17052020-Alamajiri Interception in Southern States

PAGE 2—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020

ONDO 2020: Mafo dismisses consensus ‘gimmick’

Sierra Leone appoints Nigerian as head of coronavirus Task Force HE sterling qualities of T Nigerian graduates and professionals serving under

the Technical Aids Corps programme has once again been brought to the fore with the appointment of a Nigerian, Dr. Laoluwa Adejayan, as the head of the Covid-19 Task Force in Sierra Leone.

Announcing Adejayan’s appointment, the Sierra Leonean authorities said he had been adjudged as the best foreign medical practitioner in the country in recent years.

Following the appointment, the Serial Leonean government increased his salary to $20,000 per month, a 100 per cent increase.

Adejayan, a graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, had reportedly served in Bayelsa State after his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) before transferring his services to the West African country under the Technical Aids Corps scheme in 2012.

The scheme is currently headed by a seasoned administrator from Ile-Oluji, Ondo State, Dr. Pius Osunyikanmi In a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Bihari intimating him with the development, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio described Adeyanjua as a good ambassador of Nigeria in the country.

According to Bio, Adeyanju had, over the years, proved to be a well-trained, brilliant and hard working doctor.

OTA CUT OFF AS SANGO-IDIROKO ROAD COLLAPSES: Vehicles struggling to manouvre out of a bad portion at Obasanjo Bus-stop along Sango -Ota-Idiroko expressway, yesterday. Embattled motorists begged Ogun State gover nor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to help fix the dilapidated road that has, over the past weeks, caused traffic to stretch to Iyana-Iyesi, several kilometres away. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

COVID-19: 4m infected worldwide, 310,010 deaths *87, 991 die in US, 34,466 in UK

By Victor Tunde Oso (with agency reports) uthorities in 214 coun tries and territories have reported more than 4,596,000 novel coronavirus cases worldwide, with 310,010 deaths and 1,666,834 people now recov-

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*First vaccine trial in Canada

ered. since China reported its first cases to the World Health Organization (WHO) in December. In the number of known cases is doubling about every month. Experts say it is unclear how deadly the virus really is, in part be-

...14-mth-old girl, 19 others are new cases in Kaduna

By Ibrahim HassanWuyo ADUNA State Minis try of Health has conK firmed that 20 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in the state on Friday.“The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Mohammed-Baloni said a 4-month-old girl, whose father had traveled to Kano,also tested positive. " Fifteen of the 20 new cases are family members or close contacts of previously confirmed cases," she said.

"A four-month-old girl is regrettably one of the new patients, and investigations indicated that her father has travel history to Kano. The infant, who had been brought to hospital for respiratory is-

sues, was tested in accordance with the updated guidelines which advise that persons presenting with such symptoms be tested. Her parents have also been tested and their results are being awaited."

The 20 new cases were spread across seven local government areas. Chikun has seven (including five members of the same family), Giwa recorded four from the Shika community while three cases are in Kaduna North. Sabon-Gari and Kaduna South have two cases each, while Igabi and Zaria have one each. Six health workers are among the new cases, underlying the risks associated with containing

and managing Covid-19.

The latest cases showed that Covid-19 had spread into nine LGAs: Chikun, Igabi, Giwa, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Makarfi, SabonGari, Soba and Zaria.“"This widening spread of Covid-19 means that the risk of infection has increased for persons who do not stay at home or who fail to observe necessary precautions when they go out” , the commissioner said.

Parents were advised to shun non-essential travel or interactions to avoid taking the virus home and infecting their children and loved ones.

They must also exercise personal responsibility regarding not allowing visitors into their homes.“

Owie pays glowing tribute to Edo North APC Leader, Usman Shagadi ment that the Edo people must

former Chief Whip of A the Senate, Senator Rowland Owie, has paid tribute to Edo North Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Usman Shagadi, who passed on.

In a statement, Owie noted that Shagadi’s death was a personal loss, adding that he would be greatly missed by Edo people, especially his kith and kin in Afemailand.

“My family and I received the news of the passing of Alhaji Usman Shagadi with very heavy hearts. While working with him in his capacity as the pioneer Deputy Chairman of the Edo State Chapter of the now defunct ACD/ AC, I found him to be a courageous leader with profound love for his community, and ultimate dedication to his faith and service to the Almighty Allah”, he said.

“Alhaji Shagadi was fearless, upright and stood for the truth no matter the circumstance.

“A close associate of over 50 years, Shagadi - a consummate mobilizer of men

and resources - was instrumental to my successful tour of duty as the pioneer Head of Administration/Registrar of the Auchi Polytechnic in the early 1970s.

“Shagadi, nicknamed ‘OMO OSAGIE B2, was one of the few leaders who stood on the side of JUSTICE AND TRUTH when the enemies of goodness and fairness put pressures of Edo ACN leadership to give out our Edo South senatorial slot, Orhionmwon Federal, Oredo Federal and Uhumwonde House of Assembly slots to outsiders, in 2010/2011.

“Our dear compatriot had been quietly battling health challenges until a few days ago, during the holy month of Ramadan, when made he answered the final curtain call.

“Shagadi was a blessing and a bright star for the Edos at home and in the diaspora.

He inspired and empowered many by his open accessibility, his actions and his altruism.

“He worked till his final days on a lifelong commit-

play their divinely ordained role in shaping the future of the Nigerian state.

“I am confident that he now has a new audience captivated by his disarming charm, courage and native eloquence.

“He must be putting smiles on the faces of so many by his oratorical narrations of journeys past.

“My dear brother, you fought a good fight, lifted many as you climbed, and left an indelible footprint in all of your encounters. The Edo nation truly has lost one of its greatest unsung heroes.

“The impact of Alhaji Shagadi’s work will continue. So many more Edos for generations to come will benefit from the wonderful work of the kind soul we were privileged to call brother and leader. A beautiful and kind heart he was, indeed”.

“As we mourn, we are comforted by the words of the Almighty in the book of Wisdom Chapter 3: 1 which says that the souls of the righteous are in the hands of God”.

cause a large number of cases — including mild or asymptomatic infections — may never be diagnosed.

Coronavirus COVID-19 has hit the United States, the currently a global hotspot, where about 1.45million cases have been reported and 87,991 patients have died by yesterday. House Democrats on Friday evening passed a more than $3 trillion COVID-19 relief bill by a vote of 208-199.

The measure was approved despite opposition from Republicans as well as from some moderate and progressive Democrats.

The Canadian government has approved the first clinical trials in the country of a potential vaccine for the virus, according to Prime Minister Trudeau. The Canadian government has approved the first clinical trials in the country of a potential vaccine for the virus, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau said his government has approved the first clinical trials in the country of a potential vaccine for coronavirus. He told reporters the trials would be held at the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University, in Nova Scotia.

United Kingdom Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said yesterday there were 136,486 tests for coronavirus in the 24 hours.

By Dayo Johnson, Akure governorship aspirant on the platform of the A Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) and a former Information Commissioner in Ondo State, Hon John Ola Mafo, says he was not disturbed by endorsement gimmick.

Mafo, a former deputy governorship candidate in the 2016 election in the state, was reacting to a report that a consensus candidate had emerged amongst the three aspirants in Ilaje council area for the PDP ahead of the Ondo 2020 election.

He equally denied issuing any statement on Hon Banji Okunomo as the party’s consensus candidate.

Mafo said, “I did not and I never intended to make any statement in respect of this unnecessary controversy until my name was dragged into it”.

Reasons, according to him, “include the fact that I do not want to be involved in any controversy that would negatively affect the image of my

party, the PDP. “Secondly, I am focused on my aspiration to serve the good people of Ondo State as the next governor and, as much as possible, I try not to dissipate time and energy on anything that will not add value to my vision to serve my people.

“Thirdly and finally, endorsement is not anything strange in politics as every delegate has a right of choice as long as nobody can bind me or take away my right to contest in line with my conviction on the basis of any endorsement to which I was not a party”.

The aspirant went on, “ I am not against the principle of endorsement or consensus arrangement, as long as all the concerned stakeholders are carried along and provided the arrangement is sanctioned by the appropriate authorities, with the consent of all aspirants, followed by appropriate communication, notice, proper conduct and supervision by unbiased umpires”.

Tipper driver drowns in Osun River

By Shina Abubakar A tipper driver, identified as Sheriff, was reportedly drowned inside Ede axis of Osun River while trying to take a bath.

The incident occurred on Friday evening after he had comcluded work for the day and retired to the river bank to clean his body.

The driver, who was the son of the Chairman, Tipper Owners Association in Ede, took the truck to the river side after it was successfully

moved out of the muddy path, where he and his motor boys had gone to offload its content.

An eyewitness account disclosed that when the driver got to the river bank, where tipper drivers bath and wash their vehicles, he slipped off the river bank and immediately drowned.

As of the time of filing this report, efforts by sympathisers and divers to save him proved abortive as his body was yet to be recovered.

We’re making steady progress with contact tracing, POI tracking — Edo govt

he Edo State Commis sioner for Health, Dr. T Patrick Okundia, says, the

state is making steady progress in its efforts to contain the coronavirus noting that successes have been recorded in the state’s efforts at contact tracing, Persons of Interest (POI) tracking and

active case search, among other activities to curtail the spread of the virus in Edo. Okundia, who spoke to journalists in Benin City, noted that the state government had taken steps to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and protect Edo people.

Lagos mobilizes Amuwo residents for Federal Government and piFG's CCT HE Chairman of Amu T wo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State,

Dr Valentine Buraimoh, last week, received a delegation of the Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, led by its commissioner, Hon. (Mrs.) Yetunde Arobieke, which was in the area to sensitize residents of Amuwo Odofin and Oriade LCDA on the conditional cash transfer (CCT) scheme of the Federal Government.

Arobieke told her hosts during the visit: “Our mission to Amuwo Odofin LGA and Oriade Local Council Development Area is to sensitise residents on the financial stipends accruing to them from the programme initiated by the

loted by Lagos State government, which is targeted at the poor and vulnerable amid the COVID- 19 pandemic.’’

She admonished Buraimoh and his Oriade counterpart, Hon. Ramota Hassan Akinola, to mobilize their peoples for the CCT scheme and carry out adequate enumeration and data capturing of beneficiaries within the local governments while tasking the chairmen to set up cash transfer unit officers in their respective LGAs In his response, the Amuwo Odofin LGA boss thanked the Arobieke team and promised that his LGA will be fully involved in the capturing of the houses in the local government and ensure the success of the CCT scheme.

BAYELSA BY-ELECTION: Forum urges Siasia to contest

By Nnamdi Ojiego HEAD of the resched uled Bayelsa West senatorial election, a pressure group, the Bayelsa West Progressive Forum, has called on the Chairman of the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, NYPF, Mr. Moses Siasia to contest, assuring him of its unflinching support to win the election.

The group in released signed by the Convener, Dr. Ebikabowei Akpos, explained that the call was necessitated by the high level of street begging, underdevelopment, backwardness, economic retrogression and high level of poverty in the senatorial district The statement stressed that the zone had produced the only governor who successfully completed two terms without commensurate infrastruc-

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tural developments to show for it. “Our senatorial district is arguably one of the most backward in terms of concrete infrastructural and human capital development despite the myriads of political appointees and elected representatives

that we have produced over the years. There is no proper healthcare system, the hospitals are in a deplorable state with little or no facilities on ground culminating to high rates of fatalities especially infant mortality.”

Gunmen ‘Kill Three’ in Kogi Three persons and nine cows have been reportedly killed in Egume, Dekina local government area of Kogi State by yet to be identified gunmen.

The Kogi State Chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACAB, led by its state chairman, Wakili Yusuf Damina, disclosed this in Lokoja, yesterday.

Assistant Secretary of the association, Mallam Ademu Abubakar, said there had been renewed onslaught

against MACAM membeers and cows in the community, saying the latest attack was the second in the last two months.

“On the 14th of this month, which is a Thursday, at about 8am, some men, heavily armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, invaded Ofanwa Elubi in Egume, opened gun fire and killed three persons on the spot while about nine cows were also killed”, he said.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE 3

Controversy over Chinese doctors deepens as PDP gives FG 48-hours to declare whereabouts

By Dirisu Yakubu

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he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has given the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government a 48hour ultimatum to declare the whereabouts of the Chinese medical team brought to assist in the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The party said its position was predicated on the declaration by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, “that he cannot account for the whereabouts of the Chinese team, who were brought into our country from the epicenter of the

pandemic, despite repeated warnings and disapprovals by our medical experts and professional bodies.”

A statement by spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, read: “The minister ’s statement had heightened apprehensions in the public space that the Chinese team, whose identity and activities have been shrouded in secrecy, might have been brought in by a certain cabal for another purpose outside the general public good.

“The party describes as suspicious, creepy and weird that the minister of health, who had repeatedly assured

that the Chinese were brought to render medical services and trainings; and even went personally to receive them at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on April 8, 2020; in an elaborately publicized event, can no longer account for the team.

“The PDP recalls how officials of the APC-led administration had vehemently defended the invitation of the Chinese team and offered them full state protocol upon arrival, only to now turn around to disclaim the supposed experts, deny involvement with them and even forbid Nigerians from enquiring about their

whereabouts.

“Our party is worried that the APC-led federal government is being economical with the truth, with its officials playing politics with the lives of our citizens and health safety of our nation.

“The PDP holds that government’s inability to account for the Chinese team amounts to direct betrayal of public trust, which has heightened fears of conspiracies by certain unpatriotic interests in the APC and its administration to compromise the health architecture of our nation and expose our citizens to danger”.

Indus tr eholder s’ nod tto o reposition Industr tryy Minis Ministter gets ssttak akeholder eholders’ developer in Onne, Rivers OGFZA OGFZA,, EPZA

By Soni Daniel,Northern Region Editor

oves by the Minister of Industry, Trade M and Investment, Otunba

Adeniyi Adabayo, to properly locate companies and parastatals in the Export Procession Zones Authority and the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority has received the backing of key stakeholders in the industry who described the measures as key to make progress in the critical sector of the nation’s economy.

Under the measures being put in place by the ministry, all companies and agencies operating in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria are to come under OGFZA while all non-oil and gas-oriented export firms and agencies are to report to EPZA. Accordingly, the stakeholders have tasked the minister to back the repositioning project with the immediate amendment of the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority Act of No. 8 of 1996 and the Export Procession Zones Authority Act of 1992.

Key voices in the industry, who have thrown the weight behind the repositioning, include Eko Support Services Free Zone, Lagos; Brawal Oil Services Limited, Onne, Rivers State; Notore Power and Infrastructure Limited, Onne, Marine

Club of Nigeria and the Institute of Export Operations and Management.

Also endorsing the reform initiatives by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) are the President of the Marine Club of Nigeria, Dr Chinedu Jideofo-Ogbuagu, and a Director in the Institute of Export Operations and Management, Mr. Paul Olalekan Akande.

Jideofo-Ogbuagu and Akande urged the minister to institute a technical audit of free zones in the country to determine their viability and relevance.

“The new dawn in the nation’s free zones industry should enjoy the support of all stakeholders who had despaired over the confusion and unnecessary bickering of the past,” JideofoOgbuagu said.

Mr. Seni Edu, chief executive of Eko Support Services Free Zone, noted that actions to reposition the sector were long overdue and urged stakeholders to cooperate with the leadership of the FMITI to achieve the right outcome.

Mr. Charles Etugbo, managing director of Brawal Oil Limited, a free zone

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overnor Kayode Fayemi has approved a downward review of Ekiti State 2020 budget from the initial N124. 5 billion to N91.128 billion in consonance with the economic reality occasioned by slump in the crude oil

FOOD BANK DRIVE: From left: Ms Chantelle Abdul, Group Managing Director of MOJEC International Group; and Michael Onuorah,Project Executive, MOJEC International Group, presenting palliative materials to Hajia Halimot Audu, during the MOJEC Food Bank Drive for people affected by the economic slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

prices at the international market.

According to him, the decline in the global oil prices had necessitated a fall in revenue accruing to Ekiti from the Federation Account, which brought the reduction of the initial budgetary status

by N33 billion.

A statement, yesterday, by the state Commissioner for

Information, Muyiwa Olumilua, said the government took the action at its virtual State Executive Meeting held in Ado Ekiti.

In the draft supplementary budget, according to the statement, personnel costs were to remain at 100 percent while the council approved reduction in overheads by 50 and grants to parastatals by 20 percent.

“The Supplementary Budget proposes an estimate of N91, 128,996,482.01 made up of Recurrent Expenditure of N56, 557,958,763.00, and a capital expenditure of N34, 571,037,719.01”, the statement said.

The council also approved a memorandumontheN2.5billion creditsupportfacilityforthemedical sectorinEkiti tobeaccessedviathe Central Bank of Nigeria’s Credit Support Intervention for Health Care sector.

COVID-19: Dokpesi, family's recovery excites Onuesoke

eoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and Delta P State governorship aspirant,

Chief Sunny Onuesoke has congratulated the Chairman of DAAR Communication Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi and members of his family that tested positive to COVID19 for their quick recovery from the dreaded disease, just as he described their healing as the work of the Almighty God. It would be recalled that Chief Dokpesi and three members of his family tested to positive to COVID-19 and were admitted at to Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital, Abuja. The good news is that they have been successfully treated and discharged after testing negative to the dreaded disease.

Reacting to the recovery and discharge of the media guru

By Chioma Obinna s Nigerian women joined the rest of the world to celebrate this year’s Mother’s Day, a group of women in A Ngwo community, Enugu State, under the aegis of The Voice

Nigeria Project, has called for more policies to secure rights, equality and dignity of mothers in all spheres of life.

The group is being supported by Mothers and Marginalized Advocacy Centre, MAMA. A statement jointly signed by Mrs. Grace Oriaku, Mrs. Ozorgwu Chinyere, and Mrs. Okwor Chinwedu, demanded increased maternal health budgetary allocation to restore mothers’ dignity and rights.

The statement reads: “There is also the need for massive recruitment of additional skilled healthcare workers to efficiently administer maternal healthcare services at facility levels.

“We also call for more proactive policy actions for women empowerment to encourage self-reliance and socio-economic self-sustainability of women including right holders with a holistically instituted reporting system to ease and encourage complaints process.

“We are not unaware of the dangers mothers undergo daily both in pregnancy and childbirth in Nigeria. Every 10 minutes one woman dies from conditions associated with childbirth with only 39 percent births taking place with the assistance of medically trained personnel”.

CO VID-19: ECW A sensitises COVID-19: ECWA Plateau IDPs, donates palliatives

By Marie-Therese Nanlong ince January 2020, when hostilities led to the sacking of some communities in Irigwe chiefdom of Bassa Local S Government Area of Plateau State, survivors of the deadly attacks have been subjected to all kinds of hardship.

While some found refuge in the homes of relatives in safer areas, those not so lucky had to cope with the stress of living in community halls, schools and Church premises.

They were said to have been warned by their attackers against returning to their homes or farmlands.

They were sacked from their homes at Kwall, Adu, Hukke, Miango town, Te’egbe, Nkiedonwro, Rekwe Chongu, Rotsu, Ancha and Nbra Zongo among other communities.

Taking a step to assist them, ECWA Aids Ministry TEAM, reached out to some of the communities to create awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic. It also distributed sanitary wares to help them keep safe.

The items donated to over 300 households with minimum of six people per family include cash, building materials, sanitary towels and cartoons of hand sanitizer among others.

Ubiaza community older than Benin traditional council —-Ogiamen royal family

Ekiti slashes 2020 budge 1 billion budgett ttoo N9 N91

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

State, described the reform initiatives of the ministry as “a bold and welcome step,” while Mr. Femi Solebo, chief executive of Notore Power and Infrastructure Limited, part of the consortium that owns Notore Industrial City, a free zone developer in Onne, said, “Developments in the ministry under the new ministers promise exciting period of policy clarity to investors.”

Solebo said he expects the reform to strengthen investors’ confidence in the nation’s free zones industry.

Mother’s Day 2020: Women demand gender-friendly policies

and his family members in a press statement, Onuesoke, who was among those who prayed and sent a message to Dokpesi and his family during their isolation days described their fast recovery

as the work and blessing of God. He prayed that God should continue to bless the Dokpesi’s family.

Onuesoke used the opportunity to appeal to both the Federal and state

governments to increase the COVID -19 testing centres in the country and as well as provide more quarantine centres for easy and quick treatment of patients so as to save lives of Nigerians.

ONDO 2020: Kekemeke vows to recognise indigenous nation is facing serious chalHis words, “We will also medicine lenges in cushioning the efBy Dayo Johnson, Akure

FORMER Chairman of the All Progressives A Congress (APC) in Ondo

State and governorship aspirant, Hon lsaac Kekemeke, says the exploration and exploitation of indigenous medicine would be one of his cardinal programmes if given the mandate.

Kekemeke, who is also a former commissioner, spoke in Akure.

develop what we call indigenous medicine as opposed to what they call alternative.

“It is not alternative; it’s indigenous medicine. So, we would establish an Ibile hospital and a research and development unit that would continue to develop, research into and regulate the development of indigenous medicine would be established”.

On COVID - 19, the aspirant asked government at all levels to work on generating data bank of the citizenry.

Kekemeke added, “The

fects of the lockdown due to lack of accurate data. “lf there’s data bank, it would be easier for government to project on how to arrest situations like COVID19". On the impact of COVID-19, the aspirant advised government to look into how to empower the people rather than sharing food items to them.

According to him, contractors are being empowered more through provision of palliatives to the people.

Ubiaza community in Utantan kingdom is older than Oba Eweka dynasty and Benin Traditional Council in Edo State.

The Director, Information and External Affairs of Ogiamien royal family, High Chief Esotericist Monday Wehere, said this in a statement made available to Vanguard.

He was reacting to a report by Vanguard on April 28, 2020, by one Mr. Idu Akenzuwa, who addressed himself as the Enogie (Duke) of Oghobaghase Dukedom in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

The statement reads:” Igodomigodo had existed for about 300 years before the coming of Oba Eweka dynasty in Igodomigodo in 1200AD. Before the Ile-Ife (Ile-Ibinu) people came to invade Igodomigodo and forcefully took occupation of a small portion in the present-day area known as Benin kingdom via the memorable Ekiokpagha Treaty, Igodomigodo had some communities such as Ubiaza Evbuo-Ogiamien, Ugonerie, and Etinosa among others”.

Foundation supports Igbogbo women, physically challenged

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By Funmi Ajumobi

he office of the Community Women’s Right Foundation in Igbogbo Community was filled with women, children as well as Persons With Disability (PWD), Tuesday, as they received palliatives in the form of foodstuff from the organization to cushion the effect of the lockdown placed by government to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Speaking at the event, the Director of the Foundation, Alhaji Lateef Ajibode, explained that women were the main victims of the lockdown as men could still visit their friend’s houses to eat while, according to him, women may not be able to do because of their children. He added that the yearning of the people for survival during his interaction while sensitizing the community on safety measures on Covid-19 prompted him to do the palliative.

According to him, the foundation was acting to support what government was giving out because residents in Igbogbo alone were over 500,000, many of who live on daily incomes which were no more coming.

Onimeiran lauds Lagos gov

he Onimeiran of Meiran Kingdom in the Agbado/ Oke-Odo LCDA of Lagos State, Oba (Dr.) Awoyemi OroT ja, has commended the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu,

for the various measures being put in place to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic in the state.

Oba Oroja, who made this remark in a statement at his Meiran palace, said the people were happy that in spite of the rising figure in cases, the government has through its response strategy raised the hope of the citizens in winning the fight against the ravaging pandemic as number of successfully managed and discharged individuals from isolation centres in the state were growing.

The monarch, who noted with delight the state government’s fumigation of the nooks and crannies of major public places in the state, however, attributed the government’s successful efforts to the governor’s ability to put in place robust emergency response measures such as community awareness, enhanced border surveillance, health workers’ sensitisation, opening of sample collection centres in the 20 Local Government Areas of the state, as well as procurement of personal protective equipment and hand sanitizers for the indigent and vulnerable people.

PAGE 4—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020

Nine bandits killed by police in

Isaac Boro Day: Diri renews call for equity, justice in Nigeria

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ayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has again called for justice and equity in the affairs of Nigeria. Diri made the call, yesterday, at the Heroes Park in Yenagoa during a brief event in remembrance of the foremost Ijaw freedom fighter, late Major Isaac Adaka Boro.

At the event to mark the 2020 Boro Day, the governor described the late Ijaw icon as a symbol of the struggle for the emancipation and development of Ijaw land and the Niger Delta region.

Senator Diri, who recalled the ideals and principles the late Boro stood for, said the issues and concerns he raised still faced the nation today, insisting that Nigeria must be a country of justice and equity.

“While we wish for a good and properly run country, we as Ijaw people want a Nigeria of justice and equity where we get what is due the people.

Certainly not a country where our oil is expropriated to other places and we do not get the maximum benefits,” Diri stated.

He also called for unity among Ijaws whether in Nigeria or in the Diaspora, noting that the strength of a people represents the unity of the land.

“I call on all Ijaws to come together. Today reminds us of the need to be united. Our strength is in our unity. Agitation must move into the intellectual arena and that is the only way we can develop. Ijaw nation must move forward, progress and prosper.

“The only panacea is that we must be united. We must not hate ourselves.”

The governor also challenged Ijaw elders and leaders to work hard to resuscitate the once vibrant Ijaw umbrella bodies, namely the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), saying they represent the strong voice of the Ijaw nation.

“I call on the leaders of Ijaw nation to do all that is possible to resuscitate INC and also bring back IYC stronger.

Those bodies are our voices.

We will work with all of you

on this to have a great Ijaw nation,” he said. Earlier in an address presented by Elder Timi Kaiser Ogoriba, the central zone elders of the IYC paid glowing tributes to the late Ijaw hero who led the historic 12-day revolution to declare the Niger Delta area a republic because of perceived injustice and oppression.

“Never in the history of human conflict in Izon nation

has any man so single-handedly committed himself as Isaac Boro, who dared all odds and died for our freedom and emancipation. We will continue to defend his effort and achieve what he attempted to achieve,” Ogoriba said.

The elders thanked the Bayelsa State government and the current administration of Governor Diri for always putting the issues of Ijaw nation at the front burner of

FORMER governor of Anambra State A and the vice presidential

candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2019 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi, and some members of the party in the state have donated N125 million to the PDP to cushion the effects of coronavirus.

Others who made donations include Senator Stella Oduah (N10 million), Senator Uche Ekwunife (N10 million), six members of the House of Representatives from the state who donated N5 million each, governorship candidate of PDP in the last election in the state, Mr. Oseloka Obaze (N1 million),

By Wole Mosadomi he combination of po lice and vigilante group has killed nine bandits in Rafi local government area of Niger State.

Three others who took to their heels during the fierce battle with the police were intercepted, lynched and burnt by villagers.

The fleeing bandits were said to have been intercepted along Mekureji village, about four kilometers to Kagara town, headquarters of the local government as they tried to escape from the “battle field”.

The bandits were said to have invaded Karaya Mah-

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midnight Friday but met resistance from a combination of police and members of the vigilante group in the area as they exchanged fire.

The DPO Kagara Police Station was said to have mobilised Operation Pupp Adder with some local vigilante to engage the bandits who were said to have been terrorising people of Rafi and environs for some time.

