Daily Times e-Newspaper Issue 8

Nigeria’s Housing Scam And The Cost Of Living

By Ugochukwu Onyeocha

A peep into Kingsley Obiajulu’s life and daily routine is quite revealing. He works at the ever busy Lagos Island but lives in Oko-

komaiko. The distance he undertakes daily to and from his office is quite cumbersome but he has learnt how to adapt to that lifestyle.

When asked why he chooses to undertake such a long journey daily to his place of work

and his reasons for not getting an accommodation closer to his office, he smiles back and responds “I can’t afford the rents in such areas”.

When quizzed further on what it takes to

have a house in his dream location in Nigeria, Kingsley narrates his ordeal, “everyday on my way to work, I come across displayed adverts on the road telling me that I can afford a house in Lekki, Lagos State, for One million

DAILTY TIMES SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014

FG’s Integrated Infrastructural Master Plan Will Spur The

Adekunle Is A National HeroIkuforiji

2015 Will Be Payback Time in Lagos –PDP

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Ebola: Cuba To Send Medical Team To Sierra Leone

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Apron Trouser

By Ugochukwu Onyeocha Your party has been saying it will win the 2015 governorship in Lagos State. Do you really think that is possible?

It is very possible. In fact, it has never

VOL. 1, NO 8

AFCON 2015: Will the Eagles Fly?

been this good. We have a party that is now solidly on ground. The leadership and the followership of the PDP in Lagos are working together. Our albatross has been working

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Stone Crushing Uduaghan, RMD Making A Living Fall Under Anointing Out Of Pain P 18

P 22

Natural Ways To Lighten up Your Dark Underarms

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SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

news

Jonathan Assures Free, Fair Election, Smooth Transition in 2015

By Andrew Ikeh

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has assured Nigerians that his administration is committed to a free and fair election as well as a smooth transition to 2015.

President Jonathan who was represented by Delta State Governor, Dr. Em-

manuel Uduaghan, gave the assurance in a goodwill message at the 2nd Plenary of the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria, holding in Effurun, Delta State.

While congratulating the bishops on their conference, the President called for the cooperation of all Nigerians in dealing with the security challenges currently facing

the country.

Speaking in his capacity as Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, asserted that the state government will continue to work with the church, stressing that, that way, a lot of changes could be done in the society.

“At a time we have what we call the Niger Delta crisis and in this area we had lot of

very bad experience from the crisis, but I can tell you, it was the prayers of church including Catholic and others that help Nigeria, Delta State and this area to resolve the Niger Delta crisis. That is why I sincerely believe that the prayers of the church will also save Nigeria from the challenges of Boko Haram”. Dr. Uduaghan stated.

Adekunle Is A National Hero- Ikuforiji Mu’sodiq Adekunle

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agos- Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has described the late Gen. Benjamin Adekunle as a hero and a committed nationalist.

The speaker made this known in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday.

Ikuforiji said the news of Adekunle’s demise was sorrowful, adding that it came at a critical time in Nigeria’s history when the country was battling with insurgency crisis.

In the statement by his

Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Adebayo, the Speaker said, “The sudden demise of Nigerian war hero, Benjamin Adekunle, popularly called the Black Scorpion, is very sorrowful, coming at this critical time in our history, when we are faced with insurgency crisis.

“The gallantry of late Adekunle during the Nigeria civil war remains a testimony to his bravery and nationalism. But for the likes of great souls like this, our country would have long become history.”

Ikuforiji added that young military officers should draw inspiration from the life of Adekunle.

Yam Festival: Asagba of Asaba Decries Incessant Sale of Land ...Recommends Uduaghan for Chieftaincy Tittle Governor Babatunde Fashola, Bishop Mike Okonkwo, his wife, Bishop Peace Okonkwo and a guest at the 15th edition of the annual Mike Okonkwo annual lecture held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Man Demands Return of Kitchen Utensils From Estranged Wife By ‘Tosin Ajuwon, Akure

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ike a hilarious play, a 55 year old man, Emmanuel Asala has begged a Customary Court in Ondo state to instruct his estranged wife, Bisola, to return all the kitchen utensils in her possession.

Asala made the plea during a sitting at the Ikare Akoko Customary Court, where he approached to reclaim properties he bought for his former wife when their marriage was still smoothly going.

He alleged that his es-

tranged wife packed away with all the household utensils after the same Customary Court had dissolved their marriage.

The items he is demanding for includes: Brooms, Grinding stone, Table, Spoon, Mortar and Pestle, Deep Freezer, Cooking Pot, Stove, Serving Plates, Food Flakes among others.

The 55 year old husband also told the court that his former wife broke into his box and stole the sum of N85, 000.00 including receipts bearing his properties.

He added that the woman

refused to pay back the debt of N110, 000.00 he lent her before court separated them and finally packed her things away from the house.

Defending herself before the court, the estranged wife denied stealing any money from her husband’s box as claimed that she had never seen a box with her husband since they have been married.

To justify herself on the cart away properties, the woman produced to the court, receipts bearing her names.

The President of the Customary Court, Mrs. C. M

Ajaguna said the plaintiff refused to produce any written agreement about the loan and receipts of his acclaimed properties.

“The plaintiff did not produce receipts and there is no document to support the loan, the court cannot act imaginarily. There is nothing the court can rely upon to ascertain the claims of the plaintiff”, she said.

She therefore ordered the two parties to go about their normal duties without molestation and gave a right of appeal within 30 days of the judgment.

Mu’Sodiq Adekunle

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he Asagba of Asaba Obi, Professor Chike Edozien has recommended that Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan be conferred with a Chieftaincy title by the Asagba in council, as part of the community’s determination to honour and show appreciation for the giant development strides recorded in Asaba in particular and Delta State in general.

The Asagba also decried the issue of land, saying since Asaba was made the State Capital, the Community’s land had diminished rapidly while revealing “that no land belonged to an individual but the community and called on the people to desist from

PDP Governors Set For Crucial Meeting, Congratulate Katsina Governor Over LG Polls Success

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yo- Governors on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will on Wednesday, September 17, in Asokoro in Abuja, will hold a crucial meeting at the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Lodge, in Asokoro, at 4.00 p.m.

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State who also doubles as the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum made this known in a press release made available to newsmen.

Although the agenda of the meeting was not released to the public, sources said up-

coming PDP primaries and the national convention of the party, among other crucial issues, would feature in their discussion.

In a related development, the PDP Governors’ Forum has congratulated the governor of Katsina State, the Katsina State chapter of the

party and the entire people of Katsina State, on the recent peaceful conduct of local government elections in the state.

A statement by Chief Akpabio noted that it was remarkable that PDP, under the able leadership of Governor Shema, won in all the 34 local government areas and the 361

wards in the state.

According to the chairman of the forum, “this victory further confirms the confidence the people of Katsina State have in our great party, the PDP, which they have kept faith with since the advent of the present democratic dispensation in 1999.

incessant sale of the community’s land”.

Obi Professor Edozien made the recommendation in Asaba during this year’s annual Iwa-Iji otherwise known as New Yam festival, held at his palace.

The Asagba said Uduaghan had brought rapid and sustained development to the Asaba community especially the building of an international airport which has seen the city’s economic profile rising tremendously in the past years.

He said this year’s festival was to thank God for bountiful harvest in Asaba community, adding that the community has enjoyed peace and tranquility as well as economic development.

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15 -21 2014

news

TAN Rallies Offend Sensibilities of Nigerians-APC

By Ugochukwu Onyeocha

Borno Govt Planning To Embarass Me –Sheriff Ugochukwu Onyeocha

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aiduguri- The immediate past governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, is being expected in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to condole with his political ally, Kashim Imam ,who lost his mother to the cold hands of death recently.

Sheriff is expected to arrive in Maiduguri, today, but he has alerted the public to a plan by the state government to embarrass him during the visit.

Bwala said appropriate security agencies had been alerted and appropriate measures had been taken to ensure security of the former governor.

“Sheriff is not deterred by the smear campaign targeted at his person,” Bwala said, adding that the former governor would also hold final arrangement for his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while in the town.

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agos- The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has reiterated its position stating that the rallies being held across the country by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), represents an assault on the collective intelligence and sensibilities of Nigerians, at a time of such unprecedented security and health challenges in the country.

The APC made its position known in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,

in Lagos on Sunday, saying that only those described as ‘morons and sycophants’ by Prof. Wole Soyinka could actually be engaging in celebratory rallies when soldiers are dying on the Boko Haram battle front, with other innocent citizens being dispatched to their graves on a daily basis by insurgents and when the country is still reeling from the challenge of Ebola that has claimed many innocent lives.

The opposition party also took a swipe at President Goodluck Jonathan saying that if President Goodluck Jonathan had not been running

a government hallmarked by impunity, there is no way any political party would have brazenly kick-started electioneering campaign under the guise of an ‘’NGO’’ that is coordinated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ministers, State Governors and other public officials, at a time like this. ‘’The PDP-led Federal Government and its ‘NGO’ called TAN are bare-faced liars and cheats. They have seized an undue advantage over every other party by defying the nation’s laws to start an early electioneering campaign, and no one, not even

INEC, dares call them to order! Little wonder, their podiums are collapsing under the weight of their lies,’’ it said.

APC also slammed TAN’s Director of Communications, Mr. Udenta Udenta for attempting to hoodwink Nigerians by shamelessly justifying the insane rallies.

‘We have the following posers for the deceptive and pigs-at-the trough TAN organizers: If Mr Udenta and his co- travelers were parents, relations or friends of any of the over 200 missing Chibok schoolgirls, wouldn’t such TAN rallies offend their sensibilities? If Mr Udenta or any of his co-travelers in TAN had lost a relation or dear one to Ebola in Port Harcourt, won’t such a rally in the same city about the

same time offend their sensibilities? Can Mr. Udenta tell Nigerians the source of funding of TAN? Can Mr. Udenta tell Nigerians how much TAN has spent so far in canvassing for Jonathan’s re-election or for that matter how much it spends daily on radio jingles, television and newspapers advert, billboards etc? Can Mr. Udenta tender to the public TAN’s audited account?

Buhari

400 Persons Dump APC For PDP In Rivers

Ugochukwu Onyeocha

I The Esama of Benin, Sir Gabriel Igbenedion, his wife, Lady Cherry Igbenedion, his don, ExGovernor Lucky Igbenedion and his wife Eki Igbenedion and other guests at the 80th birthday celebration of Chief Igbenedion in Benin.

n Rivers- No fewer than 400 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, over the weekend dumped the APC and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking at the occasion while receiving the defectors, the state chairman of the party, Mr. Felix Obuah, called on them to embrace

the political party and be disciplined. He promised that the party will accommodate them and that a level playing ground will be ensured for the 2015 elections.

“Today, you are admitted, not to come to make trouble because the APC is a troublesome party.

“Since you have dropped the broom, this umbrella will give you protection and peace. The PDP will not tolerate undisciplined attitude.

You have come, don’t exhibit undisciplined character.”

Buhari Should Quit APC For PDP- Sokoto Deputy Chairman Ugochukwu Onyeocha

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okoto- As preparations for the 2015 general elections continue to heat up all across the country and political parties

poaching into the territory of other party to woo members to its fold, the Deputy Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Sokoto state chapter, Alhaji Rabi’u Gada has described General Muhammadu Buhari

as a a trustworthy person and competent enough to lead any organization.

He urged Buhari to leave the APC and join hands with the PDP to savage the country from the many problems facing it. He

said Buhari was in the wrong company in the APC noting that most of the people who understands Buhari’s value were in the PDP including Attahiru Bafarawa, Ibrahim Shekarau and Tom Ikimi.

According to him, it had become necessary for Buhari to quit APC in view of the activities of anti-democratic elements in the APC. He noted with dismay that the APC has been hijacked by political jobbers;

hence the need for Buhari to leave the party.

Buhari, he said had laboured so much to build the party and as such his supporters should face the reality on the ground and hasten to decamp to PDP.

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

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world news

North Korea Sentence Matthew Miller To six Years in Prison

Hundreds Die in Boat Capsize

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t least 400 migrants were feared dead after two boats carrying them capsized in the Mediterranean Sea near Malta, media reports said Sunday.

Three migrants, who said they were Palestinians and came from Egypt, were rescued and airlifted to Malta Sunday afternoon after an alert was raised Friday by a merchant ship which sighted two people in water and rescued them, Xinhua reported citing local media reports.

Seven more migrants were saved during a search and rescue operation early Saturday morning.

The rescue mission was launched by the Malta Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in collaboration with several adjacent merchant vessels. A maritime patrol aircraft of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) and three Italian Coastguard and Navy aircrafts were also dispatched to conduct further searches in the area.

The survivors later told the rescuers that two boats carrying migrants capsized some 480 km southeast of Malta.

The larger boat appears to have been carrying between 300 and 400 people, while the smaller one was carrying about 30.

A Brazil Set to Construct Giant Amazon Observation Tower

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onstruction has started on the giant observation tower in the heart of the Amazon basin to monitor climate change in Brazil.

The Amazon Tall Tower Observatory is expected to rise 325m from the ground.

Its instruments will gather data on greenhouse gases, aerosol particles and the weather in one of the largest continuous rain forests on the planet.

Brazilian and German scientists hope to use the data to

“The measurement point is widely without direct human influence, and therefore ideal to investigate the meaning of the forest region for the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere,” said Jurgen Kesselmeier the project coordinator for the German side, quoted on the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz website.

The Amazon jungle is one of the world’s most sensitive ecosystems, with a powerful influence on the intake and release of carbon into the at-

mosphere.

“The tower will help us answer innumerable questions related to global climate change,” said Paulo Artaxo, from the University of Sao Paulo and project coordinator for the Brazilians.

The tower will be integrated into an existing structure of smaller measuring towers in the region.

When finished, it will complement a similar observatory built in 2006 that already stands in Central Siberia.

Frederik Reinfeldt Loses Swedish Election

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Reinfeldt

better understand sources of greenhouse gases and answer questions on climate change.

The tower is being constructed out of steel that was brought thousands of kilometres from the south of Brazil by road and river raft to the site 170 km outside the Amazonian city of Manaus.

Because of its height, the tower will make it possible to investigate the alteration and movement of air masses through the forest over a distance of several hundred kilometres.

wedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has lost in the general election, saying he will step down on Monday as PM and party leader.

Partial results show that the opposition Social Democrats are set to return to power, but with no clear majority.

They give the centre-left bloc 43.7%, ahead of the 39.1% for Mr Reinfeldt’s ruling centre-right coalition.

The new coalition may now have to rely on support from the far-right anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.

“The centre-left has more seats [in parliament] than our alliance,” Mr Reinfeldt told his supporters.

“So tomorrow I am go-

ing to hand in mine and my government’s resignation,” he said.

A Social Democrats win would be a return to normality in Sweden after 80 years.

They have not been in opposition for so long since first taking power in 1920.

Polling stations opened at 06:00 GMT and closed at 18:00 GMT. Since coming to power, Mr Reinfeldt’s coalition government has cut income and corporate taxes, abolished a tax on wealth and trimmed welfare benefits.

It has also privatised several state-owned companies, including the maker of Absolut vodka.

After voting in Stockholm, Social Democrat leader Ste-

fan Lofven said he felt good, adding: “We have focused on our main issues - jobs, schools welfare.”

Mr Reinfeldt, who voted in another part of the city, spoke of a “formidable campaign”.

The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, who entered parliament for the first time in 2010, are alone in opposing the country’s liberal immigration policy, and could hold the balance of power.

A projection after a partial vote count on Sunday night showed them becoming the third largest party, gaining 13% of the vote.

“We’re the absolute kingmaker in parliament now,” Jimmie Aakesson, leader of the far-right party, said afterwards.

Sweden this year expects up to 80,000 asylum-seekers from Syria, Eritrea, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries - the highest number since 1992.

North Korean court has sentenced American citizen, Matthew Miller to six years of hard labour for “hostile acts”, the state-run KCNA news agency has said.

Matthew Miller was arrested in April, shortly after arriving as a tourist. The US accuses North Korea of using Mr Miller and two other detained Americans as pawns in a diplomatic game.

The North Korean authorities have not specified the charges against Mr Miller, but they claim he tore up his visa and demanded asylum.

During the trial, prosecutors said Mr Miller admitted having a “wild ambition” to spend time in a North Korean prison so he could find out about the country’s human rights situation, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

Notes produced in court also suggested he had become a fugitive because he was involved with Wikileaks, the organisation that has leaked US state secrets.

Steve Evans, says it is impossible to know how those notes were written – whether under duress or not – and it is not clear whether there is any truth to the allegations.

