How ex-Anambra Dep. Gov. Nwike was killed

Vol. 1 No. 20, Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

Ojukwu warned me about Obi Amaechi is a strong force – Umeh, APGA Chairman age 8 in PDP - Anenih 7 ag e 2 P

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How ex-Anambra Dep. Gov. Nwike was killed Kidnappers demanded N30m ransom, N5m paid Driver, Courier also killed ACN fumes, faults Jonathan govt We found 3 corpses – Police Page 19

Enugu gets 57 new Dev. Centre Executives Page 19

List on page 22

Confession: I killed 11 Babies for money ritual Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime flanked on the left by his wife, Clara, his Son and daughter-in-law, Nnamdi and Nneoma, his daughter, Mrs. Adaora Chukwu, Senator Ayogu Eze and Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odo, shortly after his Son's wedding at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Ogui, Enugu Weekend

– Ex- Cultist

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How ex-Anambra Dep. Gov. Nwike was killed  Kidnappers demanded N30m ransom, N5m paid Medical Doctor and politician,  Driver, Courier also killed has elicited serious condemnation from his political  ACN fumes, faults Jonathan govt allies and the people of the South East who lamented the  We found 3 corpses – Police deteriorating security situation in

By Ted Peters & Uba Ani

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HE first Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chudi Nwike was on Friday confirmed dead in the hands of kidnappers in Delta State after spending about 22 days in captivity.

Nwike and his driver were reportedly abducted while returning from Lagos to Anambra State in his newly acquired Toyota Hilux Van between Agbor and Asaba in Delta State on March 19 but his corpse and those of his close friend, Mr. Eric Ugboma and a yet to be identified taxi driver were found along Asaba Benin Highway last week. Three cheques were tied to the neck of Nwike when his corpse was found, The Advocate learnt.

Their abductors were said to have held them hostage and demanded N30 million ransom which must be paid in foreign currency, but Nwike's family members rallied round and raised N5 million, which was sent to them through his friend and associate, Mr. Eric Ugboma.

Sources said the delay in paying the ransom in full may have angered the kidnappers who decided to waste the politician's life even after collecting N5 million taken to them by Ugboma, who was driven to the kidnapper's den by an unidentified taxi driver.

Nwike's brother, Dr. Bufoh Nwike confirmed that the N30 million cheque found on the neck of his late brother, whose lifeless body was found along with two others later identified as Ugboma (the courier) and the unnamed taxi driver, were made up of three cheques of N10 million each.

Bufoh said the cheques were personally signed by the late former Deputy Governor to be cleared at the Diamond Bank, but they bounced at the clearing house. The cheques, he said, were sent to them through his driver who was kidnapped with him, adding that they were taken to the kidnappers' den to confirm to the deceased and his captors that they bounced.

According to Nwike's brother, the kidnappers called him on phone penultimate Saturday and confirmed that they received the N5 million cash ransom. He confirmed that the two other corpses found lying beside his

brother were those of a friend of the family, Mr. Eric Ugboma who volunteered to take the N5 million ransom to the kidnappers, while the other dead body was that of a taxi driver, who was hired by Eric to take him on the journey to the kidnappers.

He explained that because he did not know the driver before his

clue that could expose their hideout.

But days after the money was paid, sources said, the family could no longer speak with Nwike, Ugboma and his driver raising fears about their safety in the hands of the kidnappers, who had repeatedly threatened to eliminate them if the ransom

death, he could not identify his body when he went for identification at Agbor Police Station.

Reports said when the kidnapper abducted the former Deputy Governor, they took away his phone and while they were on the way, an alert came into his phone showing a balance of N30 million. It was said that somebody he lent money just paid back hence the alert and this made the kidnappers to know that he had millions of naira in his account and consequently placed him as a high-profile victim.

They therefore insisted that the N30 million ransom must be paid before he would regain his freedom, demanding that it must be his wife or his brother, Nwabufo, that should bring the money to them. None of the two went but his close associate, Ugboma, volunteered to go and eventually met his untimely death for attempting to save the life of his friend.

Ugboma who took the money to the kidnappers somewhere in Delta State never returned as he was reportedly seized and killed apparently to avoid leaving any

demanded was not paid on time.

The kidnap and murder of the renowned politician and medical doctor came to many as a surprise and it has set tongues wagging over the failure of the Nigerian government and its security agencies to protect the citizens from perpetrators of the heinous acts.

Kidnapping has become a major security problem in the country particularly within the SouthEast and South-South geopolitical zones which had been under siege of kidnappers since the past four years forcing many to relocate their family and businesses from the area.

Billions of naira had been lost to the kidnappers by their victims some of who were killed even after meeting the ransom demands, with the security agencies finding it difficult to smash the gangs owing to their well-organised style of operation.

Some security operatives had been fingered as colluding with kidnappers to perpetrate the crime without detection, but police authorities have continued to deny the allegation.

The cold-blooded murder of the

the country.

Nwike's death was confirmed weekend in a statement by the ACN publicity secretary in Anambra state, Okelo Madukaife, who said that his corpse was identified at Agbor police station.

The statement which gave graphical details of how Nwike was murdered reads: “With a heart full of pain and sorrow, Action Congress of Nigeria, Anambra State C h a p t e r, i n consultation with the Nwike Family o f A z u Ogbunike, Oyi L o c a l Government A r e a o f Anambra State announces the death murder of Dr Chuddy Nwike, Ibolo Ogbunike, First Deputy Governor of Anambra State and National Vice President of the Action Congress of Nigeria (South East).

Dr Nwike's body has been identified by our State Chairman, Chief Amaechi Obidike, our State Secretary, Barr Emeka Ibe and his brother, Dr Bufo Nwike at Agbor Police Station in Delta State.

“Dr Nwike, who became Deputy Governor of Anambra State under Gov Chukwuemeka Ezeife in 1991, was abducted by gunmen on March 19, 2013 by suspected kidnappers.

“According to the family, the suspected kidnappers made contact with his brother Dr Bufoh Nwike shortly after with a ransom demand of N30 million equivalent to be delivered in US Dollars. The younger Dr Nwike, negotiated the sum to N5 million which was delivered to a location in Delta State through a courier on Friday April 05, 2013,after rejecting the offer for the wife or the brother to deliver the money.

“But rather than release the exDeputy Governor, the kidnappers seized the money and the courier on April 5, 2013, cutting off all communication, until the body was found.

“All efforts and all contacts made

by our party to relevant authorities had not yielded any dividend and have surprisingly not even drawn any concern from quarters we took for granted.

“We worked and prayed to see Dr Nwike return safe and alive to continue contributing as he has been doing to our party, but we have not. We toiled and moiled to see our South East National Vice Chairman, play his traditional fatherly role in the tasks immediately before us. But we are crest-fallen that Dr Nwike has gone the way of all mortals, though in a way we would have wished away.

“We are tremendously ashamed of the circumstances of his death and wish we could now erase from history that a former Deputy Governor of a State in Nigeria died in this manner.

“Our Leader, Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige mourns, our committed party faithful weep and our overwhelming supporters wail, but Dr Nwike, Ibolo Ogbunike, distinguished medical Doctor, calculative politician and quintessential statesman is no more.

“Since the security agencies did not succeed in rescuing the former Anambra Deputy Governor alive, we urge them to rise and smash all obstacles on the way to unearthing the abductors and killers of ACN's rare gem, an embodiment of peace and knowledge.

“We urge them to leave no stone unturned and not be beaten by any decoy until the nation has the right answers to the nagging questions. For we may not know who it will be next?”

Also speaking with newsmen on the politician's death, his close associate and Enugu East senatorial candidate of ACN in the last general election, Dr. Ben Nwoye, decried the incessant killing and massacre of innocent citizens in the country by criminal elements, saying “as it stands today, we are all endangered species in Nigeria, nobody is safe any longer.”

He blamed the problem of insecurity on the bad governance by the ruling People's Democratic Party, saying it had remained a big shame that up till now the PDP-led federal government was yet to find solution or take any decisive action on the problem of insecurity in the country.

“Since it has become crystal clear that President Jonathan has no answer to the insecurity and litany of problems facing the country, I think the best thing for him to do is to give way for other wonderful and great people who have all it takes to take the nation

Continues on page 21

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

CP Asadu's killers must be fished out – IGP ...Hundreds of mourners wail as slain CP was interred

By Uba Ani & Patrick Okolie

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he remains of the late K w a r a S t a t e commissioner of police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu were laid to rest, Friday, at a funeral ceremony where tears flowed freely as hundreds of mourners from Nsukka cursed killers of their son and tasked the police authorities to fish out the culprits.

The funeral service took place at St Victor's Catholic Church, Onuiyi in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State while the slain police officer was buried at his compound in Onuiyi.

The funeral mass was celebrated by over 50 catholic priests and attended by several clergymen from other denominations.

Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi led a delegation from the Enugu State Government, which also had the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odo. Anambra State Deputy Governor, Mr. Emeka Sibendu represented Governor Peter Obi at the event.

Other personalities at the burial included Senator Ayogu Eze, representing Enugu North Senatorial Zone, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, representing Igbo-Eze North/Udenu in the House of Reps, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, former information minister, Nnia Nwodo, Nigeria's Ambassador to Uganda, Chief Fidel Ayogu, D e p u t y Vi c e C h a n c e l l o r, Academic, of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Malachy Okwueze, among others.

A special Kwara State delegation to the ceremony was led by Mr. Leke Ogungbe, the Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Ahmed Abdulfatah. The Kwara Police Command, led by Assistant Commissioner Adewale Olatunji, was not left out as they featured prominently.

In a special tribute for the late commissioner, the Inspector G e n e r a l o f P o l i c e , I G P, Mohammed Abubakar said the police would leave no stone unturned towards tracking down his killers.

He said although Asadu had been buried, investigations on the circumstances that led to his death would not be buried until his killers were brought to book.

The IGP, who was represented by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kachi Udorji said Asadu's killers should not rejoice as “they had murdered sleep and would never sleep. Sleep shall forever elude you”.

He described the late commissioner as “a fine officer and a gentleman”, who discharged his duty with characteristic

CP. Asadu’s wife performing the burial rites of her husband efficiency and speed”.

“So, I want to assure all Nigerians that although Asadu has been buried today, we shall continue working hard to find his killers. I want to reiterate the commitment of the Nigerian Police that no stone will be left un-turned in our quest to unmask the perpetrators of this crime”.

In an interview, Senator Ayogu Eze expressed deep pain over the death, stressing that every effort should be put in place to apprehend Asadu's killers.

“We on the part of government condemn this act very strongly; we are urging the police force to continue with the investigations

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Consultant Pathologist, Prof. John Obafunwa, on Friday said that Cynthia Osokogu, who was murdered in a Lagos hotel on July 22, 2012, died of asphyxiation.

Obafunwa, who is the Chief Medical Examiner of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, made the statement while testifying before Justice Olabisi Akinlade of an Ikeja High Court.

Obafunwa gave evidence at the resumed trial of four men charged with the alleged murder of the 25year old lady.

The defendants, Okwumo Nwabufo (33), Olisaeloka Ezike (23), Orji Osita (33) and Ezike Nonso (25), are facing a six-count charge of conspiracy, murder, stealing, reckless negligence and possession of stolen goods.

Led in evidence by the Lagos State Attorney General, Mr Ade Ipaye, the pathologist said the post-mortem report showed that Osokogu was choked and gagged by her killers.

Late CP. Asadu

and get at the perpetrators of this heinous act”, Senator Eze said.

Also in a remark, the Enugu State commissioner of police, Mr. Tonye Ebitibituwa said Asadu's death had remained a huge blow to him as well as to the Nigerian Police.

The CP, in eulogizing his late colleague, described him as “a dedicated and honest officer who gave all to the service of humanity”.

Earlier in a homily, the Rev. Fr. Josephat Obodo decried the level of assassinations, kidnappings and armed robbery in Nigeria, noting that the situation was scaring Nigerians in diaspora

away from the country.

Obodo, who said he returned from abroad to participate in the burial, re-called how he was discouraged from returning to Nigeria as a result of the rise in crime.

The cleric described Asadu's death as “an over whelming tragedy”, emphasizing that the family should take solace in the litany of tributes that had poured in since his demise.

Obodo, who said the late police commissioner carried his financial responsibilities during his days in the seminary school, said “he was living in two bedroom flats and whenever we teased him, he would ask us, 'do

you want me to steal?'.

“He went to Nike, in Enugu where land is sold at the cost of N250, 000; he didn't go to other choice areas in the state capital where land goes for N50 million.

Besides, he started by erecting what is commonly called 'Boys Quarter', before the main building. This attests to his humility and simplicity”.

In a remark, the Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area, Hon. Tony Ugwu said the council was grieved to lose the highest ranked police officer from the area in such manner.

He tasked security agents to live up to their promise of arresting the killers.

He said: “From our findings, t h e deceased w a s asphyxiat ed, which m e a n s absence of oxygen supply to the body.

“That was t h e immediat e cause of Cynthia death. It was as a result of the blockage of her upper respiratory airways.

“This blockage was caused by the deceased being gagged and choked.”

Obafunwa said there were also multiple bruises and abrasions on Osokogu's body.

“There were bruises on her arms, back and what appears to be bite marks on the front of her two thighs,” he said.

The witness told the court that the

injuries on the body of t h e deceased could not have been s e l f inflicted.

Also, the c o u r t admitted as exhibits, 15 photograph s of the c r i m e s c e n e , which were taken at Room C1 of Cosmilla Osokogu H o t e l , Lakeview Estate, FESTAC Town, Lagos, where Osokogu was allegedly murdered.

The photographer, Mr Lucky Enimelo, told the court that policemen from Area `E` Police Command in FESTAC, had asked him to take the pictures.

“After snapping the pictures with my digital camera, we went to a laboratory to print them. The police instructed me to delete them from my memory card and

also from the laboratory's computer,” Enimelo said.

The manager of the hotel, Mr Victor Ugweke, also testified before the court.

Ugweke said after he was notified by the hotel's receptionist that there was a body in one of its rooms, he went to report the matter at FESTAC Police Station.

He said he accompanied the police to the General Hospital in Ikeja, where they took Osokogu's body.

“When we got there, they said she was dead and the police took her body to the mortuary,” Ugweke said.

Nwabufo and Ezike are standing trial for allegedly murdering Osokogu, whom they had met through Facebook, a social networking site.

Osita, a pharmacist, is being prosecuted for negligently selling Rohypnol Flunitrazepan tablets to Ezike, which were allegedly used to drug Osokogu before she was allegedly killed.

The fourth defendant, Nonso, was charged with being in possession of three Blackberry mobile phones belonging to the deceased.

The matter was adjourned till May 24 for continuation of trial.

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

Meet

Jonathan appoints boards of Federal Medical Centres

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Name: Okeke Emmanuella. O Date of Birth: Dec. 8 School: Institute of Management and Technology Qualification: OND in Mass communication Hobby: Swimming, Travelling Likes: Honest Dislike: Lies Phone: 08060215003

resident Goodluck Jonathan has approved the composition and appointments of the management boards of all federal medical centres. In a statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, the dates for the formal inauguration of the above appointed Hospital Management Boards would be announced in due course by the minister of health.

The Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, has Alhaji Bara Bauchi as chairman. Members are Mrs. Nkechi Sackey, Chief (Mrs.) Gladys M. Sasore, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan and Mrs. Josephine Soboyejo. The Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, has as Chairman, Bob Tyough. Members are Mariya Umar K/Mata, Mrs. Oladunmi Odu, Evaristus Njoku and Dr. Robbie Ejifoma.

The Federal Medical Centre, Azare, has as Chairman, Prof.

Lami Lombin. Members are Bukar Kachalla Jere, Alhaji Mohammed Daguro, Dr. Emenike Okoro and Gen. Ibrahim Sabo (retd.). The Federal Medical Centre, Bida, has as Chairman, Sir George Egu. Members are Chief Olabisi Johnson, Reuben Okoye, Mike Igolima and Timothy Ibrahim Jiya.

The Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, has as Chairman, Amb. Dare Bejide.

Members are Chief Augustine Ejembi, Mr. Alphonsus Okon, S. B. Kantoma and Fatima Shamaki.

The Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, has as Chairman, Abu Muazu. Members are Alhaji Ibrahim Mallaha, Dr. Diran Adigun, Mr. John Omori and Alhaji Mai Aliyu Mohammed.

The Federal Medical Centre, Gombe, has as Chairman, O t u n b a Wa l e O z o g o r o .

Members are Alhaji Ibrahim Bashir, Suleiman Ubam, Alhaji Yaya Hammari and Mr. Anayo Nnebe.

The Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, has Baba Ibrahim Basharu, as chairman.

Members are Alhaji Bello Mohammed, Ahmed Aliyu Garafin, Chief Adefunke Ajoke Edward and Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Kofa.

The Federal Medical Centre, Ebutte-Metta, has Prof.

Durosimi-Etti, as chairman.

Members are Adamu Mukthar Aliyu, Mr. Ajadi Adeoye, Hajia Aliyu Aisha Udah and Chief Oliver Akubueze.

The Federal Medical Centre, Ido Ekiti, has as Chairman, Dr. Faruk Azare. Members are Dr. Tsetim Ayaagwer, Alhaji Abdullahi Munjibir, Madam Uwa Osunbor and Dr. Taiye Lawal.

The Federal Medical Centre,

Jalingo, has Wg. Cmdr.

William Wolo as chairman.

Members are Gobum Suwa, Elder Kelechi Ibiam, Nafiau Garba Faskari and Alhaji Kabiru Pitiko The Federal Medical Centre, Katsina, has Bade Falade Micheal as chairman.

Members are Alhaji Abubakar Gumi, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar Liman, Maj-Gen. S. (retd) and Amb. Saidu Daura.

The Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, has as Chairman Prince U. U. Ekpoudom (DIG retd), Mr. Okolo Paul, Dr. Charles Iwara and Dr. Ebenezer Okorodudu and Mr. Tanimu Adabson.

The Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, has M. D. Abubakar as chairman. Members are Chief Godwin E. Okengwu, Senator Roland Owie, Mr. Chike E n i g w e a n d M r. N e l l a Enyoanwan Rabana (SAN).

The Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, has Sir Emmanuel Nwaka, as chairman. Members are Sen. Satty Davis Godwin, Chief Titi Oloyede, Aisha Haliru Bello and David Seav.

The Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, has Prof. Awotua Efebo as chairman. Members are Alhaji Maigari T. Jaji, Prince Eze Lawrence, Haruna Ahmed Godoli and Amb. Umar El-Gash.

The Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, has Dumo Lulu Briggs as chairman. Members are M. Ibrahim Shettima, Usman

Ibba, Don Chibundu Njoku and Senator Onyema Amadi Okoroafor.

The Federal Medical Centre, Owo, has Bashir Oni as chairman. Members are Shehu Mohammed Koli, Nasiru Isa Kwarra, Tunde Akindehin and Dr. Bayo Fatukasi.

The Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, has Dr. Wakil Chibok as chairman. Members are Hajiya Rabi Mukhtar, Alhaji Salihu Jega, Mohammed Sani Abdulmajied and Mr. Emeka Alexander Okeke.

The Federal Medical Centre, Uyo, has Mr. Biyi Otegbeye as chairman. Members are Mr. Demian Shekarau, Chief Iretiolu Oniyide, Dr. Chris Akpan and Sen. Etang Umoyo.

The Federal Medical Centre, Ye n a g o a , h a s A l h a j i Mohammed Hassan Dambu as chairman. Members are James To b i a s , M r. O l a d e j o Emmanuel, Mr. Iroka C. Lawrence and Mrs. Regina H. Nyitar.

The Federal Medical Centre, Yola, has Alhaji Abubakar Mallam as chairman.

Members are Baba Hardo Ballama, Sen. Kofo Bucknor Akerele, Emma Ojinere and Ruqayyatu Isma'ila.

The Federal Staff Hospital (Nigeria-China Friendship) has Alhaji Ladi Hassan as chairman. Members are Basil Lot, Aisha Aliyu Gusau, Dr. Alvin Enyi, and Mr. Timothy Ogwuru.

Clark wants special courts for terrorists, sponsors

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he country seems to be divided on the issue of amnesty for the dreaded terrorist group, the Boko Haram.

President Goodluck Jonathan last week set up a committee to look into the idea, following widespread calls for amnesty for the group by well meaning Nigerians as a way to stop the senseless killings in the northern part of the country.

But a group, Congress for Equality and Change (CEC) Thursday in Abuja asked for the establishment of special courts to prosecute Boko Haram suspects and their sponsors.

This, the group argued, would serve as a deterrent to others.

The group's position was contained in a communique signed by its National Leader and Gen. Gowon’s former m i l i t a r y g o v e r n m e n t ’s Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, and its National Chairman, former Senate President Ebute Ameh after an emergency meeting.

Over 40 politicians across the country attended the meeting, which was primarily to review contemporary national issues.

The group viewed the activities

of the Boko Haram sect as being detrimental to national development, and so hoped that the amnesty programme being considered ”does not constitute an incentive for unpatriotic elements or groups to cash on to perpetuate criminality and seek refuge in amnesty”. The group said: ”Amnesty (for Boko Haram) should not be left in the realm of speculation and or ambiguity but rather, deliberate steps should be taken to ensure that it does not constitute an incentive for unpatriotic elements or groups to cash on to perpetuate criminality and seek refuge in amnesty.

“There should be a wider stakeholders' consultation in arriving at the modalities expected to articulate the necessary preconditions to grant amnesty. Special courts should be established for the speedy prosecution of terrorists to serve as a deterrent to others.

“We call on security agencies to ensure the speedy identification, arrest and prosecution of the sponsors of these acts of terrorism. We also call on the National Assembly to hasten the passage of AntiTerrorism Bill.”

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New born babies sale syndicate smashed in Delta As Thunder kills 2 traders, 3 goats in Asaba market

By Our Reporter, Asaba

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syndicate that specializes in luring pregnant teenage girls eager to deliver their babies under cover and thereafter sell the newborns to ritualists and childless couples has been smashed in Asaba, Delta State capital.

Already, a middle-aged woman (names withheld) who hails from one of the eastern states of the country alleged to be running an illegal maternity centre at a camp in Oduke, in the outskirts of the town, has been arrested, while a nurse and a medical doctor attached to the home are presently on the run.

It was gathered that the police have intensified manhunt for the runaway medical doctor and nurse involved in the deal.

It was also gathered that upon delivery of such babies depending

on the sex of the child, they are sold for between N400,000 and N500,000 each.

Police sources confirmed the story, saying the suspect would be

arraigned in court.

Reports from Delta State also said that two traders and no fewer than three goats were struck dead by thunder at Niger Bridge Head

market in Asaba, last weekend.

The incident which took place on Friday evening threw the market into pandemonium as traders and buyers ran for dear lives

following the deafening thunder accompanied by lighting.

Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of the police station by the Bridge Head, Mr. Ngozi Ezeabata, confirmed the death of the traders.

Daughters engage father in fierce fight

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ragedy was averted, Monday, in Ikorodu area of Lagos when two girls engaged their father in a fisticuff.

Although no life was lost in the incident which lasted for over an hour, the children (names withheld) were hospitalised while their father also sustained slight injury.

Problem started around 10 a.m when the children, ages 20 and 15, whose parents had been separated for 14 years, allegedly laid ambushed for their father who was driving in Gberigbe area of the town.

According to an eye witness, the children who had earlier

complained of lack of care allegedly swooped on their father after intercepting his car. In the process, they demanded a ransom which the man was unable to

provide and this infuriated the children who allegedly invited him for a showdown.

In the process, the father invited one of his friends and both of

them overpowered the girls.

Sympathisers later arrived the scene and brokered peace and reported the incident at a nearby police division.

3 arraigned for alleged N4m fraud

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wo men and a woman were, Monday, arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court in Lagos, for obtaining N4 million from one Mr Federick Akinsulire, with the pretext of selling a house situated at Block A, Plot 7, Diamond Estate along Isheri road, in Lagos, to him.