“Nine bandits have been killed while about three of them who ran towards Mekujeri village were intercepted, lynched and burnt beyond recognition by a mob”, Niger State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Wasiu Abiodun, said.

COVID-19: Pregnant Lagos patient delivered of baby boy news from our isolation faBy Olasunkanmi Akoni

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REMEMBRANCE: From left: Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Governor Douye Diri and Esther Boro, at the Heroes Park in Yenagoa, during the wreath-laying ceremony in remembrance of the late Ijaw freedom fighter, Major Isaac Adaka Boro, yesterday.

MADAGASCAR COVID-19 CURE:

Buhari opens up, says he will ‘listen to science’

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru resident Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, at the State House, Abuja, received the Madagascan native formulation against the Covid19 pandemic.

Buhari, who received the drug when he had audience with President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau who brought along with him the samples of the tradition-

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al medicine, as shared to African nations by Madagascar, disclosed that he will listen to science before allowing traditional or any new medicines to be administered on Nigerians.

He said his position on all such herbal or traditional medicinal postulates had remained the same.

“We have our institutions, systems and processes in the country. Any such formulations should be sent to them

PALLIATIVE: Obi, others donate N125m to Anambra PDP •Party to build test centre in 21 days

By Vincent Ujumadu

national discourse. The eldest daughter of the late foremost agitator, Esther Boro, said their father was a man of courage and conviction, who wanted a better and developed Ijaw land. She said they were proud of what their father stood for and that his memories live on.

The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, joined others to lay wreaths at the tomb of Isaac Boro.

Niger, three lynchedanga and Bakachi villages

four members of the party in the Anamba State House of Assembly (N1million) each, as well as officials of the party in the state.

PDP also announced yesterday that it would establish a well-equipped test center in the state and asked the state or the federal government to allocate a space to the party for the project.

Mrs. Chidi Onyemelukwe, daughter of the late former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, who was appointed the chairman of the high- powered committee for the disbursement of the funds, said the test center would be ready as soon as possible if the site is provided for the party in the next 21 days.

She assured that the committee would ensure proper disbursement of the funds to communities, particularly the poor ones in all the political wards in the state.

Onyemelukwe assured that the palliative would reach all parts of the state, adding that they would start with the less privileged in the society.

According to

her, each of the 181 communities in the state would get N300,000, while 60 selected poor families in each community would get N5000 immediately. Similarly, each political ward would receive N105,000 during the first phase, while the local government areas would get theirs during the second phase.

She also said that three health institutions would get N12 million each for upgrading of isolation centers. The institutions are Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka and the General Hospital, Onitsha.

Also speaking, the secretary of the committee, Akirika, said members of the committee would painstakingly search for the poorest in the various communities as beneficiaries of the palliative.

State chairman of PDP, Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu, commended the donors, assuring that the funds would reach the poor people in all the communities.

Inaugurating the committee at the PDP secretariat in Awka, Nwobu urged the people to continue to take precautionary measures to avoid contracting the virus.

for verification. I will not put it to use without the endorsement of our institutions” , the President said.

On the main reason for his visit, Embalo said, having stabilized his country after the tussles that attended the general elections won by him, he had come to seek counsel from his “father,” Buhari, on his plan for a “government of national unity” and a proposed war against corruption in his country.

The Madagascan leader said his government met a country beset by a number of issues and problems, the resolution of which would require tremendous assistance from the “big brother,” Nigeria.

“Problems of Guinea Bissau are problems of Nigeria.

I have come to you as your son. I need your help and assistance to make the people happy. I will not let you down, neither will I put you in any difficult situation” , he said.

In response to the demands, Buhari, according to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, commended “General” Embalo on his confirmation as President and for stabilizing the country.

He said, “I commend your political dexterity in getting the opposition to join the proposed unity government” The President restated the determination of Nigeria to keep West Africa politically stable and promised to support the new government in Guinea Bissau. “I will cooperate and help in every way possible,” he stated.

Buhari also used the opportunity of the visit to praise the good work that the President of Niger Republic, Mahamadou Issoufou, who is the current Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is doing in the sub-region, and commended him for keeping him informed of all that is happening around.

ealth workers in Lagos are basking in the euphoria of success following the successful delivery of a baby boy by a positive COVID-19 patient.

The baby was delivered through caesarean section at the Gbagada isolation centre, yesterday.

Announcing the great feat, Governor Babajide SanwoOlu said it was another validation of the government’s position that it would stamp out the coronavirus virus from the state.

He said: “I bring you great

cilities. Today, a pregnant COVID-19 positive patient was delivered of a baby boy through caeserian section at Gbagada Isolation Centre.

Both mother and baby are doing well.

“Today’s achievement is a pointer that our strategies in Lagos are working and yielding the desired results. It is also a sign of victory and motivation for us as we push ahead in the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic.”

Sanwo-Olu also announced the discharge of 67 more patients from four isolation centres after testing negative twice for Covid-19.

Ogun prosecutes 108 violators

By James Ogunnaike overnor Dapo Abiodun says Ogun State Task Force on lockdown has apprehended and prosecuted 108 violators in the last one week.

Also, 517 vehicles, 109 motorcycles and 6 tricycles were impounded for breaching the presidential directive on curfew within the same period.

Abiodun, who spoke while briefing newsmen at his Oke Mosan office extended the lockdown imposed on the state to flatten coronavirus in

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the state by one week.

He said, “Between 4th May and yesterday, 108 violators of the lockdown and other measures have been apprehended and prosecuted. They were promptly tried by the newly introduced mobile courts, with some of them made to pay fine whilst some are undergoing community service.

“In the same vein, 517 vehicles, 109 motorcycles and six tricycles were impounded for breaching the Presidential directive on curfew within the same period”.

South-South women commend Evah over palliative SOUTH-SOUTH Women Organization(SSWO)has showered encomiums on the national coordinator of the Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG), Comrade Joseph Evah, over his palliative measures for Covid-19 lockdown, stressing that Evah is playing fatherly role to all the associations established by him till date.

In a statement in Lagos by the President and Public Relations Officer (PRO), Comrade Felida Essi and Mrs. Bernice Yonlonfun respective-

ly, the group said Evah had done tremendous things for Niger Deltans and Nigerians at large, adding that most of the political office holders in Nigeria could not surpass Evah based on his good deeds to humanity.

“Evah distributed many bags of rice, beans, semovita, indomie noodles, recharge cards and money to a lot of Niger Deltans and Nigerians during the covid 19 lockdown. Our super Evah has the welfare of his people at heart”, the statement said.

100 days: Ohanaeze supports civil service reforms in Imo

By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri he National Youth Wing T of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, said it fully supported the ongoing civil service reforms in Imo State under the government of Senator Hope Uzodinma.

In a statement in Owerri by the executives and that of Imo State chapter, the National Deputy Youth President, Kingsley Dozie, said, among other things, that the 100 days in office of Uzodinma had shown transparency in the business of governance in the state.

Ohanaeze saluted the revolutionary sanitation of the hitherto corruption infested

public payroll system, saying, “It took the governor rare courage to insist on the digitization of the payroll of Imo workers and pensioners.

“Never again will a government staff in Imo state not know how much he or she is actually entitled to at the end of the month. Never again will the worker now know if tax deductions from salary are duly paid or not. The governor has brought Imo state salary payment forward to the digital age, to the glory of God and the shame of visionless leaders”, the group said.

“Adapalm is yet another area where Governor Uzodinma has demonstrated vision and capacity in leadership.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE 5

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•Diamond

•Bannerman

•Okokporo

•Isong

•Nwabuikwu

•Gabriel

•Adeyemo

•Odudu

•Opelema

•Tayese

•Okene

•Asu

•Peace

S/South pastors disagree over ‘Covid-19 money’

• Those collecting tithe online are not true men of God – Clerics • ‘Church leaders not collecting should be investigated’

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Sam Oyadongha, Jimitota Onoyume, Festus Ahon, Egufe Yafugborhi, Ike Uche, Chioma Onuegbu, Davies Iheamnachor, Emem Idio, Perez Brisibe, Ochuko Akuokpha, Sunday Chancel and Paul Olayemi

time to repent, but I think the pandemic has taught the Church that we need to know that we should be prepared. God has been kind to us but we should be prepared for the worst.”

Pastors who refuse to collect tithe/ offering should be investigated – Bishop Isong OME clerics in the South-South have National Publicity Secretary of the come hard on their fellow ministers Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, who created online platforms to collect Bishop Emma Isong, disagreed with him, tithe and offering from members, especially saying: “People who are saying that churches during COVID-19 pandemic lock-down, are not helping people are the same people describing it as ridiculous. shouting that churches should not collect tithe Some of the pro-tithe/offering pastors, and offering at this time, which money are however, defended their position, saying it was they going to use now? How will they get funds proper to do so, but those against asked if the to sponsor humanitarian services?

Lord Jesus Christ would take or give to the “They should not pay tithe or offering to people at a time like this. churches, so which magical money will the The pastors, who spoke to Sunday church be using now?

Vanguard, also sang discordant tunes on “It is right for churches to create whether Covid-19 is a sign of end times. applications for tithe and offering during While some said there was nothing to worry Covid-19, do people not pay transport fare? about if a cleric did not heal Covid-19 patients People who buy food stuff in the market, is it as expected because pastors do not have the free? So which service, spiritual or power to heal, but God uses them, some argued professional, that should be free during Covidthat Covid-19 has exposed fake 19? pastors.

“To give offering and tithe is part of your responsibility as a Online apps for tithe/ Christian.

I think God will offering during pandemic “Churches are run with money are inappropriate – Bishop like other organizations, money is still give us Okokpooro a liquid substance that runs more time to General Overseer of Promise organizations, the church is not Kingdom Ministry Inc exempted. repent, but I Worldwide in Sapele, Delta State, “Even Ogboni, Freemason, Bishop Godday Okokporo, is one think the Pyrates, KKK, market women of the clerics who pooh-poohed pandemic has association still collect dues from the ministers who arranged members; even witches and wizards online apps for payment of tithe taught the are still contributing blood at this and offering during the Church that we time. pandemic, saying they are not “Anyone with a different view need to know true men of God. should challenge me. I do not know Okokporo said: “Rather than that we should about any organization that will helping their members at this function without its members time of pandemic which has shut be prepared contributing money. the world down, they are “There is no taboo in churches demanding for tithe and offering. collecting tithe and offering. Any “This is not biblical, times are pastor not collecting tithe and offering should hard and the only thing we should be doing be investigated, he may be getting money from now is to give back to the people and not an enemy nation or terrorist organization to continue to take from them. carry out a nefarious activity.

“That is why I am condemning it totally, it is “We encourage our members to pay tithe and not proper for a man of God to keep offering to our account at GTB, and we are able demanding without giving back.” to use this money to carry our humanitarian The cleric, fondly called Bishop Overflow, services. also said why pastors were unable to heal “We have gone online to broadcast our services Covid-19 victims was not because their faith and God has made us to reach even more souls and power failed them, “but because the across the globe”.

Church was beginning to lose faith in its own ability, in God’s power.”

‘I healed 2 persons’ He added: “It is totally wrong to say the Commenting on the allegation that people Church was unable to heal Covid-19 persons were disappointed that pastors could not heal and why the deaths were more abroad than in Covid-19 victims, the PFN leader fired back: Nigeria was because we are all praying and “You cannot heal people in a vacuum, you do God has been merciful.” not heal people in the entire atmosphere; you Asked if Covid-19 is part of the signs of the heal those who come to you, so is there any Covidend of age, the bishop replied: “No, I do not 19 patient, who has gone to a true man of God think so. I think God will still give us more and has not received healing?

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“You cannot sit down and want me to heal all the COVID-19 patients in the world. I am not a magician, you must desire healing first.

“The two that I healed called me on phone and I prayed for them and healed them in the name of Jesus Christ.

‘So anyone saying this is just blackmailing men of God and it is cheap blackmail. The last patients you heard about in Akwa Ibom, I was the one that prayed for them and they got healed.

“Churches are on lock-down and people say we should not meet, so how do we heal the Covid19 patients? “Is it not a contradiction? Churches have been on lock-down, so how will they heal Covid-19, it is an error”.

Online tithe apps irrational – Pastor Ekiye On his part, popular gospel musician, Pastor Ekiye Asu, expressed disappointment about churches creating online apps for tithe and offering among other collections instead of sending relief materials to members.

“Honestly I am highly disappointed when I read this online. I do not know if this was substantiated, but if this was the case, it would be most insensitive and highly unreasonable for tithe and offering to be a priority for any pastor in the face of this pandemic”, Asu said.

“However, you must also acknowledge that in the past couple of weeks, most of the mega churches, and even the small ones, have extended hand of fellowship not only to their poor members but also to government.

“The pandemic has actually taught us that God is not a respecter of Church or persons.

“His Word is paramount above all things because He operates by His principles and when His principles are ignored, defaulters become victims.

“Most of the signs of the last days as foretold in the scripture are being fulfilled daily”.

‘Churches have healed many COVID19 patients’ Asu debunked the claim that pastors have not been able to heal victims, saying: “There is no basis to verify that pastors have not been able to heal Covid-19 victims.

“I am not aware that any journalist took a census of claims of those who have been genuinely healed supernaturally as a result of the activities of any pastors.

“At least we have claims by countless pastors that they have healed scores of patients.

“However, your conclusion can only be substantiated if you have any empirical fact to that.

“I consider it a fallacy of hasty generalization to conclude that many Nigerians are disappointed in men of God or are you disproving the several claims that we have been healing Covid-19?

“If so, that could be a product of bias resulting in lack of belief in their capacities and you have to undertake an empirical study to disprove this.

“More so, I think such disappointments are pathologically misplaced and miserably misdirected. Are churches controlling the tax

payer’s money?

“Are pastors the people we voted for to represent us? Such disappointments should be directed properly and not to churches”.

Speaking on the granting of permission to pastors to heal Covid-19 patients as requested by a pastor, he said: “Men of God do not need permission to pray since they do this regularly in their synagogues and houses of prayers, but even you will not believe that it was as a result of their prayers if there are no verifiable mediums of establishing that what they claim as answer to prayers is derived from their effort.

“However, isolation centres cannot be accessed without due permission or consent by the authority, so I consider that statement a very strategic and well thought out outburst. You sure need permission in this particular context”.

Tithe/offering apps saved many Christians from robbery- Baptist pastor Defending online tithe preachers, a pastor in Baptist Church, who preferred anonymity, stated that collection of tithe and offering is scriptural.

“It is important to note that some of such apps had been in existence, but were not publicized before now”, he said.

“I see this as a way of helping members from robbing God as failure to pay tithe and offering had made such an individual a robber.

“Many churches have given relief materials and tithe and offering were also used in sending those materials to them. “Also the Church as an institution has supported government in this season.”

Speaking on why many pastors, who boasted of healing powers, could not heal Covid-19 victims, he said: “No man has power to heal; it is God’s power that has been made available that brings about healing.

“Anyone who claims without having this power cannot do anything. Only those who have healing powers can actually heal persons with this disease.

“Man will fail but God will not fail. That is why the scripture says woe to him that puts his trust in man. It is out of place for Nigerians to put their trust in men.

“What ought to be done is to put one’s trust in God, who works through men. This is the more reason that Nigerians should trust more in God than man”.

‘We’re in last days’ He added: “Reading through Matthew 24 where Christ talked about the signs of the end time, I can confidently say we are in the last days of the end time.

“Though we do not know the exact time, but from the study of God’s word, one can say this pandemic is a sign of the end time.”

It is evil – Pastor Odudu Also contributing, Senior Pastor, Glorious Bible Mission International, Sapele, Pastor Elijah Odudu, lambasted pastors who have designed applications for tithe and offering online.

“I totally condemn pastors who created online apps for members to give offering and tithe.

Continues online at www.vanguardngr.com

PAGE 6 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020

WE SURVIVED!

and His only begotten son Jesus Christ.

My wife and I came face-toface with death – Okupe, Covid-19 survivor

By Olayinka Ajayi

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arrating the trauma his wife and himself suffered at the isolation centre after testing positive for coronavirus, Chief Doyin Okupe, a former Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan, says he came face-to-face with death.

We learnt that you and your wife tested positive for coronavirus and spent 20 days in isolation...

Yes, we both tested positive on April 23 and went into isolation in Sagamu same day. We were both discharged on Tuesday, May 14.

How did you contract the virus?

It’s difficult to say. But obviously I was exposed to someone who was infected.

When I developed low grade fever and my wife had cough, I made a request for test.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Yomi Coker, decided that another samples should be taken and sent to the laboratory in Osun. Three days passed but we finally got the result from UCH. But shortly after, Ogun State laboratory got certification and approval to carry out tests.

How would you describe your experience during the isolation and the process of recovery?

The isolation is psychologically traumatic and distressing. We had all the good care possible. Good, neat and modern environment. Superb nursing and professional handling and management.

Prompt response to issues and complaints. Even good food. But the unpredictability of the virus, its potential and possible vagrant behaviour, for me in particular being a medical person, all made life a bit stiff and encumbering. The lucky thing for my wife and I was that we did not come down with any respiratory or breathing problems.

Loneliness and anxiety was something we had to deal with. For us, that did not seem a major problem because we realised that nobody in the world had a cure or solution. So we turned full face to God for healing. We prayed with our prayer ministers, family and friends for seven to 10 hours daily constantly in supplication and praises to God and our Lord Jesus Christ. We took Holy Communion often and claimed the cleansing and healing in the blood of Jesus. And eventually by His stripes at

New sets of results came and my wife recorded her second negative while mine came back positive.

We saw this as a device of the devil

What was the process of testing like?

The testing process was easy and simple. I contacted the head of the Ogun State Covid-19 team, Dr. Dele Ajayi, and he handled the whole thing professionally and with dispatch. Within 24 hours, a team from Abeokuta came to my house and tested my whole household. We had issues with the laboratory at UCH, Ibadan. The lab itself was under tremendous pressure due to the avalanche of samples from Oyo State. At a point, the team, in consultation with the state

Cavlary

•Okupe we were healed. The recovery phase started with the news of our testing negative on Friday, May 10. We were both joyous. But devil struck two days later on Sunday, the day we had projected to go home. New sets of results came and my wife recorded her second negative while mine came back positive. We saw this as a device of the devil. Instead of being dejected, we rolled up our sleeves spiritually and enlisted the support of our prayer partners.

During that night vigil, we concentrated on Mathew 18: 18 to 20. My wife and I, based on the word in this scripture, discountenanced the result and decreed in an agreement that we will go home on Tuesday, May 14. So, on Monday, the 23th, we packed all our belongings and zipped our two boxes ready to go. The fruits we had left in the fridge were packed together and given to our neighbours.

As God will have it, in clear demonstration of His capacity to answer prayers, I was woken up by a call from Dr Ajayi, the head of the Ogun Covid-19 team, who told us that they now had other results showing negatives and so we can leave that Tuesday! We give all glory to God. What are the lessons you learnt from this experience?

Lessons learnt, first of all, is that even when the whole world is unsure of which direction to go, or when the crisis of life comes or when, by human standards, we are told that we are disadvantaged, the only one we can look forward to for deliverance is the Almighty God

Learn from my Covid19 trauma, don’t treat cold sore with levity, Olagoke-Harley, London-based survivor, tells Nigerians

By Chris Onuoha

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s Omolola OlagokeHarley, a Londonbased psychiatric nurse, NHS, is a Nigerian. Olagoke-Harley, a coronavirus survivor, in this piece, narrates how her trauma began with cold sore on a day she returned from work. He tells Nigerians not to see Covid-19 as a joke.

“I came back from work one day and found out that I had cold sore.

So I went to the pharmacy and was given a cream to rub on my body”, she narrated. The survivor continued, “I applied this cream daily and regularly, but yet there was no improvement. I went back to the pharmacy and I was advised to continue to use the cream.

“Meanwhile, I started my annual leave March 16 and, by March 17, I started coughing, sneezing and having body aches and I couldn’t sleep. “So I had to call my daughter who lives far away from me.

“She asked me to come down to her place. Meanwhile I didn’t want to go because she is married. I eventually went to my daughter’s place after so much persuasion.

“By the time I got there I had already lost my energy and couldn’t do

anything, even though I drove myself.

“Seeing my condition, my daughter called 111 and I was advised to take paracetamol and that if symptoms got worse, I should call 999 for assistance.

“Two days after, as I was trying to attend to my personal hygiene in the bathroom, I fainted.

“999 was called & paramedics rushed down.

“The paramedics carried out ECG and blood pressure checks among others on me.

“They realised my blood pressure was extremely low.

“The paramedics decided to take me into hospital but my daughter & her husband objected because once someone is taken into hospital, no one is allowed to visit him or her so as not to transmit the virus.

“The paramedics, as I learnt later, told my daughter that it was up to me to decide to be allowed to be taken into hospital or not.

“I was regaining consciousness but unable to speak due to shortness of breath. So I just gave the sign that I did not want to be taken into hospital.

“The paramedics called my GP doctor & I was advised to contact 111 doctor while antibiotics were prescribed for seven days together

What advice do you have for people especially those who don’t believe this virus exists?

Anybody who does not believe that Covid19 is real is in self and destructive delusion. I do not speak vanity. I have gone through the drill. I came face-to-face with Covid-19 and possibility of death. I want to advise and plead with all Nigerians to believe that this scourge is real and dangerous. We need to save our lives even at the expense of hunger. It is an epidemic. Throughout world history, no epidemic lasts forever. It has come but it will soon go. Maybe July or August. So let us endure just for a little while. If you need not go out, please don’t. Don’t receive visitors, even friends and family till all this is over.

•Olagoke -Harley

I have fully recovered; however I still drink my concoction daily with two different inhalers to aid my breathing as I was struggling to breathe.

“The following week after completing the antibiotics, my GP called and prescribed the second dose of antibiotics.

“He advised me to call 999 if symptoms continued. But to the glory of God, I was made whole by God”.

When asked about what was going through her mind while the coronavirus trauma lasted, Olagoke-Harley said, “Honestly it was a miracle that I am alive; to be honest, all I went through showed me that life is vanity.

“My mind constantly went to all those who de-

What does our response to pandemic say about our health system?

Definitely, our health system is in a deplorable state. It has always been. Most African countries do not invest in health. So this has put us in a quagmire. However, this is not the time to apportion blames. What will be a monumental disaster is if, after this, we do not change and prioritise our needs.

Many people think contracting coronavirus is death sentence while others who tested positive are on the run because of fear of isolation and stigmatisation. What is your perspective on this?

Contacting coronary virus is not death sentence certainly. Majority of affected cases (90 to 92%) will be mild to moderate and most will not require hospitalization and may even get healed without treatment. Some 8% will be severe and about 3% or less will eventually suffer fatality. Out of the 3% that die, a very high percentage will be due to old age and comorbidities. It’s sad that people are afraid of isolation centres and some still think it’s a shameful thing. This is wholesomely wrong.

Nothing to be ashamed of. There is no immorality associated with it. So, no need to be ashamed. Also, there is nothing killing or extremely unbearable at the isolation center.

My advice is that let us all cooperate with government and subject ourselves to the law.

Covid-19 is a phase and it shall pass.

Lockdown or no lockdown, people must, with understanding, personally restrict their movements. Stay at home and stay safe. Put money aside. Let us all assume that, business wise, this year is not for business. If we all survive at the end of the year, that will be our gain. Only a person who is alive can do business or prosper. There is no wealth or prosperity in the grave. Let us take a personal decision to stay alive. Wear mask always. Keep physical distance and observe the hygiene protocol as advised by NCDC. May God heal our land in Jesus name.

pended on me in the event that I didn’t survive, my children, mostly my one year old grandson and those I give back to in the community through my NGO. “I also thought about my siblings because I lost one of my sisters seven years ago”.

Olagoke-Harley, who is the Erelu Tayese of Isheri-Olofin, Lagos, expressed the belief that God gave her a second chance.

“I appreciate God for surviving because many people have died as a result of this virus but God, in His mercies, gave me a second chance to live and, for this opportunity, I will forever appreciate God and ensure that I live a good and righteous life”, the survivor said.

“I have been praying to God, asking for forgiveness of my shortcomings and to anybody I may have offended.

“It is not that I deserve to be alive. Thousands of people have gone and it is not that they don’t deserve to be alive.

“I don’t know what I have done to deserve God’s mercy & favour.

“God gave me this second chance for a reason and I am going to make use of it wisely in the sense that I am going to ‘Sin No More’.

“I am like a new born baby; everything has changed, my thinking, the way I reason, etc”.

She enjoined those with the symptoms of COVID-19 not to panic but to contact their doctors.

“If you have the symptoms and feel it is COVID-19, call 111 or Nigeria’s dedicated number and don’t diagnose yourself.

“Coughing or sneezing does not mean you got COVID-19, seek medical advice.”

Asked to give advice to people at home (Nigeria), she urged them to always adhere to social distancing and avoid touching one another.

“My NGO reached out to people during these hard times by distributing food items to people in different states”, OlagokeHarley said. “I noticed via the video sent to me that people are not maintaining social distancing. Please my lovely people, follow the rules & regulations; don’t joke with it, wash your hands, don’t touch your face, sneeze on tissues and cover your mouth when coughing. “I don’t pray for my enemy to contract this virus.

COVID-19 is real and serious.

“Some of my family members gave me different herbal remedies. I call it concoction.

“For example, I was advised to get pineapple skin, whole orange, lime and lemon, garlic and ginger, boil & drink morning and night.

“I also take Vitamin C daily, please use Vitamin C regularly, you cannot overdose on it; it is highly beneficial to the body “To God be the glory, I have fully recovered; however I still drink my concoction daily”.

•First published by nigerianstandardngr.com

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE 7

By Chioma Obinna OCIAL media have, of late, been awash with news of COVID-19 patients S protesting, fleeing isolation centres, or

COVID-19 RED ALERT:

confirmed cases on the run in some states across the country.

Many reasons have been adduced for the development and they include stigmatisation, loneliness, poor feeding, poor state of isolation centres and neglect by medical personnel.

Sunday Vanguard examines the situation and reports that it may compromise Nigeria’s efforts to win the war against the global pandemic.

Refusing to show up Nigeria’s efforts at containing the COVID -19 pandemic may be at risk following reports of COVID-19 patients fleeing isolation centres or confirmed cases refusing to show up for treatment.

As at last Thursday, May 14 when this report was filed, Nigeria had a total of 5,162 confirmed cases of coronavirus with 1,180 discharged and 167 deaths.

Sadly, reports abound of how COVID -19 patients flee isolation centres in some states while in some states, many of them are on the run after refusing to submit themselves for treatment. Others already on admission escape from the centres in protest against what they described as ‘poor treatment’ by the authorities.

An example is that of Gombe State where confirmed patients overpowered the security guard at an isolation centre and went on the rampage on the highway.

According to the protesting patients, many of them had been in the isolation centre for two weeks without medical attention. They also claimed that the foods they serve them are substandard.

For these Nigerians, the action of the authorities made them to believe they were not actually sick. Specifically, one of the patients, a lady, claimed that even when they had headache, they had to give money to someone to help them buy drugs.

The patients went as far as blocking the highway to Borno and Adamawa states and mingled with members of the community who joined them in the protest, chanting that coronavirus was fake, and that they were just being used to make money.

