Weekend, Saturday 14 - Sunday 15 November, 2015 by Peoples Media Limited

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Saturday, November 14 - 15, 2015 Muharram 14, 1437 AH

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N150 Vol. 4 No. 69

Adamawa visit

Buhari assures IDPs’ return home soon >>Pg 6

President Buhari accompanied by Adamawa State Governor Jibrilla Bindow (L) during his visit to the camp of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Malkwoi; while the President is decorating Lance Corporal Kenneth Kulugh with the Purple Heart medal for gallantry in the fight against Boko Haram during his visit to Yola Adamawa State yesterday.

‘We issue receipts after selling babies’

>>Pg 4

>>Pgs 7-9

Police arrest 4 for killing ‘TSA contract 25-year-old lady Pg 5 signed under former Reps crises: President Jonathan’ Lawmaker blames Dogara >>Pg 16

Pg 11

579 Days after

Will the abducted Chibok schoolgirls ever be rescued?

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Interview Culture impedes our educational attainments —Kebbi Varsity VC

his citadel of learning was founded 10yrs ago, what is your assessment of the school? The Kebbi State University was established in 2006, by the administration of Senator Adamu Aliero, whatever was motive of establishing that university was, it is now an asset to Kebbi State. In fact, the choice of courses in Science and Technology has put the university ahead of other Northern Universities. The university started with two faculties of science and agriculture with several courses; now I am happy to say that in the last six months, we have gained permission to start our Engineering programmes in mechanical, civil, electrical/ electronics and information communication technology. We also received permission from NUC to start Post Graduate Studies and we have an approval to start 13 M.sc courses in both faculties of science and agriculture. How would the University fund the 14 approved postgraduate programmes in view of the limited resources? I am happy to say that the state government has been doing quite well in assisting the university to pursue all the programmes it desires. We also have the TETFUND at the federal level which also assists especially in terms of staff development by sending most of our staff to have higher degrees. So like you have said, it is not always easy, but so far so good. Sometimes ago, staff of the University complained of non implementation of promotion, none payment of annual increment and non payment of earned academic allowances. What is the institution doing about these? We are all aware that one of the things is to make staff very comfortable because there is consequence on that. The more you make your staff comfortable, the more you expect to gain with those staff; I would like to say that since I assumed office as the acting VC of this university we have done much, this university management has undertaken three sets of staff promotions within one and half years. We promoted staff in three years and the last one was 2014 and 2015 session is currently ongoing, so I would like to say that; staff are not owed any promotion; where we have problem is we all know that the state government has its policy on promotion and we have also made effort to make the state government understand that we are different since we have competitors across the world. Whatever we are going to do to make our staff comfortable we’ll do, because if that is not addressed, staff can leave our school to other schools, so we are trying to make the

Professor Bello Shehu Malami started as an NCE teacher before obtaining a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Agriculture and Animal Science from Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto and University of Nigeria, Nsukka respectively. He capped this with a PhD at Sokoto where he lectured for years before moving to Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, where he serves as the acting Vice Chancellor. In this interview with Ahmed Idris, he said poor enrolment of Kebbi youths in tertiary institutions relates to both males and females, proffering that a proposed summit will alleviate the problem

Prof. Malam

state government understand so that they can lift that embargo at least for the university, since we are not operating the civil service structure.

“

The university has its own structure that was provided by the NUC, so with regards to that, we are making effort so that staff of this university

I am happy to say that the state government has been doing quite well in assisting the university to pursue all the programmes it desires. We also have the TETFUND at the federal level which also assists especially in terms of staff development

get their all entitlements so as not to suffer the consequence of inaction. The University is said to be lacking staff especially the academic staff and staff quarters, what is your take on this? There is just no institution that would get all its desired manpower; that notwithstanding, I would like to say that, this university has been faring well, more so we are in a kind of transition now; we have programmes a kind of faculty several numbers of staff been required, we don’t have them so what the university is doing, is to employ graduates and send them to further their education which I have already said TETFUND is giving us a lot of help in that regards. I would tell you that we have at least 54 staff pursuing PhD programmes across the world; out of these 54, about seven have resumed duty after they have completed their programmes, so from now to year 2020, we are expecting all the 54 to resume at the university. By that time the university will be better off, but now we are utilizing other sister universities particularly Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto, ABU Zaria, BUK, FUBK, FUT Minna and Umar Musa Yaradua University, Katsina. Their lecturers do come to give help, so that the university would not lack manpower. How would you rate your students’ performance alongside similar institutions established the same period? Yes, I am happy to say that this university from the report we have been receiving from employers of labour, I tell you, the story we are receiving is quite good. I could recall just about three weeks ago, distinguished Senator Adamu Aliero visited us in this university and told us that he has been receiving calls from employers of labour that those who graduated from this school are doing well, so this is what he saw also at school level, the parents are calling the school management that their children are performing wonderfully, I could give you some examples. Just recently, our student participated at a National Mathematics competition in Abuja where he came second and we have never attended or participated in the competition before now. As far as the information we received from employees of labour is quite good and encouraging. Sir, how do you instil discipline in your administration most especially on the students? This administration of this University now is putting a lot in that regards. You know education without discipline amounts to nothing, so one of the aims of this institution is to put our students in a very high discipline. I have met with all the staff, and we reached a consensus that everybody will cooperate with the University management, so that the students Contd on Pg 17

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Feature

Cleaning up environment of North-East after the insurgency

By Johnson Eyiangho

he ongoing war against the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, no doubt had taken its toll on humans and the environment of the area. Apart from lives lost since 2009 when the insurgency began, the environment in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, the epicentre of the conflict were greatly devastated. Parts of Gombe and Bauchi states were also negatively impacted. Unarguably, both sides – the military and the insurgents are exploiting the environment in the conflict in an effort to gain the upper hand. But there is hope that the six-year-old crisis may soon come to an end with the renewed commitment of the present administration in tackling the insurgency. However, environmentalists insist that every plan to end the insurgency and reconstruct damaged infrastructure, rehabilitate and resettle the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) must include remediation of the environment. Even the UN recognised that, as the United Nations General Assembly in 2001 declared Nov. 6 of every year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. The world body had noted that mankind had always counted its war casualties in terms of the dead and wounded, destroyed cities and livelihoods, while the environment had often remained the unpublicised victim of war. “Water wells have been polluted, crops torched, forests cut down, soils poisoned, and animals killed to gain military advantage,’’ it noted. Environmentalists and other stakeholders want the federal and state governments to take decisive steps to address degradation in the North-East. Prof. Daniel Gwary of the Department of Crop Protection, University of Maiduguri, said that each party in the conflict directly or indirectly exploited environmental resources in the area to subsidise the cost of their operations. Gwary said that the insurgency by the Boko Haram sect and fighting them by the Nigerian military on behalf of Nigeria required huge financial resources. According to him, the resources include deforestation to provide fuel wood energy for heating, lighting and cooking, as well as for shelter/tent making, livestock and other biodiversity for food, water for drinking and sanitation. “Natural resources of the environment including water, soil, wildlife and plants are

considered the wealth of the rural poor people. “It is often regarded as the bank account of the rural poor, because food, wears, shelter, energy and water for sustaining livelihoods are all obtained from the environment. “Destroying or damaging the environment by any means including armed conflicts such as the insurgency being witnessed for six years now in the North East has the potential of increasing poverty, disease, and forced migration and loss of traditional heritage and consequently undermining peace and development. “The conflict has caused extensive destruction and degradation of the environment,’’ he said. Mr Atayi Babs, the National Coordinator, Climate and Sustainable Development Network of Nigeria, an NGO, said the environment in the NorthEast had suffered worse fate when compared with human beings in the armed conflict. According to Babs, the environment has always been the silent casualty of war and armed conflict. Babs listed some of the environmental problems in the North-East as ``habitat degradation, reduced access to water points and other vital resources, species loss, alteration of the natural food chain, and additional pressure on biodiversity.’’ In the same vein, Prof. Nwajiuba Chinedum, the Executive Director, Nigerian Environmental Study Team, Ibadan, said that the environment in the North-East had been

adversely affected as a result of the conflict. According to him, this is typical of area which suffers armed conflict. “The effect of heavy equipment on the soil, water, air, and on vegetative cover is not usually a positive one; the same applies to bombing, other armaments, movements of troops and equipment. “In addition, displaced people and those at risk of war do not have the privilege of tending to

“We saw the use of chemical weapons in the Vietnamese war – where Agent Orange, a defoliant, was used to kill trees so that no one could hide in the forests of Vietnam. “In that case, the trees were not only killed, civilian populations were impacted and some suffer from the effects of the chemicals to this day. “In the North-East everyone now knows that insurgents have used parts of Sambisa forest as their camps or hideouts.’ The insurgents had been

crops and livestock, while fighters may also kill livestock for various reasons,’’ he said. Mr Nnimmo Bassey, the Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), an NGO, said that no doubt, warfare was never environment friendly, adding that armed conflicts do severe damage to the ecosystem. According to the environmentalist, it is as if combatants in conflict see nature as their adversary. “Nature provides food as well as shelter or shields for combatants.

agents of deforestation, displacing animals or killing them in the process, Bassey added. He said the attempt of the military to dislodge the insurgents from the Sambisa forest could also result in bulldozing the forest, though they had not clearly stated this. Bassey said that with the end of the conflict in sight, there was urgent need for the full environmental remediation in the zone. “It is not enough to rebuild villages and towns without cleaning up their environment.

“

When the immediate rehabilitation efforts for the victims of the insurgency reach a reasonable stage, it will definitely be necessary to turn to the rehabilitation of the physical environment

“The fact that most of our people carry out their daily activities outdoors make the clean-up of the environment very urgent. “Apart from clearing the area of military wastes, there is the need to ensure that there are no land mines; such weapons do not distinguish between humans and animals,’’ he said. Gwary echoed the need for remediation, adding that the success of human living in any part of the world depends largely on the quality of the environment. “When the immediate rehabilitation efforts for the victims of the insurgency reach a reasonable stage, it will definitely be necessary to turn to the rehabilitation of the physical environment. Speaking through the Deputy Director, Press, Mr Benjamin Gong, the then Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mrs Nana Mede, said the destruction of the environment was always a common feature in war and armed conflict. She alleged that the insurgents poisoned some water sources in the area and also added to the problem of desertification in the North-East. On what the ministry would do to remediate the environment after the conflict, she said: “For us in the Ministry of Environment, we have specific responsibility to take care of the livelihood aspect of the Lake Chad,’’ nay, the entire North-East zone. She assured that in 2016, many boreholes would be sunk in the area in order to provide potable water for the people. (NANFeatures)

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Special Report

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

‘We issue receipts after selling babies’ By Osakhare Erese, Asaba

uspected child traffickers who were recently paraded by the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) at the Delta State police command spoke to our correspondent on how they sold babies to assist pregnant girls including married couples without children. As it were, operatives of SARS arrested a suspected human trafficking syndicate and recovered over five children suspected to have been sold by members of the group who operate within Delta, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Rivers and other states of the country. But the suspects while responding to questions from our correspondent said: “We sold babies between 1-5 years of age to those who have been married for several years without children, some of us are nurses and supportive staff of health institutions; we do not know how the police got wind of our illicit business while we were operating in Asaba and Onitsha. In most cases, a child costs N250,000 to N500,000 while grown up ones are sold for N1,000,000, we are asking God to please forgive us our sins.” Investigations revealed that the suspects took the SARS operatives to Akwa Ibom State where two children were rescued and two other persons suspected to be members of the gang arrested. One of the suspects who claimed to be Patience Okon said: “Since their mothers cannot take care of their babies because of lack of money, we normally arrange for wealthy parents who have no children but in need of children to come and buy from us and take them away after which we issue receipts to them for payment, we don’t steal the children as police are alleging but the mother of these children in most cases opt for the business, some of them don’t even know the men who impregnate them while some will be hiding from their parents so we do help them to solve their problems.” Another suspects who spoke in the same vein said: “We were just helping out some persons who are in need we are not human traffickers even though we make money from it, the mother of the babies wanted to

Child traffickers as paraded by the police

throw away the babies, so we came to assist this young girls so that they would not throw away the babies or kill them.” But the Commissioner of Police in the State Alkali Baba Usman told our correspondent that upon information that there is an inter-state human and child trafficking syndicate cell in Asaba, SARS operatives proactively arrested the gang leader of the syndicate, saying that the suspect and her husband allegedly confessed to the crime and led the officers to their different hideouts in Anambra, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River were five of the children adopted for sale were rescued. Meanwhile allegations of indecent dressing, theft and sex scandals have continued to

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unsettle the Delta State NYSC orientation camp in Issele Uku near Asaba. It was reliably gathered that stealing among Corps members appears to be on the increase as several Corps members have been complaining of their lost items on the camp; such as laptops, Ipads, clothing materials including the NYSC kit. Among other things investigations revealed, is the non obedience of the camp rules and regulations by some camp members, especially late arrival of Corps members to their various hostels after night falls. Many of the corps members further investigations revealed, normally hang around in groups and lurking in dark areas within

the camp premises where they allegedly indulge in casual sex. Although in a bid to ensure the security of the camp, officials have set up patrol teams, but the situation has not deterred especially female Corps members from allegedly indulging in sexual activities with their boyfriends on camp. Speaking to our correspondent, Jacobs (not real name) a batch A Corps member, said: “Sometimes the situation on the camp is amazing to see female Corps members hanging out in the dark with their boyfriends, besides stealing of items that has become too rampant and a common practice, may be because Delta State is a place where the standard of living is

Since their mothers cannot take care of their babies …, we normally arrange for wealthy parents who have no children to come and buy from us and take them away after which we issue receipts to them for payment, we don’t steal the children as police are alleging

very high, it is hard enough to live on N19,800, and we really need money to survive”. Only recently, a male Corps member was reported to have been harassing his female colleagues and on several occasions he was warned to comport himself in a better way but the warnings have allegedly fallen on deaf ears. On one occasion while on the parade ground, it was learnt that the Corps member was confronted by one of the NYSC staff members about his poor conduct but right there, he allegedly harassed another female member by touching her breasts; a situation that made officials to send him out of the camp. Female Corps members on the camp ground were allegedly always clad in very provocative and erotic ‘bum shorts’ as a way of enticing sex-hungry men. But commenting, the NYSC coordinator in the state, Mrs. Olive Essien Etukudo said the situation is being taken care of as Corps members who indulge in the habit of indecent dress sense would be shown the way out, adding that over six female Corps members were placed on suspension in the last batch for indecent dressing and alleged sex scandals.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

News

NNPC says it has 1.4bn litres of petrol for November By Etuka Sunday

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), yesterday assured Nigerians it has enough volume of petrol in stock to satisfy the nation’s domestic consumption requirement, therefore, advised motorists to desist from panic buying. The Corporation attributed the

current perceived fuel scarcity in the country to panic buying, saying that the prevailing fuel queues in some major cities across the country had nothing to do with the lack of supply of petroleum products. Briefing newsmen in Abuja on the current fuel supply situation, the Executive Director, Commercial of the Pipeline and Products Marketing

Company (PPMC), Mr. Justine Ezeala said that a projected volume of 1.4 billion litres of petrol are available for distribution to fuel stations across the country all through the month of November. Ezeala said that as part of the extra measure in place to tackle the artificially induced queues, PPMC has increased the volume of petrol being trucked out

to fuel stations across major cities in the country, adding that most of the 37 NNPC Retail Mega Stations across the country have been directed to commence 24-hour service. “NNPC Retail has 513 retail outlets all over the country and the strategy is that every one of these stations is designed to have products at all times. In addition we have decided that most

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffry Onyeama (3rd L); Minister of State, Khadija Bukar (3rd R); Permanent Secretary,Aamb. Bulus Lolo (2nd R) and other Directors of the Ministry, during the assumption of the Ministers, yesterday in Abuja. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffry Onyeama (3rd L); Minister of State, Khadija Bukar (3rd R); Permanent Secretary,Aamb. Bulus Lolo (2nd R) and other Directors of the Ministry, during the assumption of the Ministers, yesterday in Abuja.

Police arrests 4 for killing 25-year-old lady From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

auchi state Police Command has arrested four suspects for allegedly killing a 25 years old lady through abortion complications and burying her in a shallow grave in Bauchi. The state command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Haruna Mohammed who disclosed

this to newsmen in Bauchi yesterday , said the lady was buried in a shallow grave in Bayan Gari area of the metropolis by the suspects after taken an abortion medication. Haruna said the suspects arrested include the quack patent medicine seller that administered the aborting drugs to the deceased. The Police spokesman gave the names of the suspects as Hillary Joseph, Nasiru Haruna, Hamisu

Yashi and Mudasshiru Bako. He said “On the 9/11/2015 at about 17:00hrs, following intelligence report, Police detectives attached to Tafawa Balewa housing estate division, Bauchi arrested four suspects in Bayan Gari area who conspired and hurriedly buried one Rose Luka, female and 25 years of Adamawa State in a shallow grave at a compound in Bayan Gari. “Preliminary investigation

revealed that the victim allegedly died as a result of complications from Abortion. Scene of crime was visited by forensic experts attached to Criminal Investigation Department and corpse exhumed, photographed and taken to ATBU Teaching Hospital, Bauchi for autopsy. Meanwhile, the quack patent medicine seller, one Mudasshiru Bako male and 30 years of the same address, who administered and sold

How we sell babies, suspected traffickers confess By Osakhare Erese, Asaba

uspected child traffickers who were recently arrested by the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) at the Delta State Police command spoke to our correspondent on how they sold babies to assist pregnant girls including married couples without children. Operatives of SARS arrested some suspected human trafficking syndicates and recovered over five children suspected to have been sold by members of the group who operate within Delta, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Rivers and other states of the country.

But the suspects while responding to questions from our correspondent said, “We sold babies between 1-5 years of age to those who have been married for several years without children, some of us are nurses and supportive staff of health institutions, we do not know how the Police got wind of our illicit businesses while we were operating in Asaba and Onitsha. In most cases, a child cost N250,000 to N500,000 while grown up ones are sold for N1,000,000. We are asking God to please forgive us our sins”. Investigation revealed that the suspects took the SARS operatives to Akwa-Ibom state where two children

were rescued and two other persons suspected to be members of their gang were also arrested. One of the suspects who claimed to be Patience Okon said “Since their mothers cannot take care of their babies because of lack of money, we normally arrange for wealthy parents who have no children but in need of children to come and buy from us and take them away after which we issue receipts to them for payment, we don’t steal the children as police are alleging, but the mother of these children in most cases opt for the business. Some of them don’t even know the men who impregnate them, while

some will be hiding from their parents so we do help them to solve their problems”. But the Commissioner of Police in the state, Alkali Baba Usman told our correspondent that upon information that there was an inter-state human and child trafficking syndicate cell in Asaba, SARS operatives proactively arrested the gang leader of the syndicate, adding that the suspect and her husband allegedly confessed to the crime and led the officers to their different hideouts in Anambra, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River were five of them children adopted for sale were rescued. Meanwhile, police in Agbor have

of the mega stations will adopt 24 hours operation model and where for security reasons that cannot be met, we are going to have extended hours of operation in such location starting from 5am and end till about10.pm daily,” he said. Giving the breakdown, he said, “We currently have within our depots 66million litres of PMS, in our partner depots we have about 118million litres, our marine stock which are anchored on the vessels in Lagos is 428million litres and the major marketers have 44million litres. “This gives us a total of about 657million litres as we speak. And based on our consumption of about 40million litres per say day, we will be talking about having 16 and half days sufficiency.” He noted that the country was expecting over 756million litres before the end of the month, adding that “if you add that to what we have on ground, then for November alone we are going to have a total of 1.4billion litres of PMS and this gives us 35 days sufficiency.” Throwing more light on the operations of the NNPC Retail, Mr. Oladipo Fagbola said that in addition to the commencement of the 24-hour service, the company has opened up some hotlines to enable members of the public provide useful feedback and intelligence on the operations of Mega and affiliate filling stations across the country. The hotlines include: 08057008021, 08052195801 and 08100941174. He urged members of the public to provide useful information to assist the Corporation achieve its mandate and responsibility to the fuel consumers.

the abortion drugs to the victim was also arrested. Exhibits recovered from the suspects according to Mohammed included two shovels, one sachet of Diclofene tablets, one sachet of menbendezalen with four tablets, daltic five tablets, predimisolene eight tablets, bunto blood tonic and bottled water mixed with substance suspected to be drugs. “All the four suspects have been charged to Chief Magistrate Court 1, Bauchi on 12/12/2015 for prosecution”. arrested two suspected leaders of a prominent cult group who have been terrorizing residents of the area. It was reliably gathered that the suspects identified as James Gbenoba and Charles Odeh who have been allegedly behind the recent cult war and its related activities in Agbor where two persons were said to have been feared killed. The suspects, the Police Public Relations Officer of the state, Mrs. Celestina Kalu, were also believed to have been behind snatching motorcycles in Agbor before their arrest, disclosing that the police acted on a tip off that some suspected cultist were terrorizing AgborNta community and that the suspect had stolen some motorcycles in town.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

News

Buhari visits Adamawa, assures IDPs will return home soon … Honours soldiers with medals for gallantry From Umar Dankano, Yola

resident Muhammadu Buhari has assured all internally displaced persons (IDPs) of his administration’s commitment in providing secured environment for them to return home very soon. Buhari gave the assurance in Malkohi IDPs camp of Yola south local government area in Adamawa state yesterday, stressing that his government would embark on massive reconstruction of the destroyed communities with top priority to damaged schools by the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents. The president who was in Yola to witness the wedding ceremony of three daughters of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar lauded the efforts of Adamawa state government, NEMA and other non-governmental organizations in contributing towards assisting displaced persons. “We remained committed to ending Boko Haram insurgency, ensuring your safety and welfare particularly your children. “By the grace of God, it is our wish that you will be in your farms next cropping season,” Buhari said.

In his speech, Governor Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla commended president Buhari for his concerted effort towards ending the Boko Haram insurgency. Leader of the IDPs, Mr. Nicholas Samuel commended the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari for its concern over their plight, urging the government to expedite its effort in relocating them back to their homes. Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari Friday in Yola, honoured three soldiers who sustained serious injuries in ongoing operations against Boko Haram with the Purple Heart medal for gallantry, during a morale-boosting visit to the Nigerian military in Adamawa State. At the conferment ceremony, President Buhari said that the honour to the three wounded soldiers was in appreciation of their heroic contributions to the ongoing effort by the Nigerian Armed Forces to end the Boko Haram insurgency. “These very deserved medals are in recognition of your sacrifices. I hope it will inspire you to give more to the nation and I urge you to maintain your determination to bring peace to our fatherland.

“With what I have seen today, I believe that the Boko Haram are very close to defeat and I urge you to quickly clear the remnants of these criminals from wherever they may still be hiding. “I also urge you to remain vigilant, alert and focused to prevent Boko Haram from sneaking into our communities to attack soft targets,’’ the President said. Those decorated with the Purple Heart medal are Lance Corporal Kenneth Kulugh who was wounded in a battle with Boko Haram at Magar Bridge, near Madagali. Others are Private Anthony Sunday was wounded in a battle with Boko Haram at Gubla in Adamawa State and Private Danga Umar who sustained multiple gunshot injuries to both thighs at Magar Bridge, near Madagali. Accompanied by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, the President also presented Operation Lafiya Dole medals to other four soldiers. The Operation Lafiya Dole medal is presented to men and officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces who have served gallantly in theatre of operations in the North east beyond

six months. Commending the armed forces for successes so far recorded in the ongoing fight against the insurgents, President Buhari urged them to remain focused on the objective of completely defeating Boko Haram before the end of the year. The President assured them that the welfare of troops in the frontline states will continue to be improved by his administration. President Buhari urged the army to continue to operate within its rules of engagement and with due regard for human rights and its responsibility to protect civilians in areas of conflict. President Buhari paid a courtesy visit to Lamido Adamawa, Dr Muhamamdu Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha and rounded-off his visit to Adamawa by attending the Wedding Fatiha of three daughters of Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, after attending the Jumat Prayer at the Airforce Mosque in Jibson Jalo Army Barracks, Jimeta, Yola. He was accompanied on the trip to Adamawa State by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, Senator Ahmed Lawan and Senator Kabir Garba Marafa.

Women group frowns over exNSA ordeals From Raji Bello, Sokoto

political group under the aegis of Association of Sokoto State Women in Politics (SSAWP) has described the action of State Security Service (SSS) on the siege of residence of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) as an act of political vendetta and impunity. Speaking in Sokoto at the weekend, the National Co-ordinator of the Association, Hajiya Kulu Abdullahi Rabah while addressing women group also promised to mobilise thousand of women group in order to stage a peaceful demonstration. The group said the demonstration is to voice their grievances to President Muhammadu Buhari and seek stakeholders intervention on the matter. The group wondered why the former NSA’s fundamental rights have been restricted despite court order of granting him freedom to travel for medical reason. She said this action of the DSS has shown that President Buhari’s fight against injustice is selective and SSS are becoming tool of intimidation and victimization against those who are believed to be in opposition or perceived enemies of the present government without respect of law of the land. “For every and any mistake made by DSS, President Buhari should be held responsible and must account this before the Almighty Allah as he promised to protect every citizen of this country without political affiliation, affection or ill will” Rabah said. The group vowed to lead other women in the state to demand justice in order to compel them to allow for the freedom of former NSA.

Be change agents, Dambazau tells staff By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T R-L: Former Governor of Niger state, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu,Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, Emir of Minna, Umaru Faruk Bahago, former Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar at the Janaize prayer for father of former Governor Aliyu’s wife.

Court orders SSS to allow Dasuki travel By Joy Baba Yesufu

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has again ordered the Department of State Security Services (SSS), to vacate the residence of a former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, in Asokoro Abuja, and to also obey its order allowing him to travel abroad for medical attention. Justice Adeniyi Ademola gave

the order on Friday after Dasuki had returned to court to report the Nigerian government for refusing to allow him enforce his fundamental rights. “A Court order must be obeyed,” Ademola said. He also said there was nothing wrong in allowing Dasuki to travel abroad for medical treatment, saying “only a fit person can stand for trial and investigation. My own orders will not be flouted”.

Dasuki had approached the court last Monday asking for an order to allow him enforce his rights. In the suit, Dasuki, who has been placed under house arrest in the last one week by operatives of the SSS, sought enforcement of his fundamental human rights to dignity and security of his life. Armed security operatives have been permanently stationed at his residence, closely monitoring

in-and-out movements and occasionally checking trunks of vehicles. In the suit filed by his counsel, Ahmed Raji, Dasuki pleaded with the court to stop the siege on his house and to remove all impediments, human and nonhuman barricade and bulwarks said to have hindered the permission granted him since November 3 to travel abroad for treatment of his ailing medical condition.

he newly appointed Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, yesterday resumed duty, charging the staff of the ministry to be change agents. The Minister, who was sworn in alongside other 35 ministers by the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, said he will hit the ground running to engender the change agenda. In his speech while speaking on assumption of office, Dambazau stated emphatically that: “My leadership will have zero tolerance for corruption, indolence, sectarianism, cronyism, and most of all, impunity.” While challenging all the Service Chiefs to guide people’s trust jealously, the minister vowed that “leadership at all levels will be held accountable” for their actions. He pledged to improve on all levels of welfare, logistics and general workplace safety of the staff of the ministry. Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Bassey Ekpeyong, said the task ahead was enormous, calling for the cooperation of all Service Chiefs in achieving the objectives of the present administration.

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Cover

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

The environmental cost of blue gem of Taraba

Uncharted road to ‘Blue’ Photo: Merlin Pics

By Emeka Inwerogu

he Mambilla Plateau, located in the highland region of Taraba State is a potential tourist haven with its beautiful and compelling scenery which rightly depicts the state as “Nature’s gift to the nation.” The Mambilla is the highest plateau in Nigeria, having an altitude of about 1,600 metres (5,249 feet) above sea level. Mambilla is a catchment area from which rainfallflows into rivers, lakes and streams. It enjoys an annual rainfall of 1,850 millimetres, and the rain which flows through the many rivers on the plains below the plateau, drains into smaller streams around which the blue sapphire is often found. Popularly called ‘the blue stone’, the blue sapphire is regularly extracted from mineral stones by

local miners, many of whom derive their source of livelihood from the sale of the precious gem. The tedious process of fetching the stones involves the clearing of vast forests around the streams, after which pits

“

are dug. These pits reduce the flow of water from the stream to make it easier for the local miners to search for the sapphire. But the environment suffers degradation, as a result. The reduction in the flow of

Popularly called ‘the blue stone’, the blue sapphire is regularly extracted from mineral stones by local miners, many of whom derive their source of livelihood from the sale of the precious gem.

water from the streams into the forests, leads to dryer forests which negatively affects the ecology of the forests. The relationship of the living organisms (flora and fauna) to the physical environment of their forest habitat is affected which could cause a ripple effect on the broader ecosystem of the region. Also, heaps of the sand dug out from the pits, are often washed down the stream into the rivers. The silting of the rivers with the sand, makes the rivers shallow. Hence, the combination of the dryer forests and the heavilysilted rivers which eventually dry up during the dry season, grossly affects the livelihoods of the natives living around the area. The farmers who rely on non-timber products from the forests experience the effects, and the fishermen no more find abundant Contd on Page 13

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Interview

Multiple taxation fuels importation of substandard products —Ezike Chief Bartholomew Ezike is the Managing Director Diligent Ventures (NIG), LTD and the Chairman Gudu Amalgamated Traders Association at Gudu Market. In this interview with Peoples Daily Weekly, Ezike laments excruciating pains of multiple taxation in FCT when he averred that massive importation of fake products into the country is attributable to over taxation of traders by government. He also drew government attention to the diversion of the government SME loan by some micro finance institutions among other sundry issues.

hat is your view on the socio-economic situation in the country considering the fact that many people are complaining of starvation? May be the change we voted for is still on the way but with what is going on now, we cannot confidently say that there is a positive change in the country because the harsh economic reality is biting so hard. As you rightly observed in your question, some parents are withdrawing their kids from schools because there is no money. People are starving and businesses are on a stand still. Since you came into this shop, have you seen any person who comes to buy anything? That is the situation we find ourselves now but we pray that things may change, more especially now that ministers have been sworn in. the masses are suffering, though suffering is part of existence but at the end, there should be positive change that will put smile on the faces of the people. The main reason why parents are withdrawing their kids is because private schools are costly and the public schools are not in good shape. Government needs to make more investment in education so that the standard will be at pal with the private schools. Secondly, government needs to make primary and secondary school education compulsory and free so that more Nigerian children will acquire at least the basic education and the parents relieved of the burden of school fees at that level of education. If more citizens are educated, the number of violent protest ad crisis will reduce across the country. In advanced society, what you see is peaceful demonstration to draw attention of relevant

“

authorities to a certain anomaly in that society. One thing I can say I am learning from this whole issue is that the president want Nigerians to have confidence in themselves and jettison the false live which is reminiscent of some Nigerians. As the Chairman of Gudu Amalgamated Traders Association, what are the challenges of doing business in Abuja? Well there are a lot of challenges in doing business in the Federal Capital Territory, but we thank God that we are overcoming some of these challenges and our business is doing well apart from this recession that everybody in the country is complaining about which of course is tied to the change in government. However, we can attribute the successes we had recorded over the years to in this market to the return of democratic rule in Nigeria which has in turn attracted a lot of developmental activities in the territory. As you know, a lot of construction activities have been going on in the city and as the only building material market closer to the city centre where these buildings are springing up daily, we get more patronage than those in far away Dei Dei and Mararaba building material markets. So the patronage has been encouraging, only that there is economic down turn now. I believe that the new government is taking their time to survey ground in order to come up with a positive and lasting change that will benefit every citizen of the country. We are patiently waiting for the government to come up with their economic blue print so that we will know where the administration is heading but until that happen, we do not know the direction that the new government is headed because the harsh economic

In fact the major challenge we face in this market is that of multiple taxation and service charge. They use this semantics ‘service charge’ to cover up, but we all know that it is multiple taxation.

