Peoples Daily Newspaper, Saturday, June 23, 2012 by Peoples Media Limited

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

VOL. 1 NO. 96 SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

. . . putting the people first

SHAABAN 3 - 4, 1433 AH

N150

Habib Bama, captured Boko Haram Kingpin dies >> Page 3

Security Shake-up

Jonathan sacks Azazi, How Sambo Dasuki now NSA JTF men New defence minister yet unknown

killed Kano boy

Owoye Azazi Andrew

Cover:

Mohamed Sambo Dasuki

>> Page 3

Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed

>> Pages 9, 10 & 11

Pages 9, 10 & 11 Unanswered questions>>over ‘sting operation’

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News Amb Olusola is irreplaceable —Associate From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

he Ogun state governorship candidate under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the last general elections, Veteran Olawale Okunniyi has bemoaned the sudden demise of ace broadcaster and culture icon, Ambassador Segun Olusola. While commiserating with the family of the late founder of African Refugee Foundation (AREF) and the entire citizens of ogun state, Okunniyi regretted the reality of missing the usual robust and ebullient interventions of Ambassador Olusola at the historic inauguration and of the national steering committee of the peoples’ national dialogue scheduled to begin on Tuesday in Lagos. Addressing the media in Lagos at the weekend, the spokesperson of National Summit Group said "the ace broadcaster and conflict manager was a key delegate of the national steering committee of the National Summit from the southwest region and has already indicated his commitment to participate fully in the renewed process of stemming the ongoing bloodletting and killings in parts of the country before being suddenly snatched away by death on Thursday. "It would be recalled that early in February this year, death also dealt a massive blow to the National Summit Group when it similarly snatched away Dr Mathew Mbuh and Prof Sam Aluko, two of its key associates and allies expected to attend an emergency national summit," he said Okunniyi however hailed the late Jibulu of Remo-land for his illustrious contributions to national reconciliation and healing on various national platform, especially his inestimable sacrifices during the trying period of the PRONACO national conference, which yielded a draft peoples' constitution for Nigeria "Ambassador Olusola was a role model in various regards given his unparalleled diligence and commitment to issues that affected the mass of our populace and was hardly provoked on any matter, rather he devoted most of his adult life to settling disputes and quarrels. He is indeed an eminent leader of thought and remains one the greatest Nigerians who bestrode the social plane of our country with first class impacts. Olusola is indeed a Hero in death" Okunniyi declared While praying for the repose of Olusola's soul as well as fortitude for his family and friends, the Leader of CPC in Ogun state regretted that the country will miss the unique inputs of the deceased in curbing the current bombings, bloodletting and killings in the country and said one of the ways Olusola can be honoured is for eminent national leaders meeting in Lagos next Tuesday to ensure that the latest process of national consultations lead to proper negotiations and true reconciliation in the country.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Sambo denies plot to impose state of emergency on Kaduna By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

ice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo has described as “malicious” a report in certain quarters that he planned to force the declaration of state of emergency in his native Kaduna state as part of a sinister plot to actualize his presidential ambition in 2015. A statement signed by his spokesman, Umar Sani said: “Our attention has been drawn to media reports alleging that the Vice President, Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo in a purported pursuit of a presidential ambition and in order to get at Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa of Kaduna state ostensibly for his supposed closeness with former Governor, Ahmed Mohamed Makarfi, was pushing for an imposition of a State-ofEmergency rule in Kaduna state. It continued: “We find the story not only malicious in contents

but an orchestrated attempt to disparage the hitherto good relationship that exists between the trio. It should be noted that they not only enjoy good and cordial fraternal relationship but excellent working one as well. They pay each other periodic visits and take time to travel to events together. Only recently, the Vice President commiserated with the Governor over the fire incident that engulfed his official residence in Kaduna. Also, on the invitation of the Vice President, the Governor and Makarfi were with him in Benin-City during the gubernatorial campaign of Charles Edigie Airhiavbere at the Ogbemudia Stadium. They flew together in the Vice President aircraft.” The Vice President also insisted that there was no time he held a meeting with anyone where the issue of emergency rule in Kaduna state was discussed.

VP Mohammed Namadi Sambo

“These stories are mere cheap lies fabricated to cause disaffection between and among the trio and

we urge members of the public to discountenance such falsehood,” the statement said.

Fashola wants immunity clause to stay, opposes creation of more states From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Lagos state Governor, Babatunde Fashola yesterday said that the removal of immunity clause from the constitution will not be a welcome idea as being canvassed by some members of the public. Fashola stated at a one-day public hearing on the proposed amendment to the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly, organised by the Lagos State House of Assembly, held at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium, in Alausa, Ikeja.

Gov. Raji Fashola of Lagos state

Fashola, who noted that the immunity clause as provided in Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution should be retained, pointed out that the clause is more for the protection of the office than the office holders. He said the section preserves the dignity and ensures the effectiveness of administration, adding that “while it is regrettable that there may have been actions which are indicative of abuses of the privilege by some office holders, the privilege of immunity is not for the benefit of the office holder. “Retention of the clause would prevent unfounded allegations of criminality against top public officials which, if allowed, would bring massive distractions. “Even where the allegation that necessitates trial relates to corruption or other criminal offences, it is trite that time does not run against investigation and prosecution of offenders. What would have been achieved with the removal of the immunity clause could be achieved at the expiration of the tenure of the serving officials,” Fashola said. Speaking further, the governor described the agitation for the creation of additional states as an attempt to balkanise and dismembere the existing states. Fashola, who noted the huge

cost which the administrative machinery and personnel of the new state would cost, stated that instead of demanding for additional states, people should request for additional local government, which he said would enhance development at the grassroots, as well as bring government closer to the people. “Most states are currently not sufficiently viable to justify further subdivisions. It may well be that the agitation for more inclusiveness in governance and for rapid development may be better addressed by the creation of more local governments than it can be done by the creation more states,” he stated. On the call for devolution of power, Fashola said this became imperative, noting that the present system backed by the 1999 constitution of the country gives more power to the government at the centre. There are certain functions, which he said are being performed by the states governments that are supposed to be devolved to state. Commenting on the present sharing formula, the governor stressed the needs for its review, submitting that if the principle of the true fiscal federalism would be adhered to, the ratio formula should be FG 25 per cent; states,

45 per cent; Derivation pool, 25 per cent and Intervention fund, 5 per cent. He reiterated the call for the state police and special fiscal support for Lagos state as the former Federal capital of the federation. On his part, former Minister of Works, Femi Okunnu, said “I don't think the 1999 constitution is all that bad, it is the way we exercise our powers that is bad.” He however, called for the removal of Sections 3,4,5,6 and 8 of the Constitution. While presenting his position, Constitutional lawyer, Itse Sagay, noted that there are lot of powers that should be taken away from the Federal Government and handed over to the state governments. “The minimum wage for instance is another issue that the federal government should leave with the states. Each state should be the one to determine its minimum wage and federal government should not determine what to be paid,” he added. In his contribution, Senator Olorunmibe Mamora said “we should be cautious in our calls for the review of the constitution so as not to turn it to village meeting minutes’ book and we should not think the constitution can solve all our problems.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

News

Habib Bama, captured Boko Haram kingpin dies Police arrest 4 over attempt bombing of mosque By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, Abuja, Edwin Olofu, Kano, with agency reports

h e wanted Boko Haram strongman, Habib Bama, who was shot and arrested by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in a gun battle in Damaturu on Thursday, is dead. The suspect died in an undisclosed hospital in Damaturu, Yobe state yesterday morning. The State Security Service (SSS) had alleged that he masterminded the bombing of the Mogadishu Cantonment, Police Force Headquarters, UN House and the St. Theresa’s Catholic, Madala in Niger state. In a statement issued shortly after the Madala attack in December last year, the SSS disclosed that Mr. Bama, an exsoldier who hailed from Bama town in Borno state, was also known as Habib Bama, Shuaibu Bama and Habib Mamman. It would be recalled that these bombings took place between Dec. 31, 2010 and Aug. 26, 2011. He was declared wanted by the SSS on Feb. 15 for ``crime against the state.’’ Mr. Bama had allegedly attempted to grab a gun from a soldier, while he engaged the JTF

men in a battle before his capture on Thursday. According to SaharaReporters, Bama “was critically wounded yesterday (Thursday) when we tried to arrest him and he resisted. He died this morning (yesterday) from the gunshot wounds.” A top source told SaharaReporters yesterday that, “As I speak with you, the bomber is dead. He died as a result of the injuries he sustained during his arrest.” There were however speculations to the effect that the country’s security apparatus may have allowed Bama to die slowly from the gunshot wounds without treating him. It was gathered that, though Bama sustained gunshot injuries during his arrest, they might not have been enough for him to die if he had been given medical treatment. An SSS official told SaharaReporters that there was a deliberate decision to deny the late Boko Haram cell leader medical care to prevent a situation whereby it would be difficult to prosecute him. The source noted that government prosecutors were finding it extremely difficult to prosecute 10 members of the sect who are now in custody.

Habib Bama Thirteen months after the arraignment of the suspects before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the prosecution has found it difficult to get witnesses to testify against the accused. “Witnesses are afraid of what would happen to them and their families if they come to court to testify against Boko Haram members,” said the source. Last Thursday, an exasperated Justice Abdul Kafarati, who is presiding over

the case, indicated that he would discharge the accused persons if the government was unable to proceed with their prosecution. Meanwhile, the Kano state Police command have arrested four persons for allegedly planting a timed bomb at Waje Friday mosque in Fage local government area of Kano. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Rilwanu Mohammed Dutse confirmed the arrest, saying that the suspects were apprehended by the members of the community and were handed over to the police around 1:30 pm yesterday after they were trying to plant the explosive which was concealed in a polythene bag. ‘’The four suspects namely; Saminu Haruna, Salisu Adamu, Abdullahi Mohammed and Lawan Saidu are now in our custody and the bomb has since been detonated by our Anti Bomb disposal unit without casualty or damage,’’ he said. He explained that investigation had also commenced while security had been beefed up in the area. An eye witness said that the bomb was planted by one of the suspects within the premises of the mosque.

Jonathan sacks Azazi, Sambo Dasuki now NSA By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem and Augustine Aminu, with agency report

n what appears to be a radical shake up of the National Security of the country; President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked The National Security Adviser, General Andrew Owoye Azazi, and appointed Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) to replace him as the new NSA. President Jonathan also dropped Minister of Defense, Alhaji Haliru Bello, but it is not clear as at press time who replaces Bello. The residential spokesman, Reuben Abati who made this known yesterday, said that the moves come as part of the president's afforts to revamp his administration's response to the growing threat of violence from the extreme Islamist sect, Boko Haram. . On his arrival from the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, earlier on Friday, the President summoned an emergency meeting of all his security Chiefs. The meeting, which lasted about one-and-a-half hours at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was attended by Azazi and Bello. Azazi had told State House Correspondents that the meeting reviewed the security situation in

the country, saying, "The security situation is under control". The Minister of Police Affairs, retired Navy Capt Caleb Olubolade, after the meeting also said that the security Chiefs ``comprehensively'' briefed the President on the security situation. ``It was a useful discussion; certain areas where we have problems, we have to tackle them. We want to see how the security agencies will be more effective and the role the citizens have to play. ``We have been there for about one-and-a-half hour; it was very useful,'' Olubolade had said. Others at the meeting were: the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin, Chief of Army Staff, Gen Azubike Ihejiria, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Dikko Umar. Acting Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar and the Director-General of the SSS, Mr. Ita Epeyong, were also present at the meeting. For some time now, the problem of insecurity which used to be one of the lowest in the hierarchy of social problems facing this country seems to have assumed alarming proportions since the end of the Nigerian civil war which ended in 1970.

During the pre-colonial and colonial era, insecurity was merely handled by the Federal government utilising the ministry of Internal Affairs , the Nigerian Police Force [N.P.F] , The Nigeria Prison, the Immigration service and the Customs, all of which annual budgets was among the least in the exclusive list . There were also local security men recruited by the native authorities, some of whom were attached to the customary court that were called different names like 'Dandoka' or 'Courtman'. Since the past decade, government expenditure and security has walloped a life chunk of the Federal, State and local

budgets in the name of security votes and other related sub-heads. It would appear that unemployment is one of the strongest push factors. A situation where an alarming rate of about 40 percent of Nigerians most of who are in the youth bracket are not gainfully employed, smacks of a missing link in the governance and an absence of a desirable social contract .The emergence of youth militancy in the Niger Delta could be traced to this factor. Activities of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram have also taken toll on the nation with increased deaths incessant bomb blasts and gun battles that have claimed hundreds.

The Man, Dasuki Mohammed Sambo Dasuki is a former Managing Director of Security Printing & Minting Company Limited. A distinguished retired Military Officer, he attended both American Universities, namely Washington DC and George Washington University where he obtained a BA in International Relations and MA in Security Policy Studies respectively. He had his military training in several institutions in Nigeria and abroad including: Nigerian Army School of Artillery, Oklahoma, U.S Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth Kensas

According to the witness, it was some people who were at the mosque that raised an alarm thereby leading to the arrest of the suspects.

UBA confirms Air Nigeria benefited from Aviation Intervention Fund By Augustine Aminu

a n a g e m e n t of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) yesterday debunked claims by the Chairman of embattled airline, Air Nigeria, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim that his company never benefited from the Aviation Intervention Fund. Contrary to claims by Ibrahim that the airline did not need any intervention, the bank said the carrier was literally on its knees for bail out and was put on its feet by the intervention fund. Representative of UBA Managing Director, Mr. Dan Okeke told the National Assembly Joint Committee investigating the crash of the Dana Airline and allied matters at the hearing yesterday that Air Nigeria was financially on its belly and needed urgent cash injection to function. Okeke further told the Senator Hope Uzodinma-led committee that Air Nigeria got a five year loan which was further stretched to 15 years based on the Intervention Fund, a measure adopted to help the airline survive. He stated that the loan is with two percent interest with a monthly remittance of N244 million; a claim that was questioned by the committee. Giving details of the transaction, Okeke said, "Virgin Nigeria was taken over by Air Nigeria and by then, this airline was one of the biggest in the country. So, there was capacity and size was a determining factor and their request informed why we gave them the loan. Cash flow was choking them. Intervention Fund came and intervened. The fund has enabled them serve the Nigerian users. "The collateral by Air Nigeria means it was exposed to N35.5 million debentures of assets with 2 percent. The guideline for the Bank of Industry (BOI) is that it charges just one percent, between 1 percent and 6 percent. "It was a situational issue to help the airline. We made a gesture, and it was to charge two percent, meant as a gesture to the airline."

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News

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Yayale decries corruption in Civil Service A

former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed has expressed concern over the level of corruption among civil servants in the country. Yayale made the observation on Thursday in Abuja in a paper he presented at a workshop on the Civil Service, organised by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation to mark this year’s Civil Service Week In the paper entitled,

``Effective Service Delivery and Transformation,’’ Yayale warned that the successful implementation of Federal Government’s transformation agenda was being threatened by corruption in the civil service. ``At this point in time, the Head of Service should know and accept it that the level of corruption in the public service in this country is such that it will not and I repeat it, it will not ensure service delivery. ``Yes, there are challenges;

they say that workers are not paid commensurate level of benefits, so, we must cut corners. It could be right, but I think what is there is complete disregard to basic tenets of the civil service,''. Yayale, therefore, called for a review of salary and remunerations of civil servants as a strategy for retaining high flyers and talented staff in the civil service. He explained that attitudinal change could be achieved when civil servants were motivated and

stressed the need for government to address the welfare of civil servants to strengthen the fight against corruption. He also harped on the need to work out mechanisms through which the civil service could benefit from the expertise outside service. He suggested staff exchange programmes between the public service and private sector, international organisations and the academia. According to the former SGF,

such programmes will assist the civil service gain experience on global best practices and work ethics not only in public and private sectors of the economy but also in international institutions. He also stressed the need for collaboration between the office of the Head of Service of the Federation and the Federal Civil Service Commission in the areas of recruitment, deployment, promotion and discipline, with a view to enthroning merit based system in the civil service. (NAN)

Teachers Assakio crisis: Eggon claims ownership of town tasked on service A delivery From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

By Augustine Aminu

i g e r i a n teachers have been called upon to imbibe positive attitude in order to continue to impact positively on the lives of youths. A consultant in leadership, Mr. Linus Okorie, stated this on Thursday during a leadership workshop organised for teachers of Model Secondary School, Maitama, Abuja. In a lecture entitled ‘Developing the mind power for productivity,’ he tasked teachers to have core values of leadership in their system. “Everything comes from the mind. If teachers remain static, those they teach will bear the consequence, and the nation will suffer. There must be a genuine system to learn and the mind must be stirred to produce sound ideas. Teachers need to encourage students’ dreams,” he said. The project director of Adolescent Care Support and Empowerment Initiative, Beatrice Ogerenyi, Ph.D, said the programme was meant to package teachers for better service delivery. “This translates to the adolescents who are our main focus. Good teachers produce quality children who are future leaders,” she said, and urged teachers to take their job seriously. She said she intends to take the programme across the federation to enhance teachers’ service delivery. An educator and consultant, Mrs Ify Imohe in her speech, challenged teachers to give their best in their job. She also called for regular training of teachers and tasked concerned authorities to give the teaching profession the attention it deserves.

s the commission of inquiry recently constituted by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa state to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the Assakio disturbances, began its sitting in Lafia on Wednesday, the Eggon ethnic group who were alleged to have settled in the area, claimed ownership of the town, saying that the Eggon has previously existed independently, with separate chiefdom headed by the Wakilin Eggon. Making his submission before the commission, Umaru Tsaku, 75, speaking on behalf of the

Eggon, denounced the authority of the Osakyo of Assakio, the officially recognised traditional ruler of the area, alleging that since 1976, he has been authorised to collect tax from both his kinsmen as well as the Alagos. Represented by his counsel, S.O Ayiwulu, Tsaku claimed that the immediate cause of the crisis was the insistence of the Osakyo for every Eggon farmer in Assakio to give one bag of rice each as tribute, which was vehemently resisted, leading to the conflict. He recommended for the deposition of the Osakyo, who according to him, should be punished appropriately for his role in the crisis that resulted in the

loss of several lives, as well as damage to properties. However, on cross examination by Mohammed Usman Elegu, counsel representing the Osakyo, Tsaku confirmed that his authority is not recognised by law, even as he maintained that it was his kinsmen that elected him as their leader. Earlier on, the Osakyo of Assakio, Mr. Osula Ovedooh Inarigu, while making his submissions, alleged that Umaru Tsaku, the former Wakilin Eggon in Assakio, masterminded the flouting of the authority of the Osakyo by instigating the Eggons in Assakio not to pay tribute for

use of communal land. He also accused one Yusuf Aruma, chairman of Eggon Cultural Development Association (ECDA), Assakio branch, as being instrumental for the presence of the militia group called Ombatse on the day of the disturbance, who he said appeared with their uniform, led by their commander, one Bamaiyi Obile. While blaming the Eggon people for the crisis, describing it as premediated, the Osakyo called on the authorities to arrest Umaru Tsaku, Yusuf Aruma, Bamaiyi Obile and Sabo Dauda Otsan and prosecute them for instigating the crisis.

Zamfara Govt distributes N92m to windstorm victims

h e Zamfara Government on Thursday distributed the sum of N92 million to victims of last month’s windstorm at Maradun and Kaura Namoda local government areas. This followed the completion of the assessment of damages carried out by the state Emergency Relief Agency (ZEMA). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the state government had provided N1

million immediate assistance for the medical bills of those injured in the disaster. It also directed ZEMA to assess damages to houses and other privately owned structures in the affected areas. The state government further contacted the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which responded by sending its officers to verify the damages in collaboration with ZEMA. At Maradun local

government area alone, a total of 200 persons received assistance. Gov. Abdulaziz Yari said that the gesture was to reduce the burden on the victims and prayed against the recurrence of such disasters in the state. He urged the beneficiaries to use the funds for the purpose it was meant so that they could return to their homes. While commending the state government on behalf of the people, the Emir of Maradun,

Alhaji Garba Tambari, described the gesture as “one of the best things that has ever happened to the people''. He urged the victims and other citizens of the state to continue to pray for the wellbeing of the leaders and also continue to live in harmony with one another. NAN reports that a total of 1,600 persons were affected in the disaster that also claimed 17 persons, including the aged and children. (NAN)

Kebbi Govt receives report on 1999 constitution review

he Kebbi 1999 constitution review committee has presented a position paper for consideration by the authorities and presentation to the Senate for final deliberation. The Chairman of the committee, and retired Supreme Court Judge, Alhaji Usman Mohammed, presented the report

to Deputy Governor, Ibrahim Aliyu in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday. Mohammed said that the committee adhered to the guidelines given to it, adding: ``we deliberated on the issues as they affect the country and not restricted to state interests alone for further perusal by authorities".

NAN reports that some of the areas of the 1999 constitution considered for review by the committee include devolution of powers, creation of states, role of traditional rulers, fiscal federalism, immunity clause and rotation of power. The The deputy governor commended the committee for completing the review within the

stipulated three weeks and promised that the report would be presented before the June 29, 2012 deadline. "The imputs from the state House of assembly and the Attorney-General would be obtained before final presentation of the position of the state on the 1999 constitution review." (NAN).

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 5

News

Ajimobi pledges to build 10,000 housing units From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state on Thursday disclosed that he would build no fewer than 10,000 housing units across the state before the completion of his tenure. The governor, while fielding questions at the state Stakeholders’ Forum held at the Ibadan Civic Centre, said that the housing projects, when completed, would ease the accommodation challenges of the people. The forum was attended by representatives of various segments of the society, including professionals such as engineers, surveyors, architects, builders, lawyers, traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, market men and women as well as students. Ajimobi also said that the projects, which would be executed under a public-private partnership arrangement, would decongest the major towns and cities as well as further improve the aesthetics of the state. The governor said that work had already commenced on a 1,400 housing units on the LagosIbadan Expressway, stating that 200 of the units would be completed within the next nine months.

APGA crisis: S/South youths call for amicable resolution By Ikechukwu Okaforadi A political oranisation, South South Youth Assembly over the weekend called on all the aggrieved parties in the crisis bedeviling the leadership of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to avoid external interference and settle their differences internally. Speaking during an award presentation to the National Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh, the Cordinator of the group, Warri Ojarikre Dennis, also urged politicians to avoid the campaign of calumny against their opponents. He commended Umeh for his efforts to move the party forward, saying his leadership has brought about two governors and numerous lawmakers at both federal and state levels for the party. The coordinator however condemned the spate of bombings in northern Nigeria, calling on the security agencies to contain the state of insecurity facing the country. “We urge our leaders to be mindful of what they say in the public places,” Dennis stated. While urging President Goodluck Jonathan to consult widely before designing policy to avoid misinterpretation, the group further advised him not to interfere in the affairs of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) so as to improve on their achievements in the 2011 elections.

Mark mourns Late “Village Headmaster” By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

e n a t e President, David Mark has lamented the demise of the Nigeria former Ambassador to Ethiopia and creator of popular television drama series, “Village

Headmaster”, Ambassador Olusegun Olusola, as a monumental loss to the nation and the continent. Senator Mark in a condolence message to the bereaved family, the government and people of Ogun state said Late Olusola was

a colossus who was passionate about the cultivation and preservation of African culture. A statement signed by Mark’s spokesman, Kola Ologbodiyan said: “He noted the contribution of the ace broadcaster, an erudite actor, philanthropist to

his immediate community and efforts he made to sustain our cultural heritage would forever be remembered. Olusola played a fore front role in the promotion of African heritage and in upholding the sanctity of human dignity.”

Benue guber: ACN petitions NJC over S/Court ruling By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

h e Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Benue state has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the June 8, 2012 ruling of the Supreme Court which validated the election of Gabriel Torwua Suswam as the governor of Benue state in the April 2011 governorship election in the state. The five-page petition dated June 18, 2012, addressed to the Chairman of the NJC is titled: “Perversion of Justice in Appeal

Nos. SC191/2012, SC191A/ 2012 Prof Steve Torkuma Ugba & Anor v Gabriel Torwua Suswam & 2 Ors – Appeal for Urgent Redress”, and was signed by the State Chairman and Secretary of the party, Comrade Abba Yaro and Hon. Jonathan Gyuse respectively. ACN wants NJC to set aside the said ruling which they claimed leaked to Governor Suswam before it was delivered in the morning of 8th June 2012 by the apex court. The petition alleged that the Special Adviser on Media and

Publicity to the Governor, Dr. Cletus Akwaya had posted on his Facebook page on the internet under the title, “Aftermath of Supreme Court’s Verdict ‘Accept judgment now’ – Suswam tells Ugbah”, wherein Suswam had talked of his victory before the ruling was delivered. The party wondered why the apex court had not made available to them a copy of the ruling despite the provisions of section 294(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), that such copies be availed parties within 7 days of the delivery of

the decision. ACN in Benue wants a new panel, excluding the members of the panel which sat on 4th June 2012 be set up immediately to hear their appeals against Suswam’s election on merits and that the party should be availed reasons why an unqualified/ disqualified candidate like Suswam should be allowed to continue in office as Governor despite the violations of sections 177 (d) and 182(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Court slates June 26 to decide Falana’s suit against AU By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

h e African Court on Human and Peoples’ Right will on June 26, 2012 deliver judgement in the case Femi Falana instituted against the African Union on the validity of Article 34(6) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Falana, a Nigerian based lawyer who is the applicant in the matter alleged that he has made several attempts to get the

Nigerian government to deposit the declaration required under Article 34 (6) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The human right lawyer alleged that he has been denied access to the African Court because of the failure or refusal of Nigeria to make the declaration allowing Nigerian individuals and NGOs to bring their cases directly before the African court. He submitted that since his

efforts to have Nigeria make the declaration failed, he decided to file an application against the African Union, as a representative of its member states. Falana wants the court to declare Article 34(6) of the Protocol establishing the Court as illegal, null and void as it is inconsistent with Articles 1, 2, 7, 13, 26 and 66 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, pointing out that the requirement for a state to make a declaration, in addition to the ratification of the protocol establishing the court, to allow its citizens and NGOs to

directly institute cases before the court is a violation of human rights. The Respondent, the African Union disputes Falana’s allegations and maintained that the African Union is neither a party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, nor to the Protocol establishing the court. The Respondent further submits that the African Union is not the legal representative of its members which are sovereign States and added that the Court has no competence to decide the matter.

Nasarawa partners RMRDC to establish salt processing clusters From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

n a bid to diversify the economic base of the state, the Nasarawa state government has put in place a comprehensive plan for large scale production of iodised salt at the Nasarawa Salt Industries, located at Awe and Keana. According to Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura, the

state struck a partnership with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) for the establishment of salt processing clusters in the state, adding that the deal had already drawn the attention of the Dangote Group. Represented at the event by the state deputy governor, Hon. Dameshi Barau Luka, Al-

makura observed that overdependence on a single commodity continues to pose a threat to the economic prosperity of the state, stressing that, it has become necessary to explore and exploit viable alternatives to not only boost the revenue profile of the state but also open up employment opportunities for the people.

On his part, Director General of RMRDC, Engr. Peter Onwualu, represented by Mrs. Mary Mbok, appreciated the presence of the Dangote group, saying that the council was convinced the group would be able to exploit the potentials in this project by bringing expertise in the area of salt processing, refining, packaging and marketing.

