We'll save PDP from collapse by Vanguard Media Limited

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2—SATURDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

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Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 3

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4 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

Militar err orists in Borno N Militaryy kill 50 tterr errorists BornoN N NDAHI MARAMA BY

T least 50 suspect ed Boko Haram sect members were killed in an encounter with Military Troops of 5 Brigade of 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Monguno when the terrorists laid ambush in two communities of Gajiram, the Headquarters of Nganzai and Bullabulin Ngaura of Konduga Local Government Areas of Borno state. This was disclosed by the Spokesman of the 7Division, Leuitenant Colonel Sagir Musa in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri yesterday. Nganzai is about 73 kilometres, while Bullabulin Ngawra is 45 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the state capital. Both councils are linked and have borders with the terrorist’s camps of Marte and Sambiza forests acclaimed to have been destroyed by JTF during the peak of the emergency rule and the military onslaught of Boko Haram terrorists in the state since

June this year. It would be recalled that there was a separate cordinated attacks by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Gajiram and Bullabulin Ngaura Communities of Borno, where about 20 people were killed including an aide to Governor Kashim Shettima, Alhaji Mohammed Sani (alias A. Banje).Details emerged that the aide to Governor Shettima was amongst the nine people killed

along MaiduguriDamboa -Biu road while on his way to Biu Local Government Area before he fell into the hands of the terrorists who mounted road blocks few metres away from Bullabulin Ngaura village.Sagir said “Our troops have effectively repelled the Boko Haram coordinated attacks on Gajiram, Bullabulin Ngaura villages in Nganzai and Konduga council areas.

10 injured in Ogun auto crash BY DAUD OLATUNJI

O fewer than 10 persons were seriously injured in an auto crash which occurred yesterday at Akinale village along the Abeokuta – Lagos expressway in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun state . An eye witness told Saturday Vanguard that the auto crash occurred around 12: 30pm and involved a Mazda commercial bus with registration number (LAGOS) XY 122 AGL with 18 passengers in-

cluding an infant. Confirming the incident, the Itori unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Fatai Bakare explained that four males and six females were critically injured in the auto crash. Bakare, who attributed the cause of the accident to over-speeding, added that the driver of the yellow coloured vehicle lost control and somersaulted into the bush. The FRSC boss also explained that the victims have been taken to Ifo General Hospital for medical treatment.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 5

Court orders release of Chidi Lloyd’s travel passport BY EFUFE YAFUGBORHI, Port Harcourt

High Court in Port H a r c o u r t yesterday ordered the release of the International Passport of Chidi Lloyd, Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) who is facing trial over alleged criminal role on July 9th fracas in the House. Chidi Lloyd has had his passport seized by PROGRESSIVE GOVS MEETING: L-R: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha, Governor Abdulazeez Yari of Zamfara State, and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) meeting, Abuja... on Thursday.

Actress bags 2 months imprisonment for stealing (N100,000), IPhone begged the court for

N Abuja Senior Magistrate’s Court yesterday sentenced an actress, Nancy Ndukwe, 26, of Jikwoyi, Abuja, to two months imprisonment for stealing an Ipad, IPhone and Jewellery. The Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Paul Anigbo, told the court that the matter was reported at the Lugbe Police Station by one Faith Njoku of Kapuwa Village, Lugbe, Abuja on Sept. 2. Anigbo told the court that Ndukwe reported that her friend, Njoku visited her on the said date and stole her Ipad, IPhone and Jewellery, all valued at N190,000. Anigbo listed the price of each of the items as reported by the complainant as Ipad,

(N50,000) and Jewellery (N40,000). He said that during Police investigation, the items were found in the convict’s possession. The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 287 of the Penal Code. The convict pleaded guilty to the charge but

mercy. “I stole the items due to frustration. I have a oneyear-old son to cater for. I am sorry and I promise not to do such again,” she said. The Magistrate, Mr Celestine Odo, however, gave the convict two months imprisonment or an option of six thousand naira fine.

BY MAYEN ETIM, Kaduna

00 officers and sol diers from the 2 Division Nigerian Army are on their way to Liberia as contribution to peacekeeping mission. This is after a successful completion of intensive PreDeployment Training

(PDT) at the Nigeria Army Peace Keeping Centre (NAPKC), Jaji, Kaduna State. The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj Gen Tijjani Jibrin said he has monitored the troops’ preparatory activities since they were nominated for deployment to

United States, where she bagged a first class degree. She is one of Nigeria’s most celebrated female architects and CEO of Starcrest Group which is involved in building construction, project management, real estate and oil and gas sectors. “This week on African Voices, the famous businesswoman talks to CNN’s Zain Verjee about her life, her love for fashion, her various businesses and her plan to empower the African youth”. Most importantly, the programme will focus on Princess Ejindu’s philanthropic activities with the Hope Centres which she iscurrentlyworkingonaswell

as her African Arts and Fashion Initiative launched on Sunday 4th August at the grand finale of the third edition of Africa Fashion Week.

Rivers govt doubts Police excuse for withdrawal of Amaechi’s Escort Commander

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, Port Harcourt

IVERS State gov ernment has said it doubted claim by the State Police Command that the deployment of Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s Escort Commander was in compliance with a directive from the Inspector General of Police. Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari in a statement issued yesterday in Port- Har-

court said the explanation offered by the Police in the State on the issue was an afterthought. Continuing, she said the Governor reserved the right to determine security operatives that should be around him, adding that it was a matter of personal comfort. Her words: “The Attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to comments by the Public Relations Officer, Rivers State Police Command alleging that the redeployment of Governor

United Mission in Liberia and he is satisfied. However, Jibrin warned the troops against any situation where they fail to respond decisively in a professional manner in the face of attack, saying the Nigerian Army will not accept such. Jibrin who was represented by the Chief of Staff, 2 Division, Brig. Gen Johnson Oladende further warned the troops not to involve in trafficking of illicit substances of any kind, such as arms and drugs as these negate UN norms and cultural values of the

Liberian people. The Commandant, Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, Major General Salihu Uba in his remark said the 700 troops have received adequate levels of mission training and preparations to ensure effective performance in Peace Support Operations in Liberia. According to Uba, the training is in terms with the Army Headquarters desire to ensure that troops receive the needed robust and theatre-specific PreDeployment Training prior to induction into peacekeeping missions.

Be good ambassadors, Obi tells Anambrarians

OV. Peter Obi has enjoined Anambra people wherever they are, whether at home or in diaspora to be good ambassadors of the State and of Nigeria. He said this yesterday at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya, during the Nigerian-Kenya Business Forum, where he was invited by the Ministry of Trade and Investment because of his investment credentials.

Nwofor. Nwofor told the Court that the embattled Rivers Assembly Majority Leader needs his International Passport to enable him go Overseas for quality medical treatment following alleged injuries he sustained during the mayhem at the Assembly. Lloyd is expected to return his released passport to the court on or before the 28th of October 2013 according to Justice Biambo.

•as

700 Nigerian soldiers en route Liberia for Peacekeeping

Nigeria’s Fifi Ejindu on Glo/CNN African Voices IGERIAN architect, businesswoman and philanthropist, Princess Fifi Ejindu, will be featured in this week’s edition of African Voices, CNN International’s magazine programme sponsoredbynationaltelecom operator,Globacom. The 30-minute magazine programme is broadcast on Saturday at 3.30 p.m. and on Sunday at 9 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. There will be further repeats at 10.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. on Monday and at 5.30 a.m. on Tuesday. Princess Ejindu is one of the first African women to graduate from the prestigious Pratt Institute School of Architecture, New York,

another Port Harcourt High Court since last month as part of conditions for releasing him on bail in his continuing trial following his alleged mace attack against fellow lawmaker, Michael Chinda. Justice Sobere Biambo who presided over yesterday’s court sitting ordered that Lloyd’s passport be released to him for six weeks following an application by his lawyer, Beluolisa

In a meeting with the people of Anambra State in Kenya, Obi said that the peripatetic nature of Igbos, especially the people of Anambra State, which made them to pursue businesses in all parts of the world was a strong point which they must harness positively for the overall good of the State. He encouraged them to think home at all

times and to always take seriously any business opportunity that would be of benefit to Nigeria and Anambra State in particular. Explaining the investment climate at home, Obi said that Anambra has ceased to be a pariah State it used to be before he became Governor to a place people are now eager to invest because of enabling environment created.

Amaechi’s Escort Commander was ordered by the Inspector General of Police. “The Government of Rivers State finds this hard to believe as the excuse being proffered by the Rivers Sate Police Command is clearly an afterthought as this was not the reason given when both the Escort Commander and the Camp Commandant were invited to the Police headquarters. This excuse was also not proffered when the Governor personally called Mr. Mbu to complain about the removal of his Escort Commander. “Matters of personal security of government functionaries and especially top officials like the Governor of the State are discussed and agreed with these officials. “Even if for the purposes of argument, it is indeed factual that the Inspector General of Police ordered the redeployment of Governor Amaechi’s Escort Commander, wouldn’t the courteous thing be for the Commissioner of Police and the Police high command to inform and explain this to Governor Amaechi? “On matters of his personal security, a Governor reserves the right to reject or accept security details as he may be comfortable with. The Rivers State Government therefore is reluctant to accept what it considers a lame and unsatisfactory argument by the Rivers State Police Command” It would be recalled that the Escort Commander was withdrawn Thursday by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Mbu.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

PDP Crisis

Obasanjo, Anenih, Ahmadu Ali, other elders wade in, vow to resolve the logjam •We intervened to save the party from total collapse — Obasanjo •Baraje PDP inspects secretariat •Wants Tukur sacked; Amaechi’s suspension lifted •Baraje’s demands not responsible — Tukur BY HENRY UMORU, Abuja

OVED by the crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday led other elders of the party on trouble shooting mission and met with the leaders of the party and aggrieved governors, in a bid to nip in the bud, the crisis rocking the party, with a vow to restore peace. There were strong indications that the meeting was deadlocked as issues raised and advice from the elders may not have gone well with the Baraje-led faction as they stormed out and immediately went to inspect the office of the new PDP presently under renovation. According to the former Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of PDP, it became imperative for them as elders to intervene and save the party from total collapse. The elders also met with some pro-Jonathan governors. Though, yesterday ’s meeting which took place at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, was however inconclusive, there were assurances from the elders that the two factions will once again come together as one indivisible party , just as Chief Obasanjo disclosed that discussions and consultations would continue. But Chief Obasanjoled PDP elders were close to getting it right when they met with both the group of the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the new PDP led by former Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje yesterday. Also at the meeting

were former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Tony Anenih, former PDP National Chairmen, Dr. Ahmadu Ali and Senator Barnabas Gemade, even as Chief Obasanjo apologised on behalf of former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme and Chief Solomon Lar who were not in the country, but they were being carried along. It was gathered that Obasanjo and the elders first met with Bamanga Tukur, his National Working Committee, NWC members and the governors that belong to his group and thereafter with Baraje and his group even as Obasanjo and Anenih were said to have been very busy shuttling between Kaduna hall where the Baraje faction were and Benue hall where Tukur and his men stayed. Saturday Vanguard also gathered that after the meeting, the elders went into a closed door meeting to harmonise opinions and issues raised by the groups. The Obasanjo-led elders shuttled meeting with the groups lasted for about five hours as the meeting started 10am and ended 2.30 pm. Tukur was accompanied by the National Auditor, Adewale Adeyanju; the Acting National Secretary, Aderemi Akitoye; Governor Henry Seriake-Dickson of Bayelsa State; Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Jonah Jang of Plateau; Liyel Imoke of Cross River; Idris Wada of Kogi; Theodore Orji of Abia; Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta; Ibrahim Shema of Katsina and Isa Yuguda of Bauchi; while Baraje was accompanied by Governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa; Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto; Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers; the

group’ s secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; the faction’s deputy national chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; Senator Bukola Saraki and Senator Abdullahi Adamu. Also there was Senator Danjuma Goje. At the end of the meeting, neither Tukur nor any of his group members spoke with Journalists, just as Baraje’s faction also did not speak with Journalists, but when confronted to speak, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa who asked the Journalists to wait for former President Obasanjo, said, “Talk to our bosses, they are all inside. They will speak with you after, please.” But briefing Journalists after the meeting, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who noted that discussions will continue with both factions, said, “I thank you for exercising patience. You have seen five us. As select elders of the party, we have taken it upon ourselves to prevent the worst from happening to our party. Two of us: Lar and Ekwueme are abroad and could not join us but we are carrying them along. But suffice it to say that there is family dispute within the PDP which we want to stem the tide of and prevent our party from going to the brink. And I want to say that we have met with the two sides of the family. We have listened to them and of course, we are going to put our heads together and go on from there.” Baraje and Lamido shortly after leaving the meeting venue at 2.30 pm went straight to the location of the secretariat of their faction at Plot 3206 A, off 4, Oyi River crescent, Maitama, Abuja. Although the sign board placed on the side of the building was covered, the gate had the

•Govs.Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Jigawa State,Dr Sule Lamido in a warm handshake before the PDP,stakeholders meeting in Abuja yesterday. PDP colour of “Green , White and Red” and renovation work was still ongoing at the building. There were earlier reports that the Baraje PDP faction would open its secretariat, but it did not take place yesterday as the group merely inspected it and left hurriedly. At the end of the meeting, Saturday Vanguard gathered that Baraje-led PDP had presented before Obasanjo and other elders that Tukur must be sacked and a new convention put in place against the backdrop that the last convention was not acceptable to them, even as they asked for the recognition of Amaechi as the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum by President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that the suspension placed on Amaechi by the party must be lifted as the way forward. But the source said however that the Tukur group was said to have insisted that most of the demands of the other group were not responsible, adding that the NWC was validly elected and decision to leave office would be determined by individuals and the entire party. It was also gathered that lifting the suspension on Amaechi would suffer a major set back because of the Governors’s court case, even as

it was also gathered that only the President was capable of deciding whether to recognise Amaechi as the Chairman of the NGF or not. It was also learnt that President Jonathan might demand the backing of the governors for his second term if he was going to respond to some of the demands of his antagonists, especially the sacking of Tukur. It will be recalled that last week Saturday at the Special National Convention of PDP, there was crisis when the party split into two parallel National Working Committee, NWC, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and seven northern governors staging a walk- out to later address a press conference on the formation of a new PDP with governor Chibuike Amaechi in attendance where Baraje named himself the national Chairman and announced Sam Jaja as Deputy National Chairman and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as National Secretary. The governors were at the venue of the convention until 2.45 pm last Saturday when the names of candidates to be voted for were read and they discovered that the name of the immediate past Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Jaja was removed, leaving only the former

National Organising Secretary, Prince Uche Secondus as the sole candidate with others screened out. They had to immediately leave for Shehu Musa Yar ’adua Centre to address the media. They were governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa; Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara; Aliyu Babangida of Niger; Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto state; Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers; Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa. Others were deputy governors of Sokoto, Murktar Shagari; Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano; Ahmed Musa Ibeto of Niger state; former governor of Kwara State, Senator Shaba Lafiagi; former Acting National Chairman of PDP,

Abubakar Kawu Baraje; former governor of Nasarawa state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; immediate past National Secretary of PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; immediate past Deputy National Chairman, Sam Jaja; Senator Magnus Abe, chairman, House Committee on finance; Honourable Abdumumini Jibrin; Honourable Farouk Lawan and other members of both National and State Assemblies, among others.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 7

PDP Crisis

Senators begin lobby for Mark’s seat •Ekweremadu, Ihedioha’s seats shaky •Emergency senate session to hold Tuesday BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Abuja, IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI & DAPO AKINREFON

RISIS rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, seems to be taking a different dimension following the allegation that some Senators who have identified with Alhaji Kawu Baraje have commenced consultations and lobby to unseat the Senate President, David Mark. Also to go with the Senate President if the plot succeeds when Senate reconvenes after the vacation on September 17, 2013 was the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu who was accused of working with the Tukur faction and had tried to ensure that senators from the South East remained with the faction. Meantime, the PDP Senators may have emergency session on Tuesday to deliberate on the crisis in the party and take a position. Informed sources told Saturday Vanguard that Senators who have identified with the new PDP who are said to be the arrowheads of the plot to remove all Tukur’s loyalists in the National Assembly may not have problems with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal. The Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha may be affected if he refuses to identify with the Alhaji Kawu Baraje-led faction. Saturday Vanguard investigations revealed that about three Senators from the North Central zone have embarked on intensive lobby to take over Senate President’s position in the event that the Baraje-led faction of the PDP decides to move against him for not recognizing the new factional National Chairman of the party. According to investigation, the three Senators had occupied sensitive positions in their states, in PDP and in union activities and are highly reckoned with in the upper legislative

chambers. Already, about 30 Senators are said to have backed the Baraje-led faction while a good number of members of the House of Representatives have also expressed their support and loyalty to the new PDP factional helmsman. A source privy to the alleged plot told Saturday Vanguard that if Mark and his principal officers elected on the platform of PDP did not recognize Baraje-led group, there would be alliance of the members of the nPDP with the opposition members of the senate to effect the change. A senator who is in the Baraje-led faction that spoke to Saturday Vanguard on condition of anonymity said that the senate would be meeting on Tuesday to take decision on the threat made by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to declare vacant seats of senators opposed to him. The senator who said that they had been advised not to join issues with Alhaji Tukur while reacting to the threat said, “the senators said that they won’t say anything until they meet. Let him (Tukur) do it now, why is he saying it, if he has the power he should do it. “Bamanga Tukur is irrelevant right now, to be very honest with you. What he is saying doesn’t mean anything. The country has moved beyond him, the issues are beyond Bamanga, he is totally irrelevant. “The only thing that he has done is just to pour fuel on a raging fire. It does not affect anything except to make the flame burn brighter, but when the senate group meets, they will take a decision. We are not in his faction anyway, he should read the constitution. I know they (senate) will be meeting on Tuesday.” Attempts to confirm the meeting of the PDP senators from the Senate Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe could not yield any result as his mobile phone was switched off while the text message sent to him was not replied as at press time. However, a Chieftain and convener of the nPDP Stakeholders Forum,

Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere told Saturday Vanguard that “The first victim of intra-party squabble will be David Mark because he has been sitting on the fence and hobnobbing with Bamanga Tukur at night. “You can’t be hiding for ever, if he does not recognize Baraje, he will lose his position. In the new PDP, we have confirmed senators that have pledged loyalty to Baraje. With the support of the APC (All Progressives Congress) Senators, we will form the majority to impeach Mark.” Ikenga Ugochinyere further said that the Senate President and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu would be removed the same time, if Ekweremadu refuses to pledge loyalty to the Baraje-led faction adding, “in the new PDP, there is discipline. But I can assure you that there are many PDP Senators that want to be Senate President.” He, however, said that despite the lobby for Senate President Position, “We have respect for Mark, but he has to be careful or the respect will be withdrawn.” He said that the nPDP has no problem with the Speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal but pointed out that “if the Deputy Speaker Hon. Emeka Ihedioha does not support Baraje, he will go.” Ugochinyere said that what the senate needed to effect a change was about 56 senators and that with 30 of them that had expressed their support for Baraje, it was not going to be difficult to get the support of senators elected on the platform of opposition political parties. On Tukur, he said, “Tukur is already blocking the chances of resolving this matter. This declaration of war is basically a smokescreen to hang on to office because he wants to draw a war, he is scared of peace negotiation which the outcome will be the termination of his deplored unlawful regime and again a fresh unity convention that will create enabling environment.

•President Goodluck Jonathan (l) with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya addressing a press conference after a bilateral meeting in Nairobi yesterday. “So he will prefer to sink the party to allow peace to prevail but yesterday’s comment (threat to declare vacant seats of senators opposed to him), I must tell you my brother is one of the things I keep saying that shows that Tukur is not in tune with what is on ground. “If Tukur is intelligent, he would have read the provisions of the 1999 constitution before boasting that he would declare anybody’s seat vacant. Under section 68 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the constitution stipulated grounds under which someone’s seat should be declared vacant,” he stated.

Tukur’s faction moves to restrain Atiku, Baraje, others

Meantime, the crisis seemed to have worsened yesterday, as a faction of the party loyal to its embattled Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, applied for a restraining order against the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and Chairman of the “New PDP”, Kawu Baraje. In an ex-parte application they filed before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court yesterday, the plaintiffs, urged the court to also restrain the National Secretary of the “New PDP”, Prince Olagunsoye Onyinola and its Deputy National Chairman, Dr Sam Jaja, from parading themselves as national executives of the PDP. Equally joined as a respondent in the application which was moved before Justice E. Chukwu, yesterday, was the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Nevertheless, the Judge refused to grant the ex-

parte application yesterday, even as he directed counsel to the plaintiffs, Chief Tochukwu Onwugbufor, SAN, to go back and put all the respondents on notice, saying they should be served the court processes via substituted means. Before adjourning till September 12 to hear the motion on notice, Justice Chukwu, ordered that parties should maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the suit. According to the Judge, “Although I am not afraid of granting an ex-parte application especially when it is obvious it would cause anarchy, however, I owe a duty to maintain a balance. In the instant matter, what I want to do is order that the respondents are put on notice.” It will be recalled that the Tukur -led faction of the party had earlier prayed the same high court to hand Baraje, Oyinlola and Jaja, one year jail term each, over their complicity in alleged criminal contempt of a subsisting court order. Placing reliance on Order 35 of the Federal High Court Rules 2009, the party, insisted that the three respondents deserved to be committed to prison for allegedly violating a judgment of the high court delivered on January 11, 2013. The said judgment had nullified Oyinlola’s candidacy as a nominee of the South-West zonal chapter of the PDP. Consequently, the court , declared Oyinlola’s subsequent election to the office of National Secretary at the national convention of the party held in March last year, as invalid, null and void by reason of another court order which nullified the

South-West zonal congress from which Oyinlola emerged.

We cannot afford a Nigerian Spring —Bode George

ORMER Deputy National Chairman, South, of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George has advised the warring parties in the PDP to resolve the lingering crisis within the party in the interest of the country saying “we cannot afford a Nigeria Spring”. Addressing party leaders, in Lagos yesterday, the party chieftain said the elders of the party are in the process of resolving PDP crisis. George also admonished the party in Lagos State to pass a vote of confidence on President Goodluck Jonathan and endorse the party’s mini convention held recently in Abuja. He said “I want to request here and now that our leaders should pass an emphatic vote of confidence on President Goodluck Jonathan who is the national leader of our party and the symbol of our nation’s unity and great possibilities. Equally, I am requesting that our leaders should also endorse the last mini convention of 2013 as the best that our party has ever had in the history of our great party. ” The party chieftain said resolving the crisis would be in the interest of the party. He said: “let us move away from tension and acrimony. Let us disagree with tempered and peaceful resolve. Let us debate every contentious issue with maturity, with discipline, with friendship and patriotic idealism.”

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

Retirement of Military Generals: Jonathan intervenes, cites security challenges for action •Summons Service Chiefs BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja

FTERMATH of revelations that the current gale of retirement sweeping across the Armed Forces with 17 Generals already slated to go by December this year and scores of Brigadier Generals, Air Commodores and Navy Commodores slated for retirement, there are indications that President Jonathan has waded into the exercise. Presidency sources told Saturday Vanguard that the Commander in Chief is wading into the exercise, not to stop the retirements since they are governed by the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service of the Armed Forces, but to ensure that the nation is not denied the expertise of such trained and tested officers. President Jonathan is said to have reasoned that following the outbreak of current security challenges especially terrorism, kidnapping, sophisticated hijacking of ships at sea, illegal bunkering and bombing attacks, retiring these officers and throwing them to the unemployment market with their expertise in the art of security will be a disservice to the nation. According to sources, the presidency instituted a committee to look into the matter of retiring such highly trained and productive officers and it was discovered that it costs a minimum of N30million to train an officer to the rank of a Brigadier General and above. It was therefore decided a situation where such colossal amount of funds was used to train an officer and such officer was discarded with at his prime when he will still be useful to the nation is a wasteful exercise. It would be recalled that during the week the Army authorities retired ten Generals. Amongst them are Major General Lawrence Ngubane, formerly CTOP at Defence Headquaters; Major General NC Maduegbunam, Commander, Corp of Electrical Engineers; Major General BM

Monguno, Commander TRADOC; Major General OAC Ariahu; Major General AK Kwaskebe, Commander Corp of Artillery and Major General CO Ugwu. Others include Brigadier General ED Amah, Brigadier General MM Dan-Ali and Brigadier General MA Hassan. The Army headquarters clarified that Major Generals E. E. Bassey, Chief of Policy and Plans at Army headquarters and Major General Emeka Onwuamaegbu have until 2014 to serve in the military before issues of retirement concerning them would be considered. On the part of other services, there were indications yesterday that seven Air force and Navy Air Vice Marshals and Rear Admirals have been given letters to proceed on terminal leave preparatory to disengaging from service. Saturday Vanguard gathered that among the senior officers that have received their terminal leave letters, are two Air Vice Marshals, one from the Defence HQ and one from the Air force HQ, (names withheld). The two senior officers have already gone on retirement and their positions taken over by newly posted officers while the other would go by the end of December this year. On the part of the Nigerian Navy, a former Chief of Accounts and Budget has gone on retirement even though Saturday Vanguard gathered that he tried to influence the powers that be to stop his retirement, but to no avail. Other senior naval officers said to be serving at the Defence headquarters and a Tri-service institution is expected to proceed on retirement by the end of December this year and in February 2014. The retirement of the senior officers Saturday Vanguard further gathered, is based on the fact that they have either served 35 years in service or have attained the mandatory retirement age of 55 years. Though many Naval

Commodores and Air Commodores are said to be on the list of those shortlisted for retirement, it was gathered that age on rank, non promotability and lack of vacancies are some of the reasons for their going on retirement. The Nigerian Army also released the posting of senior officers saying that Major General FM Airende is the new Commander, Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Major General Harry Ayoola, formerly the STF Commander in Jos is now Chief of Research and Development Defence Headquarters. Major General JAH Ewansiha, formerly the JTF Commander, Operation Restore Order in Maiduguri is now Chief of Standards and Evaluations Army Headquarters, Major General DD Enetie is the new Commander Special Task Force (Operations Safe Heaven) in Jos. Major General Obida Ethan is General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Maiduguri, Major General HA Saliu is the new Corps Commander Artillery, Major General AO Adekanye is Coordinator Nigerian Army Special Vehicle Plant. Major General TI Dibi, formerly the Director of Administration at Army headquarters is the new Commander Army Headquarters Garrison. He takes over from Major General Etnan, Major General SU Abdul-Kadir is Commander Training and Doctrine Command, Major General PJ Isang, Chief of Training and Operations Defence Headquarters, Also affected in the redeployment are Brigadier General ML Raji, Acting Director Peacekeeping Operations Defence Headquarters, Brigadier General BY Bukar, Acting Director of Transformation Defence Headquarters. It said Brigadier General AO Odidi is Acting Commandant Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and Brigadier General RO Bamigboye is Deputy Director of Operations Defence

President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR (left), introducing Gov. Peter Obi (right), to the Deputy President of Kenya, WilliamSamoei Ruto (middle), during his State visit to Kenya, which ended yesterday

Hoodlums lay siege to Ugborikoko, and his boys were disinjure 3 villagers lodged.” His words, “The situation BY EMMA AMAIZE, Effurun

USPECTED hood lums, Wednesday night, invaded Ugborikoko community in Ugborikoko community in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, leaving three persons injured. Among those injured were one Hon Odafe, allegedly shot on the leg and hand; Marvis, shot in the stomach and a good Samaritan, who was shot on the leg in the process of rescuing victims. The attack was reportedly led by an ex-youth leader and his boys. A security source told Saturday Vanguard, yesterday, that there was sporadic shooting around the residence of the proprietor of Ochuks Academy, along Adjiomo Avenue, Chief Joel Akporehe, on Wednesday night. Our source said the dispute that spiraled into the night started at about 3.00 pm on Wednesday afternoon, adding, “The community was thrown into

confusion for more than two hours until the arrival of soldiers from the 3rd Battalion and policemen from Ugborikoko police station before normalcy was restored to the area.” According to the source, “The soldiers fired several shots before the hoodlums led by the ex-youth leader

Frustrate our projects, get blacklisted — NNDC boss to banks

HE Acting Manag ingDirectorNDDC,Dr. Christy Atako has warned that the Banks partnering the Commission face the risk of being blacklisted if they frustrate the efforts of contractors at speedy projects delivery. Dr. Atako who handed down the warning at a meeting with representatives of the banks said it was wrong for some of the banks to set up different conditions for the contractors outside the guidelines by the Commission for Advanced Payment Guaranty (APG) disbursement. She explained that once advanced payment is received, a minimum of 20% of APG value shall be disbursed within three (3) days after request from contractors, while subsequent disbursement shall be made in accordance with the work plan agreed upon by the Commission’s Contractors and Consultants.

was tensed as everybody stayed indoors throughout. The hoodlums fired shots into the residence of Chief Joel Akporere, Chairman of PCRC, Warri Area Command, apparently to kill him but eventually bullets hit his son on the leg and was rushed to the hospital.”

NGE President holds commendation service for late mother

RIENDS, colleagues and sympathizers will this morning gather at the Regency Hall, Jobifele way, Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, for the commendation service of the late mother of the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, Mr Femi Adeshina, Mama Ruphina Olajumoke Adeshina. Aged 75 years, Mama Adeshina died on Monday, August 5, 2013.

Olajumoke Adeshina

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 9

Why Niger Delta oil theft can’t stop — Boyloaf •Slams FG for stopping pipeline surveillance contract to ex-militants •Says Jonathan must be allowed to re-contest in 2015

•Warns new phase of crisis may be more brutal if... not implemented till date. the previous one if the BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

NE of the ex-militant leaders in the Niger Delta, Dr. Ebikabowei Victor Ben, alias ‘General Boyloaf ’, has said that oil theft in the Niger Delta will not stop until the Federal Government takes appropriate steps to compensate the natives of the region. Boyloaf, who is one of the Niger Delta ex-agitators, who brokered the amnesty deal with the late President Umaru YarÁdua, said in Abuja that oil theft had soared in the region because the owners of the land where the oil facilities crisscross did not feel any sense of belonging after many decade of oil production. Boyloaf also said that those who are making use of crude oil found in their back yards should not be referred to as ‘oil thieves’ as they were only making use of their God-given resources. “I hate to hear the word ‘oil thieves or oil theft’ because the people you want to label as thieves are simply trying to make use of their God-given resources. In other words what they are doing is the legitimate ‘resource control’ that we have been talking about. “The truth of the matter is that the Niger Delta people are simply controlling their resources and not stealing any oil,” Boyloaf said. Boyloaf said the ongoing problem in the Niger Delta was as a result of the negation of the original terms of the amnesty deal, which they entered into with the Federal Government in June 2009. He regretted that what was being implemented by the government under the guise of amnesty fell short of the character and spirit of what they signed with the YarÁdua government, adding that Nigerians should ask the government why certain components of the deal were

While accusing politicians, who were not part of the amnesty, of hijacking the programme, Boyloaf alleged that the key components of the programme like the offer of lifeline and rehabilitation of former agitators had been abandoned by the Federal Government. “We were abandoned and turned into beggars once we accepted amnesty. Today, what you have in the name of amnesty is not what we signed with Yar’Adua. He said that the stoppage of the oil pipeline protection contracts, which were awarded to former agitators, was one of the factors responsible for the rise of oil bunkering in the Niger Delta. According to him, the stoppage of the oil protection jobs has forced the natives to resort to other jobs in a bid to survive and warned that the next phase of the Niger Delta crisis may be worse than

government fails to implement the terms of the amnesty to the letter. Boyloaf, who also accused security agencies of aiding and abetting oil theft, challenged them to show why the big names that are behind the illicit trade have never been exposed and brought to justice. According to him, it is only the few local players, who are unwilling to play along with the security agencies that are often arrested and paraded as oil thieves, while those who comply with the conditions imposed by the security agencies are often freed. He said,” Nigerians must be made to know clearly that over 75 percent of the oil said to be stolen in the Niger Delta belongs to the security agencies and they must be held responsible for the rising theft. “If the government is serious about the issue of

L-R: shows the Deputy Leader, Yoruba Unity Forum, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi with the Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Dr. Kunle Olajide at the Forum’s meeting with the Presidential Committee on Insurgency and Conflict Resolution in Nothern states at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos. oil theft, it must revisit the surveillance contract and empower communities and stakeholders to take up the responsibility of protecting the pipelines, which run through their back yards.’’ On the 2015 election, Boylaof claimed that although he was not a politician, Nigerians must allow President Jonathan to run out his two terms as provided for in the Nigerian Constitution. He said, “The decision to run for a second term is solely that of President Jonathan; if he so wishes, he is allowed by law

to do so. “I strongly believe that no group of persons should harass or intimidate him from exercising his right. I will not go out of my way to ask the President to run for a second term. It is his decision he alone has to make. “Let me take seize this opportunity to appeal to our northern brothers not to mistake our resolve to maintain peace in the Niger Delta region as a form of weakness. Nobody should blame our people when they react forcefully on issues associated

with these matters and many other unwarranted attacks on our sons and daughters by those who think they own Nigeria and our commonwealth and think that the Niger Delta people must continue to be subservient to them. A word is enough for the wise,” he warned. Boyloaf also said that the furore surrounding the sale of the OPL 245 to Dan Etete, former Petroleum Minister, should be allowed to rest, as he was not the only Nigerian, who was allocated an oil block.

