Sunday, August 19, 2012

Big Read News

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Privatisation of PHCN Why the workers are fighting

News Oshiomhole secretary’s murder

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Police: SSS didn’t have real suspects Explain why Ugolor was arrested www.nationalmirroronline.net

Vol. 2 No. 36

N150

Sunday, August 19, 2012

15 missing, one dead as ocean surge sacks Lagos Kuramo

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Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, consoling Mrs Ani Oyong Asuquo, wife of the late Pastor Oyong Asuquo, former Commissioner for Youths and Sports during the funeral service of the deceased at the weekend. With the duo are the late commissioner’s children.

How northern elite control Nigeria’s oil wealth

Eid-el-Fitri: Jonathan, Atiku, P. 8 governors sue for peace, unity

P. 7

z Why they want presidency back in 2015 z IBB, Abacha, Abubakar, Dantata, Lukman links exposed News

itri f l e d y ei Happ

This is wishing all our readers a happy Eid-el-Fitri celebration

A’Ibom willing to renegotiate oil wells with C’River

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What’s new Interview

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Seven Days TALKING POINT OF THE PAST WEEK AUGUST 19, 2012

‘Any marriage can crash, it takes efforts to keep it’ Laide Bakare Okofuluwe is a film-maker, a mother and a wife. This movie producer and director is also a business woman who deals in automobiles. She tells Adaeze Amos in this interview why it would be unnecessary for her to stray or to have extramarital affairs.

Wellness

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Cardiac arrest: What to know, what to do

A lot of medical studies indicate that the heart is very much like an electrical pump, where the electricity is generated in special cells in the upper chamber of the heart.

per cents were announced by the Federal Government for the years 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 respectively. Government’s immediate goal is to achieve cut in wheat and flour import by 40 per cent in 2015. Reasons put forward by the government so far on the move include that the promotion of the use of cassava over its wheat and flour counterparts will achieve marginal growth in the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, save foreign exchange earnings from reduced importation of wheat and flour and boost employment rates.

ESUT VC abducted The Vice-Chancellor, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Prof. Cyprian Onyeji, has become the latest victim of kidnappers.

All unions in the university, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the NonAcademic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, have embarked on an indefinite strike until the vicechancellor is released.

This has paralysed activities on the campus.

Our correspondent gathered that the decision to embark on the strike

was to put pressure on the security agencies and his abductors to fast-track his release. The vicechancellor was reportedly abducted at about 11:30 a.m. by a five-man gang that had laid siege to the university gate in Agbani.

An eyewitness said that the suspected kidnappers, on sighting the vice-chancellor’s cars, emerged from their ambush and shot at the three policemen in the convoy, fatally injuring them.

The policemen were said to have engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel but were overpowered by the abductors’ superior fire power.

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Consumers across the country have expressed concern at the sudden hike in the import duty on flour and wheat grains by the Federal Government, which is reminiscent of the recent subsidy removal on fuel. Government had through the 2012 Appropriation Bill launched a policy resistance against importation of wheat and flour in a bid to promote locally sourced cassava as a viable alternative by jacking up import duty on the two items by 100 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

Cassava displacement target rates of 10, 20, 30, and 40

My time primarily is determined by my clients. But all the same, on Mondays I attend meetings with my clients. I also try to get updates on past activities.

TUE

Applause

Nigerians groan over looming price increases on wheat, flour products

Elose Plus Media Limited is into movies, documentaries, TV commercials for brands. The company also represents advertising agencies.

Basically, I go about responding to clients’ briefs, which may involve shooting or post-production, which involves movies, TV commercials, etc. My job determines my schedule and, mind you, what I do primarily is to manage people and my clients. I deal with people. On Tuesdays, I stay in the office to receive phone calls while the rest of my staff are in the field. I do a lot of writing on this second day of the week. As you know I’m a movie director, producer and writer. I write and edit mostly on Tuesdays.

WED

Still more controversies over flag, coat of arms

CEO, ELOSE PLUS MEDIA LIMITED

My Wednesdays are for shooting. If I have any TV commercial, this is the day of the week that I have mapped out for shooting it. It is my happiest day of the week. I wake up singing happily on this third day of the week.

But if I’m not shooting, I remain in my office to write.

THU

Bayelsa:

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Elimihe Osezuah

On Thursdays, sometimes I’m on location or I’m off to meet with clients to sample their minds or opinions concerning jobs that I have handled for them. If there are no jobs, I try to find out why. Some clients who haven’t done anything most often wake up on Thursday with heavy jobs so much that Fridays may look miserable.

FRI

Politics

all worst city while Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea came second in the chart of the worst cities to live in the world.

Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire placed 131st; Tehran, Iran came 132; Douala, Cameroon is the 133rd; Tripoli, Libya placed 134th; Karachi, Pakistan came 135th; Algiers, Algeria is 136th while Harare in Zimbabwe placed 137th in the category of the worst cities in the world.

raculously survived the ordeal but was advised by his doctors to quit his football career on health grounds.

All is not totally lost, however, as Muamba is expected to receive a multi-million pound insurance payout.

Friday is my production day. I’m either directing or recording. Or better still, I may be in the studio calling the shots. Most Fridays I’m so busy that I’m seen outside at 9 p.m. or when it is already nightfall.

SAT

Former Governor of Enugu State and one-time National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, speaks on the renewed quest for Nigeria President of Igbo extraction, among other issues of Igbo interest.

Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, is the third worst city to live in the world, a new report carried out by The Economist Intelligence Unit has revealed. According to the report on Liveability, which assesses locations around the world that provide the best or the worst living conditions, Lagos placed 138th out of the 140 cities surveyed.

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is the over-

Bolton Wanderers midfielder, Fabrice Muamba has announced his retirement from active football.

Muamba, who suffered a heart attack on March 17 2012 was pronounced “clinically dead” for 78 minutes. He mi-

My Saturdays are jealously guided. I don’t want any intrusion in my life on weekends. I read and edit 100 pages of work daily but on my Saturdays I don’t do such. I rest. I wake up to do my aerobics, then my water therapy and later take my tea. I go back to bed. On Saturdays, I seldom pick calls. In fact, I’m tempted to switch my phones off. So, Saturdays I read books and my Bible reason being that I pray a lot, so I read a lot as well to get inspiration.

SUN

‘We should not bury Igbo ambition for Jonathan’s second term’

Lagos, world’s 3rd worst Fabrice Muamba retires at 24 city to live –Report

I don’t have any place I go to as my church. My church is my mind. God dwells in the mind of man, remember?

That is why the Bible says guide your heart jealously for out of it comes the issues of life. So, my church is my mind *By Adaeze Amos (0802 301 2293)

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THE

Big Read SUNDAY SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

AUGUST 19, 2012

Privatisation of PHCN Protesting workers in front of PHCN HQ, Maitama Abuja, sealed off by security operatives.

Why the workers are fighting The unveiling of the “Road map for Power Sector Reform” in August 2010, by President Goodluck Jonathan, has somewhat become the source of rift between the government and the workers in that sector. Head, Special Investigations, Isioma Madike, in this report, looks at the issues in dispute

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he workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) are not happy with what they perceived as inhuman treatment that tends to put their efforts in ruin. They accused government of trying to shortchange them through a ‘dubious’ severance package that falls short of their entitlements. But, the government is not taking this accusation lightly. It is fighting back and refusing to accept the allegations from the workers. The authority, through the Ministry of Power, instead, counter-accused the workers of being insensitive and blames their action on immaturity and misinformation.

Yet, there is a new twist to the matter. Stern-looking anti-riot mobile policemen have been thrown in the fray midway into the impasse. The policemen have relocated to the corporate headquarters of PHCN in Maitama district, Abuja where they now stand sentry on the premises on 24-hour surveillance. This, as should be expected, is worsening the already bad situation; making each side to the feud to claim the other is being economical with the truth in the matter.

According to the Vice-President, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Comrade Etukube Mbang, “the issue is that we came in to realise that the

soldiers have taken over our offices. We were told on getting here that they came to compel us, for the second time, to endorse the ‘exit package’ (severance package), which our union has not agreed to. They also want us to sign a document that will severe us from the PHCN to ‘their companies’. They want us to sign another document for Koko headquarters staff to leave this building and be posted to their companies. They want us to sign a third document at gun point to authorise them to start deducting 7.5 percent from our salaries to pay to a pension fund administrator. And these are the issues we have been on but have not yet reached any agreement with the government,” he explained.

Perhaps, this ding-dong situation was what made the Ministry of Power to come to the open with what it said was the fact regarding the severance benefits and pension to the workers of PHCN. In a media parley on Thursday, August 16, the Minister, Professor Barth Nnaji, said the government has been negotiating with the two unions representing PHCN for 14 months now.

It gave the names of the unions as the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) and NUEE. During the negotiations with the labour unions representing the PHCN workers, Nnaji said,

PHCN WORKERS NOT AGAINST PRIVATISATION – NUEE

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government made the best offer in recognition of the strategic place of PHCN and its workers in the ongoing power sector reforms and the transformation agenda of the present administration. He said government took the steps to ensure that workers’ rights and all legitimate claims and entitlements were protected, promoted, defended and paid up as at when due.

The negotiations, according to Nnaji, focused on the severance package as well as pensions, and attempts were made by both parties to resolve the knotty areas.

The issues were those upon which other components of severance are to be calculated but have remained in contention. The major gray area being the claim of workers that 25 percent deductions were made from staff salaries under the defined benefit scheme of their Superannuation Fund. The second sore point was the workers’ refusal to move over to the new Contributory Pension Scheme under the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2004, which the government said was in clear breach of the provisions of the law.

But, the unions’ position is hinged on chapter 13 of the retirement and pension of the PHCN, March 5, 2010 condition of service (COS). They argued that the section remained in effect regardless of their direct conflict with the PRA 2004, which abolished all underfunded schemes in the country and prescribed specific steps to transition to a contributory pension scheme. To this effect, the unions are demanding what government chose to call the generous gratuity provisions for retiring employees as at June 30. “They planned to continue to receive these payments in cash upon retirement, in CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

THE PHCN WORKERS’ ACTION IS THREATENING PEACE AND HARMONY – NNAJI

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Sunday, August 19, 2012

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PHCN workers not against privatisation – NUEE

Labo

DG, BPE, Bolanle Onagoruwa

Ajaero

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 spite of the illegality of the payment by PHCN management,” the government said. Expectedly however, this assertion failed to amuse the workers. They rather maintained that active employees cannot accept the inequality implied if the PRA is to be implemented now.

With this position, the government has also insisted on implementing the provisions of the PRA 2004. It claimed the unions’ demand is untenable and has gone ahead to make that aspect of gratuity/pension in the COS invalid. “The PRA 2004 in letter and spirit supersedes any other document relating to pensions in the country. As such, any retirement conducted by PHCN post July 1, 2007, is illegal unless forbearance is sought from PENCOM for such categories of retirees. And government has not sought for this,” It affirmed.

That notwithstanding, the Minister stated that government was made to pay staff that lost their jobs as a result of re-organisation, what it called severance/redundancy entitlement. This was in addition to the 1998 condition of service of PHCN, which provided for payment of three weeks’ pay for each completed five years, especially for staff, who served the company for less than five years. All these were done despite the fact that severance/redundancy package ought to be negotiated, according to Nnaji. He said, based on the spirit behind the 1998 conditions of service, international best practices and consideration of precedents in similar companies, the federal government proposed the payment of five weeks basic salary for every staff of PHCN. The other companies that benefited from this condition earlier included Aluminium Smelter Company (ALSCON), Katsina Steel Rolling Mill, Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mill, Delta Steel Rolling Mill, Nigeria Machine Tools, Nicon Insurance and Peugeot Automobile.

Speaking alongside the minister at the media parley, former Labour Permanent Secretary and spokesperson for government on labour issues on Power, Dr. Timiebi Koripomo Agary said the whole issue degenerated into controversy because there had been a lot of misinformation all over the place. Agary, while dismissing claims that government was planning to pay outgoing PHCN staff the sum of N85, 000 across board, noted that too much falsehood had been peddled about government’s position on the matter. According to her, “government sent the entitlement calculations to the workers to cross-check, reconcile and return to the ministry preparatory to final agreement on what to pay. But, the

unions would not hear of that. Instead, they were misinforming the public.

“Letters were written and signed by the Managing Director of PHCN, Hussein Labo, accompanied by the computation of how much each person was to be sent off with. And these letters are to be taken away by each staff to study for about a week and then, return it to express their views, whether they agree with the spelt out terms or not. But, instead of doing this patiently, they decided to embark on the opposition battles. The highest that one severed staff is expected to be paid is N38 million. And some of those who were employed six months ago would be given about N500, 000 each upwards. So, their claim of a security man who has served about 11 years being paid a mere N85, 000 is not true. What every single member of staff is going to be paid on being severed from the services of the PHCN is clearly stated on the schedule prepared from the office of the Power Minister. Government then decided that from June 2004 to June 2012, whatever was due to each of them based on their contributions under the PRA, which was computed to be at N80 billion, should be paid,” she said.

However, the unions have a different story. They did not only object to the use of basic salary and the ceiling of 12 months’ salary to compute their entitlements but have insisted on total emolument and the removal of the ceiling. The unions argued that those who have spent more than 12 years in service will be short-changed if the arrangement is allowed to stand. According to the zonal organising secretary of NUEE, Comrade Temple Iworima, the workers are not against privatisation as being peddled in government quarters. Their grouse, he said, hinged on the fact that their entitlements have not been properly computed. He also pointed out that the disagreement over money allegedly deducted over the years from salaries in the name of severance package by the PHCN management, which the government is refusing to acknowledged, remains a sore area.

“We are not against privatisation. The government knows that we have not been opposed to their privatising what rightly belongs to it. PHCN is their own. Let them do what they like with it. And we do not have any problems with the Canadian contractors. You can see that none of us is disturbing the white men from doing what they had been invited to Nigeria to do. It is not their fault at all that they were brought into what should ordinarily be our in-house problems. But the government seems to enjoy exposing our domestic is-

sues to the international world. Our grouse is against the unjust way we are being severed. Our fear is that our lots will become like that of our other counterparts in the privatised NITEL and other organisations various administrations had privatised. Please, go and look at the records, every company privatised in Nigeria ends up struggling for survival. In fact, they die outrightly and this is what our cry is based on.

“So, we are saying that if you want to privatise, where does that leave us? Now, with privatisation, are you just going to leave us in the cold or pay us through our ‘superannuation scheme’ which we all signed for in our letters of employment? Then, we were here when the Power Minister gave a fiat order via a letter that our salaries should be slashed by 7.5 percent. We asked why, but no one is willing to offer us any explanation. That is after we have been contributing 25 percent of our salaries to the ‘superannuation scheme’ since we got employed. Now, they are telling us that they can’t find the money,” Iworima said.

He did not stop there but said that the workers are angry with the amount the Federal Government allegedly wants to sell the PHCN. “Our other point of contention is that, even if the government wants to sell the PHCN with assets and liabilities in today’s economy, should it be at N220 billion? That’s a gross under-value of the entire assets. Even if they say that the worth cannot be rated at the same value it was several years ago, I bet you, it is still a far cry from what it would be sold, if properly valued,” the labour leader added.

Incidentally, the government has put a lie to the allegation of 25 percent superannuation scheme being claimed by the unions. The government described as untrue such claim as, according to the Minister, no deduction was effected from the workers’ salaries. It stated instead that the sum of N35.4 billion estimated for the 15 percent contribution, representing 7.5 percent employer contribution and 7.5 percent employee contribution should have been applauded by the unions as a magnanimous gesture from government because they never contributed any kobo in the first instance. “The 25 percent is a mere provision by the management of PHCN towards funding the superannuation fund with no physical deductions reflected in the pay slip of any employee of the company. To this end, the claim by the unions is not correct,” the government insists.

Head of Public Communications, Bureau of Public CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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The Big Read

Sunday, August 19, 2012

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The PHCN workers’ action is threatening peace and harmony – Nnaji Could you give us an overview of the privatisation process in the power sector?

The privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) successor companies (six generating and eleven distribution companies), according to Mr. President when he unveiled the “Roadmap for Power Sector Reform” in August 2010, is the final and very important stage in the reform process. The intention of the Nigerian government is to ensure that ‘management and ownership control’ in the successor companies are transferred to the private sector, with substantial participation by strategic investors with experience and resources in the electricity industry. The policy objectives are basically threefold: to meet all current and prospective economically justifiable demands for electricity throughout Nigeria; to modernise and expand its coverage; and to support national economic and social development, including relations with neighbouring countries.

What would be the overriding interest of government in the project?

The government is expected to make provisions for technological transfer from foreign participants and a substantial Nigerian role in the share ownership and management of the privatised companies as well as effective national consensus building necessary for the success of the reform. It’s not that government will totally give out 100 percent shares of PHCN. No! The privatisation process would enable government to give out the controlling shares in the company and retain minority shares that will take care of the general interest. Above all, it will boost efficiency and effectiveness in the sector.

Professor Barth Nnaji is the Minister of Power. He advised, in this interview with Isioma Madike, that the PHCN unions should, as a matter of civility, jettison their present mob action and pursue their rights within the confines of law.

Nnaji

There has been this rift with the unions in the power sector regarding their severance benefits. What is the issue and how is it being resolved?

Well, the major issue is the severance package for the workers. The PHCN labour unions claim that 25 percent was deducted from their monthly salaries towards meeting their gratuity/pension obligations. They are, therefore, demanding for a refund of all deductions from workers. However, this claim is incorrect. Under the Defined Benefit Scheme, the company made a provision of 25 per-

cent of staff cost for the Superannuation Fund to enable it take care of retirement benefits of staff. This was in line with the Trust Deed, which established the Superannuation Fund. Though, the Trust Deed clearly indicated that contribution was to be made by the Authority to the Fund, unfortunately, the PHCN management made provisions in the financial books without the funds to back it up. So, there has never been any contribution or deductions from workers’ salaries. The workers’ pay slip did not substantiate this claim.

What is the position of the Pensions Reform Act, 2004 on this?

The objective of the new pension scheme as stated in Section (2) 2 (C) of the PRA 2004, among others, include the establishment of a uniform set of rules, regulations and standards for the administration and payment of retirement benefits for the public service of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory and the Private Sector. Section 11 of the PRA, 2004 requires every employee to maintain a Retirement Savings Account in his name with any pension administrator of his choice. While Section 101 states that if any other enactment or law relating to pensions is inconsistent with this Act, it shall prevail. In the light of the foregoing, government has been fair in the negotiation process in general and in its final offer in particular. The unions must ensure that their members’ interest are paramount and accept government magnanimous offer.

What next after this?

There is urgent need to enforce compliance of the provisions of the PRA, 2004 by staff of PHCN. It is, therefore, imperative that the workers open their RSAs, as all pension and gratuity payments have to be paid into this account.

It is also very urgent that the mandatory 7.5 percent minimum employer and employee deduction of contributions in line with the PRA 2004 are effected by the different employers of the workers. We also appeal that the unions respect the rule of law in the pursuit of their rights.

Their present mob action is threatening industrial peace and harmony. With the current security challenges in the country, this is unacceptable.

PHCN workers stalling moves to fight inefficiency – BPE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Enterprises (BPE), Chukwuma Nwokoh, has also accused the workers of being a cog in the wheel of progress. He said they are stalling moves to end the inefficiency that PHCN represents. According to him, “NUEE members are just fighting against efficiency. That’s the way I see it and I can be quoted. Hundreds of the PHCN members of staff are non-engineers. And now that we say let us privatise so that things can work efficiently, they are out on the streets, resisting the move.”

Speaking through his media assistant, Cedon Adinuba, the minister has also said that the threat by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on industrial action if the Federal Government did not pay the 25 per cent salary deduction was mischievous. “Let it be stated without equivocation that there is no PHCN employee who contributed 25 percent of his or her salary to the pension scheme or any amount at all to the scheme up till June 30, 2004 when the PHCN was allowed by law to operate an inhouse defined pension scheme. That is, a pension scheme different from what generally obtained in the public service. If there were contributions to the pension scheme by any PHCN personnel at all, they are not reflected in the

books or bank accounts of the pension scheme. The trustees of the scheme are officials of the trade unions in the power sector and the PHCN management members, who are the sole signatories to the bank accounts. The Federal Government has never been involved in the management of the PHCN pension scheme. In other words, if there is any case of fraud or misappropriation of funds, the workers should know those to be held responsible,” he said.

Perhaps, the minister may be alluding to the whereabouts of the billions of naira allegedly contributed by the workers over the years in their in-house pension scheme.

Reports had insinuated that officials of the electricity company and its various labour unions may have diverted funds into a separate account. There are other reports that alleged an unholy alliance among the unions with the sole motive of incorporating a new company named the Nigerian Electricity Power Authority (NEPA) Superannuation Fund Limited to replace the hitherto NEPA Superannuation Fund in July 2005. One of the reports purportedly obtained documents, which indicated that the unions had in line with the Companies and Allied Matters Decree 1990 registered NEPA Superannuation Fund Limited with a share capital of 10 million units in value of N1 per share.

This was to carry the businesses, acts, deeds or contracts that were hitherto performed by the NEPA Superannuation Fund.

But, general secretary, NUEE, Joe Ajaero, said that the unions were committed to the reforms in the sector, even as he argued that all outstanding issues must be settled before new owners would come on board. He denied the claim that the labour unions mismanaged any fund, because, according to him, they were not signatories to the accounts. Ajaero also said the union would not compromise on the payment of the deducted 25 percent of workers’ salaries as pension payment no matter the intimidation. “From inception, ministers had been managing the fund,” he further said.

Meanwhile, the minister has said that privatisation of the subsidiaries of PHCN would go on as planned despite the lingering dispute with the labour unions over severance benefits. Though, he noted that the private sector investors would still rely on PHCN staff to operate as they had the requisite experience and might even be offered enhanced terms of service. He also assured that government would not do anything to jeopardise the interest of the workers.

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Sunday, August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Problems with steady power supply’ UDEME AKPAN

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few weeks ago, a United States-based newspaper columnist, Professor Farooq Kperogi was in Nigeria for many weeks. The visit enabled him to feel the pulse of the nation in many areas, especially electricity supply.

Kperogi also missed some levels of comfort and stability associated with advanced democracies, especially the United States of America.

Surprisingly, he did not complain until what turned out to be the moment of confession on August 12. His friends who went to ‘pick‘him at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport had queried: What did you miss about America while in Nigeria? Kperogi did not give a straight answer. As he puts it: “Should you tell the truth and expose your country—and probably yourself—to well-deserved derision? Or should you simply be mealy-mouthed, skirt around the truth, and say some nice but insincere and extravagant pleasantries like “Oh, I missed my amiable friends and colleagues and, of course, my teaching and research activities”?

At last, he told the truth. First, Kperogi confessed that he missed the order and relative predictability of life in America. Second, the professor remarked that: “During the three months that I stayed in Nigeria, I lived without electricity from the national grid for the most part. If we had electricity for six straight hours we would always chant, “NEPA don try today o!” (I can’t help calling it NEPA even though it has changed its name to PHCN).”

Specifically, it was not only the inconstancy of electricity that bothered him but also its unpredictability. As he puts it, “I often rushed to iron my clothes each time it pleased PHCN to bring electricity because I couldn’t tell when they would take it. I always had to leave everything else I was doing. We have a generator at home, like most people in Nigeria, but there is only so much it can do. Plus, given my environmental consciousness, I was often sensitive to the environmental pollution and danger to human health that generator fumes pose, and this sensitivity often dissuaded me from using our generator as often as other people did.”

This was not the tragedy. To him, “The real tragedy, for me, is that smaller and poorer countries like Benin Republic enjoy steadier electricity than Nigeria. When I visited Benin Republic about a week before I returned to Atlanta, I noticed that there were no power cuts there. I asked one of my uncles when was the last time he experienced power cuts. It took him about a minute to remember. “Over a year ago, I think,” he said. “They seized the light for two hours to do some repairs.” And this was preceded, he said, by an announcement in the radio and in the local television.”

The professor is not alone. Many people, including the Governor of Kwara State, Abdufatah Ahmed have already scored the nation low on power supply. They have not stopped there. The questions most people are asking are: What reasons accounted for the power dilemma? What have the government been doing? How far has it gone?

What challenges are being encountered? Can they be solved during the life time of this administration?

Investigations showed that the problems associated with electricity supply are multi-dimensional and complex.

First, the inconsistent policies of past administrations constituted a major setback. For instance, there was a time, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s when past administrations adopted power as a sector which was too important to be placed in the hands of private investors, particularly because of alleged security implications. They even said then that, it was only the Federal Government that had the resources to invest massively in the sector. Later, the thinking changed. Most people realized, and rightly too that the government has failed to deliver over the years.

They maintained that a time has come for the government to place the sector in the hands of private investors who have the resources, experience and capacity to make positive and sustainable impact.

Second factor was corruption. Many public officers saddled with one responsibility or another did not live up to public expectations because of corruption. Third, the situ-

A PHCN sub-station

ation was worsened by inadequate generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure. More than that, the facilities put in place were not properly maintained, thus making it impossible for the nation to generate, transmit and distribute adequate electricity to all parts of the nation. Consequently, at the advent of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in May, 2010, the nation had the capacity to generate only about 2,800MW. Within the first one year, power generation rose to 3,000MW and by January, this year, it had risen to 4,400MW. The transmission grid which could not transmit 3,800MW in August, 2010 was able to transmit all available Megawatts (MW).

This feat would not have been accomplished without conscious efforts. Determined to find a permanent solution to the nation’s power dilemma, the President launched a Road Map for the sector on August 26, 2010. The launch received the endorsement of many people and institutions, especially consumers and investors. The roadmap is said to be President Jonathan’s comprehensive interpretation of the 2005 ESPR Act, complete with time lines and cost implications of the operationalisation. The 2005 EPSR Act, laid emphasis on some important issues, especially the liberalisation of the power sector and the privatisation of PHCN successor companies. BPE Spokesman, Chukuma Nwokoh maintained that bidders have met last July target for submission of proposals for 11 distribution firms.

He documented that, “A breakdown of the 54 bidders that met the July 31, 2012 deadline for submission of technical and financial proposals for the privatisation of the eleven distribution companies created from the unbundling of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has been released by the BPE. Prospective core investors, who must be local and/or international power distributors or investors with power distributors as technical partners, will be responsible for operating the distribution companies, making the necessary investments to improve the distribution network and customer service in line with the objectives of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

The evaluation of the technical bids will take place between August 14 and 28, 2012. The National Council on Privatisation (NCP) will approve the results of the technical evaluation by September 11, 2012. The deadline for the shortlisted bidders for generation companies to submit their letters of credit is September 18, 2012 while October 2, 2012 is the deadline for shortlisted bidders for distribution companies.

The approval of NCP will pave way for the opening of

financial bids of the shortlisted investors. The BPE will on September 25, 2012 open the financial bids of prospective investors for the generating companies while October 10, 2012 is the date for the opening of the financial bids for the distribution companies. The announcement of the preferred bidders for the generating companies is October 9, 2012 while October 23, 2012 is the date for the announcement of the preferred bidders for the distribution companies. At present, potential investors prefer to keep sealed lips over plans to revive the companies. This may become necessary whenever they take over the operations of the investments.

Despite some criticisms, the government believes it has done well. For instance, the Minister of Power confessed that “When the BPE called for Expressions of Interest (EoI) in the PHCN successor companies; we honestly expected not more than 50 because of the global economic crisis, among other factors. But we harvested as many as 331 from across the world. Before we could even establish the Electricity Bulk Trading Company, the World Bank had offered Partial Risk Guarantee (PRG) to provide comfort and confidence to power producers until the electricity distribution companies become creditworthy.”

More than that, General Electric, a major global player has also signed an MoU with the Ministry of Power to ensure the production of 10,000MW in the nation. The firm is also bent on taking between 10 and 15 per cent equity in new plants as well as set up an assembly plant in the nation.

However, no one can say exactly when self sufficiency in public power supply would become a reality in the nation of over 140 million people. The reasons are not farfetched.

First, electricity is a long term business. Second, it requires huge funds which take relatively long period to raise locally and internationally. Third, the design, manufacturing, import and installation cannot be fixed in a short term, meaning that the nation’s numerous electricity challenges would not likely be fixed during the remaining part of this administration.

These notwithstanding, Nnaji surmised that, “But the right steps have been taken and the world acknowledges that Nigeria is finally getting it right on power. As the saying goes, a journey of 1,000miles begins with a single step. Our steps are sure and steady. The national target of achieving 40,000MW by 2020 when Nigeria is expected to be among the largest 20 economies in the world is no longer a pipe dream.”

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Sunday, August 19, 2012

7

How northern elite control Nigeria’s oil wealth Why they want the presidency back in 2015

MUYIWA OYINLOLA NEWS EDITOR

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resh revelations emerged at the weekend of how some northern elite members and ex-military rulers took control of the Nigerian oil industry.

The scheme was achieved through the allocation of oil wells to themselves, family friends, in-laws and other northern aristocrats and business men, making these individuals to rake in huge incomes from oil money, an online chat portal, NigerianWorldForum, disclosed yesterday.

According to the information, Cavendish Petroleum which operates OML110 was awarded to the late Borno patriarch, Alhaji Mai Deribe by General Sani Abacha on July 8, 1996.

The oil well is said to have a proven oil reserve in excess of 500 million barrels, which is more than the entire 300 million barrels reserve of Sudan.

It also has the capacity to produce about 120,000 barrels of crude oil daily from its OBE 4 and OBE 5 wells.

Calculation at current production levels indi-

cates that the Mai Deribes net about N4billion monthly in crude oil sales at oil price estimates of $100 per barrel (p/b).

Another prominent northerner enjoying the wealth from the oil industry is Prince Nasiru Ado Bayero, who is the cousin of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

The Fulani prince is a key shareholder and director in Seplat/Platform Petroleum, operators of the Asuokpu/ Umutu Marginal Field with a capacity of 300,000 barrels monthly and A 30 mmfcsd gas plant capable of feeding 100MT of LPG. Also, former Defence Minister, General T.Y Danjuma, has been linked with South Atlantic Petroleum Limited (SAPETRO). SAPETRO is a Nigerian Oil Exploration and Production Company that was created in 1995 by the retired army General who is also the chairman of ENI Nigeria. General Abacha allegedly awarded the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 246 to SAPETRO in February 1998.

The block covers a total area of 2,590km2 (1,000 sq.

IBB, Abacha, Abubakar, Dantata, Lukman’s links exposed

miles). SAPETRO partnered with Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd (TUPNI) and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Ltd (Petrobras) to start prospecting on OPL 246. Akpo, a condensate field was discovered in April 2000 with the drilling of the first exploration well (Akpo 1) on the block. Other discoveries made on OPL 246 include the Egina Main, Egina South, Preowei and Kuro (Kuro was suspended as a dry gas/ minor oil discovery).

In June 2006, General T.Y Danjuma was said to have divested part of his rights and obligations to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) for $1 billion (N160bn).

Akpo exports about 230,000 barrels of condensate daily.

Condensate export is not regulated by OPEC, so SAPETRO/TOTAL exports as much as possible each day.

Egina exports about 75,000 barrels of oil daily.

Therefore, Akpo and Egina’s fields export just over 300,000 barrels of oil/ condensate daily said to be three times what Ghana exports. The General gets 25 percent of what accrues. According to the information, the gas component is about

Members of Esit Eket community in Akwa Ibom State protesting Monday’s oil spill at the Qua Iboe oil fields, PHOTO: NAN yesterday.

2.5 trillion cubic feet. The money SAPETRO nets each month is allegedly more than the monthly statutory allocation to any Nigerian state and also more than the oil revenue of Ghana according to information.

Oil fields OML 112 and 117 were awarded to Amni International Petroleum Development Company

by General Abdulsalami Abubakar in the twilight of his administration in 1999. In the productionsharing contract, AMNI gets 60 percent for owning the oil block and Total gets 40 percent for providing technical advice. OML 112 was awarded in February 12, 1998 while OML 117 was awarded on August 4, 1999. Operations started on both blocks in February 26, 2006, according to NigerianWorldForum. The licenses are due to expire on February 11, 2018 and August 5, 2019 respectively.

The information portal believes that this is one of the reasons why some northern leaders want the presidency back in the north by 2015.

The oil fields have about 50 million barrels in reserve and currently produce/exports just a little below 20,000 barrels per day. The chairman of AMNI International Petroleum and Development Company is Colonel Sani Bello from Kontagora, Niger State whose son, Abu, is believed to have married General Abdusalami Abubakar’s eldest daughter. The retired army colonel was a former governor of Kano State and Nigeria High Commissioner to Zimbabwe.

Former Petroleum Minister, Alhaji Rilwanu Lukman, has also been linked with Afren Energy. The

company operates the Okoro and Setu fields in OML112. Apart from operating Amni oil blocks, Afren, also has key interest in the NNPC/Vitol trading deal, Vitol is a London based oil trading company. Vitol lifts 350,000 barrels of crude oil daily from Nigeria.

Former head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida’s in law, Alhaji Mohammed Indimi has been linked with Oriental Energy Resources Limited. The company runs three oil blocks OML 115, the Okwok field and the Ebok field. OML 115 and Okwo are OML PSC, while Ebok is an OML JV. General Babangida’s son, Mohammed is married to Alhaji Mohammed Indimi’s daughter, Rahama Indimi-Babangida, who also serves as a director in the company. Other directors include Amina IndimiFodio, Jibrila Indimi, Ibrahim Indimi, Ahmed Indimi and Mustafa Indimi. The chairman and patriarch, Alhaji Indimi hails from Niger State.

OML 115 is 228 sq Km. On OML 115, Oriental Energy Resources Limited has 60 per cent while Equity Energy Resources AS, which has allegedly been linked to Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s oil and gas investment vehicle, has 40 per cent. On Okwok, Addax has 40 percent equity while on the Ebok field; Oriental Energy Resources has 100 percent. AMNI produces twice as much as Cavendish Petroleum.

Another northern aristocrat, Alhaji Aminu Dantata was awarded oil field OML 108 by General Abacha in November 1995 through his Express Petroleum and Gas Limited. CAMAC Houston, a company owned by Kase

Lawal bought 2.5 percent equity of Express Petroleum’s 60 percent holdings.

The other 40 percent on OML 108 is owned by Sheba E&P Limited, also linked with General Babangida.

SEPCOL operates the Ukpokiti offshore field in Shallow water Nigeria, which was acquired from ConocoPhillips in May 2004.

Alhaji Saleh Mohammed Jambo is another prominent northerner thriving in the oil industry. He owns NorEast (North East) Petroleum Nigeria limited.

The company is the holder of OPL215 license, covering an area 0f 2,564 square kilometres in water depths between 200 to 1600 metres.

NorEast is the parent company of Rayflosh Petroleum which was awarded blocks OPLs 276 and 283 leading to a Joint Venture Agreement with Centrica Resources Nigeria Limited and CCC Oil and Gas. The license was awarded to Alhaji Jambo by General Babangida in 1991 and then renewed in 2004. So far $50Million has allegedly been spent on the very promising Okpoi-1 and Egere -1 exploratory wells.

Former Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the Yar’Adua family and the Ado Bayeros have also been linked with INTELS , the Oil and Gas Free Zone and Oil Services Centres, as well as Support Bases, are operated from governmentowned facilities, leased to INTELS under long-term agreements. INTELS runs a ‘private port’, with the attendant effect on the Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt ports. There are over one hundred major companies operating at the INTEL facility in Port Harcourt.

the security agents were involved, tracking their location. We kept the negotiation going, on the assumption that the efforts of the security agents and the state government would achieve results.

“But the kidnappers were aware of the every effort of the security agents and they kept warning us against using the security agents to trail them. They threatened to kill the judge if we continue to relate with the security agents and refuse to pay the ransom.

“We were convinced at a point that it was counterproductive to continue to engage the security agents and that was how we commenced serious engagement and negotiation with the kidnappers. We pleaded with them to scale down the ransom and we eventually settled for N10m, which we dropped at a designated location as directed by the kidnappers on Wednesday.

“The judge was subsequently freed on Wednesday night,” the source added.

Okoh, who was recently appointed a judge of the High Court of Delta State, was formerly the Director of Public Prosecution in the state’s Ministry of Justice.

He was abducted at OriaAbraka, in Ethiope East Local Government area of the state, on Tuesday, August 7.

The judicial officer was on his way to work where he functioned as the vacation judge of Warri Division of the state’s High Court when he was waylaid by gunmen.

Kidnappers collected N10m ransom to free Delta judge –Investigation SOLA ADEBAYO

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resh facts have emerged about how Justice Marcel Okoh of Delta State High Court secured freedom on Wednesday after eight days with kidnappers.

Dependable family sources told Sunday Mirror yesterday that members of the family, friends and professional colleagues of the embattled judicial officer, raised a whooping sum of N10million, which was eventually released to the

hoodlums to facilitate freedom for the judge.

One of the sources told Sunday Mirror that the ransom was dropped at a designated location as demanded by his abductors. It was gathered that the judge was freed, moments after the ransom was in the custody of the kidnappers.

The source, who craved anonymity, said the kidnappers, who initially demanded N40 million ransom shifted grounds following pleas by members of the family and as-

sociates of the judge.

Findings by Sunday Mirror further revealed that the option to pay the ransom became imperative following the glaring failure of the security agencies to locate the kidnapper’s den and threat by the hoodlums to kill the judge.

One of the sources said, “The experience of the last few days was traumatising as the kidnappers of Justice Okoh initially demanded N40million ransom. We played along with the kidnappers initially as

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News

Sunday August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Eid-El-Fitri ! Eid-El-Fitri !! Eid-El-Fitri !!!

Jonathan, Atiku, govs sue for unity, peace ROTIMI FADEYI (ABUJA), DENNIS AGBO (ENUGU), ADEMU IDAKWO (LOKOJA),KEMI OLAITAN (IBADAN), PRISCILLA DENNIS (MINNA)

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gainst the background of persistent challenges to the country’s unity, harmony and peaceful co-existence, President Goodluck Jonathan has reiterated his administration’s resolve on the unity and indivisibility of the nation.

In his Eid-El-Fitri message to felicitate with Muslims, Jonathan assured Nigerians that the imperatives of national unity, peace, harmony, collective development and progress would continue to inspire and motivate all policies and actions of his administration.

The message contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said, “On behalf of himself and the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan congratulates all followers of the Islamic faith in the country who have successfully concluded this year’s Ramadan fast.”

“President Jonathan rejoices with all Muslims in the country as Nigeria joins the rest of the world in celebrating Eid-El-Fitri, which marks the end of the monthlong annual fast” “He prays that Almighty Allah will grant them all the rewards promised to the faithful for the pious observance of the injunctions of piety, abstinence, self-discipline, constant prayer and charity.”

“Against the background of persisting challenges to unity, harmony and peaceful co-existence in the country, President Jonathan seizes the opportunity of the Eid-ElFitri celebrations to reaffirm his administration’s absolute and immutable commitment to the unity and indivisibility of the Nigerian nation.”

In the same vein, former Vice President, Atiku

NIGERIA IN

Abubakar, in his goodwill message, tasked Muslims in the country to unite behind the country’s leaders in the efforts to find a lasting solution to problems of poverty and insecurity bedeviling the nation.

“On the blessed and joyous occasion of the Eid-Fitr after the rigorous and spiritually uplifting Ramadan fast, I urge Muslims and all Nigerians alike to embrace the common goal and unity, which the Ramadan essentially manifests,” Atiku said.

In the message released by his media office in Abuja at the weekend, the former vice-president said without unity Nigerians cannot build a prosperous, modern nation-state.

He challenged all Muslims and other citizens to avoid hatred, anger and revenge.

According to Atiku, leaders also have a duty to identify with the problems of those who put them into office. He stated that poverty is a potential threat to social stability and that leaders at all levels must work with greater commitment to tackle this urgent task facing democratic governance.

Also, the Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ms Olajumoke Akinjide, urged Muslim faithful in the country to remain committed in their duties to Allah and cast off forever, as they did during Ramadan, habits prohibited by the holy Quran.

Akinjide gave the charge in an Eid-el-fitri message to all Muslims made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and signed by her Media Aide, Alhaji Kehinde Isiaka.

She enjoined the citizenry to continue to pray fervently for the peace and unity of the country, assuring that the transformation agenda of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration would change the country for good.

