Peoples Daily Newspaper, Saturday 29, June, 2013

Vol. 3 No. 46

SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

PEOPLES PAGE

‘We should stop talking about northern leaders and fight for the rights of north in the context of one Nigeria’ Pg12 &13

Defiled woman, Zainab still struggling to fend for her child

COVER

INTERVIEW

Alhaji Balarabe

SHA’ABAN 21 - 22, 1434 AH

N150

FEATURE When Sardaunan Badawa empowered youths in Kaduna

Pg 8

Usman Ibrahim

Pg 16

The Trouble with the north:

Divided house FEATURE

Kannywood ‘Rumour of my death, showed I have many fans who love me’ Pg 40

Northern horseman

NEWS

Mandela: Family takes issue of where he should be buried to court Pg 2

Nelson Mandela

Page 2

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

News Crisis hits ‘Project Nigeria’ over Northern leaders Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

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ollowing the withdrawal of prominent Northern Leaders, the joint secretariat of Citizens Advocacy Group and Project Nigeria; organizers of the forthcoming National Political Summit on the future of Nigeria tagged Uyo 2013, have announced the postponement of the much anticipated summit earlier scheduled to commence on Monday 1sth of July 2013 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Peoples Daily Weekend gathers that the postponement became necessary following northern leaders dis association from the summit.

A source within the summit organisers said the withdrawal has led to a crisis in the group.

The source also said that

Northern leaders would be reach out to before the new date, to ensure their participation while admitting that the unresolved issues led to the cancelation.

The source also link powerful element in the Presidency to the postponement of the summit.

“As you know we can’t do anything without the northern leaders, we have identify our loopholes and before the next date we would consult with Alhaji Miatama Sule to confirm his participation, we are endorsing Jonathan because the summit is beyond any political interest, even though some powerful elements want to hijack the summit we are very careful of them, it’s not going to be one of those pro-government gathering if its eventually holds.”

However a statement issued last night by Malam Naseer Kura,

Mandela family feud over where he should be buried

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s Nelson Mandela remained in critical condition in hospital yesterday, a family feud over where the 94-year-old former president should be buried went to the courts.

Associated Press said yesterday, that Mandela’s eldest daughter, Makaziwe and 15 other family members have pressed a court application to get Mandela’s grandson to return the bodies of three of Mandela’s children to their original graves in the eastern

rural village of Qunu.

The grandson Mandla Mandela, acknowledges having reburied the three bodies 20 kilometers (13 miles) away in the Mvezo village, where he plans to create a Mandela shrine, hotel and soccer stadium.

But he exhumed the bodies of Mandela’s three children and moved them to nearby Mvezo, which is the former president’s birthplace and where the grandson holds authority as chief.

Summit Head of Communications said the Summit will now hold from Monday 26th to Thursday, 29th August 2013. Kura said the postponement was in view of the overwhelming upsurge of interest to participate in the summit from more political stakeholders in the country than expected, thereby creating sudden challenges in summit logistics that needs to be urgently addressed Kura also hinted that the Federal Government had approached summit organizers at the weekend to request for more time to enable them have quality representation at the National Summit since ‘the two day summit is expected to provide a critical intervention on burning national questions and the emergency situation in the country’.

Again, the summit

spokesperson said “the summit date was perceived by a cross section of stakeholders as being too close to the Ramadan fast and that the interests and sensibilities of a very important section of the Nigerian populace ought to be considered. “This appeal has necessitated a shift in date of the summit till after the Ramadan period, which is envisaged to end in the second week of August” According to Kura “ in view of the above stated the rationale and the need to allow for more consultations and successful hosting of the National Summit 2013, the conveners and organizers of the summit have resolved to postpone the summit to allow for inclusiveness of stakeholders in the six geopolitical zones, public and private sectors, religious, ethnic and economic divide.

Nursing mother abandons baby in hospital

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ealth workers and patients at the Osun State General Hospital, Osogbo were left confused Yesterday when a nursing mother, Mrs. Grace Adipe, allegedly abandoned her three-day-old baby in the hospital.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the hospital community was taken aback as the news of the abandonment spread.

A woman, Adijat Bamijoko, told NAN that she was in the hospital to assist a patient when the incident occurred on Thursday, and wondered ``how a nursing mother could abandon her child.

“Although, I do not know the woman, but one wonders why she should abandon her baby in the hospital where Gov. Rauf Aregbesola had made medication free for all,” she said.

Other people who expressed surprise over the incident, called on the hospital’s management to ensure that the fleeing mother was brought

back to care for her baby.

NAN learnt that a search team, including government officials and law enforcement agents had failed in their effort to find the woman.

The Osun Commissioner for Women and Children’s Affairs, Mrs Mofolake Adegboyega, said in a statement that efforts to contact the woman by the hospital authorities were yet to yield results.

Adegboyega called Adipe’s relations and members of the public to be vigilant on the whereabouts of the woman.

She urged members of the public to consider the innocence and future of the child and help in efforts to find the mother and her relations.

The commissioner said that any information about Adipe’s whereabouts should be directed to the nearest police station or the Director of Social Welfare in the ministry, Mrs Grace Adegoke.

(NAN)

Capital punishment not aberration in Nigeria —NOA

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r Mathew Odonor, the Chief Orientation and Mobilisation Officer in the National Orientation Agency (NOA) said in Abakaliki on Friday that capital punishment was not an aberration in the country. Odonor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that capital punishment was in line with the country’s legal system.

He said the execution of convicted criminals was a duty state governments owed the citizenry to re-assure them of the safety of their lives and deter other criminals from wanton killing of innocent citizens.

He said that every country had its cultural values, norms and laws enshrined in its legal system to preserve and regulate the behaviours of every member of the society.

“Look, our legal system permits capital punishment and execution of convicted criminals. It is not a legal aberration but in keeping with the criminal justice system.

“We have value for human life and our law says that whoever kills must be killed.

“This is just the position of our legal system and we should not shy away from doing the right thing.

“I believe that violent crimes will reduce when those in charge of enforcing our laws start doing what is expected of them,’’ Odonor said.

He said the recent directive by President Goodluck Jonathan to state governors to sign death warrants was in the interest of the country, adding that it would further de-congest the prisons.

He said the upsurge in violent crimes in the society was due to nonexecution of convicted criminals.

He said the NOA was articulating a sensitisation programme to educate the public and create awareness on the importance of capital punishment as an instrument in curtailing criminal vices in the society. (NAN)

JTF arrest 1,653 illegal oil bunkers, destroy 3,778 illegal refineries in one year —Obada

By Joy Baba

T Nelson Mandela

he Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olushola Obabda the Joint Task Force,(JTF) Operation Pulo Shield operating in the Niger Delta region has within the last one year arrested 1,653 illegal oil bunkers and destroyed 3, 778 illegal refinaries.

The Minister stated this yesterday in Abuja during the ministerial platform on the activities and achievements of the Ministry of Defence from June 2012 to June 2013.

The Minister said there has also been enhanced protection of oil and gas facilities through increased air and ground patrols of pipeline net to deter vandals from sabotage activities within the said year.

Obada further said JTF, Operation Restore Order operating in the North-Eastern part of the country has restored normalcy within the region adding that insurgents operating in the zone have been successfully dislodged from their strong hold at Sambisa forest.

According to the Minister,

Operation BOYANA was also was also established within the said period, following the declaration of State of Emergency in three states in the north-east to contain the excesses of Boko Haram insurgents noting that normalcy has been built between the troops and the populace within the period under view.

She commended the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces at ensuring the unity of the country adding that “Nigeria still remains an active player in both regional and world peace”

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 29 - SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

News

Jittery FERMA runs to minister over Road Reforms Act

By Miriam Humbe

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he Minister of Works, Arc Mike Onolememen has assured the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA that the ongoing reforms in the road sector will not sack the agency but rather work towards improving the sector to attain international best practice.

The minister who spoke when members of the Governing Board of FERMA led by its chairman, Olajide

Adeniji paid a courtesy visit to the ministry yesterday, however stressed that FERMA may not remain in the same shape after the Road Reform Act is passed by the National Assembly.

“The ongoing reforms in the roads sector are not political but meant to attain best practice.

Don’t be frightened by the reforms, be rest assured that FERMA will be protected. The road maintenance arm will still be there.

The objective is to

re-position the road sector to be at pace with international best practise”, he said.

“Nobody is abrogating FERMA. It is to strengthen road rehabilitation, reconstruction and maintenance”, he said.

Onolememen added that in the wake of the restructuring, FERMA may not retain its current form but assured that whatever form it enjoys will surely be in the national interest.

Benue residents panic over release of water from Cameroun From Uche Nnorom,Makurdi

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anic has once again gripped residents of Makurdi, the Benue State capital and its environs following announcement of release of water from the Lagdo dam in Cameroun by the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA. SEMA Executive secretary, Mr. Adikpo Agbatse in a press statement yesterday warned people living along the banks of river Benue to be on the alert, adding that the Cameroonian authority has notified Nigeria on the activity

and water would be released in bits. The warning is for caution in view of last year’s devastating effect of flood in the area.

Agbatse who urged the members of the public not to panic so much about the imminent flooding that may result from the release of water further assured that the agency was ready to assist in cushioning the effect in case flooding occurs.

He further advised the residents on their own part to take precautionary measures rather than rely solely on government.

The SEMA ES

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ormer Deputy Governor of Nasarawa state, Prof. Onje Gyewado, the gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 general elections, has returned to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that he left before becoming a member of the ACN. Also returning to the party together with Prof. Gyewado, was the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party in the last general elections, Mr. Nawani Aboki, who declared that with their formal presentation, the Labour Party in the state “has dissolved into the PDP.” The decampees were presented at a ceremony that held recently at the state secretariat of the PDP in Lafia, where a mammoth crowd turned up to witness the event and which was attended by top party officials, including Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the national chairman of the PDP. In an address during the occasion, the PDP national

JTF arrests 1,653 illegal oil bunkers, destroyed 3,778 illegal refineries in

T

he Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olushola Obada, has said that the Joint Task Force,(JTF) Operation Pulo Shield operating in the Niger Delta region has, within the last one year, arrested 1,653 illegal oil bunkers and destroyed 3, 778 illegal refineries.

The Minister stated this yesterday in Abuja during the ministerial platform on the activities and achievements of the Ministry of Defence from

June 2012 to June 2013. Adding, there has also been enhanced protection of oil and gas facilities through increased air and ground patrols of pipeline net to deter vandals from sabotage activities within the said year.

Obada further said JTF, Operation Restore Order operating in the North-Eastern part of the country has restored normalcy within the region while insurgents operating in the zone have been successfully dislodged from their strong hold at Sambisa forest.

According to the Minister,

Operation BOYANA was also established within the said period, following the declaration of State of Emergency in three states in the north-east to contain the excesses of Boko Haram, noting that normalcy has returned and confidence restored to the populace as they are now comfortable with presence of the troops.

She commended efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces at ensuring unity of the country adding that “Nigeria still remains an active player in both regional and world peace.”

intimated that the agency has met with stakeholders and is in the process of comparing reports received from all stakeholders for onward transmission to government for possible assistance and collaboration so as to reduce the negative effect on the people.

It would be recalled that thousands of persons were displaced while properties worth millions of naira were lost in last year’s flooding in the State, affecting five local government areas of Guma, Makurdi, Gwer-West, Agatu and Logo.

Former Deputy Gov, others return to PDP in Nasarawa From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

Page 3

chairman described the return of the former party members as “home coming”, stressing that the PDP under his watch, would doggedly pursue reconciliation, reformation of attitudes as well as ensure equity and justice for all members.

“Our party, the PDP under my watch, we belief in reconciliation with our people, we belief in the reformation of our attitudes and in building our party based on equity and justice,” Bamanga Tukur told the large crowd that attended the occasion.

Earlier in an opening address, the Minister for Information, Mr. Labaran Maku stated that any development in the state, “be it the university, polytechnic, roads, etc, it is the PDP government that brought them”, stressing that since the coming in of the administration of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), “Nasarawa has witnessed only violence.”

He declared that between now and 2015; PDP would take back the mantle of power in the state.

Female politician and aspirant of the House of Representatives, Fatima Eunice Ibrahim, with the physically challenged at a programme in her constituency in Zaria.

Court remands suspected murderers of WAMCO missing.

Regional Manager in prison Sgt. Ebonyi said From Uche Nnorom,Makurdi

A Makurdi Chief Magistrate, Mr. Dan Ogoh yesterday remanded five men in prison custody for the murder of the regional manager of West Africa Milk Company (WAMCO), Rasaki Lukman who was murdered early June.

The five accused persons are; Philip David, Ezekiel Orkurga, Ochai Obe, Owoicho Egwu and Onoja (surname not known).

It would be recalled that the late Lukman was discovered dead in his house along Makurdi Modern Market on June 1, 2013 with his hands tied and a substance suspected to be acid poured in his mouth while his Camry car was taken away by his assailants.

During the hearing of the case, Police Prosecuting Officer, Sgt. Godwin Ebonyi informed the court that one David Terhemba of Friesland Company, Makurdi reported the death of his boss at

‘D’ Division Police Station after he had traced him to his house when the company needed his services.

David also added that his boss’s Toyota Corolla car, 2010 model was also discovered to be

upon receiving the information, the police immediately commenced investigation into the matter which revealed that the accused persons conspired, attacked the deceased and shot him dead.

Works ministry sends forth 22 retiree directors

By Miriam Humbe

The Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, has advised civil servants to cultivate the culture of hard work and dedication to duty while in service for the country, to attain developmental goals.

The minister gave the advice yesterday in Abuja at a sendoff dinner organised for the 22 directorate cadre officers who retired from the ministry between July 2011 and December 2012.

Onolememen, who was represented by the Minister of State for Works, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda commended the retirees on their service to the nation and urged them to use their wealth

of experience to engage in other productive areas.

The minister commended the retired officers for their leading roles in the road sector of the transformation agenda of Mr President and wished them success in their future endeavours while calling on the younger civil servants to emulate their hard work, humility and contentment.

Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Abubakar Muhammad, restated government’s commitment in ensuring welfare of retirees.

He said that the ministry would ensure all their entitlements were remitted to them on time.

Photo Splash PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 29 - SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Dan Majen Kano, Prince Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, CBN Gov. leading colourful horse riders, at the Grand Durbar to commemorate 50th Anniversary celebration of the Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero, recently in Kano

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI), Mr. Yinka Oyinlola and the representative of FIRS Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Attah, during the NLI White Paper Public Presentation and Review, on Friday in Abuja.

Officers of 2nd Div. of the Nigerian Army and other sister security agencies in a joint match in Ibadan on Friday

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew and Abigail celebrated their 10th year wedding anniversary on June 28, 2013. Wishing them many more years of bliss

L-R: Legislative aide to Congresswoman Janice Hahn, Ms. Elizabeth Odendahi, Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii and his wife Eugenia, after receiving the Special Congressional Recognition Award at the Madison Hall of the US Library of Congress in Washington recently Photos: Justin Imo-Owo and NAN

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

News Nigerian Army celebrates 150 years of existence

By Joy Baba

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he Nigerian Army is set to hold its 2013 Annual Day celebration and commemoration of 150 years of existence from this weekend.

Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) is an important annual event of the Army and an occasion to showcase its roles, capabilities and achievements in the year under review.

Addressing journalists yesterday, the Chief of Army Staff, (COAS) Lt Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, who was represented by the Chief of Civil Military Affairs, (CCMA) Major General Mobolaji Koleoso said the yearly event affords the Nigerian Army the opportunity to relate with the larger society by collaborating with them on the maintenance of peace, law and order as well as in ensuring security of lives and properties.

According to Ihejirika, this year’s theme “Enhancing the Nigerian

‘OPC, not threat to Nigeria’s unity’ From Olanrewaju

Odua People’s Congress(OPC) has said its organisation is not in any form, a threat to unity of Nigeria.

The group noted that OPC is the only sociocultural group that has promoted tourism, with over 20 traditional festivals held as well as stability of the Western region.

The Kwara State Coordinator of the group, Comrade Maruf Abdulsalam who stated this in an interview with People’s Daily Weekend after his conferment as ‘Dr of Culture’ by the Association of Musicians of Nigeria, in Ilorin, Kwara state capital, said the Presidency should rescind the decision on the clamping down on OPC. Abdulsalam, an ally of OPC National Coordinator, Otunba Gani Adams said “government cannot say OPC is a threat to Nigeria’s unity, adding “President

R-L: President Goodluck Jonathan admiring a souvenir presented to him by outgoing Ambassador of Venezuela to Nigeria, Enrique Fernado Arrundell, during his farewell visit to the State House yesterday in Abuja.

Forte oil target 3bn profit, begins expansion From Ayodele Samuel,

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orte Oil Plc, one of the leading indigenous p e t r o l e u m marketing companies in Nigeria has set a target of N3 billion profits after tax (PAT) at the end of this year’s business activities.

Managing Director of Forte Oil, Mr. Akin Akinfemiwa speaking with journalists in Lagos, said that the management met the company in a negative liquidity position

recording a loss of N20 billion in 2011 but by the end of 2012 financial year, the company had recorded N1 billion profit and set a target of N3 billion profit after tax at the end of the current financial year.

He also said that the new management has been able to move the company from number six to number three in its sector as well as increased the company’s market share.

The firm said that part of its portfolio expansion

will include upstream, refining and power to consolidate on its existing businesses, even as its attempts to acquire Shell’s OML 30 was aborted in 2010.

Akinfemiwa said that despite the failed attempt, the company has not given up on expanding operations to the upstream sub-sector of the industry, as it is currently reviewing some assets with a view to taking investment decisions on them.

To this end, he said Forte Oil has already registered an upstream company, FB Energy Development Company Limited, preparatory to taking those investment decisions.

Akinfemiwa said: “In 2010, we were runners up to Shell divestment from OML 30, and we did that in collaboration with few of our foreign partners, but sad enough we could not clinch that deal.

“So we already have an

Emergency Management Agency NEMA has counselled Secondary School Students on disaster and risk management.

According to the organizers, the importance of establishing knowledge on DRR and the culture of disaster management

for secondary school pupils cannot be over emphasized.

NEMA, North West Zonal Coordinator Musa Ilallah, said about 10 secondary schools principals and 50 students from respective schools participated in the one day seminar staged at Halal Fountain Hotel

Annex, Malali, Kaduna.

'This measure would go miles ahead to empower the students with the required knowledge that will provide remedy in reducing the impact or occurrences of disasters in schools, homes and surroundings respectively by setting up DRR Clubs in

NEMA counsels school children on disaster From Mohammad

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ollowing the 20062015 National Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and with the recurring nature of Disasters and Emergencies across the Nigerian states, National

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Crime Cycle

pmlcrimecycle@gmail.com 08138559513 (SMS only)

Self-acclaimed police inspector arraigned in court

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he police have arraigned one Joshua Hosea before a Karu Upper Area Court in Abuja for allegedly parading himself as an inspector with the Nigeria Police.

The accused person, who resides in Gwagwa, Abuja is facing a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, impersonation and unlawful possession of a locally made pistol.

The prosecutor, Insp Peter Adams, told the court that the accused person committed the offences on May 25.

Adams said Hosea had stopped one Ikenna

Ugor at about 10 p.m., introduced himself as a police inspector and ordered Uzor to surrender himself that he was under arrest for the offence of robbery.

The prosecutor stated that Uzor had no option than to surrender to Hosea for fear of being shot if he resisted `arrest.’

“The accused person was later discovered to be fake when he tried to arrest others like Uzor, and he was later accosted by the same people.

“An on-the-spot search was carried out on the accused person and a locally made pistol and double barrel gun were

Court remands teenager over rape allegation

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idwan Oloyiwola, 19, was on Friday arraigned at an Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly raping a minor.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Oriola James, alleged that the accused was arraigned on a one-count charge of defiling a fiveyear-old girl.

He said Olayiwola committed the act on June 18 at about 7.30 p.m. in Abiola Estate, Alata area, Ibadan.

The prosecutor alleged that the accused took the underage girl out of the

view of her parents and defiled her.

The action, he said, caused the girl serious injury in her private part.

James also told the court that the offence contravened the Criminal Code, Oyo State, 2000.

The plea of the accused was, however, not taken by the court.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Riskat Ebeloku, ordered Oloyiwola to be remanded in prison custody.

Ebeloku also directed the police to make duplicate copy of the case

found on him.

“Such an offence is serious and punishable under sections 97, 132 and 319 of the Penal Code,” he said.

NAN reports that the accused person stands the risk of serving a prison term of up to eight years and six months if found guilty of all the charges.

There is, however an option of a fine or both.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Hosea pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.

The presiding judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 and a

reasonable surety in like sum.

He stated that the surety should be someone who resides within the jurisdiction of the court.

The case was adjourned to Aug. 20 for the presentation of witnesses and continuation of hearing. (NAN)

IGM Mohammed Abubakar

Two bag life imprisonment for armed

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n Ado-Ekiti High court has sentenced two men, Adebayo Refus and Bamidele Rasheed, to life imprisonment for armed robbery.

The state counsel handling the case, Mr Folu Awoniyi, said the accused committed the offence on

Sept. 29, 2008 at OtunEkiti, Moba council area of Ekiti.

He said the accused, while armed with a cutlass and knife, robbed one Mrs Kofoworola Ajayi of N1, 500.

Awoniyi also said that on the same day, the accused damaged one Mazda 626 millennium car marked

LG 49 TUN which was the official vehicle of one Hon. Ajayi Olayinka.

He said the offence contravened section 6 (b) 451 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R 11.

Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

In his judgment, Justice

Police arrest 52 kidnap suspects, recover arms, N6.8m

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ivers Police Command says it has arrested 52 suspected kidnappers, rescued six victims and recovered N6.8 million ransom paid to the suspects.

Mr Joseph Mbu, the Police Commissioner in the state, announced this in Port Harcourt

on Thursday at a news conference, saying that nine kidnap suspects escaped during the arrest.

He said that a large quantity of arms and ammunition were also recovered and that the feat was achieved within three months of his assumption of office in the state.

The police commissioner

said that the command recorded 18 kidnap cases. ‘’We have recorded 18 kidnapping cases; we were able to rescue six and we arrested 52, those who escaped were nine.’’

He said the command recovered 20 Ak47 rifles, one G3, five pump actions guns and automatic pump action ones.

Trader docked for assaulting co-

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3 3 - y e a r - o l d trader, Joy Nwachukwu, has appeared before an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, charged with assaulting a cotrader over a customer’s patronage.

Nwachukwu, who resides at No. 5, Bambe St., Onipanu, Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of breach of peace and

assault.

The Prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offence on June 21 at Shop E10, Araromi Market, Oshodi.