After a 90-minute trial, the sentence was handed down and Mr Miller was handcuffed and led from the room.

The White House has described securing the release of Mr Miller and the two other American citizens detained in North Korea as a “top priority”.

Three Dead in Slovenia Aircraft Crash

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small aircraft crashed on Sunday immediately after taking off from an airport in Slovenia, killing three people and gravely injuring one person on board, a media report said.

The accident took place around 1 p.m. at Divaca airport, some 70 km southwest

of Ljubljana, when the fourseat wooden sport monoplane was taking off, Xinhua reported citing Radio-Television Slovenia.

The survivor of the crash has been rushed to Ljubljana Central Hospital, according to the report.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15 -21 2014

africa news Egypt Looks Outside Shores For Help

By Iyanu- Oni Orisan

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gypt on Sunday called for global support to address the seasonal flash floods that cause great losses in the mountainous Sinai Peninsula.

The appeal was made during the second Arab Confer-

ence on Disaster Risk Reduction which kicked off Sunday in the Egyptian tourist resort of Sharm el-Skeikh. The three-day event is organised by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Egypt and the Arab League.

The meeting aims at highlighting the progress of disas-

ter risk reduction efforts and reviewing the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 in the Arab region.

Speaking at the conference, South Sinai Governor Khaled Fouda said that Egypt needs global technical assistance such as early warning equipment and rainfall monitor-

ing systems to avoid natural disasters mainly caused by heavy rains.

The south-eastern district of the peninsula and other several tourist resorts such as Nuweiba and Taba, are subject to flash floods almost every year, especially in the spring and autumn. In May, one person was killed and two

others went missing in floods.

In recent years, there has been a pace of increased flooding that has caused significant damage to facilities and seriously affected tourism in the region.

The Egyptian government has allocated about 850 million Egyptian pounds (about $120 million) in past years to

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relocate residents from valleys and increase the coverage of vegetation, Fouda said, noting that there were still many difficulties due to the shortage of modern technologies.

Fouda also called for further cooperation between Egypt and the UN and other experienced nations to improve the situation.

Terrorist Shoot Police Officer Dead in Mogadishu

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ccording to reports, a top police officer in Mogadishu was shot dead by Al-Shabaab militants on Saturday, deputy chief of Somalia’s anti-terrorism unit, Mohamed Qanuni.

Al-Shabaab military operation spokesman Abdiaziz Abu Musab claimed that militants blocked Qanuni’s vehicle with their vehicle at Km5 Junction, spraying it with bullets before escaping from the scene.

“Today, We gunned down the new deputy head of Somalia’s Anti-Terrorism Unit Mohamed Qanuni, along with other top official in broad daylight drive-by shooting in Mogadishu our fighters,” Abu Musab said in a statement posted on a pro-

Al-Shabaab website and on Radio Al Andalus.

“This will be the beginning of our attacks in Mogadishu targeting (government) personnel in a revenge of Godane’s murder,” he said, referring to Ahmed Godane, the former Al-Shabaab leader recently killed by a U.S airstrike in south Somalia.

Somali police Commissioner Gen. Mohamed Hassan Ismail confirmed that Qanuni and a fellow officer were killed by Al-Shabaab militants while driving in the Km5 area on Saturday around noon.

Last July, Ibrahim Ahmed Farah, who was Qanuni’s predecessor, was killed in a similar drive-by-shooting in Mogadishu by Al-Shabaab militants.

Uganda Police Raid al-Shabab Cell’

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olice in Uganda said on Sunday that they have seized large amounts of explosives during raids on suspected al-Shabab militant cells.

Authorities said the terrorist cell was planning to carry out imminent attacks in the capital Kampala.

Nineteen people have been arrested and are being interrogated about their intentions, a police spokesman said.

Uganda has been on high alert since al-Shabab’s leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane, was killed in a US air strike in Somalia earlier this month.

Last week, the US embassy in Kampala warned of possible revenge attacks against US targets in response to the air strike on 2 September.

On Sunday, the US lifted its warnings after saying it believed the “immediate threat of an al-Shabab attack has been effectively countered”.

leading opposition groups, arguing that they had already permitted another rally on Saturday and could not secure two of them.

The international community has spent billions of dollars and deployed a 21,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo in the wake of a 1998-2003 civil war in which millions of

people died mostly from starvation and disease. However, stability has remained elusive in the giant nation at the heart of Africa and dozens of armed groups still prowl its mineralrich east.

Vital Kamerhe, president of the Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC) opposition party, said that police had teargassed protesters near

Congo Opposition Party Pledges More Protests

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emocratic Republic of Congo’s opposition pledged to continue its campaign against a possible third term for President Joseph Kabila after police dispersed a protest march with teargas in the capital Kinshasa on Saturday.

Anti-government protests were suppressed in at least

three other towns, the opposition said. In Butembo, in the eastern province of North Kivu, police fired teargas and threw stones at protesters, according to Fabrice Kakubuzi, a local civil society coordinator.

Provincial authorities in Kinshasa refused to authorise the march in the capital, organised by a coalition of

Kinshasa’s central train station. Several protesters were injured or arrested by police, he said.

Opposition supporters had voiced anger after UNC General Secretary Jean-Bertrand Ewanga was sentenced to one year in prison on Thursday for insulting Kabila at a protest in August. Authorities accused Ewanga of inciting tribal ten-

sions by demanding at the rally that Kabila return to Rwanda when his second term expires in 2016 -- repeating an opposition accusation that the president was born in Congo’s tiny eastern neighbour.

“We know that they have imprisoned Ewanga but they haven’t imprisoned the spirit of Ewanga,” Kamerhe said, vowing more protests.

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holiday destination

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

ghana

Ghana: Gateway to Africa G

By Iyanu- Oni Orisan

hana is a very beautiful country. It is home to a lot of animal species, beaches, mountains, landscapes, and an incredible coastline.

It is also famous for its mineral wealth most notable of them are: gold, bauxite, manganese, diamonds among many others and also for its fondness for sports– especially football.

A lot of people prefer to call it the gateway to Africa with emphasis on the various attractions sights it has.

Although, Ghana looks geographically small on the African map, it boasts of many, many beautiful tourist sites.

Here are some spots you must not miss Accra, Ghana’s Capital Accra is a sprawling city with about 2 million residents and one of Africa’s safe capitals. Accra has a mixture of modern buildings, shanty towns, occasional castle and lively markets. The central hub is around the Makola Market; just south of the market is the Atlantic Ocean.

Accra’s main attractions include: The National Museum: This museum has wonderful displays about Ghana’s culture and history including the slavetrade, and Ashanti Kingdom.

Makola Market is colorful, bustling, and you can buy absolutely everything. It is one place you can never miss in Accra.

James Fort: This is situated in the suburb of Jamestown.

It used to be one of the monuments of the Europeans and slavery. Presently, it houses a number of prisoners in Accra.

Christianborg castle-it is unique among the castles and forts in Ghana as it served as Government House during various periods in the 19th centuries and continues to play that role today.

Beaches – there are some exotic beaches in and around Accra, like Labadi Beach, Coco Beach and Bojo Beach being the most visited beaches in Accra.

The Arts Center is a great place to shop for handicrafts but you must also be prepared

Kakum National Park

Lake Volta

Kintampo Falls

for a hard sell.

Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum - is the last resting place of the first President of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. It is dedicated to him for his outstanding campaign to liberate Ghana (by then Gold Coast) from colonial rule on 6th March, 1957. The Museum houses the personal effects and publications of Ghana’s first president and pictures showing his life history.

The body is buried under a catafalque raised in the centre of the park. Symbols which reflect Ghana’s culture and history were used to portray Dr. Nkrumah’s vision to promote the African personality.

The design of the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, which represents swords turned upside down, symbolizes peace.

It can also be viewed as an uprooted tree to signify the unfinished work of Dr. Nkrumah to totally unite Africa.

This is a place you wouldn’t want to miss during your stay in Ghana, since the transition of Gold Coast to Ghana happened on this same location.

Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum is what some scholars call the “genesis” of the actual History

of Ghana.

Cape Coast Castle Ghana’s Atlantic Coast is lined with old forts (castles) built by various European powers during the 17th Century. The Cape Coast Castle was built for the slave-trade and is one of the most impressive of Ghana’s old forts. It was originally built by the Dutch in 1637, later expanded by the Swedes, finally the British took control of it in 1664 and turned it into their colonial headquarters. It stayed that way for the next 200 years until they moved the capital to Accra in 1877.

The Cape Coast Castle is now an excellent museum with information about the history of Ghana, the slave-trade and local culture. Tours are a “must” and will take you through the dungeons and the “door of no return”.

Other interesting places in the Cape Coast environs or en route to Cape Coast you should not miss are the Posuban Shrine and the West African Historical Museum.

Elmina and St George’s Castle Elmina is a picturesque fish-

ing town along Ghana’s coast, not far from Cape Coast. It is home to one of Ghana’s biggest attractions, St George’s Castle. Built by the Portuguese in 1482, it was captured by the Dutch 150 years later and became the headquarters of their West Indies Company for the following 250 years.

Gold exports were soon replaced by slaves and the tours through the dungeons will give you a good idea of how gruesome a trade it was. The Castle houses a small museum and guided tours are available.

The stark beauty of the whitewashed Castle walls contrast deeply with the dark history of this place.

Fort St Jago lies across the lagoon from the castle, and is worth visiting for the views it offers of the town and Castle.

Another attraction which should not be missed when travelling on the Central- Western road is Cape three point.

It is a small peninsula in the Western Region of Akanland, West Africa.

Forming the southernmost tip of Akanland, it is located between the coastal towns of Dixcove and Princess Town. Cape Three Points is known as the

“land nearest nowhere” because it is the land nearest a location in the sea which is at 0 latitude, 0 longitude and 0 altitude (the distance is about 570 km).

It is best known for its lighthouses, the first of which was constructed in 1875 by the British as a navigational aid for trading vessels sailing through the Gulf of Guinea.

Kakum National Park Kakum National Park is a dense tropical rain forest in southern Ghana. The forest is home to over 40 species of larger mammals including forest elephants, forest buffalo, Mona-meerkats and civets. The bird life is fantastic as well with over 250 species living in the forest.

The highlight of any visit to Kakum is a stroll on the Canopy Walkway that is built 30 meters above ground, crosses several bridges and is over 1000 feet (350 m) in length. The canopy walkway offers a unique viewing perspective of the wildlife and unique plants of the forest.

Trained guides are on hand to take you on a tour and provide detailed insight into the medicinal uses of the forest plants.

There’s a basic campsite for those who want to stay overnight.

Lake Volta Lake Volta (or Volta Lake) is the largest man-made lake in the world. A passenger boat, the Yapei Queen runs the entire length of the lake between Akosombo in the South to Yeji in the North.

The trip takes about 24 hours one way and departs from Akosombo every Monday. You can book your voyage through the Volta Lake Transport Company. You’ll be sharing the boat with some livestock and lots of vegetables. The boat is sometimes referred to as the “yam boat”.

The sleeping is rough but certainly rewarding for the adventurous traveler.

Kumasi Kumasi is the former capital of Ghana’s Ashanti Kingdom in southern-central Ghana. Kumasi is Ghana’s second largest city with a population of around 1.5 million. The Ashanti are famous artisans, their gold jewellery and trinkets are famous throughout the world, as is their Kente cloth and woodcarved stools. You can see examples at the National Culture Center as well as various craft villages on the outskirts of Kumasi.

The bustling Kejetia Market is worth visiting, the Kente cloth is good value here if you can stomach the chaos. If you’re interested in seeing how the Ashanti Kings used to live, you can visit the Manhyia Palace Museum.

You can meet the current Ashanti king here; he makes an appearance to greet the public every 42 days.

Kintampo Falls

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014

7

politics

INEC And The Burden Of Ballot Paper Production T

By Ugochukwu Onyeocha

he recent Presidential directive that the 2015 ballots papers and other sensitive electoral materials would be printed in Nigeria by the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), has continued to generate controversies across the political cycle with politicians, political parties and critical stake-holders in the electoral process remaining divided on the issue despite preparations for the forthcoming 2015 general elections.

While some political gladiators have hailed the directive of the Presidency, others have faulted it citing a number of reasons why the move should not be allowed to happen as the 2015 general elections draws closer each day.

It must be pointed out that since 1999, almost all the sensitive electoral materials, including the ballot papers have been printed outside Nigeria, with South Africa almost being the favoured destination for the production and printing of Nigeria’s electoral materials.

The choice for the selection of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) has remained in dispute going by the fact that the Federal Government of Nigeria owns majority shares in the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting PLC as reflected in the following ownership structure of the company. This being noted, some opponents to the idea of having the body produce the election materials locally wonder how the body would remain fair in the production bearing in mind that “He who pays the piper, dictates the tune”.

Speaking in opposition to the recent presidential directive, Nigeria’s leading opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the Presidential directive that all electoral materials must be printed by the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) as a threat to the independence of INEC and the organization of a free, fair and credible elections in the country.

While voicing its displeasure in a statement issued in London in response to the order by its spokesperson, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the directive becomes suspicious because it was followed by the dissolution of the management of the NSPMC, which may be a ploy by the President to inject PDP cardcarrying members into the reconstituted management so the company can become another rigging tool in subsequent elections, especially the 2015 general elections. ”On the surface, there is nothing wrong in having the NSPMC print electoral materials, since this will translate to more jobs for Nigerians and save money. However, against the background of the PDP-led Federal Government’s abuse of national institutions like the military and the police, which are used as the enforcement arms of the PDP during elections, it will be dangerous to have them (FG) take control of the printing of ballot papers and

other electoral materials via the NSPMC. ”Secondly, where is the independence of INEC when the President can just direct it by fiat to do its bidding? INEC should be left to determine where to print its electoral materials to ensure the integrity of such materials. ”Thirdly, asking the CBN Governor, an appointee of the President, to now oversee the ‘reform’ of the NSPMC, and the Governor’s promptitude in visiting INEC over the presidential directive, raise more questions. While the CBN is a part owner of the NSPMC, it is not INEC’s supervisory ministry and should not tamper with its duties,” it said.

APC said the bottom line is that INEC should be left alone to carry out its onerous duties without interference from any quarters whatsoever.

“There should be a limit to the desperation of President Jonathan and his party to win the 2015 elections at all costs. They have perfected the use of the security forces, especially the military, the police and the DSS, to harass and intimidate the opposition during elections.

While the whole nation is still trying to get them to stop abusing the security forces, they should not draft another institution into the election rigging fray,” the party said While political parties and stalwarts continue to bicker over the presidential order, the body which remains central to the conduct of the forthcoming elections, Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is yet to officially comment on the matter and its plans towards ensuring that elections are competent and meet with international standards.

Unconfirmed reports coming from the agency revealed that the body is still divided on the issue. There have been reports the body has decided to carry on with the production of ballot papers needed for the Presidential and Governorship elections abroad while it will produce those of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly locally.

However, a credible source within the electoral body who spoke to our correspondent revealed that many officials who were uncomfortable with the decision of the management to farm out the job to outsiders, have made their opposition known to INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega.

Our correspondent learnt that those opposed to the printing of the papers abroad have reportedly drawn the attention of INEC Chairman to the fact that it was against the interest of Nigeria for such action to be taken at the time when the Presidency had already made a case for the printing of the documents locally.

The angry officials are said to have queried the rationale of taking such a huge and security-related job outside Nigeria when there were many local printing companies that could conveniently handle it. To prove their point that the papers could be printed locally, the officials cited the successful printing of the ballot

papers used in the Anambra, Ekiti and Osun elections by local contractors.

According to them, the papers that were printed within the country were foul-proof and passed all INEC’s security checks and also aided the successful conduct of the aforementioned elections which has been hailed by local and international observers as being credible.

They also pointed to the fact that the 2011 election was postponed because of the nondelivery of the ballot papers that were printed abroad on time.

Defending the decision of the management to print the papers abroad, a senior official of the agency who pleaded anonymity because he had not been authorized to speak on the CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

8

politics

2015 Will Be Payback Time in Lagos–PDP

The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Capt. Tunji Shelle (rtrd), in this interview, he speaks on how the party intends to take over Lagos in 2015

By Ugochukwu Onyeocha

Y

our party has been saying it will win the 2015 governorship in Lagos State. Do you really think that is possible?

It is very possible. In fact, it has never been this good. We have a party that is now solidly on ground. The leadership and the followership of the PDP in Lagos are working together.

Our albatross has been working together. But now, we have overcome confusion, conflict and disaffection.