The defendants, Joy Thelma, 34;

Gbolahan Shodipo, 40; and Taiwo Ogundare, 36, who claimed to be estate agents are standing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing.

According to the prosecutor, Inspector Stephen Molo, “the trio, who reside in Ikotun area of Lagos, committed the offences on January 10.”

The prosecutor told the court that

they conspired to defraud Akinsulire, who is the Managing Director of Freehide Facility Management Company, of N4 million.

However, the Magistrate, Mrs F. O. Aigbokaevo granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum and adjourned the case to April 24, for mention.

Anambra CNPP visits Umeh, protests non conduct of council polls by Obi

By Patrick Okolie

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he executive of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) in Anambra State on Friday paid a solidarity visit to the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh at his Enugu residence.

Led by the chairman, Oby Okafor, the CNPP delegation told Umeh that they were in his house to identify with him because they know that the battle he has been facing was because of his insistence that local government election should be conducted in Anambra State.

Regretting that things were not going well in Anambra, Okafor said more worrisome to them was the non conduct of local government election because it affects development and other political parties.

The CNPP boss lamented that for ten years, local government election has not held in Anambra, adding that other political parties were most hit as they have their members who want to contest for councillorship and chairmanship positions in the local government.

“It is painful to us because we know that we have a lot of benefit but we are losing them. It is painful to all Anambra people, especially those of us in other political parties because if they conduct local government elections, we have candidates who will come and vie. Our party members have been preparing for election for the past 10 years.The

non conduct of local government election is one of our grouse with the Anambra State government, which you played a major role to install. We know that the troubles you are facing today is your insistence that local government election must hold in Anambra,” Okafor said.

Responding, Umeh said he was particularly happy that the CNPP members who belong to other political parties other than his own party, still found time to come all the way to Enugu to give him words of encouragement, particularly as they knew that the major reason why he had been subjected to this type of bad treatment by Governor Obi was his position or stand on the conduct of local government election in that state.

Umeh recalled that before the 2010 governorship election, in the meeting he had with Governor Peter Obi and their late leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, he made conduct of local government elections one of the conditions for them supporting Obi for re-election and he accepted that as soon as he assumed office in 2010 he would do it. “ U n f o r t u n a t e l y, w h e n w e campaigned with him and he won, he requested for putting in place caretaker committees in the councils. I saw it as an unhealthy development and I objected to it.

That was why between March and May, I had a strained relationship with Governor Obi. It was by the intervention of Ojukwu that we resolved the matter and he agreed

that there will be local government election. That led to ANSIEC issuing notice of election on July 1, 2010 for 4th December.

“So, I was consistent on this demand that election should take place. You are aware that ANSIEC made elaborate arrangement to conduct that election but few weeks to the election, the Governor said the voters register was faulty and that actually, Governor Chris Ngige of ACN took him to the tribunal and one of the reasons of challenging his re-election was faulty voters register. So, it made sense to me.

He requested for a short postponement to enable INEC put together a new voters register.

That was why the election was

postponed, pending the availability of a new voters register” Umeh said.

The APGA boss explained that after the 2011 election in April, the register was made available and on his return from England where he went to see Ojukwu in the hospital, the Governor approached him again and said he wanted to put caretaker in the councils, but he refused, insisting that the voters register was now available and they should go for election.

He recalled that it in June 2011, Obi put his first caretaker and by then, they had disagreed and I wasn't part o it, while In August 2011, Obi's uncle, Nwobu Alor announced that he had been removed as National Chairman of

APGA through one group called national stakeholders forum.

Umeh said one of his reasons was to promote grassroots participation in democracy because if they had 326 elected councilors and 21 elected council chairmen, democracy would blossom down to the grassroots in the state, adding that people would be more empowered when they participate and there would be better accountability in the management of council funds Umeh however warned that it may be dangerous now to subject the state to local government election under somebody as desperate as Governor Obi with the governorship election in view in about eight months time and therefore urged CNPP to go to Anambra and see if they would continue to press for the council polls before November if security and fairness can be guaranteed.

National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Aliannce, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh (Centre) and Eexecutive members of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, Anambra state, when CNPP paid Umeh Solidarity Visit in Enugu,

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

Buhari commends Jonathan on Boko Haram C'ttee

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ormer military Head of State retired Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on We d n e s d a y g a v e a r a r e commendation to the Federal Government for setting up a committee on the fundamentalist Boko Haram sect.

The Federal Government on April 4, said that a committee would be set up to look into the possibility of granting amnesty to members of Boko Haram, who had been waging a bloody campaign against the country in recent years.

Buhari gave the commendation while addressing newsmen in

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isturbed by the unresolved N458 million bribe scandal rocking Imo State, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, in conjunction with Concerned Religious Organizations, CRO, has declared a seven-day prayer and fasting in the state.

The group, which explained that its prayer point was carefully selected based on the current sordid happenings in the state, also added that all party chairmen and members were expected to

President Goodluck Jonathan Abeokuta.

The former head of state who was in Ogun to commiserate with Mrs

Hannah Awolowo on the death of her son, Oluwole Awolowo, described the amnesty gesture for

prayer points was “for God to expose the mystery behind the JPRO bribery scandal and any other contract scams and for God to set the innocent free and expose the evil ones”.

The CNPP leadership equally called on the citizenry to join in the exercise targeted towards the recovery of the missing N458 million.

The Group denied that they were acting out the Jude Agbaso script, adding that “if all the reports Governor Rochas Okorocha available about the JPROS scam religiously observe the prayer and is anything to go by, God should fasting. Sources said one of the vindicate the just”.

Boko Haram as a welcome development.

“It is good that the Federal Government has set up a committee on amnesty. I have not seen the terms of reference but it is a good step in the right direction.”

He described the decision as a bold step capable of restoring peace to troubled areas of the country, adding, “whatever that will bring peace to us as a people, we should do”.

Buhari who noted that there had been precedence on the issue of amnesty, recalled that the former Niger Delta militant group once benefitted from a similar gesture.

“This is not the first time amnesty will be granted to a violent group.

he leader of the radical Islamist group, Boko Haram, has rejected the idea of any potential amnesty deal, which the presidency said it would study in a bid to curb a bloody insurgency, in a statement obtained by AFP Thursday.

Abubakar Shekau, the purported head of Boko Haram who has been designated a global terrorist by the United States, claimed his group had “not committed any wrong to deserve amnesty.”

“Surprisingly, the Nigerian government is talking about granting us amnesty. What wrong have we done? On the contrary, it is we that should grant you pardon,” he said, listing what he described as the state's “atrocities” against Muslims.

The Hausa language audio recording was distributed by email in a manner consistent with previous Boko Haram messages, and the voice was similar to that of previous Shekau statements.

President Goodluck Jonathan last week formed a panel to look at the possibility of offering an amnesty deal to the Islamists, whose

insurgency has left more than 3,000 people dead since 2009, including killings by the security services.

Jonathan has come under intense pressure over the issue, with politicians from the country's violence-torn north as well as Nigeria's highest Muslim spiritual figure, the Sultan of Sokoto, calling for amnesty.

The panel, reportedly to be composed of national security officials, northern leaders and others, is due to report later this month.

The move has been widely debated in Nigerian media in recent days.

Boko Haram has claimed to be fighting for an Islamic state in Africa's most populous nation and largest oil producer.

The group also claimed the February 19 kidnapping of a French family of seven over the border in Cameroon. Their whereabouts remain unknown.

Boko Haram's demands however have repeatedly shifted and the group is believed to include various factions in addition to

You remember it was granted to the militant group in the Niger Delta during the time of late President Musa Yar'adua.”

Buhari, a former presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 general elections, was accompanied by Mr Tunde Bakare, his running mate during the elections.

The CPC chieftain, who had earlier addressed party supporters, said he was in the state to condole with the Awolowo's over the death of Oluwole.

He said that he would also go to Ekiti, to commiserate with the government over the death of Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka, the Deputy Governor of the state who died on April 6.

Boy maimed by electrocution petitions Rivers House

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b o y, U k e c h u k w u Ewurum, who had his right hand severed from his body from a Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, power line electrocution has petitioned the Rivers State House of Assembly, RVHA, to come to his aid.

The twelve year old, resident in Mile 2, Diobu, Port Harcourt, in a petition brought before the House Wednesday is holding PHCN responsible for the accident caused by carelessly sagging

We don't deserve amnesty –Boko Haram T imitators.

Nigeria offered an amnesty to militants in the southern oilproducing Niger Delta region in 2009, which has been credited with greatly reducing unrest there, though oil theft has since flourished.

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Violence blamed on Boko Haram has been concentrated in the mostly Muslim north.

Christian and Muslim civilians, the security services and other symbols of authority have been among the group's victims.

power line from PHCN facility which fell on a building handrail he held close to their home.

The petition through the parents of the victim and presented by Hon. Austin Ngor of Abua/Odual Constituency also held that the electrocution also gashed the stomach of Master Ewurun and has hindered his schooling as he battles to save his life.

The petitioner who is of the view that PHCN should take responsibility for the accident stated that all efforts to get the management of the company in Port Harcourt to take appropriate action over the damage done has been resisted by the company.

He therefore prayed the House to prevail on PHCN to take some form of responsibility in minimising the impact of the incident on the boy while also imploring the Rivers State Government to provide some assistance to the boy whose life they say would never be the same again.

Nine killed in shootout at Yobe police station

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igerian Islamists stormed a police station in the restive northeast on Thursday, sparking a shootout that left four officers and five insurgents dead, police said.

The overnight attack happened in the remote Babban Gida village of Yobe state, an area repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram, the Islamist group blamed for killing hundreds in northern and central Nigeria since 2009.

“They came to attack our station there early this morning at about 1:00 am (0000 GMT) and our men engaged them in a shootout,” state police chief Alhaji Sanusi Rufai said.

“We killed five of them but they fled with the corpses.

MD. Abubakar Unfortunately, we also lost four of our policemen,” he added, labelling Boko Haram gunmen as the suspected culprits.

Police stations have frequently

been among the group's targets.

Boko Haram has said it wants to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, but the group's demands have repeatedly changed.

Crippling poverty and frustration with government corruption are key factors fuelling the insurgency, analysts say.

Last week, Nigeria's presidency said it would study whether an amnesty for the Islamists could help curb the unrest.

Boko Haram's purported leader, Abubakar Shekau, dismissed any potential amnesty deal in an audio statement obtained by AFP earlier Thursday.

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and top oil producer, roughly split between a mainly Muslim north and mostly Christian south.

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

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ormer British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the “Iron Lady” who shaped a generation of British politics, died following a stroke at the age of 87, her spokesman said.

“It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher, died peacefully following a stroke this morning,” Lord Tim Bell said, referring to Thatcher's children.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II was saddened to hear of her death, Buckingham Palace said.

“The Queen was sad to hear the news of the death of Baroness Thatcher. Her Majesty will be sending a private message of sympathy to the family,” it said.

The former premier, who led Britain from 1979 to 1990, suffered from dementia and has appeared rarely in public in recent years.

She was last in hospital in December for a minor operation to remove a growth from her bladder.

The former Conservative Party leader remains the only female premier in British history and was the 20th century's longest continuous occupant of 10 Downing Street.

Her daughter once revealed that the former premier had to be repeatedly reminded that her husband Denis had died in 2003.

She was told by doctors to quit public speaking a decade ago after a series of minor strokes.

Michael Howard, Conservative leader 2003-2005, told Sky News television: “It's terribly sad news.

She was a titan in British politics.

“I believe she saved the country, she transformed our economy and I believe she will go down in history as one of our very greatest prime ministers.”

Right-wingers hailed her as having hauled Britain out of the economic doldrums but the left accused her of dismantling traditional industry, claiming her reforms helped unpick the fabric of society.

On the world stage, she built a close “special relationship” with US president Ronald Reagan which helped bring the curtain down on Soviet Communism. She also fiercely opposed closer ties with Europe.

Thatcher to get 'ceremonial' funeral, not state funeral Downing St The demised former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher will receive a “ceremonial funeral” with military honours, Downing Street said on Monday, but she will not get a state funeral.

“Downing Street can announce that, with The Queen's consent, Lady Thatcher will receive a Ceremonial funeral with military honours. The service will be held at St Paul's Cathedral,” Prime Minister David Cameron's office announced.

A private cremation would follow later, it said.

The life and times of Margaret Thatcher Here is a chronology of the life of Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female prime minister, who died on Monday aged 87: THE PATH TO POWER October 13, 1925: Margaret Hilda Roberts is born in Grantham, eastern England.

October 1943: Begins chemistry degree at Oxford University.

December 13, 1951: Marries businessman Denis Thatcher.

August 15, 1953: Birth of twin children Carol and Mark.

October 8, 1959: Harold Macmillan's Conservative Party comes to power. Thatcher elected Conservative member of parliament for Finchley, north London.

October 15, 1964: Re-elected despite Labour Party victory; becomes in turn opposition spokeswoman on pensions, then housing, treasury (deputy to finance spokesman), energy, transport and education.

June 19, 1970: Conservatives regain power; Thatcher appointed education and science secretary.

February 11, 1975: Thatcher elected Conservative leader after party enters opposition.

June 5, 1975: 67.2 percent of Britons vote in favour of remaining in European Community; Thatcher campaigned for “yes” camp.

May 3, 1979: Conservatives win election landslide after financial, social problems of Labour government; Thatcher becomes Britain's first female prime minister.

IN OFFICE April 2, 1982: Argentina's military junta invades Falkland Islands; a furious Thatcher sends troops and ships to recapture them.

June 14, 1982: Argentina surrenders; Thatcher's popularity soars.

June 9, 1983: Thatcher leads Conservatives to re-election.

March 12, 1984: Coal miners' strike begins in northern England; drags on for a year before miners accept sweeping pit closures.

June 25-26, 1984: Britain wins rebate on its European Community budget contributions.

October 12, 1984: Irish Republican Army bombs Thatcher's hotel at Conservative annual conference in Brighton, southern England; she escapes injury but five others are killed.

November 20, 1984: State-owned British Telecom is privatised.

December 16, 1984: Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev meets Thatcher; afterwards she calls him as a man she “can do business with”.

December 19, 1984: Thatcher signs joint declaration to return Hong Kong to China in July 1997.

June 11, 1987: Thatcher leads Conservatives to third straight term in office.

March 31, 1990: Riots in central London lead to demise of muchdespised local community charge on property or “poll tax”.

August 9, 1990: Thatcher commits Britain to US-led war with Iraq after dictator Saddam Hussein

invades Kuwait.

November 28, 1990: Resigns after revolt amongst Conservatives over Europe policy.

POST-POLITICS June 30, 1992: Takes her place in the upper House of Lords as Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven.

February 5, 1994: Becomes chancellor of College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, the oldest university in the United States after Harvard.

May 1997: Endorses young protege William Hague as he becomes new Conservative leader.

March 26, 1999: Pays controversial visit to right-wing former Chilean president Augusto Pinochet, held under house arrest outside London as he faced extradition to Spain on human rights charges.

March 22, 2002: Doctors, worried by a string of small strokes, order Thatcher to cease public speaking on health grounds.

June 26, 2003: Husband Denis Thatcher dies.

June 11, 2004: Attends funeral in Washington for former US president and ideological soulmate Ronald Reagan, who she hails in a video-taped eulogy as a great American who “won the Cold War”.

October 13, 2005: Celebrates her 80th birthday with a party at a chic London hotel with Queen Elizabeth II among the guests.

December 7, 2005: Hospitalised for a night in London after complaining of feeling faint.

Daughter Carol later reveals Thatcher suffers from memory loss.

March 7, 2008: Spends night in hospital after feeling unwell at a parliamentary function.

June 2009: Spends two weeks in hospital after breaking left arm in a fall at home.

June 8, 2010: After winning the May general election, Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron welcomes her back to Downing Street for a reception in her honour.

October 14, 2010: Misses her 85th birthday party at Downing Street with flu before being admitted to hospital with an infection.

December 20, 2012: Admitted to

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hospital after procedure to remove a growth from her bladder.

Thatcher, one of world's greatest leaders Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan has joined other world leaders in mourning the death of former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher describing her one of the world's greatest leaders.

In a condolence message signed by the President's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, he said “having already attained a legendary status in her lifetime after positively transforming Britain forever in her eleven and half years as Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher will, with her passage today formally take her place in history as one the greatest world leaders of our time”.

He noted that “Baroness Thatcher will be eternally honoured for serving her country with immense passion and strong-willed determination as well as for the great transformation that resulted from her economic and social policies which laid the solid basis for the remarkable economic growth that was witnessed in Britain under the Conservative Government that she led.

The late Baroness Thatcher, the President added, will always be remembered by the world for her “very unique, distinctive and purposeful leadership which restored pride and respect to her country and made a resurgent Great Britain a force to be reckoned with on the global stage.

He assured the Prime Minister David Cameron and the people of Britain that the government and people of Nigeria share their sadness and deep sense of loss at the passage of Lady Thatcher and join them in praying for the peaceful repose of her great soul.

“President Jonathan and Nigerians join the Thatcher family, citizens of Great Britain, members of the Commonwealth and all those in far-flung corners of the world whose lives were positively touched by her dynamic and forward-looking policies in mourning the passage of the celebrated first female British Prime Minister” the statement added.

UN intervention force for DRC to have 3,069 troops KINSHASA (AFP) A UN intervention brigade designed to fight armed groups in the restive eastern Democratic Republic of Congo will be made up of 3,069 troops, a UN official said Saturday.

The brigade will include “3,069 troops. That's the official n u m b e r, ” s a i d M a d n o d j e Mounoubai, spokesman for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission, which will incorporate the brigade.

South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi will contribute troops to the brigade.

Each country will send an infantry battalion of 850 soldiers, which amounts to 2,550 men, the spokesman said.

The remaining 519 will be spread out in an artillery company, a special forces company and a reconnaissance company, he added.

The brigade will operate under the command of a Tanzanian

general, he said.

On March 28, the UN Security Council unanimously approved the creation of a brigade of more than 2,500 troops with a mandate to conduct “targeted offensive operations” against rebels in eastern DR Congo, a mineral-rich area that has been gripped by conflict for more than two decades.

It marked the first time that UN peacekeepers were given a mandate to conduct offensive operations. Many rebel movements and armed tribal militias are active in the east of the country.

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Ojukwu warned me about Peter Obi – Umeh, APGA Chairman N

By Ted Peters

ational Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, who was restored to his leadership position by the Court of Appeal, which ordered a stay of the Enugu State High Court judgment that sacked the entire National Working Committee, NWC, of the party, spoke to journalists in Enugu on issues affecting the party. He revealed how APGA's former leader and Ikemba Nnewi, late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu warned him that Anambra Governor, Peter Obi “will not change”.

In his post convention speech, Maxi Okwu referred to Ojukwu as an extremist. Okwu said his own APGA will not toe Ojukwu's extremist posture but will adopt moderate posture of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. What is your reaction to this?

That is the embarrassment Governor Peter Obi has brought to APGA. Maxi Okwu never liked Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu from the beginning. He has always been very critical of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, even during his first stint in APGA before he was expelled with Chekwas Okorie. I was not surprised that Obi had given him the opportunity to begin to discredit the great work Ojukwu did for Igbo people and for Nigeria in his life time. For Maxi to come out now to describe our great respected leader, both in Nigeria and internationally as an extremist, it goes to show you the level of destruction that he is planning for APGA. From what he said, he has defined a new vision for APGA, which is a vision of moderation.

Ojukwu was never an extremist.

Ojukwu was a man who stood very strongly for justice, a man who stood very strongly against injustice, a man who stood against oppression of people, a man who stood for equity and fairness, a man who stood for rule of law and a man who stood for democracy. It is an abomination for anybody who claims to be standing on the platform of APGA to describe Ojukwu's virtues as extremist.

This is blasphemy of the highest proportion and those of us who worked with Ojukwu as our Leader in APGA, those he left APGA in their hands, will not standby and watch a man who does not have any political character or vision begin to describe Ojukwu in such denigrating words. APGA is a political party that is committed to the visions that I enumerated that Ojukwu represented and APGA will continue in that direction without apologies to anybody.

There is nothing like keeping quiet

Chief Victor Umeh

Gov. Peter Obi

when things are going wrong.

These were the things that Ojukwu did during his life time. Once anything goes wrong, he comes out and challenges them. So, for propagating now a vision of moderation by Maxi Okwu, that is why Nigeria has never worked.

Where people get easily compromised, nobody calls a spade a spade. You take money and do all kinds of unholy things. No doubt, APGA is being desecrated today because through our fight against abuse of the law, against abuse of human rights, against abuse of tenets of democracy, we were able to bring this party to the level it is today where the party has two governors, the party now has a senator, the party now has seven members in the House of Representatives, the party now has about 36 members in the state Houses of Assembly. So, it was because of our real commitment to the pursuit of justice that these things came about for the party.

Having said all these, do you think there is need for an apology from Okwu for his statement against Ojukwu?

APGA demands an immediate apology from him for this attack on our late sage and Leader who was never an extremist. If not for Ojukwu, Maxi Okwu wouldn't have been alive today. It was Ojukwu who fought for the defense of the Igbo people when they were being annihilated.

Today, they will regard that action that he took in 1967 as an extremist action.That is the unfortunate thing for the Igbo people where people will never tarry a while before making a statement. The sore point of this is that he made this statement after the purported convention on the platform of APGA. There and then he attacked our respected and revered Leader.

We demand an apology from him and an apology to the Igbo people whom Ojukwu led. He must apologise to the Igbos and announce publicly that he has

nothing to do with APGA anymore. He has demonstrated that he is an enemy of APGA, an enemy of Igbo people, an enemy of rule of law and an enemy of democracy in this country. For all these years, he has been wandering about according to the traditional ruler of his community, Achi, he has never achieved anything politically. Maxi Okwu was in Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Enugu State. When we registered APGA, he crossed over and had a short stint with APGA. When he was expelled alongside Chekwas Okorie, he joined Green Party.

F r o m G r e e n P a r t y, i t metamorphosed to Citizens Popular Party (CPP). He was National Chairman of CPP from 2005 to 2013. Within this period, he was National Chairman of CPP, his Party never won a councillorship election anywhere in Nigeria. That is the man Obi has brought to kill APGA in Nigeria.

In order words, are you saying an apology from Okwu is not enough?

No, after the apology, the entire Ndigbo should sanction him. He should be ostracized for making such a statement against the Ezeigbo Gburugburu. He deserves nothing short of such punishment for daring to denigrate our great leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

How do you feel about Governor Peter Obi's involvement in all these?

As for Obi's collusion and funding of these activities of destroying APGA, I am not surprised because Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu foretold these things Obi is doing today. When we got Obi into office in 2006, the first thing he did was to abandon Ojukwu and run to Obasanjo. He was always at the Villa during their early morning prayers. On the directive of Obasanjo, Gov Obi gave a shoot at sight Order against MASSOB members in Anambra State. So many people were killed in the

process. This angered Ojukwu and all of us a great deal and when they impeached him, Ojukwu told me that Peter Obi will never be anything in APGA anymore. I took Obi to Ojukwu to beg him severally, Ojukwu refused. Each time I went with Obi to beg Ojukwu to forgive him, so that we can work for his reinstatement, Ojukwu will advise me when Obi leaves, that he will never change.

He told me that he was the military governor of old Eastern Region, he was Head of State of Republic of Biafra and from what he has seen in Obi, he will never change. When I was praying that he will repent, he insisted that he will never change. Other people and Groups tried but Ezeigbo refused. The only reason why Ojukwu supported Obi's reinstatement was to save the life of APGA. I told him that we had a room for saving APGA through tenure interpretation case because of the political climate of the period, that if we reinstate him, he will file an action for interpretation of his tenure and that was the only thing that can extend the life of APGA beyond 2007 in Anambra State because we knew the election would be rigged. I told him this.