Ezike reality in the country today is biting harder and harder. There is no money in circulation because capital budget are not released due to absence of ministers. If money in the capital projects is released and contractors get paid, we will benefit from it because there will be huge patronage from them. Secondly, they will pay their workers who will in turn patronize the petty traders in their area of abode, the banks will also see money to give loan to their customers who may have need for it and the circle will continue. The situation we found ourselves now is bad, everything is on a standstill. However, I believe that with the swearing in of new ministers, there will be changes soon. I also think that what the new government is trying to achieve with the anti graft war is to instill discipline in the citizens and make them live according to their means and not the usual practice where everybody wants to live above their means. Most businesses often complain of multiple taxation from government, do you also face similar challenge? In fact the major challenge we face in this market is that of multiple taxation and service charge. They use this semantics ‘service charge’ to cover up, but we all know that it is

multiple taxation. Unfortunately, this is all targeted at exploiting the innocent traders in the territory. If you do contract with government, you will pay tax, you will pay value added tax, you will pay income tax before the local government will come and demand uncountable revenue from you. A trader who buys a haulage bus to transport his goods from place to the other also faces another multiple charges from government revenue generating agents. And because of these endless charges and extortion, the prices of goods at the market skyrockets due to the fact that traders have to factor all these spending into the landing cost of the goods thereby making the price of products higher than normal. Apart from this multiple taxation, government has also dam bled into building markets. They build these markets across FCT and transfer it to private owners or sell it out rightly but they still insist that they are the managers of the markets. There is government parastatal managing all the markets in FCT including Gudu market. And in so doing, if you are paying a shop rent of two hundred thousand naira annually, you discover that what you pay as service

Contd on Pg 15

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

News

Senate to probe alleged N25bn fraud in TSA policy …Orders CBN, Finance Ministry to suspend remittances By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

he Senate has commenced an investigation into an alleged fraud of N20 billion, as well as mismanagement of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy, even as it urged the Federal Ministry of Finance and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend further payments into the TSA. Specifically, the upper chamber observed that the appointment of REMITA - an e-collection agent - is a gross violation of Section 162 (1) of the 1999 Constitution and the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 2007 (BOFIA). Describing the 1% charges by REMITA - as an attempt to rip Nigerians of task payer’s moneys, it alleged that the company realised over N25billion in one day as one per

cent of monies transferred. These resolutions were passed by the Senate following a motion sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West), alongside thirty five other senators. In the motion, the lawmakers recalled that in pursuance of the TSA, the Federal Government on 15th September directed all its MDAs to close their various accounts with commercial banks and pay all revenues into its account with the CBN under the policy of Treasury Single Account. According to the lawmakers, by this policy directive, all revenue generating agencies of the Federal Government, such as the Nigerian Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Bureau of Public Enterprises etc, are to pay

all revenues collected for and on behalf of the Federal Government into the Consolidated Revenue Fund. The upper chamber observed that in the course of the operations of the TSA, the Federal Government on 15 September, 2015 mopped up the sum of N2.5trillion through its e-collection agent called REMITA who charges 1% of all monies passing through it, amounting to N25billion. Besides calling for the immediate return of all monies that had accrued to the e-collection agent, lawmakers called for immediate prosecution of all directors of REMITA in accordance with the BOFIA. It therefore mandated the Committees of Finance, Banking and Other Financial Institutions and Public Account to carry out a

holistic investigation on the matter and report back in four weeks. Some of the senators who contributed to the motion insisted that a third party like REMITA was not needed to ensure compliance with the TSA policy, let alone realising N25billion in one day. Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume (APC Borno South) expressed surprise that a company could have been paid that much just to transfer money to the CBN. He said that no matter the platform utilised, the amount was too much and as such must be investigated. Senator Bassey Akpan (PDP Akwa Ibom North East) a banker of over 12 years wondered why such amount would go to private pockets when there is total collapse of road network and other infrastructure in

the country. On his part, Senator Eyinanya Abaraibe (PDP Abia South) alleged that over N60 billion was realised by the company, urging senators to go beyond party lines to handle such issues bordering on corruption and ripping off the common wealth of Nigerians. Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC, Kebbi South), stressed that no more should the nation allow any company to hide under the role of consultancy to charge outrageously for services rendered. Senator Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi Central) urged the Senate not to act on rumours but carry out proper investigations before taking definite position on the matter.

NOUN: Calls for VC sack, unjustifiable, says group

Police rebrands SARS, launches new complaint unit

By Mohammed Usman

By Joy Baba Yesufu

he Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase has said the leadership of the Force is ready to break away from the past way of policing by rebranding, re- kitting and re- equipping the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) and establish a Complaint Response Unit (CRU) within the force. Mr Arase stated this yesterday at the Force Headquarters Abuja during the launch of the rebranded SARS and newly established CRU. The IGP said the CRU will act as a central ICT- driven public complaint unit of the force adding that this it will take full advantage of the social media platform to inter face with the public towards receiving and processing complaints from the public. He also said the broad objective of the launch of CRU is to entrench police accountability values into our policing system. He further said in days to come, the weapon profile of SARS will be reviewed towards the engagement of less lethal technologies/ weapon system such as electro muscular disruption technology for components of their operations to reduce incidents of fatalities associated with applications of lethal weapons. The following numbers can be reached 24 hours every day including weekends and the complainant is sure of getting immediate response; 08057000001, 08057000002, 08057000003.

R-L: Secretary General of Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), Comrade Issa Aremu, Chairman, Bulet International Nigeria Ltd. Alhaji Ismaila Isa, President of AANI, Maj. Gen. Lawrence Onoja and Vice President of AANI, Dr. Garba Usman Tetengi, during Presidential Dinner for the graduating Senior Executive Course 37 Participants of National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies on Thursday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Troops repel attack, kill 7 insurgents in Borno From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

roops of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army on counter-insurgency operations in Borno state, yesterday said they repelled an attack on their base by suspected Boko Haram militants and killed seven of the attackers. Media Coordinator of the operation codenamed Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Tukur Gusau in a statement said the incident happened in the early hours in Gwoza town. “Boko Haram terrorists,

despite their obvious losses have made a desperate but costly attempt to attack Nigerian Army’s blocking position in Gwoza. The encounter which started at about 5.00am lasted for almost two hours. “Although details are still being collated, suffice to state that seven terrorists were gunned down and that items recovered from them comprised a Toyota Hilux vehicle, 11 AK-47 rifles, a Shilka Gun, one Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube, (RPG) six Hlhand grenades. Others were several rounds of

Shilka gun and machine gun ammunitions. “Presently, troops are on hot pursuit of the attackers into Sambisa forest with a view to eliminate all of them while the Nigerian Air Force is bombarding their locations”, he added. The statement further described the latest failed attack as desperation of the terrorists to project an image of strength, saying “It is part of the last struggles of a dying evil”. The statement also revealed that troops of 7 Division Garrison and 112 Task Force Battalion

yesterday, while on fighting patrol recovered weapons in Busheshe village in Mafa axis. “The weapons recovered include two Hillux vans two anti aircraft guns, three 81 millimeter bombs 100, and one 60 millimeter bomb, 20 ammunition boxes. Others were 21 RPGs large quantity of 7.62 milimeter special ammunition and cache of different arms. “During the operations one of our soldiers was wounded but on a stable condition and currently in our hospital receiving medical care”.

ollowing alleged calls for the sack and petition of the Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, the Africa Centre for Education Rights and Advocacy has called on the Federal government to ignore such calls and rather look into the enviable achievements of administrators especially the accused Vice-Chancellor. In a press statement issued by the Centre’s Regional President, Mr. Abayomi Ogundele, openly condemned the said petition while saying that the students were ignorant of the towering image of the University both at home and abroad in providing quantitative and qualitative education to all seekers of education with ease and flexibility. The statement also stated that the petition was the handiwork of people who were not bona fide students of the institution but hirelings acting under the guise of NOUN student’s congress. “The centre frowns at the recent behavior of the students acting under the auspices of NOUN students congress as jobless persons who were expelled from other Universities in Nigeria and hiding under the non-exiting platform to cause confusion and should not be taken seriously at any point in time, insisting that the management has lived above board in the discharge of their duties to both students and the country and should not be distracted at this critical point that President Muhammadu Buhari is out to restore our lost glory”, it stated.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

News

Minister urges commitment, accountability, team work

By Mohammed Usman

Former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Mrs Folashade Yemi-Esan (R) hands over to her successor, mrs Ayotunde Adesugba at the ministry’s headquarters, yesterday in Abuja

Lawmaker blames Dogara over House c’ttee crisis By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

member of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Bala Kara (APC, Kaduna) representing Ikara/ Kuban Federal Constituency, has blamed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, for the crisis in the lower chamber over House committee composition. Speaking in Abuja yesterday, Bala Kara said that the opposition to the composition of the committees was as a result of the unwillingness of the Speaker to

resolve the problems. According to him, the Speaker is not willing to resolve the problem amicably because it is something he could have done earlier before the inauguration ceremony. “We are not after positions in the committees but after appreciation and recognition of our opinions and recommendations. He is our colleague, but the fact that he is the Speaker today does not mean he is bigger than any of us or he is our father in the House. He is privileged to be there by the

goodwill of members. Somebody among all of us can be there too”, he said. He expressed surprise that the Speaker did not resolve the issues involved for his personal reasons which cannot be understood fully, saying “It appears to me that he does not want the House to operate in peace and harmony. Otherwise I don’t know why he does not want to resolve it”. He said the way out is for the Speaker to come down and respect, recognize and honour his colleagues by acceding to their demand in order to resolve the

crises. “I tend to believe in the allegation that the Speaker has a hidden agenda to thwart the smooth and successful running of Buhari administration. One, he is the Speaker of the House dominated by APC legislators. “I see no reason why he decided to take all the major economic sector committees and handed over to the PDP members, such as downstream and upstream Petroleum Committees, Gas, Aviation, Port Authority etc. All these committees are chaired by PDP legislators.

Almakura swears in new commissioners, charges them to be prudent From Gambo Ahmed

overnor Umar Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa state has charged commissioners to exhibit the spirit of prudency, accountability

and transparency in their official obligations. Almakura who gave the charge yesterday during the swearing in-ceremony of the 16 appointed commissioners at the Government House chamber in

Lafia. “You key into the due process, accountability, prudence and to transparency which is the cardinal policy of this administration” he noted. The governor further

admonished them to be creative by initiating ways of generating revenue due to the economic down tune of the nation in order to move the state ahead as well as warned them against sharp practices.

he Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu has called on the entire staff members of the ministry and its agencies to show commitment, accountability and transparency in the discharge of their duties in moving the sector forward. The minister made the call during his meeting with newly appointed Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Rabi Jimeta, and the outgoing Permanent Secretary, Mr. Musa Istifanus and the entire management staff of the ministry. He said, “The only best way we can succeed in the sector is to work as a team towards the success of the ministry in the overall interest of the Nigerian people”. “We must follow rules and regulations in discharging our duties in the sector, without cutting corners” He stated that agriculture is a major thrust of the present administration and that the Ministry of Water Resources will help the administration in contributing to food security of the country through the ministry’s dry season irrigation farming projects and other initiatives. In the area of water supply, Adamu said “even though it is in the concurrent list of the constitution, whereby state governments supposed to do their bit but as the Federal Ministry of Water Resources we also have responsibility to regulate, monitor and set standard”. He assured that the present administration would do its best to scale up access to water supply and improve on the sanitation coverage level in the country as well as completing the on-going dams and irrigation works. In her remarks, the new Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Rabi Jimeta promised to key-into the administrations change mantra by working assiduously with the Honourable Minister and the entire staff of the ministry to ensure success.

Nigerian Legion provides relief materials to members From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

he Nigerian Legion has honoured and provided food items to its members in the six states of the North East to alleviate their suffering. Presenting the relief materials to members of the Legion at the ceremony in Bauchi yesterday, to mark the ‘Legion Humanitarian, Armed Forces Remembrance Day 2015’ in Bauchi, representative of Minister of Defence, Col. Garba

Abdullahi said that the sacrifice offered by the veterans help the subsequent generations to enjoy peace. He said that the Ministry of Defence decided to come to their aid as most of them have been displaced and living as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in many parts of the region as a result of insurgency. Col. Abdullahi also informed that the legionnaires have also been electronically captured and

registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in order to have access to healthcare from registered hospitals under the scheme. In his welcome address, North East Coordinator and Chairman Bauchi State Council of the Nigerian Legion, Captain Musa Yakubu (Rtd) urged the legionnaires to be patient as the present administration is committed to their welfare. He informed that, although the

legion is facing financial difficulty regarding its operations, it will do everything possible to ensure the welfare of its members. Also speaking, the Secretary General of the Nigerian Legion, Captain John Adole noted that the legion has been empowering the children and widows of the legionnaires in states like Benue, Nassarawa, Kogi and the FCT. He said that the Legion recently distributed empowerment items to widows like Sewing Machines,

Pepper Grinding machines to support their families while some of the children were assisted to take care of their education through bursary allowances. Food items which comprises of 30 Bags of rice, Millet and Sorghum were distributed to members of the legion from each of the six states of the North East who attended the occasion. Highlight of the events include a citation and presentation of two World War II veterans who attended the event.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Photosplash

Chief Whip House Of Representatives, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa (middle) in group photo graph with students Union of Kano University of Science and Technology, during the students visit to Chief Whip, at the National Assembly on Wednesday in Abuja.

L-R: Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka; Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emilolorun Ayelari; Deputy vice-chancellor (academics), Prof. Gbemisola Oke, at the 67th convocation of university of Ibadan

L-R: Former Governor of Plateau state, Sen Jonah Jang; his wife, Talatu, representative of the Senate President, Sen Emmanuel Bwacha and Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau, at the funeral church service of PDP Governorship candidate in plateau, Sen Pwajok, yesterday in Jos .

Mrs Buhari Being received by Mrs Osinbajo at the Awolowoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on a condolence visit, yesterday at Ikenne

Members of the Nigerian Legion at the news conference on 2016 Nigerian Armed Forces Remembrance Day, yesterday in Abuja

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Cover

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The environmental cost of blue gem of Taraba Contd from Page 7

fishes to catch from the silted waters. The concomitant result is that many of these farmers and fishermen have out of frustration, abandoned their occupations and joined the local miners to dig for the blue sapphire. Equally worrisome, is the fact that many young boys and girls have voluntarily dropped out of school to seek financial gains by becoming local miners of the blue stone. The major factors causing the massive influx of men, women, youth and children into local mining to seek for these mineral stones, are illiteracy, unemployment and poverty, in addition to the perceived lack of organisation and an adequate legal framework in the solid minerals sector of Nigeria. A youth leader, Musa Gide, who lives in Jos, described how economically beneficial the mining business has been for the locals who participate in it. According to Gide, “some of our brothers who are from poor backgrounds and who have nothing doing, are here (mining site) keeping themselves busy. Some of them who didn’t even have ten naira (10), can today count millions of naira. Some of them even sponsor their brothers and sistersbecause of (the proceeds from) this mining.” Many believe that mining has brought relief from poverty and reduced crime. But the prominent question on the lips of not a few environmentalists and concerned stakeholders, is whether the economic benefits derived by the local miners, supersedes the devastating trend of the artisanal mining which if allowed to continue unabated, will worsen the already-deteriorating state of the environment. Gilbert Nyanganji, an environmentalist, reckoned that, “to find a balance between a new source of income to the local inhabitants of the plateau and to maintain the health of the ecosystem, lies the need to employ a sustainable means of extracting the minerals. “It would be hard to tell the people to stop the local mining. There has to be a synergy that the mining still goes on locally to sustain people’s livelihoods from day to day, and also put the environment as a huge priority. If we don’t checkmate the situation (the environmental impact), we could have a problem of sanitation that would flow through the rivers into the River Niger and as far down as the Niger Delta”. In the light of the foregoing, a structural geologist,Mr Isaac Boyi, has recommended that, “the Nigerian government needs to establish an ‘independent’ entity called the Solid Minerals Development Company.

A young girl searching for the gem

The independent entity would act like the NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) in the oil sector of Nigeria. It will easily acquire federal government permit over land areas where these resources exist. But because it might not have the capital to be able to mine, it will enter into partnerships with capable established mining companies, just as NNPC enters into joint ventures with Shell, Mobil, and others. There woud be expertise and necessary equipment, and the resources would be extracted safely. Production will be shared according to the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA)”. The weak legal system regulating the mining sector in Nigeria, has given room for artisanal mining to thrive indiscriminately, to the detriment of the environment. There is therefore an urgent need for effective policies, standards and regulations to be put

“

in place to legally guide the artisanal mining practitioners. Also, the artisanal miners often delve into the sector with no knowledge about safe mining practices. There is the need for the government at national, state and local levels, to organise series of trainings for the local miners, to enlighten them on international best practices for safe mining operations, so as to prevent them from losing their lives and ruining the environment. With the shortfall in crude oil revenue, owing to the cascading price of oil at the international market, it is has become absolutely expedient for the Nigerian government to diversify the nation’s oil-based economy.The government must as a matter of priority, develop the solid minerals sector as a viable option to boost the nation’s dwindling revenue. And looking towards the development

Photo: Merlin Pics

of the solid mineral sector would seem as a viable option to boost the nation’s dwindling revenue, however the exploitation of solid minerals would come at a damaging cost to the environment. Until a meaningful plan that takes cognizance of the environmental impact of mining blue shaphire is made and a safe method of extracting this mineral is foundthe dream of a porverty free mambilla plateau will always remain a mirage. There is no gainsaying the fact that mineral resources are exhaustible and as such, the government must consider it a priority to ensure that the nation’s diverse resources are well-harnessed, to keep the economy afloat regardless of the prevailing circumstance at any given time. Inwerogu can be reached on emekainwerogu@gmail.com

The weak legal system regulating the mining sector in Nigeria, has given room for artisanal mining to thrive indiscriminately, to the detriment of the environment. There is therefore an urgent need for effective policies, standards and regulations to be put in place

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Crime Cycle

Mashe Umaru Gwamna pmlcrimecycle@gmail.com 08138559513

ATM: Raising alarm over increasing debit card fraud By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

he electronic payment has made life so very easy part of which is the advantage of using ATM AND DEBIT card. The issues card fraud has post a major threat to Banking customers and the financial system of Nigeria and fraudulent transaction have resulted to huge financial losses that has runs in to millions of naira. Nigeria has had its own unpleasant share even as authorities have looked for various ways have sought various techniques for fraud dictation and prevention to curb the terrible act. These ATM criminals have employing hi-tech methods to hack into peoples bank accounts, to satisfy their quest for greedy of money. In October 2015, 34 years old undergraduate was caught at the Murtala Mohammad Airport in Lagos the EFCC for been in the possession of over 100 ATM cards. Many Nigerians had their share of ATM Fraud and others are still victims of the fraudsters. However, ATM fraud is on the rise, law enforcement officials say, because thieves are becoming more and more sophisticated. Criminals have become very clever at finding new ways to access your funds so consumers need to pay careful attention to their bank statements in case there are unauthorized withdrawals because it’s more and more

likely that someone has access to your bank account information. Here are some tips on how Criminals Steal Money on ATM and Debit cards Methods used by criminals to gain entry to your money accounts include hacking into bank databases, phishing scams and unsolicited emails, the breaching of retailer computer systems and card skimming devices placed on ATM machines and gas pumps. There isn’t a lot you can do about thieves gaining illegal entry into computer systems and databases containing your financial information besides vigilance and reporting unusual activity but some of the other methods criminals use to break into your bank account are directed right at the consumer. In many cases people are handing crooks the keys to their accounts. Knowing something about the methods used might save consumers millions of dollars a year. Magnetic Card skimmers steal your data Some tech savvy thieves are placing ATM card skimming devices over the real card readers. They will also place a tiny camera somewhere on the ATM machine so that the information of the screen is recorded as well as your hand punching in your PIN number. All of this is often transmitted to the thieves who are often sitting in a nearby car. They now have everything they need

Crime quote:

Child slavery is a crime against humanity. Humanity itself is at stake here. A lot of work still remains, but I will see the end of child labor in my lifetime. —Kailash Satyarthi

to empty your account of its funds. This kind of scam has been reported in just about every major city in the world and people lose millions of dollars a year this way. Some of the card skimmers and cameras may be easy to detect but some of them take a trained eye and are only discovered when the ATM is serviced by a professional. If you notice anything out of the ordinary when using an ATM to withdraw funds you might consider trying another machine and report your suspicions to the authorities. Phishing scams and unsolicited emails Phishing is probably the easiest method for getting into your account and is so widespread that I receive several phishing emails every day. Some of them are quite clever but they all rely on poor judgment by the recipient to be effective.

Never click a link in an email to go to your bank, credit union, eBay account or anywhere else to log in if it’s related to your finances. Always go to these websites directly from your bookmark or by typing in the address yourself. If even that worries you then give the bank a call and ask them for information over the phone. Following this simple rule will protect you from getting “phished” by a criminal. Every time you delete an email requesting that you click a link to enter your credentials on a banking website foils a phishing scam. This one is up to you. Bandit ATM machines Card skimming devices aren’t your only worry when it comes to ATM machines. Some clever scam artists have gone so far as to purchase ATM machines of their own which they installed and used to collect account information. Successfully

detecting a skimming device may be tough but identifying a bandit ATM machine is next to impossible. Your best chance at avoiding this kind of cash machine is by never using independent ATMs which is easier said than done. In some areas there might be a lot more privately owned ATMs than bank machines making it next to impossible to rely on only official bank-operated ATM machines. You should use your best judgment and, as always, keep an eye on your bank statements. There is probably no way to completely safeguard your account information but vigilance and quick action when suspicious activity is detected could save you a bundle. These tips will help keep you watchful to those criminals, just write them on your mind and the palms of your hand as a manual your financial consciousness

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

PAGE 15

For the records

‘To succeed, APC must forget vendetta’ Contd from Pg 9 charge is one hundred thousand naira and the so called service charge does not include electricity and other essential services in the market. You will also pay for refuse evacuation, fire extinguisher that cost three times its price in open market. When you protest, the only explanation they give is that they are using it to create jobs for unemployed people in the territory. All these charges and other government policies are screwed against the traders. When you want to import goods, there is increment in dollar, if you want to clear the goods at the port; there is also increment in the custom tariff. It is only in the market that you see traders trying to maintain stability in prices of commodities because of competition. This is one factor that compels traders to go to China to lower the quality of commodities they are importing into the country so as to make profit. But governments again come after them through SON, CPC and NAFDAC to stop them. A move I support, but the truth must be told, all these taxation here and there by government agencies are responsible for these sharp practices by traders. As I speak with you, there is a new one from NIPOST. NIPOST has engaged a private consulting firm to collect stamp duty from us; they just served us the paper couple of days ago. Everything that is legal in the constitution and commerce Act is been imposed on the traders. They want us to buy stamp and paste on every invoice or receipt that we issued to our customer to make it a legal document in case of unforeseen problems that may lead to court action. All these things are just aimed at exploiting the traders with the primary motive of increasing government revenue. Meanwhile it is detrimental to the growth of business in Nigeria. When you examine the national budget for the past ten years, the ministry of Trade and Investment had not gotten up to five percent of the total budget annually. However, the little that they are getting, there is nothing for the traders, government has no plan for the trading community other than continual exploitation. Not even certain amounts of money to subsidize visa to traders who are into importation to at least lessen the amount of money they spend in the process of procuring visa to travel. If you are traveling to China for the first time, you will spend almost three hundred thousand naira for visa, until you become a regular visitor before the price will come down. The SME loan that government is giving to encourage traders and other small businesses does not get to the real people. The big men who are close to government will divert it to their micro finance institutions and the real traders now obtain the loan at 60 per cent interest rate per annum from them instead of the government approved single digit. Is government plowing back this revenue to provision of basic amenities in the market to enhance business? The answer is no, various government agencies from FCDA and AMAC come here to collect revenue but there is no single thing we can point at and say that they have done this thing to enhance our business aside from the perennial exploitation. Government is not fair to traders, take for instance government waiver, they give Dangote and those in his class waiver to import rice and cement but to a small importer who just import 50 tons of rice is ambushed by custom officials to pay count-

Ezike

“

I am a lay man but I know that the Taraba judgment was controversial, how can court base its judgment on pre-election matter and even go extra mile to grant a request that was not prayed for by the petitioner. Any way that is in the realm of history now, let the appeal court decide.

less duties whereas a man that import a ship load is given a waiver and you expect them to compete in the same market. What is your expectation from the new ministers? I am praying for them to succeed. They are people we are familiar with, we know them. They had always been in the government circle, I was expecting the presidents angels to emerge as ministers but what we saw was the old angels that were part of the previous administrations in the country either as party executives, ministers, governors and commissioners but I believe that the president have the capacity to transform them into angels. He needs to work hard to change them without which the expected change will be a mirage. Are you satisfied with the election tribunal judgments so far? Well, if the ruling party will take away their eyes from vendetta, things will definitely work for the better. If you critically look at the tribunal judgments that are raising all these dusts, you will discover that it is the ones that were transferred from their states to Abuja. Though it is lawful to transfer the sitting of tribunal if you site security reasons, but why is it that it was only the three that were transferred that are giving controversial judgment? It looks as if there is an ulterior motive that prompted

the transfer. Why was it only PDP controlled states that were keenly contested that were transferred? If APC jettisoned vendetta, they will succeed. Rivers case was similar to that of Lagos and appellate court had ruled on that, was that not enough precedent? I am a lay man but I know that the Taraba judgment was controversial, how can court base its judgment on pre-election matter and even go extra mile to grant a request that was not prayed for by the petitioner. Any way that is in the realm of history now, let the appeal court decide. Is destroying substandard products in the country the best thing to do by government or stopping it at manufacturing or entry points? That is the problem with the so called Nigeria leaders and administrators. When the standard organization came into this market about two years ago, I told them that they will not succeed unless they collaborate with the union. They listened to us and we worked together to rid the market of fake products but we also warned them that we would not want those confiscated products to find its way back into the market. We even offered to create a desk for them in the market to enable us do a periodic check in the market but they threw away the offer. That is about that on the build-

ing material and spare parts market. W also has NAFDAC and CPC which is responsible for consumable goods and drug administration but one thing they don’t understand is that this money that is been destroyed are Nigerian wealth. We are using our own hands to destroy our economy; it is indirect way of making some businesses go bankrupt in the country. If government put the amount of effort they are using in confiscating and destroying these fake products that had already found its way into the market at country of manufacturing or border posts, they will not be destroying the country’s wealth in the name of standardization. Nigerian government can sign an agreement with these countries that are manufacturing some of these products and agree that if any substandard products come in from any of the countries, certain sanctions may be applied. It could be cancelation of the bilateral agreement with the country, so the fear of losing Nigerian market will help in minimizing the sharp practices. Do Nigerian laws and regulations give adequate protections to traders? Nigerian laws and regulations do not give enough protection to traders and that is why our businesses are not growing. For example, the contracts that government advertise is still shared among government officials who go to Corporate Affairs Commission to register companies with fictitious names or names of their wives and kids and come back to do these contracts that ordinarily should go to traders and small businesses. Another thing is the SME loan that I spoke about earlier, so we are more like endangered species. Now we are talking about entrepreneurship, how many graduate will have access to this loan when micro finance bank owners will go behind to take the loan from CBN at single digit interest rate and come back to give the real people who need these money at 40 or 60 percent interest rate. In China for instance, their government have an economic plan where graduates who have good business plan are given 5 million naira loan to start the business with 5 percent interest rate for five years period. And you see their youthful population taking advantage of that policy to better their lives and contribute to the growth of their national economy. That is why Chinese economy is booming, they also have strong laws that prescribe death penalty to defaulters. Meanwhile, why will a citizen not return a loan given to him to pay back in five years at just five percent interest rate? Five years is more than a life of an administration in Nigeria. So Nigerian government should wake up and learn some of these basic economic principles that had worked elsewhere and try to introduce it in the country. No Nigerian will abscond with 5 million naira if given five years grace to pay back at single digit interest rate. Chinese are not superhuman; they are normal human being like us. As a matter of fact, there is nothing a Chinese graduate will accomplish that a Nigerian cannot accomplish given the same conducive atmosphere. What is it that Chinese are manufacturing that Aba, Alaba, and Onitsha boys cannot manufacture if given the right tools and equipment? Government should support the local effort so that we can develop locally. African market should not be dominated by china alone Nigeria should also play key role.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Politics

APC urges INEC to shun politicized election monitors

he Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organization of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that all election monitors for the State are appropriately accredited, per their own rules. This announcement comes on the heels of an alleged public endorsement for PDP candidate Governor Seriake Dickson by more than 400 Non-Governmental Organizations in the State. A statement signed by the Director for Media and Publicity of Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organization, Nathan Egba, urged INEC to be weary of NGOs that have publicly supported a particular candidate in the election. The statement by Mr. Egba claimed that the APC obtained a comprehensive list of NGOs in the State and advised INEC to exclude NGOs supporting candidates as election monitors or observers. He continued, “while our campaign organization is irrevocably committed to ensuring peaceful and credible poll, the electoral body must also purge some of its staff and personnel who are believed to be showing sympathy to the ruling party in the state.” He also stated that, “we have been inundated with calls and reports about a particular senior member of the commission in the state headquarters who is a PDP agent because of the role he played in the last Presidential, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections working closely with appointees of Governor Dickson.”