He said that the accused unlawfully assaulted Mrs Tosin Adebanjo, by beating her and inflicting an injury on her head, thereby causing her bodily harm.

“A woman came to buy goods from the complainant; the accused accosted the complainant after the buyer had gone and accused her of snatching her customer.

“The complainant told her that she was sitting with her goods when the buyer came to price and buy her goods and that she did not call her customer,” he said.

Olatunde said that the accused started raining insults on the complainant, calling her different names like thief, prostitute and bastard.

“The complainant responded by also calling the accused those names and she descended on her by beating her up and hit a stick on her head and inflicted injury on her head.

“Before the incident, the two had been nursing a grudge but both had refused to reveal what had transpired between them,” he said.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened Sections 166 and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Online comments Muhammed Dahiru Disengaged staff call on Unity Bank to Resign honourably, settle outstanding Adamawa PDP entitlements The security situation in scribe tells Tukur the North is much worse than it was before the emergency rule, principally because of two reasons.

No one knows how many innocent, helpless children,

women and the aged have been killed because no independent assessment by anybody has been made.

From what happened in Baga, we know that our military is capable of the worst human rights violation, and can deny the mostobviousfactwithalmost superhuman effrontery.

Secondly, our military, on whom the constitution vests the duty to defend this country and whom the requisite training has been given including 950 billion naira given to them

by President Jonathan, have woefully failed and have resorted to hiding behind civilian youths in their battle with Boko Haram in Borno state. So, Mr. President, the emegency rule has only increased the casualty figures in our North just like your rule has not brought the fresh air.

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nation only if the founders reach an agreement that Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari can step down leaving Oshiomhole from the South and endorsing someone else in place of Buhari from North, with this observation, your party will go higher than PDP. I’m ready to do anything for the party to grow in my constituency.

Joesmith

Peoples Daily, please stop listening to people like P. Elesha or whatever he calls himself, same set of people were with Governor Boni Haruna, the same people were against Kugama and now the same people are with Governor Nyako, and Rivers PDP crisis: I believe the same people Call First Lady to will still oppose Nyako order, Junaid tells after 2015. These are the kind of people Al Mustapha to come to Nigeria, the sum Jonathan refered to as AGIP (Any of 10,000 pounds payable Does she know that Government In Power). she does not have any on the point of entry.

Mohammed Tafida immunity? Her office is Rommel not known to the Nigeria If she Boko Haram: JTF 2015: S/south group Constitution. continues to be a nuisance bans Thuraya endorses Buhari/ to our democracy, we shall phones in Borno Oshiomhole’s ticket sue her.

Good work. Keep it up Jummy Good combination.

JTF. Ghana is what it is today Mykbon because Jerry Rawlings came a second time. Again, Ewuga, Eggon and UK lists Nigeria, you are a religious fanatic Nasarawa politics and bigot if you think Ghana, India, Nobody, just no right another person is. thinking person can others as ‘high risk Ginika Okonkwo support what bedeviled countries’ the policemen that went Nonsense!

Nigeria Buhari and Adams to Alakyo. All the same, should retaliate and place Oshiomhole are an on any Briton that wishes excellent combination that the question still remains: Why send 100 policemen to will deliver us from all the arrest an old man? What is ills bedevilling Nigeria.

May this be reality and let them reach Aso Rock in 2015.

Barr. Shuwa Which South-south?

Oshiomhole, yes, not with Buhari. Oshiomhole and Imoke are the solution.

Gbabiaka The newly registered and most vibrant Nigeria party. As an intellectual observer, I have observed that your party will attain the greatest height in this

Peoples Page PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 29 - SUN-

Defiled woman, Zainab still struggling to fend for her child From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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man, Mu’awuya in Katsina state, whose lustful act resulted in the pregnancy of a young woman, has not set eyes on the child since he was born.

Peoples Daily Weekend has revealed.

He had lured the child’s mother, Zainab Salmanu to his house, drugged her and had canal knowledge of her, leading to the pregnancy.

Since the birth of the child, Mu’awuya who was released on bail by a Court never cared to visit neither the child nor the mother.

According to Zainab, since she delivered the child, Mu’awuya only communicated with her through his elder brother. “After I gave birth, it was his elder brother who visited me. He even jokingly said the child should be named after his father as he resembles him”.

The young woman disclosed that it was through the office of the Wakilin

Kudu, the ward head that the name of the child was communicated to her and the sum of N25, 000 given to her for the child’s naming ceremony. She noted that when the child took ill recently and she reported the matter to the intermediary at the ward, she only got N1000 after being queried for disturbing them.

It was discovered that the man in question may be playing a hide and seek game with his nemesis, as several attempts to locate him proved difficult as his house was under lock and key. A neighbour of the randy man told Our correspondent that “since the shameful act was reported, the man has gone into hiding.

However, an NGO in Katsina, Community Information Project, run by Mr. Aron Jacob noted that they were trying to exhaust all legal means at their disposal to make sure the man faced the full wrath of the law for his crime. He said “ in fact as I am talking to you now I have scheduled a

Zainab Salmanu and her child meeting with the Director Public Prosecution of the state Ministry of Justice’.

Our Correspondent gathered from Zainab that one Abubakar from the Wakilin Kudu office, who mediates between her and Mu;awuya has discouraged her from listening to the NGO. According to her “he said I should not listen to the NGO people because they want to use me to

make money”.

Her guardian, a woman who accommodates her in her house, Malama Amina said “I was surprised when we went to the Wakilin Kudu’s office over the child’s condition when he was ill, only for them to divert our attention from the matter, as they said that they had selected a husband for Zainab”. She added “let me tell you if not

because of you journalists and the NGO, Zainab’s case would have been swept under the carpet by now” Peoples Daily Weekend observed that Zainab has no financial strength to engage a lawyer, the one hired for her by the NGO seems to have abandoned the case for reasons best known to him.

The questions on the lips of many people in Kat-

Nigerians set to be deported from Ma- Gulfstream IV Aircraft belong-

A

bout 52 Nigerians were arrested on Sunday 23rd June 2013, in Malaysia during a midnight raid by the Malaysian Immigration police combing houses occupied by Nigerians in Malaysia and having their doors destroyed in the process. Some of the Nigerians arrested had clothes on while others had only their singlet, T shirt and trousers on, but were forced to leave their homes.

Though some of them

were lucky not to have been home at the time of the raid, their doors were pulled down and their properties destroyed. These unfortunate Nigerians are now in the custody of the Malaysian police awaiting deportation to Nigeria.

Gulfstream IV Aircraft belonging to jet-setting Pastor Adeboye, spotted in Canada, visit to Suntai Jet-setting General Overseer of the Redeem Christian church of God, Pastor Enoch

Adeboye was on a whirlwind trip in North America recently.

According to Sahara Reporters, the man, popularly referred to as “Daddy GO” reportedly visited New York and made a quick visit to brain-damaged governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai at a rehabilitation center upstate New York.

The pastor then flew in his private jet to Canada.

Several Nigerian priests fly around in expensive pri-

ing to jet-setting Pastor Adeboye, spotted in Canada, visit to

J

et-setting General Overseer of the Redeem Christian church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye was on a whirlwind trip in North America recently.

According to Sahara Reporters, the man, popularly referred to as “Daddy GO” reportedly visited New York and made a quick visit to brain-damaged governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai at a rehabilitation center upstate New York.

The pastor then flew in his private jet to Canada.

Several Nigerian priests fly around in expensive private jets in a nation where majority live on less than $2 a day.

The picture shows the high-flying “man of God” arriving Saskatchewan, Canada in his Gulfstream G-IV jet registered to Emmanuel Aviation, Wilmington, Delaware.

Cover

: h t r o N e h t h t i e w s u e l o b h u d o r e T d i v i D

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND,

10 & 11

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 29 - SUN-

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9

Trouble with the North: Divided house

The large chunk of the problems troubling Nigeria today is perceptibly linked with the North. The trouble with the region at the moment cannot be far-fetched from the insecurity occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency, social miasma and political disunity long linked with the insensitivity, corruption and social disequilibrium in society. News Editor, ABUBAKAR IBRAHIM examines how it may

Dan Masanin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf

N

orthern Nigeria was a British colony formed in 1900 via the 1885 Treaty of Berlin which broadly granted it to Britain on the basis of their protectorates in Southern Nigeria.

Along the line, Britain’s Governor Frederick Lugard, slowly negotiated with and sometimes coerced the emirates of the North into accepting British rule, finding that the only way this could be achieved was with the consent of local rulers through a policy of indirect rule developed from a necessary improvisation into a sophisticated political theory.

Basically, the essence of Indirect Rule was to preserve the age-long and predominant Islamic tradition in the North if British colonialism was to succeed without resistance from an already established oriental culture, language and education deeply rooted before their arrival. This was aptly convenient before the eventual merger of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate with Southern Nigeria in 1914.

Consequently, western-style socio-economic and political life gained ascendancy in the south.

Even though the North had the love of the British colonialists through

political patronage because of her observable deference to the masters, much of the institutions, human capital and western education had already advanced before Nigeria’s independence in 1960. And so, we do not have to look too far to see where the initial Northern troubles started.

And so, in the last quarter of the 50s when British resources dwindled to the Second World War, making her incapable of practically retaining its Overseas Territories (including Nigeria), then Premier of the region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, saw it expedient during the pre-independence negotiations in Britain, to ask for a two or three years moratorium for which he was strongly vilified. Nigeria was to be free in 1967.

That was the first sign of lacuna and the trouble with the North in the competition for the sociopolitical and economic space called Nigeria the Sardauna endeavoured to bridge.

He once said: “ I have been accused of lack of nationalism and political awareness because I considered that independence must wait until a country has the resources to support and make a success of independence. I have been accused of conservatism because I believe in retaining all that is good in our old traditions and customs and refusing to copy all aspects of other alien civilizations. I have been accused of many things”.

Sagacious, relentless and visionary as the premier was, he played catch-up within three years, building an elite workforce ready for transition to a new Nigeria.

After that, he aggressively set up institutions such as Northern Nigeria Development Corporation (NNDC), Northern Nigeria Investment Limited (NNIL), Bank of the North (BON); Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria (BCNN), New Nigerian Newspapers, Government Girls’ Colleges, Women Teachers’ Colleges, Kaduna Polytechnic, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU),

Alhaji Balarabe Musa

Governor Aliyu Babangida

Zaria; ABU Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Hamdala Hotel and several textile factories and industries.

He also trained youths here and abroad and demonstrated amazing incorruptibility.

The Northernisation Policy he couched in April 1960 was aimed: to nothernise the Northern Region public Service as possible; to ensure for Northerners a remarkable proportion of post in the federal Public service; to secure for northerners a reasonable proportion of post in all Statutory Corporations; to increase the number of Northerners in Commercial, industrial, banking and trading concerns in the Region; to expand as necessary the educational, training and scholarship schemes of the Region in order to provide the qualified personal required for the Northernisation policy.

But behind this striking veneer of success were socio-economic problems largely amplified by the discontinuity of Sardauna’s legacy by those who benefitted largely from his benevolence.

Professor Ibrahim A. Gambari, the Joint Special Representative of the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur, Sudan aptly identified what was amiss. In December 2013, at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua centre, Abuja where he presented a paper was titled: Leadership and Good Governance In Nigeria: Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Ghost of 1914 and the Audacity of Hope for Nation-building,

Professor Gambari then raised an important issue.

“I imagine that many in this audience would be asking themselves: what has happened to all these institutions that our founding father left us? I don’t think this will comfort you, but similar questions are being asked in other parts of Nigeria.

This is about the first level of betrayal of the vision. On the economic front, those of us who live in Kaduna know that the textile factories established by the Sardauna are dead. When they were at their peak, the textile industry was the highest employer of labour. They were killed by incessant power cut the high cost of production from running factories on generators and the flooding of our markets with cheap imported textiles. Workers have been laid off, fuelling unemployment and poverty. We also neglected agriculture the mainstay of our economy in pursuit of easy money.

Professor Gambari spoke at length on the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914 and wondered why our current leaders have always tried to find watery excuses for the failure of leadership. He queried “Why then is it, that since the collapse of the First Republic, more excuses around colonialism have been offered for the failure of the leadership than were heard in

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 29 - SUN-

10

Trouble with the North: Divided house

political seat has set temperature raging.

The presidential ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan had left the North much more divided than ever before when in 2011, ‘revered’ traditional rulers and politicians of the region backed his candidacy at a time when youth employment and dearth of infrastructure had reached its peak, a period when expectations for change from excruciating poverty was very high.

Much more to the disunity lies the unrepentant crave for the physical values of office than service, when the polity is awash with news of graft, embezzlements and the frustrating prospect of endless election that threatens the nation’s existence in 2015.

This much was alluded to by the National Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Alhaji Mohammed Aliko who accused some members of both the ACF and the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, of betraying the North by endorsing President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term in office, contrary to the north’s desire to rule the country in 2015.

Speaking in Kaduna last week during the opening ceremony of ACF’s annual general meeting, Aliko said some ACF and NEC members have betrayed the North by meeting President Jonathan and affirming their support for him for the 2015 general elections.

“It is very sad that the Presidency has employed the divide and rule tactics against the North. It is very glaring, because we noticed with dismay that some members of this organisation have gone to the President and assured him that he must contest for 2015 election,” Aliko said.

“We are really surprised that some northerners that went there are also members of ACF. I am speaking particularly of two gentlemen. The two gentlemen I am referring to, one is a member of the ACF and the other is of the Northern Elders’ Council. The ACF member is General Lawrence Onoja, rtd.

He was actually part of the group that went to see the President (with elders of the South-South). Also, one of the Northern Elders Forum, is Senator John Wash Pam”. .

“That is not all, we have gone with Onoja to every meeting we have held and he knows what the North wants. Now for him to turn round to say the President must contest in 2015, using the word, must, is very sad for us in ACF,” he said.

The division has seemingly deepened among the regions political elites courtesy of the choice

Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar of the Nigerian Governors Forum’s leadership between Governors Rotimi Amaechi and Jonah Jang of Rivers state and Plateau States.

Lately, Governors Isa Yuguda and Gabriel Suswam of Bauchi and Benue withdrew their membership

of the Northern governors group (NSGF)apparently a culmination of the 2015 struggle now epitomized by wits and betrayals. Analysts believe that in the absence of a functional economy that promotes individual enterprise and industrial growth, conscience will continue to be sold to the highest Nigerian political bidder. Will personal greed continue to hold sway above collective quest to rid the region of restiveness?

Economic and social crisis Senator Smart Adeyemi: “I feel pained when I see the abject poverty in the North. Do you know what differentiate the North from the South? The moment you enter Kwara and Kogi states, coming up North, the poverty starts graduating, going up and this is not what any Nigerian who is committed to our unity and stability should encourage. We must find a way of minimising poverty in the North because if there is too much poverty here, there would not be peace and stability in the whole

country”.

This word succinctly paints the alarming socio-economic problem in the region despite its vast human and material resources. It shows that poverty- the deprivation of basic needs commonly known as to food, clothing and shelter, health care and education- has become so endemic in the land that the latest National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) put the national poverty rate at 67.1 per cent.

Poverty has been on a steady increase in the nation with statistics from the website of NBS showing that in 1980,17.1million people were poor and in 1985, it increased to 34.7million; it was 39.2million in 1992; 67.1million in 1996; it further increased to 68.7 in2004 and in 2010, it got to 112.47million.

This endemic poverty is more pronounced in northern Nigeria with the rate in North-West put at 77.7%, North East 76.3%, much higher than the national poverty rate of 67.1%.

Says alienation of the North a huge challenge for 2015 • Money influence will be tested again at polls, he claims • The region is being engaged, Ambassador Adefuye affirms

F

ormer United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Nigeria and author of Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink, John Campbell, has again warned about implications of complacency of political leaders and the elite over the seeming alienation of the core North.

He also noted that the future of the country depends on the handling of the current sociopolitical condition of the area he claims is among the most volatile and vulnerable in the country.

But Nigeria’s envoy to the U.S., Prof. Ade Adefuye, said that the Federal Government has been addressing the issues raised about the North by Campell.

He too spoke with The Guardian briefly in Washington when National Institute of Policy & Strategic Studies (NIPSS) study team in Washington DC, led by the Director-General, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, visited him in his office. He was asked to react to the charge by the U.S. diplomat.

Campbell, who spoke with The Guardian in a telephone interview in Washington DC, noted that leaders at all

levels in Nigeria should preoccupy themselves with serious discussions on how to address exclusion of the North from economic activities in the country.

According to the ex-envoy who received some harsh words from the Federal Government on his opinion before the 2011 polls about the consequences of failure to address the apparent dichotomy between the North and the South then, the leaders in Nigeria should begin to address the ticklish challenges in the Niger Delta, Middle Belt and the core North now lest the 2015 elections would face some political dangers.

His words: “As a friend of Nigeria, I have to tell the truth.

I may be proved wrong in future but at the time of speaking or writing the truth, I believe I have a responsibility to tell…

“About the state of politics in Nigeria, the question that has to be addressed include: whether money will again play an overwhelming role in political party rivalry in the next election. My concern is whether the process will be different from the 2007 through 2011 when money reportedly decided the outcome. In 2011, recall that it was a contest between the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the sitting President now President Goodluck Jonathan…

Then you recall that the sitting president reportedly had a clear advantage…

“But the greater challenge before 2015 is there seems to be no relationship between politics in Nigeria and the huge challenges that Nigeria faces. There is no discussion at the moment of the problems of alienation of the North. There is no serious discussion of the major political crisis and religious conflicts in the Middle Belt. There is an eye on only the North-East and others even then this is the thing: political leaders and indeed leaders in the country are not publicly discussing these issues with a view to finding lasting solution…

“The lingering issues in the North are germane and critical enough to the future of Nigeria…

From the issues on ground in Nigeria, I see very little of mechanism to defuse tension in the Niger Delta. The area remains a flash-point. I see escalation of crisis and indeed resurgence if President Jonathan does not return for a second term. This is crystal clear from flashes we can see…

“We see politics now mostly around personalities. Politics should address (at the moment) the main challenges the country faces. There should be ideas on how to move forward. I would like to see political figures

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Interview

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE,

We should stop talking about northern leaders and fight for the rights of north in the context of one Nigeria —Balarabe Musa

Alhaji Balarabe Musa is a foremost politician and Statesman. In this interview with Mohammad Ibrahim, bears his mind on the trouble with the North, stating frankly what he thinks about leaders in the region

W

hat is actually is the problem of Northern Governors?

Problems of Northern Governors should not take too much attention because their role as northern governors is to coordinate their activities as much as possible. If that is not possible then they should be ignored in favour of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), because the NGF can coordinate the affairs of governors throughout the country, even in a better way. So the way things are now it is better to abandon these regional Governors’ Forum and concentrate on the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) which is more relevant particularly with the crisis rocking the forum now, which is going to waste our time and divert our attention. PDP and their President, Goodluck Jonathan are responsible for these problems with regards to the Nigerian Governors Forum and even that of the Northern Governors Forum.

Some are of the opinion that the division among the northern governors will affect the struggle to wrestle power back to the region come 2015. Do you agree?

This has no relevance; we have to discontinue this fight between the north and south over this presidency because it is a waste of time and it is preventing us from getting a president that will represent the whole country. We have had Presidents from the north and south, particularly the south west. Now we have from the south south but all of them, what have they done for the country?

I will say the north is only proud of three presidents that it has had over the years and these are, General Gowan, late Gen. Murtala Mohammed and Mohammadu Buhari, and these are the only presidents that Nigerians should be proud off. It is

Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa not only the north that is proud of them but the whole country.

South West had their own man, Obasanjo, but what has he done for his region. He was the one who deliberately, out of public funds created 15 richest Nigerians from all over the country. These 15 brought about the 11 being the richest in Africa.

It was Obasanjo that did that during his 8 years, term as President with the privatization and so on.

For President Jonathan he has not done anything to show for his position as president.

If we continue with this mindless power shift, although I am not saying there should be no power

I think we will be missing the point if we concentrate on the problem of one particular area.

People who always talk of the problem in the north are not being honest. This is because the real problems of the north are two cases which they have ignored and these are not problems that north alone can

shift but what I am saying is that, that alone will not bring about what we want. We can say that only south east has not tested the presidency and because of that we will say let us give to South East, if we do that the person who cannot perform at all will be brought in and he will waste our time just as Jonathan is wasting our time now.

The rest of the country will hold their hands and tell the zone to bring somebody and they bring any person. But if the whole country is involved in the selection of the person from the zone it will be justified because it will be mixture of Zoning and power shift, capability and credibility. The three points will be matched to produce a President for the whole country and that is what we want.

I think now we have seen the damage that it has done to this country. We can only continue with the zoning and power shift for the purpose of giving every section of Nigeria a sense of belonging but we should not leave the selection of the person to the zone alone and we should not do it without regard for credibility, experience,

patriotism and capacity to perform.

What exactly will you say is the problem with the north?

There is no problem in the north which does not exist in other parts of the country and I think we will be missing the point if we concentrate on the problem of one particular area. People who always talk of the problem in the north are not being honest.

This is because the real problems of the north are two cases which they have ignored and these are not problems that north alone can solve.

The problem of Almajiri is a very serious matter secondly is the 40 years gap in educational development between the north and South. These northern leaders are not addressing the issues and they have been told consistently since the time the south was asking for power shift.

Credible people in the north told these so called northern leaders, that southerners who are complaining that power has always been in the north have a case after all, they are Nigerians with rights. What you can do is Contd on Pg 13

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE,

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Interview We should stop talking about northern leaders ... —Balarabe Musa Contd from Pg 12

whether you like it or not the President will come from the south. When the issue of resource control came up what the northern leaders would have done was, they shouldn’t have opposed the demand because Niger Deltans are also Nigerians.

These northern leaders were told not to argue with them or deny them their rights but instead they should identify their own problems so that they could be discussed. That was why we told them that as far as this 40 years educational development gap between the north and the south continues to the disadvantage of the north, no matter what you do the north will remain a shadow of Nigeria.

While they were demanding for resource control you should also demand for free and compulsory Primary and Secondary education throughout the country and free post secondary education because it is the quickest and easiest way of bridging the gap between the north and south in educational development Educational development is key to all other developments and if you don’t breach this gap within the possible shortest period. The north will still continue to stay in the way of national unity. They ignored it. These are leaders whose tradition can be linked to the NPC, NPN, NRC and now PDP, this has been their tradition these so called northern leaders.

The present northern leadership has nothing to show for the positions unlike their predecessors.

Despite their predecessors being conservative, feudal they were concerned and credible people. They brought about institutions for the development of the north like the ABU, Bank of the North, New Nigerian Newspapers and so many institutions.