Rotary Club empowers rural women in Abuja suburb

h e Rotary Club of Asokoro has empowered rural women in Takushara, a suburb in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

More than fifty women benefited from soft loans and maternity kits donated to pregnant women. The president of the club, Nze Kanayo Chukwuemezie said the

gesture was meant to make the women self sustaining and enable them take adequate care of their children. The incoming president of the club, Chika Nwozuzu said it was part of the club’s service

projects aimed at encouraging and supporting communities. The chairperson of Takushara Women Association, Mrs. Hauwa Kabala commended the Rotary Club for the gesture.

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

News 'Death snatched Amb. Segun Olusola from National Summit' From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

he Ogun State G o v e r n o r s h i p Candidate of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC in last general elections; Veteran Olawale Okunniyi, has bemoaned the sudden demise of Ambassador Segun Olusola, an illustrious son of ogun state and a close associate in the struggle to restructure the country for harmony and stability at a time when he is most needed by the country While commiserating with the family of the late Leader of African Refugee Foundation and the entire citizens of ogun state, Okunniyi regretted the

reality of missing the usual robust and ebullient interventions of Ambassador Segun Olusola at the historic inauguration and parley of the national steering committee of the peoples’ national dialogue scheduled to begin on Tuesday in Lagos Addressing the media in Lagos at the weekend, the spokesperson of National Summit Group said "the ace broadcaster and conflict manager was a key delegate of the national steering committee of the National Summit from the southwest region and has already indicated his commitment to participate fully in the renewed

process of stemming the ongoing bloodletting and killings in parts of the country before being suddenly snatched away by death on Thursday. "It will be recalled that early in February this year death also cheated the National Summit Group when it similarly snatched away Dr Mathew Mbuh and Prof Sam Aluko two of its key associates and allies expected to attend its emergency national summit on the first and second day of the eminent national leaders conference" Okunniyi however hailed the late Jibulu of Remo-land of ogun state for his illustrious contributions to national

reconciliation and healing on various national platform, especially his inestimable sacrifices during the trying period of the PRONACO national conference, which yielded a draft peoples' constitution for Nigeria "Ambassador Olusola was a role model in various regards given his unparalleled diligence and commitment to issues that affected the mass of our populace and was hardly provoked on any matter, rather he devoted most of his adult life to settling disputes and quarrels. He is indeed an eminent leader of thought and remains one the greatest Nigerians who bestrode the

social plane of our country with first class impacts. Olusola is indeed a Hero in death" Okunniyi declared While praying for the repose of Olusola's soul as well as fortitude for his family and friends, the Leader of CPC in ogun state regretted that the country will miss the unique inputs of the deceased in curbing the current bombings, bloodletting and killings in the country and said one of the ways Olusola can be honoured is for eminent national leaders meeting in Lagos next Tuesday to ensure that the latest process of national consultations lead to proper negotiations and reconciliation in the country.

Police dismiss rumour of Insecurity : Sokoto state speaker urges reprisal attack in Niger religious leaders to turn to scriptures

h e Niger Police Command on Friday said that the rumours that there would be reprisal attack in the state was false. Mrs Diseye Nsirim, the Commissioner of Police in Niger, made this known in Minna while briefing newsmen in the state. “The rumour making the rounds of reprisal attack in the state is false. The command will deal decisively with any person or persons who attempt or mastermind any breach of peace,’’ she said. Nsirim said that the security agencies in the state were on top of the situation, adding: ``adequate security measures had been put in place to ensure that the people sleep with their two eyes closed’’. She said the police had arrested one Ismaila Kasim of Kanawa

village in Kontagora Area of the state for allegedly kidnapping one Sahati Mamuda, 12, and Idris Musa, 11, both of AP filling station area in Tegina. The commissioner explained that the suspect was accosted with the victims on Tegina–Minna Road, while conveying the victims to Minna. Nsirim said Kasim confessed that one Ahmed Mohammed of Kontagora asked him to convey the victims to one Nma Mohammed of Dutsen Kura Gwari in Minna for an undisclosed amount. The commissioner said that Mohammed was later arrested. He added Kasim also confessed that he had earlier kidnapped two children in March, 2012 from Kagara village for which he was paid N1 .1 million.

eligious leaders should go back to their scriptures for solution to the current state of insecurity and other related problems in the country, Alhaji Lawalli Zayyana, said. Zayyana, who is the Speaker of Sokoto State House of Assembly, gave the advice on Friday in Sokoto in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN). “We have a common God, and we should go back to our various scriptures, the Holy Qur’an and Holy Bible, as Muslims and Christians. “Then we should see what God has said about living together as Muslims and Christians. Our ancestors like the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), had lived together

with Christians and Jews peacefully and harmoniously,’’ he said. The speaker said there was no reason why our situation in Nigeria should be different that a neighbour would want to kill his neighbour. Zayyana urged Nigerians to collectively reassess their positions, saying: `` we all have a common God who does not want us to kill. The traditional, religious, political and other opinion holders must advise their followers to live in peace with each other. “Religious leaders should specifically preach peace so that we should live in peace and harmony irrespective of our diverse religious, ethnic and

cultural differences ,’’ the speaker said. He urged Nigerians to be patriotic and pious citizens and expose all the bad eggs, who were bent on sowing seeds of discord and disharmony amongst Nigerians. “We should have an urgent re-think and should not kill any person. Anybody who pushes you to kill your fellow human being is your enemy,’’ Zayyana said. On the on-going anticorruption campaign, Zayyana urged the Federal Government not to relent in the noble cause. “There should be no sacred cows and scapegoats, any person indicted in any case should not be spared.

Polio eradication: Group hails FG Police arrest 4 persons By Augustine Aminu

o l l o w i n g the success being recorded by the federal government in its fight against polio, A non governmental organization; Nationstate Initative, Rivers State branch have commended the Federal Government on its laudable initiative to eradicate polio and other diseases. The organisation recalled that in the past polio has affected thousands of young Nigerians. It therefore hailed the new quest by the government to eradicate the disease through proper immunisation and education of parents. In a statement issued by the Rivers State Coordinator of Nationstate Initiative; Mr. Timipre Jacobs it said the

federal government deserves commendation, while also urging parents to avail their wards for polio immunisation Jacob said ‘We are delighted to see the aggressive efforts adopted by Federal Government to eradicate polio, the fact that the Executive Director and Chief Executive, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Ado J. G. Muhammad came to ObioApkor Local Government area of Rivers State in person for the vaccination shows not only the commitment of Federal government to ensure that these vaccines get to the most remote areas but to attain the bigger picture which is to eradicate polio and other diseases’. Meanwhile the Executive Director, Stand Nigeria

Initiative; Mr. Dike James Chigbue, has also commended the federal government task of eradicating polio and other diseases in the country He said it is not only the duty of Federal Government but state governments, local governments and other stakeholder; this is because the laudable efforts of NPHCDA will be enhanced by the support of other stakeholders. It may be recalled that recently the Executive Director and Chief Executive, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Ado J. G. Muhammad was at the launch of the official incorporation of the pentavalent vaccine at Eneka Primary Health Care Centre in Obio-Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.

over planting of bomb in Mosque in Kano From Edwin Olofu, Kano

h e Kano state Police command have arrested four persons for planting a timed bomb at Waje Friday Mosque in Fage local government area of Kano. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Rilwanu Mohammed Dutse confirmed the arrest saying that the suspects were apprehended by the members of the community and were handed over to the police around 1:30 pm on Friday, after they were trying to plant the explosive which was concealed in a polythene bag. ‘’The four suspects namely;

Saminu Haruna, Salisu Adamu, Abdullahi Mohammed and Lawan Saidu are now in our custody and the bomb has since been detonated by our Anti Bomb disposal unit without any casualty or damage’’. He said. He explained that investigations had commenced while security had been beefed up in the area. An eye witness said that the bomb was planted by one of the suspects within the premises of the Mosque. According to the witness, it was some people who were at the Mosque that raised an alarm thereby leading to the arrest of the suspects.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 7

Strange World Most shocking ABOMINATION 3 Zambian men rape hen (chicken) to death:

h r e e men of Liombe Village in Senior Chief Chipepo's area in Kapiri Mposhi district in Zambia are alleged to have had canal knowledge of a chicken. The three named men, aged 80, 66 and 35 years, are believed to have taken turns in having canal knowledge of a hen which later died. Liombe Village Senior headwoman, Loveness Chimbuleni, confirmed the incident, saying the three have since been reported to the police. However, efforts to get a comment from police failed by press time. Chimbuleni said the three were discovered with the dead chicken in the room where they are alleged to have had canal knowledge of it. She said the dead chicken was discovered with its canal cavity widely ruptured with some suspected male semen oozing out of it. "Three old men have raped a chicken here in my village. The chicken has since died.” We have reported them to police for them to be arrested because they are a disgrace in the eyes of God and a shame to humanity," Headwoman Chimbuleni said. The traditional leader also stated that cases of bestiality is against the order of nature and is rampant in Chief Chipeppo's area. Chimbuleni attributed the increase in the number of cases of bestiality nature to widespread

witchcraft."It is not the first time that such cases have occurred. We have several of them and it is just that we do not know why they are so high". Meanwhile, Chimbuleni has appealed to government to reopen the police post in the area to help fight crime and bring perpetrators of criminal activities to book. She said the community in the area is committed to offering support in terms of providing accommodation to police officers who will be deployed to the area. In 2008 the police withdrew operations from the area because of lack of decent accommodation for officers who were deployed to the place. She said criminally minded people were taking advantage of the absence of the police post to perpetrate crimes.

Heavy petting: 5ft tall park ranger gets close and personal with 300lb Siberian tiger Petite Or Lazmi shows absolutely no fear, as she snuggles up to Shosho - a massive 33 stone, male Siberian tiger. Or, who stands just 5ft 1ins tall and weighs only 8st 11, looks after dozens of big cats at Seaview Lion Park, South Africa. Feeding time: Or feeds 28 stone female Siberian tiger Faye while giving her brother Shosho a scratch under the chin, at the Seaview Lion Park in Port Elizabeth After raising many of the animals from cubs she has complete confidence in them and over the years had barely suffered so much as a scratch. Or, 25, who is originally from Israel, and now manages the park, 18 miles from Port Elizabeth, said: 'It's not your everyday job, but these tigers are my babies. 'I love getting this close to the animals even though I am a lot smaller than them. 'People are scared of tigers because they are so powerful, but we train them to understand 'no'. 'I never let them use their claws or teeth on me. I have only been scratched when they were tiny and knew no better.' Cheeky scamps: Siberian tiger cubs Judah and Ruby at Seaview Lion Park, South Africa The tiger lover has raised two-year-old Shosho and his sister Faye since park staff took them from their mother at nine days old. Or, who is also pictured with threemonth-old cubs Judah and Ruby said: 'I live on site and spend four hours a day, seven days a week with the tigers. 'I have to replace their mother in every

way when they are young; bottle feeding, walking, and even potty training. 'They are more similar to human babies than lion cubs, as they cry all the time - we even have to rock them under the arms to calm them down. 'Shosho is my big boy and always loved cuddles, but Faye was a feisty cub - I think I've got her under control now.'

chronic exhaustion, was to blame for his death as it weakened his immune system. It is not the first time a Chinese football fan has suffered from trying to keep up with their on-pitch heroes. During the Germany 2006 and South

Africa 2010 World Cups reports surfaced of people being admitted to hospital after their bodies broke down from not sleeping. Sleep deprivation from playing online video games is a huge problem in South Korea.

Pride and joy: Or takes 23-month-old lions Adam and Jagger for a stroll, by their tails

Football fan dies after sleepless nights

A TRAGIC FOOTBALL ADDICTION:

x h a u s t i o n : There has been a worrying increase in people suffering from sleep deprivation in recent years from watching too much TV or being online A Chinese football fan died after going 11 nights without sleep as he tried to watch every single kick of the ball of Euro 2012. Jiang Xiaoshan, 26 said to be supporting England and France in the tournament, died of exhaustion on Tuesday morning. Because of the time difference, he reportedly stayed up each night with

friends and then went to work the following day. Following the Ireland versus Italy match, Sina.com said he went back to his Changsha home at 5am, had a shower, fell asleep and never woke up. Friends said the news of his death came as a shock, as he lived a 'relatively healthy life', and had played football for his university team just a couple of years before. Sources said, however, that the effect of alcohol and tobacco, combined with the

Jiang Xiaoshan watched: * 21 matches of live Euro 2012 action * That equates to 1,890 minutes of football * Saw a total of 51 goals Earlier this year video game addicts in the country were told they could have the amount of time they spend playing limited to just four hours per day. The country’s government said it was looking at introducing a ‘Cooling Off’ system to regulate the time students played in a 24-hour period. It wants to stamp out online bullying, and stem a number of suicides attributed to internet and video game addiction. Their game will switch off after two hours, where they will be given a 10 minute rest, and can then only log again in once for a maximum two hours in the following 24 hours. It follows the Shutdown Law, passed in November, which bans gamers under the age of 16 from playing between midnight and 6am. Fears are growing in South Korea that rampant gaming will lead to more deaths if the system is not introduced. In February, in Taiwan, a young gamer lay dead in an internet cafe for nine hours before anyone noticed. Chen Rong-yu, 23, was thought to have suffered a heart attack after playing League of Legends for 23 hours straight. He was apparently still sitting on the chair with his hands stretched out in front of the keyboard as if he was still playing in the cafe in New Taipei City.

Interview PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 8

‘I am the first female Garkuwan Azara’ Hajiya Aishatu Rufa’I Ibrahim was the first commissioner for women affairs and social development in Nasarawa state, in 1999. In 2003, she served as Special Adviser to Governor Abdullahi Adamu on Special duties after which she was appointed commissioner for agriculture and natural resources in 2005 to 2007. Her emirate council recently conferred on her, the title of Garkuwan Azara. In this interview with Jamila Nuhu Musa, she disclosed that she is the first female to be so honoured, amongst sundry issues. Please introduce yourself y name is Hajiya Aishatu Rufai Ibrahim. I was born into the family of late emir of Azara, Alhaji Musa Azara in Awe local government area of Nasarawa state, in the late sixties. I had my primary education in Jos, Plateau state, and attended Plato College before proceeding to the School of Basic Studies, ABU, Zaria, after which I got a degree in Chemistry from the same institution. I did my NYSC at the Nigeria Mining Corporation in Jos, Plateau state, I later worked as marketing manager of Maria Farms Nigeria Ltd, before I set up my own poultry farm and consultancy outfit and became the first commissioner for women affairs and social development as well as commissioner for agriculture and natural resources respectively, during the Abdullahi Adamu administration in Nasarawa state. I was also at a point, member governing board, Agricultural Research Council and presently, deputy national coordinator of the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria. What was the situation of agriculture before you became commissioner for the ministry in 2003? Agriculture needed to be boosted at the time the administration came on board. Especially on the issue of fertilizer, our farmers found it difficult to get the commodity in the market and its distribution was not as efficient as it should be, so we devised a method whereby we had committees at the local government level through which we impacted on the agricultural sector in this regard. Issue of agriculture was a value chain; we accessed farmers to modern method of irrigation, to have the market, and other strategies to further their progress in farming. You would realize that the farmers would work very hard on their farms, harvest their products but get very little value for their sweat. So we established a Produce Development and Marketing Company, for us to have a guaranteed price for our farmers. What was the situation of rice mills which provided employment opportunities and empowerment for women and youths in those days? Well, our farmers still produced rice but as I said earlier on, they produced but do not get value for their efforts. The problem of importation of rice has always been there. When we produce rice but go to the market to buy a bag

should be recognized. Women have also contributed a lot to the development of the society and they should be encouraged to do more. What is the meaning and role of the Garkuwa? It is a very important title in the Azara traditional council. The role is to protect the image of the council, advise the emirate, and project its ideals. The title of Garkuwa literally means a shield so to say and I will try as much as I can to protect interest of the council and live up to the expectation of my people and impact positively on their lives. What do you do now that you are no longer in government? I am in private business. Some of the things I am also doing now are not recorded. They are done at a private capacity. I encourage and support girls to gain education, to promote the girlchild in Nasarawa state. I help

Hajiya Aishatu Rufa’I Ibrahim of polished rice, which does not have stones at the cost of maybe N8, 500 to N9,000, then at the end of the day the local rice is abandoned after production costs and all the effort put into it. So what will the local farmers do since people have developed taste for foreign rice? The issue of importation of foreign rice should be taken seriously, not only at the state level but at the federal level because the policy is initiated at that level. We need to encourage our farmers by establishing processing plants to process our rice to international standard. It is only when we do that that we can create the market for our own rice. In the past when you go to Lafia, the production of rice was the source of income for the women and the people generally but that is not the case now. As commissioner for women affairs in the then administration, what were your priorities? We took the issue of girl-child education as one of our priorities, we found that most of the girls were out of school and we realised that to empower a woman, the first thing to do was to educate her. We also established skills acquisition centres at the local government

areas and organized workshop from time to time on the issues of girl-child education, to sensitise people about the fact that an educated woman will be a better housewife and mother, and that she would be better placed to impact on the society. We also realized that women formed the major workforce on the farms but were not properly gaining from their toiling. There was therefore, the need to empower them. How did you tackle problems of violence against women? We had what we called department of social development to look at the issues. Though we did not have much violence against women then, there were issues like wife battering and so on, and the department took care of these. I still believe that education will reduce to the barest minimum such things. Tell us about your title, Garkuwan Azara I am the first female Garkuwa in Azara, and people were asking why I was given the title because I am a woman, before now the title was held by men. I thank God that I was so honoured and I will do my best not to let the emirate council down. But it is not only men that

Hajiya Aishatu Rufa’I Ibrahim

students to pay their WAEC exam fees. Some pregnant women find it difficult to pay hospital bills or get medication; I assist them with this and also help both men and women with fertilizer for their farms. I will continue to help them in any way possible. How will you assess the present administration in the state? Well, I have not seen much change yet except for some metres of roads. This is not the issue of the opposition. I am a PDP member and the present governor, Tanko Al-makura, was a PDP member too before he decamped to the CPC. The administration is about one year now and I thought that he would use the experience he had when he was in PDP to improve on the lives of the people of Nasarawa state, but he has not done much so far. I am quite certain that in 2015 the PDP will take back the state in sha Allah.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Cover

PAGE 9

Unanswered questions over ‘sting operation’

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Cover

Farouk

Unanswered questions over ‘sting operation’ Contd from page 9 By Jamila Nuhu Musa, Lawrence Olaoye, Augustine Aminu, Joy Baba and A’isha Biola Raji

n Nigeria, aside these concerns, the string operation involving the House of Representatives committee on fuel subsidy led by Farouk Lawan, and Femi Otedola, the billionaire owner of multi-billion naira indigenous oil giant Zenon and Gas Ltd, have thrown up more unanswered questions some of which are: Why was Farouk Lawal not intercepted immediately he got his hands on the alleged $300? Why did some of the companies indicted in the subsidy probe, and were invited by the committee not appear before it? Why did the companies that collected forex not import? Is the subsidy report, which was diligently carried out still credible despite the dent? Will any probe in Nigeria ever see the light of day? What is the role of security operatives in all these? Will the saga consume leadership of the House eventually? As the drama unfolds what other scandals would Nigerians to be served? Otedola has burden to prove sting operations-Professor Yadudu A Kano based constitutional lawyer, Professor Auwalu Hamisu Yadudu, explains that the Farouk/Otedola issue is not a constitutional matter as such but more of criminal case. Speaking with Peoples Daily weekend on phone, Yadudu said” if Farouk Lawan is found to have really soiled his hands; he may be found guilty under the penal code, criminal code or both depending on the entire circumstance. For Otedola, under the law he is supposed to be guilty as well, but if found that the whole saga was a “sting” operation which was known to the security authorities, Otedola may not be found culpable after investigations. But he has the burden to prove that it was indeed a “sting” operation. Yadudu said. Asked to comment on the argument in some quarters that if the whole drama was a “sting” operation, Lawan should have been arrested immediately, the lawyer dismissed the line of thought as inconsequential. According to him, if Otedola can prove his case that security service was aware of the dollars he gave Lawan after series of conversation with the under-fire lawmaker, the Zenon boss may be left off the hook. Disappointed but Farouk best legislator-Tanko Yakasai A Statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, though disappointed, is one person that still believes in Farouk’s ability to transform the legislature. He said “Farouk Lawan is one of the best legislator this country has ever produced, very articulate, intelligent, frank, fearless and meticulous and I feel sad that this country will lose his contribution because whatever we say, the ability of Farouk Lawan to continue doing for this country what he was doing before, has been affected by his role in this. I will say it is a big disaster for me personally and for Nigeria as a nation, and I hope that it will be a lesson to other elected representatives in Nigeria. They should do their best not to allow themselves

Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

Hon. Farouk Lawan

Chief Femi Otedola

to be lured. Clearly Farouk Lawan was lured into it. It is a clear set-up and very unfortunate. He shouldn’t have allowed himself to engage in this matter. It is a great disaster and I am really unhappy about it and I will live with this tragedy until I go to my grave”. For the Arewa Consultative Forum, (ACF), its spokes person, National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony N.Z. Sani, said “considering the bomb shell by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the legislators are rogues and armed robbers,

if you add this to the circumstance of emergence of Rt. Hon Tanbuwal as the Speaker, then it is hard to avoid the conclusion that there is more to the bribery saga than meets the eye. There are those bent on destroying the integrity of Hon Lawan, there is the power of the oil cartel at play, there are those who wish to prove wisdom of their allegations that the legislators are corrupt, and there are those not happy with the leadership of the House. All these forces are at play to the extent that one can hardly separate the

crime from high wire politics”. Following the indictment of 17 indigenous oil marketing firms for assessing Foreign Exchange (FOREX) in billions of dollars without importing fuel into the country by the ad-hoc committee that investigated the management of the nation’s subsidy regime, Otedola whose companies, Zenon Oil and Gas Ltd and Synopsis Enterprises Ltd were allegedly involved, alleged that he was put under Contd on page 11

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

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PAGE 11

Farouk

Unanswered questions over ‘sting operation’

Prof. Auwalu Yadudu Contd on page 11

intense pressure by Lawan to part with the sum of $3 million as bribe for his companies to be expunged from the list of companies indicted. The oil magnate said he gave $620,000 ‘marked’ money to Lawan and the Secretary of the ad-hoc Committee, Boniface Emenalo, in three tranches. According to him, $250,000 was given to Lawan twice while the balance of $120,000 was given to Emenalo for delivery to the Chairman of the Committee. Although Emenalo collected $120,000, the Secretary delivered $100,000 to the Chairman of the Committee. Otedola in his explanation said the dollars given to Lawan and his Secretary were marked and it was given for the sting operation by the men of the Department of State Security. Although the SSS have yet to confirm the claims, the service has equally yet to deny the statement credited to the oil magnate. Lawan on his part has severally denied ever receiving any bribe money from the oil magnate insisting that the allegation was concocted by the indicted firms to distract people attention from the executive which has been foot-dragging on the implementation of the report. According to him, those indicted in the subsidy probe are powerful men who are very close to the corridors of power and that the Presidency may not have the political will-power to arrest and prosecute them. Others equally argued that the scandal was fabricated by the Presidency as a subterfuge to get at the leadership of the House since, they claimed, controversy around their emergence in June last year has yet to clear. But the matter assumed a dramatic twist when after Otedola came out openly

Hon. Zakari Mohammed

to declare that he actually gave money to Lawan and the ad hoc chairman changed the story and admitted that he actually collected the money from the oil magnate. While Otedola insisted that he gave the money to Lawan in a sting operation and that it was well documented by the security operatives, Lawan maintained that he collected the money not as bribe, but as an evidence to be presented to the House in plenary to implicate the oil magnate. But questions were raised on the integrity of this claim because he kept the money with him for so long a time even though Lawan said he involved the Police and the House Chairman on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Rep Adams Jagaba. Although the Police has yet to deny the claim, Jagaba has since cried out that he never received any letter for such intimation. In the course of the police investigation, Lawan told his interrogators that the $620,000 ‘marked’ dollars were in Jagaba’s custody as evidence, but when queried by Speaker Tambuwal on the matter, the Chairman of the House committee on Financial Crimes wrote in a four paragraph letter to the Speaker: “I wish to categorically and unequivocally state that there was never a time I was in possession of the sum of $620,000 or any other exhibits(in my personal capacity or official capacity as chairman House committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes) relating to the subject matter. “I hope this explanation lays to rest, once and for all, the claims that I or my committee is in possession of the sum of $620,000 USD purportedly given as bribe to the adhoc committee on monitoring of fuel subsidy regime.” However, Lawan has promised the Police that he would turn-in the $620,000

Alh. Tanko Yakasai

to the police as exhibit before the end of this week but it is not clear whether he has done so as at the time of going to press. But the House has said that Otedola is as guilty as Lawan in the bribery scam because a bribe-giver cannot be exonerated while the receiver faces public opprobrium and possible prosecution. Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed, while commenting on the missing links in Otedola’s ‘sting operation’ story inferred that the House was not convinced that Otedola actually carried out a ‘sting’ operation because the procedures he adopted could not be said to be in such tradition. Mohammed said the House believed “the giver (of bribe) is as guilty as the taker,” in a remark that offers an insight into the chamber’s unofficial impression of an episode which rates as one of its most scandalous. “Indeed if what he claims is true, there are procedures for a sting operation,” the lawmaker said. Commenting further on Otedola, the House spokesman said, “It is those he befriends who should bury their faces in shame. Everybody’s history in this country is known. We know how people started their businesses, we know

emergency billionaires.” Equally pointing out the missing links in the Otedola’s story, Mallam Garba Shehu, a reknown public analyst, columnist and the Spokesperson to the former Vice President, Alhaji Atuku Abubakar, said “Another thing to ponder is the integrity of the so-called operation itself. Did the SSS give him marked money and then let him go away? Is that how to sting?” he queried. Shehu wondered further “Could the sting have been successful without anybody attempting to hold him with the exhibit at hand?” There are however insinuations that the ‘sting operation’ apart from rubbishing the subsidy reports and getting at the leadership of the House, it may also be a calculated attempt to deflate Lawan’s bourgeoning political ego and decimate his political stature ahead of 2015 general elections. It has been rumoured in several quarters that the Kano politician was nursing governorship ambition in 2015 and his political enemies who are not particularly comfortable with this found a way around him to set him up. Unfortunately, he fell into their hands even though he is perceived innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.

“

Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed, while commenting on the missing links in Otedola’s ‘sting operation’ story inferred that the House was not convinced that Otedola actually carried out a ‘sting’ operation because the procedures he adopted could not be said to be in such tradition.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Cover Interview

Farouk was set up â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Tanko Yakasai D

o you agree that the report of the subsidy probe is not credible anymore given the involvement of Farouk Lawan? I disagree with you, nothing has compromised the integrity of the report, if anything, it is the standing of Farouk Lawan that is bound to suffer not the contents of the report. Anybody who nurses the idea that the integrity of that report is compromised is definitely wrong. It is credible, revealing, it has rolled out misuse of public funds. Before now many had thought that it was only government officials that are involved in massive corruption but the revelation in that committee report is now clear that the share of the participation of leading figures of the business community in looting public funds is also monumental; it's not something to ignore. As a result of that inquiry, it has now been established. The monies were going into private pockets. Not to Nigerians intended to be the main beneficiaries. How would you describe the subsidy probe report? The report is very good. I think the problem is always with the implementation. The way is was unfortunately, with the report on power definitely; the House of the Representative leadership did not act in the way the current leadership acted in dealing with that report. Because till today, members of the public are not as clear as to the full contents of that report as they are with the contents of the oil subsidy committee report. We have now known, almost inside out, what was happening in respect of the oil subsidy issue unlike the power probe. So you wouldn't recommend a new committee for another probe? If you go by this idea, of appointing a new committee to investigate simply because an individual was accused which has not been proven by

A statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, views the whole matter of sting operations with trepidation. He was piqued that Hon. Farouk Lawan visited oil merchant and owner of indigenous oil giant Zenon and Gas Ltd, Femi Otedola and even solicited bribe from him. But he views it as a set-up, in this interview in Abuja with Jamila Nuhu Musa and Augustine Aminu.

