Court sacs Oyinlola as PDP scribe by Vanguard Media Limited

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2—SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 12, 2013

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SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013 — 3

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4 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 2013

INEC has no power to withdraw Certificate of Return, says Court BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI, Abuja

FEDERAL High Court in Abuja, yesterday, held that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, lacks the constitutional powers to withdraw Certificate of Return issued to any person affirmed as the winner of an electoral contest by its returning officer. Justice Gladys Olotu who made the declaration while delivering judgment in a suit that was filed before the high court by a faction of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in Katsina state challenging the withdrawal of their Certificates of Return by INEC, maintained that going by Section 68(1) and 75(1) of the Electoral Act 2010, the electoral body cannot reverse its action when a Certificate of Return is issued to a winner of an election, without an order of a tribunal or a competent court of jurisdiction. The judge held that INEC acted ultra-vires its powers by withdrawing the Certificates of Return issued two CPC Senators and eight members of the House of Representatives in Katsina State and subsequently re-issued fresh ones to other candidates. Specifically, the plaintiffs had prayed the court to nullify the Certificates of Return that INEC is-

sued to Senator Abubakar Sadiq Yar’adua, Senator Abubakar Hadi Sirika and eight other members of the House of Representatives, as well as, order that the lawmakers vacate their seats in the National Assembly forthwith. Listed as defendants in the suit were INEC, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Clerk of the National Assembly, CPC and ten members of the National Assembly. Besides, Justice Olotu yesterday declared that INEC lacks the power to cancel, nullify, review, withdraw, void, invalidate either directly or indirectly, the Certificates of Return validly issued to the Plaintiffs consequent upon their winning elections to represent their respective Federal Constituencies and Senatorial Districts in Katsina State, without an order of the court first sought and obtained. According to the judge, “the Plaintiffs are the candidates that contested and won the April 9, 2011 general elections into the National Assembly to represent their various Federal Constituencies and Senatorial Districts of Katsina state and Certificates of Return were issued to them within seven days of the declaration of the election results as provided by the Electoral Act and not the 5th to 14th Defendants.”

A cross section of ACN members at the first post 2011 General Election Senatorial Meeting of Action Congress of Nigeria, Oyo State Chapter held at Mapo Hall, Ibadan. Photo: SHOLA OYELESE. The Plaintiffs had asked the court for a declaration that the sealed Certificates of Return issued to them upon their winning election into the National Assembly are still valid and that they are entitled to immediately repossess their seats in the National assembly to represent their respective Federal

Constituencies and Senatorial District without hindrance from the 2nd (Senate President), 3rd (Speaker) or 4th (Clerk of the National Assembly) Defendants or any other person.” In an affidavit in support of the originating summon, they averred that INEC purportedly with-

ainer s re-loaded, as ship Toxic waste: Cont Container ainers awaits clearance to sail BY GODFREY BIVBERE

N compliance with the directive by the Federal Government that the ship, M.V. Marevia loaded with two containers of e-waste be shipped back to its country of origin, the vessel was

yesterday re-loaded with its deadly cargo and waiting for clearance to sail back to the United Kingdom. The vessel however completed the discharge of other containers which did not contain toxic materials before it was re-loaded to commence its departure from

Sunt ai health Suntai healthyy, could sign signature — PDP BY HENRY UMORU, Abuja

HE Peoples Democrat ic Party, PDP yesterday disclosed that Governor Danbaba Suntai is healthy and full of life and could sign his signature, write notes and read. Chairman of the party in Taraba State, Victor Bala Kona who made this known, debunked media report that the Governor suffered brain damage from the October 25, 2012 plane crash in Yola, saying that he will soon return to the country. Kona said that former Deputy Governor of the state, Senator Saleh Danboyi was on his own, following his call for the C M Y K

swearing-in of the acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar as the substantive governor, adding that Suntai was in a right frame of mind to continue in his position. According to him, those calling for his impeachment were desperados and would not have their way. “I spoke with the governor about 40 minutes ago. I spent the entire holiday season in Hanover, Germany and just got back last weekend. I can authoritatively tell you that the governor is in stable condition and would soon be in Nigerian to continue the good work he is doing in Taraba,” he said.

drew their Certificates of Returns and fresh ones were issued to the 5th to 14th Defendants without any order of any court of competent jurisdiction. They further told the court that pursuant upon fresh certificates of return, the Defendants were sworn-in to take their various seats in the Nation-

al Assembly without any court order to that effect, pointing further that the Defendants to whom fresh certificates of return were issued did not participate in the April 9 2011 elections. However, on a Preliminary Objection, the Defendants argued that the matter was a post election issue which they said ought to be handled by the election petition tribunal and not the federal high court. The defendants also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear and determine the suit, contending that section 68(1) of the Electoral Act automatically terminated the seats which the Plaintiffs allegedly occupied in the National Assembly. Nevertheless, Justice Olotu held that the court has jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit, maintaining that the action was not hypothetical, academic and constituting an abuse of court process as claimed by the Defendants in their preliminary objections.

According to Kona, Suntai only needed time to recover fully from the air crash he survived as the German doctors were managing him in a private apartment using physiotherapy that would make him recuperate. He dismissed the possibility of the governor being removed on ground of incapacitation as the Speaker who was expected to constitute the fiveman medical team for such action was with the governor in Germany. ”He is currently at a private apartment doing physiotherapy and receiving visitors. Contrary to all negative comments in some quarters, the governor did not sustain brain

or spinal cord injuries. He is not partially paralysed; rather he is in full sense and right frame of mind. He speaks, eats and does all the normal things every agile, strong person does. “This governor survived an air crash and the recovery process must take its course. Those expecting him to recover overnight are only trying to make him a superman and are not being honest; surviving an air crash is no child’s play. He needs time to go through the current physiotherapy. The German doctors are very enthusiastic about his recuperation and would soon announce a date for his home coming,” he said.

the country. The Minister of Transport. Senator Idris Umar who visited Berth Four, Tin-Can Island Container Terminal, TICT, located at the Tin-Can Island Port to get first hand information of the situation on the matter from officials of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, made this known in Lagos yesterday. Umar was informed that the NESREA was awaiting clearance from its head office in Abuja before it could clear the vessel to leave the Nigerian shores. Umar had assured that he would connect NESREA Director General, Dr. Ngeri Benebo to get current details to enable the ship embark on its return journey. However, a source close to the Tin-can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, told Saturday Vanguard that the officials of NESREA who conducted the examination yesterday morning had visited the Customs Area Controller, Tunji Aremu; earlier yesterday to brief him on the outcome of their

examination. Public Relations Officer of the Command, Chris Osunkwo, confirmed to Saturday Vanguard that officials of NESREA actually visited his boss but could not say the reason for the visit. The Director General of NESREA, Dr. Benebo told Saturday Vanguard at about 3pm that she was in a meeting and promised to call back later. The Director General was called again at 4pm, 5pm and 5.30pm respectively but she declined comments, saying she was in front of the Minister’s office to brief the minister on the issue and requested Saturday Vanguard to call back again, no matter how late. But, reacting to the situation, the immediate past President of Nigeria Institute of Shipping, NIS, Sir Caleb Okoye, said it would be difficult to stop the importation of such toxic materials because there were several dubious business men who would always try to cut corners to make huge profit and advised security agencies to be vigilant to prevent such goods from coming into the country.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013 — 5

Edo Guber Poll: Oshiomhole floors Airhiavbere at S-Court •As court declines to okay probe of his certificates BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG, IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI AND SIMON EBEGBULEM,

HERE was wild jubilation in different parts of Edo State yesterday, as youths, market women throng the streets of Benin City and Auchi, celebrating the judgment of the Supreme Court, which upheld the ruling of the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal, striking out the issue of the educational qualification of Governor Adams Oshiomhole as a pre-election matter, thus making the matter technically dead. Youths including Okada riders (commercial motorcyclists) chanted victory songs round the streets of Benin in convoy, appealing to Oshiomhole to go for presidency after his tenure as Governor of Edo state, as according to them, the impact his administration in the state would never be forgotten. The state Deputy Governor, Dr Pius Odubu, described the judgment as victory for democracy just as the Esogban of Benin Kingdom and chairman of the Benin Forum, Chief David Edebiri, declared that “the oracle has spoken again, no body can doubt the Oracle, not even Airhiav b e r e . ” PDP Stakeholders in the state in a statement signed by Chief Aisulimhen Ighodaro, called for the expulsion of Airhiavbere for “disobeying the decision of the party not to contest the result of the election in the court” even as the VANGUARD for a Better Edo, VFBE, has also hailed the Supreme Court for setting aside the ruling of the Appeal Court which ordered the fresh hearing of General Charles Airhiavbere’s petition arising from the July 14 governorship in Edo State by the Election Petition Tribunal. The Executive Director of the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Rev.David Ugolor, also said that “through this judgment, the judiciary has once again shown to the people that they are not just the defender of the ordinary man, but also the protector of the ordinary man”. The Supreme Court yesterday declined to order the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin City, Edo State to probe the authenticity of the governor’s educational qualifications. A seven-man panel of justices of the apex court in their unanimous judgment, upheld two separate appeals that were filed before them by Governor Oshiomohole, challenging the verdict of an Appeal Court sitting in Benin which ordered retrial of the petition querying his primary and modern school qualifications. The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party,

Dr Pius Odubu, Edo State Deputy Governor (r) dances with supporters at the Government House, Benin City, after the Supreme Court judgment on the Edo Election Petitions which favours Governor Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday.

PDP, in the July 14, 2012, governorship election in Edo State, General Charles Airhiavbere, rtd, had said that Oshiomhole was not qualified ab-initio to contest both the 2007 and 2012 elections on grounds of his academic qualification as provided for in the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution. According to him, the certificates he (Oshiomohole) used to secure clearance from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were bogus. Specifically, the PDP flag-bearer claimed that Oshiomhole only tendered a Modern School Leaving Certificate without a primary School certificate, which he said going by the constitution, did not qualify him to contest the election. He told the court that the modern school certificate the Edo state Governor presented on oath to INEC was discovered to be fake. Meanwhile, though the Tribunal led by Justice Suleiman Ambrusa, had in a judgment it delivered on September 27, dismissed the contention of the petitioner as baseless, however, the appellate court, on November 15, 2012, maintained that the PDP candidate’s application had merit and should be heard afresh (denovo). Besides, the Tribunal which comprised Jusices Ambrusia, Esor Teetito and Danlami Senchi, was eventually dissolved in October, 2012, based on a petition by lawyers representing Airhiavbere, even as a new penal was constituted to hear the matter afresh. Meanwhile, querying the legal propriety of the Appeal Court verdict, Oshiomohole, through his team of lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, told the Supreme Court that Airhiavbere did not specifically plead the issue of his qualification in the substantive petition pending before the Tribunal.

Oshiomhole argued that the appellate court erred in law by deciding on an issue not pleaded by the petitioner, adding that having struck out the two principal reliefs that were sought before the tribunal, case of the PDP candidate ought to have terminated. He further urged the apex court to take cognizance of the fact that the petitioner merely challenged results in five out of 18 local governments in Edo state, noting that PDP which sponsored Airhiavbere, honourably withdrew from the petition considering that it was “hopeless” and “lifeless.” In his response however, Counsel to Airhiavbere, Chief Efe Akpofure, SAN, urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal and affirm the judgment of the lower court. While refuting claims that his client only challenged results in five local government areas, Akpofure, said the tribunal never held that there was no ground to sustain the allegation that Oshiomhole was not qualified to contest the elections. He argued that the fact that non qualification was not made a separate ground on the petition was not a sufficient basis to hold that there was no ground in the pleadings to sustain the allegation that Oshiomhole was not qualified. More so, he said the tribunal had found that the allegation of Oshiomhole’s non qualification was raised in the pleading but held that it was a pre-election matter. In its judgment yesterday, the apex court upheld Oshiomohole’s arguments, adding that having gone through the entire processes filed in the matter, it was satisfied that the only issue for the determination of the Tribunal bothered on allegation that the election was conducted in

substantial non-compliance to the Electoral Act and constitution. In the lead judgment by Justice Bode Rhodes -Vivour, the Supreme Court maintained that the PDP candidate, in his appeal, failed to formulate any ground in relation to alleged non-qualification, adding that the only issue for the Tribunal to decide was encapsulated in paragraph 30(1) of the petition. While remitting the case back to the Tribunal, the apex court held that the “appellate court lacked the constitutional powers to make a case for the petitioner.” Meanwhile, National Assembly members from the state in the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, including Senator Ehigie Uzamere, Samson Osagie,Rasaq Bello Osagie and Pally Iriase, have hailed the judgment, saying that Edo people never doubted the educational qualification of Oshiomhole. However, addressing a large crowd of people who were celebrating the victory, the Deputy Governor, Odubu said, “We want to thank God Almighty for mak-

ing it possible. If you recall, our very first outing at the Tribunal, I told the whole world that the petition is dead on arrival. What has happened today is just a confirmation of what we already knew that the petition was just wishywashy. “First the oracle spoke, they did not believe. Now God has spoken through the Supreme Court loudly and clearly. The Supreme Court ruling today said the issue of qualification is not the ground of the petitioners petition. What that means is that the petitioner is left with the issue of electoral malpractice at the lower Tribunal. But if you were at the tribunal yesterday you will discover that the petitioner has abandoned the issue of malpractices. “So what remains for the Tribunal now is to give the petition befitting burial. The case is dead and buried. We were confident from the beginning and we know justice will be done. Airhiavbere lost his unit, lost his ward, lost his Local Government and how do you expect such a person to win governorship.We thank God.” On his part, Chief Edebiri, stated that “The judgment is what every good minded Nigerian expected because the Appeal Court ruling came as a surprise to many people. We thank God that the Supreme Court in its usual style has given hope to many people who have lost hope in our system. We now wait patiently for the Tribunal’s ruling which will come like that of the Supreme Court because what they have there now is a carcass. The Oracle has spoken again”. In its reaction, the PDP stakeholders said “Arhiavbere’s unilateral decision which was at variance with that of the party at the national and the state levels is not only curious, but also shows that Airhiavbere is not a good party man, he holds the PDP in contempt”

Petrol tanker fire consumes two, razes houses at Mbiama BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME PH

WO persons were feared dead yesterday while about ten others reportedly sustained injuries when a petrol tanker fell on the ever busy Mbiama end of the East West road in Rivers state. Eleven vehicles, thirteen shops and some buildings were consumed in the inferno. Eye witnesses who spoke to Saturday Vanguard blamed the incident on bad driving. According to them, the petrol

tanker skidded off the road and fell, spilling its content. About five motorcycles were among items consumed by the raging fire. The development caused a gridlock on the ever busy East West road. It would be recalled that a petrol tanker veered off the road last year at Okobe, a community close to Mbiama, spilling its content. The tanker later burst into flames killing close to two hundred persons scooping fuel at the scene of the accident.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

Court sacks Oyinlola as PDP National Secretary •Risks jail for contempt of court •Vows to appeal verdict BY IKECHUKWU NOCHIRI, Abuja

Order of Requiem Mass for late Enebeli Ngu- Onuma Elebuwa held at st. Michael’s Catholic Church Lafiaji, Lagos Pix L- R Mrs Nwamaka Odaichay (dauther) Mrs Jennifer Elebuwa (wife) Mr Oyemike (son) at the service Photo By Diran Oshe.

N750m polynotes contract scam: Soludo granted bail, travel documents seized •Ordered to produce two sureties not below perm sec or director BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

FTER many hours of interrogation by its operatives, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, admitted the former Central Bank Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, to administrative bail Thursday night. But the former Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Anambra State was asked to report back to the anti-graft agency on yesterday morning for further questioning. It was not clear if the renowned economist honoured the invitation after being asked to go home. Also, the Imo State Finance Commissioner, Deacon Okafor John and Accountant General, Haeche-George, who were arrested over alleged N45 billion loan from Zenith Bank and diversion of local government funds were granted bail. A source in EFCC confirmed the granting of administrative bail to the former CBN boss on certain conditions, which he did not elaborate. One of the conditions for granting him temporary freedom was that he should surrender his diplomatic and international passports to the EFCC

and to produce two sureties who should not be below the rank of permanent secretaries or directors in the Federal public service. The source said, “Yes, it is true Soludo was released on bail around 9pm on Thursday but was asked to report back on Friday morning. “We will continue to invite him for interrogation as the need arises since it is an ongoing investigation,” the official said. Asked to explain the whereabouts of the other officials of the CBN and NMPCN, who were arrested along with Soludo, the source said that the other suspects were arrested and interrogated at different times, adding that they had made useful statements to the commission. The source said he could not say what were taken away from the former CBN executive but that certain conditions were attached to his administrative bail. Soludo was picked up from his Abuja residence on Thursday by operatives of the EFCC over his alleged involvement in the printing of polymer banknotes contract scam amounting to N750 million. But Saturday Vanguard gathered authoritatively that Soludo’s arrest followed a strong petition by a group known as Human and

Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) in May 2012, calling on the Commission to investigate the controversial contract awarded by the former CBN boss for the printing of polymer banknotes. HEDA had alleged wrongdoing by Soludo and other Nigerian officials in the purported banknote printing and alerted the security agencies to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the multi-million Naira scam. The petition had drawn the attention of the anti-corruption agencies to the fact that the firm that reportedly got the job from Soludo admitted paying some N750 million in bribes to some officials of the CBN between 2006 and 2008 in order to secure the contract to make polymer notes for Nigeria, channeling the bribes through two British businessmen. Soludo, a former President and some finance ministry officials were mentioned by the group as the beneficiaries of the graft. I was not arrested by EFCC— Soludo Former Governor of the Central Bank (CBN) Professor Chukwuma Soludo has disclosed that he was not arrested by the Economic and Continued on Page 16

HE Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the removal of the National Secretary of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, from office forthwith. The court sacked Oyinlola yesterday and asked that he be put in prison for criminal disobedience of court order, following a suit against him by the party chieftains in Osun State. The state chapter of the PDP led by its Chairman and Secretary, Chief Adebayo Dayo and Semiu Sodipo, had in their suit, alleged that Oyinola emerged as the national scribe of the party through a kangaroo process they said was perfected by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former National Vice Chairman, PDP South West, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo. They argued that in view of two separate judgments of a Federal High Court in Lagos that nullified the South West Zonal congress which produced Oyinlola as candidate, his continued stay in office was illegal, null and void since his candidacy had earlier been voided. According to the plaintiffs, “something cannot be built on nothing.” Counsel to the plaintiffs, Dr. Amaechi Nwaiwu, SAN, had formulated three questions for determination by the court among which was: “ whether the candidacy of Oyinlola as a nominee of the South West Zonal Chapter of the PDP and his consequent election to the office of National Secretary at the National Convention in March 2012 were not invalid, null and void by reason of the order and judgments of the Federal High Court made respectively on April 27, 2012 in suit no FHC/L/CS/ 282/2012 and May 2, 2012 in suit no FHC/L/CS/347/ 2012 nullifying the South West zonal congress of March 2012 from which Oyinlola emerged or ought

to have emerged?” Besides asking the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to delete Oyinlola’s name from its records and replace same with another candidate that will emerge from a fresh zonal congress to be ordered by the court, the plaintiffs, further sought “a declaration that the candidacy of Oyinlola as a nominee of the South West Zonal chapter of the PDP and his consequent election to the office of National Secretary in March 2012 were invalid, null and void by reason of the order of the said Federal High Court on April 27, 2012. In an affidavit deposed to by one Miss Abimbola Okuwoga, an assistant in the chambers of Nwaiwu, the plaintiffs told the court that Oyinlola was foisted on the party by exPresident Obasanjo, consequent upon which he (Oyinlola) was unanimously elected on the understanding that he was the nominee of the South West. They said: “however, the South West Congress conducted on March 21, 2012 was nullified by the order and judgment of the Federal High Court on April 27 and another on May 2, 2012 on the ground that it violated a Federal High Court order of February 16, 2012. “That the failure to properly nominate Oyinlola at the said congress was fatal to his candidacy.” They further maintained that the PDP however, refused to comply with the various prohibitory and mandatory orders of courts of competent jurisdiction by allowing Oyinlola to remain in office, an action they said was capable of ridiculing the judiciary. Oyinlola and the PDP had in separate preliminary objections, urged the court to dismiss the suit on the ground that it bothered on internal affairs of a political party which they said was nonjusticeable, even as they challenged the locusstandi of the plaintiffs to institute the action.

Arguing that the suit did not disclose any reasonable cause of action, Oyinlola, further challenged the jurisdiction of the high court to entertain the matter. In his judgment yesterday, Justice Kafarati, held that Oyinlola was not fit to continue in office as the National Secretary of the PDP, saying, his action amounted to a criminal conduct capable of attracting prison sentence for flagrant disobedience to subsisting court orders. Kafarati then ordered Oyinlola to vacate the office, adding that, there was merit in the suit. According to Justice Kafarati, Oyinlola, the third defendant in the case could not have emerged as the nominee of the PDP in view of the two subsisting court orders restraining the South West zone of the party from conducting the congress where he purportedly emerged. The judge who relied on the provision of section 251(R) of the 1999 constitution insisted that he had jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter, noting that an order of a court must be obeyed whether valid or not, adding that any action taken by Oyinlola as the National Secretary of the PDP amounted to nullity. Dismissing the contention of the defendants that the subject matter of the suit bothered on internal affairs of a political party, Justice Kafarati, said the suit did not arise from an activity of the PDP but aimed at enforcing a valid court order. He said: “It is my opinion that the plaintiffs have the locus-standi to institute this action and I hold that the suit disclosed a reasonable cause of action. Therefore, the two preliminary objections filed by the second and third defendants are hereby dismissed. The election of the third defendant (Oyinlola) was a breach of valid court orders. All the three questions raised by the plaintiffs are hereby answered in the affirmative and reliefs four and five are granted as prayed.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013 — 7

Man murdered by siblings for witchcraft, sorcery the nine brothers were arrested and they allegedly confessed of their involvements in the alleged crimes. Meanwhile, at the mention of the case in Court, the Police Prosecutor told the court that investigations into the matter was still ongoing and asked for an ad-

BY PETER DURU, Makurdi

middle aged man, Vincent Igwe of Enyikpe Ulayi community in Ado local government area of Benue State has been allegedly murdered by his siblings for his alleged involvement in witchcraft and sorcery. Saturday Vanguard gathered from sources that the deceased who was killed few days ago was hacked to death by his nine brothers who accused him of being behind unusual happenings and strange deaths in the family and community. The accused persons who were yesterday paraded before a Makurdi Chief Magistrate Court were alleged to have used machetes, knives and sticks to brutalize the victim who died from the injuries he sustained. According to the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Terzunge Kajo, the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Felicia Igwe had a few days ago reported at the Igumale Police Station that the accused persons who were allegedly led by Peter and Patrick Ebele conspired among themselves and pummeled her husband who died on the spot. After murdering their victim, the accused per-

Chime: Enugu Royal Fathers call for restraint Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (right), presenting a gift to the Ogun State Comptroller of Immigration Service, Mrs. Victoria Ekaete Isang, during a courtesy visit by top officers of Immigration Service, Ogun State Command, to the Governor in Abeokuta, yesterday. sons were also alleged to have matched to the home of one Chukwuma Ebere who they macheted and left him in a pool

of his own blood thinking he had died. However their second victim is currently in coma and receiving med-

ical attention at a public hospital in Otukpo. Terzungwe disclosed further that during Police investigations, all

FFICIALS of the Joint Task Force, known as Operation Pulo Shield attached to 13 Brigade Nigerian Army Calabar at the early hours of yesterday, arrested 22 oil bunkerers with 162 drums of diesels at the Calabar Jetty. The bunkerers who siphoned the product from NNPC pipeline at the high sea loaded them in three boats and ferried them to an empty compound at the Calabar Marina allegedly belonging to one Ezekiel Nkereuwem. Captain Joseph James, the Army Public Relations Officer for the 13 Brigade, Calabar and the Sector Three Operation Pulo Shield said the arrest of the bunkeres followed an intelligence report which led men of

MINENT Royal Fathers in Enugu State have called for restraint following recent developments over the absence of Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime, insisting that only peace would guarantee the continued transformation of the state by the incumbent government. They made the call in the

230 die from fire outbreak in Rivers BY JIMTOTA ONOYUME, Port Harcourt

TOTAL of 230 per sons lost their lives to fire incidents last year in Rivers state. A Senior Principal Fire officer in the state Fire Service, Engr Golden

Elenga who made this known yesterday in Port Harcourt at a workshop on fire emergency organised by the South South zone of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA said the fire service department of the state gov-

ernment also received distress calls for 304 emergency fire issues. Meantime, the South South Coordinator of NEMA, Mr Emenike Umesi has appealed to residents in the state and beyond to handle fire with caution. He warned

Army arrests 22 oil bunkerers in Cross River BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

journment of the case. No plea was taken for want of jurisdiction, the presiding Chief Magistrate Theresa Wergba adjourned the matter to the eighth of next month for further mention and ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.

the task force to swoop on the compound and effect the arrest of the suspects. He said while some suspects were arrested at the Marina, some were arrested at a filling station, MRS Filling Station along Mayne Avenue Calabar where the diesel was being taken to for onward sale. According to him, “When our men stormed the compound, they arrested some suspects along with one hundred and sixty four drums filled with diesel and one hundred and forty six empty drums in the compound.” He said the drums of diesel were carried to MRS filling station where the diesel is emptied into surface tanks for onward loading to trucks and sold to other filling stations. “At the MRS Filling Station, they load these products into their surface tanks and subsequently

transfer them into standby trucks and sold to other filling stations and if you accost the trucks on the way, they show you

documents issued by the station that the product is bought there”.

that with the harmattan in place there was need for them to be very vigilant while using fire for cooking or handle candles and lanterns, stressing that fire could be very destructive if not well handled. Umesi again reminded the people that fire was not a good servant. “The scores of fire accidents that ravaged the country in 2012 is a testimony to the popular saying that fire although a good servant is an unscrupulous master.

face of a recent pronouncement by a group known as Save Enugu Group which threatened to disrupt the pervading peace if the governor failed to return to the state within a stipulated time. Igwe Osisi Itodo, one of the renowned traditional rulers in the state expressed dismay at the ultimatum, saying that there was absolutely no need for such call. “As elders, we cannot fold our arms while some of our sons threaten to cause any breach of peace. “Governor Chime has done so well that all any genuine citizen of Enugu State can do is to support him. We appeal to these our sons (in the Save Enugu Group) to embrace peace. We may all have our different views on many issues and even on the absence of our governor. “But it will be bad if we give any impression that there is trouble in our state because there is none. We know that the governor will soon return to his desk.”

Anger over transfer of 280 teachers in Anambra BY VINCENT UJUMADU, Awka

T has been complaints galore in Anambra State since the new chairman of the State Universal Primary Education Board, ASUPEB, Chief Nzemeka Olisah announced the posting of over 280 primary school teachers from the highly overstaffed urban schools to the rural schools in the state which had lacked teachers over the years. Olisah has already given the affected teachers up to January 15 to be at their new duty posts, insisting that no amount of lobbying would make the board reverse the situa-

tion. Most of the affected teachers are wives of the rich people in the state who reside mainly in Awka and Onitsha and had over the years resist-

ed any move to transfer their wives out of the urban centers in the state. The board said the criteria for the latest postings include surplus teachers

who are class free, as well as schools operating class sizes of less than 35 pupils at primary and 25 pupils at the early childhood levels.

Ohanaeze election runs into conflict BY TONY EDIKE

HEAD of the scheduled election of its new national executive today, a major crack has developed in the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo. A suit no. E/435/12 of motion exparte for interim injunction was yesterday slammed on the leadership of the organization

to stop the election. It was filed at the Enugu High court by Prince Chukwuemeka Onyeso and Chief Oyibo Chukwu asking the court to restrain Chief Ralph Uwechue and Chief Nduka Eya from further parading themselves as President and secretary of the organization pending the hearing of the interlocutory application dated December 6, 2012. They

claim that their term of office had expired long time ago. Also yesterday, the secretary of the Ohanaeze Electoral Committee, Chief Richard Ozobu, disagreed with the Chairman of the committee, Chief Chris Asoluka over the hasty decision to conduct the election when necessary arrangement had not been made for the exercise.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

Task Force raids Oshodi, arrest 83 hoodlums BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOPEJO

AGOS State Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences, yesterday, paraded 84 suspected hoodlums from the popular Oshodi Bus Stop, Oshodi local government, as part of efforts to flush out criminals from the area in particular and the state in general. The miscreants, who were currently being detained pending their trial at the Special court, Alausa, were arrested at about 5:00 am during a raid of the area. The 84 miscreants paraded by the taskforce, include: 30 under-aged male children who would be transfered to one of

the Lagos State Correctional Centers for Boys for rehabilitation and 10 persons who have been arrested over three times by the taskforce, were also re-arrested. Tajudeen Yusuf, one of the miscreants who was arrested with pistol, claimed that he was arrested while relaxing with his friends at the Heritage park. Yusuf, 20-year- old, stated that the pistol found on him doesn’t belong to him, saying “I saw the gun on the floor at the garage. I don’t know the owner of the gun.” He added, “I have not seen gun since I was born. I don’t know where they sell it. I’m a professional barber who owns a shop in the market.” Another suspect, Wasiu Fashola, 16-year-old, from Ogun State, said he

left home November 1, 2012, in the company of his friend, saying, “I left home after my mother disowned me.” Earlier, the Taskforce Chairman, Supol Bayo Sulaimon said that the taskforce moved into the area at about 4:30 am and effected the arrest of the miscreants. “We arrested one of the miscreats with a toy gun which he uses to attack commutters at the Bus Stop. Who will see this in the dark and will not believe that it is not a gun?” the chairman asked. Sulaimon lamented that the large percentage of the under-aged miscreants leave their homes without their parents’ consent, adding “they come to motor parks and garages and any available open space and turn it into homes.”

