Friday, december 26, 2014

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How we averted terrorist attacks on churches –IGP Tight security in Maiduguri, Jos, Kano FCT parks record low turnout amidst threat

OUR CORRESPONDENTS

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he Inspector General of Police, IGP, Suleiman Abba, yesterday

confirmed that plans by terrorists to attack churches during the Christmas celebration were thwarted by the combined efforts of seCONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Participants at the Lafiaji Christmas Fanty Carnival in Lagos, yesterday.

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Stop sowing seed of discord, Jonathan warns politicians …says Nigeria is nobody’s personal estate

Medical doctor killed in Akure fire

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Stop sowing seed of discord, Jonathan warns politicians ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said that Nigeria is not anybody’s personal estate, warning politicians against sowing the seed of discord and making provocative statements that can divide or set the country ablaze.

Jonathan spoke at the Christmas Church Service held at Saint Matthew’s Church, Diocese of Abuja (Anglican Communion).

The President noted that he is always embarrassed when politicians make provocative statements, stressing that such attitude would not help in the progress and development of the country.

According to him, those who take government by violence do not end well, saying that there are examples of such situations in West Africa and other countries.

The President said that as campaigns for the 2015 elections commence in January, politicians seeking public offices should talk about what they want to do for Nigerians and not to sow the seeds of discord.

Jonathan said: “I believe we, the politicians from our utterances. I am very sure that those of you who meant well for this country will never be happy with us.

“As a politician, you want people to elect you to perform a responsibility. If you mean well for the country, the country is nobody’s personal estate but you want to serve. If people want you to serve, you serve, if they say no, you leave, “Nigeria is nobody’s personal estate, Nigeria is nobody’s business enterprise, Nigeria is nobody’s father’s property, it belongs to all Nigerians.

“I get embarrassed when we the politicians, maybe including me make provocative statements, statements that create division among Nigerians, statements that can set this country ablaze. I don’t think that is what a leader should do; I don’t think that is the kind of seed a leader should sow.

“If a politician wants to take power whether at the House of Assembly level, at the House of Representatives or Senate or Governor or President, you don’t

sow seed of discord and enmity because of course, it will consume you.

“As a nation, we know that if anybody who has the privilege of being a governor of a state after serving, he becomes a senior citizen of that state; it is your duty to assist the incoming government.

“If you happen to serve as the Head of Government or as a President of this country, in fact at the

national level, we have the highest authority called the Council of State; the permanent members of the council of state are past presidents and past chief justices of the country. The idea is that they have vast experience in a number of things and they can bring their experiences to bear in terms of advising any president at anytime, that was why that body was created by the constitution.

“But if we abuse ourselves, kill ourselves to be in office, then who will finish serving and still want to attend the Council of State meeting for somebody who probably abuse you through life, it is not possible.

“For a politician to stand up, who is even a Christian to say that if he fails election, he will form a parallel government. What makes him feel that he must win

the election, even me as a serving president, what makes me feel I must win the election, no matter what I think I am. Nigerians will decide who will govern them at the state level, or federal level, state assemblies or the National Assembly in terms of the federal constituencies and the senatorial districts.

“It is not you who is looking for the office to think CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Primate of Anglican Church, Most. Rev. Nicholas Okoh; first Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide and others after the Christmas Church Service in Abuja, yesterday.

How we averted terrorist attacks on churches –IGP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

curity agencies.

Abba, who spoke after monitoring the security situation in the Federal Capital Territory, confirmed receiving intelligence reports of plans by criminal gangs to launch terror attacks on Christian worshippers during the Christmas services in many churches.

The IGP hailed Nigerians for cooperating with the police to ensure a hitch-free Christmas celebration.

He told journalists of how the synergy with sister-security agencies ensured that terror attacks on churches were prevented.

He said the proactive steps taken by all security agencies, as well as the efficient sharing of intelligence helped to forestall such attacks.

“My presence in particular is part of the effort to make sure we live up to expectation. Truly, we continue to receive reports of plans to disrupt the Christ-

mas festivity but the police and other security agencies have all beefed up their operations to make sure that people not just enjoy the festivity but to have a feeling and sense of safety. That is why you can see the number of deployments we have made,” he said.

He expressed delight that as at 3pm when most church services were over, he had not received reports of any attack.

Abba however said that with so many activities associated with the festivity, the police will continue to scale up efforts at protecting Nigerians.

The IGP, who was also at the Jabi Lake in Abuja to monitor the safety of funseekers, however, urged the public to support police operatives in the prevention of crimes.

In Borno State, thousands of Christian faithful in Maiduguri, the state capital thronged the various churches amidst tight secu-

rity.

It would be recalled that the 7 Division, Nigerian Army had on Monday announced a ban on vehicular movement in and around Maiduguri metropolis and its environs following intelligence reports that some group of terrorists were planning to attack the city and cause severe havoc during the Christmas.

Our correspondent, who went round some areas such as Damboa Road, Jerusalem, Maduganari among other places within the metropolis, observed that most of the churches such as E.Y.N Maduganari, Tanki, Wulari/Jerusalem were filled to the brim.

Many people could not travel to their various towns and villages, either as a result of the closure of major roads or the sacking of such communities by Boko Haram insurgents.

Residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital also celebrated Christmas festival

under tight security.

Our correspondent observed that along the major roads in the capital city and environs, stern looking security operatives were seen conducting stop and search operations.

Also, some of the worship centres in and around Jos were heavily guarded by security operatives as worshippers thronged in for Christmas service.

However, unlike the previous year, the popular NTA Children Park, Solomon Lar Amusement Park, Langfield Resort and PRTV playing ground were empty without the usual presence of children and fanfare.

Security operatives like Directorate of State Security Service, DSS, Police, the Special Task Force on Jos crisis, STF, and member of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, were seen patrolling the streets of Jos. Speaking with our correspondent, the state Police

Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Abu Emmanuel, attributed the peaceful conduct of the festivity in the state to the strategy put in place by security agencies and other stakeholders as well as the Grace of God. He appealed to the general public to report any suspicious movement to security agencies close to them so as to nip in the bud any threat to lives and properties in their area.

As at the time of filling this report, no violence was reported in any part of the state and people were seen going about their normal activities.

In Kano, which has also witnessed terrorists attacks, the Christian community celebrated the day under tight security.

All churches however recorded low turnout, though heavy security presence was visible in the Sabon Gari area, which is predominantly inhabited by Christians and non-natives.

Our correspondent reports that heavily armed security men were strategically deployed in all parts of Sabon Gari, which plays host to virtually all the churches in the state. Security operatives were also stationed at popular recreation centres in the area.

Our correspondent observed that due to the recent suicide bomb attacks, church leaders opted for a low key Christmas activities.

Churches also rescheduled the usual late night Christmas Eve activities to hold in the early hours of the evening.

The First Baptist Church for instance, held its Christmas carol from 4pm to 7pm.

Other churches adopted similar a strategy, as worshippers converged and quickly dispersed before nightfall out of fear of the unknown and as part of security measures.

Meanwhile, operators of CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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Friday, December 26, 2014

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CHRISTMAS DAY CELEBRATION

Dana Air Brand Ambassador Bright Akpocha a.k.a Basketmouth, thrilling with a young passenger onboard a flight.

Children having fun near Bar Beach during the Christmas Day celebration in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

L-R: Rev. Olasupo Akinpelu; Primate of the African Church, Most Rev. Emmanuel Josiah Udofia; Bishop of the African Church, Rt. Rev Thomas Ade Fagbayi and Rev. Mobolaji Thompson, during the Christmas service at The African Church Cathedral in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Members of Lafiaji Fanty Association celebrating in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

L-R: Rev. Kenny Oshoba; Pastor Rotimi Oshoba; Miss Omobolanle Lemodoro; Pastor Ezekiel Idowu and his wife, Mrs. Joy Idowu, during the Christmas service at Heaven on Earth Ministry in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: ABIOLA ABDULHAMMED

Fun seekers at amusement park in Alausa, Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

L-R: Bishop of Evangelism and Discipleship, Methodist Church Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Edoka Amuta; Bishop of Tinubu, Rt. Rev. Oladapo Babalola and Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu-Uche, during the 2014 Christmas Day service in Lagos, yesterday.

The Choir of Cathedral Church of St. Michael singing during Christmas service in Kaduna, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

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Friday, December 26, 2014

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Passengers stranded at Lagos airport as airlines hike fares

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undreds of intending passengers were yesterday stranded at the two domestic Lagos airports over hike in fares by airline operators.

The operators capitalised on the Christmas rush to increase their fares.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the air ticket for an hour flight currently ranged from N30,000 to N43,000, depending on the carrier.

This was against N18,000 to N30,000 a few days ago.

Officials of some of the airlines said the rush for tickets was more pronounced on Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, Owerri, Calabar and Port Harcourt routes.

The carriers currently operating commercial services in the country are Arik Air, Aero Contractors, IRS Airlines, Med-View Air and Overland.

Findings at the La-

gos airports as well as enquiries from airline representatives showed that the average fare on the Lagos-Enugu route, which was less than 45 minutes, was N35,000 as against N20,000 about two months ago.

Similarly, the LagosAbuja route attracted an average ticket price of N40,000.

This was against an average of N24,000 recorded some weeks ago.

On the Lagos-Port Harcourt and Lagos-Owerri

routes, it costs between N38, 000 and N45,000.

NAN recalls that, Mr. Yakubu Dati, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, had on December 11 advised Nigerians to make use of passenger service portals.

Dati said that this was to help them plan their trips ahead in order to avoid last-minute stress.

He said the platforms empower passengers

with tools to make the traveling experience seamless for them during periods when there is an upsurge in demand for air transports Some of the passengers who spoke to NAN wondered why fares were always hiked during the festive periods.

Mr. Olumide Faleti, a traveler who was heading to Enugu from Abuja said: “It is funny how things operate here. This is a time to share and not to exploit your passengers.”

According to him, domestic airlines should learn to introduce low cost promotional fares to attract travelers instead of exploiting passengers as a result of the season.

He regretted the dearth of local carriers in the sector, adding that, the few in the business were cashing on the develop-

ment at the detriment of their customers.

Another passenger, Dr Mayowa Olawale, said before now he had been searching for low cost fares online but could not get any.

“I’m on my way to Abuja where my parents reside. I searched on the Internet for promotional fares but was disappointed when I found out that all the carriers going my way had their ticket prices above N35,000,” he said.

Meanwhile, some ticketing officers, who pleaded anonymity, said that the difference in airfares when compared to what they used to be was normal at this period.

“It is normal for airfares to rise, especially during Christmas and as the year comes to an end.

It is not only our airline that has increased fares,’’ he said.

NERC freezes electricity bill hike for residential consumers

T Broad Street during the Christmas Day celebration in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Stop sowing seed of discord, Jonathan warns politicians CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

that you are the best person to be there. Are you the most qualified person even by certificate? Are you telling me your certificate is larger than that of others or you even have more certificates? It is the choice of the people and the will of

God,” he added.

In a sermon titled: “The Jewish Messianic Expectations and 2015 Elections”, the Primate of the Anglican Church, the Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, urged politicians to work towards the peace and progress of the country.

He explained that the 2015 election would be a critical period in the life of the nation, saying that Nigerians have expectations on peace, freedom, security and general prosperity in the country.

Okoh urged politicians to ensure the expectations

of the people are met as they seek elective positions in the 2015 elections.

The clergy urged Nigerians not to play politics with the security situation in the country but to continue to pray for the country to overcome the problem.

How we averted terrorist attacks on churches –IGP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

recreational parks within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, yesterday complained of low patronage In separate interviews with News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja, the park operators attributed poor patronage to the current security challenge facing the country.

A visit to some of the

parks revealed that there was lull in activities at the facilities in spite of the festive season.

Head, Programmes and Events, FCTA Parks and Recreation Department, Mr. Abdulatif Olaosebikan, said that the parks had provided numerous offerings for Nigerians during festive occasions.

Olaosebikan said that

the security situation in the country might have contributed to the low turnout of people at the parks.

He, however, advised Nigerians to be security conscious and support the Federal Government in the fight against insurgency for peace to reign supreme in the country.

A fun seeker in the park, Mrs. Atinuke Ademola, ex-

pressed shock over recent security developments in parts of the country.

Ademola, who was out to celebrate with her family, however, attributed the low turnout to paucity of funds to celebrate the Christmas.

Reports by: Omeiza Ajayi James Abraham Inusa Ndahi and Abdulgafar Oladimeji

he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has frozen the newly-approved tariff for residential consumers till June 2015.

This is contained in a statement signed by NERC’s Head of Media, Mr. Michael Faloseyi, and made available to newsmen yesterday.

The statement said the tariff, which was signed, was a review of the Multi Year Tariff Order, MYTO 2, to factor the losses that were now different.

It said that the new price of gas was usually part of the minor review done every six months.

The statement said that the review had raised the cost of distributing power supply nationwide by the 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos).

It said the tariff was expected to increase for all electricity consumers.

“But because of the commitment that NERC to ensure that consumers are not further disposed to increased cost until there are improvements in supply, which we expect shortly, we have frozen the increment for six months for Residential

consumers (R2).

“We approved an amendment to the MYTO tariff basically which means a new tariff order that continues with the existing framework but now shows a different figure for the remaining five year tariff structure,” it said.

It said with the commencement of MYTO 2.1, NERC would hold electricity distribution, transmission, generation companies and other market operators to the terms and conditions of their licences.

The statement said the measures were being put in place to ensure that the new owners fund their operations and improve electricity supply.

It said the rationale behind the adjustment was to shield ordinary Nigerians from possibility of rates shock that could have accompanied the review.

“The review is imperative on account of the take off date of Jan. 1, 2015 for the transition electricity market and the memorandum of understanding between the CBN and the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

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Xmas Special

Lagos city mall: Revelers sad over closure of cinema

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ome revelers who went to watch movies at the Lagos City Mall Cinema yesterday said they were disappointed by the closure of the cinema.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos that the closure of the cinema was uneconomical and anti-social.

A student, Blessing Brodrick, said the mall used to be one of the good centres to watch movies four years ago.

She said she had advised her parents and siblings to come along to watch a movie not knowing the cinema hall was no longer functioning.

“I live on Lagos Island and that is the closest cinema hall to us, except we go to Victoria Island before we can watch movies,

which is not encouraging.

“I am disappointed at the management of the mall. The cinema hall shouldn’t have folded up if not for poor management.

“The management should revive the cinema centre for residents to enjoy rather than going to a far place,” Broderick said.

Mr Emmanuel Edokpayi, a veteran actor, said that the celebration of Christmas this year was not as interesting as that of 2013.

Edokpayi said that in spite of some complaints last year, it was better than this year.

He said the failure of the Federal Government to pay salaries to some of its workers affected their businesses.

“We did not see much

Friday, December 26, 2014

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‘Nigeria will survive despite challenges’ A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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ishop of Kafanchan Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Joseph Danlami Bagobiri, yesterday said Nigeria will survive all plots to plunge it into deep crisis.

Bishop Bagobiri in his Christmas homily also said Nigerians must intensify prayers and sin-

cerely worship God for the country to contain challenges.

The bishop said, “Nigeria our beloved country will survive the myriad challenges that beset her particularly in the area of security of life and property, fear resulting from political instability, threats of hunger and diseases following structural decay and cor-

ruption. This is the hope that spurs us on as we celebrate yet another Christmas.

“The mystery of this event tells us that the Lord our God is on his sovereign throne with his eyes fixed on our nation. He is in charge of its affairs and not the terrorists or those who prophesied doom for our nation because of the coming elections.”

On prayer for peace during Christmas, he explained: “When we talk of peace therefore, we mean the tranquility of order, a situation of justice and rightly ordered social relationships that is marked by respect for the rights of others, which in turn allows citizens to live out their lives to the full in calm and joyful development.”

Emulate Christ, cleric urges citizens JUSTIN TYOPUUSU JALINGO

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he priest in charge of St. Justina’s Parish in Mayo-Dassa Jalingo, Rev. Fr. John Jerome Lekkei, yesterday enjoined parishioners and Nigerians to emulate the qualities of Jesus.

Rev. Lekkei stated this while delivering his homily to mark the birth of Jesus Christ.

According to him, Jesus did not only preach the gospel like other prophets in the Bible, he went the extra mile to sacrifice himself for our sins.

“We have to emulate the qualities of Jesus among which are compassion, forgiveness, truthfulness, kindness and love for others, among others,” he

said.

He enjoined Nigerians to go the extra mile in helping others in their time of need as well as contribute their quota to the development of the country and stop shifting blames.

The cleric expressed hope that the birth of Christ, which signifies peace and love, would equally bring peace in the country and called on Nigerians to do their part and intensify prayers for peace in the country.

The Christmas celebration was generally low-key in the state and many residents who spoke to National Mirror cited lack of money and insecurity in the country, particularly in north east as reason.

Staff of Heritage Bank Ltd presenting gift items to Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospices as part of the bank’s commitment to spreading joy during the yuletide season, in Lagos, recently.

Archbishop urges Nigerians to contribute to prisons reform

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rchbishop of Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, yesterday urged Nigerians to contribute to the ongoing reform programmes in the country.

Okeke made the call at a special Christmas Mass at the Catholic Cha-

pel, Onitsha Prisons, in Anambra State, as part of programmes to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.

He said the Church would continue to assist the Nigerian Prisons Service, NPS, to enable it became a true reformatory ground for inmates.

The archbishop, how-

ever, called on the inmate to use Christmas to rededicate their lives to God and turn away from wickedness; adding, “It is only through this change that the season could make meaning and impact on our lives.”

The cleric reminded the inmate that the Church, government

and individuals still love them and would continue to show love to them through continued prayers.

The Deputy Controller of Prisons in-charge of Onitsha Prisons, Mr Julius Ezugwu, thanked the archbishop for the love, care and concern shown to the inmates.

Ogor preaches love, celebrates with orphans THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

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ouse of Representatives’ Deputy Majority Leader and member representing Isoko Federal Constituency of Delta State, Leo Ogor, has called on Christians and all Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of Jesus Christ by extending love and care to the poor in the society.

Ogor made the call yesterday while celebrating Christmas with orphans of Ascension Grace Outreach Centre in Irri, Isoko South council area.

According to the lawmaker, yuletide is another season for Christians and others to close ranks, especially during this trying time of insecurity in the country, and urged all citizens to live in peace and love

as exemplified by Jesus who paid the supreme price of redemption for mankind.

Ogor, accompanied by friends and political associates, said he embarked on gesture because he was proud to associate with the kids, even as it was an opportunity to identify with them and their success.

The deputy majority leader, who a month ago adopted over 360

orphans, explained that he took a leaf from Matthew 25:35 which postulates: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Earlier, the founder of the Children Revolution Foundation, Rev Precious Abraham, appealed to the gathering at the church service on

some of their challenges which include hostel accommodation for the orphans, which is currently under construction through the effort of the federal lawmaker.

Hallmark of the celebration was award of scholarship, free medical services to the orphans by Dr. Paul Oweh, free bag of rice on monthly basis by Barr Paul Emerhana and donation of other materi-

als to the home.

Ogor

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Friday, December 26, 2014

Gombe Christians celebrate peacefully

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hristians in Gombe State yesterday marked this year’s Christmas peacefully, as they attended services in their new attire and in an orderly manner, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports.

A NAN correspondent who went round the towns reports that most people came out at 8 a.m. and went to their respective Churches.

Security agents such as policemen, personnel of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, State Security Services and other security agents were all seen in Churches maintaining law and order.

Members of the respective Churches were also seen controlling worshippers and conducting search to ensure peace and order.

Reverend Danjuma Bambela, the Pastor at

ECWA Church II, Gombe, enjoined Christians to celebrate the Christmas according to Christ injunction.

He urged them to share whatever they had with the needy and the poor and to avoid atrocities in the name of celebration.

He said; ‘’If you celebrate Christmas committing atrocities, remember, Jesus will say to you, I came but you did not receive me.’’

He called on the people to celebrate the day without committing sins such as drinking alcohol and unlawful sex among other vices.

Reverend Rukun Gayus of ECWA Good News, G.R.A. Gombe, describe Christmas as the greatest gift to mankind by God. He urged Nigerians to work toward saving one another and making lives comfortable to all.

Xmas Special

National News

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Christmas not just about merriment, say clerics C

lerics yesterday urged Christians not to be carried away by merry making; rather they should reflect on their lives, their neighbours and the nation.

The clerics who said this while delivering sermon, said the birth of Jesus was in the most humble circumstance.

Most Reverend Kanu Uche, the Prelate, Methodist Church of Nigeria, said the birth was the inauguration of a new kingdom of righteousness and peace.

Most Reverend Adebola Ademowo, the Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, urged Christians to turn to God in prayers for peace and progress to return to our country.

The Dean Emeritus prayed that God, ‘’who brought us this far to see this Christmas season would see us through to the New Year.’’

He prayed that the season would usher for Nigerians new hopes and abundant blessings, adding that God would shower his love

and protection especially our country Nigeria, so that we may unite in love and peaceful co-existence.

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Reverend Adewale Martins, called on the National Assembly to re-examine and pass into law more relevant bills that would adequately protect Nigerian citizens against all forms of brutality.

Martins said that the call has become relevant in view of the many cases of assault reported.

He said it was worrisome that some law en-

forcement agents who had sworn to protect the lives and property of citizens, had allegedly turned against the very people they were meant to protect through acts of unwarranted brutality.

Pastor Femi Asiwaju, Former Vice President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Lagos State chapter, said Christmas was a time for reflection ‘’by asking ourselves if we are truly living for God, and how we are affecting the wellbeing of this nation.’’

Benue workers celebrate without salaries

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ome government employees in Benue State said they were celebrating Christmas in high spirit in spite of the state government’s inability to pay their salaries.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the workers, who were being owed four months’ salaries, appeared to have shunned all grievances against the government.

Reports also had it that the workers, however, said they were not happy that the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, was trading their welfare for political reasons and other benefits.

“Comrade Simon Anchaver‘s leadership of the state NLC has shown clearly that it is not capable of fighting for workers’ welfare.

“First, Anchaver used NLC chairmanship position and the workers welfare to bargain for his 2015 governorship ambition which he eventually lost to Prince Terhemen Tarzoor.

“He contested election without resigning his appointment with the state Ministry of Agriculture

because of his closeness to the governor.

“He does not have the interest of the workers at heart; all he does is look for ways of enriching himself and build his political career,” a teacher in Gboko Local Government said.

The teacher, who pleaded anonymity, criticised the NLC leadership in the state for failing to support them at the expense of their personal ambitions.

“NLC in Benue has become a political party where only party issues are being discussed instead of the welfare of members.

“Can you imagine that the NLC Chairman, on December 24 at about 4:00 pm, ordered all workers to embark on a three-day warning strike should the government fail to pay salaries?

“Anchaver declared strike when he knew very well that the Federal Government had declared December 25 and 26 as public holidays to mark the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

L-R: Deputy Chancellor, Diocese of Lagos, Justice Adedayo Oyebanji; Diocesan Bishop of Lagos and Dean Emeritus of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Adebola Ademowo; Chancellor, Lagos Diocese, Justice Adesola Oguntade and Deputy Chancellor, Asaba Diocese, Justice Sybil Nwaka, during Christmas Day service at the Cathedral Church of Christ in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Yuletide: Bauchi police beef up security EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

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he Bauchi State Police Command said it has beefed up security to contain the alarming rate of terrorism throughout the Christmas and New Year

period This is just as the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has urge Christians to reflection the teachings of Christ in their dealings during the yuletide The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,

Mohammed Haruna, who made the statement in a chat with newsmen in Bauchi, said the command will explore its intelligence network to provide better ground throughout the festive period Haruna added that the

‘Nigeria needs prayers’ WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

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igerians have been urged to pray for the country at this critical time of its political history.

Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Rasak Atunwa, who made the call in a Christmas

message in Ilorin, said people at this point in time should supplicate to God for restoration of peace and stability in the nation While felicitating with Christains on the occasion of Christmas, Atunwa noted with displeasure that what Nigeria was currently un-

dergoing called for sober reflections and concerted efforts by all stakeholders to salvage it from her current predicament He admonished Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of tolerance, honesty, piety, humility and kindness of Jesus Chirst to further make the country a worthy place to live in.

command has deployed its men to strategic areas of the state, ready to contain any act of lawlessness “We are not going not to relent in our readiness to combat terrorism as we are not going to spare any person found with questionable habit,” said Haruna.

In the same vein, Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Reverend Joshua Maina has urged Christian in the state to reflect the teachings of Christ in their endeavours.

Maina said Christmas is meant to extend olive branch to people irrespective of their background, saying the birth of Christ justify salvation.

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14,000 Nigerian pilgrims airlifted to Israel –Opara

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HOMELESS AT CHRISTMAS: A destitute at Oshodi under bridge in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: ABIOLA ABDULHAMMED

Corruption: Military clears officer over letter to Jonathan INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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he Nigerian Army yesterday exonerated the commanding officer of 103 Battalion, Lt. Col. Anthony Wende, over a purported petition written to President Goodluck Jonathan on the counter-insurgency operations in the North East.

Some online medium had recently reported that a letter was written by the commanding officer to the president alleging corruption and that the military did not have the requisite weapon to prosecute counter-insurgency war against the Boko Ha-

ram terrorist group.

But at a press briefing at the Headquarters of the 7 division in Maiduguri, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of the division, Col. Sani Usman, said the Nigerian Army has investigated the petition and discovered that the officer was not the author of the letter.

“The petition was carefully studied and investigated by the Nigerian Army and as part of this process; forensic analysis by relevant security agencies was carried out.

It was discovered that the allegations were spurious and baseless as the

commanding officer had nothing to do with the petition. He has therefore been exonerated,” the army spokesman said.

Usman added that petition was aimed at distracting the army from its fight against terrorism in the country.

“We wish to categorically state that the petition is the handwork of mischiefmakers aimed at distracting 7 Division and indeed the Nigerian Army from its determined efforts in fighting insurgency and terrorism in this nation to a logical and successful conclusion.

“You will recall that the officer’s unit cur-

rently plays a vital role in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria. Under his command the unit along with others have been able to deny the terrorists freedom of action within their area of operations. It is out of sheer mischief therefore that someone is trying to ensure that the name of this gallant officer is smeared for inconceivable reasons,” the army spokesman added.

The officer, who also attended the press briefing, denied ever writing the letter and also denied the report that he was being threatened by the army authority.

Wike accuses Amaechi of funding APC campaign with N30bn land Amaechi bought from the PDP and not the APC. •It’s a lie –Rivers govt them for the Greater Port According to him, “Do DENNIS NAKU

PORT HARCOURT

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overnor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has been accused of spending N30 billion to fund the presidential campaign of the All Progressives Congress, APC. The former Minister of State for Education and Rivers State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Nyesom Wike, made the accusation.

Wike, who made the accusation during a thankyou visit to Ikwerre local government area yesterday, alleged that the develop-

ment had made it impossible for the state government to pay workers’ salaries.

He further accused the governor of using state resources to fund the APC with the hope that he would be picked as running mate to the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.

The PDP governorship candidate said Amaechi was being deceived by the APC leadership to continue to fund the party, adding that the APC leadership had never been interested in selecting the governor as Buhari’s running mate.

Wike stated that the future of Nigerians was in

you know why workers’ salaries have not been paid?

Amaechi spent N30 billion in funding the presidential campaign of the APC. They (APC leadership) allowed him to spend the money and later, they called him mugu (fool).

“The (APC) leadership said we will not make this ‘boy’ who does not respect the President (Jonathan) the vice president. We should know that our future is in the PDP and not the APC,” Wike stressed.

He urged the people of Ikwerre to vote for him and President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that he would review the value of

Harcourt project.

But in a swift reaction to Wike’s allegation, the Commissioner for Information and Communication in the state, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said the PDP guber flag-bearer spoke without fact, even as she challenged him to show proof that Amaechi was funding the APC. Describing Wike’s allegation as false and baseless, Semenitari insisted that nobody would spend such an amount on political campaigns, insisting that the state government will not dignify the allegation with response.

xecutive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, NCPC, Mr. John-Kennedy Opara, yesterday said 14,000 Christian pilgrims had so far been transported to Israel this year.

He said this while addressing the last batch of pilgrims at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Abuja, before they left for the Holy Land.

Opara said that the 2014 pilgrimage ended on Thursday, in line with the calendar of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said the pilgrimage was for moral and spiritual transformation.

He added that the last batch of the pilgrims was unique and privileged people because they were going to celebrate Christmas in the

Holy Land.

“Christmas is all about the celebration of our Lord Jesus Christ and you people are going to celebrate him in his own birth place.

“It is something that many people would love to celebrate in the Holy Land.’’

The executive secretary said Christ is the message for the season and urged everyone to be the message for others to live meaningfully too.

According to him, more than 523 Christian pilgrims comprising four states, namely FCT, Kaduna, Niger and Plateau left for the Holy Land.

He said by 2015, which has another phase of pilgrimage programme, the commission has already commenced arrangement for Easter pilgrimage.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that 3,000 pilgrims have already paid for next year’s Easter pilgrimage.

Experts task network providers on fight against crime

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xperts in security management yesterday called for the involvement of telephone service providers in the fight against crime in the country.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN in Lagos that the service providers were not aiding security agencies enough in crime fighting.

A consultant at SEAL Securities, Mr Gbenga Adeleke, said network providers should use their wide coverage to help track and apprehend suspects and bust activities of crime syndicates.

“Network providers should help in extending the long arm of the law by providing up-to-date information to security agencies whenever it’s needed,” he said.

According to Adeleke, network providers have a wider coverage and this will help security agencies in carrying out their investigations.

The Head of Public Relations at Jill Securities, Mr Brian Nwachukwu, said that telecommunication companies should give crime fighting more

priority in their usual corporate social responsibilities.

“Apart from the usual discharge of corporate social responsibility, telecommunication companies should have synergy with security agencies to rid the country of criminal activities,” he said.

A retired military personnel, who pleaded anonymity, said that telecommunication companies needed to partner with security agencies to raise awareness among the public in crime prevention.

“By partnering with security agencies, telecommunication companies can also create awareness on being security conscious among members of their host community.

“They should take crime-fighting to the grassroots and help make the job easier for the security agencies,” he said.

Another security expert, Mr Ladi Badmus, said by being proactive telecommunication companies would be a step or two ahead of the security agencies in fighting crime.

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News

Friday, December 26, 2014

9

NSCDC to deploy sniffer dogs on election day –CG OMEIZA AJAYI ABUJA

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pparently determined to halt the financial inducement of voters on election day, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has said it will deploy sniffer dogs in election venues and strategic points to guard against

physical transfer of cash.

This was even as the corps said it has put in place every possible arrangement and logistics to ensure a hitch-free general elections in February.

Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ade Abolurin, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday in Abuja, added that

the Department of Peace and Conflict Resolution, Disaster Management Team, crises intervention group, the operations team, Civil Defence nuclear and chemical weapon team as well as the Anti-vandals Squad would all be on ground to assist, rescue and manage crises as they occur.

He however urged the

public to make their complaints known on time for prompt intervention in cases of any emergency.

“Also, the corps sniffer dogs specially trained for election and crowd control are available and capable of detecting anybody in possession of dangerous weapons, carrying money about or any other thing to disrupt election, but

they will not harm any harmless person”, the CG said.

He further tasked the personnel of the corps to partner and synergise with other sisteragencies and allow their various professional trainings to take centre stage by expressing civility in their approach and to work with decorum to serve Nigerians.

The statement which was signed by the Public Relations Officer of

the corps, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, also charged politicians to play by the rules and avoid unnecessary verbal attacks on security operatives.

“The corps wishes to encourage parents to always monitor and steer the activities of their wards. Our youths should not allow themselves to be used as thugs, rather they should ensure their futures by voting responsibly”, the NSCDC boss added.

LASPARK plans 57 new parks, gardens

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Passengers from Lagos State arriving Osogbo through free train transportation provided by Osun State Government for Christmas celebration at Osogbo Railway Terminus, yesterday.

agos State Parks and Gardens Agency, LASPARK, on Thursday said it plans to build 57 new parks and gardens in the state.

Mr Olajide Sanusi, Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the agency, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos that each of the Local Council Development Authority, LCDA, would get one.

According to him, the additional facilities will be categorised based on their locations.

“There will be an Ajaco Park at Alimosho LCDA, Ikorodu Parks and Gardens at Ikorodu LCDA, and Badagry Parks and Gardens at the LCDA among others.

“As the sites for the parks and gardens are sited, they will be made known to the public.

JOHESU flays FG over stoppage of members’ salaries KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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oint Health Sector Union and Assembly of Health Care Professionals, JOHESU, has come hard on the Federal Government, accusing it of stopping the salaries of its striking members.

This was contained in a statement dated December, 23, 2014, jointly signed by leaders of 11 bodies, including MHWUN, NANNM, SSAUTHRIAI, NUAHP, NASUEAI and the Chairperson Assembly of Health Professionals.

According to the body, it was unfortunate that the Federal Government could resort to this, instead of bringing an end to the ongoing strike, adding that “government should be blamed and held responsible for the union’s ongoing strike.

“Instead of the Federal Government to do the needful and demonstrate commitment towards

bringing an end to the plight of Nigerians and health workers by addressing the issues and restoring public health services, it has resorted to stopping the salaries of our members which was not done to members, of NMA and MDCAN that embarked on strike even at the peak of Ebola Virus Disease outbreak,” the union said.

The body emphasised that its members embarked “on dispute of right and not dispute of interest and we shall not succumb to any threat of intimidation and harassment by the government”.

JOHESU in the statement urged Nigerians to bear with its members and understand their plight on why “we have to take this painful, but inevitable action, bearing in mind that we have been on this same issue since year 2010”.

“We wish members of the public to note that it is the Federal Government that should be blamed

and held responsible for the non-resolution of this conflict, since the Federal government have chosen to continually discriminate, marginalise and victimise members of JOHESU nationwide”, it stated The body then urged all members of JOHESU nationwide to remain steadfast on the ongoing struggle and to do everything lawfully possible to sustain the struggle “so as to ensure that the present acts of neo-colonialism and slavery in the health sector are put to a stop”.

While asking the traditional rulers, NBA and the National Assembly members to prevail on the Federal government to accede to its legitimate demands, the union lauded the “tireless efforts of the supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Kabiru Taminu Turaki (SAN) in trying to find solution to bring an end to the ongoing strike action, saying, “we urge him to continue”.

Greatest showbiz secrets of 2014

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x STealk When is small too small?

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South West

Friday, December 26, 2014

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Ekiti workers besiege ATMs for salary ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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ollowing payment of their December salaries on Christmas Eve, public servants in Ekiti State yesterday besieged ATM points to make withdrawals.

The workers, including teachers, who got their pay alerts on Wednesday afternoon, resorted to the use of ATMs as banks in the state capital closed shop for Christmas as early as 12 noon and 2pm that day.

Those who got alerts late waited till yesterday for withdrawals to continue with their Christmas shopping.

However, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of deliberate insensitivity to the plight of workers.

A statement by APC state Publicity Secretary, Hon Taiwo Olatubosun, said “it is ungodly for a leader to enjoy all the bliss that goes with Christmas while deny-

ing the people he leads their entitlements at the time members of their families look up to them for the yearly pleasure of Christmas.”

Olatunbosun said: “On Christmas Eve when our people were supposed to be in celebration mood, Ekiti’s frustrated workers were on queues at ATM points awaiting salary alerts.”

The APC spokesperson said by December 18 last year all workers had received their salaries and Christmas bonus

in addition to their leave bonus, while pensioners were also paid, noting that the governor grudgingly asked the banks to pay workers half of their salaries on the night of December 24 after bitter complaints from workers.

But Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, who refuted the allegation, said the salaries of workers in the state had been paid.

Adelusi, who described the governor as sensitive and responsive, said: “He has started distributing

L-R: Vicar, Cathedral Church of St. James The Great, Mr. Segun Ogunmefun; Peoples Warden, Mrs. Kofo Ogunsola; Bishop of Ibadanland, Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa; Canon Residentiary, Rev. Canon Segun Faleye and Rev. Moses Oladipo, during Christmas church service in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

NULGE slams Ekiti Assembly for opposing council autonomy A BIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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ouncil workers in Ekiti State have criticised the House of Assembly over its rejection of autonomy for local governments in the ongoing constitution review.

The council workers under the aegis of the state’s chapter of Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, accused the seven Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Assembly members of conspiring against the actualisation of council autonomy.

NULGE in a statement by its State Secretary, Mr Victor Adebayo, in Ado Ekiti yesterday, took a swipe at the lawmakers, saying: “We are hugely disappointed by this de-

cision because it simply portrays the legislators as those who don’t have a mind of their own and are not truly representatives of those they claim to represent.

“The decision of Ekiti legislators is a clear case of those who abandoned their constituents when most needed, and this should serve as a lesson to the electorate during the next elections,” it stated.

According to the council workers, it smacks of ignorance and insensitivity for the lawmakers, who were voted for by those at the grassroots, to have killed the opportunity that would have brought development to the less privileged.

