Son axed father to death in Enugu by Advocate Nigeria

Vol. 1 No. 40, July 11 - 18, 2014

N150

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Umeh urges FG to How my brother Enugu randy pastor brutally killed set up Amnesty impregnates our mother 20 female Programme for – Daughter members Page 3 MASSOB, BZM Members

HORROR!

Son axes father to death in Enugu …Another kills own dad in Ogun Pg. 2

Redemption Camp

By Ted Peters

ragedy struck at Ugwuoba in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State last weekend when an Indian hemp smoker axed his father to death for advising him to desist from taking hard drugs. The deceased, Mr. Christopher Onu was attacked by his son, Ikenna Onu at his home in Aguabosi village in Ugwuoba community in a gruesome manner throwing the entire village into mourning. Barely two days after the bloody

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President Goodluck Jonathan, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari exchange pleasantries during the Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday

Ousted Enugu UBEB Chairman gets justice at last

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July 11 - 18, 2014

Son axes father to death in Enugu Bank Manager

commits suicide

…Another kills own dad in Ogun Redemption Camp Continued from front page incident in Enugu State, another 21-year-old Tolani Ajayi, reportedly killed his father, Charles Ajayi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, in the Redemption Camp along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway. According to Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, the deceased Christopher Onu, who was a farmer, had shortly after returning from farm on Friday, July 4, 2014 called his son, Ikenna, to his room where he advised him to desist from smoking weeds believed to be Indian hemp in order to avoid ruining his life. Angered by his father's wise counsel, Ikenna, who was suspected to be under the influence of the hard drug, allegedly picked up an axe with which he cut his father's head open. The old man was said to have slumped and was rushed to a hospital in Awka, Anambra state capital where he was confirmed dead. He was said to have lost much blood and could not survive the attack. Having been confirmed dead by doctors, his corpse was brought back to Oji River by his family. The police spokesman said that the suspect was arrested and now being detained at the Criminal Investigations Department of the State Police Command in Enugu. He said that investigations had commenced into the gruesome

Ikenna Onu, Axed father murder of the farmer whose corpse had been deposited at General Hospital mortuary Oji River for autopsy. But while members of the public were still wondering why a son could be so heartless and ungodly to the point of taking the life of his own father, a similar incident was reported in Ogun State. According to Ogun State Police Command, the 21-year-old Tolani Ajayi, was arrested last Sunday for allegedly killing his father, Charles Ajayi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, in their compound at the Redemption Camp along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said its command uncovered the mystery behind the killing of the legal

where the body of the SAN was found and thereafter traced the ground marks of the dragged box from where the suspect dumped the dad's corpse to the house of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, where they met the suspect in a relaxed mood in the house. “Upon interrogation, the suspect earlier lied that his dad had gone on evangelism before he eventually confessed to the crime when he was taken to the Redemption Camp Divisional Headquarters. “He stated further that problem arose when his late Tolani Ajayi, murdered Dad father confronted him for not responding to the prayer points he luminary who was slaughtered by (the deceased) was calling which his biological son. made his father to slap him. Adejobi said that the suspect, “He said he went mad and went who is a 300-level student of straight to the kitchen to pick up a Department of History and knife to stab him and later a International Relations of cutlass to cut his throat, thereby Redeemer University, RCCG killing him. Camp, Ogun State, was arrested “The exhibits, including the knife the same day he committed the and cutlass he used in killing his crime in his father's residence father, had been recovered by the where the incident occurred at Police and the corpse of the SAN about 5:30pm. had been deposited at a morgue in “The shattered body of Mr Sagamu. Charles Ajayi, 60, was recovered “The Commissioner of Police, in a nearby bush at Canaanland Ogun State, CP Ikemefuna Street in the RCCG Camp in a Okoye has sent a powerful team box after he was killed by his son. of detectives led by the officer in “The DPO Redemption Camp, charge of Homicide Section of Superintendent of Police, SP, the Department of Criminal Olaiya Martins led a team of I n v e s t i g a t i o n , E l e w e r a n , detectives and some members of Abeokuta to assess the situation the community who noticed the and take over the matter for strange attitude of the suspect f u r t h e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n a n d while dumping a box at the point necessary action.”

manager with a commercial bank in Ibafo, Obafemi-Owode, Ogun State has committed suicide. Habeeb Olatunde, 44, who until his death a manager with a new generation bank in Lagos was earlier declared missing for days. A team of police detectives from the Ibafo Divisional Headquarters led by a Chief Superintendent of Police, Salawu Jimoh later discovered his lifeless body hanging on a ceiling in an uncompleted building in Arepo, near Ibafo last Saturday. The police command had circulated the news of Olatunde's disappearance at Ibafo Division on 19th June 2014 after which the police intensified efforts to find him. A native of Kwara State, Olatunde was said to have requested and granted casual leave before he took his life. T h e d e c o m p o s i n g b o d y, according to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi had been released to his family for burial. He added that investigations did not reveal any foul play as there was no mark of violence on his body. The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye commended the members of the community for their support towards achieving adequate security of lives and property in their area.

Ousted Enugu UBEB Chairman gets justice at last F By Rex Arum

*Enugu Govt heads to Appeal Court

Mrs Nebo-Ezeabasili

Gov. Chime

or Mrs. Ethel NeboEzeabasili, the ousted former Chairman of the Enugu State Universal Education Board, it was sweet victory as an Enugu State High Court Presided over by Justice C.I Nwobodo last week declared her premature removal from office in 2012 as illegal and unconstitutional. In a ruling that lasted several hours, the Court also awarded a N10 million damages and a N100,000 cost against the Governor Sullivan Chime-led government for “illegal and unconstitutional actions against” Ezeabasili. Mrs. Ezeabasili had approached the State High Court in Enugu to declare her removal from office as illegal and unconstitutional and to award her damages over a trumped up allegation that she embezzled over N245 million belonging to the Enugu State Government. Meanwhile, Ezeabasili who had fled the State over alleged attempts on her could not be reached to react to the judgment. However, her lawyer Chief Tagbo

Ike said he was happy that the attempt to tarnish the integrity and reputation his client had built over the years had failed. He described the judgment as a “triumph of justice over injustice and impunity”. “This shows that evil and political tyranny will never prevail over truth, justice, and due process forever”, he stressed. On his part, a civil society activist, Mr. Damian Okenwa described the judgment as victory for democracy. He added: “The fact that the ruling was given by a courageous and Honourable Justice of the Enugu State High Court against a sitting government of the same state shows that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man; and that all hope is not lost for this nation. He further stressed that the former Enugu State SUBEB Chairman had also made a point to the effect that “a public servant who has integrity and courage can say no to corrupt orders from even at his or her own peril”. It could be recalled that Ezeabasili

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July 11 - 18, 2014

Enugu randy pastor impregnates 20 female members *Says he is fulfilling God's injunction on multiplication child inside his church *Impregnates mother and child i m m e d i a t e l y t h e pregnant woman gives birth to a baby. “When the woman is *Claims he has 5 wives, 13 children delivered of the baby, the child By Ted Peters

he arrest and subsequent prosecution of one pastor Timothy Ngwu for alleged sexual harassment, and indiscriminate impregnating of both married and single women in his church, has again raised the issue of clerics whose stock in trade is to sleep with female members of their church. It would be recalled that in the 1980s, Jesus of Oyimbo, a carpenter-turned pastor was rumoured to have slept with female members of his church. It was also said that he was sleeping with his own biological daughters. H e a l l e g e d l y backed his actions by claiming to be obeying God's injunction in the book of Genesis: “Go ye into the world, increase and multiply.” Initially, Jesus of Oyimbo was based at Oyimbo Market area of Lagos where he was said to be performing incredible miracles and healing people with various ailments. That was how he got the name “Jesus of Oyimbo.” Later, his church expanded and he relocated to Maryland where he built an estate and camped his followers. His alleged sin of incest never stopped and he never denied it. That was in the 1980s. Not long ago, Pastor Emeka Ezeuko otherwise known as Rev. King, was sentenced to death by a Lagos High Court for killing a female member of his church. Rev. King allegedly murdered the female member, one Nkechi, for sleeping with another man. The story had it that King was having sexual affairs with Nkechi and other female members of his ministry but became jealous and bitter when Nkechi was said to have gone to have affair with another man. His church is located somewhere at Ajao Estate, Lagos. Somewhere around Airport Road, Lagos a Prophetess was arrested for collaborating with a member of his church to poison her husband, the founder of the church. The prophetess was eyeing one young handsome member of the church, and in order to have the young man as her own totally, she allegedly poisoned her own husband and later remarried the young member. She told the members that God instructed her to marry the young man. Coming down to the Coal City State of Enugu, Timothy Ngwu, said to be a self-acclaimed Pastor, who also doubles as the Leader and General Overseer of

Vineyard Ministry of the Holy Trinity, Ihe-Owerre, Nsukka Loocal Government Area of Enugu State is currently remanded in Enugu prison for impregnating over 20 female members of his church. The bubble burst when Mrs. Veronica Ngwu, wife of the pastor, could no longer bear the randy life style of her husband, and blew the

was obeying God's injunctions. The Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the arrest and eventual arraignment of the cleric, told reporters in Enugu, “The pastor claims to be obeying prophetic and spiritual injunction to do the will of God, which is to impregnate any one chosen and

remains in the ministry with the mother for life,” a member of the church revealed. Furthermore, Amaraizu added: “Vineyard Ministry of the Holy Trinity, located at Umudikwere, Ihe-Owere Nsukka in Enugu State was not known until DSP Gloria Udoka and her operatives from the Anti-Child Trafficking Unit of the state

Pastor Ngwu (3rd from left) with two of his concubines whistle for his arrest by the police. At the time of filing in the report, pastor Ngwu has put over 20 female members of his church in the family way, insisting that he

revealed by the Holy Spirit, irrespective of whether the woman is married or not.” Besides getting the female members pregnant, Ngwu also habours mother and

Criminal and Investigation Department, stormed the place based on the complaint they received from wife of the Pastor, Veronica Ngwu."

Amaraizu said Mrs. Ngwu's complaint had to do with sexual abuse of people in the ministry, which has brought about indiscriminate pregnancy among married and single women in the ministry. The PPRO said: “According to Veronica, her husband used to be a well known catechist in Nsukka Catholic Diocese.” It was further disclosed that while acting under the same alleged will of God, the Pastor got his wife's niece pregnant. “Some of the members' wives are now living with him after he impregnated all of them,” The Advocate was further told. Reacting to the chains of allegations against him, Pastor Ngwu said he has about five wives with thirteen children, besides other concubines, who came as a result of the prophetic will of God. He claimed that he does not do anything with any married woman until full consent and agreement is r e a c h e d b e t w e e n him and the husband in accordance with the directives of the Holy Spirit. Two of the women, who had left their husband and are currently living with the General Overseer, Calista Omeje,and Assumpta Odo admitted that they left their husband and went to Ngwu based on the prophetic injunction of God. Calista in particular said that she is married to her husband with 10 children, but later got impregnated by her pastor, although the baby later died. Mrs. Omeje further said that she also gave her daughter out for the General Overseer to impregnate in fulfillment of God's prophecy. On her part, Assumpta Odo also confirmed the incident, admitting that she is also married with eight children, but the pastor impregnated her and her daughter.

Over 60 women, girls escape Islamist abductors in Borno

ore than 60 women and girls abducted last month by suspected Boko Haram militants in Northeast Nigeria have escaped their captors, sources said Sunday. Local vigilante Abbas Gava said he had “received an alert from my colleagues … that about 63 of the abducted women and girls had made it back home” late Friday. A high-level security source in the Borno state capital Maiduguri, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, confirmed the escape. Gava, a senior official of the local vigilantes in Borno State who are working closely with security officials, told journalists the women escaped when their captors went out to fight. “They took the bold step when their abductors moved out to carry out an operation,” he said.

Clashes took place between the Islamists and the army late Friday after an attack by the insurgents in the town of Damboa, where more than 50 of them were killed, the army had said. Spokesmen for the armed forces or the government could not be reached Sunday for comment. Activists of the Bring Back Our Girls movement meanwhile tried

to march on the presidential palace in Abuja Sunday in another reminder of the fate of more than 200 girls kidnapped in Chibok, Borno state, on April 14, but were asked by security forces to turn back. “It's 83 days today that the girls have been abducted,” activist Aisha Yesufu told the press. “We have been coming out for 68 days and nobody has really listened to us,” Yesufu told reporters after the march. That is why the group “decided

that we should just take the protest back to the President so that he will know that we are still out there after the 68 days that we have been coming out daily”. Security experts say the overstretched and underresourced military is incapable of fighting an effective counterinsurgency against the Boko Haram militants, who have killed thousands in their five-year campaign for an independent Islamic state in the north.

Man killed in Benin while testing charms' efficacy traders in the market to lock up but the bullet did not penetrate but

25-year-old man simply identified as Osamame Isekhuere (aka Black Arrow) was weekend shot dead in Benin by his friend while trying to test the efficacy of charms in his possession popularly known as 'Africa Insurance'. The shooting, which occurred at the Oba market, at the centre of Benin metropolis, forced many

their shops and run for their lives following riots occasioned by the killing. It was gathered that Osamame had asked one of his friends to shoot him to test a new charm that he had acquired against bullets after incising and rubbing the charms on their bodies and they decided to test it with live bullets. According to the source, Osamame first shot at his friend

when the friend shot at Osamame on the chest, the charm failed. Osamame was said to have died instantly. His friends, who heard of the killing, burnt down a building where the said friend was living in a rented apartment. Police spokesman, DSP Uwoh Noble, when contacted, said he was yet to be briefed on the matter.

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Chibok girls: Seven parents die of trauma

h ic E

ight-one days after the abduction of their children, seven parents of the abducted female students of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, have died of trauma. The National Chairman of the Chibok community under the Kibaku Area Development Association, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, disclosed this on Friday at a news conference in Abuja. “Today (Friday) is 81 days since the abduction and in spite of the firm categorical statements by the Chief of Defence Staff that the location of the girls is known to the government, the appalling situation and agony encompassing the unfortunate abduction saga and detention of the Chibok girls by the Boko Haram insurgents continue and the rescue efforts

by the government is yet to yield any result. “So far, Boko Haram has carried out 15 attacks on the Chibok (Kibaku) nation involving 19 villages with over 229 killed and over 100 injured. Some of the victims of the attacks are parents and relations of the abducted girls and thereby adding more pains to the traumatic condition in the Chibok community. “While the situation persists, many distressed parents are dying of heart attack and frustration as their dejection had become unbearable. On record, seven parents have lost their lives due to the trauma of the situation,” he stated. The Chibok elder, however, called for the reconstruction of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, and building of another secondary school in the town as a result of large number of students in a class.

Protest rocks Onitsha over alleged police extortion

uman and vehicular movements were disrupted for hours at the ever busy Dennis Memorial Grammar School, (DMGS) roundabout, Onitsha on Friday as members of the Keke Drivers Association took over the streets to protest alleged police extortion, harassments and illegal detention of members. The protesters, dressed in mourning clothes and mouth guards sang anti-police songs and brandished placards with several inscriptions including “IGP please overhaul Police in Onitsha”, “Police in Onitsha are the most corrupt in the country”, among others. According to the Chairman of the Campaign for Democracy, (CD), South East zone, Dede Uzor, the protest was in collaboration with CD against the police in the city whom he accused of resorting to intimidation, corrupt practices and illegal arrest and detention of tricycle drivers since the ban on checkpoints across the country. He said that corrupt practices among policemen were more apparent in the commercial city of Onitsha, adding that policemen attached to the Central Police Station, Inland Town and Awada stations have been at the forefront for the alleged illegal detention and extortion. “We are protesting against the illegal and corrupt activities of policemen in this city, they have made Keke drivers to remain perpetually in agony because of massive

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extortion, illegal detention and other inhuman treatments. It is also pertinent to note that majority of these drivers are driving these tricycles on hire purchase basis and when police kept on extorting them of the money, most of them have had no option than to drop the keke because they couldn't meet up with the agreement they reached with the owners” He called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar to immediately overhaul the entire police stations in the commercial city to bring in new police officers who have not been corrupted by money and other things. Also speaking, the Secretary of the KDA, Mr. Chukwudi Obi lamented the ordeal of keke drivers in the hands of policemen whom he accused of deliberately arresting their members and in the process extorting money from them at the various police stations before they would regain their freedom. He called on Governor Willie Obiano and the Commissioner of Police in Anambra state, Mr. Usman Gwary to look into the matter and call the policemen serving in the police divisions in Onitsha to order to allow those in their genuine business to survive. However, when contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka said the policemen in the state are there to maintain law and order and described the allegations as frivolous and unfounded.

Cultists kill native Doctor, 2 others in Delta

gang of suspected cultists, Wednesday, allegedly killed one of their sponsors, a native doctor, and two others in Obiaruku Community of Delta State. The cultists according to a witness are members of Ake Confraternity. According to reports from our correspondent, the deceased native doctor was

responsible for preparing the charms used by the cultists while the two other victims were allegedly killed by stray bullets during a rival cult war that ensued on the same day. The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, confirmed that arrests have been made while investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the killings.

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July 11 - 18, 2014

Nigeria's transformation impossible without people's constitution – Igbo Leaders

Igariwe

Ike Nwachukwu

Jim Nwobodo

Ben Obi

HE Igbo Leaders of Thought led by foremost constitutional lawyer, Professor Ben Nwabueze, Wednesday, reaffirmed its position that unless the ongoing national conference fashioned a people's constitution that would be ratified by a referendum, the desire for the transformation of the country would not be realized. Speaking with newsmen after the meeting of the body in Enugu, Professor Nwabueze also noted with concern the turning down by the Northern delegates the two strategic interests Ndigbo intend to achieve at the conference which are the adoption of zonal structure of the Nigerian federation and the question of the right of self determination. He said that the meeting reviewed the current security situation in the country especially the menace of Boko Haram insurgents and the indication that they were infiltrating the South East and the whole of Southern part of the country and resolved to set up a committee to seek ways of handling the menacing situation. Professor Nwabueze said: “The outcome of today's meeting is the reaffirmation of our course, the objective of the Igbo leaders of thought. Our objective is the transformation of Nigeria into a new better and united country. That is what we set out to do from the beginning. “Secondly, we reaffirmed again our position that the objective cannot be achieved without a people's constitution. That you cannot achieve this objective without a people's constitution and by a people's constitution, we mean a constitution adopted at a national conference and ratified or approved at a referendum of all the peoples of this country. “Thirdly, we note that what is going on at the National Conference is not designed to achieve this objective. We noted the fact of the rowdy session at the conference over the alleged fake draft constitution said to be smuggled into the assembly and that the secretariat was lobbying

some northern delegates to support the adoption of this fake draft constitution. “As far as we are concerned, this is a pity, not only a pity, it is a tragedy because as we reaffirmed, without a people's constitution as earlier defined, there is no way you can achieve the objective of this body and also the objective of Ndigbo.” On the expectations of Ndigbo from the national conference, Professor Nwabueze said: “We also noted that perhaps the two strategic interests of Ndigbo which we are hoping to achieve through the national conference is the zonal structure of the Nigerian federation, that is the creation of six or more zones in the country. “With the existing 36 states being retained as part of the federal structure, in other words, a kind of

federation upon federation is hard with the 36 states as the basic federating units retaining their powers under the existing constitution. And going from there to the zonal government six or more of them and from there to the federal government, we believe that this is strategic to the interest of Ndigbo because we cannot achieve the kind of autonomy we desire under the existing structure of 36 states going from there to the federal government. “The existing 36 states are not able a t a l l t o b e e ff e c t i v e i n administering the kind of powers and finances that will be devolved on them, taking from the centre to them; they will not be able to administer effectively, every experience points to this.

“So if you want to reduce the powers of the centre which is the problem that we are having today, an over-powerful centre, you must take away some powers from the centre and when you do that to whom do you give this, to the existing 36 states, they certainly will not be able to shoulder this additional powers and they will not also be in a position to administer the money that will be taken away from the centre and given to the federating units. “So, all these point to a new structure that will be the federal government at the centre, the zones six or more and then the states. As I said this is strategic to the interest of Igbos because it conduces to the autonomy we want for Ndigbo in the new Nigeria.”

Gov. Orji swears-in two commissioners and seventeen T.C chairmen By Nwokonna Emma, Umuahia.

bia state governor, Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji has sworn-in new transition committee (TC) chairmen for the seventeen local government areas and two commissioners. Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia, the state capital, Gov. Orji charged the council chairmen and the commissioners not to see their new position as an avenue for personal enrichment but an opportunity to make positive impact in the lives of the people they serve. According to Gov. Orji , the seventeen chairmen and the two commissioners were selected based on their antecedents and philanthropic nature towards the people of their local government, loyalty to the party and people oriented services to the grassroot. He however assured Abians that his administration will not impose any candidate on the people, said;

Gov. T.A Orji ''I am a product of rotation and if there were no rotation, I may not be the governor today because power moved from the north to the central where the mantle fell on me, therefore being a product of rotation, I must continue with rotation. It is incumbent on me to

follow it, because if I fail, it will be injustice to myself and the state and the great party we belong to which is PDP believes in rotation''. ''We want to assure you that we are not going to impose anybody on the people of Abia state, therefore whosoever will take over from me will naturally emerge from God through the people'', he said. In his vote of thanks, one of the new commissioners, Chief Chijioke Onwutebe on behalf of his colleagues and the council chairmen thanked the governor for finding them worthy of the job and promised not to let the people of the state down. The event was attended by the state Deputy Governor, Sir Emeka Ananaba, top government officials, party faithful, traditional rulers, and women and youth groups on Android

Continuing, the Constitutional Lawyer pointed out that the question of the right of self determination, which his group had dwelt elaborately in its position paper for the conference, was “unfortunately turned down by the national conference at the behest of the north.” “They killed the idea of six zones structure and they also killed the idea of self determination. Now what is the way forward, we reaffirmed the promise that I made to the first lady when I met with her on the 12th of May 2014. I promised her that I and the Igbo leaders of thought will work with Mr. President. I made that promise and I made this meeting today to agree to that. But the condition is that the Igbo leaders of thought are agreeable to working with the president on the condition that the president is also willing to work with us. The president must be willing to work with us.” He said that during his meeting with Dame Patience Jonathan on May 12, “she said to me that she would have taken me straight to see the president but unfortunately the president was out of the country at the time. So we remain open to a meeting between Mr. President and a select group of our leaders.” “As soon as I return from abroad, I am going abroad for further medical treatment, when I return I don't know how long I will be away, we will get in touch with the president again to organize a meeting with the Igbo leaders of thought to explore that as a way forward . To put idea that we have across to Mr. President and discuss with him,” he added. Professor Nwabueze disclosed that yesterday meeting approved the appointment of Professor Chiweyite Ejike, former vice chancellor of Anambra State University of Science and Technology, ASUTHEC now Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Enugu as the Deputy Chairman of the Igbo leaders of thought to work with Professor Mike Echeruo as cochairman in order to effectively pilot the affairs of the body. The meeting held at Zodiac Hotel Enugu was attended by Eze Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike, Col. Emma Nwobosi, Archbishop Maxwell Anikwenwa, Justice G. U. Ononiba, Prof. G. C. Ezeugwu, Prof. Ike Oluka, Prof. Elo Amucheazi, Prof Lawrence Ocho, Mrs. Maria Okwor, Dr. Emeka Ilouno, Prof Chiweyite Ejike and Prof Mrs. Uche Azikiwe. Others were Obi of Onitsha, Obi Alfred Achebe, Bishop Obi Onubogu, Chief Debe Odimegwu-Ojukwu, Dr. Aja Nwachukwu, Prince Emeka Onyesoh, Evangelist Eliot Uko, Prof. Ben Obumselu, Senator Anyim Ude, Chief Enechi Onyia, SAN, and Major Godfrey Onyefuru.