FG names 10-member team for Electricity Services Company BY CHRIS OCHAYI, Abuja

ETERMINED to re position the nation’s power sector in general and to also ensure proper sectoral co-ordination of the various electricity chain services, the Federal Government has created Electricity Management Services Limited, EMS. President Goodluck Jonathan, who approved the creation of EMS, has also announced a management team for the body. The new body according to Mr. Timothy Oyedeji , Depuity Director/Head Media in the ministry of power, has become expedient at this critical time as the power sector transits from public sector-led to a private sector-driven one. The mamngment team as announced for the EMS include Engr. Peter Ewesor as Managing Director/CEO, Engr.

Tukur M. Gidado, Executive Director, Technical Services, Ms. Ikechi Clara Nwosu, Executive Director, Human Resources and Corporate Services, Amb. Ayuba J. Ngbako,

Executive Director, Commercial Services and Barr. Funke Sam-Stanford, General Manager, Legal Services/Company Secretary. Others include Oyinnemi Gbeworo, FCA, Gen-

eral Manager, Finance & Accounts, E.O. Adeniyi, General Manager, Procurement, Mr. Aneke Uche, General Manager, Public Affairs, Tijani Baba, General Manager, Audit, and Engr. Okwud-

ili Ezegwa, General Manager, Meter Test Station The new body according to the statement would be inaugurated next week Tuesday by the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo.

ASCEND set to storm Anambra guber election BY ANOZIE EGOLE In line with fighting against marginalization and to ensure that disabled persons are brought into Nigeria’s political, social and economic mainstream, Association for Comprehensive Empowerment of Nigerians with Disability, (ASCEND), an umbrella body which unites all the disabled persons in Nigerian, has decided to take the bull by the horn in exploring active participation of disabled persons in the forthcoming Anambra gubernatorial elections as a means of bringing themselves into

the political mainstream and also to prove their relevance. Speaking at the unveiling event in Lagos yesterday, the president of ASCEND, Mr. Cosmos Okoli, noted that the fight to bring the disabled Nigerians into the political, social and economic mainstream is a fight that has been on for a very long time. He said that they have devised several means to prove their relevance in the Nigerian polity but all seems not to be producing positive results and that this coming Anambra gubernatorial election will help to prove their relevance in the country.

“The organization was basically formed to ensure that the disabled persons in the country are brought to the mainstream politics. We want to show the general public that there are several talents in some disabled people. Often time, people believe that a disabled person has nothing to offer and we are on a mission to correct that impression. We want to start with Anambra state. We will select one candidate out of all the aspirants coming out for the governorship post in the forthcoming election in Anambra state. We will select the person based on his/ her past antecedents.

“We are going to look at what the person has done for the disabled people before and the plans he has in future especially, for we the disabled. We will sign an agreement that if he/she wins, an administration that will favour the disabled and the less privileged will be guaranteed,” Okoli stated. According to him, the association has no political affiliation but are on a mission to ensure good governance to the people. “ We are not in any political party. We just want to select somebody who can take all Anambrarians to the promise land.”

10—SATURDAY

Vanguard , SEPTEMBER 7,, 2013

President Goodluck Jonathan acknowleging cheers from the crown during the recently concluded PDP convention in Abuja

PDP: An uncommon brawl

The Peoples Democratic Party, had prided itself until last Saturday as the only political party to have survived since the advent of the Fourth Republic without altering its identity or name. But not anymore. BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Abuja

t all seemed to be going well last Saturday as the Peoples Demo cratic Party, PDP held a special national convention in the Eagles Square. Security concerns arising from the Boko Haram insurgency had been almost adequately addressed with the decision to block traffic on all major roads leading to the Eagle Square. Entry into the square was strict as all entering the square were passed through tough security screening. The impression that the gathering was moving towards success was further given when President Goodluck Jonathan arrived the convention ground that morning in a bus alongside the party’s governors. The governors had converged at the Presidential Villa that morning to join the president as part of his convoy to demonstrate to delegates that the troubles that had bedevilled the party in recent times were about to end. Before the convention day, the president it was learnt, had agreed to resolve the issues that had pitched many of the governors against the leadership of the party. Among the issues that were bothering the governors was the president’s determination to seize the party structure to himself. In agreeing to heed to the concerns of the governors, it was agreed that all the nominees of the governors in the last National Executive Committee, NEC of the party that voluntarily stepped down on account of the report of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC that

ruled their election last year as irregular, should be returned to office. However, the governors were said to have been shocked as they stepped down from the bus with the president as they were encountered with a list dubbed “Unity List” allegedly endorsed by the presidency and party hierarchy as those endorsed for office. Many of the nominees of the governors for the positions on the NEC

Before the convention day, the president it was learnt, had agreed to resolve the issues that had pitched many of the governors against the leadership of the party. Among the issues that were bothering the governors was the president’s determination to seize the party structure to himself were dropped. Prominent among those replaced was Dr. Sam Jaja, the erstwhile Deputy National Chairman in whose place the former National Organising Secretary, Prince Uche Secondus was fitted in. Also unnerving for the governors was the decision of the party leadership to bar delegates from Adamawa and Rivers States from voting at the convention. The import of the decision was that only statutory

delegates would vote at the convention. So while the convention festivities continued, the governors consulted among themselves. Remarkably, before then, five Northern governors (Rabiu Kwankwanso (Kano); Aliyu Wamakko, Sokoto; Sule Lamido, Jigawa; Babangida Aliyu, Niger and Murtala Nyako, Adamawa had drawn national attention to themselves with their agitation against the alleged slide in the party. They had to the chagrin of presidential aides made consultations with some of the country’s leading elder-statesmen during which they raised allegations of injustice to them by the president and the party leadership. A day before the convention, Governor Lamido also paid an unusual courtesy visit to former VicePresident Atiku Abubakar in the latter’s Asokoro, Abuja residence. The purpose of the visit, Saturday Vanguard learnt, was to reunite Atiku and Nyako. The two men who are both from Adamawa State have had an unsteady relationship since Nyako emerged as governor. That visit was indicative of a plot by the governors to form an alliance with Atiku in the coming fight which they obviously had been preparing for. So it was not surprising that when the governors noticed that they were totally about to be short-changed at the convention that they consulted among themselves and quickly resolved to meet at the Yar Adua Centre, about two kilometres away where they proclaimed a parallel leadership of the party. The five Northern governors were

joined by Governors Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State who himself had been suspended from the party some three months ago. Governor Ahmed’s presence among the rebel governors was attributed to what sources claimed as the persistent harassment he had lately received on account of his continuing loyalty to Senator Bukola Saraki. Ahmed was Commissioner of Finance for a period of time when Saraki was governor of the state between 2003 and 2011. According to sources, the Ahmed government has serially been host to agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. His patron, Senator Saraki who has lost his own immunity since leaving office as governor has according to associates been the guest of the EFCC several times and yet without being charged to court. The senator it was learnt, has another invitation to be a guest of the EFCC next Monday. “It has gotten to a point that he is better charged to court so that all the issues can be resolved legally,” an associate of Senator Saraki told Saturday Vanguard. At the press conference that Saturday, the rebel governors were joined by a number of lawmakers from the National Assembly including some from outside the states of the rebel governors. Alhaji Kawu Baraje, the former Acting National Chairman of the PDP was proclaimed the national chairman of a parallel executive that also

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Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7,, 2013—11

PDP: An uncommon brawl Continued from page 10 had Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola as National Secretary. Baraje at the press conference said the PDP had lost the principles upon which it was founded and pledged that they would ensure that the party was returned to its original ideas. President Jonathan who was shaken by the developments, it was learnt, reached out to his one time patron, former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The following morning, President Obasanjo was ferried in a presidential jet from Lagos to Abuja. In Abuja, the former president had meetings with Dr. Jonathan in his private residence and attended church service with him too in the Presidential Villa Chapel. Obasanjo’s involvement in the peace process was understandable. Five of the rebel seven governors were known to be direct offspring of President Obasanjo’s political legacy.

ollowing consultations with Obasanjo, the President that Sunday, summoned a meeting with the PDP governors to resolve the issue. It was learnt that some of the rebel governors were disinclined to attend the meeting and in the end, four of the seven rebel governors joined others to meet with the President and other party leaders including Chief Tony Anenih, the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT. In the course of the meeting the ‘rebel’ governors, it was learnt, alleged serial cases of injustice perpetuated against them by the party. They were alleged to have cited among others the suspension of Governor Amaechi from the party, the harassment of the governors by the EFCC, the removal of party structure from them by the national party and the betrayal at the Eagle

Square among others. The meeting which ended sometime around 2.05 a.m. was supposed to resume on Tuesday after consultations among the different sides. Also on Monday, elements in the Baraje faction of the PDP filed a petition before an Ikeja, Lagos High Court seeking to remove legal recognition from the Tukur -led faction of the party and transfer same to the Baraje -led faction. Even more striking, is a prayer by the Baraje group represented by Oyinlola praying the court to declare that Tukur is not a member of the PDP on account of the claim that he has not been formally re-admitted into the party following his 2001 expulsion from the party. But even before the consultation could resume, the crisis escalated as 26 PDP senators pledged their loyalty to the Baraje led nPDP. That was followed a day later on Tuesday by the members of the House of Representatives who were able to mobilise as many as 58 of their members to declare allegiance to the Baraje led faction. As the situation deteriorated, Anenih announced the postponement of the Tuesday scheduled meeting with the rebel governors. Anenih, normally a strong associate of the President, in a communiqué announcing the postponement of the meeting affirmed that some of the governors indeed have genuine grievances. That nonetheless, the President the same Tuesday night met with loyalist governors during which he was said to have vowed not to kowtow to the demands of the Baraje group. At that meeting, it was gathered that the President also vowed not to stop the EFCC from doing its duties in investigating the governors belonging to the Baraje group. His hard posture

some alleged flowed from what some claimed as the demand put to him by the Baraje governors to give an assurance that he would not contest the 2015 presidential election and that he would drop Tukur as their conditions for peace. Perhaps driven by a determination not to give up control of the party to the governors, the President was quoted as saying at that meeting with the loyalist governors that he would not give in to the blackmail. Perhaps fired by the alleged resolve of the President, Tukur on Wednesday came out smoking, vowing to ensure that the governors and National Assembly members who crossed over to Baraje’s faction of the party were made to lose their political positions.

ddressing newsmen, Tukur who refused to take follow up questions said: “The PDP has only one duly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) under my chairmanship. I wish therefore to

democracy will not fold its arms while some undemocratic and unpatriotic elements destroy our common destiny by causing divisions and confusion among the people. “Consequently, we shall ensure that any person who is not duly elected into any leadership position in our great party and has not been duly assigned any role but goes ahead to arrogate such to himself will be made to face the full wrath of the law. “Similarly, all persons elected on the platform of our great party at all levels who identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by law. “ We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that such persons and indeed any other individual who attempts to subvert the leadership of the PDP shall reap in full, the consequences of such actions. “I wish to emphasize that the PDP has adequate mechanism for internal conflict resolution. All party members are, therefore, advised to ventilate their grievances through this medium. There is only one lawfully recognized PDP and I am firmly in charge. I thank you and may God bless you.” Baraje immediately replied him, saying: “They are all jokers, they don’t know what party politics is. We are not surprised because he (Tukur) is ignorant of party politics. In any case, the process of declaring a seat vacant or recalling members of the National Assembly is well known in the constitution; to wake up and say he is going to recall people or declare their seats vacant is sheer ignorance. He is not fit to be called the National Chairman of the PDP.” Speaking in a similar vein, spokesman of the House of Representatives, Rep. Zakari Mohammed said: “The man should go and read the Electoral Act and be guided as that will guide his utterances. This is about the law. What he does not understand is that when a party is factionalised, I can decide to say that I belong to PPA today, it doesn’t matter because it is public knowledge today that we have two factions of the PDP and nobody can pretend about it”. The crisis has inevitably opened a way for the radical elements in the party seeking to break away to do so given that the only legal avenue for members of the National Assembly to leave the party on which they were

The PDP has only one duly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) under my chairmanship. I wish therefore to state with all emphasis that any group of persons parading themselves as leaders of NEC or any other organ of our party are impostors elected is a crisis in that party. state with all emphasis that any group of persons parading themselves as leaders of NEC or any other organ of our party are impostors and I urge all Nigerians, especially the security agencies and other institutions of democracy to regard them as such. “Let me state categorically that the PDP as the sole custodian of the sacred mandate of over 160 million Nigerians and which in the last 14 years has lifted high the banner of

But the danger for the President and the PDP as an institution is that the ensuing crisis could in due season break the party’s control of the National Assembly. Already the party has turned into a minority in the two houses of the National Assembly. For now, the agitation among members has not inflamed angst against the leadership in the two houses who understandably have kept a low profile in order to avoid collateral damage.

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Vanguard , SEPTEMBER 7,, 2013

We’re playing with disintegration if there’s no restructuring, national conference — Eminent Nigerians BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

COMMON tread that tied the contributions of participants at the two-day political summit held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, which ended on Wednesday night, is the need to address the prevailing wind of insecurity blowing in Nigeria and other socio-economic and ethnic problems through a national conference. Drawn from all parts of the country, the participants picked holes in the 1999 constitution in spite of many amendments by the National Assembly and insisted that what the country needs to be on the path of recovery is a brand new grundnorm fashioned by the people themselves. According to them, for the people’s constitution to have the weight of moral authority, representatives of each of the over 390 ethnic nationalities in the country must take part in the national conference.

•Professor Ben Nwabueze

•Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife •Mrs Josephine Anenih

Attendance

Although most of those advertised as participants such as the president, vice president, governors and their deputies, ministers, serving senators, members of the House of Representatives, leaders of political parties and core northern leaders did not attend, a host of other eminent Nigerians participated. Those at the event organized by the National Consensus Group (NCG) with the theme: “Roadmap to Political Stability and National Security in Nigeria,” included Governor Godswill Akpabio (who was represented by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umannah), Chief Maxi Okwu, Mr Michael Orobator, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, Mr Abuka Onalo Omabala, Dr Tunji Abayomi, Dr Yinusa Tanko, Dr Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, Hajia Ramatu Bala Usman and Dr Baba Omojola. There were also Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN), Charles Nwodo, Ado Ibrahim, Senator Isa Kachako, Senator Dangana Ndayako, Chief Ambrose Owuru, Dr Tom Osei, Alhaji Yahaya Ndu, Chief Ralph Obioha, Professor Uzodinma Nwala, Professor Nat Aniekan, Mr Soni Irabor, Dr Mani Ibrahim Ahmad, Farouk Umar, Bello Dantata, Chief Guy Ikokwu and Bala Zakka. Also at the summit were Mrs Josephine Anenih, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Dalhatu Abubakar Bawa, Dr Dorothy Nelson, Ms Annkio Briggs, Alfred Okeifa, Professor Kimse Okoko, Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, Dr Arthur Nwankwo, Barr Omale Omale, Professor Ishaq Akintola, Hon Iyadim A Iyadim and Chief Ayo Adebanjo, who chaired the summit. In his keynote address on the first day of the summit, Nwabueze, who conveyed the apologies of some northern leaders like Alhaji Maitama Sule, who was billed to chair the event and Paul Unongo, said the roadmap to stability, peace, progress, development and national unity is convening of a national conference.

The 1960 Independence Constitution was established by section 2 of the Order in council; for the 1963 Republican Constitution to come into effect, section 2 of Order in council was repealed We’re nowhere near nation yet — Nwabueze

He lamented that 53 years after independence and 100 years of the amalgamation of northern and southern protectorates, “ we are no where near becoming a nation.” He noted there are about 389 ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, averring that until we are able to get these ethnic nationalities to coalesce into one nation, one body, we will continue to wade through avoidable problems. “We must continue to work hard to build a nation, develop this country, ensure security, peace and harmony,” he added. The legal icon argued that the solution to these is national conference. “I don’t know of any Nigerian who does not agree that at this critical stage all the ethnic nationalities should get to the conference table and discuss. Anybody who does not agree on national conference does not believe in the continued existence of this nation. This meeting is to help check the disintegration of this country. We

•Ms Annkio Briggs have to discuss the way forward given that we believe in one united Nigeria. We want national conference. We want the President to convene a national conference as a matter of urgency. We believe that the president has the power. He is the leader of the nation. He is more than the Commander-in-Chief. He represents our majesty in concrete terms. We have talked and talked. The time has come to combine action with the talk.”

Repealing 1999 constitution is possible

To those who argue that the 1999 constitution be an impediment to the new constitution, Nwabueze countered that the constitution can be repealed. According to him, the 1960 Independence Constitution was established by section 2 of the Order in Council; for the 1963 Republican Constitution to come into effect, section 2 of Order in Council was repealed. Relatedly, he said all that was needed for the 1999 Constitution to pave for a new code book is for Decree 24 of 1999, which established the 1999 constitution to be repealed. He said that President Goodluck

•Chief Guy Ike Ikokwu Jonathan has the power to convene the confab but if he feels otherwise, he should send an executive bill to the National Assembly seeking powers to convoke the conference. He warned that if the National Assembly refuses to pass such a bill, it will be pushing the people of Nigeria to the wall, adding “we hope the resort to the barrel of the gun will be avoided.”

Those saying summit is against Jonathan are enemies of Nigeria — Anenih

On her part, Mrs Anenih berated those who said that the gathering was to oppose President Jonathan as enemies of the country because all the people invited are those who mean well for the country. Noting that some of the participants are in their 80s and 90s, she said: “I know that any well-meaning Nigerian would support what is going on here today. Those saying that we want to pull down President Jonathan are enemies of Nigeria. They are the ones, who want to pull down President

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enough for a single meal a day. At a time

•Governor Godswill Akpabio

•Professor Kimse Okoko

‘Progress difficult without restructuring’ Continued from page 12 Jonathan. We have political instability, we have national insecurity. Political stability and security will be achieved when we respect, support and encourage our leaders. Our criticisms should be constructive not insulting and castigating. “We are very good complainers and analyzers of our problems without offering solutions. This conference will come with a solution. We need to look at certain issues again. In 100 years of our existence, a lot of things have changed. Let’s sit down and find how we can make Nigeria’s oneness suitable and comfortable for all.”

Political parties no longer sure of their existence —Yinusa

Speaking in like manner, Dr Yinusa Tanko, the Chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP) and InterParty Advisory Council (IPAC), said one of the greatest threats to the country’s democracy now is political stability. His words: “The political parties are no longer sure of their existence. Without political parties how can you talk about democracy? There is no democracy when you put the political parties in abeyance. We have presented our case to the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC); we oppose cross-carpeting of elected officials from one party to the other. If they cross-carpet, they should lose their seats. While I agree with our older politicians, we the youths ask for the defence of the Nigerian constitution. Our older leaders should push the younger ones in front for us to move forward.”

Our strength is our unity—Akpabio

Welcoming the delegates, Governor Akpabio, in a speech read by Mr Aniekan Umannah, said Nigeria’s strength is her unity. He said the challenge before the summit was to find ways of cementing the cracks and fissures on the walls of Nigeria’s unity and keep the country united as an entity. “We must keep the boat of Nigeria afloat. It is time to build a Nigerian community where we can tap into our diversities and turn them into strength. If we lend ourselves to the teachings of the Bible and Koran, peace will flow in this nation.”

C M Y

The challenge before the summit was to find ways of cementing the cracks and fissures on the walls of Nigeria’s unity and keep the country united as an entity. “We must keep the boat of Nigeria afloat. It is time to build a Nigerian community where we can tap into our diversities and turn them into strength

We want unity in peace –Adebanjo

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, who chaired the summit in the absence of Maitama Sule said it is sad that Nigerians are not living in peace. He lamented that elder statesmen, who fought for the nation’s independence in the 40s and 50s are still in the trenches fighting to save the country. His words: “The essence of this meeting is not whether we should live together or not. We have been living together since 1914 but are we living in peace? Those who fought for independence like Chief Mbazulike Amaechi are today still fighting for peace and unity of the country. We want unity in peace; a stable society where one can live in any part of the country without being afraid of being killed. “We must decide how we want to live together. We want to live together but not in upheavals as we have been witnessing. Let’s sit down and discuss the uprising, disaffection and the things causing them. We have dropped Sovereign National Conference (SNC). We want National Conference. Some people say they want resource control, state police, etc. Let’s sit down and discuss, after discussing them, we will have a better country.”

Progress difficult without restructuring — Kimse Okoko

Professor Okoko, who chaired one of the sessions, hinged ushering of growth and development in the country to restructuring. “Without structural adjustment, it will be difficult to make

progress. The structure we need is a situation where all people are treated equally and fairly and no one is maltreated. So long as there is inequality, injustice and inequitable structure, so long will development elude Nigeria. If the structure is unbalanced, you will have problems in the polity. If parties lack internal democracy and equity, there will also be problem. Imposition of favoured candidates over and above popular candidates will cause the kind of problems you are seeing in all the political parties. “At the last national conference, other parts of Nigeria found it difficult to support 13 percent derivation. There is need for national conference for all the ethnic nationalities to sit down and resolve the various cases of complaints and injustice.”

We must halt wastages and empower youths —Obioha

To former National Chairman of Justice Party, Chief Ralph Obioha, the nation must halt the enormous wastages unleashed on the nation by a privileged few and use the savings to empower the youths. According to him, each of about 50,000 Nigerians comprising the President, Vice president, governors, deputy governors, Federal and State lawmakers, ministers, commissioners and judges, etc, drive five SUVs in a nation where many barely had

•Chief Ayo Adebanjo

the British Prime Minister is driving two vehicles, he said Nigerians should appreciate the wastages he was talking about. He advised that the government should set aside N72 billion to empower 36,000 youths at the tune of N200,000 each as intervention so that they would use it to start small scale businesses. To achieve, this, he urged feuding leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to sheathe their sword and embrace dialogue because as the largest party in Nigeria, “if the PDP implodes, it will affect all of us. I plead with PDP leaders to know that their actions and inactions could affect the whole country. If the PDP implodes, my request for N72 billion for Nigerian youths will be a pipe dream.

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t the end of the summit, dele gates said the greatest service

President Goodluck Jonathan will render to the people of Nigeria is to be the first President to give them a constitution deriving its source of authority, as supreme law, directly from them, otherwise known as a people’s constitution. They restated the need for the convening of a national conference to tackle the socio-economic, political, security, unity and developmental challenges facing the nation. According to a communiqué issued at the end of the summit, which almost ended in a fiasco when some delegates hotly faulted some of the resolutions before calm was eventually restored, a restructured polity and a people’s constitution will boost President Jonathan’s transformation agenda, security and cement the country’s unity. The eight-point communiqué was signed by Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN), Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Professor Kimse Okoko, Dr Tunji Abayomi, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, Senator Ndayako Dangana, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, Mr. Michael Orobator, Mr. Olawale Okunniyi, Mrs. Maria Okwo, Dr Yinusa Tanko, Dr Bala Zakka, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Dr Baba Omojola, Hajia Ramatu Bala Usman, Chief Anselm Eyo, Senator Isa Kachako and Ms Annkio Briggs. The leaders affirmed their faith in and commitment to the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a sovereign state and appealed to governments at all levels and all Nigerians to ensure Nigeria’s continued existence in peace and stability and its progress and advancement. While commending Jonathan for initiating the transformation agenda, they implored him to expand its scope to embrace the entire polity and society with a view to creating a new Nigeria and a new society based on justice, equity and morality. They said that, “a national conference of all ethnic nationalities and peoples in the country is the best means to trigger such national transformation and to address the threats to the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria.” Consequently, they called on President Jonathan to “use the power reposed on his office as president and leader of the country to convoke the conference as a matter of great necessity and immediacy for the preservation of the continued existence of the country.” They argued that recurrent and present challenges of political instability and national security demand that the president, as the symbol of sovereignty initiates a broad-based national dialogue, involving all political, ethnic and social formations, as a matter of urgency; to obtain the inputs of Nigerians of all classes and persuasions as a prelude to the national conference.

14—SATURDAY

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7,, 2013

Anambra 2013: Intrigues that characterized party primaries T BY VINCENT UJUMADU

HE nomination exercise of the governorship candidates of the political parties participating in the November 16 election in Anambra State had come and gone, but beneath the party primaries were intrigues that caught many gubernatorial aspirants napping. Indeed, two months to the party primaries, the political atmosphere in Anambra State was so lull that many people were wondering why politicians developed cold feet in the inevitable battle that would see one person succeed Mr. Peter Obi at the Agu Awka. Government House. Unlike in the previous governorship elections in 2003 and 2010 when politicians polluted the entire landscape of the state with posters and bill boards several months to the party primaries, and their impact was felt in all parts of the state, the situation in 2013 was totally different as most of the governorship aspirants were either in Abuja trying to maneuver the process, or spent more time trying to make up their minds whether to join the race or not. By May this year, some notable names began to make the rounds in political circles as those likely to declare interest. Such names include Senator Andy Uba, Senator Chris Ngige, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, Senator Emma Anosike, Chief Paul Odenigbo, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, Mrs. Stella Oduah, Senator Joy Emodi, Mr. Dubem Obaze, Dr. Obinna Uzoh, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, among others. Though foot soldiers of some of the names mentioned were doing some underground work in the State for their masters, the affected individuals were hardly seen in the state. However, while the aspirants were emerging, intra party crisis was also taking the center stage. Prince Ken Emeakayi was battling with Chief Ejike Oguebego in PDP, Chief Maxi Okwu was fighting with Sir Victor Umeh in APGA, the emerging mega party, APC, was trying to chart an acceptable course for the emerging parties of ANPP, ACN and CPC, the Labour Party was involved in leadership crisis between Basil Iwoba and Sam Oraegbunam. But four months to the date of the election, politicians woke up from their slumber and the phrase, ‘Your Excellency ’, became the common expression in the state. Bill boards and posters began to litter the streets of Awka, Onitsha, Ekwulobia, Nnewi, Otuocha, Ihiala and many other places. Political parties began making preparations for their party primaries and at the end of the exercise that officially ended on Monday, 2nd September, no fewer than 15 political parties had nominated their flag bearers for the governorship election. In the PDP, while the national leadership of the party dispatched the Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Shema to organize its primaries at the

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•Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu

•Senator Andy Uba

•Chris Ngige

Women Development Center, Awka, a factional state chairman of the party, Chief Oguebego, held a parallel primary at the Emmaus House, also in Awka. From the results, Chief Tony Nwoye, a former students’ leader and later state chairman of PDP emerged winner at the primaries by the party leadership, Senator Andy Uba was nominated by the Oguebego faction. Expectedly, the battle for the PDP ticket shifted to the courts and injunctions and counter injunctions began to fly. By Wednesday, the Federal High Court that earlier granted Ubah the leeway to be fielded by the party for the November election,

While the aspirants were emerging, intra party crisis was also taking the center stage. Prince Ken Emeakayi was battling with Chief Ejike Oguebego in PDP, Chief Maxi Okwu was fighting with Sir Victor Umeh in APGA, the emerging mega party, APC, was trying to chart an acceptable course for the emerging parties of ANPP, ACN and CPC vacated it, paving the way for Nwoye to fly the party ’s ticket. Nwoye’s emergence was the greatest surprise in the state considering the fact that apart from being the youngest aspirant, he was ranked among the richest in the fold. There was, however, a report that Nwoye is being financed by the billionaire businessman, Prince Arthur Eze who, it was gathered, ensured that he (Nwoye) mobilized delegates more than every other aspirant during the primaries. But Nwoye is likely to face another battle from Nicholas Ukachukwu who

•Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo came second in the primaries. Ukachukwu is challenging the qualification of Nwoye to carry the PDP flag for the election. Again, the last may not have been heard of the Senator Andy Uba’s governorship ambition as the senator’s younger brother, Chris, is not likely to let things go that way without a fight that may inflict bruises on some people. The intrigue in APGA is even more interesting. Before the exercise that took place on August 26, 2013 at the Women Development Center, Awka, there was a sudden shift in political alignment among aspirants and members of the party. For instance, with the disqualification of Oseloka Obaze, Dr. Chike Obidigbo and Prince Chinedu Idigo, who are from Anambra North senatorial zone by the party’s screening committee, the coast became clear for the new entrant into the race, Chief Willy Obiano, who had a member of House of Representatives, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, to contend with. With the alleged government massive support for Obiano, most people knew where the pendulum was swinging to, Ekwunife was prepared to give him a good fight. However, she complained that those who organized the primaries made it difficult for her to have access to the elected delegates from the wards. In the end, she managed to garner 150

votes to Obiano’s 817. As Obiano was visiting those who contested with him with a view to carrying them along, one of the disqualified aspirants of the party, Dr. Chike Obidigbo flew a kite as Maxi Okwu, the erstwhile national chairman whose position was cut short by the Court of Appeal judgment in Enugu, announced that Obidigbo had been nominated by him as the candidate of the party. It is still not clear the message Okwu wanted the convey until it is time for the submission of candidates’ names to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. APC even witnessed more intriguing experience in its primaries. Three politicians namely, Senator Ngige, Senator Annie Okonkwo and Mr. Gowin Ezemo indicated interest to vie on the platform of the party, but from the look of things, it was obvious the party favoured Ngige to clinch the ticket. Without state leadership that ought to emerge from the congresses, Governor Rochas Okorocha announced that Ngige was the choice of the party for the ticket and Okonkwo was prevailed upon to withdraw his aspiration since he already occupies the position of Deputy national Chairman of the party.

t a rally before the primaries in Awka, Okonkwo was named the campaign manager for Ngige and the task of running the party was given to him. The next he did after that rally was to organize a state congress at Sun City Hotel in Awka in which his erstwhile supporters emerged APC officials in the state.However, Ezemo insisted that proper primaries must be conducted. He continued with his mobilization at the grass root in readiness for the impending showdown with Ngige. But rather than adopt the delegates method, the party chose to adopt option A4 in all the 326 wards in which the people queued behind their favorite candidate. At the end of the exercise, Ngige won with 63255 votes to Ezemo’s 9554 votes. Some people had argued that if the delegates’ option had been adopted, Ezemo, who has the capability of influencing the known delegates, would have clinched the ticket.