The union further stated that the action of the Ekiti lawmakers and their colleagues, who

also resisted the policy across the country, is a case of joining others to do evil.

It, however, expressed hope that despite this setback, “we believe the agitation of the common man in the rural areas will be actualised one day.”

It would be recalled that the factional Assembly of the PDP lawmakers had during its sitting on Tuesday voted against local government autonomy, contrary to the step earlier taken by the All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers in the Assembly, who voted in support.

NULGE stated: “Our union has made it known that the continuous attempt to keep the local governments as mere administrative units has not encouraged the

functionaries occupying positions at the tier of government to maximally apply their initiatives for development.

“All these accounts for why NULGE identifies with progressive-minded Nigerians to advocate the needed financial, structural and economic freedom that would better address the inherent shortcomings that have conspired to bug down the system.

“And instead of members of the Ekiti Assembly to support the laudable efforts anticipated to free the third tier of government from bondage militating against its transformation, they offered to miss the golden chance. They took side with those who are pursuing myopic and selfish interests,” it stated.

Christmas gifts to all categories of people since Monday.

“So, it sounds so unfathomable that a governor that could do that would now abandon the workers, who are critical to this government.

“The APC must re-

alise that no amount of propaganda would bridge the wide gulf that existed between it and Ekiti workers due to high-handedness of the immediate past government led by Governor Kayode Fayemi,” Adelusi said.

Lagos retirees to get N1.5bn under CPS FRANCIS SUBERU

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n furtherance of its commitment to ensure the welfare of its workforce is not neglected after retirement, Lagos State government said it has concluded arrangement to pay another set of 234 retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, the sum of N1.5 billion.

Director-General, Lagos State Pension Commission, Mr. Rotimi Adekunle Hussain, who disclosed this in a statement, stated that the payment is their past service benefits prior to the commencement of the CPS in 2007.

He added that the retirees would receive the retirement benefits during

the 15th Retirement Bond Certificates presentation slated for December 30 at the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA auditorium in Lagos.

Hussain stressed that the present administration has since adoption of the CPS in 2007 taken it as a point of duty and utmost importance to regularly organise the ceremony to present retirees with their benefits.

He added that they have enjoyed such benefits without any rancour or stress.

It would be recalled that a total of 5,530 retirees had been paid N28.9 billion till date with the 14th Bond Certificates presentation held in November 2014.

CMD killed in Akure fire HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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wo weeks after fire gutted a gas station in Akure, Ondo State capital, another inferno yesterday struck the Universal Medical Clinic, razing it down with its 52-year-old owner, Dr David Oguntuase.

According to an eyewitness, the inferno began around 2am until about 5am and gutted the whole building as help did not come on time.

The source explained that the inferno might have resulted due to a candle lit by the doctor who stayed the night in the hospital, possibly extending through the window blinds to other parts of the building.

He said the fire might have been minimal had the fire service arrived the scene on time. He further stated that the intensity of the fire could have been due

to the spread to the oxygen bay, which exploded and woke neighbours.

According to him, efforts by neighbours to reach the fire service on phone did not yield any result, even as some of them strove to put out the fire with water but to no avail.

It was gathered that help could not come from the fire station as its officials lacked fuel in their service vehicles, restraining rescue efforts.

Efforts by people in the neighbourhood to rescue the doctor further failed, it was learnt, because the fire was fast-tracked by gas and oxygen explosion.

The medical doctor was said to have called his wife around 7pm to inform her he would be coming home late and told nurses and other staff on duty to go home and celebrate Christmas with their families since there was no patient in the hospital.

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South East

Friday, December 26, 2014

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Elechi accused of frustrating re-activation of Nigercem ALIUNA GODWIN ABAKALIKI

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ormer Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and senatorial candidate of the party for Ebonyi North Senatorial zone, Obinna Ogba, yesterday accused Governor Martin Elechi of frustrating reactivation of Nigercem cement industry by the Ibeto Group.

Ogba disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital. He added that any attempt by the governor or

any other person to disrupt the ongoing re-activation of the collapsed Nigercem cement industry will not be accepted by the Nkalagu host community.

The PDP senatorial candidate and leader of Nkalagu community, however, exonerated the Ibeto Group of accusation leveled against it by the state government, alleging that the group entered into Nigercem illegally, adding that anyone saying this is a joker.

“What does Governor Elechi wants to gain in frustrating business in Ni-

gercem since he came into power, with few months to completion of his eight-year administration? No meaningful achievement was recorded in the area of industrialisation as not even one mini or major industry was built, rather he is busy frustrating existing ones.

“The company that was once the pride of the Igbo people and has put food on the table of many an Igbo cuts across the five states in the South East, has suffered setback because of Elechi’s resistance to its development.

“Do you know how

many people that have suffered since the collapse of Nigercem as a result of Elechi’s personal interest?

We are saying enough is a enough!”

He noted that “Nigercem used to have the best hospital East of the Niger and since the collapse of the company our people, especially pregnant women have been subjected to critical situations during childbirth and medical attention, but still our governor cannot even give us a functional health centre.

Ogba challenged Elechi to produce any evidence or

court order that restrained Ibeto Group from entering into Nigercem, “All the landlords, communities and the entire clan in Nkalagu have said no to Elechi’s unrepentant stand on Nigercem, just as they declared total support for Ibeto Group in their quest to re-activate Nigercem.

We will give the company all the necessary attention and support to re-activate Nigercem again.”

Ogba accused Elechi of dumping the PDP; “Elechi has abandoned the PDP that gave him ticket to be-

come the governor of Ebonyi State for the past eight years in office,” adding that “he is now using Ebonyi State government money to fund Labour Party, LP.” However, Chief Martin Elechi through his Chief Press Secretary, Dr Onyekachi Eni, had earlier accused Ibeto Group of entering into Nigercem illegally, stressing that the state government had earlier revoked the certificate of occupancy of Bulkcem Cement industry and other companies that have shares in Nigercem.

APGA will sue parties fielding multiple candidates –Umeh CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

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Deputy Speaker, House of Reps and Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Imo State, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha (2nd left) and his wife, Lady Ebere, joining the group ‘’Donaldians Ensemble Ent. Owerri’’ as they render special songs during the 2014 Christmas Carol at his country home in Mbutu, Imo State, yesterday.

2015: Student leaders endorse Ihedioha CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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mo State students’ leaders have endorsed the plan of governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, to introduce free and qualitative education in the state when he is elected into office in 2015.

At a solidarity visit to the governorship candidate at his hometown, Mbutu, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area, the students’ leaders also threw their weight behind the free and quality education policy of Ihedioha, pointing out that, ‘‘it is the only way forward for the collapsed education sys-

tem in the state.’’

Speaking on behalf of the students of the five tertiary institutions in Imo State, Chairman, Council of SUG Presidents and SUG President of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Comrade Nwadike Orient, congratulated the deputy speaker on his emergence as governorship candidate of PDP. “We have followed your activities and progress in the legislature and have seen what you have been able to achieve for the students, women, youths and other sectors of the state.

Besides being a youth like us, you have shown a rare character by fulfilling every promise you have made. We hereby adopt your free and qualitative education policy as the

only way forward for the collapsed education sector.”

The students’ leaders assured the deputy speaker that they would mobilise the entire students to ensure he is elected as the next governor to restore the pride of the state.

Reacting, Ihedioha while wishing them a merry Christmas, said, ‘‘I am humbled and indeed challenged by this singular show of love and solidarity at this critical time of redefining and charting a new course for our state.

As a student activist during my university years, I understand the struggle you have assumed for the collective interest of the youths and indeed the nation. ‘‘I welcome this en-

dorsement and solidarity, which is a clear signal that you are all desirous of a positive and realistic change from the present deceit and corrupt government in Imo State.”

He promised to offer a totally different service from what Governor Okorocha is doing. “I want to restate that I will offer a free and qualitative education to our people based on a well-thought out planning, transparency and result-driven policies.”

He decried the level of decay in the education sector. “What is happening today in Imo State is regrettable and alarming.

How can Okorocha say he is offering free education when under his watch all the structures of education have collapsed?

head of the release of names of candidates being sponsored by political parties to contest the 2015 elections, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, yesterday in Anaocha threatened court action against any party that fields multiple candidates for a single electoral position in next year’s election.

The party said it would not allow the practice whereby its competitors were in the habit of sponsoring more than one candidate for the same Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly contests.

APGA’s resolve to fight and abort the alleged moves by its contenders to sponsor multiple candidates for a single post due for competition next year was disclosed to journalists yesterday by Chief Victor Umeh, the Anambra Central Senatorial candidate and National Chairman of the party.

Umeh, who spoke with journalists at his Aguluzigbo country home, Anaocha Local Government Area, after the community decorated him with first class chieftaincy title of “Ikemba Aguluzigbo”, stated that once the lists of approved candidates are published by

INEC, his party will procure the certified copies for scrutiny to detect any irregularity like fielding multiple candidates.

Umeh hinted of his party’s readiness to fight and confront any of the contenders that indulge in the contentious act of allowing persons who are not registered as candidates in an election to campaign and front as contending candidates.

He disclosed that his party was ready to stop whoever fronts as a candidate if the person’s name is not in the published lists, adding that he has petitioned INEC and other concerned parties on the issue.

Umeh assured that he would use the “Ikemba” title to continue to render services to the people.

He thanked the entire Aguluizigbo community and the people of Anaocha for honouring him with the Ikemba title, which Umeh said he cherished so much.

It would be recalled that no fewer than 35 traditional rulers from Anambra Central Senatorial zone, including Governor Willie Obiano, participated actively in the formal capping (crowning) of Umeh as the “Ikemba Aguluzigbo” In his speech, Governor Obiano thanked Aguluzigbo community for recognising the potentials and achievements of Umeh.

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South South

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2015: Democracy under threat, Calabar monarch warns RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

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bong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V, has warned that the country’s democracy is under serious threat and appealed to political stakeholders not to get involved in acts inimical to the unity and peace of the country.

Briefing journalists at his country home of

Adiabo in Odukpani Local Government Area, Cross River State, yesterday, the traditional ruler berated the political class for what he described as a do-or-die approach to the 2015 polls.

The monarch stated that if what he saw during the just concluded political party primaries was anything to go by, then politicians cannot convince him they have

the interest of the country and that of ordinary Nigerians at heart.

“The ambition and interest of many politicians seem to have overridden the interest of the people they are supposed to serve. The political class has now made politics a do-or-die business.

To them, once you sail through, you automatically become a millionaire.

“If we can separate political power from financial power in the running of the country, Nigeria would be better for it. The governor, for instance, controls the state’s finances and decides what to do with it.

“All over the country, people are complaining over the just concluded party primaries. It was very shabby. It was a disgrace to the power of

democracy. They virtually hand-picked their cronies, and tactically locked out others.

“Our democracy has deteriorated to the level that it is those at the corridor of power who decides who should take over political power, not on the basis of quality of service to the people.

It has become an avenue to settle political acolytes. The people’s voices are no more important. This is very bad for our polity.

“Independent National Electoral Commis-

sion, INEC, had taken steps to ensure credible election but politicians are not willing to play by the rules. You invite INEC to witness the sham called party primaries, but the Electoral Laws do not empower the umpire to take decisions on the glaring imposition we are witnessing.

“The National Assembly should do something about the manner these primaries are conducted else we may end up saying good bye to our hard-earned democracy,” the monarch stated.

Otu, others ditch C’River PDP for LP RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

T Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Barr. Nyesom Wike (left) and party chieftain and leader of Network for Defence of Democracy and Good Governance, Ambassador Sobomabo Jackrich a.k.a General Egberipapa, after a reconciliation meeting with aggrieved party leaders at Degema, yesterday.

Okowa’s deputy: Ijaw leader berates Isoko quest THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

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irst Vice Chairman and leader of Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri Leadership Forum a.k.a.

3I’s, Chief Bare Etolor, has decried the manner the Isoko ethnic nationality is approaching the issue of who emerges running mate to Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State.

According to Etolor, the way Isoko leaders are approaching the quest for deputy governorship position is becoming a slap on the generosity of the Ijaw people in Delta South, where the position is believed to have been zoned.

He stressed while speaking with journalists that Isoko currently holds the position of Secretary to State Government, SSG, in Comrade Macaulay Ovuozourie as concession

by the Ijaw, who supported Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s election.

Besides, during the military era, Navy Commander Walter Feghabo, a Bayelsa-Ijaw posted as military administrator to Delta State, retained Sir Simeon Efenudu, an Isoko man, as SSG. The Ijaw leader said Isoko first became senator from Delta South district in Mrs. Stella Omu before Ijaw-born Senator James

Manager, stressing that with Ijaw not yet occupying SSG position, Isoko have had it better than Ijaw and should concede the deputy governorship to Ijaw.

Etolor expressed shock that Isoko did not see it fit to raise the issue in the Leadership Forum as a bridge-building measure before going to the media to threaten the Ijaw and re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Youths, centre of Jonathan’s administration — Aide

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enior Special Assistant on Youths and Students Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr Jude Imagwe, yesterday renewed government’s commitment to invest in youth development.

Imagwe said this while hosting youths and student leaders from the

southern part of the country in Benin, Edo Stats.

He said this was why Jonathan deliberately evolved policies and programmes geared towards engaging the youths in various activities.

He, however, urged them to remain focused, bring out the best in what

they do and stay away from crime and troubles as it was capable of mortgaging their future.

The presidential aide said with the programmes initiated by the current administration, there was hope for youths in the country.

He listed some of the policies and programmes

to include YOUWIN and Youths Employment in Agriculture Programme, YEAP. Imagwe noted that the only way to guarantee continuity of these policies and programmes of Jonathan’s transformation agenda was for the youths to vote massively for the PDP in 2015.

he scale down in population of members of the Cross River State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, continued yesterday with the resignation by the senator representing Cross River southern district at the National Assembly, Bassey Edet Otu. Addressing his supporters yesterday night at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Otu said he decided to resign from the PDP following irregularities and highhandedness perpetrated by the leadership of the Cross River State PDP. “I must tell you how

displeased I am with how PDP is conducting its affairs; I do not think that anybody should rank himself with a serving senator of the southern senatorial district. As at now, I have resigned from the PDP,” Otu added.

“Under due consultation with you and several other supporters not present here, we would join a party that would meet our aspirations,” he added.

A statement issued by the senator’s supporters and signed by Chief Sam Bassey stressed that Otu resolved to quit the PDP due to how he was schemed out of the just concluded senatorial race in favour of the governor.

Rivers LP candidate pledges to empower SMEs

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abour Party, LP’s governorship candidate in Rivers State, Mr Tonye Princewill, has promised to empower Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, to give jobs to unemployed people, if voted into power.

Princewill, who is LP’s flag bearer in the 2015 governorship elections, made the promise in Port Harcourt yesterday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN. He said the highest employer of labour are the small and medium scale enterprises that dot the country, adding that if voted into office by 2015, his administration would tackle problems affecting the growth of business en-

terprises in the state.

“I have gone round the 23 local government councils in the state and the major problem is unemployment, so I have decided to give adequate attention to job creation.

“The business community in Rivers and even the country at large experience major setbacks due to multiple taxations, access to affordable capital, high interest rates by commercial banks and lack of electricity.

“What Rivers government would do under my leadership is to target and support SMEs by providing micro-credits to enable it grow so that it could employ our teeming youths.

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Politics

Heavyweights in guber race’ll be shocked, says Makinde, Oyo SDP candidate 14

I never thought I’ll be in politics –Tejuoso 15

Taraba APC guber candidate picks running mate JUSTIN TYOPUUS JALINGO

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araba State All Progressives Congress, APC, gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 general elections, Senator

Aisha Jummai Alhassan, has picked Mr. John Maigari as her running mate.

This is just as the PDP candidate, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku picked a serving member of the House of Representatives,

Hon. Haruna Manu from Taraba Central as his running mate.

Maigari is from Takum Local Government Area of the state, the home town of the PDP gubernatorial standard bearer and

immediate past Minister of State, Niger Delta Affair, Ishaku.

Senator Alhassa’s legislative aide, Bala Maina, who confirmed this to journalists yesterday said, Maigari is a retired director

from the state civil service.

He explained that the choice of Maigari as running mate was in view of his grassroots connections and track record of performance especially in the service of Taraba State.

He said the combination of Senator Alhassan who hails from Taraba North and her running mate who is from Taraba South, will translate into electoral victory of the party in 2015.

Bauchi PDP guber candidate donates N30m to victims of market blast EZEKIEL TITUS

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auchi State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial candidate Hon Auwal Jatau, has donated about N30 million to victims of Bauchi bomb blast to cushion the effects on the victims.

Jatau made the donation when he paid an unscheduled visit to the scene of the blast at Bauchi central market along Gombe road, saying that the donation became necessary to rekindle the hope of the blast victims with a view to continue their commercial activities.

Condemning in totality the act of terrorism with a promise to contain the security challenge when voted as the next governor of the state in 2015, Jatau describe as barbaric and cowardice, the act of bombing in the

North-East, urging the public to always partner with constituted authority and security agencies to curb the current problem He lamented that even with the effort of government, the activities of the sect still remain a concern, adding: “This situation, if not checked with vigour it may affect the 2015 general election.”

Speaking of behalf traders and artisan association, their chairman, Alhaji Adamu Noma appreciated the gesture by the PDP gubernatorial candidate, adding that the donation will go a long way to bring economic scour to the victims of the market blast especially traders, assuring of the traders’ support to government with a promise to work in harmony with security agencies to curb terrorism.

‘OBJ, Jonathan must unite to salvage Nigeria’ AYO ESAN

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Lagos-based entrepreneur and auto dealer, Adejare Adegbenro has called on former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan to work together towards salvaging the sinking ship of the nation.

Adegbenro, in a chat with journalists in Lagos, expressed worry over seeming frosty relationship between the two fathers of the nation, asserting that “the duo have what it takes to stabilise the visibly troubled ship of Nigeria.”

He said both Obasanjo and Jonathan would do this country a lot of

good by deciding to come together “as father and son, which they are really, to chart a way forward for the country to which they are fathers, mentors and role models.

Posterity would not forget them if they prevent America’s disintegration prophecy from coming to pass.”

The concerned Abeokuta-born entrepreneur, who referred to Obasanjo as “my grandfather” said: “Unarguably, both Papa Obasanjo and President Jonathan love this country dearly and will not want any evil to befallher,” warning that, the duo should not turn themselves to proverbial two fighting elephants that cause agony to the grasses.”

Members of Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, protesting alleged imposition of candidate by the party executives in Abeokuta, recently.

PHOTO: NAN

APC plans post 2015 polls’ violence, PDP candidate alleges BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

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ll Progressives Congress, APC, has been accused of plotting to cause violence after next year’s general election, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Osun East senatorial district in the 2015 polls, Chief Francis Fadahunsi, yesterday alleged.

He said the “huge media hype woven around the personality of APC presidential candidate General Muhammadu

Buhari, since picking the party’s ticket is to give the whole world and ill-informed Nigerians impression that the election was rigged after he would have been defeated in the presidential poll next year.”

Disclosing this during tour of communities in Ilesa East and West local government areas of the state, Fadahunsi also expressed fear that next year’s poll might be marred with violence over what he called “desperation by opposition politicians to end PDP’s 16-year reign at the federal level at

all cost.”

Warning against setting the country on fire, Fadahunsi said: “President Goodluck Jonathan or Buhari can only be president, if Nigeria is still standing,” calling for respect for law and order by all stakeholders in the affairs of the country.

He added: “All social media platforms have been bombarded with information striping Buhari of all his known attributes and dressing the former head of state in toga of an angel. This is a precursor to what APC plans to do

after 2015 poll.

“The same strategy was used in Ekiti when Mr. Kayode Fayemi was awarded victory in the governorship poll on Facebook and Twitter but when election was held the true picture came out.”

On his plans for the senatorial district if elected senator, the retired customs boss listed four cardinal programmes of youths and women empowerment, community development, agriculture and education, as priority areas he would give attention to.

Group wants youths to contribute to transparent 2015 poll BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

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head of the 2015 general elections, a youth group, Niger Delta Youth Caucus, NDYC, yesterday charged youth in the country to shun violence and strive to ensure peaceful coexistence and orderliness before, during and after the poll.

NDYC, in a press release issued and signed by its president, Comrade Splen-

dour Agbonkpolor, copies of which were obtained by newsmen in Osogbo, urged youth to contribute positively to a transparent process that would ensure free and fair election.

According to the statement, the group said as part of efforts to sensitise youths in the country on the need to shun violence and supports the process that would ensure credible poll, it would organise several sensitisation programmes for youths.

He said: “We are committed to peaceful electioneering process and we are sensitising to play positive role rather than taking to violence. We have organised many sensitisation programmes and we shall not relent.”

Agbonkpolor added: “We recently organised a youth awareness campaign with the theme: ‘The Role of Niger Delta Youth in Maintaining Peace and Ensuring Violent Free Elections in 2015’ which

was held in Yanegoa, Bayelsa State on December 19.”

Agbonkpolor said the awareness campaign was meant to reawake the political consciousness of youths and promised to replicate the programme in Osun State.

He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and other stakeholders to carry the youths along and encourage them to partake in nation building.

14

Politics

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Heavyweights in guber race’ll be shocked, says Makinde, Oyo SDP candidate Why did you defect from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the Social Democratic Party, SDP? Well, it is an open secret how the primaries in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, went. The party would not obey its own guidelines and it wouldn’t also obey a court order regarding the delegates to elect the party’s standard bearer. So, when they wouldn’t do that and our people insisted that they were waiting for us; they want us to have a platform for them where the hope of the generality of the people of Oyo would be realised.

We then decided to move down to the Social Democratic Party, SDP, to give that hope to our people.

Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, a petroleum engineer, is the Oyo State Social Democratic Party, SDP, gubernatorial candidate for the 2015 gubernatorial election. He tells OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU that he would succeed Governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2015, predicting that some so called political heavyweights in the race would get the shock of their lives. He spoke on other matters of national interest. Excerpts:

things privately and they know if we have the resources of government, we would even do better.

What enticed you to the SDP? Well, there is the concept of Omoluabi in Yorubaland. And that is who we are and how we were brought up. We looked at the parties and all the available platforms and coming from this part of the country, and being Omoluabi ourselves, we looked at the promoters of the SDP in persons of Chief Olu Fale and Chief Segun Osoba. These are men who have contributed immensely to the progress of Yoruba race. And they are Omoluabi personified and we discussed with them.

They have vision for Yoruba. We just kind of share the vision.

How do you intend to cover ground within six weeks to face those with public office experience?

Well, democracy is not about the positions you have occupied in the past. It is about the people. It is about the majority of the people and that is where we are going. We have listened to our people. We have heard them. We have given to them our programs, our manifestos, and there is an alignment that, give us a new platform and we will vote for you. Really, politics is all about people. If the majority of the people say this is where we are going, then that is it and that is democracy. So, I believe that politics of Oyo State is just about to be turned around. And all these so called heavyweights, I think they are going to be shocked at the end of the day. This is because the decision of the people is going to be final. Actually, the vote is going to count.

How would you popularise the relatively unknown SDP? It is not all that easy. It is about educating our people. They already know what we stand for. I am not just coming into the political arena. I have contested in the past and we have been engaged with our people all these years. We are doing a lot to introduce the party.

And of course the SDP was used as a political party in 1993. So, it is not something totally new. People also recognise the fact that the freest and fairest election ever conducted in this country was won by the SDP. I will probably say, we have turned a full circle. But Oyo being a Pacesetter State, I will not be surprised that we are the one projecting this. Watch it, this is going to catch on in the entire country.

How would you make the youths key into the SDP project?

The reality is that the youth of these days are not really concerned about the party but about the candidate. So, once we have a large following from Omititun as a structure and they follow Seyi Makinde as a person, then all is well. That is what they care. And remember, most of our youths are not illiterate. They are even better at identifying symbols. I thought where we need to do a lot of work is actually with the elderly people.

Do you have candidates across board?

We had hectic time sieving candidates. There is no constituency where SDP is not fielding candidate in

What would you do different as governor if you eventually win?

Well, we have our manifesto and our campaign theme which we term ‘Operation HEAP’. We are talking about health care delivery. We are talking of making agriculture positive business in Oyo State and also weaning the state from over dependence on oil by projecting agriculture. We have education. We all see the level of decay of the infrastructure in Oyo State. We see students and pupils learning under very difficult and unsafe condition, dilapidated buildings here and there and non provision of materials for the teachers.

And if you look at the West African School Certificate Examination, WASCE, result, Oyo State came last behind all the states in the South-West. We have a good shot at physical infrastructure. I am an engineer by training, and if I look at the current government, you will sympathise with us. If you go to Total Garden, they made a fountain there which never worked. So, to me, that is half-hearted way of doing things. We will give all we have into doing all those things. And we have security in our manifesto. We intend to deepen the current security situation in our state and make it better and more responsive.

Makinde

WE ARE TALKING OF MAKING AGRICULTURE POSITIVE BUSINESS IN

OYO STATE AND

ALSO WEANING THE STATE FROM OVER DEPENDENCE ON OIL

the state for the election.

What are your chances of winning, considering that you are contesting with those who have done it before?

That is actually our strength, because the people that have done it before, people have seen their limitation. And for us, we haven’t done it before, but we have done certain things that people have been able to see.

Though you can fool our people some of the time, you cannot fool them all the time. They are convinced of where we are coming from. They know what we have done privately. They know precisely our engagement with them. They know precisely that over the years, we listened to some of the issues within our communities. So, ours is that we have been able to do some

What are the factors you think would shape Oyo election in 2015?

I think the major factor is the personalities that are involved. I can characterise it for you. You have three of the candidates who are over 65 years old. You have two who are around 50 years old. I am 47 years old and one of those two has been tested as senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And people have seen what he has done and what he didn’t do. And you have a personality that kind of stood out. I believe people would gravitate towards me.

What is your take on generational shift?

That is what happens now all over the world. And if Oyo State, being a Pacesetter State, decides to actually go for generational shift, not just for the sake of it, but going for somebody with substance, and going there with a marking script. We will give to them what we intend to do and the time frame within which to do them. Within those time frames, if we are not achieving and hitting our targets, then, people are going to know and hold us responsible for things we said we would be able to do.

What is your advice to the people of Oyo State?

My advice to the people of Oyo State is don’t be deceived by people saying, oh, this is a new party. And on how are we going to comb all the nooks and crannies of the state, over the next six weeks, I intend to cover almost everywhere within the state taking our messages to the homes of our people. They should listen to us and listen to them as well and ask them questions on those promises made to them four years ago. Even then, they have not satisfied the yearning of our people. So, the people of Oyo State should cast their votes for me, their son and humble servant, Seyi Makinde.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, December 26, 2014

Politics

15

I never thought I’ll be in politics –Tejuoso Prince (Dr.) Lanre Tejuoso is former Commissioner for Environment under the Ibikunle Amosun-led administration in Ogun State before he resigned to contest the Ogun Central senatorial seat, under the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the forthcoming general election. He speaks to FEMI OYEWESO on the Muhammed Buhari presidential ticket as well as why sons of the traditional rulers should hold elective positions among other sundry issues. Excerpts: You are a prince from the Tejuoso royalty of Oke–Ona Egba in Abeokuta. Why are you seeking an elective position at this time?

God bless you for that question. Do you realised that Nigerian democracy would have grown and matured better than what we have now if sons and daughters of traditional rulers had been occupying elective positions in this country?

The reason is that such elected personality would not want to bring disgrace to the royalty which his or her father occupies. He would be conscious of the fact that if he fails to perform or he embezzles fund meant for developmental projects in his constituency, the electorates would cry to his or her father at the palace and before you know it, such traditional ruler would have called him to accountability.

But look at what we have today. We have situations where our politicians would misappropriate fund for their constituency projects and they would get away with impunity. My vying for the Ogun Central senatorial seat, is not going to be ‘business as usual,’ I can assure you of that.

What developmental project would you have pointed to before the advent of the Ibikunle Amosun led administration in the state? Of course, none! Does that mean Ogun Central Senatorial district has not been producing governors or senators? Many of you have been referring to Abeokuta as a glorified village, but look at what Amosun has turned everywhere to now.

In my own case, let me quickly tell you that the main issue now is that this is the first time the Egba Traditional Council will be represented in politics. This is the first time the Egba Traditional Council will be having a candidate from the royalty, coming out to say that he wants to represent them. If there is no success in this journey, it will be a failure for the council in its entirety.

A lot of people are of the opinion that you just came to snatch the ticket from politicians who are older than you in the party. How true is that?

I have been on this project for ten years. I was with Senator Amosun in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in 2006. That was when I contested for the senate in ANPP, when the party was nothing. Then, nobody believed in ANPP throughout the Southern part of Nigeria and not just in Ogun State alone.

Majority of the politicians believed we were on a suicide mission, saying how can you bring a political party that belonged to Hausa man from the North to us here in Yorubaland? So, it was only in his house that we were making some little noise and I was a senatorial hopeful. But we did what we could, I ran against the daughter of the then president, Iyabo Obasanjo at that time.

Around that same period, some hoodlums came to attack me in the hotel where I was lodging. It was some minutes after 2am, I saw five people; they brought their guns and invaded my room. They asked how I dare have the effrontery to run against the daughter of the president. They started slapping me; they said they were ordered to come and assassinate me.

In my room, they said I should lie down in my bed; that they were going to kill me. I didn’t know how I escaped. God just gave me that power.

Now, 2014/2015, I asked them whether I can do it and they said yes. That is why I am here for the Ogun Central senatorial contest. There have been so many gladiators along the line who said they wanted to do it notwithstanding that they didn’t know where we were coming from.

What plans do you have for the people of Ogun Central senatorial district if you are eventually elected?

First of all, I think one needs to ask oneself about what the work of a senator in this dispensation actually entails. To me, a senator is to be a participant in developing policies that should benefit the people of Nigeria. After thinking about Ni-

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE EGBA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL WILL BE HAVING A CANDIDATE FROM THE ROYALTY, COMING

OUT TO SAY THAT HE WANTS TO REPRESENT THEM

Tejuoso

geria, then you talk about your own constituency. How can I benefit my people in Ogun Central? What are their problems?

How can we make national policies that will benefit them directly? Ideally, that is what we should be doing.

Then, you now talk about the constituency projects. Maybe, they give you money to execute projects that will benefit the people of the constituency where you come from. Of course, that money they give you must be judiciously spent in that area where you represent.

But these days, many senators receive such money and they don’t even care about the people and the authority doesn’t even see what they are doing. God forbids that kind of a senator in my own situation.

Again, there are so many employment opportunities for our people at the federal level. Take for instance, the recruitment for the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, which they had last time. A reasonable senator must be able to establish good rapport with those that matter particularly with members of the cabinet; the ministers, the Permanent Secretaries and so on to enable him fix unemployed members of his constituency at such vacant positions and others that may open up.

For the past four years, such opportunities have eluded us in this state because all our senators were busy fighting the governor.

How would you react to the notion that you are not too close to the people and not accessible to the people of your constituency?

You have said it that it is a perception and perception is nothing but perception. The people I am closed to know that I am accessible to them. Ogun Central senatorial district has a larger population and it all depends on whom you’re talking to.

Presently, we are on a “meet-the-people” drive. Every day, we keep on increasing the people we are meeting. What is important is for one to maintain good relationship which has already been established between him and the people.

But if you don’t know the people, basically there is no way you can be close with them and that is the way life is.

There are however, some people who have made up their minds even before you meet them that their perception about you is negative. Many would say “oh, he is a prince and so, all princes put their shoulders high”! So, they expect you to be very proud. Again, when you see them, they expect that you will not talk to them; their expectations are that you are very arrogant. So, even before they meet you, that is the impression which they had already formed. But by the time you move close and talk with them, they now cool down and express surprises.

I have gone through all that many times. Take for instance, some people whom I have never met before would tell me that they’re afraid of shaking hands with me because they see me as Kabiyesi. But I often tell them that my father is the Kabiyesi and not me. I am just like you too. So, by the time I held their hands, they now exclaimed “ah, see him, holding my hand”.

So, the summary of it all is that those who hold that perception are the ones who felt as a prince with all the royalty, I should be arrogant whereas it is not so. Even, there are some people who have never spoken with me before and some who are afraid of interacting with me because of the royalty.

So, it is only God that will change that mentality and perception as you have said it.

How true is it that one of your younger brothers from the Tejuoso royal house, will be squaring up to you in the senatorial election in 2015?

It is not a problem but first of all, I want you to know that what every contestant needs to do is to perfect his or her homework very well.

All I have to say about that for now is that when we get to the bridge, we look at how to cross it but I don’t see that as a problem for now.

Other aspirants for the ticket on APC platform are aggrieved over the conduct of the senatorial primary election that produced you as the standard bearer of your party. How do you intend to placate those that contested and lost the ticket to you?

Of course, I am going to reach out to them so that all of us may work together as a team and win this election for our party. At the appropriate time, we will definitely do the needful after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, may have released the final list of contestants.

All of us have to work together because it is a game where only one person should emerge as the winner. And if indeed all of us have the spirit of fair play, then I believe we’ll all resolve our differences over the matter.

Just like the way you saw General Buhari being supported by other contestants who lost the ticket after the presidential primaries. That is the spirit I believe all of us must have because that is exactly what I would display if I had lost the ticket. It is not a do-or-die affair now. If it were to be a do-or-die matter, by now, I should have being in the PDP. Is it true you are Governor Amosun’s anointed candidate?

Is the governor a pastor or what kind of an anointing are you talking about?

The rumour in town is that the governor influenced your emergence as the APC senatorial candidate for Ogun Central. Is it true?

If that is what they meant, that means that I had been anointed over 10 years ago when the governor and I have been weathering the storm. We have been contesting together and we have been losing together. I have been with him for the past over 10 years and so, what is the meaning of being an anointed candidate?

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Editorial

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

All the Facts, All the Sides A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, CFR PUBLISHER

KAFILAT OGBARA

MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO

SUNDAY OLAJIDE

DEPUTY MD/CEO

SEYI FASUGBA

DAILY EDITOR

GBEMI OLUJOBI

SATURDAY EDITOR

KAYODE FASUA

ACTING EDITOR, SUNDAY

AYO OLESIN

GENERAL EDITOR

BEN MEMULETIWON

GENERAL EDITOR

DOZIE OKEBALAMA

COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD

CALLISTUS OKE

EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

ISE-OLUWA IGE

ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

FIDELIS LEMCHI OWOAMANAM

REGIONAL DIRECTOR, S/SOUTH

GABRIEL SUNDAY

ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS

Plunder of Nigeria’s solid mineral deposits

N

igeria appears a country that lends herself to being kicked around like football even when she is down; or that wounded man that relishes the pouring of salt on his wounds. How else can we buttress a situation where a country now literally struck down by falling oil prices, which should busy herself with plugging all financial waste channels, exploring other revenue sources and diversifying her economy, is permissive of the plundering of her solid mineral endowments, as was reported early last week?

Illegal local and foreign miners scrambling for semi-precious stones and gold, among others, are said to be bleeding the nation to the tune of billions of dollars annually in states like Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Kogi and Osun, et cetera, due to government’s ineptitude and ineffectiveness in regulating mining operations in the country.

We recall that the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 passed into law on March 16, 2007, which repealed the Minerals and Mining Act, No. 34 of 1999, vests control of all properties and minerals in Nigeria in the state; and prohibits unauthorised exploration or exploitation of such mineral deposits. All lands bearing minerals in commercial quantities, beginning

from the moment the Act came into effect were to be acquired by the Federal Government in accordance with the Land Use Act; while property in mineral resources would pass from the government to the person by whom the mineral resources are lawfully won upon their recovery in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The Minister of Mines and Steel Development has the charge of ensuring orderly and sustainable development of the nation’s mineral resources, creating an enabling environment for local and foreign investors (providing adequate infrastructure for mining activities and identifying areas where government intervention is desirable for achieving set policy goals in mineral resources development). The Act equally made provision for the establishment of the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO), which is responsible for the administration of mineral titles and the maintenance of the cadastral registers. The minister, by regulation, has power to determine areas eligible for the grant of exploration or mining leases based on competitive bidding processes, among others.

Roughly seven years after the law came into effect, however, it is sad that it is business as usual for solid minerals’ thieves. The cavalier attitude of those charged

IT IS IMMORAL FOR A GOVERNMENT TO ENACT LAWS AND TREAT SAME WITH UTTER MOCKERY AND CONTEMPT with regulating the sector to their bounden responsibilities is unacceptable. A former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Linus Awute, was quoted as saying, for example, that Nigeria lost $50bn (aboutN8tn) in the last two years to neighbouring countries as a result of illegal mining and exportation of unprocessed gold, a colossal hemorrhage he described as monumental. The activities of the illegal miners were also said to be far beyond control. The seeming helplessness of the government while such huge losses are flying in its face will go a long way in finding explanations for the massive crude oil theft the nation is witnessing in the Niger Delta axis.