Tell me what they have done with these northern institutions, they have all virtually collapsed.

Is there anything they can do for the north better than sustaining these institutions? But they are indifferent and the latest by these northern elders or leaders whoever they are is the banking system. The federal government wanted to reduce the number of banks in the country and every section of the country was given the right to support a particular bank.

25 banks were registered having met the requirements.

Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa These northern leaders failed to produce at least four out of five banks. They allowed Bank of the North to crumble because it could not even be among the 25 Banks.

The only bank that came about was Unity Bank and it was regarded to be northern bank simply because its Managing Director comes from the north.

This northern leadership has not served interest of the north.

They have served their own interest and the result of this is that they inherited northern institutions that everyone in the country was

“

proud of but instead of sustaining them they destroyed them and now the north has nothing but complains.

Forget about the northern leadership and let us fight within the context of one Nigeria and we will be better of. I am not saying same didn’t happen in the other zones. Where is Intercontinental Bank? It was same way Bank of the North collapsed. The same with south West, where are the Union Bank and Wema Bank?. They equally went same way with Bank of the North.

These northern leaders were told not to argue with them or deny them their rights but instead they should identify their own problems so that they could be discussed. That was why we told them that as far as this 40 years educational development gap between the north and the south continues to the disadvantage of the north, no matter what you do the north will remain a shadow of Nigeria.

These regional gatekeepers otherwise called elders have not done anything for the people they claimed to represent. Therefore we should ignore them and go for one united Nigeria based on justice.

After all we don’t want Nigeria to disintegrate. We want to keep one united Nigeria.

Recently Senate President David Mark call for the ban of amajiris in the region but Babangida Aliyu of Niger State kicked against it. How can the problem be tackled?

What Mark said, every northern leader can say so this is how bankrupt they are. They know what should be done, for instance, this almajirici involves children below the age of 15 it is very rear to see an almajiri above 15 years of age. Obasanjo is a southerner not a northerner, and is also a Christian not a Muslim.

When he was a military president he came with a policy of free Primary Education. What did the north do to encourage him to implement that successfully? and it was they who benefitted more.

Later when he came as civilian president he developed that policy by making it free primary and junior secondary education.

If the northern leaders had cared about the problems of almajiris they should have encouraged Obasanjo to implement the policy.

Later, to encourage Muslims to participate he tried to combine the Islamic education with western education. In the end the whole policy collapsed. What is this northern leadership that cannot match the performance of its predecessors in the interest of the north? We should stop talking about northern leaders and fight for the rights of north in the context of one Nigeria.

The issue of insecurity is another problem bothering northerners- cuts in This is another stupidity, this issue of insecurity is everywhere in Nigeria, but there are parts of Nigeria with a particular problem.

In the case of north it is Boko Haram, in the case of South South it is Militants, while in the West it is OPC and East, the MASOB. At the moment the greatest threat now is Boko Haram. But maybe soon OPC will be revived and they are more serious than Boko Haram because OPC made anybody that is not a Yoruba a victim and they equally made the Yoruba people victims. Just like the Boko Haram who people say killed Muslims and Christians. It is the same thing the OPC did.

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News Extra

How Kwara Police Command arrested three over murder of NMA ViceFrom Olanrewaju Lawal, “On receiving the Ilorin information,the scene of crime was immedihe Kwara State ately visited by police Police Command operatives and necesin the last few sary preliminary inmonths have being vestigative action were facing series of secu- taken. In the course of rity challenges since investigation by SARS the assumption in Of- operatives,one of the fice of the new Com- stolen Blackberry momissioner of Police, bile phones belonging Mr. Oshodi Glover. to the deceased was To curb insecurity, traced to be in use and the new CP has repo- was later recovered sitioned his men to from a lady using it. ensure some of these “Further investigahoodlums did not turn tion also led to the arthe ‘State of Harmony’ rest of one Gafar Ojuto crisis zone. lari ‘m’ who sold the This effort however handset to the lady’s yielded result as it has brother, Adewumi made arrests of three Kayode ‘m’ who sold suspects alleged to the handset to Gafar have been behind the ‘m’, Akeem Afolabi ‘m’ assassination of for- and Abiodun Abdulmer Vice-Chairman malik Ojulari ‘m’ who of Nigeria Medical are also members of Association(NMA)Dr. Adewumi Kayode’s Ariyo Adewumi. robbery gang.”

The police also The Command paraded three other spokesman said the suspects behind the three suspects had alleged plan to as- confessed to belongsassinate the former ing to a seven man Chairman of Offa Lo- armed robbery gang cal Government Area and that three of them of Kwara state, Prince with two other memSaheed Popoola. bers of the gang, OlaWhile parad- tide Oladapo a.k.a ing the suspects, Dampson and one the Command Po- Seun ‘m’ participated lice Public Relations in the robbery and killOfficer(PPRO),DSP ing of the deceased.

Olufemi Fabode said “Olatide Oladapo dangerous weapons a.k.a Dampson ‘m’ were seized from the has also been arrested suspects while three and he is presently in stolen vehicles were Police Custody in Oyo recovered.

State in connection “On 18\04\2013 at with other armed robabout 2345hrs, one bery cases and he also Dr. Ariyo Adewumi confessed to the crime ‘m’ of University of when interrogated by Ilorin Teaching Hos- SARS operatives from pital, Ilorin was at- Ilori while Seun ‘m’ is tacked and shot dead still at large.” in his residence at The Command addNo.27 Harmony street ed that investigation Basin Road, Ilorin by has revealed that the unknown gunmen. suspects’ motives of “The armed hood- killing the deceased lums also ransacked was robbery and the the deceased house double barreled pistol and made away with used in committing valuable items such the crime was recovas a Honda Accord ered from them. car with Reg. No.AAA “Intensive efforts 685 AU belong- are still being made ing to the deceased to track down the rewife, two BlackBer- ciever of the stolen ry mobile phones, vehicle with a view to one Samsung galaxy recovering it with othhandset,plasma T.V er stolen items. In the set, sound system, same vein, all memjewelries and other bers of the gang have valuable properties. been identified as no-

T

The suspects

One of the cars recovered

One of the suspects

torious criminals and have been linked with various armed robbery escapades in Ilorin.”

The Command stated that on 20\03\2013, at about 2045hrs, four members of the gang,one Olatide Ol-

Arms used by the suspects

adapo ‘m’,Abiodun Abdulmalik Ojuolari ‘m’, Peter Ayomide ‘m’ and Oyeyio Mayowa ‘m’ comspired and snatched a Toyota Venza space bus from the unsuspecting owner at Unity area in Ilorin.

“The suspects after taking possession of the vehicle at gunpoint carried the victim along in the vehicle to Sango area where they dropped him along the road and finally made away

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

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Interview

‘I was told that those paraded with me were security personnels’ – Reverend Ugolor

Reverend David Ugolor As the gap between the rich and poor people in the country widens and incessant cases of extra judicial killings increase; the Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, Reverend David Ugolor has called for renewed vigour in saving Nigeria from sliding into lawlessness.He decried that the unresolved high profile murder cases pending in courts. In this interview with Journalists in Benin City, Edo State Capital, OsaigbovoIguobaro was there. Excerpts.

We have had some human rights abuses in recent past especially in Edo State. What do you think should be done to check it?

Generally, the rate of extra judicial killing in Edo state has increased dramatically and the level of police impunity has also increased as well, vis-a-vis with my experience as a human rights activist when my friend was murdered. I was framed up.

Can you tell us what really happened when you were framed up?

Now, it is almost impossible to have justice in Nigeria.

After the court discharged me and acquitted me, the justice ministry in confirmation of my innocence, absolved me of any wrong doing

in connection with the alleged murder of Edo State principal private Secretary, late OlaitanOyerinde. Sadly, the police in their usual tradition of not owning up to their mistakes; insisted on proceeding and the High Court sitting in Benin City awarded N5million against them for my illegal detention.

Yet, the police proceeded to Appeal Court against the judgement which ruled unanimously that the inspector General of Police should deposit the sum of N5, 000, 000 into an ‘’interest yielding account pending determination of the suit brought before it. On the other hand, the police have equally, now gone to the Supreme Court for redress on the same matter not minding the cost

implications.

Today in Nigeria, you know almost 60-70 percent of Nigerians live below one dollar a day. You can imagine what it means if it was a poor Nigerian who have no means of support.

It means that about 60-70 percent of Nigerians if they are in my opposition, they would not be able to demand justice. Which means justice is for sale in Nigeria.

It is only few Nigerians that can actually secure justice. Otherwise, do you think a poor man can go to the extent of Supreme Court because of illegal detention cost of N5, 000, 000 that has just been awarded? This is not good for the country.

The rising level of poverty in the country is also responsible for the culture of impunity and oppression

which is becoming rampant in our clime. To buttress the point further, how many Nigerians, apart from the elites can seek the services of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), or can seek redress in court even when they have a good reasons?.

The police can afford to trample on the rights of common citizens and go scot free. That is what has kept me going in the fight for justice to correct the imbalance. Insecurity we are experiencing all over the country. The poor people are not the only set of people bearing the brunt of insecurity alone neither is it meant for the rich or elites alone. More disturbing at the moment is that even the rich have been denied peace despite the barrage of security outfits majority of them have at their beck and call.

Was that the reason you came out to defend the slain University of Benin Student, IbrahimMomodu?

Late Ibrahim Momodu’s case happened, which also

again is traceable to the activities of police! Let me put it on record, the entire police is not bad. The civil societies in Nigeria do recognize that there are credible police officers.

There are credible police officers who are committed to a just society.

And so, those kind of credible police officers need to be encouraged. Credible police should join forces with us to get rid of those policemen who feel that they are not going to allow justice prevail in Nigeria.

Like in my own case, those policemen who used tax payers’ gun to shoot suspects they kept in custody.

The issue of Ibrahim Momodu is a very critical issue. Today is Ibrahim Momodu, yesterday it was David Ugolor, tomorrow it could be you or it could be any body else or the police officers?. For example, we condemn any attempt to kill the police. Hence we have raised the circumstances which led to the death of Ibrahim Momodu bothers on the need to extra judicial killing.

Few days ago, I ran into one of the police officers that were paraded along with me during the identification.

He confidently told me that the entire people that were paraded with me were all security personnel. To give flesh to that conception, I challenge the IG of police. If he feels that his officers did a good job. I challenge him to play the video script of where I was paraded.

They have murdered, sleep and frustrated justice.

Credible police should join forces with us to get rid of those policemen who feel that they are not going to allow justice prevail in Nigeria.

PAGE

Feature

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 29 - SUN-

When Sardaunan Badarawa empowered youth with cars, motorcycles in Kaduna

By Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

U

mar Mangororo has been in transportation business as a driver for more than half a decade in Kaduna State. It has been the occupation with which he fends for the family.

Ironically, the car he drives belongs to his master for all these years until penultimate week when he was given a Volkswagen Golf car free of charge.

The car was given to him courtesy of Kaduna North’s ex-Local Government Interim Chairman, Usman Ibrahim, the Sardaunan Badarawa.

The other beneficiaries, particularly youth were given motorcycles. It was said that the former LG chairman selected the beneficiaries based on the fact that they really needed help.

It was gathered by Peoples Daily Weekend that most of the beneficiaries are unemployed youths from his immediate constituency of Kaduna north and he empowered them because he wanted them to be self-reliant. The exchairman was said to have bought the six vehicles and 10 motorcycles from his personal earning when his tenure ended as the chairman.

He was known for his philanthropic gesture even before he joined politics and was appointed as the interim Chairman of the council by the late Patrick Yakowa government. Many youths in his area of Badarawa and environs have benefited immensely from

his gesture.

His activities earned him the traditional title of Sardaunan Badarawa because according to those who conferred the title on him, he behaves and thinks like the late Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of Northern Nigeria through his actions.

It would be recalled that when he was the chairman, he sponsored more than 100 youths to acquire various skills. Among the youths were those he gave scholarships to continue with their education. Most of the youths were selected from the 12 wards of the local government.

This contributed to his popularity in the state, particularly within his constituency. This is why each time he is in town, his house is always full of people waiting to see him.

At the brief ceremony where beneficiaries were given keys of the cars and Motorcycles, Hon. Usman Ibrahim challenged the recipients to use them judiciously in improving their welfare and that of their dependants.

“It unsettled me each time I look out through the balcony of my house and see youths roaming the streets aimlessly without being engaged in one vocation or the other. I have therefore, resolved to assist them in my little way within the sphere of my capability so that they can be productive to the society.

“If you are blessed by God, there is need to extend such kind gesture to

How ex-Council aspirant raped minor and landed in Prison

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

R

ape of minors across the Country has been a major concern to many parents and security agencies. In Kwara State, information made available to our correspondent shows that the number of rape cases involving underaged in the state every week are getting higher by the day.

A reliable source at the Police Headquarters informed our correspondent that every week, 15 cases on rape of minors are received by the Kwara state Police command, a situation which prompted the Kwara State Government to set up a special Court for the trial of all suspects involved in the act.

Like every other little girl, the grand daughter of Mrs. Yunusa Salamat (name withheld) was tricked with sweet by her co-tenant unknown to her that she would be

Gbenga Sunday

Beneficiaries of Sardauna’n Badarawa’s largesse people in need and call on other well to do to follow suit as with that they can curtail the rate of unemployment in the country,” he said.

Usman believes that when youths have jobs, they will never allow themselves to be used as thugs by some selfish politicians and individuals.

In his remarks, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s chairman of Kaduna North Local Government, Hon. Aliyu Abdullahi who gave out the items to the beneficiaries commended the generosity and philanthropic virtuous of Hon. Usman Ibrahim for lifting the so-

cio-economic status of the downtrodden in the society.

According to him, when empowered, the high rate of insecurity and insurgency amongst the youths could be reduced.

“I want to use this occasion to call on our politicians to emulate former interim chairman who has not ceased to assist the poor even after leaving office,” he said.

Umar Mangororo, a beneficiary of a car could not suppress the tears of joy rolling down his cheeks. “I am overwhelmed in my own life I never thought I would one day own my per-

defiled. The five years old, followed ‘brother’ Gbenga to collect sweet and thereafter, the innocent girl was fingered and raped.

It was gathered that the victim was lured by Gbenga Sunday to his room, on 18th June, 2013, and raped while her grandmother was away.

Sources informed our correspondent that the suspect , a native of Egbe, a town in Kogi State had contested a Councillorship seat but lost and had incurred debt which he was eager to offset by all means.

It was gathered that the workshop where he works as a vehicle engine turner, was sold off while his wife and two children were evicted.

When Sunday eventually realised the implication of his action, he went into hiding and later resurfaced to arrest the grandmother of the victim. Meanwhile, the police Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) had earlier searched for him without success even as his phone was also switched off.

But when he resurfaced with policemen to arrest his victim’s grandmother for supposedly blackmailing him on the matter, many people were shocked.

Our Correspondent gathered that the grandmother then took her granddaughter to the Police ‘A’ Di-

vision to report how the man who raped her five years old girl, came to arrest her.

This annoyed the officers on duty who ordered him to be detained.

Ironically, the victim’s parent went to Commissioner of Police, Mr. Oshodi Glover pleading that the suspect be released as they want to withdraw the case. But sources informed our correspondent that the Police boss told them that the rape of minor is a serious case that state government had taken over.

Upon arraignment of the suspect, a Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital has remanded the 35 years old man at Mandalla federal prison for alleged rape of minor.

Police First Information Report(FIR) stated that the suspect committed rape contrary to section 283 of penal code law. According to the FIR read by Prosecutor Olatunji Aransioye, “ on 20\06\2013, at about 0900hrs, one Yunusa Salamat ‘f’ of No. 6 Railway lane,Ilorin Kwara State came to report at the ‘X’ Squard office of the Nigeria Police Force State Headquarters Ilorin that on 18th June,2013 at about 0300hrs, she discovered that her grand daughter named(withheld) aged five years was in discomfort and when asked what happened,

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

PAGE 17

Homes

Amazing toothpicks art deco

You think toothpicks are only good for picking the teeth or checking cake?

Think again. See what fun you can have with these toothpick tricks, around the house for interior deco ideas.

Bulb protector

Table piece

A fish

Just bonding together

Toothpick tree

...Aside decorating the home, toothpicks for easy repairs

Finding the beginning of a tape roll is a waste of time, not to mention that it is frustrating. Next time you cut a piece of tape, wrap the end around a toothpick when

If your garden hose springs a leak, don’t go out and buy another one. Find the hole, and insert a toothpick. Break off the excess part of the toothpick and water will make the wood swell, plugging the leak every time

The secret to a good paint touch-up is to use as little as possible, which is why toothpicks work perfectly. Dip the end of a toothpick in paint and dab it where you need it.

Have you ever encountered a stripped hole that prevents a screw from properly tightening, the after-effect of removing a door or hinge? Solve this problem by putting some glue on the end of a toothpick and sticking it in the hole. Break it off and add one or two more until the hole is tightly filled. Re-

If the stem of your favorite plant has folded over, it’s not doomed. Straighten the stem and support it by placing a toothpick against the stem and wrapping it with tape. Keep your eye on it and the stem should regain its strength. When this hap-

Make sewing projects faster and easier by using a round toothpick to push fabrics, lace, or gatherings under the pressure foot as you sew.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE,

PAGE 18

Relationship

After one year on the marriage trail, Liz and Yomi share their experience L iz and Yomi Black are celebrities.

They had a fabulous wedding a year ago in Lagos.

The first year of marriage can be a rocky road! From adjusting to living together, learning to tolerate each other’s quirks and vices and let’s not forget the big F – finances! In a world where we see a lot of young couples throwing in the towel, we’re very happy to celebrate two people who have chosen to stay true to what they believe in and themselves.

In our chat with Liz and Yomi Black, the couple shares what makes them tick, what they discovered about marriage, how they resolve tension points and what keeps them going strong.

What do you know about him/her that you didn’t know before you got married?

LIZ: Hmmn, Yomi is spoilt, he can’t eat the same food more than two times in a week.

YOMI: I didn’t know the extent of her happiness, I see her glow.

What would you say is the high point of your marriage so far?

LIZ: Everyday has been fantastic, however, getting better at communicating with each other, seeing our projects come to life, learning how to be better business partners, and respecting each other is very fulfilling for me.

YOMI: I know this will sound cliché, but Lizzy is right…the journey is the reward.

What did you do for Valentine’s Day this year?

LIZ: We were to travel , but Yomi’s work with VHS didn’t let us go, so we basically had dinner at our favourite Chinese Restaurant, changed gifts, and loved each other.

YOMI: hahaha at “loved each other”.

How do you deal with particularly difficult challenges you face together or individually?

LIZ: It depends on the type of challenge,

but usually because of our friendship, we talk to lengths about things, sometimes we pray about them, sometimes we get into arguments about things, but at the end we either sacrifice, negotiate, or equally agree on decisions.

YOMI: Being best friends helps a lot, we already talk about almost everything, so we face most challenges together.

Beside two heads are better than one. We also understand that above all, we love each other.

How do you spice things up?

LIZ: We travel. We take ourselves out on dates. Yomi makes Stir-Fry Noodles for us, especially in the mornings (best I’ve eaten ever). We love watching movies, at home and at the cinema. We visit and hang-out with friends and family. We also play competitive games against each other. I always lose, but not at Ludo YOMI: Lizzy always buys me gifts, she is the generous one.

As a couple in the eye of the media, how do you keep up with that?

LIZ: We don’t really see ourselves like that, however, we try to be ourselves no matter what, being happy with ourselves, focusing on the relationships that are important to us, our businesses and career paths.

Lately, we received serious heat from people online, which only explains one thing- humans beings will always be human beings. I will still buy my roasted corn on the road, go to the market to buy food stuff, nothing changes.

YOMI: I am not going to act surprised , because it happens is this line of business, personally I am comfortable in my skin. I can’t shout.

How do you handle your newly adopted family members?

LIZ: First of all we are from different backgrounds – I am a mix of Scottish/ Lebanese/Hausa while Yomi is a full

Yoruba man so you can imagine, nevertheless my relationship with my husband’s family is a lot better than before we got married, and it keeps getting better.

Being married to a family with all women only one son.

YOMI: Lizzy is the first born, she has the finest siblings ever, and I mean that literally. Anyway, they make it so easy to love them.

Do you pick out what he/she wears?

LIZ: 70% of the time, I select what Yomi wears and sometimes we argue about it. Yomi likes to be free casual and comfortable most of the time, He is a strong choleric, so he hardly cares about his appearance, he’s always focused on his work or the task at hand, so I have to hide some old clothes that he won’t let go off, beg him to comb his hair or end up combing it for him at times, sometimes I literally stand at the door not letting him go out till he changes something he’s wearing. He’s my big baby.

YOMI: Everyday, Lizzy comes to me with two options of what to wear, and also goes with the one I don’t pick, Besides she always looks good, so I don’t mind.

Do you have a say in hair styles/hair cut?

LIZ: Yes I have a say sometimes, because he likes me coming with him to the barber’s

If you have any relationship story you want to share with our readers, please send to the above address. Let’s share your love story.

shop, and he also has the way he likes my hair to look: either I carry my natural or fix really short weaves.

He doesn’t care much for big hair do which I like.

YOMI: l only have a say when it’s a short hair style and also, she never keeps her natural hair for as long as I want.

What are the added perks of marriage that you feel you just found after you got married?

LIZ: A new different kind of respect from Yomi and vice-versa, and from people.

We’re closer and more intimate, we spend so much time together every day. We can’t help but feel a special Grace of God now that we’re married. Now I can easily play ”good cop/bad cop”. Other married couples will understand. Generally I am happier now, more at peace, knowing that every day and night I have someone who cares for me and has my back no matter what.

YOMI: In Nigeria , when you are married, other people take you seriously.Had I known, I would have married since.

“Nobody told me this about marriage” – Share a few of these: LIZ: Well I’m glad we attended one of the best pre-marital class at Family Worship Centre, Abuja, so they basically enlightened us on several challenges that married couples have, hence, nothing has really startled me.

YOMI: Nobody told

me that I would never get tired of constantly fighting for love and keep asking her to marry me over and over again. I love it though.

How have you guys been able to deal with the issue of finances?

LIZ: Well… from what we have been taught and also what has worked for us so far in the issue of finances is the knowledge that the lack of money or the abundance of money can cause problems in a marriage, therefore understanding finances is very vital.

We have made plans and semi-rules to work by so as to avoid unnecessary conflict.

We made a list of what we use money for, such as: - Savings - Rent - House Bills

Apart from our individual accounts and business accounts, we have a joint account where we save for the future and we are both signatories to the account.

As for personal accounts, we both know each others’ passwords and

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 - SUNDAY

Beauty Tips

Yvonne Nelson is the Face of Zaron Hair & Makeup!