We are now well-organised because of election. Nigerians cannot forget easily the trauma they went through just to live in Lagos and 2015 will be payback time. The people have made up their minds to have a change and the change they want is in the PDP. We are going to give them a credible and viable alternative in the governance of Lagos party. We have recovered from the setback we experienced when our candidate in the 2007, Funsho Williams was murdered. The party has reorganised itself and there is now internal democracy in our party and everybody is appealing to one another to play the game according to the rules.

We will give all aspirants a level-playing field. We will screen the aspirants based on merit and integrity. We will choose a candidate Lagosians will accept.

There are about a dozen governorship aspirants in your party and there are reports of conflicts over purported

endorsement of Jimi Agbaje by the Presidency. What is the situation of things now?

I’ll avoid mentioning names, but I want to let you know that we have a President that is neutral to a large extent; a President we trust and a President that trusts the leadership of Lagos State PDP. We have high regard for Mr. President. We have high regard for the national chairman and they reciprocate it. I’m very sure we will have a very smooth primary election.

That wouldn’t stop us from talking to whoever is out to ferment trouble.

The leaders are there to talk to anybody who wants to ferment any form of trouble.

Where there is any form of conflict, it shall be resolved by the state leadership of our party. Nobody will influence anything we are doing in Lagos.

The list of delegates will be monitored and protected, and it would be so sacrosanct that nobody would be able to work against our getting it right this time around. Public opinion will also play a major role in this our game.

Why is the PDP showing a special interest in Lagos?

We’ve always worked towards winning, but there were problems and crises then. But all those problems are now a thing of the past; that is why we have the courage to face the public in 2015. Another issue that is germane is that the government of the day has disappointed and offended a lot of people by not being sensitive to the average

‘‘

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

The current governor of Lagos State is highly insensitive and the leadership can afford to say anybody can go to hell. They’ve done it to the market women; they’ve done it to the okada riders; they’ve done it to the civil servants

,,

Shelle

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15 -21 2014

politics 2015 Will Be Payback Time –PDP Chairman

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

are working with Mr. President, to render account of their stewardship. Has anybody done that in the government of Lagos State? The budget they want to use for 2015 is a replica of the 2014 budget. Have you ever heard such a thing being done before? This means they are pathologically lazy. They are too lazy to prepare a budget that will meet the yearning of the people. The Federal Government is always doing its best to prepare a budget that will service the whole nation.

Lagosian.

If I enumerate all the offensive actions, you will see that they don’t have any cause to continue running Lagos.

The current governor is highly insensitive and the leadership can afford to say anybody can go to hell. They’ve done it to the market women; they’ve done it to the okada riders; they’ve done it to the civil servants.

The Lagos State civil service is now lopsided; the government even brings people from outside to take the place of career civil servants. The issue is not just that they said okada should keep off the roads; people are offended by the way they handled it.

Is it the tollgate issue that is not offending people or the case of sand filling the Atlantic Ocean which will have an adverse effect on Lagosians in the next 20 to 25 years?

To my reckoning, some parts of Lagos will sink due to that project. Do we have to do this and sacrifice the future of Lagosians on the platter of wanting to build a mega city? No, we are not ripe for that now; all these, the PDP in Lagos State government house will address and correct. We will use these as campaign issues when the time comes.

Considering that the leadership of the APC has been in charge of Lagos since 1999 and has its roots in all parts of the state, how does your party intend to defeat it?

I think those roots are superficial now. They are not deep-seated. People have seen the APC as a party of deceit.

They have deceived the poor and the average income-earners to please, not even the elite, but their friends. If you see a road built in Ikoyi, it’s because one of them resides there. If it is not one of them, it will be one of their friends. This is not acceptable in a sane society.

An average Lagosian knows this and therefore when it comes to election, the APC will be rejected. Governor Babatunde Fashola did his best

9

Shelle

Fashola

in the first two years of his first term.

By the third year he had lost steam because he spent revenue for four years within two years and then spent the revenue for eight years in four years.

That is why he has totally lost steam and nothing is working anymore. His relevance is no more. Lagosians are looking for change and the change is not in the APC. The PDP can give them the change they need. The PDP, as a party, has promised to do things that will make Lagosians happy.

Many Nigerians are of the opinion that the PDP has failed at the federal level, why do you think they will vote for the party in Lagos?

They are not being sincere. If you go to Jigawa State today, it’s the PDP that is in charge, if you go to Akwa Ibom State, the PDP is in charge there.

The PDP is also in charge in Cross River State and some others states that are performing. You can’t take one state in isolation and use it to condemn the PDP at the federal level. The PDPled Federal Government is focused.

You can see that the power sector is improving and whether anybody likes it or not, it will bring forth good results in the next six months, one year or two years.

This electricity problem has been with us for a very long time and now the government of President Jonathan is ready to tackle it head-on. He has brought investors into the sector and is ready to support these various companies to achieve the best. The result cannot be achieved immediately but it will happen in the next few months and will give better opportunities to the artisans, the manufacturers and the industrialists. That way, our economy will be jump-started. The agriculture sector has been transformed.

For the power sector, they said we were generating about 2000MW, but that was on paper. Most of the plants and power stations were down. They had been neglected for many years, from as far back as during the military regime. President Jonathan is now trying to pick up the pieces to ensure it works.

By the time you consider what is

happening in the power sector; the agriculture sector and the petroleum sector, which is facing real reform, you will know that Nigeria will not remain the same. Nigeria will be moving to another level. Mr. President is so focused that I am sure he will achieve these.

Recently, Governor Fashola berated the PDP-led Federal Government saying it has not justified the 52 per cent it gets from the federation account.

He has the right to his opinion, but I can tell you that Mr. President will not allow distractions to influence his administration. There are checks and balances in the running of the Federal Government. People are free to raise issues and the issues are addressed.

Have you ever seen that one happening in the running of Lagos State? Go and check it, theirs is a ‘rubberstamp’ House of Assembly.

The National Assembly is not a ‘rubberstamp’ legislature. If they had found anything funny they would have taken it up with Mr. President.

In the course of their duty they probe issues. They summon ministers, who

Many have said the recent reversals of the increment of the school fees of the Lagos State University is a sign that the APC is not leaving anything to chance in its bid to retain Lagos in 2015. Are you not rattled by this?

It is a negative attribute of the government of the day in Lagos State.

When they were doing these things, they thought they were superstars; that they could damn the consequences.

They thought they could afford to ignore the students and their parents.

Now election is coming, they are doing policy reversal in school fees of LASU. They are doing policy reversal even in the regulation of okada movement.

All these will not help them because they have offended the people to the marrow. They are very disturbed because Lagosians are angry with them and are waiting for them. Can they reverse the deportation of the people they carried to the Upper Iweka Bridge in Onitsha? That is irreversible and it’s going to affect their fortune during the election.

Everybody knows that they only reversed the LASU school fees because of election. Nigerians cannot forget easily the trauma they went through just to live in Lagos and 2015 will be payback time. The people have made up their minds to have a change and the change they want is in the PDP. We are going to give them a credible and viable alternative in the governance of Lagos.

INEC And The Burden Of Ballot Paper Production CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

matter, said that no company in Nigeria had the capacity to produce the quality and quantity of paper required and be able to deliver to the commission before December this year.

“We are concerned about the capacity of printing press in Nigeria. The time available to us as a commission to conduct the election and the quality and quantity of ma-

terials to be delivered by the local contractors do matter to us,” the official said.

“If you must know, for us to conduct the election in February 2015, it means that we must take delivery of the ballot papers in December this year to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2011 when we had to postpone an election because of the late arrival of ballot papers from South Africa,” the officer

added.

When reminded that the President last week made a case for the printing of such vital documents with the NSMPC of Nigeria, the officer said, “Well, as we get along and the capacity of the company to handle such assignments grow, we will patronize it. For now, there is none in the country to do such complex job for INEC,” he said.

While critical stake-holders to the successful conduct of the 2015 general elections continue to bicker over the directive of the Presidency, it must be highlighted that unity of purpose and time is necessary among all members to ensure that we conduct credible elections that will be a bench-mark for further elections to be held across the country and the African continent.

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

business

10

FG’s Integrated Infrastructural Master Plan Will Spur The Economy - Ekechukwu The Federal Executive Council recently ratified a thirty-year integrated infrastructural master plan to address infrastructural deficit and fast tract development in Nigeria. As the issue continues to generate reactions, in this interview with Augustine Aminu Dr Chijioke Ekechukwu, renowned economist, investments expert, consultant, and managing director/CEO of Bristol Investments Limited, speaks on its prospects.

T

o what extent can the federal government’s multi-trillion naira infrastructural development master plan develop Nigeria?

It will develop Nigeria.

Anybody who fails to plan has planned to fail. This infrastructural master plan is meant to put us on a sound pedestal. Developed economies have been able to put their own master plan and followed them religiously.

For us to be a developing nation, which means that there is a growth towards development, we need to have an infrastructural master plan. It is one of the best decisions of this administration and I must commend the efforts of the National Planning Commission and the federal government in this regard.

Multi-trillion naira is being involved. Don’t you think that corruption will hinder the implementation of this master plan?

In a normal situation, and I know that Nigeria is headed towards normal situations; we just have to have our master plan and then curtail corruption.

Corruption exists in many parts of the world, not only in Nigeria although the magnitude may be different but we just have to put this master plan on the ground and then monitor the extent of implementation. If we are able to monitor the excesses of corruption amongst the people that are going to implement this project, then we are headed for better days.

In which sector of the econ-

omy would you want the government to focus on?

The government has identified many areas. Many people argue that we are targeting too many, but in my candid opinion, the areas identified are intertwined in their implementations. For instance, the current government has identified that energy is very important to us. You know the number of NIPP projects that we have today. These projects have not taken off because of paucity of gas, but that is going on now.

Think of the transportation sector - road and rail – and so on.

If the energy, housing and transport sectors are not put in place, building our economy will be hindered. These are the sectors that will give us the much-desired results for other sectors to pick up.

From your own perspectives, should the federal government focus on rural or urban areas?

It should be a total development. Don’t forget it is called integrated. The governors of various states have been given this master plan to study. This is wonderful because if the federal government is working on any master plan without the state governments, then it would have been an effort in futility. But with the framework, the federal government, state governments and local governments will be doing theirs and the effect will trickle down to every citizen. It is a national integrated master plan.

Nigeria is used to policy summersault. How would you

as an economist juxtapose it with the master plan?

When you have a thirty-year master plan, it does not imply that the plan will all take place in thirty years. When you have such a plan, you break them down into stages until the target is achieved. Much as the current government will not be here in the next thirty years, there is need for continuity because many countries that we copy today had their master plans and have had their continuity plans to achieve their master plans. I understand that there is a developmental plan and continuity bill at the House of Representatives. If that bill is signed into law, it will make it impossible for subsequent governments to abandon previous projects.

It will be good if the National Assembly accelerate the bill because it will make the government a continuum. It entails that a new government will review projects of preceding administrations and start from there.

With such a plan in place, it will also inform the kind of budget a government will make in accordance with the master plan. Yes the summersault existed before, but with the continuity law in the offing, we are going to see continuity.

The amount in question is N485tr. Where will it be sourced?

According to the presentation, forty-eight percent of this sum will come from the private sector. It will ensure that we have enough investments from outside the country. You know there are sectors in our economy

that are yet to have about ten per cent in development. It is a lot of opportunities for investors from outside to invest in Nigeria.

Let’s talk about President Goodluck Jonathan’s N220bn earmarked for SMEs. How would this help the Nigerian economy?

This is again another laudable policy of the federal government. The government wants to grow the economy using the people to create a huge middle class. It pains to see such number of our graduates looking for white-collar jobs. Job opportunities will abound if everybody becomes an entrepreneur. Imagine the number of people that will be employed if we have somebody doing well in poultry, hair-styling among others. These are opportunities to make people independent.

How about women in this regard?

Obviously women will benefit from over sixty percent of this amount. The women are the heart of families. They are very close to the children and ensure that things are provided for them. If women are empowered, they will obviously cease to be mere housewives.

If by any chance they become widows, they will not feel it so much because they are already empowered. Don’t also forget that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. If every woman is busy, there will be less gossip, promiscuity and other negative things. If they are busy, they will support their families and that is the way our country’s

gross domestic products will grow.

How can these funds for SMEs be assessed?

The government has provided a good platform for every person to assess this. Hitherto it used to be difficult to assess funds from commercial banks, merchant banks and microfinance banks. Many people who want to assess agricultural funds may not find it so easily because of collaterals. But in this case, the government has provided a platform through various agencies and banks to make these funds readily available.

Talking about the thirtyyear master plan, it is expected to address lack of synergy in the infrastructural sector.

What caused it initially?

It is called a national integrated master plan. It is integrated because if you ask the petroleum sector to have its own master plan, or power holding to have its own, these master plans will be isolated from themselves. But the integrated nature will bridge the gaps that hitherto existed. For instance, NIPP projects have been executed in various parts of the country today. Most of these projects have not taken off because they are beginning to lay the pipelines for gas that will power them. If we had the master plan in place before now, the government would

have known that the pipelines of this gas should have been laid before the NIPP projects started. When you have this integration, it will reduce the leakages as we see today.

How can the legislature be involved in this project?

The legislature has a major role to play. Without the legal framework that will make the master plan work, it is just going to be a wasted effort. If we don’t have a development planning and continuity bill signed into law, you discover that there is nothing holding a particular government from continuing from the projects of the previous government.

The law will ensure that budgets will run according to existing projects. During oversight functions, lawmakers will ask questions if there is no continuity.

How can the federal government ensure that the decaying infrastructure will be revived in this project?

We are not going to discard for instance the rail system that we have. The master plan will involve the reconstruction of decayed and abandoned infrastructure on ground. Recently we had our airports renovated.

Infrastructural development does not imply discarding old projects. It means renovation, reconstruction and rebuilding the existing ones to make them beneficial to the masses.

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15 -21 2014

11

business

Nigeria’s Housing Scam And The Cost Of Living

By Ugochukwu Onyeocha

A

peep into Kingsley Obiajulu’s life and daily routine is quite revealing.

He works at the ever busy Lagos Island but lives in Okokomaiko. The distance he undertakes daily to and from his office is quite cumbersome but he has learnt how to adapt to that lifestyle. When asked why he chooses to undertake such a long journey daily to his place of work and his reasons for not getting an accommodation closer to his office, he smiles back and responds “I can’t afford the rents in such areas”.

When quizzed further on what it takes to have a house in his dream location in Nigeria, Kingsley narrates his ordeal, “everyday on my way to work, I come across displayed adverts on the road telling me that I can afford a house in Lekki, Lagos State, for One million naira monthly spread over a period of time. I often wonder how many months the period of time in quote is and how long I have to work on my current salary to afford such luxury” Findings have shown that there are many like Kingsley in most Nigerian cities. The ever increasing cost of accommodation has made many live in areas that are kilometres apart from their dream areas and places of work but it is still surprising that many Nigerians complain expensive housing despite claims by the Federal and various State Governments on their efforts in making good houses affordable to millions of Nigerians.

From Bariga to Ikorodu, Okoko to Ikotun, millions of Nigerians go through extended trips to their places of work and when you come across them to find out why they embark upon such long distance just to get to their offices, the answer is the same. The cost of housing is too expensive in these locations close to where they work.

Some Nigerians are also found these days sleeping in shops, market places and in odd places which is not habitable and cannot be referred to as houses but the harsh economic conditions across the country coupled with the ever increasing cost of housing has made them adopt such measures.

Recent findings have shown that underestimating the shocking high cost of living in Nigeria is one of the worst relocation mistakes one can make. In fact, Nigeria’s two largest urban centres ranked as two of the most expensive destinations in the world; Lagos and Abuja placed 39 and 64 respectively out of 214 destinations evaluated in the 2012 Mercer Cost of Living Survey.

Rural areas and smaller urban centres in Nigeria levy a far less expensive lease on life, but the majority of working class Nigerians are concentrated in these two aforementioned locales, if not in one of the oil-rich and isolated

southern Niger Delta states.

Many may wonder how an African country often criticized for its high levels of poverty; crime and corruption can beat out global powerhouses like Berlin and Barcelona in cost of living calculations. The answers lie in the oil boom of the 1970s, which allowed economic expansion and population growth to explode and mushroom.

As a result, private investment in luxuries and amenities catering for businesses and foreigners skyrocketed and prices followed.

The cost of accommodation in Nigeria is in-

discriminately high. In Abuja, a one-bedroom bungalow in the city centre can cost as much as NGN 3,000,000 (around USD 20,000). Not to mention, some contracts require that you pay costs up front for leases that span two, or even three years. Lagos is far worse than that and not to mention other urban cities across the country making it imperative for many Nigerians to live in areas that have cheaper accommodations despite the living environment there.