And it was two days to the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Enugu that I gave him this proposal. And Ojukwu told me that I have now told him the reason why we should make effort to reinstate Obi, not that he will change. Following the plan, Ojukwu asked me to put up a Plan for his reinstatement. I did and with Ojukwu, we went to Awka and reinstated him following the Court of Appeal Judgment on 9th February 2007. Unfortunately, he went back to his old ways.

If Ojukwu did not have confidence in him (Obi), why did he support his re-election?

You will recall that in 2009, Ojukwu out of anger went to Awka when Obi was Governor sitting at Government House, Ojukwu went to Awka with his Wife, Bianca and raised the hand of Emeka Etiaba to be the next Governor of Anambra State in 2010. It was a public show of disapproval of Obi's action by Ojukwu. I came back, I pleaded with him that for the sake of APGA to win election, let us give him a second trial. And because he trusted my political judgment, he acceded to this my request, one more time. Even before the campaign was flagged off, Ojukwu withdrew again. He said he wasn't going to be part of it. I had to broker a Meeting between myself, Ojukwu and Obi in the presence of Ezeigbo's wife to give him assurance that he will not betray the party again. When we went for the election and he won and was declared Governor of

Anambra State again, He went back to his old ways again.

Ojukwu was very displeased with him and very angry. And unknown to Nigerians when Ojukwu took ill on December 1, 2010, on the 5th of December, being Sunday, I called Obi to come to Enugu to see our leader, that he had stroke. He told me that he was told he had malaria.

He was running because the wife had come the previous day and she was thoroughly upbraided by Mrs. Ojukwu. His wife was denied access to Ojukwu in his bedroom upstairs. It was that Sunday that I told Obi to come and he told me that he will not come, that he learnt that Ojukwu had malaria. I told him that I am telling you now o ff i c i a l l y a s t h e N a t i o n a l Chairman of APGA that Ojukwu had stroke and is bedridden. He now turned round and came on the same Sunday, 5th December accompanied by Alfred Nwosu.

When he came to the Forest Crescent home of Ojukwu, he was locked out for three hours.

Ojukwu's wife refused that the gate be opened for Obi. It was after series of pleadings that Ojukwu's wife agreed that the gate be opened for Obi, a Governor. So, that was it.

Ojukwu never had confidence in Obi. And on his passing, he turned himself one more time with the opportunity that came as Aso Rock rat. What he was doing with Obasanjo was what he continued to do again with the present government. He never thought about how to grow the party. He never thought about how to advance the course of Igbo people, he never thought about how to give protection to our people. These were the reasons why Ojukwu never had confidence in him.

Therefore, he has now brought an anti-Ojukwu person, Maxi Okwu to come and illegally run affairs of APGA and Ojukwu is now being abused again under Obi's s u p e r v i s i o n a n d D r. Ti m Menakaya who never came to Ojukwu's house while he was alive. And as National chairman of APGA, we printed Ojukwu's mourning cloth, I sent 50 pieces to Dr. Menakaya, he never sewed or wore any of them throughout Ojukwu's burial. Even the one printed by Anambra State government, he never sewed, he never wore. Today, I saw Menakaya, wearing Ojukwu's dress, raising maxi okwu's hand at the purported convention. These people are traitors to Ojukwu's vision. Both Governor Peter Obi and Dr Menakaya and not surprisingly, Maxi Okwu who had been an anti-Ojukwu person. So, on the whole of this situation, we call our people to know that these people are Igbo saboteurs and they must tender public apology to Igbo people.

Maxi Okwu is parading himself

Continues on page 10

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Gov. Obi, Okwu must retrace their steps – Onwuka Ukwa Chief Onwuka Ukwa, former Deputy National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, bares his mind on the lingering crisis in Nigeria's fourth biggest political party. In this interview with the Advocate Editor UBA ANI and Ted Peters the frontline politician applauded the Appeal court's decision which reinstated Sir Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of APGA, blaming Gov Obi for allegedly not conforming to the rule of law.

Excerpts Sir recently, the Court of Appeal in Enugu returned Chief Victor Umeh as the national chairman of APGA but somebody is claiming he has been elected APGA chairman. Where does this leave APGA? You are probably referring to the Sunday 1:00 am unholy cult meeting organized by Gov. Peter Obi at Women Development Centre, Awka. He called it APGA convention. If Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu had been alive, I wonder if he would have been asked to sneak into the centre in darkness like a mid-night bandit to attend such convention. The Appeal Court ruling has set aside that mid-night outing. The law is that today Chief Victor Umeh is the APGA National Chairman. Of course we are aware of the midnight convention that took place in Anambra state, it is very unfortunate. Let's assume that if Dim Chukwuemeka had been alive, is it possible that someone will ask him to attend that convention?

Obviously something is wrong. There was no doubt that it was done in anticipation because nobody knew which way it was really going to go, I mean the court case. It was probably done in anticipation that it was going to favour them. They tried to preempt the court by holding the purported convention in the early hours of the Monday morning. I think that is highly irregular, it is not going to help APGA, particularly when it was initiated and engineered by an APGA governor who should know better. This has continued to precipitate more crises within the party when in fact; we had also made an appeal to him to exercise his position as a governor and one of the leaders of the party to bring about an amicable solution to this crisis. And unfortunately, I am even beginning to wonder if he has a separate agenda that has nothing to do with APGA. That is one.

Two, it is also unfortunate that INEC will involve itself with such an highly irregular activity by participating in an illegal midnight National Convention when in fact, INEC had earlier stated clearly in a letter addressed to Gov. Obi that he completely lacks the power to call for any congress or convention.

Then why did you turn around to allow him call for one and you attended. In other words, I think INEC really lost their bearing.

They no longer possess any form

Chief Onwuka Ukwa of official integrity that will convince any political party that they will be fair in their responsibility to oversee political parties. It is either Jega has lost control that the lower level officers can now do whatever they want to do. So Jega has the responsibility to correct this serious mistake they made in Anambra state.

Chief Maxi Okwu, chairman of Obi's faction described the Appeal Court ruling as futile and not binding, what is your take on that?

The call by a member of the bar for disobedience of the pronouncements of the Court of Appeal decision for political expediency is a bit troubling. The stability of our democratic system is anchored on respect for rule of law. Therefore a show of disrespect towards the judiciary as an institution by a member of the bar is a very poor political behavior.

Okwu was also quoted by some national dailies as describing Dim Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu as an extremist. Is that an accurate description of the late APGA leader?

Calling Ojukwu, the late APGA leader an extremist for fighting for the rights of Igbo people and the common man is not only an insult but humiliating to our departed hero and leader. It is a matter of serious concern to both Ndigbo and our party that Maxi Okwu will describe our departed hero and leader as an extremist. If others described him as such, I wonder

what Maxi would do. I don't see Ojukwu's commitment to the course of his own people Ndigbo as being an extreme view. That he fought for the course of his own people and the common man and

be described as an extremist is most unfortunate. This was a man that was given a huge burial barely a year ago and then for his own son, because that is what Maxi Okwu is, to turn and call him an

extremist is totally unacceptable.

He even indicated that in his acceptance speech, his desire to change the policy direction of APGA from what Ojukwu had set.

Unfortunately, that was done in the presence of Governor Peter Obi yet he did not call him to order rather, they all wear his funeral clothes almost every day even to bed and they now turned around after some months and wanted to change his policy direction for APGA. It is most unfortunate; I mean this is the highest level of opportunism. It is either they don't understand what they are talking about or let me believe that it is either wrong choice of word but they need to quickly retract that statement if not, it is a very serious issue to castigate our image.

Again, Maxi Okwu made a very strange statement, for a member of the bar to begin to suggest an unprecedented disobedience of the pronouncement of the Appeal court by calling it futile and totally meaningless; I think it does not augur well for the development of our democracy. He made a statement that the judgment that was delivered by the Appeal court on the 8 April was futile and he is a member of the bar. The rule of law is a very significant instrument for the growth of a democratic process. I mean if we begin to encourage people to disobey court orders then we should go to the motor park where there is no law.

Therefore this is another area where I think he needs to retrace

Continues on page 11

Okwu denies insulting Ojukwu

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actional National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Maxi Okwu, Thursday, called on Igbo elders to caution the embattled national chairman, Victor Umeh, “against his penchant to blackmail anybody who differs with him.”

He spoke to reporters in Enugu while reacting to a statement credited to Umeh that he (Okwu) should apologise for insulting Ojukwu.

Umeh accused Okwu of describing the late APGA Leader, Dim Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu, as an “extremist”, during the APGA convention in Awka, Anambra State, on Monday. Okwu said he wondered why Umeh should attribute falsehood to people.

He said: “I hereby call on his people to apologise on what was clearly falsehood, as I never at any point called Ojukwu an extremist or used an abusive word against him.”

He insisted that Umeh, “from the manner he talks and the way he behaves these days, needs an assemblage of Igbo elders to talk sense into him and restrict him

from attacking anyone who disagrees with him.”

Speaking further, Okwu said Umeh should allow the spirit of Ojukwu to rest in peace instead of invoking it at any given time to attract public sympathy. He begged Igbo elders to explain to him that the dead, especially people of Ojukwu's calibre, deserve some respect.

Okwu said as the new chairman of

APGA, one of his cardinal points is reconciliation. He said he had led a team of APGA chieftains to visit the founder of the party, Chekwas Okorie.

“And from our discussion, one could see that Chekwas Okorie has the political interest of Igbo people at heart, but everything about Umeh is selfishness,” Okwu added.

Maxi Okwu

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Ojukwu warned me about Peter Obi – Umeh, APGA Chairman Continued from page 8 as National Chairman of APGA based on the purported convention of last Monday.

What do you have to say?

Now, a man who betrayed the course of our party along with his former boss, Chekwas Okorie, Maxi Okwu has now been brought into APGA to begin to project APGA as an unserious organization. We will never accept this. And looking at the short stint he has had in APGA, since when he has been mentioned in APGA from 16th of February 2013 till date, all the activities in the purported faction they are leading, all of them have been enmeshed in fraud. There is nothing they have done that is not coated with fraud. They started with an illegal national caucus that has no constitutional power to elect or appoint interim officials for APGA. That was where Maxi Okwu first emerged and he knew that it was wrong under the provisions of the APGA constitution. He participated in it and emerged as interim national chairman. Knowing that his emergence was unconstitutional and unlawful, Maxi Okwu never wrote a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission, describing himself as interim national chairman of APGA. There was no correspondence between INEC and Maxi Okwu between that period and today where he claimed to be anything.

Instead, he deployed his fraudulent life to create non existing things in the name of APGA and on the pages of newspapers and finally deceived INEC into attending their illegal convention that was conducted by 1.am on the 8th of April, 2013. On the 9th of March at Awka, they were purported to have held a meeting of Forum of State Chairmen of APGA. There is no such meeting under APGA constitution where you have forum of chairmen/National Executive Council meeting. At least for the communiquĂŠ they issued. Everything about that meeting was shrouded in secrecy.

No names of people who attended that purported meeting was ever published. Unlike us, we have been taking advertorials, publishing names of those that attended our meetings. They hid the list of people who attended that meeting from the Nigerian public. Instead they continued to launder propaganda that 36 state chairmen attended the meeting. I suspected foul play and wrote Independent National Electoral Commission and requested for a certified true copy of list of those who attended that meeting including the notices they gave them because they were always publishing the outcome of their Meetings without disclosing the

Ojukwu identities of those who attended in the Newspapers. All these things we requested from INEC, we were not obliged with the certified true copy of people who attended that meeting. On Friday, the 5th of April, it was now announced through a breaking news on telephones that INEC has acceded to the request of Governor Obi's faction to convene a convention of APGA on the 8th of April and they will be attending it. INEC never said they will attend or monitor the convention until the 5th, Friday.

That was when the meeting was allegedly held and they agreed to send monitors to that convention.

Once, I got that, I sent my personal assistant to INEC immediately, to go and obtain the certified true copy of the people who issued that notice to INEC. And on that day, it was released to him. And when we went through that list, it was discovered that 29 people signed the notice of the congresses and convention to INEC, claiming to be state chairmen of APGA. On perusal of names printed on that attendance sheet, 24 members out of 29 were never APGA chairmen anywhere in Nigeria, up till that moment.

Never, at all, known to us. Now, we have certified true copy of state chairmen of APGA that attended APGA NEC meeting of 1st December 2010, monitored by INEC. INEC issued a certified true copy of those people that attended that meeting. In that certified true copy, those 24 names, impostors who claimed to be chairmen, giving INEC notice of congresses and Convention, though without capacity under APGA constitution, were not on

that list. In that list, Gov Obi wrote his name and phone number and signed as number69. So, it is all a game of fraud, which they have continued to go with. You recall that last year, Sadiq Massala announced that he has 20 signatures of NWC members that removed me as chairman. On verification, INEC discovered that 11 signatures were forged for which the Inspector General of Police has charged Massala to Court for forgery. This is another forgery by Maxi Okwu and his co-traveler, Governor Peter Obi just to do what is not right. Now, we have requested again that INEC should give us copies of the notice given to them for the venue of this convention and the time that convention will take place.

The Electoral Act requires you to give notice that you will hold a meeting, state the venue of the meeting, and time of the meeting.

By the time details come out, you will discover that they never informed INEC in writing that their convention will be taking place by 1 am on 8th of April.

There is no political party that will give INEC notice that they will start an event by 1.am. INEC is a public institution and public institutions have working hours prescribed under the civil service rules. 8. am to 4pm or 5pm as the case may be. You must start your activity within time and may be spill over late. You cannot start an activity by 1am and then invite a public institution to be part of it.

All these things are shrouded in fraud and by the time we get to the Nigerian public with everything, a lot of heads will roll. A lot of people will go to jail. Maxi Okwu will be committed to prison. He

will go to Prison. The person who is claiming today that he is APGA chairman will go to prison. And I am telling you that it is going to happen because we cannot allow this kind of thing to continue to happen in Nigeria.

This is the type of thing Ojukwu fought against. Corruption, abuse o f c o u r t p r o c e s s , fraud,undemocratic actions and irresponsible and unconstitutional actions by people who are in authority. So, we shall use this case to once again show Nigerians what APGA represents in this country. Respect for rule of law, democracy and good governance.

Apart from the fraudulent convention they held in the cover of darkness which is another desecration of Ojukwu's principles, I was wondering, how they would have dragged Ojukwu to Awka by 1 am to conduct convention. Will they have called Ojukwu to attend convention by 1.am? So, he will not sleep. At 1.am, they rush him to Women Development Centre and ask him to vote, that they want to elect National Chairman of APGA. Ojukwu never supported such things. So, on the illegal convention that they have conducted, the decision of the Court of Appeal will sweep everything away.

You are sounding so convinced.

Why? Now, on the authorities of Obi versus INEC, when Obi sued INEC on tenure interpretation, INEC conducted governorship election in Anambra State, declared Andy Uba winner, Andy Uba was sworn in. But when we got to the Supreme Court, the decision of the Supreme Court was that for the fact that the Appeal was pending, INEC ought not to have conducted that election. Therefore Andy Uba was asked to vacate office when they found appeal of tenure interpretation of Obi, meritorious.

That was what swept Andy Uba away. Otherwise, since INEC had conducted the election and Andy Uba was sworn in, Obi would have gone home.So, how can Maxi as a lawyer be arguing that once an act has been completed, the Court can no longer do anything about it. And the Court of Appeal said that it would not allow anybody to foist a fait accompli on it because the Appeal was before it. And let me tell you how unintelligent they are. APGA was not a party at the trial court.

On the 22nd of March 2013,Maxi Okwu and his group filed a motion at the Court of Appeal to join APGA as a party. On March 25 when the matter was heard, the motion was not ripe for hearing.

That motion was adjourned for April 8. The motion brought by their APGA in the Appeal was pending before this panel that delivered the ruling on April 8. So, APGA cannot also claim that they were not aware of the pending

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appeal and delivery of ruling on motion for stay of execution of judgment. It was after ruling had been rendered that their counsel applied to withdraw the motion for joinder.So, their APGA was before the Court of Appeal as at that time. They were aware of these things and their motion was pending at the Court of Appeal for joinder. So, Maxi Okwu does not practice law. I have never seen him wearing lawyers gown. He has never taken anybody's brief and he is opening his mouth to attack Court of Appeal.

Somebody who is a lawyer cannot speak the way he is speaking. So, the decison of the Court of Appeal was right in all respects, both in points of law and is in accord with common sense. So, as soon as the Copy of the Ruling is out, we will pursue them. INEC will also p u r s u e t h e m f o r misrepresentation. If they claim that INEC monitored their convention, its attendance does not make the convention valid.

The purpose of INEC being invited to monitor a convention is always for INEC to be satisfied that all constitutional requirements were met during the convention and processes leading to it. Everything they did at Women Development Centre Awka between 1.am and 5.am are in abeyance until INEC reviews everything. The said decisions taken at the convention will be nullified by INEC. This is 2013, INEC monitored PDP convention in 2012 and yesterday, INEC came out with a report that the convention was not good. That some people elected at the convention were not properly elected, even though somebody is asking why it took INEC so long to come out with the report.

INEC's attendance of a meeting of a political party does not mean it is a final approval that everything done there is okay.

Maxi Okwu said Appeal Court ruling is futile. What is your reaction?

This is why Nigerians should see how low APGA is being dragged to. Somebody who calls himself a lawyer is describing the judgment of Court of Appeal as futile.

Somebody who calls himself a lawyer cannot speak this way.

Initially, he was saying that the judgment of the High Court cannot be stayed and myself who is not a lawyer, I had to grant interviews to say that the Suit at the Enugu State High Court had declarative and injunctive reliefs all embedded at the same time and you people were at the Court of Appeal when the ruling was delivered. The Court agreed that a declarative judgment cannot be stayed because there is nothing to stay. A declarative judgment is not enforceable; it doesn't contain any consequential order. You just declare that this thing is so. You just stop there. You don't begin to compel anybody to take steps to do anything. Maxi Okwu should have known this as a lawyer.

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

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t last, truth has triumphed over falsehood. Justice has triumphed over injustice. Due process and Rule of Law have been accorded their place in the National Scheme of Things. The Judiciary has again assumed its rightful place as an Arbiter in Social, Civil and Political Affairs and a Bastion of Hope to the Good People of Nigeria.

At long last, the Saga in the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) is beginning to receive Mature and Proper Judicial attention. It will be recalled that the Enugu State High Court delivered a judgment in February 2013 in which it sacked the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, and the Party's NWC. No sooner was this judgment delivered than Chief Umeh, as a Law-abiding Citizen, filed an Appeal to the Court of Appeal,

Continued from page 9 his steps.

There are all sorts of rumour about the court case instituted against your APGA governor Chief Peter Obi concerning Sabmiller company beer brewers, its ownership and foreign partners.

Will that not constitute a problem for the party during elections?

APGA is not in beer brewing business, but we hope his current trip to South Africa will afford him the opportunity to meet with his foreign partners to enable the governor speedily resolve the serious issues raised in the litigation. There have been a lot of questions about the suit filed by Chudi Ofordile against Governor Obi insinuating certain things and we have been having series of inquiries for us to explain what is actually going on with that suit.

Ofordile is not someone we can take his fight or suit, you can't take it very lightly. He is a former member of the House of Assembly and very credible serious young man. It is very important because one of the accusations is that Peter Obi is somehow doing business with himself, with the family company and they are also seeking for clarification of the ownership of that beer company 'Sabmiller'.

They are alleging that is unusual for a state governor to be doing business with himself, these are some of the allegations and we are

Enugu as well as an application for Stay of Execution.

Notwithstanding the above, some Elements in APGA decided to

cash in on what they perceived to be a lacuna and purported to appoint a National Chairman in the person of Barrster Maxi Okwu

hoping that as we are entering into the election period, the governor will assist the party by making sure that this matter is expeditiously resolved; by clarifying issues. I'm aware that he is in South Africa now to meet with the foreign partners of that very business. We are hopeful that when he returns he will help us in really clarifying matters on that issue so that it will not be a burden or an albatross on APGA during the elections which is around the corner.

A former NWC member of your party in Abia State died around middle of last year, when will his burial take place?

You must be talking about Barr.

Morgan Anyalechi. I am aware the family appealed to Gov. Peter Obi for urgent assistance towards the burial. I can see why you are asking, he died about seven months ago. One other thing is that he died around the middle of last year, a man who worked very hard for Gov. Obi. I know that as of yesterday he has not been buried. It is becoming an embarrassment. Yes I believe it is on record that the family made a direct request to Gov. Obi to assist them so they could give him a decent burial. Yet as far as I know, his corpse is still in the mortuary in Umuahia.

You said that the Ofordile suit agianst Peter Obi about doing business with himself might pose

a problem for APGA during elections?

Yes, it will be very helpful for him to clarify us so that the party will not have albatross and unnecessary burden and embarrassment during the coming elections.

If these things are not clarified, will the party take any action to push him to clarify the issue?

I am sure he will clarify. Until we get to that point. We don't want to get into the election with that kind of burden after all; he is an APGA governor and one of us.

Now Ojukwu is no more and with the level of crisis you have in APGA do you think you will capture more states or you will begin to lose the ones you have during the elections?

Of course we anticipate adding

as well as reconstitute the NWC of the Party. Clearly, these actions were illegal and they were contemptuous of the Court of Appeal.

In the face of these provocative actions, the National Chairman of APGA kept his cool. He did not resort to self-help. He pushed his case through Due Process and the Judiciary. Victory was sure to come and it did not take long. On 9 April 2013, the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, restored and reinstated Chief Umeh to his position as APGA National Chairman.

The National Association of Igbo Youths view this decision as a land mark judgment. It is not a victory for Chief Umeh or for APGA or even for Nigerian Politics. It is Victory for Millions of Nigerians out there who believe in Due Process respect for the Judiciary and Principled Politicking.

The Association Salutes and Congratulates Chief Umeh and APGA. It is hoped that INEC will be guided accordingly by the ruling of the Court of Appeal. The Association applauds the whole Nigerian Youths in General and

more states to the ones we have.

APGA has come to stay.

How do you intend to do that?

You mean with the crisis? Every political party in Nigeria is battling with crisis. In fact, our own party is better than most.

Look at PDP they are losing some of their NWC members, they only have four valid ones according to INEC. We don't have such problem. Ours is the usual human relation problem that every political party is experiencing like ANPP, ACN, CPC, and PDP etc.

So our own is not an exception. As a matter of fact I think we are in a better position than many of these parties. The level and type of crisis we have is not the same with ones in other political parties. We have a healthy crisis.

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Igbo Youths in particular for their level-headedness and Calmness in t h e f a c e o f t h e Wa n t o n Indiscipline, Chicanery and Betrayal being played out by some Elements in APGA. The Association assures the Igbos Youths as a whole of their support, for APGA represents the living spirit of the Igbo-man and it is the last vestige of Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu's imprint in the lives of the Igbos. Those who are working tirelessly to dismember APGA and break its ranks are doing great disservice to the Memory of Chief Ojukwu and to the Igbos as a race. It is the height of abomination.

We call on Chief Umeh to forgive and forget and apply his spirit of magnanimity in dealing with his opponents. True, his detractors and adversaries desired to rubbish and diminish his Political Pedigree. But he has now been vindicated. He should be magnanimous in Victory and adopt a no Victor, no Vanquished Attitude. He should welcome back all the erring member and begin to rebuild the cracks in the Party as 2015 beckons.

As a Leader, Chief Umeh has a burden and herculean duty to accept and receive insults and treat his detractors even as Jesus Christ treated those who slammed the charge of high treason on him and secured his conviction and crucifixion on the tree of Calvary.

It is the place of a Leader to have a noble and Large Heart, and the ability to endure betrayal and forge ahead.