Police arrest newspaper vendors BY NDAHI MARAMA, Maiduguri

IVE newspaper vendors arrested in Maiduguri during a police raid on their newspaper stands have been released on the orders of the Police Commissioner, Abdullahi Yuguda. The vendors were arrested around Bolori Roundabout which was some few meters away from the official residence of Police Commissioner following reports that criminals posing as ‘’free readers,’’ converge at those points with the aim of causing havoc. Their release, however, followed the intervention of journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno

state capital. The police had repeatedly warned idle youths, especially the physically challenged ones to vacate the area identified as black spots for criminals, but ‘’all the warning fell on deaf ears,’’ hence, the clampdown on them. It was however learnt that during the raid, the five vendors whose names were given as Babagana Modu, Aliyu Uba, Musa Mushe, Sadiq Bukar as well as the chairman of their union, Musa Ali were arrested and detained. Chair man, Yer wa Newspaper Distributors/ Vendors Association, Borno State chapter, Mallam Bunu Umar had however, told reporters that the arrest of his members was unlawful

and against their rights to freedom.

Tinubu, Fashola, Bamigbetan mourn Ositelu •As ex-Gov commiserates with Alaafin over palace fire BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

ORMER Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has described the death of reputable international sport enthusiast, Ayo Ositelu as a major blow to the sports industry, describing him as “a fine gentleman, God fearing and honest,” just as wife of Governor of Lagos state, Dame Abimbola Fashola and Chairman of Ejigbo Local

Brazilian prostitutes set to learn foreign languages ahead World Cup

N preparation for the massive influx of tourists arriving for next year’s World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, prostitutes in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte are set to take free courses to learn English and other foreign languages. Cida Vieira, president of the Association of Prostitutes in the city, told the Associated Press that so far, 20 prostitutes in the city have signed up for the courses, with another

300 planning to join them in the classroom. The association, a kind of “union” for sex workers claiming 4,000 members, is organizing the classes itself and trying to recruit teacher volunteers. “I don’t think we will have problems persuading English teachers to provide services for free,” she said. “We already have several volunteer psychologists and doctors helping us.”

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State flanked by his aides as he departed after his second post-discharge medical check up at the Cedarcrest Hospital, Garki II, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida.

The city’s Mineirao Stadium, which has capacity of 62,000 fans, will be the host of six matches in the World Cup. AP reported that the classes will commence in March and last up to eight months. “It will be important for the girls who will be able to use English to let their clients know what they are charging and learn about what turns them on,” Vieira said.

Council Development Area, LCDA, have expressed shock at the demise of the sport enthusiast. Asiwaju Tinubu expressed deep sympathy to the Ositelu family, relatives and friends over his sudden death and prayed God to comfort

them and grant them the courage to accept their loss. Tinubu said Ositelu will remain for long in the memories of many particularly those who knew and worked with him, and most Nigerians for his gentle mien, his professionalism and commit-

ment to both God and sports. “He will be remembered for a long time. He will be missed because he was one of the great sports enthusiasts that this country has ever produced. We celebrate him in death because we know that the legacy he has left behind will endure”.

Why Nigerians celebrated hitch-free yuletide season — IGP “would not have been feaBY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja

NSPECTOR General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar has attributed the relative peace and hitch-free yuletide celebrations experienced in the country last December 2012 as the fallout of painstaking strategic planning and deployments embarked on by officers and men of the Police force, noting, that his leadership is working to make the achievement a permanent development. Speaking during a security meeting with DIGs, AIGs and Commissioners of Police at Force Headquarters to evaluate and re-assess the performance of the police, the IG said, “I make bold to say that in all the states

of the federation, and Abuja, except for the incidents of shooting and burning in Yobe state, we recorded peaceful celebrations”. He said this feat

sible without your dedication to duty, personnel and team sacrifices”. The IG said, “owing to the welfare challenges facing the force, I have set up a committee to look into the salaries of the personnel.”

Unemployment: Gbaramatu/ Egbema youths threaten to shut down flow stations

NGRY youths from the Egbema and Gbaramatu Oil Producing Communities at the weekend stormed the Abiteye, Opuekeba and other oil flow stations belonging to Chevron Nigeria Limited in what they refer to as a warning protest over the nonengagement of their graduates in the Chevron employment pro-

grammes. The youths under the auspics of Kombot Employment Front (KEF) led by its Chairman, Alex Bebenimibo and Secretary, Ojusin Innocent, gave the Chevron management seven days ultimatum to meet their demands or they will do everything legally possible to ensure their genuine demands are met.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013 — 9

Enebeli Elebuwa: Fed govt. urged to appreciate Nigerian artistes BY EBUN SESSOU & LAJU ARENYEKA The federal government has been urged to show more commitment to the well-being of artistes in the country by appreciating the important role they play in nation building. The call was made at the burial rites of late Enebeli Elebuwa who was buried yesterday at the Victoria Court Cemetery, Ajah, Lagos. The event which followed a funeral service at St. Michael Catholic Church, Lafiaji, was witnessed by families, relatives, friends, colleagues in the movie industry and well-wishers who paid their last respect to the veteran actor. Speaking at the Church service, Rev. Fr. Gabriel Osu said, “every tribute is needed to exalt the virtues of a man who during his lifetime brought happiness in many homes in Nigeria and Africa at large before he joined his creator.” According to him, “a day like this reminds one of how brief human life could be. Whether you live for about hundred years or forty years, it does not matter. What matters really is the quality of the life you lived and how well you will be remembered after you have gone back to your maker.

“Late Enebuwa was a man who played his role to the full. As an actor, he was second to none. He mesmerized and enthralled us with his artistic prowess on the stage of entertainment”. Before the coming of Nollywood, Enebeli had been very active, nurturing his acting career to become a force to be reckoned with. “And when Nollywood was born, he was one of the few veterans of the arts who stood out as a colossus, doing justice to the numerous characters he was made to portray. He was a man of the screen who lived most of his life bringing joy to millions of viewers, not only in Nigeria but the world at large. That bundle of talent is no more. He has gone the way of all mortals. “In the early life of his acting career, he became the face of the struggling and frustrated masses of his country in the 80s through a single network commercial “He did not check out of the country when as a young man bubbling with youthful zeal and dynamism, he could have opted to ply his trade in more advanced societies where his artistic ingenuity would have been better rewarded”. He noted that there has been an upsurge in the sudden demise of actors, actresses and musicians

and such has been shrouded with tales of loneliness, terminal illnesses and lack of welfare. “These unfortunate trends have not been portraying our entertainment industry in good light.” He however called on the stakeholders in the entertainment industry to reexamine their lifestyles and try to make moderation the watch word, adding that, it is no secret that they work under tremendous strain and so the temptation is often rife to look for ways of filling the void. “Consequently, some may resort to living larger than life and indulging in excessive drinking and other acts that may be detrimental to their health and spiritual well-being. “Despite our loaded schedules, let us make it a habit to go for regular check-ups so that we can nip in the bud any potentially life-threatening ailment. “The various professional bodies including Actors Guild of Nigeria should fashion out ways to provide life insurance covers and other welfare incentives for its members so that in event of any lifethreatening challenge, they would not be helpless.” The late actor left behind his wife, children and close associates who were advised to take solace in his life as he was able to make peace with his cre-

IMSG confirms arrest of officials, indicts EFCC of bias BY CHIDI NKWOPARA, Owerri

MO State Government has described the recent arrest of two principal functionaries of the present administration by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as “politically motivated”. The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Chinedu Offor, who leveled the allegation in a statement made available to the press, also accused EFCC of bias. Government has, in a bid to get back at Ohakim, yesterday inaugurated three judicial panels of

inquiry to probe local government system, contracts awarded by the immediate past administration and the traditional institutions. While affirming that the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Chike Okafor, and the Accountant General, Mr. George Eche, are currently with the EFCC, Mr. Offor however denied that Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration obtained N40 billion loan from Zenith Bank as alleged. “Imo State Government had at no time obtained a N40 billion loan from Zenith Bank as alleged by EFCC. The allegation in its entirety, is false, and another campaign of

calumny designed to divert attention from the probe of the former PDP administration in the state”.

Family of Enebeli Elebuwa, at the requiem mass held for the deceased, yesterday. ator before he passed on. We must continue to pray for the repose of his soul”, he said. The son, Onyemike Elebuwa thanked the Lagos State Government for supporting and making the hopes of his late father

come to reality by being buried in Lagos. “My father wanted to be buried in Lagos and we thank

God that his wish came to reality. We also thank the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan for his understanding and con-

Anxiety in Arepo as NSCDC officials, vandals clash

ESIDENTS of Arepo village and its environs in ObafemiOwode Local Government area of Ogun were in panic yesterday during the gun duel between men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and suspected vandals. Speaking with Saturday Vanguard on phone, Mr. Soyemi Adebanwi said there was sound of gun shots yesterday evenning which he said lasted for about 30 minutes. He stated that, some people in Arepo axis were fed up with incessant

invasion of vandals in the area which he said had led to untold hardship for the residents. Also narrating her ordeal, one Mrs Akanke Alalade lamented that they panicked when they started hearing the gun shots in the area as they were returning from their work places. According to her, we were held bound when we started hearing gun shots from the usual areas where the vandals go to burst pipelines. Confirming the incident,the Public Relations Officer of

Gov Obi seeks upgrade of facilities in milit ar ormations militar aryy fformations

OVERNOR Peter Obi has called for proper maintenance of infrastructure in Army Barracks to provide conducive environment for soldiers to operate. Governor Obi was speaking when the outgoing General Officer commanding the 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major General Olowaseun Oshinowo paid him a farewell visit at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.

tinued support for the family.” Describing the late Enebuwa, his son-in-law, Mr. Nwamaka, said, “he was pleasant, jovial and down to earth and very kind. He was a free giver and a man with so much love to share.”

Governor Obi who said national infrastructure should not be allowed to deteriorate and collapse, decried the poor condition of the roads and facilities in Onitsha Army Barracks. He assured that the State government will intervene and reconstruct some of the roads to save them from further dilapidation while he will bring the situation to the attention of relevant authorities at the federal

level. The Governor commended the contributions of the military in strengthening internal security, and extolled the performance of the out-going GOC which he noted impacted positively on the state and the South East. The out-going GOC of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Oshinowo said he was retiring from the army after 34 years.

NSCDC, Olanrewaju Kareem claimed some of the vandals escaped with bullet wounds.

Woman docked for allegedly defrauding tenant of N330,000

WOMAN, Toyin Sodeinde, 48, who allegedly defrauded an accommodation seeker of N330,000, yesterday appeared before an Apapa Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos. Sodeinde, who lives at No. 5, Evie Street, Ajegunle, is standing trial for obtaining money under false pretences. The Police Prosecutor, Mr Austine Onwuemene, told the court that the accused allegedly collected the money from Mr Patrick Ogboru under the guise of helping him to secure a self-contain apartment. Onwuemene said the offence was committed on February 20, 2012 at 10.00 a.m. at No. 5, Evie Street, Ajegunle. “The accused collected the money and disappeared, she failed to provide the accommodation as promised,” he said. The prosecutor noted that the offence contravened Section 312 (3) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

10— SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! GETTING READY... Super Eagles’ midfielder, John Mikel Obi (2nd R) in a training session in Vilamoura with team[mates on the eve of the friendly match with Cape Verde, in preparation for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament begins in South Africa on January 19 through to February 10. Photo: AFP

NATIONS CUP:

How far can the Eagles fly? BY PATRICK OMORODION

XACTLY seven days from today, the 19th edition of the Africa Nations Cup will kick off in South Africa but action for the Super Eagles under the tutelage of Stephen Okechukwu Keshi will actually begin two days later when they confront fellow West Africans, Burkina Faso in their first game. Last year when the competition was co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, Nigeria was conspicuously absent after Eagles’ immediate past coach, debonair Samson Siasia bungled the country’s chances right on the turf of the Abuja National Stadium when a more determined Syli National of Guinea picked a deserving 2-2 to grab the lone ticket from their group. That disappointment caused Nigerian football fans to turn their backs on the Eagles and rightly or wrongly, vented their anger on the country’s football governing body, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. From 2008 in Ghana to 2010 in both Angola for the Nations Cup and South Africa for the World Cup, the Eagles were tutored by four coaches, Berti Vogts, Shaibu Amodu, Lars Lagerback and Siasia, a mix of foreign and local players.

Therefore when Siasia failed, the cry was for an indigenous coach and the lot fell on Keshi who had handled both Togo and Mali after his stint with Amodu in 2002. He began by going back to the basics, like his former coach, Clemens Westerhof did while he was in the saddle between late 1989 and mid 1994, recruiting deserving home-based players from the local league for a rebuilding process. Even though Nigerians saw what he did with little Togo which he qualified for their first

tina handed the Eagles last year didn’t change their feeling much as the Eagles’ earlier 4-1 drubbing of the same team in Abuja, though without Messi, was a enough to massage the ego of the fans. With Keshi in-charge, the Eagles did not struggle too much to qualify for the Nations Cup but Nigerians were not too optimistic they could pull any surprise in South Africa, their grouping with Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia notwithstanding. However, following the 3-1

With the semi final target handed down to Keshi by the NFF, he and his boys must play to top Group C and avoid an early quarter final clash with Cote d’Ivoire who are brimming with star players led by former Chelsea hero, Didier Drogba and only World Cup in 2006 in Germany, they were not quick to nurse any hope of he reviving the fortunes of the Eagles whom they booed each time they played on home soil. That feeling gradually gave way to optimism when the socalled home boys spiced with a handful foreign-based players held their own even before big football Nations. The drubbing a Lionel Messi-inspired Argen-

win over Venezuela and the pulsating 1-1 against a starstudded Catalonian side parading a bunch of Barcelona FC and Spain’s World Cup winning players, the same fans were beginning to dream that the Eagles will not only qualify from their group but come tops ahead Zambia and Burkina Faso until last Wednesday’s drab 0-0 draw with giant-killing Cape Verde made them

have a rethink. However, it is the belief of every Nigerian football follower that if the team could get the maximum points against Burkina Faso, a team that have not really given them a scare in the past, in their first match on January 21, it could boost their morale against Zambia when they meet on January 25 for an outright win or draw at the worst to make qualification for the quarter final brighter. Even though the Englandbased duo of Shola Ameobi and bulky Danny Shittu whom Keshi had invited to boost the confidence of his young side failed to join the team, the Illah-born gaffer still believes he has good enough players for his title campaign. With the semi final target handed down to Keshi by the NFF, he and his boys must play to top Group C and avoid an early quarter final clash with Cote d’Ivoire who are brimming with star players led by former Chelsea hero, Didier Drogba. These Ivorians have been a bone in the neck of the Eagles since the 2006 edition held in Egypt. If the Eagles avoid the Ivorians in the quarter finals, they are likely to meet another rival in the Black Stars of Ghana in the semi finals. The Black Stars are favoured to top Group B and meet host South Africa who are unlikely to topple either Angola or Morocco

as Group A leaders, for a semi final ticket. If it turns out this way, it will be the second time in 21 years both sides will be playing in the semi finals since legendary Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew led Ghana to stop the Eagles 2-1 in Abidjan in 1992. Ayew however, missed the final that year following a second yellow card and Ghana were beaten 11-10 on penalties by Cote d’Ivoire who went on to win the trophy that year. Anything after the semi final for Keshi is a bonus as that is the mandate given him by his bosses at the NFF but Nigerians will want the team to go the whole hug if they are able to scale the Ghana hurdle more so when their tormentor inchief, Cameroon and the competition’s all time masters, Egypt are absent from the continental party. Keshi may also be nursing the ambition of winning the cup as a coach having done that as a player in 1994 and go further to qualify the Eagles for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, at least to prove that his effort in the same direction with Amodu in 2002 and alone with Togo in 2006 were no flukes. If it happens that way, Keshi would see the promised land as it is not likely that he would be denied again as was done by both Nigeria and Togo to lead the team to the World Cup in 2002 and 2006. Then he could retire as a fulfilled man.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013—11

Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup!

How Eagles qualified

The Eagles qualified for this tournament by defeating Liberia 8-3 on aggregate in October. They missed out on qualifying for the 2012 tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea for the first time in 26 years. They returned to the continental competition with an emphatic victory over the Lone Star after a shaky twolegged encounter against Rwanda. Former captain and present coach Stephen Keshi rebuilt the side which he hopes would emulate his 1994 championship-winning team.

Mikel, star player

ikel has had a che quered history in the service of his nation but the midfielder returned to the national team with a goal in their last qualifier against Liberia. If there’s any player that Nigeria will be looking to for inspiration at the Afcon, Mikel will surely be on the top of the list. The Chelsea man has won almost every title in club football. Mikel can be the catalyst to a new era of domination for the Nigerians if he gives to the men in Green and White as much as he gives to the Blues in English Premier League action.

Mikel

Moses,

Player to watch

Keshi

Captain Yobo

efender Joseph Yobo took over the skipper’s armband from Nwankwo Kanu after the shambolic 2010 World Cup where Nigeria bowed out in the group stage. Yobo has brought a calmness to the backline, even though he has been dogged by persistent injuries in recent times. The Fenerbahce defender, who became the most capped player in his country’s history, has already won three bronze medals at the Afcon. In South Africa, Yobo will be hoping to finally win the coveted trophy in order to justify the length of time spent in the country’s service.

The man

Stephen Keshi

ictor Moses could have been lost to the Three Lions and many of his country men are happy that he finally came back home after representing England’s youth teams. The 22 year-old played a key role in the Super Eagles’ qualification series and chipped in a brace in the final 6-1 demolition of Liberia in Calabar. His move to Chelsea in the summer of 2012 has made him more visible on the international scene and he will be looking to confirm his billing at the 2013 Afcon. His pace and dribbling skills are his assets. Joined by compatriot Ahmed Musa on the wings, the starlet will hope to emerge as one of the stars in South Africa.

s as coach of the Super Ea tephen Keshi took over the rein team failed to qualify for gles in November 2011 after the 26 years. He took over the the 2012 Afcon, the first time in by low in confidence and started job at a time when the side was the in t par ue to play a greater getting players from the local leag national team. the to merge the technical skills of A year on, Keshi has been able y The s. yer pla l loca husiasm of the Europe-based players with the ent ntry cou the t tha les new Super Eag have combined well to form a to in again. Leading his third team es hop its ce is beginning to pla be l wil hi Kes li Ma and h Togo the Afcon - following stints wit on game. His experience garAfc t firs his win lly hoping to fina be the Eagles to victory in 1994 will nered as a player where he led iAfr th side to great things in Sou needed to inspire this Nigerian ca.

Moses

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup!

Pla ed ttoo Playyer erss expect expected reshape African football

AFCON 2013::

Missing SSttar arss By JACOB AJOM The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations beginning on January 19 will, no doubt, bring out the best of African football. Expectations are already high and the entire football world will focus on Africa in the coming weeks. However, there are some African stars that will be missing from the Afcon party in South Africa. Those who would not be there are either from countries that could not qualify for the soccer showpiece or those whose countries qualified but were not considered good enough to make their squads.

Samuel Eto’ Fils (Cameroon)

Eto

BY EDDIE AKALONU

Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)

Song

Top on the list of the missing stars is one of Africa’s most decorated footballers and one of the highest paid in the trade, Samuel Eto’ Fis. Eto, a former captain of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon will be conspicuously missing because his country failed to qualify.

Obafemi

He has won the African Young Player award. He has won top England and European laurels with Chelsea and is one of the players with ability to unlock any chain of defence during the competition.

Osaze

Red hot West Brom forward, Osaze Odemwingie was another intriguing exclusion from Coach Stephen Keshi’s line up. Followers of the Super Eagles will however point to Osaze’s antecedents with previous national team coaches and his interpersonal relationship with other players as his biggest undoing.

Kalou

The country’s confidence and participation has been boosted by the return of Adebayor, the deadly striker and captain, who will put up the best act in South Africa in the move to take Togo to the top. Togo are drawn in Group D alongside Cote d’Ivoire, Tunisia and Algeria.

Adebayor

Ikechukwu Uche (Nigeria)

Andre Ayew(Ghana)

Flavio(Angola)

Toure

Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo)

Osaze Odemwingie(Nigeria)

Definitely, this son of one of Africa’s greatest soccer exponents, Abedi Pele Ayew will be missing from the Black Stars of Ghana squad in South Africa. He failed to beat the deadline set by Coach Kwesi Appiah for players to report to camp. Andre was reported to have been injured after a league match for Olympic Marseilles. Although coach Appiah’s decision to drop the nimble-footed attacker raised a lot of debate, particularly after the coach ignored Andre’s sibling, Jordan from the team. The two brothers were part of Black Stars Afcon 2010/2012 story and will be missing in the Black Stars line up when hostilities begin in South Africa.

Drogba

A play-maker cum striker who plays for Premier side Man City, he can turn the game around with his budding skills at any point of the competition. In partnership with Gervinho, Zokora and Kalou, he’s expected to play behind Drogba and possess the key and combination that can break any side.

Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast)

Obafemi Martins(Nigeria):

After a long hiatus from the Super Eagles, Martins was recalled by Coach Stephen Keshi for the friendly match against Venezuela. Even though the former Inter star was banging in goals for his Spanish side, Levante, Martins failed to impress. Eventually, Keshi dropped him from the squad to South Africa.

On paper, Ivory Coast definitely stands out heads above other teams headed for the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa with her collection of star players. After missing the title in the last edition, the team appears hungry for the title now and will not look back this time to get it right. Fireworks are expected from the dreaded Didier Drogba, backed by reigning African Footballer of the year, Yaya Toure, Salomon Kalou and Gervinho. He remains one of the most distinguished players in Africa.

Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast)

Alex Song (Cameroon)

The F.C Barcelona midfielder, like his compatriot, Samuel Eto could not pilot Cameroon to qualify for the tournament. They were stopped in their tracks by Cape Verde.

As the African Cup of Nations holds in South Africa, here are a couple of old and new players whose acts are expected to help in the reshaping of football on the continent.

Ayew

The Eagles top striker who has played for Spanish top sides- Getafe, Villareal, Granada and Real Zaragoza remains a reliable one for Nigeria. As he did during past games especially during the qualifiers, his ability and skill will be Stephen Keshi’s ace for goals, given the absence of Osaze Odemwingie and Obafemi Martins from the team. There is no doubt he is a possible pick for the tournament’s top scorer, should the Eagles progress up to the semi final, a target set for Keshi by NFF.

Uche Moses

Victor Moses (Nigeria)

Flavio

Flavio is one of a duo that represents the face of modern Angolan football. Together with Manucho, the striker ranks high on the ladder and is regarded as Angola’s most prolific goal scorers. He failed to make it to this year’s Africa Cup of Nations when the final list was released.

Victor Moses who dumped England to play for his country of birth played a key role in the Super Eagles’ qualification series and chipped in a brace in the final 6-1 demolition of Liberia in Calabar. His move to Chelsea in the summer of 2012 has made him more visible on the international scene and he will be looking to confirm his billing at the 2013 Afcon. His pace and dribbling skills are his assets. Joined by compatriot Ahmed Musa on the wings, the starlet will hope to emerge as one of the stars in South Africa.

Jacob Mulenga( (Zambia) : With the defending champions failing to score in friendlies against Tanzania and Angola, coach Herve Renard was reported to have included Holland-based top striker, Jacob Mulenga of FC Utrecht as the spearhead of his attack in defense of the title. He has scored seven goals for his Dutch side this season and is seen to have the capacity to hit even more during the tournament.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013—13

Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup! Nations Cup!

PROFILES OF EAGLES GROUP OPPONENTS

Zambia

ambia qualified in dramatic circumstances. They faced Uganda in the second round of qualification and took a 1-0 lead into the second leg of the tie. Uganda brought the tie back to level terms, determined to keep the 2012 champions fighting to the bitter end. However, Zambia rallied, showing the team spirit which had won the tournament in Equatorial Guinea. Zambia eventually gained entrance to the 2013 African Cup of Nations after winning a breath-taking penalty shootout 9-8 in Kampala. Their coach Herve Renard is a hard taskmaster who puts the team ahead of the individual, always expecting one hundred per cent from every one of his players. He has taken Zambia to three Afcon tournaments and his ability to create success out of team work, team spirit and a never-say-die attitude has made him a popular figure in Zambian football circles. The Chipolopolo, as the Zambiam team are known, derive their inspiration from their captain, Christopher Katongo, who rallied his colleagues against the odds to beat favourites Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire to claim one of the most dramatic underdog victories in recent footballing history. Katongo is a work-horse in the midfield and relies more on his instincts and determination than pure skill. He scored three vital goals in the 2012 Afcon campaign, including a priceless winner against Ghana in the semi-finals and should be watched closely by the Eagles.

GROUP B

GROUP A S/Africa v Cape Verde Angola v Morocco South Africa v Angola Morocco v Cape Verde South Africa v Morocco Cape Verde v Angola

Jan 19 3pm Jan 19 6pm Jan 23 2pm Jan 23 5pm Jan 27 4pm Jan 27 4pm

Jan 21 2pm Jan 21 5pm Jan 25 2pm Jan 25 5pm Jan 29 5pm Jan 29 5pm

I/Coast v Togo Tunisia v Algeria I/Coast v Tunisia Algeria v Togo I/Coast v Algeria Togo v Tunisia

QUARTER-FINALS 1.Grp 2.Grp 3.Grp 4.Grp

B winners v Grp A runners-up A winners v Grp B runners-up D winners v Grp C runners-up C winners v Grp D runners-up

Feb 2 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 3

2pm 5.30pm 2pm 5.30pm

SEMI-FINALS Winners Q/final 2 v winners Q/final 3 Feb 6 2pm Winners Q/final 4 v winners Q/final 1 Feb 6 5.30pm

THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF Semi-finals losers Feb 9

FINAL

Jan 20 Jan 20 Jan 24 Jan 24 Jan 28 Jan 28

urkina Faso narrowly edged Central African Repub lic (C.A.R) on a 3-2 aggregate to book their place at the 2013 Afcon after a nervous return leg in Ouagadougou, where the Stallions toiled until the final minute before scoring the winner. They lost the first leg of the second round by a lone goal in Bangui and came from behind to win the return fixture 3-1 after conceding an early 7th minute goal through David Manga of Serbian club FK Partizan They are coached by Paul Put who took over from Portuguese manager Paulo Duarte last March following the Stallions’ woeful return from the 2012 Nations Cup, where they lost all three of their games and crashed out in the group stage. The Belgian, who has coached top teams such as Lokeren and Lierse in the Jupiler Pro League, will have in hand a bunch of young and brilliant players he will be required to turn into stars or at least reorganise Burkina Faso football and subsequently lay the foundations for a sound Burkinade sporting future. Their star player is Alain Traore who is known for his pace and elusive dribbling style. Although his work rate is yet to be at its best, the 22-year-old striker made himself a central figure at his former French club Auxerre, where he played seven seasons from 2005 and stayed high in the league’s scorers list for months, before joining Lorient in July 2012. He appears to be an indispensable forward to every new coach that takes over the Burkina Faso outfit, due to his penchant for goals and ability to set up other players, while regularly holding up the ball. Traore’s brace against the Central African Republic helped his side to scramble a late winner that earned their ticket to the forthcoming event in South Africa.

2pm 5pm 2pm 5pm 5pm 5pm

GROUP D

GROUP C Zambia v Ethiopia Nigeria v B/Faso Zambia v Nigeria B/Faso v Ethiopia Zambia v B/Faso Ethiopia v Nigeria

Ghana v DR Congo Mali v Niger Ghana v Mali Niger v DR Congo Ghana v Niger DR Congo v Mali

Burkina Faso

Semi-finals winners Feb 10

5pm 5pm

Jan 22 2pm Jan 22 5pm Jan 26 2pm Jan 26 5pm Jan 30 5pm Jan 30 5pm

Ethiopia

fter a 31-year absence, Ethiopia qualified for the finals by dumping highly favoured Sudan in the last match, thanks to a 2-0 victory after strikes from Adane Girma and Saladine Said. The away goals rule ensured that they sailed through at the expense of the Nile Crocodiles, who had won the first leg match played in Khartoum 5-3. Like the Eagles, they are handled by an indigenous coach Sewnet Bishaw, who is fancied by many in the east African region to lead his charges to a respectable showing at the 2013 Afcon. The veteran tactician has enjoyed successful stints with clubs in the Ethiopian League and at Yemen top flight side Ahly Senaa, before assuming the role of Ethiopian head coach. Ethiopia’s mainstay is their captain and lanky but mobile central defender, Degu Debebe who has held on for the past decade. He carries a wealth of experience to the team from both club and country. He is expected to lead the team from the backline at the Nations Cup, with his experience and determination set to be put to the test. Their star player is Adane Girma.

14—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

2015 PRESIDENCY

There will be grave consequences for Nigeria if Jonathan runs A

POSTLE Johnson Suleman is the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministry, one of the leading new generation churches in the country today. The church located along the Auchi-Abuja road in Auchi, Edo state is another Mecca in Nigeria as people from all over the world throng the giant edifice to see the man of God. As a result, it was not easy for Saturday Vanguard to track down the man of God for this interview due to his very busy schedule. However, with sincere apologies, Apostle Suleman finally spoke to Saturday Vanguard at the Benin Airport, and as expected, he gave his 2013 predictions, saying that it will be disastrous for the nation if President Goodluck Jonathan decides to run for the 2015 Presidential election. Pastor Suleman who had in the past predicted the death of President Yar’Adua, disclosed that only eight governors will finish their tenure unless urgent prayers are made to save the situation. He spoke on his life and his views on the seeming trend by top Pastors in the country purchasing private jets. Excerpts: How I received Christ 1992, December 24, I slept and I woke up December 26. I did not see the Christmas Day, I slept all through the Christmas Day. And when I woke up, I was actually wishing people happy Christmas but they were looking at me, telling me it was actually a Boxing Day. I was taken aback because I felt I saw the Christmas Eve and how come I did not see the Christmas Day. I started remembering dreams I had of heaven and hell and of God calling me to become a preacher. Prior to that time, two years before that encounter, I was already a Christian in 1990 but I was scared to be a Pastor because of the so much stigma associated with Pastoring at that time. So for the call , I did not see December 25 1992 and that was the encounter that I had of God giving me a warning that I had no other choice than to do his work. That was the major encounter I had that made me become what I am today.