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013—15

o why were we not surprised that the PDP imploded at its own convention last week? Why was the news not greeted with dismay by the generality of the people? Is it because we are yet to fully grasp the meaning of a ruling party that has imploded and the effect it could have on governance? No. It is because we— with the exception of Anenih, Tukur, Mr and Mrs President—saw it coming. We saw it coming from the happenings in Rivers, Anambra, Taraba and Adamawa States to mention a few, and the way the leadership handled the conflicts. This party that calls itself the largest party in Africa, this party that wants to rule for the next 100 years, is a party borne of greed and lust for power and nurtured on corruption. The chicken was bound to come home to roost sooner than later. My little knowledge of management—and history— shows that through the ages, institutions that survive are those built around the core values of integrity, probity and service. These, unfortunately, are values that are alien to PDP. The founding fathers of the PDP wanted a broad based party that could capture power while providing the ‘dividends of democracy’ on its own terms. In its quest to get as many ‘big men’ as possible, they played down issues of discipline and integrity and ignored the antecedents of many of the joiners. The result was that PDP became an all comers party. Like any structure that is not built on strong values, compromise and expediency became its surviving strategy. And rather than articulate the ills of the country and look for the best man to tackle those ills, a group in its wisdom, decided that the Yoruba nation had to be compensated for the June 12 fiasco. And rather than allow the Yoruba to bring her best man forward, the same group decided who that man should be. In all these calculations, the long time term interests of the Nation were subsumed by class interest and class preservation. So in order to appease the Yoruba which had been denied her ‘slot’ and the military which had to go back to the barracks, these people brought a man that neither the Yoruba nor the military wanted. But it was a man they felt they could do business with. Unfortunately, in their quest for a quick fix that overrode the people’s yearning for democracy and good governance, they did not take the intrinsic character of their anointed man who had never been known to be grateful to persons or interests other than his own, into account. He played along with them until he was sworn in before telling them they had lost their investments, both literally and figuratively. And so deceit and intrigue were sowed into the fertile PDP soil, and

watered by greed and naked lust for power, they germinated and grew into a tree whose branches and foliage sheltered blackmailers, murderers and State robbers. Not once did any of our emerging leaders see 1999 as an opportunity to chart a new path for the country. Our messiah general proceeded to buy or forcibly acquire a political base and planned to rule for as long as possible, either directly or indirectly. His erstwhile ‘god fathers’ who had become disenfranchised and restive, decided to checkmate him money for money, intrigue for intrigue. No one thought of what harm this intra fight would do to their party, not to talk of the country. And so, in quick successions, we had presidents who were neither truly elected nor capable. The last one who came on the wave of public sympathy quickly showed how ill prepared he was for such a national mandate by allowing himself to be captured by narrow, sectional interests. The past one year has witnessed abuses that were as brazen as they were politically suicidal. Appointments, allocation of State resources, coercion of public institutions had one purpose; the gratification of narrow, selfish interests. It was thus clear that those who had been used to being pampered and who are now being deprived, would fight back. Every body saw it coming except Mr and Mrs President and their handlers. The last convention with its high handed selection of delegates was for many, the last straw in a string of party abuses. Now crocodile tears are flowing. Unfortunately, you can not plead patriotism when you have not been patriotic; you can not plead justice and equity when you have not been fair; you can not plead unity when you have been divisive. The sad thing is that the ills of PDP have been infused into the larger society and the signs of an impending implosion have emerged — in the terrorism of the North; in the armed robberies and kidnappings of the South. Yes, they are there for anybody who has eyes to see— in the restiveness of the youths, the increasing discontent of organised labour and the pervading poverty of the land. Yet, I have not heard a decisive voice for reform even from the new groupings. All I see is the same old fight for power and position. We can not say we were not warned that 2015 portends grave dangers for Nigeria. The happenings, the dislocations in the polity, are enough warning. The late Alhaji Jose once told me that a good corporate organisation picks a CEO based on its weakness and need at that point in time. In that light, *we need a leader, or a group of leaders, that will restructure the country and promote merit and equal opportunity; leaders that will silence the voices of tribalism, religiosity and corruption; leaders that will halt the moral and economic decline; leaders that will gore the fat cows and heal the land. Unfortunately, we are running out of time.

We can not say we were not warned that 2015 portends grave dangers for Nigeria

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Prepare a habitation for God T

he children of Isreal were in captivity for years and suddenly God delivered them from the hands of their enemies. I prophesy that this same God will not only hear your cry and see your afflictions but that He will also deliver you from all your troubles. After the children of Isreal crossed the red sea, they sang in Exo. 15:2, “The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him”. Moses and the people soon realized that this God that gave them such a victory cannot be overlooked or taken for granted. They so much desired His continued presence that they committed to preparing a habitation for Him through praising Him. The obvious question therefore will be how do I prepare a habitation for the Lord. The answer is not farfetched. Ps 22:3, says “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of His people”. Wherever God finds true praise He will inhabit. Our praise creates a place where God can dwell and manifest His presence. Wherever God inhabits He takes over as the Lord of hosts. Therefore, every other host will have to surrender and give way to the Chief Host. This is why I know that every power contending with your destiny will surrender to God as you make Him a habitation through your praise. Whenever the evil spirit came upon King Saul and David began to play the harp, the evil spirit departed from Saul (1Sam 16:14&23). The presence of God causes evil spirit to depart. You and I may not be able to understand this mystery but just obey the word of God. God’s word works wonders always. The result comes through our faith in action. The Spirit of the Lord desires to manifest His presence with might and great power. He wants to manifest as the mighty man of war and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. God doesn’t just come to thrill you. He has objectives to accomplish. As you begin to praise Him continually, no matter your challenges or circumstances, every mountain in your life, business, career, academics, marriage, finances and children shall melt away in His presence. It is so vital that we prepare a habitation for God because it brings tremendous O

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God is a consuming fire. Ps 9:3, says, When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence”. God’s presence that manifest through our praise, makes the mountains to melt. Your enemies become confused and losses and defeats becomes their portion. Let your praise prepare a habitation for the Lord to manifest as the mighty man of war to fight against your enemies. While the armies of the children of isreal and the king were hiding from goliath, David told Goliath, I come against you in the name of the Lord of hosts (1Sam 17:45). He gave God glory and defeated Goliath. You too can destroy every goliath in and around your life. No matter where you are presently, answers are waiting in the presence of God (Dan 2). Praise Him like you have never praised Him before and you will encounter what you have never seen before. The world will see you breaking forth in life. Be

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benefits to ourselves. You can’t praise Him and live a life of regrets. Ps 16:11, says, “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore”. God’s presence guarantees fullness of joy. Until you are joyful you cannot be fruitful. Also, you are assured of insights or revelation that will cause you to excel in the issues of life. When you carry God’s presence, answers follow you around. You see, God wants to destroy your enemies with His presence. Ps 68:1-2, says, “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered: let them also that hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God”. The enemy cannot stand the presence of God.

The great implosion

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blessed by the God that made the heavens and the earth. As you prepare God a habitation He shall turn this present economic hardship to your season of increase and progression. Everyone who have asked where is your God shall have reasons to envy you this year. God bless you and bless our great nation Nigeria. Have you given your life to Jesus? If not, please pray this prayer. Father, I come to you as I am. I invite Jesus into my life to be my personal Lord and Saviour. Wash me cleanse with the blood of Jesus and empower me with the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you Father for saving my soul and making me your child.

For more details, contact us at Christ Reality Church, beside Gossard Hotel, opposite First Bank Sports Ground, Community Road, Satellite Town or P.O.Box, 3196, Yaba Lagos. Tel: 08023062635 08168955932; 08033378769. Email: Johnson_crm@yahoo.com. Website: www.christrealityministries.org. Our account details are Pastor Johnson Omomadia, Guaranty Trust Bank, A/C Nos. 0005171407; Christ Reality Ministries, Zenith Bank A/C 1011711622.

Worship with us on Sundays, 1st Service: 745am-9:15am; 2nd Service 9:1511:30am. Wednesdays Word Revelation 6pm. Counseling days Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. 11am-5pm daily or by appointment. Showers of blessing every 2nd - 4th Sat. of each month, 6 a.m - 7.15 am.

16—SA TURD AY Vanguard , SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 16—SATURD TURDA

HE entire country —or almost the whole country— has been startled by the sudden decision— well, at least, it seemed unexpected —of a sizeable chunk of the pecking order of the Peoples Democratic Party to break away and form another—if not a different — political group. The announcement of this move may have been anticipated in some quarters, with the heavy weather that the self-styled largest political party in Africa had been going through. Indeed,s it raised a sizeable dust, much of which still has to settle. But that is typical of a “tribe” of politicians who believe in playing

* ne nevver the same again * “globa-s ta y” “globa-sta tay”

politics with everything — even politics itself. And so we encounter that measure of uncertainty in the announcement of the split. The sleek reportage vehicle of The Vanguard newspaper which carried a story akin to the essence of the announcement, would appear to have slipped up in no detail except the name of the splinter group. But the story was denied by all the protagonists like the politicians they are. That took some of the edge away from the surprise element that was intended to have given the move a distinctive spice when it eventually came. All the same, it is doubtless that it must have landed in the laps of the core membership of the PDP like a hot potato. ere was a party that had sadly spared no effort at stifling itself with a hubristic zeal that fed upon itself, thus increasing its superciliousness to agonizing dimensions. The President, Goodluck Jonathan, seemed to have been seized by the passion of a second term in which his advisers and hangers-on had recognized a life-belt; they had latched on to that ambition without bothering to contemplate or recognize the rough waters ahead. The so-called “attackdogs” among them bared their teeth at every perceived provocation, turning the presidency into a source of constant barking and baying. It seemed the requisite thing to do at the start, but it soon became discordant when they turned on their own.

ut like those foot soldiers, some of whom actually knew very little about the formation of the party, there was the Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who was an old stager, but whose faith in the continued presidency of the incumbent had put his own aspirations in tandem with that of President Jonathan’s. And then, some actors would appear to have cast

Mike Adenuga (Jnr) themselves in a wrong role, like an opponent of a popular state governor who, all the same, hopes to succeed him. How could he conceive a scenario in which he would overwhelm the massive influence and support of the governor in the state? But the PDP had continued to shoot itself in the foot by creating and losing control of diverse storms of wrangling in the party, presided over by the chairman. He had this penchant for suspending very important elements of his party for what he termed “indiscipline”. Some of the occasions which constituted the offence hardly seemed more serious than a refusal by the censured members to be subjected to an undignified submission to the avuncular and openly patronising chairmanship of Tukur. Several of his victims were state governors, if you please; men who had been popularly elected to their positions by their constituencies and now are faced with the proposition of kowtowing to a party official —be he ever so high. Other

They declared that they would rule the country for the next sixty years

identified offenders were state cabinet members and high functionaries.

ut while on that downhill course in the erosion of party cohesion, the party’s fixation on its own virtues and staying power was in no way touched. They declared that they would rule the country for the next sixty years. No one else but

a state, symptomatic of internal disorder, while they talked of their status as the paragons of “internal democracy ”. A state governor was being hounded by the presidency, which is an outpost of the party, for his putative desire to participate in the next election on a ticket with another PDP governor, while the president avowed that he had no objection to anyone aspiring to a higher office. A forum which was founded to bring governors together was being shredded into groups and sub-groups thus driving them apart. The practice of paying scant attention to the directives of the law was almost becoming routine as the party began to base its activities on a morass of open impunity. And yet the leader of the party, the president of the nation himself, breezily declared at a public function that it was the “opposition” who were confused, and were heading for more confusion in 1915, the year of the next election. President Jonathan had proved that he was not above eyebrow-raising stratagems himself, when he met Governor Umeachi in Port Harcourt en route Abuja, in a display of camaraderie that was

But the PDP had continued to shoot itself in the foot by creating and losing control of diverse storms of wrangling in the party

themselves knew how they arrived at that prediction or what warranted it in the first place, other than excessive over-confidence, or perhaps the absence of any seemingly effective opposition on the horizon, a horizon beclouded by their narcissism. If they had eyes for any other aspect of their existence they would perhaps have been cautioned by the crumbling structures of their unity and solidarity. There was discontent on several sides. A parallel convention was on the way in

calculated to dispel the anxieties generated by his unconcealed confrontation with the governor. Then he hopped into his jet on the way to Addis Ababa, and chaos subsequently erupted in the Rivers State Assembly to the utter discomfiture of the governor. The manner of the split in the PDP seems to borrow from the subterfuge of the Port Harcourt encounter followed by the eruption in the Rivers legislature, which was redolent of the presidency’s involvement. In fact, in a

sense, one might daub it “the second leg”. As at the time of going to press, the plot was still thickening and the result could be that the PDP would turn into more than one party, if it goes the way of “humpty dumpty”, despite the frantic efforts of the “elders” of the party, some of whom really have little to recommend about the way they themselves had earlier been run over by the over-bearing disposition of the party officials. Perhaps a new party name and symbol— not necessarily “Voice of the People” as earlier envisioned — would emerge. But maybe a patchwork could still be effected to bring the party together in a form, but definitely not intact. The acrimonious words issuing out of the mouth of Chairman Tukur, and from the barks of those bulldogs in the presidency, have been too sharp to be swallowed now by their utterers. Whichever way it plays out, like those bible-thumping preachers are wont to say, it is clear that our political terrain will never be the same again.

Mike Adenuga (Jnr), the business tycoon whose resourcefulness and sense of enterprise founded Globacom and built it to become the second largest mobile telecom company in Nigeria, has often been described as “reclusive”. He is indeed not given to being loud although he has much to be noisy about if that were his style. But the son of a schoolmaster grew up with a disciplined sense of proportion and has succeeded admirably in containing himself on all sides.

ot everything has been too quiet about him, however; it is not easy to cast a blanket of silence on billiondollar investments, now stretching across West Africa and still expanding. Even more to the point are his contributions to sports and other social activities out of sheer generosity, beyond a limpid discharge of social responsibility. The stream of his open-handedness, for instance, flows through the pages of several newspaper columns every day, in the offer of free telephone accounts worth several thousands of naira to the opinion makers of every shade and suasion. I happen to be one of them. We can only show our gratitude through this kind of acknowledgment and wish Globacom and its proprietor many more years of useful service to land of his birth. In the early days, some wag used to engage in a quip about, Globacom, and Globago. But now we can definitely round it all up by saying, Globastay. Happy anniversary. Time out.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 17

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18—SATURDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 Aunty Julie, I recently got engaged after four years of living together with my boyfriend. I am happy, but I’ve found certain things that I think are inappropriate in our relationship. I’ve seen his text messages and some were sent by other women. I don’t usually jump to conclusions, but now that I am engaged, I seem to take the relationship a little more serious. I am thinking that he is cheating on me. He is very happy about our wedding and constantly suggests that we should just go to the registry. I don’t mind doing that, but I would like to know if he is being faithful or not. I don’t want to start the marriage on a wrong foot. I’d rather work out any problems now, then get married.

Dear Bianca,

He gets texts from other women I know if I approach him, he would get mad because I saw his texts. I don’t want to get disgusted by him because I really love him. I have to find a way to keep what I am feeling under control. I don’t want him to notice anything is wrong. We have a pretty good

sex life. At the beginning of the relationship, it was rocky, but it has gotten better. I really don’t know what to do. I don’t want to marry him if I don’t find out the truth. I think it will haunt me. Thank you for your time Bianca, Abuja

Should I tell him I kissed someone else? Dear Aunty Julie, I have been dating my fiance for over five years. During the first six months we dated, I kissed four other guys. We just kissed and each time I was drunk even though that was not an excuse and I never told him about it. But now that we are engaged, I can’t help feeling awful and guilty. I can’t decide if I should tell him. I think telling him will hurt him so much and I will only be doing it to make myself feel better. What should I do ? Tell or not ? Favour, Lagos Dear Favour, The real question is to whether or not to let fear hold you back from being authentic. Many might advise ou to bury this information and never let it see the light of day. They would ask, “why should you upset him, and make him lose trust in you, just so you can feel less guilty?” Somehow, there should be a way to prevent his being upset, but it will most likely also create a split in the relationship where you have to keep up a wall. Ultimately, how is that in your best interest or his? Your gut is already prompting you to tell. Because you feel guilty and awful, that is already a potential secret wall that will build up between you and the one person in the world with whom you want to be a true closest friend. Being an authentic partner and holding back secrets does not seem to go well together. Fear holds you back. You do

risk upset feelings as a consequence. You do risk a ripple in trust. And that will be the result of telling the truth, so that nothing hidden stands in the way of the two of you being joined in complete union, as it were. Withheld information, withheld feelings, withheld anything is like a wall that will only separate the two of you. You can build authentic trust only if you show up in all your authentic honesty. Trust and unity do not come from withholding or fear.

Sure, you will have to deal with upset feelings. And that is also authentic. But at least it is real and you can deal with it or learn the right ways to deal with it. Keeping secrets and not being open with your guy will end up being a problem that won’t go away. You cannot pretend your way into a great relationship. You can only face your fears, be authentic, respond to feelings that are real, and learn, grow and trust.

Dear Julie, My boyfriend and I have been living together for four years and it is a truly great relationship. I would like the committment of marriage but he does not. This difference of opinion has raised the question of what he really wants in our relationship? I believe that he and I both have different expectations of what makes up a true commitment. From what he has told me, he feels that just living together and being loving and faithful is a real commitment. I believe it goes further. He and I do not share finances, we just split the bills, which works for us. Also, he owns the house and I pay rent, which also works. But I see commitment as carrying a certain amount of risk, such as purchasing furniture together, making deci-

sions together, setting up a life that two people would think a lot about before just walking away from it. I don’t know, maybe I am just trying to achieve the state of marriage without really being in it, sort of like faking myself out! I don’t believe that either one of us is wrong. I think I just need a validity check on my feelings. Your advice would be appreciated. Thanks! Opeoluwa, Abeokuta

There’s no way to find out a healthy way other than to communicate. What stands in the way of that communication? I know that if I were concerned, I would communicate that concern. Even to the point of risking an angry response. Because the response would tell me a whole lot that I may need to know , one way or the other. If you and your partner of four years were about to get engaged, and he had seen some text messages of you and another man and he approached you with concern or insecurity over what is really going on and you had nothing to hide , then it would be rather secondary to you whether he had seen your text messages and would make it a priority to address your concerns until he felt that you had gotten somewhere, to a deeper level of trust. That would be the healthy response from a guy whose

and coming marriage. Literally, it would be stupid and self-destructive to have any other kind of response. Yet, as you probably know, people do not necessarily have the best communication skills, so there may be problems in that area. That itself would signal the need to develop better communication skills. And people

don’t necessarily have the emotional skill level required to communicate about sensitive things. That would be a signal that they need to develop better emotional skills. And if those skills are not developed, then married or not, the relationship is at risk. Period. So I’d want to face the reality and ask the questions , not make accusations, stating my own fears and then wait and see what the real deal is with my potential lifetime partner as to the intentions brought out in response.

Your gut is already prompting you to tell. Because you feel guilty and awful, that is already a potential secret wall that will build up between you and the one person in the world with whom you want to be a true closest friend.

I want marriage, he doesn’t

Dear Ope, The relationship between commitment and marriage is a complex issue and sometimes, it is good to gather a lot of personal information on each side in order to get the full and deeper picture. But given what you said, you feel like you are in a stuck

point, ready to go to some next level of commitment, while he is perfectly comfortable with things exactly as they are. You can debate what “true commitment” means in terms of financial structure and risk-taking on that level. Apparently, to you it means something and to him, it doesnot. I usually want to get below the surface issue like finances to the deeper emotional roots of the dilemma. This may come down to certain fears or personal styles that differentiate the two of you. When you start to explore the deeper issues, you can at least come to better understand each other and more importantly, yourselves. This deeper understanding, if you keep going in that direction, usual-

C O C K - T A L E S PRICELESS! A little boy got on the bus, sat next to a man reading a book, and noticed he had his collar on backwards.The little boy asked why he wore his collar backwards. The man, who was a priest, said, ‘I am a Father.’The little boy replied, ‘My Daddy doesn’t wear his collar like that.’ The priest looked up from his book and answered, ‘’I am the Father of many.’ The boy said, ‘’My Dad has four boys, four girls and two grandchildren and he doesn’t wear his collar that way!’ The priest, getting impatient, said. ‘I am the Father of hundreds’, and went

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main concern was the solidity of the relationship

back to reading his book. The little boy sat quietly thinking for a while, then leaned over and said, “Maybe you should wear a condom, and put your pants on backwards instead of your collar.” Looking for time-up Wife: ‘What are you doing?’ Husband: Nothing. Wife: ‘Nothing...? You’ve been reading our marriage certificate for an hour.’ Husband: ‘I was looking for an expiration date.’ The same mistake

ly becomes a pathway to discover a mutual solution. To go down that pathway does require each person to keep opening their hearts to understand the other person. Because we can each only open ourselves in the presence of someone who is openheartedly receptive to us, and accepting of what we discover in ourselves. But the usual thing is to argue or debate over an issue ,sort of like you two are doing. This discussion which pretends to look for an answer, but really is just a power struggle in disguise does not let people be open-heartedly compassionate. Hence each person, instead of opening more to a process of co-discovery, will close down tightly around their own point of view.

A man was sitting reading his papers when his wife hit him on the head with a frying pan. ’What was that for?’ the man asked. The wife replied ‘That was for the piece of paper with the name Jenny on it that I found in your pants pocket’. The man then said ‘When I was at the races last week, Jenny was the name of the horse I bet on’. The wife apologized and went on with the housework. Three days later the man is watching TV when his wife bashes him on the head with an even bigger frying pan, knocking him unconscious. Upon re-gaining consciousness the man asked why she had hit again. Wife replied: ‘Your Horse phoned’

SATURDAY

Robbed at home and abroad!

lot of women have sworn off house-helps because of their exploits — they would rather have a dirty house and less gourmet meals than have some smelling sneaky strangers ransacking their homes and carting away anything that wasn’t nailed down. I’ve used their services all my life. First with my parents, then as soon as I could stand on my two feet. I wish I could swear off them too —but I hate house work. In spite of my hatred for the strings of helps that keep on showing up half hungry in my house and leaving after a year or so with rosy cheeksj I soldiered on, hoping to get the odd good ones. Of course a few valuables had been nicked, yet I shrugged it off — you can’t mourn what you haven’t really missed. Until a few months ago. I’d rushed to the bank in the afternoon to get some money for a trip I’d planned for the next day. I wasn’t even away for an hour. was that I would soon be getting away As I hooted for the house-help to from this nightmare — my annual holiopen the garage door and nobody day was a few months away and I showed, a good samaritan helped. couldn’t get away fast enough. And Fuming... he’d get the length of my my friends were delighted to see me. tongue when he came back from In London, Tokunbo, who I usually wherever it was he went, I unlocked spend the first leg of my holidays with my bedroom door and my jaw hit before I go to another friend in Hampthe floor! All the clothes in my wardshire couldn’t sympathise enough. robes were strewn all over the bedBefore she left Nigeria years back, she room floor. was often targeted by robbers. I told her I’d already forgotten about the he hard case, with its fancy incident. Folu, her son had called becombination lock that held all fore I arrived wanting to know when my jewellery — especially gold and to book a special outing to cheer me corals— laid on the bed, hacked up. And as soon as I arrived, he told open by a cutlass —its contents me everything had been taken care of stollen. Other items he could eas— all I had to do was make myself ily carry were gone—phones, cash, available on the D-day. DVD and God knows what else. I I laughed inwardly as he turned up was numbed. A few of the in his city gent garb and made his neighbours came to make the right special treat look like a mystery tour noise, and that was it. I was another — until we got to the Ritz, a five-star statistic— a victim out of thousands hotel in West London, he didn’t let on that get burgled every day in this we would be having the traditional country by virmins mostly from the English tea — a glass of well chilled neighbouring countries. champagne, assorted wafer-thin sandFriends rallied round with some wiches and fresh baked scones — and pieces of jewellery they could afthe tea of course, all served in one of ford to let go, but my consolation

Vanguard SEPTEMBER 7 7,, 2013—19

their plush dinning rooms! Was this going to set the pace for the rest of my holiday?

hen I eventually arrived Hampshire, my friend Mowunmi and her husband couldn’t spoil me enough — afterall, I was a victim of a ruthless bugler, and I needed to be pampered to get my mind off my trauma! If only they knew I’d completely put the incident out of my mind —thanks to some lucky breaks I never even imagined; and the generosity of friends, I’d more than recouped what I lost! Anyway, a few days after, we were all at this shopping mall where Gerry, my friend’s English husband was his gentleman self. As soon as we had our hands full of carrier bags, he would take them off our hands, put them in the boot of the car and come back for more. “What? Are you letting him carry all that stuff?” Some of the stall-holders would ask— bet they wished it was the other way round! ‘And where are you from?’ One of them wanted to know as I

Shouldn’t we be giving more to the poor? The dinlmost every Nigerian is aware of the a while, you come across impressive anonyner was A urgency to grab more than enough cash mous donors when appeals for aids for ailthey need from whatever means so they could ing citizens are made, but how many of those lovely, the flaunt it in front of gawping admirers at the can we count? Once in a while too, milestone birthday celebrants go to various homes to slightest opportunity.Some get terribly disapguests pointed and settle for making enough money make donations in kind and cash that would to ‘keep body and soul together ’. The few that last inmates a few weeks at the most, and dressed to make it are so delirious with happiness promptly forget all about such homes. As far they ’ve changed an old adage to “A fool and as they are concerned, they’ve done their bit the nines his money are responsible for the best parties”! for humanity. and the But what about those who don’t even give The average Nigerian man’s measure of success is the number of exotic cars he could buy, enriching the society a thought? Some few entertainthe foreign property that defy costs that he could months ago, a flashy society lady had her notch up his list of property acquisition; the annual extravagant bash to mark yet another ment was number of bogus chieftaincy titles he gets and birthday. Exotic foods groaned on each table the number of wives (or husbands!) he could and choice drinks flowed like water. Left-over superb get away with. Not for him the old age counsel foods were being freely carted away in carthat one should always give back to the society rier bags donated by one of the woman’s refrom where one made so much money. Once in lations.

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bought a few things from her. I told her. “Ah, a few days ago, a man from Nigeria was here with loads of binbags buying up everything in sight.” “What do you mean?” my friend bristled. She hasn’t been home for close to 20 years and would resent any insinuation about the carrying ons of some Smart Alecs from her beloved country. I dug her in the ribs with my elbow. “You don’t know these people,” she told me later. “She was insinuating the Nigerian was loading up with all sorts of rubbish that were left on the shelves so he could make massive profits back home.” “What has that got to do with you? The man did buy all those things and if he could find a market for them in Nigeria, who’s complaining?’ I soothed. At the next stall, I excitedly picked up some bottles of perfume that looked like a bargain, reached for my wallet and couldn’t fmd it. “Could I have accidentally packed it away with the carrier bags?” I asked Gerry. The poor man rushed to the car with me in tow. We rummaged through the bags — nothing. My wallet was gone with cash and about four credit cards —three of them from Nigeria!

rantically, I called the various banks to cancel the cards. After licking my wounds, I got to my room virtually falling over the purchase I’d made over the ten days I’d spent with the couple. What if my wallet hadn’t been stollen? I would have been tempted to buy more and then face the nightmare of hostile airline staff snootily telling me I’d over-shut my luggage allowance! Talk about every cloud having a silver lining! “Back in London, Toks and Folu welcomed me as if they were thinking of fund -raising for me! Would I be interested in coming to a variety show with dinner and dancing thrown in? I groaned. I’d had enough of all that,and all I wanted to do was pack my bags. But the show was already paid for, and thank goodness for that. The dinner was lovely, the guests dressed to the nines and the entertainment was superb. Our private cubicle wap next to a few celebrities’and, as starry-eyed fans gushed for autographs, I marveled at the enthusiasm with which they were given. As we sang along to the variou old sentimental tunes by renowned artists,it was well into the early hours when the live entertainment ended. Now it was wincing time, and thank goodness we thought we’d had moire than values for money and left.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 08052201257 anyagafu@yahoo.com

So, what makes a healthy relationship?

verybody craves for a strong, healthy relationship. A strong, healthy relationship can be one of the best supports in your life. Good relationships improve all aspects of your life, strengthening your health, your mind, and your connections with others. However, if the relationship isn’t working, it can also be a tremendous drain. Relationships are an investment. The more you put in, the more you can get back. Everyone’s relationship is unique, and people come together for many different reasons. But there are some things that good relationships have in common. Knowing these things helps keep them meaningful, fulfilling and exciting in both happy and sad times. What makes a healthy love relationship? •Staying involved with each other: Some relationships get stuck in peaceful coexistence, but without truly relating to each other and working together. While it may seem stable on the surface, lack of involvement increases distance. When you need to talk about something important,

the connection and understanding may no longer be there. •Getting through conflict: Some couples talk things out quietly, while others may raise their voices and passionately disagree. The key in a strong relationship, though, is not to be fearful of conflict. You need to be safe to express things that bother you without fear of retaliation, and be able to resolve conflict without humiliation, degradation or insisting on being right. •Keep outside interests alive:

No one person can meet all of our needs, and expecting too much from someone can put a lot of unhealthy pressure on a relationship. Having friends and outside interests not only strengthens your social network, but brings new insights and stimulation to the relationship, too. •Communicate well: Honest, direct communication is a key part of any relationship. When both people feel

No one person can meet all of our needs, and expecting too much from someone can put a lot of unhealthy pressure on a relationship comfortable expressing their needs, fears, and desires, trust and bonds are strengthened. Nonverbal cues like body language,eye contact, leaning forward or away, or touching someone’s arm are critical to communication. In a committed relationship between two adult partners, physical intercourse is often a cornerstone of the relationship. However, intercourse should not be the only method of physical intimacy in a relationship. Regular, affectionate touch— holding hands, hugging, or kissing is equally important. Be sensitive to what your partner likes: While touch is a key part of a healthy relationship, it’s important to take some time to find out what your partner really likes. Unwanted touching or inappropriate overtures can make the other person tense up and retreat, exactly what you don’t want. You probably have fond memories of when you were first dating your loved one. Everything may have seemed new and exciting, and you may have spent hours just chatting together or coming up with new, exciting things to try. However, as time goes by, children, demanding jobs, long commutes, different hobbies and other obligations can make it hard to find time together. It’s critical for your relationship though, to make time for yourselves. If you don’t have quality time, communication and understanding start to erode. That women are mysterious and unknowable is something every young man grows up believing. Men, on the other hand, never think of themselves as mysterious

My marriage is crashing Ques: My marriage needs help. I find myself resentful when I think about the things in my marriage I want to change but in over 10 years have gotten worse. My husband is unaffectionate. It never used to be this bad but earlier on, it wasn’t what I thought it should have been. I thought I could help him with his “ways”. I came from a very affectionate family so this has really been a struggle for me. He kisses me each day about the same way I kiss my child when it’s time to go to school. It’s never in a romantic or passionate way. Sex is virtually nonexistent. Sometimes, we go for months without it. But the average is once every month or two. I am basically the maid, cook, nanny and have no real feeling of intimacy or passion anymore. It’s a very isolating feeling to live with someone who feels more like a roommate than a spouse. I have gained

weight and can’t seem to feel worthy of taking care of myself because I seem to be the one taking care of everything else. He is not happy with my weight and that may be the problem but to me, that is a superficial approach to love from a husband. Remi, Edo Ans: I understand your pains. This will eventually destroy the marriage if you don’t do something about it. So this is the time for you to step up to the plate and present this issue before your man before it is too late and you give up. Many couples end up in lack lustre relationships because they have consistently avoided something like conflict, for instance or they have chosen to go numb rather than confront discomfort. You suffer from avoided issues, or the lack of technical knowhow to address them. Instead, you are

trying to keep things comfortable, probably because each of you simply does not know how to get through the impasse. You are now in the dark as to what to do. But you can work it out by learning how to change the patterns that damage your love; healing and overcoming the old baggage that holds you back today; improving communication and start addressing these issues instead of avoiding them; working through and

soothing resentment and learning ways to help you overcome your fear and resistance. For yourself, it is time for you to take care of yourself. Start eating better and exercizing. Do this not for him at all. Do it for yourself. Why? Because you will inherently feel

or confusing, and they are often at a loss as to why women want to figure them out. When women say men don’t really talk to them or reveal themselves, the men wish women knew just how much they had to suppress their desires, pains, fears, and vulnerability over the years to conform to the script of masculinity that they are given. Sometimes men don’t open up because they are afraid of what they will find. They are also afraid that if women see who they really are, in all their flawed humanity (and not the flaws that annoy women, like being untidy or driving fast), women won’t like them. You should know this too, men are as nervous as women are about sex. A woman’s anatomy is a mystery that nobody bothers explaining . Even when men think they have mastered one woman’s body, every body is different. They feel inadequate if they can’t satisfy a woman in bed, and since no one has told them what to do with feelings of inadequacy, they project them onto women. Sad but true. Men are very insecure about how they look and what women really think about them, and they are excited when women do small, nice things for them . They ’ve been trained never to show this side to women, but it is there. Men crave cuddling and hand-holding, maybe even more than women do.

better. That you owe yourself. Also, open up with others. You may have isolated yourself too much inside this relationship, and that could be a big factor in keeping the marriage stuck in the mud. Find support of friends. Do fun things with friends. Find happiness for yourself first and foremost, by doing things that open you to having more pleasure and fun without him. Take a class. Do anything. Get moving ! Read self-help books for yourself, regardless of if he is interested or afraid to be interested. These will directly address the sexual side of things since these books are about sex. However, they will be more confrontational and scary, especially to him and he may avoid them. But take a step at a time. You will eventually work things out with him.

