Sunday, February 10, 2013

Big Read News

THE

P. 3-5

NEWS

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Ex-militants regroup, issue ultimatum to FG

Cash-for-job:

How it works

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Vol. 3 No. 9

N150

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Nwabueze, Maitama Sule, Akinrinade, others warn: Disaster, anarchy loom P. 9

Insist national conference must hold before 2015

We are not losing sleep over APC –PDP Our governors won’t defect, says party ANPP needs merger to survive –Tofa P. 9

South-West petrol marketers set for showdown with PPMC

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L-R: President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; his wife, Bola; First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf PHOTO: STATE HOUSE of Liberia and President Goodluck Jonathan, cutting the cake at the inauguration of the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation in London on Friday.

Super Eagles battle for 3rd AFCON title

Report from the team’s camp Enyeama: We’ll bring the cup home P. 54 Senate president leads delegation to S’Africa

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News

PDP chairman endorses Amaechi: ‘He’s the best for me’

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What’s new Interview

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Seven Days TALKING POINT OF THE PAST WEEK

My life at 80 –Biyi Durojaiye Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye is a former Director of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), a lawyer and politician. He clocked 80 years last Friday and in this interview, he speaks about his life as a lawyer and as a politician.

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APC: Can Mega party swing it in 2015?

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I live for today and enjoy every moment of my life

Durban, mauled the Malian Eagles 4-1, while the Stallions of Burkina Faso eliminated the Black Stars of Ghana 3-2 (penalties) after the regulation and extra time ended 1-1 in Mbombela.

A suit instituted by persons claiming to represent the interest of the minority shareholders of the Newswatch Communications Limited, publisher of the Newswatch magazine, suffered a major setback on Monday as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos dismissed their application seeking to stop the operations of the company.

Ruling that the application to stop Newswatch was without merit, the court, presided over by Justice Ibrahim Buba, ordered an accelerated hearing of the matter, saying that he would schedule the case to be completed “within one

month”.

The two minority shareholders of the company, Mr. Nuhu Wada Aruda, and Prof. Jibril Aminu, had filed the substantive petition accusing the new management team led by Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, OFR, of assuming control of the company “illegally” even though they admitted that there was a Share Purchase Agreement, which transferred the majority of the shareholding to Ibrahim. The petitioners were, therefore, praying the court to quash the powers of the current management of the company elected by the majority of the shareholders.

Scramble for fuel importation heightens Many local and foreign companies have intensified lobbying for inclusion in the list of oil firms that will participate in the second quarter fuel importation. The programme will see the importation of 4.22 billion litres of fuel.

The firms, some of which are experienced in petroleum products trading around the world, have already sent written appli-

cations to the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, for consideration.

Investigations, however, showed that the PPPRA might be favourably inclined to considering the fresh applications which would increase the number of participating oil firms in excess of 32 previously listed by the agency.

NNPC plane crash-lands in Warri

Familly planning: Why men should be involved

The Society for Family Health (SFH), an affiliate of Population Services International (PSI), found out that women who expressed interest in birth control would go home to tell their husbands about contraception, but they never came back to ask for it again. So they understood that for family planning to become effective, especially in the northern part of the country, the men have to be actively involved.

2015: 10 governors endorse merger talks The plan to wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2015 elections by the leading opposition parties thickened as 10 governors met in Lagos to endorse merger talks.

Governors of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP; Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, and All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, met and unanimously endorsed the merger arrangement among the political parties.

Also, several merger meetings were held in Abuja and Kaduna. The PDP, however, said it was unfazed by the development, saying the governors’ endorsement of the merger talks was not a threat to the dominance of the party.

After a four-hour meeting at the Lagos State House, Marina, the governors said they took the decision to “rescue Nigeria” from her present situation and it is “the only way out of the political quagmire” under the PDP-led Federal Government.

Tosin Olakanye-Olayemi AYANBINRIN (MOTHER-DRUM OF AFRICA)

MON

incident occurred. Findings showed that the plane was detailed to convey Mohammed from Abuja to Warri before it crash-landed at 11a.m.

Although the authorities of the airport operated by the Anglo-Dutch oil firm, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, and other stakeholders at the airport made futile attempts to conceal the incident from the public, the plane crash-landed shortly after securing a nod to touch down at the airport.

THU WED TUE

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The Managing Director of the Nigerian Gas Company, NGC, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Sheidu Mohammed, and three crew members of a plane in the fleet of the corporation escaped death by the whiskers as the aircraft crash-landed at Osubi Airport, Warri, Delta State.

It was gathered that the aircraft, which was badly damaged, was conveying Mohammed to Warri, when the

Mondays are always days to tidy up my plans for the whole week.

When I wake up, we do the family prayers and get the kids ready for school. As soon as they leave the house, I walk to the gym very close to my house. By 11a.m., I’m back home resting and that’s if I don’t have any appointment. My Mondays are like my free periods to plan the week.

I go for my rehearsals, which mostly last till noon. From there I go to my office just to know if there is anything new.

I take my students on drumming and back to the office to teach till evening.

Most Thursdays, I have traditional engagements that I anchor (Alaga Iduro/Ijoko). After work, I go home. I hardly go to the office on Thursdays.

FRI

Zainab Tanko Yakassai is the granddaughter of Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, a popular politician. She is both a make-up artiste and an event manager, but her friends call her Miss Curves. Zainab was born in the United States where she studied Dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine.

In this interview She spoke about her undying love and respect for her granddad, her lifestyle and the qualities of her ideal man, among others.

Wellness

Super Eagles trash Mali 4-1 Nigeria and Burkina Faso will today, inside the 94,000 capacity National Stadium in Johannesburg, play the final of the 29th Africa Cup of Nations.

Super Eagles had in the first semi-finals match in

–Zainab, Tanko Yakassai’s grand daughter

mitted to the principles of internal democracy, “focused on serious issues of concern to our people, determined to bring corruption and insecurity to an end, determined to grow our economy and create jobs in their millions through education, housing, agriculture, industrial growth etc, and stop the increasing mood of despair and hopelessness among our people.

“The resolution of these issues, the restoration of hope, enthronement of true democratic values for peace, democracy and justice are those concerns which propel us.”

Fridays are the start of the peak periods for me. From office to one programme or the other and I usually end the day hanging out with friends and most of the time in the company of my husband if his day is not too busy.

SAT

Applause

Some of the leading opposition parties in the country, including Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP; All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, have dissolved into a new party called All Progressives Congress, APC. In a statement signed by all the chairmen of merger committees of the parties, including Chief Tom Ikimi (ACN), Ibrahim Shekarau (ANPP), Garba Mohammed Gadi (CPC) and Senator Annie Okonkwo (APGA), the group said they resolved to form a political party com-

Minority shareholders lose bid to stop Newswatch

I usually rest in the early hours and go out with my family.

That is if I don’t have parties to attend. I love to party but I enjoy it most when I’m the artiste of the occasion.

SUN

Politics

Opposition floats mega party, APC

FEBRUARY 10, 2013

I’m usually at home most Sundays. It’s a day that makes me Tosin, not Ayanbinrin. I got to church with my family. We leave the house between 7a.m. and 7.30 a.m. From church we go home and in the evening we sometimes go swimming or shopping and prepare the kids for school the next day, which is Monday. *By Adaeze Amos (0802 301 2293)

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE

Big Read SUNDAY SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

February 10, 2013

Moro

Uzoma

Senate in session

Cash-for-job: How it works As unemployment bites harder in the country, some dubious individuals, including persons in government agencies, are smiling to the banks as they exploit desperate job seekers. Just recently, the Controller-General of Immigration Service (NIS), Rosemary Chinyere Uzoma, was relieved of her appointment over cash-for-job scandal. But, how does this syndicate operate? Who determines the number of people to be employed in these agencies? What are the parameters for employment? These and more are what this report by Assistant Business Editor, Tola Akinmutimi, focuses on

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rimesavic Solutions is one company that is notorious for fleecing unemployed graduates. It is located in the heart of Ikeja, the Lagos State capital. The firm operates from a boy’s quarter, where a lady receptionist directs potential clients to the “recruitment team” for discussions. From its outlook, it is difficult for a novice to suspect that Primesavic Solutions is an assemblage of a team of job scammers.

Osejindu Mordi, a 2002 graduate of Political Science from Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka is one of the company’s victims. He blamed his ordeal on lack of jobs in the country, which he believed led to the creation of fake recruitment firms in most urban cities around the country. He learnt his lessons in a hard way, though. “I heard of Primesavic Solutions from a friend after which I logged on to their website and filled out their form. I received a mail from them almost immediately, saying that I have been scheduled for an aptitude test on a stated date. When I arrived at their office at about 7.30am, I met so many ap-

plicants already waiting. We were over 500.

“Then, a man came and told us to be in a single queue.

The office where we had to write the test turned out to be another small room next to where the receptionist was sited. So, at intervals, about 20 to 30 applicants would go in to write the test. It took about two hours to get to my turn.

It was tiring to say the least.

Mordi did not stop there. He added, “Before the test, the man in charge was treating us like slaves. I left after the test but something unusual happened. I received a text congratulating me on my success almost immediately. At that point I became suspicious of the whole exercise. The text stated that I got 78 per cent, and that I should come with N5, 000 two days after to collect a recommendation letter. One of my friends that was also there received similar text with the same content. The scammers are only interested in one thing; money, not service as they feed on desperate unemployed graduates and make them feel they will be given a job.”

BENUE POLICE ARREST FAKE NAVAL OFFICERS FOR EMPLOYMENT SCAM

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There are similar experiences in the other big cities around the country.

But, this is not limited to individuals or small consulting firms; some state governments are equally involved.

During the tenure of former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, his government reportedly asked interested unemployed graduates to pay N10, 000 to a recruitment firm jointly floated by the government and a private firm. The money, according to government, was just for registration and did not in any way guarantee placement. Many, who applied, cried foul at the end because “there were no such vacancies in the first place.” They became victims just like those of Primesavic Solutions in Lagos. Investigations have also revealed that in some other states, people pay up to N100, 000 to secure a teaching job in public primary schools. For jobs in the federal bodies, a job-seeker may be required to part with N150, 000. In successful cases, the victims do not complain for, in their reckoning, the job is worth the price.

The reason for these, however, is simple. On the streets of urban centres like Lagos, one would find hundreds of job seekers anxiously moving up and down in search of unavailable jobs. Sometimes, most of these fake consulting firms post their advertisements in newspapers, which help to promote their genuineness. So, it becomes difficult to blame jobless undergraduates for falling victims of these dupes.

On Saturday, February 8, three fake naval officers were apprehended by the Benue State Police Command CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

EMPLOYMENT SCAM: SOME OF EX-IMMIGRATION BOSS’ SINS

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The Big Read

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Employment scam: Some of ex-Immigration boss’ sins CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 in Makurdi for recruitment racketeering. Police said the suspects have been collecting huge sums of money from desperate applicants intending to enlist into the Nigerian Navy. The State Command’s Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Daniel Ezeala, told our correspondent that the three suspects were picked up by his men at an undisclosed hotel following a tip off from a Good Samaritan. “The suspects, during interrogation admitted that they were not naval officers, but carrying out the nefarious crime to sustain body and soul. Their victims were paying N100, 000 each,” the PPRO said. The suspects, according to the Police spokesman, will be arraigned in court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Before the Benue arrest, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had reportedly quizzed a former presidential aspirant of the Nigeria Liberation Party (NLP), Chief Osita Emmanuel Okereke, over a case of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences and extortion.

EFCC fingered Okereke as alleged arrow head of a syndicate masquerading as members of a self-styled “National Task Force” set up to combat Importation and Smuggling of Small Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons. The syndicate, which maintains offices in some of the country’s geo-political zones, allegedly defrauded unsuspecting members of the public by deceitfully selling recruitment forms to them at the cost of N5, 000 each under the pretext of offering them employment with the federal government. According to the EFCC, the racket was uncovered through intelligence report.

“After weeks of painstaking surveillance, operatives of the Commission stormed the 3rd Floor of the Federal Secretariat Complex, Independence Layout, Enugu offices of the syndicate and arrested the Zonal Co-ordinator, Obinna C. Onyekwelu and nine others. The other suspects are: Ajuani Uchenna, Emmanuel Ngwu, Kenneth Ambrose, Ogunjimi Charles, Uzoamaka Ikwunne, Chinwe Ogbu, Onyia Fidelia, Eze Amobi and Anioke Obinna,” a statement from EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren stated.

Uwujaren in the statement made available to newsmen disclosed that several documents and cash were recovered after a search. “The suspects have since been released on administrative bail after making useful statements. Okereke claims his National Taskforce was duly recognised by the government. However, the Commission’s investigation found no evidence of such registration,” the EFCC said.

Incidentally, this ugly phenomenon has crept into Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government (MDAs). In January, the federal government sacked the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Rosemary Chinyere Uzoma. Uzoma, who was appointed the second female CG of NIS following the sudden death of her predecessor in office, Mrs Rosemary Nwizu, was reportedly booted out for various reasons but with the issue of recruitment scam now more visible as her major offence. She was said to have been sacked after admitting that she apportioned many slots to persons in the inner workroom of power, including the mother of the president. This, as it were, unveiled a sordid part of the country’s culture. Few jobs, especially in the public sector, come without moral compromises as bribes have become the key to the employment scam.

Also, at lower levels, a syndicate with specialty in employment racketeering characterises job placements in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The group reportedly charges prospective job seekers in MDAs, huge amounts of between N400, 000 and N500, 000 and fronts for heads of some MDAs with base in Gwagwalada, Karu and other strategic areas in the FCT. But, the magnitude of the rot in employment process did not blow open until Uzoma was investigated over allegations of impropriety in recruitments. Worried by the ugly development, the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, quickly set up a six-member committee to investigate how the former CG ran the service. The move was seen as a way of examining the allegations of recruitment scam in the service. The committee, which was chaired by the Director, Paramilitary, Keftin Amuga, had Dr Attahiru Rufai Kawu as deputy chairman. Other members were Al-

Mark

Adeyemi

Bagudu

haji Kurfi A. Ibrahim, Babandede Mohammed, E. S. A. Ojo and a representative of the State Security Service (SSS).

The minister claimed to have received some petitions and appeals from officers of the service bordering on fraud, injustice and tribal sentiments in the conduct of a recent promotion exercise in the service. He also pointed at other allegations ranging from certificate forgery and non-adherence to the principle of seniority in determining officers eligible for promotion. “After the last promotion of officers in NIS, I received some petitions and appeals from some officers of the service bordering on fraud, injustice and tribal sentiment in the conduct of the promotion exercise. There were other serious allegations of certificate forgery and non-adherence to the principle of seniority in determining officers eligible for promotion; these are all serious allegations that cannot be ig-

Ayogu

nored,” Comrade Moro said.

Uzoma was accused of influencing the posting of her kinsmen to “juicy” foreign desks. For instance, one of her cousins, Comfort Nwabueze, a typist in Festac Passport Office, was said to have been sent on foreign intervention trips about four times. Aside that, she also ensured that Comfort was retained at the Festac office, which is a threeminute’ walk from her house. She was also accused of favouring her husband’s kinsmen in Nkwerre, Imo State. In a move to demonstrate her love for her husband’s people, Uzoma, according to sources, turned recruitment in the NIS to a family affair. She allegedly announced at a Town Hall meeting that youths of Imo State origin, who are interested in working at NIS, should make their intentions known. This gesture, expectedly, threw up an army of applicants, several of whom eventually got recruited into the Immigration Service though, perceived not to be on merit but on the basis of tribal and marital ties. Some members of the House of Representatives were also said to have petitioned the Interior Minister, asking him to order Uzoma to reverse the recruitment she had made as it was lopsided.

Without the outcry from the House, it was doubtful if she would have been sacked.

The former CG had denied these allegations before she was sacked. “How can you cancel what has not even started?” she asked in her reaction to the purported suspension of the recruitment exercise in NIS. Uzoma was also said to have had problem with Comrade Moro, because “the Minister equally wanted more of his people in other choice and juicy states like Ogun, Kano, Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River states.”

At a recent plenary of the Senate, some senators raised the alarm over the injurious activities of the syndicate.

The story told by Senator Ali Ndume on the floor of the Senate also questioned the credibility of the investigation by lawmakers into the recruitment scandals in some MDAs. The revelations from NIS reverberated across highlevel quarters, including the Presidency. But, many believe it gained prominence only because of the calibre of people adversely affected in the last recruitment exercise into the service.

Ndume and his colleagues in the Senate used the opportunity offered by the consideration of a motion on the employment irregularities in the NIS and other MDAs sponsored by Abubakar Bagudu, to relive their sordid experiences. It was a tale of a systemic failure from which public officers in the country would find it hard to exonerate themselves. However, the inquest by the legislatures has exposed, as it were, the shameful employment rackets involving thousands of jobless young Nigerians.

Ndume painted a gory picture of the evil practice in his narrative of how he was made to part with N200, 000 in an attempt to secure a job for one of his constituents. He said the individual was a graduate of Geography, who had been in the labour market for four years, but had resorted to taxi driving following the failure to secure a paid employment.

According to him, this young graduate had approached CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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The Big Read

Sunday, February 10, 2013

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Benue police arrest fake naval officers for employment scam CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 him with a request of N200, 000 to meet the demand of officials of a certain federal agency that was conducting recruitment.

“I obliged the young man’s request only for him to return that the amount for the job had been increased to N400, 000. He eventually returned the money, when he could not raise the balance of N200, 000, resigning himself to his new occupation of driving a taxi in the city of Abuja,” the senator recounted.

In December last year, when the budget of an MDA was being considered, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, raised what many regarded as an embarrassing issue. He had accused the agency of failing to honour the list of candidates for employment, which he had sent to it. According to him, the agency only managed to employ one of his daughters, who subsequently abandoned the job for undisclosed reasons. But, the Senator’s narration only succeeded in unveiling the lawmakers’ relentless overtures to the MDAs regarding employment. Also exposed, are some chairmen of committees, who have a long list of unemployed persons and their curriculum vitae from their constituencies, which they make available to the agencies over which they have oversight for possible employment opportunities. Even lawmakers, who do not head any committee, also use their status to seek advantage from these government agencies to get jobs for their relatives, friends and members of their constituencies.

Senators and members of the House of Representatives issue letters to job seekers, introducing them to the agencies for employment. The practice, however, could be traced to the restart of democracy in 1999. It is believe to be founded on corruption, as agencies honouring such letters often use same to get favour from the lawmakers when it is time to get their budgets passed or run into problems during oversight visits by these legislatures. As it stands today, there is an unprecedented volume of letters leaving the National Assembly to MDAs for either employments or contracts. It has also been revealed that the bulk of visitors to the National Assembly are those seeking opportunity of seeing a senator or a House member to get a letter of introduction to accomplish certain purposes.

President of the Senate, David Mark, alluded to this fact when he said he often did not give out letters. According to him, those who have approached him for letters often come back to say that the officials of the agency where he or she had gone to look for job would require that he make phone calls to them to confirm the letters.

“But when I demand for the name of such official, it would not be given as they would fear that the job might eventually not get to them for revealing the names of those making the request,” he said.

However, Mark predicted that the committees saddled with the responsibility of investigating the matter might have problems. He foresees a situation whereby the agencies, which have been accused of illegal recruitment would come before it and present letters of introduction issued by senators. “They would claim that lawmakers urged them to breach the rules,” the

Ndoma-Egba

senate President added.

Recruitment racketeering as captured by lawmakers during the motion is only stating what has been known by most Nigerians a long time ago. Bagudu’s motion noted that reports from the Immigration Service showed that over 4000 employment slots were approved by the Federal Government but were sold to job applicants and some allocated to other personalities.

Due process such as advertisement for interested members of the public to apply was not observed in this case. The issue of having recruitment tilted in favour of the state or ethnic group of the chief executives of the MDAs was also highlighted, even as it was considered to have breached the federal character principle as enshrined in the Constitution. Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba, while reliving his own experiences, said that the issue of bribe-for-employment in the agencies was not a matter of hearsay, but a reality. He also told the story of how a constituent of his came to him to demand for N500, 000 in order to secure employment in an agency of government.

“I am the Senate Leader, you can imagine what happens to other people who may not be as privileged. It means only the rich will now be employed. This will encourage dynastic poverty; that means father who is poor would have their children poor and their grandchildren in poverty. It is not only happening in Immigration. It is happening everywhere. The committees should investigate the recent recruitment exercises in all the ministries and agencies,” Ndoma-Egba demanded.

The Senate Leader is not alone in this frustration. Senator Ayogu Eze submitted that “the situation was a late symptom of a state that is failing.” He quickly added, however, that the dearth of employment opportunities gave rise to the kind of transactions surrounding recruitments in the agencies. He believes that if the private sector redoubles its efforts at creating jobs, the situation could be reduced. Another senator, Chris Anyanwu, decided to heap the blame on public office holders, who, according to her, have abandoned nationalism and settled for tribalism and sectionalism. “We have all returned to our villages and this is forcing on Nigeria a system of mediocrity,” she said.

The Federal Character Commission is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that the MDAs comply with the principles as enshrined in the Constitution.

But, according to Senator Smart Adeyemi,

Anyanwu

Ndume

Larmode

Okereke

who was a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs, the commission was a toothless bulldog. He said, “Federal Character Commission cannot bark and bite. It does not have the power to stop this corruption. What we need is an agency that can bark and bite. We have to ensure that the law is able to punish those who break the law.”