Even if the nation is in a war time situation, the loss of about N8tn, which could conservatively represent the nation’s annual budget for two fiscal years, to solid mineral thieves portrays Nigeria as one nation where law do not count; a nation where any-

ON THIS DAY December 26, 1996 Six-year-old beauty queen, JonBenet Ramsey, was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family’s home in Boulder, Colorado, United States.

The body of Ramsey (August 6, 1990 – December 25, 1996), an American child beauty pageant queen, was found in the basement of the family home nearly eight hours after she was reported missing. She had been struck on the head and strangled.

Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to

December 26, 2004 A 9.3 magnitude earthquake created a tsunami causing devastation in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives and many other areas around the rim of the Indian Ocean, killing over 230,000 people, including over 1,700 on a moving train. A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake.

thing goes.

It is, however, not improbable that the rot in solid minerals sector regulation has links with the ridiculously poor budgetary allocation to the Mines and Steel Development Ministry over the years, despite the fact that projects in the sector are capitalintensive. Our expectation, nonetheless, had been that with the approval of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SDMF) about the second quarter of 2013, the financial stress would be over.

But it never did! Reports said the SDMF board’s request of about N250m to start operations in the 2013 fiscal year was slashed to N100m by the Federal Ministry of Finance; and that even the N100 million has not been released till date.

In whose interest or favour could the unmitigated looting of the nation’s solid mineral deposits be? Who is frustrating the funding of SDMF? For us, however, the buck ends with the Presidency. We therefore implore the Federal Government to revert its castration of the Mines and Steel Development Ministry and the SDMF. It is immoral for a government to enact laws and treat same with utter mockery and contempt. We condemn without equivocation the mess that presently passes as solid mineral sector regulation.

x December 26, 2009 A Lagos, Nigeria petroleum pipeline explosion killed at least 260 people and injured many. The pipeline explosion disaster occurred in the heavily populated neighborhood of Abule Egba in Lagos. According to eye witness account, the tragedy struck when an elevated pipeline carrying petroleum products was punctured by thieves, apparently for the purpose of stealing oil products. Originally, the victims were said to be about 500.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Views

Friday, December 26, 2014

17

Nigeria beyond 2015 general elections NEW HORIZON Wale Ajao With

waleajao2002@yahoo.com, 08023112006 (sms only)

T

he fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have chosen their flag bearers indicates that the stage is set for the epic political battle in February 2015. The purpose of this article is to draw the attention of all stakeholders to the need to make the survival of our country a priority. We should note that the 2015 general elections cannot be the end of the world nor should be the end of Nigeria. The general well-being of our nation is more important than any party. The survival of Nigeria comes before any individual or political party. It is, therefore, mandatory for supporters of any candidate or political party to see national peace, unity and stability as the fundamental requirement for the success of any other national assignment.

Therefore, there is a need for political leaders and their supporters to avoid foul language, or direct abuse of the public domain through the peddling of deliberate falsehoods against one another and deployment of blackmail like we are witnessing now.

The political leaders must know that who-

ever wins the 2015 presidential election will be saddled with the responsibility of coordinating the affairs of our nation. This means that the leaders of the two political parties and their followers should allow peace to reign. Nigerians should shun exclusive politics, where political opponents are seen as enemies that must be eliminated by all means.

It is important to bring sanity into our political process. We should not see the February 14, 2015 Presidential election as a do or die affair. Desperation for power using fair or foul means should be avoided. Divisive tendencies such as invocation of religious and ethnic sentiments must be avoided by all well meaning Nigerians. The struggle for power at the centre has always been a problem because of the perversion of federalism in the country and the enthronement of winner takes all presidential political order.

This explains why on several occasions, presidential elections have led to instability in our country. In the First Republic, the political process was rancorous. The regional and federal elections were characterized by violence, rigging, acrimony and outright brigandage. In fact, between 1955 and 1959, elections caused divisions among people of the same family. For example, we had a situation where if a man was in the Action Group (AG) and his younger brother of the same parents was in the National Council of Nigeria Citizens (NCNC), the two brothers would be so bitterly

THE CRITERIA FOR LEADERSHIP SHOULD BE CREDIBLE PUBLIC SERVICE OR DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR opposed that they would not even see eye-toeye. They could even plan how they would destroy each other’s properties.

Indeed, the 1959 federal election was marred by violence, arson and looting. The Action Group led by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo contested against the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Council of Nigeria Citizens (NCNC). In 1979, the National Party of Nigeria, Unity Party of Nigeria, Nigeria People’s Party, People’s Redemption Party and the Great Nigeria People’s Party (GNPP) dominated the nation’s political space. It was the same rancour, acrimony and political violence that characterised the 1979 election.

The June 12, 1993 presidential election contested by the Social Democratic Party and the National Republican Convention was the first peaceful, free and fair election in Nigerian history. Unfortunately, it was annulled. The win-

ner, the late business mogul and philanthropist Bashorun M.K.O Abiola, died while fighting for de-annulment of the election. Of course, Nigerians can easily recollect that the 1999, 2003 and 2007 Presidential elections were characterised by rigging and political violence. The 2011 presidential election was the second most peaceful, free and fair election in this country.

The purpose of this historical recollection is to emphasize the need for peace. Politics in 2015 should not be for hooligans. The need to caution the politicians can be seen from the recent party primaries. Violence erupted all around the country during primary elections organized by both APC and PDP. This shows that the political class has not learnt any lessons.

It is precisely for this reason that our politicians must learn to respect the law. Lawlessness will breed violence, which will in turn destabilise the polity. It is important for us to learn from advanced democracies that have grown beyond political violence and election rigging. The peace and unity of our country should be our priority in 2015 and beyond. No one should so much love his political party to the extent that he can kill another Nigerian just so that his political party or friend should rule.

The criteria for leadership should be credible public service or distinguished career in the private sector. Religion or gender or place of origin should be no hindrance. We should all see Nigeria as our place on planet earth and we will dwell here in 2015 and beyond.

Boko Haram: The sharp end

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oko Haram campaigns may seem endless; but it will surely end. In any war like this, keeping means in line with ends is difficult. Especially as innocent blood are spilled every day, and abduction of our people, destruction of our infrastructures and economic sabotage go on unabated. Worst of all, anger, revenge and retaliation seem to overwhelm both parties. The result can be a long, devastating war of attrition which no one can win.

Six years down the line, yet we lack the strategic framework and regional boundaries, Nigeria still suffers all the classic symptoms common to all prolonged wars - means become ends, tactics become strategy, boundaries are blurred, and the search for a perfect peace replaces reality.

This is not the way a great power behaves. Clear strategic thinking about where we are in this war against Boko Haram is replaced by hype and partisanship.

Have we honestly taken reasonable steps to work out modalities to end our predicaments, or develop reasonable steps in line with counter-terrorism principles, procedures or strategies?

Our liberal democratic nation must be keen in sending off the Boko Haram as quickly and effectively as possible in order to minimise the detrimental impact on society at large. Counter-terrorism strategies should raise the cost of participation so much that intended members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect will feel that it no longer pays to be involved. Terrorist actors consider the costs, benefits, and consequences of their actions just as other actors do.

Excessive force has never been the backbone of any successful counter-terrorism strategies, rather tactics which differenti-

INTELLIGENCE-BASED AND ACADEMICALLYBACKED INITIATIVES REAP FAR HIGHER RESULTS IN COMBATING TERRORISM THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW ate the victim nation from the aggressor, such as intelligence and the judiciary will and have always been more legitimate and fruitful to any bereaved democratic country. Our nation cannot expect to gain notable success through traditional counterterrorism measures as they are subject to a different moral code than clandestine apparatus.

Our offensive counter-terrorism mechanism may not be futile in the long run as it has been to date because it encourages the wrong type of action, namely the military perception of the situation other than with intelligence and policing resources. In the same vein, we ought to have adopted by now a more intelligence-based and layered approach over conventional counter-terrorism tactics.

Realistically, the key to successful counter-terrorism in a democratic nation such as ours is first winning the intelligence war, mobilising the political will and democratic support for a multipronged strategy, carefully calibrated to the specific threat posed by a particular campaign like the Boko Haram.

My constant calling for alternative counter-terrorism measures demonstrates that

the end of Boko Haram can more effectively be brought about through an integrated intelligence-based approach rather than military blows. Our declaration of war on BH is unlikely to yield expected result unless it is complemented with high quality intelligence-oriented gathering methodology and low-key government involvement.

Aside from national or regional influences, pathways out of Boko Haram threats may also arise due to factors related to the group itself, which its internal functioning can give rise to grievances, which encourage exit. Most factors which occasion disengagement stem from disillusionment with some organisational factors such as the running of the group, its direction, modus operandi or conflict with superiors.

Deradicalization is the process that leads an individual or group to change attitudes about terrorism, especially in relation to targeting civilians. As such, de radicalization would entail a change of beliefs, which could go hand in hand with a modification in violent behaviour. Disengagement, however, would necessarily entail a behavioural modification such as leaving an underground group and ceasing related activity. From a counter-terrorism perspective, disengagement is more important than deradicalization, since the former can occur without the latter.

Repression is usually only successful in thwarting a movement when the campaign hinges on the leadership of one individual, and even then this success is usually partial. Repressive counter-terrorism may require the implementation of controversial measures such as heightening national security measures like border control and citizen surveillance, immigrant profiling,

Counter-terrorism Tips With

Ethelbert Oney ethelbertoney@zissltd.com, 08029929121 (sms only)

and expensive drawn-out capture operations; thus, alternatives to these costly and laborious tactics are highly desirable.

In joining the sect, individuals can gain a sense of belonging and create fraternal relationships with other members that grant them a strong new social identity. A thorough process of socialization into the new role takes place and the group comes to substitute all other social relationships. However, in some occasions the group can fail the individual at a crucial time which sparks disillusionment and eventual disengagement.

Disillusionment can be contaminated by other members too, causing defection to happen in clusters. Social contagion may serve as one of the cheapest counterterrorism strategy available to us if we can listen. Therefore, policy-makers should focus their attention on less-entrenched members, putting the possibility of exit on the table with much higher possibilities for success. Intelligence-based and academically-backed initiatives reap far higher results in combating terrorism than what we have now.

Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs.

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Kudos to Hon. Adijat Oladapo

A Need for Yoruba to be wise in 2015

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s the 2015 general elections draw nearer and with some politicians desperately courting the Yoruba race for support, may I just use this medium to conscientize the Yoruba to the need to be wise and tactical before supporting anybody, particularly President Goodluck Jonathan, who is obviously in need of the South -West votes to secure his second term mandate.

One is particularly upset by the President’s insensitivity to the Yoruba in the power sharing formula of his party during his first term. Is it shocking to note that from number one most important position to number 22 in this country, President Jonathan did not deem it fit to feature a single Yoruba person?

Besides, nothing illustrates his hatred for Yoruba better than the way he removed some of them from key positions on allegation of being too close to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo. To buttress my point, I recalled how he removed Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as PDP National Secretary; Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa was removed as Director General of Nigeria Broadcasting Commission; and Otunba Segun Runsewe was removed as Director General of Nigerian Tourism Development Commission (NTDC). They were replaced with Igbo people.

Chief Kola Aderemi, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

t a time like this, when everyone in Nigeria is so much self-centered with no scant regard to suffering of the mass of the fellow compatriots, one uncommon act of good neighbourliness demonstrated deserves to be appreciated. It is this context I wish to use your widely read newspaper to celebrate Honourable Adijat Moturayo Adeleye Oladapo, a member of Ogun State House of Assembly, a woman of valour and big heart, a woman with feelings of concern about her people like Queen Esther in the Holy Bible, for extending acts of kindness to Akute community.

Hon. Adijat Oladapo, just like

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Letters to the Editor

digenes and non-indigenes, and Christians and Muslims alike.

Everyone is accepted as long as he/she possesses a minimum qualification of Senior School Certificate Examination and has scaled through the interview and the screening exercise.

I give kudos to the Honorable; what she is doing is indeed a true demonstration of love for her constituents. For putting smiles on the faces of those who have elected you to the high office is more important than tens of flashy cars following her to everywhere she goes. Spending her money to produce computer engineers and desktop publish-

ers in her constituency is more valuable than training tugs and miscreants, who will highjack ballot boxes during elections and maltreat innocent electorate all in an attempt win elections.

What the good Honourable is doing is simply establishing a last legacy that will remain a challenge to her contemporaries in the offices. She is indirectly evangelizing and sanitizing the political system. And what is more, she has given not only her constituency people reasons why they should always come out during elections to exercise their franchise, but also for electorate to have strong belief in the ability of our women to do very well in government.

May the good Lord, who knows how to reward, reward you abundantly in Jesus name, Amen.

Aloy Akuakolam, Akute, Ogun state.

No vacancy in OkeMosan

U

A man transporting baskets of tomatoes on Abuja-Zuba Expressway in Kubwa yesterday.

Photo NAN

Poser for Radio Nigeria

S

ir, as a student of mass communication, I have been taught that fairness, objectiv-

Nyanya: When relocation is worthwhile he planned relocation of the sprawling Nyanyan town is an action long awaited. All along, it’s been a known fact that the Nyanyan situation needed some sanitizing as the least necessary action, but factually no other action could be more appropriate than relocation. Those of us who hold that view have been vindicated by the evolution of the camp as the Achilles’ heel in the FCT’s fight against various shades of criminalities, the most recent but devastating being acts of terrorism.

Last week disclosure by the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, of this administration resolve to demolish Nyanya and relocate the neighborhood to a new, purpose-built and expansive area,

Queen Esther that saved her Jewish people from the jaws of death in their sojourn in exile in Babylon, has risen up in our community to nullify the age-long belief that winners of elections forget the wellbeing of those that elected them into offices so has to be able to expropriate everything for themselves and their immediate families. The respected Honourable has opened an ICT centre at Mubarak Bus Stop, Akute; and for about two years now, she has single handedly trained seven batches of ICT students for free at the Center. The beneficiaries of this project include the old and young, rich and the poor, in-

Gidan Daya, is akin to belling the cat after all. The lessons here are unmistakable. For one, it attests to the understanding that Senator Bala is not a political sphinx, who mixes politics with policies. The decision gives us Bala as a man who believe the system is correctible and problem solvable.

Our belief that Senator Bala is a man who knows his onions and chews it firmly is sustained. Again, this singular decisiveness presupposes that the Honourable Minister is a man with an engaging conscience. Yes, Bala is unashamedly right when he takes decisions in furtherance of the objective of leading Abuja into the league of the best 20 capital cities of the world in 2020.

Musa Wada, Abuja.

ity, balancing of stories and accuracy of stories are the hallmark of an objective journalist; especially when the issues under focus involve two or more parties.

After the acceptance speech, given by President Goodluck Jonathan at the PDP National Convention, held at the IBB Square, Abuja, after his endorsement as the presidential candidate of his party, Radio Nigeria kept playing back Jonathan’s acceptance speech after each hour of the network news broadcast but could not do the repeat broadcast of the acceptance speech of that of the presidential candidate of the opposition APC, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), not even for once.

Fairness in journalism mean treating issues involving two or more parties without bias, while balance is giving equal treatment to all parties involved in an issue.

Therefore, looking at the prominence or preferential treatment Radio Nigeria is giving to PDP and

leaving out APC, can one say that Radio Nigeria that is the largest radio network in Africa uplifting the people and uniting the nation is being fair and balance? Why is Radio Nigeria uplifting and uniting PDP only? Despite the fact that PDP is the party controlling the present government and the ongoing government is in charge of the media in question does not mean it belong to PDP members only. Radio Nigeria is for all Nigerians, whether PDP or APC, rich or poor, Christians or Muslims, short or tall and so on.

I want to tell Radio Nigeria and other media houses in the country that as a matter of responsibility and necessity and as far as journalism profession is concerned, the media must take into cognizance the four most pronounced qualities of journalism profession - accuracy, objectivity, fairness and balance - in practising or carrying out journalism profession.

Awunah Pius Terwase, Makurdi, Benue State.

ntil recently in Ogun, it was practically impossible for the opposition to sleep while travelling in their cars in the state. They and their chauffeurs were always on the edge, not knowing where and when the ubiquitous potholes and craters on the “face me I face you” roads they constructed while in power might cause some incident.

But nowadays, we see these opposition chieftains cruising on international standard roads constructed by the Senator Ibikunle Amosun administration. It takes them just minutes to fall into deep slumber, and only to be woken later that they are at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan with a big bowl of ice cream and hundreds of courtiers shouting “Your Excellency”. This they do at the expense of the toiling masses.

These days disappointment writ large on their faces! They see neither ice cream nor court jesters around them. Worse, they are not even in any location around Abeokuta let alone Oke-Mosan!

They don’t sell ice cream in the Governor’s Office, Oke Mosan. The seat of the Governor is for seriousminded, hard working and publicspirited people with track record of honesty and integrity in their private and public endeavours.

When next these “tried and failed” politicians (who are not even sure of their candidacy in the 2015 election) declare with puerile confidence that Amosun would hand over to them in 2015, tell them, “They don’t sell ice cream at Oke-Mosan; Amosun will hand over in 2019.”

Soyombo Opeyemi, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Send your letters The Editor reserves thethe right letters or or mails mailsto toPMB PMB10001, 10001,Ikoyi, Ikoyi,or orour our Email: Email:mirrorlagos@yahoo.com mirrorlagos@yahoo.comand andinfo@nationalmirroronline.net info@nationalmirroronline.netoror08056180209, 08054103275,07033375481 07033375481(SMS (SMSonly). only).

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FRIDAY

The live theatre has been a good tool for the preservation of national issues.

One of the productions that have been on stage since the beginning of the month of December is ‘Aburi ’67’ by United Leisure and Terra Kulture. As directed

by Ola Opesan and produced by Ikenna Jude Okpala, ‘Aburi ‘67’ is a performance based on the Aburi Accord of 1967, developed through improvisation.

It has been creatively created with blends of music and dance. The final production holds this Sunday at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos by 3pm.

Davido & Friends in Lagos

2face

Ngozi Emedolibe

T Davido

HKN boss and multiple award winning artiste, Davido is set to host a special end-of-the-year concert tagged: ‘Davido & Friends.

The event scheduled to come up on December 27, 2014will have Dotun of Cool FM as the host with DJ Neptune and DJ Olu on the wheels of steel.

Performing artistes include the HKN Gang, Ice Prince, Patoranking, Lil Kesh, Orezi, Dammy Krane, B-Red, Omo Akin, Oritsefemi, Yemi Alade, Shina Rambo, Special ED, Skales, OD Woods and MC Galaxy.

Thespian Family Theatre presents The Gods are not to Blame

The popular play written by Ola Rotimi, is about a man born with a destiny that he tries to run away from. He has a rude shock when he finds out that he is destined to bring calamity to his family.

Experience a great blend of cinema and stage performance directed by Tunji Sotimirin, cinematography by Femi Odugbemi.

Featuring the legendary ‘Ara’ and her talking drum, Ayo and Nefretiti. The event is scheduled to take place on 27th and 28th December 2014 at the MUSON Centre, AGIP Hall , Onikan.

he city of Lagos, Africa’s most effervescent entertainment hub is agog with activities as Internationally-recognised music stars from Africa and around the globe begin to arrive Nigeria, to be part of the 2014 All Africa Music Awards ceremony holding tomorrow, Saturday, December 27, at the Grand Ballroom of the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The International Committee of AFRIMA and its partner, the African Union Commission, is receiving AFRIMA nominees, friends, collaborators, and invited guests from the five regions of Africa at the concept ceremony – which is being produced in cultural themes ranging from the rich Egyptian heritage of the Pharaoh era to the earthy depth of the artistically intricate Benin Kingdom and the fierce power of the Zulu Kingdom.

Among the artistes expected at the awards event which starts at 5.30 p.m. with Red Carpet sessions are: DJ Arafat (Cote D’Ivoire); Mi Casa (South Africa); Buffalo Souljah (Zimbabwe); Ahmed Soultan (Morocco); Laurette La Perle (Democratic Republic of Congo); Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania); Betty Akna (Equatorial Guinea); Radio and Weasel (Uganda); Lawi (Malawi); Dama Do Bling (Mozambique); Wiyaala (Ghana); Davina Green (Mozambique); Cindy Munyavi (Zimbabwe); MC Mahjoul (Algeria); Elani (Kenya) and Dear Zim (South Africa).

Leading the Nigerian talents who are nominees and performers at the event is Nigeria’s legendary contemporary music star 2Face Idibia who is also the host of the awards ceremony.

Don Jazzy

Flavour

The

International Committee of AFRIMA also revealed that part of the award ceremony’s

programme will pay tribute to lives affected by the scourge

of Ebola Virus

Disease (EVD) in some West African states

Others are Cohbams Asuquo, Olawumi, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Dammy Krane, Dr, Sid, Bez, Don Jazzy and the Mavin crew, Ice Prince, Flavour, Niyola, Temi Doll, Yemi Alade, D’Prince, Konga, Naeto C, Olamide, Patoranking, Daddy Showkey, Jaywon and others.

To spice up the proceedings will be sizzling performances from top Africa performing artistes and bands. From the inspiration songs to classical to hip-hop and basically exportable African music as Africa speaks in one voice through music on the award night.

Talking about the specifics of the main award ceremony, AFRIMA CoProducer, Mr. Kingsley James said: “What makes this different is that we are not only rewarding artistic excellence of artistes, but we are creating a platform to recognise those who may no longer be active music performers

but have attained legend status. Then, we want to honour those who work in the journalistic field conveying information and news about the creative exploits of these artists to the public through various media platforms”.

James added that more of AFRIMA’s vision was to leave a lasting developmental legacy on the African entertainment industry landscape that will stimulate the industry’s growth and sustainability for the future.

AFRIMA will be rewarding excellence in the continental music industry at the awards ceremony in over 30 categories, while the coveted 23.9-carat gold-plated trophies will be received by music acts or groups in their respective categories.

Also expected to colour the award ceremony is the tribute section where an African Music Legend will be honoured with an AFRIMA trophy for outstanding artistic work. The International Committee of AFRIMA also revealed that part of the award ceremony’s programme will pay tribute to lives affected by the scourge of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in some West African states and terrorist insurgency in Northern Nigeria, Somalia and part of Kenya. This tribute programme will be anchored by ONE, an international campaigning and advocacy organisation of more than six million people taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.

AFRIMA which is in partnership with the African Union Commission, is proudly supported by ONE, Africa 2.0, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, PRMAFRICA and is being sponsored by Kenya Airways, Procter and Gamble, Peugeot, Diamond Bank, and UBER.

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AFRIMA 2014: Africa’s best acts converge on Lagos

Arty News

Aburi ‘67 continues on stage

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WEEKEND STARTERS

16 PAGES OF ARTS, REVIEWS, LIFESTYLE AND BUZZ TO START YOUR WEEKEND

P. 20,21

Friday, December 26, 2014

Flavour

Artman

VOL. 4 No. 849

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Artman In The House

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Gospel artistes should begin to reinvent themselves –Ekiye A gospel music act with a difference, multiple-award winning singer, songwriter, Asu Ekiye, is widely recognised for his energetic moves. He in this interview with REGINA OTOKPA, speaks about his life, ministry, and career. Excerpts:

You released your new CD entitled ‘SEIYO’ at the middle of this year, is there any comparison with ‘Back to Base’?

Every CD I release has a different spirit and configuration behind it. No two CDs are in the same mould. This is definitely a new era. The music was produced with so much profundity. It is a new day. Seiyo is my greatest musical outpouring. It is full of life, spirit, emits joy and divine bliss. I have not done anything like this before. It is characterised by the same level of tradition and local ingredients and is here to make its impact.

You do not seem to be as active as you used to be; can you tell us what have been occupying your time lately?

I have been very active in music right from the very first stages of my music till date. People assess activity based on the popularity of your music. If you release a song that is not very popular they will consider you as not being active. I have been performing all over the world from the first time I performed in Port Harcourt and I released the Wo Ekilemo music which I have performed in different parts of the world.

Some people who are not in the position to see you all the time will say you are not active and that to me is not a true reflection of the situation. Anybody who did not see or hear that I released an album this year is not following gospel entertainment closely.

My album released this year was the loudest by any artiste. When I released the album, I invited President Goodluck Jonathan, the First Lady Patience Jonathan and a popular international artiste Alvin Slaughter. Most of the big names in gospel art both in Nigeria and abroad where represented at the album release. It was all over the social media and it was very loud.

The album has been released, promotion is going to take effect any moment from now because of the way I produce my video, it is always massive so I take time to produce them but before then, we released a single from this year’s album called ‘Eniye’ and it was on AIT all through.

All through your travels round the world performing before audiences, how did the western community relate to your African Gospel flavour?

Years back, a popular artiste Awilo, produced a song that went viral here in Nigeria even though we did not understand the song and found it difficult to pick out some of the lyrics but we still loved it that way, It is same with my music. The westerns appreciate the flavour in my music besides there are Africans living in countries outside Africa especially Nigerians and they are always very happy to associate with music from home.

We have a lot of Nigerians in the Diaspora, yearning to see us perform. When we go to London, New York or Canada, they are always excited and so, the world outside Nigeria enjoys our music based on what it is.

Your music comes with a lot of energy.

How difficult can that be?

Dancing is one of the ingredients of musical expertise. If you are a singer and you cannot dance, there is a problem with that.

All singers should know how to dance except you are a classical singer. Dancing is a part of us; we do not have to go to school to learn how to dance. We have different bodies which make it to respond to rhythm positively but a white man needs to learn

Some people who are not in the position to see you all the time will say you are not active and that to me is not a true reflection of the situation. Anybody who did not see or hear that I released an album this year is not following gospel entertainment closely With awards

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Artman In The House

Friday, December 26, 2014

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Why the choice of Easter season?

Christmas period is always over crowded with lots of programmes. I want to perform during a less busy period such as Easter.

In Canada

steps to dance unlike an Africa man who responds spontaneously or naturally to music.

What is you perception about gospel music in Nigeria generally?

Gospel music in Nigeria is a victim of the system. Gospel music has grown very drastically over the years and the quality of our production has improved but we are under the jack boot of the church system that feels music ministry is secondary to every other kind of ministry and we are in a church system that loves music but does not support music. That is why we lose some of our eloquent musicians to the world. When they organise reality TV programmes, it is gospel artistes that win them and once they emerge winners, they do not return back to the church and as a result we have a lot of secular musicians who were products of the church; I can name all of them. The church has remained the single most devastating challenge to gospel music in Nigeria.

As an icon in the gospel music ministry, how can these challenges be overcome?

I have been given the opportunity to head a musical organisation called the Fellowship of Gospel Music Ministers of Nigeria; our aim is to project the office of our industry and to be able to reposition the music ministry in Nigeria. We have begun the process of trying to re-orientate our people and also we intend to engage the church so that we can begin to have more positive inputs from the body of Christ on what we do, so the work continues.

Based on what you just said, does that mean you do not support gospel artistes who have turned themselves to praise singers?

People do things for different reasons, a child of God sees music as the one that is in the ministry and in the ministry we project God. It is not as if we do not sing songs that please humanity but we project God and whenever we do we glorify God. I think there are lots of people who have capitalised on the commercial credentials in the gospel music to take advantage of it but it does not stop the fact that we have the people who are still praising God and defending.

You are the first and only gospel artiste to win the ‘Channel O’ award twice; how do you feel about these achievements?

Sincerely, that was a turning point in my career; it was such a wonderful experience. When I started out, I didn’t want to copy anyone. I wanted to be as original as possible and reflect in a very robust manner the cultures and traditions of the peoples of the Niger Delta in a way acceptable to non-indigenes. Thank God, it made so much impact.

What’s the boldest step you’ve ever taken in life?

Maybe, it was when I abandoned my career to follow my calling, music. That was

With Governor Dickson

a bold one; because, there was no prospect of survival in gospel music then. I had no persons to look up to who had chosen gospel music as a career, so to speak, and I was really doing great financially. It was a headlong plunge. But here I’m today, thank God for his mercies.

Did your family and friends support your career, when you started?

I have a very strong support from the home front. They play my music, attend my shows, and extol my virtues. Each time I go home, it is warmth all the way. From my wife, to my children and then to my extended family in the village, it is high celebration. I think that makes a lot of difference.

What inspired the name, ‘The Prince of the Niger Delta’?

That name is a divine title. It came my way in Benin when I released an album that showcased the cultures of the people of the Niger Delta. It was so exhilarating when I saw the placard bearing that title in Benin City. They told me no one has covered the Niger Delta culture the way I had done. The word PRINCE was adopted, not in monarchical terms, but in the realm of principality and influence. We will continue to uphold that tradition of influencing the young people with our cultures and melodies.

fact, if I have the opportunity, I would like to work for him and I assure you I will do a good job for my President, brother and friend.

What should we be expecting from you this Yuletide season?

Nothing.

That is strange coming from a gospel art in this season of Christ’s birth?

I am not doing anything this Christmas season because I am working assiduously towards hitting the music scene during the Easter period next year.

What do you see as the way forward for gospel artistes in Nigeria?

Gospel artistes should begin to reinvent themselves and be less dependent on the system that has killed them. They should evolve their gifts and go beyond the limitation of the ecclesiastical order, out stretch the horizon and break the limitation.

Dancing is one of the ingredients of musical expertise. If you are a singer and you cannot dance, there is a problem with that. All singers should know how to dance except you are a classical singer

What challenges did you face when you started your career in gospel music?

Acceptance and finance were the basic challenges I faced. To be accepted, I had to sit down and ask God to show me what I was doing wrong and God told me that I was not original. So, I did the song, ewewo, and everyone liked it! I did the song and shot the video a year later. It was the video that made the music very popular.

From then, things began to go from good to better. I was performing for dignitaries, and performed at state functions. When I had the dedication of my first son, Dame Patience Jonathan attended the ceremony with 30 women in her convoy. In fact, the church closed down.

The story going round is that you now work for President Goodluck Jonathan.

How true is that assertion?

Oh my God! I do not work for President Goodluck Jonathan. He is my friend and brother. Whenever I have an event I invite him and if he happens not to be occupied, he graces my event. I do not understand why people keep saying I work for Goodluck Jonathan, what is the basis for such conclusion?

Could people be thinking towards that direction because you are now based in Abuja?

I do not work for Goodluck Jonathan but I do things to support the government, things that would help development and sometimes I consult for the government. In

Should we be looking forward to another concert?

I held a concert in Abuja earlier this year and it was massive. Some people were asking if it was a political concert. I am sure they are making a mistake; can’t a musician invite politicians to come and enjoy his music? Because I invited politicians, former ministers, serving ministers, board members, head of agencies to come and watch my music and they started concluding that I am working for the President. What will make a man conclude if he invited pastors, the lay people in church why didn’t they say I am working for the bishop, it is funny.

With family

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Inside FCT

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Yuletide: As panic buying, high fares take toll MARCUS FATUNMOLE

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ong queues at fuel stations which apparently arose from anticipated hoarding of premium motor spirit, PMS, popularly known as petrol, by marketers, earlier this week sent many residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, panicking over possible failure of their plans to travel out of the city and rejoin their kinsmen in the villages for another landmark Christmas and New Year celebrations.

It is not unusual for the city’s residents, like their compatriots in other parts of the country, to face artificial paucity of fuel during Yuletide celebrations. Motorists filed at the fuel stations in Abuja to fill their tanks, even though the authorities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, have repeatedly assured of adequate supply of the commodity. This, like a wildfire, resultantly and characteristically led to skyrocketing transport fares at motor parks and aborted travel plans.

Customarily, touts exploited those who could not wait on the queues, which were in all virtually all fuel stations in the city, to charge more than triple the official price of fuel on the product stuck in their jerry cans.

But, this year’s fuel experience among the FCT residents is in two folds and passes two-pronged message to the Federal Government. The February elections are approaching; many residents are pondering where to stay during the polls, either in their villages or in the city; they depend on fuel to travel. Besides, the traditional exodus that defines every Yuletide in most cities, worldwide, did not leave out the FCT. These, therefore, underscore the need to sustain price and availability of PMS by both government and marketers to guarantee hitch-free movements of people during the periods.

A fortnight ago, The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, embarked on strike a 3-day warning strike, demanding immediate government’s intervention on the nation’s moribund refineries. The strike led to crisis in movement of people in the FCT, and

Fuel queues close to NNPC office.

other parts of the country.

Reacting to the latest long queues at fuel station in the nation’s capital, one of the residents who was able to get fuel and travel home for the celebrations told our reporter: “We are just fed up with the government. Why is it that whenever there is any major religious celebration, there are fears people may not have fuel to buy? Whenever there is election where people can travel to vote for them, there will never be fuel scarcity. But, when we make up our mind to visit our families en masse, they refuse to give us fuel.”

Whether fuel is available or not, fares are always hiked during Yuletide at all motor parks. The period is seen as opportunity to make brisk money by motorists.

Besides, the huge number of travelers at the period jacks up fares. Consequently,

not everyone who plans to travel home during Christmas and New Year season eventually does so.

A resident of the city who was affected by the hike in fare, Udo Obong, told Inside FCT. “I am from Akwa Ibom. It takes about nine hours to travel from here to my state. And, before the festive season, I could get home with N3, 000. But, now, they are asking me to pay N6, 000. Where do I get the money? Going home with a wife and two children, how do I cope with the situation? What just pains me is that this is the only time I can really reunite with my family in the village. And, the hike in transport fare that hope.”

In the FCT, many residents prefer to travel to their home states during the Yuletide. The reasons are numerous. December is seen by many as harvest time.

WHETHER FUEL IS AVAILABLE OR NOT, FARES ARE ALWAYS HIKED DURING YULETIDE AT ALL MOTOR PARKS. THE PERIOD IS SEEN AS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE BRISK MONEY BY MOTORISTS

More money is available to meet some of diverse family needs. It is cultural in the country that major religious events are better celebrated in the villages. Such periods are delights for parents, kinsmen to welcome their sons and daughters who are in faraway land, seeking their daily bread.

Communal and familial issues are better discussed at these periods since most of the decisions makers and the presumed moneybags are around. Visits to indigenous homes by Nigerians provide them huge opportunities to appraise success or otherwise of their states and local governments and also make suggestions on developmental programmes where possible.

That cities are usually too deserted for festival of Christmas and New Year caliber may not be really contestable. To some, fun and amusement parks in cities may not compare to dry meats, local drinks and meals in the village. “Going home during Yuletide can be summarized as breaking the monotonous lifestyle of the city,” said Adetunji Boluwatife, a resident of the FCT who left for Akure, her home town in Ondo state to celebrate both festivals.

Foundation makes Christmas memorable REGINA OTOKPA

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t is a season of love and affection, sharing of gifts especially to the lessprivileged living in the Federal Capital Territory as foundations, individuals, churches and groups donate food, clothing and sanitary items to make this Christmas a memorable one for orphans and widows.

One of such groups who took time to of-

fer its quota to the well being of orphans and widows living in the Lugbe axis of the FCT were the Agburuke Nsuke community Abuja wing, and Help One Foundation powered by popular on air personality, Expensive James.

According to Udo Anusiem, leader of the Agburuke Nsuke delegation from Isiala Ngwa, Abia State, it was a time to encourage orphans and widows not to despair over their situation.

“This is a time to show love and care to our sisters and children who have lost their dear ones to the cruel hands of death and made to live life outside the comfort and succour of homes.

“It is rather unfortunate that while some people waste what they have, others would do anything just to have a pinch of it. That is why we are here this afternoon to give a little out of what we have to show these women and children that we feel their pain

and wish life would have charted a different path for them”.

“We want them to experience joy, love and acceptance this Christmas season. It is not all about money but showing them they are remembered could wipe their tears and give them hope that indeed, there is light at the end of the tunnel” Mrs. Grace Nwokike, one of the widows, told Inside FCT that the goodwill of well meaning Nigerians have gone a long way

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Inside FCT

Friday, December 26, 2014

23

Residents brace for cold as harmattan bites harder

Hazy Abuja skyline

REGINA OTOKPA

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armattan season is here again. The signs are not only obvious, it is ominous. Here at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, residents are stalled with the daily experience thrown up by the raging cold.

Young and old are affected by this occasioned weather transition, as they strive to change existing lifestyles to adapt to the dry season which usually sets in between the months of November and March each year, characterised with dry dusty air, cold temperature during early hours of the morning and evening, whereas during the day there is usually a hot temperature to deal with.

A glance through Abuja revealed that most residents including children have inculcated panty hose to their dressing, just as Jackets, cardigans, thick stockings, hand gloves, fashionable scarves and muffle rs are gradually beginning to make a re-appearance on the scene to control the effect of the cold.

Speaking to Inside FCT, a roadside vendor Rosemary Ochege said “when harmattan just started, I could still dress normally all through the day but since last week, I have to wear thick socks and cardigans in the mornings and evenings because the cold has increased.

According to the mother of five, the cold was not an excuse to stay off the streets if her family must not go hungry for the day.

Aminu Salifu, a bike man in one of the suburbs in the Federal Capital Territory said as a result of the biting cold, before he starts his operations at night, he goes back home to put on about two shirts, a thick cardigan, two trousers, a socks and face cap.