We call on those elements in APGA particularly Governor Peter Obi and his cronies to tow the path of righteousness and return to the path of reason and rectitude. Northing less will do in the circumstance. They can be sure that Chief Umeh will welcome them with open arms and begin a rebuilding and reconstruction process with them under the umbrella of APGA. APGA must not die as a political party. To allow APGA to sink is to laugh at the nakedness of the Igbos.

This is the time for reconciliation in APGA. As a man of God and a Knight in the Catholic Church, the onus is on Chief Umeh to bring his erring brethren and political associates back to APGA in a free, convivial and peaceful atmosphere.

To Chief Umeh, you have been c l e a r e d . Yo u h a v e b e e n vindicated. You have been justified. You need no further proof of the authenticity of your position and principle. Victor is your name and you have secured victory against your enemies and adversaries.

True, trustworthy, honourable and dutiful son of Igboland, may your reign as Igbo leader be long Chukwuma Nnanyelugo, Director of Publicity of National Association of Igbo Youths, writes from Enugu

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FROM THE COURT 2 men sentenced to 3 months imprisonment for stealing

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wo young men, Mohammed Sule and Lawani Idris, were last week sentenced to three months imprisonment for stealing and robbing a staff of Access Bank Plc, Vivian Ufori, of her

belongings valued at N160,000.

Sule 35 and Idris, 28, who were arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate Court, are facing a two count charge, of conspiracy and stealing, proffered against them by the police, before

Magistrate Mrs Dan Oni. The two defendants were said to have committed the said crime Monday, April 8, 2013, at about 5:30am at Fadeyi street in Ikeja area of Lagos.

The police prosecutor inspector

Edet Okoi, told the court that the alleged offence was committed in the early hours of the morning at Fadayi street in Ikeja area of Lagos at about 5.30am.

He claimed that the defendants stole the following properties a

Woman, 40, in court for operating illegal maternity against the accused by the Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State 2006. accused pleaded not guilty and home prosecution said: “You Gladys “That you Gladys Ndu and others was granted bail in the sum

By Our Reporter

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40-YEAR-OLD woman, Gladys Ndu, has been arraigned before an Asaba Chief Magistrate's court on a two-count charge of allegedly harbouring pregnant women in her house till after delivery with intent to sell their babies.

The two-count charge preferred

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n Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates' court on Wednesday, remanded Abayomi Osire in prison custody for allegedly killing his wife, Moyinoluwa, with a matchet.

The police prosecutor, Bamikole Olasunkanmi told the court that the accused committed the offence on March 17 at 9:00 a.m. at Nova Road, Basiri, Ado-Ekiti.

He said the accused unlawfully

Ndu and others now at large on the 19th day July 2012 at Oduke in the aforesaid magisterial district, did deal in children by haboruing pregnant women in your house till after delivery with intent to sell their babies and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 38 of the Children and Young Persons Law Cap C7

now at large on the 19th day July 2012 at Oduke in Asaba magisterial district, conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: dealing in children and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Law Cap C21 Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State."

When the plea was taken, the

N200,000 plus a surety who should be a civil servant not below level 12 by the trial Chief Magistrate, Mr. Sylvester Ehikwe, while the case was adjourned to 15th of April 2013.

The accused was recently arrested for allegedly running an illegal maternity centre at a camp in Oduke,

hand bag, containing one Access bank Identification card ID, Access Bank Automated Teller Machine card ATM, a pair of shoe, a Bible , house and office keys and some cash valued at N160,000, properties of one Vivian Ofori, Okoi, claimed that the defendants are fund of always robbing people of their valuables According to Okoi, the offence committed is punishable under section 409,285 (1) of the criminal laws No 11 Vol 44 laws of Lagos state of Nigeria 2011.

Earlier when the charges proffered against the defendants was read to them, they both pleaded guilty to the two count charge.

However Magistrate Oni sentenced them to three months imprisonment, with hard labour.

Man remanded in prison for hacking wife to death with matchet caused the death of his wife during a disagreement between them.

The prosecutor said that he had duplicated the case file to the Office of the Director of Public

Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

He said the offence the accused was charged with was not ordinarily bailable.

According to Olasunkanmi, the

offence contravenes the Criminal Code, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012.

However, the counsel to the accused, Mr Paul Apom, prayed the court to grant bail to his client

and promised that he would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Simeon Ojo, refused Olasunkanmi's prayer and ordered the accused to be remanded till the DPP gave advice.

He adjourned the case till May 29 for further hearing.

Nigerian teen accused of raping 11-year-old girl

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Nigerian teenager, Opemipo Jaji, 18, accused of raping an 11year-old girl in a park had attacked another schoolgirl a year before, a court heard yesterday.

Jaji is alleged to have followed the 11-year-old girl as she made her way home from school on a bus.

He followed her and dragged her into Jubilee Park, Enfield, north London, and subjected her to a three-hour rape ordeal in November, last year, the court heard.

Her glove had been stuffed in her mouth and she had been stripped and assaulted.

Rosina Cottage, QC, prosecuting, said the child had caught a bus in Enfield Town along with her friend at 4.30pm.

“She was 11-year-old and was wearing her school uniform,” said Miss Cottage.

“She got on the bus with her friend and they were giggling and chatting. Also on the bus was a young male, the defendant. He watched her get off the bus and followed her.

“He dragged her into a local park in the dark and raped her. She ran home bleeding and injured. Her blood and DNA were found on his clothes and bag.”

Miss Cottage said the girl had been expected home by 5pm and her parents rang police by 5.30 after she failed to turn up.

The girl appeared at 8pm. 'She

was dishevelled, dirty and panicky.

'She had a crop-top bra in her hand and said she had been attacked.'

The girl said her attacker 'had kept making fists and cracking his knuckles'.

She later told police that after getting off the bus, she noticed a male walking in front and then behind her. She had tried to avoid him because she felt something was not right.

In the park, he kept asking for her phone which she did not have.

At one point, he had threatened to stab her if she moved and caught her when she tried to run away.

He had also threatened to film her and send copies to children at her school, she said.

The girl ran home dishevelled, bleeding and underwent an

operation for her injuries.

Jaji, of Edmonton, north London, denies rape and says he was not the attacker, although he was on the same bus.

He claims her DNA on his bag, trainer shoe and the waistband of his boxer shorts was from when he went into the park later that evening, the Old Bailey heard.

But Rosina Cottage, QC, prosecuting, said it was 'not a coincidence' that in 2011, Jaji pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting and robbing another girl dressed in her school uniform.

Miss Cottage said a tie had been placed in her mouth, her clothes had been removed and she was robbed of her telephone and sexually assaulted.

She added: 'He had an interest in pre-pubescent girls and sexual

acts with pre-pubescent girls.'

Blood belonging to Jaji's victim was found on his trainers and Adidas bag and provided a onein-a-billion DNA match, the court heard later.

Further DNA from the girl was also found inside the waistband of his boxer shorts, while his fingerprints were discovered on the girl's Oyster card wallet.

Jaji initially claimed the blood was from an accident and work.

But he then changed his story and now says he went to Jubilee Park to 'think about his music'.

'He says he must have picked up the traces of her DNA from the grass,' said Ms Cottage. 'The prosecution say this is a desperate attempt to find any explanation.'

The park was cordoned off for sniffer dog searches very shortly

after the girl reported she had been attacked, she added. 'He brutally terrified and raped her,' said Ms Cottage.'

Jaji had attended an appointment with the probation service just 90 minutes before the attack, the court has heard.

Jaji was arrested a few days later after CCTV was viewed, and his bedroom searched. A book was found about a little girl being sexually assaulted, ads for child care vacancies and a picture of a little girl in Australia marked FC a possible reference to Facebook.

There was also an article about missing April Jones 'the little girl who was taken,' said Miss Cottage.

Miss Cottage outlined the attack on the schoolgirl in the park.

The trial continues.

Man remanded in prison for impersonating Army Lieutenant

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24-year-old man, Michael Lawrence Oguezi, was Thursday remanded in prison custody by an Ikeja Magistrate Court for allegedly impersonating a Nigerian Army Lieutenant and also robbing belongings worth about N7million.

Oguezi, who was arraigned before Magistrate Oshodi Makanju, is

facing an eight-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, stealing, forgery and impersonation He was said to have conspired with others now at large, while armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, to rob one Honda Civic Saloon car with registration PQ 687KJA, one ATM card of Keystone Bank, one

ATM card of GTBank Plc and one ATM card of First Bank, belonging to one Ola Taiwo.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Samson Ekikere, told the court that Oguezi and others committed the said crime on January 21, 2013, at about 3pm at Harold Shodipo Street, GRA, in Ikeja area of Lagos.

Ekikere also alleged that on January 8,2013, at about 3.30pm, at Marina Road in Apapa area of Lagos, while Oguezi was armed with gun and other dangerous

weapons, rob Shangai Eclon saloon car with registration CD 1141, Ekikere added that the sus-pect on November 25, 2012, Oguezi and others now at large, on the same day, imp- ersonated by wearing the Nigerian Army uniform, a representation he knew to be fake.

He also stated that the defendant forged the Nigerian Army identity card, adding that in the cause of the criminal activities, impersonated by representing himself as a Nigerian Lieutenant.

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

UMORU ALTINE: Sokoto Prince who became Enugu Mayor

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n the 1950s a Fulani cattle dealer leaves Sokoto for Enugu, wins the backing of Nnamdi Azikiwe, joins mainstream Enugu politics, and eventually becomes the first Mayor of the Coal City.

The life and legacy of Enugu's first Mayor.

Nigeria never fails to shock. This power to shock in a positive sense is embodied in the life and career of Umoru Altine, scion of the Sokoto Caliphate, who, on a record of two occasions, became the Mayor of Enugu, which lies deep in Nigeria's South-East. He was the first ever Mayor of Enugu. Agu Gab Agu, one time Chairman, Enugu North Local Government invited the Umoru Altine family to Enugu in 2004 in his capacity as Chairman of the local government. This was simply to celebrate the achievement of their late father. He told Weekly Trust 'Our history before that time did not reflect his towering achievement in terms of Nigerian unity. I was going to name a public institution after him, but time did not allow for that.

'He said that a street was named after the late Mayor somewhere in the Coal Camp area of Enugu during the First Republic. Here is a political story, which also doubles as a Love epic, a war story, a tale of benevolent mentors, and a travel narrative as well.

How an individual rose to great political heights, after engaging in the north-south cattle trade, is a golden thread which is very alive in this narrative. It is also a story about a future Nigerian state which can come into being if the living prayerfully carry this volition deep in their spirits, and also act to bring it about. The events at the heart of this story occurred some 67 years ago, but they act as living mirrors, presenting delightful, magnetic images of a Nigeria of a future time.

A son of the far north travels to the very heart of the South-East, he leaves his comfort zone and did very well in the East, rising to the position of Mayor in a new world and culture.

Documents obtained at the National Archives Enugu by Weekly Trust indicate Umoru Altine's name listed among those who won elections in Enugu in 1954.This is seen in a press release on the Enugu Urban District Council Elections. His address is given as 39 Carter Street, Ogui, and the letter is dated 29 March and signed by the Town Clerk. Another document is a special announcement made 26 March 1954 by the Programme Announcer, Nigerian Broadcasting Service, Enugu, Umoru Altine was shown as having contested against D.T Inyang, scoring 117 votes to the latter's 53.

Another letter dated 26 March 1956 with the heading Enugu Municipal Election, informed Umoru Altine that he has been returned unopposed in elections for Ward 25. His address was given as 1&3 Hassan Lane, Uwani Enugu.

Altine could have been Sultan As a descendant of Uthman Dan Fodio, he could have been Sultan of Sokoto. But he preferred the world of trading, travel, adventure (he joined the army and worked with the railways) and politics (one account says he first contested an election in Tambuwal, Sokoto state), and he

Umoru Altine and family carved a niche for himself in these respects. He was handsome, was always well dressed, and people were magnetically drawn to him. In Enugu, he wore the Babban Riga, as well as a Turban. On other occasions he wore suits as the event demanded.

He went to Church in Enugu if his duties as Mayor called for it, and went to do the kick off at stadium when occasion demanded. He was willing to adjust while retaining his identity. A noble, free and simple spirit is in evidence here. This Prince smoked, loved Nsala soup with fresh fish, a popular meal of the Enugu Igbo, so said his wife, had a high sense of personal hygiene and had a good command of English. He never fell ill, so says Ma'Inna Altine, his Sokoto based daughter. He was fluent in Fulfulde and, to cap it all, he m a r r i e d a n I g b o L a d y.

According to Esther Altine when Weekly Trust interviewed her at Government House, Awka where she is SA (Lodge) 'Reverend Okenwa from Obosi actually trained him, gave him basic training and education. I don't know where they met, whether this was in the north or here in the east. I think he had his secondary education with the Reverend in the north. 'One account says Umoru Altine worked at the railways at Zaria, joined the Army at a point, and ended up in Enugu, first as a major factor in the cattle trade where he also became quite popular, and he later emerged as Mayor of that city after winning the election.

Hajiya Hafsat Altine, one of his wives, who lives in Kaduna, says that she is aware that her husband worked in the railways in Zaria at a point, and also at the Gaskiya Corporation. But she knows nothing about his being in the army at any time.

‘Market Women supported him’ Mu'azu Maiyaki, a politician in Kaduna, also comments on the rise of Altine in Enugu. His words 'Umoru Altine became Mayor of

Enugu in the 50s, at the beginning of the real political evolution of the city.

He began his career up North, and he actually contested an election on a different platform, not the NPC, in the north. The platform was an opposition party, not really NEPU, and he contested and lost the election around the year 1952 in Tambuwal constituency. It was after this that he left for Enugu'. The INEC headquarters, Abuja, does not have records on the Tambuwal elections of 1952 referred to here, Weekly Trust discovered. Mu'azu Maiyaki shows how Umoru Altine and Nnamdi Azikiwe drew close to each other in Enugu politics. According to him, 'There was a kind of alliance between NEPU of those days and the NCNC, and Zik embraced him, just as he picked many others. Zik had a notion of Nigeria at that time, and he wanted to build a structure whereby all Nigerians, were to feel at home in any part of Nigeria. Umoru became an Enugu based man, and he found himself in the struggle of the early 50s, whereby he made many contributions in trying to reorganize the Enugu chapter of the NCNC. During the two elections which he contested in Enugu, he garnered a lot of support, particularly from the women associations of Enugu then.

He identified with the aspirations of the women elements of the Ogbete market, such as the allocation of shops, which, he said, must be fairly allocated, and he fought for that. It was under that kind of struggle that he contested the first election. In the subsequent election which was in 1957, there were about 13 or 12 wards, out of which Umoru Altine won eleven. It was really a landslide victory. Also there was what used to be known as the Stranger elements of the NCNC of those days. He contested under the platform of the NCNC with the stranger elements.'

He speaks of Umoru Altine's place in Enugu politics 'The emergence of Umoru Altine was commendable, in

the sense that he was not born there, but was able to adapt to the system, and got accepted into the mainstream of Enugu politics. That is something we should emulate.' He comments on the possibility of Nigeria repeating Altine's achievement in Enugu. His words 'What happened in Enugu is possible today. But we really need to remove the suspicion, the mistrust and forge confidence among the populace. If the leaders can really start this, nothing is impossible.' 'He was in the army' Ibrahim Tambuwal, a retired civil servant, based in Sokoto, also speaks further on Umoru Altine. According to him 'He joined the army at Kano, then he was taken to Lagos with a group of soldiers for training. After the period of training they were then taken to Enugu. After his military service, he remained in Enugu.

When the time to leave came, he left the army and became a politician'.

However, Ibrahim Tambuwal does not recall ever hearing that Umoru Altine contested an election in Tambuwal Constituency. His words 'An election in Tambuwal? I never heard of it. He never told me because I knew him very well.' Esther Altine, the late Mayor's wife, does not recall her husband referring to a career in the army at any point. Hajiya Hafsat Altine also has no memory of her husband referring to a stint in the army. However, Bala Altine, one of the many children of the late Mayor and a civil servant in Kaduna, said that his elder brother Abubakar Altine, who is now late, was in the army at a point.

'I doubt if it can happen today' Saeed Altine, who is now a businessman in Abuja, wants to write a book on the life and career of his late father. But he is not sure that what happened to his father in Enugu of the 50s can recur in Nigeria today.

His words, “I doubt if it would happen now. If you look at the situation carefully, it's as if Nigeria has been divided.' 'He adds that his father went to Enugu firstly, as a cattle dealer, and stresses that his participation in politics came in later.

Dauda Altine, another son of Umoru Altine, who lives and works in Sokoto, shares the views expressed

by Saeed above. According to him 'I don't think it's possible today. All these politicians today do not reflect trust and friendliness, unlike the generation of the 50s. They simply want to accumulate money for themselves and their families.'

Mohammed Tafida, of the Department of Political Science Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, explained why it is difficult for Nigeria to simulate the events in Enugu of the 50s 'It is like a dream, and this is because of the preponderance of the phenomenon we call corruption. This is being driven by the trinities, that is greed, fear and ignorance.' Dr. Hudu Abdullahi of the Political Science Department said that the country is progressing towards disunity in almost every respect. He does not foresee any positive change in the country over the next 50 years.

'He was great' Bala Altine, on his part spoke of the little that he knew about his father's early days. His words 'He was born in Sifawa, in Bodinga local government area of the state. He

went to an Islamic school, and later on was exposed to western education right there in Sokoto'. He also adds that his father worked for a while at the railways at Zaria. This was before he moved over to Enugu where his political career flowered.

Ma 'Inna Altine, daughter from her father's marriage to Esther, speaks very fondly of her father. She adds that she was her father's favourite child. Her words 'When you see things happening in Nigeria these days, you just get confused. If a Fulani man, who speaks less Hausa than Fulani, will go to a place which is different from his, to go and mix with the people freely, and marry from that community, and then contest for elections twice in that community, you know he is really a great man. We are sorry to see what is happening in Nigeria now.'

Very few references, there are only few references to Umoru Altine in the available literature. Some of the references just stretch to a mere twenty words. Some less. All of a sudden after making the round of libraries at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, help came in the form of a brief text authored by the late Bala Usman and Alkassum Abba. In The Misrepresentation of Nigeria (2005) commenting on Altine's rise in Enugu, he writes 'What happened in Enugu, which led to a Fulani cattle-dealer, Alhaji Umoru Altine, elected as the first Mayor of Enugu in 1956, on the NCNC ticket, and winning again in 1958 against Zik and the NCNC, is revealing about how fallacious the monolithic Igbo view of Eastern Regional politics is'. (p.50). Bala Usman goes on to write 'In 1956, Alhaji Umaru Altine, was opposed by the Udi-Nsukka-Agwu United Front, the UNAUF, but he won, heavily supported by the nonindigenous Igbo, who constituted over 50% of the population of Enugu'.

Umoru Altine was the Mayor of Enugu, and his wife Esther, was thus the Mayoress of the coal city. Once the 'Duke and Duchess,' as Esther described the couple, came to Enugu on a visit from the United Kingdom.

Until the moment of going to the press, it was not possible to find out the actual names of the Duke and Duchess, and the exact year of the visit. However, it was Umoru Altine and his young wife who was just 19 when he married her, who received the August guests at the Enugu airport .In spite of the many years interval between that moment and the present, his wife still has fond memories of the glorious occasion.

Her words 'That was great. The Duke and Duchess visited Enugu for the first time. As young as I was, I was able to shake her hand after my husband had done so. It was great indeed.' It was a memorable day, witnesses say. The Atilogwu dancers leapt into the air as though defying gravity. The flutes made sweet sounds as the drums began to yield a stunning melody. The two visitors from Britain held hands and beamed into the Enugu sunshine, as the gathered crowd clapped and clapped again when they noticed the smile.

To be continued (Culled from Weekly Trust)

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Nigeria female Artists are suffering – Ogwuche Ruth Emmanuel Ogwuche, most beautiful girl in Benue 2012, student of Kogi State University and a multitalented artist spoke about her humble start and her desire to climb up the top ladder of show-biz in Nigeria. In this interview with The Advocate, she confessed that her success comes from God and her mother.

Excerpts Can we meet you?

My name is Ruth Emmanuel Ogwuche, I am a student of Kogi State University, faculty of arts and humanity, department of English and linguistics, I am from Benue state and I come from a family of four. My mother is a business woman and Politician while my dad is a public servant.

You are an upcoming artist? What inspired you to music?

I've always loved music right from when I was a kid, it has always been deep inside of me, something I can't part with, so it's not like something actually inspired me to music, I've been doing this since I was a kid and I'll say that my role model is my mum because anytime I watch her sing and I'll say she's my inspiration.

Do you have any album in the market?

No, but I am actually working towards that.

What extent have you gone with production?

I've done five songs with Dede, right now I'm trying to promote my singing to standard.

Are you into contract with any label company or are you doing it alone and if you are doing it alone how are you fairing with the funding?

Well, I am actually doing that alone, I don't have any contract with any record company but by God's grace, I am trying.

How are you coping with the funding?

I was the finest girl in Benue State and also a model, it has not been really easy.

How did you emerge, are you attached to a modeling company?

No I am not attached to any modeling company, But I'll say that my success is partly because my mother is a beautician, so she has always wanted me to look beautiful, taught me to look beautiful and aside that may be because of how she was inspiring me, infact I owe my success to her and God. I just love her.

Apart from winning the most beautiful girl in Benue State, have you had any modeling contract with any establishment or entrepreneur, etc; like billboard?

No, I haven't but I am looking forward to signing a contract soon.

Where do you intend to take your modeling to?

I intend to take it very far, like I said, am a multi-talented artist, am not just into modeling, I can also act and sing and am seriously working towards that, I am going to combine everything together. Modeling, music and acting.

But you decided to veer off that in

your course of study, why?

Y o u could'v

e

ity, why didn't you study something related to your talent?

I t h i n k English and literature courses are versatile, it's actually linked to everythin g that I love to do,

stu died theatre arts or m a s s commu nicatio

n instead you are studying a s i n g l e honours course in the univ ers

I

can still decide to be a TV presenter, becoming an actress is not bad because I am studying English and literature and sometimes borrow courses from theatre art.

You say you are going to take your modeling far and hoping to become a top model, beyond that, do you intend to have such modeling agency in future andt as a reigning pageant, what are your programmes As the finest girl in Benue State, definitely my programme is to care for the less privileged and to promote the Nigeria female artist because I can see that Nigeria female artistes are suffering, most of them really have the talent but have no opportunity. so I'll help the Nigeria female artist and also promote the tradition and culture of my people.

How do you intend to stop their suffering?

First of all, I'll organize talent hunts shows, where artistes can show case their talents and I'll pick out the best and by the grace of God, we'll have sponsors. So from there many of them will get exposed and make a living from there.

Do you have sponsors already or you looking for them?

I am working towards that.

What piece of advice do you have for Nigerian youths, you have seen Juvenile delinquencies, you've seen adolescent misbehaviours especially in the higher institutions, and you are student and you know what goes on in the Universities. So what's your advice to the youths?

My advice to youth is to work hard, believe in themselves and work toward achieving their dreams because most challenges come with success when it is approached with determination and hard work Looking at the future, what does it hold for Ruth?

I'm versatile; I believe I am going to become super 'diva', multi-talented diva because I'm not letting any of the talents go by, I am going to work towards it.

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'Vow to never text and drive', cellphone users warned

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US family has published the last, cut-off text message written by their 22-year-old son who crashed his car and died while using his cellphone, in the hope of preventing similar tragedies.

Alexander Heit, a 22-year-old student, drifted across the road while exchanging texts with a friend, realized suddenly and over-corrected with the steering wheel, sending his car rolling off the road.

He was pronounced dead at North Colorado Medical Center on April 3 after the late afternoon crash and his family have agreed with police to issue a photograph of his last text exchange.

The text shows two messages from a friend, who says: “Hey man I had to run out for like an hour,” to which Heit was replying: “Sounds good my man, seeya soon, ill tw ..” before abruptly stopping.