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Confab okays rotational presidency, additional state for S-East

President Goodluck Ebere Jonathan with Confab delegates

E L E G AT E S a t t h e National Conference, Thursday, voted for rotation of Presidency between the North and South and among the six geo-political zones. The delegates, however, shot down a proposal for a single term of six years for the President. The principle of rotation, which was also adopted among the senatorial zones in the states, the delegates resolved, should also spread to the local government level. Delegates also voted unanimously for the creation of 19 new states on the basis of three per zone, including an additional state for the South East geopolitical zone. They also voted for a return to the old National Anthem. The proposed states are Orashi from the present Rivers State; New Oyo from the present Oyo State; Etiti State from the South East Geo- political zone; Savannah State from Borno; Adada from the present Enugu State; Njaba/Anim from Anambra and Imo States; Apa from Benue State; Gurara from Kaduna State; Ijebu from Ogun State; Ogoja from Cross River; Kainji; Katagum from Bauchi; Amana, Ghari from Kano, and Anioma from Delta State, among others. They were read out on the floor by the Deputy Chairman, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi. 15 states were listed, the remaining three would be announced subsequently, it was disclosed. These resolutions were sequel to debate and consideration of the report of the Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government with General Ike Nwachukwu and Mohammed Umara Kumalia as co-chairmen. Delegates also agreed that the

President and his deputy should run on a joint ticket, thereby rejecting the Committee's recommendation that the President should pick his deputy from among members of the National Assembly after he must have won an election. The conference also supported that the status quo should remain at the National Assembly against the committee's recommendation of a unicameral legislature. The conference approved that where the president dies in office, or he is incapacitated, impeached or where he resigns, the vice president shall operate in acting capacity for a period of 90 days, during which an election to the same office would be conducted. According to the delegates, the decision became imperative against the backdrop that each zone was expected to run the full

course of the constitutionally allowed tenure without undue disruption; and it was also agreed that based on the adopted zoning formula, when a president leaves under any of the circumstances stated above, another president would be elected from the same zone where the previous one came from. The conference also voted in favour of a Modified Presidential form of Government as recommended by the Committee which was described as homemade model of government that combines the attributes of parliamentary and presidential systems. The concept, according to the delegates, was believed to have the potentials of entrenching the principle of separation of powers as practiced in presidential system and promotion of co-operation and

harmony between executive and the legislature as operated under the parliamentary system. The President elected under the new system shall exercise full responsibility for his government and shall select ministers, not more than 18 of them, from the six geo-political zones of the country. It was also resolved that the Minister of Finance should replace the President in presenting the annual budget of the Federal Government to the National Assembly while the President and his ministers would appear before the National Assembly to render account of their stewardship on quarterly basis. On local government administration, the conference also voted that states should own their own constitutions, while the functions of local governments as

Boko Haram makes break-up less likely, says Soyinka

igeria is suffering greater carnage at the hands of Islamist group, Boko Haram, than it did during a secessionist Civil War, yet this has ironically made the country's break-up less likely, Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, has said. Speaking to Reuters at his Abeokuta home, Soyinka said the horrors inflicted by the militants had shown Nigerians that unity between Muslims and Christians might be the only way to avoid even

Wole Soyinka

greater sectarian slaughter. The bloodshed is now worse than during the 1967-70 Civil War when a secessionist attempt by the Eastern region nearly tore the country into ethnic regions, he added. According to Soyinka, “we have never been confronted with butchery on this scale, even during the civil war. “There were atrocities during the war, but we never had such a near predictable level of carnage and this is what is horrifying.”

contained in Schedule 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) be transferred to the states, subject to the power of the State Houses of Assembly to add or reduce the said functions of the local governments. The delegates also rejected the proposal for the tenure of elected local government officials to be increased to more than three years but agreed that the constitution shall fix tenure for local government councils. Delegates also approved the scrapping of the Joint State and Local Government Accounts; to be replaced with a State Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission. The body would be expected to have as members, representatives of local government areas and a chairman nominated by the state governor for confirmation by the state House of Assembly. In addition to the functions conferred on the local government councils as specified in the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended, a state House of Assembly may by law, confer other functions on the local government. Henceforth, and except otherwise overturned, Conference adopted a recommendation to confer financial autonomy on State Houses of Assembly as a way of freeing them from direct control by the executive. It was also voted that for functionality, local governments should be politically and economically independent. Earlier in his contribution, a delegate on the platform of Elder Statesmen Category and former Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, who supported the proposal for the creation of an additional state for the South-East, however, informed delegates that those who have the view that the SouthEast was dashed a state should have a rethink, saying that all the states in Nigeria were dashes by the military. According to him, it was unfortunate that the South-East was not dashed the same way others got and urged the delegates to always be their brother's keeper. He added: “We should be our brother's keeper, you and I know that the military dashed states to all of us and forgot to dash the South-East. So, what is wrong in the conference dashing one to Southeast.” Also in his contribution, former Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Ghali Umar Na' Abba, who supported the proposal for the creation of additional state for the SouthEast, stressed that it was done to address the imbalances in the zones, adding that the National Assembly should expedite action towards its creation to enhance the much needed reconciliation.

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Soldiers kill Redeemed Boko Haram: Church Pastor, injure Enugu Churches screen worshippers as Catholic bans women handbags 2 others in Delta

OLDIERS have shot dead a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and injured about three others at the quiet Opuraja community in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State. The pastor said to be in his 30s was married with four children. A security source said the soldiers, led by a Captain, came in two Hilux vans to conduct investigation in the community, but were allegedly mobbed by villagers, who misconstrued their motive, as they took away vigilante leader and community chairman. The soldiers reportedly denied killing anybody, but admitted that they shot into the car when the villagers surged towards them. The Orodje of Okpe kingdom, HRM, Mujakperuo Orhue 1, a retired army officer, was said to have waded into the matter to calm frayed nerves after the fracas. He expressed his disappointment over the incident, saying the soldiers should not have fired at unarmed citizens. The monarch, however, pleaded with the community leadership and Okpe Local Local Government Transition Committee chair, Chief James Augoye, to find ways of resolving the issues amicably. Former Minister of Information, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, who is from the community, confirmed that one person was killed and some persons injured, but said details were sketchy, as the soldiers claimed they fired to scare the crowd. A villager, who witnessed the incident said: “I saw the soldiers, they came to the community, asking for the chairman of the community and vigilante leader. They told them that there was robbery incident on Warri/Sapele expressway and asked them to reveal the identity of the person who owns the farm from which the bandits collected the wood they used to barricade the road. “They told the soldiers that none of the community people owns farm there, but the military men accused them of not doing their job effectively. “We saw the soldiers carry them away in their Hilux van and drove to the expressway, where they tied them against their vehicles until it was 6 a.m. “The youths mobilised and went to the scene where the community leaders were tied and when the army saw the crowd approaching, they started shooting indiscriminately. “A group of soldiers in another Hilux van apparently heard the gunshots and rushed to the scene, that was how the pastor, who was standing by was shot and he died immediately.” Opuraja community chairman, Mr Godwill Eyaguobor, said: “The youths in the community are not criminals, none has been caught robbing in the community or engaged in any act of violence.”

S part of efforts to forestall attack on the church by Boko Haram insurgents who are feared to have invaded the South Eastern states, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu has decided to conduct thorough screening of its members before allowing them into the church premises. The church has already banned the women from entering into the churches with hand-bags as part of the security measures. Some Pentecostal churches within Enugu have also procured bomb detecting equipment with which they screened vehicles driven by worshippers into the premises of the churches within the state capital. Some churches have constructed iron barricades to prevent insurgents from hitting the church buildings with their vehicles. The extra security measures by the churches, according to the church leaders, came on the heels of the recent discovery of two bombs in the Winners' Chapel at Owerri, Imo state, which were diffused by the police bomb experts. The arrest of over 400 insurgents at Aba, Abia State by soldiers who claimed that two other buses containing suspected insurgents that fateful night successfully escaped has further

he Northern Nigeria Forum of Concerned Youths (NNOFOCY) have called for the cautioning of the Chairman of Northern Elders Forum(NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi over his recent offensive and unguarded utterances which they said is capable of putting Nigeria on precipice. In a Communiqué issued at the end of her emergency meeting recently, the Youth group said that Ango Abdullahi's comment that NEF would institute proceedings at International Court of Justice against the former Chief of Army Staff, Rtd Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika was unguarded. They expressed belief that as responsible Nigerians that are domiciled in the Northern part of the country by providence, who have keenly observed how elders proffer solution to the country's current challenges, the Professor either do not know the enormity of the harm BokoHaram insurgence has done to Northern Nigeria or he is

check. “I support the development that henceforth, women will no longer be allowed to enter Catholic churches during masses with hand bags, apart from their purses, which will also be subjected to thorough scrutiny by church workers. “Before today's announcement was made, our Bishop had already briefed all the parish priests under the Diocese, so that they can take the message down to their various parishes. “Though, we know that if God did not guard a city, guard men will be guarding in vain; but there is also need for us as human beings to play our own part, while God plays his own part”. It was also observed in some of the Pentecostal churches within Enugu capital visited yesterday that the worshippers were subjected to thorough security screening by the internal security men of the churches while some churches were being guarded by armed policemen. Both cars and handbags were searched to ensure that no bomb was smuggled into the church while the premises were patrolled regularly to forestall attacks by insurgents who might target the places of worship.

Jega alleges plot to clone voters' cards for 2015 polls

HEAD of the 2015 general elections, Professor Attahiru Jega, Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, raised the alarm over attempts by some persons to clone the Permanent Voters Card, PVC, currently being issued by the electoral body. Professor Jega made the disclosure while addressing civil society organisations at an interactive session organised by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, PLAC, in Abuja Wednesday. He said the commission became very vigilant after it was revealed that “some unscrupulous elements” wanted to use the

Northern youths condemn NEF chairman's comment on Ihejirika By Nwokonna Emmanuel, Umuahia

increased the anxiety among the people of the South East over the presence of insurgents in the zone. The Bishop of the Enugu Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr Calistus Onaga, was said to have directed all parish priests within the Diocese to make the official announcement regarding the ban on female worshippers coming into the churches with handbags, during Sunday services The bishop, who appealed to the church members to cooperate with the ushers and security men charged with maintaining security in the churches, explained that the exercise was not meant to embarrass the women or anybody, but was borne out of the present disturbing insecurity challenges facing the nation. He assured that the security measures would be carried out with human face,and in a civilised manner, adding that the church did not want to take chances. A worshipper who do not want his name in print said, “I must tell you, the Bishop and entire Catholic faithful in Enugu, are apprehensive with the rumour of the insurgents infiltrating the east, especially the alleged recent escape of two buses conveying Boko Haram members in Abia state, during a security

ignorant of the monumental damage they have caused to both lives and property. “The entire world knows that Boko-Haram is a controversial Nigerian militant Islamic group that seeks the imposition of Sharia Law in the Northern states of Nigeria. Scores have lost their lives and property since the founding of Boko Haram by its slain leader Uztaz Muhammed Yusuf in 2002.” They said that Ihejirika should not be singled out to be vilified by the Northern Elders, wondering why the blame was not laid on the door steps of General Dambazau, in whose tenure that Boko Haram came into being. “Since the appointment of Col. Ahmed Dasuki a Northern Prince from Sokoto as the National Security adviser the offensive has not been abated”, they stated and wondered why Ango is hiding behind blood line to give a dog bad name inorder to kill it. The Youths distanced themselves from any tendency that seek to divide rather than unite Nigeria and asked the Northern elders not to make comments that are capable of causing disaffection in Nigeria.

just concluded governorship election in Ekiti State to test-run the cloned cards, which he said could pass as real ones. He explained that it was in view of the development that INEC, on the election day, ensured that the register of distribution which he said contained names of all the electorate that were duly issued with the PVCs in Ekiti State, were produced at all the polling centres in the state. The INEC boss, however, regretted that despite the measures that were taken by the commission, it was still discovered that some people appeared at the polling centres with valid voter's card even though their names were not in the register. He said: “Though we had persistently warned that nobody should collect the PVC by proxy, some people did. They had the card but their names were not in the collection register. “When the information came to us at the headquarters, we asked that they should be allowed to vote since it was actually proved that we actually had their data in our system. “Our reason for producing the registers was to strengthen our proof against anyone that brought a cloned card.” However, Jega insisted that there was enough time for people to collect their PVCs before the 2015 general election, adding “nevertheless, there will be no collection by proxy because that is the easiest way to commit electoral fraud.” Besides, the INEC boss, dismissed allegation that so many people were disenfranchised in Ekiti State. He said: “We cannot be accused of disenfranchising anyone. For days we brought out the voter's cards for collection. Some refused to collect their own. “We later took the cards to our state

office where we asked people to come and collect them; it stayed there for over two months, yet some still refused to collect theirs. How then can we be accused of disenfranchising anyone? Or were they expecting us to start issuing out cards on the election day?” He said the commission is currently investigating how some people were able to collect their PVC by proxy, even as he insisted that the voters register that was used in the conduct of the Ekiti State election was not only credible but “was much more better that what we have used in previous elections. “What helped us in Ekiti was early preparation. At least three weeks before the election, all the sensitive materials were distributed. “Funding requirements were provided in Ekiti State at least 30 days before the election. Even printing of the ballot papers were done earlier than in previous elections. “Early preparation helps a lot in any election and we are prepared to do even better in Osun State. The other issue is the training of ad hoc staff and sensitisation of the electorate.” He said INEC trained the ad hoc staff it used in Ekiti State for seven weeks, using the Community Development programme of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, adding that they were all compelled to sleep at the Super Residential Centres that were established by INEC, a night before the election. He said: “It helped us in the early deployment of all the materials. In fact, 95 percent of the polling units opened by 8a.m. on the election day. The other five percent experienced delay on account of lack of security. “Certainly, we did much better in Ekiti than in the other election.”

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July 11 - 18, 2014

Pope Francis to sex abuse victims:

‘I beg your forgiveness’ P

ope Francis met and prayed with six European victims of pedophile priests for the first time Monday, in what is being cast as a gesture designed to help change the mentality toward sexual abuse scandals that have severely tarnished the church's image. The encounter with victims from Britain, Ireland and Germany was low key. The victims met the pope briefly Sunday night, according to Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi, and then joined him for a private Mass on Monday morning. After that, he met with each in his private apartment for about 30 minutes of informal discussions about their individual experiences. The Vatican did not release the names of the victims, and none attended Lombardi's briefing to the media. However, the Vatican quoted Francis as expressing “sorrow” for the “sins and grave crimes” of the clerical abuse against them. “I beg your forgiveness, too, for the sins of omission on the part of church leaders who did not respond adequately” to reports of sex abuse, the pope said. The meetings are significant because it is the first time Francis at least officially has met with the victims of clerical sex abuse. It is

also the first time such victims have met with a pontiff on the Vatican grounds. It comes on the heels of a United Nations condemnation in May of the Vatican for its policies on sexual abuse followed by a Vatican declaration of “zero tolerance” for clergy guilty of inappropriate behavior toward children while the pope was in the Middle East that month. Before that, the Vatican crafted protocols to hold bishops and other church authorities accountable if they fail to report suspected abuse or protect children from pedophile priests. “The rules and laws are already in

place,” said Andrea Tornielli, coordinator of the publication Vatican Insider. “But the change of mentality the church needs takes more time. That is why a gesture like this (the meetings) is so important because it will contribute to changing that mentality.” In the nearly 16 months since becoming pope, Francis has become one of the most recognized figures in the world in part because of remarks on controversial topics such as homosexual Catholics and the role of capitalism in the world, and he has taken on the Vatican's powerful bureaucracy in an

attempt to root out corruption. But he has also earned criticism for doing too little to confront the problem of sexual abuse. The pope did create a special Child Protection Commission of cardinals, and in April he asked for forgiveness for the perpetrators of sexual abuse. But critics have said it is far too little given the enormity of the problem. “With sexual violence and coverups, Catholic officials are obsessively fixed on policies and protocols,” the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, said in a recent statement. “But they absolutely

ignore the one step that matters: action.” Norbert Denef, a German church abuse reform advocate, called Monday's meetings “nothing more than a public relations effort.” For the faithful in St. Peter's Square, Monday's events were nonetheless significant. “I would have liked to see the pope meet with an American just because the abuse scandals were so pronounced in the U.S., but I still think it's important,” said Robin Doll, 44, a small business owner from Orlando on vacation in Rome. “When the pope focuses on this I think it sends a signal to the whole church that things are going to change.” Though this is the first meeting between sexual abuse victims and the pontiff at the Vatican, Francis' predecessor Benedict XVI met with victims several times while traveling, starting in 2008. Angelo Fusaro, a 51-year-old civil servant, said he was moved by Francis' concern for the victims. “Pope Francis is a man of action and I am touched by the fact that he took steps to console and understand these victims,” Fusaro said. “I hope it will lead to strong action. That is the best way to respond to the suffering of the victims.”

Ousted Enugu UBEB Chairman gets justice at last Continued from page 2 was prematurely removed from office in 2012 following an alleged running battle between her and the Chief of Staff to Governor Sullivan Chime, Mrs. Nwobodo over the running of the State Universal Basic Education Board. In a petition at the time to the Inspector-General of Police entitled “Save my Soul: Threat to My Life, Harassment and Intimidation by Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, Chief of Staff to the Governor of Enugu State” and dated February 13, 2013, Mrs. Ezeabasili had alleged that the crux of the onslaught against her by Mrs. Nwobodo was her “principled stand against irregularities in award of contract.” She alleged that once she fought for and the state was able to access the matching grant for years 2009, 2010, and 2011, the Chief of Staff set up what she called Education Sector Committee with herself (Mrs. Nwobodo) as the Chairman and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Compliance, Mrs. Uche Nwoye as the Secretary. Other members were the then Commissioner for Education, Dr. Simon Ortuanya; the ENSUBEB Chairman, Mrs. Ethel Nebo Ezeabasili; former AttorneyGeneral of Enugu State, Barr.

Nduka Ikeyi; Executive Secretary, Economic Planning Commission, Mr. Dan Onyishi; and four Local Government Council Chairmen led by Mr. Cornelius Nnaji allegedly married to the governor's relation. She alleged that after several breach of the national Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC guidelines, which the Executive Secretary of SPEB and herself called the attention of both the Governor and Mrs. Nwobodo severally to, another action plan was prepared to match the design of Mrs. Nwobodo. She alleged: “As soon as the Action Plan was approved, the Commissioner for Education in a l e t t e r R e f ENS/ME/COM/253/11/227 dated 10th July, 2012 informed me that a committee had been set up for the award of ENSUBEB Contracts. I was completely excluded. The Contract Award Committee rather than considering all the applications only considered a few and approved only four companies to execute a contract of 583 projects. “The companies' names so approved were” New Techniques Nigeria Limited, Raycon Nigeria Limited, J&J Techno Nigeria Limited, and Akiota Work Nigeria Limited”.

“By the Procurement Act, no contractor is expected to tender or be awarded more than one lot, but in this case, the committee approved only four companies to execute 583 projects, in spite of the fact that I told them that it was not politically expedient and did not follow Due Process,” she alleged The former ENSUBEB Chairman also alleged that in addition to the N3.6 billion and 583 projects being carried out by four companies, “Eremite Ltd was to roof all the school buildings while Intercolour Paints Ltd which was actually fronts was to supply all the paintings. “I pointed out to them that the unit cost for the chairs was N8,000 by UBEC, but the Executive Secretary, Mr. Dan Onyishi was (allegedly) directed by the Chief of Staff to increase the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Education to accommodate the increase to N29,000, and that will be an extra N21,000 (Twenty One Thousand Naira) per chair”, she alleged. Mrs. Ezeabasili explained that she held a meeting with the Chief of Staff on 30th October 2013, in which she told her that the method of the award of contracts was wrong, but was seriously upbraided by Mrs. Nwobodo.

The embattled former ENSUBEB boss told the Police IG in her petition that following the Chief of Staff's directives, a pre-bid meeting was held on 31st October 2010, but unknown to her, while the meeting was going on, Mrs. Nwobodo, allegedly “sent people from the Government House and with the aid of a staff of ENSUBEB, carted away 43 files in respect of projects without approval from me as Chief Executive and Accounting Officer”. She also complained that the staff who claimed protection by powers from above had bluntly refused to answer a query by the Head of Administration seeking explanation as to on whose authority he released the files. This and other such events resulted in a petition dated 2nd November 2012 by Mrs. Ezeabasili to the Director, State Security Service alleging an attempt on her life between Michael Okpara Square, Enugu and her office at the time. She alleged: “A group of boys in a vehicle pursued my car trying to overtake it and making effort to block me, but I narrowly escaped. Same day at night, there were gunshots in front of my house. I am in great danger. I could not sleep in my house last night and so had to escape to a church where I

passed the night to avoid being killed.” The embattled Mrs. Ezeabasili explained that on her return to Enugu on 20th January 2013, the Attorney-General of Enugu State, had written to the Nigeria Police informing them that she defrauded Enugu of over N245 Million. She described the charges as trumped up and ironical because she was the one that tried best possible to preserve her integrity and state funds. She said: “After careful and prudent vetting and auditing of salaries and leave allowances of primary school teachers (on assumption of office), my Board saved a total of N454 Million in ENSUBEB Local Government Authority Account; On April 2011, this sum was released to Government through JAAC for the payment of May 2011 salaries of teachers. My action did not go down well with my board members because they were angry that I declared the whole sum to Government and since then I have known no peace”. “I have worked assiduously in my job to justify the confidence His Excellency reposed in me; unfortunately, my efforts to move education forward is being watered down by some people in

Continues on page 10

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New type of planet:

The 'Mega-Earth' A

STRONO M E R S announce d Tuesday that t h e y h a v e discovered a new type of planet- a rocky world weighing 17 times as much as Earth. Theorists believed such a world couldn't form because anything so hefty would grab hydrogen gas as it grew and become a Jupiterlike gas giant. This planet, though, is all solid and much bigger than previously discovered “superEarths,” making it a “mega-Earth.” “We were very surprised when we realized what we had found,” s a y s a s t r o n o m e r, X a v i e r Dumusque, of the HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), who led the data analysis and made the discovery. “This is the Godzilla of Earths!” adds CfA researcher Dimitar Sasselov, director of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative. “But unlike the movie monster, K e p l e r- 1 0 c h a s p o s i t i v e implications for life.” The team's finding was presented recently in a press conference at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). The newfound mega-Earth, Kepler-10c, circles a sunlike star once every 45 days. It is located about 560 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. The

July 11 - 18, 2014

The 'Mega-Earth’ system also hosts a 3-Earthmass “lava world,” Kepler-10b, in a remarkably fast, 20-hour orbit. Kepler-10c was originally spotted by United States National Aeronautic Space Agency's (NASA's) Kepler spacecraft. Kepler finds planets using the transit method, looking for a star that dims when a planet passes in front of it. By measuring the amount of dimming, astronomers can calculate the planet's physical size or diameter. However, Kepler can't tell whether a planet is rocky or gassy. Kepler-10c was known to have a diameter of about 18,000 miles, 2.3 times as large as Earth. This suggested it fell into a category of planets known as miniNeptunes, which have thick, gaseous envelopes. The team used the HARPS-

North instrument on the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) in the Canary Islands to measure the mass of Kepler-10c. They found that it weighed 17 times as much as Earth far more than expected. This showed that Kepler-10c must have a dense composition of rocks and other solids. “Kepler-10c didn't lose its atmosphere over time. It's massive enough to have held onto one if it ever had it,” explains Dumusque. “It must have formed the way we see it now.” Meanwhile, planet formation theories have a difficult time explaining how such a large, rocky world could develop. However, a new observational study suggests that it is not alone. Also presenting at AAS, CfA astronomer Lars A. Buchhave

found a correlation between the period of a planet (how long it takes to orbit its star) and the size at which a planet transitions from rocky to gaseous. This suggests that more mega-Earths will be found as planet hunters extend their data to longer-period orbits. The discovery that Kepler-10c is a megaEarth also has profound implications for the history of the universe and the possibility of life. The Kepler-10 system is about 11 billion years old, which means it formed less than 3 billion years after the Big Bang. The early universe contained only hydrogen and helium. Heavier elements needed to make rocky planets, like silicon and iron, had to be created in the first generations of stars. When those stars exploded, they scattered these crucial ingredients through space, which then could be incorporated into later generations of stars and planets. This process should have taken billions of years. However, Kepler-10c shows that the universe was able to form such huge rocks even during the time when heavy elements were scarce. “Finding Kepler-10c tells us that rocky planets could form much earlier than we thought. And if you can make rocks, you can make life,” says Sasselov. This research implies that astronomers shouldn't rule out old stars when they search for Earth-like planets. And if old stars can host rocky Earths too, then we have a better chance of locating potentially habitable worlds in our cosmic neighborhood.