Also in the epicentre, Lagos State, many of the patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 are on the run after refusing to submit for treatment.

Confirming this, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, said many individuals who had tested positive for COVID-19 in the state were fleeing their residence and not submitting for treatment.

With active case of about 1,037 as of Friday, May 8, only 262 beds were occupied out of the 569 bed-capacity in Lagos. This means that about 800 COVID-19 positive patients were yet to be admitted.

Abayomi also narrated a situation where they test people, and cannot find them thereafter.

“The ambulances will go into community, people will flee their homes, and they make it difficult for us to find them,” he said with alarm in his voice about the consequence of the cases mingling with people and spreading the virus.

At a briefing where he spoke, the Commissioner also said the percentage of admitted patients as of that Friday was about 26 per cent of the total active cases. Abayomi regretted that there was no time for health officials to hunt for the people on the run as positive patients are expected to make themselves available in their own interest.

To him, there is no reason patients should flee their homes for fear of isolation centres.

“Our isolation facilities are really comfortable, it is not like the Ebola days; we have made a lot of improvements. If you look at the testimonies of people that were discharged, you will see that the food is good, the attention is good, the wards are clean.

Our staff members are very professional”, he said.

Recently, Oyo State government also raised the alarm about two COVID-19 patients who escaped from an isolation centre. The story is the same in Borno where a man and woman fled from an isolation centre. There were also cases of defaulters in Kano, Delta, Bauchi and Taraba states.

Meanwhile, the development is a source of worry to critical health watchers.

According to them, if the situation continues, Nigeria risks more problems in community transmission of Covid-19 and containment efforts will be more difficult.

Confirmed cases on the run in Lagos, Kano, Delta, others •Reasons patients are fleeing and way out – NMA President, other professionals •A scene during a protest by Coronavirus patients in Gombe.

Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ife, OAUTHC, Prof. Adedeji Onayade, said patients who flee isolation centres will infect others who interact with them in the course of daily living activities.

Onayade, who linked their action to possibly psychological, poor living conditions and poor food, among others, called for more support and education for COVID-19 patients that though they are asymptomatic, they could spread the infection.

Explaining why medical experts may not be seen regularly by patients, he said: “The care in isolation ward is different from regular wards. Health care providers maintain minimal essential contact with patients in order to avoid infection.

“Patients who are used to doctors and nurses doing regular round in the wards may feel neglected. No visitors are allowed and they do not have privilege of any outdoor activities.”

Also in a chat with Sunday Vanguard, a molecular laboratory expert, Dr Casmier Ifeanyi, said isolation poses a lot of challenges to patients, Nigerians and the containment efforts as when patients break away from isolation centres, it becomes a major compromise on those things that can fuel community transmission.

Ifeanyi explained that people are only taken into isolation when they test positive and once they mix other residents in the community, they will spread the virus.

Blaming the situation on the poor state of isolation centres in the country, he said there have been several complaints about poor feeding and treatment in the centres.

“These are human beings; it is natural that they will protest because you are garaging them. It has been alleged that many of the people there are not receiving treatment at all”, the expert said.

“Some say they are only given Vitamin C. “If the complaints coming from there are anything to go by, something is definitely not right.

“Then, there is something begging for an answer. What is the protocol that we are using to manage these people in isolation?

“If there is a protocol, then it is time we review it because it seems not to be meeting with the expectation of the people we take in there.

“If we do not want to place them on any therapy at all, we should be seen to be giving them a regimen that will help their immune system to overcome the infection so that they do not progress and the prognosis will be good.”

Citing a COVID-19 patient that died recently under isolation, Ifeanyi explained

Abayomi regretted that there was no time for health officials to hunt for the people on the run

Spreading infection The Director, Institute of Public Health,

“Government cannot be putting a military man or a police man to ensure that individuals behave rationally”, he said.

“We call on the populace that even if you are infected, you must try as much as possible to protect others from being infected and that is where we are going to do more advocacy works and give information to the people.”

•Some patients outside an isolation centre that although the deceased was doing well when he was taken to isolation, nobody bothered to check on him until when it was expected that in three days time he will be leaving the centre.

He said the patient died because he went into a mild respiratory crisis without treatment.

“That simply means that even though, the disease type he had was mild, he was progressively becoming very morbid and nobody knew.”

To prevent people from fleeing the centres or die, the expert called for the review of the isolation management protocol by incorporating routine medical laboratory testing across isolation centres in Nigeria.

According to him, the incorporation of the routine laboratory testing would help managers have information on patients’ haematological parameters and basic biochemical parameters.

“Laboratory is not only to test for disease; the duty of laboratory includes diagnosis, treatment and management of patients and prevention of disease”, Ifeanyi stated.

“In the four prongs, you cannot put the lab aside. Most of the isolation centres that do not have the laboratory component should start making plans for a laboratory component there, so that, as we do a supportive regimen or a symptomatic management, we will have a laboratory component giving us an in-depth knowledge as to the health status of patients.”

He argued that COVID-19 patients cannot be garaged without daily evaluation; provision of good foods and there would not be news of people escaping or refusing treatment.

“How can you take people in, garage them and you don’t provide foods, not evaluate them from day to day, you don’t provide supportive, you are just there waiting for symptoms to manifest for you to treat them?

That protocol is faulty”, Ifeanyi said.

Corroborating his views, President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr Francis Faduyile, appealed to patients to understand that the containment of COVID19 was not entirely at the purview of government but all Nigerians.

State of isolation centres The NMA leader said

the status of individuals may not be met due to the state of isolation centres that are mass produced.

“Since it is a mass isolation centre it might be difficult to have all the necessary things for you to have a comfortable stay but to the down trodden, that could mean an improvement of where they were staying.”

According to him, to contain the virus, everyone must sacrifice at least two to three weeks of his lives.

“We are appealing to individuals in the isolation centres that feel that it is not up to their standards, they should please sacrifice, stay there for two three weeks and go back to their comfortable accommodation”, Faduyile said.

“It is not right for us to start fleeing isolation centres when we know we can increase transmission of the disease,” On her part, a public health expert, Dr Imei Okon, said state governments should invest in isolation centres to encourage patients to stay.

Okon said the development would definitely impact on the country’s containment efforts because the moment a patient flees from treatment facility, he or she has broken protocol and this can escalate positive cases.

“In the interest of everybody, government should try to make isolation centres conducive”, she said.

“We have a team set up by the Federal Government to give accreditation to isolation centres.

“They are currently moving round to ensure standards and that will stop patients from moving around in search of conducive environment.”

Okon advised Nigerians to stop stigmatisation of people that test positive to Covid-19.

“Nigerians should know that it is not a death sentence, anybody that is positive should come out and take treatment”, she said.

“It doesn’t take long for you to recover and continue with your normal life.

“In the interest of the community, let us all work together to end this outbreak so that we can all be alive to tell the story just like we did with Ebola”.

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020

Why we are not disposed to treatment of Covid-19 patients at home – NCDC NCDC DG

By Chioma Obinna

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agos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, recently, said the state was considering home management of COVID-19 patients due to shortage of bed space in its isolation centres. But the Nigerian Medical Association warned against the adoption of the newly approved WHO’s home treatment policy for COVID-19 patients.

According to the NMA, while accepting the noticeable acute shortage of bed spaces available at the designated centres, Nigeria should take into consideration the peculiar housing challenges in the country.

It stated that Nigeria has an average of six persons per household and, consequently, wholesale adoption of the guideline may not be applicable in Nigeria unless the country is prepared to risk an explosive regime of community transmission without modifications, especially in situations of poor housing and overcrowding.

The NMA also advocated the revamping of abandoned General Hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to mitigate the challenges with home treatment and acute shortage of bed spaces.

Sunday Vanguard spoke to the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Dr Chikwe Iheakweazu, on the country ’s treatment protocol. Excerpts: Lagos State government said it is likely to commence treatment of COVID-19 patients at home and in primary healthcare centres. How safe is the idea and is part of the treatment protocols?

The policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria remains institutional management for all COVID-19 confirmed cases. It is recommended that clinicians

By Medinat Barau

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agos was the first city in Nigeria to report a case of COVID-19 on February 27, 2020. Kano, the largest city in the North, reported its first case six weeks later, on April 11. Across the country, states have enacted curfews and lockdowns to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus and to keep its citizens safe. Currently, the lockdown in Kano has had some good effects, but the economic constraints have had an adverse effect on the population, leading government to acknowledge that a partial lifting will need to be considered.

An executive report on the study of Transmission Scenarios of COVID-19 in Lagos and Kano States by Yusuf Yau Gambo (Applied Mathematician and Data Analyst, Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano) & Yunus A. Abdulhameed (PhD Biomedical Physicist Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano) published on May 3, 2020 came to the following predictive conclusions: Scenario Current mobility 20% increase in mobility from now 50% increase in mobility from now Lift the lockdown completely The researchers said without strict adherence to social distancing, coronavirus cases in Kano would rise steeply. Therefore, should the state government deem it necessary, the following internationally recognised recommendations should be put in place: I.Only partial mobility should be allowable.

II. Any person over the age of 10 and in a public space should be required to wear a facemask.

III.Employers should be required to provide face coverings for employees and government should provide the facemasks for citizens that cannot afford them.

IV. Restaurants and bars should be ordered to close dining areas but may maintain take-out, drive-thru, and pickup options.

V.Higher institutions should be conducting lectures online if possible. If unable to, no lecture room should have more than 40 occupants at a time.

VI.Faculties, departments, and other places in higher institutions should be required to place large hand sanitiser dispensers at every entrance and exits.

VII.Worship centres should remain closed until after the state has passed the peak of the wave, at which time places of worship could be reopened. However, even after attaining the peak, there is

recommend the use of designated treatment areas, according to severity and acute care needs, to care for confirmed COVID -19 cases.

Home care should only be recommended where institutional management of cases is not possible. An appropriate risk assessment for patients must be done and appropriate

measures being put in place.

With the way confirmed cases are rising, what are your fears?

We are working very hard with states to ensure that the required systems are in place to respond to an increase in cases.

This includes ensuring early detection of cases by strengthening our sample transportation mechanism and laboratory capacity, management of cases to recovery, contact tracing, risk communications and other response activities. We urge Nigerians to adhere to the guidance provided by NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidential Task Force. Measures such as restriction on inter-state travel, physical distancing, use of face masks, handwashing and others are very important to reduce the risk of further spread of the virus in our country.

We were told in Lagos that many people that tested positive have refused to go to isolation centres. What are the figures like and what efforts are NCDC, •Dr. Chikwe PTF and state governments making to Iheakweazu either track them or prosecute them?

We are working very hard to ensure that counselling provided before home care all COVID-19 confirmed cases can be is recommended. managed to recovery, while limiting further spread of the disease.

Medical doctors among It is very important for us to other health workers and adhere to the advice and Nigerians are expressing recommendations from fears. What is your take on health workers. There are There are risks this? risks in home care Our priority is the safety in home care management, especially for of all Nigerians, especially people who are older, have management, our health workers at the an underlying illness or live frontline. A detailed risk in a place where complete especially for assessment will be carried is not possible. people who are self-isolation out on a case-by-case basis We urge Nigerians to protect before home care is themselves, families and older recommended for any loved ones by adhering to patient. This is in addition advice provided. to standard infection prevention and control

COVID-19: The Kano Story, Stabilisation of the Pandemic transmission of the virus. Most of the northern governors are engaged in this and the blame should not be dropped at the door steps of any particular governor.

However, it’s high time the governors took a deeper look at the almajiri syndrome and abolish it while devising a concrete arrangement to secure the future of these hapless children.

up its management to stabilise the situation. These endeavours will need full support from the Federal Government. In addition to social Current figures from NCDC distancing, which will need As of Monday May 11, the official figures trained security agents to released by NCDC showed that Kano had enforce, Governor Abdullahi recorded a total of 602 cases of Ganduje has implemented the coronavirus, out of which 526 are active cases. 50 persons have been discharged compulsory use of face masks in the state while the state has recorded 28 fatalities.

Community Transmission which will have to be supplied to those Despite initiating a state-wide lock who cannot afford them. And only The Issues down in early April, it is widely accepted recently, the governor distributed over Lack of Testing - Mystery Deaths that the virus is now in the ‘community 2 million face masks across the 44 local On the alleged mystery deaths, it has transmission’ stage which is when government areas of the state. yet to be determined if the number of someone gets the virus without having There will also need to be regular deaths are in excess of the usual average. travelled out of state or made any known disinfection of densely populated communities within the metro parts of contact with a sick person.

Total Cases Active cases Peak month Kano township, which has since been The Head of the Presidential embarked upon.

1444 323 Early June Task Force on Coronavirus in However, these efforts will be negated 9910 2065 Mid June Kano State, Nasiru Gwarzo, if the masses are not fully educated on disclosed during an interview 645,500 144,000 Early July the pandemic, the responsibility with the BBC that the rate of 919,900 403,900 Early June everyone has in protecting themselves community transmission in the and others from the virus and steps to state is ‘now 80 percent’.

While the exact number of deaths over take if they suspect they have the More test centres have been created in the last few weeks is still in dispute, what infection. the state.

In addition, a mobile testing lab is evident is the spike in fatalities. The Considering the low education and donated by Aliko Dangote Foundation and response to the spike in number of deaths literacy level in the state, the first point inaugurated on May 3 at Muhammadu in Kano is interesting. Initially, the cases of contact would be to Buhari Hospital with a were dismissed as not COVID-19 related, engage with clerics and current testing capacity of and so were not added to any official community elders and around 300 but scaleable to reports. Later, the Federal Government’s embark on a train the 1,000 tests a day will Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 said trainer program to sensitise support government’s some of the deaths were attributable to people on safety guidelines. containment efforts. the pandemic based on preliminary Safety training of noninvestigation, only to backtrack a couple health essential workers Protection of Medical of days later with the claim that the deaths The nature of such as cleaners, food Staff were still being studied. handlers and security the pandemic in As of Sunday, May 10, At least two independent reports on the agents in health facilities Kano State government cases claim the pattern of the deaths Kano has now has already begun in confirmed that 47 medical reflects those of the global pandemic but addition to the training of been clearly workers tested positive for with no sample testing after their deaths, medical personnel. coronavirus in Kano.

The they could only conclude on the need for The governor said the state understood state has since taken steps more testing and suggest that community had recruited 5,000 to protect health workers transmission within the city has already volunteer medical workers and guard against been occurring. to tackle the pandemic. reoccurrence. This includes “Kano State has the largest providing personal The Almajiri Migration number of health workers protective equipment Northern state governors recently with master’s in public (PPEs), hand wash, announced the prohibition of the almajiri health. So, Kano does not sanitisers, customised tap system in the region. Following the have a problem with buckets, and further prohibition, northern state governors manpower. Ours is just to training. have been dispersing the almajirai and reposition the manpower. repatriating those whose parents are from This is what we are doing now,” DG NCDC Way Forward other states. This directly contravenes the while assuring that they would The nature of the pandemic in Kano has stated, ban on interstate travel put in place by leave the state with isolation centres that now been clearly understood and the the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 manned by highly qualified hands. state government has aggressively scaled are as a safety measure against the •Medinat Barau lives in Wudil, Kano also a potential likelihood of another resurgence (second phase) of the virus.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE 9

ALMAJIRAI INTERCEPTION IN SOUTHERN STATES:

North’s enemies plot to humiliate northerners out of South

— Sulaiman, northern spokesman

By Charles Kumolu, Deputy Editor

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POKESMAN, Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, Abdulazeez Sulaiman, in this inter view, interrogates reports that almajirai are ‘invading’ southern states, saying those apprehended are not almajirai. He argues that northerners are being wrongly profiled by southern governments, blaming northern governors for the fate of almajirai. He also states how best to handle the almajirai challenge in northern Nigeria.

Do you think the repatriation of reformed. almajirai to their states of origin by It is not every almajiri that is a beggar northern governors is the way to go? and it is not all those that beg that are I certainly don’t see this as a solution. It almajirai. In fact, one can even say that is rather further complicating an already the more responsible segment of the complex situation. For one, which is northern elite is made up of a large perhaps most important, state governors, percentage of those who have at some especially those of northern states don’t point passed through that informal appear to operate within the tenets of system of Islamic scholarship. democracy.

Most flourishing small and large scale Most northern governors operate a businesses in the north are owned in most rather militarised form of democracy by cases by people who only had that Islamic which they tend to resort to force as the learning. I can tell you that the richest only solution to even the most civil of and most successful entrepreneur in problems.

Zaria today is solely a product of the This forced deportation by oppressive almajiri schooling system brought to regimes in northern states is essentially a Zaria as a child. So is the case in many brutal encroachment on the fundamental other cities. rights of these Nigerian children which as Most governors and top government some learned legal professionals warned, officials in particularly the far north, are could spark a constitutional crisis. There from almajiri backgrounds which they is no adherence to due process in the now deliberately and mischievously exercise and no good faith by most state associate solely with street begging. governors who only seek personal political Talking about beggars, it is complex. ascendancy at the expense of the There are several classes of beggars all vulnerable. over Nigeria that have no relation with I can see many people including state almajiri. For instance, the police today governors are either speaking from a beg at checkpoints, corporate beggars beg deliberate mischievous standpoint, or from on the internet and at ATM locations, the position of ignorance. airports and malls. All The people condemning these are not almajirai. the almajiri system of So, for me, I am not education are speaking against the almajiri system When I read from those standpoints. It of education because it has such reports I is simply a system of provided what the basic scholarship which has education system has failed laugh because I been neglected for ages by to. I am not of the opinion, authorities and which know that those that these children should thrived despite and in be forcefully taken away said to be spite of all odds. from their malams and Like what we refer to apprehended by alarammas because they today as the formal were given to these southern state schooling system; that is alarammas by their the model we accept parents. governments presently, started as Reports indicated that are not almajiri mission schools that were some almajirai were later transformed intercepted on their way to kids through a series of some southern states. What reforms, assessment and do you make of that? reassessment. The system When I read such reports is still undergoing reforms I laugh because I know that globally. those said to be So it is not the people. I apprehended by the mean the parents or pupils that made the southern state governments are not current system what it is today. It is rather almajiri kids. They are rather everyday the interest of the elite that subjected an northerners who the South humiliate, initial mission schooling system to harass and suppress by hiding behind the government reforms while deliberately name almajiri. neglecting what they deride as an Islamic What is happening in the South in the system of scholarship which they readily guise of intercepting almajiri is part of a derogate. wider agenda to frustrate all Why I said others are speaking from the northerners, particularly the Hausa/ point of view of stark ignorance is because Fulani out of southern Nigeria. most people have been misled to believe For too long, enemies of the North both that the almajiri, is a ‘child beggar.’ It is foreign and local have worked rather a system of education that you can strenuously to ensure that the region call informal or non-formal and that has remains backward, weak, confused and been in existence before the advent of bewildered by myriads of challenges and western education system. problems.

Almajiri was coined from an Arabic word The current onslaught in the pretext of “al-muhajirun” and in this context, sending back almajirai, is, therefore, almajiri is just a boy that seeks Islamic part of a mega but clandestine plot knowledge and he is given to a malam spanning several years. It is one aspect (teacher) or an “alaramma” by his father. of the plan to dehumanize the North and The parents know where they have taken decapitate it through exploiting its their children to but their number has internal weaknesses and cleavages. increased recently, and that is alarming.

What do you make of the repatriation Again, after a certain number of years, of those headed down South by security they finish what they are supposed to do agencies in states where they were and they go into something else. Some are intercepted? trained to become teachers. It is a wellWith the current peculiar situation organised system which was subsequently accentuated by the COVID-19 scare,

•Sulaiman there is nothing wrong in government taking drastic extra measures to identify people going into their states from other parts of the country and even from other countries of the world.

This vigilance must however not be targeted at just people from a particular part of Nigeria for profiling, dehumanization and vilification. And if need be, authorities can take measures to turn back suspicious persons right at the entry points. It will not be acceptable to drag out people of other ethnicities already settled in communities even long before COVID-19 pandemic.

Southern leaders described the movement of some almajirai down South as being suspicious...

I have pointed out earlier that there is no movement whatsoever of the almajirai who are small kids to the South. The southern leaders want to use the opportunity to humiliate all Hausa/ Fulani Muslim northerners residing in, or passing through the South.

We read about a certain faction of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo inciting Southeast governors to deport “almajiri” from their states. This was said without providing the criteria laid down for the identification of who should be termed almajiri.

The southern leaders are merely arrogating to themselves the powers to determine who to accommodate in their midst irrespective of clearly defined constitutional guarantees for citizen residency.

It is regrettable that in the execution of this plan, the consciousness is eroding the southern leaders that for decades, different tribes in Nigeria have been accommodated and tolerated in many parts of the North without discriminatory official actions specifically to intimidate, harass and endanger them, their families, their properties or their trades.

Leaders of the South and other jingoists seem not to bother that their people are so tolerated by the North despite abundant hard evidence that shows how most of them take undue advantage of the region’s tolerant culture to pursue illicit trades.

In view of prevailing circumstances, how can the almajirai institution be restructured without hurting interests?

I think we have different phenomena.

In the South, we have the issue of the ‘boy child’ that is not going to school. In other instances, we have the issue of internally displaced children. They may be with their parents in Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps, or orphans.

The boy-child issue is different, the girl-

child issue is different and the almajiri issue is different. To successfully reform and update the system, reference should, for instance, be made to Professor Galadanchi’s report which is currently domiciled at the Universal Basic Education ,UBEC. Nigerians can look at it and see how we can implement it and remove these young children from the streets.

We are as well aware that at a point, the federal government under late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua set up a committee to evaluate the problem.

The committee discovered that several countries practice one form of almajiri education or the other as Tsangaya, Madrassah, or under other names depending on the country. But after the death of President Yar’adua, the policy was completely changed. We saw during Jonathan’s administration, construction of schools that were tagged Almajiri schools.

But the system started failing because the policies that Yaradua came up with were not adhered to and the parents didn’t have any confidence in the so-called new Almajiri schools.

If we really want to take the almajiri to conventional school, we should not throw away the almajiri system of education because it provides skills - one of the goals of primary education. The system gives them basic literacy. They can read and write. They can read the Holy Qur’an at a time when our children in conventional education cannot even read.

The solution is, therefore, to appraise the almajiri system and then come up with an encompassing policy that will integrate both the almajiri child and their teachers into the basic education system. It can be done.

Indonesia had 30 million out-of-school children, now 99 percent are in school.

Indonesia only took three subjects out of western education - Mathematics, English and Science - and inculcated them into the Madrassah system of education and that was it. The alarammas and the malams should be integrated into the basic system so that, they have confidence in what the government is doing.

You also have to carry the parents along.

You have to come up with a reorientation system whereby you tell the parents the ills of taking their children out of their environments- from a known environment to an unknown environment, especially with the insecurity in the country.

We should also make sure that the basic schools we want to put the children into are very attractive. Some of our schools now have about 200 pupils sitting on the floor in a class.

The almajirai will rather prefer to go back to their informal Tsangaya schools, sit down on the floor and read because their teachers give attention to them.

PAGE 10—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020 belonging to a Chinese national, Li Yan Pin. The Court had earlier ordered the interim forfeiture of the money following an exparte application filed by the EFCC.

For once, let us applaud EFCC

A

cursory look at the history of Nigeria’s foremost anti-graft agency - the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC would place credence on the view that it was only in the first few years of its existence that a few people probably remembered to applaud the agency.

Thereafter till now, it has been one criticism or the other, the most consistent being the accusation of selective prosecution against the Commission - an accusation that is virtually immutable.

One factor that has helped the perception to stick so firmly is the posture of the current leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, which had publicly declared that to get one’s sins forgiven, a clear path is to seek membership of the party.

Although a few offending APC leaders have not been spared, the number of what the public sees as sacred cows is high especially among former governors accused of leaving their states’ coffers dry.

Accordingly, if Nigerians have a tendency to look the other way when EFCC achieves any commendable feat, we cannot blame the cynics.

But a major story involving the Commission last week which everybody ought to commend is what we reflect on today. It says the EFCC arrested two Chinese citizens who offered a One hundred million Naira (N100m) bribe to its Sokoto Zonal Head, Abdullahi Lawal. The goal was to influence him to compromise ongoing investigations of a construction company, China Zhonghao Nig. Ltd, handling contracts worth billions of naira awarded by the Zamfara State Government between 2012 and 2019. The bribe was reportedly offered to Lawal to “bury” the matter as the company became alarmed by the consistency and professionalism of the investigation. It was when the two Chinese citizens appeared in the Sokoto office of the EFCC with an initial installation of N50million that they were arrested.

We commend Abdullahi Lawal for his integrity and commitment to duty. We also commend the current management of the anti-graft agency led by a courageous fighter Ibrahim Magu for creating an enabling environment for staff to be

PhD,Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos 08116759758

Randomised Covid-19 lockdown ruminations (2)

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ontinuing from where I stopped last time, it is clear that Mubarak Bala has paid a hefty price for his nonconformist beliefs. For instance, in 2014 he was taken by force to a psychiatric facility in Kano and kept for eighteen days. While there, he was drugged and subjected to vicious human rights abuses.

Fortunately, Bala remains undaunted and steadfast in his core humanist atheistic convictions. As a secular humanist, he insists that the abandonment of superstitious religious fairytales and adoption of reason and scientific attitude is the only way to ensure human flourishing and wellbeing. His valiant refusal to be intimidated by hardcore Muslims deserves the support of all right-thinking individuals who understand that the path to selfactualisation is laid on the bedrock of freedom of thought, especially the right to hold controversial nonconformist views despite the dangers, societal pressures, threats, and harassment. Bala is still in detention awaiting trial for blasphemy. But what is blasphemy? The concept of blasphemy in Islam is a salad bowl of punishable utterances and conducts considered unIslamic or anti-Islam by muslims. According to Wikipedia, the Holy Quran does not explicitly prescribe any earthly punishment for blasphemy, and in relation to allegation of mocking Allah or any of the prophets

recognised in Islam (particularly Muhammad), it advocates a non-violent response if the person involved is not a muslim (Quran 4: 140). Nevertheless, a variety of punishments, including execution, has been instituted in Islamic jurisprudence or sharia law that draws its inspiration from the Hadith containing utterances and activities attributed to Prophet Muhammad, which is second to the Holy Quran as the principal source of Islamic law. Over the years actual prosecution and punishment for blasphemy varies from one jurisdiction to another. In Nigeria, particularly with regard to northern states that operate Islamic law, a sharia court may treat blasphemy as deserving of several punishments up to, and including, death penalty.

It is surprising that lawyers are the ones who started the persecution of Bala because they are expected to be familiar with relevant sections of the amended 1999 constitution cited earlier which guarantee every Nigerian freedom of expression and of belief, which also entails freedom of unbelief. Again, as we pointed out a moment ago the Holy Qoran, Islam’s apex scripture, does not prescribe any earthly sanction for blasphemy. It follows that persecution of Bala (or any one for that matter) on allegation of blasphemy is contrary to the fundamental laws of the country and Islamic revealed scripture. Mubarak Bala

steadfast and committed to the organization’s goal. If many more Nigerian bodies can emulate the EFCC and its operatives, Nigeria’s move to greatness would become unstoppable. We therefore call on Nigerians who may have experienced negative conduct from some EFCC staff to not allow such hinder their support for the fight against corruption bearing in mind that every organization has its bad eggs. Rather, we should all embrace the clean image which the likes of Lawal have managed to create for the EFCC. The achievement is particularly significant as it throws ample light on how the so-called developed world is ever determined to undermine African nations while denigrating the continent as most corrupt in the world. To me, other continents are not better than Africa because as I once articulated at a wellpublicized international media conference in 2006, there is no difference between the taker and the giver of bribe or the custodian of stolen goods.