Housing construction is about 100,000 units per year for a country of over 170 million – the largest population in Africa. According to the

World Bank, the country has a housing deficit of about 17 million units and needs about 700,000 additional units each year for the next 20 years. Looking at these statistics makes one understand that due to the fact that houses are not in abundance, the price for the available few continues to soar to meet the rising need for accommodation.

There are three main structural reasons for the state of Nigeria’s property market: property registration is expensive, housing construction is handicapped by high costs, and few can access mortgage finance.

Many analysts have continued to accuse the government of not doing enough in terms of reducing the cost of building development in Nigeria, Some are of the opinion that the government is not helping matters at all. For these analysts, the government is only concerned in building estates for their class of people and giving it out for N35m to N40m for a three or four bedroom flat. With such amount, how many civil servants or individuals can afford it?

In a recent chat with Mr. Olalekan Fadairo, a housing developer in Lagos, the government at all levels must consider the average and low income earners in their housing policy. He called on the government to emulate what a former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande did in Lagos for both the rich and common people. People were able to afford flats then.

He advised the current government to consider everyone when building and not focus on their friends, commissioners and fellow Excellencies. In his words “It is high time government started building for the poor masses of this country. We have the resources to do that, Nigerians are in need of accommodation.

He also lamented the non availability of bank loans and credit facilities for developers.

Five, six years ago, developing properties were easy because banks were assisting developers with credit facilities with considerable interest rates.

But today, reverse is the case. You hardly can get a loan from banks; the conditions are unaffordable except you are close relations of big business people that have made it. Those big transport owners with 100 luxuries, 200 lorries they are the ones banks consider. They don’t give money to small business owners; they feel their money is more secured with big tycoons. They forget that those big ones started with little.

In Nigeria today, nobody thinks about merit, but position before you can get anything. Until you belong to their clicks you can’t benefit.

They don’t think about the future.

On the way out of the high cost in housing across the country, he said that banks should be giving loans with low interest rate so that cost of developing properties would reduce and at the same time, the masses can afford it.

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

12

relationships

Dysfunctional Bedmatics/Bedmate Facts And Tips

By Ngozi Ndubisi

A

re you are missing the Punch in your relationship or you are tired of seeing your spouse turn away from you unsatisfied? Well, here are some things you need to know about ED and how you can pump up your bedroom action.

First know these: Dr. Tobias Kohler of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine says ‘Use It or Lose It’: You need to have erections regularly to keep your penis in shape. “It has to be essentially exercised.”

WebMD warns that Your ‘Penis Is a Habitat’; meaning it’s a good breeding place for bacteria, which might cause a dysfunctional erectile. And your little man can suffer from ‘Sensitivity Decline with Age’ Studies show that the penis steadily loses sensitivity as men age though it’s hard to say exactly by how much.

How You Can Reduce The Risk Of Developing Erectile Dysfunction?

Taking active steps to prevent ‘ED’ may not only help you maintain a good erectile function; it may also help you lead an all over healthier life.

Steps you can take to pre-

vent ED include: • Exercising Regularly • Maintaining a Healthy Weight • Avoiding excessive in-take of alcohol (not more than two drinks per day) • Avoiding the use of illegal (hard) drugs • Avoiding self medication; take only as prescribed by your doctor.

• Talk to your doctor for possible substitution for medications that may contribute to ED (never stop or change any medications without first consulting with your doctor).

• If you have a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart or kidney disease, follow your doctor’s recommendations to keep healthy.

Natural Enhancers Do you know, there are fruits and vegetables for a better and well satisfying erectile function?

Nuts Nuts are high in the amino acid arginine, which is crucial to the synthesis of nitric oxide, a compound in the body involved in generating erections.

Avocado The Aztecs referred to the avocado tree as a “testicle tree.” Avocados contain high levels of folic acid, which helps metabolize proteins, thus giving you more energy. They

contain vitamin B6 (a nutrient that increases male hormone production) and potassium (which helps regulate a woman’s thyroid gland), two elements that help increase libido in both men and women.

Tomatoes Tomatoes according to studies show that, its component lycopene, a member of the vitamin A family, helps maintain prostate health and as a plant food, keeps the arteries unclogged and help prevent both heart disease and erectile dysfunction.”

Mangoes Mango contains abundant vitamin E that helps to regulate sex hormones and boosts sex drive! Men and women with low libido should eat a lot of mangoes.

Grapes Grapes (and beans) are high in boron, a chemical that helps produce both estrogen and testosterone. Both of these hormones have been proven to serve both the man and woman.

Almonds Almonds are a great source of essential fatty acids that produces healthy hormones in the men. For added zest and sexual ambience, lighting some almond-scented candles to build up her mood.

Watermelon

Watermelon is loaded with citrulline, a natural chemical that helps increase oxygen flow in the blood. Mixing watermelon either garlic (or garlic capsules), and/or ginger causes blood to flow into the private parts in both women and men Bananas Bananas contain the bromelain enzyme; this increases libido and reverses impotence in men. Banana is also a potent

source of potassium and B vitamins like riboflavin, which increase the body’s energy levels in general.

Eggs Eggs are rich in vitamins B6 and B5. These help balance hormone levels and fight stress, two things that are crucial to a healthy libido. Eggs are also a symbol of fertility and rebirth.

Eating raw chicken eggs just prior to sex is said to heighten

libido and maximize energy levels. But all bird and fish eggs contain B6 and B5.

Zinc Powder Doctors in Taiwan have established that baby powder containing zinc oxide, available from any general store, when placed on a man’s penis stimulates the skin and therefore the nerves and blood beneath the skin and causes a natural and strong erection to occur.

How to Keep Your ‘Little Man’ in Good Condition?

Question Seeing there is no manual or classroom teaching of how the men should care for our private like the women, could you please help? I’ve wanted to ask this since puberty Answer • It is important to maintain a good personal hygiene, but moderation is needful, if washed too much with soap/ powered it can make it sore and vey tender to touch.

•Using of talcum and or deodorants, should be avoided because it will get under the foreskin where it may cause irritation.

•You should wash your penis gently and retract the fores kin regularly (such as when you have a bath or shower).

•If you examine your scrotum each time you take a bath, you will notice any change(s), and immediately nip it in the bored.

•And if anything seems different, ask your doctor to check you; your doctor will not be remotely embarrassed as (checking male

genitalia is something that is done every day in the surgery.

Tips 1. Eat almonds raw (without adding salt or sweetness) or, crush and sprinkle some fresh almonds on your salad to get the required energy needed.

2.

Eat a lot of watermelon, which you could take as smoothie or with cucumber as salad.

3.

Banana and avocado smoothie is a die for. Avocados help the body absorb fatsoluble vitamins If You Do Experience Erectile Dysfunction, Talk To Your Doctor. A Careful Medical, Social, Psychological And Sexual History And Sometimes Blood Tests Will Help Your Doctor Find The Best Treatment.

Do you have other natural methods?

Please, continue to send in your emails to ngozindubisi2013@yahoo.com

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014

13

relationships

When The Man Becomes Jealous Of The Baby

By Lara Adejoro

T

he birth of a newborn baby should always be a thing of joy regardless of resentments, angst or prevailing circumstances that may not warrant merriment.

A baby’s cry, gurgle, slosh or even the mere sight of its tiny bundle of life can be a source of immeasurable pleasure and fulfilment for a parent.

However, as much as the child is a great source of joy and pride to parents, it comes with a sense of responsibility and the spirit of self sacrifice.

This can be said of the clamour for attention from fathers when a new baby is in the house.

No doubt, as a mother the need to give majority if not all of the attention to the new born may occur and this shift in attention has been a source of constant worry for most men.

Lamenting the shift in attention by his wife, Kunle Ojo remarks; “My wife now shifts attention to our child. There is now a difference in the kind of love she has for me. She spends more time with the boy more than when we first got married.

“It worries me. She argues that the child is her bundle of joy and the baby needs to be taken care of. The worst is that her mum supports her each time I complain. How do I help this situation?” cries Kunle.

Ope Akintayo urges Ojo not to be perturbed as it happens sometimes because children are tender and young needing more time and attention.

“Unlike a grown-up man who doesn’t need anyone to babysit him, the child requires a lot of attention, nurturing and care which is the reason attention is usually more on him. Another factor is that

the woman spends more time with the child than the father does so the child in most cases becomes more used to the mother which makes the closeness more; it is just a natural situation in life,” she said.

She said, “because of this closeness between the mom and the child, men sometimes become jealous of the relationship and as such, they complain of being neglected.”

Akintayo however advised that, “Notwithstanding the bond between the mother and the child, it must be balanced and mothers must endeavour to strike a balance at all times and still act up to their wifely responsibilities as a wife and also as a mother to their children. It must not be lope sided else, it could push the man to turn elsewhere for love which will in effect be of serious detriment to the entire family,” she said.

Akintayo says amidst her

busy schedule as a working mother, she still finds the time to spend some quality time with her husband. “After my son has gone to bed at night, I spend time with my husband watching television, eating together and gisting.”

In her opinion, a hair stylist, Mrs Naomi Etim said, a woman who wants to keep her home must give both the husband and the baby the needed attention.

“I have a year-old baby but once I get home from my shop, I make sure I feed my baby and lull him to bed and at the same time, I cook for my husband.”

She added that, men are more jealous than children, and “women should not forget that they are meant to be together forever. Men are like babies too, they need to be pampered else, you will loseyour home.

“Never the less, the husband should talk to the wife

about it. They should have a better way of sorting issues out.”

Jude Nebo who went through same experience advised Ojo to be the man and talk to his wife about it.

“After all, you both own the child. When I had same issue with my wife, I was disturbed, I was almost forced to get the love elsewhere but I discussed it with her with love. Surprisingly, she didn’t know she had changed, she apologised and we continued to live happily again.”

“The husband should summon the courage to have a one-on-one talk with his wife, draw her attention to the lapses or else the home might hit the rock especially if the man decides not to talk about it.”

Proferring solution to this, Psychologist Okey Martins Nwokolo said, it is a developmental stage and a transition which is eventually out grown.

“It’s more than the physical attention that women instinctually redirect to their babies,” he said.

Continuing, he said, “For most parents, newborns are hopefully better extensions of themselves. The delicate nature of newborns implies that mothers’ time and attention focus on them.

“Regarding jealousy, a couple of theories exist; ranging from sigmund freuds penis envy, attachment theories; etc but I think that women who generally involve their husband’s in baby care, who take turns in feeding and getting food ready, and who participate in singing lullaby and songs, are generally low in expressing jealousy.

“Men with excessive drive for sexual activity including sucking may find this waiting period frustrating. Some men who engage in extramarital affairs have higher case rates.”

health

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

14

Food Synergy That Works Better

T

omato & Avocado: Lycopene in tomatoes is best absorbed in the intestinal tract when combined with healthy fats like avocado.

Chickpeas & Beet Root: Chickpeas are rich in vitamin B6, a vitamin that helps the body absorb magnesium in

magnesium-rich foods like beefs.

Lemon & Green Tea: Vitamin C in lemons allows the body to absorb antioxidants in green tea thus increasing the benefits of green tea.

Broccoli & Tomato: The cancer-fighting substances in tomatoes and broccoli work best when paired together

Deficiency In Vitamin B1 Causes Fatal Brain Damage

I

nclude more vitamin B1-rich food in your diet as neurologists have underlined that deficiency of a single vitamin B1 (or thiamine) can cause a potentially fatal brain disorder, reports Zeenews.

The brain disorder called Wernicke encephalopathy typically occurs in people who have disorders such as alcoholism and anorexia that lead to malnourishment.

“Wernicke encephalopathy is an example of the wide range of brain diseases called encephalopathies that are caused by metabolic disorders and toxic substances,” said Matthew McCoyd, a neurologist at Loyola University Medical Center in the US. Untreated, the condition can lead to irreversible brain damage and death, the researchers said.

Symptoms of the disorder can include confusion, hallucinations, coma, loss of muscle coordination and vision problems such as double vision and involuntary eye movements.

“Toxic and metabolic encephalopathies may range in severity from the acute confusional state to frank coma,” McCoyd added.

Wernicke encephalopathy is a medical emergency that requires immediate thiamine treatment either by injection or IV. “In the absence of treatment, deficiency can lead to irreversible brain damage and death with an estimated mortality of 20 percent,” the Loyola neurologists wrote.

Vitamin B1 is found in a wide variety of foods including watermelon, cereal grains, oatmeal, potatoes and eggs.

Eating More Fish Reduces Hearing Loss

E

ating more fish may reduce a woman’s risk for hearing loss, according to a large new study.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found that consuming at least two servings of fish and omega-3s (long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) each week could help prevent or delay hearing loss.

“Acquired hearing loss is a highly prevalent, and often disabling, chronic health condition,” the study’s corresponding author, Dr. Sharon Curhan, of the hospital’s Division of Network Medicine, said in a hospital news release.

“Although a decline in hearing is often considered an inevitable aspect of aging, the identification of several potentially modifiable risk factors has provided new insight into possibilities for prevention or delay of acquired hearing loss.”

“Consumption of any type of fish (tuna, dark fish, light fish, or shellfish) tended to be associated with lower risk.

These findings suggest that diet may be important in the prevention of acquired hearing loss,” noted Curhan.

While the researchers found an association between greater fish consumption and hearing preservation, they didn’t prove a direct causeand-effect relationship.

Obey Instruction On Ebola Virus Disease, Ondo Health Commissioner Urges Residents Tosin Ajuwon

T

he People of Ondo State have been admonished to pay attention to needful instructions from health practitioners to avert the outbreak of the virulent Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, in the state.

Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, the State Commissioner for health gave the admonition at a Public Presentation/Investiture ceremony for Lion Bode Akinwumi.

At the event, Mr. Bode Akinwumi, a staff with the

Ondo State Radio-Vision Corporation, OSRC, became the 28th President of the Akure/Owena Lions Club for 2014-2015 Lions year.

Dr. Adeyanju said the Ebola Virus Disease, has been a major concern to all government at various level, hence the need for residents to obey instructions and guidelines on how not to contract the deadly stroke.

“We need to obey the instructions against the disease and if there is any suspicious case, we begged our people to call”.

He said the government

of Ondo state has put measures in place to curtail the influx and spread of the virus among residents.

The Commissioner also implored parents to sow the seed of patience and allow government do its work to fight the disease before schools open for new academic activities.

“If our students must go back to school, they should not go with trouble because just a case in Lagos brought problem to the whole country.

“Therefore, I think there should not be a need for us to be in a hurry about our chil-

dren’s resumption date”, he said.

Dr. Adeyanju used the occasion to charge the members of the Lions Club to uphold the principle of the organization through selfless services to humanity.

In his speech, the new President, Lion Bode Akinwumi enjoined members of the club to continually use their resources for the development of their respective communities and to mankind.

“Ability to part with a little of your time and resources for the sake of the less privileged is central to being a Lion”

Ebola: Cuba To Send Medical Team To Sierra Leone

C

uba has announced plans to send a medical team of 165 people to Sierra Leone to help in the frontline in the Ebola response efforts.

According to a press statement by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the offer is the largest offer of a foreign medical team from a single country during this outbreak.

Cuba is known the world over for its ability to train excellent doctors and nurses who can then go out to help other countries in need. Cur-

rently there are more than 50 000 Cuban-trained health workers in 66 countries.

Dr Roberto Morales Ojeda, Minister of Public Health, said, “Human resources are clearly our most important need.

“Money and materials are important, but those two things alone cannot stop Ebola virus transmission,” says Dr Margaret Chan, DirectorGeneral at the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Human resources are clearly our most important need. We need most especial-

ly compassionate doctors and nurses, who will know how to comfort patients despite the barriers of wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) and working under very demanding conditions”.

The Cuban team consists of 100 nurses, 50 doctors, 3 epidemiologists, 3 intensive care specialists, 3 infection control specialist nurses and 5 social mobilization officers, all overseen by epidemiologist Dr Jorge Juan Delgado Bustillo.

All of the Cuban health workers have more than 15 years’ experience and have

worked in other countries facing natural disasters and disease outbreaks. Some of the workers have already been working in Sierra Leone and Guinea for some years and are willing to continue their service there.

Once they have all followed WHO-standard infection control training in Cuba, the team will pack supplies of PPE and travel to Sierra Leone in early October. They will stay there for 6 months, working in shifts in smaller teams in Ebola treatment centres and community clinics.

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014

15

health

Natural Ways To Lighten up Your Dark Underarms D

iabetes, shaving, formation of dead cells, excessive usage of deodorants, friction, hereditary factors lead to dark underarms and it become obvious when wearing sleeveless dresses or swim suit.

