Chime sick again by Advocate Nigeria

Vol. 1 No. 36, February 12 - 18, 2014

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Man with two Penis Pg 18

Chime sick again Flown to London ... No letter to Enugu Assembly Deputy to become Acting Governor after 21 days By Rex Arum

Occupants of Ugbo Okonkwo, in a peaceful protest of the demolition order and take-over of their property by the government of Enugu State.

he Governor of Enugu State, Governor Sullivan Chime has embarked on another overseas medical trip without transmitting appropriate letter to the State House of Assembly to enable his Deputy, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi to function as Acting Governor in his absence. The current medical trip which is currently causing tension among officials and aides of the governor as well as members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Enugu State, has been estimated to last for a period of three to four months, a government house source revealed. Governor Sullivan Chime had returned to Enugu after 141 days about a year ago, on February 8, 2012, following a protracted medical treatment abroad. Although, his aides had insisted that the governor was on his accumulated vacation, Chime, however, returned to Enugu to announce that he was actually suffering from cancer which kept him away for a period of four months. Although the matter of the Governor's current health condition has been kept as top secret by the Governor's “kitchen cabinet”, impeccable sources disclosed that the Governor, who is suffering from

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Five 'slum' WAEC's 39 new settlements Pg 3 subjects lack in Enugu marked teachers – Students for demolition Pg 2

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February 12 - 18, 2014

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Five 'slum' settlements in Enugu marked for demolition

· Ugbo Okonkwo, Ugbo Chime, Obiagu, Iva Valley, Ikilike slums to go · Court restrains Govt, as residents, landlords protest demolition order By Ted Peters & Rex Arum

ver 40,000 residents of Ugbo Okonkwo layout, a high density settlement in Upper New Haven area of Enugu who were last week ordered to vacate their homes ahead of the planned demolition of their houses by Enugu State Government have been thrown into confusion. Some of the residents who feared that the government could move in bulldozers any moment to carry out the demolition despite the Enugu High court order restraining the authorities from doing so, commenced the evacuation of their properties out of the area at the weekend. While some were relocating to their villages, others were said to be squatting with their relations elsewhere in the coal city. The demolition notice which was served on the property owners on January 30, 2014 by officials of the Enugu Capital Te r r i t o r y D e v e l o p m e n t Authority, ECTDA, was also extended to hundreds of landlords at Ugbo Chime, a former farm settlement founded by the late father of Governor Sullivan Chime, Igwe Elias Aneke Chime, First Republic Parliamentarian and Traditional Ruler of Udi. An ECTDA source also told The Advocate that the state government has already given approval for the demolition of three other settlements within the state capital described as slums including the densely populated Obiagu, Ikilike and Iva Valley as part of the Chime administration's programme to give the capital city a facelift. The development has thrown the residents into serious panic as the ECTDA officials commenced inspection of the affected old settlements last week and in the process informed the property owners of the government's intention to recover the layouts which are defacing the aesthetics of the state capital. Property owners at Ugbo Okonkwo settlement which was allocated to migrant farmers from Ezeagu local government area by Nike community since 1859 received their notices of demolition on January 30 and were given a period of seven days to vacate their homes. The demolition notice which reads, “REMOVE BY ORDER WITHIN 7 DAYS…You will hold yourself responsible if you fail to comply with this notice. Date of Issue 3001-14. FINAL NOTICE” came to the thousands of tenants and property owners as a surprise, prompting an emergency meeting to find solution to the problem.

However, after two days of meeting, the property owners approached the Enugu State High court and obtained an interim injunction which restrained the State government from carrying out the demolition exercise which notice expired Thursday. The presiding judge, Justice A. R. Ozoemena, who was approached by representatives of the property owners including Joseph Amuji, Emmanuel Elo, Osmond Nwabuisi, Mrs. Justina Chibuzor and Kenneth Enulu, granted an interim injunction on Thursday, February 5 restraining the State Attorney General and the ECTDA (Defendants) , their agents, workmen, privies or assigns “from demolishing, forcefully removing or tempering with the Plaintiffs/Applicants land situate at

metropolis. According to Ugwuegede, who was accompanied by two top officials of ECTDA, Messrs Asadu and Ozougwu, “the government of Chime does not want to see any slum in the city and therefore has instructed me to carry out the exercise.” The aged property owners who were shocked by his statement, broke down in tears and began to plead with the governor through the commissioner to tamper justice with mercy by giving them enough time to renovate or reconstruct their houses, some of which were built with mud over 150 years ago. One of the aged landlords, Prince Obiora Elo, who came with clutches to the venue of the meeting between the commissioner and the property owners at No. 164 Upper

area was No. 164 Upper Chime Avenue belonging to one Sebastine Elo. He stated that other buildings in the area were built without government's approval and must therefore be removed. The Priest in-charge of Our Lady Perpetual Help Catholic Church, New Haven, Rev. Fr. Clement Okonkwo, who also pleaded with the government officials to spare the houses of his parishioners, said that the residents who are mostly low income earners, would be thrown into severe difficulty if deprived of their homes where they had resided before the inception of Enugu capital city. “These people are members of my congregation; I came to plead on their behalf. They told me about their plight… Please I am only pleading that you should listen to their cries and please avoid doing the things that may end up separating the spirit from the body. I am concerned by what will happen to my congregation. Government should please consider the poverty level of the people o f U g b o Okonkwo and give them more time to rebuild their houses,” the priest told the E C T D A officials. His plea, however, Occupants of Ugbo Okonkwo, in a peaceful protest of the demolition seemed to order and take-over of their property by the government of Enugu State. have fallen on and known as Ugbo Okonkwo near Chime Avenue, pleaded with the deaf ears as Commissioner New Haven, Enugu pending state government to give them a Ugwuegede pointedly told him in hearing and determination of the “grace period” to reconstruct their what looked like another “Go and motion on notice.” houses, saying “it will be a sin Die episode between Governor Justice Ozoemena, who fixed against God and man if they should Adams Oshiomhole and the Benin hearing of the motion on notice throw out the poor people of Ugbo widow” that he (Commissioner) filed by their counsel, Mr. B. N. Okonkwo community of about believes in “the re-uniting of the Nebe for February 12, 2014, 20,000 people including women body and the spirit”, a statement however, stated that if the motion and children whose livelihood those present regarded as telling on notice was not heard and “it is solely depends on these houses.” them that the government was not the fault of the Applicants within 7 He also pointed out that Ugbo interested in what happens to the days from today the 5th of February, Okonkwo, which had been in residents after the demolition. existence since 1859 “is the cradle The property owners said it was the 2014, this order stands vacated.” The state Commissioner for of development in Enugu State”, commissioner's attitude that E C T D A , E n g r. I k e c h u k w u stressing that the women of the prompted their proceeding to the Ugwuegede, who visited Ugbo community would stage a peaceful court for judicial protection. Okonkwo at 10 am on Tuesday, protest to the Government House, Efforts by The Advocate to speak February 4, told the affected Enugu if the ECTDA refused to with the Commissioner on the property owners and the residents grant their request. development, Thursday, proved that the state government instructed Apparently infuriated by the old abortive as he was not present in his him to issue the warning notice to man's comment, Ugwuegede told office when our correspondent demolish Ugbo Okonkwo in New them that after his inspection the visited. He also refused to pick his Haven and Ugbo Chime at only building that was officially calls. Thinker's Corner both in Enugu approved by the government in the A f f e c t e d r e s i d e n t s ,

landlords protest Meanwhile, hundreds of Ugbo Okonkwo residents including widows and children, last Friday, staged a peaceful protest against the state government's plans to demolish their houses in the area which it designated as a slum. The protesters including several widows and children marched through the Upper Chime dual carriageway displaying several placards, weeping and praying for God's divine intervention in their plight. Some of their placards read: “No slum in Ugbo Okonkwo, we acquire our land legitimately”, “No government has told us that we live in a slum”, “We are law-abiding citizens, we deserve a home”, “Your Excellency, we like the good work you are doing in Enugu State. Help us by stopping this demolition, give us time to develop our land”, “We have our title documents, we are not illegal occupants”, “The Lord is our shepherd” and “It is inhuman to evict us from the land we have occupied for over 100 years.” The officials of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, had on January 30 served the property owners and residents of Ugbo Okonkwo notice to remove their property within seven days after which the houses, which were allegedly built without government's approval, would be demolished. The affected property owners have already obtained an interim injunction from an Enugu high court presided by Justice A. R. Ozoemena restraining the state represented by the State Attorney General and the ECTDA (Defendants) , their agents, workmen, privies or assigns “from demolishing, forcefully removing or tempering with the Plaintiffs/Applicants land situate at and known as Ugbo Okonkwo near New Haven, Enugu pending hearing and determination of the motion on notice.” Speaking with newsmen after the protest march, one of the property owners, Mr. Samuel Okonkwo, said they embarked on the demonstration to draw the attention of the government to the fact that property owners in Ugbo Okonkwo have their title documents and that the planned demolition of the property should be stopped. He said: “We are demonstrating to tell the government that Ugbo Okonkwo should not be demolished because we have all the title documents for our property. We bought the land from the bona fide owner, Igwe Julius Edward Nnaji of Nike and we have been here since 1896 and this is our

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Chime sick again

Continued from front page cancer of the nose, travelled Tuesday morning (February 4, 2014) after his health relapsed again Monday night. Section 190 Sub-section 1 of the 1999 Constitution as amended provides that: “Whenever the Governor is proceeding on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, he shall transmit a written declaration to the Speaker of the House of Assembly to that effect, and until he transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration to the contrary, the Deputy Governor shall perform the functions of the Governor as Acting Governor.” Sources, however said that rather than comply with the constitutional provisions, the ailing Governor has instead left the state in the hands of his Chief of Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo and other trusted allies, while keeping the trip a secret to his Deputy and other major stakeholders in the State. The Governor's action might not be unconnected with growing political bickering between him and his Deputy culminating in the invasion of the Deputy Governor's poultry farm located within the Government House by the

Gov. Chime officials of the Enugu State Capital Development Authority and Enugu State Ministry of Environment, who carted away over 3,000 birds, allegedly on the orders of Governor Chime's Chief of Staff. The Enugu State Government had explained that the poultry farm

located at the agriculturedesignated part o f t h e Government H o u s e constituted nuisance but the D e p u t y G o v e r n o r alleged a deliberate p o l i t i c a l persecution, maintaining that the Governor himself has a bigger poultry farm, a piggery, and cattle ranch within the Government House premises. Mr. Onyebuchi had wondered how a facility he inherited from his predecessors and had run since 2008 suddenly became a nuisance even though it was in conformity with best practices and with technical assistance from ENADEP and Commercial Agriculture Programme of the State Ministry of Agriculture. However, an Enugu-based

constitutional lawyer said there would be no constitutional crises even if Governor Chime's treatment lasts up to three months as being speculated. Section 190 Subsection 2 states that “In the event that the Governor is unable or fails to transmit the written declaration mentioned in sub-section (1) of this section within 21 days, the House of Assembly shall, by a resolution made by a simple majority of the vote of the House, mandate the Deputy Governor to perform the functions of the office of the Governor as Acting Governor, until the Governor transmits a letter to the Speaker that he is now available to resume his functions as Governor.” Therefore, the late President Umaru Yar'Adua scenario might not arise as, even without the Governor's letter, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi is expected to automatically start running the affairs of the State as Acting Governor from February 24, 2013, about two weeks from now, in the event that Governor Chime fails to return to office before the expiration of the 21 days stipulated by the constitution. Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Chukwudi Achife, when contacted said that the

governor traveled overseas as part of his routine medical checkup but dismissed as untrue speculations that he would spend up to three months there. He recalled that the governor had upon his return from a four-month medical trip in February last year told Nigerians that he would be traveling periodically to United Kingdom for medical checkup as directed by his doctors. Chime had traveled to London not less than three times since then and on one occasion, he revealed that some of the cells that were destroyed in his body in the course of the chemotherapy treatment he underwent were not growing appreciably as expected. The last public appearance of the governor was on Sunday, February 2, when he hosted the South East Governors and stakeholders' meeting at the Governor's Lodge. He was expected to have traveled to Abuja on Tuesday for the Council of State meeting but sources said he could not due to a disturbing development observed in his health condition. Rather he was said to have traveled out of Enugu Monday night to Abuja from where he was rushed London to see his doctors in the early hours of Tuesday.

WAEC's 39 new subjects lack teachers – Students

…tackles failures, trains teachers nationwide

econdary school students have decried the introduction of the 39 new subjects in this year's May/ June examinations, saying most of the subjects still lack teachers. The students said not having qualified teachers to handle the subjects would defeat the aim of introducing these subjects. According to the students, who reacted to the introduction of new subjects by the examination body, “The initiative is a brilliant one, especially when you consider the fact that some students leave school without any hope of knowing what next to do. English Language, General Mathematics, Civic Education a n d Tr a d e / E n t r e p r e n e u r i a l Studies are compulsory for student who would also choose three or four subjects from Humanities, Science, Technology and Business Studies depending on their potential and interest. Bothered by the yearly failures of our secondary school students in their Senior School Certificate Examinations, SSCE, the West African Examinations Council,

WAEC, has said it has already swung into action to tackle the downward trends by organising national trainings for secondary school teachers, beginning with Lagos State. Speaking at the opening ceremony of a three-day teachers' training, Head of National Office (HNO), WAEC Nigeria, Mr. Charles Eguridu, said the training has become imperative so as to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning outcomes by managing performance indicators, develop and write test items of comparable standard with those of external/international examination bodies and to inculcate in the students, the confidence and right approaches in tackling examination questions. “We are very worried about the drop in students' performance in public examinations and from our analysis, we discovered that there is a general decline in the quality of teaching and learning, and even those assigned with the responsibility of teaching are not properly equipped to do so”,

Eguridu said. Continuing, he said: “This is because if teachers don't have the competencies to teach the students, there is no way students can perform well. “The Council believes that a better informed and equipped teaching force would greatly improve the quality of teaching and learning which will have positive impact on the educational development of Nigeria.” On what necessitated the training programme, the HNO said that WAEC management and the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, were worried by the declining performance of students due to low qualities of teachers, and so they put heads together to tackle the problem. “We thought of what to do to move Nigerian education forward and save the future. We asked ourselves, why are students not performing? We concluded that one way to address this problem is to address it from the root which is training the teachers that teach the students.”

The general decline in the quality of teaching and learning in schools can be attributed to the fact that most of the teachers are not well equipped for the job, especially as teachers are supposed to be change agents, tackling failures in our secondary students.” C o m m e n d i n g WA E C f o r organising the training programme, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, said career development is important as it puts emphasis on broader skills which are applicable in a wide range of situations such as decision-making, creative thinking and managing people. “To this end, the importance of this training can't be overemphasized because well trained teachers will no doubt, help in the education and development of future leaders that would be academically sound, financially literate, committed to service and be role models with enterprising spirits needed for a sustainable and competitive national economy. “I am particularly happy that the

training is holding at a time when all hands are on deck to ensure that the results of our students at both internal and external examinations are impressive. We are charging teachers in the state to redouble their efforts with a view to improving the performance of their students in WAEC exams and also justify government's huge investment in the education sector, especially in the training and re-training of teachers and provision of facilities.” In the same vein, Lagos State House of Assembly Chairman, House Committee on Education and Technology, Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King, appreciated the efforts of the leadership of WAEC for partnering with the state government to sharpen the skills of its teachers. Alawiye-King urged the teachers in the state to reciprocate the huge resources invested in human capital development by impacting positively on the students in their care so as to make them compete favourably with their peers around the world. The training programme will feature topics like Curriculum Implementation, Relevance of Chief Examiner's Report, Standardization of Assessment, Teachers' Self Development and Item Writing Procedure among others, in addition to practical sessions.

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February 12 - 18, 2014

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Financial scandal rocks Ebonyi Dev. Centers By Ngwuta Chinedu, Abakaliki

inancial scandal currently rocking over thirty Development Centres created under the Local Government Areas in Ebonyi State following their refusal to render annual financial statements for the period of two years (2011-2012) to the AuditorGeneral of the State Local Government Service Commission is raising dust in the system. Investigation by The Advocate revealed that the affected DCs may face legal action if they fail to submit the financial statement of the years under review to the Auditor-General after a certain period of grace. In a letter dated 24th Dec. 2013 and signed by Auditor-General of the Local Government Service Commission, Dr. A. N. Edeh, addressed to the Commissioner Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development, Hon. Celestine Nwali, the Auditor-General lamented the outright refusal of the said Development Centers to submit their financial statements for the years under review despite several letters written to them on that regard. Part of the letter read: “may I inform you with concern the refusal of the under listed Development Centres to submit their financial statements for the year 2011 and or 2012 despite my several letters to them on that regard”. “In view of the foregoing, I wish to solicit that you use your good offices to call them to order to enable us conclude

the auditing of the financial statements and forward same to the appropriate quarters”. In compliance to the letter, the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development has in a letter dated 31st Dec. 2013 and signed by the permanent Secretary, Sir, Dr. P.C.I. Umoke on behalf of the Commissioner directed the indicted Development Centres to render their annual financial statements without further delay or be prepared to face the consequences of their action. The letter read in part: “I am directed in respect to the letter No. LGAUD/EB/83/112 of 20th Dec. 2013 to direct you to render the annual financial statements of your Development Centres for the year ended 31st Dec. 2011 and 2012 without further delay. If on the other hand, you fail to render the returns, be prepared to face the consequences of your action”. Some of the indicted Development Centres include: Enyida DC, Abakaliki DC, Amasiri DC, Edda East DC, Edda North DC, Ozibo DC, Mbeke DC, Ezza West DC, Imoha DC, Ezzama DC, Ezza East DC, Ezza South DC, Ikwo DC, Inyaba DC and Ezekoma DC. Others are: Akaeze DC, Okposi DC, Ohaozara DC, Ngbo East DC, Ngbo North DC, Effium DC, Ngbo West DC, Onicha DC, Onicha West DC, Ukaba DC and Oshiri DC. Recall that a media report sometime last year accused some of the Development Centres of operating without salary accounts.

Over N200m Ogbo-Osisi Timber shade destroyed in Orumba North ·Developers accuse ex-Orumba North Transition Chairman

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he Ogbo-Osisi timber shades in Afor Ufuma, Orumba North council area of Anambra state worth over N200 million has been destroyed on the alleged order of the former transitional chairman of the local government area council, Hon. Emeka Aforka. Our correspondent reports that the timber market that has sixteen buildings that accommodated shades, carpentry workshops, saw-mills, engines, shops with assorted timber and other building materials were completely destroyed. Conducting journalist round the market, one of the investors in the market Professor B. S. Okeke regretted that the men of Nigerian Army and Police armed to teeth who supposed to protect but rich and poor supervised the willful destruction of the peoples sweet even as notice were not served on marketers or the developers. According to him the timber market popularly known as "Ogbo-Osisi" is a developmental venture by Amalgamated Timber-shade Developers with Sarimack (Nig) Enterprises Ltd. He said the invasion of the market by the

former transition chairman on Thursday 9th of January, two days to his exit from office was unprovoked. "It was a holocaust and a willful/malicious destruction of houses, saw mills, timber shades, machines, equipments, timber and goods belonging to individuals, companies and corporate bodies like Sarimack Nigeria Enterprises Ltd. A retired lecturer at Federal Polytechnic Oko whose carpentry workshop were destroyed, Surveyor Promise Onyekwena, however called on state government to come to their aid as they have been rendered jobless by the desruction. "It is the carpentry workshop that has brought me home to enjoy my retirement and I invested all my retirement benefit to the company. "You have seen for yourself, millions peoples' sweat has been brought to nothing. So all we are asking is that we should be adequately compensated, otherwise since we are poor people, we go and look for justice in the only institution, the judiciary that takes care of poor people like us; that is our position", he said.

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Peace Mass Transit boss donates hospital to Nsukka community

Chief Sam Onyishi cutting the tape during the commissioning and handover of the hospital

Bus donated to the hospital by Dr. Sam Onyishi

Doctor attending to Patients at the hospital

Patients waiting to be attended to at the hospital during the commissioning

By Ted Peters

HE Chief Executive officer of Peace Mass Transit Limited, Chief Dr. Maduka Onyishi clocked 50 years on Saturday, November 23, 2013 and to mark the golden anniversary, he presented a hospital he built at a cost of N21 million to Nsukka people. In appreciation of the gesture, his c o m m u n i t y, U m u n k a k a , Umukwa, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State conferred on him another chieftaincy title of Aka Ekpu Chi Onwa of Umunkaka, the hand that cannot cover the moon. The community leaders said they regard him as a shining light and a blessing to his people. Initially he had bagged another chieftaincy title of Onwa, the moon, from another community for his philanthropy and love for his community. As he marked his 50th

birthday,Onyishi decided to build and donate an ultra-modern Health Centre at Umunkaka Hall to ensure that his people got adequate medical care and at an affordable rate. The people of the community could not access such services in the area before now. Over-joyed by this magnanimity, the community deemed it fit to honour him with a chieftaincy title. Speaking while receiving the title, Dr. Onyishi said that instead of throwing a lavish party to mark his 50th birthday, he decided to use the money to build a befitting health centre for his people where they can get proper medical care. “Instead of throwing away money to mark my fiftieth birthday, I decided to build this health centre,” Dr. Onyishi stated. He explained that it was to appreciate his people for the way they allowed him to use the community town hall premises when he started his transport business and to also appreciate them because they gave him a

community land that was in dispute to build his house. “When I started business, my family gave me land. The land was in dispute. The land was in dispute for 45 years. My people love me,” he concludes. \He advised all and sundry to be serious in whatever they are doing for it to prosper saying that how much one gets is not the issue but how much one handles what accrues to him. The Peace Mass Transit boss, disclosed that in spite of his financial state, he lives a humble life and never traveled business class whenever he traveled by air. He also disclosed that he lived in his workshop for three years and only moved to better accommodation at GRA, Enugu because of his penchant for politics. Highlight of the occasion was the cutting of the tape to declare open the twenty-one million naira health centre and the donation of 18-seater executive bus to the hospital.

PUBLIC NOTICE!!! Nnoko Ezinulo Charity Organization Notice is hereby given to the general public that the above named charity organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matter Act,1990

Board of Trustees 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Msgr. T.O Onoyima Rev Fr. S. Ugwueze Chief William Agbo Lolo Kate Asogwa Chief Emmanuel Ozioko Engr. Ifeanyi Eze Lady Beatrice Ezema Lady Augustina Omeh Dr. Mrs. Eucheria Onuh Mrs. Benedeth Ugwu

Aims and Objectives 1.

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Providing support to the motherless, homeless and physically challenged persons. Lending help to the less privileged and the needy in our society. Marriage counseling and family support programmes. Protection of women's rights. Youth's empowerment and civic education.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28days of this publication. Signed: Trustees

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February 12 - 18, 2014

200 Nigerian girls are trafficked to Russia for prostitution monthly – Envoy

o fewer than 200 Nigerian girls are trafficked every month to Russia for prostitution, the nation's ambassador to that country, Amb. Asam Asam has said. Asam, who spoke against the backdrop of consular challenges faced by the embassy, disclosed this in an interview in Berlin. Investigations reveal that the crime had decline in Western Europe following strict laws on illegal migration, and joint efforts by Nigeria and the governments of those countries to curb the menace. However, attention has shifted to Eastern Europe as the new destination for the trade. “The major consular challenge we face in Moscow is the influx of trafficked persons from Nigeria, not less than 200 girls are trafficked every month, and we have so many of them exposed to danger. “Some are thrown out of the

window and treated harshly, there must be a way of stopping these racketeering , these girls are not tourists, students or government officials yet they are given visas from the Russian embassy in Abuja”, “So far we have deported over 240 girls since 2012, you will be shocked, at the extent of resistance from the girls, we tell them Russia is not a destination for prostitutes yet they still come” Asam said. According to him, the mission tries to curb the menace by arranging deportation exercise for those caught, but the challenges are enormous. The envoy said such intervention would be more effective at the point of entry “the strategy is to stop them from Nigeria, and fish out those involved in the trade. “For instance a well known Russian human trafficker who has been in the trade for about 20 years was caught in Nigeria,'' “The National Agency for the

Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) was on the verge of releasing her before I filed a protest from Moscow to the Comptroller General of Immigration,” Asama stressed. He said even the parents of those trafficked encourage their

children. “I spoke to the mother of one of the girls and she said her daughter should remain in Moscow and try to survive the ordeal, this is very sad indeed coming from one's parent.'' He tasked the media on

sensitising the public on the dangers of trafficking in Russia, “this East European nation has become a new destination for them, and believe me it is a very big crime here.'' Asam, however, said that other Nigerians who reside in that country were students, and professionals in various fields of human endeavours.