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ecently, Ghollywood actress Yvonne Nelson was announced as the Face of Zaron Hair and Makeup. BN Beauty brings you the exclusive first look of the photo shoot and TV commercial.

For the photo shoot and ad campaign, the 27 year old big screen sensation is all smouldering eyes, highlighted eyebrows, luscious lips and sleek hair. She later gets all dolled

Page 20

LEARNING

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013 With Emmanuel Eko junioremma419@gmail.com 08165618872

How to pass final exams Are you having feelings of anxiety and nervousness for this term’s final exams? Do you want some helpful tips to help you inch your way there, step by step?

Here is how to pass the final exam.

1. T h e final exam is basically a test on everything you have learned.

Look at old tests, notes, and attempt to remember what your teacher taught you.

2. Find your weak points. Is there a certain subject in class that you weren’t the best in?

3. Make your weak point a best point. As in, study that subject again until you understand it.

4. S t u d y everything again. You don’t have to spend

hours like you did when you first studied it, but just make sure you have a fair understanding of the subjects.

5. O n the night before the exam, get a fair amount of sleep. If possible, try to get 8 hours 6. O n the morning of the exam, eat a healthy breakfast.

(No cookie crisp today!) Try for some scrambled eggs 7. Make sure you get to the exam on time. Also make sure you dress appropriately. (As in, don’t come in wearing your pajamas, just something you would usually wear to school.) Be sure that you have something to write with. Usually, a pencil will not be provided for you.

Did you know that?

The Pan-American Highway is the longest road in the world. It runs from Fairbanks, Alaska to Buenos Aires, Argentina, stretching 29,800 miles (47,958 km). But it was never completed. A portion called the Darien Gap, mostly jungle about 100 miles (160 km) long located in Panama and Colombia, remains uncompleted.

Cars and passengers are transported around the gap by ship.

The Pan-American Highway is a network of roads, each with its twists and turns. Measuring the highway’s distance as the crow flies makes it about 16,000 miles (25,750 km) long.

World’s longest straight road The world’s longest straight road – thus without any bends – is in Saudi Arabia, connecting the Haradh area with Badha on the UAE border.

The road, Highway 85, is about 160 miles (260 km) long.

Australia’s longest straight road is the famous “90 Mile Straight.” It runs between Balladonia and Caiguna on the 1,036 mile (1,668 km) long Eyre

Highway across the flat, arid Nullarbor Plain. (The Eyre Highway is the main road that connects South Australia with the south of Western Australia.) The “90 Mile Straight” actually is 91 miles (146.6 km) long; all asphalt without a single curve.

The Nullarbor Plain hosts the “World’s Longest Golf Course”, the Nullarbor Links. Golfers play holes at various roadhouses and roadside stops along the road.

The world’s longest straight section of railway also crosses the Nullarbor Plain, covering a 297 miles (478 km) stretch between the 797 km post west of Ooldea and the 1275 km post west of Loongana on the Trans-Australian Railway from Perth to Sydney via Adelaide.

The longest absolute straight road in North America is a 31 mile (50 km) stretch, between Beaver Creek and Gackle on North Dakota State Highway 46, which itself is otherwise considered North America’s longest straight road, running for 123 miles (198 km), crossing the Red River Valley, between the cities

DRIFT

I

n the little town where I live in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, we now have a “Public Safety Complex” around the corner from what used to be our hokey Andy Griffith-esque fire station.

In the cascade of post9/11 Homeland Security money in the first term of the George W. Bush administration, our town’s share of the loot bought us a new fire truck - one that turned out to be a few feet longer than the garage where the town kept our old fire truck. So then we got some more Homeland money to build something big enough to house the new truck. In homage to

the origin of the funding, the local auto detailer airbrushed on the side of the new truck a patriotic tableau of a billowing flaglike banner, a really big bald eagle, and the burning World Trade Center towers.

The American taxpayers’ investment in my town’s security didn’t stop at the new safety complex. I can see further fruit of those Homeland dollars just beyond my neighbor’s back fence. While most of us in town depend on well water, there are a few houses that for the past decade or so have been hooked up to a municipal water supply.

And when I say “a few,” I mean a few: I think there are

Samba, spiderbots and ‘Summer’ love in far-future Brazil

I

n the 17th century, fugitive slaves founded a free community in the mountains of northeastern Brazil. They called it Palmares. Contemporary accounts describe the courtyards and the fountains, the churches and council meetings of that sprawling settlement, which survived for decades before a concerted military effort by Portuguese colonists wiped it out in 1695.

Fast-forward several centuries, past a nuclear apocalypse that has scrambled climates and countries, and we come to the founding of Palmares Tres, the great pyramidshaped city on a Brazilian bay, where author Alaya Dawn Johnson sets her new young-adult novel, The Summer Prince. Founded and ruled by women, the city ascends in tiers - from the algae-farm slums at its base to the queen’s quarters at its tip - and it runs on a rich, strange mix of nanotechnology and archaic ritual.

C

The first queens of Palmares Tres devised a unique system of transferring power: Each woman can rule for up to two five-year terms. Every five years, the city elects a Summer King, who rules for one year with all the charisma of a rock star and then dies in bloody sacrifice, choosing the next queen in his death throes; a dying man’s choice is thought to be incorruptible. As the book opens, the city is preparing to elect a new Summer King, and teenager June Costa recalls the first time she saw the sacrifice.

“When I was eight, my papai took me to the park to watch a king die,” she says. “Queen Serafina stood in a stark room of wood and stone - the high shrine. I liked her because her skin was dark and glossy and her hair silksmooth. I had even gotten a Queen Serafina doll for my birthday last June. But today her face was fierce and still; today she held a blade in her hand.”

June, our heroine, is

likably complex. She’s headstrong and confident, frequently referring to herself as “the best artist in Palmares Tres,” but she’s also believable as a slightly naive kid who hasn’t had to look outside the bubble of her privileged life as the stepdaughter of a government official. That life, of squabbling with her mother, working on cheeky performance-art stunts and hanging around with her best friend, Gil, changes dramatically when Gil falls in love with the newly elected Summer King Enki, a young man from the algae-farming slums.

It’s an unexpected twist in a novel full of them. Yes, this is a YA-dystopia-lovetriangle story, but how unusual to see the heroine become the third wheel to a sensitively depicted gay relationship.

And how deliciously unusual to read a YA dystopia that’s comfortable with ambiguity and nuance.

This is a book that doesn’t condescend.

Gil, June and Enki find

Nothing Comes Close

onfident, sassy, career girl, Lola meets cool, handsome, unpredictable hunk, Wole at a party in London. He pushes all the right buttons for her, and sparks fly. Wole is also

irresistibly drawn to Lola, and before long, they get together in a wonderful romance. But Wole is not all that he seems, and he is holding back some dark secrets.

Things start to unravel

when Wole’s past begins to catch up with him and Lola has to decide if Wole is worth the trouble that threatens to overwhelm her. Find out in this captivating book if their love will overcome

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Page 21

Health

Diabetes education as a tool in managing disease

-Care of the feet (II)

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

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.

I

n our discussion of last week, I started a series on care of the Feet. This topic generated a lot of comment and questions from readers, meaning it is indeed a great area of need for information, as you keep a date with me this weekend, we shall look into some area of interest in care of the feet while living with Diabetes.

The feet are supplied by the sciatic nerve which happens to be the longest nerve in the body and it is most affected

by Diabetes especially poorly controlled. Therefore, foot problems are common occurrence in people with Diabetes. The beauty however, is that majority of these complications on the feet can be prevented by knowledge and practice of care of the feet.

Foot complications that can result following Diabetes include: -Athlete’s foot (a fungal infection) -Calluses, bunions (some foot deformities),harmer toes etc.

-Ulcers (surface wounds to deep sited infections difficult to heal).

Diabetic foot complications mostly occur due to the following conditions: -Poor Circulation Persistent long duration of high blood glucose, damages the blood vessels, thereby blood flow to the foot is decreased. Poor blood circulation also weakens the skin, impair wound healing and accelerate ulcer formation. As the blood glucose level is high, some bacteria or fungi can survive easily thereby complicating ulcers. Other complications from poor circulation could be deep skin and bone infection.

Gangrene (death and decay of tissue) results eventually and when it proliferates, it leads to amputation. Most men and women with poorly controlled Diabetes eventually require amputation of a toe or foot.

This can be prevented by managing blood sugar levels and daily foot check.

-Nerve Damage This is otherwise referred to as Neuropathy. Persistent elevated blood glucose level with time results in damage to the nerves especially on the foot, thereby decreasing the ability to sense pain, and

pressure and this can lead to damage of bone and joints and often foot deformities as calluses and bunions develops.

FOOT EXAMINATIONS People living with Diabetes irrespective of the type of Diabetes need to have their feet examined at least once or twice per year depending on the duration of Diabetes and state of blood glucose control.

Special devices are employed for foot examination, example, a monofilament or tuning fork can help to determine the extent of damage. A monofilament is mostly used to check if a patient can sense pressure in various parts of the foot while a tuning fork is used to determine if a patients vibration perception especially at the foot and toe joints are intact.

Foot examination is conducted by a trained healthcare professional and looks out for possible foot problems like:

1

- Poor circulation - Nerve damage Skin changes or discolouration - Deformities.

HOW CAN ONE PREVENT FOOT PROBLEMS IN DIABETES? The major determinant of foot problems is the level of blood glucose control.

Controlling blood glucose levels can reduce the blood vessel and nerve damage that often lead to diabetic foot complications.

The following strategies along with blood glucose control can reduce foot problems; -Avoid activities that can injure the feet.

-Trim the nails with scissors instead of razor blade or knife.

-Quit smoking -Wash and check the feet daily.

-Use Diabetic socks and shoes if available or shoe with lace.

-Ask your doctor for foot examination.

2

The second foot (2) shown above has poor blood circulation to the extremities compared to (1) given rise to cascade of foot problems like neuropathy amongst others.

Bunion

Corns and Calluses

Athlete’s Foot

TREATMENT OF FOOT PROBLEMS The treatment of foot ulcers depends on the severity.

The ideal professional to handle foot problems is a Podiatrist, however, it is quite unfortunate that the practice of Podiatry Medicine is nonexistent or not available in many African Countries, however, other professionals do try their best especially with experience and training to handle most foot problems. Ulcers that extend into the deeper layers of the foot, involving muscle and bone usually require hospitalization. If part of the toes or foot become severely damaged, leading to gangrene (dead tissue), partial or complete amputation may be required. Though techniques like use of medical margots, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, anodyne therapy has been used in wound healing and neuropathy in recent times. Foot problems in Diabetes do not require

Page 22

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 15 — SUNDAY 16, JUNE, 2013

Kiddies World

With Nami Hassan Kadir namy.kadir@yahoo.

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS Borno state, a tourist attraction

L

ocated in northeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria, Borno State was created out of the defunct North Eastern Nigeria in 1976 and it is divided into twenty seven local government areas which include Abadan, Askira-Uba, Bama, Bayo, Biu,chibok, Dam-boa, Dikwa, Gubio, Guzamala, Gwoza, Hawul, Jere, Kaga, Kala/Balge, Kukawa, Konduga, Kwaya-Kusar, Mafa, Maiduguri, Magumeri, Marte, Mobbar, Monguno, Ngala, Nganzai and Shani History The area known as Borno State today was originally part of the defunct North Eastern State which was one of the twelve states initially created in 1967. The old state was later divided into two by late General Murtala Muhammed’s regime in 1976 and this brought about Borno State.

Borno State known as ‘Home of Peace’

occupies the greater part of the Chad Basin and it is dominated by the Kanuri ethnic tribes. The State is known for its peaceful and hospitable nature despite its diverse differences in terms of history, religion, culture and languages amongst others.

Lake Alau Lake Alau Situated off Maiduguri-Bama Road, some fourteen (14) kilometers away from maiduguri, the Lake is a natural water storage formed

by River Ngada – characterized by a charming, undulating landscape, which is further beautified by savannah vegetation with sparking shores around it. Legend has it that the basin is the spot where Idris Aloma, one of the famous warriors, hero and charismatic leader of the ancient Kanem Bornu Empire was buried, hence, the name ‘Alau’.

Lake Alau is now a site for intensive farming, especially irrigation during the

B E AD C

HIS AND HERS’ CORNER Doing it the African way

SHORT STORY

Why bat flies at night

A

bush rat called Oyot was a great friend of Emiong, the bat; they always fed together, but the bat was jealous of the bush rat.

When the bat cooked the food it was always very good, and the bush rat said, “How is it that when you make the soup it is so tasty?”

The bat replied, “I always boil myself in the water, and my flesh is so

sweet, that the soup is good.”

He then told the bush rat that he would show him how it was done; so he got a pot of warm water, which he told the bush rat was boiling water, and jumped into it, and very shortly afterwards came out again. When the soup was brought it was as strong and good as usual, as the bat had prepared

it beforehand.

The bush rat then went home and told his wife that he was going to make good soup like the bat’s. He therefore told her to boil some water, which she did. Then, when his wife was not looking, he jumped into the pot, and was very soon dead.

When his wife looked into the pot and saw the dead body of her

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 15 — SUNDAY 16, JUNE, 2013

Kiddies World

Page 23

With Nami Hassan Kadir namy.kadir@yahoo.

CREATIVITY

ACTIVITIES

How to make ribbon flowers Pretty ribbon flowers can be used to embellish all kinds of things such as tote bags, headbands, hair clips, shirts, brooches, scrapbooks and albums, gift toppers, etc. They can be made from assorted trims like organza, velvet, satin, grosgrain, pleated…you name it, there’s a flower you can make out of it! Here are over a dozen tutorials showing you how to make them including folded roses and ruffly flowers, enjoy!

B E AD C

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

Steps: 1. Choose a material color. Reds and pinks are traditional rose colors, but you might want to make a yellow, white, or even a black rose for a different effect.

2. Cut the strip to about 8in (20cm) long (optional). If it is shorter, it is harder to work with, and if it is longer, there will be far more ribbon than is required for a rose. Note that since you will cut the ribbon again when

AFRICAN TALES

The black snake and the eggs MODEL OF THE WEEK

M

y eggs!” cried Chicken.

“One of my eggs is missing!

Yesterday I had twelve eggs and today there are only eleven.”

As Chicken fled her nest to find Rooster, she had no idea that she was about to lose more eggs. Just out of view of the nest, the thief patiently waited for Chicken to leave her eggs again. Black Snake crept slowly and quietly up to the nest. He eyed the eggs and quickly swallowed one. Black Snake smiled to himself. His plan had been so simple and had worked so well. He swallowed another egg. It slid far down his long throat before his muscles crushed the fragile shell.

“I’ll be back later for another delicious egg, Chicken,” hissed Black Snake as he slithered away. “Thank you for another fine meal.”

Meanwhile, the frantic

chicken lead Rooster back to her nest. “Why would someone take one of my eggs?” she clucked.

“Are you sure you counted correctly? Maybe you just thought you saw eleven eggs?”suggested Rooster.

From the expression on Chicken’s face, Rooster knew he shouldn’t have asked that question. She glared at him and said, “You know I can count. See for yourself. How many eggs are in my nest?”

“One, two, three,” began Rooster. He frowned and stopped counting out loud.

“What’s the matter now?” questioned Chicken.”Are you afraid to admit you’re wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing like that at all,” responded Rooster.

“Something is very wrong here. There are only nine eggs.”

“What? Nine Eggs!”

cried Chicken. “What is happening? Who would do this to me?”

The next few days were just terrible for Chicken.

She worried constantly about her remaining eggs.

She tried to stay with her eggs at all times but it wasn’t possible to always be with them. Sometimes she had to leave to get food or take care of her other chicks. No matter why she left, the same thing always happened. One or two eggs disappeared each time.

“Someone is watching me very closely,” cried the chicken. “He knows exactly where I am at each moment of the day. I only have three remaining eggs.”

“Although I cannot prove anything,” comforted Rooster, “I think it must be Black Snake who is stealing your eggs.

Olivia Dauda is saying hello

Page 24

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Entertainment

Why we suspended Nafisa Abdullahi from Kannywood – Afakallah From Mustapha Adamu, Kano.

He said: “she organised a party for a celebration and committed acts that negate the norms of the association in the party, wearing indecent dress and committing other bad acts.

When the report reached us, our disciplinary committee decided to summon and warn her on that, she refused to appearbefore the committee.

Her refusal to appear before the committee is the main reason why we have suspended her for two years. Because she didn’t respect the association.”

The chairman continued his account on the suspension, saying they summoned three actresses, two of whom answered the call but Nafisa refused to come but sent a representative.

“We summoned three of them, Fati Washa, Ummi Lollipop and Nafisa Abdullahi. Fati and Ummi were in Kaduna when we called them and they graced our call by leaving Kaduna for Kano to present themselves. We were glad with humility and warned them after they confessed their offence.

“Nafisa also sent a representative, the committee accepted that and sat with the representative. We called her on phone and put the call on speaker, informing her that the phone is on speaker, so she should know what she would say.

She said through the phone that she decided to appear before the committee but later recanted because she had important things to do. Based on that, the committee resolved to ban her for two years”, he said.

Asked if the decision is not too harsh, he said:” if the decision is harsh, she made it so. Our committee comprised of important figures in the film industry.

We have members from Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN), AFMAN, Guild of Directors, Guild of Artists among other filmmakers. The committee also comprised of elders forum, which include Ibrahim Mandawari, Iyan tama and others who

Page 25

To exonerate itself from blames that it engages in acts that negate Hausa culture, AFMAN has suspended one of its screen diva, Nafisa Abdullahi from the film industry for refusing to appear before the disciplinary committee of the association after she was summoned by the committee for showing bad attitudes at a party.

In an interview with Peoples Daily Weekend, chairman of the Arewa Film Makers Association of Nigeria (AFMAN), Kano State Chapter, Isma’ila Na-Abba a.k.a Afakallah, gave reasons why they suspended the actress for two years. originated the film industry in the state. They were all present when she made the comment.”

To justify their decision, the chairman cited similar incident on some actresses, saying that Nafisa is not the only actress suspended in the industry. It happened on one Maryam Malika.

“Similar incident happened with Maryam Malika for her failure to respect the committee.

We suspended her for two years, but incidentally, she got married before the end of the suspension period.

We will not tolerate anybody who default our ethics.”

Asked about a similar incident involving a video footage showing Zainab Indomie with bikini at a swimming pool, and a picture showing her lying in bed half-naked, the chairman said Adam A. Zango was also allegedly reported to have staged a similar party as

Nafisa Abdullahi. “ It is true that A. Zango organised the party but we didn’t punish him because we didn’t have the evidence.

We didn’t have the video and the pictures of the party. We will not punish him because we didn’t have any evidence, we would have punished him because nobody is above law. But we have got pictures of Nafisa’s party, that is why we have punished her.

Indomie’s incident happened in the 2009, long before she became a super star in the industry.

We summoned her on that and she answered our call, we issued her a warning and she accepted. On the picture, showing her in bed half-naked, we made investigations, studied the picture and found out that it was a scan. The body was not that of indomie, it was the head of Indomie that was cut and pasted on the body”, he said.

BBC two orders a documentary about Napoleon, ancient Rome

A

mid the recent success of historical TV dramas, BBC two said that it has ordered several documentaries that will explore some of the great empires and their leaders.

The public broadcaster has commissioned a three-part exploration of Napoleon Bonaparte, a portrait of Roman emperor Caligula and an indepth look at recently found catacombs in Rome.

With Scotland facing a referendum o n

independence next year, the network also ordered a series that will explore t h e history of

the border between England and Scotland.

“These thoughtful, dramatic, highly colored views of our past offer great stories, great arguments and great characters,” said Martin Davidson, commissioning editor, history and business.

“Each of these programs takes audiences on a fascinating journey and along the way they’ll shed a new light on periods of history we think we know so well.”

BBC Two said that the threehour series Napoleon will look to “shed new light on the emperor as an extraordinary, gifted military commander and a mesmeric leader whose private life was

littered with disappointments and betrayals.” The show will see historian Andrew Roberts visit former battlefields of Europe and discuss events that helped shape European history.

“The series also paints a controversial portrait of Napoleon, a man demonized as a dictator as ruthless as Hitler,” BBC Two said. “But rather than be remembered as the demon of history and a man responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, Napoleon was also the man responsible for securing the success of the French Revolution and who put in place many of the features of the modern state.”

Meanwhile, the hour-long Caligula will explore myths and realities of the life of an emperor who ruled Rome for only four years before being assassinated at age 29. “He was said to have made his horse a consul, proclaimed himself

Oprah Winfrey ‘Rumour of my death, showed I have many fans who love me’ tops Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful celebs

A popular actor of Hausa movies, Baba Ari, is the old man that you would see with a walking stick walking the streets of his neighborhood, exchanging banters, quarelling or making fun of other folks. He said in this interview with MUSTAPHER ADAMU, in Kano, that rumour of his death is a lesson of life.

Tell us about yourself?

I am Aminu Ali Baba Kofar Nassarawa, popularly known as Baba Ari. What is your educational qualification?

I have NCE in Fine and Applied Arts.

What is your marital status?

I have two wives and six children.

What motivated you to engage in film making?

I developed passion for film since in my primary school days and by reading Hausa books to primary school pupils, fictional stories. When we proceeded to Junior Secondary School, there were two clubs- art and drama clubs

and I joined both of them.

I also joined the clubs in my Senior Secondary School in Sharada, Kano State. And since that time I have acted comedy roles because I have passion for fun making. I used to amuse my friends at home and school with stories and songs when we were young.

We would gather with my friends and sit in front of our house, and I would tell them stories. I thought that was better than roaming the streets unnecessarily.

When did you join Kannywood and which is your first movie?

I joined Kannywood in 1997, about 16 years ago.

My first movie is called “

Fa’ida”. It was produced by Suleman Ali Raji, the owner of RQ film production.

The film featured Hadiza Kabara and Aminu Momo.

They were the reigning stars at that time.

My second movie is “Nayi”, I featured a long side late Ahmed S. Nuhu.

My third movie is “wowo dan mallam” but we later changed its name to “Kuruciya”, it was my

own film. Followed by “ nanaye”, “ kwanci tashi asarar me rai” from then I proceeded to make more films including one of my favourite film titled “ Dawa dai”, it is a hunters’ film.

How many films have you made so far in your career?

I can’t tell you precisely but they are more than 1000.

Which is your most favourite among your film?

My most favourite movie among all my films is “Iya ruwa fidda kai.”. It is my best film because it featured super legend actors such as Bashir Nayaya, a.k.a Dan magori, Saratu Gidado, a.k.a Daso, Hajiya Rashida Bello, a Kaduna based actress who has been acting since my childhood but she appeared as my wife in the movie, Aminu Momo, Sani Moda, Rukayya Dawaiya among other super stars.

