaged price manipulation in collaboration with officials of SEC and the NSE, some companies also engaged in round tripping by using investors money to buy shares of the same company which in effect leads to drastic upward movement of prices to attract other investors after which the company pulls out its fund and cared less if the prices crashed back to actual values. Most investors fell victims of price manipulation as investigations have shown that most of the prices listed for many companies were not real. However, when she appeared before the House panel, OnyiukeOkereke under whose watch the market nose dived had a different opinion as she defended her regime and insisted that SEC had no powers to query her spending since the NSE was a private concern with the power of approval of expenditure residing with the governing board. “The SEC has no business in how a private company decides to spend its money; it is not government money and the approval for the spending rests on the Governing Board,” she said. Onyiuke- Okereke, who said she is not afraid of anybody insisted that she did not want to go back to the as DG of the NSE despite the court ruling that he forceful removal was illegal fumed that she was an international figure and well respected in the society because of her work. She said “I do not want to go back to the Stock Exchange otherwise a federal high court has made declarative judgment that I am still the substantive of DG NSE, so whether they remove or not I am still the DG, NSE has no DG yet and the man that is there is not DG.” “I am an international figure, I am known all over the world because of my work in the Stock Exchange and elsewhere. I made pronouncements in the media 2008, 2009, 2010 that I am retiring. Why will I now turnaround because the court said that someone’s claim that she removed me is illegal and unconstitutional and so I am still the DG” “A lot of people advised me to go back, but I felt that people that know me will be disappointed in me, that is why I didn’t go back not because I am afraid of anybody”. However, critics have continued to wonder why the capital market under her watch went down despite her “globally recongised prowess”. Onyuike-Okereke blamed the problem on the banks which she accused of issuing out loans to people indiscriminately. She also blamed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and SEC for refusing

SEC Commissioners that disowned Oteh at the hearing

to act when such was going on. “While these were happening CBN refused to act. It was the margin loans that destroyed capital market. It was recently that CBN and SEC reacted but it was too late, the damage had already been done. SEC did not guide people that were doing the business. SEC must compel all those companies to get listed so that the stakeholders could trade their shares”. Asked about her involvement in the TRANSCORP, OkerekeOnyueke told the committee that she was appointed to the Board of the corporation on national assignment. She however added that she got the nod of the members of the NSE Governing Council before she accepted the assignment. Reacting to the allegation that she raised funds for United States President Barak Obama when he was campaigning for office, she denied insisting that she merely organized a concert to drum up awareness for Nigerians and Africans living in America having forged a personal relationship with him in the past. On the whole, it appears that the gate keepers are all playing politics with peoples investments as there are currently discordant tunes in the SEC team looking after the market. Observers believe that the uncoordinated running of the SEC, as revealed by the hearing was largely responsible for its inability to put checks on the NSE so as to guarantee the safety of investment and boost the market. At the hearing on Wednesday,

Oteh was shocked and visibly dazed when all SEC management team disowned her and openly accused her of running the organisation as a one man business and that they were not being carried among in the formulation and implementation of policies aimed at revamping the market. They criticized Oteh for introducing an alien management style that has alienated the management team just as they alleged that her attitude has eroded trust and administrative conviviality in the Commission. This is in addition to alleged violation due process in the recruitment of strategic staff and other activities in the commission. Issues not far from pecuniary interests have been blamed for the lack of cohesion in the sector. First to fire the salvo was Mr. Charles Udora, Executive Commissioner, Legal and Enforcement who told the committee that there was regulatory comatose in SEC under

Oteh. “There is presently what I can refer to as ‘regulatory comatose’ in SEC. The manner in which things are being handled in SEC, today, is causing disharmony and disaffection among staff members,” Udora disclosed that the commissioners were not being carried along in the decision making process and that suggestions and new ideas are being received by Oteh in anger. He added that the exclusion was also extended to the employment and engagement processes, stating that these have brought to the fore a number of issues in the organization. He said: “This has brought in its wake, irregularity in staff promotion exercise. There is a case where a staff who graduated in 1998 was promoted above a very qualified staff that has a combined experience of 20 years, working in SEC and in other places. “The issue of contract staff employment is negatively affecting the morale of staff. It is

“

At the hearing on Wednesday, Oteh was shocked and visibly dazed when all SEC management team disowned her and openly accused her of running the organisation as a one man business

causing disaffection, disharmony and friction among SEC’s staff. The disharmony has led to a situation of regulatory comatose. “Unlike in the past, SEC’s staff members no longer feel obligated to perform their responsibilities and duties. It is now a case of the staff saying ‘it is their SEC, if not for the money I am earning here to take care of my family, I will not be here.’ This is negatively affecting how SEC regulates the market, especially as this is depriving it of vital information among many others,” he said. The five commissioners also denied being involved in the preparation of the new blueprint of the organisation as well as the organization and celebration of Project 50, a Golden Jubilee celebration to mark 50 years of the existence of SEC. One after the other, they described as untrue Oteh’s claim that the celebration which she chaired had the support and participation of the management and staff of the Commission. Currently, the House committee is expressing doubts if the current team at SEC would actually achieve the much desired revamping of the market. On the other hand, some stakeholders are insisting that unless something drastic is done to criminally investigate and prosecute all persons that would be indicted in the probe and to recover all looted funds, confidence might not be restored to the market. The question remains, when will these looting sprees stop?

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Interview Thief catcher opens up:

How arrested armed robbers buy their freedom Who is Ali Kwara? Ali Kwara is a human being like any other person. My name is Ali and the name of my father is Muhammad and my grandfather is called Ahmad. I was born in Azare town in Bauchi state. I did my primary school in Azare and started my secondary school in Azare and completed in Gamawa town. The highest school I attended was secondary school. I grew up in my family to discover that my parents were all Arabs. They are all businessmen and I therefore take after them as businessman but since my early days I always have interest in hunting, setting traps for animals and bee keeping. What made you become a thief catcher? There is nothing that attracted my attention to this job. I would rather say it is the will of God that I will take to this path. The interest I had in hunting when I was young and my refusal to further my education was part of God’s design that I will end up doing this job. The reason I joined this work was that there was one police officer, a Gombe state indigene, who was once a special adviser to Gombe state Governor; I think he is either from Kaltungo or Billiri, his name is Usman Ardo; when he was Area Commander in our area, robbers then were killing a lot of people and they even attacked him. He came to my house and said he had the feeling that I can assist him and I told him I can’t because I’m not a police or military man that has the power of arrest. When he insisted, I paid N700,000 at that time for the clearing of the bush between our town and Potiskum. This single act made me enemy of these robbers and they came to Azare and sent abuses to me and we went after them where they killed my two friends. Since that incident, I have been all out to ensure that we got rid of them all. People have this opinion that you confront thieves with a sort of magic; what it the real position? The only magic I have is that I depend on God; I know God created me and my parents. I have my guns and I have been arresting thieves. So I know no one can extend my breath in this world with a single second. Everything is in God’s hands.

Alhaji Ali Kwara has become popular because of his exploits as a thief catcher. He was recently in Katsina State where he helped the police in the state in smashing a notorious gang of armed robbers terrorizing the state. He also help in killing the dare devil robbers that killed a finance director with the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina, Alhaji Kabir Yahaya. He however fielded questions from some selected journalists in Katsina. Our Correspondent, Lawal Sa’idu Funtua was there.

Alhaji Ali Kwara

What about amulets and other magical protections? These things are not proper. They are not Islamic. It is a deviation from the path of God. I don’t have interest in them and I will never have and in any case I will not subscribe that any Muslim should indulge in such practice. You are in Katsina and you have recorded some successes in arresting some armed robbers. What actually happened? First you are ignorant of one thing, I don’t arrest anybody. I only assist the police and sometimes I don’t join them on such operations. I only plan for them with the use of my brain and finances since God has blessed me. Their men are always close to me and if have any clue, I plan for them and send them out to tackle the situation. I sent

my boys to the commissioner of the command where they join his boys for the operations. This is what actually happened with the Katsina operation where we recorded a huge success. Your combine team successfully killed some armed robbers along Charanchi-Katsina road. People would like to know where these robbers operate mostly in Katsina state. These armed robbers were operating all over the state. We arrested one of them who gave us information about even this car we attacked. They robbed and killed a director of finance of the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina and we found them in possession of his gun. His family gave us the number of the gun and we found it with them. Those that we arrested told us that they robbed

in Batsari where they robbed a bank and a market; they robbed in Dutsin-ma and in Karofi where they met an old man with no money and poured burning cellophane on his head. They robbed in Mani and ‘Yandoma where they killed one person. The one I arrested is from Zamfara state and he told me they were responsible for about 50 armed robberies in Katsina state. They told us those giving them weapons and we are on their trail. Are your operations restricted to Katsina state alone? No. You know armed robbers have networks. In the past, before I pressure them to break the network, their network in the whole of West-Africa is one. If you start arresting armed robber from Central Africa to Ethiopia, they he will surely link you with places like Katsina, Zamfara,

Yauri or Kebbi. You must get someone from Dutsin-ma or Jangebe or Yauri. You will get them in Central Africa, Cameroun and Chad and some are indigenes of Katsina, Zamfara or Kebbi state and most of them are Fulanis. If you follow the link you would arrest 200 of them in a year till you get tired and abandon the job. If your leaders would show commitment we would have crossed over to Niger Republic and chase them away. Most of the guns uses in killing your people here were brought through these porous borders. As someone who stayed long in this, what is your advice? Since the beginning of democratic rule, there has been laxity on the part of the government. Our leaders are not monitoring closely the conduct of the nation’s judiciary and courts and those prosecuting the cases. Everyone is doing as he pleases. Some people are using these things as business ventures. I have cases where you will arrest people and they will later come and tell you that they paid to escape prosecution. If the government would not punished the guilty, then I would like to advice it to stop spending its funds on security. People were left doing as they wish in their offices and you would be saying it for donkey years but nobody is ready to listen to you. The problem of Nigeria is Nigerians. Anyone that completed secondary school and has gone up to degree level has a major concern which is his house; his personal interest. He wants to have a modern house with red zinc and marry a beautiful woman. Many Nigerians who are not well to do will always speak like patriots but immediately they get political office, the will change position. Their concern will be shifted. His concern will be only on his personal security and that of his family. They spend millions of naira on security but no improvement. We need to audit the handling of the funds released for security to know exactly what is happening. We should also investigate the issue of those releasing robbers. If this is not done, then nothing will change.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 13

Interview

We'll achieve autonomy for councils â&#x20AC;&#x201D;ALGON chair T

h e r e is the agitation that the local government should be autonomous. What is your view on this? There is a bill before the National Assembly on this. We are hoping to continue to talk to the National Assembly to pass the bill so that the local government can function better. But I equally have a different approach and that is not to antagonize the governors but to engage them. We will try to engage the governors and not fight against the governors and tell them the benefit derivable from having a very robust and functional local government system. For instance, in Enugu state where I come from, the local government system is very robust because the present governor of the state created a siuation where the local government councils have administrative and financial autonomy. That is why I can stand here and boast of asphalt roads. In fact, by the end of the year, if you to go my local government in Enugu state; in my community, there will be no more earth roads because the local government have been autonomous. I would want the constitution to be clearer on the relationship between the states and local governments. It should be clearer on the functions, duties, tax and levies. In some states, there have been conflicts between the states and local government councils on who should collect what. I think the constitution should be clearer in this regard. As a tier of government, the local government council is supposed to be close to the people. It is supposed to be the most effective vehicle for carrying out development and for changing the lives of the people of Nigeria. But unfortunately, government at this level has not been fully development. The local government system we have now started in the 1976 Local Government Reforms. And that is about the youngest in term of tiers of government. We have always had the federal and state governments in the early 60s. In any case, we are not doing badly and I believe if we will continue to strengthen the institution, we will get to the level where it will really serve as a vehicle for changing the lives of our people.

Hon. Nwabueze Okafor is the newly elected President of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON). In this interview with Augustine Aminu, he opens up on a number of contentious issues including the quest to achieve autonomy for councils

President of ALGON, Hon. Nwabueze Okafor

Most local governments in Nigeria today have financial problems. Many of them cannot even afford salaries. What will ALGON do to correct this situation? We have our financial constraint, but it is not up to the extent of our not being able to pay salaries. I will advise my colleagues out there to be prudent in management of their resources. They should also look inwards and find means of generating revenue internally. We have resources at the local government areas everywhere in Nigeria. We are blessed with lots of resources both human and material, so if we work very hard, we will be able to increase our revenue base. So as a tier of government, we will not only pay salaries, but make the people feel the impact of government and get connected to the government. We have the problem of governors appointing caretaker chairmen in most local governments in the country. Only a few are

elected. How do you hope to tackle this? The constitution as it is today, has made the local government councils part of the state government. That is why there is the joint allocation account. That is why you have the local government subordinate under the ministry of local government in different states. So while we are working on constitutional amendment that will grant autonomy to local government, I think it is wiser to equally engage the governors. Engaging the governors is yielding fruits. I know sometime in Nigeria, we had a situation where there was no elected local government council. Today we have about 20 per cent. I know of Kaduna and Akwa Ibom; so I believe we should continue to engage the governors because those who have not had elections are beginning to see the benefit of those who have had election. What measures will you take to check corruption among council chairmen? In ALGON, we have a

committee that deals with such issues. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come to the public to say we are taking these steps to call a chairman to order. We will continue to talk to ourselves. If some local government chairmen are not performing, it will affect the image of other local government chairmen. So we are sensitizing our colleagues on the need to deploy the resources available to them to development of their local government area. Is ALGON really relevant? Yes of course. The association has provided a platform for different local government councils in Nigeria to come together and muster a stronger voice. The association has been pushing for constitutional amendment that will grant greater financial autonomy to the local government. The association has created a platform for chairman to come together, look at their problems together and then form a united voice to ensure that these challenges are tackled. Now that you have come on board, what are your plans for ALGON? We are looking inward. We want to first of all strengthen the capacity of our secretariat to deliver. The secretariat should be able to develop a frame work. It should be able to assist the leadership of ALGON to develop an action plan. Plans that will dwell on those things that will help promote the image of ALGON. Our watchword is service. We will work very hard to change things; to eliminate all the mistakes we might have made in the past that have probably affected the image of ALGON. The Nigerian peoples should expect the new leadership to work closely with the Federal Government. We will key into the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan so that the people of Nigeria will feel the impact of government and will always work with our governors through Nigeria Governors Forum. What is your view on the current security challenges?

Every part of the country has its peculiar security challenges. However that of the North is more pronounce now because of recent attacks and bombings. We have challenges of security everywhere; the South east, you have kidnapping. Go to the South West; along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, you have incidents of armed robbery all the time. So one of the first things we did immediately we got elected into office was to discuss with the police on ways to find means of bringing an end to the insecurity. Local government chairmen are the chief security officers of their local government, so it is our desire to work together with the security agencies to tackle the insecurity in our country. Can you share with us, the secret of how you got to this level at a very young age? The secret that has taken me this far, is putting the people first. Because I believe our democracy will deepen if we can establish a connect between the government and the governed and the fastest way to establish that connect is to make sure that we carry out programmes that will impact on the lives of the people. When you give electricity to someone who does not have electricity, the person is connecting to the government. When you ask the person to come and vote for you, the person will come and vote and our democracy will be getting richer. So we have tried to put the people first from all the positions we have held in the past. So I think that that is why my colleagues found me worthy to be their chairman, first in Enugu state and at the national level. What do you want to be remembered for? I want to be remembered as one who served my people especially in my local government area. Right from the time I became chairman, I had my mind fixed on leaving a legacy in terms of projects. In ten to twenty years time, I want people to look at my children and say their father did these projects when he was at the saddle. At ALGON level, I will like to be remembered as someone who came and strengthened ALGON as a vehicle to help in developing the capacity of our local governments to perform optionally.

Special Report PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Mbula priest declares rainy season blessed

Murum Mbula and other leaders at the festival From Blessing Tunoh, Yola

t about this time every year, that is, between March and May, most communities in Adamawa state usually engage in activities, ceremonies or festivals that mark the setting in of the rainy season. The carnivals, which involve a lot of dance occasioned by traditional rites after which farmers are expected to sharpen their machetes, hoes and other farm implements as well as sort seedlings, typically starts between the months of March to May. This year, the Mbula speaking communities of Borrong District in Demsa Local Government were not left out of the pre-rain festivals as they recently marked Mbapur horse festival which officially “declares” the beginning of the rainy season. The festival dates back to the days when Mbula people were occasionally engaged in raiding activities as well as in inter-tribal conflicts that prevailed in the precolonial periods, though at that time the activities were mainly to secure slaves and booties. A historical account suggests that there was a brilliant horse which always brought success to

the warriors when it was taken out for battle or raiding. The horse was famous that at its death, the people were saddened. The chief priest of Mbula Kuli village and the warriors went into deep mourning that lasted for days. According to this account, the chief priest brewed local alcohol (Mbah-Mbula) and invited both cavalry and infantry warriors to his arena, which in Mbula parlance is known as “Tangun-la-mulah” after which the warriors were said to have proceeded into the bush where they conducted a mock raid before returning to the arena. The warriors were later led by their head, “Kasilah” in a grand durbar to pay homage to the priest who entertained them with alcohol while they respond with war dances before they were finally dispersed with words of encouragement pertaining to health, strength and abundant rain for the cropping season. It is instructive to note that the Mbapur festival has since become one of the most elaborate annual events which celebration attracts sons and daughters of Mbula extraction as well as tourists and nomads who always wait to witness the celebration

before proceeding with their cattle in search of grazing land. The flexibility of human existence however comes to bear in this festival as the role of the war captain known as Kasilah has now been replaced by the paramount ruler known as

Warriors on horse back

Murum Mbula, a product of institutionalization of the centralized chieftaincy. Worthy of note also is the injection of new trends to the festival; in the past, the most brilliant horse which is believed to bring good fortune for its master

during wars and raids is rewarded, nowadays a horse race is organised by the Murum Mbula and winners are rewarded accordingly. Other contests which have become part of the Mbapur festival is those of the best groomed horse and best attired horse man while the horse racing is categorized into long and short distances. Prizes such as motorcycles, power generating sets, television sets and cash prizes are usually won. The Murum Mbula, Joram Joel Fwa explained that the introduction of incentives became necessary to serve as an encouragement for horsemen to be properly attired in the traditional way and be more interested in the show. This is part of the overall effort to uphold the culture to avoid extinction. The Murum Mbula whose speech is usually the last, marking the end of the festival this year urged his subjects to send their wards to school as according to him, the world is changing and only the educated are relevant in the society. At this juncture guests disperse just as warriors converge at the chief priest’s compound where they would be treated to a reception and in the same vein; the Murum is expected to send emissaries with gifts and drinks to the chief priest. Maidens of the land are also not left out; they also converge in front of the priest’s house on the following day to perform a unique play which is known as “Kpakyaru”.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Peoples Page

PAGE 15

Jama’atu Shu’ara’il Islam’s garland for Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi By Abdul-Rauf Musa

aturday, April 28 would forever remain indelible for Jama’atu Shu’ara’il Islam of Nigeria, for it was the day the umbrella organisation for all Islamic poets in the country honoured one of the notable Islamic scholars in Nigeria, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi for his leading role in encouraging peaceful co-existence among people of different religious backgrounds. The event, held at the Conference Hall of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Kaduna, witnessed a large turn-out of the followers of the Tijjaniya sect who came from all nooks and crannies of Nigeria to celebrate with him. The master of ceremony is the Education Secretary of Kaduna South Local Government of Kaduna state, Comrade Sunusi Suraj, who performed eloquently with poise and élan. The chairman of the occasion and Special Adviser to Kaduna state governor on Pilgrims and Islamic Matters, Hon. Halliru Maraya, who also doubled as the representative of Kaduna state governor, Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, kickstarted the event with a brief biography of the recipient, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, highlighting his contribution towards the propagation of Islamic and his role in championing peaceful coexistence among people of different religions, etc. The chairman observed that even before the Islamic poets mooted the idea of honouring the scholar, President Goodluck Jonathan, a non-Muslim, found him worthy of the national award of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) for his sterling performance in promoting peaceful coexistence among fellow citizens. “During the national honours awards investiture on some distinguished Nigerians by President Goodluck Jonathan, the president said that he had received security reports on all the awardees, and what is astonishing about Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi was that he has been consistent in advocating peaceful co-existence among the diverse people of Nigeria”, added Maraya. Recounting an encounter he has had with the Arch-Bishop of Anglican Dioceses, Rev Isaiah Ideowu-Fearon, at which the subject of discussion was Sheikh Bauchi's peaceful dispositions, especially during the Ramadan tafsir, the special adviser said, “during one of our inter-faiths meetings, Rev. Isaiah IdeowuFearon informed me that, he had been listening to Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi's Ramadan tafsir, and what made a lasting impression on him is the fact that he had never heard Sheikh Dahiru

Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Bauchi calling Christians Arna (Pagans) and wondered what informed the Sheikh's actions, when some scholars are calling them with that name. When I met the Sheikh I told him Rev. Fearon's message, and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi responded that, the Almighty Allah in his glorious book, the Qur'an had given Christians name as People of the Book, there is no way, he can change Allah's decree and call them with different name.” The special adviser added that another amazing attribute of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi is the fact that, at over 70 years of age, he hardly stays for two-days in his house as he is always criss-crossing the country for Da'awah activities, a feat hardly marched by any Islamic scholar of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi's age to endure such a stressful itinerary with equanimity. Relaying the message of Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa at the event, the special adviser asserted that since the creation of Kaduna state, there had never been a government that recognised the importance of Islamic organisations like his own, adding that: "since we came on board, we make it a point of duty to assist many Islamic organisations with some modest monthly subventions, which no government had done in Kaduna." The award was received by the scholar's Kaduna state

representative, Sheikh Umar Suleiman, who expressed his gratitude to the Jama'atu Shu'ara'il Islam of Nigeria for honouring his principal. He also called on religious leaders to reflect the plural nature of the country when they are preaching to their followers. The representative of the Emir of Zazzau and District Head of Barnawa, Alhaji Kabiru Madauchin Zazzau, who commended the organisation for honouring Sheikh Bauchi, told the gathering that the emir had wanted to be at the event personally, but was held away by some pressing national engagement. Another public figure present at the event is the permanent secretary, Kaduna state Bureau for Islamic Matters, Alhaji Abubakar S. Abubakar,

who spoke on Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi's role in maintaining peace and stability in the state. He said that: “When the organisers told me they are honouring Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, I told myself that whatever appointment I have that day must wait, because, we at the bureau are very much aware of the efforts of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi in maintaining peace in Kaduna. In addition to that, his Kaduna state representative, Sheikh Umar Suleiman is one of the first people who always contact us if they hear anything capable of disturbing the peace in Kaduna," adding that: "The bureau is proudly associated with the laudable contributions of the recipient and we pray for Allah's guidance to and long life for Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi to enable him continue service to Islam and humanity." The Kaduna state chairman of the organisation, Madihi Abubakar Musa took a trip down the history lane of the organisation as the common platform for all Islamic poets in the country. He also explained the challenges they faced for more than ten years trying to register the organisation with the relevant authorities and the various supports they received from Governor Ibrahim Yakowa's government within a short period of time. He added that: "The idea of forming Jama'atu Shu'ara'il Islam was mooted around 1999, so that all Islamic poets would have a common platform for articulating their activities. But at the initial stage, we encountered many challenges with the registration of the organisation, and we later discovered that the problem is not with the registration body, but with some people who went behind and scuttled the process, but Allah's grace we were able to do it." The national chairman of the organisation, Sherrif Rabiu Usman Baba, a renowned Kanobased Islamic poet, who has about 10,000 Islamic poems to his credit, all of them eulogising