“Ramadan period is a cleanser that wipes off sins and offer spiritual rebirth and rejuvenation. I felicitate with all Muslim brothers and sisters all over Nigeria on

BRIEF

this special occasion of Eidel-Fitri.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) called for a restoration of the virtues of good neighbourliness and re-orientation to respect law and order among the citizenry.

The governor who spoke during a Tasfir and prayer session for the nation organized by the Lagos State Pilgrims Welfare Board in Mecca, Saudi Arabia said the citizenry all levels need a lot of re-orientation about how to be their brother keepers and be more sensitive to the well being of one another stating that those virtues are currently missing.

The governor reiterated that good virtue is not about praying or worshipping God alone because many Nigerians worship God but do not have the fear of God in them, adding that it would be difficult to explain, for example, why a Muslim who just left a Mosque after prayers would proceed to drive his vehicle against traffic. gun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Funmi Wakama, called for a

Ibrahim, was attended by various interest groups, such as women associations, Ebira State political office holders and Islamic leaders.

The forum in a communique made available to journalists in Lokoja yesterday condemned the brutal murder of a Deeper Life Church member, Otitte and two soldiers.

similar attitudes to one another.

He commended Muslims in Enugu State for the contributions and sacrifices they have continued to make towards the rapid development of the state, especially through their respect for the rule of law and pursuit of peaceful coexistence with their neighbours and people of other religious persuasions.

In his goodwill message, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, restated the need for peaceful co-existence among all people residing in the state, irrespective of their tribe, religion or ethnic background.

Aliyu stated this during a visit by His Lordship, Bishop Isaac Idahosa, the presiding Bishop of God First Ministries International, in company of the renowned Gospel Singer, Dr. Ron Kenoly, from the United States of America in Minna.

He noted that no society can achieve any meaningful growth, where love, peace and understanding among members of the society are absent.

The governor, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr.

Daniel Shashere, stated that the state had continued to remain peaceful because it was not resting on its oars to ensure the protection of lives and property of its citizens.

Aliyu also urged Christians in the state to continue to pray for the leadership of the state and the country at large in order to succeed in their official responsibilities to the people.

In the same vein, the Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Honourable Abdullahi Bello, called on Muslims in the country to pray fervently for an everlasting solution to the protracted security problem ravaging the nation.

Bello, who appealed for brotherliness, humility, honesty, transparency and fear of God, emphasised that no society ever progressed in a situation where peace and unity were absent.

The speaker commended the Muslims and Christians in the state for the cordial relationship that existed among them.

He promised that the House of Assembly would soon legislate on religious matters that would make the state free from religious crises.

L-R: Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; the Tafsir lecturer, Sheikh Musa Yahya Agboola; former Special Adviser on Political and Legislative Powers, Hon. Abdul-Lateef Abdul-Hakeem; cleric, Thaoban Adam Abdullah Al-llori and Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Kolawole Taiwo, during the governor’s address to pilgrims from Lagos State and other states at a Tafsir programme and special prayers for the nation, organised by the Lagos State Moslem Pilgrims Welfare Board in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday.

Kogi residents urged to celebrate at home Stakeholders in the Central Senatoral area in Kogi State have called on Muslim faithful to observe their Eid-El-Fitr prayers today at home and in private sessions, in view of the tense security situation in the zone.

The meeting, which was at the instance of the paramount ruler, the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, Alhaji Ado

better Nigeria based on the lessons imbibed during the holy month of Ramadan.

According to the governor, “the lessons of piety, self discipline, spiritual awareness, brotherliness, love and compassion imbibed during Ramadan, if allowed to guide our future private and public conduct, will bring within our reach and attainment the dreams of our founding fathers for a peaceful and prosperous nation.”

He called on Muslim faithful to lead the campaign for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians and respect for the sanctity of life, noting that “Islam is a religion of peace”.

Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu in his Eid-El-Fitri message urged Nigerians to use the occasion of the celebration to rededicate themselves to values and virtues that would promote tolerance, brotherliness and unity among all groups.

The governor, who stated this in a message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, said the celebrations offered Nigerians the opportunity to reflect on Allah’s love, compassion for mankind and to ensure that they extended

It further warned youths in possession of firearm, including those of the slain soldiers, to surrender them without further delay.

The forum commended the government and security for the effective way they handled the situation and promised to continue to partner with them for the maintenance of law and order in the zone.

Badagry Festival begins The 2012 edition of the Badagry Festival began on Friday at the Heritage Museum, with the remembrance of victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Declaring the festival open, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr Sewanu Fadipe, who represented Gov. Babatunde

Fashola of Lagos State and the Commissioner for Tourism, Mr Oladisun Holloway, recounted Badagry’s losses to the slave trade. ``From my knowledge, the festival is built around the history of Badagry and the slave trade experience of the 16th century to the 18th century,” he said.

Fadipe, who called for a minute silence for the repose

of the souls of those slaves that died during slavery, said the foundation of Badagry was as a result of six centuries of the evil trade. ``Badagry has been affected by the slave trade since 1474 when the Portuguese came to buy our people, chained them and took them away into cities like Spain, Cuba, Brazil and Columbia for hard labour,” he said.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Sunday, August 19, 2012

9

Akwa Ibom willing to renegotiate oil wells with C’River TONY ANICHEBE UYO

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kwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, yesterday said he was not averse to entering into a dialogue with the Cross River State Government on the issue of the 76 oil wells. The ownership of the oil wells was affirmed by the Supreme Court in a recent judgment.

The country’s apex court had, in its recent judgment in a case brought before it by the Cross River Government, affirmed that the oil wells were in Akwa Ibom territory.

Chief Akpabio, speaking during the monthly prayer meeting held at John’s Chaplaincy, Governor’s Lodge, Uyo said ‘’Akwa Ibom was extending a further hand of fellowship that despite the judgment Akwa Ibom is still ready to enter into dialogue with Cross River on the issue of

the 76 oil wells’’.

He deplored some newspapers in the country for misquoting him during the legal tussle on the disputed 76 oil wells, earlier controlled by Cross River State, and said he would gladly enter into such dialogue with the state in the interest of brotherhood, peace and ancestral bonds.

The governor said he would not be distracted to ‘break the box of democracy’, promising to do his best with available resources and leave the rest for his successor to continue from where he would stop. ‘’I won’t be angry like the Biblical Moses who broke the tablet of God’s Commandments on return from Mount Sinai to see the idolatrous worshipping of a golden calf by the Israelites. While in the office with so much work done, I am still being criticised. I see the criticisms as good for my administration,”

Akpabio noted.

On the Etebi-Enwang Road, he pledged his administration’s resolve to complete the road with the longest bridge in the state, acknowledging its economic value to Akwa Ibom people.

Akpabio, however, called for continuous prayers for the state in all areas of life, believing that God would use such to avert any tragedy that would have befallen the state.

The governor used the occasion to congratulate Idara Thompson on his emergence as the Speaker of Nigerian Students’ Parliament, and advised him to shun bad friends and focus on his educational pursuit, observing that it was a tragedy for a young man to fail.

He reiterated his administration’s determination to elevate the potentials of Akwa Ibom children and enjoined them to work hard and be disciplined in all

their endeavours.

In his homily, Bishop Cletus Bassey, reading from Eccl. 3:14-15 and preaching on the theme ‘Don’t Undo What God has Already Done’ admonished the children of God to refrain from kicking against the works of God. Meanwhile, a youth group, the Supreme Niger Delta Council Worldwide, has appealed to the Federal Government to re-enlist Cross River as one of the oil producing states in the country.

This is contained in a statement signed by the leader of the group, Mr Mike Ekamon, on Saturday in Abuja.

Ekamon also urged the government to reverse the decisions of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and that of the

National Boundary Commission (NBC) which motivated the relocation of 76 oil wells in Cross River to Akwa Ibom.

“The government should re-list Cross River State as one of the oil producing states and the payment of its fiscal allocation, which was irrationally stopped by the RMAFC. “The government should also address the housing problems faced by the people displaced as a result of the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun.

“We challenge the government to produce the criteria under which Cross River’s 76 oil wells that were originally under Bakassi now became the property of its sister state.

We equally call on the people of the state to eschew violence and embrace dialogue with its sister state

with a view to resolving the issue amicably.’’

The statement further said the people of the state had demonstrated their love for peace by enduring the ceding of their major economic assets and the local government.

It, however, warned that the docility of the people of Cross River should not be taken for granted.

“Making the people of Cross River double victims is not the way to promote harmony, peace and development anywhere in the world,” the statement added.

The statement, which urged President Goodluck Jonathan to quickly review the circumstances behind the ceding of the Bakassi and the relocation of the oil wells to another state, pledged the group’s support for his administration.

Exhumation: Coroner’s court fixes Sept 28 for ruling

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Coroner’s Court in Lagos has fixed September 28 to rule on an application by the Lagos State Government to stop the exhumation of Mr. Sekoni Saka’s corpse.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Saka was allegedly killed by the police during a demolition exercise at Makoko, Lagos, in 2009.

The coroner, Mrs S.K. Matepo, at the weekend at a Yaba Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, said that

she would rule on whether or not to dismiss the order for exhumation on the date.

Counsel to the Lagos State Government, Mr Olufemi Alabi, had on May 18 filed an application to set aside the order for the exhumation of the corpse that was earlier requested by the family of the deceased.

Counsel to the family of the deceased, Mr Kalu Obuba, had on May 15, sought and obtained an order for exhumation of

the corpse in order for an autopsy to be conducted to determine the cause of death.

He told the court that the cause of Saka’s death, which was in doubt, ought to be clarified.

Obuba stated that the request followed the claim by management of the morgue at LASUTH, where the remains were deposited, that Saka had been given mass burial alongside other unclaimed corpses.

Vice-President Namadi Sambo (right) and the President of Islamic Development Bank, Dr. Ahmed Mahmoud Ali, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, at the weekend

OYERINDE’S MURDER

We are holding the real suspects, not SSS, say Police ...as Oshiomhole takes case to Jonathan K AYODE FASUA AND SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN

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he Force Headquarters of the Nigeria Police yesterday insisted that the real suspected killers of Olaitan Oyerinde, the Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, of Edo State are in its custody. It claimed that those paraded by the State Security Service (SSS) were not the real suspects but receivers of items stolen in the home of the deceased governor’s aide.

The assertion came as the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, expressed misgivings about the way the police had been handling investigations into the murder case. The gover-

nor who believed that the real suspects had been arrested by the SSS, expressed reservations over the police detention of a rights activist, David Ugolor, and others in connection with the crime.

According to an impeccable source, “the reason we arrested (David) Ugolor is that one of the suspects actually claimed that the man gave them the job and promised to pay them N20 million.

“When he said that, the man (suspect) did not mention the surname but gave the description and the police in the course of their investigation conducted what you call an identification parade and the suspect went ahead to identify Ugolor. A lot of suspects have been arrest-

ed; the suspects have even confessed not just to this crime but to so many other crimes. There is even another man they killed which they mentioned his name.”

The source revealed further that SSS does not even have the main suspects; the suspects SSS has are people that received the stolen things.

Sunday Mirror learnt that in the course of investigation, the police discovered that some other personal effects of Oyerinde were stolen. “Not only did they kill, they also stole things from him (Oyerinde). The people that the SSS has are the receivers of stolen things.

“The people that did this thing, all of them have been arrested. Those

we have in our custody, we have very solid grounds, both in law and in fact, for holding them. And anybody that has doubts about what we have done should just go and wait for us in the court because, when we get to court, we will exhibit all the facts; our findings and our recoveries. But we would not be joining issues with anyone; we will not be distracted, we won’t be stampeded into doing anything that will mar our investigations,” the source declared.

Also, according to another police source that preferred anonymity, the police were painstaking enough in the identification parade in which the suspects pointed at the detained activist as one of them, noting that the fact that none of the suspects

knew David’s house was not sufficient The source added that the suspects in police detention made other useful statements to justify the detention of the activist.

“For example, they stole a gun in Oyerinde’s house and based on the information from the suspects, we recovered it. They also stole a phone, sold it, we recovered it; all the things they told us fell in place.”

However, the case took a dramatic turn last Wednesday when Governor Oshiomhole demanded in a Government House release that President Jonathan should urgently probe the embarrassing contradiction and resultant confusion in the work of both the SSS and the Police.

Speaking on the issue last night, Force Deputy

Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, said the police would not join issues with anyone, adding that Nigerians must realise that the police are constitutionally charged to investigate a matter of this nature, adding, “Nigeria Police will not go into town to arrest just any suspect just for the fun of it; every single suspect we have in our custody, we have very solid ground both in law and in fact to hold them.

“And if anybody has doubt about what we have done, the person should wait until we get to the court.

“In the court we shall expose all our facts, findings and the recoveries too. We don’t want to join issues with anybody and we won’t be distracted,” Mba added.

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SM Extra

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

STORIES THAT TOUCH YOU AUGUST 19, 2012

Glamour, as Igbo mark New Yam Festival in Lagos ONUKWUBE OFOELUE

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he New Yam festival is an annual harvest festival by the Igbo people held at the end of the rainy season. It is practised to symbolise the conclusion of a harvest and the beginning of the next work cycle.

Traditionally, the role of eating the first yam is performed by the oldest man in the community or the king. This man also offers the yams to God, deities and ancestors.

It is believed that their position bestows the privilege of being intermediaries between their communities and the gods of the land.

In line with the requirements of tradition, the Eze Ndi Igbo in Ikeja, Lagos State, Eze Agbawodikeizu J Nwalozie, yesterday performed the 2012 edition of the New Yam Festival. The solemn yam-eating festival that marked the beginning of the harvest season

The Eze and kingmakers offering prayers.

among the Igbo in Ikeja was held at his palace, amid pomp and ceremony.

Attended by several prominent personalities, the ceremony is an annual, uniting factor for the Igbo all over the world, as it is now being performed in every nation and community where the Igbo reside. In attendance were his council members, as well as members of the general public.

Delivering a statement, the Royal Palace Secretary-General, Chief Promise Uwe-

The Eze eating the new yam. With him are his cabinet members.

chue, the Nwannedinamba Ikeja, stated the wishes of the king in the new year, which were being ushered in by the eating of the new yam. He stated that 2012 is the 13th year since the inception of the annual New Yam Festival in Ikeja Local Government, which included Onigbongbo and Ojodu Local

Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State. He implored all the Igbo to use the period as a marker for peace and reconciliation, reminding them that no matter where they may live today, they should never forget their motherland, Igboland.

Doing the traditional igo ofo ceremo-

We are friends, not foes, journalists cry out …as assaults increase

ONUKWUBE OFOELUE

J

ournalists have been killed in the line of duty, a global phenomenon against which the pen-pushers have been campaigning. They have also been physically attacked, beaten, brutalised and dehumanised by law enforcement agents, security personnel, Nigeria’s social urchins otherwise known as ‘area boys’ and even, individuals. With everybody lashing out at them, and seeing them as pests, media practitioners have become an endangered species in Nigeria.

So, on Thursday, August 16, members of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, staged a protest against the brutalisation of journalists, which it said was now on the increase. Chairman, Lagos State NUJ, Mr. Deji Elumoye condemned the attacks on journalists who were performing their lawful duties.

Elumoye said: “Enough is enough! We have had enough of brutalisation of journalists on their beats. The National President of the NUJ is aware of our stand. We have informed our lawyer to commence criminal proceedings against the attackers.”

Bearing placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Journalists Are Friends, Not Foes,’ ‘We Must Resist These Brutality,’ ‘Lagos Journalists Say No to Public Assault of Members. Enough is enough,’ ‘SSS, Police, General Public, Stop These Assaults on Nigerian Journalists’, they went around Lagos, visiting flashpoints which included the Lagos Government House. For all their effort, no government official addressed the journalists.

The latest in a series of attacks against journalists is that on Mr. Tunde Ogundeji, former Photo Editor of Compass Newspaper. According to reports, he was beaten for attempting to take pictures of passengers on top of trains in Ikeja. The thugs brandished dangerous weapons like planks and bottles, inflicting injuries on the man and stealing his camera.

On July 20, Mr. Richard Eghahghe, a senior correspon-

dent with Sunday Mirror was attacked and brutalised by some persons in the premises of Mountain of Liberation and Miracle Ministries, a church in Lagos headed by Prophet Chris Okafor. Eghaghe was at the church to recover a N45, 000 debt owed his publishing house for copies of newspaper supplied to the church, on request.

The newspaper had published a two-page interview on the controversial prophet after his acclaimed narrow escape from kidnappers, and the church ordered for a supply of 300 copies. But as efforts made by Eghaghe to collect the debt from the church officials failed to bear fruit, he decided to personally informed Prophet Okafor, following which he met his fate.

However, repeated calls by Eghaghe on the prophet did not yield any result so he decided to go there.

“Before I knew it, the security men (of the church) were all over me. Without a word, they grabbed my trouser savagely by the waist band, dragged me to the main gate like a sheep to the slaughter and pushed me outside. In the process, my trouser got torn. I fell down but quickly got up for people not to notice the humiliation,” Richard, who bore wounds on his back, recalled.

As if that was not enough, some two weeks later, another journalist was brutalised in like manner. Mr Benedict Uwalaka, a senior photojournalist attached to Leadership Newspapers was on August 8, brutally beaten by persons suspected to be officials of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. He was not the only. Other journalists who were there were beaten up in like manner, but his was so severe as he was hit with bricks, bottles, and stabbed. He had collapsed in his own pool of blood before he was rushed to the hospital. His camera was broken, and his bag seized. The matter is currently being investigated.

On August 7, a group of ex-militants had attacked the office of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Warri.

They came with kegs of gasoline and threatened to lynch journalists and burn the office if they were not granted media coverage, news reports said.

They wanted to force the journalists to interview them about government’s non-payment of their monthly allowance that was owed to them.

Benedict Uwalaka and Tunde Ogundeji: victims.

On April 4, about 10 journalists were detained by the police and their equipment confiscated in Lagos. Their crime was that they were covering a coroner’s inquest into a traffic accident.

According to Wahab Abdullahi of Vanguard Newspapers, he and other reporters were waiting in the corridor s, outside the courtroom, when a court police officer told them to leave, saying journalists were not welcome. When the journalists refused to leave, that they were on official duties, the ensuing argument caught the attention of a court magistrate, who told police officers to arrest the journalists. The police reportedly grabbed, kicked and slapped them, before locking them up. When they were eventually released, all the information in their phones, recorders and cameras has been deleted by the police.

On June 29, when the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja department of Development Control demolished one of the structures within the premises of the Nigerian Union of Journalist, two photo journalists of the Vanguard and National Mirror Newspaper were attacked by the squad team as they tried to take photos.

On June 14 also, Bashir Abdullahi, a journalist with the daily Daily Trust, was covering a seminar at the Federal Secretariat in Port Harcourt, in Rivers State, when

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SM Extra

Sunday, August 19, 2012

11

This lady needs N16m for eye surgery TAI ANYANWU

High Chief UC Ugwulor discussing with the Eze.

Eze Agbawodikeizu J Nwalozie in his palace.

ny, the Eze Ndi Igbo, Eze Agbawodikeizu Nwalozie prayed to God and the ancestors to bless all the Igbo in Lagos, irrespective of their vocation. He also advised those assembled to take the yam festival with all seriousness, as it is one of the main reasons the Igbo have made amazing progress not just in

Nigeria, but in the world over. He also asked them to ensure that they also take their village meetings seriously, as this would further enhance the unity of the people. “United we stand, divided we fall”, he concluded.

After the eating of kolanuts, the official, solemn iwa ji (cutting of yam ceremony) marking the ‘New Year,’ was performed.

Along with the council members, the Eze performed the ceremony, while the audience looked on. After cutting the well roasted new yam, the eze then ate a morsel while the audience applauded. In a mouth-watering sauce, came a combination of ugba, palm oil, pepper, okazi vegetable, garden eggs, stock fish and the traditional chicken dedicated to the god of yam, Ahajioku. The nzes or kingmakers thus began to perform their own ceremony of yam eating. After them, other people were also given an opportunity to participate in the solemn, beautiful and remarkable ceremony believed to bring blessings to the land.

Nigerian journalists during their recent protest.

Uwalaka being assaulted at the LUTH premises.

officials of the Rivers State Environmental Task Force, escorted by military personnel, assaulted him. “One of them slapped me twice on the face, hit me on my shoulder, and seized my phone. I complained to the soldiers, who told me to solve the problem

myself,” he said.

Abdullahi though wore his ID card that identified him as a journalist when he was assaulted. It took the intervention of David Iyofo, spokesman for the Rivers State governor, before he could be let off the hook.

B

orn into a once happy home, Roselyn Etsemobor, 34-year-old lost her father as an infant. However she got every care her widowed mother could give her. As a child, she grew up having great dreams of good education, good job and a blissful marital life.

But a debilitating eye cancer that struck her at age 24 has rendered the once loved and admired young lady an object of scorn.

Roselyn’s hope to live well has not only collapsed like a pack of cards, she is now despised by friends and rejected by those who should help her.

Her mother, the only source of succour, has exhausted her resources and is now helplessly sick, owing to Roselyn’s deteriorating eye cancer.

Every other day, Roselyn’s sight inches closer to blindness. Except something is done, she would continue to languish.

How did it all begin? Roslyn, who lives at 22, Amuda Jacoba Crescent, Agbara, Lagos, said; “It started as I was having constant catarrh which refused to go. I went to Jos Teaching Hospital.

At that time, I was living in Jos. At Roselyn the hospital, several tests were conducted, but they told me that nothing was wrong with me.

Nevertheless, they gave me Amoxil and some other drugs.” That was in 2001.

In 2004, she relocated to Lagos as a result of the crisis in Jos, as her shop was set ablaze during the crisis. In 2005, she noticed that the catarrh just stopped and thought everything was okay.

“But in 2006, I woke up one day and noticed that the upper side of my right eye was swollen. After some days, I went to Ikorodu General Hospital where it was discovered that my left eye was impaired.”

Roselyn was then referred to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for further tests. At LASUTH, doctors recommended that some tests be conducted on her. But she explained that she could not undergo those tests owing to paucity of fund.

“While I was moving from one place to another trying to raise the money, I was knocked down by a vehicle and in the process, I hit the same spot that was already swollen on the ground; this aggravated the situation. The scan I was to do at LASUTH was to cost N78, 000 and I was to undergo sur-

gery,” she said.

Somehow, she was told that the ailment would be cured if she could be put on a regime of drugs. When the treatment was carried out, the swollen eye subsided.

“I thought I was okay but it later came back. I went to different doctors and they said there was nothing wrong with the eye,” she lamented.

At that point, she did another scan and it was discovered that the ‘catarrh’ that receded was pushing her eyeball out. Roselyn was booked for a surgery at LASUTH. “But the doctor that was supposed to do the surgery said he was scared to do it; he reluctantly agreed he was going to do it,” Roselyn further revealed.

She added that she was given a date for the surgery, which was November 2009, but on the day of the surgery, the doctor was not in the hospital.”

They said he was on leave. The other doctors at the hospital volunteered to do it, but I noticed that they were only using me for experiment. I felt bad.

All these while, they didn’t give me ordinary paracetamol tablets.”

E v e n t u a l l y, Roselyn got in touch with some Ophthalmologists at the Hamilton Eye Institute, Tennessee, United States.

The experts, she explained, said they could correct the left eye which is impaired and also do surgery on the right eye, which is cancerous. At the moment, the cancer on the right eye has become malignant. According the medics, both treatment and the surgery are going to cost $100,000 (about N16million) and that it would be done in America.

But what efforts have her family members made to assist her? She replied, “I lost my father when I was a baby, according to what my mother told me. Because of my situation, my mother is now sick. I am the first daughter of my family. We have exhausted all the money we have.”

So far, some sympathizers have contributed N4million, according to Lady of Africa Foundation, a charity body floated

by Ms. Bukola Fasuyi, which has taken up her case. Fasuyi is thus appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to come to Roselyn’s aid.

To donate for Roselyn’s treatment, pay into Etsemobor Roselyn, Zenith Bank account number, 1003831114.

Contact: 08050337373 for further clarification.

12

News

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Amnesty Programme: FG plans to involve more youths CHINEDUM EMEANA PORT HARCOURT

A

mid the agitation by Niger Delta youths over marginalisation in the present administration’s Am-

nesty Programme, the Federal Government has started work on an alternative plan that would open up opportunities to accommodate more youths.

There had been incessant agitations by some Niger Delta youths, alleging

that they were supposed to be involved in the programme for ex-militants but were left behind.

Some had also insisted that they should not be marginalised for pursuing a non-violent struggle.

The alternative arrange-

ment, to be christened Impacted Communities Programmes (ICP), according to the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, who spoke on the issue yesterday, is targeted at engaging the many youths

Atlantic Ocean surge at Kuramo Beach in Lagos, yesterday.

15 missing, one dead as ocean surge sacks Lagos Kuramo MURITALA AYINLA

T

ragedy, again, struck in the early morning of yesterday when an ocean surge swept residents of illegal shanties located around Kuramo Beach in Lagos, leaving one person dead and 15 others missing.

Sunday Mirror learnt that the latest surge was as a result of the seven days of high waves accompanied by a strong ocean surge which hit the country’s coastline, with Lagos being among the worst affected owing to its location.

The Lagos Government has immediately ordered the evacuation of the state’s waterfront.

As at the time of filing this report, the exact num-

ber of residents lost in the disaster could not be ascertained as the searchand-rescue efforts were continuing in the sacked communities.

Speaking with Sunday Mirror, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Femi OkeOsayintolu, who confirmed the incident, said it happened at about 2 a.m. when residents were asleep.

He said the casualties were mainly people occupying illegal shanties at the beach front.

His words: “An ocean surge at Kuramo Beach occurred very early this morning and we have some casualties. We have just recovered one body and we are still on a frantic search for the about 15

people said to be still missing.

Osanyintolu, who described ocean surge as a perennial problem in the communities around beach fronts in the state, said such disasters had wreaked havocs in the past.

“We have cordoned off the entire area and have asked residents to vacate immediatelybut we are on top of the situation”, he said.

One of the residents, Mr Akin Bayode, of Iru community where the incident happened, said the problem of ocean surge in the state had been compounded by abandoned vessels.

He said the latest incident probably happened by a very unusual rise in the ocean level caused by ship wrecks in Alpha

NIGERIA IN BRIEF

Beach and other beaches in the state.

But reacting to the development, the State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Segun Oniru, who gave the evacuation order, said the move was necessary to avert the disaster of the Atlantic joining the Kuramo Waters and subsequently the Lagoon.

The commissioner explained that the state was getting the extreme of this weather condition owing to its location.

He explained that other coastal waterfront areas badly affected from which people would be expected to move include Badagry and Ojo Waterfront areas, Bar Beach, Kuramo Beach, Goshen Estate, Maiyegun and Alpha Beach.

of the region who cannot have access to the Amnesty Programme because the subsisting law does not give room to be added to the 26,358 persons taking part in the programme.

Kuku, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt during a parley between his office and stakeholders in Ogoniland, comprising mainly youths representing the four Ogoni LGAs and Community Development Committees of Ogoni, said he was waiting for approval of President Goodluck Jonathan, having put the proposal before him.

He said this move was imperative so that the system would not communicate the wrong message to the youths that either the government did not care about them or that they needed to carry arms before they got the attention of the Federal Government.

“I have written and we are working on Impacted Communities Programme.

If the law that proclaimed the amnesty will not accommodate the Ogoni, Itsekiri and Ijaw youths who fought and lost lives, we must find an alternative way of engaging our people, if not we are telling our people two things: government does not care about you, or go and carry guns so that we can respond to guns,” Kuku said.

He added that on the basis of the ICP, when it is approved by the President, his office intended to pursue a programme of developing the capacity of Ogoni people in oil spill clean-up and remediation, so that whenever the Federal Government decides to heed the calls to clean up Ogoniland as the UNEP Report urged, there would be Ogoni people with requisite capacity to do the work and earn the money.

“Within the limits of my office, the only thing I can do now as SA on Niger

Delta, as chairman of FG Amnesty Programme, is that Ogoni land is massively oil producing, that Ogoni people realise their contribution, the ingratitude of successive governments in this country and they stand firm to defend their land. That Ogoni people in the process of acclaiming and reclaiming what God gave to them, suffered, were punished and lives were lost, and to date peace and development have not visited Ogoni. Despite all these, it is only but right for us to look at ways and means of developing lives.

“No matter the number of graduates you have, education is the best thing that can be given to a people. So education is key,” he said.

He said Ogoni land has achieved international recognition and attention to the point that it has the UNEP Report and its implementation.

“What my little office can do is to continue to push to be given an approval to train youths and women from Ogoni on environmental remediation and clean up of the land. I want to do this in a manner that when finally after all the rigmarole, Nigeria will come to terms and say that is what humanity is saying that you need to clean up this place.

“If you don’t have that capacity, it is not going to be about using bucket to fetch that thing, it is about using technology, so we must train people who must have the capacity now,” the Presidential aide noted.

He assured the Ogoni people that by September he hoped to get the approval of the President to kickstart the ICP because of Jonathan’s disposition towards issues of the region.

“By next month, by God’s grace, this President we have will give me a goahead and when he gives it to me I will come back to you,” he assured.

Lagos govt relocates people from atlantic water front to avert disaster

Commissioner plans free medicare for 2,000 persons in A’Ibom

Following seven days of high waves accompanied by a strong Ocean surge which hit the country’s coastline with Lagos being among the worst hit due to its location, the State Government on Saturday ordered the immediate evacuation of the State’s Waterfront.

The State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Segun

A total of 2,000 persons have benefitted from a threeday free medical treatment in Etim Ekpo local council of Akwa Ibom.

The three-day rural medical mission was organised by the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr Emmanuel Enoidem.

Enoidem, an indigene of the area, promised at the cer-

Oniru who disclosed this said the process has started with the immediate evacuation of the Kuramo Beach to make way for movement of sand into the area.

This action, the Commissioner explained, had to be taken immediately to avert the disaster of the Atlantic joining the Kuramo Waters and subsequently the Lagoon.

The Commissioner who explained that the State Is getting the extreme of this weather condition due to the location of Lagos State, noted that other Coastal waterfront areas badly affected from which people would be expected to move include Badagry and Ojo Waterfront areas, Bar Beach, Kuramo Beach, Goshen Estate, Maiyegun and Alpha Beach.

emony to start the free medical treatment to make the gesture a yearly exercise.

“Whether I am in government or not, this programme will continue on annual basis as long as I am alive.”

Enoidem said that future exercise would not be hosted in a primary school ground but in a befittting hospital that would allow patients to stay for

observation.

He lauded the large turnout of people at the exercise and advised them to avoid indiscriminate sexual activities.

The commissioner said the gesture was to complement the free medical care programme of Gov. Godswill Akpabio for the aged, children and pregnant women in the state.

13

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Interview ENCOUNTER WITH A NEWS MAKER AUGUST 19, 2012 a scenario where people are interested on their own selves other than in the collective interest of Ndigbo and that is not good enough. So that’s how the South-East Forum came into being, to see if it is possible for us to aggregate our wishes and be able to negotiate in the Nigeria federation. If we achieve that consensus, what will be emerging from it is that the South-East has been very traumatised since after the civil war. We think that there was a fair share of political powers before the civil war but since after the civil war, there has been marginalisation.

Nwodo

We should not bury Igbo ambition for Jonathan’s second term –Nwodo Former Governor of Enugu State and one-time National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, speaks on the renewed quest for Nigeria President of Igbo extraction, among other issues of Igbo interest, in this interview with Dennis Agbo in Enugu.

At the last South-East Forum meeting, you canvassed for a president of Igbo extraction by 2015. And how could this be actualised?

The meeting or the outing of the South-East forum can be divided into four, specifically, it was a meeting for presenting the constitution of the forum and the immediate objective of the forum right now is one, to see if we can achieve an Igbo consensus on political issues. We believe that the Arewa have a con-

sensus and their consensus is to have the Presidency returned to the North. The Afenifere, the Yoruba, have their own vision, one is to have all the states within their own geopolitical area and to expand beyond that after which whoever becomes the next President, it should return to the South-West and they are positioning themselves trying to form an alliance that could put them in the second place so they could get back to the first place.

Now if you talk about the

Middle Belt, they have a political agenda which is to detach themselves from the core North because if the Presidency is zoned to the North, they will say the Middle-Belt is not a core North; so they are beginning to have their own identity. Now in the South-South, they were very robust as a forum to support our President (Jonathan) when he was vying for the Presidency, and so we in the South-East, when any of these blocs wants to speak to the South-East political-

THERE IS NO

OTHER TRIBE THAT HAS MADE INVESTMENT IN

IGBOLAND LIKE THE IGBO DO IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ly, they cannot go to Ohanaeze which is a cultural group and they are now talking to individual politicians and these individual politicians respond to them as per their ambitions. We have

In what ways have the Igbo been marginalised?

We mentioned some on that day, state creation, distribution of political patronages, citing of infrastructure and so on and so forth.

We have been the last in the six geopolitical zone, in everything coming from the Federal Government to the six geopolitical zones; we have been playing last and we are asking ourselves why, when will this agenda come to an end, when will there be full integration and a level playing ground where the South-East can participate? Then we juxtaposed this with our commitment to project Nigeria and we believe that more than any other tribe in Nigeria, we are the most committed to the country. Let me cite two examples: Dr. Azikiwe came back from America; he was talking about pan-Africa freedom and he started it from the Gold Coast.

When he came back to Nigeria he didn’t go to Onitsha; he went to Lagos and preached for Nigeria’s independence until we got it. He was so popular that he even won an election to become the Premier of Western Region, that shows how detribalised the Igbo are when it comes to national issues and we said that even a welder, a petty trader, even a vulcanizer, not to talk about businessmen and other professionals from Igboland are the ones you can find in every part of Nigeria. There is no other tribe in Nigeria that mixes and adapts like the Igbo and you can only do that if you believe in the federation.

What, in your view, should qualify an Igbo to be the next President?

There is no other tribe that has made investment in IgboCONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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Interview

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Circumstance will produce an Igbo leader, not self-anointing or proclamation’ you go, you see M.I Okpara’s footprint, the road network that you have in the entire eastern region and so on and so forth. So Okpara by his leadership style fitted into Igbo leadership. After the war, Ojukwu did not need to come to anybody’s house to ask to recognize him as Igbo leader, the way he led and executed the war he earned it that at his burial Igbo all over world celebrated it. Every part of the world something happened about Ojukwu’s burial. Then in 1998, our first Man for Igbo Presidency was Dr. Alex Ekwueme, which is the last time there was a rallying point for the Igbos because he emerged as a front runner who had a good chance of becoming the President of Nigeria and we lined up behind him in Jos and even Igbo transporters volunteered their buses to carry people to Jos. So I believe that when the time comes, whoever the Igbo sees earnestly, selflessly championing this cause will emerge and we will follow him. It is a not about somebody sitting in his house to anoint himself Igbo leader. Igbo leaders have always emerged out of circumstances and what he was doing for the Igbos. Your godfather can make you a governor but when you leave the government house nobody remembers you and nobody knocks at your gate. No, that is not an Igbo leader. It is what you do for the Igbos and in Nigeria that makes you an Igbo leader.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 land like the Igbo do in other parts of the country and they are saying that at this point when the unity of Nigeria is again at a precarious edge, you need somebody from that tribe who truly believes that it doesn’t matter whether you live in Sokoto or Calabar, that you are a Nigerian and wants this country to remain, so that you can do your business in any part of the country. We are saying that with these qualities juxtaposed with the marginalisation of the Igbo, we have a strong case for Nigeria even to invite us at this time and ask; can we have a qualified candidate from the South-East to become the President of Nigeria. This is our case and we think that if we don’t make the case nobody will make it for us and that we should be able to unite ourselves to make that case as strongly as we can.

The Problem now is that the President is being alleged to have an ambition for a second term, and then the northerners like they have always canvassed, are saying it should come back to them. So where does the Igboman finds himself in these two positions?

If the President has an ambition for a second term and the north wants power back, why should Igbo not have an ambition? Why should our ambition be treated as a third figure; that the most important thing we should listen to now is President’s second term ambition or that the north wants power. So what do the Igbo want?

Don’t we have the right to want? It is for all of us to go Nigerians and let Nigerians say who has the best case and the person that has the best case, Nigerians should listen to him. That is what politics is all about. In the last election, we supported out President, he had the highest votes in Igboland because we believed in the agenda and we supported him. Now if we sit down with him and he tells us he has an ambition and we tell him we equally have an ambition, then we can discuss as politicians and as brothers but then we should not bury our own desire when he has not even said anything to us. We will tell him that we were number one when he went in there, I was the national Chairman of PDP and I know how committed we were for him to get in there. Now if he wants to get there again, we will talk and that we can repeat or surpass what we did for him before. But that does not mean that we should say that we don’t even have a case.

sat down with the President to discuss what he will do for the South-south. We were all carried away that our son has a chance and we went for it because we hadn’t the opportunity. South-south had not been the President of this country and he had a good chance of winning and we were happy that at least south-south has sat there; our brother has sat there.

We believed in the agenda, went for it, succeeded and we are happy for him.

they believe that we have a case and we are making it robustly, the case is self evident as we believe, then we begin to talk about the vehicle that will carry us there. But whether you are in APGA, in ACN, in PDP, what the South East Forum is trying to do is to sensitize our people that there is a case for this matter and is it possible for us to unite and fight for it. If we answer that question, that is we begin to talk about vehicle that will carry us to that place.

Has anything changed between then and now?

Well, we have not been told that he wants to go. If he tells us that he wants to go, we will sit down organize ourselves and discuss. But all these are newspaper speculations and as long as they remain speculations, we should also not bury our own desire in the mud because other people are asserting themselves. Their wish is being considered but if we have no desire, then there is nothing to consider.

Does this mean that the Igbo did not discuss with the President during the 2011elction?

Well, I don’t think there was a discussion where the President was told, this what you must do, four years after you give to us or this is what you must do for us when you go. I must be honest with you because I was deeply involved, we saw Jonathan as one of us and you have no need to discuss with your brother what you get when he becomes the President.

I don’t even think that the South-South

Most times people are usually divided on this type of project. While others feel it should be pursed through the PDP, other think it should be with APGA. Don’t you think this could be a problem?

The platform is not the case right now.

The thing is how do we unite ourselves to say this is what we want? When we agree that this is what we want, then the vehicle that will carry us becomes the second question. The first thing is that we have to sensitize our people to believe that we have a case to make for Igbo Presidency.

If we sensitize our people sufficiently and

That brings us to the issue of Igbo leadership. Since Ojukwu died, different people have been laying claims to leadership of Ndigbo, do you see the issue of Igbo leadership creating a problem to actualizing a President of Igbo extraction in 2015?

I don’t think so because if you look at the Igbo, before Independence, the Igbo union was very strong the issue of Onye aghana nwnneya (Be your brother’s keeper) was very strong and wherever they (Igbo) resided, they formed the Igbo union that was very strong. There was no leadership as such trying to fight for Igbo interest. The leader we had was Azikiwe but he was not an Igbo leader, he was a PanAfricanist, but at least we were happy that he was there. Now after Zik died, his own charisma and what he preached, you can say, was the first recognized Igbo Political leader. His successor, Dr. M. I Okpara, had no problem in convincing us of his leadership. Dr. Okpara footed the bill and his legacies are everywhere especially in agriculture and infrastructure development, the House of Assembly we are enjoying today, the commissioners quarters, everywhere

Nwodo

On the issue of the present insecurity, Igbos have always fallen victims of killings in the north, is there anything the Igbo can do about this?

Well, we’ve been trying to do a lot through the Igbo delegates assembly in the north because Igbo seems to be more organized abroad than at home (laughs) and when the Apo six were killed in Abuja, it was the strong Ohanaeze in Abuja, organized like a pyramid down to units, anything that happens at any unit in FCT immediately comes up at the apex Ohanaeze and that was the first time police apologized for killing people and went to bury people that they killed. That was the first time they were able to compensate the families and so on. It was because of how the Igbo are organized. Now the Igbo don’t run away when there is a crisis, they stand their ground and defend themselves and because their aggressors now know that they stand to defend themselves, there is some forms of deterrence. We have been voicing out repeatedly that we have not done anything wrong by leaving our home to go and develop other people’s homes and that if there is any problem, it should not be to us; that is unfair, unjust, inhuman and very despicable. The governments in those states now make serious efforts to make sure that our people are protected and do something to protect our people when there is a problem. So something is being done, but it is not enough, we still believe that one Igbo life lost unjustly in any soil in Nigeria is unfair and we as Igbo will say it is not fair and will do anything we can do to say we are not happy.