•Andy, male, 45 years, based in Lagos, businessman, is searching for a lady who is a Christian and of good height aged 20-35 years on 08058496444 • Abi, 40, employed, wants a lady •Paul, 40, from Ebonyi State, of above 20 for a marital relationship living in Lagos, wants a lady, 30 on 08165204435 and above , for a relationship that •Gbenga, 47, civil servant, based will lead to marriage on Do you have reactions to our stories or have you any experience you want in Lagos, needs a God-fearing lady 08148447141 to share with our readers? Please e-mail,chiomagabriel@vanguardngr.com of 30-46 for a serious relationship •Dan, based in Warri, wants a on 08109655702 beautiful lady that works in a Do you want to be linked? •Pearl, 25, Lagos-based, wants a Neither Chioma Gabriel nor Saturday Vanguard has any relationship with anybody wanting bank in Warri for a marriagehumble, responsible, decent, to be linked. We have no agents anywhere and charge no fees. We have no personal informa- based relationship on mature lady aged 28-32 for a tion of people who have been linked or want to be linked and therefore, are not answerable for 08141264676 disappointments or embarrassments some people may encounter in the process. relationship on 07010146460 •Anita, single, resident in Lagos, desires to meet a sexually active man between 22-45, on 08142314889 •Eze,44, Engineer from Imo State,widower, employed, needs a mature lady of 36 years and above for a relationship on 08136709718

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•Joy, 31, graduate, single mum, wants to meet a workingclass man on 08109355688 •Ishola, 40, from Osun State, dark, tall, needs a working-class lady from the South West aged between 38-45 years on 07060467330

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013—21

n unheralded long jump bronze medallist for Nigeria at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she broke into unchartered territory in 2013 by leaping out to the magical 7.00m distance for the first time in her life (whilst also possessing 3 of the 10 leading jumps in the world this year). Her sprinting feats this year have been even more spectacular; she – ‘Yeah, yeah ... we know Okagbare. Isn’t she the one who carried last in 100m final at last year’s Olympics after teasing all of us by winning her semi finals in a 10.92s personal best??’ Well, that was last year. Her first major sprint final; the result a distant memory, an irrelevance compared to her exploits in 2013. A year in which she inched ever closer to her pintsized Jamaican Olympics conqueror in their series of battles on the

From Russia with love (2) athletics circuit, culminating in a comprehensive victory in London, right on the eve of the World Championships, where she broke the African 100m record twice in one day, running 10.85s then 10.79s. If this was not enough, she had also set a personal best of 22.31s in the 200m during the course of the season. Yes, the lingering taste of several bitter pills of disappointment swallowed on past occasions was still there. But this year felt different. For the first time, here was a genuinely world class Nigerian athlete who was in the absolute form of her life at just the right moment; in contrast to her compatriots who in times past frequently arrived at the major occasions as hollowed shells of themselves, burnt out from chasing lucrative dollars on the gruelling circuit with no restraints whatsoever imposed by the sports supervisory officials who instead were greedily tallying up the avalanche of medals expected. Even the international media, in the wake of recent high profile doping scandals and the attendant paucity of genuine competition to a certain Usain Bolt, switched their hyperbole artillery to the women’s sprints and commenced to ignite the airwaves with the latest compelling rivalry in athletics: the double Olympic, double

World ‘pocket rocket’ 100m Champion from Jamaica versus the leggy multi-eventer from Africa whose penchant for sluggish starts combined with an explosive kick made for a truly mouth-watering contest in prospect. Yes, there were theoretically a few other potential title contenders including the usual

ome attribute this cruel but recurring phenomenon to nerves, burnout, inferiority complex, inadequate preparation, inexperience, unpaid allowances ... there’s a whole host of reasons why that green and white vest continues to flap futilely in the wake of the overachievers (usually several meters ahead).But none of them provides any relief to that dull ache in the pit of the stomach created by swelling hopes that have been abruptly violated. So ... if the foregoing is true, why the quiet exuberance on August 10? A proclivity to masochism? No. More like the steady rise and rise in the months leading up to August of the Sapele Gazelle (a title I only came across for the first time after the World Championships; success is good) Yes, starting from the onset of the outdoor season last May, Blessing Okagbare slowly but surely launched a quiet but relentless assault on every barrier that stood between her and a place in the history books of athletics.

Messi, Real Madrid, Tiger Woods or anywhere else (Arsenal excluded) where morale-boosting victories and super-human heroics were not just available but guaranteed. I assured them it was a new dawn. A new day. The storm was over. The light had come. Forget the other members of our selected contingent (none had turned up any noteworthy performances during the season, and the World Championships featuring the sport’s elite athletes consumed with patriotic fervour was never going to be the place to begin). This was the chosen one. Had I not studied her assiduously throughout the season? Watched her pre-race facial expression slowly change from the former wide-eyed pleasure of one just happy to be in the same starting line-up with the world’s best, to the stern focus of the battle-ready warrior for who second position was now

So for the first time in my life, I became an unabashed apostle of Nigeria’s prospects at a major athletics championship

feisty Americans and the eversmiling Ivorian, but they could scrap it out for bronze. Gold and silver had been long destined for Nigeria and Jamaica; only the order of merit was in question.

o for the first time in my life, I became an unabashed apostle of Nigeria’s prospects at a major athletics championship. I preached to the unbelievers, those who still wallowed in the self-pity of heartbreaks past, those deliberately hardened by a shell of cynicism donned in self-protection from another rapacious assault on their tender expectations, those who had switched emotional allegiance to Chelsea, Roger Federer, Lionel

equivalent to ignominious failure? Was she not even aptly named for her mission – to be a blessing to her oppressed countrymen and women, waiting for deliverance from perennial underachievement? My friends scoffed, mocked, grumbled, appealed for reason ... but slowly I saw a faint light of hope dawn deep in their eyes. They were hungry to believe. As I already did. The first twinges of disquiet came when, knowing my irrepressibly optimistic compatriots, I investigated a suspicion and discovered that the gazelle from Sapele had been registered for combat in 4 events at the Championships, three of which were individual (100m, 200m, Long Jump; plus the 4x100m relay).

To be continued

n Igbo adage says that when birds fly without perching, one will shot without aiming. Having explored all possible means of mainstreaming persons with disability in Nigeria without success, we had to explore active participation in politics as a means of mainstreaming persons with disability through the formation of Association for Comprehensive Empowerment of Nigerians with disabilities (ASCEND) and it has proved to be the elixir we needed. Since we took the first step of testing the murky waters of politics with the Anambra State gubernatorial election, we community, with our members have been receiving a from all nook and cranny deluge of support from the coming out to register to vote general public. We have and participate in our got 15 groups and activities to ensure that we countless number of realize our noble objectives. individuals who have The passion and commitment indicated interest and this has elicited in our pledged to work with us to community is unparalleled realize our objective of and very encouraging. We endorsing a candidate for the gubernatorial election as a means of ensuring that when such a candidate is elected, he/she will carry persons with disability appointed local along in his/her have government coordinators in all government. The resolve to the 21 local governments in the participate actively in all state and ward coordinators future elections starting appointment will be concluded with the Anambra State soon. At the inaugural meeting of gubernatorial election has stirred tremendous the ASCEND Local government excitement in our coordinators held on August

ASCEND poised for activ e par ticipation active participation in politics 21,2013, a 98% turnout was recorded and the coordinators were extremely passionate about the project. At the meeting, one of the coordinators introduced her mother, informing us that her mother had to drop her position as PDP ward woman leader to join our struggle pledging to work for any

The passion and commitment this has elicited in our community is unparalleled and very encouraging

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candidate we endorsed no matter the party the candidate belonged to. She said that our project is beyond party affiliation or loyalty and implored others to support our endeavour. Also, at the inaugural meeting of the ASCEND

support group, all the support groups present pledged to work with ASCEND to ensure that any candidate endorsed by ASCEND wins the gubernatorial election. They described our struggle as worthy of support of every well meaning Nigerian. Among the groups are, market women association, churches, students, sports club etc. The support group pleaded that their interests should be accommodated in our demands from the politicians. This was well received by ASCEND. The ASCEND local government coordinators were charged with the responsibility of nominating ward coordinators and to intensify their effort in

mobilizing people to register if they have not done so, and if they have registered before, to ensure that they know where their voters cards are kept and if it is missing, they should report to the appropriate authority for necessary action. The review of voters register ended on August 25,2013. ASCEND will open her doors to all the candidates from all the parties taking part in the gubernatorial elections as soon as their candidates emerged. We do not want to give any candidate or party undue advantage.We will write to all the candidates and open a channel of communication with every one of them. We will be dealing with the candidates and not the parties as we have no business with the parties but the candidates. The reason behind this is that our members belong to different political parties and are free to do so, but whichever candidate we endorsed will be supported by every member no matter our individual party affiliations. So the fact that we endorsed a candidate from a particular party during the Anambra State gubernatorial election, does not imply that ASCEND is affiliated to that particular political party. We could endorse a candidate from a different political party in another election. Our endorsement depends on the candidates disposition to persons with disability and ability to improve the lives of the common man through good governance.

22 — SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

08052201867 (Text Only)

Stretch a bit, bend a bit The Cobra

he Cobra pose o r Bhujangasana in Sanskrit is our first posture. A basic stretch exercise, it can be performed at first try unless you’re very stiff in the back or too weak to lift up your torso even on

your arms. Technique: As you lie on your belly with chin touching the floor, place your hands at shoulder level. Now straighten up elbows and legs with feet together. The backward bending shouldn’t be done with a jerk to avoid injury to a stiff rausce.

In another variant of the posture you go through the same motions, the difference being that you don’t straighten up the elbows entirely, allowing you to keep the lower part of the abdomen on the floor. You may try both versions one after the other. A deep breath should

always proceed the raising of the torso and head. Benefits: Soothes an overworked back. Gives a rich supply of blood to the adrenal just above the kidneys. Practise this if you have gas after a meal:

a: mbr o C The

dew By A

ale

The Double Vertical Leg Raise Technique:

it on the floor with the legs outstretched in front of you and the hands placed behind you with fingers facing forward. Brcathe in deeply and raise the legs vertically. Retain the posture for 5 to 7 seconds and breathing out lower the legs to the floor. Repeat this three or four times.

Benefits: The Leg Raise strengthens the quadriceps -the muscles of the front of the thighs. The abdominal wall gets toughened. The digestive organs are stimulated. The shoulders and neck also gets a good workout.

Fingers to Toes Technique:

it down flat on the g r o u n d ; stretched your hands gently to touch the toes. Remain still for a period of 15 to 20 second and r e p e a t thereafter for two or three times. Benefits: This exercise stretches your back muscles and enable you move freely at all times.

Yoga Classes

Double Vertical Leg Raise: By Self

@ 32 Adetoku mbo Ademola , Victoria Island Lagos. 9.00am — 10.00 am on Saturday s

Fingers to Toes: By Amarachukwu

SATURDAY

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013—23 sire for sex on weekdays. What they want during the week is a loving companion who will snuggle up to them and listen to what has happened in their day, but not demand sex. If the busy person has never discussed this with their partner, it can cause a lot of upset and rowing because, understandably, the other person tends to feel rejected. It may not be ideal to only have sex at the weekends or during holidays, but at least if both parties know that this is the plan, there will be fewer unrealised expectations and fewer quarrels. In other words, the relationship should become more relaxed.

Work woes: sex difficulties in busy people

rowing number of people are finding their sex life suffer because they work too hard. Working too hard can take its toll on your relationship. These days, there are an increasing number of people whose sex lives are going badly because of their jobs. This is partly due to the current ‘long hours’ culture, and partly due to the fact that in 2013, so many businesses are facing serious financial difficulties. These couples say that they are not making love as often as they used to, and don’t seem to have the energy for it either. A top company executive revealed : ‘When I first moved in with my husband, we had sex almost every night. Now we only do it once a month. I think it’s because both of us are exhausted’.

Effect of long hours on sex drive

*Ebb and flow of desire Less frequent sex or lack of libido doesn’t automatically point to an inherent problem in a relationship. Human desire tends to ebb and flow quite a bit. Sometimes we feel really sexy and sometimes we don’t. Also, there is a natural tendency in relationships for sex to get less frequent as time goes by. This is due to two things: •as the couple grow used to each other, the novelty of the relationship wears off. •for hormonal reasons, the desire for sex tends to decline a little with

age, particularly in men. •If you are tired, you are unlikely to have much strength left for sex, whether you are a man or a woman. •When a job is very stressful, the effect of that stress will be to diminish the amount of energy you have for sex. •You may be so stressed out, you don’t even think of sex for quite long periods. This is common among people who work in the financial sector. Some of them start work at six in the morning, and carry on for more than 12 hours. Often, they do not stop for lunch and many of them have a long commute at either end of the day. So when we see a man or a woman who leaves home at 4.30am and gets back at 8.30pm, it’s not surprising that they’re likely to have trouble with their sex life.

Effect of business uncertainties on sex drive

Similarly, if you’re working for a business that seems to be on the verge of going into administration (or indeed, if you own one), then the stress that this generates is likely to make you produce more ‘anxiety chemicals’ like adrenaline. And often the physiological effect of those ‘anxiety chemicals’ is to diminish your sex drive, or to make it difficult for you to ‘perform’. In particular, men who are under stress because of work woes are liable to have problems in getting a good erection.

Sexual difficulties caused by excessive work

No matter what your job, excessive work can cause the following sexual difficulties. •You will have less time for sex.

*Give your partner some attention

It has to be said that honesty is not going to be enough to fix a rocky relationship, unless you pay your partner some real attention. He or she needs to feel affirmed and important , despite the paucity of sex. So make sure that you spent adequate time on kissing, cuddling and stroking!

*Think about how you talk to your partner

•You will be tired, so it may be difficult to summon up much interest. •You may find it more difficult to climax. •You will find it difficult to relax in bed. •If you’re female, you may find it hard to produce adequate lubrication pre-intercourse. •If you’re male, you may not be able to get erections easily. •Feelings of stress may make you less likely to give your partner sufficient romance and love play. •You will probably opt for doing the same things during sex. •Your partner may show disappointment or even anger towards you because of these work-induced symptoms. Letting things continue as they are could lead to the breakdown of your relationship. If work is affecting your love life, you need to do something about it fast. Doing nothing and just hoping things will sort themselves out is folly.

What changes to make?

Short of giving up your job, there are no instant or magical solutions. But everyone can make small changes in their lives no matter how busy they are. These changes need to be ones that will bring some sort of balance into your lifestyle that does not exist currently. Such changes should help your health as well as your love life. *Be honest with your partner The first thing you can do is to be honest with your partner. There are couples who have no de-

It’s easy to take your workplace language into the home, but that can seem rude, abrupt and terse. For instance, never bark out bedtime instructions to your beloved! Use the journey home from the office to unwind and to get into a softer frame of mind. Instead of working on your laptop all the way, read a book or do a puzzle. You need to change gear from working mode to something a little more empathetic and human if you are to have a healthy romantic life at home.

*Don’t let work encroach on weekends and holidays

If you want to maintain your relationship, your partner will want to feel that you put him or her first at weekends and holidays. This means a complete change of pace. Try not to bring work home or to keep checking your emails and switch off your mobile phone.

*Make sex special

When you do make love, try to wind down first so that you are in a more relaxed frame of mind. Partners do not want to feel that they’re being used as a substitute for quick masturbation, and that all you care about is a swift climax. Partners want to feel cared for and loved, so cuddle up together first or have a romantic meal. And then spend half an hour giving your loved one a massage, or have a bath or shower together.

* Add variety in the bedroom

Try to vary your lovemaking. In our experience, very busy people tend to get into a set sexual pattern. They find a routine that works and is fast and then use it every time for years. This is boring and unimaginative. If you keep doing it, it’s likely you’ll both go off sex and this can spell doom for your relationship.

Ask the Sexpert My husband always complains that I have a loose vagina. He doesn’t feel the tightness. Please help because he is losing interest in me. You have not mentioned your age. Please start kegel exercises, which will help tone your vaginal muscles. Try different positions. You could also consult a gynaecologist. My wife and I have sex every day and to avoid pregnancy, she has an

IUD in her vagina. For the last five years, she hasn’t changed it. Is it safe to use it for another two years? The older models were said to be effective for five years. It is easy to replace it with a more modern version. I am 42 years old and my husband is 49. This is our second marriage. He is not a shy man. He gets naked easily while shaving and bathing in front of me. But he doesn’t want to remove his clothes during intercourse. He

only takes out his manhood from his pants and wants to have sex. I have talked to him about this. He listens carefully, but it is of n o use. He never hugs, kisses or indulges in foreplay. I have always tried to cooperate. Now, I am losing interest in sex. What should I do? If he does not listen, take off his pants. Sometimes, indulge in foreplay while he’s shaving and bathing to teach him foreplay pleasures.

I am a 23-year-old woman and my partner is 25. We have sex quite a few times and use protection. When he fingers me, I get a tickling sensation. However, I feel nothing once he enters me. I don’t even feel pain. What’s wrong?

When the clitoris is stroked, you experience a tickling sensation. However, this may not be happening in your case during penetration. Try the women-ontop position.

24—SA TURD AY 24—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 20133

It was no longer news that politicians and money-bags bought the conscience of some newspaper editors and senior journalists who in turn’ killed’ stories and photos of scandalous events that occurred during electioneering campaigns of Chief Okitipupa

Kingmakers By CHIOMA GABRIEL

oshua sat at the edge of his six-spring iron bed, listening

attentively as the Electoral Commissioner announced the results of the just-concluded governorship election. He had not had a good sleep for days but he needed to hear these results because it would shape the future of his career. He was forced to choose between the progressives and the conservatives and he had chosen the former. He was committed to free and fair elections and that was what progressivism was all about. One man, one vote and he worked tirelessly for that during the campaigns and realised it was almost impossible. The six-spring iron bed squeaked as strange figures were reeled out by the Electoral Commissioner. He wondered if it was the same figures that were called out which he captured with his lens or the figures from another election that were being announced. Dismay masked his face as Chief Peterside eventually emerged the winner of the governorship election. He sighed several times before burying his face on his palms, a deep groan escaping his throat. “ So much has gone wrong in Plantain Republic and there would never be a remedy,” he told himself sadly. Despite the good image parried by the Peoples Electoral Commission and the promises made by the new Electoral Commissioners said to be without spots and wrinkles, no difference was noticed in the justannounced results. Only two days ago, from the balcony of his Third Floor apartment on Sign Street, he had taken what would have been award-winning photographs of men in Police uniform thumbprinting ballot papers on the eve of the election. The photos were yet new exclusive shots captured by his

lens but it had shocked him when the Editor of Headline News, the newspaper he worked with as photo journalist turned down the photos for publication as he had turned down many of the shots he took during the elections. Joshua knew it was not ordinary. Something must have transpired between his colleagues and some personalities involved in the elections. Money must have changed hands and the top Editors of Headline News always made his exclusive shots look like dirts not worthy of being published. It always pained Joshua whenever any of his exclusive shots for which he had won several international awards was thrown into the trash can of the newsroom by his bosses after giving him flimsy excuses. Many times too, they never bothered with any explanation. It was no longer news that politicians and money-bags bought the conscience of some newspaper Editors and Senior Journalists who in turn’ killed’ stories and photos of scandalous events that occurred during the electioneering campaigns of Chief Peterside and his cohorts. A sob escaped from Joshua’s throat. All those shots that captured Chief Peterside’s thugs shooting sporadically into the air, hoodlums wielding matchets and guns in broad-daylight; corpses of victims of political violence lying on the streets and thugs making away with ballot boxes never got published. Stories had made the rounds that Chief Peterside of Democratic Action Party could do anything with his money. He didn’t disappoint those who believed in the power of his money and the pressmen on his payroll complied with his devices. Chief Peterside was a believer of the fact that it was better to win an election than to go to the tribunal and he was right about that. He fought to win. He knew all that was required of him to win and he did exactly that

and the press was silent on his antics. Some newspapers had even praised him to the high heavens! “Something has gone terribly wrong”, Joshua sobbed again. At Headline News where he worked as a photo journalist , he had noticed many things since the transition programme of General Jagbajantis kicked off. All the pages of the 72page tabloid published by Chief Akakasiaka , a shrewd businessman in the 1990’s had gone for sale to the highest bidder. Politicians sponsored lies on the pages of newspapers for a very high price.

Political journalists had become emergency millionaires; agents of political parties paid Journalists and Editors to publish lies against their opponents. Some agents of politicians even got employed in newspapers as spies and freelance Journalists. Joshua had been offered money by money-bags to withhold publication of some offensive photographs but he had severally turned down the offers. His superiors had collected the dough and shoved his photos into the waste-paper basket. Joshua knew the system was worse than he thought. Journalists had made mess of the war against corruption. They had compromised. His colleagues now cruised around in posh cars and dressed like fashion models. Some male Journalists and their female accomplices lived in mansions and owned property all over the State. Their appearances were often like pictures taken out of GQ and Playboy Magazines. Their annual salaries would never afford their monthly expenditure. Those who could play the game got rich while the decent ones languished in poverty. It pained him that his colleagues had betrayed their enviable position as members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm. People no longer believed what

they read on the pages of newspapers. Even photos told lies. Money answereth all things. Joshua sighed and walked to the window of his bedroom and looked outside. His weather-beaten, help-me push Nissan car was conspicously parked in the compound. He was not a happening guy like his colleagues! Everything about Plantain Republic was a lie. Corruption had eaten deep into the system. It had become institutionalised. Joshua had hoped he would help effect a change in the society through his lens. That dream had become a mirage. Integrity had ceased to be a virtue. Incorruptibility was no longer a virtue. Honesty had no laurels. And to prove it, he had remained poor when his colleagues were building mansions, buying posh cars and living it up. Many of his colleagues could not understand him, or why he chose the path of ‘poverty’ in a country where fortune was literally lying on the streets. In Plantain Republic, everyone had a choice. If only fools rush in where angels fear to tread, that saying would not be appropriate for Plantain Republic where there were no lines between angels and fools. In Plantain Republic, fools were celebrated. The morons were the barons. Thieves were the Chiefs. Might was right and injustice the order of the day. Power-drunkenness was the in-thing and those who had it flaunted it. If anything was being frowned at in Plantain Republic, it was the inability not to belong among the happening people. But it was his choice. In life, everything had a price. In Plantain Republic, the price of incorruptibility was poverty. And with Chief Peterside emerging governor, Joshua knew corruption had become institutionalised. It also meant he had to quit or remain poor. Or join them!

Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 25

08116759764 anozieegole@yahoo.com

Oge Okoye cools off in USA

Juliet Ibrahim thrills fans at O news live P

RETTY cross-over Ghanaian cum Nigerian actress Juliet Ibrahim, thrilled her numerous fans at a recent event as she stepped out with a stunning gown which showed all the curves she is endowed with. The event was at the recording of the celebrity entertainment Channel O event tagged, O News Live, in Accra, Ghana. She appeared in a figure flattering fitted gown from Belinda Baidoo, which she blended with a milk colour Steve Madden heels and an Aido purse.She definitely stole all paparazzi’s attentions and all the camera men present were struggling to capture her through their lens. Indeed, she stole many people’s attention. Juliet Ibrahim has starred in few Nollywood movies, and is one of the wave making Ghollywood actresses.

NDEED, the star actress, Oge Okoye is observing the saying that, all works and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Reports reaching Matinee indicates that the screen goddess has left the shores of Nigeria for the United States on vacation. The star actress, according to the buzz, left the country to cool off in the God’s own country after shooting back to back movies for months. She’s currently colling off in Atlanta. The delectable actress is catching fun as well as relaxing as she has joined the likes of Ini Edo, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Chika Ike among others who travelled out of the country recently on vacation.

DESHINA Moshood, a.k.a, Baby Rhymszc, is on the verge of making an entry into the Nigerian music mainstream with the release of his first single, “Nghele” which has been enjoying massive airplays since its release last month. The Kwara State-born talented singer, who is signed to PayBack Entertainment promised his fans, a juicy year ahead as far as he is concerned as he has also stepped up preparations for the video of his hit single, “Nghele” which will hit the market before the year runs out. The 26 -year old Baby Rhymszc, has also done some nice tunes with known artistes like, Faze, Sound Sultan and, Solid Star. The single was produced by Black Jersey. “As far as I am concerned, this is just a tip of the iceberg for me. I am promising my numerous fans, more hit tracks and electrifying performances. They should watch out for what I have for them,” he said.

s ’ c z s m y h R y b Ba ele Ngh C M Y K

IK holidays with family in Frankfurt

T is indeed a relaxation time for the OAP who also, hosted the just concluded BBA season, “The Chase”, Ik Osakioduwa as the entertainer has decided to cool off with his family in Frankfurt. The last three months was indeed, a time for serious business for Ik who anchored the just concluded Big Brother Reality show, which saw Namibian Dillish emerged winner. Now, it’s time out with his family – wife Olo and two kids Sahar and Micah as they kiss the soil of Frankfurt, Germany.

26 — Vanguard, SARTURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

o t n i d e k c i r t s a w I e i w v o o H m c i h p a r g o n r o e i j ap o s In

e l r a h C —

By SAM ANOKAM

opular comic-actor, Charles Inojie is still wondering how he was tricked into featuring in that lewd film titled ‘Calabar Girl’ directed by Jerry Don Nwachukwu. The film was produced by Divine Ezeibekwe and banned immediately after it was released sometime in May, this year by the National Film and Video Censors Board. Charles recounts the story of how he got involved in the production. He also talks about the coup that catapulted him to the top while working as an Assistant Director under Lancelot Imasuen among other issues . Excerpts:

tested a n d again not a function of any kind of training I had. Except that I probably just have it in me. I believe that my late grandmother had the strongest sense of humour that I ever found in anyone and I benefited generously from her talent. Maybe, I am one of those you would say are naturally gifted as humourist. School of hard knocks hate it when I hear people say, I am self -made. There is no one on earth that is self made otherwise people like us are not supposed to be where we are today. When I picked my bag one morning and told my father I had secured admission into the University of Port Harcourt , the man only laughed at me. We were living in Ogun State then, and I hail from Edo State . He said, ‘ you did not try to gain admission into the now Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma or Univer-

Charles Inojie C M Y K

Charles Inojie

A comic-actor! o you know that I am not aware that I am a comedian? There are places I visit today and I tell people that I am not a regular comedian;someone you see and you start laughing or someone who is ever ready to act as a clown when the occasion does not call for it. I see myself as a very serious person. I see myself as a good actor. If I do comedy roles well, it is only because that is where I have probably, been most

To win my sympathy, he narrated how a marketer once rejected his film simply because he did not feature regular faces in the film. In the movie, I appeared in few scenes which was shot in three days. I have no idea about what he had shot previously. In fact, I’m yet to understand why he embarked on such project

sity of Benin so that your financial challenges could be better courtailed . But now that you are going to UNIPORT, would help come your way?’. In school, it was just me and my closest neighbour which is poverty. When I woke up in the morning, the first person that told me good morning was poverty. But I think, God gave me a special grace. Beyond all these travails, there was always a point I wanted to get to, and that was to graduate from the university at the end of the day. I graduated from the University in 1999, and in 2000, I was already on set with Lancelot Imasuen as an Assistant Director. I was part of the

productions he did in the early 2000, such as Last Burial, Isakaba, August Meeting and many others. Therefore, I would say joining Nollywood was not as difficult as it has been for most of my colleagues. This is because I had someone who provided the platform for me to launch my acting career. Beyond that, when I became a fullfledged director, I had the producers to contend with, who were always driven by the passion to expand their profit margin. I am a gift from God because in spite of all that I passed through, one happened to be one of the very few people who have enjoyed prime patronage and I thank God for His mercies.

Vanguard, SARTURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 27

Joining Nollywood e have made some humble contributions to acting. As a matter of fact, my very first movie as a fullfledged director was titled Police Recruit, then Two Bad Boys. I shot back to back for OJ Productions. I also played one of the lead roles then. Thereafter, I starred in Tortoise, another movie produced by OJ and directed by Adim Williams. I was an Assistant Director in that film. At the time, the three lead roles were given to John Okafor, Okey Bakassi and Victor Osuagwu. As a second year student in 1997, I had done a movie with Adim also directed by Lancelot Imasuen. It was a comedy titled, The Year 2000. Adim played the lead role while I had about 12 scenes. Adim asked me to play the role but the producer did not want me. But when the flick was released, it was a big hit. The film that gave me my break was when I played the role of Mr. Dumbra in Corporate Maid.