L-R: Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki; Speaker Yakubu Dogara and President Muhammadu Buhari, at Yola airport, during the President’s visit to Adamawa, yesterday

‘Treasury Single Account contract signed under former President Jonathan’

he Treasury Single Account (TSA) contract that gave out 1% as remittance fee for all government accounts moved to the Central Bank of Nigeria was signed under the regime of Goodluck Jonathan in 2012, a CBN source has revealed to SaharaReporters. The Peoples Democratic Party had claimed recently that the TSA policy was formulated under former President Jonathan. However, due to weak regulations and corruption in the system, several ministries, departments and agencies of the Nigerian government refused to conform with the TSA policy. A company, Systemspecs Ltd, founded by John Tanimola Osaro in 1992, got the contract to oversee the remittance of funds into the TSA. “Remita” is the flagship product of Mr. Obaro’s Systemspecs Ltd. According to our CBN source, the company built in a demand for a 1% fee to be paid to it for all remittances made into the TSA. System specs

Ltd is chaired by a former Nigerian Ambassador to the UK and chair of SURE-P programme under ex-President Jonathan’s regime. Since President Muhammad Buhari made it mandatory for MDAs to remit funds into the TSA, Systemspecs company had already been paid N8.6 billion when CBN officials claimed they detected the anomaly and forced Mr. Obaro’s company to refund the excessive remittance fee. So far, the TSA account has N1.5 trillion deposited in it, the CBN source said no commission was paid. The Central Bank source said the apex bank was in the process of developing internal competency to enable it to handle the TSA. “We at the Central Bank should be able to handle remittances into the TSA without having to pay any so-called consultants a bloated remittance fee,” the source said. SaharaReporters also contacted the former Central Bank Governor, Lamido Sanusi, who is

Weapons build-up intensifies ahead of Bayelsa guber polls

s the December 5, gubernatorial elections draw near, key political figures in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been stockpiling arms and weapons, according to SaharaReporters investigations. SaharaReporters inquiries in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, have found from several independent sources that political figures in both the PDP and APC have began gathering light arms ahead of the polls. One correspondent in Bayelsa State has found that the Sylva and Dickson camps have contracted the services of former militant leaders, despite the signing of a Peace Pact on Tuesday aimed at eliminating poll violence. Statements by the Bayelsa

State police confirmed SaharaReporters investigations on Thursday. The Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) for Bayelsa State, Asinim Butswat, announced that police recovered arms in the Okutukutu area of Yenagoa. He said “at about 0630hrs on Thursday, based on a tip that arms and ammunition were being kept in a room on Tamic Road in Okutukutu, a team of detectives stormed the residence finding AR automatic rifles, ammunition“ and other weapons hidden at the location. “The occupants of the house, one Sunday Akpan and Emmanuel Monday were arrested,“ according to PRO Butswat. He added that the suspects were cooperating with police and that the investigation was ongoing. Public endorsements of

political parties by former militant leaders have exacerbated fears in the State, according to local residents who worry that political agitation could easily spawn violence. Informants speaking to SaharaReporters have disclosed that plans between former militant leaders and politicians have been hatched in hotels throughout Yenagoa. A passenger boat operator revealed that all his boats have been booked and rented by former militant groups for elections. One operator disclosed the former militants “have hired all my boats, twelve of them for election (day) and they even asked me to arrange more. I am making contact with other boat owners and all those I called said their boats are all also taken.“

now the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II. He asserted that the CBN did not sign any contract with REMITA under his watch. In a series of text messages, he stated that it was the Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation who must have signed the contract with REMITA. The former CBN Governor added that only Nigeria’s Finance Minister is entitled to pay commission on such payments. He said under his tenure as CBN Governor his team kept pushing for TSA. According to him, the CBN’s call for the institution of TSA could be found in the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting communiques. He told SaharaReporters that some ministers in ex-President Jonathan’s government resisted the TSA apparently because they were doing deals with banks. SaharaReporters contacted Mr. Obaro’s company, but he did not respond to our inquiries as at the time of going to press.

PCRC Zone 10 Chairman docked over N6m debt in Zamfara From Ibrahim Muh’d, Gusau

Sidi

he Sharia Court Samaru sitting in Gusau, Zamfara state capital has ruled that one Hajiya Kyauta should verify the value of items categorically claimed to have sold at the cost of 6.3 million naira to the accused Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) zone 10, Muhammad Kabiru Liyafa who allegedly declined the payment. The category of worth 6.3 million naira items sold out to the PCRC Chairman as according to the Counsel of the plaintiff, Barrister Musa R.D Labaran includes, men and women shoes,

women bags, clothing materials, units of neckless and perfumes which remain unpaid for the past five years despite several written commitments signed by the accused for the payment. The Presiding Judge, Mukhtar Ibrahim while ruling on the prayers by the Counsel to the accused, Barrister Aminu Junaidu, who challenged that the suit is baseless, said the items claimed to have sold out by the plaintiff were only categorically mentioned with their total price, therefore, should be verified clearly how it arrives at the claimed money. “According to the Order 24 of the Civil

Procedure, the price of each item in question should be verified for the court to understand how the claimed 6.3 million naira has become the topic of the suit”, the Judge stresses. The court adjourned to 23rd of November when the value of each alleged sold item which amounted to the claimed 6.3 million naira will be produced for the confirmation of the case. Speaking to newsmen outside court premises, the Plaintiff claimed that, the accused person has separately signed various agreement letters with the impression that he would settle the alleged debt, but declined to comply.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Page 17

Interview

‘Only education summit would mitigate our challenges’ Contd from Pg 2

will be well-behaved and any student violating it would be punished accordingly. I would like to use this medium to assured parents that the safety and welfare of their children were well looked into, we are also doing our best that their children get best of education. Logistics is one of the integral aspect of learning in a University environment, we understand most of your vehicles are grounded, any hope to bring them to proper order? That is true, like I told you earlier on, we have sources of finance which is from state and Federal Government. The last vehicle this University has was sent in 2007/2008 and you know that any vehicle that is used for eight years has been over used; but I am happy to tell you that in this year’s budget 2015 to 2016, we have already made a proposal to the state to replace the vehicles of principal officers of the university, so we hope with the new administration, that could be achieved. On the other side, TEFUND has been trying, you can see a lot of vehicles at the shed that have been provided by TEFUND and that is why we have released one for our staff and students to be shuttling around Birnin Kebbi, Jega and other parts and back. What are your main challenges as the acting VC? Well, in every establishment challenges are normal, life could not go without challenges; in fact it is the alternative way of life. Today, you will enjoy and tomorrow you will suffer, we have a lot of challenges and one of our challenges is to attract quality students and the quota given to us by JAMB is a problem. In fact things have started changing from

“

this session after we have organized a representation from all the 21 local governments of the state, we went round for mobilization so that they can come and take up admissions there is quite an improvement in that regards. This year we have a quota of about 1500 from JAMB but I am not sure we have 1200 quality students, i.e students with 180 and above in JAMB; but we are looking how we can improve the situation. This university is looking for a way to organize an education summit where we would bring together all the stakeholders so that we would discuss the particular problems of education in Kebbi State; we are trying how to work out problems, we know our tribes and religions and culture, we would bring all of them together and ask them why are they not performing in terms of education, in WAEC, NECO and JAMB, so that we now advise the state government and tell the stakeholders so that each party will do its responsibilities and the problem would be solved; the teachers, the students the parents and the government will all come and identify the problems of education in Kebbi State. Why is the enrolment of female students in Science and Technology in Kebbi State too low? This is another of the challenges we have, we have been attracting female candidates to take off admissions in our institution, but I would not specify that to science and technology only. The enrolment of girls in education in this state is still on very wide gap, I personally feel bad whenever I see our girls roaming the streets. We have the children, we have the schools and yet attracting them to enrol in school is still a very big challenge for us, that is why I said, we are going to organize summit in education in collaboration with

I personally feel bad whenever I see our girls roaming the streets. We have the children, we have the schools and yet attracting them to enrol in school is still a very big challenge for us, that is why I said, we are going to organize summit in education in collaboration with Kebbi Elders Forum.

Prof. Malam

Kebbi Elders Forum. The problem is widespread, it is not only restricted to the females but also the males if we go through the statistics. In a seminar organized in Sokoto, if you see the statistics of JAMB in the last three years as it affected Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, you would shed tears and the problem as we all come to conclusion is quite traditional, our culture is taking us down, if you look at other northern states like Kogi, Niger and others, I did not see reason why we cannot compete with them. We believe with good mobilization part of our culture tying us down will be abandoned and parents will allow their children come to school, I think as that changes, I am sure we’ll also record a reasonable change in our enrolment in schools. Sir, can you tell us more about yourself? I did my primary school at Place Primary School Birnin Kebbi and secondary school at Sokoto Teachers College Sokoto. After my secondary education I gained admission into the Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi, where I obtained a national certificate in technical education; that was from 1981 to 1983. After that, I did my compulsory national service in Rivers State, 1983 to 1984. Thereafter, I was employed by the then Sokoto State government to teach at Vocational Training Centre in Bunza between 1984 and 1986, when I gained

admission to read B.sc in Agriculture at Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto between 1986 and 1990. After graduation I went back to the Ministry of Education Sokoto State, where I was posted to Government Girls Secondary School to teach. about one year later I gained admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsuka, where I did my Master’s Degree in Animal Science between 1991 and 1994, then I came back to Kebbi State Ministry of Education where I was posted to Women Teachers College Birnin Kebbi as a teacher, and about a year later, I was employed by the Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto as assistant lecturer in 1995, till 2012 when I came to Kebbi State University of Science and Technology Aliero where I did my sabbatical. Before then, after I was employed by Usman Danfodio University in 1995, I gained admission into the same school to pursue my PhD, in Animal Science between 1997 and 2005; I graduated with a PhD in Animal Culture and Wild Management. After my sabbatical, I was made Deputy Vice Chancellor of the same institution, then the substantive Vice Chancellor in Kebbi State University Aliero was selected as a candidate in the Usman Danfodio University Vice Chancellorship race and I was given Acting Vice Chancellor of Aliero University in July, 2014 which is the position I am currently holding.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Page 18

Politics

Why I support Buhari’s merger of ministries — Balarabe Musa From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

he former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa has said he supported the recent merger of ministries by President Muhammadu Buhari because it is based on realities on ground. Balarabe Musa stated this while speaking to the media in Kaduna yesterday. He added that Buhari should be praised for coming out to tell the people the blunt truth that the country, unlike others who

will continue to take bonds and loans which is impoverishing the future. “We all know that the recklessness in the country’s economy championed by the capitalists’ economy has drained the country to almost a point of no return. The wreckages and damages on ground are enormous and we’ll be deceiving ourselves to assume that all is well. “Be that as it may, I must say it’s only three of the ministers in the Buhari cabinet that I can say have record of performances

and credibility. The former Gov. of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola; Ogbonnaya Onu and Dr. Chris Ngige, the rest according to him were just selected by the President and we cannot question his constitutional rights. “Now that they’ve been assigned portfolios we call on them to wake up and let Nigerians start witnessing the change they voted for. But let me sound a note of warning that we shouldn’t expect a magic from the Buhari led administration because there’s lot of damages already on

ground. “Like I said earlier, my fear is that President should have taken time to select at least 24 people with records of performance and the other 8 can be anybody and that’s the only way we can check the corruption and other security challenges in the country. “But one thing I’m sure this administration will do is in the area of security. Lives and property will be secured under this administration, but Nigerians should brace up for tough economy times,” he said.

IGP Solomon Arase cutting the tape to inaugurate the newly established Nigerian Police complaint response unit (cru) and the re-branded Special anti-Rubbery Squad (SARS) at Force Headquarters, yesterday in Abuja

Guber Poll: Police to deploy SARS to Kogi From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

he Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Solomon Arase, on Friday said Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) squad would be deployed to Kogi for the Nov. 21 governorship election. Arase made the disclosure at the inauguration of ‘’Re-branded SARS’’ and newly-established Complaint Response Unit (CRU) of the police in Abuja. He said that the squad would complement the regular police during the polls. Arase also said that the force had taken cognisance of compliant by members of the public about unethical behaviour of the police operatives and

consistent allegation of human rights abuses. He admitted that actions of the operatives had constituted sources of civil litigations against the police and had affected the lean budget of the force. He expressed concern that a police, which was constitutionally established to protect lives and property of citizens had become uncivil to the people. ``The resonating concern of members of the public, therefore, had been their mode of operation. ``The Force leadership is convinced that the time has come to break from the past by rebranding the SARS nationwide through a phased programme,`` he said. The IG said that an operational

protocol had also been developed to regulate operations of the squad and define standards for their response to incidents. ``In addition, in days to come, the weapon profile of SARS will be reviewed towards the engagement of less lethal technologies and weapon system,`` he said. He announced that in the next one year, SARS in all police formations would have undergone the rebranding programme, adding that the era where operatives of the squad wore mufti was gone. ``The era of wearing jeans, T-shirt and head and arm bands is gone,`` he said. He said that the force resolved to establish the CRU to bridge the

communication gap between the police and the public, explaining that the unit would act as a central, information technologydriven public complaint unit of the force. ``It will take full advantage of ICT and social media platform to interface with the public toward receiving and processing issues from members of the public,`` he said. The police boss said that the unit was designed to complement existing in-house public complaints monitoring and processing frameworks. ``The broad objective of the launch of the CRU is to entrench police accountability values into our policing system``, he added. (NAN)

NIPSS alumni sets 3-point agenda for Buhari, Ministers By Osby Isibor

raduates of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) under the auspices of the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) have set a 3-point agenda for President Buhari led government. They urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the recently inaugurated cabinet Ministers to reposition the country within the context of security, anti-corruption and economy. President of AANI and former Military Governor of Plateau and Katsina states, Maj. Gen. Lawrence Onoja (rtd) gave the charge yesterday in Abuja at the Presidential Dinner for the graduating Senior Executive Course (SEC) 37 Participants and the formal presentation of the 525-page “Security and Developmental Challenges for Africa in the 21st Century”, an essay written in Honour of Prof. Thomas Akhigbe Imobighe. According to Onoja, the present administration has recorded significant achievements including the reduction in governance, successful implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the appointments of credible and competent Nigerians into offices. He, however, urged President Buhari and other strata of government and private establishments to utilise the graduates of NIPSS and also to use the policy recommendations from the institute. “We are impressed with the change agenda and the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari administration to reposition the country within the contest of the three-point agenda namely security, anti-corruption and economy. We congratulate the newly appointed ministers and urged them to compliment the efforts of President Buhari to realise his great vision for Nigeria and Africa,” Onoja said. Speaking during the presentation of the “Security and Developmental Challenges for Africa in the 21st Century”, the Monitor-General of the SEC 36 and Provost of College of Animal Health and Production Technology National Veterinary Research Institute, Kuru, Prof. Garuba Sharubutu, said the book was launched as part of activities marking the 70 birthday of Prof. Imobighe. The book edited by Amadu Sesay and Charles Ukeje was authored by 19 renowned scholars and academics including Professors Victor Adebola Adetula, Aja Akpuru Aja, Sylvanus Idahosa Ebohon and Ibrahim Jumare among others with former UN Under Secretary General for Political Affairs Prof. Ibrahim Gambari writing the foreword. Prof. Thomas Akhigbe Imobighe, a renowned expert in defence and security, was until recently, the Director of Studies at the NIPSS.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

PAGE 19

Tourism

Ikogosi warm spring: natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wonder with the healing powers

his warm spring runs down a hilly landscape where it forms a confluence with another cold spring from an adjoining hill and merges into one continuous stream. The evergreen tall trees which surround the spring provide the canopy under which visitors relax. The people of Ikogosi have strong belief in the myth around it. The undulating landscape adds natural beauty to the scenery. It is locat-

e d i n E k it i State. Traditiona l l y speaking, there are many stories from the indigenes of this town regarding the origin of the warm spring. A version of the stories rests more on the traditional belief of the people that both springs (Warm and Cold) were wives of the same husband who turned to springs water in the wake of rift and rivalry between them. The hot and ill-tempered first wife believed to

have turned to the popular warm spring while the cool-tempered second wife turned to cold spring water. The husband became the undulating hills that encompass the springs. It is well established that some of the Villagers still worship the springs as their deities. The spring water is said to have some therapeutic effects in some diseases like rheumatism and guineaworm. People who have access to the spring use it for the battery of their vehicles i n stead of the normal battery water. This is one of the natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wonders of the world. Two streams, one very hot, the order very cold came together to form warm spring. It is believed that this nature gift has healing properties. People all over Africa come to this spring for prayer and takes home some water to heal whatever ailment they have. Stories of its efficacy are never in short supply in Ikogosi, Ekiti State Nigeria.

PAGE 20

Homes

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

By Miriam Humbe

What your front door colour says about you

Dark green is also commonly associated with money

oors aren’t always the most exciting part of your home but it doesn’t mean they can’t be used to make an impact. Think about how you want to feel when you enter a room or approach the front of your house. How do you want your visitors to feel? next time you decide to redecorate or simply want to freshen up your home, give some thought to your doors. What colour is your front door? As the saying goes, first impressions are everything – and this is certainly true of your home. An immaculate front lawn or a freshly painted door makes visitors feel welcome and shows that you take pride in your home. When your front door is freshly painted in high-shine gloss bright fire engine red with gold fixtures, it makes you smile every time you arrive home. When choosing your front door obviously functionality is key, the design and style of the door is also important. If you’re on the look-out for a new door you can find a range of sliding doors, front doors, solid wood doors and even fire doors. When choosing you need to think about the kind of impression you want your doors to make, how they will complement your existing décor and what your door hue says about you. Many cultures associate rather complex meanings to the colors we choose for our home, especially the color we choose to paint our front door? The front door is thought to be the “mouth” of the home, the entry point where energy, abundance and opportunities may find us! Red: Red is the feng shui color for prosperity and abundance. Red represents joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, and love. Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love. Red has very high visibility, which is why stop signs, stoplights, and fire equipment are usually painted red a very emotionally intense color, red calls for attention, so you’re not afraid of being noticed. White: A crisp white door is for those who are (or strive to be) organised, neat and clean. White is associated

with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection. Green: Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. A green front door suggests you care about your home and your community and you have more traditional values. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money. Black: This is a timeless look, showing you don’t waiver for trends. You’re consistent, conservative and reserved. Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery. Black is considered to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color. Blue: Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven. Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. Yellow: If you choose this sunny hue, a color that evokes mental clarity, perception, understanding, wisdom, confidence, curiosity, humor and merriment. Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness and stimulates mental activity. Yellow is an unstable and spontaneous color, so avoid using yellow if you want to suggest stability and safety. Purple: You’re comfortable taking risks and dreaming big. Some may call you a “free spirit.” Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic. Orange: Orange corresponds to desire, sexual passion, pleasure, domination, aggression, and thirst for action. Orange is the color of fall and harvest. Orange is symbolic of strength and endurance. Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch attention and highlight the most important elements of your design. thefabuloustimes.com

Red is the color for prosperity and abundance

Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness and stimulates mental activity

d n e k e e W

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ent m n i a t r e t n E

Fashion

s Beauty Tip

d Kannywoo

Hollywood

Bollywood

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Jennifer Lawrence covers Vogue magazine PG 35

3-year-old DJ wins S/Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Talent 2015

>>PG 37

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Your Body, Image & U

Men and body odour...... Spritz up your personality! With Jacqui Iwu bwreforms@gmail.com 08184825606 (sms only)

ou are having a closed door meeting with the airconditon on and you and your team of executives enjoying a good business deal and sipping good hot coffee/ tea/chocolate drinks. Suddenly someone walks in and the whole aroma in the board room turns unbearable? Boommmm! How do you feel? You might even feel like throwing up huh? You might want to excuse yourself in the middle of the meeting and step out for some fresh air and swear never to enter that room till the person that walks in with such bad body ordour leaves? Worse for you if that person happens to be the main guy to seal up

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

the business deal so he is not going nowhere till the end of the meeting. Hahhaaaaaa!! So can you imagine the hell you will be passing through all the time he is there? Probably you people will decide to switch off the aircondition. Will that really stop the ordour? Now you will make that individual to sweat more and smell more.Shhhhhoooott!!! What an unbearable condition ...if you ask me! Now it is not actually a situation anyone would like to encounter on a daily basis but this happens. If you ever manage to put up with the ordor it means, the meeting will be rushed and vital details might be lost in the process of you people trying to end and leave

Having a smooth running home will be a stepping stone to keep your stress level down because, you will be a total wreck if you cannot manage issues both at home and at work.

the room. This sounds somehow funny but a very ugly situation that can create ill health for some people as well. You cannot put up with bad ordor and keep breathing such ordor and not feel sick. The air we breathe in should be fresh and clean so any polluted air is unhealthy and body ordor is part of polluted air(unless you have not encountered someone with serious body smell then you will disagree with this). What causes body ordor in men? First and formost we live in a very hot climate that even when in rainy season as we are in presently, the sun shines like we are in dry season. So you encounter hot sun all year round. Secondly, men in this part of the world we live in care less about body grooming and using good skincare products to pamper their body. There is this belief that good body grooming and skincare are for women only and men who take care of their skin and entire body are feminine. Seriously? With all the heavy sweating and sun damage someone still think that he will sweat all day, goes home and dump the unwashed body on bed and sleep? This does not exclude those in airconditon cars, office, houses who claim they do not sweat. You might not sweat like the person that do his runs on

the streets under the sun but you still sweat 24hrs. Your skin pores are open and excretes oils, body fluids that should be washed off at the end of the day or early in the morning. If you are in the tropics and you neglect your entire body hygiene of taking good bath twice daily with sweet smelling or antibacteria soaps, you are gunning for body ordour. No one is asking you to be creaming your skin like women but just simple bath with good soaps, deodorants daily is ok. Of course as you do this, ensure your boxers, pants, socks, and other underwears are washed daily or changed daily(depending on how many you have). You see a situation where men wear one boxers/pant for almost a week stretch. Haba!!!!!! Kai...how can someone wear one pair of socks, pants for days? Ok let us assume you do not have many to change daily, try wash the ones you have every night and iron them very well. Now picture a man that does not take night baths with good quality soaps and also wear one pair of socks, pant, boxers for a week without alternating....do you seriously think such a person can avoid body ordor? Again if you see such person, the last thing they will also use are deodorants and perfumes. If you do not enjoy

keeping your body clean and neat, making up with deodorants and perfume will not be in your agenda as well. Period! Moreover, those who also try to cover an unkept body with perfumes hardly succeed. If your body is dirty and you are probably wearing stained and dirty boxers/pants, their ordor will over take the perfume smell no matter how good that perfume is. Worse still, the bad ordor could mix with the perfume and then create another bad ordor of its own....totally a disaster!! Perfumes and deodorants work best when you have a clean body hygiene and they will now sheild you with their ingredients and aroma. How about someone walking into your house with only socks after pulling his shoes by the door step? Once he enters your room, the ordor from the socks makes you to drive him away without apology? A little bit away from personal hygiene, body ordor can also be caused by some food items consumed daily by some men. Food items like garlic, onions, ginger, groundnuts, milk, eggs, beans and some heavy spiced foods can cause bad ordor. Garlic and onions are very healthy but have a way of seeping right through the skin pores when consumers sweats. Can you imagine what happens to someone who keeps poor body hygiene and eats lots of garlic, onions etc, wears one boxers/pants/socks for a week without washing? Ordor catastrophe!!!!!! There are also body ordor caused by men with issues of sexually transmitted diseseas/ infections and as you get treatments, regular baths, keeping underwears clean/disinfected are necessary. Finally, from what i have talked already you can easily figure out how to prevent body ordor but if you are not sure what skin products to use, difficulty in keeping a good oral hygiene or you feel your own issue is beyond all i talked about here, send me an email/text with your problem. Jacqui IWU is a BodyImage, Life&Career Coach A STRESS Mangement Expert &Conference Speaker Media Relations Personnel FB: http/facebook.com/ beautifulwoman.column BLOG: http://bluntjacqui. blogspot.com

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Womanhood

Single parenthood and ways to deal with depression

Learn how to combat depression as a single mother, it is one of the most important things you can fix about yourself for your children

earn how to combat depression as a single mother, it is one of the most important things you can fix about yourself for your children One of the many truths of life is that the world doesn’t stop turning when you are feeling blue, stressed, or depressed. This case is especially true if you are a single mother. Depression, from the least to the most extreme, generally makes us want to curl up in bed and just mope and sleep our problems away. But, when you are a single mother, especially of school aged children or younger, that is just not an option. So, what do single mothers do to help combat depression in order to tend to their kids as well as deal with the symptoms of depression which often include, sadness, helplessness, tiredness, lack of motivation, and just an overwhelming feeling of wanting to say “I give up!”

One way a single mother who is depressed can help wash away the blues, aside from getting an antidepressant medication, is to join support groups for single mothers. Speaking to other women with the same predicament may help you to better cope with your issues. Not only that, as harsh as it may sound, sometimes listening to other women’s problems may help you realize that your problems are pale in comparison to theirs. This may be just the kick needed to get you back up and running in Mommymode again. Joining a church or mosque is another way to gain much needed support during these hard times. A good sermon can lift your spirits and while the kids are away in Sunday school, it gives you a chance to breathe without hearing “Mommmm, where are my shoes? Mommm, she hit me!! Mom, mom, mom, mommmm!” Let’s face it, some single mothers need

those kid free times to recoup, and not all of them can afford a sitter or a spa treatment. Plus, getting some inspirational words from the preacher will help you as well. If you are severely depressed, you may need to speak to your primary care physician. He may offer a referral to a counselor or may give you a script for antidepressants; you should not be ashamed to take these

“

medications. Just do your homework and see what the side effects are to certain medications. It may also be best to see how these medications will directly affect you before using them alone with your children around. We all get depressed from time to time and that depression may seem worse to single mothers. Not only are they single, meaning they don’t have a constant

One way a single mother who is depressed can help wash away the blues, aside from getting an anti-depressant medication, is to join support groups for single mothers.

companion to confide in, but they also have the weight of the world on their shoulders trying to figure out how to care and love their children during this depressing time without depressing the children. That is something you have to be very careful about. You are a mother. you can’t be laying around all day, feeling “woe is me”, skipping out on cooking for the kids, bathing the kids, helping them with homework, etc. If you feel you are getting depressed to the point where you have difficulty dealing with daily activities including activities with your children, you must seek outside help. If you don’t, this depression you have is going to snowball and your children will get swallowed up in the snowball causing more problems to occur. You will be surprised how much better you will feel just by getting out of the house. Getting healthy amounts of sun and exercise will also help rid yourself of the blues.

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Kiddies World

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

With Miriam

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Humbe

ABCDE

HIS AND HERS CORNER

A visit to Aso Rock

Go for the ball

Cartoon Aso Rock

so Rock is a large outcrop that is in the heart of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. The Aso Rock is a 400 metre monolith and is the city’s most noticeable feature. The Nigerian Presidential Complex, Nigerian National Assembly, and Nigerian Supreme Court are located very close to it. Much of the town extends to the south of the rock. “Aso” means victorious in the native language of the (now displaced) Asokoro (“the people of victory”). Aso Rock was the site of the 2003 Aso Rock Declaration, issued by

“

Heads of Government of the Commonwealth during the CHOGM held in Abuja. It reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s principles as detailed under the Harare Declaration, but set the ‘promotion of democracy and development’ as the organisation’s priorities. Visitors to this rock are amazed by how much nature has endowed the city of Abuja and Nigeria as a whole with tremendous beauty. The rock on most rainy days appears to have a smoky head with clouds hovering above it. The environment surrounding the rock is also peaceful and welcoming.

Visitors to this rock are amazed by how much nature has endowed the city of Abuja and Nigeria as a whole with tremendous beauty. The rock on most rainy days appears to have a smoky head with clouds hovering above it. The environment surrounding the rock is also peaceful and welcoming.

Tom and Jerry with guest, Doggie

Daffy duck and Bugs bunny

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Kiddies World

PAGE 25

With Miriam

MODEL OF THE WEEK

AFRICAN TALES AFRICAN TALES

How the Rabbit took Leopard’s house

nce upon a time the Leopard lived in a small house far way in the bush. After thinking for a long time he decided to look for a better place. After a short time he found a suitable place nearer the other animals. The Leopard began to cut sticks for building a house. After collecting a big bundle he carried it to the new building site. While the Leopard was doing all these things the Rabbit was nearby watching. He also cut a bundle of sticks and put them near the Leopard’s bundle. But the Rabbit did not tell the Leopard. The next day the Leopard brought another bundle. He was surprised to find a second bundle already there, but didn’t know who had brought it. However he put down his own second bundle. Meanwhile the Rabbit was hiding and watching the Leopard’s work. Then the Rabbit cut a second bundle and brought it to the site, making a total of four. The Leopard continued to bring bundles of sticks and the Rabbit did likewise. When the Leopard saw that the sticks for building were enough, he began digging the foundation for his house. When he got tired he went away. The Rabbit also came and dug the foundation for the second wall and put in poles. He got tired and went to sleep. Day after day the Leopard and the Rabbit were building the same house without meeting or talking together. Soon the house was finished. The Rabbit was the first to move into the side of the house he had built. Then the Leopard moved into his side then problems began. The Rabbit lit a fire on his side of the house and the Leopard on his side. The Leopard was surprised to see a fire lit in his house without his knowledge. He shouted, “Who is that person lighting a fire in my house?” Then the Leopard and the Rabbit began to quarrel without solving the problem. The Rabbit thought of a way to make the Leopard leave the house to him. He told his wife to pinch the children to make them cry loudly. When the children began to cry the rabbit asked his wife in an angry voice: “Why are the children crying?” Mrs. Rabbit answered, “They are crying for the Elephant’s liver.” The Rabbit answered boastfully in a loud voice so the Leopard and his wife could hear. “Tell them to stop crying. Finding an Elephant’s liver is no problem for me. Tomorrow I will kill an Elephant and give its liver to my children.” When the Leopard heard these words he became terrified. He thought that the Rabbit was a very dangerous person. If he could kill an Elephant for sure he could kill him also. After a few days another quarrel erupted between the Leopard and the Rabbit. Then the Rabbit thought of another way to terrify the Leopard and drive him away. Again he told his wife to pinch the children to make them cry loudly. When the children began to cry, the rabbit asked his wife in an angry voice: “Why are the children crying?” Mrs. Rabbit answered, “They are crying for the Leopard’s liver.” Meanwhile the Leopard and his wife were listening very carefully to this conversation. The Rabbit answered boastfully in a loud voice so the Leopard and his wife could hear. “Tell them to stop crying. Finding a Leopard’s liver is no problem for me. There is a Leopard right here in this house with us. I will kill him easily and give his liver to my children.”