Victms

Ndigbo hail Jonathan on conference proposal ·Supports his 2015 ambition By Ted Peters

he Igbo Leaders of Thought have expressed joy over the excitement and frenzy in the country, especially all over Igbo land, that it said have greeted the proposed national conference which President Goodluck Jonathan is convening in order to save Nigeria. The Igbo leaders said they are very proud of the development and also with President Jonathan at the turn of events, adding that they will support the President till 2019. Deputy Secretary of Igbo Leaders of Thought, Evangelist Elliot Uko, who made the expression in Enugu, stated that they are congratulating President Jonathan on the very bold step to deliver Nigeria from forces that have held the country down since both the amalgamation in 1914 and Independence in 1960. The group said that if the conference turns out very successful, as they believe it will, President Jonathan will go down in the history as father of modern Nigeria, noting that the ethnic bigotry, religious hatred, social and political crises bedevilling Nigeria have come to a head where the country is now strongly marching on the road to Somalia and where only a genuine restructuring of the country via a national conference and affirmation of a new constitution through a referendum will save

Nigeria. Uko said: “We congratulate President Jonathan for his vision to save Nigeria from this tiny minority dominating and oppressive hug that held the country down for decades. We believe that the conference will be successful and we believe that

President Jonathan will go down in the history as the Man who saved Nigeria. “The feeling of Ndigbo and which we believe is shared by other Nigerians is that if this conference throws up a new constitution, which will be affirmed at a referendum, then President Jonathan will become

the most popular leader Nigeria ever had. His 2015 election will be a walk over and he will lead Nigeria to a greater height. By 2019 when he leaves, Nigeria will become the most popular country in sub-Saharan Africa.” “President Jonathan has opened a new vista of opportunity, a new chapter of positive development that we have never seen before

and we are all praying for the successful conference. Ndigbo have been with President Jonathan through thick and thin and we will continue to be with him, support him till 2019 and we believe that this conference will turn Nigeria into one of the great Nations of the world. We thank President Jonathan for his wisdom and forth rightness.”

S-East Govs Forum:

Ohanaeze youths adopt Orji as consensus chairmanship candidate

hanaeze Youth Council has adopted Abia State Governor, Theodore Ahamefula Orji as a worthy replacement for Anambra Governor Peter Obi, as chairman of South-East Governors Forum. The adoption of Orji was contained in a statement by the National Organising Secretary of OYC, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, on Sunday. Isiguzoro hailed Orji (Ochendo) for the airport project in Abia State and his rare courage to recall non indigenes back to the state civil service. “Igbos are pleased with him now. He is an icon in Igbo land. He has empowered Igbo youths across all the states of the South-East. We know that with

Gov. Theodore Orji

somebody like Ochendo in the saddle as chairman of South-East Governors Forum, there will be better federal presence in Igbo land. We are totally behind him” he said. Isiguzoro also said they are happy that P r e s i d e n t G o o d l u c k Jonathan has fully recovered from his ill-health and wish to assure him of their unalloyed and unfettered support f o r h i s government. H e , h o w e v e r, appealed to the

federal government to repair the Port-Harcourt express way, Aba-Ikot-Ekpene road and other highways in the SouthEast that have become deathtraps, to avoid further loss of lives on these roads. According to him, Igbo youths are calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to live up to expectation in the supplementary election in Anambra State. “We are watching events in Anambra state. OYC is watching” the Igbo youth activist said. Meanwhile, the OYC has passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo under Chief Gary Igariwei as President-General and Dr Joe Nwaorgu as Secretary-General.

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Ekweremadu attracts 140 projects to Enugu West zone, inaugurates 258-member monitoring C'ttee By Ted Peters

EPUTY Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, has attracted over 140 projects worth several billions of naira to his Enugu-West senatorial zone. The projects including construction/rehabilitation of rural roads, erosion control, rural electrification, w a t e r, construction of school buildings, civic centres and town halls, solar street light are scattered across the five councils of Aninri, Awgu, Udi, Ezeagu and Oji-River that make up the senatorial zone. Awgu has the highest number of projects totaling 34, Aninri has 33 while Oji-river, Ezeagu and Udi have 32, 20 and 20 respectively. In the same vein, a National Youth Development Centre is being constructed in the each of the five councils. Each of the centre is estimated to cost a whooping N900 million. Speaking during the inauguration of a-three man Project Monitoring Committee for each of the 81 wards that make up his senatorial zone in Enugu, Ekweremadu who was represented by his Special Adviser on Projects, Engr Bethel Onyenyiri noted that his main reason for being in politics was to better the lots of his people. He said that within the period he had been in the Senate, he had been able to attract peopleoriented projects not only to his

senatorial zone but to other parts of the South-East zone. According to the Deputy Senate President, the sole reason for inaugurating the Ward and Local Government Project Monitoring Committee made up of a total of 258 members was to ensure effective monitoring of the ongoing projects with a view to ensuring that contractors maintained high quality of work. He said the PMC would also enhance communication between him and his constituents

since all the wards had been represented. He charged members of the committee to among other things prepare the status report of projects in each ward; identify viable federal government projects that may have been abandoned by the contractors and also enumerate the needs of wards where no project has been cited, stressing that with the inauguration, every political ward would feel the impact of their representative.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Political Adviser to the DSP, Hon. Okey Ozoani said the setting up of the committee was a clear manifestation of the quality and effective representation of the Senator, adding that members of the committee would be educated on where the projects are located. "The real essence and evidence o f q u a l i t y a n d e ff e c t i v e representation is to attract projects to the constituency. Leadership and representation is

Peace Mass Transit boss evacuates 31 Nigerians from Central African Republic

he Management of Peace Mass Transit, PMT, E n u g u , o n Tu e s d a y evacuated about thirty-one stranded indigenes of Enugu State from the war-torn Central African Republic. They were evacuated from Lagos few days after their return from CAR. The country is currently facing serious political and religious crisis, which has claimed scores of lives. The returnees mostly from Enugu State who were visibly elated had six women in their midst, ten children and fifteen men. While welcoming the returnees at the terminal of the Enugu State Tr a n s p o r t C o m p a n y, E N TA R C O , t h e G e n e r a l Manager, PMT, Mr. Ozioko

Sylvanus, said: “We are doing this as part of our corporate social responsibility to support Enugu State Government, our

home State. “These our brothers and sisters, who were cut in the web of violence in Central African

Politics now 'Fast Food' business in Nigeria – Nwobodo

ormer governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Friday, narrated how his detention by the military brought him into a lasting relationship with the late governor of old Rivers State, Chief Medford Okilo in Kirikiri Prison. Nwobodo who described the present politics in Nigeria as “a fast food business where anything goes,” said politicians should be made to visit the prisons to come to terms with reality and appreciate the suffering of Nigerians. He spoke at a fund raising and presentation of the biography of Chief Melford Okilo, entitled: “Okilo, A Bridge Builder. Nwobodo said: “Okilo and I met at Kirikiri Prisons and we became good friends. One day, we were bundled into the plane and taken to Borno State, from

all about the peoples welfare, community development, democracy dividends and provision of amenities and I am happy to inform you people that Ekweremadu has lived up to expectation, " Ozoani noted. However, before the inauguration, two papers that focused on "Effective monitoring of constituency projects “the end user contribution" and “Good Governance" were delivered in order to prepare the committee members who were presented with special ID Cards for the task ahead.

Jim Nwobodo

there, we were moved to Enugu. As 2nd republic governors, we did well and those we governed will attest to this. “These days, people don't take time to prepare for leadership. They now see politics as a fast food business. People now see it as a way to get rich quickly. It is good for politicians to occasionally go to Kirikiri Prisons and

when they come out, they will behave well. “Most of our current crops of politicians are in politics for what they can get out of it. They have no conviction and no ideology. None of them can make sacrifices for this country. They are motivated by money,” he lamented. The book reviewer and former attorney-general of the federation, Chief Kalu Agabi, said the country lacks the requisite leadership to move to the next level, stating that too many Nigerians were elected i n t o o ff i c e s t h e y ' v e n o qualification for. Paying tribute to Okilo who died in 2008, President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by the minister of education, Nyesom Wike, described him as a detribalised Nigerian who believed in justice, equity and fair play.

Republic, were conveyed back to re-unite with their families by the management of PMT free of charge. “We have done so to support Enugu State Government and the Federal Government. “Enugu State Government reached out to PMT through its liaison office at Abuja to help as part of our responsibility to lend a helping hand and partner with Enugu State to bring our indigenes back to their state. “We will never relent on our vision of putting the people first. The returnees will be handed over to the General Manager of ENTRACO”. One of the returnees, Mr. Joseph Ani who hails from Aninri Local Government of Enugu State who could not hold back his tears of joy and gratitude to the management of PMT for coming to their aid averred that, “the political and religious crisis in Central African Republic attained a serious level where killings were so much. “We have been in Nigerian Consulate in Bangi for more than one month and no help was forthcoming. We are tremendously grateful to the management of PMT for this gesture which came at no expense. “The magnanimity of the PMT is outstanding and I call on other companies in Nigeria to toe the path of PMT”.

THE

ADVOCATE

February 12 - 18, 2014

US to expand recognition of gay marriage

S Attorney General Eric Holder will expand government recognition of same-sex marriages in all federal courtrooms and prisons Monday, and ensure they receive the same benefits as heterosexual ones. The inaugural move, which Holder plans to announce later Saturday at a gay rights dinner gala in New York, marks a major gain for advocates of same-sex couples after the Supreme Court issued two rulings expanding gay marriage rights last year. Under the new policy, same-sex couples will enjoy the privileges even in states that do not recognize their marriages, so long as they legally married in another state. Among the key benefits the Justice Department will now ensure are extended to same-sex couples are the compensation fund for the September 11, 2001 attacks, as well as death and educational benefits for the surviving spouses of police officers and firefighters injured or killed in the line of duty. “In every courthouse, in every

proceeding, and in every place where a member of the Department of Justice stands on behalf of the United States, they will strive to ensure that same-sex marriages receive the same privileges, protections and rights as opposite-sex marriages under

federal law,” Holder said in advance excerpts of his speech. Same-sex couples would also be held to the same legal standard as their heterosexual counterparts on matters such as how debts are handled in federal bankruptcy proceedings and visitation

policies at federal prisons, as well as compassionate release or sentence reductions in certain cases. Holder, who is due to deliver his speech at the Human Rights Campaign's gala at 7:00 pm (0001 GMT Sunday), plans to detail the

South African miners:

Two die in Harmony Gold accidents

The Doornkop mine accident occurred 1,700m below ground With Aunty Mary (07035101828)

Kiddies Zone

SHOULD VALENTINE BE CELEBRATED OR NOT? It's another February and a walk down your street shows red dresses and roses displayed at shops calling for your patronage for the Valentine celebrations. Kiddies Zone visited students of the Amazing Love International Schools(ALIS),Enugu, asking them if they think Val's day should be celebrated or not. Here's what we got:

Emma

It shouldn't be celebrated. I think valentine is for married people. Why? It shows love and only people who are married should show love to each other. So what is love? Love is the act of loving somebody!

I don't think Va l e n t i n e ' s D a y should not be celebrated because it is not meant for children. And it is not God's will at all.

Chiamaka

Chinaza

new policy in a memorandum to employees on Monday. The text will “formally instruct all Department employees to give lawful same-sex marriages full and equal recognition, to the greatest extent possible under the law,” according to the excerpts.

Val's day shouldn't be celebrated because a lot of bad things happen on that daybecause from what I have heard many bad things happen on Val's daypeople fight, kill and steal also. Besides, it's not even good because it's not a godly thing to fight.

I propose the notion that Va l e n t i n e should not be celebrated.

F o r m e , Valentine is not really meaningful. It is only just about love! Love! Love! I don't think that kind of love is important for children of our days. It also gives me a bad memory.

Kamsi I don't think it should be celebrated because God did not write it in the Bible. Moreover it is not for children. So you only celebrate things that are for children, is that? (Chuckles)I am saying we should only celebrate things ordained by God not by man. Thank you.

No, I don't like it. It shouldn't be celebrated because I don't just like the cards that people give at that time.

Bad memory! Why? I lost my teacher on Val's day two years ago.

So is love a bad thing? Ibugbe

No. But the way people do it is what I don't like.

How do they do it that annoys you? Well, I hear people talk about having boyfriend and girlfriend. That is not love.

Next week's question:

Jimaima

Why are some people poor and others rich?

wo miners have died in separate accidents at mines owned by Harmony Gold in South Africa. They follow the deaths earlier this week of eight miners in a fire and subsequent rock fall at Harmony Gold's Doornkop mine, west of Johannesburg. Rescuers are still trying to locate a miner at Doornkop who might have been underground at the time of the fire. Mining experts have called for an investigation into Harmony Gold's safety measures. It is not clear what caused the Doornkop accident, which happened on Tuesday evening about 1,700m (5,600ft) below ground after some seismic activity in the area. Correspondents say it was the most serious accident in South Africa's mines since nine workers were killed in a rock fall at a platinum mine in July 2009. Harmony Gold said the latest deaths occurred on Thursday at the company's Kusasalethu mine in North West province near Carletonville and at its Joel mine near Theunissen in the Free State. The worker at Kusasalethu was killed by liquid paste-like gold ore waste that escaped from a container and the miner in Joel died in a blasting accident, Harmony Gold's spokesman James Duncan told the BBC. Mining is a vital part of the South African economy and the country is the fourth-biggest gold exporter. It also has some of the world's deepest gold mines and safety is a major issue. In recent years the majority of deaths underground have occurred in illegal mines. According to South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources, a 2008 study of the gold sector found that an estimated $509m (£309m) in revenue was lost a year as a result of illegal mining. However, industry experts say since then the number of people involved in illegal mining has declined.

THE

ADVOCATE

February 12 - 18, 2014

We are set for more goal scoring this tenure – Hon Emeka Edeh Honourable Emeka Ede Chairman of Enugu North local government council alongside other elected Chairmen of the other sixteen were sworn-in by Governor Sullivan Chime on Saturday 4th January 2014. After the swearingin ceremony supporters and party faithful converged in the local government headquarter at Okpara Avenue to show their support and solidarity to him to the Chairman who they described as a positive performer who has touched lives of the people of the local government through various infrastructural and human empowerment projects. In an interview with The Advocate Hon Edeh said that success in everything resides with God. Excerpts Yo u h a v e j u s t b e e n inaugurated to serve for another two years as the Chairman of Enugu North local government area. What are we expecting from you in this administration? I think I should borrow the word of Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio who said that what s taking place in the state is uncommon transformation. In Enugu North Local Government area we see uncommon transformation; infact transformation galore. In various areas where I think has not been touched, we must do something to make the people of the area to feel the presence of government. We must work hard to transform all the nooks and crannies of our local government. Thank you.

recorded some success in that regard but we believe that through hard work we can achieve more on that in this tenure. We have set up strategies to ensure that we achieve better result in terms of IGR.

poised to partner with the state government to make sure that the area of sanitation is clean. It is an important aspect of a growing city and we are working assiduously towards ensuring that we give sanitation the needed priority in our local government area.

In the last days of your first tenure, some developments were seen at different areas, how will you continue this In the area of developments? Development is an on-going s a n i t a t i o n , concern; with God we are starting what do you a new face this January. So our intend to do in expectation is that by August we this tenure to must have recorded some b r i n g a b o u t milestones such that our people will truly feel the impact of good sanitary democracy. I also believe that you condition in will see something better on y o u r l o c a l ground. Hon Emeka Edeh g o v e r n m e n t We have been coming to area to ensure good health this place but we have not in the state? seen this kind of condition for the citizens? We believe in God, all in all we are working to making sure that our Enugu North is an urban local development, what is the internally generated revenue is government area where you see secret of your success?

How do you intend to achieve all these things in view of the meager resources available to the beefed up more than it was during GRA, Independence layout, Coal The secret of my success is God local government councils our first tenure. Actually we have camp and the rest of them. We are

number one, God number two and God number three. This is because He is the person showing us the way. We believe and in Him we trust. We towed the line of our leader Barr. Sullivan Chime who God is using to transform Enugu State. He has transformed the education sector, health sector and general infrastructure. I really pity the person that will succeed him; I guess it will be herculean for such person to match his achievement.

What about the widely criticized interference by states Governors on the local government allocations from the federation account, is it so with Enugu? That is what we are saying, we have said it before and we are still saying it again that our governor Sullivan Chime does not interfere in any way with our fund. We are using it according to what we have in the budget for the need of the people of Enugu North local government. We work in line with the appropriation demands.

What is your next line of action or alternatively your primary focus in this second term? Thank God that we are able to finish most of the projects we started. We will still do more and we look on God for better achievements because He enabled us to do what we did in our first tenure. We will do more this time to cap it up to His own glory.

Don't sleep until peace returns to Borno, Jonathan tasks Service Chiefs ·NAF bombards Sambisa forest for Boko Haram forest

resident Goodluck Jonathan, Wednesday, decorated the new heads of the armed forces as well as the Chief of Defence Staff, with a charge not to sleep until the war on terror in the North-Eastern part of the country was won and Nigerians in Borno State were also able to sleep. This came as the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, Wednesday said that it had begun air strikes at the Sambisa Forest in Borno State where the Boko Haram insurgents have their cells. Meantime, security agencies are being hampered by their inability to curtail the upsurge in ethnic and religious killings in some parts of the Middle Belt states of Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa states as well as Southern Kaduna, in Kaduna State. The President, who was assisted by the Vice President and spouses of the security chiefs, told them that they could not afford to disappoint Nigerians at this critical time of the country's history.

He said: “Whenever I am decorating military officers, I commend their wives because it is not easy to be barrack-based and for you to rise to this limelight. But for the service chiefs, I don't know whether I should congratulate you or sympathise with you because of the circumstances of the moment. ”When I was in secondary school, I read one article written by late Dr. Tai Solarin and there is one clause where he said 'I wish you what I wish myself every year. May your road be rough.' So I think I will wish you what I wish myself every year and I say may we have enough hard time this period because none of us will sleep until Nigerians in Borno State can sleep. ”That is why I say, today is not a moment for major statements. We will be having frank talks from time to time, but definitely Nigerians will

Jonathan tell you what they expect from us, we must not fail this country. I believe this team will work together to be assisted by other intelligence services because the war against

terror must be won in this country. “I congratulate you all and your wives. I have worked with some of you in one way or the other and I am convinced that we selected the right team.” Responding on behalf of the service chiefs, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, while thanking the President for considering them worthy of appointment and giving them the opportunity to be the first to be confirmed by Nigerians via the National Assembly, assured that the service chiefs would not fail him and the good people of Nigeria. According to him, they will work in harmony to fight the scourge of terrorism, kidnapping and oil bunkering, adding that the military would continue to defend the nation's territorial integrity and ensure security in the country.

NAF bombards Sambisa

The 79 Composite Group, NAF, in Maiduguri, Borno State has intensified its efforts in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists as its air operations have reportedly led to heavy casualties on the side of the insurgents living in their cells around the Sambisa forest. The Group's Public Relations Officer, Squadron Leader Chris Erondu said in a statement Wednesday that “unperturbed by the incessant threats by the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East, especially the insurgents' recent attacks and sacking of many communities in Borno State, the NAF is increasingly committed in the current fight against terrorism not only in the state, but the country in general. “Accordingly, in line with NAF's task to restore normalcy in the city of Maiduguri, the 79 Composite Group had in the couple of weeks been providing air support to other sister security operatives of the 'Operation Zaman Lafiya' in the state. ”Based on intelligence reports on

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THE

ADVOCATE

February 12 - 18, 2014

I inherited a disunited Abia, but I've unified it, says Governor Orji Hate him or love him, one thing you can't take away is the fact that Governor Theodore Ahamefula Orji has laid the foundation for a new and united Abia State, where every Abian is a stakeholder. He has done what governors before him in God's Own State failed to do. He has not only liberated the state from the politics of family affairs, he has also united the state, and restore peace among political blocs in the state. He is busy laying foundation for the state, building infrastructures that were never existing in the state. Last week, the easygoing Governor Orji, spoke with THE ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER in Umuahia. Excerpts By Emmanuel Iheanacho, Umuahia The legacy projects that we have seen must be a very big dream, can you tell us how you come about them. I thank you very much. Legacy project as it is appropriately called, are projects that are foundational. They are projects that are essential. They are projects that will outlive us, projects that you and I will be remembered for. Abia State was created in 1991, and one naturally expects that as a new state, there should be foundational structures that should be on ground to enable the state to take off and run well. Such projects like a befitting Government House, and a befitting state secretariat that will house all the civil servants and provide them with a conducive environment to do their work as the engine room of government, all these structures were lacking. But we have provided them. The hospitals and diagnostic centers, which provide service for the health of the people, these are the things that should be on ground for a state to be called state, if you go to other states, they are there, but here in Abia they're lacking, we don't have them. We have also provided them. When I came, I said; if I can lay the foundation for all these essential infrastructures that we are lacking, and put up a very solid foundation for Abia State, I will always be remembered, and that is why I embarked on laying foundation for the state by building government structures that were not here before, I call them foundational or legacy projects for the state. If I build a government house, the only thing the government after me will do will be to renovate it, same goes to the secretariat, these are the things we are doing in Abia. You've gone round and see for yourself, the foundational projects that we are doing for Abia, not only in Umuahia the state capital, but across the entire state. So that is the dream I have which I am sure, I must achieve before I leave office in 2015.

How are you able to do all

these given the lean purse of Abia State, we understand that you've not taken any loan. That's a very good question. And this is one question every journalist that comes here ask me, after going round to see what we have done. They're surprise how we do it. The new market at Ubani cost the state N3.5 billion. My brothers, the magic we are doing here is prudent

everyday for it to increase and it is increasing day by day. So the magic is due to prudent management of our resources.

Tell us more about the insecurity that was a major issue that confronted the state, how did you attack it, and how have you been sustaining it? The magic we used in Abia to

my people, so I have to reorganize myself, got into partnership with the federal government, and then the job was done, today, the problem of insecurity as it were, is history. It is capitally intensive, and if I tell you how much we invested in security in Abia you will shudder. But we have to do it to make sure that my people are secured, and I am happy that the money I invested to fight insecurity is not a waste, because today you can see that Abia is one of the safest states in the country. I won't tell you that kidnapping has gone totally, but it is an occasional crime now in Abia and we are not relenting, we are still hunting after them, and it is because they know we are equal to the task, that is why it's now occasional and we are out to face them. We have done well in the area of security and that is why Abia is getting awards as one of the secured states in Nigeria today.