China in particular has never shown transparency in her dealings with Africa.

Nigeria, has innumerable examples. At about the same time of EFCC’s arrest of the two Chinese suspects in Sokoto, a Federal Court in Abuja, ordered the final forfeiture of $300,000, should be released immediately. His continued detention is a flagrant violation of his fundamental human right to freedom of expression and belief.

Moving on to other matters, something extremely dangerous is happening now which portends great danger to Nigerians, namely, the movement of thousands of Fulani young men from the north and neighbouring muslim-dominated countries loaded in lorries and trailers like cattle into southern Nigeria, particularly at this time of lockdown caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Videos that have since gone viral contain scenes of security operatives and law enforcement agencies intercepting the vehicles, including Dangote trucks.

And no one knows for sure how many of this potential Fulani fighters have infiltrated the south. Now, this ominous influx of Fulani youths into southern Nigeria has been attributed to the recent decision by northern governors to send almajiris back to their home states. But this explanation is untenable.

To begin with, a significant proportion of typical almajiris are young children, including girls. However, the people pouring into the south are overwhelmingly young men of fighting age. Again, if northern politicians behind all this really intended to send almajiris back to their home states, and obviously no southern state has the almajiri culture, it means that the decision is probably motivated by sinister motives, namely, to have enough foot soldiers in the south in case war breaks out or to alter the demographic configuration of southern Nigeria to favour the Fulani, in the long run. Or has the almajiri become some sort of federal allocation to be distributed to every state? It is disturbing that, as at the moment of writing the federal government has not taken any

EFCC’s commendable work shows clearly that ample caution is necessary when entering into businesses with double-faced foreign countries Yan Pin faced trial for a money laundering charge, leveled against him over the said sum after intelligence led to his arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for failing to declare the sum in his possession, while attempting to board a flight to China enroute Dubai. This is not to suggest that every Chinese citizen and their country’s activities in Nigeria are negative. We are charitable enough to not discountenance some beneficial projects attributable to them.

With respect to the current COVID 19 pandemic for example, we hear Chinese construction giants, CCECC, participated in the delivery of a 300-bed COVID-19 treatment facility at the This Day Dome in Abuja, which the company says was done “because of commitment to the development of the country and wellbeing of Nigerians.” Also provided, were two ventilators, one oxygenator, as well as 10,000

If northern politicians behind all this really intended to send almajiris back to their home states, and obviously no southern state has the almajiri culture, it means that the decision is probably motivated by sinister motives concrete measure to stop the illicit dumping of undereducated, unemployed and, probably, coronavirusinfected Fulani youths on the south. Perhaps, as some people have observed, the unfolding scenario or process is part of the nomadic Fulani grand plan since Uthman Dan Dodio’s jihads of the nineteenth century to dip the Holy Quran into the Atlantic, reiterated shortly after independence by Sir Ahmadu Bello.

Similarly, the overwhelming MuslimFulani domination of key positions at the federal level since 2015, especially the security architecture, gives credence to the suspicion in certain quarters that the dominant faction of the northern establishment is using Buhari’s administration to execute its Fulanisation and Islamisation project in Nigeria. This would sound uncharitable or outlandish to a typical buharimaniac, but let us look at the facts. After news had filtered out that President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Professor Ibrahim Gambari, a Muslim from Kwara State as his Chief of Staff (CoS) to replace the late Abba Kyari, Buhari’s nepotism has reared its ugly head once again. As Reno Omokri, an aide of former President Goodluck

face masks. But beyond this gesture, a critical examination of China’s interest in Nigeria and indeed all over Africa may lead any discerning analyst to the same conclusion reported by This Day ’s Adedayo Adejobi that China exploits Nigeria with Greek gifts, laced in economic sabotage. Those of us in this school of thought are reinforced by last month’s decision of the African Development Bank Group to debar China Zhonghao Nigeria Limited for 18 months, for fraudulent practices concerning the Bank-financed Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project in Nigeria. The debarment renders the company and its affiliates ineligible to participate in the Bankfinanced projects during the debarment period.

The federal government has also been forced to announce pressures on her by those named as ‘godfathers’ to free Chinese and others arrested in parts of the country for engaging in illegal mining.

Olamilekan Adegbite, Minister of Mines and Steel Development to whom the allegation was credited revealed that of the 27 persons arrested for the economic sabotage, 17 are Chinese. It is thus unfair to castigate our citizens who are skeptical of China, its people and their projects in Nigeria. In fact, many are confused over what is touted in diplomatic circles as China’s friendship with Nigeria which stands side by side with hostile behaviour towards Nigerians in China and efforts here by Chinese nationals to compromise Nigeria’s economy. Incensed by stories of how Nigerians were left in the cold in China

while she was allegedly helping to contain COVID 19 in Nigeria, about 100 Nigerians including a frontline clergyman Archbishop Samson Benjamin of the General Overseer of Resurrection Praise Ministries for Africa protested the obvious Chinese hypocrisy at the Chinese Embassy in Lagos. Benjamin confirmed to the media that he joined the protest despite the lockdown because he was personally enraged over the fact that the Chinese were operating freely in Nigeria despite that COVID-19 started in their country but have chosen to maltreat Nigerians and other blacks in China.

Many who did not physically join in the protest left no one in doubt about their negative perception of China.

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA whose posture would have helped to calm frayed nerves concerning the visit of some Chinese medics ostensibly to help assist Nigeria overcome COVID 19 was itself left in the dark and therefore unable to rationalize the merits of the supposed Chinese assistance.

Events have since shown that even those in government no longer understand in full, the real purpose of the visit which suggests that the project was ill-conceived like some other public policies in the country.

Considering that a bad policy would hardly yield enduring fruits, it is expedient to first comprehend the full implications of any public policy before embracing it.

EFCC’s commendable work shows clearly that ample caution is necessary when entering into businesses with double-faced foreign countries. Bravo to EFCC.

Jonathan asked, is Nigeria now under the Muslim Brotherhood? Presently, the Presidency, National Assembly, the Supreme Court, defence, army, police, NSA, DSS, EFCC, and several other critical agencies of the federal government are headed by northern Muslim men. Yet, non-muslim buharimaniacs from the south do not see anything wrong with Buhari appointing another northern Muslim to a key position in his government. First, they argue that Prof. Gambari’s impressive academic credentials and professional experience make him suitable for the job. But in essays that have gone viral on social media, Ambassador Dapo Fafowora and others have questioned seriously the personal integrity and character of Gambari.

Second, is the claim that the new CoS is Yoruba simply because his full name contains ‘Agboola,’ which probability reflects the Yoruba origin of his mother. In any case, a name does not always signify accurately where a person comes from. For instance, Prof. Chike Obi, the legendary mathematician at the University of Lagos, gave his children Yoruba and Fulani names. Does that make his children Yoruba or Fulani? Certainly not. Besides, Prof. Gambari belongs to the Fulani ruling house of the emirate in Kwara state.

Therefore, it is strange to claim that he is Yoruba. Third, we are told that the office of CoS is so sensitive that it must be reserved for a very trusted person, someone the President can trust with his life. This argument, like the one President Buhari used in 2015 to justify his nepotic appointments, does not hold water at all. The federal character provision in the 1999 constitution makes it clear that federal appointments must be done in such a manner that there is no preponderance of one ethnic group, region or religion,

which means that the ethnic nationalities and religions in the country should be fairly represented to foster the feeling of belonging and unity among Nigerians. President Buhari has serially violated the federal character principle.

And considering our chequered history of war and inter ethnic and religious tensions, including the centrifugal tendencies that have worsened in the last five years, clearly he has committed a serious misconduct by populating his administration in critical areas with northern Muslims.

In addition, a President that pharisaically preaches the trite gospel of “One Nigeria” and canvassed for and received votes during elections from all over the country but trusts only those from his ethnic group and religion is not the kind of leader we need at this uncertain critical period. Instead, Reasonable Nigerians prefer a President that can see the entire country as his constituency and works hard to be fair and just to all.

So, President Muhammadu Buhari has failed woefully on this score. With the appointment of Prof.

Gambari he has shown once again appalling insensitivity to the legitimate complaints of marginalisation by the south, especially south-east, which is part of the country that generates over eightypercent of federal revenue. An average Igbo person knows that the increasing popularity and acceptance in Igboland of Nnamdi Kanu’s relentless agitation for selfdetermination is largely due to the condescending I-don’tcare attitude of Buhari to the concerns and aspirations of Igbo people. There is no need to pretend about this. Some argue that the President has the constitutional right or prerogative to appoint only members of his village or fellow muslims so long as they can perform.

To be concluded

SUNDAY Vanguard, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE 11

The modern-day wife who has little or no respect for her husband!

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arbara Taylor Bradford, renowned author of blockbusters like Woman of Substance and its sequel once said she was appalled by couple who row in public. She wrote: “When I open my mouth to say something, I edit my answer before it leaves my lips”.

According to her, her husband, Bob, is a terrible time keeper who often wears clothes she loathes. But does she criticise him? No. She believes that would be showing a lack of respect. Instead, she suggested we should all bite our tongues and put our husbands on a pedestal.

“She couldn’t have meant all that seriously, or at well over 80, she might be making her peace with the world after all those racy novels she’d written which had made her the millionaire she is today”, fumed Omorede, a highly successful PR expert. “Why on earth would I want to put my husband on a pedestal when I simply don’t respect him?”, she wondered. “As a matter of fact, I disagree with virtually every word that comes out of his mouth, and the reason I feel this way towards Tony, my husband, stems from our very different backgrounds. I was born and bred in England and went to a private all girls’ convent school. I had a masters degree in business administration and worked in an Ivy League establishments before I relocated to Nigeria.

“In contrast, Tony was brought up in one of the down-market areas of Lagos by parents from a remote village in the West. And he has traits of his parents’ accent. At 46, he still revels in parochial slangs and uses hideous phrases in spite of my protest, which drives me mad. It’s so uncouth and sometimes makes me wonder how on earth we’ve ended up together.

For although my husband is at least as bright as me and has a masters degree, to listen to his accent, you would think he worked as a market trader. And if he’s

talking like a stall-owner in Ajegunle, how can I respect what he’s trying to tell me?

“It’s not just his accent. Before working with the bank he now works for in a very senior position, he said he dreamt of being a musician and bragged he once played the drums with an obscure band that I never bothered to find out who the band leader was. And no topic is off limit to him. Recently, across the living room packed full f guests, I could hear Tony waxing lyrical to guests about the fantastic game of tennis he’d enjoyed that morning on Supersports. On and on he’d talk about volleys and drop shots, his commentary droning on and on often set my teeth on edge until I finally could bear it no longer. “Oh for heaven’s sake, can’t you stop going to about that hideous game?”

I asked. “It’s bad enough that you have to play it. Only dogs should be interested in ball games!”

“As I glanced around the room, I could see our guests gaping at me.

The look on their faces was all too obvious – how on earth could I be so rude to my husband?

“But Tony just smiled. We’ve been married for six years and he’s used to me by now. But the truth is that

Joyfulhomes2015@gmail.com

Let God reveal to you

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elcome to a new week.

You have reasons to thank God. You have gone through the first half of the month of May; by the grace of God you shall see the end of May. Indeed you and your family members will see the end of this year.

In the name of Jesus, you will live to tell the story of Covid 19.

Brethren, these are unusual times in the physical sense but also in the Spiritual, these are unusual times.

It is only God that knows how Covid 19 started; Our Lord is the only one who can end it.

As a Christian, once you fail to see the spiritual connection to what you are going through, then, you are far from your miracle. You need not accuse any body.

Let’s see what the Holy Bible tell us about the connection between the Spiritual and the Physical.

Matthew 18 vs. 18 “ Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

Do you now see that there is connection between the two?

Let’s go practical now. A young lady got married and she took in.

Pregnancy test confirmed it. The husband was so happy that he began to roll on the ground giving thanks

to God. Then one night, the woman slept and she saw two women, who placed their hands on the lower part of her abdomen. That was the end of the pregnancy. The next pregnancy test she had was negative. What do you say to that?

She didn’t see the face of these two women and even when you see the faces, evil people sometimes use the face of people that you trust and love to attack you.

From then on, this woman began to have sex in her dreams. Of course for anyone going through that kind of challenge, pregnancy will become elusive.

However, the power of God can put the enemy to shame.

Whatever is that force of darkness, whoever is behind it, the power of the Almighty God will set you free in Jesus name.

Brethren, a major challenge that many of us have is that we fear the forces of darkness.

Enough of the influence of the forces of darkness in your life. It is high time you asked God to empower you Spiritually. This however cannot happen by mere wishes or when you do nothing.

You must do something. Once you have a dream that is challenging the authority of God in your life, it is your duty to cast it out with the power of

although I love him to bits, and we have a wonderful life with our children, I don’t respect him and he knows it. It is true that I was first attracted to Tony because he was so different to my first husband who left me for another woman. Chima, my ex, was the chief executive officer of a big company – a typical Alpha Male who commanded every room he stepped into. Tony, who I met a few years after our split, is quiet, unassuming and humble, he could not be more different.

“And if you were to look at us, you certainly wouldn’t have put us together, I love to wear smart business designer clothes and Tony, in contrast, often has stubble when not at work, and wears more of native clothes. I think his style shows a lack of good taste and standards. How can I respect that? When I first met him, I was contracted to do a P.R. job for the bank he works with and had to work together with him. His kindness and gentle nature attracted him to me along with his creative skill. In addition, he’s unassuming and unflappable and I adored him for this. But however much I love him, I God. You may however be unable to do this, if you don’t have the word of God in you.

You must be able to quote the relevant Bible passage to overcome

Has God given you a word, hold on to that word and begin to ask him to bring it to physical manifestation in your life that force of darkness.

Let me share with you this testimony. A sister slept in Lagos and had a dream of death against her sister-in-law who resides in Ilorin, Kwara state. She got up immediately, took her Bible and began to quote Psalm 118 vs. 17 : “ I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD”.

She Inserted the lady’s name saying you…… shall not die…..”.

About a month later, the lady in Ilorin took her car to the mechanic’s workshop as she moved closer, a trailer failed break and faced her car. Everyone was shouting. She too didn’t know what to do.

Suddenly the trailer moved away from her and stopped. The trailer driver also said, he didn’t know what stopped his vehicle. Unknown to all of them, it is Holy Spirit that intervened because of the prayer of the sister in Lagos.

What if the sister in Lagos had

simply can’t respect him. Not only are his hobbies, accent and dress uncouth and immature, his political views are those of the Amana politics type.

“I’m all for a world where the brightest get pushed to do even better. For Tony, the priority is ensuring that everyone is happy.

Our biggest rows are about the children’s education. I attended private schools and want our children to attend the best – where they could learn to play the piano, etc. Tony, being government school-educated, doesn’t see the point. Any private school would do as long as they’re near the house and I despise his attitude that happiness is more important than qualifications.

“It speaks for itself, doesn’t it, that if the children want something really useful – like help with their home-work they come to me.

Meanwhile, they’ll go to Tony for stints at the club or a fast-food joint. I know for sure I am too set in my ways to change. I believe the only quality we have in common is that we are both stubborn.

Women of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s generation were brought up to tiptoe around their men, bite their tongues and keep the peace., I can’t think of anything more demeaning. I am convinced that far from being the way to a happy marriage, putting your husband on a pedestal is unhealthy, and treating everyone of his utterances like part of the Sermon on the Mount can only end in tears.

“A lot of my friends have wondered: `Tony’s so nice, how can you be so rude to him?’ How hypocritical! Hardly any of them truly respect their husbands – and I know they all moan about them too. The only difference is that they do it behind their backs while I do it directly. Personally, I think they ’re much more disloyal.

Pretending that I respect Tony would make for a quieter life. But it wouldn’t make me happy. And what’s the point to being married

if you’re not happy?!

not prayed? Proverbs 15 vs. 29 tell us: “ The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous”.

This is the reason we mustn’t a allow fatigue or the desire to sleep move us away from GWe must find the strength to wake up even for 10 minutes to cast away any evil dream.

For many of us, the solution to that challenge we are passing through is so close by but we cannot see it. So, we must communicate with the Holy Spirit of God. Our Lord Jesus called him the Comforter.

In John 14 vs. 16 &17, the Lord Jesus said of the Holy Spirit. “ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with your for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be with you”.

Jesus has simply told us that for every true Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells in you.

Romans 8 vs. 14 & 15 ( KJV) tells us: “ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father”.

Imagine if the sister –in- law was so afraid that she couldn’t pray, the lady in Ilorin would be six feet below now but to the Glory of God, she lives.

Brethren, the point I am making is that you shouldn’t be afraid of evil dreams.

All you need to do is rise on the feet and use the word of God against it.

However, you cannot use what you do not know. This is the reason; you must study the word of God, listen to sermons in you church and take

notes. You never know when you will need that particular word of God. Do you know that a woman may remain barren because of something she has been eating or a particular action, she has been taking? It may even be the company she keeps.

Whatever it is, it is only the Holy Spirit that can reveal to you, the right thing to do.

You may have gone to a particular place for IVF that never succeeded.

It is only the Holy Spirit that can reveal to you what you need to do.

By the grace of God, our Lord that gives freely will bless you with the fruit of the womb this season in the wonderful name of Jesus.

Brethren let your Spiritual eyes see your victory over that challenge.

Let’s see how God revealed a secret to Abraham. Holy Bible Genesis 15 vs.5 (NIV)“ He took him outside and said, “ Look up at the sky and count the stars- if indeed you can count them. Then he said to him, So shall your offspring be”.

Yet in the physical realm, by this time, Abraham and Sarah had no child.

God knows the future and he told them what to look forward to.

Has God given you a word, hold on to that word and begin to ask him to bring it to physical manifestation in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you.

Once you are led by the Spirit of God, you will make no mistakes.

Your testimony will surprise even you.

This season of lock down partial or total is the time to establish an uncommon relationship with the Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus also calls the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth.

God will visit your home with laughter this season in Jesus name.

Enjoy the Peace of the Lord.

The wife wins all the time?

(Humour) A couple were so bored with their marriage that they decided to liven it up by competing against each other. But as the weeks went by, the husband became very depressed because his wife was always the winner of any game they played. One night at the club, his mate took pity on him and suggested a new game. “You can’t fail with this, Steve. It’s who can pee up the wall the highest. The bloke is bound to win”.

The husband thought this was a great idea and rushed home to tell his wife. She agreed and they went out into the back yard to begin the competition. The wife dropped her knickers, lifted her leg and peed two feet up the wall. Confidently, the man undid his zip, took out his dick and was just about to start when his wife said, ‘Hold on, stop right there, no hands allowed!”

The husband fights back! (humour) A couple are walking around the zoo when they come to the gorilla cage. There’s no one around, so the man says to his wife, “Sharon, take your blouse off and let’s see if it has any effect on the gorilla”. She hesitates. “Go on!” he urges, “no one will see”. So she takes the blouse off and the gorilla starts jumping up and down in excitement.

“Now take your bra off”, he says.

She does this and the gorilla gets even more excited. Right, take your skirt off”, he says. “Oh no, I couldn’t.

How would we explain it if someone comes along?” She asks. “There’s no one around, it’ll be fine”. So, over the next few minutes the woman gradually takes all her clothes off and by this time, the gorilla is going berserk. Then the husband opens the door of the cage and pushes her inside. “Now, tell him you have a headache!”, he says.

PAGE 12—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020

Tribute

Tribute To Mrs. Francesca Yetunde Emanuel, CON

By Philip C. Asiodu e mourn the demise of a multitalented, highly achieving lady of very radiant personality, a great Nigerian and a great African who attained high distinction in many theatres of national life, Mrs Francesca Yetunde Emanuel, Commander of the Order of the Niger.

Mrs. Francesca Yetunde Emanuel, neé Pereira, is best known as an outstanding civil servant. She joined the Federal Nigerian Civil Service in 1959 as the first female Administrative Officer after graduating from University College London with an honours degree in Geography. She had started her university course at University College Ibadan, then a college of London University. She was brilliant and diligent and rapidly rose through the ranks in a merit-driven Civil Service and was appointed the first female Federal Permanent Secretary in July 1975. She served as Permanent Secretary with great distinction first at the Cabinet Office and subsequently in several ministries including Establishments, Health, Science and Technology, and Social Development, Youth and Sports.

As Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Establishments she is gratefully remembered for getting the Government to adopt the policy of giving independent individual recognition to married women and granting to them the same perquisites and privileges as accorded to the men, eg. in the allocation of government quarters.

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While in the same ministry she played a great role and worked hard in the establishment of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria at Badagry—ASCON. She also worked very hard in the establishment of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies at Kuru –NIPSS. The military coup that ended the Gowon Regime occurred soon after Mrs. Emanuel became Permanent Secretary. The Murtala Mohammed Administration which replaced Gen. Gowon’s Regime removed the Civilian Commissioners (Ministers) who from May 1967 onwards were the political heads of ministries and were members of the Federal Executive Council. They were replaced by military officers many of whom had never before in the course of their duties interacted with civil servants. The new Administration also retired several senior Federal Permanent Secretaries and embarked on a massive and traumatic purge of the Civil Service and Parastatal Agencies resulting in the retirement or dismissal of several thousand officials without due process.

Those were very challenging circumstances in which Mrs. Emanuel and her colleagues had to ensure orderly administration, discipline, and observance of Civil Service Regulations and Financial Instructions; as well as introduce the new Ministers to the established administrative procedures in the management of Ministries. In 1984 – 5 she attended the Senior Executive Course at

*Emanuel NIPSS, Kuru. At the end of the course she was posted to the Ministry of Social Development, Youth and Sports. She retired from the Civil Service in May 1988 but still served out her term as a Member of the United Nations International Civil Service Commission, 1987 – 1992.

In the many positions she held during her three decades in the Civil Service Mrs. Francesca Yetunde Emanuel acquitted herself

OB Lulu Briggs: Remembering a rare philanthropist "I

By Kola Igandan

n life, we shall find many men that are great, and some that are good, but very few men that are both great and good” - Charles Caleb Colton (1780 – 1832) It is perhaps no wonder that one of the irreverent quotes of Charles Caleb Colton made several centuries ago now finds relevance and solid expression in the late High Chief Olu Benson Lulu Briggs. He, no doubt, falls into the latter category of the great and good men.

OB Lulu Briggs was born on May 22, 1930 and died on December 27, 2018.

Indeed, in the last two years of his demise, the late philanthropist, humanist, business mogul and traditional ruler has become even more popular in death. His life was characterized by many struggles, travails and victories.

OB Lulu Briggs was an uncommon man that was born into royalty. His great grandfather, Chief Iniikeiroari Young Briggs, was an extremely successful trader and an intrepid adventurer, who, up till today, is referred to as the founder and sole defender of Abonnema.

Certainly, OB Lulu Briggs was not an overnight sensation; he was properly groomed to face the rigours and daunting challenges of life in his early years.

The sequence of events which led him to being employed by the then Mandilas can

only be attributed to the working of God Almighty in his life. Having learnt about the interview being held at the company, the young OB Lulu Briggs, despite being a stickler for time, arrived uncharacteristically late for the formal interview. The secretary of the Managing Director noticed his serious mien and carriage which distinguished him from the other job seekers who had also arrived late for the interview and requested that the Managing Director make an exception for his tardiness and grant the young job seeker an interview; and so OB Lulu Briggs started his career in Mandilas.

Later, he moved on to work at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

It was at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) that his natural leadership skills were discovered and his passion for equitable treatment of all personnel earned him a transfer to the Industrial Relations Department of the organisation.

In his characteristic style of expanding frontiers of public service, he ventured into partisan politics and became one of the founding fathers of then-National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He went on to hold several influential positions within the party. The high point was serving as the National Deputy Chairman from 1980 to 1983.

As a public servant, OB Lulu Briggs was an uncommon politician that played by the rules. Describing him is no less a personality

than the former President Olusegun Obasanjo who noted that OB Lulu Briggs displayed an exemplary conduct as a politician.

Another former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, offered a rare insight into the life and times of OB Lulu Briggs, describing him as a loyal and patriotic Nigerian.

In philanthropy, OB Lulu Briggs loomed large. He, in fact, found an ally in his wife and great help mate, Pastor (Dr.) Seinye Lulu Briggs; a woman who stood firmly by his side until he breathed his last.

Together, they built a formidable empire and carved out a chunk of their earnings in promoting the act of philanthropy and generosity. Not only did Seinye prompt her husband to give to charitable causes, she also drew him closer to God. A family member who prefers anonymity noted that OB Lulu Briggs’ success was largely because he had a wife who is firm, blunt, conciliatory and enterprising.

“If you have that sort of a woman, you won’t have any excuse not to succeed. I had a reason to discuss with another friend of Opuda, who narrated an incident to me about how fortunate Opuda was to have married Seinye”, the family member said.

“I won’t mention that event in details but he told me that Seinye added value and quality of life to OB Lulu Briggs existence.

“If God had not given OB Lulu-Briggs to

Gambari brings finesse, erudition to the Presidency

By Tajudeen Kareem

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iplomat, scholar and global technocrat, Prof Ibrahim Agboola Gambari assumed duty 13 May as the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari following his introduction at the Federal Executive Council. He replaces the late Abba Kyari who died from complications of the coronavirus a month earlier.

Gambari, a retired global civil servant, brings to bear on the position of chief of staff diverse experiences in the academia and the public sector, serving in Nigeria and internationally.

A former Head of the Department of Political Science at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Gambari was Nigeria’s Minister of External Affairs between 1984-1985. He served under President Buhari who was Head of State. He made his mark as an erudite diplomat working in the United Nations system for more than 25 years.

He served as Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations from 1990-1999. Gambari was the first United Nations Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa (1999-2005). He was the Chairman of the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid (1990-1994) and on Peacekeeping Operations (1990-1999). He was

•Prof Gambari Head of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs (2005-2007) and served as UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar and Special Representative in Angola.

Professor Gambari also served as Joint AU/ UN Special Representative in Darfur and Head of UNAMID (2010-2012). Until his appointment, he was Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and ProChancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Bayero University, Kano.

Professor Gambari attended the Provincial (now Government) Secondary School, Ilorin, and Kings College, Lagos. He received his B.SC (Econs) degree from the London School of Economics (1968) and his MA and PhD in Political Science/International Relations (1970, 1974) from Columbia University, USA. Gambari’s appointment has attracted praise and criticism in equal measure.

While the pro side canvasses his experience, exposure and education as a superb fit for the job, the criticics are worried about his age, his work for military dictators and his pronouncements on contentious national issues.

AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of his home state of Kwara, called the appointment “a befitting development rooted in dedication, loyalty and history.”

Governor AbdulRazaq added: “The appointment is fit for purpose and is deserving for our own Professor Gambari whose record of service as a diplomat and global statesman is unblemished. On behalf of my family, the government, and people of Kwara State, I congratulate the Wambai Ilorin for this historic appointment”.