However, efforts to get the Head, Press and Public Relations, FCSC, Mrs A.O Badejo, to explain the modalities for recruiting people into the civil service yielded no result as calls to her phone and text messages were not responded to. But, a staff of the commission, who spoke on condition of anonymity disclosed that in the case of the public service, which encompasses the paramilitary services like the NIS, Prisons, Fire and Customs Services among others, the agencies would normally write to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for a “waiver” before any recruitment can commence. “The essence of the waiver is for the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to actually ascertain the employment needs of the agencies and ensure that they really need the people that they want to employ. The office would normally also look at their guidelines for recruitment and would make necessary recommendations or adjustments. The Head of Service normally grants the waiver in most circumstances after which the boards of such paramilitary agencies would now go ahead with the rest of the process,” the source said. Although, the source was not specific on when notices of employment are placed, the staff confirmed that the last notice was last year.

The Federal Civil Service Commission of Nigeria (FCSC) is an executive body that has the authority to make appointments

and transfers, and to exercise disciplinary control over all Federal Civil Servants. No officer can be appointed into the Civil Service without authorisation from FCSC if they have not been convicted of a crime, or had previously been employed in Government Service and had not been dismissed or asked to resign or retire. The commission at senior staff committee meetings of ministries review grant and approval on disciplinary cases of senior officers; recruitment of senior officers; ratification of promotion of officers to senior positions, including conducting promotion interviews and exams; hearing appeals on matters of appointment, promotion and discipline and providing guidelines on appointments. In the case of appointments at the Director or Permanent Secretary Level, the Chairman of FCSC may head a panel that interviews candidates, who pass the written examination.

However, recruitment exercises conducted by many public and private organisations in Nigeria showcased the level of exploitation faced by jobless and jobseeking Nigerians. Though, Nigeria has a high unemployment level and few employment opportunities exist for the innumerable qualified citizens who seek them daily. Some have accused successive governments of paying lip service to the issue of unemployment because, according to them, no sincere efforts were made to create employment opportunities for jobless Nigerians. Those who venture into selfemployment are frustrated by the epileptic electricity supply, zero financing, bad road networks, poor transportation system and other unsettling factors.

Additional reports from Omeiza Ajayi, George Oji, Marcus Fatunmole (Abuja) and Henry Iyorkase (Makurdi)

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NEWS

Sunday February 10, 2013

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ACF to Boko Haram: Stop further bloodshed in the North A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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he Northern socio-cultural org anisation,Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF),yesterday called on Boko Haram to stop its ongoing bloodshed in the region and embrace dialogue.

In a statement signed by its spokesman,Mr Anthony Sani, ACF described the killings of nine health workers in Kano as unacceptable, saying the recent attacks on the convoy of the Emir of Kano,which resulted in loss of lives, were absurd.

The statement read sin part “The two attacks were meaningless in the sense that consciously directed

•NMA, minister condemn attack on health workers

efforts at eradication of polio in Nigeria could not reasonably be taboo in any of the known religions, or groups, considering that polio is yet to be eradicated in only three countries of Nigeria,Afghanistan and Pakistan, while at his age the Emir of Kano could not constitute a menace to any religion or any group” ACF added “Therefore, ACF would not be tired of condemnation of the mindless resort to violence as a means to resolving perceived grievances,however strong the feeling.To that end, ACF appeals to such group of people to lay down their arms and embrace the civilized ways

of addressing their concerns.

Also,ACF commiserates with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the attacks.

Our heart goes to them. May God give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses and to repose their souls” Also, Dr Muhammad Pate, the Minister of State for Health, on yesterday condemned the killing of the health workers in Kano in separate attacks.

A statement by Mr Tashikalmah Hallah, the Special Assistant on Media to the minister, recalled that the workers were killed during the just concluded national immunisation.

The statement said the at-

tack was part of a long standing cycle of violence that had engulfed some states in the northern part of the country.

It reads:``On of Feb. 8, we received the shocking news of the fatal shooting of nine health workers during separate attacks in Nassarawa and Taraunil local government areas of Kano State. ``We are invariably left dumbfounded by this dastardly act of cowardice that has not spared the very people who have paid the ultimate price because of their commitment to humanity and the love of their profession,’’ it said.

It expressed the minister’s condolence with the fami-

lies, friends and colleagues of the slain as well as the families of those non-health workers who lost their lives. ``These nine health workers and those injured are our heroes in the fight against maternal and child mortality in the country.

Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State chapter, has equally condemned the killing of the health workers.

Speaking through its chairman, Dr Francis Faduyile, on Saturday, the association described Friday’s killings as unfortunate for the healthcare system in Nigeria.

Faduyile told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lagos that it was also

shameful for the country and a big blow to the eradication of polio.

Gunmen had on Feb. 8, killed nine female workers involved in polio vaccination in two separate incidents in the city of Kano.

The gunmen had opened fire on health workers at Hotoro Haye and Shargalle Health Centre in Kano as the workers prepared their polio vaccination cocktails for the day.

The chairman said, ``this shows that the security system in the country is bad and rather unfortunate because it will affect the morale of health workers in discharging their duties.

ANPP needs merger to survive beyond 2015 –Tofa •As Shettima gets thumbs up from Borno stakeholders AUGUSTINE MADUWEST, K ANO AND INUSA NDAHI, MAIDUGURI

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ormer Chairman , All Nigeria Peoples Elders Committee, Alhaji Bashir Tofa has advanced reasons why the ANPP leadership badly needs to be part of the ongoing merger of Opposition parties, noting that the party is on the verge of extinction from the country’s political landscape.

Tofa reasoned further that ANPP is worse hit among opposition parties in the exodus of opposition leaders to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), even as he expressed the fear that the party may lose the three states it is currently controlling in the next political dispensation.

“The news that former governors, Ali Modu-Sheriff of Borno State and Ahmed Yerima of Zamfara state would defect to PDP would be one of the many misfortunes of the ANPP. “This party, (ANPP) now needs the merger more than any other party, otherwise, it will completely disappear before 2015, as I fear that many more of its remaining leaders may also leave as soon as they find accommodation in the PDP or elsewhere.”

Tofa added that with the departure of the icons of the party, leaving behind even lesser faithful leaders, ANPP may likely not make it in Zamfara and Borno States.

He also feared for Yobe State, where the governor is serving his last tenure, saying that state may also be lost.

“These three states may not be won by the new merged parties but most likely by the PDP or a completely brand new party that may provide aspiring and frustrated politicians from all the parties and the general public the chance denied them by their previous platform.

Bashir Tofa, who said he is on sabbatical from the ANPP said in a text message to Sunday Mirror in Dubai in the United Arab Emirate that the ANPP should avail itself the opportunity provided by the merger arrangement if they desire to make impact as a political party.

Also stakeholders of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP in Borno State yesterday unanimously declared support for Governor Kashim Shettima over his position in favour of the merger.

Governor Shettima had on Tuesday, read a communique in Lagos, after a meeting involving Governors of Lagos, Babatunde Fashola; Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State; Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo; Abdul Aziz Yari of Zamfara; Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nassarawa State and Senator Alkali Jajere who represented Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe.

The Governors from different political parties that include the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP); Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN); Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) resolved to throw

their weight behind the merger to “rescue Nigeria”.

The ANPP in Borno State yesterday convened a stakeholders meeting involving serving and former party executives at the State, the 27 Local Government areas and 312 wards, serving and former national and state assembly members, former and serving council chairmen, party chieftains and key supporters to discuss the merger.

Speaker after speaker declared total support for Governor Shettima and lauded his decision and that of the party’s leadership at the meeting held at the Government House in Maiduguri.

The meeting was declared open by Governor Shettima who said the aim was to clarify issues on the position of the party in the on-going merger process He said the meeting was to update members with adequate arrangement on the need for ANPP to merge with three other opposition parties adding that the merger will strengthen the party in its effort to remain a key player in the advancement of democracy for the benefit of Nigerians. The Governor also assured that everyone would be carried along.

The Governor also tasked all stakeholders to carry the message to every member of the party at the grass-roots and sensitise them on the need to support ANPP on the merger process as the stand the better chance to benefit from the merger.

In his contribution, the chairman of Borno State

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

L-R: Regional Sales Manager, South-West, Grand Oak Ltd, Olayemi Femi; CEO, Tundex (one of the winners) Mr Tunde Orimadegun;, Mr Akshay Kumar, MD Grand Oak Ltd, Mrs Orimadegun and Aare Fatai Odesile, Marketing Director, Grand Oak Ltd, the sent-forth of winners of Grand Oak Sales Partners’ AFCON promo on Friday.

This Day in African American History February10: On this day in 1966— Andrew Brimmer Becomes First African American Federal Reserve Board Member!

Dr. Brimmer, son to a Louisiana sharecropper, is lauded for his extraordinary achievements and contributions to U.S. monetary policy, advancing within his field to become the assistant secretary of commerce for economic affairs and the first black member of the Federal Reserve Board.

Andrew Felton Brimmer Jr. was born on September 13, 1926, in Newellton, Louisiana. After graduating from high school, he went to Washington State and lived with one of his sisters. He joined the Army near the end of World War II and attained the rank of staff sergeant.

Upon returning from the war, Dr. Brimmer went on to earn his joint-doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.

An economist by trade, Dr. Brimmer held numerous high-ranking posts in Washington. Throughout his career his main concern was to find market-

friendly solutions to the economic issues facing poor, uneducated African Americans in society. He spoke about what he called the “schism” between blacks who were educated and had marketable skills and those who did not. In later years he spoke frequently about how government policies no longer supported programs to help blacks enter the economic mainstream.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sunday, February 10, 2013

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Ex-militants regroup, issue ultimatum to FG •Say agreement with late President Yar’Adua not implemented •Blames NASS, President Jonathan over unpaid allowance EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA.

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x-militants on the platform of Leadership Forum for Peace in Niger Delta yesterday threatened to return to the trenches if the federal government fails to pay their allowance.

They have therefore issued a three-day ultimatum to the Federal government to pay up their allowance or be prepared for another crisis in the coastal region.

Leader of the group, Gen. Reuben Wilson alias Pastor spoke in Yenagoa

yesterday while addressing 100 ex-militant leaders, lamented that all the agreements reached between the group and late President Umar Yar’ Adua had not been implemented.

The ex-warlords, who were drawn from Edo, Imo, Cross River, Rivers, Akwa- Ibom, Delta and Bayelsa States, noted that they could only appeal to their followers to maintain peace till Wednesday, February 13 .

Wilson warned that the group would not be able to guarantee the actions of their followers if the said allowance was not paid before the ultimatum expired.

While absolving the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and co-ordinator of the Amnesty programme, Kingsley Kuku for the nonpayment of the allowances , the ex-militant leaders blamed the delay on the unpaid allowance on the National Assembly and the Presidency.

The ex-militant leader said their boys were frustrated over the non-payment of their allowance ,as they have been issuing threat text mobile phone messages to their various leaders.

His words: “Our boys have not been paid. They

are threatening us by sending different threat messages. If the money is delayed beyond Wednesday there would be crisis because our boys have become unruly and impatient. We are giving the Federal Government up till Wednesday to pay our money. If they don’t pay, we cannot guarantee. If the money is not paid, anything that happens, they should not blame the leaders, because we cannot talk to our boys beyond Wednesday”.

Adding his voice, an exmilitant leader from Rivers state, Opunamah Andetufe, faulted the federal government for reneging on all the

Ekiti State Governor and celebrant, Dr Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, cutting the birthday cake with students of Government Special School for the Blind, Ikere-Ekiti during a special session with the students as part of activities marking the governor’s 48th birthday, yesterday

ANPP needs merger to survive beyond 2015 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

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ouse of Representatives Members Forum, Barrister Mohammed.T Monguno urged all ANPP stakeholders in Borno to respect the views of the party leaders most especially Governor Shettima, noting the vision behind the merger is a good one for Borno and the entire

country.

Another House of Representatives member, Hon. Betara Aliyu, said national assembly members from the State are solely behind Governor Shettima and his administration adding that henceforth the lawmakers will be participating in any function in the state as a mark of respect and loyalty.

Also commenting, the secretary to the Borno State Government, Amb Baba Ahmad Jidda commended Governor Shettima’s for his political leadership.

Earlier in his welcome address, the State Chairman of ANPP who was represented by the State Secretary, Alh Babakura Shettima expressed appre-

ciation to the Governor for regularly according due respect to the leadership of the party at the National, State, Local Governments and ward levels and for carrying every stakeholder along in all his activities.

He said the ANPP is growing from strength to strength due to Shettima’s style of leadership.

NIGERIA IN BRIEF

agreements, the ex-militant leaders had with late President Yar Adua.

“The Federal Government wanted to take us for a ride. It appears they want to toy with our

Petrol marketers set for showdown with PPMC over levy KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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n imminent fuel crisis is looming in the South-West part of the country as a group of concerned petroleum products marketers are set for a showdown with the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) over the recent introduction of the sum of N125, 000 for the renewal of bulk purchase agreement for each marketer by the company.

The spokesman of the group of marketers, Mr. Olalekan Lawal, who raised the alarm while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, said the introduction of the amount by the PPMC came as a rude shock to the marketers since this has not been in existence before.

He said the marketers have therefore decided to serve the PPMC with a notice of their intention to take legal action against it as required by the law setting up the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) if it fails to rescind that decision and abide by the terms of the existing bulk purchase agreement.

Lawal, while shedding more light on the controversy between the marketers and the PPMC, said there is a bulk purchase agreement binding contract between independent marketers and the PPMC and the agreement is subject to renewal on an annual basis depending on the day each company was licensed.

He said the marketers under the aegis of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), a collection of

Politicians urge Jonathan, NASS to resolve differences on budget Varsity reviews expulsion of 20 students

Some politicians yesterday pleaded with President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly to take urgent steps to resolve the issues delaying signing of the 2013 Appropriation Bill into law.

The politicians gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

They told the parties to iron out their differences so that the budget could be signed with-

out further delay in the interest of the country and citizens.

NAN reports that the N4.987 trillion budget passed by the legislature on December 19, 2012 and presented to the President for assent on January 19, is still pending owing to some unresolved issues.

The zero allocation to the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the pegging of oil benchmark at $79 per barrel by the lawmakers are

some of the areas of disagreement in the budget.

Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, a former federal legislator, noted that disagreements between the executive and the legislature on the budget were normal.

He, however, said it was when the disagreements dragged for long to cause harm to the economy and the people that they became a problem.

Vice Chancellor, Redeemers University in Ogun, Prof. Debo Adeyewa, said yesterday that a committee considering the appeals by parents of some expelled students, would submit its report this month.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the university, last week, expelled 20 students allegedly found wanting for drug offences after investigation on 41 of them.

The expelled students were

patience and treat us as fools. They prefer it that we should protest. Our grouse is not with Kingsley Kuku, but, President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly”, Andetufe said.

sent packing after testing positive to drugs.

Adeyewa said the team, which comprised psychologists, doctors and other experts, was given three weeks to reconsider the cases of some affected students and report back.

He said some parents had given various reasons for possible review and asked for reconsideration.

“Some 41 students alleged to be taking hard drugs were asked

indigenous petroleum marketers operating in Nigeria licensed by PPMC, was alarmed by a letter from the PPMC dated July 11, 2012, signed by one Engr.

Maikano A.M informing them of the new development, a decision the marketers considered absurd.

According to him, the PPMC in another letter insisted that the renewal fees of N125,000 each for the over 7,000 marketers was just to cover the cost of processing and other incidental expenses and cannot revised it downward.

Lawal added that the PPMC equally maintained that any marketer who fails to pay the new bulk purchase agreement fee of N125,000 would be stopped from lifting petroleum products from the NNPC depots in the country.

He said all efforts made by IPMAN to appeal to the PPMC to reverse the decision did not yield any result, stating that the western zone of IPMAN through a letter by its Zonal Chairman, Mr. Olumide Ogunmade, had earlier informed the PPMC of the inability of its members to reach a consensus on the matter and the present difficulties being faced by them.

He added that the issue has created a big divide among the IPMAN members nationwide with some even realizing the injustice been perpetrated by the PPMC have complied as they have no option, while some other members who have vowed to kick against the injustice and the unilateral decision been carried out by PPMC and ensured that things are done properly.

by our medical team to go for confirmation drug test. ``After due investigations, 20 were found positive,” he said.

According to him, the penalty for use of hard drugs, cult membership, examination malpractice and other vices in the school regulation is expulsion. ``We must protect the image of the university as a religious institution,’’ Adeyewa said.

He added that the institution had decided to respond to the plea of the parents in setting up the review committee.

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News

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Tukur endorses Amaechi, says he’s best for me

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ational Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday described the Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Chibuike Amaechi, as the best for him.

Tukur explained that considering Amaechi’s excellent, fantastic performance and achievements in the state and the numerous people-oriented projects embarked upon by his administration, he deserved accolade.

The PDP chairman spoke during an interview with journalists after inspecting projects, including the new world-class Kesley Harrison Hospital and the ultra-modern state-of-the-art MaxilloFacial Dental Hospital built by the Amaechi-led administration in Port Harcourt. Earlier on Friday, he had seen the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road, a 42-kilometre federal road done by the Amaechi administration, the new model primary and secondary schools, one of the over 120 new health centres, Songhai Farm in Tai, Afam Power project, Obi-

ri-Ikwerre Interchange on the East-West road, and the over 38,000-seater new stadium being constructed in the Greater Port Harcourt city.

He said with the level of social and economic transformation in the state, Port Harcourt is now in the list of developed cities of the world.

Tukur also explained that basic developmental projects in the area of road, infrastructure and transportation, education, health and economic

AYO ESAN

into the allegation by MASSOB Its words: “If MASSOB’s claim were to be established as factual and correct, it will set off consequences of seismic proportions in Igboland. Indeed, right at this moment, the atmosphere is growing tense and charged. And it is for this reason that Njiko Igbo is compelled to sue for calm as a first reaction. Then an immediate public judicial enquiry led by a justice of the Supreme Court of proven integrity must be instituted by the Federal Government. It should be given a wide-ranging remit to conduct a thorough investigation that will lead to the establishment of the identities of the victims, the cause or causes of their deaths, the perpetrators of the crime, the entity in whose custody they were held.

“The extent of the health hazards created for the people of Enugu and Anambra whose source of water was so recklessly and negligently contaminated and adequate compensation recommended for the community that fell victim to this heinous crime in addition to the imposition of criminal liability on the perpetrators.

transformation “have become a glaring programme people can see in the heart of the nation, as efforts have been directed and focused on fantastic development and achievements by the Amaechi administration.

“What I mean by a developed state in the comity of nations is when you can see education being transformed, health, infrastructure are given priority and whatever things developed countries can be proud of, we also have them in Rivers State”, Tukur said.

Explaining further, he

said, “God has given us land, water and people, and if you take our people and give them education, a secured environment and sustainability, so that things can keep revolving and evolving, making it a continuous process that state or nation becomes a developed nation, but without mincing words, since Friday when I arrived in Port Harcourt at noon, I have been inspecting one project or the other till this morning (Saturday)… It is very difficult to praise your son because he’s the best for me,” he added.

L-R: Members of the delegation, Minister of State for Works, Mr. Bashir Yuguda; Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olabolade (rtd); Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri; Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda leader of the delegation, Senate President David Mark, before their departure in Abuja

Njiko Igbo condemns alleged MASSOB members’ murder

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pan-Igbo group, Njiko Igbo, has strongly condemned the alleged multiple murder of members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and calls for immediate public enquiry into the alleged murder.

The group in a release it issued and signed by its Director of Operations, Senator Emmanuel Onwe, said, “Three weeks ago, citizens of Anambra and Enugu states were justifiably petrified when unidentified corpses, estimated to be 40 or more in number were discovered dumped in Ezu River. The cause of those deaths remained indeterminate”.

It noted, however, that the leadership of MASSOB were reported to have alleged that the victims of these apparent extrajudicial executions were its members.

Njiko Igbo therefore appealed for calm as a first reaction and called on the Federal Government to set up an immediate public judicial enquiry led by a Justice of the Supreme Court of proven integrity to look

It is imperative that now that the security forces stand accused of these crimes that they must stand aside and let experts from the Nigerian Bar Association and the Nigerian Medical Association to bring their professionalism to bear on the work of the proposed public judicial enquiry”.

It further warned that, this matter must not be fudged if violent reaction of catastrophic proportions by Igbo youths who are thoroughly fed up with police brutality is to be averted. “The Igbo nation is not and must not be treated as a conquered and occupied zone by men and women of the Nigerian security forces.

“Even if it transpires that the dead young men were people of disreputable or even criminal bent, it still remains a fundamental fact that no individual or authority or agency of government reserves the right to execute a Nigerian citizen without a full and due process of the law.

It said MASSOB was a benign organisation reminiscent of the political agitprops of the 1970s.

Its rhetoric is far more lethal than its cold war for Biafran independence. It

is the Nigerian security forces that have declared an astonishingly savage hot war on the members of MASSOB. Members of the group have been subjected to intense campaign of harassment, intimidation, unwarranted arrests and detentions without trial, and there have been examples of extra-judicial executions of members of the group, Njiko Igbo added.