ABCDE

Humbe

The Leopard was terrified. Early the next morning before the Rabbit family got up, the Leopards moved out. On the road they met the Baboon who asked, “Why are you sweating so much and in such a big hurry this early this morning? Why are you carrying all your belongings? Where are you going?” The Leopard replied, “We are running away from the Rabbit who plans to kill us and feed us to his children. I have been thrown out by the Rabbit from the house I built with my own hands.” The Baboon answered: “Oh, I know the Rabbit. That’s one of his tricks. Let me take you back to your house. But we must tie our tails in order to go together.” So the Leopard and the Baboon tied their tails together and went to where the Rabbit was. When he saw them the Rabbit began to rebuke them. He told his wife to pinch the children to make them cry loudly. Then the Rabbit asked his wife in a voice that could be heard by everyone: “Dear, why are the children crying?” Mrs. Rabbit answered, “They are crying for the Leopard’s liver.” The Rabbit said in a loud voice, “I planned with the Baboon that he would bring the Leopard here and so he has. Keep calm, my children. You are going to get the Leopard’s liver right now.” When the Leopard heard this he became very angry and began to insult the Baboon saying, “ You deceived me. Do you want me to be killed by the Rabbit?” He became terrified and tried to run away. But since his tail was tied to the Baboon’s he could not. They ran in opposite directions and their tails were badly bruised and the Rabbit took over the whole house.

Firdausi A. Shelang celebrated her birthday recently

ACTIVITIES

Using the right colours, shade the image below. Describe your action and show your work to your teacher for correction. Cheers!

CREATIVITY

How to make a bag out of paper Paper bags have different shapes and sizes. It clip tip in the hole. depends on what purpose you are making it. You can even customize the paper bag. Things you’ll need 3 sheets of double paper Steps Stapler (or tape, if no staples or present, or using this for Flatten two of the double papers. merchandise bags) Choose an object that is as wide as you want the bag Flat object to be. Place it at the center of the flattened papers. This is the base of the bag. Fold the papers to the edges of the object. With the third paper, measure the object and cut the paper a few millimeters wider than the object itself. By now you should have two strips. Using a stapler, staple all the way both strips only on one side of the paper. Fold the strips outside the initial paper. Staple the other sides of the strips to the initial paper. If you have excess paper from your bag you can use it to close the bag with a paper clip: perforate all the paper using a pen over a modeling dough and insert the paper

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e-Learning

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Why getting a promotion could make you fat

f you’re lucky enough to get promoted at work, you might find it’s not just your salary that gets larger. Gaining authority at work can make you pile on the pounds, according to a study. Researchers found that those who had to make a lot of decisions in their jobs tended to have a bigger waist size compared to those without such responsibility. The psychologists suggested that the pressure of making too many decisions – ‘the tyrannies of choice’ - can lead to stress-eating, and even a change in the way the body handles food. The findings challenge the ‘long-held assumption that higher job control can mitigate adverse effects of high job demands’, the researchers added. For the study, which was led by the University of Adelaide, psychologists interviewed 450 middle-aged men and women who worked in a variety of jobs, both blue and white-collar. Using what is known as the Job-Demand-ControlSupport model, they were able to work out not only whether the individual had control at work, but what form this control took. Control in a job can be

The psychologists suggested that the pressure of making too many decisions – ‘the tyrannies of choice’ - can lead to stresseating, and even a change in the way the body handles food

broadly separated into two types: skill discretion - having the opportunity to learn and use skills and low levels of repetitiveness - and decision authority, which is about mak-

ing decisions and being more autonomous. The researchers used a 36-unit scale to measure the amount of these two types of control that an individual had

in their job. And they found that, while skill discretion was linked to a smaller waist size, decision authority was linked to a bigger waist size. Specifically, a one-unit increase in skill discretion was associated with a 0.5cm decrease in waist size, while a one-unit increase in decision authority was associated with a 0.28cm increase in waist circumference. ‘Employees with high decision authority may feel overwhelmed by the number of decisions required of them, or poorly defined choices in their

“ Researchers found that those who had to make a lot of decisions in their jobs tended to have a bigger waist size compared to those without such responsibility

work,’ the academics wrote in the journal Social Science & Medicine. ‘Excessive choice has been suggested to cause negative emotions,’ they said, adding that having a lot of responsibility ‘can be perceived as a burden’. ‘The perception of too much decision authority may lead to increased stress, resulting in increased food consumption and changes in the way the body processes food, leading to excess fat accumulation,’ they concluded. Mailonline

The findings challenge the ‘long-held assumption that higher job control can mitigate adverse effects of high job demands’, the researchers added.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

PAGE 27

Leisure LOL

Ali Baba and the forty thieves T

hree guys were gisting at a beer parlour. The first guy said when my wife was pregnant she was reading a book; a tale of two cities and she gave birth to twins. The second said his wife was reading the three musketeers and she gave birth to triplets. The third guy dropped his beer bottle and started running home. When they got to his house they saw him burning a book and they asked why.

He said his wife was reading Ali Baba and the forty thieves and she is pregnant……not in this house ……it cannot happen! Lawyer and Jamaican man on airplane A lawyer and a Jamaican are sitting next to each other on a long flight. The lawyer is thinking that Jamaicans are so dumb that he can fool them easy... So the lawyer asks if the Ja-

Rack your brain!

isha was sitting at her study table, alone, on a dark night. Her parents had taken a flight earlier in the morning to Chelsea as her grandfather had passed away. She was alone because she needs to study for her exam. While studying, she heard a noise and got out of her room and looked around when suddenly,

without warning, she was grabbed by the neck. She tried to free herself but was of no use. “Give me all your money!” shouted the man who had grabbed her from behind. Nisha cried “leave me ...there is no one at home” Suddenly the phone rang. Nisha asked the intruder to al-

maican would like to play a fun game. The Jamaican is tired and just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and tries to catch a few winks. The lawyer persists and says that the game is a lot of fun. ‘I ask you a question, and if you don’t know the answer, you pay me only $5; you ask me one, and if I don’t know t h e answer, I will pay you $500... .’ This catches the Jamaican’s attention and to keep the lawyer quiet, he agrees to play the game. The lawyer asks the first question. ‘What’s the distance from The Earth to the moon?’ The Jamaican doesn’t say a word, reaches in his pocket pulls out a five-dollar bill, and hands it to the lawyer. Now, it’s the Jamaican’s turn. He asks the lawyer, ‘What goes up a hill with three legs, and

comes down with four?’ The lawyer uses his laptop, searches all the references he knows. He uses the air-phone; he searches the Net and even the Library of Congress. He sends e-mails to all the smart friends he knows, all to no avail. After one hour of searching, he finally gives up. H e

low her to pick the phone as people will get alarmed if shedosn’t pick the phone. “Alright, but dont try to be clever” replied the intruder. Nisha walked toward the phone.She picked up the phone. “Hey nisha How’s the revision going?” said the caller. “Hey prinks thanks for the call. Hey you know those Science notes I lent you last week? Well I really need them back. It would be a great help to me. It’s an emergency, so if you could give me them tomorrow it would be great. Please hurry in finding the notes. I need to get back to my books now. Bye,” Nisha said. She hung up the phone. “It was wise of you not to say anything,” said the intruder. “Now TELL ME WHERE THE MONEY IS KEPT!” screamed the thief. “It...It’s...in my dad’s room; the first room on the right. Third drawer,” said Nisha. “SHOW me!” said the man, and removed his grip around her neck. She took a big gulp of air and nearly fell. She swallowed hard and said a silent prayer. She walked slowly, in silence, toward her father’s room. All of a sudden, they heard police sirens. The intruder froze in his footsteps. He ran to the nearest window and jumped out of it. Nisha ran outside in time to see the intruder being escorted into the car. She saw prinks and she ran toward her and hugged her. “Smart kids,” said the policeman.

What had happened? Answer by SACHET GANWAL The tricky sentences through which Prinks got clues were: CASE I: If really the Nisha’s notes were with Prink. 1. it’s very rare that some friend thanks the other for calling him/ her. 2. In the statement “Hey....... week.” word “know” is used but there the word should be “remember”. 3. Nisha’s exam was a day after and also she was asking the notes

4. The exam was for both the girls so it is true that Prink was also studying at that time or around and Nisha knew this thing. But then also she asks Prink to hurry in finding the notes. This was the main clue for Prink. CASE II: If notes were not with Prink. If notes were not with Prink then it was very simple for Prink to understand what was going on. But I think that notes were notes were not with Prink cause if twas so then she should have called Prink earlier remembering

on the day of exam which could not possible.

her about the notes.

wakes

the Jamaican and hands him $500. The Jamaican pockets the $500 goes right back to sleep. The lawyer is going nuts not knowing the answer. He wakes the Jamaican up and asks, ‘Well, so what goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four?’ The Jamaican reaches in his pocket, hands the lawyer $5 and goes back to sleep.

Beauty TIPS

Compiled by Isioma Nwabasha

How to exfoliate your skin E Page 28

xfoliation removes dead skin cells, leaving your skin radiant and smooth. If you just want a soft and clean skin, exfoliating from head to toe will make you glow. Many women exfoliate their faces but forget about other body parts. There are a lot of great benefits and it is very important to exfoliate your skin on a regular basis. But, when you exfoliate your skin you should make sure you don’t overdo it and don’t do it too often. Many women don’t know how to exfoliate and how often to do it, and this is the major reason why many of us end up having severe breakouts. In fact, it is recommended to exfoliate your skin once or twice a week. Beneath that rough, flaky outer layer of facial skin lies a lustrous canvas of beautiful and silky skin. But it won’t shine out on its own, you have to give it a little help by exfoliating regularly to regenerate your skin and encourage new cell growth. If your skin is especially stubborn, you can also visit a dermatologist to discuss more dramatic options such as a chemical peel or a microdermabrasion treatment.

Exfoliation items

Here are a few tips to follow to exfoliate your skin without any damage. Items needed Exfoliating cleanser Loofah, body brush or exfoliating gloves Pumice stone Body lotion Tips: Buy the right exfoliating product: There are tons of exfoliating products available in the market these days and it is extremely difficult to choose the best one. You need to buy an exfoliating product specially made for your body and another for your face. Before stepping into the shower, brush your dry skin with your loofah, body brush or exfoliating gloves. This will help remove the loose skin and prepare your skin for the exfoliating process. Begin with the soles of your feet, working your way up your body. Before applying your exfoliating product, get your skin wet. This will allow all the ingredients to sud up for a while and will help make your face and body super soft. Wet your body from head to toe. Don’t exfoliate

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Woman exfoliating your skin if you are sunburned or have any open cuts or wounds. Start applying your exfoliator in small circular motions to ensure that you do not miss any spot. This way, it will feel like a mini massage, which is incredibly beneficial for your face and body. Begin with your face and work your way down your body, taking care to get every nook and cranny, including the back of the knees and the insides of the elbows. On larger body parts, you can widen your circles and use smaller ones on areas such as the soles of your

Exfoliating scrub

feet and your face. Use a pumice stone on your feet to eliminate rough spots and calluses. If your feet are extremely rough, soak them in a basin of warm water mixed with a cup of milk for 30 minutes before getting into starting the exfoliating process. Use a body brush to exfoliate your back and other hard-toreach places. Be gentle on your face, particularly around your eyes and mouth. Use an exfoliating product, especially formulated for the face, which is gentler than products designed to be used on the body. Don’t forget about your hands. You want them to look and feel soft and smooth too! When you are done, rinse the exfoliator off. Don’t leave it on your skin for too long, or you will end up having dry, itchy skin and no lotion will help you cope with such problems. It is recommended to exfoliate your skin in the shower or bath. Quickly wash it off with lukewarm water and a blast of cold water to close your pores. Apply a shower gel to soften your skin, if you like. After stepping out of the shower, apply a moisturizing body lotion all over. Body lotions and facial moisturizers containing

alpha or beta hydroxy acids are ideal choices because these acids continue to remove dead skin cells. Use a body moisturizer once a day. Exfoliation is drying to the skin, so you must keep your skin hydrated. After your exfoliating treatment, apply a great dousing of lotion to your skin. Apply a facial cream to your neck, face and hands and use a body cream on your arms, torso and legs. Make sure you apply your lotion right after washing the exfoliator off. This way, you will seal in the moisture and keep your skin hydrated, soft, radiant and healthy. Select exfoliating cleansers that contain sea salt, sugar, ground almonds, walnuts, seeds or other grainy components. Do you exfoliate your skin regularly? Exfoliating once or twice a week is usually enough to achieve silky skin; however, women with oily skin should exfoliate more often than those with dry skin. If your skin becomes excessively dry or irritated after exfoliation, don’t scrub so hard. Cut back on how often you exfoliate and explore the possibility that you may be allergic to the products you used.

Fashion

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

One purple maxi skirt, many styles to dress

axi dress and skirts are not only one of the most comfortable, flattering, and forgiving items of clothing to wear, but they’re also surprisingly versatile too. They’re easy to add layers over as well as hide layers under, making them the perfect transitional piece for the ever changing weather where some days are super chilly and others are still warmed by the summer sun. This alone makes maxi dresses and skirts the ideal pieces to wear for all seasons but they’re also a fantastic way to extend your wardrobe and get creative with pieces you already have in your closet as well as fun accessories. From dressed up fancy to a little bit funky, work appropriate to playful weekend ensembles, here are different to transition your favorite maxi dresses and skirts for every occasion so you can wear them over and over again. That’s what’s so great about them – they’re versatile, easy to style with anything, and incredibly comfortable. If you didn’t buy one yet, you’re missing the fun because there are so many outfits you can create with one. To get you started, here are some style tips on how to wear a maxi skirt for any season. Try one of these easy looks for any season or event. Go for a sporty vibe by pairing a maxi skirt with a graphic tee, Doc Martens, and a varsity jacket.

Page 29

Pair a floral maxi with a basic tee, and layer with a cardigan. W e a r your maxi skirt

with a crop top. Wear it higher on your waist so you show very little skin, or wear it lower to bare your stomach. Whatever you’re comfortable with! Layer a blazer over a tee and maxi skirt for an easy fall or winter look. A chambray skirt looks amazing tucked into a maxi skirt. Cinch the waist in with a thin belt to give the outfit some shape. Pick a maxi skirt outfit based on what’s best for your body type.

Keep things super simple by pairing your skirt with a white tee. A fun leopard print belt really stands out. Wear your maxi skirt to a festival or to the beach, and protect the bottom by tying it into a cute knot. Go for a super casual look by mixing basics. Tying the tee at your waist looks so chic and effortless. Kick your outfit up a notch by layering with a jean jacket. This is great for fall or spring. Buy one purple maxi skirt, and wear it a million different ways. Pairing a simple maxi skirt with a long sleeved shirt and a scarf is great. Love the stripes! Go for a more boho look by wearing a loose, offthe-shoulder tee. Dress up your maxi skirt by wearing it with a button-down shirt and heels. Make your maxi dress look like a skirt by layering a t-shirt over it

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Pots & Pans

With Miriam Humbe

Fried rice with eggs

Plantain stem juice Indication : Ideal to be consumed during : •Obesity •Urinary stones •Ulcers •Burning sensation •Acidity •Diabetes •Bleeding disorders •Menorrhagia Properties: •Bitter & astringent in taste •Is a natural diuretic •Cold in potency •Reduces cholesterol •Its astringent quality helps in blood coagulation •Is an alkalizer Ingredients: Plantain’s pith of the stem – 100gm Buttermilk – 50 ml Rock salt – 3 gm Water – 50 ml

The egg fried rice is one of the most versatile Nigerian Rice recipes. There are several variations, of which the Egg fried rice is one of them. The egg fried rice isn’t so different from the classic Nigerian Fried Rice, but the addition of eggs, takes this delicious meal to different tasty levels. Get cooking and enjoy…..

Ingredients: •500g long grain white Rice •2-3 eggs •500ml Chicken or Turkey stock/broth •100g cooked and diced cow liver (use beef as a substitute) •2 large Carrots •1 handful Green Peas or Runner Beans •1 large Green bell pepper •1 Onion bulb • 2-3 tablespoonful Curry Powder •1 teaspoonful Garlic Powder •½ tablespoonful Black or white pepper (optional) •2- 3 Cooking spoonful Vegetable Oil •2 stock cube or bouillon cube for Seasoning •Salt (to taste)

Preparation: The first step is to prepare the Vegetables; Wash all the vegetables. Dice the onion and set aside; Peel the carrots and cut into small cubes. Remove the seeds of the green bell peppers and cut pepper into small cubes. Tip: Although fresh veggies are the best for Nigerian egg fried rice, frozen vegetables can also be used (after thawing). Place the green peas and carrots in boiling water for 5 minutes, strain out and place in a bowl of cold water, leave to cool in the water, then pour into a sieve and set aside. Tip: This method is called blanching. It helps to par-boil the vegetables without cooking it through, thereby cutting down the stir-frying process. It also helps to preserve the vibrant color of the vegetables. You can skip this step if you want crunchy vegetables. Pour the chicken stock into a large pot and bring to a boil. As the stock begins to boil, add the parboiled rice, seasoning cubes(stock cubes), curry powder, garlic powder, onions and salt to taste. Leave to cook on medium heat until it’s done. The stock should be at almost the same level as the rice,

so that it dries up completely when the rice is done. You can add some water if the stock won’t be enough to cook the Rice. Tip: The cooked rice should not be soggy or too tender and the grains shouldn’t stick together either. Break the eggs, add salt to taste, whisk and fry in a pan (like an omelet), cool and dice the fried eggs. Heat up the vegetable oil; add the carrots, peas, green bell pepper and diced liver/meat; stir-fry for 1 min and then add white/black pepper, a pinch of curry and a little seasoning cube to taste...mix together and add the diced eggs. Mix thoroughly and pour into a bowl. The Rice is going to be fried in small batches, so you’ll have to divide the stir-fried vegetables into portions, to go with the quantity of rice you cooked. Pour a portion of the stir-fried mix into the frying pan; add the cooked rice and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Tip: Do not overcrowd the pan; make sure there is a little space in the pan so that you can move the rice around the pan for even distribution of heat. Repeat this process for the remaining rice and vegetable mix. And your egg fried rice is ready to be served with salads, moi- moi, fried plantains, grilled fish/beef/Chicken or any meat of your choice.

Preparation: Put the plantain stem in juicer and extract the juice. Add little buttermilk, water and rock salt. Stir well & drink.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Relationship

Pacing a new romantic relationship

he beginning of a new relationship is often looked upon as the most electric and dizzying; a time when all you can think about is the awesome man/woman in your life. It feels so exciting when you fall in love. New relationships are fragile. If you rush through important intimacy stages, it takes a hit and often ends prematurely. New relationships are about hope, some expectations and fresh feelings. When you have just started dating someone it is very easy to make mistakes and scare the person away. Sure, every relationship is unique, but here are some things to be aware of in this foundling stage which will help your relationship get off to the best possible start. Honesty This is essential in any flourishing relationship. Telling lies or omitting pertinent things about yourself will only lead to problems later on. Laying your habits and everything else that makes you tick on the table is the only way to start a relationship you hope will last a long time. Of course, sometimes little white lies cannot be avoided, but remember the bottom line: Don’t lie about important things. No good can come from saying you come from a rich family when in fact you don’t. When you like someone it is natural that you want reciprocity. You want to gain the person’s approval and try hard to meet his/her expectations and preferences. However, you cannot make a different version of yourself. Sooner or later you will get tired of playing this game and when he/she gets to know your true self, it will break their heart. When you pretend to be someone else, your partner cannot appreciate your real personality. Don’t jump into bed on the first date People get caught up in the passion and wanting to please. But if you have sex early in the relationship, you are giving the most intimate behaviour you can possibly share with someone you hardly know. Although a serious commitment is what you want, but there is no need to pressure her early on. Saying, ‘I love you’ prematurely is a big no-no, as your partner might feel forced to respond or may even reject you on the spot. Any talk of the future, like laying out plans for marriage and kids, can scare a woman off more than your unkempt beards. Show your affection by reaching for her hand as you walk in the mall, touching her arm as you converse across the dinner table and making eye contact when she is talking to you. Don’t feel that you have to display your newfound love right away.

“

Many relationships fail simply because we expect too much from our partners. You are not ideal so it is rather dishonest to expect perfection from someone else. Both of you are human and it is natural that you have some shortcomings and imperfections.

Give it space to grow If you have been seeing one another once a week, suddenly spending the weekend together can be too much, too soon. Your relationship just isn’t ready for it. Instead, have dates that gradually increase in length and frequency. The same advice applies if you initially met online. Communicating via e-mail is fast and easy, so you and your partner can begin to feel close very quickly. However, when you live in different cities or states or even farther away having a normal first date can be difficult. You might think that instead of spending a relaxed three hours together, for example, your first date might last the entire weekend. After all, you have both spent a lot of time, money, and energy to travel some distance to meet. Don’t do it! Moreover, don’t let that great build-up of excitement convince you to hop into bed together either. If you do, you may very well break up shortly after the weekend and one or both of you could get hurt. So no matter how you meet, online or off, dignify yourself. Leave your new friend wanting more of you not less. You will be glad you did. Keep your own life People sometimes make the mistake of dropping their friends when a new love enters the picture. Whether you are male or female, it is best to maintain your friendships and family ties, and keep a healthy, balanced amount of activities with those people, even when you are dating someone special. Remember, your romantic mates will come and go before you finally settle with a long-term partner. On the other hand, if you show loyalty and nurture them properly, your friends and family will always be there for you. So treat them with care; don’t blow them off. Be careful when you’re needy If it is Christmas, or New Year’s Eve, or Valentine’s Day, or the anniversary of your last breakup, and you usually feel alone and needy around this time, be careful. Avoid bars, curb your drinking and keep in touch with your common sense. Don’t spill your guts about your ex or your loneliness, and avoid jumping into bed with someone just because he or she is there. Spend time with friends rather than someone too tempting to resist. Never ever try to compare your current partner with your previous ones. Moreover, you should never discuss your previous relationships with your new significant other. It is the easiest way to make him/her suspicious and jealous about all your (fe)male friends, which will surely lead to a breakdown. This rule works both ways. While you should keep silent about your previous guys, try not to ask him about his girlfriends as well. You don’t really need to know the person’s past to get to know him/her better, while dating you will have plenty opportunities to see everything with your own eyes. If you meet someone online who quickly becomes intense without even meeting you in person, or if she/he says they love you after knowing you for only a few weeks, take it with a grain of salt. Understand the comments in context; factor in the person’s state of mind before responding. Be respectful, positive, and polite, but keep realistic expectations about your friend and the relationship. The odds of any relationship working out long-term are low, so chances are, this one won’t work either. When you’re realistic in your expectations, you will not be hurt or shocked if your date does a 180-degree turn. Give each other space

Happy couple When you are in a new relationship, all you want to do is spend every waking minute together (often in bed), but despite your new love, it is also important to have interests outside of each other. The time you spend apart allows you to reflect on what is happening and gives you space to fully process your feelings. Spending too much time together doesn’t give you time to miss each other and can eventually be a drain on the relationship. Carve out some solo time to see your own friends and do activities that you love that your partner may not be into. Be open to discussion Communication and being willing to discuss all issues is key to making a new relationship work. If you don’t talk about what is bothering you, it won’t go away. Whether it is sex, family, finances or just his inability to let you finish a sentence, if it bothers you or you feel it is hindering the relationship, you need to discuss it openly and honestly. Take an interest in his/her work, hobbies, family and past. When your partner is talking about something, be a careful and active listener. Guys will never tell you that, but they like to be complimented. Compliments will raise his self-esteem and dignity. Say some kind words about his achievements or

personal qualities. The more you discuss things in the early stages of your relationship, the easier it will become. Making communication a priority now will only help you in the long run. Fight fair It is inevitable that if you are in a relationship, you are going to fight, but if you want yours to last, you are going to fight fair. This means listening to each other, being open to discussing even the more uncomfortable or frustrating topics and being flexible when things don’t go your way. If you can’t resolve your arguments in the early stages of a relationship, you aren’t going to have much luck doing it as time goes on. Fight fair now so you can learn from each other and figure out the best ways to compromise when disagreements arise. Many relationships fail simply because we expect too much from our partners. You are not ideal so it is rather dishonest to expect perfection from someone else. Both of you are human and it is natural that you have some shortcomings and imperfections. A new relationship always gives you a chance to start everything anew. Even though its outcome depends on many factors, you can still do a lot to make a good start.

Fiction PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

The ex-prisoner who learnt nothing new

he walk to the hotel was silent and sober, like the soberness after a funeral. Kunle , in that moment he felt like Judas Iscariot, he had betrayed the one person that loved and trusted him, all because he never paid attention. Imabong visited her dad in jail because her mother told her that her real father was in jail, she had always longed to see him, no mother is proud to tell her offspring that the father is in jail, but she had to after imabong persistent rain of fire and brimstone. She felt in-complete and really wanted to see her father. Her mother never mentioned him. It was a cloudy day in April. The warden announced “Miss Imabong Peters here to see Bosco aka Presido, please report to visitor’s room now!” Bosco was asleep when this announcement was made. A prison guard walking through the prison hall hit his staff on the prison cell “Presido wake up! You have a visitor” stunned! Bosco replied “Visitor ke? From where, Na police?” the guard laughed “No Presido, just one very fine girl” Bosco’s face brightened up like a circus “really??? I am coming, open this cage sharp!! Sharp!” Bosco walked into the visitors lobby with the hope of seeing one of his many mistresses, deep down he was alone, dejected and in need of love. He walked gleefully like a school boy, not his regular slowly and oppressive way. “Wow! You surely have the face to make a man turn straight” Bosco remarked with his mouth ajar as he sat opposite Imabong. “Thanks dad, means a lot” as Imabong smiled “DAD?! I am not that old baby.” Imabong looked down to the worn out floor of the visitor’s lobby, then up to the ceiling and said “My name is Imabong, your daughter, Jane is my mother” Bosco almost fell off his chair on hearing this news. “Dad, you don’t have to be sad or regretful, I understand and I forgive you, that is the life you chose, I think you should use this prison to reflect and change your life, so when you get out we can have a of relationship”. Amazed at the generosity and maturity of his daughter he burst into tears. The shock on the faces of fellow prisoners in the room and guards was petrifying; the lion had turned into a pussy cat. Bosco aka Presido was crying. The news will spread around the prison walls like wildfire, his presidential regime was in jeopardy, the words of his daughter that shone light and hope on the darkest places of his heart. He felt true love for the first time in his life. As he often said “payback is a bitch” Bosco became sober and focused. He developed a burning desire to protect his child at all cost and any cost even if it meant taking his life. He decided to come clean and try to be normal, he had a few years left in his sentence so he made sure that he was going to come out earlier than planned, he resigned from the his presidential post before he got “impeached”, Impeachment in the prison most times means assassination, he was smart enough to hand over power

He left prison and killed his best friend and opt out. Matthew was a name he always loved so he changed his name, Bosco never really had a real name to begin with, he was an orphan on the street and had no one to look after him, the name “BOSCO” was a nickname he got, a result of toughness and constant struggle to survive. He joined the prison educational programme and improved his reading and writing skills, special students will earn a “scholarship” as they popularly called it. This “Scholarship” was not the orthodox scholarship we all knew, but this special reduces the amount of years on the sentences. Time flies and takes with it memories, love and loyalties. As time took full flight so did the relationship between Bosco and Kunle wear out. It was after this long silence that Bosco decided to write a letter to Kunle. “I’m pregnant kunle” kunle looked at her like the situation could not get worse, “Imabong, what are we going to do, first you’re Bosco’s daughter, and you’re preg-

“

nant for me, how do you think Bosco is going to take all this?” Imabong sighed “He sent you a letter didn’t he? What did he say about me there?” Kunle felt stupid “I didn’t even read it to the end, that’s the first thing I will do once we return.” It was a foggy morning, Kunle’s headlights pierced through the fog like a sword in flesh. All he thought about was the letter Bosco sent him and what he had missed. He got to the office, it was dawn, none of his workers were around, so he had to turn on the generator himself “Damn NEPA!” he snapped , he rushed into the hallway, left the door ajar, as he burst into his office like a police crew trying to catch a criminal unaware, dashed straight to his drawer, scattered it, didn’t find it, opened the next and saw the letter looking at him, at that moment he didn’t see a piece of paper, he saw Bosco’s face. “Dear Kunle, First of all, I have good news for you, my new name is Mathew and will no more be addressed as

Kunle, I will kill for her, anyone that tries to mess with her will kiss the sand. I am sure you’re also surprised that I can write too? I have been taking lessons, who knows? If I get the “scholarship” I will be out sooner than you think. Don’t mess up, you know payback can be a bitch.