Venturing into acting am a very shy person. I am not one of those who would have ended up as an actor. I am a great lover of literature. The late Professor Bode Osanyin of the University of Lagos then had a place in Ijoko, Ota in Ogun State called Writers Resort. What the Resort does was to invite literary enthusiasts, writers, poets, dramatists and literary critics to a retreat. The guest reader for the month would read his poems or plays and respond to questions from the gathering. Being fresh from secondary school then, I and my friend, Malik Ibitoye, now a journalist, would make it to the literary gathering. This particular month, late environmentalist, Ken Saro Wiwa was hosted by the resort. Before then, Bassey and Company, a popular soap opera was already a rave on television and Saro Wiwa was already making waves on the international scene with his Ogoni struggle. Saro Wiwa was large and because we have read some of his plays, the enthusiasm to meet him was very high. Usually, we went to the resort that fateful Saturday evening, arrange the chairs and cleaned the environment. Late Professor Bode Osanyin urged us to stage a short play

for Wiwa. Initially, I refused to be part of the play, preferring to do something different. But somehow, I was encouraged to be part of the short play. Immediately,

Relationship with Lancelot Imasuen hat is another story altogether. I was telling some of my close friends recently that Lancelot is my friend because a lot of people believe that we are brothers. I actually met Lancelot in 1992, at UNIPORT where we sat for the entrance examination for the Certificate Programme in Theatre Arts. He was in the company of another friend of ours known as Kennedy Ovbiahon who’s now late. After sitting for the qualifying examination, we returned to our different locations and later had to meet again when we were offered admission. Lancelot was as poor as I was, while on campus. It was only natural for us to share the same apartment in school. And since then, we have been good friends.

day I saw the movie jacket, I knew something was wrong with it. There was no way I could have been part of the movie if I knew from the out set that what he has shot was something close to an adult film.

Next time, I would insist on seeing the previous script before accepting to be part of any make-up scene in a movie

the last scene was over, I ran backstage to hide myself. While I was hiding, they invited me back on stage. But lo and behold! Saro Wiwa singled me out and asked if I had acted before, I replied in the contrary. He asked what I was doing, I said I was a Jambite and wanted to read Law. He asked if I had secured admission, I said I was waiting for my JAMB result. He reasoned that it would take about eight to 12 months and he advised me to enroll for Certificate programme that would last for 10 months. When we left, Malik and some of my friends encouraged me to do so. That was how I secured an admission to do certificate programme in UNIPORT. While doing the programme, I discovered I had only come face to face with my destiny. So, I did not spare any time to seek admission for a full time degree programme.

scenes in the movie. In fact, she has nothing whatsoever to be angry about. What I learnt from the project hat I have learnt is that next time, I should be wary about who comes to ask for my help in disguise. Next time, I would insist on seeing the previous script before accepting to be part of any make-up scenes in a movie.

Meeting my wife Imet my wife the way other people meet theirs. Marriage experience arriage is wonderful. I was talking to one of my senior colleagues the other day and I told him, I now know why he wanted me to get married. I think I am a better person now than before. Things that you would ordinarily react to are things you now take a second look at. Marriage has calmed me down. I am a lot more mature now and I am happy.

Wife’s reaction I thank God that I married my friend. I try as much as possible to be truthful to my wife. She saw the movie and got convinced that my character was not in any way connected with those dirty

Growing pot belly n fact that is the more reason we have to thank God for Osofia’s life, if not, people would still believe that big tummy is part of the requirement for one to become a comedian. Osofia has been able to proof that you don’t need to have a big tummy to be a successful comedian. It was common problem most of us had to contend with then but thank Gos Osofia has proven it has nothing to do with it. I cannot stab myself in the stomach to reduce it but I discovered that it is easier to acquire it than to shed it.

Starring in “Calabar Girl”movie This is what I cannot even explain. Some time ago, a senior colleague of mine invited me to be part of his new production. For over 15 years, he has not shot a single movie as things were really rough for him. He was staging a comeback and needed my support. I have known him for several years and as an undergraduate, storming Lagos those days to attend auditions, he was one of the foremost directors in Nollywood then. There was no way I could have refused to support his return to the industry. That was how I ended up starring in that movie. To win my sympathy, he narrated how a marketer once rejected his film simply because he did not feature regular faces in the film. I appeared in few scenes in the movie which was shot in three days. I have no idea whatsoever regarding what lewed scenes he had previously shot. In fact, I’m yet to understand why he decided to shoot such movie. I think he took his desperation too far. I’m surprised that he used my face to promote pornography because the very

Charles Inojie C M Y K

28 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 —29

30 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

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Ephraim Oseji 08023542350

How Odemwingie’s agent sealed his £2.5m deadline day move to Cardiff R

ob Segal is the agent who conjured Peter Odemwingie’s move to Cardiff City for £2.5million. The Nigeria striker shot to fame during the January transfer window when he was sitting outside QPR’s Loftus Road ground looking to complete a switch from West Brom only for the transfer not to materialise. This time, however, his move to Wales was successful... just as Segal likes it. My deadline day started at 6.30am when I drove from London towards Cardiff to conclude the Peter Odemwingie move from West Brom. I arrived at about 8.45am. I headed straight to the training ground to look through paper work that was all verbally agreed, but it’s good to double check. The player went for a medical while I was doing this. It consists of scanning head-to-toe, blood tests, heart-rate monitoring, everything. It’s 10 times more intense than a medical you or I would get at BUPA. It can take three to four hours. In between that time, I email out to both clubs structures of the transfer, payment dates and amounts. Nine times out of 10 when

you hear a transfer costs ‘X’ amount it’s not one lump sum where someone writes a cheque, it’s not done like that. Gareth Bale was done in one hit, I gather, but that’s not the norm.There are always issues. Particularly when there is a little bit of history. It made this one all the more tricky, exciting, full of emotion. You know there will be press all over it; cameras outside the training ground. But you don’t want to tempt fate, a deal isn’t done until it’s all signed.

There were one or two glitches with the Odemwingie deal. It didn’t get completed until later in the afternoon. I left Cardiff about 6pm to head back to London. While I’m in the car I was on my hands free on the phone checking on other deals with other agents at my company Impact Sports Management. While I’m waiting at a ground when a player gets a medical I check on other deals. It’s not one agent one deal, it’s one agent with five or six deals.Some happen, some don’t. It could be because we run out of time. Odemwingie had four or five clubs seriously interested. A club might think they’re getting a player but he prefers another one. It works both

ways. It can be clubs getting let down by players or players letting down clubs. You can have a player in the car on the way to doing a deal saying: ‘I don’t think I fancy this.’ You can get there and it just doesn’t feel right for them. If he’s making noises that he’s not sure, I’ll pull the plug. It’s not worth it. He won’t perform; he won’t be happy, the club won’t be happy, I won’t be happy. If they’re not mentally attuned to what’s coming, there’s not point. A manager might try and speak to the player, see what’s going on and try to avert any doubts, but if a

manager can’t, or I know he won’t be able to, I’ll pull it. Sometimes if it’s so glaringly obvious it’s a good deal and the player can’t see it I will push hard. But ultimately if they’re not happy it won’t work. There are reams of paperwork. Five copies of everything for everybody. Ten pages of each document. It doesn’t take long to build up into a whole book. Deals can go wrong for other reasons. Sometimes clubs maybe have two players lined up for each position, when one deal happens it means the other one doesn’t. It can be that a player has many options. People have this idea of agents driving all over the country on transfer deadline day but it’s not really like that. In this day and age with the technology available, that’s a thing of the past.What you have realise is there’s a steady flow of transfers from when the window opens. On deadline day supporters think there are millions of pounds spent on millions of transfers. There are a few big deals, a lot of small ones, but a lot of agents will be sitting around doing nothing. There are the best part of 250 FAapproved agents, if even 10 per cent were really busy I’d be surprised. I’d say there are a dozen agents that are actually at football clubs doing transfers. The reality is it’s a job, and you’re getting your job done. An agent used to turn up with an accountant and a solicitor. Now there’s no need. In all honesty, fewer people there on the day makes it move quicker and smoother. The paperwork is so standardised you don’t need that. There’s just tons of it. I don’t enjoy the transfer window, I don’t like it and I don’t know anyone in football who does. It’s terrible. I preferred before when there wasn’t one and I’d prefer to go back to how it was. Definitely. I don’t think anyone would argue with that.

Man City failed to land 'I play football like I play chess' —Mkhitaryan Eliaquim Mangala he 24-year-old has likened

ollowing the closure of the summer transfer window, one player that didn't make the switch to England is Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala despite speculation it was on the cards and reports that Manchester City failed in an attempt to land the French international prior to deadline day. The 22-year-old centre back spent the summer being strongly rumoured with some of Europe top clubs with City, Chelsea, Barcelona and Manchester United all reportedly chasing Mangala but only the Citizens made a firm offer that was knocked back.

his style of play to the famous board game, highlighting his measured approach on the pitch. Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has revealed he plays football in the same way he treats a game of chess. The Armenia international sealed a club record •27.5 million move to Signal Iduna Park in the summer, and the former Shakhtar Donetsk ace says he is always thinking several steps in front of his opponent."I play football like chess," he said.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 —31

Compiled by

Ephraim Oseji 08023542350

Ozil and Capristo are the new Posh and Becks Arsenal’s newest signing Mesut Ozil faces sky-high expectations from the fans of his new club - but he is not the only new arrival in London creating a buzz. The Germany midfielder ’s girlfriend Mandy Capristo is set to be a glamorous addition to Britain’s collection of footballing WAGs - with her pop star background leading to the couple being dubbed ‘the German Posh and Becks’. Ozil, who is of Turkish ancestry, is a devout Muslim, but his girlfriend has become a celebrity in Germany thanks to her flamboyant musical performances and participation in a dancing-themed TV show. The 24-year-old was signed by Arsenal on transfer deadline day, moving from Real Madrid for £42.5million. He is expected to be accompanied in north London by Miss Capristo, 23, who found fame as a teen performer and member of a girl band before going solo. She will join other British-based WAGs such as Coleen Rooney, Abbey Crouch and - most famous of all - former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham.

The world’s most breathtaking football stadiums

Water hazard: There must be plenty of footballs lost in the sea around the Eidi Stadium in the Faroe Islands

low, each of which is located within some of the most stunning scenery you’re ever likely to see.

Eidi Stadium, Faroe Islands

Found just yards from the Atlantic Ocean, the Eidi Stadium is home to some of the Faroe Islands’ semiprofessional football teams. There is just a small amount of standing room around the outside of the pitch, with fans the only thing stopping wayward shots heading straight into the sea.

To reach the Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium in Switzerland you must travel by cable car

Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium, Switzerland

Chelsea have achieved balance with Willian and Eto'o signings —Mourinho

OSE MOURINHO is confident he has a Chelsea squad that can compete for the Premier League and in Europe this season. The transfer window saw Willian and Samuel Eto'o arrive at Stamford Bridge from Anzhi Makhachkala as well as the additions of Marco van Ginkel and Andre Schurrle, but also saw Romelu Lukaku and Victor Moses depart on loan. And Mourinho now believes he has the right balance in the squad. "We have that balance in the squad. We have two players per position, with three strikers and an extra midfield player. "Every position is covered and we are very happy with what we have."

Barcelona target Courtois as Valdes replacement

oung Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been the subject of an enquiry from Barcelona as they eye a replacement for Victor Valdes. The 21-year-old Belgian is a highly rated prospect, having spent the last three seasons on loan in La Liga with Atletico Madrid, and impressing with his displays for the Spanish outfit.

Kantrida Stadium in Croatia has an athletics track round it and is near the Adriatic Sea

lthough Wembley, the Nou Camp and the San Siro can boast impressive histories to go with their huge capacities and memorable atmospheres, their concrete structures and inner-city locations hardly make them the most visually appealing of grounds. Fortunately, that can’t be said about the stadiums be-

I want to manage Liverpool—Gerrard

teven Gerrard has said he would like to become Liverpool manager. The England captain, who led his nation out at Wembley against Moldova on yesterday, admits he has been forced to consider his advancing years after watching Jamie Carragher retire from playing at the end of last season. And while Carragher has taken up some high-profile media work as a columnist at Sportsmail and as a pundit for Sky Sports, Gerrard sees himself doing his badges and becoming a manager – at Anfield.

The highest ground in Europe at 2,000 metres above sea level, the Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium sits on the mountains of Zermatt in Switzerland. Players and fans must travel by cable car to reach the pitch, although the stunning views make it well worth the effort.

Kantrida Stadium, Croatia

While the athletics track at the Olympic Stadium in London is still causing controversy, there’s no such problem at HNK Rijeka’s Kantrida Stadium. Set near the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, the ground is built into a mountain and has steep cliffs on one side.

Cardozo rejected premier league duo

enfica striker Oscar Cardozo has revealed that he rejected the chance to join both Southampton and West Ham United on transfer deadline day, opting to stay in the Portuguese capital instead. West Ham had been known to be in the market for another striker since letting Carlton Cole walk away at the end of last season and they had targeted the 30-year-old as the ideal man to partner Andy Carroll in their new look attack, whilst Southampton had been busy rejuvenating their own squad by spending £36 million.

32 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

...On Nigerian musicians dumping their record labels I n recent times, Nigerian music industry has witnessed a global explosion that makes the international artistes want to do collaborations with their Nigerian counterparts. This is as a result of their ability to infuse traditional flair into the Afro hip hop genre of music. Given this development, more record labels are being established to provide more platforms for artistes, nurture their talent and expose them to the global music world. But despite this milestone, the issue of artistes dumping their record labels in search of better and more profitable labels to expose their talents to the world has become a recurring decimal in the Nigerian music sector. Our team went to town and sought the opinions of the entertainers on the issue.

It happens in ever tner ship eryy par partner tnership but...Djinne (artiste) A rtiste and record label disputes aren’t out of the ordinary. They are bound to happen because those involved are human and there will be different ideas and directions. But I believe that as long as both sides are sincere, disputes won’t be so heated”. And if disputes are resolved l don’t see a reason to get signed in another record label because the new record label is also.

Unfulfilled promises! — ADOKIYE (Artiste)

think it is as a result of unfulfilled promises on the part of the record labels. Artistes leave their labels because of unfulfilled promises, and sometimes soured friendship. When label owners and artistes are no longer on the same page. Another thing that could cause teh separation is when there is a shift in priority on the part of the artistes or the record labels.

Misunderstanding is the cause —Ruggedman I

t’s not for me to judge but the artistes are in the best position to do so. I’m not really involved in it because my artiste is still with me. But I think it’s as a result of misunderstanding between the record labels and their artistes. However, such misunderstanding should not lead to separation because they could be resolved amicably. Just like what happened between EME and Wizkid- they eventually settled.

Some record labels cheat their ar tist es artist tistes — GT The GuitarMan (ar tis (artis tistt e)

ne of the reasons is that most record labels prefer to deal between the artistes and their managers. Again, this is due to the fact that some record labels don’t really sell much in terms of teh artistes’ works. So, they find it hard to meet their terms of agreement with the artistes. Sometimes, the labels don’t really have the capacity to nuture and expose their artistes to the world. Given that situation, most of us prefer to deal with a management that will get us sold. Even at that, some labels still cheat the artistes by offering them 70/ 30% deals in favour of the label. C M Y K

Depends on the terms of contract — Nelson Brown (Producer)

t all depends on the contract signed between the artistes and their labels. The kind of relationship that exists between them also matters a lot. Some labels sign on artistes without getting to know them deepily or where they are coming from. Sometimes too, some record labels don’t take care of their artistes. But it’s really a sad thing after spending so much money on an artiste and at the end of the day, he walks out of the label.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013—33 I wasn’t the only child of my parents, but I was the one with serious interest and passion for artworks.

Impact on my life

I took after my father in artworks collection— Ogbonna

olomon Ogbonna was a teenager when he developed interest and passion for collect ing artworks. He believes it’s difficult to love arts without loving culture and tradition as the three go together. Solomon, an indigene of Onicha Igboeze, Ebonyi State is not the only child of the parents but he is the only one that caught the vision of collecting artworks and showcasing it, even though his father did not showcase his own collections. However, collection of artworks is an ancestral life pattern late Chief Aguene Nwinyinya Okorie passed on to the generation of Solomon Ogbonna . Today, Chief Solomon runs the vision, feels and enjoys it.

Comparism of African and European artworks

MOSES NOSIKE In the beginning...

acquired basic education like other children in my community. However, I became a stubborn child because I was hungry to go to Lagos and as a result, I stopped listening to my parents. There was a relation of mine by name John who had school certificate and a teaching job in Lagos. When saw the way my parents were complaining about my stubbornness, he decided to take me along with him to Lagos. So,I went to Lagos to fend for myself even though my parents did not support it. I thought Lagos was like New York and I quickly rushed at the opportunity to travel without listening to my parents’ advice. In Lagos, I met my old friends who were twelve in number living in a boys’ quarter in Maroko and I joined them. I started hawking wrist watches and other items around the beach but didn’t achieve much. It wasn’t long before I understood that Lagos was not the way I thought . So I had to go back to my parents.

y father was happy when he saw me. Then, he was still collecting art works until he saw that my interest was increasing . If you don’t like culture and tradition, there is no amount of conviction that can make you to like artworks. As my love increased, I started collecting artworks even in the villages. I began to buy from those who wanted to sell and I was going around the villages collecting. Sometimes, I travelled to other parts of Igboland to buy from those who didn’t even know anything

about artworks. Interestingly, Christianity began to expand such that some of the Pentecostal churches we have these days broke away from the Catholic church. They saw those artworks as deities and were giving it out for little amount of money and it was a good market for me. So, I was happy with those artworks. Whenever I see artworks, I feel like I’m in the pinnacle of life because of the love I have for it.

Born with silver spoon?

y understanding of sil ver spoon might differ from others. I believe that when you are content with what you have, that is silver spoon. For me, I was satisfied with what my parents were able to provide for me . Other people may have a different opinion. When I came to Lagos the

I strongly believe we can’t do away with culture of the people because the culture and tradition of the people served as rule of law for the people second time, I moved to Europe after a while. Then, I had developed more interest

Art has taken me to several countries and beautiful cities of the world. I have attended art exhibitions in Germany, Japan, Paris and several other countries of the world. Personally,I don’t do art exhibition because my art works are not for sale, even though I have good friends who are art collectors like Dr. Johans, Christian Censor and others. I have attended also one of the biggest art galleries in Europe, owned by Reme Davis in Zurich, Switzerland. I have been to Sweden, Gambia and Burkina Faso. So, I’m not regretting falling in love with art works both at home and abroad.

Ogbonna in artworks. The first car I bought was from Belgium. When I moved to Austria, I brought cars to Nigeria. Then I moved to Germany and America and did the same thing. When I was there, whenever I heard of any exhibition, I would stop whatever I was doing to attend it. I attended art exhibitions in any museum no matter where it was located. That really encouraged and empowered me the more.

My curiosity for art works

developed interest and pas sion for artworks simply because I was very close to my father who was collecting them. Besides, I strongly believe we can’t do away with the culture of our people because in those days , the culture and tradition of the people served as the rule of law for the people. Again, that also determines your position in your village and the community. So, my father named me ‘Og-

bonna’ which means in Igboland, a replica of his father or one who took after his father and whom his father loves most. That was the belief of my father when he gave birth to me. So, he drew me very close to him and as I grew up, I developed interest in collecting artworks which was what my father was doing.

Bringing development to Nigeria

rt contributes a lot to the development of countries and not Nigeria only. It brings about tourism which gives a country business opportunities when foreigners tour her art sites. As development comes, it adds growth to the economy. More importantly, it brings about foreign exchange. You can exchange artwork for foreign currencies. The colonial masters and the whitemen that came to Africa for slave trade, traded more on artworks and when slave trade ended, they were exchanging their jewels and clothes for artworks.

hen you talk of artwork, you can’t compare Africa to Europe. I mean working with bare hands, working according to the nature of the people and tradition of the people. Africa has gone too far. But there are artists who have left their marks in the sand of time. Take Picato for instance, about few months ago, one of his paintings was sold for one hundred and fifty-five million dollars. His artwork was antique compared to Nigerian Nok which is over 2000 years and other bronze works which are over 400 years. Who made those things to be expensive or special? It is the collectors that made them. Artists in Europe are not paid high prices for their work but when the art collectors collect from the artists, they make them what it should be. And eventually when any of those artists die, the collectors having known it is difficult to get such artist that can reproduce such art work with similar signature will now place any value they want on the art work. It is not because the art work is beautiful or creative.

hen you look at African art till date, Africans have been working with bare hands without any help of machinery unlike Europe that uses machines in their artworks. But the challenge in Africa is that Africans contributed in messing up their artworks. When you look at creativity, the mind-set and feelings of artists in Africa, what they laboured for, some African collectors or dealers will tell you this artwork is not as old as you are valuing it. But they forget that there are today ’s work that are more detailed, better finished and more beautiful than ancient artworks. They have contributed in bringing down artworks in Africa. Today, there is no existing artist in Africa that his work can sell up to fifty million dollars.

34 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

ast week, the Association of Nollywood Core Producers,ANCOP, petitioned Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) over the N50 million largesse donated by Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State to support the Nigerian movie industry. The association alleged massive fraud in the disbursement of the fund and therefore, asked the agencies to invite the National President of the Association of Movie Producers, AMP, Zik Zulu Okafor, the National President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria, DGN, Andy Amenechi; the Secretary General of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Yakubu Abubakar and actress Stephanie Okereke- Linus Idahosa for questioning in respect of obtaining the fund and disbursing it without the consent of the industry’s stakeholders. In this interview, AMP president, Zik Zulu Okafor and AGN Secretary General, Abubakar Yakubu react to the petition. What’s your reaction concerning the petition forwarded to EFFC and SFU, by the leadership of ANCOP? Our problem with Alex Eyengho started in 2009, when he was the Secretary-General of the Association of Movie Producers(AMP). During that year, he vied for the position of Vice-President of the association which he lost at the election. As a result, he renounced his membership of the association as he formed a parallel association known as Association of Core Nollywood Producers (ANCOP) with some of our members. A move that was observed by the association as gross misconduct. However, we invited him a couple of times to address his grievances but he never paid attention to us. Base on this development, all the stakeholders in the industry met, and set up a committee to look into the matter. At the end of the investigation, he was expelled from the association; and a disclaimer was published in one of the national newspapers. Nollywood is made up of ten major guilds including three regional guilds. The regional guilds are the Motion Pictures Practitioner Association of Nigeria,MOPPAN, which is based in Kano, United Movie Producers Association of Nigeria UMPAN which is based in the eastern part of the country, and the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners,ANTP, which is the umbrella body for the South-West practitioners.These ten guilds collectively formed the Coalition of Nollywood Guilds and Associations. ANCOP was not recognized as it was not part of Nollywood. We also set up the MOPICON guild otherwise known as the Motion Picture Practitioners Council of Nigeria. This guild signed the paper for MOPICON. It is still between the Judiciary and National Assembly to set up the Nollywood Council. Meanwhile, Alex Eyengho and his members who are not more than six people were completely

•Zik Zulu Okafor, AMP President •Abubakar Yakubu, AGN Secretary- General

Akpabio’s N50m largesse:

Zik Zulu, AGN Sec-Gen fire back at ANCOP ...Says Alex Eyengho was expelled from Nollywood BY UJU MBANUSI excommunicated from Nollywood. They have continued to fire petitions against the industry for everything they were not involved in. There is no other association in Nigeria today where this ugly trend is being tolerated. This is happening because we are yet to form the Nollywood council.

n what informed the allegation contained in the petition? A few months ago, precisely in April, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Anyim Pius Anyim invited Nollywood practitioners for a briefing on the centenary celebration. Again, Alex Eyengho petitioned the industry, but despite his actions, we secured the funds. Also, in the same month, the AkwaIbom State governor, Godswill Akpabio gave the N50 million to Nollywood to organise a ‘Reward for Excellence’ Award which will hold later in the year. We reasoned that there is need for continuous training on capacity building as well as making films that will help to boost our income so as to enable us sustain continuity in respect of the awards. I communicated all these ideas in writing to the guilds. Consequently, we have series of awards lined up till 2014. In order not to mismanage the funds, we have resolved to invite all the Organising Committees of the various Awards about a month or two

to the hosting of the event. This is to mobilise them with the sum of N1 million each as they will be made to sign to this effect. We have also disbursed the sum of N1 million to the members of the planing committee of the African Audio Visual Awards. So, there is no room for fraud here. We are following due process in every project we want to embark upon. We have disbursed the sum of N4 million for the capacity building programme. Receipts are being prepared for the disbursement of the agreed sum of N1 million to the organising committees of the four different Awards that will be coming up later this year and early 2014. Right now, receipts is being prepared for the disbursement of the sum of N1million to the planing committee of the Yoruba Movie Academy Awards. We have the Africa Movie Academy Award,AMAA, the African International Film Festival, AFRIFF and many others. Given the fact that Alex and his members were not involved in this project,they quickly forwarded a petition to EFCC and SFU, alleging gross mismanagement of the funds. His allegations are absolutely baseless. We are men of integrity. Every Kobo disbursed will be accounted for. It is a privilege from the Akwa- Ibom State government and we would not abuse it. Alex Eyengho's grievances?

He has been invited by the association on several occasions in order his grievances. But he has frequently ignored us. Till date, Alex has not been able to articulate a concrete allegation against AMP. But as the president and leader of the association, I see it as my duty to bring everybody under one umbrella. I am disappointed with Alex but I am not angry with him. Deep down in his heart, he knows that we cannot swindle Nollywood.

ANCOP leadership didn’t get its facts right – AGN Sec-Gen

o money was misappropriated here. All the relevant guilds heads were contacted and briefed accordingly, and ANCOP leadership did not get its facts right. The matter is before the Police and I wouldn’t want to talk too much. Let the Police investigate the matter and whoever that is found wanting, let him face the music. You cannot because you are expelled from an association and decide to constitute a problem to the industry. What has ANCOP members contributed to the growth of Nollywood? How many films have they made in recent times?

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 35

Hollywood actress, Sofia Vergara tops TV earnings F

The Forbes Celebrity 100 list looks at the earnings of American celebrities during a specific time period -this year June 2012 through June 2013—and counts cash only for projects completed and contracts made good on during that time. This breakaway list tallies the take-home of the talented women of prime time, and includes not just their work on TV projects, but also the oh-so-lucrative endorsement and licensing deals that have come as a result. All told, the 20 top-paid TV actresses earned a cumulative $183 million.

or the second year running, Hollywood actress Sofia Vergara, the buxom breakout star of ABC’s Modern Family, is the top-earning actress on television according to the rankings of the 14th annual Celebrity 100. As the reigning queen of celebrity endorsement deals (thanks largely to her bilingual portfolio), Vergara’s earnings over the past year reached $30 million making her far and away the highestpaid actress on prime time.

Rita Dominic becomes flood victim! N

ollywood actress, Rita Dominic has taken her career to the next level as she stars in the “Flood with Love Campaign.” Looking very much like a still from a movie shoot, the actress gives it her all. She has shown the humanitarian side of herself, campaigning for victims of flood. Most recently, natural disaster has become a menace in Nigeria, no thanks to the climate change being experienced globally. To garner support for those who have been rendered

homeless by the natural disaster, the lightcomplexioned actress has thrown her full weight behind an initiative aimed at helping flood victims. She is now involved in the Flood With Love campaign. Recently, she did a photo session to promote the programme as well as to urge humanity to donate for the cause.

Charl

ith the X Factor singing competition drawing to an end, the atmosphere at Dream studio during the penultimate Result Show recording was unusually cautious. Head or tail, it was always going to be a bombshell. It was either Pheel, Vicky, DJ Switch, Princess Pat or Eshun to go home! And any of these can also win the star prize. “It’s always hard seeing acts go home, what’s your frame of mind this evening?” show host Toolz asked Onyeka.

*Rita Dominic

“It’s very sad because the contestants and judges have worked so hard. They are now international. We advise them to be strong,” Onyeka said. MI added, “I agree with Onyeka. These guys have made it this far out of thousands of talented people. Anytime, anybody leaves, it’s sad.” “Reggie, you are the only judge who has all his contestants gone, and who would be the deciding factor tonight. What would you base your decision on?” Toolz

r um

Charles Awurum dedicates AGN award to Abia first Lady N

ollywood actor and comedian, Charles Awu rum recently dedicated the ambassadorial award presented to him by the members of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Southeast zone to the First Lady of Abia State, Lady Mercy Odochi Orji for her milk of human kindness and love for entertainment. The award presentation which marked the guild’s premier/award ceremony held recently the prestigious Imo Concorde hotel, Owerri, was attended by the cream of society. Showering praises on the actor cum director, Stan K. Amandi described Awurum as the next big thing that would be happening to the entire Nollywood industry, adding that Awurum has contributed enviably to the growth of the entertainment industry and deserves the honour. In an acceptance speech, Awurum dedicated the award to the First Lady of Abia State, Lady Odochi Orji for “impacting my life for good. She is one woman whose love for children knows no bounds.”

Glo X Factor: Last man standing, Pheel drops out

es Aw

asked Reggie. “I’ll base my judgments on entertainment, quality and the X Factor. I’m going to be fair because I have the swing vote. I ask for Solomon’s wisdom,” he finished thoughtfully. Just as the audience was eager to know the bottom two contestants, Toolz announced a surprise performance by Glo ambassador Irene Logan. The Ghanaian entertainer delivered a very powerful performance that had the audience reeling under the power of her voice.

*Pheel

36 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

Rita Marley storms Nigeria for Felabration R

ITA Marley, widow of late reggae music icon, Bob Marley who was recently granted an honorary citizen of Ghana is expected in Nigeria as a Special Guest at this year’s Felabration festival. Sources close to the organisers of the annual event, disclosed that, at a meeting in Ghana last week with Yeni Kuti, founder of the Felabration brand and Mr. Theo Lawson, chairman, Felabration Organisation Committee, Mrs Marley agreed to be a Special Guest Speaker at this year ’s Felabration symposium. While this year ’s symposium has, “Movement of the People : The FelaBob Marley Perspective” as its topic, the theme for the event, according to the organisers, is fashioned to rekindle the people-oriented messages which these two mega stars imbibed while they lived. It is on record however, that both Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and Bob Marley popularised the theme “Movement Of The People” in their various works. Fela’s political party was called Movement of

•Rita Marley

the People(M.O.P) and he also released a hit tune that identified with that same title. On the other hand, Bob Marley equally had a hit album titled; Exodus: Movement of Jah People. Showtime gathered that one of the sons of the late reggae legend will be performing with his band at the week-long festival which commences from October 14 through October 20. He is said to have agreed to break out of his current global tour to grace the event. According to our sources, the late reggae icon’s son will be sharing the stage at some point with

the the two sons of the Afro beat king, Fela, Femi Kuti and his younger brother Seun Kuti, who currently leads the Fela’s Egypt ’80 band. For anything, Fela and Bob Marley never shared a common stage, despite the mutual respect they had for each other while they lived. But no doubt their children are poise to existing bridge the gap. Rita Marley, who after the death of the Rastafarian advocate emerged a principle figure on the global musical scene is storming the country to rekindle the undying spirit of the black movement as propagated by her late husband.

Gordons, Akpororo to thrill fans at Otta Grooves Naija BY SAM ANOKAM

•Gordons

BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

By BENJAMIN NJOKU

Kcee goes into oil business

-list comedians Gordons and Akpororo are billed to lead a list of high profile entertainers who are set to storm the ancient city of Otta, Ogun State to thrill fun-lovers during this year ’s independence ceremony. The event tagged, Otta Grooves Naija at 53 is organized by Grooves Event and Pilot One Entertainment, a leading event packaging outfit operating in Otta and beyond. According to Mr.Uche Okeke, the owner and patron of Groove Events and Pilot One entertainment, the reason for the event is to attract tourism to the city as most residents of Otta are daily relocating to the Lagos metropol to unwind and catch their fun whenever there is need to do

so. In his words “Nigeria’s independent ceremony is celebrated annually across the country. Since this is a public holiday, we want to use the opportunity to open a new chapter in Otta in terms of entertainment. Otta city has long yearned for this as there is a noticeable dearth of fun spot in the town of Otta and its environs.” Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Uche said, the event will provide the city dwellers a platform to relax and have fun in a well organized and secure environment. The event which holds on the 29th of September is billed to be a two-day event will have The Nigerian Navy Music Dance Band, renowned Nigerian hip-hop artistes, Comedians and dancers on parade.