Alhaji Tanko Yakasai

the court as yet, then you are not being fair to the rest members of the committee who are now seemed scot-free apart from that, this is not the first time a leading member of a committee was accused of bribe taking, it happened in the case of the stock exchange, what happened in that respect was the committee chairman was removed and another one was substituted and the committee was allowed to continue. Those who are now trying to campaign for the dissolution of that committee should know that, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. You were reported to have said Farouk Lawan

would not stoop that low on the sting operations. Do you still have same opinion? It is very unfortunate. I

happened to be among the misinformed Nigerians, about him. But now I have a change of mind despite the fact that Farouk had done very well for

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

I did not believe that Farouk Lawan went to Otedola's house, I thought it was just a concoction but now that it has been proved that he's been to Otedola's house at an odd time, really changed my perception of the entire situation.

the House of Representatives. In the first place, when I made that statement, I did not believe that Farouk Lawan went to Otedola's house, I thought it was just a concoction but now that it has been proved that he's been to Otedola's house at an odd time, really changed my perception of the entire situation. But God abhors those who give bribe and those who take bribe, so both Farouk and Otedola are equally guilty in my opinion, and in the opinion of Almighty God because if you don't give, nobody will take. Giver and taker are equally guilty. I think it is the same thing in any other case involving corruption. But President Olusegun Obasanjo sounded the nation on rogues taking over our National Assembly? It has been the antecedents of Obasanjo. I strongly believed that when Obasanjo came to power, that he was going to change this country for the better not because he was once military head of state, but during his first tenure as head of state, he did one thing that earned him the admiration and respect of many people including myself, by standing his ground to return this country to democracy against all odds, then against the people of his community who wanted him to hand over to one of their own. So because of that and other things, I was one of the people who thought given the opportunity again, he would do better than he did before. But it turned out not to be so. He took the country many steps backwards. Many have said one thing or the other about the antecedents of the oil mogul, Otedola. What is your opinion of him? Honestly, I have only read about him, I have never met him, I have never seen him in person not to talk of meeting him, so I cannot do justice to this question or pass judgement on his character. Contd on Pg 13

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 13

Cover Interview

Farouk was set up —Tanko Yakasai Contd from Pg 12 But the way the whole matter was reported, it is clearly a matter of setting Farouk Lawan up. If it is true that all the conversations that took place at that time were filmed and recorded, and then handed over to the police, quite a number of news papers gave that report, then it is a clear cut case of setting up somebody and that is unfortunate. With the level of intelligence, education and exposure of Farouk Lawan, I deeply regret that he allowed himself to be lured into such a situation. To me with the kind of standing he has in the National Assembly particularly in the House of Representative, and also the role he played in two major events that incurred the displeasure of the people from who Otedola comes from, I feel very disappointed that a man like Farouk Lawan will go to that extent of even visiting Otedola, talk less of taking money from him. As the leader of the Integrity Group, he led the removal of Patricia Etteh from the position of speakership, at that time the general believe was that Gen. Obasanjo wanted his nominees to be in control of both houses of the National Assembly. it was reported that he made sure that David Mark became the President of the Senate and Patricia Etteh was made the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Etteh was believed to be the nominee of Obasanjo, undoubtedly anybody who played such a role, of removing obasanjo's nominee must know that sooner or later, Obasanjo will deal with him. In the subsidy report, it was mentioned that some companies collected forex but did not use it judiciously? I don’t know why the government should give money to someone who will not import; in fact the question of importees is a core fact. If a construction company is given contract to build road, I know they are given mobilization fee of certain percentage of the total cost but there are conditions they must satisfy before the mobilization is given to them, but for a contractor who is to supply something, the document of contract is his mobilization because he will use the document to get credit facility so he doesn't require any advance payment before he can fulfill his obligation of supply. So there

Alhaji Tanko Yakasai

is no justification for whatever reason to give them money upfront for importing items they say they have because anybody who said he is going to supply something is inadvertently saying that he has that item in his possession so his own is for the government to pay him after fulfilling his obligation. What is your take on issue of oversight functions of the National Assembly? If it would be done judiciously, religiously, it is a good provision because the things that have been revealed and the way they have been revealed so far in Nigeria, about fraud committed by government officials and company proprietors or whatever came through the enquiries conducted by members of the National Assembly as a result of performing their oversight function has been good. Without that, what we are able to know now, we would not have known them. If anything what happens now really emphasizes the need for retention and provision for oversight function in Nigeria. Secondly, it is not only in Nigeria that members of the National Assembly are charged with responsibility of oversight function, but it is only by doing that the budget they approve to the executive, is implemented by

going out physically to see what is on ground. If they remove that aspect of their responsibility, then they will become dull. Whatever it is, the oversight function is critical in the governance of Nigeria. What is your take on our presidential system of government so far? I happen to be one of those who supported the adoption of the executive presidential system for Nigeria in the hope that the entire nation as the constituency of the president would benefit Nigerians. Adopting executive presidential system for Nigeria will assist in promoting national unity because the president will see the whole nation as his constituency and would not be inclined to favour a session over the other but what has happened has proved me, and indeed, many who believed like me in supporting executive presidency for Nigeria wrong and therefore I have a change of heart now, I am now a staunch supporter of the reintroduction of parliamentary system of government and for that reason, I have now decided to make representation through the constitutional amendment committee to advocate for the restoration of parliamentary system in Nigeria because after deep analysis in my mind on the

practice of this presidential system, I find that we have more accountability in the parliamentary system of government than we have in the presidential system of government. One, that in the parliamentary system, the prime minister and his cabinet is subject to vote of confidence by the members of the National Assembly, which is not the case in the presidential system. Secondly, the prime minister and members of his cabinet would be members of the National Assembly and therefore, would be subject to checks and balances of the constitution every now and then. So members of the national assembly having been together with the members of the cabinet, would be able to monitor

them more closely and would be able to check excesses instantly if they happen to discover that any one of them has committed one wrong doing. In this case in presidential system we are operating, ministers don't go to parliaments, they don't sit with them, a number of them don't know what the ministers are doing and therefore their knowledge of the running of government is absolutely limited and there is no way you can compare it with the knowledge of members of the National Assembly in the parliamentary system of government. Final word on Farouk Lawan? I want to say that I regard Farouk Lawan as a son and he always respects me as a father. I have watched the performance of members of the National Assembly right from 1951, when election to legislative house was introduced in Nigeria and to the best of my knowledge, Farouk Lawan is one of the best legislator this country has ever produced, very articulate, intelligent, frank, fearless and meticulous and I feel sad that this country will lose his contribution because whatever we say the ability of Farouk Lawan to continue doing for this country what he was doing before has been affected by this act. I will say it is a big disaster for me personally and for Nigeria as a nation and I hope that it will be a lesson to other elected representatives in Nigeria. They should do their best not to allow themselves to be lured. Clearly, Farouk Lawan was lured into it and it is a clear set-up and it is very unfortunate but he shouldn't have allowed himself to have been engaged in this matter. It is a great disaster and I am really unhappy about it and I will live with this tragedy in my mind until I go to my grave.

“

I don’t know why the government should give money to someone who will not import; in fact the question of importees is a core fact.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Interview

More to Farouk saga than meets the eyes, oil cartel at work —ACF W

h a t is the position of ACF on the subsidy probe report and involvement of Hon Farouk Lawan? The position of ACF on the subsidy report is that it should be accepted and actions taken on it since the involvement of Hon. Farouk Lawan as a person, in the bribery scandal has nothing to do with the contents of the report considering Hon. Lawan was one member among many who produced the report. Did Hon Farouk Lawan seek the advice of ACF as reported in some dailies for its intervention? No, he could not have done so, since ACF cannot intervene in such saga, considering that the forum intervenes only in favour of moral probity, transparency and accountability in the polity. Divergent views have emerged over the subsidy report earlier adjudged to have been diligently carried out, on whether it should be discarded or implemented, since it appears to have been tainted now. What is ACF’s position on this? While it may be true that the bribery saga has the capacity to cast some doubt on the integrity of the report, we must not lose sight of the fact that facts are not easily perverse. More so that Farouk Lawan is only one among many who produced the report. So the reports should not be discarded, lest those who never wanted the probe ab initio celebrate the discard. More so that the probe of the management of petroleum subsidy reflects the aspirations of Nigerians who thought the amount of money expended on petroleum subsidy was on the high side against reality. Does the ACF agree with the views in some quarters that the development could be linked to the presidency in a bid to ridicule the region? It seems the whole shebang was choreographed in manner of kabuki to meet a given end. By whom one cannot tell. And there are reasons for this kind of opinion. Consider there was the impression from the beginning that the oil cartel who benefited from the petroleum subsidy inspired the managerial imperfections because they were too power for even the government to monitor. As a result, rather than confront the cartel, government chose the path of least resistance by removing the petroleum subsidy to the chagrin of most Nigerians. Hence the labour strike that was supported by most Nigerians. Then came the motion by Senator Bukola Saraki on the amount spent on the subsidy against the amount in the budget. That motion was patriotic and courageous because it brought

Anthony N. Z. Sani is the National Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative forum, (ACF). Responding to questions sent to his mail box by Peoples Daily weekend, he said there is more than meets the eyes in the Farouk saga. In his opinion, Nigeria’s clique of the oil cartel is at work, and many other forces too are at play to the extent that one can hardly separate the crime from high wire politics.

Anthony N. Z. Sani about the setting up of the probe on petroleum subsidy. While many Nigerians were celebrating the senator for the motion, then suddenly came the police which then remembered some companies in which Senator Bukola Saraki who had interest took some bank loans and part of which were written off. In the opinion of the security agents, the Senator must have abused his position as governor by influencing the write off. The timing of the Senator's harassment suggested it had more to do with his motion on petroleum subsidy than anything else. Also consider the bomb shell by former President Obasanjo that the legislators are rogues and armed robbers. If you add all these to circumstance of emergence of Rt. Hon Tanbuwal as the Speaker, then it is hard to avoid the conclusion that there is more to the bribery saga than meets the eye. There are those bent on destroying the integrity of Hon Lawan, there is the power of the

oil cartel at play, there are those who wish to prove wisdom of their allegations that the legislators are corrupt and there are those not happy with the leadership of the House. All these forces are at play to the extent that one can hardly separate the crime from high wire politics. The presidency has no reasons to ridicule the North precisely because when Nigerians rejected the politics of zoning espoused by the South during the 1994-1995 constitutional conference, and

elected President Jonathan in 2011, Northern leaders as democrats accepted the judgement of Nigerians by congratulating the winner. The forum even paid courtesy on Mr. President as mark of national solidarity and acceptance of practice of democracy. After all, victory and defeat are never final. Since then, northern leaders have been calling for support of the government. What is more, about 15 northern states are under the control of the President's party

“

More so that the probe of the management of petroleum subsidy reflects the aspirations of Nigerians who thought the amount of money expended on petroleum subsidy was on the high side against reality.

while numbers 2,3,4 and 5 in the government are of northern extractions. So why would the presidency like to ridicule the North. To what end? I have my doubt that Mr. President is out to ridicule the North. Of course, the North cannot be happy with the conduct of Hon Lawan, considering what the North stands for when it comes to national ideals and moral values. Unfortunately for the North, on F Lawan has company in those northerners who helped themselves on pension funds. It is therefore sad for northerners, however the circumstance. What is the opinion of ACF about past probes, yet to be implemented? Our opinion on past probes which reports have not been implemented is that such attitudes on the part of government can make people lose faith in probes and their reports. Consider how the power probe report was treated. The effect is unsavory. Governments should implement reports of probes in order to inspire confidence among the governed. But the ACF has also been criticized in some quarters for not living to expectation of the North in safeguarding its image as evident in the plethora of problems bedeviling the region. It is easy to criticize, especially when hopes and aspirations have not fully been realized. People easily forget that ACF has no executive authority. As a result, the forum cannot enforce its resolutions beyond moral appeals. That is to say, the forum can only provide inspirational leadership. We must not forget the fact that there has been a total collapse of national ideals and moral values across the country. Consider the spate of armed robberies and kidnapping that are as serious as activities of Boko Haram. Also consider how corruption steals people's empowerment, their opportunity and their future in blithe disregard of the dire consequences. Yet we must accept the fact that God gives the people leaders that suit them. If people fail to make judicious use of their democratic rights to elect their leaders, then they get what they deserve. Both ACF and Ahmadu Bello Foundation are very concerned about the state of the nation and the North in particular as well as on the need to rewire the politics, reengineer our sense of justice, to make mercy smarter and hope more strategic. Towards that end, they both hope to inspire cultural renaissance and moral values through campaigns and enlightenment. More so that the current hardship are bound to make the youths more receptive to corrective measures.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 15

Peoples Page Driver turned small scale business owner:

I only want to be my own boss By A'isha Biola Raji

o be successful in life is all about perseverance and the ability to plan, if one fails to plan, that individual has planned to fail. A wise teacher once said to his students, "failure is a gradual process likewise success is a gradual process." In a chat with our reporter, this young man Mallam Ibrhaim, is gradually planning to succeed and this is seen in his perseverance and his gradual steps to becoming an independent individual whose objective is to spread the tentacles of his business. Some years ago, 31 years old Ibrahim of Gwandara tribe, a native of Abuja started as a bus conductor plying Wuse/Begger road as it is popularly called. "I was a bus conductor for about three years, it was a hectic experience for me, I discovered I could not continue so I moved to another form of transportation business," he told our reporter. Even though he knew how to drive, the need for a change made Ibrahim learn how to ride a motorcycle which he said was very difficult. He said, "I was an achaba boy for some years and it was not a funny experience due to its challenges, at last, achaba was banned from Abuja metropolis and this put an end to my means of survival which was riding okada." He started driving taxi still within Abuja metropolis while he was doing this; he had several experiences that tested his level of honesty. There was a case of man who left his expensive phone in his car, Ibrahim saw it and returned it to him. Explaining the incident he said, "I picked a man up from central area in Abuja, he asked me to take him to Maitama which I did. The next day, I was helping the car-wash boy to remove the carpet in my car so he could wash it when I saw the phone, I quickly remembered because the man sat at the front of the taxi and I also was using the same type of express music phone which was the reason my attention was drawn to the phone when the man was in my car." Ibrahim charged the phone and waited for the owner to call he said, "I was praying for him to have faith enough to call so I charged the phone. "He at last called; he told me his location which was still where I dropped him the previous day. Immediately I gave him his phone, he removed the sim card and returned the phone saying I

Mallam Ibrahim

could keep it." He was surprise, he told the man he already had the type but he insisted he kept the phone. "He told me he was only concerned about the sim card and that for being so honest, his only way of showing his appreciation was to give me the phone," Ibrahim recalled. This is one of various experiences he had had while driving taxi. Young Ibrahim still did not feel comfortable being a taxi driver, he wanted to be empowered and based on this, he sought for a job which he thought could fetch him the kind of capital he needed, for him to stand on his own. He said, "I was still not comfortable being a taxi driver, I wanted to raise enough capital to start a small scale business, I felt I needed a job which I could gather the salary to start my business so I stopped taxi work." As luck was on his side, he got a job still as a driver at zerock Construction Company, Lebanese company based in Abuja. It was in this company that humble Ibrahim was able to realize his dream of becoming his own Boss. He said, "I was able to gather money from through the money

the company normally set aside for its staff as contribution." He had advantage over his contemporaries at the company because he was driving the Managing Director which means that he had enough time to plan other business strategy as the MD was not always around. He said, "I had enough time to think and plan on what to do with my savings because I did not want to continue under anybody, all I craved for was to be my own Oga." He opened a phone accessory shop for his brother to maintain for him while working with zerock. "I noticed and calculated

the amount he was making for me and I realized it is better for me to resign and face the business so that is what I did," he said. He finally took his bow from the company when he discovered he had saved enough to boost his small scale business his brother was maintaining for him. "I left zerock despite the love they all had for me because I knew that was not what I wanted, all I wanted was to be on my own," he told our reporter. Today, Ibrahim is a proud owner of his own small scale business with the big dream of expanding it gradually. "I sell

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

I had enough time to think and plan on what to do with my savings because I did not want to continue under anybody, all I craved for was to be my own Oga.

phone accessories especially batteries," he said. Sales of phone batteries in particular has endeared him to many customers as he is known for being truthful and selling the good quality type to his teaming customers. "I am gradually growing in this business due to my honest dealings with people, I sell good quality at relatively cheaper rate than it is acquired in other shops," he explained. He plans to keep expanding until he is able to employ people which according to him will be his fulfilled mission in life. "I want to continue and one day, I will be able to have string of shops where people can sell for me," he shared his plan. On his relationship with his former employer he said, "they are still requesting for me to return but I have made up my mind to be independent." His latest strategy is to print a cheap calendar to share to his customers who are increasing daily as a form of appreciation. "I have plan of printing calendar even if it is not an expensive one to share to my customers to show my love and appreciation," he concluded.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Tourism & Leisure Kurmi:

Historic market of Kano By Bala Nasir, Kano

he Kurmi Market, Kano is one of the largest markets in Africa comprising several local shops and narrow streets. Tourists love to visit he place to buy some local items, gifts and art and handicrafts. It is also a popular market for decorative items for horses used during durbar activities in the ancient city. The oldest and ancient market was founded in 15th Century by an Kano emir, known as Muhammadu Rumfa. The historical market is still very active and plays an important part in the tourism of the state, by attracting thousands of travelers every year. Kurmi market in Kano is an important historical landmark which is frequently visited by the travelers as well as the local residents. Known as one of the prominent tourist attractions in Kano, Kurmi Market comprises of several local shops where tourists can find some exclusive local art and handicrafts. Shops are located between the narrow lanes in the market lined with different other outlets. The local shops have an impressive collection of sculptures, stone and wood carvings. Shoppers and art lovers definitely, love to visit the place and observe the unique items made by the local artisans. The shops are well stocked with calabashes, local containers, leather goods, brass and even junk jewelleries. The pottery goods are the other attractions for visitors and buyers coming to the Kurmi Market. The shops and outlets are set in various sections of the market which can be visited with the help of local guides.

More traditional attires for riders and horses on display.

Traditional shoes worn by horse riders.

Horse attires on display.

Attires of horse riders used during durbar.

Sword and other ornaments

Spears used by horse riders during durbar on display.

Horse riders in their atractive attires during a Sallah durbar celebration in Kano.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Relationship

12 Simple tips for relationship bliss O

ne of the most common questions we hear is, “How do we make our relationship work?” The answers are complicated, varied, and, after a while, can start to sound like muddled platitudes. But these commonplace sayings get repeated because they work. With this in mind, we pulled together 12 cliches that, in fact, reveal simple, tried-and-true advice for having a healthy, happy relationship. Read on and let us know what you think: 1. Mind your manners. “Please,” “thank you” and “you’re welcome,” can go a long way in helping your partner remember that you respect and love him and don’t take him for granted. 2. Variety is the spice of life. Studies have shown that dullness can lead to dissatisfaction with a relationship. Trying something new can be as simple as visiting an unfamiliar restaurant or as grand as a backpacking trip through Sri Lanka. Discoveries you make together will keep you feeling close. 3. The couple that plays together, stays together. Find a sport or hobby that you both love (no, watching TV does not count) and make that a priority in your relationship. Camping, biking, building model trains... whatever it is, find something you enjoy doing together. 4. Fight right. In order to have productive arguments, keep these rules in mind. Don’t call your spouse names. When things get really tough, take a break from the argument. Let the other person finish his/her sentences. Don’t initiate a discussion when you’re angry 5. I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine. No one likes demands (unless you’re in a BDSM role play), but everyone can appreciate a compromise. If you want your lover to do something and you’re not sure he’ll be agreeable, the quickest way to avoid a confrontation is to sweeten the deal. For example: “Sure, I’ll watch Monday Night Football if you take me to see the next movie of my choice.” 6. Two heads are better than one. Being in a relationship basically means you’ve made a merger; you’ve not only joined assets but inherited the other’s problems as well. Rather than looking at his problems as merely his own, tackle them together. For example, if he’s gaining weight, rather than pushing him to diet on his own, enroll in an exercise program together. 7. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. Maintain your own friendships and occasionally have a night out without your significant other. Doing things without your s.o. not only makes you miss him or her, it also keeps you sane. And, in case the relationship doesn’t work out, you’ll still have your friends.

Fairy-tale love is hard to find—here are some tips for keeping your relationship healthy and happy. 8. Sound it out. It other words: communicate! Talking out the tough subjects—money, religion, fidelity, raising kids—will not be the most fun you’ve had, but it’ll be valuable. 9. Laughter is the best medicine. Learn to laugh at yourself and at silly mistakes. If he throws your $300 cashmere sweater in the dryer, laughing it off is, in the long run, better than getting angry. It’s is just a $300 cashmere sweater, not the end of the world. 10. Keep your eyes on the prize. Yes, he forgot your coworker’s name for the tenth time, but it

probably doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about you. If you keep your perspective fixed on the goal—to be in a happy, functioning partnership—you’re less likely to get tangled up in every minor annoyance. Remember, you both want the same thing. 11. Quitters never win. Find a ritual and keep it alive, no matter what. Whether it’s always kissing each other good night, renewing wedding vows every year, sleeping in as late as you want once a month or committing to having sex once a week, pick something that makes you both feel good and stick to it, even when you’re tempted to skip. 12. When the going gets tough, the tough get going... to therapy. Studies show that couples who seek counseling during rocky periods are more successful in resolving their issues than those who don’t. Whether its from a religious figure, counselor or mental health professional, getting an expert to help sort out strife is as wise as forgoing self-installation and hiring a plumber to put in a new sink. Source: Tango Media Corporation

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 19

Beauty Tips Men’s best beauty tips for women Fight acne with hot peppers? Everyone from regular dudes to industry experts share their beauty secrets.

he last person you thought you could score some beauty advice from was a husband, right? Wrong! Turns out men have a beauty regimen too and believe it or not, they might even have a few good grooming tips and healthy skin care tricks that women could learn from. We chatted with everyone from regular dudes to industry experts to get the inside scoop on men’s best beauty and grooming tips for women—read on to hear their sexy skin secrets, hair care musts and more. 1. Use sugar as an Exfoliant “Once a week or so, take a small bowl of sugar in while you shower,” suggests Scott P., a graphic designer. “Put a bit of soap on your face and then scrub the sugar in until it dissolves. At first it will feel quite abrasive, but after a minute or so, it should feel great,” says Scott. “There’s no specific type of sugar to use, just grab a few packets from the coffee shop. Same effect as the fancy exfoliating soaps, but at virtually no cost.” 2. Switch Out Your Moisturizer Switch out your lightweight moisturizer for something more balm intense with hydrating ingredients,” recommends Enrique Ramirez, esthetician and owner of face to face nyc day spa. “Baume Excellence by Decleor Paris is great and will keep your skin looking nice and smooth.” 3. Go Raw Vegan The best thing cash-flow business coach Adam D. ever did for his skin was adopt a raw vegan diet. “I lost over 20 pounds and felt amazing,” says Adam. “My skin was perfectly clear, I could tell my pores were completely open, and I could even feel my skin breathing better. Dozens of people told me, ‘you’re glowing!’”