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Life as a cultist in school It was a normal one though I was doing some secret evil that my parents did not know. My father was surprised when he heard that I started smoking when I was in primary school. My parents were strict. My mum is a retired police officer while my Dad is a retired politician. They were very strict. But I found out that sometimes when you are too strict on children, they device means to break laws. That was what happened in my case. It was just the normal juvenile delinquency of the Nigeria youth. I was not living a good life before I became born again. I was a cultist in the higher institution. I was actually leading a sect in school then. The

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City

I will advise President Jonathan that he should not contest 2015 presidential election; and if prayers are not made, I see only eight governors completing their tenure

only thing I never did was to kill or rob. I am saying this publicly so that people who are cultists will know that there is nothing there. I did every other thing that a young man will do but I never partied. I was always a shy person, and that is why I am even surprise that I am a Pastor today because I am always shy in the crowd. I have never gone to any party in my life. I love doing my things quietly and forget it. I started my higher education at the Auchi Polytechnic and did my PHD in UNIBEN. I actually studied Mass Communication in Auchi. When I was in school, I was academically sound despite my bad boy attitude. I had a lot of women around me because they know I was very intelligent in school. I was SUG President, then class Rep.I have always excelled in my academics because that was one thing my parents were able to imbibe in me. Secret behind the success of my Ministry

I measure success with how many lives I have affected. I will say I am successful when I have affected the last person on earth. Presently, we have been able to move on and carry on just by the grace of God. God gave me the right team. I have loyal pastors who are educated.All my senior Pastors are graduates and it has helped us to bring their secular knowledge to play. It has been wonderful and we thank God.

hy all my predictions have come true Well, I know I always wait upon the Lord, like every year I go on 40 days fast three times. I spend at least five hours every day studying and praying. But all of that is not what really brings the anointing. The gift of God is embedded in you by the anointing. When the anointing of God comes upon you, the gift of God is embedded in you and it is this gift of God that propels you to see things and say them. Like I said, all my predictions have come to pass. I predicted the death of President Yar ’Adua. When I predicted that, some top Pastors in the Ministry said I was lying. I learnt some of them went there to pray for him and when God gave me the date of his death, my life was threatened, people came after me. But finally it came to pass. You see, when revelations of God come, what people should do is to find out how to redeem themselves when it is negative and when it is positive, you thank God for that. We live in a generation people just get political when prophecies come. Some people get upset and start chasing the man of God. This is God speaking through a man and we should understand that there is nothing personal about that. But people have this perception that some of you top Pastors belong to one cult or the other where you get your powers. What is your take on that? That is the African belief but if you go to America and God uses you, they appreciate God. Africans are used to their traditional institutions, they are used to occultism, they are used to the Dark Age. It is their way of life, so if they see any thing that is spectacular, they ascribe it to the dev-

APOSTLE Johnson Suleman il. Now don’t totally write it off because some Pastors have gone occultic. Some Pastors have gone satanic, some have gone materialistic. There are Pastors today who are busy amassing wealth. I don’t know what a Pastor is doing with an Aircraft. I don’t know what a Pastor is doing with fifty cars. I read the success of any Minister by how successful those around him are; his ability to disburse what comes his way. God is going to bless you, once God is using you, he must bless you. But you must be able disburse that wealth. Genuine success through prosperity is to give back to the society. When you give back to the society, that is when you are truly successful. Talking about being materialistic, we have observed Pastors buying private jets and building schools; they are really wealthy in the society but their members are dying in poverty? The truth is that some of these Pastors in fairness have really done a lot for the less privileged. We can never do enough but you can do a lot because there is still one less privileged person out there that needs to be reached. It is not possible for the soap factory to make sure that every body gets neat every day, but what they can do is to affect the ones they can affect and enlighten the ones they can enlighten. Most Pastors also have really taken it up as a challenge to touch the lives of the less privileged. But some of them have not. When a Pastor has spent many years in the Ministry and now owns an air craft, I have no problem with all of that. What I have a problem with is this pursuit to prove to the world that you have arrived. You are going to pay the pilot, the

crew members, maintain the aircraft, it cost a lot of money. That is my worry with people in that category. Advice for President Jonathan One major thing that I will say now is that people should be careful not to be crazy about power. One good thing that I will advise President Jonathan is that he should not contest for the 2015 presidential election. And if prayers are not made, if we don’t pray, I see only eight governors completing their tenure. We should pray because with prayers, a lot of things can be averted but if we don’t pray, we will see eight governors only completing their tenure. What God wants to focus on this year is to reward politicians with their sins. The Agricultural sector is going to receive a great boost this year. We have natural disasters coming up. I have a revelation last November that there will be attempt on the life of President Obama. I saw an African President being laid to rest and I saw Nigerian flag flying half mast. We need to pray for President Jonathan, if he goes ahead to contest there will be trouble. Abacha’s wife left the villa without Abacha, Yar’Adua’s wife left the villa without the husband, if Jonathan goes to contest, some thing very grave may happen. Those who are pushing him now, they want to destroy him. I am not saying this out of any personal animosity. I am saying this now because it can be averted. He should seek counsel. I love him but destiny has to be taken very sacrosanct. So I believe that if he asks for counsel, people can help him not to run for the Presidency in 2015.

Vanguard ARY 12, 2013—15 anguard,, JANU JANUARY

Lif e and its man op-o Life manyy st stop-o op-ovver erss It came to pass (1) T

y friend’s wife, Jumoke Ogunyemi celebrated her 60 th birthday on Christmas day. It was an intimate gathering of close friends; most of whom were her husband’s or her secondary school and University mates. The ‘old school’ music that filled the air was also very stirring and apt. I had my own share of the reminiscences too, back slapping and chatting with friends I had not seen or talked to in years. And when Jumoke got up to extol the virtues of Gori, her husband of 35 years, I smiled: a happy, but knowing smile. You see, I remembered the day Gori told me, barely a week after they met, that he had seen the woman he was going to marry. And I remembered laughing it off. I remembered the courtship and the occasional foursomes we had. I remembered the bachelor’s eve, where my then girlfriend and I had quarrelled and separated.

he master of ceremony for the occasion, was their first son, who handled the event admirably. But I

also remembered him as a toddler whom I had mischievously introduced to the allure of cognac by giving him a sip — much to the consternation of his parents — over 30 years ago. Years later, when he came home on holiday, I had asked him at a function what he was going to drink. ‘Uncle, I am still sticking to what you introduced me to when I was a kid’. He had replied, tongue in

week later, on New Year’s day, Chief Christopher Abiodun Borha , a friend and secondary school mate, also marked his 60th birthday along with his retirement from the NPA where he was a General Manager. Held at the Lagos City Hall, it was a bigger crowd that reflected his many constituencies. We the ‘old boys’ had our own caucus at the side of the hall. What a surprising turn-out we had as school mates I hadn’t seen for quite a while, showed up; and we lost ourselves for a while on reminiscences. Even the celebrant joined in at a point when he reminded another classmate of the day this classmate ‘stole’ his girl friend. I recalled how this girl from Methodist

C M Y K

It was hard also not to remember those nights when we sat on the school field on free nights (last Friday night of the month) dreaming of how we would rule our world – in medicine, engineering and the arts. Now most of us are left with unfulfilled dreams and the realisation of what might have been had we chosen a different turn in the road of life. Sitting around me were people with some of the best brains of their generation. Brains that would have been celebrated were they assembled in another country. Many old boys have argued that Igbobi College, fashioned after the traditions of the best British ‘public schools’, did not prepare us for Nigeria. That its emphasis on nobility and integrity, was for another clime. But I disagree.

That we have chosen to redefine success to mean money, does not change the true meaning of the word

cheek. So much had happened in the space of time. Jumoke, the birthday ‘girl’ had left paid employment, had studied law, had lived in the UK with the children for a while, leaving her husband to hold fort as ‘a bachelor boy’. Looking at the now adult family on stage — two of the three children are married— one couldn’t but reflect on the many stop-overs of life.

Girl’s High School (MGHS) had invited three of my classmates to a martinee show at Metro Cinema on Ikorodu Road (ten minutes walk from our school) only for her not to show up. The three guys felt foolish and were the butt of jokes for a while in school. Seeing Omatsola who had flown in from his abode in Jos to celebrate with Borha, reminded me of how we both celebrated our 21st birthdays at a small club in Surulere – his first, and mine later. These old faces brought many things back— the football games at the back of the dorm, the cricket games with empty milk cans, the school pranks and escapades, the difficult seniors and impossible teachers. I remembered when we used to walk to Palmgrove to catch a bus to town. Or walk from Onikan Stadium after a Principal Cup match to Obalande to catch a bus to Yaba and walk to school from there. Walks that we considered routine, but which the youths of today will never attempt. Now mostly grey haired and pot bellied, with arthritis knocking a few knees, it was hard to imagine the ‘wild’ life some of these guys once led.

hat the country has been seized by the uncouth does not make a life of nobility and integrity unsuccessful. That we have chosen to redefine success to mean money, does not change the true meaning of the word. So as the celebrants, and we their friends, reach another stopover in the journey of life, let us take time to reflect on where we are coming from, to accept the limited successes and failures and resolve to plod on. Let us not dwell too much on what time has stolen; or what bad judgements and bad relationships have stolen. Despite the failed marriages, failed dreams and failed or failing vital organs, it has been, for many of us, a beautiful life. Sat muyiwa adetiba

oday we begin a new series titled “It came to pass”. The Holy Spirit through God’s word will illuminate your heart and birth life in you once again. So many people are saying if it is true, why is it then that what God promised he has not made well. So many who has hope are giving up and are not willing to believe God or His word any longer. Some are comparing themselves with other people and wondering why those people are getting blessed. Beloved, listen to me God’s word can never die. Whatever God has promised you He will fulfill. Numbers 23:19, says “God is not a man, that he should lie: neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken and shall He not make it good? Whatever, God says it becomes. If God says you are blessed, know that you are blessed. No devil or power in the entire universe can stop it. God can never and will never lie. God said, instead of His word to pass away, heaven and earth shall pass away. God’s word is true forever. The word has been tested over and over and yet it remaineth sure. No wonder the bible records in Ps. 119:89 that His word is forever settled in heaven. Beloved audience, don’t be moved, God’s word concerning you is settled. Just be obedient to His word. Say it out loud to yourself “God’s word for me is settled”. No devil can change or alter it. God’s word or promise to you

will surely dominate your circumstances. In Gen. 1:2, the Bible says “and the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. From this text we could see that darkness and confusion was dominating the earth. It appears as if nothing good could come out of it again. But when God said let there be light, there was light. Out of darkness came light. Out of the earth that was without form and void, came beauty. Listen, beauty will come out of that ugly situation in your life. For the Bible says that everything the Lord created was beautiful and good. Do you know that Satan would want you to doubt the reality of what God told you? But listen let God be true and let the devil and every man be a liar. Believe the promise of God. He will surely fulfill it in your life. There will be performance of His word to everyone that believes. Do you know that after Satan made man to fall from the grace of God when he made Eve and Adam to eat from the forbidden tree. He (Satan) thought it was over for man (Gen.3). While the devil was busy rejoicing, God said in Gen. 3:15, “and I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head and thou shall bruise his heel”. The moment Satan heard God made this promise, he set out to destroy every seed

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Out of the earth that was without form and void, came beauty

that looked like the seed that would bruise his head. While he was busy doing this, God also was busy watching over His word so that it will come t o pass. From generation to generation this continued until finally the seed (Jesus) was born. Again Satan the devil did all possible to kill Jesus but he could not. To fulfill God’s word, Jesus defeated the devil on the cross of Calvary where he openly declared that “it is finished” (John19:30). Thus the power of Satan over man has been destroyed. And then he went to Satan’s territory and spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Col. 2:15). And he took the key of hell and death from Satan (Rev. 1:18). Beloved, you don’t have to remain bound anymore. Jesus has set you free. The word of God in Gen. 3:15, came to pass. Believe also that God’s word for you will also come to pass. Jesus is the truth. Do you want to experience fulfillment of promises of God in your life? The starting point is you receiving Jesus Christ in your life as Lord and Saviour. If you have not already done so, please pray this simple prayer. Father, you said that whosoever shall call on the name of Jesus, shall be saved. I call on the name Jesus. Thank you for saving me and giving me the gift of eternal life. I praise you and give you all the glory. Fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit, to enable me live for you.

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: 07029235279, 07029235280. E-mail: Johnson_crm@yahoo.com. Website: www.christrealityministries.org. Our account details are Pastor Johnson Omomadia, Guaranty Trust Bank, A/C Nos. 0005171407. 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 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

N750 m polynotes contract scam: Soludo granted bail, travel documents seized Continued from Page 6 Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as was published in some national dailies yesterday. Soludo said he was invited by the EFCC to make clarifications on some issues on a matter under investigation. According to a statement from Soludo’s media office dated 11th January 2013, the former CBN

Governor voluntarily went to the EFCC office to honour the C o m m i s s i o n ’ s invitation. The statement which was signed by Bonaventure Melah, said Soludo was neither arrested nor escorted to EFCC office by operatives of the Commission as was reported. “We want to put it on records clearly that the media reports that

Professor Chukwuma Soludo was arrested by the operatives of the EFCC in Abuja is totally false or to say the least, written in error. “The fact of the matter is that the EFCC wrote a letter to Prof. Soludo inviting him to their Abuja office on the 10th of January 2013. EFCC’s invitation letter to Prof. Soludo was dated 20th December 2012.

“Prof. Soludo was abroad attending to several international engagements when the letter was sent to his aides. As a law abiding citizen of the country, Prof. Soludo returned to Nigeria in the New Ye a r a n d h o n o u r e d EFCC invitation on January 10th as requested. He voluntarily went from his home to EFCC office on Thursday. He was neither arrested nor escorted by any operative of the Commission”. The EFCC letter of

invitation to Soludo states that “This Commission is investigating a case in which the need to obtain certain clarifications from you has become imperative. “It was a two- para-

graph letter which also indicated date and time for the meeting between Prof. Soludo and officials of the Commission,’ the statement added.

Spanish Navy exempts Nigeria from pirate-prone region BY EVELYN USMAN

HE Spanish Navy yesterday in Lagos, exempted Nigeria from one of the pirate prone regions in the African

continent, clarifying that the only maritime challenge plaguing the country was sea robbery. This assertion, has apparently disclaimed reports by the International Maritime Bureau which listed Nigeria and four other African countries along the continent’s sea coast as areas prone to pirate attacks. The Commanding Officer , Spanish Navy Ship MV RELAMPAGO, Lt Commander Tanago De La Lastra, made the clarification during a joint press briefing with the Nigerian Navy at the Naval Training Command, NAVTRAC, Apapa Lagos. L i e u t e n a n t Commander Lastra whose country ’s ship arrived Lagos Thursday, disclosed that currently, only Somalia was experiencing piracy attacks, a worrisome development, he said.

He, however, expressed satisfaction over Nigerian Navy’s (NN) effort to tackle maritime insecurity in the country as well as its overwhelming presence in the Golf of Gunea , informing that during his ship’s six months tour on six countries within the African continent, insecurity on the waterways was not as high as it was projected. Earlier, the Commander Operations of the Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Henry Babalola, explained that during the three-day visit of the Spanish Navy ship, training of NN personnel on how to tackle evolving maritime challenges would be carried out. Already, he disclosed that before entering Lagos harbour , the Spanish ship carried out exercises offshore Lagos with NNS NWAMBA and NNS ANDONI,two NN warships.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013 —17

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18—SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 12, 2013 Dear Julie, I fell deeply in love with a man and he with me before I realised he was seeing another woman. We ended and then that relationship ended, and we started up again, but deep down , I still feel somewhat angry and insecure, and I don’t want to feel this way. I started seeing someone nine months ago, and fell for him fast. He also gave me the same impression. He was going to be travelling and we would be separated for months but I said I would wait for him, follow him, whatever I needed to do, if he wanted that too. At this point, he told me he was not over his ex, who was his best friend, and could not let me hold onto us. However we kept in touch and after a month, even though we were long distance, he asked me to be with him and come together again. Two months later, we were back together after a lot of time and I asked him what changed his mind about me. He told me that the reason he didn’t want to commit to me initially was because he had in fact been in a relation-

He’s seeing another woman ship when we first started seeing each other, a four- year relationship. So he both lied and cheated effectively in the first months. But by this time, we had already fallen so in love, and committed to each other seriously as we both know what we want and are of the right age to find the right person. So of course I said, ok, and moved on. Or I thought I had. The thing is, I can’t get it out of my head. How do you go from being someone’s best friend, and loving them for four years to deciding some-

one else is the right person? He spoke to her in the 4th month of our official relationship and told me about it . He did not seem over it, he seemed melancholy. But he has done everything to assure me that he loves me and invested so much into us. I’ve met his family . I don’t know everything about his transition from her to me, and I don’t know if I want/ need to, but I can’t stop thinking about it: wondering, could he do the same to me? Did he choose me for other

Should I stay with him or move on? Dear Julie, I am 32 years old have always wanted to get married and have children. But it seems my long-term boyfriend is in no hurry to do the same. Should I be patient, or should I just move on? My boyfriend and I have been together for six years. I have finished my degree and work full-time, he is working towards his postgraduate degree . I have always wanted to get married and have kids something he is aware of. However recent discussions about the future have shown that we want different things. My boyfriend wants to travel when he is finished studying and live overseas for an extended period of time. I too love traveling and would like to do so but then afterwards settle somewhere near family and have kids. He is very adversed to getting engaged and states that it is not the right time in his life, when he is finished studying, he will consider it. Should I trust him and commit to another three years of waiting, or should we

cut our losses and move on. We love each other very much and both want the other person to be happy, but it seems we have very different ideas of happiness and very different life goals. Jay, Abuja Dear Jay, It sounds to me, from what I’ve read above, that you’d be happy to be patient as long as you know that your boyfriend wants what you want - to settle down, soon, and bring up a family together. And he doesn’t seem to be able to give you that reassurance right now. I think you should be clear to him how important it is for you to settle down and have children. In fact, I wonder, Jay, how much real communication is going on between you and your boyfriend. Is this about having a child together, or is it about living a certain vision of a lifestyle? Is this about finishing studying, on your boyfriend’s part, of deferring the time when he must make this decision? So I urge you to communicate, and communicate

more clearly than either of you seem to be doing. Really talk about ALL of the issues, all of what is gained, by you both taking your preferred respective paths. Good luck to you both.

reasons than love? Money/ background (mine is much more privileged than his)? What was altered in his mind/ h e a r t ? I feel very insecure about it, and even a bit angry by the fact that I was made a fool in the beginning. But I have chosen him, so I want to move past this. I have spoken to him about it and he is aware of my insecurities but I cannot seem to resolve them. Should I speak to him again? I don’t know whether this is something I need to work through on my own, or keep talking to him about whilst I feel it. Please help. I love him, and I desperately want these doubts and insecurities banished so that I can trust him completely and be truly happy with him. Amaka, Enugu Dear Amaka, Yes, he could do the same to you, of course, but he might not do. So, should you have a relationship with this man? Will it work? I do not have these answers, and ONLY you can truly know if you should commit to this relationship despite its unhealthy beginnings. So, right now, you feel foolish for falling for a man who was still seeing another woman. You feel foolish because you love him, but also fear that he could transition from one woman to another again leaving you behind this time. You feel foolish, vulnerable and insecure and you blame him for these feelings! I actually think the real question here

My boyfriend’s mum doesn’t like me Dear Aunty Julie, My boyfriend and I are in love and we have been dating for about nine months now. And we plan to be married one day. The thing is the first day that his mother met me, she hated me. She confessed to my boyfriend that she hates me. She hates me because I am not from their tribe and my boyfriend is also half-caste . She has all these stories about my culture that are not true. She has also been asking my boyfriend questions about what he sees in me and what attracts me to him. I am frustrated with this whole situation and I was wondering if it is a good idea for me to confront her She

never wants to talk to me or see me. Should I quit the relationship? Juliana, Edo Dear Juliana, Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible. Prejudices do nothing but breed hate and we have had people who really went out of their way to speak against such hate. But people’s prejudices or people’s fears can change. They might not change, true, but they can .Mothers have such ‘high hopes’ for their sons, after all. So I think the absolute best thing you can do is love your boyfriend more and more, and show this woman, over time, that you really are the best

C O C K - T A L E S * A woman’s husband had been slipping in and out of a coma for several months, yet she stayed by his bedside every single day. When he came to, he motioned for her to come nearer. As she sat by him, he said, “You know what? You have been with me all through the bad times. When I got fired, you were there to support me. When my business failed, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we lost the house, you gave me support. When my health started failing, you were still by my side... You know what?” “What dear?” She asked gently. “I think you bring me bad luck.”

is this: can you be certain that this relationship with this man will work? The answer is NO, no you can’t! But that answer is as true of any relationship in the world . There is no such thing as a certainty when it comes to relationships of any kind! Yes, it’s important to let your instincts guide you such that you don’t begin a relationship with someone ‘inappropriate’. Maybe this man hasn’t grown enough through this experience such that he might well repeat this ‘weak’ behaviour again. Or maybe he needed to be in the ‘right’ relationship to give him the courage/strength to end this four-year relationship. Or maybe I have no idea what’s going on with this man, maybe he doesn’t either. The thing is, it’s not important. What is important is how you feel for each other, how well you communicate with each other, how good you feel together right now. But most importantly of all, is what your instincts are telling you, not your fears but your instincts. So continue to share your concerns with this man, and see how he responds. And see how your insecurities respond. For whatever I or others say, these are your insecurities you’re feeling and you’re either able to handle them, let love dissolve them away eventually, or you’re not. Remember, there are no guarantees in relationships. And our fears about relationships usually tell us much about ourselves than our relationships.

•A man was sleeping on his deathbed. The man woke up to see his wife silently praying beside him. He said, “ Martha, I have something to confess to you.” She said, “No dear, save your energy.” He said, “I must tell you so I may pass on to heaven, I cheated on you.” She said, “ I know, I poisoned you.” •An old man and woman were married for years even though they hated each other. When they had a confrontation, screams and yelling could be heard deep into the night. A constant statement was heard by the neighbours who feared the man the most .

“When I die I will dig my way up and out of the grave

thing that’s ever happened to him. . Confronting her at this point may cause conflict, and what you want to show her is love. Be who you are, as you sound kind and caring. Be that person who she hasn’t taken the time as of yet to know and just maybe she will grow to accept you and even love you for your heart. And please don’t take this personal, as hurtful as it may be because there are some people who will find something to judge on - culture just happens to be her thing. Just keep smiling cause after all, you have the love of your boyfriend. I wish you well and wish you all the strength and wisdom that you’re going to need to gently confront this woman’s unwarranted hostility to you.

to come back and haunt you for the rest of your life!” They believed he practiced black magic and was responsible for missing cats and dogs, and strange sounds at all hours. He was feared and he enjoyed the respect it garnished. He died abruptly under strange circumstances and the funeral had a closed casket. After the burial, the wife went straight to the local bar and began to party as if there was no tomorrow.The gaiety of her actions were becoming extreme while her neighbours approached in a group to ask these questions: Are you not afraid? Concerned? Worried? The wife put down her drink and said, “Let the jerk dig. I had him buried upside down.”

SATURDAY

, W

e.all have at least one friend like Cynthia. The type of friend you’ve had for years but who could still drive you mad. The last time I called at her place, her ‘bossom’ friend Yinka was around. More of a scrounge, she always agreed to whatever Cynthia said, forever grateful for her cast-offs. We’ve all known each other since secondary school and whilst we’ve all had our stints marriage, Cynthia’s marriage is one of the few still standing—naturally. Her husband, hard working and ambitious finally moved his family to an impressive looking ‘villa’ on the smart part of the Island. Itwas Cynthia’s turn to host the old students’ meeting and she waited until most of us were around before she announced the family would soon be off on holidays, pointing to a new set of four suitcases she’d discreetly displayed in the lounge. “A luggage set!” Yinka whooped, her voice dripping with envy. Most of us pretended we didn’t notice. “Why would she need four suitcases to travel,” one of us whispered with venom, “is she into smuggling?” “Life is not fair,” Yinka groaned. “I couldn’t afford new mattresses for my last two’s bunk bed and had to be grateful for my younger sister’s hand-me-downs. It’s so unfair that my children are not sleeping comfortably when only one person has so much money to burnt.” It was a relief to notice she could be resentful of her ‘benefactor’. The rest of the meeting was spent being shown around the magnificent house by Cynthia, bragging on how much each item of furniture cost and how envious her husband’s colleagues were, forgetting hard work usually paid!

s she laid out the afternoon lunch with a few bottles of champagne of course, 1 wondered how she managed to spend so much. Her contributions to the old students coffers weren’t that impressive, yet she lived a celebrity life style. As a legal officer in the ministry, her income is predictable, yet it’s plain to see that her penchant for designer clothes, regular visits to exclusive beauty salons and sociaIising in expensive circles must be costing her a packet. We all assumed her dripping rich husband must be picking up her

Vanguard JANUARY 12, 2013—19

She’s one of a growing number of women who spend far more than they earn in a desperate attempt to emulate the lives of the celebrities they see every day

A lavish lifestyle could be your financial ruin! extravagant tabs. It was, therefore, a mild surprise to me when another friend who is a renowned lace merchant called me on my mobile at work. Could 1 please drop by at hers on my way home—she needed a favour urgently. She’s another lavish entertainer with no trace of pride in her. So I agreed to see her. e’d scarcely dug into some small ‘chops’ she had on offer, when she brought in this official looking ledger, opening one of the pages. She showed me Cynthia’s name and I gawped at how much she was supposed to be owing. How on earth could she owe money running

my calls, but has refused to acknowledge them lately. I’ve sent her threatening texts and I want you to have a word with her for me, or else I’d go to her husband.” I wasn’t really keen on the idea, I wasn’t party to their business deals, so why should I be the debt collector? But l owed Jane a favour. She’d used her muscles with one of her customers to get a niece a good job, so I had no choice. Besides, wouldn’t it be worth it to watch Cynthia’s reaction when the secret of her extravagant life was revealed? Unfortunately, Cynthia is not alone—she’s one of a growing number of women who spend far

into millions just by buying lace materials? “You know I sell other expensive items,” she reminded me. “Like gold, head-ties and household items. She used to be a good customer, and I let her took things on credit. But in the last few years, she was heavily into social climbing. I am one of the outlets for most of the fabrics used at these parties, and I often allowed her to buy them on credit. Unfortunately, she’s failed to pay anything over the past ten months. She used to answer

more than they earn in a desperate attempt to emulate the lives of the celebrities they see every day in newspapers and on TV. It’s no longer enough to keep up with the Joneses. Instead, they want to live like their favourite celebrities when it’s obvious their salaries cannot keep up with their lifestyles. I fixed an appointment with Cynthia, wondering how on earth I would broach the subject when she started bragging again! Shoving a

gift-set of Prada products in my face, she said I could have the perfumed body lotion. All she wanted was the eau de parfum but hubby got her the set. I wasn’t impressed. I told her why I was at her place and repeated Yinka’s threat to let her husband know of her debts if she didn’t pay up immediately. That really threw her and she confessed she didn’t know where to get such money from since her husband never encouraged over-spending. She’d tried to flog some of the expensive gold and household items she didn’t need but she still had a lot to sell. I told her to advertise the goods on the notice boards of some of the social clubs she belonged to with her husband. Reluctantly, I allowed her to use my address as a contact so that her husband wouldn’t suspect a thing.

n weeks we were able to flog off most of the items she had on offer—they were that good and some of them had appreciated in value. Yinka got a chunk of her money back and I almost felt sorry for Cynthia — but not that sorry. I didn’t see why most of us should struggle through life trying to manage our finances honestly, while she lived in luxury on credit! With a decent amount left to pay, she approached her husband who was alarmed she was even owing, to help. To teach her a lesson, he told her that the holiday for which she had paraded her set of designer luggage was off —instead, the money would be used to payoff her debts and the left-over would be used to give the children a treat in a neighbouring country. “I felt relieved but ashamed I had to deprive the children of their holiday. They’d looked forward to it for ages, I had to lie that we both had important meetings to attend and that next year’s will be better. I’ve really learnt my lesson though, I don’t know why I felt I needed all those things to keep up with a celebrity lifestyle. Whenever I added up the amount I have spent on designer clothes and aso-ebi, I cringed. I’m glad it’s all behind me now. My peace of mind is worth more than the occasional buzz material things gave me,” concluded a relieved Cynthia.

Eat more protein and cure that snack habit

C M Y K

per cent protein consmned 260 more calories a day than those on 15 per cent protein. Raising consumption to 25 per cent—as advocated by the Atkins Diet—was no extra help in halting overeating. A typical British diet is 12 per cent protein. The researchers from Cambridge University and the University of Sydney recruited 22 volunteers to

live and eat in a science facility. While the foods looked the same, they had different protein levels. People who consumed ten per cent protein a day ate on average an extra 1,036 calories over a fourday period compared with those who ate a 15-per cent protein diet. Over a year that would be enough to gain two stone.

oo little protein in your diet makes you feel hungry and reach for fattening snacks, an international study shows. Eating more than the average amount of foods such as meat, fish, eggs and nuts can stop you gaining two pounds a month. Researchers found that those whose meals were ten

Researchers found that those whose meals were ten per cent protein consmned 260 more calories a day

Those on a 15-per cent protein diet also felt fuller after meals. Lead author Alison Grosby, of the University of Sydney, said:’The results show

humans have a particularly strong appetite for protein, and when the proportion of protein in the diet is low this appetite can drive excess energy intake.’