Njiko Igbo said it condemned without reservation the systematic violations of the civil liberties and constitutional rights of members of MASSOB as long as they remained citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We further call for the immediate arraignment and trial of all its currently detained members in open courts of law, or, failing that, their immediate release without further delay”, the group said.

It further called for a good police/community relations describing it as an indispensable condition for the smooth maintenance of law and order and the effective combating of crime in society warning however that where this fails to take root, anarchy can be expected to reign.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Edo ACN, PDP hold primaries ahead council election SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN

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head of the April 20 local government election in Edo State, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday conducted the respective primaries for the chairmanship and councillorship aspirants in the 18 council areas of Edo State. This is in line with the provision of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission EDSIEC).

Most of the local councils visited by our correspondent during the primaries were peaceful, orderly, free of any rancour while the majority of the candidates emerged through consensus.

In Oredo local council, Osaro Obazee was unanimously elected as the ACN candidate. Orhionmwon, the local government of the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the ACN South-South Vice Chairman collectively elected a Benin traditional council high chief, Hon. Rowland Ibierotomwen as its candidate.

Uhunmwode has Rowland Alari; Egor produced Hon. Victor Enobakhare; Ikpoba-Okha elected Hon. Itohan Osahon; Ovia North East has Mrs. Lucy Omagbon; Owan East has Barr.

Jimon Ijegbai; while Etsako West elected Hassan Kadiri as its candidate. As at the time of filing this story, more results of the primaries were yet to be released.

Speaking to journalists after the primaries,

Alari And Ibierotomwen promised to carry everyone along and build on the existing legacies of the Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Defending the mode of emergence of ACN candidates, a member of House of Representatives, representing Owan Federal Constituency, Hon. Pally Iriase, said affirmation was the best option for the state ruling party. Iriase said, “Yes it is affirmation.

People say they don’t like the word consensus, but I think the ultimate thing is to allow Nigerians make their choice. What I see is that if people are in a hurry to go into office, they want failure. The fact is that Edo ACN has witnessed a lot of influx and you need membership cards to vote. Many of them do not have these cards. The result of direct primaries could have resulted in violence.

Chairman of Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, commended his party members for turning in large numbers to elect the candidates of their choice.

Orbih said, “My brothers, I must commend party members who turned out today, to elect candidates of their choice. The reports I have received so far across the 18 local governments and where I personally visited showed that the turnout was overwhelming. It goes to show the love for our great party. Before tomorrow morning, we will make names of the candidates that emerged available to the media.”

Nasarawa killings: Group embarks on peace campaign IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

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equel to recurrent spate of killings in Nasarawa State, a group, Nasarawa State United Youth for Peace (NSUYP) has set in motion machinery to sensitise the youth on the need to shun chaos and embrace peace in order to live together again as one family.

As vanguard for peace of youth groups cutting across all ethnic groups in the state, NSUYP condemned activities of notorious organised militia groups, urging all groups acting under any guise of militia to stop these cannon of mayhem and destruction of lives and property.

Coordinator of the group, Solomon Pevkyaa, disclosed this to journalists in Lafia, the state capital, at a press conference, adding that NSUYP was determined to take its campaign to youths at the grassroots to educate them on value change.

Apart from mobilising their peers to denounce violence and embrace peace, which is an anchor objective of the united front, the youth leader noted too that, “they would do all within their reach to insist on emancipation of the people of the state who they claimed had hitherto suffered set-backs from its lack of development over the years”.

He said: “The society is disarmed in terms of values and we are prepared to go out there and convince the youth on the need to change our value system.

Nasarawa State has not been given the desired attention over the yearning and aspirations of the people by successive governments of the state, hence it is against that backdrop of this understanding that the organised ethnic militia groups that are fomenting trouble in its communities should reconsider their stand and refrain from such unprofitable acts.”

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sunday February 10, 2013

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Nwabueze, Maitama Sule, Akinrinade, others warn: Disaster, anarchy ahead TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

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minent Nigerians yesterday warned that unless a national conference is convoked before the 2015 general elections, disaster and anarchy may befall the nation.

Speaking to newsmen yesterday after a closed -door meeting in Lagos, the eminent Nigerians under

the aegis of Project Nigeria said that the group will work toward formation of a national front comprising various ethnic groups and civil society organisations to drive the national conference.

The eminent Nigerians meeting, which was jointly chaired by leader of Northern Elders Forum, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule and Patriot chairman,

Prof. Ben Nwabueze, also stressed the need for justice and equal treatment for all Nigerians.

Reading the meeting communiqué to newsmen, Prof.

Nwabueze said that the Project Nigeria is committed to one indivisible, permanent Nigeria, saying that the objective of the group is to preserve Nigeria as one prosperous nation.

His words: “The convo-

cation of the national conference is essential before any election is held in 2015.

Any election held before the national conference might spell doom for the country. Disaster and anarchy might befall the country unless national conference is convoked before the 2015 elections.

“The forging of a national front comprising various group and civil society or-

We are not losing sleep over APC –PDP OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it is not losing any sleep over the merger of opposition parties. It also debunked reports that some of its state governors were planning to join the All Progressive Congress (APC), even as it says that more states will be captured by the PDP in future elections.

Describing the reports as false and intended to deceive Nigerians, the PDP said all its governors are working with the party leadership and President Goodluck Jonathan. It said there is no cause for any one of them to contemplate leaving the ruling party for the APC that is yet to have an operable structure.

The party has also charged the Super Eagles to use today’s match with Burkina Faso to restore the dignity and pride of the nation by firing up the Nigerian spirit to win the African nation’s cup.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement yesterday said the fact that the party took the high moral ground of decency to congratulate the opposition on the formation of the APC does not cover the new party’s inadequacies and its destiny to fall apart in no time.

“Nobody leaves a moving train to join an inoperable one. That the PDP took the high moral ground of decency that we are known for, to

•Says governors won’t defect

ganisations to press on the presidency and the National Assembly the demand for a national conference is necessary,” the group said, adding, “the team will meet with the presidency and the National Assembly to submit a memorandum accompanied by a draft bill, selection of delegates for the national conference.”

Among those present at the closed door meeting are;

Police repel fresh Kano attack, arrest two suspects AUGUSTINE MADUWEST, K ANO

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L-R: Prof. Pat Utomi, Chief Philip Asiodu, Alh. Maitama Sule, Dr (Mrs) Bola Kuforiji Olubi and Ganiyat Fawehinmi, at the meeting of Project Nigeria on the state of the nation, held in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

congratulate the opposition parties on the formation of their new party does not cover its inherent inadequacies.

“So, there is no PDP governor that will leave a stable and national party such as the PDP to join the APC. All our governors are working with the National Chairman and the National Working Committee and the President and there is no reason for anyone of them to contemplate leaving PDP for APC”, the statement said.

The PDP also dismissed claims by the opposition that there is disunity in its ranks; instead, the statement said PDP governors have been paying courtesy calls on

the leadership of the party and have been making public statements that they are with its leadership and the President in his transformation agenda.

“Those who continue to cast aspersions on the PDP and to suggest that there is crisis in the party are completely deluded. For the avoidance of doubt, there is no crisis in the PDP. We are all working together.

The governors have been paying courtesy visits to the National Chairman and the National Working Committee and they are working with the President on the transformation agenda. ”, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) which was formed by late Major General Shehu Yar’Adua has commended the formation of APC calling on all opposition political parties and organisations across the country to close ranks in order to provide Nigerians with a clear choice between conservative and progressive ideologies.

It also implored the opposition to define its own identity based on progressive ideology, with clear and contrasting policies and programmes capable of pulling Nigeria out of the current state of despoliation, despair and debasement.

renowned economist, Prof.

Pat Utomi; Afenifere chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; former Minister of Commerce, Otunba Bola Kuforiji-Olubi; former governor of Delta State, Chief Goddie Ibru; former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade; former Economic Adviser to the President, Chief Philip Asiodu; constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, among others

ess than 24 hours after a deadly gun attack in which nine female health workers were shot dead by suspected gunmen, another gun battle raged for hours in the middle of the night, when policemen confronted suspected militants of the Boko Haram sect in Minjibir local council headquarters in Kano State.

Our correspondent was told that the confrontation in Minjibir was another abortive attempt by gunmen to raze the police station there and cart away firearms from the local armoury.

It would be recalled that suspected Boko Haram militants early last week attacked Bunkure Police Station in Kano, killing two officers and injuring one after razing part of the police station.

Yesterday’s attempted attack on Minjibir Police Station was effectively repelled, according to police spokesman for Kano Command, ASP Magaji Musa Majiya, who said two members of the group were arrested inside the nearby bush where they fled to.

He could not estimate the numerical strength of the gunmen who came for that operation, as he simply disclosed that the attackers

were heavily armed with assault rifles and explosives.

“Our men gallantly repelled the attack; we also arrested two of the fleeing suspects in a nearby bush where they ran into when they were overpowered by the police.

“The attackers came in two tricycles and motorbikes and we suspect that one of them might have been killed or badly injured as blood stains littered the scene.”

It would be recalled that nine female health workers on polio immunisation exercise were shot dead in two separate attacks on Hotoro and Angwar Uku Community health centres.

The dastardly attack, we gathered, came after a radio commentary had criticised polio immunisation as anti-Islam and part of the Western measures to cause infertility in women in the region.

Our correspondent gathered that the Friday attack had continued to generate public outrage.

State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Idris, said his men are on the trail of the suspects with the promise that perpetrators of the crime would be brought to book.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, had equally assured the state government that they would fish out those involved in the murderous act.

NIGERIA IN BRIEF Kidnapping: S’East govs urged to procure tracking devices for security agencies The Campaign for Democracy (CD), South-East Region, yesterday called on the South-East governors to procure tracking devices for security agencies in order to curb the spate of kidnapping in the zone.

In a press statement issued to newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra State, the chairman of CD in the Region, Dede Uzor A. Uzor, observed that kidnapping cases had increased tremendously in recent times.

According to CD, “previously, an average of five persons per month in each state in the zone is kidnapped.

But now it has increased to an average of about seven persons per month in each of the states in the zone”.

The statement added that the increasing rate is more evident in Anambra than any other state in the South-East.

“Chief Vitus Ezekwueme was kidnapped on December 6, 2012 and is yet to be released. Chief Godwin Okeke, founder, GUO Group, is currently searching for his younger brother, while an Anglican cleric in Umunnachi and wife of the former

NMA chairman in Anambra are still in kidnappers’ captivity”.

The statement said it had become expedient that the tracking device was needed now since there was an upsurge in kidnapping and other heinous crimes.

It said at present, security agencies found it hard to conclude investigation into the kidnap matters already existing, adding, it is only the cell-phones of kidnappers that can easily be tracked down when the kidnappers make contact with the relatives of their victims.

District head shot dead The District Head of Damboa Local Government Area of Borno state, Alhaji Abba Ahmed was yesterday evening shot dead by gunmen soon after performing his Magrib prayers. He was on his way back to his palace.

The District Head, it was gathered, had on

January 21 received the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zanna Mustapha who had visited the troubled Council where 18 people were shot dead on a Market day by unidentified gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members.

Damboa is 88 kilometers south of

Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Alhaji Ahmed’s death is being linked to his disclosure to the deputy governor ‘ during the later’s visit that, unknown gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram came to the town market and shot dead 13 local hunters on the spot while five others died from injuries at the hospital.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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STORIES THAT TOUCH YOU FEBRUARY 10, 2013

Still, uneasy calm in Ikot Abasi over ALSCON

ALSCON corporate office

TONY ANICHEBE UYO

A

ll is not well in Ikot Abasi local government area of Akwa Ibom State, the operational base of Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON).

There is a general feeling of anxiety and

fear among the over 750 staff of the Russian firm and indeed the host communities.

Since the Supreme Court stripped Rusal of its ownership of the country’s former state-owned aluminium processing plant, all has not been well in the company. When Sunday Mirror visited during the week, there was an uneasy calm around the premises..

There is also mixed feelings among members of the host community as some rejoiced over the Supreme Court judgement while others kicked against it. This could easily be traced to their understanding of the impact of UC Russal corporate social responsibility to their area since taking over the plant.

The apex court had in July, in a lead judgement read by Justice Afolabi Fabiyi, held that the Nigeria-America consortium, Bancorp Financial Group (BFIG), was the preferred bidder. According to Justice Fabiyi, Russal should have refrained from buying the company when it was aware that BFI Group which was chosen as the preferred bidder before the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) unilaterally frustrated the contract, was already in court challenging BPE’s refusal to consummate the transaction. He also held that the reason given by BPE for terminating the contract was untenable in view of the various documents tendered in court which showed the agreement between the two parties.

The crux of the dispute, however, started in 2004 during the privatisation option of the Federal Government. It was gathered that the BFI Group tendered for ALSCON in the same year, but was later disqualified by the Nigerian regulator because of alleged bribery, having failed to pay the 10 per cent of its proposed bid price within a stipulated time frame. On disqualification of BFIG, Rusal, in 2006, almost two years

later, purchased ALSCON as a bidder who proposed the second highest bid price and subsequently acquired a 75 per cent stake for $250 million and currently owns 85 per cent, while the Nigerian government holds the rest of the asset.

ALSCON became part of the United Company RUSAL since 2007. Its assets in Nigeria include an aluminium smelter with annual capacity of 120,000 tonnes, a gas-fired power station and a port. A year after the privatisation process was over, precisely in February 2008, it was gathered that ALSCON started production and still produce aluminium despite the fact that before the privatisation, the plant was non operational for more than eight years. However, the last is yet to be heard about ALSCON’s auction deal as the Russian firm, UC Rusal has filed a counter suit against the Federal Government, at the Arbitration Court in London to “prohibit it from executing the decision of the apex court to its detriment, and alternatively granting damages in the event that it should suffer any loss to its ownership of the stake in ALSCON’’.

The issue that has attracted most attention since the judgement and even before the ruling of the apex court is the issue of the actual market price of ALSCON, and the issue of who, between BFIG and Rusal, is its legitimate owner. These issues are as important to both parties as they are to the Nigerian public, especially the staff of the

They planned to wipe out my family –Apostle Hel TONY ANICHEBE UYO

I

t was a harvest of what an observer described as “endless tears” as the people of Mbente village in Nkari clan of Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom witnessed the burial of the mother and younger sister of Lady Apostle (Mrs.) Helen Ukpabio, the founder of Liberty Gospel Church yesterday.

Fondly called Mama by her children, the late Madam Ukpabio, aged 72 years, was said to have slumped on Sunday, November 25, 2012 and gave up the ghost at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital the next day.

Her demise has been carefully linked to the tortuous psychological stress she must have gone through since she witnessed the killing of her three children by a State Security Service (SSS) officer in company of some police men alleged to have been detailed to do so by a highly placed son of the state who had once contested election to be governor and senator respectively.

Helen Ukpabio’s mother was said to have been “worn out by stress and constant worry as she grew weaker by the day.

She constantly spoke of her dead sons and severally replayed the murder scene in her head”.

She kept asking about what had happened to the murderers of her sons; when they could eventually be arrested; why her sons were killed”, and perhaps having no answers to such questions, she got stuck and died. Mama’s beautiful daughter, Elizabeth Ukpabio also died on hearing of her brother’s death.

As two coffins were spread on two big tables before the sea of faces that gath-

...Buries mum, sister same day ered at Mbente village from far and near, Professor Aniekan Ekere in his homily on the topic, “Living life with eternity in view” and quoting the scriptures copiously from Heb. 9:27 said it was appointed once for man to die and that spiritual death was dangerous as one would be breathing, walking, talking, eating, doing business but had died because he had since been disconnected from God. The priest said that death reduces every person to the same level, class and experience, adding that if people like Sani Abacha and Steve Jobs could die, it means the rich could also died. He said that those in power today would be there no more tomorrow and would not be relevant just as economic power can change and affect the

rich tomorrow.

The cleric quoted Numbers 23:10 and Romans 5:17 to buttress his claims. He said “if you don’t like a thing being done to you, don’t do it to another person. If you sow death, violence, fraud, sword, blood, that is what you will reap. If you don’t want people to shoot your three brothers, do not shoot other people’s brothers”.

In an interview with members of the press who were at the venue of the burial, Lady Apostle Helen Ukpabio said the ultimate goal was to wipe out her family from the face of the earth as five people have already been killed. She stressed that they had spent so much money and had written so many letters with respect to the death of her brothers but it seems difficult to get to

Madam Ukpabio

Killed: John Ukpabio

the root of the matter but added that she would not relent till justice was done.

According to her, “we have tried to live with the pains of losing three brothers, my mum and sister, we tried to use the police initially but they were unwilling. We went to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), he was annoyed and said the case must be investigated and he sent the police. When he sent in police, it was discovered that Akwa Ibom Police had given statement and they were like giving the suspects VIP treatment by going to their houses. This other police arrested Benjamin who quickly confessed to the murder and said that one person whose name he gave as Noel Nduka shot the boys. When Nduka was contacted, he said well, I was not the only one in the team… He said he would not disclose who hired him and he can only release other information if authorised to do so by the hirers, that is what I read in his own write-up (statement) to the police”.

Also killed: Emmanuel

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Uneasy calm in Ikot Abasi over ALSCON plant. Before and even after UC Rusal took over ALSCON, in February, 2007 a lot of misconceptions had arisen as to the actual value of the former premier steel plant.

The bone of contention, according to Sunday Mirror findings, centres on the sudden reduction of the assets value of the plant from N130 billion in 2006 to a paltry N30 billion as indicated in the report of an independent auditor which carried out an assessment of the plant prior to its privatisation in January. This reduction in assets value of the plant has generated a lot of controversies, buck passing and suspicion as far as the auction deal is concerned. But to really understand and appreciate the circumstances, it is pertinent to analyse the situation at the time.

Information available revealed that the net asset of the plant before privatisation was N130 billion equivalent to $US0.9 billion as indicated earlier. However, in January, 2006 when the push for privatisation became hotter, an independent auditor, Deloite, was commissioned to carry out an assessment of the plant, the outcome of which put the market value at N30.9 billion, equivalent to $US240.4 million. This, it was gathered, was prior to ALSCON takeover of the plant in 2007. The argument in some quarters that the reduction in the assets of the plant, including equipment, machines, building and facilities was carried by the Russian firm when it effectively took over control of the plant is not tenable as it cannot be proven otherwise.

The issues have let many to underestimate the huge investments the Russian firm has put in to revise the moribund plant. These investments can only be appreciated and understood if viewed against the history of the plant before and after the privatisation. According to sources, the construction of the plant started in 1990, but when it began production in October 1997, it could only operate at 20 per cent capacity, since it was only 75 per cent structurally completed.

Sunday Mirror gathered, however, that owing to technical difficulties it could not sustain production and had to shut down operation in June 1999. Consequently,over 60 per cent of the staff were sent on compulsory leave and eventually laid off. Several efforts to re-start

en Ukpabio

Helen further alleged that one Bassey Inuaeyen and a senator were behind those who killed her three brothers and wondered why they were not arrested and prosecuted. She said one Benjamin was arrested who quickly confessed to the murder and said that Nduka shot the boys. Apostle Helen hinted that when it appeared as if conducting investigation by the police was a herculean task, she engaged the services of private investigators who still discovered the same persons they suspected to be the killers of her brothers. She alleged that the killers were still seeking to kill one other brother and a cousin of hers, if she did not put pressure to unveil the cloak behind them.

She alleged that people in Mbente village were intimidated by the killers that government was coming to kill anyone who attended her mother’s burial. “This is the lie that the killer uses to smear the name of government and it is very bad,”

Elizabeth

11

Sunday, February 10, 2013 10 per cent as stated in the judgement. This is aside from the entire amount of $US41 million which is yet to paid or not seen to have been paid.

Though representatives of BFIG Corporation could not be reached for comments, the question therefore about who is legitimate owner of the country’s premier steel plant can better be imagined than discussed. The company’s director in-charge of Public and Governmental Affairs, Mr. Albert Dyabin, told Sunday Mirror that the net asset of the plant before privatisation was N130 billion, equivalent to $0.9 billion as indicated in the report of the independent assessment. However, in January 2006 when the push for privation became hotter, Deloite was commissioned to carry out an assessment of the plant, the outcome of which put the market value of the plant at N30.9 billion equivalent to $US240.4 million. This, it was gathered, was prior to ALSCON takeover of the plant in 2007.

“In 2006, the cost of the net assets of the plants was N130 billion ($US0.9 billion). Due to the fact that in 2006 privatisation was in progress, it was necessary to identify the exact cost of the plant’s assets. For that purpose, Deloite carried out an assessment of the plant. Based on the outcome of that assessment as at January 1, 2007 the actual value of ALSCON was N30.9 billion ($US240.4 billion),’’ he said. The argument in some quarters that the reduction in the assets of the plant, including equipment, machines, building and facilities was carried by the Russian firm when it effectively took over control of the plant is therefore not tenable as it was carried out by the independent auditor.

Dyabin said UC Rusal had invested heavily to revive the moribund company since it took over the plant in February 2007. These huge investments, according to him, can only be appreciated and understood by viewing the history of the plant before and after the privatisation exercise. Sources said the construction of the plant started in 1990, but when it started production in Octo-

ber 1997, it could only operate at 20 per cent capacity, since it was only 75 per cent structurally completed.