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Politics PROVIDING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO ISSUES

P. 16, 41

AUGUST 19, 2012

“THE AGENTS OF DESTRUCTION ARE FEW AND THE STATE WILL CONTINUE TO MINIMISE THEM TILL THEY SURRENDER. THEY CONSTITUTE DISTRACTIONS, BUT WE MUST ALWAYS BEAR IN MIND THE

State police:

To be or not?

APHORISM THAT THOSE WHO ARE GOING SOMEWHERE ARE ALWAYS DISTRACTED BY THOSE THAT ARE GOING NOWHERE.”

–DR IDRIS WADA

P. 16, 41

BAYELSA

More controversies over flag, coat of arms EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

T

here are clear indications that the controversy over the new Bayelsa State symbols and songs law may not fizzle out for now. The brainchild of the state-owned flag, anthem and coat of arms is Governor Seriake Dickson. Criticisms have continued to greet the policy from several quarters. They described the idea as illegal and unconstitutional. The state’s chief executive has no regrets initiating the new identity. After the hue and cry on the burning issue, the State House of Assembly passed the bill after its deliberations. Dickson finally signed the symbols and songs bill into law last Wednesday to create an identity for the 15-year-old state begging for development.

The law was signed at the meeting of the State Executive Council held in Government House, Yenagoa.

Investigations by Sunday Mirror revealed that Dickson may have gotten President Goodluck Jonathan’s approval to initiate the new identity. The new regulation provided a unique opportunity for government to make a clear pronouncement on the real amendment of the law. Dickson believes the state is a federating unit in the country, created and recognised with rights, powers and obligations.

But, a top civil servant in the state civil service who pleaded anonymity disagreed with the state government. The civil servant argued that the symbols and songs law was not a priority of government, but the development of the state. The Bayelsa indigene lamented that the state was saddled with underdevelopment, especially in the riverine communities. He urged Dickson and his team to fulfil their electioneering promises, such as construction of roads (to open up the rural areas), giving a face lift to the deteriorating condition of public primary and post-primary schools, providing electricity, healthcare and employment to the teeming youths roaming the streets.

The civil servant noted that the common man had nothing to benefit from the state’s

‘Nonimplementation of panel recommend ations responsible for Plateau crisis’

Briefly FG appeals to NUPENG to call off strike

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr Emeka Wogu, yesterday appealed to the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to call off its ongoing strike in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and seek dialogue.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Assistant Director of Press in the Ministry, Mr Samuel Olowookere, in Abuja.

The release stated that the minister, on Friday, met with the representatives of NUPENG and other stakeholders in the industry, including representatives of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

It quoted Wogu as urging the trade union to call off the action and continue to engage in dialogue with government on matters affecting it.

“Although the issues about the strike were have not been resolved, the channels of communication between the organisation and the government can be addressed through dialogue.

“As Nigerians prepare to celebrate the Sallah, it is important to avoid creating any situation of distress such as strikes or withdrawal of services of any kind.

“Government is always open to any negotiations on the points in this dispute, and to find amicable resolution, NUPENG also has a duty to make this possible,” Wogu said.

He, therefore, appealed to the union to consider the larger interest of the Nigerian citizens by calling off its strike.

Eid-el-Fitri: Murtala Airport records large passenger turnout

Dickson

coat of arms, anthem and flag, stressing that expectations are high from the people The state executive council had resolved that all structures, organs and officials of the state operate under the Constitution of the country.

“That our decision to have state symbols and songs is as a result of our belief in true federalism as a cardinal cornerstone of Nigerian nationhood and it is in exercise of our inalienable rights as a federating unit. This is a right which we cannot be denied of, since several other states with the same rights have equally exercised,” it noted.

It added: “That, the decision taken by our government in this regard is also as a result of our commitment to the propagation of Ijaw culture, language, history and ideals. That this decision also cre-

ates a platform for us as a government to rally our people for positive development within the context of a united, egalitarian and democratic Nigeria.

“That all structures, organs and officials of the state operate under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That our decision to have state symbols and songs are as a result of our belief in true federalism as a cardinal cornerstone of Nigerian nationhood and it is in exercise of our inalienable rights as a federating unit. This is a right, which we cannot be denied since several other states with the same rights have equally exercised. That the decision taken by our government in this regard is also as a result of our commitment to the propagation of ijaw culture, language, history CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

Large turnout of passengers was noticed at both the General Aviation Terminal 1 (GAT) and the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The turnout was as a result of passengers travelling outside and coming into Lagos to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitri with their families.

NAN reports that most of the passengers were seen on long queues waiting to board their flights, while the others were trying to buy tickets in front of the various airline’s counters.

A passenger, Alhaji Seidu Sanusi, said that he was just coming back from Saudi Arabia where he went for the lesser hajj.

He said the came early into the country to spend the Eid-el-fitri with his family in Kano State.

“I went for the lesser hajj (Umra) in Saudi Arabi and now I am back in the country because I want to celebrate the Eid-el-fitri celebration with my family. I know that it is going to be a great celebration.

“I came in with Emirate flight from Saudi Arabia, through the United Arab Emirate and I am preparing to take the 2.00 p.m. flight to Kano with IRS airline,” he said.

A civil servant, Mr Paul Dike, explained that he was going to Port Harcourt with Aero Contractors at 2.40 p.m., noting that he was not surprised at the large turnout of passengers at the airport.

Dike said that such turnout was a constant occurrence during festive periods.

16

Politics

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Non-implementation of panel recommend Chief Solomon Lar is the pioneer National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and first civilian governor of Plateau State. In this interview with journalists in Jos, Chief Lar speaks on the crisis in Plateau State and the security challenges facing the country. James Abraham was there for Sunday Mirror.

Lar

How do you view the lingering crisis on the Plateau which has claimed many lives and so many properties destroyed?

It has been unfortunate that Plateau has found itself in this situation. You remember in the past, it wasn’t like this. Dur-

ing my administration when government received a medal for good governance, everything that went on the Plateau was peaceful. And that was why we named the state as Home of Peace of Tourism.

It was a state that people were coming from all over other states (running into not just coming) when there was problem.

For instance, in Kano, they came and took refuge here. Borno people will come and take refuge here, Yola, Kaduna and so on.

So Jos Plateau was a place of peace. Everybody looked forward to coming to Jos. This was because the people of Jos did not discriminate. You remember, during the administration of NPP (the party in power during his tenure as governor) Plateau had all people from Nigeria in the administration. Even in the judiciary, we had them. We had people who were not from the state. We don’t want to mention names but we had people from Anambra, Bendel, Oyo, Lagos, Kaduna Kano, all over. They look at Plateau as defender of Nigeria; as a state of hope. Indeed, Plateau was a state of hope for the hopeless because people would come and take refuge here. Why is that, suddenly, Plateau is now turned into a state of refugees? We will not accept that.

I am happy that when I called on the Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, after I came from overseas trip recently, he said he would like to return Plateau to what it

State police: To be or not?

MUYIWA OYINLOLA

W

hen the 36 state governors met in Abuja on 24 June, this year under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors Forum (SGF), and the issue of whether or not to support the ongoing agitation for state police came up, over 30 of them supported the bid.

Part of their reasons for the decision according to the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting held in Abuja was that the current security problems facing the country could be handled with state police.

The communiqué read by its Chairman, Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi , stated in part: “Forum reiterated its commitment to convene a Governors’ Forum conference on security in Nigeria.

“State governments are currently overstretched in funding security and call for a special intervention fund, from the Federal Government, especially to the states that are most affected.

“Forum identified the increasing need for State police as a strategy for combating the rising insecurity in the country.”

The conclusion of the states chief executives on the matter was supposed to be part of issues for consideration in the current constitution amendment by the National Assembly.

But a few weeks thereafter the meeting, a crack appeared in the Forum as some governors, especially those from the Northern part of the country reneged on their earlier submission.

The governors under the umbrella of Northern Governors Forum (NGF) after a meeting on July 26 and presided over by the Chairman and Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, made a volte-face on the earlier agreement and

rather than state police, asked for the strengthening of national police.

A communiqué issued by the NGF which had 18 of its 19 members read: “The forum is not in support of the creation of state police. It, however, resolved to prevail on the FG to embark on police reforms that will assist the states in the control and management of police affairs on a sound philosophy of modern policing by amending the provision of Section 215 of the constitution.

Quoting the section of the constitution, the communiqué read, “Subject to the provision of this section, the governor or such commissioner of the government of the state as he may authorise in that behalf may give to the commissioner of police of that state such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order within the state as he may consider necessary, and the commissioner of police shall comply with those directives or cause them to be complied with.”

While speaking on the new posture by the North, the National Chairman, Conference of Nigerian Political Parties and former governor of the old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, said the clamour for state police by the South was suspicious.

His words: “The North is divided over having state police and it is the same with the South. The North had always welcomed the idea in the past but for the first time, the North is opposing it. The South-West has been calling for state police since the Second Republic and the issue is now so controversial.

“In the North, we are opposed to it, even though some still want it. The South only plans to misuse the system and it would worsen our security condition.”

The last minute decision of the NGF has no doubt drawn the ire of their southern counterparts who have in-

used to be. It was really encouraging. The hope is not lost yet.

One of the ways through which the Federal Government has used to solve the problem in the state is the setting up of commissions of enquiry, one of which you headed. Many people appear uncomfortable with the recommendations, especially the alleged item contained therein that an emirate be created for the Hausa community. How do you react to that?

I hear it for the first time that they are calling for an emirate system. That is a figment of their imagination. Emirate is an area which is conquered by war. That is the meaning of an emirate. The question of an emirate here in Jos does not arise. If my committee reports had been implemented, these problems would not have arisen and there would have been peace for a very long time. Whether some people were indicted or not, every member of that committee worked so that peace would be sustained.

How do you view the renewed effort by the presidency to reconcile all parties to the conflict, especially the invitation of the Berom elders and the Hausa communities?

The President was trying to implement partially part of our committee’s recommendations that people should be called together to iron out their differences. It is one of our recommendations. We also said in the report that people should come and talk freely as it was done in South Africa after the death of the apartheid regime.

The Berom and the Hausa that have so far

sisted that there is no going back on the creation of state police as a panacea to ending the current state of insecurity in the country.

Apart from the southern governors, the governor of Plateau State Governor, Mr. Jonah Jang, whose state has witnessed series of ethnic killings in the last few years, is also in support of the demand for state police.

Jang dissociated himself from the decision of other northern states, insisting on the earlier position taken by the 36 governors under the Amaechi-led NGF. However, in an attempt to settle the seeming disagreement among the governors over the creation of state police, and make them speak with one voice on the matter, a meeting of the NGF was scheduled for Abuja two weeks ago.

Prior to the meeting, Amaechi in an interview disclosed that “I am Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, my view is the view of the governors’ forum, I would not want to hold any view to the contrary, but currently the view of the governors’ forum as at now is that we are in support of state police. So we are going back on Tuesday, we are dealing with the issue of constitution; we will deal with these issues and let us see the outcome of the meeting.

“That is why I say I cannot talk about that now because I am Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, the Governors’ forum in their last meeting came out strongly in support of the formation of state police and there were 31 governors-23 state governors and eight deputy governors and deputy governor is a governor. They were 31 out of 36 and nobody opposed it”.

The meeting was also to deliberate on matters of national interest. But it did not hold because some of its members, especially the key players in the NGF were represented by their deputies.

Amaechi, while reading out the two-line communiqué on the meeting said: “Forum deferred debate on the issue of constitutional amendment until after the fasting period when all members would be back from the Umrah (lesser hajj).”

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

17

Sunday, August 19, 2012

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HEAD, GRAPHICS

Oyo lawmakers’ wives London jamboree

T

he Speaker of the Oyo House of Assembly, Alhaja Monsurat Olajumoke Sunmonu, and wives of other members of the House were in London for eight days last July for purported husband support training. Reports said the trip cost about N50 million. The Chief Whip of the Oyo legislature, Hammed Abiodun-Adigun, was quoted as saying that the trip formed part of the state’s effort to groom women on how to complement the efforts of men and maintain good relations in their constituencies.

“There are fundamental things the wives of political office holders need to know and that is why we are now organising seminars and workshops for them at federal and state levels,” Abiodun- Adigun reportedly said. Whereas there may be no basis to fault the argument that wives of political office holders require training on protocols, comportment, etc., to enable them complement the jobs of their husbands, the critical question that arises, however, is: must such training be done overseas? And more importantly, perhaps, who should bear the cost?

We share the grief of the main opposition party in Oyo State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that the trip was a ‘waste of Oyo State’s resources’. The trip has likewise been described as a bizarre display of unconscionable profligacy at the expense of Oyo State’s coffers.

Should the leadership of the Oyo legislature and the governor, Mr. Abiola Ajumobi, have approved the trip, considering the numerous challenges confronting the state? This is a state that recently announced the sack of about 3,000 workers for various offences, but which most critics linked with her inability to cope with the demands of the N18, 000 minimum wage, for example. Indeed, the state government has been at log-

gerheads with the state branches of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on the implementation of the new minimum wage.

Besides, Ibadan, the state capital, experienced the popular 1981 Ogunpa flood disaster that led to the death of several residents. The extent of death and damage to property had led to a presidential visit by the then President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, to commiserate with the government and people of the state. The drainage crisis, however, still persists in the state as was proven by the last July heavy flooding that led to more deaths. The road network in Ibadan and other towns in the state is also deplorable, while indigenes are complaining of little or no government presence at the local level. The government, like most of its counterparts in other states, has been more visible in tax collection than in service delivery and the development of the state. It is also doubtful that the N50 million, which eyewitnesses alleged was squandered more on personal luxuries and a shopping spree than on training, was captured in the state’s 2012 Appropriation Act. The ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state argues that there is separation of powers among the three arms of government – the executive, legislature and judiciary; and consequently, the executive could not interfere with the business of the legislative arm, based on the principle of separation of powers. Yet the effectiveness and, indeed, relevance of the said principle are widely acclaimed to be hinged on checks and balances between the said arms of government. Therefore, the ACN’s argument seems diversionary and suspect, having failed to curb the glaring reckless decision of the Oyo State House of Assembly leadership

to squander the state’s N50 million in a London hotel in just eight days in the guise of wives training. Indeed, it is regrettable that the ACN that espouses progressive politics is defending the mindless rip-off perpetrated against Oyo people by their lawmakers instead of denouncing the trip, calling the culprits to order and ensuring that the wasted fund is recovered.

We cannot but agree with the argument of organised labour that official waste and corruption in the states, among others, are some of the reasons behind the inability of most states to implement the minimum wage in a nation battling with inflationary pressures and a common worsening economy. Perhaps, only the Oyo State Government would be able to convince Oyo people and Nigerians that a state whose legislators can dole out N50 million for the profligate and insensitive training of their wives in far away London cannot afford to pay the minimum wage of N18, 000 per month to its workers. Our thinking is that the wasteful expenditure, by every standard, confirms the sad reality that the nation’s political class deserves harsh lessons to become accountable, responsible and responsive. It is indeed shocking that no eminent Oyo indigene has denounced the frivolity, to public knowledge.

The ACN seems faced with the challenge of instilling discipline in the Oyo State leadership, especially the executive and the legislature.

The mandate given them by the people does not include frivolous wives grooming trips abroad. The state is saddled with several challenges in roads, schools, health system and drainage development, among others. These and the harsh living conditions of Oyo workers, artisans, urban poor and rural peasants, should prick the conscience of the revelling leadership.

Reminiscences AUGUST 19 IN HISTORY 1934: Germans vote for Adolph Hitler The German people voted to give Adolph Hitler complete power combining the positions of chancellor and president into the position of the Fuehrer.

1955: Hurricane Diane kills over 170 in US Hurricane Diane hit the Carolinas, leaving over 170 people dead in its wake, with massive damage to homes and property in the area affected.

1980: S’Arabia - Plane crash kills all passengers A fire caused by a passenger using a portable butane stove as the plane started to make its emergency landing burst into flames and killed all passengers and crew in Saudi Arabia.

1991: Coup against Gorbachev foiled Leaders of the Army, the KGB and the Police in the Soviet Union, attempted a coup backed by tanks and troops and had the Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev, under house arrest. The coup failed and shortly after, control was back in the hands of the president and the coup leaders were arrested.

1997: Cambodian refugees flee to Thailand A massive influx of Cambodian refugees fled into Thailand to escape the bloody conflict between coup leader, Hun Sen, and Prince Norodom Ranaridh. There was a nocturnal exodus of Cambodian people and livestock who fled the violence.

2003: Terrorists bomb United Nations HQ in Baghdad A terrorist bomb attack on the United Nations, UN, Baghdad headquarters left at least 17 dead including UN top envoy, Brazilian Sergio Vieira de Mello. In an official statement the UN said the bombing dealt a blow to its operations in Iraq but will not stop its work in the country.

2006: 28 Belgian prisoners escape A total of 28 prisoners escaped from the Dendermonde jail in Belgium. Six escapees were captured immediately but the others scaled the prison walls to get out.

Opinion

18

Sunday August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

How Good is this Luck and how much Patience can we exercise?

Uncensored Unc

Sheriff S Folarin

E-mail: sheffie2004@yahoo.co.uk 08094217972 (SMS only)

N

ames can be powerful. They can be influential in the fulfillment of a man’s destiny. Some names are not just mere tags; they are meant to direct the course of events surrounding one’s life. In this part of the world, names are central in the cosmology of the people.

That is why a man can bear as many names as there are events and landmarks.

At birth, a child may get different names from from parents, grandparents and other senior family members. In Africa, the name either captures issues surrounding a man’s birth, circumstances or experiences of the parents, expectations or wishes of the people, or is prophetic to turn the fortunes of the family around.

Among Christians, names are not just crafted and handed out. They are carefully and prayerfully given to show gratitude to God, place some demands on Him, or to ensure that there is the manifestation of God’s ways in a man’s life.

Where some people give their wards meaningless names such as Stone, Ginsberg, Wineskin, Skinhead, Pepple, Gates, Clark, Aristide, Cena, Savage; majority of Africans take their time to choose names.

That is why we see names as Oluwabamise (God has done it for me), Olatunji (wealth has come back to life), Olorunfemi (God loves me), Ogadinma (It will get better) and Imaobong (Love of God). When there is a breakthrough in a family in Yorubaland, a child could be named Olusegun. When people in Igboland appreciate God for His goodness, they could name their child Chidinma. In Hausaland, when there are certain prophetic happenings in the family, a child’s name could be Musa (Moses) to

reflect a breakthrough, Dauda (David) to show certain lifting, or Yakubu (Jacob) to show leadership.

Truly, our names have rubbed off on our destinies and the destiny of people around us, particularly those whose affairs we oversee at some points: as parents, bosses, pastors, even as leaders. It could positive or negative. In some cases, names could work for us alone such that those around us benefit (or lose) little or nothing.

We have had leaders in Nigeria with peculiar names. Yakubu Gowon. Yakubu means Jacob. He emerged as Head of State when he barely bargained for it. The lot just fell on him. He never thought he could beat the likes of Murtala and other senior officers in the army to fill the vacuum created by the cleansing of July 29, 1966. He led Nigeria in a critical time up to the Civil War. Nigeria eventually got delivered from the threat of disintegration and Gowon went down in history as one of the great leaders of the nation, in spite of the overthrow in 1975 and the image smear from an allegation that he had a hand in the Dimka coup of 1976. Jacob in the Bible was the Esau’s brother who least bargained for the kind of blessing that came his way. Their mother, Rebbekah, schemed and prepared Jacob for the raw and deeper blessings of their father, Isaac. Jacob went away with the original blessings and became the founder of Israel.

His twelve children became the twelve tribes of Israel and one of his children, Joseph, became Prime Minister in Egypt.

So, like Jacob, Yakubu got blessings he did not prepare for and founded a new Nigeria after the reintegration of Biafra.

Olusegun Obasanjo had a peculiar story.

He was born into abject poverty. He had no money, no books like his mates, not even shoes to wear to school. Eating once a day was a rare luxury for him as a child. In a society that prizes affluence and glorifies only the rich and venerates them, Obasanjo was sure to be confined to, and not supposed to be unbounded from the fringes, which Obafemi Awolowo once described as the “flotsam and jetsam”. But he defied and melted the odds and rose to become not only a military Head of State, but also a democratically elected President as well as one of the most respected global citizens

from the African continent. He lived his name, Olusegun (God is victorious or God has vanquished my adversities). As Head of State, he revolutionized the agricultural sector and came up with some other innovations that put Nigeria on the world map. Later in life, he overcame his worst adversary, Abacha, and walked free from the prison to the presidential palace in 1999.

Goodluck Jonathan, like Jonathan in the Bible, has always been true and loyal to his friends. King David was rescued from Saul’s plot to kill him by Jonathan. David escaped and later emerged as King because of Jonathan’s advice and intervention. Our own Jonathan was faithful to his two known friends in adversity: Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and Umar Yar’Adua. His other name, Goodluck, has, according to unconfirmed tales, spoken for him a number of times. We heard that he rose from nowhere or from being an Assistant to become Head on several occasions: Class Rep, Senior Prefect, Governor and now President (the last two we know though).

Destiny has thus smiled at him. He has lived his name. But how far has his name rubbed off on Nigeria? How good has been Nigeria’s luck under Goodluck Jonathan?

Sports: In the last one year, Nigeria’s high profile in international sports has dwindled. The Team Nigeria in the London Olympics returned with the worst Nigerian Olympics record. There are no known stars anymore, who can redeem Nigeria’s diming star in sports. Nigerian football has reached a cul de sac. For the first time in many years, there was no Nigerian soccer team in the last Olympics (they all crashed out in the African qualifiers). For the first time in decades, the Eagles did not show up at the 2012 Cup of Nations because they crashed out in the qualifiers. All attention has shifted from Nigerian soccer players to European and English Premier League stars, and to other African footballers in the European leagues. The soccer teams are in the shadows of the past legends.

Where are the Dream Team, Super Eagles, Flying Eagles and World Golden Eaglets, that were conquerors of global football?

They are gone and in the last one year, the luck went awry.

Security: The worst nightmare in Ni-

geria today is insecurity. Previous experiences are nothing compared to the threats of Boko Haram, kidnappers and ritual murderers as we have it now. We have even lost foreigners to acts of kidnapping and terrorism this year alone. Top police officers and men of the army as well as other security agencies have lost their lives (they now do on daily basis). In the most unprecedented manner, lives of Christians have been wasted (just a few days ago, 20 were gunned down in a night service in a Deeper Life Church in Okene, Kogi State). The residence of the Vice President recently also came under attack. And just some days back, Boko Haram came up with the worst insult on a Nigerian President when they asked Jonathan to resign and become a “born again Moslem” as a precondition for dialogue or ceasefire. And Mr. President dignified them by responding: “I will not resign…etc…etc…”

Corruption: This is obviously the worst of times in Nigeria’s corruption profile. It is wanton, bold and unchecked stealing and cover-ups. The entire anti-corruption columns have either collapsed or been compromised, while the image question worsens.

Subsidy theft, crude oil theft, pension theft, et cetera. It cannot get worse than this.

While some of these things are a direct result of government’s lack of will to tackle them, some are just happening against the will or expectation of the leadership.

They just happen like they are certain vicious forces of nature that cannot be controlled, and one is wont to exclaim: what a luck! Patience, they say, should be our watchword because the wars on sports maladministration, terrorism and corruption may be protracted but will surely be won. And interestingly, Patience is the name of our First Lady. But may be when we see decisiveness on the part of President Jonathan, and he stops calling Boko terrorists “our brothers” while they slaughter his troops and Christians on daily basis, and may be when he combats other problems with tact, we will then become more understanding and exercise patience for Jonathan to restore good luck to Nigeria.

•Dr. Folarin teaches Politics at Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria

Osun Osogbo: When brand bonds with culture JOHN AJAYI

T

he choice of Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps, Nigeria’s original and number one prayer drink, as official schnapps of the Osun Osogbo Festival is certain to raise the profile of the centuries-old festival and reinforce the time-honoured practice of pouring libation. Undoubtedly, the partnership which dates to several decades will be highly visible again at this year’s edition of the Osun Osogbo Festival, which will begin on tomorrow, August 13 and end on Friday, August 24. The reason for this is not far-fetched.

Seaman’s Schnapps, a premium cultural drink from the stable of Grand Oak Limited, is positioned in the market as a prayer drink.

The drink promotes culture. It also celebrates tradition and associates itself with the lifestyles of consumers. Similarly, Osun Osogbo is about culture and tradition. Celebrated since 1370, it is listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

A visit to the groove will reveal to the curious person why UNESCO deemed it fit to name

the site as belonging to the entire human race.

The serenity of the groove engendered by centuries of prayers at the site has given it a scared ambience that can only be treasured by lovers of culture and tradition. Its association with Seaman’s Schnapps, which represents enduring blessing, is therefore, better appreciated by cultural aficionados who are well aware that pouring libations is an integral part of the Osun Osogbo Festival.

At the formal media unveiling of the festival in Lagos recently, Category Manager, Grand Oak Limited, Abiodun Ayodeji, said it was only natural for the brand to sponsor the popular yearly festival because of the importance that it attached to culture and tradition. “Our brand is a conveyor of everlasting and original blessing, hence our involvement,” Abiodun added.

Corroborating his views, Festival Co-ordinator, Chief Jimoh Braimoh said the place of Seaman’s Schnapps in the celebration could not be over-emphasised as the original prayer drink is used for the pouring of libations to the ancestors.

“We have to talk to the ancestors and we don’t use any other drinks other than Seaman’s Schnapps in talking to elders; we pour libations, so we salute Seaman’s Schnapps for its involvement, Jimoh Braimoh said. Inevitably, the

Osun Osogbo Festival provides the appropriate platform for Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps to associate and bond with its key target audience.

The brand is expected to be fully involved in entertaining consumers at the event with lots of activations.

On August 9, 2012, a courtesy visit was made to the Ataoja of Osogbo, the royal ruler of Osogboland by the Seaman’s Schnapps team. The team made a formal presentation of Seaman’s Schnapps to His Royal Majesty. In return, the king offered original blessing to the company and brand at large.

Seaman’s Royale has various programmes lined up to make this year’s event exciting and memorable. The brand’s franchised roundabout at Lakeview Ilogbo and Mayfair will adorn a new look, thus creating exciting sights to behold, especially at night. Also, on Tuesday, August 21, 2012, Seaman’s Ayo Olopon Championship will be held at the Ataoja’s palace, Osogbo. Winners will go away with lots of exciting prizes and branded gift items. During the Seaman’s Ayo Olopon championship, there will be side attraction games where spectators will have the opportunity of winning branded gift items.

The grand finale is on Friday, August 24, 2012 and will be a fun-filled day as it starts with a visit to the Osun River by indigenes and well-

wishers, to receive the blessing of Yeye Osun.

At the grove, Seaman’s Royale will have a stand where culturally inclined people will be treated to indigenous Agere dance and traditional music. The funfair will move to the Ataoja’s palace, where homage will be paid to the His Royal Majesty, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, Olanipekun Larooye II, the Ataoja of Osogboland and his reverred chiefs.

Seaman’s Schnapps was introduced into the market several decades ago; the brand has strongly associated itself with culture and tradition of the Nigerian people. Seaman’s Schnapps has continuously defined the market in terms of its unique positioning, product presentation, pricing and marketing communication.

Distilled from closely guarded recipe, Seaman’s Schnapps fulfils the yearnings of our valued heritage passed down the age. Enjoy its royal taste as you sail through life purely on the original blessings that come with it.

The brand’s lead pack size is the Seaman’s Royale; its presentation grand style is emphasized through the unconventional green bottle that dignifies the personality of the schnapps and also the blue batik gift box that underlines its royalty.

•Ajayi wrote from Osogbo, Osun State

19

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Applause LIFESTYLE, FASHION & ENTERTAINMENT AUGUST 19, 2012

Laide Bakare:

Any marriage can crash, it takes efforts to keep it Laide Bakare Okofuluwe is a film-maker, a mother and a wife. This movie producer and director is also a business woman who deals in automobiles. She tells Adaeze Amos in this interview why it would be unnecessary for her to o stray or to engage in extramarital affairs.

Are you married?

Yes, I’m fully and legally married to Dr. Olumide Okofuluwe.

How has marriage been?

It has been interesting. I got married to my friend.

We have been friends. He loves me and I love him so dearly and when the time was ripe, we got married and till date I’m enjoying my marriage. It’s that I have to miss him once in a while because he lives in the United States while I live here in Lagos.

Why did you choose not to be there with him?

Because I don’t want to abandon my business.

How long have you been married?

Four years.

How do you feel when you hear stories of your colleagues’ marriages hitting the rocks?

I feel sad. I mean such stories make me unhappy. Probably because they are popular faces and we are colleagues and the fear that people would be saying ‘oh she is married and she is an actress, well just a matter of time it would crash’. But for me, the way I look at it, is that it can happen to anybody.

Do you nurse such fears that yours could crash?

Just like every other woman out there. That is why you need to pray against it and guard your marriage jealously.

Anybody’s marriage can crash. Marriage is not easy; it

takes a lot of things, a lot of efforts to keep it afloat. The same mistake those in the limelight might commit which may lead to the breakage of their marriage, those that are unpopular can also fall victims to same mistake. It has nothing to do with being in the limelight or not. Those that are not in the limelight also suffer same fate.

Don’t you think marriages of actresses break because they feel they are stars and cannot be controlled by their husbands?

No, I disagree with you. Who says you can’t control an actress? Well, I would say maybe career as it is, it is not only limited to showbiz. Those in the banking world may be suffering same fate but because they are not known, no-

‘IT’S IRRESPONSIBLE TO HAVE TATTOOS’

20

body talks about their own. So, it has to do with career. As long as you are a career woman, you might find it difficult handling your marriage the way it should be or giving to your marriage the very best because you have to be committed to your job, to your career. In fact, you have a lot of things battling with your time so much that you won’t give your marriage adequate attention. If you know how to manage your time well and very prayerful, I think you won’t have problems in your marriage.

How are you sure nobody is helping you to marry your hubby abroad?

No, nobody is doing that. He comes regularly and I

‘MY BOOBS ARE MY BEST ASSETS’

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

37

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Applause

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘It’s irresponsible to have tattoos’ Sharon Okoye is a banker and a mother of two. She abhors semi nudity and women who wear tattoos. In this interview with Adaeze Amos, she counsels that ladies should flaunt only that part of their bodies that is appealing.

Why do you choose to wear a low-cut at a time most women are going for weave-on?

What inspires my sticking to low-cut is individualism. I want to stand out.

What are some beauty rituals you must observe to keep looking good?

First and foremost, I have two children and I don’t look it because I watch what I eat. I watch my diet. I try as much as I can to watch my eating habit, and then I do tummy trimming.

Why don’t you have stretch marks like some ladies who have such marks here and there?

You know at times you desire something and God knows you desire that and He really gives it to you. I believe God gave me spotless skin.

Why didn’t you design your spotless skin by putting on a tattoo?

No, I can’t do that. I can’t because it is not African and it has never been. I won’t even allow any of my kids to do that. At times I think it is a little irresponsible to have a tattoo on. I don’t know how you (people) see it but it says that. I really think tattoos are meant for probably singers or generally or artistes so that anyone that sees them would know they are artistes. That is one of the things they put on to stand out.

Women prefer feminine colours. What are your favourite colours?

I like sky blue and pink. Although I’m wearing brown and other colours, I like colourful outfits.

What is your opinion about cleavagerevealing styles?

Cleavages are not supposed to be flaunted all the time. I don’t do it all the time.

Ladies whose boobs are flabby and they show cleavages don’t look okay, yet some join the bandwagon. If you know that you are somebody that has a huge tummy, wear something that could probably show your waist, if you have waist, and cover your tummy. If your boobs are flabby and you think there are certain bras you can go for, then go for such bras that could either push it up. But if you think you can’t get that, then cover it and flaunt the ones you think would not put people off … the ones you think are good. If you have good legs, you can cover every other part and show your good legs. Show the ones you think are very appealing.

So, which ones are you showing now?

I’m not showing any.

In your view, what is that fashion blunder you think so many Nigerian women are committing?

I think I have even noticed the blunder in some fashion magazines. At times people probably have a slit that is so open as if the person is nude. I mean slits that get to the waist and then they still show cleavages. That is not ideal. They come out looking like masquerade? Why not remove all the clothes and let’s see everything.

Can you define your style?

I love looking good and outstanding.

Sharon

‘I didn’t marry an actor because none proposed’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 travel to see him very often. Apart from that, I think it’s about prayers. One needs to be so prayerful about her marriage, really. A lady needs to be patient in her marriage and handle things diligently. What I normally do is that anytime my hubby is around, I make sure I don’t go out and stay out late. I don’t do overnight. I do what I have to do and finish up between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. and come home to get set his dinner. I would have taken care of him in the morning before I left the house.

Are you dating someone secretly, a moneybag, so to say, who would be supplementing?

No, I’m not dating any man secretly. I have not done it before. What for? Why should I stray when my husband is rich? What would I be looking for?

How do you cope with fame?

I’m coping well. I have been coping for the past 10 years. So, it is part and parcel of me. I’m enjoying it now.

Once my fans smile at me, they want me to smile back

and I have been doing that. And when you discover that so many people like you and they are eager to wave at you when they see you, it makes you happy. I’m enjoying fame, I like it.

How does it make you feel when you remember you don’t have privacy?

Honestly, I do have privacy to an extent. I try to keep myself away from the public. Not a lot of people know where I live, not a lot of people know where I hang out and who I hang out with, my friends and so on. I try to keep away from popular friends. When you are too popular or famous, we can’t really be close because whenever they see you, they would also see me and whatever such a person does, I would indirectly be linked to it. That is when they begin to write all sorts of things about us. My friends are usually unpopular people. I prefer to hang out with my childhood friends. Those of then that I know while I was in primary and secondary school, I still associate with till date, and I like it that way.

Why did you not get married to one of your colleagues or to your fellow actor?

Well, none of them talked to me based on that or proposed marriage to me before I got married. Though, I had advances from some of them because where you mingle with is where you are likely to pick your spouse from.

But it’s just that I didn’t find anyone … please let me not say it. God has destined it that I would definitely get married to my husband and I eventually did.

Tell me about your first love?

I don’t talk about my ex-relationship; I don’t like that.

You know I’m a popular face, so I wouldn’t want anyone to read and begin to think he is the one.

The first time you fall in love, how did you feel?

Okay, I felt so beautiful, I felt so attractive. I felt so proud of myself; I felt I was a lady.

How old were you then?

I was barely 17.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cocktail Whispers

Stories by Olumide Segun-Oduntan

0818 941 8761 e-mail: lumidezy@yahoo.com

AUGUST 19, 2012

Lillian Bach denies secret wedding D

id you hear the rumour that went viral a few days ago? Well, just recently, rumour mongers went to town with what sounded at the time like a hot gist. It was speculated that sexy actress, Lillian Bach, had quit spinsterhood. Yes, the rumour had it that the very beautiful actress had got married ‘secretly’.

However, hugely-talented Lillian has come out to say that she is still very much in the single arena.

Not only that, the celebrated movie star has insisted that whenever she decides to say goodbye to spinsterhood, she would not be doing it secretly.

Rather, it would be an occasion that her friends and fans will witness. In fact, the gorgeous actress hinted that being classified as ‘single’ or ‘married’ is not a bad thing at all.

In her own words: “It’s not a crime to be single and it’s not a crime to be married. If I choose to tie the knot, it won’t be a secret. For now, I am still single but if I choose to get married, my friends will be invited. I have nothing to hide and I have done nothing wrong.”

Cocktail Whispers gathered that the actress, who is said to be currently outside the country, has been receiving phone calls from people who may have been shocked that they were not invited to her supposed ‘secret’ wedding.

Lillian Bach

Dakore Egbuson-Akande still an actor

Dakore Egbuson-Akande

She seems to have proved them wrong.

Yes, those who had thought that becoming a wife and mother means the end of her career would need to have a rethink.

Not only has celebrated actress, Dakore

Egbuson-Akande, returned to the industry that brought her fame, as if to prove her detractors wrong, she has just finished shooting a new movie titled, ‘Journey to Self ’.

And just so you know, for Mrs. Akande, present day women have responsibilities and because they are married do not mean that they would not work.

Her words: “I don’t know why they went ahead to say because I became a wife my career was over. That is a very archaic way of thinking. Women this day and age work. We have responsibilities. But I didn’t say anything because if everything one says about me and I react, I won’t have time to do anything with my life.”

Dakore maintained: “I am an actor but having a family is more important to me, and I am very sure my fans appreciate that.

I considered my fans and I said to myself when my daughter is old enough, I would come back to the movie industry. She’s almost one now. I am back to acting.”

And guess what, she has the full backing of her husband in being back to the makebelieve world. “My husband supports me returning to it (acting) 100 per cent. If he was not supporting me, I would not be doing it.”

Mikel Obi’s passion for perfumes Those who have come close to Chelsea player, Mikel Obi, would agree that he loves to smell good. Well, not just that the football player likes air around him to be okay, he seems to have a passion for perfumes.

According to a source, Mikel was recently spotted at the perfumery section of a big store. And guess what, the popular footballer was said to have purchased Creed Parfum.

If you are not aware, Creed Parfum is one of the most expensive perfumes around. Besides, Mikel was said to have bought the perfume like he was buying a pack of sweet.

But those who spotted the celebrated footballer agreed on one thing. Yes, he appears to have a good taste, at least when it comes to perfumes.

Mikel Obi

Season of reaping for Gbenga Adeyinka Celebrated comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka, is a very busy man these days. And those who are close to him say that the present time can be described as his season of reaping.

According to a source, Gbenga has been busy in the last few weeks in the United Kingdom. In fact, Cocktail Whispers learnt that the popular comedian was spotted at different entertainment shows in the UK. And no, he did not attend the shows as Gbenga Adeyinka

a guest. He was said to have anchored the shows at which he was spotted. That of course means that Gbenga’s 1st has been smiling to the bank in the last couple of weeks.

And just so you know, the popular entertainer also has other shows back home which have also been keeping him busy and of course making his pockets bigger too.

Well, those who know him well will also agree that he has paid his due long time ago.

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Movies & Music

Stories by Olumide Segun-Oduntan

Sunday, August 19, 2012

0818 941 8761 e-mail: lumidezy@yahoo.com

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Efiok, Macaulay come to town with Mystery Beads m

F

or Egor Efiok and Frank Adekunle Macaulay, departing from the norm and tradition may not be planned.

The dynamic duo chose to do something different and perhaps extraordinary when they decided to shoot a 3D movie, a first of its kind in the Nigerian clime. It’s titled ‘Mystery Beads’.

‘Mystery Bead’ is a paranormal movie with a deep storyline and twist. A movie which could come across to a person as an epic but has a beautiful mix or use of modern technology in it. It tells the story of Adidi Ata Ebua, a fictitious creation of the producer and Atim Okpo Ebot, a female water goddess and a he-goat at the same time.

The movie features Hollywood actor, Emeka Amene (NCSI, Angel); one of Ghollywood’s finest actresses, Jackie Appiah; Anthony Monjaro (pilot in ‘Last Flight to Abuja’) and Julian Nnadi (Gulder’s Ultimate search).

Other stars of the movie include Ime Bishop Umo; Davies Bassey; Joseph Akahome; Frederick Leonard; Solomon Akiyesi; G-lory (singer) and Ani Iyoho.

They also include Chelsea Eze; Shedrach Nwora; Belinda Effah; Captain Cassie Idagbo;

Eric Anderson; Sammy Young; Ani Iyoho, and others.

Director of the movie, Frank Adekunle Macaulay, knows his onions. He is an international director and cinematographer, who was the DOP for Gugu E Michael’s award-winning movie, ‘Dangerous Men’ and ‘Unge’s War’.

‘Dangerous Men’ is picking up an award for Best African Film, Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay at the World Music and Independent Film Festival Hollywood (WMIF) to be held in Washington DC this month. ‘Unge’s War’ has been nominated for best film and best cinematography at the NAFCA African Movie Awards in September 2012, in North Carolina, USA. The producer of the movie, Egor Efiok, is the CEO and founder of E4 PR, born in London and based there. She studied Education Studies at the University of Greenwich, England and she was a teacher for eight years. She is a peoples’ person, a self-confessed workaholic and a perfectionist. Apart from Artiste Management, she is also a talent spotter.