HE Limpopo crooner seems to be on top of his game. Kcee is wisely investing the millions of naira he has made so far, courtesy of his "Limpopo" hit song into the oil business. The singer recently posted a picture of himself aboard a friend’s oil vessel on his Instagram page, with the inscription, “oil business. Investment things”. We scooped he’s going into the oil business with his millionaire brother, Emmy Oknokwo. At the moment, both have ordered several oil lifting equipments to be rented out to companies, and plans are on top gear to take a step further into owning oil vessels.

•Kcee

...As D’banj is spotted in Paris D

’Banj is apparently in France on the invitation of Hennessy. The Nigerian pop star is the sole headliner for this year’s Hennessy Artistry and he has already released the theme track for this year ’s project. He arrived France last Thursday morning from the United States where he attended Davido’s sister ’s wedding. According to a source close to him, he is already in Cognac (The home of Hennessy) where he’s staying at the Chateau De Bangolet. Others on the visit are his manager Tony Nwakalor, Hennessy Brand manager Lere Awokoya, Marketing Manager Moet Hennessy Nigeria David Hourdry, Bolaji Kekere-Eku of 37th State and Ayeni Adekunle of BHM. D’Banj is said to be staying in the same room where General Charles De Gaulle stayed when he visited the Hennessy mansion. •D’banj

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 37

Controversy trails Forbes African artistes list BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI CONTROVERSY is currently trailing the Most Bankable African Artistes 2013 list recently released by Forbes. According to the list which was unveiled by Channel O and Forbes last Sunday, 10 big names including Akon, Don Jazzy, P-Square, D’banj, Wizkid, 2face Idibia, Anselmo Ralph(Angola), Sarkodie, Ice Prince and Banky W, were shortlisted as the Most Bankable African Artists 2013. The criteria for the selection were based on artiste's sales, endorsement value, popularity, show rates, awards, YouTube views, investment, influence, appearance in newspapers and social media presence. But the list has been criticised by Nigerians who believe that Forbes got it wrong as the names of artistes like Kwam 1, Flavour, Femi Kuti, Asa and Tiwa Savage were missing on the list. Top among those who disagreed with Forbes verdict are Freeze of Cool FM and Tiwa

Savage’s manager and fiancé, Teebillz. According to Freeze, the list appears to be the “daftest” he’s

ever seen, arguing that the likes of Flavour with the largest fan base in Africa, Kwam 1 recently built a N500m mansion in Ijebu, Femi Kuti is known all over the world and Tiwa Savage has millions of Dollars resting in her bank account, are nowhere to be found on the list.

•P-Square

Chidinma becomes first female act to make MTV’s Naija top 10 By BENJAMIN NJOKU

ENSATIONAL singer, Chidinma has been announced as the first female artist to ever top the MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 charts. The stunning video for “E Mi Ni Baller” which was shot by ace cinematographer, Clarence Peters and featured label mates, Tha Suspect and Illbliss, has overshadowed P-Square’s “Personally” to hit the top. Big Friday Show host, Basketmouth is this week’s special guest. He joins VJ Ehis as they run through the hits and misses in this week’s chart. The Okoye twins drop one place to number two while the Koko Master himself, D’Banj, continues to nip at their heels from the number three position with “Don’t Tell Me Nonsense”. Last week’s studio guest, Burna Boy, stays solid at number four with “Run My Race”. This week’s highest climber is Timaya who moves up two places

to number six with “Ekoloma Demba” while DJ Xclusive continues to make upward progress, rising one place to number five with “No Time”. Wande Coal’s former number one “The Kick” hung on tight but still fell from number three this week to number seven. BET Award winner Ice Prince drops down to number nine and 2face is valiantly holding onto the number ten slot with “Rainbow” for the second week running. This week’s charts has been put together by an elite panel of judges comprising Nigerian broadcasters, music specialists and taste makers, working with MTV Base to pick the winners and losers in the week’s chart. On the panel are Onos Ovueraye (Bella Naija.com), DJ Humility (Rhythm FM), DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ Xclusive (Cool FM), Big Time (Rhythm FM), DJ Caise (The Beat FM), Toolz (The Beat FM) and Osagie Alonge (Nigerian Entertainment Today).

•Chidinma

Tiwa Savage, Ice Prince, others nominated for MOBO awards BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

HE Music Of Black Origin Awards is here again and three of our very own acts have been nominated for the prestigious awards. Sensational singer, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid and Ice Prince will be slugging it out alongside other artistes in the Best African Act category. Excited Tiwa took to the social network- Twitter to celebrate her nomination. According to her, she once attended the award ceremony as a backup singer, and couldn’t even get into the main hall to witness the event. But this time around, the songstress is celebrating her nomination as well as the excitement of attending the event as a nominee. The MOBO Awards are awards in “Music of Black Origin”, established in 1996 by Kanya King and Andy Ruffell. It holds annually in the United Kingdom to recognize artistes of any ethnicity or nationality performing black music. In 2009, the awards ceremony

was held in Glasgow for the first time. Since then, it had been held in London. In 2011, the ceremony returned to Scotland for a second time.

Ben 7 drops Yemama single By ANOZIE EGOLE

EW kid on the block, Ben 7 has finally dropped his long awaited single, “Yemama” after several months of keeping his fans waiting. The single from the stable of Jebon Records also comes with a hot musical video. The Kwara State indigene, who was born in Lagos to a pastor father, began singing as a kid and ever since has not looked back. At 12, he had already started churning out gospel tunes, which he later dumped by following the new trend of Nigerian Hip hop. The lyrically versatile lad who’s also referred to as the ‘Youngest SuperStar’ got his first break when he met Mdee who introduced him to producer Marc J and later to the boss of Jebon Records, who didn’t waste time in signing a multi-million Naira contract with him. A huge fan of Wizkid and Olamide, Ben 7 has already graced the same stage alongside his mentors at different shows and concerts. Currently being managed by Roc Da Mic Talent Agency, the entertainment outfit said, they don’t expect anything less than the best from their newest discovery. In their words, “BEN 7’s impressive image has earned him instant offers for AList collaboration efforts, even outside the shores of Nigeria.” •Ben

38 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

BY IYABO AINA

Sean Kingston’s Canadian concert cancelled over rape allegation

niversity of Western Ontario in Canada has canceled Sean Kingston’s upcoming appearance for the school’s Orientation week concert today. The cancellation was made after the school learned that the R&B star was facing a lawsuit over his alleged involvement in a

*Sean Kingston

2010 sexual assault. The decision to cancel Kingston’s appearance was made jointly by Western and the University Students’ Council. Susan Grindrod, associate vice-president with Housing and Ancillary Services, spoken about Kingston’s axed appearance. “It is essential that all of our students, particularly our incoming students and orientation volunteers, feel safe and valued at Western. This includes those who may be survivors of sexual assault,” she said. USC President Pat Whelan agreed with Grindrod, saying, “Having Mr. Kingston perform could cloud the values surrounding Orientation Week.” A 22-year-old woman named Carissa Capeloto recently filed a lawsuit against the “Beautiful Girls” singer, Sean Kingston , the woman claimed that Kingston and several members of his team forced her to have sex with them in Kingston’s hotel room back in 2010. Kingston admitted to having sex with the woman, but he insisted that the affair was consensual. He has paid the woman $5 million to settle the case. However, it’s worth noted that the settlement is not an admission of guilt. Sources close to Kingston said the singer decided for settlement because of his hectic schedule, which included upcoming tour and new album release.

Jack Nicholson not retiring from acting J

ack Nicholson has become the talk of the town after reports online claims that the three-time Oscar winner, best known for starring in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, “Batman” and “As Good as It Gets”, “has quietly retired from the movie business , “ as memory loss was the reason why the 76-year-old actor decided to retire from acting. However, Maria Shriver a journalist and former wife of action star Arnold Schwarzenegger slams the rumor, said ‘’Nicholson is not suffering from any memory related illness or dementia and has no current plans to retire.” Another unnamed source adds that he is even “actively reading scripts and is looking forward to his next project.” Nicholson was last seen in the 2010 dramedy “How Do You Know”, in which he teamed up with his frequent collaborator James L. Brooks and starred alongside Reese Wither-spoon and Owen Wilson.

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Kate Upton named ‘Model of the Year’ S

upermodel Kate Upton is set to receive the ‘Model of the Year 2013’ award at the 10th Annual Style Awards. The event, which kicks off the New York Fashion Week, will celebrate the two time Sports Illustrated model. Since her first big break on the

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover in 2011, the 21-yearold has never looked back. She even made a transition from being a bikini model to a high-fashion star by gracing the covers of both - the US and the Brazilian Vogue this year.

Telly actress Karishma TTanna’s anna’s handbag st olen stolen T

he actress,KarishmaTanna who is starring in the upcoming film Grand Masti, was set to perform at the event along with her co-stars. Says Karishma, “I was practicing in Aaram Nagar at a rehearsal hall for three days. One day prior to the actual event I went to the practice session and kept my handbag in a corner. I never imagined that someone would touch it.” Much to her dismay, all the contents of her bag were stolen, including the advance amount paid to her by the organisers. The actress however has not lodged a formal police complaint yet. She says, “There is no point in accusing anyone as there are slim chances of the

valuables being recovered. I knew the choreographers there and I asked around if anyone had witnessed the theft but no one confessed.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 39

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40—Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

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SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 41

Danjuma moves in to save Suntai •May meet Jonathan over Taraba crisis BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

ORRIED by desper ate move by some politicians to edge out his ‘godson’ from office, former Defence Minister, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, may have begun serious moves to save Governor Danbaba Suntai’s job. Danjuma on Thursday morning flew into Jalingo and held a closed door meeting with Suntai, who has remained incommunicado since returning from an overseas treatment on August 25, 2013. A source close to the meeting between Suntai and Danjuma confirmed to Saturday Vanguard that the visit by the former Defence Minister was to assure the Governor that the Uzodinma Committee report would not stand. The well-placed source hinted, “Danjuma’s visit had to do with the dissatisfaction of the people of the state with the Hope Uzodinma’s funny political arrangement, which makes many of the people of the state dissatis-

fied with the diarchal contraption proposed by him. “No one is happy with Uzodinma’s clout and we are certain that Danjuma will use his strong connections with the Presidency to swing support in favour of Governor Suntai. “Danjuma actually came to Jalingo to confirm how well Suntai was doing and he is satisfied that he has sufficiently recovered to take over the mantle of leadership because even the Presidency is not comfortable that two governors are running one state,” the source said. Convinced that Suntai cannot give his best given his current medical state, members of the Taraba House of Assembly had on Monday mandated the Deputy Governor, Garba Umar, who has been acting in the past ten months, to continue. The seven members, who met briefly on the floor of the House, were led by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Tanko Maikerfi, and adopted the position earlier canvassed by both

the leadership of the House and representatives of Taraba State in the National Assembly. At the plenary, the members reasoned that Suntai was too feeble to be saddled with the onerous task of leading the state and pleaded with him to return to the United States for further medical attention while his deputy continues to hold fort for him. The members noted that Garba’s acting would continue until Suntai was strong enough to take over the mantle of leadership. But in spite of the intervention of the PDP factfinding mission, the Senator representing Taraba South, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha, and a close ally of Suntai, had maintained

ANDEMONIUM broke out in Ota, in Ado-Odo-Ota Local Government Area of Ogun state when some Church workers allegedly beat and detained five officials of the state Internal Revenue Service over N2 million tax duty. Saturday Vanguard gathered that trouble began when some officials of IRS stormed the premises of Living Faith Church Worldwide (Winners Chapel) to collect the accumulated tax duty owed by Nursery and Primary schools owned by the church. Addressing pressmen after a 40 seconds video of the pandemonium was played, Chairman of IRS, Babajide Odunbanjo described the incident which occurred on Thursday as ugly. Odunbanjo who was flanked by the Ogun State Commissioner for

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Information and Strategy, Yusuph Olaniyonu and the State Attorney-General, Abimbola Ameredolu, disclosed that the schools owed the government a sum of N2 million for six years between 2003 2010. He said that the authorities of the school, Kingdom Heritage Nursery School, Ota, had been served the notice of the tax duty but they had allegedly, been ignoring it .

that members of the House of Assembly should respect the position of the law regarding the letter transmit-

BY GABRIEL EWEPU

HE All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, yesterday de-

officials of the state Internal Revenue Service whose mission it was to enlighten the school on the compliance programme of the Revenue Service were violently assaulted and later unlawfully detained in the premises for a number of hours. “As a result of this incident, an officer of Ogun State Internal Revenue is currently hospitalised in Ilaro while others with minor injuries have been treated and discharged.

of the party to the All Progressives Congress, APC. At a briefing, the National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, refuted the claim by the APC on the defection of its 22 State Chairmen saying it was only five of the State chairmen and five zonal officers of the party that left for APC. Shinkafi, while describing the report as untrue, also accused the

OLICE in Ondo state have arrested two armed robbery suspects who raided a filling station in Ondo town in the state capital. However, three other members of the gang escaped with a loot totalling N250, 000. Saturday Vanguard gathered that the robbers invaded the filling

of the law and should therefore allow Suntai to resume work without any encumbrance.

station and following a tip off, a patrol team from Fagun Police station raced to the scene. Consequently, two of the suspects, Ernest Otulor from Ebonyi State and their alleged informant, Jeremiah Apkan who tricked the security man attached to the filling station by sending him on an errand were arrested. Items recovered from them include a Russian

of mischief by conniving with some fake Chairmen who claimed they have defected in large numbers to the APC. Shinkafi said: “The attention of the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has been drawn to a newspaper publication today (Friday) on the defection of 22 state chairmen of our party to the All Progressives Congress. “For clarity sake, we

five of the state party chairmen and five zonal officers that defected to APC. The states are Kogi, Niger, Taraba, Lagos and Cross River. “The names of other state chairmen in that list of 22 state chairmen as contained in the report were fake. Since Okorocha became Governor of Imo State, he has never indicted any of our state chairmen.”

Interstate Electrics completes payment for Enugu DISCo … Pays $94.50million BY CLARA NWACHUKWU

NTERSTATE Electrics (IE), which won the bid for the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, DISCo, is said to

Police arrest robbery suspects BY DAYO JOHNSON Akure

ted to them by the Governor. Bwacha said the lawmakers had no power to do anything outside the confines

APGA debunks defection of 22 state chairmen bunked the alleged defec- Imo State Governor, have to put the records to APC tion of 22 State chairmen Owelle Rochas Okorocha straight that it was only

Church workers beat, detain govt officials over N2m tax According to him, BY DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (right) congratulating Mrs. Roseline Amioku (left) as one of the Chairmen shortly after the inauguration of Board of Parastatals and Agencies in Delta State by the Governor in Government House, Asaba, Thursday. Photo: Henry Unini

made single barrel cut to size gun and one cartridge with firearm. Police Image Maker Wole Ogodo said that the arrest of Ernest led to the arrest of Jeremiah who serves as their informant. Ogodo said that it was the informant that tricked and sent the security man attached to the filling station on errand for the robbers to have a free day.

have completed the payment of the 75 percent balance for the electricity firm. A top official at the Bureau of Public Entreprises, BPE, told Saturday Vanguard yesterday that the consortium paid the sum of $94,505million or about N148.373 million which was credited to the BPE’s account on Thursday, thereby enabling the preparation for the firms’ takeover. The development followed Interstate taking advantage of the available window for the completion of outstanding balance as spelled out in the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA). Recall that the Request for Proposal signed by the bidders gave a 20working day extension

after the expiration of the orginal deadline on August 21. However, the consortium, which is being promoted by multi-billionaire businessman, Sir Emeka Offor, had given the assurance that the payment processes would be completed before the weekend, thus fulfilling its promise. The consortium incorporated as a vehicle for the purpose of acquiring and operating Electricity Distribution Companies in Nigeria emerged the preferred bidder for the Enugu DISCO after a rigorous bidding process in the sale of PHCN in 2012, with an Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC & C) loss reduction proposal of 20.83%.

42— SATURDAY

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

Bir thda or Cordelia Ok oli @ 70 Birthda thdayy song ffor Okoli CORDELIA Ngozi Okoli has described herself as “ neither an extrovert nor an introvert” and true to th her words her 70 birthday which came up at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland on Sunday, September 1st, 2013 had a tamed atmosphere about it but not without the razzmatazz that accompanies highprofile events. Her family, friends and friends came in their numbers to sing her birthday a song which r e v e r b e r a t e d throughout the day, emblazoning the Lagos Country Club in some sort of glamour and glitz. Photos by Diran OSHE

Senat or A defuy e Senator Adefuy defuye marks 69 SENATOR Anthony Adefuye recently entertained th close friends and family to mark his 69 birthday at his Lekki Phase 1 residence, Lagos. It was a joyful day laced with much merriment.

Celebrant, Mrs Cordelia Ngozi Okoli, with husband, Chief (Engr.) S.I.C. Okoli and children and grandchildren.

L-R: Olori Ola Paul-Ogunkoya, Bayo Adefuye, Senator Anthony Adefuye, his wife, Mrs Oluwasunmisola Adefuye, Obaelect, Charles Ekundayo and High Chief Stephen Paul Ogunkoya.

Celebrant, Mrs Cordelia Okoli ( centre) with her friends singning birthday song Dr. Sam Ohuabunwa, chairman, Neimeth Phamaceutical and wife.

Mr & Mrs George Anyiam- Osigwe

L-R: Hon. Sesan Olanrewaju, Admiral Akin Aduwo (Rtd), Hon. Oyinlomo Danmole and celebrant, Senator Adefuye

L- R: Mazi Eujine Nwanna, chairman of the occasion, celebrant's husband, S.I.C. Okoli, Dr. Raymond Obieri and the celebrant, Cordelia Okoli

Celebrant,Senator Anthony Adefuye with friends

Otive Igbuzor marks 50 with Special people DR. Otive Igbuzor, a foremost pharmacist,human rights and pro-democracy activist and scholar celebrated his 50th birthday with people from Joint National Association of Persons Living with Disabilities, Delta State Chapter (JONAPWD) on Thursday, September 5, 2013 where he donated medical equipment to ease their plight,. Photos by Nath Onojake

Dr.Otive Igbuzor donating medical equipment to Nat. Asso. of Persons Living with Disabilities, Delta State, JONAPWD. C M Y K

Dr.Otive Igbuzor with wife , Dr.[Mrs] Ejiro Otive-Igbuzor

Dr.Otive Igbuzor cutting birthday cake with people living with disabilities.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 — 43

M. Ola K assim celebrat es 88 in style Kassim celebrates

Chief (Dr) Jackie Kassim and her friends in a group photograph with celebrant, Chief M. Ola Kassim.

oshood Ola Kassim is a renowned socialite who has been in the forefront of society happenings since the 70s. Even King Sunny Ade has done full albums on him in the past. When the Balogun of Igbore celebrated his th 88 birthday last Saturday at his palatial Kujoba House, Adigbe, Abeokuta, Ogun State it all brought to fore once gain how much social clout and savvy the High Chief wields. Photos by Wumi Akinola

L-R: Olori Ogunbona, Alhaji M.Ola Kassim and Oba Joseph Ogunbona, Olu of Igbore.

L-R: Chief Dayo Adeneye, Chief Dr. Jackie Kassim and Mrs Taiwo Oladoye. L-R:Amb. (Mrs) Folake Marcus-Bello and Mr Toye Akiode, former Vanguard Editor.

Pa Olofinlade @ 80

L-R: Mrs Helen Oguman, Prof. Felicia Iweze, celebrant, Chief M. Ola Kassim and Irene Jeyifous-Thomas.

Thanksgiving

SOCIALITE, Dr. Olu Olofinlade was joined by th friends and immediate family members to celebrate his 80 birthday last Saturday in Lagos. Photos Lamidi Bamidele

THANKGOD Awaited Liberation Ministry held its th 7 anniversary/Founder’s birthday recently. See pictures.

Celebrant, Dr. Olu Olofinlade flanked by his grandchildren

L-R: Minister-in-Charge, Francis Otukwu, daughter of founder, Amaka Thankgod Chukwuma, son, Chison Thankgod Chukwuma and Mrs Rita Otukwu.

(center)

L-R: Chairman, Island Club, Prince Ademola Dada, celebrant, Dr. Olu Olofinlade, and Osile of Oke Ona, Oba Adedapo Tejuosho.

General Supervisor/Minister-in-Charge, Francis Otukwu (c) with male Workers of the Ministry

Tompolo FFoundation oundation bags award TOMPOLO Foundation has emerged as the best foundation of the Delta Role Model Award. The ‘Best Foundation award of the year 2013 was received by Comrade Paul Bebenimibo, Executive Secretary Tompolo Foundation and other members of the Foundation. Photos Akpokona Omafuire

L-R:Comrade Paul Bebenimibo, Executive Secretary, Tompolo Foundation receiving the Award.

Comrade Paul Bebenimibo, Executive Secretary Tompolo Foundation flanked by Dr. Clarkson Agagha (3rd Left), Director of Health; and other members of the Foundation

44 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

08116759759

From Atlanta strip joints to Miley Cyrus: How Twerking hit the mainstream with an official entry in the Oxford Dictionaries

rom Miley Cyrus to an Australian vying to become Prime Minister, the global phenomenon of twerking has gone mainstream. The dance craze, started in the New Orleans 'bounce' music scene of the early 90s — before Miley was even born — has even been honoured

Online. Although it has been around for decades, twerking had its most main-stream appearance to date with former clean cut child star Miley Cyrus gyrating around singer Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night.

Chinese father chains blind, mentally ill son in a cave

father has told how he turned his handi capped son into a real life caveman— chain ing him naked to a rock face in central China. Astonishing pictures of tragic Cheng Xiangtao, 26 —born blind and mentally disabled— chained by his ankle to his cave in remote Chengling village, Henan province, has outraged the country. Dad Cheng Yuanchao, 70, abandoned his son after losing his home and going to live with his daughters. ‘I have no home of my own now and nowhere to house my son. This is the best I can do. I visit him three times a day with food and water so he is never hungry of thirsty. ‘The chain is there

only so he doesn’t run off and hurt himself,’ he claimed. ‘I’m not a wealthy man and we’ve never been able to afford doctors who might have been able to help him. ‘There just isn’t anywhere else for him to go. I don’t like to see him like this but I have no choice. ‘He won’t wear clothes and if I don’t put the chain on he runs around hurting himself,’ he added. But the pictures have shocked Chinese commentators after they appeared on social media. ‘It is appalling. Is this the best his father and his village can do? He’d be better treated if he was a pig or a cow,’ said one.

The picture Vladimir Putin wants to ban P

olice seize painting of Russian president in women’s underwear from St Petersburg gallery claiming it is ‘illegal’. Painting shows Putin in a tight-fitting slip brushing the hair of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who is wearing knickers and a bra. Russian police confiscated it, along with two other works from the gallery on Monday night after receiving reports they were ‘illegal’ St Petersburg, which next week hosts world leaders at a G20 summit, was one of the first Russian cities to introduce a law banning the spread of ‘gay propaganda’ and making it a crime ‘to spread information about nontraditional sexual behavior’ to those under 18. In June, President Vladimir Putin signed legislation, giving the national government the authority to detain gay or ‘pro-gay ’ foreigners for up to 14 days, and then to expel them from the country. Four Dutch tourists were the first to be arrested under the statute in mid-July, although they were later released without being criminally charged. The move has sparked a storm of protest with many campaigners calling for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics which are due to take place in the resort town of Sochi.

Pope bows for Muslim Queen Rania of Jordan in latest display of breaking with tradition

he Pope has once again shown his willingness to break with tradition by bowing to Muslim royal Queen Rania of Jordan. As leader of the world’s 1.2billion-strong Catholic community, protocol usually dictates that visitors bow to him when they meet him at the Vatican. But when Rania came to the Holy See with her husband King Abdullah II on

Thursday, he inverted that formality by lowering his head to her. He made no discernible bow toward her husband, the king. The Jordanian royals were leaving following a private audience with the pope in his library. ‘Francis behaves as he did before he became pope and is not interested in protocol’, a senior Vatican official said".

4x4 fans look away now!

Bird that’s ruffling government feathers E

gyptian authorities have detained a bird that a citizen suspected of being a spy. Officials say a man took the bird to a police station in the Qena governorate, some 280 miles southeast of Cairo, on Friday. He suspected the bird was an undercover agent because it carried an electronic device. The head of security in Qena confirmed that officials examined the bird and the device. Mohammed Kamal said the device was neither an explosive nor a spying device. It is thought to have probably been a wildlife tracker.

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and Rovers imported to U.S. are crushed by customs for failing safety rules because they don’t have airbags. The exclusive vehicle was seized by customs officers in Baltimore. Its importer had attempted to fool the authorities by changing its plate. But they spotted the ruse and deemed it unfit for the US’ roads. Often selling for upwards of $100,000, this one is now worth just $30

SATURDAY

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013—45

08056180112

Don’t starve yourself to get a flat stomach

trary, it will only slow down results. It is important not to starve yourself, but eat wholesome meals after short intervals of time. Eating less may be the key to weight loss, but starving yourself is not. The key is to not obssess about food, but focus on burning fat.

LOVE your stomach. It’s so flat and firm. It makes you look fabulous! How did you do it? No matter how much I diet or exercise, I can’t seem to get rid of the flab in my big, fat belly. I’m ashamed of it. How I wish I had a flat stomach like yours.” This was the subtle way a colleague brought up the issue of protruding bellies a few days back. The middle-aged man in question took time to elaborate on how he had been trying to achieve a flat stomach for at least a year but to no avail. “I eat relatively well, exercise regularly, and avoid drinking alcohol and junk food like the plague. I even fast and lose weight regularly, all in the hope of getting a flat tummy. Alas, I still have a big belly. Could it be something else?” He lamented. He is not alone. The level of paranoia about a flat stomach is quite palpable. These days, a flat stomach is the vogue. Scores of men and women desire that nice, firm, flat mid-section. A flat stomach is attractive. This is incontrovertible. It could even be sexy. Except you are a pregnant woman, a protruding belly is a definite no-no health wise and shame on you if you are caught with one. Stomach bloating not only looks bad but can also cause physical discomfort. But it is a condition you can avoid easily. “

Eat smaller meals more often Instead of three big meals per day, try eating smaller meals more often. This can keep you free of the bloated feeling that often follows large meals. Eating more frequently can also help control blood sugar and manage hunger. Go for five to six small meals each day, but make sure the quantity and calories proportionate to your needs. Don’t eat too fast Eating quickly and not chewing your food well can cause air swallowing that leads to bloating. Slow down and enjoy your food. A meal should last at least 30 minutes. Keep in mind that digestion begins in the mouth and you can decrease bloating just by chewing your food more. When you eat more slowly, you may end up eating less. Avoid constipation Too little fibre, fluids, and physical activity can lead to constipation, which can result in b l o a t i n g . To avoid this, eat a diet high in fibre, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Drink plenty of fluids (6-8 glasses a day). Engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes, five times a week. Don’t fast, skip meals, or use laxatives or water pills to help you de-bloat or lose weight.

Benefits of a flat mid-line A flat stomach is an indication of good if not perfect health. It not only improves physical appearance by enabling you to wear your clothes with confidence, but also eliminates danger of deep-hidden belly fat around vital organs which can increase risk of noncommunicable disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. A flat stomach means lower cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure and optimal insulin levels. The bottom line is this: If you’re keen on a longer, better life, trim your waistline.

•A structured diet and exercise... key to flat stomach fat, your body reduces belly fat preferentially. Even though people lose weight differently, there is a little more lost in the abdominal region than elsewhere. However, doing exercises all day long won’t get rid of the excess belly fat. Although you can’t necessarily spot reduce, you can strengthen abdominal muscles with routines like Pilates

Truth is that starving yourself is not only ineffective, but potentially dangerous

ideally, the waist measurement should not exceed 40 inches, or 38 inches for a woman. Trimming just two inches from your waist can equally make a difference. The truth is that everyone has muscles that just stay hidden underneath a thick layer of fat on the stomach. Focus on burning the layer of fat that may be covering your belly. Exercise regularly If you’re looking to flatten your belly for the long term, there’s no substitute for losing a few kilos.When you lose total body

Watch your waist A structured diet and exercise programme can be a tremendous help, however, the first step to a flat sexy mid-section is reduction of waist circumference. For a man,

Reduce carbonated drinks The fizz in carbonated drinks (even diet ones) can cause gas to get trapped in your belly. Instead, drink water flavored with lemon, lime, or cucumber. Bloating often results from too much sugar alcohol in artificially sweetened foods and drinks. Try peppermint tea, ginger, pineapple, parsley, and yogurts containing probiotics (“good” bacteria) to help reduce bloating.

and exercise ball workouts. Stronger muscles can help your belly appear flatter. D o n ’ t s t a r v e y o u r s e l f At times, you may think that starving yourself is the only way to lose weight and get a flat stomach. Truth is that starving yourself is not only ineffective, but potentially dangerous for your overall well-being. Severe calorie reduction does not lead to better and quick results. On the con-

Avoid chewing gum Chewing gum can lead to swallowing air, which can cause bloating. If you’ve got a gum habit, alternate chewing gum with eating a healthy, high-fiber snack like fruit, vegetables, or lower-fat popcorn. Limit processed food Highly processed foods tend to be high in sodium and low in fibre which can contribute to that bloated feeling. Get in the habit of reading food labels. When buying processed, canned, or frozen foods, look for labels that say “sodium free,” “low sodium,” or “very low sodium.” Be careful with beans, gassy vegetables If you’re not used to eating beans, it can cause gas just like the cruciferous family of vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. That doesn’t mean you should give them up. Don’t be nervous about beans, just work them into your diet slowly until your body adjusts to the compounds that can initially cause gas.

Instead of three big meals per day, try eating smaller meals more often. This can keep you free of the bloated feeling

46 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

d My pursuit for HND landespect me in trouble-robbery su BY EVELYN USMAN

•Exhibits( the drugged Lucozade boost

Police hunt for biz for 10 days without By LINDA AMALU

•James Imoha

• Abubakar

whispering to each other that they could be stealing the drugs and I opted to retreat at that point. But as I attempted to leave the company’s gate, there was sporadic shootings and I concluded that was the end of my sojourn on earth. I just laid flat on my tummy with my hands raised up, without looking up. The next thing I knew was that I was arrested and brought here.” Are you sure I will leave this place alive? “, he asked this writer in tears. Continuing,he said, “my desire to further my studies brought me to Lagos. My intention was to lay my hands on any genuine business and save for my HND. Had I known things would turn out this way, I would have remained in the village until when God will answer my prayer. As I speak, my relatives are not aware I have been arrested. The news will kill my ailing mother. Sister, please just pray for me”, he said , burying his face in both palms. Robbers strategy May and Baker pharmaceutical is located in a complex which also housed five other companies,with each having its own private guards. In order to have free access in and out of the complex, the robbery suspects were said to have injected sleeping tablets into some packs of fruit juice which they gave to some of the guards who allegedly connived with them. One of the guards, as gathered, resumed on the Dday with the injected fruit juice, informing his colleagues that he was celebrating his birthday. Delighted at the news, other unsuspecting guards joyfully reached out for the drugged juice. While some reportedly drank, others, as gathered, kept theirs with the hope of taking it the next morning before going home.