So many women have dark underarms and famous deodorant brands are advertised and promised you to whiten your underarms. Getting rid of darker underarms is not an easy task as we think.

Health Digest suggests you try the following to get rid of dark underarms: Apply Lemon Juice Lemon is one of the natural bleaching agent and many of us are not aware of it. Rub your underarms with lemon juice every day before taking a bath. It will slowly lighten the area. After bath, use moisturizer to soften the skin and skip deodorants for a few days.

Use Waxing The main reasons for dark underarms are shaving or applying hair removal creams.

Instead of shaving or hair removal creams, try waxing. It will hurt you a lot but the hair will definitely be removed from the root and your underarms will appear fairer immediately.

Apply Potato and cucumber juices Like lemon, Potato also works as a natural bleaching agent. You can rub underarm skin with thinly sliced po-

tatoes and leave it on for 15 minutes and wash. You can also apply potato juice to the affected area. Definitely you will feel the difference. Similarly, you can use cucumber and apply the juice under your arms.

Use Lightening Masks You can make a homemade whitening pack and apply it to remove underarm darkness.

To prepare the mask at home, mix a handful of gram flour with yogurt, lemon and a little turmeric powder. Keep it for 15-20 minutes, and then wash it off. If you have decided to buy a readymade mask from the market then try to buy clay-based lightening skin mask.

Try Sandalwood and Rose Water One of the greatest ways to remove dark underarms is to create a paste with sandalwood and rose water.

Sandalwood has lightening properties and rose water will cool down the skin. Leave the paste for a few minutes and wash it. Use this paste every day to see a difference.

Reduce the Use of deodorants Deodorant is one of the main reasons for dark underarms. Instead of using deodorants, use natural remedies to overcome body odour for a few days. Anti-fungal powders and alum are also great alternatives. Once your underarms changed to lighter, then use the deodorants that are made for sensitive skins.

Rivers Yet To Receive FG’s Monetary Assistance To Tackle Ebola ... Warns Nigerians Against Complacency

R

ivers State government has said it is yet to receive monetary assistance from the federal government in the fight against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

Raising the alarm at the weekend while speaking with journalists in Abuja, the Rivers State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, however said the State government had received a budget of N1bn from Emergency Operation Committee to fight EVD in the State.

“Well, I am still waiting; the Minister (of Health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu), has visited us and he said he was going to do something. So, I am waiting”, Parker said.

He said that although it was too early to talk about how much the State government

has spent on the fight against EVD, governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has released over N300 million and will continue to do more.

“The Governor will continue to release more funds; we are paying salaries daily. We are paying allowances daily.

The expenditure is a daily occurrence. We will continue to spend. We have a budget of about N1bn combined. It is not just Rivers State Ministry of Health.

“It is from Emergency Operation Committee, comprising the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, and Centre for Disease Control. That is the EOC, it is not Rivers State. So, that is what we are budgeting. That is our projection for Rivers State. The Governor has promised us that whenever we need re-

sources, he is ready to make them available.”

The Commissioner however warned Nigerians not to celebrate yet until the EVD issues are sorted out in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

On screening people coming into Rivers State, Parker said, “We have a very robust set up, not only for treatment but also for prevention. All the points of entry, coming in by bus, by air and by sea are all covered. We can do just that much, I always say that no matter how careful you are, a bad man is always a bad man; just as Ibukun (Koye) escaped Lagos and came to Port Harcourt. And, there was somebody that gave him a room.

“In war, where everywhere is tight, you see people escaping tough gun battle and going

to another country. It is like that. And, again, that brings the fact that it is not yet time to celebrate until we sort out the issues in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Those are human beings; and, in every human being, the survival instinct is high. If anyone escapes in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the place they will think of is Nigeria.

“No matter how tight we put our security, they will find a way to break through.

The best way to prevent this disease from coming into Nigeria is to go there; the international community, Nigeria, West Africa community and Africa should go there and solve their problems. If you don’t solve their problems, one way or the other, they will break through into other countries.”

sports

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

16

On the women’s tour, the power game is the dominion of Serena Williams, now the three-time defending US Open singles winner. The world’s toughest tennis demands a durable champion, and there is no one in the game that is more resilient than Serena. Her play on the way to the 2014 crown was nothing short of sublime – she was never tested, pushed, or otherwise bothered in rolling to the title, solidifying her place among the game’s all-time greats. Serena in an interview granted during the US Open says she can’t image not winning.

Serena Williams

‘I Won’t Stop Working On Myself Till I Die’

tion? What are your thoughts now about Caroline going into the New York Marathon?

I thought it was great. I thought maybe I could run the first best first 5k with her at best. But, you know, max, max.

I’m not a long-distance runner at all. I’m definitely more of a sprinter. The long distance has never been my thing. Even growing up I ran track, but I ran the 100. I didn’t even run the 400.

How do you think she will do?

I think she’ll do great. She’s been running and training for it. She’s doing it for a charity. I think it’s such a positive thing to do. I remember she first told me about it, I think French Open time. She was going to

After Wimbledon there were questions. What happened then and what’s happening now? How did you turn around? Was there any doubt in your mind you could?

Well, there will always be sceptics? People might write or people might not believe but the truth is that I worked really hard for Wimbledon. I worked really, really hard, and I was really disappointed and sad and shocked that I wasn’t able to win. I worked hours, more than I worked before. Maybe it’s just paying off now.

What do you think were the keys to the win?

Yeah, I think I played pretty well today. You know, I was able to change up my game and just keep moving forward and

So much was made of you and Caroline hanging out in Miami after Paris. Was any part of the discussion like, let’s get it together, let’s make a charge, do the hard court?

No, not at all. Not even once.

We never talk tennis so much since we spend so much of our lives on the court. Same with Venus and I. Last thing on our minds is tennis. If anything, it’s to not think about a forehand or a backhand.

Can you be satisfied by not winning?

It would be hard for me to imagine that I would be happy losing. I won’t be. But at the end of the day I think in ten years from now it won’t be, Man, I’m still sad about it. I have accomplished a lot, done a lot, not only for the sport but just a lot

of things in general. I think I should be happy about that. And I am. When I look at the big picture like that, that helps me.

That’s the part that helps me to be able to relax and not take it so serious.

At this point in your career are you still working on your game, or has it now moved off to being consistent?

No, absolutely still working on it. I think in life, you should work on yourself until the day you die. I think why not apply the same thing to your tennis game? Yeah, I’m still working on it.

How has the crowd influenced you in going into a final?

I think the crowd plays a big role and hopefully with being an American, we really want to see this American tennis do well. It’s so great to have that opportunity with so many young American players coming up now. It’s just so exciting. We have to root for the home country. I feel like the crowd understands that and they do that, especially throughout the years. It’s been wonderful.

I have been really enjoying that lately.

AFCON 2015: Will the Eagles Fly?

H

ow happy are you with the result and with an opportunity to face Caroline in the finals, a good friend?

I’m just really excited to be in the final. In the beginning of the week I definitely wasn’t sure I would make it this long.

Definitely wasn’t sure I’d be here. So I’m just elated, to be honest, to have made it this far.

do the marathon and I thought, wow, that’s such a great thing and I was really excited for her.

It’s coming close to the end of the season, so it will be a good time to do it and good time to relax. It’s great to see someone so awesome just like taking on new challenges and doing it for a good cause.

Mu’Sodiq Adekunle

W just keep doing what I could do today.

How would you rate that performance today compared to all your matches since Wimbledon and all your matches here (US Open)?

I think every match hopefully I’m getting better. I think I played really well in my quarterfinal minus the slow start. I think I served better in my quarterfinal. With that being said, it’s good news knowing I could try to serve better for one more match.

Five titles this year for one more Grand Slam.

Oh, okay. I was like, let’s do the math here. I think I’d rather keep my five US Opens. (Laughter.) Probably. It’s always great to win a Grand Slam. Yeah, I mean, it means a lot to actually win those titles. If I hadn’t maybe won those titles, especially the re-

cent ones, I probably wouldn’t be in the final. So it’s hard to say. Obviously I would much rather win the Grand Slam than the other ones.

What about you and Roger going for the same goals this year?

It’s amazing to see. We’re both making it so far. It would be cool if we did it together. It would really be just an amazing, amazing feat for the both of us.

Emotionally how was playing a friend, close friend different from playing your sister?

If I can play Venus, I can play anybody. I grew up with Venus.

We actually lived together going on 33 years, which is kind of sad. (Laughter.) So, yeah, if I could play her I feel like I can just play anybody.

What was your initial reac-

hether or not the Super Eagles will qualify for the 2015 African Confederation Cup is still uncertain as the Nigeria team is three points off the pace in Group A after an uninspiring goalless encounter with Bafana Bafana.

Nigeria’s poor run continued with a 0-0 draw against South Africa in Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying on Wednesday.

Pressure is sure to mount on Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi as they followed a shock 3-2 home loss to Congo on Saturday with another uninspiring performance.

The defending African champions have now won just one of their last 11 matches and were particularly disappointing in a World Cup campaign that led the Nigerian government launching an investigation into the country’s football federation. Ighodaro Osaguona went closest for Nigeria but his header was nodded off the line by Eric Mathoho 10 minutes from time.

The best chance of the

match fell to South Africa substitute Tokelo Rantie in the 84th minute but Nigeria goalkeeper Austin Ejide kept him out with a smart save.

South Africa headed into the match in good spirits after coach Shakes Mashaba’s new-look side comfortably beat Sudan 3-0 on Friday.

A big crowd was in attendance in Cape Town but they were left disappointed by what was a poor game in which both sides struggled in the final third.

In a first half bereft of chances, Oupa Manyisa went closest when his shot was blocked after Mandla Masango stormed down the right.

Half-time substitute Rantie made an impact for the hosts and after Andile Jali set him free, the forward fired into the side netting on the hour-

mark.

Ogenyi Onazi then curled just wide for Nigeria, who were denied from taking the lead by Mathoho’s headed clearance after Musa’s cross was met by Osaguona.

Nigeria could have been made to pay with six minutes left as Sibusiso Vilakazi played in Rantie.

But the forward, who was one-on-one with Ejide, could not beat the goalkeeper as both sides were forced to share the spoils.

South Africa has not beaten Nigeria since February 2004.

Congo now top Group A in AFCON qualifying after a 2-0 win over Sudan, also on Wednesday.

South Africa sits second with four points from two matches, with Nigeria three points off the pace in third.

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014

17

sports

Sport Should Be Part Of The School Curriculum At All Levels —FCE Chief Coach

Basket Ball like other sports is one game Nigerians don’t give emphasis on. In this interview, the Chief Coach of basket ball of Federal College of Education Kano, Jamilu Muhammad Abubakar (Master P) explains some of his team’s achievements and also enumerates some of their challenges.

By Yakubu Salisu

H

ow long have you been coaching the FCE team and how successful has it been?

Four years to be precise. I am happy to inform you that we are the defending champions in the Nation’s NECEGA games. We are the most dominant basket ball team in all the Federal Colleges of Education nationwide.

We have been consistent in our winnings. For example we won the Magajin Dabo competition, that of Ogbudu among others. In fact, we have won four NECEGA games at a straight in recent times making us the defending champions as I speak.

What are the challenges you face as a coach?

First of all, athletes take school for granted. Being Super Stars in their local areas they believe they don’t need to go to school. As you know this is a school team, the players must be students of the college so as a coach I’m saddled with the responsibility of going around to find young stars who are talented in the basket ball game and encourage them to enrol in the College as students. I tell you it is not always easy.

How do you select and manage your team?

Actually most of our play-

are financial challenges in the sport arena too but the management of Federal College of Education (FCE) Kano are trying their best, I must commend the Provost and his management team for their support; they provide all we need.

ers are from Physical and Health Education (PHE) department. Though, we have other good players from other departments too. What we normally do is to organise inter school or departmental matches; from there we get out players to make up the school team. Honestly it’s very difficult because you are dealing with players from different backgrounds, beliefs and characters. Some of them could be in disciplined, but very good at the same time so to manage a team of 15 players a coach needs to have good knowledge of Psychology, he must be able to identify the problems and needs of each team mate and address them the proper way.

Have you ever participated in any competition outside the shores of this country?

Yes we were once invited to play a friendly match in Niger Republic. They invited teams from Benin, Togo, Ghana and Nigeria and FCE Kano had the honour to represent Nigeria. In Nigeria, right now, we are preparing for the prelim zone E games coming up this month in Sokoto. This is in preparation for the NECEGA game coming up in Mina in October this year

Do you pay your players?

No we don’t pay them but the school offers them free scholarship and pays for their feeding allowances anytime they go for games.

They have free access to accommodation and other things in the college.

Who are some of the major sponsors of basket ball in Nigeria?

D.STV and Nestle Nigeria PLC are some of the major sponsors. They have actually promoted basket ball in Nigeria. Most of the games played in this country are being sponsored by them. We are proud of them.

In cases of injuries who takes care of the players?

Normally we travel around with our medical doctors from the school clinic. In fact, I must say that I am very proud of the College because it takes very good care of its players’ health.

What does financial challenge looks like in basket ball management?

Generally, funding is usually the most problematic aspect in all sectors. In sports,

we have witnessed a lot of financial play games. In the developing countries there

Has your team produced any national or international player (s)?

As a matter of fact, yes, Haruna Maitama Sule plays

in Carolina, Suma’ila Dauda plays in New York and is about to be drafted in to NBA. There is one Desmond, he is retired and is now a coach in Toronto. And the current Kano Pillars basket ball captain is also our student and I played for Kano Pillars before becoming a coach.

Did you attend any coaching school?

Yes NHIS Lagos for six months.

How can we promote sport among students in the tertiary institutions?

Institutions should provide the necessary sport facilities and equipments needed. The schools should also admit more sport men and women in order to have more athletes around. The government should include sport in our primary and secondary education curriculum so that children will grow up loving and appreciating sport. The government should encourage sport at all levels.

What are some of your hopes and aspirations?

My hope and aspiration as a coach is to be a great coach just like the coach who taught me basket ball. And I hope to bring up more young ones in the game. And I hope to coach the Nigerian basket ball national team and a coach in a foreign country.

I’ll Be Honoured To Get A Super Eagles Recall –Martins Iyanu Oni-Orisan

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igerian international and axed Super Eagles Striker Obafemi Martins, has revealed that he would be honoured to get a recall to play for the Super Eagles.

The Seattle Sounders forward who got his 13th goal of the season in Sounder’s 3-2 home victory over Real Salt Lake on Friday has only been

invited twice in the last three years.

Obagoal who has never hidden his passion to play for the Eagles feels his invitation will only be justified if he continues with his inspiring showing in the Major Soccer League.

“I said at the start of the season if I was doing well for Seattle and scoring goals, I’d have a chance with Nigeria,” he told BBC Sport.

“But firstly, I want to play

regularly here and try to help Seattle Sounders win a trophy.”

The weapon of mass destruction however hopes he can earn him a place in the squad for October’s double header against Sudan with qualification for the 2015 African Cup of Nations looking very slim.

“It’s the coach’s decision to invite players but if I can get a recall to the national team, I’ll be honoured,” he added.

“I just need to continue my form here in the United States, give my all to this club and let other things happen naturally.

“I love my country and I always want Nigeria to do well with me in the squad or not.

“If I get another chance, great, and if not, I can only wish my country all the best,” he concluded.

He has played 39 games for Nigeria scoring 18 goals in the process.

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

18

leisure

Uduaghan, RMD Fall Under Anointing …as Midnight Crew Shuts Down Asaba With High Praise Opeoluwani Akintayo

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he heavens came down in Asaba, Delta State, as the Midnight Crew became the cynosure of all eyes at a praise concert recently held in the State.

Not even the rain that came in torrents and drenched some who came late, could stop Deltans and the congregation from having their needs met.

The Igwe crooners led songs upon songs that lifted souls of the people present.

Their Urhobo song ‘Ibenne’ was received with shouts as the quartet of Mike Abdulthe Fuji exponent, Ayo OjoOnasanya- the oriki specialist, Pat Uwaje-King-gifted vocalist and leader of the team and Gbenga Oyebola the master lyricist, all came

to bring their best as they took their numbers.

Tagged Delta Yawdah, meaning Delta Praise 2014, the Event Centre was at Okpanam road, Asaba.

Highlights of the night was the excitement at beholding popular Nollywood actor and politician, RMD, and present Governor of the State, Emmanuel Uduaghan and his wife, Roli being in high spirit throughout the night, as they worship God in his fullness and holiness.

The Asaba people were also not left out as they took to the dance floor, rocking to the enchanting songs.