A former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Prof George Obiozor also defended Gambari’s appointment against the charges of critics. He submitted that the selection of Gambari ranks with the best

with great distinction and success. She adhered closely to the ethos and core principles of the merit driven, non-partisan Civil Service inherited from the British Colonial Administration – diligence, patriotism, honesty, transparency, objectivity, integrity, and frugality in the expenditure of public funds After retirement from the Civil Service Mrs. Emanuel served as a member of several Commissions set up to advise on how to reinvigorate and improve the Civil Service so badly degraded in quality, effectiveness, and prestige following the 1975 Purge, the 1988 and other attempted “reforms”. She was a founding Council Member and Vice Chairman of the Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries – CORFEPS and was serving as Chairman at the time of her death.

She richly merited the award to her by the Federal Government of the national honour, Commander of the Order of the Niger – CON. We are very happy that despite her very busy schedule in the Public Service, Mrs Francesca Emanuel found the time and energy to be very active in many other sectors of national life, particularly musical and theatrical performances, as well as in numerous alumni, professional and other cultural associations.

Endowed with a beautiful voice Mrs Emanuel started participating in musical performances very early in life. As a student at Holy Child College, Lagos she won the First Soprano Solo Prize at the first Nigerian Festival of the Arts in 1950. She continued participating in concerts to great acclaim until late age. In 1989 she participated in the establishment of the Musical Society of Nigeria – MUSON led by Chief Ayo Rosiji and Mr Akintola Williams. She was a founding Member of the Board of Governors and was at the time of her death a Trustee and Patron. She also performed in many MUSON concerts. Our departed heroine was also a gifted actress. She acted in several of Wole Soyinka’s plays. *Asiodu, CFR, CON, is the President, Board of Trustees, Nigerian Conservation Foundation NCF, Lagos.

Read more on www.vanguardngr.com Seinye, I am not so sure he would have died a fulfilled man; that is even if he did not die a long time ago. For him to have made it to 88 years of age should tell you Seinye gave him peace and joy” Who else could have agreed with this member of OB Lulu Briggs family than Obasanjo who disclosed during a family event that Seinye was “God sent to OB Lulu Briggs.” The former President noted that his friendship with Olu Benson was forged in adversity and they remained friends till he passed on.

“Of course, Seinye was a strong pillar of support for her husband and an enviable pillar of support at that. I don’t know if she may feel embarrassed by what I am about to say: my own assessment is that, if not for Pastor(Dr) Seinye Lulu Briggs, maybe our friend, OB Lulu Briggs would not have been with us today”, he said.

“That means she left no stone unturned to look after him at a time when he really needed to be looked after, because he suffered from a serious illness and when you have that type of illness, it is only the additional care that you get from home that makes a lot of difference in addition to whatever you may get from the hospital”.

What best describes the late OB Lulu Briggs, as the family marks his post humous birthday, is the fitting words of Henri Frederic Amiel who said in his famous book that “great men are the real men; for in them, nature has truly succeeded.” decisions ever made by President Buhari.

Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore and former diplomat, Ambassador Dapo Fafowora raised charges against Gambari including his defence of the Sani Abacha regime when that government executed Niger Delta activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.

There were claims Gambari spoke against democracy in Nigeria while defending military rule. Fafowora, smarting from his sudden retirement from service, alleged that Gambari snitched on some of his colleagues; a claim already punctured by those who understand the command structure of military regimes.

Obiozor said that Gambari acted in the best traditions of diplomacy. “It will be diplomatic ignorance to think that an ambassador is sent abroad to condemn his government. An ambassador has a right and a duty to defend his government. He can come back and make suggestions at home. Gambari, as an ambassador of Nigeria to the United Nations, was exceptionally successful.”

On allegations that Gambari was anti-June 12 and in favour of a dictatorship, the former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs submitted that the passage of time dictated that past events should not constrain the future. His words: “There is no perfect person in the world, and it is wrong to use personal issues to generalise in any political settings."

Read more on www.vanguardngr.com

SUNDAY Vanguard, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE 13

How to cope when the mistress becomes unfaithful!

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t’s no longer news that men in stable marital relationships live longer than their counterparts on relationship roller coasters, who believe variety should be the spice of life! Commenting on his marriage recently, Raji, a top professional married for over 15 years said: “The adage I’ve always lived by isn’t `What did you earn today’? There are basic fundamentals that keep me sane: my fantastic wife and two wonderful children. One of the key decisions you make in your life – and one that will determine your mental health in future – is who you marry or share your life with. If you get that decision wrong, the chances of having to see a psychiatrist rise dramatically!

“One of the things I congratulate myself on getting right is finding a wonderful woman who agreed to marry me. I knew she was the right person for me because she had certain fundamental values: loyalty, honesty and she’s hard working.

Loyalty is at the heart of love. Western society emphasizes the romantic aspect of love, such as passion, which is important, but loyalty is incredibly important, and these are the values you’ve got to look for in a person. I do a lot of marriage counselling and when I ask people if they looked for loyalty in a marriage partner, it’s not

Networking/ Sponsorship

I

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high up on their list of priorities.

partner of her clinic always sent the car for her whenever she went on such outings. This night in question, she told me her boss was having a private dinner for an important client and had invited us both but I refused to go. Before she left, I sneaked a look into her handbag and there was the note from her boss.

“I also think the secret of a good marriage is for the husband to give the wife what she wants.

My wife wanted children straight away and we now have two children. It’s proved to be fantastic experience for me. As a couple, we also share things outside work, which I think is very important.

We play a lot of golf together. I also play tennis once a week at the club.

“I do think we’ve lost something in adult life, which is that childhood play. Playfulness is very important. Very few adults seem to be able to be playful. They take things too seriously. I never want to lose my sense of playfulness ...”

Emma, a legal practitioner, said he decided to pay more attention to his home front from the day he paid an unscheduled visit to a friend’s office and discovered his regular mistress at the reception. “I was a bit surprised to see her there as she left my office a couple of hours earlier ”, Emma recalled:| “She greeted me sweetly and I was ushered into my friend’s office immediately because I was well known to the secretary.

“After the usual pleasantries, I asked

but was lucky as he didn't die, but his leg is now short about 8 inches, they have finished all their savings and all they had to safe his life, things are really difficult for them right now as they can't feed.

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He was having a private dinner, the note said, and she was more than welcome to attend.

Then, as an afterthought, it added, ‘bring your husband if you like’.

what brought the girl to his office. With a cheeky grin, he said she was his latest catch. As soon as I left, they were going on a date, he winked. I was not only shocked, I was angry that just a few hours ago, I was making love to the same girl on the settee in my office.

She was my mistress of several years and married. To think she had another bit on the side besides me made me wonder if she didn’t have more men than the two of us lined up!

“My friend was oblivious of my relationship with her of course, and I said nothing. We both left his office and he asked my girl to come with us, playfully slapping her on the bum as soon as we were out of his office. I

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repressed the impulse to challenge her and said nothing, quickly making for my car as soon as we got to the car park.

“That was the last I heard of her – a girl I’d invested cash and emotions on!

That experience cured my philandering ways. Of course, once in a while you have one-offs, but nothing as serious as I had with this girl. I came to appreciate what I had at home and because of the experience, I’m a better husband and father ”.

As for Babs, a structural engineer, marriage should only be beneficial to a man if he holds the rein of power. Until last year, my family lived in a house provided by my wife’s clinic, he said. “I

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DISCLAIMER! Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk. Our mission is only to provide a platform for social networking.

Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For enquiries, text or call 08026651636, or 08054700825

“As soon as we moved in, that was four years ago, my wife changed.

She became a little more aggressive and demanded more freedom.

We both had our own set of keys but it got to a point where she demanded the same right to go out as I had. As time went on, I preferred to let her go to official outings alone. The crunch came when I noticed that the principal

“That really got my goat. Anyway, she came in after mid-night drunk and merry. Of course, I bolted the door from inside but she made such a commotion I had to let her in. She looked at me with anger blazing in her eyes and told me the next time I locked her out of her own house,she would throw me out! Her supposed boss was hovering in the wings to see if everything was all right. After he left, I simply locked her in the bedroom and gave her the beating of her life. It took that to sober her up as I’d never raised a finger to her until then.

Shortly after this incident, I got my own company flat. It wasn’t as good as her ’s but I insisted that we move. After the experience I had with her, I rather prefer to be a king in my own castle no matter how modest”.

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08030878475, 09090759722, 09053717286 Joe 36, tall, decent, Godfearing and a graduate, needs a single, pretty, well behaved and employed or self employed Christian lady, who resides in Edo State, for a serious relationship, aged 2534.

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am a qualified engineer but I work for a very big organisation and I hadn’t reached the stage where free house went with the job. When she got the house, we were quite happy about it. We had friends who lived in houses provided by their `wives’ companies and I didn’t see any reason why our case should be different.”

PAGE 14 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020

Governors Sanwo-Olu and Como parallel covid-19 lives “It is easier to do too little at the beginning of a crisis than too much. In the end, the price is more if the crisis becomes greater” - THE ECONOMIC LAW OF PRECIOUS RESPONSE SUMMARISED. ong term readers of this page know that seldom do I comment on state matters since the first article was published in 1994. God knows there are more than enough issues at the federal level each day to engage the attentions of any selfrespecting economist to warrant diversions to state matters. Rarer still had been the defence of a state governor under siege for measures taken which are inherently controversial and divisive. Despite being a Lagos State indigene, I have never considered it a duty to defend or attack any government in the state. That decision was made easier by the fact that once Uncle Sam invited me to start writing these columns, I personally took a vow to be as non-partisan as possible; never to carry a party card or predictably supportive of any government in power.

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Each elected government must convince me that it deserves my support if a major controversy erupts.

As a corollary to the vow of independence, I also promised never to shy away from being in the minority on any issue – even a minority of one against 200 million Nigerians. To me, writing columns is not a popularity contest; we are not (or should not be) canvassing for votes. We are in the business of presenting truths as close as we can get to them without recourse to popular views. The majority is not always right. If it is, we would not be in the mess we are in now after being ruled by majority governments since 1960. So, I am always prepared for battle whenever the matter is hot and there is heavy fire on both sides. COVID-19 and the basic measures taken by governments all over the world in general and Lagos in particular are as contentious as any the world had ever known. We must all stand up and be counted for what we believe.

Lockdown to avert serious health catastrophe or not,

EDO CRISIS: APC chieftain urges Obaseki to inaugurate 14 alienated lawmakers

By Victor ‘Tunde Oso n the spirit of reconciliation, a former I national chairmanship

aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Ibrahim Emokpaire, has urged Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to issue a proclamation on the Edo State House of Assembly and allow the alienated 14 members of the assembly to be sworn in to carry out their legislative duties.

Speaking in a chat with newsmen yesterday, Emokpaire said the APC crisis in Edo State would continue to fester as long as only a section of the Assembly continues to legislate on the affairs of the state.

The APC chieftain regretted that for almost a year now, the oversight function in the state has been lacking because the state assembly was not properly inaugurated as only 10 out of the 24 Assembly

members run the affairs of the state’s legislature. According to him, “his action shows that he has no regard for the Constitution of Nigeria and the Constitution of the party, lamenting that “fourteen state constituencies have not been represented in Edo State House of Assembly for almost a year now.”

He observed that this

on the one hand, or to prevent economic meltdown constitutes the sort of devil’s choice which one prays no country would ever have to face. Somehow, globally and in Nigeria, our prayers have failed us. To the best of my knowledge, at no time in history have we had so many churches and mosques – especially here in Nigeria.

Yet, the greatest economic/ health disaster to envelope the world has occurred in our time. This is not the place and time to argue whether or not the catastrophe was sin-induced and was God’s punishment for mankind’s alleged transgressions. As far as I am concerned, neither the church nor the mosque had been able to pray for Nigeria to prevent this disaster. They should allow governments to operate and manage this horrible pandemic as best as they can without self-centred heckling. Certainly, this is not a religious conflict.

The point is, once the pandemic broke out in China in December last year and it raced like wildfire through the advanced economies of Europe, Saudi and Iran, before slamming with the force of a hurricane on America, the world was faced with an unprecedented phenomenon for which no nation was fully prepared.

Right in front of our eyes, the most powerful nations tottered and fell under its onslaught. African nations in general and Nigeria in particular were sitting ducks.

It was not a matter of if, but when it would berth here.

Furthermore, it was dashing situation may not earn the governor the second term ticket on the platform of the party, APC. He urged Obaseki to turn a new leaf and work as a true party man advising the governor to be ready to abide by the recommendations of the Bisi Akande reconciliation committee.

Emokpaire also advised Obaseki and his supporters to be more circumspect and decorous while addressing party leaders in the state and at the national level.

NGO moves against sexual, domestic abuses

By Nnamdi Ojiego

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n its bid to combat the increasing cases of sexual and domestic abuses, especially, against women and children in Nigeria, a non governmental organisation, NGO, Youth and Conflict Resolution Initiatives, YCRI, has launched the Campaign Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, CADSV. YCRI, in a press statement issued in Lagos by the Director of International Relations,

Efemena Agadama, hinted that CADSV was a tearful duty to eradicate the horrifying inhuman treatments meted out on the most vulnerable group in the society.

He described the 2019 report of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, DSVRT, as not only unprecedented and frightening, but worst in 20 years on domestic and sexual violence.

DTHA raises alarm over dead fishes in Forcados, Escravos rivers

By Festus Ahon, Asaba

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ORRIED by the spate of death of fishes, the Delta State House of Assembly, has passed a resolution enjoining Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency, direct the Federal Ministry of Environment and its parastatal NESREA to carry out tripartite joint investigation on the cause of dying fishes along the shore lines of Forcados and Escravos Rivers in the state.

Passing the resolution which was brought under matter of urgent public importance, by the member representing Warri South West Constituency in the House, Mr Emomotimi Guwor, they stressed the need for a tripartite committee to find out the cause of the dying fishes in the rivers.

Lamenting that the fishes could not be dying from artificial causes, the House also wants President Buhari to direct the federal authorities to protect the

biodiversity, conservation and sustainable development of the natural resources and the ecosystem of the affected communities from total extinction.

It also urged the Governor to direct the commissioners in charge of the state ministries of Environment and Oil and Gas to carry out public enlightenment and sensitization campaigns on

the health hazards and implications of the consumption of the dead fishes in order to avoid outbreak of epidemic in the state.

The motion also urges the state government to send relief materials to the affected communities with a view to alleviating the sufferings of the people.

Doubtful allies in very high positions on the other hand are those who work under the protection of government while subverting its good intentions at our continent and country at such bewildering speed at a time all the governments of Africa had their attention riveted on inevitable recession which was also barrelling at us from another side. Like a military pincer-movement, our continent and our country and the 36 states of Nigeria faced an inescapable set of health and economic threats of unprecedented proportions shortly after all of them had secured approvals from their lawmakers for the 2020 budgets. Nobody can point to a single kobo being provided for COVID-19 by any government; and rightly so. At the time those budgets were being prepared COVID-19 had not become an issue. Yet, today, they are all spending billions of naira, unbudgeted, on the pandemic. Not because they want to, but because they must. For the President and governors, individually and collectively, it has been a painful undertaking for which nobody in his right senses can honestly blame them. Unfortunately, it

would appear that it is turning out to be a thankless task judging from the barrage of criticism they have attracted for their valiant efforts. Yet, even the worst performance, however that is determined, deserves a great deal of credit.

WHY SANWO-OLU AND COMO “It is the part of a king [President or governor] to do good for his subjects and be maligned for it” - Alexander the Great, 356-323 BC, King of Macedonia, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 113.

Let me place my cards on the table face-up. This article is designed to provide the little bit of support I can for the governor of Lagos State as well as all the other governors and President Buhari who have been handed this very hot potato – called COVID-19 – to handle at this point in our history. Even the worst performer among them deserves sympathy. So do the members of the various Task Forces established – including the Presidential Task Force and the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC. In my view, even my good friend, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Strategy, had risen to the occasion and had handled the communication and publicity aspect with distinction.

Sanwo-Olu, in his first year as Lagos State governor, could not, in his wildest nightmare, have expected something like COVID-19 to stop him dead on his tracks. He was confronted

with a monster problem for which there was no previous template for solution. As a learner/manager, he and his team have performed wonderfully. Ask anybody who ever had to tackle uncharted territory without road map. It is frustratingly difficult.

I hope the President and governors will not be discouraged by the vicious attacks against them.

Instead they should all take solace in the words of one of the world’s greatest rulers. I came across that statement

by Alexander while taking a course in Hellenic History in my Junior Year as an undergraduate in the US in 1967. The lamentations of Alexander were so totally different from my youthful idea of how kings/leaders are treated by their people that I immediately wrote four copies of it and hid them in different books before it ended in the VBQ. Today, there is nothing more appropriate as a take-off point in the defence of our leaders who are now being maligned for their great works.

The selection of Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Nigeria and Como of New York State, US, was also dictated by Plutarch - a great historian of the Age of Alexander. Plutarch had pioneered the art of historical comparative analysis. In one of his books, titled PARALLEL LIVES, he had paired rulers from different nations and periods who had faced similar problems of governance and how each went about solving them.

COVID-19: Okwagbe indigenes in diaspora donate palliatives

By Victor Ajihromanus kwagbe lndigenes in Diaspora have donated palliatives to the people of Okwagbe community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, LGA, of Delta State.

The items include three cows, hand sanitizers, and plastic buckets for regular hand washing.

Mr. Japhet Efakpokrire, President of Okwagbe lndigenes in Diaspora, while

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making the presentation at the community Town Hall in Otor Okwagbe (Okwagbe lnland ), said the group made up of indigenes based in Warri, Asaba, Lagos, Abuja, and abroad found it necessary to support their kith and kins.

While speaking on the need to observe social distancing, he advised the community executives to always educate people on the need to avoid large gatherings.

He said:"This donation is a

gesture of our goodwill towards our people. We have come to give the little we have. I advise the community leadership to use their good office to share everything equitably as they adhere strictly to regular use of sanitizers provided to check the spread of the pandemic.

May I also call on other Okwagbe lndigenes in Diaspora to contribute to the diaspora purse so that we can do more for our people".

FUPRE VC's appointment: Delta monarch hails Buhari, others

is Royal Majesty, Ukori 1, the Ovie of Agbon H kingdom, Ethiope East Local

Government Area, Delta State, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the appointment of their son, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh as Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, FUPRE, Effurun.

The Agbon monarch had also commended the Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu, Minister of State, Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba, Chairman/Pro-Chancellor of FUPRE, Prof. Shehu Zuru, their son, Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ovie OmoAgege and others, for their support towards the appointment of the VC. The monarch represented

by Chief Emmanuel Avworo, Chief Abraham Odjighoro, Chief Anidi Beauty and Chief Anthony Demide, made the commendation during a

courtesy visit to the VC, Prof.

Rim-Rukeh, saying they came to congratulate him on his well deserved appointment and to appreciate President Buhari for his show of love for Agbon and Urhobo ethnic nationality.

Responding on behalf of the institution, the VC, Prof. Rim-

Rukeh said he had considered it a great honour, to have a delegation of His Royal Majesty, Ukori 1, Ovie of Agbon kingdom in his office to felicitate with him, and promised not to disappoint them for the confidence repose on him and the show of love by the monarch.

From right: Chief Anthony Demide; Chief Emmanuel Avworo; FUPRE VC, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh; Chief Abraham Odjighoro; Chief Beauty Anidi and Rev. (Dr) Abaka Oghenedoro, FUPRE's Head of Public Affairs, during a courtesy visit on the VC by the delegation by HRM, Ukori 1, Ovie of Agbon kingdom.

TOBI BAKES A CAKE: Another children’s book from Aboderin-Talabi

By Charles Kumolu

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n the last two years, there has been an array of books published for Nigerian children.

This new fervour for producing children’s literature provides an avenue for young ones to learn about their cultural heritage as well as the cultures of other people.

Such knowledge is essential for social and personal development.

Among these books, is the Tobi Series by Olubunmi

Aboderin Talabi.

The first two to be released in this series, Tobi visits a Conservatory and Diary of a Toddler, were critically acclaimed and opened new frontiers for the type of books that should constitute Nigerian children’s literature.

Each of these books showcases first-class text and exceptional illustrations.

It is no surprise that sparking off the demands for her books, the author has finally put out Tobi Bakes a Cake, the third installment in the now popular Tobi Series.

Just like her other books, its

thematic and stylistic preferences project it as a must-read for children from age nine and below.

Tobi Bakes a Cake, certainly lives up to its reputation as a classic read for children, parents and teachers.

The story captures the imagination of preschoolers as it takes them on a journey with the toddler Tobi and her family who gather at home to celebrate some good news.

Tobi chooses a special way to say well done to her big brother Daré, by baking a cake.

Talabi’s new book aside

from being a great read could promote emotional intelligence and moral development in children. It contains numerous moments where Tobi makes a moral decision and decides to not only be in the mix with the adults as they prepare for a celebration but also to honour her brother who has done exceedingly well.

For a younger audience, this book could build their cognitive and language skills.

The illustrations in Tobi Bakes a Cake are top-notch.

Studies have shown that picture books like Tobi Bakes

a Cake always leave a lasting impression on children because of the great text and near real-life illustrations.

This book will encourage children to be curious and eager to assist around the home, and it couldn’t be coming at a better time but now when children are at home with their parents and need to learn and develop new skills.

According to the author, Tobi Bakes a Cake is currently only available in e-book version due to the lockdown.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE 15

Delta CP has no control over officers inter-state transfer — Sheriff-Shokare

By Lucky Oji Mr. Shokare Ovuoke Sheriff, a Delta State-based legal luminary, in this interview with Sunday Vanguard speaks on the issue bothering on the recent transfer of police officers from Delta State Command to the northern region and why the Delta Police Commissioner should not be dragged into any of such issues. Excerpts here have been issues surrounding the recent T transfer of police officers

from Delta State to the northern part of the country, what is your take on this?

This is funny. Was any officer transferred from Nigeria to Niger republic as police officer? We are talking about Nigeria police force and not Delta State or any other state police force. What we have is one Nigeria police. Transfer in the Nigeria Police Force is like every other federal institution which includes the Nigeria Army, and it is a routine exercise carried out periodically.

Certainly, there are certain factors that encourage massive transfer of personnel as recently witnessed in the Nigeria Police Force. These factors could be long stay of officers at a particular command or a near retirement, among others.

For instance, Mr. Etiene

Eyo, has been in Delta State when CP Aduba (retd) was the Commissioner of Police in Delta State. He served in the Delta command for almost 6 years if not more. Most of the officers transferred fall within this category.

As a matter of fact, l see this cry of officers transferred from Delta State to other parts of Nigeria as unnecessary distraction.

Are you saying the transfer is not one sided, because it is expected that the mass transfer has to come from both South South and Northern region and this makes it look as if it is northern agenda, what do say about this?

I don't subscribe to that assertion. I also want to disabuse the minds of those in such school of thought. As I earlier stated, Nigeria police force is one, we are not at war, and officers transferred from Delta State to other states as it is now, should not be an issue.

The Nigeria Police Force is an organized institution. The IGP and the authority know the strength of their men and where they are stationed. They know that the movement of these men from Delta State Command will not affect the strength of the officers in Delta.

Those in authority have the record and nominal strength of each state command, so I believe the authority may have checked the records and

• Sheriff

I believe the CP knows those who are capable of giving him the desired result saw that Delta State Command has some lazy ones while other states don't have enough senior officers to man their posts.

I am bold to say that there is no northern agenda rather it is a genuine transfer for repositioning the Delta State Police Command for effective policing in line with the vision of the IGP, Mohammed Adamu. If you are scared that the northerners are in Delta State, the northerners should also be scared the southerners

are in northern states.

Don’t you think the transfer will encourage the herdsmen ravaging the area?

This is ridiculous. Fulani herdsmen palaver is not peculiar to one state and not a novel development in Delta State. But do you know that the only cop who had taken the war to the herdsmen in the forest was a Northerner, late ACP Ndanbabo who served in Ughelli Area Command and since then, no Area Commander has shown that kind of boldness.

How do you react to this allegation against the Delta State Commissioner of Police over this mass transfer, that the transfer was carried out on choices of those he likes and those he dislikes?

First and formost, the Delta CP has no dislike for any of his men, he treats them equal.

One thing we should consider is that Delta CP is the Chief Security Officer in the state and only accountable to the Inspector General of Police on any issue or action he takes.

And being the head of the personnel in the command, he knows the capacity of each personnel, who is competent and reliable to man the posts and divisions.

I believe the CP knows those who are capable of giving him the desired result in line with the vision of the Inspector General of Police and the Police Act, hence he posted them. The DPO, Agbarho like many others are not northerner. The CP as a seasoned officer with a pedigree of performance hates laziness.

It was reported online that those he transferred were done on phone calls to a big man in Abuja and personally drove down to confirm it, what is your take?

We’re increasing use of recycled plastic by 30% in 5 years — Ifeyinwa Afe, MD , HP Nigeria

By Etop Ekanem Ifeyinwa Afe, MD of HP Inc. Nigeria speaks on the tech giant’s approach to e-waste management, CSR and cybersecurity, among other issues. Excerpts.

In Nigeria, we have established a producerresponsible organization where we focus on e-waste management

You are one of the few under-35 professionals as managing director of HP, a global information technology brand, tell us a bit about yourself and what drives you? am passionate about I what technology can bring into my life and the lives

of others. Today, I am grateful that I am a part of a multinational company that has become one of the best workplaces for women and youth and boasts diversity stats that sit well when compared against industry averages.

I experienced how technology has a powerful impact on every aspect of our lives. I had to embrace change, learn people, communicate and transform as the industry diversifies. In Africa, we have the fastest growing economy in the world, with more young people than any other place in the world. By 2030, 32 per cent of the population will be under the age of 30, and it will

•Ifeyinwa Afe have the largest working-age population by 2035. My role at HP Nigeria involves overseeing sales, logistics, financial reporting, employee engagement and human resource development. I am responsible for a large portfolio in African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra-Leone, Angola and Libya.

Please explain HP’s global strategy to consolidate existing efforts to mitigate ewaste It is important that all companies use materials as efficiently as possible. This is what we have been doing at HP over the years. We believe

that manufacturers must consider the sustainable potential of a product in the design process – not just when customers are ready to discard the product.

In Nigeria, we have established a producerresponsible organization where we focus on e-waste management. We recycle a lot of our electronic devices to make sure that we are putting them to good use and avoiding the dangers that could involve risks for people who handle these materials.

In 2019, more than 21,000 tonnes of recycled plastic was incorporated into HP products globally, which

Sacking of workers: Group accuses NNPC of disrespecting Delta monarchs

off by NNPC to pave way for their children whom they allegedly employed recently.

The group said the new recruits had resumed work since May 4 and not because the refineries were undergoing rehabilitation for the reasons cited for their (casual staff) sack.

The group stressed that NNPC sacked the workers after it openly promised the two monarchs in the presence of the National Assembly Committee on Public Petition as well as leaders of the various host communities that their subjects and kinsmen will not be sacked because of their agitation for conversion.

By Akpokona Omafuaire HE Delta State Peace Movement, DSPM has accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, of disrespecting the Olu of Warri Kingdom, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, and the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Abe I by sacking their subjects who were casual staff from the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company, WRPC, after their interventions.