20 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12 12, 2013

n the eve of her 35th birthday, Ada decided it was time to take a proper, adult vacation. Alone. She’d traveled abroad with friends in the past, but she’d always deferred to their itineraries and skimped when it came to resorts and indulgent spa treatments. She wanted to get away by herself and in style. So she used some savings, and booked a two-week trip to UK. During the weeks leading up to her departure, she read travel websites and guidebooks. She planned to fill her mornings with empowering activities, like sunrise meditation and poolside relaxations, and reserve her evenings for good books . She was eager to escape, to splurge, to follow her own agenda. And for the first 48 hours in UK, she honoured her plan. Then she met Alex. Alex was an impossibly handsome Nigerian man, hired by her hotel to teach her how to operate a car she’d rented. Before he handed over the keys, he asked if she wanted to meet him that evening for a drink. Immediately after she said yes, she went back to her suite and sent an email to her friends with the subject line: “Guess who has a date!I know I said I needed some time alone, but forget that,” she wrote. “He’s hot, and I’m bored! So I’m going to have an amazing night or end up reading books. I’m willing to risk it.” She didn’t actually believe her date with Alex would result in a fling but she was somewhat nervous about having a fling. Fooling around with a mysterious man in an exotic location sounded as intimidating as speaking Greek. Yet compared with retiring with a book she’d scheduled, meeting Alex for a drink was no contest. That night, Alex and Ada stayed out until 4 a.m., sipping gin and tonics on the roof of a crumbling building overlooking the Atlantic. They met for dinner the following evening. And the evening after that. On the fourth night, she invited him to stay with her, and the next morning she threw her guidebooks in the trash, promptly canceling all of her solo activities. They spent the rest of her vacation together, sunbathing and sightseeing, drinking and dancing, aimlessly strolling for hours, holding hands and taking pictures of each other on the sun-bleached streets. Some days, they went on rolled her cigarettes, and taught her some adventures , him maneuvering her car and French. One night, over a plate of grilled Ada resting her chin on one of his octopus, he confided that he was legally shoulders and looking out at the ocean. married to an American woman but They talked. They made out. And then, they officially separated from his wife of eight talked some more. She shared emotional years. It was a surprising fact but one that, details about her childhood and her life given their connection, made her more in Lagos. He bought her silly souvenirs, sympathetic than suspicious. “We grew

Can a fling become a real thing?

apart,” he said. “I’ve been ready to meet someone else for a while now.” The way he spoke, it was clear that someone was Ada. On her last day in UK, Alex and Ada tearfully promised to keep in touch and clung to each other until the cabbie that drove her to the airport threatened to leave. Saying good-bye was sad but it was strangely satisfying to participate in such a dramatic “nothing can keep us apart” sort of scene. Their casual affair had started to resemble the plot of a Nollywood romance , one where Alex and Ada

were the stars and her departure was the start of Act 3: the turning point where the lovers face an obstacle, another time zone, an ex-wife and the audience, her friends, family, and Ada to some extent wonders if it will all work out. Two weeks later, Alex announced he was coming home to Nigeria. He’d said how

much he missed her, but the suggestion that he essentially move in with her was a bombshell. She began reciting reasons why an indefinite stay didn’t seem wise. Couples rarely shift from sipping on cocktails in the afternoon to exploring the complexities of sharing a bathroom or splitting the NEPA bill. Yet she wasn’t ready to restrict their relationship to her photo album. Their romance had been so unexpected; maybe they’d have luck in the real world. After much discussion, she agreed to the plan. They had a passionate reunion for a week, but soon without alcohol and sunshine , the initial thrill began to fade. Their relationship became prematurely serious and painfully pedestrian. While taking a shower one morning, Ada overheard Alex talking to his exwife.“Where are you right now?” she demanded, soon hitting him with another question. “You’re living with a woman!” He didn’t respond, but she continued. “You can’t be alone at all, can you?” He was silent as she accused him of abandoning her and escaping his responsibilities. The picture she painted was of a confused, cowardly man who always took the easy way out. Ada had wanted to believe that Alex had truly fallen for her. But that day, she couldn’t deny the truth: They’d gotten together because she’d hated being alone ; they’d stayed together because he couldn’t be alone in life. Then, finally, he said, “Maybe I should go.” Ada nodded yes. She was crying and hugging him , the same as when they’d parted ways just weeks before , only this time, he was the one leaving, and it was a little bit easier to say good-bye.

Should I leave my fiance?

or some unknown reason my fiance seems to have closed his heart to me. Our once passionate relationship has now been reduced to early morning and late night kisses only. Things were great in the beginning as they typically are. I fell in love and have never felt this way or wanted to spend the rest of my life with someone, but something has changed. He began getting very jealous and in turn became angry over the fights. I have never and would never cheat on him and I think he truly knows this but still his jealousy comes out. Now I feel that he has emotionally turned off because he fears the worst and he will get hurt so he closes up and shows no emotion. I have tried talking to him. I have told him that I need to feel that he cares. I want him to show me the love like he did

before. We live together and I feel like we are more of roommates than lovers. After several talks, he tells me he is scared of getting married again. He has been married twice before and both ended very ugly. I have never been married. I told him I understood his feelings and maybe we should postpone the wedding until we get things back on track with us or call it off all together. I thought things were getting better but he still shows no emotion to me. He kisses me in the morning and before bed but other than that, I feel nothing from him. I love him and don’t want to give up on our relationship, but I fear he will never be able to show me the love like he did before.I just need some advice

Ans: I feel for you. That’s the first thing I want to say. Secondly, I’m not sure you were looking for advice but for a place to simply express yourself and you have done that, and I hope just writing down

your thoughts, summarising your situation has helped. Problems in relationships occur because each person is concentrating on what is missing in the other person. Look, whether you carry on trying to make your relationship work , twisting yourself this way and that to get your fiance to realise that you love him, that he has nothing to fear, that ALL he has to do is to love like he used to. Or whether you decide to be courageous in a different way, to realise your fiance has shut down, can give no more, and your relationship is actually over. Whatever you choose to do in this relationship, I think it’s vital that you understand that good relationships come about when you stop expecting things from others, when you stop seeking certain behaviours from another, when you instead decide to be and to act the way you’d like the other person to be

and to act towards you. All you can do in your relationships whether they be romantic relationships, family relationships, friendships is do your bit of the relationship with as much integrity, with as much self-awareness and with as much love as you can muster; i.e. all you can do is do your best.

The rest is up to them. And if the rest isn’t ‘good enough’, for you that is, then you must move on. So there are no right and wrong ways to do relationships, I believe, just ways that are right and wrong for you to experience them. Yes, it takes courage to let go of a relationship that is important to you, but if your partner cannot give you what you believe you need, then courage is what’s required to make space for a partner who can. This is not an easy path to take, I completely understand.

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SATURDAY

Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013 — 21

Calming the distress of stress S

TRESS provides us with challenge and stimulation. Without it we’d all be vegetables, spineless, even lifeless. The evil of stress is in the level of it, when our ability to cope with it is stretched beyond tolerable limitations. The unfortuante thing is that it’s not always easy to say when there’s an overload of stress because the body responds by working harder with performance seeming to improve u n t i l fatigue sets in a n d

blood pressure • Muscular aches and pains • Anxiety and depression • Panic attacks • Palpitations. Stress can be brought on by a number of factors — some internal, some external. Internal factors include work-related problems, monetary affairs or a relationship. External factors include living in a noisy area and rush-hour commuting. Diverse changes ranging from moving house, to a new job, can all be very stressful while the loss of a spouse to death can be the most stressful even that most people will go through in a lifetime. Treatment in orthodox medicine include taking gentle exercise and working less hours. A counsellor may be brought into the picture where the source of long term stress cannot be identified to further explore the problem. Complementary treatment of stress can be obtained by the following therapies: Homeopathy, • Colour therapy • Osteopathy • Massage • Aroma therapy • Bash flower remedies • Naturopathy • Chiropractic • Yoga and others.

we succumb. Suffering stress on the sustained level on a long-term basis can be of serious consequences both physically and mentally. Under stress, our bodies produce the hormones, adrenalin, nonadrenaline and corticosteroids. In the short term, the hormones produce these muscles, rapid breathing and higher heart rates. In the long term, stress-related complaints include: • Fatigue • Digestive disorders • Heart disease • High blood pressure • Impotence and premature ejaculation in men • Irritable bowel syndrome • Mensural problems in women • High

Flexibility and relaxation-inducing postures of Yoga help keep stress level low. Some Yoga postures that can be of help in stressmanagement include:the shoulderstand, the Cat stretch, the Spinal twist and The Deadman’s pose.

Yoga Classes @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos. 9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

C M Y K

22 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

Who kidnapped Majek Fashek? By BENJAMIN NJOKU

igeria’s reggae legend, Majek Fashek who is currently being managed by APlus Entertainment, a record company which rehabilitated him last year is hospitalised at the moment. He was allegedly abducted recently by one of his friends who wanted to lure him into signing concert deals outside the shores of the country. The CEO of the outfit, Hajia Oluremi Dangaji disclosed this ugly development to Showtime, during the week. According to her, Majek who was due to drop his latest album this week, disappeared from his Gowon Estate apartment since last D e c e m b e r without traces. H o w e v e r, after futile efforts to trace his whereabouts,

Glo hosts celebs, youths at the Big Friday Show I t was a night full of fun, thrills and excitement as the leading telecommunications network and official sole sponsor of Glo Presents The Big Friday Show, Globacom hosted celebrities and top entertainers to a night of good music, exotic drinks, finger foods, and freebies on 28th December, 2012. The event was hosted at the popular Aura Lounge, opposite Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos to mark the Yuletide season. It was a night to remember as both stars and invited Glo subscribers were given a special treat. The party paraded an array of Nigerian stars in the movie industry, some of whom are also Glo Ambassadors - Rita Dominic, Uche Jombo and Ramsey Nouah. They have

featured in the popular TV show, Glo Presents The Big Friday Show. Other celebrities at the party included Nse Ikpe Etim, Ruki Sanders, Ejike of Cool FM, Uti Nwachukwu (Big Brother Africa Winner), Sneeze (ace Nollywood producer), Sound

Sultan, Banky W, and Skales. Expectedly, the evening kicked off with photo sessions by celebrities with their acquaintances on the green carpet where Glo hostesses welcomed and registered invited guests.

the reggae legend resurfaced few days ago, looking haggard, weak and pale. Narrating Majek’s ordeal, Hajia who claimed that her company had spent over N35 million to get the reggae master back on his track, said “This meeting is meant to formally intimate you with my company ’s project with superstar, Majek Fashek whose latest album is finally ready for the market. Unfortunately, just as we were getting ready for the release scheduled for this month, we got a shocker during the past holidays that he had been kidnapped and taken to an unknown destination by people suspected to be enemies of progress.” “While the nightmare lasted, Majek’s former manager called to inform us that he was hospitalised in Lagos. But later, we found out that he was whisked away by one of his friends, to Ghana, who wanted to force him to sign concert

deals outside the shores of the country without the consent of his management company.” Haija said, while in Ghana, Majek’s conscience did not allow him to do the bidding of his captors, as he decided to return to the country. At the moment, she said, Majek has gone back to his old lifestyle. “He has become a shadow of his old self, breaking bottles and behaving very abnormal. In fact, he has not been himself since he returned to the country. Right now, he is hospitalised. We are trying to stabilize his condition. That’s why we deemed it fit to intimate you about the ugly development,” Haija narrated. Haija, a widely-travelled entrepreneur and philanthropist who hails from Edo State has since resolved to resuscitate Majek’s dwindling music career, as well as embarking on a musical tour of some European and American cities.

I’m not dropping any album this year — Sasha

ans of Storm records first lady, and f a s h i o n entrepreneur, Sasha who are looking forward to her album release this year, may be disappointed as the songstress has declared that she is not working on any album at the moment. Though, she said her next album will be nothing short of a body of work. Sasha disclosed this, while speaking during an interview with newsmen in Lagos. According to her, she believes in giving fans value for their money. “If anything must be done, it must be done very well,”she said. Sasha, who dropped some new songs before Christmas took time to talk about her foray into fashion. She said, she has been in fashion business since she started pursuing

her career in music. Ï see myself as a creative director than a fashion designer.” Sasha P is Nigeria’s Number one female MC whose consistency has distinguished her among her contemporaries.

•Sasha

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013 — 23

I always advice my guitarists against hard drug — KSA

t would be recall that a year ago, Juju maestro, King Sunny Ade (KSA) told Nigerians that he was born again and since then, he has been seen romancing the Redeemed Christian Church of God being the church which led him to Christ. Recently,he was at the National Headquarters of the church, located at EbuteMeta area of Lagos, where he thrilled the congregation with his evergreen songs and unique dancing steps during the church annual New Year Thanksgiving Service presided over by the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye. In this chat with OLAYINKA LATONA, he spoke on various issues including the recent arrest of his former guitarist over alleged drug trafficking. What is your New Year resolution? I want to praise the Lord for the rest of my life. I am leaving everything in the hands of the Lord because He knows my heart desire. I know what He wants from me as His son. Sometimes, as human, we think, pray, plan and wait for the result but it is God who perfected all things. One of your ex-guitarists was recently arrested in connection with drug trafficking. In his defense, he blamed his action on his retirement from your band? He is an ex-member of my group who was retired almost five years ago. I don’t deal with anybody who doesn’t believe in God. I tried my best in advising all members of my group against getting involve in hard drugs. I told them to see me as their leader and

shun doing anything that is capable of tarnishing their image. I didn’t pray for anything evil to happen to him butIknow his conscience will be troubled now. It has been predicted that there would be massive death among Nigerian artistes this year because of their involvement in secret cults? I rebuke that prediction in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe there is nothing prayer cannot change. We had a very rough and difficult year in 2012. But I believe in the

power of prayer and if we can pray sincerely, God will in His infinite mercies protect and preserve your lives. Whatever that has been prophecised against the artistes this year can be averted only if the artistes themselves are prayerful. What’s the secret of your evergreen music. Do you think the present day musicians are leaving up to your expectation? My secret has been the grace of God and the talent He gave to me. There is still genuine and promising musicians in Nigeria. What I think should

be done and which I have always spoken against is the idea of venturing into music because of the material gains. We may have made one or two mistakes while growing up, but such mistakes can be corrected. Before composing any songs, we should asked ourselves can we play such song in the presence of our children or grand children while at home and we will not be ashamed of doing so. What’s the relationship between King Sunny Ade and the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)? This is the beginning of a new era for me. KSA and RCCG are partners in progress in the work of God. RCCG has a lot to do in my life, I want the whole world to know that, and I am proud to be a member of the church. I have been thanking God and I will continue to do so. In my compound in Ondo State, I named the chapel there after the RCCG headquarters name which is Throne of Grace; you can see God is really in love with me. Advice to the upcoming artistes? I always advised them to have the fear of God in them which is paramount. This is because without the fear of God in you, there will not be wisdom. The fear of God, they say, is the beginning of wisdom. The secret of your youthful look It is the grace of God and I try to eat balance diet.

Chris Ajilo waxes stronger at 83, unveils autobiography

ll roads lead to Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, come Sunday, January 27, 2013, as Chris Ajilo, Nigeria’s legendary musicologist, launches his autobiography. Ajilo is one of Nigeria’s foremost living legends of Highlife, Dance music and Jazz, having over the years contributed immensely to the steady growth, development and consequent professionalism in the nation’s entertainment industry. An icon of sort, Chris Ajilo actually opened the eyes of most upcoming artistes in the country to what it takes to make it big in the music industry. To an avid follower of trends in the Nigerian contemporary music scene, Chris Ajilo will undoubtedly ring a bell. What of his ageless popular tracks notably, Eko o Gba Gbere which was more or less an anthem among Lagosians in the fifties. And such other evergreen tunes including, Oju Rere at’Emi Mimo; Iku Eko; O ti lo waju; Oh Christiana; Ladies Beware; Sussy; Only You; Anna’s Trick; Orilonise; Irin Ajo; Gbo Temi Sisi and Ariwo among others. At 83, even though Chris Ajilo may have retired his band, the Cubanos, and now fully engaged in the professional training and management consultancy aspects of the industry, needless repeating the obvious that he remains a force to reckon with as a Nigerian p i o n e e r musicologist of the highlife genre. He still comes to Lagos occasionally from Ijebu-Jesa, his home town, where he is p r e s e n t l y domiciled, to perform at high brow concerts and allied events, just for the pleasure of it.

When O’jez thrilled Lagosians

t was a rain of gifts and music as celebrity restaurant, O’jez inside National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, held its Yuletide concert and reward party for loyal clientele recently. Held at the open air bar, the show which lasted for hours was anchored by Nollywood star, Charles Inojie. The main attraction was the kids dancing contest which revealed future dancing sensations. It got to a point when it was so difficult to pick the last three contestants. Numbering about 12, the kids encouraged by their parents to vie for the mouth watering gifts of a mini size fridge and micro wave as well as cash prizes, thrilled the large crowd with artistic dance steps that gave all the adults a pleasant surprise. When eventually the three winners emerged, no one was in doubt about their status. Fast rising stand-up comedians, Elenu, MC Shakara and Acapela took turns to evoke laughter from the enthusiastic crowd.

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

I'm enjoying good health right now—Bright

As a health consultant, to what will you attribute your good looks? As a healthcare practitioner, people tend to look up to you, thinking that you have every answer when it comes to health. They don’t know that healthcare practitioners have health challenges too. The truth is that the healthcare practitioners are the worst patients when they have health challenges. So, I don’t really see a healthcare practitioner different from any other person in terms of health. But by the grace of God, I am enjoying good health, although I’ve had my own fair share of health challenges. I used to drink lots of coffee. I used to drink

Healthy Tips

twenty cups of coffee in a day which was excessive. I didn’t bother that I was endangering my life. In fact, I take a cup of coffee to relax after the day’s work. But I ended up having health challenges that made me change my diet. I have changed my diet now. I take fruits, vegetables and water everyday. I practise whatever I preach unlike what was obtainable in the past. Once you know you have a challenge, the next step is to make amendments. I am more health conscious now than I was 10 years ago and it has helped me a lot. I would advise people to take lots of fruits, vegetables and water. Anyone above age 40 should take white meat instead of red one. Some people are of the opinion that red wine is good for the heart? Red wine is good for

rs Bisi Bright is a clinical Pharmacist and Public Health practitioner. She is also the Chief Executive Officer, LiveWell Initiative, LWI. She is our guest in this edition of Celebrity Tummy Talk as she speaks on the secret of her healthy lifestyle.

Mrs. Bisi Bright the heart because it contains antioxidants which help to mop up free

A glass of red wine, good for the heart

rinking more than a glass of red wine in a day may result to pitching tent with health challenges including bad liver and kidney.

radicals (toxins) that are built up in the body. They destroy body cells especially the major organs. Coffee drinkers build up lots of free radicals without knowing it. Red wine contains lots of anti-axidants. The recommended dose is a glass of red wine on a daily basis and it is good for the

Today's Menu seeds Urad dal Curry leaves

Therefore, it is important to know that a glass of red wine in a day is good for the heart.

Fruit Juice of the Day Sharing love with fruits ne good thing you should not let out this year is your basketful of fruits of all kinds. Fruits are an important part of a healthy diet. They are naturally low in calories, fat, sodium, and cholesterol. Fruits play an important role in keeping the body healthy and have many benefits including: Fruits lower risk of illness and disease. Fruits contain many vitamins and nutrients that may reduce risk for many illnesses including stroke, heart

I have changed my diet now; I take fruits, vegetables and water everyday; I practise whatever I preach unlike what was obtainable in the past

heart. Those who drink six bottles of red wine in a day should know that it is not good for the liver and kidney, so it must be in moderation. What were those foods you indulged in more as a child? I had a very happy childhood. My father was the first Mining Engineer and my mother was a teacher. My parents were particular on how we were brought up. My mother knew how to bake and so, she could cook lots of foods for us and she makes sure we were well fed. I was a well nourished child. I grew up eating the right things but I picked up my chocolates habit as a child. When I became an adult, I was already taking coffee. My father was addicted to coffee. Lots of people take chocolates but they end up in hospital because there is always a payback time. As an adult, I became a dental patient because of chocolates. My candid advice for people is to give their children chocolates in moderation. They should teach their children to chew carrots, cucumbers instead of chocolates. I thank God that I am enjoying good health now.

disease and other heart-related illnesses , Type 2 diabetes ,certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colonrectum cancer, Kidney stones and bone loss. Fruits hydrate the body. Fruits are made up of 9095 percent water. Water is an important nutrient. It is responsible for transporting nutrients around the body, regulating body temperature, keeping joints moist, and getting rid of waste products in the body. Fruits keep the body regular. Fruits are rich in fiber, which is essential for the smooth movement of food in the body’s digestive system. Fruits help maintain easy bowel action and eating fruits every day will prevent constipation. Fruits give the body energy. All fruits contain carbohydrates, which are the body’s main source of energy. Carbohydrates in fruits are mainly sugar, which

break down easily and make a quick source of energy.

Preparations

Irresistable Potato Onion curry

otato Onion curry is an African delicacy deliciously prepared in many homes. It has lots of nutrients that are irresistible. You can make it your menu this weekend and I’m sure you will enjoy it.

Boil potatoes and mash slightly;chop o n i o n s . Heat oil in a pan; add mustard seeds; when it crackles add urad dal. When the dal becomes brown, add onions and fry till golden brown. Add salt,turmeric p o w d e r, c h i l l i powder and the p o t a t o . Fry till crisp and garnish with curry leaves.

Recipes

Potato onions Salt Turmeric powder Chilli powder Oil Mustard C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2012—25

Britney Spears quits ‘X factor’?

BY IYABO AINA

Beyonce,Clarkson to sing at Obama’s inauguration

’n’B-pop diva Beyonce Knowles, with “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson and Grammy Awardwinning artist James Taylor are one of the artists tapped by re-elected U.S. president Barack Obama to perform the country’s most patriotic songs during his upcoming inauguration ceremony on January 21. It was gathered that Beyonce is chosen to deliver the U.S. national anthem “The Star Spangled Banner”, Kelly is selected to sing “My Country ‘This of Thee” and James is invited again to perform “America the Beautiful”. President Obama has always been supported by some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. Both Beyonce and James are known to be longtime supporters of Obama. While Beyonce first sang for the president four years ago during his first term, singing the Etta James classic “At Last” as the president danced with First Lady Michelle Obama during the inaugural ball. Also James has performed in the White House and at the National Democratic Convention last year. Kelly, who is currently a supporter of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, claimed to have previously voted for Obama back in 2008. As she tweeted

that she’s “excited and honored” to have been included in the roster of performers. “Vice President Biden and I are honored to have these wonderfully talented musical artists perform at the Inaugural ceremony,” Mr. Obama says in a statement following the announcement of performers invited to the inauguration ceremony. “Their music is often at the heart of the American story and speaks to folks across the country.”

op star Britney Spears has reportedly quit her role as a mentor on ‘The X Factor ’ US as she wants to concentrate on her own music career. The ‘Hold It Against Me’ hit maker, who acted as a judge on the second series of the Fox reality TV show alongside Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato and LA Reid, has decided not to return to the next season of the singing contest, reported TMZ. “Britney loves Simon, she likes Demi Lovato but her thing is music,” a source said. Spears, 31, who was on a one-year USD 15 million contract, is currently in the studio working on her eighth studio album and after she completes the LP. The mother-of-two is also considering going on tour again.

Carey increased security in feud with fellow “Idol” judge Minaj

op diva Mariah Carey said she hired increased security following what she described as threats reportedly made against her by fellow ‘American Idol’ judge Nicki Minaj . Carey, 42, who is one of three new judges to join the “American Idol” panel for the hit talent show’s new season on January 16, told Barbara Walters in an interview on Monday said , “it felt like an unsafe work environment.” “Anytime anybody’s reeling threats at somebody, you know, it’s not appropriate” . “I’m a professional. I’m not used to that type of environment,” she said, adding that she has hired extra security. The diva was alluding to widely reported tension between her and Minaj, who were seen arguing with one another in a video from the show’s audition phase. Walters has

reported that, according to Carey, others on the “Idol” set heard Minaj go further and say, off-camera, “If I had a gun, I would shoot that bitch.” Minaj, a Trinidadian born singer and songwriter, previously denied making any remarks about firearms, but Carey told Walters that beefing up her security “ was the appropriate thing to do.” “Sitting there on the road with two babies, I’m not going to take any chances,” she said, referring to her 20month old twins with husband Nick Cannon. But in a sign of media savvy, she noted that “for all the drama, I hope it helps the show.”

Madonna mansion sells for $22.5 million

adonna recently puts another one of her homes on the market this week, her 9-bedroom, 15bath Beverly Hills mansion, for $22.5 million. The Material Girl bought the home in 2003 , two living rooms, a two-story dining room and a junior dining room , two guest houses, and a 500-foot gated treelined driveway, all on 1.25 acres. As for activities at the

17,000-square-foot pad, the new owner can look forward to matches on the tennis court, movies in the screening room, workouts in the private gym, and swims in the “resort-size” pool. No word on whether the “Like a Virgin” songstress will be purchasing another L.A. home. Madonna, who spends much of her time in London, put her 6,000-square-foot apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on the market in November for

nearly the same price as she’s listed her Beverly Hills mansion, $23.5 million. But the mom of four has no plans to vacate New York, apparently. A few years back she purchased an even bigger Manhattan pad across town on the Upper East Side, this one a 12,000square-foot, 13-bedroom, 14-bathroom triple wide townhouse with nine fireplaces, for which she paid a reported $40 million.

26—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

Bisi Komolafe’s

property tears husband, family apart BY EBUN SESSOU

week after the remains of Nollywood actress, Bisi Komolafe was laid to rest amid tears in Ibadan, Oyo State, her husband, Tunde Ijadola and members of her family are already at war path over the deceased’s property. This development was made public during the week when Tunde cried out, saying “I don’t think it is a proper thing for family members to be fighting me for Bisi’s property less than 24hours after her death when we should be mourning her.” Ijadola reacted to the accusations levelled against him by his in-laws that he was not ready to release any of the deceased’s property to them. According to him, “You will recall that after Bisi Komolafe’s burial, her family not only claimed that I was responsible for her death, but also ordered me to vacate her apartment and return her vehicle to them. Complying with the instruction, Tunde stated that “I am sending the Honda Pilot

back to them, sad enough, Bisi’s parents do not have issues with me but her extended family members. Please note I have given them time and place to pick the car.” “On the accusation that he went back to pack Bisi’s properties, he said, “I came back to Nigeria on October 24, 2012. Bisi and I left the Ikorodu flat on October 26, 2012 and until now, I have never stepped into the Ikorodu apartment which I rented for her. I’m shocked by what I am hearing. Bisi was living in Ajao Estate before I rented the Ikorodu apartment for her.” The husband also cleared the air on the accusation that he was hiding Bisi from people. He said “I had to change Bisi’s numbers because she needed rest, when she was ill people kept calling her for work. It is sad that Bisi died the way she did. One of the main issues between me and her family was the fact that when Bisi’s sickness dragged on, I went spiritual to save her. We were told that her problems were spiritual but her family wouldn’t allow us to take her for spiritual care.”

Ramsey Nouah returns to Nollywood Fans of Nollywood actor, Ramsey Nouah are bound to breathe a sigh of relief as their idol returns after several months of staying off the screen. The 39-year old actor was recently spotted while on set alongside Ali Nuhu and O.C Ukeje in a new movie titled “Confusion Na Wa.” The movie, directed by Kenneth Gyang, is a social comedy that spans a period of 24-hours. According to our source, the movie is produced by Tom Rowlands and funded by the Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) in C M Y K

Bisi Komolafe and Husband

Police man nabbed for Nkiru’s kidnap BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

he alleged leader of the daredevil kidnap gang that abducted Nollywood actress, who doubles as Governor Rocha Okorocha’s political appointee, Miss Nkiry Sylvanus, has been apprehended by a crack team of State Security Service operatives and soldiers. An impeccable source in Government House, Owerri and close aide of Governor Rochas Okorocha, who does not want his name in print, confirmed the development to Vanguard. According to the Governor’s aide, “the suspect, who was identified as Matthew Ofurum, is a native of Assa community in Ohaji/Egbema local government area of the state”. He further disclosed that the suspect is a serving member of Mobile Police Force, Base 19, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, HVP equally gathered that about N3.5 million, suspected to be part of the N8 million ransom paid by the kidnapped lady’s immediate family, was recovered from Ofurum. Although Okorocha’s aide resisted the temptation of giving graphic details of the security operation, he however said that “the suspect was shot, wounded and demobilized before being arrested”.

•Nkiry Sylvanus

Dickson Iroegbu in police net!

ontroversial film director, Dickso C gay-themed movie, “ Law 58” n Iroegbu whose caused a stir last year, was arrested

Ramsey Netherlands and the Durban FilmMart in South Africa. Already, squealers say the film has been submitted for the 2013 African Movie Academy Awards, and is expected to be released soon in the country.

•Dickson

during the licemen from the Aguda Policeweek by a team of polegedly issuing two separate dudstation, Lagos, for alcheques to the Preside nt of the Ass oci ati on Producers(ANCOP), Comradeof No lly wo od Co re Dickson, we learnt, have been Alex Eyengho. Eyengho in the sum of N400, indebted to Comrade 000,00 since January, 2012. According to Eyegho, “Dickson and seek game with me for ovehas been playing hide loaned him this money to clea r a year now since I not want to take the law into r his house rent. I do decision to report the matter my hands hence, my to the police for their intervention.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013—27

Laide Bakare’s evening of music and drama A

ll is now set for the world premiere of Laide Bakare’s big-budget movie, “Jejere.” The blockbuster movie “Jejere”(meaning Tumour), starring 9ice, Emeka Ike, Fathia Balogun, Toyin Adegbola, Segun Ogungbe, Akin Lewis , Laide Bakare among other superstars has been described as the ‘first African Super Hero’ movie. It’s expected to be premièred at the event tagged, ‘’An Evening With Laide Bakare” which will be chaired by Her Excellency, The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope Adefulire. The three in one event will also witnessed the unveiling of actress, Record Label “Simline Records” as well as its artiste, T Code. The event, holding tomorrow, at the prestigious Orchid Hotels and

•Faces at the night of tributes Laide Bakare

Conference Centre, Lekki, will be rounded off with a concert to be headlined by the King of Fuji music, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, proverbial lyricist, 9ice, JJC, Chuddy K and Simline Records artiste, T Code. Put together by Simline International Limited, a company owned by the delectable actress. The event according our sources, will be hosted by the duo of Yaw and Funke Akindele (Jenifa).

Gideon Okeke hosts the Money drop Nigeria

•Gideon

elevision personality, Gideon Okeke who first hit the screen after participating in the Big Brother Nigeria as well as starring in M-net produced, Tinsel is taking on a central role as the host of the hot new game show, the Money Drop Nigeria. DStv audience will be able to watch the series when it

launches exclusively on AfricaMagic Entertainment tomorrow at 20:00 CAT. Simple but riveting, each episode of The Money Drop Nigeria sees a pair of contestants get USD 100 000 in cash. Then, the game begins… And what a game it is! Before each quiz question, contestants are given a choice of two categories. Once they choose a category, they are asked a question from it and are given a choice of possible answers. Contestants must then place the money on the answer they think is correct. Or they can split the money and place different amounts on different answers. The one rule - they must use all USD 100 000!