“

During the national honours awards investiture on some distinguished Nigerians by President Goodluck Jonathan, the president said that he had received security reports on all the awardees, and what is astonishing about Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi was that he has been consistent in advocating peaceful co-existence among the diverse people of Nigeria

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), mounted the podium, but before delivering his address, he devoted more than 30 minutes singing the praises of the recipient to the delight of the crowd. Sheriff Usman Baba highlighted the origin of Islamic poetry with a brief history of the two companions of the messenger of Allah, Abdullahi Ibn Rawaha and Hansanu Ibn Sabitu who were always by the Prophet's side, and anytime there was a need for poetry, these two companions would provide it without any difficulty. He refuted insinuations that all poetry were forbidden in Islam, stating that, "what is forbidden is the contents, just like any spoken words, one can commit sin by speaking bad words and at the same time can get Allah's favour by speaking good words," adding that, "And when we look at the history of Islam, the most effective mode of communications then was poetry and even during the time of Prophet Muhammad there were poets, likewise during his caliphs to the present time". Sherriff Baba enumerated the importance of poetry as the most effective mode of communication among people, especially children, while calling on government at various levels to incorporate poetry in the school curricula in various levels of education in the country. He appealed to Kano and Kaduna state governments to provide the organisation with a befitting secretariat. He stated that his organisation had more than 50,000 members spread across 19 northern states, Lagos, Oyo and Edo states, disclosing that they are making arrangements to open schools where children would be taught the rudiments of poetry, in addition to introducing various projects and programmes such as an annual Islamic poetry contest among others. After the national chairman of the organisation, the MC called another Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Malam Musa Naibi Abdullahi Mai Aufaq to give a vote of thanks. Malam Naibi started by thanking the invitees who, despite the mounting challenges of insecurity in the country, found time to be at the venue to rejoice with the recipient. He called on Islamic scholars irrespective of sectoral affiliations to educate their followers on the need for peaceful co-existence between followers of different religions. He added that: "Almighty Allah in His infinite mercy created humanity in different creeds and races and that If He had so wished, He would have created all humans in the same form," stressing the need for the Muslim Umma to engage itself in the quest for knowledge, as this century is a knowledge-based, and anything short of that will spell doom for the Umma.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Tourism

Beauties of the Plateau Compiled by Richard Ihediwa with reports from Hospitalitynigeria.com

e f o r e the emergence of hostilities among residents in the recent times, Plateau state was famed for its peace among the people and coupled with the presence of exquisite landscape making it one of the natural paradise in the country. With its very cool temperature and unique flora and fauna, Plateau state has been a major destination for tourists in Nigeria, showcasing exquisite geographical features including breath taking rock formations, grassland, waterfalls and hills. Some of the tourist attractions in Plateau include the Riyom rocks, Assop water falls, Kura Falls, Kwi Conical Hill, Wase Rock, Shere Hills, Pandam Wildlife Park and Lake, Kerang Volcanic Mountain, Pundong Crater, Jalbang Rock, Luham Rock, Pandam Wildlife Park and Lake among others. As if beknoning on the people to embrace peace, the landscape and its features have remained calm and resolute, holding one another in an everlasting embrace. Riyom Rock Riyom Rock is one of nature's most spectacular rock formations in Nigeria. It is located in Riyom town, 25 kilometers from Jos along the Jos-Akwanga road. Riyom rock formation is considered by many observers as a dramatic and photogenic pile of rocks balanced precariously on top of one another with the topmost looking like clown’s hat. The long stretch of this basalt rock is unique, purple in colour with different shapes symmetrically laid. Assop Water Falls Assop Water Falls is located some 62 kilometers along the JosAkwanga road. Located in a picturesque environment, it is an ideal spot for picnicking, rock climbing and even swimming.

Assop Water Falls

The water gushes from an impressive height, crashing with tremendous force on boulders of rock, thereby producing highly refreshing smoke of vapour and providing a beautiful sight. The overlooking viewpoint of the fall is also a frequent location for television soaps, films and various commercial productions like TV, adverts, posters, postcards, calendars and so on in a peaceful natural and adventurous environment. The peaceful environment provides atmosphere in which one can relax while in awe of nature’s wonder. Thatched round huts are available for relaxation. Bar and restaurant services are also available. Jos Wildlife Park This is the most developed manmade wildlife park in Nigeria. The park was built in 1972 and it covers a land area of 8sqkm, enclosing natural habitats of wooden hill locks and forest brooks, hills, streams and varied vegetation suitable for all types of animals and birds. It also has series of picnic sites. Its fauna collection includes pigmy hippopotamus, buffaloes, horses, birds, lions, chimpanzees, baboons, derby eland, pythons, crocodiles, jackals, leopards, martial eagle, kob, red river hog, elephants, ostriches and a host of other animals. Kwi Conical Hill, Riyom Kwi conical hill is a picturesque sight, one of Plateaus’ great sights. The hill is very inviting sight to the daredevils who would love the challenge of heights. On top of this hill is an almost flat land. Wase Rock Wase rock is located in the outskirt of Wase town, about 216km south east of Jos. The remarkable rock which rises abruptly to a staggering height of 350m above the plains of Wase town is a centre of attraction for curious geographers, geologists, mountaineers and bird watchers. Shere Hills Shere hills are about 10km

Riyom Rock from the heart of Jos. It is a range of undulating hills and rock formations with the highest point at 1,829m above sea level. These combined together offers unrivalled opportunities to the mountain or rock climbers and lovers of adventure. The 10km drive to the site further avails a tourist the opportunity of viewing rural settlement mingled with urbanization and a view of liberty dam which is one of the main supplies of water of Jos city. Kura Falls Kura falls is a fascinating and exciting place to visit. The falls came to being as a result of activities of tin mining in the area. The fall is home to the states first hydroelectric power station (National Electric Supply Company NESCO) which is located some 77km south east of Jos. This area is well known for its breath taking scenery. With its rocks, hills and lakes the whole area is ideal for boating, camping, and

Kerang Volcanic Sites

rock climbing. Pandam Wildlife Park This game reserve provides tourist with what can be expected in a nature preserve of its kind. The park is home to very many types of animals found in the region. In its waters are hippopotami, manatee, crocodiles and snakes of all types. It is not common to walk the banks of the lake and come face to face with a crocodile or a python. But a tourist should not be too concerned about any of these for the animals seem to know where humans hang out, and manage Kerang Volcanic Sites This rock was created by volcanic activities years ago. No one has any idea how long ago the volcano was active. This is a great site for anyone interested in the study of seismology because no one knows for sure if the volcano is active underneath. It would be great to find out. Pundong Crater This Crater Lake created by a

volcano is located in Ampang West in Mangu local Government Area. This crater is a place of great significance to the people that lived around it. There are great stories and legendary folk tales verbally handed down through generations about the crater and its significance to the residence of Ampang, Kerang, and Bonpe villages. The water in this crater has never been known to dry up at any time regardless of how much draught the region has been through. Jalbang Rock This rock has great history attached to it. It is this rock that the long Geomai, the spiritual leader of the Geomai people is installed. The installation of the long Geomai is done in a cave on this mountain. During installation, no one is allowed on any part of the mountain, with the exception of the king makers of the tribe. To this date, no Geomai woman is allowed to visit the location or the cave where the traditional coronation of the long Geomai is done. Other none Geomai woman can go to the place, but it is forbidden for all females of Geomai decent. Luham Rock Luham rock is located in Tunkus, Mikang Local Government Area. Luham means the “house of water” or “source of water”. The story behind the rock is that in the dark ages where people had to protect themselves, the local people had to take cover in rock sand mountains. Yitbang Lake The Yitbang is a mysterious lake of sorts. As small as it looks, it water level remains constant year round. In this lake are crocodiles and other amphibious animals to view.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Weekend

PAGE 17

Cocktail

Celebrity birthday: Genevieve Nnaji clocks 33 — Page 24

I N S I D E:

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Entertainment

Bob Marley: 31 years after

Bob Marley

very May 11, music fans all over the world remember Reggae icon, Bob Marley, who died on that date, in 1981. On Feb. 6, 1945, Robert Nesta Marley was born in Jamaica in Nine Miles within the Parish of St. Ann. His mother was an 18 year old Jamaican woman, Cedella Booker. Bob's father was a 50 year old English captain, Norval Sinclair Marley, who was stationed in Jamaica. Bob spent his early years with his mother in St. Ann, and then during his teens they moved to Kingston, the capitol of Jamaica. Settling in Trench Town, a shanty town with in Kingston, Bob experienced a childhood filled with poverty and violence. After attending the Stepney School in Kingston, Bob spent some time aquiring a trade as a welder. During his youth, Bob developed a love for singing early on through his involvement in the church choir and the encouragement from friend Desmond Dekker. Religion, "what is a Rasta?" Bob's earliest experience with religion was guided by his mother's upbringing in Christianity. As a youth he spent time developing his

musical awareness in the church choir. Later, in his adult life, Bob converted to Rastafarianism through the influences of those close to him. Bob's wife Rita, who was also raised Christian, sparked Bob's interest in the Rastas when she became exposed to Rastafarianism through contact with other singers. Bob's close friends Joe Higgs and Bunny Livingstone were also Rastas. Mortimmo Planno served as Bob's spiritual guide into Rastafarianism. Joe Higgs Joe Higgs held great influence in Marley's rise to success. He was a Rastafarian in Kingston who encouraged and nutured young musicians by offering free music coaching at his home. Later, he joined Bob, becoming Bunny Livingston's replacement in the 1973 US tour. Beverly Studios Marley was introduced to Leslie Kong, the producer at Beverly Studios and Jimmy Cliff, an already successful singer, through a good friend, Desmond Dekker. It was here that he recorded his first track, "Judge Not" in 1962, which was accidentally released under the name "Bob Morley". It was rumored that Leslie also tried to pursuade Bob into changing his name to Haddam for

stage purposes. Eventually, relations broke with Marley and Kong after Kong refused to pay him for his work. The Wailing Wailers (Ska) Shortly after a run in with Beverlly Studios, Bob left and formed the Wailing Wailers in 1962 (Bob Marley, Bunny Livinstone, Peter McIntosh, Junior Brathwaite as lead vocals, and Beverly Kelso and Cherry Smith as back up vocals). The group was so named as Bob explained that , "In those days we were always crying". At the end of 1963, the Coxsone Dodd label released the Wailing Wailers' first single "Simmer Down". This song was written in response to the disturbances in the ghettos between the Rastas and the authorities telling everyone just to "cool it". This was also the first time for Bob and the group's popularity to reach outside of Trenchtown. Ska music was becoming relatively more well known and the so called Rude Boy anthems about the violence in the ghettos took on a cult like following. Family On Feb. 10, 1966, Bob married Alpharita Anderson whom he had been dating for almost a year. Alpharita, better known as Rita, was a nurse

as well as a singer herself. She later would form the IThree, which became the backup group for the Wailers. The day after their wedding, Bob left to visit his mother in America for a few months. Together Bob and Rita had their children Sharon, Ziggy, Cedella, Steven and Damian who are all musically talented, and make up the Melody Makers. Work in America In 1966, Bob spent some time in Wilmington, Delaware visiting his mother's new home in the United States. He stayed there for almost a year collecting himself after troubles with the group and crooked record studios. Here he earned some money working at a Chrysler car assembly line and upon losing his job, he applied for welfare but was refused. As a final push, Bob was drafted into the U.S. army for service in Vietnam, sending Bob quickly back to Jamaica to recollect where he left off. The Wailers (Rock Steady) Back in Trench Town after a brief stay in America, Bob gathered up some of his old friends from the Wailing Wailers and formed the Wailers with Pete Tosh and Bunny Livingstone in 1967. Jamaican music had changed from ska to rock

steady, music with a touch of sexuality. One such song was the very popular "Stir it Up". Also, the Rude Boy themes of earlier songs changed to those of social and spiritual issues as the group became more focused on Rastafarianism. In 1968, the Wailers decided to try forming their own record label after being pushed around by producers and conflicts over their developing Rastafarian image. The new label, Wail 'N Soul, lasted only a brief year after problems with their lack of buisness knowledge and Bunny's nine month stay in prison for the possession of ganga. Bob spent some of his own time in prison for the possession of ganga which he later claimed it was for a driving offense. This gave him time to think and reflect on his life, leading up to some of his best music ever. Bob Marley and the Wailers (Reggae) Soon the group hooked up with Lee "Scratch" Perry from Coxsone productions. Perry gave Bob the assurance and confidence to develop his song writing to its full potential. Music shifted from love songs and rude boy themes to rebel music; they had become "soul rebels". Bob wrote the songs and was joined by the Upsetter's, which included Aston 'Family Man' Barret and Carlton 'Carlie' Barret. The Upsetter's added the soul and feeling into Bob's music. In 1970, Bob tried his

Bob Marley

shot at a second label, Tuff Gong. Popularity rose and Bob hooked up with Johnny Nash, an American singer who developed a version of Bob's "Stir it up" into a national hit. They spent some time together in Sweden and London working on "Reggae on Broadway" until the project crashed, Nash no longer had use for them, and the Wailers were left broke once again. Back in Jamaica in 1972, Bob Marley and the Wailers were given another chance through Chris Blackwell of Island Records. Blackwell, an English man, claimed that as a boy a group of Rastas saved his life from a boating accident. For this favor, he felt obligated to help these "wailing Rastas". This US label finally brought the Wailers the international recognition they deserved. Through this, many inspirational songs became known througout the world. Death On Monday, May 11, 1981 Bob Marley died at the age of 36. At first Bob went to the hostpital for an injury left un-attended to his toe from a soccer accident, when he was diagnosed with cancer in his liver, lungs, and brain. He spent his last year in several hospitals where news of his health were closely watched by all. Finally, four days after he passed away, the world was given notification that the Rastafarian phrophet had died, and a state funneral was held in his honor.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 19

Beauty Tips 3 steps to a beautiful healthy face! A

beautiful healthy face is something that many are willing to drop hundreds of dollars on each month - in the form of small beauty expenses that can quickly add up. There is no reason for the average consumer to invest so heavily in cosmetic products, because true skin health begins deep down inside. In fact, preventative measures are often the most effective since most creams and masks only treat the symptoms - not the cause. Regardless of your usual skin care regimen, these three steps will get you back on track to healthier, more attractive skin without all the fuss and complications. 1. Cleansing There are hundreds of harmful chemicals that our skin comes in contact with just from every day activities. Residues are often left behind from cosmetics or air pollution, creating unseen damage to the pores. Cleansing isn't required every single day, but a routine schedule will ensure that pores are able to secrete the proper balance of oils necessary for a beautiful healthy face. Our skin is the body's largest organ, and it requires access to fresh oxygen. Cleansing the face in the morning will remove

dead skin cells and build up, allowing the cells to breathe and remove toxins that eventually cause acne. 2. Protection It's important to protect the skin both from artificial chemicals and from harmful environmental exposure. Sunlight is great for aesthetic appearance and for providing certain vitamins, but too much of a good thing can damage the skin beyond repair. Make sure that some sort of UV resistant protection is provided during long exposure to the sun, because these rays are responsible for 90% of skin cancers. Protection from chemicals can primarily be accomplished by avoiding products that contain unnatural ingredients, acids and oils that aren't a part of our skin's natural balance. Of course, a body that is optimally hydrated will absorb less of the harmful substances that it comes in contact with, making water a cheap alternative to those heavy and often dangerous products. 3. Careful with Cosmetics Some people mistakenly believe that a beautiful healthy face can be achieved through the use of

cosmetics alone. Beauty products can treat certain symptoms in the short term. When speaking of powerful beauty tips for face, it's important to remember that our faces cannot breathe with an excess of foundation or primer. The eyes are especially sensitive to heavy makeup that can break capillaries and increase the appearance of wrinkles. If cosmetics are unavoidable, make sure the properly rinse and remove after a few hours of wear to give delicate skin a much deserved break. There is no reason that the average person can't achieve the skin quality of supermodels - and without all of the expense! Today's demanding culture can really take a toll on the appearance of skin, especially around the face, but these three steps are the best way to begin reversing the trend of deterioration that so many consider inevitable. Getting started with a natural regimen of routine face care will ensure that you will progressively need fewer and fewer supplemental beauty products because the most beautiful healthy face is one that occurs naturally from careful maintenance.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Peoples Tech How to keep your conditioner running cool

By Richard Ihediwa with online reports

ue to very high temperature in the tropics, many home and offices depend on air conditioners to keep people cool. However, most people usually have their air conditioners having problems especially due to poor maintenance and improper installation in addition to overuse. This results in huge costs accruing from constant repairs as a result of constant damage and malfunctioning. Taking care of your air conditioning unit is a worthwhile investment. When you maintain your air conditioner, you are saving both energy and money and have efficient performance. When air conditioners are not performing optimally, the office or the home spend money for no service and bear the brunt from the heat despite spending energy and money. The concepts for keeping your air conditioner clean and well-maintained apply to both window air conditioners and central air-conditioners. Let’s begin with reducing the need for your air conditioner to work overtime. Keeping your air conditioner running smoothly and cool begins by keeping the surrounding environment

around your air conditioner cool. How do you do that if it’s so hot that you need to use the air conditioner, you ask? Here are a few idea. Choose the location to mount the external component of the air condition. This is applicable both for window units, split units and central air conditioners. It is advisable to put the air conditioning unit in a shade. You can create a shade by planting trees around your air conditioner. You can make a shade using roofing materials. Exposing the units to heat increases the running of the unit and put the equipment under intense stress. Most units exposed to heat overwork and breaks down faster. Also, the cooling gas tends to be used up faster while the compressor unit wears out faster due to stress. Putting your system in the shade helps reduce stress and guarantee better cooling performance. You could also move the location of your air conditioner so that it is on the side of the house that gets the least fun. This is also to reduce the amount of dust going into the external system. Many people do not realise that the air conditioner perform better when the room is without leakages. You must make sure that your door and windows remain shut while the air conditioner is running. This helps reduce the stress on the compressor. This is because

leakage will admit hotter air which will require the compressor to continue running to get the room cool. Also ensure that your blinds are lowered to reduce the amount of sun rays coming into the room as they also heat up the room. You may also consider replacing your incandescent bulbs with florescent ones. Incandescent bulbs generate heat and this will bear stress on the air conditioners. It is also advisable to get a voltage stabilizer for your air

conditioner. This is because air conditioners run better at steady supply of specified voltage. Keeping your air conditioning unit running smoothly means changing or cleaning the filters often. Some experts recommend that you clean your air filters every month. While that may seem a little bit extreme, consider that you’re air conditioner might be running for a number of hours every single day for a number of months. The best way to clean your air conditioner's filter is to remove it and depending on what kind of air-conditioner you have, to rinse it with water or use a vacuum cleaner or broom to clean it out. Another way that airconditioners can get bogged down, is through dust and debris building up. The easiest way to remove this kind of debris will be specific to the type of airconditioner you have. If you’re using a window air conditioner, it’s a matter of cleaning the slots, either with a broom or vacuum cleaner or by cleaning them with a wet rag.

If you have a central air conditioner, you might need a professional to help you do proper debris elimination for your air conditioner. Maintaining your air conditioning unit may seem like a dull chore, but it is one that could save you a lot of money in the long run. Not having to purchase a new air conditioner in the next year is definitely worthwhile. In any case, it is advisable to consider ways to reduce your dependency on your air conditioner. One way to lengthen the life time of your air conditioner is to use it less, or to give it regular breaks. Here are a few ways to reduce your dependency on air-conditioner. Go outside and sit under a shady tree. If you’re lucky, you’ll get the breeze and the shade from the tree will be enough to keep you cool. Not to mention that you’ll be getting all the benefits of enjoying some fresh air and sunshine. If you must work inside, wear loose fitting and lightcolored clothing. These will ensure that your skin can breathe properly.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Healthy Living 3 Essential exercises for women

1: The lounge This exercise is as close to perfect as you can get, says Garber. It has the potential not only to build muscle and prevent injury but also to make you more agile and prevent stress fractures and osteoporosis (both more common in women than men). If you lunge with a barbell on your shoulders, you'll turn this into a weight-bearing exercise that can strengthen bones. With your feet hip-width apart, step forward and land with your heel first. Lower until the front thigh is parallel to the ground; then push off the front heel to stand back up. Repeat with

the opposite leg. Many people take a giant step forward, which Matthews, another expert says puts the emphasis on the quads. She recommends the same stride length as if climbing up stairs. "You're doing it right if you feel it in your gluts and hamstrings as well as your quads," she says. Lean forward slightly and never let your back knee hit the ground. 2: The Plank: Have you ever felt a painful twinge in your abdomen while getting out of your car? This may be because you've been neglecting your core. The plank uses all the important core muscles (unlike crunches, which focuses on the lower abdomen) Start on your knees with your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders, your forearms on the ground, your palms flat. Slowly rise up onto your toes and straighten your legs. Try not to drop your head or raise your backside, and relax your shoulders away from your ears. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds; then lower yourself back down. To make these easier, stay on your knees. As people focus on holding this pose, their form often goes out the window, says Matthews. Prevent

the belly from sagging by tightening your core as if you're expecting a punch in the stomach. "That engagement also helps with spinal stability," she says. 3: Push Up: Earlier this year, the American College of Sports Medicine released what was basically a "get fit" list to help fitness professionals devise routines for clients, says Carol Ewing Garber, PhD, an associate professor of movement science at Columbia University. We asked Garber, who cowrote the guidelines, to give us the basics. Her first pick was the push-up. You can do these on your toes or knees, or try them standing with your hands on the wall. Your arms should be straight but not locked, abdomen tight, back in a straight line. Lower until your arms are bent 90 degrees, then push back up. Your midsection isn't the only part of your body that wants to sag; you may also notice your chest sinking toward the ground as your shoulders hunch up, says Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. To improve shoulder stability, push through the heel of the palms as well as the outer surface of the hand.