World's most sensitive thermometer invented

niversity of Adelaide, Australia, physics researchers have produced the world's most sensitive thermometer- three times more precise than the best thermometers in existence. Published in the journal Physical Review Letters, the researchers from the University's Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) report they have been able to measure temperature with a precision of 30 billionths of a degree. “We believe this is the best measurement ever made of temperature − at room temperature,” says project leader Professor Andre Luiten, Chair of Experimental Physics in IPAS and the School of Chemistry and Physics, pointing out that it is possible to make more sensitive measurements of temperature in cryogenic environments (at very low temperatures) near absolute zero. “We've been able to measure temperature differences to 30 billionths of a degree in one second,” says Prof. Luiten. “To emphasise how precise this is, when we examine the temperature of an object we find that it is always fluctuating. We all knew that if you looked closely enough you find that all the atoms in any material are always jiggling about, but we actually see this unceasing fluctuation with our thermometer, showing that the microscopic world is always in motion.” The paper- Nano-Kelvin Thermometry and Temperature Control: Beyond the Thermal Noise Limit- describes a new and very sensitive, but unorthodox, thermometer that uses light to measure temperature. PhD candidate Wenle Weng carried out the work. The thermometer injects two colours of light (red and green) into a highly polished crystalline disk. The two colours travel at slightly different speeds in the crystal, depending on the temperature of the crystal.

New battery tech to charge mobile phones in minutes invented

obile phones that can be charged in minutes could soon be possible thanks to a radical new battery technology. Called supercapacitors, the material, in the form of a wafer, can turn phone casings, car chassis and even walls into quick charging batteries. Researchers at Vanderbilt say they have created the first working prototypes of the technology. HOW IT WORKS The wafers consist of electrodes made from silicon that have been chemically treated so they have nanoscale pores on their inner surfaces and then coated with a protective ultrathin graphene-like

layer of carbon. Sandwiched between the two electrodes is a polymer film that acts as a reservoir of charged ions, similar to the role of the electrolyte paste in a battery. When the electrodes are pressed together, the polymer oozes into the tiny pores in much the same way that melted cheese soaks into the nooks and crannies of artisan bread in a panini. When the polymer cools and solidifies, it forms an extremely strong mechanical bond. 'These devices demonstrate -for the first time as far as we can tell that it is possible to create materials that can store and discharge significant amounts of

electricity while they are subject to realistic static loads and dynamic forces, such as vibrations or impacts,' said Cary Pint, one of the researchers. The new device that Pint and Westover have developed is a supercapacitor that stores electricity by assembling electrically charged ions on the surface of a porous material, instead of storing it in chemical reactions the way batteries do. As a result, supercaps can charge and discharge in minutes, instead of hours, and operate for millions of cycles, instead of thousands of cycles like batteries. Supercapacitors store ten times less energy than current lithium-

ion batteries, but they can last a thousand times longer - meaning they can be built into walls and chassis. 'Battery performance metrics change when you're putting energy storage into heavy materials that are already needed for structural integrity,' said Pint. 'Supercapacitors store ten times less energy than current lithiumion batteries, but they can last a thousand times longer. 'That means they are better suited for structural applications. 'It doesn't make sense to develop materials to build a home, car chassis, or aerospace vehicle if you have to replace them every few years because they go dead.'

In a paper appearing online May 19 in the journal Nano Letters, Pint and Westover report that their new structural supercapacitor operates flawlessly in storing and releasing electrical charge while subject to stresses or pressures up to 44 psi and vibrational accelerations over 80 g (significantly greater than those acting on turbine blades in a jet engine). Furthermore, the mechanical robustness of the device doesn't compromise its energy storage capability. 'In an unpackaged, structurally integrated state our supercapacitor can store more energy and operate at higher voltages than a packaged, off-the-shelf commercial supercapacitor, even under intense dynamic and static forces,' Pint said.

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July 11 - 18, 2014

Why North backed South-East on new state – APGA scribe

he National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, has given reasons many northern delegates to the National Conference backed the South-East in its demand for additional state. He said the decision was to address a glaring injustice against the geo-political zone. Shinkafi, who hails from Zamfara State, said it would be unfair for any Nigerian to kick against the creation of an additional state in the South-East when other zones enjoy higher number of states. The delegate to the conference told newsmen in Abuja that his colleagues were particularly

concerned about the seeming imbalance in the number of states in the South-East as well as the lack of sense of belonging in other states before settling for the creation of 18 more states. He said: “Two-thirds of the house adopted the creation of states. South-East in particular, I don't think any of the delegates had spoken against the creation of a new state for the South-East. I think the South-East demanded five to six states. These are Njabai, Adada, Orashi,Aba, about five states. Most of the delegates or almost all of them agreed that the South-East had been marginalised in state creation and there is a criterion which the

committee recommended. The zone has met the criterion which is the land mass and population. “So based on that, any other geopolitical zone agitating for additional state, the population must not be less than one million. So, nobody is denying any other zone, no matter how it is, in the South-East, in order for the political equation to be balanced in the zones, at least, the zone deserves a minimum of one state. Even if the recommendation fails, the South-East deserves additional state and nobody is doubting it”, he said. On the conference's decision on zoning of political offices, the APGA scribe explained, “I think

that recommendation is a welcome development, and it will also help us to advance our democracy, because if you look at it, this issue of zoning had brought a lot of confusion, division and disunity within a community even in a state. “If you look at Zamfara State for example, the former governor, Ahmed Sani Yerima Bakura, was a governor for eight years, do you understand, while Mahmoud who is from my zone was a governor for only four years. Again, the present governor is from the same zone with the former governor who served for eight years. “It is also good. If you look at it in the First Republic when we

started practising the parliamentary system of government, Dr, Nnamdi Azikiwe who came from the South-East, was just a ceremonial president, Tafawa Balewa was the person in charge of administration. So, all along if you look at it since independence, there was no Igbo man who was democraticallyelected as the president of N i g e r i a . S o u t h - We s t h a s produced a president for eight years, Jonathan was a Vice President and now the President. In the North, we have produced Shagari, we have produced Yar'adua”, Shinkafi said.

Ousted Enugu UBEB Chairman gets justice at last Continued from page 8 government and whose main preoccupation is to frustrate genuine efforts of hardworking and committed individuals like me, while ensuring that they give His Excellency the erroneous impression that they are loyal to him,” she had concluded.” While the Enugu people are all ears to know whether the Governor-Chime led administration would comply with the court verdict, the government quickly filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu. The appeal was the government's formal response to the June 18, 2014 judgment of Justice C.I. Nwobodo of the Enugu State High Court which declared the removal of Nebo-Ezeabasili for alleged fraud as illegal and unconstitutional. The notice filed by the Honourable AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice of Enugu State, Anthony I. Ani (SAN), faulted the judgment in its entirety, exposing obvious loopholes which the trial judge ignored. A statement by the state government insisted that the former ENSUBEB chairperson was removed from office in November 2012 for gross misconducts including defrauding the government of the sum two hundred and thirty million, two hundred and forty five thousand naira (N230,245,000) belonging to ENSUBEB. “The police had also investigated the complaint of gross misconducts against her while she is currently standing trial in charge number E/21C/2014 for stealing the above sum,” the government statement circulation to newsmen in Enugu said Though Mrs. Nebo-Ezeabasili has continued to evade all attempts to serve her with the notice of trial, her surety who took her on bail

from the police, has been served with the papers in order to bring the run-away defendant to court. One of the grounds of the appeal filed on June 30, 2014 by Ani (SAN) was that the learned trial judge, C.I. Nwobodo erred in law in failing to resolve the fundamental issue of jurisdiction before going into the substantive case. The Honourable Attorney-General also contended that the first and second defendants (Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo as Chief of Staff to Governor Sullivan C h i m e a n d Amaechi Okolo, Secretary to the State Government) sued in their official capacities b y N e b o Ezeabasili before t h e H i g h Court were entitled to three months pre-action notice which was not given to them before instituting the action. According to Ani, “the learned trial judge erred in law when she held that the appellants (Nwobodo and Okolo) being p o l i t i c a l appointees are not entitled to the pre-action notice mandatorily provided for public officers under the State Proceedings Law.” Another ground of the appeal was that there were contentious issues of facts before the parties, making the proceedings “hostile” which required trial by ordinary writ of summons, pleadings and oral evidence. Government's other

disagreement with Nwobodo's ruling was that she was wrong to accept that “a private legal practitioner can institute an action on behalf of a statutory body owned by the State Government without being authorized by the AttorneyGeneral of Enugu State.” According to the government,

Mrs Nwobodo ”throughout the proceedings, Mrs. Nebo-Ezeabasili never appeared in court and did not prove any damages flowing naturally from her removal from office for misconduct. Yet, the trial judge awarded her ten million naira for damages.” But reacting to the entire episode, the Enugu Rescue Group in a statement, said that the state

government has no case against the former ENSUBEB boss and faulted the notice of appeal filed against the Enugu High Court verdict. In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Martin Okenwa, the group said: “We wish to totally disagree with the Government of Enugu State on the June 18, 2014 judgment delivered by Her Lordship, Justice (Mrs.) C.I Nwobodo of the Enugu State High Court, which declared the removal of Chief (Mrs.) Ethel NeboEzeabasili from office as the Chairman, Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board as illegal a n d unconstitutional. “We frown at its notice of appeal regarding the N10 Million in damages and N100,000 prosecution cost awarded by the Court in favour of Mrs. NeboEzeabasili against t h e S t a t e Government. “While we uphold the constitutional right of the State Government to appeal the judgment, we find the grounds of the appeal, by law, to be highly wishy-washy, a mere damage control stunt, waste of public funds, and a clear attempt at buying time. “The notice of appeal therefore is simply another reminder that when you fight corruption, corruption also fights back. Nigerians should note that the judgment in question was

delivered by the Enugu State High Court. In Nigeria of today, we do not see how a judge of a State High Court could indict a government that pays her salaries and has so many avenues of hitting back at her if she did not clearly see and was convinced that the Chime Administration had acted illegally, unconstitutionally, and with impunity.” Continuing, the Enugu Rescue Group said: “We believe Mrs. Nebo-Ezeabasili that the reason the State Government unleashed its armada of coercion and witchhunt on her remains her principled stand against awarding 583 contracts worth billions of naira to just three handpicked companiesin breach of the Procurement Act, Universal Basic Education Commission Guidelines, and due process. “In conclusion, the court of public opinion adjudges and extols Her Lordship, Justice C.I Nwobodo as a sound, courageous, incorruptible, and unwavering judicial officer. We recommend her courage and principled life to other justices of various State judiciaries to end the reign of impunity by Governors and their foot soldiers. Indeed, we reiterate that the Enugu State Government is merely pulling at straws to save it's face because it has absolutely no case against Mrs. Ethel NeboEzeabasili or the judgment delivered by its own High Court.” Several attempts to get Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo's reaction to the issues raised by Nebo-Ezeabasili were unsuccessful as her phone line was inaccessible. But her spokesperson and Special Adviser to Governor Chime on Millennium Development Goal (MDG) , Chief Okezie Nwanjoku, when contacted on phone, said he was outside Enugu and would not comment on the issues at stake. He promised to get back to our reporter as soon as he arrived Enugu but did not as at the time of going to press.

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ADVOCATE

July 11 - 18, 2014

CONFAB:

Northern delegate forced to apologize for insulting South East

delegate representing the N o r t h We s t a t t h e ongoing National Conference, Alhaji Magaji Dambatta was forced to apologize to members of the Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government for referring to a region of Nigeria as “so called South East”. His remarks raised tempers in the committee and there were shouts of point of order. Another Northern delegate representing Borno State, Dr. Haruna called on Dambatta to apologize, saying that if the late Sarduana of Sokoto were alive, even he would not use such language against other Nigerians. However Dambatta stood his ground and refused to apologize. This caused a delegate representing Elder Statesmen, Gen. Ike Nwachuckwu to call the attention of the Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi to the remarks made by Dambatta. Nwachukwu reminded his fellow delegates of his personal sacrifices during the civil war and called on Dambatta to apologize for his derogatory remarks. Dambatta then responded, “The comment where I said the 'so called South East' it is the same way I will refer to North West zone. In the context of my

argument, I was talking about the creation of states and that nowhere in our constitution were geo-political zones mentioned. “Also, there is nowhere in the recommendation of the Committee where zones are referred to as a tier of government, they are not recognized by the constitution therefore they are not constitutionally valid, that was my point.” “Secondly, when I was making my argument, it was not

against the creation of additional state in the Southeast, I was referring to selectivity of the Committee. In one breadth, they said one State should be created by a fiat. And in another they said others should be on merit. “All I am saying is that all states to be created should be on merit, including the one being recommended. “To Dr Haruna, who regretted that I made that statement, I want to state that I am a nationalist, I was

in the vanguard of nationalism since 1951. I am sure there is no one in this hall, except perhaps Richard Akinjide that was a nationalist then, not even Edwin Clark. “I was in the field for the fight for our independence. I am not a parochial person, I am a nationalist, I respect every person in Nigeria. I stand by word that all the provisions in the constitution there was no reference to the zones as a tier of government, it is

Impeachment: Nyako's supporters beat up his commissioners, back-stabbing Nyako and Ngilari o f f i n a n c i a l f r a u d a n d burn their vehicles as the impeachment moves mismanagement made against

here was drama at the Adamawa State Government House, F r i d a y, w h e n s o m e s t a t e commissioners and other top government officials were physically manhandled by supporters of Governor Murtala Nyako for allegedly working with the members of the House of Assembly to impeach the governor and his deputy, Mr James Ngilari. Some of those attacked were the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Hamidu Lawan, his counterpart in the Ministry of

Environment, Mrs Arziki Sawa as well as the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Lucy Ishaku among other top government officials. Tr o u b l e s t a r t e d f o r t h e commissioners and other top government officials moments after Nyako arrived Government House and the top officials were spotted trooping in to show solidarity with him. H o w e v e r, t h e g o v e r n o r ' s supporters were said to have accused the embattled commissioners and top government officials of allegedly

gathered momentum. ''You are saboteurs! You are saboteurs!! rented the air as the commissioners were manhandled one after the other, thereby causing confusion and commotion within the Government House. . Apart from physically beating up the commissioners, some of them had their official vehicles either smashed or burnt. The House of Assembly had on Tuesday asked the state Acting Chief Judge to constitute a sevenman impeachment panel to investigate a 20-point allegation

Group extols the appointment of Dr, Chikwelu as Anambra Women Affairs Commissioner

cross section of the citizens of the South East geo political zone has described the appointment of Dr. Mrs Victoria Chikwelu as the Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development as a blessing to Ndi Anambra. The citizens, especially the youths, are of the opinion that the appointment will bring succor to the people of Anambra State particularly the aged women, the widows, the orphans and the less privileged and described the appointment as a square peg in a square hole. Rising from their one-day meeting in Enugu, the youths under the aegis of the South East Youths Movement of Nigeria (S.E.Y.M.N), recalled the commissioner's antecedents, her past service to the state and the nation, particularly her sterling contributions when she served at the Nwafor Orizu college of Education, (NOCEN), Nsugbe, and described her as a women of pedigree, sound administrative ability and uncommon commitment to the well being of her fellow citizens as well as one who has a strong passion for the

not valid, that was my point.” His remarks were met with more shouts of disapproval which caused Kutigi to ask him to formally withdraw his statement and apologize. Dambatta then responded, “Because of my disposition and my standing in this country and the service I rendered for the development of this country, I did not mean any offense with my remarks. “If anybody is offended I did not mean it and I apologise to them or him. I did not mean to offend anyone. In that regards, I apologise to those who feel offended.”

sustenance of the less those noble qualities privileged in the of uncommon society. dedication and While describing the discipline, and with a commissioner as one combination of an that possesses those exceptionally core values of motherly care and her integrity, honesty, lectures, worked selflessness and hard assiduously and work and a passion for contributed her quota excellence, the youths to entrench peace in observed that there the college, attributes, has been manifest the youths observed p o s i t i v e won her the transformation of the admiration of many Ministry of Women including students and Affairs since she staff who still vouche assumed duty, and that for her ebullience and her efforts have strong character, and impacted positively left an enduring on the lives of the less legacy of dedicated privileged in the s e r v i c e a n d society citing her professional ministry's first raid on excellence which street beggars and inspired pride, Dr. Mrs Victoria Chikwelu hawkers as a positive patriotism and Hon Commissioner for Women Affairs direction. selflessness among And Social Development According to the the management and meeting, Dr.Victoria Chikwelu staff of the institution. has those unique and rare successfully and pilot the affairs T h e m e e t i n g c o m m e n d e d attributes of the servant leader of the ministry creditably. Governor Willie Obiano for her model, exceptional management It cited the case of the Nwafor appointment to the position, just and leadership skills and the right Orizu College of Education as it called on the entire Ndi combination of knowledge, depth where, throughout her career as a Anambra to give her maximum a n d e x p e r i e n c e t o l e a d Lecturer, Dr. Chikwelu exhibited support.

him by 20 out of the 25-member assembly.

Insurgency: 82 Div holds low key Army Day celebration

he 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu says it decided to observe the 2014 Nigeria Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) on a low scale owing to the current security challenges being faced by the nation. In a statement issued in Enugu by the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Hamza Gambo, the Army said the security challenges especially the persistent attacks by terrorists in the North East Region and other parts of the country informed the decision of 82 Division “to observe a low key NADCEL.” Gambo stated that the 82 Division joined it's counterparts nationwide to mark the 2014 Nigerian Army Day celebration with the theme "Combating Current Security Challenges through collective Efforts" in Enugu. The occasion, according to him, is an annual event during which Army Headquarters and Formations across the country conducts special drills and equipment display among many other activities. The army, he added, also execute community development projects and health care services during such occasion to enhance Civil/Military Relations. Colonel Gambo said that the occasion featured Special Juma'at prayers and Interdenominational Church Service where special prayers were offered for the repose of the souls of the fallen heroes in particular and for an enduring peace to prevail in the country. He further disclosed that the General Officer Commanding the 82 Division, Major General Shehu Yusuf welcomed the special guest of honour, Governor Sullivan Chime who was represented by the secretary to the state government, Barrister Amechi Okolo at the occasion.

THE

ADVOCATE

July 11 - 18, 2014

As APGA goes to the National Confab By STAN OKEKE

fter the Appeal Court judgment that reinstated Chief Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, submitted his name and that of the National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, to the Chairman of the National Conference, Justice Kutigi, as Delegates to the Conference. The road to achieving this victory at the Appeal Court was made rough by the judgment granted Maxi Okwu by an Abuja High Court, presided over by Justice Abdul Kafarati. Against all known legal norms, a High Court judge brazenly upturned the judgment of a superior court, the Court of Appeal. This in turn, denied APGA and by extention, Ndigbo, quality representation at the National

Conference, as the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, was denied participation at the Confab. At the start of the Conference, when the Federal Government was compiling the list of those who will be invited to the Conference, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, knowing fully well who the APGA National Chairman is, sent an official letter to Umeh, approving him as a Delegate to the Confab. Prior to this, Maxi Okwu, in his usual propaganda and his penchant for dishing out falsehood to the public, stated that he was invited to the Confab by the Federal Government. Truly, he was sent a letter erroneously by the SGF but was immediately retrieved from him. Following an advice from the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Federal Government decided that both

parties should stay away from the Conference, pending the determination of the Chief Umeh's appeal at the Court of Appeal. Somehow, it was apparent that there was some kind of political chess game that played out in this unfortunate drama. For instance, throughout the period the Kangaroo judgment Okwu got from Kafarati lasted, knowing the implications of that judgment, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), dealt with Umeh as the National Chairman of APGA, throughout that period. So, it was some kind of misadventure for the AttorneyGeneral to have advised the SGF to suspend the participation of Umeh and Okwu at the Confab and even in another breath, advised the same SGF to deal with Okwu as the National Chairman of APGA. What was the motive and what was that intended to achieve? Funny enough, in issues like this, which the SGF knew at the time,

the institution government was supposed to have verified from, whom the National Chairman of APGA is, or who they were dealing with as the National Chairman of the party, was INEC. They registered political parties, monitor their activities and determine the leadership of all political parties registered with it. In all of these, Kafarati should actually be held responsible for denying Anambra State and APGA one of their finest representatives at the National Conference. More than half way gone, it is obvious that Umeh will probably need to release all in his arsenal, to be able to cover lost grounds at the Confab. Sometimes, the things we witness in this country, makes it inevitable for certain categories of people to come under attack from the masses. Kafarati could be one of such people. He not only in the instance of Chief Victor Umeh's case, turned justice upside down,

but had in previous ones he had handled, shown that he is somebody who does not have much respect for judicial authorities. As Umeh goes to the Confab to represent APGA, and by extension, Ndigbo, there is no doubt about the onerous task that awaits at the Conference. He bears in mind that he carries the expectations of the people of Anambra State and members of his party on his shoulders. Nothing short of a successful representation of his people at the Confab, will assuage them for the grounds lost at the Confab. His joining the National Conference is yet another opportunity to prove to his people that his successful leadership of APGA was not a fluke but an inherent ability to be of quality service to his people. *OKEKE IS SPECIAL ASSISTANT, MEDIA, TO APGA N AT I O N A L C H A I R M A N , CHIEF VICTOR UMEH.