“Heit had been traveling eastbound .. Witnesses stated he seemed to have his head down, and began drifting into the oncoming lane of traffic. A westbound vehicle slowed and moved over just before Mr. Heit looked up.

“As he did, he jerked the steering

wheel hard, over-correcting, resulting in his leaving the south side of the roadway, rolling and flipping the vehicle,” said a statement by police in Greeley, 55 miles north of Denver.

His mother Sharon Heit said: “I can't bear the thought of anyone else having to go through

something like this.

“Please, vow to never, NEVER text and drive. In a split second you could ruin your future, injure or kill others, and tear a hole in the heart of everyone who loves you,” she added, cited by the police statement.

Police chief Jerry Garner added:

Personal Computer sales see worst drop ever in Q1

W

orldwide sales of personal computers slid 13.9 percent in the first quarter of 2013, research firm IDC said Wednesday, the worst contraction since it began tracking the market in 1994.

IDC said global PC shipments totaled 76.3 million units in the f i r s t q u a r t e r, t h e f o u r t h consecutive quarter of year-onyear declines. The group said sales were down “significantly across all regions” of the world.

The research firm said tablets and

smartphones “continue to divert consumer spending” and efforts

by PC makers to come up with touchscreens and capabilities and ultraslim systems have fallen flat.

The survey found a result far worse than IDC's projected 7.7 percent year-on-year drop despite what the firm called “some mild improvement in the economic environment and some new PC models” with the Windows 8 operating system.

“At this point, unfortunately, it

seems clear that the Windows 8 launch not only failed to provide a positive boost to the PC market, but appears to have slowed the market,” said IDC analyst Bob O'Donnell.

“While some consumers appreciate the new form factors a n d to u ch ca p ab ilitie s o f Windows 8, the radical changes to the UI (user interface), removal of the familiar 'Start' button, and the costs associated with touch have made PCs a less attractive

Glo unveils new strap line ...Promises unlimited commitment to subscribers A

s telecommunications giant, Globacom prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary on the 29th of August this year, the company has unveiled a new strap line to reaffirm its brand promise to consumers.

Aptly tagged “Unlimited”, the new strap line encapsulates Glo's commitment to enabling the subscriber achieve his dreams and desires. It embodies Glo's attitude towards its stakeholders and its commitment to be always there for them; facilitating the realization of their desires anywhere in the world, through the company's world-class network.

Speaking at the launch of the new strap line in Lagos recently, Globacom's Group Chief Operating Officer, Mohamed Jameel said the new pay-off line marks a natural progression in the growth of the Glo brand identity and represents the unparalleled commitment of the company to its subscribers.

He explained that “Glo will offer subscribers the power to achieve and excel. It means that with Glo, they can realise their dreams and achieve infinite possibilities. To do this, Glo will give them unfettered access to the best tools that will enhance their productivity and energize their professional and social connections”.

“Unlimited” underscores the essence of the brand's belief in the consumer in the sense that our subscribers are operating without boundaries in their attitude and altitude towards what they can achieve in life. It means that consumers can therefore go all out, pulling out all the stops in the

“Unfortunately, when we think to ourselves, 'I'll just do it this one time,' we are fooling ourselves.

“This 'one time' may be the only time. The Heits are sharing their tragedy and loss, in hope that through Alex's story, others may realize and recognize just how dangerous texting and driving is.”

drive towards achieving their objectives because Glo is always there to make it happen”, he said.

He said that the new pay-off line also represents Glo's attitude towards its management, staff and indeed all stakeholders because anything positive they seek is possible and Glo shall always be there for them, facilitating the achievement of their desires.

“Conversely, it is also an expression of our determination to go more than the extra mile to surpass the expectation of subscribers. “This means that our staff will always put their best foot forward in their efforts to satisfy our key stakeholders including customers, business partners and host communities with whom they interact from day-to-day”, he stated.

Jameel further explained that the new strap line captures the relevance of the Glo brand promise to its various stakeholders as well as staff after the

monumental success of previous strap lines such as “Glo with Pride” and “Rule your World”.

He said that starting with the payoff line, Glo with Pride at launch, Glo promoted and built a sense of pride in every Nigerian by providing a world class indigenous telecommunications

network which offered Nigerians the enablement platform to succeed in different fields of human endeavor.

Glo later followed up with Rule your World, a message of empowerment that helped build confidence in Nigerians that they can achieve their dreams, rule their world and be the best that

alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices.

“Microsoft will have to make some very tough decisions moving forward if it wants to help reinvigorate the PC market.”

IDC said Hewlett-Packard remained the top vendor despite a 23 percent year on year drop in first-quarter shipments.

China's Lenovo remained second in global shipments and nearly closed the gap with HP, based on IDC estimates.

they want to be.

“So, we are happy at what these slogans have achieved for our company and our subscribers who have been inspired to dream, work hard, achieve their life objectives and rule their world. With the new strap line “Unlimited”, there is indeed no limit to what our stakeholders can achieve if they believe in themselves”, Jameel added.

NCC drags Bizman to Court for alleged piracy N

ational Copyright Commission (NCC) has dragged Emmanuel Udeze, a businessman to the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu, Enugu state over alleged piracy.

Udeze is facing a two-count charge of unauthorised exhibition of DVD plates and

being in possession of such products without the consent of the owner.

Mr Paul Anagonye, counsel to the plaintiff, said his client saw the accused in his warehouse in Onitsha, Anambra, supplying pirated copies of both foreign and local DVDs to his customers.

“The worst part of it was that the

accused was so proud distributing the products to wholesalers and retailers as if he was the rightful owner of the plates.

“When contacted, some musicians whose products were found in the accused persons shop denied ever knowing him not to talk of him being their distributor,” Anagonye said.

Mr Emenike Ukwuoha, counsel to the accused, said his client registered with the Nigeria Film and Video Censors Board before

he started the DVD business.

Ukwuoha said the commission was not in a position to tell the court which one was pirated copies or not because it was not an artist.

He, however, said the commission had locked up the accused persons shop since April 2010 when the case was brought to the court.

Justice D.V. Agishi, presiding Judge, adjourned the case till May 2 for further hearing.

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Enugu Monarchs Celebrate Governor Chime’s recovery

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ednesday April 3, 2013 was a remarkable day in the history of Enugu State. It was a day that the custodians of culture and traditions in the State organized a thanksgiving service in honour of Barr. Sullivan Chime, Executive Governor of Enugu State for his safe return to office after five months absence from office.

It will be recalled that Governor Chime told journalists when he came back that he was in a London hospital receiving treatment for cancer of the nose.

To celebrate his successful medical trip and safe return, the Immaculate

Heart Catholic Parish, Aji in Igboeze North local government area of the state venue of the thanksgiving service was agog on that faithful day as government functionaries, friends and well-wishers trooped enmasse, to make the day a befitting one. The thanksgiving service was presided over by Rev. Fr. Anthony Uchenna Eze, the parish priest.

In his sermon, Fr. Eze noted that power belongs to God, adding that the people of Enugu state should imbibe the fear of God in them as that is the beginning of wisdom.

Addressing the congregation during the service, the Acting Chairman,

Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Highness Igwe Osisi Itodo who hosted the thanksgiving in his Aji kingdom welcomed all that were there and thanked God for the survival of the Governor Chime whom he described as an amiable and performing leader.

“On behalf of my Co-Royal Fathers it is our resolve to appreciate God for hearing the unceasing and fervent prayers made by the people for the health of our dear governor,” Itodo said.

Although Governor Chime was visibly absent, he was ably

represented by, Barr. Emeka Abugu the Hon. Commissioner of Chieftaincy matters who thanked the royal fathers for their loyalty and support for his administration, moreso in those trial periods.

Speaking to journalists after the service, His Royal Highness Igwe Igwe Patrick Eze, the traditional ruler of Amalla in Udenu local government area of Enugu state thanked God for the life of Governor Chime whom he explained “is a man with a magic wand if one looks at what has been able to achieve in the area of Infrastructural development in the state.

He called on the people of the state to support the administration Chime which has brought about effective development in the state.

Among the dignitaries that graced the occasion include Senator Ayogu Eze, representing Enugu North zone in the Senate, Engr. Vita Abba, Chairman PDP Enugu State, Ambassador Fidel Ayogu, Barr.

Stephen Oruruo, State Secretary PDP and chieftain of PDP, Hon. Nnoli Nnaji. Others were former Local government chairmen, serving and former legislators, women groups, traditional dances etc.

HRH, Igwe Osisi Itodo (right), and others during the ceremony

The Clergy praying for Gov. Chime and the people of Enugu State

Senator Ayogu Eze exchanging pleasantries with royal fathers during reception

HRH Igwe DN Odoh (right) and other royal fathers at the occasion

The representative of Gov. Chime, Hon. Emeka Abugu, Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters (4th from right) with wife, Engr. Vita Abba, royal fathers and others pose for photograph during the occasion

The representative of Gov. Chime, Hon. Emeka Abugu, Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters and wife being welcomed by HRH. Igwe Osisi Itodo, during the ceremony

HRH Igwe Patrick Eze, (left) HRH Igwe Osisi Itodo and wife, Barr. Emeka Abugu, representative of Gov. Chime during the service

Senator Ayogu Eze (right), Engr. Vita Abba, and others during the service at Immaculate Heart Catholic church Aji

Representative of Attah Igala, HRH Michael Salifu in a welcome salute with HRH Igwe O. Itodo

HRH Igwe Osisi Itodo acknowledge greetings from guests after the service.

HRH Igwe Osisi Itodo presenting his speech during the service.

HRH Igwe Mike Nnukwu of Obeagu Awkunanaw, HRH Igwe Okorie Ogbodo of Amechi Awkunanaw and HRH Igwe John Anim of Obe Ugwu after the service

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With Chinwe Chukwu E-mail: brownsugarbarbie@ymail.com

P

urple is the colour of passion and luxury, and it stands for royalty. It is a shade that suits all colours of skin. So let's embrace it and add some boom t o o u r wardrobe.

P

urple, the name and the colour came from a dye made from the mucus gland of a topical sea snail called murex

Style check WHO WORE IT BETTER

T

43 %

Toke Makinwa

oday we h a v e Nigerian media personality Toke Makinwa and Ghanaian songstress Efya battling it out for your fave in a dress by House of Marie.

The multicoloured print dress which features an embellished lace neckline and fringe on the skirt, was the first look women's wear brand at the 2012 MTN displayed by the Lagos Fashion and Design Week in Nigerian October.

57 %

Efya

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Imo police nab 3 child traffickers I

By Our Reporter

mo State Police Command has arrested three persons, including two middle aged women and a 41-year old driver, Jacob Ademuyiwa, for alleged child trafficking.

Parading the suspects in Owerri Friday, the Police Public Relations O ff i c e r, P P R O , M r s . J o y Elemoko, said the twin babies were abducted or stolen barely 72 hours after delivery.

The PPRO gave the names of the suspects as 55-year old Mrs. Patience Aibangbe, Mrs. Felicia Edegbe (59) from Ihude Egonebo village, Edo State and Jacob Ademuyiwa (41) from Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

According to the PPRO, the two female suspects took off from their 14 Densan Street, Ikorodu, Lagos, Wednesday, March 27, 2013, for Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with a view to steal or abduct the two babies. Elemoko said the suspects were arrested

within the Command's area of jurisdiction while they were on their way back to Lagos, adding that the driver obviously knew that the consignment he was conveying was illegal.

“The offence is conspiratorial in nature. Anybody found within the cycle of conspiracy is definitely an accomplice and would be made to face the full weight of the laws”, the PPRO said.

While saying that the suspects are

not indigenes of Imo State, the PPRO equally confirmed that the original scene of crime was at Uzoma village, Oyibo local government area of Rivers State.

Narrating her involvement to newsmen, Aibangbe claimed that she lives in Lagos with her husband and has been having serious challenges with bearing children for a long while.

According to the suspect, she was introduced to a Port Harcourt

based woman simply identified as Mrs. Okoro, who promised to solve her nagging problem.

“She gave me some herbs in June last year. About one month after, she told me that I was pregnant and carrying twin babies. She also asked me not go for scan. In January this year, the woman came to Lagos and told me that I will deliver in March and will only be in Port Harcourt”, the suspect recounted.

Continuing, the prime suspect said she was given a date but she decided to travel to Port Harcourt on March 27, 2013, pointing out that her total expenditure stood at N1.8 million.

Meanwhile, the police has warned members of the public to distance themselves from “the shameful and damnable act of stealing, abducting and selling of innocent children, adding that anybody found to be indulging in the act would be made to face the music.

Baby boy dumped in refuse, burnt to death

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n unidentified lady Friday morning dropped a baby in a refuse cart along Rukuba Road in the Plateau State capital and the baby later burnt to death.

The lady was said to have alighted from a tricycle popularly called Keke NAPEP and dropped a carton in the refuse bin but unknown to those around, the

carton contained a baby.

It was unclear if she was the one that ignited the fire or if it came from ashes poured into the bin by other people, but the fire was seen several minutes after she had dropped the carton and left, according to residents of the area.

Some passers-by were said to have rushed to the refuse dump when they heard a shrill cry from what sounded like a baby only to

discover that the baby had been badly burnt from the legs to the abdomen.

The baby, however died before he was brought out of the refuse dump, eliciting curses and regrets from the crowd that gathered to witness the scene.

A resident who confirmed sighting the lady when she dropped the carton said she must have come from another part of

the state capital to the area where she is not well known because of the criminal act she wanted to perform.

He lamented that the lady chose to dump the baby in a refuse cart instead of somewhere he can be picked up for proper care.

Some residents of the area were said to have buried the baby when it was clear that he had given up the ghost.

I killed 11 Babies for money rituals –Ex-Cultist confesses T he love of money is the root of all evil, so says the Bible.

This aphorism aptly captures the experience of a 20-year-old man, Agu Nwanu, who said he delved into voodoo practices and money ritual in a bid to get rich by all means.

Nwanu told the reporter that at the peak of his foray into voodooism, he, alongside a traditional priest, slaughtered 11 young virgins for money rituals at a village in Ebonyi State. According to him, right from his childhood, he had made up his mind to serve the devil in order to become rich.

He took the decision, he noted, as a 15-year-old young lad in his village in Ebonyi State. Agu's reason for insisting on serving the devil was that his father, who served God all his life was also poor all his life. Said he: “When I was growing up, I never wanted to be as poor as my father. I had wanted to become not just rich but very wealthy. I reasoned that I had to serve the devil in order to become very wealthy.

“At 15, I began to practise paganism, I would go into the bush in the village, clear a spot, gather some stones and put some leaves on them. I would then pour oil on the stones and then kneel down to worship the objecious about him ts.I believed that my father was afflicted by abject poverty because he had faithfully served God. I had believed that by serving Satan, I would be very rich, build mansions and ride big cars, as I have learnt that many wealthy persons got their money by serving the devil. So, I was determined to do money rituals too so as to hit it big.

I also was desirous to know the devil.

I was very cur. I was asking everyone around about powerful native men,

who could link me to the devil. I wanted to meet with him, tell him that I wanted to be very rich at all cost.” Indeed, a few years later, Nwanu came by powerful native doctors, who introduced him into various ways of doing money rituals.

“I began to meet with different native doctors, who were asking for some items as requirements for money rituals.

The items included dogs, fowls, hairs and parts of human beings as well as some other things needed for the rituals. These items were mixed together and eventually, I started making money. That was how I was able to sponsor myself in secondary school as well as feed and clothe myself. In spite of all these, I wasn't yet satisfied, as I was still living with my uncle. “I was thirsty for good money.

I once got introduced to a powerful native doctor, who assured that he could help me to become very wealthy on certain conditions. He said I had to get married and begin to make babies, as my wife and children would be useful in sustaining the money rituals. The man also told me that I was also too young then because I was barely 20 years old.

He advised me to do the rituals when I turned 25. I didn't like the conditions he gave, so, I decided to seek for help elsewhere and I got it.

“In January this year, I was introduced to another powerful native doctor in Ebonyi State. I had to travel all the way from Lagos to Ebonyi to meet with the man.

I disguised as a middle-aged man to forestall a possibility of the man, dismissing me as too young. The native doctor turned out to be a priest to a deity believed to be the god of money. “At the priest's place, I was

asked to speak with an invisible deity, who spoke to me in a guttural voice. He demanded the heads of seven female virgins, babies preferably. Though I was stunned at its demand, I was ready to do whatever needed to be done. I indicated my readiness but said I didn't have the means of getting the babies since I was not used to the place.

The priest offered to help and took me to some motherless babies' homes and hospitals in the state. “At first, the owners of the homes and hospitals asked for N400, 000 for each baby but we haggled and beat the price to N70, 000 for each.

We eventually got seven babies even though we didn't make all the payment. The priest made arrangement with the authorities of the motherless babies' home to secretly bring the babies to his shrine in order to prevent a possible encounter with the police. ''Once the priest got the items, he asked me to go into a room where he had lodged me. So, the next day, he invited me to his shrine and there I saw blood and human remains splattered all over the premises of his shrine and I concluded that he must have used those babies for the rituals.

“The priest then handed some charms to me and instructed me to return to Lagos. He said I should observe a dry fast for seven days and nights.

He also instructed me strongly against having anything to do with women. He specifically said I should not allow a woman touch me or talk to me.

This, to him, would preserve the potency of the juju. “I was overwhelmed with great joy and made a strong decision to obey the priest's instruction to the letter. But

before I boarded the bus en route to Lagos from the Ebonyi motor park, an unknown woman called out to me and followed me in spite of my blunt refusal to give her audience. The lady succeeded in touching me before I got rid of her.

“Instantly, the charm I was given got broken. I ran back to the priest and was dumfounded with what he said.

He said the lady that accosted me had ruined the charm because she was in her menstrual period when she touched me.

I would have been punished severely for spoiling the charm but the deity had a soft spot for me and gave me a second and last chance. I was to do another charm with another seven virgins, four males and three females.

My failure to get the additional seven virgins in three days, he said, would result in my death. “By that time, I had spent almost all I had on me. I had only N43, 000 left. I had paid N400, 000 as part payment for the earlier ritual.

So, I pleaded with the priest to assist me and he contacted some kidnappers in the state. He invited them to have a chat with me and the kidnappers said I was fortunate to approach them at that time because they had four virgins whom they had fetched for a client that didn't need them any more, as another set of kidnappers he also contacted had gotten the virgins for him. So, the priest and I pleaded with the kidnappers to give me the four virgins on credit. I gave them N40,000. We promised to pay the outstanding money after the second ritual.

“Actually, the money was ready and stacked in many polythene bags and they were shown to me. But the deity had warned that I shouldn't touch the money since the charm was already spoilt. The other seven virgins were to be used to placate the spirit behind

the money so that anyone, who touched it would not be severely punished.

“Considering my situation, the priest pleaded with the deity to accept the four virgins that we eventually got from the kidnappers and the ritual of appeasement was done. After that, I was asked to come back to Lagos and wait for seven months.

I was instructed to struggle to survive by doing odd jobs within those seven months so that I would have gathered enough experience that would enable me spend the money prudently. “As the ritual of appeasement on the money was done, a paper on which my name was written fell from the ceiling.

There was a message, congratulating and welcoming me to the club of billionaires. On that note, I returned to Lagos.

As the earlier instructions about abstaining from women were passed to me, I did my best to abstain from women for the seven days of the dry fasting. I ensured this by locking myself up in the house and coming out only in the midnight to get fresh air. “But shortly after the fasting, I had an encounter with a member of The Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement.

The man preached to me and we became friends. I agreed to go to church with him one day and after the church service, the presiding pastor, Brother Anapeto Peter, ministered to me and prayed with me. It was there that I received Christ and renounced my evil ways.

“Since then, I've been having an inexplicable peace of mind. I have asked God to forgive me for my past atrocities. I will never go back for the money, as I have given up everything for God to rule my life. I have realised that I was just being deceived by the satanic priest and his deity.”

(Culled from Daily Sun)

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Enugu Assembly confirms 57 nominees for LG Dev Areas Drama as nominee fails to spell 'Administrator’ Full list see page 22

By Ted Peters

T

HE Enugu State House of Assembly has screened and confirmed the nominees into the 57 Local Government Development Areas in the State.

The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Eugene Odoh had before the commencement of the screening on Tuesday read a letter from the State Governor containing minor amendment to the list earlier forwarded to the House for confirmation.

The House subsequently dissolved into Committee of the Whole for the screening; while the nominees from the Development Areas from each of the 17 Local Government Areas were ushered into the chambers in batches for screening that lasted for more than four hours.

There was a mild drama during the exercise the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Eugene Odoh ordered that the Sergeant-atarms, Uche Ozioke be walked out of the chambers for mistakenly presenting two nominees for screening into one of the Development Areas in Oji River Local Government Area.

Odoh directed that the Clerk of the House, Christopher Amadi Chukwura should issue a query to Ozioko for dereliction of duty.

The nominees answered basic questions such as recitation of the National Anthem, spelling of the word “Administrator”, which some of the nominees failed, order of protocol in the state as well as description of the duties of an administrator.

However, there was comic relief when one of the nominees from Isiuzo Local Government Area was asked to explain how he would be relating with management committee members of his Development

Hon. Eugene Odoh Area and he enumerated what he He said that he would adopt a described as three systems of combination of autocracy and administration which, according democracy in dealing with his to him, include laissez-faire, people to avoid being “pushed to autocracy and democracy the wall”.

Another nominee from Aninri Local Government Area failed to list the four-point agenda of the present government in the state; even as another nominee from the area could not justify how he gained admission to study Law at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu, where he claimed that he got Diploma Certificate in Law, with only one credit in School Certificate Examinations.

At the end of the screening exercise, the Leader of the House, M r. S u n d a y U d e - O k o y e r e p r e s e n t i n g Aw g u N o r t h constituency moved the motion for the House to confirm the nominees, which was seconded

by Abel Chukwu, representing Aninri constituency. The Speaker thereafter put the motion to vote and it was unanimously passed by the 24-member House.

The Speaker, Odoh thanked members for participating in the screening exercise noting that it

was the House that passed a motion urging the Governor, Sullivan Chime to appoint the Development Area Administrators.

He said that the need to appoint the Administrators was not so much as to create job for the “boys and girls”, but to create the platform for leadership tutelage and training, adding that some of them may become senators, House of Representative members, governors and council chairmen in future, which makes it imperative for them to be equipped.

The Speaker stated that the Law establishing the Development Areas was still in existence and urged council chairmen to comply with the law by working harmoniously with the Administrators in developing the grassroots, to avoid the ugly experience of their predecessors some of who were at loggerheads with the council chairmen.

'Babies for sale in Abia' Man sells only son for N350,000 to procure Greek visa Woman offers son for N300,000

T

he booming business of selling babies in Abia State to make money has continued in spite of efforts by security agencies and the state government to halt the trade described as modern day slavery.

Several baby factories had been raided in recent past and members of the strong syndicates apprehended by the police yet the illicit human trade has continued to thrive in different parts of the state with the perpetrators smiling to the bank.

The statistics of the crime reeled out by the state police command on Monday were revealing and shocking as it confirmed that there is danger ahead.

The Police Commissioner, Mr. Usman Tilli Abubakar, said that a 20-year-old father of one had sold his only son for N350,000 to enable him procure a Greek visa.

The suspect, Mr. Onyekachi Ekwelum, who resides at 13 B, Nwalozie Street, Aba, was reported to the police by his wife, Ozioma. The 20-year-old wife had sensed that her husband was up to some alleged evil plans when the man took his only son out only to return alone without t h e b a b y. T h e b a b y, Oluebubechukwu Ekwelum, who is barely six months old, was taken by his father to his buyers and left there.

When the man returned home, he

could not explain the whereabouts of the child.

Suspecting that something was amiss, his wife rushed to the police station and reported the incident.