Beauty is the wisdom of women

4. Show Your Feet Some Love According to Dove Men + Care partner dermatologist Dr. Jeffrey Benabio, “Feet are the most ignored body part in the shower.” Since this can lead to Athlete’s Foot or staph, prevention is key. Dr. Benabio suggests rubbing hand sanitizer on your feet for at least sixty seconds to kill off infections. This is especially important before hitting a shower at your

gym, think how many sweaty feet have been in there before you! 5. Banish Blemishes with a Deep Cleansing Mask Senior Technical Recruiter Adam W. was using his girlfriend’s mask to clear up skin before stumbling upon a men’s mask. “I saw Menaji Skincare’s Deep Cleansing Masque in a magazine and decided it was time to get my own product instead of stealing hers all the time. Now my girlfriend is stealing mine!! She uses it as a nightly spot treatment — or as needed — and it immediately dries out and clears up her blemishes without being too harsh.” 6. Use Ice (in Your Mouth!) to Reduce Puffiness and Dark Circles Did you know you can help eradicate puffiness and dark under-eye circles by placing a cube of ice on the roof of your mouth with your tongue? Well, according to celebrity esthetician and author of Skintervention, Scott-Vincent Borba, you can! “Allow the ice to melt and the cold will penetrate and help de-puff and lighten dark circles underneath the eyes. 7. Control Hair With a Leave-In Conditioner “I have medium length wavy hair and use a leave-in conditioner after washing my hair,” says marketing manager Jack A. “As it’s drying, I put a little more on my hands and work it through my hair. It provides invisible control, feels clean and is not sticky or heavy.” 8. Prevent Ingrown Hairs with Men’s Shaving Cream “A surprising fact for women who are prone to painful ingrown hairs is that using a men’s shaving cream may just be the solution to their problem,” says dermatologist Dr. David Bank. “Recently, there has been an increase in men’s( shaving creams containing antiseptics,

soothing agents, and moisturizers,( which are used to prevent infection of cuts and ward off ingrown hairs.” 9. Save Time, Organize Your Samples Los Angeles based professional organizer John Trosko was overwhelmed with all the skin care samples he’d recently accumulated, so he decided to save a little time in the morning and organize! “Using a small business card box, I ripped apart each individual sample, stacked like samples in front of one another and added a category tab,” says John. “Now I can test out different products without spoilage or fear, and my skin is looking better and better.” 10. Fight Acne with Hot Peppers Business consultant Daniel C. used to use jalaeno juice mixed with water to stop pimples, but now swears by ThermaSkin Capsaicin Face Cleanser for acne and rosacea. “I’ve found that the extract from hot peppers, Capsaicin, is awesome for killing and preventing acne breakouts,” says Daniel. Source: THEFASHIONSPOT

Brown sugar can also be used as exfoliant

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Peoples Tech

TV buying guide

uying a TV involves many choices, some of which may be new to you. This TV buying guide organizes the process into clear, logical steps that will help you make a smart decision. Budget Of course, your budget will affect all of your decisions. It’s possible to find good TVs selling for a few hundred naira, while others go for several thousands, and there are many sets that fall in between those extremes. Screen size, features, brands, and more affect the price. TV type If you’re like most buyers, you’ve probably settled on a slim flat-panel TV, but you might not know whether to buy an LCD or plasma set. Though they look very similar on the outside, they use different technologies and the pictures have different characteristics. While LCDs outsell plasmas by a wide margin— in part because plasma sets are available only in screen sizes 42 inches and larger—don’t automatically assume that LCDs are the way to go. It’s worth considering both types, especially if you’re looking for a 3D set. Flat panels have largely pushed rear-projection and picture-tube TVs to the sidelines; few of those sets are now being introduced or stocked by retailers. Front projectors are a great choice for home theaters—the best choice for a truly big-screen experience, but they’re less practical for everyday use. 3D TVs are the newest game in town. With more new TVs now offering 3D capability, prices falling, and more 3D content arriving, 3D television is likely to attract more attention this year. Another hot feature: Internet capability. Many new LCD and plasma TVs are Internetenabled sets that can stream online video and access popular websites. Screen size Deciding what size TV to buy is one of the more enjoyable aspects of purchasing a new set. Most consumers tend to go bigger when replacing their old TV, because it enables them to better appreciate the fine, sharp detail of HD content, making it more compelling and creating more of a theater-like experience. If you’re replacing an older TV, note that you can’t compare the screen size of a conventional squarelike

tube TV with a widescreen HDTV set because the proportions differ. Stepping up from a 27-inch tube set to a 32-inch–wide screen won’t give you an appreciably bigger picture, because the 32inch screen is wider but not much taller than the 27-inch screen. Budget and room size permitting, we believe most consumers would be best served by at least a 40- to 42-inch screen for a primary TV. A 46- or 50inch set is often preferable in rooms where you’ll be sitting 8 to 10 feet or so from the screen. Consider an even bigger set for spacious family rooms. You want the screen to be large enough that you can see the detail that makes HD look so lifelike and enjoy the impact of a large image. Just don’t buy a jumbo screen and sit right on top of it: If you sit too close to a TV screen you might notice the picture elements (pixels) that make up the images, which can be distracting, especially with lower-quality content like you might get when streaming video. Screens of about 26 to 32 inches are good for casual viewing in bedrooms, and even smaller screen sizes suit kitchens and home offices. Screen resolution Resolution means the number of pixels, or picture elements, a screen contains. A 720p set displays 1024x768, 1280x720, or 1366x768 pixels. A set with 1080p resolution, sometimes advertised as “full HD,” displays 1920x1080 pixels. The first number in each case indicates the number of pixels going across the screen from left to right; the second number is the number of pixels from the top of the screen to the bottom. That second number is often used as shorthand to describe the set’s resolution, e.g., a 1080p screen has 1,080 pixels from top to bottom. Most new LCD and plasma TVs with screens 40 inches and up now have 1080p resolution, and the price difference between 720p and 1080p sets is shrinking. Later this year we’ll see the first TVs with so-called “4K” resolution, roughly 4000x2000. They’re sometimes called UD or ultradefinition models. Most of these TVs will

d i s p l a y 3840x2160 pixels, or four times as many pixels as current 1080p displays. The p r i m a r y benefit will be the ability to present even finer detail than any current HD set. It will also enable 3D TVs using passive technology, which reduces the set’s v e r t i c a l resolution by half when in the 3D mode, to present full HD images to each eye. While a 1080p set has the potential to display finer detail than a 720p set, resolution alone doesn’t determine picture quality. Factors such as brightness, contrast, and color also come into play. You can best appreciate the finer detail of a 1080p screen on a 50-inch or larger TV, though you might see subtle improvements on a 40- to 47inch screen, especially when viewed up close. In smaller sizes, the benefits of 1080p are less obvious. One exception: If you plan to use your TV as a computer display, 1080p resolution is a plus even on smaller screens. The higher resolution will let you see more graphics and text onscreen with greater clarity and finer detail than you would on a 720p set. (You might have to connect your computer to the TV with an HDMI input to take full advantage of the 1080p resolution and to avoid cutting

off outer edges of the image—otherwise known as overscan.) What you’re watching matters too. To fully exploit the potential of a 1080p TV, you need top-quality high-def content. You can get that from a Bluray disc, which contains true 1080p content. A 1080p set will convert HD signal formats (720p and 1080i signals from your cable box, for instance) to match its native screen resolution. If the video quality of the programming is good and the TV does the job well, the picture can be outstanding. In fact, most 1080p HD sets can derive true 1080p performance from most film-based movies. But the quality of HD content varies considerably (especially from cable and streaming video), so it might not take full advantage of a 1080p display’s resolution. Source: About.com

Healthy Living PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Aging myths, debunked A

re a lower libido, achy joints, and a grumpy mood guaranteed sideeffects of growing older? With these small lifestyle changes you can make sure the answer is no. Actually, not exercising is what makes achy joints inevitable. When Australian researchers at the Monash University Medical School looked at women ages 40 to 67, they found that those who exercised at least once every two weeks for 20 minutes or more had more cartilage in their knees. It suggests that being physically active made them less likely to develop arthritis. Your Bones Become Fragile And Your Posture Bends Remember, only death is certain when it comes to aging. Osteoporosis is definitely more common in older people, but it’s also very preventable. A study of females over 100 years of age found that only 56 percent had osteoporosis, and their average age at diagnosis was 87. Not bad, given these women grew up before the benefits of diet and exercise on bone were understood. Thankfully, you know better. Old Age Kills Your Libido Hogwash. Impotence and reduced libido are related to normally preventable medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and depression. The solution is keeping yourself in shape. Something as simple as lifting weights a couple times a week can improve your sex life. And yes, sexual desire might decline a bit as you age, but that doesn’t typically occur until age 75. Interviewing people age 60 and over, who lived in independent living facilities, Terrie B. Ginsberg, D.O., of the New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, found that about 60 percent had had regular physical and sexual experiences in the past year such as kissing, touching, holding hands, and hugging. And they all wanted more — the main thing preventing them from getting it was the lack of a partner. Genes Play The Biggest Role In How You’ll Age Untrue. Even if you’re born with the healthiest set of genes, how you live your life determines how they behave over your lifespan. Your genes can be changed by what you eat, how much physical activity you get, and even your exposure to chemicals. You Lose Your Creativity As You Age Not necessarily. Creativity actually

offers huge benefits for older people. A George Washington University study found that older adults who joined a choir were in better health, used less medication, and had fewer falls after a year than a similar group that didn’t join. The singers also said they were less lonely, had a better outlook on life, and participated in more activities overall than the non-singing group, who actually reduced the number of activities they participated in during the year. Your Brain Stops Developing After Age 3 This developmental myth was overturned in the 1990s, and ever since, researchers no longer look at the older brain as a static thing. Instead, studies show your brain continues to send out new connections and to strengthen existing ones throughout your life — as long as you continue to challenge it. It really is your body’s ultimate muscle. Your Brain Shrinks With Age This myth began with studies in 2002 showing that the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls memory, was significantly smaller in older people than in younger people. This never sounded right to Dr. Lupien, particularly after she

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conducted groundbreaking research in the late 1990s showing that chronic stress shrinks the hippocampus. Was it age or stress that was responsible for the shrinking brains of older people? Probably stress. When she examined brain scans of 177 people ages 18 to 85, she found that 25 percent of the 18- to 24-yearolds had hippocampus volumes as small as those of adults ages 60 to 75. Seniors Are Always Cranky And Unhappy

Creaky, Achy Joints are Unavoidable

Watch out for contamination in Hotels

ant to stay away from germs during your next hotel stay? Then don’t turn on the TV or lights — new research shows that TV remotes and light switches are among the most contaminated items in hotel rooms. Researchers from the University of Houston took bacteria samples from several items in hotel rooms in three regions of the United States. While the toilet and the sink were expected to have high levels of bacteria, researchers also found more surprising items with high contamination levels, such as the remote and the switch on the bedside lamp. Hotel rooms “don’t have to have it ready for surgery,” said study researcher Jay Neal, a microbiologist at the University of Houston, but there certainly is room for improvement in their cleanliness. The amount of bacteria on the remote

may not mean that it’s “any dirtier than at home, but there’s a stranger factor” in a hotel room, said Neal, who oversaw the research performed primarily by student Katie Kirsh. Housekeepers clean spend about 30 minutes cleaning each room, Kirsh said. If the researchers could pinpoint the most contaminated parts of the room, the cleaning process could be made more effective. The highest levels of contamination were found in the maid’s cleaning cart, specifically, on the mop and sponge. That’s a problem because it means that bacteria are being carried from room to room, according to the researchers. Such cross-contamination could be reduced, though, by replacing cleaning liquids during housekeeping shifts, they said.

The lowest levels of bacteria were found on the headboard, curtain rods and bathroom door handle. The researchers tested for bacteria in general, and did a separate test for cloriform bacteria, which are found in feces and are more likely to cause illness. Both tests showed that bacteria levels in hotel rooms were between 2 to 10 times higher than the levels accepted in hospitals. The presence of bacteria’s doesn’t guarantee that people will get sick, but it makes it more likely. The study was limited in that it was small — nine hotel rooms were tested in each of three states: Texas, Indiana and North Carolina. The research was presented on June 17th at the microbiology researchers’ conference in San Francisco. Source: MyHealthNewsDaily

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

With Aunty A'isha

Sights and sounds

How to cross-stitch (II)

he fabric to use: The most common material used is called “Aida cloth”. Aida cloth comes in a number of different sizes. For example 8 count Aida cloth has 8 cross stitches per inch while 16 count has 16 cross stitches per inch. A beginner should use the lowest number Aida cloth they can find. Keep in mind, the size of your finished project also depends on the count you use. If the pattern is on a 50x40 grid, a 6 count Aida cloth will give you an 8.3x6.7 inch finished work while an 8 count Aida cloth will result in a 6.25x5 inch piece. You’ll want to add two to three inches all around for framing. For even younger children the plastic canvas needlepoint material is the best option. In this case you don’t need an

around all of the edges to prevent fraying. Find the Center: Fold the cloth lengthwise and widthwise and crease. The point in the middle is the center. Start stitching near the center as it makes sense (given your pattern) as possible. There are arrows on the patterns that indicate the center. When you put your embroidery hoop onto your cloth, do it so the center is showing. Starting Out: When you start your thread out, leave a 2 inch length dangling on the wrong side of your fabric (you don’t need to tie a knot in the end), when you continue with more stitches, catch the 2 inch length under the stitches on the back of your project. This is called anchoring the thread. Making the Pattern: You

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rajia39ishabiola@yahoo.com 08082071393.

SHOR T ST OR Y SHORT STOR ORY

The milkmaid and her pail

atty the milkmaid was going to market carrying her milk in a pail on her head. As she went along, she began calculating what she would do with the money she would get for the milk. “I’ll buy some fowls from Farmer Brown,” said she, “and they will lay eggs each morning, which I will sell to the parson’s wife. With the money that I get from the sale of these eggs, I’ll buy myself a new dress and a hat; and when I go to market, won’t all the young men come up and speak to me! Polly will be so jealous; but I don’t care. I shall just look at her and toss my head like this.” As she spoke that, she tossed her head back and the pail fell off it, and all the milk was spilt! Moral: do not count your chickens before they are hatched.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

embroidery hoop, you can use wool instead of embroidery floss and you’ll find it much easier to “aim” your needle at the right spot. This plastic canvas is a terrific starter material for cross stitch! Embroidery Floss: This is the thread you use for stitching. It comes with 6 threads wrapped together. Cut about an 18 inch piece off and unravel the thread so you’re using 3 threads for your cross stitching or 1 thread for your backstitching. This applies to all our beginner projects. If you’re using a higher numbered Aida cloth (18 or up) use 2 threads for your cross stitching instead of 3. Embroidery Hoop: Remove projects from the hoop when you aren’t working on them to avoid leaving marks. The smaller piece goes on the wrong side of the project with the large piece overlapping on the right side. Embroidery Needle: A 22 or 24 needle work well. Just find a needle that you can thread 3 pieces of embroidery floss into without too much trouble! Preparation: Edges: Purchase Aida cloth with about 3 inches extra around the sides. Put masking tape

can do this two ways (it depends a lot on whether you’re changing colors of thread or not). The best way if you don’t need to change colors for awhile is to do a long row of half stitches (/ / / / /) and when you’ve finished them work backwards to complete the cross (\ \ \ \ \). Ultimately, this method results in a more uniform stitch and seems to go a bit faster. If, on the other hand, you are changing colors a lot, you can stitch an individual X each time). Just make sure you always work your stitches the same way... you can start with \ \ \ \ or with / / / / but don’t start one row \ \ and the next row / /. Backstitching: Not done for every project. This is done at the end of the project. It is a running stitch not an X that outlines the pattern. When reading the pattern, the backstitching is typically shown by a solid line and is sometimes done in a color different (slightly darker) than the cross stitching. With a beginner cross stitcher, skip the backstitching (unless you are already familiar with how to do it) just focus on the cross stitch.

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the purpose of showing his son how the poor people live so he could be thankful for his wealth. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?” “It was great, Dad.” “Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked. “Oh yeah” said the son. “So what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father. The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.” “We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.” “Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.” “We

True Wealth

have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.” “We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.” “We buy our food, but they grow theirs.” “We have walls around our

property to protect us; they have friends to protect them.” With this the boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, “Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are.”

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

The woman with two skins (IV)

Cheetah toilet paper roll craft

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Kannywood Journalist marries blind lover

hat actually prompted Emeka Idika, an able body journalist to tie the nuptial knot with a physically impaired woman still remains a mystery. Perhaps that popular saying that ‘love is blind’ is true after all. The young journalist’s eyes were wide opened when he exchanged marital vows with visually impaired Margaret Ekanem Uko last May 19, at a court registry, along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt. Former Miss Uko met her darling lover in 2009 in the course of her industrial training with Rhythm 93.7, Port Harcourt. Since they met and fell in love with him, Akwa Ibom State-born Margaret glows with smiles and aura of joy and would tell anyone who cares to listen that walking down the aisle with her long time friend and colleague, marriage to Emeka Idika has remained her happiest moment so far. The blind but brilliant journalist attended Federal Government College, Abuloma, Port Harcourt, but dropped out when she was found to be blind. Thus, she was referred to Afaraukwu School of the Blind to

learn some skills. Few years later, she became a braillist and teaches other students too with a vast knowledge of computer. With her unique communication skills and flair for writing she got her Ordinary National Diploma (OND) before proceeding to Port Harcourt, to

do her industrial training, at Rhythm 93.7 FM. It was during her Industrial Training that she met and fell in love with her co Mr. Emeka Idika Kalu. Lest you have doubts about their made-in-heaven marriage, Emeka’s nice words about his wife is enough to convince anyone that he has no regret

signing the dotted lines with a physically challenged woman. According to him, “I met Margret in 2009 when she came to do her IT with Rhythm FM Port-Harcourt where I also work as a journalist. My first attraction to her was her intelligence. Later we became close friends and virtually do everything together. Our friendship blossomed into love and we couldn’t ignore what we both felt in our hearts.” “I was sure that I have the qualities I wanted in a wife in her, thus I don’t see any stumbling block in my decision to settle for her as my better half. Moreover, my wife is very sensitive, intelligent, ready to learn, humble, takes care of the house and despite her condition, she makes the most delicious food you can ever think of,” he declared. The happy husband, Emeka, chipped in a word of advice to other young men who find it hard to see ability in disabilities. “It’s so sad that our young men and women of these days hardly look deep before settling for a life partner. They should try and see beyond the physical appearance. I urge them to go for true love and not illusion, because true love never dies and it goes beyond the matters of the physical,” he counselled. The rare occasion was well graced by journalists, families of the couple, friends and well wishers.

How actress acquired SUV Range Rover

hat pretty actress and role interpreter, Iyabo Ojo has joined the league of Nollywood actresses riding the exotic HSE Jeep is no longer news but how she allegedly acquired it. It was gathered from reliable sources that a former Lagos local government chairman, Senator, exAmbassador to Ghana and Lagos State gubernatorial aspirant in 2007, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (SMO) is allegedly the brain behind the highly publicised HSE Range by Iyabo. We also gathered that an exquisite Duplex in an upscale Omole Estate area of Lagos was also said to have been secured for the diminutive mother of two alongside other things like furniture and electronic gadgets. Those in the know told Nigeriafilms.com that there may be something going on between the two adults. According to some inside sources, the duo met when Bukky Wright took Iyabo to Ghana for one of her movies in 2011 since then, the rhythm of her life has changed to a melodious one. Iyabo Ojo, allegedly took delivery of the wonder on wheel some weeks ago via one of the aides of the onetime senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Those in the know claims that Obanikoro is believed to be spoiling her silly with plenty of care and material things. Shortly after Iyabo launched the SUV, her Blackberry phone status read, “God I thank you for my new car.” Source: Nigeriafilm.com

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Nollywood

I stayed in Ali Nuhu's house - Sadiq Sadiq Sani Sadiq, also known as Gambo Uban- Tani, is undoubtedly the new sensation in the Hausa movie industry. He has carved a niche for himself and is fast coming up to be a force to be reckoned with, an achievement which earned him an Award of Kannywood’s BEST ACTOR 2012 by the Tozali Magazine recently. In this interview, the Kannywood star spoke on his journey in the Hausa film genre and his achievements so far. Sadiq Sani Sadiq How would you describe the Award you recently garnered? he award ceremony was organised by the publishers of TOZALI, a monthly English magazine. They tagged it Henna-Ball Awards 2012. The well attended event took place here in Abuja and I emerged as Kannywood Best Actor, 2012. What do you think led to your emergence as the Best Actor of the Hausa film industry? I will say it was the will of God and I am very grateful for His favours. Apart from that, I believe the judges also did their homework well in trying to figure out who did what in Kannywood. It probably came as a result of my recent movies and commitment to the job. Three of us were nominated in my category. An ace actor, Ali Nuhu, Ibrahim Maishunku were on the nominee list. And to God be the glory I was voted as the best among others. How did you feel when your name was mentioned as the winner? It really came as a surprise. At first, I could not believe my ears, I thought I was dreaming, but when both Ali and Maishunku hugged me, it occurred to me that truly, I was the winner and it was for real. I cannot express how I felt. This is the best thing that has ever happened to me in my acting career and my entire life. In every work of life there is a reward for excellence and it judges people’s performances and at the same time prepares others for the hurdles ahead. This award came to me at a time when I was facing some challenges as an actor. This is just a starting point. And for the fact that I contested alongside the movers and shakers of the industry, does not mean I am now above them. Definitely, it was designed to celebrate only one person, not the three of us. I do not see myself as a fulfilled actor yet, neither am I going to raise shoulders above others. It is one of the greatest favours done to me by God, the Almighty to enable me focus more on what I am doing. Can you take us through your acting foray? How and when did you venture into the industry, and what are the challenges like? Well, like the old adage that says ‘the road to success is not

always straight’ I came into this industry in 2008, but the interesting story is that I kept nurturing myself, went through series of obstacles and impediments in trying to be among the top players. It was not easy for me because I had to leave my home town, Jos to Kano where things are happening. I encountered some hitches here and there. But first, I had to work on myself. At the first instance, I tried hard to discover my talent and how to harness it in

achieving my goals. Then, I gradually structured my way into becoming a star. Stardom is easy to attain, but the difficulty is being able to maintain it. You said you left Jos and settled down in Kano, the centre of Kannywood. How did you go about that? What were your immediate problems as a starter? I told myself right from the very moment I decided to leave my father’s house to go in search of a ‘Jersey’ in the Hausa film

industry, that I would be humble and patient. Those were my keywords. It is rather very exigent when you forfeit all you have for something you are aspiring to get. In Kano, I stayed in Ali Nuhu’s house. He was my godfather in the entertainment world; he sheltered me and gave me all the necessary support in making my dreams a reality. I truly owe him much in life and will forever remain grateful to him. Kannywood online

Grandfather, Charly Boy marks 61

harles Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy is one Nigerian artiste that has always managed to creep into news headlines. He may rightly be regarded as one of Nigeria’s most controversial artiste. The son of a legal luminary; Justice Oputa of the popular ‘Oputa Panel’ of President Obasanjo’s regime in 1999, is no doubt a man of many faces. He marked his 61 year birthday recently. He is a grandfather and a father to successful children living in Nigeria and abroad.

Charly Boy

‘The Village Headmaster’ Producer, Amb. Olusola is dead

ne of Nigeria’s best TV p r o d u c e r s , Ambassador Segun Olusola is dead. Ambassador Olusola was the producer of popular Nigerian TV soap, The Village Headmaster, which was one the best soaps ever produced in Nigeria. Details of his death is still sketchy. He was a former Nigeria ambassador to Ethiopia. He was aged 77. He is the founder of African Refugee Foundation. Ambassador Olusola was always seen in social gathering that are arts and culture oriented. May his soul Rest in Peace.

Segun Olusola

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Hollywood/Bollywood Aishwarya Rai in bliss

Dee pika-Emr aan in Dhar ma-Balaji ffilm… ilm… Deepika-Emr pika-Emraan Dharma-Balaji

ooks like Aishwarya Rai is in peace with herself. The actress says she is currently in a state of bliss and the one who is responsible for this feeling is her seven-monthold daughter Aaradhya. While in London, at the 25th anniversary celebration of Keith Vaz (Britain’s MP of Indian origin), Aishwarya Rai spoke a few words about the joy of motherhood. “Being a mum, I love it. It is like bliss,” she revealed. She very tactfully avoided the question about her returning to films. “We will see as things go. Right now, it is blissful (to be with the baby),” Aishwarya said. Ash does all the motherly duties herself, leaving no work for her hubby Abhi. Abhishek Bachchan said: “I am guilty. I don’t spend enough time with the baby to change her nappies.

Aish

She (Ash) does all the hard work.” Its past five years since the couple tied the sacred knot, the love between the

two is stronger and very evident. “The day I married Abhishek, it was a great day,” Ash said.

Kareena Kapoor's moves cost a Crore!

areena Kapoor adds a personal touch to everything she d oes. Hence, the end result is magical. This is one reason why film makers are ready to spend huge sums on her. The latest we hear is that a producer down south wants Kareena Kapoor to do an item number for him in his film ‘Isai’, and is ready to pay her a lot of money. Kareena’s ‘Kushi’ filmmaker, SJ Suryah is reportedly keen on casting Bebo in an item song in his film. Says a source from the industry, “Kareena is yet to confirm if she will be taking it up, nevertheless she has expressed a desire to listen to the song.” Kareena is currently the most sought after actress in Bollywood and is on every directorproducer’s wish list. Will Kareena take up this offer?

Bobby Brown marries Alicia Etheridge

obby Brown and fiancée Alicia Etheridge got married Monday. Bobbi Kristina Brown, Bobby’s daughter from late pop singer, Whitney Houston was however, not on hand for the Hawaiian

celebration. The R&B singer and former husband of Whitney Houston was surrounded by other family and friends, including his older children Landon, 23, La'Princia, 22, and Bobby Jr., 19, as well as Brown and Alicia Etheredge's

only child together, Cassius, 3. Bobby, who has been arrested several times over the years for suspicion of DUI, not paying child support and more, posted the photo of

eepika Padukone is on a roll. After Bebo rejecting Ekta Kapoor – Karan Johar’s film, it is heard that Deepy has taken Kareena’s place and will be seen opposite Emraan Hashmi. Kareena is also said to have said no to EktaKaran because she wasn’t comfortable working with Hashmi. However, Deepika, who is known to explore the Bollywood industry, has no problem working with Emraan. A source close to the Balaji- Dharma project revealed, “It is strange Kareena was not happy with her role. She also told Ekta and Karan that her wedding would be around the same time they wanted to start shooting for the film. It’s a heroine-oriented film and Emraan is not the mainstay of the project. Deepika was so excited about her role that she agreed to it a couple of days before boarding the flight to Turkey, where she is currently shooting for Race 2.” If sources are to be believed, it is said that after giving ample thought, Kareena decided to return to the project. “It would have been unethical to show Deepika the door then.

Moreover, they were unanimous in their opinion that Deepika could pull off the role as efficiently as Kareena would have,” added the source.

“The film is an urban take on love – it is quirky, edgy and dramatic,” says an insider. The film is expected to go on floors by end of this year.

Gene Simmons’ daughter Sophie auditions for X factor

ene Simmons’ daughter did not spend Father’s Day with her dad. Instead, Sophie Simmons flew out to San Francisco to try out for The X Factor. While Gene and Sophie do have a close relationship, Sophie decided to spend Sunday with Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid, Britney Spears and Demi Lovato. “This isn’t about my dad. This is all about my audition,” Sophie reportedly told the judges, asking to be judged on merit and not by her surname. Sophie may or may

not have made it to the next round, but with a rock star for a dad, she’s likely not afraid of performing on the stage at least. Speaking of dad, he

wasn’t feeling snubbed. Gene actually took a private jet out to see his daughter as she tried out for the Fox show. Source: hollywoodgossip.com

the wedding party. The couple became engaged in a very public way in 2010, when Brown popped the question to Etheridge during a New Edition show in Jacksonville, Fla. Brown has often credited Etheredge with giving him a new lease on life following his 2007 divorce from Whitney Houston, who passed away in February this year.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 19, Bobby's daughter with Whitney Houston, is "not on good terms right now" with her dad and was prominently absent, according to a source. As for a honeymoon ... Bobby and Alicia, who is also his manager, will continue travelling with the New Edition tour, resuming June 23 in Oakland, California.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

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Homes

Tips for accident free kitchen A

ccording to a survey, the average person spends over an hour in the kitchen every day. Over a lifetime, that means around three years! Looking at these numbers, the kitchen may very well be the most used part of the house. With so much time spent there, the possibility of accidents is quite high. Electronic devices, fire, sharp utensils, all pose a potential safety risk that every homeowner should address. Here are some tips on how to safeguard and prevent accidents in the kitchen. Clear the Kitchen Clutter Remove the clutter before you start working in the kitchen. Start with the items that don’t belong in the kitchen. Next, clear the counter so that there is no chance of anything falling over while you are preparing the food. Make sure you have space to move around without bumping into anything. Clean Mess and Spills Clean all mess and spills immediately. Don’t wait, as every minute you delay cleaning it up increases the chances of an accident. Slipping and falling is one of the most common causes of kitchen injuries. Next time you spill oil, water or anything, get a mop and clean it up right away! Prevent Fires Fires are the most devastating accidents that can occur in the kitchen. Some measures for preventing fires are: •Place the flammable items as far away from the stove as possible. Clothes, cooking sprays and curtains are some of the things that can catch fire easily. •Turn the stove off when you are not using it. Under no circumstances should you leave it on. •Have a fire extinguisher on hand in case of emergencies. You should also learn how to use it before hand. Use Electrical Equipment Properly Operate electrical equipment in the kitchen only if you know how to use it. There is the risk of electric shock or a fire starting in the socket if any of the devices are not used properly. Also, keep the cords of the devices tied up with a rubber band at all times. Handle Knives and Sharp Objects Safely Keep your knives sharp so that you don’t have to apply much force when using them. Most of the injuries caused by knives are because the person presses down too hard on them. Also, use a cutting board so you have a proper surface for cutting, slicing and dicing. Store away the knives out of reach of children. Same goes for other sharp objects. These are some of the preventive measures you can take to avoid accidents in the kitchen. Kitchen accidents cause injuries as well as food wastage, which can be prevented. Keep your kitchen safe so you can enjoy the delicious food you cook without any worries. The kitchen is a place of many potential accidents, but since we frequent it on regular basis, we often forget how dangerous it is. Safety in the kitchen is a necessary rule to establish, along with accident preventive measures. Review the following list of suggestions in your endeavor to prevent accidents in the kitchen. Steps 1. Arrange your kitchen so that everything you need at a particular moment is at arm’s reach when needed.

