Peoples Daily Newspaper, Saturday 27, July, 2013

Vol. 3 No. 49

SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Ramadan Timings for Abuja MAGRIB ALFIJR 6.55 p.m.

5.03 a.m.

How Gov Lamido demolished about 500 houses in Dutse for flowers >> 12

RAMADAN 18 - 19, 1434 AH

N150

Commonsense approach to marriage age amendment >> 15

2015: Northern Governors chart new course >>9,10&11

Cars run on gas in Edo state

>>38

KANNYWOOD

AFMAN pardons Nafisa >>33

Aliyu

Wamakko

News Soldiers drill LG boss in Borno >>2

Ramadan Message The Prophet (SAW) said “The five prayers, and Friday prayer to Friday prayer, Ramadan (fasting) to Ramadan (fasting) are expiators for whatever was between them (of sins), as long as the Sponsored by Kano state government major sins are avoided”. (Muslim)

Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso Governor, Kano State

Page 2

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

News

Soldiers drill LG chairman in Borno

T

he caretaker chairman of Hawul Local Government Area, Daniel Malang, received severe corporal punishment in the hands of the Joint Task Force for allegedly breaking checkpoint regulations and talking rudely to soldiers.Mr. Malang, who is alleged to have a reputation for breaking traffic rules especially at military checkpoints ran out of luck when he attempted to shunt his way across a long queue of vehicles along Maiduguri-Biu road.

According to a PREMIUM TIMES reporter, who witnessed the incident, the chairman had told the soldiers, “don’t you know me? I am the executive chairman of Hawul local government.”A soldier, unimpressed with Mr. Malang’s statement responded by saying “does this place resemble Hawul local government; even if na Hawul be this, does that give you the license to break my order by not joining the queue?”The soldier ordered the council boss to park his Peugeot 406 car and asked him

to come out for frog-jump alongside his driver while other motorists watched on.The soldiers kept the chairman there for hours before he was later freed with a stern warning not to repeat such act.Sources close to the chairman said he recently suffered similar fate in Biu when soldiers gave him a similar treatment for breaking check-post regulation.

Borno is currently under emergency rule and has a heavy presence of soldiers to check the insurgency by the Boko Haram and other crimes.

L-R: Commissioner of Justice/Attorney General, Kaduna State, Mr. Jonathan Kish Adamu; Managing Director, UBA Trustees, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sanni; and Accountant General, Kaduna State, Mr. Ishaku Shekari, during the Meeting of Bond Holders of the state’s N8.5bn Series 1 Bond, packaged by UBA Trustees in Lagos on Friday

Poll: Zimbabwe accepts Obasanjo as AU observer – Zuma

F

ormer president Olusegun Obasanjo has been accepted by the government of Zimbabwe to be the African Union Observer Mission Chairman for the July 31, presidential election.

Chairperson of AU Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, in a

statement yesterday said that Obasanjo is expected in Zimbabwe today to lead the team of international observers.

Dlamini-Zuma made this known after paying a courtesy call on President Robert Mugabe at the State House in Harare on Thursday to announce the

AU team’s presence in the country ahead of elections.

She said that Mugabe welcomed the scheduled arrival of Obasanjo.

The acceptance by Mugabe clears doubts over Obasanjo’s visit to Zimbabwe as head of AU Observer Mission.

It will be recalled that

the Pan African Forum and the Zimbabwe ruling party, Zanu-PF had rejected the former Nigerian leader as head of the AU observer mission, claiming he

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since independence will contest the presidential polls with the Prime Minister and MDC candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai. (NAN)

You’ve no power to suspend Fayose, Tukur tells Ekiti PDP

By Lawrence Olaoye

MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT KEBBI STATE

would be biased towards the main opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Mugabe, who has been governing the country

N

ational Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday nullified the purported suspension of the former governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose, just as he declared that the state PDP Chairman has no such power to do so.

Tukur, in a statement issued on his behalf by his Special Assistant, Media, Prince Oliver Okpala, described the Ekiti PDP Chairman, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe’s action as an affront to the party’s national leadership.

Tukur expressed surprise that such a far reaching decision involving a former governor and a

governorship aspirant of the PDP could be taken by the State Chapter without due consultations and consent of the national leadership of the party.

The PDP boss made these statements when he received some members of the Ekiti State Executive of the Party, accompanied by some elders and led by the former governor who came to complain to him over Fayose’s unilateral suspension.

The National Chairman wondered why such a decision should be taken in a hurry when he has received the complaint of the state Executive led by the Chairman few days ago and assured him of handling the issue at the national level with a view

to finding a final solution to the problem.

The National Chairman said that the State Executive should have allowed the National Leadership to look into the matter before the hurried suspension.

He said that the national leadership the party would not condone the imposition of candidates in the party under his leadership as the party would create conducive and enabling environment for every member to contest.

He said that even where it becomes necessary for consensus arrangement, everybody in the party must be carried along so that nobody at the end feels short-changed or isolated.

Boko Haram: DHQ inaugurates joint probe c’ttee

T

he Defence Headquarters has inaugurated an 18-member committee to screen and categorise persons apprehended over terrorism, in the ongoing security operations in Yobe, Adamawa and Borno States.

This came from a statement issued yesterday in Abuja and signed by Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, the Director of Defence Information.

He said that the inauguration was in furtherance of measures to

observe the legal rights of persons involved.

According to the statement, the Chief of Defence Staff, Adm. Ola Ibrahim while inaugurating the committee, charged the team to see their assignment as a national call to duty.

Ibrahim represented

by Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Ngubane, the Chief of Training and Operations at the defence headquarters, urged the members to bring their wealth of experience to bear on the outcome. ``The team, which

will classify the detainees, comprises experienced legal officers from security agencies as well as Ministry of Justice and offices of Attorney General of the Federation.

The statement also said the committee is to submit a report to the Chief of Defence Staff within one month.

It stated that the recommendation would relate to prosecution, further investigation, deportation and or unconditional release of the detainees (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Elumelu, leaders call for increased private sector participation in Africa’s development

A

t the second annual Forbes Afrique Economic summit, Presidents Denis Sassou N’Guesso of Congo, Macky Sall of Senegal, John Mahama of Ghana, Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso and Jacob Zuma of South Africa all highlighted the importance of private-sector participation in Africa’s development.

The summit, which focused on infrastructure and the emergence of an African middle class, was attended by global leaders from the private, public and philanthropic sectors including former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former Prime Minister of Belgium Guy Verhofstadt, former US Ambassador and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, President of the leading opposition party in France, the UMP’s Jean-Francois Copé, as well as African business leaders Tony Elumelu, Patrice Motsepe and Louis Ebata.

President Denis Sossou N’Guesso, highlighted the need for African countries to create more policies to support what he called ‘a powerful emergence of Africa’s middle class’ who would create a better future for Africa.

Macky Sall, President of Senegal, expanded on the four critical pillars that would drive this ‘better future’, citing education and training of human capital, modernised and mechanized agriculture, affordable energy and an adequate network of infrastructure as key drivers.

President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana warned against an over reliance on government noting “Government cannot leverage the sort of finance that is needed to create enough power in Africa.”

Also, President Blaise Campaore of Burkina Faso acknowledged Elumelu, the Chairman of pan-African proprietary investment company Heirs Holdings, for his efforts to drive Africa’s development by investing across the continent.

Speaking on the theme “Supporting growth through investment”, which featured Elumelu and South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe, Chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, Elumelu lauded the five African leaders for their strong belief in the private sector as a catalyst development - the es-

sence of his Africapitalist philosophy which other leaders, including President Obama, appear to have embraced.

Elumelu outlined the terms under which the private sector’s involvement would yield the greatest impact to include long-term investments and infrastructure development.

“Short-term investments in Africa simply don’t make an impact. African leaders need to ensure the right physical and policy infrastructure is in place to support the growth of more successful pan-African businesses.” said Elumelu.

Capital such as the USD40 trillion dollars ex-US Ambassador Andrew Young called ‘scared money’, currently sitting in tax havens around the world and which could be put to better use in developing Africa.

Kofi Annan listed the three pillars of peace and security, economic development, and the rule of law and respect for human rights, as the solution for Africa’s economic success, adding that Africa continent was going through “momentous times”.

Mr. Tony Elumelu (l) shaking hands with South African President, Jacob Zuma, during the just concluded 2nd Annual Forbes Afrique Economic Summit in Congo, recently.

Sambo lauds DMO Euro bond success

T

he Vice President, Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo, has lauded the Debt Management Office (DMO) for successfully floating the $1billion Euro Bond.

He gave the commendation yesterday in Abuja, when he chaired the 14th meeting of the Supervisory Board of the Debt Management Office.

The Vice President directed the DMO to ensure that the funds realised from the Bond sale were used for specific projects meant that would have positive impact on the lives of Nigerians.

He specifically mentioned areas such as road and rail construction, oil and gas, power, healthcare delivery, education and agriculture, as priority

areas to focus on.

He praised the public private partnership initiative of the DMO which led to their erecting its head office, and charged the agency to expedite action on it to ginger others to follow suit.

“I congratulate the DMO for being able to put up a building under PPP, this is the direction that government is taking. You should expedite action so that other government agencies can borrow from DMO on how to achieve government accommodation, on a Public Private Partnership basis,” he said adding that with this initiative “Government does not need to be spending money anymore to build

offices.”

Earlier the Director-General of DMO, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, said that the bond was fully subscribed to and added that the agency was making efforts to float the USD$100 million Diaspora Bond.

The meeting was attended by the Accountant General of the Federation Jonah Otunla, the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Dr. Nwanze Okidegbe, Dr. Tunde Lemu, Deputy Governor, Operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria and other government functionaries.

The release was signed for Umar Sani, the Senior Special Assistant media and publicity to the Vice president.

News

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Ramadan Timing Day 19 TOWNS MAGRIB ALFIJR Aba 6.50 5.07 Abakaliki 6.48 5.09 Abeokuta 7.07 5.26 Abuja 6.54 5.07 Akure 6.59 5.18 Argungu 7.08 5.06 Ankpa 6.47 5.08 Auchi 6.55 5.14 Azare 6.46 4.49 Bama 6.31 4.36 Bauchi 6.45 4.55 Benin 6.58 5.19 Bichi 6.54 4.56 Bida 6.59 5.12 Birnin Gwari 6.57 5.07 Birnin Kebbi 7.11 5.12 Biu 6.34 4.37 Calabar 6.44 5.10 Damaturu 6.39 4.42 Daura 6.55 4.53 Dutse 6.50 4.54 Enugu 6.49 5.10 Funtua 6.58 5.02 Gombe 6.39 4.49 Gwoza 6.32 4.38 Gumi 7.06 5.09 Gusau 6.59 5.02 Gwadabawa 7.08 5.06 Hadejia ` 6.48 4.48 Ibadan 7.04 5.21 Ife 7.03 5.20 Ilorin 7.04 5.21 Jalingo 6.37 4.50 Jere 6.53 5.03 Jos 5.48 4.58 Kabba 6.57 5.14 Kafanchan 6.51 5.02 Keffi/Nasarawa 6.54 4.57 Kaduna 6.55 5.03 Kano 6.53 4.56 Katsina 6.59 4.57 Kontagora 7.02 5.12 Lafia 6.47 5.02 Lagos 7.05 5.26 Lokoja 6.54 5.26 Maiduguri 6.32 4.37 Makurdi 6.47 5.04 Malumfashi 6.59 4.56 Minna 6.58 5.09 Port Harcourt 6.49 5.15 Ringim 6.50 4.54 Shagamu 7.05 5.24 Sokoto 7.08 5.06 Warri 6.57 5.19 Yola 6.33 4.46 Zaria 6.54 5.01 Cotonnou-Benin 7.08 5.31 Ndjamena-Chad 7.23 4.30 Niamey-Niger 7.21 5.19 Younde-Cameroun 6.29 4.59 Source: Society for Propagation of Islam Kaduna)

Photo Splash PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Sympathizers at an accident scene after a vehicle plunged off the bridge at Soka on the Lagos-Ibadan road on Friday.

Photo: NAN

L-R: Director-General Voice of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar B. Jijiwa, President of the Senate, Senator David Mark and chairman board of directors, Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Andy Aghaji, during their visit to the National Assembly on Thursday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

L- R: Director, Disease control and Immunization of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Emmanuel Abanida, Executive Director/ CEO, Dr. Ado Muhammad, and CEO Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), Mr. Seth Berkley, during GAVI’s visit to NPHCDA on Friday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Inmates of Yola Prison listening to the Ramdan lecture by an Islamic group, Jama’atul Izalatul Bidiah Wa Ikamatis Sunnah in Yola, Adamawa state on Friday.

Photo: NAN

L-R: Executive Director,Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Dr. Mike Nwaneri, Director Plant Quarantine Department, Mrs. Adenike Fisher and Director, Animal Quarantine Department, Dr. Vincent Isegbe, during the NAQS activities briefing yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27

News

— SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Kano Govt. releases N360m for payment of scholarship

T

he Kano State Government has released N360 million for the payment of scholarship allowances to its students in tertiary institutions.

The Executive Secretary of the state Scholarship Board, Alhaji Usman Ririwai, made this known on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano.

He said that the payment, which would be made through the students’ accounts, would commence on July 26.

“Part of the money is for the payment of outstanding allowances while the remaining part is for the current session,’’ he said.

Ririwai said that all those who had accounts would start getting alerts effective July 26, and urged those who were yet to open bank ac-

counts to do so forthwith to enable the board pay them.

He advised students with genuine complains to forward same to the board in time for necessary action, adding that, anybody who failed to do so should blame himself or herself in case of any problem.

“The e-payment of scholarship allowance to students was introduced this year to ensure accountability and transparency as well as check fraudulent activities among the staff members,’’ he said.

He charged the students to cooperate with the board in its efforts to ensure the success of the new policy. ``Students should give us the necessary support and cooperation since they will now start receiving their allowances through their banks,’’ he urged.

Court arraigns Dangote driver for manslaughter From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

T

he Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin and presided over

by Justice Nasiru Yusuf has arraigned one Umar Lawal, a driver with Dangote Cement Factory, Ibese,Ogun State, for allegedly causing death by dangerous driving which resulted in the death of three people.

According to the first Information report (FIR) signed by CPL Onipede Jimoh, the accused action was contrary to section 23 of Road Traffic Law.

As a result of your dangerous driving, you caused an accident to an unregistered Jincheng motorcycle, ridden by one Wasiu Olokoto ‘m’ and two passengers on the motorcycle by name Saka Olokoto ‘m’ and Gani Olokoto ‘m’ all of Olokoto Compound,Oke-Oyi via Ilorin, Kwara State now deceased.”

While ruling on the case, Magistrate Yusuf granted the accused person bail with two surety, one of whom must have Certificate of Ownership(C of O) with N250,000 and adjourned the case till August 5, 2013 for further mention.

Ahmed Musdafa Waziri, Head of Public Affairs, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) at the turbaning ceremony of former Head of Mass Communication Department, University of Maiduguri, Prof. Umar Pate as Kaigama Adamawa in Yola recently

Customs boss charges officers on patriotism From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

D

eputy Controller General (DCG) Enforcement Investigation and Inspection of Customs, Saka Yunusa has urged officers to always be patriotic in dealing with smugglers in the country.

According to him, the need for them to be patriotic was paramount because the nation depend on them.

Speaking during an oversight function to Federal Operation Unit Zone “B” Kaduna, Yunusa urged customs officers not to allow smugglers bring in

contraband goods in to the country.

He further cautioned the officers to avoid bad handwriting on station diaries at their duty posts and advised that only officers who write English well should be allowed to take record on the diary. “ You need to be patriotic in your duty, don’t allow smugglers free access to our borders. Also remember that Station Diary is important to custom officers because we extract information from it while presenting our cases in court.

“That is why we need a good English writers to always write on

the diary so that by the time we are to extract information, we can get something meaningful and readable. It is also important for the senior officers to always teach the junior officers on duty,” he said.

The DCG added that the main purpose of the tour was not to lecture officers but to remind them of their duties as customs officers.

In his remarks, the Controller Federal Operations Zone B Unit, Amade Abdul thanks the DCG for the visit as it will keep officers on their toe to, adding that the visit came at the right time.

Civil servants urged to support KDSG on peace From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

P

ermanent Secretary, Kaduna State Bureau for Religious Affairs (Islamic Matters), Alhaji Abdulrahman Mahmoud has sought the support and cooperation of his staff in assisting the government to maintain peaceful co-existence in the state.

Alhaji Abdulrahman made this known while taking over as the new Permanent Secretary of the bureau in Kaduna.

A statement signed by the Bu-

NGE commiserates with Odunewu, Unegbu families

T

he Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has expressed sadness over the shocking demise of foremost veteran journalist and editor, Alhaji Alade Odunewu, fondly called by his nick name Allah De and Herbert Unegbu (Unu Habib).

The famous journalist died on Thursday at the Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, at the age of 85. According

to a release issued yesterday, the death of the veteran has robbed NGE and Nigerian journalism in general of his incise comments on contemporary issues, his wealth of invaluable experience, wisdom and fatherly advice to younger generation of journalists.

The release said that Alhaji Odunewu was largely instrumental to the founding of the Guild, noting

he also ensured that it was nurtured and sustained to a level where it has metamorphosed into a cogent voice on national issues.

Peoples Daily Weekend recalls that the veteran journalist played a key role as the ombudsman of the Nigerian Press Council until he passed on Thursday night.

The Guild notes that Odunewu ran satirical essays on his ‘Allah De’

columns in the Daily Times and later compile same into a book, “Winners Takes All”.

Meanwhile, the Guild also regrets that passing away of another veteran Herbert Unegbu, editor of West African Pilot, founded by late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

The Guild prayed God to give their families the fortitude to bear the losses.

reau’s Public Relations Officer, Yunusa Muhammad Abdullahi, stated that the new permanent secretary urged the staff to accord him the same support and cooperation they offered his predecessor.

According to him, he was not there to make unnecessary changes but to build on the success recorded by the bureau. He promised to contribute towards moving the bureau forward in achieving its responsibilities. “ I want to give my own contribution to the Bureau and to see that it moves forward. I will also do my best to make the job comfortable so that we will all be proud of working here,” he said.

In his remarks, the outgoing Permanent Secretary, Malam Abubakar S- Abdullahi commended the staff for their support and cooperation as he urged them to extend same to the new Permanent Secretary.

Alhaji Abdulrahman was redeployed from the office of State Deputy Governor and was also a one time Director of Finance and Administration at the Bureau.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Crime Cycle

pmlcrimecycle@gmail.com 08138559513 (SMS only)

NSCDC seeks stakeholders’ collaboration against oil theft

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NDSCDC) Dr. Ade Abolurin, says that the corps requires the assistance of community leaders and religious institutions to effectively protect the country’s assets and combat acts of vandalism.

In a statement issued by the corps Public Relations Officer, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, in Abuja, Abolurin was quoted to have made the point during an emergency meeting with officers and personnel of the corps in preparation for a stakeholder’s forum on “Protection of Critical infrastructures and National Assets of Government.”

The commandant, who decried the continued vandalisation of the country’s critical infrastructure and national assets by some hoodlums, emphasised the need for collaborative effort, patriotic fervour and partnership with

government and relevant agencies to combat the menace.

“The consequences and inherent dangers of vandalism of the country’s infrastructure cannot be over emphasised; therefore, it is imperative for the populace to know that illegal oil refineries, oil theft, oil scooping and vandalism attracts capital punishments. Culprits are also made to lose their illegally acquired wealth in addition to other penalties.

“This is paramount to nation building as growth and development cannot be left alone to one person, neither can an institution be perceived to have all the answers to curb this hydra-headed problem.”

Further, it warned that anyone found to shield or provide shelter for suspected illegal dealers in petroleum products or materials used by PHCN, Postal Services, telecom or any public utility would be dealt with.

The statement also urged the commandants of NSCDC

formations across the federation to embark on aggressive public enlightenment programmes by

organising stakeholders’ forum to educate the populace on the need for synergy.

Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NDSCDC) Dr. Ade Abolurin

N2m fraud: Court strikes out case against accused

A

n Oshodi Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has struck out an alleged N2 million fraud case preferred against a 42-year-old sales representative, Ebenezer Babatope.

The Magistrate, Mr Akeem Fashola, struck out the case over what he called lack of evidence and seriousness on the part of the prosecution.

“The prosecution has not presented any witness to testify in the case since its commencement. The court is not a warehouse where cases are kept without making any significant progress; and the

case is hereby struck out,” he ruled.

Babatope, who resides at No. 41, Idoani St., Egbeda, Lagos, was arraigned on Oct. 20, 2012, on a two-count charge of fraud and stealing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at his arraignment, Babatope pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail in the sum of N300, 000 with two sureties.

The Prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, had told the court that the accused committed the offence between April 2012 and

May 2012 at No. 277, Ikorodu Road, Lagos.

He said that the accused fraudulently obtained goods valued N2 million, property of Allied Computers Ltd., on the pretext of remitting the proceeds from the sales to the organisation’s account.

“The company imports and markets computers and other softwares and the accused was employed as a sales representative.

“The accused collected a variety of computers, sold them and failed to remit the money he collected into the company’s

account.

“It was during the audit carried out on June 9, 2012, that it was discovered that the accused sold the products and he converted the money to his personal use”, the prosecutor said.

Olatunde said that when the accused was interrogated, he admitted selling the products but could not give a reasonable account as to what he used the money for.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. (NAN)

Businessman charged with currency counterfeiting

T

he Police in Lagos have arraigned a 22-yearold businessman, Mike Obumneme, for allegedly being in possession of counterfeit currency worth N377, 000.

Obumneme, who resides in Ikorodu area of Lagos, is standing trial on a threecount charge of conspiracy, stealing and unlawful possession of fake naira

notes at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

The prosecutor, Inspector Roman Unuigbe, said that the accused and others still at large conspired to commit the offences on May 3 at No. 3, Osho Street, Ikeja.

He told the court that fake N1, 000 bill amounting to N377, 000 was found in his possession when he was arrested and

searched by the police.

“The accused could not give a satisfactory account of the money when he was apprehended by the police,’’ he said.

According to Unuigbe, the accused also stole perfumes valued at N274, 000, property of Miss Mirabel Nwaokolo and added that the offences contravened Sections 285, 327 and 409 of the Criminal Law of

Lagos State, 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty of the offences and was admitted to bail in the sum of N100, 000, with two sureties in like sum. The Magistrate, Mrs. Olufunke Hamzat, adjourned the case to Sept. 20 for hearing.

If found guilty, the accused may be sentenced to three years imprisonment.

CRIME NUGGET

Top 10 world worst cities for pickpocketing Barcelona: This city is notorious for thieves who like to prey on unsuspecting tourists. The large crowds and boisterous noise provide the perfect environment for pick-pockets to operate.

Prague: It draws in legions of tourists every year, but many of them leave with less cash than they should due to the large crowds that provide cover for pick-pockets at the tourist hotspots like the Charles Bridge in Prague.

Rome: Considered as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and that reputation draws in the thieves.

Madrid: The Spanish capital of Madrid is also one of the world’s pick-pocketing capitals. The metro and the markets are the locations having the shadow of the sticky fingers of petty thieves.

Paris: They say that Paris is a city for lovers. That reputation may help explain why it is one of the world’s leading pick-pocketing sites. The lovers walk around in a haze as they enjoy their romance, which makes them easy marks for the thieves who patrol the city’s streets.

Buenos Aires: This is one of the wealthiest cities in South America, which brings in lots of thieves who are looking to siphon off some of that wealth. One of the most infamous tricks these thieves pull is to have one person dump something on a tourist.

Florence: One of the most famous artists’ cities in the world is also infamous for its pick-pockets.

It is easy for these thieves to steal from tourists when they are gazing in rapture at the stunning artworks that abound in the city.

Amsterdam: This is one of the most delightful tourist destinations in the world. Its thieves are just as welcoming as the rest of its residents, and it is easy for them to operate in Amsterdam’s laidback atmosphere.

Hanoi: The Vietnamese capital is also the pick-pocketing capital of Asia. The noise stream of multifarious automobiles and the bustling crowds provide a nice cover for the petty thieves who ply their trade on Hanoi’s busy streets.

Athens: This city with vast historical sites to behold often put tourists into an enchanted stupor in which they become easy prey for the legions of pick-pockets who operate here.

Culled from www. escapehere.com

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Digest

Compiled by Jude Melea Moses

In just 13 Years: A young man earns 19 degrees and titles

I

t’s fair to say that most professionals are proud of their achievements, especially when their names include titles they worked hard for over the years.

For Welin Kusuma, it’s hard for him to write his name, but only because he takes pride in writing his full name along with all his honorary achievements, which takes up three lines and incorporates 19 titles.

Yes, you read that right. He has 19 titles, eight bachelor’s degrees, three master’s degrees, and eight professional titles.

His whole name reads WelinKusuma ST, SE, SSos, SH, SKom, SS, SAP, SStat, MT, MSM, MKn, RFP-I, CPBD, CPPM, CFP, AffWM, BKP, QWP. One might think that he has spent his whole life studying. However, Welin, 31, spent only 13 years earning all of his titles.