‘Mystery Beads’ tells the story of Emeka (Emeka Amene) who was born and raised in the US. His Ibibio mum, Idara, died under mys-

terious circumstances while giving birth to him, so he was raised by his father, Mr Chukwu (Shedrach Nwora), and his white American step-mum.

He is studying African History at the University of Arizona and part of his course requires him to go to an African university on a one year exchange programme. During the course of his research online, he meets Jackie (Jackie Appiah), a History student from the University of Calabar. They bond, flirt and chat a lot on Skype and inevitably fall in love.

One day, Jackie tells him about a bi-sexual lady at her University called, Timma (singer, G-lory), that fancied her and was always making passes at her. She went on to state that about a fortnight ago, Timma cornered her in the ladies’ room at a fast food joint. She noticed beads on Timma’s waist and in order to dissuade Timmas’ amorous advances, told her that if she gave her the beads only then would she sleep with her. To her surprise and amazement, Timma took the beads off her waist and promptly put them around Jackie’s waist.

Unbeknownst to Jackie, recent US returnee, Effiom (Julian Nnadi), the delinquent son of an

Adaezey dazzles with new single, video

Adaezey

Adaeze Mogbogu, popularly referred to as Adaezey by friends andcolleagues in the music circuit, has staged a remarkable comeback on the music scene.

Those who are very familiar with her will remember her for her very domineering attitude on stage. She had her very first recording with music producer, Ishaku (Ish), in a studio owned by 2shots in 2003.

Determined to carve a niche for herself at a time when female rappers in Nigeria were only but a handful, Adaezey went on to OJB – Jezreel’s Silver Point Studios, then in Surulere, to work with him and another producer, Joekeny, who is famous for producing Ruggedman’s ‘Baraje’ track.

Her first single then was titled, ‘Sepe’ and was accompanied by a music video directed by Emeka Obefe. This effort enjoyed some reasonable measure of rotation on some radio stations and heavy airplay on Galaxy Television station in Lagos.

While growing up, Adaezey listened to different genres of music, especially rap. Her keen interest eventually led her into miming and

rapping along to Diddy, Jarule, Tupac, and Biggy’s punch lines.

Little wonder then she has now mature into a full-fledged artiste; who co-writes songs with her brother, records and produces her own songs.

An indigene of Anambra State, Adaezey, who has three siblings, had released her self-titled debut album in 2007, a journey that marked the advent of her dream and lifetime passion.

Although she had once secretly nursed the ambition of becoming a painter or a footballer, she recounts that her most memorable moments in the music industry were the very first time she performed to an incredibly receptive crowd as an up-and-coming act and the day she also put pen to paper to seal her current deal with her new record label, Amazing Ville Entertainment (AVE).

Adaezey expressed her new found optimism in the record label and its executives, stating that she was aware of the label’s belief in her and their willingness to support her career to the very heights.

Known for communicating with her audience in very simple language and in smoothly delivered pidgin raps, Adaezey under her new management, teamed up with ace music producer and Project Fame judge, TY Mix, to produce a fast tempo rap tune titled, ‘E Dey Here’.

The feel-good song, a deviation from the norm, is guaranteed to keep any upscale party bubbly.

A very colourful and entertaining video has also been shot for the single by multiple award-winning music video director, Clarence Peters. As expected, the song and video respectively have begun to enjoy rave reviews in broadcast stations.

Besides making good music, Adaezey also has a passion for impacting her generation positively, re-orienting and inspiring them to achieve greater exploits with an ultimate goal of building a better and greater nation.

There is no limit to the height Adaezey dreams of attaining in the music industry. She plans to have collaborations with the likes of Omawumi, Mocheddah, P-square, Flavour, Iceprince, Dr. Sid, Tiwa Savage, and 2Face Idibia. On the international scene, she also expressed high hopes of working with Rihanna, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Akon.

She said she would also like to have the privilege of enjoying the production imprints of great music producers like Puffy T, Cobhams, Timbaland and Swiss Beat.

When asked her genre of music, she said, “I would describe my genre of music as a fusion of African electro-pop, hip hop and RnB’ or simply put in two words: amazing sounds”.

She believes her debut album in 2007 was just an eye opener.

“Right now I’m better experienced and prepared to take on the challenges that may come my way. I’m currently working on some new recordings for my second album, even though I haven’t got a title for the album yet,” she stressed.

L-R: Jackie, Chelsea and Glory

exorcist, Mr Henshaw (Anthony Monjaro), had earlier stolen the beads from a museum. The beads belong to Adidi Ata Ebua and to worsen matters, Adidi Ata Ebua has a grudge against

the da tur

is ch

Amazing audition

It was the turn of the Niger Delt ria’s Got Talent train stormed the Harcourt, Warri, and Benin on Au 13 respectively, with the auditions of the talent hunt reality TV show Nigeria’s Got Talent, sponsored munications provider, Airtel, cont expectations as throngs of Nige and old, showed up at the auditi try out for a chance to win the N10 prize.

Beverly Hills Hotel, Port Harc Hotel, Warri; Excalibur Hotel in were the audition venues at whic and audience watched the Got Ta exhibit their talent.

The sheer breadth of talents th auditions in all three cities, and i cities visited earlier (Abuja, Enug bar) have proven that bringing th franchise to Nigeria (only the sec

Contestants at the event.

23

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Echoes of RCCG Convention: The purpose of victory’

Praise Worship E-mail:richardeghaghe@yahoo.com

E-mail:titusanyanwu.2012@gmail.com

EDIFYING GOD

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August 19, 2012

Abortion legalisation

Briefly

Catholics warned against voting Obama T

he American Life League (ALL) has written an open letter to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the highest ranking Catholic Archbishop in the United States, asking him to withdraw his invitation to President Barack Obama to the Alfred E. Smith dinner. ALL also warned Catholics not to be duped into voting for Obama again.

“I believe Mr. Obama sees the 2012 Al Smith dinner as an opportunity to, once again, use his wiles to entice the Catholics in America to “trust” him -- a trust that he has betrayed time and time again”, said Judie Brown, president of American Life League in a statement.

Brown explained in a phone interview with The Christian Post at the weekend that the main reason Catholics are as ambivalent about politicians as they are, including Obama, is because the average Catholic in today’s culture does not even realise that abortion is a sin against God. “They need to realise that there are fundamental differences between individuals running for congress, and they should first put the Catholic teachings of the Church foremost in their mind before deciding on whom to vote,” the ALL president said.

The ALL also reminded that in the 2008 Presidential elections, President Obama managed to capture 54 per cent of the Catholic vote, despite his public support of abortion and contraception. The organisation claimed that Obama had been able to rally Catholic support by using the tactics of a shrewd politician, and ALL was now concerned that speaking at this year’s event might give him the platform to again gain support of Catholics.

The Alfred E. Smith dinner event is scheduled for October 18, 2012 in New York, and will feature both presidential candidates as keynote speakers. The dinner stands in honour of Alfred E. Smith, the 42nd Governor of New York who is also known as the first-ever Roman Catholic presidential candidate. Over the course of the past 60 years, both presidential candidates have traditionally been invited to the dinner. Brown noted that the main purpose of the event is to raise awareness for various Catholic charities and to raise money.

Obama, who spoke at the 63rd Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in 2008, has been invited to speak again by Cardinal Dolan – but the Life

Pastor Akoni

First Assembly to celebrate 10th anniversary Preparations for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of First Assembly Ministries, at the First Place, 4B, Akinwale Street, Ogba Lagos, are now in top gear.

Founder of the ministry, Pastor Steve Akoni, told Sunday Mirror that the jubilation would start on August 24, with a special communion service, and a seminar for ‘Leadership Associates’.

He said there would be a special programme for teenagers entitled ‘Teenz Explore’, which would come up at 11 a.m.

It would be followed by another activity entitled, “Renew” holding the same day.

August 26 is the grand finale and combined services, featuring prophetic blessing. Members and invitees would be treated to a deluge of entertainment activities, including music, comedy and lots more.

Winners of August 12, 2012 Sunday Mirror/Babcock University Bible Quiz:

President Obama

Cardinal Dolan

League are calling for the archbishop to reconsider his decision based on Obama’s policies these past years that have threatened core Catholic beliefs Obama’s Health and Human Services’ contraceptives mandate, signed earlier this year, threatens to force all Catholic institutions to provide insurance coverage that includes contraceptives.

“Obama came across as this very appealing, charismatic fellow – Catholics had no problem voting for him, and the bishops didn’t do anything about it,” Brown continued about Obama’s last address at the dinner.

“You and the bishops of the Church have convinced us over the last several months that the future of the Catholic Church in America is hanging in the balance. We must oppose the contraceptive mandate and all of the other affronts the current administration is throwing at us,” Brown’s letter to Dolan adds.

‘ MINISTERS OF GOD, EXAMINE YOURSELVES’

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Brown suggested that as soon as the dinner is over, there will be front page pictures of Obama with the Cardinal across the country’s news publications.

“And Catholics will think ‘Oh – well if he is good enough for Cardinal Dolan to break bread with, then why shouldn’t I vote for him.’ That is going to cause tremendous confusion and scandal,” she warned.

The ALL president thus urged Dolan to make a strong statement for Catholic principles by focusing the dinner on the poor and those that need help, rather than the presidential candidates.

“I honestly believe that if the Cardinal put his foot down and said ‘neither one of you will be invited – I am going to bring in the poor from the city streets of New York instead, that will send such a glorious message to Catholics that they would not vote for Obama – then they would understand,” Brown remarked.

•Ishaku Umar (08063059631) •Godspower Ify Nkenchor (08034521767) •Joshua Alawa (08124023663) •Jonathan Obiebi (08055454988) •Thessy Mbah (07036965484) •Kuje E. A (08059448583) •Okosun Raphael (08137017844) •Adeayo (08027425766) •Mary Aliu - Chatta (08037032476) •Betty Ilavbarhe (08032832754) • Current and past winners can collect their prizes from the office of the Editor, Sunday Mirror, 151/161 Broad Street, Lagos anytime from Monday to Friday. Participants should always indicate their names when sending their entries.

QUOTE

The door of opportunity swings on the hinge of opposition.

That is, opposition equals to opportunity.

–Bob Jones Senior

‘FAULTY FOUNDATIONS ARE PROBLEM GENERATORS’

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Praise & Worship

Sunday August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insurgents not elusive, cleric tells FG T

he General Overseer of Wisdom of God Pentecostal Mission, Rev. I.O. Simon, has said that members of the dreaded terrorist sect threatening the unity of the country are not angels and as such, cannot be elusive.

The cleric was expressing his view at the weekend on the activities of the sect in some parts of the North.

He stressed, “Our leaders know them and they must fish them out in order not to divide the country.”

On the issue of dialogue between the Federal Government and the Boko Haram group, Rev. Simon noted, “If the dialogue is the best option, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) should

organise the talks for the insurgents’ grievances to be known.

“It is then the government can know their needs through the ACF who are closer to them.”

The cleric, however, warned that if the activities of the sect were not checked, it could lead to the disintegration of the country.

He also blamed the leaders for the high level of corruption in all strata of the economy, saying the leaders must lay good examples for others to emulate.

He commended Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, on the new traffic law in the state, urging other state governments and political leaders to

Fashola, Oritsejafor commend Methodist Church TAI ANYANWU

L-R: Secretary of Conference, Bishop Chibuzo Opoko; CAN President, Ayo Oritsejafor; Governor Babatunde Fashola and Prelate of MCN, His Eminence (Dr.) Sunday Makinde; at the opening ceremony of the 43rd eight biennial conference of Methodist Church Nigeria, in Lagos recently.

through their schools which my parents and I attended at various times and I must confess that the lessons I learnt have impacted greatly on me. The values and morals I picked up have overbearing influence on my character and person, which is a clear testimony of what the Church stands for.

“I want to commend the Methodist Church Nigeria for pioneering education and social services in Nigeria and I hope that more and more faith-based organisations can be guided by examples that they have set,” he said.

Speaking in similar vein, the

National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, recounted the many important roles that the Methodist Church, Nigeria, and its leadership had played over the years, noting that the Church had been a stabilising powerhouse in ecumenism in Nigeria and beyond.

In his address, the Prelate of the Church, His Eminence, Dr. Makinde, lauded the new traffic laws introduced recently by the Lagos State Government and the drive by the Fashola administration to transform the state into a

Mega City.

He commended the relative security and peace being enjoyed in the state, based on the hard work of the governor and his team and called on the governor not to relent in his efforts.

On the issue of the recent killings of Christians in Kogi, the Prelate said it was the inability of the Federal Government to bring the perpetrators of such evil acts in the recent past to book, which, according to him, has continued to energise and strengthen the religious extremists to continue the mass slaughter.

Independence anniversary: Clergy calls for fervent prayers SEGUN ADIO

N

igerians have been urged to pray ceaselessly for the nation and particularly for President Goodluck Jonathan as the nation approaches its 52nd Independence Day anniversary.

Giving this urge recently in Lagos was Baba Aladura Reuben Olorunfunmi Basorun, Spiritual Head of Gospel Cherubim & Seraphim, Oke-Ayo Igbala Irapada, Lagos. It was on the occasion of the world press conference to mark the Golden Jubilee of the church.

Bible Society introduces essay competition

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overnor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State has commended the Methodist Church, Nigeria, for its role in nation-building, especially being the first Christian denomination in Nigeria to touch lives through its involvement in education, healthcare delivery and other impactful institutions and programmes.

He gave the remarks while declaring open the 43rd/8th Biennial Conference of the Methodist Church, Nigeria, holding at the Hoare’s Memorial Methodist Church, Yaba, Lagos, The event was attended the Prelate of the Church, His Eminence Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde, National President of the CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, philanthropist, Sir. Kensington Adebukuonla Adebutu, fraternal delegates from Great Britain, Togo, Sierra Leone and a host of other dignitaries to mark 170 years of existence as a Church in Nigeria.

Remembering his Methodist roots, Fashola who attended Birch Freeman High School (a school owned by the Methodist Church, Nigeria) said his father is an ex-student of Methodist Boys High School while his mother attended Olowogbowo Methodist Primary School in Lagos. ”I am very proud of the contributions of Methodist Church, Nigeria, to my life, especially

emulate his style of governance.

Rev. Simon also said the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) must not relent in its effort to fight the menace of insurgency, adding that the insurgents were not Muslims but a faceless sect which wanted to destabilise the present administration.

Baba Aladura Basorun, who claimed that a revelation about the future of the country left much to be desired, urged all Nigerians to rally round the president in prayers to avert the impending doom on the land.

His words: “God has revealed to us twice now that the country is heading for some more challenging period, especially as we approach the independence anniversary and immediately after it.

The clergyman, however, maintained that with fervent fasting and prayer, God was ready to intervene in the case of Nigeria. “When our God speaks,

what He says always comes to pass. There had been two revelations now that the country would face some unrest during the month of October. But He also told us that if we as a people can humble ourselves and pray fervently, the impending crisis would be averted,” Basorun said.

Commenting on the spate of corruption in churches today, Basorun said that it was time that church members began to ask their spiritual leaders questions on how the church finances are spent. He also urged religious leaders to run transparent administration in their respective houses of worship.

Baba Aladura Basorun

he Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) has concluded an arrangement to hold a maiden annual Essay Competition/ Symposium, designed for members of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) across the country.

Through this competition, BSN hoped to proffer solution to the socio-economic and political challenges confronting the country using biblical and intellectual approaches. A statement from the body said the topic for the competition is, “Good Governance: Antidote to Militancy and other Social Vices in Nigeria.”

Six corps members, who won the written part of the competition held in July, 2012, will defend their entries at a symposium taking place at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Lagos, on August 24, 2012. The programme will be chaired by the Registrar/CEO of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) Mr. Sunday Adeyemi.

The overall winner of the competition will go home with a laptop, a copy of the Bible and management books; winner of the second position will receive a Desktop computer, a copy of the Bible and management books while the third position’s will receive a mininotebook, a copy of the Bible and Management books. Participation in this competition is free, the statement said.

The Bible Society of Nigeria is a non-profit-making interdenominational Christian organisation that translates the Bible into local languages, publishes, distributes and raises funds for the Bible work.

“So far we have completed Bible in 20 Nigerian Languages, the New Testament in 60 local languages and one book or another in 98 languages. We give Bibles free to old peoples’ homes and orphanages, the visually impaired, prisoners and women of easy virtue, among others,” the BSN explained.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Praise & Worship

Sunday August 19, 2012

‘Ministers of God, examine yourselves’ In his series of messages, Apostle Utibe-Abasi Emmanuel, General Overseer of The Rock of Salvation Church Ministries, Iju, Lagos, dwells on the façade that hides the horrible conducts of some ministers of God. He says some of them are neck deep in the sins of fornication and adultery, thus calling such clerics to repentance. Excerpts:

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xamine yourself (your relationship with God); search your heart, mind and conscience. Am I truthful to myself and my God? Are you a pastor, teacher, Elder, evangelist, deacon, deaconess, choirmaster, prophet, prophetess, usher, chorister, group leader, etc? Ask yourself: am I teaching, healing and directing to the glory of God? Whoever you are or whatever position you might be in the house of God, examine yourself; am I worthy enough to be crowned with this title? 2 Cor. 13:5 states, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in faith, prove yourselves, know ye not yourselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be a reprobate (hopelessly bad person).” Verse 7 says “now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. Don’t appear holy and approved as if God sent you before people, preaching what you cannot do.

Matt. 7:3-4 also states, “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thy own eyes? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull out the mote out of thine eye, behold a beam is in thy own eyes? You preach that people should not commit fornication and adultery, when you are fornicators and adulterers; you preach of holiness, when you are not holy, you engage yourself in so many abominable things, people that God suffered to redeem, you push them back to the world, you destroy their faith and belief (because of adultery and fornication). Instead of helping them to love and know God the more, the word of God says you should not preach what you cannot do. It is in Rom. 2:17-23.

You that are teaching others, are you teaching yourself ? You preach to men not to steal, don’t you steal? You say that men should not commit adultery, but you are committing adultery, that men should worship God alone but you are committing sacrilege. There are scandals everywhere between pastors and their female members, churches closing down, family breaking up, because of pastors giving them-

Apostle Utibe-Abasi selves to be controlled by the devil (things of the flesh). Rom. 8:10-11 says, “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead dwells in you, He that rose up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His spirit that dwelleth in you.”

If really Christ called you, your body should be dead to sin.

Who am I talking to here? Young pastors, ministers that are using the name of God to deceive people, making them to believe you are called by God but doing the work of your father-the devil.

Some of you after learning English in school, mixed up with a little Bible knowledge, you start up a church saying you have a calling; some because they have no job, some because they feel cheated in their present church, you go out and establish yours without a calling. How do you think you can succeed? How do

you think you can resist the devil and his (human) instruments?

Remember that in the Garden of Eden, it was the woman the devil used (through adultery). The Bible is more particular about fornication and adultery because it’s the only sin that has to do with the body. 1 Cor. 6:18 says, “Flee from fornication; every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that commiteth fornication sinneth against his own body.”It brings destruction to men physically and spiritually. Prov. 31:3 states, “Give not thy strength unto women.”

Some women could be used by the devil to bring down mighty men, both in churches and the society at large. Mighty men have become nothing because of this set of women. You will see a very respectable man being disgraced and beaten up because of adultery; in newspapers and other news media, you will see pastors stripped in disgrace with women they have committed adultery with. Is this what

God has sent us to do? Instead of us preaching against those things, we indulge in it.

The Bible states in Matt. 5:2728, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery, but I say unto you that whosoever looked on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

If looking at a woman lustfully is a sin, how much more touching her? Now some pastors are marrying two wives, some are divorced. 1 Tim. 3:2 says, “A bishop then must be blameless, the man of one wife.” In the past, if a pastor wants to travel, there was no checking, but now they check them from head to toe because they engage themselves with all kinds of abominable things, no more honours for pastors. You allow the earthen to mock our God. Rom. 2:24 says, “For the name of God is blasphemed among the gentiles through you.” I’m telling you, your punishment shall be great.

James 3:1 says, “My brethren, be not many masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” Some pastors’ wives came to me, they said ‘sir, please pray to God to take away the spirit of adultery from our husbands.’ These are the people calling themselves ministers of God; my children, God is not blind, and He sees you and will judge you according to your works.

Rev. 2:19-23 states, “I know thy works, and charity and service and faith and thy patience, and thy works and the last to be more than the first.” ”Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servant to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her space to repent from fornication and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death and all the churches shall know that I am He who searcheth the reins and hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”

What Jezebel did is what many Christians are doing today, both men and women; some of the ministers go to church to seduce the children of God, making them to fall away from God’s grace. God says he will kill your children with death, unless you repent. Maybe you’ve not been caught so you feel no one sees you, God sees you and will punish you openly according to your works because He says in Rev. 2:23, that all the churches shall see his punishment on you, and know that He is God. So you can’t hide, what you need is repentance. Many pastors perish because sin has taken away their vision. Prov.

29:18 states, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Lack

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of vision leads them to seeking powers elsewhere. They leave the way of God and join secret cult, so that they can still maintain the church. The Bible says in 1 John 4:1; “Beloved, believe not every spirit but try the spirit whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

Don’t attend a church blindly; pray about the foundation of any church you want to attend, so you don’t attend a church that will lead you to hell. God says ‘try the spirit, whether they are His’.’ Even in Matt. 7:21, the Bible says ‘not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.’ God sees you, no matter how you preach, using all the vocabularies in the dictionary, performing miracles (commanding things into people and making them to vomit or pee them out to show how powerful you are, raising your hand and people will be falling and somersaulting), going to mountain in Ghana, Jerusalem, wherever, deceiving blind Christians that you are going for prayers; coming back with mystic powers to perform wonders all in the name of God. God is watching you, on the last day, He will reward you according to your works. I read an article where someone said that every Christian must go to Jerusalem to pray, I say ‘no’. Going to Jerusalem does not make you to be holy or resurrect you on the last day. If salvation is in Jerusalem, what about Christians who can’t afford going there? Does it mean they will all go to hell? Anywhere you kneel to pray, is your Jerusalem. Daniel 6:10 says, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house and his window being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” If it was so important that Jerusalem must be the place of worship, Daniel would not have prayed in his house. 2 Cor. 4:18 states, “While we look not at things which are seen, but at things which are not seen, for the things which are seen is temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Jerusalem, a mountain in any part of the world will pass away, then where will you go to seek your God or to pray? Things which are not seen are eternal.

Matt. 24:35 also says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away.”

Only the word of God which is God Himself, will remain forever, and that word which is God lives in you, not in Jerusalem or any mountain in Ghana or anywhere in the world.

Worship Him in the spirit of Holiness. Again, I say examine yourself.

•For further enquires, you could contact Apostle Utibe-Abasi Emmanuel on 08037187775.

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Praise & Worship

Sunday August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

You have greater days ahead –Pastor Okereke T

he Psalmist says in Psalm 66: 12-14, “Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into wealthy place. I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble”. This means that one of the greatest ways of coming out of trouble is the right use of your tongue. This Psalmist said that when he was in trouble; going through the fire, through the water and when men were riding over his head; he had to make a vow and as soon as he was delivered by the King of kings; our Lord and Saviour by the Holy Ghost power, he went to the house of God and paid his vow. One major problem that Christians and non Christians alike are facing today is that when they are in trouble, they seek the Lord strongly and even make vows but when it becomes well with them; many will no longer fulfil the vows they made. Most times they may not be coming to the house of God even when they are less busy.

I pray that as you read this Holy Ghost message and make a vow in your closet; your office, house, (it does not necessarily mean that you will be in church service before you make a vow to come out of trouble; but no matter where you are dwelling, when the miracle happens, you must come down to the house of God to pay the vow). The Almighty God who sees in secret shall reward you openly in Jesus’ name. The Psalmist said I will go into thy house with burnt offerings; I will pay thee my vows. Proverbs 18: 20 says, “A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled”. What are you going through? This is your time; you need to use your tongue rightly in order to come out of that ugly situation and whatever your mouth utters, my God will hear it and answer you speedily no matter the level of trouble involved. Believe me that when you speak, my God will answer. I am not saying you must come to the church because some of you could be outside Lagos. This is your own time to testify. Many have been testifying.

God wants the world to know that He is the Almighty and there is no one beside Him. So He wants to use you to show that example of His great powers.

The same Psalm 66: 3 states, “Say unto God how terrible art thou in thy works!

Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.” Who is that enemy that can stand the power of God coming to you now as you are reading this message?

Whatever you are going through today; there is a spirit behind it; poverty has a spirit in charge of it. Many strange sicknesses sometime defile medications because the spirits behind them are terrible and wicked. In John 10:10A “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” Barrenness, rise and fall, painful marriages, delay in marriage; there are so many people upon their efforts yet nothing seems

Dr. Okereke with the less-privileged

Worshippers in supplication to God.

to be working out for them. How can you describe a situation where someone graduated in this country as B.Sc holder yet after five years of graduation from the university, there is no job? In the name above every name, that ugly situation comes to an end this month in Jesus’ name.

I pray that after reading this message; your tomorrow will shine greater and better than your yesterday in Jesus’ name. You have greater days ahead. Do not give up. There are people whom the world had concluded that they are writeoffs but today most of them are the ones moving forward the economy of their nations. According to Proverbs 13:7, “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches”. Usually one of the moments I enjoy most is when I see myself being used by God to give out food items and hundreds of thousands, which when put together it will run into millions, to the poor, widows, orphans; for home rents, school fees, feeding, clothing and so on. As at

now, we have cultivated rice in a large area of land in Enugu State, which is running into millions of naira. The essence is to bring out the rice and sell them very cheap like half of what they will get the 50kg in the market. We have some few partners that are involved but my personal cash is very much into this. I am telling you all this to let you know how the Lord values the joy of Nigerians, Africans and the world. This is why He is using us to do such things.

We do most of these things under the African Development Movement being promoted by the Family Success Values Initiative which I am the leader by the grace of God. I believe that God can use human beings to put smiles on the faces of others. So I believe God will use me as you read this message to bring joy to your spiritual, financial, physical and family lives. You are made to succeed.

I am praying for you that as you speak to God anywhere you are, He will answer. Tell Him the challenges you are facing and make a vow like, ‘If you answer me I will do so and so,’ and the

matter will be setretled. If you feel like, you can send text to the following phone numbers below this page so I can join you in prayers. You must have a story to tell before we enter the MBER months in Jesus’ name. If you believe, you can silently say Hallelujah! The Lord bless you as you enter into a greater tomorrow in Jesus’ name. If others can make it, then you have even greater opportunities. The world shall know of the power of the Almighty by the reason of your testimonies in Jesus’ name. Psalm 62: 11 says ‘Power belongs to God,’ so why are you disturbed about operations of little spirits. 1 John 4: 4 says, ‘He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world.’ Rejoice, for your time has come; just speak and it will be settled. We must hear your great testimonies in Jesus’ name. Now, if you believe it you say a believing Amen. Remain blessed beloveth!

•For enquiries and counseling, please send text messages only through the following numbers: 08067802407, 07038638984, for prompt attention.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Praise & Worship

Sunday August 19, 2012

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Let God be glorified through you, says Pastor Oloruntimilehin Pastor Oloruntimilehin Daramola of Omnipotence Mission of God in this message teaches people of God to let their lives deliver messages that glorify God before people they come across, rather than sounding sanctimonious. Excerpts, as presented by Tai Anyanwu

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t is good to give God the honour He deserves. Let God be glorified through you.

Let it be far from you that your conduct brings slander, dishonour or disrespect to the name of God.

Allow people to praise God because people must not mess up the name of God for your sake. Let the whole world know that you are a child of God. It has become fashionable for people to sing praises to God and dance in the church.

But hear me, armed robbers, fraudsters otherwise known as ‘419’ also praise God, even more than the faithful. They make huge contributions to the development of the church; they buy good things to thank and appreciate God. Adulterous people praise God also.

Some people come to praise God in the church after fighting with their spouses at home. God does not respect such praises.

All such praises amount to mere gymnastic exercises, because the vital thing is missing.

In the case a man who comes to give God praise after a fight with his spouse, love is missing and real praise to God cannot be found in him.

In the eyes of those neighbours who witnessed fighting, such cat and mouse matrimonial life cannot glorify God. Owing to lack of wisdom and poor conduct, such couple allowed people to slander and mess up the name of God. The same couple will come to praise God in the church and believe their praises will be acceptable? No way.

In the past, I always fought my wife.

Our marriage had produced five glorious

children; yet I never shared one bed with my wife. I was wont to relaxing in my room and she was barred from enjoying the comfort of my room at will. I did these things as if she had no right to such luxury.

But when I entered the service of God, I learnt that what I was doing is not right with God. I realised that I cannot be a good Christian pummeling my wife and despising her. Then I made a decision to become a good Christian.

Having resolved to imbibe good Christian qualities, I learnt to embrace and show her real love. I also learnt that after long sleepless nights of ministrations, I need my wife by my side as against my previous style of holding out on my own like a supper being.

Soon, I also learnt that she is always praying for me day and night for God’s protection. I discovered that we are actually doing the work of God together; hence she deserves the relaxation.

Gradually, bad spirits that made me to cast a wall of demarcation between us were replaced with the spirit of love. Today, my wife is always saying, “I thank you God.” And to me, she says, “You have changed tremendously.”

What am I trying to bring out here? The change in me has made my wife to genuinely glorify God. Here is what transpired. After I encountered God, I took a decision that anyone who comes across me will glorify God because of the quality of life I live. Realising that the good life must be genuine, I took a step to start from my matrimonial relationship.

What I did was to first forego all that I was doing wrong. I accepted and embraced my wife and made that a part of me. I give glory to God who regenerated my life.

If a person’s behaviour is not good, no amount of dances and praises in the presence of God will be accepted. It is one’s conduct that will make people to glorify God. Some peoples’ mode of dressing can glorify God, whereas others’ dressing habits will make people to slander God’s name.

Some ladies, even married women, unfortunately walk our streets putting on dresses that expose some parts of their bodies that need to be covered and reserved for their husbands only. These attires do not portray them as modest, responsible human beings.

I think we need to add some decency to our mode of dressing here. And that would glorify the name of our God. We should be able to say each day we wake up, “God, I thank you for preserving the life of my husband or wife and that our children do not conduct themselves as nuisance. Thank you God that people do not slander you through me. Then God will be happy with the person.

Brethren, I wish that people should be glorifying God through you; and be saying good things about you. Let the service be done for God so that God can glorify you.

The Bible in Matthew 17 verse 1-4 states “....Peter said to Jesus, Lord it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah” Peter glorified Jesus by mentioning his name first. Why did he glorify Jesus? It was because Peter was an

Pastor Oloruntimilehin

ardent follower of Christ.

In Matthew 26 verse 6-13 the Bible states, “A woman came to him with alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciple saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste? They asked. This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.

Then Jesus replied them in Verse13: I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her” This woman had glorified Jesus by pouring an expensive perfume on him and she is being talked about till today. Therefore, it is a good thing for Christians to glorify the leader of their church so that he can give a good account of you.

For counseling, contact Pastor Oloruntimilehin Joshua Daramola (JP) on 08023002834 •For counseling, contact Pastor Oloruntimilehin Joshua Daramola (JP), founder of Omnipotence Mission of God, on 08023002834.

Your enemies shall wait in vain –Pastor Bamidele There are certain habits a child of God must manifest that gladdens the heart of God, and for which the person’s enemies will wait for the former’s downfall in vain. Pastor Lai Bamidele of Christ Glorious End-Time Evangelical ministries sheds more light on the subject. Excerpts by Tai Anyanwu.

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very enemy waiting for evil to happen to you shall wait in vain in Jesus’ name.

It surprises me that in the church of God, some people are even digging pits, graves for the men of God. I am here to tell you today, repent because the Bible tells me, “You who dug a pit shall fall in there.” That word is definite.

Today, I just want to open our minds that once we are living right, no evil shall overcome us. But I want you to bear in mind that there are some few things as Christians that we are supposed to carry out, that will make our enemies wait in vain.

We will see the first of such things in second Chronicle 20: 20-22. We want to praise God, because our Daddy has declared today as a day of praise and worship unto the Lord. Because, when you praise the Lord, when you worship the Lord, the Lord will defend you.

That place in second Chronicle, where Jehoshaphat and his people praised and worshipped God, the enemies that were waiting to destroy them were destroyed

by God instead. Jehoshaphat and his people did not even need to shoot an arrow, their enemies were destroyed.

The second thing is making a prayer of intercession. Most of us like praying for ourselves, but I discovered one thing, that when I am praying for other people God will hear my own prayers too. We can see that one in the book of Acts 12: 1- 11.

When Herod killed James, he pleased the people and they were making oration unto Herod; and the next thing he did is that he took Peter. He wanted to kill Peter too before early morning but the church of God prayed earnestly for Peter. And God intervened; the angel of the Lord appeared in the night and delivered Peter. The angel of the Lord will deliver you today in the name of Jesus.

The third one is prayer and fasting, and we find that in the book of Esther; it is a story that is familiar to all of us.

Harman died in the gallows that he prepared for Mordechai. But before that happened, Esther declared one thing:

“Let us fast and pray; if I perish I perish.” But did Esther or the Jews perish?

It was Haman, who was waiting for Mordechai to die, that perished. Every enemy waiting for you to be destroyed shall be destroyed in Jesus’ name.

The last but not the least thing you will do for your enemies to perish in your stead is to employ the word of God. King David said, “Thy word is a light unto my path. I want to you to know one thing today; those few steps I have taught us today, let us put those to practice in our lives, and because I am supposed to limit myself to praise and worship this morning but the spirit of God took me further. I am charging you today to prepare your mind to dance to the Lord and that mountain you are looking at, shall become a plain ground in Jesus’ name.

For counselling contact: pst_lai@yahoo.com •For counselling contact: pst_lai@yahoo.com, phone08074484415, 08027502864 and 08161285586

Pastor Bamidele

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Praise & Worship

Sunday August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The God of miracle, by Pastor Muoka General Overseer of the Lord Chosen Charismatic Renewal Ministries, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, having concluded a powerful crusade in Onitsha, Anambra State, which is the commercial nerve-centre of eastern Nigeria, left with a soul-inspiring exhortation. It touches on the allimportant power of God and how the faithful can key into it. Richard Eghaghe presents excerpts from the message:

A cross section of worshippers at the Onitsha crusade

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eloved, God is still in the business of doing miracles. He never changes and will never change. The scripture states, “He is the same yesterday, today and forever”. Some people go through terrible experiences which remain impossible to solve through all known human endeavour and when they call upon God, miracles come their way and they are delivered. Everything that was created came into existence by miracle, including man. Even the world we are living in was a product of the miracle of God.

Genesis 1:1-3 states, “In the beginning,

God created the Heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”

In the above context, God miraculously caused existence where previously, there was no being. It is an evidence of the omnipotent power of God. God is a miracleWorking God who created all things from nothing but His Word. Some people struggle to be saved and delivered. However, what they fail to understand is that the act

of deliverance, healing or miracles is not by struggle. All those who are sick, unemployed, barren, oppressed by evil spirits and in any kind of prison need miracles in their lives. Perhaps you are among those experiencing poverty, delay in marriage, impotence, failure at the edge of breakthrough, rising and falling and all sorts of setbacks. The truth is; you need a miracle to change that ugly situation.

A lot of people have abandoned projects; they are made stagnant as a result of evil designations of the wicked. It may be that your neighbour or relations have plotted

Governors commend Pastor Muoka’s spirituality T

he Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has admonished Nigerians never to ignore or toy with prayers by the General Overseer and spiritual head of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, “because of its efficacy”.

Briefing journalists at the end of the two-day national crusade of The Lord’s Chosen entitled, ‘The God of Miracle’, held at Metallurgical Institute, Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State, the governor said, “I have always said we, Nigerians, need the prayers of Pastor Muoka, seriously. We need it for the state and we need it for the nation. For there to be an enduring peace in this country and for the country to move forward, we need effective prayers made by righteous men of God and Pastor Muoka is one of them” When asked by reporters whether it was his first time of attending Muoka’s crusade, Obi replied that it was not.

“This s not my first time of attending Pastor Muoka’s crusade; it is actually my third time since I became governor. Whenever Pastor Muoka is holding a crusade in Anambra State, being a Christian, I do visit”.

According to him, the powerful prayer of the pastor has worked for him and the

your downfall and are in fact responsible for your dire predicament. My confidence is conveyed in this statement, ‘Look at that problem for the last time”. Your miracle is on the way and God will deliver you in no time.’

Matthew 19:26 states, “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” The testimonies of the people of old are proof that with God, all things are possible. Boundless miracles of healing, deliverance and breakthrough continue to attest to the evidence of God’s goodness, even in the present day. Beloved, I want you to understand that God is a specialist in miracles and regardless of what you are passing through at the moment, He will perform miracles in your life in Jesus’ name. He is the God of miracle and as a result, He is the “embodiment of miracles.”

He never changes but remains the same yesterday, today and forever.

Jeremiah 32:27 says, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Perhaps, they have mocked you to a point of depression as a result of afflictions. I am assuring you that God has not changed and He will manifest miracles that will change your situation today in Jesus name.

Luke 8: 43-48 narrates, “And a woman having an issue of blood 12 years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him and how she was healed immediately.

And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”

Some people are like this biblical character who spent all her money on that affliction. They should understand that God has not changed and is still healing people till date. The fact remains that no one can deliver you if God cannot do that. You may have visited many places in search of miracles and may have ended up frustrated.

The good news I have for you is that our God is alive and able to do all things.

Examples to convince that it’s your turn for miracles

Pastor Muoka

Gov. Peter Obi

state. He counselled all well-meaning citizens of the state and Nigeria, to key into the anointing and tap freely from the grace of God deposited in the pastor.

Governor Obi is not alone in making this clarion call. In an address to the people of Abia State at the state headquarters, Umuahia, where he invited Pastor Muoka for an intercessory open prayer meeting, the State Governor, Chief T. A.

Orji, stated that it was the prayer of Pastor Muoka that broke the yoke of kidnapping and gangsters which almost brought the state on its knees some months back.

He said it was when the cleric set his feet on Abia State to pray that the notorious leader of all the kidnappers in Southern Nigeria, Osisikankwo, was apprehended and dealt with, and that peace thereafter returned to the state.

We have heard numerous testimonies that prove that He is the God of miracles.

We should bear in mind that He is the embodiment of miracles who created all things by the act of miracle. He created the Heavens and the Earth.

God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt by miracles. He divided the Red Sea and confronted Pharaoh by His powers. Through miracles, He gave them manna and quails for food and caused the rock to give them water. Through miracles, He fought battles for them and gave them victory. Through miracles, He caused the Wall of Jericho to fall and divided River Jordan.

Beloved, by the same miracle today, the Lord will see you through that difficulty. By that same miraculous power, you will have the fruit of the womb and be delivered in Jesus name.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Praise & Worship

Sunday August 19, 2012

29

GOD WANTS YOU TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT

GOD; GOD WANTS TO PROSPER YOU SO THAT YOU CAN OPEN YOUR HOUSE UP FOR HOUSE FELLOWSHIP

Pastor Adeboye and his wife, Pastor Foluke praising God

Echoes of RCCG Convention: The purpose of victory, by Pastor Adeboye The 60th annual Convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), ended on a glorious note last Sunday, leaving behind its attendant powerful ministration, deliverances, healings, fruitfulness, salvation, testimonies and other divine benefits. Richard Eghaghe brings the sermon entitled, “The Purpose of Victory” on the fourth day of the Convention, held at the Redemption Camp, Kilometre 46, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Mowe, Ogun State. Excerpts:

O

ne of the philosophers of the ancient days says the greatest problem of victory is what to do with it. After you have become victorious, what next? After freedom, after release, after jubilee, after restoration, what next?

Many people planned for wedding; they even plan for honeymoon without planning for marital life. When the honeymoon is over, what next? No plan, husband and wife return from honeymoon and the ‘darling’ says, “Where is my breakfast?”, and the wife says, “Breakfast?” So many girls plan for their wedding, not knowing that after the honeymoon, the wife is supposed to wake up one hour before the husband to prepare breakfast.

Many people celebrate graduation, then what next? What if I don’t get a job, what do I do then? Many people plan for house dedication but they don’t plan for maintenance. I remember when I bought my first car; my friend said ‘congratulations but from now on you have to put your eye on the oil gauge.’ Brethren, after Jubilee, what next? After healing, what next?

Because God is going to heal you during this convention.

After breakthrough what next?

There are categories of bondage, battles that people fight; there is physical bondage as can be witnessed in Luke 13 and in 2 kings 5 v 1, Naaman was famous and rich but Naaman was a leper.