'I don’t date married men' BY ANOZIE EGOLE "Why am I suddenly all over the internet as someone that dates married men and encourages dating older men?" This is the mindbugging question put accross by actress,Amaka Anioji to her critics while reacting to the comments that trailed our last week interview with her. The actress maintained that she was misquoted adding," I said some married men have very juicy and enticing offers to young girls which is quite tempting but we, girls should consider families that can be broken if we must get into it." "And as for me, I wouldn’t do it because I can earn my living. I don’t need a married

man to support me financially. I think this w h o l e painting me as the devil is enough." "I am not t h e person that is being painted a l l Amaka Anioji over the internet. I have not been around for nine years. I spent only one month in the industry in 2004, and disappeared thereafter. I returned two years after and spent about two and half months.

Nollywood bids farewell to Enebeli Enebuwa BY ANOZIE EGOLE & LAJU ARENYEKA

yes popped on the streets of Lagos as Segun Arinze coordinated the traffic. Onlookers waved at Charles Okafor. Cars stopped, not for traffic lights but to gaze at Joseph Benjamin. Celebrities walked the streets, because Enebeli Elebuwa now walks in the land of the dead. A bitter-sweet-celebration formed the candle light procession organised in honour of the departed veteran actor by the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). The procession commenced from Masha bus stop, in Surulere and terminated at the National Stadium complex amid grief. The parade included the high and mighty in the movie industry. They included the incumbent president of AGN, Miss Ibinabo Fiberesima, Segun Arinze, Joseph Benjamin, Monalisa Chinda, Rita Dominic, Uche Jombo, Okey Bakassi and Charles Inojie. Others were Yul Edochie, Halima Abubakar, Yaw, Richard Mofe-Damijo who represented Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Zack Orji, Stephanie Okereke, Julius Agwu among other celebrities. The event was anchored by Okey Bakassi. Despite the mood of the gathering, there seemed to be an

underlying excitement in the air, as onlookers watched with keen interest. At the stadium, the celebrities took turns to pay their last respect to their senior colleague. AGN President, Ibinabo, sang songs of praises to God, just as the deceased’s family made a brief remark about the departed actor. What many would consider as the highpoint of the evening was Stephanie Okereke’s farewell address to Enebeli. Invited by the compere, emotion-laden Steph, representing the big girls in Nollywood knelt down with tears rolling down her cheeks, as she cried out, “Lord, we would not bury anyone again this year, we declare every sick person healed today in Jesus name. ” Soon, it was the turn of ace-comedian, Julius Agwu, who sang soul-rendering songs that moved everyone in the gathering as he reeled out the names of all the departed Nollywood actors, including Enebeli. In her speech, AGN president advised Nollywood practitioners to be more conscious of their health, explaining the need for them to embrace the health programme of the guild by simply registering with the sum of N1,000. It was a night of celebration of the life and times of Enebeli Elebuwa who died last December, in India. C M Y K

28 —Vanguard, SARTURDAY, JANUARY 12, 2013

OU said there are two sides of you- Iyanya and Desire. Can you throw more light on this? My name is Iyanya and it means Desire. It’s as simple as that. When I started singing, I decided to use Desire instead of Iyanya. Why? Because I was so much into R n B that I needed an English name to fit into my performances. So, that was how I started off in Calabar some years ago. When I got to Project Fame season 4, they rejected the name, Desire and preferred my local name. That was how I used Iyanya. And at the end of the show, I won the star prize. After winning Project Fame, I did R n B for some years but it didn’t fly. So, I decided to put aside the R n B genre, Desire and tried to exlpore the other side of me, which is Kukere. After Kukere, I discovered that people accepted me as Iyanya. So, my new album which will drop soon is a mixture of Iyanya and a couple of love songs. How can you describe the transition from Desire to Iyanya? Desire was just an R n B guy with a great voice who took time to write music and talk about his feelings. But it happened that a few people appreciated Desire. Desire never made so much money. He was always begging for shows, hustles for everything

Yvonne Nelson is a darling — Iyanya I

yanya broke into the music scene in 2008, after winning Project fame West Africa talent hunt show. But his big break came in late 2012 with the release of his Kukere song. In this interview, he speaks on sundry issues including his journey into music, his relationship with women and the recent arrest of his manager. but Iyanya is global. Iyanya is accepted by all. Is there anything about you, people don’t know? People don’t know that I’m very slow to anger. I look like a pompous guy right? People don’t know that I play a lot and I don’t pretend. But I can’t just see a stranger and run to him. You have to come to me first because you can’t judge a book by its cover. Why don’t they come to me first to say hi! and see if I won’t respond. People don’t know that I’m friendly, they just say I’m a snob. For example, some people may walk into this room and stare at me for like an hour without saying a word. Most times I’m the one that first say hello! to them. come with swags and say “hey, ut that’s the way how are you”, just because Nigerian fans are. They they want you to feel like a aren’t like those you meet nobody. I’m a human being abroad who would flock and I have my pride too. So, if around you you want to talk to me, you talk But there are some who to me with respect. Treat me when they come to you, they the way you want me to treat you and I’ll treat you with respect in return.

You started from Calabar before moving to Lagos. What was it like in Calabar? Calabar is a small beautiful place. But musically, we are just trying to come up- it’s not like Lagos. It’s more of a civil servant place where people work and they are okay. It’s just a few of us who’ve decided to take it to the next level. So, it wasn’t easy for me. We have people that started with me back then. They all released albums in Calabar but I refused to be a local champion. That was so because I knew my talent wasn’t for Calabar alone. I knew the world has to know me and I always prayed to God for me to get a face and a name. I know how it feels for those artistes that have talents and good songs yet, they pay D.Js to play their songs and it’s not even working. In Nigeria, all you need first is a name and a face, and Project C M Y K

•Iyanya

By OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

Women like attention and they don’t like men without money. I’m young and this is the time I have to build tomorrow. I’ve tried few relationships but realized that my job comes in between us

Fame gave me that platform. Now, everybody knows there’s one Iyanya guy somewhere who has something to offer. It’s different from when people just knew me with my talent because I didn’t have a name and face.

o how many years did you stay in Calabar before coming down to Lagos? I was born there. And how old do you think I am? Maybe, around 30. I’m not that old. Let’s say I’ve been in Lagos for four years and I’m 26 years old. Lagos isn’t an easy place for up and coming artistes, especially for people like you who don’t know anyone here

but just came in to hustle People thought I became a big boy after winning Project Fame. That’s a big lie. My hustling started after I won Project Fame. It made me realize I had to work harder because when I left the Academy, it wasn’t with the like of T.Y, Mix. It was me and my mentors and people I’d always respected. So, I had a duty to work harder. See how long it took me to get here? Project Fame was held in 2008, and we are in 2013. After Project Fame, fans expected a lot from you. Why didn’t you come up with something quick? I was caught up in the fact that I won a reality show and people expected me to sing

Vanguard, SARTURDAY, JANUARY 12, 2013 — 29

I was caught up in the fact that I won a reality show and people expected me to sing love songs, which I did but it didn’t take me anywhere

show. I was pissed off. Was it because you saw yourself coming from the R n B world? I was threatened because I had five thousand followers who were Desire’s fans. They loved R n B and they kept telling me to stick to it. But I stuck to R n B and still couldn’t afford good shoes. I begged organizers to start their shows even though I brought my own group and paid them, but they won’t even let me perform because they felt I couldn’t move the crowd.

love songs, which I did but it didn’t take me anywhere. So how did you feel all those times? I felt depressed. All those shows I now freely get, I used to beg for them. Today, I’m headlining the shows of same big shots I used to beg then. So, it’s those shows that God provided for me coupled with my hard work which made it possible for me to get to where I am today.

I thank God for some Djs who believed in me. And also some radio presenters- they made it happen. There was this rumour that you sold your car to shoot the video

Kukere brought you fame and wealth? I didn’t know Kukere would be this big.

Yes, I did. So how many cars have you bought as replacement? I have three cars now within a space of one year.

Why? Because it was the first song that paved way for my transition. You see, after Kukere, I released Your Waist and then Flavour.

Did you really date Yvonne Nelson? Yvonne is a darling. She’s a sweet girl as well as Tonto. They are my buddies.

s it true that it took you about three months to get Kukere out of the studio? Yes, because I didn’t believe in it. My manager had to trick me that we had a show where they wanted to pay us N500 000. So, when I got there, he told me to complete Kukere before we could go for the show. After I completed the song, he told me there was no C M Y K

Now that you are a star, what is it you could do that you can no longer do? I’ve gone through a lot of things. Back then, in my estate, I used to stroll out,to buy corn and peer because I didn’t have a driver, I drove myself. Today, all those things have changed. It’s not as if I don’t eat corn again. But this time around, I send someone to buy it for me. What did it take you to promote Kukere?

What about Yvonne’s tweets on Twitter? I’m sure you noticed those tweets weren’t addressed to me. But it’s not a must to have your name there But that’s the only way to prove she was talking about me.

What’s your relationship with The Tunes? We are like brothers. We have a connecting synergy which makes us come out with great sounds. He’s the guy that God sent with the real sound for me. Some pictures went viral on network that you are also dating a certain girl whom you took those pictures with The lady captured in those pictures is the only girl under my label. Very soon, they are going to say I’m dating, Tina Tuner.

as your Manager truy arrested? I wouldn’t call that an arrest because we didn’t spend up to an hour at the police station. What happened was that Opah Williams called my manager to book me for Night Of A Thousand Laughs show in Benin. We charged him N1.7 million but he paid N1.5. He was yet to pay the balance when he called to say the money he paid was for two shows, another at Port-Harcourt instead of just one show. But we wanted to just do the shows like that out of respect for him, only to be stuck in the traffic on our way there. We were in the traffic when we got a call that the show had ended when our agreement was that we would round up the show. So before we knew it, Opah showed up with police men who didn’t come straight l

from their station but were attached to another important personality. They took us to the station at Mile 3 Police Division,in the Garden city, and asked if we had the refund. It was immediately that my manager issued a cheque to them. We went to the bank where we cashed the money for them. We weren’t detained for anything because we gave back them their money. In fact, we even apologized to Opah when we realised we couldn’t make the show. Since you are now one of the hottest guys around, how do you cope with ladies? I try to keep it on the low, maintain a good relationship with them.

FACEBOOKPAGE

Uche Jombo

Happy bday 2 my hubby Kenney ...I thank God u r not growing ‘taller’ but wiser hehehe..short pple prayer.....hugs &kisses.

You do have a girl friend, don’t you? No, I don’t. Why? Because I don’t have time. Women like attention and they don’t like men without money. I’m young and this is the time I have to build tomorrow. I’ve tried few relationships but realized that my job comes in between us. So, once I’m not there to attend to her, she can get aggressive and I’m a creative person- I don’t need aggression so that I can be focused. I respect every lady that feels something for me but my job comes first.

9ice

“OBA WON” OGUN TIO JE EWE E LO KU KAN ...... your messages, comments, tweets, prayers and the love you have for me and my entire alapomeji crew..... i will like to use this medium to say God bless and grant us all our heart desires

Eucharia Anunobi I am an instrument in God’s hands and I’ll capture souls for the His kingdom here in America! That’s what my calling as an Evangelist of the kingdom of God is for and I must fulfill that purpose.

Ice Prince

So much thanks to God almighty and my ever-loving fans. 2012 was very successful for me. From one tour to another, concerts, shows, song releases, video releases, killer features, awards and nominations. There’s so much more for my fans this 2013. Keep an eye on me.

30 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 2013

Picking the best player in Europe’s five biggest leagues I

dentifying the best player in each of Europe’s five major leagues is no easy task. Some pick themselves, but others are harder to judge. There are a number of players who have been overlooked, not because they are not good enough, but simply because others are either in better form right now or are more representative of the league’s

strengths in general. Without a doubt though, the list is a collection of stellar talent from within Europe’s elite domestic competitions, and their contributions stretch into the international domain as well. Here are five best players from Europe’s top five leagues currently

Germany

Spain Lionel Messi: 91 goals in 2012

Marco Reus:

e was one of Germany’s brightest young stars .Few players represent all that is good about a domestic league the way that Germany’s Marco Reus does in the Bundesliga. Awash with an embarrassment of vibrant, young talent, Germany’s top flight is an exciting place to be watching football right now. From the likes of Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos to Reus’ Dortmund teammate Mario Gotze, there appears to be talent in every current team. It was not always this way, though. Prior to the 2006 World Cup on German soil, the Bundesliga was struggling to produce domestic talent on the level that we are now seeing, and Bayern were sweeping all before them to a large extent.

England

Robin van Persie

an Persie has been in sensational form for United this season . The English Premier League is recognized as a physical competition where pace and strength regularly overcome tactical nous. No player better demonstrates the edge that speed gives players and teams over their opponents in England than Manchester United’s Robin van Persie. For years RVP almost singlehandedly kept Arsenal in the chase for league and domestic cup honours. Since the departure of Thierry Henry,van Persie’s leading influence in his early days with the Gunners, the Dutchman took on a new level of responsibility, eventually resulting in being handed the captaincy.

F m

t would be a crime to suggest that somebody other than Barcelona’s

four-time Ballon d’Or winning, record goal-scoring, Argentine sensation Lionel Messi could be considered for this position. It's still amazing to think that he has achieved so much despite only being 25 years old, but Messi is a phenomenon.

Italy

Andrea Pirlo

ROM the cradle to the grave, or so it would appear. At least that’s what many thought about Andrea Pirlo when he left AC Milan for Serie A rivals Juventus in 2011. However, instead of proving to be dead and buried or over the hill, Pirlo has actually done more to rejuvenate Italian football than most of late. The 33-year-old reminded everyone of his timeless brilliance and stylish creativity from deep by inspiring Italy to the final of the European Championships last summer.

France

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

BRAHIMOVIC is France’s undoubted top-billed star .French football’s landscape was transformed by the takeover of Paris Saint-Germain in summer 2011. Since then, Ligue 1 has been less about producing its own talent and championing it on the European stage, and more about bringing in stars, nurturing them and combining them with some elements of homegrown talent.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 2013 — 31

TENNIS

Federer: Why Rafael Nadal’s absence makes Fed Express man to beat

Off The Pitch

he Wesley Sneijder transfer saga could be coming to a close, with Inter Milan reportedly accepting an offer for their Dutch playmaker. So, which team lodged the bid? That story leads this edition of Off The Pitch. Inside, we also have gossip about Cristiano Ronaldo, Theo Walcott, Yann M’Vila and more.

Inter Milan accept bid from Galatasaray for Wesley Sneijder

nter Milan have accepted a bid from Galatasaray f o r midfield playmaker Wesley Sneijder . Gala, the defending Turkish champions, will reportedly pay Inter 10 million for Sneijder and match his salary demands. Inter president Massimo Moratti said: “Galatasaray’s offer satisfies us. Now it depends on the player.”

Cristiano Ronaldo on PSG rumours: Anything is possible

ristiano Ronaldo has left open the possibility of leaving Real Madrid in the summer for Paris SaintGermain. Ronaldo hit a hat-trick as Real crushed Celta Vigo 4-0 in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. After the match, he fielded questions from reporters about a possible move to PSG. He said: “I am not going to talk now about other clubs. I have a contract and I'm fine here, but in the world of football anything is possible.” Earlier this week, PSG director of football Leonardo de Araujo expressed similar sentiments, saying “anything is possible” for the Qatari-backed club .

Cristiano Ronaldo:

Madrid winger will unseat Lionel Messi for 2013 Ballon d’Or

OGER Federer heads into the Australian Open with a clear mind and a little less competition. Roger Federer is only three years removed from winning the 2010 Australian Open, yet the No. 2 tennis player in the world isn’t getting any respect as this year’s Australian Open is set to begin. The four-time Aussie Open winner is 31-years old, and it’s no secret he is no longer on the upside of his illustrious career in which he’s already won 76 tournaments. Having said that, Federer realizes the importance of this year’s Australian Open and it just got a little easier for him knowing his arch-rival, Rafael Nadal won’t be playing in it. The Federer-Nadal rivalry is one of the greatest rivalries in professional sports as the two men have combined to win 28 of the 37 Grand Slam titles from 2003-12.

GOLF NEWS

PGA: Will Jim Furyk get back on track in 2013? • Jim Furyk

im Furyk is one of the most inspirational golfers on the tour. Especially where high handicappers are concerned. Furyk’s unconventional swing resonates with fans all over the country. Furyk, of course, does not have the classic swing of Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson or Tiger Woods.

That gives golf fans some inspiration. Furyk has been one of the top pros for many years even though he doesn’t have a picture-perfect swing. But Furyk has to do a lot more than inspire amateurs: He has to get his game back on track.

2013 will be the year that Cristiano Ronaldo wrests the Ballon d’Or from Lionel Messi.With his fourth Ballon d’Or, Messi has ascended to the heights of Diego Maradona and Pele, possibly passing them in the process.Ronaldo is the last player other than Messi to win the major awards declaring the best player in the world. In 2008, Ronaldo took home both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year honors.This year was probably the closest that Ronaldo has gotten to reaching Messi’s level. Had the Argentinian not scored 86 goals, perhaps Ronaldo could have eclipsed him.Generally, a player must have his team win at least a major trophy to garner some attention. La Liga seems out of reach for Ronaldo and Real Madrid, but that might not necessarily affect his push for the 2013 Ballon d’Or.

32—SATURDAY, Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

Going on a date? G

oing on a night date with your man doesn’t have to do with what you wear and your make up alone. Your hair has to be perfect too. Find out which hairstyle soothes your kind of person: Now, what we’ll do is run you through some kind of test to let you know which type of hairstyle soothes your date night. And if the questions and answer fits your kind of person then, take our hair recommendation for you. Which state-

Damilola Adegbite

C M Y K

ment best describes your overall style: Do you follow trends, but like to stay closer to the classics with an updated twist? What does your ideal date night venue entails: Are you the type that loves going to a cozy cute restaurant, then maybe grabbing an afterdinner drink at a local bar soothe you? How much time do you spend on your hair when you want to look really gorgeous? As long as it takes, even if that means over 30 minutes. Hey, it’s a lot of work to get that sexy volume going on. Do you touch your

hair a lot when you’re flirting with your guy? I may gently tousle it to get his attention, but I try not to touch it too much. Which celebrity do you think has the best hair?

I don’t really like the Rihanna kind of short hair. I like long and wavy human hair. Soothes me well, like that of Damilola Adegbite .

Guess what?

YOU’RE A FIERCE SEDUCTRESS!

A-VA-VOOM hair is what you need! Tons of body all over and long bangs or a few layers will give you lots to play with while you’re chatting him up. The secret to making a high-volume hairstyle look guy-friendly? Keep it soft and touchable. There’s nothing worse than running your hands through a bunch of sticky locks.

Eva Alordia

SATURDAY Vanguard JANUARY 12, 2013 — 33

omatoes

Carrots

•Sweet potatoes

EVEN if only for its antioxidant properties, consumption of tomatoes help to fight free radicals, lowering the risk of disease, improving and keeping us younger for longer! Beware though: as the tomato is redder,the quantity of betacarotene is higher, so choose the ones ripened as possible. Tomatoes do not help stop smoking, but can reduce the harmful effects of smoking on your body, the content of chlorogenic acid and coumaric, which helps to fight against some of the carcinogens in tobacco smoke. The high content of potassium and vitamin B, regular consumption of tomatoes helps lower blood pressure and decrease cholesterol levels, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Get a life with tomatoes, carrots and potatoes!

omatoes are high in lycopene. But there is a counter intuitive aspect with tomatoes. Cooked tomatoes are •Tomatoes higher in lycopene than raw tomatoes. This includes tomato sauce and even tomato ketchup! So do not refuse a few tomato soup or tomato dishes in the oven. This is simply because the lycopene becomes more bio-available through cooking or crushing, which is done to create tomato paste or crushed tomatoes for creating sauces. When crushed tomatoes are mixed with a fat, such as olive oil, the bio-availability is increased further. Lycopene present in large amounts in tomatoes protects cellular DNA and neutralize the effects of free radicals, decreasing the risk of cancer, especially of the prostate, stomach and colon. Besides the considerable amount of calcium and magnesium, tomatoes also contain a dose of vitamin K, all of which are essential for a strong and healthy bones and prevent osteoporosis. Lycopene is also considered a deterrent to prostate cancer. So enjoy your pizzas and Italian dishes guys. Just make sure you use organic tomato ketchup with whatever you put ketchup on. Hopefully on meats from humanly treated grass fed livestock and organic spuds.

Carrots Carrots contain lots of beta-carotene and alphacarotene. The World’s Healthiest Foods site refers to an earlier 10-year Netherlands study on how diet influences cardiovascular disease (CVD). That study concluded that yellow and orange foods, carrots, protected against CVD. This time raw carrots are probably offer more bioavailable carotene. Carrots are hardy, and can maintain their freshness longer than many vegetables. Sliced, diced, and used on salads is one way to enjoy them.

hen there is juicing. The Gerson therapy uses lots of fresh carrots mixed with other veggies and apples in their intense high juicing protocol. That fact alone should be enough to motivate juicing carrots with other vegetables. Cheap and cheerful, carrots are one of the easiest vegetables to grow and also very well-loved given their flavour and texture. They’re most famous for being rich in vitamin A but are also a source of

folate, vitamin C, B6, and K, as well as potassium, thiamine, fiber, and biotin; combined, these nutrients provide the human body with a host of benefits, including improve and maintain vision, helps prevent cancer, helps prevent heart disease, and improve dental health. Regularly eating carrots can help to detoxify the blood, keeping skin clear and fresh, while the antioxidants found in carrots can help to prevent cell damage done by free radicals, slowing the effect aging has on one’s appearance. Carrots are one of the most popular vegetables to juice because of their sweet taste and relatively cheap price in the store.

Sweet potatoes These are among the most ignored foods that are highly nutritious. Just like carrots, organic sweet potatoes are relatively inexpensive. But unlike carrots, raw consumption is not practical. There is confusion between what a sweet potato is and what a yam is. The only difference is the color of the vegetable’s “meat.” Yams are always vividly orange under their skin, while sweet potatoes can be white, off-white, yellow, and even purple.

he skin is not a vital source of nutrients with this highly beta-carotene endowed potato. It’s a good idea to skin them then slice them up into medallions. Then either boil or steam them. There should be a fat involved with consuming sweet potatoes or yams to boost betacarotene bio-availability. Try boiling yam then adding a generous amount of organic butter and mashing with a strong squeeze of lemon and a small dash of maple syrup. Extremely yummy and very nutritious! Regardless of these, these nutritional tips shouldn’t be considered gender based, except for the tomato lycopene prostate cancer protection notice inserted by this author. Women will benefit from these foods’ nutrition for heart and cardiovascular health as well.

34 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

“One of the reasons people say they have sex is to feel good about themselves,” she says. “Great sex begins with self-esteem. ... If the sex is loving, connected, and what you want, it raises it.” The health benefits of intimacy extend well beyond the bedroom. The truth is that intimacy is good for you in ways you may never have imagined. When you’re in the mood, it just might help your health. There are ways intimacy do a body good. Let’s count the ways. Here are 10 health benefits of intimacy backed up by science.

Less stress, better blood pressure

Having intimacy could lower your stress, and your blood pressure. That finding comes from a Scottish study of 24 women and 22 men who kept records of their intimacy activity. The researchers put them in stressful situations, such as speaking in public and checked their blood pressure. People who had had intercourse responded better to stress than those who engaged in other sexual behaviours or abstained. Another study published in the same journal found that diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number of your blood pressure) tends to be lower in people who live together and often have intimacy. And yet another study found that women who get lots of hugs from their partner tend to have better blood pressure.

Intimacy boosts immunity

Having intimacy once or twice a week has been linked with higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A or IgA, which can protect you from getting colds and other infections. So say scientists at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. They studied 112 college students who kept records of how often they had intimacy and also provided saliva samples for the study. Those who had intimacy once or twice a week had higher levels of IgA, an antibody that could help you avoid a cold or other infections, than other students.

Burns calories

Thirty minutes of intimacy burns 85 calories or more. It may not sound like much, but it adds up: 42 half-hour sessions will burn 3,570 calories, more than enough to lose a pound. Doubling up, you could drop that pound in 21 hour-long sessions. Intimacy is a great mode of exercise, says Patti Britton, PhD, a Los Angeles sexologist. It takes work, from both a physical and psychological perspective, to do it well, she says.

Improves heart health

Intimacy may be good for your heart. A 20-year-long British study shows that men who had intimacy twice or more a week were half as likely to have a fatal heart attack than men who had it less than once a month. And although some older folks may worry that the intimacy could cause a stroke, that study found no link between how often men had intimacy and how likely they were to have a stroke.

Better self-esteem

Boosting self-esteem was one of 237 reasons people have intimacy, collected by University of Texas researchers and published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour. That finding makes sense to Gina Ogden, PhD, a sex therapist and mar-

Surprising health benefits of intimacy riage and family therapist , although she finds that those who already have selfesteem say they sometimes have intimacy to feel even better. “One of the reasons people say they have intimacy is to feel good about themselves,” she says. “Great intimacy begins with self-esteem.If the intimacy is loving, connected, and what you want, it raises it.” Of course, you don’t have to have lots of intimacy to feel good about yourself. Your self-esteem is all about you , not someone else. But if you’re already feeling good about yourself, a great intimacy may help you feel even better.

Deeper intimacy

Having intimacy boosts levels of the hormone oxytocin, the so-called love hormone, which helps people bond and build trust. In a study of 59 women, researchers checked their oxytocin levels before and after the women hugged their partners. The women had higher oxytocin levels

if they had more of that physical contact with their partner. Higher oxytocin levels have also been linked with a feeling of generosity. So snuggle up it might help you feel more generous toward your partner.

May turn down pain

Here’s another thing the love hormone, oxytocin, does: It boosts your body’s painkillers, called endorphins. So if your headache, arthritis pain seem to improve after intimacy, that may be why. In one study, 48 people inhaled oxytocin vapour and then had their fingers pricked. The oxytocin cut their pain threshold by more than half.

More ejaculations may make prostate cancer less likely

Frequent ejaculations, especially in 20-something men, may lower the risk of getting prostate cancer later in life, some research shows.

XPERT E S E H T K AS d ha ve un de rg on e

For instance, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that men who had 21 or more ejaculations a month, were less likely to get prostate cancer than those who had four to seven ejaculations per month. Of course, that study doesn’t prove that ejaculations were the only factor that mattered. Many things affect a person’s odds of developing cancer. The researchers did take that into consideration, and the findings still held.

Stronger pelvic floor muscles

For women, doing pelvic floor muscle exercises called Kegels may mean enjoying more pleasure and, as a perk, less chance of incontinence later in life. To do a basic Kegel exercise, tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor, as if you’re trying to stop the flow of urine. Count to three, then release.

Better sleep

The oxytocin released during climax also promotes sleep, research shows. Getting enough sleep has also been linked with a host of other health perks, such as a healthy weight and better blood pressure. Something to think about, especially if you’ve been wondering why your guy can be active one minute and snoring the next.

ll help, along and healthy food wi Ans: Daily exercise Th e tim e is . lay s. In cre as e for ep wi th re du cin g str es yo ur do cto r th wi k ec an int er co ur se . Ch n for ma y tor old fac artis -ye sa 28 . I am a is ve ry e for the ex ha uti on ad of my ma nh oo d for an y oth er ca us cir cu mc isi on . Th e he I er, rtn pa my it tou ch es d is 21. I had se ns iti ve . As so on as for thr ee to fou r old and my girlfrien ts ars las ye it 25 , es am I tim es: me Qu eja cu lat e. So nd -a- ha lf mo nt hs excited, I emit preac y wi th he r on e-a en tim wh , in d ion cte dit ad ote pr In strokes. ts t sh e’s pr eg na nt. We my trousers. That ge ek , we lea rn ed tha on e we ibl st La vis is o. g interit ag d an cum take? om did not tear durin re a medicine I can certain that the cond t? an are gn pre t embarrassing. Is the ge for her to al and does occur. se. How is it possible co nur co the , es tim Ans: Pre-cum is natur t ?A ply ? un de rw ea r. Ap g at so me thi ng r tin tte be hin u ar yo we e ma y u n Ar yo t me I su gg es Wipe it ctl y or th e se ad of your manhood. no t be wo rn co rre he y ma the m er do ov . off 2% X en LO whencondom is being tak e intercourse. Also, leak out when the off 15 minutes befor ar a we to t ge for t no acy, do nths pregnant. ever you have intim ars old and three mo ye 35 am I es: Qu . s insisting co nd om . My husband keep This is my first baby aid it will harm the ve sex. But I am afr rried ha ma t we t go o tha wh n ma ar-old what we should do. Ques: I am a 29-ye . Kindly advise us on d my by an ba acy im int er ologist and enaft ould visit a gynaec sh recently. I feel tired u yo at of th Wh . Bo tes worried, help fiv e-1 0 mi nu of quire whether you can . If you are ere cti on las ts on ly ion rat du s. It the Is fe? y my wi be tw ee n yo ur thi gh should I do to satisf Please th an int erc ou rse in? wi by g ba him rin a e du eiv er nc rtn co pa to to sa tis fy yo ur the erection enough my is a co mm on wa y t will help increase tha s ine dic me est gg su pr eg na nc y. se xu al str en gth .

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, JANUARY 12 , 2013 — 35

My first book made it to the White House

am doing something and see a story that needs to be written about and the press is not giving it coverage, I try to write more about it. So to me, everything that happens around me inspires me to do what I do .

— Lawrence Onuzulike

awrence Onuzulike is a writer, musician, actor, humanitarian, and an activist who’s fiercely against discrimination against women. He is a devoted campaigner who champions the cause for better lives for African Kids through his Children Africa Foundation. He was born into a wealthy and influential family of Chief and Mrs. Chukwuma Onuzulike (The Orimili 1 Of Achalla in Awka),Anambra State . Presently, Lawrence popularly known as Lurrenzo is the founder and publisher of both Nollywoodgossip and Nollywood Angels Magazines, also the C E O of Lurrenzinc Concepts LTD In a chat with IYABO AINA, he talks about his journey and his plans both in Nigeria and abroad .

How did you get recognition in the entertainment industry ? I got recognition by doing what I love doing because when you come in to get recognized, that’s when you get it wrong. You have to love what you do. When I started Nollywood Gossip magazine, I didn’t know that it will get this far. So, I do what I like doing. People write sensation- Tonto Dike does this; Don jazzy does that; they use it to sensationalize. I started that magazine for nothing but for people to read facts because readers want hot news. Sometimes, when people read something in other magazines, they come to us and say please, confirm this for us. We became a place where people do come to get more information about celebrities and that way, we made money and we didn’t plan to make money. So when you love what you do, you will surely get there.