Bosco, hope this letter meets you well? Sorry I have not written you in a longtime; I am really trying to get my life in perspective. How is your ministry? Hope you are still raking in the cash, because when I get out you are going to take good care of me and my daughter… yes! Kunle, I said daughter, you remember Jane that beautiful woman, my best out of all my mistresses that suddenly went missing. She bore my child, a beautiful creation in every right, God used her to jump start my brain, she made me realize that I have been sleeping all these years, she is all I want to live for, I will die to protect her and make sure she has a normal life and doesn’t end up with men like us Kunle. I want her to meet a nice young man and start a family so she can live the life we never had. I am sure you are wondering why I am saying all this; I told her to come and meet you in your office, so you can see her and take her as your daughter. I am entrusting you to protect her from the evil world that we live in till I get out. God has given me a clean slate with Imabong. Kunle, I will kill for her, anyone that tries to mess with her will kiss the sand. I am sure you’re also surprised that I can write too? I have been taking lessons, who knows? If I get the “scholarship” I will be out sooner than you think. Don’t mess up, you know payback can be a bitch. I will always love you brother, I am sure you will do this favor for me. Be good. Matthew. Kunle could hear the fat cells frying in his body as sweat poured profusely from his glands. All sorts

of thoughts ran through his head, he wanted to run, he thought about facing Bosco and telling him the very person he was supposed to protect is going to bear his child. “Imabong, we need to leave town now!” Kunle said hysterically over the phone “your dad is going to kill me, am very sure of that, he believes Payback is a bitch” Imabong laughed “Pastor Chicken! He can’t kill you, he will be upset, am sure we can figure something out” kunle with a straight and stern voice “baby am freaking out, think am going to just kill myself” Imabong stunned on the other side of the phone screamed “Kunle! Just hold on, am coming now. Don’t hurt yourself, you are going to be a father, you child needs you alive, please.” Kunle was crying, weeping as he sat on the floor of his office lost and confused. “WHAT!!!! IMABONG IS DEAD?” Kunle screamed. Imabong died on her way to his office the day he completed Bosco’s letter, the fog had blurred her vision and she ran into a tree on the side of the road. News spread fast around town, ‘the pastor’s fiancée’ as sugar coated in the news was dead. Kunle had died inside him, his body organs seemed to function independent of his feelings and control. He knew the only thing he could do was run away from all the news and rumors, away, to a new place of fresh air and peace to clear his head and restrategize. Kunle sat on his king size bed, glancing through his pictures with Imabong and Rio as tears rolled down his face, his suitcase by his side, holding passport and ticket, he looked at the pictures and shook his head wandering why such a happy life went wrong. He consoled himself with the fact that she was too good to be true. He wiped his tears, picked up his shades and went down the staircase, tall and gallant taking long strides like the villain in a movie. As he opened the front door of his house “BOOM!” a bullet went straight through Kunle Ajao’s head. He didn’t even have the chance to take his last his breath, he fell flat on his back, eyes open, his brains shiny on his perfectly marbled floor as the bullet crushed his cranium, his house looked like an abattoir “You bastard!” Bosco said panting frantically as he held the gun in the same position as he shot Kunle. Bosco, driven by the pain of a wounded warrior, shot Kunle on sight so he wouldn’t have second thoughts about ending his life. He turned his back on Kunle’s lifeless body and walked down the estate, through Kunle’s dead security guards, the maid; it was a scene of genocide, like an epidemic, bullets, stuck in the head of every worker as he wiped out everyone with the skill and precision of a CIA agent. He had taken his pound of flesh, with one last look at Kunle’s body the years rolled back and a tear came down his face. He looked away and walked down the road, his bag on one arm his gun in his shorts, “Payback is always a bitch” he muttered. Naijastories.com

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Romance

Lost in his charm

‘‘

eke dailed the number as she alighted from the cab; he picked on the third ring. “Hello, evening.” “Evening sir, I am ‘Deke Makinde. Chief ‘Loleseungbogbo sent me.” “Good. Where are you now?” “Right outside Chevron Country Club sir.” “Will meet you at the security post in a minute.” “Alright sir.” Soon they were seated at the reception, he had called Sam, one of the kitchen staff to get her something to eat or drink. He watched her as she declined Sam’s offer. “Pardon my bluntness, err Miss/Mrs Makinde? “‘Deke.” “‘Deke. Do pardon my bluntness, but when the Chief mentioned he would be sending one of his staff to discuss the proposal, I assumed the person would be older. You only look all of 25.” “Sir, I am certain that Chief is confident of my ability to handle this meeting. I believe he wouldn’t ask me to do this if he is in doubt of my capabilities.” “I see you did not deny the age bit.” “If I may sir, how old are you?” He was shocked and mumbled through his answer. He looked at her and seeing that she continued to look unblinking at him said, “32″ “Well sir, you are not that much older than I am. I believe we can proceed now.” “Yes of course” he responded. An hour and a half later, they rose, bade each other good night and follow-up correspondences the next day. They walked out together and only then realised it had been raining. “Are you mobile?” He asked “No sir.” “Please ‘Deke, Mofe will do. Where are you headed? I might be of some assistance.” “I am headed to Berger.” ‘Deke replies “Good. Hop in then. I am headed to Ojodu.” He says as he moves to get the door for her. “Oh thank you Mofe.” They fell into a light conversation on the way: home, family, work, religious inclinations, schooling…so much so by the time he dropped her off at her doorstep, they both knew quite a bit about each other. “Thank you Mofe”, ‘Deke said as she made to alight. “Hold it”, said Mofe and came around to get the door for her. “I was brought up this way”, he said in response to the ques-

tion in her smile. “Well, thank you and…” she began but was cut off by her phone ringing. “Excuse me”, she said. Mofe nodded. It was her younger brother calling to tell her he borrowed her car and had to make a quick stop at their parents’ home at Ibadan. He would return it on Sunday. “Tomorrow is Friday!” She lamented, “How on earth am I to get to the office?” She queried and he apologised. Soon afterwards, she dropped the call. “I could pick you up tomorrow, if you don’t mind.” Mofe offered “Oh no please, I can sort myself out. You have done much already. Thank you for offering.” “Okay then but I must add; I wish my sister let me off taking her car out for a spin this easily. Your brother is a lucky dude.” He smiled at her. “Good night.” “Good night to you too.” She watched him drive away before going in. Mofe had a couple more dealings with Chief ‘Loleseungbogbo. Sometimes, he saw ‘Deke but he was able to call her as they had exchanged business cards the first day. He liked her and wouldn’t have minded taking things a notch higher if she hadn’t emphatically told him she didn’t mix business with pleasure. He was soon to call her sparingly. She’d hardly walked into the eatery to await her Sister; they had plans for Balogun Market, when she heard a loud voice scream: “AUNTY ‘DEKE!” and saw her little niece running up to her. Her sister was here already! She scooped up the little girl and spun her around until she screamed some more. She then sat at the table with them and after chatting awhile, they got up to leave. She came back in some minutes later to snatch up her phone she’d left on the table and ended up bumping into a couple: an elderly couple. “OMG, I am sooo sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going. Are you hurt?” She asked “Oh, isn’t she cute?” the lady giggled to her husband. “Relax dear, we are great. Unless of course, this old man here is….” “Hey, who are you calling old?” Her husband interrupted and they began to tease each other. ‘Deke smiled and told them she was glad they were alright but had to go when… “Mom, Dad, c’mon let’s go.” A voice called. She looked up and into Mofe’s eyes; he smiled. She smiled too, taking in the scenario. “My parents”, he mouthed and she nodded. “Mofe, look who we found. She’s a really nice girl. Has got

He proposed after their first date

“

An hour and a half later, they rose, bade each other good night and follow-up correspondences the next day. They walked out together and only then realised it had been raining.

manners too. What’s your name dear?” “‘Deke” “‘Deke, nice name. We were on our way out; we would have asked that you have a meal with us.” Mofe’s Mom continued “I was leaving too. I have someone waiting outside, hence my hurry. I am sorry again please. Mofe….” “Oh, you two know each other? Mofe’s Dad interrupted. They both nodded. “Okay then, since we are all leaving,” Mofe’s mom said turning to ‘Deke, “I hope you don’t mind paying us a visit? Oh please do not refuse; I’ll love to chat with you. See, I’m al-

ways surrounded by these two and they speak another language. Say you’ll come, please dear? She said winking at ‘Deke who couldn’t stop herself from laughing and accepting. “Great, give me your number then.” “I have that Mom.” Mofe chipped in, looking at ‘Deke with a question in his eyes. She nodded in the affirmative. “That well huh? Okay, speak with you later then.” She said giving ‘Deke a hug and a peck on the cheek. “Run along now dear, don’t let’s keep you. Bye!” ‘Deke said her goodbye and left. Over the course of the following months, I have become

certain of a couple of things: that Mofe’s family is a lovely one indeed; that his Mom is a total clown; that they all love me as family as I do them and that I love Mofe with all my heart. I have a couple of special memories too: I remember when his Mom had asked how old I am, Mofe had volunteered “25 “, I had gently corrected that I was going on 29. Mofe’s jaw had almost dropped. I also remember when he told me point blank that he was interested in me and wanted a relationship with me, and as he was no longer my organisation’s client (I had since moved on to another job), he would like to know my take on his proposal. That was so bold of him and yes, bold is the way I like my men. Then the date night I gave him my answer (YES!) after dropping me off, he requested for a good night kiss. “A good night peck, you mean.” I corrected, tilting my cheek to him. “No, a kiss” he corrected as he held my chin and slowly turned my face to his’. When his lips touched mine, I knew my heart had come home. Naijastories.com

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Nollywood

Nigeria music industry is a powerful tool for entertainment The Nigeria music industry, comes with differtents geners of lyrics ranging from hip hop, RnB, traditional, Classic among other. The entertainment industry especially music aspect has growth beyound expectation. A cross section of Abuja residents spoken on how Nigerian music industry, has performed over the years as there is still room for improvement in words and lyrics while others felt a little more effort can take the music industry to another dimension Peoples Daily Weekend repoter Zakariyya Khadijah ex-ray the thoughts of residents on how the view the industry so far.excerpts : Mercy Achimugu

or Miss Mercy Achimugu, I will say the Nigerian music industry are really trying, I will pick them over any other country’s music industry. I always feel proud of being a Nigerian the Nigerian music industry I must say are doing very well. They are doing a very good job. The musicians from the industry are making it. They sing well make music videos outside Nigeria and are watched and listened to in other parts of the world. Whenever I watch or listen to any music. The directors, the producers are all good, more grease to their elbows. Nigeria music industry has been like a role model to another African country and they are emulating our music and styles and are working for them like seriously. Nigeria is so great in entertaining both Nigerians and the foreign country. “Figurine” and “Phone Swap”, the dude is creative!

Salim Ibrahim Jalo

ccording to Salim Ibrahim Jalo, Ahh…to me, the Nigerian music industry should put more effort. I mean more work need to be done. Some Nigerian songs disappoint me in the sense that they make low budget compared to the western music. One other thing about the Nigerian musicians/ the Nigerian music industry is their lack of dress sense. I don’t need to mention names but some o Nigerian musicians do not know how to dress. They need to work of their videos and the words the used in their songs.

Maryam Abdul

eanwhile, Maryam Abdul said Most of Nigerian musicians always sing in Yoruba language. This annoys me so much, not because I am not Yoruba but because it is not supposed to be a Yoruba music industry. The music industry is supposed to be loved and appreciated by all Nigerians, not just Yoruba speaking people. The music industry should produce more of English language speaking songs

Hadiza Tahir

o me, the Nigerian music industry is well to do and is working very hard. They are making Nigeria proud and taking Nigeria to greater heights. Musicians like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Patoranking, etc are all very good. They even feature foreign musicians which is very good. The music producers and directors are also trying, Hadiza Tahir said

Job Sani

r. Job Sani, They are good but they are mostly and generally always talking about the same thing: women and money. Most of the musicians do not show or set good examples to the kids, as Nigerians, we are supposed to be proud and appreciate the Nigerian industry, but we can’t allow the children watch some of these Nigerian music videos because of the erotic scenes and pictures that are being showed. Those lyrics and the video dances should be caution and needed to check by the entertainment regulating body, before airing such music or video we see on the television, and listener to on radio and pictures on we watched newspapers ,also go away in affect our psychology and our day to day life . We seriously need to be careful even as much as they entertain us.

Habiba Muhammad

s for Mrs. Habiba Muhammad, emphasised that Nigerian musicians are going places they are appreciated in every part of the world. I was in Dubai early this year. I was standing next to an arabian guy and to my surprise he was listening to Wizkids “show me the money” I was very happy and proud.The nigerian music industry working hard and are trying. They just really need to minimize their use of offesive languages and some crazy type of scenes that are not suitable for kids.

Muhammad Rabiu

owever, Muhammad Rabiu said Nigerian musicians are simply the best, and seriously working hard they make good music; they have the best record labels and best music producers. I will say they are doing a very good job and they should keep it up. They musician should really improve in their lyrics not only about money, women and other erotic things they shown in their videos, they can equally make it creative and knowledgeable and godly.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Jennifer Lawrence covers Vogue magazine

scar winning actress Jennifer Lawrence has opened up about her desire to start a family life. The Hunger Games star revealed she is eager to settle down. During an interview with Vogue magazine, the 25-year-old actress, who had previously dated Nicholas Hoult and Chris Martin, talked about marriage. She said: “I can’t wait to be married. I feel like if I find that one person who I want to spend the rest of my life with, who I want to be the father of my children, but I’m also not banking on that.” In August 2014, naked photos of the Silver Linings Playbook actress and more than 100 other Hollywood stars were leaked online by an anonymous hacker. Lawrence said she felt sexually exploited by the hackers behind the leak. “It was all pain and no gain,” Lawrence said. “But I don’t dwell on it unless someone brings it up. Have you

Hollywood

seen me naked?” Meanwhile, in February there were reports about a row with director David O Russell on the set of their upcoming film, Joy. At that time, she had taken to social media to clear up the rumours of a feud. It is the third movie that Lawrence and Russell have worked on together, after Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. The film is based on the true story of Joy Mangano, a struggling Long Island single mother who became one of the country’s most successful entrepreneurs after inventing the Miracle Mop. Joy is set to release on 25 December in the US and a week later in the UK. I wasn’t mean to anybody but David,” she said. “I would never be mean to somebody who couldn’t be mean back. But when you really love somebody, you fight with them. There have been times where I’ve said, ‘We should go to couples therapy.’”

Brooklyn Hands Mum Victoria Fashion Award V ictoria Beckham, Caitlyn Jenner and Reese Witherspoon have been honoured at an awards ceremony celebrating women. Designer Beckham was given the Fashion Force award by her son Brooklyn at the Glamour Women of the Year awards in New York. She was introduced to the stage with a video clip from her four children and husband, David Beckham. She was also honoured for her work in AIDS education and prevention. “I love what I do,” Beckham said. She added that with her fashion, she aimed to make women feel “like the best version of themselves “. Jenner, who was named Woman of the Year, told the crowd at Carnegie Hall that the six months since she came out as a woman have been “the most eye-opening experience of my life”. She said before she transitioned to a woman, she stayed at home most of the time, feeling alone. “Now I actually like going out, and I like being myself.” “I’m very happy to be living on the other side,” she said. Jenner described going through “many, many years of isolation” before coming out. “And I came to the conclusion that, you know what? Maybe this is why God put me on this earth, to tell my story

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ and girlfriend Lauren expecting baby girl

wayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and long term girlfriend Lauren Hashian couldn’t be happier as they revealed they are expecting a baby girl. The San Andreas star announced the exciting news via his Instagram page with a lovely image of him and mum-to-be Lauren. The beautiful image showed the very excited couple with Lauren’s big bump taking centre stage, while the caption read: “I was raised by and live with amazing and strong women, so the universe felt we needed one more... IT’S A BABY GIRL!! THANK YOU guys so much for the awesome support and love you’ve sent @

laurenhashianofficial and myself from around the world. We’re so grateful for this blessing and thrilled to share the news with y’all...”

The expecting couple, who have been together nine years, announced they would be expecting their first child together in September and according to a report Dwayne and Lauren, 31, will welcome their new arrival in January 2016. “Dwayne and Lauren couldn’t be more thrilled,” a source told the website. “They’ve been rock solid for about nine years now and felt it was time to expand their family.” The 43-yearold star, who is already a father to daughter Simone, 14, split from college sweetheart Dany Garcia in 2007. Simone lives with her mother Dany in Florida but she makes sure to spend time with her father too. It seems the former professional wrestler has a “solid” home life and told Esquire magazine that this is the root to his success, saying: “We do these stories and we talk so much about

... and maybe make a difference in the world. What a great opportunity in life to have.” Misty Copeland, who became the first female AfricanAmerican principal at American Ballet Theatre in June, thanked Glamour “for honouring a black ballerina”. To the young girls seated in the balcony from various schools and girls clubs, she said, “We’re trying to set the best example for you.” Witherspoon gave the final speech of the night, speaking passionately about female ambition. “I believe ambition is not a dirty word,” she said. The Oscar winner co-founded a production company, Pacific Standard, which aims to make films featuring strong female lead roles - “not the wife or the girlfriend, but the lead,” she said as a way to fight the gender gap in Hollywood. The company’s films Wild and Gone Girl earned Oscar nominations for Witherspoon, Laura Dern and Rosamund Pike. The annual ceremony mixes high-profile celebrities with lesser known names, and this year the award winners included five women touched by the South Carolina church massacre Alana Simmons, Nadine Collier, Bethane Middleton-Brown, Felicia Sanders and Polly Sheppard - and lauded in the aftermath as The Peacemakers of Charleston.

Justin Bieber compares himself to Amy Wine house

he 21-year-old singer admitted he is struggling with fame and said he can see similarities between his situation and that of Amy, who died in 2011 at the age of just 27. He said: “You get lonely, you know, when you’re on the road. People see the glam and the amazing stuff, but they don’t know the other side. This life can rip you apart. “I feel isolated. You’re in your hotel room and there are fans all around, paparazzi following you everywhere, and it gets intense. When you can’t go anywhere or do anything alone you get depressed. I would not wish this upon anyone. “I watched the Amy Wine house documentary on the plane and I had tears in my eyes. People thought it was funny to poke her when she was at rock bottom, to keep pushing her down until she had no more of herself. And that’s what they were trying to do to me. “I just want people to know I’m human. I’m struggling just to get through the days. I think a lot of people are.” She said “It’s because of the way the ‘Justin Bieber brand’ was portrayed. I was a wholesome pop star who was so amazing who had nice hair. “So when all this happened people were like, ‘Woah, let’s rip him apart’. If you see Ghandi roll up a blunt, it’s different to seeing Ryan Gosling roll up a blunt. You wouldn’t give Ryan Gosling a hard time.”

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Celebrity Gists

Ariana Grande to perform at American Music Awards

8-year old OzzyBee releases video for ‘Smile Again’

t is a year of change for child star, OzzyBosco now known as OzzyBee. He appeared on Britain’s Got Talent and now he has released the official video for his song, “Smile Again”. The video features OzzyBee and crew in a historic hot air balloon flight, which flew 200ft above sea level and also cameo appearances from mentors including veteran Nigerian reggae star, Oritz Wiliki, dance queen Kaffy, TV personality, Denrele Edun and Lamboginny. The song which was directed by Mr Moe Musa, is dedicated to internally displaced children in the North-Eeast.

inger Ariana Grande will perform at the American Music Awards. Grande, who was nominated for two AMAs, joins previously announced performers Coldplay, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Gwen Stefani, Selena Gomez, Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato, Pentatonix, 5 Seconds of Summer, One Direction, Carrie Underwood and Walk The Moon. Grammy-award winner, Jennifer Lopez will make her debut as the host of the AMAs. The 2015 American Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in L.A. on Sunday, November 22. Taylor Swift leads the nomination pack this year with six noms. Ed Sheeran and The Weeknd tie with five nominations each, while Sam Hunt, Nicki Minaj, Sam Smith, Meghan Trainor and Walk the Moon trail with three nominations each, followed by Jason Aldean, Chris Brown, Luke Bryan, Drake, Fetty Wap, Florida Georgia Line, Grande, Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, One Direction, Charlie Puth, Rihanna, Mark Ronson and Wiz Khalifa with two nominations each.

Leave my wife out of unauthorised adverts —Ime Bishop

omic Nollywood actor, Ime Bishop, is unhappy with the way some people use the image of his wife for unauthorised adverts. Bishop said he is not against his image being used to attract customers to patronise a product, but he will not accept his wife being dragged into it. The actor was making reference to a photograph he received from a concerned fan, where his image and that of his wife were used to advertise a local canteen located at the NYSC Orientation Camp in

Abuja. Expressing his displeasure, Bishop said, “Hmm, wetin I no go see. A photo of a banner was taken and forwarded to me all the way from the Abuja NYSC orientation camp. It’s a bukka and the inscription is ‘Akwa Ibom Special’ I am not opposed to being “used” anyhow o but when my wife is involved, my plea is very earnest. Concentrate on me only. Na me sign up to dey do mumu. I’m just imagining how me and my wife will be serving in a bukka. I don suffer.”

Seyi Shay lands endorsement deal with Pepsi

usic star, Seyi Shay, is the latest artist to be signed on by Pepsi as a brand ambassador. The ‘Right Now’ singer joins Wizkid and Tiwa Savage as ambassadors for the soda company. The announcement came a few days after Seyi Shay revealed more details about her debut album ‘Seyi or Shay’.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Entertainment

Rihanna launches new photo, beauty and stylist agency

inger Rihanna has launched an agency that will represent stylists, makeup artists and hairdressers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rihanna joined forces with talent manager, Benoit Demouy, to create agency Fr8me which will help those in the beauty and fashion field book work on commercials, editorial shoots, ad campaigns and for red carpet events. Rihanna told THR: ‘Hair, makeup and styling play an important role in creativity. I am very involved with that part of my process, so this agency was an organic thing for me to do.’ As part of the new venture, the singer and her business partner also launched a photo agency, A Dog Ate My Homework. Rihanna and her partner have already signed some big names in the beauty and fashion world including her own makeup artist, Mylah Morales, Taraji P. Henson’s wardrobe stylist, Jason Bolden, and hairstylist, Patricia Morales, who styles Evan Rachel Wood and Fergie, and fellow hairstylist, Marcia Hamilton who helps Jada Pinkett Smith keep her locks looking good.

Sammy, Kanu Nwankwo, Banky W, others collaborate on “Little One”

ammy and Kanu Nwankwo teamed up for a new song called “Little One” and they featured music stars Banky W, Sound Sultan, Praiz and Niyola. ‘Little one’, was produced by Echo & Sleekamo and mixed by Marqai. It is a call to action for people to lend a hand to the 185 children on the waiting list for heart surgeries.

Olamide releases video for MVP

ndigenous rapper, Olamide has dropped a new video off his ‘Street OT’ album. The video is for “MVP” and is dedicated to Quilox club in Lagos, Nigeria. Olamide stated “I am dedicating this video to Quilox and the CEO Shina Peller because of the constant love and support that has been shown to the YBNL team. I cannot thank the brand enough. God bless you more.”

3-year-old DJ wins S/Africa’s Got Talent 2015

hree-year-old Oratilwe Hlongwane, popularly known as DJ Arch Junior, was recently crowned the winner of South Africa’s Got Talent. The youngest ever! The talented toddler whose father, Glen is a parttime DJ and professional gymnastics teacher walked away from the popular talent show with $35,000 prize money. His mother, Refiloe Marumo, credits his astounding success on his father’s decision to buy an iPad for his then unborn son. The youngest DJ rose to stardom in December after his father posted videos of him mixing a popular house tune and it went viral. Glen and Refiloe said Keri Hilson, The Game, Bow Wow, among others recognised his star power. “They saw his video and posted about him on twitter, saying this kid is going to be famous,” Shortly after his son’s win, Mr. Hlongwane admitted that he was “blown away” by his performance. “You know, for a three-year-old I’m just blown away. Never mind him winning the competition, the fact he stood on stage, did a set, finished it and still clicked stop. I don’t know any other three-year olds who would stand there without their parents.” DJ Arch has been booked for his first international gig, Botswana’s Annual Kid Festival, which will hold this weekend.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

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”

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ISSUES

Diezani, PDP and the price of impunity By Cassidy Madueke

he raid on a luxury home in London and detention of Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s exminister of Petroleum and one of the oil amazons and influencers in Jonathan’s administration on October 2, by the London Police on money laundering and corruption charges is a practical and undeniable exposure on the level of criminality and corruption perpetrated against Nigerians by some public office holders in the last PDP-led government. Most startling to Nigerians is not merely the level and amount of resources wasted and stolen, but more despicable and impulsive is the level of impunity and manner at which majority of public office holders in the Jonathan administration carried out such indecency and anomalies against their country and her citizens. Not within my living memory have I seen or recall anywhere in the world where endemic corruption, gross misappropriation and misapplication of public funds and nonchalant attitude towards the yearnings and aspirations of the people were visibly adopted as a way of governance by any government on the surface of the earth except in the case of Nigeria and by the then led PDP government. That not only represents complete opposite of campaign promises, but also a caricature and gross abuse of peoples’ expectation in any democratic set up or arrangement. The level of impunity, carelessness, free looting of national treasury, misappropriation of public funds, institutional decay, lack of respect and value for Nigerians, arrogantly and publicly displayed by the top guns of the last PDP led administration cannot be over emphasized. It is not propaganda that the ongoing money laundering and corruption charges against the immediate past petroleum minister Diezani Madueke in London will be a mere tip of an iceberg compared to the damage done to this country and her citizens in the last 8 years. It is worthy of note that the deep injury inflicted on the Nigeria socioeconomic and political system, no doubt requires a timely application of advanced, reliable and appropriate medication. The hostile and irresponsible platforms instituted by the past regimes need to be systematically dismantled in all ramifications to give way for the nation’s genuine movement to greatness.

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: opinion@peoplesdailyng.com adverts@peoplesdailyng.com pictures@peoplesdailyng.com contact@peoplesdailyng.com The hope and light of achieving these long awaited feats and march to greater Nigeria was beamed on the entire nation when Nigerians sang the lyrics of positive change which manifested in the historic victory of PMB in the march 28, 2015 presidential election. Little did Nigerians realize that against all adds, here comes the beginning of a new and prosperous dawn in the history of leadership and governance in our dear and only country Nigeria. The emergence of the new sheriff and reformed democrat (Muhammudu Buhari) as the newly democratically elected president gave a huge sigh of relief and optimism to well-meaning Nigerians. It was also greeted with fear, applaud and excitement by various categories of individuals/persons and groups. As the corrupt past and present public office holders are gripped with fear of consequences of their indecent and corrupt practices, applaud were accorded to the foot soldiers and heroes of change while excitement befell majority of Nigerians who have for long been praying and clamouring for positive change that will usher in pragmatic and proactive measures on the war against the endemic diseases of corruption, insecurity/ insurgency and unemployment. What are envisaged under a PMB administration are tools to encourage economic revamp and diversification, stability and sustainability, as well improved living conditions of the citizens among others. Taking cognizance of the fact the new leader with due commitment to the rule

of law and order, capacity to weather the storm as well as equipped with capacity and temperament of doing things the right way without fear or favour, some groups/ persons, particularly the opposition PDP has become critical of Mr. president’s categorical and strong worded statement that the fight against corruption and indiscipline must get to a logical conclusion. The very modest and unpurchasable president further stated that anyone found guilty of the dangerous and deadly disease (corruption) irrespective of the person’s status, social, religious or political affiliation will face the wrath of the law. President Buhari urged Nigerians not to exercise any fear, but rather people should fear the consequences of their action. Without mincing words President Buhari has in no small measure shown commitment to the rule of law, transparency, purposefulness and simplicity in the handling of government affairs. His tenacity and zeal to wipe out corruption, strengthen the nation, revamp the economy, clean the huge rot his administration inherited as well as his diplomatic shuttles to reposition Nigeria’s image and values within the comity of nations are pointers to Buhari’s purposefulness which without contention deserves applaud, encouragement, and support. The achievements so far recorded by this administration in power sector, anticorruption, security and firm promises to wipe out Boko Haram/ insurgency by the end of the year has hugely rekindled the confidence and believes by international community

on Nigeria’s ability and readiness to offer / provide conducive investment environment, secure and profitable international business relations. Astonishing and despicable is the outcry of selective persecution, by the opposition PDP that Buhari’s anti-corrupting war is targeted at members of their party and public office holders under Jonathan’s administration only. But my response to the wailing wailers is simple: if the then ruling PDP under the leadership of Jonathan had deemed it necessary to do the simple things the right way, check-mate recklessness, misappropriation, corruption and wasteful spending of public fund entrusted to them, the entire nation would have been today enjoying robust economy, adequate infrastructure, stability and sustainability in all sectors, adequate and efficient security of lives and properties of the citizens among others, but unfortunately the reverse was the case notwithstanding the huge resources and excess crude oil gains available to the Jonathan administration. With analytical statistics indicating the immediate past administration as the worst corrupt government in the last 50 years of Nigeria, prompting the present administration to embark on a meaningful and result oriented anti-graft war to save the economy and mass unemployment. This laudable antigraft initiative applauded by well-meaning Nigerians and the international community is already recording significant and tangible results. It would be more appropriate for the PDP to shun arrogance and apologize to Nigerians for its 16 years of massive fraudulent and deceitful leadership that left in its wake a pitiful state particularly the south- eastern region. The region deserves better than this horrible and sorrowful infrastructure mess which is not in tandem with the zone’s wholesome and unimpeachable support for Jonathan and his PDP. The opposition party and its cronies need to embrace this new march to greatness engineered by the present administration, instead of engaging in war of attrition, unconstructive and baseless criticisms over the genuine and renewed fight against corruption and insecurity by PMB, which PDP government failed woefully to address inspite of the level of support, goodwill and resources at their disposal. Madueke posted this piece on Abusidiqu.com

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Opinion Why Fashola must reverse privatisation of power

By Tope Adesipo

uch excitement has greeted the announcement of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola as the Minister of Power, Works and Housing. Fashola, a former governor of Lagos State, has earned a reputation for being a performer. I don’t doubt his competence but the truth is I am not one of his fans. I’m one of those who think that there is so much hype around his works in Lagos which are in sharp contrast with the reality of the state and average Lagosians. Nonetheless, I want him to succeed in his new role. Nigeria cannot afford not to get electricity. It has been the bane of our development. Electricity is central to the development of any nation and Nigerians, almost six decades after independence, still live in perpetual darkness while millions are not even connected at all. Two years after the privatisation of the power sector, Nigerians still depend on generators for their power needs. so much cheer and excitement came with the privatization in 2013, all that optimism are now starting to wane. It is no news that electricity supply has failed to improve since the power sector was privatized. The former government of Jonathan blamed vandals and insufficient gas to power but that was a spurious excuse. The truth is the cronies they handed over power distribution and generation to are clueless. The private cronies have shown an obvious lack in capital base, technical knowledge, history/experience and the will to turn around the sector. Virtually all the private companies that bought the power sector borrowed a large chunk of money used in acquiring Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) subsidiaries in what is

seen as one of the biggest scam perpetuated in Nigeria. These sharks first hurriedly registered companies for the purpose of bidding for the distorted and balkanized power sector, got some international energy company to agree as their technical partners and secured loans from the banks. Despite the obvious degenerating power supply, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has continued to increase tariffs. The history of Nigeria’s electricity crisis itself reflects the history of failure of Leadership in Nigeria. In spite of the enormous wealth that accrued to the country since independence, the country’s electricity supply has not left its colonial height. No new power plant was built by