NEWS

Umeh urges FG to set up Amnesty Programme for MASSOB, BZM Members By Ted Peters

he National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, has called on the Federal Government to institute an Amnesty Programme for the rehabilitation of the Igbo youths in the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB and the Biafra Zionist Movement, BZM. He also urged the Federal Government to release unconditionally all the members of the pro-Biafra groups being held in various detention cells across the country in the spirit of the ongoing national reconciliation, adding that the Federal Government should halt the ongoing prosecution of the members of BZM who were arrested in Enugu and all MASSOB members who are presently standing trial at the various courts in the country in the spirit of the Amnesty. Umeh who made the call while speaking with Journalists in Enugu, said that the Amnesty Programme for MASSOB youths and members of BZM had become imperative as Nigerians are now in search of a peaceful and united country. The APGA leader, who made the call after reviewing the situation of the MASSOB youths which he likened to what the Niger Delta militants were undergoing before the Federal Government instituted an amnesty programme for them, called on the Federal Government “to take this action because the

MASSOB youths who had been misused in the past by their leader, have since revolted against the treatment that they had been subjected to over the years.” Umeh who said he has always been moved to tears each time he sees these patriotic Igbo youths “who have been misused by Raph Uwazuruike who traded on their emotion and sentiments for justice for the Igbo nation”, made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to rehabilitate them through the amnesty programme. His words: “It is on record that the corpses of many MASSOB youths are still littered all over the mortuaries in South East Nigeria up till this moment. The youths have since protested against the way they have been used by their leader in the phantom struggle for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra and have already formed what they now call Igbo Ga Dimma Youth Organization. “The incessant manner these youths are being exposed to danger, arrested and incarcerated in various detention cells across the South East has become a great source of worry. There is an urgent need for the Federal Government

Chief Victor Umeh of Nigeria to immediately set up an amnesty programme for them where they can be rehabilitated with skill acquisition centres set up and employment opportunities created for them. “What Ndigbo and the Igbo youths have been agitating for over the years is a just Nigeria where equity and fairness will be the basis for dealing with all Nigerians. The ongoing National Conference is already addressing some of these problems. The South East people are participating at the National Conference with a crack squad of eminent responsible

leaders which include Professors, Diplomats, Igbo Activists and ElderStatesmen led by G e n e r a l I k e Nwachukwu strongly canvassing for the rights of the Igbo people at the conference. “The Amnesty which would resolve the palpable situation among the Igbo youths will also be a signpost towards preparing for general peace in this c o u n t r y. The MASSOB youths will be ready for this amnesty programme with a view to ensuring that peace reigns in Nigeria. I am calling on the Federal Government to solve this problem by taking timely action. The template for this programme will be worked out with the Federal Government.” He called on the Igbo youths to cooperate with the Igbo delegates to the National Conference for the advancement of the rights of the Igbo people in Nigeria.. Umeh berated the leader of MASSOB, Raphael Uwazuruike, who, he said, while living in opulence had subjected these Igbo youths to miserable living conditions. “The various commanders of MASSOB have seen the need to redirect the Igbo youths for meaningful contributions to national

development. The National Conference has offered the basis for a new Nigeria that will be sustained through equity and fairness,” he said. Umeh urged the Federal Government to take advantage of this auspicious moment of progress made at the National Conference to move to restore the confidence of the Igbo youths in MASSOB and BZM, who are now members of Igbo Ga Dimma Youth Organization, in the Nigerian nation. “With the ongoing Boko Haram insurgence in the North East the Federal Government should take advantage of this opportunity to resolve the issue of restiveness of the Igbo youths by coming up with well-instituted amnesty programme for them through dialogue. “There is nothing that the MASSOB youths and BZM members have done that is worse than what the Niger Delta Militants did. Though they constituted a portent force, their agitations have been done without carrying arms,” said the APGA Chairman, who is a delegate at the National Conference. Umeh particularly commended the South East delegates to the National Conference led by Gen Ike Nwachukwu for their immense work and contribution towards ensuring that the problems of the Igbos are given attention and indeed all the other delegates from various parts of Nigeria who unanimously agreed that one additional state should be created in the South East geopolitical zone in the spirit of true reconciliation and national unity among other measures.

THE

ADVOCATE

July 11 - 18, 2014

Outrage trails Ogboni pastor's revelations ■ He's an agent of darkness – CAN Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and Christian leaders across the country have lambasted Prophet Solomon Oladimeji, the Cherubim and Seraphim Church prophet who confessed to being a top Ogboni leader in an interview with SATURDAY SUN last week. The prophet in the exclusive interview with TUNDE THOMAS further claimed that his membership of Ogboni fraternity is not only well known to his church members but also to the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, where he claimed to be playing prominent role at Alapere, and Odongunyan branches of the association in Lagos State.. While saying that he was not ashamed to be an Ogboni leader just as he is not ashamed of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, the prophet said he is using his membership of Ogboni fraternity to win more souls for Jesus Christ. Describing Oladimeji as an anti-Christ, CAN, speaking through its Secretary-General, Rev. Musa Asake, implore true believers to keep away from Oladimeji whom he further described as a fake and a deceiver. “That man is doomed if he failed to repent and ask for forgiveness. He should not be referred to as a pastor or prophet, the spirit of Christ is not dwelling in him. He is possessed by a demonic spirit. He is an agent of darkness. Below is an excerpt from the interview: How would you react to Pastor Solomon Oladimeji's declaration that he is not only a minister of God but that he is also a top leader in Ogboni fraternity, and that Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Odongunyan branch in Ikorodu, Lagos State, is aware of his membership of the fraternity? Pastor Oladimeji or whosoever is not a Christian. I want the whole world to know that he is a fake pastor. Oladimeji is an agent of darkness. Satan and not Jesus Christ is his father. I want Nigerians and the whole world to know that this man is an evil man. There is no way light and darkness can co-exist, Jesus Christ is light, while Ogboni to which Oladimeji claimed to be a top member is an evil association, an occultic group. Oladimeji and his cotravellers in that group are messengers of the devil. Oladimeji is a man of deceit. He should not be taken serious by genuine born-again Christians. Oladimeji should repent now or he will rot in hell fire. Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, had warned us that it's not everybody who claims to be His follower that is truly born of the Holy Spirit. Oladimeji is a wolf in sheep's skin. There is no way CAN would tolerate such apostle of darkness in its midst. He is a name-dropper. Let him provide the whole world with the full details of membership of CAN. He is a fake. Let him show concrete evidence of his membership of CAN like r e g i s t r a t i o n n u m b e r, h i s membership card duly endorsed by the local branch of CAN among

Musa Asake JPG a host of other details. CAN is waiting for him to do this. His failure to do so will prove to the whole world that the man is an occultic rather than a minister of God that he claimed to be. From his conduct and utterances, it is glaring to anybody who has the discerning spirit that Oladimeji is

a pathological liar. He is still an unbeliever. He needs redemption. I'm using this opportunity to denounce him before the whole world that CAN has nothing to do with Oladimeji, and the Prophetess who also claimed to be a minister of God, and at the same time Ogboni women leader. CAN

is not a secret cult like Ogboni fraternity. In that interview, Pastor Oladimeji quoted scriptures to back up some of his actions and beliefs like killing animals for propriatory sacrifice to heal any sick member of his church or those brought to him for healing, what do you have to say on this? People should not be deceived by this so-called pastor's quotation of the Bible to support or justify his devilish actions. Don't forget that satan, Oladimeji's godfather, also quoted the Bible. Our concern is that we pray for this man to repent now because through his actions, he is leading many gullible and innocent souls to hell. Oladimeji is a deceit, his quotation or knowledge of the Bible doesn't make him a true believer. It is very insulting for him to claim that he is using Ogboni cult to win souls for Christ. I'm shocked and disappointed that this prophet who is living in darkness could refer to himself as a church founder. How can you be an Ogboni chieftain, and at the same time be a servant in the vineyard of the Lord? You can't serve two masters at the same time, it is either you are in light or darkness. But it is very obvious that Oladimeji is wining and dining with the devil. He is an a p o s t l e o f principalities and power of darkness condemned by the Bible. With your remarks, what should be done to Oladimeji, or how would CAN handle his case and claims? Ordinarily, I would have said that Oladimeji should be immediately arrested for preaching false doctrines, but as a believer, I pray for the redemption of his soul. I pray that he will realise his folly before it is too late. Look at the number of people he has been deceiving over the years. Certainly, God is going to judge him. But if he quickly retraces his step, and seek divine forgiveness, his perishing soul may still be redeemed. For us at CAN, we outrightly disown Oladimeji. He is not one of us. He is a pretender. He is not an ambassador of Jesus Christ but that of the devil. Asked about his educational background or the theological

schools he attended, Oladimeji stated it was not seminary or Bible school that mattered but God's calling, citing the example of Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Jesus Christ and some other great prophets and apostles in the Bible as having not attended any of these schools but yet were great, how would you react to this? That is to show you the level of this false prophet's ignorance. If he is truly a genuine minister of God, has he not read about the school of prophets in the Bible? It is to prevent some of these things like fake teachings that seminaries, Bible schools were set up to teach people or theology students sound doctrines. If Oladimeji had been to genuine Bible school, he would not have found himself in this darkness. Ordinarily, CAN wouldn't have bothered to reply this prophet as doing so would amount to dignifying him. But we have to speak out to dissociate ourselves from Oladimeji and his fake ministry. What is CAN doing to address issues relating to Oladimeji's case and series of other ones involving people claiming to be pastors and CAN members but seem to be engaged in practices that run contrary to CAN ideology? We have been carrying out some forms of enlightenment campaigns to educate Nigerians especially Christians from falling prey into the hands of these wolves that parade themselves as pastors, and also CAN members. It is unfortunate that unscrupulous elements are now springing up all over the place claiming to have received God's call to become pastors. Most of these claims are false, but unfortunately because of the harsh economic condition in the country, you see people flocking to them, and in the process they take undue advantage of these hapless citizens. Imagine the case of one man who claimed to be a pastor who was recently arrested by the police in Enugu State. This fellow who deceived his followers that spoke to him that he should impregnate 20 members of his church. He has already started impregnating some members before he was arrested by the police. It is sad that people are using the name of Jesus Christ and God to commit crimes. They dupe innocent Nigerians under the guise of religion. This is why it is desirable to have discerning spirits. When you have a discerning spirit, you will be able to differentiate a dove from a serpent. Nigerians should be wary of all these mushroom churches, and the so-called General Overseers, and Founders who are men of deceit. (Sun)

THE

ADVOCATE

July 11 - 18, 2014

From The

COURT

Activist wins case against sale of farmland by Enugu community

n Enugu High Court has restrained the executive of Amankwo Eke Town Union from selling to an industrialist 20-acre of land belonging to Amankwo Eke community in Udi Local Government Area of the state. Ruling on the case brought before it by a woman political activist, Chief Loretta Aniagolu, who sought among other things, a declaration by the court that the executive of the Town Union had no legal right or authority to sell the 20 acres of communal land without carrying along all the stakeholders including women of the community. Chief Aniagolu also sought a declaration by the court that, just like men, women in Amankwo Eke should have right to partake in the distribution of communal land and, therefore, ought to be duly consulted before any sale of the land. She further asked the court to declare null and void the deed of conveyance given to the industrialist who bought the land in question.

Justice Afam Nwobodo, after reviewing the submissions of both parties in the case, affirmed that the land was a communal land which the town union constitution stated belonged to every member of the community regardless of sex. He granted Aniagolu's prayers and struck out the counter-claims made by the defendants.

“The constitution of the town union was specific that it is the Land Committee's responsibility to allocate land and not the executive of the town union,” Justice Nwobodo said. He maintained that the constitution of the town union provided that a 14-member land committee should be responsible for allocating land, emphasising

EFCC probes Olotu, 3 judges over foreign bank accounts

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has disclosed that it is currently investigating three judges over allegation that they own and operate several foreign bank accounts. The anti-graft, in a process it filed before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, named Justice Gladys Olotu, who was recently sent on a

compulsory retirement by the National Judicial Council, NJC, as one of the alleged corrupt exjudicial officers under its probe. The commission insisted that it had already traced about N2 billion to a foreign account it said was linked to the retired judge. It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had earlier this year, okayed the ouster of Justice Olotu from the

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Armed bandits kill 2 policemen, steal Three big holes from where the money in 3 ATMs in Enugu ATM were removed by the gang

six-man gang of armed robbers last weekend attacked an old generation bank in the premises of University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, UNEC, carting away millions of naira from the bank's Automated Teller Machines, ATM. It was gathered that two policemen on duty that night were killed while the private guards were tied hands and legs and locked up inside the security room in the bank. But a lady who was in the company of the private security guards at the time of the robbery sustained gunshot wound. The incident which occurred barely one month after a similar robbery attack on another new generation bank in the campus, according to sources, has caused fears among residents of the university community. Sources said the dare-devil armed robbers took advantage of the heavy downpour Friday night to launch the deadly attack. Said the source: "The robbers came in the middle of the night and shot the two policemen without resistance. One of them died on the spot, while the second policeman died on the way to hospital.

that it was wrong of two persons only, who had nothing to do with the document to have signed it. The argument of the defendants that Aniagolu had no locus standi to file a suit on the land matter for reasons that she was a woman married to somebody outside Eke did not hold water, according to Justice Nwobodo. He ruled that since she was a

bonafide indigene of the community, and the land belonged to all the people, irrespective of sex, the plaintiff had the right to sue. Justice Nwobodo, however, did not award any financial compensation to Aniagolu since land matter “is more or less a family affair.” T h e d e f e n d a n t s , h o w e v e r, indicated their intention to challenge the ruling at the Appeal Court.

ATM Machine "After that, they ordered the other guards into the security room and tied them together. With this, they operated without hitch and succeeded in removing the three ATM. "We also learnt that a girl friend of one of the security men was equally shot. I wonder what the girl was doing there in the middle of the night. They are believed to be the same gang behind the same attack on a nearby bank one month ago. It is a strange development because we have not witnessed such criminal activity in the campus.”

were seen when our correspondent visited the bank Tuesday. The machines were said to have been fully loaded with cash ahead of the weekend withdrawals by customers and this may have attracted the bandits who reportedly spent sometime in the bank without being challenged. When contacted, the spokesman of the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the robbery but said that detectives had swung into action to unravel what actually happened in the bank that night. Urging residents of the state to remain calm, the police spokesman said the police were on top of the situation. "We are handling the matter as effort is on to unravel the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident", Amaraizu stated. We gathered that the police is looking at the possibility of an insider involvement more so when security guards manning the main gate of the university that night could not give a clear explanation of how the armed robbers cane into the campus and how they left with such heavy machines without being confronted.

bench after she was found guilty of “ g r o s s misconduct” by the NJC. Meantime, though the anti-graft a g e n c y declined to mention the names of the other accused judges on the premise that doing so could jeopardise its o n g o i n g investigation, i t h o w e v e r, hinted that whereas two of them are currently serving in Abuja, he said the other judge is in the Lagos division. Consequently, the EFCC, in a counter-affidavit dated April 1, 2014, urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to hands-off a suit that is pending before it, which it said was capable of stalling its investigation. The said suit was filed before the court by retired Justice Olotu. Specifically, the agency, told the court that its investigation was ignited by a petition written to it by a group under the aegis of Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC). It said the petitioners adduced evidence indicating that Justice Olotu was maintaining an offshore account with FirstBank (United Kingdom) and allegedly has over N2 billion in cash and investment. Olotu had gone to court with a view to securing an order that would restrain the EFCC from either inviting or arresting her for questioning over “baseless allegations.”

Larmode She filed the suit shortly after she was summoned to appear before the commission in respect of the allegations levelled against her by the petitioners. More so, EFCC, in its counteraffidavit, denied allegation that it was the NJC and the Attorney General of the Federation that instigated it to go after the retired judge. It equally denied abusing Justice Olotu's fundamental human rights as alleged, insisting that it is within its statutory powers to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes in the country despite who is involved. In the said affidavit which was deposed to by an investigative officer of the EFCC, Habufari Yahaya, the agency, told the court that “in the course of investigation, certain issues arose for further clarifications, which had to do with documents and the applicant (Justice Olotu) therefore requested for time to bring them and she was obliged.” (Vanguard)

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July 11 - 18, 2014

The Nigerian Nationalist T.O.S. Benson

.O.S. Benson whose real name is Theophilus Owolabi Sobowale Benson is a Nigerian lawyer and prominent figure in Nigeria's pre-independence and independence period when he was then a leading cosmopolitan personality. He first came to national repute when he defended members of the Zikist movement against charges of Sedition.(1) Thereafter, he was involved in various political organizations including membership of the Lagos Executive Development Board and also serving as deputy mayor of Lagos from 19521953. In 1959, he was appointed as the Federal Minister of Information. He also served as the chairman of the Western

T.O.S Benson

Working Committee of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons. He is the husband of Lagos personality Liberian born Opral Benson. Benson was born on July 23, 1917 to Shobowale Benson. He attended C.M.S. Grammar School, Lagos and earned a law degree from University College, London. He was called to the bar at the Lincoln's Inn in 1947. He practiced law before joining politics in 1950 as a councilor in the Lagos Town Council, he then briefly became a deputy mayor. He was also a leading opposition

KiddiEs Zone Why are some people poor? What is your name? My name is Gloria Oluwapelumi. What class are you in? I am in Primary 4. What's your mother's name? Her name is Helen Oluwapelumi and I love her. Where are you from? I am from Osun State. Do you know that there are a lot of poor people in Nigeria? Yes I know. Why are there poor people in this country? People are poor because they refuse to be hardworking.

What's your name? Chime Malaicha. What class are you in? I am in primary 3. How old are you? I am 7 years old. Why is it that some people are poor? Some people are poor because they don't have jobs while others are rich because they have jobs. What's your name? Okechukwu David Bamiduro. What class are you in? I am in Primary 3. How old are you? I am 8 years old. Why are some people not rich? They are not rich because they don't take advice. So do you think you would become rich? Yes, because I do well and pass my exam.

As a child you may have wondered why some of your friends had rich parents while others had to contend with the woes of coming from pretty poor families. In this week's edition, our correspondent, in our usual style, went out to the kids of AMAZING LOVE I N T E R N AT I O N A L SCHOOL EMENE, to find answers to these questions .Excerpts:

Ha ppy rea din g

figure in the Western House of Assembly in the mid 50s, when he represented the district of Ikorodu in the assembly. In terms of involvement in party politics, he was a member of the NCNC and started out as a financial secretary rising to the post of vice president. He left the party in late 1964 and ran as an independent in the 1965 parliamentary election.

a nd i h y C 828) r a M 5101 : i th 0 3 W (07

What's your name? Chinaeze Nwachukwu. How old are you? I am 8 years old. Where do you live? I live in Enugu. What class are you in? I am in primary 4. Why are some people poor while others are rich? I guess some people are not rich because they are born in poor families and others are rich because they are born into rich homes. What's your name? Praise Ezillo. How old are you? 8 years. What class are you in? Primary 4. Why are some people poor and others rich? Most people are poor because they don't think out ways to get money, others are rich because they think out ways to get money.

What is your name? My name is Samuel Oscar. What class are you in? Primary 2 Why do you think some people are rich and others poor? I think it's because rich people get jobs and poor people don't get jobs Do you have a younger brother? Yes, his name is Jedidiah. What does Jedidiah mean? I don't know.

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July 11 - 18, 2014

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Event & Personalities

President Goodluck and Former Nigerian Leaders at the Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday

Gov. Godswill Akpabio, Gov. Aliyu Babangida, Gov. Murtala Nyako and Gov. T.A Orji at the Council of State meeting in Abuja

Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the Council . of State meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja

Gov. Godswill Akpabio, Chief of defence staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh and Gov. Murtala Nyako at the Council of State meeting.

IGP MD Abubakar , Chief of defence staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh and Gov. Murtala Nyako exchanging pleasantries at the Council of State meeting.

Charly Boy in a yoga posture, during the burial service of His Late father, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.

Fayrouz Original Expression Show, Grand Finale at held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos on July 5, 2014

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With total submission to the will of God Almighty, the Ume Nzekwe Olisa family of Obiuno village in Osumenyi, Nnewi South LGA of Anambra State announce the sudden death of their Son, Father, Brother and Uncle, Late Chief Remigius Uche Nzekwe, aged 54 years (1960 - 2014) who met his untimely death in the hands of some wicked men on Sunday, 22nd June 2014 at his residence in Abuja.

Wednesday 15th July 2014: Wake at his family home, Opposite Obiuno Village Hall, Osumenyi Thursday 17th July 2014: 10.00am Burial Mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Osumenyi. 12.00 Noon Interment at His Family Compound Followed by Condolence Reception Sunday 20th July 2014: Thanksgiving Mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Osumenyi.

Rest in the bossom of your Lord Jesus Christ.

Signed Family

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How my brother brutally killed our mother – Daughter By Our Reporter

iss Chinyere AnyanwuEmeka, a trader of second-hand clothes, has given a clearer account of how his elder brother, Uzoma, 35, brutally killed his own mother with a knife. The tragedy suddenly threw the peaceful community of Amaukwu Okorommiri, Amagbor Ihitte, Ezinihitte Local Government Area of Imo State into serious confusion on that fateful day, Wednesday, June 11, 2014. Chinyere, the second daughter of a family of eight children six boys and two girls - told our reporter that on that day, she was busy with her motor-cycle conveying some bags of kernels to the place where machines cracked them for her mother who would have sold them at the last Nkwo Mbaise market. She recalled that before she could return from the last trip, someone called her number to inform her that something tragic had o c c u r r e d i n t h e i r f a m i l y. “I quickly mounted on my motorbike and raced to our house only to see a very large crowd and the corpse of my mother lying in her pool of blood. I enquired and was told that my brother, Uzoma, stabbed her to death,” Chinyere told our reporter as she carried one of her sister's kids on her lap. “After killing our mother, he ran to the chairman of Aladinmma (customary court) and told him to quickly go and find out if the person he stabbed is dead or still alive,” she explained as tears filled her eyes. And from that place, he tried to escape into the bush but the angry youths in the village apprehended him and nearly lynched him, she said. Asked if Uzoma has always been a violent person, Chinyere replied that she wouldn't describe him as violent. “But he smokes weeds, you know,” she said and made her fingers as someone smoking, and then she placed the fingers on her lips. “He has been smoking Igbo but I felt that he is not the only person who smokes it in this place. If you go round the village, almost half of the youths smoke but they don't go about killing their mothers, you know,” she argued. “This is the handwork of the evil one,” she remarked. The traditional ruler of the community, Eze Myke Ndudiri confirmed the incident, saying that the peace in the community was almost severed by the incident. “If I wasn't around, the angry youths, may be, would have lynched the boy. But that's the way God used me to rescue him,” said Eze Ndudiri, who added: “We are from a peaceful community. What happened has happened and

tragedy is not peculiar to our community alone. What they have told you is what happened. Eze Ndudiri described the incident as unfortunate, adding that “it is unfortunate that this ugly incident is happening in my domain. I invited the police, I called the D.P.O in-charge of Ezinihitte police Division and he sent his men. They have arrested the culprit and the corpse taken away.” Reacting to the ugly incident, the third son of the family Mr. Chukwudi Anyanwu said the incident occurred while he was away but while on his way returning home that fateful day, “I heard a voice shouting 'Uzoma has killed his mother.' and it was a very sad experience to me, meeting my own mother, lying lifeless with blood gushing out from different p a r t s o f h e r b o d y. ” A p p a r e n t l y, U z o m a regretted his brutish action on her mother as Chukwudi added: “After killing our mother we learnt that he ran to the chairman of our town's meeting (Aladimma) and pleaded with him to visit our house to know whether the knife which he raised carelessly wounded any person.” When asked why he killed h i s m o t h e r, U z o m a reportedly said she did not give him breakfast but retorted: “Is my mother really dead?” It was gathered that Uzoma gave his mother three deadly stabs that sent her to the world beyond one stab on her neck plus two on her left hand, according to villagers. Chukwudi said he later went and told Eze Ndudiri about the development. He said: “We all know that death is unavoidable, but is disheartening that our mother has died untimely in the hand of his own first son who should rather reward her with care. And now Uzoma has robbed us all of the love of our mother. We don't have any other person to call mother.” The husband of the deceased, Mr. Emeka Anyanwu, was almost speechless following the misfortune that hit the family, but he, nonetheless managed to utter few words: “My son, Uzoma, killed his mother, my wife just like that! They were not quarreling.” He sobbed uncontrollably. Uzoma, said to be a school dropout, was eating plantain when Chinyere was going out and there was no sign on his face suggesting

somebody who would slaughter his mother that particular day, according to Chinyere, who said: “Uzoma is the most senior of all of us. He is the first child of the family.” There was no known quarrel or misunderstanding between mother and son recently to warrant the murder, in cold blood, of our mother by our brother, she disclosed. “It was me he even threatened recently but I told him that we are all used to his warnings

they reportedly had a fight over a domestic matter during which the son allegedly attacked his mother brutally, inflicting severe injuries that caused her death, said an attendant in the palace of the traditional ruler of the community. “It was very shocking seeing the woman with several knife cuts lying stone dead in the pool of her blood,” the attendant added. According to the palace attendant, it was the alarm raised by the dying woman that attracted the

IGP MD Abubakar and empty threats, not knowing he had sinister plot against our mother,” she said. “At a time Uzoma was doing menial jobs for people but I called him and told him that I didn't like the kind of job he was doing. We tried to rehabilitate him. We repaired a motor-cycle at the cost of over N12, 000. The value of was over N80, 000. We gave him the bike to use for commercial transport and do a daily return of N300. But one day, Uzoma dismantled the motor-cycle and sold everything in parts without even telling us,” she recounted. Mr. Uzoma Anyanwu-Emeka,35, who trained as a motor-mechanic was with his mother, Mrs. Annah Emeka in their family house when

husband, Uzoma's father, Mr. Emeka Anyanwu, and villagers to the scene. Mr. Anyanwu had, shortly before the incident, gone to see his visitor off. Upon sighting the villagers, Uzoma was said to have taken to his heels, attempting to escape into the bush but the angry youths in the area quickly mobilized, gave him a hot chase and apprehended him. “The angry youths stripped him completely naked and gave him thorough beating; they also gave him machete cuts and were about killing him before the noise by the huge crowd attracted the traditional ruler, Eze Myke Ndudiri, who immediately intervened,” said the palace

attendant. Our reporter learnt that the Eze ordered that the suspect be brought into his compound where he gave him a pair of trousers to wear before he quickly telephoned the DPO, Mr. Greg Onuh who personally drove his men to the scene and rescued the suspect. “The only remedy was that the Eze was at home. If the Eze had gone for a meeting, say, in Owerri or Abuja, the angry youths would have killed him, and now we would be talking of two persons dead,” our reporter was told. It was gathered that Mrs. Annah Emeka, in her 60s, was a native of Ekwereazu community in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of the state but got m a r r i e d t o M r. Emeka Anyanwu, who hails from Amagbor Ihitte in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area. T h e s o u r c e emphasized that it would have been an uphill task to convince the people of Ekwereazu Community to believe that their sister and her son were not victims of village witchhunting. “That is if the youths had killed Uzoma. The Ekwereazu people would have assumed that the villagers killed both mother and son,” according to the source. It was learnt that Mrs. Annah was a trader while Uzoma, her first son trained as a motor mechanic and driver when the family members were still residing in Benin, capital of Edo State. “The father opened a workshop and equipped Uzoma with tools after his apprenticeship, and also bought a bus for him to start his life. Shortly after, Uzoma began to misbehave with different ladies without even marrying any of them but his immediate younger brother is married with children,” according to the source. The police at Divisional Police Station at Itu, near the Ezinihitte Council secretariat confirmed the incident and said the matter would soon be transferred to the state homicide department of the state C.I.D. for further investigations. The corpse of Mrs. Annah has been deposited in a mortuary while Uzoma is in police cell.