Recently, you recalled non indigenes you sacked from the state civil services. Tell us about what informed the decision to recall them.

expenditure and managing the resources very well and use it for the welfare of the people. Get good contractors that don't charge you exorbitant prices, contractors that will do quality job, and you negotiate with them how you will pay them as the money comes, and they will do the job for you. I tried going to the bond market very early around 2008, but Abia people cried, by then I had a lot of people opposing me in the state, they opposed the idea of going to take loan, I said ok, I will not go there again, and I put a full stop to it and since then I've never tried it. So the money we have been using for the projects in the state are the resources that we get including our IGR (internally generated revenues), which have been struggling

fight insecurity was determination, and being resolute in taking decisions. Security is a paramount duty of government, that is security of l i f e a n d P r o p e r t y, a n y government that fails on this, is faced with problems. That was what we faced here, insecurity came from nowhere. Kidnaping, which we have not witnessed in Abia, became a major problem to the government especially in Aba, because of the wealth that is in Aba, the kidnappers concentrated there, and become a terror to the state. With kidnapping, all sorts of criminality and armed robbery also came in, it was a major constraint to us at that time. As the governor, I am elected by the people, and it was my function to protect the life and property of

I didn't sack them, what I did was to transfer their services to their various states of origin. Before doing that, I wrote their states executives, and told them about my constraint and what I want to do, and I didn't get any reply from any of the states executives of the affected states. Let me also put the record straight that what Abia did then, Abia was not the first to do that. There was a time the economy was bad and other neighboring states disengaged people who are not from their states but were working in the state civil service, we got our own people who were disengaged, some of them are still in services, while some have retired. I can call some of our people that were affected, some came back from Enugu, Anambra and Imo states, they're here. What those states did that time, was to cushion of the effect of the economy. People didn't know that our people in other states were also pushed to us, when our people returned to us, there was no agitation and we didn't make any noise about it, instead we took them and integrated them in the service here in Abia. Even our

pension in Imo State, their files were brought to us without notification and we took their files and they are still here with us. When the federal government introduced the N18,000 minimum wage policy, we came back and calculated how much it will cost us, and we saw that we can't make it, when we looked into it, trying to find solution to the problem of minimum wage, idea came of what other states had done in the past, they said this is a period of peer review, and why not we try what others have tried and see if it will work for us, that was why we did that and in doing that we didn't sack anybody, we wrote their states, pleading with them to take their people into their states services and let us see how we can manage our people, and it worked for us because within that period we did it, till now, we maintained industrial harmony in the state. And don't forget that we are paying the highest minimum wage in the whole federation, we are paying N20,100 as minimum wage. Do you know that the total number of people we disengaged were 4000 workers, and we have recalled 2700 of them since the time the policy was introduced. Even at that, we have asked the remaining people who still want to come back to take advantage of this window and come back, we will take them back. What we have done is human and the right thing to do, especially when it has come to our notice that their state government have refused to take them, they should come and we are ready to take them. But one question we have continue to ask is; if when Abians were brought back to us and we took them in, why didn't the government of other states take their own people in, when they were sent to them? I can't understand whey they castigated me and played politics out of the matter. If I say look, I am saturated here, please try your state civil service let them engage you, if I have my people there, bring them back, already you've brought them back, but if there are remnant still bring them back, so that there will be equity in the whole thing. In the federation account, you get your share, we get our own, and my first priority is to take care of my

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THE

ADVOCATE

February 12 - 18, 2014

I inherited a disunited Abia Continued from page 10

people here. Now, I have called them back, who is a better person now? This is not politics and I have asked my people to put out advert in the newspapers for people to see it, so that those who are willing to come back can apply, and we will take them.

You talked about building an airport for Abia, considering the number of projects you have, also looking into the purse of the state, and with the fact that you don't have much time before 2015, how are you going to actualize the airport project. I will actualize the Abia Airport project the same way I have actualized others. But for the airport I want to be sincere to you, I may not finish it, considering the time factor, but my happiness will be to start it and see that the foundation has been laid. If we get the land, we will acquire it, pay compensation, clear the site and start skeletal structures, do all the paper work, get the permission and all that, which is something.

But some people will argue that since there is an airport in Owerri, why do you need one in Abia. What is the basis of that argument? Do you know that majority of the people that use the Owerri airport are from Abia, and we want direct communication and contact, there are many things to gain when you have an airport. It will boast the economy of the state, create employment and bring development.

What are the southeast governors doing to ensure that people can fly into London, US and other parts of Europe from the Enugu International airport considering the number of our people that are in those areas? We are doing something to ensure that happens. And you don't know what the southeast governors did for Ethiopian airline to come. We pleaded with President Jonathan to have an eye on Enugu airport to make it international and he has done it, and that is the first and foremost, that the President listened to us and paid attention to Enugu airport. All the planes will not come at once, there are rules and regulations, and we are following them one after the other. Today we have Ethiopian airline, others will come, so that people from the southeast will not go to Port Harcourt, Lagos or Abuja before traveling outside Nigeria. The southeast governors are not sleeping; we are working for the

welfare of our zone.

You said you had a lot of opposition in the state, which was one of the reason your attempt to take lead was frustrated in your first tenure, now you appear to have the support of those you considered your opponents then, what did you do to get them to your side. The magic we did was to unify all Abians, not just the political leaders, but every Abian, is because we ran an inclusive government. By the time I would have served out my tenure as governor, I want to be recognized by my state government, not just as a former governor, but as statesman. The recognition I am talking about is to listen to me when I talk, to seek my opinion in things that are critical and to pay me respect. This was what we were lacking before I became governor, which annoyed a lot of Abia political stakeholders. It polarized the polity. Our people ran away, notable Abians absconded and had no interest in what was going on in the state. They were living in Abuja and Lagos and left the government and governance of the state, the consequences was grievous. I inherited that system, and I knew what I saw between 2007 to 2009, the old system in Abia affected me seriously, and it made me to rethink. I said no, Abia belongs to every person, it is not my personal property, I am a governor by divine intervention and the will of the people, the longer I stay her as governor is eight years, and another person will come. So I told myself that within this eight years I have to stay here, Abians must have a sense of belonging, they must know that the state belong to them, and I decided to open the doors of government to them. That I am the governor doesn't mean that I am the most intelligent person in Abia. I am intelligent, but I have to add the intelligence of others, so I seek the opinion of others, when you are taking decision about the state, you call stakeholders. It gives them joy that the governor called to seek their opinions in issue affecting the state. When you call the major stakeholders like Ike Nwachukwu, Onyema Ugochukwu, Adolph Wabara or any of them, and said this is what I want to do, what is your view, how do we do it, they will be happy that their governor is consulting them.

If you want to make appointment, you don't give it to your mother or brother to write list of people you want to appoint for you, appointment is for everybody, You make your own input base on the antecedent of the people you want, and then you give the major stakeholders the opportunity to make input. They have people that have the capacity to work, they will give suggestion about people they know will contribute to the governance of the state and you look into that, take their candidate, and form your cabinet. But as the governor, you have the final say. You don't just because you're the governor, you write all the names of everybody that will be in the exe`cutive council, and if you look into it, you discover that most of those you brought in don't have the capacity to work, they have nothing to add, but you just put them there because you're

governor, that is not how it is done. We have changed that system, what is happening in Abia now is that we consult everybody and give everybody the opportunity to make an input. We are running an inclusive government, which is what, is happening now and that is why there is peace and unity in the state now. Go and ask those who were attacking me before, and hear what they will tell you about me now because the reality is clear and everything is now on ground. In this government, every Abian has a stake. We resolve that whatever we are doing here, we will invite our people and you will see the who is who in Abia in attendance. One of the legacy am leaving behind in Abia is the legacy of peace and unity, there will be no divide. The era of he is an Ukwa-Ngwa or old Bende man is gone, that divide I want to break it, even though it will still be there.

What are the feedbacks you are getting from the youth

empowerment programme What is your take on President Jonathan and you have been doing? 2015. I am getting very good feedback, President Jonathan has bright future in 2015. We expect that he will contest because it is his entitlement to complete his tenure. Though he has not said anything, but if he decides to run in 2015, Abia will support him for sure, I know that in the southeast he has a lot of followers and supporters. We expect him to run and complete his tenure because he has done well. Don't mind those things they're writing against him, the man has done very well. He has made an impact in every sector and nobody can deny that, so he should be allowed to continue and finish his tenure and I believe that in his final tenure he will do more. In Abia, after 2015 I will not be governor, and I expect that God will help us to get somebody who will continue to keep Abia united, who value the legacy projects and will sustain them, somebody who will satisfy the yearnings of the people. Somebody that will sustain what we have done in security. What we don't want in Abia is domination. We don't want What are you doing anybody that will come and say i n t h e a r e a o f that Abia belongs to him or his family. Abia belongs to all of us. e n c o u r a g i n g We want Abian to continue to be investors in the free. So we want somebody that will sustain the good foundation state. We have an office that is that we have laid. That is my wish in charge of helping for Abia from 2015. investors in the state. If People are talking about any investor comes to power going to Abia south invest in the state, that senatorial district; others office will help to ensure that the investors will not think it should be Ukwahave problem in getting Ngwa, where is power going their Certificate of in 2015. Occupancy (C of O) and I have said it, it is not something other relevant things they that is hidden, I have said it need to start, so long as severally. We have two blocs in the investors do the right Abia; Ukwa-Ngwa and Bende. For thing, because you equity and FairPlay which I cannot just come and say you're an believe in, and against the investor and we listen to you. We domination I am talking about, I had a nasty experience here, believe that Bende has done its people came parading themselves turn, it is now the turn of Ukwaas investors and ask for C of O we Ngwa, let us allow them, let a gave them they vanished. governor come from that place so Amaokwe Housing estate and the that the people will not be crying market are typical examples, we everyday and doing as if Abia does learnt our lesson. not belong to them. Let them have What are you doing about a sense of belonging also; we t h e G o l d e n G u i n e a should all help, in terms of equity and fairness, that is what I am breweries in Umuahia. saying. If we live it open and say I promised Abians that one of the let every person come, it may not things I will do is to revive Golden go that way, that is why we are Guinea breweries in Umuahia, but preaching and that is what a leader then I hadn't gotten the details should do, to lead the people right. about the company. You know That is what I believe is fair to me, Golden Guinea is a Plc, is not and I know a lot of people will owned solely by Abia, and for you appreciate that. to do anything there you have to follow due process. Somebody is Your friend and brother, the there doing business, the only Governor of Akwa Ibom, thing we can do as a government is Chief Godswill Akpabio to support him and we have told said he will go to the senate him that as a government, we will in 2015, are you also going support him, we cannot for now, to senate in 2015. jump into it. wonderful feedback, and positive feedback. I want you to feel it by going into the street and ask those using the yellow taxi how they feel about our youth empowerment scheme. Not only in the area of giving out vehicles, we are training them, we have skill acquisition centres, the last time we graduated about 500 people that were trained in various skills that was in Umuahia alone, when they were graduating, money and equipments were given to them to start off. We encourage our youths to grow in their talents, your talent can die with you if you're not encouraged to grow it. That is why we have taken football very serious in the state; today Abia has two teams that will play in the Nigeria premier league, that is Enyimba of Aba and A b i a Wa r r i o r s o f Umuahia. When our youth are engaged, criminality will go, we are doing very well in youth empowerment and we shall continue with it.

THE

ADVOCATE

February 12 - 18, 2014

How my kidnappers were arrested – GUO Motors boss

he Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of G. U. O. Motors Limited, Chief Godwin Ubaka Okeke, Monday, told an Onitsha High Court in Anambra State, presided over by Justice Chudi Nwankwo how his kidnappers were arrested one after the other, after they released him on payment of N30 million ransom. He said of about 16 of them that kidnapped him on August 23, 2009, 12 were arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, with the assistance of the local vigilante operatives on various dates, while nine were charged to court after thorough investigations and screening by the police. Okeke who stated this at the conclusion of his evidence-inchief, said of the nine charged, six were granted bail while awaiting trial in prison custody because, according to the court, their trial was unduly delayed by the government lawyers, but they jumped bail and refused to appear in court till date, even after the incumbent trial judge had issued a bench warrant for their re-arrest. Okeke told the court that Emeka Eze, the first defendant on the original list and one of the gang leaders who was among those that jumped bail, was first to be arrested and brought to Central Police Station, Onitsha. After he was granted bail, he went to their base in Asaba, Delta State to celebrate his freedom with a lavish merry making, before he finally disappeared to an unknown place till date, even as the bench warrant is still hanging on his neck.

Weapons found buried inside bush According to Okeke, “after his arrest, the police invited me to come and identify him. When Emeka Eze saw me at the station, he knelt down and asked me for forgiveness, which I promised him on condition that he would assist the police with necessary information that could lead to the arrest of others. “Emeka Eze later took the police to Nando community in Anambra East Local Government Area of the state where their operational weapons, including the rocket launchers, general purpose machine guns, GPMGs, AK-47 riffles and other sophisticated weapons were found buried inside the bush and covered with plastic containers. The arms were recovered and taken to the state SARS Headquarters at Awkuzu.

Some suspects nabbed in Nsugbe “Because of my promise to Emeka Eze that he would regain his freedom if he offered assistance for the arrest of others,

he now took the police to Nsugbe where some of the suspected gang members were arrested and taken to SARS at Awkuzu, adding that some of them were arrested in Aw k a a n d A s a b a , t h e i r operational base. “The third defendant, Alexander Onyinanya, was arrested two years after the kidnap saga because he had been on the run, adding that it was through the assistance of Chinenye Ihenko (a.k.a. Okpompi) the vigilante leader in-charge of Onitsha North, Onitsha South and some other local government areas that Onyinanya was eventually tracked down.

Relationship between me and Onyinanya “On the relationship between me and Onyinanya, he was a vigilante operative attached to my personal residence in my country home, Adazi-Ani. While Onyinanya was at Adazi-Ani, he was not always at his duty post and besides, he lived a flamboyant lifestyle that was beyond his income. “I suspected that Onyinanya could have a direct relationship with the gang of criminals who were perpetrating incessant kidnappings and robberies that took place between 2008 and early part of 2009, which were more pronounced at Adazi-Enu, Adazi-Ani, Adazi-Nnukwu, Obeledu and other neighbouring communities. I requested Okpompi, the vigilante leader to redeploy him and he was replaced with another operative with

immediate effect.

H o w I identified Onyinanya “ T h e motorcycle accident Onyinanya had in 2008 while serving in my home at Adazi-Ani, for which I paid his hospital bill, made him to limp, which was why I was able to identify him as the tall member of the gang who was Chief Godwin Okeke wearing a mask during (IGP). and after my abduction. “After their arrest between My younger brother's October and November, 2009, kidnap crime rate in the state dropped by “In January 2013, some of the 80 per cent till the end of 2010, fleeing gang members regrouped since they were the main gang of and kidnapped my younger robbers and kidnappers that brother, and in mid October 2013, terrorized the state then. the same gangsters attacked one “They kept calling me on phone, of my private Toyota SUV and telling me that I was the only riddled it with bullets, thinking I victim fighting them, unlike other was inside the vehicle. victims who usually told them “More arrests have been made in about others to kidnap and get respect of the kidnap of my handsome ransom. They even younger brother and attack on my made attempts on my life on three vehicle and very soon, the occasions which failed. This arrested suspects will be brought prompted me to apply to the to the court.” police authorities for an escort Cross-examination which was approved by the At this stage, the prosecution Inspector-General of Police counsel, Chris Ajugwe, who was

leading Okeke in his evidencein-chief, rested his case and Oliver Oduma, counsel to the first accused, Kelechi Okafor, cross-examined Okeke briefly on the level of Okafor's involvement in his kidnap, to which Okeke replied: “Okafor himself told me that it was the gangsters that gave him my vehicle to sell and return the proceeds to them but when he wanted to sell the vehicle and the buyers discovered that it was GUO's vehicle, they refused to buy and even advised him (Okafor) to abandon the vehicle before he would be arrested, and he abandoned the vehicle in Badagry, Lagos State and fled. “It was when Okafor went back to Asaba, their operational base, to narrate the development to the gang members that they arrested and handed him over to the police on framed up charges. They suspected that Okafor might have sold the vehicle, pocketed the proceeds and came to tell them lies. “I could not identify Okafor throughout my kidnap saga until on information, I met him in police station and he personally narrated to me how they gave him the stolen vehicle to sell.” Justice Nwankwo adjourned further hearing till December 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9 when the matter is expected to have been concluded, starting from the crossexaminations of Okeke, by both counsel to Ifeanyi Okafor, the second accused, D. U. Nwafor and counsel to Onyinanya, the third accused, Mrs. J. N. Okongwu.

Chime dissolves, reconstitutes boards of 19 parastatals

overnor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has reconstituted the boards of nineteen parastatals, corporations, companies and Boars in the State. A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Patrick Okolo said the action followed the dissolution of the existing boards of the affected parastatals with effect from the 3rd of February, 2014. The reconstituted Boards according to the statement include those of the Enugu State Waste Management Authority ( E S WA M A ) , U n i t e d P a l m Produce Limited (UPPL), Nigeria Construction and Furniture Company (NCFC), Enugu State Hospitals Management Board, Enugu State Agency for Community and Social Development Project (CSDP), Enugu State Library Board, Nike Lake Resort Hotel and Rural Electrification Board.

Others are, Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Enugu State Gaming Commission, Fertilizer Procurement and Distribution Company and Enugu

State Water Corporation. The rest are Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, Local Government Staff Pensions Board, Governing Board, State College of Agriculture, Governing Council, Enugu State College of

Education (Technical) and Membership of the JAAC. The statement directed the Chairmen and members of the dissolved Boards to hand over all government properties and documents in their possession to the Managing Directors/General Managers of their respective Boards not latter than today (Wednesday, 5th February, 2014).

South-East APC backs Igbo leaders' demand for new constitution

he All Progressives Congress, APC, SouthEast zone, has hailed Concerned Igbo leaders of thought for insisting that the proposed national dialogue must produce a new constitution for the country. The group had advocated against mere amendment of the constitution as recommended by the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC). In a statement by its spokesman, Osita Okechukwu, the party said it has been the position of APC that

President Jonathan's conference is dead on arrival and diversionary. The APC therefore, agreed with the leaders of thought that the outcome of the national dialogue must be subjected to a referendum. “South-East APC praises Concerned Igbo Leaders of Thought for their position on referendum and the imperative of a new constitution”, APC said and wondered why waste time on what the National and State Assemblies can easily legislate. “It has always been our position

that if an amendment will be effective, our brothers, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, who preside over the two National Assembly committees on Constitutional Amendment, could have restructured Nigeria to true federalism. “So, the leaders of thought deserve our commendation for insisting on a new constitution, to be subjected to a referendum for peoples approval”, Okechukwu said.

THE

ADVOCATE

February 12 - 18, 2014

FG evacuates 1,277 Nigerians from war-torn Central African Republic ·We lost everything; give us jobs, evacuees beg FG

he Federal Government has so far evacuated 1,277 Nigerians stranded in crisis-torn Central African Republic, CAR. The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, which disclosed this in Abuja Wednesday, said evacuation exercise would continue until all Nigerians were airlifted out of the war-torn country. It would be recalled that a United Nations, UN, report, said over one million people had been displaced from their homes in the clashes between Christian militias and the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group that overthrew President Francois Bozize in March. According to NEMA, the first batch of evacuees arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Friday, January 3. The agency said others, who were evacuated on Saturday and Sunday, were all received on

behalf of the Federal Government by its Director-General, Muhammad Sani-Sidi, and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry. Welcoming the returnees home, Sani-Sidi told the evacuees that food and non-food items were

available for them at the camp, while contacts had been made with the government of their various states of origin to convey them home. Most of the registered evacuees were discovered to be indigenes of Bauchi, Edo, Jigawa, Kebbi,

Borno, Ekiti, and Anambra, Zamfara, FCT, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Abia, Enugu, Kano, Imo and Kaduna states. Others were from Sokoto, Kwara, Adamawa, Gombe Nassarawa and Delta. The governments of Benue,

ECCIMA urges FG to provide structures at Enugu permanent trade fair site th ·Announces 25 International Trade Fair

By Ted Peters & Rex Arum

he Enugu Chamber of C o m m e r c e , I n d u s t r y, Mines and Agriculture, ECCIMA, said yesterday that the absence of permanent structures at the Enugu International Trade fair ground has remained one of the greatest challenges facing the chamber.

It therefore called on the Federal Government to expedite action in providing the facilities, lamenting that whereas Lagos and Kaduna trade fair complexes were properly provided for, Enugu, which is their counterpart had been neglected. Briefing journalists on preparations for 2014 Trade Fair, which coincides with Silver Jubilee anniversary of ECCIMA, the new president of the chamber,

Dr. Ifeanyi Okoye said that the 25th Enugu International Trade Fair is to commence on 28th March to 7th April this year. He said the theme of the Trade Fair is, “Increasing Competitiveness of Nigerian Products in the Global Market”. Okoye said the fair which will be the 5th in the series to be held at the permanent site of the international trade fair complex will be declared open by President

·NAF bombards Sambisa forest for Boko Haram Continued from page 9 the excesses of the Boko Haram insurgents, our group in conjunction with the 75 Strike Group, NAF, Yola deployed air platforms which carry out air surveillance, interdiction and raid operations on identified Boko Haram hideouts located at Bullabulin, Yujiwa, Alagarno, Damboa axis of the state. ''As a result of these air operations, we have made remarkable achievement as the insurgents, who are retreating to neighbouring countries, such as Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic, have suffered heavy casualties, after destroying their camps in the Sambisa forest.”

Why security agencies can't curtail insurgents' upsurge Meanwhile, investigations have revealed that apart from the inability of security agencies to deploy personnel to the various communities so far attacked, lack of or non availability of equipment to assist in the tracking, monitoring and containment of the hoodlums, who carry out the attacks and disappear, was making efforts of the agencies herculean tasks. The Boko Haram insurgents had been operating from the various porous borders of the North-East, especially in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno States, killing scores of innocent Christians and Muslims, and fleeing the country without arrest, even as the military which was implementing the emergency laws had continued to take out those that strayed into their areas of

Anambra, Delta, Abia, Edo and Bauchi states have so far commenced the transportation of their indigenes out of camp in Abuja. A breakdown of the evacuees, comprising mainly children, women, the aged and disabled, indicated that the first batch consisted of 365; second batch, 748; and third, 164.

operation.

Middle Belt states challenges In the Middle Belt states of Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa and Southern Kaduna, Fulani herdsmen had also continued to attack, kill and main citizens while revenge attacks by citizens on 'settlers' have continued despite efforts of security personnel. At the weekend, an Islamic cleric, Sheik Mohammed Albani was assassinated in Zaria for daring to question the wisdom in the attacks being carried out by the Boko Haram adherents, pointing out that there was nowhere in the Quran where their actions were justified by Islamic injunctions. Some security agents who spoke on the condition of anonymity said: “The hoodlums under whatever guise, when they want to carry out sinister acts, go to communities far off from the areas where troops and other security agencies were stationed. “Another thing is that because of the remoteness of some of the communities, it is not possible to deploy our men to all the communities.” Explaining that the way out was for government to acquire more equipment for the NAF and the army because of the terrain involved, the source said: “If the air force had enough aircraft, for instance, they would be carrying out air patrols, and then would be able to inform the ground troops to move in and checkmate the attacks. Obsolete equipment “But even when the air patrols are

Jonathan carried out, sometimes, the movement of troops to the scene of attack have been hampered by obsolete equipment that were a v a i l a b l e t o t h e a r m y. “There have been instances where tyres' of military vehicles like armoured tanks and other equipment had failed in times of urgent need because most of them were worn out and had not been replaced.” The source noted that but for the determination and dexterity of officers of the armed services who, out of necessity carried out local rehabilitation and refitting of some of the equipment in use currently, the story of terrorism activities and other cross border crimes, would have been unpalatable. Disclosing that the budgetary

process and the reluctance by relevant stakeholders in the release of resources for equipment acquisition especially modern military hardware which would have made the fight better handled was also a major setback, the source added: “Buying military equipment is not something you get off the shelf. “The weaponry has to be built to specification and involve huge amount because they are denominated in foreign currencies. I bet you, if the equipment is available, even the B o k o H a r a m insurgency people are talking about would have been drastically curtailed.” Recalling that the last time the military were properly equipped was in the 1980's during civil administrations, the top shot said: “It is now that it is dawning on the country what the past military administrations did to the military. They virtually demobilized the armed forces. If not for the rebuilding under this democracy, these hoodlums would have thoroughly embarrassed the armed forces and the country. “If the armed forces and the police are properly equipped and insulated from politics, issues of procurement and acquisition of weaponry, terrorism and other attacks on communities would be checkmated.”