In spattered Pidgin English, he took Inside FCT through his daily ordeal in the hands of harmattan “in the morning, afternoon and evening, I dress differently because if I fall ill due to cold my family will go hungry.

“I am always very dusty and dirty due to the nature of roads we have here. Most of them are very bad and because I have to make money for my family, I disregard the dust and take my passengers there.

“If it is in the morning or night, I might charge a little bit extra to ply bad routes because I know some of my colleagues will avoid taking passengers to such places for fear of dust.

“Before the harmattan became too serious, I go home to change my clothing in the afternoon and evening because it is usually very cold in the mornings and nights while the afternoons are hot but these days with the increased harmattan, I wear the same outfit all through the day because the weather is too windy and dusty and the cold has seriously increased.

Olayinka Johnson a pharmacist had associated the recorded increase in the sale of condoms, birth control pills and flu drugs to the cold season.

“Since the cold started getting tougher,

there have been several cases of severe cold and as expected, we have recorded more sales of catarrh and cold drugs including analgesic drugs”.

“Also, during the dry season every year, we witness increased demand in some protective products such as condoms, contraceptives and dust masks to prevent dusts from getting into the lungs which can cause more harm” From experience as a health expert, Dr. Christopher Enyigwe noted it was necessary to protect the lungs from invasion of small particles in the air which could be carrying viruses dangerous to health, by putting on respirator or dust mask as it is popularly known.

Enyigwe added that “usually during the dry season, we advice people to ensure they take a lot of water to control their level of dehydration which can result from

I PREFER THE RAINY SEASON TO

HARMATTAN. DAYS,

THESE

I AM VERY

CAUTIOUS OF THE

I GO TO AND HOW MUCH TIME I

PLACES

SPEND OUTSIDE THE HOUSE

for less-privileged in bringing out the best in the orphans.

She said “the children have been able to enjoy a better shot at life through the assistance of different groups who during visits, do not only food stuff and other necessary materials, but also give the operators of the home money to meet some urgent needs”.

Appreciating the goodwill gestures towards his home this yuletide , Aminu Saminu, an orphan, said “ God will continue to bless and provide the needs of all

those who always remember us, pay visits just to show us love and care.

The 15 year old also said “my best moment all through the year is Christmas period. We get a lot of visits from different groups and even celebrities. We get so much fun playing with them and placing a face to voices we have been listening to or names we have heard so much about. I look forward to this season with great anticipation of a better year ahead”.

A group photo at the Xmas party.

sweat, frequent urination or talking. More also, there is always an increased thirst for water because this period, the throat dries up easily”.

Victoria Ogunleye, an asthmatic patient, told Inside FCT she would trade anything to have the rainy season extend and cover the harmattan period which she said is always detrimental to her health.

“I prefer the rainy season to harmattan. These days I am very cautious of the places I go to and how much time I spend outside the house so as to reduce the rate of dust I might inhale as well as try to protect myself from catching cold unnecessarily. The last thing an asthmatic patient will wish for is an asthmatic crisis.

In addition, she explained that during harmattan, some people could experience cases of dry skins and skin cracks, lip cracks, hair breakage or cracks on the sole of their feet easily.

Ogunleye advised that oily creams or Vaseline could be used to stop further breakage or dry skins and lip balm could be applied constantly to reduce cases of lip cracks during this period.

A Nurse, Maxwell Turi, also advised families to take extra care in protecting the young and elderly from unnecessary exposures to severe cold which he said was the major cause of pneumonia.

“I see some children and old people not properly covered, this is not wise because these set of people are bound to be brought down with pneumonia faster than the young and very active in society. During this period, they need thick clothing especially those susceptible to pneumonia.

“Annoyingly, I still see some ladies in the name of fashion exposing theme selves to severe cold especially at night.

Nigerian ladies need to understand that not all dressing is appropriate for some weather conditions. They can get a jacket or pantyhose to complement their outfit rather than go about smiling but shivering and suffering in the hands of cold.

“Parents should also watch their children closely and keep them far away from taking cold drinks and food especially this festive period and also keep them away from cold environment. For those living in houses that are tiled, they should ensure they keep their feet warm constantly by putting on thick socks or slippers even in the house”.

Inside FCT also discovered that more people this period wear protective spectacles to shed their eyes only from the blazing sun, but against dust particles carried by the wind which could cause itching in the eyes and redness in an occasion of eye infection due to foreign bodies in the eye.

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Arty News

Friday, December 26, 2014

Zion City premieres Revelation REGINA OTOKPA

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group under the auspices of Zion City with the support of Busy Mind Entertainment premiered the movie ‘Revelation’ recently in Abuja.

Revelation, a Nollywood/Hollywood movie with focus on parenthood and family, shows that a happy and fulfilled life is strongly linked with starting a family irrespective of how a child comes into being. The writer, Sandra Nwugo, said the inspiration had arisen from the hardship encountered by some families in an effort to have a child.

Director of the movie, Femi Abatan pointed out that many were still held bound by what he termed ‘unfortunate African norms’ adding that, the belief still compel some parents to be childless, while shutting doors of opportunities to have a complete home by rejecting children in motherless babies’ homes.

Abatan said; “This is not right, it is callous, the idea is barbaric, selfish and a display of ignorance. The society should look closely into the issue of adoption and give hope to a helpless child. As a matter of fact, no child chose his parentage, and every child deserves a happy home”.

World class hospitality as African Sun berths in Lagos

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overs of world-class hospitality are in for great times, as African Sun opens on Airport Road, Ikeja Lagos”. Those were the exact words of Sindiso Sibanda, South African born General Manager of the new hospitality centre, African Sun, which made its official debut into the market last week at the expansive premises of the hotel situated on Airport Road in Ikeja, Lagos.

According to Sibanda, who is blessed with over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry in countries like Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, the entry of African Sun, will further reinforce the fact that Nigeria is a tourists destination in spite of the perceived challenges being encountered in some parts of the country.

“When people ask me my impression of Nigeria, I tell them it is a safe country because in Nigeria you see girls carrying their handbags and phones without fear of molestation. But the reality is that the government needs to do a lot to let people know about this. I have witnessed it here first hand but it is a pity that many people outside Nigeria, do not know. African Sun has an interesting story and we have come to Nigeria to replicate that. We hope to extend our services to other parts of Nigeria

African Sun lobby

like Abuja and Port Harcourt. But what we are assuring our customers both local and international is that they can be rest assured that it is still the same African Sun notable for world class services wherever they are. Of course, our hotels are known all over the continent of Africa.”

Sibanda also hinted that the proximity of the hotel to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport makes it ideal for international businessmen who want comfort as well as easy access to making trips.

The managing director of the facility, Ifeanyi Onwubiko, who appeared elated in an interview at the event said he was happy that the dream of having the four star facility came to reality and thanked everyone who took part in moulding the success story. He however said African Sun was not in competition with other hospitality resorts in the vicinity in spite of its perceived advantages. “We are not competing with anyone. It is a large market. However, I am optimistic that the quality of service will be our edge. And we do not hope to compromise on that.”

African Sun currently employs over 80 Nigerians as well as dozens of expatriates.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

There is so much to be thankful for — Waje OLADITI TIMILEHIN

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emale music star, Waje has been expressing thanks to God after recounting the blessing that came her way in the year 2014.

The sexy music star took to Instagram to testify to the goodness of God in her life. She wrote: ‘Good morning sweets. I’m grateful for so much. At the end of 2013, I was in a very dark place, toxic relationship, wanted to quit music and was worried about my weight, health issues and actually believed everyone around me was balling except me, but this year. I grew a very thick skin, so things that will usually hurt are now refreshment when my friends and I are gisting lol (bad belle is allowed), my daughter graduated, moved into a bigger house with everything I want in it, I invested more in business and God gave me more, can afford to take care of my parents, I no longer give excuses for my failures, I just get up and ask the Holy Spirit to help, discernment is my best

friend and even when it’s far from me I retrace my steps. I’m more mature, not quick to anger like I was in the past and my year is ending in the most beautiful way. My whole family is here with me.

There’s so much to be thankful for. 2015 will be a better year”.

BBA Tayo returns amidst fanfare OLAWALE OLUWADAHUNSI

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fter putting up a good show at the Big Brother house for 63 days, Tayo Faniran, first runner up and Nigerian housemate recently returned home and was welcomed with all the pomp befitting a hotshot.

As usual, MultiChoice Nigeria, M-Net threw him a homecoming party which took place at the popular Cova Lounge, in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Speaking with the media shortly before his party, Tayo said he was shocked when Idris Sultan of Tanzania was declared the winner of the reality show.

However, the 28 year old model and new dad explained that the interaction with other Africans in the Big Brother house and the exposure to the rich and diverse cultures in Africa have adequately prepared him to further pursue a career in acting, singing, or as a TV presenter.

He said: “I was really shocked when IK declared Idris the winner of the show. I genuinely thought I would win,

or at least be declared a co-winner!

Nonetheless I’m incredibly grateful for the unique opportunity and exposure Big Brother has given me. All I can tell Nigerians, Africa and the rest of the world now is ‘watch this space!”

MultiChoice General Manager, Marketing, Martin Mabutho expressed the MultiChoice’s pride in the reality show’s ability to bring Africans together. “MultiChoice, M-Net, and the show’s partners, worked hard to make this season of Big Brother Africa bigger than the last and we thank all stakeholders for their support,” he said.

Efosa Aiye v b o m w a n , Publicity and Talent Lead for M-Net (West), said:“We work hard to make each edition of Big Brother Africa bigger than the last and this year provided yet another mix of excitement, intrigue and incredible entertainment for our viewers.”

The reality show which began with 26 housemates successfully came to an end on Sunday, 7 December 2014.

Friday, December 26, 2014 Rabi Al-Awaal 4, 1436 A.H.

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25

Call to Worship On the authority of Anas bin Malik, the servant of the Messenger of Allah, the prophet said: “None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.”

RELATED BY BUKHARI AND MUSLIM

IN HIS LIGHT

with

USTAZ A. ZAFARAN e-mail: zatabumuneeb@yahoo.com

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t is 49 (not 419) days to the presidential election. Heaven will not fall.

Elections will hold and it will all become history. Let us see it as a wedding day rather than a warring day. No bridegroom goes home with other than his bride. We shall all have what we deserve.

Lots are being written and said why it must or should be Jonathan or Buhari.

But the real change is in us. This is where we must begin. If we change our hearts, our earth will definitely change. Our future is already being dashed in some states as they impose candidates who are serpents in human skin. It is a matter of time, wind of change will blow in all ramifications of our society. The common man shall one day determine what happens in governance.

The social media has been most effective more than any other time in Nigeria history. It has been unveiling power plays. Its freedom of expression is almost absolute. It modulates opinions and views simply because almost everybody is holding mobile phones in the rooms,

Real change is in us on the streets, in the forest, in the bus, etc. Information are passed and replied momentarily through whatsapp, tweeter, FB, etc. These have vehemently replaced election posters. Different pictures, images and animations are posted and uploaded. There was one poster where a fan was kissing the picture in a poster while there was another where animals were tearing another’s poster.

A lot of messages and revelations are

IT IS A MATTER OF TIME, WIND OF CHANGE WILL BLOW IN ALL RAMIFICATIONS

OF OUR SOCIETY.

THE COMMON

MAN SHALL ONE DAY DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENS IN GOVERNANCE

shared daily on these platforms. It will not be an overstatement if one says 60 percent of Nigerians are now aware of some information they were not aware before as news are even posted online. Right education and enlightenment are only preambles. Good people are more than the bad people. And it is the nature of evil and its agents to apparently outshine the good minded ones. But its reign will not last. We have the bad eggs in all sectors. Those of the religious industry are worst because they are presumed to be closest to God. But the social media have revealed that most of them are occultists. They aid and abet the corrupt politicians. Corrupt elements exist in all sectors, no exception.

They shall be defeated one after the other. This starts with our minds and attitudes. Let us always be known for good.

Let us not emulate any corrupt person. Let us be patient and contented with the little lawful earnings. God’s time may not come immediately but when it comes, it lasts.

The most calamitous disservice our opportunistic leaders have done to the nation is leaving us without visionary leaders. The youths have not been prepared for the inevitability of the future.

Some countries of the world are discussing what will happen in 2049, but we are

talking of 2015. We must start to build it now. It is not too late. As parents, show your love for this nation by training your children to become virtuous and virile citizens. It is from homes the seeds are planted. It is these that become trees. Let us build homes to build good leaders.

Teachers should teach students for attitudinal change. It is they who become the politicians. Our long time solution is to focus on child training at homes and in schools. The present arrangement is a stop-gap. These men in politics are intoxicated and have become blind. We pity the parents who birthed them and the teachers who trained them! May be they only became prodigal sons.

A legitimately born child, with practical and useful education, with genuine religious background is a model for all time. Time spent on the seat of power matters less but the performance. The future Nigeria is in the making. We shall get there. Corruption and all its agents shall be inextricably chained within the prison walls for repentance. We shall breathe and enjoy fresh airs of security, peace and well-being. A nation that has become caricatured with collapsing structures cannot rise in a day. We must as true Nigerians have a re-orientation of the kind of future we dream. Leadership alone cannot do it, as it changes; followers too must change for progress.

Qur’an 40:60

Amir of The Muslim Congress, TMC, Ustadh Luqman AbdulRaheem handing over deep freezer to Yusuf Oloyede at the Companion Zakat distribution in Lagos.

Taqwa Schools shines at 2014 WRO

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“Let’s focus on effectiveness of Zakat”

27

And your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.”

Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.

There is disconnect between religious teachings and adherents practice –Adeniyi

28, 29

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Call to Worship

Rabi Al-Awaal 4, 1436 A.H. Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Taqwa Schools shines at 2014 WRO SEKINAH L AWAL

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t was a thing of joy for the management and students of Taqwa Schools, Lagos-Nigeria as the team that represented the schools at the national competitions here in Nigeria had to be part of the international World Robot Olympiads, WRO, competition that took place in Sochi, Russia.

The Managing Director of Taqwa Schools, Alhaja Maryam Alimi said that it is a deserved honour for the school and students to have participated in a unique and important event organised for young inventors

and constructors because it will prepare them as future scientists and researchers who will surely make our world a better place and a more technologically-advanced nation.

Alhaja Alimi also emphasised the need for Nigerians to pay more attention to the development of research and technical skills among our children and young people.

“That is why besides the competition, Taqwa Schools engage the students in many other educational events expositions, cultural, research and entertainment.

The final competition in Russia brought together

participants from all over the world with great victories and spectacular ideas.”

Speaking to newsmen, one of the pupils at the Russia’s event, AbdulKadir Sayyidi revealed that being part of the competition has really helped in building his confidence and called on other students to join the robotic club in their school. “Taqwa School is a good school that usually strives to bring out the best in everybody.

Also speaking, Ruqoyah Falade, a Basic5 pupil of Taqwa Schools said she was indeed elated to be among other participants from other countries all over the world and interact

freely with them. “It was really great being part of the competition. I wasn`t that confident at the beginning but along the line, I was able to settle down and took charge of the situation. I pray that Nigeria will win next time. Our school has been helping to bring out the best in us.

Hajia Qudrah Olaleye, Principal, Taqwa High School, stated that it is part of the school’s policy to involve the students in as many beneficial competitions as possible in order to help them.

“It is a thing of joy to be part of the world event.

They took part last year too and it has being a good ex-

posure for the students. We are the only Muslim school there and they were determined to win.”

She urged parents should give the needed support as it will help the children a lot.

“Though it is very challenging and time-consuming, parents should cooperate with and encourage their wards.

52 countries participated in the competition.

“In Taqwa Schools, it has never been only academics as usual, the psychomotor domain of education was also given preference and we are very proud as we raised the bar by winning the Lagos State Private Schools Table Tennis “Talent Hunt” organized by Atico Global Concepts in May, 2014 with Gold Medal.

Also in June, 2014, the football team of the school made us proud by winning the 1st Edition of Dansol High School Soccer Championship Competition with Gold Medal. The session was rounded off with keen competition by our students in Sciences as they strive harder in the Science Olympiad Competition in Lagos State with 3rd Position (Overall) at

Yaba College of Technology, Lagos on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014. To crown the success for the session, our students also soar high at the Quiz Competition of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos with 1st Position on Saturday, July 5, 2014.

Team 1comprising of AbdulKadir Sayyidi, Falade Ruqoyah, Adisa Muheebah, Sanni AbdurRahman, Garuba Sarat and Ajadi Firdaus; participated in the Open Category-Elementary, where the team took 1st position which qualified them for the competition in Russia.

But only the first three members were allowed to actually travel for the presentation in Russia based on WRO’s rules. Team 2 was made up of Bashir Aliyu Gadams, Oyewole Waliyy, Oyewole Warith and Oyewole Jawad.

Other students of Taqwa Schools represented the school in the Regular Category-Junior, at the National Robotics Competition, where Team 1 of Omari Bilal, Mubarak Sikiru and Balogun AbdulAfeez took the 3rd position while Sanni Khadizah, Egbunu Khadijah and Musa Amirah made up Team 2.

GMPD holds convention

MD of Taqwa Group of Schools, Hajia Maryam Alimi with the students representing the school at the 2014 World Robotic Olympiads in Russia recently.

MD of Taqwa Group of Schools, Hajia Maryam Alimi with the students representing the school and other participants at the 2014 World Robotic Olympiads in Russia recently.

T

he Guild of Muslim Professional for Peace and Development, GMPD, started 2014 Convention at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, ASCON Chalets in Badagry yesterday to run till 28th of this month.

The four-day leadership training and networking programme convention which is tagged ‘Professionals beyond borders’ have the Director of Studies, School of the Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, UAE, Dr. Assem Al-Hajj as key speaker.

The event will feature keynote sessions, panel discussions and valuable networking and brainstorming hours.

According to Mr. Faheed Olajide, Dr. Al-Hajj has 20 years of industry consultancy services and academic experience. Olajide said the convention is

aimed at providing an ideal platform for networking and learning.

“The guild focuses on developing programs that improves the quality of life, expression of true professionalism in the ideal Islamic perspective and realisation of balance and integration of career, spirituality and family.”

Executive Director, Stanbic-IBTC Nominees, Mr Akeem Oyewale, said; “The GMPD convention understands these psychological and physical pressures our chosen career has on us and provides the following: a serene environment to slow down and hear yourself think; break from the routine of constantly doing; a safe place to learn how to attract success instead of trying so hard; a relaxation atmosphere to reflect, renew and recommit to your dreams with guest speakers that help nurture your soul and replenish your spirit.”

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Call to Worship

Friday, December 26, 2014 Rabi Al-Awaal 4, 1436 A.H.

27

Let’s focus on effectiveness of Zakat’ AISHA TITILAYO

A

s The Companion, a group of Muslim men in the professions and business recently distributed Zakat fund worth over 3million naira to deserving beneficiaries in Lagos, Muslims have been enjoined to pay serious attention to poverty eradication using the instrumentality of Zakat.

Giving the advice was Dr. Mustapha Ade-Bello while speaking as a guest

lecturer at the Companion Zakat distribution.

According to him, poverty can make people do anything to survive. “Let us have organised economy empowerment scheme in place as many Muslims are being converted easily because of poverty. We must wage war against poverty as Zakat will bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.”

Also speaking at the event, the National President of the group, Barrister Musbaudeen Oyefeso

urged the beneficiaries to realise it is Amanah being given to them and should not engage in wasting of money through partying, buying Aso-Ebi, making unnecessary phone calls among other frivolities.

He also called on rich Muslims to spend more for others in order to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.

Also speaking, Dr. Muiz Banire who represented the chairman of the occasion, Justice Wale Abiru, condemned the situation

of having the richest people in Nigeria as Muslims and the poorest as Muslims.

“Our rich Muslims should realise the fact that the money given to them is Amanah and should be used to make others happy.”

It is a virtue to empower women Dr. Banire reminded the Ummah of the various challenges facing it and the need for co-operation among Muslims.

“Despite our population, we are being used

beacause we are not organised.”

Ade-Bello added that Zakat issues should not be left to Alfas alone, those who are good orators and intellectually-sound should be involved in canvassing for Zakat and persuading Muslims on the need to pay Zakat.

Amir of The Muslim Congress, Ustadh Luqman AbdulRaheem called

Be united against extremism –Ahmadiyya leader …condemns school attack SEKINAH L AWAL

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L-R: Naibul Amirah of The Criterion, Alhaja Fatimah Oyefeso, presenting a cheque to Amdalat Mustapha to help in paying school fees; Alhaja Olufunmilayo Banire giving a widow, Balikis AbdulAzeez a cheque to pay her children’s school fees and a Director at the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Alhaja Amidat Sanni giving out a cheque of Hundred Thousand Naira to motherless babies home at the Companion Zakat distribution in Lagos.

Ahmadiyya Nigeria holds 63rd Jalsa Salana

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he National leadership of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria heartily welcomes delegates and invited guests to its 63rd annual conference, (Jalsa Salana ) holding from 26- 29th December,2014 at the Ahmadiyya Missionary Training College, Ilaro, Ogun-State .

According to the Publicity Committee Chairman, Qasim Akinreti, distinguished Islamic scholars and eminent Nigerians from all political and religious divide across Nigeria and West Africa are expected to grace the event. Special guests of honour include

the former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former African Union Trade Union Organisation, Accra, Ghana; governors of Ogun, Lagos and Osun, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Raji Fashola and Rauf Aregbesola respectively among other dignitaries.

Amir, Fashola

UNIFEMGA hails its scholars for winning prizes

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he Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates Association, UNIFEMGA, has commended 10 of its scholars who stole the show at the recent convocation of the University by winning prizes and clinched First Class.

In a commendation letter, the National President of the Association, Prof. Wahab Egbewole expressed delight that UNIFEMGA scholars were the best in their respective departments and faculties.

Egbewole said the body

was proud of the students for their outstanding performance in their studies and for giving good account of themselves as UNIFEMGA scholars. He said the association would continue to invest more in education and empowerment of its members for human and capital development of the country.

“We will continue to give supportive role not only in the spiritual realm but to education, membership empowerment and economic advancement of all members,” he said.

Egbewole urged their parents to give collaborative support geared at enhancing the future educational aspirations of all them. While extending automatic invitation to next year national reunion of the association to all the scholars, Egbewole urged all the students on campus to emulate the scholars by excelling in their respective studies and give good account of themselves.

Those who stole the show at the Convocation were Rasheed Amina, best student in Electrical

and Electronics Engineering, Muritala Rukayat, best female in accounting, 2011/12 and Oladepo Rafiat, best overall in Faculty of Administration and Accounting in 2012/13.

Others were Dotun Sulaimon Odunbaku in Education, Afolabi Mubaraq, Medical Rehabilitation, Ishola Sulaimon, Accounting, Jimoh Abeeb, Civil Engineering, Adejumo Waheed, best in Faculty of Technology, Sanusi Ibrahim, Education and Dolapo Shittu, overall best graduating student.

for and emphasised the need for sustainability, accountability and transparency of the Zakat process.

Speaking with National Mirror, the beneficiaries were full of appreciation to the Companion Zakat Fund for bringing succour to them and prayed that they would be among those that will pay Zakat next year.

he world leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad has condemned the Peshawar school attack, describing it as barbaric while calling on Muslim clerics to be united against all forms of extremism.

Masroor Ahmad spoke of his grief over the recent terrorist attack at a military school in Peshawar in which more than 130 children were brutally killed during his weekly Friday Sermon delivered at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in London.

Hazrat Ahmad, who described the victims as ‘martyrs’, condemned the outrageous attack and said that the entire Ahmadiyya Muslim Community worldwide felt the pain of those left bereaved. He repeatedly prayed for the victims and their families and called on the Muslim world to unite against all forms of extremism.

“This attack cannot be described only as cruel, but in fact it was the most extreme example of barbarity and bloodshed as the vast majority of the victims were innocent young children. This attack has left humanity in despair. Every single person who possesses even a grain of humanity has cried aloud with distress

and grief.”

He noted that the attack is completely against the teachings of Islam and said, “These innocent children were brutally targeted by people who say they seek to enforce ‘Shariah Law’. What kind of Islam is it that they practice? What type of Shariah do they follow?

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) strictly forbids woman or child ever targeted even during war.

He continued, “It is a tragedy and injustice of the heaviest proportion that such hateful and vengeful acts are being carried out in the name of that God, who is Gracious, who is Benevolent and All-Merciful. It is being conducted in the name of that God whose compassion is unparalleled. It is being done in the name of that Prophet (peace be upon him) who has been declared by God Almighty as the ‘Mercy for all Mankind’. And it is being falsely justified in the name of that Shariah, which advocates peace and justice for all.”

He however advised Islamic cleric to guide the Muslim world towards compassion and humanity and away from all forms of extremism or sectarianism. He said this would be a great favour on their part towards mankind.

Place your adverts here for optimal reach ZAKAT IS 2.5% OF YOUR TOTAL WEALTH, KNOWN AS NISAB. AFTER HAVING FULFILLED ALL OBLIGATIONS, PAY YOUR ZAKAT

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Call to Worship

Rabi Al-Awaal 4, 1436 A.H. Friday, December

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

There is disconnect between religious tea What is the problem in today’s world?

We live in an age when people have built God in their own images and that is the source of the problem we have in the world today. Since adherents of both Christianity and Islam have learnt to pick and choose whatever suits them in the Holy Scriptures (and I am referring here to the Bible and the Quran) in promotion of self-interests, it is also easy to understand why all manner of evil is easily rationalized in the name of God. If we look at the examples cited again, we would see that both the Bible and the Quran are explicit that God abhors stealing, prostitution and corruption although we are now being told that fiddling with public resources may not be the same thing as stealing. But these are common vices in the world and particularly in our society today.

Yet if statistics were to be taken of those who indulge in them, a greater majority would be those who call themselves either Christians or Muslims, people who are most often ready to die for the faith whose tenets they don’t live for. In his paper, “The Psychology of Religion: A Force For Good or Evil?”, Dr. Steve Taylor, a lecturer in psychology at Leeds Metropolitan University, United Kingdom who claims to be an atheist argues that there is a strong impulse in human beings to define themselves by association, whether it’s as a Christian, a Muslim, a socialist or even as a ‘Gunner’ as we supporters of Arsenal Football Club of London describe ourselves.

This urge, according to Taylor, “is closely connected to the impulse to be part of a group, to feel that you belong, and share the same beliefs and principles as others. And these impulses work together with the need for certainty – the feeling that you ‘know’, that you possess the truth, that you are right and others are wrong.” While we can forgive Taylor for his limited understanding of the essence of faith in God, arguments like his today find currency in a world where many would want to win the religious debate not by the power of their exemplary lives that reflect the faith they profess but rather by the barrels of the gun. It is therefore difficult to fault Taylor, especially when he differentiates between what he described as Dogmatic Religion and Spiritual Religion.

Such a dichotomy itself is interesting because all religious persuasions are supposed to be spiritual but the question remains, are they? It is from such superiority complex, Taylor argues, that fanaticism grows because for some of these adherents, “the fact that other people have different beliefs is an affront, since it implies the possibility that their own beliefs may not be true. They need to convince other people that they’re wrong to prove to themselves that they’re right.

In other words, whereas the purpose of dogmatic religion is to strengthen the ego, through beliefs, labels and group identity, the purpose of spiritual religion is the complete opposite of this – to transcend the ego, through compassion, altruism and spiritual practice.”

For a professed atheist, Taylor has a fair idea of what true religion and faith in God is all about but I guess he is cynical because people of faith hardly live by what they profess and that is where the problem lies. We all know what the Holy Scripture teaches about some of the evils in our world but these are things done, and often rationalized by those who claim to belong to one faith or another. How then will anybody take us seriously? As a Christian, my favourite bible passage is James 2: 18 which says, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

What that passage does is to repudiate any notion that a profession of faith can be divorced from the actions of adherents and a reaffirmation that genuine faith can only be authenticated by deeds. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself said in Matthew 7:16 that by their fruits, you shall know them. Unfortunately, the religious practice today among both Christians and Muslims is often nothing but hypocrisy. Incidentally, the injunction in Chapter 61, verses 3 and 4 of the Quran is similar: “O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? It is most hateful in the sight of God if you say something and do not practice it.” And if we go to the Hadith, according to Sahih al-Bukhari, Abu Hurairah narrated that prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie. Whenever he

Dr. Segun Adeniyi is the Chairman, Editorial Board of ThisDay Newspapers, he spoke at the

Adeniyi

O YOU WHO BELIEVE! WHY DO YOU SAY THAT WHICH

YOU DO NOT DO? IT IS MOST HATEFUL IN THE SIGHT OF

GOD IF YOU SAY SOMETHING AND DO NOT PRACTICE IT promises, he always breaks it (his promise). If you trust him, he proves to be dishonest. (If you keep something as a trust with him, he will not return it.)” I am sure many of us can look ourselves in the mirror and ask salient questions about whether indeed we practice what we profess.

That perhaps explains why the result of a recent Gallup polls which asked people how important religion is to them was quite revealing: the people of Somalia, a country where anarchy reigns supreme are all religious to the last terrorist.

According to the poll, Somalia, Niger and Bangladesh are the only three countries where all the citizens polled believe religion is the whole essence of their being. Our country, Nigeria did not also do badly in that 95.5 percent of the respondents also said that religion was important to them.

Do you accept the claim of BokoHaram out to Islamise Nigeria?

Let me state that I am not a stranger to Islam. My late mother’s name was Munirat and that should say something about the religion of her parents. Up till today, anytime I go to the village in Kwara State, the only description that earns me instant recognition among the elders is “omo Muni” (Muni’s son). My late maternal uncle with whom I spent most of my holidays while in school was also a respected Islamic leader in the Ikate area of Lagos. So I come from the typical Yoruba

family where adherents of the two faiths cohabit and that explains why I had no qualms registering for Islamic Religious Knowledge in my West African School Certificate (WASC) for which I am proud to announce I got A3. With that background, I believe I can say a word about what has become the challenge of Islam today given that there is a disconnect between what the religion teaches and what some of the fringe elements who claim to be adherents do in practice. I know this gap is common to almost all religions, and I see it all the time in Christianity but for Islam, terrorism anchored on has become a serious problem not only to the faith but indeed to humanity. A fanatic has been described as “one who redoubles his efforts, and forgets his goal”, essentially perhaps because such a goal is in the first place not noble. Quran 2:256 says there is no compulsion in religion while Quran 10:99 says if Allah had willed, he would have made everyone into a believer in the faith.

Yet in their warped attempt to force everyone into their brand of Islam (at least that is their claim), Boko Haram insurgents have killed defenceless citizens in schools, in churches, in markets and at motor parks but the most recent attack in Kano during the Jummat prayers is one of the most bestial anybody can imagine. I was sent a film footage of the tragedy apparently recorded by someone while the killings were going on. Since the video clip came with a warning about its graphic nature, I did not have the courage to watch it but I read the comment of the man who posted it: “This video as you can see tells the whole story. It was indeed a carnage of unimaginable proportion, happening inside a Mosque in Nigeria. What makes this video hard to watch is when ordinary citizens were removing the dead, Boko Haram militants came from nowhere and started shooting indiscriminately at them.

The braves, undaunted men remained at the scene and were equally killed by the gunmen. Please be advised, the footage is very graphic!” These are people who are supposed to convert all of us to Islam yet would kill inside a Mosque while the Jumat prayer was going on. That should tell us

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, December 26, 2014 Rabi Al-Awaal 4, 1436 A.H.

Call to Worship

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achings and adherents practice –Adeniyi annual conference of the Muslim Public Affairs Centre in Lagos recently; excerpts: something about their sinister agenda which has nothing to do with Islam. Anybody who has followed the tragic violence in the Northeast of Nigeria cannot but wonder how any rational person would believe he/she is killing innocent villagers, maiming children and disrupting the livelihood of millions of people in service of God. Even with my elementary knowledge of Islam, I am very much aware that what these people profess is not what the faith teaches. However, what I see as the problem is that there are Muslims who tolerate them, especially at the beginning of their madness because these terrorists are also smart enough to play into the local politics. With Boko Haram for instance, there were rationalizations that it was because of poverty and those who should speak up to challenge their weird thesis bought into the lie, notwithstanding the fact that most of their victims were usually Muslims. Perhaps among those who turned deaf ears to the antics of Boko Haram at the beginning were Muslims who share some of their resentment towards elements of Western civilization, and the presence of Christians in certain parts of the North they consider to be strictly Islamic territories. But as in the prophetic words of the writer, James Baldwin, “the fire next time will consume even the air”.

The truth is that whereas human beings define themselves by all forms of identities, including religious and ethnic, when such identities are perverted and bigoted, and when the champions of such perversion and bigotry are not immediately checked, they end up hurting everyone in the society.

It is however, heart-warming that the Muslim world is rising up to challenge not only the doctrine of these fringe elements but also to confront them.

Early last week, Shiite and Sunni clerics from about 80 countries gathered in Iran’s holy city of Qom to develop a strategy to combat extremists, including the Islamic State group that has captured large parts of Iraq and Syria. At the opening ceremony, the Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, the chief organizer of the conference, appealed for consensus among Islam’s two main branches, urging all Muslim clerics to work to discredit groups espousing extremism. “Military attacks against this deviant group (IS) are necessary but insufficient.

The roots of their violent ideology must be dried up. This is the job of Muslim scholars, to preach the true, moderate face of Islam and expose the ugly face of IS ideology,” said Shirazi, a prominent Shiite cleric who has a large following in Iran and abroad. In addition to the meeting held in Iran, there was an earlier letter refuting all the arguments used

by IS and similar organizations. It was signed by many scholars from all over the world, including our own Sultan of Sokoto, his Eminence Mohammed Saad Abubakar.

What is the way out?

As I said earlier, we need a similar initiative at home. It is important for respected Clerics and other critical stakeholders in Islam in our country to stand up and take back their religion from these dangerous elements in our society. While Boko Haram may have

HOWEVER, WHILE THERE ARE SEVERAL OF SUCH INTERFAITH INITIATIVES AT

THE TOP, WE NEED THEM MORE FOR THE PEOPLE AT THE BOTTOM claimed as its grand mission the Islamization of the country, questions must be asked about how they intend to do that by killing the same people they want to convert to their own way.

However, as has been said by Mallam Nurrudeen Lemu and Reverend Father George Ehusani both of who jointly run an organization called Interfaith Activity and Partnership for Peace, “it is easy to manipulate religion in a society where believers are largely poor, uneducated and desperately looking for someone to blame for all their woes.” I share the view of both Father Ehusani and Mallam Lemu with whom I have collaborated in the past and whose efforts I commend.

However, while there are several of such interfaith initiatives at the top, we need them more for the people at the bottom. Since the main goal of Boko Haram is to divide Nigerians along religious lines and deploying that to cause interreligious fight, ordinary Nigerians should also promote interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence. We must counter the message of hate being preached by the insurgents with a message of tolerance. But to do that successfully, our Christian leaders have a role to play by trying to have a better understanding of Islam and the real tenets of the faith. That implies that nobody should define the religion by what extremists and terrorists do or play politics with such a dangerous issue.

On that score, I am sad to admit that some of our Christian leaders from whom you expect compassion and understanding at such a critical time as this cannot see beyond partisan politics and so are making statements.

What confronts us in Nigeria today is not a problem for the North or for Muslims. It is a serious national security challenge that we must tackle together regardless of the faith we profess. The ultimate responsibility, however, rests with Muslims who must change the perception of Islam by retrieving their religion from the hands of a tiny but powerful minority who preach their sermons with guns and cudgels. A starting point is to challenge those characters at the scriptural level and educate those who might not know the true essence of the faith. This will help to reduce the pool from which the terrorists can recruit. Also, rather than keeping quiet and be deemed complicit, Muslims need to speak up and strongly condemn those committing evil in their name or in the name of their religion. It is not enough to say “they are also killing Muslims too” or that “our religion stands for peace”. The time for silence or passivity or being defensive or living in denial or

propounding unhelpful conspiracy theories is over. While in the past wars were fought in the name of both Christianity and Islam, most of the serious conflicts on the global level today have some link with those who profess f Islam. This is a major disservice to the religion that identifies its name with peace so it is important for true adherents of the faith to take back their religion from fanatics, bigots, murderers and sadists who are today giving Islam a bad name.

I am aware that Surah al-Nisa says in verse 136: “O you who believe! Believe in Allah, His Messenger, the scripture that He revealed to His messenger and the scripture that he revealed before. Whoever disbelieves in Allah,

His angels, His books, His Messengers, and the Last Day has gone far astray.” But the preceding verse in the same Surah, boldly written on the wall of one of the buildings at Harvard Law School, says it all: “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you swerve, and if you distort justice or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do.” May God help us to obey His injunctions and may He find us worthy to inherit His kingdom when we depart this world.

Book Review The Masjid (Mosque) - Basics & Management The Masjid (Mosque) - Basics & Management is written by the authors for the singular purpose of fortifying the Muslims with the basic knowledge required to make the Masjid achieve the goals of Islam as exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The whole discussion in the book is structured into eight (8) chapters.