Though representatives of BFIG Corporation are yet to be reached to substantiate the claims, UC Rusal has maintained it legitimately owns of the country’s premier steel plant at Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State. For proper understanding, the Supreme Court gave three specific orders in the suit SC/12/2008 where BFI Group Corporation was the appellant while against BPE. Justice Olufunlola Adekeye who delivered the judgment gave “an order of specific performance demanding the respondent to provide the mutually agreed share purchase agreement (SPA) for execution by the parties to enable the plaintiff pay the agreed 10 per cent of the accepted bid price of US $410 million, that is the sum of US $41 million within 15 working days from the date of the execution of the SPA in accordance with the agreement dated 20/5/2004 and 90 per cent balance of the bid price shall be paid within 90 days.

“It is declared that the defendant is bound to accept payment of 10 per cent of the bid price from the appellant within 15 days from the date of signing the SPA by the parties. An order of perpetual injunction is made restraining the defendant, its servants, agent, privies, management or whosoever called from inviting any further bidding for the sale and acquisition of ALSCON in violation of the contract between the plaintiff and the defendant and or from negotiating to sell, selling, transferring otherwise handing over the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria to any person or persons in violation of the contract between the plaintiff and defendant.

Meanwhile, Sunday Mirror, however, discovered that the present confusion has not stalled production at the plant as their machine are still steaming and churning out aluminium products for export and sale.

she revealed.

She said such criminal intimidation should be a matter of concern for government to do something to exonerate its name as such could cause Mbente people to lose confidence in the Akpabio led-government.

The bereaved woman appealed to the Akwa Ibom State governor to consider five souls gone in a family and assist her for investigations to be done so that the killers of her brothers could be made to face the law.

She challenged those who brand her and her brothers as kidnappers to mention any case they had ever been linked to. “If I aid kidnappers, let them mention one that they have ever been linked,” and wondered how she could be branded a “dubious person” by people in her own state. “If I have ever aided robbers, where are they, I thought I am a holiness preacher. But I don’t know that in my own state and with my own people, I am seen as a very dubious person,” she intoned.

She added that her mother died be-

cause justice was not done to the killers of her children. “So, this is why my mother died, not only because her children died but because justice had been denied us and the woman had no reason to live,” Lady Ukpabio said.

Others who spoke at the venue of the burial were Barrister Festus Keyamo, a human rights lawyer and other eminent priests of Liberty Gospel Church.

Speaking to journalists after at the burial ground, Keyamo said, “We have written several petitions when this matter happened. We have written several petitions to the authorities that are involved; the Inspector General of Police, the State Security Service, the House Committee on Public Petition and Police Affairs. We have also written several petitions to the Senate Committee on Public Petition and Police Affairs as well as all the organs of government that should be concerned with this gruesome incident”.

Keyamo added, “They are fuelling speculation that there might be an attempt at a grand cover-up by some persons high up

Helen Ukpabio

Charles

there, privy to what is happening. What we want to do now is to put pressure on these authorities by raising the tempo of publicity. In this our struggle, without you guys here, there is no way you can achieve anything. You cannot fight a dictator in darkness, he will kill you. The only way to fight a dictator is to expose him. That is why we want to bring maximum publicity so that those mentioned are thoroughly quizzed and brought to justice. This case is anything that can agitate the minds of reasonable Nigerian.

The gruesome murder is so complete and so profound that these people should be brought to justice”.

The high point of the burial was the presentation of the “Madame Atim’s long journey home” in place of biography stating the events which led to her demise and that of her daughter, read by one of the grand-children.

Some of those who graced the event are Pa Chief Essien Ukpabio (chief mourner). Archbishop Elijay Mboho, Archbishop Emmanuel Mekomou, Prof.

Aniekan Ekere, Rev. Sylvanus Tommy, Bishop Mike Laju, Chiet Otu Robbert, Rev. Usani, Pastor Wisdom Favour, Pastor Frank Iniodu, Bishop Joseph Bassey. Others are Barr. Festus Keyamo, members of Liberty Gospel Church and other churches, members of the press, members of Mbente community and others too numerous to count.

Meanwhile, when contacted on the phone, Bassey Inuaeyen denied the allegations made by Lady Apostle Helen Ukpabio, adding that Helen wanted to be political leader of Ini and that she had problems with the brothers before they were killed. He added that there was something hidden between Helen and her brothers which she did not disclose to the public. The SSS officer and Aloysius Etuk could not be reached as at the time of filing this report.

the plant by the Federal Government were made with the help of technical partners or tolling arrangements as it were, with some international companies such as the ALCOA, in the United states, ALCAN, a Canadian company and, of course, Glencore.

These efforts, however, did not yield the desired result because of the conditions given by these companies, and the prevailing insecurity in the Niger Delta region, where the plant is cited.

However, when the push for privatisation began, Rusal, a world leader in aluminium production, purchased ALSCON as the second bidder which proposed the second bid price among qualified bidders, owning over 85 per cent stake in the country’s steel plant.

In February 2007 when it effectively took over, the plant was non-functional for eight years. These programmes of modernisation led to overhaul of the pots, commissioning of five cranes for operations, carbon plants, injection, repairs of casting lines and fumes treatment plants. This has enabled the company to meet the yearnings and demands of the Nigerian companies in primary aluminium and for export.

The question of who is the lawful owner of ALSCON has often arisen. This question became more compelling now than before since the Supreme Court judgement in July.

According to a copy of the judgement, BFIG Corporation is to remit the sum of $US410 million to BPE for ALSCON. Such payments must be paid as follows: 10 per cent of the bid price, that is, 41 millionn US dollars must be paid within 15 working days from the day of signing the Shared Purchase Agreement (SPA) between the BFIG Corporation and BPE, while the remaining 90 per cent must be paid by the American-Nigerian consortium within 90 days from the day of the first payment.

However, it is interesting that the date of the SPA between BFIG and BPE is not signed and the company is yet to remit the

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SM EXTRA

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oba Bajowa honours the Ayodeles Couple in three-in-one celebration

The palace of the Rebuja of Osooro kingdom, in Ondo State, His Royal Majesty, Oba, (Dr.) Samuel Gbadebo Bajowa, was a beehive of activities last weekend when scores of dignitaries converged to witness the conferment of chieftaincy titles on two of his subjects.

The Medical Director, Rainbow Medical Centre, Ore, in Ondo State, Dr. Segun Ayodele, and his wife,

Dr. (Mrs.) Foluke Ayodele, were conferred with chieftaincy title of Aare Atayese and Yeye Atayese of Osoro Kingom on Saturday, February 2, 2013, It was a threein-one celebration, apart from the chieftaincy title, there was also the 50th birthday celebration of Foluke, a medical doctor at the General Hospital Ore, and the dedication of their family house.

Performing the traditional placing of ‘akoko’

Oba Gbadebo Bajowa presenting chieftaincy certificate of Atayese of Osooro kingdom to Chief (Dr.) Segun Ayodele

Dr. (Mrs) Foluke Ayodele receiving her certificate from Oba Bajowa.

leaves, the symbol of the chieftaincy on the heads of the new chief, Oba Bajowa said the titles, Atayeshe and yeye atayeshe, on the couple was in recognition of their contribution to the development of the community.

Pastor Ayo Ajisola, Pastor in Charge of Ondo Province II, of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, performed the birthday thanks giving service.

Musician, Demola Ogunsusi, popularly known as Suzy, leading the musical band which performed at the occasion

Dr. and Dr. (Mrs.) Ayodele, immediately after their installation

Couple cutting the 50th Birthday Cake, with their children- from left: Sola, Ebunoluwa, Tosin and Seyi

The Araba of Ikaleland and Group Managing Director of Global Fleet Group of Companies, Barrister (Dr.) Jimoh Ibrahim, Oba Bajowa, and Chief and Chief (Mrs.) Ayodele.

Mr. Goke Ilesanmi, Dr. Ibrahim, Dr. (Chief) Segun Ayodele and the Chairman of Irele Local Government in Ondo State, Hon Akinbiola Nicholas at the occasion.

L-R: Pastor Ayo Ajisola, Pastor in Charge of Ondo Province II, of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, his wife Pastor Ruth, and Pastor Henry Adesioye at the birthday thanks giving service.

Olori Deborah Bajowa, Chief and Chief (Mrs) Ayodele and Olori Modupe Bajowa with the couple

Mr. and Mrs Victor Akintola and Barrister Ibrahim at the birthday ceremony.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Interview ENCOUNTER WITH A NEWS MAKER FEBRUARY 10, 2013

My life at 80 –Biyi Durojaiye good lawyer in future.

Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye is a former Director of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), a lawyer and politician. He clocked 80 years last Friday and in this interview with Ayo Esan he speaks about his life as a lawyer and as a politician. Excerpts:

Durojaiye

Durojaiye

How was it when you were growing up?

Well, we thank God my early life was in a typical Yoruba town setting. That was colonial Nigeria. I was born on February 8, 1933 and that occasion was celebrated last Friday. Everything was orderly in Ijebu Igbo and in the whole of Ijebu in Yorubaland of Nigeria at that time. Whatever you may say about the colonial administrators, they were really efficient and effective administrators of the country. With the little they had, they kept Nigeria going. The wheel of the state was moving unobstructed You are a lawyer, would you say the choice of Law profession was accidental or it was planned?

Yes, it was not accidental at all. One, I have a natural tendency, a natural talent, a natural propensity to speak, to argue and to defend the people who are injured or offended. That is a natural trait in me and my father must have noticed this in my early life and he was the one who planted that idea in me. You know my father was a public letter writer in a community of largely illiterate population. And the public letter writer of

those days in rural settings were the unwieldy lawyers.

Cases of divorce, recording of death, signing of agreements, they were the ones who used to handle them.

Then he had a long period of litigation, lawsuits over a large piece of land at Apasan village. Ijebu Igbo is in the northernmost part of Ijebuland, next door to Oyo province. We are at the extreme end of Ijebu Province and very close to the beginning of Oyo province. So our farm land happened to be at the border line and a lot of quarrels ensued between us and the Ibadan people. This involved my father in many years of litigations in the early forties and fifties. I used to contribute to discussions sometimes I accompanied him during the period of litigation. There was a particular day, I reported a police officer who was taking tips from the opposite side to the District Officer, a white man. The other police officers were trying to push me away saying ‘what are you doing here’, and I insisted I wanted to talk to the D.O. and the D.O. said let the boy come in. I spoke boldly to him that these people are doing what was not right and the D.O. sided with us and everything went on fine. All that encouraged my father to say this guy would be a

When you graduated as a young lawyer you must have had some people in the profession that you were looking up to. Who were these people and what did you gain from them?

Let me say that I was not a young person when I became a lawyer. I was already above 40 years when I became a lawyer. I had already married and had all my children. Law happened to be my second degree; I had earlier graduated in Economics at the age of 27 and I became a lawyer some 15 years thereafter.

Now in any event, the lawyers that were my role models, one of them who also happened to be my boss, was Chief Rotimi Williams. He belonged to the third generation of lawyers. His grandfather was the first man enrolled to the Bar in England and one of the first to practise Law in Nigeria. He was then called Timi the Law and when they called somebody the Law you should know he was an icon. I studied under him and I worked for sometime too in his chamber before I left and established my own chambers. Not him alone, there were also many other brilliant Nigerians who were great lawyers, J.I.C. Taylor, Oladipo Moore, son of Eric Moore who was also a lawyer, Chris and Michael Ogunbanjo, they were a firm of lawyers, very brilliant lawyers who were role models for us. The famous Chief Fani Kayode was a great lawyer and Kehinde Sofola and some on the other side of the country, Louis Mbanefo, who was a lawyer before he became a jurist. He was a brilliant lawyer.

There was also one West Indian lawyer, man of great personality, Edwin Burke, of Irvin and Burner firm of lawyers. Then Akerele and H.O. Davies. Davies and Rotimi Williams were the first to attain Queens Counsel (QC) in Nigeria. I think in 1958 and of course the first to be enrolled as Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Of course, Papa Obafemi Awolowo, was one of the most successful and most influential legal practitioners but he was more known in the field of politics but he was good in Law too. These were the role models we had in those days.

Most of those you mentioned as having influence on your career as a lawyer were also politicians. How did you come into politics?

Then again natural intuition. I said I have a natural inclination to help others, to prevent people from suffering, to make people happy. Once you have that instinct naturally in you, you are propelled into politics.

To the timing now, circumstances however pushed me into it. My intention was to go into law practice, after retiring from public service but coincidentally by divine arrangement just by the time I voluntarily retired from the Central Bank of Nigeria, 31st of May 1989, was the same time the then president, General Ibrahim Babangida, announced the programme of disengagement into civil rule. He banned all the experienced politicians and said he wanted new breeds to come forward and volunteer to reshape Nigeria. He said they should be those who have good track records. With those experienced politicians out of the way, it was only people like Chief Olu Falae who just retired from the civil service, experienced civil servants, successful professionals and businessmen who were available to take up the gauntlet. And the available positions at that time was the presidency of the country which I believe I had the experience to occupy. Then, I had 35 years experience of public service and I felt we could do well; that was how I came into politics.

Apart from that, there had been a preliminary inducement or attraction if I may say so and that was the CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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Interview

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 Constituent Assembly of 1988/89. It was part of the disengagement programme of Babangida’s government to have a constitution drawn up for the country.

A new constitution for post-military era and Babangida in his wisdom arranged for civil servants to participate in contesting elections in their various localities and to be given leave of absence from official works so as to have the best brains to do the work. He then nominated a few others, professionally sound people, including some journalists like Segun Osoba, a medical practitioner, Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu and so many others.

We were in the Constituent Assembly and I was a chairman of the 23 people out of about 350 people who were in the Constituent Assembly. I was one of the few who were made chairmen of the committees and I was made to head a responsible committee, the control and power over public fund committee.

Maybe because of the consideration of my experience in the Central Bank. So that is how I graduated into politics. It was from that Constituent Assembly that we started grouping together. All those who later went to run for governorship election were from there.

We were in the progressive assembly and I played a major role there. I drafted the Constitution and I was in the committee that drafted the Constitution and the manifestoes of the Peoples Solidarity Party (PSP). We were the first to use broom as a symbol , that is what the ACN is using today. Of the 13 political groups that contested for registration, the one I chaired because I was the chairman of the committee for the registration of PSP, we came first. That was in 1989.

After the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election, you joined the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and you suffered several detentions and molestations. You were comfortable then as a former director of CBN. What motivated you to go into such struggle against the military for the actualisation of the election results?

That same question was asked from me by the head of security arm at that time. He called me and said ‘Durojaye we all respect you. The commander-in-chief, General Abacha, was worried that of all people you are in the group of those fighting against the government.

We don’t want to hit you and we don’t want to handle you like we handled the others. Please desist’. But I said I would not desist. I was fighting for democracy to be installed not because of tribal consideration and not because M.K.O. Abiola happened to be Yoruba. He told me it was General Abacha who asked him to discuss this with me and I said tell the General that if the situation had been reversed and he, Abacha, had contested election and Abiola took over under whatever consideration in Aso Rock, I would be quarrelling against Abiola the same way I was quarrelling against Abacha.

It was a matter of principle. That this thing was not fair.

They should have cancelled the primaries. After all they cancelled our primaries. They shouldn’t have allowed the June 12, 1993 election to hold at all. But once it was allowed to take place, we have to allow the man who won to administer the country.

What gave you the courage to face the military?

It is God that gave me the courage. It has always been like that even in the civil service. I mean in the Central Bank, when those who ought to go to the war front refused to go I volunteered to go to the war front to inspect what happened to the Central Bank in Enugu in 1967, just a week after the federal forces under General Theophilus Danjuma, backed by the man who was recently killed, General Shua Mohammed, took over. He was the commander of the Second Brigade of the Nigerian Army based in Makurdi. General David Jemibewon was one of the officers at that time. We met when we went to the war front. All my experiences are recorded in my autobiography which was launched last Friday.

Can you relive the NADECO days, especially the life in detention?

I have recalled this several times in the past. The first shock of it all is that I slept on the floor without any mats or mattresses, not to even talk of bed for the first three nights in detention. For the first five months, I was placed on one meal a day, small quantity of yam and garri with rubbish stew and without any piece of meat.

It was undernourished and I was bitten by mosquitoes heavily. But the worst of the punishment was that we were denied the opportunity of talking to anyone. No-

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Senators were more mature, experienced during our time’

Durojaiye

I WAS FIGHTING FOR DEMOCRACY TO BE INSTALLED NOT BECAUSE OF TRIBAL CONSIDERATION AND NOT

M.K.O ABIOLA HAPPENED TO BE YORUBA BECAUSE

body was allowed to talk to me and I was not allowed to talk to anyone. There was no radio or newspapers. No conversation at all. It was terrible agony.

Which prison was that?

It wasn’t a prison. It was the office of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) in Apapa. Others were put in cell but I was isolated and I was in confinement in an office.

The military left and democracy was introduced; how did you feel with the introduction of democracy in 1999?

Naturally, we jubilated that democracy came and we were fortunate enough. Many of us who went for election on the platform of those who fought for democracy were elected. I was elected a senator to represent the whole of Ijebu and Remoland, that is the Ogun East Senatorial District. I played my role in four years and the records are there so also there are witnesses. My committee in the Senate, Establishment and Public Service reinstated 881 workers who were laid off. We pleaded for them to be reinstated and it was done.

If you look at the Senate of your time and that of today, how will you compare them?

That is not a question for me. In law, we say you cannot be a judge in your own case. It is the media that have seen our set and the present set that should do a comparison. We who came in fresh to succeed the soldiers came in with a lot of experience. I was well over 60 years when I entered the Senate. I had got 35 years of public service experience and I was not the only one.

Senator Ike Nwachukwu had been a General in the Army, had been a governor in a state, had been a federal minister and was a very accomplished man before he came into the Senate with us. A man like the present Senate President, David Mark, was also a General, very accomplished man before he came to the Senate. Then Dr. Wahab Dosumu was a former federal minister and a Ph.D holder in Engineering . The same thing with

Femi Okunrounmu, a Ph.D holder in his own field of endeavour. There was Professor Olabimtan. There were so many accomplished people. Professor Iya Abubakar was in our set. So many distinguished Nigerians, Jonathan Zwingina, people who came with considerable experience and maturity. Even a man like Arthur Nzeribe was a very shrewd, successful businessman and experienced politician by the time he came into the Senate.

I think what we had then was that our set was more mature than the current one and there is no way that the experience will not show.

What is the secret of your being agile at 80?

It is mostly and majorly the grace of God. Two, good genes. I came from a family of very healthy people.

My father was a very strong man; he lived up to 87 years before he died in 1987. My mother lived almost 92. Very strong woman in her own right. Then I have been blessed with a good home, a good wife and good children. They didn’t give me any headache. I don’t have any stress. A good number of people died because of hypertension very early in life due to quarrel with wives. When you have two, three or four wives and you cannot manage them properly, you have problems, or you have children who are uncontrollable to you. If you have a child who goes into truancy, and takes Indian hemp and so on, it would be an embarrassment to you.

All those things God insured me against them. I also tried my best to make sure that I bring up my children well.

Looking back in the last 80 years, which day would you describe as memorable?

It is the day my wife died, June 7, 2009. Memorable in the sense that it would remain unforgettable and one of the saddest day in my life.

What about your most cherished day?

There are so many of such days. It is difficult to say this particular day. One, each time I had a child, that was a cherished day for me. I had the experience six times. Each day I had good result of succeeding in any examination was a cherished day for me. My School certificate in 1953, the Grade Two pass made me so happy.

The days I obtained university degrees are cherished days. When I heard the result that I passed the interview I hurriedly took at the Central Bank to become an officer there, it was a cherished day for me.

How will you describe your career at the Central Bank of Nigeria?

It was a very successful and happy one. It was also very demanding, a lot of stress but I succeeded.

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Politics

Ekiti 2014: Opposition parties move to challenge Fayemi P 16, 41

PROVIDING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO ISSUES FEBRUARY 10, 2013

WHAT WE HAVE NOW

ARE WAYFARERS, SCAVENGERS IN THE

Briefly

CORRIDOR OF POWER AND APOLOGISTS, PROFESSIONALS WHOSE

Merger or not, PDP has no rival –Tukur P 40

Buhari

ETHICS EVAPORATE THE MOMENT THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH THE PARAPHERNALIA OF POWER. BUT THERE IS HELP COMING

–ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU

Tinubu

APC: Can the mega party swing it in 2015?

MUYIWA OYINLOLA

L

ast week, four opposition parties including the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), made good their plan and fused into a new political party, All Progressive Congress (APC).

The idea is to have a big platform to challenge and perhaps defeat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which they accused has not presented a good leadership for the country since the last 14 years it has been administering the country.

Last Wednesday historical event was the conclusion of series of months of negotiation, meetings and permutations among members of the opposition parties involved in the exercise.

Barely 24 hours to the birth of the political party in Abuja, ten governors from the merging parties met in Lagos and gave their backing for the merger talk. A communiqué released after the meeting held at the residence of the Lagos State Governor, Raji Fashola, in Marina, gave credence to this.

It read in part: “As progressive and patriotic leaders of our people across party, religious and geo- political zones, we are extremely concerned about the state of the nation and we have put our heads together in the interest of our people to deliberate on what can be done to rescue our country.”