How is that possible?

Well, he took classes in parallel, spending

the whole day running from one university to the other. There were times when studying got hard for him. He received warnings for taking courses for longer than the normal time that is recommended, and he also had classes whose times overlapped.

However, he didn’t let these obstacles hinder him from achieving so much. When asked why he studied so much, his answer was that he dreamed of being an integrated consultant who can provide many perspectives to his clients.

“My professional degrees are related to management, finance, and taxation,” he explained. Even though he focused much on the management field, he studied law and engineering to equip his clients with more information.

He also wasn’t that much of a burden on his parents since he paid for his own education in 2004.As of today, he is a tax consultant because of his BKP degree. However, his real work is in the information systems (IS) field.

Welin

The bull who wept for its life

A

nimals have feelings too. This is what this next story is telling us — if proven real.

A bull in Hong Kong was reported to cry and somewhat beg for his life.

Workers in a slaughterhouse were surprised when the bull suddenly knelt and cried before it was ushered into the slaughterhouse.

Shiu, one of the workers, said that he trembled when he saw the bull’s teary eyes.

They continued trying to pull the bull inside, but failed. The crying bull just would not budge!

The workers were moved and decided to gather funds to purchase the bull and give it to monks, who would take care of it.

According to the slaughterhouse workers, when they decided not to kill the bull, the creature stood up and followed them.

Hmm! Mysterious.

B

The weeping bull

New advertising craze: Women paint images on their thighs

M

en in Japan now can now look at women’s thighs without fear of causing offence after a PR Company started placing adverts on its models’ legs.

Young women in Tokyo,

Japan, have become walking billboards after public relations consultant Hidenori Atsumi spotted the potential in body advertisement.

The women, who have to be aged 18 and above, walk around

The exposed laps of the young ladies.

Mean streets of China: Police draft in gaggle of geese to fight crime

the city for eight hours each day with the images adorned on the thighs.

Mr Atsumi also encourages them to dress up in miniskirts and long socks so they can look more alluring as they carry around ads that include promos for music groups such as Green Day. “It’s an absolutely perfect place to put an advertisement as it is what guys are eager to look at and girls are okay to expose,” he said.

As well as the age requirement, in order to work as one of the models you have to have at least 20 connections to people on social network sites.

The girls are also told to post their photos online with the advert painted on.

irds can be a handful when they’re angry – but would you take orders from a gaggle of geese?

Police in China have come up with an unusual way of tackling crime after employing the streetwise fowl to help maintain law and order.

According to the People’s Daily newspaper, the crimefighting geese have been deployed in rural areas of Xinjiang province since earlier this year.

They may lack the arms needed to make an arrest but that hasn’t stopped the birds replacing dogs as the force’s preferred domesticated security

agents assistance.

“Among all poultry, geese are known for being extremely vigilant and having excellent hearing,” said police Chief Zhang Quansheng.

“Geese are very brave. They spread their wings and will attack any strangers entering someone’s home.

“In some ways, they are more useful than dogs; a household normally keeps one dog [but] an intruder can throw a drugged bun to kill the dog.”

The use of geese is now being ‘actively promoted’ across the region following the success of the trial. So watch out!

One of the brave geese chasing away a suspected criminal.

PAGE 8

Travelogue

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Accra: A pivot for enthralling allure Remember the widespread Nigerian idiom ‘Ghana Must Go’? When several Ghanaian artisans who had flooded almost every Nigerian city in search of ‘greener pasture ‘ in the early 1980s, were ‘flippantly’ asked to leave?

Mohammed Kandi writes

T

hey had been driven out of their country by the prevalent excruciating economic conditions.

And so to buoyant and luxurious Nigeria, then they came in droves.

Eventually, their presence stretched “Big Brother” Nigeria to an unbearable level.

So, the government of Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari decided it was time to wield the big stick, yes flush them out. And they left equally in droves. Perhaps, wanting to conserve some funds, they opted to use polythene bags –nylon to convey their belongings.

Because of the large numbers, they practically bought off every available nylon bags, thus forcing the name “Ghana Must Go” bags.

And they left for dear home land Ghana, never to return again in droves unless for necessary business or social visit.

Honestly, the story has changed.

The political hiccups that had engendered uncertain economic situation had not only abated but hugely subsided. There is political stability, an enduring economic terrain that makes for virile and fertile atmosphere for profitable economic activities.

Of viable economic activities, there are ample opportunities. Now, Nigerians are trooping to Ghana in droves, but not to the level of being chased away as the Ghanaians were in the early 1980s. The expression definitely would be suitable as “Nigeria Must Go”, considering the huge Nigerian populations whose actions ostensibly are of those that have found asylum in Ghana.

The attraction to resort to Ghana for everything is so infectious now that even Nigerian working-class

would rather their wards are educated in Ghana and Sudan than in Nigeria. That’s just the irony!

I must say my visit to Accra, Ghana’s capital city, truly changed my entire perception about the country, so much that, I now considered Ghana as‘ Nigeria of my dream’. This is a true confession!

As a people, to say that an average Ghanaian is ‘warm’ in showing hospitality towards visitors in their motherland obviously is to say the least. In fact, there is the increasing number of light-skin people—Euro-American and Asians nationals at various eateries than the dark-skinned in Accra.

I am lost for words to describe my surprise throughout my one week stay in Accra: people enjoying to the fullest availability of basic social amenities, carefree social devoid of crime. These are the right of all citizens, albeit not a few governments across Africa have had issues with meeting the basic needs of its citizens.

Throughout the week, there wasn’t power outage; pipe borne water cascaded day and night, and those at the reception desk of Afia Beach Hotels, where we lodged were simply marvelous. How orderly the Ghanaians are! Enabling law and order to thrive, it’s impressive.

They observe traffic rules without seeking for ways to circumvent them and even without law enforcement officers easily avoided restricted areas. This was strange to me, coming from a country where obedience to laws is observed mostly in the breach.

Al times, I wonder whether I am still within the shores of Africa.

Amusingly, an area view from my room, which was on first floor the block was a deep-sea, with some

One of the bedrooms at the Afia beach hotels

A lawn tennis court at the Afia beach hotels in Accra huge ships ambling along, and athletes strolling and jugging on the river banks. I really had no choice but to make the lush, serene beach with its beautiful scenery my daily port of call.

For once, I felt like a king. And when I sat on the couch on my balcony catching glimpse of the refreshing atmosphere at the beach: the powerful waves puffing in my direction, which transform me to sublime mood, and yet conscious of the fact that I am only a visitor, I bemoaned my fate, I hate to think that I will be leaving all that behind in a few days.

As for the Africa Agriculture Science Week conference, which had been the reason for my visit to Accra in the first place, it was my first time attending such a cosmopolitan gathering, with over 1,000 participants from all over the world.

For obvious reasons, i never experienced any form of culture-shock.

As a journalist, I interfaced with vari-

ous publics and interact with personalities of diverse predisposition on daily bases.

After our day-to-day bustling from the conference arena, it was always dinner time at our choice restaurants. As members of the B4FA family—our UK-based sponsor, we enjoyed hanging together, especially, as some of us met for the first time.

Our benefactors prudently selected two journalists each from Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania, as target countries for the project they are promoting.

For me, making food choices was a problem. The fear of having constipation or rock-belly soon after having my meals had always reflected. In fact, it backfired for those of us who tried taking Ghanaian local diets, Kenke and Banku. When it comes to eating, my policy is simple, ‘eat what you know’. Again, we all were becoming bored from eating foods that had different taste from our usuals, I

became nostalgia.

But it was not all blissful and no oozes. No, something that borders on a bit of sloppiness. Quite unsightly, we were shocked to find stinky filths struggling for space in the gutters.

And yet Ghanaians walked by without any discomfiture.

That shouldn’t be and I just couldn’t score the city high on its attitude towards the environmental sanity.

However, my best moment was perhapsour field-trip to Ghana’s National Bio-technology and Nuclear Agricultural Research Institute at Kwabina, located on 20kms East Lagon outside Accra City. As we hit the roads going, in a convoy of about 10 Toyota Coasters, we were accompanied by two police superbike escorts, who often weren’t keen about the traffic rules anyway. As citizens paved way to the siren echo leading our trip, I concluded by saying ‘this is nothing but presidential treat’.

B4FA Media fellows at Accra International Conference Center, venue of the Africa Agriculture Science Week in Accra, Ghana, recently.

Cover

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

2015: Governors chart new course for Northern Presidency 10 & 11

Cover Page 10

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

2015: Governors chart new course for Northern Presidency

Gov. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso

Gov. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu

Gov. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko

By Lawrence Olaoye

W

ith the recent political development, the northern governors may have resolved to take the destiny of the region in their hands as they strategize to ensure the return of the Presidency to the region by 2015.

This becomes more evident as five governors from the region have begun nationwide consultations with the nation’s past leaders, traditional rulers, critical political stakeholders within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opinion leaders on how best to carry out the onerous task of sending President Goodluck Jonathan back to his Otuoke enclave by 2015.

Governors at the forefront of the Northern Presidency Project include the governor of Niger state who is also the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), Dr, Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu; the Sokoto state governor, Alhaji Aliyu Matagakarda Wamakko, Kano state governor, Dr. Rabi’u Kwankwaso, Jigawa state governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido and their Adamawa state counterpart, Admiral Murtala Nyako.

The governors began the consultations with a visit last weekend to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo followed by their trip to Minna to consult with the former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

Scheduled to be consulted within the next one week include former civilian President Shehu Shagari, his Vice, Chief Alex Ekwueme and the former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma.

Others billed to be consulted include all former PDP National Chairmen, former Senate Presidents and former House of Representatives Speakers.

Although the governors have maintained

Gov. Murtala Nyako

ACF Chairman, Alh. Aliko Mohammed

that the reason for the nationwide consultation is to save the nation’s nascent democracy from total collapse, there are indications that there may be more to that as observers believe that such could be attributed to their move to actualize a northern presidency by 2015.

Jigawa state governor, Lamido explained that the motive for the governors’ consultation pilgrimages to stakeholders across party lines in the country is to safe the nation’s democracy

from drifting into anarchy. He said “our mission is to salvage the current situation and save our nascent democracy from imminent collapse. We are people with rich political history. We know where we are coming from, as such; we will do everything to make sure that democracy survives in this country. We struggled to come about this democracy. In fact, some of us almost paid with our lives. Therefore, we must rise up to the challenge.”

Gov. Sule Lamido Equally speaking on the motive for the consultation, the Niger state governor, after the meeting with the duo of IBB and Abubakar in Minna said “this is a platform we could use to actualize the political dreams. Now, we are consulting with our elders and let us look at some of the problems and solution to the problems that some of us perceived we are facing”. This statement has been variously interpreted to mean that the beneath the claim of working to safeguard the nation’s nascent democracy is the grand plot to ensure that power returns to the north by 2015.

Aliyu has never hidden his passion for the Northern presidency. He began the campaign for the project earlier when he realized that President Jonathan was nursing the ambition of a second term by disclosing that the President signed a pact with the northern governors in 2011 ahead of the PDP National Convention before he could secure support from them to emerge the Presidential candidate of the party. Curiously, Jonathan lost Niger state to the opposition Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)’s Presidential flag bearer, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, in the 2011 Presidential polls.

Apparently commenting on what would happen next should the PDP insist on presenting Jonathan as its Presidential flag bearer, the Niger state governor, in his characteristic blunt manner said “we will continue to consult as a group to see where we are going next.” According to him, the governors were consulting to make sure that all the stakeholders understand the issues and find a way of carrying the people along as they go.

This again has been interpreted to mean that the governors may be contemplating dumping the ruling party to actualize their dream on an

11

Cover Page 11

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

10

2015: Governors chart new course for Northern Presidency

alternative platform. While some are of the opinion that the governors may have perfected an alternative option of decamping into the waiting opposition merger, All Progressives Congress (APC) when registered, others are insisting that they are plotting to register a new political party as a ‘Third Force’ to fight for the Presidency in 2015.

The Adamawa state governor, also a member of the G5 prosecuting the northern presidency, was more poignant in his comment on the mission of the governors when he said through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Alhaji Ahmed Sajoh, that “We have held consultations with former Head of state and former BoT chairman of the PDP, Chief Olusegun Obansanjo, on the need for him and other major stakeholders to save the party from disintegration. We are not stopping with Obasanjo as one of the most respected Nigerian of our time, we will proceed to the likes of Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Abubakar Abdusalam and other eminent Nigerians just to mention, but a few”, he explained.

“We will continue to make our efforts to save the party. But, if our efforts do not work, we have no alternative than to fold our arms, and see PDP dead and help in burying it”, Nyako added.

According to the governor, “unless these serious minded Nigerians interfere and intervene in time, the PDP, which all of us built and nurtured to maturity, will die of natural death.”

Nyako described the current political tussle in the party as worrisome warning that the intra party squabbles within the ruling party (PDP) is a threat to the survival of democracy in the country.

Apart from fighting the leadership of the ruling PDP on the account of the crisis in his home state, it is generally believed that Nyako is at loggerhead with the party because there are insinuations that the party may hand over the Presidential ticket to Jonathan to contest the 2015 Presidential election.

The recent report indicating that Nyako had instructed his cabinet members and supporters to move into the opposition All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) has been seen as a prelude for the mass defection of the governors into the waiting hands of the opposition.

The mind set of major stakeholders in the

north was recently aired by the Secretary of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and former Special Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on food security, Prof. Ango Abdullai, when he said the north would produce the nation’s president by 2015 willy-nilly. According to him, whether through rotation or by sheer population, the Presidency would return to the north.

Abdullai who was at the head of five other northern organisation including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Arewa Reawakening Forum, Arewa Research and Development Project, Northern Union and the Code Group at a news conference in Kaduna, said an existing agreement that the Presidency should return to the region must be strictly followed.

He said “The North on the basis of one man, one vote can keep power indefinitely in the present Nigerian state. If it is on the basis of one man, one vote, demography shows that the North can keep power as long as it wants because it will always win elections,” he added.

Abdullahi, who stated that the ACF was in the forefront of the quest by the region to have a Northerner as President, added that even the Middle Belt Forum and other groups in the region were clear in their calls for a Northern President in 2015.

“All of us have this very tough and common agenda. Not that the North is power hungry. No; it (power rotation) in 2015, will be argued on the rational agreement that is on the ground today,” he explained.

Revisiting the controversial rotational agreement for the presidency to move between the northern and southern part of the country, Abdullahi disclosed that Obasanjo was part of the agreement even as he disclosed that Jonathan as the Deputy Governor of state then signed as number 37.

“He (Obasanjo) was the first to sign. This particular President (Jonathan) was there as deputy governor representing the then governor of Bayelsa State. He signed as number 37. It was found in the document,” the NEF spokesman claimed.

According to the former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the North would have continued to dominate the political turf if not for the voluntary sacrifices it had

Alh. Shehu Shagari

Prof. Ango Abdullahi

Gen. Muhammad Buhari

Gen. Ibrahim Babangida

Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar

Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo

continued to make in the cause of the nation’s history.

He said “So, it is mainly on the grounds that first, there was an agreement for rotation of power and that there is immorality in their refusal to hand over to us that we are insisting on clinching power in 2015. The North is insisting that the Presidency will come whether on the basis of rotation or on the basis of voting power since we have the voting power to make sure that it (Presidency) comes to the North.”

He stated that the region would pick a competent person from either “the core-north or Middle Belt” as a candidate for the presidential poll in 2015.

Obviously reacting to the development as the north seems to be unanimous in its determination to clinch the presidency in 2015, President Goodluck Jonathan while receiving the delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) led by its President, Mr. Okey Wali (SAN), alleged that the governors are merely overheating the polity even as he vowed to stop them.

He said “The political tension in the country is mainly built around the 2015 elections which should not be the case. It is quite disturbing.

The year 2015 is still far off. I expect politicians to focus on the business of governance now. We must do what we were elected to do first. We will

do our best to curb the overheating of the polity.”

Again, Jonathan in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe declared that the governors do not have the capacity to stop his second term bid.

Jonathan while reacting to the accusation against him by the cross section of the country that he was jittery because the Rivers state governor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi had declared his intention to run for the position of the Vice President in 2015 on the assumption that a northerner would be running for the Presidency, said his predecessor, former Kwara state governor, Senator Bukola Saraki tried unsuccessfully to stop him in 2011.

However, the major challenge facing the governors, as they continue their consultations ahead of the 2015 Presidential poll, is how to galvanize support from the cross section of the country. The governors would also have to work hard to rein in all their colleagues, especially in the north, for the consultation aimed at wrestling power from the incumbent to succeed.

Meanwhile, the die is cast between President Jonathan and the governors who have come out openly to constitute themselves into a formidable opposition against him ahead of 2015 even as the political horse-trading continues.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

PAGE 12

News Extra How Lamido demolished houses, shops in Dutse for roads, flowers

From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

A

s people were preparing to break their Ramadan fast, heavy bulldozers were rolled out to demolish no fewer than 500 houses belonging to residents of Dutse metropolis, the Jigawa state capital.

The demolition exercise which started last Saturday at around 6pm as part of the expansion work for the entire Dutse township roads, has generated mixed reactions from the affected persons.

One Aisha told Peoples Daily that her father’s house was partly demolished just when they were arranging for what to eat during Iftar (breaking of fast).

Aisha told our reporter that the family house was built from her father’s pension money and that no notice was given to them before the bulldozers started destroying it.

She said the Governor had previously come with officials of the Dutse Capital Development Authority, (DCDA) questioning them why the marked houses were not pulled down, she said.

According to her “we became complacent since we know the Governor is a Muslim and the DCDA people are also Muslims and we were sure that since this is a holy month of peace, such action may be delayed at least until after Ramadan”.

Similiarly, one Alhaji Mustapha whose house was also partly demolished exclaimed “Inna Lillahi wa ina Ilaaihir Raji’un” (from Allah we came and to Him we shall return)to our reporter, saying, “this is the prayer Allah asked us to recite whenever any calamity befalls us”.

Alhaji Mustapha, amidst tears, said the toilet and sitting room he shares with his two wives and 14 children has been pulled down.

“Now, tell me if it is not the entire house that has been destroyed, for Allah’s sake how would my family visit the bathroom even as one of

One of the affected houses in Dutse metropolis them may put to bed any moment”, he said as he struggled to pull out a bucket out of the debris of his former toilet.

Another resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “for God’s sake, this is indeed a clear sign of the end of time, otherwise how could anyone embark on such exercise in this Month of Ramadan?”.

He said the Friday central mosque too was partly pulled even as Ramadan lecture was in progress. “ Wallahi whoever that is behind this will also not be spared by the same God he is worshiping”, he lamented.

Mr. Obinna Ezekwugo, a shop owner who had been selling electronics and electrical appliances on post office road for more than a decade

in Dutse, had his own share of the earthmoving machine.

According to him, he was in his shop doing his normal business last Friday when two officials of the government came to his shop and inquired whether he owned the shop for which he responded in the negative.

He said they instructed him to tell the owner of the shop to go to Galadima House to claim his cheque for compensation. “I immediately called the caretaker of the shop and relayed the message. I thought after they must have settled the Landlord, they will give us sometime like two months to vacate the property. On Saturday I traveled to Kano to buy goods for my shop with my last sav-

Shop owners watching as a crane demolishes their building

ing when suddenly calls started coming to my phone telling me to come back and pack my goods because the bulldozers were at the verge of pulling down the shop”.

“I received not less than 150 calls urging me to return. I had to abandon the goods I had purchased and I rushed back to Dutse. And behold!

I was the only one they were waiting for as all the other shop tenants had packed their things out”, he said.

He added:”It is not fair to settle the landlord today and the next day you roll out the bulldozers to demolish the place”.

He said nobody has notified them that the exercise would take place immediately adding that whoever said they were notified was lying.

“Where is the notice, none of us was served with any notice.They have rendered us useless… since Saturday after the incident, I have been at home with no money to even feed my family”, he cried.

He absolved the DCDA Chairman of blame and fingered the governor whom he said, has not thought of the commonman in demolishing the shops just to plant flowers and creating more unemployment.

“The next option is for me to return to my village because I cannot afford the price of any shop at the new market that goes for N3million.

Is this how Lamido intends to rule Nigeria? Leadership should at least have feelings for the ordinary people”.

When contacted, the DCDA Chairman Alhaji Bashir Aminu said that the state government has disbursed the sum of over N150 million compensation to over 140 victims of the recent demolition exercise in Dutse, saying the work was aimed at maintaining the existing masterplan of the city.

The Chairman said that those

affected by the demolition were earlier served with two months notice to vacate their business places so as to enable the government commence work but unfortunately, the traders ignored the instruction.

Alhaji Aminu expressed concern on the side talks blaming the government of alleged hatred of traders affected by the exercise, saying all due process were followed before government commenced the demolition, adding that the government allocated shops to most of the traders at the new central market but they failed to park in.

“This government has not in any way conducted this exercise with selfish interest or hatred but in good faith”.

The DCDA boss explained that the purpose of the exercise was to maintain the existing master plan of the city which guided the authority in the physical development of Dutse in order to make it a befitting state capital.

He pointed out that most of the shops demolished were constructed illegally and conducting their businesses at risk due to encroachment on road alignment and lack of parking spaces.

His words: “the present administration of Governor Sule Lamido is committed towards making Dutse, a befitting state capital that will compete with any other city in the world and government will not succumb or be deterred by any pressure or threat”.

He challenged those who said they were not allocated shops and stall at the new Dutse Central Market to report to the authority with official complaints. The demolished structures according to him, will be replaced with beautiful access roads, street lights, flowers and interlock to make the capital wear a new look.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

PAGE 13

Interview

Nigerians must think positively about the country, says Apiafi, Coordinator I-Nigerian Initiative Following sustained negative perceptions about Nigeria, a group concerned about the worsening negativity about the country has launched a campaign to promote the country. Ada Stella Apiafi is the National Coordinator of I-Nigerian Campaign under an initiative called The Nigerian Renaissance Project. She spoke with the Peoples Daily Weekend on the need for Nigerians to speak positively about their country.

Excerpts:

W

hat is the I-Nigerian project all about?

I-Nigerian is a perception transformation initiative set up to drive what we have chosen to call The Nigerian Renaissance Project (TNRP) into the consciousness of Nigerians everywhere as well as the global community, with special emphasis on the positives.

It is both a process, and a series of programmes designed to recapture the heart, soul and concept of being Nigerian, by showcasing in every sphere, the good in Nigeria, and Nigerians, by Nigerians themselves.

What are the reasons behind this initiative?

Nigerians are by nature very vocal about everything, especially about their country – for good or for bad.

Therefore, it is necessary to transpose our minds, such that the stories that we tell of Nigeria, and the image we present of our country, give the country a ‘new’ name that reflects some ‘new order’ among Nigerians themselves.

The truth is most times what we see is the negative. How can that be addressed?

It is not what we see but what is being reported. There are many good and positives that could, and should be reported as well. When Nigeria recently made it into the list of the 50 Most Reputable Countries in the World, few media outfits celebrated it! Before now, the country was not even considered for ranking.

A 24-year old Nigerian, Uwa Osamede Imafidon, just graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in the US with a Masters degree in Microbiology, with a 4.0 CGPA out of the maximum 4.0 CGPA. Before her sojourn abroad, she had earlier bagged a First Class Degree in Crop Science from University of Benin, as the Best Graduating student in her department.

A few years ago, Jelani Aliyu from Sokoto State, who schooled in Kebbi, won a global design competition organised by General Motors.

Sadly, the good attention that we should be basking in is being tainted by the news of insurgencies, challenges to our national security, and a myriad of issues that spark more and more negative news about Nigerians as a people. Nigerians – individually and collectively- are left with a battered trust and confidence in their Nigerianness.

But how do you see these achievements compared to the internal crises and challenges that we are faced with daily?

We have challenges...that is true!

But you will agree with me that our country is at a very critical stage of its growth and development. We have evolved as a new ‘democratic’ country, and a fast-growing economy.

Global attention on Nigeria today, is at an all-time high, something that should easily bring pride to the heart of every Nigerian wherever we are across the world.

Today, there is a deep dent on the collective psyche of the average Nigerian, as Nigerians find it increasingly difficult to speak positively or confidently about our dearly beloved county – the psyche of the nation is plummeting more and more. With all the negative stories coming out of, and about Nigeria, many being told

by Nigerians themselves, perception is negative.

What is the solutions, or what is the good news?

The good news, however, is that there are lots of positives! Nigeria is about to emerge as the largest economy in Africa. The GDP is a powerful political tool as the most important global governance institutions, from the G8 to the G20, assessments are based on GDP credentials. So far, South Africa has been the only African country represented in the G20 on the grounds of the scale of its economy.

Is this initiative intended to promote the government?

Whether in government or out of government, we are all Nigerians that should promote Nigeria.

There are commendable initiatives from the government and the private sector. For instance there is this Youth Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria(YouWin), the entrepreneurship development scheme of the Federal Government which was launched just over a year ago, and has become so successful that each of the 1200 first set of beneficiaries are now employing an average of eight staff!