Goodluck Jonathan. He said that in spite of challenges, ECCIMA had recorded huge milestones, including movement to permanent site, promoting entrepreneurship in the zone, bridging the gap between government and firms as well as ongoing construction of a massive multi-purpose building that will among other things house ICT and library that anybody can get any information in business. Okoye disclosed that so far, six countries and numerous national and international firms have already indicated interest to participate in the fair, adding that the six foreign countries that have so far signified interest to participate include Malaysia, Vietnam, China, South Africa, Indonesia and India. He expressed hope that the fair will be unique as the council has put in place measures to ensure stable and quality supply of electricity and water as two standby 500KVA generators in event of public power supply failure had been provided. ECCIMA boss who was flanked by other council members assured participants of adequate security and hospitable business environment, stressing that Enugu is one of the safest states in the country, with the most beautiful hotels and relaxation centres. “Arising from the huge exhibition space available, we shall be consolidating efforts towards enhancing the specially designated area in the fair complex for exhibition of new products, prototypes, innovations and research findings for commercialization. This is to boost technological advancement by bringing researchers, business people and industrialists together. This is indeed one of the core focal points and cutting age of the Enugu International Trade Fair”, Okoye, who is the Chairman of Juhel Group, said. “To boost the success of the fair, the chamber commences sensitization tour next week to consolidate marketing with visits to stakeholders both in public and private sectors in Lagos, Abuja and across the South East/South South States,” he further said.

THE

ADVOCATE

February 12 - 18, 2014

From The

COURT

Court dismisses Okafor's N502m suit against Catholic Priest, another

n Enugu High Court has dismissed with cost N502 million suits by Nwabueze Okafor brought against a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Tony Amarube and one John Chukwudi Nwankwo, a lawyer, for alleged defamation. Okafor, former chairman of Enugu-south council area of Enugu state, and former National President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), had slammed N502m suit against the defendants but soon after the defendants pleaded for justification in the suit following the statement of defence filed by the 1st defendants (Nwankwo), through his counsel U.C Okpe, he abandoned the case and absconded. Okafor in a suit: No. E/360/2011, told the court that the 2 nd defendant, Fr. Amarube had in a press conference organised through his Centre for Victims of Extra-Judicial Killing and Torture

(CVEKT AFRICA), made a derogatory statement against his person which was published in most national dailies claiming that he was rusticated out of university over cultism. He denied that while he averred that he has never been accused of, or charged with any criminal offence either or before his vying for chairmanship position in his local government, Enugu South. According to him, the defendants had in the press conference stated that he “in 2009 when Mr. Nwabueze Okafor was contesting for chairmanship of Enugu south council poll, he (1st defendant) decided not to support him on grounds of principle coupled with the fact that he (Okafor) was rusticated from the University of Port-Harcourt on grounds of cultism following the killing of some students in the university in the early nineties”. Okafor claimed in the suit among other things against the

defendants; “the sum of N200m being damages for the libel contained at pages 2 and 3 of the press statement written, printed and published by the defendants or caused to be written, printed and published by the defendants. “The sum of N200m being damages for libel contained in the letter written, printed and published by the defendants or caused to be written, printed by the defendants. “The sum of N100m as damages for slander uttered by the 2nd defendant, Fr. Amarube at a press conference he conveyed on or about 11 th November, 2011, attended by numerous journalists, representatives of the press and the general public at the Centre for Victims of Extra-Judicial Killing and Torture, (CVEKT AFRICA) at No. 2 Edinburgh road, Enugu. The Counsel to the former council chairman in his statement of claim, noted that prior to his

election as the Chairman, he was the Administrator, Enugu west development area, and also member of the same development area, stressing that he served in these positions with a high sense of integrity and responsibility. He further noted that he has over the years built and established a reputation for honesty, exemplary leadership and unquestionable integrity; “The plaintiff has never been accused of, or charged with any criminal offence.” However after the defendants pleaded justification in the matter the plaintiff appeared to have abandoned the case, as he didn't show up in the court to continue his case for several months. Ruling recently on the matter, Justice A. R. Ozomena dismissed the suit and awarded a cost. According to the ruling, since after the defendants pleaded justification in the matter and the plaintiff abandoned his case and absconded, “under Order 25(i)

(iii) the suit: No. E/360/2011 is dismissed. That the Plaintiff is to pay N10, 000 each cost for bringing this suit.” Counsel to the Fr. Amarube the 2nd defendant, Prof RACE Achara, and Counsel to Barrister Nwankwo, U.C. Okpe thanked the judge for dismissing the suit for lack of diligent prosecution. Our correspondent gathered that Nwankwo who earlier pleaded justification in his defence is said to be fuming but nobody knows his mind as he had reportedly sworn to bring Hon. Okafor to the full knowledge of the public, noting that he is not a man to be trusted with smallest public office, especially as his tenure in office as the chairman Enugusouth has ended on 4th day of January, 2014. It should be recalled that Hon. Okafor had allegedly been accused of masterminding the arson carried on the 1st defendants' family house on Sunday 15th April, 2012 which was widely reported in the national dailies.

PEOPLES COURT

Has ESWAMA any right to arrest and detain people?

rganisations and well meaning individuals have risen to the occasion to challenge the illegal arrests, detention and extortion being perpetrated by ESWAMA in Enugu state; a development which have been seen not to be part of the agency's mandate as provided by the law that set it up. In the arbitration by the people's court powered by - Movement Of Vo i c e F o r D e m o c r a c y (MOVERS Nigeria) in the 24th episode of the people's court at solid 100.9 fm Enugu pc/e/24/December 21st/2013 between: Nwobodo Chukwudi::: ::: ::: claimant vs 1. Enugu State Waste Management Authority, (ESWAMA) .............defendants 2. Mr. Abi Godwin (pfn 442548) OPINION OF THE FORUM ADVOCATE IN THE CASE: 1. Fellow citizens, it is important to recognize the Law, which gave life to the 1st Defendant, the Enugu State Waste Management Authority, CAP 75 Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004. A body corporate with perpetual succession, may sue and be sued in its corporate name. 2. The functions of ESWAMA are set out in section 5 of its Law 3. The powers of ESWAMA is captured in section 6, which provides thus: Section 6(1) The Authority shall have power to carry out its functions under this Law

including and without limiting the generality of the following, the power (a) to hold, manage and alienate moveable and immovable property (b) to enter into contract or partnerships with any company, firm or person which in opinion of the Authority with facilitate discharge of the said functions. (c) To train managerial, technical and such other staff for the purpose of the running of its operations and for waste management in general. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) above, all contracts including alienations and acquisition made by the Authority shall be referred by the A u t h o r i t y t o commissioner for approval and in strict compliance with the guidelines issued by the Ministry. 4. Fellow citizens, apart from section 30, the establishment of the State Court to be known as “the Environmental Protection Court.” I am unable to find anywhere from sections 1 - 43 of CAP 75 , wherein authority is vested in ESWAMA LAW , to

arrest persons or to direct the Nigerian Police Officers to enforce its Laws by arresting or detention of citizens for any alleged violation . 5. Fellow citizens, had the Law makers in

frown upon any manifestation of Arbitrary Power assumed by any person or Authority over the life or property of any citizen, even if that citizen is suspected of having breached some Law or regulation. The only option allowed in a Democracy is to “take the citizen to Court.” People and Authorities must never take the Law into their hands by attempting to enforce what the citizen or the authorities considers to be his/its rights or entitlement. See: ERONINI VS. ERONINI (2013) 14 NWLR (PT. 1373) 32. 7. It is settled Law that an unchallenged piece of evidence ought to be accepted by a trial court or tribunal as proof of the facts or issue in respect of which the evidence was given. In the instant case, there is nothing to put in the other side of the scale of Justice from the Defendants, as they Chief Ifeanyi Okonkwo, have refused to present their own side of their Chairman MOVERS Nigeria case. See: OTUEDON the Enugu State House of VS. OLUGHOR (1997) 9 NWLR Assembly wanted the Nigerian (PT. 521) 355; ODEBUNMI VS. Police Force to assist ESWAMA, ABDULLAHI (1997) 2 NWLR it had not said so in the current (PT. 489) 526. 8. It is trite in Law Law. 6. It is my humble view that that, if a person is not found guilty E S WA M A i s p a r t o f t h e by a court of Law of an offence, he Executive arm of the Government cannot be made to pay a fine. To of Enugu State. The Court will

do otherwise, is that the Authority has usurped the judicial function of Court. 9. Finally , fellow citizens upon the one sided evidence before the PEOPLE'S COURT , I am humble to commend to you the distinguished JURY to find in favour of the CLAIMANT a decree granting all the claims against the Defendants . This is the humble opinion of the FORUM ADVOCATE in the PEOPLE'S COURT. DATED AT ENUGU, THIS SATURDAY, 21ST DECEMBER, 2013. SIGNED FORUM ADVOCATE JUDGMENT OF THE JURY: 1. Number of people that phone-in : __6___ 2. Number of people that participated through SMS: __NIL___ 3. Number of people that participated through PEOPLE'S COURT Face book page: NIL 4. Total number of people that participated: __6__ VERDICT OF THE PEOPLE: 1. Those in FAVOUR of FORUM A D V O C AT E ' S O p i n i o n : _¬¬¬_6___ _ 2. Those OPPOSED to the FORUM A D V O C AT E ' S o p i n i o n : _NONE_ 3. Those with different VIEWS: _NIL____ 4. The winning judgment of the JURY in this PETITION: _JUDGMENT IS IN FAVOUR OF MR. NWOBODO CHUKWUDI. THE WINNER OF DIGITAL RADIO: * MR LAST BORN/From Auchi ; Edo State * MR. HENRY/From Ebonyi State

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February 12 - 18, 2014

The Nigerian Nationalist Michael Ajasin M

ichael Adekunle Ajasin (28 November 1908 3 October 1997) was a Nigerian politician who was elected Governor of Ondo State (October 1979 October 1983) on the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) platform during the Nigerian Second Republic. Background Michael Adekunle Ajasin was born in Owo, Ondo State on 28 November 1908. He attended St. Andrews College, Oyo between (19241927). He worked as a teacher for some time, then was admitted to Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone in 1943, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Modern History and Economics in June, 1946. Following that, he went to the Institute of Education of the University of London where he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Education in June, 1947. On 12 September 1947, Ajasin was appointed Principal of Imade College, Owo, where he initiated an aggressive staff development program, including sending teachers to University College, Ibadan for

Michael Ajasin

further training. In 1951 he wrote a paper that was to become the educational policy of the Action G r o u p p a r t y, advocating free education at all levels. He was one of the founders of the party, whose other policies i n c l u d e d i m m e d i a t e independence from Britain, universal health care, and abolition of want through effective economic policies. In December 1962, he left Imade College to become founder, proprietor and first principal of Owo High School from

January 1963 to August, 1975, when he retired.He married Babafunke Tenabe, a teacher, on 12 January 1939. They had four children, two boys and two girls. One daughter, Mrs Olajumoke Anifowoshe, became attorneygeneral and commissioner for Justice in Ondo State. Political career Ajasin was elected governor of Ondo State, taking office in October 1979, with Akin Omoboriowo as his running mate. Omoboriowo later fell out with him, and switched to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), where he competed against Ajasin in the 1983 elections and was initially declared winner. Later the result was annulled and Ajasin was sworn in for a second term. Ajasin held office until the military coup of 31 December 1983 that brought General Muhammadu Buhari to power. As governor, Ajasin signed the law establishing the Ondo State University in 1982. Later, the university was renamed the Adekunle Ajasin University in his h o n o r. H e a l s o o p e n e d T h e Polytechnic, Owo.

Obi donates 0.1 billion to Nnamdi Azikiwe university By Uche Chukwu, Awka

overnor doled out the sum of N100 million to Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, in addition to presenting four brand new vehicles and a 50 Kva generator to the institution for development projects, including construction of internal roads in the University. This is part of his administration's resolve to offer support to all organizations and institutions domiciled in Anambra State, whether private, public or Government-owned provided their services were for the good of the people of the State. The Governor had extended the same support to Paul University, Awka; Madonna University, Okija; Tansian University, Umuny Making the donation to Unizik, governor Obi assured that all higher institutions in the State will get theirs. He expressed optimism that the support would impact positively on the institutions. He also promised to provide the school with a life saver ambulance.

Gov. Obi In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Boniface Egboka, represented by the D e p u t y Vi c e C h a n c e l l o r, Administration, Prof. Greg Nwokobi thanked the Governor for the gesture. Recalling the Governor's previous support to the university, including the provision of a Toyota Coaster bus, a Nissan Civilian Bus, A Toyota bus for the Faculty of Law, the

rehabilitation of Ifite-AmanseaUniversity road, he said that Gov. Obi had offered more support than all the former Governors in the history of the school, including when it was a State university. "Never before in the University's thirty-four years history, first as a State University and later as a Federal University has it been the beneficiary of such highly commendable level of attention from any Chief Executive of Anambra State. If your positive attention to Nnamdi Azikiwe is described as astonishing, then your relentless drive towards the transformation of Anambra State, even in the twilight of your Administration, could be said to be both captivating and mesmerizing," Prof. Egboka said. Further, Prof Egboka noted that through Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS), that Gov. Obi had achieved holistic and comprehensive development of the State, with every segment of the society experiencing positive changes. Speaking at the event, the Director of Ekwueme Centre for multiple- discipline Research,

Venerable Prof. Israel Okoye said the Governor had accomplished his mission of re-defining governance by putting the welfare of the people above every other consideration. He noted that the Governor had become a role model for the younger generation, adding that his support for Ekwueme Centre of the

university would encourage the work of the Centre in all ramifications. The President of the Students' U n i o n G o v e r n m e n t , M r. Chukwunonso Ibe, who received one of the keys to the bus for the Union, assured they would work hard to justify the Governor's investment in the school.

Residents, landlords protest demolition order Continued from page 2 ancestral heritage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was no formal letter from the government informing us why they want to demolish the houses instead they called us for discussion and before we could end the discussion the government officials went on air to announce that the residents of Ugbo Okonkwo have started vacating and that it is a slum area and directing that we should start packing out of the place within seven days. We are not challenging the government; we are only begging them to tamper justice with mercy because we have title documents for our property here. We have been here since 1896 with our families. Our youths are crying

because they don't know where else to go. We love the work Governor Sullivan Chime is doing in Enugu State and we don't want anybody to stain it, that is why we are praying that he should please allow us to stay. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They said we have buildings that did not meet the requirements of the government, we are pleading that they should give us government's plan so that we can restructure our property and get the government's approval because we bought the land. The governor is supposed to listen to us because we voted for him and he holds our mandate. Let him advise those around him to help the poor masses. We are ready to restructure our houses to meet the standard required by the government. We

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Event & personalities

L-R Chairman of Oranto Petroleum Ltd, Prince Arthur Eze, Attorney General of Enugu State and Governor Chime's representative, Mr Anthony Ani, SAN and Deputy Governor of Delta State/ Chairman of the occasion, Professor Amos Utuama at the public presentation of the book "ABC of Contemporary Land Law in Nigeria (revised and enlarged edition) written by the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezuluike, in Enugu.

L-R. Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezuluike, Kola Adewoyi SAN and Attorney General of Enugu State (representing Gov Chime) Anthony Ani, SAN at the public presentation of the book "ABC of Contemporary Land Law in Nigeria (revised and enlarged edition) written by Justice Umezuluike, in Enugu.

Group commends Provost FCE(T) Umunze By Our Reporter

igerian Youths have commended the Provost Federal College of Education (Technical ) Umunze, South East, Prof. Josephat Ogbuagu for the able manner he has piloted the affairs of the college for the past four years of his first tenure. Speaking under the aegis of the South East Youths Movement of Nigeria (SEYM), at their two day meeting in Umuahia Abia State, the youths noted that for the past four years the Institution has witnessed remarkable progress in areas of infrastructural provision, and recorded monumental achievements in academics, Sports and other extra curricular activities. The meeting observed that it was the Provost uncommon courage, doggedness and hard work that made the college be elevated to a Degree Awarding Institution just as it remarked that his feat in the areas of ICT provision, agriculture including poultry, fishery and piggery expansion, and above all in providing relevant skill acquisition programmes that would enable grandaunds of the college become self reliant is unprecedented. Delegates to the meeting noted with satisfaction the high quality of work done at the Institutions permanent site also in Umunze, the Auditorum, students hall and hostels as well as lecture rooms and pointed out that such positive monumental transformation could be witnessed under the management of personnel like the incumbent Provost

of the college, Prof. Ogbuagu. While describing him as a “good manager”, an “efficient administrator” and an academic who is ready and always willing to render “selfless service” and bring “innovations” when n e c e s s a r y, t h e y o u t h s commended the Federal Government and the Supervising Minister for Education, Nyesom Wike for his wisdom and dexterity in ensuring the reappointment of the provost for the second tenure, and expressed optimism that the college will attain the much desired lift within then next four years of the Provost's administration. The meeting which believes in President Goodluck Jonathan's Transformation Agenda in the Education Sector expressed the view that the ability of Nyesom Wike to appoint competent hands to man crucial parastatals is contributory to the great success achieved in this all important sector in the Country. President of the South East Yo u t h s M o v e m e n t o f Nigeria, Joakim Ezekude from Ishielu Ebonyi State urged the provost, Prof. Ogbuagu never to relent in his efforts to raise the college to an enviable standard. Secretary of the movement, Mabel Agazie from Emekuke Owerri Imo State expressed optimism that with Prof. Ogbuagu, the Federal College of E d u c a t i o n ( Te c h n i c a l ) Umunze will grow and produce self reliant graduates who will in turn employ others to curb unemployment and grow the economy.

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Your home also matters

eing fashionable does not start and end with your clothes, shoes, accessories and make ups, your home also matters. The looks, packaging and functionality of your house says a lot about your taste, likes and your worth. Permit me to digress a bit from the conventional fashion trends of the body to that of the home. I begin this fashion tour with the kitchen because it's the nucleus of a house. In the past, people were not too much concerned about furnishing their kitchens to please the visitor's eyes, the looks doesn't matter they think as long as it maintains good hygienic standard, one would not blame them anyway, since the kitchen at that time is more or less built outside the main house. Ha Ha! Things are no longer as they were. Nowadays the advent of dinning in a kitchen has forced people to remodel and rearrange their kitchen in a way that it will be welcoming to all especially visitors. Now, have you been thinking of how to remodel your home? Allow your eyes the pleasure of browsing through this sample of exclusive kitchens below and then you can start working on yours. And in case you've not thought of changing the old fashioned arrangement in your kitchen then I think you should have a rethink.

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February 12 - 18, 2014

INCREDIBLE! Man with two Penis

man with two functioning penises took questions on on Reddit's "Ask Me Anything" and it was unlike any other Q&A you're likely to read. The man, who calls himself "DoubleDickDude" (DDD), was born with diphallia, a rare congenital condition that causes him to have two sex organs. Both penises are in the 6-inch range, but DDD says one can get as large as 7 inches if he's really aroused. As might be expected, DDD

attracted thousands of inquiries from curious men and women about his pitchfork penis. His real name, age and home town remain a mystery, but he is believed to live somewhere in the United States. For instance, DDD said he is bisexual and currently in a relationship with both a man and a woman. He said partners were a couple before they started dating him. "She is straight, and he is bisexual," he wrote. "After four months of them both knowing me,

they found out about my penises. It clicked and we've been together since.” DDD claims he has managed to put both appendages inside a woman at once. “[It went] very nicely. She complained later though... [But] she kept coming back for more at least for three months," he said. Although DDD is happy with what God gave him -- twice -- he's had some past issues as a result of being double-pronged. "I had one issue in my teens. The

'Y' intersection where my urethra splits into two had some tension issues and was ballooning until the pressure was enough to force the urine up and out," he said. "So they did some minor surgery and used catheters to stretch and open up the 'Y' some. No problems since." H o w e v e r, w h e n h e g o e s commando, which he said "is almost always, except in winter," the two organs take their own sides. “The seam can be a pain sometimes because the skin between them is a little delicate

and sensitive," he explained. He said exposing his junk to a new partner has had its challenges, and that men and women have reacted very differently. “Some have been like, THAT'S FAKE! Some have freaked out, like, called me names," he said. "Most are pretty curious… but for the most part, girls were nervous and some changed their mind at the last minute. Dudes NEVER change their mind, they always want it even if they're freaked out a little.”

Lady married to a ghost for several years

ow get ready for a really shocking and long but true life story, about how this lady was married to a ghost for several years…. My name is Belinda but everyone calls me Linda, at the moment, I am living an agonizing and shattered life. I have gone everywhere in search of help. And this has remained unachievable. I have therefore decided to put my fate and those of my children in the hands of God having discovered that the man I have been married to for five years, Felix, is a ghost. How was he able to win my heart and marry me without any suspicion? This is my story. It was one Friday evening sometime in February 2003. My colleague and best friend, Grace and I were on our way home after the close of work from Victoria Island in Lagos. When we got to Obalende, we stood at the bus stop for more than an hour as there was no bus in sight. In fact, the crowd at the bus stop was frightening because it rained heavily that day, coupled with the usual Lagos heavy traffic. “Grace, what are we going to do? It is almost 9:30 p.m. and our way home is still very far,” I said. “Linda, we just have to wait. If we are lucky, we may even get a lift from someone away from here at least,” Grace said. A few minutes later, she suggested that we move away from the crowd so that we could flag down cars, and who knows someone may actually stop and give us a lift. From nowhere, a black Pathfinder jeep pulled to a stop. The driver wound down the passenger's side and said, “Hello ladies, which way are you heading?” Grace answered, “Definitely not your way, I am sure. Anyway, which way are you going, sir?” “I am going towards Maryland. Is that your way,” the young man asked. “At least it is closer home because we are actually going to Ikeja,” I answered. He asked us to come in and this we happily did even though we both don't like entering lifts because of the different scary stories we have heard. Grace sat in front while I went behind; quietly praying in my heart

that God should grant us journey mercies, believing that the young man was a good person. A few minutes later, he then introduced himself as Felix, an architect working on the Lagos Island. Grace and I also introduced ourselves. There was silence in the car after the introduction until we got to Maryland. When we were about to alight, he gave each of us his complimentary card and pleaded that we get in touch. He asked for our phone numbers, and Grace reluctantly wrote them in a piece of paper with our names. The next day, my phone rang when I was busy in the office. Reluctantly I picked it up and heard a bass, male voice. He introduced himself as Felix, the man who gave us a ride last night. “I remember, thank you so much for yesterday. We really appreciate,” I said. He asked me if we could have lunch together sometime soon. I promised that I would think about it and get back to him. When I told Grace, she said, “I know we just met Felix but he looked cool to me. Why not give him a try.” About five days later, I called him and said, “Alright Felix we can go for that lunch but it has to be on a Saturday or Sunday.” He told me Saturday would be fine and that he could pick me up at home if I didn't mind. But I told him to give me the address of where we would be having lunch and the time as I would gladly meet him there. I should send him my home address so that he could pick me up at 2:00 p.m. I took my time to dress up to look

good so I wore a fitted top and a pair of jean trousers. Hmmm … I looked simple but beautiful and attractive. Immediately I got to the venue, Felix was sitting at the reception already waiting for me

because I got there about 15 minutes late and had to apologise. We had this sumptuous lunch at this hotel somewhere in GRA after which we talked about each other. Felix told me his parents were late; he was the only child and son of his parents. He added that he did not know members of his extended family because his parents believed in sticking to their nuclear family. However, he introduced Harry and Sam to me as his best friends who are also like brothers to him. We started dating. Three months later, he told me he wanted to get married in six months if I was ready. He parked out of his Anthony apartment and moved to Ikeja. When I told my family, they asked me about him and I told them all he told me. My father wasn't too comfortable with the story but since I told him Felix was my life, he allowed us to get married, especially when I told them I was already pregnant for

him. We got married at the Ikeja Registry in 2004 but it was a lowkey wedding. Felix was so caring and loving. He pampered me silly and stopped me from working. However, he ensured that all my needs were met. He got me a househelp and constantly reminded me about the doctor's order that I needed to rest. When I gave birth to our son, Felix Jnr, in 2005, he bought me a Honda jeep. He was so excited. There was the look of fulfilment written all over his face each time he looked at Jnr. He loved him so much. In 2007, I got pregnant with our second child and gave birth to our beautiful daughter, Alice. Felix was so happy. He showed me and the children so much love and care. We lived happily as a family. However, in April 2009, I noticed that whenever Felix was asleep, he murmured the same sentence over and over again.