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successive administrations (both military and civilian) between 1980 and 2005. Yet several billions of dollars were committed to the power sector. In 2005 when the Obasanjo regime tried to build some new power plants, it was clear that it was another conduit pipe for massive looting of public wealth. While over $10 billion was committed to building new power plants, less than 700 MW of electricity have been added to the national grid. The failure and then virtual collapse of NEPA/ PHCN allowed the government to claim that nationalisation was the obstacle to providing electricity and that privatization was the answer. While that may be true, it was not only about nationalisation, NEPA failed because it was looted from

In the past two years of privatisation, Nigerians have had to pay stupendous amount of money to DISCOS in form of fixed charge of N750 by over 25 million households and a regime of crazy/estimated bills that could be as high as N20,000 monthly for residential consumers.

within. Outside contractors made millions from contracts which often were never implemented while elements within NEPA looted it for themselves. But despite many promises privatization has not improved supply but has quickly brought price hikes. The power sector is one sector that is heavily capital intensive and requires planned coordination and synergy amongst the different component (generation, transmission and distribution) of the power sector. According to the International Energy Association (IEA) around $6.1 billion (about N1 trillion) is needed in investment annually for the next ten years to provide electricity for all Nigeria. The stark improvement that we saw shortly after Buhari came in, was as a result of the fear of reversal of the privatisation. Now it is becoming clearer to them that the government may not reverse the programme which the investors. It is now clear that the president is going to continue with it and they have gone back to their old ways. In the past two years of privatisation, Nigerians have had to pay stupendous amount of money to DISCOS in form of fixed charge of N750 by over 25 million households and a regime of crazy/estimated bills that could be as high as N20,000 monthly for residential consumers. To solve Nigeria’s electricity problems the new minister must reverse the privatization program for starters. What happened is not privatization it is cronyism. Going forward, we must also begin to look at sustainable form of energy generation. The NIPP projects seems to be contributing more power than the legacy Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) power plants to the national grid today. Culled from Abusidiqu.com

President Buhari, Magu and the new EFCC By Zayyad I. Muhammad

resident Muhammadu Buhari’s well-known no-nonsense stance on corruption and the appointment of Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu as the new Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has signalled the start of the much-expected change in the commission, as well as a new beginning in the war against corruption. Some observers are of the view that Magu is very lucky because President Buhari will always be there for him, but for him to truly portray the EFCC in a new light; he must do some ‘big thinking’. The ‘new’ EFCC should explore the multilateral technical co-operation on corruption to develop mechanism that will help Nigeria have a system that discourages outright stealing of public fund, and develop an anti-corruption war that relies on forensic evidence, welltrained personnel and free of unnecessary controversies. The EFCC should effectively utilize the provisions in the National Assembly Act 2004, establishing the EFCC. For instance, Part III, section 12, subsection 1(c) and subsection (2), which provides for establishment of Research Unit; and any committee to assist the commission, are good avenues for the commission to explore in order to bring the commission at par with Nigerians’ expectations and global best practices. Magu should take the EFCC to a new level- EFCC as an institution responsible for fighting the war against corruption should

remodel its strategies for prosecuting accused persons. Situations such as slamming 120 count charges on a person accused of being corrupt while in public office, without being able to establish any of these, should be replaced with a factbased process of prosecution, where the Commission gets its solid facts before charging accused to court. The commission should be driven by a new approach that is multifaceted, multidisciplinary and knowledge-driven; an approach that would assist all institutions of government in re-establishing norms and standards of governance, assist the public, NGOs and even the legislature in monitoring of compliance with the standards. The core of the ‘new’ EFCC

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should be centered on restoring social order especially to governance; and promoting advocacy and capacity building among genuine whistleblowers. In short, Nigeria’s anti-corruption war should not only be limited to celebrated arrests, arraignment of the accused in courts of law, the EFCC should serve as the change agent in establishing systematic and systemic approaches that will educate the public on the ills of corruption and the beauty of doing thing as they ought to be done. Magu should also know that public trust is the key in his new job. Anti-corruption czars rarely talk in public, but when they do, they carefully choose their words. Anticorruption czars do not wine and dine

In short, Nigeria’s anti-corruption war should not only be limited to celebrated arrests, arraignment of the accused in courts of law, the EFCC should serve as the change agent in establishing systematic and systemic approaches that will educate the public on the ills of corruption and the beauty of doing thing as they ought to be done.

with corrupt politicians, attend their lavish wedding ceremonies, be present at their extravagant traditional title investiture or personal project fund raising ceremony, then expect complete public trust. When one accepts to be the head of an institution like the EFCC, he or she has chosen to be a ‘saint’, and must labour to appear as one, though, as human, we have our weaknesses, but the point is, anti-corruption czars can’t preach fasting in the morning and practice gluttony in the night. Corruption is one of the most widespread social evils in Nigeria; it is seen as a main threat in the public and private sphere. Corruption undermines fragile democratic systems by fuelling popular disillusionment with politics and politicians; it also undermines trust and confidence, which are necessary for upholding and development of sustainable economic and social order. Corruption is not only peculiar to Nigeria, it is a global phenomenon. However, anticorruption war in Nigeria is like a gun-war being fought with bows and arrows, it is a war that can turn its fighters into victims and those being fought into heroes, it is a war that both sides manipulate to gain personal and political points, it is a ‘world’ of controversies, politics, extensive debates and high public expectations. Nigerians have no second thought on President Buhari’s ability to fight corruption; this is the best stimulant that Magu needs. Muhammad, from Jimeta, Adamawa State, posted this article on Omojuwa.com

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Comment

Jonathan: PDP and Dokpesi’s misplaced apology

By Jude Ndukwe

he recent apology by the Chairman of PDP’s National Conference Planning Committee, High Chief Aleogho Raymond Dokpesi , for what he considers the perceived mistakes of the People’s Democratic Party in its last 16 years of leading Nigeria and particularly for fielding former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, is embarrassing to party members and supporters of the former president. Olisa Metuh, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, has also distanced the party from that ill-advised apology, describing it as Dokpesi’s personal opinion. The apology and its timing seems to serve some ulterior motives which may also include the playing of a script meant to embarrass not only the former president but also the PDP as a whole. Dokpesi is experienced enough to know that such apologies which he made to look official should actually have come from the party’s official organs after subjecting probable reasons for it to much deliberations with critical stakeholders before it can have the stamp of an official statement. As long as this was not done, that apology is nothing but an opinion of just a party member. In making such statement, Dokpesi has proved that he lacks

the equanimity and restraint of an elder needed to be trusted with high responsibilities to lead a diversely complicated but coordinated party like the PDP. He has proved that he is a man who allows such responsibilities as the one he has been given by the party now get into his head to the extent that he assumes an authority not given to him. Let it be stated categorically clear that PDP’s choice of Goodluck Jonathan was never a mistake. The process that threw up Jonathan was a necessity. Yes, the party has a constitution and a zoning arrangement but this did not cover what happens when a sitting president dies or becomes incapacitated. That was a lacuna

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that the PDP zoning arrangement neither envisaged nor covered The arguments, negotiations and compromise among stakeholders then showed that the PDP did not go out of its way to undermine any part of the country. It was just that in such circumstances it would be suicidal not to allow the provisions of the constitution to prevail. And there came Jonathan! Rather than apologise, people like Dokpesi should actually push for the implementation of the National Conference Report and such other instrumentality that might help us fill the vacuum created by the demise of a sitting president and the process of taking over to the extent that no region

will feel short-changed in the process. In the 2015 election, it is only natural that unless a sitting president voluntarily declines or becomes incapable of standing the rigours of the presidency after his/her first term, that he should have the right of first refusal at taking a shot at the presidency for a second tenure and Jonathan did. Admittedly, PDP would have done better if they held primaries then. Furthermore, the choice of Jonathan as PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2015 election was not just a decision of the party’s organs like the National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Council (NEC) and the party’s National Caucus,

The arguments, negotiations and compromise among stakeholders then showed that the PDP did not go out of its way to undermine any part of the country. It was just that in such circumstances it would be suicidal not to allow the provisions of the constitution to prevail. And there came Jonathan!

it was the collective decision of the 12,853,162 strong Nigerians who voted for him on the day of election. Such apology would have attempted to rubbish the good work which the party’s campaign organisation in collaboration with other major stakeholders of the party did. 12.8 million people could not have made a mistake! Dokpesi is the one making a mistake here! The election was a contest between two parties, and one had to win. Dokpesi should be reminded that despite PDP’s loss at the polls, the party put up a good fight. The race was tight as APC did not win with a landslide margin. Rather than apologise for fielding Goodluck Jonathan, what the PDP should be apologising for was allowing APC to embark on an alleged long, systematic and entrenched manipulation of the electoral process without let or hindrance or even nipping it in the bud. So, when next anyone wishes to apologise to Nigerians on behalf of the PDP for any one reason, let the person first remind Nigerians to be proud on behalf of the PDP for the many things PDP in its 16 years of ruling Nigeria has done right. Culled from Nigeriavillagesquare.com

MTN: The first scapegoat

By Tony Ademiluyi

he spiralling rate of unemployment has made the need to bring in foreign direct investment a buzzword, especially among junketing public officials to justify their frequent travels. The relationship between the so called investors and the regulatory agencies is akin to that of a cat and mouse as it’s a well-known fact that the investors have scant regard for the nation’s laws and carry on with the toga of indispensability. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) issued a clear directive on the deactivation of sim lines in performance of a statutory duty. The South African telecommunication giant still went ahead to fail to deactivate well over five million lines without biometric verification since August this year and has thereby attracted a fine of $5.2 billion to be paid on the 16th of this month. For the first time, our dormant regulatory agency has attracted global respect as the news of the sanction led to a 25% loss of its market capitilisation, its share trading being placed on technical suspension in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the resignation of its Chief Executive Officer in South Africa, Sifiso

Dabengwa. From Shell to Chevron, it has been tales of agony, tears and blood by impoverished communities whose lands and rivers have rendered farming and fishing impossible. This is the remote cause of militancy in the south-south, as the penalties the IOC’s get is worse than ludicrous jokes. The Chinese and Indians exploit our workers with reckless abandon and nothing happens. There was the case of a Chinese company which used to lock up its premises and there was a fire outbreak which killed some Nigerian members of staff. Nigerian authorities simply looked the other way as business and life simply went on. It’s an open secret

“

that there is no insurance policy for factory workers who handle deadly chemicals with most of them not even given safety kits and the dearth of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) in these sweat shops. The inertia of regulatory authorities is not the case in other climes. In Japan, for example, where there is relative job security, foreign investors are forced to ensure the job security of employees of their host countries despite the vagaries of a free economy which may not make it profitable in all cases. British Petroleum will now pay $18.7 billion in the largest oil spill compensation in world history. Some Nigerians, especially the Chairman of Silverbird Group and

the Senator representing Bayelsa East on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ben MurrayBruce, raised an alarm that the fine was sending a wrong signal to investors on the harshness of the regulatory authorities and that the act of NCC would discourage them from trooping in. It is sad that a section of Nigerians especially Murray-Bruce would prefer the mediocrity being exhibited by our regulatory authorities and the unhealthy power being enjoyed by the investors. Should we take bunkum because we want every Tom, Dick and Harry to come in and further exploit us in our own country? Should we become hewers of wood and drawers of water in our

From Shell to Chevron, it has been tales of agony, tears and blood by impoverished communities whose lands and rivers have rendered farming and fishing impossible. This is the remote cause of militancy in the southsouth, as the penalties the IOC’s get is worse than ludicrous jokes.

motherland because we want to bend over backwards to appease the insatiable appetite of the baboon called foreign investors who would continue their rape and pillage of us till they get tired and move on to saner climes? It is sad that Murray-Bruce who also doubles as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatization can make such an unpatriotic comment. Foreign investors would be happy that our regulatory agencies are working as this would be assured that they won’t be operating in a Thomas Hobbesian jungle where nothing works. Every investor wants to be assured of some sort of sanity and not the madness that is currently going on. If MTN decides to pack up because we stuck our guns and insisted on doing the right thing, their loss would be our gain as other giants would simply share the booty without the loss of a single job. Let us stop being ruled by fear as nature abhors a vacuum. The NCC should resist any pressure to reduce the fine as that would make them a toothless bull dog and the object of scorn and derision. MTN should fully face the music. Culled from Omojuwa.com

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

We’ll know if some power problems are man-made or systemic – Fashola as he assume duty Obi Ukagwu says: Congratulation Mr. Fashola Babatunde. Nigerians are happy to have witnessed your new position as Minister of Power, Works and Housing. The expectation is high to remove Nigerians from darkness to light. Our papa God will be with you. Amen.

Online Comments

in the state in almost all sectors. So, why cant this governor follow suit? Sule Lamido deserve commendation and respect. Jummai Abraham says: I heard about Sule Lamido’s passion for politics, commitment to his people, his humanitarian relationship irrespective of tribe, region, religion or political affiliations. I commend him for that, how i wish he was my state governor. Jigawan Lamido. Abu Garba says: Lamido has done his part, and I know he did well, let another one try. Maybe he can be better than Lamido.

Gov. Badaru, Jigawa people and We’ve found oil in matters arising Lake Chad – NNPC

Garba Yakubu says: These so called APC goverMike-Ik Australia says: nors are not serious at all. How We wish this to be true as this on earth can a governor share will enable the parasite the vagoats and stoves as away to erad- cate the southern host icate poverty? Please Mr. governor think twice and brow a leaf from your predecessor, Lamido. Institution of Zakat, Emmanual Abraham says: This is a good one from Adamu. It is indeed a change. I have never being to Jigawa, but what we used to hear from people Lamido has done excellently well

PAGE 41

Sadaqah in Nigeria

Sanni Jimoh Ademola says: Assalamualaikkum. Alhamdulillah, for we still have fewer muslim brothers and sisters here in Nigeria. May Allah

Sultan Saad Abubakar

Works and Housing Minister Fashola

reward the author. I personally wish to apply for Sadaqah and I’v went through several countries Sadaqah form and that made me believed that it will definately though (difficult) to get here in Nigeria base on the level of corruption as well as the number of less privileged people. May Allah increase each and everyone of us. And wipe our secret tears, above all guide us through live though times.

investment opportunities in Nigeria

25 small scale business ideas and

Enyinnaya Emma Blog says: Also get more business/investment ideas. Ifiokobong says: Thank you for this wonderful list of business ideas. Its now up to readers to choose the one that is very profitable. I’ll like food business just because every one eat food everyday. Its surely lucrative no matter the competition.

Police arraign pastor for alleged N1.4m fraud Lanre Womi says: Pastors with money, Ibo pastor for that matter. Double wahala.

Airport Safety, FAAN gets nod to employ 720 new staff A refinery

Umar BB Usman says: Good job, FAAN.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

PAGE 43

Biographies

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu (1912 – 2003)

alter Max Ulyate Sisulu was a South African antiapartheid activist and member of the African National Congress (ANC), serving at times as Secretary-General and Deputy President of the organisation. He was jailed at Robben Island, where he served more than 25 years’ imprisonment. Family and education Sisulu was born in Ngcobo in the Union of South Africa. His mother, Alice Mase Sisulu, was a Xhosa domestic worker and his father, Albert Victor Dickenson, was white. Dickenson worked in the Railway Department of the Cape Colony from 1903 to 1909 and was transferred to the Office of the Chief Magistrate in Umtata in 1910. His mother was related to Evelyn Mase, Nelson Mandela’s first wife. Dickenson didn’t play a part in his son’s upbringing, and the boy and his sister, Rosabella, were raised by his mother’s family, who were descended from the Thembu clan. Educated in a local missionary school, he left in 1926 to find work. He moved to Johannesburg in 1928 and experienced a wide range of manual jobs. He married Albertina in 1944; Nelson Mandela was his best man at their wedding.[6] The couple had five children, and adopted four more. Sisulu’s wife and children were also

Sisulu active in the struggle against apartheid. His son Zwelakhe Sisulu became a journalist and union leader, went on to found the New Nation (at the time South Africa’s largest black newspaper), served as Nelson Mandela’s press secretary, became CEO of the South African Broadcast Corporation, and later a business person. An adopted daughter,

Beryl Rose Sisulu, served as ambassador from the Republic of South Africa to Norway. ANC activism He joined the ANC in 1940. In 1943, together with Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, he joined the ANC Youth League, founded by Anton Lembede, of which he was initially the treasurer. He later distanced himself from Lembede after

Sitting with Walter Sisulu, who had spent 27 years in prison with Mandela, just minutes after his release, they confer seconds before Mandela made his first public speech to the world

Lembede (died 1947) had ridiculed his parentage (Sisulu was the son of a white foreman). Sisulu was a brilliant political networker and had a prominent planning role in the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe (“Spear of the Nation”). He was made secretary general of the ANC in 1949, displacing the more passive older leadership, and held that post until 1954. He also joined the South African Communist Party. As a planner of the Defiance Campaign from 1952, he was arrested that year and given a suspended sentence. In 1953, he travelled to Europe, the USSR, Israel, and China as an ANC representative. He was jailed seven times in the next ten years, including five months in 1960, and was held under house arrest in 1962. At the Treason Trial (1956–1961), he was eventually sentenced to six years, but was released on bail pending his appeal. He went underground in 1963, resulting in his wife being the first woman arrested under the General Laws Amendment Act of 1963 (or “90-day clause”). He was caught at Rivonia on 11 July, along with 16 others. At the conclusion of the Rivonia Trial (1963–1964), he was sentenced to life imprisonment on 12 June 1964. With other senior ANC figures, he served the majority of his sentence on Robben Island. Release from prison In October 1989, he was released after 26 years in prison, and in July 1991 was elected ANC deputy president at the ANC’s first national conference after its unbanning the year before. He remained in the position until after South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994. Awards In 1992, Walter Sisulu was awarded Isitwalandwe Seaparankoe, the highest honour granted by the ANC, for his contribution to the liberation struggle in South Africa. The government of India awarded him Padma Vibhushan in 1998. Walter Sisulu was given a “special official funeral” on 17 May 2003. In 2004 he was voted 33rd in the SABC3’s Great South Africans. The Walter Sisulu National Botanic Garden and Walter Sisulu University are named after him.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Archives

Unravelling mysteries of ‘Greek Pompeii’: Burnt-out buildings and halfeaten meals reveal clues about attack on ancient city of Selinunte

n ancient city in Sicily, dubbed the ‘Greek Pompeii’, is finally revealing secrets that have lay hidden for 2,500 years. Selinunte was an ancient Greek colony on the Mediterranean island that was invaded by North African fighters in the 5th century BC. Many of its inhabitants were killed or enslaved and, over the years, the site and its abandoned artefacts became covered in sand and dirt. Now archaeologists studying the region have uncovered many of these perfectly preserved items and are uncovering glimpses of daily life on the ancient site. The city was larger than Pompeii, at 250 acres compared to 170 acres, and was founded much earlier than the famous site near Naples. While it may not have bodies and ‘casts’ of victims who were covered in volcanic ash, it does contain fragments of daily life that were preserved as people either fled for their lives, were killed or captured. Archaeologists have found half-eaten meals abandoned when the invaders began their terrifying attack, under the remains of a burnt-out building, The Independent reported. They also came across dozens of un-fired pots, which were seemingly left by scared potters

before they were to place them in a kiln. Over the 15 years that experts have combed the site for clues about its past, they have mapped its streets, harbour, industrial zone and some 2,500 abandoned houses. This has shed light on how ancient Greek outposts functioned, from the distribution of wealth to how different social rankings lived together. Professor Martin Bentz of the University of Bonn, Director of the major current excavation at Selinunte, told The Independent’s David Keys: ‘Selinunte is the only classical Greek city where the entire metropolis is still preserved, mainly buried under sand and earth. ‘It therefore gives us a unique opportunity to discover how an ancient Greek city functioned.’ Around 80 kilns and workshops have been revealed, complete with pot making equipment and even pigments used for decorating them. These workshops were also used to make roof tiles and large food containers, revealing how the city was able to expand in times of prosperity because it was a trading post. Potters played an important role in the city and even had their own chapel devoted to working class god Artemis as well as the goddess of fertility, Demeter, and the king of the gods, Zeus. It is thought the city essen-

Selinunte (ruins of Temple C shown) was invaded by North African fighters in the 5th century BC, resulting in the death or enslavement of most of its inhabitants. Now archaeologists are uncovering glimpses of daily life at the large site in Sicily, which was preserved when it was buried with earth and sand over the centuries tially ceased to exist in a day, when Carthaginian troops hailing from what is now Tunisia, breached the city’s defensive walls and slaughtered some 16,000 inhabitants. Approximately 5,000 more were taken a slaves so that the lively city, which was home to up to 19,000 people, became a ghost town.

The city was larger than Pompeii, at 250 acres compared to 170, and was founded much earlier than the famous site near Naples but does not have bodies entombed in volcanic ash

Despite the city’s prosperous past, only a handful of names of its occupants are known to historians, scratched onto the bottom of cups, for example. Archaeologists are now focusing on the city’s harbour, having combed its industrial zone, and hope to use geophysical survey techniques to reveal destroyed warehouses that would have stood nearby. Artefacts including imported pottery, glass and bronze items from Egypt, Turkey, France and Italy have also been recovered from wealthy houses and temples. It is thought that one of Selinunte’s main exports was pottery, with some 300,000 vessels or tiles being produced annually

before its fall. Larger amphorae or vessels would have been used to export its wheat and olive oil too, with around 20 per cent of pottery items staying in the city. Experts hope to examine ceramics found around the Mediterranean to get a better idea of which civilisations traded with each other. Around 15 per cent of the city survives and is above ground, with its maze of a ruins a big draw to Victorians on the socalled Grand Tour, who called it the ‘City of the Gods’. Two of the temples were re-erected in the mid 20th century from columns topped by an earthquake 500 years ago. Mailonline

It is thought that one of Selinunte’s main exports was pottery, with some 300,000 vessels or tiles being produced annually before its fall. A terracotta ram’s head from Temple B is shown

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Digest

Itchy feet at night? You may have liver failure

HEADACHE ORNING: If you wake up with a headache, it could be due to sleep apnoea, where the walls of the throat collapse during sleep, interrupting breathing. Sleep apnoea, characterised by snoring, can cause levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) to rise in the blood. Too much CO2 can create a buildup of acid, known as acidosis, leading to headaches. DAYTIME: Chronic daytime headaches can be caused by too much coffee or other caffeinated drinks. The effects tend to be cumulative, so the headaches strike in the afternoon as your intake rises. Caffeine is a diuretic, so causes dehydration, which in turn causes headaches. This could be due to the brain, which is 80 per cent water, shrinking and pulling away from the skull, triggering pain receptors. Caffeine’s diuretic effect acts on the renal tubules (tiny tubes inside the kidneys that filter the blood). The kidneys reabsorb some water and nutrients from the blood, excreting the remainder as urine. ‘Caffeine inhibits the reabsorption process of fluid, so more is passed out through the bladder,’ explains Professor Chris Eden, a consultant urologist at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford. Eating sugary snacks such as biscuits at tea-time can also lead to spikes of insulin, followed by a crash in blood sugar levels, leading to headache. This is due to arteries around the brain constricting when glucose levels drop. EVENING: By the end of the day, stress and eye strain can lead to tension headaches. Muscles around the eye are overworked by looking at a screen, for example, and go into spasm, says Dr Ahmed. ‘This triggers the nerves to transmit pain signals to the brain.’ Tension headaches, often a pain at the temples, can last from 30 minutes to several days. ‘Keep a diary, so you can work out what may trigger it for you,’ advises GP Louise Selby. ‘Think about your posture and take regular screen breaks, so you can rest your eyes.’ Even looking out of a window for five minutes every hour can help, since it lets eye muscles relax. Cluster headaches - excruciating headaches that occur in groups - can strike at the same time each night, typically around 2am, says Dr Andy Dowson, direc-

tor of headache services at King’s College Hospital and chairman of Migraine Action’s medical board. ‘This may be related to disrupted sleep cycles - when people move between deep sleep, lighter, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and almost waking,’ says Dr Dowson. The area at the bottom of the brain, the brainstem, is involved in regulating this cycle and also has a role in migraine. ‘In trials we’ve found migraine originates in the hypothalamus, which is in the brainstem,’ says Dr Dowson. This could be why cluster headaches and some migraines occur at night. SNEEZING MORNING: The main cause of early morning sneezing is allergy. ‘The sneeze reflex is suppressed during sleep so people with allergies may only start sneezing when they wake, although they’ve been exposed to dust mites or fungal spores all night, as the allergens are still present in the nose when you wake,’ explains Dr Selby’ Air conditioning can also dry out the nasal passages, leading to sneezing first thing. ‘Sometimes sinusitis, inflammation of the sinus lining, can lead to morning sneezing, as when a sufferer starts to move, mucus drains from the sinuses, which can irritate the delicate nasal lining,’ says Dr Selby. DAYTIME: Sneezing throughout the day is more likely to be caused by a virus such as the common cold. ‘You are more likely to have a temperature if you are sneezing through the day due to a virus,’ says Dr Selby. EVENING: Sneezing that worsens at the end of the may be down to hay fever. Dr Peter Burt, an aerobiologist at the University of Greenwich, explains: ‘Pollen rises throughout the day and begins to fall back to the ground as the temperature drops, exposing you to a higher level of pollen.’ Dr Selby suggests steps to minimise the problem: ‘Simple things such as keeping the windows shut can help, as it keeps airborne pollen out.’ Also try to shower in the evening to wash pollen dust off before you settle down to sleep. ‘Some people benefit from using saline nasal washes (warm, salty water),’ adds Dr Selby. ‘If you are taking 24-hour antihistamines and you tend to suffer at night, take your medication three hours before bed, as this is how long it takes to reach peak efficacy.’ COUGHING

Sneezing throughout the day is more likely to be caused by a virus such as the common cold

If you wake up with a headache, it could be due to sleep apnoea MORNING: Coughing first thing can be caused by chronic obustructive pulmonary disease, an umbrella term for lung conditions including bronchitis and emphysema - patients cough to clear lungs of mucus collected overnight. The coughing reflex is suppressed during sleep, although the biological mechanism for this is not well understood. People with asthma, caused by inflammation in the airways, also report coughing in the early morning. ‘The body clock has a role to play because levels of anti-inflammatories like cortisol are lowest in the early morning’ explains Dr Richard Russell, the honorary medical adviser to the British Lung Foundation. As levels of cortisol rise throughout the day, this chemical reduces the inflammation in the lungs, easing coughing. DAYTIME: Coughing throughout the day is typical of a viral infection, including flu or a cold. However, Dr Selby says:, ‘If you cough after a meal, it could be gastric reflux, when digestive juices from the stomach splash back into the gullet, causing a sensation of burning and a coughing fit.’ It can also be linked to medication. ACE inhibitors, used to control blood pressure, can cause a dry, irritating cough. ACE inhibitors are usually taken in the morning, one hour before breakfast, which is why symptoms tend to be worse during the day. EVENING: Night-time coughing is common in people with asthma, with 61 per cent of patients in one study saying it prevents them sleeping well. Our breathing is naturally slowest after midnight, resulting in less effective transfer of oxygen into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide out, says Dr Russell. This happens to everyone but people with asthma are less able to cope with reduced airflow, so are more likely to suffer from evening coughs.

Bedrooms are also full of common allergy triggers - including house dust mites in bedding, soft toys and carpets, which may trigger more severe symptoms in the evening when people are in these rooms. ITCHING MORNING: Waking up with an itchy rash could be due to insect bites. ‘If you are bitten during the night, you will only feel it when you wake,’ says GP Dr Louise Selby. Bed bugs also make their presence felt first thing. Their bites aren’t noticed at the time because they inject anaesthetic chemicals and anticoagulants to prevent you waking. DAYTIME: Itching may be a sign of solar urticaria - skin irritation triggered by exposure to sunlight. It causes hives within minutes and they can last for up to two hours after exposure. Antihistamines can help and symptoms can be relieved by washing skin in cool water. Scabies, where a mite burrows

into skin causing intense itching, also causes daytime itching. EVENING: ‘If a patient comes to me complaining of skin itching which worsens at night, I ask them if they use biological washing powder,’ says Dr Selby. ‘This is a common cause because their skin is in contact with the bedding for long periods overnight. Switching to non-biological powder can resolve the issue.’ Feathers in pillows and duvets can also cause allergic dermatitis in some individuals. People suffering from liver disease, which can be caused by excessive alcohol consumption, often complain of skin itching and this tends to be worse in the evening and is most severe on the soles of the feet and the palms. This is because bile salts, which help the liver remove waste, are deposited in the skin in the evening. Drugs such as albumin cause these bile salts to be excreted through the gut and help reduce this itching. Mailonline

‘If you are bitten during the night, you will only feel it when you wake,’ says GP Dr Louise Selby

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

International

The legacy of exile: The Jews of Shanghai The story of a man who started a new life in China, and a daughter whose life has been shaped by his persecution. Allison Griner Sara Imas leaned forward, her jovial humour gone. She had been speaking English, but this was one story she could only tell in her native Chinese. It was 1961, she remembers, a time when Shanghai relied on ice blocks to cool houses in the summer. The iceman would come, and Sara would escape into the back garden to play. Sara, who was a young girl at the time, observed a worm fall from one of the garden’s trees. She felt sorry for it, so rushed forward to pick it up and return it to the tree. “I was being merciful to that worm, but the worm wasn’t doing the same for me. It hurt me, and my hand became swollen,” she said. Sara presented her wound to her father, Leiwi Imas. But if she expected sympathy, she didn’t get it. “Sometimes it’s good that you want to offer help, but do others really need help? Look at that worm. That worm doesn’t need your help. So you should mind your own business,” Sara remembers him saying. “You should not be curious about everything. If you are, you end up being hurt.” The Jews of Shanghai hese words might seem strange, even contradictory, given that Leiwi was a refugee. As a Jew, Leiwi was forced to flee the Holocaust in 1939. He crossed the border from Germany to Poland and then to the Soviet Union, before finally reaching a safe haven in Shanghai. His daughter Sara, now 65, was born in China, and she’s very clear: she is not a refugee herself. But in many ways, she has become the face of the community of persecuted Jews who resettled in Shanghai. She has published books, done national interviews and even sung in an antiwar music video. Her father’s past survives in her present. An estimated 340,000 Jews escaped Nazi Germany and Austria between 1933 and 1945, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. But then, as now, there were more refugees than visas. In 1938, US President Franklin Roosevelt called together 32 nations for a conference in the resort town of Evian-les-Bains, France, to find a solution. Over nine days they deliberated. By the end of the conference, only the Dominican Republic agreed to raise its refugee quota. Still, there was one unlikely place where Jews could flee, where no quotas or visas stood in their way: Shanghai. European powers had imposed extraterritorial rights on the city, which meant that, until late 1939, foreigners could come and go as they pleased. No other major metropolis could boast such relaxed immigration laws. But ultimately, only about 20,000 Holocaust refugees came to Shanghai. The culture, the language, the distance - it could all seem overwhelming to the Jews facing

up.