Lounge chair also doubles as lounge machine

The push-up

The plank

Coconut oil is healthy hair secret

i n c e their childhood, people living in most of the coastal areas of the world, more specifically in the areas where coconut grows in abundance, such as in the Indian Subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Philippines etc., know the one and the only, the sweet smelling coconut oil as their only hair oil. Coconut oil has been in use as hair oil for ages and it has shown remarkable results. Certain components in it keep the hair strong, vitalised, nourished and protected from effects of ageing. Let us see those components and their effects on hair. -Lauric acid: One of the most responsible reasons behind hair fall and hair loss is microbial action on the scalp and hair roots. So, to protect hair against them, what we need is an antimicrobial agent. Lauric acid present in coconut oil is one of them. It is basically a triglyceride which yields a monoglyceride called Monolaurin

when acted upon by a species of bacteria which breaks the glycerol bonds. This monolaurin has excellent antimicrobial properties. Capric acid: This is yet another triglyceride present in Coconut oil, which, like Lauric acid, yields another monoglyceride called Monocaprin due to bacterial action, having antimicrobial properties similar to that of monolaurin. Vitamin-E: Almost every aptly educated person knows the importance of vitamin-E for skin and hair. It keeps scalp and skin healthy and hair rejuvenated. Moisture Retaining Capacity: Coconut oil has high moisture retaining capacity, since it is not broken down easily nor evaporated, being very stable. It does not let moisture escape; thus keeping hair moistened and soft. This prevents breakage of hair. Coconut oil is a far better conditioner for hair than any synthetic one available in the

market. Anti-dandruff: The various fatty acids present in coconut oil serve as very good anti dandruff agents and are way better than any anti dandruff shampoo. A regular application can help you get rid of dandruff forever. Styling: Coconut oil can be good styling oil for hair too, as it melts on heating and then condenses on cooling. So when you apply it on your hair, it thins and spreads evenly due to heat of the scalp. Soon afterwards, as the hair comes in contact with air, the oil on hair condenses on cooling and thus works as a styling gel or cream. If you ever visit coastal parts of India, like West Bengal, Kerala, Coastal Tamil Nadu etc, you will be surprised to see lots and lots of old men and women, in their 70s and 80s, still having thick jet black hair. Thanks to the coastal climate, the rice and fish meal and of course, the pure coconut oil they use on their hair.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

With Aunty A'isha

PAGE 23

rajia39ishabiola@yahoo.com 08082071393.

Sights and sounds

SHOR T ST OR Y SHORT STOR ORY

Wha bout okr o? The Three Little Butterfly Brothers hatt a about okro?

lot of kids love okro soup and a lot do not, it all depends what you want since nobody will force us to like what we do not like. Whether you love it or not, you should have knowledge of how it was discovered and planted and maybe, just maybe, you might develop interest in okro soup for example, and get all the nutritional advantage of it. Okro originated in Africa and likes hot weather. It was taken to North America by slaves. Because it comes from a hot climate, it is usually the last thing standing in a hot summer, still bearing away. The upright stalks can be used as supports for pole beans if desired. Okro should be planted after all danger of frost has passed. It is planted about one inch deep and two inches apart. Rows should be spaced about two feet apart. Once okro is up and growing well, thin the plants to one every foot. Okro needs plenty of fertilizer. Before planting, spread 2 to 3 pounds of 10-10-10 per 100 feet of row. Mix the fertilizer in well with the soil. After the first harvest, spread an additional one cup of fertilizer per row, water each time after spreading the fertilizer. Okro is vulnerable to aphids, stink bugs, and ants. Of the three, ants are the hardest to deal with. No ant bait or

poison is approved for use on okra. Spread ant bait around the parameter of the garden to attract the ants to it. Since ants forage at least 100 feet from the nest, they will pick the bait up and take it back to the nest. Aphids are small bugs that excrete a sticky substance referred to as honeydew. It quickly molds and covers the leaves of the plant, preventing photosynthesis and eventually starving the plant. Stink bugs eat the plant foliage and the okro. They also sting humans trying to harvest the okra. They are green in color and small, with a darker green diamond shield on their back. Okro is harvested when it is 3-4 inches long. Any longer and it will grow tough. When plants are really producing, okro should be harvested every other day. Cut the okro off the plant with a sharp knife. Pulling it off damages the plant and reduces the harvest. Okro can be stored for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Fresh okro is used as a thickening agent in soup. It can be cut into slices and frozen for later use. Okra can also be used to make pickles. If okro gets too mature to eat, the pods can be cured and dried for use in flower arrangements. At the end of the growing season, a few pods can be allowed to grow and dry out on the okro plants. Since okro is open pollinated, seeds from these pods can then be saved for the next season’s garden and will breed true. When the season is over, okro can safely be composted with other plants to fertilize the next year’s crops. Okro is a heavy producer. One row will produce enough okro for a family of four with plenty to store for later use. By Stephanie

here were once three little butterfly brothers, one white, one red, and one yellow. They played in the sunshine, and danced among the flowers in the garden, and they never grew tired because they were so happy. One day there came a heavy rain, and it wet their wings. They flew away home, but when they got there they found the door locked and the key gone. So they had to stay out of doors in the rain, and they grew wetter and wetter. By and by they flew to the red and yellow striped tulip, and said, “Friend Tulip, will you open your flower-cup and let us in till the storm is over?” The tulip answered, “The red and yellow butterflies may

enter, because they are like me, but the white one may not come in.” But the red and yellow butterflies said, “If our white brother may not find shelter in your flower cup, why, then, we’ll stay outside in the rain with him.’’ It rained harder and harder, and the poor little butterflies grew wetter and wetter, so they flew to the white lily and said, “Good Lily, will you open your bud a little so we may creep in out of the rain?’’ The lily answered: “The white butterfly may come in, because he is like me, but the red and yellow ones must stay outside in the storm.’’ Then the little white butterfly said, “If you won’t

receive my red and yellow brothers, why, then, I’ll stay out in the rain with them. We would rather be wet than be parted.’’ So the three little butterflies flew away. But the sun, who was behind a cloud, heard it all, and he knew what good little brothers the butterflies were, and how they had held together in spite of the wet. So he pushed his face through the clouds, and chased away the rain, and shone brightly on the garden. He dried the wings of the three little butterflies, and warmed their bodies. They ceased to sorrow, and danced among the flowers till evening, then they flew away home, and found the door wide open.

DO YOU KNO W THA T...? KNOW THAT

here is a reason behind the names given to each and every thing; be it a fruit, vegetable, take the example of pineapple: no it doesn’t come from a pine tree, nor is it an apple. When you look at a pineapple you may think you are looking at one fruit. Actually, the pineapple is a group of tightly packed small fruits! The pineapple is native of southern Brazil and Paraguay in South America. Native Indians spread this fruit through South and Central America to the West Indies. In 1493, Columbus, on his voyage to the Caribbean, found the fruit on the island of Guadaloupe. To the European eye, this curious new fruit had a rough, segmented outer surface like a pinecone and inside the fruit had a firm interior pulp like an apple. So combining the two they called it ‘pineapple’. In Europe, sweets and fresh tropical fruit were not common. These were imported at great cost from various voyages and

expeditions. In such circumstances, this ripe yellow fruit, which was bursting with natural sweetness, made the pineapple a coveted fruit. It was such a luxury that King Charles II of England posed for an official portrait where he is seen receiving a pineapple as a gift! For many years after, rich Europeans carefully grew the pineapple in private greenhouses. Today pineapple fields exist in many parts of the world, including

the West Indies, Florida, Northern Africa, Hawaii and Australia. The pineapple plant grows about 2 meter high with a spread of 3 to 4 ft. It is essentially a short, stout stem with a rosette of waxy, strap like leaves and bears its fruits at any time of the year. The leaves of the pineapple plant are also useful for they contain a fibre that can be made into cloth. Pineapples are grown from new vegetative growth. Home gardeners prefer the top or the crown of the fruit. The crown is removed from the fruit by twisting until it comes free. The bottom leaves are removed and the crown is left to dry for two days, then planted. Next time your Mom makes the “Oh! So delicious pineapple pudding” for you, you can surprise her by reeling off all the details you know about the fruit I am sure she will happily make another equally tasty dish for you!

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 22

With Aunty A'isha

rajia39ishabiola@yahoo.com 08082071393.

AFRICAN TALES

Tortoise and the Igbako (I)

MODEL OF THE WEEK

B “

ack in the days when Tortoise could talk and the animals ruled the forest, famines were common and those animals who could not survive would shrink and die. There was one such period when the tortoise had become lean. He had survived as long as he could on his smartness but he soon began to suffer like all the other animals as every available source of food disappeared. Tortoise noticed that Bird still had flesh on her skin beneath her feathers. “I must find out where she gets her food”, Tortoise thought. As soon as Tortoise had the opportunity to talk to Bird, he demanded that Bird take him to his food source. Bird denied having a food source but Tortoise threatened to reveal to all the other animals that Bird was holding out on them, so Bird agreed to take Tortoise to her food source. “If I show you where I get my food, you must promise never to tell anyone”, Bird told Tortoise and Tortoise readily agreed. Bird lent Tortoise some feathers and they flew together over many rivers until they reached the ocean. There they saw the Water Goddess. The water goddess was upset with Bird for bringing Tortoise, but nevertheless, she gave Tortoise a magic igbako. “You must not reveal the magic of the igbako to anyone outside your immediate family”, the

water goddess warned Tortoise. “Reveal secrets? Me? Never” Tortoise said. “Okay then, ask the igbako what its duty is”, the water goddess replied before she disappeared into the depths of the sea. “Igbako, what is your duty?” Tortoise asked the igbako and it responded, I make huge lumps of iyan, I make huge lumps of eba, such that the whole world eats and yet leaves leftovers. At this, iyan, eba and various soups, meats and fruits appeared. Tortoise immediately began to attack the food, but no matter how much he ate or how fast he ate, he could not finish all the food. After he recovered from his

overeat, he flew back home with the igbako. When he got home, he called his entire family together and brought out the igbako. “Igbako, what is your duty?” Tortoise asked, and the igbako replied, I make huge lumps of iyan, I make huge lumps of eba, such that the whole world eats and yet leaves leftovers. The Tortoise family feasted for the entire day on the food that appeared. They ate until they could eat no more. By this time, Tortoise was thinking of the fame the igbako could bring him, he needed to show off his magic to the entire animal kingdom.

CREA TIVITY CREATIVITY

Make your own lampshade and be proud What you need: Scissors Spray glue Paper, for tracing the pattern Fabric Step One: Lay your lampshade down on your craft paper, or the back of wrapping paper. Starting at the joint roll and trace the bottom of your lampshade until you arrive back at the joint.

Then roll the lampshade back in the opposite direction and trace the top edge. For the most common style of lampshade, it will be a crescent shape drawing. Step Two: Cut out your paper pattern and place it on the underside of your fabric. Add a 1/2 allowance on each side of the pattern for tucking around the edges of the shade. Also make sure to add at

least 1/2 to the joined edge of the pattern so that you can have a smooth finished edge. Step Three: Cut out your fabric pattern. Spray your lampshade with the adhesive. Tip: carry lampshade outside and spray it in the yard. Step Four: Carefully lay your shade down on the fabric, lining up the raw edge of the fabric with the joint on the existing shade. Failure to line it up with the joint will make you see the original joint and it is not right! Step Five: Glue the raw edges around to the inside of the shade. Used regular white glue, watered down slightly for this. Step Six: Here you can add any sort of trimmings that you would like, ribbon edging, fabric trim, buttons, pom-poms, tassels and so on. For very little money N500 on the fabric, you have a whole new lamp!

Precious Eze

ACTIVITIES

Name and paint the above picture with beautiful colour, show your work to your teacher for correction. Cheers

PAGE 24

Kannywood Controversies trail Muna's public fight with Mode 9

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12, — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Nollywood

Marriages don't last these days but I still need a man -Shan George When success and successful actors’ stories are written in the annals of Nollywood, Shan George’s name cannot be omited. Gorgeous and gifted, Shan, who broke into the movie world in the 1997 soap opera, Wind of Destiny, not only conquered Nollywood, she captivated her fans with blistering and daring acting that wowed the Nigerian audience so much so that her memory continues to linger in the minds of Nollywood fans. The single mother of two shares her story. After two failed marriages, will she dare think of another try? “I believe there are still good men out there... I am sure I will meet a good man out there someday,” she avows. She also recounts how a near-tragic experience that almost turned her to a cripple, turned around her life. Excerpts:

DJ Jimmy

t was almost a wild drama at the just concluded Nokia Don't Break The Beat competition which ex-beauty queen, Munachi Abbi hosted.A DJ Jimmy Jatt and Mode 9 were part of the judges on the show. Trouble nearly started when as one of the judges, Mode 9 chose a contestant as the winner of the competition in his capacity as the competition's judge over others but Muna, who was just the anchor, disagreed with his choice. She told Mode 9 that his choice of winner was wrong that her own choice should be the rightful winner. Though she was told as a presenter, she had no input on the choice of winners, but she told Mode 9 to hand over the microphone to her when Mode 9 didn't dance to her tune. This got Mode 9 angry but he handled the matter with maturity. This act by up and coming rapper, Muna has been greeted with controversies. Some have question her right to challenge the authority of an icon in the field. Others believe she crossed her line as a presenter in interfering in the decisions of the judges. Some players in the game have lashed out on Muna saying it was wrong for her as a starter in the

Muna game to question Mode 9's decision in the competition. Muna is still struggling to get a stand in the rap business in which Mode 9 is already an icon. He has consistently won Best Lyricist at the Headies (formerly Hip Hop World Awards). Some believe that Muna did what she did on the show to create a buzz around her, which she has been getting since the video went online.

onsidering the fact that you married early, at about 15, would you advise anybody to marry early? I wouldn’t. The truth of the matter is that when you are given out in marriage, at a very young age, there is a lot of psychological damage it does to you. First of all, you are so immature, and immaturity as we know causes a lot of lapses in anything we do, either your job, your school or in your relationship with the opposite sex, like in marriage. Immaturity goes a long way to do a lot of damage because your reasoning is feeble, and when your reasoning is feeble, your actions will be feeble. I don’t think I will advise anybody to get married at a tender age as I did. Was that the reason your first marriage failed? Do you know how old my first son is? I have two sons from this marriage you are talking about, a 24-year-old boy, who is a graduate of Economics from the University of East London, since last year. The second one is in

Celebrity birthday: Genevieve Nnaji clocks 33

narguably one of Africa’s most talented actress, Genevieve Nnaji turned 33 on May 3, 2012. The Imo State born play-acting icon was born on May 3, 1979 in Mbaise, Imo State. She first acted as a child actress in the rested soap, Ripples at age eight before blowing into fame in 1998 with the movie ‘Most Wanted.’ She has been referred to as Africa’s Julian Roberts who incidentally is one of her role models. Genny has starred in big movies like Ijeh, Mirror Boy, Blood Sisters and many others.

Genevieve

the same school, reading music, whose song, “Egbami” has got everybody talking. I don’t want to sit here and talk about the marriage that happened 26 years ago, it is ridiculous to do that. People already know this about me, so I don’t want to talk about it anymore. You were already mature by the time you went into your second marriage, why did you walk out of it? I did not walk out of it; my husband left me for someone else. There are a lot of women whose husbands leave for someone else; I don’t think I am the only one. I married as an adult to a man that I saw and liked, and believed in my mind that I had seen someone I want to be with. I spent four years of my life with him and the person decided to walk out, and move on with another woman, I don’t think I should be carrying a matchet pursuing people for that. He found another woman and decided to move on with his life. What could be his reason for leaving you for another woman? I can give you his number so you can ask him about it! He is in a better position to tell you why he left me. If I had walked out, I should be able to give you a reason. Now someone walked out on me, I can’t tell you why the person walked out on me. The reason I can say is that he met someone else. Any other reason, I will probably give you his number so you can ask him, because I cannot speak someone else’s mind. If a chance of reconciliation emerges, will you give it a thought? I will probably have to think about it before I will give you an answer to that question because you just asked a question that I am not prepared for. I never thought about this before.

How does it feel having such grown up boys as sons when you are still young and good looking? That is why I don’t like saying I regret this or I regret that. They are the reason I am not angry at the marriage. How can I be angry when I have such beautiful children? I have friends and colleagues who are my age mate who are not married and have no child. That is why I don’t like coming out to talk, you say this, then I would come out and I say it’s a lie; no, I don’t have time for that. Ninety percent of the ‘bad beles that say Shan George is this, Shan George is that, are far below me; I look at them, all I feel for them is pity, because I am far ahead of them. I am so blessed and it is not my fault. That is why I don’t get angry at what I hear about me. Having been disappointed in marriage

twice, would you still give marriage a chance? I think so; I think there are still good men despite what we women say about men being this or that. I have seen a lot of men staying married to their wives and becoming good husbands to their wives and good fathers to their children. So I think there are a lot of good men, out there, women should not because of what happened in a particular affair keep judging men as being all bad. If you had a relationship and it did not go down well, don’t use that to spoil the next one. So I am sure I will meet a good man out there someday. There should be a lot waiting for your yes or no-I have not seen a man yet, that is just the truth. So you are searching? Well, I may not really be searching. I am not a 29-yearold girl or a 25-year-old girl anymore. There are things that

PAGE 25

actually put pressure on women to start searching. But I am not in that situation. I know there will be a good man someday; a good man will come around some day. How was your growing up like? I grew up in the village and I would say it was fun. One of the advantages later was that I had village sense and I later got “city sense”, then it became double sense (laughter). And I have imbibed a lot of my traditions, one of which is that of respect for elders. Your affair with Okey Bakassi, many thought it was going to lead to marriage? I won’t talk about it. Seriously, this is a relationship that happened like 10 years ago. Apart from the God factor, what else do you think helped you get so

much success, in this movie industry? It’s hard work, because the Bible says He will bless the work of our hands. Whatever you are doing, if you are selling akara, sell it well. Have you not seen people training their children with money they make out of selling akara? So do your own and allow the person to do his own. Anybody that has never come to you to beg you for what to eat, you don’t even have the moral justification to judge that person. I was talking to somebody yesterday, who is just two years old in the industry, and she came crying that they wrote something false about her. I told her: you have not started at all. When you are busy doing your own thing and you are successful, people must talk. But you can’t bring a good man down. It seems you have developed a thick skin you are no longer perturbed about what people say or write about you? If you got married at the age I got married, and you lived in the kind of home I lived in, all those years, came out from that home, and grew up on the street, like I did, I don’t think there is anything the press want to write that would shake you. There are many married women in this industry that still sleep around like dogs and nobody is talking about them. Most of them are just using the umbrella [of marriage] to cover their ‘sins’. I married twice, yes, but go and ask whether I was ever caught with another man by my husbands. Never! I was never wayward. Are you not threatened by the fact that younger faces are taking over the industry? Olu Jacobs is still acting, and you can’t compare him with Desmond Elliot…that is all I have to say. Can you remember your most embarrassing moment? I think it was when I did a movie where I played a character that lured her friend to the village, killed her and returned to the city to date my friend’s boyfriend. After that movie I went to the market and women were insulting me, throwing tomatoes at me and I was so embarrassed that day. People say Nollywood marriages don’t last; what do you think is the problem? Marriages don’t last these days, not just Nollywood, and I don’t know why, only God knows. How would you advice an up and coming actress? I will just advice them first of all to get an education, it is very important, and they should put God first.

Omotola speaks on "Hamza", her first Hausa film

Omotola and Ali Nuhu in “Hamza”

hile Nollywood movie makers went on break due to the decision of the marketers to rest and re-chart their course so to speak, Nollywood star actress Omotola seemed to be having it cool, courtesy of her lead role in the Hausa movie, “Hamza”. The celebrated screen beauty who will always say “I love what I do,” turned around and stunned her fans when she stormed a Kannywood set in Jos, where she took part in the 3SP movie, ‘Hamza’, making of the Legend. And she gave a very good account of herself according to movie buffs., After playing her part as Queen in the movie, which she described as heroic, Omotola could not hold back her feeling of contentment and of course excitement when she said that she has never been so challenged. According to her, she has “never been so challenged like she was in Hamza” She also used the chance meeting to trace her entry into the movies when she said, “I came into the movie industry sometime in 1995, immediately I completed my secondary school education. It all started when a friend introduced me into modelling, which I did for a while. Later, another friend invited me for an audition, where I did well and was given a role, but unfortunately, my mother kicked against it. She said it was for my own good.” So when did she get the green card to start showing her face in movies? Barely some months, she got another role. This time, it was a romantic one that had to do with a lot of kissing, from the producers of The Testament, in which she was supposed to act alongside Tunde Obe. Again, her mum revolted against it because she didn’t want her beloved daughter to be seen kissing in movies because it would affect her future and the church will not be pleased. So once again, she had to reject the role. For her, it was a rough start and a battle of sorts with her mum, until the same director of The Testament offered her yet another role. This time, it was a “responsible” one in Venom Of Justice, which she said happened to eventually be the first film she featured in. That was in 1995. Today, she has been opportune to

write her name with a golden pen in Nollywood’s yellow pages with several roles in the kitty. Does she see herself as a successful actress? The reply from her is “You should be the one to tell me that, I don’t know.” But a clear examination of Omotola’s exploits in the industry will show you that she has done her bit to have her name etched on Nollywood. Omotola took considerable time to express her joy for playing a lead role in Hamza. Although she had her secondary education in the north, according to her, she realised that her six years in Kaduna was a waste. “I would have learnt more about the Hausa culture. I now realise how beautiful the culture is. This film, Hamza, is going to be great and was a challenge to me, I love it.” Unlike many other actresses in Nollywood who disregard their fans for one reason or the other, Omotola is different. In Jos, she chose to keep her fans around her. At a point, she went to a super market in Jos and returned with a Ghana-Must-Go bag filled with goodies, which she gave to her fans. She enjoyed working with the Kannywood stars like Ali Nuhu. In fact, she says she is overwhelmed by Nuhu’s immense talent, fast reasoning and commitment to his roles. She was surprised by how he profusely wept on set when the director asked him to get in the character. “There are lots of talented people here in the north. Ali Nuhu is an outstanding actor. He is a multi-talented young man with a keen, enthusiastic mind. Sani Mu’azu is another credible actor in Kannywood. There are many others and with what I saw here, in the near future, this part of the country will be great and will compete with any industry in the world”, she enthused. As a queen, Omotola excelled in the role. She had this to say about northern royalty, “the royal home in the north of Nigeria is something else. Gaskiya, I am impressed. Check out the protocol in the palace. Imagine, the sarki does not talk to anyone directly when it comes to domestic affairs, except through the Jakadiya. That symbolises that royalty in northern Nigeria enjoys tremendous respect and reverence.” - Nigeriafilms.net

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Hollywood/Bollywood Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheridge to wed in Honolulu

Kareena and Ranbir agree to act in Zoya’s film

aving made headlines over the past couple of months for his marriage to Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown is now making plans to walk down the aisle once again, on June 15, to be exact. According to TMZ, that is when Brown will exchange vows with longtime girlfriend Alicia Etheridge - and the wedding will take place in Honolulu on the same weekend during which New Edition will perform a concert in the area. Etheridge and Brown have been engaged for exactly two years during which they had one child together.

f t e r a lot of coaxing from many film makers, Kareena Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor have finally decided to do a film together for Zoya Akhtar.A The Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara director has successfully managed to convince the actors. Now, RK and Bebo will share the screen as brother-sister in Zoya’s next film. According to a source, “Both Ranbir and Kareena were aware that they couldn’t pair romantically for any film. So for them to come together for any project, it needed to have an extraordinary script. Zoya narrated the idea to Kareena while she was shooting for Talaash. Kareena

Beyonce: I ‘Definitely’ want more Kids

eyonce took a night off from tending to her newborn daughter to hit the red carpet Monday night at the ultra-glamorous Met Gala in

NYC and ET’s Nancy O’Dell got the only interview with the fabulously fit new mom. Although some might find that hard to believe, the 30-year-old reveals that her recent fitness regimen consists of little time with a trainer. “I haven’t had much time in the gym [since the baby was born],” said Beyonce as she literally dropped jaws in a sheer, figure-hugging Givenchy Haute Couture gown. “I’ve been rehearsing, I have a show coming up and it’s my first show in a year.” At the very mention of her nearly four-month-old bundle of joy, Beyonce

beams with pride, excited to talk all about little Blue Ivy, who she revealed was currently nestled safe and sound in the company of mother Tina Knowles and hubby Jay-Z. “I have such a full life,” she explains. “I feel like now I know the reason that I was born.” While she admits she isn’t sure when she might debut a new baby bump atop her already incredible figure, when that time rolls around, Beyonce isn’t ruling out a Brangelina size brood. “I definitely want to have more,” she proclaims. “I don’t know how many. God knows, I don’t know yet.”

immediately loved it. Ranbir too has given it his consent. The film will now go on the floors by the end of this year,” said the source. The film is expected to portray a brother-sister

relationship. “Zoya will be reviving the brother-sister relationship genre. And she has now managed to cast real life siblings Ranbir and Kareena for it,” added the source.