Continues on next Edition

Man gives birth to baby girl, his wife is the father

ast Wednesday, December 18, the first baby to be born to transgender parents in Argentina was delivered via C-section in the province of Entre Ríos. The proud parents are 26-year-old Alexis Taborda and 28-year-old Karen Bruselario. Alexis was born a woman, but lives as a man and Karen was born a man, but

lives as a woman. Because of Argentina's Gender Identity Law passed in May of 2012, the couple have both been able to legally change their genders without gender reassignment surgery, which meant that when they got pregnant via natural means, it was the man, Alexis, who carried the baby. So what about the baby? Well, the baby was due on

December 22 via scheduled Csection, but couldn't wait. Alexis started having contractions the weekend before the scheduled birth, and the baby was born "early" weighing 9.37 pounds (that's a big baby) at Hospital Fermín Salaberry in Victoriain. The couple named their baby girl Génesis Evangelina.

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Open Letter: You're unrepentant trouble maker, Clark lambasts OBJ

·Calls him liar, hypocrite

rstwhile Federal Minister of Information and Ijaw leader has written a blistering open letter to former President Olusegun Obasanjo describing him as an unrepentant trouble maker and hypocrite guilty of many of the things he recently accused President Goodluck Jonathan of. In a 10-page letter to Obasanjo, Chief Clark drew reference from the time of their common service in the Yakubu Gowon government and Obasanjo's relationship with all former heads of state that succeeded him to describe the former president as one who is determined to shape Nigeria according to his own whims. Clark traced Obasanjo's opposition to Jonathan to frustration arising from his failure to manipulate the president on issues just as he defended the president on his linkages with his Ijaw home base, saying that the president has unlike his predecessors, not given preferences to his people.

Clark wrote: My Dear Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,

open letter to the President connotes. The generality of Nigerians think your letter is treasonable. Why I write Ordinarily, I never intended to join in the affray of accusations and counter accusations between a former President and a sitting President and a daughter in between. But, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in your usual characteristic hatred and use of sarcastic remarks about Ijaw, you have again berated and insulted us the Ijaws in your letter to Mr. President. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has never for once acted nor behaved as an Ijaw man since he took office as President, and we hold no grudge against him for that. Secondly, as a Nigerian and an Ijaw man, I am proud to belong to both entities. Unlike you Obasanjo who is a Yoruba man first before being a Nigerian, I Chief E.K. Clark am the accepted leader of the Ijaws, while unfortunately you, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, are not accepted as leader of the Yorubas despite being Head of State twice,

tacitly encourage people of 'Ijaw nation' to throw insults on other Nigerians from other parts of the country and threaten fire and brimstone to protect your interest as Ijaw man is myopic and your openly quieting them is even more unfortunate. You know that I have expressed my views and feelings to you on this, issue in the past but I have come to realize that many others feel the way I have earlier expressed to you.” I am indeed very sad and disturbed that you can make such a malicious, mischievous statement about an ethnic group which you did pejoratively knowing fully well that it has no single iota of truth nor foundation purposely to instigate and incite the rest of Nigerians against Mr. President and Ijaw come 2015. Your statement: “For you to allow yourself to be possessed so to say, to the exclusion of most of the rest of Nigeria as an Ijaw man is a mistake that should have never been allowed to happen” One may wish to ask why you think Jonathan is being possessed by Ijaws in

because you lack the virtues and honour deserving of a Yoruba leader. Your devilish and inciting remarks about the Ijaws are unfounded. My dear former President, I know my letter will not come to you as a surprise because you know I would respond in equal measure, I have written several open letters to you in the past for your mismanagement of Nigeria affairs with Atiku Abubakar between 19992007, when you were the President and he your Vice President. I have also criticized and commented on your incessant interference with the government of Late President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and I have commented on your unwarranted interference with his administration because of the confusion you generate. Reproduced hereunder is your myopic, rude and irresponsible remarks about Ijaws in your desperate letter to Mr. President: 'For you to allow yourself to be “possessed” so to say, to the exclusion of most of the rest of Nigerians as an Ijaw man' is a mistake that should have never been allowed to happen. Yes, you have to be born in one part of Nigeria to be a Nigerian if not naturalized but the Nigerian President must be above ethnic factionalism. And those who prop you up as of, and for 'Ijaw nation' are not your friends genuinely, not friends of Nigeria nor friend of 'Ijaw nation' they tout about. To allow or

the Presidency? The answer is definitely no. A few following instances may suffice; i) The NSA in-charge of security in the whole country is Fuiani from Sokoto state. ii) The SGF is Ibo from Ebonyi State iii) The Principal Secretary to the President is Fuiani from Adamawa iv) The Commander, Brigade of guards is from Cross River v) The ADC to the President is from Kogi vi) His Speech writer is from Edo State, while the Senior Special Adviser on Media is Yoruba from Ogun State vii)Chief of Staff to the President Edo State viii) Principal Secretary to President is Fulani ix} The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Custom Service is Fulani from Katsina x) The Chief of Air Staff is an Ibo from Delta State; xi) The Chief of Naval Staff is from Kwara xii) The Chief of Defence Staff is from North xiii) The Chief of Army Staff is Ibo from Abia The Inspector-General of Police is Hausa xiv) The Director-General of DSS is from Cross River xv) The Director-General of Immigration Service is from Plateau State xvi) The Director-General of NSCDC is Yoruba from Ogun xvii) The Executive Secretary of PTDF is

LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE This indeed is a season of open letters, the session of which you heralded with a contemptuous one to His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, President, Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Your eldest daughter and a former Senator. Dr. lyabo Obasanjo, feeling uncomfortable with your antics quickly fired a response to your now infamous letter that has gone viral and continue to generate negative national discourse. President Goodluck Jonathan GCFR, an amiable gentle man to whom you routed your vicious open letter would not tolerate Presidential aides writing nor commenting on your letter, and so ordered a stay of action. He in his characteristic manner of respect and decorum said he would personally reply. I am quite certain that the President did not want to join issues with a benefactor and former President. He would have wanted the charged atmosphere your open letter orchestrated to ride itself out until normalcy and calm return to the polity, as witnessed in other incitive comments by well placed Individuals in the recent past. However, as you well intended the echoes of your vicious letter continue to reverberate negatively. The President had no option left but to reply you through the same medium of an open letter. With a deep sense of responsibility the President touched all the damaging allegations you heaped on his administration and today Nigerians are better informed. In the light of the forgoing, it has become incumbent upon me at this point in our national life to refute some of the issues highlighted in your letter especially about the Ijaws so that Nigerians must know that you are not the saint you claim to be, but a mischief maker, an ego maniac who always wants to play to the gallery. As rightfully put by your daughter lyabo “Nigeria does not belong to Obasanjo”. In addition, I want to buttress the assertion that all Nigerians are equal no matter where they come from, that is, no one is a second class citizen of this nation. You have no right to plunge Nigerians into crisis as your past actions and recent

Yoruba from Ekiti xviii) The Chairman of FERMA is Yoruba from Osun while the MD is Ibo from Delta -xix) The GMD NNPC is from Kaduna State xx) The Acting DG NTA is from Edo State xxi) Director-General of Inland Waterways from the North Xxii) The MD of NPA is Hausa Fulani xxiii) The CBN Governor is Hausa/Fulani from Kano xxiv) The FRSC Chairman is Ibo xxv) The Director-General of NAFDAC is from Benue. INEC Chairman is Hausa/Fulani from Kebbi NDDC Chairman is Ibibio from Akwa Ibom State Director-General National Orientation Agency is from Nasarawa State The Economic Adviser to the President is Ibo. The Chief of Protocol to Mr. President is a Yoruba man. Even in the field of ambassadorial appointments, there is no Ijaw man or woman holding any senior ambassadorial appointment as underlined below: The Ambassador of Nigeria to United States is Yoruba. The Nigerian Permanent Representative to United Nations is Ibo. The Nigerian High Commissioner to United Kingdom is Hausa/Fulani. Nigeria Ambassador to Russia Akwa Ibom. Nigeria Ambassador to China is Hausa. Nigeria Ambassador to Argentina, Benue. Nigeria Ambassador to France Yoruba. Nigeria Ambassador to Spain Ibo. Out of the 64 ambassadorial posting to various Nigerian missions abroad, only three are Ijaw. No Ijaw person is Vice-Chancellor of any of the 36 Federal Universities. The President has 18 Advisers approved by the Senate, only Mr, Oronto Douglas is Ijaw. The number of Ijaws in the Federal Civil Service under Jonathan's Administration has not increased and the number of Permanent Secretaries is only three Ijaws out of about seventy. There are only two Ijaw Ministers out of 42. Only one Ijaw man from Rivers State owns Oil bloc even though most of the oil comes from Ijaw land. No Ijaw man is an oil marketer and no Ijaw man lifts oil. You have agreed that the amnesty programme has not been implemented properly. The second phase which is infrastructure development is yet to take place. The 45-Man Technical Committee recommendations White Paper under the Chairmanship of Comrade Ledum Mittee is yet to be released. This is one of the few areas Ijaw people could have benefited. Where are the Ijaws who have taken possession of President Jonathan? I shall soon publish the full details of all those who held important federal positions and beneficiaries in line with ethnic quota in your government between 1999 2007. This will enable us determine who was possessed by his people and groups that were marginalized to show the extent President Jonathan is possessed by Ijaws. It may be necessary to state that: 1. Hausa language was the lingua franca at the Presidency while Alhaji Shehu Shagari was the President of Nigeria from 19791983. 2. Hausa language continued to be lingua franca in the Presidency when the military was in power between1983-1998. 3. Between 1999-2007, the Yoruba language became the lingua franca during your Presidency. 4. Between 2007-2010 the Hausa language returned to the Villa as lingua franca during late Umaru Musa Yar'dua administration and in fact, he was accused of bringing nearly all members of the State Executive to the Federal government. Is the Ijaw language the lingua franca at the Presidency now? The answer is NO.

Continues on page 20

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February 12 - 18, 2014

ADVOCATE

You're unrepentant trouble maker, Clark lambasts OBJ Continued from page 19 My Dear Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, you have become an unrepentant trouble maker, as Nigeria gave you more than you truly deserve. Hence you see yourself as lord of the manor. You have without recourse in the past embarrassed all past Heads of State and Presidents in Nigeria through open letters and unsavory comments. In such letters, you have always alleged maladministration, corruption and incompetence against them. At this juncture, I may wish to quote a piece from a concerned Nigerian, Senator Uche Chukwumereje: “He has since after his first stint in Aso Villa, consistently played the role of the Praetonia Guard pontificating to every successor and awarding marks like a headmaster to each pupil-President. Every regime from Shagari through Buhari to Babangida and Abacha, has benefited (or suffered) from the corrective tongue lashes of the guard.'' Nigerians are aware that you set the stage for the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as President of the Federal Republic. But the saying goes that if you present a gift of a goat to a friend you must let go of the tether. You are probably different. Right from the inception of the Jonathan presidency, your body language indicated you wanted to play the role of the piper, that is, dictate how Jonathan runs, the phenomenon you did not tolerate from those who put you in office in 1999. An incident that played itself out then will suffice. You masterminded the removal of Chief Tony Anenih then PDP Chairman, Board of Trustee, and appointed yourself thinking the position will give you powers to control and manipulate the President. The futility of your actions dawned on you when you realized Jonathan is his own man. And in frustration you resigned as PDP Board of Trustee Chairman. You had thought the President will kneel before you begging that you stay on; but he never did. Every Nigerian therefore, knows that you connived, with PDP renegades and opposition parties to ridicule and undo President Jonathan and the government because he refused to be your puppet. In the cabinet of General Yakubu Gowon, you always pretended to be the most loyal and honest man. I was in London with General Murtala Muhammed when the coup of 1975 took place. Murtala came back to Nigeria through a KLM flight to Kano, On that fateful day you were at the Kano Airport to receive General Muhammed, and that was how that government was formed and you were part of it. Later, I met you at Dodan Barracks and asked you why you betrayed General Gowon by .going to Kano to receive Muhammed. You explained to me that you were in Kano for sporting activities, which I disagreed with. You went all out to frustrate and humiliate your Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, when he declared his intention to contest the 2003 and 2007 Presidential elections. You associated him with US Congressman William Jefferson, prompting the FBI to investigate and search his residence in Maryland. The FBI could not find any connection between Atiku and Mr. Jefferson. You were determined to stop your deputy at all cost from contesting the presidential election. A letter from Jefferson to you was handed over to the EFCC to enable it investigate Atiku, to declare him unqualified for the 2007 election. The EFCC report led to the establishment of an administrative Inquiry headed by the Minister of Justice and your boys and girls in the Cabinet. They hastily found Atiku guilty as charged by you. You sent the report to the National Assembly.

You declared Atiku a persona-non-grata, his aides and vehicles were taken from him, and you declared his seat vacant. All these you did as if the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not exist. You can see how petty you are. You did all these just because you felt Atiku worked against your third term presidential ambition. Jonathan not training snipers My dear Obasanjo, your allegation that President Jonathan is training snipers in preparation for 2015, is a diabolical concoction and a figment of your imagination. As you have no shred of evidence to authenticate this bogus lie. The same is applicable to the supposed 1000 political leaders being on the watch list of the President, Time and time again President Jonathan has said his election is not worth shedding a single Nigerian blood for, which is very much unlike you who played “do or die politics”. You made up these stories to whip up ethnic sentiments not only against Mr. President, but the Ijaws and the entire South

did to them. OBJ what manner of a man are you to deserve this? You cannot carry on like a bull in a China Shop. I advise you take some time off to reflect on some of these things. On a personal note, both of us are regarded as President Jonathan's father, in fact, according to you after God and his parent you come next before me and others. You and some of your children are always at the Villa for one thing or the other while my children do not know where the Presidency or Villa is. The only position you have not occupied is to rule the Presidency from your Ota farm in Ogun State. In his book “Accidental Public Servant”, ElRufai stated that you informed your kitchen cabinet or economic committee that they should not disband because you would be ruling Aso Rock from Ota and you needed them. President Jonathan has not identified himself to the nation as an Ijaw man. He hardly attends their social ceremonies. But he attends social gatherings when invited by other Nigerians from all over the country. I can confirm that apart from Yenagoa and Otuoke his village, in Bayelsa State, President Jonathan has not

South geopolitical zone. On the security issues stated in your letter I have already stated that the President should leave this serious allegation for the Security agents to investigate for no one is above the law of this country. As I also mentioned in my letter to you, I stated that the contents of your letter is a revisit to your own activities in your eight years rule between 1999 and 2007. The President in his reply referred to the attack of Bayelsa State Government House and the bombing of his personal house in Otuoke, Yenagoa, all in the attempt to assassinate him and cause chaos in Nigeria. He also mentioned the Petrol tanker incident. You were the sitting President in Nigeria at the time, you did not investigate the matter nor comment on it. I am fully aware of the incident because our late President Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar 'Adua who was very much embarrassed and seriously shaken by it, discussed the matter with me and he appreciated the role I later played in the matter. That was the beginning of Yar'Adua's loss of confidence in you. I am fully aware that the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was ready to stop you from meddling and parading yourself with this holier than thou attitude. You were eternally lucky that the late President did not carry out his intention before he fell ill and later passed on. Your two eldest children, Senator lyabo and Gbenga have publicly denounced you and have sworn not to ever speak nor have any communication with you again until “thy kingdom come” because of the wrongs you

visited any Ijaw village or town for official function or social outing. He is the most deetribalized President of Nigeria and in most case keeps away from his own people for fear of accusation by you and your cohorts. We have prominent Ijaw politicians both men and women who participated fully in the 2011 election and today they have not been able to enter the Presidency or received any patronage from the Jonathan's government. Our people believe this is the sacrifice they have to make. And they are indeed very grateful and appreciative of the roles being played by other Nigerians of all ethnic and religious divides to make their son President. As the Ijaw leader, I have gone out of my way to remind Mr. President publicly that Nigerians expected much from him hence they voted for him overwhelmingly in 2011 and will vote for him again 2015 if he performs. I have therefore not for once advocated for fire and brimstone or that blood will flow if Jonathan is not elected in 2015. I have gone further to apologize to all Nigerians that if at any time I made a statement that threatened the unity and stability of Nigeria, I should be forgiven. Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State himself commended my statement. It must be recalled that some of the ex-militant leaders like Asari Dokubo, Ateke Tom Boyloaf, etc. have openly attacked Mr. President to the delight and applause of the President's political opponents. It is therefore very unfair of you to envelope all Ijaws in your attack of President Jonathan and his people. At this juncture, I would like to

challenge you to name other Ijaw persons or groups that throw insults on other Nigerians on account of Jonathan. One may therefore wish to ask you to refresh your memory when you recruited Femi Fani Kayode to attack your political opponents including your own ethnic group and you compensated him with a ministerial appointment and kept him until your last breakfast with your other kitchen cabinet members in the Villa. Is it therefore fair to accept Fani Kayode's recalcitrant and irresponsible statements on other Nigerians, as acting on behalf of an ethnic nationality? It will be madness of anyone to do so as you have done with Ijaws because of Asari Dokubo's statements which did not receive the applause of the generality of Ijaws. My people started voting for other Nigerians even though they had no candidates, since 1951. And they formed alliances with other people or political parties in other parts of Nigeria. For instance, in 1959 both late Dappa Biriye and Chief Melford Okilo stood election on the platform of Niger Delta Congress (NDC). Chief Melford Okilo won his election to the Federal House of Assembly. The NDC entered into alliance with the Northern Peoples Congress [NPC] which was the largest party in Nigeria but had no national spread in the south of Nigeria. It was therefore the NDC alliance with the NPC that made it a national party. It is therefore very arrogant and insulting of you to berate Ijaws as immature politicians. Today, the 17 states of the south are cooperating with one another and meeting from time to time to discuss the progress and unity of Nigeria. We have successfully met in Uyo, Enugu and Lagos. We shall also meet in Delta State soon. In this association, the Ijaws are playing a leading role under my leadership. You may not also know the South-South relationship with the Middle Belt of Nigeria made up of North Central and North Eastern zones, Mr. former President, 1 will also like to use the language of your daughter, lyabo to describe you to Nigerians. You are “a liar, manipulator, two faced hypocrite” and that “you have an egoistic craving for power and live a life where only men of low self esteem thrive”. You know over the years, I have always criticized you about your performance starting with the Ibori's ex-convict case even though he may not have a good case. Your vindictive and mischievous attitude towards political opponents was unacceptable and very few of us were able to criticize you. You felt former governor Ibori of Delta State and Alameyeseigha, his counterpart in Bayelsa State were being used by the former Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, against you and you decided to punish them. But when Ibori gave you money he became your good boy, despite the position held by Delta Elders against him, In the case of Alamieyesiegha you tried to use his deputy, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, against him but he refused. You went on to use the Chairman of the EFCC to intimidate members of the Bayelsa House of Assembly and they carried out a kangaroo impeachment to remove him from office. You then immediately directed the security agencies after the impeachment to handcuff the governor and took him to Abuja for prosecution. I also criticized you when you asked your security men to arrest the candidate who was standing against your daughter in the senatorial election in Ogun State even though there was no case against him in Nigeria. You may also remember my open letter to you published in the Vanguard Newspaper in which I asked you to leave Yar'adua alone to run his government. That you attempted to rule Yar'adua's government from Ota farm is unacceptable. I quoted the example of France

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Enugu PDP rejects alleged move by ex-Gov Nnamani to return to the party ·I 'm not bothered about Enugu politics for now – Nnamani By Ted peters

he Enugu State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, denounced the newspaper report that the former governor of the State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, is planning to return to the PDP, saying it is a dramatic move that will never see the light of the day. The State Chapter of the Party was reacting to the news report by a national daily that “the Deputy President of the Senate (DSP), Ike Ekweremadu, was locked in a marathon meeting with former Governor Nnamani, ostensibly to distill the former governor's grievances and conditions for reuniting with the PDP”. When contacted, yesterday, Senator Nnamani said he was not bothered about what is going on the state for now as he only returned to the state during the holiday to see his people. “I just came home after some health challenges to see my people. I have been interacting with them and I am not bothered about party politics for now.” In a statement signed by the State Chairman of the Party, Mr. Vita Abba, the PDP said that it will employ every possible means at its disposal to ensure that such a bad omen does not revisit the Party in the State. He added that “it would amount to gross disservice to the Party and the State to allow such attributes

Ex-Gov, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani of vendetta, villainy and despot to rejoin the Party at this point in time the State is enjoying the

highest level of peace and good governance under the dynamic leadership of Governor Sullivan

Chime.” Abba noted that in spite of the fact that the PDP Constitution made provision for returnees, “the State Chapter of the Party takes exception to any clandestine move by the former Governor to return to the Party he worked in vain to destroy.” The state party Chairman revealed that the former Governor left the Party out of his own volition and formed an opposition political party, the Peoples Democratic Congress (PDC) “with the sole aim of destabilizing the PDP in the State.” He also disclosed that consequent upon his alleged inhuman treatment meted out to the Party that saw him to the exalted offices of a State Governor for two terms of eight years and a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the

Anambra's Handover Committee begins work. By Uche Chukwu, Awka which was inaugurated recently

he transition committee set up by the Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi to execute a ten-point duty, including ensuring a smooth transfer of power to Chief Wille Obiano,the Governor-el has started work in earnest. The 13-member Committee

has the Secretary to the State Government,Mr Oseloka H. Obaze as chairman. The members of Handover committee, are,Dr Nkem Okeke,Deputy Governor-Elect, Prof. Dora Akunyili, Dr Chinedu Emeka, Chidi Ezeoke, Architect Callistus Ilozumba, Mrs Azuka Enemo,Dr Greg Obi, Tony

·Calls him liar, hypocrite Continued from page 20

and Great Britain to buttress my case. I continued my attack on you and your cohorts when President Jonathan refused you to run his government from Ota farm. However, everything you asked President Jonathan, he gave to you. The first two important Ministerial appointments, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Foreign Affairs, who are not politicians were given to you for Ogun State, You had a hand in almost every appointment in the South West hence the party collapsed in the South West. El-Rufai said in his book “Accidental Public Servant” that you sent him to General Buhari inviting him to be the Presidential candidate of the PDP in 2011 with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Itweala as his running mate. El-Rufai told the story o f h o w t o g e t h e r w i t h D r. Odumegwu, former Chairman of the NPC and two others drove from Lagos to Ota in the night only for you to say that Jonathan should be given another chance. They discovered that your daughter lyabo had won her Senatorial case in a High Court. You can see how petty

Party had taken all administrative measures to delist his membership status from the Party's records and will not under any circumstance succumb to cheap blackmail or political gangup that could undermine the existing peace and progress recorded by the PDP-led Government of Governor Sullivan Chime in Enugu State. Describing the former Governor as “a political liability to Enugu State”, Abba reaffirmed that the State structure of the PDP was intact, formidable, and healthy and does not need any distraction from those he described as “political intruders and agents of the opposition political parties obviously drafted to destabilize the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.”

you are, You are today one of the richest men in Nigeria if not in Africa. In 1999, it was widely reported in the media that you came out of Gashua Prison very broke. As a matter of fact, it was stated you had N20,000 in your bank account as declared in your Code of Conduct Bureau Form. In just 8 years, as President of Nigeria, you metamorphosed from a struggling ex-head of state, into a life of opulence. You must tell Nigerians the magic behind the sudden affluence. When corruption is mentioned, informed Nigerians know those that foisted the malady on our nation. The Halliburton bribe scandal and the Siemens case were lightly touched by President Jonathan in his open reply to you. These two high profile corruption cases happened during your tenure as President. How dare you point accusing fingers at others when you have a cupboard filled with skeletons? You have forgotten the saying that “a man who lives in a glass house should not throw stones”. The anti-corruption apparatus became a coercive instrument in your hands to browbeat perceived

political enemies. Your vendetta against political opponents and those you believed were working counter to your third term ambition knew no limits. Chief Obasanjo your former Minister of Defence, General T,Y, Danjuma, was the first to call you a pauper, when he fell out with you. He tagged you “Stone broke”, a phrase he used to describe your pathetic financial predicament before you came to power. My dear former President, what do you really want from President Jonathan? Most of the various issues you raised in your letter are mere revisitation of the many things you did and failed to do in your 8 years of mis-governance. In conclusion, I would like to borrow the words of Peter Howard, “the petty plans and plots of small minded men rob every nation of their destiny”. This is my new year message and response to your open letter and other subterranean activities designed to destabilize Nigeria because of your personal interest. My best wishes of the season to you and your esteemed family. EDWIN KIAGBODO CLARK

Gov. Peter Obi Nnacheta, Willy Okafor, Mr Law Chinwuba, Ifeatu Onejeme and Prof. Stella Okunna, who will serve as the secretary. The governor had in a release signed by the Hon. Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Chief Joe Martins Uzodike, directed the handover committee to examine the system of governance with a view to determine the need to retain, modify and improve on the existing structures and programmes models, to determine government finances and status of any outstanding obligations and make appropriate recommendations, to critically examine the desirability and viability of existing government bodies and agencies and make recommendations on those considered to be moribund. The mandate for the Handover Committee to carry out a critical review of both the government

finances and the existing operational structure and policies, within one month was relayed to journalists at the post - State Executive Council meeting press briefing held yesterday. He also ordered the handover committee to address the prevailing challenges of low internally generated revenue and how best to reform the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service and taxation processes for optimal performance, and to study and review the remuneration package of political and public office holders in Anambra State Law No.7 of 16th July, 2001 and recommend upward review, if need be, among other crucial duties. In another development, the State Government had at the said Executive Council meeting, which was presided over by Governor Obi approved some contracts, of which include, the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 33 kva overhead lines and transformers substation in Ogbaru Local government area valued at N152.5 million, rehabilitation and reconstruction of 33 kv overhead lines and transformer substation in Anambra East Local Government Area valued at N130 million and construction of Nteje-Umunya road which will take N700 million, among other key projects, whose contracts were approved at the Council meeting.