You may also be aware of different. The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has just announced that Nigeria has successfully halved the number of hungry people in line with the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals.

Like us, you should agree that very cheering news is emanating

from our land, and these should be commended and celebrated.

But doesn’t it mean your group will be focusing more only on the activities of government?

As I said earlier, I-Nigerian is a privately initiated Perception Transformation Initiative. Therefore, most of the inspiration for promoting this initiative will be coming from private individuals who have made positive impact locally and internationally.

The richest black man today, Aliko Dangote, is a story of grass to grace. Forbes recently rated him 25th richest man in the world. He has within a single generation translated a medium scale business into a multinational conglomerate! He has a Foundation that addresses youth unemployment and women empowerment.

There is also the Elumelu Foundation that promotes entrepreneurship development and other collaborative efforts between the government and the private sectors under Public-Private Partnership. This is good news that should be widely related. But we don’t get to celebrate these.

Do we now say your inspiration will centre on public service and players in the business sector?

Like I said, this is a private initiative in promoting all the positives on Nigeria and Nigerians. Let me give you more examples from the social or entertainment industry. Mosunmola ‘Mo’ Abudu recently launched EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first Global Black Multi-Broadcast Entertainment Network, with programmes showcasing Nigeria’s burgeoning middle class.

Home girl Omotola JaladeEkeinde, recently emerged one of TIME’s top 100 most influential

“

Ada Stella Apiafi personalities. Nigeria’s Ice Prince Zamani won the 2013 Best International Act (Africa) Award. These are just a few inspiring stories coming from within Nigeria and they are all extraordinary!

Some of our stories don’t get to make news headlines. These are everyday Nigerians doing noble deeds, surviving against all odds, and who just believe in maintaining the dignity of being Nigerians.

How do you address the negative perceptions of Nigerians abroad who are into criminal activities?

There are many Nigerians doing great outside the country. Of the 541 athletes employed by Great Britain for the 2012 Olympics, 16 reportedly are Nigerians including some that are world champions. None of them

Over the years, a subtle inferiority has crept into the consciousness of the average Nigerian, especially in the way we talk about ourselves - we tend to spend more time talking about the bad than the good.

was referred to them as Nigerianborn British athletes. BUT, when two miscreants born and bred in Britain killed a soldier, the British press was so quick to dub them Nigerians.

What do you then expect from Nigerians?

Our ‘mandate’ to Nigerians is very simple: We must speak about positives and be proud of them rather than insist on the negativities. Negatives are present, and even more prevalent in other climes, but are not often screamed on the front pages.

There is a saying that ‘nobody can make you inferior without your consent!’ Over the years, a subtle inferiority has crept into the consciousness of the average Nigerian, especially in the way we talk about ourselves we tend to spend more time talking about the bad than the good.

Nigerians should begin to resist negative labelling of our country, even amongst ourselves. It is also a charge to retune our minds to being dignifying in our thinking, speech, and deeds (our work) about Nigeria and being Nigerians as a whole.

Do we foresee your NGO being influenced politically?

This is a different kind of NGO, we have chosen to call this The Nigerian Renaissance Project (TNRP).

Renaissance means rebirth, reawakening, reenergizing. So it is a different thing entirely. Most of our activities will centre on awareness creation through all the major media channels: print, electronic and online.

Politics

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Likely faces for Sokoto gubernatorial race

Speaker Aminu Tambuwal

Barrister Mukhtari Shagari

Farouk Malami Yabo

Yusuf Suleiman

By Mahmoud Muhammad, Sokoto

state, Bello Yabo.

The office of the governor and other key elective positions in the state have always been fought within the central Senatorial district where the Sultan is strong. However, this power sharing formula changed during and after the Bafarawa years when a new formula for power sharing based on senatorial zone was introduced by politicians. Consequently, the adoption of senatorial zone became determinant in who occupies the number one office in the state wherein the seat was shifted to eastern senatorial zone for an unprecedented four years.

The Central zone seem to have taken the bull by the horn as they are said to be positioning themselves for the race and hinging their aspirations not just on the basis of senatorial zone alone but also to redress alleged neglect of their area over the years. Below is a summary of the contenders.

contest as governor in 2015. But political observers in Sokoto however, told Peoples Daily that Mukhtari is looking up to the governor to give him the nod before making his ambition known. He is also said to be deeply involved in consultations and horse trading across the political divide to garner support.

have worked for Amaechi who was denied the governorship slot by Obasanjo. When Amaechi came to power in 2007 he brought him in and integrated him into his administration. His GRA resident had been a beehive of activities as political jobbers who want favour, swarm his house believing he is very close to the governor and could influence things for them.

Pundits however see Farouk more favourably given his experience as a teacher and one time banker. He is a known technocrat and has occupied several positions such as Commissioner of Finance, Local Government and Rural development. There is no factor working against him if power is to be shifted to Eastern Senatorial zone where he hails from. Besides that, he is not known with controversial political rancour with anyone yet.

W

ith at least two years to the 2015 general election, political gladiators and various interest groups in Sokoto state, seat of the caliphate, are oiling their political machines in the build up to the 2015 governorship election.

Most of the these gladiators are relying on Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko’s support, while those who are not very close to the governor are also preparing.

The governor has not openly declared backing for any particular candidate yet but feelers has it that he has a select loyalist in mind who will succeed him in 2015. Observers in the state are suggesting that no fewer than three candidates have declared interest. Such persons jostling for a shot at the coveted seat are Alhaji Bello Gwiwa, Deputy Governor Barr. Mukhtari Shagari, son to former Second Republic President Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari and Farouk Malami Yabo the present Commissioner for Local Government.

Speculations are also rife that preparations are on the top gear by least four more prominent politicians in the state to battle it out for the Government House.They are former Sport Minister, Yusuf Suleiman, Senator Umar Abubakar Gada, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and a former Congress for Progressive Change gubernatorial candidate in the

Barrister Mukhtari Shagari Presently serving as Deputy Governor of Sokoto, he is from Eastern Senatorial seat where Shagari, who started his political career in 1999. He was appointed Minister of Water Resources to represent Shagari constituency under the platform of ruling party (PDP in the Sokoto State. He later became deputy governor to Wammakko in 2007, a position he held till date. Barrister Muktari has denied several times that he intends to

Speaker House Representative Aminu Tambuwal Tambuwal was groomed politically by erstwhile governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa. He was elected member of the House Representatives since 1999, before crosscarpeting along with Governor Wammakko to PDP. Although, his elder brother, who is presently a veteran journalist groomed him up to where he is today,Tambuwal is believed to be weak at grassroots politics.

However, his his elder brother has strong connections in Sokoto. The law student of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto is presently holding the hot seat of the Speaker of the House of Representative in Abuja.

Farouk Malami Yabo Known in the political circle of Yabo, he is of the Sulubawa extraction of the Fulani who left his banking job in Kano, while nursing governorship ambition a few years ago. He contested the 2007 governorship election under the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He was said to

Yusuf Suleiman Barring any miracle party, Yusuf Suleiman, who tendered resignation as a strong Minister of Sports under President Goodluck Jonathan is believed to have been illadvised by his “enemies� that he may clinch the Sokoto State Governorship seat with his power then as Minister. Pundits described what he did as miscalculation.

Observers are skeptical whether the former sports minister will be able to mobilize the kind of support he gathered during the 2012 election

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

PAGE 15

Features

Commonsense approach to marriage age amendment A

ny true nation-state, worth its name, is ultimately built around some core sacred principles, among which are: the fundamental agreement to coalesce into nationhood, within a defined territorial space of people, who have agreed to form a union of either a unitary or federal state.

As in any arrangement, however, involving a lot of people, a settled guide must exist to arbitrate on what was agreed: who are the parties, where are the boundaries of individual rights, which structures constitute organs of institutional state and upon which values a nation-state stands?

Of course, what is agreed upon is the constitutional document, while the parties are the citizens of a country. The boundaries of individual rights are encapsulated in the fundamental human rights provisions, and other non-justifiable rights principles, while the structures constituting organs of institutional state, represent the legal stipulations empowering the existence of the government itself.

It necessarily carries all its arms, organs, and institutions of governance, complete with their byelaw. Once these documents are garnished with the systemic values of a nation, the outcome announces the constitution as the fundamental basic norm of a society.

Usually, that is the originating path for any nation, unfortunately for the coloniallycreated state like Nigeria, the first principle is either a forced commandment of the British hence citizens are ignorant of what was the agreement creating the state.

Since the Independence Constitution of 1960 is premised on certain basic nonnegotiable principles, making Nigeria an indivisible and indissoluble entity, a union of federating regions or states, the concept of federalism has come to represent our innate, fundamental, objective of existence as a nation state, having similar beliefs, cultures and traditions.

To each territorial, jurisdictional unit are a set of laws, adopted from the primary custom of the areas, formulated into customary laws of the regional state. For the southern part of Nigeria, the customary law and customary courts came to guide persons contracting traditional marriages, and this was enshrined into the Matrimonial Causes Act. For the northern part of Nigeria, the Shari’a Court came into existence to administer Islamic Personal Law or more appropriately, Islamic family law, which is essentially dealing with issues of marriage, divorce, inheritance and endowment.

The framers of the constitution enacted a stipulation, which has been carried into the current arrangement as the Second Schedule Part 1Item Number 61 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as Residual List giving states exclusive jurisdiction on all matters contained therein or in a lay man’s language, it is a constitutional stipulation which forbids the National Assembly from making laws on matters unique to the customary values of the people in both northern and southern Nigeria.

A cross section of distinguished Nigerians during a wedding Fatiha It was a unique arrangement authored by the founding fathers of the nation, specifically, for the likes of Sir, Ahmadu Bello the Sardauna of Sokoto. For him it was both a battle and a victory to achieve the basic minimum, that rather than have a full implementation of the Shari’a legal system, a Muslim in marriage, divorce, inheritance and endowment at lest had a set of guides which are a non-negotiable minima of a set of Islamic laws.

But could the attempt at making a constitutional alteration on section 29(4) a & b, dealing with the renunciation of citizenship, not clash with the provisions of the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution?

The truth is that with the definition of

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full age as 18 years in Subsection 4(a), and with classifying a married woman to be of full age, as per Subsection 4(b), the Senate have cleverly made law on marriage, pegging the age of marriage at 18 years, and this is clearly outside the realm of their constitutionally enshrined powers of legislation, without altering the provisions of the Second Schedule of the same constitution.

Yet, the controversy was needless in the first place, because the subsection has always been there, rather, what happened was the attempt to remove Subsection 4(b), prescribing any married woman as of full age, despite the fact that the extant marriage laws had never set a minimum age for marriage in Nigeria.

The truth is that with the definition of full age as 18 years in Subsection 4(a), and with classifying a married woman to be of full age, as per Subsection 4(b), the Senate have cleverly made law on marriage, pegging the age of marriage at 18 years, and this is clearly outside the realm of their constitutionally enshrined powers of legislation, without altering the provisions of the Second Schedule of the same constitution.

Some would argue that despite the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, the Child Rights Act was passed by the National Assembly, setting the minimum age of marriage to 18 years as the national average, but the truth is that, as in the United States of America, which has 18 years as a national average, that is not the end but a way station to the terminus in constitutional amendment. Thus, to enforce the law, national law must be domesticated, as more than 30 states in the United States have ages of consent that is less than the national average.

What this means is that, any effort at setting a minimum age for marriage would be constitutional, only in so far as it is undertaken by the Houses of Assembly that the constitution envisages as the custodians of customs for each of the federating states.

Such a pegging could also be legal under Shari’a law, since in Islam, marriage is a contract made proper only on the three conditions set by the Holy Qur’an, which are dowry, two witnesses and a Waliyy.

Just like any other contract, the parties could then create terms, and agree on them.

To my mind, it is only under such a premise, that the state could congregate a communal Ijtihad, under each distinct State House of Assembly as custodians of custom, to determine whether such a state community desires a minimum age for marriage.

Mr. Suwaid, a constitutional attorney and community activist writes from Kano.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Homes

How to make your small kitchen look larger Y

our kitchen speaks volume about your taste and perhaps personality. White is your best friend in a small kitchen. It reflects light, which enhances the sense of space and makes the walls seem to recede.

Making a small kitchen feel larger is a matter of fooling the eye and tricking the brain into thinking that the space is bigger. One way to do that is to remove some cabinet doors or replace the solid fronts with glass.

This pulls the eye past the cabinet frames into the depths of the cabinets, so the walls feel farther away. This trick is most effective if you can keep what’s in the cabinets orderly and color-coordinated. Clutter tends to make a room feel crowded.

When you carry the white from the cabinetry to the countertops, walls, and ceiling, you create a seamless space without edges or boundaries to stop the eye. Use several shades of white and combine contrasting textures to keep an all-white room from feeling sterile. Recessed-panel cabinets and crown molding create subtle shadows that add interest, too.

Use a Low-Contrast Color Scheme When there’s little difference between the colors of the walls, the countertops, the cabinetry, and the woodwork, your eye glides over the surfaces looking for a place to rest, and that movement tricks you into thinking the space is larger than it really is.

Here, the cabinets, backsplash, and flooring are close in color value -- a soft gray-green d-- so the eye doesn’t trip over sudden shifts from dark to light. The effect is serene and expansive.

Lots of natural light enlarges any space. You may have no choice about the number and place-

ment of windows in your kitchen, but maximize the light you do have by keeping window treatments minimal.

Here, a valance softens the architecture and adds a dressy note to the kitchen, but it doesn’t block the light. If you want privacy, an opaque shade like this does the trick while still letting in light.

Depending on your home’s layout, you may be able to remove part of a wall separating the kitchen from an adjoining room. It won’t increase the square footage of the kitchen, but it can vastly enlarge the sense of space, bringing in more light and a feeling of openness.

Some patterned wall coverings or floor coverings add visual clutter that makes a space feel smaller, but certain types of patterns have the opposite effect. Oversize diamonds painted on this floor create diagonal lines that give the eye a longer path to follow from one side of the room to the other, so the room feels wider than it really is.

Combine this technique with low-contrast colors for big results in a small kitchen.

A sleek, wall-mount vent hood over the cook top trims the visual fat from a wall of cabinets, giving the room a greater feeling of openness.

Minimalist vent hoods like this one require 30 inches between cabinets, about the same as an under cabinet hood, but give a cleaner, lighter look -- a plus in a small kitchen.

Clean lines and geometric angles eliminate visual clutter and expand the space, even if square footage is minimal. This narrow kitchen has a crisp look, thanks to clean-font cabinets. An expanse of tile also helps draw the eye across the space.

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Model of the week

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Kiddies World

Fashion See Michelle Obama in Nigerian designed dresses Page 32

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Africa’s most ancient race: San people

Page 23

POTS & PANS

What fresh mango juice does to your body Page 28

SPECIAL REPORT China moves to check 100 km vehicular traffic

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Tips to avoid conflict with your man

A

great truth about men and marriage: No man wants to enter into a lifetimecommitment with a woman when he sees their relationship as one of frequent conflict.

A verbal ultimatum is a major conflict in a man’s eyes. To a woman, it may seem that she’s asking for what she wants. To a man, it can seem like an argument over “the rest of their lives.” Call it what you want, but it’s still a demand for a commitment from him. What a bad way to start out your lifetime commitment! How much better to let nature take its subtle course! The “Reverse Ultimatum” is subtle. It is about the nuances, rather than a round-table discussion. A verbal demand is a sign of a weak and shaky position. Instead of getting the desired answer, you instead put yourself in a combative position – more conflict.

When you avoid putting your desire for commitment into words, you’re free. *You’re not boxed into any particular stance on your relationship. *You’re not expressing unhappiness with the relationship. * You’re not expressing disapproval of his actions. *Your man has no need to feel that you are unhappy with him or disappointed in him. *Your man has no need to react defensively.

Instead, your man forms his own impressions. He makes his own interpretation of your actions. From his interpretation, he acts accordingly.

This is far better than making an issue about commitment and creating a negative memory of your unhappiness with him – when what you’re seeking is a joyous decision to start a life together.

A Reverse Ultimatum is a healthier and more loving way, because it makes no demands on your beloved. He is not cornered. Instead, he is evaluating your meaning and role in his life. Since you are making no demands on him, both you and he can see things far more clearly and honestly. Your beloved will

come to his own conclusions and make his own decisions, instead of being told what you want him to do. You can also be confident that you are not pushing your man into something that he later claims that he relented to because of your wishes Keep your flirt on!

Why Men Withdraw from Relationships Does this scenario sound familiar?

You meet a guy. You go out. It’s clear that you like each other, and you begin to open up more and more. Things get increasingly serious, and you make yourself emotionally vulnerable.

You feel like the relationship is progressing. Then, out of nowhere, he withdraws. You can feel it in the way he treats you, in the length of time it takes him to return your calls, in the excuses he’s using, in the difference in his touch. He’s withdrawing.

Pretty soon, you find yourself unsure about how to respond. You want more from the relationship, but you’re nervous about asking for it, because you don’t want to push him even further away, making him withdraw even more. You’re not alone. This is an old story that many people–both men and women–have been through.

There are any number of reasons why a man withdraws, and most of these can be categorized under three main headings. Let’s talk about these reasons a man pulls away, and how you can respond if he does.

1) He’s Lost Interest This is pretty much the worstcase scenario for your relationship: when your man withdraws because he’s become disenchanted with how things are going between you two.

Maybe he’s found some fundamental incompatibilities between you, or maybe he’s simply decided that you aren’t exactly what he’s looking for.

He might have even met someone else who has captured his interest.

Whatever the specific reason, if your man is withdrawing because

he’s doubting the future of your relationship, you probably ought to begin to face the fact that this may not be your one, true, love. We’re not saying it’s impossible for a guy to overcome his doubts about you or the relationship once they crop up. But usually, once those doubts become so strong that it makes him pull away and become distant, it’s often too late to salvage something strong and longlasting.

2) He feels Rushed This scenario isn’t nearly as bad as the first one. Yes, it has the potential to doom the relationship. But there are steps you can take to turn things around.

Your man may be withdrawing because he feels like you’re pressuring him to move the relationship along more quickly than he’s comfortable with. If this is the case, there’s a clear and obvious step you need to take: back off. Give him space, and allow things to progress at a speed that’s more comfortable for him. You might even think about directly communicating with him, and explaining that you didn’t mean to put pressure on him, and that you’re happy to allow things to progress more slowly. Offering space won’t always turn things around, but it often will.

We know it’s hard, when you really like someone, to pull back instead of rushing forward with everything you feel in your heart. But if your man is withdrawing because he’s feeling rushed, then you have to let things calm down and create the opportunity for the relationship to develop at a pace that feels good for both of you. (And keep in mind, playing hard-to-get is a tried and true strategy that’s been effective for centuries!)

3) He’s afraid This third reason a man withdraws is likely the most hopeful one for you.

Your man may be withdrawing based on fear. Maybe he’s been hurt in the past. Or maybe the idea of commitment

If you have any relationship story you want to share with our readers, please send to the above address.

Relationship Heart Matterz With Theodora Ekah simply petrifies him.

The good news is that whatever fear is motivating your significant other to pull away from you, it can often be overcome. If you two can discuss whatever the issue is and begin to deal with it, there’s a good chance that you can then begin to create something real and lasting together.

Yes, there’s a chance that he’s simply unwilling – or unable – at this point to move forward towards a committed relationship. But often, fears crop up in a relationship because a person wants to deal with those doubts and move past them. If you can be a steady, reassuring partner that isn’t pushing too hard, while he deals with what’s scaring him, you two just might build a foundation together that will lead to years and years of happiness.

Should You Share Deep, Dark Secrets With Your Partner?

According to the Oxford dictionary, a secret is something that is “not meant to be known as such by others.” There you have it. We should all just keep our secrets to ourselves, because they aren’t meant to be known by others. Ever.

That might work…if you plan to live alone for the rest of your life.

You want intimacy, romance, and a relationship strong enough to last a lifetime. To find it, you’ve ventured into the world of dating—an activity whose chief purpose is to get to know others, and to be known by them.

That means you will eventually have to lower your mask and reveal your secrets—things about yourself and your past that you’ve hidden away for many reasons. It is a romantic rite of passage that often marks a deepening of your relationship.

Here are five tips for getting to the other side stronger than ever: Decide whether disclosure is truly necessary. A few “secrets” are so deeply buried in the past that they are no longer relevant in your present life. In other words, some skeletons should stay in the closet. For instance, if you spent your entire freshman year in college more or less intoxicated—what do you stand to gain by dredging it up now, or to lose if you don’t? On the other hand, if that phase of your life resulted in a felony conviction (or an eventual drinking problem), that fact has direct bearing on your life today and your partner is entitled to know it.

Forgive yourself first. Chances are, your big secret is something you are not proud to admit. By sharing the details with your partner, you are implicitly

asking the person not to hold it against you—to accept your past as past and still be willing to build a future together.

But the truth is, that task will be twice as hard if your partner senses you haven’t yet forgiven yourself. He or she will take emotional cues from you, so make peace with your own past before you expect someone else to do so.

Go slow. It is true that keeping relevant secrets hidden for too long can be toxic to any intimate relationship. When a troubling truth finally emerges, trust can be seriously undermined. But revealing too much too soon can be just as damaging.

Playing “truth or consequences” with someone new can feel like an exciting step toward genuine intimacy. But the key phrase here is “someone new.”

He or she doesn’t yet know you well enough to put your revelations into present-day context. Be careful with your secrets, because once they are out, there is no getting them back. Rush it and you may be stuck with truth AND consequences—in the form of a promising relationship cut short and your private details becoming not so private any more.

Allow your partner time to process the information. You’ve decided that disclosure is necessary and that the time is right. Your secret is important and potentially hurtful or at least cause for concern—if not, it wouldn’t be much of a secret. So don’t expect your partner simply to take it in stride without a second thought. He or she deserves as much time as it takes to digest the news. By waiting with as much grace and patience as you can muster, you’ll increase the chances that your partner will return to thinking of your future together and not of your past.

Be prepared to reciprocate. When struggling with the issue of when and how to reveal possibly unpleasant things about your past to your partner, it is easy to forget that you aren’t the only one with secrets. Every human being has something to hide. Don’t be surprised if your partner matches your revelations with ones of his/her own. Take it as a golden opportunity to give the very thing you hope to get— kindness, compassion, understanding, and forgiveness.

Most of the time, secrets are not nearly as scary in the light of day as they are in your mind. If you’ve got something to say, tread carefully and compassionately, and your relationship will emerge stronger than ever.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

s p i T y t u a Be

3 Makeup mistakes you don’t know you’re makingand how to fix them

M

akeup is an art form that allows your true creativity to come into play every day.

From blending colors to testing out texture to tweaking as you go, practice makes perfect. Even though art needs freedom to breathe, sometimes an artist needs a nudge in the right direction. So today, in an effort to offer some creative guidance, I’m sharing three makeup mistakes you might not know you’re making, plus how to fix them.

Shrinking Eyes Lining the eyes can bring out shape and add great definition, but avoid heavy bottom liner.

Thick lines under the eyes can actually make them appear smaller and have an aging effect.

Make sure to keep the line thin and natural, which will enhance your eye in the right places.

Harsh Lines Too often I see women wearing heavy, uneven blush.

The key is always to blend blush on the apples of the cheeks in an upward motion, layering the pigment. When using this

technique, blush is soft and natural instead of harsh with obvious contour lines. Opt for sheer blushes and add color slowly for the perfect finish.

Cartoon Brows Brows need shape and definition and are the key focal point to shape the entire face, but overly drawn brows tend to draw all of the attention (and not in a good way). To avoid looking cartoonish, use a soft and natural brow pencil to add shape and definition, slowly blending as you go–the more natural the shape, the less eye- raising the reaction.

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Compiled by Nami Hassan Kadir

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

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LEARNING

With Jude Melea Moses mailmelea@gmail.com

Saving Nigeria Through You

By Rabiah M.B. Labaran

T

he West has severally alluded to the possible disintegration of Nigeria.

However, that indeed seems an illusion because optimism for a better Nigeria can clearly be seen not only in the eyes of one patriotic Nigerian; and Author, Rabiah M.B. Labaran but in her book titled ‘Saving Nigeria Through You’published 2013.

1969 may be a story of the Nigerian Civil War but Rabiah, a courageous woman from Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State who was born during this year, that did not stop her dreams. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A. Hons.) English Language form Usman Danfodio University Sokoto (1993), post graduate Diploma in journalism (PGD) from International Institution of Journalism, Abuja (2011) in addition to other academic credentials.

She has also attended several professional courses in many parts of Nigeria.

Rabiah started her carrier in 1995 with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Lagos and moved to the National Hospital, Abuja as an information officer in 1999, and is currently an Assistant Chief Information

Officer.

An activist and a member of the Nigerian Institution of Public Relations NIPR) as well as ‘Women in Da’awa – an Islamic organization, the veteran information officer has featured on many radio and TV shows.

Her passion for Nigeria is such that she is not deterred by corruption which is palpable in every facets of the nation’s life. Instead Rabiah focuses on the issues that make the country unique. Her book, Saving Nigeria Through You, is a multi-faceted collection of 32 write-ups through which she sought to empower, enrich and reform the attitude and spirit of citizens as they tackle sundry challenges. These may include: corruption, pen robbery, kidnapping, armed robbery, Boko Haram insurgence, among others.