The return of Anthony Gonsalves!

o r a forthcoming film, Amitabh Bachchan is all set to revive his unforgettable dance ‘My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves’ from his 1977 film Amar Akbar Anthony. The actor will show his moves for the title track of Rohit Shetty’s action comedy, which had Abhishek Bachchan and Ajay Devgn in the lead. Not just the song but Sir Bachchan’s popular

dialogues will also be included in the film. The shooting for the song starts on May 9 and continues till 12 of May at Film City. Says a source, “Though the film does not feature him but Abhishek, he has been included in the story line of the project. When director Rohit Shetty made him hear the title track, he liked it tremendously and instantly agreed to feature in the title song.”

The song will see father Bachchan, chiggy, wigging with his son Bachchan. The steps are being choreographed by Chinni Prakash. Big B’s spokesperson confirms, “He will be shooting for the song.” The track is being penned by Sajid Farhad. It was recorded by Himesh Reshammiya who is scoring the music. Abhishek and Devgn have also lent their voice to the track.

Lindsay Lohan on Glee: First-Look Photos!

indsay Lohan guest stars on Glee on next week’s penultimate episode (May 15). For once, the often wrongly maligned starlet will be the critic judging people! Guest-starring as herself, Lohan channels her inner judge (the show business kind) as she sizes up the competition at Nationals on the Season 3 finale. The McKinley High glee club is vying for top honours after last year’s upset and will take on nemesis Vocal Adrenaline in front of a panel of celeb judges. Lohan, Rex Lee and Perez Hilton will be among them. The casting news was announced in March just after LiLo, who has officially satisfied her

probation terms in her DUI case, hosted Saturday Night Live. “Glee was fun to do!” she Tweeted Monday. “It made me want to live in a world of musicals where people always just burst

out into song & dance!” Despite reports that she was a nightmare on the set of Glee, Lohan’s guest role was reportedly wellreceived by the cast and producers. Can’t wait! thehollywoodgossip.com

Ranbir Kapoor turns Vampire!

h e latest buzz doing the rounds is that Ranbir Kapoor will be seen as a Vampire in his next flick. The film is titled Bloody Veer, and is on the lines of ‘Twilight’. RK has already signed the film. Says a source about the film, “It’s a light-hearted funky venture and one could say it’s the coming together of Wake Up Sid and Twilight. It is about hip youngsters and a gang of friends. It’s a fun film with

a dash of humor and romance.” The film being a comedy has gotten Ranbir Kapoor to get quite excited. All details of the film are kept under wraps. Bloody Veer will be directed by Heeraaz Marfatia and produced by Siddhartha Jain. Ranbir Kapoor is currently shooting with exflame Deepika Padukone for Ayan Mukherjee’s film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 27

Homes

Harvesting water to lower your bill W

h e t h e r you are planning ahead for future droughts or just want to lower your water bill, saving rainwater makes sense. With clean rain water available in the home, your family is saved the trouble of rushing to the doctor every now and then for medical attention as a result of water-borne diseases. Besides, it will augur well for Nigerians who still battle to buy the commodity from water vendors. Now that the rains are here, take advantage of the season and harvest water. Rainwater is pure compared to ground water that comes from boreholes or wells because it does not contain the chemicals or minerals typically found in the soil. Rain-collection systems vary in expense. They are actually very cheap and almost cost free. You can choose a system that meets your needs without exceeding your budget. Basics The easiest way to collect rainwater is to leave an open bucket or container outside. Covering the container on dry days will prevent evaporation and insect contamination. To collect more rainwater, connect a container to your roof's downspout. The large area of your roof will collect the rain. Your home's roofs will funnel the water into the container. A simple system such as this might supply enough water for a typical home's outdoor watering needs. More advanced systems collect more water, but are more expensive. Depending on your situation, you might need to

invest in a quality pump to remove the water from your container. For example, if your storage container is lower than the area where you plan to use the water, a pump will allow you to transport the water uphill. Filtration You might need to filter the rainwater you collect. Simple filtration involves keeping out large debris and contaminants, such as leaves and insects. For example, if you collect water via your home's roofs, install wiremesh roof screens to block leaves and sticks. Clear the debris often to ensure proper water flow. If you plan to drink the rainwater you collect, you must filter it first. Use a quality filtration system that removes dangerous contaminants, such as bacteria, viruses and parasites, especially if you store the rainwater for long periods. Retail hardware stores sell plastic containers suitable for storing water. In rural areas, the main water sources are normally groundwater bore wells or surface water, rivers, ponds and lakes. However, an often overlooked, easily accessible and sustainable source of safe drinking water during the wet season is rain. In tropical and sub-tropical climates such as ours, the quantity of water collected from rainfall can be substantial. There are clear advantages to rainwater harvesting at home: -improved health -easy access -low cost -It is easy to manage. Traditional rainwater harvesting Traditional methods of

rainwater harvesting used in Uganda and Sri Lanka include rainwater collection from trees, using banana leaves or stems as temporary gutters. Up to 200 litres may be collected from a large tree in a single storm. Rooftop rainwater harvesting Very low cost domestic rainwater harvesting systems can be easily installed on most corrugated iron or clay tile rooftops in rural and urban areas, using various forms of guttering, first flush diverters and plastic tanks for collection and storage. R a i n w a t e r harvesting without rooftops However, in some rural areas, most people live in simple thatched roof structures, which are not suitable for traditional rain - water harvesting. But research shows that there are tested and trusted innovative and simple 'ultra low cost' ways of harvesting rainwater without using rooftops. Using plastic sheeting In many populations on the move, especially in emergency and post emergency situations, plastic sheeting is a basic commodity that many households own. It is either given through distributions at refugee camps or camps for internally displaced persons, or purchased on the local market. Plastic sheets are used for many purposes including as shelter for homes or shops. They can also be used for rainwater harvesting. Calculations based on rainfall data from Colombo, Sri Lanka, show

there would be an average daily yield of more than 60 litres over six months of the year from rainwater harvesting using an 8mÂ˛ plastic sheets for collection. Designing your own rainwater harvesting system Using plastic sheeting is one option for rainwater harvesting without using a roof. Other locally available materials can also be successfully used, such as single corrugated iron sheets and cloth. There are no rules for construction. Think of new ideas using whatever materials you have available to catch and collect the rainwater. The principle is always the same: Catch the rainwater on a clean surface before it hits the ground, and channel it into a clean collection container. Scaling up It is easy to scale up rainwater harvesting systems. In emergency situations, rainwater harvesting can be made available to all and can even contribute as a significant water source in large communities and camps. Remember to promote good hygiene at the same time, making sure that each part of the system is clean. Cover the water container and make sure the stored water is not removed by dipping hands or scooping using dirty cups or other dirty items. Rainwater which has been stored for a long period may require disinfection. Protect water containers with a screen to stop mosquitoes breeding and keep out sunlight to prevent the growth of algae. Tearfund.org

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Cuisine

Pots & Pans

With Hajiya Ramatu Usman Dorayi

How to make your own Pizza at home

Ingredients: Pizza Dough: Makes enough dough for two, 10-12 inch pizzas. 1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast (check the expiration date on the package) 3 1/2 cups bread flour (you can use all-purpose but bread flour will give you a crispier crust) 2 Tbsp olive oil or groundnut oil 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon sugar Pizza Ingredients: Olive oil or groundnut oil Cornmeal (to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone) Tomato sauce (purée) Cheese, shredded Crumbly salty cheese Mushrooms, thinly sliced Bell peppers (tattasai) stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced sausage, cooked ahead Chopped fresh basil Pesto (paste made by crushing basil leaves, nuts, oil, cheese and garlic) Pepperoni, thinly sliced (sausage spiced with pepper) Onions, thinly sliced Sliced meat Special equipment needed A pizza stone, highly recommended if you want your pizza dough to be crusty A pizza peel or a flat baking sheet A pizza wheel for cutting the pizza, not required, but easier to deal with than a knife Method of making the Pizza dough 1. In the large bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid), add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes. 2. Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil or groundnut oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour. 3. Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with the oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or several hours longer, a longer rise will improve the flavour). If you don’t have a warm spot in the house you can heat the oven to 150 degrees, and then turn off the oven.

Let the oven cool till it is just a little warm, then place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise. At this point, if you want to make the Pizza ahead, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Preparing the Pizzas 1. Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour. 2. Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes. 3. Prepare your desired toppings. Note that you are not going to want to load up each pizza with a lot of toppings as the crust will end up not crisp that way. About a third a cup each of tomato sauce and cheese would be sufficient for one pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza. 4. Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 to 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip. 5. Brush the top of the dough with oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes. Repeat with the second ball of dough. 6. Lightly sprinkle your pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions. 7. Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza. 8. Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven (watch your hands, the oven is hot!). Gently shake the peel to see if the dough will easily slide, if not, gently lift up the edges of the pizza and add a bit more cornmeal. Slide the pizza off of the peel and on to the baking stone in the oven. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking time you can sprinkle on a little more cheese. Makes 2, 10-12-inch pizzas

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Womanhood Regain your shape after having a baby M

otherhood is a thing of joy indeed. If you have been delivered of that long awaited bundle of joy and are wondering how to get back your beautiful shape, this writeup may just provide you with the necessary tips to lose those additional pounds. Pregnancy and childbirth are womanly so it becomes important to give yourself some tone up to get back to being the woman your husband always loved and admired. Here is some of what it takes to take off the unwanted flesh and stay healthy. It is necessary to let your body heal. Whether it is a normal or Caesareansection birth, your body needs to recuperate. This can be a heartbreaking time because you are really seeing your body for the first time without this awesome belly, and realizing how it is pretty far off from what you started from. That's okay. Give yourself time to heal and get into the rhythm of your baby. Figure out the logistics of exercise. Everyone is different - you are staying at home, you are back at work, you have multiple kids. For each person, there is a plan. It is just a matter of figuring out what works for you. It could be a treadmill, a used jogging stroller or an old workout DVD. Just 30 minutes. If you can give that to yourself every day, that would be ideal. If you try for it every day and wind up with 3-4 times a week, that's good. Finding time for your self can feel impossible, but it is not. You can come home from work and take your baby for a walk for 20-30 minutes. It is your time to come down from the work day. Sometimes you can let your husband or a close relative watch the baby in the morning so you can exercise. It may not be easy because you are likely to get exhausted from giving the baby his attention and house chores. But here is the secret - exercising every day actually gives you more energy. Try it. You can live better on the 4-6 hours of sleep you are getting every night after exercise and the 10-12 hours you are working every day as a full time mom or working outside the home. Take time to tone too. Burning off the

fat is made all the easier by building muscle mass. And as much as we all wish we had the personal trainers and nannies of the celebrity moms types, most of us don't. So try to keep it simple. Start with 25 push-ups and sit-ups. Then tack on 510 more a week and work your way up to 100. If you can actually break away and take a yoga or toning class, that will be all the better. Watch your eating habits. When you are pregnant, you are encouraged to indulge, and most women do. But the good thing about eating during pregnancy is that you learn more about nutrition than ever before because you become hyperaware of what you are putting into your body. Keep up this practice, because now you need to take care of you for you. Continuing to eat healthy, fresh foods without hydrogenated soybeans or refined sugar is great. Just cut the portions in half so you can ultimately burn more calories than you eat, it is the only sure-fire way to lose weight. Give yourself time. Your body is not going to look just like it did before you got pregnant right away. You will have to patiently wait for that so in the mean time, indulge in some keep fit exercises and try not to over burden yourself too much. Exercise time doesn't have to be separate from baby time. Let your baby watch you exercise. Place him or her in a bouncy seat or swing while you do your favourite exercise tape, perform sit ups and other exercises on a large exercise mat, or run on a treadmill. Some days just playing and carrying your baby can

be a good workout in itself! Get a little help from your friends Exercise with a friend or relative, or another new mom. Having someone to exercise with is a big motivator. Plan on a day and time to meet and stick with it. It's amazing how time flies when you're walking with a friend and chatting about baby stuff. Join a fitness centre and enrol in classes or contact a local mom's club if you have trouble scheduling times with friends. You can also get round the neighbourhood and chat with other new moms. Find somebody interested in exercising and keep in contact with her each week. Motivate and encourage each

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Give yourself time. Your body is not going to look just like it did before you got pregnant right away. You will have to patiently wait for that so in the mean time, indulge in some keep fit exercises and try not to over burden yourself too much.

other. Having a friend to set exercise goals with will help you succeed and stay motivated. By staying fit, you will be able to keep up with your little one's activeness. You will have more energy to play with your baby. Keep in contact with other new moms to share your stories and keep each other motivated. Stay in shape and enjoy every moment of motherhood. Useful tips - Drink lots of clean water. - Take advantage of an extra set of helping hands. When you have family members in town to see the baby, hand your child off and go take a walk or hit the gym. - Take advantage of business trips. As a working mom, get up earlier and use the hotel gym for uninterrupted work outs! - Remember that less sugar and more exercise can make you feel less like a zombie when you are sleep-deprived. - Write down what you eat. Doing so holds you accountable and you tend to eat less that way. - Listen to your doctor regarding when you can start exercising. - Don't weigh yourself every day...it's too depressing. Do it weekly.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Do you have old pictures for memories? Send them to julius2001_a@yahoo.com

From the archives

Car Gen. Murtala Mohammed rode in when he was killed on Feb. 13th, 1976.

James Brown

CAPTIONS:

Nigerian securitymen pose with singer James Brown during his visit in 1970.

Motorcycle and Bongo trousers were status symbols for young men in the 1970s.

L ear ning PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 31

Mathematics Lesson A Pythagorean Theorem (1)

h i s week we will be looking at Pythagorean Theorem. The Pythagorean Theorem is a mathematical relationship between the sides of a right triangle. A right triangle is any triangle that has one right internal angle. Pythagoras stated, if the length of the legs (smallest side) are squared and their sum is found, the sum will be equal to the square of the hypotenuse (longest side). Algebraically speaking, the relationship looks like...

The Pythagorean Theorem The legs are traditionally marked with an 'a' and a 'b,' while the hypotenuse is marked with a 'c.' If that is the case, then the formula is a2 + b2 = c2. The next section will explain how the equation can be derived. Deriving the Relationship The derivation of the algebraic relationship is also not very complicated, as far as most derivations go. To derive it, we will examine the diagram below. The diagram consists of many simple figures. There is a white rotated square at the center. There are four blue right triangles. The

entire figure, the rotated square and the four right triangles, is a large square, too. The following explanation requires knowledge of area. Specifically, the areas of rectangles and triangles must be known to understand the explanation.

Compiled by Joy Baba

Review the areas of the two figures before progressing. The area of the inner white square is: A = (c)(c) = c2. The area of one blue right triangle is: A = (a)(b)÷2 = 0.5ab. The area of the entire square, which includes the white rotated square and the blue right triangles, is: A = (a+b)2. The derivation below begins with these

hypotenuse. Say we know the shortest sides to be 3 m and 7 m. The example below outlines the process by which we can calculate the hypotenuse. 1. The equation is written. This will allow us to organize our information and process it accordingly. 2. The values for 'a' and 'b' are placed within the

areas in step one. *Step One: The left side of the equation is the area of the largest square [(a+b)2]. The right side represents the area of the smallest square [c2] and the area of four right triangles [4(0.5ab)]. The sum of the area of the small parts is equal to the area of the entire figure. *Step Two: The left side of the equation is the result of expanding the binomial (a+b)2 or multiplying (a+b)(a+b) = a2 + ab + ab + b2 = a2 + 2ab + b2. The right side results when 4(0.5) is simplified to 2. *Step Three: The value 2ab is subtracted from both sides of the equation, which cancels the term from both side of the equation. *Step Four: The remaining values are left behind. *Step Five: Collecting the terms results in the familiar formula, The Pythagorean Theorem. This means: "the sum of the squares of the legs of a right triangle is equal to the square of the hypotenuse." The sections below will indicate how to use the relationship for two situations. One section tell us how to find a missing hypotenuse and the other a missing leg. Finding the Hypotenuse This section will explain how to use The Pythagorean Theorem to find a missing hypotenuse. If we are given a triangle's legs, then we would use the equation to calculate the length of the

equation, since they represent the lengths of the shortest sides. 3. Order of operations dictates that the values should be squared before they are added. 3 x 3 = 9 and 7 x 7 = 49. 4. The sum of 9 and 49 is 58, or 9 + 49 = 58. 5. To cancel the square of c, the right side of the equation, we must take the square root of both sides. The square root of a square of a value is equal to the original value. If we must take the square root of the right side, the same must be done to the left side. 6. The square root of 58 is 7.6157. Only four decimal places of an infinitely long, nonrepeating answer has been displayed. 7. The final answer has been rounded to the hundredths place. Since the thousandths place was five or greater, the hundredths place was increased by 1. Since our final value for c is 7.62, it means that the hypotenuse is 7.62 m in length.

lthough it is unlikely that c o m p u t e r equipment will be dangerous in itself, it can be used in ways which can be a hazard to health of staff. This article provides an overview of the risks relating to computer health and safety and provides some guidance on avoiding problems. The Risks With the increase in computer use, a number of health and safety concerns related to vision and body aches and pains have arisen. Many problems with computer use are temporary and can be resolved by adopting simple corrective action. Most problems related to computer use are completely preventable. However it is important to seek prompt medical attention if you do experience symptoms including: - continual or recurring discomfort - aches and pains - throbbing - tingling - numbness - burning sensation - or stiffness Seek help even if symptoms occur when you are not working at your computer. Laptop computers can present particular problems due to small screens, keyboards and inbuilt pointing devices (e.g. a small portable mouse or touchpad). Prolonged use of laptops should be avoided. If using a laptop as a main computer (i.e. use as a normal desktop computer in addition to use as a portable), it is advisable to use the laptop with a docking station. This allows an ordinary mouse, keyboard and monitor to be used with the laptop. The main risks associated with using computers explained below: Eye strain Computer users can experience a number of symptoms related to vision including: - Visual fatigue - Blurred or double vision - Burning and watering eyes Headaches and

ICT ESSENCE with

Bello Abdul’Azeez +234 805 113 0075 abdulazeez@ictessence.com www.ictessence.com

Working healthy with computer (1) frequent changes in prescription glasses Computer work hasn't been proven to cause permanent eye damage, but the temporary discomfort that may occur can reduce productivity, cause lost work time and reduce job satisfaction. Eye

can be caused by: Maintaining an unnatural or unhealthy posture while using the computer - Inadequate lower back support - Sitting in the same position for an extended period of time

problems are usually the result of visual fatigue or glare from bright windows or strong light sources, light reflecting off the display screen or poor display screen contrast. Musculoskeletal problems These can range from general aches and pains to more serious problems and include: - Upper limb disorders which can quickly lead to permanent incapacity - Back and neck pain and discomfort Tension stress headaches and related ailments These types of problem

- An ergonomically poor workstation set up Prevention is better than cure Several relatively straightforward precautions can be taken by computer users to avoid problems. A v o i d i n g musculoskeletal problems, which include: - Taking regular breaks from working at your computer - a few minutes at least once an hour - Alternating work tasks - Regular stretching to relax your body - Using equipment such as footrests, wrist rests and document holders if you need to - Keeping your mouse and keyboard at the same level - Avoiding gripping your mouse too tightly - hold the mouse lightly and click gently - Familiarise yourself with keyboard shortcuts for applications you regularly use (to avoid overusing the mouse)

“

Prolonged use of laptops should be avoided. If using a laptop as a main computer (i.e. use as a normal desktop computer in addition to use as a portable), it is advisable to use the laptop with a docking station.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 32

F Kit yourself up for the rainy days Compiled by Miriam Humbe

he rainy season could pose quite some problems for some people in getting dressed up for school or office. If you still want to look good despite the downpour. Here are some fashion outfits to keep you looking your best in the rain days. The umbrella comes handy during this season and protects you from getting soaked by the rain. It is everybody’s best friend either on sunny or rainy days. Have a sturdy umbrella, one with a design that would take away the gloominess on a rainy day. Choose a colour that would make you happy. It would also look good if your umbrella matches your shoes. Wearing sweater or jacket that has a hood also helps a great deal. If you’re just walking for a short distance and the rainfall’s not heavy, you could just put on your jacket and cap to cover your head. To

make it fashionable, wear a colour tank top or a nice camisole underneath. Fashion freaks would dare to show off their leather boots on a rainy day. But wearing leather shoes is not actually a good idea especially on a flooded area. If you think these shoes would protect your feet from the flood, well, not really. As much as possible, refrain from leather shoes, or strappy heels unless your work requires you to do so. But on your way to work, try to wear rubber shoes that match your work clothes so your feet would be protected from getting wet. For the desirable perfect finish, put on light, natural make up and a smile to brighten your day and that of others. On a rainy day waterproof makeup is the best way to go. Luckily, most makeup is waterproof nowadays: eyeliners, mascaras, foundation, as well as nail polish and lipstick.

Water proof make up

Consider gold pink or peach-pink nail polish for the rainy days

Rain kit top to bottom

Golfing in style: Polo Ralph Lauren (RLX , rain suit) with Bluetooth jacket and matching rain trousers. Golfing in style By integrating the QIO Systems textile keypads in the sleeve of the rain coat jacket which is connected to the PANiQ Bluetooth module, a Golfer can easily and conveniently be safe from rain and also listen to his/her motivational music or make cell phone calls with a push on the sleeve.