Based on the calibre of these actors, I have chosen it as my best.

Who is your favourite actor?

My favourite actor is Rabilu Musa, a.k.a Ibro and Ali Nuhu.

Who is your favourite actress?

My favourite actress is Jamila Nagudu.

Do you produce films?

Yes, I produced a film titled “Baban Hajiya” which is already in the market. I have also produced a new film titled “Dawa Ari”.

Billionaire US Talk show host, Oprah Winfrey, is back as the most powerful celebrity in the world, information available on Linda Ikeji’s bog has said.

According to a list recently released by Forbes, a position she’s held four times before she was runner up in 2011 and 2012.

Forbes calculates celebrity’s earnings on income from tours, books, contracts, endorsements, movies and residuals, plus presence on social media and in the press for their placing.

See full list below... (Earnings from May 2012-2013)

1. Oprah Winfrey $77m 2 Lady Gaga $80m 3 Steven Spielberg $100m 4 Beyonce $53m 5 Madonna $125m 6 Taylor Swift $55m 7 Jon Bon Jovi $79m 8 Roger Federer $71m 9 Justin Bieber $58m 1 0 Ellen

With Tobias Lengman

Chris Brown goes off on twitter after being charged with hit and run Two criminal charges has been filed against Chris Brown by L.A City Attorney, i n

connection with a minor accident last month where he rearended a

Page 26

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Hollywood/Bollywood John Abraham wants to cast David Haye in film on boxing

A

ctor-producer John Abraham has expressed his desire to make a film on boxing and cast none other than former world champion David Haye, with whom he has collaborated for a flagship fitness- cum-boxing center.

He has partnered with David to introduce boxing as a mode of fitness in the country. “I grew up on Rocky series and that’s why I went to the gym too.

I would like to get a credible film where boxing is

‘Black Rock’ Review: Hollywood’s Latest Slam Against Iraq War Veterans

Y

John Abraham (l) and David Haye

es, these two Iraq War vets respond to their friend’s accidental death … by looking to brutally murder three innocent women in cold blood.

What ensues is the three women-running from, outsmarting, and bonding with every bit of girl-power grit--fighting for their very lives.

Let’s examine this. Apart from the ridiculous nature of the plot, and the inexplicability of how two young men would opt to kill three women over their friend’s accidental death (bit

Kareena Kapoor is the most Ram Gopal talented actress —Prakash Varma’s Asked about Kareena, Prakash Jha said, “Kareena is the most talented actress I have ever seen.

Kareena’s understanding of films and the way she performs is brilliant.” “She has done good work with ease.

The actress’ sincerity and intensity is amazing.

Kareena is always ready and prepared. I have been lucky to be part of good actors,” added the director. When asked about his decision on casting stars, Prakash Jha claimed, “I think of characters and I think who resembles that character. As I work on those characters some actors become the

films, difficult

R

Kareena Kapoor

am Gopal Varma, who has completed shooting for the sequel to his 1998 popular film ‘Satya’, is finding it difficult to sell his film.

A source close to the director said that he has approached some production houses to sell the film but has not got any positive response.

While there is speculation that it is because of the absence of big names in the cast that is giving Ram Gopal Verma sleepless night, there are rumours that the director seems to have lost his magic touch.

All his last few directorial ventures like Bhoot Returns, The Attacks of 26/11 and Department have failed to perform at box office.

However, Ram Gopal Verma has denied this and maintains that the shooting for the sequel is still underway. He also says that he has not approached any producers to buy the film as it will take few more months to complete the shoot.

While Satya, starring D Chakravarthy, Manoj Bajpai, Urmila Matondkar and Shefali Sha, was about an immigrant who arrived in Mumbai and gets pulled

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 29 - SUN-

PAGE

Feature

Improving access water and sanitation to rural communities in Bauchi state From Ahmed Kaigama, Buchi

T

he Bauchi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) officially took off in August 2011 following the signing of the law establishing the agency by Governor Isa Yuguda.

Since then, the agency had mobilised and tackled various issues of water supply, sanitation and hygiene in numerous vulnerable communities.

The establishment of the agency in the state has given way for the state to benefit from donor agencies across the world. “The state is at present a beneficiary of two donor-supported projects in rural water supply and sanitation-a DIFD/UNICEF supported Sanitation Hygiene and Water in Nigeria (SHAWN) project being implemented in five local government areas since 2010 and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) supported rural water supply project which is part of government of Japan’s grant aid programme to be implemented in 14 local government areas from January 2013. Already (RUWASSA) has expressed its commitment to providing access to safe water to 1.5 million people in 3,000 communities in Bauchi State”,General Manager of the Agency Engineer Garba Magaji, said while briefing newsmen on the activities of the agency in Bauchi.

He said government, had given adequate attention to access to safe water supply and sanitation in line with the millennium development goals and the National WASH Policy.

Engineer Magaji said government’s efforts to boost water supply in the rural areas led to the establishment of the agency with corresponding progressive annual increase in budgetary allocation.

He said government had approved a state WASH policy to guide programme implementation which, he added, had attracted international donors’ attention.

The agency had in the past one year executed the following rural water supply projects: Rehabilitation of Balma solar-powered scheme in Ningi local government area, Rehabilitation of

Water is life: Children at Gidan Tsafi

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) permanent site solarpowered borehole The Bauchi state rural water collaboration with DFID/UNICEF executed projects in rural communities such as hand-operated boreholes in 45 schools and 32 ODF communities of the 3 Sanitation Hygiene and Water in Nigeria SHAWN local government areas of Dass, Warji and Gamawa.

Provision of handpumped borehole in 260 communities is presently ongoing in the 3 SHAWN local government areas.

Also conducted a WHSIMS base-line survey in Ganjuwa and Warji local government areas. Support of 65 motorcycles to Sanitation Hygiene and Water in Nigeria 3 SHAWNS local government areas and distribution of water quality

Water supply at Lafiya Warji

testing kits to SHAWN local government areas Our correspondent gathered that the same type of project intervention by the DFID/ UNICEF would extend to two local governments of Shira and Toro respectively.

According to the General Manager,

Page 28

Cuisine

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Pumpkin leaves, flowers and seeds as good source of food Miyar taushe

Pumpkins really are a remarkable source of food. So many different parts to eat: the fruit – the pumpkin or squash, the leaves, the flowers, and the seeds. The one part we may not see anyone eating is the roots. However, if you want an easy-to-grow, fresh source of greens, consider pumpkin greens.

Miyan taushe (Pumpkin soup) The above soup is referred to as miyan taushe, it is known as Pumpkin soup in English. It is a delicacy in Northern Nigeria.

Basically, it can be used to eat tuwon shinkafa, tuwon alkama, tuwon masara, it can also be used to eat masa or waina.This dish is very easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

Ram meat, yakuwa leaves (pumpkin leaves), groundnut, spring onion, pepper, salt, seasoning, palm oil, ginger, garlic, locust beans (dadawa which is optional), water, curry and thyme Method: In a medium pan, mix crumbled Maggi cubes, the meat, garlic, onions, pepper, thyme and curry.

Add enough water to just cover the meat. Bring to

boil. When the meat is soft add the pumpkin, tomatoes and locust beans. Cook until the pumpkin flesh is soft and then add the spinach. The soup is ready when the liquid from the spinach has dried out.

Get a separate pot and put red oil into it, add the onions, ginger, garlic, and pepper. The pepper should be ground or pound in a mortar with

With Hajiya Ramatu Usman Dorayi the garlic and ginger and dadawa. Then the paste is added to the red oil.

Add the stock and meat, allow it to boil Add the groundnut that has been ground (you can grind it in the market just like egusi or you can use the engine of your blender for dry things) Allow it to cook for some minutes, and then add the chopped spring onions and yakuwa.

After 5 minutes add the spinach and allow to cook for some minutes.

Now your miyan taushe is ready.

In Nigeria, the

Raw pumpkin seeds - The Super food I eat everyday!

F

or a couple years now raw, organic, unsalted, pumpkin seeds have been a daily part of Josephine’s life. They are versatile, delicious, vegan friendly, low fat, low calorie, and most importantly a true super food, she says. The word “super food” is being thrown around a lot lately; in the case of pumpkin seeds they are a PERFECT super food” Hear her, recent studies have shown that pumpkin seeds are a vital food for that man in your life due to the protective power they have on the prostate gland. Josephine said she makes it a habit to have at least a handful each day like a medicine because of its health benefits.

Nutrition rundown Pumpkin seeds are naturally rich in protein, zinc, essential fatty acids, magnesium, iron, and fiber. They

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Please help, Chris has finally taken my children away and the justice system supports him, says woman in

Page 29

Womanhood

abusive relationship ...Continued from last week

C

hris has made allegations against me once more, and criminal charges have been brought against me. He claims that I choked him; I state emphatically, that I did not. If I had managed to land even a single blow on him, I would not feel so bad, but as it is, I and my children are being punished based on his accusations.

He alleges that I spat on him. He spat on me first, calling me a dog and a prostitute. I spat on him back, and told him that his mother was the prostitute A third allegation was that I threatened to kill him. Yes I did, but not on the day that he claimed I did. This was on the day that he had raped me, and I had warned him never to try it again. This further goes to buttress my point; that he set me up in order to punish me for fighting him off and throwing him out after he started to rape me on the 21st of January.

He claimed that I broke a picture frame on a stool by his door. That did break, but it was entirely by accident as he dragged me to the front door to throw me outside. I was charged with mischief for that.

The neighbours’ daughter that was there that day said in her statement that she heard me say “…if you lay a single hand on me again your TV will break”.

This sentence points to the truth that he was beating me, and I ran and held onto the TV, so that if he dragged me down, the TV would come down with me. I was trying to save myself.

When I asked the

children to run outside, he said, get inside the room and lock the door. “You know what I told you”.

What had he told them?

Again, this smacks of premeditation in all these acts and accusations that he had made.

I am asking for help.

My children have not been home since January 23, 2013. They are wearing hand-me-down clothes from people that I do not know.

My daughter has gained about 10 lb., which lets me know that she is being continually fed forcefully. If it is true that I am innocent until proven guilty, then why am I, and my children being punished already?

The children are basically camping. They are being forced to attend night prayer vigils. My son has been baptized in the icy waters of the White Rock beach in this cold winter weather.

Chris is unable to afford to care for them, never having held down a job, and when he was recently asked how he planned to look after them, if he got them, he pointed to the welfare and child tax system. Chris has used the Justice system to bully me practically since he got here, and he has been

“

continually enabled – not a single person has asked why he seized the children on a Wednesday contrary to the existing court order that says that I have primary custody of the kids, and that he gets weekends. Why has nobody addressed his seizing them on a week day?

He started to beat me on January 23, 2013, as my daughter said in her statement, that “He took a stick…” I fought him off to defend myself. If the altercation involved us both, then why should the kids be with him? He is not by any means able to care for them. He just makes allegations and suddenly my children and I start to be punished? Where is the part about being innocent until proven guilty?

How does anyone know that the children are safe with him? The justice system has failed me time and time again. I have been horribly treated and maligned, and the courts have punished me and my children without any proof of any wrongdoing on my part. The Ministry for Children and Family Development (MCFD) were involved, and they had no concerns. They suggested

I am asking for some kind of intervention and help, or else this is never going to end. I have been criticized for not asking for help and not reporting all the crimes that have been committed against me for the past 15 years. I am

that I got to see the children until the court process was over.

We had a court order, which said I was unable to move the kids from BC. I lost $17,000 in funding over that, as I didn’t move from BC in obedience to the court order. We also have a court order that says Chris can only have the children on weekends, which he flagrantly disobeyed, and then is rewarded for that. Is this justice?

It’s a baffling thing indeed. I cannot afford any more lawyers. I am in need of help. The Ministry for Children and Families had told me that Chris said I had suicidal tendencies.

I disagreed. I have no intentions of killing myself.

I have no reason to kill myself. I need to be here to look after my children, Christine and David.

Chris plans to continue to keep me as his prisoner and his slave, and to continue to use the justice system against me. I had for the sake of my children endured unending abuse, and had even in the face of the said abuse, tried my best to maintain a civil relationship with him in order to give my children a sense of ‘normalcy’. I now see that this was probably the wrong thing to do. The best thing, as my friend Estee has pointed out, would simply be, to have made a clean break, because there is nothing normal about it, we are soon to be divorced, and that the children would adjust after the fact. She maintains that I should have clearly defined the boundaries, my home is where we live, and Chris’ home is where they visit on

weekends, and there should have been no blurred lines in between. I continue to say that I thought that I was doing what was best for the children. Even to the extent that if Chris took them out, he would always send David to get some money from me. I bought the gas he drove with and provided endlessly, just to try to do the best for my children.

How anyone can question the safety of my children when they are with me is beyond me. they were safe in my womb for 10 months each; they were safe in my arms as they nursed, they have been safe with me in the almost 10 and 8 years since they were born, and all of a sudden, because Chris couldn’t succeed completely in raping me then my children are suddenly unsafe with me? It doesn’t make any sort of sense. This is the system failing very badly, at a cost of hardship to my children.

I was asked if I wanted to plead guilty in criminal court, and I said absolutely not, I am not guilty of even half of one of the charges; even though that would have possibly brought my children home, but a guilty plea also possibly brings an end to my career, and the source of income for caring for my children and preparing them for a better future. I also firmly believe that the truth will prevail eventually. A trial date has been set.

I was asked again why I didn’t leave Chris and run away before 2009 when the court order came to be. My answer remains the same: Every time Chris beat me, with his hands or with a stick, I lost a little

Page 30

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Do you have old pictures for memories?

Send them to junioremma419@gmail.com

ARCHIVES

A man sits in front of his farmhouse in Toro, Nigeria in 1980. Traditionally, only men own land.

Girls at work in ancient city of Kano

Eshugbayi Eleko (Oba of Lagos) & his Grand Council, in 1947

The GovernorGeneral, Sir James Robertson, checks an elector’s registration card during his tour of polling stations, in 1997

Page 31

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

CARTOON

Leisure STRANGE FACTS • 40 percent of McDonald’s profits come from the sales of Happy Meals.

wood.

315 entries in Webster’s 1996 Dictionary were misspelled.

Leonardo da Vinci invented scissors. Also, it took him 10 years to paint Mona Lisa’s lips.

On the average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents daily.

Chocolate kills dogs! True, chocolate affects a dog’s heart and nervous system.

A few ounces is enough to kill a small sized dog.

Ketchup was sold in the 1830’s as a medicine.

Leonardo da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time.

Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of

There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos.

Bruce Lee was so fast that they actually had to slow a film down so you could see his moves. That’s the opposite of the norm.

The original name for the butterfly was “flutterby”!

By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can’t sink in quicksand.

Mosquito repellents don’t repel. They hide you. The spray blocks the mosquito’s sensors so they don’t know you’re there.

Dentists recommend that

a toothbrush be kept at least six feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.

The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley’s gum.

Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than the entire Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.

Marilyn Monroe had six toes on one foot.

Adolf Hitler’s mother seriously considered having an abortion but was talked out of it by her doctor.

The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca-Cola, and Budweiser, in that order.

To escape the grip of a crocodile’s jaws, prick your fingers into its eyeballs. It will let you go instantly.

WORD SEARCH Find the words which are listed at the right side of this page in the Word Search grid. The words can be forwards, backwards, up, down, or diagonal.

Circle each letter separately and keep in mind that the letters in each words may be used in more than Gonorrhea Chlamydia Syphilis Infertility AIDS Crabs Rash Asymptomatic Spirochete Alopecia Abstinence Incubation

Photo of the day

QUOTES If a woman is to find happiness at all in her husband, she is to find it in his appreciation and devotion.

– Dale Carnegie Our being is subject to all the chances of life. There are so many things we are capable of, that we could be or do. The possibilities are so great that we never, any of us, are more than onefourth fulfilled.

– Katherine Anne Porter

the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

– Thomas Jefferson Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

–Martin Luther King

Our problems are man-made, therefore they Our greatest may be solved happiness does by man. No not depend on problem of

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29— SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Fashion

Compiled by Theodora Ekah & Melea Jude Moses

Page 32

Appearing more unique and gorgeous on sunglasses

T

he beauty about shopping for a good pair of new sunnies is that it’s not as traumatic as purchasing a new swimsuit or jeans.

The key thing that you

n e e d to know when you step inside a reputable shop is the shape of your face. This is absolutely important b e c a u s e this will help you pick a pair that will be the most flattering. F o r i n s t a n c e , if you have a

round

f a c e y o u

you

rather

have that fashion

w i l l

look best in sunnies that are squarer than round.

And if you do decide to opt for frames that are a bit more round, then you need t o make sure that at least o n e

side of those frames is squared - in short, you should never wear those completely round Chanel sunglasses. But

new pairs every season.

But because of that you should decide to build you sunglasses collection on styles that are more classical. I only own four pairs of sunglasses.

Why? Three words – ‘keep it

sacrifice than look silly. The basic idea is that the more round shaped your face is the better you look in square frames. In comparison, the more square your face is, you look best in a more round frame.

A Lesson in the Classics There are so many styles of sunglasses out there. Every season, there’s always a new trend in sunglasses.

Yes, designers release

classic’.

T h e beauty of having pieces that are less trendy and more classic is that season after season, it doesn’t look outdated. It withstands the test of time, if you may. Long after those

cone or a mandrel with markings

is used to denote a ring size. Ring sizes in the UK are alphabetical, while in the US and Europe, they are numerical. Rings are made from materials like metals, woods, plastics, bones and glasses, among others. Rings are usually decorated or embedded with different precious or semi-precious stones

In Rings of beauty

L

adies rings are pieces of jewellery w o r n around t h e finger.

A Ring may be worn on any finger or on all fingers. A common practice in Western culture

P

eople come in all shapes and sizes, and physical ideals are always bias against those who don’t fall within the “average” range. The focus is on ways to help the vertically challenged men on how to make the most of their stature.

Physique Aside from elevating shoes, there’s not really much you can do to increase your height.

However, you can make sure that you don’t do anything that will make you look shorter.

Paying attention to your posture is an important thing, since good posture maximizes the proportions of your body.

It’s also important to remember body proportions in all cases. I’ve known shorter men who were into working out, who made their bodies appear

is to wear a wedding or engagement ring on the fourth finger of the left hand, which is called t h e ’ring

finger’.

A graduated

Tips for short men

even shorter because they bulked up their bodies through weighttraining. They may have had amazingly low levels of body fat, but they found that they looked like Homunculi because of the breadth of their physiques.

The bottom line on physiques is to remember the proportions you are dealing with. Eat healthy, exercise to stay in shape and remember your posture.

Hair Hair is another consideration that some short people don’t think of in terms of helping them make the most of their stature.

As usual, the key is balance and proportion.

Shorter hairstyles are good, particularly those that taper along the sides and in the nape of the neck. This helps to make

the neck appear longer.

Longer hair styles, and even the mop-top shag cuts that are popular today, can make the head and neck appear minimized and give that squat look you want to avoid. If you want to have a little length to your hair, make sure it’s in the top section, and feel free to “pump it up” a little.

Dress with sense Choosing the right clothes when you’re short comes down to three F’s: Fabric, Fit and Fashion.

Each of these factors can make or break a look for anyone, but is especially important when dealing with a shorter individual.

When taken in conjunction, the three F’s become critical to making sure you look your best when you aren’t 6 feet tall. If you can keep the eye looking at you moving vertically, you

will give the impression that your body is longer than it actually is, making yourself appear taller.

So, keep your colours conservative and stick to monochromatic themes when possible. Darker colours tend to be more slimming, and make the body appear leaner (and taller) and keeping the colours of different components of an outfit similar helps prevent breaking that vertical flow.

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Page 33

Entertainment Extra

Promoting peace through pageantry – Amafibe Mr. Kingsley Amafibe is the President/C.E.O of Ambassador Agency Peace, organisers of the Miss Ambassador for Peace Beauty Pageant Nigeria and publisher of Alpha Plus magazine. In this interview with EMMANUEL EKO, he speaks on how beauty pageantry can be used as tool in restoring peace in the

As President/C.E.O of Miss Ambassador for Peace Pageant Nigeria,what are your set goals, dreams, aspirations and vision for this movement?

So far so good, we have been able to reach out to various states in order to contribute our own quota. Some Kaduna Bomb blast victims were visited and also some schools in and around the North were not left out. We were able to distribute some gift items; medical aids were given to them, distribution of school writing materials.

How does your organization source its funds?

Well, God Almighty has been on our side ever since this project began, all funds spent, were from our own pockets and so by God’s grace funding has never been of any challenge to us. Companies like Ambassador Kingsley Amafibe

What is Miss Ambassador for Peace all about and for how long has it been into existence now?

Miss Ambassador for peace agency started in 2010 when the dream came up, it was based on the restiveness in the country and we thought we could use the pageantry aspect to promote peace. So, that is the birth of it, it is just basically to empower our young women and then contributing our quota in various areas like peace education, public campaign and wellness.

What does beauty really mean to you?

Well, to me I don’t see beauty like the way most people will say “the facial beauty”.

Like the saying goes “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. “I see beauty as you being intelligent, bold, exposed, and added to the final word “beauty”. That is how I see beauty.

Our pageant doesn’t really comprise of one being beautiful, it goes beyond just that. First and foremost, one has to be intelligent, exposed, beautiful and also have the charismatic ability to carry oneself and represent the brand “Peace Ambassador Agency”.

n every aspect of life, there are categories, so also in the ‘profession’ of begging, where we

also have different normal ‘bambiala’ categories. In the beggars are those ‘profession’ of who walk about begging, there is the

Julius Agwu popular comedian, turns beggar?

I Laide Bakare: My ex-hubby is mad for asking for DNA

L

aide Bakare, a Nigerian actress, has been enmeshed in a paternity mess-up with two men, which has finally resulted to the claims by her estranged husband, Olumide Okunfulire, that he would challenge her for a DNA to determine who is the true father of the new born baby.

According to an interview with a popular Lagos gossip magazine, City People, Laide Bakare claimed her ex-husband must be “mad and suffering from chronic drunkenness’ for him to have asked her to do a DNA to know who the father of her new

with sticks saying different kinds of prayers just to get money from their ‘victims’, while there are the executive beggars, who beg with executive expertise.

What angle would you place the one done by our popular comedian in Nigeria, Julius Agwu, who chose to get something out of the top broadcaster, Bisi Olatilo of Bisi Olatilo Show (BOS) at a recent Lagos event?