The first chapter discusses the origin and essence of the Masjid in Islam. The second chapter h i g h lights the u n d e rl i n ing factors to be considered by Muslims as individual and groups when establishing a Masjid. The third chapter explores the personal and professional qualities a prospective Imam must have to function effectively and efficiently in that capacity. The next chapter entitled: Islam, Masjid and Management sensitizes the Muslim community on the need to bring the principles of management into the running of the Masjid in order to enhance the spirituality of the congregation as well as sustainability of the Masjid itself. Chapter five empowers the Imams as well as the general Muslims on the dynamics of managing the sermon on Friday. The Mimbar (Pulpit) is powerful and could be used for societal reformation. Chapter six draws a correlation between the Masjid and the business world. However, chapter seven discusses the role of the Imam in developing the Masjid as a platform for effective acceptance of Du’a. The concluding Chapter Eight espouses how the Imam could reposition the Zakat system to en-

hance the welfare of the poor members of the Muslim community.

A Masjid is a place reserved for the worship of Allah; the location should be clean and free from dirt, unpleasant odour and impurities. It should be as simple as possible in order for it to serve the traditional purpose. However, Islam is not against modern structure he building of standard beautiful Masjid for the glorification of Allah.

A brief comparison between Masjid of today and those of yesteryears reveals very wide gap in terms of functions and roles. In the past, the early Muslims placed emphasis on the essence of the Masj i d than its

physical appearance; whereas today, emphasis is on the façade with disregards to its essential roles. Thus, the key role of the mosque becomes restricted to the observance of five daily prayers and supplications on Sundays at Adhkar sessions.

Furthermore, the Masjid in the past served as a place from which Muslim leaders launched the message of Islam with its glittering civilization to the whole world. Today’s Masjid has sunk into irrelevances, stagnation and antiquity. Hardly do scholars utilize it for the agenda-setting and strategic thinking for the betterment of the Muslim Ummah.

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Call to Worship

Rabi Al-Awaal 4, 1436 A.H. Friday, December 26, 2014

Making affirmative action for women truly working M

any of our politicians make a lot promises regarding women appointment but have not been fulfilling their promises and we need to redress the low level of women participation in politics and girl-child education.

Even though an increasing number of women are providing leadership for big companies, many women in Nigeria engage only minimally in politics for obvious reasons.

And we must begin to provide the needed support at all levels to assist and encourage women in politics.

Though Charles de Gaulle said that Politics is too serious a business to be left in the hands of politicians but I think it is so serious to be left for men and women without integrity.

Democracy is meant to be a pluralistic system that is all-in-

THERE ARE A LOT OF NIGERIAN WOMEN WITH NEEDED GUTS AND QUALIFICATIONS TO SUCCEED POLITICALLY

clusive. It is ironic that women are systematically excluded from participating in the process in Nigeria.

Considering the statistics in the last Nigerian general elections though this represents a significant increase in female participation in the political process, it is still a far cry from the aspirations of women the world over for full participation.

Nigerian women have encountered a number of problems while venturing into politics.

There is large scale discrimina-

tion from the men folk, both in voting for candidates and in allocating political offices.

More women of intellect and pedigree should be deeply involved in party affairs and constitute a larger percentage of the party membership so that when it comes to selecting or electing candidates for elections, women can have their say and way. Since men are usually the majority in the political party setup, they tend to dominate the party hierarchy and are therefore at advantage in influencing

Who is afraid of Hijab A nger, condemnation and disbelief greeted the judgement of a Lagos High Court delivered on Friday, October 17, 2014 which upheld the ban on hijab (the Muslim female head covering) in public secondary schools in the state.

The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, (MSSN) Lagos State Area Unit, had approached the court seeking an end to the humiliation and harassments of Muslim female students from using hijab in schools.

Justice Grace Modupe Onyeabor in a suit filed against the government by the MSSN through their lawyer, Chief GaniAdetola-Kazeem (SAN), held that the ban was not discriminatory. The judge held that Nigeria’s ‘secular’ nature as provided by Section 10 of the Constitution must be preserved by the government and that such permission will affect the secular nature of Lagos State. In her ruling, Onyeabor opined that the use of hijab

by Muslim ladies will make others feel inferior!

The plaintiff cried foul, blue murder and day light robbery, alleging that the judge ruled against natural law. They stressed that Nigeria is not a secular state but a multi-religious one, and that no section of the constitution declares Nigeria as a secular state.The Muslim Students could not hide their consternation to a judgement they considered condem-

nable and unfit of a civilized community like Lagos anchored and superintended by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria!

To the MSSN, the ruling is laughable considering the fact that the judgement was predicated virtually on a letter written in April 2014 by the State Attorney General, Raman Ade Ipaye as the judgment did not differ from the letter, both in content and basis.

The organisation could not reconcile why the European constitutions and Turkish laws were extensively cited, at the expense of the Nigerian constitution which recognises two major religions of Islam and Christianity with such practices as the declaration of public holidays for their festivals. It wondered why the judge comfortably quoted antiquated Turkish laws and ignored the circular issued in Turkey in the same week the Lagos judgement on hijab was delivered, allowing the use of hijab in public schools by the same Turkish government.

Consequently, the MSSN has appealed the judgement. It posited that Justice Onyeabor erred in law, wondering, while considering judicial precedence on previous judgements on the issue (which negated her ruling as it were) both at the state and federal levels; the same section on which she premised her verdict; were not considered The Muslim Students argued

that the Christian judge neglected and rejected numerous arguments presented to her during a case that lasted about two years.

It insists that sections of the Nigerian constitution and international laws guaranteed the freedom of religion, thoughts and conscience and such narrow considerations cannot wish away their fundamental human right to religious expression.

They contended that if hijab does not make others inferior in other states, if it does not do so in other religiously inclined schools and if other students do not feel inferior in nursing schools and in other higher institutions of learning as well as in public offices, because their Muslim colleagues use hijab, how then does it make non-hijab users feel inferior in comparatively few Lagos State schools as claimed by the Judge? They therefore concluded that the denial of the hijab is a callous infringement on the fundamental human rights of Muslims.

Members of the organisation wondered why hijab suddenly became an issue in Lagos State when it is permitted in advanced democracies like US, UK (from where Nigeria’s common law originates), Germany, France and across Europe; and when it’s use on school uniform is already taken for granted in Ekiti, Oyo, Osun and the entire Northern Nigeria. This is equalCONTINUED ON PAGE 31

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE PLATFORM with

Sekinah Lawal t: 08055102994 e: sakinah207@yahoo.com the party’s internal politics.

It is a well-known fact that lack of adequate finance is a crucial hindrance to effective female participation in politics in Nigeria. Maternal challenges and obligations should not discourage women from taking part actively in politics.

With the 1991 census figures, women are almost now numerically at par with men.

The Federal Government signed and ratified the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women among other policies aimed at giving women their rights but many of these are just on paper. With this, we can conveniently say that governments at all levels are owing Nigerian women a lot.

Women organisations and other stakeholders must begin to find a rallying point for common action politically, economically and socially. Efforts must be highly intensified to realise the vision of a society where equality of rights and opportunities exist and a world where all women will enjoy their human rights.

However, this does not still take away the fact that before

venturing into active politics, women must ensure that they develop themselves well and it must be with their husbands consent and approval, so that their homes and family are kept intact. There are a lot of Nigerian women with needed guts and qualifications to succeed politically.

Nigerian women should be more sensitive to political issues as well as totally overcome the hitherto traditional barriers hindering them from participating in politics. Along with the phenomenon of reserving 30percent of appointment positions for women, same should also goes for elective positions if truly Nigerian politicians are serious about their claim of equal opportunities rather than competing against men for positions.

There should be no apathy among female political aspirants in order not to hinder the struggle for equity, justice and fair play in the quest for female emancipation and democracy in Nigeria. Women have the numerical strength to achieve this if only they will trust and cooperate among themselves.

Thank God It’s Friday Oyedun Aliu Olamide is a 500 Level student of the Department of Agricultural and Bio-systems Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin. He is from Kwara State. He is currently on 4.20 CGPA. He shares with AISHA TITILAYO how he spends his Fridays.

• I wake up around 5:30am • I observe my Salatul Subhi at 5:45am • I do my Adhkar •I spend some hours reading my notes in preparation for the day’s classes • I take my bath in preparation for my classes and also try to cook something to eat. Classes start by 8:00am • I go to class at about 7:30 and await the arrival of the lecturer while I try to revise my note.

• I attend one class after another till 12:00pm after which we have a break.

• I leave the class to relax in my room while I await Jumu’ah service • Jumu’ah service holds between 1:30pm and 2.00pm • I return to my room to either play, sleep or watch movies

till around 3:30pm • I observe my Asr prayer • I find something to eat and go to the library afterwards • I observe my Salatul Magrib as well at 7.00pm and resume reading • I eat and observe Salatul Ishai between 9-10pm • I browse the internet after that and go to bed around 11:00pm

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, December 26, 2014 Rabi Al-Awaal 4, 1436 A.H.

Call to Worship

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Every Friday with

Khalifatul

Ahmadiyya

Essence of Salatul Jumu’ah

S

alaat-ul-Jumu’ah or Friday Prayer is offered in congregation. It is offered in place of Dhur Prayer. Each week on Friday, Muslims are required to take a bath, dress in their best clean clothes, wear perfume and assemble in the mosque for Friday Prayer. The Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah speak highly of the blessings of Jumu’ah Prayer. If a Muslim spends Friday in the remembrance of God Almighty, supplicating before his Lord, he is abundantly rewarded

by Allah.

Friday Prayer is an occasion for the assembly of the Muslims of a whole city or a town. In a large city, Friday Prayer can be offered in more than one place for the convenience of the Muslim community. It gives them an opportunity to meet together to discuss and solve their individual as well as community problems. Getting together once a week develops unity, co-operation and cohesiveness among Muslims. Friday Prayer is also a demonstration of Islamic equality.

It gives the Imam a chance to advise all Muslims at the same time on urgent matters that face them. The Imam’s sermon gives them guidance in Islamic teachings.

Friday Prayer is an obligatory Prayer for every adult male Muslim. However, those who are sick, blind or disabled, those on a journey, and women, are exempt from the obligation of attending the Prayer at the mosque. They can join in the Prayer if they so wish, but if they cannot attend the Friday Prayer, they have to offer Dhur Prayer instead, as the Friday Prayer is offered in place of Dhur Prayer.

There are two Adhans for Friday Prayer. The first Adhan is recited when the sun begins to decline and the second is recited just before the Imam stands up before the congregation to deliver his sermon.

The sermon consists of two parts. In the first part the Imam, after the recitation of Att’-awwuz and Sura Fatiha, advises the gathering to act upon the commandments of Allah and also about the duties they have to perform to become good Muslims. The sermon can also deal with any other matter of importance.

This part of the sermon can be delivered in any language.

After delivering the first part of the sermon, the Imam sits down for a short while, then stands up again and starts with the second part which is in Arabic and which reads as follows: All praise is due to Allah. We laud Him, we beseech help from Him and ask His protection; we confide in Him, we trust Him alone and we seek protection against the evils and mischief of our souls and from the bad results of our deeds. Whomsoever He guides on the right path, none can misguide him; and whosoever He declares misled, none

can guide him onto the right path. And we bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah. He is alone and has no partner. We bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O servants of Allah! May Allah be merciful to you. Verily, Allah commands you to act with justice, to confer benefits upon each other and to do good to others as one does to one ‘s kindred and forbids evil which pertain to your own selves and evils which affect others and prohibits revolts against a lawful authority.

He warns you against being unmindful. You remember Allah; He too will remember you; call Him and He will make a response to your call. And verily divine remembrance is the highest virtue.

Muslims are required to listen to the sermon attentively. Any type of conversation during the sermon is prohibited.

After the Imam has delivered the second part of the sermon, the Iqamah is recited and the Imam leads the congregational two Raka’at of Jumu’ah Prayer.

The Holy Prophet of Islam, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not approve of a person telling others to refrain from conversation while the Imam is delivering his Sermon. In unavoidable circumstances, a gesture by hand or with a finger can be made to draw the attention of someone to stop talking. In case the Imam asks something during the sermon, then he should be replied to.

It is preferable that the person who delivered the sermon should lead the Prayer. The Imam should recite Sura Fatiha and some verses of the Holy Qur’an in a loud voice during the Jumu’ah Prayer. One should offer four Raka’at of Sunnah Prayer before the Friday congregational Prayer and four Raka’at of Sunnah after the congregational Jumu’ah Prayer, but two Raka’at of Sunnah after the congregational and Fardh Jumu’ah Prayer are also allowed instead of four, as mentioned in the famous book of Traditions called Sunan Abu Daud (Kitab-us-Salaat bab Assalaat ba’ad al Jummah wa sharah AlSunnat, Vol.3 page 449). The two Raka’at of Sunnah Prayer to be offered before the Fardh are compulsory and are not dropped even during a journey.

A person who comes to the mosque during the sermon should not steer his way to the front by jumping over the shoulders of the people already seated.

As the sermon has already begun, he can if he wishes, offer two Raka’at of Sunnah quickly during the sermon. If a person is late for Friday Prayer and joins the congregation in the final Qa’dah, he should complete his Prayer individually after the Imam has finished leading the Prayer.

If, however, he misses the congregational Prayer completely, such a person should offer Dhur Prayer instead.

Some of the executive members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Nigeria during the family picnic

Media Relation Director of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Nigeria, Alhaji Kazeem Akinreti and others during the family picnic .

Who is afraid of Hijab CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30 ly so in all Federal Government Colleges nationwide.

To many, it is a travesty of justice, a wilful misinterpretation of the constitution and a rape of the code of law; to some, it is a mortgage of citizens’ rights on the altar of political considerations and to others, it is symptomatic of corruption that pervades the judiciary which is supposed to be the last bastion of the denied and the final hope of the oppressed.

In another development, another Islamic group, the Joint Muslim Forum (JMF), declared that its members would only support any Lagos governorship candidate that supports the use of hijab in public schools, declaring: ‘NO HIJAB, NO VOTE”.

JMF recalled the inhuman treatments meted out to female Muslim students by Christian teachers and principals in Lagos over the hijab. Just one example will suffice here.

On February 5, 2013, an 11 year-old student, Aisha Alabi of Kadara Junior High School, EbuteMetta was given 43 lashes of the cane on the school’s assembly ground on the order of her principal, Mrs. E.C Ukpaka, for not removing her hijab after an Islamic Religious Knowledge class where the veil was allowed.

The Forum stressed that 43 lashes for an 11 year-old is the height of inhumanity and oppression.

JMF took exception to what it called a highly provocative pronouncement of the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye in a press conference of 14th May, 2013 where she stated that Muslims who want their

children to use the hijab should take their children to Muslim private schools, as if Muslims are not part of the ‘public’.

JMF cited the ruling of a former judge of the same Lagos High Court, (Justice Joseph Olubunmi Oyewole) in a similar case involving the Lagos State School of Health Technology where hijab was allowed and another similar judgement by the Lagos Court of Appeal permitting even the use of niqab!

Justice Oyewole relied on sections 38 and 42 of the Constitution in Suit No ID/424M/2004 – Fatimoh Abidemi Rasak & 3Ors Vs Commissioner for Health, Lagos State & 2 Ors to shoot down and declare unconstitutional a circular issued by the Lagos State School of Health Technology banning the students from wearing hijab.

Again, the Court of Appeal in Ilorin in the case of “The Provost, Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin Vs Bashirat Saliu in suit number CA/IL/49/2009 ruled that “the use of veil by female Muslims qualifies as a fundamental right under section 38 of the constitution”.

It concluded that Justice Onyeabor’s ruling on the hijab case is “...illogical, inexplicable and a total miscarriage of justice.

Should those who want hijab therefore remain perpetually under oppression and lack of religious freedom?’’ it queried.

JMF advanced its argument further via the following posers: ‘’Why is it that on one hand, the state claims to promote girl-child education and on the other hand, it openly discriminates against female Muslim students whose crime is the wearing of hijab to schools?

CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

32

Call to Worship

Rabi Al-Awaal 4, 1436 A.H. Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

We must encourage creative talents to grow Taqwa Schools, Lagos took part in the 2014 World Robotics competition that took place in Sochi, Russia. AISHA TITILAYO samples people’s opinion on why children should be allowed to develop their talents.

I The Managing Director of Taqwa Schools, Alhaja Maryam Alimi

W

orld Robotics competition is a unique and important event organized for young inventors and constructors because it will prepare them as future scientists and researchers who will surely make our world a better place and a more technologically-advanced nation.

We should pay more attention to the development of research and technical skills among our children and young people.

I

t is not always the best for parents to make career choices for their children. I think it is better if the parents guide the children towards his/ her own choice and support them with prayers.

They should make the child see the good and bad sides of his/her choice.

They should allow the children make their decisions themselves.

B

eing part of the national and global competition has given me and others a unique opportunity of meeting students from different countries and becoming acquainted with their works in the framework of research in theoretical and practical robotics. I would like to take part in such competitions regularly because it will really help me in so many ways. We did many creative and technical models using LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 and other products.

Adisa Muheebah

Odunsi Maryam

was indeed elated to be among other participants from other countries all over the world and interact freely with them. It was really great being part of the competition.

It is also about the successful development of creative potential of future scientists, engineers and inventors. I was and am still indeed elated to be among other participants from other countries all over the world and interact freely with them. It improves communication skills and successful international cooperation.

We are really excited to join in this tournament.

I

Shakeerah Lawal

think it is wrong for parents to make career choice for their children because the interest of the child is not usually put into consideration and at the long run it can lead to bad and nonchallant attitude from the child, thereby bringing reduced productivity. I think parents should rather assist the child by helping to find out what interests him or her and help in the development of such ambition.

I

O

ur school has been helping to bring out the best in us.

I feel happy to be part of the world competition. I am now very confident and brave. I wish to be a Pharmacist in future. We go for a lot of competitions which help us in many ways. It is indeed a thing of joy.

AbdulKadir Sayyidi

Ruqoyah Falade, a Basic5 pupil of Taqwa Schools

I

t is aimed at building their interest in many areas of technology aspects. It also encourages them, build and boost their creative and technological talents. Participants were able to compare author’s robotics programs, exchanged experience in organization educational projects and shared their opinions in industry development prospects. There was interactive communication with leading experts and leaders of robotics field.

Forum of Innovation is a unique opportunity to present your report to the international community, to familiarize representatives

Osho Basirat

t is not wrong for parents to make career choices for their children but it has to be such that the child would be surrounded with things that would make him/her develop zeal for the career and be guided right from the start. If at the long run the child doesn’t take interest in the career choice, then he shouldn’t be forced. The parents should consider his/her ability and encourage the child towards developing and achieving it.

of scientific community, government, business and mass media with your vision of actual state and development prospects of high technology.

Principal, Taqwa High School, Hajia Qudrah Olaleye

F Mr. Aliyu Abdullahi: Taqwa Robotic Coach

Saheed Olawale Raheem

I

t is most important to do so. Parents are the number 1 teachers for the children; prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) said it. Also, the parents also know more than the children, they may also want them to be good examples to others, so they have the right to make choice for them. Parents are to monitor their children from toddler to know what they have and what they can do well.

They shouldn’t force a career on their children to avoid misleading them from what they can be and be great at.

I

ifty-two countries participated at the World Robotic Olympic 2014 in Sochi-Russia and it is a good exposure for them. It is always good to let them go at their own pace and explore their talents.

Saidat Sanni

t is not wrong for parents to make career choices for their children but it has to be such that the child would be surrounded with things that would make him/her develop zeal for the career and be guided right from the start. If at the long run the child doesn’t take interest in the career choice, then he shouldn’t be forced. The parents should consider his/her ability and encourage the child towards developing and achieving it.

Ahmad Mustapha

W

e have answers for everything in Islam; one should do istikharah when one wants to make any decision.

I will say yes it is good if the parents come in to make a career choice for their child if he/she is faced with multiple choices. Just that the choice has come from the child’s mind, not that he/she will be compelled.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arty News

Friday, December 26, 2014

33

I started as masquerade dancer — Music Magician Blessing Maxwell aka Music Magician in this interview explains the challenges and comfort that come with a career in music with REGINA OTOKPA. How did you come about the identity ‘Music Magician’?

My name is Blessing Maxwell, aka the Music Magician. I am an entertainer and on a normal day, I am a regular musician who writes and sings his own songs but I have got this creative performance that made me take on the alias Music Magician.

This creativity is more like a live band performance but it is creative because I use just one beat to perform different kinds of music. I perform in a show that has a DJ, give the DJ the CD and with that one beat, perform popular songs from way back which includes rap, reggae, old school and RnB. The magic there is making use of one beat to do different brands of music which ordinarily one would conclude they are not supposed to go on same beat. With my magical touch I can use one beat to thrill my audience with songs of artistes like 5o Cent, Bob Marley, Don Williams to mention but a few and in doing that, I make sure me and the audience perform together , I carry them along to feel the magical spark.

What inspired this magical twist to music?

The general rule in entertainment is you must learn from people before you. A lot o people have asked me how I came about what I do, I didn’t sit down and suddenly decided I wanted to do ply this path. I have been a musician generally and these were songs I learnt while growing up especially when I decided I wanted to go into music.

It just hit me one fateful day while I was carrying out my normal general rehearsals as a musician and I started singing songs that I know on the beat and they rhyme. The first time I started, about five songs went on one beat and with time it grew.

I noticed that people love live band performances and I discovered that doing live band performances with great songs people like would set me apart from other artistes.

Unfortunately, I am not the live band kind of person, I am more like a street person; I love my music sharp and smart unlike the live band that has this cultural ambience to it but because I wanted something different that would stand me out, I opted for an infusion of real fashion and street kind of performance into live band performance by bringing in swag of artistes on stage while performing their songs.

Also, I moved away from the norm of

ings or events.

performing African songs as is customary to most live bands and brought in classic foreign songs that people know live on stage. That is basically what I do.

How does the audience react to your performance?

It has been quite surprising; the general mindset is ‘seeing is believing’, just put the entertainment in front of the crowd and see what goes on. It has been wonderful, but at the end of the day, it is not by doing popular songs, it is how you do it. The present Nigerian generation flow more with African and Nigerian music. To break in, an artiste must be able to do something different from what they are dancing in the clubs now, you have to look beyond and so for my music, I think it is the charisma behind the music and the character in terms of how I have handled it that always pull the crowd.

Before each performance, I speak strictly Pidgin English when introducing the song; I try to take them along to make them understand this is a Nigerian boy performing. I do not believe that because I want to rap a foreign artistes song, I need to start speaking slang to my audience, I will never do that instead I incorporate a little bit of comedy in a stylish manner in which I talk to my audience and capture their attention.

So far, the response has been good, I have performed in a village on demand and was amazed at the way they followed up. What really help is that these songs are classic songs, they are from between 10 to 30 years back before the advent of Naija songs so these are songs most of the middle aged already know but even at that, my presentation has really helped in generating positive responses each time I get on stage to add my magical touch to songs.

What challenges have you had to deal with in the process of gaining ground with your brand of music?

The challenges were enormous when I started initially. My performance comes in stages; I start with certain songs and there are some songs in between my collections that probably most people in the audience have never hard before as they might have not been born or grown enough to have heard the song when it was still hot in the market.

There have also been some occasions where people start demanding for Naija songs to dance to while am performing on stage but now I am matured, I have practised more on it and those kind of scenarios are now things of the past. What contributed to such reaction was in my early days as a magical artist, I was carried away with the thought of performing foreign songs and so I would come on stage and in-

THE MAGIC THERE IS MAKING USE OF ONE BEAT TO DO DIFFERENT GENRES OF MUSIC

What were you into before becoming a ‘music magician’?

I started entertainment as an illegal masquerade dancer at the age of nine alongside some of my friends to generate money. I did not really do any professional job after my secondary school.

One thing I did while in the secondary school was to take my time and learn the basics about music and now that I am full blown into it, the knowledge has really helped in making me a better entertainer.

troduce myself in a foreign way but I have understood that for my act to be best appreciated, I have to use Nigerian language before I do whatever I want to do and it has really helped out in changing the attitude of my audience towards my music.

Presently, the challenges I am facing now is selling my act to organisers of events that have not seen me perform before. I go an extra mile trying to explain and convince them about my unique act unlike regular musicians and dancers.

The creative thing about my act is that I could work around 30 songs within a space of five to ten minutes. It is all about teasing the audience it is not all about singing the whole song. Entertainment is not about coming to people to prove that you know so much, it is about putting the little you know and delivering a perfect performance that is memorable; it is a little bit of everything.

It has been so difficult trying to explain this to organisers who do not know me.

When they look at me as an upcoming musician, they assume I want to perform my songs that people do not know and they would tend to down play me but for those who know me and have watched me perform, we tag along.

What kind of places do you perform?

I like to believe that I can perform generally in any place that there is a DJ but I have come to know that the audience matters a lot. My performance comes out more in events where there are a good number of youths and I would like to say that a night club is superb as are general meet-

What is your goal as a ‘music magician’?

I watch a lot of foreign musical and art programmes and I have come to discover that no matter what one does in entertainment, there is always a platform for you. I desire to see my concept which is far from the regular music we are used to here in Nigeria, it is a creative concept and my dream is to perform regularly in popular creative shows like Big Brother Africa, Night of a Thousand Laugh, and AY Live where people can actually get to see my unique acts. I know entertainment is not easy because there are lot of upcoming artistes especially in music, I have decided to use this as a platform to create a niche for myself, promote the songs I have written as a regular artiste so that when I eventually go into my own music fully, I won’t be struggling to become a household name.

You have big dreams, how are you working towards achieving them?

What I have noticed in entertainment is that it is better for an upcoming artiste to be discovered at small shows or relaxation joints rather than striving to perform in big shows where you might probably not get the chance to show what you have got.

It is easier to be noticed at smaller events, even though I have been opportune to perform in some big events such as Night of a Thousand Laugh, it is my resolve that until I make a name in the entertainment industry, I would continue to work hard, keep going to different places to perform until I get there. I do not look down on any event, club or joint as a local place, the beauty of being an entertainer is that you are making other people happy so even if it is a local place, I keep performing because my opportunity can come from anywhere.

What thrills you most about your performance?

Anytime I perform and I make people happy, that performance is always a big one for me. A notable one was the night I got picked for a Night of a Thousand Laugh from a club; it was really huge for me.

34

Escape

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

So many stories of slavery have been told, but that of Kunta Kinte, who hailed from the Gambia, still evokes special feelings after almost three centuries.

NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

A

lex Haley’s story, ‘Roots: The Saga of an American Family’ has always held fantastic memories for me.

From the day I watched the series on my father’s cupboard-like black and white Panasonic television (a luxury in my neighbourhood in the early 80s); I could not help appreciating the strength of the character, Kunta Kinte.

Perhaps, it was his colour. Because every black man I saw then (both on TV and in reality) was Igbo; my tribe in Nigeria.

“See what they are doing to this Igbo man”, we would say. It did not matter that the person was speaking ‘fast’ American English.

It must have been this notion that every black man was ‘one of us’ that made me have empathy for his plight as a slave boy in the Americas. His story, for me, threw up new glimpses on the story of slavery, the wickedness of the white colonialists.

“What kinda man can do this to another man fellow?” one of the popular lines in the series, deployed by Kinte, whose limb was cut off to prevent him from escaping, was the height of it for me.

Welcome to Albreda and Juffureh. (Inset) Lamen Shehu, the tour guide.

These emotions came overwhelming me the day I visited Banjul, the capital of Gambia in West Africa, a sub-region being slandered (yes, that is the word) by the Western media for being the headquarters of Ebola and a triumphing hub for insurgency.

From my hotel room at Hotel Djeliba, located on the Brikama District, tucked in the midst of beaches, I made up my mind that I was going to relive that memory of Kunta Kinte; after all, I was in his country. It was during dinner at the Pocoloco Restaurant situated closely, over a three course meal of rice and Baracuda fish cuisine, that I met a Mohammed. Like him, most Gambians who are Muslims are filled water with an engine that has such a name with secular orientation, which I find com- home in Albreda/Juffureh. A boat goes the boat ride to Albreda/Juffureh. there”.

It was mid-sized boat named MV Lady was quite terrifying. But I nudged on. mendable. I hope other tourists do too.

A boat? I have always hated trips on wa- Jacerine. Let’s not call it mid-sized because MV Lady Jacerine was run by a pleas“Hello, you enjoying your meal?”, you ter, and he noticed it on my face.

I am not conversant with boats, save from ant English lady named Rachel Joyce. She could tell he was Gambian from his toned “It’s on the bank of the River Gambia; the ones I see in documentaries, but the appeared to have seen it all on water and dark skin, much like people from the northnot the Atlantic Ocean.” specifications are: Length: 14.9m; Breadth, she also noticed from the look on my face ern part of Nigeria but the difference here From then on, I was torn between my 4.6m Depth, 2.0bm, capacity 65 persons, En- that I was not the water type as I cautiously was how he spoke English language with entered the boat, my eyes fixed on the huge an accent influenced by prolonged interac- phobia for water, obviously aggravated by gine Type Ford and Mermaid but year of my late mum, who told me when I was a manufacture was 1975. expanse of water that formed the edge of tion with European tourists.

Two facts about the boat made me un- the popular River Gambia.

“Yes, I am.” I told him in-between child that there was something about my clan and water, and why I must always comfortable: It was built in 1975 and the “Welcome on board Lady Jacerirne. Is mouthfuls. avoid it.

At the end, the passion to see the engine has a name ‘mermaid’.

Mermaid this your first time?”

“Welcome to the Gambia”, he said. He ancestral home of Kunta Kinte over-shadin my part of Africa has so many myths “Yes”, I said with a nod, fright made my was the sixth person to say that to me that woed that fear. (obtained from folk stories) surrounding response inaudible, I guess. day and this reminded me of a people ready And I found my way to the seaport for it, and to think I would be part of a ride on Joyce smiled. “Lady Jacerine has been to sell tourism more than the groundnuts Geography books in primary school told us about the country. “Gambia has some beautiful things. We have great beaches, great women, great art, great wildlife. And yes, great food too. Which one do you want to start with?”

I should have told him I would like to start with the women first, but I shelved it and opted for an age-long passion-Kunta Kinte.

“Really? He was a great son of the Gambia, fearless and courageous, like my man, Jammeh”, he paused to point at the larger than life portrait of Yahya Jammeh, their Canons positioned by slave ‘King’ Tako Taal, an indication that president on the wall there. “If you like masters to wade off reprisals With Kunta Kinte’s 8th generation Baobab trees are plenty here.

Africans can subject to the reign of a him, then you must go see his ancestral at his ancestral home. on Kunta Kinte Island. woman.

Kunta Kinte Island:

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

operating for decades and has never recorded one case of accident. However, we have 81 life jackets located at several corners of the boat”, she was pointing at the location of the yellow life jackets. “You wear it in case there is an accident in water. It can keep you floating. It has a reflective vest and whistle which you can use while floating in water, so that rescue teams can hear the whistle and come for you”.

Why was she compounding my fear by telling a man who was entering a boat for the first time about accident in water?

She continued. “The journey is going to be three hours to Albreda and Juffereh.

Then you would do another forty minutes on a canoe to Kunta Kinte Island, where slaves were kept before being shipped to Europe and Americas.”

Seven and half hours on water? My mind kept asking me if this was worth it.

But once in a while flashes of the clips of the Roots with Kunta Kinte chained, would flash through my subconscious to calm my nerves. Soon, Lady Jacerine was roaring to go, as the Ford-Mermaid engine came alive; and my fears begin to thin out, the way the main seaport reduced in size as we sailed deeper and deeper and deeper into the calm River Gambia, on our way to Kunta Kinte Island.

A few minutes later I was as comfortable as an old-timer, enjoying the meals, the music and sharing jokes with other passengers in the boat about people travelling in water for the first time. Of course, this was punctuated with occasional sights of the dolphin, attracted by the boat’s captain who would let out a sound that had the dolphins shrieking and tumbling in excitement.

Some three hours later, we were at Albreda and Juffureh, where I met Lamen Shehu, a skinny tall man dressed in faded beach shirt. “I am your tour guide in Albreda/Juffureh”, he announced. “Lamen here means first born. Of course, you will see a lot of people with that kind of name in

Escape

Friday, December 26, 2014

this town”. That culture was not different from my part of Africa, where a first born is called Okpara and you see a lot of people being so addressed.

“Thank you for coming to Albreda/ Juffereh, the ancestral home of the famous Kunta Kinte, the slave boy whose story was told in Roots, written by Alex Haley.

He hailed from this town and was known as a courageous boy born in 1750. One day, he went into the bush with some of his playmates. His mates incidentally saw the people hunting for slaves like a game and ran; but Kinte, because of his courageous nature decided to stay and he was caught.

Stories have it that he actually fought the men, but there were four of them, and when he became exhausted, they took him into captivity on an Island that is today named Kunta Kinte Island. So this is his home town and so much has happened to this village since the story of Kunta Kinte became prominent. There is a museum and tourists who come to Gambia always come here to see things for themselves, just like you have done.”

He led us through a pathway, with so many memorabilia that showed slave activity in the area. There was a church reputed to have been built by the Portuguese when they arrived, making it the oldest in West Africa, there was a canon, set to commemorate the end of slavery in 1810. But what tickled my emotions was the museums, a house painted in fading yellow.

The museum looked ordinary but the items there were quite extraordinary and explained the dehumanising crime called slavery in vivid images.

Three things hurt me deeply: the ironcast restraining chains to prevent the captured slaves form running; the paper advertisement usually adopted to announce the availability of slaves much like wares in a mall and the short wooden boat less than 3 meters in length reputed to be used to carry about 400 slaves at once! Only God knew how they managed to gasp for air during their journey to the Americas inside such a cramped boat.

At this point, I looked at some of the English tourists with me to see if I could see the pain I was feeling, but they were smiling as those explanations were being made! Does the smile show they are happy about the atrocities of their fathers?

As if Lamen was reading my mind, he said: “Let us not dwell on blames over slavery. It is a phase of the history of mankind.

But we must say…NEVER AGAIN.” He told us that was the reason the huge statue located at the entrance into Albreda/ Juffureh had its hands unchained with an epitaph: NEVER AGAIN. But the music of Jali, a lanky man in his early 50s, who played a 21-stringed kora, from the Village Square close to the museum sort of soothed the mood. Though I could not understand what he was saying, I

Items of restraint used to subdue slaves

knew he was talking about the sufferings of his forefathers and wondering if the scars would ever heal completely.

From there, we walked the short distance to the ancestral compound of Kunta Kinte, where we met Fato Kinteh, reputed to be the eight generation of the famous slave boy, who through an interpreter reiterated the strength of Kinte, whom she said was captured in 1767 at the age of 17 and taken 3 kilometers to the island from where he was shipped to America. “He was so strong as a boy that he did not cry during circumcision. He was a warrior and when the slave masters tried to catch him, others ran but he refused to run. He was a warrior. I belong to his eight generation and one of his descendants named Binta who was born in 1904 died in 2004 at the age of 102 years. Alex Haley who wrote Roots, belonged to his sixth generation”, she spoke in Madinka language.

Lamen eventually took us back to the boat, Lady Jacerine for another journey to Kunta Kinte Island, a 3 km journey on canoe! It was more frightening than the boat ride, because this canoe was not motorized, but I was mid way to the main excitement why do I have to buckle at this point.

I took the challenge and descended from Lady Jacerine through a knotted rope which served as a ladder unto the canoe which sailed us to the Kuntah Kinte Island.

It is a small island with a very rich history of how slavery thrived in West African; how families were separated eternally, how humanity was raped without conscience.

Kunta Kinte Island has been important to the story of slave trade in West Africa.

Standing on the space, one would understand why the slave masters adopted this island named originally Fort James Island for the business. It is blessed with the view that suits the business. From there, the ships of the slave masters would berth without noise so they could use smaller boats to get into the hinterlands to catch slaves. The island is also well-fortified with stone bricks where captured slaves are caged until they are shipped. To prevent reprisals, canons were strategically placed to wade off both locals and other

Slave ship reputedly used to carry over 400 slaves to the Americas.

Jali playing the 21-stringed kora.

35

whites who were in the habit of over-powering slave camps to steal slaves from slave masters-typical case of survival of the fittest, being demonstrated on African soil with Africans. According to the tour guide, “The slaves are stored inside the apartments or holes reinforced with stones.

They are fed through a hole. The white man was smart and afraid of reprisals, so he made sure that he was also safe at every point in time. You can see the view from here. They would look with their telescope and see boats coming from everywhere.

That is why slavery thrived here. Look at the canons well-positioned to fight off intruders. They are still here because when slave trade was abolished, the white men left them, how they were”.

Finally, I was on the plane back to Nigeria, feeling half-fulfilled that I had made it to the root of ‘Roots’ but disappointed that we could not say slavery had been totally eradicated in Africa. Yes, because we have heard of human trafficking. But that would be an issue for another day. I just recoiled to enjoy the flight back to Lagos, in spite of the turbulence that characterised the three hour-plus long trip.