HEN Thankgod Nwabisi, 23, left his village in Adani, Uzo-Uwani L.G.A of Enugu State to serve as an apprehentice to an auto -parts dealer in Ladipo, Lagos, popularly called Elopee, members of his family heaved a sigh of relief, believing that their only child was making a positive headway in life. Little did they know that the secondary school holder will end up being traumatized by his master. He was thoroughly tortured, tied with ropes and dumped inside a room in the master’s house for about ten days without food or water. According to him, he was accused of not reconciling their sale’s book properly resulting in the loss of N4,000. The ugly incident which took place at Number 1, Bisi Yusuf area, Kainde in Ayobo, a suburb of Lagos State, aroused the anger of their neighbours who promptly alerted policemen on patrol from Ayobo division and they swiftly responded. The eagle-eyed policemen reportedly broke into the premises after making frantic calls without response while the agonising cries of pain was coming from one of the rooms in the house. When they succeeded in gaining entry into the building, they were shocked to see a 23-year-old boy, tied hands and legs and dumped like an animal in one corner of the room. He had bruises all over his body and his head was smeared with caked blood. They quickly rescued the poor boy and while searching the house, they saw a female teenager who claimed to be a relation to the wife of his master and they took all of them to their station for questioning. His plight olice sources said while narrating his plight, the boy disclosed that his master, Elochukwu Ikwueze, is from Akama-Oye in Eziagu L.G.A. of Enugu State. According to sources, the boy signed agreement to serve the man for seven years, and he had already served five years. They were living in a two-room apartment at Number 43, Eyegun street, Mafoluku,

•The victim lying on the bare floor Lagos before his master got married and moved to his own house at Ayobo. They normally spent weekdays at Mafoluku but always spent weekends in the man’s house at Ayobo. The boy narrated that on Sunday, 25th of September, while they were at Ayobo, they all embarked on cleaning the house and it’s surroundings in the morning. They continued with the exercise till evening and when he requested for food, both his master and his wife ignored him. He said his master later started questioning him about their sales the previous day and he explained everything to him. “He complained that about N4,000 was missing from a sale of N28,000 we made but I explained everything to

WENTY seven year-old James Imoha, an Ordinary national Diploma holder from Auchi Polytechnic, Delta State, had nursed the ambition of going back for his Higher National Diploma in same school. But his ambition was being hampered by lack of funds. Determined to realise this dream, he left his home town in Agenegbode, Etsako East Local Government area of Edo State, for Lagos five months ago, in search of greener pasture. But as you read this piece, James is being detained at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, over an alleged robbery case. James and eight suspected members of his gang allegedly stormed May and Baker Pharmaceutical company at Oba Akran, Ikeja two weeks ago and were at the verge of loading a truck with cartoons of drugs when operatives of SARS swooped on them. However, in this interview with Crime Guard, James burst into tears, insisting he was deceived by members of the gang into joining them. He further disclosed that his desire to further his education and also feed for that week made him join them that night. Hear him: “ I swear, I never knew they were going to rob that night. I was made to understand that they were being hired to load a truck at the end of which they would be paid. I was already sleeping that night in a friend’s house when Innocent (one of the suspects) visited him. He informed me there was a job and when I asked what kind of job , he said it was to load some cartoons into a truck. I became interested because it would be an instant payment. I asked how much would be paid at the end and he said N1000 or N2000 depending on the quantity one was able to load. I complained that it was late (10pm), but Innocent said this is Lagos where business was done anytime. Reluctantly, I got up and decided to follow him, with the hope to earn some amount for that week. Quickly, I calculated that it would buy me three square meals for one week because I spend N100 per meal or less, particular when I have to drink ‘’garri’’ with groundnut or coconut. Too late to turn back “When I got to the place with Innocent and Okogie, I noticed from the way they were acting that the business was not genuine afterall. But I could not back out because I could not locate my way back home. But innocent assured me all was well and I went about loading the truck with the cartoons of drugs. I also noticed from the way they were

W-I-C-K-E-D-N-E-S-S

I was defecating and urinating inside the same place until seven days later when the pains became unbearable. I then started crying and raising my voice, calling for help.

him yet, he inisisted that the money was missing. Later, I went into my room . Few minutes later, he came into the room, armed with a huge stick and started beating me. He called on my second and both of them tied my hands and legs with a rope, dragged me into the kitchen and locked the place up. I was abandoned inside the kitchen for about three days until I noticed that somebody slipped a plate of food through an opening to me. Hungrily,

Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 — 47

man who tied apprentice food in Lagos

r inside the kitchen.

•How the victim was tied I ate the food. I was defecating and urinating inside the same place until seven days later when the pains became unbearable. I then started crying and raising my voice, calling for help. It was then that I knew that the small girl living with us, a relation of my master’s wife, was also left in the house and she was the person that slipped food into the kitchen for me. How he was rescued “After sometime, I overheard people shouting at out gate, calling for the door to be opened. Later, they broke into the premises and I saw they were policemen. They rescued me and took both of us to their station where I narrated all that happened to me.”

Crime Guard gathered that after Policemen broke into the house, they found the female teenager in the parlour. She led them to the kitchen

where they saw the boy, tied like a goat with splashes of his urine and excreta all over the room. The divisional Police officer, Musa Lariski reportedly directed his men to quickly rush the boy to the nearest hospital where he was giving proper medical attention beofore he was brought back to the station. It was learnt that since then, all efforts made by detectives to trace the owner of the house and his wife yielded negative results.A team of policemen were also said to had gone to his shop at Ladipo market only to discover that he had not shown his face since the the boy was rescued from his house. It was gathered that one of the market leaders assured the police that they will trace his whereabouts and bring him to

the station. Meanwhile, when Crime Guard had a brief encounter with the distraught boy, he was crying and lamenting the fate tha t befell him. In tears he said, “My fear is that he has my identitiy card and he may fram me up. I did not take even a kobo from his money, he was only trying to avoid settling me after my stewardship. Thats how he has been treating all the boys that suffered for him, he will frame you and deny you reaping the reward of your stewardship. Whatever happened, I am happy with the police for rescuing me alive. Who knows what could have happened to me later,” he questioned.

Lamentations as military remembers soldiers slain by Boko Haram BY EVELYN USMAN

EAD silence pervaded the conference room of the 81 Division Headquarters located on Kofo Abayomi, Victoria Island, Lagos, Monday, with sad expressions on the faces of seated guests. Majority of the guests, later discovered to be widows of Army personnel killed by Boko Haram sect in Maiduguiri, Borno State last month,were within the age bracket of 20 and 25. Some of them snuggled close to their children as if their •Late Lance Corporal Michael existence depended solely on them, while others merely gave a blank stare , apparently lost his son, Lance Michael Ike was mentioned, he could not help in unimaginable thoughts . Crime Guard gathered that but betray his emotion. His wife the gallant soldiers were taken who was also present, cried unawares by terrorists that uncontrollably as their late son’s fateful morning of August 4 wife went to receive the cheque 2013, with the use of with her son. The 60-year-old man who Improvised Explosive Devises (IED),while at the verge of identified himself as Mr Moses preparing their breakfast. Ike, disclosed that the family Although they had been buried was yet to recover from the rude in Maiduguiri amidst shock of Ike’s demise. uncontrollably tears from According to him: “ he was my relatives, the vacuum created by first child. There is nothing as their demise would, no doubt, terrible as being alive to witness remain in the hearts of their the death of one’s child,” he said shaking his head. widows and children. The late Ike, a Lance Corporal The height of the solemn moment at the conference room who was enlisted into the of 81 division erupted at the Nigerian Army 13 years ago, arrival of the General Officer was reportedly preparing for his Commanding the Division, wife’s traditional marriage. “ He Major General Abel Umahi, who had already bought things was to present a cheque of needed for the marriage. He N1million each to the next-of- had gone for the first round of kins of the deceased personnel traditional rites with the hope . Immediately he called out the of concluding everything upon first beneficiary, the widow burst his return from Maiduguri,” the into uncontrollably tears, bereaved father disclosed. His children are still followed by others. Journalists present could not help but dab demanding to see daddy Meanwhile,the late Micheal’s the tears that trickled down their cheeks. Just before the children of ages 3 and 1 presentation, a man who was respectively, as gathered, are apparently recuperating, still demanding to see their walked in slowly and took daddy. The day Micheal was position among the leaving his apartment in beneficiaries. When the name of Mayoung barracks, Yaba, four months ago, he was said to have promised his children whom he loved and cherished so much that he would buy them chocolate on arrival. Unfortunately, he never lived to fulfill that promise. The children never stoped to ask after their father. Every time, they would be asking their mother, ‘ where is daddy? When is daddy coming back home’, a question that usually threw their mother into another round of tears. •Late lance Corporal Michael’s children

48—SATURDAY

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

BY GBENGA FAYEMIWO

Ayo Aluko-Olokun goes PDP

have painfully decided to square up with Ayo Aluko-Olokun, my former boss and colleague. His diatribe against the United Nations supported urban renewal project in the State of Osun and the “sincere” way he signed it off compelled me to take up the space and raise the standard. It is wondering how a man who had borne the light of courage and professionalism in that glorious era of people-centred journalism is now speaking for people whose pedigree had largely been anti-people and pro-poverty since 1999 till date. Ayo signed off as the spokesman of Senator Akinola Olasunkanmi Akinlabi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and began on the slate of barren castigation of anything related to Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Ayo threw caution to the winds by taking swipes at the separation exercise carried out in the State of Osun to remove obstructive structures on the major highways. Without pretensions, Ayo knew that the right of way is a major plank of any urban renewal programme anywhere in the world. It is curious that for pecuniary reasons, he has refused to advert his mind to the fact that Osogbo and our major cities in the State of Osun should and ought to be re-designed to meet modern standard of economically developed societies. Investment and investors all over the world move in the direction of sanity, peace, orderliness, harmony and communal peace. A situation whereby our capital city is inhabitable for business, and investment requires practical steps that our administration has taken to correct the unwholesome growth of these illegal structures in Osogbo. Our people who are the beneficiaries of these innovative city redesigning and planning projects are grateful for the bold step, first since 1991 when Osun was created. The PDP administration at the federal level has By UZOR MAXIM UZOATU

done it without apologies and compensation to the victims. The Abuja master plan was doggedly implemented to ensure that the mistake made in not properly planning Lagos(the former Nigerian capital) did not reecho in Abuja. The Justice Akinola Aguda panel tasked with the job of deciding a befitting Nigerian capital arrived at Abuja to the neglect of Lagos. Where was Ayo when the Lagos government rolled out the bulldozers to demolish structures? The hitherto rowdy Oshodi market is now beautiful , and it is also safe at midnight. Was Ayo not alive in the newsroom in those days of the demolition of Alayabiagba and other illegally sited markets in Lagos? The Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law (1992) stipulates the specific distance as the Right of Way and the penalties for violation. Alignment for federal roads usually covers 47.5m across or 23.75m to either side from the middle of the road.The space from the edge of the road is reserved for public usage like laying of service pipes for water and gas supply, telecommunications etc. Apart from this, the Right of Way also serves as an important buffer in a situation whereby vehicles veer off the road in case of autoaccidents, mechanical faults or even momentary stoppage by motorists. Any structure standing within this space on any side of all major highway anywhere in Nigeria are illegal and should be removed. The Federal Ministry of Works and Transport and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have always warned that it would not tolerate illegal constructions within the Right of Way. Ayo never saw anything bad in the efforts to preserve the beauty of Abuja but prefers that

Fayemiwo is the Assistant Director (Press), Governor’s Office , Osogbo.

Chief Ofor: The passing of a legend

HE distinguished knight of Saint Mulumba, Grand knight Emeritus, Udora Umuchu etc. Chief Innocent E. Ofor, the retired top civil servant of Anambra State, passed on in the early hours of August 21. Born in 1929, in Amihie village of Umuchu town of Aguata LGA, Anambra State, Chief Ofor had his primary education at St. Matthew’s School, Umuchu and St. Charles, Achina between 1937 and 1945. He proceeded to St. Thomas, Ibuzo in Delta State for his Teacher’s Grade II Certificate which he obtained in 1951. Through tuition he earned GCE O and A levels between 1955 and 1957. He capped his educational pursuit with a 1960 BA Hons Degree from the University College, Ibadan. He would later bag a Post-Graduate Diploma in Economic Development in 1966 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He also travelled to Washington DC in 1980 for a Post-Graduate Certificate in Public Management.

Osogbo remains a slum that we inherited from the prehistoric era. Only ignorant politicians would go to town with the story that offenders of this Federal law are crying and not our people who are supportive of the Aregbesola drive for a better State of Osun. The truth of course is that those affected by the Right of Way law were served removal notices by the immediate past administration of Brigadier Olagunsoye Oyinlola to remove the illegal structure since then. All illegal structures including mosques, churches, schools’ fence, office extensions, shopping complexes and kiosks that were affected were marked with maroon-red ink with dates of notices on them. Many of such marked structures will be removed if the owners refuse to remove them. It started with the popular Ajegunle spare parts market in Osogbo which was largely affected by the dualisation of OsogboIkirun-Okuku-Ila-Odo-Kwara State boundary that has been moving at accelerated pace. Governor Rauf Aregbesola not only met with the traders , he also provided alternative site for them to develop. The same was the case with Alekunwodo plank market and MDS traders who were provided alternative sites. Within the entire city of Osogbo, the only offender who has refused to see what is good in the urban renewal project of Governor Rauf Aregbesola is the PDP in the State of Osun. Rather than obeying the federal law upon which it has been superintending, the PDP decided to erect a huge billboard campaigning for President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 re-election However,it is a pity that Ayo has gone to the PDP with all his credentials. Have those years of ideal progressive thoughts... gone? How time, described by a thinker as “the moving image of eternity”, flies?

e was an Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) in Owerri in 1961. Between 1966 and 1967, he served as the Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce-cum-Industry and Secretary of Eastern Nigeria Industrial Estates, Enugu. He was appointed the secretary of Hotel Presidential Ltd, Enugu in 1967 before the Nigeria-Biafra war supervened. He was posted to the Biafra Civil Defence Directorate as Assistant Secretary at the beginning of the war. When Enugu fell to the Federal troops he was made the Biafra Civil Defence Secretary. He miraculously drove his car in ignorance over a landmine unhurt. He was captured by the Federal troops in Enugu and was saved through divine intervention. In 1969 he survived a bomb explosion at Uga Airport about a meter or two from his car. He returned to his post at the top of the administration of Hotel Presidential, Enugu at the end of the war. In 1973, he was appointed the secretary of the State Scholarship Board. He served as the under secretary and principal secretary, Cabinet Office, Enugu, between 1976 and 1977, before assuming duties as Resident of Enugu Capital Territory. He then became the Deputy Permanent Secretary, and Secretary for Education. He served

•Chief Ofor as Permanent Secretary of the State Education Commission in 1978, and as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education. A devoted Catholic, he 1978 came in contact with the teaching of Opus Dei, as established by the Spanish clergyman St. Jose Maria Ecriva. He became a knight of St. Mulumba (KSM) in 1975, serving as a Grand Knight from 2002 to 2008, and passed on as a Grand Knight Emeritus. He was in 1980 made a cabinet chief of his native Umuchu by HRH Igwe Oforbuike (Ezeora), taking the title of Udora (The Peace of All). He served as the Secretary of the of the St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, Umuchu ProCathedral building committee for all of 28 years. The real story of Chief Ofor’s life was the love he retained to his last day for his wife Maria (nee Onuigbo) who died in 1987. Chief Ofor’s entire life was emblematic of his love story with his beloved Maria about whom he had written a book. The then young Innocent first got into contact with then Miss Maria Ngozika Onuigbo

back in 1955. They fixed their marriage for 1957, but it had to be deferred because, according to Chief Ofor, “unexpectedly, I gained admission into the University College, Ibadan.” While the young Innocent attended University at faraway Ibadan, Maria began her career as a teacher. They agreed to put forward the marriage to the end of his three-year university course. When Maria’s renowned father, Matthew Onuigbo, got into the picture of Maria’s decision to enter the convent he consoled Innocent while undertaking to take up the paying of her fees. In a classic case of platonic love, both Innocent and Maria continued to write to one another every week. A catch emanated some weeks before Innocent’s degree examination when the University Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Folley, who was fondly called the “Story Teller” saw him for the first time in the company of a girl, a fellow chorister. Ofor confessed that his proposed wife had gone into a convent and he had given her his consent “when I could not change her mind”. “Wrong!” shouted Father Folley who argued that Ofor’s support for his fiancé to enter the convent could be a ploy to “get Maria out of the way to take on someone better!” According to Ofor: “I was very hurt by the Rev. Father’s motive as I was still offering Novena prayers and masses asking Jesus to take another girl to the convent and return Maria to me. When the chaplain insisted on my withdrawing the support in concrete form, I agreed to carry out his order but pleaded to be allowed to do that after our imminent degree exam. Yet Father refused and decided to ban me from entering the examination hall unless I complied.” The students in Mellanby Hall of the then University College, Ibadan reduced it all to a joke, stressing that Innocent was in a very serious competition with Jesus Christ over a girl! With tears and prayers, Ofor undertook the journey to Aba , where Maria’s parents lived, at 11 pm the next night. He met Maria’s parents in a mood of mourning because Maria had lost her place in the convent because the authorities could not find the “Motherless Babies” career she had chosen;and Maria got married in December 1961 at Assumpta Church, Owerri. The marriage was blessed with nine children, including a set of twins. The earthly love tango of Innocent and Maria ended on July 13, 1987 when she breathed her last.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013—49

Mr Osaigbovo, Daniel’s father

Daniel, after his arrest by security men

Madam Evelyn Ohikhena, Daniel’s mother

STOWAWAY TEENAGE BOY:

Father accuses wife of insincerity zI’m caring for our children alone because he abandoned us—Wife By SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin-City

he crisis between the mother of the stowaway teenage boy, Mrs Evelyn Oikhena and her husband, Mr Osaigbovo, deepened last Monday, when the latter appeared at the Edo State Government House during a scheduled meeting between Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the family. Ever since the incident, the father was never in the picture until last Monday. Governor Oshiomhole met with the stowaway boy, Daniel with a view to have insight as to why he decided to embark on what many could describe as a suicidal trip. Officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs were also in attendance. But before the meeting took off, Mr Osaigbovo told newsmen that his wife decided to deny people access to him since the incident started, explaining that he decided to leave the house where he resided with the family after the wife refused to move to another apartment which is affordable for him. Forty-four year-old Osaigbovo,a driver by profession, told journalists that contrary to reports that he was sick and bed ridden, he was living separate from the family due to his disagreement with the wife. He stressed that the wife refused to stay in the house

Mr Osaigbovo told newsmen that the wife decided to deny people access to him since the incident started, explaining that he decided to leave the house where he resided with the family after the wife refused to move to another apartment which is affordable for him where he could afford the house rent, therefore, he decided to leave and stay alone in order not to go into criminality. He disclosed that he moved out of the house a year ago to stay where he could afford , adding that “ I decided to come here today to tell the world that I am the father of Daniel. Initially, when I heard the news, I thought my son was kidnapped. But my wife said I should calm down that when everything is okay, she will call me. I never dreamt of going to America, I am not married to another woman. My wife refused to give my number to Sthe DSS. As a result of my low income job, I decided to move to an apartment that I can afford and told my wife that they should move with

me, but she refused and continued to stay in the three bedroom flat at 7, Ehigiagbe, off Goodwill, Ekenwan Benin City”. Mr Osaigbovo who said he resides at Siluko Road, narrated that “I used to pay the school fees of my children and feed them contrary to claims that I abandoned my family. It was when I packed to the present place I am staying that my wife refused to go with me”. He further accused the wife of making it look as if he was dead by denying people access to him. Saturday Vanguard learnt that since last Monday, the crisis in the family deepened as the family of the man accused the wife of denying them access to the son. Mrs Evelyn cried to Saturday Vanguard that she was still shocked with the way and manner the husband and his people are persecuting her despite what she has gone through recently with the disappearance of Daniel who was later found in Lagos. According to her, “my husband has been disturbing me and accusing me wrongly. There was no time I told anybody that he was dead. All I have been battling with is to sort out my son’s problem. And as we are talking now, I am even struggling to get N40,000 for my daughter to go back to school and I told my husband to assist because she is equally his daughter but he said he does not have. My daughter has to go back to school. I don’t know why

all these things are happening. They thought they gave me money. He does not even care about the welfare of his son. They just came to bother my life”. A close family source who does not want his name in print told Saturday Vanguard, “this is a disgrace really. This woman has been taking care of their four children for over one year now that the man left the house but suddenly, he appeared thinking that government will give them money to share. The man does not care about the children. Since this incident happened, he didn’t come around. He only came when he heared that the Governor invited the boy and the mother. He decided to come because he felt the Governor would give them money. We learnt that ever since they visited Government House, Osaigbovo has been bothering the woman because he thought they gave her money. And it was even because of the fatherly care that the boy lacks that made him behave that way. They were left only with their mother and even if any benefit or help is coming from the government, it is the mother who has been suffering with the kids that should benefit and not somebody who wants to reap where he did not sow”. Saturday Vanguard learnt that Mrs Oikhena may have to report the matter to the Ministry of Women Affairs if the husband continues to bother her.

50—VANGUARD, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

arrister Nkechi Chukwueke Onyedim, is a young woman with many colours; a former governorship candidate under ANPP, Lagos, legal practitioner, public analyst, politician, business woman and National Co-ordinator, ChildMother Welfare Development Centre. She is among the few women in the society that believes a woman can achieve more than men if they would possess a strong will despite environmental, religious and cultural challenges. In this chart with Saturday Vanguard Business, she encourages Nigerian women to come out and fight for their fair share even she advises government to do more on women empowerment. Excerpts:

Many challenges of women empowerment in Africa—Onyedim

Empowering women in the society, do you think enough has been done to empower Nigerian women? Before now, women had not been empowered enough to take their own shares from the abundant resources God blessed Nigeria with. But recently and in fairness to the present government, they have been able to recognise women to some extent, yet we are asking for more because I don’t think Nigerian women have got their own share in terms of equity sharing. There is this argument that women don’t come out to fight for their rightful positions in the society and that is the reason why they are suppressed, is that true? I don’t think it’s true because it’s when you ask it will be given to you. Even in the Bible, it’s said: “Ask you shall receive, knock the door shall be opened, and seek you shall find. Like in politics it’s not father Christmas. If you don’t ask nothing for you. This same thing is applicable in Law. The law will not grant you what you didn’t ask for. You have to seek for a leave before the court will look into it and grant you your plea as the case may be. So, if women don’t come out to demand for their right nothing will be given to them. They need to come out and become part of governance in their community, ward, local government, state and country. But women are not forthcoming as expected. Again you shouldn’t blame them sometimes because of some restricting factors surrounding the environment in which they find themselves. For instance, in Africa, women are not all that recognised to hold some key positions in the society; the region will be against you, the society, the family issue is there, culture, environment even women among themselves will be against you. So, you will discover that there are many women who have the zeal, ambition to come out and showcase what they have but these factors become a barrier. But for me, that should not deter any woman who knows what she wants to do or contribute to the society, because being a woman is not a curse or minus rather it should be a plus. Women have advantages because as a mother, you are a home builder, more passionate and considerate. Women should be able to understand every environment they find themselves more than the men because they perceive more than the men. Being a woman, God has endowed us with potentials and we should be able to use them to the advantage of the society. Having contested for deputy governorship seat under

ANPP, how was your experience being a woman? This question had been asked often times and I will answer it for the rest of my life. Vying for the position of deputy governorship election as a woman and in Lagos for that matter was full of experiences and challenges, but I love challenges. Sometimes I look at myself and said: ‘’Nkechi you’re a very bold person”. And I have made up my mind that deputy governorship seat would be the least position I will go for henceforth. It was not easy but I liked the experience because it exposed me to a lot of things I didn’t know. Initially, I took a lot of things for granted but now I know better. So anytime I would go back for elective position as a woman politician I will know how to discuss and bargain better and also enhance my profile. In all, it’s a learning process, so I would not say I regretted any bit of it even though there were challenges. Like I said, challenges are part of me and it has helped make me what I am today. In all, it was not a bad experience. Are you in the school of thought that if women were empowered like the men, they would have done better in leadership? Yes! I’m hundred per cent sure. I remember when I was

contesting and one of my friends gave me some money but I was surprised because I didn’t expect it. But she looked at me and saw how surprised I was and she asked me why was I sounding surprised even though I’m a person that do appreciate. She told me that men do better in helping themselves, and I learnt a lesson from her. What I’m saying is that apart from personal relationship, the society at large has not recognised women, the government and the constitution. For instance, now women are pleading to be recognised in the on going constitution reform, the affirmative action to be enshrined in the constitution. That is why I said that women have not been recognised that much. There has not been Onyedim: enough provision to empower the women unlike the men folk. They alloChild-Mother Welfare Develcate oil blocks to men, make opment Centre is my baby child. them ministers, give them large I have emotion attached to it and contracts etc. How many wom- in fact that is why I have to go en have the opportunity of hav- into the project in the first place. ing oil blocks apart from Alaki- Teenage pregnancy is very ja which I pray for her every- rare, but when I want to analday? How many women are do- yse it I do ask, Is the one outing NDDC job, doing contract side wedlock or the one you voljob in the ministries? How many untarily went into marriage and women are there heading gov- you are now abused and conernment parastatals, even the fined into a marriage even commissions and agencies? You though still a child? There are hardly see women heading two different lines here. But the them. And that is not doing us one I concentrate more on is unwell. If you ask me I would say, planned pregnancy, I don’t women have not really been en- want to use the word unwantcouraged or recognised as it ed pregnancy because no child should be. is unwanted. A teenage child, Your NGO, Child-Mother most times children also make Welfare Development Centre, children vulnerable, they are what has been the achievement so far?

naïve. When children or a child becomes a mother, that is not because she was wayward or promiscuous and all of that. But sometimes lack of education, family background could be blamed, not being there for her, no proper care, no medication, parents’ inability to discuss sex etc. At the end of it, some of these children become victims of circumstance, rape while others are being abused by relations and relatives. I have seen a lot, interacted with sympathetic stories and because of the stigma attached to such cases, the young mothers tend to go into abortion, tend to sell the baby and some give birth and kill and all that. The society has to do a lot.

Air es 8 1 Emplo Airttel Ele Elevvat ates 81 Employyees

… Oladimeji, Anand Become Vice Presidents

In line with its corporate philosophy of remaining the employer of choice and empowering more Nigerians with leadership positions, leading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, has elevated 81 employees, across various business functions. The promotions are a direct result of the company’s 2012/2013 Reward and Performance Evaluation Exercise, which ended in June. Two employees were promoted Vice Presidents; three elevated from Senior Managers to General Managers, 32 promoted Senior Managers while 44 others were promoted to positions ranging from Senior Officer to Manager. Top on the list of those promoted were Tayo Oladimeji and Nitin Anand. Oladimeji, formerly General Manager: Revenue Assurance and Fraud Management, was promoted Vice President. Oladimeji joined Airtel in 2002 as Finance Manager and was later promoted to Head of Division, Retail Billing, in 2006. He was later transferred to head the Revenue Assurance Division in 2008, where he provided a comprehensive revenue assurance framework for all company’s revenue streams, minimizing leakages and maximizing revenue. In February 2012, he was promoted General Manager: Reve-

nue Assurance and Fraud Management. Prior to joining Airtel, Oladimeji worked as an Assistant Sales Accountant at the West African Portland Cement (Lafarge Group). A Chartered Accountant and Chartered Stockbroker, Oladimeji, is a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Anand, who was formerly Head: New Products Development and 3G, was also elevated to the position of Vice President, Data & Digital Services. Anand has covered over 15 years in Marketing and the Telecoms Industries. Prior to his transfer to Nigeria in February 2012, Anand was Head, Strategic Projects, Airtel Mobile Services in Airtel India, where he led the launch of 3G Services, as well as managed Product design, development and management for 3G services in India. He also designed, developed and executed the Dongle and Wireless Broadband strategy in India, with the entire Go To Market plan, service management and delivery of 3G services under his supervision. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Olusegun Ogunsanya, said the company is committed to empowering Nigerian professionals and providing the right environment for employee development and career growth.

Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, flanked by Nigeria’s representatives to the just concluded continental reality television show, BBA 8 – The Chase, Melvin Oduah and Beverly Ada Osu, recently at the Airtel HQ in Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Unit ed Airlines’ Boeing 78 7 United 787 most advanced and efficient paslands at MMIA senger aircraft, with a range of By LAWANI MIKAIRU United Airlines’ Boeing 787 Dreamliner has made its first appearance at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos with the arrival of flight UA142 from the airline’s Houston hub, George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The state-of-the-art aircraft will now operate United’s five-times-weekly Lagos-Houston non-stop service. According to James Mueller, United Vice President, Atlantic & Pacific sales.“Customers will notice a real difference on board the 787 Dreamliner. It is the world’s

features that improve the overall flying experience. The introduction of the 787 means that United now offers customers in Nigeria an unbeatable combination for trans-Atlantic travel,the most comfortable aircraft, industry-leading products and services, non-stop access to one of the United States’ leading business centres and connections from our Houston hub to cities across the Americas.” The 787 Dreamliner is configured with 36 flat-bed seats in United BusinessFirst and 183 seats in United Economy, including 70 Economy Plus seats with added legroom and increased personal space.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013—51

BY EMMANUEL EDUKUGHO

ITH a current population of over 165 million and projected to reach 450 million by 2050, clearly, Nigeria has one of the fastest population growth rate in the world, majority of them speaking English language, to the detriment of about 400 ethnic languages with Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba dominant. An interesting aspect of this population bulge is that it’s exceptionally youthful. Over 40 per cent is younger than 15 and almost 70 per cent not older than 25. English is the language of the British Colonial rulers introduced to Nigeria since amalgamation in 1914 and held sway at independence in 1960, being consolidated till day, alienating the people from speaking the mother tongue. Many Nigerian citizens living in this country cannot speak their indigenous, ethnic local languages and are not bothered about such embarrassing situation. Instead they relish and feel ‘civilised’ speaking English which has become status-symbol, a mark of respect, education and distinction in the society. A false sense of inferiority complex won’t allow many Nigerians to speak their native language which meant deviating from the norms. Mr. Omajuwa Degbeyin is an engineer with seven children, none can speak Itsekiri fluently. “When they were growing up, I did not speak Itsekiri at home with them, always communicating in English. I am married to an Urhobo woman who speaks Itsekiri also. She used to be worried that I don’t speak my native language to the children but I was not taking her serious. Today, I am regretting for this blunder as none of my children can speak Itsekiri,” Omajuwa revealed. This is typical of many parents across the ethnic divide whose kids cannot speak the mother tongue. There is need for a bold structural, linguistic reform that will focus on the use of the mother tongue to save it from imminent extinction. So much had been said about this in the recent past, all to no avail. In the National Policy on Education (NPE), the importance of language was well captured. It says that government appreciates the importance of language as a means of promoting social interaction and national

cohesion and also preserving cultures. Hence it was stated in the policy that every child shall learn the language of the immediate environment. Furthermore in the interest of national unity, it is expedient that every child shall be required to learn one of the three Nigerian languages: Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. Also, for smooth interaction with our neighbours, it is desirable for every Nigerian to speak French. Accordingly, French shall be the second official language in Nigeria and it shall be compulsory in schools. Beginning with Primary Education, which is the education given in institutions for children aged 6 to 11 plus, it is believed that since the rest of the education system is built upon it, therefore, the primary level is the key to the success or failure of the whole system. It was stipulated in the curriculum for primary education that it shall include among other subjects (1) Languages: (a) Language of the environment, (b) English, (c) French. The medium of instruction in the primary school shall be the language of the environment for the first three years. During this period, English shall be taught as a subject. From the fourth year, English shall progressively be used as a medium of instruction and the language of immediate environment and French shall be taught as subjects. Teaching shall be by practical, exploratory and experimental methods. In the curriculum were also Social Studies and Citizenship Education. In the 1999 Constitution as amended under Chapter V – The Legislature Part I – National Assembly Section 55 on Languages states: “The business of the National Assembly shall be conducted in English, Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba when adequate arrangements have been made therefore.” Despite this constitutional provision, no concrete steps have been taken so far towards making “adequate arrangements” for Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba languages to be used in conducting the business of the National Assembly. The business of the legislature at the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) and the 36 States’ Houses of Assembly are conducted strictly in English, the only recognised official language of Nigeria. Investigation showed that a significant number of the legislators cannot even speak their mother tongue. Efforts toward a national language had been futile as WAZOBIA failed. It’s not over yet.