Beyond the merger and formation of APC, political stakeholders are concerned about what impact the exercise could have on 2015 elections and whether or not it could pose any serious challenge to the rul-

ing PDP, a political party that has boasted to rule the nation for an unbroken period of at least 50 years.

Already, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has announced that the alliance between the major opposition political parties would not succeed.

Lamido, who said this in Dutse when he spoke at the Jigawa chapter of the PDP stakeholders meeting, also dismissed the alliance as ``political jamboree perfected to deceive the electorate”.

He added that the alliance posed no potential threat to the PDP. ``The alliance is not going to work because of their differences. There will be serious leadership tussle in the alliance,’’ he said.

The governor, who said that the architects of the alliance were former PDP members, explained that the development would promote PDP and make it more relevant in the country.

Meanwhile, one particular point raised by political pundits about the chances of APC is the relevance, strength and weight of the merged political parties in their various states they are controlling, and how these could be translated into strength in other parts of the country. Presently, the ruling PDP controls more states than all the four political parties put together.

One major noticeable challenge in the exercise is that one posed by APGA whose members are factionalised in its involvement in the exercise. Interestingly, only one out of the two governors on its platform was at the Lagos meeting. Peter Obi of Anambra State was conspicuously absent, and only his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha was in attendance. It had been rumoured that Obi is may defect to the PDP and run as President Goodluck

Jonathan’s running mate in 2015.

A member of the party’s board of trustees, Dr. Tim Menakaya and the deputy national chairman of the party, Chris Uche, in a separate remarks said the party has not taken a decision to merge with any political party and is not participating in it.

They said Governor Okorocha who attended the meeting did so in his private capacity and did not have the support of the party.

In the same vein, the National Youth Leader of the party, Mr Ferguson Ogbonnaya, also dissociated the national youth wing of the party from the exercise. Ogbonnaya made the position of the party known in a statement signed by him and made available to newsmen in Awka. He criticised the action of some members of the party whom he said, went ahead to support the merger without a decision of entire APGA members. ``We have heard and read on the pages of newspapers about merger meetings of other political parties discussing among themselves of which, APGA was never part of. ``It is ironic that some people belonging to a party in a democratic dispensation would contemplate taking action that would involve the totality of party members without allowing such a decision to be deliberated upon by the party. ``The action of those that unilaterally said that APGA had merged with other parties can justifiably be described as the best manifestation of dictatorship and apparent lack of direction,” the statement read.

Ogbonnaya further described the exercise as ``bizarre and unacceptable,” insistCONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Adedoja tasks Oyo PDP members on party cohesion A former minister of Sports, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, has told Peoples Democratic Peoples (PDP) members in Oyo State to be more committed to building the party.

Adedoja told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan yesterday that there was nothing more important than for members to do everything possible to make the party stronger.

“I have told many of our members to work hard in building the party so that we will be strong and united for the challenges ahead,’’ Adedoja noted.

He said the party had achieved remarkable progress in bringing everybody together in the state, adding that the crisis in the party was as a result of its complexity.

“As the largest party in Nigeria and Africa, it will attract more crises than the rest because it is where the hope is.

“The more people are interested in the party, the more the expectations of some high hopes that cannot be met in terms of individual aspirations and interests.

“The strength of the party then is in its capacity to solve problems within it and I believe we are a strong party that can withstand any crisis,’’ he said.

Speaking on speculations of his governorship aspiration, Adedoja explained that he was currently concerned with the welfare and future stakes of members and less concerned about contesting an election.

Adedoja

Orji pledges strict implementation of 2013 budget Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has said that the 2013 appropriation, totalling N137 billion, which was signed into law, would be strictly implemented.

He said the implementation of the budget christened, ‘Budget of Hope’ would help to guarantee development, the provision of infrastructure and social amenities for the citizenry.

The governor explained that the implementation had already commenced with the ongoing infrastructural development in different parts of the state. He appealed to taxable adults to perform their civic responsibility as responsible citizens by paying their taxes as and when due.

The governor regretted that residents of the state were cheating the state by evading tax payment.

He explained that tax payment would help the government to generate the revenue to build the necessary infrastructure and also provide social amenities.

“Abia can produce over N1 billion, Aba alone can generate N1 billion.

“Unfortunately, our people are averse to paying tax yet they expect the government to do everything,’’ he said.

He thanked the lawmakers for the speedy consideration and passage of the bill and other relevant laws for good and efficient governance.

16

Politics

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Fayemi

Fayose

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Omirin

Ekiti 2014: Opposition parties move ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

T

ension is building gradually in Ekiti State as the DDay for the governorship election in the state billed for 2014 draws near. Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not fixed the date for the governorship poll, it is expected that the election would hold not later than June next near.

There have, therefore, been increasing activities in the different political parties jostling for the number 1 seat at the Oke Bareke Government House, Ado Ekiti, being occupied at present by Dr Kayode Fayemi of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Among the leading political parties in the state expressing interest in contesting the next year’s governorship election are the ruling ACN, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party (AP) and the Labour Party (LP). The AP surfaced in the state this year with advertisements on the airwaves calling on members to regroup as it had been repositioned to attain leadership position in the state. The party is already making its presence felt in the state capital with its newly acquired party secretariat along Ikere Road.

Also, the LP in the state has not been making strong appearance since former governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, who contested a senatorial position on the party’s platform in the 2011 National Assembly election, and around whom the party was built in the state, defected to the PDP later that year. Recently, what makes news about LP in Ekiti State is its

chairmanship tussle, although sources say arrangements were ongoing in the party to resolve its internal differences so that it would participate actively in the forthcoming governorship ballot in the state.

However, some analysts argue that the duo of AP and LP will be strengthened by aggrieved aspirants and members of other political parties, who will have no choice than to dump their parties for either of LP and AP in the build-up to the governorship election in a bid to realise their ambitions.

As things stand, ACN and PDP are the two leading parties in the state which political watchers see as capable of clinching the exalted governorship position, in view of their spread and support base. No doubt there were clashes and counter-accusations between the two parties last year over issues ranging from pasting of posters, holding of political meetings and venues of programmes, among others as either party accused the other of responsibility for the attacks and clashes.

In December last year, exactly 26 months into the four years term of Governor Fayemi, his party, the ACN, threw its weight behind his continuation in office for another four-year tenure at a meeting attended by the leadership of the party in the state, including state ACN Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, and former governor, Adeniyi Adebayo. Other leaders at the meeting included Senator Tony Adeniyi, (Ekiti South Senatorial District); House of Representatives member, Hon Ife Arowosoge; State House of Assembly Speaker, Dr Adewale Omirin; and local government chairmen, hinged their adoption of the governor as the party’s candidate for the 2014 governorship election on his laudable

development strides and the positive turnaround that the state had witnessed under Fayemi.

Although there are no contenders for the governorship seat in the ACN yet, indications that there will be aspirants who might eventually slug it out with him in the party primaries emerged with the first salvo fired by ACN House of Representatives member, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele, who said adoption of the governor for a second term by a section of leaders of the party did not foreclose other interested members from indicating their interest and contesting. Bamidele, who disagreed with the party leaders on the adoption, said: “ACN is not a lawless party. It is a party that believes in the rule of law and democratic tenets, so I am confident that the rules will be followed strictly under this circumstance.

“The Electoral Act has made things very easy for political parties. Candidates can emerge through consensus or endorsement, but when there are dissenting opinions, then the primary election will be conducted or else the party will be breaching the constitution”, the National Assembly member said.

However, ACN state chairman, Awe, wasted no time in attempting to douse the tension created by the endorsement of the governor during a chat with journalists, when he seemingly agreed with Bamidele that adoption of the governor that took place at Iyin Ekiti was a “mere declaration of support for the governor in view of his achievements in office”. Awe had clarified that the adoption of Fayemi for a second term by leaders of the party did not prevent intending aspirants for the office in next year’s governorship

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APC: Can the mega party triumph in 2 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

Okorocha

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

ing that the development was the ``best manifestation of a party that had refused to strengthen its organ.”

The youth leader called on APGA members to respect the party and its ideals, which, according to him, are greatly bound to the ideals of late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

He also accused Chief Victor Umeh and Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo as being behind the purported merger, saying ``it has no basis as the duo have been plotting on how to destroy our great party for their self-benefits.

Conversely, the ACN controls six states; five out of the six in the South West, and one in the South South geo-political zone. The party failed in its bid to gain the control of Ondo State in the election held last year.

The party is said to be in firm control in the states it is presently ruling, and it is believed that it has all it takes to deliver for the ACP in the next presidential poll.

While speaking on the strength of the new party, ACN National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

said APC would end the rule of PDP by 2015, describing the ruling party as an assemblage of scavengers and wayfarers with very little ethics to go with them.

Tinubu, who was represented by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the remark at the launch of ‘The Accidental Public Servant’; a book written by former Minister of the FCT, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

His words: “What we have now are wayfarers, scavengers in the corridors of power and apologists, professionals whose ethics evaporate the moment they come in contact with the paraphernalia of power.

“But there is help coming. Help is on the way as the opposition moves to form a broad-based coalition that will send these characters out of power and put into gear the Nigerian project.

Conversely, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State say that the new mega party will succeed when leaders of the party sacrifice their personal aspirations in the interest of the nation.

Speaking during a visit to him by the former Presidential candidate of the ANPP and former Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau who led a high-powered delegation of the ANPP on a visit

to him in Government House, O of us as leaders and followers a merger to be fruitful a level required and everyone will be r his aspiration and people mus their personal interest to bigge “I have no doubt that all thos cess recognize that these are t mum and we are all determine rifices. At the end of the day, it not about individuals or party people an alternative base to c electorate have the power to rew those who wish to be in power yearnings of the electorate.

The Governor who praised t All Progressives Congress (AP having recognized that we al better alternative than democr dence that democracy works is to choose from one political par they can compare and contrast Leader of the delegation, M one of the major assignments

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PHCN’s outrageous billing system P rofessor Chinedu Nebo, the newly appointed Minister of Power, would not have come on board at a more auspicious time.

There are a whole lot of issues needing urgent resolution if the momentum of the power sector reforms is to be sustained. There is, for example, the policy confusion over the prepaid metering system; he has to navigate the maze to deliver to the electricity consuming public the government position on the issue. Then there is outrageous monthly bills sent to the consuming public, which is causing so much resentment.

Consumers of electricity across the nation are at their wits end on how they would escape all the premeditated assaults heaped on them by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). The issue now is not limited to epileptic power supply and the concomitant depressing outages, it has been compounded by the rising and inexplicable electricity bills, otherwise called ‘crazy bills’, which PHCN marketing staff deliver to consumers nationwide.

Across the length and breadth of the country, it is protest galore from irate consumers. Recently in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, hundreds of youths embarked on a protest march to warn the workers of PHCN they were no longer going to accept the ‘crazy’ and extortionate “estimated bills” imposed on them.

This ‘crazy bill’ issue has been the sore point in the relationship of the utility company with the electricity consuming public.

The National Association of Small and Medium Scale Enterprise (NASME) recently sponsored a survey on the effects of the rise

in electricity tariff on consumers.

Apart from authenticating the allegations of brazen extortion from the consuming public by PHCN and equally establishing the negative effects the unstructured and uncoordinated implementation of Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) II is having on electricity consumers, NASME had had to use the outcome of the survey to pressurise the authorities to review the implementation of MYTO II as it relates to small and medium scale enterprises, if the imminent collapse of the small businesses and the informal sector, is to be avoided.

The tariff crises in the electricity sector have been blamed on three critical factors: the lack of understanding of the new tariff structure spelt out in MYTO II; the pressure on the distribution companies (discos) to generate revenue at all cost; and lastly, the non-availability of prepaid meters.

One of the supporting arguments and the most authenticated explanation for PHCN’s unwillingness to distribute prepaid meters is the need to shore up its revenue profile.

In many of the company’s offices nationwide, the revenue target set for every Disco is pasted right there on the public notice board. The pressure is therefore, on the marketers and the management team.

This is no way to run a country.

The availability of prepaid meters is imperative for a meaningful solution of the prevailing mess. Though the chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi, recently claimed his commission was addressing the various noticeable challenges, the conflicting position

of the immediate past acting Minister of Power on the prepaid meter project created more problem than solving the existing ones. While NERC had told Nigerians that prepaid meters were free, the minister gave a contrary directive that they be sold to members of the public, as government was no longer in a position to distribute them free.

This decision is more painful considering that last year, PHCN was stopped by the Federal Government from importing prepayment meters even after collecting money from over 60,000 subscribers. The government then promised to embark on mass importation to meet the needs of the public; now this new directive. This is an unmitigated demonstration of bad faith by the government. It is unacceptable.

We expect the Ministry of Power to come up with the blue print for straightening things up. Nigerians should by now be seeing more actions in its power sector reform drive. The resignation of Professor Barth Nnaji could have been responsible for this stasis, but with a substantive minister now in place, no more excuse is tenable.

There is also the controversial merger of the single phase meter with the three phase meter; it may be worth the while to find out why the NERC boss opted for such a measure. Nigerians should not be taken for granted. Why more serious countries of the world consciously work to crash down electricity tariffs, here in Nigeria, the authorities take delight in assaulting the sensibilities of the people with ill digested policies and programmes.

Now is the time to end such impunity.

Reminiscences FEBRUARY 10 IN HISTORY 1941: War time mail route created in U.S.

Mail route was created between Washington D.C., and Harrisonburg, Virginia, and the mail for this route was carried on buses which were built with facilities on board for sorting, handling, and dispatch of mail during this war time.

1952: Nehru’s party wins in India’s election

The Congress Party of India, led by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, won an outright victory in the country’s first general election.

1962: America, Russia do spy exchange

Francis Gary Powers, an American who was held by Russians after being shot down while flying over the Soviet Union, was released. In return, Americans had let go of a Russian spy.

1970: Avalanche kills 42 in France

An avalanche crashed down on a ski resort in Val d’Isere, France, killing 42 people, mostly young skiers

1980: Mugabe escapes second assassination

Robert Gabriel Mugabe narrowly missed a second assassination attempt when a bomb exploded behind his limo.

1985: Nelson Mandela rejects conditional release

Nelson Mandela rejected South African president, P W Botha’s, offer of a conditional release.

1992: Tyson jailed 10 years for rape

Mike Tyson, a former boxing champion, was found guilty of raping Desiree Washington, a Miss Black America contestant.

He was given a 10-year prison term with four years suspended.

2005: UK Prince Charles marries Camilla

Prince Charles announced he will marry his long-term partner, Camilla Parker Bowles, on April 8.

2007: Putin warns of new arms race

The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, criticised the United States for what he called an ‘almost uncontained’ use of force around the world. He said that Washington’s ‘very dangerous’ approach to global relations was fuelling a nuclear arms race.

2011: Zuma announces job creation fund President Jacob Zuma of South Africa announced the creation of a $1.2 billion fund to help with job creation in the country. This announcement was a part of the president’s state of the nation address.

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Opinion

Sunday February 10, 2013

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ceasefire or alibi: Who can trust the losing devil?

Uncensored U nc

Sheriff S Folarin

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

B

oko Haram has come out to declare armistice! Without any conscious prompting, the self-acclaimed second-in-command went into a meeting with the Borno State governor, after which he said they (the cold-blooded murderers) were sheathing their swords. Just like that!! Who will believe the devil when he says he has repented and accepted to follow the Lord? This is a deft move, I suppose, meant to make everyone go to sleep thinking all is well. Seeing the complete routing of the Malian insurgents/terrorists by the combined forces, as well as Nigeria’s poise towards cutting down the cancer of terrorism from spreading from Mali; the Boko Haram leadership seems in total shudder!

It is a sudden Boko Haram volte-face that does no one any good. It is another Trojan Horse like the previous offer of readiness to sit down for peace talks.

Prior this time, government had offered the roundtable offer to redress issues and come to terms with the demands of the group with the overall objective of assuaging it. President Goodluck Jonathan had even lent his voice to the peace talks, asking however, that the group must first of all unmask itself and reveal its leadership’s identity. But how did Sheikh Shekau and his terrorist group respond?

They had distanced themselves from any dialogue, describing government as smart crooks that wanted to smash the gang in a booby trap called dialogue.

However, the same group that once vociferated so vehemently, swearing under oath against any peace conference are now the ones that woke everyone up last week with a peace proposal. Boko Haram even took it a little too far, setting out conditions before the peace meeting: they suggested the composition of the two parties, proposed Saudi Arabia as venue and asked for the release of all their wives, children and members who had been arrested hitherto. What more, they want the former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff arrested and prosecuted for undisclosed reasons.

According to the terrorist group, it is only when government takes all these steps will they stop the senseless intimidation, killing and harassment of the Nigerian State. The Federal Government’s “Tea Party” should be led by former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, while their own team will be headed by their spokesman, Abu. Interestingly, the government has welcomed the dialogue offer and is already getting set for the armistice in Saudi Arabia.

Before delving into the lacuna and illogicality of the proposal for negotiations, let us consider the general implications of the proposed meeting. First, the Boko Haram offer has moral and legitimacy imports. Any roundtable with the killers and arsonists who have been terrorizing the nation since 2010 will mean that the Nigerian Government is so insensitive to the feelings and emotions of thousands of families who had been traumatized by the loss of their loved ones to Boko Haram terrorism. It simply means that the super-destroyers and murderers have gotten away with their crimes against the nation and against

humanity. It also means that other criminals who carry out similar acts deserve dialogue and amnesty and deserve to get away with all their crimes too. Morally speaking, all criminals have always had their grievances and demands for their crimes, Boko Haram is no exception.

Government would not be fair to sit to peace talks with a criminal gang that has traumatized so many law-abiding citizens and wantonly violated the law of the land.

More importantly, I have always argued that any act of dialogue with members of the terrorist group would mean that the Nigerian State is weak and is sucking up to a mere armed bandit. It is the duty of government to secure the people and crush any armed banditry or uprising against the state. The state should have the monopoly of the legitimate use of force. This is an inalienable and exclusive right the state cannot and must never share with other entities.

If this happens, then the state has lost its legitimacy and control, and government, like the state, has lost the war for national security. That is why there is no single country in the world where government has sat down with terrorist gangs to dialogue for ceasefire: US has not done that with Al-Qaeda; the Somali and Kenya governments have not tried that with Al-Shabab; neither has the Malian government attempted that with the Islamists who are trying to establish Sharia in the north. Legitimate governments and sovereigns in the world use taxpayers’ money to protect and prosper the lives of the people. Not to waste it on jamborees abroad to dialogue with criminal groups who terrorize the taxpayers.

Now on the issue of dialogue, what really, is there to negotiate? This is one commonsensical question Boko Haram should ask itself. To dialogue that Nigeria should become a Moslem State? To

force Sharia down the throats of Christians? Or to ask that western education should be abolished in the nation? Does Boko Haram want the Christian President to convert to Islam, or does it want to see an end of Southern Presidency?

What, really, is there to negotiate? Or does Boko Haram want to ask that its killings should be taken for granted? Or it wants government and the Nigerian Police to resurrect their slain sect leader, Uztaz Muhammad Yusuf ? Those who now propose dialogue still bombed a church, murdered some policemen and killed a retired Civil War General hours after they offered talks.

The proposition is warped, jejune and puerile. It makes no sense. They should rather be surrendering themselves to the Nigerian Police for their multiple murders and crimes against humanity, than having the effrontery to ask to drag government to Saudi for some peace talks.

And mentioning Buhari’s name seems to me like an alibi: to give the poor General out as having links to them. It could be a political gimmick also to finish him politically especially now that he seeks election again in 2015.

The Nigerian State must not allow Boko Haram to cajole it. I trust there are still intelligent and sensible people in government who should know better that Boko Haram is merely lying. It is losing out and will lose out. And in war, like in a football game, it is not over until it is over. When you are in the lead, you pummel your opponents until there is total surrender; total victory for you. That is how government should perceive and handle those cantankerous fellows giving us sleeping nights.

•Dr. Folarin is a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department, Political Science/International Relations, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria

The Prince on foot LEONARD K ARSHIMA SHILGBA

I

have seen very busy activities by Nigerian professional politicians lately; they work towards achieving their political desires in 2015. I have seen the prince on foot. President Goodluck Jonathan is on foot. I see him walking on foot, without any human security, towards the palace. The gate of the palace is shut against him. Yes, there are guards standing at the gate but no one opens for him. He turns around looking displeased and hopeless at this unexpected treatment.

Now, small aircrafts, in quick spinning succession, taxi on the runway and take off. They are certainly running away from danger. A man is forced on his knees and his head is being chopped off with an axe of judgment. Why are these fellows laboring and planning for what they cannot achieve?

The man in the North-East shall die in seven months, I am told. July, 2013 shall be it? But why is this so? I am told, “It shall be to your benefit.” My benefit, our benefit? They plan like they are divine beings who have control of the future. Terrible things shall happen. It shall not be the usual way. The princes shall cry; terror shall strike through them. I warned in 2010; I alerted in 2009. I speak again what I have seen. Can the wise understand? Will

they ignore? Well, it is time to rescue the nation. This year is a year of judgment.

But there are some who can’t discern. But we warn all the same.