Perfect facial make up to beat the rain

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 33

Business

Long buses help ease transport in cities and enhance economic activities

Group commends FG over appointment of FIRS DG By Augustine Aminu

civil society group, Nation Watch has commended President Goodluck Jonathan on the appointment of Alhaji Kabir Mashi as the Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). This was contained in a press statement made available to Peoples Daily and signed by its Public Relations Officer Dr. Babangida Okuboye. The group described Alhaji Kabir's appointment as indeed adequate, a huge step in the right direction with the ultimate aim to sustain the drive for the expansion of the nation's economy. The statement further reads, "We as a nation must transform our economy and we can start be providing quality leadership that will introduce laudable policies

for the benefit of us as a nation. This is why we want to commend the appointment of Alhaji Mashi as the Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service. We believe his appointment is in tandem with the president Jonathan transformation agenda "We believe that Alhaji Mashi has over the years proved to be a reformer and a hard worker. We believe he will bring his wealth of experience into the FIRS.

Alhaji Kabir Mashi

Oil marketers begin importation for second quarter By Aminu Imam with agency report

he petroleum pricing regulatory body says it is strengthening its mechanisms for ensuring transparency in importation of petroleum products The 42 oil marketers licensed to import fuel for the second quarter of the year have begun importation of the product, an official of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has said. The official, who pleaded anonymity, said in Abuja on Thursday that the marketers, who were issued licenses in March, have started importing products

to avoid scarcity. “The marketers have started importing fuel for the second quarter and this will ensure there is no scarcity of the product in the country,” he said. In March, 42 oil marketers were granted licenses by the PPPRA to import 4.8 billion litres of petrol for the second quarter of the year. The official said the agency has put stringent measures in place that would ensure that marketers are transparent and follow due process in the importation. He said one of the measures is reinforcing the independent inspectors at the ports and ensuring that

all imports are accompanied with letters of credit. The official said holders of the permit would also be required to furnish the PPPRA with daily records of products loading, evacuation from designated depots for accountability and effective supply. He said that it is no longer business as usual as the agency is ready to sanction any marketer who fails to deliver the approved volume of product. He added that the agency would soon hold its quarterly meeting with marketers and other stakeholders in the sector to fine-tune any grey areas. “We will soon hold our quarterly meeting to fine-

tune all these details. I will be able to give you details of the process after the meeting,” the official said. He expressed optimism that all the measures would ensure better accountability and transparency in the importation process. Earlier, the Executive Secretary of PPPRA, Reginald Stanley, said that the agency sanctioned a Switzerland oil trading company, NIMEX Petroleum Limited, for failing to show details of its operations. Mr. Stanley said the list of oil marketers was pruned to 42 in a bid to ensure efficiency, accountability and transparency in the sector.

Sterling Bank's gross earnings rose by 78.77% By Augustine Aminu with agency report

terling Bank recorded 78.77 per cent growth in gross earnings in the first quarter ended March 31, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. An unaudited result of the bank released by the

Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday showed that the bank's gross earnings stood at N17.18 billion in the first quarter of this year. This was against the N9.61 billion recorded in the corresponding period in 2011. Its profit before tax rose to N1.56 billion from N1.26 billion made in the

corresponding period in 2011, representing an increase of 23.8 per cent. Similarly, its profit after tax appreciated by 15.8 per cent to N1.32 billion from N1.14 billion declared in 2011. The bank's net assets stood at N42.99 billion against N41.61 billion posted in the same period in 2011, an increase of 3.3

per cent. The bank's gross earnings for the financial year ended Dec. 31, 2011 rose by 49 per cent to N45.2 billion from N30.4 billion in 2010. Profit after tax and extra-ordinary item in the year grew by 60 per cent to N6.7 billion from N4.2 billion in 2010. Mr Yemi Adeola, the

bank's Managing Director, attributed the bank's improved performance to strong revenue growth and net gain from the sale of subsidiaries. Adeola said that the impressive gross earnings were as a result of the 110 per cent growth in the bank's non-interest income.

CBN Gov. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Business News NSE: Market indices grew by 0.49%

rading activities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday closed for the week on a positive note after a two-day lull as the market indices appreciated by 0.49 per cent. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Allshare index rose by 111.14 basis points or 0.49 per cent to close at 22,622.44 as against 22,511.30 recorded on Thursday. Also, the market capitalisation which opened at N7.179 trillion appreciated by N35 billion or 0.49 per cent to close at N7.214 trillion due to price gains by blue chip equities. Mobil led the gainers’ chart with N3.74 to close at N132.90 per share. Dangote Cement followed with N1.50 to close at N121.50, while Presco rose by 65k to close at N13.65 per share. AshakaCement appreciated by 34k to close at N10.49, while Oando grew by 31k to close at N17.30 per share. On the other hand, NewGold recorded the highest lost leading the losers’ chart with N9 to close at N2,428 per unit. BetaGlass dropped by 58k to close at N11.10, while Unilever lost 51k to close at N29 per share. Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN) depreciated by 19k to close N5.01, while FCMB dipped by 15k to close at N5.25 per share. The financial services sector was the most active accounting for 211.81 million shares worth N2.31 billion exchanged in 2,177 deals. However, the banking subsector of the financial services sector remained the toast of investors with an exchange of 194.09 million shares valued N2.29 billion traded in 2,063 deals. GTB was investors’ delight accounting for 62.41 million shares worth N1.01 billion traded in 486 deals. Zenith ranked second with 59.02 million shares valued N885.01 million exchanged in 203 deals. Over all, investors’ staked N2.9 billion on 278.23 million shares traded in 3,750 deals. NAN reports that this was in contrast with 332.36 million shares valued N2.4 billion traded in 4,247 deals on Thursday, a decrease of 16.3 per cent.

Stockbrokers’ institute records N51.8m deficit in 2011 By Augustine Aminu with agency report

h e Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS)’s revenue for the financial year ended Dec.31 dropped further recording a deficit of N51.8 million. The institute, in its annual report made available on Thursday in Lagos, attributed the deficit to the general and negative public perception of the stock market. Mr. Michael Itegboje, the CIS President, said that negative perception of the market led to

decrease in the students’ subscriptions, examinations income and sundry income. “The institute is only surviving on the reserves accumulated during the good years and the reserves are fast leaning in size and volume,” Itegboje said. He said that the institute had embarked on an aggressive marketing drive to create awareness that would increase the students’ registration and widen the membership base. The stockbrokers said that members were still struggling to

keep their heads up in the business activities currently dominated by few members’ firms who have the financial muscle to trade. Itegboje, also the council Chairman, said that there was the need for direct government intervention through a special bailout fund to assist the recovery of the market. He said that market regulators and operators should be more determined in their efforts to reposition the market for a better performance in the current year and in the years ahead.

L:R Gov. Gabreal Suswam Of Benue State, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown at the ongoing World Economic Forum on Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

NUPENG, tanker drivers collaborate with LASG on truck parks

h e Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) says it is ollaborating with the Lagos State Government to provide truck parks in the state. AlhajiTokunbo Korodo, the ChairmanofWesternZoneofNUPENG, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos. Korodo said that NUPENG and the petroleum tanker drivers were working to address the indiscriminate parking of trucks on the highways in Lagos. He commended the initiative of the state government on the “cleanup” of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway and other areas to restore sanity. Korodo promised that the two bodies would work with the state government to find lasting solution to the problem of indiscriminate parking of trucks on highways. “We appreciate and commend the efforts of the state government and that is why we obey the directive of the state government to remove our trucks from the highways,’’ he said. Korodo said that the heavy traffic on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway was being compounded by heavy duty vehicles coming from the ports. He said that PTD, a wing of NUPENG, had started to educate its members to desist from indiscriminate parking on the roads as it posed danger to the residents. Korodo also urged Ogun State Government to urgently address the issue of illegal truck parks in the state to decongest traffic. “We have advised Ogun government to separate our park from that of NURTW because our product is highly inflammable and we cannot afford to have a park with NURTW members,’’ he said. NAN recalls that Lagos State Government, had on May 3, directed tankers drivers to remove their vehicles from expressways to ease the flow of traffic.

Shell denies drafting soldiers to Uzere community in Delta

h e Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has denied reports that it drafted armed military personnel to Uzere Community in Delta to reopen the Uzere Flow Station. The company made the denial in a statement signed by Mr Joseph Ollor-Obari, its Media Relations Officer, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Asaba.

According to the statement, SPDC does not control the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and can, therefore, not deploy or move troops to the flow station. The statement said that SPDC had been engaging stakeholders in Uzere and the state government on a peaceful resolution of the conflict, which erupted when a group of youths shut down the flow station. It also said that the flow

station located in Isoko South Local Government Area of the state had been shut down since Nov. 29, 2011. The statement said that this was on account of a demand for a Global Memorandum of Understanding by the youths from the SPDC. It said that at a meeting with the community leaders on Nov. 24, 2011, it was agreed that a follow-up session would be held with the community on Dec. 6,

2011. The statement, however, said that before the date the youths invaded the flow station and forcefully shut it down after beating up the workers and torching two security vehicles. The statement reiterated the company’s long-standing and firm commitment to respect for human rights, as well as peaceful resolution of disputes and appealed to the people of Uzere to embrace dialogue.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 35

Business

Equity Market dips by -0.19% in the week amidst profit taking This week at the Exchange

rading activities on the Nigerian bourse closed southwards in the week after recording three consecutive weeks of positive stance while the negative market transactions witnessed in three of the trading days under review pulled market back to the red zone as envisaged in our Sentiments Analysis Report . Furthermore, market activities closed downbeat by 0.42% after three days rally to open the first trading day of the week negative while market resumed uptrend in the second session to close optimistic by +0.38% as bargain hunting permeate market activities across the main board. The bears return to the bourse as trading activities closed negative to erase previous day gain by -0.54% in the third session while similar posture was recorded in the fourth session as market maintained southwards movement by -0.10% due to continuous profit taking amid low volume turnover and Naira Votes. Conversely, trading activities on Friday closed northwards as sentiments turned green. Consequently, the key benchmark indices inches up by +0.49% while market closed the week with aggregate loss of -0.19%. Further analysis on acquiring banks since transaction date showed that the share price of Access Bank Plc has recorded 35.35% gain, followed by FCMB with 34.62% gain while Union Bank Plc leads the chart with 138.67% gain. However, Sterling Bank recorded -3.15% gain while ETI closed negative with -1.46% loss recorded. However, the All-Share Index in the week under review moved down by -0.19% to close at 22,622.44 as against an upbeat by +2.52% recorded last week to close at 22,665.99. In the same vein, the market capitalization in the week depreciated by N13.88 billion (US$92.59 million) to close at N7.21 trillion (US$48.08 billion) as against appreciation by N177.49 billion (US$1.18 billion) recorded last week to close at N7.22 trillion (US$ 48.17billion). The total volume traded in the week closed at 2.24 billion units valued at N19.35billion (US$129.01 million) compared with 2.44 billion units valued at N20.74 billion (US$138.23

million) exchanged in 16,961 deals last week. The volume transaction in the week when compared with the previous week data moved down by 8.41% as against upwards movement by +24.79% recorded last week. Weekly value also went down by 6.66% as against positive position of +20.33% recorded last week. The volume traded in the top ten most traded stocks for the

week represented 82.08% of the entire market volume transactions and their total value accounted for 80.75% of the market value. Financial Services sector emerged the most traded sector in the week in terms of volume. The volume traded in the sector this week alone closed at 1.90 billion units, valued at N16.05billion and exchanged in 14,592 deals compared with 2.02 billion units, valued at N14.70billion and exchanged in 9,644 deals in the preceding week. The volume traded in the sector accounted for 85.02% of the entire market compared with 82.61% of the ratio recorded last week. UBA Plc led the market volume for the week to displace FCMB Plc as top traded stock on the transaction volume chart last week. The sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volume transaction was mainly boosted by trading in the shares of the companies in the top-ten category. Consumer Goods sector followed with 136.89 million units valued at N2.20 million and exchanged in 3,547 deals compared with 128.02 million units, valued at N4.65 billion and exchanged in 3,278 recorded in the sector last week. INDEX MOVEMENTS NSE All-Share Index opened the week on a negative note with -0.42% loss, bearish sentiments dominated the week while ASI closed positive on Friday by +0.49% with negative market breadth. In the week under review, two NSE sectoral Indices closed negative as NSE banking recorded the highest gain by 3.81% while NSE 30 closed with the lowest loss by -1.00%. Top 10 Gainers of the week The numbers of gainers in the week closed at forty-three (43) compared with forty-two (42) appreciations recorded last week. Dangote Flour Mills Plc topped the gainers chart for the week with +26.79% appreciations. Other gainers in the top ten appreciation class are outlined below. Top 10 Losers of the week Thirty-three (33) stocks recorded price decline of different magnitude in the week under review compared with twenty-six (26) stocks declined in the previous week. Skye Bank Plc topped the losers chart for the week with16.25% depreciation. Source: Proshare

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

OUR MISSION “To be the market place of ideas and the leading player in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while delivering value to our stakeholders”

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

CHAIRMAN MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE EDITOR, DAILY AHMED I. SHEKARAU

DIRECTOR/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RUFA’I IBRAHIM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALI M. ALI

ACTING EDITOR, WEEKEND RICHARD IHEDIWA

GM PUBLICATIONS ABDULAZEEZ ABDULLAHI

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA

MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

“To be a reputable, profitable, innovative and technologically reliant media company offering world class services and products”

Ending the pension nightmare Re: Sovereign wealth fund

h e r e is renewed public interest in pension matters in the country, This is largely informed by the discovery by the Joint Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service that most of the money set aside for paying pensions to entitled retired public servants under the Pay-As-You-Go system does not reach them because it is allegedly diverted into private pockets or invested in commercial banks to generate income. The victims of this misappropriation and mismanagement have served the country on different platforms: many of them are now physically incapacitated and living in penury. Reports from the public hearing organised by the Senate Joint Committee indicate that the alleged mismanagement of the pension fund has been turned into a multi-billion naira industry. It is churning out frustration, hunger and anger, hypertension and death among retirees. It is unfortunate that their reward is a cruel denial of basic material comfort at their time of need. This denial is not caused by the law, or deliberately by government, but by a tiny, greedy, heartless clique that mercilessly diverted the money meant for pensioners. This scenario is playing out against the success of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) which replaced the unfunded, defined benefit of Pay As-YouGo-System on July 1, 2004. The federal government rightly introduced the privately-managed, fully funded,

o achieve immeasurable achievements seems to be the new slogan of Federal Inland Revenue Service in its bid to redirect and re-strategize under a new and reenergized leadership, a position they will no doubt attain. Recently the exits of a giant in FIRS ushered in another tax giant in the name of Alhaji Kabiru Mashi, a man with some many years experience in tax reforms, institutional reform and with good knowledge of Nigerian Public Service, a man who has over time been involved in the management of complex and challenging tax programs and had

WRITE TO US Peoples Daily Weekend welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed to: The Editor, Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. Email: letters@peoplesdaily-online.com contributory pension scheme with the view to eliminating the numerous challenges facing the old system. Mr. Dave Uduanu, the chairman of Pension Operators Association of Nigeria said the key objectives of the scheme were: “To ensure the prompt payment of benefits; to develop an efficient savings culture among Nigerians towards old age; to empower workers both in the public and private sector; to develop a uniform regulatory and supervisory framework; to develop a simple, transparent and sustainable pension system; to encourage wide coverage and ensure that every person who has worked receives retirement benefit and to establish a uniform set of rules, regulation and standards for administration and payments of pension.” Mr. Uduanu emphasised that: “This pension reform led to the establishment of a Defined Contributory (DC) scheme due to the prevailing pension crisis during that period which were evident in pension deficit estimated at about N2.3 trillion in 2004; irregular payment of entitlements to

pensioners; existence of ghost pensioners in the public service; death of pensioners on verification queues; mismanagement of pension assets by fund managers and unstructured and unfunded private sector schemes among other reasons.” What are the achievements of the contributory pension scheme from July 2004 to date? The Director-General of the National Pension Commission, Mr. M. K. Ahmad informed the senators that “By March 6, 2012, a total of 5.01 million employees in the private and public sectors had registered under the CPS. The total value of pension industry assets under the CPS stood at N2.45 trillion as at December, 2011 with a monthly contribution of N20 billion and 30% annual growth rate. The federal government has been consistent in the remittance of the monthly pension contributions of its employees. As at December 2011, the total sum of N604.27 billion had been credited into the contributory pension account with the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

He called on the financial market to come up with investment grade instruments that would attract the investment of pension assets for the country’s economic development: “The pool of pension funds and assets generated by the CPS has aided the deepening of Nigeria’s financial sector and provided a platform for attaining the transformation agenda of government in the provision of infrastructure, energy, employment generation and the development of the real sector of the economy.” In order to contribute to national development, Mr. M. K. Ahmad announced that the Commission has reviewed its regulations on investment of pension fund assets to allow pension funds to be invested in infrastructural projects that would align with the transformation agenda and Vision 20:2020 of the federal government. He said in his characteristics unassuming way that the industry has continued to record modest achievements: With around N2.5 trillion pension assets under its watch, PENCOM cannot be complacent or rest on its oars in sustaining its recipe for success . While solution is being sought by the authorities to end the suffering of pensioners under the old pension arrangement, it is clear that the success of the contributory pension scheme so far is evidence that with the right people on any job, Nigeria can manage its affairs effectively. Dambatta is a Federal Director of Information

FIRS: Who the cap fits? worked closer with private sectors, nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations and professional bodies in and outside Nigeria; talking about who the cap fits, the most appropriate man for the job to transform the economy through tax reforms, an outstanding fellow with a clear purpose and vision; an illustrious fellow, Alhaji Kabiru Mashi. Alhaji Mashi recently was quoted to say in Asaba While declaring open the inaugural Field Operations Group Regional

meeting in the Delta State capital, ‘’as part of efforts to achieve the set 2012 target, the sector will explore all avenues of revenue collection to get 10 per cent of the total target in the year while calling on the staff to bring their technical know-how to bear in actualizing the agency’s goals” ,a statement that speaks volume and shows the direction which the agency will be heading, These Alh. Mashi’s impeccable placements even while serving as co-ordinating director, Support Services Group, in the FIRS have

become a unique vehicle that prepared and propelled him ahead to the heights consequently he has attained. Who the cap fits? Mr. President in his transformation quest has chosen the right man to sustain the transformation of our tax system and I believe that Alhaji Mashi is well acquainted with the system. Here is a round peg in a round hole, courtesy of Mr. President’s vision. Mr. Abidoun Williams is a Tax Consultant in Abuja

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

PAGE 37

Tribute EKWEREMADU

A golden journey with destiny By Uche Anichukwu

l l through history, there has been the endless contention as to whether great men and leaders are born or made. There is a general belief among Africans, for instance, that a man’s life is preordained and ruled by the gods. This belief finds expression in so many proverbs, folklores and names in Igbo land. For example, it is said that a man whose Chi (personal god) is awake does not fall into a pit and that one in good terms with his Chi does not run after witch doctors. It is further said that a man who decides to lead or run faster than his Chi ends up in misfortune. In addition, prefixes/ suffices like Chi, Chukwu, Nna, Olisa dominate Igbo names. Yet, in affirmation of the Biblical parable of the talent, Igbos acknowledge that God is not a Santa Claus, hence the saying “Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe”. Transliterated, it means that if a man says yes, his Chi also says yes and vice versa. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, for instance, Unoka, the loafer father of Okonkwo, typifies the abundant instances of men who never said “Yes” in form of determined efforts to make success out of life. Unoka clears the farmland when others are already planting, preferring instead to flute away his time. Expectedly, he pines away in penury and debt, without a single traditional title to his name or a place of honour among real men in Umuofia. He dies a man whom Okonkwo is so pathologically resentful and ashamed of as his father. Conversely, like the great men of Umuofia, Senator Ike Ekweremadu whose cap is already drooping with feathers of titles and accomplishments, is not just a man on a rendezvous with destiny, but even more importantly a man with the recipe of a perfect cocktail of destiny, determination, vision, and industry in perfect proportions. For instance, one of his relatives, Esther Ekweremadu, narrated how Ike Ekweremadu as a little boy would, with a chalk, write “Barrister Ike Ekweremadu” on their entrance door. The secret of his meteoric rise to power and influence lies in the fact that each time destiny leads opportunity (even if disguised in humble responsibilities) to his door, it has always found in Ekweremadu a willing and well prepared partner. Not many who know Ekweremadu today as Deputy President of Senate and Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament remember his humble beginning as an age grade leader at a very young age. He did so well that he eventually progressed to become the town union President of his Mpu community. Those who know the place of age grades and town unions in socio-political development in the South East would readily understand how much these

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu

experiences must have prepared him for his leadership positions today. His growth from the ranks also showed so much in his presentations and great inputs towards the actualization of Aninri Local Government Area such that the elders of the new Local Government approached him to take up the challenge of putting the new entity on a sound footing as its pioneer elected Chairman in 1997. Though his tenure in that position was short-lived by the sudden collapse of Abacha’s transition programme, Ekweremadu’s achievements remain unbeaten. He put in place a brand new Local Government Secretariat in record time even with a monthly allocation of less than N2 million! Given the superlative performance, one would have thought he should naturally have had an easy ride back to Office as Chairman during General Abdulsami’s transition programme. But that was not to be as he was blocked by

an unprecedented electoral violence that nearly cost him his life. Not given to ‘Do or die” politics, he had almost quit the political scene. But the disappointment too proved to be a design of destiny to put him on the right track. When approached by Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, he accepted to run his campaign organisation and was appointed Chief-of-Staff at the Government House in 1999 following their electoral victory. Again, Senator Ekweremadu distinguished himself so well that he was elevated to the Secretary to the Government in 2001 where he also brought his tremendous administrative, managerial, and technical depth to bear on that engine room of government before progressing to the Senate in 2003. However, it does appear that the Senate was all Ekweremadu’s leadership qualities and experiences needed to blossom fully. His achievements have attracted accolades among his

colleagues, constituents, Nigerian media and public. For instance, at the conferment of the Landmark Achievement on Constitution Amendment Award on Ekweremadu by the NUJ, the Senate President, Senator David Mark had this to say about him: "I worked very closely with Senator Ike Ekweremadu from 2003 when he first came into the Senate and I recognize him as a very brilliant young man; he was a Committee Chairman on and off, but he was never discouraged even when he was not in a very important Committee or when it appears as if he was not being given a chance, he still maintained that calmness; a very courageous person, anytime he spoke on the floor of the Senate, it was obvious he was very conversant with the rules and was a very knowledgeable, articulate and erudite speaker." Senator Mark was not flattering him, for in that 6th Senate alone, Ekweremadu not only spearheaded the breaking of the jinx of constitution amendment and the consequent electoral reforms, he had 5 Private Member Bills to his credit, with the State of the Nation Address Bill and the River Basins (Amendment) Bills passed. He also co-sponsored 7 Private Member Bills. He sponsored 5 Motions and cosponsored 2 others. A former Associate Lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he had earlier bagged Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws Degrees, Senator Ekweremadu was able to squeeze out time to deliver over 11 public lectures in and outside Nigeria on themes of democracy, governance, and the economy, etc. Senator Zainab Kure summed up his pedigree in the Senate while nominating him as the Deputy President of the present Senate in June 2011. She described him as a “lawmaker’s lawmaker...who has proved himself cerebral, hard working, result-driven, a man of integrity, a pan Nigerian and patriot of unequaled measures”. It is imperative to note that despite his preoccupation with national governance, it is also on record that his development strides in his immediate constituency as well as Enugu State and indeed the South East in terms of federal projects and personal efforts on the platform of the Ikeoha Foundation have become reference points in quality representation. Add these to the vibrant leadership he is already unleashing as the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, bringing it to the limelight and working assiduously towards the enhancement of its powers, then one can only conclude that at 50, Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu truly has the golden touch. Uche Anichukwu Special Adviser (Media) to Deputy President of Senate