Tell us about your profession ? I have a record label called Lurrenzinc music where I produce young stars. I do movies,act and produce. I publish books and magazines and

How do you manage acting , singing, publishing and producing? I think it’s the passion I have for them and I like being creative .Like when my book came out, I was in Europe for two months doing promo and my new magazine was being prepared called Nollywood Angels. All my work was being done while I was away with the help of my staff in Nigeria and abroad. When did your record label start ? It started in 2004 in Sweden because that’s where I started a lot of things. Now, we have some artistes here in Nigeria because what we did before was record songs here in Nigeria and promote them in Europe but now, we promote everything in Nigeria. The record label was in Europe before but now, we are doing bigger things in Nigeria .

writing became a passion such that one of my books ‘Lurrence Onuzulike until now’ made it to the White House where I was given Library of Congress number so the book is in every bookshop around the world .Then, there is my new book ‘Know your Nollywood’. How did your book make it to the White House ? What happened was that I write articles for different magazines in Europe and America. So, there’s this American publishing company and I didn’t know they’ve been following my articles in different magazines. One day, they called me up and said they have something for me. They flew down to Europe while I was in Sweden, they came to see me and said they have collected some articles they love that I have written and they want to put it in a book and the deal was fine. We put it out there and the book was called ‘Until Now’ and it’s been published for over four years .

Inspiration comes from the environment and the things that happen around me apart from God who inspires

Lawrence Onuzulike What can you say about your growing up ? That’s the part I don’t like to talk about because I worked hard to be where I am today. When I talked about my background, people will say no wonder, so I always want to keep it away. So growing up was good . I went to the best schools and my parents think everybody in Igboland know Olimiri Achala in Awka. He’s a big person in real estate . They tried for me, sent me to the best schools. I graduated from Memorial High School in University of California; Komvux Utbildning, Sweden; The Writers Bureau, Manchester, United Kingdom from there I picked up and started doing my own thing. I didn’t want the impression that my father or mother did everything. They sent me to school but I did the rest by myself. So, I want people to know that it’s not only your background that work for you. I worked to be where I am today .

Did you start your talent here in Nigeria or outside ? I was born here, so I started here but I left very early because when I was in Apata Memorial High School in Oshodi-Isolo then, it was one of the biggest high schools in Lagos .Then I had a group of three boys singing gospel rap songs and we performed in schools and churches but then, it wasn’t accepted that much because people were saying, how can you be rapping about God? But now, there are many people that rap about God. In the school, we also performed in the end of the year party and they loved it but above all, I didn’t start here professionally because while still in Nigeria then, I wrote two novels Mother and Loving the Street but they didn’t get published. The albums I released outside, I started writing them here in Nigeria. So it’s just like professionally, it blows off outside Nigeria. How do you get your inspiration? Inspiration comes from the environment and the things that happen around me apart from God who inspires. So like I always say, my kind of writing is called social science and its what I’m known for. I write against the things I don’t like in the society like corruption and war and if

What did you study in school? I studied Computer Science, Intensive English ,Swedish Language and Creative Writing and graduated in 2002. I hope to study more. What about your magazine Nollywood Angels ? Yea, I have two magazines, Nollywood Gossip and Nollywood Angels but Nollywood Angels is the first ever magazine to cater more for upcoming artistes, not only in Nigeria but in Africa and I have seen it in U S and Europe but I’ve not seen it in Africa before . So in the magazine, we talk about creating a credible place where up-coming artistes can come and ask questions and get proper information because it pains that an industry as big as Nollywood which is second largest in the world doesn’t have any structure where up-coming artistes can walk in and say I want to do this, how do I start. Even to buy AGN form is crazy. I know personally more than thirty people now waiting to buy forms. They’ve lost money more than twenty times to register with AGN. They’ve tried to register in different places and they’ve wasted money. Now, they came to me to say, ‘please, where can I get registered because they keep telling me I can’t act without being a member.’ So I was lucky . I spoke with AGN president Ibinabo and she told me to give her one week to sort things out and it’s been two months and it’s not sorted out yet. That tells you how difficult it is. If a president can’t even find the solution, how can ordinary person do that and that’s why these people are being duped. I also spoke with Segun Arinze and he told me that the registration is put on hold for now because they are putting a structure where they can work with a bank so that people can just pay straight in the bank and get the form instead of listening to anybody.

36 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013 BY PRISCA SAM-DURU

institutions.These are the people who shape and grow the minds of leaders in Nigeria. This is the singular most significant contribution to any country ’s national growth. No doubt, women are Nigeria’s hidden resource. Investing in women and girls will increase productivity in this generation and will promote

s the Chief Executive Officer of Gordon Barrett, Mrs Taizir Ajala prides herself as an integrity-driven leader with diverse business knowledge and unyielding commitment to excellence, managing and motivating teams for exceptional performance and productivity. She maintains a high standard of professionalism and has been recognized for prudent management of Human Resources in the last 8 Years. Taizir’s working experience cuts across multifaceted sectors such as Hospitality, Oil & Gas, Healthcare, Construction, Transportation, Human Resources. She has participated in significant number of training programmes as a Learner and indeed a Facilitator and has close working relationship with the youths. Her principal purpose is to facilitate change in overall businesses and promote coaching, mentoring and counseling for organizations and entrepreneurial centers in universities across the c o u n t r y . She is member of the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development - UK) and ASTD (American Society for Training and Development – USA), an Alumnus of Pan African University, Lagos and also sits on the Selection Panel of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 women Enterprise & Leadership Program as well as a Director at Katharsis Limited. In this interview, she shares her belief that women can make the necessary impact on national development. Excerpts What exactly do you do? Gordon Barrett is a Human Capital Management Compa- excuse. If we really have a ny, which maximizes growth true desire to excel, it could by providing innovative be all ours! human capital strategies with It appears the challenges a mission to facilitate change are dragging many in overall businesses, institu- young girls into tions and governments. Our commercial sex job... services include: Training, Prostitution is morally Recruitment, HR Diagnosis, inexcusable, physically HR Consultancy and damaging and mentally Advisory. disparaging. What did it take to get you Many young women to this level? don’t seem to value I would summarize some of going to school anymore the attributes of my success since jobs are not as these - Faith in God, De- available, how do you see termination, Forthrightness, t h i s ? Integrity, Values, Support Education is not network, Education and necessarily for a career path. Constant Learning. It is absolutely necessary for Do you think women are the woman as the heart of the progressive in Africa and family to be able to impact Nigeria the way they knowledge to the children should? who are the larger essence of Yes, I believe women are the family. It is imperative that progressive in Nigeria and any discussion about Africa. Are we utilizing a Nigeria’s future must sizeable percentage of our necessarily entail considerpotential? Maybe not! ation of girls and women, the However, we are getting role they play and the barriers there, we are on the right they face in making the path, more women are future. Women have through assuming leadership out time been leaders in positions globally and this is homes, families and a sign of progression in the communities but our notions right direction. of leadership are still based If we take a look at the rural on the heroic businessareas, women are making political-military model, colossal contributions in hence we do not recognize fishing, farming, animal hus- leaders all around us or inside bandry etc. A lot of challenges us. Women are the largest women have in Nigeria and propagators of education in Africa are very similar to Nigeria, either by teaching or issues even in the developed proprietorship from crèches world. So it is no longer an all the way to tertiary

If we take a look at the rural areas, women are making colossal contributions in fishing, farming, animal husbandry etc

sustainable growth, peace and better health for the next generation. The government has recently initiated commendable schemes to support female entrepreneurs such as the YOUWIN Women’s Programme, Goldman Sach’s 10,000 women scholarship in partnership with the EDC (Pan African University). Does your company do

anything to help them stay focused? Personally, I have given a lot of pro bono session at various institutions. By virtue of our relationship with the Cultural Office of the United States Embassy and Lagos State Government, we have collaborated in diverse strategic concerns to enhance tertiary educational sector (Case study – YABATECH and the NYSC’s core purpose). We took advantage of International speakers such as Saul Garlick to inspire Nigerian youths to a workshop on fostering creativity and innovation. The programs were a leading source of empowerment opportunities for Nigerian youths by imbibing the spirit of self-reliance, employment skills, thus contributing to the accelerated growth of the national economy.Our seasoned consultants have gone further to follow up with the participants after the programs. We have resolved to support by empowering the youths with pertinent resources to jump-start their journey into entrepreneurship and indeed mapping out desired career paths with free Business Advice and Support. Can there be a lasting solution to unemployment in Nigeria? Yes and it is three fold in my

opinion: the pubic sector (government policies and regulations) must allow all the various aspects of growth to align optimally. The private sector should streamline and expand all processes to ensure the value chain from all the various disciplines in our schools are tapped or unraveled. It is pertinent that we coach and mentor our kids early

enough to instill integrity and values as these would positively be impactful to themselves, the community, organizations and the society at large. You earlier talked about women being the hidden resource of the nation, how do you think they can contribute to s u s t a i n a b l e development? The solutions to our challenges all lie within our reach. We need to go back and embrace our deeply rich Nigerian culture. Nigeria has a rich history of women breaking out of the mold to participate in politics. Our pre-colonial history is replete with the exploits of Queen Amina of Zaria, who led armies to drive out invaders from Zaria, and Moremi of IleIfe, whose sacrifice for her people speaks of selfless leadership that we are so bereft of these days.

Saturday Vanguard, JANURY 12, 2013—37

Yvonne Nelson searching for love ?

hanaian screen diva , Yvonne Nelson may be searching for love again after what she went through in the hands of reigning Afro hip hop act, Iyanya Mbuk who allegedly dumped her recently. Yvonne denied time without number of not having anything to do with Iyanya. However, facts emerged recently that the Calabar born singer has relieved Yvonne of her place in his heart. An embittered Yvonne then took her fight to twitter when she poured out her mind in a manner that attracted sympathy. She accused Iyanya of being a play boy, “all I want is your waist, a rhyme from Iyanya’s latest single where he mentioned Yvonne’s name more than any other celeb mentioned in that song ‘Your Waist’. Who knows whether Yvonne is really searching for love as she was recently spotted wearing bikini in a beach ?.

Okara, Amadi, Nnolim to be honoured in PH

hree literary giants in the Niger Delta region, the poet Pa Gabriel Okara, Novelist Elechi Amadi, and literary critic Professor Charles Nnolim will be honured in Port harocurt this weekend. A press release by Law Sector Chambers, a literature friendly law firm, said the honour which holds tomorrow at Savannah Hotels,Port Harcourt in partnership with the Association of Nigerian Authors ANA, during the reception wedding of a Port Harcourt based lawyer and writer Angus Obinna Chukwuka and Anita Nnenna Nwaze is in recognition of the immortals works of the trio, having contributed immensely towards the development of African literature. “They are about the finest and oldest minds we are in literature that are still relevant today. They are men of no mean repute. They are the eagles on the Iroko and deserve all the accolades,”

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the statement said. The trio will also present a book by Chukwuka entitled ‘The Bridegroom’, a 162-page poetry book dealing with national and marital issues. There will also be a reading of literary works at the event.

Wizkid acquires mansion at 23

e stormed the music industry few years ago with his hit single, ‘Holla at your boy’, which shot him into the limelight. Before then, he had a cameo-appearance in Banky W’s ‘Lagos Party’ music video, which gave a hint that he might be the next star in the making. Now, the hint has really been fulfiled as he is one of the super stars in the country. The young talented singer, Wizkid recently joined the league of house owners in Lagos. He acquired a multi million naira house at Lekki. The EME signed artiste announced on twitter during the week. “New house! Thank u lord!,” he tweeted.

Stephanie Okereke turns pastor C

onsidering the roles she is known to be playing in movies especially, her role in the movie, “More than a Woman”, it would be hard to believe that sensational actress, Stephanie Okekere could go spiritual any day. But surprisingly, she did so, during the week when she prayed fervently for her colleagues in the industry. The event

was the candle light procession in honour of late Enebeli Elebuwa, which was organised by the Actors Guild of Nigeria at the popular celebrity hangout,O'jez,NationalStadium, Surulere. The Imo State born leggy actress was called out in the mix of other big girls in Nollywood to lead the prayer session. And trust her, she quickly knelt down with tears rolling down her eyes and cried out, " Lord, we would not bury anyone again this year..we declareeverysickpersonhealed in jesus name."

Tonto Dike set to release videos

espite the criticisms that trailed the release of her two single few weeks ago, Tonto Dike has remained undeterred.To prove her critics wrong, she has returned to work, as she is currently busy at the editing suite putting final touches to her musical video that is bound to wow her haters. Not minding that there was no applaud from her fans on her singles, the actress turned musician still keep to her promise of coming to stay in the Nigerian music industry and following her singles with videos. We can’t wait to see the videos. For those who had no faith in the actress, there is need for them to think again. Tonto has come to stay.

38—SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 12, 2013

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SATURDAY Vanguard JANUARY 12, 2013 —39

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40 — SATURDAY, Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

Razzledazzle as Prince Adejobi’s daughter weds

mo oba Adebola Adejobi who doubles as the Managing Director Tropical Services Nigeria Limited, a frontline Oil and Gas servicing firm ,hosted friends, business associates and family to a lavish engagement and wedding reception ,as he gave his daughter Afolake Olivia out in marriage to Wale Adegoke in the heart of Lagos. It was a high octane event that attracted Oil and Gas magnates, extop service chiefs, politicians, society big-wigs, business tycoons and top newspaper Publishers, Editors and journalists. The engagement held at the Event Center in Agidigbi while the wedding service and reception took place at the Anchors event centre, also in Agindingbi. Roll-call of dignitaries at the glamorous event include Pastor Tunde Bakare, Serving Overseer, Latter Rain Assembly, Publisher Vanguard Newspaper, Mr Sam Amuka-Pemu, Managing Director Portland Paints, Mr Bayo Osibo, Dr Kole Oshitelu, Grier Olubi Adejobi, Doja Ojelabi of Chevron and many others

The couple, Mr and Mrs Olawale Adegoke, savouring their new found joy

Bride, Olivia Adegoke flanked by mum and dad, Omo Oba Adebola Adejobi, his wife, Olori Bola Adejobi and siblings

The couple, Mr and Mrs Olawale Adegoke, with groom's parents, Dr & Mrs Kehinde“Olatunde Adegoke and groom's siblings.

L-R: Mrs Layide Bakare, Mr & Mrs Olawale Adegoke and Pastor Tunde Bakare

The couple, Mr and Mrs Olawale Adegoke and the Bridal Train

Gloryy and Goddy All about love: Glor

t was a pure story of love, making a blissful berth in matrimony when Goddy Irokaba walked, his bride, Glory down the aisle at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Lafiaji, Lagos on December 1, 2012. It was truly a special union, considering that the groom is deaf and the bride, a lady with no hearing impairment. And special still, is the fact that the lady knows nothing about sign language, so how come they could communicate and fall in love?It is another mystery of love and a good lesson, according to the groom “that disability is no barrier in love”.

Cheers for Olotu @ 64

he entire household of Evangelist (Dr) S.O. Olotu was thrown into joy and merriment when the father of the family clocked 64 late last year. The family, led by the celebrant’s two wives, Evangelists Alice and Mabel, spared no expense by going all the way to give the ‘Birthday Boy’ a befitting bash, still reverberating in their memories till now.

Evangelist (Dr) S.O. Olotu flanked by children

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Irokaba.

Evangelist (Dr) S.O. Olotu with wives, Evangelists Alice and Mabel Olotu

SATURDAY

Your little effort can make a difference in a young person’s life — Danjuma Mohammed Haruna

•Danjuma Mohammed Haruna his weekend we bring you the story of Danjuma from the Northern part of Nigeria. Danjuma is a one- time winner of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, National Essay Competition. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Economics 2004, from Kogi State University, Nigeria, a Proficiency Certificate in Management from the Prestigious Nigerian Institute of Management, 2006. He is also a member of the Institute. What is most remarkable about him is his interest in Youth empowerment and activism in spite of his academic background as an economist/ a financial analyst. What would you say was most interesting about your childhood? I will say the most interesting part of my childhood is the good education my parents gave to me. Truly, that is the best gift you can give to any child. I never lacked any educational materials right from my elementary education up till my tertiary education. I had all my text books. You emerged winner of a national essay competition, could you tell us more about the competition? This is slightly above a decade. It was an annual essay competition organized by the Nigeria Stock Exchange for both Secondary and Tertiary institutions. I think I was in my 200 level as an undergraduate student of Kogi State University. I was walking through the Student Affairs Department when I saw the advert on the notice board. I decided to send in my entry ,and I was selected as a state winner category (Kogi State), that is the best entry from Kogi State. I got the award on October 22, 2002 at a C M Y K

ceremony in Lagos. I was honored with a certificate and an amount of money in the form of shares in one of the top brewery companies in Nigeria. That was one of the happiest moments of my life, because everybody including my parents and my siblings were all proud of me. You have been involved in training young people. What has been the motivation for this, and the level impact of these training programmes on the target? I have had the privilege of volunteering with various NGOs for over 7 years now. It has been a wonderful experience for me. As the Kogi State Coordinator of an NGO whose aim and vision is ICT empowerment for young people it has offered me ample

through the ICT programme of the NGO. My motivation has to do with the fact that in my community several young people have limited access to ICT skills, I needed to fill the gap . This has been my motivation which is primarily empowering young people. Level of impact? We have really tried our best through various partnerships and collaborations from stakeholders, getting to use some internet café and computer laboratories of some institutions since our trainings are absolutely free of charge. The impact has been massive as we have succeeded in training hundreds of young people in my community. I love working with young people, it gives me joy and fulfillment to see them get opportunity to achieve their dreams through my little effort.

I have had the privilege of volunteering with various NGOs for over 7 years now. It has been a wonderful experience for me

opportunity to contribute my quota to youth empowerment in my community. I received training from the NGO to become a trainer and facilitator; even though I had strong ICT skills myself. All I needed was the capacity on how to transfer the knowledge to young people. I hate to see people being denied access to what is supposed to be a necessity and not luxury. That’s the reason why I have been using my little resources and knowledge to help the youths in my community. I have trained a lot of young people in my community

Your background is Finance/Economics, but you seem to have a flair for climate change initiatives. Could it be because it attracts a lot of financing? Yes, I hold a Bachelors degree in Economics but I got into climate change initiative about 4 years ago arising from its effects on the earth crust, women and the entire human race. In August, 2012, I was voted into the office of the North Central Zonal Coordinator of African Youth Initiative on Climate Change-Nigeria.

Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013—41

YOUNG NIGERIANS MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

ATT AD ANJUMA ABDULMALIK TTA DANJUMA KOGI STATE

f you are reading this without the aid of your glasses, you would probably appreciate what it means to be virtually impaired or even blind. Atta Danjuma Abdulmalik is the founder and CEO of the Danjuma Atta Eye Foundation. This 36 years old hails from a tribe in Okene and was born into the noble family of late Alhaji and Hajia Shehu Atta with full potential and enthusiasm from his background. His passion for the foundation was borne out of an earnest desire to address the persistent degenerating healthcare service across the country that resulted in his incapacitation at a tender age. This situation started with itching of the eyes which deteriorated and finally rendered him visually impaired. Hence, he since determined to ensure that such avoidable incidents do not occur again, especially to the less privileged citizens of Nigeria.

•Atta Danjuma Abdulmalik Personally, I consider it an opportunity to contribute more to climate change campaign. Climate change initiatives attract a lot of financing, but for me that shouldn’t be a motivating factor and I have always financed myself to various events I attended. So, it has nothing to do with money. You saw what flood did to us in 2012. That is a wakeup call for us to know that climate change is real. I have been involved in preparing several youth position papers on various climate change conferences (COP) and have also participated at various levels of climate change initiatives, seminars, workshops and youth round table all geared toward enlightening different communities and stakeholders about climate change effects. What is your advice for Nigerian youth? I would recommend that they first believe in themselves. They should always look inward for answers to them achieving their dreams. In the words of J.F Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you— ask what you can do for your country” if youths have this in their minds, it will help a lot in understanding that what’s important is that you

put in effort to achieve your dream and not wait for government that don’t have all the resources to assist. How has the security situation in the North affected young people in pursuit of their dreams? It is no news again that we are faced with serious security challenge in Nigeria, but I think the government and other stakeholders are trying their best to curtail the situation. The first prerequisite for development or growth is a peaceful atmosphere; a country where peace exists tend to achieve its potential faster than those with security challenges. Yes, there is, especially those making a difference in their various communities. No one will want to visit conflict-prone states to carry out his or her social work. Even though this challenge has affected mostly youth from the northern part, the story has been different for youths in other parts of the country especially southwest where they enjoy peaceful coexistence. In all, I strongly think if the young people look more at themselves as a stronger unit there is light at the end of the tunnel for them. They will surely achieve their dreams.

42— SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

The buildings that went up in flames at Mba streeet, along Asakpo in Boundary, Ajegunle, Lagos recently. Pix Biodun Ogunleye

Harvest of fire ...Experts say extreme heat is a fire risk BY ISHOLA BALOGUN

HE devastating fire disasters in many parts of the country in the last couple of weeks have left though a few people dead but several homes were destroyed and hundreds of people displaced. Just as many Nigerians were still savouring the thrills of the festive period, others have been counting their loses as a result of different infernoes in some parts of the country. Fire fighters have never had a busy time combating the incidents in some states. In Lagos State alone, Fire and Safety Service said it battled no fewer than 33 fire outbreaks across the state between the last one week. Those who are worried about the sequence of the fire under the harsh weather condition still believed it is not over yet, postulating several precautionary measures in averting further inferno. The opener during the yuletide was a three-storey building where firecrackers were stored at the Idumagbo area of Lagos Island, local government, Lagos. The firecrackers went up in flames destroying 10 buildings within 60 metres radius. Although one person died, over 40 persons sustained varying degrees of injuries. One of the traders who had lost over N3.5million worth of goods wept profusely wondering where to start from all over again. While still empathizing with those who lost properties in the Lagos inferno, the former president also escaped unhurt in the fire which razed his confidential secretary’s office located nearhis bedroom in his Hilltop building at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. The fire, which did not spare any-

thing in the office, occurred 20 minutes after he stepped out of the house. Tragedy again struck in Lagos on New Year day as two buildings on Jones Street, Ebute-Metta, Yaba Local Government, were razed and property worth millions of naira destroyed. It was gathered that the house went up in flames as a housewife was said to be cooking in the passage of a wooden

“You can’t rule out the harsh weather condition, although some of these incidents occurred in the morning but the extreme heat in most part of the country today is a fire risk structure with a stove beside a generating set that was filled with petrol. A witness said the woman “while still cooking, she left the house to purchase some cooking ingredients. But before she came back, the fire had begun and spread to the next building uncontrollably.” Still on that new year day, five other houses near the Ikoku spare parts market in Port Harcourt were destroyed. The fire was said to have started from the dump site of the market in Gambia Street, Port Harcourt and spread to other surrounding buildings destroying houses and properties. Several new cars

were said to have been burnt. Barely 48 hours after, 50 buildings were razed in Ebute Meta area of Lagos. A storey building was also gutted by fire on Igando Road, Ikotun area of the state. Eyewitnesses said two children whose parents were not around when the fire started were trapped in the building but were evacuated by neighbours with a ladder through the window of their apartments. Other places in the state gutted by fire are Mba street along Asakpo in Boundary, Ajegunle area and the Saw Millers buildings, Oyingbo among others. Early in the week, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja also had its own tale in the last couple of weeks. The fire, which gutted the office of the Director of Voters’ Registry, Mr. Emmanuel Akeem, was put out by fire fighters from the Federal and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Fire Services before it could do more damage. We gathered that the fire could not extend beyond the next office as a result of the architectural design. As if that was not enough, business activities in the Tin Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos, were brought to a halt when an oil barge discharging petrol at the MRS Oil and Gas tank farm jetty in the area exploded few days ago. Vehicles, buildings were destroyed as glass doors were shattered causing people within two kilometers radius to scamper for safety, as the sounds reverberated up to Wharf Road and Olodi in Apapa. An eyewitness said at least five lifeless bodies wrapped in white clothes were taken away to an unknown place . The administrative building of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ports

and Cargo complex, and a commercial Bank not far from the explosion scene were also affected. As the Lagos fire fighters were battling the Tin Can explosion, their counterparts in Oyo state were also busy with all their arsenals on ground trying to stop the raging fire that visited the palace of a first class monarch, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, Ibadan, Oyo sate, destroying everything on ground. The early morning inferno said to have been caused by an electrical surge, razed the three apartments belonging to the Queens Folasade (Iyaa Meta), Rukayat and Abibat, destroyed virtually all their valuables including artifacts in the magnificent building. Earlier in the state, about 20 shops where goods worth millions of naira were kept burnt to ashes as fire gutted Ifeleye Market at Oke Padre area of Ibadan, the second time fire would destroy the market within a year. Although there was no causality, goods and property worth several hundreds of millions were destroyed. Few days ago, a pregnant woman and her two-year old daughter were killed in a mysterious fire which engulfed a house in Ubachima, Awo-Omamma in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo. Even though some of the these tragedies were caused by by human error, the sequence in which they occurred in different parts of the country should ignite a lot of concern from authorities. How are the fire fighters responding to distress calls. Most of the incidents, as gathered was that the fire fighters were far from being prompt while responding to distress calls. Some of those who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on the issue however absolved the fire fighters of blame citing lack of adequate infrastructures and facilities especially while responding to emergency. “If truly we have about 250 fire stations in the country, how many of them are functional and where are they located?”, asked Muyiwa Obadan, a security consultant based in Lagos. A Meteorologist who works with Nigeria Meteorologist Training Institute but craved anonymity noted that the socalled climate change should be considered a factor in the sequence the inferno occurred. “You can’t rule out the harsh weather condition, although some of these incidents occurred in the morning but the extreme heat in most part of the country today is a fire risk,” he stated. This view was corroborated by Obadan who said: “the weather is harsh now and it could be a risk for any inflammable substance. The earlier incidence in Lagos where fire-crackers were stored could have been triggered by the excessive heat having locked it up for God knows when. So, people should be very careful in handling inflammable things.” He also advised that people should take precautionary measures especially on preventing electrical surge which is a common cause of fire as well as avoiding bush burning. The Director of the service, Mr. Fadipe Idowu in his own opinion said, “The rise in cases of fire is due to the dry season which causes fire to burn faster as well as the climatic changes.” He advised members of the public to take safety precautions especially with electrical appliances as many of the recent fires were caused by electrical power fluctuations.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013—43

More troubles for students as JAMB online registration poses challenge BY EBUN SESSOU

here seems to be more troubles for students who decided to register for the 2013/2014 Joint Admissions Matriculation Board Examination as they presently go through tough times in their bid to carry out the required online registration process. When Saturday Vanguard got hints of the pains students are going through, we visited cybercafes in Lagos metropolis to feel the pulse of the students. Many of them were seen in different business centres struggling to access the JAMB website. At Egbeda, Ebutte Metta, Yaba, Ikeja, Ikotun, Isolo, Ilasamaja, Meiran, Okota, Ago Palace Way, Ajah to mention a few, the story was the same. One of them, Ogheneovo John Oyoma, a-16year, pre-degree student of University of Port Harcourt told Saturday Vanguard that registering his form online has not only been frustrating but a hopeless one. According to him, “I was in this business centre yesterday (Tuesday) to register my forms unfortunately, I couldn’t register it. I came around 12noon and left at about 4pm. I spent four hours trying to register my form but all to no avail. The business centre attendant told me that the network was bad. “So, I went back home hoping

it will get better the following day. Right now, I have been in this centre for two hours, yet I have not been able to make headway. I am only trying my luck, perhaps, there might be a link just for me to register and save myself some trouble,” he lamented. Another student said: “this is my second time of coming into this business centre and I don’t think, I will leave until I have completed the registration, I will still wait until I am able to make headway. “This is my second attempt at JAMB Examination. The first time I tried was in Delta State after my O’level. I had no problems registering the form then, but it is amazing that it is not going through.” He continued: “It is important for me to register today because I will be traveling to Port Harcourt the next day to continue my pre-degree course. And that is why, it is a must for me to register today. I am highly disappointed in the management of JAMB for this poor operation. My advice is that the management should put their acts together. They should improve on their network so as not to put stu-

Dibu-Ojerinde dents in distress in the course of registering their forms.” A 15-year old girl who also narrated her ordeal to Saturday Vanguard said, she has been battling with the registration for the past three days and there has been no headway. She lamented that since she bought

started operation, it has been hell. “The only time we have been able to register a few students is between 7.30 am and 9am and in the evening around 7pm and 8pm.” According to her, “there is an offline site provided by the technology provider for us to register our students in case the online registeration is not responding but all efforts to operate on this site has been unsuccessful. “You might complete your form offline and send to the service provider but there will be no response until two days or more before we can be sure of getting a feedback from the service provider, but if you are lucky, it can send a reply immediately,” she said. “Once the online is not responding, we advise students to choose the offline option. We have been running on a

There is an offline site provided by the technology provider for us to register our students in case the online registeration is not responding but all efforts to operate on this site has been unsuccessful JAMB form from a bank , she has been finding it difficult to register online. The owner of the business who claimed anonymity disclosed that the problems have been a major one since registration commenced. “It has been difficult. We have registered with JAMB technology provider as a qualified centre to register students online but since we

loss since the registration started. We paid to be registered as a qualified centre yet, we cannot get effective online service for what we paid for. “We have been having these challenges for many years. JAMB website has not been effective. Many years, the website has been bad unlike what is obtainable on WAEC website. We have forms submitted by students that are yet to be registered due to the challenges at hand. This development has frustrated many students who came to register at the centre,” she continued. Asked what she has done to avert this problem, she said, “since the problem started, I have sent my workers to the JAMB office, there has been no response. I went to the technology provider, I was not allowed entrance into the premises.” An attendant who also spoke with Saturday Vanguard, lamented that, the JAMB website has been a challenge. Even the service provider Sidmac who got the offline franchise has been challenging. Since the commencement of the registration, we have been able to register at most three students on a daily basis.” At a business centre in Okota area of Lagos, students were seated aimlessly waiting for their online registration that was not forthcoming. At Isolo, a business centre owner who wouldn’t disclose her identity said, it is not possible for anyone without authorisation from JAMB to register students. According to her, “You must have a password, if not, you’ll have difficulties in operating or registering online”, she said. In a similar tone, she said, “JAMB registration online has been very bad becuase of bad network. We can only register students in the early hours of the day between

7am and 9am. And even with that, it has been challenging. “Any registration after 9am is not accessible and that is why we have been finding it difficult to complete forms for students easily without any challenges.There are forms that have been postponed for another day because of the challenges,” she added. It is to be recalled that this year’s JAMB examination has been slated for April 27, 2013. The form is sold at the sum of N4,600 only. And every candidate is expected to pay N700 for online registration with any accredited business centre.