The coalition of political parties whose only objective is to displace the ruling party shall fail. Their driving passion is too simplistic. Their objective should have been to win over the people. The people do not see an alternative to the ruling party.

By the way, the men and women in those opposition parties, where have they come from? What is their pedigree? What have they said in the past? Which political parties have they migrated from? The PDP is a failure. The opposition parties, have they fared better?

I wrote thus shortly after the mass protest in 2012 against the removal of fuel subsidy by President Jonathan: “Western education or the lack thereof cannot explain the contradictions I see. A man should know their basic interest at least. Probably, the more sophisticated or, let me say, the latent, may escape public consciousness, and this can be excused.

But how am I supposed to excuse betrayal? I should expect Nigerians to realize that we have made the society we live in.

Does poverty make men foolish; or does it impart madness? I know that poverty can inject the virus of anger, and we are today witnesses to this. But a mixture of anger and foolishness hardly yields dividend. I

believe that the story of Nigeria cannot be true without a chapter on the betrayal of courage.

We have lost (and still do) heroes to the opposing camp. Every hero lost does damage to the confidence the people have in the army of patriots that remain in the trenches. The opposing camp is the camp with supposedly delegated power to wrest for the people the right and means to live the dream of humanity on the planet of divinity. I know that desperation can be very deceptive not only for the individual but also for the people that place their hopes in the individual. When the opposing camp has won more converts than it has lost the future of that nation becomes much bleaker.

Desperation for change and national redemption must diminish neither our perception of the price for our labor nor the danger of unequal yoking. When sincere zeal teams up with cunning pretentious resolve a nation loses her heroes; and no nation makes progress that kills off her heroes this way. It always remains true that evil communication corrupts good morals.

I am not against offering public service for public good. But when personal service to a sinking monarch or head of state is disguised in the garb of public service an insidious poison has been concocted.

The hero must value his service and

dispense it when certain minimal conditions are met, otherwise his service shall be trampled upon and he suffers loss. The next few years under the same leadership in Nigeria shall confer only damage. I see no sincerity in the present Nigerian government; for this the future is not bright.

I see only darkness for the next few years unless the Nigerians pick up courage and pile pressure on Jonathan’s government to do what is right; and what is right is quite obvious.”

A new crop of leadership shall emerge out of the darkness of judgment. I should proclaim to Nigerians who are watching, watchmen at the gate of righteousness, lift up your heads for your redemption draws near. Tame your lusts; watch out for traps. It shall turn into bitterness in their mouths. They shall pour out in the streets.

And we all shall see it. It shall not be the usual way. You will all see it; then understanding shall replace the present puerile ignorance. Welcome to the morning!

•Leonard Shilgba is an Associate Professor of Mathematics with the American University of Nigeria and Founder/Overseer of the Bible Clinic Ministries. He also serves as the chairman of the Middle Belt Alliance (www.middlebeltalliance.org).

Tel: 08055024356 Email: shilgba@middlebeltalliance.org; bibleclinicministries@ gmail.com

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Applause LIFESTYLE, FASHION & ENTERTAINMENT FEBRUARY 10, 2013

I live for today and enjoy every moment of my life –Zainab, Tanko Yakassai’s granddaughter Zainab Tanko Yakassai is the granddaughter of Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, a popular politician. She is both a makeup artiste and an event manager, but her friends call her Miss Curves. Zainab was born in the United States where she studied Dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine.

She spoke with Adaeze Amos about her undying love and respect for her granddad, her lifestyle and the qualities of her ideal man, among others.

You are fondly known as Miss Curves, how did you come about this?

Well, Miss Curves came about because of my body physique. I’m a very curvy lady. It wasn’t as a result of any beauty pageant. I had never done that before. Pageants and contests aren’t my thing Could you tell us a bit more about yourself?

I was born in the United States of America. My dad is from Kano State and my mum is an American, so I’m a Kano chic. I’m an event planner and manager, a makeup artiste and a dermatologist by profession. I graduated from the New York University School of Medicine. I hail from a well known political family in Nigeria. My grandfather is Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, as people like to say, one of the most influential politicians that have come out of the North.

Can you describe your grandfather in your own words?

My grandfather has played different roles in the government dating back to Shagari, IBB and Abacha. He served as the first minister of finance, as an adviser to multiple presidents. Recently, he wrote and launched a book telling the world about his life as a politician through his humble eyes. A lot of people don’t know him as a journalist before becoming a politician. He still considers himself a journalist. When you walk into his living room, you can catch him on either I phone, I pad or Mac book typing away. He is 85 years old and surely knows how to operate today’s technology. He has the brain of a computer as he knows and remembers every single detail of everything.. I strive to live up to his greatness. He is my most favourite person on earth.

You are plump; have you ever felt inferior in the midst of slender ladies?

I don’t consider myself plump. I’m a thick, curvy chic with meat in all the right places. I don’t ever feel inferior to anybody. I’m comfortable in my own skin and, if you

ask me, I’m the ‘baddest’ chic that walks in the room.

What part of your body do you consider sexiest?

I don’t consider just one part of my body to be sexy or the sexiest. Every part of me makes me the sexy, confident person that I am.

What makes you happy?

Well, I live for today and enjoy every moment of my life as if it was my last day on earth. That makes me happy. Every positive motivating person I come across makes me happy.

Overall, I’m just one person that lives just to be happy.

When you are dressing up for a date, what do you consider?

When I’m dressing up for a date, the first thing I put into consideration is comfortable clothes and shoes. Comfort comes first and if you are not comfortable with what you have on, everyone can tell.

‘MY VAL’S DAY’LL BE FANTASTIC; MY HUBBY PLANS A SURPRISE’

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When you had a heartbreak, how did you wriggle out of it?

I just recently had a heartbreak and honestly I was very busy to deal with it till my schedule cleared up and I had a breakdown. I listened to Adele music. Adele is a foreign singer and I stayed home for a week straight and then moved on with my life.

What puts you off people?

I honestly feel so bad when I see people with bleached skin. They don’t understand the amount of damage they are causing to their skin. Your skin becomes so delicate that you can’t even be in the sun for long and, apart from being prone to skin cancer, such people are destroying the melanin production in their body. All seven layers of the skin are being destroyed and they can’t repair them.

Light-complexioned ladies are not any way better than dark-skinned ladies.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

‘I DON’T HAVE A BOYFRIEND, IT’S NOT MY PRIORITY’

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Sunday, February 10, 2013

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‘My Val’s Day’ll be fantastic; my hubby plans a surprise’ Abies Evans-Akere is the CEO of La Abizz, a fashion outfit. She frowns at some women who leave their bra straps on display. She tells Adaeze Amos in this interview that leaving your bra straps open is a fashion blunder no matter how well known and outstanding the culprit is. She also unveils her plans for the Valentine’s Day What is La Abizz all about?

It is a fashion outfit, and the name originated from my name Abies. Most often, my friends call me Abizz, which I got used to and decided to adopt that name.

You are a business woman and a mother. Don’t you think nursing mothers shouldn’t be doing anything else but to look after their children, all things being equal?

A mother should devote her attention to raising her children but I also believe in women empowerment. This has got nothing to do with economic constraints. Every woman should have something doing whether rich or poor. A nursing mother is not only those breastfeeding.

Any child that is below the age of 12 has been nursed by the mother. If I should go with your term, nursing, a nursing mother should work while taking care of her child or children.

What would you tell ladies who are afraid of settling down for fear of divorce?

In fact, there shouldn’t be any fear in settling down if really one is settling with someone she loves. When you are about to do anything, negativity shouldn’t be your watchword. We should always try to be optimistic about committing things into the hands of God. The fear of marriage crashing shouldn’t be conceived at all. I know if we put in our best into our marriage and into the hands of God, believe me, everything will just be perfect.

There is no need to fear.

When dressing up for a glamorous event, what do you consider?

I always like to consider the kind of event, whether a ball, an award, a premiere, a business dinner, a night or a daytime event and what have you. That would determine the outfit that should be appropriate for the event.

What’s the common fashion blunder some fashionistas are making?

One fashion blunder I think some fashionistas are making today is wearing a strapless or a tube dress over a strapped bra and the bra straps showing. However we look at it, a bra, no matter how fine or expensive it is, is an underwear and should remain that way.

Who are the Nigerian fashionistas you admire?

I admire Grace Egbagbe, Omotola Jalade, Betty Irabor of Genevieve magazine.

Valentine’s Day is just four days from now, how are you going to mark it?

I guess it’s going to be fantastic because the way my hubby has been behaving, I think he has something rolled up his sleeves for this Valentine’s Day. So, I’m waiting patiently to see his plans on that day.

What have you been doing right for your marriage to withstand the test of time?

I try as much as possible to engage in things my husband loves.

‘I feel bad when I see people with bleached skin’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 What are make-up blunders common in this part of the world?

The make-up blunders I always notice are the horrible thick, fake looking eyebrows. Your eyebrows are not to look like you got them waxed.

Do you hope to marry a US citizen since your mum is an American?

My mum is a mix breed. She is white, Lebanese and Liberian. I honestly don’t care who I marry. He can be American, Nigerian, Jamaican, Chinese. It really doesn’t matter. All he has to be is God-fearing, honest, truthful, faithful, great sense of humour, loving, goal driven, amazing personality and a family-oriented person and have a great job.

Who are the Nigerian fashionistas you admire?

I admire Mai Atafo; he looks stunning always. Then for women, I admire Tonye Lawani. She is one bad chick that looks hot.

What’s your advice to ladies who are overdue to settle down and are yet single?

In fact, for no reason should you feel the world is caving in on you because you don’t have a man in your life. Life goes on. There are tonnes of people who are married and they are very unhappy in their matrimonial homes. The bottom line is to be content and happy with your current situation.

When do you wish to settle down?

If you find me a man with the qualities I asked for, I will settle down right this moment. I’m actually single at the moment. But I’m happy Mr. Right will come along as soon as possible.

What is the style you won’t be seen in?

I won’t wear glitter leggings or anything that glitters. I won’t wear an over down colour-blocking.

What is your style signature?

I don’t have a signature. I mean fashion is ever changing and so are my looks. So, I wear whatever looks that is most flattering at the moment. I’m totally not a label freak. You will never catch me with design labels from head to toe. I actually think people who are label freaks lack fashion sense.

What won’t you tolerate in a man?

I can’t tolerate a man that is disrespectful, that lies, boasts and tries to show off. I don’t like a non-confident man. I love a man with swag like ‘I’m the boss swag’, but he must be humble.

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Cocktail Whispers

Stories by Olumide Segun-Oduntan

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

FEBRUARY 10, 2013

Leo Stan Ekeh’s other passion There is no doubt that the Chairman of Zinox tributions Limited, TD, which has emerged Technologies Technologi Limited, Leo Stan Ekeh has a re- the Number one ICT distribution company cord of o incisive entrepreneurship. And he in West Africa.

And through his company Task Systems has h scored a first in several business Limited, Mr. Ekeh pioneered Desktop Pubventures.

For instance, he pio- lishing and Computer Graphics in Nigeria.

But it appears that the field of technolneered IT Distribution in West Africa ogy is not the only area where multi -milthrough Tech- lionaire Leo Stan Ekeh’s passion lies. From n o l o g y the feelers reaching Cocktail Whispers, it D i s - is certainly clear that the celebrated busiOne celebrity to spoil herself celebritty blogger blogger who knows how h nessman also has a passion for fabulous arin a big way is Linda Ikeji. The slim beautiful writer has wonchitectural designs. gone ahead to show her critics that she has what it takes der on According to some people who to enjoy the good things of life. wheel cost have visited Leo Stan’s manJust few days ago, Linda Ikeji bought herself the 2011 Linda N8 milsion located on Bourdillon Infiniti FX 35 - the premium package. And guess what, the lion.

Road, Ikoyi in Lagos Well, if Linda’s and through piclatest acquisition or the tures of the inamount she bought it surterior and prises you, you can call her Linda exteriof the house made available to Cocktail Whis‘Chopping Life’ Ikeji, she wouldn’t or pers, the mansion is like a breath of fresh air. mind.

It was gathered that the popular entreAccording to the information made availpreneur did not spare whatever it took able to Cocktail Whispers, Linda Ikeji has always financially to ensure that his Bourloved SUVs and finally she owns an amazing one. But dillon Road mansion turns out you shouldn’t think that the 2011 Infiniti FX 35 is Linda’s to be a state-of-the-art aronly ride. chitectural design.

Before purchasing her latest car, the popular blogger was already riding a 2008 Toyota Camry. And if you think Linda won’t show off her SUV, then you have another think coming. She is already cruising and showing it off as, according to her, this would encourage other young women to know that hard work pays.

Linda Ikeji acquires 2011 Infinity FX 35

Ikechukwu and Sarah Ofili call it quit?

If latest information reachi reaching hiing CockCock tail Whispers is anything to go by, then it seems that Nigeria’s music star, Ikechukwu and his model/beauty specialist fiancée, Sarah Ofili have called off their relationship again.

According to the information at Cocktail Whispers’ disposal, Ikechukwu and Sarah, who got engaged in October 2011 after dating off and on for many years, separated late last year.

In fact, sources say that the popular crooner and the beautiful model stopped seeing each other and went their separate ways sometime around November/December2012.

However, it will interest you to know that this is not the first time the pair have separated. But interestingly, they always reconcile, so hopefully they will get back together again.

And what is even more interesting is that few weeks ago, Sarah hinted at the cause of their break up on her Twitter page in the line of men wanting a wife at home and whore somewhere else.

Kate Henshaw gets endorsement deal These are feel-good times for celebrated actress, Kate Henshaw as Cocktail Whispers can reveal that she has just landed a mouthwatering endorsement deal with Samsung Mobile Nigeria.

According to a source, movie diva’s endorsement deal with the mobile phone manufacturer was concluded a few days ago. And the deal means that Kate Henshaw has replaced music diva, Sasha as Samsung’s female ambassador and she is likely to be part of the company’s advertising campaign.

Just so you know, Kate Henshaw is not new to endorsement deals. In the past, she has been brand ambassador for companies such as Blessings Perfume (UK) and Globacom Limited.

Cocktail Whispers learnt that a formal announcement of Kate Henshaw’s deal with Samsung Mobile Nigeria will take place soon.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

& ovies Music M Stories by Olumide Segun-Oduntan 08189418761 e-mail: lumidezy@yahoo.com

Wale Adenuga congratulates StarTimes on its 1,000,000th subscriber The management of StarTimes recently announced that its subscriber base in Nigeria has surpassed the One Million Mark. Wale Adenuga MFR, Chairman of Wale Adenuga Productions, has joined several other key players in the Nigerian entertainment industry to congratulate StarTimes for this laudable accomplishment.

According to Wale Adenuga, “This feat is a development with several positive consequences on the country’s entertainment sector”. Apart from announcing its current subscriber base, StarTimes has also launched its Digital Video Broadcasting Service Technology (DVBT-2) which It was a night of redemption and a fierce battle last weekend as entertaining music would make it possible for subscribers to have afreality show, Nigerian Idol, held the wild card round show to determine the last set of fordable access to over 75 exciting channels of the three finalists that will make it to the finals. quality digital entertainment as well as a plan Eight contestants were handpicked by the judges from the top 30 contestants to take to invest a further N15 Billion Naira in the another chance at the Nigerian Idol top 12. Unfortunately, Bimi Adegoke opted out of the Nigerian pay-television sector before the competition for personal reasons, leaving the wild card contestants as seven. end of the year as part of its expansion “It didn’t feel like a wild card performance to me at all. The way the contestants sang, drive to cover additional 15 states their emotions, performances and everything about the show felt like I was watching across Nigeria, having already esthe grand finale. Really, Nigeria has an incredible amount of talent and Nigerian Idol tablished presence in 16 states. appears to have collected the best of them all”, said Jeffrey Daniels.

The electrifying show kicked off with Moses ‘The Teddy Bear’ whose performance of Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black was flawless and full of character.

Thereafter was the ever charming Okey Jazz who upped his last performance with his exquisite rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s Breakaway. The soft-spoken Dani Angus was next and he brought the house down with Mariah Carey’s We Belong Together.

Modele Fatoki’s performance of Whitney Houston’s All the Man I Need, may have put her in the danger zone, as the judges felt it was lacking and caused an impromptu duet with Yinka Davies. Things picked up with Michael Adedeji, and he continued the show with his strong rendition of Trey song’s Can’t be friends.

The small but vocally dexterous Oweck left the judges standing with his performance of Christopher Cross’s Sailing. “You are so small, yet you deliver so mightily.

I wonder where all the power and emotion comes from,” said Yinka Davies. Abisiakan ended the performances magnificently with Faith Evan’s Never let you go.

Nigerian Idol: Contestants battle for three spots in the top 12

Sammie Okposo drops Praise Party video

Tunde Kelani set to roll out an exciting new movie

Is it worth risking it all to have it all? This is the question to which answer will be provided in a new movie that is currently in the Multiple awards winning gospel star, Globacom Ambassador and United Nations works. Veteran filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, has announced that Ambassador for Peace, Sammie Okposo is starting the new year on a good note. work has started on Dazzling Mirage, his next movie.

With presence of some of his colleagues in the gospel music industry, Okposo reDazzling Mirage, an interesting film tells the story of a cently shot the video for one of the songs on his latest album, Praise Party. talented, beautiful young sickle-cell sufferer, who overSpeaking on what inspired the Praise Party song as he is about to release the comes social stigma, prejudice and her own low selfvideo this week, Okposo said, “ I looked around and discovered that as Christians, esteem, to achieve career success, marriage and we wanted to be able to dance, have fun and still keep the environment sane and motherhood. clean but this was not an easy thing to do because all the groovy beats and songs out As movie buffs await the coming of Dazthere that we would really love to dance to all have very unclean lyrics. zling Mirage, they would be delighted to “So immediately I saw that there was a vacuum that needed to be filled and also know that the movie is currently in the I saw that the young generation have all come to the conclusion that gospel music pre-production stage, and the cast is beis boring and unfashionable, so I decided that I was going to sample very groovy ing finalized. beats, rewrite the whole lyrics, re-arrange them and churn out a praise party mix Dazzling Mirage is based on a that will firstly let the youths know that they can party hard without dressing book of the same name, written crazy, cursing and unclean lyrics. Also so that Christians can have a good time

by Olayinka Abimbola Egdancing without feeling guilty about the content of the beat they are dancing to”. bokhare, and published by entertainment personalities present at the Praise Party music video shoot inLoud Books. It has been If you are among those looking for a fam- are Nnena, clude; Eric Arubayi, Bouqui, Nikki laoye, Anny, adapted for the screen ily friendly atmosphere to spend the Valen- the multitalDJ Gosporella, Ochuko Usifo, Onos,Pflo, Xplicit

by Ade Solanke, tine Season, Wale Adenuga Productions has ented, favourite Dance Crew, Duby ,Gospogroove and lots who is a screenprovided one solution to all worries with the performer of kids more. The video was directed by T frizzle writer and 2013 edition of the popular Nnena & Friends and teens alike; Papa and co-directed by Sammie Okposo. story analyst Valentine Show. Following the tremendous Ajasco & Company, masPraise Party is part of the 15 based in success of the Nnena & Friends End-of-Year ter entertainer DJ Zeez; hitracks on Okposos’s album rethe UK. Show 2012, this event promises to be even big- larious comedians Seyi Law, leased last year with an album MC Prince and Big Mickey; exger and better thanks to several sponsors of launch concert in Lagos and the show who have guaranteed that all kids citing dance groups Gentle ExploAbuja featuring American and adults attending the show will leave with sion and Point X; as well as the young gospel star, Dietrik Hadand versatile N-Stars who will be deliverseveral gifts, prizes and souvenirs. don.

Billed to perform at the upcoming event ing a variety of exhilarating performances.

Nnena & Friends gear up for super valentine show

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Praise Worship E-mail:richardeghaghe@yahoo.com

E-mail:titusanyanwu.2012@gmail.com

EDIFYING GOD

Omobude replaces Oritsejafor as PFN president

QUOTE When one is under a curse or spell, the person will always find things of blessing very difficult to come by.

–Pastor Nkiruka

Sunday February 10, 2013

TONY ANICHEBE UYO.

A

new national president has been selected for the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). He is Rev. Felix Omobude, general superintendent of the Global Light International (New Faith Covenant Church), Benin, Edo State.

Omobude takes over from Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor who had been in the saddle for the past three years.

This was one of the outcomes of the 12th National Biennial Conference of PFN which ended in Uyo yesterday.

The four-day conference featured the breaking of yokes, curses and covenants, altar call, prayer session for the land, state and nation, prayer for unity and other spiritual assignments.

Prominent men of God took turn each day to expound the theme of the conference, ‘A People with a mandate’.

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, called on Christians to rise with the mandate to take over and possess the land for Christ.

Adeboye, who spoke at the opening ceremony, drew his text from Matt. 28:18-20, urging Christians to go into the nations, win souls and nurture them for Christ.

The second national president of PFN stated that a mandate is a command, assignment or commission given by a superior, God, who is the masterbuilder to his children.

The cleric maintained that all individuals have a part to play in the mandate in which God has given to the church, praying they all fulfil theirs on earth.

He stressed that Christians are representatives of Christ on earth and as such should play their part in fulfilling the ultimate mandate, adding that if the people failed to fulfil their mandate, God would not fail, for his purpose stood forever.