For example, keep oven mitts near your oven. *Store knives and other sharp objects in a safe location. If you have children in the home, you need to designate a safe area for dangerous kitchen items. Make a habit of returning these items to their safe spot. Never leave knives on the counter or in reach of young children. *Store towels and paper products in locations away

from the stove and cooking area. 2. Establish kitchen rules for your children. Set up some ground rules for when you are cooking to avoid kitchen accidents. You can either tell your children that they are not allowed in the kitchen when you are cooking or you can designate an area of the kitchen where children can be. Be consistent with your rules and your children will take you seriously. 3.Be proactive about keeping your kitchen clean and uncluttered. This will prevent kitchen injuries. *Clean your stove and oven after use when cooled. Debris on burners or in the oven can catch fire, especially grease and fat. Do not wipe a burner while it is on or still hot. * Wipe up spills on the floor. Spills may cause you to slip and fall. Keep counters clear of clutter. This is especially important if you are using the oven. You want a clear spot for the hot pan you remove from the oven. Do not balance a hot pan or baking sheet on top of other items on a cluttered counter. The pan or sheet may tip and spill the contents. 1. Turn pot and pan handles in when cooking on the stove. This will ensure that pots are not accidentally knocked off the stove or pulled down by a young child. You may want to cook on the back burners whenever possible. 2. Refrain from passing hot pans or pots with boiling water or food over other people. Whether you are serving food or removing a pot from the stove, make sure you do it away from others. 3. Never cook with a young child in your arms or in a baby sling. Your child may pull a pot off the stove by the handle, touch a hot plate, or grab a knife. Make a point of keeping children out of the kitchen when you are cooking. 4. Make a habit of looking around you before opening the oven. This is a kitchen safety precaution that gives you a moment to check that it is safe to open the oven, especially if you have children. Additionally, train your children not to come near the oven when it is open. If you stress the danger, then your children will take it seriously. When heating with the microwave, be wary of hotspots. Always mix foods or shake fluids to avoid burning the mouth with hotspots. Have a fire extinguisher readily available in case of a fire. Since many fires starts in the kitchen, get a fire extinguisher. Make sure you read the instructions when you buy the extinguisher. Don’t wait until you have a fire in the kitchen before you read the instruction on how to use it.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Cuisine

Pots & Pans

With Hajiya Ramatu Usman Dorayi

Make fruits mandator y for breakfast Fruit is the perfect breakfast food, and a sweet way to start the day.

ake it a mandatory part of your morning. Chances are you’re still not eating enough fruits every day. Even though they are good for us, and generally a lot tastier than vegetables, most people still miss the recommended three to five servings a day. That means we’re all missing out on a range of vitamins, minerals, and other plant-based nutrients, as well as the diseasefighting fibers. Sound like you? Try these fresh- picked tips. Snack on citrus. Most of us nibble between breakfast and lunch. Make yours an orange! One serving of citrus a day cuts the risk of mouth cancer by 67 percent, according to an Italian analysis of 16 studies. If you like variety, experiment with a different citrus every day of the week, from blood oranges to sweet-tart Mineolas, juicy clementines to luscious naval oranges, tart white or yellow grapefruit to sweet red grapefruit. Dish it up for dessert. When scientists for the U.S. cereal giant General Mills measured the antioxidant levels in fruit, the winning choices read like a perfect shopping list: blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, red plums, black plums, red grapes, red apples, green grapes,

nectarines, bananas, kiwi, and pineapple. Why not eat a bunch of them at once? Having a brimming fruit salad after dinner most nights of the week equals at least two good produce servings and a huge variety of goodfor-you plant chemicals. Cut fruit will keep for six to nine days with minimal loss of vitamin C, carotenoids, or other phytonutrients, say researchers who tested a variety of fruit types. Pour the real stuff. Many packaged fruit drinks are laden with sweeteners and flavoured artificially. But enjoying a glass of real orange juice (from a carton or from concentrate) or pure Concord grape juice every day is a healthy pleasure with a big payoff, experts say. One Vanderbilt University study found that people who enjoyed three glasses of fruit or vegetable juice a week had a 76 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease than those who had less than one glass. Or try pomegranate juice: Lab studies suggest it can cut the risk of brain degeneration and fight cancers of the breast, prostate, and skin. Bonus points: Choose OJ fortified with bonebuilding calcium and vitamin D. Buy few, and eat within a day or two That is, stop at a fruit market every

few days, buy small amounts of what looks the very best, and eat it within a day or two. This is so much more pleasant than buying large baskets of the same old stuff every two weeks. Even if the fruit costs more at the market, you’ll probably save money by eating everything you buy. Sadly, when you buy infrequently, you tend to throw out more than you realize due to spoilage. Keep a few cans on hand. It’s nearly as nutritious as fresh, and you’ll avoid suddenly getting 10 overripe bananas. We love oranges packed in juice, low-sugar peach slices, pineapple bits, and unsweetened cherries. So, have half a cup over oatmeal or high-fiber cereal at breakfast; spoon some onto yogurt and top with a good fat-rich crushed walnuts at lunch; or heat with your favourite warm spices (cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, nutmeg), thicken with a little corn flour and serve with chicken or beef.

Make bananas pop Speaking of overripe bananas, peel and wrap each one in a plastic wrap, then freeze for a delicious, sweet snack that tastes better than an ice pop. Play with it Playing with fruits means you’re more likely to want to eat it. With one push, an apple slicer divides your apple into delectable slices and separates the pesky core. A mango slicer easily turns bulky mangos into sweet, ready-to-enjoy sections, and a sharp box grater can grate apples into fine pieces for you to eat. No stress. Freeze it at its peak. Visit a friend’s farm or pick-yourown fruits on your farm, get a large quantity of your favourite berries or tree fruit, take it home, clean it all, and pack it up for the freezer. Then you’ll have year-round local produce, perfect for blender drinks, pies, sauces, salads, and toppings for that healthy dessert treat.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24JUNE, 2012

Digest

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Walking tall: Little boy who lost legs to meningitis beams with pride

Louie Jenkins wears his new legs. Doctors have told his parents to let him guide them with how long he wants to wear them.

o u i e Jenkins is very happy with his first birthday present - a pair of new legs. The youngster lost his own when he was four months old after he became critically ill with meningitis. Surgeons were forced to amputate them below the knee in order to save his life. Now Louie has received his first prosthetic pair in time for his first birthday. His parents, Julie, 29, and Warren, 31, from Colne, Lancashire, hope he will soon learn to walk and take his first

steps. Mrs Jenkins said: 'It was so weird looking at the legs and thinking that Louie will learn to walk with them on. 'We were so nervous before he got them. We were worried that he may not like them or feel uncomfortable. We didn't want to have to encourage him to wear them if he didn't want them on. 'We put his trousers on the legs and we were told to buy shoes to be placed on the feet.' Louie was given the legs at a specialist prosthetics unit at

Louie was too young to be walking when he lost his legs

Seacroft Hospital in Leeds. He also lost all of the fingers on his left hand and the tips of his fingers on his right hand. Mrs Jenkins said: 'When he first had them put on, he grabbed the shoes and smiled. We were so pleased. He was so comfortable in them that he fell

asleep wearing them in the car on the way home. 'He looks much older now he has the legs because he is taller. He always seemed much younger than his sister Francesca was at this age but now he seems more like a toddler than a baby. 'We have been told to let him lead us with how much time he wants to spend wearing the legs. If he wants to wear them for a little as half an hour a day we will let him. 'We are hoping that, if he wants to, he may be able to crawl with them. We have been told that we need to encourage him to walk wearing them in just the same way that we would any other child.' As he gets older the money raised will also be used to buy state-of-the-art prosthetic legs at a cost of around £7,000 per leg. Julie added: 'As Louie is growing it doesn't really make sense to be spending that amount of money on legs that he will keep growing out of so he will just have the NHS ones for now. 'As he gets older he may want to take part in sport and we want to be able to say that we have the money to be able to buy him the legs that he wants.' Julie said that doctors praised her quick reaction spotting the first warning signs and that if she had left it any longer he may have died. 'I had bathed Louie with his sister Francesca as normal but throughout the night he kept waking up crying and was sick, I noticed he had a temperature so I stripped him and gave him

some Calpol. 'It was when I stripped him down that I noticed two small red pin prick marks. I pressed on them and they didn't go away so I thought something was wrong. 'Within a matter of minutes he had gone grey and floppy so I rung for an ambulance. 'As I was watching he went from having a few marks to all his legs and arms turning purple. 'They took him to Airedale and treated him for meningitis, it was all a bit of a shock and it didn't really hit home until we had the results of the blood test which confirmed that he had meningococcal septicaemia.' Louis was transferred to Leeds General Infirmary where he was kept in intensive care for two weeks then put onto the children's surgical ward. She added: 'The doctors said that if I hadn't checked on him and spotted the rash when I did that Louis probably would have died. 'The first 48 hours were touch and go and after that they gave him a 50 per cent chance of survival which gradually increased as the days went on.' Louie's family have set up the Little LAMB (Louie's Amazing Meningitis Battle) Appeal to help buy equipment needed to support him as he grows. They aim to be able to have enough money to buy specialist prosthetic legs at the cost of £7,000 per leg by the time he wants to take part in sports. Source; Daily Mail

Louie back in March: He lost his legs from below the knee to meningitis

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

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

From the archives

(L-R): Ambassador Alex Quaison Sackey (Ghana), Nnamdi Azikiwe (Nigeria), Ambassador Diallo Telli (Guinea) and US Diplomat and Nobel Laureate Ralph Bunche at the International House, United Nations, July 19, 1959.

7th, July, 1964, Sir Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, centre, the Prime Minister of Nigeria, arrives London for the Commonwealth Prime Minister’s Conference.

Ahmadu Bello Zaria, Students’ Demonstration in 1968

Northern Premier, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello congratulates the Waziri of Dikwa on his Award of O.B.E. in the 60s.

From left: Nigerian Poet, Christopher Okigbo with Chinua Achebe and Alex Ajayi

The late emir of Kano, Alhaji Abdullahi Bayero returning home from an outing in 1951.

LearningD PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Mathematics Lesson Surface Area of Common Solids

This week, in continuation of our study of surface Area, we shall be looking at Surface Area of square Pyramids. Surface Area of Square Pyramids SA = s2 + 2sl Pyramids that have a square base have a total of five surfaces. To determine the shapes of those surfaces, we will start with a pyramid from step one below. If we cut along the lateral edges of the pyramid, we can allow the figure to flatten out in step two below. From step two, the individual

General Pyramid figures are easily identified as a square and four triangles. We can use the area formulas for a rectangle and a triangle to determine the complete formula for the surface area of the pyramid. The square (or base of the solid) has an area that can be calculated by multiplying its length times its width. Since those dimensions are equal, the area is s x s = s2. Now we need to calculate the area of the remaining surfaces. The remaining surfaces happen to form the lateral surface area of the pyramid, which are triangles. The area formula for a triangle is its base times its height divided by two. In the case of one of the triangles above it would be s x l ÷ 2. However, there are four triangles. This would make the total lateral surface area equal to four times the area of one triangle, or 4 x s x l ÷ 2. Upon simplifying the expression, we get 2sl. The total surface area of the pyramid is equal to the area of the base plus its lateral surface area or s2 + 2sl. So, given the base

length of the pyramid, s, and its slant height, l, the total surface area is not a difficult computation. Yet, when dimensions are provided for a pyramid, one is rarely provided with the slant height, l. Instead, the height of the pyramid is given. This is an important difference, as one is always larger than the other.

Compiled by Joy Baba Not knowing the slant height makes calculating its value the first goal for finding the lateral area of a pyramid. The diagram to the right will provide insight into finding a relationship for calculating the slant height. A right triangle, which rests internally within the pyramid, has been highlighted. The hypotenuse (longest side) is the slant height of the pyramid, l. This is the length we need to know in order to calculate the surface area of the pyramid. The height of the pyramid is a leg of the right triangle. The base of the right triangle is half the length of the base edge of the pyramid, s. At this point, we would use The Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the slant height. Pythagoras said leg2 + leg2 = hypotenuse2. In the case of our right triangle, we would get (1/2 s)2 + h2 = l2. Solving for the slant height would then depend on our ability to use the Pythagorean Theorem. To review the process, there is an outline of the steps that need to be taken: I. Determine the height, h, and base edge, s, of a given pyramid. Make sure their values are in the same unit measure (feet, centimeters, ...).

II. Use The Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the slant height, l, of the pyramid. III.Calculate the area of the base, s2. IV.Calculate the lateral surface area, 2sl. V . Calculate the total surface area by adding the base area to the lateral area, s2 + 2sl. VI.Report the final surface area value using square units. Here are two examples that demonstrate how to calculate the total surface area of a pyramid. Example 1: Given: s = 8 m and h = 3 m. First we calculate the slant height using The Pythagorean Theorem and half the base length. 32 + 42 = l2 ==> 9 + 16 = l2 ==> 25 = l2, or l = 5 m. The surface area would then require use of the formula SA = (8 m)2 + 2(8 m)(5 m) = 64 m2 + 80 m2 = 144 m2. Example 2: Given: s = 7 in and h = 6 in. First we calculate the slant height using The Pythagorean Theorem and half the base length. (3.5)2 + 62 = l2 ==> 12.25 + 36 = l2 ==> 48.25 = l2, or l = 6.95 in. The surface area would then require use of the formula SA = (7 in)2 + 2(7 in)(6.95 in) = 49 in2 + 97.3 in2 = 146.3 in2.

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i r t y and Dusty cloaked keyboard may sometime be frustrating, dirt and dust coat the keys and build up underneath. Sometimes the accumulated mixture of spilled drinks and food particles can stop keys from working altogether. Keeping your keyboard clean is an easy process that you should perform regularly. Before beginning, determine whether you have a mechanical or a membrane keyboard. Some keyboards still use a mechanical apparatus underneath the keys, which creates a distinctive click when keys are pressed. But most keyboards today use hard-contact keys that connect with a plastic membrane. Follow the basic cleaning to get your keyboard a lively look 1. Tap out the dirt Turn off your PC and unplug the keyboard. Put a large piece of old newspaper on a table, turn the keyboard over, and holding it a few inches above the paper, shake out any loose debris. 2. Blow out the dirt This step is best done outside. Use a can of compressed air (can be found in computer store), to loosen and remove dirt by directing the air stream between the keys. Then turn it over and shake out the keyboard again. 3. Clean the key surfaces To remove finger oils and other dirt from the surface of the keys, make a diluted solution of standard liquid dishwashing detergent. (Do not use any harsh cleaning solutions.) Use a damp (not wet) lintfree cloth to gently clean off the key surfaces. If they're not particularly dirty, plain warm water will do. Then wipe the keys with a dry cloth. Keeping Your Mouse Clean Many of today's PC

ICT ESSENCE with

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

Keeping a Clean Computer mice use optical sensors, which are much less susceptible to getting dirty than the old rollingrubber-ball mice. If you have an optical mouse (usually recognizable by the illuminated LED sensor on its belly), follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning it. The sensor usually needs only a quick wipe with a lint-free cloth. If your mouse uses a rolling ball, it's likely to pick up more dirt and dust the longer you use it. You'll know it needs cleaning when on-screen mouse cursor movement gets jerky, slow, and/or imprecise. (Note that some stationary mice use roller balls on the top. If you have one of those, follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning it.) 1. Disassemble the mouse Turn off your PC, unplug the mouse, and turn it over. You should see a locking ring around the rolling ball, usually with an arrow indicating the direction to turn to unlock it. Press the ring down, and turn it in the direction of the arrow. Remove the ring and the roller ball. 2. Clean the roller ball Gently rotate the roller ball in a lint-free cloth moistened with warm water or a dilute solution of dishwashing detergent. When it's clean, set it aside to dry.

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Be cautious when using any cleaning solvents; some individuals may have allergic reactions to chemicals in cleaning solvents and some solvents can even damage the case. Try to always use water or a highly diluted solvent.

3. Clean the mouse rollers Inside the mouse case, you'll see a pair of rollers, usually black with dirt and/or with a "string" made of lint wrapped tight around the center of each roller. Use cotton swabs moistened with 90 percent isopropyl alcohol to gently clean the rollers, making sure to rotate them and clean all surfaces. You may need to use a fingernail or pin to break the lint ring and remove it. Make sure each element is completely dry before you proceed to the next step. 4. Reassemble the mouse Place the roller ball back inside the mouse, and replace the locking ring, pushing it down and twisting it to ensure that it's securely locked. Check to see that the roller ball rotates freely. Plug the mouse in, turn your PC on, and confirm the mouse is working correctly. General cleaning tips Never spray or squirt any liquid onto any computer component. If a spray is needed, spray the liquid onto a cloth and then use that cloth to rub down the component. When cleaning a component or the computer, turn it off before cleaning. Be cautious when using any cleaning solvents; some individuals may have allergic reactions to chemicals in cleaning solvents and some solvents can even damage the case. Try to always use water or a highly diluted solvent. When cleaning, be careful not to accidentally adjust any knobs or controls. In addition, when cleaning the back of the computer, if anything is plugged in, make sure not to disconnect any of the plugs. Never eat or drink around the computer. Limit smoking around the computer.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 33

Business Brazilian President to lead trade and economic mission to Nigeria By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

The development of Mobile Banking in Nigeria is key to vision 20-20-20

Naira declines, pares 1st weekly gain in seven By Joy Baba with agency report

h e naira weakened against the dollar, paring its first weekly advance in seven, as oil, Nigeria's key export, slid amid signals of a fall in demand on reports showing the global economic slowdown is deepening. The currency of Africa's biggest oil producer depreciated 0.4 percent to 162.85 per dollar as of 10:32 a.m. in Lagos, the commercial capital. The naira has strengthened 0.4 percent this week. Nigerian benchmark Bonny Light crude retreated for a sixth straight day to $89.71 a barrel, a 30 percent fall from its March peak this year. Oil in New York tumbled below $80 a barrel and Brent crude fell under $90 a barrel yesterday as reports pointing at a global economic slowdown added to concern that demand will slow amid rising supplies. As Bonny Light declines "the market could be excused for showing some nerves," Gregory Kronsten and Olubunmi Asaolu,

strategists at FBN Capital Ltd. in London, wrote in an e-mailed note today. German business confidence fell to a two-year low, the Munichbased Ifo institute said today after data yesterday showed that U.S. manufacturing shrank and home sales declined. Moody's Investors Service cut ratings for Credit Suisse Group AG and 14 other banks, while the International

Monetary Fund said Europe's crisis has reached a "critical stage." The Central Bank of Nigeria sold $750 million at two foreigncurrency auctions this week, the most since the five days to Oct. 12. The Abuja-based regulator, which is the biggest supplier of dollars to the market, sells on Mondays and Wednesdays to support the naira.

FG sells N100bn in T-bills By Augustine AminuBy Augustine Aminu with agency report with agency report i g e r i a sold a total of 100.62 billion naira ($619.0 million) in treasury bills with 91-day and 182day maturities at its bi-monthly auction, with mixed yields compared with the previous auction, the central bank said on Friday. The bank on Thursday sold 37.49 billion naira worth of the 91-day paper at a return of 14.05 percent, lower than the 14.10

percent at the previous auction, while it issued 63.13 billion naira worth in 182-day bills at 15.31 percent compared with 14.94 percent at the previous auction. Total subscriptions stood at 152.69 billion naira, but the central bank stuck to its initial amount offered. Nigeria, Africa's second biggest economy after South Africa, issues treasury bills regularly to reduce the money supply, curb inflation and help lenders manage their liquidity.

s parts of efforts to boost economic and trade relations between both countries, President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil is scheduled to visit Nigeria before the end of the year. This follows her acceptance of an invitation from President Goodluck Jonathan who is presently in Brazil to attend the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development. President Jonathan extended the invitation at a bilateral meeting with the Brazilian President on Wednesday, noting that greater economic and developmental cooperation would be in the mutual interest of Nigeria and Brazil. The President said that Nigeria would welcome increased Brazilian support and cooperation for the development of mechanized agriculture, power generation and other sectors in which Brazilians are globally acknowledged as experts. He also called for the revitalisation of the Africa-South

American Cooperation Forum which was jointly initiated by Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the former President of Brazil, Mr. Inacio Lula Da Silva as a platform for the promotion of economic and political cooperation between the two countries and continents. In accepting President Jonathan’s invitation to visit Nigeria, President Rousseff said that she would come with Brazilian investors and businessmen with expertise in many fields to give them an opportunity to meet their Nigerian counterparts with a view to establishing profitable joint ventures. She assured President Jonathan that Brazil, currently the world’s sixth largest economy, would be glad to deploy the skills and expertise which its people have acquired in many fields, including engineering, construction, technology, public infrastructure, hydro-power generation and large scale mechanised agriculture for economic growth and development in Nigeria. The state visit to Nigeria has been tentatively scheduled for November this year.

Imo to disburse N400m loans to farmers

r s Adaora Ijezie, the Commissioner for Agriculture in Imo state on Friday, said arrangements had been concluded for the disbursement of N400 million loans to farmers. Ijezie, who disclosed this in Owerri, said that cheques would soon be issued to beneficiaries in the state to access the fund. The commissioner explained that the fund was the remaining 40 per cent CBN agricultural loan granted to the state before the present administration came into office. She said that the loans would be distributed to small-scale farmers at a low interest rate, pointing out that the previous administration had already disbursed about 60 per cent. “We have decided to ensure that the loans get to the peasant farmers this time around because it is not meant for commercial farmers. “All the beneficiaries are being given surety by their respective traditional rulers to ensure that genuine peasant farmers get it and this measure will guarantee easy repayment," she said.

The commissioner said that the Rochas Okorocha-led administration had keyed into the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government. Ijezie said that in this regard, the state government decided to give concession to Roche Group, an international conglomerate to transform and run the moribund Adapalm Plantation for 15 years. She said that the initiative had earned the state government N3.2 billion which had been ploughed back into other projects, while commercial palm oil production had commenced in the plantation. She said that Adapalm plantation, renamed Imo palm plantation had provided employment for 2000 youths, adding that it would provide employment for 5000 youths in due course. The commissioner said that the present administration had taken steps to revolutionise palm plantation in the state by insisting that every resident must plant at least one palm tree. Ijezie said that the overall aim was to ensure that Imo reclaimed its enviable position in palm produce in the country.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Business News FRSC relaxes enforcement on fire extinguishers for vehicles

h e Assistant Corps Marshal in-charge of Zone Seven of the FRSC, Augustine Aipoh, said on Friday that the commission was relaxing its compulsory acquisition of fire extinguishers by motorists. Aipoh, who spoke at an interactive session with journalists in Minna, said the corps would now adopt persuasion for motorists to get the fire extinguishers. “Is driving on the road without fire extinguisher a serious traffic offence? The answer is no; fire extinguisher is not a serious traffic offence, so there is no reason to impound a vehicle for that.'' Aipoh said that only few vehicles were gutted by fire during accidents, adding that the corps would insist that only road worthy vehicles were plying the roads. “So driving on the road without fire extinguisher is no longer a primary offence, where there is no fire extinguisher we advise the motorist on the need to get one and let him go.'' On why most motorcyclists are not using the crash helmet, he said that “the issue of crash helmet is a very controversial one.'' “People have brought in cultural and religious issues to it forgetting that when an accident occurs, it does not know whether you are a Christian or Muslim.'' He said that in order to check the trend, the corps was taking the campaign on the need for every motorcyclist to always use crash helmet to all stakeholders. “This is because it is for the safety of their lives. Today for instance, we are going to Lapai in Niger to see the Emir over road safety issues, including crash helmet.'' Aipoh urged motorcyclists to always use their crash helmets for safety and stop making reference to cultural and religious issues on why they were not using them. He said that any violator arrested for non usage of the helmet, would be made to pay the necessary fine or be charged to court. He said that officers and men of the corps concentrated in towns to enforce traffic rules and regulations because the cities and towns were more prone. “That is why you find our men mostly in towns where you have so many motorcycles.'' Ibrahim Mai-Paper, the Chairman, Abdul-Salam Garage of the NURTW, however said that ``it is a must for every driver in my unit to have fire extinguisher. "This is because it is important to put off fire which may occur anytime. '' He said that his unit had ensured that all registered drivers at the motor park owned fire extinguishers as part of road safety measures.

L-R: Senior Special Assistant to the President on Aviation, Capt. Usman Iyal, Chief Investigation Officer, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Mr. Mohammed Usman and Director of Special Service A I B, Mr. Yusuf Lawal (right) during the Joint public hearing on the Investigation of the crash of Dana and Allied Airlines Aircrafts in Abuja on Thursday. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Oil rebounds to $90 after hitting an 18-month low

downgrade of the credit ratings of 15 of the world's biggest banks by ratings agency Moody's to reflect the risk of losses they face from volatile capital markets weighed on commodities and equities. Brent crude reverse course to trade at 90.23 dollars, up 1.00 dollar. U.S. crude was up 55 cents at $78.75, after a four per cent drop on Thursday. "It has been a long fall, driven by global economic slowdown and oil fundamentals such as weaker demand from China," said Tony Machacek, oil futures broker at Jefferies Bache. "Technical indicators show the market is a little bit oversold, so there could be some shortcovering around. "A closely watched technical indicator, the relative strength index, for Brent has dropped to 18, suggesting prices are oversold and a rebound may be due. "But in general, the technical picture contains few bright spots," said one analyst. "The daily and weekly charts are just terrible," said Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix. "If Brent wants to maintain some hope for next week it needs to at least regain 90 dollars for today's close." The price of Brent has fallen more than eight per cent this week, in its biggest weekly drop since the middle of last year. "It is not surprising to see an intra-day bounce, but I don't expect this to last," said Carsten Fritsch, analyst at Commerzbank.

Customs intercept poultry foods worth over N15m By A’isha Biola Raji with agency report

h e Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ have intercepted about 2,590 cartons of different poultry foods with a Duty Paid value (DPV) of over N15 million. Dan Ugo, controller of the unit, while taking some representatives of the Nigerian Food and Drug Administration

and Control (NAFDAC) round the destruction site revealed that the command captured made use of intelligence based information to capture the smugglers and got hold of the contraband goods. According to him, the urgent need to protect local farmers and create jobs for Nigerian youths informed the latest seizure, thus, “the unit is determined to enforce full compliance with the

headquarters’ directive on zero tolerance for the importation of poultry products”. He assured Nigerians that the unit will ensure the sustenance of the campaign aimed at suppressing smuggling to its barest minimum. He further advised importers of the poultry foods to venture into more reasonable enterprise in order to avoid financial losses from that may arise from seizure.