The police swung into action and arrested the father of the child who took them to the buyers and the child was rescued. The child was handed over to the mother, the suspect has been arraigned.

But just as residents of Aba were trying to come to terms with the incident, a similar situation was playing out in another part of the state. In a similar development, a man, Oluchukwu, has accused his wife, Kelechi Amowse, 25, of conniving with a medical doctor to sell his baby boy for N300, 000.

The suspect, Dr Williams Oruwa, was arrested by the police after the woman's husband, Oluchukwu of Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area reported that the child who was just delivered by his wife, was missing. The suspects were picked up and have been charged to court.

During investigation, the police said they stumbled on three other pregnant women whom Dr Oruwa was allegedly harbouring in his hospital. It was said that he planned to sell the babies as soon as the girls were delivered of their babies.

The three female suspects are Blessing Okwu, 21, Janet Ogonna, 20 and Onuoha Chinenye 23. Also, on March 4, one Chidiebere Samuel of Ovurungwu Village in Isialangwa South LGA reported that his wife, Odinakachi Samuel, on February

26, delivered a baby girl and allgedly connived with one Monica Benjamin, who delivered her of the child, to sell the baby for N150, 000. The police also arrested the suspects and charged them to court at Umuahia.

The police also said they arrested a couple, who sold their new baby girl to a yet-to-be identified buyer for N200, 000. The suspects, (names withheld) are being held by the police to help them apprehend the buyer of the child. Abubarkar also told reporters at the command's headquarters in Umuahia that the 42 days he had spent so far in the state have been a “period of human recovery.

"We rescued more than three babies, sold by their parents and accomplices and charged them to court,” he stated.

In another development, Abubakar also warned kidnappers, armed robbers, drug traffickers, human traffickers, fraudsters and other criminals operating in the state to lay down their arms or face the full weight of the law.

He said that his mission is to ensure that residents sleep with their two eyes closed. I have recorded four kidnapping cases and three have been rescued and re-united with their family members without the payment of any ransom.

Among them are the kidnap of a three-year-old Master Law Chikwendu on March 17, 2013 and the abduction of the 72-year-old wife of one Prof. Eze, who was tied and kept in a bush. She was rescued by the police after they blocked the escape route of the kidnapper.

There is also the abduction of a man from Port Harcourt to Abia State. These and more are some of the achievements I have made within my 42 days in office,” the police boss noted.

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C/River doles out N400M Micro Credit to 500 Entrepreneurs

By Edem Archibong, Calabar

The Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA) in collaboration with the Bank of Agriculture, has secured a micro credit loan of N400 million for the benefit of 500 micro enterprises including some Co-operative groups selected for this purposes.

Speaking during the cheques presentation ceremony to beneficiaries of the scheme in Calabar, the state Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke underscored the importance of Micro Small Medium Enterprises in the economic development of any nation, which is the reason for providing the loan as Entrepreneurs are the largest means of livelihood for selfemployment.

Senator Imoke, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Efiok Cobham, contended that the Small medium Enterprise sector also has the highest potential for employment creation and socio-economic development identified as the engine room through which government objectives of wealth creation could be achieve.

The Deputy Governor reiterated one of the objectives of their

administration which places emphasis on wealth creation through socio-economic development and the creation of access to credit facility services for Cross Riverians, as a means of encouraging them on PublicPrivate Partnership and maintain a socio-economic environment for self-sustaining growth and investment.

He regretted that despite the pivotal role played by the sector in the economic development of the state, it is glaring that the sector is still battling with the challenge of insufficient capital, lack of proper business information, difficulty in accessing credit facility, high cost of finance and lack of skills in

preparing business plans among its members.

In attempt to address this set back, he said that government was determine to make the Micro Small Medium Enterprise more productive and rewarding by encouraging the adoption of best practices, developing a strong private sector driven economy, growing the purchasing power of our people and strengthening the real sector of the state economy.

Speaking earlier, the Director General, Bank of Agriculture, represented by the Executive Director Wholesale Finance, Mr. Waziri Ahmadu, disclosed that a total of N400 million has been budgeted for the programme at the

first phase and that it may increase as the scheme progresses in the implementation plan.

He restated the bank's readiness to partner with the state in a renewed effort to provide access to credit by its teeming populace through the development of micro, small and medium scale enterprises in the state through cheap finance and raised the hope that MEDA will deliver on its mandate effectively.

Also speaking, Special Adviser to Imoke on Investment Promotion, Mr. Gerald Adah, said the essence of the exercise is to development a strong private sector driven economy by growing the purchasing power of Cross Riverians and encouraging private enterprise and strengthening the real sector of the economy.

He maintained that the state

government through MEDA will not relent in creating different finance windows to solve the problem of funding for the private sector and urged beneficiaries of the scheme to ensure judicious use of the fund so as to allow others benefits from the revolving scheme.

However, the interest rate for the micro credit scheme has been pegged at 8 percent for the Agrobased business while the non-agro based business will have an interest rate of 9 percent per annum.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Effiom Akpama, thanked the state government for the gesture saying that the expansion of their business will in no little way better their lots and promised to ensure that the loans were repaid promptly.

Kogi strategises on disaster management

By Our Reporter, Lokoja

K

ogi State Government has said it will develop new areas of synergy with the National Emergency Agency, NEMA, to achieve disaster risk reduction in the State.

The State Deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, gave this indication while speaking at a seminar on disaster reduction in Lokoja.

The Deputy Governor, who was represented by the Special Adviser

on Disaster Management, AVM Gabriel Abdul, rtd, said the State Government learnt a lot of lessons from the flood disaster of last year, and disclosed that the State has started to rebuild the infrastructures destroyed by the flood including roads and schools.

Aw o n i y i s a i d t h e S t a t e Government was developing a housing estate where some of those displaced by the flood will be resettled.

He called on the people of the State to have attitudinal change against disobedience of environmental laws, which he said, aggravated the effects of the flood disaster.

The Deputy Governor said the State Government was making arrangements to equip the State Emergency Management Agency and also support voluntary agencies in the State for better response to disaster situations.

The workshop, organised by

NEMA and United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, UNISDR, centred on the implementation of an International action plan on disaster risk reduction tagged “Hyogo framework for Action�, which was signed by UN member States in Japan in 2005.

Stakeholders at the workshop enjoined the Federal and State Governments to develop strong institutions for disaster risk reduction.

Chime's son, Nnamdi weds in Enugu G

overnor Sullivan Chime's first son Nnamdi yesterday took his hearth rob former Miss Nneoma Atuenyi to the altar yesterday in Enugu at a colorful ceremony that drew a plethora of very important dignitaries from all over the country.

At the wedding Mass held at the Holy Ghost Cathedral Enugu and presided over by the Bishop Emeritus of Enugu Catholic Diocese, Bishop Anthony Gbuji, the Cathedral Administrator, Very Reverend Father John Nwafor described marriage as a sacred institution which all couples must be prepared to make sacrifices to ensure that it was successful.

He enjoined the newly weds to put God first in everything they do and learn to resolve any differences that may arise between them with temperance and understanding.

He further congratulated the couple for the courage to take a decision to live as husband and wife and prayed that God will bless them with all the graces that accompanied the institution.

Among the dignitaries who attended both the service and the glamorous reception held at the Government House Lodge ,

Enugu included Governors Rivers, Ebonyi, Anambra and Assembly, former Minister of Progressives Grand Alliance were Rotimi Amaechi, Martin Elechi, Abia States respectively. Minister Information Professor Dora and also among the personalities that Peter Obi of Theodore Orji of of Power Professor Chinedu National Chairman of the All attended the event.

Nebo, Members of the National

Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State in a group photograph with the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, newly wedded couple, Nnamdi & Nneoma Chime, Wife of the Governor, Clara and the Catholic Bishop Emeritus of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony Gbuji, during the wedding of the Governor's son, at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Ogui, Enugu

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21

28 persons killed as Tiv farmers, Fulani herdsmen clash

2

8 persons including a seven year old boy have been reportedly killed in a fresh conflict that erupted between Tiv farmers and Fulani herdsmen at Mbalagh council ward, just three kilometres from the eheart of Makurdi, the Benue state capital.

17 persons were also said to be missing in the last two days following the wanton killings and destruction of property in the area by the invaders.

It was gathered that the Fulani invasion of the community forced women and children who suffered the most in the community to barricade the Makurdi-Lafia expressway, Wednesday, in protest over the insensitivity of the state government to their plight.

The action led to hours of gridlock on the ever busy Makurdi/Lafia road until soldiers from the 72

Airborne Brigade intervened and dispersed the riotous crowd.

Speaking to newsmen about the d e v e l o p m e n t , 4 5 - y e a r- o l d Mnyam Matthew who was physically battered on his right eyes alleged that the women trooped out to draw government's attention to their plight.

Matthew, an indigene of the affected community said “the last straw which forced the women to the street as early as 7:00am Wednesday was the rape of a 13year-old girl by three Fulani invaders”.

Meanwhile, the member representing Makurdi North at the State House of Assembly, Mr. Avine Agbom has questioned the involvement of the Army in a civil peaceful protest which had the blessing of the Benue police command.

“I think the military are so

involved in this matter because the operation carried out was highly sophisticated. The operation was highly too professional”.

While condemning the attack on the protesting women, Agbom

queried the authority of the suspected soldiers whom he said dispersed the protesters using force which he claimed eventually led to the death of one boy and several injured persons now in the hospital.

In his reaction, the Secretary of Maiyatty Allah Cattle Rearers, Alhaji Garus Galolo, denied the allegation that Fulanis killed Tiv farmers, he added that those making the allegation were yet to tell the world the truth.

How ex-Anambra Dep. Gov. Nwike was killed Continued from page 2 to the next level, and we have such people in our great party (ACN.). And that is why I keep on

telling people that what we have in Nigeria today is a failed government and not a failed country," Nwoye said.

Nwoye, who insisted that the late

politician was assassinated contrary to reports that he was murdered by kidnappers who held him in their den for several weeks said; “How long shall we

Police arrest 'madman' with double-barrel gun O "I am Area Commander of Ilaje Federation in Ajegunle" says suspect

PERATIVES of Lagos State Police Command have arrested a man with a locally-made double barrel gun and three toy guns at the Tolu area of Ajegunle, Lagos.

The police are investigating to know what the man who residents described as mentally unbalanced was doing with guns.

The man simply identified as Monday was arrested in an abandoned school described by the police as hideout for armed robbers. While some residents believed that Monday is insane, others said he is an armourer to armed robbers.

A resident who identified himself simply as Adeolu told Crimewatch that the suspect is sane as he stayed close to a refuse dump near the school where he was collecting money from cart pushers who came to dump refuse.

Adeolu said the suspect was only faking madness to avert prosecution. Another resident, Adegbenro claimed that he knew the man's family. “His family lives at Tomoloju Street, Tolu, Ajegunle. His health issue started

while he was in higher institution so, I know him very well, he is insane”.

However, the police said they were investigating to know how the suspect got the guns and what he was doing with them.

A police source said that as part of the investigation process, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Tolu Police Station, Mr. Godwin Eze has promised to take the suspect to a Psychiatric hospital to ascertain his mental state. The police source continued

that after ascertaining the mental state of the suspect, the force would know which way to go.

“We want to know whether he is an armed robber, armourer or he is insane”.

When reporters wanted to get the side of the suspect's story, he was incoherent with his speech. “I belong to a cult group called White Angels Corps of Arrest Force. I am the Area Commander of Ilaje Federation in Ajegunle,” he said.

continue to watch our fellow innocent brothers and sisters being slaughtered like chicken in various parts of the country just because of PDP's bad leadership?

“Only recently, a serving commissioner of police was murdered in Enugu state, the other time it was the Principal Secretary of an incumbent governor, and now it is a former deputy governor of a state, among numerous others.

“In the North it is the Boko Haram, in the South-South it is the militants or ex militants, in the South East, it is the kidnappers yet, the federal government is not bothered or doing anything meaningful to check the ugly trend rather, they keep on deceiving themselves with the slogan “we are on top of the situation” whenever there is any major attack "So, without sounding immodest the truth is that the PDP led government has failed the nation woefully in all ramification, and that is why the president should quit the stage for a more committed and courageous leader, because as far as I am concern, he has nothing to offer on this issue .

“May I also call on the security agencies to immediately commence full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing of the perfect gentleman and honest political leader of our time, Dr. Nwike and his immediate family and close political associates should also be given serious protection for fear of uncertainty."

However, Delta State Police Command said Friday that it recovered three corpses along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in

Agbor, near Asaba but could not confirm if the corpses were those of Nwike, his driver and the courier.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state's Police Command, Mr Lucky Uyabeme, said the bodies, all men, were found along the expressway early on April 8, saying that that the perpetrators might have committed the act on Sunday night. The bodies were found amid speculations that Dr Chudi Nwike, a former Deputy Governor of Anambra might have been killed by his abductors in Delta.

The PPRO said that before his abduction, Nwike actually reported receiving a threat letter from an unknown person, noting that no sooner was Nwike kidnapped when the corpses were found in Agbor.

Uyabeme said that the corpses had been deposited at the Agbor Central Hospital mortuary and that as at moment none of the corpses had been identified.

According to him the police cannot on its own say whether or not the former deputy governor of Anambra is one of the corpses.

“As it is, we cannot declare that the former deputy governor is dead because we don't even know him, unless his family members come to confirm that he is the one”.

Uyabeme said that investigations were on to unravel what actually happened and to bring the killers of the three men to book.

Meanwhile, members of the family and the Ogbunike community in Abuja, were said to have been holding meetings on how to give the slain former Deputy Governor a befitting burial.

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

NEW ADMINISTRATORS OF ENUGU STATE DEVELOPMENT AREAS S/NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57

DEVELOPMENT AREAS

ADMINISTRATORS

ANINRI EAST DEVELOPMENT AREA

HON. OSIMIRI FRANCIS UDE

ANINRI WEST DEVELOPMENT AREA

AMAECHI SOLOMON

ANINRI NORTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

MICHAEL ORJI

AWGU DEVELOPMENT AREA

MARY ANN O. NWAFOR

ANIKE DEVELOPMENT AREA

VICTOR OKENTA

MBANABO NORTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

NICODEMUS NWEKE

MBANABO SOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA ENUGU EAST DEVELOPMENT AREA

MALCOL M.C ONUORAH NNAJI PEACE PATRICK (MRS)

ENUGU EAST CENTRAL DEV. AREA

MBAH COLUMBUS

IYIUKWU DEVELOPMENT AREA

OKOLO GODWIN

UJODO DEVELOPMENT AREA

NNAMUCHI CLEMENT

ENUGU CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. EDOZIE SAM ALUM

ENUGU NORTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

BARR. OBINNA ONUIGBO

ENUGU WEST DEVELOPMENT AREA

HON. CHRISTOPHER NNAMANI

ENUGU SOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

HON. OBIORAH OGBODO

EZEAGU WEST DEVELOPMENT AREA

CHIOMA CHIAHA

EZEAGU SOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. CHUKWUDI EZINWA

EZEAGU NORTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. OKWUDILI ONUOHA

EZEAGU CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. TOBIAS ODINWANKPA

IGBO ETITI EAST DEVELOPMENT AREA

IKEAGU MARCEL

IGBO ETITI CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT AREA

PAUL OKORO

IGBO ETITI WEST DEVELOPMENT AREA

UGWU OGBONS

IGBO- EZE SOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

HON. UGWU AUGUSTINE

UDEZE DEVELOPMENT AREA

IDOKO WILSON

EKETE DEVELOPMENT AREA

HON. BASIL UGWU

AMANYI DEVELOPMENT AREA

HON. NNAEMEKA OBUNA

EHA-AMUFU DEVELOPMENT AREA

IGWURUBE EMMANUEL

ISI-UZO DEVELOPMENT AREA

CHIEF HON. CHARLES OKWOR

NKANU SOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

ENGR. S. I. MBA

ASU NKANU DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. BONIFACE EDE

AMANKANU DEVELOPMENT AREA

MRS. OGOCHUKWU MIRIAM NNAJI

NKANU EAST DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. AGA CHIKEZIE

NKANU CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. NNAMANI GODWIN UGWU

AKPUGO DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. ANTHONY NWATU

AWKUNANAW DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. NNAEMEKA NWANKWO

NKANU WEST DEVELOPMENT AREA

MRS NGOZI EDEH

NSUKKA EAST DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR EZEUGWU KELVIN OKEY

NSUKKA WEST DEVELOPMENT AREA NSUKKA CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. UGWUERUA EMMANUEL MRS CHIOMA ORUMA

OJI-RIVER CENTAL DEVELOPMENT AREA

MRS NGOZI ONYEAZOR

MMAM RIVER DEVELOPMENT AREA

HON. JASON C. NWEKE GBAZUAGU

OJI-RIVER SOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

CHIEF BASIL NWOBU

EZEDIKE DEVELOPMENT AREA

MRS. IFEOMA UGWUEZE

UGWUNNYE DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. JOHNBOSCO UGWU

OJEBE OGENE DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. HYGINUS OGBONNA AGU

UDI CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. IKECHUKWU OZOR

UDI SOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. OBUM ONUIGBO

OGBOLI DEVELOPMENT AREA

ENGR. VITALIS OKONKWO

MBANANO/UZO-UWANI DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. OKEKE MATHIAS

IGBANO DEVELOPMENT AREA

MRS. EZIKE IFEOMA

ADADA DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. JOSEPH UGWU

IGBO-EZE NORTH WEST DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. EMMANUEL ALACHI

IGBO-EZE NORTH EAST DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. BONNY MAMAH

IGBO-EZE NORTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

ENGR. ALPHONSUS UGWUANYI

ORBA DEVELOPMENT AREA

MRS. EZEAKU BEATRICE

UDUNEDEM DEVELOPMENT AREA

MR. UGWUONA EVERISTUS

UDENU DEVELOPMENT AREA

MAMAH TITUS U.

FROM THE OFFICE OF SECRETARY TO ENUGU STATE GOVERNMENT

THE

ADVOCATE

Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

'Meat consumption needs to be checked, A not stopped’

D

r Mairiga Peters of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi has said that checking meat consumption would help in reducing its negative effects in the human system.

Peters said in Lagos while responding to a research by the Cleveland Clinic, U.S., that lack of such checks was injurious to human health.

The research indicated that the L. Carnitine, an amino acid, said to be abundant in red meat, and the Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) could aid Atherosclerosis.

It also said that the bacteria in the human digestive tract metabolise the compound L. Carnitine, turning it into TMAO to promote the ailment in the human bodies.

The lecturer said that the safety from the effects of TMAO required periodic reduction in the level of the compound in the individual's system, to protect them from Atherosclerosis.

He described Atherosclerosis as a deadly but preventable disease, which causes the hardening and narrowing of the arteries, leading to heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular disease.

“L.Carnitine plays an important role in helping to transport fatty acids through the system, where the acids can be converted into energy.

“Proper levels of this amino acid in the body helps to promote overall physical fitness as any intake of fat will be efficiently used to fuel the functions of the body.

“It also works hand-in-hand with other important amino acids, such as lysine and methionine. “ Wo r k i n g w i t h c a r n i t i n e , methionine helps to reduce fat content in the liver, and ensures that the body maintains the ability to expel toxic elements,” he said.

Peters recommended biochemical applications like boiling and cooking, and reduction in meat consumption, to reduce the content of the compound in red meat and other substances containing toxins.

He said, however, that as toxin accumulation in the body occurs over time due to improper metabolic processing, outright stoppage of meat consumption could be a disservice to the body.

Peters said that total stoppage of meat consumption would bring about the denial of the body of the supply of L.Carnitine, required for the maintenance of physical fitness.

syndicate which specialised in cloning fast moving drugs, among which are locally manufactured anti malaria and pain relief drugs, has been smashed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration, NAFDAC, in Lagos, following the arrest of one of its suspected members.

The syndicate, according to NAFDAC, perfected its cloning act in China, from where it imported the cloned drugs into Nigeria.

The arrested suspect identified as Maduabuachi Abuzu, reportedly owns a shop at 21 Ashogbon Street,Idumota market,where he allegedly used as warehouse for the imported fake drugs.

Maduabuchi, according to the Agency's Director of Enforcement, Mr Garba Macdonald, had been under the Agency's watch list for two years, informing that investigation had begun to identify his China- based partners.

To this end, The Advocate gathered

23

alleged cloned drugs are stored”.

Some of the drugs discovered in his possession at the time of arrest included; coartem tablets, packaging materials and labels , amalar, unlabeled tablets, maloxine tablets, packaging materials and leaflets, sealing hand machines, Ibupkris, Richy Gold Int'l Ibuprofen amongst others.

Madu abuachi according to Garba, was currently assisting the A gency in its investigation to get to the root of the matter. Reiterating the agency's determination to rid the country of fake and unwholesome drugs, he therefore, called on Nigerians to report any suspicious Maduabuchi Abuzu, 2nd left and other suspects paraded by NAFDAC activity relating to NAFDAC that NAFDAC had contacted its “The arrest of Maduabuchi Abuzu regulated products around their Chinese counterpart , to ensure that is a major breakthrough in the fight community for immediate action. when it concludes its investigation to stem activities of the syndicate An official of one of the companies here, the alleged Chinese partners who had in the last two years whose products were faked, spoke of anonymity, involved, would be punished brought into the country fake drugs on condition decrying the challenges genuine according to China's counterfeiting with its partners in China”. drug laws, which include life He informed The Advocate that the companies were faced with suspect confessed to have imported following cases of fake drugs. He imprisonment.

Maduabuchi, according to Garba, the drugs from China through his said: “ Activities of fake drug was arrested in his apartment contacts there, adding that through merchant will put government's located on 9 Alhaja Hassana Street, intelligence gathering, “ it was policy of encouraging local Orile Iganmu with various fake established that the suspect used his production of essentials drugs into house as a warehouse where the jeopardy”. products worth over N20 million.

FG spends N480 Billion annually to fight malaria– Health Minister

By Abraham Ajaero, Port Harcourt

T

he Federal Government of Nigeria spends a whopping sum of Four Hundred and eighty billion naira (N480 billion) annually to fight malaria, Minister of Health Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said.

The Minister who represented Nigeria's President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the ECOWAS Town Hall meeting held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Thursday, stated this while addressing participants at the event titled “Malaria elimination and ground breaking ceremony of biolarvicide factory This amount according to the Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi in his own address is equivalent to the total annual budget of Rivers State.

The Minister of Health insisted that fighting malaria is a task that must be achieved jointly if there must be drastic reduction in mortality rate in the country. He solicited the cooperation of all stake holders in the health sector including state governors and ECOWAS member states in the fight against malaria, advising Nigerians irrespective of status to maintain a clean environment in order to stop further breeding of mosquitoes.

To e n s u r e a s u s t a i n e d maintenance of clean environment in residential areas,

the health minister called for a return of sanitary inspectors on the streets to enforce the law on regular sanitation.

Supporting the call by the health minister for a joint effort to fight malaria in the country, Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Governors Forum assured that he and his brother governors will partner ECOWAS and the Federal Government to ensure a successful fight to eliminate malaria in Nigeria and the subregion.

According to Amaechi, “we must invest in the biolarvicides and door spraying if we must eradicate or reduce malaria to the barest minimum,' adding that it is the responsibility of government to eradicate malaria in the country.

The President of ECOWAS commission, His Excellency Kadre Desire Ouedraogo in his remarks assured the government and people of Nigeria that his commission is seriously committed to a total eradication of malaria in the sub-region as it has posed very serious challenge to various governments globally.

He commended the efforts and commitment of Cote D'Voire, Ghana and Nigeria, particularly government of Rivers State, in the battle to eliminate malaria scourge in our society.

The ECOWAS president called on other member states in the region to take a cue from the three countries already partnering with the commission to keep the

environment free of malaria bearing mosquitoes and join in the malaria-must-go fight in the region.