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Soldiers destroy BTR buses over colleague's death in Lagos

here was pandemonium at Palmgrove bus stop along the popular Ikorodu road, Lagos, as soldiers Friday went on rampage, grounding human and vehicular movements following allegations that a Rapid Transport Bus (BRT), belonging to the Lagos State government ran over and killed one of them. They reportedly burnt about 10 BRT buses during the rampage. The soldiers barricaded both sides of the road in the process. Some persons were also injured following the ensuing rampage. Eye witnesses said that pandemonium started in the area when about 100 soldiers suddenly emerged and blocked the express way on both sides of the road, smashing BRT buses and causing traffic gridlock. They said that following the development, some drivers abandoned their vehicles on the road and took to their heels to avoid being killed by the soldiers, who vandalised any BRT buses on sight before setting them ablaze. He said that the soldier who was allegedly knocked down was on the BRT lane but however, did not die. It was alleged that the said soldier made a telephone call to his colleagues after he was knocked down and refused to listen to the pleas from those at the scene to forgive the driver of the bus. However, another version of the incident, had it that the soldier with an unknown identity was

Gov. Fashola

riding a commercial motorcycle popularly known as okada along the BRT lane when he was crushed while another claimed the motorbike the deceased mounted was being chased by traffic officials. Driver of the bus was alleged to have abandoned the soldier, an action said to have angered his colleagues who subsequently went on rampage and allegedly attacked any BRT bus on sight. It was gathered that his colleague, who was with him on the motorcycle however, mobilised other soldiers from a nearby barracks who on arrival at the scene, immediately swung into action, taking laws into their hands by

vandalising BRT buses.

Reaction by soldiers height of indiscipline Fashola Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state condemned the sudden attack by soldiers on public property in the state following the death of their colleague allegedly crushed to death by one of the buses. Reacting to the development, Fashola said: “It is really disappointing that public servants and that is what soldiers are, paid with tax payer's money, will act in a manner that is been suggested because I am waiting for official report to let me know who play what role and what happened. “If the action of the soldiers turns out to be true, it will be very irresponsible conduct to put it very mildly. I remember in 2006 when soldiers stormed barracks and set ablaze the Area C Police Command. “We just managed to reconstruct the command. If buses that citizens are complaining that were

not enough are set ablaze, I do not know how setting ablaze buses recompense any injury that one may have suffered. I do not know how damaging public property is the restitution for the injury that may have come. “For now, the only thing that I can say to you is that when I get the full fact, I will address the residents, to let them know what happened and what the state action will be.

We are yet to ascertain number of buses affectedLAGBUS Head of Operations, LAGBUS Asset Management, Mr. Tunde Disu disputed the claim that a soldier was hit by one of the buses, adding that ''to the best of my knowledge, somebody who was riding a motorbike rammed into the back of a broken down bus. He was in mufti so nobody can say if he was a soldier or not.'' Disu further said that the incident involved both the blue and red buses pointing out that it was difficult to ascertain the number of those affected. ''We are still collating and cannot really determine the number of affected buses now,'' he added.

Troops arrest three more female Boko Haram members

igerian troops have uncovered more suspected female members of the deadly Islamic Sect, Boko Haram, with three of them already taken into custody. A statement by Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, on behalf of the Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, said that the female suspects ; Hafsat Usman Bako, Zainab Idris and Aisha Abubakar, were intercepted on their way to Madagali from where they were to transit to the Sambisa forest to

reunite with their cohorts. The Defence Headquarters said that their arrests followed intensive investigation by security agents, in the aftermath of the failed suicide bombing attempt on a military facility by a female terrorist who blew herself up in Gombe recently. It said that the suspects have been secretly recruiting ladies into the female wing of the terrorists group. It said further, “investigations revealed that the suspects, led by Hafsat Bako, have the mission to

recruit members into the female wing as well as conduct espionage for the group. “Hafsat's link with the terrorists group had earlier been a subject of investigation in 2012, when security agents on a man-hunt for one Usman Bako, her husband who was identified as a terrorist, stormed their residence in Jimeta. “This resulted in the discovery of an AK 47 rifle and 2 loaded magazines. Though Usman Bako later died in an encounter with troops in Sokoto where he had relocated to continue his terrorist

activities, Hafsat continued with the terror group specializing in surreptitious recruitment of members into their fold. “The arrested trio suspects were luring ladies especially widows and young girls by enticing them with male suitors who are mainly members of their terror group for marriage. Before their arrest, they were on a mission to take additional briefing from the leadership of the terror group. “The trio have been operating together as members of the intelligence team of the group. Their arrest has yielded information still being verified by security agencies”.

Kogi AIDS agency in crisis over N78m World Bank grant

he N78 million donated by the World Bank to the Kogi State Agency for the Control of AIDS, KOSACA, is reportedly missing. The money which was to be disbursed to various NonGovernmental Organizations, NGOs, to curtail the spread of the diseases in the state was said to have been cornered by some top officials of the agency who later set up some ''emergency'' NGOs to siphon the fund. It was learnt that some of the nonexistent NGOs had no offices, while the few that could boast of offices were largely owned by staff of the agency and government officials. Sources said that, “out of over 160 NGOs in the state, only 18 of them were short-listed for the

disbursement while only four out of those 18 were genuine; with about 14 others owned by government officials. ”Out of the money disbursed to these genuine ones, they were forced to part with some percentage as kickbacks to the management of the agency.” It was further gathered that one of the NGOs owned by a powerful woman in the state was reportedly established about two years ago. The agency was also accused of wasting N5 million on purchase of female condoms which were yet to be distributed in the state. A rights activist in the state, Comrade Idris Miliki had raised an alarm on the state television programme, Coast to Coast, expressing his displeasure over the alleged poor manner the agency

disbursed the money. Miliki, said persons with HIV/ AIDS in the state were suffering in silence while some government officials were smiling to their banks with the World Bank grant. The

Executive Director of the agency Hajia Rainatu Bala denied the allegations, saying that contrary to insinuations, the agency followed due process in the disbursement of the fund. Bala who spoke through

the Project Manager, Dr Gabriel Musa also said there was nothing wrong with the disbursement of the fund to government agencies as the guidelines for the disbursement did not exclude NGOs.

CHANGE OF NAME NGWUECHE – I formerly known as Miss Ngwueche Celestina A. now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Umeayo Celestina A. All former documents remains valid. The general public please take note.

ACHOLONU – I formerly known as Miss Blessing Acholonu C. now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Blessing Ori C. All former documents remains valid. The general public please take note.

OKAFOR – I formerly known as Miss Roseline Oluchukwu Okafor, now wish to be known as Mrs Roseline Oluchukwu Nwoye. All former documents remains valid. The general public please take note.

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Jonathan's re-election campaign amid worsening insecurity callous, insensitive – APC

he All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as utterly callous and insensitive the ongoing campaign by the socalled GEJites, a pro-Jonathan group, for the President's reelection right at the same spot where the 'bring back our girls' campaigners have been staging daily protests demanding the safe return of the over 200 girls In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the message being conveyed to all Nigerians is that the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan takes priority over anything else, including the security and welfare of the citizens. ”Were this not to be so, no responsible group will choose this time, when over 200 school girls have been missing for over 80 days and the terror group Boko Haram is daily killing and maiming Nigerians, to launch a misguided re-election campaign for the President. If their daughters were among the missing school girls, will they be launching a political campaign for re-election rather than pushing for the girls' release? ”To show their contempt for decency and as if they were intent on inflicting more pain on the parents and guardians of the missing girls, they decided to position their campaign instrument, wheel-mounted electronic billboards, right at the Unity Fountain in Abuja where committed and patriotic Nigerians have been holding their own daily campaign for the safe return of the girls,” it said. APC said much as it may deny, it is clear that the Jonathan Administration, that has surpassed itself in sheer cluelessness in providing purposeful leadership to stop the daily carnage in the country and ensuring the return of the missing girls, has apparently been secretly funding different groups to campaign for it. ”First there is the Protectors of Nigerian Posterity, then the Goodluck Initiative for Transformation 2015 and now the GEJites. With the expensive newspaper, television and Social Media adverts that these nebulous groups are running, it is clear they are being financed from a bottomless war chest, to which taxpayers have been unwilling contributors. ”It is sad that a government that apparently cannot adequately fund the war on terror, a government that has lost the initiative to terrorists, a government that cannot provide jobs for its teeming army of

unemployed, a government that is running Nigeria aground has suddenly found huge funds to engage in a reelection campaign that is going nowhere, touting tokenism as achievements,” the party said. It said if the Administration does not endorse the callousness and insensitivity of the groups, it should publicly dissociate itself from them and then call them to order. Meanwhile, APC has raised the alarm that t h e F e d e r a l Government is losing the war on terror, w h i c h h a s progressively gotten worse since the abduction of the Chibok girls over 80 days ago. ”Almost on a daily basis now, these terrorists have been striking at places and times of their own choosing, even as they are becoming more emboldened to carry their terror campaign right into the heart of the nation's capital, Abuja. Innocent

President Jonathan Nigerians are being killed and maimed in high numbers across several states ”Instead of cashing in on the global outcry that followed the abduction of the over 200 Chibok girls to galvanize national and international action, not just support, the Jonathan

Administration has been chasing shadows, pointing accusing fingers at innocent groups and people; harassing the media and curtailing individual freedoms ”One misguided proJ o n a t h a n commentator even said the attacks are occurring in states under the control of the APC, as if Bauchi and Kaduna are APC states. We have said it before and we will repeat it here: Boko Haram is a clear and present danger to all Nigerians: Christians and Muslims; Men, women and children; The rich and the poor as well as People of all political leanings and of all ethnic groups. ”When they want to throw their bombs, they do not ask if supporters or opponents of Jonathan are there. They do not ask if supporters of PDP or APC are there. They just kill, maim and destroy indiscriminately,” the party said. It therefore reiterated its earlier call for a non-partisan approach to

solving the Boko Haram crisis, an approach that will not factor in the 2015 political calculations, an approach that will not demonize a people of certain religion or ethnicity, an approach that will not divide Nigerians along primordial lines. ”This is why we have offered our hand of cooperation that has yet to be accepted by the Federal Government. This is why we have called for a National Security Summit of all stakeholders to proffer solutions to the Boko Haram crisis. This is why we have reminded the FG that Boko Haram is not just a security issue, but also a social, economic and political crisis that must be tackled holistically,” APC said. The party said the Jonathan Administration should have the humility to admit that whatever tactics it has been using against Boko Haram are not working and then reach out to all stakeholders to find a way out of the national quagmire. ”The state of emergency, which has been renewed twice, has not stemmed the tide of attacks. Chibok, where school girls were abducted, is not any more secured now as more attacks and abductions have taken place there. The terrorists, who used to strike on the outskirts of Abuja, have now taken their battle into the city. It is time for new thinking, new direction and new purpose in the fight against terror,” it said.

INEC sends Osun State REC, Rufus Akeju on compulsory leave

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Amb. Rufus Akeju to proceed on leave to ensure that the controversial REC does not oversee the August 9 governorship election in the state. The Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate for the election, Senator Iyiola Omisore have on several occasions urged INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega to remove the REC to ensure free and fair election. Omisore stated that Akeju is a card-carrying member of APC and close associate of APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The PDP governorship candidate noted that it will be difficult for Akeju to conduct credible election with his relationship with Tinubu. Our correspondent gathered that Jega instructed Osun REC to proceed on leave to ensure credible, free and fair election that will be acceptable to all come August 9, 2014. Mr. Kayode Idowu, Chief Press Secretary for the Independent National Electoral Commission's Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega in a

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega press statement made available to newsmen on Thursday said Akeju was requested by the Commission to step aside against the backdrop of intense partisan acrimony over his person. The statement reads, “Osun REC was requested by the Commission to step aside against the backdrop of intense partisan acrimony over

his person. “He acceded to the request, knowing the effort being invested by INEC to make the Osun State Governorship election free, fair and credible. “He has not been indicted for any offence, and the appeal by INEC for a stay of execution of the interlocutory order restraining the

Commission from recognising him as Osun REC still subsist. “The Commission hereby reaffirms commitment to spare no effort in ensuring that the upcoming Osun State Governorship election is successful, and that it meets the best possible standard of credibility.

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July 11 - 18, 2014

Senate slams Okorocha over planned ID project, calls for policy reversal

HE Senate Thursday slammed Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State over his proposed Identification Card issuance for the people of Northern extraction living in the state, following alleged infiltration of the state by the Boko Haram sect. The Police in Imo State had recently discovered bombs allegedly planted in a Pentecostal Church in the state, which was said to have been planted by the Boko Haram sect. Governor Okorocha was said to have come up with the issuance of identity card for northerners residing in the state for easy identification in order to fish out strange faces, but this policy attracted the wrath of the Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi (PDP Bauchi Central), who condemned it, quoting relevant sections of the nation's constitution to back up his condemnation of the proposed policy. Ningi in the motion, titled: “The

Issuance of Identification Card to Northerners residing in Imo State Urgent call for policy reversal,” noted with serious concern recent government policy statement issued by Imo State government, directing all Northerners residing or staying in the state to be issued with an identification card. He argued that the policy contravened the provisions of section 41(1) and 42(1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended which guarantee among others, free movement of Nigerians from any part of the country to the other and right of residence without any inhibition or condition whatsoever. He added that the policy, if not reversed, was tantamount to gross abuse of the citizens' rights and if not checked, could throw the entire

Gov. Rochas Okorocha country into chaos and threaten the survival of the nation's democracy. Rising in support of the motion, the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-

Onofiok declares Governorship ambition on platform of PDP By Christopher Okon, Uyo

renowned maritime expert, Mr. Michael Onofiok has declared his interest to contest the governorship position in Akwa Ibom State come 2015 election on the platform of the People Democratic Party (PDP). Mr. Michael Onofiok who spoke to journalists on his governorship ambition and programme in Uyo, expressed optimism that his dream would surely come true so that he will make the state to experience unprecedented development without apology. According to the maritime guru-turned politician “If I capture the office, the state would tremendously experience unprecedented development without any contradiction of his words. “As one that have travelled to many parts of the globe, I really understand governance, and how democracy should be run for benefit of citizens especially as I have been around since the creation of our dear state.” “I would obviously work hard to satisfy the people, I'll not disappointment them and I will be a listening governor to achieve the people's mind or observations, to ensure effective and transparent administration.” He said. He said that despite graciously accepting to offer himself for

security, ports and t e r m i n a l management and maritime law and territorial water management and other important programmes.” He said that he stands on the tripod which signifies love and unity among the three tribes in the state; the Ibibios, Annang and Oro respectively where power shift flows across each senatorial district, maintaining that Oro nation which has not t e s t e d t h e governorship before has the opportunity Mr. Michael Onofiok this time around in respect to the principle of power service to change his people's shift. sufferings due to poverty, he is in H e c o m m e n d e d g o v e r n o r the race to clean their tears and Akpabio's developmental strides make them experience transparent a s p e o p l e e x p e r i e n c e d democracy where intimidation by unprecedented development and some desperate politicians will no advised Akwa Ibom people to longer flourish. desist from politics of character On his programme, would move a s s a s s i n a t i o n a n d r u m o u r beyond oil investment and focus mongering as politics is a call to more on education, health, service and not a do or die affair. agriculture and on the maritime Presently over fifty governorship sector to provide employment to aspirants across the three our youths across the state inorder senatorial districts are seriously to reduce poverty. “We shall warming up to contest the establish marine university for the prestigious position come 2015 in training of inland seafarer, the state from different political o c e a n o g r a p h e r, c o a s t g u a r d parties.

Egba, described the policy as wrongheaded, unconstitutional and discriminatory and lampooned the governor for ever contemplating such a policy at this level of nationhood. He said: “Yes, right away, Nigeria is passing through the most difficult period of our history even worse than the civil war going by the kind of anxiety enveloping the country presently as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency but that should not be used as a license by any governor or anybody to go out of our constitutional provisions in coming up with a policy to tackle the problem. “This policy is discriminatory and unconstitutional and must be rejected from the onset by all concerned Nigerians. I condemn it in its entirety and urge all stakeholders coming up with any policy to address the security challenges facing the nation , to tackle them within the confines of our constitution.” Also condemning the policy, S e n a t o r J a m e s M a n a g e r, representing Delta South, stated that the policy was evil and dangerous for the survival of Nigeria as a nation. Senator Manager said: “The situation in Nigeria presently is not that of China or Hong kong where people need to be discriminated against when moving from one part to the other, People of Imo state are different from the government that came with this obnoxious policy and they must join other Nigerians outside their state to condemn it.” But Senator Ahmed Lawan (APC Yobe North), threatened Northern retaliation of the policy if not reversed and likened the proposed policy to apartheid regime in South Africa of past years ,where the blacks were expected to carry cards in the form of pass, to access white dominated areas. He said, “The policy is abominable, unacceptable and certainly driven to cause disunity in the country. We Northerners will not accept this. If you do this to us in Imo, we shall definitely retaliate.” His alleged threat drew the quick interjection of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session as he called on the senators to debate the motion as patriotic Nigerians and not as senators from South or Northern part of the country. Making her own contribution, Senator Chris Anyanwu, who

represents Imo East, described Governor Okorocha as a man full of himself and working on his own and above the law without carrying anybody in the state along. Senator Anyanwu, said: “Today, the governor of Imo State has drawn an unusual attention to himself because he failed to respect the constitutional provision of free movement, free association, free worship which are well cherished by our people. “Our people are the best travelled and most liberal minded in the Wo r l d . We a r e h i g h l y accommodating. We are a people that are very friendly to the extent that we have a settlement for the Hausa people in Owerri who had been living there for generations. “I have some of the Hausa children, most of whom are speaking better Igbo language, on my scholarship scheme while I have been sending some of their parents on Hajj. “However, someone, somewhere, who doesn't respect the constitution of Nigeria, who doesn't respect the law, who doesn't believe in due process, and who doesn't understand our people suddenly wakes up one morning and introduced a policy that tends to create enmity between us and our beloved neighbours. “We cannot plead on his behalf because we did not believe in his policy and he is a governor that doesn't listen to the advice of his people” In his own remarks before putting the two prayers of the motion to vote, the Deputy Senate President Senator Ekweremadu, thanked the senators for being very patriotic in the contributions over the matter but lamented that ethnicity still remained one of the problems affecting the nationhood drive of Nigeria over the years. He joined the other senators to condemn the policy by saying that the fact that some Northerners had been indulging in Boko Haram insurgency or terrorism did not make all Northerners to be seen or classified as terrorists. He said: “Regrettably in this country we have a strong sense of ethnicity profiling . We must find a way that only the guilt suffered for whatever offence committed and not innocent ones of his or her ethnic stock , doing that I strongly believed, will better make Nigerians live peacefully with one another and more united”. Consequently the Senate as suggested in the motion, called on President Jonathan to direct security agencies not to partner with Imo state government in the implementation of the policy and a l s o u rg e d t h e I m o s t a t e government to rescind forthwith, the policy.