Advertising slaves at the camp, much like wares.

Slaves are fed through this hole.

Kunta Kinte Island as seen from a boat 40km away.

Stone reinforced walls that have survived the weather on the island for centuries.

NEVER AGAIN...breaking the chains of slavery.

36

People In The Mirror

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Elder brother to the Chief Personal Physician to the President; Mr. Fiberesima; Chief Personal Physician to the president, (CPP) Dr. Fortune Fiberesima welcoming the first Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan to the burial ceremony of their father, Pa David Peter Fiberesima in Okrika, Rivers State.

L-R: Lagos State Head of Service, Mrs. Oluseyi Williams; Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Oluwafunmilayo Olajumoke Atilade; Deputy Governor, Hon. (Mrs.) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; wife of the Governor, Emmanuella Abimbola, and Governor Babatunde Fahola, during Christmas Carol Service at the Lagos House, Marina, Lagos.

Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State (left) presenting an award to John Okafor (aka) Mr. Ibu, as most comical Nollywood male actor 2014 during the Enugu State Cultural feaster.

Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed (left) Congratulating the Chief Judge of the state Hon. Justice Sulyman Durosinlorun Kawu during the Judge’s Swearing - in at Government House, Ilorin.

L-R: Rivers State commissioner of Youth Development,Mr Owene Nwaondi ;representative of the Governor,Secretary to the State Government, Mr.George Feyi and Commissioner for Social and Rehabilitation, Mr Joe Poroma during the 2014 International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

L-R: Representative of UNIDO Country Representative, Mr Reuben Bamidele; Representative of Director-General, Nesrea, Mr Victor Ojobo and Representative of the Minister of Environment, Mr Kasimu Bayero, at a Consultative Stakeholders Workshop on Sustainable Management of Electrical and Electronic Waste in Nigeria, in Abuja.

L-R: Head of Department, Nursing Science, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Margret Ekiran; Sub-Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences,LUTH, Dr Daniel Odebiyi and representative of LUTH Medical Director, Dr Lanre Adeyemi, at the Society of Perinatal Medicine of Nigeria (SOPMON) 1st Annual Symposium in Lagos.

L-R; Members of Young Wives’ Fellowship of Nativity, Wife of Vicar, Mrs Kikelomo Oduwole; Coordinator, YWFN, Mrs Kate lsa and Mrs Efe Etomi during the annual thanksgiving and rededication of the Nativity Young Wives’s fellowship at the Church of The Nativity Christmas

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Friday, December 26, 2014

Mirror Drive

New Innovative car inventions for 2014 T

he wheels are always turning in the minds of car innovators each year. Each car company wants to change the pace of the game and come out with the best and most innovative inventions for their vehicles.

With innovation and technology at the core of their invention efforts each year, car owners and auto-enthusiasts alike are always interested in the latest and greatest additions to their favourite cars.

This year has been no different and it already has been filled with many innovations. Some of the innovations for 2014 are:

Auto Lane KeepingStaying in your own lane of traffic is important not only for your safety, but also for the safety of others on the road. That is why carmakers like Infiniti and MercedesBenz are bringing the self-driving car a little bit closer to fruition in 2014.

This invention was made available thanks to systems that leveraged cameras and sensors in order to keep an electric eye on the road ahead. This technology automatically makes minor steering adjustments and helps keep the car centered between highway lane markers.

minutes.

i-Key-

HondaVACMinivans are the perfect vehicles for big or growing families. Not only are they spacious, the 2014 Honda Odyssey is now equipped with a built-in vacuum cleaner in the rear cargo area. The vacuum comes with a replaceable filter, canister bag and attachments that reach into every corner of the cabin. This is a good way to get those pesky Cheerios out of every nook and cranny of your vehicle!

Hidden door handles-

Now, this innovation catres to the design side of 2014 auto inventions. The Jaguar F-Type sports car is equipped with door handles that remain flush with the bodywork and do not deploy until they are touched or the car is unlocked by way of a key fob. Once the car is set

in motion, the handles then retract back into the doors to keep with the sleek, aerodynamic design.

Automatic brake holdAlthough this might sound like a small problem as opposed to other problems in life, keeping your foot

on the brake for an extended period of time at a long stop light or train crossing gets tiring. That is why the Acura RLX luxury sedan’s latest invention aims to solve that problem with the automatic brake hold. This system is able to keep the brakes engaged for up to ten

Old-fashioned dangling keys are a thing of the past. Infiniti’s 2014 luxury sedan now allows up to four motorists to customise a variety of operation parameters. Once these measures are set, a user can be recognised via his or her key fob. It will then adjust everything from the position of the seat, mirror and climate control settings to even their favourite radio stations and previous navigation destinations.

From safety to cleaning and a sleek design to a smart key, these are just a few innovative examples of how inventions are changing the game in the auto industry.

Each year, the inventions get bigger, better and cleverer.

Hyundai donates iX35 SUV to winner of Headies music show

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he leading automobile company in the country, Hyundai Motors Nigeria has donated its prized Hyundai iX35 Sport Utility Vehicle, SUV, to reggae and dancehall music sensation, Patoranking, winner of the ‘Next Rated’ commemorative plaque at the 2014 Hip-Hop World Awards popularly called Headies.

The auto company in a statement by its media consultant stated that Patoranking defeated rival nominees Runtown, Orezi, Skales and Yemi Alade to emerge winner in the Next Rated category, arguably the most

coveted grouping in the Headies Awards since 2006 with previous winners like Asa, Wande Coal, Omawumi, Wizkid, Davido and Sean Tizzle.

The statement stated that Headies is Nigeria’s adaptation of the prestigious Grammy Awards, where outstanding local and potentially inspiring and upcoming artistes are honoured.

The category of the award the statement added has continuously been sponsored by Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of the Stallion Group since 2011 to encourage upcoming and outstanding artistes in

the local music industry.

The Head, Sales and Marketing, Hyundai, Mr. Jatin Nadkarni, during his presentation of the award to the winner stated that the company was pleased to be associated with Headies and Nigerian youths, remarking that music has become one of the most effective media to communicate and reach out to world most potent population.

Nadkarni emphasized that the auto company would continue to use the platform to raise the profile of Nigeria evolving hip-hop music, which he noted has lately become a tonic for so-

cio-cultural emancipation.

He declared that the gesture was in line with Hyundai Motors global youths’ sponsorship programmes that essentially seek to reaffirm Hyundai corporate social responsibility initiative.

He described Hyundai as stylish, sleek and sporty vehicle with dynamic curves that help to improve performance and lower air resistance for outstanding fuel economy and quiet cabin space.

He explained that the iX35 is a 2.0litre sport utility vehicle with uncommon passion for performance and it’s powered

by direct-injection petrol engine that enhances performance and reduces fuel use while lowering Co2 emission.

He added, “The interior of the iX35 is crafted with new seat upholstery as well as soft-touch front and rear door trims with appreciable 60/40-split rear seat.

“Hyundai iX35 comes equipped with new projector headlights and LED driving lights that enhance night travels just as the steering wheel audio control and USB auto input with iPod compatibility and Aux input jack makes the car fun to drive.”

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Cocktail

Friday, December 26, 2014

Woman’s stolen car returned 28 years later

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California woman said being reunited with her 1967 Ford Mustang 28 years after it was stolen was “like winning the lottery.”

Lynda Alsip of Hollister said the car was stolen from her apartment complex in Salinas when she went out of town for a week with some friends in 1986 and that was the last she ever saw of the vehicle until Monday, when it was presented to her by the California Highway Patrol.

“I never thought I would see it again,”Alsip told the

Monterey Herald. “It’s like winning the lottery. It happens to very few people and for it to happen to me, it’s just an amazing feeling.”

The California Highway Patrol said the car was found in the possession of a Salinas man who had attempted to have it registered. The man told police he purchased it as a project car in 1991 and only just got around to having it registered.

Police said they are still looking into whether the man knew the vehicle was stolen.

Dog chases ambulance carrying owner

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Brazilian emergency responder captured video of a loyal dog chasing the ambulance that was taking his owner to the hospital.

Celiomar Ferreira do Couto, 42, an emergency responder in Taguatinga, said he took video of the dog chasing the ambulance after the canine’s owner

suffered a seizure.

He told Brazilian news outlet Globo the dog’s actions show “the love the animal has for the owner.”

Thew ambulance pulled over after a few moments and allowed the dog to join its owner, who do Couto said was conscious and aware of the canine’s presence.

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Oddities Oddities

Tokyo ‘vagina artist’ charged with obscenity

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Japanese woman who makes art based on her vagina has been charged with obscenity, in a case that has sparked discussion on censorship.

Megumi Igarashi, 42, had allegedly displayed an “obscene” work at a Tokyo sex shop and sent 3D data of her genitals to other people.

She was arrested in early December and has been held in detention since then.

Ms Igarashi was previously arrested in July, but was later released following a legal appeal and public pressure.

On Wednesday Ms Igarashi was charged with obscenity for displaying a work modelled on her vagina and for distributing data that could be used to print out a 3D copy of her genitals, reported the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

Ms Igarashi, who goes by the name Rokudenashiko which means “no-good girl” in Japanese, pleaded not guilty.

Asahi Shimbun reported that she read out in court a prepared statement which said: “My works are

all meant to induce friendly laughter because they involve cutely decorating sexual organs. The works are not obscene.”

If convicted, Ms Igarashi could be jailed up to two years and/or fined as much as 2.5 million yen

(£13,350, $20,750).

This handout picture taken by Rokudenashiko and Marie Akatani on 19 October 2013 shows artist Megumi Igarashi paddling a kayak designed to be the shape of her own vagina in Tokyo.

Ms Igarashi says she makes artwork based on her genitals, and has a vagina-shaped mascot called

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Maritime

39

Hope rises as plans to re-float national carrier gain fraction About 20 years after the collapse of the Nigerian National Shipping Line, NNSL, no fewer than 5, 000 of cadets of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron are yet to do the mandatory sea time training due to lack of ships. But recent moves to re-float the shipping lines gives a glimmer of hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel, FRANCIS EZEM reports.

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o say that it might take the Nigerian nation several years to completely fill the vacuum created by the demise of her former National Carrier, the Nigerian National Shipping NNSL, is to state the obvious.

With an initial paid up capital of N4 million when it commenced operations in 1959, which was later increased to N100 million, the company grew in leaps and bounds and became a force to reckon with in the international shipping arena.

For instance, within the first 10 years of its establishment, the company had in excess of 29 ocean going vessels on its fleet, which were completely manned by its own trained Nigerians, employing over 1, 400 workers on a permanent basis while a minimum of 400 ratings were engaged intermittently on a six- month basis.

Records also show that within this period, it accounted for 83 ships, representing 3.0 per cent of the total number of the vessels that entered the country’s ports in 1985.

It is also on record that all the crew on board these vessels was 100 per cent Nigerians and at least 75 per cent of shipboard officers posts, including captains and chief officers were also Nigerians. Today, Nigeria through the die-hard spirit of the current management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, is struggling to place Nigerians on board Cabotage vessels.

Several efforts have however been made over the years to re-establish another national carrier for the country. It is also interesting to note that many of these efforts were championed by private sector people.

The reason for this is not far-fetched, especially given the circumstances that gave rise to the collapse of the NNSL. The former Indigenous Ship Owners Association of Nigeria, ISAN, now Nigeria Ship Owners Association, NISA, made efforts at establishing the ISAN Shipping Company Plc with its share capital in excess of N50 billion, which could not fly.

Immediate chairman of the association,

Oil vessel

Chief Isaac Jolapamo had said that the essence was for members to pool resources together to enable it acquire a minimum of one brand new Very Large Crude Carrier VLCC, which would also compete favourably with other foreign-owned VLCCs. Another indigenous firm, Ocean Marine Tankers Limited had also applied to the Federl Ministry of Transport for the granting of a National Carrier License.

This was sequel to the acquisition of two tanker vessels; MT Abiola and MT Igbinosa, which are said to be 45,000 metric tonnes each.

Sources at the company had hinted that it applied to be issued with a national carrier status so as to fill the vacuum created by the demise of the NNSL. Senior Special Adviser to the President on maritime services, Mr. Leke Oyewole, who confirmed the development in an interview, disclosed that he was aware the company had applied to be licensed as a national carrier for the country, which if granted would bestow on it several rights especially in terms of carriage of Nigerian cargo.

He however said that he was not aware how far it has gone in processing the applications, especially in terms of meeting the set conditions but hinted that the government is favourably disposed to granting it the license if it meets the conditions.

“We are all disposed to giving it to them if they meet the conditions because it will be a thing joy any day any of those ships will travel abroad to lift products because no Nigerian tanker vessel has ever done that before now”, the Presidential aide had said.

He however assured that the government will take a painstaking effort to ensure that the company meets all the requirements for the granting of national carrier status, which he believes will mark a new beginning for Nigerian shipping industry.

Experts also believe that a new national carrier will launch Nigeria into the club of tanker operating countries, especially as a member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC. More than one year after this applica-

We have not jettisoned the project, as a

management, we have used part of our first tenure to concretise efforts at establishing the

National

Carrier though these efforts have not really metamorphosed into the reality of establishing the firm but we are still going on with these efforts tion was made, nothing seems to have come out of it, an indication that either these private companies may not have made the conditions or that government is reluctant to grant such a license to privately owned companies.

This development left many maritime experts wondering whether Nigeria will continue to be a maritime and oil and gas nation without a national carrier.

Recent moves by NIMASA towards refloating the defunct national carrier however raises a glimmer of hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

According to him, the agency has not jettisoned the idea of establishing a new National Carrier, saying that the agency is

rather working on the policy framework of the new venture.

It was however gathered that a high powered committee made up of relevant government agencies and the private sector has been established with the mandate to work out the details and structure of the new company.

“We have not jettisoned the project, as a management, we have used part of our first tenure to concretise efforts at establishing the National Carrier though these efforts have not really metamorphosed into the reality of establishing the firm but we are still going on with these efforts”, he assured.

He also disclosed that apart from working out the policy framework of the new company, the committee is also expected to work out a blueprint that would provide a detailed roadmap for the new project.

The NIMASA-boss has insisted that the agency would ensure that the circumstances that led to the demise of the NNSL must not be allowed to reoccur in the new company by making it a private sector thing, some experts believe that government has not choice than to make it private sector driven.

Most vocal in this campaign is the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, NAMM, umbrella body for retired indigenous ship captains, chief engineers and engineers.

President of the association, Captain Ade Olopoenia, in an interview, made a strong case for the adoption of a Public-Private sector Participation in the re-floating of a national carrier for Nigeria.

While recounting the factors that culminated in the demise of the NNSL, he disclosed that there were other national lines in Africa such as in Ghana, Congo, and several others, which had to go under due to a combination of poor management and excessive government interference in the day-day running of the companies.

According to him, a major maritime and oil and gas nation, Nigeria needs a robust fleet of a national carrier both for both for the purposes of carrying her shipments comprising both import and exports as well as for training the much needed seafarers.

“Part of the reasons for the demise of Nigeria’s former national carrier and those of other African countries was government’s direct involvement especially in terms of ownership, and so in setting up another national carrier, government should only provide the enabling environment under a PPP model.

“If you look at the world now, there are few shipping lines that are still moving around in the world and they are very big shipping lines. So the national shipping lines of the world could not catch up with the changes in the global shipping industry whereas the shipping lines in Europe merged to become bigger liners and you know that shipping is just about competition so if you cannot compete with your peers, you are going to fold up”, he also said.

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Business Maritime

Friday, December 26, 2014

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Nigerian shipping group woos Turkish ship owners on fleet expansion Stories: Francis Ezem

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s part of efforts towards the development of the Nigerian maritime industry, especially fleet expansion, Nigerian Ship Owners’ Association NISA, former Indigenous Ship Owners Association of Nigeria is currently concluding plans to enter into a working agreement with its Turkish counterpart, the Turkish Ship Owners’ Association TUSA,.

An executive member of the Turkish association, Captain Yunus Jan, who, who spoke in Lagos, said NISA was working towards collaborating with the Turkish Ship owners’ group in the area of shipbuilding, repair and sharing of latest shipping technology.

According to him, such partnership had become necessary in order to move the Nigerian maritime industry beyond its current stage of foreign domination.

It was gathered that the decision of NISA to engage in the partnership was informed by the need to tap from the vast experience and wealth of knowledge of the members of the Turkish association, which has been in existence for over a century and is therefore willing to share these experiences with the Nigeria ship owners, most of who are still in their infancy..

“We are ready to collaborate with you. We re ready to know you, exchange contact with you and collaborate for the future.”

Jan said.

On his promise on the settingup of shipbuilding and repair yards, Jan said they would help in providing technology that would help in setting up shipyards in the country.

According to him, “Since I came into this country I have not found any shipbuilding or repair yard but, I don’t know whether anyone exist that I may not have seen but we at TUSA are ready to help you in this regard.”

“We will exchange ideas, we will support you in building passengers ships and we will help set them up. We will bring in technology for ship building and repair,” he said Meanwhile, President of NISA, Captain. Niyi Labinjo, who also spoke on the partnership, said the visit of TUSA is strategic and highly important because there is a lot to learn from TUSA because of its meant years of experience and it’s latest technology in shipping.

“I thank you for your support and am happy that you said you are ready to help us in the area of ship building and repair and we are ready to enter into serious deliberation with you in that aspect”, he told his guests.

“We are much aware of the

IMO’s lower sulphur fuel requirements takes effect January 1, 2015

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hips trading in designated emission control areas will have to use on board fuel oil with a sulphur content of no more than 0.10 per cent from 1 January 2015, against the limit of 1.00 per cent in effect up until 31 December 2014.

The stricter rules come into effect under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution form ships (MARPOL) Annex VI (Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships), specifically under regulation 14, of the International Maritime Organisation IMO, which covers emissions of Sulphur Oxides (SOx) and particulate matter from ships.

These requirements were adopted in October 2008 by consensus and entered into force in July 2010.

The emission control areas established under MARPOL

Annex VI for SOx are: the Baltic Sea area; the North Sea area; the North American area (covering designated coastal areas off the United States and Canada); and the United States Caribbean Sea area (around Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands).

Outside the emission control areas, the current limit for sulphur content of fuel oil is 3.50 per cent, falling to 0.50 per cent m/m on and after 1 January 2020. The 2020 date is subject to a review, to be completed by 2018, as to the availability of the required fuel oil. Depending on the outcome of the review, this date could be deferred to 1 January 2025.

Ships may also meet the SOx requirements by using gas as a fuel or an approved equivalent method, for example, exhaust gas cleaning systems or “scrubbers”.

Container block stack

progress you have made in the shipping industry. we are aware that your maritime industry has grown tremendously and your technology is of global best practices.

Labinjo also said that his association is ready and willing to learn from TUSA who he described as an older and a more experienced association.

“The collaboration with your

association will be in the interest of Turkish shipowners association and ours also. We are also interested in learning from an older association about how our own maritime association that is in the infant stage can learn from an older and more matured association.”

The NISA helmsman also assured Capt. Jan of his association readiness to go into collabo-

ration with TUSA. “It will be in our interest to cooperate with Turkish shipowners in the interest of our industry. We are ready to work together in shipbuilding, technology and sharing of information in the area TUSA has information and we don’t have.”

Labinjo also said the apex regulatory maritime agency, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), would be intimated with the working relationship between the two associations.

“NIMASA will be carried along but what is most important is that there is willingness between the two associations to work together in Shipbuilding and repair, technology and area of sharing information regarding what not they have experienced and we have not.”

“Training will also be included but what is important is laying the foundation which was what we are doing and of course, NIMASA will become privy of everything that will eventually happen.”

Import ration policy: 72, 247 metric tonnes of fish arrive Apapa Ports

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even vessels laden with a total of 72, 247 metric tonnes frozen fish have arrived the Lagos Ports Complex Apapa, as Federal Government’s policy of allocating quota to fish importers marks one year next year.

The Federal Government had introduced a new policy on import of fish into the country, which allows both corporate and individual importers some quota to import at a given time.

The policy is designed to enthrone a measure of sanity in the fish import market in the country, which is believed to be terribly corrupt, as it is expected to bring about fish import licensing and import quota system to prevent the current practice where some large corporate importers simply stockpile fish and distort the market at will, driving small Nigerian fish retailers out of business.

Statistics released by the Nigerian Ports Authority in its daily official shipping position shows that a total of seven ships laden with 72, 247 metric tonnes of the product are currently discharging at the various terminals in the country.

Details of the statistics show that a ship calle Green Karmoy

is expected tp discharge 29, 000 metric tonnes of the product while another vessel Montrose is also to discharge another 25, 000 metric tonnes of the product also at ENL. Also MV Rio Dolphin is expected to discharge 3, 000 metric tonnes at the ENL’s Terminals C and D of the LPC while a ship called Alma is to discharge 3, 300 metric tonnes of imported fish at the Apapa Bulk Terminal.

Another ship known as Frio Shanano is to discharge 5, 800 metric tonnes of the product partly at ENL and partly at the Greenview Development Nigeria Limited even as MV Summer Flower discharges 4, 847 metric tonnes of the product is to be discharged at ENL terminal.

MV Harengus, another ship also is to discharge 1, 300 metric tonnes of the product also at the ENL terminal, bringing to a total of 72, 247 metric tonnes of the product.

Experts believe that the current volume of fish being imported is a far cry from what was imported last year in the last quarter of the year when the volume of most imported goods are usually high given

preparations for the Yuletide and New Year celebrations.

The government had while justifying the fish import quota system had argued that stockpiling the products by big time corporate importers also leads to keeping fish way beyond acceptable sell-by dates, leading to sale of rancid fish to consumers. Rancidity is a major cause of cancers, especially liver and kidney cancers.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina had said: “To effectively regulate the importation of frozen fish, he said the ministry would monitor the quantity and species that each fish importer would be allocated to import, and ensure that Nigeria is not used as a dumping ground”.

According to him, government would develop a full inventory of all cold rooms in the country and monitor the movements of consignments and unwholesomeness of the fish products in all cold rooms.

He directed that henceforth, all illegally imported fish would be confiscated and destroyed, while contravening companies would lose their licenses and their cold rooms sealed.

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Business News

Friday, December 26, 2014

41

Farmers receive N1.33bn in October under ACG scheme UDO ONYEKA

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total of N1.33bn was guaranteed to 7,290 farmers under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme, ACGS, in October 2014, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, 2014 Economic Report.

This figure the report said represented a decline of 10.9 per cent below the level in the preceding month but was an increase of 60.9 per cent above the level in the corresponding period of 2013.

A sub-sectoral analysis of the loans guaranteed showed that the food crops sub-sector had the largest share of N593.9m, representing 44.6 per cent guaranteed to 4,943 beneficiaries.

This the report said was followed by the mixed crops subsector,

N348m representing 26.1 per cent and was guaranteed to 856 beneficiaries, while livestock, received N186.4m representing 14.0 per cent of the amount and guaranteed to 724 beneficiaries.

According to the report cash crops, got N170.8m representing 12.8 per cent and guaranteed to 614 beneficiaries and fisheries, N19.4m, representing 1.5 per cent guaranteed to 64 beneficiaries. Others sub-sector had N13.5 m representing 1.0 per cent guaranteed to 89 beneficiaries.

Also analysis by state showed that 27 states, including FCT, Abuja, benefited from the Scheme during the review month with the highest and lowest sums of N379.6m representing 28.5 per cent and N2.3m, representing 0.2 per cent guaranteed to Delta and Osun states, respectively.

At end-October 2014, the cumulative amount released by the CBN under the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme, CACS, to the participating banks for disbursement stood at N245.9bn for 326 projects.

The CBN data also indicated that the agricultural sector remained generally affected by the negative effects of the in-

surgency activities and overall insecurity in the North East.

“Farmers in different parts of the country engaged in harvesting of various crops. In the Northern part of the country, farming activities were dominated by harvesting cereals and legumes.

“However, prospects of significant output increase in the region continued to be

lowered by the security challenges in part of the region.

In the Southern states, the predominant activities included harvesting of maize, yam and cassava and in the livestock subsector, farmers intensified restocking activities in anticipation of increased sales during the end of the year festivities”, the report said.

Delayed cargo clearance at Lagos Airport to end Jan. –NAHCO boss OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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he Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO, Plc, Mr. Nobert Bielderman has assured all stakeholders including clearing agents at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos that cargo clearance at the airport would end by first week of January, 2015.

He insisted clearance of goods at the cargo section of the airport was on course and under control.

An online statement by the company’s spokesman, Mr. Tayo Ajakaye, stated that work at the cargo section was in full blast and that the company had cleared about 60 per cent of cargoes on ground.

He stated, “All hands have been on deck to ensure that the backlog is cleared. Currently we have cleared approximately 60 per cent. We are hopeful that the situation will be back to normal by the end of the first week of 2015. We currently do 24 hours decongestion on the tarmac, which has yielded positive result.”

The nahco aviance’ boss restated that the seven-days-a-week work strategy adopted by the company had gone a long way in reducing the volume of cargo on the tarmac.

He however said that clearing of cargo would be suspended for the Christmas holidays; 25 and 26, adding that it was an agreement between the company, clearing agents and other stakeholders in the system.

But, he assured that full operations would resume on December 27th till the end of 2014, opining that this would enable all concerned to have a little rest and re-energise.

Bielderman also disclosed that because of the nature of the task at hand, the senior management team and himself would be on ground during the holidays and would continue to work until the situation gets back to normal.

He commended the excellent working relationship with stakeholders, maintaining that everyone wa doing great to ensure the situation was contained, particularly Customs and clearing agents’ leadership He however appealed to importers for their understanding during this period, even as he promised that nahco aviance was doing everything possible to ensure that their shipments were delivered safely without further delay.

“We truly never envisage this situation. However, all necessary mechanisms have been put in place to guide against a repeat of this ugly incident,” he re-assured.

Bielderman also expressed appreciation to clearing agents for their support and cooperation and requested them to sustain the current trend.

“The entire board and management of nahco aviance like to appreciate all our client airlines, clearing agents, customs, FAAN, and other critical stakeholders in air cargo for the support and cooperation in this critical period.’’

Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr. Benjamin Dikki (right) presenting document for handing over of Stallion Property and Development Company to Chairman, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Pension Fund Limited, Dr. Dan Efebo, in Abuja, recently.

PHOTO: NAN

Black market sells dollar 5% below official price –CBN JOHNSON OKANLAWON WITH AGENCY REPORT

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he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has said that the postdevaluation band for naira is appropriately priced, but black market hawkers out on the street are trading it at around three to five per cent below its floor.

Despite an eight per cent devaluation of the target band and efforts last week to crack down on currency speculation by squeezing liquidity, the naira remains at record lows.

But while the CBN and the interbank markets argue over the naira’s fair value, it’s harder to argue with the price on the streets

where many dollars are bought and sold.

The country devalued its currency and widened its target trading band to N160 to N176 against the dollar, but few analysts believe that can hold, given a steady decline in reserves.

Several street changers, mostly Muslim northerners from the Hausa and Fulani ethnic groups, told Reuters they were trading a dollar for N180 to N182 the day before Christmas.

Last week, when the naira hit a record low, they were trading at N190 to the dollar, some 6.5 percent below the lower end of the bank’s target band.

“The naira’s come back a bit

because people are wanting more of it now ahead of Christmas,” said Ibrahim Sanni, standing by a palm-lined Lagos hotel adorned with Christmas decorations. “Last week we bought at N190, lower than ever.”

But he added that trading has been very slow since the end of November, when the central bank devalued the currency.

The naira has been hit hard in recent months by a steep fall in the price of Nigeria’s main export, oil.

Nigeria also introduced new policies last week banning banks from holding their own funds in dollars and decreeing that dollars bought from the interbank market can be held only for up to 48 hours.

64 ships laden with petroleum products to arrive Lagos

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ixty four ships are expected to arrive Lagos ports with containers, petroleum products and other goods between December 24, 2014 and January 23, 2015.

This is contained in a statement, made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos by the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA. It stated that 32 of the expected ships would all sail into the APM Terminals, Apapa, with containers, while the remaining ships

would arrive other terminals with Aviation Turbine Kerosene, ATK, petrol, diesel and base oil.

The document indicated that other ships would arrive with bulk sugar, bulk malt, bulk gas, general cargo, steel products, ethanol, used vehicles, bulk salt, fresh fish and bulk rice.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that 12 ships laden with petroleum products had arrived the Lagos ports waiting to berth and discharge their contents.

The document stated that eight of the ships waiting to berth contained petrol.

NAN reports that 10 other ships had also arrived with bulk malt, bulk fertiliser, general cargo, bulk sugar, bulk gypsum and bulk rice.

NAN also reports that 21 other ships are discharging bulk rice, buckwheat, kerosene, petrol, crude palm oil, bulk fertiliser, bulk gypsum, containers and general cargo.

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Friday, December 26, 2014

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2,146 firms cleared for FG contracts in 2014, says PenCom MESHACK IDEHEN

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he National Pension Commission, PenCom, said it certified a total of 2,146 companies to bid for Federal Government contracts during the outgoing year 2014, after they provided evidence of compliance with provisions of the Pension Reform Act 2004.

The total number of firms certified by PenCom to bid for Federal Government contracts was 1,386 as at August 22.

The commission said this is a

good development as only 1,163 employers were issued this compliance certificate by PenCom in 2013, while 852 and 559 firms were issued the certificates in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

PenCom said it has since 2011 been publishing the list of companies issued certificates of compliance with the Pension Act in compliance with Section 16 (6) (d) of the Public Procurement Act 2007, which states that any supplier, contractor or consultant bidding or soliciting contract or business from any Federal Government MDAs

Oando boosts Naval Command with 1.3m litres facility

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s part of efforts aimed at improving operations of the Nigerian Navy in the waterways, The management of Oando Marketing Plc, recently donated 1.3 million litre fuel storage capacity tank to the Force.

Speaking at the commissioning and handing over of the facility, Group Managing Director of the energy company, Mr. Wale Tinubu, who was represented by the CEO, Oando marketing company, Mr Yomi Awobokun, reiterated the commitment of the organisation in assisting the Navy in its effort towards ensuring adequate supply of fuel as well as ensuring its unhindered operations.

Awobokun noted that the gesture was necessary because of the need to align with the transformation programme instituted by the Force as this will contribute in no small measure to provide effective monitoring services of the nation’s waterways.

He revealed that the company, though, aware of the challenges in the oil sector but far more determined e to assist the government in its quest to guarantee adequate fuel supply .In view of this, he said, efforts are ongoing to build facility in all naval stations across the country in order to ensure that the Force remain a formidable institution in Africa.

Awobokun said” Oando is replicating the facility in all the Na-

val stations. We have articulated our plans, and we are working with the Navy top brass to replicate the stricture in Navy-owned facilities. The Navy conceived the idea of having a fuel gas storage facility in its formation, we have keyed into it. We are happy that the Navy approached us on the issue. Oando is keen to help Navy deploy its fleets through the facility whenever the need arises”.

Awobokun said ‘‘Oando is working with the Navy on how provide and implement new initiatives and make its roles unparalleled in the continent soon. We have since positioned ourselves as a partner with the Navy in order to help strengthening the force.”

He added that aside this gesture, the company has thrown itself open by the availability of fuel tanks which are buried in Navy facilities located in Victoria Island and Apapa as this will encouraged accessibility of the product for operation.

On his part, The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral UO Jubrin who was represented by Chief Of Logistics, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Ikos Ibas said the force appreciated the long standing relationship between it and Oando saying it has been of immense benefit for both parties.

must fulfill all its obligations with respect to pensions.

Although compliance certificates are issued only to organisations seeking to bid for Federal Government contracts, PenCom said it believes that if efforts are made to ensure compliance with this provision of the law, more employers would definitely be obeying the pension law in the country.

It explained that compliance with the Pension Act, at minimum; include ensuring that all employees open Retirement Savings Accounts ,RSAs, with the Pension Fund Administrator of their choice; remitting both employer and employee pension contributions to the appropriate

Pension Fund Custodian not later than seven days from the date of payment of salaries.

Companies requesting for the compliance certificate, PenCom noted, are equally to provide evidence of transfer of all pension assets of any employee retirement benefit scheme prior to the commencement of the Pension Act to licensed operators, as well as evidence of valid group life insurance policy for employees.

In accordance with this requirement that all organisations wishing to bid for any contract with the Federal Government MDAs must provide evidence of implementing the Contributory Pension Scheme, PenCom

Participants at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission’s stakeholders interactive engagement with diplomatic corps in Abuja, recently.

PHOTO:NAN

Soya beans: Expert puts Nigeria’s annual production value at N300bn

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he Coordinator, Community of Agricultural Stakeholders of Nigeria, CASON, Mr Sotonye Anga, has said that the current worth of soya beans production in Nigeria was over N300bn.

Anga, who was a guest lecturer at the Top Deal Farms Annual Lecture in Lagos, said that Nigeria currently produces 500,000 tons of soya beans annually.

He said that the commodity was a veritable source of income

and a multi-billion Naira business with high expansion and investment prospects.

“Nigeria’s Annual Production capacity of 500,000 tons makes soya a multi-billion Naira business in Nigeria.

“Also, there is room for expansion and investment, considering its diverse industrial uses.

“Soya is a suitable raw material in food production and it ranks among the richest and cheapest sources of protein globally.

LAWMA to distribute trash bags for clean environment

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agos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, said it would to distribute trash bags to churches and homes in the state during the festive season to ensure a clean environment.

The Managing Director, Mr Ola Oresanya said this in a statement signed by the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Lukman

Seriki.

Oresanya said that the decision to distribute the trash bags was informed by the anticipated 100 per cent increase in waste generation during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

He restated the agency’s commitment towards ensuring that this year’s celebration is marked

added, saying it has constantly been updating the list of organisations that have been issued compliance certificates.

The commission said it has also created a space on its website where the Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) can easily search for the names of companies to determine their status on compliance with the Pension Act before such organisations can be considered for government contracts.

It added PenCom explained the list has to be publicised to serve as a guide to all Federal Government MDAs and for information of the general public.

in a clean atmosphere and implored the people to shun acts capable of making the environment dirty.

The LAWMA boss further urged motorists to exercise while driving to safeguard the lives of street sweepers and other service providers who would be very active during the yuletide.

While wishing residents ‘‘a dirt-free celebration’’, he urged them to contact the authority on its toll free lines 5577/07080601020 in case of any emergency.

He added that the customer care unit would be operational throughout the period of the holidays to address the needs of the public.

“The current demand for soya beans is worth around N300bn annually,’’ Anga said.

He attributed the sliding trend in the value of Naira in the country to the classification of Nigeria as a non-producing nation.

“The devalued currency has a negative impact on the importation of products into the country as it increases the cost of imported products.

“But on a good note, it favours exports of agricultural products.

“As useful as the computer is, no one ever feeds on it, but in whatever we do, we must feed and that is agribusiness,’’ he said.

Commending the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, ATA, Anga urged the Federal Government to increase investment on the programme to boost soya production and utilisation.

According to him, investing more on ATA will enhance job creation and improve soya farmer’s income.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Huawei’s smartphone sales shoot up ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN WITH AGENCY REPORT

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uawei needs to target the higher end of the market to survive.

China’s Huawei Technologies has taken sales of its brand of smartphones to 20 million from a million in just one year.

Honour brand president Jeff Liu said industry transition to an online sales strategy was inevitable given the competitive pricing, afforded by reduced distribution expenses that would otherwise make up 30 per cent of handset costs.

“E-commerce is massively changing the traditional channels for the smartphone industry, and we needed to go in that direction too,” Liu said in an interview in Beijing, where he unveiled the Honour 6 Plus smartphone.

Media Affairs Manager, Huawei West Africa, Kevin Li, who is

Business News

Friday, December 26, 2014

based in Lagos said, told National Mirror that the Huawei brand has grown in Nigeria to become a household name.

He said that when vendor technologies companies are mentioned in Nigeria, Huawei in on the top chat with just only revel saying that the brand is currently taking leading position in the device market in Nigeria.

Honour handsets dropped the Huawei name last December and have since been marketed and distributed independently of Huawei-branded phones. They are sold in countries ranging from Belgium to Brazil, primarily via marketplaces such as those of JD.com in China and Flipkart Online Services in India.

The brand makes up a quarter of Huawei’s 2014 shipment goal, and in the third quarter, helped the Shenzhen-based telecoms equipment to the number three spot in global market share, according to data from Gartner.

43

Electricity union tasks FG on technical, vocational skills MESHACK IDEHEN

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he Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Company, SAEAC, has said it is calling on the Federal Government take bold steps to reduce the proportion of youth unemployment in the country through technical and vocational skills policies that would boost decent jobs and entrepreneurship.

SAEAC’s President, Mr. Bede Opara, made the submission while interacting with journalists in Lagos on the recently adopted set of 17 proposed goals on training skills for youth empowerment by the Open Working Group, OWG, of the United Na-

tions ,UN, that will be submitted to the UN General Assembly in September 2014.