Then there is material bondage, ac-

cording to 2king 4 v 1 -7. Then, we can have physical and material bondage, according to Mark 5, verses 25-34.

Then, there is spiritual bondage; an example is Mary Magdalene, according to Luke 8 v 1 -3. Then we have a case where all three types of bondage are together, according to Mark 5 v 1 -15. It tells us about the mad man of Gedaren who was possessed by 6,000 demons.

But the good news tonight is that victory is possible. I want to go a step further to announce that victory is on your way because the God of Jubilee who is the God of Redeemed Christian Church of God is here tonight.

And according to Psalm 24 v 7-10, He can set you free from any form of bondage. Victory has issues, and I will just mention maybe, just two. The first issue with victory is that the devil loves to attack immediately after a victory. In 1 Samuel 17 v 34 – 37, David said ‘I was watching my father’s flock, a lion came and grabbed one of the flock, I grabbed it and smote it.’

You thought the devil would let him be? Immediately the bear came and he also smote it, then the devil says ‘if you can handle an animal, we will give you Goliath’ and by God’s grace, he killed him.

Then the devil arranged some women and they composed an impromptu song that made him have a greater enemy than he had ever had; his father-in-law.

The most dangerous time is immediately after a victory; I know this and that is

why I am always careful of celebrations.

I can give you several examples; take Gideon; after one victory came another attack. That is one issue. But the issue they asked me to speak on tonight is what do I do with victory? When ’am healed, what do I do next, John 5 v 2 -14? If you don’t want to say goodbye to sins, ask God to leave you alone, be as you are, because if you do and you are still in sins, a greater sickness will come.

The first thing to do after a victory is to thank God (Exodus 15 v 1 -11, Luke 8 v.

1-3). Ask the mad man of Garasene (Mark 5 v. 18 -20) After his healing, he came to Jesus and said, ‘I will go with you everywhere you go, and Jesus said ‘I have an assignment for you, go and tell others,’ and he won an entire city for God. If you are delivered and you don’t tell others about it, the Bible says the demon that has gone out will come back with more dangerous demons. Your deliverance will be permanent. Don’t be like Samson who was brought bound to his external enemy but the Almighty God rose and fought his battle for him, but what did he do ? (John 16 v 1-3) He just got up and went to a harlot’s house. What do I do with victory? It is a good thing to prosper but Proverbs 1 v. 32 says “the prosperity of fools will destroy them.” When you look at Exodus 12 v. 3536, the Bible tells us that when the children of Israel were leaving Egypt on that great night of deliverance, they went to the Egyptians and collected the salary that their fathers had not received in

100 years. They collected it in one night.

What did they do with it? (Exodus 32 v 1 -6) They went to Aaron and said they wanted a God they could see, and Aaron asked them to bring all their gold and it was used to mould a golden image for them.

I have told you stories of those who were strong Christians until the Lord prospered them. I know those of us who used to fast and pray, because it was easy to fast then because there wasn’t much anyway. Then prosperity came... the prosperity that will take you away from the Almighty God, He will never give it to you.

Zachariah tells us what to use the prosperity for. We are to build churches with prosperity; the word of God says you can have prosperity and enjoy it for the rest of your life, according to Job 36 v 11.

What are you to do with victory? (1Sam 2 V 1 -2). After David defeated Goliath and King Saul attacked him, he ran to the cave of Adullam and vagabonds gathered themselves to him and he turned them to mighty men so that by the time we get to 2 Sam. 23 V. 8, God wants you to tell people about God; God wants to prosper you so that you can open your house up for house fellowship.

The almighty God wants to prosper you so you can sponsor television programmes. Now that you know what to do with victory, you can now demand from Pharaoh. i.e., whatever represents Pharaoh in your life, demons, barrens, failure, whatever has not allowed you to go higher, you can now say to Pharaoh, ‘hear the word of the Lord, let me go!’

One of the things I like about the almighty God is that when he arises to fight for you, He can do a very good job (Exodus 4 v. 22 v 23). God will give you victory, provided you will use it for winning souls, forpraising God, for making disciples, for giving your house for house fellowships.

‘Next year’s Convention’ll be more glorious’ General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has admonished worshippers to get prepared to receive “Jesus Christ”, at the 61st convention of the church which comes up between August 5 and 11, next year.

The G.O. said this in his farewell message to participants at the 60th convention, concluded only last Sunday, at the Redemption Camp grounds, kilometer 46, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Mowe, Ogun State.

He expressed the confidence that the coming convention, with the banner ‘Jesus Christ’, would be more glorious.

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Praise & Worship

Sunday August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Day Methodist Church graduated 153 priests ONUKWUBE OFOELUE

F

rom different communities and villages of Nigeria, from the East and the West, and from all over the world, they assembled. Over 500 priests of the Methodist Church gathered that day at Methodist Training Institute, Sagamu, Ogun State. They came with friends, families, church workers and lecturers to witness the graduation ceremony of their studentpriests.

With a whopping 153 priests graduating that day, the number was unprecedented. The Methodist Theological Institute, Nigeria, had partnered with Cliff College International Training Centre, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, in the United Kingdom.

Filling the large Mellor Memorial Methodist Centre in the heart of the school, the graduands eagerly waited to receive their certificates and cassocks certifying them as preachers in the House of God. It was a day of reckoning, with so many men and women of God ripe and ready for the work, after two years of studies. There were 83 graduands from MTI, Umuahia, Abia State and 70, from Sagamu Centre; and in all, three ladies also received certificates to serve in the vineyard of the Lord.

In his goodwill message to the graduands, His Eminence, Dr Sunday Ola Makinde, Prelate of the Methodist Church, Nigeria, stated that the partnership between MTI and Cliff College had improved the vision and mission of the church. “Our presbyters and priests have been exposed to various methods of soul-winning to meet up with the challenges of the ministry”.

Delivering a sermon at the graduation ceremony, which also doubled as a dedication ceremony of Mellor Memorial Methodist Centre, the Secretary of Conference, The Right Reverend Chibuzor Raphael Opoko, admonished the priests to emulate Jesus Christ in taking up the ministry by taking whatever challenge the ministry might bring their way. The short, but punchy sermon addressed the sore area of ministers rejecting postings to rural areas. His words: “When you are called to serve in an area, obey and go, because no matter where you decide to stay and serve, if the spirit of the lord is not with you, you will never succeed.

If you all refuse to go to those rural communities, who will go?” He went on to tell them to remember that it is God, not man, not their pockets they have been called to serve.

He also addressed issue of laziness among minister: “Is your life as a minister an example, a challenge for your members to emulate, or are you just there to exploit and take advantage of your congregation?” he demanded.

Continuing, he said “if you follow the word of God, if the word truly abides in you as Jesus Christ spoke, there is nothing you cannot achieve as a minister.

Some of you work in the ministry as if it is a government minister that is why you will see a man of God at 10: am on Sunday, sitting with a wrapper around his waist at home when he should be in church.” He advised the ministers to take every calling very seriously. “Let us become ministers with impact”, he concluded.

Some of the graduands who expressed joy at the graduation ceremony

Rt Rev Opoko (middle) during the sermon

L-R: Very Rev Godwin Esio, Wesley Circuit; Rev Joshua Robert; Rev Nkem Ofoelue and Very Rev Christian Diidi.

A cross section of the priests

Rev Nkem Ofoelue receiving certificate from Rev. Richard Jackson

told Sunday Mirror that it was a day of fulfillment for them.

Reverend Nkem Ofoelue is the minister of Methodist Church Nigeria, Rumuomasi, Port Harcourt. He is also the anchorman for Golden Hymns, a church music programme at Treasure FM, 98.5 FRCN, as well as the director of Centre for Church Music, all in Port Harcourt.

He had travelled all the way from the Garden City, along with four other ministers, for the event. He was sighted dancing at the thanksgiving ceremony, and told Sunday Mirror how he felt. “I feel quite happy, very glad that we went through this and came out successful. It was challenging but not difficult. This was because God was in control. One of the challenges is that of time, because as a minister, we have to do a lot of things, and when one is out of the station you simply leave the rest of the things in the hands of God.” On whether he had financial constraints, he said yes, but quickly

Rev Ofoelue in a handshake with His Eminence, Dr Sunday Madinke

added that God is in control of that area “We don’t usually see finances as serious constraints because God provides”. He also added that he spent two years in the programme.”

Other ministers that came with him include Rev Joshua Robert, of Methodist Church, Rumuolumeni, Very Rev Godwin Esio, Wesley Circuit, Very Rev Christian Diidi, Presbyter of Rumukalagbo Circuit-D Line diocese, all in Port Harcourt. One of the ladies, a deaconess, had come all the way from Methodist Church, Etesi, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State Deaconess Dum Samuel. She stated that although she is a nursing mother, not even that condition will deny her the joy of receiving her certificate “It has been hectic, working as a deaconess, nursing mother and at the same time studying on this programme. As you can see, it was worth it. I feel happy working for the Lord,” she said.

Speaking to Sunday Mirror, Dr (Mrs.)

Carol Jackson, wife of Reverend Richard Jackson, international coordinator of the programme, said “they have done very well, and my husband is in the process of evaluating, assessing what difference the course makes to them. We came here not exactly as missionaries, but for this course. My husband comes twice in a year, and I come occasionally with him.

But we don’t live here. Years ago, we were in Sierra Leone- for 10 years. That was different. But now, it is just coming here to do the course, twice a year, stay up to three weeks and then go home. He does the rest of the administration by phone”.

Other men of God who graced the event include Rt. Rev. (Dr) Sunday Onuoha, Rev (Dr) Christ Blake, Carlo and Richard Jackson, Very Rev. P.O. Olukunga, Very Rev I.K. Tasi and Very Rev. J. Adeogun.

Others include Sir Peter Worrell, Rev Kehinde Olabimtan, Michael Thomson, Rev and Mrs. Gilbert Hall.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday August 19, 2012

Praise & Worship

31

Your foundations can limit your life, says Pastor Olukoya Dr D. K. Olukoya, General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), further teaches on effects of faulty foundations and prescribes prayer solutions for victims.

Excerpts presented by Tai Anyanwu

Pastor Olukoya

O

ur young people are being driven into modern slave trade: Many of our young men are grinding in many prisons and ghettos of the world. In the olden days, when white men came to Africa to capture slaves, our people did not want to go. It was serious fight and they packed them by force and took them away. They were forced to go that time but now the enemy has repackaged slave trade and called the name “Embassy”.

That place our forefathers did not want to go; now people are queuing up at the embassies by 4 a.m. to go into modernday slave trade. Many people in their desperate bid to travel abroad have been destroyed because of the iniquity of their father’s houses.

• Our children have become slaves in their fathers’ houses: They have been sold by domestic witchcraft and as a result, they are roaming the streets and pursuing a good future.

• Our elders are no longer in place of honour to give right judgment: There is

no more integrity and honesty in the land.

The elderly ones who are supposed to impact honesty and integrity to the young ones are the ones committing the atrocities. This is very sad.

• Joy has disappeared: Sweetness of life has gone and tears are constantly in the eyes.

• Dancing has been turned into mourning: Where joy is expected, sorrow is what turns up.

• The crown has fallen from the head, and honour and glory has been taken away—Lamentation 5:16.

• There is plenty of confusion and faint heartedness.

• Our eyes can no longer see afar: We no longer have foresight. Nobody is planning for the future generation. Now, we have visionless leaders, elders, families, women, men, husbands, parents and young people. Our eyes are dim because our fathers have sinned.

To be great in life, there are battles you

must fight. To be what God wants you to be, there are huddles to cross. The bitter truth is this: it does not matter what any Bible teacher is telling you, your root or foundation can limit your life, it can dictate your height.

Many are ending their reign badly; many are becoming perpetual losers, many are repeating the pattern of their fathers and mothers’ houses. Your mother had five husbands before she died and now, you as a young girl have already seven boyfriends; you are just repeating the history again. You can’t even count how many times you have aborted pregnancies; you are jut repeating errors of your mother! If you don’t cut it off at your end, it will spread over to your children.

There are battles to fight. Many people have become spiritual wanderers—one Baba (old man) or mama is praying for them somewhere and they are wandering from one mountain to another whereas what God is asking from them is to get serious. If you want to be hot, be hot, if you want to be cold, be cold. God said, “I don’t want any lukewarm person.” If people are calling you a fanatic, let it be but be on fire for God. Stay full in it because when they run into trouble, they will come to you.

Many are singing the songs of the oppressed while many are singing the songs of the afflicted. Many marriages are breaking up, married men and women are having extramarital affairs. Sometimes such people come to church and they think we don’t know what is happening; but we are believing God that as goats that they are, one day, God will break their horns and they will become lambs.

We are praying for them but if they don’t repent on time and the trumpet sounds while they are still in their goatish state, they will end up in hell fire and they will not blame anybody because they have been told the truth.

Consequences of a faulty foundation Many stars have refused to shine because of the root battles. Many people are experiencing ceaseless suffering and many are being battered by incurable wounds. There are also many who are sinking in the storms of life. You must know that no tree can stand taller or bigger than the nature of its root. Therefore, rising above your root is a prophetic war; it is a war that requires revelation, knowledge, power and aggression.

When you have a faulty foundation, there will be problems. Faulty foundations are problem generators. They cause all sorts of sorrows and troubles. When the faulty foundations begin to manifest, sudden or gradual disappearances of wealth will happen, there will be strange dreams and compulsive behaviours that are bad.

A woman came for counselling and said that since she got married, she always felt like sleeping with any man she saw on the street but before she got married, it was not so. There is a battle to fight. Many are doing badly in that warfront.

Many are being defeated day and night, many are becoming casualties in this troublesome root battle; they start good things and don’t finish them. They hear strange voices; they have excessive and embarrassing anger that put them in

trouble. They have this painful repetition of evil occurrences. They battle and battle to obtain anything useful in life. No matter what message you preach on holiness, heir progress has been arrested. It is a serious matter indeed.

Unless we take some actions, many people will go from the cradle to the grave in sorrow. Many will die without possessing their possessions and many will suffer loss and shame. Words of men will be controlling your destiny if you don’t take action; and all these generational bondages will be tormenting and harassing your life. We have work to do.

Now pray these prayers with aggression: (Please box the prayer points) • Confess your sins and the sins of your ancestors, especially those linked to idol worship and evil powers.

• Decree this one like this; dark areas in my root that are pulling me backward catch fire, in the name of Jesus.

• Evil termites eating me away from my root die, in the name of Jesus • Evil insects that are feeding fat on my root, I shake you off, in the name of Jesus.

• Witchcraft fetters used to bind my roots, break, in the name of Jesus.

• You my root come out of evil soil and be planted on good soil, in the name of Jesus.

• Every ancestral watcher assigned to watch my root, die in the name of Jesus.

• Ancestral limitations on my root, break in the name of Jesus.

• Every evil branch growing out of my root, I cut you in the name of Jesus.

• Any sick part or areas that are dead in my root, receive life in the name of Jesus.

• Every curse or bewitchment that is growing with my root, scatter in the name of Jesus.

• Any evil earthworm eating the nutrient in my root, die in the name of Jesus.

• You termites draining the water in my root, die in the name of Jesus.

• Ancestral sickness and infirmity growing in my root, dry up in the name of Jesus.

• Ancestral weakness and failure growing in my root die in the name of Jesus.

• Ancestral bewitchment growing in my root, break in the name of Jesus.

• Ancestral verdict of sudden death in my root scatter in the name of Jesus.

• Ancestral verdict of non-achievement in my root, be uprooted in the name of Jesus.

• I shake out of my root evil pollutions in the name of Jesus.

• I release myself from evil domination and control in the name of Jesus.

• I break myself from every inherited evil covenant in the name of Jesus.

• Let the blood of Jesus cleanse my root in the name of Jesus.

• Let the dew of heaven rest upon my root in the name of Jesus.

• Divine water, water my root in the name of Jesus.

• You the leaves and fruits of my root blossom by fire in the name of Jesus.

Praise & Worship

32

Sunday August 19, 2012

Many rely on ‘paper independence’

Text Only: 08037188392

Divine Message with Special Apostle James

Akinadewo E-mail: molailatugrow@hotmail.com

H

alleluyah. What a great feeling in His presence. Remarkably wonderful to have you around to read this piece, for there is a message to jerk you into the realization of bringing into fruition your divine assignments and also maximizing divine investments wired inside you.

Feedbacks and prayer requests are soul lifting and encouraging. To those already celebrated, your joy will know no bounds and for the highly expectant, your testimonies shall be astounding. To God be the glory.

While at the upper room, Heaven opened up in the course of my spiritual voyage that millions are not tapping into their spiritual endowments to better their world and Heaven is alarmed at this – God sent them, gave the message but the messenger is not delivering accordingly. This informed our charge to-

YOUR TALENTS ARE SUPERSONIC, SUPERCHARGED AND A

SPEEDY DIVINE BOMB,

IF PROPERLY DETONATED, WILL ALTER THE COURSE OF HISTORY POSITIVELY IN THIS AGE

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

day – Paper Independence.

His voice If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.

(James 1 verse 5) The scripture cannot be broken for His word is alive forever.

The Lord spoke in that divine encounter that His creatures are not looking inward, their originality, in-built mechanism, endowments, unction, spiritualism, divine aura, innate giftings given to them from the divine throne in Heaven to stand out, surpass and break from the norm in their world but are gazed at physical things on the surface which are secondary and only an addendum to the divine endowments wired inside them.

As the message charged at me and the voice shot back to high Heavens, my research revealed the mind of God that millions in the world only rely on paper independence for their survival without insights and foresight on their purpose on earth as decreed and demanded by Heaven.

wisdom is this?

• Upbraideth Not – Heaven gave it for you to blossom and discover the real you.

Despite our unfaithfulness, God is faithful and just to see His products becoming industrious and productive for God will not waste His raw materials to create a failure.

Paper independence It simply means focusing on earthly and educational qualifications to the detriment of your divine attributes, talents and endowments which is your ministry to the world.

Be reminded that your talent is your ministry. Education is meant to aid your divine skills, not to kill your talents. Paper qualification is nothing if it is not helping your divine agenda.

If your talent is in tailoring, businessworld, music, teaching, Pastoring, engineering, writing, artisanship, humanitarian service, entertainment, sports, administrative or leadership, earthly education should help you to do it better than others with proper branding not altogether jettisoning your talents by seeking jobs with your paper qualification.

Examining the quoted Bible verse revealed hidden things viz –

Internal rampage

•Ask of God Divine Wisdom – You need divine unction higher than earthly calculations to make great and astounding impact in your world.

•That Giveth to All Men Liberally – During creation, God wired mind blowing, life transforming and problem terminating potentials inside you to make history by positively impacting your world. You are an history maker, positive trouble maker, change agent destined to make great impact that when you speak, the world must marvel and ask – What

Many countries are on ‘internal rampage’ today without looking inward for their God-given talents, as they still seek grants from their colonial masters, years after they got their independence.

That independence is simply a paper one. They are independent on paper with their sovereignity but in real terms, they are still under the ‘task masters’ who still dictate the direction of their economy owing to lack of foresight of their leaders to develop their human and mineral resources. It is so pathetic in some coun-

tries and it is surely a deliverance case.

The real you Come down from your fantasyland. Overreliance on those promising you office jobs will not help your destiny. Come off it, look inward and discover the real you.

Your talents are supersonic, supercharged and a speedy divine bomb, if properly detonated, will alter the course of history positively in this age.

Discover the blossoming and real you.

Stop seeking for jobs that never came from those offices, if you bring out your talent and sharpen it properly, many of them will be delighted to associate with you in no distant future.

Education should help you and not retard you. Which organization would have paid the salary of Michael Jackson with his fame? He simply discovered himself, backed by education and the world marveled at his feat – He was so rich that professors were on his payroll for he was an enigma.

Education should make you to do it better, not killing your talent. Bose Ayeni of Tantalizers Foods will tell you that talent and education jell. Bill Gates used education to power his talents and his name shook the world. Steve Jobs turned Apple into a global brand with Ipad computer toys with his talents making Presidents to be at his beck and call; and Les Paul believed music without instruments is not complete hence the introduction of guitar into music and was honoured the world over.

Be holy. Look inward and be delivered from paper independence. Jesus loves you. God bless Nigeria. It is well.

•For further enquires, 08037188392 or contact Motailatugrow@hotmail.com.

Manifestation of mercy Moment of Blessing with Pastor Taiye

Olayemi Email: taiye_olayemi@yahoo.co.uk Phone: 08037229730

O

ne attribute of God that can work out your manifestation is the mercy of God (Rom. 9:15). When the mercy of God shows up in your life, impediments to the manifestation of your glory are removed. God can by the power of His mercy by-pass every of His principles to work out His will and purpose in your life.

There were other perhaps shorter routes to Judea, but because it was expedient for Jesus to meet the Samaritan woman, He had to go through Samaria.

Through this meeting, the men of the city accepted the gospel (John 4:1-4). God releases His mercy for diverse purposes; not only on the context of sin. Mercy can be released by God for the purpose of bringing out sons of God whose lives have been overtaken by misery by reason of certain decisions and choices they have made in life. On the context of sin, mercy is released when the just withholds his authority to execute punishment over an

offender. That is, holding back the punishment that the offender deserved.

One man that was privileged to greatly enjoy the mercy of God is David. This is why the Bible talks about the sure mercies of David (Acts 13:34). There are certain inexplicable happenings of God that you must not probe into; else you will limit God by your thoughts. In other words, no man can investigate or search out the actual cause for the actions of God over certain matters. The mercy of God opens you to receive what you do not deserve.

By reason of tradition, family ranking or status, David was not qualified to be a king. But he was favoured of God to be anointed king over Israel; even in the midst of his household (1Sam. 16:10-13).

David enjoyed unusual preservation.

Several attempts were made at taking his life, but all failed because the mercy of God shielded him. No wonder he wrote in Psalms 23:4; 27:2-3 and 91:7, 14. David enjoyed the anointing of God for battles.

As a man of war, despite the number of wars he fought, he had victories and was also never a casualty of war at any time (1Chro. 28:2-3).

No man engages Satan in a battle with a life of sin and gets away, or takes up the office of a priest when he is not anointed

WHEN THE MERCY OF GOD SHOWS UP IN YOUR LIFE, IMPEDIMENTS TO THE MANIFESTATION OF YOUR

GLORY ARE REMOVED.

THE MERCY OF GOD OPENS YOU TO RECEIVE WHAT YOU DO NOT DESERVE

for it and escapes the wrath of God. Despite all the unlawful acts of David, including transgressing the priestly order, he yet went to war without any act of repentance and could still have victory because the Lord favoured him with His mercy (1Sam. 30:6-8, 2Sam. 6:14, Matt. 12:3-4, 2Chro. 26:1619). This teaching is not to encourage us to live a life that is against the principles of God. God is a merciful God, but there are issues we cannot joke with even at the appearance of grace, which is our present dispensation. Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold their own land, but because they were not sincere to the Church in

their transaction, they died, not by number but immediately (Acts 5:1-10). You don’t take the mercy of God for granted.

God shows us mercy to give us a second chance. When you read about people like David and want to act like them, you will just waste away. David did some things and got away, that does not mean we should do the same. There are people who are in covenant with God; God can overlook their acts because of His covenant with them. However, this is not a case for argument. God is a sovereign God, He does what He pleases.

Prayer: 1) Father, visit me with your mercy in Jesus’ name.

2) Father, by your mercy, silence my adversaries in Jesus’ name.

3) Father, in the greatness of your mercy, help me to conquer my self in Jesus’ name.

4) By your mercy, I surmount every mountain standing be fore my manifestation in Jesus’ name.

•For prayers and counselling, call 08037229730 or send email to taiye_olayemi@yahoo.co.uk

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Praise & Worship 33

Sunday August 19, 2012

Walking in perilous times

Shepherd Life with Bishop Kingsley

I

Enakirerhi

n 2 Timothy 3:1-5, the scripture gives us an insight into what will happen in these last days. In Verse 1 in particular, it states “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come”. The Bible describes these times as perilous.

Perilous times can be described as difficult times, hard times, dangerous or fearful times or times when it will be difficult to practise Christianity. All around us, we see the evidence of these times.

There is no doubt that we are indeed in perilous times.

It is important that we look at some of the characteristics of these times.

In verse 2 to 4 of our text, the Bible says, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” From the above scripture, one of the characteristics of these perilous times is that men will behave like animals. Today, we see an increase in violent crimes and

behaviours. Suicide bombings and senseless killings of fellow human beings is on the rise. The incidence of militancy and kidnapping is on the increase. We read of rape always in the newspapers. What about killing for ritual purposes? Recently, a young boy tied his girlfriend and set her ablaze together with the girl’s father’s house. What inhuman behaviour!

A man recently cut in pieces his stepchild. Another woman admitted stabbing her own child.

A look at the foreign scene will reveal acts of wickedness. All the acts of genocide and senseless ethnic killings are demonstration of animalistic behaviour.

May God help us!

Another characteristic of these times is that men will be greedy and very covetous. Recently, some public officers were investigated for stealing billions of naira belonging to the pension fund.

This is money that he cannot even spend in his lifetime. Many want to own choice properties all over the world in places that they may never even visit till they die. Politicians are seriously looting the nation’s treasury to enrich themselves while the citizenry is wallowing in abject poverty.

The incidence of fraud or ‘419’ is on the increase also. Because of the desire to be rich, caution is thrown into the wind and gullible people fall prey to fraudsters who deprive them of their hard earned money. All these are manifestations of these perilous times.

Because of this animalistic behaviour of men, insecurity is on the rise. People are living in great fear. Today, almost all the rich men are moving with pick-up van-load of mobile policemen simply because of fear. The wall of our fence is so high that the beauty of the building is hidden. We are prisoners in our own homes. What a terrible state of affairs.

No wonder in Luke 21:25-26 the Bible states, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon and in the stars, and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men hearts failing them for fear…”.

Another characteristic of these times is that many Christians will become lukewarm and even backslide from the faith. In some places, church halls and buildings are being sold and changed to warehouses. The level of commitment of believers today is gradually declining.

No wonder, Jesus asked if He would find faith on the earth when He returns.

In times like this, there is the need for believers to be cautious. Because death can occur at any time, every believer must be sure of his or her relationship with Christ. If you are not sure of your salvation, then you are in trouble should death catches you unawares. You must be prepared to meet the Lord at any time. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, the Bible states, “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

We must also walk in wisdom. In Ecclesiastes 7:12, we are told “For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the Excellency of knowledge is that wisdom giveth life to them that have it”. We need wisdom to live with our fellow men. We need wisdom to do business with others so that we will not be taken in by their lies. We need wisdom to run this Christian race. Let us ask God for wisdom.

In times like this, we must also watch and pray. To watch means to be vigilant.

We must be on the alert and observe the happenings around us. Then we must pray. We cannot do without prayer. That is why 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says we should pray without ceasing. When we pray, we tap into the inexhaustible power of God for help.

We must also preach the gospel and warn the wicked to change their ways.

When evil men repent, the society will have reprieve. When Paul was converted, the Bible records in Acts Chapter 9 that the church had rest.

We must also have faith in God; for without faith in God, we cannot overcome in these evil days. The trials will be so strong that only faith in God will make us victorious (1 John 5:4).

In the face of insecurity in the nation, especially when believers are now the target of evil-minded people, we must be prepared to equip ourselves legally in order to defend ourselves. Be bold and be courageous for God is on our side and victory is sure.

Is suspicion killing your relationship?

Christian Relationship with Taiwo

Odubiyi

E-mail: info@pastortaiwoodubiyi.org.uk

D

oes your partner suspect your every move and keep accusing you of being unfaithful without proof ? You have probably talked to him or her, assured and even argued that the suspicion is baseless but there hasn’t been any change. The person believes you are having an affair, sleeping around with one of your colleagues, a neighbour or friend when there is no such thing? If that is so, then you need to get help, go for counselling.

Or are you the doubting person, and you are suspicious of your partner? Well, the truth of the matter is that suspicion is not a good spirit and it can kill your relationship. If you find it difficult to trust your partner, you should talk to someone for counselling before things get out of hand.

In ‘My First Love’, one of my novels, Tofe, a 24-year-old female graduate told Lisa, “I don’t know how to handle Jude anymore.” As she talked, her lower lip trembled a little and tears gathered in her eyes. She went on. “He is very jealous. He doesn’t want me to talk to any male. If I greet or look at a man, he gets very angry.

If he catches me talking or smiling with a man, I’m in trouble but when he has calmed down, he will apologise. I initially thought it must be that he loves me deeply but now I’m getting concerned.” Her voice was shaking.

“Did he slap you again?” Lisa asked.

Tofe nodded and tears began to run down her face. “He s-slapped me … and pushed me.”

“How many times has he hit you?” Lisa asked.

“He hits me whenever he’s very angry, and he calls me names,” Tofe answered.

She added, “I don’t talk to men again because of him. To get a job has been a challenge because he will ask if I met any man. I’ve had to lie to him a number of times even though I know it is wrong to lie as a Christian but telling him the truth will get me into trouble with him. I try to avoid things that could get him angry. I try to please him; I keep quiet for the sake of peace. I’m changing myself, giving up some things that make me ‘me’ but it’s like I’m not doing enough.”

Jealousy and a bad experience usually lead to a suspicious mind which in turn leads to troubles. A suspicious mind jumps to conclusions about matters and is filled with negative thoughts, words and doubts. The person also does things that are not right such as eavesdropping and checking the phones for messages. With time, the person becomes very difficult and controlling which eventually will get the partner upset and angry as well.

Not only can suspicion lead to the death of a relationship, it can lead to the death of a person if it is not handled properly and on time. Almost every week, there are reports in newspapers and on TV about people who were killed by enraged lovers or spouses. Suspicion walks and works hand in hand with rage and makes

the person upset and furious. The person imagines all kinds of things going on between the partner and other people in the worst way possible, which will make him or her want to put an end to whatever he or she feels is going on behind his or her back, one way or the other, and most of the time, the ways are wrong and destructive.

The Bible has a lot to say about jealousy and why it should be avoided.

Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple. (Job 5:2) For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.

(Proverbs 6:34) Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? (Proverbs 27:4) For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. (James 3:16) There is always a better way to handle issues. Every relationship needs love, respect and trust to survive and thrive.

Lack of trust breeds strife and weakens a relationship. Where there is no trust, and a person begins to suspect the partner’s moves, the relationship will begin to struggle and may eventually die.

If there are reasons to doubt a partner or suspect an affair, what should be done is to call the partner for a conversation, confront him or her with the evidences, point out what has been seen or noticed and sort things out with an open mind. Communication is important to having a healthy relationship. The person should be calm when having this talk so that they can get to the root of the matter, get things settled

and make the right decision. The choice of words and timing are important as well.

If, indeed, your partner has been cheating on you, then the choice is yours. For a happy and healthy relationship, there must be commitment. If a person loves you, the person will not cheat on you.

What is commitment?

12 relationship tips on commitment • Commitment is focusing on the one you have chosen to be with, and ignoring others.

• Love works and the works can be seen by everyone.

• Commitment gets involved, it doesn’t stay on the fence neither is it nonchalant.

• Love is active, not passive.

• Commitment does not disappoint, it does not pull away but stays through thick and thin.

• When you are committed, you don’t complain. You discuss and think of solutions or ways to make things get better.

• Don’t throw your relationship away, go for marriage counselling.

• Commitment in marriage means to give your energy and resources to the one you are married to.

• Don’t waste your time on a person who is not willing to waste his or her time on you.

• Commitment means devotion or dedication, to be there always.

• Always remember that you have a choice.

• Commitment is being loyal and trustworthy with a sense of fidelity.

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Praise & Worship

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday August 19, 2012

Broken, not destroyed! Down but not out! (II) Footprints with Dr. Tunde

Ojewole Email: ojewolea@babcockuni.edu.ng Phone: 08058299434

P

aul borrowed from Olympic language again in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9: “we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Three of these pairs belong to the customs of wrestling; the fourth, to that of running in the race.

Aristotle is quoted as saying, “He that can gripe his adversary, and take him up, is a good wrestler.” To be “pressed down” gives the picture of one who can neither get out of his antagonist’s hands, nor make any resistance against him.

Sometimes we are puzzled and perplexed by life. Sometimes we are bewildered and unsure. We are not driven to despair because life does not depend on our knowledge of the big picture. When we are at our wit’s end, God is just getting started.

Often He does His best work when we have given up completely. Last week, we were encouraged from this text that “pressure will not defeat us” and “confusion will not discourage us!” Let us continue: Opposition will not deter us We are “persecuted, but not abandoned” – verse 9a. No matter how pressed we are in life, we are not suffocated, not wholly discouraged, disheartened, and overcome. The Greek word translated “persecuted” means “to pursue” as in a race where the one who is in front is being pursued by others, get up close after him, endeavouring to outstrip him, but cannot succeed. One may also think of a hunter pursuing his game. One may be followed wherever he goes without seeing his enemies. He knows they are out there and after him, but he tries to ask himself

Holy Inquiry with Pastor Paul

Nkirukah E-mail: pstpaul11@yahoo.com

Dear Pastor, How will one pray for God to answer his prayers? Please help me; I have been praying, but it’s like the more I pray, the more things become hard.

Kanayor, Ogun State.

Dear reader, Prayer depends on what you are praying about, but you must know that God does not answer unrighteous prayer. But he answers righteous prayers, and you have to also know that because God has not answered you today does not mean He will not answer you again. Let us observe some scriptures below.

First, Hebrews 11 verse 6 states, “But without faith, it is impossible to please him [God], for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

when they will strike next and with what or how. Opposition is most painful when it comes from those who are close to you, with whom you have either shared in confidence or who know the challenge(s) around you.

Paul’s opponents followed him maliciously trying to hunt him down! They stayed on his trail, attacking his character, maligning his preaching, mocking his message, and stirring up opposition inside and outside the church. In case your story is similar to Paul’s and mine, then find solace in Bob Jones Senior’s statement: “the door of opportunity swings on the hinge of opposition.” That is, opposition equals to opportunity. Just maintain your calm because the wind will blow you to where the Lord has listed at the appropriate time.

A Swahili proverb goes thus: “smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.”

In 1 Corinthians 16:9, Paul describes his situation thus: “a wide door for effective work has opened to me and there are many adversaries” (ESV). If you ever set out to do anything good in life, someone is bound to oppose you. And if you decide to devote yourself to the cause of Christ, you can expect that some people close to you will not appreciate your decision. When Frederick Buechner was a youngman, he attended a posh dinner party on Long Island, New York, where his hostess said to him; “I understand that you are planning to enter the ministry. Is this your own idea or were you poorly advised?” I faced similar

criticism some twenty-five years ago when I followed God’s leading into full-time ministry after I had completed five-year training to graduate with BSc. in Estate Management at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). No doubt, many people feel the same way. The adversities are for your advancements! God has not deserted or left you to stand alone. You are never abandoned to your fate. See, God is beside you!

Hard hits will not destroy us

We are “struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:9b). The J. B. Phillips version renders this pointedly: “we may be knocked down, but we are never knocked out!” If you live long enough, you would be hit by a “sudden punch” sooner or later.

The term “struck down” suggests the sudden emergency, the unforeseen incident, the late night phone calls, the crisis that seems to come out of nowhere, the catastrophe that overwhelms us, the earthquake of trouble that rocks our world.

Most of us feel like we can handle “moderate challenges.” Can we handle a tantrum throwing boss, a terminally sick child or a cranky or overbearing neighbour? What do we do when the rain turns to a thunderstorm and the thunderstorm becomes a flood?

As Mike Tyson famously remarked, “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” If you live long enough, you would be punched in the mouth more than once. Sometimes, you

Answer these questions and win a prize 1.

2.

3.

Josiah, the boy king, was … years old when he began to reign in Israel? Locate the passage.

Who is the main writer of the book of Proverbs? Supply the scriptures.

“How shall we escape if we neglect so great a …” Fill the space and supply the scripture.

•Please, be informed that the first correct entry via text message wins the prize.

See next week’s column for answers to the quiz. Send your answers with your names to 08054238905. Gifts: courtesy Babcock University.

will see the blow coming. More often it seems to come out of nowhere. I can testify that what happens to others outside the fold happens to us too. It is a big mistake to think that God promises to shield His children from the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” We are also sick with our children, get retrenched; and the global economic meltdown takes away our savings and investments, turning our millions of hard-earned resources into a handful thousands. Have you not heard that Christian marriages also end up in divorce courts?

Tim Keller says we need a theology of suffering if we are going to reach this generation. If Christians are truly the light of the world, when is the light most likely to be seen? Is it in the bright sun of midday or in the darkness of the night?

The answer is obvious. We are truly the light of the world 24 hours of each day, but our testimony given in the midst of hardship and sorrow will resonate more loudly because it comes at midnight. Anyone can sing when the sun is shining, but if you can sing at midnight, the world will hear you in a different way.

Please do not lose your song in the night! Never forget in the dark, what God taught you in the light! The God of the mountain is still God in the valley! That is life! That is reality! That is the truth for every follower of Jesus Christ. God has not forgotten you. You shall come out of this shining brighter!

Tunde Ojewole, Ph.D., is the University Pastor and Associate Vice-President for Spiritual Life, Babcock University.

For enquiries: ojewolea@babcock.edu.ng; 08058299434/08060376577

Answers to August 12, 2012 Quiz 1.

2.

3.

Eight-Ishmael, Isaac, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.

175 years- Gen 25:7 Isaac and Ishmael; cave of Machpelah- G en 25:9-10

How can my prayers be answered?

Since it takes faith to please God, you must endeavour to exercise your faith, first of all, in order to please Him. Of cause, you know that you have to please somebody before you can ask the person for any help.

Secondly, Mark 11, verses 12 to 13 and verses 19 to 26 are helpful. In verse 22, Jesus said, “Have faith in God.” In verse 23, he also said, “Verily I say unto you , that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, without any doubt in your heart, and shall believe that those things he says shall come to pass , he shall have whatsoever he says.” Verse 24: Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them. But verses 25 and 26 warn that if you have anything against anybody, forgive, because, if you do not forgive them, neither will your heavenly father forgive you; which means, if you did not forgive, you will not be forgiven, and your prayer will remain unanswered.

In Matthew 7, verse 9, the Bible warns further, that you ask specifically or exactly what you need: that is the meaning of ‘no man can ask the father for bread and the father will give him stone.’

The Bible said that you ask and do not receive because you ask amiss. See James 4:3 Philippians 4 verse 6 states, “Be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. The above scripture has three different meanings; it says you have to pray, secondly, supplicate and thirdly, do thanksgiving. But thanksgiving here is of two major kinds; one, you have to praise God with your voice-that is ‘voice thanksgiving.’ See Jonah 2: 9. The other one is seed sowing.

What you have to do for your prayers to be answered z z z z z z z z z

Have faith in God Pray always Forgive people for you to be forgiven Fast Praise God at all times and in every situation Sow sacrifical seeds Pay your tithes correctly Pay your vow Be a giver

See Philippians 4: 18 - 19 Nevertheless, in Matthew 17, verse 21, the Bible says that some certain prayers or situations need more than prayer, but you have to add fasting. Which means fasting is not every-day programme. It is unlike prayer but can be done when the need arises.

Above all is faith. Let’s see Ephesians 6 verse 16: Above all, take the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

So you need to have faith; not only that, you also need to exercise your faith. Below are the lists of what you have to do for your prayers to be answered according to all the scriptures above.

Have faith in God, pray, forgive people for you to be forgiven, fast, praise God at all times and in every situation, sow your seed-I mean sacrificial seeds-pay your tithes correctly, and pay your vow or vows if you have made any. In fact, you have to be a giver generally, because ‘Favour is never free.’

But in all, faith is the ultimate; for faith without works is dead. Read James 2 verse 17. Because it takes faith to do the above lists, in fact, the Bible states that whatsoever you do without faith is a sin. See Romans 14 : 23.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

did not bargain for was that the seemingly harmless beads that Jackie was wearing on her waist had a deadly attachment to it. Jackie is in trouble and she doesn’t even know it.

talents unveil as NGT ns hold in Niger Delta

ta as the Nigecities of Port ugust 9, 11 and s for Season 1 w. d by telecomtinued to defy erians, young ion venues to 0 million star

court; the BB n Benin City ch the judges alent hopefuls

hat graced the indeed in the gu, and Calahe Got Talent cond African

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Last Flight to Abuja premiere scores high

movie

e Henshaw family, which ates back to the previous cenry.