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44—SA TURD AY Vanguard , JANU ARY 12, 2013 44—SATURD TURDA JANUARY

ODD NEWS

Compiled Richard Okotie

Bling king who has put his shirt on finding love

ndian bachelor spends £14,000 on a shirt made of GOLD to impress the ladies Money-lender Datta Phuge 32, from Pimpri-Chinchwad hopes the shirt will catch female attention and help him find a girlfriend. The golden creation took a team of 15 goldsmiths two weeks to make working 16 hours a day creating and weaving the gold threads. Golden appeal:'I know I am not the best looking man in the world but surely no woman could fail to be dazzled by this shirt?' he explained.

Find out why the inhabitants of a small Greek island live on average 10 years longer than the rest of western Europe

ncluded is an amazing story about the 98 year old Stamatis Moraitis who, while living in the US in the 1960s, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He returned home to Ikaria to be buried with his parents but 45 years on and Stamatis still lives happily on his beloved island. He even went back to the US in hope of telling his doctors about his good health. "A few years ago I went back to the US and tried to find my doctors. But I couldn't find them. They were all dead." And what does he attribute his good health to? "It's the wine. It's pure, nothing added. The wine they make commercially has preservatives. That's no good. But this wine we make ourselves is pure."

Shocking moment an African python swallows an entire WILDEBEEST caught on camera for the first time

ruesome snaps catch largest-known prey eaten by African python. The reptile stretched its incredible jaws round a hefty wildebeest calf. Game reserve manager Rudi Hulshof 'speechless' at rare sighting.

The mane event

housands gather to watch horses forced to fight in rural China... Two stallions are pitted against each other in a 'cruel' game to entertain farmers in Rongshui, Guangxi province to celebrate the end of the autumn harvest. If the young horses refuse to fight each other organisers use other methods to anger and frighten them such as whipping the creatures or firing guns in the air.

Lemur who moves like Jagger

xtraordinary pictures show Rolling Stones frontman Mick has a double. Amazing pictures taken by leading wildlife photographer Andy Rouse have captured a Madagascan Verreaux's sifaka lemur doing a furry good impression of Sir Mick. When combined with photographs of Mick Jagger strutting his stuff at London's O2 Arena, the similarity is uncanny

Dinner time! eronica looks like V she's about to become a meal for the 11ft whale, named Juno, while on a visit to the Mystic Aquarium with her parents..... Don't eat me, I want to be friends: Hilarious photo shows white Beluga whale appearing to devour young visitor........ The white beluga whale and little Veronica Antov, 3, played and the mammal nodded his head enthusiastically as he shadowed her in Mystic Aquarium, in Connecticut. The 90 stone mammal swam in circles and even 'kissed' Veronica by opening his mouth and putting it up to the window.

That's one to beat!

14,833 people play traditional drums for 15 minutes in bid to set record for largest percussion ensemble. The drummers wore traditional Assamese attire to play a traditional percussion instrument known as the khol in Titabar, east of Gauhati, India. A total of 14,833 people participated in the event to create an Indian record - and they were also hoping it was enough to set a Guinness World Record. The khol players were dressed in traditional attire complete with headgear - and they were all pictured with numbers on the front of their outfits.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013 —45

2015: The intrigues, personalities, facts and deceits

• Jonathan has constitutional rights to run —Ali Gulak •Ndigbo must produce President in 2015 —Kalu

•How PDP BoT’s Chairmanship election became a stalemate • Tony Anenih’s new role Political power intoxicates. And so, many who have tasted it always play Oliver Twist, asking for more. Given the recognition of a second term by most country’s constitution, hardly has any African President outside the South African Hero, Nelson Mandela willingly relinquished power after serving a lone term. Back in Nigeria, controversy has continued to trail the circumstances that threw up the presidency of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, more so, when current developments in the polity suggest a possible comeback in 2015 of the President. Will that be an achievable task? How herculean will that be for President Jonathan should he attempt to contest? Saturday Vanguard’s JOHN BULUS in this special piece analyses the intrigues currently playing out in the polity enroute 2015 general elections.

zPresident Goodluck Jonathan

HE silence is so vexing yet suspicious. He may have spoken but he was very tacit and tactical. Not exact. Not explicit. The people expected more especially in the midst of the growing concerns from several quarters. But be that as it may, the taciturnity has continued to elicit unusual apprehension even as current developments around him conspicuously point towards another big dream in 2015. Believe it or not, President Goodluck Jonathan is caught up on the edge of controversy. And as far as 2015 elections are still underway, the controversy rages on. Indeed, not a few persons had been nerved by the re-emergence of Tony Anenih as the new Chairman of the Board of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Alas, many had asked what the man forgot at the Authority or what work he had gone back to do that eluded him in his first missionary journey. Anenih had been the NPA Chairman. In fact, he preceded Bode George who was later imprisoned on accounts of illicit activities while at the Authority. Anenih played a role during his term as the Minister of Works and Housing in the President Olusegun Obasanjo’s era. His influence in the Obasanjo’s presidency later earned him the sobriquet “Mr. Fix it”. Of the incidences of that time, his rift with the then Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu was one incident that came close to revealing what was hidden between the two people. Though it was seen as a personal rift between the duo, what was however fathomed in the public spheres was that the cause of the face-off bordered on public interest. Until recently, much has not been heard of the man who retired back to his home state politics in Edo except when the self acclaimed political godfather of Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party

zOrji Uzo Kalu (PDP) appeared in the public to present Charles Airhiavbere, the PDP candidate in the last Edo State gubernatorial election. But to the chagrin of most Nigerians, President Goodluck Joanthan at the twilight of December 2012 dusted Anenih and reassigned him the portfolio of heading the Board of NPA. At first, the news was like a distorted fiction to many Nigerians when it filtered but it later dawn on Nigerians to be an undisputable reality. To those who are in the know, Anenih’s appointment, smacking a tirade of controversy, was a strategy. It is a means to an end. And the end is 2015. On the periphery, Anenih is the NPA Board Chairman. But investigations reveal that Anineh is the political machinery rejigged to “fix” President

z Ali Gulak Jonathan in 2015. Then enters another veritable platform which is the Chairmanship of the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT). Saturday Vanguard’s checks indicated a well calculated but skewed move to enthrone Anenih as the new BoT Chairman. Tuesday, January 8, 2013 was supposed to be the day the new Chairman would have been unveiled but apparently, highwired intrigues and horse-trading stalled the move after a three hour meeting of PDP stalwarts at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, venue of the event. Those who spoiled for the contest included Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Chief Tony Anenih, Senator Ken Nnamani, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and Ah-

madu Ali. Others in the race were Chief Emmanuel Iwuayanwu, Chief Don Etiebet, Senator Bode Olayinka, Chief Yekeen Adeojo, Senator Onyeabor Obi, Chief Harry Akande and Chief Shuaibu Oyedokun. Ahmadu Ali, reports said came very close to grabbing the position but for the “politics” allegedly orchestrated by the Senate President, Senator David Mark that edged him out at the eleventh hour. Mark by his position, is currently the PDP leader in the North Central geo-political zone where Ali also hails from. Had Ali been elected, Mark would have automatically lost his grip of the party as the boss in the region to Ali. But sources said that was one development Mark was not home with and so, sided with the move to formalize the tenure of the BoT Secretary, Senator Walid Jibrin who refused to step-down for Ali to five years. By adopting the principle of federal character as accentuated by PDP’s constitution, Ali is now tactically edged out of the race thereby heightening the chances of Chief Tony Anenih to becoming the next BoT Chair. And to resolve the process, a Committee chaired by Former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana was set up. With the development, analysts believed that Anenih, the widely speculated choice of President Jonathan would have a smooth ride to the position when the election is finally held. Meanwhile, if Anenih would deliver, he will have many rivers to cross. These rivers include the multi-faceted choices of the various zones clamouring to produce President in 2015. Thus: the North and Ndigbo which have already started the leg work with gusty.

Continues on page 46

46—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

2015: The intrigues, personalities, facts and deceits Continued from page 45 volvement in the posters saga, many people still couldn’t place it. Lending his voice in the denial, Barrister Ali Gulak said: “Again and again, I would say without any iota of doubt that the President and his men are not behind those posters. People might have been behind it to generate the type of argument that is happening in the country. But let me say it here and again that Mr. President and his men are not behind the pasting of those posters”. But keen political analysts feel that indeed the plausibility of the denial by the presidency will take time to stamp an appreciable effect on the mind of the people irrespective of the plethora of words put up by the President’s men to deny it.

A contest against the will of the opposition

ajor opposition par ties in the country may have concluded plans to merge in order to give President Jonathan (supposing he is contesting) a bitter run or better still, edge the PDP out of power in 2015. At a parley, Saturday Vanguard gathered that leaders drawn from six leading opposition parties will hammer out modalities for a merger. Parties involved in the talks are the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance and Labour Party. Most of the interested opposition parties have named their contact committees. Senator Chris Ngige (ACN, Anambra central) said at the end of the day, Nigerians would know that the progressives mean business. “The progressives led by ACN were already meeting with others such as the Labour Party, LP, ANPP, APGA and DPP for the purpose of forming the mega party. By a kind of metamorphosis, the affected political parties which have radical politicians in their rank and file would do everything possible to ensure the growth of democracy in the country. Fourteen years after the emergence of the present democracy, it is obvious that nothing good can come out of PDP and that is why we are determined that by the first quarter of this year, Nigerians will see that progressives mean business,” he said. Indeed, a leading member of ANPP’s contact committee, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim said recently that the opposition parties were working hard

Obasanjo to present the new party in March. “Before March 2013, we are all going to reach an accord on this merger; that is the deadline for the coalition materializing. From all indications, the parties are looking forward to forming a totally new party where all the opposition parties will come together as one entity,” he said.

A contest without North’s endorsement

nless tomorrow brings changes that may make some northern political elements in the PDP to look the

Asari Dokubo Progressive People Party, PPA, in the previous election, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has launched what he called “Njiko Ndigbo”, a social cum political association that aims at uniting the Igbo for a collective stand towards 2015 election. He was quoted as saying recently that it is high time, Ndigbo produced the President of Nigeria. He said, “Forty-two years after the Civil War, it is an insult for somebody to tell you that the Igbo cannot be president. If all these tribes can be president, who among them is more qualified than an Igbo

If you say you don’t want a strong leader who can have all characteristics of leaders including God fearing, then have a weak leader and the rest of the problem is yours way of President Jonathan unanimously, current indices show that any attempt to take power away from the North in 2015 will be resisted by the people of the region. Already, the North’s Consensus candidate in the April 2011 presidential election, former Vice President Atiku Abubarkar has begun subtle moves to reassemble his campaign team. But until then, Nigerians are waiting with bated breath to know what the outcome will be.

South East’s new resolve

iven the political con sciousness in Igbo land, the marginalization and perceived disappointment in the Jonathan’s government, the support some Igbo leaders amassed for Jonathan in 2011 might be farfetched in 2015. Already, the former governor of Abia State and Presidential candidate of

man? We are the salt of this nation; we are the best thing that has happened to this nation.” Also, the National Chairman of United Progressive Party (UPP) founded by Chief Chekwas Okorie has zoned its presidential slot to the South-East zone, thereby giving the zone an alternative platform outside the ruling PDP to realize the presidential ambition of the people of the zone. Also addressing a South East Economic Summit held at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu recently, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ekweremadu said the Igbo race has qualified men and women who could do the nation proud and turn around the country’s fortune if given the opportunity. “I will like to look at the main issue which we have been discussing, which is the future of Ndigbo in Nigeria. I think, and I would like to start with a note of optimism, that we have a

Chris Ngige great future. Since we became part of this federation, Igbo men and women have been ministers of various ministries.They have held positions as ambassadors; they have been senate president; they have been speakers and deputy speakers. I’m not aware of any other position they have not held except the presidency of this country”, he said.

Obasanjo/Dokubo’s outbursts

ertainly, they are not God and do not form the decision of majority of Nigerians when it comes to election, but by and large, they remain veritable and ebullient power-brokers in the Jonathan’s project. Their calls are heeded and they command influence in their respective worlds. One is the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo and the other is Jonathan’s kinsman, former Ijaw youth Council President and leader of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Dokubo Asari. Both of them are known to have stuck out their respective necks in defense of President Jonathan. Then, imagine a Jonathan’s project without the two men. Recently, they lashed out on the President. While, Obasanjo picked holes in Jonathan’s poor handling of Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed several lives across the country, Dokubo said Jonathan has lost touch with the people. Obasanjo said: They (Boko Haram) stated their grievances and I promised to relay them to the authorities in power, because that was the best I could do. I did report. But my fear at that time is still my fear till today. When you have a sore and fail to attend to it quickly, it festers and grows to become something else. “Whichever way, you just

have to attend to it. Don’t leave it unattended to. On two occasions, I had to attend to the problem I faced at that time. I sent soldiers to a place and 19 of them were killed. If I had allowed that to continue, I will not have authority to send security whether police, soldier and any force any where again. So, I had to nip it in the bud and that was the end of that particular problem. “If you say you don’t want a strong leader who can have all characteristics of leaders including God fearing, then have a weak leader and the rest of the problem is yours.” On the similar path, Asari Dokubo also said: “We have continued as Ijaw people and the entire Niger Delta and south-south to support the presidency of President Goodluck Jonathan, but a time has come when silence cannot be golden. We have to speak out on issues that are very critical on the survival of our people, the survival of the people of the south-south and the south-east which is the political base of Goodluck Jonathan. Jonathan is surrendered by very greedy people who are only in the presidency to enrich themselves at the expense of Goodluck himself. “And if you check, all the people who supported Goodluck Jonathan and fought to bring him to power, have openly disagreed with him, what was the cause of these disagreements, these are the questions we want to put out to the president. “It is alarming because the south-south must have its uninterrupted eight years tenure which is constitutional, but with the way things are going under Jonathan’s watch, we are afraid that we may not be able to have our eight years tenure, because there will be no magic about it, if it is going to be one man, one vote”.

No face-off between Jonathan and Obasanjo —Ali Gulak

here is no face-off. This is just the making of the Nigerian media and the speculators and mischief makers. The former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is a senior stakeholder in PDP. He is our senior stakeholder. He is a statesman. He has contributed his own quota. He has come on the stage two, three times until the time was up for him. He is out of the government. He advises and he has unlimited access to Mr. President. And as a Statesman, he will continue to contribute until he serves out his tenure on earth. So, we expect him to continue to contribute his own quota to the development of the country”.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013—47

Our fear for Power Sector—Labour

… accuses FG of hoarding power BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

ECENTLY the protracted face-off between Labour and the Federal Government over the terminal benefits for workers ahead of the privatization of the assets of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, was resolved. In this interview with Saturday Vanguard, General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Comrade Joe Ajaero, who gave insight into how the deal was struck, however expressed fear over full implementation of the agreement. Congratulations for your achievement in the resolution of the labour issues with government ahead of the privatization of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. How did you do this in spite of obvious government recalcitrance? Well, the psychology of employers all over the world is the argument of no money to pay and Nigeria is not an exception. No employer wants to pay no matter what. That was why if you examine our laid down conditions of

service, there are certain things stipulated to be done when a workers is leaving. But we discovered that in the course of these negotiations, government wanted to avoid those things and do it its own way and we said no. Its officials adopted all manner of tactics, armtwisting, blackmailing, and harassment and so on. If not for who we are and what we stand for, maybe some of us would have given in to the blackmail and others. Take for example, they claimed that the union is in charge of pension money, and they said workers should go and ask its officials about the pension money. Besides this, there were other negative reports and falsehoods. But we decided not to lose focus in the process of asking for and demanding for what rightfully belongs to workers. The greatest magic we used was that the workers were with us because prior to now, there were various challenges and they knew that we did not disappoint them. So, when we looked back and knew that the workers were with us, then the tendency for us to do better was there. So, the main strength was the support of the workers and we were standing on the truth. We also took time to do some major researches on the items that constitute pension, and the items that constitute gratuity. The issue of gratuity was a call to duty for Nigerian workers. We were not doing it for PHCN workers alone but for Nigerian workers because we needed to set that precedence. If they were being intimidated in other sectors to abandon gratuity which was becoming the norm, there was the need for us to prove that the Pension Reform Act, PRA 2004, at no time, merged gratuity with pension, being gratuitous. The government seemed to have captured many areas, so we decided to prove that PRA 2004 did not abolish pension. By this landmark achievement, every sector will know that the issue of being gratuitous, which is a one off payment, at the end of service, cannot be confused with pension, which is payment for life. This is the major achievement which equally

The psychology of employers all over the world is the argument of no money to pay and Nigeria is not an exception. No employer wants to pay no matter what. That was why if you examine our laid down conditions of service, there are certain things stipulated to be done when a workers is leaving

translates beyond PHCN. It is a victory for Nigerian workers and I pray that we are workers, are going to sustain this achievement and nobody should henceforth succumb to intimidation in the course of asking for his or her rights. Another aspect which was the issue of the contributory pension was not a 100 percent achievement for us. We adopted a win, win approach. Win, win in the sense that, in the first instance, the issue of 25 percent, which had been argued over the years, that it was there or it was not, was established beyond the so-called PRA 2004 which they said the Act provided for the contribution of 7.5 by the worker and same by the employer or government. We were able to drag our old policy up to 2007. Having done that, we now took 15 percent post 2007 that was why I said earlier that it was win, win approach. That shows you that nothing stops us from adopting 15 percent, if that was what we agreed. But between 2004 to date, PHCN has not migrated to the new Act and we argued that that you cannot punish the PHCN workers for not migrating because PHCN is a

Joe Ajaero government establishment, the regulatory agency, which is the National Pension Commission, PenCom, and the Bureau for Public Enterprise, BPE, which claimed that it responsibility, are all government agencies. So, since they failed to take measures that would lead to the migration of PHCN workers, you cannot turn back to punish the workers for the inadequacies or effectiveness of government agencies. That led to the agreement where we said alright, we will take it up to 2007. The issue of 2007 till date, the concession we gave them is that government will still pay it. It is not like they are going deduct anybody’s money from 2007 till date because even in our system, it is the 25 percent agreed by the workers and the management that is being deducted at source. So, what we now did is, pay 15 percent up to date, before we now start the process of migrating. Now the process of migrating is what officials of the Power ministry want to abuse. The process of migrating is not just opening an account. If somebody has work for 20 or 30 years, and he or she is moving into the new system, what is needed is to first do and actuarial valuation to know the quantum of his or her money. After that is established, he now opens an account where the money is lodged into and subsequent contributions go into that account. Now you are asking people to open account for you to pay maybe, this month. What happens to that of 20 or 30 years contributions? Tomorrow maybe you may write their disengagement letters before the past years’ contributions are properly established. That is another problem we were almost entering into with them. We have continued to insist that the right thing must be done and the procedure must be followed. We must get valuers where all the

stakeholders including the unions must be involved where all accruable for instance, somebody that have worked 20 or 30 years, where we all agreed that this is his or her money. Then, the person can open an account, the money will be paid into and subsequent contributions will be paid into the account. If not, you may end up seeing one or two months contributions and by the time the such a person gets a letter asking him to go because of reform, he would no longer be welcome even at the gate of the premises to start asking for valuation for the past 20 or 30 years that he has worked. So, that is why we have to be serious with them on this issue because it appears they want to hide so many things. if they refuse to do the right thing we will go back to the trenches and the process of reform or privatization will not ahead. Some have commended the Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, in the resolution of the dispute, arguing that before he took over the headship of government team, the negotiation was going nowhere. What is your take on this? We must commend him because in the first instance, he is a patriotic Nigerian and he is one of the most serious people in this government. Most of the meetings he wanted done outside the former meeting. He was consulting and getting across and was even sending scenario one, two, three and four to us for us to conclude. He was clear at the second or third meetings that he did not want a situation when we came we would record a disagreement. He said he wanted us to move round and talk to our principals and others that we needed to talk to and agreed to solve this problem. I can assure that it helped. Secondly, he has not personal interest in the sector. When people with conflict of interest preside, there will be distortions. The initial delay was that he needed to study the sector, he needed to know where we stopped and needed to know the issues. The third point is that he has an authority to commit government and he has the authority to get to the appropriate quarters to tell them the truth about what is on ground. These points combined facilitated the resolution of the dispute more than any other thing. But if he had personal interest, he would have been appearing on the pages of newspapers, calling union leaders names for one reason or the other, but that was not the issue. Although he tried as much as possible to ensure that government pay less. We saw that in him, we did not lose focus because we know he is working for government. We insisted that the issues were addressed amicably. Are you confident that the government will implement the agreement to the letter? We cannot say for sure because of what has happened before now, that is, from where we are coming from. Like the issue of monetization, previous agreements and so on that were not implemented religiously. Secondly, the pronouncements by some people in government less than 48 hours after the agreement show that they are trying to look for a way of circumventing the content of the agreement.

48— Vanguard, SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 2013

Murder at dusk!

Fish out our son’s killers, family urges the Police Dayo JOHNSON

ecember 27, 2012 was like every other day for family of the Olikan elect, Adeleke Oyetakin, in Ilaje council area of Ondo State, as they made preparations towards January 1, 2013 celebration. However, a tragic incident which changed the course of the day occurred and marred the new year. This was as a result of sporadic gunshots at about 6pm, which truncated the tranquilized atmosphere. The gunmen numbering 10, in a commando-like manner, stormed the Ode-Etikan compound, shooting indiscriminately and in ensued stampede, members of the family scampered in different directions for safety. But at the end of the shooting, 23 year-old Oriloye Oyetakin who was hit by bullet, died in the pool of his blood. Other members of the family whose identities were given as Ademola Ikudehinbu and Reverend Nelson Okunomo reportedly sustained bullet wounds while others who managed to escape, were reportedly stabbed by the invaders. Although the Ondo State Police Command said it had arrested some suspected members of the gang that sent Oriloye to an unprepared grave, news making the round had it that the invasion could not be unconnected with a chieftaincy squabble in one of the communities. However,

the question by all, is, why would Oriloye, who only visited his home town to celebrate the Christmas and New year with his parents be killed in order to settle the score. His bereaved father, Oba elect, Adeleke Oyetakin, who still finds it difficult to come to terms with the demise of his first son, marveled at the extent people could go to achieve their sinister motives, attributing his son’s death to plot by his detractors to take his focus off the stool of his forefathers. He therefore, called on the federal and state government , as well as the InspectorGeneral of Police to ensure that justice prevailed, stating that some of the assailants were still walking freely. “All I demand is justice. I want the perpetrators of the killing to be brought to book. My late son was an amiable person who only visited to celebrate with other members of the family. I am a peaceful person and will not want to take laws into my hand. That is why I am demanding for justice”, the Oba elect said. He also, called on the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko to hasten his installation as the traditional ruler of the town, noting that only then would sanity return to the land, since he has been chosen through due process. Reacting to the tragic incident, the Caretaker

EFCC arrests two graduates, six others over

he unprecedented visit by stern-looking operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, at 1004 Housing Estate, in Victoria Island, Lagos penultimate Tuesday, sent residents wondering,but not long. The reason for the visit was discovered to be in connection with the arrest of two selfacclaimed undergraduates of a university in Malaysia, and six others over allegation of fraud and internet scam. A search conducted by the operatives at the upscale apartment of the suspects, reportedly led to the discovery of several items such as laptops, iPad, traveling documents, cheque books, flash drives, internet modem, and three exotic cars; a Mercedes Benz Jeep, One 4Matic Mercedes Benz Car and a Range Rover Sport SUV. Their arrest according to

By Ifeanyi Okolie

• Late Oriloye and inset,Oba-elect chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area, Banji Okunomo described the attack and resultant murder of Oriloye as “devastating, shocking and disturbing.Due to the unrealistic, selfseeking and selfish ambition of some elements in the town, the dream of Oriloye has not

only been shattered but his life cut short”. He said that the killing was deliberate and was masterminded by those he described as aggrieved people who lost out during the selection of the traditional ruler of the town. According to him:” The enmity

has been in the land for a long time after the selection of Adeleke as the Oba elect. I strongly believe that the installation of Oyetakin as the Oba would bring an end to these killings and lawlessness in the land. The selection process was fair and democratic.Out of four

Vanguard, SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 2013 —49

t, Adeleke Oyetakin kingmakers, three voted for Oyetakin and one against Oroyo. So what is the noise over the stool? I envisage more security challenges if the Oba is not installed on time because we need a leader. And once the Oba is installed this will naturally die down.” He traced the genesis of the

attack to the outcome of the traditional selection process, during which a major contestant to the throne lost out. “This is the second killing in the land since the election of the Etikan elect. First, elder Sheme was gravely beaten after the election process. He was beaten to a state of coma and later, unfortunately, died. The perpetrators of the killing went unpunished, and that may have spurred the killing of Oriloye Oyetakin. “I want to stress that the installation of Oyetakin as the Oba will bring an end to these killings and lawlessness in the land. The Oba elect has been presented to the state governor. All that is needed now,is, the state government’s ratification and presentation of staff of office to the new Etikan elect” he said. Police authorities confirmed the arrest of some suspects over the murder of Oriloye, adding that the dragnets had been spread to other parts of the state with a view to apprehending other fleeing suspects. The confessional statement of those arrested was however not known as Crime Guard was simply informed that investigation was still on-going. Speaking with Crime Guard, the command’s spokesman, Adeniran Aremu, said “ the case is still under investigation at the state Criminal Investigating Department SCID. Yes,the command is aware of the development and it is doing all it can to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing as well as to arrest other fleeing members whose names were mentioned. That is all we can say for now. We will communicate further development in due course”, Aremu said.

We ‘re cultists not robbers — say armed suspects By IFEANYI OKOLIE

he mission of three suspect ed members of the BlackAxe Confraternity to retaliate the death of one of their members whom they claimed was killed by a rivalry cult group during a clash at Alaba International Market recently, was rendered unaccomplished following their arrest. The trio:Chukwuneku George, Nonso Eze and Joseph Lawesi, who are currently cooling their heels at the Ikeja Special AntiRobbery Squad, were arrested •The trio suspects with a locally-made cut-to- size gun at Maza-Maza,along the They all confessed to have joined the Black Axe Lagos/Badagry Expressway. Confraternity at different times in Enugu. They are however, trying all they could According to Nonso Eze:“The gun recovered from to convince the operatives that they are us belongs to my late friend, Frayo. When I not robbers as charged but cultists. moved to Lagos in July 2012,to live with an uncle Sources at SARs told Crime Guard that in Ajangbadi, I got acquainted with some friends the suspects were picked up following an at Alaba International Market. Among them was intelligence report received that they Frayo.We were all members of the Black Axe. But were at the verge of carrying out a robbery during a fight with Eeye Confraternity at Alaba attack on some South-East bound International Market over supremacy, he was passengers at the Maza-Maza Motor Park. killed. A police source said: “The security men “When I heard that Frayo was dead, I was at the park suspected their moves and shocked. Then, Chukwujekwu and Lawesi who when they inquired what their business were also Black Axe members wanted to flee was, they couldn’t provide any meaningful Alaba immediately. But I told them that I knew explanation. And when the security men where Frayo hid his gun and suggested we should searched their bags, to their amazement, get it and avenge his death. That was why I took they discovered a locally made cut-to size them to the park where the gun was hidden. gun and six live cartridges, which they But when I got it, an argument ensued between I handed over to us. and an Indian hemp seller over his refusal to That motor park is known for armed give me my balance. It resulted into a fight, and robbery attacks where many South-East in the porcess, he started dragging the bag with bound passengers and traders have been me. Unknown to me, it was a mere ploy to see attacked. We have been making serious what was inside my bag. effort to apprehend these robbers. So when “A task force official waded into the matter and we got that call, we went swiftly to insisted that I opened the bag and when they apprehend them”,he said. saw it was a gun, I was immediately arrested We are not robbers alongside my friends”, Eze said. But the suspects insisted they were not Spokesperson for the Lagos State Police robbers,informing that they were only on command, Ngozi Braide said the suspects would their way to avenge the death of one of be charged to court at the completion of their own when they were accosted by investigations. Policemen attached to Satellite division.

alleged fraud, internet scam spokesman for the Commission, Wisdom Uwujaren, “ was sequel to a petition by a concerned group which alerted the Commission about activities of one Hope Olusegun and his co-travelers at the elite 1004 Housing Estate where they engage in fraudulent activities of obtaining money by false antics and forgery”. The operatives he informed, also downloaded over 80 implicating documents from the laptops recovered from Olusegun, adding that effort to track down other members of the syndicate was still on. During investigation, it was gathered that the suspects pay N30,000 a day for the rented apartment, an amount discovered to be more than

their income as students. But Olusegun in his statement, simple wrote:“I decided to stay away from the Mainland of Lagos because of stress of friends when one returns from abroad.” Also asked how he got the exotic cars, 25-year-old Olusegun who hails from Ogun said it belongs to his sister who lives in the United Kingdom. But on further investigation, it was discovered that the car particulars bore his name. Identities of other suspects are: Tunde Wasiu, Badmus Akeem, Ajijola Oluwatosin Emmanuel, Adebesin Olalekan, Raji Resaq, Ajibola Adeniyi and Adeboye Lamidi. But Badmus in his statement said he only returned a week

before his arrest. “ I am a music producer and artistes manager. I decided to move to Malaysia to further my education while I do “Hot jobs” as well. I just got back a week ago before the festive period. But he could not explain what he meant by ‘hot jobs’. On his part, Sadiq said one of the recovered customized Range Rover Sports cars belongs to his mother.