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

International The massive Palestinian hunger strike:

Traveling below the Western Radar By Richard Falk

a n anyone doubt that if there were more than 1,300 hunger strikers in any country in the world other than Palestine, the media in the West would be obsessed with the story? It would be featured day after day, and reported on from all angles, including the severe medical risks associated with such a lengthy refusal to take food. At this time, two Palestinians who were the first to start this current wave of resistance, Thaer Halaheh and Bilal Diab, entering their 64th day without food, are reported by the prisoner protection association, Addameer, and the NGO, Physician for Human Rights-Israel, to be in critical condition with their lives hanging in the balance. Despite this dramatic state of affairs there is scant attention in Europe, and literally none in North America. A handcuffed Palestinian prisoner appears from behind the bars of a prison bus. (AFP) In contrast, consider the attention that the Western media has devoted to a lone blind Chinese human rights lawyer, Chen Guangcheng, who managed to escape from house arrest in Beijing a few days ago and find a safe haven at the U.S. Embassy. This is an important international incident, to be sure, but is it truly so much more significant than the Palestinian story as to explain the total neglect of the extraordinary exploits of these thousands of Palestinians who are sacrificing their bodies, quite possibly their lives, to nonviolently protest severe mistreatment in the Israeli prison system? Except among their countrymen, and to some extent the region, these many thousand Palestinian prisoners have been languishing within an opaque black box ever since 1967, are denied protection, exist without rights, and cope as best they can without even the acknowledgement of their plight. There is another comparison to be made. Recall the outpouring of concern and sympathy throughout the West for Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who was captured on the Gaza border and held captive by Palestinians for five years. A powerful global campaign for his release on humanitarian ground was organized, and received constant reinforcement in the media. World leaders pleaded for his release, and Israeli commanding officers even told IDF fighting forces during the massive attacks on Gaza at the end of 2008, which killed more than 1,450 Palestinians, that their real mission was to free Shalit, or at least hold accountable the entire civilian population of Gaza. When Shalit was finally released in a prisoner exchange a few months

ago, there was a brief celebration that abruptly ended when, much to the disappointment of the Israeli establishment, Shalit reported good treatment during captivity. Shalit's father went further, saying if he was a Palestinian he would have tried to capture Israeli soldiers. Not surprisingly, Shalit, instead of being revered as an Israeli hero, has quietly disappeared from public view. This current wave of hunger strikes started on April 17th, Palestinian Prisoners' Day, and was directly inspired by the recently completed long and heroic hunger strikes of Khader Adnan (66 days) and Hana Shalabi (43 days) both of whom protested against the combination of administrative detention and abusive arrest and interrogation procedures. It should be understood that administrative detention is validated by secret evidence and allows Israel to imprison Palestinians for six months at a time without bringing any criminal charges, with terms renewable as they expire. Hana Shalabi was among those released in the prisoner exchange, but then barely recovering from her prior detention period, was rearrested in a night arrest raid, and sentenced once again to a term of confinement for four months. Or consider the experience of Thaer Halahla, eight times subject to administrative detention for a total of six and a half years. Both Mr. Adnan and Ms. Shalabi were released by deals negotiated at a time when their physical survival seemed in doubt, making death seem imminent. Israel apparently did not want to risk a third intifada resulting as a reaction to such martyrdom. At the same time Israel, as usual, did not want to seem to be retreating,

or draw into question its reliance on administrative detention and imprisonment. Israel has refused, until the present, to examine the grievances that gave rise to these hunger strikes. In Hana Shalabi's case her release was coupled with a punitive deportation order, which cruelly confines her to Gaza for the next three years, away from her family and the familiar surroundings of her home village of Burqin near Jenin in the West Bank. There are some indications that Ms. Shalabi was not fully informed about the deportation feature of her release, and was manipulated by prison authorities and the lawyer representing her interests. The current hunger strikers have been offered similar conditional releases, but have so far steadfastly refused to resume eating if it led to deportation or exile. At this time it is unclear how Israel will respond. There is a fierce struggle of wills between the strikers and the prison authorities, between those with hard power of domination and those with the soft power of moral and spiritual courage. The torment of these striking prisoners is not only a consequence of their refusal to accept food until certain conditions are met. Israeli prison

guards and authorities are intensifying the torments of hunger. There are numerous reports that the strikers are being subjected to belittling harassment and a variety of punishments, including solitary confinement, confiscation of personal belongings, denial of family visits, denial of examination by humanitarian NGOs, and a hardhearted refusals to transfer to medically threatened strikers to civilian hospitals where they could receive the kinds of medical treatment their critical conditions require. The Israeli response to the hunger strikes is shocking, but hardly surprising, within the wider setting of the occupation. Instead of heeding the moral appeal implicit in such extreme forms of resistance, there are widespread reliable reports of punitive responses by Israeli prison authorities. Hunger strikers have been placed in solitary confinement, held in shackles despite their weakened conditions, denied family visits, had personal belongings confiscated, and subjected to harassing comments by guards intended to demoralize. Israeli media has generally taken a

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It is a pity that the Palestinian Authority has not yet had the diplomatic composure to call it quits when it comes to heeding the calls of the Quartet for a resumption of direct talks. It is long past time to crumble bridge to nowhere.

cynical attitude toward the strikes, suggesting that these hunger strikers are publicity seeking, aiming to receive 'a get out of jail free' card, and deserve no empathy even if their life is in jeopardy because they voluntarily gave up food by their own free will, and hence Israeli prison authorities have no responsibility for their fate. Some news reports in Israel have speculated about whether if one or more hunger strikers die in prison, it will spark an uprising among the Palestinians, but this is less an expression of concern or a willingness to look at the substantive issues than it is a source of worry about future stability. Broader issues are also at stake. When in the past Palestinians resorted to violent forms of resistance they were branded by the West as terrorists, their deeds were covered to bring out sensationalist aspects, but when Palestinians resort to nonviolent forms of resistance, whether hunger strikes or BDS or an intifada, their actions fall mainly on deaf ears and blind eyes, or worse, there is a concerted propaganda spin to depict the particular tactic of nonviolent resistance as somehow illegitimate, either as a cheap trick to gain sympathy or as a dirty trick to destroy the state of Israel. All the while, Israel's annexationist plans move ahead, with settlements expanding, and now recently, with settler outposts, formerly illegal even under Israeli law, being in the process of being retroactively legalized. Such moves signal once and for all that the Netanyahu leadership exhibits not an iota of good faith when it continues to tell the world that it is dedicated to negotiating a peace treaty with the Palestinians. It is a pity that the Palestinian Authority has not yet had the diplomatic composure to call it quits when it comes to heeding the calls of the Quartet for a resumption of direct talks. It is long past time to crumble bridge to nowhere. That rock star of liberal pontificators, Thomas Friedman, has for years been preaching nonviolence to the Palestinians, implying that Israel as a democratic country with a strong moral sensitivity would yield in the face of such a principled challenge. Yet when something as remarkable as this massive expression of a Palestinian commitment to nonviolent resistance in the form of this openended hunger strike, dubbed 'the war of empty stomachs', takes place, Friedman along with his liberal brothers is stony silent, and the news sections of the newspaper of the New York Times are unable to find even an inch of space to Contd on Page 39

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

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International Egypt rivals clash in presidential debate

Syria opposition says Annan plan 'in crisis' Guinea security forces clash with protesters

w o of the top candidates running to become Egypt's first post-revolution president have squared off in the Arab world's first televised presidential debate. Egyptians crowded around television sets in outdoor cafes for the four-hour debate on Thursday night, aired in two segments over several independent TV channels a new experiment for Egypt after nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule under former president Hosni Mubarak. But the most heated moments in the debate between Amr Moussa and Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, two of the leading candidates to become the country's next president focused on their past records as a Mubarak-era senior official and a former member of the conservative Muslim Brotherhood, respectively. Moussa, who served as Mubarak's foreign minister and is a former Arab League chairman, pressed former Brotherhood member Aboul Fotouh over his connections to conservative religious groups, suggesting that if his opponent became president the country risked a return to insecurity and terrorism. Aboul Fotouh countered that Moussa was incapable of carrying out the goals of the revolution that had toppled the former regime he had served. The two are among 13 candidates competing in the election, due to be held on May 23 and 24. Along with the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate, Mohammed Morsi, they are considered frontrunners. Others include Hamdeen Sabahi, a Nasserist MP of the Dignity Party and longtime opposition journalist, and Khaled Ali, a human rights lawyer favoured by many young progressives.

y r i a 's government wants to destroy the UN-brokered peace plan aimed at ending violence in the country, opposition leader Burhan Ghalioun has said, a day after the deadliest bomb attacks of Syria's 14-month uprising in the capital city. The blast in Damascus,which the government said left at least 55 people killed and nearly 400 others wounded, did not deter UN monitors from resuming their monitoring mission on Friday.

Some of the observers were touring Damascus while others planned to visit the suburb of Douma, east of the capital to monitor a 12 April ceasefire brokered by special envoy Kofi Annan. Ghallioun, the head of the Syrian National Council (SNC), said: "The regime is now trying to kill this Annan plan, and by a new technique which is terrorism." Ghalioun accused Assad's government of complicity with al-

Qaeda over the bombings, alleging that Damascus had liaised with alQaeda against US forces in Iraq. "The regime has operated very closely with al-Qaeda," he told reporters on Friday, adding that the bombings marked a change in tactics. Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary, suggested on Thursday that al-Qaeda might be taking advantage of instability in Syria and said US intelligence suggested the group was present in the country.

t least 41 people have been injured in clashes in Guinea between police and opposition protesters demanding longdelayed parliamentary elections. A total of 24 protesters were hurt in Thursday's riots, including one in a serious condition after being shot, hospital sources said, while 17 police officers were injured by missiles, according to local television reports. Alhassane Conde, the country's interior minister, speaking on television late on Thursday, said anyone continuing the protests on Friday would "find themselves up against the state". The clashes followed an opposition call on Monday for a national protests demanding talks with President Alpha Conde's government on holding elections and for an audit of the voter roll. "Today Guineans are speaking out against President Alpha Conde's desire to rig the legislative elections, which he won't be able to win transparently," said Cellou Dalein Diallo, the main opposition leader. Conde's government has long delayed polls, which, according to the country's constitution, were to be held within six months of his inauguration in December 2010 as head of a transitional council tasked with overseeing the move from military to civilian rule.

Greek parties make final coalition bid

h e leaders of Greece's once-dominant political parties are making their final effort to form a coalition and avert new elections which could throw the debt-crippled country into further political and economic crisis. Evangelos Venizelos, the Socialist Party (PASOK) leader, was meeting centre-right New Democracy counterpart Antonis Samaras and other political

leaders on Friday for last-ditch talks aimed at building a government that would honour Athens' commitment to an EU-IMF bailout plan. But the leader of Greece's moderate Democratic Left party Fotis Kouvelis appeared to dash hopes of a coalition deal on Friday, saying he would not back a probailout government and that the country was heading to new elections.

Kouvelis, whose Democratic Left party won 19 seats in Sunday's election, said he could not join any coalition that did not include the election runners-up, Syriza. So far, the party's leader Alexi Tsipras has refused to join any government that does not reject the austerity terms of Greece's international bailout. "We have made it clear, the Democratic Left party will not take part in a (coalition) government

of New Democracy and PASOK," Kouvelis told a meeting of his parliamentary group. Venizelos, whose party came a distant third in last week's inconclusive elections, winning 41 seats in the 300-seat parliament, had earlier said he wanted to create a unity government that would keep Greece in the eurozone - an aim echoed by Kouvelis.

Traveling below the Western Radar Contd from Page 38 report on these dramatic protests against Israel's use of administrative detention and abusive treatment during arrest, interrogation, and imprisonment. Shame on you, Mr. Friedman! Robert Malley, another influential liberal voice who had been a Middle East advisor to Bill Clinton when he was president, while more constrained than Friedman, suggests that any sustained display of Palestinian nonviolence if met with Israeli violence would be an embarrassment for Washington. Malley insists that if the Palestinians were to take to the streets in the spirit of Tahrir Square, and Israelis responded violently, as the Netanyahu government certainly, it "would put the United States in an â&#x20AC;Ś acute

dilemma about how to react to Israel's reaction." The dilemma depicted by Malley derives from Obama's constant encouragement of the democratic aspirations of a people who he has repeatedly said deserve their own state on the one side and the unconditional alignment with Israel on the other. Only a confirmed liberal would call this a genuine dilemma, since any informed and objective observer would know that the U.S. Government would readily accept, as it has repeatedly done in the past, an Israeli claim that force was needed to maintain public order. In this manner, Palestinian nonviolence would be disregarded, and the superalliance of these two partners in crime once more reaffirmed. Let there be no mistake about the moral and spiritual

background of the challenge being mounted by these Palestinians. Undertaking an open ended hunger strike is an inherently brave act that is fraught with risks and uncertainties, and is only undertaken as an expression of extreme frustration or acute deprivation. It is not an act undertaken lightly or as a stunt. For anyone who has attempted to express protest in this manner, and I have for short periods during my decade of opposition to the Vietnam War, it is both scary and physically taxing even for a day or so, but to maintain the discipline and strength of will to sustain such a strike for weeks at a time requires a rare combination of courage and resolve. Only specially endowed individuals can adopt such a tactic. For a hunger strike to be done on such a scale of collective

action not only underscores the horrible ordeal of the Palestinians that has been all but erased from the political consciousness of the West in the hot aftermath of the Arab Spring. The world has long refused to take notice of Palestinian one-sided efforts over the years to reach a peaceful outcome of their conflict with Israel. It is helpful to recall that in 1988 the PLO officially accepted Israel within 1967 borders, a huge territorial concession, leaving the Palestinians with only 22% of historical Palestine on which to establish an independent and sovereign state. In recent years, the main tactics of Palestinian opposition to the occupation, including on the part of Hamas, has been to turn away from violence, adhering to a diplomacy

and a practice that looked toward long-term peaceful coexistence between two peoples. Israel has not taken note of either development, and has instead continuous thrown sand in Palestinian eyes. The official Israeli response to Palestinian moves toward political restrain and away from violence have been to embark upon a program of feverish settlement expansion, extensive targeted killing, reliance on excessive retaliatory violence, as well as an intensifying oppressiveness that gave rise to these hunger strikes. One dimension of this oppressiveness is the 50% increase in the number of Palestinians held under administrative detention during of the last year, along with an officially mandated worsening of conditions throughout its prison system.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Wellness Zone

Phyllis Ogo Ogah phyllisogoogah@gmail.com +234 80 58425746 (sms) only

Benefits of a healthy diet

ello friends and welcome to the weight loss train, this weekend we will look at the benefits of a healthy diet. Maintaining an overall healthy diet is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle and offers our body the energy and nutrition that it needs to function, as well as several health benefits. Fruits and Vegetables Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables as an overall healthy diet may... *reduce risk for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. *reduce risk for type 2 diabetes. *protect against certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer. *reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. *help decrease bone loss and reduce the risk of developing kidney stones. *Vegetables that are in season are often the best choice because they are affordable and often full of flavor. Try a variety of seasonal vegetables to keep meals interesting. *Frozen vegetables make a good alternative to fresh vegetables. Always keep your freezer stocked with a few frozen vegetable options just in case you get caught without fresh veggies. *Vegetables that are high in potassium are often the most nutritious vegetable choices. White beans, tomato products, beet

greens, soybeans, lima beans, winter squash, lentils, kidney beans, spinach, split peas, white potatoes and sweet potatoes are great sources of potassium. *If you buy canned vegetables or other canned products try to look for cans labeled "low sodium" since canned food will often have added sodium. *Try focusing some meals on vegetables rather than meats or starches. Vegetable stir-fry's and vegetable soups can be easy to make. *Pre-washed salad is easy to prepare. Try adding a small salad to every meal. *Try cooking vegetables on your outdoor grill the next time you BBQ. *Keep vegetable snacks on hand at all times. Carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumber slices and bell pepper slices can help hold you over between meals. *Boiling vegetables can cook the nutrients out of the vegetable. Try lightly steaming veggies instead of boiling them. Always have a bowl of fruit in your house making it easy to snack on or to grab a fruit on your way out the door. *Buying fruits that are in season are usually the most affordable and the most delicious. *Dried and canned fruits are good to have on hand so you always have a supply of fruit. Avoid buying canned fruits that are stored in syrup. Instead, try to buy canned fruits that are stored in fruit

juice or water. *Try to eat mostly whole or fresh cut-up fruit. Don't consume too many fruit juices, especially those that have mostly added sugars. *Vary your fruit choices because different fruits offer different nutrients. *Fruits that are high in potassium are great choices. Fruits that are high in potassium include bananas, dried peaches and apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, oranges and prunes. *Top your breakfast cereal with cut-up fruits such as bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apricots or peaches. *Don't forget that fruit makes a wonderful dessert. Try a mix of your favorite berries on top of plain yogurt. Add a few nuts for extra flavor and texture. *Baked apples or pears can also be a wonderful dessert. *Fruit salad is a great snack to have on hand in your refrigerator at home or at the office. *Let raisins satisfy your next sweet-tooth. *No fruits or vegetables have cholesterol, and most are naturally low in fat and calories ,and are a great source for potassium, dietary fiber, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin C. *Fruits are a great source for nutrients such as potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C and folic acid. *Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure.

*Dietary fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. Fiber-containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. *Folic acid (folate) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy should consume adequate folic acid, including folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. *Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections. *Vitamin E helps protect vitamin A and essential fatty acids from cell oxidation. *Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy. *Vitamin C also aids in iron absorption. Whole Grains Grains, especially whole grains, provide several health benefits. Grains provide essential nutrients and helps reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. Eating a diet high in grains, especially whole grains, as an overall healthy diet may help with weight management. *reduce constipation *reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Today there are several varieties of whole-wheat pastas available in the markets. Try substituting whole-wheat pasta the next time you make your favorite pasta dish. *Instead of white bread try whole-wheat bread. *Brown rice is delicious and good for you, but it generally takes a little longer to cook. Plan on making brown rice instead on white rice the next time you serve rice. *Try mixing barley into your next soup instead of noodles. *Next time a recipe calls for flour try using whole-wheat flour or oat flour instead of white flour. *Whole wheat bread crumbs or cereal can be a simple substitute for breading chicken and fish. *Popcorn is a healthy wholegrain snack, but try not to add butter or salt. *Look at the ingredients on food labels. Many foods that appear to be whole-grain are in fact not. Foods labeled with the words "multigrain," "stone-ground," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "sevengrain," or "bran" are usually not whole-grain products. *Buy products that have at

least one of these ingredients listed as one of the first items: "brown rice," "bulgur," "graham flour," "oatmeal," "whole-grain corn," "whole oats," "whole rye," "whole wheat," "wild rice." *When shopping for wholegrain breads try to avoid products that have too many added sugars, fats or oils. *Grains provide many nutrients such as dietary fiber, B vitamins and minerals. *Dietary fiber may help reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower risk of heart disease. *B vitamins are essential for your metabolism by helping your body release energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates. *Folic acid helps the body form blood cells and is especially important for women of childbearing age who may become pregnant. *Magnesium from whole grains helps build bones and release energy from muscles. Protein *When it comes to protein, lean protein is the healthiest choice. *Take the skin off of your chicken before you cook it. *Skinless chicken and turkey is the leanest poultry. *Lean pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin and ham. *Lean beef choices include round steaks and roasts, top loin, top sirloin, chuck shoulder and arm roasts. Try to buy extra lean ground beef that has is at least "90% lean." *Trim off extra fat from all meats and poultry before cooking. *Drain off fat that appears as you meat is cooking, or cook you meat on a rack so that the extra fat drips off the meat during the cooking process. *Avoid making high fat sauces or gravies with your meat. *Include fish in your diet. Fish is high in protein and mostly low in fat. *Some fish such as salmon and trout are high in omega-3 fatty acids which are great for your health. *Beans are also a great source of protein. Beans have endless potential for meals, including soups, chili, bean salads and baked beans. *Some delicious foods are made from peas or beans such as hummus and tofu. Tofu can also be a great meat substitute. *Try to avoid buying meats that have been processed. Lunch meats, sausages and hot dogs usually have had salt added to them while being processed.

HEAL TH TIP FOR THE WEEK HEALTH A study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that three brisk 10 minute walks daily were as effective as one 30 minute walk daily in decreasing the factors for heart disease. Keep moving!

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

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Weekend

NFF immortalises Rashidi Yekini, set to name U15 tourney him By Patrick Andrew

here is the Felix Egogo U-13 National Football Championship and now the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will today immortalised another legendary soccer star, perhaps Nigeria’s greatest goal poacher past and present- Rashidi Yekini. The football Federation will today at the eighth day prayer for the departed hero at his family compound in Ira, Kwara State formally named the National U-15 Football Tournament after Yekini. In a similar gesture of recognition, Gateway FC, Yekini’s last club in the domestic league plans to retire jersey No.9 in honour of the legendary soccer star who scored Nigeria’s first World Cup Finals goal against Bulgaria at the US ’94. The hero who passed on last eight days ago, was capped 58 times and went on to score 37 goals the highest by any Nigeria forward for the Green and Super Eagles. Before then, he had been Nigeria’s Professional League top banger in 1993/94 season.

Yekini, one of those players that went abroad to seek greener pastures after a successful spell at the domestic scene, had his most dramatic foray with Vitoria Setubal FC, in Portugal, where he scored 90 goals in 108 appearances. He also featured for Olympiacos of Greece and later returned home to again light up the domestic league with Julius Berger and finally Gateway FC between 20022003 and 2004/2005 seasons. Born in Kaduna on 23rd October, 1963, Rashidi Yekini started his soccer career at the UNTL in Kaduna before later playing, first for the Shooting Stars in Ibadan and later Abiola Babes of Abeokuta in Nigeria’s local league. These were few of the statistics that the NFF had considered in chosing to name the national tournament after one of Nigeria’s greatest soccer stars and the Spokesman of the Executive Committee of the NFF, Chief Emeka Inyama said the football federation will ensure that the tournament attains the status worthy of Yekini’s name. “We hope to name a national Under-15 annual

Save for rainy days, NFF advises players Page 44

tournament after him, and we’re also planning a memorial football competition, which will take place in Kwara State,” he disclosed. In respect of the retirement of jersey No. 9 by Gateway FC, the club’s media officer Biodun Alabi, the gesture is a demonstration of their deep regard and respect for their late towering goal poacher, who assisted in no small way to enshrine the name of the club in the consciousness of Nigerians. According to the Alabi, Yekini’s exploit for the club ensured that they stayed afloat and drew no little crowd to the stand in each of their matches and gave fans value for their money. Yekini, who died on May 4, played for the club in 2005 when he made a short comeback to the Nigeria Premier League. “Our club have retired the No.9 jersey Yekini wore while he was with us, and this is because of the role he played as a player, a leader and motivator of the young ones. He played for Gateway in both the Premier League and the FA Cup in 2005, scoring seven goals in 26 matches,” Alabi disclosed.