Among her collections are The Enemy Within, How to live a Rich Life without Being Rich, Are Men, Women Competitors or Partners, For the Love of our Youths these are some of the exciting platforms in the book.

The book portrays every aspect of Nigeria’s life and the citizenry, and therefore their dreams, and makes interesting read especially in this hard to live times.

Sweet Karoline

By Catherine Astolfo

A

Rec. Age: To all those who can read Language: Simple and understandable Violence: None Sex: None Angle: Social and religious angle

True Love

By Jude Deveraux

A

novel about star-crossed love: life, death and reincarnation.

This is the first in the author’s planned Nantucket Brides trilogy.

The book opens with the renowned architect Jared Montgomery Kingsley having a conversation with the ghost of his ancestor Caleb, who died 200 years earlier. Jared has been able to see and hear him since he was a child.

Jared’s aunt Addy, recently deceased, has left him the old family mansion on Nantucket, with the condition that a young woman named Alix be allowed to live there for one year.

Alix is the daughter of a couple who visited Addy before they divorced and helped Jared when he lost his parents as a teenager. The father, Ken, was an architect who, noticing Jared’s talent for designing and building things,

directed him away from potential delinquency and into what became a great career. The mother, Victoria, was a popular novelist who published many best-sellers and was able to pay for Jared’s education.

Victoria often returned to the house in Nantucket to read the old journals she found there, which proved helpful in plotting her novels. Alix, who followed in her father’s footsteps and studied architecture in college, knew about the great Jared Montgomery and was awed, even a bit enamoured of him.

So, she is both excited and frightened by the prospect of meeting him in Nantucket. As the plot develops, we discover that Ken and Victoria had other connections to Jared’s family. By the end, several star-crossed couples find each other again in new lives.

A romantic story of love so deep it survives centuries.

Claws Of The Cat

By Susan Spann

I

n 16th-century Japan, a ninja must solve a murder or a priest will die.

Matsui Hiro, a shinobi or master ninja, has been assigned to protect the Portuguese priest Father Mateo while he lives in Kyoto and a merchant whose specialty is guns.

When Sayuri, a Christian teahouse entertainer, is accused of murdering the samurai AkechiHideyoshi, Father Mateo insists that she is innocent.

Akechi’s hotheaded, vengeful son Nobuhide arrives ready to kill Sayuri, but Hiro talks him into allowing them three days to prove her innocence.

If they fail, both the girl and the priest will die. It’s not that difficult, Hiro soon learns, to find someone who

wanted Akechi dead. Akechi’s brother Hidetaro, who’s in love with Sayuri, is slowly paying the price to remove her from the teahouse.

Hideyoshi’s daughter, who’s been brought up as a samurai, now inherits her father’s estate, much to the disgust of Nobuhide. There is also a political angle, for warring factions are eager to take over the Shogunate, and spies abound.

Indeed, Hiro reflects, he is a spy himself. As he draws on his many resources, he relies as well on the insight he gains from Father Mateo to solve the complex murder.

Spann’s debut provides an absorbing look at Japanese culture along with a sharp mystery. First of a planned series.

nne Williams, a haughty, self-proclaimed “Ice Queen,” kills her best friend and roommate, Karoline. While Anne spends the first few pages saying what a beautiful woman she is and how much attention she gathers, it becomes clear that it’s not an indulgence in the outpouring of facts, but her way of putting a hedge between herself and the reader even after confessing to murder.

She built up only to be broken down and emotionally reconstructed once she finds her “real trio”—a brother and sister she never knew about— as opposed to the trio she grew up with, featuring friends Karoline and Giulio. By putting a wedge in Anne’s thick shell on the first page and then continuing to pry the walls apart she made readers aware of her reactions to coming to terms with where she’s actually from. Astolfo adeptly makes vast leaps of character transformation completely believable, even for a murderer.

Anne goes on a treasure hunt for her real family’s secrets are hinged on the fate of freed slaves, interracial relationships, incest and a fortune. Anne falls in love with Ethan, the cop who shows up on the scene after Karoline’s murder, and she learns to let her guard down and care for her siblings and dying birth mother, Memé.

Readers may not be surprised by who’s skulking through the darkness or frightening Anne’s mentally challenged brother, but the novel’s revelatory conclusion is shocking all the same.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Health Diabetes education – Complication of (diabetesdiabetic retinopathy) A Diabetes expert, Mr. Isaac Yakubu Akogu, is also Pharmacist with over 16 years experience with specialisation in Diabetes Education. Trained by The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Johannesburg, South Africa, he also acquired training in Tanzania, Uganda and Cameroon in 2011 to qualify as a Diabetes Conversation Map Expert Trainer saddled with responsibility of training doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other health care professionals on current dynamics in diabetes education. He holds a Postgraduate certificate in Diabetes Management from Dares Salaam, Tanzania and is currently the 2nd Vice President of Diabetes Association of Nigeria, North Central Zone. In his weekly column, Wellness, in Peoples Daily Weekend, he brings to you, the appropriate and current information on diabetes and other health matters.

W

elcome to another exciting session as you keep a date with me in the WELLNESS COLUMN this weekend. I like to thank my numerous readers, who are growing daily and consistent with this column, ensure you don’t just read but endeavor to contribute either with comment or question to further enrich the column. Last week, we took on a discuss about a Diabetic complication called Diabetic Neuropathy, a lot of people wrote in and some phoned to get further insight, the truth is that many persons with Diabetes are living with this condition without the knowledge on what to do or may feel that it is unique to them alone.

This week, we shall look further into another complication of Diabetes called DIABETIC RETINOPATHY. As usual, I like to bring up a simple definition of Diabetic retinopathy for ease of understanding of readers: RETINOPATHY simply means any inflammatory disease of the retina. The retina is the light sensitive internal coat of the eye ball, consisting of eight superimposed layers, seven of which are nervous and one pigmented. Diabetic retinopathy therefore is an inflammatory disease of the retina due to Diabetes mellitus which is poorly controlled as exemplified by persistently high blood glucose levels.

The organs that readily show the effect of poor glucose level control are the eyes. Many people who are diagnosed with Diabetes today happen to know because they went to the hospital for eye check only to be told that their blood glucose level is high especially people living with type 2 diabetes, for those with type 1 diabetes, it takes sometimes about 3 years for this complication to manifest.

In diabetic retinopathy, some of the tiny blood capillaries that nourish the retina leak fluid or blood that can damage the rod and cone cells as a result new capillaries then begin to form in the injured area and can interfere with vision, Micro-aneurysm (abnormally enlarged blood vessels in the eye) results.

Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy: It’s possible to have diabetic retinopathy and not know it. In fact, it’s uncommon to have symptoms in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy.

As the condition progresses, diabetic retinopathy symptoms may

include: •Spots or dark strings floating in your vision (floaters) •Blurred vision •Fluctuating vision •Dark or empty areas in your vision •Vision loss •Difficulty with color perception Diabetic retinopathy increases in prevalence and severity with increasing duration and poorer control of Diabetes and usually affects both eyes. Diabetic retinopathy can be classified as follows: Diabetic retinopathy may be classified as early or advanced, depending on your signs and symptoms.

•Early diabetic retinopathy.

This type of diabetic retinopathy is called nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). It’s called that because at this point, new blood vessels aren’t growing (proliferating).

NPDR can be described as mild, moderate or severe. When you have NPDR, the walls of the blood vessels in your retina weaken. Tiny bulges (called microaneurysms) protrude from the vessel walls, sometimes leaking or oozing fluid and blood into the retina. As the condition progresses, the smaller vessels may close and the larger retinal vessels may begin to dilate and become irregular in diameter. Nerve fibers in the retina may begin to swell. Sometimes the central part of the retina (macula) begins to swell, too. This is known as macular edema.

•Advanced diabetic retinopathy.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is the most severe type of

diabetic retinopathy. It’s called proliferative because at this stage, new blood vessels begin to grow in the retina. These new blood vessels are abnormal. They may grow or leak into the clear, jelly-like substance that fills the center of your eye (vitreous).

Eventually, scar tissue stimulated by the growth of new blood vessels may cause the retina to detach from the back of your eye. If the new blood vessels interfere with the normal flow of fluid out of the eye, pressure may build up in the eyeball, causing glaucoma. This can damage the nerve that carries images from your eye to your brain (optic nerve).

Who should be screened for Diabetic Retinopathy?

Adults and adolescent persons living with diabetes should be screened at least yearly by fundal photography.

More frequent monitoring is required in women during pregnancy and those planning pregnancy. People living with type 2 diabetes should be screened shortly on diagnosis.

Action to take for persons living with Diabetes with eye problems -All persons living with diabetes with sudden loss of vision or retinal detachment should be referred as an emergency to an ophthalmologist.

-Proliferative retinopathy or maculopathy requires urgent referral to an ophthalmologist.

-Pre-proliferative retinopathy or unexplained reduction of visual acuity requires early referral to an ophthalmologist for prompt attention.

Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include: •Diabetes — people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are at risk for the

Non proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Pharm. Isaac Yakubu Akogu www.diabetesguidenigeria.blogspot.com, 08176179496, diabetesconcepts@gmail.com

Diagramatic representation of the Human Eye. development of diabetic retinopathy.

The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they are to develop diabetic retinopathy, particularly if the diabetes is poorly controlled.

•Race — Hispanic and African Americans are at greater risk for developing diabetic retinopathy.

•Medical conditions — persons with other medical conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are at greater risk.

•Pregnancy — pregnant women face a higher risk for developing diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.

If gestational diabetes develops, the patient is at much higher risk of developing diabetes as they age.

How is diabetic retinopathy treated?

During the first three stages of diabetic retinopathy, no treatment is needed, unless you have macular edema. To prevent progression of diabetic retinopathy, people with diabetes should control their levels of blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol.

Proliferative retinopathy is treated with laser surgery. This procedure is called scatter laser treatment. Scatter laser treatment helps to shrink the abnormal blood vessels. Your doctor places 1,000 to 2,000 laser burns in the areas of the retina away from the macula, causing the abnormal blood

Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

vessels to shrink. Because a high number of laser burns are necessary, two or more sessions usually are required to complete treatment.

Although you may notice some loss of your side vision, scatter laser treatment can save the rest of your sight. Scatter laser treatment may slightly reduce your color vision and night vision.

Scatter laser treatment works better before the fragile, new blood vessels have started to bleed. That is why it is important to have regular, comprehensive dilated eye exams.

Even if bleeding has started, scatter laser treatment may still be possible, depending on the amount of bleeding.

If the bleeding is severe, you may need a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy. During a vitrectomy, blood is removed from the center of your eye. This procedure is however expensive and not readily available hence prevention is cheaper.

Diabetic retinopathy is affecting a lot of persons living with Diabetes today, are you one? Endeavour to visit your ophthalmologist for proper eye check and should you need further information get in touch with me via my regular contacts displayed above. Until next weekend when we take on another interesting topic, I say Ramadan Kareem.

Fundal Photography for Eye Examination.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 20 — SUNDAY 21, JULY, 2013

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

General Sherman

HIS AND HERS’ CORNER

Disney Angle DISNEY PRINCESSES

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eneral Sherman is a giant sequoia tree located in the giant forest of Sequoia National Park in Tulare County, California.

By volume, it is the largest known living single stem tree on Earth.

The General Sherman tree is neither the tallest known living tree on Earth nor is it the widest. And it is not even the oldest known living tree on Earth. That distinction belongs to the Methuselah tree.

But it is among the tallest, widest and longest-lived of all trees on the planet.

Some may wonder how this colossal giant got its name.

When Sequoia National Park was established after Yellowstone, it was explored by park superintendents, who were also former officers in the military.

They named many of the trees in the park after generals and past US presidents. The General Sherman tree was named after the famous civil war general; other sequoias were given similar names like General Grant, Washington, Lincoln, President, and Robert. E. Lee. General Sherman has been on the National Register of Big

Trees since the program began in 1940. Given its enormous size, this Giant sequoia will retain its crown for many years to come.

When it comes to big trees, General Sherman is the king.

Not only is it the biggest tree in the world, but also the largest living thing on earth.

With the highest point total in diameter on the entire National Register of Big Trees, this giant sequoia reigns supreme. In fact, the tree is so large that it falls into a category we call “megatrees” – trees that have more than 650 points.

The fun fact about this tree is that the trunk of the General Sherman Tree could theoretically be turned into almost 120 miles of standard sized lumber planks. A branch that fell from the tree in 1978 had a diameter greater than six feet and was at least 140 feet long -- larger than any tree in the United States east of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges.

General Sherman is not the only giant tree in Sequoia National Park; in fact, the five largest trees in the world are all located in the park, with three others found in the Giant Forest section.

Kung Fu Panda

Mickey Mouse and Mini Mouse

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

B

Kiddies World E AD

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With Nami Hassan Kadir namy.kadir@yahoo.com 08130693795.

CREATIVITY How to make chocolate banana shake

MODEL OF THE WEEK

It is a classy favorite- rich, creamy and delicious but this shake is often watery and bland.

Ingredients - 4 cups + 6 Tbsps of whole milk -1 Banana -8 Tbsps powdered, unsweetened cocoa -1-3 Tbsps of sugar Fruit (optional) Steps: 1. Pour milk into the blender and blend for 5 seconds-this makes for a lighter- feeling, frothier shake.

2. Add the banana. It should be ripe or even slightly overripe. Blend until banana and milk are entirely mixed together.

3. Add cocoa and blend again, until there are no lumps of cocoa.

4. Using a clean spoon, taste shake.

If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar, blending and tasting (with a clean spoon!) after each addition.

5. Pour shake into two tall glasses.

If needed, garnish with strawberry slices or grapes on a bamboo skewer.

Share with a friend and enjoy.

AFRICAN TALES

The most ancient race San (Bushmen) of the Kalahari Archaeologists believe that the San people have been living in the Kalahari Desert for 30,000 years. That would make the San people the most ancient race! Some archaeologists think the San people have been living in Africa for 80,000 years! About a thousand years ago, when another African tribe moved south into the Kalahari Desert area, they were surprised to find the San people already living there.

T

he San people did not greet the newcomers with poisoned arrows. Instead, they welcomed them. They taught the newcomers how to be successful hunters. Other tribes also wandered into the area.

Everyone got along until the Europeans arrived.

The San asked England for help. In 1961, the English created a protected place in Africa, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

Today, about 30,000 San live in the Kalahari Reserve while other

of their folks could be found elsewhere in Africa.

The San people are small in size, in fact under five feet tall. Their skin has a yellowish tinge. They live the same way today as they had for many, many thousands of years.

They are still hunter-gatherers.

They usually camp in one place, and then move on. They know where wild plants can be found and when they are ready for harvesting. Using sticks, the women dig melons, bulbs, roots, tubers, nuts, fruits, and leafy vegetables as they are in season.

The San men hunt wild animals using spears and bows and arrows dipped in poison. They also eat meat. Clothing is made from animal skins. They wear short leather aprons, skin sandals, and beads.

Sometimes, they make homes in caves, and at other imes they build huts made of branches and grasses. But always, their homes are simple and part of the land.

Because the San live so simply, you might think they do not have an understanding of things. But the San are very clever.

One of the problems in Africa is drought. The San do not depend on creeks. They find water in plants, in stomachs of animals they have killed, or where water has collected. They store this water in hollowed out ostrich eggshells.

Some shells are carried. The rest are buried, so they always have water to drink.

The San are storytellers.

They tell of magical beasts and clever animals. The San have their own language that includes clicking sounds. Even if you don’t understand the language, you can still enjoy the stories because the San are great mimics of people and animals.

Nobody knows much about the San religion. They seem to believe in many gods. Then again, stories about their gods could be just that - stories. You never know with the San: They love to tease.

The San are clever about medicines. They mix berries to make poisons and remedies. They know how to protect themselves from snake bites. They even have a secret substance they put in their campfires to discourage dangerous animals from visiting their camps.

There are less than 80,000 San people in the world. Some do not know how to make the old medicines. Scientists are working with the San to learn about these medicines before this knowledge is lost forever.

You can see why people are fascinated with this ancient culture - the San of the Kalahari - who have managed to live and flourish in the same way for 30,000 years!

Zira Ngwunze is saying hello.

ACTIVITIES

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

PAGE 24

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

PAGE 25

Gradual fall in female genital cutting in Africa The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report on Monday said over 125 million girls and women alive today have been subjected to the female genital mutilation procedure, the majority of them in Egypt (27.2 million). Somalia had the highest rate (98 percent of women aged 1549), followed by Guinea (93 percent), Djibouti (93 percent), and Egypt (91 percent.) Though the practice is on the decline yet an estimated 30 million girls will be affected over the next decade.

By Celia W. Dugger

A

comprehensive new assessment of the ancient practice of female genital cutting has found a gradual but significant decline in many countries, even in some where it remains deeply entrenched.

Teenage girls are now less likely to have genitals cut than older women in more than half of the 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East where the practice is concentrated, according to the assessment by the United Nations Children’s Fund.

In Egypt, for example, where more

women have been cut than in any other nation, survey data showed that 81 percent of 15- to 19-year-olds had undergone the practice, compared with 96 percent of women in their late 40s.

The report’s authors stress that the tradition still has a tenacious hold in many places, but they say the fledgling declines may foreshadow more generational change. In almost half of the 29 countries, young women were less likely to support the practice than older women. The difference in Egypt was especially stark: only a third of teenage girls who were surveyed thought it should continue, compared with

almost two-thirds of older women.

“The fact that young women are against the practice in places like Egypt gives us hope that they will be able to stop the cutting of their daughters,” said Claudia Cappa, lead author of the Unicef report. “We need to create conditions so they can act on their beliefs.”

Over all, Unicef estimates that more than 125 million girls and women have undergone the practice and that 30 million girls are at risk of it over the coming decade. The report, released Monday, is the first in which Unicef assessed the practice among all age groups based on household

Children of Kapsikumyo Primary School, Kapchorwa, Kampala, Uganda, singing against female genital mutilation at Boma Grounds.

survey data from all of the 29 countries.

Its last report, issued eight years ago, was based on 30 surveys in 20 of the countries; the new study includes 74 surveys done in 29 countries over two decades.

The report depicts progress against female genital cutting as halting and uneven.

It also offers a portrait of nations where its prevalence is still stunningly high. In addition to Egypt, where 91 percent of women 15 to 49 have undergone the practice, countries with the highest percentages of women who have been cut include Somalia, at 98 percent; Guinea, at 96 percent; Djibouti, at 93 percent; Eritrea and Mali, at 89 percent; and Sierra Leone and Sudan, at 88 percent.

Unicef found that the steepest declines in the prevalence of the practice, also known as female genital mutilation, have occurred in Kenya, one of Africa’s most dynamic and developed nations, and — most surprisingly — in the Central African Republic, one of its poorest and least developed.

Researchers now say the prevalence of the practice in these two countries began to fall four or five decades ago. They said the progress made sense in Kenya, where efforts to stop female genital cutting stretch to the early 1900s, but they were at a loss to explain why it had plunged in the Central African Republic, to 24 percent in 2010 from 43 percent in the mid-1990s.

“We have no idea, not even a guess,” said Bettina Shell-Duncan, an anthropology professor at the University of Washington who was a consultant on the report. Professor Shell-Duncan said researchers needed to get to the Central African Republic soon to figure out what was happening there.

The country has received no significant foreign aid to combat the practice that Unicef researchers knew of, and it has been the subject of no scholarly study that they could find.

While experts were amazed about the Central African Republic, they were disappointed that no significant decline had been detected in Senegal between the sur-

veys done in 2005 and 2010-11. Tostan, a human rights group whose name means “breakthrough,” has led a much-hailed and growing social movement there to stop the practice, with support from Unicef and other donors. Thousands of villages working with the group have declared their intent to abandon genital cutting.

Molly Melching, Tostan’s executive director, said in an e-mail that the momentum in Senegal had accelerated in the past five years and that changes would probably become visible only in 2020, as girls who would otherwise have been cut grow old enough to be interviewed in household surveys. She also noted that the national surveys had not specifically sampled the villages where Tostan worked or evaluated the group’s impact.

Mrs. Cappa, of Unicef, acknowledged Ms. Melching’s points but said “the real surprise for Senegal” was that support for the practice among women and girls had not noticeably declined.

The new report is based on data from the Demographic and Health Surveys and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys; women ages 15 to 49 were questioned about their own status and that of their daughters.

This self-reported data should be treated with caution because women may be unwilling to disclose having undergone the procedure because of the sensitivity of the topic or the illegality of the practice. And some women may be unaware that they had been cut or the extent of the cutting, especially if the procedure was done at an early age.

Nonetheless, it identifies intriguing trends in who is performing the cutting, its severity and people’s attitudes toward it.

In most countries, traditional circumcisers still do the cutting. But in Egypt, a troubling shift has occurred as people have become more aware that girls can die from the procedure: the number of girls and young women cut by medical professionals, mostly doctors, has risen to three out of four from just over half in 1995.

Senegalese children gather for a Koran reading class given by Imam Moussa Diallo in the village of Hare Saruna, in southern Senegal. Once Imams explained that cutting is not sanctioned or required by Islam, the practice began to be abandoned.

“Women know more about the harms, but there is still social pressure to conform, and so they medicalize the procedure,” said Francesca Moneti, a senior child protection specialist at Unicef.

Across all countries, one in five of the women and girls genitally cut has undergone the most severe form, known as infibulation. It usually involves cutting and stitching together the vaginal labia, nearly covering the urethra and the vaginal opening, which must be open later for intercourse and childbirth.

But a trend toward less radical forms of genital cutting has taken hold in some countries, including Djibouti, where 83 percent of women in their late 40s report being infibulated — sewn closed — compared with 42 percent of 15- to 19-year-

olds.

Female genital cutting includes a range of practices from pricking or piercing female genitals to amputating some or all of the external genitalia, including the clitoris. The practice can diminish women’s sexual pleasure and increase the risk that they and their babies will die in childbirth.

The Unicef report also found that while the practice is sometimes seen as a patriarchal effort to control women’s sexuality, it is often women who carry it out, and in a few countries, including Guinea, Sierra Leone and Chad, more men than women support its abandonment. Significant numbers of women also do not know what men think about the practice and often underestimate the proportion of them who want it to end, survey data show.

“In the United States, how many husbands and wives talk about sex?” asked Stanley Yoder, a researcher with ICF International, a consulting firm, who has been involved in surveys in Africa for 15 years.

“Some do, but many don’t. There are things people don’t talk about.”

The most common reason women give for continuing genital cutting is to gain social acceptance. United Nations researchers for the first time cross-tabulated data on women’s views and learned that many mothers opposed to the practice reported having had their daughters cut.

“This shows the gap between attitudes and behavior,” Mrs. Cappa said. “What you think as an individual is not enough to put an end to the practice because of social pressures and obligations.”

Page 26

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Hollywood/Bollywood

Karen Igho signs T endorsement deal with DSTV

Again, Genevieve’s name missing in ‘Half of a yellow sun’ movie trailer

N

igerisfilms.com has revealed that former Big Brother Africa (BBA) winner, Karen Igho, has signed an endorsement deal with DSTV. It also gathered that the the Nigerian Management of Multi-Choice Digital Satellite TV Service in Africa, endorsed her barely few months of her entrant into Nollywood, with role in

he recent trailer of the movie, ‘Half of a yellow sun’ released on YouTube is again neither having the name of Nollywood star, Genevieve Nnaji nor her scenes included, Nigeriafilms. com has said This is the second time the producers of the film adaptation would release a trailer of the film and Nollywood’s darling would be missing.

The first trailer was released

in April 2013, but the acclaimed queen of Nollywood’s name was not in it or her scenes.

The latest trailer is 2:40mins long but Genevieve is totally missing in the latest release.

It was first reported that the Imo State-born actress’ role was yanked off because it was drawing back the storyline.

The role of Genevieve in the movie was said to be unnecessary.

Mnet series ‘Tinsel’.

Meanwhile, Igho revealed the developmeant on her Twitter handle, that “I don port o to @ DStvNg.” She equally disclosed that work has already began between her and the Satellite TV provider, “Thanks to my Karenified crew you guys were awesome. @DStvNg shoot done.”

Bollywood star, Salman Khan charged with homicide

B

ollywood star, Salman Khan, has been charged with culpable homicide by a court in the Indian city of Mumbai for a hit-and-run incident 10 years ago, Bollywood.com has said.

The actor pleaded not guilty - if convicted, he faces 10 years in prison.

The trial will begin on 19 August. In September 2002, he allegedly drove his car into a bakery in Mumbai, killing a man sleeping on the street.

So far, he has been tried for the lesser offence of “death caused by negligence”.

Khan is one of Bollywood’s biggest stars and has starred in more than 80 Hindi-language films, including Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger, Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aap Ke Hain Kaun.

Khan

Genevieve

Lady Gaga tops Forbes’ 2013 list of highest earning US celebrities under 30

F

Igho

orbes has reportedly released their annual ‘list of top-earning celebrities under 30’ and Lady Gaga topped the list, Information on Linda Ikeji’s blog has said.