50—SATURDAY VANGUARD,

JANUARY 12, 2013

Rabbit farming: W ealth Wealth po oe xploit pottential tto exploit

Onebunne: Animal farming like grasscutter, can make you rich.

n Africa, Nigeria is the largest importer of frozen fish (FDF, 2002) and requires approximately 1.5million tons of fish and meat annually to meet demand. Currently, domestic supply is about 0.5 million tons (over 30% of demand) including massive importation which gulps over N20 billion annually. Preliminary market analysis according to IFC suggests that an additional 25,000 tons or

100% increase in current production can be easily absorbed. Livestock which could have been another major source of protein, is being drained by desert encroachment, pest attacks and other factors. According to an animal farm expert and consultant, Prince Arinze Onebunne, mini-livestock production like grasscutter, pig, snail and rabbit farming is thus placed on the spotlight as

the best option for food security in the country today. He said that rabbit farming is a profitable business with high probability of recouping original investment. Consequently, expansion in rabbit farming will not only generate jobs and income for farmers, but will also create smallscale businesses for mammy market and restaurants. He further said, the business of rabbit farming in Nigeria is growing at a feverish pitch attracting entrepreneurs who are considering it either as a complimentary business proposition or as a main and sustainable revenue stream. But either proposition has potentials to earn decent re-

turns. This could be taken to be a fair confirmation of the position that run professionally. Rabbit farming may well be a key wealth creation engagement to consider in the country, he said. Rabbit he said, are monogastric animals, they are medium-sized hopping mammals with long legs, long ears and short tails. The main reason rabbits are now being preferred by some farmers for rearing purposes is because it is easy to house. They have a short gestation period of 30 to 31days and they are very prolific animals, that is they can produce many litters. In this category, they are next to pigs and grasscutters. Onebunne revealed that other advantages are that they are efficient converters of wide range of vegetable matters into meat. They have a rear-

Rabbit farming is a profitable business with high probability of recouping original investment ing period of seven to nine weeks and they have a high rate of ailment resistance. Rabbits are reared for their meat and the meat is white meat like that of grasscutter. They make good healthy meat, which is averagely delicious and more nutritious than that of pig and chicken. The meat is tender, palatable and not fatty. This type of meat is recommended for patients with cardiac problems, diabetes and high blood pressure, he said. He further stated that, with N24,000 one can kick-off with one male and two female depend-

ing on the age, weight and specie. They are reared in a cage which costs N6,000, therefore with N30,000 one is already in the business. In order to reduce unemployment in the country, Jovana Farms organizes nationwide sensitization training seminars on the practical ways of making it through small scale farming. Attend our nationwide seminars nearest to you and know more opportunities in grasscutter farming. Visit www.jovanafarm.com for more details. Choose also the nearest venue from the advert box in this page.

GLO hosts Celebs, youth subscribers at The Big F rida w party Frida ridayy Sho Show

t was a night full of fun, thrills and excitement as the leading telecommuni-cations network and official sole sponsor of Glo Presents The Big Friday Show, Globacom hosted celebrities and top entertainers to a night of good music, exotic drinks, finger foods, and freebies last December, 2012. The event was hosted at the popular Aura Lounge, opposite Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos to mark the Yuletide season. It was a night to remember as both stars and invited Glo subscribers were given a special treat. The party paraded an array of Nigerian stars in the movie industry, some of whom are also Glo Ambassadors - Rita Do-

minic, Uche Jombo and Ramsey Nouah. They had featured in the popular TV show, Glo Presents The Big Friday Show. Other celebrities at the party included Nse Ikpe Etim, Ruki Sanders, Ejike of Cool FM, Uti Nwachukwu (Big Brother Africa Winner), Sneeze (ace Nollywood producer), Sound Sultan, Banky W, and Skales. Expectedly, the evening kicked off with photo sessions by celebrities with their acquaintances on the green carpet where Glo hostesses welcomed and registered invited guests. A statement from Globacom said that the party was specifically packaged to fete its youth segment of the market. “The attendees were Glo

youth subscribers and were selected through a trivia quizz on Globacom’s google+, facebook and twitter handle as well as invitations given out by some select radio stations,” the statement said. “The guests had so much fun as they were treated to photo sessions with their favourite stars, assorted drinks, finger foods and an exciting experience to dance and mingle with the celebrities. In the

words of Nwachukwu Ikene, one of the lucky subscribers, “That was some party, brother! My friends and I had so much fun taking pictures with Ramsey Nouah and Uche Jombo. I even danced with Rita Dominic. I had drinks; the finger food was on point and I enjoyed the whole energy of the event. It’s an experience I’d love to relive any time, any day, to any one. I’d like Glo to host us like this more often...”.

Export promotion: Non-oil exporters receive over N250 billion spur from FG

he Federal Gov ernment has released N254.09 billion to manufacturers and pro ducers of e x p o r t commodities in the country through the Export Expansion G r a n t (EEG). The E E G scheme is a vital incentive required for the stimulation of L-R: Julie Odia of Wow Magazine; Ejike of Cool FM; Uduak export-oriUsong of Royal Academy; Uche Jombo, Glo Ambassador; and ented aca guest, Lynda Kalu.

tivities that will lead to significant growth of the non-oil export sector. The scheme has contributed to a considerable increase in the country ’s non-oil export since commencement in 2005. Nigeria’s non-oil export has risen from $100 million to $3.2 billion between 2005 and 2011. In 2005 N21.92 billion was disbursed under the export grant scheme, N24.35 billion in 2006, N11.03 billion in 2007 and N29.47 billion in 2008. In 2009 N41.18 billion was paid, N27.96 billion in 2010, N67.39 billion in 2011, and N30.75 billion in 2012.

SATURDAY VANGUARD,

JANUARY 12, 2013—51

Group to award scholarship to indigent students

s part of this year’s annual programme slated for January 11, 2013, the Pioneer Movement Iseyin (PMI) has perfected plans to award scholarships to indigent but brilliant students in secondary and tertiary institutions. A statement by the organising committee chairman, Adebayo Azzez, said the scholarship awards is part of the activities lined up for the celebration of the Pioneer Movement, Iseyin annu-

al programme tagged PMI Week. Azeez who described the group as non-political, religious and non profit organisation, disclosed that its primary focus was on the education and socio-economic development of her indigenes. Against this backdrop, he disclosed that the group instituted a higher education endowment fund to aid brilliant and indigent students. The chairman said that many beneficiaries of the

programme are now graduates, adding that the group has also supported health and sports programmes as well as equip library of schools in the area. He however listed the activities of this year ’s PMI Week to include, PMI Award of Excellence for distinguished achievement, public lecture and final of Pioneer Ajibike Bisiriyu Memorial Football competition among others.

Refuse take over Owerri BY CHIDI NKWOPARA, Owerri

esidents of Owerri municipality have threatened to move all the abandoned heaps of refuse to the major roads if government fails to evacuate them within 24 hours. Issuing the threat on behalf of his colleagues during a peaceful demonstration in Owerri, the Chairman, Ofu Obi Line in the New Market, Mr. Livinus Eze, described as “sheer deceit” the relocation of refuse

bins from Douglas Road to the markets and later refuse to evacuate them. “The relocation of refuse dump inside Eke Ukwu Owerri and New Market has endangered the lives of traders and their customers”, Eze lamented. While saying that flies have since taken over the mountains of refuse scattered all over Owerri, Mr. Eze also fumed that epidemic of unimaginable proportion may hit residents of the municipality if nothing was done to check the health hazard.

Reacting to the ugly situation in a post sent to our Correspondent’s mail box, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Chinedu Offor, said: “Efforts are being redoubled by the state government to arrest the situation”. Offor also explained that while government had continued to cart away refuse from the designated sites, some people have remained in the habit of throwing wastes indiscriminately, thereby making refuse disposal more difficult.

52—SATURDAY

Vanguard ,JANUARY 12, 2013 Vanguard,JANUARY

How Arthur Eze hosted dignitaries amidst royal rythms OUR REPORTER

rominent Nigerians from all spheres of life as well as significant others from the diaspora, converged in Ukpo, the Headquarters of Dunukofia Local Government Council in Anambra State and rallied round their friend and business associate, Prince Engineer Arthur Eze, multi-billionaire oil/ business mogul, towards the promotion of cultural tourism, using the concept Ofala Festival as a channel of expressing the rich values, norms and ethos of the Igbo nation. Prince Arthur Eze, the Ozoigbondu 1 of Igbo land, also referred to by friends, business associate and peers as Eze N’ Ukpo, through his untiring and network of contacts alongside those of his Monarch elder brother, His Royal Highness, Igwe Dr. Robert C.Eze,Okofia V1— The EZE Ukpo Dunukofia, made the 2012 Ofala Festival, most memorable. A professor of Mass Communication at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University,Awka and one of the illustrious daughters of Ukpo Dunukofia Royal Kingdom, Mrs. Chinyere Stella Okunna, offered a graphic description of what the significance of Ofala Festivals are to the Igbo nation, when she said, “ Ofala Festivals, can best be defined as the sole of the Igbo culture”.

The occasion was the 21 st 2012 ,Dunukofia Royal Ofala Traditional Festival, seen by cultural tourism experts, custodians of Igbo traditional values and norms as biggest, best attended and most consistent, giving a blend of anthropological and ethnographic socialization processes that shaped communal lifestyles of pre-historical Nigerian societies. The chief host of the age-long traditional outing which the subpopulations of the Igbo nations in Nigeria and the diaspora, use in offering thanksgiving to God-Almighty for yearly protection, guidance, good health, economic, social and sundry prosperity profiles, is no other great

towards praying for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, members of his immediate family, his cabinet members, state governors, federal and state lawmakers as well as council chairmen to accede to the demands of the Nigerian citizenry, particularly, the poor and needy. Professor Chinyere Stella Okunna,as a prominent daughter of Ukpo Community in Dunukofia Royal Kingdom, who doubles as the Chief of Staff to the Anambra State governor, Peter Obi as well as the State Commissioner for Planning and Budget, described the Ofala Festival as,” simply the best of its kind in the entire South-East geo-political

Ofala Festival simply the best of its kind in the entire South-East geo-political zone

medical expert –turned royal father, His Royal Highness, Igwe Dr. Robert Eze. For Prince Arthur Eze and his senior brother turned royal father, Igwe C. Robert, the Ofala Festival was an occasion to call for prayers for Nigeria and her political leadership . Prince Arthur Eze and the royal father, used the instance of the colorful weeklong ceremonies to urge all Nigerians to re-direct their spiritual and instinctual energies

zone”. Osuofia Nidigbo, High Chief Dimike, said, the crowd he witnessed at the festival was unprecedented and most enthralling of all such cultural tourism events that he had seen. A representative of President Goodluck Jonathan, Governors of Anambra and Imo States, Federal law makers, their counterparts at the state Assemblies, Ministers , captains of industry and the political class as were amongst the dignitaries

in attendance. Traditional royal fathers from the six geo-political zones were fully represented. The Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, urged for prayers for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan ,Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, State Governors, Federal Law and State makers, all political appointees at the three tiers of government as well as the entire Nigerian citizenry for God’s protection, guidance and direction. Also in attendance were prominent personalities, whose professional, business, political and social interests, cut across different strata of the lager society. Their presence at the festival, is seen by historians, and observers of African cultural tourism as a positive testimony that Nigerians, are endowed with creative potentials that can provide peace, unity and oneness even as tongues and tribes may differ amongst the over 250 ethnic nationalities espousing well over 500 languages. Eze, 64, told journalists, that he would turn his philanthropic attention in the 2013 to providing fiscal instruments assistance to the widows, widowers, women and children who have no helpers in order that they will not feel the harsh poverty conditions in the land.

The Southern political dark horses of Abia

have in a dozen times resisted the urge to write this piece for so many reasons; one of the reasons is that I may inadvertently be doing this bunch a favour by advertizing them. The last is that it may be misread to the extent that my in-laws,the Ngwas may misinterpret this and think that I h a v e joined in the long relegation of the Ngwa land where some Ngwa sons and daughters have fallen into the social psychological analogy of Charles H Cooley in the theory of Looking Glass Self. Looking Glass Self is a situation where a person’s self grows out of interpersonal interactions and perceptionsof others. The term refers to people shaping themselves based on the perception of others. Somebody or a group behave or act as they are subjected to act. The victims remould their lifestyles to meet the expectations of others most of the time to their personal detriment. In a more practical experience, one from the Igbo land may say ‘ why bother about Igbo presidency, they will not allow us.’ The Abia founding fathers were in a superior ratio of those who advocated for the creation of Imo state. Among these are notable Ngwa people. No sooner did the founding fathers realize the dream of Imo State creation than they saw another form of domination which was their greatest fears from inception and in response went for Abia state movement and the subsequent creation in 1991. According to ‘The God’s Own State—An Account of The Creation of Abia State,’ a book by Prof. Nwagbara, p132 states it

clearly in its aims and objectives that non will be discriminated against—‘to allay the fears of the various communities…from domination, discrimination, nepotism and exploitation from one senatorial zone/ district against the other.’ From their stay in Imo State and the creation of Abia, the Ngwas have not been able to get more than the deputy governor ’s

By EDDIE ONUZURUIKE

The Aba women riot of 1929. Recall the plight of women in colonial Nigeria and compare with such a daring move. The high degree of commerce and mercantilism in the sub region that grades it as the biggest commercial nerve center South-East of the Niger. The successful football teams that

One thing I am sure is that no nation, group or race, remain stagnant forever

position, no wonder the sobriquet—the land ofthe deputies. It seems self evident judging from the tenures of Uzoigwe, Nwafor, Abaribe, Eric Nwakanma and the impeached Akomas. The political fact is that the lot of Ngwa nation in Imo and Abia are mere coincidences and not orchestrated as some insinuate. One thing I am sure is that no nation, group or race, remain stagnant forever. The cases of blacks in America and South Africa are instructive enough, more so where victims work hard enough to change the make believe and reveal the truth. T he case of the Ngwa is a mere fortuitous occurrence that has developed the negative, tilting to what an Owerri man will call “eshishi”. Be that as it may, the Ngwas are well gifted with human and material resources and have in so many instances shaped the trend of history in Nigeria. A few examples will suffice.

spring up in Aba from time to time, making waves in Nigeria and beyond. Aba has been the melting pot of South-East and South-South way back the colonial times. As I am writing this piece, the agricultural produce from Ngwa land, talking about vegetables, bananas, plantain, pepper, tomatoes call it food crops and all, are sprouting up from the fertile table land of the Ngwas. These supply our markets and replenish stocks in big cities of Nigeria. Instructively, to every 12 there must be a Judas. It is the Judases of Ngwa land that are ravenously trying to steal the show from the glorious 12 of Ngwa land. Now that the Ngwas are close to the promised land of rewriting their history of not being the land of deputies only but of governors, they have to be watchful. Starting from the buildup of the elections of 2011, the Ngwa political, cultural and traditional assemblage held a resounding reception in the

Enyimba Stadium for Chief T A Orji. They spoke through their oracular figures like Chief Emma Adaelu stating that they have endorsed his candidacy, that all Ngwa sons should withdraw from the race but the likes of Ufomba, Ikonne Paul and Alozie Akomas defiantly ignored this caution and embarked on their gubernatorial bids in order to line their pockets. If they loved Ngwa land and the Ngwa collective aspirations, they would have obeyed but they did not. Reagan Ufomba, alleged to be witless by his party men, ill experienced and a political underdog, dreamt of the gubernatorial position in Abia. He was a serious pretender and succeeded in only dropping names. He ran from one party to the other until he saw a loophole in APGA and grabbed it with two hands. His highest achievement among other inglorious activities is to parade himself as the gubernatorial candidate of APGA in 2011. If Reagan should be taken serious, where does he feature in the APGA crisis that is daily in the news? Has he ventured any opinion, has he been invited to any of the factional crises meetings? As at the time of going to press, he has not identified himself with any of the factions. We are yet to hear his opinion. Rather his party chairman, Morgan Anyalewechi has been more vocal and has actually taken a stand. You can judge Reagan with the scale of Dr Martin Luther King jr who once said, ‘the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands

Onuzuruike wrote from Abia

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013—53

Jakande Estate, blocks of death BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

he alarming rate at which several buildings in Lagos state are collapsing has compelled the state government to take decisive steps towards checkmating the manace through agencies like the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA; Lagos State Raw Materials Testing Agency, LSRMTA; Ministry of Housing and Environment .

Recently, the episode of Bukola and Oluwatosin who in their early 20s died when their apartment M block of zone 12 Okeafa in Jakande Estate collapsed in a mysterious circumstance comes to mind. For most Lagosians, the tragedy would remain indelible in their minds. Although the Ejigbo Local Council Development Area LCDA in a condolence visit to victims of the disaster gave N100,000 to each

occupant of the collapsed block to alleviate their sufferings , the tragedies of losing family members and properties in that manner cannot be quantified with whatever palliatives by government or any individual. When Saturday Vanguard visited the scene recently, it was discovered that, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA had marked out blocks of flats in the zone for demolition tagging them

unsafe for occupants, primarily with a view to forestalling further loss of lives and properties. Saturday Vanguard observed that some occupants had also vacated their apartments for the fear of sudden collapse, while several others refused to vacate the apartments. One of those whose spoke to Saturday Vanguard said meetings with the LCDA and the state government on where residents will move to are ongoing, adding the outcome of the meeting will determine where they would move to. We gathered that the affected occupants have had several meetings under the aegis of Jakande Estate Resident Association with Officials of the Ejigbo Local Council Development LCDA, Ministry of Housing and Environment, Lagos State Building Control Agency LASBCA, Lagos State Raw Material Testing Agency and office of the Public Defender, OPD, to further find a lasting solution to their predicaments. Even as the argument remains illogical, the reporter gathered that Lagos state government had told the occupants whose houses were marked for demolition by Lagos state to present their letter of allocation. Saturday Vanguard gathered that most of the

building materials used by the developer are sub- standard. According to Mr. Abey Oluyomi a building contractor in the estate, he blamed the state government for allowing the kinds of materials used for the building. “If the developer had used quality building materials, we would not be seeing cracks on the walls of virtually every block of flats. Go to other zones that were built long before zone 12, in this same Jakande Estate, you would observe they are still strong and intact,” he said. The contractor who was visibly angry with the government disclosed that the blocks of flat in zone 12 are not up to 15 years, including the collapsed M block, arguing that sub-standard materials had caused the building to collapse. He disclosed that some landlords had hitherto complained bitterly to the government but reprieve came as only two of the blocks were demolished and eventually rebuilt within a year, leaving others with several cracks on the walls. Saturday Vanguard investigations however revealed that four years after the two blocks were rebuilt, the state government is yet to carry out demolition of those earlier marked blocks as unsafe for habitation neither did the government moved to rehabilitate them.

54— SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 12, 2013

Eagles list: Local players inclusion excites Oliha BY SOLOMON NWOKE

ORMER Nigerian international, Thompson Oliha has has hailed the Super Eagles list for the 29th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) released by Coach Stephen Keshi on Wednesday especially with the inclusion of six homebased players.

Oliha, who played alongside Stephen Keshi under Clemens Westerhof at the Tunisia ’94 Nations Cup and the USA ’94 World Cup commended the calibre of players who made the list, “it was a very good list”. The former Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Heartland) midfielder said, “I am mostly glad that we have a

Uzoenyi

good number of homebased players in the list. It’s not every time we continue to play with foreign based players. It’s also good for our league. We don’t have to continue promoting other people’s league while our own is here. It does not mean that if a player cannot make it to Europe, he cannot play football again. We are playing good football here. It mustn’t be Europe-based all the time, so it’s a very good list, well thought out after serious consultations”, he enthused. Continuing, he said, “Keshi is somebody who played under good clubs in Europe and worked under notable coaches like Clemens Westerhof and he’s now a coach. So it’s a good thing he’s doing”, he said. Oliha, now one of the coaches with the Kwara Football Academy was upbeat that the Eagles will get to the final of the AFCON 2013. He said, “in this Africa Nations’ Cup, the Eagles will get to the final, no matter what. I have strong belief that we can do it. There is a possibility we might win it. All they need do now is to tighten their loose ends. In 1994 we won the Nations Cup the second time after the first in 1980. So I believe we can win the Nations Cup again”.

Stop this game of ‘musical chairs’, Ngerem tells sports minister

ORMER Athletics Fed-eration of Nigeria president, Dan Ngerem has told Sports Minister and chairman of the National Sports Comm-ission, Bolaji Abdullahi to wake up to the reality of Nigerian sports needing urgent fixing, rather than engage in grandiosity, the regular trade mark of previous administrations. Ngerem, a stickler for procedural organisation, noted that the present dispensation has been all noise and no motion even as Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan has demonstrated a seeming commitment to reviving the country’s sports. But Ngerem is not impressed with the methods of Mallam Abdullahi who after the dismal outing of the Nigerian contingent at the London 2012 Olympics ‘ waged the dog’ by organising a oneday sports summit in

Abuja with the aim of charting a way forward for the country’s moribund sports. “We are yet to see the communique of that summit where over N100m was spent. The President left other issues bothering on security, Oil and Gas to sit with his executives to deliberate on sports. “There should have been a communique that will form the bed rock of a policy guideline that will change the face of our sports. So far there is nothing on ground and all we are seeing is the usual musical chairs played by previous administrations. “We have the sports minister, directors of sports and all others in the ministry that were in that summit, yet they cannot come up with something,” said Ngerem. He said that after the failure at the London 2012 Olympics, Nigeria sports

administrators should have been busy putting down structures that will reverse the trend of bad results at international sports event Nigerians participate in. “If we were a serious country, the failure at London 2012 should have spurred us into action, but nothing is happening. We don’t even know when the elections into the federations will hold so that Nigerians who are keen to help sports will begin to channel their energies. “Today, the minister is quoted in the media as saying that there would be no government nominees. “Tomorrow he is saying that the associations will now employ their own secretaries. He should come up with clear guidelines. Time is going, we have the world championships coming up for athletics, what time would they have to begin their preparations?

MTN Lagos Street Soccer: Winners on overseas tour

N fulfillment of its promise of Overseas’ training tour for winners of the MTN Lagos Street Soccer Championship, Season 5, Koilo Street, the Champions of the 2012 competition will embark on an allexpenses paid trip to Dubai come January 10, 2013, even as Ajao Jimoh Street of Igando LCDA, 1st runner-up, in the competition, departed the city of Lagos for a one-week intensive overseas training in Johannesburg, South Africa,on Monday January 7, 2013. Koilo Street, last year, defeated Ajao Jimoh Street 10, to claim the coveted prize of N5 million and an international trip. Speaking on the trip, Kola Oyeyemi, the General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN stated that “the international trip is part of MTN’s effort to add value to the football career of the young men. Apart from engaging in friendly games, they get an opportunity to interact and be mentored by renowned international football stars.” Meanwhile, the third place winner, Palace Square, are still relishing their experience from the Ghana

training tour, where they had friendly games, facility tours and mentorship sessions with key footballers including popular Ghanaian-born French player, Marcel Desailly.

While in Dubai, the Koilo team will play friendly games, engage in facility tour and mentorship sessions with renowned international trainers.

Former NFA boss, Okon dies at 88

ORMER Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, NFA, Chief Efiom Okon has died at the age of 88 in Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom, the Nigeria Football Federation c o n f i r m e d yesterday.According to a statement from the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF Assistant Director, Media, Ademola Olajire, Chief Okon died suddenly on the first day of the new year. Chief Okon was Secretary General of then Nigeria Football Association between 1959 and 1961, and was also interim Chairman of the NFA between 1989 and 1990, and substantive Chairman of the body between 1991 and 1992. NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, said: “We have only just received a mail from a

daughter of Chief Efiom Edem Okon saying that the man died in the United Kingdom on 1st January, 2013 while on holiday. “It is very sad. Chief Okon was one of those who worked very hard to sustain the good name of then Nigeria Football Association, and also to ensure that our dear country maintained its enviable reputation in international football. “We pray that God will grant him eternal rest and give fortitude to those he has left behind to bear the big loss.” Meanwhile, the NFF stated that it gathered that the late Chief Okon will be buried at the Trinity Methodist Church, Rainsford Road, Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom on Friday, February 15, 2013.

Ajoke Odumosu (right) and Bukky Abogunloko compete at the All Nigeria/ Cross River Championships in Calabar.

African Masters: LOC musters financial support

RGANISERS of the African Masters Championships said that they were redoubling their efforts at raising funds to keep the competition running in May. According to vicechairman of the committee, Henry Amike hosting the championships was still very much on course. “We have doubled our

efforts at raising funds for the championships. Private and public concerns that will aid our course have been written letters. It remains for us to pay visits and hopefully get concrete commitments from them,” said Amike. Nigeria was chosen to host the second edition of African Masters Championships, after the inaugural edition

was held last year in Johannesburg, South Africa. The African Masters ruling body, concluded that Nigeria has the highest number of athletes with an impressive records in the continent and then gave the hosting right to Nigeria. The Nigerian Masters had their first national championships last year in Calabar.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 12, 2013 — 55

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi Wednesday released a list of his final 23 players who will contest for the Africa Nations Cup beginning in South Africa next week. The list includes six homebased players from Rangers FC of Enugu, Kano Pillats, Sunshine Stars of Akure and Warri Wolves.

Eagles Arsenal for South Africa 2013 Defenders

Forwards

•Ahmed Musa

•Elderson Echiejiele •Azubuike Egwuekwe

•Efe Ambrose

•Kenneth Omeruo

•Godfrey Oboabona

•Emmanuel Emenike

•Victor Moses •Juwon Oshaniwa

Midfielders •Sunday Mba

•Joseph Yobo

Goalkeepers •John Mikel Obi

•Fegor Ogude

•Nosa Igiebor

•Obiora Nwankwo

•Ogenyi Onazi

•Reuben Gabriel

•Ikechukwu Uche

•Vincent Enyeama

•Brown Ideye •Austin Ejide

•Ejike Uzoenyi

•Chigozie Agbim

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 12, 2013

TODAY’S MATCHES QPR Aston Everton Fulham Norwich Reading Stoke Sunderland

v v v v v v v v

Tottenham Southampton Swansea Wigan Newcastle West Brom Chelsea West Ham

1.45pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm

Don’t judge Eagles by Cape Verde friendly – Erico BY JACOB AJOM

DRIBBLE... Super Eagles’ midfielder Mikel John Obi (2nd L) tries to dribble an opponent during the friendly match against Cape Verde in Faro on Wednesday. The match ended 0-0. Photo: AFP

BY SOLOMON NWOKE

x-internationals Yisa Sofoluwe and Garba Lawal have both submitted that the Super Eagles should be prepared to face strong oppositions in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations which begins next week in South Africa Both former players spoke separately to Saturday Vanguard sports as the Eagles prepare to face Burkina Faso in their opening game on January 21 and other countries in the championship. Sofoluwe, known as the Dean of Defence during his playing days, expressed happiness with the level of work done by Stephen Keshi on the team so far but said that the defence line should be strengthened in order to contain the strong oppositions they would face at the competition proper. He said the Eagles could do well as long as they stay focused, determined and cool headed just as he commended Keshi’s 23-man list which has a good number of homebased players. “I know that Eagles will

Nations Cup:

Expect strong oppositions, Sofoluwe, Lawal warn Eagles have so many oppositions in the competition. But notwithstanding, I believe they (Eagles) can do well in the Nations Cup as long as they’re focused determined and abide by the instructions of their coach. They can even win the cup. There are no longer minnows in African football, but I’m so confident that the Eagles will be ready to unleash the anger of not playing in the last edition on their opponents. The only thing that can stand Eagles out is their work rate if increased”, he said. Also speaking on the expectations of the Eagles, Lawal, who was a member of the technical committee that was recently dissolved by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said Nigerians should appreciate Stephen Keshi for finding space for new set of players in the team. “It’s too early to say how far the Eagles would fair in the 2013 AFCON. We have to wait

to see the first three games of the tournament. Football in Africa is strong. Countries like Niger, Cape Verde and Ethiopia are tough. The way

we are preparing is the same way others are doing. The only way out is for the coach to ensure he has a good bench,” he stressed.

CROSS WORD PUZZLE Across 1 Osun State Governor, Rauf – (10) 7 France “Ligue 1” Premiership Club – (4) 8 General Overseer, Foursquare gospel Church, Rev. Wilson – (6) 9 L.G.A in Akwa-Ibom State – (8) 13 Tennis Championship TopSeed, Andy – (6) 16 L.G.A in Ebonyi State – (4) 18 State in Nigeria Known as “Pour State”? – (5) 22 Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Lawal – (5) 25 Country in Asia – (4) 27 Taraba State Governor, Danbaba – (6) 30 Real Madrid Coach, Jose – (8) 34 Uruguay L3eft-back and FC Porto Defender, Jorge – (6) 35 Storage House – (4) 36 Special Adviser to Lagos State Government on Environment, Mr. Sesan – (10) Down 1 Super Eagles Goalkeeper, Chigozie – (5) 2 Sea-Duck – (5) 3 State in Nigerian Known as “Salt of The Nation”? – (6) 4 Traditional Ruler of Ife – (4)

5 Former Plateau State Governor, Chris – (4) 6 Country in Africa – (4) 10 Kazakhstan Currency Unit – (4) 11 Greek Alphabet – (4) 12 Super Eagles Striker, Ahmed – (4) 14 L.G.A in Enugu State – (3) 15 Cereal – (3) 17 Bangladesh National President, Khaled – (3) 18 Enyimba International Midfielder, John – (4) 19 L.G.A in Sokoto State – (4) 23 Ammunition – (3) 24 Warri Wolves Midfielder, Sunday – (3) 26 Super Eagles Striker, Obinna – (6) 28 NYSC Director-General, Maharazu – (5) 29 L.G.A in Ogun State – (5) 31 Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Abdulwaheed – (4) 32 L.G.A in Kano State – (4) 33 Constellation – (4)

oach Stephen Keshi announced his 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Wednesday in Portugal. His wards were paraded in a friendly against Nations Cup bound debutantes, Cape Verde that same day. Although the match ended 00, most Nigerians were not comfortable with the performance of the Super Eagles, particularly in the opening period, a former Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer, Coach Joe Erico has said Nigerians should not judge the Eagles by their performance on Wednesday. “There was nothing at stake and both teams are preparing for the same tournament.,” Erico started. “I don’t think the coaches would want to bring out all they had, in terms of tactics.” The former Nigeria international believed the Nigerian players were only being cautious in their approach. Said he, “from what I saw of the two teams, everybody is up and doing but they had to guide against injury and definitely, as a coach, you can’t let the cat out of the bag in a friendly so close to a major tournament, We have to be patient and wait until the tournament begins,” Erico counseled.

SOLUTION on page 15

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