RT Briscoe hits 11-month high By Joy Baba with agency report

T Briscoe Plc, a Nigerian company that sells cars, tractors and other industrial machinery, rose to the highest in 11 months, benefiting from a national focus on agriculture, according to Lambeth Trust and Investment Co. The stock advanced as much as 4 percent to 1.72 naira and closed 1.8 percent up in Lagos at 1.68 naira, the highest since July 25. RT Briscoe shares have risen 65 percent this year,

compared with a 3.2 percent increase in the Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Index over the same period. Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation with more than 167 million people, plans to raise its agricultural output to meet local demand and exports, President Goodluck Jonathan said on May 29. This plan will lead to demand in agricultural equipment, including tractors, according to David Adonri, chief executive officer of Lagos-based Lambeth Trust. "With the current emphasis

placed on agriculture now, it means that all operators in the agricultural value chain will enjoy a boom in their business," he said by phone today. "Investors believe the price could rise to 2 naira within one year. It is a smallcap company with rising profitability." Full-year profit for 2011 rose to 215.9 million naira ($1.3 million) from 152 billion naira a year earlier, the company said in a statement published on the website of the Nigerian Stock Exchange on April 26.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 35

Business

Ideas that made $100 million

Chances are, just about anyone you talk with will have an idea for a business that they think can make millions. Although business pitches may be easy to come by, turning those ideas into wins is a whole new ballgame. However, many entrepreneurs with simple ideas and humble beginnings have been able to effectively turn the ideas into winning businesses.

ames like Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, and Mark Zuckerberg usually come to mind when people think about those lucky few who have cashed in on their ideas, but you don’t have to live in Silicon Valley or Seattle to turn your idea into millions. So what does it take to make $100 million? You may be surprised. Chris and Robin Sorensen — Firehouse Subs Chris and Robin Sorensen were both firefighters in Florida when they came up with the idea to open a sandwich shop based on their family’s 200 year history of fighting fires. In 1994, the brothers borrowed on a credit card belonging to Robin’s in-laws and opened their first shop, decorated with fire equipment and a hand-painted mural that depicted the local fire department. They even gave their subs firefighter-inspired names like “Hook & Ladder” and “Engine Company.” Robin worked at the store while Chris continued to work part-time at the fire department. These days both Sorensens have put their firefighting days behind them. Firehouse Subs is now a booming franchise business, with 514 corporate and franchise locations around the United States — and the numbers keep growing. The company plans to

continue its expansion in the Northeast, Central and Southwest in 2012. In 2011, Firehouse Subs raked in $284.9 million in total system sales. Mary Ellen Sheets — Two Men and a Truck Mary Ellen Sheets never imagined that hauling trash would turn into a multimillion dollar company. In the early 1980s, Sheets’s sons, Jon and Brig Sorber, started doing odd jobs for the locals, using their pickup truck to haul trash and brush from people’s yards and moving furniture. Once the boys went off to college, the phone kept ringing. So Mary Ellen hired two men and bought another truck for $350. At first it was a hobby, but by the late-1980’s, she quit her job to focus on the business full-time. She also made another life-changing decision: she decided to franchise. Today, Two Men and a Truck has 224 locations in 34 states. Brig Sorber has replaced his mom as CEO, but Mary Ellen Sheets still serves on the board of directors and Jon Sorber is an executive with the company. In 2011, Two Men and a Truck conducted 353,761 moves and had a total of $220 million in sales. Bert and John Jacobs — Life is Good Photo: Life is goodBert and John Jacobs

designed their first t-shirts in 1989 and hawked them on the streets of Boston and at colleges along the East Coast. But for five years, success eluded them. Then, in 1994, they struck upon the idea to use a design of a cartoon figure called Jake and the motto “Life is good.” People seemed to embrace the simple message of optimism — the shirts were a hit at a local street fair and retailers soon became interested. Now Jake’s face and motto are on more than just shirts. You can find him and other characters smiling on products from towels and totes to coffee mugs and dog leashes. And life sure is good now for Bert and John Jacobs. Business is booming, with 2011 sales coming in at about $100 million. Sara Blakely — Spanx One night, Sara Blakely cut off the bottom of her pantyhose and the idea of Spanx was born. Armed with $5,000 in savings, Blakely researched and wrote her patent for footless pantyhose and drove around North Carolina begging mill owners to make her product. Most told her it would never sell, but one owner decided to take a chance and help her make her “crazy idea.” In 2000, her prototype was perfected and she started hitting up high-end department store buyers. In the first three months, she sold over 50,000 pairs from

the back of her apartment. Now her “crazy idea” has grown to include a full range of products that are sold around the world, and Blakely is soaring high. In March, she landed on the Forbes World’s Billionaires 2012 list, which estimated the company’s revenue at just under $250 million. Geoff, Dave and Catherine Cook — my Yearbook Siblings Dave and Catherine Cook had just moved to a new high school when they came up with the idea of an online yearbook to meet new friends. To get started, they turned to their brother, Geoff Cook, who had already started, and had made a business while in college. In 2005, Geoff became the first investor and CEO of my Yearbook. Within the first nine months, the site had 1 million users. As the company grew, it left the high school realm and started connecting people in general. In November 2011, social networking site Quepasa bought my Yearbook for $100 million in cash and stock, and in June of this year my Yearbook was rebranded as MeetMe. All three siblings still work at the company, with Geoff Cook as the CEO. The next big milestone for MeetMe is its merger with Quepasa, which will bring the number of users from 40 million to 80 million, according to Geoff Cook.

Equity Market slides by -0.76% as the bears re-surface This week at the Exchange

arket activities closed with the bears after two sessions of positive stance due to renewed selling activities witnessed in some sectors across the main board amid increased market turnover while market breadth closed depressed as against previous outlook. Nevertheless, the key benchmark indices resumed southwards movement as sentiments turned red, taking hits majorly from Medium CAP stock which was particularly driven by TRANSCORP while Large CAP stocks also contributed to the outlook recorded today due to renewed sell pressure witnessed in Financial Services and Consumer Goods sectors. In the same vein, the market capitalization of 187 first-tier equities depreciated by N51.90 billion as market sentiments turned negative. 104 equities were traded today as against previous 118 with more activities recorded in Financial Services, ICT, Services, Oil & Gas, Consumer Goods, Healthcare, Industrial Goods, Agriculture, Construction/Real Estate and Conglomerates sectors. Today, four out of five NSE sectoral indices closed negative as NSE 30 which basically measures the performance of blue chips resumed downtrend by -0.95%, NSE Insurance closed with +1.61% gains while NSE Oil & Gas maintaining downtrend by -

0.29%, NSE banking records 2.10% loss while NSE Food also records -0.47% loss. At the close of trading session, the NSE AllShare Index dips by -0.76% to close at 21,348.11 as against an upbeat by +2.03% recorded in the

previous session to close at 21,510.70. In the same vein, market capitalization depreciated by N51.90 billion (US$345.91 million) to close at N6.81 trillion (US$45.41billion) as against appreciation by N136.82 billion (US$911.85 million) recorded in preceding session to close at N6.86 trillion (US$45.76billion). The number of gainers at the close of trading session closed lower at 20 as against 29 recorded in the previous session while decliners closed higher at twenty-two (22) as against eighteen (18) losers recorded in the previous trading day – suggesting a negative market breadth. Today, the following companies presented their forecasts 1. ABC Transport Plc Q3 2012 forecast: Turnover N1.642b Expenses (N1.162b) Depreciation (N255.245m) Finance Charges (N65.8811m) Profit before Tax N158.459m Taxation (N42.784m) Profit after Tax N115.675m 2. Unity Bank Plc Q4 2012 forecast: Gross Earnings N12.589b Interest Income N9.594b Interest Expenses (N3.218b) Net Revenue from Funds N6.376b Other Income N2.995b Net Operating Income N9.372b Operating Expenses (N6.503b) Profit before Tax N2.869b Taxation (N946.747m) Profit after Tax N1.922b 3. DN Meyer Plc Q3 2012 forecast:

Net Turnover N592.453m Cost of Sales (N369.140m) Gross Profit N223.314m Marketing & Admin Expenses (N145.702m) Other Income N733,000 Profit before Interest & Tax N78.344m Finance Charges (N27.209m) Profit before Tax N51.135m Taxation (N1.185m) Profit after Tax N49.950m 4. Vitafoam Plc Q3 2012 forecast: Turnover N15.621b Cost of Sales (N10.726b) Gross Profit N4.896b Profit before Tax N1.171b Taxation (N374.785m) Profit after Tax N796.420m As usual, Financial Services sector led the market transaction volume today with 149.82 million units valued at N908.00 million (US$6.05 million) exchanged in 2,154 deals as against 127.58 million units valued at N844.39 million (US5.62 million) exchanged in 2,355 deals recorded in previous session. The volume recorded in the sector was driven by transaction in the shares of DIAMONDBNK, FIRSTBANK, ZENITHBANK, UBA and GUARANTY Plc and the total volume of 110.28 million units valued at 766.40 million traded in five stocks accounted for 45.99% of the entire market volume and their value represented 54.43% of the market’s value. Transaction volume on the exchange moved up by +45.23% to close at 239.78 million units exchanged in 3,793 deals as against a decline by -29.02% recorded in the previous trading to close at 165.11 million

units exchanged in 3,692 deals. Also, market value appreciated by +18.54% to close at N1.40 billion (US9.38 million) as against depreciation by -18.33% recorded in the previous trading session to close at N1.18 billion (US$7.91 million). Sectoral Performance (According to New Market Segmentation) Financial Services sector led the market sectoral performance with 149.82 million units of shares traded in 2,154 trades within the sector, followed by ICT sector to come second on the chart with 28.49 million units traded in 29 trades while Services sector recorded 24.54 million units in 115 trades to close with third position on the chart. See the full table below Market Outlook by Classification At the end of today’s session, it was observed that Medium Cap stocks according to new market segmentation topped today’s market activity with 42.53% contribution to market turnover, followed by Small Cap stocks with 37.45% while Large Cap stocks stake 20.03% to come last on the chart. Among the Large cap stocks, DANGCEM, NB and NESTLE Plc topped the 7 traded stocks in that class while UBA, IBTC and WAPCO dominated Medium Cap of 23 traded stocks. Similarly, ASHAKACEM, GLAXOSMITH and UNITYBNK led 74 traded stocks in the Small Cap category in that order. Source: analyst@proshareng.com

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 16 — SUNDAY 17, JUNE, 2012

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

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OUR VISION

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

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The of dwindling Re: chronology Sovereign wealth fund security situation in Adamawa When Adamawa was curved out of the former Gongola state, there was love and peaceful coexistence amongst the (113) ethnic tribes in the state. Although there was no identifiable semblance of democracy in those periods, yet political activities which were usually labeled ‘nationalism’ were predominantly elite phenomenon, dominated and to a large extent also shaped by a bureaucratically defined political class. The political class was embedded in local ethnic groups but its main centre of activity was in the larger towns and its performance as a political class was not decisively created or shaped by the rural population of the villages. Though the rural population was part of the power base, it had no major influence on its actual policies and performancehowever the links with the rural population were strong and vital. In fact due to cohesive and purposefulness of the elite in the defunct Gongola and the early part of Adamawa, the state had under the Shehu shagari and Babangida Junta alone produced four service chiefs viz -: Chief of Naval Staff, chief of Army staff, Inspector General of Police and Chief of the Air Staff, AM Ibrahim Alfa who is now late. This analysis will not be complete unless the Barde/ Juta regime is made mentioned of. No doubt, that administration appears to the benchmark for almost all Administrations in the defunct Gongola and now Adamawa and Taraba States. Though in 1976 when the state was created it was led by General Muhammadu Jega, that regime’s

WRITE TO US Peoples Daily Weekend welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed to: The Editor, Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. Email: letters@peoplesdaily-online.com concern was promotion of peace and unity among the (113) ethnic nationalities and the establishment of administrative and make shift physical structures of the young state. The Abubakar Barde regime was a turning point. While it equally maintained and even promoted peaceful co-existence among the people of the state, it also realized that there were more than enough prospects to move the young state into development compared to any of the older states. He ensured building a balanced and inclusive cabinet devoid of any religious and ethnic bias. The Barde / Juta regime had tried its best to maintain peace during its tenure, the peace of a graveyard in the entire state. Though I was still young, but I can recall, there was no Students’ unrest in any of the post primary schools not to talk of major security breaches in the state. It did not stop there it equally attempted to exploit the state’s huge potential in Agriculture, Health care delivery, Education and industrialization to mention a few. At the tail end of that regime, it left a number of ongoing projects which were the

“

In a society like Nigeria with hundreds of ethnic groups and where the institution of society control are weak, we need an objective, fair and fearless media so as to check the excesses of government on one hand and inform citizens what their rights are and how to fight for it.

school of Nursing and Midwifery, the Brewery Project at Bajabure, College of Education Hong, the state secretariat complex and the state House of Assembly Complex. Others are the sports stadium along Yola Numan road currently one of the abandoned projects, the permanent site of the college of Preliminary studies, Science School Infrastructures in M/Belwa, Uba and Fufore all abandoned projects. Although not much was achieved by successive administrations yet peaceful coexistence had continued to be their cornerstone. Perhaps the only misfortune that occurred under Boni Haruna led administration in 2003, was the Fulani/ Bachama feud which resulted in the loss of lives and properties in Numan LGA. This unpleasant situation led to the deposition of the former Hama Bachama Freddy Soditi Bongo. Despite that episode, generally the Boni Haruna regime deserves commendation for completing almost 90% of the capital projects initiated by the Barde/ Juta administration. This is in addition to establishing the state university. Governor Nyako’s massive grassroots support in 2007 even without going through the tortuous primary election was informed by the belief that as an octogenarian, he would put to bear his wealth of experience as a former Service Chief and former Military Administrator and move the state forward in all aspects of development that begets a peaceful society. But within the first six months of his reign, Governor Nyako proved the electorate wrong. One of his agenda that impacted negatively on the citizenry is the unconventional appointment of Special Assistants under the auspices of Special

Projects and Programmes Units (SPPU).What this means is that the activities of the core civil service has been thrown overboard. While the number of Conventional civil servants in the state has remained at 15,000 since 2008 to date, the governor’s SAs as they are popularly referred to, have been fluctuating between 45,000 and 50,000. Arguably, the regime had attempted to empower some Youth under the (SPPU) but there are several misgivings surrounding their activities. For one, traducers of the administration have alleged that the SAs have been used as instruments of political thuggery, especially during the last governorship election. According to them, since these SAs are paid allowances of between N10, 000 and 500,000 monthly, depending on their status, they do not have specific functions rather than carrying out adhoc responsibilities as foot soldiers of the government against its perceived political enemies. Although the government supporters would not accept this position held in some quarters, but the killings in Mubi, that of Christ Apostolic Church Jimeta, Lamurde and Numan LGA’s by unknown gunmen in January 2012 readily comes to mind. This was specifically attested to in the media by one of the governorship candidates ahead of the February 4th Poll. He alleged that government was behind those incidents aimed to scare away potential voters to its advantage. Equally of note is the number of concerned citizens and security experts in the state who had persistently raised alarm over the influx of aliens into the state at the tail end of last year. These concerns and apprehensions entertained by these groups is connected to the perceived anticipated backlash of the unfortunate cases of insecurity to lives and property that had already enveloped Plateau, Borno and Yobe, and gradually finding its roots in Adamawa, no thanks to the recent Fulani/Bachama feud. According to some Non Governmental Organizations and members of some pressure groups from the state who encompass concerned citizens and security experts, the Adamawa State government’s decision to import foreign grazers from some countries and other northern parts of the country into the state and resettle them on farm lands that belong to indigenous farmers are danger signals to the corporate existence of the people. It could be recalled that, this same NGO and the pressure group at the tail end of last year issued a press statement, lampooning the state government over the same state of

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 37

Opinion

The ofand Bauchi Publicirony opinion subsidypolitics reversal By Mamman Sani

ccording to the late Prime Minister f Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, “Political independence is totally inadequate if it is not accompanied by stability and economic security, and if there is not genuine personal liberty with freedom to express one’s view and profess whatever faith one desires.” The Prime Minister, if he knew what Nigeria has become would have regretted being a Nigerian because in their time, the country was not like this. To state the obvious, I was baffled and the same time short of words when recently I read one of the national dailies with the caption “Controversy Trails FCT Minister’s N300m Mosque in Bauchi” with the photograph of the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad. As stakeholder and as an indigene of the state, I wasted no time in going through the story and after reading the entire article very carefully, I realized that the angels of darkness may have gone to the pitch of play again after their woeful defeat in the first tenure of Senator Bala Muhammed as FCT minister. I remember vividly that before the end of Bala’s first tenure, these angels of darkness used their best eleven in the field of dirty politics aimed at ensuring that President Goodluck Jonathan does not retain Senator Bala in his coveted seat as FCT minister. But to their utter dismay, Senator Bala Muhammed was returned as FCT minister. Retrospectively, I believe that the

“doctrine of necessity” as championed by the FCT minister on the floor of the senate will forever remain fresh in the minds of these people even though they do not believe in it as they prefer to see it as an offence. But Senator Bala Muhammed being one of the champions of the movement will continue to be accused from left, right and Centre. For those who know Senator Bala’s track records, I can’t deny the fact that philanthropy, compassion; and benevolence are part of his hobbies. He receives freely and gives back to the society freely. The title Kauran Bauchi, is a well deserved honour as a result of his generosity. He contributes to the building of schools, both Islamiyya and western schools as well as to the building of Mosqus and Churches. The said amount concerning the Mosque is just a figment of Dogo’s imagination tailored to suit his sponsors. I wonder why people in this part of the world don’t appreciate kindness instead they read meaning to every honest action taken by people. To state the obvious, the Mosque wasn’t built by Bala alone. It was a collective effort of the community. I advise that whoever is behind this mischief should go back to the drawing board for the facts because there is no iota of truth in the whole story. With due respect to the self acclaimed PDP Chieftain in Bauchi, in person of Dogo B.B, I can’t remember for once, if Dogo was the party chieftain in my State. However, I remember with nostalgia that he was at one time a controversial secretary at the Ministry of Health during which an unpalatable

occurrence at the Bauchi General Hospital led to his inglorious exit. Surprisingly, Dogo is now the apostle of accountability to the extent that he can describe someone as incompetent. I wonder if Dogo knows the meaning of the word, incompetence for him to use that word on someone whose contribution to the progress of our state is immeasurable. For the records, Bala’s wonderful performance, at the risk of sounding immodest, is glaring both in Bauchi and Abuja. Alhaji Bala Muhammad, who was elected as a senator before he joined the federal cabinet in April 2010, is not a new hand at the Federal Capital Territory Administration which he superintended. Since his return to the FCT in the new cabinet of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, he has brought to bear his managerial skills as a technocrat and politician. Under his watch, the FCT Administration planed three new districts Katampe, Maitama extension and Kagini 1, in the capital territory with a view to accommodating the rapidly growing population; the opening up of the districts heralded the inauguration of infrastructure works to provide 70,000 kilo meters of road network, including other infrastructure in the new areas. Besides his commitment for the expansion of the Abuja metropolis, Bala has created conducive environment that has attracted about $10 billion to the FCT since his appointment. He has aggressively pursued land administration reforms, especially by reinvigorating the Abuja Geographical

Information Systems, AGIS, and the land department. This includes the introduction of a new e-payment system in AGIS and the establishment of two full-fledged departments. All these have contributed to reducing incidents of land fraud, which was rampant in Abuja and hastened the processing of land documentation. In order to drive home the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government as it concerns the housing sub-sector, 1,247 companies have so far collected documents for the Abuja Mass Housing projects. These companies which are prospective developers have been issued with Mass Housing Guidelines and other documents on payment of the non-refundable fees. Senator Mohammed has said that the companies also paid non-refundable processing fees to ascertain their level of seriousness. Out of these companies, 475 have submitted their documents for evaluation, while 416 of them are new applicants and a batch of 63 companies that have submitted documents for evaluation have been forwarded to the FCT Legal Services Secretariat for Due Diligence at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The review of the Engineering Infrastructure Design for four districts namely Mabushi, Kado, Gwarinpa I and Durumi is on-going. My advice to the FCT minister is to remain focused and not be distracted in his bid to impact on the lives of FCT residents in particular and Nigerians in general. Mamma Sani wrote from Bauchi, in Bauchi state

Anambra north: Matters arising By Alex Ogechukwu

lectoral fraud, corruption and criminal forgery has become a recurrent phenomenon among rogue politicians seeking public office in Nigeria, since the advent of this nascent democracy and very often the culprits go largely unpunished to the general discomfort of law abiding citizens. Irked by the impudence of politicians who give bad name to politics, former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a recent outburst attacked the National Assembly as being populated by armed robbers who perhaps forge their way through to the top. Politicians, aside from lying effortlessly under oath and committing criminal perjury have also perfected the act of forgery and fabrication of such things, as birth certificates which alter their age to suit their fancy, academic qualifications , election result sheets and documents kept under lawful custody. The twist, which pundits say is becoming an eye-opener, is the revelation that the affidavit purportedly sworn to and admitted by high court as Exhibit Number 1387, which allegedly proved that Lady Margery Okadigbo, wife of former Senate president and erudite scholar Dr Chuba Okadigbo, won the election might have been forged. This followed a startling revelation coming after a request by Senator (Dr) Alphonsus Uba Igbeke to the assistant chief registrar/commissioner for oath, Chief Magistrates’ Court, Orumba

north magisterial district, Ajalli (formerly assistant chief registrar/ commissioner for oaths, Otuocha judicial division of the Anambra State High Court). In the letter captioned: ‘Confirmation of affidavits of facts purported to have been sworn before Commissioner for Oaths’ dated 25/4/ 2012, Senator Igbeke had requested, “Kindly confirm whether the said affidavits of facts were sworn to at said Registry as appears on the face of the said documents and whether the signature that appears on the affidavit as that of commissioner for oaths is yours.” The letter was addressed to Donatus Mbanefo Obadiegwu, said to be the then assistant chief registrar/ commissioner of oaths. Obadiegwu, in a reply to the request, dated 27/4/2012, submitted, “There is no receipt number on any page of the attached bundle of documents (each entitled “Affidavit of Fact”) showing that they were paid for, or where they were paid for. To qualify as affidavits duly sworn to by such individuals, they ought to be paid for and the receipt number written on them, but there is no indication on the face of the documents showing that this was done. Accordingly, there is nothing on the face of the document to enable me to confirm them as affidavits of facts sworn to at the Registry of the Otuocha judicial division of the Anambra State High Court.” On the signature and the stamp that were inscribed on the document,

Obadiegwu replied, “The signature and stamp that appear on the 183 page bundle of documents are not mine and are therefore forged. The dates appearing on the said documents tend to suggest that they were sworn to in January (11 th), 2011 at which time I held office as the assistant registrar/commissioner for oaths in the Otuocha judicial division of the Anambra State High Court. I have gone through my records in that Registry and could not find any document of that nature as emanating from the Registry.” Obadiegwu in an affidavit he swore to on 11/5/12 claimed that: “The signature on the documents is a forgery and not my signature and both the stamp and the signature on the face of the documents are forged and did not emanate from me or the Otucha Registry as the documents purport to show.” He also claimed in the affidavit that he never authorized or delegated power to any officer working under him before whom any of the documents was sworn. He also swore that, “The documents or affidavits of facts referred to in the affidavit as being forged are attached to this affidavit already numbered in Marker as numbers 1387 to 1568 and now further marked as EXHIBIT BUNDLE 1.” Recall that the EXHIBIT 1387 which the court hinged its decision in earlier declaring Lady Okadigbo winner of the election was sworn to by an alleged witness who claimed to have

been a PDP delegate to the election. The witness, one Nnaji Anwali, had claimed that the election in his ward held on 28/12/2010 ‘in respect of Anambra north senatorial election genuinely produced Lady Okadigbo’. It also claimed, “That the PDP primary conducted on 8/01/2011 in the north’s senatorial district of Anambra state was well-attended and very peaceful; that he was physically present as a bona fide delegate that took part in the PDP primary conducted in the Anambra north senatorial district on 8/01/2011… where Lady Okadigbo was elected as the PDP candidate for Anambra north senatorial district.” It would be recalled that over fourteen months after the senatorial election, the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the legislative seats in the zone is still subject of litigation. It is only the Anambra north senatorial zone that has no representative after the inauguration of the 7th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Political analysts have expressed sadness over the matter, especially because time lost in the tenure of lawmakers, unlike the executive arm of government, is not re-awarded. By implication, if the seventh Senate runs its full course without swearing in any senator from Anambra north, the zone will go down in history as a zone that never produced a senator during the seventh Senate. Ogechukwu is a political analyst based in Abuja

PAGE 38

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Public opinion and subsidy The North-South issue inreversal

Nigeria needs a rethink by all! By Sanusi S. Abdullahi

he North-South issue in the country is the back bone of Nigeria’s stability. If taken seriously, it will wax stronger, but if otherwise, it will bring about Nigeria’s fragmentation into bits and pieces. With Jonathan’s announcement as winner of the 2011 Presidential Polls, the North went into flames. If it had been the other way round, meaning Buhari declared winner, there is no two ways about the South going into flames too. All these could be avoided, as they are completely unnecessary. Take it or leave it, for Nigeria to continue as one-single entity and embellished with lasting peace, our leaders must believe in, respect and adhere strictly to the tenets of the Presidential Zoning Formula. Though created by the Peoples Democratic

Party (PDP) and also acclaimed as undemocratic by many politicians in the country, it is the only way out of Nigeria’s political doldrums. Taking a cue from the 1999 and 2007 Presidential Elections in Nigeria, were the loss of lives or destruction of property caused by the announcement of winner? This is because the main contenders came from the same geographical axis. I do believe that some ideas would be different from mine, as examples of our First and Second Republics could be cited, where the arena contained a mixture of both Northern and Southern contenders. The basic truth is we must agree that we are in a dynamic World and the stage we are in presently requires sacrifices from all and sundry. If we recall again, what brought about the June 12 crisis? I believe, the same issue of North and South,

River state Governor, Rotimi Amechi

though with a ‘caveat’. In fact, if not for the reminiscence of Biafra, what would have happened after the annulment? Our leaders should stop their selfishness in order to save

Nigeria from degeneration. It is God’s desire for us to be together. If He had planned otherwise, all of us would have been 100% Wa, Zo, Bia, Christians or Muslims. Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion states that ‘to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction’. The ordinary Nigerian has suffered enough. Our leaders must have a rethink. They should stop deceiving us by their usual words of ‘we are the elite, we see beyond what the ordinary Nigerian sees’. It is all hoax! Some of us among the ordinary ones ‘see beyond what they see!’ Hence, considering the myriad nature of its peoples, the Zoning formula is the only way out for Nigeria, its politics, leadership and sustainable peace! • Sanusi S. Abdullahi works with the National Council for Arts & Culture, Abuja. sansabdul@yahoo.com

Markers to Lamido's 2015 presidential bid? By Ibrahim Kabir Abdullahi

arious elected officials commemorated their anniversaries in office last May 29, particularly state governors and the President. For governors in their second term, the occasion marked their fifth year at the helm of affairs. While some had good accounts of their stewardship, others only listed their achievements on the pages of newspapers through paid advertisements either by themselves or their cronies. In Jigawa state, the story was completely different. The talakawa came out en masse and celebrated with Governor Sule Lamido, extolling his people-oriented policies and programmes. To say that Lamido is a populist is stating the obvious as he never shies away from identifying with the talakawa in every situation since the days of the defunct People’s Redemption Party (PRP). Sule Lamido has achieved a lot since he took office five years ago, in agriculture and poverty alleviation. Lamido’s government established the Dutse Skills Acquisition Centre which trains youths in different skills including welding, carpentry, electrical works, floor and tiles making, leather works, tailoring and embroidery. A cassava processing

Governor Sule Lamido

plant was also established. The new Bamaina Academy for the gifted and talented which is wellequipped with modern teaching facilities is worthy of mention, to say

nothing of new primary and secondary schools and rehabilitation of old ones. In the health sector, the Jigawa medical supply company was established to improve health care delivery through integrated health care services. While hospitals were renovated and equipped with modern machines such as theatre facilities, eye clinic equipments, xray machines and the ultra modern Rasheed Sekoni Specialist Hospital, Dutse was also established within the same period. There is also the mass housing scheme, with several estates being built in the last five years. These are in addition to many urban and rural roads constructed within the period, and improved water supply in both urban and rural areas. Although I am not a member of the government, nor am I working for it, I have painstakingly taken time to enumerate Lamido’s modest achievements so as to put the record

“

Sule Lamido has achieved a lot since he took office five years ago, in agriculture and poverty alleviation

straight in the public domain. While, many northern governors and politicians brace up for the presidency come 2015, I strongly believe that time has come for the north and indeed Nigeria as a nation that is desirous of launching itself into the 21th century and be among the top 20 economies of the world, to begin to look at people’s background and legacies before putting them in positions of authority. As one of the most refined and polished politician in the North who has national and global touch Since the Second Republic, Sule deserves to be given a chance to lead Nigeria come 2015 when President Goodluck Jonathan exits the scene if his achievement in the last five years in Jigawa are anything to go by. This is so because, by 2015, Lamido would have left an indelible and unprecedented landmark which is true testimony of the tremendous transformational developments that cut across the state. Today, Jigawa is not just far from where he met it, but it has joined the league of states where things work for the people. Indeed, Lamido should be given the chance to lead the largest black nation on earth and give it this Midas touch as he is doing in Jigawa today. Ibrahim Kabir Abdullahi, Northern Youth League, Tudun Wada, Kaduna

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 39

International

Scores missing after Indian Ocean sinking M e r c h a n t and navy ships and five aircraft have resumed the search for almost 100 people missing in the Indian Ocean, a day after a crowded refugee boat capsized between Indonesia and Australia's Christmas Island territory. Australian Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said 109 people had been rescued, including a 13-year-old boy, with three dead bodies pulled from the water, around 200km north of Christmas Island. As rescue efforts continued yesterday, Clare said the prospect of finding anyone else alive was

looking "increasingly grim". "A surveillance plane has seen more debris and lifejackets in the water. Some are floating on their own, some of them that have people wearing them, and they have identified more bodies in the water," he told Sky News. "Unfortunately, I can't report that any more survivors were seen alive in the water at this time. Julia Gillard, Australia's prime minister, attending the UN Rio summit in Brazil, said she had spoken to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesia's president, about the details surrounding the tragedy.