He said to address the high rate of unemployment and insecurity in the country, that the association has already tasked the Federal Government towards taking bolder action to substantially reduce the proportion of youths not in employment in the country through technical and vocational.

“There is need for more emphasis to be given to policies on a new set of development objectives, including ambitious targets on full employment and decent work for at least 10 million youth annually, for the next five years to close the gap of unemployment”, the SSAEAC president said.

According to him, in order to

achieve the goal of decent work for all, significant efforts will be needed by the government and other stakeholders to reduce large numbers of the working poor and to increase employment rates for women, youth and people with disabilities in the country.

“It makes good sense to combine decent work and inclusive growth through technical and vocational skills programmes for youth that would boost jobs creation and entrepreneurship.

“Safer workplaces and respect for labour rights are a fundamental step towards increasing jobs creation and entrepreneurship output and productivity as well as boosting inclusive growth”, Opara added.

Share love at Christmas, Glo tells Christians ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN

C

hristians have been urged to show love to one another and pray for the peace of the country this yuletide season as they celebrate Christmas.

This call was made by National telecoms provider, Globacom in a goodwill message to Nigerians to mark this year’s Christmas celebration.

The company extolled the good virtues of Christians and urged them to continue to live by the tenets and teaching of Jesus Christ as he is the reason for the season.

The company urged the Christian faithful in the country to use the season of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ to spread the joy of the season and pray for the progress of Nigeria.

Globacom wished Christians a season full of love, unlimited happiness and celebration calling all Nigerians to use the occasion of the Yuletide to make peace and reconcile all differences.

“On all fronts, we need to encourage cordiality and peaceful co-existence; between friends, families, political opponents, tribes, ethnic groups and religions,” Globacom said in the statement.

“Nigeria can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and unity.

Therefore, Nigerians should imbibe the spirit of tolerance, forgiveness and forbearance as exhibited by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ethnic, religious and political differences should therefore be transformed into the plank for enduring unity, and not be pushed to extremities”, the statement counselled.

‘Global snacks industry worth’s $46bn’ DAVID AUDU

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he global confectionary market is worth more than $374bn annually, according a recent report by Nielsen in its Global Snacking report In Europe, confectionery represents the biggest contributor to the overall snack category, with sales of $46.5bn.

Demand for snack products is mainly driven by taste and the healthiness of their content, with 45 per cent of global respondents considering natural ingredients a very important factor in their purchasing choice. And while 76 per cent of global respondents

consume snacks to satisfy their hunger, 63 per cent purchase them for nutrition.

“Organic and healthy snacks offer an opportunity to reach different audiences and health is a particularly important factor for older consumers.” explains Nielsen Store Leader, Carlina Johnson.

However, whilst older demographics show an increased demand for healthier snack products, Nielsen data also reveals that their taste preferences are changing, so it is important to define customer targets.

For example, the demand for crispy and crunchy products declines as consumers age.

Market activities on Breadfruit Street, Lagos.

PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

AfDB approves $250m loan to South African firm

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frican Development Bank, AfDB, has approved a $250m loan to South African state-owned logistics company Transnet.

This loan, over 20 years, will enable Transnet to increase it goods capacity in order to meet the South African Government’s strategy to transition goods transport from road to rail and ensure the viability of freight corridors. This assistance from the Bank will be particularly used to acquire locomotives in order to achieve a freight capacity of 176 million tonnes per year, against 80 million today.

Transnet has an ambitious seven-year investment plan ,2013-2020, amounting to approximately ZAR 312.2bn, $27.5bn

to repair, improve and develop its infrastructure, and to make South Africa efficient and competitive in its transport sector.

Some 51 per cent of the total investment will be used to repair or replace existing infrastructure and the rest will be used to acquire additional capacity.

The South African national transport policy advocates a modal shift from road to rail, in order to achieve a better balance between these two modes of transport in the freight sector and reduce logistics costs.

The 2014 declaration of medium-term fiscal policy also confirms the urgency to expedite the provision of essential services and infrastructure and, in particular, an increase in railway

capacity.

Despite some economic uncertainties, the South African Government is determined to modernize the country’s socioeconomic infrastructure with the aim of promoting inclusive growth. Transnet fully adheres to the goals of the South African National Development Plan, NDP, namely, the promotion of more inclusive growth and improvement of working conditions in South Africa, in addition to the goal of a modal transfer towards a greater place for rail transport.

AfDB approved its first business loan, for $400m, to a South African state-owned company in 2010.

44

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria agric sector still dominated by peasant farmers –NACCIMA Abolaji Adebayo

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he Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agricultue, NACCIMA, has bemoaned the pace at which the agricultural sector is growing considering the economic status of the country.

Speaking during the courtesy visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development recently, the President of the association, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar said, “Given the position that agriculture holds to our national development as a source of food security; job creation; raw materials production for industrial growth; generation of foreign exchange for the country amongst other. The sector is yet to achieve its full potential. While we are not unaware of the enormity of the challenges which impedes the full realisation of the foregoing, the Association is of the view that the Federal Government should not rest on its oars until we achieve the full realisation of the country’s agricultural potentials.

“As part of our advocacy on issues that will grow the development of trade and investment in particular and the economy in general, the NACCIMA has organised a One-Day Dialogue Session programme tagged, “National Dialogue On Agricultural Value Chain”, with the theme: “Enhancing Agricultural Export Through Adequate Financing”.

The programme was planned, with a view to getting stakeholders in Agribusiness to brainstorm on how to improve on Agriculture production towards self-sustenance and food sufficiency as well as Exports in Nigeria. It was also used to expose participants to the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda, ATA. Arising from the programme, a communiqué was issued and has been forwarded to your good office for consideration.

During the dialogue, the association had identified peasant farmers domination of the sector as the reason for underutilization of the potential of agricultural sector. It stated that the high interest rate, which constitutes a major impediment to financing the sector, has not been addressed.

The association also regretted an underdevelopment of agriculture value chain, which has resulted in exportation of agricultural raw materials to the developed countries.

Abubakar stated that low investment in infrastructure defined the reason for the underdevelopment of the value chain. He explained that value chain is the main aspect where Nigeria has comparative advantage, while advocating for urgent private sector initiative and intervention to complement Government efforts.

He decried the low support for seeds and fertilizer to farmers under the Growth Enhancement Scheme, GES, of the Federal Government.

Abubakar

Adesina

According to him, in the GES arrangement, the governments should provide 50 per cent (Federal-25 per cent, State-25 per cent) support for seeds and fertilizer to farmers directly and not through the general price subsidy.

Abubakar also stated the need for farmers to be insured so that bank loans can be guaranteed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. As contained in the communiqué presented to the minister, the association stated that the Agriculture ministry should be encouraged to reduce the number of peasant farmers through aggressive empowerment.

It urged the government to increase the budget for agricultural to at least 10 per cent of the national budget, while canvassing for discontinuation of double dig-

its interest rate on agricultural loans.

It further stated, “The Bank of Agriculture should be given same level plain of operation by raising up her paid up share capital to N500bn as did to BOI. At least N500bn intervention funds should go to Bank of Agriculture (BoA) as soon as possible.

“The Research Institutes such as RMRDC and FIIRO should be empowered to research more on how agricultural value chain could be developed and sustained. Also, Research and Development arm of Private Sector should be able to access Research Grants to fast track R & Ds at all levels.

“Return on Investment in the Agricultural sector is low; government should help farmers with incentives that would en-

hance return on investment on agriculture “Government should provide incentives on imported farm tools and equipment to reduce their cost. Also, importation of agricultural equipment and machinery should be zero duty and investment guaranteed; also insured by both investors and the government. In addition, all agricultural products for export must be guaranteed and risk insured while finance-friendly banks underwritten by the NEXIM bank and or the CBN. “Special arrangement needs to be made for women by the Bank of Agriculture, BOA, to aid their easy access to agricultural loan.

“Policy frame work that would encourage commercial farming should be formulated in order to have an easy transition from peasant farming to commercial farming.

“Government should encourage farmers by buying the farm produce from farmers while buyers buy directly from the government.”

Abubakar, who reemphasised the association’s readiness to continue partnering government towards the revitalisation of agricultural sector, said, “With all of us working as partners in progress, we will be able to achieve food sufficiency for consumption, raw materials for industrial growth and boost our exports potentials in a manner that will make the country achieve the target of being among the first 20 agriculturally developed nations by the year 2020.

ADA, others train Lagos farmers on fish cage production Abolaji Adebayo

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he Lagos State Agriculture Development Authority, ADA, in collaboration with the West Africa Agricultural Productivity, WAPP, and Green Agriculture West Africa Limited, GAWAL, has organised a two-day workshop training on Fish Cage Culture for Lagos Farmers.

“There is a major gap in fish production in the country.

This workshop among others is to bridge the gap, provides gainful employment opportu-

nities, guarantee food security programme as well as improve the standard of living of fisher folks.”

These were the words of the Programme Manager, Lagos State Agriculture Development Authority, ADA, OkoOba, Agege branch, Mr. Kayode Ashafa, during his welcome address at the two-day workshop training held recently at the ADA office at Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos.

Speaking further, Mr. Ashafa reiterated that the Lagos State Government has embarked on many agricultural development

projects towards addressing and reducing poverty, which includes; the establishment of productive infrastructure facilities at Songhai Abia, Badagry, Rice Processing Mill, Imota, Marine Agriculture Development Programme, Fish Farm Estate Initiative, Lagos Sea Food festival, and the just concluded empowerment programme, among others.

While delivering a paper to enlighten the farmers about the West Africa Agricultural Productivity, WAPP, the representative of the National Coordinator, Mrs. Charity Obelta said,

“The West Africa Agricultural Productivity is a World Bank assisted programme for membercountries of Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, designed to make agriculture more productive and sustainable and also to enhance sub-regional integration.”

She said in order to achieve its objective; WAPP-Nigeria is collaborating with 15 national agricultural research institutes, eleven federal colleges of agriculture, thirteen federal universities, and so many other bodies.

Speaking on Green Agricul-

ture West Africa Limited, GAWAL, the team leader of GAWAL, Professor Xu Yuanfan, said Green Agriculture West Africa Limited was established by CGC Nigeria Ltd in 2006 with the aim of enhancing the productivity of grain production in Nigeria through local research, development, cooperation and partnership activities.

Some of the farmers who spoke with our correspondent at the end of the training gave kudos to the organisers of the training and promised to make use of what they learnt to improve on their productions.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Friday, December 26, 2014

45

NSE traded volume, value slumps UDO ONYEKA

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he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has said that developments on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, were bearish. he CBN in its Economic Report for October said the volume and value traded securities decreased by 38.7 per cent and 66.5 per cent to 7.98bn shares and N87.6bn, respectively, in 94,903 deals, in contrast to 13.0bn shares and N261.4bn, respectively, in 103,079 deals, recorded in the preceding month.

The report said the Financial Sector ,measured by volume, led the activ-

T

ity chart with 4.8 billion shares valued at N42.66bn traded in 47,419 deals and accounted for 60.0 per cent and 49.0 per cent of the total equity turnover volume and value, respectively, compared with 10.9 billion shares valued at N121.9bn traded in 51,828 deals recorded in the preceding month.

“The Banking subsector of the Financial Services sector, measured by turnover volume, was the most active during the month. There were no transactions on the overthe-counter.

There was one new listing on the Exchange during the review month”, it

said.

According to the report the aggregate market capitalization decreased by 5.8 per cent to N17.8trn during the review period, from N18.9trn at end-September 2014.

“Similarly, market capitalisation for the equity segment declined by 5.1 per cent to N12.9trn, and constituted 72.5 per cent of the total, compared with N13.6trn and 71.9 per cent at the end of the preceding month.

“The All-Share Index, which opened at 41,210.1 at the beginning of the month, closed at 39,087, representing a decrease of 5.2 per cent below the level

in the preceding month.

With the exception of the NSE-AseM which rose by 0.01 per cent , above its level in the preceding month to 951.14, all other sectoral indices declined in the review period.

“The NSE Banking, NSE-Consumer Goods, NSE Oil/Gas, NSE-Lotus Islamic Index, NSE Insurance and NSE industrial Goods indices fell by 12.1, 10.8, 9.6, 9.7, 0.8, and 6.8 per cent below their respective levels at the end of the preceding month, to 373.92, 920.53, 416.79, 2462.46, 147.96 and 2550.21 at end-Octobers 2014”, the report said.

Equities may close 2014 positive –Analysts JOHNSON OKANLAWON

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ndication emerged that trading in equities may close the year in positive territory, as the market attracts more investors daily.

Specifically, the lead indicator appreciated above five per cent in the last trading days, pointing to the fact that if the trend continues, yearto-date loss currently standing below 20 per cent may turn positive.

The market had experienced huge sell offs between October and November, due to the dwindling oil prices in the international market, insecurity in the country and the approaching 2015 general election.

We are convinced that the Nigerian stock market will bounce back on account of attractive valuation of some of the stocks analysts said.

According to the analysts at FSDH Securities Limited, stocks are currently attractive both in absolute and relative terms.

“We are of the opinion that the valuations of stocks quoted on the Exchange are attractive both in absolute and relative terms.

“Most stocks with good fundamentals are currently trading close to their support level”, said FSDH. The research outfit expects some of the liquidity in the financial market to find its way into the equities market and take advantage of the current attractive valuation in some stocks in the market.

A number of stocks on the NSE have good fundamentals and have prospects for growth in the medium to long-term. We maintain that the market continues to offer exceptional opportunities for

medium to long-term investors.

“We believe that the market will appreciate in the month of December on account of the attractive valuation in the market and in line with the historical trend in the last two years.

The Nigerian equities market performance declined in the month of November 2014 as the Exchange All Share Index , NSE-ASI, depreciated by 8.88 per cent on a month-on-month basis to close at 37,550.24 points.

The market capitalisation also shed 8.60 per cent to close at N12.

Meanwhile, despite concerns about political, currency and interest rate risks, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Oscar Onyema, has said the projections for the Nigerian capital market

are largely positive for the year.

Onyema said he is optimistic that Nigeria will get promoted to the emerging markets index.

“We expect Nigeria to be a key beneficiary of the MSCI 2013 annual market classification review, which will see Qatar and UAE (together accounting for 30 per cent), transition from the MSCI Frontier Markets Index to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Cautiously, we will watch for the effects as Nigeria’s weight in the MSCI Frontier Markets Index shifts from the current 13.8 per cent to 19.7 per cent, making it the second largest market in the index,” he said.

But he noted that the movement to emerging markets should not be expected this year.

Yield hunt grows tougher as investors flock to British income funds

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he hunt for highyielding British income stocks is getting tougher as investors plough in a record amount of money in an effort to escape low returns in other markets.

Global central banks are still printing money to try to kick-start economic recovery, suppressing bond yields and pushing investors to seek income from riskier assets, such as equities that pay a high dividend, higheryielding credit or less liquid physical assets such as real estate.

Reuters calculations show that British income funds

have raised more than $20bn this year, boosting assets at money managers such as Woodford Investment Management, Artemis and Threadneedle. The previous record inflow was $6.6bn in 2006, according to Thomson Reuters-owned data provider Lipper.

That high demand is set to continue in 2015 as British companies look to raise dividends, with a stronger dollar providing a currency kicker that will help to finance payouts to income funds.

It’s not all plain sailing, however. The rush for higheryielding stocks has pushed

up the price of such shares while the prospect of a UK interest rate rise next year poses a challenge for yieldchasing fund managers if the rate rise hits companies’ ability to generate enough cash to return to shareholders.

“High single-digit yields are harder to come by, given the demand for income, but it doesn’t mean we stop looking for them,” said Bertie Thomson, a senior investment director at Aberdeen Asset Management.

The key, Thomson said, is to focus not only on the nearterm yield but the growth

in that yield and the sustainability of that growth, which really comes from free cash flow.

UK equity income funds as a group returned 4.6 per cent in the year to November 30, Lipper data shows, while the benchmark FTSE 100 Index fell 1.2 per cent.

That outperformance has led investors to pour billions of dollars into UK equity income funds, helping them to become the bestselling products in Britain for a fifth successive month in October, according to the Investment Management Association.

Source: NSE

Market indicators All-Share Index 34,428.82 points Market capitalisation 11.40trn

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

GUINNESS

137.76

151.87

14.11

10.24

SEPLAT

292.18

322.11

29.93

10.24

PRESCO

22.00

24.25

2.25

10.23

DANGCEM

178.46

196.65

18.19

10.19

CHAMPION

5.36

5.90

0.54

10.07

NAHCO

4.52

4.97

0.45

9.96

UBA

4.56

5.00

0.44

9.65

SKYEBANK

2.64

2.89

0.25

9.47

TRANSCORP

3.72

3.97

0.25

6.72

NB

151.75

160.98

9.23

6.08

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

WAPIC

0.66

0.63

-0.03

-4.55

STERLNBANK

2.43

2.33

-0.10

-4.12

OKOMUOIL

25.71

24.80

-0.91

-3.54

MANSARD

3.31

3.21

-0.10

-3.02

HONYFLOUR

3.50

3.40

-0.10

-2.86

AIICO

0.74

0.72

-0.02

-2.70

ETERNA

3.05

3.00

-0.05

-1.64

DIAMONDBNK

5.79

5.70

-0.09

-1.55

UACN

36.00

35.45

-0.55

-1.53

7UP

161.70

160.00

-1.70

-1.05

FGN Bonds Offer

Bid Description

Price

Yield

Price

Yield

13.05 16-AUG-2016

1.65

96.50

15.50

96.65

15.39

15.10 27-APR-2017

2.34

99.70

15.23

99.85

15.15

16.00 29-JUN-2019

4.51

101.70

15.46

102.00

15.37

16.39 27-JAN-2022

7.09

104.30

15.36

104.60

15.29

14.20 14-MAR-2024

9.22

95.50

15.11

95.80

15.04

10.00 23-JUL-2030

15.58 71.00

14.81

71.30

14.75

Closing Market Prices of December 24, 2014

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

26-Mar-15

12.80

13.23

14-May-15

12.06

12.65

17-Dec-15

15.00

17.59

NIBOR Tenor

Rate (%)

O/N

11.8500

1M

14.6816

3M

15.4567

6M

16.0749 The Fixings of December 24, 2014

46

Capital Market

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at December 25, 2014 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

Friday, December 26, 2014

Community Mirror Due to INEC’s incompetence, let’s not allow other people build conspiracy theory or feel that some people are behind the shoddy distribution of PVC to give undue advantage to others.

GOVERNOR OF NIGER STATE – MU’AZU ALIYU

Lawmaker empowers 500 youths in Kogi WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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total of 500 youths from seven local government areas of Kogi West Senatorial District have benefited from the N10 million largesse from Senator Smart Adeyemi .

The beneficiaries, who are mostly students of tertiary institutions, were among other groups including women, as each got N200, 000.

Senator Adeyemi who represents Kogi West Senatorial District at

the National Assembly disclosed this while speaking at the 2014 empowerment programme to the youths at Iyara, headquarters of Ijumu Local Government Area of the state. He stated that his representation at the legislature speaks for itself.

The legislator said that since 2007, he has been upholding the mandate through the process of law making,over sight functions and good representation.

Adeyemi said he has been providing basic social amenities to compli-

ment the contributions of the state government to the infrastructural development of the state Adeyemi who is campaigning for another term, assured that he would not betray the confidence reposed in him.

Adeyemi is the Senate Committee Chairman on Federal Capital Territory, noted that he has been providing series empowerment programmes for women and youths and community development services in the lth,education,commerce and sports sector among others.

LAWMA to distribute trash bags to homes

L

agos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, said it would to distribute trash bags to churches and homes during the festive season to ensure a clean environment.

Managing Director, Mr Ola Oresanya, said this in a statement signed by the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Lukman Seriki.

Oresanya said that the

decision to distribute the trash bags was informed by the anticipated 100 per cent increase in waste generation during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

He restated the agency’s commitment towards ensuring that this year’s celebration is marked in a clean atmosphere and implored the people to shun acts capable of making the environment

dirty.

The LAWMA boss further urged motorists to exercise while driving to safeguard the lives of street sweepers and other service providers who would be very active during the yuletide.

He added that the customer care unit would be operational throughout the period of the holidays to address the needs of the public.

Delta to purchase quipment for farmers

D

elta State Government says it is proposing N1 billion for the purchase of modern tractor equipment for farmers in 2015.

Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan disclosed this in Asaba while presenting the 2015 budget proposal to the House of Assembly for consideration.

He said the farming equipment would further boost mechanised agri-

culture and improve the productivity of farmers through extension services.

Uduaghan said that the state was also proposing N500 million for Agricultural Youth Development programme in 2015.

He said that the programme would help to encourage youths to invest their energies and resourcefulness on farming activities.

According to him, this programme will help to reduce unemployment, hunger and malnutrition.

Uduaghan said that the state had remained focused on agriculture as a tool of achieving its ``Delta Beyond Oil’’ initiative, especially in the area of fish farming, among others. ``Fish farming has become a major source of employment.

Commisioning of the 9th Brigade Garrison office complex and Soldiers Club by Maj. Gen T.I Dibi, GOC, 81 Division Lagos

Brig. Gen A.M Sabo (left) Being ushered in by Lt., Col. I.E Akpaumontia, at the commissioning of renovated 9 Brigade Garrison Office Complex.

L-R: Brig. Gen A.M. Sabo; Brig. Gen. D.A. Lubo and Lt. Col. I.E. Akpaumontia at the back of the office complex during the commissioning of renovated officers mess at Army Catonment, Ikeja, Lagos.

L-R: Lt. Col. I.E. Akpaumontia, another army officer and Brig. Gen A.M. Sabo during the commissioning of the Solders’ club.

Front row; Brig. Gen. A.M. Sabo (third left) with some other Army Officers, at the Officers’ Mess.

Commander 9th Brigade, Brig. Gen. D.A. Lubo (left) presenting a plaque to Brig. Gen. A.M. Sabo.

48

Transition

Friday, December 26, 2014

Ezinne Okewulonu

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adam Ezinne Agnes Egodimma Okewulonu, nee Edom, has passed on to glory, aged 86.

According to a statement by the family of late Chief Godwin Uchewuba Okewulonu of Ameke, Avutu in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State, Ezinne Okewulonu, who died on September 22, 2014 she was interred on Monday, December 22, 2014 at Okewulonu’s com-

pound after lying in state on Sunday December 21.

Her burial will follow after a Requiem High Mass at All Saints Catholic Church, Avutu, Obowo.

Reception will follow immediately after the interment at the Community School compound.

She is survived by many children, among who is Barrister Chris Okewulonu, former Secretary to Imo State Government and former Federal Commis-

sioner, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Abuja.

Moses Otolorin

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midfielder with the former Green Eagles and defunct IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan, Mo-

ses Otolorin, has passed on, aged 65.

Otolorin, scorer of nine of the 15 goals his club scored to bag the 1976 African Cup Winners Cup title, died in a hospital in Ilorin after a protracted illness.

His remains have since been deposited at the Omosebi Hospital, GaaAkanbi in Ilorin.

As a member of the squad which won Nigeria’s first club continental laurel to Nigeria in 1976, he played alongside the likes of Samuel

Ojebode, Philip Boamah and Segun Odegbami.

Other notables in the squad were Folorunso Gambari, Idowu Otubusin, Best Ogedegbe, Muda Lawal and Nathaniel Adewole.

He also featured for the then Green Eagles, the senior national football team.

Otolorin, who was renowned for his long throw-ins, retired in 2009 as a Senior Sports Coach at the Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin.

Gabriel Oyeleke

E

lder Gabriel Olawale Adetunji Oyeleke was born on January 2nd, 1931 at Ojomu Compound, Oyan in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State.

He worked and helped his parent in their farm in Oyan up until 1948, before leaving for Ghana where he worked as a Gold min-

ner and diamond digging for many years.

He later became a trader in diamond in Tiakamankwanta, he was fondly called Giwa in St. Peter African Church Nkwanta in Ghana.

He came back to Nigeria in December 1969 and settled in Lagos as a business man and merchant in

Joe Cocker

S

inger Joe Cocker, best known for his cover of the Beatles’ With A Little Help from My Friends, has died aged 70.

The Sheffield born sing-

er-songwriter had a career lasting more than 40 years with hits including You Are So Beautiful and Up Where We Belong. His agent Barrie Marshall said Cocker, who died after battling lung cancer, was “simply unique”.

Known for his gritty voice, Cocker began his singing career in the pubs and clubs of Sheffield in the 1960s before hitting the big time.

He was propelled to pop stardom when his version of The Beatles’ With A Little Help from My Friends reached number one in 1968. He performed the song at the famous Woodstock Festival in New York a year

bicycle and spare parts, he later went into cloth business.

He was prominent and devoted member of African Bethlehem Catholic Church, Ebute-Metta Lagos.

He was survived by two wives, many children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. later.

He was also well-known for his “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” Tour of 1970, which featured over 40 musicians touring 48 cities across the US, resulting in a third gold album of the same name and a concert film.

His duet with Jennifer Warnes, Up Where We Belong - from An Officer And A Gentleman - hit number one and went on to win both a Grammy and an Academy Award in 1983. He was made an OBE in 2011.

Last year his arena tour across Europe saw him achieve a number one album in Germany and give what was to be his final concert in Hammersmith, London, in June.

M

adam Regina Ifude Allanah (nee Uyadi Mbasi) a Nationalist and prominent community leader in Asaba, Delta State, has died at the age of 99.

Until her demise, she was an advocate of peace and justice whose contributions aided in the Delta State polity and social cultural advancement, especially in Asaba, Oshimili Local Government Area of Delta State. She

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Regina Allanah was a strong force in the area of civility and education amongst the youths of the state.

According to a release by the family, she will be buried on December 27, 2014 at Oshimili South Accarde Nuebisi Road Asaba, Delta State after the funeral rites.

She is survived by children and grandchildren.

Abubakar Ladan

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renowned Hausa poet and entertainer, Alhaji Abubakar Ladan, has died aged 85.

Ladan died at his residence in Zaria, Kaduna State, on Tuesday December 23, 2014 after a protracted illness. He has since been buried at Kwarbai, Zaria according to Islamic rites.

A descendant of Mallawa dynasty Ladan was born in Kwarbai, Zaria, in 1934, and attended the Zaria Middle School, now Alhuda-Huda College, from 1950-1954.

After graduation from Middle School, Ladan started his carrier as a poet in 1954 when he ventured into litera-

ture and poetry writing which accorded him the opportunity to visit many countries in Africa, Europe and Asia.

Before his death, he bagged several honours and awards prominent of which was OON conferred on him recently

by President Goodluck Jonathan at the last National awards in Abuja.

News

FRSC relocate zonal command to Asaba

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he Zonal Commanding Officer of Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC Mr. Charles Akpabio, has announced the relocation of the zonal office of the command from Benin to Asaba.

He said that the relocation of the office just after the Niger Bridge in Asaba, was to ensure smooth traffic flow on the bridge.

The commander said that the bridge remained the major point holding the smooth traffic along the busy Benin-Asaba-OnitshaAwka corridor.

He said, “Normally, we have national op-

erations of this nature, when we expect increase in volume of vehicular movements and human traffic on the corridors.

“As a commanding officer supervising the three states, it will not be ideal for me to sit in Benin and hearing from my personnel on telephone or other communication gadgets on what is happening on the road,” he added.

“But rather I have decided as a team player to relocate from Benin to Asaba so that I will see on the spot what the men are doing; what should be done and the ideal way of handling the affairs of the opera-

tions for this period.` According to him, the zone is still expecting more vehicular and logistics support from the headquarters within few days.

The zonal commander, however, advised commuters to look out for drivers who were drunk before boarding commercial vehicles.

“Experience has shown that towards the end of year, traffic is usually high with most motorists not conforming to traffic rules and regulations due to improperly planned travel times leading to speeding and dangerous driving.

Monarch hails return of peace to community

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he Oba of Ogbaland in Rivers, Oba Chukwumela Nnam-Obi, has stated that peace had returned to Omoku, headquarter of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni council of the state.

Obi disclosed this in a statement in Port Harcourt that peace had returned to Omoku after clashes by unknown gunmen which led to the death of some residents of the area.

He said that the community was raided by gunmen suspected to be rival cult groups, forcing some indigenes and residents of the area to flee from their homes.

“Peace has returned to our oil rich community which was recently nicknamed `point and kill’ by gunmen who were killing, kidnapping and committing all kinds of atrocities,” he stated.

He said that a meet-

ing of traditional rulers, chiefs, political leaders, security agencies, youth leaders and others was held to find a lasting solution to the crises.

Obi expressed sadness over the death of victims of the crises in the area and called for peace in the community.

He stressed that the electoral process should be anchored on the rule of law and the will of the people rather than violence.

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

World News

Pope condemns IS insurgents, decries children’s suffering

Around the world, America is leading. We are turning a new page in our relationship with the Cuban people.

50

– UNITED STATES PRESIDENT, BARRACK OBAMA

Ebola crisis: Sierra Leone declares three-day lockdown

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ierra Leone has declared lockdown of at least three days in the north of the country to try to contain the Ebola epidemic.

Shops, markets and non-Ebola related travel services will be shut down, officials said.

Sierra Leone has already banned many public Christmas celebrations.

More than 7,500 people have died from the outbreak in West Africa so far, the World Health Organization (WHO) says, with Sierra Leone the worst hit.

Sierra Leone has the highest number of Ebola cases in West Africa, with more than 9,000 cases and more than 2,400 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

The other countries at the centre of the outbreak are Liberia and Guinea.

Alie Kamara, resident minister for the Northern Region, told a news agency that most public gatherings would be cancelled.

“Muslims and Christians are not allowed to hold services in

A

Ukraine’s move to join NATO dangerous for Europe -Russia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership posed a danger to European security and that the West was using Kiev’s bid to join the Atlantic alliance as a way to fuel confrontation between Russia and Ukraine.

The Kiev parliament’s renunciation of Ukraine’s neutral status this week as a step toward joining NATO has outraged Moscow and deepened the worst confrontation between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War. Lavrov is the latest Russian official to speak out against the Kiev’s bid in recent days, and who have made clear Russia would see the NATO membership of such a strategic former Soviet republic with a long common border as a direct military threat.

‘Saudi terrorism court to try women drivers’ Sierra Leone recently overtook Liberia as the worst affected country in the Ebola outbreak

mosques and churches throughout the lockdown except for Christians on Christmas Day”, he said.

No unauthorised vehicles would be allowed to operate “except those officially assigned to Eb-

ola-related assignments” he added.

The lockdown would operate for at least three days but this could be extended if deemed necessary, officials said.

Sierra Leone has been in a

state of emergency since July.

The outbreak began a year ago in the West African country of Guinea, but only gained international attention in early 2014.

AU troop regains base after Somali rebels attack frican Union troops in Somalia have fought off an attack by al-Shabab militants on its military base near Mogadishu’s international airport.

The AU mission (Amisom) said its troops regained control of the base after killing all of the militants.

It said three of its soldiers

WORLD BULLETIN

and one civilian were injured in the fighting, which went on for several hours.

Somali Islamist militants al Shabaab attacked the main African Union peacekeeping base in the capital Mogadishu yesterday, killing 14 people, a spokesman for the group said.

There were conflicting reports about how many have died

in the attack which has now lasted for several hours.

In the past, al Shabaab has exaggerated numbers while officials have played down losses.

“Our fighters have entered AU’s Halane base by force through the gate and now fighting is going on inside the base,” the spokesman said, adding 14 of the AU contingent had been

The attack on the AU base comes just weeks after a bomb blast targeted a UN convoy near the airport

killed.

AU spokesman Colonel Ali Houmed said it would provide an update later in the day on possible casualties and fatalities among AU troops but added that three al Shabaab gunmen have been killed and AU troops were seeking to overpower another three.

“They are hiding and we know where they are. We are surrounding them,” said Houmed, who said the attack is expected to end swiftly.

The AU base is on the edge of the Mogadishu international airport compound, which has a tight security cordon and blast walls. It is also used as a base for U.N. operations in Somalia.

The airport area also houses the British and Italian embassies.

Aleem Siddique, spokesman for the United Nations in Somalia, said all U.N. staff were safe and accounted for.

The African Union has over 20,000 troops in the country to help the weak government battle al-Shabab.

Two Saudi women who were detained for defying a ban on female drivers are to be tried in a terrorism court, activists said.

Loujain al-Hathloul, 25, and Maysa al-Amoudi, 33, have been in detention for nearly a month.

The women’s cases had reportedly been transferred over comments they had made on social media - rather than for their driving, according to activists.

Saudi Arabia is the world’s only country to forbid women from driving.

While it is not technically illegal for women to drive, only men are awarded driving licenses - and women who drive in public risk being fined and arrested by the police.

Saudi women have launched a series of campaigns - including on social media - to demand an easing of the restrictions.

Ms Hathloul was arrested on 1 December after she tried to drive into the kingdom from neighbouring United Arab Emirates, according to a news agency.

Ukraine truce shaky after difficult talks The latest push for peace in Ukraine appeared moribund yesterday after initial talks failed to agree when the warring sides should meet again to try ending their eight-month conflict.

Negotiations mediated by European and Russian envoys in the Belarussian capital Minsk broke up after more than five hours on Wednesday with the pro-Russian rebels reporting little to no progress.

That scuppered a plan for both sides to gather again on Friday in order to sign a comprehensive agreement reinforcing a September 5 truce deal that was followed by 1,300 more deaths.

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World News

WORLD BULLETIN Father asks Islamic State to treat captured pilot son as guest The father of a Jordanian pilot captured by Islamic State fighters after his plane crashed in Syria said he did not consider his son a hostage and called on his captors to treat him as a “guest”.

Jordan is one of several Arab countries participating in the U.S.-led military mission to bomb fighters from the Islamist group, which holds territory in both Syria and Iraq.

First Lieutenant Muath alKasaesbeh, 27, was captured after his jet crashed in northeast Syria on Wednesday during a bombing mission against the militants. The U.S. military, which commands the operation, said enemy fire was not the cause of the crash.

Kasaesbeh, who comes from a prominent Jordanian Sunni Muslim family, is the first pilot from the international coalition known to have been captured by Islamic State.

The Sunni Muslim jihadist group has a history of killing enemy soldiers that it captures on the battlefield and beheading Western civilians that it takes hostage. Many of the captives it has killed are Shi’ites or nonMuslims, but the group has also executed Sunnis for fighting alongside its enemies.

His family has pleaded for mercy.

“I do not want to describe him as a hostage. I call him a guest,” his father, Saif al-Kasaesbeh, told Reuters Television.

Israel approves 243 new settler homes in East Jerusalem Israel has given preliminary approval for the construction of 243 new homes on West Bank land that Israel annexed to Jerusalem, and advanced plans for another 270 homes in the same area, officials said yesterday.

Such moves run counter to calls by the United States and other world powers for Israel to freeze construction of new settler homes.

The land in question was captured by Israel in a 1967 war and annexed to Jerusalem in a move never recognized internationally.

Palestinians, who seek statehood in Israeli-occupied territory, want it as part of a future state.

Jerusalem’s municipal planning committee authorized 243 new housing units in Ramot, a municipal spokeswoman said. It also approved changes to pre-existing plans for 270 homes there and in Har Homa. Israel describes both settlements as Jerusalem “neighbourhoods”.

The Palestinians want to establish a state in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War. They fear Israeli enclaves will deny them contiguous territory.

Citing biblical links, Israel says Jews have a right to live anywhere in Jerusalem including the eastern sector which it has annexed as part of its “indivisible” capital.

U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in April.

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Pope condemns IS insurgents, decries children’s suffering

P

ope Francis yesterday condemned the “brutal persecution” of minorities by Islamic State insurgents and said the joy of Christmas was marred by the suffering of children in the Middle East and around the world.

Tens of thousands of people flocked to St. Peter’s Square to hear the Argentine pope deliver his “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) blessing and message, marking the second Christmas since his election last year.

He condemned Islamic State fighters who have killed or displaced Shi’ite Muslims, Christians and others in Syria and Iraq who do not share the group’s ideologies.

“I ask him, the saviour of the world, to look upon our brothers and sisters in Iraq and Syria, who for too long now have suffered the effects of ongoing conflict, and who, together with those belonging to other ethnic and religious groups, are suffering a brutal persecution,” he said.

Later he departed from his text and spoke emotionally of “children displaced due to war and persecution, abused and taken advantage of before our very eyes and our complicit silence.”

“I think also of those infants massacred in bomb attacks, also those where the Son of God was born,” he said, without elaborating. Again without elaborat-

Pope Francis waves as he delivers a “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and world) message from the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, yesterday

ing, he spoke of “contemporary Herods,” with blood on their hands, referring to the Biblical king who ordered children to be killed because he saw Jesus as a threat to his power.

He also spoke of “infants killed in the womb” condemning abortion as a product of “a culture that does not love life.”

Speaking of the plight of refugees he asked that “indifference be changed into closeness and rejection into hospitality, so that all who now are suffering may receive the necessary humanitarian help to overcome the rigors of winter, return to

their countries and live with dignity.”