DSPM Chairman and

T

Secretary respectively,Chief Moses Akpojovwe and Comrade Oritsegbemi Awaori made the assertion in a statement in Warri.

The group noted that the monarchs had engaged the management of NNPC and its subsidiary with a view to regularize its causal staff which has been working with them for over 10-15 years as causal/ support staff.

DSPM said the casual staff who had worked with the establishment for the past fifteen years (15yrs) were laid

represents seven percent of the overall content. We made a bold commitment to increase our use of recycled plastic to 30 percent by 2025. For example, available products made from recycled materials include the HP Neverstop Laser and the HP Elite Dragonfly. HP’s groundbreaking closed-loop recycling program also uses plastic from recycled original HP cartridges (plus recycled bottles and hangers) to create new original HP cartridges.

How is HP’s CSR initiatives in entrepreneurship and empowerment impacting lives of youths, women and your host communities?

HP’s vision for the future includes supporting worthy initiatives across Africa. We have invested our time, skills and resources to help build vibrant and resilient communities across the globe through our HP LIFE online programme. In Africa, we partnered with various governments and organisations to deliver quality technology-enabled learning for 100, 000 learners by 2022. This is in line with our goal to enable better learning outcomes for 100 million people globally by 2025.

What is HP’s complementary framework to support education in places where resources are running short?

This question is self contradictory because in one breath, the publisher says the CP called one big man in Abuja requesting him to effect the transfer and in another breath, it was alleged he went through road against the covid 19 directive with the list.

All these allegations are yet to be supported with facts.

They are all mere speculation meant to distract the CP. For the purpose of clarification, no commissioner of police has control or influence over his superior let alone the Inspector General of Police.

What I mean is that Delta Commissioner of Police has no control over inter-state transfer and cannot direct or influence the transfer of officers from a state let alone mass transfer.

The Commissioner of Police can only transfer officers and personnel from the rank of CSP to constable within the state command. But inter-state transfer among Delta, Edo and Bayelsa is done by AIG Zone 5. Anything outside the above, it is the Inspector General of Police. I am therefore bold to say that the allegation that CP Hafiz Inuwa transferred personnel from Delta State is not true and the public should not be misled.

Are you saying that the Delta CP may not have influenced transfer of those he wants and what about some women police who were also transferred leaving their families?

As earlier said, the Commissioner of Police is not in a position to influence the Inspector General of Police on the issue of women being transferred out leaving their families, we should know here that the police Act is the law that regulates the affairs of the police. Women police officers

are not immune from transfer.

There are women police officers in the Delta State Police Command whose families are not in Delta State.

Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of administration and finance in Delta State Command is a woman and the husband is neither a Deltan nor in Delta State. She is not even a Deltan.

Female Federal High Court Judges and others are transferred here and then.

Why do some persons want that of the police ito be different?

Don’t you think the IGP may have infringed on the rights of those in foreign mission if they can’t meet up the 24 hours given to resume considering where they are?

How, those in foreign mission transferred have their strength in Delta State. They will resume at their new station whenever they return.

The police authority has their details and knows who is currently serving peace mission. There is no cause for alarm as I believe their rights cannot be infringed upon.

Finally, what is your advice on the series of allegations on the officer transfer issues?

My advice to all of us is that we should not heat up the polity with every little opportunity, the transfer is normal. This is not the first time mass transfer is taking place.

I remember vividly that a similar thing about mass transfer also happened prior to the 2019 general elections, it is done everywhere, it is just for one to learn to fit into wherever you are transferred to and we the civilians should try to accommodate each and everyone posted to our areas, we should try to cooperate with them so that we can have effective policing.

Sustainable impact is fundamental to our reinvention and core to achieving our vision – to create technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Building on this vision, HP is working with partners to open technologyenabled HP LIFE innovation centers to further support entrepreneurship and workforce development across the continent.

HP is passionate about creating solutions that provide early learners with the opportunity to expand their tools and their minds. With cloud-based mobile learning becoming increasingly relevant, HP’s new provision of Chromebooks helps students create and collaborate to deliver meaningful outcomes for themselves and their communities. Education is a human right and technology in the classroom is a critical component for a 21st century education; in today ’s economy our learning is never done. Africa is experiencing rapid urbanisation and digitization and it is essential that people have access to skills for the work of tomorrow.

Safety of cyber space has become a huge challenge, how is HP planning to join the fight against cyber insecurity?

This question is extremely relevant, particularly at a time when the world is in a state of change and uncertainty. Due to the current

global pandemic around the world and its penetration into Africa, many countries have gone into lockdown and companies have sent employers home to work.

While this is a vital health and safety precaution, it can wreak havoc on cybersecurity, as users often do not have the same secure software on personal devices.

As the number of connected devices grows exponentially, so does the sophistication and volume of cyber-attacks and data breaches. Cybercrime is forecasted to be a $6 trillion problem globally by 2021 and the most targeted weakest link is often users and endpoints, PCs and printers.

Software and network security are not enough.

Organizations need to trust and control endpoint devices, and then recover and regain control when attacks happen.

HP Security is developing new industry standards because security is an intrinsic part of our product development process—from first design stage through to final delivery. We protect devices, data, identities and documents, while building detection and recovery. Our device security is truly resilient and includes built-in security features like HP Sure Sense and HP SureRun, which are software with deep learning Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable real-time malware protection for PCs. HP, therefore, has some of the world’s most secure PCs and printers.

Ogbunike community, family announce death of Igwe of the COVID-19 lock .C. Osadebe (GON), Aka Eze effect Umenyiora (Traditional Prime Minister) down, passed on April 28, at gbunike community in Oyi Local Council of O Anambra State and the Ume-

nyiora family have announced the passing away of HRM Igwe John Ositadimma Umenyiora (Ezedioramma 1 of Ogbunike and Okpala Iguedo).

Though the monarch died on April 28, 2020, the formal announcement of his death was made on May 8, in compliance with the constitution and tradition of the community.

Spearheaded by Chief Anene

and regent of Ogbunike, the event had in attendance members of the Umenyiora family, Igwe’s Cabinet members, Ndi Ichie Ogbunike, Ndi Nze na Ozo Ogbunike, leaders of the Ogbunike Progressive Union (OPU), Umuada Ogbunike, stakeholders and journalists, who witnessed the ceremony at the Round Palace.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Osadebe said the royal father, who recently gave palliatives to all widows in Ogbunike to cushion the

exactly 12p.m, in Enugu, after a brief illness.

“In compliance with the Igwe Ogbunike Constitution 1978 Paragraph 8 & 9 (1, 2 & 3) and having been empowered b y the Igwe Ogbunike constitution 1978 as the only competent person to announce the death of Igwe.

Ogbunike, 1, Chief Anene .C. Osadebe GON

PAGE 16 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020

Infinix unveils Note 7 in first online smart phone launch

lobal premium smart phone brand, Infinix Modility has unveiled the highly anticipated NOTE 7 smart phone meant G for mid-to-high-end market segment in Nigeria, following months

of clamoring for another NOTE since the 6th iteration of the Infinix NOTE series hit the shelves in July 2019.

The first-of-its-kind, online mobile phone launch brought together top Nigerian celebrities in the entertainment industry including Infinix Mobility’s brand ambassador – Davido; popular TV presenter, Nancy Isime; Nigerian actress - Ini Edo; musical whiz – Patoranking; rib cracking comedian - MC Lively, and popular tech vlogger - Fisayo Fosudo.

According to the company, Infinix Note 7 comes with distinctively unique features in comparison with other devices within the same price range which include; a 6.95"HD Infinity-O display, the biggest Infinity-O display ever from Infinix; the superfast, MediaTek Helio G70 processor, ideal for elite mobile gamers and business professionals; a 48MP Quad AI Camera that boasts the highest pixel count in its price range; industry leading 18W super charge 3.0, and XOS 6.0 operating system based on the latest Android™ 10 system.

Life continental unveils new look Life beer

By Princewill Ekwujuru ife Continental Lager beer has unveiled a new packaging design L for its product, Life beer.

The beer brand virtually unveiled its new design via an Instagram

•Little Hope being fed by Anja on the day he was rescued

•Little Hope and Anja, few months after he was rescued

‘Child witches’ of the N-Delta ...and the Danish ‘angel’

I

By Perez Brisibe

N 2008, Danish-born Anja Ringgren Lovén was home watching television when she stumbled on a channel showing a documentary under the title, ‘The Witch Children of Africa’, and it was shocking, according to her, to find out that superstition was used to torture and kill innocent children.

However, with an endearing nature for philanthropic services, having worked in countries like Malawi and Tanzania as a humanitarian worker, she beamed her searchlight on Nigeria with the documentary being her catalyst against “witchcraft accusation of innocent children in Nigeria.”

Nigerian journey

To set the ball rolling, she established a Danish non-governmental organization in 2012 with a mission to create more awareness about superstition in Africa with particular preference to Nigeria, and headed to the country the following year for the first time in her life.

Married to a Nigerian and the union blessed with a son, her NGO, www.landofhope.dk, with the assistance of her husband, David Umem, has rescued over a hundred children labelled as witches.

Meanwhile, she has built what has been described as the biggest children center in West Africa popularly known as Land of Hope in Akwa Ibom.

She said: “I was born and raised in one of the world’s safest and richest countries, Denmark. So to live and work in Nigeria has been a challenge and learning experience.

“In 2014, I gave birth to our first child, David Jr. and being a mother to a Nigerian baby, and going on seven years now, living in Nigeria has turned me into a Nigerian.

“But before travelling to Nigeria, I had spent years in Africa working as a humanitarian worker, so I had a lot of experience in Africa. “But Nigeria is, unfortunately, a country with many problems. Corruption and violations of human rights in Nigeria is a big concern to me.”

Rescuing a ‘witch child’

One of the children rescued by her team is Hope, who was abandoned at the age of two by his parents and left sick with malnutrition and worms feasting on his body.

He was rescued in January 2016, eight months after while waiting for death with witchcraft tag.

On how he was rescued, she said: “David, I and our team were on a rescue mission four years ago when we got a tip from a villager about a young child in need of rescue.

“So we drove to the village to look at the case.

“Before the rescue of Hope, we had already rescued more than 50 children, who were also in a terrible condition, so we were well prepared.

“The parents of Hope were not in the village and had left him alone on the street, and the villagers claimed that he was a witch.

“We took Hope to hospital for treatment and the rest is history.

“Today, he is a very healthy and strong young boy who loves to go to school and play with his friends at Land of Hope.”

Experience

With tattoos on a larger part of her body including the inscription Hope which, according to her means Help One Person Everyday, Anja, while speaking on her challenges as a white lady working in Nigeria, she said: “Hope to me stands for my passion in life.

“However, I think the international media has painted a very poor image of Nigeria in general.

“Nigerians are very friendly and sociable. I love Nigeria and I feel very connected to the country.

“Nigerians work hard but are also faced with a lot of challenges due to extreme poverty and corruption.

“Despite the challenges, Nigerians are strong in their faith and I think that is what makes Nigerians very powerful.

“But the country needs human rights activists like my husband and I to raise our voices against injustice and to fight for child’s rights.

“For many years now, David and I have supported the effort of government by constantly advocating that people should protect the right of every child.

“We are also supporting the effort of the government by giving the children at Land of Hope qualitative education, because it is the key to open the doors of awareness.”

Christianity, witchcraft, exorcism

Though Anja was silent on her disposition on witches while speaking on superstitious beliefs in Nigeria, she said: “Superstition in Nigeria is most common in Cross River, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states where we have launched a strong campaign to fight the scourge.

“In Akwa Ibom for example, the beliefs of the Pentecostal Christianity denominations are mixed with the local tribal religion leading to a deadly cocktail that involves belief in witches and exorcism.

“The stigmatization of children as witches is a recent phenomenon in the Niger Delta which suddenly exploded in the 1990s. Before that, elderly women were the main targets of witchcraft accusations.

“By 2008, it was estimated that 15,000 children had been branded in Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers.

“According to research from that period, cases that had been documented included children and babies who had had nails driven into their heads, been forced to drink cement, set on fire, scarred by acid, poisoned, and even buried alive.

“According to a 2010 UNICEF report, it is typically vulnerable children with physical disabilities, or illnesses such as epilepsy, who are targeted while others are branded for appearing withdrawn, lazy or unruly.”

Child Rights Act

Faulting the non-ratification of the Child Rights Act of 2003 by many states, she said: “Nigeria’s Criminal Code prohibits accusing, or even threatening to accuse, someone of being a witch.

“And the Child Rights Act of 2003 makes it an offence to subject any child to physical or emotional torture, or submit them to any inhuman or degrading treatment.

“However, while this piece of legislation was enacted at the national level, the country’s 36 states are still required to formally ratify it. “This not only gives individual states exclusive responsibility - it allows them to make laws relevant to their specific situations.

“Only about three-quarters of Nigeria’s states have domesticated the Act, and to date only the state of Akwa Ibom has included specific provisions concerning the abuse of alleged child witches.

“Its 2008 law made witch branding punishable by a custodial sentence of up to 10 years and despite lobbying attempts, Cross River State has yet to amend its own 2009 version of the legislation to specifically outlaw the offence.”

Live Launch during its weekly show, the Beer Parlour Conversations, had the Life beer brand ambassadors Phyno and Flavour alongside another Igbo music artiste WAGA-G, unveiled the new bottle to consumers.

During an interactive session, the Ambassadors gave fans a personal review of the new packaging design features, its symbolism with the brand’s Eastern roots and its progressive forward-looking people On the new package, brand ambassador Phyno sharing his excitement said: “This new packaging embodies everything that makes me a proud Igbo man, it is not every day you find a beer that represents your roots and cheers you on to progress.”

Speaking on the new look, Flavour stated: “I’m really proud to be a part of this, Life is more than a beer. It’s a symbol of the progressive nature of our people. I am glad to see the beer in this new look.” The new-look Life beer bottle and can packaging has rolled out across all stores and sales outlets nationwide, will have the old product packaging continue to be available till it gradually phases out, leaving the same beer and same great taste in a new and exciting packaging design.

I preach love, romance, heartbreak in my music—John Tony Canada-based Nigerian rapper and songwriter, Taiwo Oyinloye, better known as John Tony believes that music is one of the best ways to inspire and motivate people, especially at this time when the coronavirus pandemic is ravaging the world.

“My music preaches love, hope, romance, money, family and heartbreaks. I use my songs to express my emotion in an imaginative way thereby exhibiting my song writing skills,” said Tony. The talented rapper, who hails from Kwara State says he feels comfortable in many different genres of music.

•John According to him, his music is inspired by the Tony likes of Drake, Juice World, and Playboi Carti.

“Listening to their songs has helped me as an artiste as I’m able to sing in many different genres such as hip-hop, RnB, rap , pop and Afrobeat,” the singer added.

Born and raised in Lagos, early this year dropped his debut single, “Would You Mind?” which is currently ruling the airwaves in the country.

The single is a hip hop/pop track that offers assurance and expresses adoration for a special person.

Tony explained that the song was written during a period of time when he was doing everything he could to get someone’s attention, even though it didn’t end in his favor. His music preaches love and the desire for a good life. The artiste’s ultimate desire is that his audience will embrace the true virtues of love through his music-willingness to go all the way and be there for one another. “It gives a calming effect and offers assurance, trust and hope, which are, of course, some of the virtues of love.”

Speaking further, John Tony said the single centers on the endangerment of love as a positive entity.

“Love is a strong force. It’s the basis on which the earth was created and everything therein was formed. It is a powerful emotion which has the capacity to effect massive positive changes.

Music industry, a very tough terrain — Don Carta ast-rising singer and entrepreneur, Nnakwuzie Raphael Ekene, a.k.a Don Carta is stopping at nothing to make a F name for himself on the country’s music scene, despite admitting

that the industry is a very tough one.

Speaking on his foray into music while in a chat with NollyNow, the Doncarta Group of Companies henchman harped on the toughness of the Nigerian music scene.

“It hasn’t been absolutely easy. Music industry is a very tough terrain and one has to be very determined and focused to be able to make it in this industry. However, one thing about doing what you love is that you end up doing it for the passion. So, the experience has been bitter-sweet, in all, we thank God. The best part of this work is in the satisfaction that comes with the knowledge that you’re passing across a message to someone somewhere, without having to meet them face to face; and in the fact that the message is a timeless, one which will still be available for someone else to listen to even when you’re gone. Music has always been my first love; before I even thought of taking music professional, listening to good music had always been my escape route. It leaves me fulfilled and calm, so it was my undaunted love for good music that basically propelled me into making one.”

On the challenges he has had to grapple with since his debut, he stated; “I guess it should be the fact that I rap majorly in Igbo. But the fusion of English in some of my songs makes it a bit easier to understand, even for someone who isn’t Igbo. Also, there are other challenges; like releasing a new song and not getting the amount of love you thought the song will get, but we •Don keep being steadfast, we keep trying because I Carta for one won’t let little challenges stop me.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE 17

Roze’s new single “Ileke” tops music charts in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya he latest single “Ileke” by the T Nigerian US-based music duo, Roze has hit number one spot

I pity people who crush on me

on the Nigeria iTunes, Ghana iTunes, as well as Kenya iTunes, topping songs like Simi’s “Duduke”, Adekunle Gold’s “Something Different” and even other international stars like Drake, Adele, Wiz Khalifa among others.

Roze, made up of two brothers, Row and Zuwa Agbonayinma dropped the single and video “Ileke” on all digital platforms on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 and it has since caught fire for its melodic rhythm, powerful vocals and enthralling beat. The title of the song “Ileke” simply means the African waist beads but beyond that, the duo explores the function of the ornament in relation to a woman’s bum and how it defines and accentuates it during dance.

After practically sending the

– Peace Hyde

I

t would be stupidly premature and quite uninformed to think British-Ghanaian media entrepreneur, Peace Hyde has no list of people who crush on her given her curvy and voluptuous body. But the news flash for whoever those people may be is that what they see may not be as it seems. The media personality burst the bubble about herself in an Instagram post recently.

“I pity people who crush on me because of my pictures on social media. It’s like you have NEVER ordered something from Jumia or a ‘Made in China’ product before. I am currently self isolating and looking nothing like my posts! Vanity can wait people..

It’s better to be safe than sorry. I hope you are all staying safe at home and only stepping out for the essentials with your masks and practicing social distancing,” she posted.

Many may actually see her post as a rather outlandish way of passing around some COVID-19 safety tips, but the busty, opinionated motivational speaker and founder of “Aim Higher Africa” NGO may as well be on the level given the vanity that reigns supreme on social media.

Peace Hyde is not your run-of-the-mill Instagram sensation or slay queen, she holds a first class degree in Psychology from Middlesex University as well as two Masters in Digital Media and Journalism.

•Peace Hyde

•Rose

I can’t sleep with any skit maker

Why I hardly kiss in movies – Nollywood

– Monalisa Stephen

actress, Judy Austin

P

•Monalisa Stephen

lus size model and fashion designer, Monalisa Stephen who railroaded her way to fame via posting luscious photos and video skits on Instagram has cried out she doesn’t sleep with people she makes video skits with. What prompted the reaction from the Abia-State born social media influencer is unclear at press time but she appeared to be all worked up about it.

“Why do some people think because you did a skit with this person then you slept with them. Is having sex that easy or what? I can’t and I won’t have sex with any skit maker, not because I’m perfect but because I’m a professional,” she spewed with disgust.

Monalisa is heavily endowed in both the front and the back. She’s well known for sharing photos of her body to show that she’s confident and comfortable with her size and shape. In fact she’s an advocate for plus size women to embrace their body types. She has been body-shamed many times but has held her ground and tend to thrive even better in face of controversies.

She has done skits with the likes of Mr Macaroni, The Cute Abola, Broda Shagi and many others.

I

n everything in life, there are limits. For one of the most beautiful actresses in Nollywood, Judy Austin her limits as far as acting goes are intimate roles. According to her, kissing deeply in movies or showing off her nudity is completely off limits. She made the revelation in a recent interview with Potpourri.

She said, “I’m not going naked for any amount, and I hardly kiss in a movie. I will not do a kind of kissing where the guy would be fondling my breasts. I must not go nude to be a star. I shouldn’t do what my kids

•Judy Austin

Cubana priest’s shocking revelation

lamboyant club owner and show F promoter, Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu popularly known as

Cubana Chief Priest is no stranger to strange outbursts and weird rants, and it wasn’t particularly out of character when he made public his stand on money and loyalty.

Whatever had got the nightlife priest mad wasn’t clear at press time but he seemed really pissed over something that must have made him take the plunge.

“I used to put loyalty before money.

How stupid of me, well I have changed, things will never be the same again. Forget brotherhood, money comes first. Make nobody

social media into a meltdown with rendition of cover of Rema’s latest single “Beamer” in April, Row and Zuwa definitely are writing their own story of greatness with “Ileke,” shooting themselves to the top of the reef in less than 5 days of the release of the song.

The gleeful duo could not keep the excitement to themselves as they exclaimed on their verified Instagram page, “You guys! We can’t believe this, we’re topping the Nigerian charts and we’re topping charts in Kenya, just hit over 10k views on YouTube and 1k streams on Audiomack in the first week.

This is all thanks to you guys þ. Let’s keep streaming Ileke by Roze.”

“Ileke” was produced by top producer, Mekoyo and the video was put together by Clarence Peters.

deceive you,” he blurted out.

Of course, the Co-Director of Cubana Group has many friends and it would be an arduous task to profile who might have got in his line of fire. His family too, may not be totally immuned from his venom as he has accused them in the past of living parasitically off him.

In a popular and viral post on Instagram he had cried out over alleged nonchalant attitude of his family members in being financially independent as him, wondering aloud whether it was a crime for him to be successful. He had then declared that his family members would henceforth get nothing from him except they reciprocate what he gives them.

•Cubana Priest

or family will see and be ashamed of . My limit is, I don’t do nude and I don’t do over romantic films.”

Speaking further, she also opened up on what turns her on and off the opposite sex.

“The only thing that turns me off is pride. I hate proud guys.

Mr pride, bragging about what he has and what he can do, they turn me off. But I am easily turned on by kind and hardworking guys, funny and very neat. I love simple minded guys, kind and stubborn guys, not stubborn in a stupid way. I love good-hearted guys who are dedicated to their work,” she said.

Judy Austin was born Muoghalu Uchechukwu Judith.

She’s also a movie producer and two films are currently to her credit in this regard; ‘Native Girl’ and ‘Fear.

She didn’t exactly start out as an actress, she was more into music and modelling. Acting came into her life when a friend, a certain Sylvester Madu urged her to give it a try on account of her good looks. She did and the rest, as they say, is history. She started acting in 2013 and by 2018 she has produced two films of her own

PAGE 18, SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020

Making women attractive, powerful is my calling – Maryam Adamu

N

•Maryam

orthern Nigeria number one skincare therapist and one of the most successful in the country, Maryam Ali Adamu, Chief Executive Officer of Aljism Skincare Products and wife of Yusuf Gidado Idris, son of former Secretary to Government of the Federation during the General Sani Abacha regime, has revealed her passion in life. In a recent interview with Potpourri she said her mission in life is to make women both beautiful and powerful.

On making women attractive, she said, “I believe no woman is unattractive as long as she has a flawless skin. The skin is the largest organ in the body hence what a person consumes is equally as important as what they apply on their skin. I used to be troubled by skin problems like acne, spots, discolouration and sunburn. I decided to study skincare after my Masters in Law in England in order to find a solution to my own skin problems. Shortly after my two and

a half years programme, I was able to start my own skincare line, using everything I learnt and it has been a success story so far.”

When she came back to Nigeria after her programme in England, family and friends encouraged her to help other people by producing and selling skincare products to make others equally flawless. She started producing and selling skincare products in November 2017. She has helped thousands of men and women clear their skin problems.

Today, she is the most successful skincare therapist in Northern Nigeria. Her brand, Aljism Skincare has become a household name. You can hardly bump into 10 northern women without at least 8 knowing Aljism Skincare Products and its CEO, Maryam Ali Adamu.

On making women powerful, the Yobe State-born entrepreneur believes women must shed the toga of merely being comfortable as housewives, sisters or daughters and take their stand among men to control their des-

tinies.

According to her, the best way women can rise above mediocrity and pity is to support one another.

“Women have always been thought to compete with one another but I encourage the opposite. I believe collectively, women have a better and stronger impact in the society. Due to scarcity of women in business in the northern part of Nigeria, the reality is raising one another up and encouraging and patronizing one another, as the greatest way to balance the equation. Women’s table has more strength when balanced by one another.

Competing doesn’t allow growth rather it creates segregation.

The stereotype of women not supporting women needs to be reversed. Women who support other women are more successful in

Why I produced ‘New Normal’ — Teniola Olatoni

to watch - with cinemas closed? But we are humans not trees – amenable, bendable, resilient, and able to think, innovate and adapt. So, we will figure it out and be better for it eventually.

Teniola Olatoni, a film, television and theatre producer and talent manager. The CEO and Creative Head at Sourmash Stories Production, is passionate about telling powerful Nigerian and African stories. Some of the works she's done include highly anticipated new film, The New Normal ,which she produced and directed. She also worked as program director of the Rodizzio Entertainment Company (20112016) where she directed events including international concert, Divas Rock Concert; Saturday Night Live! and comedy/music show, Wednesday Unknot Your Tie.

W

ho is Teniola Olatoni, the lady who dared to title her first movie `The New Normal'?

I am putting all my government names here so, however you know me, just go watch my movie when it comes out . Teniola Olatoni Ojigbede (nee Ogunlesi) is someone who has always wanted to tell stories! Strong impactful ones. It has taken 20 years through careers as owner/ manager at Adam & Eve Luxury Homeware Store, Creative Genius at Gems of Nubia Contemporary Jewelry, Restaurateur at La Cachette and Rodizzio to get here.

Your new movie, `The New Normal' went viral on social media this week, what was that all about?

We decided to unveil the title and let everyone know what we have been up to. It is amazing how so many people keyed into it because The New Normal is so apt right now. The phrase The New Normal' is the biggest buzz word at the moment, stemming from the pandemic.

How did you come about a movie title that fits so well with our current reality; Did you shoot the movie during the lockdown?

It is incredible what we are all collectively facing

In your opinion, what is the New Normal for the entertainment industry?

What is the future of entertainment and how can creatives thrive during and post covid-19?

We are already thriving and creating our New Normal. Cinemas are already adapting to new social norms of physical distancing, more platforms and content you can access at home. It is actually very interesting and exciting times and my advice to the creatives is to create, create and create.

worldwide right now and even more so that a title I chose a year ago which I considered pretty apt for the themes I was exploring in the movie should be the world’s catchphrase now! I feel like a soothsayer.

Without giving too much away, do tell us about `The New Normal', perhaps, share the most intriguing aspects what it entails, specifically what your audience should draw from it.

So, this is my take – Everyday, we have experiences. Some simple insignificant ones we take for granted; others earth-shattering life changing. You have two choices – rollover and play dead or figure out how to deal with it. Each time we do that, we unconsciously create a new normal for ourselves.

In `The New Normal' our audience will meet some very interesting yet achingly relatable characters. Everybody knows a Banji and Nike, a Michael (OMG), a Sadia, even an Ejura (OMD). I cannot wait for you to meet them! The lessons? plentiful! The laughs, the tears, the emotions, the issues each character has to deal with will draw you straight in and have you reconsidering what you think is normal!