The popular softsell magazine was at its second year anniversary where the veteran broadcaster initially donated N200,000 but rescinded and

Lagos commissioner dumped: Toyin Lawani to marry her 21-year-old lover

I

f all things go on as planned, then celebrity stylist, Toyin Lawani will soon say ‘I do’ to her 21 years old lover. Toyin, who once styled Tonto Dikeh in the leopard skin dress some months ago, announced on her Instagram page that she is finally engaged to her “lover, bestfriend and brother.”

She said, “so, he finally proposed hehehee and guess what, I said yes. He’s my lover, bestfriend, brother’.

Toyin is the owner of Tiannah Styling. She

added more to make it half a million naira.

Shortly after Bisi Olatilo made the announcement of his N500,000 donation, the Rivers Stateborn comedian, who anchored the event,

Caroline Danjuma clocks 33

P

retty Nollywood diva, Caroline E k a n e m Danjuma clocked 33 years today. She was born on June 26, 1980 to a Scottish father and a Nigerian mother. The actress became one of the most sought after actress after her role in Chico Ejiro’s flick, Deadly Kiss several years back.

The actress is a graduate of Environmental P r o t e c t i o n M a n a g e m e n t , Geography and Regional Planning.

She left the industry shortly after getting married to Theophilus

PAGE

BU$I#€SS

Local ATM cards to work in West Africa countries

I

t will soon be possible for Ghanaian Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards to work in outlets in Nigeria and in French speaking countries as well as Cape Verde.

This will be possible through the integration of the payment systems of Ghana, Nigeria, Cape Verde and the zone of West Africa Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).

Chief Executive of Gha-

FG gives Dana Airline 6 months ultimatum to pay claims of crash victims or face sanction

T

he Federal Government on Thursday gave Dana Airline six months’ ultimatum to pay the claims of the families of the victims of the June 3, 2012 plane crash or face sanctions.

The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, gave the ultimatum at the 2013 Ministerial Platform in Abuja.

She said the airline had paid up to 60 per cent of the claims to the victims’ families but experienced a delay due to double claims that needed to be clarified.

“Dana has actually done very well in terms of compensating accident victims. The challenge Dana has is that of multiple claims, the multiple claims made it difficult to ascertain who should collect.

“And until they are able to do that, they will not pay multiple claims and we will continue verifying and re-verifying to ascertain who should be the next of kin to claim the money but I know Dana has done up to 60 per cent.

“However, Dana is giving to December, if they fail to pay completely, we would have to sanction them, they are aware of that so I am sure they are accelerating the process.``

na Inter-Bank Payment And Settlement System (GhIPSS), managers of Ghana’s payment system, Mr. Archie Hesse said Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had planned to have a central West African payment platform.

He, however, said it was agreed that a pilot platform be rolled out by integrating the four payment systems, after which the remaining

countries will be joined to a central platform.

The project, which is significantly advanced, is part of a central sub-regional payment system that is being driven by the ECOWAS. When the project is implemented fully, it is anticipated that it would boost cross border trade, as traders, businessmen and women as well other travelers from the participating countries, can access money from

their bank accounts back home using their local ATM cards.

Mr. Hesse said in view of work already done, it was technically possible for local ATM cards from Ghana to work in the ATM outlets and point of sales devices in Nigeria, as well as Francophone West Africa and vice versa.

He explained that modalities to guide the settlement of the inter-country

FG mulls Public-PrivatePartnership concession for National

M

inister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Mr. Edem Duke, said on Thursday that the Federal Government was prepared to subscribe to a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession of the National Theatre.

Duke said this in Abuja at the 2013 Ministerial Platform.

He said that the theatre would not be handed over to a single individual or any entity but would be restructured in such a way that it would contribute to the development of the country.

Duke said that the sections of the theatre where people had abused would be taken over and developed into an entertainment centre.

“What we are saying as a business proposal L-R: Manager Community Development NNPC, Mr. Samson Magic, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Osita Chidoka, Representative Minister of Informa- is that those areas of tion, Mr. Henry Angulu and Executive Director, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Mr. Udom Inoyo, the National theatre during the flag off of Pan Nigeria Road Safety Awareness Campaign on Friday in Abuja. that for 40 years was Photo: Mahmud Isa used to dispose human waste.

“That section of National Theatre From Ngozi Onyeakusi, La…as market cap hits $107the bn gos where people are rearthe country should get list- trillion dollars market capi- welcome ETFs that developed ing swine’s, seche Director-General, ed in the market, that dream talization, noting that the by other operators in the tion of the national Security and Exchange will be achieved even before Exchange cannot achieve capital market, saying this Commission (SEC), 2015. its projection if government will help which in enhancing theatre is nowvaa

$1 trillion market cap is achievable - Oteh

T

Miss Arunma Oteh has assured that the $1 trillion market capitalization for the nation’s capital market for the year 2015 will be achieved going by the huge potentials abound in the country even as the market capitalization presently stood at $107 billion.

Oteh, who spoke at June edition of the Capital Market Committee’s Monthly Forum in Lagos on Thursday, stated that if the telecommunication, oil and gas and other mega companies in

She therefore called on these companies to participate in the activities of the market by getting their shares listed for trading in the market stressing that all the impediment which have been holding them in the past from getting listed have been rolled away.

She identified good business environment, quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), effective power reform as the major factors that would drive the market to achieve its one

does not effectively play its role.

She explained that the Exchange, on its part, was putting in place all the machinery needed to achieve the $1trillion mark by 2015, adding that the government’s fulfillment of its policies is very important.

The market, in its determination to enhance its breadth and width, planned to roll out more Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) this year.

It also stated that it will

rieties of instruments and boosting the market in general.

It is also believed that continued product innovation by the Exchange, including the commencement of secondary bond market trading and introduction of new indices and ETFs would provide additional incentives.

Other initiatives into the market include the market intention to roll out additional ETFs covering various undermined products

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 29 - SUN-

PAGE

BU$I#€SS

Don wants govt. to charge fees on bore holes

T

L-R: Adamawa State Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako, Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade

CBN grants state licence to Renaissance Credit

By Abdulwahab Isa

R

enaissance Credit Nigeria, operating under the name Rencredit MFB Limited, has been granted a state licence by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The state licence empowers Rencredit to consolidate its business objectives, one of which is to offer consumer loans up to N500,000.00 within 24 hours to lower and middle class income earners in and around Lagos state.

With strong core operations and information technology platforms provided

by T24 banking software and Experian information and data management systems, Renaissance Credit is able to perform enhanced analytics with a goal to improve customer interaction and feedback.

Speaking on the CBN licence, CEO, Renaissance Credit Nigeria, Segun Ak-

VP extols privatisation of PHCN

By Abdulwahab Isa

V

ice-President M o h a m m e d Namadi Sambo has acknowledged the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) successor companies as one of the most open and transparent privatisation transaction processes in recent history.

Represented by Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue state, the Vice-President made the observation at an investment forum in New York on Wednesday, June 26, 2013 with prospective investors interested in the purchase of 80 percent

equity in the 10 National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) power plants.

In this regard, Sambo said all the three-tiers of government and the private sector in Nigeria are collaborating in the privatization process of the 10 NIPP power plants being jointly offered for sale by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to ensure that the same level of transparency is replicated.

He pointed out that the PHCN transaction, “was a highly transparent process and government has assured investors that the

same level of transparency will be replicated”.

The Vice President noted that if Nigeria is going to be among the 20 largest economies in the world by the year 2020, the right steps must be taken, assuring that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is committed to ensuring that those right steps are taken going forward in implementing the Transformation Agenda.

He noted that the privatization of the 10 NIPP power plants is the first time the private sector, the National Assembly, Federal, State and Local governments

he Deputy Dean, Faculty of Sciences, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Dr Silas Gyar, has urged the state government to introduce special fees payable by individuals who sink bore holes in their houses.

Gyar gave the suggestion in Abuja on Thursday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). ‘’If you have borehole around the places or you are about to sink a bore hole, you pay a fee except it is a communitybased borehole. Private individuals and company should pay for sinking bore holes and for taping the water which is our natural resources,’’ he said.

Gyar commended the Ministry of Water Resources for trying to address problems of shortage of potable water in the country. ‘’Water situation in Nigeria is not encouraging even though some measures have been taken. From what we heard now, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources is doing a very good work,’’ he said.

The deputy dean advised every community to focus on provision of potable water that would improve the living condition of the citizenry. ``When you provide good drinking water for the people, you would have addressed a number of health issues that could cause some challenges. If health is challenged now, you go to address the issue of health; it means you are treating the problem from the terminal point. ‘’Good water is good health, so I think water is critical and the quality of

Seplat to seek dual listing on NSE, LSE From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

T

he entrance of indigenous oil companies into international capital markets gains momentum, as Seplat Petroleum Development Co, worth over $1.6 billion, seeks to raise more funds through a dual listing in London and

Lagos. The move is seen as a clear departure from the past, when owners wanted to be the only shareholders of their companies.

The company will join other Nigerian oil concerns trading on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), whose value is estimated at $4.2bn (N649bn). Nigerian oil companies trading on

the LSE include Afren, Eland Oil & Gas, Heritage Oil, Mart Resources and MP Nigeria.

In what is the latest of listings on LSE by Nigerian oil companies, Lekoil was recently admitted to the London bourse after listing on its Alternative Investment Market (AIM).

The company

raised approximately $50 million, giving it a market capitalisation of $112.1 million at admission.

According to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the entrance of more oil and gas companies into the Nigerian capital market is expected to contribute about N265 billion to the $1 trillion market

capitalisation target of the bourse. The NSE seeks to achieve $1 trillion market capitalisation by 2016.

Seplat, which recently bought several oil assets in the Niger Delta from Royal Dutch Shell Plc, is working with BNP Paribas SA, Standard Bank Group Ltd and Renaissance Capital Financial Holdings Ltd, to

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Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

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

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

Chairman Malam Wada Maida, Oon, Fnge Director/Editor-in-Chief Rufa’i Ibrahim Managing Editor Abdul-Azeez Abdullahi

Chief Operating Officer Ali M. Ali

Head, Advert/Marketing Hussaini Abdulrahman, Cna

Acting Editor, Daily Hameed M. Bello

Manager, administration Hassan Hammanyaji

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Head, Lagos Bureau Adesoji Oyinlola

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

LETTERS & ONLINE COMMENTS Rep. Mohammed Ibrahim Idris: Trudging ahead amidst turbulent Kogi politics

T

he veneer of wealth, the simplicity of his life and the sanctity of political power gives Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim Idris, the Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Air Force and, Representative of Ankpa-Olamaboro-Omalla Federal Constituency of Kogi state, two lives. First is his public and professional life as the golden-boy tycoon of the city of Abuja, and a quiet gentleman Legislator; the second is his private life which has lost its privacy to the glare of publicity.

Both lives he has tried to limit to certain circles, but like the proverbial golden fish there is no such place for him to hide. Things that concern him abound in the grapevine. The newspapers have not spared him either and so is the general gossip of critics and admirers. In a manner of speaking, the reputation of the man popularly referred to as ‘Mohammed Ibro’ both as facts or fictions has preceded him.

Of interest here is his foray into politics which marks a turning point in his life. It was, indeed, the beginning of his exposure to the world outside the patch of his business and society.

His decision in 2011 to join the House of Representatives race in Ankpa-Olamaboro-Omalla Federal Constituency under the platform of the PDP was greeted

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Many feared that his geniality and refinement are incongruous with the rough, ruthless and intriguing turf of politics. Not to mention also that he was up in contest against two veteran politicians for the party’s ticket. Nobody gave him any chance. To add to this concern is the fact that his Constituency is home to the most confrontational and Machiavellian politics in Kogi State. In the run up to the elections, Alhaji Mohammed Ibro proved through his, hitherto, latent mettle that such concerns as referred to in the preceding passages were unnecessary. He came on the scene exuding wisdom, energy, persistence and compassion. The people found him so endearing and therefore gravitated towards

his candidature. As a matter of fact, he showed us all that a lot can be achieved with pragmatism and personal dynamism.

He is, without doubt, a resolute man who has come to contest with will and determination. He did win a deserving victory at the elections.

I have now said enough to set the background to this discourse. No, not really enough but I shall not go on. If I were to pay proper and due respect to this man of remarkable humility, I should devote not a few paragraphs but several volumes.

You cannot write about a man of such convivial disposition without passion or submitting to sentimental considerations.

Be that as it may, in the House of Representatives, Mohammed Ibro has exceeded expectations.

He has displayed remarkable dedication to the service of his people and as a result, many have benefitted from his personal goodness of character. He never misses plenary and votes on the floor of the House. A man given to few words, he has achieved much for his people behind the scenes. Unprecedented record of constituency projects, steady Representative-Constituent interface and direct involvement in community affairs are hallmarks of his representation.

For example, he is building about 25 Nos high capacity boreholes across his constituency to alleviate the shortage of portable water ravaging the communities.

Equally, to deal with the high incidence of unemployment in his constituency, he has leveraged his legislative influence and political contacts to provide employments for many a job-seeker from his Constituency. He also engages in personal philanthropy to serve the purpose of the needy and those who ask. A dependable man who is true to his ideals and beliefs, he has always shown intransigent, uncompromising tenacity in upholding his convictions and principles on a number of topical issues in the House. With honour and no anger, Hon. Ibro is a good listener; always with a smile for everyone and has a way with people.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Opinion

PAGE 37

Positive Development: A case of fiscal and personal

By Fahad Garba Aliyu “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead…”

- Nelson Mandela

T

his saying by the great Mandela is exactly what the responsibility of government is and should be about. As we all know, it should be about improving livelihoods and safeguarding lives and properties, through the provision of basic education, healthcare, uninterrupted power supply, good transport systems, amongst other things. This is what the government should always strive to achieve, with ours being no exception. Objectively, we assume that the Nigerian government’s mandate is no different from the aforementioned. But why do we feel let down? Setting aside the obvious challenges we face in corruption and the misappropriation of public funds, the answer is simple.

There is no way we can achieve sensible development when we spend heavily on maintaining our government rather than these critical sectors.

Recently, the House of Representatives passed a bill for second reading that makes it mandatory for the executive to allocate 40 percent of the country’s budget to capital projects over the next decade. This is undoubtedly an improvement from what is on ground presently, where capital expenditure barely gets 30 percent of the annual budget. Unfortunately, the proposed 40 percent is still inadequate to improve the lives of Nigerians. No country in the world

can see serious development when it allocates as little a percentage of its budget to capital projects.

In actual fact, despite welcoming the decision by the legislature to increase capital expenditure to 40 percent in the next ten years, we simply cannot afford to wait a decade before allocating more to capital projects. Our population is continuously growing and in the next decade, the proposed 40 percent will still be insufficient.

We have to act NOW by cutting the cost of running our government and subsequently diverting the savings to capital expenditure. It is paramount that we invest in our future rather than investing in the pockets and accounts of the people that are supposed to serve us.

The truth of the matter is that our elected officials at all tiers of government, (federal, state and local) and both executive and legislative bodies are performing so badly that many doubt whether democracy is the solution to Nigeria’s problems; and rightly so. However, Alexander Woolcott answers that perfectly when he said, “I’m tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn’t work. Of course it doesn’t work. We are supposed to work it.”

It is the responsibility of the people giving the task of leading us to make it work, to be transparent, to be fair, and to put the interest of the people they serve and represent before their personal interests. Sadly, that’s not the case in our country. Personal interest comes first before that of the people. By allocating more to capital expenditure, we can invest more in critical sectors that will better the lives of ordinary citizens. Budget discipline is

equally as important because allocating more only to capital expenditure without discipline and proper management will not yield the required results. It will only lead to the execution of substandard projects.

Kano and Lagos are example of two states that have the right balance of not only allocating more to capital expenditure but also laudable fiscal discipline. This is evident as both states came first and second respectively on the list released by TIN, an affiliate of Transparency International against corruption as the two most budget disciplined and fiscally responsible states in Nigeria.

Based on this evidence, it is clear that performance and good leadership knows no party and tribe as some people of interest want us to believe. The part of the country you come from is not a determinant of whether an elected official will serve the electorate as he is elected to do whether in the executive or legislative branch of government.

Governor Kwankwaso of Kano State and Barrister Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State are examples of governors that run a government of the people, a government whose main and only aim is to better the lives of its indigenes. It is safe to say that they are doing a pretty good job at it.

Kwankwaso was able to turn the fortune of his state around in just two years of governance, bringing back lost glories. In his second coming, Kano has witnessed gigantic strides which include; development of 3 new cities, expanding the main road leading into Kano City, opening 20 new institutes and another new state owned University, establishment

of Kano Geographical Information System (KANGIS), construction of flyovers to ease traffic, building an Independent Power Plant (IPP) among others.

Likewise, Fashola did achieve a lot in his 6 years on the mantle in Lagos. His administration constructed drainages in Agege, Babs-Animashaun, Somolu, Lekki, Ijora, Ilasamaja and other parts of the state to reduce the severity of excess rainfall and reduce environmental effect, developed the Lagos State Geographical Information System (GIS), constructed the Lagos-Badagry Expressway into a 10-lane high way and created the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System. Fashola recently commissioned Nigeria’s first cable bridge funded by the state government and much more.

Both governors improved their Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) so as to have more funds available to better the lives of the people they serve. Lagos internal revenue grew from N600 million to N20billion monthly while Kano State generates around N2 billion monthly, from an initial N400 million in 2011. Both Fashola and Kwankwaso are from different parties and tribes but both have the will, zeal and vision of taking their respective states to greater heights, trying to leave a lasting legacy and that is exactly what Nigeria needs now more than ever from our elected officials.

Mahatma Gandhi said “A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.”

Imagine what is being witnessed in Lagos and Kano happening on a national scale. If other governors will perform at the same level, the kind of development and

ASUP strike: Why My Thoughts oga at the top must intervene With Ayodele Samuel 08074420617 (SMS only)

F

or more than 70 days now, our Polytechnics across the country have been shut down and the estimated 3 to 4 Million students are now forced to sit at home idle with nobody showing any concern about their plight, and it is not known that President Goodluck Jonathan has said anything about it, or is he not aware of the strike?

If that is the case, we should all know that the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) is on strike, with the usual demand from government to honour its agreement: why is it that our

government in this part of the World would sign agreements but would not meet its own part of the bargain? Same with electoral promises after getting votes of the people. Is it unmindful of the fact that these students, who are currently idle, might be forced to perpetrate evils acts against the country? God forbid, Nigerian students are God fearing and love their country, Nigeria. All they are asking is to be loved in return by enhancing their education and being gainfully employed when they finish their studies.

The problem between ASUP

and Federal Government is long overdue and should have been resolved even before the union embarked on its strike, but it seems that those at the helm of affairs don’t care about what is happening, they would rather wait to give amnesty to youths turned militants.

With ASUP recently saying, “going by the lip service the federal government is paying to Polytechnic education in the country, the strike would last as long as possible till the time the government listens and implements the agreement entered into,” the students involved are in big trouble. And what happens to their parents, who are toiling day and night to pay their school fees? This is besides the challenges

of underfunding of Polytechnics, Monotechnics and Colleges of Education, with the situation getting worse under the present administration.

The federal government has neglected these categories of higher learning. If the Universities can be regulated by a national commission (NUC), it’s just in line that the polytechnics are also regulated by a commission, which is one of the agitations of the union.

The ongoing strike is also as a result of failure of most state governments to implement the approved salary package (COMPCASS) and 65 year retirement age in Polytechnics.

Another issue of concern for Nigeria Polytechnic students is the discrimination even among

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Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Digest

Master of illusion: Magician Dynamo defying law of gravity- but how does he do it?

C

learly, walking on water isn’t enough of a challenge for mind-blowing magician Dynamo.

The master of levitation has done the seemingly impossible again, this time by walking on air while holding the side of the upper deck of a bus. Dynamo pulled off his latest stunt today as the number 543 bus, seemingly with openmouthed passengers on the top deck, travelled through London.

The 30-year-old TV illusionist looked utterly at ease with only his hand placed on the bus roof to stop him falling into the traffic below. Shoppers and tourists could barely believe

their eyes as he passed alongside the Houses of Parliament before crossing Westminster Bridge.

“The reaction of the public as I was travelling was incredible. It was great to see so many people taking in the excitement,” said the Yorkshire-born conjurer. His act was part of a promotional launch for soft drinks giant Pepsi Max. Sebastian Micozz the company’s British marketing director said: “I think you could see from the reaction of people on the route what an incredible piece of magic this was.” The illusionist is probably best known for his documentary show Dynamo: Magician Impossible and

Police stopped Coffin sales on Craigslist after skeleton found

P

olice have stopped the sale of a coffin on Craigslist after a skeleton was discovered inside.

The ad selling the oak coffin was fairly straightforward, if a bit unusual, but what it forgot to say was it came complete with the original owner.

Dave Burgstrum placed the ad on the Craigslist website to sell the coffin for $12,000 (£7,800) because he is trying to raise money to pay the property taxes on his fraternal organization’s former home. The ad came to the attention of local police in Iowa and they’ve now halted the sale unless the skeleton can be identified.

Mr Burgstrum said the coffin was used in a ritual conducted by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which has a long history in

the city of Council Bluffs.

He said the coffin was made in the 1900s and had been used in the group’s rituals to represent death. “All men are made equal. Rich man or poor man, everybody will eventually die,” he said. The symbolism of the skeleton inside the coffin is a little less clear.

Mr Burgstrum said a lodge historian told him a number of years ago that the skeleton was donated to the lodge by a doctor, the doctor retired in the 1880s and had used the skeleton to show patients their anatomy. Why the lodge took the bones or why they were in the coffin remains a mystery but had been in there for years. “They were just there as long as anyone could remember,” said Mr Burgstrum.

But Council Bluffs police detective Michael Roberts said human remains can’t be sold without proper identification. “If they had papers of origination, then they would be allowed” he said.

The skeleton was sent to the Iowa State Medical Examiner, Pottawattamie County forensic investigator Karen Foreman said it is unlikely the skeleton will be identified, but the race and gender can be determined.

And if the skeleton is Native American, federal law requires that it be returned to the tribe. Mr. Burgstrum said the laboratory is welcome to keep the skeleton as his interest has always been in selling the coffin. “I’m ready to wheel and deal on it. I’d like to get those taxes paid,” he added.

Sunglasses-wearing dog takes cat for a ride on his back

I

t is not often a cat and a dog are best friends but this pair of posing pets are virtually inseparable.Moggie Mimi loves being seen with cool Alsatian Wangcai, who not only wears sun shades but has his own mobile phone taped to his leg.

The cute couple are often pictured by passersby and tourists who are

amazed the pair are best friends and not at each other’s throats. And when she gets tired padding the streets of Kunming in south-west China’s Yunnan province all she has to do is hitch a ride on her best pal’s back.