Imas, now 65, was born in China and has become the face of persecuted Jews resettled in Shanghai [Allison Griner/Al Jazeera] exile. The majority chose to relocate elsewhere. “People who had a lot of money, or who had good foreign connections, or had a name for themselves like the Mann brothers, who were writers, and the Freuds and the Einsteins they mostly did not go to Shanghai,” explained Steve Hochstadt, a history professor at Illinois College. The ones who came were generally middle class individuals, with no grand riches or titles to their name, he added. Like Leiwi Imas, Hochstadt’s own grandparents made the voyage in the late 1930s. They had managed to secure one affidavit to go to the US, but it wouldn’t cover the entire family. Sacrifices had to be made. They would part ways: their 18-year-old son to the US, and they to Shanghai, aboard a Lloyd Triestino steamship. “Refugees try to stop being refugees,” Hochstadt observed in our telephone interview. His own father - that 18-year-old sent alone across the Atlantic - avoided the word entirely. He lost his accent, settled in California and rarely spoke about his ordeal. But the situation was different for the Jews who landed in China. “In Shanghai, they were not going to assimilate. Much too difficult,” Hochstadt said. “Chinese is incredibly difficult [to learn], and they didn’t necessarily even want to become Chinese or stay the rest of their lives in Shanghai.” Collecting stories fter the war, most of them left Shanghai. The Imas family was one of the few that remained. As the Shanghai refugees were once again scattered across the globe, their stories started to fragment and fade. Hochstadt said it was only in the 1990s that Shanghai’s role in harbouring Jews became wellknown. “The people who had been in Shanghai had suffered but had not lived in danger of dying,” Hochstadt said. “They didn’t want to compare themselves with concentration camp survivors. It took them a long time to be willing to say, ‘Yeah, I had a Holocaust experience, too. It wasn’t

as bad, but it’s worth telling.’” Hochstadt himself collected 100 of their stories, in an effort to fill the historical gap. He noticed that books hardly mentioned Holocaust refugees like his grandparents or Leiwi Imas. Instead, the books concentrated almost exclusively on the genocide, which Hochstadt found to be problematic. “If you just focus on genocide, that’s something where other people are acting badly, and we didn’t have anything to do with it,” he said. “But a refugee crisis implicates everybody. That was true then, and that’s even truer today.” Recent events have brought the Holocaust refugees back to the fore. Over four million refugees have poured out of Syria since 2011, when civil war erupted. World leaders, grappling with how to describe the crisis, have turned to the Holocaust as a metaphor. The Evian Conference is in the back of their minds, Hochstadt said. A beacon of tradition in a foreign land ack in Shanghai, Sara had other reasons for remembering the past. This year, China celebrated 70 years since Japan surrendered in World War II - or, as the Chinese call it, the War of Japanese Aggression. With all the festivities came a new wave of attention. State media organisations, like China Central Television and Xinhua, marked the anniversary with articles featuring Sara, and she was asked to introduce a new statue for the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum. And now, yet again, she was sitting in her living room, with two

neighbours, a journalist and a camera staring at her expectantly. It was time to tell her story for the millionth time. A vivacious woman with a ready laugh, Sara was visibly drained by the task. “Jewish people like sunshine. They don’t always want to come back to the war. Now, the war always comes back, comes back,” she said in passionate, if sometimes imperfect, English. The moral of the worm story weighed heavily on her thoughts. Again and again, she returned to it. Her father had always encouraged her to keep her head down, to not speak up, to mind her own business. She was taught not to meddle, but the rest of the world wasn’t heeding th advice. “Always the newspaper comes to take pictures, comes to speak [with me],” Sara said with naked frustration. “You come again, come again, come again. Do you know how much Jewish people hate this?” In exasperation, her deep voice turned soft like a sigh. The more she speaks about her father, the more her memories flood back, she explained. Her sons and husband beg her not to agree to any more TV interviews. The dreams they bring keep her awake at night. It’s her dad she misses the most. She describes him almost like a beacon of tradition in a foreign land. They would go to Shanghai’s synagogues together, making up to three visits a day sometimes. And Sara recalls that, when she would slurp her noodles “like a Chinese lady”, her father would get incredibly angry. He always hoped she would leave China for Israel when she grew

children of refugees “ The sometimes find themselves caught in a limbo, somewhere between two cultures, just like their parents before them. But that was never a problem for Sara.

In the short amount of time they had together, Sara and her father seldom spoke. Leiwi occupied himself with books and music, but he didn’t talk much. “He’s not like me,” Sara said, laughing. She thinks that his reticence was the by-product of a troubled past. No more than 10 words passed between them each day, she estimates. So when Sara would catch him tasting food and chatting with his hired house chef - “No! More pepper!” - she would bristle with jealousy. “I would say, ‘He speaks with the chef more than with me,’” she said. “But I think maybe he wanted to make me good food.” One day he even threatened not to speak to her at all, unless she could translate the Hebrew greeting ‘Shabbat shalom’ into Chinese. ‘Hao de anxiri,’ she suggested. Wrong answer. She tried again, and stumbled. She felt she would cry if she disappointed her father. So Sara gave the challenge one last shot: “You can change nothing to say, ‘Shabbat shalom.’ Shabbat shalom is just Shabbat shalom.” Success, at last. “My father said I was very clever. So he then talked with me for more than 10 words,” she said, her eyes bright with the memory. Leiwi Imas died in 1962, when Sara was only 12 years old. He had become a powerful figure in Shanghai’s small Jewish community, running multiple businesses and leading the local Jewish club. The lesson he taught Sara that summer day in the garden, as her hand swelled with pain, was perhaps one he himself had taken to heart. Sara remembers he never took any handouts. The man, with his fierce ideals, could be scary to young Sara, but the way she chooses to remember Leiwi is decidedly more light-hearted. Atop her mantelpiece sits a cartoonish, bronze statue of a man’s face. He has a bulbous nose, a crescent smile and a rose clasped between his teeth. Metal whiskers poke out from beneath his sculpted newsboy cap. He is the image of pure happiness. “I always say, ‘This is my father,’” Sara said, gesturing to the statue. She refuses to let the housekeeper clean it for her. The children of refugees sometimes find themselves caught in a limbo, somewhere between two cultures, just like their parents before them. But that was never a problem for Sara. Leiwi raised her to have a single identity: Jewish. But something funny happened when she immigrated to Israel in the early 1990s, to fulfil her late father’s wishes. There, for the first time, she understood that she was more than just Jewish. She was Chinese as well. After a decade, Sara decided to return to Shanghai. It didn’t matter that her father came there as a refugee. That was a label for passports, not for human beings. “People on the inside are not refugees,” she said. “I came back to Shanghai, and I found my home.” Follow Allison Griner on Twitter: @alligriner Source: Al Jazeera

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Business

Financing Development under President Buhari: The Role of Pan African DFIs By Roberts Orya

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has prognosticated a possible economic recession in 2016. This possible worst outcome of the present slump is something I am sure President Muhammadu Buhari would do everything to prevent. No president wants to be known in history as a ‘Recession President.’ However, this undesirable economic situation can sometimes become a reality, even in spite of the best efforts of a well-meaning leadership. Exploring the worst case scenario, the following are the factors that, if they conspire together, a recession might become a reality. Of course, this discussion is meant to inspire concerted efforts, including, perhaps prayers, so that we avoid the likely ugly prospect. The most crucial factor is oil price. If the price of oil falls below $40 a barrel for a stretch of time in the coming months, we would have a very serious economic crisis. Some might say why should this be the case, if the economy is as diversified as the rebased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) showed in 2013; and if oil constitutes just about 15% of the GDP? Therein lies the unfinished work of the diversification of the Nigerian economy. The diversification we have achieved so far is from the standpoint of a wider base of production, with some new sectors admitted into the GDP calculus for the first time in 2013. From the standpoint of government revenue, however, oil still accounts for 70 per cent of total receipts and over 90 per cent of external earnings. As a result, the price of oil still wields an outsized influence on overall economic fortunes of the country. At this stage of Nigeria’s economic development, low oil price will definitely depress asset values, non-oil sectors’ performance and overall production. A sharp decline in oil price will generally sap business confidence in Nigeria. The subsisting dependency, under our worst case scenario, would also erode liquidity and consumption. In fact, these are not just conjectures; they have been at play in recent months of lower oil prices. The second determining factor is located in the fact that the current weak price outlook of oil is in a loop involving weaker growth in China and weaknesses in economic data from the matured markets. Given that before the current slowdown, the global economy was only at a slow pace of recovery from the last financial crisis, a sharp upward inflection in the global economy is very unlikely in the next two years. Thus, the protraction of a slowdown would have adverse effects in developing economies, including Nigeria. It will take a miracle for this not to happen; but miracles do happen. The third factor is that President Buhari is fighting an insurgency. The insurgency may have all along been underrated because of its unconventional tactics and the need to project national security. Therefore, the value in the resolve of Mr. President to end this ugly, growthsapping insurgency as quickly as possible is well-considered. So, defence will continue to receive a sizeable chunk of the budget

until Boko Haram is thoroughly degraded. Until we achieve this success, some growthspurring infrastructure would be alternatives forgone with high defence budgets. A facet to this argument is ongoing in the United States as well as other big defence spenders of the world. For Nigeria, defence spending will cease to be zero-sum for growth only as victory is attained against Boko Haram and post-insurgency reconstruction kicks in, or if the budget is spent on military hardware manufactured in the country. The sum of these is that, with ill-luck, Nigeria can indeed slip into a recession, even if briefly. While leadership may not be able to prevent it, leadership can definitely inspire an economic turnaround that will lift growth above the pre-recession level. Former U.S. President John F. Kennedy responded to a brief period of recession and high unemployment rate by expanding social security, unemployment benefits and cut taxes to bring the economy back on the growth track. Because Nigeria faces different economic dynamics, our strategies would be different. In the instance of tax cuts, our strategies need to be diametrically the opposite of the early 1960s U.S. reforms. So where should we start and what is the latitude we have in reversing the current negative trend of economic fortunes? Where we have to start is where President Buhari has started and maintained focus. We have to raise the level of efficiency in the system. We have to plug revenue leakages. And, of course, we have to rein in corruption. President Buhari’s holy indignation against corruption cannot but be applauded, and it has been widely acknowledged. These are critical measures that will help economic performance, especially if we assimilate the culture of high efficiency and integrity. But these measures require complementary strategies. One of the strategic accompaniments is provision of depth for the nascent sectors of Nigeria’s economic diversification. For Nigerian Export – Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), these sectors are Manufacturing, Agro-processing, Solid minerals and Services. If we disaggregate what NEXIM Bank has in the past five years promoted as the MASS Agenda, we see the strengthening of both manufacturing and agro-processing. The services sector, has literally exploded, while the solid minerals sector is the weakest of these four sectors that can help create jobs and non-oil export revenue. The multi-billion dollar question is where are we to source the financing for the various programmes? But equally important is how to channel the financing. I believe development finance institutions (DFIs) have the aces in providing workable answers to both the “where” and “how” questions. Over the next 15 years, global resources would be mobilised in funding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs will provide the focal points of global financial interventions. A total $500 billion of innovative financing will be needed every year to finance the SDGs between now and 2030. This effectively means we now have a new paradigm for development cooperation.

• Roberts Orya is Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export – Import Bank Under SDGs framework, we will see more emphasis on governments’ collaboration with global and regional DFIs on one hand. On the other hand, DFIs are expected to ramp up cooperation with the private sector. This would be the pattern for mobilising resources to finance projects whose value would increasingly be seen in terms of poverty eradication, promoting inequality, mitigating environmental risks and supporting inclusive societies. This places DFIs at the forefront of finance in the years to come. Nigeria is in a unique position to tap into the emerging global finance that would increasingly promote sustainable development. Nigerians now lead the two frontline Pan African Development Finance Institutions. Erstwhile Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina assumed the leadership of African Development Bank (AfDB) on September 1. Later that month, another Nigerian, Dr. Benedict Oramah, became President of Africa Export – Import Bank (Afreximbank). These Nigerians were appointed to work for the entire continent. But their nationality provides Nigeria an opportunity for closer affinity with these institutions beyond being the biggest financial contributor to them. There are important values these institutions offer. The AfDB and Afreximbank – compared to their global or foreign cousins – are better placed to understand the local context to our development and support country-owned initiatives. This point is validated by Adesina’s pledge to focus the interventions of the AfDB on supporting power reform, agriculture, SMEs and youth empowerment in Africa. This is missileaccurate. Adesina, like his predecessor, Donald Kaberuka, is poised to making the AfDB catalytic for African growth and for solving Africa’s development challenges, based on deep knowledge of the local context. His work in reforming Nigeria’s agriculture tells how much help he can lend from his new vantage position. Another area of benefit is expansion of Nigeria’s network within the global community of Development Finance Institutions. I have seen first-hand the importance of this point since my ascension to the presidency of the Global Network of Exim Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) earlier this year. Nigeria needs to network better with the

global development community. The AfDB and Afreximbank are important institutions in expanding capacity for the country’s national DFIs. This would naturally cover sharing project knowledge, joint project development and transfer of funding capacities by the regional DFIs to the national DFIs through establishment of lines of credit. This will help in channelling interventions more sharply to the areas of need and impact, as national DFIs even understand the local needs better. Afreximbank has a suite of products and services to help Nigeria facilitate international trade. Nigerian banks and corporates can benefit from the trade support facilities of the Bank. NEXIM Bank has been in collaboration with Afreximbank to unlock more resources in the critical area of growing Nigeria’s non-oil exports. A number of Nigerian export manufacturers have benefitted from this cooperation. Both the AfDB and Afreximbank are banks of not only the present but also of the future. Afreximbank grew its total assets by 25% in 2014 to $5.45 billion. A muchbigger bank, the AfDB has $100 billion capitalisation. Both institutions are able to leverage their balance sheets to evolve into much bigger institutions. The AfDB just raised nearly $1 billion in additional resources through its new Africa50 Fund, which has been set up to mobilise long-term savings within and outside Africa to finance infrastructure projects across the continent. In concluding, one of the greatest economic challenges Nigeria faces is how to economically empower the youth. The answer to this is support for entrepreneurship. Nigerian youths have been actively engaged in business creation. They control the entertainment industry and are expressing themselves in the technology sector. If we managed to unlock funding for these and other sectors, the doldrums that a recession symbolises would become a possibility farfetched for Nigeria. The good news is that the DFIs are well-focused and increasingly resourced to support the commercially viable enterprises of our vibrant youths to complement national efforts. Roberts Orya is Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export – Import Bank. He is also honorary President, Global Network of Exim Banks and Development Finance Institutions

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Business

Interbank rate flat as OMO bills mature By Mohammed Usman with agency report

nterbank lending rate held steady for the second consecutive week at 0.5 percent after Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) injected matured Open Market Operation (OMO) bills into the system, traders said. Banks’ credit balance with the CBN opened at 622 billion naira ($3.13 billion) on Friday, compared with a surplus of about 514 billion naira last week. The secured open buy-back (OBB) - the rate at which lenders can borrow from the interbank market using treasury bills as collateral - held steady at 0.5 percent same level last week, far below the central bank’s 13 percent benchmark interest rate. Reuters added Traders said about 179 billion naira in matured OMO bills

was injected into the system on Thursday. They also expected an unspecified amount of refunds from cash that banks had deposited with the CBN for forex purchases to hit the banking system on Friday. Traders said that although about 70 billion naira for bond purchases and 18 billion naira debited for cash reserve requirements left the system on Friday, the market remained substantially liquid. “The market is highly liquid and we are not seeing any change

in the lending rate at the interbank market in the near term unless the CBN resumes the issuance of OMO bills as is being speculated in the market,” one dealer said. A few commercial lenders were transacting overnight placements at 1 percent on Friday, the same level last week, but most are still insisting on secured lending, traders said. “We expect the system to remain liquid next week and interbank rate trading at the

prevailing level,” another trader said. Meanwhile, Thirty eight ships laden with food items, containers, general cargoes and petroleum products are expected to arrive Lagos ports from Nov.13 to Nov. 30, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said on Friday. News agency of Nigeria reported that this is contained in the daily ‘Shipping Position’ made available to newsmen in Lagos by the NPA.

Union advises new Minister of State for Aviation to rehabilitate airports’ facilities

NPA committed to completion

of Lekki, Ibom deep seaports - MD

he Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), MallamHabibAbdullahi, on Friday said the organisation was committed to completing Lekki and Ibom deep seaports. Abdullahi stated this an interactive session with journalists in Lagos. The managing director, who was represented by the General Manager, Public Affairs, NPA, MrIheanachoEbubeogu, said that the authority’s commitment to the two ports stemmed from present demands and developments of the nation’s economy. According to him, the channels of those ports built in the 1970s can no longer accommodate bigger ships coming in and going out of the country. He said that NPA had completed the rehabilitation of the rail line in Port Harcourt port so as to decongest the port and reduce traffic on the highways. ``For Tin-Can port, NPA has contacted a consultant to see whether this would be visible and viable,’’ he said. The managing director also said that the organisation would install safety features like bumps to reduce speed limits of vehicles on the 1.6 kilometre road in Apapa port, recently rehabilitated. He said that the organisation would also improve on capacitybuilding to further educate journalists on its policies. (NAN)

The document indicated that 20 of the expected ships would arrive at the ports with containers, while seven others would sail in with general cargoes. It explained that seven ships would sail in with rice, bulk sugar, buck wheat and bulk malt, while four other ships would sail in with petrol and diesel. NAN reports that nine ships laden with petrol, diesel, rice and general cargoes, have arrived the ports, waiting to berth.

L-R: Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mallam Mounir Haliru Gwarzo, presenting the Capital Market Master Plan Implementation Document to Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), at the Vice President Office on Thursday in Abuja.

AfDB creates $300m loan facility to assist women in agri-business

frican Development Bank (AfDB) has created 300 million US dollar financing facility to fund African women in agri-business to accelerate agriculture within the next 12 months. This is contained in the October Newsletter Edition of the AfDB, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja. The Newsletter quoted the President, AfDB, DrAkinwumiAdesina, as announcing the decision during the bank’s conference in Dakar with over 500 delegates, including top Government officials, Central Bank Governors and Ministers of Finance. The president said that the essence of the conference was to create an avenue to discuss on African agricultural transformation in a move to re-direct useful resources to revitalise agriculture on the continent. According to Adesina, the

creation of 300-million US dollar financing facility is meant to channel more funds to African women in agri-business and provide bank guarantees. ``This is a good thing, even if it is the only thing that we are taking home from this conference, it should accelerate agriculture within the next 12 months. ``We hope to see new programmes being implemented and hear more about the metrics of how many acres of land are improved and women accessing finance,’’ he said. The president said that agricultural transformation was taking shape in some African countries which has launched initiatives to boost the provision of essential services linked to the agriculture sector. Adesina noted that the feeding Africa conference has provided a critical in-road in an effort to mechanise farming and unlock the potential. The Newsletter also quoted,

MrOluwatosinAriyo, who is overseeing a British governmentfunded initiative to improve the status of women in agriculture in rural Nigeria, said his organisation hoped to tap into the strong commitments reached at the conference. He said that the decision would go a long way to boost programmes under implementation in Nigeria. Ariyo said the conference has brought agriculture to the fore, adding that the financial sector would begin to connect the dots that has been missing in the whole value-chain. Ariyo said that the fund created by the AfDB would help to reduce interest rates on agri-business loans. According to him, the fund will enable more women to benefit. “We are seeing potential from this conference to create new value chains in agriculture and new interventions that would increase the income of women,” he said. (NAN)

he National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) on Friday urged the new Minister of State for Aviation, CaptHadiSirika, to concentrate on rehabilitating infrastructure and facilities across the airports in the country. NUATE’s Acting General Secretary, MrOlayinkaAbioye, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. Abioye said that facilities in some of the nation’s airports were also obsolete and needed upgrading in line with international standard. He said that the country could not be at par with the international community if the country’s point of entry were in an obsolete state. “We wish that the new minister of state for aviation will inspect the facilities and infrastructure at all the airports in the country,” he said. Abioye urged Sirika to ensure the completion of the ongoing construction of new airport projects in the country as a matter of urgency. According to him, the aviation minister should ensure stability and sustainability of the aviation industry as the industry still remains one of the engine rooms of the Nigerian economy. He said more foreign direct investment (FDI) would come into the country if Nigeria should put necessary infrastructure in place in the aviation sector. Abioye also called for the restructuring of the various aviation agencies and parastatals to enable them perform their statutory functions effectively. He said, “As I speak, there are more support staff than the productive ones in the industry. “This cuts across the parastatals and we need to look at a way to streamline this critical area for efficient delivery of aviation service to the airport users.” (NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Oddities

Artist creates giant sculpture from eggs A

n artist has spent thousands of pounds creating a giant sculpture made from 1,000 Kinder Eggs. Duncan McKellar, 35, built a 7ft revolving egg, which sits on a volcanic landscape made of hundreds of the little toys hidden inside. Despite collecting the huge pile of eggs since he was a young boy, he had to spend thousands of pounds to build up the number. He also held Kinder Egg parties where people could come and add to the collection. Made from cardboard, expanding foam, polystyrene and tin foil, the work was sculpted by over a two year period. Placed on College Green in Bristol, the egg has two waterfalls and several of the toys pop in and out of the volcano.

“The whole idea really came from a quite genuine love of Kinder Eggs. The toys have all these cogs and mechanisms, which boys tend to love, and they hooked me. I have loved Kinder for as long as I can remember. It has brought a smile to quite a few faces. It is on top of a mountain which is about reaching for heaven and the egg represents fertility. It is erupting from the ground and there are so many messages behind it. It is just a celebratory creativity.” Duncan described the artwork on his website as: “The teeming neverland of Anak Kinder is no apocalyptic vision of hell; rather it is a garden of delights, atop which a vast revolving egg, symbol of fertility and new life, surveys the craggy terrain like a surreal yet benign eye.’’

Man builds house out of recycled materials

Woman earns £1k from farting, squashing men on camera

cott Brooks’s tiny low-cost home includes a sitting area, fold-down bed and plenty of storage. He managed to keep costs down for his minuscule eco-friendly pad in Washington. Brooks used salvaged materials and gifted items for his home, which measures only 83 square feet and sits on a 20-acre piece of land owned by a friend. He built the house after a two-year-long journey around Africa, Thailand, India, Nepal, Montana and Alaska, when he moved back home to settle down, while helping friends start an organic farm. Brooks has dubbed his abode the “Transforming Tiny Home,” and built the interior, while his friend designed the structure. There are no fancy bells and whistles here and the no-frills budget also means compromises like no plumbing, no refrigerator and no

cladding as yet on the outside. Brooks is connected to the main grid, with heating provided by a woodstove and he uses a nearby outdoor shower and outhouse instead. But the basics are there, and the interior is efficient and compact with a sitting area, folddown bed, a wall full of hooks and storage shelving and a generous work surface that doubles as a kitchen, thanks to an awesome, ninja-style hood that hides a portable propane cooktop. Even though the house is compact, it has a lot of natural daylighting, thanks to a recycled skylight window and a large front window. While it may be a small space, Brooks makes good use of the wildly beautiful outdoors that is his front yard. With a cost of only $500, it is an affordable tiny home to be proud of.

arah Reign makes a living as a security guard, but the size 30 seductress earns an extra £1,000 a month by eating on camera for men. The 26-year-old is a ‘feedee’ who guzzles down huge meals and sweet treats on camera after working shifts at a factory. Fans love to watch her doing anything from eating a whole chocolate cake and smearing it over her face, to covering her stomach with butter and sticking it in her belly button, earning herself around £1,000 a month from her sideline. Sarah confessed she had deliberately gained weight. “I really enjoy eating,” she said. ‘”No-one at work knows my secret. It felt awkward eating on camera at first as fans love to watch you chewing every mouthful. But I eat so much anyway I thought it’d be fun to do it on cam. I just keep eating until I’m full.” After requests from adoring fans, she even branched out into breaking wind on camera and selling her worn pants which cost more the longer she wears them. She is now also a part-time squasher and clients can pay for her to sit on them, if they stump up for the hotel too. “It was awkward at first but I got really into it, sitting on his face, smothering it with my belly,” she said. Although she had plenty of requests for squashing sessions, she did not take the plunge until three years ago. “I had so many men ask, but there was a guy who lived nearby who wanted to try it. The first time, I watched some videos the night before to prepare but nothing phases me. When I got to the hotel it was weird at first and it is hard not to laugh. He lay down on the bed and I climbed on top of him. But I got into it really quickly. For the hour session, I was crushing him the whole time.” Sarah has had eight squashing clients.

‘‘I had so many requests for videos of me farting and even me sitting on the toilet, that I started doing those this year. But it can take a while to film because I don’t like to fake it,” she said. One of her other sidelines is posting out her lacy pants after they have been worn. “If I wear them for a day, it is £20, but for a week it is £125 and they get a video of me wearing them. I have several orders a month. There is a wish list on Amazon too where they can spoil me, I ask for sexy lingerie, sweets and a slow cooker.” She has had long-term boyfriends since she started being a part-time squasher. “It has not been an issue for them. Some of them have watched the videos, some of them haven’t. Most of them have really supported me and didn’t care. I am single right now, but I wouldn’t rule out going on a date with an online fan. I have men ask all the time, it is not practical because they are in other countries. I have lots of fans in the UK and Germany. But if they were from the US, I would never say never.”

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Healthy Living

Causes of depression

epression is a disorder affecting mood and general outlook. Sometimes called ‘the blues’, it is characterised by loss of interest in activities, even though most people feel sad or down for brief periods throughout their life time, clinical depression is more than just feeling sad. Depression is a serious medical condition and people usually aren’t able to just get over a depressive state. People of any age and life situation can have depression. Untreated depression can have lasting impacts, from employment issues, strain on relationships, drug and alcohol use, to suicidal thoughts or attempts. Most people go on to live healthy and happy lives with treatment. For some, depression is a lifelong challenge and must be considered and treated on a long-term basis. Symptoms While the symptoms of depression can vary depending on the severity, there are some standard symptoms to watch for. It not only affects your thought and feelings, it can also impact how you act, what you say, and your relationships with others. Common symptoms include: sadness, tiredness, trouble focusing or concentrating, unhappiness, anger, irritability, frustration, loss of interest in pleasurable or fun activities, sleep issues (too much or too little), no energy, craving unhealthy foods, anxiety, isolation, restlessness, worrying, trouble thinking clearly or making decisions, poor performance at work or school, suicidal thoughts or tendencies and drug or alcohol abuse Some people also show signs of mania, psychotic episodes, or changes in motor abilities. These can signify

other types of depression, like bipolar disorder. Causes Depression isn’t a simple condition with a known cause. Some people are more susceptible to depressive episodes, while others are not. It is important to discuss symptoms with your doctor. There are several possible causes of depression. Genetic: Depression may be an inherited condition. You may have a higher likelihood of experiencing a depressive disorder at some point in your life if you have a family member with depression. The exact gene involved in this is unknown. Biochemical: Some people have noticeable changes in their brains with depression. Even though this potential cause isn’t understood, it does suggest that depression starts with the functioning of the brain. Similarly, some psychiatrists look at brain chemistry with cases of depression. Neurotransmitters in the brain, specifically serotonin, dopamine, or norepinephrine affect feelings of happiness and pleasure and may be out of balance in people with depression. Antidepressants work to balance these neurotransmitters, mainly serotonin. Why these neurotransmitters get out of balance and exactly what role they play in depressive states isn’t fully understood. Hormonal: Changes in hormone production or functioning could also lead to the onset of depressive states. Any changes in hormone including menopause, childbirth, thyroid problems, or other disorders could cause depression. With postpartum depression, mothers develop

symptoms of depression after the birth of their child. While it is perfectly normal to be emotional because of the changing hormones, postpartum depression is a serious condition. Situational: Trauma, big change, or struggle in life can trigger a case of depression. Losing a loved one, being fired, having financial troubles, or undergoing a serious change can have a big impact on people. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a form of depression that occurs after a serious situation in life. PTSD is often diagnosed in soldiers returning from war. It can also occur as a result of: childhood trauma, seeing something life-changing and scary, being abused or assaulted, a serious car or other accident and being diagnosed with a life-threatening condition. Diagnosis To diagnose depression your doctor will do a full examination, including medical history. They will also do a psychiatric evaluation. Since depression cannot be tested for using blood tests, your doctor will ask you questions about your thoughts and feelings. They will give you a diagnosis based on your symptoms and answers. Treatment In order to treat your depression your doctor may prescribe medication, psychotherapy or both. It can take time to find a combination that works for you. Treatment solutions will be tailored to your specific case since causes and symptoms of depression varies. Exercise, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and sticking with a routine can help keep depression under control.

Mangoes

Reasons why you need a mango daily M angoes may be the king of all fruits. They fight cancer, alkalize the body, aid in weight loss, regulate diabetes, help digestion, clean your skin and make the perfect snack. Here are healthy reasons why you should be eating a mango every day.