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Ebonyi State has the highest number of PDP members who defected to APC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lawmaker The member representing Ezza North-West Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly Hon. Enyi C. Enyi has said that Ebonyi State has the highest number of members who defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APCs). Hon. Enyi who was elected under the platform of All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2011 as a first timer in the State Assembly joined APC when his former political party (ANPP) went into merger with other political parties, Hon. Enyi while speaking to our reporter Ngwuta Chinedu in an exclusive interview in his Abakaliki residence said the rebuttal of Governor Elechi's comment concerning the proposed National Conference as saying that 'the conference is of no use and a distraction to the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.' Enyi threw his weight to give credence to the earlier stand of Governor Martin Elechi position on the proposed National conference saying that it is the first time Governor Elechi is making a manly approach to a National issue adding that he has taken a stand as a rational minded leader. By Ngwuta Chinedu, Abakaliki For official record purposes, may we know your name sir? Thank you; my names are Hon. Chief Enyi C. Enyi. I am the Honourable minority leader in Ebonyi State House of Assembly. I represent the good people of Ezza North-West Constituency in the State Assembly.

How would you describe Governor Martin Elechi's rebuttal of his comment on the proposed National Conference after he was allegedly quoted as saying that the conference is of no use and a distraction to the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan? Yes, indeed I supported the Governor; this is the first time Governor Elechi in his second term is making a manly approach to a national issue. Before now, he has been supporting, just like the time he made a statement during the removal of fuel subsidy, when he said it is irrevocable and irreversible and he was supporting and he has always supported the federal government positions. This is the first time he is taking a stand as a rational minded leader. But I think in his later stand is very very unbecoming, it is very myopic, it is unacceptable. If a man decides to say yes, if beckoned in the morning, afternoon or any time, he should buttress his stand and should never dangle. That I said yes before and I am saying no now or I said no before and I am saying yes now. It does not speak well of leaders of such standard and a governor of a state. Thunder or ballistic missile cannot hit his head and Jupiter will not remove him as a governor, neither is he trying to become a governor of Ebonyi State in his life, if he stands on his position because I supported his earlier position that a confab in the recent time is indeed a distraction, it is indeed a total challenge, it is disrespect to the present day National Assembly because this country has a constitution and it is through that constitution that the current

representatives of the people are elected. There are positions that it should be amended, I think the National Assembly is on it, we are not a virgin confederating nation. If a confederating nation that has no formal constitution earlier before now, then we can say we cannot be acting by guessing, let us have working plan then, we will call for a confab of such nation, than every strata federating unit will assemble and then make what we called a constitution but the government is already rolling. So calling for a confab is what I may call a distraction indeed. It is a joke. It is uncalled for at this moment. I supported him but I dislike his dangling position. So he should call himself a manly leader and I support his earlier stand. I also did not support his latest position where he refuted his comment that he did not say so, that it was the work of the enemies even when he was captured on tape. It does not speak well about him and I did not support him again.

While the Governor was speaking in the rally organized to drum support for President Jonathan recently, he stated that he has procured five armored personnel carriers (APCs) and that very soon APC will greet APC; as a member and leader of All Progressives Congress in the state, how would you describe this comment? Well, I don't understand what he meant by that. The military APCs are used on law breakers while APC of All Progressives Congress are not law breakers and I do not think there is any need for it to be associated with the APC of the

the country, APC has more in number. So that one I refer it as a big joke. You know the Governor of the state is an old man and he is also an actor, so he may have cracked a joke.

Hon. Enyi force which is a vehicle that carries arms and armed men into a war zone or a war-turn zone; so I don't understand what he meant by that. APC is a constitutionally law abiding political party that is going to go about their normal political campaign within the state and indeed, there is no need for one to be causing tension when there is none. What APC is interested in is for them to campaign. Move in to the hinter lands, house to house, person to person and then by the time it will be floating the PDP in the state, I know he will look for the APC of the car, he will not see it because that one is a vehicle while the other one (the progressives) are law abiding human beings and they are not in any relationship. Neither the APC of the party are law breakers. We are not law breakers. We are legitimate institution. We are alternative party not opposition party. PDP as for today has eighteen governors while APC has sixteen governors and we have more powerful governors than that of PDP in the country. APC as of today has the highest number of legislators in the House of Representatives and in some States. If aggregate the number of members of House of Assembly in

We l e a r n t following the speech the Governor made about the confab, he has visited Abuja two times to see the President but he was reportedly not allowed to see the President. Would you say t h a t t h e looming fallout between the governor and the presidency is because he has seen the truth or is it because the statement is seen as a calculated attempt to tarnish the image of the President? This is the reason APC as a political party has emerged to liberate Nigerians. Give the freedom which is enshrined in the constitution to the citizens. He expressed his mind with regards to his understanding of what is called the confab. Then, his own brother, his own fellow PDP member is detesting him, booing instead of inviting him to analyse his position; inviting him for a round table discussion so as to ask him if he has superior position than their own position. So that has been the way of PDP. They will always tell you if don't agree, they will send army or police after you. If his ostracism, having access to Mr. President is in connection to that, it means they have demonstrated the intrinsic character that is inherent in PDP where freedom of expression is barred for all Nigerians especially the PDP stakeholders. The freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom which is a

natural law of justice is trampled upon. So if it is in connection to that which I was not there when he was barred from seeing Mr. President but if that comes to be, I think he should take a bow like other progressive governors and leave them and join other progressives so that Ebonyi State will not be seen as an unprogressive state. We are not ready to be under-developed and relegated. We are not ready to be seen in the comity of nations as a second feeder state. We should be first class not minding our number, location and so on. Do you see the recent PDP rally in the state where they drummed support for Jonathan as a wisely thought event? The rally was a jamboree. It was a mere make-belief by the state to cushion the oppression of the superiors from Abuja. Indeed, the position of so many of those who were forced and coerced into the stadium to come and talk, know very well that they are floating generals. They are all floating. What they are announcing on stage is far different from the reality on ground and they know it very very well, I keep repeating PDP that cannot win in any polling unit in this state without rigging. I repeat, cannot win any polling unit in this state without rigging. Also, they cannot win any constituency without rigging in this state. We passed through the 2011 general election which is referred to as fairly conducted by the so called INEC, though there were so many mishaps but they know what they passed through. They know how they managed to be there. I want to say that the opportunity will not be there again for them. If we are talking about the number of people that have defected, Ebonyi has the highest number in the South East. As an opposition leader, I must tell you the truth that Ebonyi State has the highest number of defected members of PDP in the South East but like they say, when the chips are down .... When they get to the bridge, we will cross it. Very soon, you will now see that your next door neighbour even your wife will not vote where you voted. At the right time, the defected members who have been maltreated by the leadership of PDP will begin to surface. What are you appealing the people with that will make them remain with you (PDP)? Is the government appealing the people with good roads? or pipe borne water supply? or electricity? Where one transformer is taking care of five streets in the State Capital. When there is no road in the town, no road anywhere in the state. You cannot interconnect your brother within some minutes in this smallest city in the South East. So what are they appealing the people with that they will continue to sing

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Private Schools need strong collaboration with government – Abraham Dr. Emmanuel T. Abraham is the Proprietor and Chairman Board of Governors, Topfaith International Secondary School Mkpatak, Akwa Ibom State. The school is one of the leading secondary school in Akwa Ibom State, South South, Nigeria. In the just concluded 2013 Annual Conference of the National Association of Proprietors of Private School (NAPPS) in Uyo, the former University of Calabar lecturer spoke with our correspondent CHRISTOPHER OKON. He says private schools should be complimentary to government in other to bring the desired development to the country. He reports. May we know why you are holding this conference? This is the 9th in the series. Assembly of Proprietors and stakeholders are here in Uyo to discuss and brain storm on the theme of the conference which is “Private Ownership of School and the Millennium development Goals” (MDGs) especially as the 2015 deadline for the MDGs is fast approaching. To fashion out a common and strategic vision for the private sector initiative in education and education industry with special reference to the contents and intents of the MDGs.

What are the millennium development goals These are developmental goals adopted by world leaders in the year 2000 at the Dakar Framework, for action, and set to be achieved by 2015. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been conceptualized to provide benchmarks for tackling extreme poverty. The ultimate focus of the MDGs is to provide a framework for the entire world community to work together to ensure that human development reaches everyone, everywhere. The achievement of these goals is expected to cut world poverty by half; tens of millions of lives will be saved, and billions more people will have the opportunity to benefit from the global economy.

Why is education important in MDGs Obviously, the intents, contents and dynamics of the MDGs are education-driven. It is the educated person that has a wonderful opportunity to escape from poverty and hunger, it is the educated person who can support the promotion of gender issues and women empowerment, participate in the fight against malaria and other diseases, promote good health habits and environmental sustainability. School proprietors should ponder over the imperatives of the MDGs and capture same in the ownership, leadership and

most of us are engaged in, should emphasize three basic but broad imperatives of competence, character and community. We should build the culture of care, nurture, discipline and information. Above all, we should strive to nurture the children for good character, skills development, creativity, and reflective thinking, foundational/functional knowledge acquisition, attitudinal change and community services. While we pursue international educational agenda for relevance in the emerging global village, the type of education we provide should contain reasonable local contents to enable us address the MDGs and the daunting local challenges that require intellectual focus and solutions. Our educational system must address our problems through a curriculum that provides our children with the foundation to grow up with the determination and free-will to participate wholeheartedly in the processes that will engender the achievement of the MDGs and the development of our country.

How Would You Want Private Schools To Contribute To MDGs?

Dr Emmanuel Abraham management strategies of their schools. Knowledge is vital and an absolutely credible pivot for developmental strides in a nation. Education is the catalyst that nurtures, refines, expands and preserves the creativity, talents and potentials of human resource to function as change agents. No amount of investment in terms of intellectualism should be considered too much in order to enshrine functional and qualitative education within the framework of our developmental aspirations. It is only then that the MDGs would be reasonably achieved.

What type of education does Nigeria Need? The type of education we need should be fine-tuned to develop the requisite knowledge, skills and attitude to engender the development of human resources sufficiently prepared to

participate in national and international development. It is obvious that education is not just the ability to read and write, it also encompasses acquisition of knowledge that brings about humility, reflective and critical thinking, logical reasoning, creativity, exploration and experimentation. The culture of heavy emphasis on acquisition of credentials as meal tickets prevailing in our educational institutions should give way to a knowledge and skills based system. We need to domesticate our educational curriculum in various subject areas to reflect a culture of cooperation, honesty, value, hard work, dedication, patriotism and a holistic building of the human person as a solution provider and peace maker. Education, especially at the foundational level (nursery, primary and secondary) where

For a positive contribution towards the MDGs, private school proprietorship philosophy must be visionary, value-driven and predicated on the need to contribute to the provision of “education for all” to enhance the development of the much desired human capital. Private school proprietor should be able, willing and ready to combine and balance social and economic responsibilities in running their schools. One of the key issues that school proprietors should explore and adopt is the impact of globalization and new technologies on young people both in school and beyond as they move into further levels of education. Proprietors should have visions and strategies for both teachers and children for success in the emerging future world.

What kind of quality issues should private school proprietors address in the day to day provision of educational services in Nigeria? Quality schools should maintain high customer focus where the ENTIRE school system is

dedicated to meeting and surpassing needs and delivery of value. there should be personal dedication by everyone to quality and its continuous improvement within one's sphere of influence; appropriate leadership structure, standard and systems; exposure of students and staff to global trends and dynamics in the processes of human capacity building and recognition and practice that ensures that every child has a chance to be great. The students should be confident, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, eager to learn, and behave with pride and application to applied knowledge, skill, and attitudes reflective of the curricular and extracurricular contents of the school's academic profile. The culture and philosophy of continuous learning should be evident in the staff and students of the school.

What would you recommend for private school proprietors to handle the challenges of quality of teachers? Teachers should take their right places and values in the society. We need good, trained and dedicated teachers because no educational system can rise above the level of its teachers. With mediocre mindsets' the education system would remain comatose and in jeopardy. Such teachers will undoubtedly continue to produce graduates from various strata of the educational sector with certificate but without appropriate skills, knowledge and attitude required for development and realization of the MDGs.

What is or should be the relationship between the Government and private providers of education in Nigeria? The relationship should be c o m p l e m e n t a r y. P r i v a t e providers of education should surrender themselves for regulatory surveillance by the relevant government agencies. NAPPS, should consciously contribute to curriculum development, modern teaching and learning methods, ensure that its members comply with and even surpass the government minimum standards in curricular instructions. NAPPS should develop and maintain strong and convincing partnership relationship with government such that government would consider providing reasonable support to private schools in forms of learning materials, furniture, science equipment, buildings, library and books.

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Ebonyi NDLEA arrests 240 drug dealers By Chinedu Ngwuta, Abakaliki

he Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ebonyi state Command has arrested two hundred and forty drug dealers in 2013, women topping the list of the dealers. Two hundred and fifty kilograms of hard drugs were also seized within the 2013 under review and out of the 240 arrested, 20 were convicted. The Commandant of NDLEA in the state, Barr. Raph Igwenagu while speaking with our correspondent noted that the most worrisome aspect of it was the involvement of women in the act whom he disclosed topped the lists of drug dealers in the state adding that if urgent measures were not taken quickly to tackle it there was every tendency that their children were likely to join the trade. He noted that marijuana popularly known as 'Igbo' was the predominant drug in the

possession of most of the suspects and those that have been convicted. He reiterated that efforts of the Command to reduce the rate of drug abuse in the state has yielded

the needed results noting that the Command would not relent in their effort in making the state free from illicit drug. According to the Commandant the offenders cut across all age groups but mostly people within the age brackets of 20-50. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have had cases of women

who are younger and those who are older getting involved, but the major group has been 20-50 and there is large involvement of Ebonyi women in the act mostly from the rural areasâ&#x20AC;? he said. The commandant stated that the command has made tremendous successes in the area of arrests

Kogi Government assures of greater collaboration with dev. Partners

he Kogi State Government has assured of greater collaboration with organizations that are concerned about the welfare of its citizens. Capt. Idris Wada, the Kogi State Governor, represented by his Deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, said pragmatic approach has been put in place to assist vulnerable groups and to support care givers. The Governor who stated this when he received the Catholic Relief Services, a consortium, founded in 1943 by the United State Conference of Catholic

Capt. Idris Wada

Bishops to assists the poor and disadvantaged in the society. The Governor assured that his administration has placed the wellbeing of vulnerable p e o p l e a s a p r i o r i t y, disclosing that his administration has empowered the less privileged through employment opportunities and other financial support. Capt. Wada solicited support of other well meaning organizations, adding that the upkeep of vulnerable

Governor T A Orji's 2014 budget to the Abia State House of Assembly, what hope?

he purpose of a budget is to outline the financial plan of action and blueprint by an organisation, individual or government. This financial plan of action if faithfully implemented impacts positively on the polity. The Abia 2014 budget tagged 'The Budget of legacy consolidation' is geared towards sustaining the legacy programmes of the Ochendo administration and repositioning the state for a glorious future. One thing is germane about the 2014 Abia budget and that is the fact that virtually all sections of the state socio-economy are given a boost and leap in the budget. Whether it is the agricultural sector, educational sector, health sector, judiciary, infrastructural and environmental sectors, youth and women empowerment and development sectors, the 2014 Abia budget is all embracing. We l l c r a f t e d i n m o d e r n accounting and financial standards, the budget made copious provision for the sustenance of the legacy projects of the Ochendo administration. It elaborated in details the realistic plan of the regime to transform the Abia socio-economy through the floatation of enduring projects. This is salutary more so taking cognizance of where we were coming from in the past. The exciting aspect of the budget is the decision of the state government to embark on the airport and

and seizure, rehabilitation and conviction last year, stressing that despite the progress made the command still had a lot to do in the area of sensitization and awareness. He further expressed worry over speedy increase in the of Ebonyians involvement in drug related offenses stressing that if allowed to continue it would degenerate which might result to giving Ebonyi state bad name as one of the drug states.

seaport projects through the public private partnership mode. This is a milestone in the history of the state. Though not captured in the 2014 budget the airport and seaport projects when fully realized will completely change the socioeconomic landscape of Abia state and even the East. The T A Orji administration will

leave a great legacy when these two vital projects kick off , even if they are not completed during his administration due to the high cost of capital involved.. The MOU with local and foreign investors to develop a cement factory at Arochukwu, shopping mall at Umuahia and Aba , Agro-allied industry and industrial clusters , is highly inspiring.

The Abia 2014 budget is one that all Abians will benefit from when passed and implemented . It is the duty of all Abians to identify with the budget, pay their taxes and assist the Ochendo administration to realise the Abia Dream in the rest of his tenure. We have no other option than to make Abia truly the number one state in Nigeria

Chuks Ibegbu , a public affairs analyst x-rays the dialetics of the budget.

groups and persons in the society should not be left in the hands of government alone. In his remarks, the programme coordinator of Catholic Relief Services, Brian John said the organization intends to partner with the State through a five year program to scale up care and support services for orphans and the vulnerable children in the State. Mr. Brian disclosed that Kogi State is among the five selected States that will benefit from the services of the Catholic Relief Services, said their mission is to strengthen the capacity of the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to enable them coordinate activities of the vulnerable in the society. Also speaking, Mrs. Patience Mameh, Commissioner for Women Affairs, commended the initiative of the Catholic Relief Services, disclosed that the present administration has placed emphasis on the reduction of HIV/AIDs, including support to orphans and vulnerable children while assuring of her Ministry's support to making the partnership work.

Ebonyi State has the highest number of PDP members who defected to APC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lawmaker

Would you say that the Senators and House of Representative members invited at the rally have discharged their legislative businesses?

House of Representative members and their counterpart at the state House of Assembly. Even the Chairmen, but if you know your onus anywhere you are, you resist the pressure of motion and seconding. They have also forgot that our duty as lawmakers are found within the chambers, it is not even constitutional for them to come and begin to discuss the second term of Mr. President that still has about two years in the office and he want to start singing for the person. It is unpolitical, unacceptable; mere jamboree.

You see, the rented crowd will always talk like a rented crowd. So you see, if you know your political onus, you will know that when a Governor cannot deliver a successor without riding at the back of the President, that is an unpopular Governor, a Senator that cannot win an election without riding at the back of a Governor is an Unpopular Senator likewise the

Ebonyians were of the opinion that the budget which was presented last year is going to complete every uncompleted projects in the state and as well touch other areas that is seeking for attention. Do you think the budget is

Continued rom page 22 the song of PDP? I want to say that those things are make-belief. They are obtained at the stage where they said it at stadium with their rented crowd. When we talk about reality on ground, I can tell you they are no more on ground.

enough to oversee all these will leave the centre stage for another person to take over. So things?

The provision is very simple, Ebonyi State has a channel where budget are followed, the state House of Assembly passes the budget at the end of every year and its proceed is from the state's federal allocation but follows the same channel and disappeared accordingly and where it goes nobody knows. Can you now tell me over the years Ebonyians are yet to drink from the much celebrated and popularized Oferekpe and Ukawu water scheme, we are yet to pack into so called Ocho-udo City, we are yet to work into the swampy international market, the ill-fated international market. I think it is the same way other budgets have been tampered with, that is the way this will also follow. Even Ebonyians are saying let the day fast track so that he goes, and he

whatever anybody is saying because they said first impression matters and first caught is the deepest. You came into an office, the first thing you do is to start projects but if you are unable to finish it in the first year, second year. Is it the third year you are going to finish it? You know that the third year is referred as election year, new candidates will emerge, new dimension will take place visa-vis. For others you will agree with me as new candidates emerge by the way of primaries, by then, the state assembly will be divided, Is it that time that he is going to start completing the project? Is it when he will be thinking on how to return his candidates so that he will not be handed over to prison, that is the time he will be completing the project? It is indeed a monumental

Continues on page 25

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Nsukka Youths charged to unite for 2015 polls By Mary Chinda

he Sam Onyishi Civic Centre, Nsukka was a beehive yesterday as dozen of youths converged at the auditorium to get psychologically empowered at a workshop organized by the Wisdom Foundation. Addressing the youths, Engineer Eva Ugwu, a philanthropist from Amagu community in Nsukka told the young people that a person's background does not determine one's destiny, stressing that it is often easier for youths to be successful in their country than abroad. The guest speaker pointed out that the basic challenge of the Nsukka youth's is their lack of confidence in themselves and their inability to want to begin with small scale businesses. In his words! “The Nsukka youth has to look inward to be an entrepreneur. The land for instance is blessed with several food crops, most popular which is the Nsukka pepper

called Ose Nsukka. That crop alone is a potential lucrative venture which has not been explored by the youths”. He further encouraged the young people to come together with business ideas from the endowment of the land, assuring them that it would attract the financial support of other established Nsukka icons including him. The workshop which pulled together several of Nsukka's crème de la crème in various fields h a d i n a t t e n d a n c e Nollywood's superstar, Kenneth Okonkwo Nollywood's superstar, time”, the multi-talented actor Kenneth Okonkwo. explained the importance of time Delivering his lecture on the to God as the creator to the theme of the conference “It is our

youths, emphasizing that the time has come for the Nsukka youths to rediscover themselves in order to get spiritual revival, economic emancipation and political participation especially as Nsukka intends to produce the next governor of the state come 2015. Quoting James 2: 1 he noted that faith without works is dead stating that Nsukka will not succeed in producing the next governor if the people do not unite for 2015. Appealing to the people, he said that coalition is the backbone of every succeeding democracy as such in the spirit of unity one person must have to sacrifice for the other to succeed. He forewarned all Nsukka indigenes not to sell out their tribesmen for a pot of foreign rice and heaps of Abada materials. Responding to pressmen at the

Hero Larger dominates market as SABMiller invests more N20Billion

subsidiary of SABmiller B r e w e r y, I n t a f a c t beverages Ltd., the

brewers of Hero Beer and other brands plans to invest $110m in Anambra State two years after the

company invested $100m dollars. The investment is coming on the heels of domination of Hero lager beer popularly referred to as “Ompa” beyond the South-East number of patient seeking market. healthcare services daily in the Intafact Beverages Ltd was o ff i c i a l l y o p e n e d b y D r. hospital. Goodluck Jonathan on the 30th of He expressed satisfaction that August, 2012. Apart from Hero repositioning of the institution lager beer, it produces such provided people easy access to brands in Nigeria as Hero lager, quality and efficient medicare, Eagle, Castle Milk Stout, Grand while the transformation of the Malt, Beta Malt, Super Shake Health Sector has continue to yogurt, Voltic water, among improve all health indicators. The Commissioner for health, Dr. others. Lawrence Ikeakor said the visit In his speech during the recent a l l o w e d t h e G o v e r n o r breaking of the ground for the opportunity to inspect facilities in expansion of the company's facilities in Onitsha by the state the institution. governor, the SABmiller, Nigeria Managing Director, Simon Harvey, said that the expansion became necessary because of their success in Onitsha which was facilitated by Gov. Peter Obi, who he said it is far beyond sub-standard which is had shown exceptional far below the world bank standard interest in the promotion of and today that is the job, I mean the local industries in Anambra Governor is asking for assistance to State. start the dualization to university "We have significantly campus which was about five point invested in Nigeria during the eight kilometer and which amounted p a s t 5 years and this to some billions of naira to continue announcement demonstrates the sub-standard road work. But if our ongoing commitment to you are going from Abakaliki to Nigeria. We wish to thank his Enugu, u can now beat your chest Excellency and the Anambra that a good job is being done and if State Government for we continue this way, we will suffer providing us with a great it. Upon that the one that was done working relationship. We was done with concrete and cement, this is the first time I am seeing where would also like to thank the a federal high way is being done with Nigerian consumers who have a concrete which is indeed against its accepted and made Hero an standard. I personally frowned on the astounding success, “the budget. We have passed two budgets Managing Director said. and this is the third one that followed He also revealed that the the same drain so that is why we are expansion, due for completion asking the federal government to in the first quarter of 2015, make the State House of Assembly would triple the current annual independent. capacity from 700,000HL to 2.2 m HL.