In relation to societal norms and so on, what do

•Teniola

•Teniola

you consider to be `The New Normal' which before wasn't deemed normal?

One of the most interesting I have found is how parents now actively support a child that comes home to say, “I want to be a Rapper ”! Who would have thought it eh? We are speaking out loudly about the things that ail us had previously considered a taboo – domestic & sexual violence, infertility, mental health and so much more.

It is so refreshing I tell you.

The funniest though has to be laughing at the Oriental Asians masking up for ears and now here we are – it’s our New Normal.

business. Breaking the stereotype of women serving only as baby-making machines must become a thing of history,” she said.

Maryam Ali Adamu is a graduate of Business Administration and Law from the Coventry University, England.

She’s from Yobe State. The daughter of Dr Ali Adamu (Ph.D) Standford and former Executive Secretary of the National Primary Education Commission during the General Sani Abacha regime and presently a business mogul into Oil and Gas. She has also created a platform on Instagram where people are able to send her direct messages on how to become successful entrepreneurs.

She has helped so many people grow and succeed in various businesses.

She has impacted so many lives with both her skincare range and entrepreneurial knowledge.

We are speaking out loudly about the things that ail us had previously considered a taboo – domestic & sexual violence, infertility, mental health and so much more. It is so refreshing I tell you

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the postponement of the premiere of so many films globally. Aside from revealing the name of the movie what are your plans to get this movie out to the viewers?

We are exploring all possibilities and in constant communication with our distributors to make this happen globally.

Fingers crossed I will have the best news real soon!

Covid-19 cannot stop us.

There's no denying that the pandemic has affected every one of us, how has it affected the Nigerian entertainment industry, especially those in film making and the whole value chain?

Everybody and every aspect are affected!

Productions have been delayed and budgets are shot! And even if your production is finished, where will your audience go

What roadblocks did you experience while creating The New Normal and what are some challenges you’re facing now?

I did not see roadblocks.

I saw opportunities to overcome. The cast, crew – every single person brought their 'A game' and I cannot thank them enough.

Seasoned and awardwinning cast, no airs and graces! Experienced crew doing their thing without pomp or fuss! It was fabulous. Use your family and friends! You see the production needed quite a few locations and cars. I begged, borrowed and displaced them all to achieve the quality I wanted, without their support, I just don’t know if I would have a movie now! Our biggest challenge right now is making sure distribution channels align with our aspirations and all Nollywood fans home and away plus new converts get to see it.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE19

COVID-19: Our engagement lacks vigour — Bode George C

HIEF Olabode George is a top member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Atona Odua of Yorubaland. George sent the piece below on Covid-19: All over the world, from Australia to the farthest reaches of Iceland, from the blue fields of Nicaragua in South America to the steppes of Asia - every inch of mother earth is infected with the scourge of the Covid-19 pandemic.

There is no escape. There is no immune corner of the globe. There is palpable panic everywhere. We are all scared of the unknown.

The young, the old, even the innocent baby of the cradle are all smitten by this deadly virus.

The novel Coronavirus does not discriminate between the rich or the poor. It is indifferent to tribal identity. It is unknown to sectarian affiliation. It does not recognize race or creed.

It claims everyone in unbelievable sweeping and blighting speed. Humanity is now held hostage by this pandemic. We are all endangered.

Economies of the world are shutting down.

Schools, institutions and great centers of human knowledge are shuttered, locked up by the insidious pandemic that no one really understands.

All kinds of theories abound everywhere about the provenance of coronavirus. Some say it emerged from the wet markets of Wuhan in central China. Others claim it emanated through a breach at the Wuhan Virology Laboratory in the vast Hubei Province of China.

True, we know how Coronavirus spreads. We also know the gestation period, but we do not know why some are asymptomatic. While we know that it can spread through the air or the proximity to contaminated objects, it is now baffling scientists with the infection of toddlers and babies who were once thought to be im-

*Bode George

It appears that our engagement of the Coronavirus is at best sophomoric, indifferent, stripped of professional enlightenment mune to the virus.

Nevertheless, scientists across the world are busy, hunkered down in their laboratories, searching desperately for a solution and invariably for a cure before humanity is wiped

The Home Grown School Feeding Programme not a ‘scam’

By Afusat Akande

n Wednesday May 6, 2020, Sadiya Umar O Farouq, Minister of Hu-

manitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, gave a briefing at the daily media interaction of the Presidential Task Force (PTF).

During the briefing, she tried to bring her audience up to speed with activities and interventions in her ministry since her last briefing of May 1, 2020.

Her opening salvo caught people’s attention: “In the time since I was here last, we have made progress on the overhauled Home Grown School Feeding Programme and sensitization has already begun in the 3 frontline states of Lagos, Ogun and the FCT in readiness for full implementation.”

Her announcement, understandably, made the news.”Why we’re going ahead with school feeding during lockdown”, Vanguard noted in its headline before reporting: “The federal government, Thursday, explained that it decided to go ahead with the feeding of school children captured in its Home Grown School Feeding Programme, NHGSFP, even when schools were still shut down as a result of

Surely, a criminal does not invite the police to watch it commit a crime •Sadiya Farouq coronavirus pandemic, because of its commitment and determination to cushion the hardship vulnerable school children were facing at home following the COVID-19 lockdown…Mrs. Farouq said her ministry in consultation and collaboration with state governments identified the distribution of Take-Home Rations (THR) to the households of the children on the programme as a feasible method of achieving this directive after exploring several options.”

The newspaper report made it to twitter where it was greeted with comments, many of them insulting and disparaging and clearly showing proof that there was a huge problem of comprehension regarding the programme One of the comments from the handle @inkredi-

ble_ caught my attention for its sheer vitriol: “Your love for projects that can’t be tracked and evaluated accurately is overwhelming. U obviously want to Name a huge figure that can’t be trailed nor tracked with accuracy. The evil in the heart of the rulers of Nigeria is unimaginable.”

His tweet contained obvious false accusations and half-truthsthat one feels compelled to point them out. @inkredible_ wrote that the minister ’s “love for projects that can’t be tracked and evaluated accurately is overwhelming” and in so doing missed the point completely because the minister was clear in her briefing and the newspaper report was unequivocal; the idea for the overhauled school feeding programme came from the president via a pronouncement in his March 29th 2020 national broadcast during which he said –”although schools are closed, I have instructed the Minis-

out.

Leaders from the First World are rolling up their sleeves and pumping trillions of dollars to aid the research effort to produce a vaccine that would staunch the murderous march of this hideous scourge.

Even here in Africa, leaders from Madagascar, Ethiopia, Congo and even Ghana are prodding their scientists and plumbing the depths and the secrets of the ancient herbs in a desperate search for the golden bullet that will eradicate the present suffering of humanity.

But as leaders, scientists and all kinds of specialists and epidemiologists are racing towards a solution, I do not see the same level of seriousness, the same level of coherence and deliberate aggregated and aggressive management of this pandemic in our country.

Please let me emphasize that I do not write as a partisan politician in this turbulence that is affrighting all of us. My intervention here is without tribal or sectarian articulations.

I write as a Nigerian who believes in the Nigerian dream, who believes that this nation is desperate for a salvaging assemblage of elders regardless of geographical or any other affiliation.

It appears that our engagement of the Coronavirus is at best sophomoric, indifferent, stripped of professional enlightenment, lacking in necessary comprehensive vigor to tackle heads-on this murderous scourge.

The composition of the Presidential Task Force is not exactly a first line of well hewn, cutting edge intelligentsia that this nation can boast of.

Virtually in all fields of human endeavour, there is always a Nigerian with sterling talent that can rival anyone, anywhere with prodigious exemplary demonstration of merit.

We have them here: Virologists, Epidemiologists , Microbiologists, Morbidity experts, Homeostatic scholars , infectious disease experts and many others who are experts in the field of study of the dysfunction of the human body.

Why are we not using them to mitigate, combat and destroy the Covid-19 malady?

What are we actually doing to contain this scourge?

Are we merely walking in the dark, strolling blindly in the black alleys, wishing the virus away, abandoning ourselves to fate, hoping that some African voodoo or whatever else will

try of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to work with state governments in developing a strategy on how to sustain the school feeding programme during this period without compromising our social distancing policies.”

What is a minister to do, disobey a directive from the President?

Secondly this is not something the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development woke up one morning and decided to undertake. According to its widely reported press statement, the ministry, in complying with the presidential directive, consulted with the State Governments and jointly identified the distribution of Take-Home Rations (THR) as a feasible method of achieving this directive after exploring many options and following consultations with state governments and sundry partners, the plan was adopted.

So, the first fallacy debunked is that the project did not originate from the minister and if that is the case, where is the so called love for projects that can’t be tracked?

Now, it will surprise many to note that contrary to speculations, the TakeHome Ration option is not a Nigerian invention neither is it a HOME GROWN scam. According to the World Food programme, there are 17 countries currently distributing Take Home rations to

suddenly make it disappear?

It will never happen. While we cannot copy the rest of the world in some mechanical capricious gesture, we must be original, cultivating home-grown solution and at the same time embracing proven and attested global examples.

Whimsically shutting down a nation will not make the virus go away. There must be a coordinated strategic plan. There must be a deliberate framework of action to contain this invisible enemy.

The only way to achieve this is through collaboration on a defined platform. No one can do it alone. Let us assemble experts from various related fields. Let us challenge our scientists with the best of working incentives and give them a marching order to crank up their laboratories, to explore the furthest reaches of knowledge and holding them as our first line of defense to save our country from this alien, invisible virus.

Pumping money into school feeding program while the schools are not open is a little absurd. It is a redundant, unworkable palliative. In a nation where there is no standard numbering of houses, how do you get the food to the beneficiaries? This is more than laughable. It is tragic.

The sprinkling of naira notes in market places and pre-arranged venues are good media agendas. But they are no palliatives. Yes, our people are hungry. Our GDP which is about 144 trillion naira has lost 21 trillion naira presently to Covid-19. And the amount is still rising as our economy has shrunk into a recession.

For sure, fanciful media affair is hardly the efficacious tool we need now.

This is hardly our priority. Yes, we must balance the hunger indications with the prevailing scourge of the virus. In a situation where we can not even distribute the economic palliatives effectively, how in the world can we be talking about school feeding? A lot is not right about our national vision.

Our people are hungry and afraid. Our society like the rest of the world is on panic mode.

We need to be seen to engage this pandemic with a comprehensive, well thought out, believable strategy. That is should be our complementary goal.

Read more on www.vanguardngr.com

school children. In Liberia Take Home Rations have been distributed since 2019.

Going further in traducing the minister, the twitter user wrote: “U obviously want to Name a huge figure that can’t be trailed nor tracked with accuracy.”

To address this accusation it is important to point out that the minister in her appearance at the Presidential Task Force briefing on Friday May 15, 2020 informed the whole world that to ensure transparency in the process it has invited other agencies of government including the DSS, EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau and a host of NGOs and CSOs to help monitor the programme.

The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau noted through a tweet that he was at the flag off with his operatives to monitor the process.

Surely, a criminal does not invite the police to watch it commit a crime.

But for the avoidance of doubt the ministry ofHumanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Developmentis not implementing this programme. It is merely facilitating and supervising. The Federal Government has provided the funding while the states are implementing. All the vendors supplying food have been chosen, not by the FG, but by the states.

Now, how much is this project costing the Federal government? Vanguard Newspaper in its Wednesday May 13, 2020 edition provided an inaccurate fig-

ure as well as an inaccurate premise. It’s headline was – Worry, as FG spends N679m daily on feeding schoolchildren during lockdown.

The figure is inaccurate because, though the ministry has not provided a figure, a quick arithmetic will show that if each TakeHome Ration is worth N4,200 then 3,131,971rations (total number of targeted households to be impacted) will cost N13,154,278,200 for the intervention excluding logistics costs.

And the Vanguard story gave a wrong premise because the programme is not a daily programme costing N679m per day. It is, as Sadiya Farouq, noted at the PTF briefing a covid-19 Intervention.

And talking about figures, no one is looking at what this programme will do for local farmers and the Nigerian economy. Poultry farmers for instance are in for a huge windfall. Each Take Home ration is comprised of 5 kg Bag of Rice, 5 kg Bag of Beans, 500 ml Vegetable Oil, 750 ml Palm Oil, 500 mg Salt, 15 pcs of eggs, 140gm Tomato Paste.

Now, with every one of the beneficiaries receiving 15 eggs in their Take Home ration it means that the programme is sourcing 46,979,565 eggs at a time when poultry farmers are groaning about an egg glut.

Read more on www.vanguardngr.com

Mid-West Bar Forum debunks media report,reaffirms election of Onyemenam, others

By Festus Ahon

EADERSHIP of MidL West Bar Forum, yesterday declared that the election of its executive led by

Chike Onyemenam stands, insisting that the forum has no caretaker committee.

The forum is made up of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Bar Leaders and the Branch Chairmen/Executive Committee Members of the NBA practicing in Edo and Delta states.

Reacting to recent media reports, the leadership of the Forum in a statement, held that Chike Onyemenam and his Executive Committee were unanimously reelected at a lawful and hitch-free election

conducted by the Forum's Electoral Committee at their quarterly meeting held at Agbor, Delta State on December 21, 2019.

The leadership in a statement issued by Chike Onyemenam, noted that the said quarterly meeting recorded a massive turnout of 12 out of the 14 branches of NBA in Edo and Delta states with their Chairmen, Senior Advocates, past Attorneys General and Bar Leaders of the Forum in attendance.

Describing the said media report wherein the Forum was said to have declared the election of the executive committee led

by Chike Onyemenam, SAN, null and void and appointed a Caretaker Committee in its stead, the leaders maintained that

the said report was false, unfounded and does not have the blessings of the forum.

The leadership in the statement, explained that alleged some dissident members of the forum, whose candidate at the said election did not turn out successful, made an unauthorized publication seeking to convene an illegal meeting at Effurun, Delta State, where they planned to hold a parallel election to install their own executive committee, but were hitched.

According to the leaders of the forum, the Mid-West Bar Forum filed Suit No. A/ 67/2020 before the Asaba High CourtChike Onyemenam, SAN & Others V. Mike Asugo & Others and obtained a Court Order to show cause, which in spite of being served, they disobeyed and pro-

ceeded to hold the illegal meeting and appointed a Caretaker Committee.

They alleged that the caretaker committee was constituted in a meeting attended by less than 10 percent of members and had, "in total disrespect for the pending Court case challenging their brazen acts of illegality, proceeded to publish in the newspaper that they had declared the Chike Onyemenam led Executive Committee null and void".

To this end, they called on fellow legal practitioners of other fora and Nigerians to discountenance their action and the publication, made in total disrespect and defiance of the orders and pending suit before High Court of Justice.

PAGE 20 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020 sam.eyoboka@gmail.com

08023145567

(sms

Prayer not the master key — Odesola

By Sam Eyoboka ASSISTANT General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in charge of Administration and Personnel, Pastor Johnson Funsho Odesola has said, singing “Prayer is the master key” is a misinterpretation of the role of prayer in the life of the believer.

He made the clarification while leading the Tuesday, April 28, Bible Study broadcast of the RCCG via Dove Media. The Bible study was on Obedience.

Odesola who has been a member of the RCCG since the 70s said prayer alone won’t solve all human problems, noting that there are many other things that God requires from the believer apart from prayer.

He said there are requests that could be answered through simple obedience rather than prayers. *Prayer without obedience is vain According to him, “If you don’t obey principles, you will suffer ridicule.

The doorway to blessings is simple obedience. Anybody who does not

When you obey God you will live long.

You will have great peace, assurance of salvation and your heaven will be sure •Pastor Odesola obey the Word of God is fooling himself. Obedience to God is demonstrating faith in God. Obedience is proof of your love for God. True obedience is to walk with God.” He recalled how he gave his entire one-month salary in the 70s during a church service, saying he initially did not fancy the idea of giving one's whole money at first.

God is able to turn our sorrow to joy RETHREN, notwith B standing the present threat of COVID -19 and its

attendant economic and social pressure, one thing that is undisputable is the fact that nothing takes God unawares.

All things are subject to His will.

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the God who knows the end from the beginning.

•PASTOR IGHODALO

That we are alive today is ascribed to His benevolence and not because we are careful or smart.

If you are in agreement with this fact then I want to assure you that same God who answered you before, made provision for you, delivered you from the enemies in time past, cured you when you were sick and sustained

you till date, is able to do it again in your life in Jesus name.

It does not matter how bad the situation may be now, the degree of tension on our health and economic horizon, or how powerful our common enemy COVID-19 may be, the fact is that He has delivered you before, He has delivered the country before and He is able to deliver again even today in Jesus name.

Why should you be threatened by mere pestilences, why don’t you understand that nothing happens without the permission of God Almighty?

The physicians and economic engineers are not mightier than God? Why are you so disturbed that God who brought you to this world will not take away this pestilence, give you your husband/ wife?

Why are you afraid that

tree as an example.

On His way to Jerusalem from Bethany, Jesus saw a fig tree and He assumed it should have fruits on it because it had leaves on it. Even though the tree appeared like it had fruits on it, it just was not it. This deception of the fig tree resulted in a pronouncement from Jesus.

On His way back into Jerusalem, Peter noticed that the fig tree had responded to the words of Christ. Mark 11: 21. The word of God is powerful, cutting into the circumstances and sharper than we can imagine.

As a vessel of Christ we will speak that word and the circumstances in our life will respond to that word because of the faith we have in God. It is important for us to know that faith will move mountains and break lose the strongest chains.

The challenge of Christianity is that a lot

*Ituah Ighodalo is the Senior Pastor, Trinity House, Trinity Avenue, Off Ligali Ayorinde Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. +234-808-895-6162 info@trinityhouseng.org

Have faith in God And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Mark 11: 22-23 n the passage above Jesus was telling His disciples that it is possible to make anything happen. The opportunity to do this was explained using what happened with the fig

I

COVID-19: Have faith in God, not in vaccine

H

EALING and immunity against any deadly pestilence, comes only from the LORD God, who is the refuge and fortress of all who put their trust in Him. It is of the Lord’s mercies that majority of the people in this nation, have been delivered from death, caused by this noisome pestilence, especially, as there has been no specific cure for it. (Lamentation 3:22).

The Lord God says He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy, and He will have compassion on whom He will have compassion. (Romans 9:15-16,18) It is not because of “social distancing” or of “wearing of face masks” or the “lock-down order” put in place by world governments. It is the Lord’s mercy, that has spared many, from death by Covid19.

Governments in power are ignorant of the

fact that Covid-19 is the rod of the anger of God upon all the inhabitants of the earth, because of their wickedness. God who destroyed the whole world in the generation of Noah, by a mighty flood, has not changed in His judgment against the wickedness of man, so much so, that it repented God to have created man in the earth. (Genesis 6:58).

Only Noah, who was a just and perfect man, found grace in the eyes of God, and so he did not perish with the wicked.

Those, who have the Spirit of Christ, and as many as will receive Jesus into their hearts, will find grace in the eyes of the Lord, to escape this deadly pestilence, sent into the world by the Lord Almighty. (II Chronicles 7:13-14) No vaccine or herbal cure, can stop the

“I was in church that particular day.

It was in the 70s I recall very well. The preacher asked us if we believed that God called him. We said yes. He then asked us to empty all the money in our pockets and bring to the altar.

"That day I was almost regretting coming to church. I quickly removed part of my salary which was in my pocket inside a perforated envelope. It was N140. I gave part of the money and kept the rest.

God who fed you yesterday will not feed you today? My friend the God, who did it before, will do it again. God will heal and give you answer of peace today. He will turn your sorrow to joy. The common problem of many people in this present day is that of failing to remember what the Lord did in the time of old as chronicled in the Bible and even in this present day in their lives.

They all seemed to have forgotten those wonderful works of the Almighty God. When you hear many of such people murmuring and complaining of their present situations, the things they say at such times make one wonder if God is no longer in control of human affairs. Their attitude make some people wonder if God has changed. The same scenario played out in the days of Elijah.

I Kings 19:1-4 says: “And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain

"But the preacher kept saying some people were still holding back. After so much announcement, I had to painfully surrender all my salary. But God was faithful. That same week, I bought a brand new Suzuki motorbike worth N100 and I was greatly blessed,” Pastor Odesola narrated.

He said God loves a cheerful giver, but if you give “grudgingly” He will accept it, adding that God does not want partial obedience. “We can’t serve God on our own terms. Our obedience to God must be complete, must not be delayed and must not be partial.”

He then cited several examples of Bible characters who obeyed and disobeyed God and how they benefited and suffered for their actions.

The AGO who is also the in charge of the church's Region One, noted that “obedience to God will come with disobedience to man and self. It will lead to disobedience to the devil and his agents."

Odesola urged his listeners to obey God and take steps on instructions God has asked them to take; like responding to call to ministry, helping somebody in need or whatever God has asked them to do.

In summary, he said: “When you obey God you will live long. You will have great peace, assurance of salvation and your heaven will be sure.”

all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”

Elijah was known as a powerful prophet in his era. A Prophet who at his command made fire to come upon his enemies, a Prophet who slain more than 400 prophets of

Baal that challenged the supremacy of God Almighty.

But with all these exploits the man couldn’t stand the threat of a woman, rather he ran away, murmured against God and even requested from God to die. He couldn’t remember what God had done before neither could he remember that God changes not.

He had forgotten that the God who did what Ahab mentioned to Jezebel could still do those things again even better.

Beloved, we serve a great and living God who can do all things. If you can have this understanding, happy are you.

Fear not for we have found ourselves in similar situation before and were delivered and even now He is able to turn our sorrow to joy.

God will assuredly turn our sorrow to joy.

of us do not have faith on God, a lot no longer believe that the word of God is true for our situation and our time. We now believe that what we go through in life cannot be changed by the faith in God or His words.

However, I tell us today that we must have faith in God. Such circumstances have happened. There was never a prime minister in Egypt before Joseph, the sun and moon did not stand still before it happened in Israel.

What is faith? It is a constant, consistent, and unshakable believe in someone or that something would happen. This faith makes things happen and puts our mind at rest that everything would work out fine.

Whenever we are talking about the devil, it simply means that God has departed from us.

His guiding power and protection He has withdrawn for a season. This alone gives the enemy a free day. Job 1: 9-12. Judges 16: 21-26. God is there for us where we are and when we seek Him. In the little whispers of our heart, in the simple confessions of our heart God hears and responds.

Why do we need to have faith in God

1.

He is God and God all by Himself!

The enemy can only attack you when God is not there. Isaiah 44:8, Rev. 4:11 Ezekiel 37: 3, Matt 24: 26 2.

He can be all things to all men and various things to various people. God can be whatever you want Him to be and He can answer to any name you call Him. (God can take any form you want Him to take). Ex 13: 13-14 (Moses), Gen 12:1-3 (Abraham), Gen 6: 8 (Noah), Gen 22: 8-14 (Abraham & Isaac), Gen 22: 16 (Abraham) 3.

Through your Faith God rewrites destines and circumstances of life. Luke 8: 4348, 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10 God chooses people to bless irrespective of who they are or what they have done, all that He looks out for is for them to have faith. The only thing that prevents God from moving in your life and circumstances is you. You alone are the limiting factor to your greatness and breakthrough.

Today, I implore you to have faith in God, act out that faith and live by it.

The changes that you seek will spring forth.

anger of God upon the world, except the inhabitants of the earth repent of their wickededness, and then look up to Jesus for their salvation.

(Jeremiah 46:11; Isaiah 45:22) In Isaiah 26:9b, it is written: “For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” And the righteousness that is acceptable to God, is the righteousness of His only Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name, man will be saved. (Acts 4:12) These judgments of God upon the world, come as sword, famine, noisome beast and as pestilence. They are meant to cut off man and beast from nations, which is what Covid-19 is doing right now. (Ezekiel 14:21) This fury of the anger of God upon the world will not come to an end, until He has accomplished His purpose. (Jeremiah 23:19-20) But the truth, which is in Jesus Christ, shall be the shield and buckler of those who have received Jesus into their hearts, and are living in obedience to His doctrines, and so, they should

not be afraid of any pestilence or plague, because it will not come near their dwellingplaces, thus saith the Spirit of the Lord. (Psalm 91:4-6,10) What immunity can be greater than that of the Almighty God, which He has provided in His Son, Jesus Christ? “Except the days be shortened, no flesh shall be saved. But for the sake of the Elect, the days shall be shortened.

(Matthew 24:22) The elect of God in these nations, for whose sake the days of Covid-19, shall be shortened, should therefore cry unto the Lord for these nations, that the Lord God should forgive the sins of the nations and then heal their land.

•CHRISTIAN GOSPEL CHURCH (The Truth Centre) Email: cgc.com.ng@gmail.com Telephone: +234 (0) 7052061135, +234 (0) 9030731406 Website: www.cgc.com.ng

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE 21

Rev. Emmanuel Awazie *Assemblies of God Church Nigeria, 111 Clegg Street, Surulere, Lagos.

Developing the kingdom mindset God sent the coronavirus HE 21st century is the era marked by rapid adoption of into the world for his glory T new technologies fueled by a knowledge economy that values problem solving through human critical thinking. There Amos asks a compelling is an unprecedented shift from traditional industry to an economy based on the information computerization, and artificial intelligence with its attendant effects upon humans and our environment.

One can understand the hue and cry over the deployment of the 5G Network, and the Corona virus pandemic. The Information Age is characterized by unfettered dissemination of, and access to information, and increased knowledge. The Scriptures warn that these are the signs of the End Times. (Daniel 12:4; II Timothy 3:7) This series is therefore apt, as developing the Kingdom mindset will help us prepare the Church and focus on Christ's Return, and not allow ourselves to be distracted by the deceptions of Satan and his cohorts.

The Church must rise to the occasion, aware of the influence of the News Media upon the human mind. The media is responsible for the conscientization of the mind, and the fashioning of cultures and philosophies.

The Kingdom of God is a Culture; it is the Royal domain over which God reigns as King, and where His will and purposes are fulfillment. The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal key to the Kingdom mindset. (Matthew 16:19) The gospel is the conveyor of the very life and power of God; it is a spiritual entity: "the spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63). The Apostle Paul recounted how that God was "... sending you (him) to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people....' Acts 26:15-18. The preacher is merely the messenger or delivery boy, as it were.

The gospel is the good news of the kingdom of God realized through the redemption of Christ. The apostle Paul insists that it is the eternal truth as - "... Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said." (I Corinthians 15:3-4). It is by it that we are able to realize the benefits of Christ's redemptive work, "... for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,... For in it the righteousness of God is revealed ...." (Romans 1:16-17) That is the sacred charter that has been "... Committed to my trust.” (I Timothy 1:11), and we must proclaim it. "For... necessity is laid upon me; Yes, Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (I Corinthians 9:16) This is the hidden treasure of God that is accessible only to believers - "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field." Matthew 13:44, but it is concealed from unbelievers. Satan desperately fights to keep this treasure from mankind, - "... it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." II Corinthianx 4:3-4. Believe the gospel and live.

To be continued.

question. He says: “If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?” (Amos 3:6).

God is the uncaused cause of everything. Nothing ever happens that He did not orchestrate. He is the beginning of everything and the ending of everything. Therefore, we know that although diseases are not the work of God, it was God who commissioned the devil to send coronavirus into the world.