Mangoes

Fights cancer: Antioxidants like quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat present in mango protect the body against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. Keeps cholesterol in check: Mango

has high level of vitamin C, pectin and fibre that help to lower serum cholesterol levels, fresh mango is a rich source of potassium, which is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps to control heart rate and blood pressure. Skin cleanser: Mangoes help you unclog your pores and add freshness to the face. They are applicable to any skin type. They help clear clogged pores that cause acne. Just slice a mango into thin pieces and keep them on your face for 10 to 15 minutes and then take a bath or wash your face. Alkalizes the body: According to natural health school.com, mango is rich in tartaric acid, malic acid and traces of citric acid that primarily help in maintaining the alkali reserve of the body. Weight loss: Mango has a lot of vitamins and nutrients that help the body feel fuller. Also, the fibrous fruit boosts the digestive function of the body by burning additional calories, helping in weight loss. Regulates diabetes: Not only the fruit, but leafs of mangoes are healthy too. For people suffering from diabetes, just boil 5-6 mango leaves in a vessel, soak it through the night and drink the filtered decoction in the morning. This is helps in regulating your insulin levels. Mango has a low glycemic index (41-60) so going a little overboard will not increase your sugar levels. Aphrodisiac: Mango has aphrodisiac qualities and is also called the ‘love fruit’.

It increases the virility in men. Vitamin E, which is abundantly present in mangoes, helps to regulate sex hormones and boosts sex drive. Eye care: Do you know that mango is rich in vitamin A? One cup of sliced mangoes equals 25 percent intake of your daily need of vitamin A. Mangoes help in promoting good eye sight, fights dry eyes and also prevent night blindness. Helps in digestion: Mango contains enzymes that help in breaking down protein. Its fibrous nature helps in digestion and elimination. It is rich in pre-biotic dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. Body scrub: Make a paste of mashed mango, honey and milk and use as a body scrub, you will feel your skin tender and smooth. Aids concentration and memory: This fruit is rich in glutamine acid– an important protein for concentration and memory. Feed mangoes to children who find it difficult to concentrate on studies. High iron for women: Mango is rich in iron, hence it is a great natural solution for people suffering from anemia. Menopausal and pregnant women can indulge in mangoes as this will increase their iron levels and calcium at the same time. Stomach Tonic: Before going to bed put 10 or 15 mango leaves in warm water and close with a lid. The next morning filter the water and drink it on an empty stomach. Do this regularly.

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Four steps to your breakthrough (III)

want to bring you the concluding part of this message which I began three weeks ago. Out of the four steps to your breakthrough dealt with in this message, I have been able to discuss two so far namely “Fear not” and “seek divine guidance.” Please note that the four steps this message focuses on are taken from 2 Sam 5:17-20. And as I did say previously, the word “breakthrough” is used only two times in the New King James Version of the Bible. First in 2 Sam 5:20 and second in 1 Chron. 14:11, and both scriptures refer to the same event. What are the two remaining steps? • Take action. This is another major step towards your breakthrough. That means you must do the needful. Do it willingly not reluctantly. God will do His part but you must do your own part. He won’t do your part for you, and you don’t even have the ability to do His part. If God says go and you’re still waiting, you can’t have any breakthrough. If He says “go” you are the one to go and not Him – He will go with you but He won’t go for you! In verse 15 of 2 Sam 5, David and his troops did the needful. After David had withdrawn to his stronghold and enquired from God, He told David to go, and he went with his troops. When they got to the battlefront, they fought and defeated the Philistines. But the Israelites had to fight before God broke through the enemies. Sometimes, God could just say: go forward- you don’t need to fight; divide the sea, and march on dry ground. (Exo 14:15-18) Sometimes He could say that the battle is the Lord’s not yours and the enemies would just march out against themselves. (2 Chro 20:1317) At another time, God could send His angels to accomplish the breakthrough when your obedience is complete. (Isa 37:36-38, 2 2Chro 32:20-21) God determines how He will

give you the breakthrough. What is important is for you to do whatever He asks you to do; do the needful. When the wine finished at the wedding celebration in Cana in Galilee, the mother of Jesus told the servants at the ceremony: “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5 NLT) They obeyed her and filled the jars with water as Jesus had commanded them, and water turned to wine. God blesses obedience. It was by obeying that the Red Sea parted for the Israelites. (Exo 14) It was by obeying that River Jordan dried up for the Israelites to pass through. (Josh 3) As you willingly obey God, your breakthrough will appear. “If you will only obey me and let me help you, then you will have plenty to eat.” (Isa 1:19 NLT) • Give God the credit. Don’t take credit for the breakthrough no matter how the breakthrough comes. Whether God works through your efforts or not, give God the credit. Without God, your all efforts will be in vain. God’s roles are not always easily obvious. In verse 20 of 2 Sam 5, David gave God the credit for his breakthrough. He said, “‘The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.’ Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.” (2 Sam 5:20 NKJV) David didn’t appropriate the breakthrough to himself or to his troops. This was always the lifestyle of David. He never arrogated any superior intelligence or skills in warfare to himself. He said in Ps 144:1-2, “Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle—My lovingkindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.” (NKJV) If God is your teacher, how can you fail? You need to emulate David’s attitude. There is nothing you have which you didn’t receive from God. There’s nothing to boast about. (1 Cor 4:7)

In 2 Chro 20:27-29, Jehoshaphat led the people to thank and praise God for the breakthrough He gave them defeating the three nations that joined forces to fight Judah. The people of Judah didn’t claim the credit for the breakthrough. They were “full of joy that the LORD had given them victory over their enemies.” (Verse 27NLT) So they gave the glory to God; they didn’t celebrate themselves for their heroic feat. Paul said his sufficiency was of God. (2 Cor 3:5) That means minus God he was inadequate. What about you? The psalmist declared unequivocally in Ps 115:1, “Not to us, O LORD, but to you goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.” (NLT) Those who want to ascribe their breakthroughs to their prayer and fasting, holiness, etc. do themselves a great harm. They may be shutting the door of future breakthroughs against themselves or hindering their awaited breakthroughs. No matter how rigorous or sacrificial the spiritual exercises you engage in may be, they cannot deliver you breakthrough without Heaven’s approval. Learn to humble yourself, and stop sharing with God the glory that is due to Him alone. Some don’t even share with God His glory; they completely steal the glory due to Him alone! Repent! Hear what Joseph told pharaoh: “So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.’” (Gen 41:16 NKJV) That was a wise man. He didn’t allow his gift of interpretation of dream go to his head. He wasn’t proud like Nebuchadnezzar who said, “Just look at this great city of Babylon! I, by my own mighty power, have built this beautiful city as my royal residence and as an expression of my royal splendor.” (Dan 4:30 NLT) He forgot that it was God that allowed it and gave the kingdom to him. He learnt his lesson in a bitter

From the Pulpit green pastures By Pastor T. O. Banso

cedarministryintl@yahoo.com GSM: 08033113523 way, and later confessed that those who walk in pride God is able to put down. (Verse 37) Daniel knew how to cut to size a very proud king, Belshazzar; he trivialized his gift and interpreted the strange writing on the wall which amounted to God’s judgment upon the king. Belshazzar had told Daniel, “Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” (Dan 5:16 NKJV) But I love Daniel’s reply. He said, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.” (Verse 17 NKJV) Daniel didn’t allow the king to send him on any ego trip, and neither was he greedy for any gain from interpreting the writing. He considered himself a servant of God and not any man’s servant. He wasn’t like Balaam. (Num 22-24) The psalmist said, “I give you all the credit, God – you got me out of that mess, you didn’t let my foes gloat.” (Psalm 30:1 The Message) Give the credit to God, and your breakthrough shall not only be permanent but you shall be correctly positioning yourself for more breakthroughs. May you break through in Jesus’ name. Conclusion: God is the author of breakthroughs but we are partners with Him in birthing breakthroughs. Servants of God can pray for you, anoint you and prophesy upon your life; you can even do all you know to do spiritually and physically, but it takes God to break through in life. I pray that as you take these four major steps, you will share testimonies of your own breakthrough in Jesus’

The miracle in your mouth 2. EXCEPTIONAL MIRACLES IN THE WOMAN’S MOUTH 1 Samuel 1:17,18; 2 Kings 5:1-3; 4:18-20,23,26; Luke 1:37,38; Matthew 15:21-28.

T “

he Lord expects us to carry miracles in our mouths as His children. Some people carry misery, death, sickness, discouragement and oppression in their mouth. With their tongue, they bring sorrows upon themselves. Although Hannah was sorrowful for being childless, she had a RESPECTFUL mouth that brought her desired miracle. “And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.” Naaman got his miracle because of the REASSURING mouth of his maid. “And she said unto her mistress, Would God

my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.” The Shunammite woman was a woman of great faith. Though her only son died, she did not give up. When it appeared all hope was lost, she was able to say, “It shall be well”. She had a RECKONING mouth and reckoned impossibilities as possible. The same way, if we have faith like a grain of mustard seed, we can even give a word of command to the mountain of problem, sickness, death, poverty, and barrenness in our lives to be removed and cast into the sea; and it will be so. Whatever challenge we may be facing in our personal lives or secular engagements, we should remember that “with God nothing shall be impossible”. Mary had a RECEIVING mouth. With her mouth, she received the miracle of the promised Messiah. The woman of Canaan whose daughter was made whole

By Pastor W.F Kumuyi carried a REFORMED, refined mouth. The woman with an issue of blood had a RECLAIMING mouth. She reclaimed and recovered her miracle by faith and her confession. Martha had a REIGNING mouth with her affirmation that whatever Christ asked from God would be done. We should possess mouths that reign and rule over impossibilities.

3. EXPLOSIVE MIRACLES THROUGH YOUR WONDER-WORKING MOUTH Matthew 17:20; Mark 11:22,23. Miracles, signs and wonders are in the mouth of God’s people who believe that with Him, “nothing shall be impossible”. When we hold on to God’s promises through confession of faith, they become ours. But some

name. All the outstanding prophecies upon your life and your prayer labour shall not be in vain in Jesus’ name. You shall testify! TAKE ACTION! If you’re not born again, I urge you to take the following steps:*Admit you’re a sinner and you can’t save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start to attend a Bible-believing, Bible -teaching church. There you will be taught how to grow in the Kingdom of God. 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 repent and confess my sins. 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’ll be glad to hear from you. May the Lord be with you.

people did not enjoy explosive miracles through their mouth in the Bible. Rebecca had a worrying mouth; Esau’s mouth was a weak one; Samson possessed a wagging mouth; Michal, David’s wife, had a witless mouth; Nebuchadnezzar’s mouth was a worldly one; the officer on whom the king leaned possessed a wilful mouth; Miriam’s was a whispering mouth; Ananias and Sapphira possessed wayward mouths. While Sennacherib’s mouth was a wicked one, Belshazzar’s was worthless. Job’s friends had a wounding mouth; the Israelites had a wilderness, barren mouth; Ahab had a wavering mouth and Herod had a wild, pride-speaking mouth that brought premature death. God can transform our mouths from being source of misery to wonder-working source of blessings to us and other people. And when we pray in faith, we shall have whatsoever we say.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Golden Eaglets are national assets 窶年FF agents Pg 53

LMC engages Police to protect referees at NPFL venues

Four big questions ahead of qualifying playoffs of Euro 2016

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

World Cup hotshot Osimhen says greatness ahead

Sports

Chelsea, Arsenal chase Eaglets skipper Nwakali

everal top English Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are hot in the chase of Nigeria U17 skipper Kelechi Nwakali who was best player at the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile. Nwakali’s older brother Chidiebere revealed he is aware

several EPL club wish to sign the exciting midfielder, who earlier this year attended trials at Manchester City. “I know many clubs in England want him Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, West Ham and Chelsea,” he revealed Chidiebere, who won the 2013 U17 World Cup to move to Manchester City.

“I expect him to make the right decision because this is really the start of his career.” Earlier this year, Kelechi Nwakali’s handlers demanded for four million pounds from Manchester City for the talented midfielder. City said they will monitor the player’s progress at Chile 2015.

World Cup hotshot Osimhen

op scorer at the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup Victor Osimhen has said greatness now awaits him after his goals helped Nigeria win a fifth global crown in Chile. Osimhen from Ultimate Strikers Academy of Lagos scored a record-breaking 10 goals at Chile 2015, scoring in all seven games involving the Eaglets. The big centre-forward has already been linked with a big-money move to the English Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur leading the chasing pack. He is now being considered to join the country’s team for the African U23 Nations Cup in Senegal later this month. When asked by a radio station hat next for him, Osimhen simply replied, “Greatness.” Meanwhile, the triumphant Eaglets are to be received by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on November 29 in Abuja. A welcome dinner was staged for the team in Abuja Wednesday night.

Buhari, top dignitaries to attend 2015 Abuja Carnival polo

Nwakali (middle) celebrates an Eaglets goal in Chile Stories by Albert Akota

resident Muhammadu Buhari is expected to join other top dignitaries to grace the closing of the 2015 Abuja Carnival Polo tournament, organisers of the tournament have said. The Chairman of the Abuja Guards Polo Club, Senator Mohammed Jibril, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja. He said the tournament which is scheduled to hold between Nov. 17 and 22 at the Abuja Guards Polo Club would be subsumed in the programme of the 2015 Abuja carnival. Jibril said polo players from Argentina, South Africa and the United Kingdom had been invited to join other players from six states of the federation to vie for honours at the tournament. He said the states that had indicated interest to participate in the tournament

include Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Adamawa, Bauchi and the FCT. “I am hoping that the president will find time in his schedule to grace the closing ceremony. “We have extended several invitations to a large number of dignitaries, including the president and we are hoping that in case he might not be disposed to attend he will probably send a representative. “Well, as is traditional for us, we have planned to hold a tournament during the carnival period and we have invited players from Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Keffi, Minna, Yola and Bauchi. “We have also invited foreign players some foreign players to participate with us from Argentina, South Africa and UK.’’ Jibril said the 2015 edition would be special as the club’s management was partnering with the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the military and other individuals to add

Golden Eaglet’s are national assets — NFF agents

FF vice-president Seyi Akinwunmi has warned the victorious Golden Eaglets are now “national assets” and as such any agent or club who wish to move them overseas must first discuss with the federation. Akinwunmi, who is the head of the NFF youth football development, made this declaration during a dinner organised for the Eaglets in Abuja. “These players are now national assets and NFF have to be very much involved in where next they go in their career,” the football chief stated. “We want to properly guide them so that they do not go astray as some of their predecessors have. “Many of these boys will not be where they are now in their career but for the fact that they played for Nigeria.” Tournament goal king Victor Osimhen and MVP Kelechi Nwakali are already reportedly wanted by top English Premier League clubs like Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal. It is widely understood the NFF will insist on being part of the negotiations should any of the players want to sign for clubs overseas.

Victorious Eaglet John Lazarus glamour to the 2015 edition. He urged residents of the FCT to come out and enjoy the glamour of the polo tournament between Nov 17 and 22. “What we intend to do is to invite the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to bring some of the traditional horsemen to have a little durbar during the tournament that would add some colour to the occasion. “In addition to showcasing the durbar during the carnival at the Eagle Square, they would also want the people who are gathered in other sporting areas to get the feeling of our culture. “You will be surprised that giant steps have been taken to bring in partners into the club that are going to further enhance the infrastructure that is already in place.’’ The chairman of the polo club urged organisations and individuals to support the development of polo in the country, stressing that the dearth of infrastructure is hampering

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‘Blame us for Rangers’ woes’

nugu Rangers coach, Duke Udi has said the coaches as core professionals will fully assume responsibility for the side’s misfortune at the end of the ongoing league season. The Coal City side are 14th on the 20-team top flight on 46 points with a game to spare against relegated side, Bayelsa United. Udi said though the discomfort of the six-time Nigerian champions is a huge puzzle the coaches will not shift blame to any other person else when the curtain falls on the league. “We are not going to shift blame to anyone else but ourselves for Rangers not too impressive performance in the outgoing league season. “Once we are done with Sunday’s match day 38 fixture clash against Bayelsa United we will humbly and respectfully say we are sorry to the government, management and teeming supporters of the club for failing to live up to their preseason expectations. “Nobody is happy with the misfortune that befell on Rangers same as everyone is confused over what contributed to the sorry situation. “We believe the manner of our exit from the Federation Cup contributed immensely to what was to happen to Rangers later in the day. “We actually wanted to win the Federation Cup as a morale boost to fight for the league title. “Right now we still believe that the last day match against Bayelsa United is wholly important that’s why we are preparing very hard to ensure we claim the whole three points at stake at least to end our season’s campaign on high. “Victory will boost our confidence after the season to programme ourselves for next term,” said the former Giwa FC coach said. The Flying Antelopes will play host to the Restoration Boys in match day 38 clash on Sunday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu to bring to an end the season’s campaign.

Duke Udi

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Sports

LMC engages Police to protect referees at NPFL venues

Wikki Tourists won’t give up on ticket — Ibrahim

Mustapha Ibrahim

Policemen with a fan By Albert Akota

hairman of the League Management Company, Shehu Dikko has announced the engagement of special security squads to protect match officials at various venues of the remaining Nigeria Professional Football League matches. Dikko who announced these following successful talks with the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase, said a League Security Desk, (LSD) has been created for matches.

The second Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation explained that all match venues will benefit from this additional security arrangement provided to manage the recent increasing spat of violence at match venues. “We have had 359 games so far and, with the remaining 20 fixtures and the rescheduled game between Sunshine Stars and Lobi Stars, it is only natural that we take precautionary measures to check any ugly incidences,” Dikko said. “Our venues, so far, have been largely peaceful but security can

never be enough hence we made the move to secure not just the match officials but also the fans and the clubs involved,” he noted. “For this reason, impress it on the referees that they must be strict in applying the rules during the matches without fear of molestation. “It is important to build a security ring around our officials to protect them from the pockets of hooligans that are a feature of football matches globally. We have reached a period in the league when fans get desperate and can take laws into their hands,” he concluded.

Amunike to work with U-17, U-20 teams – Pinnick By Albert Akota

mmanuel Amunike is to join the Nigeria under-20 coaching staff, but will retain his job as U17 coach, according to Nigerian FA president Amaju Pinnick. Amunike guided Nigeria’s U17 team to the World Cup title with a 2-0 win over Mali on Sunday in Chile and has impressed with his style of play and man management skills. Pinnick says the Nigeria Football Federation would like to see the former Barcelona winger continue the excellent job he has been doing, but also be available to ensure that the players make a seamless transition to the next level. “We said from the very beginning of our tenure that our objective is that the bulk of our 2022 FIFA World Cup team will be from the boys of the last U17 team and this U17 team,” Pinnick said. “By that time, they should be between the ages of 22 and 24. To ensure that they are properly monitored and groomed, Amunike will move up to join the U20 team as one of the assistant coaches. “But he will also stay on as U17 coach to continue to develop players at that level.” Amunike will reunite with his former boss Manu Garba, under whom Nigeria won the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup.

Amunike

ikki Tourists captain and right back, Mustapha Ibrahim has said his side are well poised to claim one of the continental tickets in the ongoing league season. The Bauchi-based side are fourth on the 20-team top flight on 60 points with a game to spare against champions, Kano Pillars. Ibrahim said his side are looking forward to winning the encounter against Kano Pillars to chance a ticket to Africa at the end of the day. “Of course, we have not given up hope on claiming a continental ticket with a game to spare, our chance for ticket is as bright as any other top contenders. “That’s why we are working very hard on our last game against champions, Kano Pillars in Bauchi on Sunday. “The clash against Pillars will be a very big match given the opponents pedigree in the land so we are expecting a difficult challenge. “However, our target is to win convincingly with at least four, five unreplied goals to up the goal difference. “A win will put us on same points with Nasarawa United, Giwa FC and Warri Wolves depending on the outcome of last day match so goal difference may decide who gets what,” said Ibrahim. Wikki Tourists will hosts Pillars in Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match day 38 clash at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium (ATBS) in Bauchi to end their season’s league campaign.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 14 - sunday 15, november, 2015

Sports

Four big questions ahead of qualifying playoffs of Euro 2016 Will Euro 2016 be denied Zlatan Ibrahimovic, or will Zlatan deny Morten Olsen the perfect goodbye?

he star against the stalwart manager, At 34 years of age, Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants one more big tournament and arguably needs one for his legacy, having not qualified for 2014. At 15 years in the job and set to retire when this campaign ends, Denmark manager Morten Olsen is hoping for a fitting send-off. Those stories are pretty much what this local derby comes down to and indicates how, despite the closeness of Sweden and Denmark in terms of geography, there are significant differences to the makeup of the teams and their approaches. If it seems too easy and obvious to bring everything regarding Sweden back to Zlatan, that is because he obviously makes life much easier for them. The reality is that Sweden might not have gotten this far and certainly wouldn’t have this much of a chance without him. In a flagging team that suffered “two catastrophic matches” in September in losing 1-0 to Russia and 4-1 at home to Austria, Zlatan still hit eight goals. That alone equalled the amount Denmark scored as a team in all of their 10 games, but it perhaps sums up their problems that Nicklas Bendtner is their main striker with two goals. Only Christian Eriksen really offers any creativity now, and he’s had a few disciplinary issues with Olsen, who criticised the playmaker for not making the most of his talent after an early defeat to Portugal. That sums up something about the manager. As has been typical of his time in charge, though, Olsen seeks to craft tight collectives. Despite their lack of goals, the Danes don’t want for spirit. It remains to be seen whether they can match Zlatan’s sparkle and ensure it isn’t in France.

Slovenia and Ukraine both became independent nations in the early ‘90s but, despite the drastic differences in their football heritages and population, there has also been an unexpected difference in their records. Although Slovenia’s main sport is skiing and they have a population of just over 2 million, they have qualified for three tournaments in that time. Meanwhile, although Ukraine have provided some of the finest club teams in European history at Dynamo Kyiv and have a population of over 40 million, they have reached just two tournaments. They’ve also seen some wondrous players waste opportunities in that regard, not least the Andriy ShevchenkoSerhiy Rebrov-inspired core at the turn of the millennium. Of course, it might have been so different had that Ukrainian team actually beaten Slovenia in the Euro 2000 qualifying playoffs. Neither country had yet made a tournament at that point, nor Shevchenko & Co. were fully expected to ease through and potentially become repeat qualifiers and a real quality side. Except a sleek Slovenia side stunned Ukraine and went on to create a greater legacy of their own. Now, the feeling is that the Ukrainians should finally have enough to get revenge with Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyana in such lively form but there is potential for some complications. For one, Slovenia has rehired the manager responsible for that Euro 2000 qualification, Srecko Katanec. Secondly, he has again started to put together a solid and competitive team, underpinned by a fine goalkeeper in Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak. There could be frustration in store for Ukraine again.

Can Ireland’s graft overcome Bosnia and Herzegovina’s greater craft? Perhaps the most even of the

Wes Hoolahan is one of Ireland’s few creative outlets

Zlatan Ibrahimovic four ties, and the one that thereby offers the most allure in terms of competitiveness, with that augmented by the contrast between the teams. Most of Ireland’s best players -- Wes Hoolahan apart -are defensive, and manager Martin O’Neill has consequently built a rigid, hard-working side upon them. Most of Bosnia’s best players are creative, especially in Roma duo Miralem Pjanic and Edin Dzeko, and Asmir Begovic recently spoke about how they revel in attacking. Ireland are going to have to find a way to disrupt that, but the flip side is they may find a surprising amount of space behind the Bosnian back line in the same way they did to Germany in that remarkable 1-0 win over the world champions. That task is made more difficult, however, by the absence of important starters. Senior defender John O’Shea and campaign key scorer Jon Walters are suspended

for the first leg, while Shane Long who hit the winner against Germany is struggling for fitness. Added to that, while Ireland remained somewhat inconsistent and jittery in performance throughout the qualifiers, Bosnia are on a winning run. It’s just another contrast complicating this tie.

Can Norway and Hungary change recent history to make history?

The tie involving the two teams with by far the biggest collective gap since their last qualifications, and thereby the one that arguably means the most. Consider the figures. Sweden and Denmark both made it to Euro 2012 last, meaning it will be a joint wait of eight years by the start of France 2016. Ukraine hosted Euro 2012 and Slovenia were at the 2010 World Cup, ensuring they have gone 10 years together. Ireland

Norway and Hungary

were also at Euro 2012 but Bosnia and Herzegovina reached 2014, so that’s six years. For Norway and Hungary? The former’s last tournament was Euro 2000, and the latter’s ... the 1986 World Cup. That makes it a total of 46 years. Of course, Hungary’s rich history -- 1938 and 1954 World Cup finalists and tough recent times adds a depth of romance to this tie, too. There wasn’t much romance to how they finished their group, though, as Bernd Stock’s side only claimed one win from their last five games to blow the chance of automatic promotion. Norway were the opposite, with an evolving young team picking up pace as the campaign went on. They beat Croatia and were 17 minutes away from beating Italy to top the group. One of these teams is now 180 minutes away from ending a long wait.

BIG PUNCH There are some staff of the Bureau of Public Enterprises that are board members of Generation Companies and Distribution Companies who were given Prado and Land Cruiser Jeeps. Peoples Daily WEEKEND, SATURDAY — SUNDAY, november 14-15, 2015

Saturday Column By

By Victoria Ohaeri

abatunde Fashola is the new minister of Works, Housing and Power. This new portfolio signals what seems like a new merger of executive responsibilities within three distinct ministries. A number of commentators have hailed this development even though it still isn’t clear how this merger will be operational. Nigeria faces huge infrastructural challenges, especially in the area of public works, housing and power. As such, these three sectors constitute strong foundational pillars on which the Nigerian economy rests. The gargantuan challenges facing each of these sectors are overwhelmingly structural, economic and systemic, requiring a diversity of approaches and professional expertise to tackle them. It is hardly convincing that the multilayered methodologies, technical competencies and strategic leadership needed to overturn the rot in the three sectors can be entrusted to just one man! Nigeria’s housing deficit is estimated to be over 17 million units, requiring an estimated N56–60 million (US$341,000– US$365,000) to surmount the gaps in shelter provisioning. This deficit continues to expand at the rate of 780,000 units per year, no thanks to the manifold forces militating against affordable housing financing and construction. The World Bank estimates that 720,000 housing units are required to be built annually for the next 20 years in order for Nigeria to be able to close the housing gap in the country. The explosion of slum communities in urban centres is also a direct consequence of severe housing shortage. All these point to an urgent need to explore and consider new technologies and home-grown solutions that not only expand citizens’ access to affordable housing, but also create wealth for all. Poor access to energy supply contributes to the recordhigh levels of poverty and underdevelopment in Nigeria. Though ranked as Africa’s largest oil producer and holder of the ninth largest natural gas reserves in the world estimated at about 180 trillion cubic feet, Nigeria’s meager 4,000mw daily power generating capacity is unable to meet the energy demands of its 170 Advert: business: news: lagos:

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million citizens. Huge expenditures committed to building power plants and critical energy infrastructure have not eradicated darkness, leaving 52 percent of the population either facing acute shortages, or without access to electricity at all. At 48 percent, Nigeria is far behind South Africa’s 82.7 percent electricity access rate, Senegal’s 56.5 percent and Morocco’s 98.9 percent. Women continue to bear a significant share of the burden of energy poverty; a situation compounded by social, economic and cultural inequalities in Nigeria. The public works sector is in total disarray. Travelling by road to any part of the country, especially in the South-East and the SouthSouth remains a nightmare. Recently, Nigeria’s vice-president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo had to lend his voice to the depressing condition of the roads in the South-Eastern part of the country. Cosmopolitan states like Lagos fare no better. Once you leave the city centres, a drive through the inner cities is comparable to scenes in a horror movie. The public works situation is indeed dire, and in need of urgent intervention at various levels. First off, this article is not an attempt to question Fashola’s competence to manage large portfolios. Instead, in light of the enormity of challenges that these sectors currently face and the immensity of solutions required to tackle them, I think it is useful to consider whether the sudden amalgamation of three critical public sectors is necessary or even an effective revitalisation strategy. We need to consider whether the abundance of complexities in each sector merit a merger of responsibilities or a distinct focus on solution-finding? What are the advantages of fusing clearly separate executive functions and what kind of strategic policy direction is expected from such an arrangement? What lessons are we drawing from previous superexecutive assignments, most of which only succeeded in creating powerful personalities, but weaker public institutions? The housing crisis, in terms of homelessness and shelter unaffordability for the urban poor and low-income earners, peaked during Fashola’s eight-year tenure as governor of Lagos State. The costs of the numerous housing

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—Senator Abubakar Kyari

A harder look at Fashola’s three-inone portfolio! on many things at the same time, the CME role only succeeded in amplifying her weaknesses and magnifying the governance gaps that she did not have a grip on, while downplaying her strengths and revolutionary economic interventions. That, in my view, is the same landmine Fashola is likely to face. It is human to crave for too much power; but it takes a lot of courage, and even greater humanity to decline too much power. That is the sort of power that oozes from the creation “super-ministers”. Those who crave for such powerful positions ought to know that the pains are often too gross to manage, especially in a country like Nigeria where leaders are often misunderstood, deliberately or unconsciously. I hope Fashola will heed wise counsel and do the right thing. Truth is: having three ministries under his watch is certainly not the right thing to do.

Babatunde Fashola estates ranging from one bedroom apartments to 3-1 bedroom flats that he built were far beyond the reach of the middle class, let alone the urban poor. Consistent with Fashola’s declaration that the provision of affordable housing was one of the cardinal programmes of his administration, he adopted a range of approaches to increase housing delivery such as the establishment of new towns, direct housing construction, public private partnerships, urban renewal and regeneration programs, site and service schemes and so forth. Despite these aggressive measures undertaken, the combined housing stock delivered within his eight-year tenure was less “than 5, 000 units per annum in a state requiring 500, 000 units per annum to bridge the deficit of estimated 5 million over the next 10 years.” I think it would be wrong to blame Fashola alone for this monumental failing to meet the state’s housing obligations to Lagosians. However, the huge gaps

that remain compellingly underpin the significance of according priority and dedicated attention to the housing sector at both the state and federal levels. It also underlines why merging the housing sector with other sectors that face even more daunting challenges is a step in the wrong direction. It was Goodluck Jonathan that first introduced the concept of a “super-minister” when he made Dr. Mrs. Ngozi OkonjoIweala the coordinating minister of the economy (CME). Dr. Iweala introduced very innovative measures in the finance ministry and across all sectors, but her solid efforts and best intentions were glaringly not enough. Just like Fashola, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala’s competence was not in doubt, and had never been. Rather, the not-enoughness stems from the over-concentration of executive power and multiple leadership functions in one person in a way that undermined the best of human contributions to national development. Because it is unnatural to have a firm grip

Ohaeri is the executive director of Spaces for Change a youth-development and policy advocacy organization based in Lagos. She can be reached on victoria@ spacesforchange.org

DAN GAYE Gov Fayose shunned PDP confab –News

Who did the insults there?

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