ASWAMA gets more support as Obi visits NAUTH By Uche Chukwu, Awka

nambra State Waste Management Agency ( A S WA M A ) h a s received more infrastructural support from the State government to boost its operations. Gov. Peter Obi says that one of the legacies he would live in Anambra State is the need for continued improvement in infrastructure in the State to serve the people of the State better. Obi who spoke at the presentation of three heavy duty waste disposal vehicles to the Anambra State Waste Management Agency (ASWAMA), at the Government H o u s e , Aw k a , said his government was committed to improvement of infrastructures in the state. The vehicles include one Payloader, Bull-dozer and a Mactruck. According to the Governor, the procurement was in line with the policy of his administration to give every sector adequate attention, explained that effective sanitation was critical in promoting clean and healthy environment. He added that the vehicles would facilitate efficient solid Waste Management. In another development, the Gov. paid an unscheduled visit to Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka. After condoling the patients, including a National

event, the “living In Bondage” lead character pointed out that the idea of having an Nsukka governor succeed the present administration was not his private idea but that of the current governor, His Excellency, Governor Sullivan Chime as the governor's way of being fair to the long marginalized Nsukka people. Clearing the air as to whether or not he had his favored candidate for the election, the movie face firmly asserted: “The Nsukka choice is my choice”. The conference however took a less political twist when Mr Chukwuemeka Asogwa, founder of the Wisdom Foundation, took to the podium teaching the youth how the magic of catching a personal vision, the fear of God, mentorship, Knowledge and passion could make them high fliers in life.

Youth Corps member serving Community Secondary School, Urum, Mr. Sunday Abegunde who was attacked by armed robbers, he was conducted round the facilities of the hospital by the management. Gov. Obi who was satisfied with what he saw, said that the State Government had already commenced the process of providing more facilities and equipment to care for the large

Ebonyi State has the highest number of PDP members who defected to APC – Lawmaker Continued from page 24 fraud. The budget itself is a monumental failure followed the same drain others have followed and disappeared from the surface of Ebonyi State where nobody knows. To me where I frowned is that the only beautiful project we have was when we were privileged to have the senate committee chairman on works from Ebonyi State i.e. Senator Julius Ali Ucha who assisted the state to secure two world bank assisted projects out of the five of it and that started from Abakaliki to Afikpo, and the other started from Enugu to Ogoja. All these things were done by our dear brother Senator Julius Ali Ucha when he was senate committee chairman on works. He liaised with the then minister of works Deziani Alison Madueke and perfected it, put it in the budget today it has been tampered with, from Onuebonyi to PDP office is said to be dualized but

He said it would also lead to the employment of more 400 local people directly and thousands indirectly. In his speech, Gov. Peter Obi said that he was delighted at the development and called on other companies to key into the success of SABmiller in Anambra State by setting up their facilities in the State. He assured them of State Government support and encouragement. He said, "Part of my joy is the number of Anambra people employed in SABMiller and other companies we attracted to Anambra State. Tuesday will be another joyful day in Anambra as I will perform the ground breaking ceremony for the commencement, by one of the biggest companies in South Africa, of the building of their facility in Anambra State”. Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mrs. Oby Nwankwo said that the successes Anambra State recorded in SABmiller as well as other companies where she invested through the financial wizardry of Gov. Peter Obi, was encouraging as it were gratifying. In his vote of thanks, the traditional ruler of Ochuche, Igwe Paul Agaba said that only a sadist will entertain doubts about the phenomenal transformation Anambra has witnessed under Gov. Obi. He said that if not for constitutional provisions that the people of Anambra would vote for his continuation as the Governor. He appealed not just to the incoming Governor of Anambra State, but to all those that govern States to emulate the Governor in good deeds and exemplification of what government ought to be.

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February 12 - 18, 2014

The Advocate Gospel This Week

Frank Edwards thrills fans at Amazing Love

IN GOD'S TIME T

TEXT:

Matthew 1:17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. (NIVUK)

By Mary Chinda

he atmosphere was rent with songs of praise from grateful lips as hundreds of Christians gathered to worship at Amazing Love Assembly (ALA) Trans Ekulu as the youthful gospel artiste Frank Edwards ministered in songs at the annual Singpiriation programme organised by the church last Sunday. Worshipers had a pause of hours dancing when the dynamic visioners fellowship came up on

NARRATION There are some questions to which only God has the answer. The list of the human ancestors of Jesus Christ spanned about 2000 years from Abraham, and we do not know why it was so long (or might have been longer or shorter). Interestingly there were 14 generations in about 1000 years from Abraham to David, giving an average generational age of just over 70 years; but 14 generations in about 500 years from David to the exile and another 500 years to the birth of Jesus Christ (giving an average generation span of about 35 years). We do know that after David, God's law became distorted and ignored, and family feuds added to the instability of the nation's leadership. The fifth commandment, along with all the others, was broken: "Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12) The privilege of longevity was curtailed. And without God at the centre of life, it is numbingly meaningless. And after the exile too: instead of responding to God in faith and obedience, they soon went their own way; and for 400 years there was silence from God - He sent no prophet to them after Malachi until John the Baptist. It is mistake to equate long life and prosperity with God's favour, and evil-doers often seem to prosper (Psalm 73:312). However God will always reward His faithful ones (Isaiah 61:8), but He chooses His time and often waits a long time to bless us. He chose the time for Jesus to be born (Galatians 4:4 ) even though it was 42 generations since His first promise to Abraham. And He also knows the time when Jesus will return (Matthew 24:36 ). So far, His time delay has been about the same as that from Abraham to Jesus (about 2000 years); and we do not know how much longer. But we do know that He is coming and so we need to be ready to welcome Him when He comes again. Is your lifestyle one which commends the gospel to others; can they see that you are living each day with the expectation that He might come at any moment (Matthew 24:42 )?

Prayer: God of time and space. Thank You for always knowing just the right moment to release Your wise actions upon the world. Forgive me for sometimes thinking that You will forget to take action in time; and also forget that Jesus is coming back and it could be any day in my lifetime. Please help me to trust You to get all the timings right on earth and to live my life in the light of eternity. In Jesus' Name.

Frank Edward stage with "The curse is broken" a 15-minute drama which told a story of the restoration that trailed the life of a youngster who had veered off from righteousness ad yet the love of Christ came calling on him, setting him free from his addictions to women, drugs and alcohol. Expounding on the drama, the founder of the church Bishop Amaechi Nwachukwu remarked that it doesn't matter the volume of wrongs we

have done in life, All that is pertinent is coming to the cross with the sin and receiving forgiveness. Soon after that seeming solemn session, it was now time for the singer to make the Singpiration worth the name and standing behind the microphone doing his popular "Mma Mma" song he sent waists swaying, heads shaking and hands waving to God in praise. Taking a break, the Christ Embassy-bred musician revealed to Christians that praise in times of trouble shames the devil, adding that God is able to lift people from gutter to palace as he is an example. The praise and worship programme which features ministrations from other singing groups in the marriage solemnisation between Deacon Chidi Nwachukwu, first son of the Bishop and his lihgt-skinned sweetheart Miss Uzoamaka Ofoma While dedicating his new track "Okaka" to the newlyweds, Frank remarked "Chidi Nwachukwu is a friend who rather than just away, adds value to your life". And for the groom and his bride it was soon time to appreciate all who made their wedding a success. To round off the event, other popular tracks such as "U too dey bless me", "I made it" and lifted among other sent scores of women, children and men including the Bishop and his wife loose to beat of his music. Speaking to journalists in an interview, the bishop explained that "the idea behind Singpiration is to start off the year praising God for what he has been to us and what he will by faith be to us in this year. He added that Singpiration 2014 featured Frank Edwards because he is an artist who seems to have a large attitude of gratitude in his songs.

Breaking Protocol (1) -By Gabriel Agbo

his year, God will by-pass procedures, natural laws and known processes to establish His will in your life. He will do things that will defy all human logic, and do things that will make people know that you are truly serving a living God. A God that with Him all things are possible. Yes, He blessed us so much in the past year, but what He is about to do now will surely be unprecedented. He will do some things that are unusual, unnatural, unthinkable and unparallel for us this year. He is setting aside the usual for the unusual. He will break all the protocol just because of you. Now, I will like to define protocol here as a known, familiar, established procedure or process of achieving a purpose or target. God will by-pass all these to establish you this year. This is His message for you. Praise God! Look at when He started the creation. Nothing suggested what was about to happen then. Nothing suggested that the earth was about to become a beehive of activities, a massive success as the whole place was empty, formless, void, chaotic, deep and in thick darkness. My God! What a totally hopeless situation! Yes, it was from this condition of nothingness and confusion that Jehovah began to call things that were not into existence. Yes, God spoke almost everything into existence. It was on man that He took time and processes to make, because he was going to be His replica, representative and will also play a special role in the whole creation. Now, as God spoke, I speak to you, your destiny, your blessings, your promotion to begin to manifest in the mighty name of Jesus! If God could speak to this very complex and vast world into existence from nothing, then we can also

call forth those things that are not yet to begin to manifest now. True! The bible said that as He is in heaven, so we are on earth. This simply means that He will use us to do exactly those things that He did or is still doing. True! Now, look at the condition of the universe before the creation. No life, no form, no beauty, not activities, no peace, no shape, no help, no light, no hope, no 'taste' etc. Permanent confusion and sorrow. Does this describe you or any part of your life today? We meet people and families like this often in counseling. A lot of people are going through terrible and unbelievable situations in this life. True! But whatever is the description of your situation, the power of God will meet you at that point in Jesus name! This is your year! That known and usual problem is now giving way for the unknown and unusual solution. The protocol is now being broken for your sake. The whole earth was just like you when Elohim, the creator, the Almighty, rose and began to speak to it. He said let there be and there was! Listen, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface. Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw that it was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.â&#x20AC;? Gen 1:1-4 (NLT). As He spoke, I speak to you now, you are today being separated from that chaotic and unfavorable situation, in Jesus name! Let's continue next week. God bless and Happy New Year! Rev. Agbo is the author of the book Power of Midnight Prayer and a minister with the Assemblies of God Nigeria. Tel: 08037113283. E-mail: gabrielagbo@yaoo.com

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February 12 - 18, 2014

Indian hemp, cure for cancer C

annabis is one of the most powerful healing plants in the world and it makes cancer essentially disappear. Cannabis compounds are responsible for halting the growth factors that are responsible for metastatic growth. Although there has been scientific evidence that marijuana can shrink and even kill tumors since the 1970s, much of the recent public interest in this research has been inspired by 'Run From The Cure', a documentary about a Canadian man who claims that the concentrated oil from the cannabis plant has cured his skin cancer. He then tries the cure on a number of other cancer victims in his community with similar results. There is no mistaking about the evidence; Cannabis Cures Cancer. Researchers have now found that the compound, called cannabidiol, has the ability t o ' s w i t c h o ff ' t h e g e n e responsible for metastasis in an aggressive form on breast cancer. Importantly, this substance does not produce the psychoactive properties of the cannabis plant. A team from the California Pacific Medical Center, in San Francisco, first spotted its potential five years ago, after it stopped the proliferation of human breast cancer cells in the lab. Another Spanish team, led by Dr Manuel Guzmon, wanted to see whether they could prevent a form of cancer (glioblastoma multiforme) from growing by cutting off its blood supply. Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most difficult cancers to treat - it seldom responds to any medical intervention, especially conventional methods which poisoning and primatively destroy cells such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery. Mice were given a cancer similar to the human brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme). The mice were then given cannabinoids and the genes examined. The genes associated with blood vessel growth in tumors through the production of a chemical called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) had their activity reduced. Cannabinoids halt VEGF production by producing Ceramide. Ceramide controls cell death. Dr Guzmon said: "As far as we know, this is the first report showing that ceramide depresses VEGF pathway by interfering with VEGF production." They then wanted to see if this would also happen with humans. They selected two patients who had glioblastoma multiforme and had not responded to chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery. The

scientists took samples from them before and after treating them with a cannabinoids solution - this was administered d i r e c t l y i n t o t h e t u m o r. Amazingly, both patients experienced reduced VEGF levels in the tumor as a result of treatment with cannabinoids.

Why you shouldn't smoke cannabis but drink it instead Nonpsychoactive cannabinoids, such as cannabidoil, are particularly advantageous to use because they avoid toxicity that is encountered with psychoactive cannabinoids at high doses useful

in the method of the present invention. CBD (Cannabidiol), one of the main constituents of the cannabis plant has been proven medically to relieve many diseases including the inhibition of cancer cell growth. Recent studies have shown it to be an effective atypical anti-psychotic in treating schizophrenia. CBD also interferes with the amount of THC your brain processes, balancing the psychotropic effect of marijuana. That is precisely why the power of raw cannabis is turning heads. Cannabinoids can prevent cancer; reduce heart attacks by 66% and insulin dependent diabetes by 58%. Cannabis clinician Dr. William

Courtney recommends drinking 4 - 8 ounces of raw flower and leaf juice from any Hemp plant, 5 mg of Cannabidiol (CBD) per kg of body weight, a salad of Hemp seed sprouts and 50 mg of THC taken in 5 daily doses. "If you heat the plant, you will decarboxylate THC-acid and you will get high, you"ll get your 10 mg. If you don't heat it, you can go up to five or six hundred milligrams & use it as a Dietary Cannabis. . . and push it up to the Anti-oxidant and Neuroprotective levels which come into play at hundreds of milligrams," stated Dr. William Courtney. "The amount of Cannabinoids we need would be difficult to get through smoked Cannabis without feeling the intoxicating effects," said K r i s t e n C o u r t n e y. T h e Endocannabinoid System (ECS) maintains our biological systems by regulating each cell tissue. It uses Arachadonic acid/Omega 6 to make Endo-Cannabinoids: fatty molecules that communicate harm between cells. Dietary Cannabis mimics the ECS by providing Cannabinoids when there is an Arachadonic acid deficiency or Clinical Cannabinoid Deficiency. Patients suffering from end stage Cancer need to eat buds whole. Plants sprayed with anything shouldn't be juiced, but some pests are edible, such as Spider mites. To prepare leaves

for a juicer, avoid rinsing - soak them in water for 5 minutes. Masticating juicers are efficient for leaves, buds and sprouts; a centrifugal juicer may need additional vegetables to chop fibers. To preserve juice fill containers so that air is minimized; a dose of juice frozen in an ice cube tray retains medicinal value. Cannabis is a Class B drug that is illegal to have, give away or sell. “If cannabis were discovered in an Amazon rainforests today, people would be clamoring to make as much use as they could out of the potential benefits of the plant,” said Donald L. Abrams, MD, Chief of Hematology and Oncology at San Francisco General Hospital and Professor of Medicine at the University California. Dr. Abrams is widely known for his research on medical cannabis applications. "Unfortunately, it carries with it a long and not so long history of being a persecuted plant," he added. Marco Torres is a research specialist, writer and consumer advocate for healthy lifestyles. He holds degrees in Public Health and Environmental Science and is a professional speaker on topics such as disease prevention, environmental toxins and health policy. Culled from “There is no mistaking the evidence cannabis cures cancer'.”

Anambra University Teaching Hospital outstanding in Service delivery - Survey By Our Reporter

atients at the Anambra State University Te a c h i n g H o s p i t a l Amaku Awka have been receiving prompt quality service delivery since it was commissioned last year, a Survey carried out by the General Search Inc (GSI) has said. According to the survey conducted by six polls experts and which lasted for seven days, the commissioning of the Teaching Hospital brought numerous positive changes with the management and staff reporting to duty punctually, disappearance of out of stock syndrome as most of the prescribed drugs are readily available, and general cleanliness and personal hygiene experienced in all the nooks and crannies of the Institution with the nurses alive to their responsibilities, and

hospital to the appointment of the right calibre of personnel to its management. The Te a m o b s e r v e d w i t h g r e a t satisfaction they great concern and seriousness shown by the Teaching Hospital's Acting Chief Medical Director who is also t h e C h i e f E x e c u t i v e , D r. Ifeanyi Ezeobi while performing h i s d u t y, h i s punctuality, his willingness to Dr. Ifeanyi Ezeobi Ag. Chief Medical Director attain to patients and Anambra State University Teaching visitors, his Hospital, Amaku Awka readiness to listen to always quit ready to render complaints and above all, his day-to-day routine checks to selfless service. ensure that things are going The Survey Team attributed this normally as well as his humane “positive change” and “bright approach to issues, and ascribed outlook” witnessed in the the orderliness, discipline, and

efficient and prompt quality service delivery witnessed in the hospital partly to the dexterity, ebullience and selfless leadership as well as uncommon commitment to duty exhibited by the Acting Chief Medical Director, Dr Ezeobi, and the State Health Commissioner, Dr Lawrence Ikeakor who no doubt contributed immensely in shaping the bold policies that helped to bring this enviable result. The Survey expressed optimism that with the leadership of Dr Ezeobi, a Consultant O r t h o p e d i c a n d Tr a u m a Surgeon coupled with his ability to attend promptly to issues as well as his uncommon dedication to duty and readiness to serve, the hospital staff will not relent in their willingness to give their best, and the “so much longed for” quality health care service which constitutes the “life wire” of the economy of any state or nation will definitely be achieved

THE

February 12 - 18, 2014

ADVOCATE

Royalty & Sple

ndor

Give traditional rulers advisory role to President, Governors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Monarch Ene Ugwu His Royal Majesty, Igwe Emmanuel Ene Ugwu, the Okobo of Obinagu-Udi is a foremost outspoken Monarch, teacher and successful businessman. He spoke to newsmen on issues bordering on how to make the traditional Institution work, advocating for provision of an advisory role for traditional rulers in President and Government Houses in Nigeria in the ongoing Constitutional Conference. Excerpts Can you tell us how you became the traditional ruler and what you have been able to do for your people since your enthronement? I became the traditional ruler of my community in line with the constitution of my community, Obinagu Udi. In this community, we have three principal villages, Umunebo-Agu,Enugu-Eze and Akpulu where I come from. Chieftaincy titleship rotates among these villages. To be a traditional ruler, you must have been firstly a village ruler or head, a position that goes from village to village. Your village ruler will be asked to present a candidate and your village will call a meeting and decide if the person is active or not. If he is active, he will be returned unopposed but if found wanting, that village has lost the opportunity to present a candidate and the entire community would above to meet to elect one out of the aspirants across the community. The President General plays a great role in the emergence of a traditional ruler in my community. In my own case, I was already the village ruler or head of Akpulu village and when it was the turn of my village to produce a candidate, I was presented and found fit and proper. That was how I was nominated to become the traditional ruler since 1975. I think, my people considered my contributions to community development, selflessness and philanthropy in choosing me. Over the years, I have built a reputation and that is why notable Nigerians identify with me and my community. I was a onetime chairman of the traditional rulers' council Udi Local Government Area, and am a patron of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Igbo apex cultural organization, Enugu State chapter, Enugu State Police Community Relations Committee, Enugu Sports Club. I was awarded an honorary Doctorate Degree and conferred with the title of the Monarch of Niger Delta. As a traditional ruler, I have given titles to distinguished Nigerians including the former Vice

that means is that you have to be considerably wealth to be able to handle the public otherwise you may be tempted to soil his hands and miscarry justice or become high handed and greedy. A traditional ruler does not have tenure of office so he should be able to tell the President-General his duties which revolves around project development in the community so that a PG would not dabble into areas of custody of culture and tradition of the people. Failure to demarcate the responsibilities of the traditional

most cases the appointee cannot speak out. As I speak to you, we have nobody to chairman us, what we have been having is acting chairmen. As long as we keep having acting chairmen, there are certain things those in authorities will not know and so many good things would still not be done. If you are not well maintained, you will be corrupt because of lack of necessities of life. The royal fathers are supposed to be paid well, say about N200, 000 but the traditional rulers are paid Why do you think a just N50, 000 traditional monthly. Pay ruler is very somebody important well, he will be m o r e i n h i s dedicated to community his duty. ? The governor The role of a should know traditional that there are ruler in a t r a d i t i o n al society is very rulers who are vital. He is the not looking for number one c a r s o r citizen in his desperate to community build houses.. and by virtue the governor of that, the s hould find custodian of ways to use culture and t r a d i t ional tradition of the rulers, who are people. A g o o d a n d traditional useful, but not ruler must corrupt from understand t he local himself to be g overnment the father of areas to advise t h e him. There is c o m m u n i t y. an area the He has to g o v e r n or provide an s h o u l d b e enabling praised and he environment to is not getting be able to rule much praise or his people. In publicity. Look this respect, he at the works at has to ensure t h e S t a t e His Royal Majesty, Igwe Emmanuel Ene Ugwu, there is peace s e c r e t a r i a t , in families, Okobo Onyiaja of Obinagu-Udi A k w a t a villages and market, bridge c o m m u n i t y. . ruler from that of the PG is around P and T Quarters, Shoprite Once there is peace, there will be responsible for most of the Shopping Mall, roads in rural an progress. Justice brings progress conflicts between them in some urban areas, boost in business and as well. Apart from exercising communities. tourism, but they are under executive powers, he carries out I am personally disappointed the reported because he has got no judicial function of adjudication way and manner government people to tell the story. If there are and conflict resolution as he makes somebody a chairman of areas the governor should be told treats cases as they arise in his traditional ruler's council. How the home truth, he should be told community. the person rules his community is that, he should be made to stand As a matter of fact, to be able to not considered? At times, the on his toes to be able to deliver play these roles and discharge the government uses parameter that efficiently. Abakpa has no good duties efficiently and effectively, the person is educated when in road to enter into it one has to be self contented. What The traditional rulers are President, Atiku Abubakar, Senator Pius Anyim Pius, serving Secretary to Government of the Federation, as well as Environment Minister. I have been a teacher of many years standing in Lagos, built Akpulu hall in my village, influenced attraction of federal and state as well as local government projects to my community. Roads and drainages are being tarred in strategic places.

supposed to be beside Presidents, governors, etc, advising them on national and state matters. We should be given a constitutional role so that we can tell the president, governor what and what they should do to rule well. In Enugu state, there is no traditional rule that is an adviser to the governor. About two or three of us should be appointed advisers to governor. We should be advising the governor in order to promote his good image. We are not well used here in Enugu; we are left for two years without council of chiefs. There are elders among the traditional rulers who are fairly wealthy, experienced, intelligent and brilliant who are supposed to be chairmen of traditional ruler's council but they are not. I am 27 years on the throne, with wealth of experience. I was in the teaching profession in Lagos for many years, and I run chain of companies including, Campus Pharmaceuticals in Coal Camp Enugu, Campus Group of Companies Limited as Chief Executive Officer and Emmappos AgroFarms Limited as chairman. My first son, His Royal Highness, Igwe Pat Ene happens to be the Igwe of Alaba,Lagos State. Experiences acquired in different line of occupation cannot be wished away in human life.