Other gospel singers at the event include Lionel Peterson of the ‘Jabulani Africa song’, Ron Kenolly Eben.

The event was anchored by talented comedians, Akpororo and First Born.

Movie Talk

by Judith Frank-Edet

Think Like A Man Too

Director: Tim Story Writers: Keith Merryman(screenplay), David.A. Newman (screenplay) Stars: Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union, Wendi

Single, Married And Complicated Director; Pascal Amanfo Stars; Chris Attoh, John Dumelo, Alex Ekubo, Yvonne Nelson Running time: 2hrs Genre; Drama

McLendon-Covey Genre: Romantic comedy Running Time; 106 minutes

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hink Like a Man too is a fascinating movie that follows four interconnected and diverse men whose love lives are shaken up after the ladies they are pursuing buy Steve Harvey’s book and start taking his advice to heart. When the band of brothers realizes that they have been betrayed by one of their own, they conspire using the book’s insider information to turn the tables and teach the women a lesson of their own.

The thrust of the movie seems to portray men as dogs and the best way to control them is to act like their mothers. .

The movie catches up on the couples’ relationships as they all get together in Las Vegas for the wedding of their friends, Candace (Regina Hall) and Michael (Terrence Jenkins). The guys then have a hangover while the ladies act silly and high spirited.

Kevin Hart takes over duties from Harvey this time around, by smothering the film with voice-over that explains the film’s romantic behaviours. The movie basically shows how each relationship is tested with conflicts, and how both sexes compete in their careers. The captivating movie also focuses on Hart who makes almost everything look funny.

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ingle, Married And Complicated is one of the leading movies trending on the African Cinemas right now. The highly anticipated movie was premiered on the 15th of August in Nigeria and has created lots of buzz despite being new on the screens.

Produced by Yvonne’s YN productions and directed by Pascal Amanfo, the movie features a line of star-studded cast of Chris Attoh, John Dumelo, Alex Ekubo, Eddie Watson, Tana Adelana, Anita Erskine and Berla Mundi, among others.

Apart from the fact that the movie boast of a good selection of casts, it equally has a very captivating storyline.

Picking up from Single & Married, this sequel continues to explain certain happenings in marriage, with a greater focus on how most men truly yearn to love and be loved. It shows women trying to understand what men want.

It centers on the realities we face on a daily bases that we cannot fight or ignore no matter how much we try. The movie is suspense-filled, laced with a comic thrilling plot of love, lust and lies.

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15 -21 2014

19

people

I’m Into Competition With No One –Annabel Okereke Annabel Okereke is an embodiment of beauty, multiple talents and brains. That’s why her debut into the music scene didn’t come as a surprise as she already holds her ground in the industry for a while now.

Being born into a polygamous family, she pushes her way through the hard times, coming out stronger to carve a niche for herself first, as a good actress, and now a singer. Her single, ‘Killing Me Softly’ has been making waves on air and one can be sure Annabel is made for the top. She speaks with OPEOLUWANI AKINTAYO on life, career and passion among other things.

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hat was growing up like for you?

It was good and simple.

Wasn’t all rosy but I still grew up into the woman I dreamt of being and that’s what matters.

Your parents weren’t financially buoyant enough or what?

That’s a funny question. My parents are average people besides I’ve never believed in depending on my parents. But my mum in her own little way gave me a wonderful upbringing.

You lived with your mom. What about your dad?

My parents are separated and my mom has always shown more love.

So what was it like growing up without a father?

Well, it wasn’t that bad because even though he separated from my mum he still stopped by the house to see us sometimes so it’s not really like I didn’t see my father or grow up without him, besides I was about 15 years old when they finally separated so I believe I was a bit grown at that time.

You are from a polygamous home. Did it affect you performance in school?

No it didn’t. I wasn’t bothered because to me the people I call family and grew up with are my two sisters and mom so the whole “polygamous home” thing didn’t get to me in a anyway.

You once said you could hardly buy your textbooks during your university days-how did that make you feel?

It’s just very normal for every school child that at some point in school you’d go broke and maybe that’s when the lecturer threatens fire and brimstone about his textbook, so I just saw it as part of life and growing up because I knew I was still going to buy them so I didn’t feel too bad. Besides, I knew that some people couldn’t even go to college, I’ve always thanked God for everything good or

bad.

So why did you decide to go into music?

Because I have the undying love for music and that love is never going to break up. I love music. It makes me happy and I just want to pass messages across.

Why did it take you this long to realize you had talent for singing?

I realized it a long time ago but you know music demands a lot so I just took my time to put things in order and be really sure I’m ready for the world.

My mom and sister encouraged me to come out and achieve my dreams of being a singer and my manager toohe played a huge role in encouraging me.

What’s the new single all about?

The song is just about a young man who’s killing me softly without him knowing it. I’m like a secret admirer so I finally opened up and told him.

What’s the title?

The title is Killing Me Softly Who produced it?

Was produced by Chime Are you shooting the video soon?

Yes, I will work on that soon.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

20

people news fashion ‘I’m Into Competition With No One’

Apron Trouser:

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

What makes you think you can stand the tough competition in the music industry with the likes of Tiwa Savage, Chidinma, Yemi Alade, Omawunmi, Waje and others making hot waves?

First; the fact that I’m not competing with anyone gives me a clearer picture that I’ve come to stay. They’re my senior colleagues and a couple of the people you mentioned are people I look up to so, I don’t think I’m here to compete with them. I’m just here to do my thing and be myself.

What kind of music will you say you do?

I do Afro-pop, Soul, R&B Why combine many music genre?

Because that’s how it flows in me. Music is not a one way thing as long as it’s coming from inside of you it’s never a one way thing.

You once said you’ll choose money over love. Why, aren’t you being materialistic?

I’m grown up than I was and I have a better understanding of life and all that comes with it now.

So will you still choose money over love?

No. Love over money besides, love is like the greatest commandment in the Bible.

You know ladies who get into entertainment are always being misunderstood to be loose and flirty...

Yes I know that.

So are you loose and flirty?

I’m far from that. Most entertainers are just misunderstood. I believe I’m here to feed my music and let it grow but I know my mode of dressing might or could be misunderstood by some people, so I’d advice fans to be sure they know a person’s lifestyle directly before they judge the person. Don’t take what you see in picture and screens as a yardstick.

So how then do you handle sexual advances from men?

I don’t leave such doors open. It’s okay to admire me as God’s handwork but sexual

Pulling That Perfect Look!

By Ronke Akinola

advances? I find it highly insulting and don’t find it funny.

You talk like you don’t have a boyfriend. Are you Mary Amaka?

I’m not Mary Amaka oo.

There’s no Mary in my name to start with.

So you have a man in your life right?

Being in a relationship has got nothing to do with the way I talk. I just have a perfect understanding about things now. So whether I have or not I’d like to keep that part of my life discreet for now.

That means you have a boyfriend because I remember vividly in 2012, you emphatically said you didn’t have time for men I already told you I now have a better understanding about life. I’m grown than I was so I have a better way to say things now without coming out directly.

He must be jealous seeing how men flock around you then If you say so.

Which information about you was let out to the public you wish remained secret?

None so far.

But you must have been misunderstood somehow?

Yes I have been misunderstood. The last time I said I preferred money to love, it got people talking and I was obviously misunderstood there. I never condemned love but everyone thought I did.

I am sure you’re not even thinking about marriage right now?

I won’t make that open either. My private life will remain private until I choose to make it public.

For every time you refuse to answer, that means there’s something secretly cooking. We take that as a yes. So you are about to get married. Congrats Congrats? On what?

You’re trying to force words into my mouth and I’m so refusing. No way!

So what’s your fashion taste like?

I’m not so into fashion.

Funny enough it’s my sisters that choose how I combine my dresses. I just love good and fine clothes but I don’t know much about fashion generally.

Do you think you will make a good wife?

Will anyone actually say no? Well, I’m sure I will.

What makes you sure?

I am because I have a perfect understanding about being a good wife. I’ve seen women in their husband’s houses and I’m quite close to my elder sister who’s married. I’ve come to understand how good she is in being a wife so maybe I learnt from her.

When is your song dropping?

It’s already out. It was released on Friday, September, 12.

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ike it or not, apron trousers are beginning to flood the fashion world, and before you know it, more fashionistas will begin to buy into it.

For now, the only celeb who recently caught its bug, is Beyonce who rocked a white apron pant with a jump top…perfect look!

Of course, the unique style was got from the popular chef aprons worn over clothes to keep stain away when cooking meals…and you too can pull that perfect apron look combining it with any blouse or shirt, depending on the type your personality chooses.

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014

21

metro (lagos)

Bolar Community: An Eldorado In a Cesspool

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s you drive from Ikeja towards Ojota on Kudirat Abiola Way, the gate to your left at Olusosun bus stop leads you to a community popularly referred to as Bolar which literally means dumpsite or refuse bin in Hausa language. It is a community where multimillion naira business takes place on a daily basis. It could be described as a slum or a junkyard or better still, a goldmine in a cesspool. FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON reports on the lifestyle and the numerous recycling activities that go on in Bolar community which is otherwise known as the Olusosun dumpsite.

It was noisy and bustling. The flurry of lorries charging in and out of the gateway to the expanse of land is a characteristic of the place. They are all heading to one destination; Bolar, a community where multi million naira business goes on, on a daily basis.

Alhaja Abayomi Adelaja Drive on Olusosun bus stop is one of the busiest districts of Lagos. It is the road that takes you to the Bolar community.

As you walk down, to your left is a private Nursery and Primary School. For a first time caller, one would think it is one of those industrial roads in Lagos except for the horrifying smell that ushers you in. As you move down to the end of the drive, you behold a sight, a gory sight characterised with the pungent smell from the stench all around. One will quickly want to leave to at least get respite from the offensive smell oozing out of the place.

On a closer observation, the stench notwithstanding, you see not only the lorries and container vehicles, you also see men and women claded in tattered clothes and seemingly uniform rain boots, they march ruthlessly on the terribly decomposing soil that opened up to the different sections that catered to their needs. At the time when work was at a lull, they were either sipping spirits or smoking cigarette if hemp was temporarily unavailable. The government called it Olusosun landfill but the people in the neighbourhood simply refer to the place as Bolar while passersby would call the place Olusosun dumpsite which indeed is the deposit of the greatest chunk of household and industrial wastes generated in Lagos.

Although Oladimeji Oresanya, managing director of the Lagos State Waste Management told local media about two years ago that the Olusosun landfill will become a beautiful landscape

that will look like a golf course, however, the state of the place is a far cry from being a golf course as promised. Instead the place has become a filthy ‘course’ dotted by stacks of sickening excreta, heaps of stinking refuse and an atmosphere reeking of cigarette and hemp. Stashed between those mountainous stacks of decaying refuse are wooden tables bearing on-sale odds and ends; grungy mattresses on which hungry and homeless young men and women pass their nights; and some scruffy bowls bearing food for the purchase of workers. It is this odour that welcomes visitors to Lagos through the heavily plied Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. From as far as Seven-Up, a popular suburb on the outskirts of the city, the prevailing smell is perceived. Over the years, the dump has earned for itself the nasty reputation of being the single biggest waste-related generator of environmental pollution and health endangerment in the city.

Undermining these dangers, you see scavengers from everywhere going to and fro in their tattered raiment and their rain boots going about their business passionately looking for one nothing or the other. A lame man would call it nothing but in the real sense of it, these scraps are a set of goldmine in disguise. They dig into the stench with so much passion and with eyes for every detail that matters to them as if they are digging up for a treasure. You will almost not be able to differentiate between a human being and the heap of dirt until you see them move.

While speaking with Daily Times although pleaded anonymity, Mohammed Abass who said he has been into the business of selling scraps for over five years disclosed that he makes N30, 000 every week, pointing out that on a good day he could make as much as N6,000.

Another scavenger who simply would prefer to be addressed as Umar described scrap business as a good one. He disclosed that he makes over N100, 000 in a month, adding that his younger brother is also into it.

For Abibat Aderoju who deals in plastics, she etches her living selling scraps of containers, mostly plastics. For her, business is good making about N3, 000 to N4, 000 a day to cater for her four kids. One would wonder what these unkempt looking people are looking for all around the place but indeed, theirs is a case of much ado about something that is worth it after all.

Azeez Mohammed another scavenger said that

while iron scraps sells for between N30, 000 and N35, 000 per ton, ten tons which is about tentyre truckload costs N350, 000 but a truckload of scrapped aluminium costs about 4 times higher.

“Scrapped aluminium costs N120.00 per kilogram weight, and iron and plastics scraps cost N30.00 per kilogram but that is company price.

We buy in small quantities which at the end of the day add up to any amount. But usually, we buy cheaper and sell higher to companies. But sometimes, we sell at a loss especially when the measured weight of scraps you bought drops,” said Azeez.

Although, scrap aluminium business has a lot of profit but others are also into the business of paper and nylon recycling business. Salewa Banji, a mother of two who has been into the business for about six years explained to Daily Times that the business of paper recycling is a very lucrative one as they sell the papers in tons to tissue paper companies who in turn buy from them to make tissue papers with.

“I have been into the business for about three years and it is quite a good business. We sell the papers in tons to companies producing toilet rolls and it is a moving one. I make about N5, 000 to N6, 000 on a daily basis if the sales is good. Although this season is not a friendly one for this business because the rain destroys paper” she said.

However, for those who do other businesses around the area like the mechanics and residents around the area, they have a different story to tell.

The concentrated stench emanating from the site into the air and the surrounding residential and business streets of Ojota is indeed a menace and it is the worst woes of people who work and live around the place.

The oozing stench, according to Abdul Adebayo, who manages an engineering outfit in the district, is deadly.

“The place is not only an eye sore but also a nose sore. Whenever it rains, you won’t believe the type of odour that comes from the place,” he said in a sombre, sorrowful tone. “It’s poisonous and injurious to human health. You will not but cover your nose.”

For Tajudeen Abalaba a businessman, he calls for the relocation of the dumpsite because it is causing lots of problem to people living and doing business in the neighbourhood. “The odour is bad for human health. My appeal to the Lagos

State Government is to relocate this dumping site to another area,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by John Adedoyin; a legal practitioner in the area who seems fed up with the issue and was reluctant in discussing the issue. “It is incomprehensible how any responsible government would site a dumping ground in a business and residential area. The odour from the site is hazardous to animals, let alone humans.”

Shrugging his shoulders in a moment of inadvertent resignation to fate, he hurled more scathing words at the government. “I cannot understand why this site cannot be moved to a remote, undeveloped part of Lagos; I just can’t. We have begged this government; we have written letters; we have cried out our pains. But it looks like no one is listening,” he said. “It is so unjust. Anyone who knows the history of Olusosun will acknowledge that government has been unfair to us.”

According to John, history has it that “some four decades ago in the early 70s, the expanse of land that now house the dumping ground was a shooting range. It was a land the federal government literally strolled to at the end of the tragic Nigerian Civil War of 30th July 1967 to 15th January 1970, when government infamously assumed control of a number of abandoned properties.

As the years wore on, families who owned the land regrouped and headed for the court for a shot at its recovery. In year 2000, the court ruled that the shooting-range-turned-dumping-ground should be returned to their original owners. Although government made a frail attempt at complying with the ruling by releasing a portion of the land, it has retained a part of it without compensating the owners in any way.

Yet, it is public knowledge that fears on the health implications of living and working around Olusosun is well-founded,” explained John digging into history.

Although the area is generally referred to as Olusosun but the dumpsite is particularly called Bolar, a name that is said to have emanated from the fact that scavengers are generally called Bolar which must have been the reason the community has overtime being referred to as Bolar.

Despite all the issues, people who are into selling of scraps and recycling will rather see the Bolar community as a goldmine whether or not in cesspool; what matters most is that they are making their millions!

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

22

metro (abuja)

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his has nothing to do with the cliché “What a man can do, a woman can do better”. It is a tale of extreme poverty which has forced these women, most of whom are faced with the difficult task of providing for their families, into the tough business of manual stone crushing around Federal Capital Territory. AUGUSTINE AMINU was in Suleja, Niger state to chronicles how they risk their health daily, to support their families . . .

Mama Issac, as she is fondly called by neighbours, began her day as early as 5a.m with a prayer. After that, she helped her two children: seven-yearold Isaac and five-year-old Emma, both pupils of the government-owned Poulosa Primary School, Suleja, Niger State, prepare for school.

She could only afford pap, without akara, for the family’s breakfast. Her children drank it happily. Once it is 7:30am, the children leave for school and with her baby strapped to her back, she heads straight to the quarry where she crush stones for her livelihood.