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July 11 - 18, 2014

At 100 days, Obiano lays solid foundation for growth, prosperity By Uche Chukwu, Awka r e s u l t a n t t o s m a s h i n g o f Nnewi Shopping Mall and Awka

nambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano marked 100 years anniversary of coming into power, stressing that the period under review has been used by him to lay down the fundamentals for progress and brighter prospects. Making this known in a Statewide broadcast to the people of the State, governor Obiano noted that in laying a solid foundation for the fulfillment of his campaign promises, declaring that “in the last 100 days, we have successfully laid down the fundamentals for the growth and prosperity of Anambra State.” Governor Obiano urged the citizenry to join hands with him “to build a new Anambra State - a land where the light of God's creative energy has descended on his people; a place where God's greatest gifts of talent and wisdom have found the most profound e x p r e s s i o n . ” He recalled that since assumption of office on March 17, this year, he has consulted widely with different segments of the society and tried to reach a consensus among the people and earned the confidence of all stakeholders, including the hugely successful June 14, Stakeholders Forum with Anambra's illustrious sons and daughters at the Governor's Lodge, Awka, saying the Forum was an important initiative that aimed at bringing prominent sons and daughters together irrespective of political leaning, with a view to extracting their commitment and contributions to the growth of Anambra State. The governor anchored his score card after 100 days in office on the vision of making “Anambra State the 1st choice investment destination and the most preferred location to site new industries,” adding that his “mission is to create a socially stable businessfriendly environment that will attract both indigenes and foreigners to seek wealth creating opportunities in Anambra State. Hinting that no vision or mission statement works successfully in the absence of a conducive environment where there is no security, the governor pointed out that his primary responsibility is to secure the lives and property of Ndi Anambra, stressing that, “security is the number one priority of my administration and a key enabler for my Four Pillars of Development. The need for adequate security he noted was instrumental to the inauguration of the Joint T, otherwise known as the 'Operaion Nkpochapu' and equipped the team with 47 ultramodern patrol vans and other crime-fighting equipment as well as motivation, which was

investors from the State leading to response by chief Cosmas Maduka, the Chairman of Coscharis Group, to use his Coched Farm Project at Anaku, Ayamelum Local Government Area of the State to team up with the State government “in the ongoing agricultural revolution in Anambra State. The Coched Farm Project is a partnership between the famous Coscharis Group and the government of Anambra State. It has the capacity to generate about 1000 full time and seasonal jobs for youths and women across the entire rice value chain. The farm is expected to produce 120,000 metric tons of rice per annum. Anambra currently produces 80,000 metric tons per annum and consumes 320,000 metric tons per annum. The difference between the volume of consu

command structures and hideouts Shopping Mall as well as the of the gun-runners, drug dealers, Agulu Lake Hotel project. They criminals and kidnappers and are all nearing completion and thereby forcing others to flee the will soon be opened to the delight State. of Ndi Anambra.” According to Gov. Obiano, Governor Obiano noted that “Anambra is one of the safest and agriculture is the number one most secure states in the pillar among all the pillars of his federation. Research has shown administration's Four Pillars of that all through the last Easter Development, hence he had to Celebration, there was no single kick-start the programme with the incident of violent crime in setting up of a 14-man Committee Anambra State. In 100 days, we on Agriculture headed by the have arrested a total of 77 renowned Prof. Omaliko and kidnappers in Anambra State and charged with the responsibility chased a great number of them out “to come up with a blueprint that of the state. But even those would revolutionize agriculture in outside the boundaries of the state the state. The Committee has are not safe. Just the other day, we since responded with the picked up a kidnap kingpin blueprint titled Agricultural aboard an aircraft at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos, on the run to South Africa. We shall continue to mount pressure on them; we are pulling d o w n t h e i r warehouses where they keep their victims and targeting their command and control centres across the state.” He called on the citizenry to volunteer information that would lead to the arrest of criminals and attract investors into the State. O n r o a d construction, governor Obiano recalled that during the election campaigns that led to his emergence as the governor, he had promised the people t h a t h i s administration would continue all the projects that his predecessor was handling, complete them, commission Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano them and commence a new set of projects. mpt He maintained that the Transformation in Anambra ion and our domestic production administration had kept to its State.” word, “as all the road and social H e s t a t e d t h a t a S p e c i a l will be made up for by the outinfrastructural projects I inherited Committee on Land Acquisition growers who we are currently from former governor Peter Obi and Mediation which was set by encouraged to form cooperatives are all at various stages of him on May 15, this year under along the agricultural belts of the completion, my team and I have the leadership of Dr. Tim state. successfully flagged off the Menakaya had also “recorded “Our target is to expand from the construction of 14 new roads significant progress, acquiring current volume of 2,500 hectares across Anambra, totalling up to 5,000 hectares of land within a in Anaku to 10,000 hectares in the 167.494 kilometres in all. These short period of time, expressing f i r s t f o u r y e a r s o f m y new roads are of enormous optimism that “very soon we shall administration and twice that e c o n o m i c a n d s t r a t e g i c begin to reap the benefits of the volume when I get a second term. importance to Anambra State as activities of this committee as We have perfected plans to they open up direct access to the more investors move in for replicate this feat in other food basins of the state. industrial agriculture in the state.” senatorial zones. “ “At the same time, work has The State Chief Executive He added that apart from the continued smoothly at the s t r e s s e d t h e t h i n k h o m e C o c h e d F a r m s P r o j e c t , a proposed Onitsha Shopping Mall, philosophy he generated among partnership is being encouraged

with the Ekcel Farms Nigeria Limited just as his administration has “secured 3,000 hectares of land in Omasi for the cultivation and processing of cassava in partnership with the company. “Current cassava production in Anambra State stands at 1, 596,000 metric tons per annum while we consume 2,033,600 metric tons per annum. The shortfall of 457,600 metric tons will be surpassed when Ekcel Farms becomes fully operational. This will deepen our activities in the agricultural sector and lead to the creation of more wealth for Anambra State. In the area of Trade and Commerce, the governor explained that a foundation for rapid take-off of a buoyant economy had been laid, with the mission of the government being, for the State “to be in the top-3 states in trade and commerce in Nigeria. Consequently, in partnership with the Organised Private Sector, we have embarked on the development of a 10-Year Industrial Revolution Plan that will transform the industrial landscape of our State.” He also emphasized that his administration was modernizing the markets and providing solarpowered street lights for enhanced security, conveniences while new modern hyper markets are being considered for Ogbunike, Oba, Awka and Umunze. Propelled by the ambition for the State to be among the top-ten oil producing States in the country and join the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), governor Obiano said the State had recorded some progress in that direction, hinting that, at the moment, “we produce 6000 barrels of crude oil per day. Efforts are underway to double this production capacity in the next six months. We have just flagged off the construction of a bridge across the Omambala River to the Orient Petroleum's oil rig in Umueje while I can authoritatively confirm that the Orient Petroleum Refinery currently under construction in Aguleri will become operational in the next 9 months. All these will lead to massive job creation for our unemployed youths.” “At the same time, we have acquired a licence to build a cargo airport in Umueri to serve the oilfields of Aguleri. When operational, the airport will serve as the hub where aircraft can stop over for refuelling because of the large deposit of aviation oil that we have in Aguleri. This will boost our efforts in job creation. His scorecard in local government administration reveals a great deal of promise, thus the governor observed that a “major highpoint of my administration's attention to local governments is the payment

Continues on page 27

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JAMB reduces UME ' cut-off mark' to 180

he Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) and the federal government after putting heads together, at the 5th Combined Policy meeting on admissions into tertiary institutions held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) Secretariat have decided that the cut-off mark for the 2014 admissions into Universities is 180, while that for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education (COE) is 150. The Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike who frowned at the inability of most tertiary institutions in the country to utilise their admission quota said the change is part of the efforts made by the Jonathan-led government to boost access to tertiary education adding that institutions which fail to utilise their admission quota for 2014 will be sanctioned. “This disservice to the Nigeria child is totally unacceptable. In line with efforts of the federal government to improve access, let me urge you all to with effect from today, work assiduously to ensure that all admission spaces in your institutions for the current year are fully utilised within the approved time frame,” he stated. The Registrar and Chief Executive of JAMB, Dibu Ojerinde, observed that after the conduct of the 2014 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates who applied for degree awarding institutions or universities totalled 1,584,348 representing 97.070, N CE applicants totalled 25,767 representing 1.579, ND a paltry 22,072 representing 1.349 while NID had just 46 representing 0.003.

July 11 - 18, 2014

Nigerians urged to acquire maritime education By Christopher Okon, Uyo

he Commandant Merchant Seaman Academy, Ikot Ada Utor (Urua Akpan) Essien Udim Local Government Area, Capt. Adam A. Pius has called on

Nigerians to take advantage of the institution's Maritime Education to become great Maritime experts. Capt. Pius who made the call while speaking with our Correspondent on the benefits of Maritime education in the country at Essien Udim Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, said Nigerians

should not lack in the Maritime sector especially Akwa Ibom State which is a river-rine area adding that people should take advantage and enrol with the institution to acquire maritime education for future purposes. According to him, the institution has made Nigerians to understand

S-East chemical engineers train students on Aspen Hysys software By Mary Chinda

he chairman of the Nigerian Society for Chemical Engineers (NSChE) Dr. Gordon Mba has said that the application of Aspen Hysys software will eliminate the punching of calculators in deriving the productivity of an engineering plant. Dr. Mbah stated this during a 3day workshop organized by the Nigerian Society for Chemical Engineers for her members and students of chemical Engineering at the Institute of Management and Technology, IMT, Enugu. In a keyword note address during the workshop, a University of Nigeria Nsukka Don, Prof. Joshua Ume explained that the mid-year seminar is aimed at bringing students and their lecturers together with resource personnel from Gloxina Computer Academy Enugu in order for participants to learn how to use the Aspen Hysys software by themselves. According to Professor Ume, the software produced in the United States of America has been in use years back and noted that it is relatively new in Nigeria.

R-L: Professor Ume of the University of Nigeria, Engr, Dr Mba (Chairman, Enugu chapter of the National Society of Chemical Engineers) with Engr, Inyiama at the Aspen Hysys training held in Enugu.

The software, he said can be applied in the petroleum, petrochemical, oil and gas industries in the country and is a safe method of reducing green house emissions. He emphasized the need for Nigerian chemical engineers to learn how to apply it as only few chemical engineers know how to use it. Also speaking at the event Engr. Iyiama of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology pointed out that the

workshop has succeeded in putting together students from the various tertiary institutions in Anambra, Enugu, Abia and Imo States so as to expose them to the current practices in the field. The IMT Enugu auditorium was crammed with students in their hundreds who converged, with their lecturers and others in the field of chemical engineers to get trained on the use of the Aspen Hysys software in the design of chemical engineering plants.

they combine both academic and practical training to give the cadets professional ability required in the twenty first century standard of vocational and professional training aimed at reshaping the maritime industry; thus committed in producing quality personnel as sailors, engineers, captains, managers, divers, and marine welders and administrators that are capable to meet the demand and challenges in maritime industry. The Sea Captain, who is also the pillar of education in Akwa Ibom said the institution has gotten accreditation from National Board for Technical Education for effective maritime education after the inspectors were satisfied that the institution with two years of existence has the capacity to impart maritime education to her students. According to him, the institute was able to make such achievement through hard work and commitment despite various challenges associated with putting in place facilities and up-grading of the existing ones before the committees visit. He told our correspondent that the institution initiative came as a result of his passion for maritime education from the time he received his first training in Lagos and the need to make sure Nigerians dominate the sector globally. He solicited for support from both government and corporate organizations in the country and beyond to enable the institution to expand and accommodate more courses. He commended governor Akpabio's uncommon transformation especially the free and compulsory education which has placed the state in global map in the education sector.

Anglican Venerable condemns “Miracle Centre” syndrome By Mary Chinda

he idea of paying to pass instead of writing to pass WAEC and NECO examinations in secondary schools has again been given thumb down in Enugu. This condemnation came last Sunday at a special service for students put together by the Diocese of Nike Anglican communion, Enugu Episcopal province. The maiden service with the theme 'Academic Excellence - An Acid Test of our Faith' was a brainchild of the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev Prof Evans Ibeagha, in a bid to get students to understand the import of studying hard and then

Anglican Secondary School (SMASS) Emene was held at the church auditorium during an Episcopal service that witnessed the inauguration of the new PTA board of the school and which served as a meeting point for parents and teachers to collectively look into the issues that stunt the academic excellence of the students. The principal of the school Mrs. Chinelo Ifeanyi Nwankwo charged the parents to constantly encourage their wards to study and desist from overlaboring the students with house chores after school hours, reminding them that as Rev Prof Evans Ibeagha parents they had a larger role to developing confidence to sit that engage in malpractices. play in dissuading their wards for external exams and excel The 3-hour service organized from patronizing malpractice without patronizing schools for the students of St. Marks

centers. Speaking to The Advocate after the service, Venerable Onyia explained that the interactive service is aimed at discouraging parents who patronize “miracle centres” for their children and then reviving the spiritual lives of the students as honest academic excellence is a formidable way of evangelizing Jesus Christ. “With a service like this we intend to woo the attention of our students away from unnecessary social media like Whatsapp, BBM, 2go e.t.c. We want to woo them back to the pages of their books. That is the surest way to restore the glory of the missionary school” he added.

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July 11 - 18, 2014

Flood wreaks havoc in Calabar metropolis again … 20 houses submerged, over 100 persons displaced

lood has again ravaged Target-Goldie and Mayne Avenue axes of Calabar metropolis in Cross River State, submerging no fewer than 20 houses and displacing about 100 persons. The incident, which occurred following a three-hour downpour Thursday morning, resulted in most parts of the city being flooded. Areas affected by the flood included Goldie, Target, Ebito, G i b s o n , M u r r a y, N e l s o n Mandella, Bassey Edem and Eselfi axes, all within Calabar South. Some parts of Atu Street, Yellow Duke and Palm Streets in Calabar South Local Government area were also submerged. The flood did not only destroy valuable household items and goods worth several millions of naira, it also sacked the residents from their houses and rendered them homeless. Electrical, electronics and furniture shops located along the drainage channel were completely destroyed as the area was overflown with water. This is the fourth time this year rains have wreaked havoc in the affected areas. Calabar metropolis experienced

downpour that caused damage to the property of residents in April, May and June. Some of the residents affected were seen trying to salvage some of their household items, while their children were seen scooping water from their houses when our reporter visited Goldie-Target area. Some of the victims said that they were not taken by surprise as they

were used to it. A few said they were taken by surprise as many of them were away for early morning worship when the flood came and unfortunately much could not be salvaged out of their household property. They blamed the flooding on the inability of government to find a permanent solution to the perennial problem.

One of the flood victims, Mr. Daniel Ogbonna, 48, said the heavy rains did not take them unawares. He said they were used to the situation and had been coping because the area was the centre of their activities. Ogbonna, a furniture maker, who had operated at No. 48 Tatget Road for over 10 years, said: “What you have seen here is just small

because there were some years we faced flooding menace for over a week. For us in the furniture business, we cannot leave this axis because it is the centre of furniture business in Cross River and everybody patronizes us.” The Director General, Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Vincent Aquah, could not be reached for comments. It would, however, be recalled that the agency had earlier in the year warned residents of the development. The agency also warned residents to avoid dumping of refuse in drainage and comply with the specifications laid down by the government.

Bombs found in Abia, military cordons off area

esidents of Ohafia in Abia State were jolted, Thursday, by reported discovery of bombs in the community. This was coming barely three weeks after Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs) were discovered at the headquarters of the Living Faith Church (a.k.a Winners Chapel) in Owerri, Imo State and the arrest of 486 Boko Haram suspects at Aro Ngwa Junction and Imo Gate, near Aba. But when contacted, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Abia S t a t e C o m m a n d , G e o ff r e y Ogbonna, denied the discovery of

any bomb in the area, saying what happened was just a bomb scare. Reports said at about 9.00a.m. Thursday after some herdsmen had passed the area, between the house of Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, Chief Ojo Maduekwe and that of the member representing Ohafia South in the state House of Assembly, Mba Ukaha, soldiers on duty along the Ebem/Asaga Road received information about some strange objects found in the area. The soldiers were reported to have, after seeing the objects, alerted their superiors at the 14 Brigade headquarters, Ohafia and after visiting the site, they ordered the

cordoning off of the area while vehicles were stopped from plying the Ebem/Asaga Road. Sources said men of the Bomb Disposal Unit of the Abia State Command of the Nigeria Police in Umuahia were immediately drafted to the area and on their arrival saw one of the bombs allegedly connected to a high tension wire. The police were said to have detonated the bombs and took them to Umuahia for analysis. Our source said the bombs discovery caused pandemonium in the area as people who had gone to work, on hearing about the

incident, rushed back home. “It was around 9.30a.m. after I had already gone to work that I received the information and I had to rush back home. On my way back, I stopped to see some of the soldiers at the checkpoint because we are friendly and they confirmed the incident to me and I had to rush home immediately,” the source, who would not want his name in print, said. “Thereafter, the road was cordoned off for about three hours even after the bomb disposal experts from the police had left with the objects to Umuahia,” the source, who would not want his name in print, said.

Recall of disengaged workers:

Okorocha hails Gov TA Orji T

he Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha has applauded the decision of the Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji to recall indigenes of Imo State disengaged in September 2012 as a result of the state government's non-indigenes policy. Governor Okorocha made the commendation in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo in Owerri.

The statement Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha has not only commended but praised the Abia State Governor, Chief T.A. Orji for living up to his promise of recalling indigenes of the state (Imo) in the Abia state work force who were disengaged in September 2012 following the policy of the state government to transfer non-indigenes in its public service to their states of origin. The issue had attracted reactions from the public with the Imo state Governor, Owelle Okorocha appealing to his brother governor

the action, but had also taken concrete steps to ensure that the workers have been recalled. The Abia state government had in a letter dated 30/6/2014 and addressed to the Executive Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Board, Owerri demanded the release of the personal files of the concerned workers for their immediate reinstatement to the Abia state Public Service. The Executive Governor of Imo state considers this development as a good one that deserves high commendations, and had wasted no time commending the Abia governor. He said what the SouthEast states need at the moment is unity of purpose no matter their political affiliations. The Imo governor said that the government and good people of Imo state see the recall of the sacked Imo workers in Abia as a patriotic action, in the interest of the oneness of the Igbo nation and the society at large. He regretted any misunderstanding the Gov. T.A Orji Gov. Rochas Okorocha disengagement had generated in Abia to review that action with affected staff. the Abia state governor had not when it took place. the intension of recalling the And it is worth commending that only announced the reversion of

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July 11 - 18, 2014

Enugu Councillor, 9 others arrested for kidnapping in Anambra By Uche Chukwu, Awka

he Department of State Service, DSS,Anambra State Command has announced the arrest of a local government councilor from Achi in Oji River Local Government Area, Enugu State, Kingsley C. Eze and nine other persons over their alleged involvement in series of kidnapping of innocent people in both Awka and Oji River areas. Announcing this development at the headquarters of the DSS, Awka, the Anambra State Director of Security (DSS) A.U Okiyi also named other nine suspected kidnappers including Sunday Nwafor from Orumba North local government area, Casmir Anumba from Ideato, Imo State, John Onyekachukwu from Anaocha local government area and six other indigenes of Awka South local government area. The ten suspected kidnappers were paraded while the official vehicle of the Oji River Councillor with the registration number: ENUGU LEGISLATOR: JRV 08 LG: Federal Republic of Nigeria was displayed at the premises of the DSS, Awka, the capital city. Okiyi also listed the alleged kidnapping cases involving the suspects to include the kidnap of one Ejiofor from Enugwu-Ukwu in June 2012,the kidnap of an unidentified woman driving a Toyota Corolla car at Nkwo

Amenyi, Awka in November,2013 on whom a ransom of two million Naira was paid for her release, the kidnap of an unnamed lecturer with UNIZIK, Awka in February, 2014, along the Ring Road, AguAwka, on whom a ransom of two million was paid, the recent kidnap of unidentified man, reportedly along the same Ring Road, who was strangled to death in captivity and was buried off the road after

the victim's family paid a ransom of two million Naira, among other key kidnap incidents that took place mainly in Awka town. When interviewed, some of the suspects who looked sober confessed to the crime they were believably involved and for which they were arrested, while some denied it all claiming innocent. Speaking while addressing newsmen on the various

kidnapping cases, for which the suspects were arrested, said that the councilor from Enugu State allegedly provided his black Hyunda Accent car to facilitate the kidnapping of a lady identified as Ezeugo in Oji River LGA in April 2014 after which a ransom of N700,000 was allegedly paid for her release. The State Director of DSS disclosed that in most of the

Abia police parade suspected criminals By Nwokonna Emmanuel, Cross river state who was arrested being kidnap. along Aba- Ikot Ekpene road for CP Ibrahim noted that the Umuahia.

h e A b i a s t a t e commissioner of police, Mr Adamu Ibrahim has assured residents of the state and it's environs that his command will not relent in it's fight against crime in the state until the state becomes the most peaceful state in the country. Addressing journalists before the parade of suspects at the police officers mess in Umuahia, the CP noted that the command arrested a total of six kidnappers and seven other criminals among whom was a child trafficking syndicate who sold a baby boy for the sum of one hundred and forty thousand naira and 27 years old Okoi Eyon from

impersonating a police corporal with a fake police identity card. The CP gave the names of the suspects to include Emeka Ikpo, Okoronkwo Onyeka and Sunday Udoka for the killing of one Mr Ndubuisi Ikpo Eni. others are Ogbonna Chukwudi and Nnenna Awa who in connivance with a nurse, Amarachi Chiemeka sold a baby boy belonging to Ogbonna and Awa to an unknown person Others paraded include a notorious kidnap kingpin, Chigadi Odinwa a.k.a lemon, Okwukwe Udo, Kelechi Orji, Ifeanyi Eluega and Jones Nwabeke who specialise in sending text messages to unsuspecting public demanding for ransom or risk

command under his watch will stop at nothing in ridding Abia state of crime and criminal elements and urged members of the public to always report to the police any strange movement around their environment. The Cp advised members of the public to always alert the police whenever they see men in plain clothes with arms and ammunitions pointing out that such measures will help reduce crime rate in the state. Some of the items recovered from some of the hoodlums includes one AK 47 rifle, two empty magazines, one motorcycle, an axe and a polythene bag containing weeds suspected to be indian hemp.

highlighted kidnap incidents which were listed in the statement he signed, the use of Oji River Local Government Councilor's vehicle was variously mentioned by Nwafor and the other alleged kingpin. He disclosed that some of the suspects were allegedly involved in buying food for victims and running other errands, including gathering information for the gang, collecting information at junctions of hideouts where victims are kept and monitoring of movement of victims in their custody. Okiyi who urged criminal elements in Anambra to repent and desist from kidnapping because there is always a day for judgment, disclosed that the gang is also suspected to have kidnapped the immediate past State Commissioner for Science and Technology, C.C Okoli in May 2014. According to Okiyi, â&#x20AC;&#x153;On 23rd June, 2014, the Command recovered from the gang leader, the SIM Pack of an Airtel GSM No. (Line withheld) used for negotiating the sum of two million Naira ransom paid for his release". He assured that the Command will work with the Police to ensure the circumstances surrounding the kidnap of the former State Commissioner for Science and Technology are unraveled. Okiyi promised that officers of the Command, who do painstaking investigation, will continue to do so inorder to ensure a crime free Anambra State.

Kogi Govt assures on speedy completion of Kabba-Egbe-Ilorin road

he Kogi State Government says it is committed to showing more than a passing interest towards ensuring that the KabbaEgbe-Ilorin road awarded recently by the federal government is made motor able. The State Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, gave the assurance when he inspected on-going work on the road which he stated was last rehabilitated eighteen y e a r s a g o . Aw o n i y i e x p r e s s e d excitement at the remedial work done on the road by the contractor to make it passable, even as he charged the contractor to speed up the temporary patch of the failed portion of the road while the opening up of the shoulders and actual work is hastened so as to meet expected completion date.

Captain Idris Wada The Deputy Governor who described the Kabba-Egbe-Ilorin road as very crucial to the socio economic life of the nation, said the hardship faced by the people of

the area and motorists who ply the road is long overdue, thus the reason the state government is showing serious concern and will do all within its reach to ensure that the road is made passable. Awoniyi commended the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for awarding the road and the show of commitment to get the road rehabilitated by Capt Idris Wada, the State Governor. He also praised the role played by Sen Smart Adeyemi and other Nigerians who had assisted in drawing the attention of concerned authorities for the road to be rehabilitated. The Deputy Governor, while commending CGC, the contractor handling the project on quality of work so far executed, however tasked them to speed up the temporary relief measures of sand filling and patching failed

portions of the road so as to serve as relief, even as permanent measures are continued with. Earlier in his remarks, Mr Shem Yan, the Field Manager of CGC,

said following State Government's directive, efforts he assured have been made to sand fill the road as a palliative to motorists who ply the road, and assured that efforts will also be intensified to meet up the target date for the completion of the project.