Adeboye hinted that if a man failed God by not fulfilling his mandate, God always has a substitute to fulfil it, advising them to carry out their assignments successfully so as to be reward-

Don’t subject Nigerians to further hell –Rev. Izuchukwu 24

Rev. Omobude

ed and set aside. He said man has the ability to influence his destiny for the best or worst, assuring them that God has brought them to His mercy seat for a new beginning.

The highpoint was the altar call for those who wanted to give their lives to Christ and rededication of lives.

Dr. Francis Wale in his message entitled: ‘We will possess the earth’, maintained that the sole purpose of man from inception was for him to have dominion over the earth.

He explained that it was a blessing to be given a mandate by a superior or higher

authority. He encouraged the faithful to renew their minds to the process of fruitfulness, dominion and nurturing of souls so as to fulfil the mandate.

He stressed that fruitfulness, dominion multiplications are all commands which must be obeyed, noting that ‘we are privileged to be so commanded’. Wale explained the need of the cross of Christ to be brought back to the message of the church, adding that the cross brings about prosperity, healing and diverse breakthrough.

He hinted that the mandate

The joy of a new name,

by Pastor Okereke 26

is the message of Jesus Christ, which is the substance and evidence of Christ’s work. Wale encouraged them to renew their minds to take the mandate to the nook and cranny of the country without opposition and on to the remote parts of the world.

Pastor Wale Adefarasi charged the faithful to bring about social change and transformation in the society. Adefarasin, who spoke on the message: ‘The mandate to the church for social change’, maintained that gospel will only be accomplished when CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Briefly Prayers’ll boost FG’s quest for prosperous nation –Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan’s claimed at the weekend that his quest to build Nigeria where security, prosperity, peace and unity abound had received boost with constant prayers.

The president made the remark at the opening ceremony of the meeting of the standing committee of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, in Benin.

Jonathan thanked Nigerian Christians for their unrelenting effort at making Nigeria ``a more secured, prosperous, peaceful and united nation” through their prayers.

Represented by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, the president lauded the choice of theme for the meeting, describing it as ``apt and divinely inspired’’.

The theme of the meeting is “Overcoming the challenges of our time”.

He urged the participants to reinvigorate the church in line with his government’s effort at transforming the nation. ``As leadership and representatives of the entire membership of the Church of Nigeria, you will need to take up the challenge of reinvigorating the church in the vanguard of our national transformation efforts. ``I assure you of my unwavering faith in the omnipotence of the Almighty God that He will see us through every national challenge in a way that will confound all the doubters of Nigeria manifest destiny. ``I am confident that we can continue to count on your productive partnership in the national cause,” the president said.

Most Rev. Friday Imaekhai, the Archbishop of Bendel Province and Bishop, Diocese of Esan, stressed the need for Nigerians to deepen their faith and adhere to the truth of the gospel.

According to him, these are prerequisites for overcoming ``the challenges of our time’’.

Earlier, the Bishop of Benin Diocese, Rt. Rev. Peter Imasuen, said the meeting was for spiritual rejuvenation and mutual edification for the common good.

Sunday Mirror/Babcock University Bible Quiz: Winners of Feb. 3, 2013 •Ayodeji Olaoluwa (08063429668) •Godwin Sifonde (07086413241) •J. C. Obi (08080538557) •Femi Ojetunji (08186353527) •Paul Unuavworho (08034378721) • 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.

Miracles don’t happen anyhow –Pastor Chidi 30

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Sunday February 10, 2013

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‘Don’t subject Nigerians to further hell’ Presiding Minister of Assemblies of God Church, FESTAC II, Revd Chukwudebelu Izuchukwu, is concerned about how churches can flourish even in the face of increasing terrorism.

Hence, he is putting together a series of church leadership training in different parts of the world. He spoke on this and more with Tai Anyanwu. Excerpts: Could you tell us about your organisation and the programme you are about to hold?

The Action Network Services International is the working arm of Chukwudebelu Izuchukwu Ministries International.

Chukwudebelu Izuchukwu Ministries International is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. It is equally registered in South Africa and we have partners across continents. If you check you will see that we have conferences in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Asia, Europe and in Africa. This arm is involved in organising conferences, seminars, symposiums across the world.

This year we have one coming up in the United Kingdom in March; and that is International Christian Leadership.

What is the objective of this conference?

It is a conference that I am doing with a Ghanaian friend of mine, Revd Chidi Alli.

He is a General Overseer of a church in the UK; he is into school of ministry just as I am. We got talking and we felt we have to bring leaders in Nigeria to expose them to the things that are needed to move the church of the 21st century forward. That is exactly what we shall be doing. Beyond there, we shall be moving to Spain. We have a larger conference there. My friend, Bishop Frank Timothy Emeka, will be using his church; he was the immediate past President of African Churches in the whole of Spain. We are also working with the President of African churches, Revd Amaechi Peter. We have a couple of friends, some white, others General Overseers and my friend, a legendary Nollywood actor, Dr. Alex Usifo. Some persons do not know that Alex is a pastor.

Are you serious?

Yes, he was a Catholic priest. Most of his mates at Bodija, Ibadan in Oyo State, are already Bishops. When it was time for him to be ordained, his father refused. I learnt that in Catholic system, one cannot be ordained without the father’s consent.

So what he did was to leave that place and in the course of events, he joined Bishop David Oyedepo’s ministry. He and his wife passed through the school of ministries, fulltime. He was ordained pastor, but he is not bringing any church; he has ministered in my branch, his wife has also ministered here. In fact, both of us will be having a conference in Cameroun by April and May. What exactly does the 21st century church need to move forward?

There are many things. If I am speaking in any of the conferences just like I did last year, I shall be majoring much on information. The western church has gone far ahead of us. Our churches over here are just using the media for mere publicity. For example, these days of insurgency, people are kidnapped or assassinated in front of the church; people go to either heaven or hell in the church by reason of Boko Haram; you know you go to church and bomb explodes, the next thing you see is pieces

of hands, legs, heads and parts of the body.

People are afraid to go to church. With benefit of hindsight, December 31, 2012, most of the churches were empty. In my church, I know the kind of attendance I used to have. But that night, the church was empty. Even in popular Shilo and the RCCG Holy Ghost conferences, people scantily attended. Now in the developed countries, they have developed ICT in such a way that you can take offering without coming to church; you can worship, listen to sermon, network with other Christians, and do many things without coming to church. If eventually you come, while the service is still on, instead of doing for two hours, you can do it under 45 minutes. You project the kind of message preached. The webcam, the CCTV and other ICT products can be used. We are too far behind; these are the areas I usually operate.

Where else has this strategy succeeded and the congregation kind of did not ‘go to their tent Oh Israel’?

I came in contact with some American missionaries who were in Iraq and Iran at the peak of military action. I learnt from them that they were able to run churches in those periods of horror without carrying any Bible, without building any church structure, without doing anything to show they are running a church and you can pastor up to eight different branches on one Sunday. I was shocked. And these Americans went to the extent of registering their business. They could speak both Iraq and Iran languages; and they have won many to Christ in those countries. These are what we want to chip in because terrorism has come to stay in Africa. The whites saw this ahead of time and developed this area so that they can meet the people without losing the souls. They have even won more souls to churches using modern technology. Another thing I observed is that the church is lagging behind in the area of records keeping. Every church has lots of record to keep. It is when you keep proper records that you can know who is in church and who is not. These days that people are on transit, from Redeemed to Winners, from there to Assemblies and so on; you don’t have stationary members. When you mange records properly, you have sound information to work with. As a matter of fact, many churches don’t even have trained hands to manage their records.

Besides this, is there any other spectacular purpose you and your friends want to achieve?

Another thing we want to explore is this; most Nigerians are in semi hell in spite of available resources which the powers-thatbe have hijacked. You don’t need to harass somebody who is already in hell with hell.

Gone are the days when we preach and people cried out. People are already crying. You don’t need to make them cry more.

All you need to do is what Jesus did. Jesus fed. The RCCG has been doing this and it is helping them. That is what Pastor Paul Adefarasin of House on the Rock used to evangelise all the area boys on the street.

Rev. Izuchukwu

He has a team that will go to the streets with food, dresses for the area boys, then he will bring them to church and ask them to wash cars and pay them N200 for each car washed. That was about 10 years ago.

An area boy, who washed five cars, will make N1,000 in a day. After washing, they will all enter the church and worship that day. The next Sunday, they will return to the church and that was how many of them got born-again. Their parents who had lost hope about the boys are also happy that their sons have turned a new leaf.

Precisely, when is the Spain conference coming up?

The conference in Spain will commence on May 31 through June 3. This one is enlarged as the theme indicates: International Gospel Ministers and Workers Conference. It involves all Christian workers, choristers, singers, dancers; people who are into Christian comedies just like Apororo; he is a gospel comedian, singer and dancer; he will be there.

How do you check those who might use the opportunity to migrate overseas?

We are not involved in taking people out of the country. Several of them who indicated interest, I have turned them down.

We are after mature people, 40 years and above, and they must be married. But if for any reason anybody does not meet the age requirement, because we have young ministers, we must have proof and can accommodate such on that consideration.

We do a lot of screening and don’t have any place for those who will use the opportunity to run away from Nigeria.

Have you considered possible difficulties in securing visa for intending participants?

Fortunately, we are doing it non-appear-

ance, we have a link, if they are satisfied with you, and you don’t need to appear.

You just apply and it will be issued. ‘For first time travellers, they are giving 30 days; those who have travelled before get 90 days visa and above. From Spain, those who want to explore the seven churches recorded in the book of Revelation, will get the opportunity. We were there last year and the same visa is what you need to cover all of them. From Spain, we move to Greece and Turkey. That is where we have the seven churches; the church in Corinth, Ephesus, Thessaloniki, Island of Patmos, where John the beloved got the revelation, we have been there. We shall be exploring the seven churches in the book of Revelation. And the cost of this conferences are not much compared to the packaging because we are starting from Rome at the church where Peter was killed, the last place he preached; where Paul preached and was beheaded and the catacomb where an emperor’s daughter was bornagain and then when another emperor came into power he started persecuting the Christians.

She gave an underground grave that they have over 10,000 graves under the ground. Rome so preserved it, though it has lasted for thousands of years; you just come down and vehicles are passing above it; but you wouldn’t know that such a thing is underground. It is about five storeys underground. You cannot rule out what the Catholic Church has done for the church in this world. They preserved it; if you go there you still see Catholic priests, the nuns working fulltime. You just pay a little money. The Christians lived inside that cave for years, bearing their young ones there. We also will be having a series of other conferences in Malaysia, USA, Canada, Israel and pastors will be attending from different parts of the world; to learn and also to have deserved holiday.

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Prayer dimension that gets answer –Pastor Adewunmi Are you worried because when you pray you do not receive answers?

House of Prayer General Overseer, Pastor Segun Adewunmi, described as a man whose prayers always got answers from God, in this article, provides you with necessary guide. Excerpts: Believers are warriors of Christ. As the modern soldiers are trained in the use of sophisticated warfare equipment that include those of land, sea and air, prayer warriors are expected to understand the usage of spiritual warfare apparatus, which the Bible calls whole armour of God. Eph 6:10-18.

In particular, we wish to speak on the word of God. Indeed it is the protective helmet of salvation and aggressive sword of the spirit. It is all the believer needs in his spiritual warfare. The written word is like the bullet of prayer.

The gun needs bullet and shooting to make the required impact.

Prayer must be powered by the appropriate biblical authority to be effective. This is done by the events of the Bible in argument that demonstrates the superiority of the power of the believer over demonic forces. We bring into action a repeat of events where powerful men of God truncated satanic agents. Reference to the events is followed by powerful prayer of faith and a keen spiritual watch.

Advice on how to pray

Warfare is waging war. The technicalities of prayer are that it empowers our guardian angels for success in their spiritual encounter. Those possessed of demons could consciously perform their act in the spirit dimension but believers rely on the directive and the leading of the Holy Spirit represented by their guardian angels. Ex 23:20-35

Position in prayer

Warfare prayer is made in position of advantage over the spiritual opponents. For example while one may kneel down to receive power and authority from God, we cannot fight the enemies on our knees. We need to

RICHARD EGHAGHE

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cross section of professionals from the financial sector of the economy converged last Sunday at the Headquarters Church of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Throne of Grace Parish, Ebute-Metta, to pray for the financial wellbeing of the nation and its citizens. The prayer session was at the instance of the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, in keeping with his prophetic dec-

demonstrate our superiority by standing against him and over him. The way we are physically is replicated also in our spirit dimension. Similarly, at sleep when in a warfare programme, we are at an advantage when we sleep on hard surface platform like the mat or on the rug as against soft mattress. This sleeping position helps us to recall our spiritual encounter. Demonic dream happens in a situation of half sleep and features the blinking of the eyelid and movement of the body. Sleeping on a hard platform wakes up the believer after an encounter before moving to another dream episode.

The implication of fasting and other spiritual observances is to expand the scope of God in our lives. It is to give the prominent place to our spirit among our other members, which consists of our flesh and our soul. The magnitude of empowerment required by our spirit depends on the particular spiritual challenge that we face. Some challenges may require seven days fasting while others may need only a day.

Spiritual watch is very important for the discernment of not only the scope of the battle but the requirement of spiritual exercise that is capable of tackling the challenge.

Real and effective prayer

Prayer is not any other thing than the word of God. It is not the word of the pastor in daily guide or the prayer that you repeat after your pastor. It is not the word that emanates from your mind. Word has the weight of the person that says it. For believers, effective prayer is the word of God. Take for instance the word of God expressed in Jeremiah 5:14: “Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my

words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.”

The word of God consists of the written word and the spoken word. As explained earlier, we invoke events that show that God is superior to other idols.

The book of Isaiah 37:18-19 says, “Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.”

Also quote the various pronouncements of the saints through which they become victorious. It is the written word that provokes the spoken word.

The spoken word comes in spontaneously, not from the mind but from your spirit as a judgement against your enemy.

This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

1st Sam 17:46. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Acts 13:11 Patterned prayers are those that follow a rigid pattern or copy how some people pray or repeating a prayer written out by some pastors. Such a petition is carefully following a specific pattern and that makes the prayer a product of the mind rather than the spirit; it is not really a prayer because it is not the word of God in your mouth. But where relevant Bible

Adewunmi

lines are quoted, spoken word will be provoked and a spiritually filled judgement (spoken word) will follow. The other method that provokes the release of the spoken word is praise worship. During praise worship, congestion of worries and desire of our mind are expelled while Holy Spirit takes control. Psalm 4:7.

The future messages will address some common problems than we can solve easily with the invocation of some Bible events and words. Indeed prayer does not and cannot fail. I have never prayed a prayer that was not answered because the asking itself is at the instance and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. You are not actually asking for what you want but what He want (not my will).

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what

Adeboye prays for financial probity

laration for the year for great financial breakthrough.

The regular monthly programme for professionals was well attended by bankers from the Central Banks of Nigeria and other commercial banks across the country. They included accountants, auditors, stockbrokers, financial executives and consultants as well as students.

In his sermon, Pastor Adeboye

reminded participants that God was the owner of all the riches in this world and anyone who wanted to become rich without putting God first might crash out in the long run. He therefore prayed God to deliver the country and the people from financial improprieties and plunders.

According to him, When the poor puts God first, they begin to prosper (1Kings 17:8-16) and when the rich shows much gratitude, God makes

them richer (2Chronicle 1:6-15).

“Like King Solomon who was already rich, he showed gratitude to God by giving a thousand burnt offerings; the almighty God increase his riches so much that he was treating silver like stone. He said he doesn’t want to see anything other than pure gold in his house”.

The clergy also said that when someone is great and decided to honour God with that greatness,

thou wilt. Mark 14:36.

Every believer is sufficiently equipped for his life assignment as said in Joel 2:28.

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. Joel 2:28.

What we need is compliance with the direction given in Joshua 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:7.

•For counseling contact the minister via email: pastorsegunadewumi@gmail.com

He would make the person greater. 2Kinsg 4:6-17. “But when God blesses someone and the fellow responds negatively, the Lord knows how to withdraw his blessing. So, when you are giving an offering, you are telling God the financial position you should belong because He said when you come to me, don’t come empty-handed and when you give, give according to how I have blessed you. You know the story of Ephraim in the Bible”, he said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

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he name you answer is your identity.

Gen. 17:4-8 says, “As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name anymore be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” In the name above every other names, you must have a divine visitation this year to answer a new name in Jesus’ name! God went further in Gen. 17:15-16, he said unto Abraham, “As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her”.

Abraham obeyed God; left his father’s house with his wife. Although, he became rich according to Gen. 13:2, yet he had one major problem and that was childlessness.

No matter the amount of money a married man can boast of in his possession, but he is childless, he will not feel happy because once he is dead, that will be the end of his lineage. Abraham found himself in this situation. He became God’s friend; the Lord promised him first as he was asking him to come out of his father’s house in Gen. 12:12, “And the Lord said unto Abram, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing”. The Lord pronounced great blessings upon Abraham but he remained childless until his name was changed from Abram to Abraham and his wife from Sarai to Sarah. I pray for you in that name above other names that whatsoever that is attached to your name or surname, thereby delaying a particular testimony in your life, let that thing be destroyed in Jesus’ name.

In 1Chron. 4:9-10, “And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” This means that you may not only change that name if it is not good, but you also have to call on the God of Israel and that means prayers; and your prayerpoint must be that the Lord should bless you indeed and enlarge your coast and that His hand might be with you and finally to keep you from evil, so that it will not grieve you.

In Africa today, one of the major problems affecting so many people spiritually is the wrong family foundation and ancestral powers. Many may not believe this but it actually exists. The idols worshipped by your grandfather or great-grandfather are still seeking to be recognised through blood connection. Recently, we released a powerful deliverance booklet entitled, ‘TIME TO STOP THE JOY OF MY ENEMIES’. We purposely personalised the statement my enemies and these enemies include, the powers from family background and unrighteous foundation; sinful habits that originate most times from

Sunday February 10, 2013

The joy of a new name, by

Pastor Okereke Founder and General Overseer of the Global Success Ministry, Dr Chima Okereke, teaches on the importance of name. He says the names of most of the great men in the Bible are highly significant. Excerpts:

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you will discover that God had to name John the Baptist and Jesus before they were born, because it is the name that carries the power. Let’s see Luke 1:13-17, “But the angel said unto him, fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” The name qualified his action.

And also in Luke 1:26-31, “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.” Remember that everything became clear in Phil. 2:9-11, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, all negative powers attached to your name are destroyed forever.

Love you all and remain blessed!

•To order for the deliverance booklet: ‘Time To Stop The Joy Of My Enemies’, that will open your eyes to the different areas you need deliverance in your life and how you can get them and live a fulfilled and successful life here on earth and make heaven at the end, kindly call or send text to the following numbers: 07038638984, 08033599027.

Briefly

Okereke

these evil forces; hereditary sicknesses and diseases; poverty – many do rise to the top only to see themselves falling again, and so on. Apart from blood connection, one other strong contact is the name you were given by your father, mother or even grandparents. Meanwhile, what matters is not that these people gave you a name, but the spiritual influence upon them before pronouncing such a name. The meaning of your name is very important. The names of most of the great men in the Bible are highly significant. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, when He saw that for Jacob to get anything that originally belongs to him, cheating must be involved.

In Gen. 32:24-28, “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, let me

go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, what is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” The Bible clearly stated that the meaning of Israel is that he is a prince and has power with God and men and has prevailed. I want you to note the word prevailed. Why did he find it difficult to get his wages at first, even when Laban, his uncle decided to give him? It was a big fight just because he was answering Jacob then. There is someone reading this message, in the Name above all other names, receive a new name spiritually to excel this year in Jesus’ name.

After Jacob got a new name, Esau his twin brother, who wanted to kill him, became his friend. He (Jacob) is the Israel of today where the Messiah was born.

If you study the word of God very well,

‘God’ll manifest his presence at crusade’ Global Success Ministries (GSM) will on February 16 start a two-day international crusade tagged ‘Time for God’s favour’, as revealed in Genesis 41:39-44, at its main auditorium at Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

Founder and General Overseer, Dr Chima Okereke would be ministering and supported by other ministers of God. The crusade is designed to attract participants from within and outside the country. According to the spokesperson for the church, Glory Orji, the event begins by 8 a.m. each day and it promises to witness the manifestation of God’s presence. “There will be healing, deliverance, salvation, Holy Ghost baptism, fruitfulness, greater signs and wonders, among others.

Arrangements have been made for free transportation from strategic locations within the Lagos metropolis for participants,” she said.

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What is your impact on society? asks Oloruntimilehin Founder of Omnipotence Mission of God, Pastor Joshua Oloruntimilehin Daramola, in this sermon encourages all to make positive impact on society and on the house of God. Excerpts:

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t is a popular belief that the work of God gets under way when men of God gather people who join the shepherd to fellowship with the Supreme Being. It is a popular belief that people of God always do the work of God together.

But if the servants of God have done the job of inviting the flock of God and people fail to turn up, then the business of doing God’s work may be obstructed.

The question is how are people doing His work? Are they making progress with the work or not? Do they partake in the activities of the church? Do they abide by the laws of the ministry or not?

Are they doing things separately? Are they doing the right thing at the right time?