Emeka decides that UNICAL where he is going on his exhange programme. What he

Movies & Music

Sunday, August 19, 2012

country to get it,) made great sense.

There were Guinness World Record chasers, physically challenged persons, dancers, acrobats, singers, ball jugglers, magicians, and many other incredible talents in each of the cities where the auditions held.

The age range swung as wide as from 11 to 65 years. All these make Nigeria’s Got Talent the most diverse and audacious reality TV show in the country.

The event which started airing on terrestrial and cable TV in July will continue till December this year.

The Got Talent franchise worldwide, which is in its sixth year, has produced many notable performers in the last couple of years, including Diversity, Bianca Ryan and Britain’s Got Talent’s 2009 1st runner up Susan Boyle, whose debut album became the fastest selling UK debut album of all time, selling over 3 million copies in the US.

In what may be described as a carnival, heavily publicised movie, ‘Last Flight to Abuja’ finally premiered a few days ago in Lagos amid pomp.

The movie premiere, which was sponsored by Diamond Bank and held at the Genesis Deluxe Cinemas, Lekki, was nothing short of international class as the cast of the movie, other celebrities and representatives of the corporate sponsors made a fine showing at the premiere.

Strutting the red carpet were celebrities like Omotola Jalade Ekeinde who stunned guests in a dazzling brown gown that reminds one of the reason why she is called sexy. Kunle Afolayan, the director of high-grossing movie, ‘Figurine’ also graced the red carpet in his simple jacket.

9ice Abolore, who kept it smart and simple in a denim and shirt, was his usual humble self as he hit the premiere venue. Also spotted at the event were comedian cum musician, Julius Agwu; AY Makun; Skillz of the JJC fame, Jeffrey Daniels and Oge Okoye.

Others were Halima Abubakar; Chinezie Anyanene; Omoni Oboli; Mahmoud Ali Balogun; Teco Benson; Celine Loader and Uru Eke. However, the premiere of ‘Last Flight to Abuja’ was not an all-celebrity-alone affair as the corporate world was also duly represented by members of staff of Diamond Bank who were led to the event by no other person than the Managing Director, Dr. Alex Otti; the CEO of UBA, Mr. Phillips Oduoza; Mr. Ernest Ndukwe; members of staff of Nigerian hardware company, Zinox Computers, and the Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Adetokunbo Abiru. The academic community was also duly repre-

Omotola

Celine

sented in the person of the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Ibidapo-Obe. An elated Obi Emelonye, who was followed by CNN to the premiere as part of the international broadcaster’s piece on the Nigerian film icon, had this to say: “I thank God for how this premiere has turned out. You do all the planning, promotions and logistics... and then hope that people will respond. For the first time, a Nollywood film premiere has sold out all six screens at Genesis Deluxe Cinema and from the reaction afterwards, they were impressed by what we are trying to do. This is a vindication of all the extra pains we took to make a film like this in Nigeria.”

‘Last Flight to Abuja’ reveals extensively the daring mid-air difficulties that stare most Nigerian commercial planes in the face. It tells the story of a set of everyday Nigerian travellers’ aboard the last ‘Flamingo Airways’ flight scheduled to fly from Lagos to Abuja on a fateful Friday night in 2006.

The plane cruises at 30,000 feet, tranquil and on schedule. But like a bolt out of the blue, through a mixture of human error, technical failure and bad luck, the plane rapidly develops major faults that send it teetering on the brink of disaster.

As the pilots fight with the controls of the stricken plane, a series of flashbacks unravel the twists, turns and leaps of fate that put each passenger on the fateful flight.

Young lovers, an elderly couple, a corporate party, a sportsman on the threshold of greatness, all the passengers are caught up in the nightmare scenario and sense the final moments of their lives approach - all but one.

Emelonye

Julius Agwu takes Crack Ya Ribs to New York, Glasgow

Agwu

Stand-up comedian, Julius Agwu will be performing live alongside other Nigerian ace comedians in New York, Glasgow and London as he takes the most popular comedy brand from his stable to these three cities. The concert will feature grand performances from both Nigerian and Ghanaian artistes.

The ‘Crack Ya Ribs’ brand from the stable of ReelLaif Entertainment headed by Julius Agwu, producers of ‘Laff for Christ’s sake’ and ‘Comedy Train’ started in 1994

and has gained lots of popularity in Nigeria and London for over a decade.

The comedian and his team who have been hosting the ‘Crack Ya Ribs’ Comedy Show annually in London have decided to take the show to other cities. And for the first time, the show will hold in New York and Glasgow.

The London show will hold on August 26 at the Light House Hall, 262-274 Camberwell Road, SE5 ODL, which happens to be the same venue where ‘Laff for Christ’s Sake’ show held in April this year.

Artistes and comedians billed to perform at the London show include MI, D’Prince, Seyi Law, Dj Abass, FunnyBone, Senator, MC Shakara and Funny Face from Ghana. Top Ghanaian acts like VIP, Guru and Khaki will also be performing at the event.

In a similar vein, the New York and Glasgow shows will hold on 1 September, 2012 at the Simphony Space Theater,2537 Broadway, NY 10025 and 24 August,2012 at O2 ABC 2 Glasgow respectively.

Speaking concerning this year’s event, Julius said “this year will mark 12 years of ‘Crack Ya Ribs’ and we needed to repackage it to inject some fresh ideas to keep the brand going. We are now trying to make it bigger by turning it to a Pan-African event.”

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

&

Weddings Engagements CELEBRATING THE JOY IN MARITAL BLISS AUGUST 19, 2012

Ace comedian, Teju Babyface, set to wed Tobi Banjoko ANGELA DAVIES

T

op comedian and MC, Teju Oyelakin, popularly known as Teju Babyface, and his model fiancée, Tobi Banjoko, are in high spirit right now as they prepare for their September 1 wedding.

The couple got engaged on February 14, 2012, St. Valentine’s Day, at the Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi. We gathered that on that fateful day, Teju called her to meet him at the hotel and as she made her way into the reserved room, she was surprised to see that Teju had decorated it with red roses. He then popped the big question, “Will you marry me?”, and of course Tobi excitedly said yes.

The lovebirds met in 2008 when Teju held an audition for ushers for his show tagged, “Comedy Meets Class”. Tobi was among the 40 ladies that attended the audition and while in that room, their eyes kept meeting. However, after he interviewed her for the ushering job, she said the money was too small and she left. They met again a month later at an event and in 2010, they tried dating but it didn’t just happen. Finally,

OLUWASEGUN IJABIKEN

B

unmi Fashanu and Bukola Moshobalaje whose wedding card read, “B weds B” walked down the aisle recently at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Ipaja Zonal Headquarters, Lagos.

Bunmi met his soulmate, Bukola, an indigene of Osun State over a decade ago, precisely in 2001. They started as friends until an unusual but obvious chemistry of love developed between them. They then decided to take their friendship from platonic to something more intimate, and today, they are married.

Pretty Bukola looked beautiful in her ball gown wedding dress, which she complemented with hair accessories. Bunmi decked a fitted black suit, white shirt, a wine bow tie paired with a cummerbund to match.

What attracted Bunmi to Bukola? “She is God-fearing, calm, submissive, gentle, possesses an enduring spirit and not materialistic. She is a typical wife every man desires to marry”, he added. Bukola however revealed that, “she is happy because she has an ideal husband in ‘Bunmi.”

The reception took place at Stevola Events Centre, Gowon Estate, Ipaja, Lagos. The hall was exotically and elegantly embellished with gold and wine drapes, with sparkling lights in between to give a fascinating effect.

they started dating in 2011 and today, their relationship is altar-bound.

What attracted Teju to Tobi?

For him, Tobi is beautiful and cool. “It is difficult to see a beautiful lady who is as cool as she is,” said the bridegroom. For Tobi is excited that she is getting married in September to her friend. According to her, “he is the right person”.

The wedding will be simple, yet classy. There will be traditional, registry and then the church wedding, Teju revealed.

The classy wedding will hold at the Chapel of Light Interdenominational, Alausa, while the reception will take place at the Muson Centre, Onikan. The traditional wedding will hold on Thursday, August 30 at 10 Degrees Event Centre, Billingsway, Oregun.

Teju is the brain behind the popular Teju Babyface show while Tobi, an undergraduate at Lagos State University, won the Lagos Carnival Beauty pageant in 2010. She also represented Ondo State at the 2011 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) beauty pageant, where she emerged as Miss Photogenic.

‘Her enduring, non-materialistic disposition attracted me’ The colorful Aso-ebi was also designed into different styles which equally also added glamour to the event.

The couple danced remarkably to the sonorous music rendered

by One Nation Band.

One does not need a soothsayer to know that they both love each other so much.

The groom advised bachelors and spinsters not to rush into any relationship, especially on the ground of facial beauty but should check out for the behaviour of their other half to know if they can cope with them, and not to forget the God-factor.

The traditional wedding also took place in the early hours of the day at Stevola Events Centre, Gowon Estate, Ipaja.

Guests had lots to drink and eat.

Bunmi and Bukola

You have a story to tell us about your wedding/engagement, or your new born baby.

Please call this line: 08051980588

BABIES OF THE WEEK

Chiagoziem Chinomnso Mbagwu was born at St. Emmanuel Hospital, Isolo, to Obinna and Ezioma Mbagwu.

He was delivered at 12:16 p.m. and weighed 3.5kg.

According to Ezioma, “during the pregnancy I craved for roasted yam and palm oil. I also desired sharwarma.”

Speaking on her physical body changes, Ezioma revealed: “I had no swollen feet, nose, or face; however, I looked much prettier except that my tummy was bigger.”

What irritated her during the pregnancy? “Nothing irritated me,” Ezioma stressed.

What does she like about Chiagoziem? “Aside from the fact that he is cute, he is very peaceful and hardly cries.”

What does she want him to become in future? “A footballer,” she said.

What is the meaning of his names?

“Chiagoziem means God has blessed me, and Chinomnso means God is near me,” Ezioma explained.

Temitope Chukwuemeka Daniel Ikolo was born at Uptown Hospital, Ijaye Ojokoro, Lagos to Daniel and Joy Ikolo. He was delivered at 10:30 p.m. and weighed 3.5kg.

What did Joy crave for during the pregnancy? “I craved for fruits like watermelon, apples and oranges. I also drank enough water,” Joy revealed.

Were there physical body changes?

Joy disclosed that it was only her face that changed aside from her bulging tummy during the pregnancy What irritated Joy during the pregnancy?

“I was not irritated by anything,” the elated mother said.

What do Temitope’s parents love about him? “He is always quiet and sleeps well,” Daniel revealed.

What do Temitope’s parents want him to become in future? “We want him to become a pilot in future. However, that is our dream for him as his parents,” Daniel explained.

What is the meaning of Temitope? “It means I will give praise to God. For everything, God deserves our praise,” the happy father added.

37

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

A Fashionista’s

World AUGUST 19, 2012

My boobs are my best assets –Okoduwa Ebanehita Okoduwa Ebanehita is one of the models making waves in Lagos. According to her, she has never modelled nude and is not likely to do so soon. She says she has not mustered the courage to go bare because she is shy. But she definitely can model any scanty fashion item - hot pants, bikinis, micro minis, among others. She tells Adaeze Amos in this interview that her breasts are assets that have fetched her compliments.

Apart from modelling and acting, what other things do you have passion for?

I love make-up a lot. When I was in school, I used to apply make-up for my friends and I did it so well. I also do presenting and my first presentation was on the Basket Mouth’s Big Friday Show. I took part in the production of 9ja Sings and for now, I’m working on 9ja Got Talent.

What are some challenges that you are confronted with in modelling?

The major challenge is that jobs don’t really come easily. You have to struggle to get it. At times when you are targeting one, and you lose it at the end, you feel bad. You feel bad after smiling to the judges whose faces are not pleasant just to impress them When you lose they would not call you to explain why you didn’t get the job. At times while scrutinising you to see if you are fit for the job, they ask questions you are not prepared to answer.

What questions are you talking about?

What I’m saying is that they may ask you to model a weave-on or the compact powder you applied as if you are advertising it for buyers. You start thinking of how to do it on the spot unprepared. After trying your best, you may be told that your best is not good enough. You go home looking gloomy. At times, when you get the job, you spend much money trying to get yourself fully ready to deliver and give them your best. The meager amount you would be paid at last may not cover the amount you spent. For instance, there was a job I had somewhere on Victoria Island. At the end of the show, the models were paid a paltry N5,000. I spent so much money for the auditioning and at the end I was just paid N5,000. I felt bad and the worst was that the show ended around midnight. It was difficult coming home from the Island to the Mainland where I live.

Have you been sexually harassed by your manager or in your modelling career?

No, I have not. I never had that kind of experience. My manager is responsible, so, there is no room for that.

Don’t some of your colleagues do that?

Yes, some of them do. They sleep with their managers just to get jobs. I have not done this before and I’m not prepared to do it, after all modelling is not do-or-die. If you fail to get a particular modelling job today, another one would come the next day. I won’t give my body for anything because I believe when it is my time to get something real big, I will get it. God’s time is the best. When you use your body to get jobs, your conscience will be condemning you, telling you, you were not fit for the job if not for your body you offered.

Can you spell your style?

I love fashion first and foremost. I love colours too. Sweet and feminine colours; that is why I have my 10 fingers painted in different shades of nail polish. I wear gowns a lot and I also wear the mix-and-match with ‘old school’ African wax that our mothers used to tie as double wrapper. I love fashion and makeovers.

What is it about fashion that puts you off in this part of the world?

The funny dresses some girls wear put me off and then the colour blocking that is in vogue now, some girls abuse it. There are cool ways of blocking colours. Another thing that puts me off about fashion in this part of the world is the way some girls wear hot pants and they walk down the streets of Lagos. I wear hot pants but that is only in my house or in a good environment. I could wear such stuff while driving because I’m in my car and nobody sees me. Another annoying thing is low-rise jeans of which they sit on motorbike and have the upper parts of their butt on display. That annoys honestly.

What is that fashion item you won’t go close to?

The rubber sandals that are in vogue now. They are so rampant that you see them on almost every girl. I prefer leather sandals.

Who are the Nigerian women you admire?

I admire Genevieve Nnaji. In fact, I started admiring her while I was quite young. Not only me; my dad admires her too. I also like Rita Dominic because of the way she dresses. I love her complexion.

What puts you off in people?

Lies, nasty behaviours, nasty attitudes. Even if you have nasty attitude or irritable temper, there are better ways to manage it. I don’t like someone that constantly frowns. Always smile; it has a way of attracting favour to you no matter what you may be passing through. When you smile, you cover stress and you are more unlikely to have early wrinkles.

Can you model nude?

I’m shy to go nude before my guy much less modelling nude before people. I don’t think I can do that. I have not done it before but when I’m alone in my room, I can comfortably go nude and stand before the mirror.

Are you more likely to enlarge your breasts?

No! I’m okay with the size of my boobs. When I was much younger, I was slimmer than I am now, but my boobs were really big. When I pull off, the first thing you would

notice about me was my boobs. My friends in school used to tell me I had firm and beautiful boobs. Honestly, I had a lot of compliments concerning my boobs, up till this moment. I had a lot of ‘I like your boobs’ compliments. Now, I have come to accept the fact that I have beautiful boobs. I love them, they are my best assets.

Could you talk on your love life?

I’m in a relationship with a Yoruba guy who is calm, loving, caring and he supports my dream always. He wants to know what is going on around me always and that makes me love him more.

What is his name?

Boo Ajewole.

Who exactly is Okoduwa Ebanehita?

Okoduwa is a model who of course is full of life. I’m fun to be with. I never had a dull moment around me. I hail from Edo State. I am the first daughter from a family of five. I hold a BSc in Statistics from Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma and a certificate in Desktop Publishing and Data Processing. I’m a model because that is what I have passion for. My first outing was a soap entitled, ‘Big Star’ which was shot in 2007 in Warri, Delta state. The one I did recently will be out in October.

38

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Connecting

Vanessa with

Vanessaonsunday@yahoo.com

Making that long distance relationship work VANESSA OKWARA

S

itting quietly in a corner table at one of the fast food restaurants in Ikeja the other weekend having my lunch, I overheard a conversation between two friends that caught my attention and I couldn’t help listening in on their discussion. Okay, you can call it eavesdropping or busy body, if you like.

Was it my fault the ladies were holding their private discussion on top of their voices? Since I came to this world with high modulated ears meant to pick up juicy tit bits falling across my path, I tweaked my ears in the direction of their table which was very close to mine. From the conversation flow, I was also able to decipher their names.

Actually it was a litany of A model lamentation from a very pretty girl whom I identified as Bukky telling her close friend, Gloria, how her fiancé of five years who is currently living abroad jilted her. “Gloria, I feel like taking my own life! After all the things I put into this relationship - time, money, prayer and fasting - I even rejected the advances of other men because of Tunde. He still had the guts to call me last night from London to tell me it was over between us. Where do I start from now, eh?” She sobbed.

Her friend Gloria, consoling her asked, “What really happened? Did he explain his reasons for abruptly ending the relationship without warning?” Bukky shook her head negatively and said, “No, he did not o! He only said the long distance separating us has taken a toll on him and he needs a break from the relationship. No wonder he has not been calling me on the phone like he used to before and anytime I confront him on it, he comes up with flimsy excuses,” she exclaimed. Bukky only answered her by saying, “I told you from the onset that long distance relationships do not work. Men only play on your emotions and when they meet someone in the locality where they live, they dump you like a sack of hot potatoes!”

From where I was sitting, listening in on their conversation, I felt like crossing over to their table and sounding in some home truths, but I held back for reason of decorum.

A long distance relationship can be challenging and difficult, but NOT impossible. It shares the same facts as an average relationship: it involves two people that met each other, fell in love and made a commitment to love each other with a love they hope will continue to grow.

Long distance relationships can work! Yes, all

it requires is two consenting adults agreeing to a set of rules from the very beginning and maintaining those rules till they are able to meet each other after their long separation. Can two people walk except they are in agreement? That is why close communication is the key to a healthy relationship. Make an honest pact between yourselves to tell each other your deepest hurts, joy and fears. This helps to breed trust and hope between the two of you.

The world has become a global village where people meet online on sites like Facebook, exchange telephone numbers and in the long run find a way to meet each other physically and before you know it, wedding bells are ringing! Technology has also made it easy for this generation. Chatting using internet tools like skype, yahoo messenger, internet calls, web cam or video conferencing in real time has helped to bridge the gap several oceans otherwise created. You can now interact freely with each other using any of those tools at your disposal and it will be as if you are sitting together on a couch in the living room. These tools help to kindle and keep the love flame alive and make you feel as if you were never apart from each other.

Send text messages, phone calls and email every day. It is important to maintain contact and to be in each other’s daily lives as much as possible. Create a bond between you and your partner by talking about your future together. Discussing how you’re going to get to that point will help you prove to each other that the relationship is going somewhere and that your efforts and frustrations are not in vain.

As much as possible, avoid jealousy and be more trusting. Don’t fall into the trap of interrogating your partner every time he/she decides to go out for a drink with people you haven’t met or he/she didn’t get back to you right away when you called and left a message. It breeds distrust and quarrels.

It makes no sense quarreling with someone you are not seeing face to face?

In all, long distance relationship is a thing of the mind. Two people can be living together in the same room yet in their minds they are miles apart.

Since I couldn’t go over to give my opinion on the conversation I was eavesdropping on, I decided to communicate my views to them through writing; which is essentially what people in long distant relationship should be doing constantly - write to each other!

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Heart-throb Send text only to 08025253996 96 6

In need of a serious relationship/marriage I am Jazz by name, 25 years old, from Cross River State. I need a man that knows what it takes to take care of a woman, for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage. He should be a decent Christian and good-looking and between 30 and 38 years old. I live in Lagos –08079209063.

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My name is Alhaji Musa. I live in Lagos. I require a responsible woman, between 30 and 45 years old for friendship –08034287362, 080552129631.

I am Tony. I need a Lady in Lagos for a serious relationship. She must be fat, busty and active in bed –07038673216.

In need of a sugar mummy/daddy I am Lekan, from Ogun State. I am 32 years old and live in Lagos. I need a wealthy sugar mummy, between 40 and 50 years old. She should be pretty, romantic and from any tribe –08029415271.

I am Emmanuel, based in Lagos. I need a sugar mummy -08027276448.

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I am TS, 26 years old, living in Lagos. I need a sugar mummy, between 26 and 60 years old, that I can satisfy with good romance –08020675649.

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My name is Ekene. I am 30 years old. I need a sugar mummy in Port Harcourt –07035099211.

My name is Mordecai, 25 years old. I live and work in Lagos. I need a caring sugar mummy, of 35 years and above –08168009307.

Gabriel is my name. I am 40 years old and live in Lagos. I need a Yoruba lady or a rich sugar mummy, between 27 and 42 years old for a serious relationship –08125884540.

My name is Kevin. I am handsome, romantic and sexy. I am in need of a sexy and rich sugar mummy –08054457600.

Iam Maxwell, 30 years old, good looking, I need a sugar mummy between 40 and 50 years. – 08059223790 NOTICE: Please note that we don’t do personal connections outside this column. Calls to connect privately are not allowed. Just send an SMS or email and we’ll get your request published. The request is published on first come first served basis. Thank you!

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

I

Opinion

Sunday August 19, 2012

39

INEC and the Ondo guber challenge

n the count-down to the conduct of the 2011 general elections, the media were awash with mind-boggling reports of the thefts of then, newly introduced Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines. Those desirous of credible elections for Nigeria were particularly swooned by this report by a national daily in December 2010, that a cargo plane at the tarmac of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, which arrived a few days earlier, was burgled.

The burglars, in daylight, chuckled away with scores of cartons containing the magic DDC machines.

Soon after that, came stories that these machines with a peculiar genre of technological wizardry were found in the homes of some politicians, who recruited political mercenaries to thump-print for a fee. Assuredly, the inviolable value of these electoral machines is that once your finger-print is saved electronically with your particulars taken, no other person can clone you, impersonating you on the day of the poll. Again, it forecloses the incidence of double or multiple voting which has been one of the Achilles’ heels of our democratic experience.

As it is with the emergent and procreating Nigerian populace, so it is with some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the body charged with the conduct of all elections to state and national offices in the country. Such officials would ghoulishly visit the homes of politicians under the cover of darkness, to sell their dignity for pecuniary gains. Once the right price is paid, they would tutor the politicians on the A, B and C of demystifying the DDC

machines.

Perhaps, cases of this mould have always informed the quest by concerned Nigerians for the appointment of men and women of impeccable track records to head the INEC. Thus then was the eclectically consonant mood of joy, when Professor Attahiru Jega, once the President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was appointed the chairman of the INEC. Though events have proved that the task before Jega is as daunting as climbing Mount Everest unaided, the ripples generated by the denouement of the 2011 presidential, governorship, senatorial and national and state assemblies’ polls, cast a slur at the messiah chorus that initially assailed the triumphant entry of the INEC boss.

But being a start-up experience for this neatly bearded electoral umpire, Nigerians are still full of hopes that Jega, in keeping faith with his mandate, would overhaul his INEC, bringing in persons of credible character. It is also expected that he would find time to understudy successful democracies in Europe and the Americas, with a view to improving on electoral conducts in the homeland.

The July 16 governorship election in Edo State was one in the series of test-cases regarding the progression index for the national hope, placed in his patio. Without prejudice to the pockets of dissentients faulting the conduct of the governorship election which returned Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the general consensus has been that the poll was a pass mark for the INEC. Would it therefore, not amount to

crying a wolf where there is none, to tell Jega and his men that they should gird their loins and prepare for ‘the mother of all governorship elections’ come October 20 in Ondo State? For what it is worth, a slip-shod cannot be afforded in the commission’s preparations for the Ondo governorship election, for the fact that unlike the Edo poll where only ACN and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were the main contenders, Ondo’s is a marked difference. It is so in that, the ruling Labour Party (LP) of Governor Rahman Mimiko has got two main challengers in PDP, whose standard-bearer is Chief Olusola Oke, and ACN, represented by Chief Rotimi Akeredolu. This is aside from the fact that Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) is also keen, as Prince Soji Ehinlanwo has emerged as its governorship candidate.

The convoluted fact that three main parties of incredible, local political muscles are slugging it out calls for utmost care on the part of the INEC, as the body’s action or inaction is bound to attract reactions in the form of vitriol, complaints and words of caution. Commendation can only come for the commission if the poll is widely adjudged as free and fair.

Again, it is patently loathsome on the part of peace-loving residents of Ondo State to now say ‘history beckons’; apparently a reference to the inglorious mass slaughter and the festival of arson, witnessed in the aftermath of the August 16, 1983 governorship election in that state. During the period, sitting Governor Adekunle Ajasin of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) was tackled by his former deputy, Akin Omoboriowo, of the Na-

Kayode Fasua

kayodefasua@nationalmirroronline.net (08034101207; SMS only, pls)

tional Party of Nigeria (NPN). Brouhaha instantaneously followed the release of the election result, which proclaimed Omoboriowo winner. The spontaneous reaction that followed led to the despoliation of anything NPN, both human and material.

After about a thousand humans had been burnt to death and erstwhile tasteful buildings reduced to rubble, having been put to the torch, came a final verdict of the Supreme Court that Ajasin actually won the election; a mandate he enjoyed only for three months before the military struck.

Though that instance is be-gone, dotting the archive as an ugly spectre in the history of Ondo State, all hands should now be on deck to foreclose any appearance of rigging in the October 20 election.

For the locals of Ondo and Ekiti states, a character trait ascribed to them is that they are stubborn. But it should be noted that this genie of their common trait could also be reframed as ‘people imbued with sleeping stubbornness, provoke-able only when they are cheated.’

In memory of the 1983 episode which necessitates this prognosis therefore, Jega and his men should be properly guided, as October 20 knocks on the door.

Zakari Mohammed and legislative belligerence CHUKWU ELESIOKWU

F

reedom of speech is the right of the citizens, yet the society readily frowns at indiscreet utterances. Regard for acceptable public behaviours calls for discretion at all times particularly in handling dialectics such as the one the Nigerian House of Representatives has fomented against the executive.

It was obvious that when on July 28, Zakari Mohammed, the spokesman of the House gathered journalists in Abuja for a parley; his primary aim was to cast mud on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, on behalf of the House members.

The bile of the House spilled over because of the clarifications the Finance Minister offered on the implementation of the 2012 budget, to the effect that budgets nowhere in the world records 100 percent performance and that ministries and departments have so far achieved 56% performance on capital budget this year.

Apart from the fact that Mohammed’s narratives and the subsequent advertorials he published in newspapers reeked of invectives against the president and the finance minister, his blatant assertion that the Jonathan seemed to him to be suffering from military hangover and his likening of the president’s handling of the budget implementation to what obtains in the era of the military era is insulting and unacceptable.

The spirit behind the principle of checks and balance in a presidential system of government is not necessarily for the

legislature to subject the executive to whimsical blackmail and arm-twisting. At a time when synergy between the various arms of government is most needed, especially in the face of the mounting national security challenges, further heating up of the system by tactless use of legislative license or mindless use of incendiary words, or penchant for abusing the president in a matter in which both arms of government are clearly angling to ensure that the citizens get quality results from governance is in gross violation of the rules of decent and acceptable public conduct.

Caution dictates that the House of Representatives should at all times be mindful of its image and estimation in the eyes of observing Nigerians. The House spokesman can do his job without being an attack dog. The business of legislation and oversight functions are not about name calling and profiling. While the lawmakers want Nigerian to believe that they are driving against the executive because of their patriotic fervour; they must also know that a good number of Nigerians do not believe that their action is not entirely driven by self-centeredness. Nigerians are aware that it is the tradition of the legislature to cry wolf and raise just any kind of issue that soothes their whim against the executive whenever the pecuniary needs of the legislators are not ministered to.

In the present instance, President Jonathan is threatened with impeachment and the executive called names, just for the simple reason that the present administration is insistent on due process with disbursement of funds that would accrue to the House members. No

doubt that the government is prepared to shell out money to the lawmakers in the name of constituency projects fund, which was wilfully made to be law by the lawmakers, however, the finance minister insists that her office must first do strict verifications, surrounding procurement issues and feasibility studies on every of the individual projects of the legislators, before asking for their bank accounts. It is for this that the House spokesman warned the president to wary of Dr. OkonjoIweala’s financial advice. Commendable is that in the face of the misconducts from the House, the executive has continued to uphold dignifying standards of behaviour.

More absurd in a presidential system is that the President is facing this type of errant conducts from a legislature in which his own party, the PDP, leads the House with a commanding majority. In effect, it is awkward that a PDP dominated legislature has constituted itself into a bizarre opposition against a central government led by the same party. This is an anomaly brought about only by an abject lack of party discipline among the party’s House members.

Observers are fully persuaded that the opposition the PDP House members have constituted themselves against the Jonathan-led federal government can only come about in a presidential system when the loyalty of the leadership as comprised of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha and the Majority Chief Whip, Ishaka Bawa lies not with their party but with their pockets, personal ambitions or with forces outside the circle of their party and the government.

A situation where the speaker and his

deputy would look the other way while minority opposition elements levy assault on the president and the executive is quite telling. It was absurd, beholding PDP House members, including the Majority Chief Whip whose duty is to direct particularly his party members into line, cheering in glee as Femi Gbajabiamila, the Minority House Leader, threatened impeachment against the President.

The loss of voice and command Tambuwal displayed on his exalted seat on July 19, as well as that of Bawa, as PDP House members ‘took up arms’ on the floor of the House against the executive and sealed with the role given to Gbajabiamila to play, give credence to the conviction in some quarters that some PDP lawmakers indeed hatched the impeachment threat against their own party’s government and merely used an opposition element to voice it out on the floor of the House.

Again, the continuous unleashing of the House spokesman against the executive since this comedy of errors began in the House, while the presiding officers of the House keep ominous silence in the press, equally points to a script. And from the party’s leadership, the National Vice Chairman, Dr. Sam Jaja’s watery defence of the President in the press equally questions grasp of the dynamics of party politics by some elements at the commanding height of the PDP. And all these seriously question PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur’s readiness to work his talk of the reforms he promised upon assumption of office.

•Elesiokwu wrote from Enugu

40

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Sunday, August 19, 2012

41

ations responsible for Plateau crisis –Lar been invited are not the only people here.

There are also other people here.

When the Hausa and Fulani met with President Jonathan ,the reports that came out was that they insisted that they are from Jos and that they are favourably disposed to the implementation of your reports. Did your committee recommend that the Hausa and the Fulani are natives of Jos? The Constitution says every Nigerian who lives in any part is qualified to do anything; to contest an election, to work and do anything he likes. So for the Hausa, this is not the first time. The Hausa have been members of parliament from here, which is the highest. We had been very fair to them during my time, in fact, very fair to everybody. A Hausa man won an election. He defeated a member of my party and we allowed him because he was a Nigerian. The Constitution says so.

The question of who is not a native doesn’t arise. What is more native than you winning an election to the highest parliament in a place? I think some people are trying to paint Plateau as unfriendly, which is not correct. Plateau is a very friendly place and the people are very friendly.

What exactly do you think might have gone wrong?

If you look at our report, we were trying to find out where something was amiss. We said it. Many previous reports on the crisis in the state had not been implemented. If they were implemented, they would just be a repeat of the same thing. My report too has not been implemented. That is respon-

sible. You take a report, you dump it; you take another one you dump it, that is the problem.

The Boko Haram insurgence has continued to take on human lives across the country.

Are you satisfied with the approach of government in tackling the menace, and what is your advice in this regard?

What about you; are you satisfied? I think we are all Nigerians and anything that will portray Nigeria as a bad place should be resisted. We should fight against it. Anything that will make Nigeria a better place, we should welcome it. I believe that is what the government is doing. If I have any advice, I will give it to government Some PDP chieftains have said that the party will rule the country for 60 years.

Is that in line with the vision of the party which you co founded?

If anybody is saying 50 or 60,it is an insult on Nigerians. You see, we are in a democracy and PDP has respect for the people’s willpower. If Nigerians say PDP will continue for a long time, we will say fine. But if by tomorrow Nigerians say we don’t want the party anymore, it is up to them. That is democracy. Anybody who says that he has given PDP so many years to rule Nigeria is an illiterate. He doesn’t understand where PDP is coming from.

We know that in a democracy, people look for the characters of party members, what they are saying, their objectives, and so on.

We all know that some people, instead of having some sort of broad mind, have the

Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Niger State Babangida Aliyu who was said to have gone to Saudi Arabia on Hajj was represented by the Deputy Governor Ahmed Ibeto. So were most governors of the core northern states like Jigawa, Yobe, Borno and Bauchi, represented by their deputies. The governors of Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Adamawa and Kebbi were present.

According to sources, the NGF could not come to agreement because the deputies were not mandated by their bosses to speak on “delicate issues especially those that affect the geo-political zone” because “they are too sensitive to be handled by the deputies”.

However, the popularity which the position of the southern governors once enjoyed suffered a setback last week as the Presidential Committee on the Re-organisation of the Nigeria Police kicked against creation of state police.

The former Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Parry Osayande, led committee which submitted its report to President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja based its opposition to the call for state police to inability of state governments to fund state police.

He also said such a move will lead to eventual break up of Nigeria.

Rather than state police, the committee advocated for a funding of the police by all three tiers of government.

He stressed that a stronger and more efficient National Police Council with effective participation of state governors; financial autonomy and better professionalism for the police will deal with the agitation for state police.

The position of the Presidential Committee on the Reorganisation of the Nigeria Police was also corroborated by the Forum of Retired Inspectors-General of Police in the country which met President Goodluck Jonathan on the state of insecurity in the country, also last week.

Noting that the functions hitherto the exclusive preserve of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have been taken

mind that we are Nigerians, they will first think of their religion and their ethnicity.

These people are not good. Don’t give them any power. PDP is about Nigeria. When we started the party, we said we will form an all-embracing entity. We had the Yoruba there, Bola Ige, Olu Falae; we had the Igbo, South South, Northerners, everybody.

What is your opinion on the call for the establishment of state police?

Let me tell you why we have the present system of police structure. It was because in those days, there used to be state police called Yandoka. Yandoka people were molesting people. They were agents of oppression. They were being used by the chiefs, politicians in those areas against the people.

We said never again shall we have anything like state police. Those who are calling for state police did not know what happened.

From the 1950s, 60s oppression, until 1979 Constituton, was when some of us said never again shall we have Yandoka. We then merged Yandoka with the Nigeria Police Some people have called on President Jonathan to renounce his interest in the 2015 presidency so as not to overheat the polity.

What does that portend in a democracy?

What do you think yourself ?

I am surprised that such comment could be made.

Exactly! I am surprised too.

Nigeria as a nation has had its fair share of crises in almost all the 36 states of the fed-

over by other ancillary bodies established over the years, the forum urged the federal government to consider implementing the salient points of the Steven Oronsaye report which had recommended the merger of some of such outfits that are vested with police functions.

According to the forum, both the current spate of insecurity across the country and the usurpation of some powers of the police by other organisations are “not in the best interest of security management of this country.”

Regretting what they termed “the cannibalisation of police functions by other organisations”, the four former police bosses, Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie, Mr. Sunday Ehindero and Sir Mike Okiro, presented a 13-page security briefs to the President on how to tackle insecurity in the country.

The address was also signed by other former police bosses, Alhaji Muhammadu Yusuf, Mr. Sunday Adewusi, Alhaji Aliyu Atta, Mr. Musiliu Smith and Mr. Tafa Balogun, who were not at the meeting.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Gambo, who spoke on their behalf, dismissed the clamour for state police, saying it is anti-democratic. “We are of the opinion that the clamour (for state police) is not in the interest of this nascent democracy and would be a panacea for a state of anomie,’ he noted.

He recalled that “the military attempted introducing the localisation of police officers in their states of origin and the exercise boomeranged and failed.

“The establishment of state police will bring us back to the days of ethnic militias where the OPC, MASSOB, Egbesu, ECOMOG and Yankalare held sway.

“Even in developed democracies such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America that are operating State and local police, they are now tilting towards a more centralised national police in dealing with contemporary challenges like terrorism and cybercrime.

But in spite of the disapproval, Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio maintained that state police is the panacea CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

Abubakar

Amaechi

eration. What do you think is the way out?

It is something that you and other Nigerians should do; we have to find out the causes. I think the government is doing its best; a lot of committees have been set up. I believe Nigerians will surmount the problems. All of you sitting here, you will not like Nigeria to go into fractions or go into a state where people will not be able to move freely. The parliament is working. We have the state and the national assemblies, and we have the community. Nigerian society is rather docile. We would wake up one day, constitute ourselves and say what is it? Members of parliament wake up, what are you doing? Members of the state assembly, what are you doing? The government, what are doing? Even the judiciary, sometimes they delay cases unnecessarily. It is up to us as Nigerians to react, to speak out in the press, radio, whatever. We must not allow our country to go into disarray. Above all, we must stop corruption.

Corruption is number one enemy of Nigeria. Let’s unite and kill corruption. How I wish everyone is like me. When I finished my tenure and was arrested, I think I and Balara be Musa, this is the House I have as a governor (pointing to an old bungalow in his compound). When people come,t hey ask if that house is really the house of the former governor. They get surprised if they hear yes, it is his house. But Solomon Lar is the house not the building.. When we fight the corruption in this country, everything will take shape, all the money we pay as taxes will come for the development of our roads, education and everything.

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Sunday, August 19, 2012

GROWING UP with

Aunty Angela growingup5@yahoo.com

Hello children, How are you enjoying your holidays? I hope you are having fun. As we said last week, please do not forget to do the homework that you were given before your vacation. Also, endeavour to help mummy and daddy with household chores. I wish you a great week.

The Fox and the Stork

JOKES My dad is better than your dad

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

WHO INVENTED WHAT

Joseph Nicéphore

Three boys were playing on the playground and they started bragging about what their dads do.

The first boy said, “My dad scribbles a few words, calls it a poem and they pay him thousands of naira.”

The second boy said, “My dad scribbles a few words, calls it a song and they pay him millions of naira, especially when he performs live.”

The third boy said, “That is nothing.

My dad scribbles a few words, calls it a sermon and it takes six people to collect all the money.”

RIDDLES

What goes up and down, but never moves?

Answer: A flight of stairs.

What can you serve, but never eat?

Answer: A tennis ball.

What has four legs, but can’t walk?

Answer: A table.

What is the quickest way to double your money?

Answer: Fold it in half What is a volcano?

Answer: A mountain with hiccups!

BRAIN TEASERS Bobby throws a ball as hard as he can. It comes back to him, even though nothing and nobody touches it. How? Answer: He threw it straight up.

What happens when you throw a green stone in the red sea?

Answer: It gets wet.

O

nce upon a time, a Stork and a Fox became friends.

They were often seen moving around together. One day, the Fox in an attempt to play a practical joke on the Stork invited him for dinner at his house.

The Stork reached the Fox’s house at sunset after a full day’s hard work. The Fox, which managed to make only some soup, served it in two flat dishes. The Fox lapped up the soup easily but the Stork could not eat the soup at all due to its long beak and so returned home hungry and sad. The Fox was very cheerful and amused at his friend’s discomfort. “I am sorry that the soup is not to your liking,” said the Fox with a crafty smile.

“Oh, please do not apologise,” said the Stork. “I hope you will return this visit, and come and dine with me too sometime.” So a day was fixed when the Fox will visit the Stork.

Since it was already night, the Stork could not go and hunt, due to the fear of the jungle creatures who hunt for the Stork after dark.

After a week the Stork invited the Fox for lunch. The Fox arrived at the Stork’s house at noon. He welcomed him and served him both soup in a very long narrow-necked jar with a narrow mouth. It

J

oseph Nicéphore Niepce was a French researcher who is most famous for producing the first known photograph. Born on March 7, 1765 to a moderately wealthy family, Niepce pursued a variety of careers, including teaching and military service.

However, around 1795 he settled on his family estate in Chalonsur-Saône, France to concentrate on research and experimentation with his brother Claude. Eventually, Claude moved to London, in hopes of finding a successful way to exploit the engine, while Niepce remained in France.

Around 1813, Niepce became involved in another pursuit, which was spurred by the increasing popularity of the art of Lithography. Extremely innovative, Niepce developed

Sport Quiz

S

was now the turn of the Stork to enjoy lunch whilst the Fox looked on, as he could not reach the soup through the long narrow-necked jar.

This time it was the Fox’s turn to go hungry. He returned home hungry and sad, as he had not gone out hunting the previous night in anticipation of a hearty meal at the Stork’s place. Foxes hunt at night for food.