The pets belong to Xu Jin, a 42-year-old retired paramilitary policeman who owns several animals but none are as

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 29 - SUN-

PAGE

International

3,000 Pound Bond and matters arising

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador

By Hassan Ginsau

O

Haruna

n Sunday, news surfaced that the UK was planning to impose a 3000 pound visa bond on intending travellers to the UK. The bond was aimed at “high risk” countries including Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The UK wouldn’t just impose a policy out of the blue of course, so they claimed it was in an attempt to curb immigration offences and visa agreements through travellers overstaying in British borders. A flimsy excuse that many believe can be handled through other measures.

By Sunday, it seemed that the UK had its mind made up on the issue with its Foreign Secretary, Theresa May telling the Sunday Times ‘This is the next step in making sure our immigration system is more selective, bringing down net migration from the hundreds of thousands to the tens of thousands while still welcoming the brightest and the

British Home Secretary, Theresa May

best to Britain’.

The Home Secretary added that the pilot scheme would later be extended to cover work permits and student visas as Britain plans to bring annual net migration to under 100,000 by 2015.

In subsequent days it became evident that the “proposal” had not been properly thought through, firstly in regards to the large amount money involved (N750,000 in Nigerian currency), and also the economic and political implications that may arise from the policy.

It caused public outrage particularly in India and Nigeria who have the highest number of immigrants into the UK out of the rest

of the 6 countries with. Last year alone 101,000 people from Nigeria were granted six-month visas In Nigeria, the news sparked off harsh criticisms from Members of the Government. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru on Tuesday summoned the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Pocock, over the proposal.

The minister expressed displeasure of the government and people of Nigeria over the policy, which he described as not only discriminatory but also capable of undermining the spirit of the Commonwealth family.

In reply the High Commissioner said

Even if non- offenders would get their money back the fact of the matter is that the average Nigerian traveller cannot afford to put up the bond. Therefore the price of the bond alone is a deterrent for majority of Nigerians who can barely afford to pay the ticket fare which is in the region of .4 million naira, talkless of

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr.

in a press release that The British Government has announced that it intends to undertake a ”very small scale trial” of the use of financial bonds as a way of tackling abuse in the immigration system which occurs when some people overstay their visa terms.

The Senate said Nigeria will not accept the visa regime proposed by the United Kingdom seeking to compel Nigerian visitors to deposit 3,000 pounds bond before travelling there. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Sen. Matthew Nwagwu also said this on Tuesday.

In addition, the Senate expressed displeasure at the policy, saying Nigeria might be forced to reciprocate the action by slapping a bond on British travellers intending to come to Nigeria, a view which officials in India have also expressed to the British Government.

Furthermore the Chairman of the Foreign affairs committee in the House of Representatives, Nnenna ElenduUkeje, has described

the said the policy is discriminatory and unacceptable.

Nigeria’s former permanent representative at the United Nations, Ambassador Sulaiman Dahiru went on to describe the planned visa bond on Nigerians and some other African and Asian countries by the UK government as “racist”.

In a swift reaction British Prime Minister David Cameron has halted the controversial plan. A report in Tuesday’s edition of Financial Times said Cameron had reconsidered the proposal, which has provoked uproar and threatened attempts to boost trade links with India, a country which Britain is hoping to create stronger economic ties with.

The Financial Times’ report quoted the prime minister’s allies as saying that Cameron had “not signed off” details of the policy, while Liberal Democrat and Tory business ministers warned that the idea would be damaging to Britain’s economic interests, something that they cannot afford at present.

Interview

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND, SATURDAY 29 - SUN-

Nasarawa scholarship board is being re-organized to better serve students —Executive Secretary Mallam Sulaiman Abdulwahab Sulaiman is the Executive Secretary, Nasarawa state scholarship board. In this interview with Ali Abare Abubakar, our correspondent in Lafia, he opened up on the activities of his organization and how the board is poised

W

hat can you say has been your experience since your assumption of office as the executive secretary of the Nasarawa state scholarship board? Why have you not paid students’ bursaries up till now?

My experience so far has been wonderful. I met a board with the members of staff that are determined to work, are punctual and enthusiastic. This has encouraged me, and with my own determination on coming on board, and such support cooperation, Iam hoping that we will succeed in carrying out our responsibilities the best way that we can. The main objective of the board is to ensure that students of Nasarawa state extraction benefit from the bursary allowances from the state government. So that is my priority for now.

What are your challenges so far?

There are so many challenges that the board is facing presently. Like any other parastatal of government in the state, the issue of finance however remains the main challenge. This is not peculiar to the scholarship board.

You must be aware by now that the finances of the state government has always been lean and there was the need for proper assessment in terms of appropriating the scarce resources. So, far the government has done well for the students of Nasarawa

state, especially the Law students attending Laws schools across the country, as well as students studying abroad.

Hundreds of millions have been paid to them as bursaries. I can give you a break down as it affects the law students. I know that sometime in June 2011, the governor approved N45 m as settlement of the final payment of bursaries for the then Law students. Again, in September 2012, he approved the sum of over N36, 907 m for the payment of Law students in Zaria. There is also the payment of scholarship to our students abroad, in Ukraine particularly. The governor made tremendous effort by paying over N32 m as bursaries to Nasarawa indigenes studying in foreign countries between 2011 and 2012.

How then do you explain the inability of the board to pay bursaries to other deserving students from the state currently undergoing studies apart from Law, in tertiary institutions across the country?

Actually, we don’t look at it as the inability of the board.

Like I said earlier, when I came on board, I met a problem, on ground and it has to do with policy of the previous administration, which made it mandatory for a student to qualify for the bursary allowance, so such a person must have at least 2.8 CGPA. And as a result of that, several students in the state were denied the opportunity. In fact diplo-

Mallam Sulaiman Abdulwahab Sulaiman ma and NCE students were completely sidelined because the policy was very clear on who qualifies to apply. Apart from the issue of the CGPA, there is also the matter of paying each successful student the sum of N120,000 as bursary. So when we came on board, we discussed these issues and the government is making tremendous effort to address them. But what is very important is that, instead of paying such lump sum to few individuals, the government is looking at it in such a way that those that were denied by the policy, would also be given the chance to benefit from the scheme. That is what we are working on right now.

The issue of paying individual students N120, 000 is not going to be feasible. What we are trying to do is to look at ways where other students can also be given the opportunity to benefit. We are looking for an opportunity to conduct another exercise that will enable every legible beneficiary participate in the scheme. So it is not that the board has failed to pay bursaries.

But there are claims by aggrieved students who feel short changed after they were made to pay money ranging from N2500 to N5000 as application charges and yet not one of them benefited from

the scheme. What is the board doing to address that?

That is exactly what I have just explained. The board and the government will not consider it as fair for students, despite the hardships they are facing, to pay such sums.

And that is what I have just explained that government is looking at it this way, it does not make any meaning for students to pay that kind of money and yet denied scholarships. That was why we are saying instead of paying individual students N120,000, because the promise made to pay such sums might have induced the students to pay such charges, it is better that the bursary is reviewed so that others can also benefit from the scheme. So, in a nutshell, the issue of application charges will not be in vain because the government will not accept a situation whereby students would pay that kind of money and at the end of the day not benefit from the scheme. But the issue of N120, 000 as promised by the previous administration, is not feasible and has to be reviewed. The issue of the 2.8 CGPA, as far as this administration is concerned, is not tenable. With the present level of education, only a few students can secure a 2.8 CGPA so what happens to the

when I came on board, I met a problem, on ground and it has to do with policy of the previous administration, which made it mandatory for a student to qualify for the bursary allowance, so such a person must have at least 2.8 CGPA. And as a result of that, several students in the state were denied the opportunity. In fact diploma and NCE students were completely sidelined because the policy was very clear on who qualifies to apply.

rest? Don’t forget, whether at the University, Polytechnic or College of Education, there are already classes of degrees, diplomas or NCEs, to which students could aspire. And if the academic institutions could design it so, why should the state scholarship create obstacles for the students? As far as this government is concerned, it is only interested in helping the students towards enhancing their educational pursuits.

What other interventions have been made by the board to enhance educational status of Nasarawa state students?

The board has been working in collaboration with the federal scholarship board in this regard. Apart from the scholarship from the state government, there is also the issue of federal scholarship. In that respect, the state government has done tremendously well in terms of supporting the board to participate in the activities of the federal scholarship scheme. Sometimes last year, the board participated in Jos on the issue of both the overseas scholarship and that is tenable within the country.

We were fortunate to have at least three students that benefited for the foreign scholarship while 11 others benefited from the domestic federal scholarship scheme. And this year, with the exercise held in Kwara state, where we also participated, we have 11 of our students qualified for the foreign scholarship. These are likely slots the state can have when the federal scholarship board finally releases the list of successful candidates. Also in April, the federal scholarship board conducted interviews for its national scholarship scheme here in Lafia, with our students also participating in the exercise.

The result of the exercise is

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 22 — SUNDAY 23, JUNE, 2013

Page 41

WeekendSports Laloko urges LMC to insist on genuine feeder teams

K

ashimawo Laloko, the Assistant Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, has called on the League Management Company (LMC) to come up with policies that will compel clubs to set up genuine feeder teams.

Laloko said that what most clubs currently passed off as feeder teams was a far cry from what feeder teams should look like. He added that most of the players in the feeder teams were even older than those playing for the clubs.

“Clubs will tell you that they have feeder teams, but you will be surprised that the players are not feeder team materials.

The LMC has to put its foot down to ensure that all league teams have proper youth development programmes in place, because we haven’t progressed well in that regard,” he noting that the absence of feeder clubs has had negative impact.

On his assessment of the growth of football at

Keshi, NFF to settle row over bonus, backroom staff

S

uper Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi, will respond to accusations from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that he has been behind the bonus row between the players and the football federation.

It would be recalled that the football federation had in at least two releases alleged that the former skipper of the Super Eagles had given the players the nudge to insist on $10,000 as against the $5,000 the NFF has offered to each player per match won.

The Eagles had declined to accept the bonus after the

drawn game against the Brave Warriors of Namibia and the victory over the Harambee Stars of Kenya. The NFF had opted to slash the bonus by half, but the players said they were neither consulted nor properly informed.

They also accused the NFF of insincerity since the reason for slashing the bonus according to them was due cut in the budgetary allocation yet no such review was affected the officials of the NFF. Therefore, the players had refused to board a flight to South Africa en route Brazil for the FIFA Confederation

Cup until the Senate President, David Mark intervene by persuading the Presidency to wire money to them to make up the bonus.

In Brazil, last week, standin skipper Vincent Enyeama emphatically stated that the row was not over even as embattled Aminu Maigari insisted that nothing would be done to improve on the slashed bonus.

Further, a release was issued in which Keshi was again accused of being behind the players’ insistence on $10,000 rather than the amount the federation is willing to offer.

Keshi

Give us U-20 World Cup, Maigari charges F/

W

e want you to win this tournament.

We have supported you by ensuring you do not lack anything, which included the training camp in Germany, for three straight months and we now want you to deliver.”

Aminu Maigari, Chairman of the board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)

charged the Flying Eagles yesterday after the team defeated Korea Republic to book a second ticket in the on- going 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.

The team’s media officer, Samm Audu, disclosed after the victory. The team will likely lock horns with the runners up in Group F, which has Uzbekistan,

Croatia, Uruguay and New Zealand.

Reminding the junior Eagles of its effort to assist them be in a proper shape and frame of mind to participate in the fiesta, Maigari was quoted to have said that the football federation sponsored them for a three-month training camp in Germany

in addition to invitational tournament and other friendly games. ``We have fulfilled all our obligations to you and now, we expect you to justify our confidence,” while urging the Eagles who observed a rest day yesterday to surpass the quarter final they got to in the last edition in

Spain poise to elusive Confeds Cup versus

F

ootball rave of the moment, Spain, who are the World and European champions will this Sunday confront Brazil, the samba exponents as they seek to capture the only trophy of consequence that has eluded them: the FIFA Confederations Cup. Brazil, on the other hand, need to win to quell the rising protest against the huge capital sunk into building stadia and other relevant facilities ahead of the 2014 World Cup finals. The majority of the citizens are of the view that such capital commitment should have been channeled into building schools, roads and other

social amenities.

So, the two countries are chasing victory at the Confederations Cup final for two reasons dear to their hearts which makes the battle beyond pride and soccer supremacy.

In terms of talents, both lack for naught. The hosts though are brimming with youthful zests and are wont to show the world the urgency with which they want to recapture their rating in world soccer.

At present they are rated 23, while Spain are the numero uno.

Here in comes Neymar, Paulinho, David Lius, Oscar, Hulk, Dante, Dani Alves, all established stars in all

Sergio Ramos and co will have a hell of time containing Neymar in Sunday’s epic clash between Spain and Brazil

Page 42

Burns may face Beltran in WBO

R

icky Burns will face Mexican fighter Raymundo Beltran on September 7 as he seeks to defend his WBO world lightweight title.

A win for the Coatbridge boxer in that bout at Glasgow’s SECC could mean a title defence in New York next year.

Talks, led by his promoter Eddie Hearn, have already taken place for Burns to appear at Madison Square Garden in January or February of 2014.

Burns said it would be a “dream come true” to fight in the United States.

However the 30-yearold refuses to be distracted by that prospect at the moment and wants to focus on beating Beltran, who is a chief sparring partner of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.

Burns previously successfully defended his title against Jose Gonzalez in May, after the Puerto Rican retired at the end of the ninth round. But there were suggestions he trained too hard for that contest.

Although not a unification fight, Burns is pleased to be boxing on a more regular basis, with another bout in the offing

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE,

Pillars, Enyimba, 3SC, other NPFL clubs to get N10.5m each this week

D

efending champions Kano Pillars, Enyimba, Rangers and 17 the other Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and the 17 other clubs participating in the Globacom sponsored league will each receive N10.5 million before the start of the second stanza of the league.

This league will resume on July 6, but the money will be doled out to them as part of their share from the proceeds of the title sponsorship.

This was confirmed by officials after the meeting between the clubs and

League Management Company (LMC) in Abuja on Thursday. The money is part of the N1.8 bn sponsorship in which a 3-year sponsorship deal with the initial payment of N550 million this season, then 10 per cent increase in subsequent seasons.

Before now, clubs have operated in the last two seasons without any financial benefits because the leadership of the league board was unable to secure sponsorship and even it did it was controversial, and thus nothing accrued to the clubs.

Also to benefit from

the sponsorship are the referees who are to earn N100,000 per match. But the meeting suggested that only a limited number of very competent referees by assigned to officiate in matches.

Peoples Weekend Sports recalls that allowances to referees have generated issues as clubs are often accused of inducing referees especially when they shoulder the responsibility of accommodating and ferrying them to match venues.

“We want referees and assistant referees to be selected on merit and also

select key match officials which NFF will determine their numbers,” said Alloy Chukwuemeka, Secretary of the Club Owners Association, after the meeting.

Apart from the general participation fee, clubs will also get remuneration based on their performance in the league at the end of the season. The remaining funds would be used to run the league include payment of match officials.

This so because after sharing the N10.5m to each of 20 clubs, it would amount to N210m leaving a balance of N340 million.

Players of Kano Pillars filing out for a match at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano

Egypt need a big win against

E Burns

gypt need to defeat England in their FIFA U-20 World Cup Group E match today if they are to have any hope of making the quarterfinals.

Kick-off in Bursa is at 20h00 CAT. The Young Pharaohs find themselves at the bottom of the log after successive 2-1 defeats at

the hands of Chile and Iraq, matches in which they twice allowed 1-0 leads to slip through their grasp.

Though the North Africans cannot qualify for the last eight as one of the top two in the group, they do still have a slight chance of ending as one of the four best third-placed teams

from the six pools.

However, to do so, they will have to hand England a convincing defeat at the Ataturk Stadium.

The Three Lions have not convinced at this tournament, playing to draws against Iraq and Chile, which leaves them on two points.

The good news for the

English, though, is that a victory will put them through the quarterfinals, either as one of the top two in the pool or as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Egypt coach Rabie Yassin will be hoping that his side can outclass and outlast England, who have shown signs of tiring in the

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Sports

Page 43

wansea has added another Spanish player to its squad by signing centre back Jordi Amat from Espanyol for 2.5 million pounds.

The 21-year-old Amat has agreed a four-year deal with the Premier League club and will become its second signing of the summer, after Jose Canas from La Liga side Real Betis, subject to passing a medical examination.

Swansea, which is managed by

Denmark great Michael Laudrup, has raided Spain for a host of signings in recent years - notably

Chelsea ponder Lewandowski ...if S Cavani bid fails

Amat joins Swansea from Espanyol

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helsea boss Jose Mourinho is ready to switch his sights back to Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski if Edinson Cavani slips through his fingers.

The Londoners still want to land Napoli hitman Cavani, whose future will be addressed properly now his Uruguay side cannot win the Confederations Cup. Despite initial talks between Chelsea and the Italians, Cavani’s desire to move to Real Madrid seems likely to be a decisive factor.

Chelsea is reluctant to come close to Lewandowski the 26-year-old’s £53million buy-out forward Fernando clause, but would Torres in partbe willing to give up exchange.

If Real end up

Amat

City target Gomez to fill depart Tevez

M

anchester City has listed the Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez as one of the four targets as they move rapidly to rebuild their strike force after the departure of Carlos winning the battle to Tevez to Juventus. land Cavani, Chelsea The £20m Gomez will launch an all-out is the most exciting prospect though and open to move from Bayern Munich having fallen down the pecking order following the signature of Mario Mandzukic, with the prospect of a further drop if casts doubt on the Robert Lewandowski long-term future of arrives from Borussia 32-year-old Patrice Evra as Baines, one of

Dortmund, later this summer.

The 27-year-old’s three goals at last summer’s European Championship saw him replace Miroslave

Cisse leaves Man Utd swoop QPR for England

S

triker Djibril Cisse has left QPR by mutual consent and will become a free agent on 1 July.

The 31-year-old scored four goals in 21 appearances last season before spending the second half of the campaign on loan at Qatari outfit Al-Gharafa.

The France international joined QPR from Lazio in

Cisse

M

anchester United have had a £12m bid to reunite new manager David Moyes with England defender Leighton Baines rejected by Everton.

Moyes has made Baines, 28, one of his top transfer priorities as he prepares to take charge officially at United after his move from Goodison Park.

He is almost certain to return with an improved offer to persuade Everton to part with one of their prize assets.

New Toffees manager Roberto Martinez made it clear he would like the leftback, who was named in the PFA’s 2012-13 Premier League team of the year, to sign a new contract.

Moyes’ move Baines

Gomez

Norwich rejects Chelsea £5 million bid for Ruddy

N

orwich has rejected a £5 million bid from Chelsea for goalkeeper John Ruddy and would want double to sell him.

The paper said returning Blues boss Jose Mourinho wants to bring England international Ruddy, 26, to Stamford Bridge as back-up for first choice Peter Cech.

The goalkeeper, who has been a star performer for the Canaries since arriving from Everton for £400,000 when

they were in the Championship three seasons ago, missed around half of last season through injury.

He returned to the

Ruddy

Page 44

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Sports

British and Irish Lions wing George North has apologised and says he feels “horrendous” for a gesture he made

Luiz Felipe Scolari has a decision to make over the

Spain’s Jesus Navas, who stole the headlines with his cool match-winning penalty, takes FIFA through the pivotal Ricky Burns will face Mexican fighter Raymundo Beltran moment of the semi-final against Italy, while La Roja team-

British number one Laura Robson is into the third round of Wimbledon for the first time after a comfortable 6-4 6-1 win over

Peoples Daily WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Page 45

Interview

FMC Makurdi built 80 years ago, needs expansion says Oyigeya Are you satisfied with the quality of staff currently in the employ of the hospital?

Yes, I’m quite satisfied with the quality of staff here because we recruited the best qualified and well trained personnel to assist us in the health care delivery. As a matter of fact, we equally encourage trainings whether within or outside the country to build their capacity and they are all performing creditably.

The staff here are also well treated and supported in terms of good welfare package, so they are all happy and working very hard to ensure that we achieve our major task of providing quality service delivery.

Dr. Matthias Oyigeya Dr. Matthias Oyigeya is the Medical Director, Federal Medical Center Makurdi, and a seasoned medical expert who has taken the Benue state FMC to its present progressive state despite the fact that it was built 80 years ago, in this interview with EMMANUEL EKO, he spoke on the position of Nigerian health sector by 2020-20.

Apart from the Abuja teaching hospital, that is a federal tertiary health institution in Benue State, which caters for over four million people; how have you been able to cope with the pressure of work?

Well, we thank God for giving us the grace of sustaining international health standard here, but essentially, what we have done is to develop the structures, to procure world class medical equipment, establish new units and recruit qualitative manpower to man those areas and generally to expand the hospital and make it one of the best in the country; this we are doing successfully.

In fact, by the time this administration came in the year 2008, we had to define a plan to achieve fundamental medical service delivery to the people of Benue state. Due to the unruly

state of affairs, which was compounded by capacity gap, most of the staff of the hospital were not emotionally ready to embrace the changes but with time and lots of sensitization, we were able to instill in them, the need to do so and today we can boast that the hospital is enjoying a robust working relationship in all its various units.

What is your relationship with the host communities?

We have a good working relationship and understanding between members of the hospital and the host communities, they are highly supportive and I want to use this opportunity to thank them, because without a conducive environment, we probably could not have achieved much. The villagers

are quite appreciative of having the hospital on their soil.

One would expect public hospital to look dirty and unkempt but in this case, the reverse is the case.

What effort did you put in place to achieve this?

We adopted the concept that cleanliness is next to godliness and we believe that if you are a care provider, you should start from a clean environment because if someone who is sick walks into a very clean environment; it is where the process of healing normally begin. The environment where sick person are being treated matters a lot. So, here we understand how the sick feel and we try as much as possible to provide a serene, neat and clean environment for them to make them feel at home.

In terms of facilities, what can Federal Medical Center Makurdi show?

As at 2008, most departments/ Units in the hospital had few functional equipment, even the few ones were obsolete and electricity from public power supply was erratic. And this was a very serious problem in the delivery of a good health service. What we did was that, the management team had to come together and agree to procure and install a plant to solve the power problem, after which we also procured other medical facilities that will help in arresting the challenges of the hospital.

One thing that was key, was the training of personnel that will handle these equipments.

I can authoritatively tell you that Federal Medical Center Makurdi is one hospital that has the best modern medical equipment in this sub-region.

Considering the vast nature of Benue state, how are you able to reach out to all citizens of the state medically?