52—SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

Why Nigerian languages are dying — Dr. Adeniyi BY EMMANUEL EDUKUGHO

IGERIA is trapped in the local language di lemma, accustomed to speaking English, the language of British Colonialism as the Imperial power tended to wield together, people of diverse ethnic languages, cultures, traditions and religions. English was regarded and seen as the language of unity and administrative convenience in the amalgamation of northern and southern protectorates in 1914 to form such a big country in Africa with the largest population in the continent. It was just impossible to choose a local language among about 400 with Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba as the main ones, none yielding to the other out of these three as the lingua franca even up to Independence in 1960. In this interview, Dr. (Mrs) Kikelomo Adeniyi who holds Ph.D in English, Chief Lecturer in the Department of English, AOCOED and Deputy Director, Passages, Linkages and Collaboration of the institution bares her mind on what it takes to entrench the use of mother tongue or the local language. To what will you attribute this national predicament of Nigerians finding it difficult to speak their indigenous local languages and English the preferred language? My overview is that Nigeria is a multi lingual country with more than 400 languages each standing on its own, apart from several other dialects that cannot be counted. For example, Yoruba language has many dialects. These include Ekiti, Egba, Ijebu, Ondo, Ijesha, Egun (Badagry), Oyo dialetcts. So also with Hausa, Igbo, etc, having different dialects. With the arrival of British colonial masters, there was the need for a language to unify us (Nigerians) at least for the purpose of communication, hence the introduction and use of the English Language. But it did not stop at that. Something had to be attached to it, in order to motivate speaking of English. The English Language became compulsory in public examinations and to get jobs and appointments. For instance, interpreters, who translate from local language to English in those days, were highly regarded and valued. They were rich at that time and so our people were gradually interested in English while our native languages or mother tongues were ignored.

However, in our respective homes, we were compelled to speak our mother tongues. But as a country, for peace to reign, there is need for a central language. Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo won’t be accepted as a common language which can be spoken by all. English was seen as neutral. No one will oppose it because it does not belong to any of us. It was the language of unity. How did English Language become our lingua franca? In our constitution, English had been recognised and allowed. For instance, in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, it was stipulated that the business of the National Assembly shall be conducted in English, and in Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba when adequate arrangements have been made therefore. But nobody is using these native languages apart from English, which is still thriving. At the level of the State Houses of Assembly, only in Lagos to be specific, that a resolution was passed for the proceedings to be conducted in the mother tongue (Yoruba). Legislators were asked to use the mother tongue, but it is not done. In fact, it has not been possible. I know that in London, England, children of Indian parents know how to speak the Indian language. This is because when they finish learning in school with English, on their return home after school, parents speak Indian language to their children. In the National Policy on Education, it was stated that our children should be taught at primary and Nursery level in the mother tongue, or in other words, teach them in the language of the immediate environment. But this is not so. After paying so much in primary and nursery schools for their children, no parents want them to be taught in the mother tongue, except in English. Why do parents resist teaching their kids in the local language? Let’s take Lagos for instance. Lagos is a Cosmopolitan City, so English is used generally. There is no central local language. The lingua franca is English. The next to it is Pidgin English. But inspite of this, the English spoken today by these children or even youths is rubbish. They cannot speak good English and also cannot speak their mother tongue. They cannot write good English. To compound the situation, everybody loves English. You need to pass English Language in WASSSCE or WAEC

among other things to enter the University. They don’t hate Nigerian language. It is because there is no law to compel them do so. Before now, there was a stipulation by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, that Nigerian children must offer a local language at SSSI. But it is no longer compulsory now. People hate things Nigerian in nature. We like only foreign things, treat things like speaking the mother tongue as “Idiotic” But if our children speak English wrongly, we are angry and reprimand them. Access to internet, GSM and social media had compounded it. Children use SMS language while writing English nowadays. How do you find the situation today? Nigerian languages are gradually dying. While some parents can speak the native language, the children cannot speak the mother tongue. Even grand mothers are forced to speak English to the kids, even if the English spoken is not correct. In those days, there was a Yoruba proverb which says: “If you speak English in your inlaws house, you must interprete it.” Inter-tribal marriages are now forcing people to speak English at home. It is very simple for children to hear and speak the local language than adults. In some time to come, people who cannot speak the local language may not be considered for elective positions as governors or legislators. There was the case of some children who went for scholarship test in Bayelsa State and performed well. But when asked to count one to ten in their mother tongue, majority of them could not and so missed the chance of getting scholarship. What do you think can be done to save the local language from extinction? There should be psychic reorientation; need for jingles on radio and TV appreciating Nigerian languages, advertisements in print media to make people love and enjoy speaking the local language. We thank God for Yoruba Nollywood and Movies. Children are compelled to watch and listen. These Yoruba and may be Ibo and Hausa movies are helpful to parents whose children are not speaking the mother tongue. The NERDC should re-visit the school curriculum and make Nigerian languages to be compulsory, enforce the policy of learning in the language of the

•Dr. (Mrs) Kikelomo Adeniyi immediate environment. I want to recall the Ife project by late Prof Babs Fafunwa in which two groups of primary school children were set up. One group was taught all the subjects in Yoruba language; the other group was taught in English. The Yoruba group performed better than the group taught in English. It’s unfortunate that most people in the National Assembly don’t care about the use of the local languages. Hausa language won’t die because parents speak it at home with their children. No matter how educated the Hausa man is, he speaks his language to the children at home. The Yoruba are trying, but not up to Hausa people who speak it at home level first. The Igbo are worse in this respect. They hardly speak Igbo at home with their children. To speak and understand other languages is better for you, it’s also for survival. If you can speak the language of the immediate environment, one can buy things at cheaper price in the market than speaking English. Once you speak English in the local markets, prices are often inflated. There is clear difference between theory and practice. I read English, but speak Yoruba. We have this concept called socio-linguistics which has to do with language and culture, language and society. Use of language in the context and situation that you find yourself. But for the children, they are forced to speak English at all contexts. What advice do you have on this? People should try to always

speak the mother tongue at home. It would then be easier for children to speak it because it’s informal, in the natural setting. Curriculum should be revisited in order to enforce mother tongue in learning while at school.When there is inter-ethnic marriage, like Ibo married to Yoruba, the couple should decide what language the children will learn and acquire it at early age. Language acquisition takes place informally. We can expose our children to more local languages and would be better for them. They have plasticity of being easily receptive to learning a new thing including language.

Indigenous national BY FLORENCE AMAGIYA & ADERONKE ADEYERI

oday, many indigenous lan guages have become endangered and would probably go into extinction if nothing is done to save the situation. The young people who are supposed to champion the preservation of the indigenous languages are mostly not in tune with their native dialects. English language has become the language in many homes to the detriment of the indigenous language. Saturday Vanguard spoke with some young adults to find out their proficiencies in their mother tongue. Sylvester Azubuike, a 16 year old, graduate from Okota Grammar School told Saturday Vanguard:

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013—53

National identity affords us quality lifestyle — Hon. Gbolahan BY KEMI ISHOLA BALOGUN & EBUN SESSOU Vice Chairman committee on Education, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Yishau Gbolahan in this interview x-rays the need of having national instead of indigenous language in a country like Nigeria.

‘Wh e languages ‘Whyy our nativ native can go int oe xtinction’ into extinction’ By ANOZIE EGOLE

t is obvious that with the way our native lan guages are being handled in schools espe cially in townships, four to five generations ahead will definitely find it difficult to identify where they are from. In a country like Nigeria where there are so many ethnic groups and languages, you you could hardly see a child or an adult speaking his/her native language. Some are even very proud to tell you that they don’t know how to speak the language because, they were not born in the village. While many are condemning this act, most people are busy saying that, it is the product of civilization. For 14 years old Ginika, who was born in Lagos, she can count the number of times she has visited her village in Enonyi state. Her not being able to speak her native language of Afikpo is a situation she so detests. She has always longed for someone who would teach her how to speak the language very fluently. All the efforts by her parents to speak the language went down the drain because each time she goes to school, she would be compelled to speak in the language everybody will understand which is English language. “ I have always loved to speak my language very well because, that is what makes me unique but, whenever I go to school, I will be compelled by my teachers and fellow students to speak a language everybody will understand which is English. Like in my school, if you are caught speaking local language during school hours, you will be punished. Is either you pay a fine of N50 or you will be given corporal punishment. Though I understand the language very well, I can’t speak

it. I know the problem is that I hardly travel to my village. I can count the number of times I have been to my place. It has not exceeded 5 times since I was born. In the area where I live and because I help my mother to sell akara in the evening, I am forced to understand and speak Yoruba more than my own native language. Most of our customers are usually people who speak that language and they will expect you to understand and reply them in the same language whether you like it or not. So, I learnt the language better. I will be glad if I can speak the language well.” According to madam Janet, Ginika’s mum, who is popularly called Nwanyi akara by her customers, she has done everything humanly possible to ensure that her children have a better understanding of their native language but her effort seems not to be producing positive results. “I try as much as possible to teach them the language but whenever they get to the school, they will keep complaining to me that they were warned in school not to be using vernacular during school hours and as a result, they cannot speak but they understand. I make sure I communicate to them using our language so that they can speak.” According to her, language is not what you will learn only at home. Constant use of the language will also help in mastering the language. The young woman who should be in her middle 40’s blamed school proprietors for the declining nature of our native languages. She said that most school proprietors and government, do not make provision for teachers of these languages. “We should not blame the children for anything. The school and government are the major causes of all these problems. You find out that if you go to some schools, they do not have teachers that handle these major languages.

languages endangered as identity fades a way aw

“I don’t speak my indigenous language because my parents didn’t speak the language to me while I was growing up. I know speaking my language very well would have helped me a lot and perhaps I would have had something to give to my own children in future. My advice to other parents is to teach their children their indigenous language because it gives them identity.” For Emmanuel Ndubuisi, sixteen-yr-old secondary school student: “I understand my language enough, but l am happy l cannot speak it. l don’t care about the language, after all there is English language to be spoken and l don’t plan to live in my village. But I think parents should teach their children their language .” Chinenye Okoro thinks there is no big deal about learning the

indigenous language. “I don’t see why I should learn my mother tongue because I consider it out of vogue.” Mrs. Sharon Richard says; “I don’t even speak my mother tongue and so I cannot teach my children. My advice to parents is to teach their children their indigenous language in order to strengthen the bond between people. This is already lacking in Nigeria. Seven-year-old Ebuka Arinze would love to speak his language because it would help in communicating with his extended family if they cannot speak English but he doesn’t understand the language. According to Jeffery Jelome, a student, “I understand my mum’s language more than my dad’s. My parents do not speak the same

language. I think the major reason why parents are not able to teach their children their language is because most marriages these days are inter- tribal. Mrs Tioluwani Ojigbo, a teacher says her refusal to speak her native language to her children is out of fear that the children may not grasp the standard English very well and this may affect them in school and even in future . Ojigbo is of the opinion that it is in the interest of her children that she is doing this. She went further to say, ‘’I want the best for them and I have to groom and secure their future by teaching them the official language very well’’ Regina Brenett a student of the University of Lagos attributes her inability to speak her native language to the fact that her parents are not from the same ethnic community and so they speak English language in the house.

Our indigenous languages seem to be fading away especially amongst our children, what is your opinion? It will be wrong to be debating on why our indigenous languages are fading away. In the first place, we are not one as a nation and that is why we are not united. We need a lingua franca that would bind us together as a nation and people. But, the more we clamour for indigenous languages, the more our differences continue to stare us in the face. Presently, we are not speaking as one nation because of our diversities both in the language and culture. But, I want to categorically point out that, we need a national language that would enable us stay together as a nation and people. For us to think as one nation and people, we need one national language. Some nation speaks German, English, French respectively, yet there are ethnic groups. I believe, if they have been emphasizing their indigenous languages, they would have suffered. There is no way we can survive as a nation if we don’t have an identity. For the purpose of oneness, we should adopt one national language. But, if the argument is that we have forsaken our indigenous language or thrown our culture away, then we can start thinking of our indigenous languages as secondary. Which language do you think can be our national language? The national language should be English and French. The importance of the universal basic education is to ensure that everybody speaks basic English. As a government, we should come up with a national language. Nigeria is said to have over three hundred ethnic groups and languages. Therefore, it will be difficult to survive if we are advocating indigenous language. There are lots of immigrants in different parts of Nigeria who are doing businesses and therefore, national language will be of great advantage for them to communicate effectively. Having a national language does not necessarily mean that we have forsaken our culture and heritage. The Americans did not have culture or religion, they have survived as a nation. For a nation to move forward, it must have a national identity. I am not saying indigenous language is not good but I am saying, to be together as a people, the language must be the same. If we have national language, there will be no discrimination.

Our native languages must not die for our posterity — Hon. Olulade

eanwhile, a lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Hon. Segun Olulade shared different opinion on the issue. According to him, there is need for urgent attention to be placed on the value of indigenous languages especially in public and private schools in the country. To him, teaching of native languages at both primary and secondary is in line with the provisions of the Basic Education Curriculum Structure. What is your view on our native languages? Languages are most powerful instruments of preserving and developing tangible and intangible cultural heritage in every human civilization. Our wealth of cultural and traditional heritage has the potential to translate into socio-economic gains and promotion of Arts and Culture, Textile and Clothing, Festivals and Tourism, Food and Hospitality as well as Language and Education. Parents should be joined in the campaign to regularly interact with their children in native language. Interacting with indigenous language should start from the homes. It is unfortunate that most parents have deviated from communicating with their children in their native languages. There should be educative programmes broadcast in native language so as to bring back our values, culture and norms. There is need for everybody irrespective of tribe or culture to educate their children in their local languages.

C M Y K

54—SATURDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

African junior championships round-up:

Athletes expect Jonathan to splash the cash

Afrobasket: NBBF president commends team despite loss

resident of the N i g e r i a Basketball Federation, NBBF, Tijjani Umar has commended the players and officials of the senior national men’s team for the sacrifices they made while representing the country at the recently concluded Afrobasketball Championship in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. In a message to the team as they departed Abdjan after the competition, Mr. Umar regretted that the team could not meet the target of winning the championship but expressed hope that despite the loss, the team could rise again to do the country proud. “It is still my firm belief that our team had all the trappings of a great team and great teams to my knowledge have the greatest propensity to experience adversity and their greatness shows in the way they rise again after faltering,”he wrote. Stressing that he imagines that “everyone is disappointed and

frustrated with the outcome in Abidjan and hopefully will also be trying to

•Diogu

figure out where and when we lost the handle,” the NBBF boss added, “let me use this sober moment to thank you most sincerely for the sacrifices and hope that we can in the near future pull up together to redeem our name and put smiles back on the faces of our devastated fans around the world.” The team handled by Ayo Bakare won all three group matches against Mali, Congo and Cameroon as well as the second round match against the Central Africa Republic before

in high esteem – Irabor

he League Management Company (LMC) has denied a recent online

C M Y K

Speaking on the rationale for sponsoring the tournament, the Brand Manager, Squadron Dark Rum, Zekeri Dokpesi, explained that, the brand is supporting the tournament because, it will foster global unity and promote Nigeria’s vintage position, in the global sports and tourism development. In his words “Intercontinental Distillers Limited is sponsoring LIFT to bring about global unity, through soccer”. Speaking further, Dokpesi noted that: “Football, recognised as a national unifying factor and a global peacemaker, will be used, through the competition, to, once again, bring peace and love to the teeming Nigerian fans and Africa at large, who are so passionate about football at the top level.”

media report which quoted its Chairman, Hon. Nduka Irabor as saying that Club Owners are not fit to run the League and wishes to categorically re-affirm that it holds Club Owners of the Glo Premier League in high esteem and will not make private or public statements that will suggest otherwise. A statement from the Office of the Chairman of the LMC, said the clarification has become necessary as its attention has been drawn to a report which first appeared in an online media and subsequently published in a conventional print media purporting to be an interview granted by the Chairman, Hon. Nduka Irabor. “It is not the style of the LMC Chairman to grant interviews and several Reporters can attest to the fact that he had demurred from attending to interviews that are of a personal nature but prefers to speak to the Media as a group, especially after official

EXPECTANT... Two of Nigeria’s athletes to the African Junior Championships in Mauritius, Ada Benjamin and Rita Ossai displaying their medals. They are looking forward to President Goodluck Jonathan’s Naira rain. “During camping, sometimes their allowances were not forthcoming and they had to trek from the hotel to training venue in Sapele. They were most disciplined and cooperated with the coaches. “During the

championships in Mauritius they conducted themselves very well. And I think President Jonathan should equally honor these athletes,” an Athletics Federation of Nigeria official said in Mauritius.

Oduduru, Omezia, others to get high profile coaching

LMC holds Club Owners A

Squadron unites Africa through soccer

eading brand in the spirit and wine market, Squadron Dark Rum, an Internationally-Blended Dark Rum, from the stable of Intercontinental Distillers Limited, is set to bring Africans together through its sponsorship of the Lagos International Football Tour nament (LIFT). The tournament will see top African clubs and champions of different tournaments lock horns together, in a friendly competition, with the aim of showcasing African football to the rest of the world and promote global unity. They include Ghanaian reigning champions, Ashante Kotoko, winner of 2012 National Sports Festival in Football event, male category, Eko Golden Star and Lagos Junior League selected, among others.

losing narrowly 63-64 to Senegal in the quarter final. Co-captain of the team Ike Diogu while expressing sadness at the loss, apologised to Nigerians and assured that they were more determined to improve fromwhere they stopped because “We appreciate the opportunity given to us to reprsent our country and the support from our fans back home. We promise to come back stronger and win the championship because we are capable of doing just that.”

igerian Under-20 athletes are looking forward to President Goodluck Jonathan’s Naira rain as they continue to raise the roof over their exploits in Mauritius, where they ruled the African Junior Championships. President Jonathan, against all expectations, hosted the team to the African Youth Championships in Warri last April and even before the competition started in Mauritius; the athletes began to debate with numbers, how much they will get from the President, if they won the Championships. Jonathan gave each of the AYAC team members N500, 000. “The athletes at the African junior meet deserve to be given a befitting reward. They have worked very hard to bring honour to Nigeria.

ll the Nigerian athletes who competed at the African Junior Championships in Mauritius will be the first set of athletes that will benefit from the proposed High Performance Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State According to Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, technical director, Omatseye Nesiama, all the athletes with their performances at the African junior meet have deservingly qualified to be admitted into the centre, and they will be given standard coaching and at the same time continue with their studies at the University of Port Harcourt. “All the athletes who were in Mauritius performed creditably well. And they will be admitted into the High Performance Centre. “We are going to get them quality personnel that will put them through their paces. With that we can be sure that in the near future, some of these juniors will be world champions,” Navy Commodore Nesiama.

However, there is no time-line yet for the centre and this is worrying former sprinter Uchenna Emedolu who was one of the coaches that were in Mauritius with the junior team. “We have an incredible selection of junior athletes. We must not allow them to go just like

that. We must not wait till the high performance centre is ready before we start training them. “It will be nice if we give these athletes grants and allow them to train with their coaches and when high performance centre is ready they can move in for advance training.”

Nigeria can be great again, says CAA boss

onfederation African Athletics president, Kalkaba Maboum has predicted a period of boom for Nigerian athletics following the country’s successful outing at the African Junior Championships, which ended last week in Mauritius. Maboum who was speaking after the event noted that Nigeria has always been a big athletics country and to see Nigerian juniors making waves was gladdening to him. “I am glad that Nigeria athletics is coming up again. The country has potentials and I have always seen them as a leading athletics country in Africa and the world,” said the Cameroonian

born CAA boss. Nigeria beat off a stiff competition from South Africa to top the medals table and according to Mr. Maboum, Nigeria shouldn’t stop there but train the young talents so that the country can return to its right full place in world athletics. He praised the hosts of the championships for doing a good job despite been given the hosting rights two months to the date of the competition. South Africa was due to host the event. “I interacted with the youths and they expressed delight with organization of the championships. They had only two months to prepare and we are extremely satisfied with their conduct.”

SATURDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 — 55

England can’t win 2014 World Cup – FA boss

OOTBALL Association chairman Greg Dyke does not expect England to win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Dyke told a conference in

London on Wednesday that the national team should aim to reach the Euro 2020 semifinals and win the World Cup in 2022. On Thursday, he told

I want to help my country win – Nwofor

E had a solitary cap at senior level to his name before August 14, 2013 but SC Heerenveen attacker, Uche Nwofor may soon be a name on the lips of Nigerians for a long time to come. A rip-roaring display against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in the Nelson Mandela Challenge at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban where he scored both goals in Nigeria’s 2-0 success having come on as a substitute at the break, earned him a call-up for Saturday’s 2014 Fifa World Cup

qualifier against Malawi. Nwofor knows it is a huge opportunity to stamp his authority on the big stage and has told supersport.com that he is looking to grab his chance today against the plucky Flames. “Will I start the game on Saturday? Everything depends on the members of the backroom staff but I am ready to do my job when I am called upon. It doesn’t matter whether I start or I’m drafted in as a substitute, I just want to help my country win,” Nwofor said.

Nwofor knows scoring twice against South Africa in a friendly international is no guarantee for a first-team slot in a side boasting of attacking riches like (2013 Africa Nation’s Cup top scorer) Emmanuel Emenike, Victor Moses, Brown Ideye and Ahmed Musa who has been in stunning form in the Russia Premier League. The 21-year-old is willing to learn from his more accomplished compatriots but will lurk in the shadows waiting to pounce at the slightest opportunity.

“There are a lot of senior strikers here. I respect them and try to learn from them everyday in training. “When they advice me, I listen and thank them because that is one of the fastest way to learn and grow. “I am ready to wait for my chance and if I get it, I will not let my country or fans down,” he said. Nwofor ’s international record stands at two games played, two goals scored. He will be looking to add to that tally on Saturday at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar.

Echiejile: I am not moving to Turkey

UPER Eagles defender, Elderson Echiejile has waved off speculations that he signed for Turkish side Besiktas, but rather his focus is on how to stop the Flames of Malawi from gaining any ground in today’s world cup qualifier at the U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar. “It’s not true that I have signed for Besiktas. There was no agreement between Braga and Besiktas. I am still a player of Braga,” the Nigeria left back, whose contract at Braga is till June 2014, said on his official website www.elderson3.com He will also go on his twitter handle @eldersonech to deny this transfer, while insisting his is focused on Saturday ’s World Cup qualifier against Malawi in Calabar. “Please disregard any report that I have signed for Besiktas. I’m still a player of sporting Braga,” he tweeted. “Everything about a transfer is behind me as I’m focused on Saturday’s match against Malawi.” According to various other media sources, Sporting Braga reached an agreement with Besiktas on the Nigeria player, who has signed a two-year deal. The reports erroneously said Elderson, who was valued at about three million Euros was sold for 600,000 Euros. Elderson has been lately linked with various clubs including Besiktas and Norwich City, Fulham and Everton in the English Premier League.

the BBC’s Today programme: “It doesn’t mean we can’t do well in Brazil as long as we qualify.” But he added: “I don’t think anyone realistically thinks we are going to win the World Cup in Brazil.” England face a crucial few days as they attempt to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. Roy Hodgson’s team, who were eliminated at the quarter-final stage in Euro 2012, play Moldova at Wembley on Friday - a team they beat 5-0 in the away fixture last year - then face Ukraine in Kiev on Tuesday. England are currently second in Group H, two points behind Montenegro, who have played a game more. Dyke, who took over as FA chairman from David Bernstein in July, is confident England will qualify for Brazil but is keen to stress it will be difficult for the team to succeed in South America. “I asked a bunch of journalists what would be seen as doing well in Brazil,” Dyke told BBC Sport. “The consensus was if we reach the quarter-finals we’ll do very well. “That’s not to say we can’t win. But let’s not kid ourselves, it’s pretty hard to win in Latin America anyway for a European side. We’re certainly not going to go there as odds-on favourites, that’s for sure.

Keke High School soccer team depart for the UAE

•Nwofor... Ready for Malawi

I can’t win e evver eryy Grand Slam – Murray DEFENDING champion Andy Murray looked to his recent successes at Grand Slams after losing to Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarter-finals of the US Open. Third seed Murray went down 6-4 6-3 6-2 in two hours and 15 minutes to ensure he will not repeat last year ’s victory at Flushing Meadows. The Briton, who won his second major title at Wimbledon two months ago, had reached at least the semi-finals at his last four Grand Slam tournaments. “I don’t know if I’m meant to win every Grand Slam I play or be in the final,” said Murray, 26. “It’s just very, very difficult just now. With the

guys around us, it’s very challenging. “I have played my best tennis in the Slams the last two, three years. I lost today in straight sets, so that’s disappointing. I would have liked to have gone further but I can’t complain. “If someone told me before the US Open last year I would have been here as defending champion, having won Wimbledon and Olympic gold, I would have taken that 100%. “So I’m disappointed, but the year as a whole has been a good one.” Murray admitted there had been something of a comedown after the high of winning Wimbledon, but insisted he

had been focused and well prepared in New York. “When you work hard for something for a lot of years, it’s going to take a bit of time to really fire yourself up and get yourself training 110%,” said the Scot.

•Murray

N fulfillment of its prom ise made at the launch of the Etisalat/FC Barcelona Under-17 Secondary Schools Cup, the winners of the competition, Keke Senior High School, Agege, will tomorrow embark on a 5-day allexpense paid summer trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “It is our responsibility to live up to our promise and as such players and officials of the team as well as top officials of Etisalat will be leaving for the UAE on Sunday evening,” Modupe Thani, Head of Events and Sponsorship of the company said. Part of the objectives of the trip is to showcase Etisalat as a leading brand that supports youth empowerment and development as well as demonstrate Etisalat’s support as a youth-unifying brand and supporter of customers’ passion for football. “It is also to create support of the football passion of the Nigeria youth as well as increase the bond Etisalat customers and fans of FC Barcelona,” Thani added.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS S/Africa CAR Tunisia Cote d'Ivoire Gambia Sudan B/Faso

v Botswana v Ethiopian v Cape Verde v Morocco v Tanzania v Lesotho v Gabon

Niger Kenya Egypt Zimbabwe Algeria Benin

v v v v v v

Congo Namibia Guinea Mozambique Mali Rwanda

BY OJIEVA EHIOSUN

S the Super Eagle battle the Flames of Malawi today in swim-or sink 2014 World Cup qualifier in Calabar, Commissioner for Youth and Sports in Anambra state, Dr. Edozie Okey Aroh, has predicted dooms day for the for the coach Tom Saintfiet–led Malawian side. Aroh said the Malawians will be punished severely by the Eagles for their actions and comments against coach Stephen Keshi, adding that they would be disgraced and thought how to play the round leather game, but however, warned Keshi against fielding unfit players. “This game will be very easy for the Super Eagles. The Flames of Malawi will suffer terrible defeat in Calabar, it is not going to be easy for them, it is pay back time for the Eagles. They must prove to other African nations that they are real champions of the continent. I’m happy that the game is taking place in Calabar, which has been a winning ground for the Eagles. It is not a match we should lose sleep over, the players themselves know what is at stake so they must do every thing to put smiles on the faces of their fans. So far the Stephen Keshi has done so well since he came on board after the exit of Samson Siasia and I’m happy that the Eagles have always gotten the needed support from the football house in Abuja, so they won’t have any excuse to give if they do not make it to the Brazil 2014 World Cup,” he said. The banker turned sports administrator said the antics of the Malawian manager by taking coach Stephen Keshi to FIFA over an alleged racist comment was a psychological move to put Eagles off balance, adding that it will not stop the Green and White boys from doing the country proud.

Nigeria vs Malawi 4pm

•Enyeama

IGERIA and South Africa are among 16 nations hunting seven play-off places this weekend when the African World Cup qualifying group reach a climax. Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Congo-Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Gabon, Libya, Malawi, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia complete the line-up of hopefuls. The top two teams in the table square off in five groups, and in two others there are three sides battling to join already-qualified Algeria, Egypt and Ivory Coast. A seeded September 16 draw in Cairo will create five home-and-

away ties with the five winners representing the continent at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Nigeria have their destiny in their own hands with a home draw against Malawi in Calabar enough to move them within 180 minutes of a fifth World Cup appearance. The Super Eagles boast a powerful squad with midfielder John Obi Mikel of Chelsea and striker Emmanuel Emenike of Fenerbahce available after missing a friendly win in South Africa. Coach Stephen Keshi has branded Malawi "dangerous opponents" despite the central African 'Flames' losing to the Angolan Olympic squad and Botswana in warm-ups.

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1.State in Nigeria Known as “The Pacesetter State”? (4)3. 3.Burkina-Faso “Stallions” Striker, Prejuce (8) 7.World Boxing Legend, Muhammad (3) 8.Egyptian God (4) 9.Former Kogi State Governor, Abubakar (4) 10.Edo State Capital (5) 12.L.G.A in Kano State (9) 16. Nasarawa State Capital (5) 19.Former Cameroon “Indomitable Lion” Striker, Theophine (5) 20.Constellation (5) 22.England Premiership Club Side (9) 25.Chairman United African Conglomerates (UACN) Plc, Mr. Udoma Udo (5) 27.Preserved (4) 28.Greek God of Love (4) 29.Carpenters’ Tool (3) 30.Finland Capital City (8) 31.Major Ethnic Group in Nigeria (4)

DOWN 1.Greek Alphabet (8) 2.France “Les Bleus” Winger and Manchester City Forward, Samir (5) 3.Senegal “Terenga Lions” Striker, Mammadou (5) 4.Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Caleb (9) 5.France “Ligue One” Premiership Club (4) 6.Former NFF Secretary-General, Fanny (4) 11. L.G.A in Taraba State (3) 13.Country in Africa (4) 14.Ghana Football Association President, Mr. Kwesi (9) 15.Vigilant (5) 17.Protein Source (4) 18.L.G.A in Lagos State (8) 21. Colour (3) 23. Ethnic Group in Rwanda (5) 24. L.G.A in Anambra State (5) 25. Super Eagles’ Striker, Anthony (4) 26.Egg-Shaped (4)

SOLUTION on page15

"It is great to have some stars for the first time since winning the Africa Cup last February and we must hit the ground running," stressed 1994 World Cup captain Keshi. Both teams are unbeaten in Group F with Nigeria winning two games and drawing three and Malawi winning one and drawing four in a pool including Namibia and Kenya. South Africa, successful hosts of the last World Cup, are in danger of missing Brazil as they trail shock Group A pacesetters Ethiopia by two points. Ethiopia, seeded fourth behind Bafana Bafana, Botswana and Central African Republic, qualified for the play-offs last June only to have three points docked for using an ineligible player. But a team composed almost entirely of homebased stars can seal first place with a win over C.A.R., a fixture held in neutral CongoBrazzaville because Bangui has post-coup security concerns. "Playing in Bangui would concern us," admitted Ethiopia striker Getaneh Kebede, "but a lot of Ethiopians will travel to Brazzaville, creating a 'home atmosphere."

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