What a sport! Pole vault; the sport, the thrill Page 45

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

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Manchester primed for final denouement, as QPR, Bolton fight for survival

thrilling and unpredictable Premier League season reaches its climax on Sunday when either Manchester United or Manchester City will be crowned champions after the closest title race for over 20 years. At the same time, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur or Newcastle United will seal a Champions League place and Queens Park Rangers or Bolton Wanderers will join relegated Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship next season. None of those seven clubs can afford a slip-up on an afternoon that will bring down the curtain on a season which has taken one unlikely twist after another. With just 90 minutes plus stoppage time left to play Manchester City know that if they beat Queens Park Rangers at the Etihad, they will be champions for the first time since 1968 unless United defeat Sunderland by at least nine goals more than City win by. Both teams have 86 points while City have an eight-goal better goal difference than their neighbours. City have scored 90 goals, United 88 and even in this goal-crazy season such a huge winning margin is highly unlikely. However, if City should draw or lose to QPR, United would retain their title and be crowned champions for the 20th time with a win at Sunderland. An added twist is that QPR’s manager is Mark Hughes, who a former United player who was sacked as City manager in 2009 to make way for Roberto Mancini. For weeks Mancini has said United remained favourites to take the title, but he changed tack slightly after City’s 2-0 win at Newcastle last weekend. United manager Alex Ferguson said City would find it tough against Rangers. “The whole future of the club could be resting on the game and I only wish Sparky (Hughes) was LOGS Team Man City Man Utd Arsenal Tottenham Newcastle Chelsea Everton Liverpool Fulham West Brom Sunderland Swansea Norwich Stoke Wigan Aston Villa QPR Bolton Blackburn Wolverhampton

P 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37

W 27 27 20 19 19 17 14 14 14 13 11 11 11 11 10 7 10 10 8 5

D 5 5 7 9 8 10 11 10 10 8 12 11 11 11 10 17 7 5 7 10

Patrice Evra, Stand-in Skipper, United

Vincent Kompany, City Skipper playing,” he said after United beat Swansea City last weekend. “Mark knows his job all right. He was sacked by City in a very unethical way and he’ll remember that. Mark Hughes’ teams always fight but QPR players are fighting for survival.” Hughes said: “It would be a fantastic story if we were able to go there and get something, they are going for titles and we are trying to stay in this league.” Hughes hopes of keeping QPR up were boosted by Djibril Cisse’s 89th-minute winner against Stoke City last weekend and Cisse, who has either scored or been sent off in all seven matches he has played for the club, believes QPR can survive. First place in the title race has fluctuated between the Manchester clubs all season with United top until the beginning of October, before City went ahead until the start of March. United then opened up an eight-point lead by Easter time. That evaporated after an L 5 5 10 9 10 10 12 13 13 16 14 15 15 15 17 13 20 22 22 22

GF 90 88 71 64 55 63 47 47 48 43 45 43 50 34 39 37 41 44 47 38

GA 27 33 47 41 48 45 39 39 49 49 45 51 66 51 60 51 63 75 76 79

GD 63 55 24 23 7 18 8 8 -1 -6 0 -8 -16 -17 -21 -14 -22 -31 -29 -41

Pts 86 86 67 66 65 61 53 52 52 47 45 44 44 44 40 38 37 35 31 25

erratic run and City went back to the summit on goal difference on April 30 when they beat United 10 at the Etihad. The race for third place and the automatic spot in next season’s Champions League is just as close as the battle for the title but involves three teams. Arsenal are favourites to take

it as they are currently third with 67 points, followed by Spurs on 66 and Newcastle on 65. Arsenal are at West Bromwich Albion, playing their last game under new England manager Roy Hodgson, Spurs face a Fulham side at White Hart Lane coached by their still-popular former manager Martin Jol and

Newcastle travel to in-form Everton. All three will want to avoid finishing fourth, which normally carries with it a guaranteed place in the Champions League qualifiers but not this season. Chelsea, who will finish sixth, their lowest position since 2002, will take the fourth Champions League spot if they beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final on May 19, making third place an even greater prize for the chasing trio. Spurs help third spot for four months before a dip in form coincided with manager Harry Redknapp being linked to the England job, but they appear to have regained their momentum with just two league defeats in their last nine. Arsenal have only taken two points out of a possible 12 and Newcastle have come up fast on the rails, despite their defeat by City. Bolton also have it all to do at Stoke City where even a win will not save them if QPR get a draw in Manchester. Fixtures Sunday: Chelsea v Blackburn Everton v Newcastle Man City v QPR Norwich v Aston Villa Stoke v Bolton. Sunderland v Man Utd Swansea v Liverpool Tottenham v Fulham West Brom v Arsenal Wigan v Wolves

All to play for on La Liga’s final day

he Spanish league season reaches its climax this Sunday and, while Real Madrid have already wrapped up the title, there is plenty still to play for at both ends of the table. Madrid ended Barcelona’s run of three consecutive championships by clinching the 32nd Liga crown of their history with three rounds of games remaining, but Jose Mourinho’s side will still have plenty of motivation for their final game of the season at home to Mallorca. If they win, they will break a new Spanish league record in reaching the 100-point mark Barcelona holding the record of 99 set in 2009/10. Meanwhile Barcelona go to Betis on Saturday with Lionel Messi looking to take the ‘pichichi’ award as La Liga’s top scorer – currently on 50, he is five ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo. Valencia will finish third and are guaranteed Champions League football again next season, but the remaining European places are still up for grabs. Two points clear in fourth, Malaga can seal Spain’s final Champions League berth by beating Sporting Gijon at a soldout La Rosaleda. The southern side have never featured in Europe’s elite club

competition before and defender Jesus Gamez is clear what the objective is. Waiting for any slip-ups will be fifth-placed Atletico Madrid, who are fresh from beating Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to win the Europa League in midweek. However, unless they win at Villarreal and Malaga fail to win, the capital club will have to settle for defending their trophy in the Europa League next season. Even unfancied Levante could still grab fourth spot – a position they held for much of the season – if they win at home to Athletic Bilbao and the sides above them all slip up. Meanwhile, Mallorca and Osasuna – who go to alreadyrelegated Racing Santander – are in contention for a Europa League berth, while Athletic are already certain of returning to the competition having made it through to the Copa del Rey final against Champions League-bound Barcelona. At the bottom the situation is equally tense with five teams fighting to avoid two relegation positions. Four of those sides have their fate in their own hands, knowing that a win will keep them up. Inform Zaragoza go to Getafe, Villarreal host Atletico, and Rayo

Vallecano and Granada face each other in a tense showdown in Madrid. But Sporting Gijon need to win in Malaga and hope both Zaragoza and Rayo lose for them to claim an unlikely lifeline. Zaragoza appeared doomed until a run of seven wins in ten matches revived their hopes and winger Luis Garcia is confident they can get the result they need, especially with a huge travelling support expected in Getafe. “We can almost touch safety, our support is key, our fans will be important and they will help us,” says Garcia. Meanwhile, Rayo midfielder Francisco Medina ‘Piti’ has admitted the wait for their game against Granada to arrive has been horrible. Fixtures Saturday Real Sociedad v Valencia Real Betis v Barcelona Sunday Real Madrid v Mallorca Getafe v Zaragoza Levante v Athletic Bilbao Espanyol v Sevilla Rayo Vallecano v Granada Malaga v Sporting Gijon Villarreal v Atletico Racing v Osasuna

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

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Final shot at group glory in Africa I

t will be a weekend of drama in African club football as the remaining 16 teams in the CAF Champions League complete the second leg of their ties, which will determine the participants in the lucrative eight-club group stage. While several teams look to have done enough to advance already, the competition’s most successful team Al Ahly must overturn a single-goal deficit. Cameroon’s Coton Sport of Garoua have the pedigree in what should be a nail-biting battle, having dominated their domestic league for the last decade and reached the final of the Champions League in 2008, but they will be wary of giving up an away goal to the up-and-coming Ghanaians after the first leg ended scoreless. The attack-minded underdogs had put five past each of their previous two opponents, most notably threetime continental champions Raja Casablanca of Morocco, so they have to like their chances of finding the net. But their

Players celebrating after scoring a goal Dutch coach Hans van der Pluijm has been playing down the pressure, saying that

“anything is possible.” On the flip-side, Coton’s French coach Robert Boivin says he is “very

Sunshine well motivated against Djoliba FC, says Oboabona

kipper of Sunshine Stars, says nothing will stand between them and victory this weekend (Sunday) against visiting Djoliba FC of Mali in the return leg of the 1/8th finals of the Orange CAF Champions league. The Nigerian representatives who were subjected to trauma in Bamako are looking to seal a home win and a place in the groups’ stage of the competition. The Stars held on to what could be a valuable 1-1 draw with their visitors a fortnight ago and Godfrey Oboabona is convinced today’s match in Ijebe Ode is foregone concluded because they are well motivated for victory. How are the preparations going for the match against Djoliba going? We thank God so far, a lot of training has been going on in preparation for this match.We are on course. How much do you and your colleagues want to win this match? We are well motivated. Management has paid up to date all outstanding allowances and match bonuses and our sports loving governor has promised us cash gifts if we win this match.We are also playing for ourselves to put our name on the map of the continent as far as football is concerned.It is a great motivation for us.

How are you managing to combine club engagement and national team assignment? I am presently at the national camp preparing for an international match however the coach knows how important this weekend’s match is against the Malians and they are prepared to release me and my colleague Izu Azuka to go and help our club. It’s been challenging but rich in experience and has helped us in stepping up our game at club

level. You forced a 1-1 draw away in Mali. Do you think the Malians are capable of causing an upset here in Ijebu Ode? No, by the special grace of God they will not but we are not writing them off because they are a solid side with creative midfielders. We will do our best to win the match and we would like to play in the groups’ stage and will definitely fight hard for that to happen. We are hoping to qualify at the weekend.

Godfrey Oboabana

confident” his team will win at home and advance to the group stage for the second consecutive year. Nigeria’s remaining representatives Sunshine Stars will have the advantage of an away goal as they host Djoliba of Mali after a 1-1 draw in the opening match. The Malians have more experience in this competition, but debutantes Stars did put some big matches under their belt in reaching the semi-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup last term. The Nigerians will be able to call upon captain Oboabona Godfrey and Izu Azuka, who had been away with the national team, and they are hoping attacking midfielder Ibrahim Ajani can find his lost scoring boots. Stars had a worrying runup to the match after they were stuck in Bamako following the first leg a fortnight ago. Violence shut the airport and left much of the team closeted

in their hotel. It was a similar fate for Al Ahly, who lost to Stade Malien 1-0 and also were delayed in their trip home. Because of that, CAF has delayed the second leg of Ahly’s tie to Monday, allowing the sixtime continental champions to play a friendly midweek against a local opponent – a necessary warm-up given the suspension of Egypt’s domestic football. Faced with having to overturn the deficit, all does not seem well with the African royalty. They were denied the possibility of playing the match in front of their supporters, and instead will have to continue to make due with an empty stadium following February’s Port Said tragedy. There also has been some unrest concerning the stripping of the captaincy from Hossam Ghaly, who again will not be on the team sheet. Veteran defender Wael Gomaa, who went off injured early in the first leg, will also miss out with a knee problem. Ahly’s Egyptian rivals Zamalek have a less worrying home leg after they beat Morocco’s Maghreb de Fes 2-0 away. The Whites will be without suspended striker Razak Omotoyossi, but the fivetime African champions will be heavily favoured to hold off the comeback aspirations of CAF Confederation Cup and Super Cup champions MAS. Similarly, the Tunisian duo of holders Esperance and Etoile du Sahel would seem to have their tickets to the group stage booked after 6-0 and 4-1 victories in the first leg over Dynamos and AFAD Djekanou respectively. Four-time champions TP Mazembe will be wary of a difficult trip despite their 2-0 home victory over Sudan’s Al Merreikh, while it’s all to play for when Algeria’s ASO Chlef host the other Sudanese team Al Hilal, who will be without disciplined veteran Haitham Mustafa.

FIRST LEG RESULTS ES Sahel 4 - 1 AF Amadou Diallo EST 6 - 0 Dynamos MAS Fès 0 - 2 Zamalek Djoliba AC 1 - 1 Sunshine Berekum Chelsea 0 - 0 Coton Sport TP Mazembe 2 - 0 Al Merreikh Stade Malien 1 - 0 Al Ahly El Hilal 1 - 1 ASO Chlef FIXTURES Amadou Diallo vs ES Sahel Al Merreikh vs TP Mazembe ASO Chief vs El Hilal Sunday Coton Sport vs Berekum Chelsea Sunshine Stars vs Djoliba AC Zamalek vs MAS Fès Al Ahly vs Stade Malien

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

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Save for rainy days, NFF advises players N

igerian players have been advised to save for the rainy day while they are still active rather than rely on Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to provide non-existing financial succour after their retirement. Spokesman of the executive committee of the NFF, Chief Emeka Inyama, gave the advice while reacting to the often repeated allegation that the football federation has failed in its responsibility towards retired footballers. According to Inyama, the NFF is not a pension scheme organisation from where the retired footballers would draw their gratuity and subsequent pension allowances from. Instead of relying on nonexistent pension fund from the football federation, he advised them to makes just like other professionals as a safeguard for the future when they must either peaked and bowed out or be compelled to suddenly exit the active sports. Further, he said the players’ unions equally have a responsibility to ensure that players were properly guided on how to make savings out of their earnings. “What we are saying is that our players should learn to invest in their future. There are pension funds and administrators that these players can also be part of. “The players’ union should also be alive to its responsibilities by putting the interests of the explayers together and also planning for them,’’ the NFF board member said. Inyama, who spoke against the backdrop of the May 4 death of former Super Eagles striker Rashidi Yekini and the comments that have trailed it, said the association was blameless. “It’s important we clear this so that people don’t think that there is a special budget in the NFF that takes care of players who are no longer playing. “This present board of NFF has the record of taking care of all exinternationals. In the Technical Committee we have Adegboye Onigbinde, Austin Okocha and Victor Ikpeba for example. “All the national team coaches are ex-internationals of this country and if they are not with the teams they are our Soccer Ambassadors. So, these are the platforms we have created to make them part of football and it is working, he said. “We are really doing a lot to ensure that since they contributed to the game they will also be part of

Vincent Enyeama, Eagles keeper and other players must invest now

Aminu Maigari the game, both technically and administratively,’’ Inyama added. He said the NFF should not be seen as a place where retired footballers should all look to as their source of livelihood. The NFF is not a pension fund that makes money for retired footballers. “What it does is to see how it can collaborate with those who are still active, by putting them in various sub-committees and organs of the football administration. “They are also appointed as coaches, and that is for those who have taken coaching as a profession.

So, players should also learn to make plans for their retirement as it is done in the civil service,’’ he said. The NFF board member noted that footballers in their playing days make a lot of money and should learn to save for the rainy day. It is not in the books or laws that it is the responsibility of the NFF to pay or rehabilitate or take charge of exinternationals. “What we do is to look around and see where those of them who still have something to offer football can be brought in. Currently, this

London 2012: NWF focuses on gold medals, says Edeze

he President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Austin Edeze, has reiterated the federation’s determination to win at least a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Edeze, who said the federation’s target remains making meaningful impact at the |Games, is optimistic that Nigerian wrestlers to the Summer Games could win as much as two gold medals or at the least one. Four wrestlers, who will be competing for glory at the Games billed to kick start on July 27, have been undergoing intensive training and will soon embark on training tours to shape up for the fiesta. “We are always there for gold, not for any other medal. Nobody will go to London and say I’m going to represent my country and I’m looking for bronze; such a person should not even go in the first place,’’ the NWF president said. Edeze said the four wrestlers

qualified after participating in the Shaheed Bhagat Singh international championship in India, an Olympic qualifier which had wrestlers from 11 countries. “They did not just qualify in India, but with medals. This is why we are also preparing them very well now, because it is one thing to qualify and another thing to win the medals and we are prepared to win the medals,’’ the NWF president said. He said the wrestlers who qualified were already in camp in Yenagoa, but will be returning to India soon for another international championship. Edeze disclosed that the wrestlers would thereafter go on an international training tour in Germany and then proceed to London on July 26for the Olympic Games. Wrestling is one of the sports at the Summer Olympic Games to hold in London from July 27 to Aug. 12, 2012.

administration has more than 60 of the ex-internationals in one level or the other,’’ he said. Inyama claimed that the association made deliberate efforts

to reach out to Yekini, but that such efforts were all rebuffed by the late footballer. It was all because of lack of co-operation from the late Yekini,’’ he said.

NBBF picks 3 coaches for U-18 men’s national team

he Executive Board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has approved the appointment of three coaches for its national under-18 men’s team, a federation official has disclosed. The NBBF Media Officer, Olusegun Ikuesan, said the newlyappointed coaches included Ayinla Johnson of Union Bank of Lagos who will serve as head coach. Others are Sani Turi of Kada Stars of Kaduna and Abdulrahman Mohammed of Bauchi Nets who will both work as Johnson’s assistants. Ikuesan said that the coaches have the responsibility of preparing a team for the qualifiers for the FIBA Africa Zone-III Elimination, which is scheduled for Abidjan in Cote D’Ivoire from June 30 to July 7. The media officer said the NBBF was going to use the qualifiers for a meaningful youth development programme adding that the coaches have been specifically given a mandate on the use of players. “The coaches have been mandated by the federation not to include in the team any player who is with any of the clubs in the DStv Premier Basketball League,’’ he said. Ikuesan said that the NBBF president, Tijani Umar, had pointed out that the aim of the Under-18

Championships was to help in building a virile national team from the grass roots. “So, our newly-appointed Under-18 coaches must have it at the back of their mind that any player currently featuring for clubs in the DStv Premier League is not welcome in the team. “The coaches have been consequently directed to scout for players from the Nestle Milo Secondary School Championships and other academies around the country,’’ he said. He said that the team would soon open its camp at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria ahead the Zone III qualifiers.

Miichael Olowokandi, Nigeria's basketballer

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

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What a sport! Pole vault; the sport, the thrill Compiled by Richard Ihediwa with Wikipedia report

ole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts. It has been a full medal event at the Olympic Games since 1896 for men and 2000 for women. Initially, vaulting poles were made from stiff materials such as bamboo or aluminum. The introduction of flexible vaulting poles made from composites such as fiberglass or carbon fiber allowed vaulters to achieve greater height. Today, athletes compete in the pole vault as one of the four jumping events in track and field. Because the high jump and pole vault are both vertical jumps, the competitions are conducted similarly. Each athlete can choose what height they would like to enter the competition. Once they enter, they have three attempts to clear the height. If a height is cleared, the vaulter advances to the next height, where they will have three more attempts. Once the vaulter has three consecutive misses, they are out of the competition and the highest height they cleared is their result. A “no height”, often denoted “NH”, refers to the failure of a vaulter to clear any bar during the competition. The competitor who clears the highest height is the winner. If two or more vaulters have finished with the same height, the tie is broken by the number of misses at the final height. If the tied vaulters have the same number of misses at the last height cleared, the tie is broken by the total number of misses in the competition. Poles are manufactured with ratings corresponding to the vaulter’s maximum weight. Some organizations forbid vaulters to use poles rated below their weight as a safety precaution. Because pole stiffness and length are important factors to a vaulter’s performance, it is not uncommon for an elite vaulter to carry as many as 10 poles to a competition. Although there are many techniques used by vaulters at various skill levels to clear the bar, the generally accepted technical model can be broken down into several phases, listed and described below: The approach During the approach the pole vaulter sprints down the runway in such a way as to achieve maximum speed and correct position to initiate takeoff at the end of the approach. Top class vaulters use approaches with 18 to 22 strides. At the beginning of the approach the pole is usually carried upright to some degree, and gradually lowered as the vaulter gets closer to the landing pit. This way the vaulter can minimize levered weight of the pole. The faster the vaulter can run and the more efficient his/her takeoff is, the greater the potential energy that can be achieved and used during the vault. It is common for vaulters to gradually increase running speed throughout the approach, reaching maximum speed at take-off. The plant and take-off The plant and take off is initiated typically three steps out from the final step. Vaulters (usually) will count their steps backwards from their starting point to the box only counting the steps taken on the left foot (vice-versa for left-handers) except for the second step from the box, which is taken by the right foot. The goal of this phase is to efficiently translate the kinetic energy accumulated from the approach into potential energy stored by the elasticity of the pole, and to gain as much initial vertical height as possible by jumping off the ground. The plant starts with the vaulter raising his arms up from around the hips or mid-torso until they are fully outstretched above his head, with the right arm extended directly above the head and the left arm extended perpendicular to the pole (viceversa for left-handed vaulters). At the same time, the vaulter is dropping the pole tip into the box.

On the final step, the vaulter jumps off the trail leg which should always remain straight and then drives the front knee forward. As the pole slides into the back of the box the pole begins to bend and the vaulter continues up and forward, leaving the trail leg angled down and behind him. The swing up The swing and row simply consists of the vaulter swinging his trail leg forward and rowing the pole, bringing his top arm down to the hips, while trying to keep the trail leg straight to store more potential energy into the pole, the rowing motion also keeps the pole bent for a longer period of time for the vaulter to get into optimum position. This action gives the vaulter the best position possible to be “ejected” off the pole. Alternate swing methods Another form of swing is called the double leg drop. After executing a normal take-off, the vaulter lets his lead leg drop and swings with both legs together. In doing this, the weight of the vaulter’s lower body is centered further from his rotational axis, making it more difficult for the vaulter to swing with as great a speed as with a single legged swing. A third form of swing is called the tuck and shoot. This is accomplished by tucking both legs in toward the chest rather than leaving the trail leg extended.