For lunch, she stowed away a plate of pap, a sachet of Paracetamol and a jar of Aboniki balm. She heads straight to the base of the gigantic rock, which used to be occupied and operated by a quarry company, Poulosa Nigeria Ltd. Located in Rafin sanyi area of Suleja local government area of Niger State, the quarry site is a source of livelihood for scores of women who have had unpleasant spells in extreme poverty.

Mama Isaac exchanged pleasantries with the other women, spread her wrapper on the ground and helped her toddler sit on it. All done, she took to her daily task: crushing rocks.

At noon, she took a break.

Her children would be back from school by 12.30 and they would expect lunch. Unfortunately, Mama Isaac had not made any sale for the day, so she offered the children N50 to get themselves garri which they consumed quickly.

She smiled at the reporter, with exhausted eyes. “They are hungry, but I am doing my best to train them in the way I can. I know they will be great leaders tomorrow, but how am I going to pay rent and eat if I just sit at home?” She knitted her sweaty brows in concentration as she performed her laborious job.

Stone Crushing:

Making A Living Out Of Pain Like many other impoverished women, she was introduced to the ‘job’ by a “good friend”, as she put it. Without protective attire or gear, Mama Isaac would go into the abandoned quarry, as she hammered rocks with a hammer made of iron bar: her only tool. Each day, she ventured into the rocky terrain and hoped that the crushed rock would be purchased by builders, since her family depended on her ability to break large rocks into gravel to survive. For most of the day, she haggled with builders and tried to convince them to buy a wheelbarrow of crushed rock for N400. When purchased, the gravel is then used to make concrete slabs, and foundations for homes and roads.

“When my husband died, I had no source of income to support my two children or pay rent. My good friend saw my problem and advised me to join them. I had no choice but to join my friends in crushing stones.”

She could not find a job and had no capital to start a better business when her husband, who worked as a guard, passed away.

“When I started this work, I thought I could not do it for long, because of the difficulty in it. But some of the women I met doing the job encouraged me to go ahead. First, I had serious pains in my joint, but the women recommended some drugs and herbs for me. I was relieved after taking them.

“People are now building their own houses here and it means we have to work extra hard to meet their demand.”

When business was good, she made between N8, 000 and N10, 000, but on normal day sells made between N3, 000 and N5, 000. Unfortunately, half the money would go into buying drugs for herself.

“When I started, I used to drink panadol almost every day.

Sometime ago I fell seriously ill and was rushed to the hospital, so I was advised by the doctor

to take proper medication and these drugs cost a lot of money.

“But I thank God now, because I feel better. I rely on herbs which my friend introduced me to. Most of the other women depend on the herbs which we used to buy from some Yoruba women.”

Usually considered a man’s job, the rising spate of unemployment and poverty gave rise to manual rock-crushing.

Surprisingly, all the workers on this site were women.

Mama Isaac had no shelter to work under, as she squatted under a mango tree to break rocks. Her face and legs were covered in stone dust, as she sat on the ground. She had a scarf around her head, as it prevented her hair from turning brown from the dust. Her once smooth palms had become calloused and rough, because of the stones and hammer she held daily.

Being a single mother encouraged her to work harder.

“It is difficult to lift heavy

stones and break them into smaller pieces every day, but what can you do when all my children are looking up to me?” she asked.

Like many of the crushers, Mama Isaac said she had no regular customers; reason why she made no consistent income.

“Now that it is raining, some of the builders have stopped work. Sometimes, I sell once in a month or after a month. If I don’t sell, we sometimes go without food or I have to borrow money to buy food and pay rent from friends,” she said.

Meanwhile, manual rockcrushing had affected the health of some of the women. Asabe, one of Mama Isaac’s colleagues, developed chest pains and eye problems and eventually decided to visit a health clinic. The doctor told her that the pains resulted from extreme exertion of the chest muscles.

“I have developed eye problems and the doctors say I am at risk of contacting either tuberculosis or asthma. I have no

choice but to continue working,” said Asabe.

The injuries and illness small-scale cup in the line of duty are numerous and most times, fatal. However, a medical doctor, Dr. Charles, resident in Suleja told our correspondent that the silicon crystalline, from the crushed rocks, lead to skin irritation and in most cases, acute dermatitis. Inhalation of same could also result in irritation of the lungs and mucus membrane.

“Some manual stonecrushers exhaust the elasticity of their joint and end up straining limb and facial muscles. They also stand risk of injuring their hands and eyes,” he said.

Most of the women said they hoped to, one day, find something else to do, besides breaking rocks and wished they would own shops in their old age.

“I am really tired of breaking stones; all I need is a job.

I don’t mind whether I am employed as an office cleaner,” said Asabe.

She said crushing of stones by women was a business that had helped them fight poverty in their immediate families, though it was one they would not let their children inherit, because of its hard nature and the effect it was having on their health.

She said those of them who found themselves doing the job worked hard to ensure that their children would not do same to earn a living.

“We are doing this job, not because we want to do it, but because there is no alternative available to us. It is a very difficult job, even for the men. But you can see that most of the people doing it here are women. We use these hammers on the rocks until they are crushed into smaller sizes. After that, we separate the rocks according to sizes. When you do that job for one day, you would like to rest for a week, at least. But no way! We still come out the next day.”

Compared to some of the other women. Most of whom were widows; Asabe ended her day at the quarry on time, so as to go prepare dinner for her husband.

“Even at that, we still do our usual work at home when we get back. We wash plates, cook, sweep the house and bath the children”.

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014

23

arts & culture

EGUNGUN:

The Seen Spirits?

By Desola Akindele

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hat have you believed about Egungun? That they are masquerades or mere symbolic manifestations of the ancestors or spirits? Or men and boys dressed up in elaborate cloth and raffia costumes and dance, jeer, or joke depending on who they are manifesting? Up to now, you must have believed masquerades to be nothing more than myth, folklore and tradition.

It will shock you to know that true masquerades are always dangerous. They can kill, steal your soul, take your mind, take your past, rewrite your future, and bring the end of the world even. But, the most interesting thing is that they are an important and crucial part of the Yoruba history and a spectacle to behold in our lifetime.

In Nigeria, there is a story for everything. Among oral traditions in the Yoruba tribe, there are lots of stories about Egungun cult and how it sprouted up among the Yoruba race. Whether it is true or not, it is an interesting tale.

Egungun is a deity with a colourful view; it is one of the greatest divinities in the land of Yoruba. According to the myth, Egungun became a known deity in two different ways. One of it will be discussed today. In the beginning, Egungun was among the great divinities (Irunmoles) that came directly from the heaven beyond .

The history made us aware that there once lived a great man whose name was called Lapanpa , he was the one that started the cult of EGUNGUN. According to an ‘Ifa’ verse, God gave Lapanpa, Egungun to bring to the physical world but it looked like a Shea-butter. The sun’s heat began melting the Shea -butter brought by Lapanpa.

He thought of what he could do to protect the Shea-butter from melting away, he later hid the remaining ORI (Sheabutter) in his mouth to prevent it from total melting and wasting away.

On getting to the physical plain of existence, he wanted to utter some words saying “MO TI DE” translating “I have come”, before he could utter such powerful words, his voice changed because the Shea-butter had melted and slipped into his throat .

His voice changed and resembled not the voice of his contemporaries. He was ashamed of his voice, his character and his life. He was planning what to do to prevent the shame. He decided to cover his own head with cloth. Whenever he wanted to speak out, he noticed a strange voice, completely different from the normal voice of his generation of his days, thus, people became exceedingly gripped with fear. People started to revere him that consequently resulted into “EGUNGUN CULT” which means oracle from heaven or deity from unknown that represent spiritual past of the people.

In the broadest sense of the word, Egungun refers to all types of Yoruba masquerades or masked, costumed figure.

This same word, however, when used in its more specific, common sense, refers to the Yoruba masquerades connected with ancestor worship.

EGUNGUN really means “bone,” hence “skeleton,” and Egungun himself is supposed to be a man raised from the dead. The part is acted by a man disguised in a long robe, usually made of grass, and a mask of wood, which generally represents a hideous human face, with a long pointed nose and thin lips, but sometimes the head of an animal.

Egungun appears in the streets by day or night indifferently, leaping, dancing, or walking grotesquely, and uttering loud cries. He is supposed to have returned from the land of the dead in order to ascertain what is going on in the land of the living, and his function is to carry away those persons who are troublesome to their neighbours.

He may thus be considered a kind of supernatural inquisi-

tor who appears from time to time to inquire into the general domestic conduct of people, particularly of women, and to punish misdeeds. Although it is very well known that Egungun is only a disguised man, yet it is popularly believed that to touch him, even by accident, causes death.

In community settings, Egungun priests and initiates that are trained in ancestral communication, ancestral elevation work and funeral rites are placed in charge of invoking and bringing out the ancestors. Elaborate costumes adorn the Egungun masqueraders (dancers), and through drumming and dance, these dancers become possessed with the spirits of the ancestors. The Egungun then spiritually clean the community and through exaggerated acting/miming, demonstrate both ethical and moral behaviour that occurred since their last visit, exposing the strengths and weaknesses of a community with hopes of encouraging behaviour more befitting of their descendants.

Once this occurs, messages, warnings and blessings are doled out to spectators.

A crowd always stands round watching, at a respectful distance, the gambols of an Egungun, and one of the chief amusements of the performer is to rush suddenly towards the spectators, who fly before him in every direction in great disorder, to avoid the fatal touch.

To raise the hand against Egungun is punished with death, and women are forbidden, on pain of death, to laugh at him, speak disparagingly of him, or say he is not one who has risen from the dead. “May Egungun cut you in pieces,” is an impreca-

tion often heard.

Egungun is thus at the present day a sort of “bogey,” or make-believe demon, whose chief business is to frighten termagants, busybodies, scandalmongers, and others, but it seems probable that originally he was regarded as the incarnation of the dead, and that the whole custom is connected with manes-worship. In June there is an annual feast for Egungun lasting seven days, during which lamentations are made for those who have died within the last few years. It is a kind of All-Souls festival, and resembles the Affirah-bi festival of the Tshi tribes. Moreover, Egungun also appears in connection with funeral ceremonies. A few days after the funeral an Egungun, accompanied by masked and disguised men, parades the streets of the town at night, and, as in the Roman conclainatio, calls upon the deceased loudly by name.

A superstitious and half -frightened crowd follows, listening for any response that may be given to the weird cries of the Egungun. A few days later the Egungun, again accompanied by several followers, proceeds to the house in which the death took place, and brings to the relatives news of the deceased, usually that he has arrived in Deadland safely, and is quite well. In return for the good news the family set food, rum, and palm-wine in a room of the house, and inviting the Egungun to partake of it, themselves retire, for to see Egungun eating is death.

When Egungun and his followers have consumed everything loud groans are heard to issue from the room, and, this being a sign that be is about to

depart, the family re-enter and entrust him with messages for the deceased.

Some Important Egungun includes the Oloolu and Alapansanpa, both of Ibadan land.

Elewe of the Ìgbómìnà Yoruba clan, which is common in the towns of Òkè-Ìlá Òràngún, Ìlá Òràngún, and Arandun, is also of particular prominence.

In Brazil, the main cult of the Egungun is found on the island of Itaparica, in the State of Bahia.

Cloth plays an important role in the world of the Yoruba.

Their myths equate nakedness with infancy, insanity, or the lack of social responsibility.

More elaborate dress reflects social power and prestige. In performances honouring ancestors, exquisite cloth is the major medium for the masker’s transformation. An Egungun costume is composed of multiple layers of cloth lappets made from expensive and prestigious textiles, expressing the wealth and status of a family as well as the power of the ancestor.

The composition of an Egungun ensemble has several

distinctive features. The layer worn closest to the masker’s skin, the under sack, must be made of aso oke, the indigo and white strip-cloth. It closely resembles the shroud in which the dead are wrapped. This sack, along with the netting for the face and hands, must completely seal the masker’s body.

The netting effectively disguises facial and hand features that might disclose his identity.

Egungun represent in reality ancestral divinities that shows the belief of ‘Ifa’ devotee in the life after death and the resurrection of every soul in the universe. The remembrance signifies that every soul in the universe must ensure that he works towards making a universe , most especially the physical world a place of learning , and for the redemption of soul to attract the wisdom and light of ‘Oduduwa’- the vibration from ‘Olodumare’; God. When next the Egungun makes a rush towards you, flee from him to escape his touch.

Do not doubt the power of culture, for they are spirits that we can see.

technology Glass –Getting Tough, Touchy and Flexible 24

By Olatunji Makanjuola

H

ave you ever wondered what kind of glass is used on most of today’s electronic devices?

The kind of glass that responds to touch and nowadays we have them curved on new design of smart phones? Well here’s a peek into the ‘glass’ technology in electronics today.

There are a few companies researching and developing these futuristic glass materials and some of them are Asahi Glass (with the Dragontail glass and Nippon Sheet Glass) and Corning Inc. creator of Pyrex glassware.

The leading producer of this kind of glass amongst others is Corning Inc. with its recent technology in glasses called ‘Gorilla Glass’ being its fastest growing product in its history of over 160 years, as it is designed to meet today’s electronic lifestyle.

The Gorilla Glass is very interesting for many notable reasons including its exceptional performance, damage resistance and durability.

The glass is produced by lightweight materials which have undergone extreme processing to create a thin, yet powerful glass that can deliver spectacular visual displays.

You can find the Gorilla Glass technology in your everyday modern devices as it is used by many big brands like Acer, Motorola, Nokia, HTC, LG, Samsung, Lenovo and many more, devices include a range of smartphones, notebooks and tablets.

What’s In It? The glass in unique and can be produced to meet specific requirements depending on the product it

will be used on and also by client specifications. Let’s look at some of the qualities of this Gorilla Glass.

Thinness In Form: Gorilla Glass can be produced at various thicknesses from as thin as 0.4mm to a considerable 2mm, and even at its thinnest, its performance and durability is still upheld.

Superior Surface: In producing the Gorilla Glass, Corning uses its proprietary and highly automated fusion process which produces the superior surfaces as seen on all their high-tech displays.

The glass is exceptionally clean, clear, smooth and flat producing the highest levels of clarity.

Touch Screen Compliance: No glass would be considered an option in manufacturing today’s mobile and touch driven gadgets; here also the Gorilla Glass stands tall.

With strength enough to handle pressures native to such devices as well as thinness to ensure sensitivity, accuracy and response standards.

Damage Resistance:

These days, we all move around with our computers, tablets and smartphones which mean they are exposed to damage at any time as we use them.

Gorilla Glass withstands high levels of accidental use.

It is chemically strengthened and has scratch and impact resistant qualities.

Alhough Apple has been a client of Corning’s Gorilla Glass technologies since 2006then for its first iPhone, word has it that Apple is looking into making its own screens made with sapphire.

If this is in any way true, then it would be a hard hit on Corning as Apple business was what brought the company into the smartphone marketplace.

Now we are seeing phones come in much more diverse shapes, for instance curvy phone pioneers are the LG G Flex and Samsung Galaxy Round.

Corning has been developing Gorilla Glass to make it flexible enough for different kinds of display designs for different kinds of gadgets and wearable tech items, while also working on more economical and speedy production processes.

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014

25

early beginings

Editorial Training School

By Tunji Makanjuola

T

he newspaper industry depends on adequately trained journalists and press technicians in order to fulfil its role of educating and informing the public properly. Unfortunately, facilities for training for the industry in this country have never been adequate, and it was for this reason the Daily Times established format training programmes more than ten years ago.

Before this, new entrants to the profession only received training on the job. But the company’s management soon realized that this system was inadequate, consequently, a process was set in motion for the establishment of a training centre for its crop of new reporters.

The idea materialized

in January 1965 when the company set up an editorial training school at 13 Cooper Road, Ikoyi. A veteran expatriate journalist, Mr. Leslie Riley of New Zealand, was brought to handle the first batch of 10 trainees.

It was a humble beginning.

Lectures were held in a spacious room at Mr. Riley’s residence which went for the training school. The trainees gathered at the frontage of the company’s Kakawa Street premises in Lagos at 8:30 a.m. and were transported by van to Ikoyi where lectures were held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Despite the insufficient number of books provided and the inadequacy of training facilities at the time, the trainees proved very willing to learn.

The training school was later accommodated in a room

at the company’s Kakawa Street premises, and among the trainees who studied there under Mr. Riley were Mr. Gbolabo Ogun-sanwo, a former editor Sunday Times; Mr. Clement Okosun, now acting editor, Sunday Times; and Mr. Andrew Masade.