It was now the Stork’s turn to feel amused at the Fox’s discomfort. Finally, the Stork told the Fox, “Listen, my good friend, I am not sorry to say this… but one bad turn deserves another.”

Note: Children, it is not good to pay evil with evil. You should pay evil with good.

Children, you can send your contributions and pictures through this email address growingup5@yahoo.com or call telephone number: 0805 198 0588

he started playing football at the age of five with her oldest brother, Seleipiri, and younger brother, Ipali, in the sandy field of Bundu Waterside, near Port Harcourt Prisons in Port Harcourt. Her speed was recognised from a young age, and when she was 12 years old, at Holy Rosary Secondary School in Port Harcourt, she took part in long-distance races, running the 400m, 800m and 1500m races against older competitors. She was also a regional table tennis champion, but soccer was the sport where she really stood out.

She earned the nickname “Ske”, which in local parlance meant “skinny”, while playing against boys at Mile 1 in Port Harcourt. In consideration of her skills in particular, a group of youth soccer organizers put together a girls’ tournament to select the girls who would become “the Garden City Queens”.

After two years of playing for the Queens, she left Port Harcourt for Lagos to continue both education and soccer with Jegede Babes under the influence of Princess Bola Jegede. She later earned a scholarship to Milligan College in Tennessee, USA after a scintillating World Cup performance with the Super Falcons.

Her international debut came soon after, a World Cup qualifier against Sierra Leone in Ibadan with her playing as a winger. She was the first African Women Footballer of the Year 2002 and was a 1999 and 2004 FIFA World All-Star.

She played for Nigeria in three FIFA Women’s World Cups and also helped Nigeria’s Super Falcons to three African Women Championships (AWC) titles in 1998, 2000 and 2002.

In 2005 she was named by FIFA as one of its 15 Ambassadors for Women Football.

Questions 1.

What is her name?

2.

What jersey number did she wear for Nigeria?

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

AT…?

Niépce: Originator of Photography

a slightly different process that he called heliography, in which he placed transparent engravings on plates coated in a light sensitive varnish that he had composed.

However, as an inferior artist, Niepce wanted to further alter the process in such a way that engravings were not necessary.

To do so, he combined use of the camera obscura and silver salts, which were known to darken when exposed to sunlight, and first endeavoured to produce a photograph in 1816. Though, he successfully captured a rough image, it faded away shortly thereafter.

For the next 10 years, Niepce continued his experiments, seeking a way to make a photographic image permanent. Finally, on

Growing Up

Sunday, August 19, 2012

43

DID YOU KNOW? Giraffe uses its tongue to clean its ears A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue. It is commonly known that the giraffe is the tallest animal in the world, sometimes reaching a height in excess of 18 ft. Along with its long neck; the giraffe has a very long tongue, more than a footand-a-half long, with which it can clean its ears.

a bright summer day in 1826, Niepce created the first permanently fixed photographic image, a view of his courtyard fixed upon a pewter plate. Exposure of the image took approximately eight hours and, therefore, Niepce realised that further advances needed to occur before the process could be commercialised. Though he was initially hesitant, in 1829 he formed a partnership with fellow Frenchman, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre in hopes of more expediently perfecting the technique.

Nevertheless, when Niepce died of a stroke in 1833, he had not yet attained the recognition or financial success he desired.

Daguerre, however, continued modifying Niepce’s photographic technique, releasing the daguerreotype in 1839. The new form of photography quickly grew in popularity and Daguerre soon overshadowed Niepce. Nevertheless, without Niepce’s pioneering efforts, Daguerre may never have triumphed, forever altering the history of photography.

ART AND CRAFT

Fashion Eyeshade

Then spread some glue all over the eyeshade. Thereafter, sprinkle some of the glitter on the glue.

Place the coloured sequins to form a

design of your choice and keep the shade unmoved for a few minutes.

It is now time to put on that cool eyeshade and do a catwalk if you wish.

Y

ou can try your hands on art and craft to add some fun to your long holiday. So, why not try your hand on making your own fashion eyeshade. I know this would be fun and interesting, especially by the girls.

However, you would need the help of an adult to help you get all the materials you would require and also guide you in making your fashion eyeshade.

So, have fun doing it.

Items required: Pink paper which is rectangular, 45 cm in length and 10 cm in width Coloured sequins Coloured glitter A tube of glue A pair of scissors One pencil

Procedure Draw the sketch of the designer eyeshade on the pink. Cut it out using a sharp scissors.

POP

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

44

Lessons of Life

ANGELA DAVIES lessonsoflife2@yahoo.com 08023342083

TRUE LIFE STORY ON MATTERS OF THE HEART AUGUST 19, 2012

‘Help, my mother is dating my best friend!’

We conclude in this edition the story of Patrick whose best friend, Leo, whom he pleaded with the mum to offer temporary accommodation in their home, has now fallen in love with his mother.

O

ne evening about two months later, when I returned from work I saw a new Honda car parked in the compound. “Musa, ‘who get this car?’ ” I asked. “Oga, madam say na for Oga Leo,” he answered. Dumbfounded, I dashed into the sitting room, screaming, “Mother, mother”. “What is it Patrick?” she asked. “I saw a Honda car parked in the compound; may I know who owns it? I retorted. “Oh, that? It is for Leo. I bought it for him for easy movement since he is yet to get a job,” she explained. “But mother did you discuss it with me?” I queried.

“I thought you will be happy? I did it for you after I promised to treat him well when he came to the house,” she explained. “But mum instead of this, why don’t we give him a managerial position in the office? I suggested. “I will think about it,” she said.

A few minutes later, Leo came into my room to inform me that my mother took him for shopping and that he wants me to thank her for him.

“Please thank your mother for me. She did not only take me for shopping, she also bought a car for me. I want you to thank her for me,” he said. “Leo, you have stopped talking about looking for a job. You need to work and get paid so that you can organise your life. Don’t you think so?” I asked. “Yes, I know but your mother said I should hold on a little longer. She said she is trying to create a position for me,” he explained. “That’s alright. I will thank her for you,” I said.

I didn’t suspect that they were having a secret affair until some weeks later. I had actually left for the office but forgot an important file in my room, which I took home to work on the previous day. Immediately I entered into the sitting room, I heard giggles. I decided to trace it to the room it was coming from - Leo’s room.

“How could Leo bring a woman into this

house this early? How will my mother feel if she finds out,” I muttered. I had the option of either bursting in on them which I felt will be embarrassing or to be more mature about it by just walking away and talk to him about it when I return from work. Nevertheless, I chose the second option and just when I was about leaving, I heard my mother’s voice. “That sounds like my mother’s voice. I hope it is not what I am thinking?” I quickly rushed to her, but she was not there.

So in anger I headed back there and pushed the door open. What did I see? Leo and my mother were stark naked on the bed. It was when they saw me that they covered themselves with the duvet. I was so disappointed while they were both shocked to see me. “Mother, how could you? How long has this been going on?

Oh, I now understand why you have been dressing provocatively since he arrived here. How could I have been so blind?

The car, shopping, gifts and money were all about this, right? Leo, I don’t want to meet you here by the time I return from work,” I retorted. I did not give any of them a chance to talk and I dashed off.

When I returned from work that evening, I met them nibbling biscuits and watching television in each other’s arms in the sitting room. Fuming, I asked, “Leo, what are you still doing in this house?” “Leo is not leaving this house.

We are in love. I am sorry you found out about our affair the way you did,” said my mother. “Mother, he is my best friend and he is old enough to be your son. I don’t approve of this,” I screamed. “Well, I am sorry because there is nothing you can do about it. He makes me happy. He makes me feel young again. After all, age is only a number,” she said. I was flabbergasted by what my mother said.

Instantly, I asked Leo, “Do you sincerely love my mother or is it her money

you love? Leo, are you not ashamed to date a woman old enough to be your mother? In fact, I regret bringing you into my house,” I yelled. He stared at me for a while and when he finally spoke, he said, “I truly love your mother. And just as she said, age is only a number. What is important is that we love each other.”

Unfortunately, these days my mother is not ashamed to hide her disgraceful act. They go out together hand-in-hand to social functions and she introduces him to her friend’s as her ‘toy’. I don’t know what made my mother from whom I learnt integrity to change to this contemptible level.

While I may not mind her having an affair, it should not be with a younger man, especially my best friend, who is old enough to be her son.

I have repeatedly told her that Leo does not love her but that he only wants to use her to get comfortable in life and then move on with his life with a younger woman. She would say that I was only saying that because I was angry with both of them.

Now, my mother has appointed him as the Chief Accountant in the company. It is even worse because my own mother has pitched tent with Leo to counter every decision I make in the company, especially when it involves money. Meanwhile, he spends money anyhow; he just bought another car and has moved into a three-bedroom flat at Lekki. He resumes at the office at his own time and closes at will. Right now, he even sees me as his greatest enemy.

I am not threatened by him, I just feel sorry for my mother because I know she is a very fragile woman. What should I do to separate them before he gets tired of her and dumps her like a pack of card? I love her so much and don’t want to see her get hurt. The problem is that she does not even listen to me any longer and I know that the youngman does not love her.

Please send your advice to the phone number or email address above. No calls, please.

RESPONSES Dear Celestina, I feel for you, my dear. I was once in your shoes only that I wasn’t physically abused, but psychologically. My husband still does not want me to speak or talk to anyone, including my own family but only him. Then my daughter got married and her husband turns out to be a wife-beater not because of any other thing than he wants to prove that he is the husband because that was what his mother and aunt told him to do.

My observation is that men who result in false accusation of their wives are INSECURED, COWARD, JOBLESS, PETTY and PITIFUL. They amount to NOTHING outside but like to take it up on their wives at home.

What to do? Pray the coward out of your life that is what I did to mine. As for my daughter’s problem, we are working on it. But, make sure your hands are clean; I mean no flirting on

Re: ‘Help, I am married to a bully!” your part. God will take care of you and the kids.

Debby Moses debrahmoses@gmail.com You took the right decision by moving to your parents house to avoid being murdered by the man you married who is supposed to cherish and protect you at all times. The Bible encourages divorce, where there is infidelity.

I would advise you to seek legal counsel, with a view to dissolving the marriage. If you are scared of getting married to another man, you should take him to the police to make a statement never to punch or hit you again.

Patrick Adiasor, Surulere –08033452087

If you go back to Andy, you are digging your own grave. If not for what happened to him, he wouldn’t have come back.

He is not your husband but the father of your children. A man that beats his wife is not worthy to be a husband because once he starts, he will never stop until he kills you.

–08189803146 If you go back to Andy, you will regret it for the rest of your life. He wants you to pay the debt he owes his company. Please think twice, a word is enough for the wise.

Temi – 08020675649 Andy wants you now because he lost his job. It is better to be alive without marriage than lose your life. Remember what happened to late Mrs. Arowolo, a banker with Skye bank last year. Be wise.

Adekunbi Agbeke –08034798127

45

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wellness YOUR HEALTH AND HEALTH RELATED ISSUES AUGUST 19, 2012

Cardiac arrest: What to know, what to do Facts

Living a sedentary lifestyle of smoking, eating junk food and drinking too much of alcohol is one of the major reasons why a lot of people are coming down with heart diseases.

Nigeria does not have the full equipment needed to handle comprehensive heart surgeries and other heart related diseases Perform Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately if someone close to you suffers a cardiac arrest.

In emergency, perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

VANESSA OKWARA

I

n today’s Nigeria, it is common place for the electricity to go off without notice, especially when you are in the middle of something very important that would need light to produce. Your first reaction would be panic before you quickly begin to think of what next to do. This is very similar in trying to explain sudden cardiac arrest.

A lot of medical studies indicate that the heart is very much like an electrical pump, where the electricity is generated in special cells in the upper chamber of the heart.

This electrical spark is carried through pathways in the heart so that all the muscle cells contract at once and pro-

duce a heartbeat. This pumps blood through the heart valves and into all the organs of the body so that they can do their work.

Medical experts say this mechanism can break down in a variety of ways, but the final pathway in sudden death is the same: the electrical system is irritated and fails to produce electrical activity that causes the heart to beat. The heart muscle can’t supply blood to the body, particularly the brain, and the body dies.

What actually triggers a cardiac arrest? Dr. Ezekiel Ogunlewe, a chest surgeon with the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LUTH), who spoke with Sunday Mirror on this topic, expounded on what causes a sudden cardiac arrest, the importance of taking good care of the heart and the

Jigawa: 4,900 eye patients get free treatment

No fewer than 4,900 cataract patients have so far benefitted from the free surgical treatment initiated by the Jigawa State government.

Agency reports said that the treatment was conducted in collaboration with a Saudi-Arabia-based NGO, Albashar International

Foundation.

The Coordinator of the Programme, Mr. Ahmed Abdulrahman, told newsmen in Dutse that the beneficiaries were treated under the 2012 First Round Cataract Treatment Scheme.

Abdulrahman said 1,950 cataract and glaucoma patients as well as 3,000

persons suffering from eye lid infections were treated across the 27 local government areas of the state.

Abdulrahman commended the 27 local government councils for providing transportation and other support services to the patients and urged them to sustain the tempo.

need to improve the heart care facilities in the country.

“In cardiac arrest, the victim may or may not have been diagnosed with heart disease but the most common underlying reason for patients to die suddenly from cardiac arrest is coronary heart disease. Most cardiac arrests that lead to sudden death occur when the electrical impulses in the diseased heart become rapid in what we call ventricular tachycardia or chaotic (ventricular fibrillation) or both. Some cardiac arrests are due to extreme slowing of the heart. This is called bradycardia. Other factors besides heart disease and heart attack that can cause cardiac arrest include respiratory arrest, enlarged heart, congenital heart disease, electrocution, drowning, choking and trauma. Cardiac arrest can also occur without any known cause,’’ he said.

Medical studies point out that the same factors that put a person at risk of coronary artery disease may also be the reason for sudden cardiac arrest. These include: • A family history of coronary artery disease • Smoking • High blood pressure • High blood cholesterol • Obesity • Diabetes • A sedentary lifestyle • Drinking too much alcohol (more than one to two drinks a day) • Age — the incidence of sudden cardiac arrest increases with age, especially after age 45 for men and age 55 for women • Being male — men are two to three times more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest • Using illegal drugs, such as cocaine.

Dr Ogunlewe blamed the way society has embraced sedentary lifestyles as one of the major reasons why a lot of people are coming down with heart diseases unlike what was seen in this part of the world in the past. “Well, the advent of civilisation has brought with it added problems.

You find out that people who grow up in the villages don’t CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

HEALTH NEWS 200,000 die of food poison annually in Nigeria –Expert A professor of Food Science and Technology, Alfred Ihenkuronye, has said that more than 200,000 persons die of food poison in Nigeria annually.

Prof Ihenkuronye told newsmen in Abuja recently that the deaths were caused by contaminated foods through improper

processing, preservation and service.

“There are many avenues through which foods can be contaminated. And when people eat these foods, they will have problems which may result in deaths,” he said.

On how to address the problem, he called for con-

tinuous sensitisation and training of food handlers on how to operate in hygienic environment.

“The way out is sensitisation and training. We sensitise people about the enormity of the problem and we train them on how to do things properly,” he added.

Wellness

46

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Your

Know your organs

T

BONE

The Trachea

he trachea, or windpipe, is the bony tube that connects the nose and mouth to the lungs, and is an important part of the respiratory system.

Located at the front of the neck Commonly called the windpipe, the main airway to the lungs, the trachea is a wide tube; the bony skeletal trachea comprises cartilage, ligaments, and is located at the front of the neck.

The trachea begins at the lower part of the larynx and continues to the lungs, where it branches into the right and left bronchi. It measures 3.9 to 4.7 inches (1012 cm) in length, and .62 to .7 inches (16-18 mm) in diametre. It lies between the larynx and the main bronchi, that is, just below the Adam’s apple, passing behind the notch of the sternum (breastbone) to behind the angle of the sternum.

The trachea divides into the right and left bronchi at the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra, channelling air to the right or left lung.

Serves as air passage into the lungs The trachea serves as passage for air, moistens and warms it while it passes into the lungs, and protects the respiratory surface from an accumulation of foreign particles. It is lined with a moist mucous-membrane layer composed of cells containing small hair like projections called cilia.

The cilia project into the channel (lumen) of the trachea to trap particles. There are also cells and ducts in the mucous membrane that secrete mucus droplets and water molecules. At the base of the mucous membrane there is a complex network of tissue composed of elastic and collagen fibres that aid in the expansion, contraction, and stability of the tracheal walls. Also in this layer there are numerous blood and lymphatic vessels; the blood vessels control cellular maintenance and heat exchange, while the lymphatic vessels remove the foreign particles collected by the wall’s surface. Around the tracheal wall there is a series of 16 to 20 horseshoe-shaped cartilage

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

rings. They encircle the front part of the trachea but are open where it lies next to the oesophagus. Here the free ends of the cartilage are connected by muscle bands. Since the cartilage is in individual rings, rather than one continuous sheath, the trachea can stretch and descend with the breathing movements.

The cartilage bands are replaced with fibrous scar tissue in advanced age.

Muscle fibres run over and alongside the cartilage, as well as through the mucous membrane. They serve to narrow and shorten the passageway in breathing.

Its role in the respiratory system Because it is connected to the same tubing system that allows an individual to swallow, the respiratory system has evolved a mechanism to prevent choking and respiratory failures.

When an object blocks the trachea, choking occurs. The coughing reflex allows the ciliated cells to push the object out of the trachea and out of the respiratory system.

As the primary air canal in the vertebrate system, any damage incured by the trachea could impair respiration. In the event of damage to the trachea, it may be necessary to undergo a procedure known as intubation. In this procedure, doctors place a tube in the nose or mouth and down to the trachea to get air to the lungs. The presence of fractures or inflammation in the trachea may require that a physician perform a tracheotomy to clear the airway.

Inflammation of the organ can lead to other conditions, such as tracheitis, which is the inflammation of the linings of the trachea. Tracheobronchitis occurs when the mucous membrane of the trachea and bronchi become swollen, and tracheomalacia occurs when the connective nerve tissue in the trachea degenerates.

Infections to the trachea may result in what is referred to as tracheomegaly. A collapsed trachea, resulting from defects in the cartilage which makes the cartilage unable to support the trachea, results in a dry hacking cough. To detect and treat abnormalities associated with the trachea, scans, or CT scans, may be used.

Health

with Dr. Olatunji Idowu

Fractures of the Pelvis Background Pelvic fracture is a disruption of the bony structures of the pelvis. In elderly persons, the most common cause is a fall from a standing position.

However, fractures associated with the greatest morbidity and mortality involves significant forces such as from a motor vehicle crash or fall from a height.

Pathophysiology The bony pelvis consists of the ilium (ie, iliac wings), ischium, and pubis, which form an anatomic ring with the sacrum. Disruption of this ring requires significant energy.

Because of the forces involved, pelvic fractures frequently involve injury to organs contained within the bony pelvis.

In addition, trauma to extrapelvic organs is common. Pelvic fractures are often associated with severe bleeding due to the extensive blood supply to the region.

Structure of the bony pelvis

The pelvis is a ring-like structure of bones at the lower end of the trunk. The two sides of the pelvis are actually three bones (ilium, ischium, and pubis) that grow together as people age. Strong connective tissues (ligaments) join the pelvis to the large triangular bone (sacrum) at the base of the spine. This creates a bowllike cavity below the rib cage. On each side, there is a hollow cup (acetabulum) that serves as the socket for the hip joint.

Many digestive and reproductive organs are located within the pelvic ring. Large nerves and blood vessels that go to the legs pass through it. The pelvis serves as an attachment point for muscles that reach down into the legs and up into the trunk of the body. With all of these vital structures running through the pelvis, a pelvic fracture can be associated with substantial bleeding, nerve injury, and internal organ damage.

If you have any problem or question about your musculoskeletal system (bones, joints and muscles) do send me a mail at tunjiidowu@live.com for advice. Meanwhile, your comments and feedback on the issues discussed are highly welcomed.

Cardiac arrest: What to do CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 have these problems before; but civilisation has penetrated even into our villages so we suffer these cases now.

Heart disease used to be a disease associated with the white people. It was not common in Africa but now we see it all because of our sedentary lifestyle. Also, what we eat in these modern times affect our heart a lot. A lot of fast foods have sprung up all over the country.

We eat a lot of refined foods. Mothers are no longer preparing nutritional foods for their children at home.

They give them snacks for lunch instead of cooked food that will help in their growth process and formation of blood. The foods we take are no longer farm fresh. We don’t eat fresh vegetables, fruits, and then we don’t exercise. Walking is a very good exercise for the heart. It helps to circulate blood all over the body and loose any blockage to the arteries that might lead to seizures,” he stressed.

Some of the sudden cardiac arrest symptoms include: sudden collapse; no pulse; no breathing and loss of consciousness. Sometimes, other signs and symptoms precede sudden cardiac arrest. These may include fatigue; fainting; blackouts; dizziness; chest pain; shortness of breath; weakness, palpitations or vomiting. But sudden cardiac arrest often occurs with no warning.

The expert said many of the problems that cause

cardiovascular disease begin early in life. You can lower your risk of heart disease later in life if you start to practise good health habits now. A healthy diet, regular exercise, not smoking, reducing stress and alchol intake can greatly reduce your risk of a heart attack.

These health habits are especially important if someone in your family has had a heart attack.

When someone develops a heart problem, how can he be helped by people around? The chest surgeon said: “It is very important you administer Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Quickly check the unconscious person’s breathing. If he or she isn’t breathing normally, begin CPR. If you don’t know CPR, just push hard and fast on the person’s chest, about two compressions a second or 100 a minute. Allow the chest to rise completely between compressions. You may need to administer oxygen by mouth resuscitation. Then take the person to the hospital immediately so they can find out what is wrong with the sufferer, he advised.

Dr Ogunlewe also bemoaned the fact that in Nigeria today we do not have the full equipment needed to handle comprehensive heart surgeries and other heart related diseases. “We don’t have the equipment that stops the heart during a major heart surgery in this country.

There are times when you need to stop the heart in order to do a certain operation; you will need a machine that will take over the heart functions like pumping

the blood. It is called a Heart Run Machine. Lagos State does that occasionally during missions but apart from Lagos, I’m not aware of any other centre in Nigeria.

The majority of the operations that have to do with the lungs, like the disectomy, we can do it here in LUTH. But anything that will need us to use the Heart Run Machine we have difficulties. Most of the specialists we have in this country are self trained. The governments do not give grants to doctors to go into research and training. Most of the things I learnt during my training abroad I cannot practice them here. That’s because we don’t have the facilities to work with. It is just like being a good driver without a car. It pains me when I need to refer patients abroad for cases I could handle if not for lack of medical facilities. I remember having referred a little baby that has a hole in the heart. This procedure will not take up to one hour but we don’t have the machine for that. I referred him to a hospital in India.

The government needs to intervene. In fact they should declare a state of emergency on heart surgery procedure. They should get facilities for open heart surgery.

The government should also invest in training doctors specialised in chest surgery and train cardiologist for intervention procedures. They can establish something that is functional in our major centres across the country. With this, people will not need to travel abroad again for these cases,” he said.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Chuckles

47

48

Politics

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ripples over Bayelsa’s flag, coat of arms CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 and ideals. That this decision also creates a platform for us as a government to rally our people for positive development within the context of a united, egalitarian and democratic Nigeria,” it explained.

At an interactive session with selected journalists in Yenagoa last Tuesday, Governor Dickson wondered why the symbols and songs law of the state was generating controversy all over the country.

Dickson said the intention of the state was misconstrued by some politicians.

Such fear of secession was misplaced.

According to him, the law should be viewed from the need for the state to create a new identity for itself in the interest of tourism.

He said: “Bayelsa is now like the melting point of national politics and if these people cannot hit the head (Jonathan), they will continue to hit the stomach (Bayelsa). To them hitting is hitting. This is just a question of federalism and national identity. If you go to Lagos State, the crest behind the governor is the crest of Lagos State and not the Federal Republic. Unfortunately, this is the Nigeria of today. People sensationalise.

“Other states have done it long ago. Because I want to do it and they are screaming. We want to promote tourism and if visitors come in, we will present them with a plaque and it denotes our identity.

I know people will understand and you know that I am a politician of conviction and not convenience”, Dickson posited.

On the contrary, outgoing President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Daudu, last Wednesday faulted the state government for adopting its own flag, coat-of-arm and state anthem.

The body urged the Federal Government to check such secessionist tendencies, stressing that such acts were capable of promoting separation and disunity in the country.

His words: “It is unconstitutional for any section of the country to seek to break away or to engage in any act suggesting CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 to the numerous security problems facing Nigerians.

While speaking recently at the state capital, Uyo, he said “state police is the only solution to resolving most of the intraconflicts in the country.”

According to him: If Kogi State had had its own police, the Boko Haram sect probably would not have reached the state. In Niger Delta, kidnapping would not have reached the level it had reached at that time, because the indigenes who would make up the force know the criminals among them and would fish them out. Every family knows who is who. That is why I say state police remains the answer.”

He noted that “in most developed democracies, policing is not a federal thing alone. In Abuja, policing 160 million is not possible. You must allow the local council to have its say in policing. The state government

Jonathan

that it intends to declare self government.

Nigeria is a federation. If you have a jingle extolling the virtues of your state, I do not consider such as an anthem. Jingles can extol the cultural virtues of a state; it is not illegal for any state to promote what it does or is known for, like farming. However, such must be done within the ambit of the law.

“No provision in the Constitution allows or recognises any flag other than

the Nigerian flag or any anthem different from the National Anthem.”

In his view, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said Governor Dickson justified why the state should have its own symbols and songs. Iworiso-Markson said this was in line with the vision of the founding fathers of the state and the administration’s position on Ijaw mobilisation.

“In line with the vision of the founding

fathers of our dearly beloved state and given this administration’s stand on Ijaw mobilisation, integration and the need to promote its fundamental interest, which clearly is not subordinate to any other interests, the government of Bayelsa State has given its approval to have a stateowned emblem to mark and strengthen our sense of identity as a state.”

In the same vein, the state Secretary of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Alagoa Morris, who spoke to our correspondent, justified the state’s symbols and songs because the nation ‘was practicing true federalism’.

“We have been calling for true federalism for too long now. If in a secular federating state like Nigeria, we have some states having Sharia as official religion and we recently heard of an Islamic banking system, what is the confusion or hullabaloo about Bayelsa coming up with its own anthem and coat of arms? Or are we treating some sections of this country as first-class citizens and others, second and third-class folks?” Morris asked.

“As a federating unit, I see practically nothing wrong with people having something tangible as a unifying factor, just as the Ijaw have Haaaan Izon or AaaaaaaIzon! Why hasn’t the government questioned the Ijaw about Aaaaaaaan Izon? Besides the fact that we also have the Isoko people as part of Bayelsa State, the Izon or Ijaw should have a more unifying structure that will galvanise the people to greater heights. I am not also concerned about what others may say on the issue because people are free to differ in views. Again, like the recent declaration by the Ogoni, all human beings are free to choose for themselves, even self determination,’ Morris emphasised.

From all indications, the Bayelsa State symbols and songs have come to stay since it has got a legal backing. However, the verbal attacks on Dickson, his lieutenants and state continues. How long will these criticisms last is uncertain.

State police: To be or not? should have its say and then the Federal Government should have its own say in policing.

Outside this country, we have federal parastastals, state parastatals and municipal parastatals. These things are found in the country.

In the same vein, the governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola, dismissed the fears exercised in some quarters over the call for state police, describing the antagonism as misplaced. He said any option outside the demand for state police amounted to scratching a major crisis on the surface.

“The opposition to the establishment of state police structures in Nigeria has largely been driven by an exaggerated, misleading and unfounded precedent focusing on the abuse of state police through political interference and manipula-

tion,” Fashola declared.

His position is corroborated by a Lagos lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, but with a caveat that there must be an appropriate mechanism to insulate it from abuse by state officials. He acknowledged the fears being expressed in some circles of the possibility of some individuals thwarting the primary objectives of having such force.

He stated: “The issue of establishing state police is not really about whether the country is ready for it or not. It is necessary in a federation. What has been militating against the re-establishment of state police has been the fear that the state executives, just like the Federal Government, can use the state police to harass political opponents.”

While the debate on whether or not the country should

Aliyu

Falana

institutionalise state police in its constitution continues, Nigerians are worries about the current state of insecurity in the country.

The preponderance of opinion is that the current efforts of the federal government have not yielded positive fruits to dismiss the clamour for the agitation.

However, the recent proposal of the Presidential Committee on the Re-organisation of the Nigeria Police as well as the submission of the Forum of Retired Inspectors-General of Police in the country, have been described in some quarters as a welcome development if well implemented.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

Business FRESH BUSINESS NEWS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS August 19, 2012

Martin Dirks

Omobola Johnson

Logan Pather

Mixed feelings on implications of CDMA’s N31bn merger

Following the news on a merger arrangement being formalised among three Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators in Nigeria, stakeholders have expressed mixed reactions, with some saying the development could be the beginning of better performance in the segment of the telecoms sector while others see it differently, reports Kunle Azeez.

S

takeholders in the Nigeria’s telecommunications sector have applauded the merger arrangement involving three of Nigeria’s Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators – Starcomms, Multi-Links and MTS. If the tripartite merger arrangement goes through, it is expected that a mega CDMA operator, to be called CAPCOM, will emerge from the ‘marriage’ to compete favourably with the operators in the Global System for Mobile (GSM) Communication operators such as MTN, Globacom, Etisalat and Airtel Nigeria.

According to the information gathered from the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria, the $200m (about N31 billionn) is set to be injected by core investors into the emerging CDMA operator.

The emerging company has, as its shareholders, MBC, with 53 per cent shares; Middle East Capital Group, 25 per cent shares, while Helios Investment Partners holds 11 per cent shares.

Others said to hold shares in the company include Oldonyo Laro Estate, (five per cent); Bridgehouse Capital Limited, (three per cent); Asset Management Company of Nigeria (two per cent and Private Equity Investors (one per cent).

Over the years, CDMA networks have been facing a number of challenges resulting in continual loss of customers on their networks, following their overt inability to compete with the bigger players in the GSM segment.

For instance, while the GSM subscriber base maintained a consistently upward trend in growth reaching over 97 million active tele-

phone line as at the end of June, 2012, according to the latest statistics from the Nigerian Communications Commission, the number of CDMA subscribers, which was well over 10 million three years ago, had fallen to less than 4 million active lines, with over 17 per cent drop in subscriptions recorded only in 2012.

In the wake of the threatening operating environment facing the CDMA operators, the then Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, had recommended merger option for CDMA operators to be able to compete more favourably in the highly competitive Nigerian telecoms market.

He had said, “I think the way forward and what I will recommend is the consolidation of those companies. I think some of them should merge and bake a bigger cake rather than the segmented way they are today.

“And I think, as an industry, there is a move towards that direction. Some call it consolidation in the industry. When that happens, I suspect you will see better days for CDMA in the country.”

Apparently, the operators were then indifferent to Ndukwe’s position on mergers, preferring a bail out from the Federal Government instead, just as it was the case in the banking industry.

But on assuming office in 2010, the current Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, had made it clear to the ailing CDMA sector that government was not ready for introduce a bail-out for the operators, urging them, instead, to “improve on their service innovations’ and look for fresh investment to reposition their businesses for improved performance.”

Specifically, industry operators have listed the major challenges facing players in the CDMA segment to include limitation of technology, inadequate financial muscle and low innovations in terms of offering value-added services to their customers.

However, with the new merger arrangement, stakeholders, who spoke with Sunday Mirror at the weekend, said there still appeared a glimmer of hope for the CDMA operators to rebound to profitability through wider coverage and better quality of service for their existing and prospective subscribers.

A telecoms lawyer, Mr. Wale Jones, who said the merger would be beneficial to the industry as a whole in terms of improved services to subscribers and much wider coverage, noted that the “The CDMA operators in Nigeria have been facing a number of challenges top of which is the fact that they have limited coverage unlike the GSM companies that have their network almost everywhere in the country, allowing subscribers who use GSM lines to move freely in the country without having to face immediate coverage limitations typical of CDMA networks.”

He said the limitation in network coverage could discourage mobile telecoms subscribers to stick to a CDMA line for long, arguing that “GSM offers wider coverage than the CDMA and this could be a point of attraction to customers.”

Also commenting on the tripartite merger deal, the President, ATCON, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, said, “The development holds a good omen for the CDMA sector in Nigeria, and subscribers who dumped their land lines would dust them up and make good use of

them once again.”

Similarly, the President of the National Association of Telecom Subscribers, Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, said while many subscribers had quit CDMA networks, the new merger would give the GSM operators “a good run for their money.”

He said, “From the operators’ point of view, the emerging mega CDMA operator will give Visafone a good fight and then another revolution in the area of competition for the GSM firms. For the subscribers, it would be a win, win situation.”

Appraising the development, a telecoms engineer and industry analyst, Mr. Akin Akimbo, described the ‘marriage’ of the three CDMA companies as a welcome development.

“The move is an auspicious one that was long overdue in the industry. In the case of paucity of fund and increasing competition, the formulation of a strong merger, such as this, by putting their various infrastructures together, would position the company that will emerge from the union a robust network to roll out innovative services with wider coverage,” he said.

However, the Consumer Protection Council raised objections to the merger arrangement on Friday, saying it could lead to the emergence of a monopoly in the CDMA segment of the nation’s telecoms market.

It said, “CPC’s position on the merger arrangement involving Starcomms, MultiLinks and MTS is very simple: Because rather than develop separately as competitors, three operators are now coming together as one company, it will definitely reduce consumer choice, which is not favourable for consumers in a liberalised market.

“While it can be argued by some stakeholders that the merger is a good development, we are seeing a different perspective to the issue because when the three telcos come together, there is the tendency that they will abuse such a business marriage to the disadvantage of the subscribers,” it added.

But Ogunbanjo disagreed with CPC, saying the coming together of the three CDMA operators would mean improved serve delivery for their consumers, both in the area of voice and data.

“We completely disagree with CPC on the possibility of the merger resulting in monopoly because in the current situation, the Nigerian Communications Commission still has the prerogative to licence more operators. The rural telephony project is still there to be fully implemented and the Federal Government has expressed its readiness to get more operators on board to drive the project. Visafone is still there as a CDMA player. Where then do we expect monopoly to come from?

“Beyond that also is the fact that we want healthy CDMA companies. In September, 2006, when the NCC increased the interconnect rate by almost 100 per cent, was the beginning of the CDMA operators’ misfortune because the interconnect rate did not favour them. Interconnect rate for CDMA everywhere in the world is usually cheaper than what the GSM operators pay.”

According to him, “To deliberately encourage that CDMA becomes healthy and virile again, I think the three coming together is something we welcome and besides, the three of them will now cover more in terms of coverage, which also benefits the consumers.”

50

Business

Sunday August 19, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Sincerity is key to any business venture’ Property Watch •For Lagos area as at Friday August 17, 2012 A. Building materials Cement: Dangote Cement per bag of 50 kg.......N1,900 Burham Cement per bag of 50kg.......N1,900 Elephant Cement…………………N1,850 Sandcrete blocks 6 inches sandcrete block ..........N120 9 inches sandcrete block ..........N140

In June 2004, Alex Omordia left Tell Magazine to venture into publishing, coming out with his own outfit, Corporate Standard Magazine.

Today, nine years later, the magazine has come of age, with many garlands to its hat. In this interview with Onukwube Ofoelue, Omordia speaks on his experiences as a journalist, and what it takes to go independent in news publishing.

Sand Sand per tipper load .......... N12,000 Sharp sand (double) ..........N22,000 Gravel (single) ...................N18,000 Gravel (double) ..................N22,000 Granite ...............................N165,000 Reinforcement 8mm(153) pieces per ton (N125,000 10mm (153) pieces per ton .......... N135,000 12mm ............................................N161,000 16mm ........................................N172,000 20mm (53) pieces ....................N122,000 Wood Timber (hard) 1x1x12 ..........N1,000 Timber (hard) 2x2x12 ..........N600 Timber (hard) 2x4x12 ..........N700 Soft wood 2x2x12 ..........N250 2x3x12 ..........N300 Plywood 3x3x6-----------------N3,500 2x4x8-----------------N2,400 Roofing Sheet Corrugated iron sheet per bundle ...N10,000 Asbestos 4x8 per piece ..................N1,600 Asbestos (solo) ............................N1,100 B. Landed property Focus area: Lagos Mainland 1. Warehouse comprising 400 metres square at Ojodu Abiodun, Lagos -------N600m Estimated price in 5years----------N620m 2. A block of 8 units of 3 bedroom flats at Yisa Braimoh Street, Aguda, Surulere----N80m Estimated price in 5years----------------N100m 3. Six plots of land at Maryland, Lagos-------------- N75m Estimated price in 5 years-------------N100m 4. One-storey building along Abeokuta Expressway, Abule Egba, Lagos-----N55m Estimated price in 5 years-------N75m 5. Purpose-built school on 2.5 acre of land off Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja-----N1bn Estimated price in 5 years----------N1.3bn 6. 8 nos of flats at Ijaiye Strret, Mafoluku, Lagos------ N80m Estimated price in 5 years-------N100m 7. Uncompleted block of flats at Isheri -Osun, Lagos-------------N15m Estimated price in 5 years-----------N20m 8. Four bedroom duplex at Gbagada----N18m Estimated price in 5 years--------N30m 9. Three-bedroom flat at Bucker Estate, Isolo--------N8m Estimated price in 5 years-------N15m 10. A plot of land at Oba Akran, Ikeja------N120m Estimated price in 5 years-----------N130m

•Compiled by Dayo Ayeyemi, 08033312578.

Omordia

What was your objective in establishing Corporate Standard Magazine?

Our magazine is the hub of economic growth. It is so because we try to bring out those people we feel are doing well in their areas of endeavour and therefore contributing to the growth and economy of the country. Basically, we sample these people and promote them for making an impact in the society. I

also think one should be encouraged when he is performing for him to do more. We traverse the corporate world and then profile the individuals in these different areas of endeavour. They could be professionals in the medical field, engineers, politicians, economists, teachers, lecturers in tertiary institutions, people in the oil industry.

Basically, what we do is to profile people and highlight the good

things they have been doing in order to encourage them to do more.

How did you handle the issues of financing and initial gathering of materials to start the magazine?

Everything lies on proper planning. I also believe in God so much, and He cannot come down from heaven, but gives us wisdom and knowledge. When I say proper planning, what I mean is that one should know what he can do and what he cannot. If we had started publishing this magazine on a regular basis, say, every week or every month, I don’t think we would still be in the market today. We don’t chew more than we can swallow, that is the bottom line. Am not saying I want to be publishing regularly because I have grown. This is because I know what we can carry here, I know our capacity. We don’t have a printing press- we do our printing with commercial printers, and with the little money we generate, we are able to do that.

We are also able to send out journalists to gather stories for us, and we are able to pay our staff. There is no magic, we don’t have external financiers, and we don’t do any other magic here.

What challenges have you encountered in running this business?

Finance is the major challenges, but I won’t say it is peculiar to us. The challenge of finance has been discouraging. When you approach banks, they refuse to give you loans. I thought that by now, we should have our own printing press, so we could also go into commercial printing. Having come this far, we felt that we have reached a level where we can com-

fortably be able to get loans, but it is not so. When I approached one bank, they refused to give us a loan simply because the property we showed them was not in Ikeja.

These are the challenges, logistics generally. When we send people out, we have to fund their movement and this money does not come from anywhere else but here.

Then there is the challenge of fraudsters. Probably because of the success we have recorded, people will come in, dupe people and pull out. Some even use our materials to show people. They copy the things we have done; our letters, the photos in our brochure and other things. That gives us a bad name.

What is your advice for people who plan to go into magazine publishing?

The first key is that the person must know what he wants to do. If you want to publish a magazine- is it going to be weekly, monthly or bimonthly? Just structure your schedule and that is the first step.

You must be honest- its key- we have to be very truthful in this business. If I want to give you this brochure, I will tell you this is what I am giving you. It will be wrong to promise you this and at the end of the day you get nothing. Be very sincere, it is key to any business venture. We try to let people know what we are doing at each stage of our preparations.

If we have any cause to shift the programme, we will inform you on time. Again, you should know that, whatever you see here today started from somewhere, and grew. So you should be patient, and let your business grow gradually.