Forbes calculated their earnings between June 2012 and June 2013.

The details of the top highly paid celebrities can be seen as follows: 1. Lady Gaga (age 27) $80 million 2. Justin Bieber (age 19) $58 million 3. Taylor Swift (age 23) $55 million 4. Calvin Harris (age 29) $46 million 5.Rihanna (age 25) $43 million 6. Katy Perry (age 28) $39 million 7. Jennifer Lawrence (age 22) $26 million 8. Adele (age 25) $25 million 9. Kristen Stewart (age 23) $22 million 10.Taylor Lautner (age 21) $22 million

Gaga

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Special Report

Why China wants restriction on car purchases

China, the world’s largest auto market, plans new restrictions on vehicle sales in efforts to curtail worsening smog caused by vehicular traffic. Beijing alone accounts for 5.8 million cars on the road daily, a development that has engendered no little problem to city officials.

100km traffic gridlock in beijing

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hina, struggling to cope with worsening smog problems as roads in Shanghai and Beijing become choked with traffic, plans new restrictions on vehicle sales in some key cities.

Such limits are already in place in four major cities, and eight others will be added to the list, according to reports published by China’s state media. It’s not clear if the expanded list will make exceptions for those buying lower-polluting battery cars, as has been the case in the past.

China is now the world’s largest automotive market, but the rapid growth—which neared triple digits during parts of the past decade and was running at over 9 percent on an annualized basis during the first half of 2013—has come at a cost.

Beijing and Shanghai, for example, now face some of the world’s worst traffic snarls. The number of vehicles on the road in the capital city alone has jumped to 5.18 million, up more than 2 million since 2008, according to the official Xinhua news agency. While the federal government has rapidly increased the level of emissions

Nyanya-Karu control equipment mandated for new vehicles, automobiles are still catching blame for China’s worsening air pollution problems, especially along the industrialized Pacific coast. In recent months, Beijing has repeatedly seen pollution levels near or exceeds the current limits on reporting systems.

Regulators have tried to deal with both the pollution and traffic problems by enacting vehicle lotteries in Beijing, Shanghai and two other large cities. That has limited the number of motorists who can register new vehicles to just 20,000 each month. To put that into perspective, there are 1.53 million potential buyers waiting to be chosen, according to The Associated Press.

That said, the restrictions on car ownership in Beijing “failed to achieve what the government wanted to see because the restrictions only slowed the growth in the number of cars. They didn’t reduce the numbers of cars,” Zhao Jian, a transport expert at Beijing’s Jiaotong University’s School of Economics and Management, told the news service.

Nonetheless, Chinese regulators appear to be caught in a bind. The automotive industry is one of the stars of the country’s manufacturing sector and not something Beijing’s bureaucrats feel they can shut off. They continue trying to limit vehicle sales in already crowded cities while encouraging growth in regions of the country that are only beginning to catch up with the economic boom along the coast.

For example, Volvo, the Swedish automaker now owned by Chengdu-based Geely, plans to target so-called Tier 2, 3 and 4 cities for much of its anticipated growth in the coming years. China has more than 200 cities with a population of over 1 million people, and the secondary markets are seen by many as the real growth opportunity for the auto industry in the years ahead.

By several recent estimates, including one from General Motors, China’s annual car sales could top 35 million by 2022—more than demand in North American and Europe combined.

But there are growing concerns about whether the country can handle that boom in

traffic—or emissions. Jun Ma, chief Chinese economist for Deutsche Bank, warned earlier this year that the government could take several steps that include “constraining auto ownership growth.”

The report from state media indicates that is likely to happen, at least in eight more cities reported to include Tianjin, Chongqing, and Shenzhen, the major manufacturing center near Hong Kong.

According to a separate report in the China Daily newspaper, the new restrictions could reduce Chinese vehicle sales by 2 percent or as much as 400,000.

What remains to be seen is whether regulators will slip a loophole into the new rules, as they have with existing lottery programs in Beijing and Shanghai. China has set a goal of making a major shift to battery power in the coming years but has struggled to get consumers to go along.

The government hopes that desperate motorists will purchase just about anything in order to get their own wheels.

Pots & Pans Page 28

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Carrot coconut and milk Ingredients: 10 large carrots, 1 whole coconut, 1 tin evaporated milk, honey or sugar, water Method: Scrape carrot, wash and grate, break coconut wash and grate then add all together and blend very well until smooth, add milk and honey, refrigerate and serve cold.

Mango shake Ingredients: 2 large mangoes, 1 tin of evaporated milk, honey or sugar, water.

Method: Wash and peel mango, cut into small pieces and blend add water, milk and honey.

Serve cold.

With Hajiya Ramatu Usman Dorayi

Cooker Hood Filter - Truly important part of the kitchen

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ooker hood filters are the things that are located over your stove in your kitchen that are often taken for granted, even though they are a truly important part of every home and kitchen. Cooker hoods allow you to break up odours, get rid of smoke and even shine some light on your stove when necessary. If you don’t have one yet, it’s never too late to invest in cooker hood filters.

Although you may not use the fan on yours every day, chances are that if you cook at home you probably use it at least once a week.

Whenever the steam builds up as you boil your pasta or the water from your rice boils over it is instinctive to clear the air by flipping on the fan above your stove to clear out the smell, steam and smoke that can occur while cooking.

These filters allow your ventilation system to work at the best of it’s ability so you can keep your home smelling great even when your cooking doesn’t.

Your manual should tell you what size and type of filters are compatible with it.

If you don’t have access to the manual, the hood or filter itself will often have measurements and information on it that is beneficial. Regularly replacing the filter in the hood over your oven will keep it running properly and will ensure that the air cycling out of it is free of whatever odors may have been before is being filtered.

If you are looking for

filters for commercial use or if you cook a lot of strong smelling foods, then making an investment in a charcoal filter may be worth your time and effort. These types of filters are great for controlling strong odors and are necessary for any type of hood system that doesn’t cycle the air out of your living space. If your hood just filters the air and then releases it back into your house, a cooker hood charcoal filter will provide you with the best results.

Cooker hood grease filters are another option, and some charcoal filters actually double as grease filters as well. Grease filters offer the extra benefit of filtering greasy vapors out of the air as they float up from your stove top and stopping them from being blown back into your breathing air by your oven’s hood. It can decrease the amount of allergens and irritants in your home and will help keep your air clean and healthy.

Cleaning your cooker hood and replacing your filter regularly will keep your home and kitchen in tip top shape even when the things cooking on the stove don’t wind up in pristine condition. While the cooker hood in your home may be something you take for granted, you can easily keep the air in your home cleaner and fresher by remembering to regularly change your cooker hood filters.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles. com/3748425

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

PAGE 29

Womanhood

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the amazing amazon

By Evelyn Okakwu

E

ven before she ventured into politics- something hitherto exclusive to the male folk, after all they say its’s a man’s world- Abike Kafayat Oluwatoyin Dabiri-Erewa, had straddled the Nigerian public sphere like a colossus.

The veteran broadcaster turned politician is a member of the Federal House of Representatives and represents Ikorodu Federal Constituency in Lagos State. No, hers is no happenchance, she was first elected in 2003, returned a second time and now enjoys her third stint in the House.

That in itself speaks volume about her political strength, perhaps foresight in a culture where women are mostly seen and barely heard. Abike’s staying power, therefore, it must be noted goes beyond political theatrics and foolery, which often are the Achilles heel of most Nigerian politicians, irrespective of gender.

A woman of overwhelming prowess and outstanding vision for national development, this veteran broadcaster-cum-lawmaker has proven in many ways that her love for her people is anything but perfunctory.

Fondly called “Mother of Theresa of the tube” by those who had followed her career in broadcasting with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) where she displayed no mean professional competence and integrity. Her love for people was obvious.

Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa prides herself in her outstanding career as a broadcaster who had touched lives with grassroots stories that reflected the aspirations, yearnings and needs of Nigerians of sundry backgrounds. Indeed, her dedication and commitment to humanity and nation building were conspicuous in the zeal with which she beamed the searchlight on issues of common interest and nation development.

Take her weekly NTA Newsline programme that she used to anchor every Sunday. Not a few saw in the programme a soothing balm that calmed the frayed nerves of millions of viewers to whom the programme was a compulsory watch.

She warmed her way into the hearts of millions with her gallantry news reportage focusing

more on the grassroots, she drew the attention of the authorities to the plights of millions of Nigerians.

Their pains were hers, their concern and belonging for an improved government presence in their lives captured her imagination as she sought through the lens to identify with them.

Her commitment and passionate dedication to duty were palpable week in week out as she anchored several heart-touching Newsline stories which stood her out like a colossus, and indeed made her a household name across the length and breadth of Nigeria.

One recalls with relish her bravery in the story of little Mary, the effervescent story of the miracle baby for eight years. It was

news coverage, she ventured into politics.

Of course, she was not without training. Her work with the NTA had exposed to the suffering of the masses, created the needed vista for what needed be done to alleviate the suffering. Her love for people, strong understanding of their needs, her dedication, inquisitive nature and professionalism makes service easy to render.

Since got elected into the House of Representatives, Hon. Abike D a b i r i Erewa has

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa captivating, thoughtprovoking, one that chokes one emotionally. As did most Newsline devotees, I followed the every slant of the story and it remains ever fresh in my mind, many years later.

Many felt that story ought to have earned Abike a honourary award for her investigative savvy, bravery and zest which she brought to bear in the manner she relayed the story and kept the viewers glued to their seats every Sunday.

As a reporter, she could do no more than plead their course by bringing their plight to the door steps of the authorities. It was painful, but that was that. But she yearned for better approach. Then politics beckons.

After 15 years as the lady of the tube and tugging desire to plead the case of the commoners beyond

distinguished herself by working assiduously by sponsoring bills that touched on her passion for people, and has never shied away from opposing issues that borders on neglect of the grassroots as well as government high handedness.

She was the Chairman of the House Committee on Media & Publicity. She is currently the chairman of House Committee on Diaspora Affairs.

As one of the front-runners in the House, she has spearheaded debates in a number of bills, chief among them: The Freedom of Information bill The Nigerian infant Health welfare bill (To ensure every child under 5 gets free qualitative medical care.)

Nigerian Diaspora Commission bill, which seeks a repeal of the Nigerian Press Council bill and to replace it with the Nigerian Press and Journalism Council bill.

Her argument was that it would strengthen the NPC and promote the practice of Journalism as well as legalise provision of good welfare package for Journalists in Nigeria.

Very vocal on matters affecting Nigerians in diaspora, Hon. Abike has given Nigerians abroad a sense of belonging as she never fails to speak out whenever they are poorly treated.

She has insisted that Nigerians anywhere must be treated with dignity and indeed the member of the lower chamber has stood out among the amazons in the legislative arms of government.

Just for the records: Abike Kafayat Oluwatoyin Dabiri-Erewa, was born in Jos, Plateau state to the family of Alhaji and Alhaja Ashafa Erogbogbo of Ikorodu. Her father, Alhaji Ashafa Erogbogbo is one of the children of late Alh. Sule Erogbogbo of Adegorunsen Compound, Ajina square, Ita – Agbodo, Ikorodu. Her paternal grandmother, Alhaja Alimotu Erobogbo hails from Bello Solebo family of Ita – Elewa Square, Ikorodu.

The then Abike Dabiri started her educational career at Maryland Convent Private School, Ikeja, where she obtained her First School Living Certificate. She proceeded to St. Theresa’s College, Ibadan for her secondary education where she distinguished herself as a student of repute.

She obtained her first degree in English Language from the prestigious University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU) Ile – Ife. Later, she obtained a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Mass Communication and also a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos, Akoka.

She also had a stint at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA. This devoted Muslim is happily married to Segun Erewa and they are happily blessed with children.

PAGE 30

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Do you have old pictures for memories?

Send to owoidoho_ng35@yahoo.com

ARCHIVES

Kano man making Suya in 60s and 70s

Gen. Buhari at the Armed Forces Day, 1984

Eugene Keazor and Ironsi 1960

Northern Nigerian Fulani dancers in the 1980s

Juju/Black magic in Nigeria in the 70s and 80s.

Page 31

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Leisure

CARTOON

STRANGE FACTS • Coconuts kill more people in the world than sharks do. You’re 15 times more likely to be killed by falling coconuts than by a shark.

• The worst performing Harry Potter film made $90 million USD more than the best Twilight movie • Depression is the result of over thinking. The mind creates problems that didn’t even exist.

• Cats do not meow to communicate with other cats. Cats meow to communicate with humans.

• The song Gangnam Style actually describes “the perfect girlfriend who knows when to be refined and when to get wild.”

• Small animals, like ants, cannot die by falling from any height.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

STRANGE FACTS

• • • • •

What happened to the dog the small candle? that swallowed a watch?

Why is it dangerous to play ANSWERS games in the jungle?

• it had ticks/ it became a watch What has so many keys but dog. cannot open a door?

• There are cheaters in the What is the instrument that jungle. cannot be seen or touched but • a piano. can be played?

• ones voice.

What did the big candle say to • tonight I am going out.

WORD SEARCH

Friendship

Find and circle all of the words that are hidden in the grid.

The words may be hidden in any direction. ‘’there is flattery in friendship’’ William Shakespear ACQUAINTANCES BOYFRIEND COMPANIONS CONFIDE FAVOR FONDNESS FRIENDLINESS FUN GIRLFRIEND BUDDY CLOSENESS GOOD TIMES HELP LEND LOYALTY PAL PRANKS SHARE

QUOTES Sometimes we let affection, go unspoken, Sometimes we let our love go unexpressed, Sometimes we can’t find words to tell our feelings, Especially towards those we love the best.

-Anonymous Be not ashamed of who you are, and still not ashamed of what you are not. For it is in the shame you become an outright coward.

-Onyowoicho G.E. One in six people suffer depression or a chronic anxiety disorder. These are not the worried well but those in severe mental pain with conditions crippling enough to prevent them living normal lives.

- Polly Toynbee

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Compiled by Namy Kadir Hassan

Fashion

Page 32

Michelle Obama dressed

by Nigerian Designer

Michelle Obama in Maki Oh hile on a tour of Africa, United States first lady Michelle Obama wore a shirt by Nigerian designer Maki Oh. The stylish first lady wore the Adire Tally shirt to a MTV Base Meets African Youth event while she was in South Africa as part of her visit to the continent with her husband Barack Obama. She wore the hand-printed blouse with an a-line skirt, in green with bold prints.

The session saw the mother of two and former lawyer participating in a ‘live hangout’ called Connecting Continents: A Conversation with U.S First Lady Michelle Obama which saw her chatting to four young people from Africa.

The young Nigerian designer has made a splash since arriving on the fashion scene five years ago, but despite having dressed stars the likes of Solange Knowles and LeeleeSobieski, Obama is certainly the biggest name to have worn her threads.

According to Interview Magazine, Oh “hand-dyes all of her fabrics with natural indigo leaves and paints on prints with a cassava plant paste, a traditional Nigerian practice called adire”. This is a result of the designer’s environmental and cultural agenda.

Obama is known for wearing eye-catching garments from a range of designers, including a few upstarts who have had their career made by the first lady’s fashion choices.

Maki Oh isn’t the first African designer to dress Obama, as she has worn dresses by Tunisian born designer AzzedineAlaia to public appearances in the past.

W

Kannywood & Nollywood

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

AFMAN pardons Nafisa, says she is free to return to acting From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

A

ssociation of Film Makers Association of Nigeria (AFMAN) has lifted the sanction imposed on as well as pardoned its screen diva, Nafisa Abdullahi.

The popular actress was suspended allegedly for the series of offences, which were said to be in breach of ethical standard as well as offensive to the Hausa culture and Islamic religion. It was alleged that she committed them during the last couple of months.

Chairman of the association, Ismaila Na Abba Afakallah, who disclosed this in an interview with our reporter, said that the association decided to pardon the actress after she wrote an apology as well as verbally apologized to her colleagues and the association as a whole.

“We have deemed it right to pardon Nafisa following her verbal and written apology for the offence she committed two months ago.

However, she is not the only one that committed the offence, there were three in all. The others were Ummi Lollipop and Fati Washa.

“These two were also pardoned after they appeared before the Disciplinary Committee and apologized. But Nafisa had refused to show up and didn’t deem it fit to apologise that was why we decided to suspend her for two years,” he said.

The chairman explained that after the gravity of her offence was explained to her, she saw the need to plead for forgiveness and was obliged.

“Now, she has understood her mistake and has written an apology to us. She has also expressed her regret over the offence that led to her suspension. Well, after due consideration, the committed has decided to grant her the pardon,” he added.

Also, the chairman stated that the actress in the letter sought for permission from the committee to re-sit with her and review the matter because she had more clarifications to make on the issues that led to the suspension.

Again, the committee thought it wise to grant her request because she is one of our own and as humans,

anyone can make mistake, and provided the person is ready to explain herself and see reasons to adapt to the wishes of the majority or the standard of the association the fellow can be corrected and pardoned.

“The letter contains a request for permission to re-appear before the committee to review the matter.

She made it clear that she had some clarifications to make on the same matter. The committee then reviewed her request and after thorough consideration decided to grant her the permission. So, on Sunday, 21 July, this year she re-appeared before the committee and her matter was reviewed. There, she expressed her regret over her actions before members of the committee members and pledged to refrain from repeat of similar offence, henceforth.”

Asked what effect the decision would have in the in the industry in view the ongoing reform, the chairman said their efforts to check ugly incidences or acts that had in the past put the industry in a bad light remain strong.

Particularly, he said the association remains committed to the quest to arrest whatever act/s of immorality or all such acts which would negate the Hausa culture as well as assault or misrepresent the Islamic religion.

He insisted that they would be alert to ensure no artist breach ethical standard or conduct his or herself in a manner offensive to the community in which they live. Further, he said sterner measures would adopted against anyone that deliberately perpetrated ugly acts against the Hausa culture or Islam in the hope of receiving similar pardon, after making perfunctory apology.

“It all depends on the degree and occurrence of the offence.

This is Nafisa’s first offence in the industry and she has suffered within the period of two months of her suspension. Her offence was not such that we be hard-hearted; it did not warrant our refusal to grant her pardon if we discovered that she has truly regretted her actions and apologized accordingly.

“She really regretted her offence and even consulted some elders within and outside the industry to intervene on her behalf over the

Nafisa matter. We took cognisance of the calibre of persons she sought their intervention on the matter. We acknowledged their appeal to us for the milk of human kindness in our decision on the matter.

“Some of the groups she contacted to plead for her included the Women Producers Elders (WPE), and they acted actively in the matter. Her fans also called us severally to beg for her pardon. Besides, it took some five weeks after she her apology for us to us at it and decided to sit with her to the matter.

“We thought her persistence, the various contacts she used and

repeated pleadings by her fans were evidence of regret. In all, her suspension she serves as a lesson for others to conduct themselves in line with the standard expected of u as artists,” he said.

Accordingly to him, steps have already been to inform key stakeholders in the industry of her readmittance in the association. “We have informed all the guilds and associations, the National Censorship Board and State Censorship Board about the decision to pardon the actress. Nafisa is now back to acting and is available to all producers and directors for contract,” he added.

I take Indian Hemp to relax, cool off, says Seun Kuti

T

Seun

he other day Tonto Dikeh displayed a picture of Indian Hemp on her timeline, virtually everybody lampooned her and called her all sorts of name.

What amazes Nigeriafilms.com is that Seun Kuti, the last born of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti recently admitted in an open interview that he takes ‘Igbo’ to cool off and relax and nobody is raising any eyebrow about it.

Hear what he said, “The Indian hemp should not be abused.

It is good for mankind. I take Igbo (Indian hemp), but not for performance. I take it to relax and cool off. It is ideal for good sleep, arouses appetite, used to treat cancer, relieves pains, clears the head and relaxes the nerves.”

He also said about why the

government frowns about Igbo as illegal, “Our government sees Igbo as illegal because it is a black man’s inheritance and not from white people; maybe if it was from Europe like cigarette, it would have been legalised.

We are just fake people who don’t believe in our own abilities, but only rely on anything from the West. If Oyinbo man says something is right, then it is right and if they say it is bad, then it is bad.

Our government should first provide me with the basic, social amenities before telling me to stop smoking Igbo because I take it to reduce the psychological frustration I get from government’s inabilities.

They are criticizing Igbo, but there are junkies are all Nigeria now sniffing cocaine and other hard drugs.”

BU$I#€SS PAGE 34

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Fiscal Responsibility Commission: Promoting accountability in resource management

By Ifeanyi Nwoko, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

S

ome analysts describe the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), which was established by Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007, as a ``sleeping watchdog’’.

They also argue that the agency’s creation is somewhat unnecessary, as it seems a duplication of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). On the surface, their functions seem similar in all respect.

However, other analysts insist that that the mandate of RMAFC is distinct and clearly defined in the constitution. Dr Sylvester Mordi, the Commissioner (Policy and Standards) in the FRC, said that RMAFC was purely an advisory body.

“The constitution says that revenue mobilisation commission is an advisory body; it is to advise the President on the formula for sharing revenue among the three tiers of government, and it should do this every five years.

“Ours is to monitor and enforce the Fiscal Responsibility Act, carry out financial and fiscal studies on the economy and publish the result for the public. ``We look at budget preparations, budget approval, budget implementation, and budget evaluation; we also look at the objectives -- whether the government is achieving them or not,’’ he said.

Mordi said that the commission had facilitated the return of N114 billion to the Federal Government’s treasury from the operating surpluses of government agencies within three years, while only N2.45 billion was allocated to commission within the period.

However, he blamed the inability of the FRC to prosecute erring parties on the Act establishing the commission, adding that relevant provisions of the Act should be amended.

Mordi stressed that a situation where the commission could only ask questions and present reports to the Attorney-General of the Federation left much to be desired.

“We are suggesting that the law should be amended; instead of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission being the police, sent to quell riots without guns, we should be given enough power to sanction people; the power to prosecute,’’ he said.

The former FCT Minister, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, described the FRC as a `sleeping watchdog’’ because of the commission’s in-

From left: Dr. Adewumi Abitoye, Commissioner, Strategic Communications, Mr. Chris Okewulonu, Commissioner, legal Enforcement and Investigation, Alhaji Shuaibu Kore, Commissioner, Monitoring and Evaluation, all of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC)Dr. Bright Okogu, Director-General, Budget office of the Federation, and Dr. Sylesvester Mordi, Commissioner, Policy and Standard, FRC, after a meeting recently. ability to prosecute offenders.

In a recent publication, elRufai, quoting Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said that part of the financial problems facing the country was occasioned by the inability of relevant agencies to check government expenditure.

With particular reference to the FRC, he said: ``Many of them are asleep, and if anything, they have become part of the problem.

“The Fiscal Responsibility Act in itself is a laudable legislation if it is implemented as conceived by the economic team.

“The commission was established over five years ago. But are there any achievements to show for it or is it just another drainpipe on the nation’s resources?’’ el-Rufai asked.

But Mordi rejected the viewpoints by arguing that the FRC had recorded some achievements, which should be carefully noted and used to evaluate its performance and relevance.

He said that apart from the N114 billion which the commission had saved for the Federal Government, it was currently investigating some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

He listed some of these agencies to include the Bureau for Public Enterprises, Presidential Committee on the Sales of Government Property and the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency.

Others are the National Sugar Development Council, Federal

Airport Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Communications Commission and Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, among others ``We will soon get our reports and where necessary, report the MDAs to the Attorney General of the Federation for possible prosecution,’’ he said.

Mordi, nonetheless, bemoaned the delay in submitting budget monitoring reports to the commission by the Budget Office of the Federal Ministry of Finance and recommended that the Fiscal Responsibility Act should be applicable to the states as well.

“In Nigeria, the Federal Government’s share of federally-allo-

cated revenue is not more than 52 per cent. The rest goes to the state and local governments. ``So, if the Fiscal Responsibility Act applies to only 52 per cent, its impact on the economy will be reduced. Therefore, we want the states to come onboard,’’ he said.

Observers say that the FRC would certainly be an indispensable tool for ensuring accountability in the management of government resources if it is properly repositioned to function effectively.

Nevertheless, Alhaji Aliyu Yelwa, the Chairman of the FRC, underscored the need for Nigerians to show considerable interest in monitoring public expenditure.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance

He said that such approach would aid efforts to check violence, poverty, corruption and under-development which, he added, were all symptoms of bad governance.

“In the fight against corruption and financial profligacy, all hands must be on deck. We must all become whistle-blowers.

“Nigerians must take advantage of Section 51 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which grants individuals unhindered access and locus standi to enforce compliance.

“It states inter alia: a person shall have the legal capacity to enforce the provisions of this Act by obtaining prerogative orders or other remedies at the Federal High Court without having to show any special and particular interest,’’ he said.

Moreover, Yelwa stressed that African countries needed strong institutions such as the FRC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to promote accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.

Observers note that the FRC’s service delivery, within the short period of its existence, is quite commendable.