Others were Mr. Wazee Ajibola, Mr. Bashiru Olukotun, and Mr. Sunny Unachukwu.

When Mr. Riley finally left the country in 1967, the training school was headed

by Mr. Henry Kayode Odukomaiya who has now left the Company. His first task was to groom a new breed of university graduate trainees recruited in June 1967. It was an 18-month intensive course during which the graduates were taught new techniques in various aspects of journalism.

In that first batch of gradu-

ates were Mr. Chris Ikwele who later served as deputy features editor and Mid-West chief correspondent before he left in May 1972, and Miss Dupe Williams (now Mrs. Adeogun).

When Mr. Odukomaiya took up the editorship of the Daily Times in 1969, Mr. Aremu Alabi stepped in as group training editor. Some of the trainees handled by Mr. Alabi included Mr. Samson Amaku, Mr. Bennet Obikwelu and the late George Eze. Those were the first attempts by the Company to organize training programmes for its editorial staff. In spite of this modest beginning, the impact of training was reflected in a marked improvement in the Company’s publications.

In 1970, the Directors of the Company decided to enlarge and improve the scope

of the Editorial Training School. They believed that with the demands continually being made on journalists and mass communicators by the phenomenal expansion in state-owned newspaper corporations, state departments of information, diplomatic missions and industry as a whole, the existing facilities for the training of journalists and mass communicators in general were still grossly inadequate.

On January 28, 1972, the expanded training school was officially opened by Chief Anthony Enahoro, then Federal Commissioner for information.

Manning the school, now redesignated Times Newspaper Training Centre, was Mr. Anthony Momoh, a graduate in mass communication and a senior journalist whose varied experience as reporter,

sub-editor and editor was further enriched with an intensive course for teachers in journalism which he undertook in the United Kingdom in 1971.

One of Mr. Momoh’s assignments is to arrange for lecturers on the various subjects listed on the syllabus and co-ordinate the entire programme of instruction.

Some of these lecturers are on the staff of the Company whilst others are on a parttime basis drawn from Universities and other professional bodies in the country.

Thus, the fledgling editorial school has grown into a comprehensive Training Centre under the management of a five-man board of governors headed by Mr. L. N. Namme, as chairman. Other members of the board of governors are Mr. Emmanuel CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

Editorial Training School

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

Jaja, Alhaji Alade Odunewu, Dr. Omotosho Ogunniyi and Mr. Anthony Momoh.

New trainees at the Centre now have a reference library.

They also have facilities for learning how to take pictures and process slides. Tape recorders are provided of the trainess on field assignments.

The Centre has an impressive set of audiovisual equipment. These include a film projector, a slide projector, a slide control unit, a transparency maker and a duplicating machine.

The first batch of trainees at the reconstituted Centre began a six-week crash course in subediting in February 1972 which was directed by Mr. Geoff Harris, Manager of the IPC Editorial Training School in Plymouth, England, and coauthor of “Practical Newspaper Reporting”, an important textbook for trainee journalists in Britain.

Participants at that course were: Mr. Mac Alabi, Mr. J. O. Odulaja, Mr. G. O. Fariogun, Mr. G. A. Diri, and Mr. J. O. Kusa.

Others were Mrs. Bisi Adebiyi, the late Mrs. Margaret Ikokwu-Dyoma, Mr. Patrick Sanwo, Mr. Gbenga Odusanya, and Mr. John Adollo.

The second in-service course at the Centre in 1972 was doe Junior Reporters of the Daily Times drawn from Warri, Sokoto, Hos, Kaduna, Abeokuta, Onitsha and Lagos. They did a six-month intensive course in newsgathering and reporting, Teeline speed-writing, law of the press, political history of Nigeria, current world affairs, use of English and economics of West Africa.

After the first three months, participants at this Junior Reporters Course were assigned to Daily Times publications for practical work. The reporters, who passed out in August were: Femi Ogunleye, Sam Ogwa, Augustine Akaeme, Femi Onayemi, Umar Abdulkadir, Remi Ojebode (Mrs.) Taju Danmole and John Balogun.

Another course – this time for press photo-graphers – was launched on August 20th 1972 at the Centre and was jointly sponsored by the

Company and the Commonwealth Press Union in UK. The 16 participants were drawn from all the media in Nigeria, including the defunct Morning Post, Nigerian Tide, New Nigerian, Daily Sketch, Renaissance (now renamed Morning Star) Nigerian Observer, the leader (a Catholic newspaper), Daily Times, NBC/TV and WNBS/WNTV. An expert in press photography from UK, Mr. Eric Hale, was invited to Nigeria to conduct this nineday course.

The Basic Course in Journalism is the main course run by the Centre. It is a one-year course of intensive work for beginners commencing in October every year. Recruits for this course are mainly graduates from Universities wishing to make a career in journalism.

Certificates were awarded to successful participants in courses of less than one year’s duration while diplomas were awarded to successful participants in courses lasting up to one year and above.

General Training & Manpower Development Although editorial training has received much prominence and publicity, journalists were by no means the only professional group catered for in the manpower development programs of the company.

Over the years, the company sponsored and participated in training programmes for Technical Trainees, for Journeymen to up-grade their skills, for the development of Executive management capacity and for the general improvement of competence and productivity.

These various training programmes may be summarized as follows: Technical Training This is a three-year (formerly 5-year) apprenticeship course for production technicians and other engineering staffs. New entrants with a minimum academic qualification of West African School Certificate were given training-on-the-job through attachments to Senior Journeymen technicians CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

DAILTY TIMES – SEPTEMBER 15 -21 2014

early beginings

27

Editorial Training School CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

in various production departments.

To supplement such practical training with theoretical instruction, there is an arrangement with the Yaba College of Technology for the trainees to attend sandwich day-release classes at which the theoretical content of their subjects was taught.

They thus acquire a better appreciation of their respective vocations than if the training were limited to the practical side alone.

Refresher Courses These are short periodic seminars organized from time to time by the Company and by professional bodies in Nigeria and overseas. Selected employees were sent to such seminars to update their skills. Printers, Process Engravers, Engineers and Electricians have benefitted from such programmes.

MR. DAVID ATTAH

Executive Development Executive development programmes were arranged every year for supervisory and senior executive staff, both within and outside the country. Courses organized by the Nigerian Institute of Management on wide-ranging subjects such as financial management, salesmanship, cost control, etc, were found extremely useful and the Company regularly sponsored staffs for NIM courses.

Some staffs of the company have attended packaging and Lithographic courses overseas, whilst Senior Executives at both Divisional and Group levels have also been sponsored for management courses within Nigeria and overseas over the years.

Courses organized by various Nigerian universities, the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Labour, Centre for Management Development and other professional bodies, have also been found useful in the execution of the Company’s manpower development programmes.

During the past six years, co-ordination of these various manpower

development programmes has been a special responsibility assigned to Mr. L. N. Namme in his former capacity as Deputy Managing Director. In 1970, the Company invited Mr. John Veale, a manpower expert from the International Publishing Corporation in London, to come out to Lagos and advise on the setting up of manpower development programmes for the Times Group.

Mr. Veale visited Lagos twice and held extensive consultations with various bodies and individuals and eventually produced a report which recommended, among other things, the creation of the post of Manpower Development Controller responsible to the Deputy Managing Director and working closely with him to implement the programmes. The post was advertised and Mr. Bethel C. Njoku was appointed Manpower Development Controller in February 1971, a post he held for 1 ½ years before he moved to line management to become Deputy Chief Executive of Nigerpak in July, 1972.

Dr. O. Ogunniyi took over as Manpower Development Controller in July of the same year but was soon absorbed into line management as Chief Executive, Newspaper Division, in January, 1974.

Then came Mr. David Attah who held the dual function of Group Personnel Manager and Manpower Development Manager from January 1974 to Match 1976, in which latter capacity, he worked directly with the Deputy Managing Director in implementing manpower training programmes in the Company. Mr. Attah became General Manager of the Plateau Publishing Corporation in Jos. Early in 1976, a new department of Planning and Manpower Development was established, combining both the training function and corporate planning in the Group.

The creation of this new department underlines the importance which the Company attaches to the development of various skills, particularly executive management capacity as its most valuable asset for growth.

SEPTEMBER 15-21 2014 DAILTY TIMES

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opinion

True Friends Of Abia

By Mecha Udo Mecha

M

y state of Abia is in the news and this news is very elating, for so very long we have carried on as if there is no conscience in Abia nay Igbo land. Recently a section of the press has risen to expose the charade that has been going on in the state in the name of governance. The people of Abia have been living in squalor for the past seven going to eight years, their rights are being trampled, and their collective patrimony being so shamelessly pilfered and frittered by a few equally shameless persons masquerading as operators of government. The rot that has been evident all over the state, is it in its decrepit infrastructure; in the denial of freedom of expression and association; or is it in the destruction of the once vibrant economy of the state; or is it in the dominance of thugs and criminals in affairs of state, Abia, and Abians are being badgered on all sides, and for so long, nobody spoke up. Today, people are at least speaking about Abia, and it gives me joy.

I salute the Prince from Ukpo. At Umuahia, he did not say what we did not know, but he said what we have been cowed from saying. Equally deserving of respect is Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, who has courageously accepted, but regretfully, his role in encouraging Abians to go with this government.

I salute the courage of Chief Chikwe Udensi, who factually, truthfully and in a most civilized manner exposed the serial failings of the present government. There are others who have also lent their voices to the call for the arrest of the slide to despotism, anarchy, total decay and brigandage that the state is unfortunately slipping into even as at this moment, I salute you all, but it has to go beyond just talking.

There has also been an outpouring of extremely insulting diatribe from the government’s henchmen, under the guise of a defence for the government. Unfortunately in all these ill advised reactions, the crux of the matter is often obfuscated.

The government people are unable to explain to us the constitutional position of the son of a governor, or even indeed his wife in the democratic dispensation we claim to be practicing, they have not insulted the huge refuse dumps in Aba away, neither have their thugs in their usually unbridled anger bulldozed their way through all the roads in Abia to make them passable again.

They have neither shown us the new investments that this government has attracted to the state nor have they explained to us why the industries they met on ground all lie comatose. They have been unable to understand that their obscene and insensitive billboards, lying side by side with the total absence of any form of governance in state, deceive no one, but only provoke anger and expose them as men of low self esteem. They fail to understand that the billions they spend to launder self battered images compounds their accountability problems.

They have not shown us the true pictures of the following streets in Aba: Ajali Street by Abam Street, Dan Fodio Road, Eziukwu Road, Unity Street, Obiora Street amongst other roads and streets in Aba. They have not accounted for the fish caught from the river on the once very prominent and busy Milverton Avenue. We know that it was the Sun Newspaper’s artist that created the impression of huge refuse on George’s Road Aba, but we expect them to show us the true state of that road.

In their bellicose disposition, they have been unable to explain to us why no new model schools or hospitals are being built in the state, even as that has become the standard practice nationwide.

They have been unable to explain to us why Abia seems to have been excluded from Mr. President’s Transformation Agenda. They have not explained to us why, despite Mr. President’s known desire to visit our state, he has been unable to do so. Could it be because Mr. President would have nothing to commission in the state thereby exposing the underbelly of those who fly his party’s flag in the state

Mecha

and by so doing embarrass himself?

If these men are not able to show us substance they should forever remain quite!

Insults do not build roads, nor do they establish hospitals, they only expose the mental hollowness of those who throw them. We must bring an end to this rent seeking, deceptive praise singing sycophancy. The government in Umuahia needs a breath of fresh air, these demented and misguided souls should leave the government to see reason and address the issues being raised, for they are real and they are true. We need to work to correct them, it is time to take the message and leave the messengers. It is only a true friend that will tell you that your mouth is emitting offensive smells, he will further strengthen that friendship by recommending the right mouth wash and tooth paste for you to use.

I have my fears about the presence of hirelings and false prophets in the Abia government. A study of the bible book of 1st Kings Chapter 22 will reveal the reasons for these fears. Several entreaties have been made and are still being made to this government to turn a new leaf and deliver some semblance of governance in the state, and all these entreaties have been falling on deaf ears. The determination of the government to continue on the part of infamy is simply inexplicable, worrisome and bizarre. I fear that we may just be playing

out a King Ahab situation in Abia. It does appear that the government is now prisoner of some false prophets who pretend to be representing it but in deed are only leading it to total self destruction.

Let us get real and ignore the abuse of the word ‘‘Legacy’’ in Abia, what real legacy will this government leave, come May 29, 2015? What account will it render? It is simply unimaginable and unbelievable that Abia receives and collects the highest revenue in the South Eastern region, yet we remain grossly under-developed both in structure, people and spirit. While it is quite easy to navigate from Awka in Anambra state, to Umuahia within an hour or an hour thirty minutes, the trip from Umuahia to wherever else in Abia becomes a nightmare to be wished away, yet Abia collects and receives more revenue than Anambra. It is important to advice those in government that there is life after government house and there is no immunity after government house. While Mr. Peter Obi straddles all over Nigeria a proud man, what will be the fate of those who will leave government house Umuahia in May 2015 (in a few weeks time)?

I plead with those in government that whatever the people may have done that has irked them so very much that they have decided to visit us with such venom they should find a place in their hearts to forgive us.

This plea is in the interest of our collective selves (the oppressed and the oppressor), for those who throw water sachets from hiding today, will openly hurl offensive missiles in future.

There is still enough time to clean up the city of Aba, repair the roads by filling up the pot holes, clear the drains and the refuse that deface the city and so very much threaten the health of the people, and at least give some measure of service to the people.

The day is already too gone for any major project to be executed, but something can still be done. The challenge thrown by the APGA Youth Leader in paragraph 6 of their advertorial in the Sun Newspaper of 5th September, can still be taken up,

though not immediately, but may be, sometime in April or early May 2015. With the right attitude and spirit this can be achieved.

The friends of this government are those who are pointing out its failings, because they do so out of love for the fatherland. How can it be said that a government came, promised nothing, did nothing but destroyed everything it met? This will not be a fair testimonial for this government except it wants it to be so. Those who ate out of the hands of the predecessors of this government; who today castigate and hurl insults at players in that government; and are shouting themselves hoarse in defence of the present government, will also lead those who will march against incumbents of today, when they leave the stage tomorrow, for tomorrow will surely come. It is in their character for they represent nobody; they stand for nothing and believe in nothing. These are people that must be avoided.

It is time to dismantle the government’s propaganda machinery, as it serves no purpose what so ever anymore. The people are no longer sucked in by the deceptive materials that this set up churns out. The wind has blown and the rectum of the chicken has been revealed; exposing extremely ugly and disgusting sights that needs very urgent clean up.

Whoever imagines that these campaigns of falsehood are making any impact must be suffering from an acute case of schizophrenia. Funds saved from the cessation of these senseless campaigns should be applied to delivering real service to the people This government should be thankful to organizations like the Sun Newspaper for providing them materials with which to storm Abuja.

I second the Prince’s recommendation that help be sought from the Federal Government. To give effect to this, it is hereby suggested that the pictures of Aba, that left my eight year old son’s mouth agape, be forwarded to the Presidency by the Abia state Government. Those images are an embarrassment to the Government of Abia, to President Goodluck Jona-

than, to the Federal Government of Nigeria, to the people of Nigeria as a whole and an insult to Africa. Even pigs will reject such squalid environment. Would the PDP led Federal Government go to campaign in Aba in its present state? God forbid.

Furthermore, the high handedness of the government must be jettisoned for a more conciliatory stance with the people, (politicians and non politicians). Abia is for all Abians, and not for a few, our choices and preferences may differ, but we are all duty bound to allow the full expression of these divergent choices and preference, that is why we are in a democracy, or are we not?.

Genuine efforts must be made to reign in thuggery in the state. A situation where a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is openly harassed by thugs with guns and other dangerous weapons on a Federal highway in broad day light, portend very grave danger to the state and the nation at large. No one should be so deceived that he/she has the sole right to determine who contests an election in the state. Citizens of the country are free to engage in very free and fair electoral contests, it behoves the electorate to either elect or reject them. Contestants must be allowed to have their day in the field.

Alhaji Fintiri of Adamawa state recently won the PDP primaries in the state despite the obvious preference for other candidates by the party at the national level. This is the new trend in the nation’s political space. The demagogues in Abia should wake up and smell the coffee.

It is important that the security agencies deal with the incident of the harassment of Senator Nkechi Nwogu decisively. There are on-going claims and counter claims on the evolution and sustenance of the Boko Haram sect in Northern Nigeria.

The menace, losses and embarrassment that this sect has caused the nation can only be imagined. In the Niger Delta region, it has also been suggested that the militants that terrorized the whole region and the nation for years were products of political thuggery.