Kogi teachers protest nonpayment of salaries, allowances

eachers under the aegis of B a s i c E d u c a t i o n S t a ff Association of Nigeria, (BESAN) in Kogi state yesterday embarked on peaceful protest in Lokoja as a result of non payment of salaries and leave allowances. Addressing journalists during the protest, the chairman of BESAN, Adamu Sule, said the protest was also informed by the non implementation of the minimum wage promised the teachers last year. He said some of the teachers are being owed arrears for the month of March, April May and June while others have not received salaries this year at all, saying that the protest was to intimate the governor of their suffering. According to him, teachers in the state suspended nationwide strike in September last year due to agreement reached between state chapter of NUT and the state government that 60 percent of the

minimum wage would be implemented on monthly basis and attain full implementation by March this year but nothing happened. "We earlier reported to Governor Idris Wada by way of protest. He swung into action by dissolving SUBEB and appointed an interim committee but the present SUBEB is not serving the interest of teachers," he said. Adamu lamented that despite officially communicating to the governor and his deputy of their intention to embark on the peaceful protest, they were surprised when security agents swooped on them on reaching the government house. He added that the security agents that were stationed at the gate of government house, tear gassed them, arrested three of their members and injured three others. Effort to reach the state Police Public Relation Officer, Emeh Emeh, for comment was not successful as his phone was said not to be available.

THE

July 11 - 18, 2014

ADVOCATE

The Advocate Emene Bread of Life Gospel This Week

MIRACULOUS MESSAGE TEXT:

Women Celebrate Mothers' Day

Matthew 14:18-21 'Bring them here to me,' he said. And he told the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (NIVUK)

NARRATION Five bread rolls and two fish are not enough to feed 5,000 families. But they were the starting point for one of Jesus' notable miracles. His compassion was not limited to healing and teaching, He wanted to teach His disciples that He was the Bread of Life, sent from heaven to give life to the world. The miracle was one of the 'signs' in John's Gospel to illustrate Christ's Divine nature (John 6:35). The trainee apostles may have wondered why they were told to get the people to sit down in groups of about 50 (Luke 9:14), as there was virtually no food. However, they were obedient, and the people got ready to eat. Publically giving thanks for the food, Jesus gave glory to the Father. Publically multiplying the food in the sight of all, He demonstrated the power of God. Jesus always worked with His Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit (John 6:63-65). God was powerfully active in full view of the disciples. When they became the leaders of the church, they would also mightily work with God. This miracle taught them a big lesson - that there is nothing righteous that God cannot do. Not only did a small picnic become a feast but there was enough left over so that each disciple had more than enough to eat themselves. The miracle was also a parable. Nothing God does is without meaning (Jesus' explanation of this one is in John chapter 6). However it was not just about providing the disciples with information; it was part of their training. They would need to rely on God when there was no provision and no visible way through. The same is true for us. Just because we cannot see a solution does not mean that God has not got it. And when He asks us to start doing something, but we cannot see why, we just need to be obedient so that He can involve us as He works in power. Each encounter with the Lord is His training to prepare us for the next.

Prayer: God of power and might. Thank You that You can do everything You choose to do. Nothing can stand in Your way. I am sorry when I have doubted or worried, failing to trust You when I could not see the way ahead. Please help me to keep on moving in faith even though I cannot see what lies ahead; and help me to grow in faith every time I am obedient, despite my weakness and apparently impossible situations. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

A cross section of women searching the scripture at the sword drill competition during the celebration By Mary Chinda

omen have being charged to apply wisdom and love in leadership. This admonition was given by Pastor Mrs Ndudi at the Bread of Life Pentecostal Bible Church, Emene during the occasion of the Mothers' Day celebration put together by the women of the church to celebrate themselves as godly mothers and submissive wives. Testifying on behalf the women, Rev. Mrs Amaka Aniede, wife of the General Superintendent of the church, told the congregation that this year's celebration runs with the theme “The Faithfulness of God” because God had been overly faithful to the women of the church. According to her “our children walk to school each term and return home unhurt, our youngsters have gained admissions in their dream universities and our husbands are financially blessed daily. This can only be God.'’ Amid the cheering of their husbands and children the women led the church for 5 hours as they sang, ministered, put up a playlet and even staged a heated debate session on the topic: Praise and prayer which is more effective? The sword drill by eight female contestants was yet another keenly display of the reality that mothers too can have the scriptures, which are referred to as the sword of the spirit by heart and can dish it out so swiftly in a matter of seconds. The event took a hilarious turn

when it came to the mandatory picking of the best mother among the crowd as 72year-old youthful-looking grandma Mrs. Helen Nwosu was the first to be picked among the other mothers. The newscast by Mrs Celestina Ezenagu tilted the event to a more comic side as its headlines announced the obituary of Mazi Ekwensu whose sad event was said to have occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning while he was passing through the Bread of Life Pentecostal Bible Church. Soon came the thrillerthe debate session which had Mrs. Elizabeth Ejikeme, Mrs. Caroline Church and Mrs. Theresa Ezidiegwu on the proposing side slugging it out with Mrs. Mary Nwankwo, Mrs.. Chinenye Okolo and Mrs Evelyn Uzoegbu on the opposing side in a sizzling show of wits. While the proponents of praise held that God himself inhabits in the midst of praise hence He has supplied Himself with 24 elders who worship Him endlessly, their opponents disagreed, pointing out that it is prayer not praise that Jesus charged us to engage in without ceasing.The service ended with the inauguration of new executive for the women. Mrs. Ngozi Ezeanyagu was announced the new woman leader, Mrs. Ngozi Ejikeme, her assistant. Mrs. Uzoamaka Obiora secretary; Mrs. Roseline Azuka treasurer and Mrs. Mary Nwankwo the financial secretary. Speaking to The Advocate, the new women head revealed that her goal within her 4-year term is to raise a crop of more virtuous mothers.

THE

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July 11 - 18, 2014

13 Nigerian banks make Top 1000 World Banks ranking

hirteen Nigerian banks have been listed among the Leading 1000 Global Banks as published by The Banker magazine of the Financial Times Group in its 2014 edition. The Nigerian banks that made the ranking based on Tier-1 capital are Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, FirstBank, Access Bank, United Bank for Africa, Fidelity Bank and Ecobank Nigeria. Others are Skye Bank, First City Monument Bank, Diamond Bank, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria and Union Bank of Nigeria. The report, which was released weekend, said banks in the world, for the first time since the global financial crisis, returned profit of $920 billion which is 23 per cent more than their previous peak of

$786 billion achieved in 2007 before the financial crisis. The report, which listed 13 Nigerian banks that made the ranking, underlines Nigeria's financial sector's leading position in Africa as no other African country has up to 13 banks in the Top 1000 World listing of banks. According to the report, Zenith Bank ranked top in Nigeria at 293 as Guaranty Trust is on number 415, FirstBank on number 424, Access Bank 532, United Bank for Africa ranked 539 and Fidelity 622. The report said profit on capital of three Nigerian banks that are not foreign-owned subsidiaries increased. These are FirstBank, that has its profit on capital increased to 25.32 per cent from 25.13 per cent; Access Bank, from

21.19 per cent to 21.24 per cent and First City Monument Bank, 15.77 per cent from 15.07 per cent. 23% increase in profit Editor of the magazine, Mr. Brain Caplen, noted that the 23 per cent increase in profit of global banks from 2007 “is a good news but the better news is that capital has also increased at a reasonable pace whereas assets have stayed flat. This means that returns on capital are only slightly improved but the hope is that this upturn is more sustainable than the last one.” Caplen disclosed that a large proportion of the profit is from China about 32 per cent of the total which is more than the next three highest profit countries of USA, Japan and Canada combined. Highest in Africa Of the 25 top banks in Africa from the ranking, the highest of eight is from Nigeria, the largest economy in the continent while the United Bank for Africa is the only

Nigerian bank in the top 10 highest movers in Africa. In all, Africa has 31 banks in the Top 1000 World Banks 2014 with Nigeria having 13 representing 41.94 per cent. The 31 African banks in the ranking are from nine countries: Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Angola, Gabon, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco and Togo. Globally, Senior Editor of the magazine, Philip Alexander, stressed that banks in this 2014 ranking “are stronger than ever” as “the level of capital held by banks in this ranking continues to accelerate, with the minimum Tier 1 capital required to enter the Top 1000 World Banks now fast appraching $400 million. This has almost doubled since the 2005 ranking,” he added. The Banker, a publication of Financial Times Newspaper which is regarded as the most influential newspaper in the world, is a global financial intelligence magazine

published since 1926. It is the definitive publication that provides guide to bank ratings and analysis globally and the definitive reference on international banking for finance experts, governments, chief finance officers, CEOs, Central Bank Governors, Finance Ministers, and other decision makers globally. According to The Global Capital Markets Surveys (GCMS), the only independent media benchmarking study available in the capital markets industry and provides insight into who reads what at the world's financial institutions, among monthly finance titles globally, The Banker is number one monthly finance title read globally, in capital markets; Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region; emerging markets and bank as well as financial institutions in the world. (Vanguard)

At 100 days, Obiano lays solid foundation for growth, prosperity Continued from page 22 of the last tranche of arrears of pension and gratuity to 644 pensioners totalling up to the sum of N946, 571, 926.46k. We have also constituted the local government staff pensions board and completed 2 administrative buildings to accommodate the expanding operations at the ministry of local governments. Education is so important to the Obiano administration especially its overall impact on the collective growth as a people, that governor Obiano had to commence a strategic process of building a human capital in this sector to meet the challenges of the century. According to him, “the government had in partnership with the Microsoft, commenced an on-going training-of-trainers workshop on ICT for 52 ICT demonstrators in schools, in addition to the deployment of ICT facilities in the 256 secondary schools in Anambra State.” “Similarly, we have upwardly reviewed the salaries of the staff of Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe and approved N10Million for the completion of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, N U T H o u s e . We a r e a l s o constructing new classroom blocks and renovating dilapidated ones to enhance the general environment of learning in Anambra State. In addition, we are facilitating the accreditation of eleven technical colleges and the establishment of two vocational centres in each of the three Senatorial Zones of the state. Equally, the governor considered the impact of the return of schools to the missions and churches on the recent educational achievements, and assured that his administration is strengthening a partnership with churches and missions for greater results and driving the Public Private Partnership in education

through UNICEF to support growth in this all important sector. In the area of health, he pointed out that the government had successfully established a Maternal and Child Health clinic in Nanka, Orumba North Local Government Area and commissioned an ultramodern Quality Control Unit and Information Centre, stressing that the government had also undertaken a comprehensive factfinding tour of all health institutions in the state to ascertain the state of things and flagged off medical services in some general hospitals. “In fact, we have even performed a number of highly successful free surgeries in Umueri General Hospital. A board for the recertification of health institutions in the state has been inaugurated while we have also commissioned an ultramodern clinic in the government house. In preventive medicine, we have flagged off the Expanded Programme on Immunization, Malaria Control Booster Projects as well as the Maternal Newborn and Childhealth Week On transport, governor Obiano hinted that the administration's score card, spoke volume: “we re-organized, trained and inaugurated the deployment of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) to roads in Anambra State with 8 n e w v e h i c l e s f o r e ff e c t i v e operations. We have successfully decongested our roads of abandoned and rickety vehicles to ensure a smooth flow of traffic in our cities. We have also launched the Operation Zero-tolerance of Potholes in Anambra State to facilitate vehicular movement and ease off traffic congestion on our roads. “We have made reasonable efforts to bring orderliness to traffic flow in our cities by aggressively marking the roads to indicate parking spaces and setting up traffic signs to aid

motorists. We have clearly marked out strategic locations in Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi where we shall set up modern Bus Stops. Similarly, we have successfully bided and handed over 51 public motor parks to agents for a more effective management and as part of the activities marking my first 100-Days in Office, we shall formally inaugurate the Anambra State Taxi Scheme with a total of 300 Nissan Almera Taxis. The Obiano administration has also recorded a high degree of progress in the Information, Culture and Tourism sector where the governor said a draft bill has just been sent to the Ministry of Justice for the establishment of Anambra State Tourism Agency to drive the development and promotion of tourism in the state and speed up the development of the historic Ogbunike Cave as a world class tourist destination. He added that the government has taken some bold steps to rebuild the state-owned media houses, appointing new MD/CEOs for ABS and National Light newspaper while the proposal for the purchase of modern equipment for the two establishments is presently before the Tenders Board. Plans are underway to establish the Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency to sanitize the outdoor advertising sector while we have set the necessary machinery in motion to re-organize and revamp the Government Press. In the area of the environment, he said the government is embarking on a campaign “to reclaim our cities and neighbourhoods from filth and maintain a healthy balance with nature is going on well. We have set the agenda for a cleaner Anambra with the successful launch of Operation Keep Anambra Clean and sounded the clarion call for the maintenance of the ecological balance of Anambra State with the

Tree Planting Campaign in Achina three weeks ago. “Our war against the menace of soil erosion has become even more intense. My recent visit to the Ministry of the Environment in Abuja has strengthened our efforts in this regard. My administration has pledged to pay up the sum of N500m in counterpart funds to attract a planned federal government initiative that will checkmate the incidence of soil erosion in select states of the federation. At the same time, we have reached an agreement to increase the number of erosion sites currently being handled in partnership with the World Bank from 5 to 12.” He said that the government is on a campaign to stop deforestation, bush-burning, abrupt termination of drainages and other harmful practices that violate the natural order of the environment and encourage the menace of soil erosion. Governor Obiano stated that he has also commenced the de-silting of water channels and the construction of culverts across many water channels in all the 21 local government areas of the state, emphasizing that “There is a faster collection and disposal of refuse, while the Odumegwu Ojukwu Gateway of the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway has been beautified to give visitors into Anambra State a new sense of aesthetic grace.” Re-echoing the State government's expectation that the state deserves a more befitting capital than what obtains presently, the governor stated that he had to flag off the construction of 3 flyover bridges in the Awka Capital Territory, adding that “these bridges will be built at Amawbia Junction, Kwata Junction and Aroma Junction respectively to change the infrastructural landscape of the city. We have also flagged off the construction of the Three Arms Zone at the Green Wood layout in Agu Awka. In addition, we have set up the new

Aw k a C a p i t a l Te r r i t o r y Development Board to come up with concepts and designs that will transform Awka into a supermodern city that we shall all be proud of. The Committee, headed by Chief Chika Egwuatu, a renowned architect, has since started the groundwork that will give us the new capital of our dream. He also said that the government is not relenting in its effort to provide affordable housing for Ndi Anambra stressing that “the highpoint of the achievement in this sector could be seen in our ability to attract the World-Bank funded $300m urban housing scheme in collaboration with the federal government and the Nigerian Mortgage Re-finance Company (NMRC). Anambra State is the first state to benefit from this scheme that will see the construction of 500 units of housing in Awka Capital City. We have allocated the land for this project and very soon, the contractors shall mobilize to the site.” “Ndi Anambra, in 100 days, we have re-possessed our cities and communities from violent criminals and brought back night life in Awka and the surrounding areas. We have strengthened our social contract with the civil service by providing buses that currently ply four designated routes to make life easier for workers in Anambra State. We have fought to restore order in our cities and reclaim some recreational parks and open spaces that have been overrun by unorganised commercial activities. We shall do more in the coming days. “... As a result of this, I have set aside my weekends for direct personal involvement in the lives of our people. Since I became your governor, I have made extensive private visits to celebrate with those who rejoice and commiserate with others who are in mourning and grief. These are the soft issues of governance and we shall continue to do them in an organised way.

THE

ADVOCATE

July 11 - 18, 2014

Anambra University Teaching Hospital outstanding in hip and knee replacement surgery – Dr Ifeanyi Ezeobi

he Anambra State U n i v e r s i t y Te a c h i n g Hospital, Amaku, Awka, South East, has recorded remarkable feats in various aspects of health care delivery since it was established on Oct. 2011. Speaking to newsmen at the hospital in Awka, the Former Chief Medical Director of the Teaching Hospital, Dr. Ifeanyi Ezeobi said in addition to recording a successful hip and knee replacement surgery on thirty four patients in collaboration with United States medical team, the University Teaching Hospital has established a New Born special Unit to curb infant mortality. D r. E z e o b i , a C o n s u l t a n t Orthopedic and Trauma Surgeon of international repute disclosed that the medical institution has received accreditation from the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council and pointed out that the achievement of these medical feats is made possible by the efforts and giant strides of the Former Anambra State Governor, Chief Peter Obi, and the uncommon commitment of

his successor, Chief Dr. Willie Obiano (Akpokuedike) to ensuring quality health care deliverey to the people. Dr Ezeobi noted that since his assumption of office on March 17th this year, Governor Obiano has left no stone unturned in his efforts to better equip all health institutions in the State with state of the arts facilities just as he observed that the Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Akabuike has shown similar concern to the health of the citizens and that this prompted him to undertake health facility tour of the Teaching Hospital, immediately he assumed duty to know the hospital problems, diagnonise them and come up with solutions that will reposition the health institution and place it on a better stead.

While describing good health as critical to the sustainable growth of any nation the Consultant Orthopedic and Trauma Surgeon

Dr. Ifeanyi Ezeobi

opined that with the great concern shown to the hospital by the State Government and the calibre of its management and staff, the Anambra State University Teaching Hospital will grow, develop and be in a better position to tackle the health needs of the nation, by providing efficient health care service delivery and contributing its quota in creating a healthy nation which is one of the greatest assests of any country. The former Chief Medical Director then admonished staff of the Teaching Hospital to remember that their service is a call to duty and to be dedicated and committed to quality patient care just as he enumerated some of the attributes of a dedicated worker which included punctuality, patriotism,

resilience, and ability to work without much supervision. Dr. Ezeobi remarked that in the present circumstance when the world is plagued with global economic meltdown, with its attendant mass unemployment, huge job cuts and budget deficits, and white collar job almost extinct, every worker must put in his or her best to enhance productivity, boost output to remain relevant. On Governor Willie Obiano one hundred days in office Dr. Ifeanyi Ezeobi described it as not only dynamic but eventful and one that has rolled out plans for the monumental transformation of Anambra State just as he described the Governor's Security Network as efficient, robust, effective and second to none. While commending Governor O b i a n o f o r h i s c r e a t i v i t y, professionalism and entrepreneurialship, Dr. Ezeobi remarked that within just one hundred days in office the Governor has remained committed to the core values of integrity discipline and responsibility. Ray Udeagbara from Awka

Why leaving the predator beasts and go bullying civil young leopards, oh Nigeria? Continued from back page

difficult to contain this time around. The FGN must be told that her alleged friendly anti-terrorism fight disposition to the Boko Haram led Islamist terrorists and their partners in crime, to the extent of making amnesty cum empowerment offers, while heroes of non terrorists Selfdetermination like Barr Ben Onwuka and Cos are to be detained and charged for treason is highly ridiculous, unimaginative, unlawful, witch-hunting and senseless. Is it not in the best interest of Nigeria to study the undying passions for Biafra despite the Biafra war holocausts, also look inward and find out why all the ethnic nationalities that fought Igbo led Biafra are today asking for selfdetermination with armies of ethnic militias, here and there; than chasing and hounding UmuOwuwaAnyaanwu (Children of Land of the Rising Sun)? What a cadaverous efulefu nationalism/dance! FGN has always through her unwarranted treason dragnets on Biafran agitators as seen presently hanging on Ben Onwuka and his non terrorists BZM been sending a wrong message that peaceful approaches to struggle are no longer honoured but violence, abductions and terrorism as have been the case in recent time Nigeria. One strongly condemned such a system as being anti-social and anti-human and feared that it may not only lead to the death of Nigeria (assuming she is alive) but dealt a big blow to worldly peace. This portends that there are neither path to honour nor equality in Nigerian nationality, anymore! Some enjoy culture of impunity destroying properties and killing the humanity of all while those still believing in civil and democratic alternatives are either hounded into prisons or got killed

through extra-judicial killings as seen with BZM Members, IPOB (under Radio Biafra London), MASSOBIANS, BILIE Human Rights Initiatives and other proBiafra agitators. This cannot be the One Nigeria of the Great Zik but a Nigeria making descent into culture of impunity and disnigerianization! But who cares? Be it said that terrorists have never been seen nor described as “freedom fighters” the way leading Northern leaders like the Gen Mohammadu Buhari, rtd, and Mallam Nasir El Rufai equating them with the Niger Delta Ex-militants are doing while they commit crimes against humanity. Definitely, while the Igbo youths understood the requisite of the amnesty granted to the Niger Deltas' environmental rights and resource controls agitators, they are waiting in the wing to see amnesty and or empowerment for the Islamist Boko Haram terrorists and Cos. They are ready to embrace rebellion if it becomes what it takes to be heard, conciliated and empowered. One stalwartly call for massive job creations and opportunities for the army of youths roaming the streets as a proper way of building human resources than to wait doing so only for those who fire guns and throw bombs against the state and humanity! One strongly warned that any person, group, tribes or sects that want Ndi Igbo to remain perennial sacrificial lambs in this 21st century will sooner or later live to regret because the Igbo are now wiser and enriched in both human and natural resources that can only be undermined to anyone's or group's colossal damage. One is warning that no one can guarantee the state of peace in Nigeria especially amongst the army of the unemployed Igbo youths if Ben Onwuka and other Biafran agitators are not released or

tried/convicted for treason for just asking for the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra Rights as guaranteed by United Nations 2007 declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous People, among it is right to statehood. One also, warned that those advising the FGN to go after the Pro-Biafra agitators that are mostly sympathetic to the embattled Presidency of Jonathan Azikiwe Ebele Goodluck do not wish Mr. President well. The first Azikiwe is the beauty of all that is good enough for Africa; this second Azikiwe shall not fail. We all owed him good wills to triumph in the midst of unspeakable sabotages. Helping steering the troubled and distressed Ship of Nigerian state to safe coast: If we are parting ways; it is better done in peace. One suspects, some people are up for sinister moves while tactically drawing unnecessary frictions and battle-line between President Goodluck and his Igbo kinsmen! Assuming without conceding that Mr. President had his impression on the current clamp-down on young leopards, be it warned that no one has won a battle against his kinsmen. One dare asks: Where are the wise men and women of the political Niger Delta? Be it reminded to whom it may concerned troubling the young leopards that the Igbo live to posit: “Onyeakpakwanaagu aka n'odu; ma o di ndu, ma o nwuruanwu [Let no one dare touch a leopard's tail; whether it lives or not alive”. This 'Ilu' is enough for the wise! Come what may, feelers from Igbo nation (especially her young leopards) confirm unanimous ideological belief in people's right to self-determination and firmness of principle. That they stood in solidarity with the neo-Biafra agitators as seen, led by this great freedom fighter and social

justice crusader Ben Onwuka; and therefore demands that the order to try him and his disciples for treason be dropped by the Federal Government with immediate effect. Federal government of Nigeria leave Ben Onwuka and his Biafra Zionist Movement and other Biafra agitators alone since they meant no harm to human lives and property; hunting, suffering and killing them for no just reason may force the YOUNG LEOPARDS OUT living, thinking and doing otherwise. Finally, one in the face of the anti-social clogs on Igbo's wheel of progress and noticeable inequality in Nigerian nationality; hereby reiterates Ohanaeze Youth Council's call for a referendum to determine the Igbo's political future within or outside Nigeria as enunciated in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007, through a plebiscite organized by the Igbo/United Nations. And as well, warn that no one or group has monopoly of violence! It pays to live peaceful! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! No death is cheap, whether that of a terrorist or counter-terrorist. Death is death. ! Our soldiers, police and security men shall not be made helpless victims by the Nigerian state and citizenry they elected to defend and or die for! They deserve better live and improved resources to train their own children and contribute their own quota to the economy than ever serving as sacrificial lambs. Mazi Okwu Okwu, is Secretary, Board of Trustees/Project Expansion Emissary, Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC and former, National Coordinator, Concerned Youths of Nigeria. He writes from No. 31 EzikeNwamiriaku Avenue, Umungwu Umuohama, Ukpor, Anambra state. Email:okwuokwu@yahoo.com.