They, however, call for the empowerment of the commission to enable it to prosecute the violators of the Fiscal Responsibility Act. (NANFeatures)

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

PAGE 35

BU$I#€SS

Stock analyst rues low investment in Abia

A

L-R: Director-General voice of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar B. Jijiwa, President of the Senate, Senator David Mark and chairman board of directors of Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Andy Aghaji, during their visit to the National Assembly on Thursday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Ghana pays premium as it raises $750 million in 10-year Eurobond

By Sunday Etuka with agency report

G

hana sold a $750 million Eurobond over during the week in its second foray into international bond markets, but paid a premium to compensate investors wary about its burgeoning fiscal and current account deficits.

The West African cocoa and gold producer, which discovered oil in 2007, issued the 10year bond at a yield of 8 percent, sources told Reuters.

The order book was around $2 billion, just over two and a half times the issue size, the sources said.

With an economy set to grow by 8 percent this year and a record of political stability, Ghana is well liked by foreign investors, who are also active participants in its domestic bond market. The country followed on the heels of African peers Zambia, Nigeria and Rwanda who have also tapped international investor appetite for high yield in the past year.

Ghana’s debut $750 million 10-year bond launched in 2007, was four times oversubscribed and was issued at a yield of 8.5 percent.

The yield on the new bond, at a premium to the 2017 instrument which is trading at around

6 percent, suggests investors were unwilling to overlook Ghana’s worsening fiscal situation.

Ghana is struggling to contain a budget deficit that surged to 11.8 percent of gross domestic product in 2012, from 4 percent in 2011, according to a prospectus for the Eurobond, partly as a result of steep public wage increases.

“This suggests that Ghana offered a decent premium to compensate investors for the risks associated with the country’s fiscal and macroeconomic imbalances,” said Samir Gadio, emerging markets strategist at Standard Bank.

President John Dramani Mahama’s government, which took office early this year, has said it aims to reduce the deficit to 9 percent of GDP in 2013.

But analysts say the deficit appears to have become structural and could widen again as spending increases ahead of elections in 2016.

“You now face an economy where the strategy in order to fund the deficit is to borrow and that’s not sustainable in the long run,” said Gadio.

By not issuing earlier in the year before a selloff in emerging market assets, Ghana also missed a “massive” opportunity as it could have paid around 5 percent, said one investor. The

yield on the 2017 bond traded as low as 4.24 percent in April.

“What alarmed us as investors is the fact that the timing was bad,” said the investor, who declined to be named.

“Based on our analysis, the opportunity cost loss is at least $100 million on a net present value basis. That’s four district hospitals if you want it in social terms.”

Ghana, the world’s secondlargest cocoa producer and Africa’s biggest gold producer after South Africa, is rated B by Standard and Poor’s and B+ by Fitch, which revised the coun-

try’s outlook to negative from stable in February.

Besides the budget deficit, its current account shortfall has also expanded, to $4.92 billion or 12.3 per cent of GDP, from $2.15 billion in 2007.

Public debt increased to 49.4 percent of GDP in 2012, from 40.8 percent in 2011, higher than peers such as Nigeria which has a debt-to-GDP ratio of 18.6 percent.

The government plans to use the bond’s proceeds for capital expenditure and refinancing public debt to reduce the cost of borrowing.

n Umuahia-based stock analyst in Abia State, Mr Emmanuel Ogbonnaya has expressed worry over the low level of stocks investment in the state.

Ogbonnaya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Umuahia that the business climate in the state was pathetic.

“What is happening here is worrisome. In a civil service dominated area, people are supposed to invest in stocks because they will one day, leave the service,” he said.

The stock analyst noted that while other Nigerians were taking advantage of the benefits in the capital market, the people of the state were indifferent.

“Investment in stocks has numerous advantages. Our people should not be seen to be different,” he said.

Ogbonnaya, however, attributed the recent crash in the stock market to the apathy in the business.

“Before the market crashed between 2008 and 2011, a lot of people showed interest but they refused to go back due to lack of information,’’ “They did not ask questions and that is why such people were the worst hit. Stock business is information driven.

“It is not something you invest and relax because it is your duty to approach your stock broker for advice,’’ he said.

Ogbonnaya urged the people to invest in stock market assuring them that the market had stabilised as the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) had tightened all lose Textile industry yet to reach its peak. – Union

Sokoto Govt., Zenith Bank to disburse N1.6bn agric loan to farmers

S

okoto State Government said it would disburse N1.6 billion agricultural loans to farmers in the state.

The commissioner for solid minerals in the state, Alhaji Dahiru Maishanu, said this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the state executive council meeting.

The commissioner said the state government would provide N512 million, while Zenith Bank Plc would provide the balance.

``The loan facility was approved by the council and it will be distributed to rice and tomato farmers in the 23 local government areas of the state.’’

The commissioner said the gesture was aimed at encouraging more farmers to produce more food for both local consumption and export.

Similarly, the state government has approved the tarring of the road networks and parking spaces at the Usman Faruk Secretariat at the cost of N225.6

million.

Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu, the Commissioner for Health said the council also approved the reconstruction of the 1.5 kilometre Unguwar Rogo-Police Station-Minanata-Tudunwada road at the cost of N154.96 million.

Aliyu said the council had approved the construction of new General Hospitals in Kware and Dange/Shuni local government areas at the cost of N172.26 million each. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

PAGE 37

Opinion

Social network and decline of reading culture R eading is one of the basic things a child begins to do in the early stage of formal education within the school building. Some children also learn to read from their parents even before they start schooling (the informal schooling). It is through reading that children broaden their understanding of life.

Reading culture can best be explained as a learned practice of seeking knowledge, information and entertainment through the written word. Such practice can be acquired by reading books, journals, magazines, newspapers and so on.

Having a reading culture, has become imperative in the 21st century for everybody especially youth, the future of the nation.

The essence of education is to help learn and bring a change in our behavior, to give us knowledge about a lot of things, not only about how things are done in other places, but to know a lot about what is happening around us.

Learning and reading are windows through which a literate person can see the world; we need to learn so as to know beyond our immediate scope. However, the declining interest in reading exhibited by youths today is a cause for alarm and a challenge to all.

Social networks has taken away youth attention especially; BB chat, facebook, 2go, twitter among others, which has no credibility and source while books have source and credibility can be traced to the authors and publishers for inquiry at any point in time.

Unlike social networks, reading is an active mental process. Books make you to use your brain and by reading you think more and become smarter. It is also a fundamental skill builder. Every good course on the planet has a matching book to go with it because books help clarify difficult subject and provide information that goes deeper than just classroom discussion.

Social networks, despite the lack of source credibility have network problem, viruses, damage to files in the computer system and works sometimes does not make book look exactly like the way you want it to.

But books reading can change life. I had of a book changing someone’s life by Wayne Byer, which is the first self development book I read. It opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking that was not depressing and dull. It was the first step in my path of choosing my own life free of old habitual thought patterns Reading build self esteem, reading more books helps you to become better informed on the topics you read about and also improves your reasoning skills. It improves creativity through reading more books and exposing yourself to new and more complete information.

But social networks exposes youth to information that are not beneficial to their lives. And because one is free to access anything one feels like without any instruction, even kids can access the web and thus encounter ugly sites where pornography thrives, net 419 (duping), and so on.

There is no source of contact because anybody can write and upload anything he/she likes because of the absence of principle/laws which guide the operation and usage of the site. Books though are thoroughly edited, proofread and the content scrutinized for factual accuracy as well as appropriateness of language before being published for consumption.

Social network that ought to help now looks as if it is a curse. Young people now spend most of their time on the internet sending text messages and using the internet to engage in so many anti social acts that would neither be of benefit to them nor their parents.

Youth are not reading anymore and so they are getting deformed, when you listen to their spoken English, you feel so bad because they

Youth in a cyber cafe have disrupt their ability to write and speak good English by the kind of system they use in sending messages on the laptops.

Before now, reading had been the guide to knowledge, but with the advent of social networks, its seriousness has been eroded. Yes, the hitherto seriousness and interest attached to reading has reduced. One recalls that for some a minimum of one text book a day was the standard for tertiary institution students.

Now, these students would rather concentrate on their systems than read a book in a month.

It seems the obvious to conclude that the social networks have engendered poor reading culture, some level of laziness. Also, the social

network has now become a shortcut to reading in schools today because the youth don’t sit down to read, but would prefer to download readymade materials.

Rather than read to assemble facts and enrich their understanding available materials in the internet, even for basic school assignment simply delight in lifting materials from the internet and submit same to the lecture. So, students don’t have time to read books for their assignment, such time is used for frivolous reasons: browsing the social network.

For reading culture to be revived, students must be encouraged to return to the habit of reading at least one a week for a start and then subsequently

a book each day. Schools must have functional libraries, stocked with current and relevant books.

This will serve as a good distraction from the hindrance social network. They will spear themselves flashing lights, beeps, and ring a dings that burn up our computing lives, then give books a chance.

When you find some good books, you will find yourself drawn in to the subject matter you will want to spend more time reading. By spending more time reading books, you have less time for the plethora of the digital gadgets, bagging for your attention.

Written by Nuba O. Sinda, Student of Mass Communication University of Maiduguri.

Open letter to Governor Kwankwaso

J

ustice and fairness are some of the few virtues with which a leader can succeed in the art of governance. That being the case, one can comfortably say that Engineer Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is one of the few successful leaders Kano state has ever been blessed with.

Therefore, Kano is indeed lucky to have his Excellency at this crucial and perilous period of socio-economic and security challenges besetting the country especially in the north, and precisely in Kano State. Your re-election has indeed ushered in tremendous progress and development in all aspects of our daily lives, judging from the realities on ground.

Sir, I’m a Bona-fide citizen of Kano from Tsakuwa town of Dawakin kudu local government area, with a permanent residence at DARMANAWA QUARTERS, Tarauni local government area. I write to appeal to his Excellency the Kano state Governor to come to my aid due to the injustice meted out to me by the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KNUPDA) in connivance with Maiunguwa Danlami (ward head) of Darmanawa Quarters, out of selfish reasons; by demolishing part of my house at Darmanawa Layin Outpost in Tarauni Local government Council.

Investigations have revealed that as far as KNUPDA is concerned; the area in question where my house is located at Darmanawa is a farm-land, having been developed by Kano

Municipal Local government area way back in 1991. And that there were no records of the area whatsoever in the registry of KNUPDA, hence the responsibility for development of plots and allocations rests entirely with the jurisdiction of Tarauni Local Government Council.

However, my house is located right inside Darmanawa Quarters, and further investigations showed there is no ongoing or proposed capital project development of any kind presently to be executed by either Kano state government or Tarauni local government along the street. But on that area only my frontage fence was demolished by KNUPDA. Your Excellency Sir, exactly on the 16th of July, 2013, the Managing Director in cahoots with Director Development Control (DDC); and center officers (JUNAIDU AND SHAZALI) demolished part of my house, leaving other frontage extensions along the street intact.

This to me smacks of injustice and flagrant violation of my fundamental human right as a law abiding citizen of Kano state, which your responsive administration is doing everything humanly possible to ameliorate!

The haste with which the MD approved the demolition of my structure even when Darmanawa community are in court challenging the attempt to illegally block the street and convert it to plots of land clearly raises many questions which negates the

principle upon which the kwankwasiyya government of Kano state works. This action definitely points to a quid-pro-quo (somethingfor-something) conduct; otherwise, why will the MD of KNUPDA side with some greedy people and allow the agency he is heading, to be used in perpetrating injustice against defenseless citizens?

So, in line with your resolve to ensure justice, equity, fairness, and based on your track records as a listening governor and servant leader Sir, my appeal to you are as follows : 1. That Your Excellency should kindly take time to visit or send a representative to the area (DARMANAWA LAYIN OUTPOST) and see how my structure was illegally demolished whereas others in the same street were left intact!

2. That Your Excellency should investigate how some management staff of KNUPDA are collaborating with land racketeers, and saboteurs of your government, thereby tarnishing the good image of your exceptional and committed administration.

3. That Your Excellency should set up an independent investigative panel to find out why the MD approved the demolition of so many structures unjustly.

4. That the activity of KNUPDA with regard to my property patently smacks of bias, flagrant abuse and violation of my fundamental

human right which goes against the extant law guiding the activities of KNUPDA or any other government agency for that matter.

5. That Government should call KNUPDA to order and put a stop to the activities of Land racketeers that are currently holding Darmanawa and environ under siege!

6. That Government should find out why the Mai-Unguwa (Danlami) who was recently suspended by the revered Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero on account of Land racketeering at Darmanawa Quarters became deeply involved in this sordid matter? Is he acting alone, or merely representing somebody at the higher echelon of Tarauni traditional Council?

7. And because I’m a helpless and defenseless citizen, with nobody to fight my cause as an ordinary Kano indigene, that I therefore count on your well known sense of justice and fairness to all, irrespective of status, connections, creed or whatever primordial sentiment to come to my aid so that justice can be done Sir even as I hope sincerely that Your Excellency will consider all my pleas with a view to redressing them and restoring my confidence in the rule of law as exemplified by your administration.

Thank you. May the Almighty Allah continue to be your guard. Amin Kabiru Tsakuwa, Darmanawa Quarters, Layin Outpost, Tarauni Local Govt., Kano.(08070490375

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Special Report

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Natural Gas Vehicles:

The clean way to go with domestic fuel

By Theodora Eka

A

s the nation looks for ways to reduce air pollution from vehicles, natural gas is the ideal environmental alternative to gasoline. For starters, natural gas is clean. (It’s the same clean-burning natural gas that you use to cook or heat your home.)

And natural gas has a proven safety record.

Because natural gas is lighter than air, any leaking fuel will not pool like liquids, but will dissipate into the air. Vehicles fuelled with natural gas can dramatically reduce emissions of carbon monoxide and reactive hydrocarbons-which interact with sunlight to produce ozone, the principal component of smog and also reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, the principal “greenhouse” gas.

Natural gas is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel available. Natural gas vehicles can achieve up to a 93 per cent reduction in carbon monoxide emissions, 33 per cent reduction in nitrogen oxides emissions, and a 50 per cent reduction in reactive hydrocarbons in comparison with gasoline vehicles. Natural gas vehicles emit virtually no carcinogenic particulate matter.

In addition, because natural gas burns cleanly, maintenance costs are low. Natural gas extends the time needed between tune-ups and oil changes, and results in less engine wear-andtear. Also, natural gas has an octane rating of 130, which means it has an efficiency advantage over gasoline or petroleum.

A natural gas vehicle or NGV is an alternative fuel vehicle that uses compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a cleaner alternative to other fossil fuels. Natural gas vehicles should not be confused with vehicles powered by propane (LPG), which is a fuel with a fundamentally different composition.

Natural gas in engine hasn’t been a new idea.

The first natural gas engine was built in 1860, before the development of the gasoline engine.

Natural gas vehicles have been used with much success in the United States since the 1960s and in Europe for nearly 50 years. In fact, there are currently more than 30,000 natural gas vehicles on U.S. roads and over 700,000 worldwide.

Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

CNG-powered vehicles are considered to be safe.

The question here is, is using natural gas in a vehicle safe? Yes. First, the natural gas storage cylinders are very sturdy, a half-inch thick compared to an eighth or sixteenth of an inch for gasoline tanks. Second, natural gas is lighter than air, so even if a leak develops, the gas dissipates into the air instead of forming a spreading pool or vapour cloud on the ground, as other fuels do.

Third, the combustion temperature of natural gas, 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, is higher than that of gasoline, 600 degrees Fahrenheit.

An American Gas Association study reported no injuries or fatalities after more than a half billion miles driven with natural gas vehicles.

Vehicles converted to run on natural gas may retain the ability to operate on gasoline. The driver can switch from one fuel to another safely while driving. These vehicles are known as bi-fuel vehicles. Vehicles that run solely on natural gas are known as “dedicated” natural gas vehicles.

With 187 trillion standard cubic feet of natural gas reserves, Nigeria stands out as a major gas destination, particularly as it has been able to supply the product in different forms to many parts of the globe. Take the Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG as an example. From a modest two train base LNG project of eight million tonnes per annum (mtpa) in 1999 to the current six operating train capacity of 22 mtpa, there is great optimism that the nation would be able to produce 52 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the nearest future following the expected completion of on-going projects.

One of the major investors is NIPCo which has injected over N17billion in the provision of

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructure in a joint venture scheme with Nigeria Gas Company, NGC a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The JV scheme which resulted in the setting up Green Gas Ltd has already inaugurated eight CNG stations and conversion workshops in Benin.

More stations are currently under construction in other parts of the nation. The Managing Director of Nipco, Mr.Venkataraman Venkatapathy who made the disclosure while speaking on the sidelines at the Nigeria Gas Association (NGA) 8th international Conference and Exhibition said over 1,500 vehicles had been configured to use CNG as vehicular fuel.

From all indications, not much has been done in the past to harness commercial gas for local consumption. Although some investments have been made to boost the application of gas in industries and homes, many consumers still complain of not only of high prices but also shortage of cooking gas. There is however hope as some investors have started to boost investments targeted at propagating the use of Compressed Natural Gas, CNG mainly made up of methane for automotive application.

NIPCo which confirmed the advantages of CNG as automotive fuel stated that: “Benin City CNG Project by NIPCoPlc needs supports of all Government Departments and also the Public for its success. It is an environment friendly project and at the same time it intends to provide relatively cheaper fuel to the vehicle users besides the commercial & Industrial consumers in the city. World over CNG is becoming increasingly

popular day by day. Nigeria being a gas rich country, the usage of CNG & PNG shall help FGN its dependence on the importation of refined products and at the same time provide its citizen a quality life.”

The battle for the best alternative fuel to petroleum has been waged, unsuccessfully, since the automobile was invented. A century and a quarter later, we still have not found a fuel as abundant, energy-rich and cost-effective as gasoline and diesel. Ethanol, hydrogen, solar, electricity, a DeLorean running on trash — none has yet proved useful for the masses. But one fuel is even more abundant than oil, burns cleaner and is incredibly cheap and relatively easy to use: natural gas.

Despite its advantages, the use of natural gas vehicles faces several limitations, including fuel storage and infrastructure available for delivery and distribution at fuelling stations. CNG must be stored in high pressure cylinders (3000psi to 3600psi operation pressure), and LNG must be stored in cryogenic cylinders (-260F to -200F).

These cylinders take up more space than gasoline or diesel tanks that can be moulded in intricate shapes to store more fuel and use less on-vehicle space. CNG tanks are usually located in the vehicle’s trunk or pickup bed, reducing the space available for other cargo. This problem can be solved by installing the tanks under the body of the vehicle, or on the roof (typical for busses), leaving cargo areas free. As with other alternative fuels, other barriers for widespread use of NGVs are natural gas distribution to and at fuelling stations as well as the low number of CNG and LNG stations.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

PAGE 39

International

Ashiru seeks to free Nigerian prisoners abroad

By Hassan Haruna Ginsau

T

he Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga A. Ashiru, is undertaking a 5 day official visit to Indonesia and The Philippines.

Top of his agenda will be a revival of clemency talks for Nigerians on death row in the Asian-pacific countries.

The talks will be a follow-up to the February visit of the Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang-Yudhoyono to Nigeria, during which the issue of clemency for Nigerians on death row was discussed.

The Indonesian president did not provide any definite answers to the pleas of the Nigerian government for pardon of its citizens in Indonesian prisons during the visit.

Ashiru will bid to ensure that some of these Nigerians, if they are not pardoned, can be returned under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA).

The Minister has previously disclosed that 9,000 Nigerians are languishing in various prisons abroad.

Most of these Nigerians are in Asian, Brazilian and UK prisons.

More worrying is the fact that most of them are on death row in these Asian jails, for drug related offences. Asian countries have very strict laws regarding drug trafficking.

Indonesian drug laws prescribe

the death penalty for narcotics trafficking and up 20 years in prison for marijuana offenses. Simple possession of Group 1 drugs results in prison terms of four to twelve years.

In The Philipenes, the law prescribes the death penalty for drug traffickers caught with at least 0.3 ounce of opium, morphine, heroin, cocaine, marijuana resin, or at least 17 ounces of marijuana.

The Philippines has imposed a moratorium on the death penalty, but drug offenders are still punished harshly if caught – the minimum sentence is 12 years in prison for possession of.17 ounce of illegal drugs.

The present number of Nigerians in Indonesian prisons is not certain but in 2010, they were 48.

Only one is said to have been executed in 2012. He was caught in a drug related deal in prison, while already serving a drug related sentence.

In a separate case, a 23 year-old Nigerian student, John Amaechi Eze of a private college in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was sentenced to death by hanging after he was also found guilty of trafficking in 16,936gm of cannabis two years ago.

His sentencing has elicited a range of reactions and warnings to Nigerians against trafficking drugs in countries where the stated penalty for such an offence is the death sentence.

9,000 Nigerians are in jail abroad, many of them are on death row.

Quite a good number of these Nigerians jailed abroad have died in these jails and their bodies cremated, as China did a couple of years ago. This raises questions of the safety of these Nigerian nationals jailed abroad.

Last year, The House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, chaired by Abike DabiriErewa embarked on a campaign for the repatriation of 473 Nigerians languishing in Brazil prisons for various offences including drug trafficking.

Dabiri said that a 72-year-old grandmother was among 473 other Nigerians currently in jail in Brazil for drug-related offences.

Lamenting that such development was not good for the country’s image, the lawmaker added that it was important for Nigeria to address the issues plaguing the country to make it a pride of place for its nationals.

The committee’s trip yielded few if any results, and did not lead to the release or transfer of any Nigerian prisoners.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, during his tenure also led a high powered delegation to Indonesia to mediate on behalf of the convicts and other prisoners serving various jail terms in Indonesia.

His trip resulted in a moratorium on the execution of those on

Ashiru death row. The hanging of a Nigerian on death row in Indonesia though has suggested such arrangements may have been abandoned, resulting in the need for Ashiru to yet again intervene.

Due to the very strict nature of the drug laws in Asian countries, many see the possibility of winning back condemned drug traffickers as very slim.

On the Nigerian Government’s part there is definitely a need for the NDLEA and other security agencies at the nation’s airports and borders to step up action in tackling the problem of drug traf-

ficking to foreign countries.

Due to slack laws and convictions in drug cases, many drug traffickers view Nigeria as a safe haven to move their products.

Most of the Nigerians in foreign jails, especially those convicted on drug charges, may probably have passed through the nation’s porous airports undetected either by corrupt Nigerian officials looking the other way or a poor screening structure.

This apparent disregard for law from even the security agencies mixed with other societal challenges (mainly poverty), is a dangerous cocktail that may drive desperate Nigerians into committing these crimes.

The Government should also sensitize its people on the dangers of such crimes, if it may serve as a deterrent for intending offenders.

The large number of Nigerian prisoners abroad is a very negative image for Nigeria, a country that is looking to transform itself globally. Such issues are what give Nigeria increasingly low ratings worldwide.

The funny thing though is that many of the Nigerian prisoners would rather serve out their sentences abroad, pointing to a lack of transparency and poor detention facilities in Nigeria.

Another stumbling block to such “transfer” talks would be the lack of Indonesian or Philipino prisoners in Nigeria to exchange with under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement.

Nigeria has the highest number of nationals in jails abroad, followed

by Iran with 4,000, Brazil with 500 and Malaysia with 300.

Last year a Nigerian, Mr. Godswill Udechukwu who was serving a life sentence for murder in a prison in Dublin was stabbed to death by inmates.

It is hoped that the minister is devising ways of dealing with this bad situation in addition to his lamentations.

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Page 40

Hollywood & Bollywood

When Prateik went down Chennai Express on knees for Amyra Dastur dialogue promos

B

ollywood actor Prateik Babbar went down on his knee for ‘Isaaq’ co-star and Bollywood actor Amyra Dastur as they walked the ramp for designer Rina Dhaka on day two of India Bridal Fashion Week (IBFW).

Dressed in a black velvet jacket and vermilion on his head, Babbar looked his character from the upcoming film, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragic love story

‘Romeo and Juliet’.

Prateik Babbar and Amyra Dastur took to the ramp to flaunt a black velvet sherwani and an ornate sharara respectively.

Dastur, who made her debut on the ramp, looked nervous in a silver shimmery sharara.

Babbar also bowed down for Rina’s bridal collection which was high on bling as she used patch work techniques on her chiffon,

satin, net and georgette fabric.

Singer-actor Sophie Choudry walked the ramp for designer Rina Dhaka on Day 2 of India Bridal Fashion Week 2013 Singer-actor Sophie Choudry opened the show wearing a mirror-worked backless choli and lehenga. Rina’s collection saw a colour palette consisted of bright colours like mustard, orange, red, royal blue, magenta and black.

make waves

M

akers of Chennnai Express have released dialogue promos of the film, India Today has said.

There are three funny dialogue promos, showing the awesome chemistry between the lead couple Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone who have also showcased perfect comic timing.

Directed by Rohit Shetty, Chennai Express is about a man’s journey from Mumbai to Rameshwaram and what happens along the way after he falls in love with the daughter of a don.

Shahrukh plays Rahul, the common man. Deepika plays Meenamma Lochni, daughter of a much feared don (Sathyaraj).