Poor impact of FG’s intervention funds worries stakeholders S takeholders appear worried that the real sector of the economy has not registered the growth envisaged by the various intervention funds of the government. Stanley Ihedigbo takes a looks at the latest funds, their disbursements and effects.

Globally, the issues of the bailout from government are aimed in assisting development and growth of the real sector in particular and the economy in general. And it has in many ways contributed to the turnaround of the various nations’ economies in the area of industrialization and massive employments for the benefits of the development of the nation.

But in Nigeria, the reverse appears to be the case, as the various Federal Government intervention funds released to assist the growth of the economy with the impact not being felt and many stakeholders even claiming that they are not aware of the bailout funds in the country.

Speaking on the development the National President of the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dr. Herbert Ajayi, said as an association, they had watched carefully and listened with keen interest to reactions in respect of the developments concerning the economy, especially in the areas of the challenges posed to the real sector operators in accessing the various government’s intervention funds.

He added that the financial institutions empowered to disburse the funds are rather hesitant in providing credit to the target

groups for a number of perhaps understandable reasons. Hence, businesses in Nigeria, particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have continued to struggle, battle and haggle with the administrators of intervention funds intended to boost the private sector’s access to funds/credits.

“Currently, information reaching us suggests that some real sector operators are either not aware or do not know how to go about accessing the various Intervention funds, while a good number of them who wish to take advantage of the fund face challenges as disbursement is usually slow or not forth-coming,” he stated.

The president of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHCCI) Dr. Vincent Furo, in an interview with Sunday Mirror said that none of his members had benefited from the funds made available by the government.

Commenting on the issue, a Nigerian USbased industrialist, Sir Franklin Ojukwu, said the bailout fund, as a subvention, is a movement in the right direction, and expected that they should look into real sector that have short- and long-term programmes and goals to release the funds for.

The N200 billion Small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee Schemes (SMECGS) was launched in April 2010 to fast-track the development of the manufacturing SMEs sector of the Nigerian economy by providing guarantees for credit from banks to SMEs and manufacturers .

The Power and Aviation Intervention

Fund (PAIF) was introduced in September, 2010 to provide the leverage that would motivate and stimulate private sector involvement in the power and aviation sectors as well as fast-track the development of the both sectors of the economy.

According to what the paper gathered, as at May 2012, a total of N157.81 billion so far disbursed, whereas 13 airlines got N86.42 billion while 12 power projects costing N71.39billion were implemented.

The Restructuring and Refinancing Facility (RRF) N200 billion was introduced for the development of manufacturing sector of the Nigeria economy by improving access to credit by manufacture as wells as output, improve the financial position of DMBs, generate employments.

On agriculture, a N200 billion Commercial Agriculture Credit Guarantee Scheme (CACS) was established in 2009 to finance large ticket projects along the agricultural value chain.

The scheme administered at a single digit rate of nine percent to beneficiaries and state government, including the FCT can access a maximum of N1 billion each on lending to farmer’s cooperatives or other areas of agricultural interventions that suit them.

Another fund was the Nigerian Incentive -Based Risk Sharing System Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) an initiative introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in August 2009 to provide farmers with affordable financial products and reduce the risks of such loans to the benefitting farmers.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Zonal News

Sunday August 19, 2012

NORTH WEST

A

51

SOUTH EAST

FRSC assures of hitch- ‘Enugu’ll soon become free Sallah in Zamfara oil-producing state’

s Muslims prepare for the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations, the Zamfara state command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has assured of accident-free activities in the state.

Malam Sani Abdulsamad, the Assistant Corps Commander, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the command had mobilised its officers to regulate traffic throughout the state during and after the festivities. ``It is not only vehicles

that cause accidents; whenever there are large crowds moving in all directions, there are likely to be stampedes. ``That is why we will be everywhere to control and ensure smooth movement of both people and vehicles.”

Abdulsamad said that although the command always recorded minimum cases of road traffic accidents, it would not relent in ensuring that all traffic rules and regulations were strictly adhered to.

He appealed to motor-

ists and other road users to be more careful and patient while on the road, especially with the rainfall in place.

The FRSC officer warned that anyone caught driving recklessly would face the wrath of the law.

NAN reports that major towns of the state, especially the state capital, Gusau, were being over-crowded as many people, particularly indigenes of the state residing in other parts, returned to join their families for the festivities.

DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

F

ollowing the discovery of large quantity of crude oil in Iga, Uzo-Uwani Local Government area of Enugu State, the state is now set to join the league of oil-producing states in Nigeria.

The chairman, UzoUwani local government council, Mr. Cornel Onwubuya, who made the disclosure at Umulokpa, the council headquarters when he received members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Enugu state Council, stated that his council was also blessed

with other resources such as silicon and agrarian land for extensive agriculture .

Inspecting projects being executed by his administration, the chairman said that already, Orient Petroleum Company Limited has started lifting crude oil from the local government and charged the Federal Government to begin the process of listing Enugu State as one of the oil-producing states.

Onwubuya said: “Oil was found at Iga community in Uzo-Uwani local government area, and one company called Orient Petroleum is at the moment lifting crude oil

from that community. So I want to say that Enugu State will soon join the league of oil producing states in the country.”

He further disclosed that available record showed that crude oil deposits within the local government area would last for about 100 years, while natural gas also found in the area, was estimated to last for 200 years.

Onwubuya appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that the people of Enugu state, especially UzoUwani people, benefit from the earnings accruing from the exploitation of crude oil and gas deposits in the area.

Alleged gunman surrenders, apologises to victim NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

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L-R: Secretary, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), Hajiya Nafsat Baba; Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Agency, Kaduna State, Dr. Sufiyan Babale and Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Local Government Service Commission, Mrs. Paulina Hassan, at a three-year review meeting of NURHI in Kaduna on Thursday.

PHOTO: NAN

Sallah: Kaduna civil servants receive August salary

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ivil servants in Kaduna State on Friday received their August salaries ahead of the Eid-elFitr celebration.

The Commissioner for Finanace, Dr John Ayuba, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Friday.

He said the payment followed a directive from Gov. Patrick Yakowa to enable the Muslims to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr. ``This gesture by the governor is to enable our Muslim brothers and sisters to celebrate the Sallah with their families after the month-long fasting.”

Ayuba advised civil servants to contact their financial institutions or banks to obtain their salaries.

The commissioner congratulated the Muslim Ummah for the successful completion of the Ramadan fast, and wished them a happy Sallah celebration.

here was drama yesterday at a private hospital in Agulu community of Anaocha Local Government area of Anambra State when one of the suspected gunmen who attacked and injured the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Motorcycle Transport Union of Nigeria, MTUN, Chief Jimmy Okonkwo, walked into the hospital and tendered apologies to him.

Gunmen numbering over 10 had on Monday, August 6, shot and robbed Okonkwo who is also a leader of Autobike Owners Association of Nigeria, AOWAN, a new generation bank in the community, shortly after he withdrew the sum of N3 million from the bank.

According to eye-witnesses, as soon as Okonkwo with-

NWABUEZE OKONKWO

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parents and there is the need for us as parents to ensure that we train them to be useful members of the society. ``As parents, we should know who our children associate with so as not to allow them to move with bad company,’’ he said.

He advised the youths in the state to avoid acts capable of breaching the existing peace during and after the Sallah celebrations.

Omar said as leaders of tomorrow, youths had a great role to play in the development of the state and the country.

He also advised them to engage in useful ventures to enable them to become selfreliant.

On security challenges, the cleric called on Muslims to continue to pray for the sustenance of peace in the state.

passengers, waiting for his turn to load up and while about eight passengers so far entered the vehicle, some officials of the park management committee approached him and ordered him to surrender the vehicle to them for a special assignment which they did not disclose to him.

He said he enquired from them to know the type of assignment they wanted to use the vehicle for but they still refused to tell him; rather, they warned him to stop asking questions but obey them; else, they would stop him from entering the park again.

After narrating his story, the IPO took him and the owner of the bus who came into the hospital with him to the Ekwulobia police station to write a formal statement to the police, for more investigations.

Community protests arrest of hotelier

Cleric tasks parents on children’s upbringing he Chief Imam of AlFurqan Mosque in Kano, Dr Bashir Omar, has advised parents to ensure proper upbringing of their children to guarantee their future.

The cleric who gave the advice in his sermon in Kano on Friday, noted that it was the responsibility of parents to ensure that their children were properly trained. ``The training of children is the sole responsibility of

drew the money and was escorted to his Red coloured Chrysler car and he drove off, two Mitsubishi buses carrying about 10 armed men reportedly blocked his vehicle, one in front and the other at the rear, and the gunmen shot at him, snatching N362, 000 from his car before they noticed a fast approaching police van and fled.

But as he voluntarily walked into the hospital, the suspect who identified himself as Ilozo, a commercial bus driver, told the victim, Okonkwo, in the presence of newsmen and an Investigating Police Officer from Aguata Divisional Police Headquarters, Ekwulobia, that the actual gunmen coerced him and his Mitsubishi bus into joining them in the act.

He disclosed that he took his vehicle into the Ekwulobia Central Motor Park on that fateful day to load

ONITSHA

eactions have continued to trail the arrest and detention of the owner of Arthur Garden Hotel, Mr. Christopher Arthur Udo, by the police over the alleged involvement of his hotel in kidnapping activities.

The reactions came from stakeholders of Nkpor Community in Idemili North Local Government area of Anambra State, who described the arrest as

unwarranted.

Udo, a prominent indigene of Nkpor and his brotherin-law, Chief Godwin Onwukwe, had been arrested by men of Anambra State Police Command in Enugu last week and are currently being detained at the State Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, headquarters, Awkuzu, over alleged connivance with some suspected kidnappers arrested inside one of his hotels at Umusiome village, Nkpor.

Governor Peter Obi had equally led a team of securi-

ty agents to the hotel penultimate Sunday afternoon and sealed off the hotel, adding that after investigations, if it was found out that the hotel was used as a hideout for kidnappers and other criminals, it would be confiscated by the government.

But addressing newsmen yesterday at Nkpor, the spokesman of Nkpor Stakeholders Forum, Dr. Christian Okeke, said crisis was already building up within the community as a result of the arrests.

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Sunday August 19, 2012

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SOUTH SOUTH

Pastor, 70, arraigned over Gunmen kill three, rape of 10-yr-old orphan injure two in Plateau SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

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70-year-old pastor, Alfred Idonije, has been arraigned before an Egor, Benin Magistrate’s court, for allegedly raping a 10 year-old orphan.

The man, who was described as a pastor of a church (name withheld), allegedly had forceful and unlawful carnal knowledge of the young girl, whose name was given as Hope (surname withheld)on the 25th of June, 2012, after luring her into his room.

The court heard that he sent the child on an errand

to buy him indomie noodles, and upon her arrival, he pounced on her.

Narrating her ordeal in the court, the victim said the accused after that incident, also raped her on two other occasions, after threatening to kill her if she reported to anyone.

In her testimony that drew emotions in the court, the grandmother of the victim, Mrs. Mary Akhigbe, said Hope, who lives with her, has neither father nor mother.

She said she has been struggling to fend for her since she lost both parents.

She also told the court that on the fateful day that

the cat was let out of the bag, the defendant sent the victim on an errand as he was wont to do; though at this time she was yet to suspect that anything was happening to her grand-daughter.

Mrs. Akhigbe further narrated that it was when she went in search of her daughter, whose long stay in the old man’s room had become worrisome to her, that she heard some noise from the bedroom of the accused person. She added that when she peeped into the room through the window, she saw her grand-daughter being sexually abused by the accused person.

JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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unmen yesterday shot and killed three people in Barki Ladi Local Government area of Plateau State.

The attack by the gunmen occurred despite the ongoing military action by members of the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis in the local government area.

It was learnt that the victims identified as Yero Goma, Wada Usman and Abdulahi Mukaka were on their way to Sho village in the locality when the gunmen who laid in ambush, attacked them, killing two people on the spot, while the third person died in the hospital.

Two other people in their company were critically injured and were rushed to the hospital.

Spokesman of the Special Task force (STF) on Jos crisis, Captain Salisu Mustapha, confirmed the

incident in a statement yesterday.

He said, “Unknown gunmen yesterday ambushed and attacked Fulani who were on their way to sho village in Barkin Ladi.”

He added that the armed men opened fire on them, killing one Yero Goma and Wada Usman on the spot, while Abdulahi Mukaka and Useni Ahmadu sustained gunshot wounds.

He said he fifth person, Saleh Shuaibu, escaped unhurt, adding that the injured were rushed to a clinic in Barkin Ladi for treatment but that Abdullahi Mukka, one of the injured persons, died in the clinic The Spokesman further said that (S T F) would leave no stone unturned in fishing out the perpetrators of this dastardly act.

He warned the people to desist from acts capable of truncating the peace efforts in the state, as anybody caught would be treated as

an enemy of the state.

In another occurrence, there was bomb scare yesterday in Bukuru metropolis of Jos South Local Government area, when a black briefcase suspected to be laden with bomb was discovered.

The incident, which occurred around DB Zang/ Gyel Junction along Bukuru Expressway, caused people to flee the area. But the intervention of the security agents later saved the situation.

Captain Mustapha who also confirmed the incident in a statement yesterday, said on receiving the report, soldiers were drafted to the scene immediately.

The statement said that members of the anti-bomb squad were also invited only to discover that the briefcase did not contain any explosive but a personal belonging of someone who might be on a journey.

Kwara raises committee on centenary book

T Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (second left); Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon (middle) and Prince Inusa-Umoru, Aidonogie of South-Ibie designate, during the governor’s visit to Inusa-Umoru recently.

16 students held for wearing army uniform T he 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army Benin, Edo State, has paraded 16 students for allegedly being in possession of Nigerian Army uniforms and accoutrements.

Cpt. Roseline Managbe, the brigade’s Public Relations Officer, told newsmen on Friday that the suspects claimed to be students of the Delta State University, Abraka and Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku. She said that the illegal acquisition, use and abuse

of the Nigerian Army uniform and accoutrement posed a serious security threat to the nation. ``Experience has shown that these impostors have impersonated the Nigerian Army in various scenarios in acts of criminality to the embarrassment of the army and the nation in general. ``The Nigerian Army, which is widely respected worldwide, cannot fold its arms and watch its name dragged through the mud by a group parading them-

selves as affiliate of the Nigerian Army. ``The Nigerian Army disassociates itself from the activities of this group. There is only one Nigerian army and no affiliates.”

Managbe explained that the suspects were arrested by troops of the 3 Battalion Nigerian Army deployed in Asaba, Delta State.

She said the suspects also claimed to be members of the Nigerian Army Cadet Force and Safety Corps of Nigerian Cadet Team.

Group cautions against ‘war drums’ AMOUR UDEMUDE ASABA

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non-gover nmental organization, ‘The Concerned Youth Empowerment Association of Nigeria’ (TCYEAN) has frowned at the rate of insecurity in the country, even as it appealed to religious organisations to unite and

help the security agencies fish out the evil doers in the country.

In a statement titled, “Stop Beating War Drums” signed by the National President of the group, Mr. Noble C.C. Adaelu, and made available to our correspondent in Asaba, the body cautioned youths and the nation’s leaders to stop beating war

drums but rather proffer “attainable solutions” to the nation’s security problems.

“Nigeria is the only country we have; its stability and co-existence should be paramount to every patriotic Nigerian. Let’s end the divisible tendencies in the country, caused by the greed and selfishness of our leaders,” the group urged.

he Kwara State Government has inaugurated a committee that would write the history of the state and its people.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee was charged with the writing of a comprehensive book on the history of the people of the state since 1914.

Alhaji Isiaka Gold, the Secretary to the State Gov-

ernment, while inaugurating the committee on Friday, said that the book would entail the political, economic and sociocultural patterns of the people.

He charged them to work assiduously to complete the work on time.

Dr Raimi Olaoye, chairman of the committee, gave the assurance that the committee would do a

thorough job and produce a book that would be acceptable to all stakeholders.

He said that the committee would meet with the traditional rulers, leaders of thoughts and custodians of history for their contributions.

Olaoye thanked the government for the opportunity given them to serve in that capacity.

Man docked for allegedly killing girlfriend

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Chief Magistrate’s court in Makurdi, Benue State, at the weekend, remanded a 40-yearold man, Williams Adogo, at the Federal Prisons, Makurdi, for allegedly killing his girlfriend, Msuega Achi.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Gabriel Ebonyi, had told the court that one Tyohule Abakyo reported to ‘C’ Division Police Station that his cousin was murdered by the accused.

He said that Abakyo further told the police that the deceased left his house behind University of Agriculture, Makurdi, to North Bank, also in Makurdi, on July 29 but

did not return.

Ebonyi said that when the complainant called her to know her whereabouts, the deceased asked him to come to where she was.

The prosecutor said the complainant went there immediately due to the urgency in her voice and the deceased explained to him that the accused conspired with one Dr Wombo and aborted her 5-month-old pregnancy. ``The complainant informed the police that the abortion caused serious damage to the deceased womb and that she bled to death immediately after telling her story,’’ he said.

The prosecutor said that the doctor who performed the abortion was still at large.

He said the offence contravened Sections 97, 232 and 222 of the Penal Code Laws as amended by the Benue State Government, 2004.

When the case came up for mention, plea was not taken for want of jurisdiction.

The prosecutor said investigation into the matter was still ongoing and asked for another date for mention.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Dan Ogo, adjourned the matter to Sept. 9 for further mention.

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UBEC pledges support for NSSF P. 54

Sport

KEEPING YOU ABREAST OF SPORTING NEWS

Nigeria’s ARS teams vow to conquer Africa P. 54

August 19, 2012

ANDREW EKEJIUBA

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

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rsenal commenced the 2012/13 English Premiership season on a shaky note, as they could not find a way past a resolute Sunderland that held them to a barren draw at the Emirates Stadium yesterday.

Robin van Persie’s replacements Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud failed to score on their debuts for Gunners as Abou Diaby also had a fine first-half shot saved by Simon Mignolet.

As profligate as Arsenal were, credit gose to Sunderland, who were tireless in closing down space on a sweltering afternoon in north London.

But, other than their inaccuracy, there were signs that the new signings could prove astute purchases given more time to integrate into the side.

Diaby shot from the edge of the box pushed Sunderland further back, and only isolated efforts from Colback.

Try as they might, Arsenal could not fashion many clearcut openings after the break, with the Sunderland defence quick to close any gaps on the edge of the penalty area.

The Black Cats played with just Stephane Sessegnon up front, and once McClean had given Wojciech Szczesny an early wake-up call, they were quick to retreat with Lee Cattermole typically tigerish in midfield.

Gunners new signing, Podolski was replaced by Giroud after the hour mark, with Ramsey and the returning Andrey Arshavin also introduced. Also former Montpellier forward Giroud had the best chance of the afternoon, but his miss from 12 yards - after being set up by Cazorla increased Arsenal’s frustration to keep the final scores at 0-0 apiece at the end of the day.

In other premiership matches concluded yesterday, Mladen Petric scored twice on his debut as Fulham crushed Norwich 5-0

Arsenal’s Theo Walcott (left) challenges for the ball with Sunderland’s Carlos Cuellar during their EPL clash yesterday at Emirates Stadium in London.

EPL: Gunners in shaky start, as Fulham, Swansea commence season on high on the first day of the season.

The Croatian striker headed in a Damien Duff corner and scored with a 25-yard effort that deflected in off City defender Michael Turner.

Duff poked in the first from 12 yards after latching onto John Arne Riise’s through ball while Alex Kacaniklic tucked in the fourth from close range.

Petric doubled the lead before half-time, nodding in Duff ’s corner, to score his first

Di Matteo delighted with attacking options P. 55

goal for the Cottagers - assistant referee Charles Breakspear correctly ruling that the ball had crossed the line despite Jonny Howson’s attempted clearance.

Indeed it was Fulham who further extended their lead when a neat passing triangle involving Ruiz and Petric saw the latter find space 25 yards from goal and his left-foot effort deflected off Turner to leave Ruddy wrong-footed.

With Norwich fans’ already beginning to drift away, Rodellaga was felled by Turner and Sidwell converted the penalty as Fulham maintained their record of never having lost a home Premier League game on the opening day of the season.

Meanwhile, Michu and Nathan Dyer both scored twice to help Michael Laudrup get off to an impressive start as Swansea boss with 5-0 thumping of QPR. Swansea hit the bar twice

United set to sign P. 55 Henriquez

before Michu curled home his second after the break.

QPR crumbled completely by the end, with Nathan Dyer scoring twice in quick succession before Scott Sinclair completed the rout with a low finish.

The Welsh side put on a passing performance reminiscent of their best form under previous boss Brendan Rodgers, in what will go down as a perfect Premier League bow for their new Danish manager.

Marseille rule out Barton swap P. 55

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Sport

Sunday August 19, 2012

UBEC pledges support for NSSF ANDREW EKEJIUBA

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he Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has thrown its weight behind the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF) for the development of grassroots sports in Nigeria’s educational institutions.

The commission which was worried by the poor state of affairs in sports in the country pledged its support in checking the dwindling fortune on Nigeria’s performance in international competitions.

The commission’s acting executive secretary, Professor Charles Onocha, said in Abuja that the sports industry wouldn’t have been in this present sorry state if sports development was sustained in schools as it were in the early 70s and 80s in the country.

Professor Onocha declared this while receiving the officials of NSSF led by its president, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, in his

office in Abuja.

He also commended the efforts of the NSSF and charged the body to be open and upright in their dealings so as to attract sponsorship for its programmes.

According to him, the commission will do its best to give the needed support to the body in its drive to revamp sports in the country through the participations of pupils and students in primary and secondary schools in the country.

He said the commission will look into the possibility of donating trophies to be competed for among schools and charged the federation to ensure its affiliates at all levels to do the right thing to encourage parents, corporate bodies and their state governments in the quest to changing the face of sports positively in the nation.

Speaking earlier, NSSF President, Ibrahim Muhammed, explained that their visit to the commission is to seek their support for the evolution of sports

NSSF President, Mallam Ibrahim Muhammed.

in the country through schools and further commended Ondo, Rivers, Kano, Niger, Adamawa and Ogun State governments for their efforts so far for NSSF programmes.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Repositioning of Nigerian sports, responsibility of all –Amosun T he Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, says the repositioning of Nigerian sports is not the responsibility of government and corporate sponsors alone, but that of all Nigerians.

In a statement signed on his behalf by the Press Officer of the state Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Rotimi Oduniyi, the governor said all Nigerians must see to it that the right things are done while repositioning our sports.

According to him, all Nigerians must make sure that age cheats in all our age grade competitions are shown the back door, while parents must be ready to come-out with the true ages of their wards during different competitions so that, young and budding talents are

discovered and trained to stardom.

While supporting President Goodluck Jonathan that our sports must be restructured for optimal performance, Governor Amosun said the process must be gradual and painstaking so that it can achieve its desired purpose.

He added that emphasis must be on grassroots sports development especially at the state level, while noting that corporate organizations must show commitments to sports development by sponsoring competitions with its attendant mileages.

The governor also charged sports administrators at all levels to be prudent and be ready to be accountable, not only to their corporate sponsors but to all Nigerians.

NAFF raises doubt Eko 2012: Omotayo over participation in targets gold World Cup

Nigeria’s ARS teams vow to conquer Africa T

YEMI OLUS

ANDREW EKEJIUBA

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igeria’s contingent to the panAfrican Airtel Rising Stars (ARS) Soccer Championship holding in Nairobi, Kenya, have vowed to make their countrymen proud by bringing home the trophies for the male and female categories of the pan-African U17 youth tournament.

The winners of the Airtel Rising Stars national Finals - the Jos male team and Port Harcourt female team will represent Nigeria at the International Championship holding in Kenya.

Both Teams emerged favourites at a keenly contested national finals held last month at the Agege Township Stadium, Lagos.

Speaking, at a farewell ceremony organized for the teams

by Airtel Nigeria on Friday, the captain of the female team, Success Elendu assured Nigerians that Port Harcourt girls will rule Africa by emerging overall champions at the continental soccer tourney billed to kick off on August 20, in Nairobi, while Aminu

L-R: ARS male team coach, Salisu Nakande; COO/ED, Airtel Nigeria, Deepak Srivastava; Captain ARS female team, Success Elendu; MD/CEO, Airtel Nigeria, Rajan Swaroop; Captain ARS male team, Nuhu Aminu; CMO, Airtel Nigeria, Olu Akanmu; ARS female team coach, Joseph ‘Zico’ Egbu and Director of Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Oparah at the farewell luncheon organised on Friday for the teams.

Nuhu, captain of the male team from Jos said the team is focused and committed to winning the tournament for Nigerians.

The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Rajan Swaroop who received the ARS teams at Airtel’s Corporate Headquarter in Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, charged the boys and girls not to relent on their promises, reminding them that Nigeria is the giant

of Africa and must try to make the country proud.

“I was at the national finals at the Agege Township Stadium to watch you guys. You are all exceptionally talented. I want you all to be confident. Believe in yourself and make Nigeria proud at Nairobi,” he said.

The Pan African ARS Championship which will kick off Monday, August 20, will come to an end on Saturday, August 25, 2012.

he Nigeria Amputee Football Federation (NAFF) on Friday raised doubts over its participation in the 2012 Amputee World Cup scheduled for Kaliningrad, Russia from October 6-15.

Victor Anusa, NAFF secretary, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that this was because the World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF) was yet to reply to its application for registration.

Anusa said the federation had completed registration process as required by WAFF, but was still awaiting feedback.

“I have completed the registration process as required by the international body, while waiting for them to reply so that we can commence accreditation process in earnest,’’ he said.

According to Anusa, the continuous delay in feedback by the world body is affecting their preparation for the competition.

“Our players were no longer active in their training schedule due to the delay and they are all sceptical that WAFF might turn down Nigeria’s participation in the competition,” the secretary said.

Akinderu-Fatai blames corruption for poor Olympic outing T he member representing Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency 1 of Lagos at the Federal House of Representatives, Honorable Moruf Akinderu-Fatai has blamed corruption among sports administrators in the country for Team Nigeria’s dismal outing at London 2012 Olympics.

He told our correspondent that Nigeria would have performed

well if the welfare of athletes was well taken care of, but because of the corruption in the system, the country lost out at the medals table.

“It is quite unfortunate that not minding the huge amount of money spent on the games, we could not even win a bronze medal.

“I even heard that the athletes threatened to boycott the 4x100m relay event because of unpaid al-

lowances and unfulfilled promises. It is not that these monies were not approved but some people wanted to feed fat on it.

“When you look at the whole scenario critically, you will discover that some of these monies did not get to the athletes on time to enable them prepare adequately for the games because some officials will always like to take

advantage of anything and embezzle public funds,” he said.

The honourable member further warned that for Nigeria to win any medal in future competitions, there is the need to fight corruption in sports administration in the country, noting that once the cankerworm has been removed, the country will be a force to be reckoned with in sports.

pring Fresh Table Tennis Club player, Olajide Omotayo, has revealed his plans to make an impact as he makes his debut at the 18th National Sports Festival, tagged ‘Eko 2012’ scheduled to take place in Lagos State later this year.

The 17-year-old and national junior player made it into the Lagos State team after coming third in the trials which took place penultimate week and said he has learnt a lot this season.

“This season has been fantastic because I am in a big club and also part of the Lagos Team. I am the No.3 player in the state and would be participating in the National Sports Festival for the first time.

“Though I was in Port Harcourt last year, my target this time is the gold medal and nothing else because I have trained hard and believe that the task ahead is achievable,” he said.

Omotayo confessed that the assistance of Micheal Oyebode, the coach of A.S.D. Tennis-Tavolo Norbello of Italy in preparing the Lagos State table tennis players ahead of the sports festival, has gone a long way in making him a better player.

Omotayo won the Dee Jones Junior Championship held in March and drew attention two years ago by becoming the youngest player to get to the semi final of the annual Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship.

The teenager represented Nigeria in junior championships in Egypt and Congo-Brazzaville in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

His club finished fourth in the Lagos State Table Tennis League which came to an end in July.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Sunday August 19, 2012

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Mancini reveals Martinez talks UUnited set to sign Henriquez M anchester City manager Roberto Mancini has revealed that they made an approach for Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez earlier this summer.

City has been linked with a dynamic midfielder and Martinez is one of the

players whose names were mentioned in the press.

The Spain international is rated as one of the most complete midfielders in Europe and Athletic Bilbao are willing to let him go for £31million.

Bayern Munich are now set to pay Bilbao that sum

to recruit the 23-year-old, but Mancini claims that City too were in the running for the player.

“We talked about Martinez with his club but it isn’t an easy situation because there are three or four top clubs who want him.

“Sometimes it isn’t

enough to have the money to spend. When there are other top teams after a player, it is difficult,” Mancini said.

City will begin the defence of their Premier League title with a home game against Southampton today.

Di Matteo delighted with attacking options C helsea boss Roberto Di Matteo believes they have enough goals in the team despite only having two recognised strikers.

Di Matteo has allowed Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Romelu Lukaku to move on this summer, leaving him with only Fernando Torres and Daniel Sturridge as recognised forwards in his squad.

However, Di Matteo is confident they have enough attacking threats in the team to provide goals.

“I am happy with what

we have now because I said that in certain areas we are a little bit light but we have signed some very good players and I’m sure they will score goals for us,” Di Matteo said.

He added: “We’ve got two very good strikers who can score goals and I’m sure they will.

“Fernando has started the season very well, scoring last weekend. And we need the other players to chip in - Juan Mata, Oscar, Eden Hazard.

“Frank Lampard always scores goals,

Abate confident in Milan’s prospects

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gnazio Abate is confident AC Milan can do well in the upcoming campaign, and is eagerly anticipating their Serie A opener against Sampdoria.

Milan are currently preparing for today’s friendly against last season’s Serie A champions Juventus, and although they sold players such as Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the off-season, Abate feels they can go a long way in 2012/13 as long as they keep working hard.

“I am very optimistic for the season to come because I have seen how much we have been helping each other – something that should never be underestimated. We must keep on working united for 95 minutes in every match,” Abate said.

Abate

Di Matteo

Ramires at the end of last season scored goals. So I think we need to diversify it between the team

because we have signed some very good goalscoring midfield players and they will have to share.”

niversidad de Chile striker Angelo Henriquez is set to join Manchester United, the Chilean club has confirmed.

The 18-year-old will complete the move before the end of August, after undergoing a medical earlier this week, to become the first Chilean ever to play for the club.

Henriquez is one of the most sought-after players in South American football having notched up an impressive 10 goals in 15 league games, while he has also been prolific for Chile at Under-20 level.

Henriquez, who made his debut for the club earlier in the year, confirmed the move earlier in the week, describing it as ‘a dream’.

“I am coming to stay at Manchester United and I’m going to play to obtain that objective.

“They are giving me this opportunity and I can’t let it go, it is something that I have searched for my whole life. It’s a

Marseille rule out Barton swap M arseille chairman Vincent Labrune has ruled out a swap deal with QPR between Joey Barton and Stephane Mbia.

The French outfit wants to sell the versatile Cameroonian defender and initial talks with QPR regarded a potential £4.71m transfer.

But reports claim the London side proposed a swap deal with out of favour Barton, being keen to pay half of his wages.

However Marseille supremo

Labrune has ruled out such a move.

“We are not attracted in a paying loan for Stephane, with an option to buy. So today there is no more talk.

“We are not refusing a departure, but under such conditions we have to look elsewhere,” Labrune said.

Barton is banned for the first 12 games of the season and has not been given a squad number by boss Mark Hughes.

Henriquez

dream I have always had and I can’t afford to not want to be here.

“Everything is spectacular here in Manchester.

For me it is all a dream.

Imagine it, just to be able to play and share a dressing room with people like Wayne Rooney. It’s a dream,” Henriquez enthused.

The player is believed to have rejected an approach from Manchester City to sign for United.

EURO BRIEFS Walcott yet to sign new contract –Wenger

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rsene Wenger has admitted that Arsenal are still struggling to tie down Theo Walcott to a new contract. The Gunners lost star striker Robin van Persie to Manchester United this week in a £24million transfer, worth a whopping £40m to the Dutchman over four years, and Walcott could be set to follow his pal out of the Emirates Stadium exit.

Barton

Rodwell move suits all parties –Moyes Arnesen in manager David Moy- believes the deal was too good for Rajkovic pursuit Everton es admits the sale of Jack Everton to turn down as he now

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amburg sporting director Frank Arnesen has revealed Ajax have made an inquiry about the availability of Slobodan Rajkovic.

The Eredivisie champions are in the market for defensive reinforcements because of the departure of Jan Vertonghen, and they see 23-year-old Rajkovic as a valuable addition to their squad.

HSV are keen to cash in on the Serbia international after he was involved in a brawl on the training ground earlier this offseason.

“It is correct that Ajax have contacted us. They want to sign Slobodan on loan. We are now waiting for an official offer.

“Sloban just really wants to play again. He would love to make the move to Ajax. He is familiar with the game in Netherlands,” Arnesen said.

Rodwell to Manchester City suits all parties involved.

The 21-year-old completed a swift £12million move to the champions last weekend and the fee could rise with add-ons depending on how Rodwell performs.

Rodwell spent much of last season on the sidelines, and Moyes

has funds to reinvest in his side.

“I had known about it for a while and I thought it was something that was right for Jack and right for Everton.

“It was something which I felt at this moment in time was right.

It gave Jack an opportunity to go to a really good club and take his chances there,” Moyes said.

City manager, Roberto Mancini (left), with new signing Jack Rodwell

Walcott

Llorente ponders Juve move

A

thletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente’s agent said a transfer to Juventus is an option for the Spain international. The Basque side recently announced that the towering attacker will not extend his expiring contract, and Llorente is widely expected to be on the move this off-season. Juventus are willing to spend 20 million euros on the 27-year-old, and his representative Carlos Arino Bajo has confirmed a deal could happen.

Llorente

N I G E R I A

$10.7 Vol. 2 No. 36

Sunday, August 19, 2012

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www.nationalmirroronline.net

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with Jim Unah ven as we sue for fair treatment of the workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) by the Federal Government (FG), there is need for the Ministry of Power and all state actors involved in the power sector reforms to aggressively complete the lingering privatisation of the subsidiaries of the company; to chart a new and vibrant course of development for the Nigerian State and a new lease of life for the people of Nigeria. As we speak, there is nobody in the country – citizens and foreigners (immigrants) alike – who is not a PHCN staff or a dependant of a PHCN staff that has not suffered severely from the downright incompetence, recklessness and corruption of all category of workers in the electricity service company (PHCN). In other words, there is nobody in Nigeria who is not a victim of the poor service delivery, extortion and corruption of PHCN workers. Listen to my story, which is not different from the story of all other residents in Nigeria.

In a government estate somewhere in Delta State in late 2010 or thereabout, property allotees were approached by some PHCN staff to raise N25, 000.00 per property

Also, in another property in which I had managed to build a boys quarter and a security post, I was made to pay estimated bills for about four years as the PHCN failed to provide meter. Yet, in the bills sent to the property I found sub-heads like “meter maintenance charge” whereas there was no meter in the property. Since I go home less than four times within the year, only the one-room security post effectively used electricity; that is, if there was electricity supply at all. All the times I visited there was never electricity service from the PHCN. I always relied on the generator that I installed in the property. But the bills kept coming. When the bill rose to about N4, 000.00 per month, I got tired of sending money and paying for electricity not consumed. When I visited five months after, the bill had accumulated to over N17, 000.00! That and the reconnection fee of N2, 000.00 brought the total bill to N19, 000.00 and some fractions.

I was so livid with anger that I vowed never again to have anything to do with PHCN. But my security man and some of the neighbours prevailed on me to cooperate as there was a firm promise of improvement in electricity service in the following month. I left

E-mail: nwaunah@yahoo.com Unah is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Lagos

E

I N

F I G U R E S

N300

bn, amount the Minister of Finance, Dr. OkonjoIweala, said the Federal Government released as capital vote for the third quarter of the year.

PHCN workers and the nation

for the installation of electric poles. When my personal assistant had complied in respect of my landed property by paying N25, 000.00 demanded by the PHCN, I asked that the amount be receipted, but I was told that they could not issue a receipt to me because the electric pole I had paid for was the property of the PHCN!

Comment

bn, sum the Deputy Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, He Meng, disclosed as the value of trade relations between Nigeria and China.

some money for the bill to be settled and for payment of subsequent bills. I went home six months after to find that the house had not been reconnected by PHCN. I went to the PHCN office in the locality and threatened to sue them for fraud. That was when they stopped sending the bills.

In Lagos, the situation is even worse.

There is a case of six months old application for a three-phase prepaid meter that has not been delivered up till today. For the property in question, PHCN collected the sum of N145, 000.00 (One Hundred and FortyFive Thousand Naira Only) which it broke down into the following: N55, 000.00 for three-phase prepaid meter; N70, 000.00 for two concrete electric poles, and N20, 000.00 for installation. Since the application was made over six months ago, only the two concrete electric poles have been installed, with one poorly done as it is slanting. No effort has been made by the PHCN to connect the service cables to the poles, let alone connect the service wires to the house. So, after more than six months of application and payment for a prepaid meter that the process has gulp N145, 000.00 from an individual, both meter and electricity have not been installed and connected, respectively, to the property for which application is made.

This is the sort of thing that is happening all over the country. Evidently, all the complaints of citizens about the mediocre performance of government are caused by corporations such as the PHCN and their incompetent and corrupt workers; not neces-

Arsenal, Barca agree on £15m transfer deal for Song A rsenal have agreed terms transfer of midfielder Alex Song with Barcelona for the to the Spanish side.

The 24-year-old Cameroon international will now travel to the Nou Camp to agree personal terms and undergo a medical.

Barcelona confirmed in a statement the fee for Song will be £15million.

The Cameroon international midfielder will sign for the next five seasons with a release clause of £63m.

On Monday, he’ll have a medical and then join the rest of the squad for the official team presentation at the Joan Gamper Trophy.

Wenger revealed Song had been keen on a move away from Emirates Stadium.

Speaking after yesterday afternoon’s goalless draw against Sunderland, Wenger said: “He ex-

pressed a desire to go to Barcelona.

“It is frustrating; we have learnt to deal with that. I believe as well that the financial potential of some clubs is massive and that makes a difference.”

Wenger, however, feels Arsenal have enough cover in midfield.

In total, Song has made 204 competitive appearances for Arsenal during his seven seasons at the club, scoring 10 goals.

If he completes his move to Barca, Song would become the Primera Division club’s second major signing of the summer after the capture of Spain fullback Jordi Alba from Valencia.

Song would also be following a well-worn path to Barca, with Marc Overmars, Emmanuel Petit, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Thierry Henry, Alexander Hleb

and Cesc Fabregas having all moved from Arsenal to the Nou Camp during Wenger’s reign.

Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner is also expected to leave ahead of the transfer deadline.

However, Wenger played down reports the player was set to move to Italy next week.

sarily by the government of the day. On this issue, irrespective of political party affiliation, every Nigerian, including all human rights associations, and even the Boko Haram group, should rise in support of the full privatization of the PHCN. Well over 90 percent of the nation’s problems are connected directly or indirectly to the abysmal failure of the PHCN in electricity service delivery. All the businesses and manufacturing concerns that shut down and relocated to Ghana where there is now a real threat to repatriate thousands of them is caused by the PHCN. Failure in effective job creation and growth in the real sector of the economy is caused by the failure of the PHCN. Refusal and reluctance of investors to stake their resources in the nation’s economy largely attributed to heavy overhead cost is essentially because of the failure of the energy sector of which the PHCN is the principal actor. The list is endless.

This, however, does not argue the case that government should not discharge its obligation to the PHCN workers in a convincing manner. The severance benefits to which the workers are legitimately entitled should be properly documented, paid up and publicized by government for the information and enlightenment of the Nigerian public; without any further delay.

Nigerians are waiting anxiously for the day that this government will complete the privatization of the PHCN and deliver electricity service to Nigerians, at least, the way it is in neighbouring Ghana.

EPL: Gunners in shaky start, as Fulham, Swansea P. 53 commence season on high PREMIERSHIP RESULTS Arsenal 0 – 0 Sunderland Fulham 5 – 0 Norwich QPR 0 – 5 Swansea Reading 1 – 1 Stoke West Brom 3 – 0 Liverpool West Ham 1 – 0 Aston Villa Newcastle 2 – 1 Tottenham PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES Today’s Matches Wigan Athletic v Chelsea 13:30 Man City v Southampton 16:00 Monday, August 20, 2012

Song

Everton v Man Utd 20:00

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