Earlier in his address, Rivers State Commissioner of Health Dr. Sampson Parker disclosed that the ECOWAS Town Hall meeting on malaria elimination and ground breaking ceremony for biolarvicides production factory in Rivers State marks the build-up

of efforts to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the eventual target of zeroincidence in locally contracted malaria.

He revealed that Rivers State is one of the beneficiaries of the biolarvicides production factories earmarked for construction in West Africa through a tripartite agreement involving Cuba, Venezuela and the ECOWAS.

S

regard to the efforts of the members of the Committee on Polio in sensitizing people on the need to accept the vaccination programme.

The deputy governor also acknowledged the role of traditional and religious leaders in prevailing on communities to allow their wards to be immunized.

He stressed the need for local government councils in the state not to relent in the fight against the scourge.

okoto State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari, said no case of outbreak of wild polio virus was recorded in the state in the last seven months.

Shagari, who is the Chairman of the State Committee on the Eradication of Polio, made the remark during a meeting with stakeholders in Sokoto.

According to him, the state had recorded progress in the fight against polio and child killer diseases in the state. He attributed the giant strides made in that

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ADVOCATE

Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

Akande urges government to fund science, technology education

T

he National Chairman, Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Bisi Akande, has urged government at all levels to adequately fund science and technology education in the country.

Akande, who spoke at Igbajo Polytechnic, Igbajo, during the inauguration of the institution's development fund, said science and technology held the key to the development of the nation.

A statement by Osun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Sunday Akere, on Monday, quoted Akande as calling for the reinventing of the nation's education's curriculum by laying emphasis on science and technology education.

Akande remarked that a polytechnic should train students to provide dexterous solutions to the challenges facing the society.

He identified laziness, indiscipline and lack of commitment as some of the ills militating against educational development in the country.

The party chairman recalled that Igbajo community had been at the vanguard of pioneering education, saying, “The Kiriji Memorial College established in the 1950s is a testimony to the pioneering effort of Igbajo town in communal development.”

Akande pointed out that the establishment of the college paved the way for fast development of education among the people of the Old Oyo, Ondo,

and Nigeria in general.

Akere, an indigene of the town, said the Rauf Aregbesola administration has made giant strides in the education as well as other sectors of the economy, stressing that this has made life more meaningful to the people.

He pointed out that the distribution of free computers to students, who are about to write school leaving certificate examinations, would improve education in the state.

Also speaking at the event, state Secretary of the ACN, Mr. Gboyega Famodun, who is also an indigene, said Osun has never witnessed massive infrastructural development as it has witnessed in the last two years.

ACN National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande

UTME report: 2000 JAMB staff to lose jobs

A

T least 2000 staff of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, will lose their jamb if the recommendations to scrap the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UMTE, by the Steve Orosanye-led Committee on the restructuring of the Federal Government Agencies and Parastatals are implemented.

But JAMB chapters of NonAcademic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU and Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, have threatened to challenge the report of the committee in court should the federal government implement it.

Addressing journalists Monday at the JAMB office in Abuja, the affiliate unions of the institution alleged that scrapping UMTE, as recommended by the committee, would touch on the foundation of JAMB and also send over 2000 of their members to labour market.

In the text of the address signed by Comrades Samuel Azaba and Isaiah Adeigbe, the branch Chairmen of NASU and ASCSN respectively as well as Stephen Ignatius, NASU secretary and his counterpart from ASCSN Adederin Adegoke, the unions said instead of scrapping the existing institutions, government should establish more to accommodate the teeming population of students numbering about 1.7 million students seeking admission in about 400 institutions in the country.

According to the text, implementing the report of the committee, which also called for the scrapping of the National Examination Council, NECO, would set the entire education sector in turmoil.

The text said JAMB's “noble

objective was to ameliorate the chaotic situation that characterised access to the few universities then by the candidates. Especially, where

incidents of multiple applications and multiple admissions denied several candidates admissions into those universities where the offers were declined.

“Scrapping the UTME will also forment the grounds for mediocrity, nepotism, ethnic and religious jingoism in the tertiary institutions since their individual

examinations and their attendant admission processes will expectedly be fraught with questionable and discriminatory practices.”

93% Northern Girls lack Secondary Education – Sanusi

T

he Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, on Thursday, decried the low literacy level in the North saying that 93 per cent of female children in the region lacked secondary education.

The apex bank boss, who said this at this year's Isaac Moghalu Foundation Leadership Lecture and Symposium held in Abuja, said the situation, if left unchecked, was detrimental to the economy.

The governor sited Jigawa State, where school completion rate among female is as low as seven per cent as an example.

Net enrolment of girls in schools in the country, according to him, is 22 per cent.

He said, “In the North-West, 70 per cent of women between 20 and 29 are unable to read, compared to 9.7 per cent in the South West.

“Only three per cent of females complete secondary education in the Northern zone. Now how do you build the country when 93 per cent of the girls in the most populous region of the country do not complete secondary schools?

“We are only treating the symptoms and not the ailment.

We are spending so much on security compared to education and healthcare services. We

cannot succeed in security without fixing the original problems “If the women are sent to school and they have access to proper healthcare services, there may not be need to spend so much on

security.”

He described illiteracy among women in the region as frightening, adding that senior female officials in the country had not done enough to assist the women folk.

Sanusi said, “The problem we have is that women are their own enemies. If you are a female minister or hold an important public position and after four years you cannot say what you did for women, shame on you.

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

25

Obi's Convention suffers setback as A' Court restores Umeh APGA Chairman

By Ted Peters & Uba Ani, Enugu

T

he battle for the control of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) machinery took a dramatic turn Monday as the Court of Appeal Enugu Division ordered the restoration of Chief Victor Umeh to his office as APGA National Chairman.

This came few hours after the party's National Convention organized by Governor Peter Obi's faction in Awka, Anambra State capital in the wee hours of Monday and elected new members of the National Working Committee led by Chief Maxi Okwu, who was earlier appointed interim national chairman by the Obi faction.

The Obi faction which had been at loggerheads with Umeh and Governor Rochas Okorocha factions of the party, elected 28 new national officers at the convention which began at the Women Development Centre, Awka at about midnight Sunday.

Elected along with Maxi Okwu, were Alhaji Sigir Maidoya, Secretary, Alhaji Sadeeq Massala, National ViceChairman ( North), Chief Chris Uche, National Vice-Chairman (South), Dr. Elijah Onwuka , National Vice- Chairman (SouthEast), Alhaji Tijani idris, National Vice-Chairman (North West), among others. Okwu said the successful congress and convention marked a new dawn in the history of the party.

He thanked the delegates for their peaceful conduct and deep sense of commitment throughout the exercise and promised to work with others to recreate the vision of the founding fathers of APGA. “I would work harmoniously with everyone to re-invent the vision of the party in line with the vision of the founding fathers.

A P G A s h a l l b e s t r o n g e r, progressive and formidable,'' Okwu said.

In his remarks, Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra said it was the first time any political party conducted

Governor Peter Obi a successful convention without rancour or acrimony. He urged the executive to carry everyone along, resolve all differences and work towards a stronger party.

Obi expressed the hope that the party would consolidate on its current strength and emerge victorious in the coming elections.

The convention had earlier ratified the resolutions of the March 19, National Executive council meeting of the party and approved a part of the constitution of the party.

But while Governor Obi and members of his faction were celebrating the successful conduct of their convention in Awka, Chief Umeh and members of his faction including some national officers of the party were at the Court of Appeal, Enugu waiting for the judgment of the appellate court on the application for a stay of execution of the Enugu State High Court which restrained him (Umeh) from parading himself as APGA National Chairman.

Contrary to the expectation of Governor Obi's faction which sponsored Mr. Jude Okuli's case against Umeh, the Appeal Court ordered the restoration of the sacked National Chairman to office saying the status quo as at February 8 before the Enugu High court ordered him to vacate office be maintained pending the determination of the appeal pending before the court.

The three-man panel of justices including Justice Paul Galinje (Chairman), Justices F. A. Kwasami and Tom Yakubu unanimously ruled that since the

Chief Victor Umeh appellant (Umeh) duly appealed against the decision of the lower court presided by Justice Innocent Umezulike, Chief Judge of Enugu State, challenging his jurisdiction and accusing him of bias, the status quo ought to be maintained pending the determination of the appeal.

Justice Galinje, who delivered the lead ruling, said that the court agreed with the submissions by the applicant's counsels, Patrick Ikweto, SAN and Chief Wale Olanipekun, SAN, that the injunctive order made against Chief Umeh by the lower court was capable of causing him and APGA irreparable damages if the status quo was not maintained while the matter was pending at the appeal court.

He said that the respondent, Mr. Jude Okuli, an expelled member of the party in Enugu State, did not file a counteraffidavit, adding that when the bailiff made an attempt to serve him the applicant's motion and other processes, he refused to accept the court processes including the application for stay of execution. The processes were therefore dropped for him at the place he was met.

The court said it was convinced from the affidavit deposed to by the court bailiff that the respondent was duly served and therefore could not accept his excuses that he was not served processes in the matter and hence failed to file a counter-affidavit denying or accepting the facts presented by the applicant.

“I have taken note of the fact

that there is no affidavit in opposition to the supporting affidavit filed by the applicant.

The law is settled that upon the receipt of the applicant's motion paper together with affidavit in support and exhibits attached, the respondent is duty bound to file a counter affidavit if he intends to controvert the deposition of the applicant. Where a respondent to an application failed to deny the facts deposed in an affidavit through filing of a counteraffidavit, those facts are being admitted and the court shall rely on the facts so presented by the applicant,” Justice Galinje said.

The court agreed that “an appeal per say does not operate as a stay of execution” but the same law did not prescribe in favour of any execution being carried out during the pendency of an appeal.

“The section does not give any license directly or indirectly for the issuance and execution of any processes which might be offensive,” he said, stressing that the group identified as stakeholders of APGA which attempted to conduct fresh convention of the party while the appeal was pending, was out of place.

“Whatever it is, it is the duty of this court to ensure that whichever way the orders are made upon the determination of this appeal, they are not rendered impotent. The applicant's herein is exercising his right of appeal as provided for under section 240 of the Constitution and the rules of this court.

It is therefore the duty of this court to protect the exercise of that right and to ensure that lawful and regular proceedings are not rendered useless by the actions of the stakeholders of the party,” he held.

Justice Galinje therefore granted the stay of execution of the order of the Enugu State High court restraining the applicant from parading himself as the National Chairman of APGA pending the determination of the substantive appeal filed before the court.

The court, however, rejected

the application for accelerated hearing of the appeal made by the applicant saying the process of accelerated hearing has already been put in place by the applicant's counsels. He made no order as to cost.

Shortly after the ruling, the counsel for the APGA stakeholders, Mr. S. T. Abba, who had brought two applications for joinder in the matter, withdrew the motions having been rendered useless by the ruling of the court granting the stay of execution and they were subsequently struck out.

Speaking with newsmen after the ruling which was heralded by wild jubilation from scores of APGA chieftains and supporters that converged on the appeal court premises, Chief Umeh said that the party was happy by the ruling of the court, which he said, had restored his confidence in the judiciary.

He said that any attack on him was an attack on the party, accusing Governor Peter Obi of being the architect of the problem in the party despite being the greatest beneficiary of the party's fight for justice.

Umeh said that those who colluded with Obi to organize the kangaroo national convention of the party in the wee hours of Monday, would be sanctioned even as he alleged that signatures of 24 out of 29 state chairmen of the party were forged by the Obi faction in order to convince INEC to attend the fake convention.

On the party's next line of action towards the activity of the Maxi Okwu, interim national chairman appointed by Governor Obi, Umeh maintained that Okwu who was expelled from the party alongside Chief Chekwas Okorie had never been readmitted into the party and couldn't have a valid claim to membership of the party not to talk about being appointed or elected as interim national chairman. Umeh, however, thanked all members of the party for their commitment and support assuring that the APGA family would remain intact and focused under his leadership.

HORROR: Lady found dead without eyes, tongue in Jos

R

itual killers on Monday struck in Jos, killing and removing the eyes and tongue of a young lady in Twanchit Village at Tudun Wada in the Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau.

The police in Jos confirmed the incident but said they had no details yet.

Residents who woke up to the ugly sight, said that the crime took place around 1:00 a.m. and that the victim could not be identified.

They said, however, that the area had a lot of drinking spots that operated late into the night

and that the assailants could have hidden under that to carryout the crime.

The corpse had no visible mark or injury an indication that the assailants had strangled her before plucking out her eyes and tongue.

The corpse, dumped by the riverside was neatly dressed in a blue jean trousers and T-shirt at the time of discovery before security operatives took it away at about 8:45 a.m.

The murder threw Twanchit residents into pensive mood as most of the people who trooped to the scene to see the ugly sight left

weeping.

Confirming the incident, Mr Adigun Salau, the Police Public Relations Officer, said the command took notice of the incident but that details were still sketchy.

He said, however, that investigation had commenced.

A resident, Rev. Joseph Bot of the Plateau Peace Movement International, said that the incident took the residents by surprise.

He said that the nature of the killing indicated that it was for ritual purposes but said that other

factors could be involved.

Bot advised parents, to monitor the movement of their children, especially young ladies, who kept late nights.

“We have a lot of drinking joints in the area. I have a strong feeling that the crises in Jos has given birth to a lot of hatred, poverty and lack of trust among the people.

“I notice that a lot of young ladies stay late in these drinking joints, a trend which is dangerous.

I wonder whether they have parents.

“It is unfortunate she has to pay

the price, girls should curtail their movements.

“Whatever they cannot do in the daytime they should not use the night time to do it because in Plateau State the times are dangerous.”

“Immediately I saw what happened, I called the SSS while some other persons called the police.

“It is a big trauma, in this area; anytime you come out in the night you see a lot of girls at late hours,” Bot stated.

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THE

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

The Advocate Gospel This Week

GET READY TO RECEIVE Text: John 20:21-23 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you!

As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." (NIV) Narration Jesus had come through the locked doors. Only one day previously, the disciples had no hope because they thought Jesus was dead. Their whole lives had been bound to His: His work was their work and His presence was their peace. And that was going to continue. But there would be a big difference. Jesus was alive but with a resurrection body; He would appear among them and then disappear as He chose over the next 39 days getting them ready for His ascension.

However, Jesus had promised not to leave the disciples alone (John 14:15-18 ). The Holy Spirit would come. He would breathe the life of Jesus into them, so Jesus commanded them to welcome the Holy Spirit.

The work of Jesus had not come to an end, it would be continued by the Holy Spirit working through the disciples. In the same way that the Father had sent the Son to announce God's kingdom, Jesus commissioned His disciples to continue the mission. They were to announce that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven.

The same instructions come to us. The Holy Spirit is promised and given to every child of God; but He must be received and welcomed. He will give us power to do all that Jesus wants us to do, but we need to cooperate with the Spirit. Each day He wants to use us in His mission to the world, announcing that every sin can be forgiven for those who believe in Jesus. He wants our faith to be vibrantly relating to Him so that we can work flexibly with Him in the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us welcome Him today and every day, consciously in tune with Him so that we can work alongside Him.

Niger Delta Minister lauds Bridge Builder Church.

By Philip Eke, Yenagoa

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he minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godday Orubebe has stressed the holistic need of all Christians to live in peace and harmony and more so pray for the prosperity of Bayelsa State and Nigeria in general.

The minister made the revelation during the dedication/thanksgiving service of Bridge Builder Church at Opolo in Yenagoa, Elder Orubebe who was one of the guest speakers at the event preached on Christians loving each other and to be their brother's keeper, church should not be run as a family business, none should not be a husband and wife affairs “serve God foolishly, nothing is to hard to God, with God all things are possible”.

Tasking pastors to give stewardship to God and not to man, Orubebe urged Christians to reckoned their faith in God to overcome their pressure and challenges. “ Av o i d g r e e d a n d selfishness” another Guest

speaker at the epoch making event, Apostle Ben Offiong (BOWO) Port Harcourt, asked Christians to be always stead fast, dedicated, love one another, seek God presence always and be at peace with one another, describing the senior pastor Orubebe of the bridge building church Yenagoa as a resounding, intelligent man of God of high repute. He commended the senior pastor and members of the church for their commitment in building the unique sanctuary.

Senior Pastor Orubebe, who recalled how he was called into the ministry, said: "One faithful morning in the Hon. Minister's parlor (Minister of Niger Delta Affairs) during morning devotion one Pst. Sam Oyadele was ministering and he was led to minister to so many persons prophetically, "he came to me from the inner side while he was by the door and he said to me, my brother you are a pastor, please God said you should go and start his work, it didn't take me by surprise

because as I was waiting for a second confirmation, after the session I was asked to come forward and all the men of God in that session prayed and anointed me.

“My call was indeed at the instance of the Hon. Minister Niger Delta Affairs. Elder Godsday Peter Amafiniowei Orubebe (CON). Biblically speaking it was a spiritual birth of a new born baby, and thereafter, I informed the entire Orubebe family of my calling and indeed promised them and God that he will not disappoint or let them down but they should not also expect me to compromise because of their desires," he said.

Pastor Orubebe use the medium to appeal to the Bayelsa State Government for construction of those roads whose drawings had been approved by the Civil Engineering Department of the ministry of works, since August, 2012, for easy access and opening up to the venue, as according to him, lack of accessibility has seriously hindered the growth of the church.

Pastor Adeboye of Redeemed Church justifies purchase of Private Jet

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit so that I can know the presence of Jesus with me every day. Forgive me for taking Him for granted and not welcoming Him every day, nor relying on His power to serve You. Please help me to realise the great privilege You have given me to continue the mission of Jesus in the places where I live and work. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Pastor Adeboye

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r. Adeboye said the jet is necessary for God's work. Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, has justified his purchase of a private jet saying it is necessary for his work.

Mr. Adeboye, one of the most respected Christian leaders in Nigeria and the head of the Redeemed Church that has millions of members across 160 countries, stated this in

an interview with global news channel, Aljazeera.

The pastor said “there are things you need,” to perform the task he does as the general overseer. “When you have to oversee churches in 160 countries, you can't do that on a bicycle,” he said in response to a specific question on whether he needed to have acquired a private jet.

Though considered unique in his simple appearance and un-flamboyant lifestyle, Mr.

Adeboye is one of the increasing numbers of Pentecostal pastors that have acquired private jets, leading to condemnations by some Nigerians.

The other private jet acquiring pastors include David Oyedepo, the head of the Living Faith Church Wo r l d w i d e ; a n d Ay o Oritsejafor, the current President of the Christian Association of Nigeria.

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

By Patrick Okolie

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OVERNOR Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has described access to information as one of the cornerstones of democracy as it gives the individual the right to obtain public information in a manner that allows him to hold and express sound opinions on national issues.

The Governor who stated this yesterday in an address at the South East zonal workshop on access to Information and Democratic Governance in Enugu further described the Freedom of Information Act which conferred the right of access to information on the people of Nigeria as one of the most important laws enacted under the current Federal Government administration in its pursuit of a transformation agenda for the nation.

Chime who was represented by the State Attorney General and

By Abraham Ajaero, Portharcourt

T

he Rivers state Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has been described as a strong force and one of the leaders of the ruling PDP. Chief Tony Anenih the PDP Board of Trustee Chairman stated this in Port Harcourt when he led a delegation of other BOT members of the party to Rivers state to consult with Governor Amaechi over important national and party issues in the PDP. According to Anenih “We are here this morning to meet the governor of Rivers State to discuss issues that are important to the corporate existence of this country, issues that will help us stabilize the system, issues that will make the PDP stronger and issues that will make us live in a decent society.

We are here to consult with him as one of the leaders of the party and again I think I am a part of Rivers State'. He commended Governor Amaechi for bringing good governance to the people of Rivers State.

Responding, Governor Amaechi assured BOT Chairman that the PDP in Rivers State is peaceful.

He recalled that the PDP supporters in the state gave two million votes to President Goodluck Jonathan during the last Presidential election and maintained that his administration would encourage the people of the state to continue to vote for the PDP in subsequent elections. The Governor said, “Chairman, we

Governor Chime Commissioner for Justice Mr Tony Ani, noted that the FOI vested on the citizens of the country with the statutory powers

to ensure transparency and accountability in the public services as they now had the right to access to information on almost

formally welcome you and your delegation. Like we did say to you, PDP in Rivers State is peaceful. We also have told you that we produced 2 million votes for the President. So we thank you for coming. All we are saying to you is tell the party to please treat us well so that we can encourage our people to continue to vote for PDP. We are members of PDP and

we will remain members of PDP. We wish you God's blessings and to say have a safe trip”.

Also speaking, the deputy chairman of the PDP in Rivers State, Mr. Dagogo Eli Legg-Jack who represented the Party Chairman, Chief Godspower Ake re-echoed Amaechi's statement that PDP in Rivers State is one and not divided. “Our dear chairman,

By Abraham Ajaero, Portharcourt

T

he Port Harcourt Refining Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has solicited the support and cooperation of the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to help secure crude oil supply pipelines in the state and ensure uninterrupted supply of petroleum products to Rivers State and other parts of the country.

The new Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Mr Ian G. Udoh made the appeal when he led a delegation of top managers of the company on a courtesy visit to the Rivers State Governor at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

He said: “Our main mission here is to while seeking ongoing support and cooperation from Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, we also need very strong support in securing the crude oil supply

pipeline. Similar measures have been taken successes have been achieved in the product evacuation line”.

He named the problems confronting the Port Harcourt Refining Company to include pipeline vandalization and crude oil and products theft.

According to him, the vandalization of oil pipeline disrupt the normal supply of petroleum products and sought the governor's assistance to fight the menace. “This is the greatest threat to the existence of refining in this country, also to this Port Harcourt Refining Company and its operations. The crude oil supply pipelines have been under a spate of unprecedented attacks in recent times and products evacuation pipelines suffer similar threats”, he said.

Udoh disclosed that all NNPC refineries in the country would in the next few years undergo an original builder - led rehabilitation that would increase their capacity utilization to 90 per cent.

On corporate social responsibility,

27

everything done by and in public institutions.

He, however, noted that the importance and consequence of the Freedom of Information would not be appreciated or benefits fully realized if conscious and concerted efforts were not made to bring it to the door steps of those saddled with the task of enforcing and implementing it as well as to those of the ordinary citizens of the country.

He commended the Federal Ministry of Justice and all its partners for the initiative to embark on the sensitization campaign adding that his administration would offer all necessary assistance and cooperation to ensure that the intended goals and objectives were fully realized.

Earlier in n address, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke said that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan had instructed that the Freedom of Information Act should be

administered with diligence and clarity.

He expressed satisfaction that some states in the country were in the process of enacting their freedom of information laws adding that the implementation of the act was one of the cardinal strategies of his office.

He called on Pubic institutions to be ready to answer requests for information and enjoined them also to practice good records management to ensure that information is identified and retrieved.

He further noted that though there were significant challenges that confront the implementation of the Freedom of Information laws public officers must learn to shift from a culture of secrecy to one of transparency among others.

He added that the office of the Head of Service of the Federation had made training in the implementation of the act a priority for the federal civil service.

The AGF also called for a sustained dialogue between all stakeholders to engender a culture of transparency and accountability in governance.

this is PDP Rivers State. You are a grandfather to the state. Rivers people are known to be one. We've not been divided, that is why as far as PDP elections are concerned in Nigeria, we don't disappoint the people of Nigeria. We thank you for your visit and hope that any wrong done to the state will be corrected by you as a grandfather”.

It would be recalled that Chief Tony Anenih and his group have been on reconciliatory mission in all the PDP controlled states in the country in the past weeks.

Other PDP BOT members on Anenih's delegation include the PDP national Vice Chairman, Dr. Sam Jaja, Prof. Jerry Gana, Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas and Chief Ebenezer Babatope.

the Managing Director noted that there is a good relationship between the Port Harcourt Refining Company and its host communities.