The question then is why.

Why did God send death and destruction into the world?

The answer is far simpler than many realise. Everything God does, good or bad, is for one reason and one reason only.

God does everything for his glory. There is nothing that He does that is not for His glory.

The wonders of freedom from sin (5)

Introduction HE last episode treated was “Confessing the Word of faith”, and this is an essential and underlying step towards success in life and ministry. We are considering the importance of not just confessing it, but preaching it out to others which presupposes that success must have successors, or else it is failure in disguise.

Preaching the word of Faith This was the first assignment (the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20) given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ just before His ascension. Interwoven in the assignment of preaching is also teaching.

While preaching raises converts, teaching on the other hand raises disciples. Converts come in arithmetic additions, while disciples are raised in the order of exponential multiplications, when sustained.

By William Kumuyi

By William Kumuyi

L

ook to Jesus who died for you on the cross and the Father will grant you pardon for sins committed and you would live.

Come just as you are and believe in the saving grace of God and the Almighty will give you pardon because the miracle of salvation is freely available for all those who would call upon the name of Jesus.

Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

One of the malefactors who was hung beside Jesus at Calvary explored the opportunity of calling upon Christ for help at the most critical moment of his life and he got a free ticket to heaven, which was without any sweat.

Luke 23:42-43 "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

Here you are today: you are not anywhere near the cross awaiting your death, but if you do not take a swift stand against sin, you would end up

having your eternal fate in a condemned sorry state in hell fire. That is how bitter revealing the truth sounds.

Why not better your lot today and seek after the one person who would change the story of your life on earth and in eternity?

Luke 19:2-9 "...there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house..."

Zacchaeus was a fraudulent and infamous sinner and everybody knew that he was a public disgrace. Yet nobody knew that he was fed up with sin and needed saving from the one and true Saviour.

To be continued.

Glory of God God created man for His glory. He says: “Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory.

It was I who created them.”

(Isaiah 43:7). Therefore, He is committed to extracting every ounce of his own glory from our lives.

That is why He puts us in situations and circumstances that require us to pray to Him. When we do this, He is glorified in answering our prayers.

Accordingly, Jesus says: “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14).

God sent coronavirus to the world so that His name may be glorified. He says: “Call

The singular reason for every action and inaction of God is that His name may be glorified

upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalm 50:15). That is also why we give testimonies of the goodness of God. When we do so, we glorify God. God sent Jesus on earth for the sake of His glory. Jesus came to ensure that God is glorified on earth. He came: “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3).

When Jesus finished His assignment, He said to God the Father: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” (John 17:4).

Glory of righteousness God hands us over to be tempted by the devil so that His name may be glorified by our righteousness. That is why He invited the devil into Job’s affairs. This makes Job’s friends some of the most ignorant people masquerading as “believers” in the bible.

They say so many ignorant things that, in the end, God requires Job to pray for them so He would not deal harshly with them.

Just listen to this nonsense.

Eliphaz the Temanite asks: “Can a man be profitable to God, though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous?

Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?”

(Job 22:2-3).

Elihu also expresses the same ignorance. He says to Job: “If you sin, what do you accomplish against (God)? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him? If you are righteous, what do you give Him? Or what does He receive from your hand? Your wickedness affects a man such as you, and your righteousness a son of man.” (Job 35:6-8).

These foolish men do not know that every sin is against God. They don’t know that every time we sin, we grieve God profoundly. If our actions and inactions don’t affect God, Jesus would not have wept over Jerusalem; neither would He have wept at the grave of Lazarus.

Resisting temptations Of course, a man can be profitable to God, after all, God created man for a reason. Of course, it gives pleasure to God when a man is righteous. God created man for His glory.

Therefore, God is glorified when a man is righteous. The whole reason why God handed over Job to Satan was because He wanted to be glorified in Job. The righteousness of Job glorifies God. God even boasts about it: “Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?’” (Job 1:8).

I repeat: the singular reason for every action and inaction of God is that His name may be glorified. It is the sole objective of God. By the same token, the singular objective of the devil is that God should not be glorified.

Therefore, the devil answers God: “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around

his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” (Job 1:9-11).

Every time we walk in righteousness, we glorify God. Every time we resist temptation, we glorify God. But every time we sin, we glorify the devil. Therefore, the devil will bring adversity and tell us to curse God and die. He will create problems and encourage us to sin and deny God. Children of God’s glory As children of God, we must be committed to the glory of God. We must be determined that God should be glorified.

So, at every opportunity, we must give glory to God. In every situation, we must be determined that God must be glorified.

We must not talk in a way that does not glorify God. We must not act in a way that does not glorify God. We must not walk in a way that does not glorify God. We must not think in a way that does not glorify God. We must not dress in a way that does not glorify God. We must not go to places that don’t glorify God. We must not seek our own glory. Jeremiah says to Baruch: “Do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them.” (Jeremiah 45:5).

Once we seek our own glory, we have denied the glory of God: “To seek one's own glory is not glory.” (Proverbs 25:27) If we accept glory from men, we are denying the glory of God. Jesus says: “I receive not glory from men.”

(John 5:41-43).

God is going to destroy every other glory except His own; ‘The Lord of hosts has purposed it, to bring to dishonor the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.” (Isaiah 23:9).

Foundational elements for success: Faith to succeed (5) T

• J.K. Akinola.

(Senior Pastor)

“And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power, that your faith should not be found in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (I Corinthians 2:4-5).

Preaching the Word of Faith for conversions “My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom” means Paul adhered to the discipline of not preaching mere intellectual knowledge. His preaching was based on what God had first revealed

By Pastor G.C. Osuigbo CAC Madaiyese Regional Headquaters Plot 701/702 Durumi District P.O. BOX 2577 Garki, Abuja.

Contact us on: 08155555048, like us on facebook @cacdurumi

The neglected but essential ministry of flows from a heart that is filled the Church with Love and care. It is an TEXT: Matthew 25:31-46 The neglected ministerial duties were the unsung tools that enabled the growth and expansion of the early church.

One of such ministries which I am being led by the Holy Spirit to redirect the attention of the body of Christ to is the Ministry of Help.

The ministry of help, which some refers to as the welfare ministry is a ministry that

extension of the Church through which the love and compassion that dwells in the heart of God flows. It is a ministry of sharing and caring that does not segregate between the rich or the poor. In the ministry today, prominence is given to those who are influential and highly placed in the society while the poor and the needy are often neglected. This should not to

through His spirit (I Corinthians 2:10). He said, “these things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches” (I Corinthians 2:13). He preached according to the revelation of the Spirit of God had spoken to his heart.

This was the foundation of ministry success in Apostle Paul’s life.

Preaching the word of faith is by the “demonstration of the spirit and of power” (I Corinthians 2:4). The word of faith releases the power of the Holy Spirit. The results of this preaching was however seen to be highly successful as people streamed to the Lord in

their droves of thousands, having been convicted by the Holy Spirit, the author of the Word preached.

Prophets in the Old Testament could not possibly rally this kind of result. No oratory skills or art of public speaking can match this efficacy.

The word of faith releases signs and wonders. (Mark 16:20). No wonder the Lord Jesus said: “Among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist; notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

(Matthew 11:11).Read more on www.vanguardngr.com

be. Psalm 68:5, tells us that God is the father to the fatherless and a defender of the widow.

The place of the needy in God The needy, have a place in God that no one can take. Anyone who mishandles this classification of people signs up for divine judgment, while those who treat them with compassion signs up for Gods favour according to Deut 10:18.

The place of the needy in the body of Christ Matthew 25:34-35 says …… come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.

This verse shows the attention

of those who demonstrate sympathy to the needy while on earth shall receive from Christ on the Day of Judgment. The uncaring were cast to the left hand side of disfavour and condemnation while the caring were put on the right hand side of reward and favour.

The ministry of help in the Old Testament Leviticus 19:9 reveals the mind of God concerning the poor and needy in the land.

The Israelites were taught to leave leftover of crops on their farmlands during harvest so that the needy can have something to eat.

Tips for an effective ministry of help 1. Arms Giving Acts 9:3637 tells the story of Dorcas, we see how she embraced the ministry of help. Read more on www.vanguardngr.com

J.K. Akinola. (Senior Pastor) The Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT), Living Word Cathedral, Oluyole Estate, beside Total Petrol Station, off Ring Road, Ibadan. (Telephone: 08033376660, 08055405095)

PAGE 22—SUNDAY Vanguard, MAY 17, 2020

Viewpoint Covid-19: Understanding Wike Order 6 and death of Taskforce official

By Joel Charles

A

round the world, measures have been taken by various governments to curtail the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) since the beginning of the year.

Different measures were taken by different levels of government to safeguard the lives of their citizenry as the world transited into community transmission phase of the pandemic.

In the United States, President Donald Trump holds daily news conference to intimate the world with all that is happening in the country.

State governors and Mayors in the country also use their discretion to initiate measures to tackle the pandemic. The same trend is seen in the United Kingdom where Prime Minister Boris Johnson got infected by the virus but fully recovered.

Coming to Africa, the continent has had its fair share of the pandemic.

Egypt was the first country to experience the pandemic in February when a German tourist died. Algeria was next before other countries followed suit.

The spread took a twist when Tedors Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization expressed concern about the potential for the virus to reach countries with weaker health systems, especially in Africa.

The Head of Emergency Operations in Africa for WHO, Michael Yao, expressed similar

The Wike dictum of leadership is similar to that of President Buhari. He is ‘for everybody and for nobody’ sentiment when he noted that Africa’s health system was already overwhelmed by many ongoing disease outbreaks.

Eventually, COVID-19 landed in Nigeria on February 27 when an Italian who transited from Lagos to Ogun State was diagnosed with the virus. The spread accelerated as Nigerians who travelled abroad began returning with coronavirus.

The community transmission phase of the virus forced President Muhammadu Buhari to declare 5week lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun States. Fear of the virus gripped other states even if they had yet to record any case.

Rivers State, headquarters of the hydrocarbon industry, took preemptive steps. Governor Nyesom Wike is the first state helmsman to sign an Executive Order that led to

*Gov Wike border closure among other actions.

This was done on March 19, 2020 during which it was announced in a state-wide broadcast that all land and sea borders in Rivers will be on lockdown and he also banned vehicles from entering or leaving the state. This was one of the early moves to show that the welfare of the citizenry of Rivers is of utmost concern to the governor. After initial criticisms, other states followed suit But at some point, Wike started getting feelers that there were efforts to sabotage the measures in place to curtail coronavirus in the state by a Deputy Commissioner of Police after he had ordered the lockdown in Port Harcourt and Obi Akpor Local Government Areas.

The ‘People’s Governor’ decided to call a Stakeholders’ Engagement meeting with

government recognised traditional rulers and Council Chairmen where he urged them to sensitize their people on Order 6.

The Order had banned the operation of hotels across the 23 local government areas of the state.

Subsequently, the governor inaugurated the Local Government Taskforces on COVID-19 where he sounded the warning strongly.

The Eleme Local Government Taskforce went to implement the Order and were allegedly attacked and brutalized with head injuries.

It is disheartening that Rivers State government on Wednesday announced the death of a member of its Taskforce on COVID-19 attacked by hoodlums at the demolished hotel in Port Harcourt.

The Wike dictum of leadership is similar to that of President Buhari.

He is ‘for everybody and for nobody ’. He ordered the demolition of Prodest Hotel, Adole, Eleme even if it belonged to a member of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The PDP Youth Leader in Eleme, Princwill Osaroejiji, who is alleged to be on the run, allegedly masterminded the assault.

Government has placed N5million reward for any person who can give information that will lead to his arrest. Etemeteh Hotel, Onne was also demolished.

The demolition has expectedly

generated reactions.

But a former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Chief Onueze Okocha (SAN), says the Executive Order signed by Wike to curtail coronavirus is appropriate. Okocha advised anyone who uncomfortable with the Executive Order to approach the courts. The SAN lauded the steps taken by the governor to fight coronavirus as well thought out and well advised.

According to him, the steps will help to check the spread of the virus.

It is instructive that it is not only Okocha that sees Wike’s Order 6 in positive light.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, has also showered praises on the governor for his outstanding leadership role in the fight against Covid-19 when he visited Rivers.

Ihekweazu’s words: “I want to thank you for your firm, strong, committed and personally led response to COVID-19. We thank you very much for your leadership and we need your leadership to continue in order for us to continue doing our work nationally.”

*Charles, a public affairs analyst, is based in Port Harcourt

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NDDC: Let Akpabio and IMC members prove their innocence

By Johanna Ibe

T

he intention of President Muhammadu Buhari was undoubtedly very good when he ordered a forensic investigation of the activities of NDDC for 15 years since its inception. As patriotic as the President’s intention to purge the interventionist agency of corruption, this effort is being frustrated by the mere fact that NDDC has since become a cash cow for some individuals.

Sadly, allegations of corruption have continued to dog the NDDC. The latest was the N40bn alleged to have been misappropriated by the Prof. Kemebradikum Pondei led IMC under the watch of the supervising Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio. The huge amount involved must have necessitated the move by the Senate to set up a panel to probe the allegation.

The probe seems to have unsettled the Niger Delta Minister and the NDDC Interim Management

Committee. All sorts of groups and individuals have suddenly sprung up and ferociously publishing paid advertorials and press statements with suspecting frequency in different national newspapers.

The groups that have taken up the emergency assignment of setting conditions for the yet to be composed Senate Investigation Panel are honestly needless if Akpabio and the IMC members have nothing to hide or fear. The allegation that the people in charge of NDDC have been preoccupied with how best to frustrate the Senate investigation rather than getting prepared to prove their innocence is as rather curious as disturbing. A clear conscience should not have any reason to fear any accusation.

It was found quite suspicious when one of the groups speaking on the probe insisted that the Senate investigation should not be limited to the six months tenure of the IMC, but to cover the entire 15 years of existence of the interventionist agency. Of course, only a fool would fail to decipher that the request was a ploy to distract the probe panel

As the nation looks forward to the commencement of the Senate investigation, those who have been loud in the media are advised to put a stop to the propaganda from the crux of the N40bn corruption allegation. Message of the Senate was clear when it announced her intention to probe only the activities of the IMC in the last six months.

It could also be assumed that other groups and individuals that have been very loud in the media were doing the bidding of IMC when they concluded that the Senate investigation will not be fair to Akpabio and members of the IMC. It became even more curious that all these groups and individuals

could recklessly accuse the Senate of presumed impartiality even before members of the probe panel are chosen.

While the media propaganda was ongoing, another alleged fraud of N16.2bn involving a company, has surfaced. The alleged fraud case was investigated by the office of Auditor General and the company was not only indicted, but mandated to make refund of increment payment of of N16.2bn to the coffers of the Federal Government. The company was found guilty of inflation of contract sum and massive payment for services not rendered. This alleged fraud and that of the N40bn depressingly happened under the watch of Akpabio and the NDDC IMC. It is quite disturbing that within six months, individuals that have been saddled with the responsibility of severing NDDC from endemic corruption are now heavily burdened with fresh allegations of monumental corruption.

Disappointing as this may appear, the Senate investigation panel remains an opportunity for those carrying the burden of corruption

allegations in NDDC to prove their innocence.

As the nation looks forward to the commencement of the Senate investigation, those who have been loud in the media are advised to put a stop to the propaganda. It is also important they realize that their well oiled media machinery targeted at diverting attention from the corruption allegations is increasingly becoming counter productive. The earlier they stopped dissipating energy and resources on the seeming resolve to frustrate the yet to begin Senate investigation, the better for them.

It is trite that any idol that cannot save an individual should rather leave such person just as created by God. The assignment given to members of the IMC is to oversee a forensic audit that will determine the extent of humongous corruption allegedly perpetrated over the years in the NDDC by unscrupulous individuals. What is expected of IMC and the supervising minister is to get focused on their mandate of forensic audit without compounding the Commission’s woes. Although, there is still enough room for Akpabio and IMC members to prove their innocence. *Ibe lives in Lagos.

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Gideon Obhakhan: A man in a class of his own

By John Mayaki

W

hat the story of Gideon Obhakhan teaches is that he is an intelligent man who has come very far from a humble background.

He holds his convictions strongly, his loyalty is unwavering, and he speaks his truth, without mincing words, always. It is just who he is.

But it is not all he is. Often, brilliant minds, in their usual devotion to intellectual matters, are only regarded in that light of academic or scholarly reputation.

For Gideon Obhakhan, one man temperate but radical at the same time, there is equally a warmth and humanness to him that has, in course of his life, seen him behave uniquely and received as such.

Two things demonstrate this dynamic character distribution of Gideon Obhakhan.

It is this simplicity and meekness that made him to always stand by the truth and stand-in for his people His appointment as Commissioner for Education in the past capped his scholarly excellence and endless charity to the people.

He has never disappointed his people.

Of course, he didn’t become Education Commissioner overnight. He had gone from being a child in Ekpoma to attending the University of Benin, where he obtained his first degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering and graduated a decorated student.

Driven by a relentless curiosity for knowledge, he went ahead to study Communication Engineering at the University of Lagos for a Master’s Degree. Soon he was in Leicester, United Kingdom, pursuing enlightenment at the University of Leicester where he bagged another Master ’s Degree in Business Administration.

For a resume already impressive and capable of standing toe-to-toe with any across the world, one would think this is all but Gideon Obhakan’s quest for knowledge knows no bounds or limit. He is back home, at the University of Benin, where he is drawing the curtains on yet another Master’s Degree in Political Science after obtaining a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from the institution. He is crowning this wideranging intellectual odyssey with a doctorate in Comparative Politics and Development Studies.

He became the Commissioner for Education in Edo State and brought the digital touch to the education sector. Before then, he had made his mark in the private sector. For 15 years, he worked in the telecoms industry, his talent, hardwork and uncommon brilliance propelled him from companies such as EMIS Telecoms and Mobitel Limited to MTN where he rose through the ranks and retired as General Manager to focus on growing private businesses in telecommunications and oil and gas sectors.

Even though there is a great tendency for scholars and high achievers like Gideon Obhakhan to accumulate a tasteless haughty attitude to their personality, he remained simple and lowly.

It is this simplicity and meekness that made him to always stand by the truth and stand-in for his people.

His donations and other financial

interventions have contributed to bringing succor to the downtrodden, especially in Edo Central Senatorial District. Yet there is one admirable trait about Gideon beyond merely being brilliant and giving to society.

He understands that his great contributions and financial interventions do not absolve him from being a responsible, conscious, and concerned citizen like every other human.

This explains his participation in Edo politics.

He calls out evil leaders who are derailing, just like as he has done consistently in calling out Godwin Obaseki-led administration for its many blunders.

For Gideon Obhakan, the side he has chosen is the side of the people.

In doing this, he has built a large network of people who, across societal classes, have come to love him. *Mayaki, a commentator on national issues, is resident in the UK

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Seven-year-old girl found dead inside co-tenant. co-tenant’s vehicle byItawas gathered that Morire and

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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LUJODA area of Ado-Ekiti, last Friday, was thrown into mourning when the corpse of a 7year -old girl, Olagoke Morire, was found dead inside a vehicle owned

her twin sister, Olagoke Mokore, were with their cousin before they went out to buy biscuits.

The mother of the deceased, Kehinde Ajayi, said her daughter got missing at 1:15 pm after Mokore left her in the compound to take

money in her room.

Ajayi said the deceased’s twin sister and her neighbours raised the alarm when she could not be found.

She added that the situation prompted them to conduct a search, which proved abortive until 8 pm when her corpse was found inside a co-tenant’s vehicle that was parked in their compound.

She said: “When we woke up in the morning I took care of my children as usual. They are twins. I gave

them money to buy biscuits and left them in the house with my cousin.

“Suddenly, I received a distress call from one of my neighbors around 3 pm that Morire was missing. They searched everywhere but couldn’t find her. I quickly left what I was doing and rushed home. We searched everywhere but didn’t find her. We reported the incident to Ologede Police Division and were told to wait for 24 hours before they could take any action.

“It was later around 8 pm that someone discovered her corpse inside a vehicle parked in our compound with her body injured,” she added.

When contacted, the Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer, Abutu Sunday, confirmed the incident, describing it as unfortunate.

He said: “It is true that a teenager was declared missing and the parents reported the incident in our division at Ologede.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MAY 17, 2020, PAGE 23

Ndidi welcomes baby number 1

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HURRAY! Football is back:

Dortmund hit four past Schalke 04 in Bundesliga restart E RLING Braut Haa land scored for Borussia Dortmund as they marked the return of the Bundesliga during the coronavirus outbreak with a convincing derby win over Schalke yesterday.

The game will mostly be remembered for the surreal circumstances in which it was played, as Germany became the first major league in Europe to resume action behind closed doors.

There was an eerie atmosphere at Dortmund’s iconic Signal Iduna Park stadium, with every shout by players or coaches audible, and social distancing protocol followed by substitutes and during goal celebrations.

Haaland opened the scoring with a trademark cool finish, flicking home Thorgen Hazard’s cross to continue his sensational season, albeit after an enforced break of almost 10 weeks.

Raphael Guerreiro added two more goals and Hazard also found the net as Dortmund went on to claim a comfortable win over their near neighbours and move within a point of leaders Bayern Munich, who play on Sunday.

Elite-level football might be back in Europe, but it certainly has a different feel about it than it did two months ago.

Strict hygiene protocols saw the Dortmund and Schalke players arrive on multiple buses, use several changing rooms and then enter the pitch by different routes.

Warm-ups were staggered and the coaching staff and substitutes wore masks and were all separated by two metres as they took their place on the sidelines.

Once the balls had been disinfected by the ballboys, the game began in total silence, only pierced by the referee’s whistle for kick-off, before being played out to the sound of echoed applause or yelled instructions from the dugouts.

*Ndidi Manchester United, Paris St. Germain and Juventus.

Yobo: I didn’t bribe any coach to play for Eagles

Dortmund players observed social distancing protocol as they celebrated Haaland’s goal

Stop begging overseas-born players to play for Nigeria, George tells NFF

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ORMER Super Eagles defender, Abbey George has told the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, that it isn’t necessary to beg players of Nigerian decent to play for the Super Eagles.

George who won a bronze medal with the Super Eagles at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia stated that some of the overseas born Nigerian players have never been to the country and they don’t always want to leave their comfort zone.

The NFF has been trying to convince players like Ebere Eze of Queens Park Rangers and Joshua Zirkzee to play for the Super Eagles even after the likes of Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori declined to come to Nigeria after being contacted by the NFF. George who himself was born in England enlisted that once a contact is made with the player, it is left to him to decide whether to come or not, the NFF needed not to plead.

“Nigeria is a big nation, we are one of the best in the world. But I can understand why any player would be hesitant. Some of them are born abroad, they have never been to Nigeria, they know nothing about the culture, so when Nigeria approaches them to come and they petrify.”

“Basically we are taking them out of their comfort zone, but the ones who wanted to come are welcome and the one who did not, we have to respect their decision.

*Yobo

F

George

“We’ve had others like Victor Moses who came and did a good job, now we have Troost-Ekong and Balogun who are also doing well. So I think we have players who are happy to come, but I don’t think we should beg anyone to come and plays for us,” George told www.brila.net.

Ighalo’s dream is to retire at Old Trafford

Akpeyi owns up for Mahrez wonder goal at AFCON 2019 UPER Eagles goalkeep “ImustsaythatmaybeIwas

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Akpeyi

UPER Eagles and Leicester City midfield star, Wilfred Ndidi has taken delivery of his first child, a baby girl which was born on Friday night.

Ndidi happily posted the photo of his wife Dinma Fortune and the new born named Jaina on his Instagram social media page. Ndidi and Dinma got married 2019 in Abuja.

Ndidi who is looking forward to the restart of the English Premier League is player of interest to several clubs including

eratthe2019AfricaCup ofNations,DanielAkpeyihas admittedthathewasbadlypositioned when a free-kick by Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez condemned the Eagles to defeat in the semi-final match.

With scores at 1-1 and three minutes to full time, the Eagles conceded a free-kick, which the Manchester City striker curled superbly pass the Eagles defence and Akpeyi was rooted to his spot.

not in the right position where I should be.”

“Mycoachesalwayssaythat if the position of the set play is very close. The striker will probably have 20% chance of scoring on the other side. So I should have shifted a little,” Akpeyi said.

AfterthetournamentAkpeyi was singled out for criticism

by Nigerian fans but accordingtohimheremainedstrong.

Although Odion Ighalo is unsure of his future at Manchester United, the former Super Eagles top striker has revealed his desire to retire at Old Trafford.

The English Premier League giants are keen to extend Ighalo’s loan deal, but his Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua are sticking out for an outright transfer, which Manchester United are not considering at the moment.

Ighalo is set to return to China at the end of the month unless a deal is reached by the two clubs but according to Ighalo’s personal trainer, Ekemini Ekerette, it is the desire of the 30year-old to finish it at Manchester United.

“He wants to stay and loves United, Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] and the fans and he would love to be a Red for the rest of his life.

“He’s a team player and has been talking about [Mar-

ORMER Super Eagles coach and now assistant coach, Joseph Yobo has said that all through his playing career with the national team, he didn’t have to bribe any coach to get a shirt.

Yobo was reacting to a gale of accusations by former Super Eagles players like Chinedu Obasi and Taye Taiwo who alleged that they were denied the chance to play, because they failed to pay bribes to the coaches during the 2014 World Cup in Bra-

zil.

“All through my 13 years of sojourn with the national team, no coach made such demand from me but I would not want to join in the condemnation of the players who have come out to speak for themselves today.

“I have lots of respect for both players at the centre of this issue but we need to move on as the tournament in question is history,” concluded the Everton legend.

Coach Igboka urges schools, parents to unlock athletics talents

By Ben Efe

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ENOWNED grass roots athletics coach, Johnny Igboka has urged schools and parents in the country to do more and encourage youth athletics talents in their domain.

Igboka, who is credited with the discovery of World 400m women champion, Salwa Ed Naser, argued that a lot of talents are going to waste in the country, because schools and parents of the young athletes do so little to push up the career of the young talents.

“Schools are a major factor in the discovery and development of young athletes.

When you look around, there are a whole lot talents going

to waste and no one seems to care.

“There’s this case of a young athlete Linda Chiamaka Nwagbo who in 2013 won a double in the sprints at the Catholic Schools secondary sports festival. It is a policy of the mission schools not to allow their athletes to compete at the national level, because of that she and many others have disappeared off the scene.

“If that was the case with Ebele Agbapunonwu, she wouldn’t have been the world champion today. So there is a need to revive school sports, and also encourage the schools to make a lot of effort to develop those talents.”

Villarreal, Gatefe deny match fixing

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PANISHsoccerclubsVil larreal and Getafe have denied any wrongdoing after national media reported that police are investigating possible match-fixing in a 2-2 draw between the two clubs in La Liga last year.

“Villarreal and its first team wish to show their absolute rejectionoftheaccusationsmade todayandcategoricallydenybe-

ing involved in any way in fixingthegameagainstGetafeon thefinaldayoflastseason,”said aclubstatement. “Asithasdone onrepeatedoccasions,theclub condemns any conduct that damages the essence of sport and competition and stresses thatthevaluesoftransparency, ethics,integrityandfairplayare fundamentaltoitsphilosophy.”

SUNDAY Vanguard, MAY 17, 2020

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