Authorities say that the prospect of finding anyone else alive was looking 'increasingly grim' [EPA]

Turkey drops anti-abortion legislation Egyptians pack Tahrir

u r k e y 's conservative government has dropped plans for a controversial bill that would have slashed the time limit for abortions. "The government has backed away from initial plans to curb abortion rights," an unnamed parliamentary source told the AFP news agency yesterday. The source said that the Islamist-rooted government would instead seek to limit the number of Caesarean sections being performed in the country.

The legislation, initially proposed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), would have required all abortions to take place within the first six weeks of pregnancy, down from the 10 weeks currently allowed. Experts said the limit would have effectively outlawed abortions, since most women do not realise they are pregnant until around the sixth week of pregnancy. Thousands of women and activists have staged

Thousands have staged demonstrations throughout the country in protest against the planned measures [Reuters]

demonstrations throughout the country in protest of the planned measures, while Turkish media published surveys that indicated curbing abortion rights would cause the AKP to lose votes, even among its female supporters. Nurettin Canikli, an influential AKP lawmaker, also said the ruling party would not introduce a bill to curb abortion rights. "The abortion issue is off the agenda. No legislation will be introduced to the parliament on this issue," he told the Turkish daily Hurriyet. Recep Akdag, Turkey's health minister, told reporters that his ministry would on Monday submit a report to the cabinet regarding abortion rights. he did not elaborate further. "The matter is not to ban or not to ban abortion. The matter is to let a new understanding prevail in Turkey compatible with certain principles and enact new regulations," said Akdag. "Abortion should never be a family planning method, or a method to prevent an unintended pregnancy," he said.

Pakistan's parliament confirms new PM

a j a Pervez Ashraf has been elected Pakistan's new prime minister after the Supreme Court dismissed Yousuf Raza Gilani for contempt, the speaker of the lower house of parliament announced. He secured the premiership yesterday with 211 votes cast in his favour in the 342-member national assembly, where the main Pakistan People's Party leads a majority coalition, speaker Fehmida Mirza announced.

A senior party official, Syed Khurshid Shah, had told a news conference earlier in the day that the government could call an election before its mandate expires early next year. "This is election year and we are going towards elections," Shah said. "If we have committed some mistakes or did not fulfill our manifesto, then the decision should be left to the people of Pakistan." Ashraf has been dogged by allegations of corruption and

controversy from his tenure as water and power minister. He served as information technology minister until the Supreme Court dismissed prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for contempt on Tuesday. Zardari had nominated loyalist Makhdoom Shahabuddin to form a new cabinet following intense horse trading with members of the fractious ruling coalition, but an anti-narcotics court issued a warrant for his arrest just hours later.

to slam military 'coup'

h o u s a n d s have packed Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square to denounce a power grab by the ruling military, as the nation nervously awaited the results of the first post-Mubarak presidential election. Yet Egypt's ruling military warned it would "deal firmly" with any attempt to harm the public interest, and blamed political divisions on the release of unofficial presidential poll results by candidates. "Protecting the status of state institutions is a national responsibility for all: any attack on them threatens the stability and national security of Egypt," said a Supreme Council of the Armed Forces statement read on state television on Friday afternoon. "Any attempts to harm public or private interests will be confronted with utmost firmness and strength by the police and armed forces within the law," SCAF said. The SCAF defended a constitutional document giving it legislative powers, control over the

new constitution and a broad say in government policy. "The issuing of a constitutional declaration was a necessity imposed by the needs of managing the affairs of the country during the current critical phase of the history of our nation," the military council said. It instead blamed the tension in Egypt on the release of unofficial poll results. "The early release of the presidential election results, before the announcement by the responsible body, was unjustified and is one of the main reasons for divisions and tensions in the political arena," SCAF said. Its comments appeared to be directed at the powerful Muslim Brotherhood, which said that its candidate Mohamed Morsi had won the election, providing what it said were certified copies of ballot tallies to bolster its claims. Morsi's rival Ahmed Shafiq also claimed victory, and told reporters on Thursday he was confident he would be declared Egypt's "legitimate" president.

Deadly blasts hit market near Baghdad

t least 6 people were killed and more than 50 wounded when two roadside bombs exploded in quick succession at a popular market on the northern outskirts of Baghdad, police and hospital sources said. The attack yesterday is the latest in a wave of bombings this month that have targeted mainly Shia Muslim pilgrims and religious sites and have revived concerns of widespread sectarian violence. The first explosion struck a

main market area of Husseiniya, a predominately Shia area on the edge of Baghdad, where people were shopping for groceries and other goods, sources said. The second blast occurred shortly after in the same area, as security forces and people gathered to tend to the injured, a police source told Reuters news agency. "Fruit and vegetables have been scattered everywhere. Some children were wounded," said Mudhaffar Khalaf, a policeman at the scene. "We have started to evacuate the injured people."

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Special Report

Scores injured as Kwara RTEAN holds election

Alhaji AbdulRazaq Ajala, victim on his hospital bed From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

e v e r a l members of Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) Kwara state branch were injured recently during the union’s chairmanship election. Peoples Daily Weekend gathered that over ten members of the association were attacked by a faction of the association and left in a pool of blood. Narrating his ordeal to journalists in Ilorin, one of the victims, Alhaji AbdulRasaq Ajala said that the leadership tussle began early this year when the state Exco led by Alhaji Saliman Ayoku was dissolved and a caretaker committee set up by the National body to paddle the affairs of the association pending the time a new Exco will come onboard. Ajala said that the caretaker committee was headed by Chief Olurode Adefowope who happened to be the Chairman of Lagos state chapter. He wrote to the National body that Kwara state chapter was peaceful to conduct their election and he put up an electoral committee that would usher in the new Exco. He added that there are two

chairmanship aspirants, one from his camp; Alhaji Ambali Alao and Alhaij Safi Salau from another camp. The member of the association further explained that,Adefowope, the Lagos state Chairman had been meeting with the two factions to ensure that all parties reached a compromise on whether the election should hold or to select leaders from the two factions saying all his effort to bring back peace to the association proved abortive as the two factions never agreed on how the Exco members should come onboard.” He said that the electoral committee, however called a meeting two days earlier and invited the aspirants and ten of their members to the state secretariat. “We got there as scheduled, 10 am and they did not come until after 11am with 50 members of his group as against the rules of the electoral committee. “I called the attention of the electoral committee to the fact that ten of us including the aspirant are to be in the meeting and not over 50 members that our opponents. The chairman

said we should forget about it and we continued with the meeting and asked us to reach a compromise. “My faction wanted the election, but our opponent did not, this was because we called them before paying huge sum of money for the election that we should share the post within ourselves and they bluntly refused. Now that we have both paid for the election we should go ahead with it. But they didn’t want the election anymore.” The victim who alleged that his faction was pursued with

double barrel guns said “they pushed us out of the car, as I was coming out of the car another person with a cutlass tried to hit my head with the cutlass but God helped me to block it with my hand. You can see, I started running and shouting for help, they stabed my back twice and I fell down shocked in my own blood, they thought I was dead and they went for other victims. “When I noticed they had gone, I stood up and started running, but one Alhaji Baba Asende pushing me, he masterminded the attack

“

When I noticed they had gone, I stood up and started running, but one Alhaji Baba Asende pushing me, he masterminded the attack because this is the fourth time he and his boys were attacking us, he wants to become godfather at all cost so that he can be control the chairman and it was a good Samaritan that helped me to the hospital

because this is the fourth time he and his boys were attacking us, he wants to become godfather at all cost so that he can be control the chairman and it was a good Samaritan that helped me to the hospital,” he added. Sources informed our correspondent that, one Alhaji Baba Asende was alleged to have attacked the immediate past chairman of the association, Alhaji Suliman Ayoku, early last year. Those involved in the attack include; Alhaji Abdulrazaq Lawal, Alhaji Isiaka Alao, Alhaji Ganiyu Oyewole, Mr. Samuel Osameyin, Mallam Saliu Apatapiti, Mr Olayinka Magagi ,Muranina Lasoju,Gbenga Idowu,Isa Atere, Abdullahi Olokolan, Moses Oluwawemimo, Haruna Lasoju, Rasaq Seriki Driver, Akorede Saliman, Ajibade Suliman, Aminu Serki Driver, Isa Ogunlende among many others. Conforming the incident in a telephone interview, the Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Olufemi Fabode said that the command was aware of the development and arrests had been made on some of the attackers, adding that they would be charged to court.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 16 — SUNDAY 17, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 41

Weekend

Super Falcons, who will tackle their South African counterparts, Bayana Bayana in an international friendly duel today in Lagos

ECOWAS Games: Ghana dethrone Nigeria By Patrick Andrew

osts Ghana yesterday won the second edition of the ECOWAS Games, upstaging defending champions and rivals Nigeria by maximising their chances of winning medals. The hosts won 17 gold 11 silver nine bronze medals for a total haul of 37, two more than Nigeria who won 13 gold 16 silver six bronze medals. Ghana led until the Games’ Day Two and the formal opening day of athletics competition, only for Nigeria to take charge on Games’ Day Three with a clinical sweep. Nigeria, however, dropped guard and failed to gain a valuable lead by losing three gold medals on athletics’ final day, in spite of still topping the sport’s overall medals table. This was costly for the defending champions who lost ground in traditional wrestling and were also not featuring in handball and volleyball where Ghana won a good number of medals. Ghana was to consolidate its advantage on the Games’ penultimate day by winning all available five gold medals in the boxing competition, three of them against Nigeria. By the Games’ final day, when Ghana had nothing to win in traditional wrestling ground and Nigeria grabbed one silver and one bronze medal, the Games had been won and lost. Nigeria had won the first edition, held in Abuja in September 2010, with 26 gold 14 silver one bronze medals. Ghana were third then with three gold three

silver two bronze medals. Senegal, runners-up in 2010 with five gold two silver three bronze medals, now finished a distant third behind Nigeria with four gold one silver two bronze medals. Niger Republic were fourth with two gold two silver three bronze, while Cote D’Ivoire were fifth with two gold medals.

Republic of Benin were sixth with one gold two bronze, Togo seventh with one gold and Burkina Faso eighth with three silver three bronze. Liberia were ninth with one silver, Mali 10th with five bronze, while Sierra Leone placed 11th and last with three bronze medals.

… Nigeria win medals in traditional wrestling

igeria’s traditional wrestling team to the second ECOWAS Games barely managed to win one silver and one bronze medals from the five individual and one team events. The team which had two of its members disqualified from the competition for overweighing had dropped out of the team event as they had only three wrestlers to contend with the others. Eselekuma Digna only losing in the final of the 70 kg category to Senegal’s Diouf Ibra yesterday, but Ninorie Chinonso also won his third-place fight in the 65 kg category against Moumouni Abdoulaye of Republic of Benin. Earlier, Ahmed Baba had lost out in the 80 kg category. Senegal were the powerhouse in the competition, with four gold one silver, while Niger Republic were second with one gold, one silver and two bronze. Burkina Faso placed third with two silver one bronze, ahead of Nigeria in fourth place and Cote

D’Ivoire in fifth place with one bronze medal. Niger Republic had earlier won the team event with Burkina Faso claiming the silver and Senegal the bronze medal. Speaking on their win, Chinonso said it was a worthwhile effort by the wrestlers, saying this was in view of the fact that many people had already given up hope on them. “It is something. At least we are not going home empty-handed as earlier thought, after we lost in the team event,’’ he said. In boxing, hosts Ghana cleared all the five gold medals, while Nigeria won three silver medals after losing to them in the finals. Semiu Okerinde lost in the 56 kg, while Oladosu Rilwan also lost in the 60 kg and Adewale Masebinu lost in the 75 kg. Republic of Benin won one silver two bronze, Mali one silver one bronze, while Burkina Faso won three bronze, and Niger and Senegal had two bronze medals each.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 42

Quest for 200m gold pushes Felix into 100m

llyson Felix, hungry for Olympic gold at 200 metres after back-toback silver medals, will skip defending her US 400m crown to attempt a 100-200 double at the US Olympic trials. And while the 26-year-old sprinter would love to pull off the double at the London Olympics in August, she dropped the 400 and is focusing on the 100 only as ways to improve her chances of finally taking an elusive 200 Olympic title. “It’s all about the 200 and whatever puts me in the best position to go for a gold medal in the 200,” Felix said Thursday. “Deciding what events to do is all about the 200. It was all about what was going to set me up for running the best 200. Running the 100 helps my 200.” Reigning 200 world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica won the 2004 and 2008 Olympic 200m titles, but runner-up efforts have not left Felix bitter. “I still love the Olympics,” she said. “The way it has worked out I’ve just been flat outrun at the Olympics. It still excites me. It’s still my dream to get it done and I think it’s very possible.” The five fastest women in the world this year at 200m are all US runners, led by Sanya Richards-Ross at 22.09 seconds and Kimberlyn Duncan’s windaided 22.19 with Felix third in 22.23 from a Diamond League win at Eugene on June 2. Only the top three in the June 30 final will qualify for the Olympics. “It’s cool to see people stepping up. It brings on excitement,” Felix said. “I’ve been doing this a long time. I have experience. I’m very comfortable. I know what I have to do.”

Injured Idowu suffers Olympics setback

ritain’s former world triple jump champion Phillips Idowu suffered a worrying injury setback just five weeks from the start of the Olympics on Friday when he limped out of the national Philips Idowu trials. The 33-year-old, who had been due to take part in the trials in Birmingham this weekend, has competed just three times this year and picked up an unspecified injury at the Oregon Diamond League meeting on June 2. Before his trip to the United States, he had produced winning leaps of 17.24m and 17.31m in Shanghai and Hengelo respectively. By not competing at the trials, Idowu will have to rely on a discretionary place on the team. “It’s not a worry. He is selectable,” said UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee.

The 100 will be contested on Friday and Saturday, with Felix hoping to secure her spot in London ahead of her specialty event. Felix ranks third in the world this year in the 100 at 10.92 from a victory last month at Doha where she was .02 ahead of Campbell-Brown’s season best. “I hope to be competitive,” Felix said. “The 100 would be icing on the cake. It’s all about me being prepared for the 200, whatever is the best for me there. This is the best possible combination for me. “The 100 keeps my sprinting where it needs to be for the 200 so it works out very well. It warms my legs up, gets my legs moving in the right way.” Felix, a five-time US champion and three-time world champion in the 200, was third at last year’s worlds in the 200 in Daegu, South Korea, when she also ran the 400, where she was second. “Daegu helped me see,” Felix said. “The 400 takes a lot out of your legs. The 100 helps me. It keeps my legs turning over. It’s not as easy to go from the 400 to the sprints. Staying in sprinting seems to work best for me.” Coach Bobby Kersee agreed the 100200 double made the most sense. “Bobby loves the 400,” Felix said. “But he knows how much I want the 200. He would never have put me in jeopardy for that.” Felix has worked on her starts rather than focus on 400 strategy. Now she can turn her attention to qualifying for London. “It’s good to finally be here after so much preparation,” she said. “You have to be good enough to make the team and save your peak for the Olympics.” Felix has no worries about a rainy Saturday forecast, saying, “Everyone has to compete in it so you can’t let that bother you.”

Allyson-Felix

Not Uhuru yet for Super Eagles, says Green

hris Green, the Chairman, Technical Committee of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), says some friendly matches will be organised for the Super Eagles to put them in shape. Green said on Friday that in spite of the team’s 2-0 win over Rwanda, it was yet to reach its peak and added that the federation was working hard to make the team perfect before their next Nations Cup and world Cup qualifying matches. “Well, we will continue to build. It’s not finished, it’s not Uhuru

yet. We are trying to build a new team like you can see and after this game, they will have a very short break, they will come back again and begin to camp. “From where we will arrange friendly matches for them to be playing so as to get them exposed and giving them the necessary experience that they so deserve. “We are packaging a few teams together but I can assure you that there is going to be a very big one. One of the first five teams in the world.’’ Green said the current Super Eagle’s

team would get to its peak in four years time because they have just started. “This team will get to its peak after four years. They have just started and they are cruising well. I see a team in the making and I see a great team in the making at that.’’ Green commended the government and people of Cross River for playing host to the Eagles. “The governor and good people of Cross River state have been very wonderful and benevolent and they have done a lot to help us. We (NFF) are very grateful to them.’’

NPL fines Warri Wolves N2m T

he Nigeria Premier League (NPL) on Friday imposed a N2 million fine on Warri Wolves FC for hooliganism during their midweek league match. A statement issued by the NPL Abuja said that the fine must be paid before Wolves week 33 match. “The decision, stipulates also that the team must pay the fine before they will be allowed to participate in their week 33 of the running league season,” the statement said. It further stated that Wolves was

fined for their supporters’ attack of Segun Banjowa, a player with Rising Stars FC of Ondo during an abandoned midweek match at Warri Township Stadium. Also, it said that Wolves’ failure to provide adequate security during the match as the hosts caused the unruly behavior of their supporters stressing that the NPL’s decision was in accordance with section 4.3 of the rules and regulations of the body. According to him, the rules stipulated that the home team should

bear the brunt for any security breach that may lead to the abandonment of home matches. The team would be responsible for the medical bill of the attacked player. The team would also play their next three home matches behind close door from week 33 of the league, he added. NPL’s directives stand, pending the outcome of the decisions of the disciplinary committee of the Nigeria Football Association on the matter.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

efending champions Spain will look to take one step closer to the final by eliminating the tournament’s underdogs France in today’s clash at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk. Les Bleus are coming into the quarterfinal clash against La Roja after two tough challenges on either side of their 4-0 demolition of the Republic of Ireland, though remained far from impressive. Albeit, the defending champions are equally yet to hit form, they have fared better than their today’s opponent on the grounds of not losing any game at the group stage as they topped their group above second placed Italy, with Croatia and the Irish falling behind. The star-glutted Spain are chasing an unprecedented three consecutive trophies and were undoubtedly the pre-tournament favourites for success once more. One player who isn’t taking the threat of the French lightly is Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas who is hoping his domestic teammate Karim Benzema has a ‘bad game’. Consequently many are under the impression that the game will be a walk over for the 2008 champions, but with the French only having seen their 23-match undefeated streak come to an end in their final Group D game, they are a force that shouldn’t be underestimated. Les Bleus finished as runners-up in their group, after they were shocked by a 2-0 defeat to Sweden to see England top them. While the play may not have gelled for Laurent Blanc’s men on that night, the side are classes above the 2006 World Cup finalist squad which was full of egos. Blanc has managed to find a working ethic amongst his men with the fluidity of their play easy on the eye. However, it will be a tough challenge coming up against the Spanish and Florent Malouda has highlighted Fernando Torres as the man to watch out for, after seeing him already find the back of the net twice. Meanwhile, Laurent Blanc says he will “definitely” make changes to France’s starting line-up as they bid to contain the all-conquering Spain in their UEFA Euro 2012 quarter-finals today. Having lost 0-2 to Sweden on Tuesday, Blanc believes it would be foolish for France to go toe-to-toe with the world and European champions, instead, they would prefer to park the midfield in an attempt to counter La Rojas free-passing style.

PAGE 43

UERO 2012

French look to make Spain feel blue, as Blanc rings changes

Steven Gerrard Mario Balotelli

Iker Casillas The France coach could decide to bolster his midfield in a bid to counteract Spain’s notorious passing routine, while French sport newspaper L’Equipe has speculated that Samir Nasri could lose his place to Jeremy Menez. Blanc will already be without the

Karim-benzema

Daniel De Rossi. suspended Philippe Mexes and when he was asked if he would make further changes, he replied: “Definitely.” “The problem with Spain is that they average 65 to 70 percent of possession. So you’re left with a third of possession. But for 70 percent of the game, you have to adapt to Spain because they have the ball and you don’t. “You could go for it and play with four forwards, but the problem is that your wingers would spend the game playing next to their own corner flags.” Having already witnessed his players produce a sluggish start in the 1-1 draw with England in their opening game, Blanc says his side must be switched on from kick-off. “They’re playing against the best team in the world. In each position, Spain have two or three of the best players in Europe. If the players aren’t motivated by a match like that, I don’t understand.”

Italy, England in dicey clash By Patrick Andrew

he Three Lions shocked Sweden whom they had never beaten in competitive tournaments by breaking the jinx 2-0 despite not having the benefits of a full squad. This Sunday, the Steven Gerrard-inspired team will again attempt to dispense with another arch-enemy D Azzuris. The Italians are rugged and parade some of their most terrific stars notably controversial Mario Balotteli, who was dropped for Antonio Di Natale but came off the bench to score a spectacular goal that demonstrated again his incredible talent if often rascally. Italy have not lost in this competition so far but then again, neither have England, who started with a draw against France before beating Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine to top their group. But against England, Italy are going to

have to improve on their previous performances if they must realise their full potentials. But the Azzuris must be wary despite being among the favourites, doing with the dire World Cup in South Africa two years ago in mind when a run of three defeats in a row was their lot. The scandal over match-fixing back home presents another opportunity for many to doubt the efficacy of the Italian league. However such has always been the signs for good outing for them. Recall that there such omen prior to Italian victories at the World Cups in 1982 and 2006. England from Italy 90 (when they lost to Italy for third place), from the (1998) World Cup qualifiers and from two friendlies, are surely in vengeful mood. But England are threat of a different kind. The Three Lions were blighted by injury problems coupled with the fact Roy Hodgson came in barely two months ago.

Nonetheless, they have surprised themselves and surpassed expectations and would surely want to press their luck. All but one of England’s five goals at EURO 2012 have come from corners or crosses and they are likely to test their opponents in similar fashion at Kyiv’s Olympic Stadium. AC Milan left-back Abate could find himself up against Ashley Young if Italy play a four-man defence and he said: “England have quick players who find it easy to cross and have great attackers who are very strong. But, with serenity, we have to impose our game, even if we all have to suffer a bit together.” Abate is expecting England’s main threat to come from Wayne Rooney, who scored the winner in Tuesday’s victory over Ukraine on his return from a two-match ban. Asked if Italy are favourites to reach the semi-finals, the 25-year-old said: “I don’t know. They too have great enthusiasm and

an attacker like Rooney, but we are confident that we have a great squad. The English are physically strong. We must defend and attack well. “They started as underdogs, but now believe they can get to the final. We too must nurture this dream. We have no fear. There is tension, but we need to be as relaxed as possible, and aware of our potential.” Stopping England will be all the more difficult after Italy’s most experienced defender, Giorgio Chiellini, was ruled out of the game with a thigh injury. Abate said: “Giorgio is a very important player with international experience and strong physique, but I’m sure whoever replaces him will be good enough to have a great game.” With Danny Wellbeck, Rooney and Theo Walcott leading the attack and Gerrard and Scot Parker in the middle the Three Lions will surely be hard to crack.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 44

11th AAG: Federation begins preparing rowers

Zaria Road Stadium Plateau to bid for 2014 NSF, says Jang T P

lateau state will bid for the hosting of the 2014 National Sports Festival (NSF), according to Governor Jonah Jang. Jang made the statement while inspecting the construction of a new stadium on Zaria Road, Jos and declared that the standard and the pace of work at the facility made the state most qualified to host the event. “By next year, we are going to complete this FIFA-standard ultra-modern stadium. And I hope the National Sports Commission and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria will grant us the hosting rights for the 2014 National Sports Festival to launch the stadium. “They need to, at least, honour us for what we have done. We picked this abandoned stadium and brought it to the FIFAstandard. “ I believe by the time we make the request, the two national football bodies-the Nigeria Football Association and the Nigeria Premier League- will accept our request,” Jang said. The governor commended the

Gov. Jonah Jang quality of work on the project, particularly the construction of the lush green artificial playing turf and the tracks at the sports complex. Jang said the project was of international standard as it was being supervised by the world football governing body, FIFA. “FIFA inspects this project from time to time, almost on a

weekly basis. So, there is no way anything can be short of the FIFA standard. “Anytime they notice anything short of their standard, they draw our attention to it. So, by the time the stadium is completed, it will be fully a FIFA-standard stadium,” he said. Jang said the completion of the project would pave the way for a period of increased sporting activities at the state, national and international levels. He said the state government was collaborating with FIFA and the contractor handling the project to put in place a management team for its maintenance. “Most stadiums have not been able to live up to standard because of poor management. So, we are talking with the contractor and FIFA to see how, together, we can put in place a management team to maintain the standard of this stadium,” the governor said. The site engineer, Bob Parkinson, said the artificial playing turf and the tracks would have a guarantee of hosting top flight competitions for, at least, 12

years. Parkinson expressed satisfaction with the state government and FIFA for their cooperation, to ensure that the stadium met international standards. The Commissioner for Sports, Mr James Yakubu, said the NorthCentral zone deserved to host the 2014 sports festival and that the government would do everything possible to secure the hosting rights. Yakubu said the contract for the construction of road network round the stadium as prescribed by FIFA, would be awarded and that the job would be completed next year. The stadium, which was started by the former military administrator of the state, retired Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Onoja, between 1986 and 1988, was abandoned by successive administrations. Jang’s administration re-awarded the contract to its original designers, a Bulgarian firm, PCC Tropical, and approved variation order for the redesign of the stadium to meet FIFA standard.

ECOWAS Games: Gora rues loss of boxing gold medals

eries of crises in the boxing federation have had spillover effect on the performances Nigerian boxers at the just ended second edition of the ECOWAS Games, according to Elias Gora. The Secretary-General of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), made the claim following the string of three losses in the finals on Thursday, a situation that denied Nigeria three gold medal opportunities.The Games was fromally closed yesterday. “It is a revelation of the fact that we have problem with boxing in Nigeria today. Just last year Nigeria was able to defeat all the Ghanaians that came to Nigeria in Benin. Today, the Ghanaians are overtaking us because they have these Cuban coaches training their boxers. “So, we need to get back home and prepare our athletes and get back to the grassroots and see what we can do to introduce boxing and get good coaches that will mentor and train.’’ He noted, however, that Nigeria did not come with team sports like volleyball and handball, two sports that could have contributed to the medals table, largely because of financial constraints.