He congratulated Governor Amaechi on his most recent Vanguard Personality of the Year 2012 Award, describing the award as “an eloquent testimony Sir of your record of outstanding service to the good people of Rivers State.

Your government has hallmarks of commitment, hard work and above all innovation. You have also brought about a congenial and relatively peaceful atmosphere that engenders economic growth both for individuals, the economy and the entrepreneurship in Rivers State. This is just one of the many accolades you have received and will continue to receive”.

Responding, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi said: “Let me welcome you to Port Harcourt and say to you that it brings me joy when you say that there is an improvement in refining in Nigeria. I Hope you know that you are fighting a group of people that

would prefer importation of finished product than for it to be refined here, so I will partner with you in that regard and I wish you success”.

While he expressed his administration's readiness to secure crude oil supply pipelines in the state, he urged the Port Harcourt Refining Company and other oil multinationals in the state to be truly involved to work with the state government to provide the needed security for oil pipelines, disclosing that the state government has acquired two surveillance helicopters for checking crime in the state. “You must then join the oil companies to bear the cost of operations and maintenance, yearly or monthly. I don't want to know how, because we brought the money to be able to purchase those two helicopters.

They are bullet-proof, they are equipped with sophisticated security gadgets and they record in real time”, Amaechi said.

The governor also appealed to the Port Harcourt Refining Company to consistently carry out its corporate social responsibilities to its host communities in the state.

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FG resolves hostility against Nigerian traders in Ghana

T

he Federal Government has succeeded in ending reported hostilities against Nigerian traders in Ghana by securing a reversal of the Ghanaian government's closure of over 40 shops belonging to Nigerian traders. The shops were closed on February 6, 2013 for alleged violation of Ghana's laws on trading by foreigners.

The agreement to re-open the shops was reached at a meeting between the Ghanaian Minister of Trade and Industry, Haruna Idrissu, and the Nigerian delegation to Ghana, led by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom.

The decision of the Federal Government to send a delegation to Ghana to tackle the difficulties being faced by the Nigerian

traders was to further reaffirm its commitment to the welfare of Nigerians at home and abroad. The Ghanaian trade minister pointed out some issues of violation of mutual agreement, which the Nigerian government promised to look into, stating however that he was happy with Nigeria's way of handling the issue.

According to reports by the traders, the shops, belonging to Nigerian traders in the Okaishie Market area in the Central Business District, Accra, were closed in February by Ghanaian authorities and traders ordered to vacate the place without any alternative.

A notice signed by the Ghanaian authorities and pasted on the shops, titled, 'Non Ghanaians Engaged in Trading in Market Places' read, “It has come to the notice of the taskforce that you are

engaged in trading activities in the market place. Your activities contravene section 18 of GPIC Law 1194 (Act 478). ”Please take notice that your continuous operations from the market will no more be countenanced and that your shops have been permanently closed from today. In case you have any difficulties related to the actions of the task force, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.”

The decision of the Ghanaian authorities was, however, reversed following the intervention of the Nigerian Government, led by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

Ortom had assured that his ministry would work with its foreign affairs counterpart towards ending the harassment of

Minister of Trade & Investment, Olusegun Aganga Nigerian traders in Ghana while speaking during the inauguration of the National Organising Committee for the 7th ECOWAS Trade Fair holding in Accra from October 24 to November 4.

Ortom said, “We are working with our foreign affairs counterpart to ensure that we interface with Ghanaian officials to stop the harassment of our traders in Ghana.

Ban on importation of rice in 2016 achievable – Prof Marley

By Our Reporter

M

anaging Director of Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority, Professor Paul Marley has said that the proposed total ban of rice importation in 2016 as announced by President Goodluck Jonathan two days ago is achievable and assured that there was no cause for alarm over the policy.

Speaking in an interview with our correspondent in Minna, Niger state yesterday, the Managing Director said with what is on the ground across the country today, the proposal has not only come as a cheering news but should be seen as a laudable policy which should be embraced by all Nigerians especially the rice farmers.

“Most of the River Basins today are going through revitalization and part of which, is the opening up of new land for irrigation activities that will increase rice production in the nearest future,” he said.

According to the Director, “In our own particular case, (Upper Niger River Basin) we have opened up the Tungan Kawo Irrigation scheme in Wushishi from 300 to 600 hectares last year and this year, we hope to complete the remaining 200 to make up the 800 hectares targeted and no fewer than 500 farmers will benefit from the expansion.”

Professor Marley said besides this expansion, the Doko and the Jebba Irrigation schemes have started adding and that of Jebba has even been upgraded to a project office with a project officer resident there is an act of more

towards boosting rice production.

The Managing Director revealed that another 200 hectres of irrigation scheme is to take off in Jere along Kaduna this year and that those ongoing in Kurudu and Gada Biu are almost ready too.

“These are projects we can see aimed at accelerating rice production and so, I believe that we are poised more than ever before to produce rice in this country and with other River Basins which are even larger schemes than us like the Hadeija Jamare among others, we should b e able to increase food commitment to actualize the Likarbu, Kaduna state has taken dream. Pointing out that another off last year and work has production in the country irrigation project located in advanced to about 45%, all generally through irrigation,” the

Managing Director assured.

Professor Marley however advised that state governments and even individuals should focus more attention on setting up of rice mills especially where rice is being produced massively in order to improve the quality of the local production.

The Managing Director advised intending investors in this sector to take advantage of financial assistance by Bank of Industry to finance such project.

According to him “The Bank has gone into collaboration with some individuals in parts of the South East to establish excellent rice mills and if we have such mill located here in Badeggi, Niger state too, farmers from all over the state and environs can come down and process their rice and so, it is something achievable.”

NDIC pays N90bn to depositors of failed banks Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NDIC, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation has paid N90.13 billion to depositors of the 48 deposit money banks inliquidation in the country as at December 31, 2012.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NDIC, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim disclosed this Friday in Benin City, Edo State, during an address he delivered on the occasion of the NDIC Special Day at the 2013 Niger-Delta Trade Fair.

The NDIC Managing Director stated that the current payments represented an increase of about N10 billion when compared to

N80.18 billion paid to depositors of such failed banks as at December 31, 2011.

Similarly, he said N2.50 billion h a d b e e n p a i d t o depositors of the 103 closed micro-finance banks, as at 31st December, 2012 as against N2.25 billion that was paid to the insured depositors of the closed MFBs as at the end of December 2011.

However, the NDIC boss whose address was read by Mr. Sunday Oluyemi, Zonal Controller, NDIC Benin, lamented that on few instances, delay in payment were experienced due to court cases instituted by shareholders of the affected banks against the Central Bank of Nigeria and the NDIC challenging the revocation of their

bank's licences.

“NDIC has consistently guaranteed prompt payment to all depositors of the 48 banks inliquidation since 1994 to date. The reimbursement cycle has been progressive from the period covering 90 days of liquidation of failed banks in 1994 when direct payment was made on the premises of the closed banks to 30 days in 2004 when Purchase and Assumption (P&A) resolution was adopted and within 48 hours when the bridge bank approach was adopted,” he stated.

Umaru seized the opportunity to appeal to all depositors of banksin-liquidation to come forward and claim their deposit if they have not done so. And this he said can be done through the branches of NDIC and agents located in every part of the country.

On his part, the Edo State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Macdonald Obasuke said that the prompt intervention by the NDIC had rekindled the trust of Nigerians in the banking industry.

Obasuke who was represented at the occasion by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ms. Osayuware Idahosa pledged the state government's commitment to the total transformation of the state's economy “by providing an atmosphere suitable for investors.”

He noted that the government of Adams Oshiomhole was partnering with several local and foreign financial institutions like the Bank of Industry to make funds available to small and medium scale entrepreneurs in the state.

THE

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T

he talented vocalist in an interview on Rubbin' Minds, aired on Channels TV told show host Ebuka how she feels about giving birth to her daughter Kamila at the peak of her music career.

Answering Ebuka's question on whether she regrets bringing a child to the world during that period of her life, Omawumi responded 'She was more important than everything and everyone else'.

She also confessed that people

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

close to her had tried to talk her out of it but that she 'had a blind conviction that nobody could talk her out of'. 'Of course people tried to talk me out of it…I said let the career fall, I will back my daughter and sell tomatoes. She is more important to me'.

She also explained her marital status: 'I didn't come with that intention to be a single parent, however, now that I've found myself in that position, I'm going to enjoy and walk in the stride until when God brings the man that will come and you know…’

R

iri flashes the middle finger while her mum Monica stays cool.

Rihanna took time off her busy tour schedule to spend some time with her mother Monica Braithwaite who was celebrating her birthday over the weekend.

Good girl gone bad? Riri's mum couldn't be bothered when the top singer flashed a middle finger to the camera. The pair had been quite busy shoe shopping in Beverly Hills, California.

Rihanna later brought out her inner child, laying up on her mum's laps.

'Getting comfy!

I always feel so rue to Peter Okoye's prediction in November last year safe and at when he tweeted that his twin brother Paul and home laying girlfriend Anita would have a boy like him, Paul and just like this on Anita now have baby, Andre Okoye in their arms. her lap!',.

Anita gave birth in faraway Atlanta USA and her boyfriend; proud father Paul showed off his bundle of joy.

Congrats to the new parents.

T

Jim Iyke ready to go unscripted from April 17

J

im Iyke says his reality TV show, Unscripted will begin airing on Wednesday, April 17, 2013. The show, according to his team, is jointly produced by Africa Magic and Oh Africa

TV. Iyke's team hopes the 'real life' show will help the public have a better understanding of the often controversial actor.

Jim Iyke is the second Nigerian celebrity to run a reality TV show, following in the steps of fellow actor Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde whose show debuted in December, 2012.

Paul and son

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Nigerian clubs in the continental soccer championship ‌ A week of low harvests

By Okey Anyichie

L

a s t w e e k e n d engagements of Nigerian football clubs in both league and CAF competitions were very uninspiring at different parts of the continent. First the only football club that survived the winter of eliminations in both continental competitions was Rangers football club of Enugu.

Rangers international football club last Saturday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu outscored the visiting club-side from Burundi, Vital O' of Bujumbura by 2-0.

It would be recalled that the Enugu club-side, two weeks ago travelled to Burundi and held their hosts, Vital 'O of Bujumbura to a goalless draw.

Based on the outcome of the second leg played in Enugu last Sunday, Rangers shot into the third round of the competition on the goal aggregate of 2-0.

In another development, the other Nigerian entry in the continental league soccer fiesta, Kano Pillars clashed out of the league championship in Congo Brazzaville. Kano Pillars were overwhelmed by their hosts, A.C Leopard football club of Brazzaville by 3-0. Kano Pillars two weeks ago walloped their visitors, A.C Leopard 4-1.

The Congolese club-side has earned the ticket to the next round of the competition after a 4-4 draw on away goal they scored in Kano Pillars two weeks ago counting double.

Rangers football club of Enugu.

Kano Pillars In the Confederation of African Football [CAF] cup

competition, the Lobi Stars of Makurdi were roundly trounced

encounter. Lobi Stars in Makurdi defeated the visiting Mozambican club, Liga Maculmana by 3-1. But on aggregate goals of 8-4, the Nigerian club-side, Lobi Stars lost the race to the next round of the competition.

Meanwhile another Nigerian club-side in the recent continental competition, Heartland football club of Owerri were walked over in Libreville Gabon as a result of late arrival for the competition with their Gabonese hosts.

Heartland of Owerri, last two weeks pipped their guests from Gabon by 2-1.

With the outcome of last weekend's encounters, and Rangers FC the only Nigerian club-side in the continental soccer competition, the picture of the Nigerian outings to the competition is very colourless.

It has said in clear language the standard of league soccer competition at every segment of the game of football.

It is now left for Rangers to take Nigeria to greater heights in this year's continental soccer competition.

After all said and done last weekend's encounters that saw three Nigerian club-sides crashing out of the continental soccer competitions are enough evidence that our soccer body the Nigerian Football Federation [NFF] should go back to the drawing board to fine tune our league soccer competitions to avoid a situation that our club football is still wearing toga of mediocrity.

by 7-1 in Maputo, Mozambique last Friday in the second leg

Nigeria wins maiden edition of AYAC in Warri

By Okey Anyichie

T

he seven day All-Africa Yo u t h a t h l e t i c s championship ended last Sunday in Warri, with Nigeria emerging the over-all winners.

Nigerian junior athletics team bagged a total of 13 gold, ten silver and twelve bronze medals to come first, while Egypt came into the second position with eight gold, six silver and two bronze medals, while Ethiopia brought the rear to a third position with six gold, thirteen silver and six bronze medals. Kenya, the African strong country in track events, came a distant fourth position with five gold four silver and two bronze medals.

Reports from Warri state that a total of thirty three African countries participated in this maiden edition of the athletics events in Warri Nigeria.

The highlight of the championship was the winning of 200 metres race by a Nigerian athlete, Oduduru Ejowokoghene Divine in a time of 21.56 seconds.

Nigeria’s Gloria Onome won the girls' 400 metres hurdles race in a time of 51.43 seconds.

Another highlight of the performances at the championship was the winning of 5 kilometres walk race by the Ethiopian athlete, Demoze Tege Gebretsadeke, in a time of 29 minutes 31.01 seconds.

The governor of Delta State,

Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan watched the grand finale of the seven day youth athletics championship held in Warri, Delta state. With the end of this seven day championship, it is expected that N i g e r i a Athletics federation would pick the winners of this continental championship in Warri and groom them for future international a t h l e t i c s

championships like the Commonwealth, Olympic and

All-Africa games coming up in 2014, 2016 and 2015.

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Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

V

eteran sports administrator, Pa John Ojidoh is not excited by calls for the recall of West Brom of England forward, Peter Osaze Odemwinge to the Super Eagles.

The former chairman of defunct Bendel State Football Association said that such calls were ill-timed and would be counter productive.

“Those who want Osaze to be recalled with a charged Yobo are sponsoring terrorism in the national team,” Pa Ojidoh said in an interview.

After recalling, with fear, the recent posturing of the former Lokomotive Moscow attacker against Nigerian football authorities and the national team coaches, Ojidoh said, “with time bombs already dropped by Osaze on both the NFF and the coach, if he is called to camp with recently disgruntled players, the bombs will explode and shatter all the unity, peace, love, loyalty and productivity in the Super Eagles camp.”

Osaze's penchant for face-offs with national team coaches from Shaibu Amodu, Lars Lagerback, Samson Siasia to the present coach, Stephen Keshi has become legendary and Pa Ojidoh does not see this as an attribute that can bring the desired peace and unity in Eagles camp.

“No decent organisation can safely accommodate Osaze's antisocial

Keshi propensity.

He needs time, prayer, advice and perhaps therapy to be rehabilitated.”

When Keshi considered recalling him last year Osaze told Keshi on phone that he was not happy that he was substituted during a Nations Cup qualifier in Rwanda and hoped such would not happen again.

Keshi told him that if he had his way he would have changed many players that day

Osaze but that FIFA rules allowed only three changes. Keshi discussed with his assistants and their general conclusion was that Osaze, having appeared to be giving conditions for his return to Eagles, was not yet ready for the national team service.

They left him out and he took to the social media, Twitter where he lambasted both the coach and the Nigeria Football Federation.

I

t is a matter of time for Amodu Shuaibu to assume office as the new Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation.

James Peters, Kashimawo Laloku and Amodu met the federation for the job Tuesday but we have it on good authority that Amodu is favoured to take the job. The federation also considered some way of accommodating Peters and Laloku to assist Amodu but that would depend on their finances.

“Amodu has been given the job.

He was favoured even before the visit to the federation on Tuesday,” a Federation source said last night.

The names were announced during the meeting of the Technical Committee on Tuesday.

The names of Fatai Amoo, Baba Jibril and David Ngodigha were also announced as the ones to tinker the Olympic team.

President of NFF, Aminu Maigari was said to have explained to the meeting why the federation was downsizing the backroom staff of

the Super Eagles. He said that coaches of the Eagles and their backroom staff were up to 17, a

UEFA Champions League: Messi saves Barca

L

ionel Messi has never been short on late-game heroics, and not even a sore hamstring stopped him from going on as a substitute to help Barcelona rally for a 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain and a place in the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday.

Barcelona advanced on the away goals rule after its 2-2 draw in Paris last week meant the contest

finished 3-3 on aggregate, but not without showing just how much it depends on Messi against major opponents.

Messi, who had injured his right leg after scoring in their first match, was only cleared to play an hour before kickoff. He went on in the 62nd minute with his team losing 1-0 after Javier Pastore's opener and struggling to find its form. It took him nine minutes to

number too large for the federation to sustain.

He said that henceforth, Eagles start the decisive move that Pedro Rodriguez finished off to put Barcelona into a sixth straight semifinal and on course for a fourth Champions League title in eight seasons.

Also on Wednesday, Bayern Munich beat Juventus 2-0 to go through 4-0 on aggregate. Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund are the other semifinalists in Friday's draw.

"Leo is an extraordinary player. We knew that we had the option of playing him if the score wasn't favorable,"

Osaze has also been having running battles with his England club, Westbrom.

Recognising the talent in Osaze, Pa

Ojidoh said he prayed “God to grant him the serenity to know the things he can't change.

Courage to change those things he can change and the wisdom to know the difference of both.”

would have two assistant coaches and one goalkeeper trainer. Other national teams will also be affected according to NFF who said their lean funding compelled these decisions. Match bonuses of the Eagles were also slashed to the former amount of $5,000 as winning bonus. The Presidential Task Force for 2010 World Cup increased it that year to $10,000 and NFF continued paying that after the World Cup. Sylvanus Okpala has been relieved of his job as an assistant coach to Stephen Keshi and the NFF said it was also for lean funding which could not sustain t h e c u r r e n t s t a f f . Va l e r e Hoaundinou, we gathered, may continue if only Keshi could afford to be paying him from his own salary.

NFF paid Valere and Okpala 50 per cent of their bonuses during the Nations Cup. NFF vice President Chief Mike Umeh said Tuesday night that the NFF did not discuss the sacking of Okpala but the federation in it's Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura said. "Leo knows when to push it and when to put the brakes on. Not being 100 percent, he still has the same attitude and motivation to win."

PSG's main threat in the early stages was striker Ezequiel Lavezzi, who forced goalkeeper Victor Valdes into action twice before the quarter-hour mark, while Lucas sailed a long shot over the bar in the 19th.

"You could argue that we shouldn't have (been eliminated)," said PSG

reaction yesterday lied that Chief Umeh ever said such a thing. They did not, however, say that the board ever discussed the sacking of any coach even as it is known that they must not necessarily do so.

The leadership of the Federation was also said to have frowned at the attitude of Keshi for traveling out of the country without leave.

Semi-final fixtures of European League Championship 2013 1st- Leg:

Bayern Mumich FC Germany Vs Barcelona FC Spain Barossia Dortmund FC Germany Vs Real Madrid FC Spain coach Carlo Ancelotti. In the first half we could have scored. We had two or three good chances, and when we did score we could have added another. Messi going on gave his teammates, and the fans, a boost of confidence, even if he wasn't 100 percent.”

Pastore put PSG ahead when he worked a one-two with Ibrahimovic on the break to beat the offside trap, before holding off Dani Alves and using his left foot to scoop the ball over the sliding Valdes.

Vol. 1 No. 20, Monday, April 15 - Sunday, April 21, 2013

Julius Aghahowa

Back page comment

The Tafa Balogun Example

By Okechukwu Alaku

T

he bi-ennial Police Games recently held in Port Harcourt is over with a lot of lessons, as expected in sporting activities which attract a mixture of participants from various localities. The most outstanding being the presence of former Inspector General of Police Mr. Tafa Balogun whom his admirers cheered his presence with great

situation centers on education and good leadership whose skills and dexterity instill confidence in his followers to arouse a fascinating challenge.

Think of the plight of fatigued workers such as soldiers, policemen, FRSC including other agencies working night shifts and what they pass through as well as the risks involved. It is by touching the hearts of workers that minor conflicts which

morale of the work force introduced operation fire for fire slogan which motivated his men to fight criminals.

He also introduced community in helping the police not only in communicating and revealing criminal hideouts but also involving them in arresting the thieves, and providing total security in their environment.

Tafa's ideas were a typical examples of ways of looking into or redeeming

Tafa Balogun ovation.

The ex-police boss shows that he is a lover of sports and this appeal has not only ended with the desire to quell his thirst for sporting activities rather it enable him to appreciate his leadership qualities. As many as Balogun's name was aired thousands of spectators joined the Police in thunderous cheers and songs that proved him a unique leader among leaders.

A good leader can as well make his followers develop abilities they are unaware they had. A leader who promotes team work with his colleagues always enjoys an atmosphere of job satisfaction. That is the expectation of all Nigerians whose bulk of submissions rest on agitation for true democracy.

A vital key to real reform in any

could often trigger violent abuse and reactions are avoided Tafa's administration was unique- for those who were privileged to benefit from overseas training were promptly sent overseas, those entitled to promotions as well as other rewards received them without delay. Female police officers were admitted as mobile police officers, regular meetings with the police rank and file from all the states afforded them the opportunity to air their views and disclose their problems without fear of intimidation and molestation.

Many ideas which encompass previous statutory administrative processes can be introduced at any time provided the purpose is meaningful and most likely to enhance the status of the force. The former IG in his efforts to lift the

the image of the police force and repositioning the organization and making it functional like other Security Agencies in the developed world.

We shout corruption loudly in this part of the world as if corruption exclusively obtains in Nigeria. The fact is that corrupt people in other parts of the world take extra care and protection but our elites steal in the open even with people watching them on the table. Meanwhile they expect the Police to unravel the culprits. The police are human beings and should be allowed to do their duty without interference or molestation. Good manners and etiquette start at home such that bosses like Tafa who could create an atmosphere of awe and wonderment, a passion for knowledge and a love of understanding can reform the police

Julius Aghahowa (born 12 February 1982 in Benin City) is a Nigerian footballer who last played as a striker for Shakhtar Donetsk. He was known for his pace and his back flips when he scores goals.

Early career Aghahowa began his career with the Police Machines, a local police team, and went on to Bendel Insurance. He signed for Danish lower division team Herning Fremad before the 1999 African Youth Championship, but Aghahowa performed so well there that he wanted to play for a bigger club. He ended up with the Tunisian champions, EspĂŠrance, when he procured a contract with the Tunisians which predated the Herning Fremad contract.

Shakhtar Donetsk In the middle of the 2001 season, Aghahowa transferred to Shakhtar Donetsk, who soon won the Ukrainian league championship.

Aghahowa won the game for Shakhtar in the 2006 Ukrainian Championship against Dynamo Kyiv, heading the winner in extratime and being named man of the match. His performance in the final has been widely seen as the "saving grace" of his career at Shakhtar, with his future at the club looking bleak earlier in the season. After playing over six years for Shakhtar Donetsk, Aghahowa left for Wigan Athletic.

Wigan Athletic His work permit was passed and on 30 January 2007, he signed for Wigan Athletic for an undisclosed fee, playing his first Premiership match for them against Portsmouth on 3 February. Aghahowa did not score for Wigan in one and half years and on 20 June 2008, he signed for Kayserispor.

Return to Shakhtar Donetsk On 4 July 2009, Shakhtar Donetsk signed the Nigerian forward on a free transfer after he was released by Kayserispor. Aghahowa had already played for Shakhtar from 2000 to 2007 and declared a great desire to play for his old club. However, he could not find himself as a regular starter and was loaned out to PFC Sevastopol at the beginning of the 201011 season. He was released at the end of the 2011/2012 season.

International career Aghahowa has played 32 matches and scored 14 goals for the Nigerian national team, including their only goal at the 2002 World Cup against Sweden. He became Nigeria's top goalscorer at the 2002 African Nations Cup. He also played at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Honours EspĂŠrance Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1: 12000 Shakhtar Donetsk Ukrainian Premier League: 4 2002, 2005, 2006, 2010 Ukrainian Cup: 2 2002, 2004