Assuming you are appointed one of the advisers, can you tell us one area you will advise the governor to look into? Lack of job has a multiplier effect on the society. Joblessness is a crime. It is one of the most dangerous things a society can face, and there is no hope in this country to solve it .A graduate who stays at home with his parents because of unemployment is a potential threat to the society. If you create a place where the youth will work - be it agricultural garden with a monthly payment, it will reduce t h e p r o b l e m d r a s t i c a l l y. Agriculture will provide food, raw materials for industries, generate income, If each local government employs 1000 as agricultural programme with state government encouraging it, about 17,000 people will be gainfully employed in agriculture industry.

THE

ADVOCATE

February 12 - 18, 2014

entertainment

Plus

“I fell in love with acting as a child” – Miss Nigeria US Dilemma (MNET)).I have also done a couple of soap operas such as Secrets and Scandals, Happy Family (Seasons 1 and 2).I also put up guest appearances on The Disclosure and Clinic Matters respectively.

For followers of trends in the movie industry, the name Claret Onukogu, Nigeria's beauty in Diaspora, rings a bell as one of those new Nollywood entrants who have the rare blend of beauty and brains as she is poised to make hers a household name with her really intimidating profile. The Advocate recently pinned this tall and light-skinned lady down for a chat. Excerpts: By Mary Chinda & Caleb Onwe May we meet you? My name is Claret Ijeoma Onukogu. I am a Nigerian-American woman in my 20s, the first of six children, a student, model, actress, and a humanitarian. Although I have lived in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S.A) almost all my life, I am originally from Owerri, Imo State (Nigeria). I completed my high school education at Westlake High School Atlanta, and obtained a scholarship into Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA where I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences (Public Health). Afterwards, I was awarded a scholarship into South University where Iearned a Master of Business Administration (M.BA) degree with a specialization in Health Administration. Currently, as a 4.0 student, I am a member of the Golden Key International Honors Society at Walden University and a doctoral scholar pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree with a specialization in Project Management and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D) in Epidemiology.

What was growing up like for you? I was very blessed to have a good childhood filled with love and discipline. I have a strong religious and cultural

Which of these work catches your fancy the most and why? Honestly, I do not have a favorite among them because what matters to me is that people watch and appreciate my work.

background. Even though my parents reside in the United States, they ensured that the fear of God and African values, traditions, and beliefs were instilled in me. I am grateful t o

Do you do any other thing aside acting? Yes. Occasionally, I model and engage in charity work. I have also worked in the healthcare, hospitality, and marketing fields.

Also tell us about the beauty contest we saw in your pictures, most Nigerians don't know that there's something like “MISS NIGERIA IN AMERICA” if possible, tell us everything about it.

Claret Onukogu God and to my parents for my childhood because it has made a significant impact in my adulthood and also contributed to my being very familyoriented.

HUSBANDS FOR SALE! A

store that sells husbands has just opened in Zimbabwe, where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates. You may visit the store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the attributes of the men increase as the shopper ascends the flights. There is, however, a catch.. You may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may choose to go up a floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building! So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.

On the first floor the sign on the door reads: Floor 1 - These men have jobs and love the Lord.

The second floor sign reads: Floor 2 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, and love kids.

The third floor sign reads: Floor 3 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, and are extremely good looking. "Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.

She goes to the fourth floor and sign reads: Floor 4 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop- dead good looking and help with the housework. "Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!" Still,

she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads: Floor 5 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop- dead gorgeous, help with the housework, and have a strong romantic streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor and the sign reads:

Was acting your initial dream or you changed it along the way? As a child, I fell in love with acting and it became a hobby. I never thought about becoming a professional in the field until I became a teenager. I knew that I would pursue acting as a career as an adult after I obtained a graduate degree.

How did you get into Acting and what year? During my reign as a beauty queen (Miss Nigeria in America 2009-2010), I met and built a rapport with several prominent individuals in the entertainment industry particularly in Nigeria. They believed in me, gave me the publicity that I needed, and referred me to different producers and directors who also introduced me to their colleagues after working with me and assessing my abilities in acting.

How long have you been in the movie industry? I am a newcomer in the movie industry. After my reign, I dedicated a year to working in Nollywood. To some individuals, it may seem that I have been in the industry for long because during that short period of time, I worked in different parts of the industry from cinema, to soap opera, home videos, and also as a hostess for Music and Vibes. I am currently working with MNET (Afriwood).

Floor 6: You are visitor 4,363,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please.

So how many movies have you done so far?

Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store. Watch your step as you exit the building, and have a nice day!

I have done four movies which includes True Citizens, The Code 1 $ 2 sequelled Secret Code 3 & 4, Two Brides and A Baby,

The Miss Nigeria in America pageant was around for some years. It was originally established to showcase the beauties and talents of female young adults from Nigerian-American background but it was later closed, after my reign (September 2009September 2010), by the United States government because of the fraudulent and dubious activities of the organizers.

Have you done any movie with Hollywood? If yes, tell us the name and the role you took. I have worked with some of the casts from Basketball Wives in a reality show coordinated by the producers of Bravo and VH1. We also shot a music video in the process for Bambi and Lil Scrappy. The materials are being pitched to other television networks in the United States and they may be aired sometime in the near future.

Do you see Nollywood marching up with Hollywood in the future? Yes. I do see Nollywood making significant advancements in the future, but it will take time and much effort from individuals in front and behind the cameras.

What are your words for Nigerian youngsters aspiring to venture into Nollywood? My words of advice for aspiring actors and actresses are to put God first and everything else will fall into place, stay humble, do not get carried away or consumed by the events happening around you on any set, but keep your eyes on the price and the end product, be nice to the casts and crew on any set because their opinion matters in your presence and absence, be pliable because no director or producer wants to work with a difficult artist that cannot take constructive criticism, and always do your best whenever an opportunity is presented to you because you owe it to those who book you for jobs and the audience or viewers.

THE

ADVOCATE

February 12 - 18, 2014

By Okey Anyichie Nigeria- Ethiopia ! Not Yet Uhuru

Nigerian Pioneer Footbal Clubs (13)

Dolphins F.C.

olphins FC is a Nigerian football team based in Port Harcourt.

History In 2004-2005 the team placed 6th in the Nigerian Premier League. Representing their country in the 2005 CAF Confederation Cup, they reached the finals, losing to Morocco's FAR Rabat. They play their home games at Liberation Stadium. However, for the 2008 Confederation Cup they played their games at U. J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar. They were relegated from the Nigerian Premier League in 2007 by one point. They however came back to retain the FA Cup over Enugu Rangers. In their run, they twice won by penalties 4-2, including a semifinal triumph over crosstown rivals Sharks F.C. before winning the finals 3-2 in penalties. They returned to the Premier League after winning their division in 2009. The club was known until 2001 as

Eagle Cement. Achievements Nigerian Premier League: 3 1997, 2004, 2011 Nigerian FA Cup: 4

Dolphins F.C. 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007 Professional Second Division: 3 1994, 2002, 2008/09 CAF Confederation Cup: 0 Finalist : 2005

Performance

CAF

competitions CAF Champions League: 3 appearances 1998 - Group Stage 2005 - Second Round 2012 - First Round. CAF

Confederation Cup: 3 appearances 2005 - Finalist 2007 - Group Stage 2008 - Second Round CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 1 appearance

2013/2014 Football season kicks off â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whither Rangers F.C of Enugu?

he 2013/2014 Football season in Nigeria kicks off on the 23rd February, 2014 with the premier league soccer championship matches through the Country. The premier league championship which involves twenty football clubs will see Kano Pillars, the defending champion about to retain the

league title. For Rangers football club of Enugu, one of the oldest football clubs in the league champion-ship, the die is cast for this year's titanic battle for the trophy. It is unfortunate that this indomitable soccer outfit formed in 1970 is yet to win this professional league soccer fiesta since it started in 1990. Again Rangers football club, the

Rangers F.C of Enugu

pace-setters in the Nation's soccer competitions in both l e a g u e a n d FA s o c c e r competitions, have not won either of the two competitions since 1984. Rangers at the end of 3012/2013 perched at the fifth position of the premier league champion-ship and also failed to make an impact i n t h e F. A c u p s o c c e r

competition. However this new season is expected to see the Enugu based football club up-setting the apple-cart in the premier league champion-ship. The club and officials have set out the preparation for the new season on a very bright note with the camping at Rojenny Stadium, Oba in Anambra State according to the report on this pre-season preparation, thirty players and officials are now training and strategising very hard for the new season which takes off on the 23rd February 2014. Rangers will debut in this year's league champion-ship at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on the 23rd February 2014 with an encounter with Nembe City Football Club of Bayelsa State, for the first match and first stanza of the 2014 premier league champion-ship. Already Rangers had played two matches against Abia warriors of Umuahia, Abia State, losing one by 2-0 and winning one by a lone goal. It is interesting that the new coach, John

Obuh procured to handle the club in this new season has expressed delight on the standard of his boys, when he told sports writers, "I am happy that the boys have assured me that they are going to put in their best." One hopes that they will match words with action, when the new season's soccer duels' take off the ground. In another development, Enyimba Football Club of Aba will host visiting Togo lese side, Angels Football Club of Notse, this week-end at Enyimba Stadium, Aba. This is the first leg of Africa league Soccer Champion-ship in this 2014 season. Kano Pillars will also trade tackles in the same continental club's soccer fiesta with ASV football Club of Congo-Kinshasa this week-end in Kinshasha-Republic of Congo. Warri Wolves and Bayelsa FC in the Continental Africa Football competition will draw bye in the first round of the competition. It would be recalled that Rangers of Enugu played in this second African clubs' soccer competition last year but fell by the way-side. Let's hope that Rangers would qualify to play in 2015 Africa league soccer champion-ship at the end of 2014 competition.

THE

ADVOCATE

February 12 - 18, 2014

Kenneth Okonkwo hosts Nsukka youths to a Football match m a r c h annually sponsored by the movie star. The event w h i c h brought together political giants f r o m within and outside the Nsukka zone was also a ripe opportunit y for the m o v i e Kenneth Okonkwo, the Bayelsa team in a photo shot before the competition a c t o r t o society as the event afforded helpless yesterday as dozens of Nsukka By Mary Chinda widows the chance to mingle natives joined him to welcome Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo,the Chief with the larger society as they denigbo,the country of Staff to the Governor of turned out en masse to catch the home of Nollywood's Enugu State as she,being excitement of the football i c o n K e n n e t h represented by Mr Afam competition as well as receive Okonkwo(popularly dubbed Okereke,came into the town to gift item such as wrappers and Andy Okeke)was a hotspot witness the Ideke Unity football food stuffs provided them by the

Nollywood star. The screen diva explained the football competition was not meant to create rivalry between the people but to foster unity amongst them as all the team members are Nsukka indigenes.According to him: “the competition is being held to get the youths to inject their energy into something both intellectually and physically demanding in a bid to take them off the streets of crime.” Expressing joy at the occasion, Dr Chris Asadu, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Chime remarked that the essence of thee competition is to achieve unity in the community in order to address the issue of disunity among us. This is because we have realized that our greatest challenge as the Nsukka people is our inability to speak in one voice and be heard. He further announced that the competition serves as a medium for sourcing for viable football talents of Nsukka descent who

could like their predecessors represent the state and nation. Similarly, the traditional ruler of Nkpunano community, Igwe Dr Pat Okolo on an interview extolled the Nollywood star for consistently sacrificing his money in the tune of #400,000. Other sponsors of the first and second runners up to the tune of #100,000 each were Dr John Ike Eze of the University of Nigeria Nsukka who revealed their zeal to continue to sponsor the competition as a way of supporting the Nollywood giant in his effort to give the Nsukka youths a sense of direction. Addressing the people at the end of the 90 minutes, which saw the Bayelsa Team defeat the Illorin Team by 2-1 scores. The Chief of Staff to the Governor enjoined the people to continue to live unity and remain law abiding while commending the awarding-winning actor for putting together the competition singlehandedly, adding that the competition will soon receive full government attention.

Nigerian Olympian bags life jail in South Africa

former Nigerian Olympic athlete, Ambrose Monye has been sentenced to life imprisonment in South Africa. Monye was sentenced alongside Andre Gouws for the murder of Channelle Henning. They were sentenced at the North Guateng High Court in Pretoria. After having denied for months, both of them confessed to being involved in the murder of the 26year-old Henning. She was shot in Faerie Glen, in the east of Pretoria on November 8, 2011 just after she dropped her son at a creche. At that time, Channelle and her estranged husband, Nick Henning had been locked in a custody battle.

Mr Henning was picked up by law enforcement agents in December after his best friend, Gouws told the court that Henning offered him a million Rands to have his wife killed. Gouws also told the court that he offered Monye R 50,000 to find killers who would do the job. The killers, Gerhardus (Doepie) du Please and Willem (Tattoo or Pike) Pieterse are already serving 18-year jail terms, following their guilty pleas to the murder charge. The Nigerian Olympian said he was ashamed of his actions. Back in 2011, Monye who represented Nigeria at the Seoul '88 Olympics was acquitted of murder after he allegedly beat a man to death.

CONVICTS . . . Andre Gouws (L) and his co-accused, former Nigerian Olympic athlete Ambrose Monye in the North Gauteng High Court, South Africa on Monday when their judgment was handed down to them

The former athlete ran a security

outfit, “Big Dog Security” but

CAF Champions league Qualification results Balantas (Gub) Sewe (Civ) Stade Malien (Mal) Harrach (Alg) Steve Biko (Gam) ES Setif (Alg) Zamalek (Egy) AS Niamey (Nig) Asante Kotoko (Gha) Barrack Young Controllers (Lib) Berekum Chelsea (Gha) Atlabara (Ssu) Enyimba (Nig) Anges de Notse (Tog) Leopard (Con) Rayon Sport (Rwa) Les Astres (Cmr) Akonangui (Eri) Dedebit (Eth) KMKM (Zan) Dynamos (Zim) Centre Chiefs (Bot) Mbabane Swall. (Swa) Nkana (Zam) Vita Club (Drc) Kano (Nig) FAR Rabat (Mar) Real Bamako (Mal) Kaizer Chiefs (Rsa) Black Africa (Nam)

0:3 0:3 2:0 2:1 2:0 3:1 0:0 3:0 3:0 3:0 2:0 3:1 2:2 3:0

Nouadhibou (Mau) Primeiro de Agosto (Ang) Diambars (Sen) Kabuscorp (Ang) Diables Noirs (Con) Al-Merreikh (Sud) ES Setif (Alg) Gor Mahia (Ken) Harrach (Alg) Liga Muçulmana (Moz) Praia Cruz (Sao) Sewe (Civ) Young Africans (Tan) Raja Casablanca (Mar) Al Ahly Benghazi (Lib)

Horoya (Gui) Lioli (Les) ASFA Yennega (Bur) Côte d'Or (Sey) Flambeau de l'Est (Bur) Kampala City (Uga) Steve Biko (Gam) Bitam (Gab) Stade Malien (Mal) CNaPS Sport (Mad) Stade Malien (Mal) Balantas (Gub) Komorozine (Com) Diamond Stars (Sie) Foullah Edifice (Cha)

1:1 2:0 1:0 5:1 0:1 0:2 3:0 1:0 1:0 3:2 3:0 7:0 6:0 4:0

that was not enough to keep him off police radar for drug dealing. His lifestyle also drew attention. Though well built himself, the former athlete hardly ever went anywhere without his hefty bodyguards. Authorities tried to investigate how he got his South African citizenship and if it was done legally. His ID number gives his age as 40, indicating that he represented Nigeria at the age of 14. Words used to describe him by South African investigators include “strong and dangerous” as well as the “kingpin of Pretoria's underworld”

Vol. 1 No. 36, February 12 - 18, 2014

Hogan Bassey Back page comment

Still On Senator Ike Ekweremadu !!!

ittle had I published my last article on page fifteen of this newspaper of 25th September 2013 some political jobbers in Enugu State went for the jugular not criticizing my write up anywhere but have argued that I failed to include the achievements of senator Ekweremadu in the article. Lest I forget, I refer them to an invaluable compendium of ideas, facts and figures titled; Accomplishments and constituency projects attracted by his Excellency Senator Ike Ekweremadu (CFR) for Enugu West Senatorial District and South East, 'Evidence of quality and effective representation'. However, due to constraints of space let's just have an overview. Senator Ekweremadu has attracted projects in all the eighty one political wards of Enugu West Senatorial District. The beneficiaries include; thirty three projects in Aninri L.GA, thirty four projects in Agwu L.G.A, twenty projects in Ezeagu L.G.A, thirty two projects in Oji River L.G.A, twenty projects in Udi L.G.A and fifteen projects in other South Eastern States of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo. Notable among the projects are, massive roads construction, construction and furnishing of classroom blocks with VIP toilets and boreholes at primary schools, rural electrification projects, library centre projects, supply of basic drugs to health centres, installation of standalone solar street lights. Others projects include the construction of National Youth Development Centres in all the five L.G.As making up the Senatorial Districts and some of the implementing MDA'S include; Anambra/Imo River Basin Development Authority, Federal Ministry of Works, MDG office, PHCN, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Youth Development etc. So far, scholarships have been awarded to over one thousand, five hundred students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. No fewer than forty persons from his Senatorial District and beyond were appointed into federal MDAs, and employment to over three hundred and fifty sons and daughters of Enugu West extraction into federal agencies was facilitated by the Deputy Senate President. Now, my good people of Enugu State, if Senator Ekweremadu can achieve this fit just as a senator what then happens if he becomes the governor of Enugu State? The rate at which political stakeholders in the Enugu North Senatorial District are identifying with Senator Ekweremadu's 2015 password further buttresses that it is candidates that win election not the party per say. What this signifies is that for our society to be good, the political sector must first be baptized and filled with men and women of unquestionable resolve to serve the people selflessly. And if the intention of going into politics is service,

then politicians must be put through an acid test to test their character. Governor Chime and his kitchen cabinet have maintained that the C of O of the Lion Building has been given to the Enugu North Senatorial District (Nsukka Cultural Zone) and one cannot expect that in a political environment of this nature that everybody will agree with the Governor despite being the party leader in the state.

There is something fundamentally wrong with the governor's insistence that his successor must come from a particular section of the state and one doesn't expect any other person to oppose that, given that our society is a democratic one. After all everybody is free to disagree or agree and that is the driving force of democracy. The keyword is service and the people want is for the political leadership of Nigeria to be service oriented and that is the only way we can improve on our lot as a people and Nation. The sooner we begin to put people who are focused in leadership positions the better for us. Why should Governor Chime now be clamouring for zoning and power shift, was he not aware of the so called zoning formular when he led Enugu State delegates and voted massively for President Goodluck Jonathan in the January 2011 PDP National Convention in which President Jonathan emerged victorious against the zoning and power shift to the north as was being promulgated by some northern elements? Did he not contest the PDP primaries in both 2007 and 2011 with aspirants from the other two Senatorial Districts in the state and no one was screened out or barred from contesting based the purported zoning arrangement? It is okay to agitate that power must shift to the North Senatorial District but it is the development of Enugu state that is paramount. If you are able to convince the

citizenry, they will vote for you. In a democracy, the position is not a God given right. It is about politics, it is about trying to convince the citizenry on how best your manifesto and programmes can change their lives for the better, because our system has done it in a way that in this kind of democracy, everybody needs to work harder. In a democracy, every election deserves to be fought for with all manner of seriousness and the best candidate should always win. It is high time we did away with zoning and power shift and if any man or woman, who is qualified to contest, wishes to do, let the voters decide. Elective positions are fought for not given and “you cannot beat somebody with nobody” is one of the oldest and soundest rules in politics. The rumour making the rounds was that the governor's brother who is a greenhorn in Enugu politics is already warming up to replace Senator Ekweremadu at the red chambers and the big question remains: what then becomes the fate of the young and vibrant senator? As we all know that retiring in politics is not even an option, laughable indeed. And, as the saying goes “you don't punish a fish by throwing it into the water” and come to think of it “is it not better and wiser to leave the rat that ate your fish than to set the whole house ablaze in an attempt to catch it? Unarguably, Governor Chime has performed but we must also take cognizance of the saying that nothing succeeds like success and a success without a successor is a failure. Just a minute please. Section 177 of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 as amended provides: A person shall be qualified for election to the office of the Governor of a state if (a) he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth; (b) he has attained the age of 35 years; (c) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; and (d) he has been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent. I read the aforementioned constitution over and over but did not see where it was stated that the person must come from a particular section of a state. As Napoleon Bonaparte said, “The men who changed the world never got there by working on leaders” Rather, he said it was done by moving the masses. Reason: Working on leaders is the method of intrigue that only leads to secondary results, but working on the masses” is the stroke of genius that changes the face of the world”, since elections are won and lost at ballot boxes. The late former Prime Minister of Japan Kiichi Miyazawa was once quoted as saying “A state can be governed either by the rule of right or the rule of might. I will not stand by the rule of might”. Our politicians should take a cue and rule by the rule of right. Engr. E. Ozoagbo wrote from Enugu.

he history of Nigerian boxing cannot be complete without a mention of Hogan 'Kid' Bassey who shot Nigeria into international spotlight by winning a world boxing title in 1957. Though Bassey Okon Asuquo, popularly known as "Hogan Kid" Bassey, is no more, he is still well celebrated in Nigeria today as a boxing legend, a worthy sports ambassador, a patriot, and a devout Christian noted for startling disciplinary record. The famous boxer gave up the ghost in January 1998 after a failed battle to surmount a heart ailment which defied medication. A cursory glance through his boxing profile indicates that Hogan Bassey was the country's first boxing icon who won a world boxing title in 1957. Aside his world title feat, it is also important to recall that he was the youngest boxer to win the national flyweight title way back in 1950 at the age of eighteen when he was still in the secondary school. He was still in school when he started making his marks in boxing as an amateur in 1947. Reminiscing on his early breakthrough in the pugilistic sport, Hogan explained that if not for his strong will and love for the sport, he would have quit due to the indisposition of his parents who wanted him to concentrate more on his education. But the young Asuquo hung on in the face of his parents' objection. In no time, his boxing prowess became glaring and later on, his parents left him alone as they felt he was mature enough to chose his own vocation in life. By 1949, Hogan Bassey joined the professional rank after distinguishing himself in the amateur cadre. His first fight was against Jack Salami who, after absorbing Hogan's solid punches got floored by a ferocious punch in the head. Shortly before passing out of school in 1950, he won the national flyweight title at the expense of Dick Turpin. After winning the flyweight title, Hogan worked briefly with the Ordinance Depot in Lagos as a store keeper under a Briton called Sergeant Pearson. His boss, Hogan Bassey narrated, wanted to send him to United Kingdom to polish his boxing skills, but the idea of traveling abroad did not really appeal to him. He had resolved not to travel abroad because of the cold climate in Europe. But much later, he changed his mind in 1951 when another Briton named Jack Fransworth paid his fare to Britain. London turned a bed of roses for the little Nigerian as he had little problem passing the British Boxing Board of Control which issued him a British boxing license to enabled him fight in the United Kingdom. With the enormous challenge of professional boxing, Hogan employed a new manager, Peter Bansusco to polish him ahead of his first professional fight in Britain. Before then, the stocky boxer had graduated from the flyweight to the bantamweight class. He later moved up to the featherweight class where he won the world title in 1957 by defeating Algerian-born Sherif Hamia who fought as a French citizen. He had made his marks before passing on. And even though today, Hogan Bassey is gone, his legacy will forever stand the test of time.