“Unfortunately we did not want to come with team sports because of some financial constraints, so far so good. Ghana entered five sports and from results you can see they won both volleyball and handball which are predominantly Nigerian sports within the subregion. They are also dominating very well in boxing as we can see this evening.’’ Gora then criticised the officiating of the athletics and boxing events, saying that bad officiating in some of the events left one wondering if this was the friendship Games that the competitions were out to achieve. Ghana secured a clean sweep of all five gold medals on offer in boxing on Thursday, defeating four Nigerians and a Beninois in a row. They are as follows: Duke Micah (Ghana) beat Adande Jesugnon (Beinin Rep) — 11-6, Sulaimanu Teteh (Ghana) beat Okerimide Semeu (Ghana) — 12-9, Jessie Lartey (Ghana) beat Oladosu Rilwan (Nigeria) — 17-8, Rahman Musah (Ghana) beat Mahmoudou Doucoure (Mali) — 15-6, Emmanuel Teteh (Ghana) beat Masebinu Adwane (Nigeria) 15-11.

he rowing athletes discovered during the recent Lagos Sports Festival, tagged “Ibile Games” have started training for the 11th All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville. The Ibile Games held from May 16 to May 26, was organised to prepare athletes for the 18th National Sports Festival to be hosted by the state in November to be to be hosted by Lagos state. Maryam Momoh, the Head Coach, Rowing and Yachting Association, disclosed yesterday in Lagos that four kayakas were discovered and presented to the Nigeria Rowing, Canoe and Sailing Federation (NRSCF) to be adopted as national athletes. “They’ve been presented to the technical director of the federation in order to begin preparing them for the next All Africa Games. “And the federation has accepted that the individuals are talents that can make the country proud,” she said and added that the discovered kayakas were members of the Navy Sailing Club, Ojo. They are Comfort Inikurogha, Elizabeth Reje, Jude Akinnire and Mathew Joy. They represented OriAde Local Government at the Ibile Games. Momoh disclosed that the Rowing and Yachting Association would organise a coaching clinic for clubs to update coaches on the current techniques in the sport. “We will organise a coaching clinic that will be a platform to educate coaches of clubs in the state on the latest rules and techniques before a talent hunt programme,” Momoh said. The talent hunt programme, according to the head coach, will be restricted to youths under 20 years to give them the opportunity to be discovered. “If it is made open, then older hands will most likely outshine the newcomers because of their experience in the sport thus not making us achieve our target of discovering talents. “The participants will be divided into two categories of lightweight and heavyweight so as to be able to assess them well,” she said. The coach appealed to the state government to assist the association by providing 10 canoe boats and 50 paddles.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 45

Rules for playing Lawn Tennis Compiled by Augustine Aminu

imothy Banas has a Master’s degree in biophysics and was a high school science teacher in Chicago for seven years. He has been working as a trading systems analyst, standardized test item developer, and freelance writer. As a freelancer, he has written articles on everything from personal finances to computer technology. The game of lawn tennis has been around since the mid-19th century. It is derived from real tennis, a sport that had been played on grass since the 16th century. Lawn tennis as you know it today came into existence after the development of vulcanized rubber, and thus the first modern tennis ball, in the 1850s by Charles Goodyear. Today, tennis is played on several surfaces, such as clay, asphalt, turf, concrete and grass, but the rules for all surfaces are the same. General Rules You can play singles against one opponent or doubles with a teammate against an opposing team. In either case, you and your opponent must strike the ball back and forth across the net to each other. When your opponent strikes the ball to you, you must hit it back before it bounces twice. If you hit it beyond the boundary lines of the court on the other side or into the net, the point is awarded to your opponent. Your opponent also receives a point if you let the ball bounce twice on your side. The boundaries of the court differ in singles versus doubles. Every tennis court has doubles alleys—two lengthwise rectangles positioned on either side of the court. You can hit the ball into these alleys only during a doubles match; in a singles match they are considered out-of-bounds. Lastly, any ball that bounces on a boundary line is called in. Scoring Tennis is scored in games, sets and matches. The smallest unit of scoring is the game. Each game starts with a score of lovelove, or zero to zero. As you win points, you earn a score of 15, then 30, then 40. When you have 40 and score again, you win the game unless your opponent has 40 as well. If you both have 40, that is called deuce and a player must win two consecutive points to win the game. If you win six games and

have a two-game margin over your opponent, you win the set, at which time you and your opponent begin a new set. If you win six games but do not have a twogame margin over your opponent—a score of six games to five, for example—play continues until one of you gains a two-game margin over the other. Players will often play a tie-break to seven points—which also must be won by a two-point margin—if the game score becomes tied at six to six. Each new set begins with a game score of zero to zero. Typically, a tennis match is decided when one player wins two out of three sets. In the major ATP tournaments, men’s matches are played to the best of five sets. Serving Players usually decide who serves first with a coin flip or the spin of a racket. Your first serve must come from the right side of the court behind the base line. Your serve

must travel diagonally across the net and land in the left service box on your opponent’s side. A fault is called when your serve lands into the net or outside of the correct service box. Your opponent is awarded a point when you fault two times in a row—called a double-fault. A fault is not called if your ball skims the top of the net before landing in the correct box. In that case, you get another chance. You can also fault by letting your foot move onto or across the base line, center line, or sideline

during your service motion. After the first point is played, you serve the second point from the left side of the court, and you continue to alternate sides with each point. When your service game ends, your opponent serves the next one. In a doubles match, you and your partner alternate serving entire games each time it is your team’s turn to serve. Additional information from LIVESTRONG.COM

PAGE 46

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

News

Jonathan hails Ambassador Olusola in death By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem

resident Goodluck Jonathan has extolled the virtues of late Ambassador Olusegun Olusola, saying his commitment to the promotion of excellence in the arts and culture sector, broadcasting and public service, are worthy of emulation. The President who

Over N800 million expended on Bauchi NHIS From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

v e r N800m has been expended by the Bauchi state government on health insurance to its civil servants since the inception of the state insurance scheme. The state Head of Service, Mr. Abdon Dala Gin made the disclosure yesterday during a press briefing on his achievements, saying that the present administration of governor Yuguda was the first to introduce the scheme after Federal Government. Abdon Gin however lamented the attitude of some civil servants who he said are reluctant to register for the scheme, pointing out that among the 27,000 civil servants captured in the scheme, only 14,000 have so far embraced the policy. The Head of Service admitted that the scheme had been halted temporarily due to the uncooperative attitude of some civil servants in terms of payment.

remembered how Ambassador Olusola’s popular television drama series, The Village Headmaster, thrilled television viewers for decades, commended the selflessness and professionalism he demonstrated in broadcasting and all his other ventures, including his frontline role as a member of the Iperu Remo Community in Ogun state. President Jonathan also

acknowledged Chief Olusola’s distinguished role as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, as well as his promotion of peace in Africa under the auspices of the African Refugees Foundation (AREF), which he founded. According to a release signed by Presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, “the President noted that Ambassador Olusola’s dedication to selfless service and

peace-loving nature, even at an advanced age, will surely be missed. President Jonathan while commiserating with members of the Olusola family, enjoined them to take solace in the fact that the eminent Ambassador lived a fulfilled, memorable and exemplary life. He also prayed that God Almighty will grant the soul of Chief Olusola peaceful rest.

Security operatives beat up kerosene buyers in Benue From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

e c u r i t y operatives went wild yesterday in Makurdi beating up hundreds of women and children who queued up to purchase kerosene. Governor Gabriel Suswam declared the free sale of kerosene, assuring the people that the gesture will be extended to the rural areas to enable them also enjoy the dividend of democracy. Initially, the price was pegged at N50 per liter but the governor

later declared it free of charge and it was at this point that pandemonium broke out as security men beat up buyers mercilessly injuring most of them. Mrs. Comfort Oche who had paid N50 and queued up to purchase the product, blamed the governor for declaring the sale of the product free, maintaining that she preferred to pay for it rather than go through this horrifying experience just to purchase kerosene.

Collaborating Mrs. Oche’s comment, Mrs. Ikenna Obi, said she preferred to buy kerosene from a regular filling station than waste her time struggling for this government free gesture that goes with a lot of pain and sufferings. “Look at the way the police men have beaten me. This is unfair in a democratic government. What type of leaders do we have that will give us something free and then make us go through terrible situations? She questioned.

Benue farmers lament govt’s inability to provide fertilizer From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

enue farmers have resorted to patronizing fertilizer merchants following the inability of the state government to provide the product to them. Peoples Daily Weekend investigation showed that scores of people including government officials are spotted on a daily basis at the New Garage fertilizer zone popularly known as ‘Kuwait’ to purchase fertilizer. Some of them who spoke on

grounds of anonymity lamented the failure of government to provide fertilizer to them even as the rainy season has reached its pick. “It is indeed a shame that this government up till now cannot provide fertilizer to farmers to apply on their crops. What happened to the surplus fertilizer reserved by the state government from last year farming season? Perhaps it has been sold out to politicians,” he regretted. Another one frowned at the

persistent poor handling of fertilizer by the government, stating “It is because of this that I decided to purchase fertilizer.” A dealer who simply gave his name as Nuru told our correspondent that a bag of Urea sells for N6, 200. 00, NPK 15x15 and NPK 25x15 both sell for N6, 000. 00. He said they get their supplies from outside the state, adding that, “some politicians and government officials in the state who got excess fertilizer last year sold to us.”

NEMA donates relief materials to displaced residents in Benue

h e National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday donated relief materials worth millions of naira to the victims of communal crises in Agagbe, Gwer West local government area of Benue. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items distributed included 100 bags, 500 pieces of nylon mats, 500 pieces of wax prints and 50 cartons of bathing soap. Others were 200 roofing sheets, 100 bags of assorted nails, 100 bags each of guinea corn, beans, maize and millet, 400 bags of cement, and 2,000 pieces of roofing planks. The Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Sidi, who made the donation, expressed regret over the communal crises in the area. He appealed to the people to evolve peaceful means of settling their disputes. Sidi, who was represented by Dr. Charles Agbo, a Director in the agency, said the Federal Government intervened to complement the efforts of the state government in providing succour to the victims. Receiving the items, Gov. Gabriel Suswam commended NEMA for the assistance, saying that the materials would be of tremendous assistance the people. Suswam, however, warned the local government caretaker chairman not to share the materials out to party loyalists as political patronage. “I want to warn you, the local government caretaker chairman, that these materials are not for political patronage but relief materials to victims of the communal crises, and must be given to them. “`I want you to constitute a committee comprising supervisory councillors in all the affected council wards of this local government to ensure that only the victims get these materials.'' (NAN).

Ajimobi promises to uphold judicial independence, separation of powers From Inumidun Ojelade, Ibadan

overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state has said that his administration will continue to uphold the principle of separation of powers among the three arms of government and ensure the independence of the judiciary. The governor, who said this at the swearing-in of members of the state Judicial Service

Commission in Ibadan yesterday, added that he would do everything possible to rewrite the history of the judiciary and put it on a good pedestal for quick administration of justice. He called on members of the commission to partner with his administration to ensure that the judiciary in the state regains its lost glory. Gov. Ajimobi also charged them to work towards the

rehabilitation of courts and judges’ chambers across the state, computerization of the judicial process, introduction of digital recording of court proceedings as well as appointment of more judges and magistrates. According to the governor, members of the commission are also to review and improve on the welfare of judicial workers, and arrange for a

comprehensive review and standardization of training programmes for the judicial personnel, both locally and internationally. “Let the judiciary remain the last hope of the common man as it is supposed to be,’’ Gov. Ajimobi said, adding that they should embrace faithfulness, diligence, service above personal interest, shun discrimination and abate corruption in the

performance of their duties. The commission has the state Chief Judge, Justice Badejoko Adeniji and the AttorneyGeneral of the state and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adebayo Ojo as its chairman and vice-chairman respectively while other members include Alhaji Lasun Sanusi (SAN), Messrs Paul Ayoola, Adeniji Ademola and Oseni Abdulganiyu.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

PAGE 47

From the Pulpit Is your name in the book of life? "

implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life." (Phil 4:2-3 NKJV) The apostle Paul made the statement above in his letter to the Philippians. In the letter to this church, he touched on a very powerful subject in that phrase "whose names are written in the Book of Life". Paul referred to two women who labored with him in the gospel, Clement and other fellow workers whose names were written in the Book of Life. What a testimony! Some questions will immediately arise: What is the Book of Life? Who are those whose names can be written there? Who are those whose names will not be written in the Book of Life? Can my name be written in the Book of Life? What happens to those whose names are not written in the Book of Life? The Bible provides answers to all these questions. Moses and the Book of Life What is the Book of Life? The Book of Life is a book in heaven where the names of those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and saved by faith in Jesus Christ are written. These are called the righteous and their names are written in a book in heaven. The servant of God, Moses, first revealed the existence of this book when he prayed that God should blot him out of His book rather than destroy the Israelites he was leading. "Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, 'Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! Yet now, if You will forgive their sin - but if not, I pray, blot me out of

Your book which You have written.' And the LORD said to Moses, 'Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.'" (Ex 32:31-33 NKJV) In this Scripture, Moses spoke about "Your book" (God's book) and God also spoke about the same book calling it "My book". They were talking about the Book of Life. That means if you want to have your name written in the Book of Life, you must avoid a life of sin. Sinners won't have their names written in the Book of Life, and in this dispensation, the only way for sinners to receive forgiveness of sin is through His Son, Jesus Christ, and no longer through animal sacrifice. There's a Book of Life for the registration of the redeemed, the forgiven, the righteous, which is similar to the Israelites' register of their genealogy (Neh 7:5, 64) and their register or record of priests and Levites (Neh 12:22-23). Referring to the Book of Life, Heb 12:23 talks about the assembly of God's firstborn children whose names are written in heaven. There are those whose names are written in the Book of Life who are already in heaven while others are still here on earth not yet dead. It's impossible to get your name into this Book after death. The only opportunity you have is when you're still alive. "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." (Heb 9:27 NKJV) And the Day of Judgment is a day of wrath which no sinner can stand. "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Rev 6:17 NKJV). A glance at the Book of Life Friend, is your name written in the Book of Life? The Bible tells us what will happen on the Day of Judgment to those whose names are not written in the Book of Life they'll be cast into the lake of fire. "And I saw the dead, small and great,

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

r e t h r e n , I believe you had a very wonderful week. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to minister His word to you again today. Beloved, you will agree with me that we are in turbulent times. There is trouble, insecurity, lack and disease everywhere; not only in our country, but world over. There are political and economic crises all over the world. Natural disasters are taking their toll on people. Wicked people controlled by the devil have put the world under serious oppression. By every indication, it is certain that we are now on the last days. Clearly, the world is in turmoil and in dire need of salvation. However, it is at times like this that God

expects His Children to come to the rescue. God expects His children to become solutions for the world in times like this. Romans 8:18-21 puts it very clearly, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God”.

standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev 20:1215 NKJV). Two types of book are mentioned in this scripture: "books" and "another book which is the Book of Life" - they shall be opened at the final judgment. What'll happen to those whose names are written in the Book of Life? They shall enter the New Jerusalem - where God comes down to live among His people. It's the dwelling place of God, Jesus, and the church; a place where there's no death, sorrow, crying or pain (Rev 21:4). "But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life" ((Rev 21:27 NKJV). Those who're evil, who're sinners shall not have their names written in the Book of Life and therefore shall not enter the New Jerusalem. Their portion is in hell - "a lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Rev 19:20, 20:10, 14-15). This lake that burns with fire and sulfur is for cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers and liars. (Rev 21:8) This is the same place where the beast (the antichrist) and the false prophet shall be thrown into (Rev 19:20) and the devil at the end of the age as well as death and hades. (Rev 20:14) And the Bible says, "They will be tormented day and night forever

GREEN PASTURES By Pastor T.O. Banso cedarministryintl@yahoo.com GSM: 08033113523 and ever" (Rev 20:10). Hell is a place of everlasting torment and that's where those whose names aren't in the Book of Life will spend their eternity. Getting your name into the Book of Life To get your name written in the Book of Life today, you need to give your life to Jesus today. After giving your life to Jesus, you need to begin to live according to the word of God. The rapture is the next thing on the agenda of God - Jesus is coming to take the saints away from this earth then the antichrist (beast) will come who'll be worshipped by those whose names aren't written in the Book of Life (Rev 17:8). The Book of Life is real and is so important that the Bible says, "If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life…" (Rev 22:19 NKJV). If you're sure your name is already written in the Book of life, you must ensure that it's not removed - it's possible for one's name to be removed from the Book of life if one stops following Jesus. "But he who endures to the end will be saved." (Matt 10:22, 23:13, Mark 13:13 NKJV) Don't lose your salvation. "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life..." (Rev 3:5 NKJV) The ultimate The ultimate is for your name to be written in heaven - wealth, position, fame or power for signs

and wonder isn't the ultimate. When the seventy disciples came to Jesus rejoicing that even the demons were subject to them in the name of Jesus, he told them pointblank that they shouldn't rejoice that the spirits are subject to them, but rather rejoice because their names were written in heaven. (Luke 10:19-20) Your name may be in the register of a church but is your name registered in the Lamb's Book of life? TAKE ACTION! If you're not born again, kindly say this prayer now: "0 Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I'm a sinner and I can't save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today. By this prayer, I know I'm saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God" I believe you've said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You'll need to join a Bible believing, Bible teaching church in your area where you'll 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.

The world is waiting for you (1) Also consider Daniel 11: 32. It says “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” Brothers and sisters, the truth is that the world is in dire need of you. The world is waiting for you because as Children of God, you carry what it takes to deliver the world from the clutches of the evil one. I am speaking of the power of the Spirit of God which He has released upon the Church. The problem today is that many children of God do not have the power that Christ gave and as such cannot do exploits for God. Though the Lord Jesus announced that He has given power to all those that believe in his name, many people today who profess the faith do not possess this power and as such are weak in the face of the vicissitudes of life. The Lord said in Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you”.

Despite this strong assurance, many of His believers today lack this power. Many believers have the attitude, mannerisms and outlook of the faith, but they have remained mere religious people because of lack of the Spirit of God. Knowing the importance of the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus directed His disciples not to leave Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit has come upon them. He said it is after that that they will receive power. He said “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you”. (Acts 1:8 (KJV) Jesus was speaking about the in-filling of the power of the Holy Spirit, without which believers cannot do exploits. Remark that the disciples were not able to achieve anything until the Holy Spirit came upon them. Earlier, Jesus had told His disciples that they can do nothing without Him. He said “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Jesus made it clear that they must depend on him for ability to

perform and that was why He has to release His Spirit on them as earlier promised even in the Old Testament. Many believers try to do God’s work without the power of the Spirit and that is why they fail. When we talk about God’s work, we mean the entirety of the worship of God which include living a righteous life, ministering the gospel, performing miracles, living in complete obedience to the word and so on. This type of lifestyle that comes with power is what Jesus summed up as witnessing for him which He said no one can do without the power of the Holy Spirit. He said “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8 (KJV). How do we receive this power? How do we do exploits with it? What is the relevance of this power in our contemporary time? We will continue next week. God bless and keep you.

BIG PUNCH The time has come for Northern Nigeria to insist on two things as a matter of principle and priority, for the good of Nigeria

SATURDAY 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

n continuation of our discourse on what the North must do to save itself and save Nigeria, let's presume we are already in the year 20014, when Nigeria, born in 1914 with the amalgamation of the North and the South, is one hundred years old. It is the year of celebration.It is the year of reflection. Nigeria, some say, has come of age, having managed to survive, and in very many ways is full of life, full of energy, full of prospects, full of hope still growing, still developing, still rising. Others are a bit less enthusiastic. They look at some of the countries in whose league Nigeria naturally belongs, but which are now light years ahead. India, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil and a few others, are moving on steadily and confidently to the front row in the world. They have not inflicted too much harm on themselves to arrest their development, and have, as a result, attained a level of well being and prosperity which makes the people generally proud and confident. But doubts about Nigeria's viability still linger on, and the fear that it might sooner or later disintegrate still persists. On balance, however, the prospects for Nigeria are great, the future sure and brilliant. This is the mood that pervades the spirit of one senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as he heads for Abuja to resume duty after a short recess. This time he travels with a wife, a young daughter and a young son. He looks forward to the centenary celebrations, and Nigerians love celebrations. He too shares some of the apprehensions and anxiety about the future of Nigeria, but nonetheless he is optimistic. On a personal note the privileges he enjoys as a senator are, however, enough to assure him of a very comfortable life for himself and family for a very long time to come. After all it is often presumed, rightly or wrongly, by many people that a Nigerian senator earns more than the President of the United States of America. And when you add assorted perquisites and miscellaneous lucre which his high office attracts, you are seeing a person, in material terms, high in the skies. He is undeniably a happy man, even though the people he serves are miserable and poor. Such is the dividend of Vulture Democracy. The journey to Abuja has so far been smooth, often pleasantly punctuated by bursts of laughters and jokes and gossips on the phone, it is in every respect mundane: weightier issues of life are, of course, generally not the stuff of law makers, governors,or the politicians above them: worrying about how to put their country on the path of success is a luxury they can't afford. Then, suddenly, the journey is rudely interrupted. Angry armed youths stopped his car. The senator immediately senses danger: Is this

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the end for him, his wife, his daughter, his son, the end of a whole range of a complexity called senator? The young men, operating freely and confidently, oblivious of the fact that this is a federal highway, survey the occupants of the car as if they are looking for particular features - dress, facial characteristics, faith symbols, and so on. The senator meets most of the criteria they are looking for. He is therefore an enemy, though they

WEEKEND with

Ibraheem Sulaiman sa427420@gmail.com

Map of Nigeria don't know him, he doesn't know them. They drag him out of the car first, and amid blows, insults and curses, move him away to some distance. Next, they drag the poor terror stricken lady out, a soul which must never perish in vain; then, ignoring the cry of the traumatized children, a cry that would move even the mountain to tears, they drag them out too. The sordid atmosphere points to a single, inevitable outcome. In a few moments they are all dead, all slaughtered like animals, the innocent victims of a reprisal. Soon their roasted flesh, cut into convenient pieces, is the feast of the murderous revels, the flesh of the two children so particularly relished as a special delicacy. The scene is one of joy and frenzy and victory. The event, when it finally unravels through a video secretly recorded by an eye witness, throws Nigeria into a pandemonium. The senate breaks down in anguish, its hallowed chamber soaked in its own tears. The President broadcasts to the nation, and at one point breaks into tears. A day of unparalleled shame for Nigeria. A day of unparalleled

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grief for Nigeria. People wonder, as they watch the rare spectacle of politicians weeping profusely, where on earth have those copious tears come from, many concluding that they must have been borrowed from the crocodiles. All Nigeria wishes that the world should not know or see what has just happened, that the nation's children should never see or know, that it should be erased without trace from memory and consciousness of the nation. Alas, every effort to conceal the event has failed, and the video footage spreads across the world like wild fire. The entire world is a witness! Now the dilemma for the senate is this: can the bodies be retrieved, otherwise who are they going to bury? And the dilemma for government is how to contain the damage, should there be reprisal, and reprisal and reprisal? The dilemma for Nigeria is how to grapple with all that might come next, should the shock of a disgraced and humiliated populace degenerate into general, uncontrollable turmoil? The dilemma for every one is, how is it possible that a Nigerian being kills

his brother and then eats his flesh in the same manner as the flesh of animals is prepared and consumed? How is it that Nigeria has fallen back from the era of knowledge and high values to the era virtually unknown in history? Condemnations upon condemnations are pouring in from all quarters. Federal Government throws the first salvo, calling the whole saga grotesque, despicable, savage. Governors are not left behind. Plateau state in particular sends its heartfelt condoles to the National Assembly, the Federal Government, the good people of Nigeria and the families of the senator, calling the action a crime against humanity, a still greater crime against God. The Sultan of Sokoto joins the fray, noting that nothing of this nature has ever happened in the history of Nigeria and calling for calm and patience. No organization or individual of prominence wants to be left behind in this ritual, each straining its wits to choose the most appropriate words in expressing sorrow and outrage. From 2014 to 2011is a period of just three or so years. On one fateful day of 2011, Muslims gathered for the Eid, marking the end of Ramadan, as they do every year; every one in their best attire. As they prayed, they were being surrounded by armed gangs under the watchful eyes of Nigerian security agencies. As they emerged from the solemn prayers they were attacked with all manner of weapons, modern and ancient. Men, women, children were falling down, one after the other, some dead, some wounded. The security personnel watched - silently -as their compatriots die one after the other in a premeditated massacre. The worst is yet to come. Some of the victims were collected together by the murderers, and in no time an event of an extraordinary nature was to unfold. Crowds gathered for a grand feast: the sole menu was the flesh of the men and women and children of those who had just been murdered: the atmosphere was one of a grand carnival, marking the day in our time when Nigeria morally collapsed. All the flesh of fallen Muslims was consumed. Those who read about cannibalism in ancient history could witness it

in practice in modern Nigeria. And those who feel that a human can never eat the flesh of a fellow human, flesh, blood and bone, all in the name of God could see it in practice. The video recording is there in public domain, preserved for eternity. When this happened in the city of Jos in 2011, there was a functioning state, complete with all the vital organs and institutions, notably the Presidency, the National Assembly, the Judiciary, the Armed Forces and the Police. The traditional and religious institutions across Nigeria and particularly in the North, were all alive, and fully aware of what transpired. Yet all of them chose to ignore it, pretending that it never happened, that no one must be held accountable. The policy appears to be that there are Nigerians who must be protected by the state, and there are Nigerians who must not; there are Nigerians who can be massacred and their bodies desecrated or devoured, and there are Nigerians who can't be touched; there are Nigerians who are held as enemies by government and its security apparatus and there are Nigerians who are friends. Obviously such a situation, even if it appears to some vested interests to be expedient and favorable in the short term, remains on the long run untenable and counterproductive. There simply is no institution of the state that can survive on a policy of imbalance and partiality. There is no nation that can survive on a policy of imbalance and partiality. If persons and authorities involved in the Eid Day massacre as well as in the other incidences before and after were held to account according to law, our hypothetical senator would not have died, the numerous communities plunged into destruction or ethnic cleansing would have been spared, and Nigeria would be in peace. Now back to 2012. The time has come for Northern Nigeria to insist on two things as a matter of principle and priority, for the good of Nigeria: firstly, there must be an absolute balance in the structure, composition and operations of the armed forces and secondly there must be absolute professionalization of the armed forces and police. These institutions must belong wholly and unreservedly to all Nigeria, in times of peace and in times of crisis. The North must insist on its rightful share, and reject a lopsided army, a lopsided police, a lopsided security system. Otherwise we are heading towards a situation in which the army and the police are broken into ethnic, regional and religious militia, and the entire structure, as a result, suffers a systemic collapse.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 23 — SUNDAY 24, JUNE, 2012

Weekend

PAGE 17

Cocktail

I stayed in Ali Nuhu's house — Sadiq >> Page 24

Men’s best beauty tips for women

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Fashion: Uzuri Couture, making waves

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Make fruits mandatory for breakfast >>> Page 28

NOLLYWOOD:

Journalist marries blind lover >>> Page 24