The Federal Medical Center Makurdi can be said to be 80 years old now. If you look at the land space, you will see that it is really inadequate. It started as a small out patient clinic to provide medical attention to railway line constructors in the 50s across river Benue.

As at the time the Federal Government decided to take over in 2005, there was no space for expansion any more as people had built structures all around the hospital.

Owing to the prevailing high patronage we get from the people, the hospital was always congested and we all saw that the service delivery was becoming very embarrassing.

This administration commenced phase movement of services

to Apir, the permanent site.

This was the master stroke in curbing space constraint and overcrowding at the center.

We started moving the GOPD, specialist clinic, A&E, and letter surgery. As we speak now, Apir offers full services to the people that are resident around there.

One significant achievement to deliver health care services to all was the establishment of outreach centers, one in each of the senatorial districts of the state. By the creation of these outreaches, we have been able to capture many patients in the rural areas, they don’t need to come to Makurdi.

To us at the Federal Medical Center Makurdi, this is feat in grass-root healthcare service delivery, because healthcare has become more accessible and affordable to the rural and the poor.

Where will the Nigeria health system be by 2020-20?

For me, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a nation having ambition to reach the top, especially one that is blessed with abundant resources like Nigeria. Again, we must also tell ourselves the truth, we are in 2013 now, looking at most of our hospitals across the country most of which are crying for upgrade, I think by 2013 we will be close to achieving quality health service for Nigerians.

One significant achievement to deliver health care services to all was the establishment of outreach centers, one in each of the senatorial districts of the state. By the creation of these outreaches, we have been able to capture many patients in the rural areas.

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PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30, JUNE, 2013

Interview

Backlog of cases: It is the fault of the Bench and Bar —Barr. Omotunde Barr. Adeola Omotunde could be described as a fire brand legal practitioner. As a lawyer who caught his teeth from the chambers of one of the foremost legal luminaries, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), the Ilorin based legal practitioner spoke on various topical issues bodering on Nigerian judiciary. Apart from LL.B degree, he also holds Masters of the University of Ilorin in Public Administration and Law. In this interview with our correspondent, Olanrewaju Lawal in Ilorin, Barr. Omotunde expressed displeasure over human rights abuse in Nigeria, among other national issues.

W

hat is your assessment of Judiciary under this current political dispensation?

The Judiciary is doing very well in the last 14 years of this uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria. We are having a judiciary that is more reliable, decisive and independent than the past. However, we still have few issues to be addressed in judiciary.

Issues like corruption and bias in the appointment into the bench. There are those that are not qualified for the bench but they got there due to their influences. So, all these issues need to be addressed.

What is your view on cost of litigation in Nigeria?

It is very expensive to sue somebody. To secure and prosecute a case is too expensive. There are many fines being introduced into courts system today which are beyond the commonman. So, getting justice is now beyond the reach of the commonman which is not supposed to be. Because there would be difficulty in getting justice and that will not promote equity and peace in the society.

Many suspects facing trial for alleged corruption in Nigeria got lesser punishment through plea bargain. What is your position on this sir?

Well, plea bargain is not the best because most offenders would not be allowed to face the full wrath of law. Some of them even get away with their loots. Again, it takes time to try an offender in Nigeria. These criminals could challenge prosecutors and Court over jurisdiction to try them. This can go on at the Appeal Court before the real case will start over. So, parting ways with what was stolen should be encouraged just like in the case of Ibru. At least, half a loaf of bread is better than none.

Recently, the National Assembly embarked on review of Nigeria’s constitution. What is your view on its action?

National Assembly has the power to review Nigerian laws. Most of the laws operating in Nigeria are obsolete.

Like criminals code, Acts and others.

But these laws are not the major problems but those that are operating them. All of us must be ready to obey it. The laws are made in Nigeria and must be complied with in Nigeria.

The laws made by the Federal and State governments are meant to be obeyed. So, if we all subject ourselves to these laws, there wouldn’t be much problem.

How would you assess the judiciary under its current leadership?

Judiciary under the current leadership is faring better than the previous despite the fact that we are having a woman at the helm of the affairs. For the first time, few judges know that they were not above the laws. That makes this current judiciary better. Few judges were sent home for lapses, incompetence and alleged corruption. Some judges could not entertain application for good three years. Can you imagine that? Some would not come to courts while unnecessary adjournments are entertained. Many of them could not write judgments. So, the current leadership is tackling all these problems and I believe Nigeria would breathe fresh air from the judiciary.

Sir, today, we have large number of cases unattended to with cases lasting ten years in court. How do you think such could be resolved?

Backlog of cases in courts is the fault of the bench and the bar. Many judges would not come to court on time. Also, some lawyers have bad cases and instead of throwing in the towel, would continue to ask for adjournment. That is why many cases spend up to ten years. Again, in the course of prosecution, appellants may be frustrated in terms of series of fines and charges by court and others may not have money to prosecute their cases further. Some clients may not have money to pay their lawyer’s transport and professional fees. At the end, they would abandon their cases. We also have lazy judges who would continue to delay lawyers and prosecutors. In some cases, any case that lacks merit should be struck out but many judges would still entertain it. So, the long duration of cases spent

Barr. Adeola Omotunde

in court are major faults of bench and bar.

Legal education is too expensive for the commonman. As a legal practitioner, how do you think the cost of reading law could be reduced?

Legal education is too exorbitant.

It is becoming restricted to rich men in the society. Most people that get admission to read Law today are children of lawyers, politicians and rich men. Can you imagine that foreign law books are cheaper than Nigerian law books? Our law books are too expensive. At the Law School today, the school fees is about N250, 000:00 apart from other charges.

Most of us that read Law got there by mere chance. There is no scholarship for people that have interest if the

“

Backlog of cases in courts is the fault of the bench and the bar. Many judges would not come to court on time.

Also, some lawyers have bad cases and instead of throwing in the towel, would continue to ask for adjournment. That is why many cases spend up to ten years.

cost is too expensive. So, I think, government needs to do something about it.

Let there be reduction in the fees and Law materials so that the commonman’s children who are brilliant could read law and help this nation.

There is problem with the appointment of SAN in Nigeria, usually based on whom you know and lobby. How would you react to this sir?

The problem of appointing SAN is due to the numbers that apply annually. If 30 lawyers qualified this year, they may pick only 25 and leave the rest till the following year. But the problem now is that subsequent years, we are going to have new lawyers who would qualify for the same rank.

Therefore, we are having backlog of SANs in the waiting. In Britain and other advanced countries, it is not like that. Once a number is qualified, they would confirm them.

In Nigeria today, we have about 500,000 lawyers, some are dead or not in practice. We should have about 700,000 lawyers in Nigeria because of our population. I think the system has to be changed. Anybody that qualifies to be SAN should be conferred with it immediately so that there wouldn’t be any need to lobby and jump the gun. That is the reason we are seeing many SANs today when they are advocating in court, one would wonder whether they are really SAN. Sometimes you hiss at them because of their poor performance and presentation in court. These are the people that

lobbied through godfathers and politicians for the rank. If the system is free of lobbying and they admit qualified SAN with merit, I believe this nation would be better off.

What is your view on the single term of six years for President and Governors in Nigeria?

Nigeria is a developing country and the cost of election is too high.

The syndrome of Nigerian politicians is the second term. They would use their first term in office to perform and second term to steal people’s money. It is better to have a single term because whatever President or Governor achieved in a single term, they can’t do better in second term.

If they spend only single term, it is either their name will be written in gold or in mud. Let us try single term and corruption would be reduced.

In Nigeria today sir, violations of human rights are very rampant.

There are series of rapings, accidental discharges of guns by policemen and child abuse. How can all these be reduced?

It is true that human rights abuses are too rampant in Nigeria.

We have cases of shooting people, rape, accidental discharges and violations of human rights of suspects in police custody. How would police explain how a female suspect was impregnated? This is a woman waiting for trial or serving her jail term. There are child abuses also. I think people should start challenging them through the court. So, that the Court could try the violators and use them as scapegoat for others.

PEOPLES DAILY WEEKEND SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30 , JUNE, 2013

Page 47

From the Pulpit

Who are you listening to? (V)

I

’m glad to bring you the concluding part of this message.

I believe God has spoken to you thus far. If you’re a first time reader, God will speak into your life as you read in Jesus’ name. Who are you listening to?

There’s a time to listen to your spouse, and a time not to. Please don’t misunderstand me. In Gen 21:12, God told Abraham to listen to Sarah and do just as she had said – that is sending away Hagar and her son. But in the case of Adam, God convicted him for heeding the voice of his wife and eating the fruit contrary to His command. (Gen 3:17) You shouldn’t listen to your spouse if it will make you disobey God. Job’s wife told him to curse God and die because of the trials he was going through but Job told her that her talk was like that of foolish women. (Job 2:10) Pilate’s wife warned him, “Leave that innocent man alone, because I had a terrible nightmare about him last night.”

(Matt 27:19 NLT) Unfortunately, Pilate chose to listen to the religious leaders; he flogged Jesus and released him to them to crucify though he had said he didn’t find him guilty. Know when you should listen to your wife and heed her vo ice.

Guides on who to listen to Below are some guides on who to listen to.

•Listen to the Word of God. 2 Tim 4:3-4 says, “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear. They will reject the truth and follow strange myths.”

(NLT) That time the Bible speaks about has actually come – many 2. THE SPIRITUAL PILL IN JOY Matthew 5:12; Proverbs 17:22; Matthew 6:25-31; Proverbs 14:30;15:13,30; 17:22; Isaiah 66:14; Proverbs 13:12.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine”. Knowing this, the Lord discouraged His audience against worry and anxiety about food, drink and clothing. He knows that worry and anxiety will tear down the system. Worry and anxiety do not solve any problem; if anything at all, they have a way of blocking our mind and making us fall sick, faulty in our thinking.

Just as a healthy heart makes blood circulation in the system easy and the body healthy so the joyful mind the body. Though you may not be able to prevent hearing negative information, resolve to not allow any of them to unnecessarily disturb you. If hearing negative information has brought you sickness, the easier way back to health and vitality is to cease from hearing that kind of information. Having recovered, you are to use the shield of faith to protect yourself from bad news that weakens and breaks the heart and makes the body sick. Envy and jealousy of what others have attained are destructive to the human body. Praise God for those

people don’t want to listen to the Word of God because the truth is too bitter for them. Don’t reject the truth of the Word of God. Be a hearer and a doer. (James 1:23) If your life, your marriage, business or career etc. is not going to crash, you must listen to the Word of God and do it. Hear what Jesus said: “Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock. But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.

When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash.” (Matt 7:24-27 NLT) •Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit within you. You should be led by the Holy Spirit, so listen to Him. Jesus says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26 NKJV) The Holy Spirit is a Teacher and Reminder so listen to his voice. Rom 8:14 says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” (NLT) The early apostles listened to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. “Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.” (Acts 16:6-7 NKJV) •Listen to words that agree with the Word of God. It is the voice of wisdom. “Listen as wisdom calls

out! Hear as understanding raises her voice!” (Prov 8:1 NLT) Consider whether it is supported by the Bible.

See if what you are being told passes the test of love. Does it demonstrate love? “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Cor 13:4-7 NLT) If it is against the teachings of the Bible and fails the love-test, don’t take it.

•Listen to constructive criticisms – they will make you better. Don’t be unnecessarily defensive. “If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.” (Prov 15:3132 NLT) •Listen to your parents – physical and spiritual. “Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” (Prov 23:22 NKJV) With regard to spiritual leaders, the Bible says to “Obey those who rule over you , and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” (Heb 13:17 NKJV) If what they are saying violates the word of God, do not listen to them but even then don’t dishonor them. “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God will give you.” (Ex 20:12 NLT) Deut 5:16, Matt 15:4, 19:19, Mark 7:10, 10:19, Luke 18:20 and

GREEN PASTURES By pastor t.o. banso

cedarministryintl@yahoo.com GSM: 08033113523 Eph 6:2-3 say the same thing.

•Don’t listen to fake prophets and heretical teachers. God warned the children of Israel not to listen to those prophesying falsehood.

(Jer 27:9, 14, 16-17, 29:8.12) Don’t give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. (1 Tim 4:1-3) •Is your heart at peace with the suggestion, advice or proposal or you feel agitated? If you are supposed to take a decision on what somebody is telling you, and you don’t have peace about it though nothing appears wrong about it, take caution. Don’t allow yourself to be stampeded or pressured to act swiftly. Take time to pray about it for guidance. “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”

(Col 3:15 NLT) Conclusion: Who are you listening to? “It is pleasant to listen to wise words, but the speech of fools brings them to ruin.” (Eccl 10:12 NLT) Prov 22:17 says, “Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.” (NLT) Don’t listen to just anybody, and don’t act on everything people tell you.

It is not all that glitters that is gold.

There may be more to what you are being told.

TAKE ACTION! If you are not born again, you

need to give your life to Jesus.

I urge you to take the following steps:*Admit you’re a sinner and you can’t save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start to attend a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church. There you will be taught how to grow in the Kingdom of God. Kindly say this prayer now: “0 Lord God, I come unto you today.

I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I 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.

The power of a joyful wife (II) who have achieved something; do not envy them. Know that each person has his own calling and if he achieves something, it is not for you to be jealous. If he has what you do not have, you don’t need what he has because you don’t do his work; you have what you need.

There is no room for envy. God has given you the talent and the gift for your calling and that should give you joy.

If you are happy on the inside, it gives you a cheerful countenance. As believers, there is need for proper information management.

If you have information that belittles, destroys the self-esteem and the image of others, keep it. This same principle applies to married couples. Make a commitment to tell your spouse good things that boost morale and sustain good health since “…a good report maketh the bones fat” (Proverbs 15:30).

When you are expecting something and there is delay, still make a commitment to live a happy life. God has a reason for this delay. Sarah, Hannah and Elizabeth had delay in childbirth.

By pastor W.F Kumuyi But God eventually gave them special children (Isaac, Samuel and John the Baptist) that were notable in their lifetime.

3. THE STEADY PROGRESS OF THE JOYFUL Matthew 5:12; Acts 5:40-42; 13:50-52; 14:1-3; Psalm 32:11; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; 2 Corinthians 7:4.

As Christians, the ill-treatment we suffer from other people on account of our faith is not what kills our joy. It is our negative interpretation of their actions.

No one is capable of robbing another of his joy. Then, we must interpret everything that happens

to us with a positive attitude that maintains joy. As such, do not feel guilty for what other people do. The early disciples suffered beating, disgrace, expulsion and imprisonment. But, rather than concede guilt or ascribe their ordeal to their own failure, “the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost ” (Acts 13:52).

And they went on preaching the gospel. The secret is right interpretation of the actions of their persecutors: that they could do no less to them than they did to Christ. They crucified Christ.

Thus, they put the responsibility on the persecutors – they did not

put the blame on themselves.

They rejoiced and continued to preach the gospel despite their trial for doing the will of God. Believers must not take the blame for negative actions of others that affect them because of the gospel.

As a Christian, persecution and trial of faith should not blur your vision of fulfilling the Great Commission or living a fulfilled Christian life. Do not allow the reactions of people to control and cancel the vision you have. Rather, rejoice during persecution, maintain the heavenly vision and make progress in the service of God. “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11). Joy is the scriptural lifestyle that leads to steady progress and fulfilment.

During trials, don’t allow negative thoughts to becloud your mind and rob you of your joy. Learn to cultivate the attitude of joy and “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

It will strengthen your bones, make you to flourish and be a healthy Christian.

BIG PUNCH “Since March 2012, there has not been any explanation of what happened to the millions of dollars that were realised fromt he sale of the embassy properties in the US, which were in the bank acocunt at the time Ambassador Adefuye assumed office as the ambassador to Washington.”

– Transform Nigeria Movement on the missing of $27m from Nigeria’s embassy in US

SATURDAY 29 — SUNDAY 30 , JUNE, 2013

Absolute silence corrupts absolutely

P

ower corrupts, it is said, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Tony Benn, the iconic British labor former parliamentarian and minister, proposes his own adage at the onset of the so called war on terror.

Powerlessness, he says, corrupts.

When your absolute power renders other people absolutely powerless through sustained plunder, abuse, dispossession, denial justice and state terror you are setting the stage for a mighty confrontation, since absolute power which corrupts absolutely breeds absolute powerlessness which corrupts absolutely. Indeed powerlessness is in itself power, and in many cases, it is corrective.

Legitimate power is upheld by a system of checks and balances, in which case prudence, discipline and constrain and justice obtain.

Legislature is the organ to check the exercise of power by all other components of the state, so that the entire system works in perfect order, and does not fail, does not collapse. It keeps vigil over the country with a flawless eagle eye. It talks, investigates, cajoles, moderates, restrains; it keeps all power, including its own, within the bounds of law and constitution — for the good of the people, for the health of the nation. This is the role of the National Assembly. As a reservoir of the nation’s knowledge, experience and wisdom, it enjoys the unique privilege to make a difference: to make that difference, to ensure that the nation remains viable and on course is the main reason for its existence. But when it is silent, corruption ensues, when its silence is absolute, corruption becomes absolute. So, may we propose our adage in respect to the National Assembly — silence corrupts, absolute silence corrupts absolutely.

It is common knowledge that at least one fifth of the oil revenues accruing to Nigeria in the last several years, is unaccounted for – and this amounts to at least one billion dollars a month. The Minister of Finance affirms that this continuos and escalating undermines the economy and renders impossible the attainment of national developmental goals.

Some suggest this ongoing, unrestrained exponential plunder of national strategic resources could lead to the collapse of the

economy and social order. Nigeria bleeds profusely, but for how long? Yet apart from occasional, rather lukewarm, wailing and lamentation from the National Assembly nothing of a concerted endeavor to tackle the problem is forthcoming. Similarly, it is common knowledge that piracy conducted by Nigerians mainly from the Niger Delta represents a clear and present danger to the countries of West Africa whose economies are being ravaged and decimated. Nigeria is the only country that has the capacity to stop the piracy, but it has so far refused to act decisively, so the menace could easily escalate into a global phenomenon. The National Assembly is silent, absolutely silent.

Its silence over what is obviously an existential threat to the country is a significant failure of the polity, and its eventual undoing.

Politicians need only to look at what is happening around the globe. People are discovering a collective voice, a spontaneous platform for protests which the state cannot control, a substitute for political opposition. People can now bypass politics to force a change they deserve, to dictate the direction and destiny of their country, to wrest control from their tormentors. According to The Economist [29 June, 2013], this week alone has seen protests in scores of cities across three continents. ‘The protests,’ it observes, ‘have many different origins. In Brazil people rose up against bus fares, in Turkey against a building project. Indonesians have rejected higher fuel prices, Bulgarians the government’s cronyism. In the euro zone they march against austerity, and the Arab spring has become a perma-protest against pretty much everything. Each angry demonstration is angry in its own way.’

The mood almost everywhere is changing: people demand integrity and cleanness in governance; they reject the ever-yawning gap between their legitimate expectations and what governments delivers; they reject the corruption, inefficiency and arrogance of those at the helm.

They reject the exclusion imposed on them by a greedy and rapacious power elite. They demand to be treated with dignity, fairness

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Senate President, David Mark and justice. They want to play a part in their destiny. Where, they ask loudly and clearly, is our wealth? The National Assembly should note the wide discrepancy between the needs of the people and what government delivers as well as the misery of the electorate and the opulence of the elected.

Nigerians want electricity, jobs, decent livelihood, peace, security, infrastructure; they want just to get out of poverty, to have their common wealth protected and judiciously utilized, to have the good life, which is their right and which is the obligation of government to provide. The National Assembly offers them instead a single six year term for the president!

In the protection and preservation of the life of the Nigerian Citizen, the general impression is that the National Assembly appears helpless in the face of the Armed Forces, who frequently act with cruelty and impunity against the Citizen and can’t be called to order. Karl W. Eikenberry, a retired Army lieutenant general, the United States commander in Afghanistan and David M. Kennedy, an emeritus professor of history, have suggested inThe New York Times [27/5/13] that an army

not meticulously and vigilantly supervised by a democratic power poses a grave danger to a nation. Citizens, they emphasize, cannot be mere spectators in the way their armed forces conduct themselves. A wise and prudent people will always have a watchful and a jealous eye over their military power.

If indeed you can’t control the Armed Forces forget about democracy. Emboldened by the feebleness of the democratic institutions the army has been venturing outside of its mandate.

Recently it claimed to have discovered a link between the Lebanese resistance movement, Hizbullah and Al Qaida — organizations, it says, that America and Israel have declared as terrorists, and that it would show all Nigerians the proof. The proof so far is not forthcoming, only an embarrassing silence. It is the political power, not the military, that should decide the political status of organizations and states.

We can, however, sense a gradual, surreptitious and dangerous subordination of our army to Israeli strategic national interests and a steady erosion of Nigeria’s political and military independence.

If America and Israel declare

an organization terrorist, so what?

America, Israel and Great Britain declared the African National Congress as a terrorist organization and Nelson Mandela, the global symbol of freedom, as a terrorist.

‘The ANC is a typical terrorist organization,’ Margret Thatcher, as British Prime Minister, said in 1987. ‘Anyone who thinks it is going to run the government in South Africa is living in cloudcuckoo land.’ Terry Dicks, a British Parliamentarian, went as far as to call Mandela a ‘Black Terrorist’ who should be shot. Nelson Mandela liberated his country from bondage, went on to be President of South Africa, won the Nobel Prize, yet he was in America’s terror list until 2008. Mandela’s illustrious life is summed up by Anthony Bevins and Michael Streeter of The Independent: ‘From terrorist to tea with the Queen’, in reference to Mandela’s triumphant visit to Britain where he was accorded the rare honor of addressing both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall, when ministers, MPs and peers gathered to pay homage to a world statesman.

‘In Palestine, in Algeria, Cyprus, Yemen, Kenya, Vietnam, Iraq – after the peaceful struggle for independence in India, too – it was the same old story. Enemies who were to be liquidated, expunged, tortured, imprisoned – men and women whose very existence enraged their colonial or imperial rulers – would turn up at London or Evian or Zurich, in Paris or Washington and soon in Doha, to chatamiablywiththeirantagonists,’ Robert Fisk writes with specific reference to the ongoing peace talk between America and Taliban [The Independent [23/6/13]. ‘Men of violence would suddenly become delegates. And lo, the ‘terrorists’ of the IRA, the FLN, EOKA, the Mao Mao, the NLF of Yemen, the Viet Cong and the Dawa party – and now the Taliban – all transmogrified into responsible chaps who would one day drink tea with their former masters and sometimes – Makarios and Kenyatta come to mind – with the Queen as well. After shaming themselves with torture, after negating the very values they claimed to represent – and claiming a hollow military ‘victory’ into the bargain – the superpowers stalked miserably off the stage.’

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