He appealed for an end to conflicts in African countries, urged dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, condemned the attack by Taliban militants that killed more than 130 students in Pakistan last week, and thanked those helping the victims of the Ebola epidemic.

On Christmas eve, Francis made a surprise telephone call to comfort Christian refugees in a camp in Ankawa, Iraq. “You are like Jesus on Christmas night. There was no room for him either ...” he told them.

Americans appear comfortable with political dynasties –Report

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here are more than 300 million people in America, yet the same two families keep popping up when it comes to picking a president.

The possibility of a BushClinton matchup in 2016 is increasingly plausible.

After months of hints and speculation, former Florida

Gov. Jeb Bush says he’s actively exploring a bid for the Republican nomination.

And while Hillary Rodham Clinton hasn’t revealed her intentions, she’s seen as the oddson favorite for the Democratic nomination.

Between them, the two potential rivals have three presi-

L-R: US former Presidents Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, as they laugh together during the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program Launch, at The Newseum in Washington.

dents and a U.S. senator in the branches of their family trees.

And three governors, as well.

Why are these two families so dominant in modern politics?

It turns out that even though Americans profess to reject dynasties, in politics they’re quite comfortable with familiar names.

And a famous name can bring a candidate instant brand recognition, important fund-raising connections and a ready network of political contacts. It may also suggest competence at a time of dysfunction — like now.

“Power begets power,” says Dartmouth College political scientist Brendan Nyhan. “Dynasties can self-perpetuate.”

A political pedigree can have its negatives, though. A prominent surname sometimes carries unsavoury associations and the risk of a fatigue factor.

Russia offers support to North Korea amid Sony hack

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ussia yesterday offered sympathy to North Korea amid the Sony hacking scandal, saying the movie that sparked the dispute was so scandalous that Pyongyang’s anger was “quite understandable.”

Washington failed to offer any proof to back its claims of Pyongyang’s involvement in the hacking, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said at a briefing, adding that the U.S. threats of retaliation were “counterproductive.”

The U.S. has blamed Pyongyang for the recent cyberattack on Sony Pictures, which produced “The Interview,” a comedy depicting the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Pyongyang has denied a role in the hacking, but also praised it as a “righteous deed.”

Sony initially decided not to release the film because of threats against U.S. cinemas, but released the movie online Wednesday.

Russia’s ties with the communist North soured after the 1991 Soviet collapse, but have improved under President Vladimir Putin’s watch. Moscow has taken part in international efforts to help mediate the standoff over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs, although its diplomatic efforts have had little visible effect.

Last week, the Kremlin said that it had invited Kim to Moscow in May to attend festivities marking the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.

Commenting on the Sony hack scandal, Lukashevich said that “the concept of the movie is so aggressive and scandalous, that the reaction of the North Korean side, and not just it, is quite understandable.”

He went on to say that Pyongyang had offered to conduct a joint investigation into the incident, adding that the proposal could help ease tensions and reflected a “sincere desire of the North Korean side to study the issue in detail.”

“We perceive the U.S. threats to take revenge and calls on other nations to condemn the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as absolutely counterproductive and dangerous, as they only would add tensions to the already difficult situation on the Korean Peninsula and could lead to further escalation of conflict,” Lukashevich said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Friday, December 26, 2014

SURE-P to lift Nasarawa’s unemployed graduates IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

U

nemployed graduates in Nasarawa State have been assured of opportunities offered by the Federal Government through the SURE-P Graduate Internship Scheme.

Mr. Ayo Awopetu, consultant trainer of the scheme in the state, dropped the hint at a three-day training programme organised by

SURE-P in Lafia, the state capital, to prepare 40 interns for the one-year programme.

Awopetu, however, assured graduates who applied, but have not been invited to participate, to be patient as their turn will come sooner than later. He particularly advised owners of registered businesses in the state to apply to the organisation to mentor the interns.

According to him, “it

is only when more registered companies, small and medium enterprises as well as NGOs registered online that graduates would have brighter opportunities to be absorbed in designated workplaces.”

Speaking on the scheme, representative of Project Director in the office of SURE-P, Maryam Kayit, said apart from mentorship the interns receive from their employers, Graduate In-

ternship Scheme, GIS, conducts orientation training to familiarise them with the workplace.

“As you know, the thrust of GIS is to bridge the gap between school and labour market and to provide graduates with something to do and somewhere to go, while they continue their job search,” Kayit stated.

High point of the event was the presentation of certificates to participants at the end of the programme.

51

Two kidnap suspects nabbed in Niger PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

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iger State Police Command has arrested two suspects for kidnapping one Henry Christian at gunpoint at Madalla, Suleja Local Government of the state.

They were said to have demanded a ransom of N30 million from the victim’s family.

The two suspects are Austin Arikpo, 25, from Cross River State, but based in Ogun State, and Abdulraman Adamu, 22, a vigilante member based in Madalla.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ibrahim Abiodun Gambari, who stated this in Minna, Niger State, said the mastermind of the crime, Iwelalor Chilota a.k.a. Owolabi, who is still at large, invited Austin from Ogun State to carry out the crime.

“The gang’s mode of operation is to target

people based on their personalities, outlook and the type of cars they drive. Henry was kidnapped in a Murano Jeep while dropping a friend, Sarah Edo. He was kept and rescued at flat 4, Aba-Abana Estate in Madalla behind Living Faith Church.

“The suspects drove to the area in a Honda Accord and forced Henry into the car at gunpoint and took him to an unknown destination before report reached the police.”

Gambari said as soon as information got to the police in the area, men of the force swung into action, which led to the arrest of the two suspects.

Among items recovered from the suspects are a locally made double barrel gun and single barrel gun, four knives, 25 expended cartridges, two screw drivers, a plier, sealing tape and a bandage used in tying the mouth of the victim.

Kano police kill 4 robbery suspects on Christmas L-R: Police Commissioner, FCT Command, Mr Wilsom Inalegwu; IGP Suleiman Abba and Force Public Relations Officer. CP Emmanuel Ojukwu during IGP’s security patrol on Christmas Day in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO:NAN

ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI

Politicians behind insurgency, says Katsina CAN

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JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

K

atsina State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Reverend Nelson Onyekachukwu, yesterday blamed activities of

insurgents on the handiwork of disgruntled politicians.

Speaking as part of Christmas celebration, Onyekachukwu said contrary to what some may think, the insurgency being witnessed in the North East and other parts of

the country had nothing to do with religion.

He said some politicians were working to foment trouble in the country; hence the promotion of insurgency, adding that whatever this group of Nigerians do the country will remain united even

after the 2015 election.

He said activities of the insurgents would soon come to an end as “anything that has a beginning must have an end,” calling on both Muslims and Christians to “unite and continue to live peacefully with one another.”

Buhari remains solution to Nigeria’s woes-Campaign organisation JUSTIN TYOPUUSU JALINGO

G

eneral Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation in Taraba State yesterday said he is the only solution to Nigeria’s woes.

The organisation stated this in Jalingo during a meeting with his campaign team to mobilise support for the retired general ahead of the presidential poll.

They called on Taraba electorates to support Buhari’s presidential as-

piration come 2015 to end insurgency and promote positive change.

Coordinator of the campaign organisation in the state, Ya’u Samaila, emphasised that Buhari remains the best candidate for Nigeria’s dilemma.

We call on all Tarabans to support Geneneral Buhari and massively vote for him as president in the forthcoming general election in order to effect positive change.

“If voted, Buhari will stop insurgency, end poverty, power failure, cor-

ruption and lawlessness,” he said.

The organisation expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the APC gubernatorial primary in the state and urged the national secretariat of the party to resolve the issue urgently to ensure the party’s victory in 2015.

They alleged that delegates’ list used in the primaries were altered to favour Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, adding that other three aspirants, Suleiman Julde, Yusufu Akirikwen and Alhaji Tumba Ibrahim

had to boycott the exercise.

The organisation distanced itself from the candidature of Senator Aisha as APC’s flag bearer in the state, saying she is a PDP member in APC. But in reaction, an aide to Senator Aisha, Bala Maina, said the allegations were baseless, stressing that all primaries of the party in the state were free and fair.

He said Senator Aisha is a loyal member of APC, adding that members of the organisation were trying to create confusion.

KANO

Special anti-robbery team yesterday shot dead four armed robbery suspects in a gun battle in Kano.

The incident occurred at Kwanan Dan Gora village on the Kano-Zaria-Kaduna Expressway.

Kano State Commissioner of Police, Adenrele Shinaba, who briefed newsmen at the Bompai Police Headquarters, disclosed that the gun duel between his men and the robbery suspects started about 10pm, noting that the dead suspects were about to commence attack on motorists and passengers when police operatives stumbled on them.

“You know this is Christmas and this robbery suspects wanted to use the opportunity to disturb lawabiding Nigerians. We have a number of security measures. We have been on patrol throughout the night.

This morning, we have gone round all the churches to ensure everywhere was calm and all security mea-

sures put in place to ensure Nigerians and Kano residents have a peaceful celebration.

“About 10pm on Wednesday our men on patrol had an encounter with armed robbers on the highway, precisely at Kwanar Dan Gora and during the ensuing shoot-out, four of the suspects were killed and arms and ammunition were recovered from them,” Shinaba said.

“Police are determined to protect lives and property. Christmas is not made for armed robbery or armed robbers; it is made for lawabiding citizens. Criminals and their cohorts should better leave Kano for us.

We will never allow criminals to take over the state,” Shinaba stated.

While displaying the corpses and exhibits recovered from the scene of the incident, he said three Beretta pistols 9mm, one Italian revolver, .38mm, two black masks, assorted charms and amulets were recovered, adding that the pistols recovered were English-made.

52

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

UK queen calls for harmony in Christmas message Q ueen Elizabeth II used her traditional Christmas broadcast yesterday to call for reconciliation throughout the United Kingdom and to praise medical workers

fighting Ebola in Africa.

She said it will take time to heal divisions in Scotland, where a referendum was held this year on whether to remain part of Britain, and praised prog-

ress resolving the conflict in Northern Ireland. Elizabeth cited the “Christmas truce” in 1914 as an example to be remembered.

“Something remarkable did happen that Christ-

mas, exactly 100 years ago today,” she said. “Without any instruction or command, the shooting stopped and German and British soldiers met in No Man’s Land. Photographs were

C

That saw gunman Man Haron Monis, a self-styled cleric originally from Iran, take 17 people hostage in a cafe in the city centre. A 16-hour siege followed, during which two hostages and Haron Monis were killed.

On Wednesday, Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan said the man arrested on the terrorism charge, 20-year-old Sulayman Khalid, had documents that mentioned potential government targets.

“I am confident that we’ve disrupted the activ-

ity that they were planning,” he said.

But he added: “There is nothing that indicates at all that [there were] any specific targets or time frame in relation to this particular activity at all.”

Mr Khalid, who did not apply for bail, could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted. The 21-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also denied bail.

Judges can issue control orders against persons of interest in criminal cases, imposing restrictions on

them. The 21-year-old man had breached an order preventing him from accessing certain forms of telecommunications.

After raids in Sydney and Brisbane in September, police said they had foiled a plot to “commit violent acts” in Australia, including a plan to behead a member of the public.

Australia anti-terror police arrest two in Sydney

ounter-terrorism police in Sydney have arrested two men, charging one with possession of documents designed to facilitate a terrorist attack. The other suspect was charged with breaching a control order.

The arrests were related to a series of counter-terrorism raids in September, officials said.

They come after Australia’s prime minister said there had been heightened “terror chatter” since a cafe siege in Sydney last week.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Atanda-Musa Oluwabusola Rukayat, now wish to be known and addressed as Hakeem-Habeeb Oluwabusola Rukayat. Address. 11 Bishop Crowther Street Off Akerele, Surulere Lagos. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

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AMOS: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Amos, Ladi Cecilia, now wishes to be known and addressed as Mrs Yaro Paul Ladi Cecilia. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, FedPolyNas, and general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

AFRICAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN ADVANCEMENT AND RESOURCE SUPPORT The General public is hereby informed that the above named Organisation has applied for registration with the Corporate Affairs Commissions under part “C” of the companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.Amaka Biachi - Chairperson 2.Chikaodiri Abunyie 3.Nnamdi Biachi 4.Nnenna Offor

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AAUA, WAEC, NECO, NNPC and general public take note.

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AUCTION AUCTION AUCTION

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:

1. To support and promote women emancipation.

2. To cooperate with government and other agencies in pursuit of a peaceful society.

3. To create awareness on the plight of street children and other vulnerables in the society.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registra-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Street, Maitama Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

This is to inform the general public that approval have been given by Enugu State Government to dispose by public Auction the unserviceable Asset (s) belonging to Enugu State Ministry of Finance and One 80 KVA Generator belonging to Enugu State Governor’s Lodge Asokoro Abuja.

The Auction sales will start from Monday 5th Jan 2015 at Ministry of finance compaund Enugu by 10am prompt while on the 12Th Jan 2015 will be at the Enugu State Governor’s Lodge Abuja by 12noon prompt.

NOTE : The highest bidder goes with the Item (S). The Intrested buyers are to inspect the allotted items from this day of the publication.

ANNOUNCER

taken and gifts exchanged.

It was a Christmas truce.”

She said German forces sang “Silent Night” so that it could be heard on the British side of the front line.

“That carol is still muchloved today, a legacy of the Christmas truce, and a reminder to us all that even in the unlikeliest of places hope can still be found,” the queen said before wishing everyone a happy Christmas.

The queen writes her own Christmas speech, which is pre-recorded and televised in many parts of the world. She made her CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Ifekawa Nelson Oghenekaro, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Nelson Oghenekaro Nelson. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

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first Christmas broadcast on radio in 1952.

The queen and her close family celebrated Christmas at the sprawling Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

The royals attended a church service Christmas morning before a gala lunch. Prince William and his pregnant wife Kate were present, but their toddler son, Prince George, didn’t go to church.

Kate told one person in the crowd she didn’t bring 1-year-old George because he would have made too much noise.

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General public take note.

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ADEDIRAN: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adediran Olawumi Barenle, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ariyo Olawumi Barenle. All former documents remain valid. Sckye Diagnostic Centre Hospital Akure and general public take note.

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OLAYIWOLA: Formerly known and addressed as Olayiwola Ibrahim S. now wish to be known, called and addressed as Oluwatayo Olayiwola Opeyemi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

SIGNED:AMAKA BIACHI CHAIR - PERSON

Williams Okeke Government Licensed Auctioneer 08033767788.

PUBLIC NOTICE ORGANIZATION FOR DRUG ABUSE AND VIOLENCE FREE SOCIETY

PLAINING AND CIRCULAR MACHINE’S OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION OF OGUN STATE.

SUCCESS ASSOCIATION OF SAND AND GRAVEL DEALERS, IJEBU- IGBO AREA

The General public is hereby informed that the above named Association has applied for registration with the corporate Affairs Commissions under part “C” of the companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

This is to notify the General Pubic that the above named association had applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under PART C of the COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATERS ACT, 1990

This is to notify the general public that the above association has applied to the corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Ohuizu Willaims Anaturuchi 2. Mrs. Ohuizu Helen Ndidi 3. Mrs. Ohuizu Mary Ngozi 4. Mr. Ononihu Clement Okwudiri

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1) Fatai Akande Lasisi 2) Matanmi Abduganiu Ayodeji 3) Ogunjimi Jamiu Ololade 4) Senjobi Kayode France 5) Tajudeen Ahmed 6) Yusuf Hameed Atanda

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Olutade Adisa - President 2. Mr. Musibau Jimoh (Asela) - Vice President 3. Mr. Mukaila Jimoh - Secretary 4. Mr. Kabiru Asekun - Tresurer 5. Mr. M.A. Shittu - Ass. Secretary 6. Mr. Musibau Oluyemi - Financial Secretary

Chairman Secretary Treasurer Financial Secretary

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:

PUBLIC NOTICE

1. To orientate the society on the dangers of drug abuse.

2. To engage in rehabilitation of the victims of drug abuse.

3. To reduce the high rate of stigmatization inherent in drug abuse.

To foster unity among members

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registra-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Street, Maitama Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, and Abuja within 28days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: EKWEOGU CASMIR NNABU ESQ.

SIGNED: A .A. BARUWA & CO. (08052871414).

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:

PUBLIC NOTICE

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:

1. To mine sand, laterite and gravel for commercial purpose.

2. To protect the interest of all members of the association.

3. To foster unity among members.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: MR. MUKAILA JIMOH (SECRETARY)

Friday, December 26, 2014

It’s been good so far for tennis in Nigeria. Quite honestly, things can only get better in the New Year

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

53

Sport

Essien no-show for Ghana 55

–NTTF President, Wahid Oshodi

Abu Dhabi friendlies: Mali’s withdrawal alters Eagles’ schedule ADEOLU JOHNSON

T

he Eagles of Mali will no longer play the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the proposed January friendly in Abu Dhabi, but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced Sudan as replace-

Yaya Toure

C

onfederation of African Football (CAF) yesterday in Cairo unveiled Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, reigning Player of the Year and Ivorien midfielder, Yaya Toure, and Gabon’s striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the final three nominees for the 2014 Glo-CAF African Footballer of the Year Award scheduled for the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos on January 8.

Toure is the only one of the three that has won the award before, even as the Manchester City midfielder has won the prize consecutively from 2011 to 2013.

CAF also unveiled the three finalists for the Africa-based ‘Player of the Year’ Award. They are the duo of Akram Djahnit and El Hedi Belamieri of Algeria and ES Setif FC and Firmin

ment.

The Super Eagles B team was scheduled to play against Cote d’Ivoire and Mali but the change of plan by the Mali Football Federation with regard to the final camping of its national team ahead of the Nations Cup finals in Equatorial Guinea altered the pro-

Vincent Enyeama

gramme.

Nigeria will now meet Cote d’Ivoire on January 11 and meet Sudan on January 17.

Spokesman for the NFF, Ademola Olajire, said yesterday that the invited players who were expected at the Abuja camp on Sunday would report on Tuesday at the same Bolton

White Apartments venue.

Meanwhile, former Swiss junior international, Steven Ukoh, whose application to represent Nigeria at senior level was recently approved by FIFA, has confirmed his availability for the two-game event and has become the 25th player on the invitation list.

Aubameyang

Glo-CAF Awards: Toure, Enyeama, Aubameyang make final list …Oshoala, Oparanozie also listed Mubel Ndombe of DR Congo and AS Vita.

In the Women Player of the Year category, Super Falcons’ duo of Asisat Oshoala and Desire Oparanozie were shortlisted along with Annette Ngo Ndom of Cameroon while Oshoala also made the top three of Youth Player of the Year alongside her national team mate Uchechi Sunday and Fabrice Ondoa of Cameroon.

The trio of Clinton Nj’jie and Vincent Abubakar from Cameroon and Yacine Brahimi from Algeria made the top three of the Most Promising Talent Award while Algeria, Libya and Nigeria were listed for National Team of the Year Award.

The Technical, Football and Media Committees of CAF, which conducted the voting, considered the performance of the players for their national teams

and clubs from January to November of each year, while the ultimate winners will be decided by votes from the head coaches or the technical directors of the national associations affiliated to continental football body.

Globacom Limited has partnered with CAF in the past nine years to stimulate the growth of African football through the GloCAF awards.

“The partnership between

Globacom and CAF was inspired by the telecom company’s strong belief in football as a vehicle for communication and social integration,” Globacom said in a statement.

“We take pride in the significant strides our alliance with CAF has achieved in raising the quality and popularity of football in Africa and will continue to use our clout in sponsorships to develop football in Africa.”

54

Sports

Friday, December 26, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: NTF medallists at the 2014 Commonwealth Taekwondo Games: Adaeze Asigbe, Chika Chukwumerije, Shola Olowookere, Jamilu Mohammed, Esuku Josephine, Segun Olushola, Adamu Isah, Uzoamaka Otuadinma and Ebere Nwakanma

We’ve discovered new Chukwumerijes – Ashiru EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

T

he Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) is forging ahead under its new leadership led by former distinguished athlete, George Ashiru.

Accordingly, the NTF is ensuring that its 2014 achievements are consolidated, by the recent unveiling of the federation’s major plans for the New Year. And to ensure higher success in 2015, Ashiru and his board members are calling for more support to the sport from the private and public sectors.

In a statement sent to National Mirror, the NTF President, Ashiru, said that 2014 has been worthwhile for the sport following the successes it recorded locally and internationally.

“I want to say that 2014 has been a rewarding year for taekwondo because we wanted to achieve some of our objectives in the year and we are happy that we were able to do this. We tagged a developmental year and truly it was a year that we were able to discover athletes that will take over from the likes of Chika Chukwumerije. We organised six tournaments this ending year and we took part in five international competitions, which for us was encouraging,” Ashiru

said.

“At the maiden National Youth Games, we wanted to unearth new athletes and we were able to identify some of them and today some of these athletes are doing well even at international levels. Two of the discovered athletes featured at the World Junior Championships and despite not winning medals, they gave a good account of themselves. From this tournament, they were able to garner some experience which hich has been helpful to them in subsequent tournaments. s.

“They were able to win gold medals at the Commonmmonwealth Championships ips in Edinburgh, Scotland d and they ended the year with gold medals at the Lagos Opens. For us, we have been able to monitor nitor these athletes and they are doing well in their heir various categories,” the NTF boss added.

The Vice President, nt, Commonwealth Taeekwondo Union (CTU) U) added that with more e support taekwondo o has the potential to win more medals for Nigeria at international competitions.

“With 15 ath-

letes that went to the Commonwealth Championships, we won 10 medals to finish fourth overall compared to countries that came with over 80 athletes. This goes to show that we have quality. But we will not be carried away by this feat because top nations like Korea, United States, and others were not at the tournaments but it was a good platform for us to assess our athletes,” he said.

The NTF boss however, said that efforts would be geared

Chika Chukwumerije

towards getting more exposure for the athletes.

He said the 2015 World Championships and All Africa Games as the two major tournaments that are crucial to the country’s qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

“I cannot specifically confirm that we have the athletes that can compete well at the Olympic Games in Brazil because like other nations that consider tall athletes from other sports to represent them at the Olympics. We will also consider this workable system to identify tall athletes from other sports and we are intending to train them to become world beaters,” he disclosed.

Meanwhile, as the year draws to an end, the 5th edition of the Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo Championships was held successfully, with the Nigeria Security and Civil Civ Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Jaguar teams dominating dom N S C D C , the defending champions in the male category r retained their title won in 2013 t after beating Oyo a 37-22 points to the 37 podium in the final po while NSCDC fewh male team could not ma repeat the feat of rep their male counterthei part as they conceddefeat to Jaguar ed d team at the three-day tournament held at tourn Mobolaji Johnson the M Sports Centre, Rowe Park in Lagos.

In tthe presence of Minister of Sports/ the Min Chairman, National Chairm

Sports Commission (NSC), Dr. Tammy Danagogo, who described taekwondo as a sport with a lot of potential for Nigeria at international tournaments, NSCDC were at their best to clinch the coveted trophy ahead of others.

“I have come to know that Taekwondo is one sport where Nigeria has lots of potentials and I am really impressed and elated that every effort is been made by the federation, government at all levels particularly the states and federal government and of course private individuals and corporate organisation to ensure that we harness these talents for future podium performance,” the minister had said.

An excited member of the NSCDC male team, Bright Kolade, attributed the victory to hardwork.

“We are the defending champions and I am so happy we won again this year. This is the second gold we are winning as a team in this tournament which makes it interesting because it is coming back to back,” Kolade enthused.

In the Poomsea event, Kano and Ogun dominated the event with Kano female team garnering 34.80points while Ogun led the male category with 30.10points closely followed by Lagos with 29.40points.

The Kano team was led by Commonwealth Champion, Adaeze Asigbe, who attributed their victory to determination and commitment of the team.

For the NTF president, Ashiru, the tournament was aimed at discovering the best of the bests that will represent the country in future tournaments.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Friday, December 26, 2014

PISON foundation rains awards AFOLABI GAMBARI

As 2014 sporting year winds down Ezinwa

Alao.

Club owners Alloy Chukwuemeka of ABS FC of Ilorin, as well as Gafar Laimeed Olawale of 36 Lions FC, Marshal Mbre of Flying Sports Academy andChurchill Oliseh of FC Ebedei were also honoured, as FIFA players’ agents Friday Nwankwo Kujah and Agboola Dabiri.

Meanwhile, founder of the PISON foundation and initiator of the awards, Mr. Oscar Emmanuel Ezinwa, has expressed delight at the event which he described as successful.

“We are looking at pooling past and present generations of coaches, players, administrators, referees and journalists at the 2015 awards,” Ezinwa told National Mirror in Lagos yesterday, even as he appealed to sponsors ahead of the next awards.

Essien no-show for Ghana

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oach Avram Grant, has named a provisional Ghana’s 31-man squad for the 2015 African Cup of Nations without the trio of Sulley Muntari, Michael Essien and Kevin-Prince Boateng, but included untested striker Kwesi Appiah.

The former Chelsea manager was reported to have held talks with the experienced trio who have been handed indefinite suspension by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) following unprofessional conducts at the 2014 World Cup. But it was apparent that they did not render apology to the FA as demanded after their alleged role at causing tension in the country’s camp at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Grant’s selection includes four debutants which includes

SYLVESTER IKUEJAMOYE

mopheys13@gmail.com 0805-407-1194 94 4 (SMS (S SMS S only) onlly))

I

n furtherance of its efforts at revamping Nigerian sports through recognition of individuals and organizations, PISON Divine Royal Sports Foundation has staged its 2014 awards ceremony in Lagos, where the foundation conferred honours on personalities in the sports circle.

Among the awardees include Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola; President General of Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo; Nigeria’s Pillar of Sports, Dr. Donatus AguEjidike; Chairman of Complete Communication Limited, Dr. Sunny Obazu-Ojeagbase; Chairman/ CEO of Brila Group, Dr. Larry Izamoje; and Chairman/Publisher of Sportsday Newspapers, Evangelist Solomon Ogba.

The well-attended ceremony was supported Glory Christain Ministries (GCM) AND mr. Sunday Moses, on Sunday 7th Others are veteran sports journalists Etubom Paul Bassey as well as Mr. Mitchell Obi, Mr. Kunle Solaja and Group Managing Director of Complete Communications Limited, Alhaji Mumini

MANDATE

THE

Ibrahim Moro who has agreed to move to Kazakh side FC Kairat from AIK Stockholm.

Also, Malmo midfielder Enoch Adu Kofi, who is fresh from his UEFA Champions League exploits with the Swedish champion, gets a look for the first time.

Unknown on-loan Cambridge United striker Kwesi Appiah and FC Copenhagen’s promising prospect Daniel Amartey completes the list of newcomers.

Meanwhile, Houston Dynamos new signing, Samuel Inkoom, has been given a chance to revive his international career as he was never called up for the qualifiers.

The other outfield returnees include Middlesbrough winger Albert Adomah and Inter Milan midfielder Alfred Duncan who is on loan at Sampdoria.

I

n less than a week from to- activities for talent detection, day, the world should be say- development and monitoring. ing goodbye to the year 2014. Most boards are guilty of doing To some people, 2014 is a glori- the exact opposite. I’m a second ous year. To others, it is a year term member of the Nigeria of unimaginable nightmare. Weightlifting Federation board Fingers are not equal and there and l should have a modest idea is nothing anybody can do about of the happenings within some that. Where some people are of the boards. I have quite a rejoicing, others are in sorrow. sizeable number of friends on Where some are counting their some of the boards and we do blessings, others are counting compare notes. ill-luck. Life is full of challengSome of the problems literes of monumental dimension, ally tearing some boards to treating people in different shreds may not be too far from ways with different strokes. No ego, pride and a clear case of doubt, everybody has had his or incompetence. Some board her own fair share in one way or members have nothing to offer, another. while some federation presiMANDATE would not want dents carry on as if they are to chronicle all the trophies or lording over a colonized territhe events won or lost within tory. Unfortunately, they have the year 2014, owing to space no time for the boards neither constraints. But that Nigeria do they have any iota of idea on went to Brazil 2014 World Cup sports administration. and was brutally wounded was It is expected that as 2014 not in doubt as a result of in- ends, 2015 should be a year of fighting within the board of remarkable improvement. All the NFF which was also re- sports federations must ensponsible for the Super Eagles’ sure that their activities are failure to qualify for the 2015 felt more at the grassroots.

Africa Cup of Nations. Nigeria The National Sports Commiswas also at the Glasgow 2014 sion should whip erring boards Commonwealth Games and back to line. won some medals for the counCloser monitoring is theretry, although the nation could fore advised. Compulsorily, have done better. boards should be made to subThere are some sports fed- mit their developmental proerations with average perfor- gramme score cards for evalumance. There are some with ation by the NSC as well as the practically zero performance. stake holders in the sports secThe National Sports Commis- tor. With the All African Games sion should not be carried in 2015 and the Olympic Games away with the performance in 2016, 2015 must necessarily of some athletes. It is just self be a loaded year of robust acdetermination by the athletes tivities for any serious minded concerned to excel. Some of federation. the boards are inconsequentially impotent and irrelevant to the height attained by some self-made athletes. But the irony of it all is that the same inactive board members will be seen struggling for recognition when the athletes are to be honoured by President Goodluck Jonathan.

No doubt, Nigeria would have done better and even much more if various sports federations are up and doing.

One of the main essence of the existence and the inauguration of boards is to serve as platform for the growth and development of the sports concerned. This can only be meaningfully executed with a well structured programme of Okagbare

55

Welcome to Ebute-Ipare Sports Festival Desirous of catching them young? Then come to EbuteIpare sports festival for the maiden Primary School U-12 Athletics Competition and the U-13 football competition, holding at Ebute-Ipare Township field, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State this weekend to witness real grassroots talent hunt. Some other sports will be added next year, particularly weightlifting. Come join me to discover our future stars.

Dr. Mudashiru Tunde Adeyemo’s thanksgiving My dear EGBON, friend and very senior Public Servant, Dr. Tunde Adeyemo, retired from the Federal Civil Service gloriously after attaining the mandatory age of 60 years. No wonder, his church, the Mountain of Fire organised for him an ANOINTING “FIRE” SERVICE THANKSGIVING for a successful race in the Federal Civil Service of Nigeria. Not only that Dr. Adeyemo ended well in the Federal Civil Service as Director, his retirement was crowned with an outstanding National Award by the Federal Government of Nigeria with the Order of the Officer of the Niger, OON. So, henceforth, he should be addressed as Dr. Mudashiru Tunde Adeyemo, OON. The lavish reception that follows the thanksgiving was captivating. It was an interesting outing, not only for me as the anchor, but for others who had the privilege of the church outing and the reception, all of who will agree that God has been wonderfully marvelous.

Congrats my dear “EGBON”, Dr. Tunde Mudashiru Adeyemo, OON. Hard but bitter truth It will be hard for those who are busy 24/7 plotting the downfall of others to make it in life. The time wasted on such unprofitable venture should have been meaningfully invested on their own progress in life. Don’t forget that what has been settled in heaven can never be unsettled on earth. If you are ordained to pass through the dry land, the red sea must have to part for you to get to your destination. Is either you are sent or not. Sure, not everybody will make it if life.

But why must you choose to be devil incarnate? Hope you are not the architect of your own misfortune. It may be hard, but it is the bitter truth.

Wishing the esteemed readers a wonderful New Year ahead, God willing. Until Friday next week, next year, stay out of trouble and God bless Nigeria.

WORLD RECORD

Loudest blow of an alphorn

Vol. 04 No. 1012

Friday, December 26, 2014

N150

The loudest blow of an alphorn was 111,1 dBA and was achieved by Rainer Bothe (Germany) in Munich, Germany, on 9 September 2012. A standard Alphorn was used.

‘Grudged employment and the struggles of a nation’

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book written by Wilson Onose (2014) currently in circulation; titled as above, reminded one of yet another book written by E. Erhi Uyota (2003), which has ‘Think, get a job’ on its title page. At the time Uyota came debuted with his book, unemployment was not as pervasive and crushing as it has become today. There is, however, a striking difference between the two books, though they dwell extensively on the massive level of joblessness ravaging the country in the now. While ‘Grudged Employment and the Struggles of a Nation’, on the one hand, represents a narration on the ‘no-job situation’ in the country, underemployment, work place frustrations (employer-employee relations especially) and possible alternatives at the disposal of the jobless, ‘Think, get a job’ espouses the spiritual slant to securing a job, based on rigorous spiritual scrutiny,

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helsea midfielder, Eden Hazard, may not feature in today’s Premier League tie against West Ham at Stamford Bridge after injuring his ankle during the victory at Stoke on Monday.

Reports said yesterday that Oscar could be re-

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A portion of Uyota’s work that appears most striking would be that which appraised the biblical saying: “Give to others (human beings), and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands – all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the measure that God will use for you”, (Luke 6:38, Today’s English Version, TEV, of the Bible). The central argument is that you can only receive if you give to others; and you receive only in the manner and measure you (yourself) give, which saying reflects an eternal Cosmic law. Uyota says since this is so, we can more clearly appreciate the necessity for all who are desirous of greatness and contentment to serve others willingly, humbly and unselfishly to the very limit of their abilities, resources and opportunities. If we find ourselves jobless, underpaid, unpromoted, unknown, unloved, ignored, insignificant or in any way dissatisfied or frustrated, it is precisely because we are not giving enough in order to open the way for the in-flow of what we desire or need. The same applies to such things we seek as equity, fairness, peace, mercy, forgiveness and the like, the book says.

The foregoing also tallies with the divine teaching of Jesus Christ in Matthew 20:26-28: “If one of you wants to be great, he must be the servant of the rest; and if one of you wants to be first, he must be your slave – like the Son of Man (Christ), who did not come to be served

WITH THE 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS ALMOST AT HAND, TACKLING THE WIDESPREAD SOCIAL SCOURGE AND HOW TO GO ABOUT IT SHOULD PRICK THE MINDS OF ALL but to serve and to give his life to redeem many”, (Bible, TEV). It may thus be rightly reasoned that anyone, whether employed or unemployed, who desires to get everything he dreams of in life in the most efficient manner simply needs to assimilate and tirelessly apply this teaching.

Onose, however, has a slightly contrary opinion. He says: “The culture of hard work, labour reward, healthy societal values and carrying others along, especially when one is not an ‘immediate family member’ has become estranged to my environment and world today. Countless entrepreneurs/employers are quick these days to see others as being out to undeservingly benefit from their fortunes or out to rip them off.

Therefore, if it is not of business interest, going to gratify their egos, bring those awards, accolades and announce them as philanthropists, et cetera, they often shy away and want no part in giving a helping hand to a fellow brother, not to mention the larger society. They believe, as I am compelled to think, that offering you an em-

ployment and paying one’s wage at all is a big favour. As a result, whatever is meted out to one should be taken with utmost gratitude rather than complain. After all what does a ‘poor man’ know about life or need money for…”.

Onose regaled his audience with such experiences as workers being subjected to working for months without any wage during the teething stages of some firms, a period when organisations generously dispense hope for a better tomorrow. Based on what he personally witnessed, he painted a graphic picture of the horrors of staying on a job with grudges, like embarrassment and ‘insult’ from employers, job insecurity, poor or non-existent welfare packages, frustration, etc.; as well as the depressing and negative effects they attach to the mind, health and general well-being of the worker.

In truth, the phenomenal rise in attention joblessness has attracted to and retained for itself in Nigeria is a lavish demonstration that it has become one of the greatest problems confronting the nation, with the cumulative consequences manifesting as upsurge in crime, delinquent behaviours of varying shades and, in extreme cases, restiveness or insurgency. It has the capacity in the long run to ignite socio-economic unrest and destabilise the polity. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the time-bomb (unemployment rate) reached an all-time high of 23.90 percent in 2011. But the World Bank says youth unemployment rate in the country is 38 percent of Nigeria’s over 100 million youths.

It is not as if the Federal Government generally folded its arms. It says structures are in place to tame youth unemployment by substituting it with self-employment. Millions of job are said to have been created, too. But alas, reports say about 4.5 million graduates, like wanderers, are roaming the labour market in search of self-employment, but have no access to soft loans to start off. The job purportedly created so far, when compared with the huge number of youths not touched, is but spittle. But horrendously thriving are corruption and the culture of settlemnent. With the 2015 general elections almost at hand, tackling the widespread social scourge and how to go about it should prick the minds of all, especially politicians.

Sport Extra EPL: Hazard doubtful for Hammers’ game called to the starting lineup after only being named as an unused substitute against Stoke who lost 2-0 at home to the Blues as the Jose Mourinho-tutored side returned to the EPL summit at 39 points.

“We are looking at what the medics would come up with but we are taking any chance at all, hence the decision to put Oscar on alert,” Mourinho said.

Meanwhile, West Ham midfielder, Mark Noble,

returns to the squad after recovering from an Achilles problem.

Defender James Tomkins is the Hammers’ only injury doubt after he was substituted against Leicester with a hamstring prob-

lem.

West Ham Manager, Sam Allardyce, says his team is not intimidated.

“Being top of the table at Christmas does not mean they are unbearable,” Allardyce said.

Hazard

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