THE

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July 11 - 18, 2014

Entertainment plus

Davido shuts down Kefee to be laid to stadium in Rwanda, rest, Friday, July 11 gets presidential welcome

Davido in Rwanda

eeks after grabbing his First B E T international award, Nigerian sensation flew off to perform in Rwanda at the Amahoro national stadium in Capital Kigali. Rwanda were celebrating

their July 4th annual Liberation Day and they invited the prince of African pop to entertain them. Surprisingly on Davido's arrival at the Kigali airport he was welcomed by the P r es id en t o f R w an d a, President Paul Kagame with

his wife and kids. The concert was headlined by Davido and the young Aye crooner gave his Rwandan fans a night not to forget. There where about 9 East African presidents at the show that night; Tanzanian

President Jakaya Kikwete and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta were among the presidents at the show. Rwanda celebrates Liberation day as the day to mark the defeat of the genocidal regime led by the RPF.

Actress Mimi Orjiekwe wins award in Tanzania dexterity in interpreting her role in the movie, Mission to Grave. Other Nigerian m o v i e practitioners who bagged awards were veteran movie producer, Andy Boyo, who won

ood things can actually come from Nigeria as fast rising Nollywood actress, Mimi Orjiekwe, made the country proud when she grabbed a prestigious award of Best New Face in Nollywood at the annual African Film Development Awards at the 17th edition of the Zanzibar International Film Festival held recently in Tanzania. According to organisers of the awards cum festival, Mimi merited the award for her outstanding talent and

the award for Best Africa Movie Producer with his movie, Cobra, while the duo of popular actor and Delta State Commissioner for Tourism, Richard MofeDamijo, RMD, and Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, the organiser of Africa Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, were decorated with special r e cog n i t i on a w a r d a n d lifetime achievement award respectively.

Chika Ike looks Stunning in Lace Gown

ollywood actress Chike Ike is rocking her sexy figure in the beautiful outfit. Nollywood actress, Chika Ike, took to Instagram to share pictures of her rocking her sexy body in a slimfitting lace dress. The Bullet drink ambassador is really in a good shape... We love the sexy look and of course the nice outfit.

he late Kefee Don-Momoh will be laid to rest on Friday, July 11, 2014, 31 days after she passed away in a US hospital. A statement released by her publicist in Lagos on Thursday states that Kefee's husband, Teddy Don-Momoh, has been making arrangements to bring her body back from the U.S. and would arrive the country first to receive her body before taking her down to Delta State for burial. It was also stated that the Branama singer will be buried in her hometown, Okpara-Inland, Ethiope East local government, Sapele, Delta State as requested by her family. Members of the Kefee Memorial Committee, which is made up of artistes and entertainment personalities paid a condolence visit to the late singer's parents in their Sapele, Delta State home on Wednesday, July 2 2014. The committee members included Sammie Okposo, Nikki Laoye, Annie Ibrahim, Gordons, Princess, Linda Etukudo, Rex Anighoro, Noah Momodu, Covenant and Chika 100%. Sammie Okposo, who spoke on behalf of the committee, told Kefee's family that the delegation was in Sapele to commiserate with them on their loss and harmonise the arrangements of the Kefee Memorial Committee with the preparations of her family. “We will perform the last respects we owe our sister to the best of our abilities. We will let the world know that a queen was here and she will always be celebrated. She brought peace, happiness and love to the world even in her passing and even though we are heartbroken, we will be comforted in the fact that God knows best and we cannot question him”. Sammie Okposo said. Annie Ibrahim, a fellow Gospel artist and close friend to Kefee, spoke of how Kefee introduced her into the entertainment industry and said that she had stopped mourning but was now celebrating Kefee's life. Nikki Laoye, also a Gospel singer spoke of their friendship and further noted that, “Kefee was a fighter and unapologetically passionate about her music and her art. Till her last breath, she spent her time and energy sharing her message of love, strength and peace across the world.” Comedian and friend, Princess said, “Kefee was a huge gift put in a small container for all of us and we didn't even know how powerful she was. She made such a huge impact in her short life that some men of 50 years have not achieved. You are a lucky man to have had her as your child,” she told Kefee's father. Other members of the committee also expressed their grief and condolences after which Kefee's father, Mr. Andrew Obareki thanked them for the visit. Mr. Obareki said the visit had reduced their grief and prayed that God would continue to guide and guard the entertainment industry so there will be no similar occurrences like the untimely death of his daughter. “I stand on the authority of the word of God and use the key of David to shut the gates of death from the entertainment industry; there shall be no more sudden, tragic, premature and untimely deaths. “I'm glad Kefee touched the lives of many and her memory will continue to live on. Sometimes it's not easy to give God thanks but we have no choice”, he said.

THE

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July 11 - 18, 2014

By Okey Anyichie

The Nigerian team

Portugal but could drew 2-2 with Germany and lost to USA and Portugal. And so it was a missionimpossible in this year’s global shoot out in Brazil, the Latin American Country of soccer. Nigeria, another name in soccer in Africa and the current Africa Cup of Nations Soccer champions also fell by the wayside in this on-going competition in Brazil. Nigeria started the competition on a very shaky note in uninteresting match with Iran, which ended goalless. The west African country in the second match with Bosnia-Hezergovina, pipped the European country by a lone goal. However lost out to Argentina by 3-2 in the last match but was lucky to qualify, thanks to the proud in 1990 in Italy by out-come of the match qualifying for the quarter between Iran and Bosnia final of the global competition, thanks to 'ageless' Roger Milla. Ghana in 2010 edition of the competition, after qualifying for the quarterfinal was on the edge of shooting into the semifinal but blew the chance after Asemoah Gyan tossed away the last minute penalty-kick in an encounter with Uruguay. However in this on-going competition in Brazil the West African country struggled to qualify in their group with G e r m a n y, U S A a n d

Africa at the 2014 World Cup Soccer fiesta A post- Mortem

he ongoing world cup soccer competition involving thirty two countries in Brazil has now zeroed into quarter final which kicked of on th the 4 July, 2014. This global soccer competition had five African countries which had fallen by the wayside after the competition started on 12th June, 2014 with Brazil, the host country traded tackles with the European country, of Croatia. Five African countries of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroun Algeria and

Cote D'Ivoire were the African Flag bearers at the competition but disappointed teeming football fans across the length and breath of the continent. The most nonperforming country among the five is Cameroun which lost by a lone goal to Mexico and were overwhelmed 0-4 by Croatia and finally crumbled by 1-4 to the host country, Brazil. In fact going by this uninspiring result, Cameroun showed they are now the shadows of the past. Hence it was Cameroun that did Africa

which Iran lost by 3-1. But this qualification for the second round of the competition has given teeming crowd of football fans in the country, a night-mare, as France had been a stumbling block to Nigeria in her bid to qualify for the quarter final at least for once, since 1994 when Nigeria could not shoot into the quarter-final stage of the competition. France checked the bid by Nigeria for the race to quarter final after beating Nigeria by 2-0. It was the end of the road for Nigeria last Monday, 30 th June 2014, Cote D'Ivoire tried very much but could not qualify in their group by losing 2-1 to Colombia, beating Japan 2-1 and lost hopelessly to Greece. Algeria raised the hopes of millions of football fans in the continent, when she qualified for the

second round in their group with sound beating of South-Korea 4-2 and lost 1-2 to Belguim and drew 1-1 with Russia. But could not withstand the tempo of extra-time of the match with Germany by 2-1, and so was out of the race for the quarter-final of the competition. Having taking a retrospect on the outings of the five African Countries in the Global Soccer ‘Shoot-outs’ in Brazil, has painted the picture of inconsistency by African Countries at the World Cup soccer competition, instead of going in a clockwise direction , it is anticlockwise, giving the impression that the continent lacks focus in the global soccer competition. So it is going back to the drawing board may be the answer for 2018 edition in Russia. Is it possible?

The Algerian team

Serena Williams may have pulled out of Wimbledon due to pregnancy

ive-time Wimbledon singles champion and world number one Serena Williams is rumoured to be pregnant, after the tennis star retired from her doubles match on 1 July. The 32-year-old was forced to withdraw from her doubles match with sister Venus Williams, as she didn't appear to have any coordination. “I am heartbroken I'm not able to continue in the tournament,” Serena said in a statement. “I thought I could rally this morning because I really wanted to compete, but this bug just got the best of

Serena Williams

me.” A German tabloid claimed the rumour around London is that Serena is pregnant and that her French coach and rumoured boyfriend, Patrick Mouratoglou, is the father. Meanwhile, nine-time Wi m b l e d o n c h a m p i o n Martina Navratilova told the press that she is worried Serena's condition could be something more serious than viral illness. “I find it distressing. I think virus, whatever they're saying it was, I don't think that was it. I think it's clear that's not the case. I don't know what it is,

but I hope Serena will be OK,” she said. “I've never seen anything like it and hopefully never will again. Everybody was put in such a difficult position, including the WTA. It's not right. It defies logic on so many fronts. The coach said he hadn't seen her for two days. He didn't know anything. How can you be a coach and not know anything? That's wrong. And Venus was just kind of there. You don't know what's going on, but virus was not it, that much is clear,” Navratilova continued.

THE

ADVOCATE

July 11 - 18, 2014

Nothing ‘ll make me change my mind to coach Eagles again – Keshi 'I am tired of all the intrigues, backbiting and insinuations I get’ Former Nigeria coach, Stephen Keshi has in this interview speaks of his next line of action after quitting his plum job as Nigerian national team, Super Eagles, handler. He gave reasons for resigning shortly after Nigeria was axed from the World Cup in Brazil. last match and the Federation never approached me for a Knowing what you know now, what renewal. What does that say? It would you have done as regards the says to me I'm not wanted. I am preparations of the team before this going to go and rest, spend some time with my family and then World Cup? hopefully get another job where I would have loved to have had them in I am wanted. camp a lot earlier. The European season made a little bit difficult as I did not want to After the Afcon win, have only one half of the squad in camp P r e s i d e n t G o o d l u c k before the others joined. Jonathan intervened and We had less than two weeks to perfect our sorted things out. What if plans and it showed as it was only when we got to the tournament that we started he does this time? picking up our rhythm. We had only three As much as I respect and friendly matches which are really not appreciate the number one enough to get ready for a tournament like citizen of the country I am afraid this. So, those are what I would have liked to that this time it is going to be difficult. I am totally done with change. some of these people.

Have you really quit your post?

Yes. I have done my bit. I am tired of all the intrigues and backbiting and insinuations I get. The criticisms are nothing really because even siblings criticise each other. In this job sometimes it goes overboard and my family and those of my players get called names. I have had to tell the players many times to ignore those criticisms and just focus on the tasks at hand.

There are many Nigerians who support you. Many who would like to see you continue the work you started with the team. Can you not change your mind for them? The same ones who were calling for my head after the Iran match? That ‚the World Cup is too big for Keshi? I know there are many who truly support what we have been trying to do over these past months but I just cannot continue in this job anymore. To start with, my contract ended with the

If you were the Sports Minister of Nigeria what is it you will do or try and put in place to make the job of the national team coach a lot easier? Make the Federation pay his salaries on time and those of his assistants. Build a training centre and facility for the national team to train. We never had anywhere decent to train. The Abuja National Stadium is filled with sand and the worst kind of sand. That means when someone goes to ground he will have skin wounds. I and my assistants spend our own money to buy training cones and some of the things we use for training sessions. In most countries of the world when a coach is hired he brings in his own coaching team. Well for two years now I have been told to pay the salary of my assistant Valery Houandinou, someone who has been with me from Togo through to Mali where those countries paid

Ex-Nigerian coach, Stephen Keshi his salary alongside paying mine. In two and half years, I had no official residence. I stayed in a hotel. I had no official car. I thank God for Chief Mike Adenuga for those two cars he gave to me after the Afcon win. However, these federation officials will continue to trumpet that ‚they gave Keshi everything to succeed. Mali is one of the poorest countries in Africa but I was given my place of residence and an official car within three days of me taking on the job. I also had a house in Togo and was never owed salaries.

What will happen to the young players you have built up into internationals as it means that Nigeria is losing out on the continuity that you staying on would have brought on?

Well, there is a nucleus of a team to work with there so a new coach will have the players there. In my mind I could set out two equally strong squads with the players available to me. However, the new coach might come in and say that these players would not fit into his style and so it will be. Not going to be my problem again (smiles).

Clearly your experience with Togo and Mali has helped you at this job? Oh, without a shadow of doubt. God took me to those countries to give me the experience of dealing with people. It is far more difficult to work in your own country I have just found out. When I qualified Togo for the Afcon and the World Cup I got their national honour and diplomatic passport. Such was their gratitude. They make you comfortable and of course results followed. God was awesome in taking me through that route.

Did you take a risk with the squad Sports is good for overall development you took to the tournament? distance time and advised them to keep it of the child – Mkpon up.

arents, board of governors and other stakeholders of Nigerian Christian Institute, Akwa Ibom State have commended the excellent performance of their wards for developing interest in judo, taekwondo, basket ball, field and track events. Speaking during the just concluded 2014 inter house sports competition of the school, the Chairman board of governors, Nigerian Christian Institute, Mr. Okon Mkpong who was represented by his Vice Chairman, Mr. Ikemesit M. said this year's inter-house sports competition was very remarkable, an indication that the school has come of age in it's development. He described the students' performances as wonderful and promised that they would not relent in making sure that more hidden talents are discovered in the area of

sports. The proprietor of the school said they will not relent in ensuring that the existing relationship between sports and education curricular which are inter woven should both be encouraged for over all development of the child. Mr. Mkpong commended the parents for their show of understanding during the inter house sports competition while promising that the school management would continue to provide qualitative secondary education for the students to showcase the true character of the institution to the outside world. He also commended the students superlative performance during the inter house sport competition, as they showcased their God given talents which he said will begin to yield fruits in no

The principal further commended the parents and stakeholders in the educational industry for their contribution towards hosting a successful inter house sports competition in the school, adding that next year's event would surely be more remarkable than this, while advising parents to take advantage of their educational excellence to bring in their wards to study in the school. The event which took place at the school mini stadium was witnessed by large number of people which include parents' students and their well wishers. The overall best athlete “male” won by David Ekanem, while Green house emerged the overall winner of the competition with 503 points followed by Blue house with 435 while yellow house scored 419 and red 384 respectively.

I did not take a risk. From the training camp and from the friendly matches I chose the players I believed would give me what I wanted on the field. People say I took players to sell them and I laugh. Michael Babatunde has not even started playing. Ramon Azeez will be a top player and he has a big heart. It is unfortunate for Reuben Gabriel that he has suffered a lot with injuries because he has every attribute to be a super player. Many Nigerians who are sincere know his qualities. I trust that he will come through.

But would you be his or their coaches then? No. My job with Nigeria is done. I just hope who comes in will give them the opportunity to showcase their talents. When I took over there was no standing team and I had to build from scratch really but am gone. I have loved serving my country but I believe I am done.

Vol. 1 No. 40, July 11 - 18, 2014

Jonathan Akpoborie

Back page comment

Why leaving the predator beasts and go bullying civil young leopards, oh Nigeria? By Mazi Okwu Okwu

njustice to the saints is an affront to humanity and Great 'Chi' that must be repudiated by all living souls irrespective of the lines of social divides and culture. Consequently, I hereby express great discomfort and discontentment with the Federal Government of Nigeria and her security outfits that fear and beg the Islamist Boko Haram terrorists and likes' for dialogue and at the same time fighting and killing the non-violent agitators of Self determination like the Biafran Zionist Movement (BZM), Indigenous People of Biafra (under Radio Biafra), Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB)and others asking for the re-establishment of the Republic of Biafra. The continuous killings, harassments and arrests of the Biafran Self-determination activists as seen with the recent arrests of the non-terrorist BZM leader, Barr Ben Onwuka, and his followers while leading peaceful protest, currently being detained and tried for treason against Nigeria in Enugu State have again raised mountainous questions on the bases of the Nigerian state and remain condemnable as well as ignoble. One wondered when Man's inalienable rights, the United Nations' Universal Declaration on Human Rights, UN Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007), African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and world-wide acclaimed “right to selfdetermination” which Nigeria is all signatory to, has suddenly become TREASON. One sees this Nigeria's latest anti-Ben Onwuka/BZM and other Biafra agitators disgusting war as fostering of her ongoing post-Biafra war economic trenches and determined efforts to undermine Igbo nation and her interests and a continuation of the evil acts making Igbo citizenry the scapegoats of the Nigerian politics that may eventually spring Igbo Clan Spirit fruition. Here be it noted, we have been having many terrible cases of ethnic militias' uprisings, Islamists Boko Harams terrorists' attacks, destruction of lives and properties; and arrests of the top terroristsuspects and sponsors in Nigeria; yet ignobly regrettable that none has been seriously prosecuted for treasonable felony. Yet Nigeria and her 'Gestapo Police' has suddenly woke up calling for the head of the BZM leader Ben Onwuka and his harmless disciples? Whereas the leaders of the armed/ violent ethnic militias are having fields' day along with the Boko Haram terrorists and have not merited such a dehumanizing clamp-

down, it is holistically a gross case of continuation of the irrational bias and the perennial injustices against Ndi Igbo in Nigeria for Nigeria and her security agents to arrest Ben Onwuka and Cos for treason trial. A good spirited person must condemn this, the same way he ought to condemn in strong terms the serial killings of Ndi Igbo and destruction of their properties across the country especially in the Northern Nigeria. No wonder, the rise of Boko Haram terrorists and other Islamists bloodletting groups that have endangered the humanity of all is the result of the blood of the saints crying to high heaven and demanded by Mother Earth, breaking the silence and inactions of the gullible mass, culpable leaders and governments. The bloodletting hunters are now hunting selves down saying that they are killing 'animals' not sparing even the British that unduly gave them imperium such that Britons and their look-alike White men are like the Igbos now endangered species. I mean British and her fellow Whiteanity entente cordiale colonial masters that stole our land and sold our spirituality to the straightjacket Christianity branding us their “God given Children” but while lowering their imperial flags, gave power to the holders of swords they also told us are God forsaken people and enemy of God of Israel that they brought to save us? I think it now makes sense theoretically that

“WESTERN EDUCATION IS A SIN (BOKO HARAM)! How I wish the Boko Haram will drop arsenals of mass destructions and come up with intellectual militancy espousing the cause of theoretical Boko Haram that we may see how the colonial masters fed us with conquest histories and scholarship seeing us having educated corrupt elites milking the commonwealth dry? But here be it asked: where were Nigeria government and her “self-contented nationalists” ripping off the commonwealth when the harbingers of Islamism got 12 states of the North opted out of Nigeria's Constitutionalism and democratic alternatives and declared Sharia rule that has messed up the (military imposed) Nigerian Constitution and equality in Nigerian nationality, which gives the Islamist Boko Haram and co. the starting point to push for the forceful Islamization of Nigeria? What then still drives Nigerian State that does not want Biafra be when she derailed on Great Zik's path to Nigerian nationalism, reneged on all agreed bases of NO VICTOR, NO VANGUISHED leading to non implementation of the Biafra Nigeria

War Treaty especially the 3-Rs Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction? Must agreement breached by one party be binding on another? Who or which law says so? I want to know. Inequality in Nigerian Nationality has seen NdiIgbo and Christians up North and Middle Belt killed like sheep without shepherds and no serious personality has been ordered for treason by the Federal Government of Nigeria and her Security outfits despite the open source intelligence and security discoveries pointing to “political big fishes”? Why and why always pummeling on Ben Onwukas, Ralph Uwazuruikes, NnamdiKanus and Biafra agitators, alone? Is this how to guarantee equality in Nigerian nationality; I mean by enslaving Biafrans and others to the self-eseemed born to rule North killing people like fowls? Is it wise to go after the Islamist terrorists that have rejected equality in Nigerian nationality destroying humanity of all and at the same time going after those still professing constitutionalism and democratic alternatives (I MEAN BIAFRANS) like terrorist, at a go? It must be said that terrorists' acts and crimes in Nigeria as led by Islamist Boko Haram and likes have reached an embarrassing peak that the Federal Government and Security networks have to leave the nonviolent Ben Onwuka, his disciples and other Biafra/selfdetermination agitators alone and battle the Islamist terrorists monsters to the root and stop this erratic anti-terrorism fights. Massive arrests of the Boko Haram terrorists and disclosures about their high profile backers and arms keepers have been made. We, therefore wondered what else is needed to eradicate Boko Haram and Cos' rebellions? It is not conspicuous that the same Nigerian state that killed harmless Comrade Ken SaroWiwa and co. for simply being members of [an environmental rights] organization that allegedly went violent now seem to be shielding terrorists and their financiers already exposed? Can this be happening if Nigeria meant business with her antiterrorism war? Federal Government of Nigeria must be told out-rightly that by recommending nonviolent agitators of the Republic of Biafra for treason trials, as seen with Ben Onwuka, Uwazuruikeand Co. that have never slapped anyone in the course of Biafra agitation, she is trying to re-open Igbo's unhealed Biafra wounds and inversely asking for another warring disaster. This may definitely lead to many un-bargained crop-ups that would be

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Jonathan Akpoborie (born 20 October 1968) is a former Nigerian football player who spent the majority of his playing career in Germany.

Career Akpoborie started his professional career at Julius Berger, before moving to USA. In 1990 he joined 1. FC Saarbrücken of German 2. Bundesliga. Akpoborie also had spells with FC Carl Zeiss Jena, Stuttgart Kickers, for whom he scored 37 goals in one season, and Waldhof Mannheim, before finally joining top-flight F.C. Hansa Rostock in 1995. After spending two years at Hansa, the player moved to their Bundesliga rivals VfB Stuttgartand then VfL [1] Wolfsburg in 1999. Akpoborie finished his playing career at Saarbrücken in 2002.

International career Akpoborie was part of the Nigeria team that won the first edition of the FIFA U-16 Championship in 1985, scoring in the final against the then West Germany. Two years later, he featured for the Flying Eagles at the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship in Chile. At the senior level, he was selected for the 1992 and 2000 Africa Cup of Nations where he won bronze and silver respectively. His first senior cap was in a 1992 Africa Cup of Nations Thirdplace match against Cameroon, which the Super Eagles won. He scored his first goal for the Super Eagles against Mexico at the 1995 U.S. Cup on 24 June 1995. He got his second goal a 48th minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Kenya in a 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification match on 12 January 1997. Akpoborie was surprisingly dropped from Nigeria's squad for 1998 FIFA World Cup by Bora Milutinović, in spite of the fact that he played in five of the six 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and was the joint second top scorer in the 1997-98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup tournament. He was also one of the two Nigerian footballers to play in a European Cup final that year, the other being Inter Milan defender Taribo West, who was red-carded in the 1998 UEFA Cup Final, less than a month to the World Cup in France. In 1999, Dutch manager Thijs Libregts recalled him to the national side in a 2000 Africa Cup of Nations(AFCON) qualifier against Senegal. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with Akpoborie scoring his third international goal. Nigeria did not play any qualifier after the game as they qualified as hosts of the 2000 AFCON after Zimbabwe the originally designated host failed to get a guarantee from the government. Akpoborie featured in a number of games ahead of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification CAF First Round, he scored his fourth goal in Nigeria's 40 win over Eritrea in Lagos.