Shah Rukh Khan defying health warnings

S

uperstar Shah Rukh Khan has been defying health warnings and spending long hours at work.

Shah Rukh, who underwent a shoulder surgery in May, has been juggling with multiple

tasks of late.

Post surgery, he was advised to have at least 10 hours of sleep to help his weak shoulder recuperate faster.

But just last week, King Khan shot a tough song with

his “Chennai Express” co-star Deepika Padukone. He was busy for two days with the song.

On the third day, he shot an ad too which made him busy himself with dubbing for “Chennai Express” till early hours in the morning, and reaches home in time enough time to have about four hours sleep before he woke up at 8 a.m., said a source.

Dhanush wants to do more Bollywood films, learning Hindi

S

Shah Rukh

outh star Dhanush, who wowed everyone with his intense performance in his maiden Hindi film ‘Raanjhanaa’, is keen on taking up more Bollywood projects.

He is apparently taking Hindi lessons to make things easier for him.

He reportedly said that learning a new language is very difficult, but he’s giving his best shot.

Dhanush in a still from his Bollywood debut film ‘Raanjhanaa’ reports, Dhanush has appointed a tutor for learning the language.

Dhanush, who is Tamilian, said that his main focus will continue to be Tamil films.

Page 41

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Weekend Sports

CHAN 2014: Super Eagles’ 90 minutes to break jinx

Sunday Mba congratulates Mohammed Gambo after he scores against the Ivoriens in Calabar while another teammates cheers. The Eagles will look to repeat the same today in Abidjan

By Patrick Andrew

S

ince its inception six years ago, the African Nations Championship (CHAN) has been Nigeria’s Achilles heel. Two failed attempts relay the sorry tale of Nigeria’s quest to stamp her supremacy in the championship exclusive to domestic league players.

Nigeria’s first attempt ended in a sad note, not necessarily because she exited but that the pains were inflicted by her West African archrivals Ghana. Of course, the lingering rivalry between them dates back to the pre-independence era. And so when in the first edition the local Black Stars edged their neighbours, it was a feat that dimmed the shine of Nigeria’s soccer pedigree in no uncertain terms.

Two years later in 2011, Minnows Niger Republic rubbed in the salt when, against all odds, they stopped pompous Nigeria at a time Nigeri’as football seem to be looking upward. Losing 2-0 in Niamey was one of the darkest days for Nigerian football, and the biggest shock in the short history of a competition restricted to footballers playing in their country of birth.

That painful exit was palpable.

Officials of the NFF were piqued that the team could not qualify for the tournament. So, all efforts and resources were turned to the

qualification for the 2012 Nations Cup. That also was a mirage. The Eagles lost to Guinea and thus missed participation in the Equatorial Guinea/ Gambo joint championship won by the Chipolopolo of Zambia.

The failure to play in the prestige fiesta ignited a silent revolution.

First, Stephen Keshi was brought on the saddle and he too began a process of rebuilding that gave premium to local league players. Six eventually made it to South Africa where Nigeria ended 19 years of waiting for a sip in the Nations Cup trophy.

As champions, Nigeria seeks to sustain the tempo on all fronts and CHAN 2014 is no exception. That is to be expected. AFCON win was no mean feat.

The win boasted the confidence that Nigeria has what it takes to beat all comers in Africa. After all, Godfrey Oboabona, Sunday Mba, all local league players, were AFCON Cup heroes.

Now, armed with a surfeit of home-based players, some with high profile exposure having participated in the AFCON, FIFA Confederations Cup and other international friendly games, the technical crew headed

by Keshi and not the least the NFF believe the time is ripe for Nigeria to qualify for CHAN. But beyond qualification, keshi

is boisterous not the least on the strength of the palpable desire, but the depth of the squad he parades.

First though, there is a hedge: Cote d’ Ivoire.

The Super Eagles B team enjoys a superior advantage from the first leg game in Kaduna. They posted a convincing 4-1 victory. Many though are quick to point to the fact they had a two-man advantage because of the two red cards issued to the visitors.

No, the cards were deserved.

The Eagles dominated but were somewhat blunt in attack, just as they were at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. That seems to have been corrected going

by Keshi’s upbeat that the Eagles are poised to be deadly in front of the post.

Alhaji Abdullahi Gero, a Flying Eagles import and Ifeanyi Ede plus Gomo Onduku and the lively midfielder Rabiu Ali will see about that, he assured.

Midfielder Sunday Mba, the Cup of Nations final match-winner against Burkina Faso, who bagged a brace against the Ivorians with Gambo Mohammed and Ifeanyi Edeh also on target, should impose his authority.

Goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim, defenders Godfrey Oboabona, Azubike Egwuekwe and Solomon Kwambe and midfielder Emeka Eze are others from the Confederations

Cup in the CHAN squad. They too featured in Calabar and seem sure bet to take to the pitch again today in Abidjan.

However, the Eagles in spite of their huge advantage would only under rate their hosts to their peril.

The Ivorians soccer fans could be vociferous, or out rightly hostile especially given report that they were robbed by the referee who issued two red cards to their team in Calabar.

Already, the coaches have called on their fans to come in good numbers to cheer the Elephants to victory. That they would do and even beyond. Of course, we are in Africa, they could be the 13th players if the referee and assistants opted to

ignore the rules of the game.

The first tournament was held in 2009 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and won by the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The competition was expanded to 16 teams for the second tournament, held in Sudan in 2011. The tournament was won by Tunisia, shortly before the Tunisian Revolution.

Nigeria, therefore looks to qualify for South Africa, which has been a good hunting ground for her and then cap her presence with podium honours. Keshi’s charges are thus just 90 minutes away from breaking a painful jinx and then setting the stage for continental conquest again.

Weekend Fixtures Niger vs Burkina Faso CIV vs Nigeria Rwanda vs Ethiopia Uganda vs Tanzania Botswana vs Zambia Sunday matches Guinea vs Mali Congo vs RD Congo Sudan vs Burundi Mauritius vs Zimbabwe Mozambique vs Namibia

Page 42

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JUNE, 2013

Sports

Drugs: Bolt screams his innocence, wants to renew faith in athletics

S

ix-time Olympic sprint champion, Usain Bolt, has declared himself clean in the face of increasing failed drugs test by top athletes including some of his close associates and compatriots.

Only few weeks ago, Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson both Jamaicans tested positive while American Tyson Gay, the fastest man in the world this year was also an alleged culprit.

Before now, Bolt’s training partner, Yohan Blake was caught in the web and banned. Bolt runs at the London Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium at the weekend.

But he has insisted that he remains clean and would renew faith in the integrity of the game.

“I have to work even harder to help the country and the sport.

Now I’m even more focused and

ready to go and do better and try to inspire people and to show people that it is possible,” he said.

Bolt insists he has never taken drugs and said: “I’m clean but you have to be very careful as an athlete because right now there are a lot of things on the banned list.

“You have to keep up to date with this kind of thing. It’s kind of hard, but that’s why you have a team to make sure. I get tested all the while. I got tested the day before yesterday. It’s just part of the routine. “ Bolt, the 100m and 200m world record-holder, pointed to his success as a junior athlete as evidence of his innocence.

“I’ve broken every record there ever was to break since I was growing up. It’s not a surprise that I’m breaking world records because I’ve been

doing it since I was a junior.

“I want to explain to people that ‘this is just me’. I run fast because I have a talent and was put on this Earth to inspire a lot of people,” he told the BBC. The US Anti-Doping Agency informed American Gay, 30, that his A sample from an outof-competition test in May was positive.

Powell, the all-time fourth quickest, tested positive for a banned stimulant at June’s Jamaican Championships and fellow Jamaican Simpson failed a drug test at the same event.

After Powell tested positive for the banned stimulant oxilofrine at the national trials last month, Bolt said it was a blow for Jamaica and athletics.

Bolt became the first athlete to retain the Olympic 100m and 200m crowns when he took gold in both events at the 2012 London Olympics last summer. He then won his third gold of the Games when he anchored Jamaica’s sprint relay team to a world record.

Two Kipsangs in race for Bogota honours NNL clubs threaten to boycott matches over match--fixing allegation

K

enya’s Geoffrey Kipsang and Wilson Kipsang are set for battle for the top honours in Sunday’s 14thedition of the Media Maratón de Bogotá, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, in the Colombian capital.

Geofrey is a hugely promising 20-year-old policeman who won the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships junior title Spain and ran 58:54 on February 15 in Ras Al Khaimah. That time remains the best time in the world this year at the distance.

Another kenya, Wilson Kipsang is the London 2012 Olympic Games Marathon bronze medalist and also won the 2012London Marathon with a very quick 2:04:44 as well as having Marathon personal best of 2:03:42 from the 2011 Frankfurt race, the second best performance of all times.

The 31-year-old Kenyan has raced only twice in 2013: taking first place in the New York City Half Marathon in 1:01:02 back in March and then fifth place in this year’s London Marathon with 2:07:47 in April.

Geofrey, fourth at the Rotterdam Marathon in April with 2:09:12, has a personal best over the classic distance of 2:06:12, set in Berlin last September.

Kenyan runners have dominated the Bogota Half Marathon with eight victories in the previous 13 editions.

Kenya’s Peter Kirui, sixth in the 2011 IAAF World Championships 1000m and the defending champion in Bogota, clocking 62:26 last year and just missing out on Mutai’s course record by two seconds, will also be among the favourites.

Kirui has personal bests of 59:39

at the Half Marathon, set in New York last year, and 2:06:31 at the Marathon, when he finished behind Wilson Kipsang in Frankfurt two years ago.

Ethiopian Tilahun Regassa, winner of the 2013 Rotterdam Marathon with 2:05:38 is another runner with good options of coming home first and the 23-year-old has also run under the hour for the Half Marathon, albeit in 2010 when he set his best of 59:19 in Abu Dhabi.

Two others South African Half Marathon champion Lucky Mohale and Eritrea’s 2012 IAAF World Half Marathon ninth place finisher Tewelde Estifanos are expected to feature.

Meanwhile, in the women’s field, London 2012 Olympic Games Marathon silver medallist Priscah Jeptoo the fastest in the field with 1:06:11 this year, is the likely favorite after her 2:20:14 personal best to win at the 2013 London Marathon.

But Jeptoo would be challenged by a group of four women who have run under 69 minutes in their Half Marathon careers, including the Kenyan trio of Isabella Ochichi, the 2013 Goteborg Half Marathon champion; Flomena Chepchirchir, the 2012 Lille Half Marathon Champion, and Helah Kiprop, the 2013 Berlin Half Marathon Champion, as well as Ethiopia’s Amane Gobena who has a best of 1:08:16.

The leading contenders to be the top local finishers are expected to be Carolina Tabares, fresh from wins over 5000m and 10000m at the Colombian national championships and a gold medal in the shorter event in the recent South American championships, and 2013 South American 10000m bronze medallist William Naranjo.

Bolt, six-time Olympic champion

S

By Albert Akota

ome aggrieved clubs in the Nigeria National League (NNL) has threatened to boycott the remaining matches in the league pending the determination of the alleged case of match fixing.

The seven clubs had, in June, protested the withdrawal of Zamfara United FC from the league.

They alleged that the withdrawal of Zamfara United was done in connivance with the NNL secretariat to give undue advantage to a certain club vying for promotion to the premier league.

In a communiqué made available to newsmen in Abuja said, the aggrieved clubs requested the NNL to postpone the remaining two league matches pending the conclusion of investigations.

Kogi United, Plateau United, FC Abuja, DSS FC, TEAP FC, Adamawa United and JUTH FC signed the communiqué copied to the Nigeria Football Association.

The clubs stated that the postponement of the matches was also necessary to enable the organising and disciplinary committee deal with outstanding appeal cases in the league.

The clubs advised the NNL to toe the line of justice in tackling the allegation as they would not want to compel the NNL through legal means.

“We are appealing to you as we do not want to be confrontational by getting a court injunction to stop the league.

Inyama NNL chairman “However, should the NNL refuse to heed our honest request and plea, we, the undersigned clubs, will not honour any match until all pending issues concerning the league are resolved,’’ the clubs said in the communiqué.

Similarly, the Chairman of JUTH FC of Jos, Ishaya Pam, said that the issue on ground was a good development for the country’s football.

Pam noted that allegation of match fixing in the domestic league had grown from bad to worse because past league managers swept a lot of things under the carpet.

“The right decision now will be to pause and deal with the situation before we continue; there should be no hurry in carrying on with the league because it might present all of us with a fate accompli.

“What happens if by the time we finish the league, they say the league is over and so, decide to sweep the issue under the carpet?

“Why did they ask us to pause for appeals? Is it not to correct (address) the issue? Now, there is an issue on ground; lets correct it,’’ Pam said.

Pam said his team had suffered enough injustice in the NNL. He pointed out that JUTH FC was denied promotion to the Premier League about three years ago following the 13-0 score line recorded in the Zamfara United versus Kaduna United match.

NFF appoints new league scribes

T

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has affected minor reshuffle in the secretariats of both the Nigeria National league (NNL) and the Nigeria Nation Wide league (NNWL) with the secretaries of both leagues recalled to the Glass House.

The changes saw NNL secretary Ayo Abdulrahman being recalled to the headquarters and NNWL scribe Emmanuel Adesanya also expected to report to Inter-Club unit at the Glass House.

The federation has since redeployed Lawrence Katken to NNL as the new scribe while Shola Ogunowo goes to NNWL. When Peoples Daily Sports contacted the chairman of the lational league, Emeka Inyama said it is an internal routine posting that has Rafael Nadal nothing to do with victimization.

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Spurs open contract talks with Bale

Sports

Mikel rejects Galatasaray loan move

M Gareth Bale

T

ottenham Hotspur have opened new contract talks with their midfielder Gareth Bale and are confident of keeping the Wales international despite him being linked with a move to Real Madrid on an almost daily basis, manager Andre Villas-Boas said.

He signed a new contract last year but talks have started between the chairman and his agent and are ongoing,” VillasBoas told the media in Hong Kong where Spurs are playing in the Premier League Asian Trophy pre-season competition.

Bale, 24, signed a fouryear deal last year and had an outstanding season although Spurs missed out on a

Champions League place by one point.

According to non-stop and frenzied reporting in Spain and England since the season ended, Real Madrid is leading the chase for the player. Marca newspaper said Real were preparing to offer Spurs what would be a worldrecord fee of £85.0 million for him.

However, it has also been widely reported that Bale, who became a father for the first time last year, is settled at Spurs and has no plans to leave the London club.

Bale is with the squad in Hong Kong but will not play in Saturday’s match against South China because he is recovering from a strained gluteus muscle.

ikel Obi has turned down a proposed loan move to Turkish giants Galatasaray after they failed to meet Chelsea valuation of the midfielder.

Galatasaray have agreed personal terms with the Nigeria star, but they could not convince him to quit Stamford Bridge on a season-long loan deal after they could not stomp up the 15 million pounds ‘The Blues’ demanded for the player.

Galatasaray and Mikel have agreed personal terms, but the player refused a loan move after the Turkish champions could not come up with the 15 million pounds Chelsea asked for.

“They then proposed a loan deal, but Mikel shot that down as he would prefer a permanent transfer.”

The Nigeria star still has a contract with Chelsea till June 2016/17 after he recently signed a new, improved deal at the London club.

The representatives of the player were in Dubai to meet with Galatasaray officials and it was there that talks collapsed.

Big-spending Russian club Anzhi have made an offer for Mikel, who has in turn asked for an improvement, while French big spenders Monaco are yet to put an offer on the table for the player.

Honda

Milan continue Honda pursuit

A

El Shaarawy rejects EPL offer, opts to stay at Milan Mikel

E El Shaarawy

Page 43

l Shaarawy was the focus of widespread interest until committing himself to the Rossoneri after talks with Galliani and honorary president Silvio Berlusconi. Prior to that meeting, Galliani had received an offer which matched the club’s valuation, but it did not tempt the 20-year-old into a move.

The 20-year-old has been targeted by Manchester City and Chelsea after scoring 16 league goals for Milan last season, with a bid of €30 million being made by an unnamed club.

Galliani is now looking forward to seeing the Italy

international spearheading the Rossoneri attack in tandem with fellow Azzurri Mario Balotelli this season.

“El Shaarawy and Balotelli are great friends and if there’s any problem, then it is of a tactical nature and not because of their character,” he said. “We received a huge offer for Stephan and he said the money he earns at Milan is enough for him.

By turning down such an offer, El Shaarawy demonstrated that money is not the only motivation in football, although Galliani admits it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep hold of or attract similar players to Serie A.

C Milan is persisting in their bid to sign Keisuke Honda, even though they remain some way short of CSKA Moscow’s asking price for the forward.

The Rossoneri have already struck an agreement with the 27-year-old over a transfer in January, when his contract with the Russian club expires, but they are keen on bringing the move forward to this summer.

CSKA are reportedly insisting on a fee of €5 million euros to release Honda immediately, but Milan do not want to spend more than €3 million for what would equate to just four months of additional action.

The Serie A side is therefore hoping CSKA will accept their offer with Honda their only remaining transfer target this summer.

Galliani is keen to sign the Japanese forward now rather than later in order for him to be eligible to play for the Rossoneri in the Champions League.

Last season, they signed Mario Balotelli from Manchester City in January, but were unable to count on him in Europe since he had already appeared in the competition for the Premier League side.

Page 44

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

Sports

NFF yet to sign T/D contract with Shuaibu, Assistants

By Patrick Andrew

M

any months after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) made a formal announcement appointing the trio of Shuaibu Amodu, James Peters and Kashiwamo Laloko as the substantive technical experts, the football federation is yet to sign a contract with them.

The trio have neither been offered any monthly stipends nor have they been told about the status of the-yet-to-be- signed contract.

Amodu, the former Head Coach of the Super Eagles, was appointed the Technical Director while the duo of Peters, himself an ex-Assistant Coach of the Super Eagles who had at various times been in charge of the junior teams and the Super Eagles and Laloko, who was the last substantive head of the NFF technical department, were made his assistants.

The football federation had last May announced their appointments. Before then, its technical sub-committee had announced their recommendation and without waiting for the ratifi-

cation of the executive committee proceeded to offer them appointments verbally.

That though was publicly denounced by the secretariat of the NFF and later debunked by the leadership of the executive committee which argued that it was yet to get updates from its technical sub-committee not to talk of deliberating on their recommendations.

Peoples Weekend Sports recalls that the football federation had earlier appointed Belgian Tom Saintfiet, the former Head Coach of Walyas of Ethiopia but now the chief technical sweat merchant of the Malawi national side.

Then, Shuaibu had led a group of indigenous coaches to the National Assembly and the Sports Minister to complain against the appointment of a foreigner to fashion a national football pattern for Nigerian. Their complaint received favourable attention and the National Sports Commission (NSC) promptly directed the termination of whatever contract there may have been between the NFF and Saintfiet.

That was done. Expectedly,

Saintfiet threatened to sue Nigeria. He did no more than the mere threat. Even then, his alleged appointment had been running for three months without any formal contract, only a verbal offer. He too was left without any remuneration throughout the period.

Peoples Weekend Sports learnt that the football federation is fraught with financial shortfall following a reduction in their budgetary allocation, a development that has forced them to adopt drastic measures to meet teething commitments.

“They say they don’t have money, so can’t sign any contract with them because it will only add to their present financial burden.

In fact, during the commissioning of the Sunday Dankaro House

by President Goodluck Jonathan, the trio were not officially invited to attend because that would have meant making provisions for them.

“But one of the members came because, I think, he resides in Abuja and could afford to walk in and out without demanding any form of financial responsibility from the NFF,” a competent source, who is

very involved in the administration of the game said.

That may well be true. The NFF in recent times had opted to trim the size of its coaching crew leading to the sack of some coaches including Sylvanus Okpala of the Super Eagles and eight backroom staff of Stephen Keshi.

Further, they pruned the winning bonus of the Super Eagles, a development that led the Eagles staging a protest that embarrassed the nation globally. The Eagles had declined to board a flight to South Africa en route Brazil in Windhoek, Namibia to protest the slash of their winning bonus from $10,000 to $5,000 and the amount for drawn game from $5,000 to $2,500. The team had defeated the Harambee Stars of Kenya and was later forced to a draw by the Brave Warriors of Namibia in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

The dust from that embarrassing incident is yet to settle as the Federal Government through the NSC has set up a committee to probe the bonus row and recommend ways to curb that its repeat.

It was not certain when the football federation would sign a

Aminu Maigari, NFF President formal contract with them.

Nonetheless, both Laloko and Peters are versatile having at various times been in charge of the technical department as well as actively participated in the formulation of grassroots and other technical policy for the football federation.

WBO, WBA, IBF titles at stake in Macao today

E

Juan Fransisco Estrada delivered a devastating punch on the jaw of Brian Viloria to capture WBA/ WBO flyweight titles in major upset. Tonight, Macao, he stakes the titles against Milan Melindo (titles)

vgency Gradovich will defend his IBF featherweight belt against Mauricio Javier Munoz and Juan Francisco Estrada puts his WBO and WBA flyweight titles on the line against Milan Melindo.

The three titles will be at stake in a tournament in Macao tonight.

The 26-year-old Gradovich, a Russian who fights out of California, is undefeated after 16 fights, of which he won eight inside the distance. He is making the first defence of the title he won when outpointed Billy Dibb over 12 rounds in March this year.

Munoz, 27, is from Argentina and has been a professional for seven years, boasting a record of 26 wins and 3 losses, with 12 wins inside the distance.

In April 2011 he lost on a ninth-round knockout to Toshiaki Nishioka when he challenged for the WBA superbantamweight belt. Sinbce then he has beaten Maximiliano Ezequiel Mendez, Lucas Rafael Baez, Claudio Rosendo Tapia, Ramon Contreras and Luis Franco – none of them a stopshelf fighter.

Gradovich, whose amateur record has been reported as 126-24, is a pressure fighter who likes to work to the body.

The taller Munoz, who uses his reach to his advantage, probably does not have enough to extend the champion.

The 23-year-old Estrada is a Mexican and has a professional record of 24-2, with 18 knockouts.

He faces a challenge from Melindo, 25, who lost on points to unbeaten Nicaraguan Roman Gonzalez on November 17 last year when he challenged for the WBO light-flyweight title.

In his next fight, on April 6 this year, he caused a major upset when he beat the highly regarded Brian Viloria to win the WBA “super” flyweight belt and the WBO flyweight belt.

That was was also in Macao, a former Portuguese colony and now a Chinese-administrated region, as is nearby Hong Kong.

Melindo is from the Philippines and has assembled a record of 29-0; 12. He is regarded as a skilful fighter but may lack the power need in the flyweight division. Most of his shortcut wins were in minimumweight bouts.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

What’s the heck in 146 goals?

B

elieve it or not Nigerians are both famous and infamous. Nigerians have held the world spellbound in sundry walks of life and not the least heart-rending enterprises which leaves Nigeria’s image in the lurch.

That perhaps was why the new British government in addition to its existing obnoxious visa policy singled out Nigerians for a prohibitive travel document procurement fee. It is yet a reason why albeit no fewer than 14 athletes of Nigerian extraction represented same Britain at the 2012 London Olympics Games, no mention was made in that respect but the heinous acts of two thorough-bred Britons of Nigerian parents were highlighted to a ridiculous extent.

Well, because the ingenuity of Nigerians seldom commands headlines, it was no surprise that the infamous 146 goals, an incredible feat unfortunate as it was caught the ire of the soccer world, and generated no little seething commentaries across the globe.

Four amateur clubs jostling

for promotion to division three waxed magic with the legs and pumped in these goals. Precisely, Plateau United Feeders drubbed Akurba FC 79-0 while Police Machine FC demolished Bubayaro FC 67-0.That was shocking even to my six-year old boy (Laurel)who boldly discredited Channel sports news. Hear him, “Daddy, do television newscasters make mistakes? I replied, yes, because they are humans.

He retorted, “Not in this case, daddy”. How do you mean, I quickly fired back? Well, instead of saying basketball result

hairman of the Kaduna Tennis Association, Alhaji Aminu Balele Kurfi, says he will use the National Youth Games scheduled for September in Abuja to launch Kaduna to the apex of lawn tennis playing states in Nigeria, and

the world at large.

Kurfi, who vows to capture at least three gold medals at the Games, says he intends to revolutionalise tennis in Kaduna and the length and breadth of North West, stressing that his fair knowledge of the talents avail-

the newscaster said football result and I waited for the correction but even in their recap they repeated the same error.”But I ignored his argument, instead asked, why do you think 79-0, 67-0 are impossible scoreline in football? “Daddy, you know that can’t be. Even FIFA won’t allow small boys to play against older players in competition, so they score line would be fair even even if one team loses”. I marvelled at his logic and couldn’t agree more with him. Then, I blurted out. “Look that was the result. It’s called match-fixing

For a while consider what the situation would have been had the NFF been decisive and authoritative and had meted out appropriate punishment to those clubs and officials. No, they did not and things continued as usual.

PAGE 45

Column

owoidoh_ng35@yahoo.com 08093782812 or somewhat of your mates on the street would call ‘arrangee’”.