The extension The extension refers to the extension of the hips upward with outstretched legs as the shoulders drive down, causing the vaulter to be positioned upside down. The turn The turn is executed immediately after or even during the end of the rockback. As the name implies, the vaulter turns 180° toward the pole while extending the arms down past the head and shoulders. The fly-away This is often highly emphasized by spectators and novice vaulters, but it is arguably the easiest phase of the vault and is a result of proper execution of previous phases. This phase mainly consists of the vaulter pushing off the pole and releasing it so it falls away from the bar and mats. As his/her body goes over and around the bar, the vaulter is facing the bar. Rotation of the body over the bar occurs naturally, and the vaulter’s main concern is making sure that his/her arms, face and any other appendages do not knock the bar off as he/she goes over. The vaulter should land near the middle of the foam landing mats, or pits, face up.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12— SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

News 8 in Bauchi court over presidential campaign posters From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

ight persons have been arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court 7 in Bauchi charged for possession and placement of posters of Governor Isa Yuguda ‘for president 2015’ in Bauchi state. The police prosecutor, Sergeant Z Ajala, told the court that the suspects criminally conspired and illegally produced and printed 1,000 copies of political posters of Governor Isa Yuguda declaring his intention to contest for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015 which may disturb public peace. Sergeant Ajala explained that during interrogation, the suspects admitted to have printed

New initiative for Genomics Policy and Society unveiled By Jamila Nuhu Musa

paper published in Science Today, a journal, has outlined an initiative to use a new internet tool called Web 2.0 Technologies to build a “ c o l l a b o r a t o r y ” infrastructure for ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of genomic research, which is the study of genes in human beings. The ELSI 2.0, which was published May 11, 2012, will facilitate a variety of activities including networking, rapid response, “crowd-sourcing,” modelling, forecasting, and the development of proactive strategies to coordinate and enable international ELSI research. According to a press statement issued by the Strategic Information, Research and Training, Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria, and signed by its Director, Professor Clement Adebamowo, who is also Principal Investigator, West African Bioethics Training Program, University of Ibadan, Nigeria/University of Maryland, Baltimore, the ELSI 2.0 initiative is designed to fasten international collaboration in ELSI genomics and to better assess the impact and dynamics of global genome research because the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of genomic research challenges and affects everyone’s lives. It further said, ELSI 2.0 will make it easy for an ELSI scholar in Africa to connect with other scholars around the world or to tap into resources not otherwise readily available.

and pasted the poster without consultation and without the knowledge of Governor Yuguda; he said police recovered 823 posters, four negative films, and one computer printout posters which they know may cause fear and alarm to the public peace

contrary to section 96,418 and 419 of the penal code. The defense counsel, Barrister Hauwa Jibrin did not oppose the adjournment and entered a bail application of the suspects which was also not opposed by the prosecution.

The presiding magistrate, Mohammed Mukhtar Abubakar, granted bail of the suspects and adjourned the suit to 22 may 2012 for further mention. The suspects names mention as Sani Adamu Danyaro,Tukur Yakubu Gamji,Kamal Jibrin

NDLEA impounds 443kg of narcotics

he Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in Sokoto state, Alhaji Misbahu Idris said on Friday, that the command arrested 13 suspects and impounded 443 kg of narcotics in less than two weeks. Idris said that the command had arrested 70 suspects, secured 15 convictions while 20 cases have been in court since January. The commander made this known in Sokoto on Friday when he paraded the suspects, all males, and displayed the seized narcotics.

He said the substances include 90 kg of Indian hemp, 23 kg of diazapam (D-5) and 330 kg of cough syrup containing codeine being widely abused in the state. Idris said that all the suspects would soon appear in court. “It is regrettable that there is an influx of the cough syrup into the state, even people who are not into selling drugs are now selling it. “For instance, one of the suspects paraded today (Friday) was selling plastic materials in the open but he was secretly selling this brand

of cough syrup,’’ Idris said. He restated the resolve of the command to rid the state of all illicit drugs, saying: “the task is, however, a collective one and not only that of the agency’’. Idris commended the administration of Gov. Aliyu Wamakko for establishing a committee to rid the state of all forms illicit drugs. “Efforts are on by the command and the committee to identify and dismantle all drugs spots. We will sustain the current inter-agency collaboration”, he said. (NAN)

Alleged mental retardation: Court rules on suit against National Hospital By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will on May 15, 2012 rule on whether to restore Lady Ihuoma Chinansa Doris to her previous position as a Nursing Officer II in the National Hospital Abuja after she was allegedly sacked by the authorities of the hospital. The defendants in the suit are National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Olusegun Ajuwon, S.A. Ibrahim, Dr. Patience Ibrahim, Matron Julie Ajuwon, Dr. Oluwanuga, and Dr. Ibrahim

Wada as 1st to 7th defendants/ respondents respectively. As at the time the motion on notice was filed before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, counsel to the plaintiff/ applicant, Mr. Moses Adebisi Ofeoshi on behalf of his client prayed the court to order redress on the alleged ill treatment of nurse Ihuoma. He pointed out that the defendants/respondents did not have any reason to terminate the contract it had with his client while the suit is still pending before the court.

The plaintiff in a motion on notice is seeking a restorative order restoring parties to status quo by ordering the 1 st defendant/respondent, her agent and privies to restore her position as Nursing Officer II pending the determination of the substantive suit. Other reliefs being sought by the plaintiff/applicant include: “A mandatory restorative order of this court compelling 1st defendant/ respondent to pay all salary arrears due to plaintiff/ applicant since June 2010 till date.

Kaduna spends N27 billion for water supply By Agaju Madugba

aduna state government says it spent about N27 billion in the past one year to boost water supply in the area. Commissioner for Water Resources, Sunday Marshall Katung, who briefed the press yesterday, noted that the development makes Kaduna to top the list in the country with more percentage of its populace with potable supply.

According to him, “we are presently the leading state in potable water supply to our populace. There has never been a time in the history of Kaduna state where so much has been sunk into urban, semi-urban and rural water supply with the results so visible. “By the end of this administration, the next one would spend less on that because most of the job would have been done. He identified the Zaria water

project as gulping a large chunk of the money. As he put it, “the construction of the 150ml/d Zaria New Water Treatment plant was awarded at the cost of N15.711 billion. “The contract has now been reviewed to N24, 697 billion as a result of the changes in original scope of work and additional components. The project is intended to serve about N2.2 million people residing in 23 communities in eight local government areas of the state by 2025.

Tozali award night to support girl-child education By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

n its attempt to encourage the girl child education in Nigeria, Tozali Magazine would be organizing 2 ndedition of the “HENNA BALL” and award night, with the aim of raising funds to support girlchild education in the country.

A statement made available to Peoples Daily, frowned at the deprivation of women in some parts of Nigeria, especially in the some parts of the North, from western education, saying that the event would create financial assistance to them. It added that the 2nd edition

of the “HENNA BALL 2012”initiative is geared towards expanding the framework of an event which has a social undertone but is largely aimed at addressing societal ills as it affects the most vulnerable group in the society such as women and children.

Dantani, Abdul Ibrahim, Nuru Ahmed Mahmud, Mohd Garba, Adamu Moh’d and Mamu Ibrahim they were charged with Criminal Conspiracy, false news with intent to cause offence against the public and possession of seditious materials.

NYSC boss advocates safety of corps members From Iliya Garba, Minna

he Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Nnamdi Okore-Affia, yesterday, in Minna, called for new ideas that will guarantee the safety and welfare of corps members. He condemned the increasing security challenges posed by the snowballing effect of the 2011 postelection violence and the widespread attacks on corps members. At a workshop on the safety, security and welfare of corps members in Minna, the Niger state capital, General OkoreAffia recalled that the worst came with the post election violence which claimed the lives of 10 corps members in Bauchi. The NYSC boss who was represented by the Director of Administration, Mrs. Clara Babatunde, however said with the worsening situation and increasing terrorist attacks, the NYSC national headquarters has established a Distress Call Center (DCC). “The 24 hours daily call center has some state-ofthe-art communication gadgets that will enhance corps security, ease communication and allow for easier, faster and more effective response to emergencies involving corps members”, he added.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

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From the Pulpit Let God lead you “

or My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns — broken cisterns that can hold no water. ‘Is Israel a servant? Is he a homeborn slave? Why is he plundered? The young lions roared at him, and growled; they made his land waste; his cities are burned, without inhabitant. Also the people of Noph and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of your head. Have you not brought this on yourself, in that you have forsaken the LORD your God When He led you in the way? And now why take the road to Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? Or why take the road to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River? Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and the fear of Me is not in you,’ Says the Lord GOD of hosts.” (Jer 2:13-19 NKJV) From the passage above, Israel committed two evils – forsaking the fountain of living water and hewing for themselves broken cisterns that couldn’t hold water. The fountain of living water or fountain of life giving water they forsook was God. They forsook God and went after other nations that were likened to broken cisterns. They dug for themselves cracked cisterns that could hold no water. Verse 17 says, “And you have brought this on yourselves by rebelling against the LORD your God when he wanted to lead you and show you the way!” (NLT) God wanted to lead them and show them the way but they forsook him. The result of this rebellion was the Egyptians marching from their cities of

Memphis and Tahpanhes to utterly destroy Israel's glory and power. Rebellion will always bring its consequences. It did concerning the Israelites. God’s word must be obeyed or will pay dearly for it. “This is what I told them: 'Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Only do as I say, and all will be well!' ‘But my people would not listen to me. They kept on doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward. From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send my prophets — day in and day out. But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful — even worse than their ancestors.” (Jer 7:23-26 NLT) The Israelites forsook the fountain of living water. They went after cisterns that couldn’t hold water. They didn’t allow God to lead them. They started walking in the way of the Egyptians and in the way of the Assyrians – they led themselves. “And now why take the road to Egypt to drink the waters of Sihor? Or why take the road to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?” (Jer 2:18 NKJV) Verses 36-37 tell us the consequence of walking in the way of the Egyptians and in the way of the Assyrians. “Why do you gad about so much to change your way? Also you shall be ashamed of Egypt as you were ashamed of Assyria. Indeed you will go forth from him with your hands on your head; For the LORD has rejected your trusted allies, and you will not prosper by them.”(NKJV) Egypt would fail them as Assyria did and they would not succeed despite their aid. Evil befell Israel because she forsook God; she didn’t allow God to

LIBERA TION LIBERATION AREN A ARENA By Rev. Abel Duniya Gospel Power Liberation Ministries, Abuja GSM: 08033155167

ne of the ways we tap into God’s unlimited favour is through thanksgiving. It helps us to connect to the supernatural and open the floodgates of blessing to us. A man who is always thankful to God will continue to experience his grace and help at all times. Many people give thanks to God only when good things happen to them. However, God expects us to give him praise and thanks at all times, knowing that He is always caring for us and that all things

works together for our good as long as we are in good relationship with him. When we develop the attitude of murmuring and complaining, God is not happy as it shows we do not trust in Him or appreciate his good works in our lives. When we give God thanks in times of adversity, we render a sacrifice of thanksgiving and God loves people who worship Him at all times because they recognise his goodness and his sovereignty despite the situation they found themselves

lead her. Rather she went after Assyria and later Egypt. She stopped drinking from the fountain of God’s guidance and started drinking from the fountains of the broken cisterns of Assyria and Egypt. Don’t lead yourself Don’t lead yourself; let God lead you. Don’t be attracted to some helps somewhere – helps that don’t help, unreliable, undependable helps. David says in Psalm 23:23: “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” (NLT) David was led by God; he didn’t lead himself. The Bible tells us a lot about how David sought the leading and guidance of God in battles. Little wonder the chains of success that he had. Only in the matter of Bathsheba did he go his own way and not God’s way. Let God lead you; don’t lead yourself. Leading yourself will lead you astray and far from God and expose you to the attendant consequences. In Ex 13:21-22, the Bible says, “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.” (NKJV) That was how God led the Israelites in the wilderness. He went before them by day in a pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire by night to lead the way. God never abandoned them once they followed his leading and guidance. There is safety and protection in God when you allow God to lead you. “Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (Ps 37:5-6 NKJV) Don’t trust your brain; don’t promote your

GREEN PASTURES By Pastor T.O. Banso cedarministryintl@yahoo.com GSM: 08033113523 intelligence above God’s leading. There is a way that seems right to man but the end is destruction. (Pro 14:12, 16:25) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Prov 3:5 NKJV) In Exo 32:34, God assured Moses His angel shall lead the way before him and the people of Israel. God didn’t allow them to lead themselves. God’s angel leading you is safer than any expert leading you. Joseph said God would lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Gen 50:24), and God did by a mighty hand. (Ex 3:19, 32:11, Deut 4:34, 5:15, 6:21, 7:8, 19, 9:26, 11:2-3, 26:8, 34:10-12) But the Israelites, though out of Egypt, went in the way of Egypt to drink the water of Sihor – went into alliance with Egypt. And they went to Assyria to drink the waters of the river (Euphrates) – alliance with Assyria. The two alliances were not based on God’s leading and didn’t profit them. Let God lead you when God leads you, you will be safe. “See, I am sending my angel before you to lead you safely to the land I have prepared for you.” (Ex 23:20 NLT) God’s leading is the safest and the surest; don’t be deceived by what Egypt or Assyria is dangling at you. Beware of the offer of the serpent! It will always evict you from your God-given garden. There are more than one ways God can lead you such as leading you through His word, godly teachings

and counsel, the Holy Spirit, dreams, visions and trances and angels. As a child of God, be open to all of them. Don’t dig for yourself cracked cisterns that can hold no water. Even if you get the leading you’re so desperate to get through other ways apart from God’s, it will come with negative consequences which may not be obvious to you in the immediate. Don’t patronize witch doctors, star gazers, necromancers and other mediums. Stay within the ambit of the word of God. Let God lead you. TAKE ACTION! If you are not born again, kindly say this prayer now: “0 Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God” I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible believing, Bible teaching church in your area where you will be taught how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things becoming all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. May the Lord be with you.

The power of thanksgiving in. Look at Ephesians 5, 20. It says we should “give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (NKJ) Thanking God must come from the depth of our hearts if we must benefit from it as an act of worship. When we do this, we attract the power of God to us and our protection, provisions and progress are guaranteed. Why must we thank God? It’s a command People must understand that giving thanks to God is a command from him to all people. It not an advise. It is not optional. It is a command from God and refusal to thank God comes with grave consequences just as in breaking of other commands of God. It opens the way for more blessings. Even in the natural, when we thanks people, it

encourages them to do more good to us. In the same manner, when we thank God, we move Him to do more good things to us. We move him to show more of His kindness, glory and favour to us. Many people do not experience God’s continual blessings because they do not honor him with thanks. Releases God’s forces of multiplication The attitude of thanksgiving releases God’s divine power of multiplication in our favour. Look at Luke 9.16 where Jesus fed thousands with just five loaves and the two fishes after giving thanks to God. Jesus gave thanks and blessed the bread even in the face of seeming challenge of feeding a multitude of people and God released His power of multiplication to the extent that the multitude was filled and there were twelve baskets left. I do not know what might be

bordering you now but the solution is not in murmuring and complaining but in giving thanks to God. Just sit down and search and you will see what God has been doing in your life. If you can't thank him for what you get, then thank him for what you have escaped such as sicknesses, accidents and so on that caught up with others while you were kept safe. There are many ways we can show appreciation to God for His goodness. You can do so by directly thanking him with words; by telling people how good he is to you; by singing, dancing and praising. You can worship God by making joyful noise proclaiming his name. Giving is another way to thank God. We can give materially and financially. You can also appreciate God by making a commitment to dedication your life to God.

BIG PUNCH “The world cannot be governed by force, never by fear, even not by power. What governs in the end is concept justice and fair play” —Maitama Sule on ways to restore peace in the north

SATURDAY 12 — SUNDAY 13, MAY, 2012

Nigeria, the stigma

n its pristine state Nigeria is beautiful, bountiful, pleasant. But consider what its citizens are making of it. Such is the abuse they subject this accommodating and indulgent home to that they now talk openly and disrespectfully about how to tear it into smithereens, how to cause its extinction. Small, some of them say proudly, is beautiful. So this giant should be reduced to pygmies of minuscule sizes, and the great communities and nationalities that coalesce to form Africa's greatest nation should dissolve into disparate entities, descending precariously from the certainty of today to the uncertainty of tomorrow. Which are the most formidable nations today? They are precisely the biggest nations in size and population. China, India, Russia, USA, plus Brazil and a host of others are enjoying the advantage of size and sheer weight of numbers. Nations do not indulge in beauty contests, their preoccupation is dominance and supremacy, which requires strength, will and stamina. If to break up a settled nation whose diverse people enjoy the mutual benefits one from the other, through trade, occupation, cohabitation and countless other forms of interaction were a joke, we could sit back and enjoy the thought of the possible sequel. In the beginning would be the exodus. Some hundreds or thousands of 'Northerners' are moving upwards, fleeing from the population centers in the South, where they have lived for years scraping a living mainly as night guards, shoe shiners, petty traders, meet sellers, nail menders, seasonal hunters, praise singers, prostitutes and pimps - simply swarms of anonymous and dispensable wretched of the earth who have established no stake whatsoever in those places. They could be seen in lorry loads, bewildered, miserable, uncertain of the prospect that awaits them. Some have already died from a multiple of causes, including cold blooded murder. Their belongings are scanty, not allowing you even to say they have been dispossessed. Their travail is but only a prelude to the real exodus. Here come the seas of humanity flowing tempestuously southwards. From Kano alone, one million, two million mass of humans joining somewhere along the route other millions from Maiduguri, Yola, Bauchi, Jos, and then other millions from Sokoto, from all directions of the vast territories of Northern Nigeria, an enormous body of souls in utter misery, countless children, countless innocent men and women uprooted and dispossessed by an elite gone mad. These people have no problem dealing with each other as traders, artisans, normal, sensible human beings,

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compatriots. Most have made the places they are fleeing from their home, built houses, established businesses, and consolidated, thriving livelihoods. Their children speak in one language and have become one. They know and understand nowhere else. Now they march on, into the wilderness, into the abyss. Welcome to Soyinka's paradise! We could imagine the South West, which was once enlightened

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Nigerians and homogenous, being of one ancestor and of one tongue, suddenly breaking into a war of supremacy between the various clans and brands, becoming a Somalia in the heartland of West Africa, a nation of one tongue, but tearing itself into uncountable, ungovernable, wild fragments. Who knows whether their Muslims and their Christians could live together again in harmony given the fact that in the past Muslims were forced to change their names and religion just to qualify for education, in addition to other hidden and open forms of discrimination and humiliation. Who knows where the millions of their kith and kin from the North would settle, or could ever rebuild their lives again? In this sort of situation anything could happen, even pogroms. The Biafrans would resume their war of independence in earnest. With the hated 'Northerners' out of the way, they are now free to reclaim the territories they assume are rightly theirs, being part and parcel of Igbo nation and an integral component of their destiny. So they march on to liberate the remaining parts of their sacred homeland from Benin to Port Harcourt, to Calabar, and to all the other cities and territories of the South South, and to take back all the 'abandoned property' which once constituted about 75% of all the houses in the big cities. To crown it all, they fight gallantly to seize control of all the oil wells and all the sea shores, all the coastal lines, as they would have done

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years ago had the 'Northerners' not intervened, sacrificing their blood and lives to block their way and liberate the defenseless tribes. The Biafrans are confident that after the conquest they would approach the Americans who have no permanent enemies or permanent friends to negotiate fresh oil deals. The Israelis, the French and the Vatican, who all supported the war that would have exterminated the indigenous people with weapons and materials would ask to join the new alliance. Everywhere all the unfinished wars would resume, all the unfinished adventures will resurface and perhaps matters would be settled in one form or another. Some would be triumph, some would certainly perish, but all, in varying degrees, will suffer. The day after, Biafra would find itself submerged in a deluge, the sea of humanity that has just arrived. They have left their homes and businesses in the North, their number almost equal to those in the entire Ibo homeland. Where are the houses, the schools, the markets, the hospitals to accommodate their needs? Where is the food and water? Where indeed is the space? Let's hope the South South could repel the Second Invasion, and retain control of their homeland, keep Biafra eternally at bay. They will still have to contend with new realities. First, they will continue to endure the rule of Iboriism, a unique form of government in which a petty thief to use the words of a London judge - as a rule, rises meteorically into power. Secondly they will only hear of the

whereabouts of their wealth from the newspapers in New York, London, Geneva or Dubai, and their resources build the mansions that adorn the expensive quarters of the big cities across the world. Thirdly, they watch helplessly as their life is suffocated, their land degraded, their livelihoods obliterated by the effects of oil exploration. They will be condemned to wars they can never win. Such is the fate of those who make themselves small and beautiful. The most challenging issue at hand now, however, is how fast and how inexorable the control of the country is getting out of the hands of the Nigerian people. Matters have reached a point in which the Nigerian people are no longer shocked by revelations about stealing, cheating and looting, whatsoever the magnitude. In the past, corruption involved figures in millions of Naira and people were shocked. It now involves billions in small scales, in small hands, and it does routinely and inescapably escalate into trillions in higher scales, in mightier hands, and there is no shock whatsoever! A great transformation has thus taken place, resulting in absolute vulnerability and absolute lack of protection for Nigeria's wealth and strategic assets. This transformation spreads like cancer to all sectors of Nigeria where money is involved. The latest developing story is one concerning the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). According to Premium Times (11/5/ 12) the Director General of NSE

revealed in a statement to the House of Representatives recently that her predecessor had presided over a debilitating era of broad financial abuses and violations of processes, financial slimmings, misappropriations, false accounting, misrepresentations, and questionable transactions, in active connivance with some of the nation's major banks, that eventually caused the virtual collapse of that colossal national institution, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, costing investors billions of life savings and funds. The paper states further by way of an appetizer: Recalling some of the monumental fraud that took place at the Stock Exchange under Mrs. Onyuike-Okereke's tenure, Ms. Oteh said the NSE bought a yacht for N37million and wrote down the book value within one year by recognizing it in the books as a gift presented during its 2008 Long Service Award (LSA), without any records of the beneficiary till date. The Exchange spent about N186million on the purchase of 165 Rolex wrist watches presented as gifts for awardees, out of which only 73 were actually presented to the beneficiaries, while the outstanding 92 watches valued at N99.5million are still unaccounted for. These transactions were routed through companies owned by some senior officers of the Exchange. In 2009, several billions of the year 2008 operational surpluses were distributed to the Council members and employees of the Exchange in violation of Capital market and SEC rules. Other fraudulent transactions, Ms. Oteh said, include the reclassification of the sum of N1.3billion originally expended on business travels. Of this sum, N953million was reclassified under "Softwre Upgrade" and subsequently expended as against being capitalized.' Let's spare ourselves the agony of knowing what the big banks were doing with the depositors' money under the watchful eyes of NSE. It is however said that the current Director General is no better than her predecessor, perhaps worse, prompting Niyi Ayiri to ask rather derisively in BusinessNews (10/5/ 12): 'Arunma Oteh did not need to consult her senior management staff at SEC in order to unilaterally approve a N500 billion AMCON bond. Is this because she is some sort of Amazon Wonderwoman? No, she has a degree from Harvard!' Given the fact that nearly all the institutions of the state and those in the private sector treat in the same manner whatever they hold as public trust, it is fair to ask: where on earth can the common wealth and the strategic assets of Nigeria be safe and secure?

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos, Tel: +234-09-8734478. Cell: +234 803 606 3308. e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com ISSN: 2141– 6141