He charged back. “What is ‘arrangee’?” I simply had no answer, so I opted to explain that some teams decided to cheat by having a pre-arranged score line just to make sure their opponents, often in a different centre but in contention for a promotion ticket as well, do not secure superior goals advantage.” He simply sighed hugely and recoiled in silence. Then, I thought he has taken leave of the matter until last week he accosted early in the morning to “reveal” that those clubs have been banned by the NFF.Well, that decision was applaudable in the quick manner the authority responded to the embarrassing and image damaging score line.

But one is hard wondering what would have been the situation had FIFA not tacitly warned that the scandalous result would dire consequences!

It was not the first time

match-fixing case had been reported in Nigeria though not of similar dimension. Recall the 130, 9-0 and more recently the one that allegedly involved Sunshine Stars. As we speak, the matter has evoked no trepidation, there has been no culprit found, therefore all are saints.

For a while consider what the situation would have been had the NFF been decisive and authoritative and had meted out appropriate punishment to those clubs and officials. No, they did not and things continued as usual.

An unserious leadership gets just what we have had, except that the already soiled image of Nigeria got battered all the more. This is just a microscopic element of what transpired in the larger society where mediocrity is tolerated, where sentiment rather than merits prevails and nobody bats an eye lid.

Governors forum quickly comes to mind, doesn’t it?

I will perform or resign, says Kurfi C able in geo-political zone and elsewhere will guide him in the search for budding talents to nurture and groom to stardom.

Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on the Kaduna state Commissioner of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Aminu sani (Ajiyan

Alhaji Adamu Atta, the Chairman of Fifth Chukker, pointing the way forward to Aminu Balele Kurfi, who is championing a new vision for Kaduna Lawn Tennis Association.

Zazzau) where he donated tennis balls and rackets, the board member of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NFT), says he is determined to re-jig the game in the Kaduna and ensure the state regain its pride of place in the country.

Kurfi lauded the Kaduna state government for giving him – Katsina state indigene- opportunity to serve. He promised to justify the confidence reposed on him by the government stressing that rendering service for humanity and God outside of one’s locality were not new.

“I appreciate this privilege to serve and the focused ambition of the Kaduna state which has offered others the chance to assist them brings success to its people in sundry walks of life. They know what they want and who will to deliver to their expectation.

“I am happy because wherever you are accepted is your home.

The Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAW) left Mecca to Medina and the result has been blessings for obedient humankind. Also, Usman Ibn Dan Fodio left Degel to Gudu and even the famous praise singer late Mamman Shatta left his village to Kano, and the people there were better for it,” he said adding that he sees no reason why those called to serve

should fail to do so, wherever.

“If one is called to serve anywhere in Nigeria, one will be ready and willing. In fact, we will go and make serious impact. On my part, we hope to, by performance, challenge all other states to revive sports development and make tennis the pride of the nation,” he says even as he lamented the decline in performance of Kaduna state in the National Sports Festival (NSF).

“It is worrisome that at Kada Games, Kaduna clinched 30 gold, 31 silver and 42 bronze medals, two years later it only managed 5 gold, six silver and 23 bronze medals, and yet shrunk further to 2 gold, 2 silver and 8 bronze medals.

“No, this can’t be. We promise to win a minimum of three gold medals at the youth Games and then subsequently to win everything on offer in tennis. If we don’t perform, I will graciously resign. My position is not a do or die one, but a challenge to uplift Nigerian youth.

“My target is performance, to achieve success on all spheres and develop Nigeria in any capacity one is called to render service. We are ready to make any sacrifice for the development of Nigeria. If I don’t perform I will resign, I can assure you of that,” he reiterated while speaking to Peoples Daily Weekend.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 27 - SUNDAY 28, JULY, 2013

What’s the heck in 146 goals?

B

elieve it or not Nigerians are both famous and infamous. Nigerians have held the world spellbound in sundry walks of life and not the least heart-rending enterprises which leaves Nigeria’s image in the lurch.

That perhaps was why the new British government in addition to its existing obnoxious visa policy singled out Nigerians for a prohibitive travel document procurement fee. It is yet a reason why albeit no fewer than 14 athletes of Nigerian extraction represented same Britain at the 2012 London Olympics Games, no mention was made in that respect but the heinous acts of two thorough-bred Britons of Nigerian parents were highlighted to a ridiculous extent.

Well, because the ingenuity of Nigerians seldom commands headlines, it was no surprise that the infamous 146 goals, an incredible feat unfortunate as it was caught the ire of the soccer world, and generated no little seething commentaries across the globe.

Four amateur clubs jostling

for promotion to division three waxed magic with the legs and pumped in these goals. Precisely, Plateau United Feeders drubbed Akurba FC 79-0 while Police Machine FC demolished Bubayaro FC 67-0.That was shocking even to my six-year old boy (Laurel)who boldly discredited Channel sports news. Hear him, “Daddy, do television newscasters make mistakes? I replied, yes, because they are humans.

He retorted, “Not in this case, daddy”. How do you mean, I quickly fired back? Well, instead of saying basketball result

hairman of the Kaduna Tennis Association, Alhaji Aminu Balele Kurfi, says he will use the National Youth Games scheduled for September in Abuja to launch Kaduna to the apex of lawn tennis playing states in Nigeria, and

the world at large.

Kurfi, who vows to capture at least three gold medals at the Games, says he intends to revolutionalise tennis in Kaduna and the length and breadth of North West, stressing that his fair knowledge of the talents avail-

the newscaster said football result and I waited for the correction but even in their recap they repeated the same error.”But I ignored his argument, instead asked, why do you think 79-0, 67-0 are impossible scoreline in football? “Daddy, you know that can’t be. Even FIFA won’t allow small boys to play against older players in competition, so they score line would be fair even even if one team loses”. I marvelled at his logic and couldn’t agree more with him. Then, I blurted out. “Look that was the result. It’s called match-fixing

For a while consider what the situation would have been had the NFF been decisive and authoritative and had meted out appropriate punishment to those clubs and officials. No, they did not and things continued as usual.

PAGE 45

Column

owoidoh_ng35@yahoo.com 08093782812 or somewhat of your mates on the street would call ‘arrangee’”.

He charged back. “What is ‘arrangee’?” I simply had no answer, so I opted to explain that some teams decided to cheat by having a pre-arranged score line just to make sure their opponents, often in a different centre but in contention for a promotion ticket as well, do not secure superior goals advantage.” He simply sighed hugely and recoiled in silence. Then, I thought he has taken leave of the matter until last week he accosted early in the morning to “reveal” that those clubs have been banned by the NFF.Well, that decision was applaudable in the quick manner the authority responded to the embarrassing and image damaging score line.

But one is hard wondering what would have been the situation had FIFA not tacitly warned that the scandalous result would dire consequences!

It was not the first time

match-fixing case had been reported in Nigeria though not of similar dimension. Recall the 130, 9-0 and more recently the one that allegedly involved Sunshine Stars. As we speak, the matter has evoked no trepidation, there has been no culprit found, therefore all are saints.

For a while consider what the situation would have been had the NFF been decisive and authoritative and had meted out appropriate punishment to those clubs and officials. No, they did not and things continued as usual.

An unserious leadership gets just what we have had, except that the already soiled image of Nigeria got battered all the more. This is just a microscopic element of what transpired in the larger society where mediocrity is tolerated, where sentiment rather than merits prevails and nobody bats an eye lid.

Governors forum quickly comes to mind, doesn’t it?

I will perform or resign, says Kurfi C able in geo-political zone and elsewhere will guide him in the search for budding talents to nurture and groom to stardom.

Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on the Kaduna state Commissioner of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Aminu sani (Ajiyan

Alhaji Adamu Atta, the Chairman of Fifth Chukker, pointing the way forward to Aminu Balele Kurfi, who is championing a new vision for Kaduna Lawn Tennis Association.

Zazzau) where he donated tennis balls and rackets, the board member of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NFT), says he is determined to re-jig the game in the Kaduna and ensure the state regain its pride of place in the country.

Kurfi lauded the Kaduna state government for giving him – Katsina state indigene- opportunity to serve. He promised to justify the confidence reposed on him by the government stressing that rendering service for humanity and God outside of one’s locality were not new.

“I appreciate this privilege to serve and the focused ambition of the Kaduna state which has offered others the chance to assist them brings success to its people in sundry walks of life. They know what they want and who will to deliver to their expectation.

“I am happy because wherever you are accepted is your home.

The Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAW) left Mecca to Medina and the result has been blessings for obedient humankind. Also, Usman Ibn Dan Fodio left Degel to Gudu and even the famous praise singer late Mamman Shatta left his village to Kano, and the people there were better for it,” he said adding that he sees no reason why those called to serve

should fail to do so, wherever.

“If one is called to serve anywhere in Nigeria, one will be ready and willing. In fact, we will go and make serious impact. On my part, we hope to, by performance, challenge all other states to revive sports development and make tennis the pride of the nation,” he says even as he lamented the decline in performance of Kaduna state in the National Sports Festival (NSF).

“It is worrisome that at Kada Games, Kaduna clinched 30 gold, 31 silver and 42 bronze medals, two years later it only managed 5 gold, six silver and 23 bronze medals, and yet shrunk further to 2 gold, 2 silver and 8 bronze medals.

“No, this can’t be. We promise to win a minimum of three gold medals at the youth Games and then subsequently to win everything on offer in tennis. If we don’t perform, I will graciously resign. My position is not a do or die one, but a challenge to uplift Nigerian youth.

“My target is performance, to achieve success on all spheres and develop Nigeria in any capacity one is called to render service. We are ready to make any sacrifice for the development of Nigeria. If I don’t perform I will resign, I can assure you of that,” he reiterated while speaking to Peoples Daily Weekend.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28 , JULY, 2013

Page 47

From the Pulpit What do you see? (IV) GREEN A

that salvation coming from God to you? (Ex 14:13) Prov 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (ASV) That is where there is no vision the people perish. (KJV) But where there are no people, the vision remains intangible. What can you see in your future? What future do you see for yourself? Does what you see agree with God has for you? Is it God’s vision you’re seeing or the devil’s vision? Jer. 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (NLT) Can you see it?

Do you see these beautiful plans of God or is it your circumstances you are seeing? What do you see?

Intimacy and Revelation of Divine Vision for Your Life The place of “seeing” revelation is in the place of intimacy. You can see many things around you and copy many plans for your future but you will never see God’s authentic plans for your life if you don’t cultivate intimacy with God with the help of the Holy Spirit. You must cultivate the discipline of waiting upon him.

You will never see accurately unless you are still. You will never see His original plan for your life if you are in a hurry. You will never see His design for your life if you are too busy to pray. Dan 2:17-19 says of Daniel and his compatriots: “Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.

That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel

Matthew 5:12; Luke 6:22,23; 1 Peter 4:13,14

The power of joyful life

M

any things we do not understand happen to us in life. Negative things that happen to us usually bring along with them sorrow, sadness, grief and loss of joy. Christ, in this message, teaches us not only how to approach life but also what we are to do when negative things happen to us. This is because He knows the constitution of man: that the manifestation of negative emotions – grief, sadness, sorrow, worry, anxiety, fear, anger, hatred, malice – will break down man’s system. But when positive emotions of joy, gladness and happiness are vent, they will build it up.

There is power in joyfulness. It is a mental diet that helps our emotions and strengthens the mind. A negative, depressive attitude destroys while a joyful attitude renews life. Christ then prescribes that the right attitude during persecution is to “rejoice, and be exceeding glad ” because the purpose of the enemy is to, with the persecution, make us sink low and be so unhappy, dejected, discouraged, depressed, and consequently be sick. But Jesus wants us to be joyful and healthy. We are neither to

sit down in discouragement and mourn nor beat a retreat because we suffer persecution; we are to “rejoice …and leap for joy”. In anything that happens, there is always a positive side to it.

Joy strengthens our minds. A strong mind builds a strong body; a peaceful mind builds a calm body. Joy assists our faith, hope and love. A person of negative disposition, a moody person is capable of spreading sorrow around him. Sorrow of heart depresses, and causes despair and disease (Nehemiah 2:2). If the heart is sorrowful, the countenance will be sad and it brings weakness to the body. It is the inner man that gives the body either strength or weakness. Sadness or depression is the negative effect of the mind on the body.

It is an internal problem that is oozing out of sad people. The internal condition then depreciates, destroys and makes a person to have disease on the external body. But perpetual joy in our spirits and souls, as Christians, will keep us ahead of our persecutors and on top of our entire problem in the path of progress and in

praised the God of heaven.” (NLT) The Bible says, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut 29:29 NKJV) You will never see God’s vision for your life which He wants to show you if you are distracted.

Vision is not the same thing as purpose. Vision is a glimpse into God’s purpose for your life and you see this vision not with your physical eyes but with your spiritual eyes. A revelation of God’s vision for your life will do the following in your life:  It will deliver you from being in the dark as regards your future.  It will help you to have a definite purpose for living – everything God created has a purpose.  It will enable you to be accurate and well-focused in your life pursuit. You are not living “here and there” or living by “trial and error” You don’t keep dabbling into everything. You become a man of “this one thing I do”  It will save you from wastages – of money time and other resources. It helps you to be prudent.  It will help you to prioritize your goals and activities. You are able to differentiate between what is major and what is minor.  It will help you to identify those who are important to your destiny and your life assignment – those you are sent to and those who have a role to play in your destiny.

Nobody is sent to everybody. Jesus said, “I was sent only to help the people of Israel — God’s lost sheep — not the Gentiles.” (Matt 15:24 NLT)

PASTURES

s I’ve said in previous parts in this series, what you see is very important because what you see determines your belief, expectation and your behavior and actions. What you see determines what you get and what you see determines what you become. What do you see?

This is the concluding part of this series. I believe the Lord will speak to you as you read on in Jesus’ name.

John in the isle of Patmos The condition of John the beloved was pitiable. He had been banished to the isle of Patmos.

Ordinarily, he should have been bemoaning his miserable condition – no friend, loneliness, idleness, pain, impending death etc. But he refused to see what the devil was showing him rather he chose to be in the Spirit and not in the flesh such that God gave him the entire Book of Revelation.

If he had been in a bad state spiritually, lamenting, grumbling and blaming God for his negative condition, generations after him would have missed this wonderful Book of Revelation. Hear him: “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet.” (Rev 1:9-10 NKJV) John said he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day – that was despite the tribulation he was going through.

Can you be in the Spirit even in your present negative circumstance or you can see yourself dead, defeated?

What can you see? What do you see?

Will you stand enough in faith to see

By pastor t.o. banso

cedarministryintl@yahoo.com GSM: 08033113523  It will help you to choose your friends carefully. Prov 12:26 says, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.”

(NKJV) You will choose your friends based on the revelation of your destiny not on sentiments or emotions. You make friends that contribute to the realization of God’s purpose for your life. No human being can enter your life except by your permission and nobody comes into your life and leaves you the same.  It will deliver you from intimidation, inferiority, envy and competitive jealousy. Everybody has a great future in God; no destiny is inferior to the other.  It will help you to exert and stretch yourself and maximize your potential to live a fulfilled life.  It will help you to evaluate your life continuously. Lam 3:40 says, “Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the LORD.” (NKJV) Conclusion: What do you see?

May you see what God wants you to see in every situation you may be in now or you may find yourself. May you see God’s vision for your life and pursue it. My prayer is that you will see correctly, and your destiny will not be perverted in Jesus’ name.

TAKE ACTION! If you are not born again, I want to urge you to take the following

By pastor W.F Kumuyi the enjoyment of good health, strength and power.

1.

THE STRENGTHENING POWER OF JOY Matthew 5:12; Nehemiah 8:10; Psalms 51:8; 28:7,8; 35:9,10; Genesis 45:26-28; Proverbs 25:25; Acts 16:1926.

Rejoice because joy has a way of strengthening you. When you are joyful internally, it gives you strength. The discouragement, depression and grief we suffer as a result of bad news we hear

do not solve our problems. Rather, they compound them. They can cut short a bright prospect or make one to abandon a promising project. As Christians, we are to sit down, pray, look at the promises of God concerning those problems. Then develop your strategy on how to solve the problems. Some don’t eat because of problem. D on’t sell off your heritage and the Lord will see you through. The persecution or problem of today will not continue forever; a bright day is

steps:*Admit you’re a sinner and you can’t save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start to attend a Bible-believing, Bible -teaching church. There you will be taught how to grow in the Kingdom of God. Kindly say this prayer now:“0 Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God” I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations!

You will need to join a Bible believing, Bible teaching church in your area where you will be taught how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon.

May you grow into Christ in all things becoming all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. May the Lord be with you.

coming. That you have a problem that looks more than you can comprehend is no reason to be dejected. You have a God that is greater than the enemy.

The things that make you sad do not take responsibility for making you sad by allowing you to draw your own conclusion; you are actually responsible for your sadness.

Depression distorts mental faculty and hinders a free flow of thought.

When once there is problem, it becomes difficult for some people to think things through before taking decisions or drawing conclusions. When you believe a lie, it brings depression to you, and like Jacob, you cannot believe truth when it eventually comes out. That is what grief, sadness and sorrow do to us.

The strength comes from the inside. Just as nursing mothers don’t generally fall sick because of joy, so it is with all men. So long as there is joy, the weakness will disappear. Even if she had been sickly, as soon as she gives birth, because of joy, she becomes healthy and strong. Joy brings health.

BIG PUNCH “The step taken by the PDP would diminish the integrity of the court and the court has a duty to impose disciplinary measures on a recalcitrant party who violates the rule of law and has no respect for the court.”

- Justice Sulaiman Belgore, as court stops PDP convention

SATURDAY 27 — SUNDAY 28 , JULY, 2013

The hoax

P

rof Fouad Ajami, an Arab, is a distinguished writer on Arab affairs, a member of the Board of Directors of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the Middle East Forum think tank, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and the cochair of their Working Group on Islamism and the International Order, an adviser to US government.

He was the one key Arab intellectual to go out of his way to marshal the arguments in support of American invasion of Iraq, a country inhabited by fellow Arabs. He remains unrepentant, despite the death of half a million Iraqi children due to UN sanctions, the loss of a million lives, and all the carnage, all the pillage, all the genocide. Ajami thus typifies the Arab secular elite, typifies ‘the Arab Predicament’, a title of one of his books. In 2006, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Bush.

Yet even Prof Ajami Ajami is appalled by the events in Egypt, where a legitimate government, freely elected by the Egyptian people, was overthrown by a military junta. In a July 7, 2013 article in The Washington Post, he observes that the magical 18 days which culminated in the downfall of more than half a century of uninterrupted military dictatorship was an ‘ennobling drama’, but the return of that dictatorship just a year later opens a new chapter altogether.

‘Egyptians had taken pride that the furies of Lebanon, Syria and Iraq were alien to them,’ Ajami laments.

‘Now they have been robbed of that consolation.’ He appears particularly pained by the blind opportunism of the secular forces, now willing tools for an inept, power-hungry army working so hard to destroy the only country all Egyptians can call their own.

‘If democracy had erred and gone the way of the Brotherhood, the judiciary, business interests and the army were ready to overrule the ballot’s verdict. The elitism animating this sentiment is unmistakable,’ Ajami maintains. ‘The secularists, now given a reprieve by a military coup d’etat, seem hell-bent on extirpating the roots of the Muslim Brotherhood. Self-styled democrats wink at the arrests of Brotherhood leaders and the shutting down of their media; they are not troubled that a duly elected president was taken into “protective custody” and denied freedom of movement. Nor do they seem concerned that the upheaval ADVERT: BUSINESS:

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of the past 30 months ended in military rule.’ Sensing the sinister motives behind the coup He warns: ‘But the army, and those who hail its intervention as a gift of deliverance, can’t wish the Brotherhood away.

The dream of banishing political Islam from public life is illusory.

The commanding leader Gamal Abdel Nasser waged a brutal campaign against the Brotherhood from 1954 until his death in 1970.

The Brotherhood was proscribed, thousands were sent to prison. And in 1966, the seminal figure of Islamism, the writer Sayyid Qutb, was sent to the gallows. But the Brotherhood survived.’

Prof Ajami dismisses the claim that it was the protest movement that brought down democracy in Egypt.

‘An economic titan, Naguib Sawiris, a billionaire with tentacles that run through the economic and political spheres, now unapologetically owns up to the fact that he lent his coattails, and his media outlets, to Morsi’s opponents,’ Ajami asserts. ‘The old order was not ready to relinquish its power.’ However, the epic struggle for the soul of Egypt, between the forces of freedom and the forces of servitude, continues. ‘Six decades ago, when the monarchy was overthrown, there were two forces in the arena: the army and the Brotherhood,’ Ajami observes correctly. ‘Beyond the noise and demonstrations, there is the unmistakable feeling that Egypt today is where it was the last time it was at a crossroads.’ Prof Ajami has no doubt that the army’s misadventure is doomed. Gen. AbdelFattah el-Sissi, he insists, can’t solve the age-old troubles of Egypt that nourish political Islam, can’t heal the crushing poverty or herd into some modern utopia a country driven by a Darwinism that leaves the vulnerable without support.

The opposition, meaning, in fact, the army and only the army, is keen to point to the size of the protesters on the streets of Cairo as a form of impeachment of democracy, a form of legitimization of military dictatorship — the massive crowd, they claim, represents the voice of all Egypt. But Max Blumenthal, an award-winning journalist and bestselling author, has exposed the whole hoax – ‘the baseless claims’, as he calls it, ‘born in an echo chamber,’ – that produced the illusion of what the archetypical mass murderer, Tony Blair, calls people power. [@MaxBlumenthal 19 Jul 2013 14:18]. Below are excerpts:

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WEEKEND With

Ibraheem Sulaiman sa427420@gmail.com

Prof. Fouad Ajami

The debate over the legitimacy of Egypt’s new, military-installed government has become a popularity battle, with some of the most vocal supporters of the coup claiming that the June 30 protests against President Mohammed Morsi represented the largest demonstrations in human history, with crowd sizes ranging anywhere between 14 to 33 million people – over one-third of the entire population of Egypt. The importance of head counts to the militaryinstalled government’s international legitimacy was on display at a July 11 press conference at the US State Department. Pressed by Matt Lee of the Associated Press on whether the Obama administration considered Morsi’s ouster a coup, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki countered by declaring that the US could not reverse the will of the “22 million people who spoke out and had their voices heard.”

Among the first major Egyptian public figures to marvel at the historic size of the June 30 demonstrations was the billionaire tycoon Naguib Sawiris. On June 30, Sawiris informed his nearly one million

Twitter followers that the BBC had just reported, “The number of people protesting today is the largest number in a political event in the history of mankind.” Sawiris seemed to have fabricated the riveting BBC dispatch from whole cloth. Some Egyptian opponents to Morsi appear to have fabricated Western media reports to validate the crowd estimates. Jihan Mansour, a presenter for Dream TV, a private Egyptian network owned by the longtime Mubarak business associate Ahmad Bahgat, announced, “CNN says 33 million people were in the streets today.

BBC says the biggest gathering in history.” There is no record of CNN or BBC reporting any such figure.

But that did not stop a former Egyptian army general, Sameh Seif Elyazal, from declaring during a live CNN broadcast on July 3, just as the military seized power from Morsi, “This is not a military coup at all. It is the will of the Egyptians who are supported by the army. We haven’t seen in the last -- even in modern history, any country in the world driving 33 million people in the street for four days.” CNN hosts Jake

Tapper and Christian Amanpour did not question Elyazal’s claim, or demand supporting evidence.

Three days later, Quartet’s Middle East special envoy Tony Blair hyped a drastically different, but equally curious, crowd estimate.

In an editorial for the Observer Blair stated, “Seventeen million people on the street is not the same as an election. But it is an awesome manifestation of people power.” From what source did the claim of 17 million demonstrators originate? Apparently, it was a single anonymous military official.

Increasingly it appeared that the numbers were products of a clever public relations campaign, with the Egyptian army and its political supporters relying on the international press and Western diplomats to amplify their Mighty Wurlitzer. Was there any credible source for the widely cited figure of 33 million demonstrators? It has been impossible to locate one, either in English or Arabic media. On July 15, the BBC reported that it was unable to find any legitimate sources for the opposition’s claims of either 14, 17, or 33 million protesters, affirming the conclusions of BBC Middle East correspondent Wyre Davies, who concluded that mobilizing such a massive number of protesters was “impossible.”

Through simple Algebra, the Egyptian blogger Shereef Ismail has also poked gaping holes in the opposition’s numbers. Estimating that each protester occupied a space of approximately .45 square meters, Ismail calculated that the absolute maximum number of anti-Morsi demonstrators who could fit in the total area of major public spaces in Egyptian cities was at most 2.8 million. There are other factors that cast doubt on the June 30 crowd estimates, like the basic logistics of cramming between 20 and 40 percent of Egypt’s population into already densely populated urban spaces without a staggering number of deaths and injuries ensuing, especially in the oppressive summer heat.

The opposition may have made an impressive showing on June 30 and in the days that followed, but the stunning crowd counts it spread across the world do not seem to hold up against critical scrutiny. And as the mirage of a 30-million-person march evaporates, an unsavory military coup stands exposed.

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