Many people attend church services and pray; but they do not receive positive responses from God. The Bible says in the book of James 4 verse 1 – 3 “Where do war and fight come from among you?

Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war yet you do not have because you do not ask.

You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasure.”

Many people prefer asking for lust of the flesh instead of requesting for

WHAT I AM SAYING, IN ESSENCE, IS THAT PEOPLE SHOULD DILIGENTLY DO GOD’S WORK AND ENSURE THAT WHATEVER THEIR POSITIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, THEIR POSITIVE IMPACT SHOULD BE FELT. the wish of God to prevail in their lives.

People should know how to pray so that their requests are granted immediately.

Therefore ensure that your work in the house of God is done accordingly that you may be justified when you make your request. Brethren, the coming of Jesus Christ into this world brought some changes in the way people were living together and relating with one another.

In the era of Moses, what was in existence was the law of retaliation. If someone hurts you, you hurt the person back. If that law of an eye for an eye was still in place today, how would people live together peacefully? The world would obviously be a horrible place to live than what it is today. But Jesus came to change this and other laws with his life.

Jesus did not condemn the laws in existence at that time but he brought neces-

sary reformation. For instance, He disabused people’s mind from retaliating when someone offends another person.

He preached the act of forgivingness.

Jesus surrendered His life to change the world. Most of the people of his time, and the rulers were against Him. They plotted against the Lord and eventually succeeded in killing Him. If Jesus did not die, the laws of Moses would likely have remained wholly operational till now.

However, Jesus faced the task of changing the lives of people during his time and thousands of years after Him and He succeeded. The success Jesus Christ recorded even after His death is the legacy that people are witnessing today. Jesus Christ’s impact is felt in the world till this day. Have you asked yourself what your own impact on the church of God is?

Pastor Oloruntimilehin

Some people are holding various positions in the church; their impacts are felt but some cannot make any impact on the church. Some people would come to the leadership of their country and turn around the misfortune of that country to fortune. Whereas some would come to power and good governance would elude the country.

What I am saying, in essence, is that people should diligently do God’s work and ensure that whatever their positions, particularly in the house of God, their positive impact should be felt. My prayer for people that work diligently for God and for the progress of their respective ministries shall be adequately rewarded in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Pursue hard after God, get gold –Pastor Bamidele Many Christians have often said that it is impossible for anyone to live a holy life. But here is a servant of God who prescribes a step towards achieving holiness, even as difficult as it may appear. Pastor Lai Bamidele of Christ Glorious Evangelical Church, explains in this message that holiness can be established through practice. Excerpts:

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ou don’t need to make noise to make news.

Those who go after gold miss God. What you require to overcome that burden you carry in your body is God. What you need to come out of that problem is God. There is someone here, after this message, I am not bothered by your present situation or by what you are going through, but in six months from now, you will look at yourself and give glory to God. Those who pursue-hard after God will have gold as an addition. Those who pursue gold, they will miss God; but those who pursue hard after God, they will have gold in addition. Listen to me, I want to encourage someone. In all the journeys of my life, since I gave my life to Christ, at the end of every year; I review my relationship with God at the end of the previous year and I ask for additional grace to serve God better.

Listen; until you are saved you cannot be safe from sin. For you to succeed or become anything in life, in the last few weeks we have been talking about glory, the message I have been dishing out in the church had dwelt on the topic ‘Soaring like an Eagle’. I want to give you an understanding of an Eagle much more than we know of the king of birds.

Some of you need to know that God has made you as a special person. He has created you as a unique person, but the problem is that most of us don’t discover ourselves. Many believers are not pursuing God. They are pursuing gold. That is why they struggle and struggle and struggle.

I pursue God and He is giving me gold. You

can compromise anything with me but you can’t compromise God with me. I cannot joke with anybody when it come s to God. I am ready to do anything to make the whole church to follow God. I am ready to hurt you as long as I don’t hurt my God. Those who go after gold, they miss God. Those who go after God they get gold in addition. Until you are saved, you are safe from sin. If you are here today, you are still putting your hand in sin and you are praying for glory from Monday to Sunday, glory will elude you. The Bible says, “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach”.

Get this; holiness is established by exercise.

Until you apply force in handling the issue of sin, it will remain with you. There is no man or woman that loves to do a thing that would not go an extra length to do that which he or she loves to do. Hear me; the wages of sin is death. Sin will continue to pursue the person and the person will enter into hell fire. I want to encourage you today, you need to get God and then you can have gold. You need to get God so that you can get to where you are supposed to be.

I am talking about glory. You can’t enjoy glory when you dip your hands into sin. Even if you are enjoying glory now, and you are putting your hand in sin, destruction is already knocking. After today’s Sunday service, God will terminate every unrighteousness around you.

Get this also; nothing happens in your life except you permit it. When you say no to sin, sin will bow. But most Christians will say, “How

will I do with my friends?

How will I leave them? All of us do things together.

On the last day, your fiend will not follow you to heaven. He will face his own and you will face yours.

Many of you are married men and you are still having a concubine; after today’s message, if you return to that lady, if you are a car owner, they will steal your car.

After listening to this message, every woman, every man that will go to concubine house in the secret and you listened to this message, they will steal your car.

Listen, it is impossible to be free from the law of sin and death without the law of the spirit. So many men are dying as slaves today because of the sin of immorality.

•For counselling contact: pst_lai@yahoo. com, phone 08074484415, 08027502864 and 08161285586

Bamidele

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Sunday February 10, 2013

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Bye-bye to sorrow, says Pastor Muoka

Muoka

RICHARD EGHAGHE

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large percentage of the huge number of people that graced the two-day international crusade of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, last weekend, must have been singing a new song now.

The event held at the large auditorium of the international headquarters of the church at Ijesha in Lagos.

This is because their sorrows, pains and agonies must have miraculously turned to joy.

Their tales of woe have become history and their wellbeing has changed from bad to good by the unchangeable changer, Master Jesus.

Certainly, life will never remain the same for them after their divine encounter with the Almighty at the crusade, tagged: ‘From Sorrow To Joy’ and presided over by the minister of God and General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen, Pastor Lazarus Muoka.

They earlier came to the crusade ground in droves, wearing long faces with their different degree of ailments that had obviously defiled application of modern and traditional medicine. Some were brought by relatives on wheelchairs, suffering from various levels of paralyses, stroke, broken bones, lameness, spinal cord injuries and the like. Some came hanging on to crutches; others were even carried by their relatives or sympathisers on their backs, while many others were either led with a stick, relatives or sympathisers into the ambience of the large crusade arena because they were completely blind.

There were others in chains, suffering from one mental problem or insanity. There were those who came with one form of internal or spiritual problem or the other such as epilepsy, sleeplessness, high blood pressure, bareness and other class of diseases and sicknesses. All in all, they have one thing in common, and that is, they were all filled with great expectations of instant miracle and the anxiety was expressly written all over them.

They tried their best to adhere to every prophetic utterances of the presiding minister and where they failed, their close aides who ostensibly led them to the crusade ground, pepped them up and gave quick reminder to their purpose and great expectation from the crusade. Evidently, it was most certain that a large percentage of the audience must have been hearing of the powerful anointed founder and General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement and his

A cross section of the men choir

divine mandate for the ‘harvest of 10 billion souls for the Kingdom’. Some may have been told about how God is making use of Pastor Muoka to redeem souls, heal and set the captives free. Some were attracted to the crusade ground by the grassroots mobilisation by the church, through posters, banners, leaflets, town storming apron-wearing members of the church, and radio/television advertisements, prior to the international crusade, the first, after the divine ‘Mgbidi 2013’, Imo state, “Signs and Wonders” revival convention by the church. Again, many may have had miraculous encounter with the church and Pastor Muoka at previous crusades which they communicated to people, enjoining them to come for their own miracle. The church in some of its promotions towards the crusade had invited everyone to the crusade, assuring them that “whether you believe it or not, miracle is going to follow you home and all your sorrow will turn to joy”.

True to type, on the two days of the crusade, countless number of testifiers filed out to give testimonies to instant miracles after ministration and prophetic declaration by the Chosen G.O. Often you hear from the announcer, “Pastor, another miracle has taken place here, this 34-year-old man has been blind from birth. But after your ministration and declaration just now, he began to see”.

For certification and avoidance of doubts, the G.O. would order for thorough examination and as the testifier goes through the various tests like identifying the colour or the cloth the announcer was wearing or the handkerchief he was holding, with distinction, the crowd burst into jubilation.

There was a peculiar case of a woman who was barren for 26 years, and another for 17 years, who came up to celebrate and glorify God with their new babies. Their longtime sorrows they claimed had been turned into joy. Another case worth mentioning was that of a woman who carried her pregnancy for over three years going from one hospital or health centre to the other. She eventually delivered a set of twins at the crusade ground on the day-two. The incident sent wild jubilation among participants. A man suffering from 34 years of broken bone also testified to have got his healing while many who testified to have been deaf and dumb opened up and spoke. A woman who the doctors told there was no alternative to her leg problems than to cut them off, also testified to have got her healing after being restricted to the

THOSE WHO HEED HIS WORD AND CRY TO HIM IN TIME OF SORROW RECEIVE THEIR DELIVERANCE AND HAVE THEIR SORROW TURN TO JOY wheelchair in the last 10 years. Another man from Enugu with kidney failure also gave testimony. Even there was an internet message from Ghana that there was the case of two people crippled and using crutches, both of them got up and started working on their own as they followed the proceedings of the crusade on the internet.

In a prophetic declaration, Pastor Muoka assured the people: “As you go home today, people will begin to admire you because your situation has changed. It is bye-bye to sorrow in your life.” He thereafter decreed: “Every spirit of deaf and dumb, I rebuke you in Jesus’ name. Any person that is blind, complete blindness, partial blindness, be healed. Every yoke of madness, I command them out in Jesus’ name. I command their senses and memory to be restored and be free.

Every abnormal growth, swollen stomach and body, damaged heart, liver, I command them to disappear right now in Jesus’ name.

Every stammering tongue be loosed, every spirit of epilepsy I break the yoke and I command them to come out in Jesus’ name. Every spirit of death I command it cancelled in Jesus’ name. Every spirit of hunch back, I command them to come out. Regain your total freedom wherever you are in Jesus’ name. Those tied in the astral world, I loose you. I command restoration to every damaged part in Jesus’ name.

Whatever that brought you here, be healed in Jesus’ name. Now I decree, all your sorrow will turn to joy in Jesus’ name.”

In his sermon, the G.O. reminded the people that in the Bible, and in the prison, a lot of people went through sorrow as a result of what the enemies had done. “Some have sorrow to death; because of not knowing the source of deliverance. (John 15:5) As many that do not know Him, that without him we can do nothing, many of them have sorrowed to death and it didn’t stop there. Their sorrow continue from eternity to eternity; because

without Him, they can’t enter heaven, without Him, they cannot be free, without Him, they cannot be delivered and He says, without me, you can do nothing. Hosea 12:6, ‘my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge’.

If they had known the source of freedom, if they have known the source of salvation, if they have known the source of deliverance, they would have not sorrowed to death.

But if you look at John 8:32 32, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. My sisters, brothers and friends, if you had known the truth, you would have know the source of your freedom. You would have known the source of your sorrow and you would not die in sorrow. You will not remain in bondage, you will not remain in poverty and you will not die in sorrow.

If you know the source of your freedom, you will know it is not farfetched. Look at the book of John 8:36. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed, which means, the Son of God is the source of our freedom. And you shall be free from sorrow, poverty, failure, sin, sickness, diseases, and the enemies, amongst all others. So many people who do not know about this fact are still suffering with their problems and wallowing in sorrow. I want you to go to the Bible.

Those who heed his word and cry to Him in time of sorrow receive their deliverance and have their sorrow turn to joy. They came to Him and He changed their situation, just like those the Lord changed their sorrows to joy yesterday. Their situation changed because they come in contact with Him in whom all things are possible. You heard the testimony of a six-year-old deaf and dumb who began to hear and speak. In that family, what do you think will happen when he gets home? There was equally a man who could not see yesterday, but when the prayer was going on, his eyes opened, what do you think will happen in his family? What about the legion of people that were cured yesterday? There will be joy in their family when they get home. What about this woman whose two children in the tummy were breached and had been going to places without any hope of delivering those children? Today, the two baby boys are in the hands of the woman. What do you think will happen when the woman gets home? Her sorrow has been turned to joy. Whether you like joy, miracle or not, whether you believe it or not, today it will be your portion in Jesus’ name.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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his is another great opportunity for another episode of our ministration. We have been getting reactions from readers from different parts of Nigeria. Some are saying who’s this man that is saying all these things? The truth is that all of us are called to defend the Bible; and if other ministers also are fighting a fellow minister because we preach the truth what on that.

When you see these things happening, we should not be surprised because it has happened in the Bible. Cain and Abel were both children of God but when they set out to worship Him; you noticed a difference in the way Cain served God and the way Abel rendered service to God. Cain went to meet the Lord carnally. He thought that God loves to eat just food anyhow; hence he offered fruits to God. God rejected it.

But Abel came thinking how he can offer something that will have impact. Within himself, nobody told him that without shedding of blood, there would be no remission.

Because of that he took a lamb and slaughtered it. The blood gushed and God was pleased with his sacrifice. When he became angry, God preached to Cain. He was the first man that God preached to.

He said to Cain, ‘why is your countenance failing?’ If you have done what your brother did I would have accepted your sacrifice. Do what your brother did. Yet there was nothing in Cain that can receive the message for he is animal-natured by making. How do we know that? The book of 1John says, “Not as who as the wicked one and slew his brother.” Who is the wicked one? Devil is the wicked one.

Now that is one case in point. Let us look at another scenario offered by the two sons of Isaac: Esau and Jacob. One is carnally minded and the other is spiritual. Look at what happened; the Bible says the carnal one persecuted the spiritual one. Why am I saying?

Other ministers all over may rise up against what I am saying. The truth remains that if a minister begins to fight against the other, you are carnal minister. Believe it or not, forget about the money you have; you may have anointing but you do not have the Holy Spirit.

Anointing is different from the Holy Ghost, because an animal can have anointing. For instance, we learn from the scriptures that Balaam’s donkey received anointing and it began to prophesy. When the anointing left the donkey, it became an animal again. But Holy Ghost is given to those that have been ordained; the Bible says so.

Holy Ghost cannot be given mistakenly. God knows those that receive the Holy Ghost and there is no way you can receive the Holy Spirit without the anointing. However, you can receive the anointing without receiving the Holy Ghost.

Why am I saying all these? If we do not expose the secret of all those wicked pastors, the church or ministry will be messed up.

The Bible says that devil has its own ministers and they are parading themselves as followers of God. How can we identify these false ministers if we do not expose their deceitful doings? There is a saying that truth undressed and went to take its bath, but error saw where truth left its cloth and was having its bath; error reached out, grabbed the cloth, put it on and began to walk on the CONTINUED From Page 23 Adeboye described God as extremely wealthy and “profitoriented” investor that expects returns on His investments. God never lacks anything. He said all the animals are mine, if I want to eat, I will eat as many of them as possible. Jesus Christ says if you ask anything in my name I will give.

And He said, if you ask anything and I don’t have it, I will create it.

Because God is extremely wealthy

Praise & Worship

Sunday February 10, 2013

Come back to the truth, by Pastor Samuel Pastor Samuel, in a recent message entitled ‘Due Process’, wants fellow servants of God to go back to old time religion.

Excerpts:

Samuel

street and pretended to be the truth. As error was parading, wearing the garment that belonged to truth, people began to think that it was truth. But the truth ran after the impersonator stark naked, to collect his stolen garment.

Naked truth is running. Let me tell you, brethren, I am a naked truth. Though I do not have money as they have said mockingly, I am a naked truth; and that is why I am telling you this today. We must correct and come back to the Bible. Jesus started with the ministry of reconciliation and he is ending this dispensation with the ministry restoration.

I want to talk about due order. If you go to the book of Kings, you read about how King David hatched a very good plan to bring the Ark of God to where it was supposed to be in Jerusalem. The prophet that was with him agreed that it was a very

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carried. A priest who knew told the king that a covenant of the Ark of God should be carried by two Levites or two priests who are ordained to serve at the altar of God. Levite priests are not women but male descendants of the tribe of Levi.

The covenant specified that four of the Levite priests are to carry the Ark of Covenant on their shoulders.

After that explanation, David realised and said, “Because we did not do it according to due order, God caused a bridge on our journey. We have now found out how to carry the Ark of God; we will do it this time accordingly.” At the second stage, David and his people carried the Ark according to how it ought to be. The journey was very smooth but the crowd was not as much as it was at the first attempt.

What am I saying? The truth is always bitter. Yes, there are women pastors all over, but we are talking about leadership in the house of God. God’s house is not that of confusion. The Bible says that for the sake of the angels that come, everything has to be followed orderly. There is a due order in the house of God. One of them is to know where you have been called. Stay or remain in it. There was a king that wanted to serve; Hezekiah is his name. Because he was a great king, he decided to begin to do the work of a priest.

But a priest came and warned him, pointing out that Hezekiah was a great king but that he was going beyond his boundaries. Hezekiah wanted to say who are you to talk about the king like that? An ordinary pastor wants to stop me not to do what I want to do?

As he was offering the incense at the altar, God struck him with leprosy immediately and he was thrown out of the temple. What am I trying to say? If you are a king, remain in your palace or position. If you are a man, remain where God called you. If you are a woman, stay where God called you. Don’t go further so that you will not contact leprosy.

Today, men of God have deviated from the laid down order for the church. One of them is that the church has gone astray.

Why is it that churches today talk about prosperity without talking about eternal life? Eternal life is why Jesus came to die for us; not just to make us rich. Richness is part of what we will receive. The Bible says, ‘seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, every other thing shall be added unto you’. Righteousness is standing right with God and one of them is coming back to the truth, the original message; come back to original Christianity.

It is not come and make merchandise of men. What of that pastor that is selling handkerchiefs, anointing oil, water and doing all manner of things in the church?

You are just doing like those traders who were buying and selling in the temple that Jesus had to chase out of the house of God. Brethren, beware of such.

good idea. King David then went as far as building a new cart to convey the Ark of God. He made provision for two mules to carry the Ark so that the priests of God (Levites) would not go through the stress of carrying it That is a reflection of what we are experiencing today. Some people say it is good for women to help men since the men are not always available. It is a very good idea.

But what happens next? The Bible says there was a revival in the whole land of Israel, starting from the border of Egypt to Philistine. The whole place was crowded and David and the people of God were going, not knowing that God was not in their midst despite the crowd. The Bible records that when Oza wanted to help and the Ark •For counselling contact Prophet Samwas about falling, God slew him there. uel via email globalgracechurch@yahoo.

After that, King David decided to encomor phone 08060143296 and 08164392405 quire about how the Ark of God should be

Adeboye prays for financial probity beyond human comprehension, if He chooses to bless somebody, He blesses the person to excess.

In Genesis 4:1-3, He said to Abraham, not only will I bless you, you will become a blessing to others and through you, the whole earth will be blessed. The kind of blessing that you will reap without end.

But he doesn’t give such blessing randomly. He will act with caution towards the person He is going to

give that kind of blessing because He knows the end from the beginning. He knows the fellow that will be able to handle that kind of blessing and handle it forever, the cleric added.

He advised the money handlers never to soil their reputation with evil offers but to work with the fear of God in their dealings. He cited the book of Genesis 14:21-23 20, which says somebody wanted

to give Abraham some gifts and it was an idol worshipping gift and Abraham refused the gift, saying: “ if I receive this gift from you, tomorrow you will say you are the one who made me rich. Leave me alone with my God”.

Pastor Adeboye also said that God is the originator of the term ‘Money Transfer’; a phrase used by many banks today (Proverbs 13:22). “A good man leaveth an

inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.” In other words, one day, the one who is rich and doesn’t know God will suddenly discover that his money has been transferred and the poor who is doing the will of God in His kingdom will suddenly discovered that his account has been multiplied.

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Praise & Worship

Sunday February 10, 2013

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Miracles don’t happen anyhow –Pastor Chidi G eneral Overseer of Kings in Christ Church, Pastor Chidi Anthony, in this message, emphasises that total obedience to God’s laws is the source of true prosperity. Excerpts: I love miracle, I believe miracle but no miracle can happen without the word. Every true miracle must have its foundation on the word.

That is why God said I sent my word and my word brought healing to my people. The emphasis is on word first before healing.

Before that business of yours can receive healing, the word must be in place. He said I respect my word more than my name. The question is what level will qualify you stand boldly before the throne of grace? Remember that God said, He is so holy and His eyes are that holy that He cannot behold iniquity. He said you must serve Him in holiness, in truth and in spirit.

Now if for instance you have three children though you love all of them, there may be one out of the three that you might love most.

Let us tell ourselves the truth, if you have a good and obedient child, you will love him more than any child who is not obedient and does not make you happy. That child will not be afraid to ask you for his school fees. If he needs something, knowing that he is a child with whom the father is well pleased, he would make his request with boldness. And because that child pleases you, you will easily grant his requests.

But a child who does not make the father proud cannot approach him with equal boldness because when he needs something, he knows that he is only trying his luck. Even when the father decides to grant his request, he will do it grudgingly. My question now is, as a child of God, do you gladden the heart of your father? Do you obey his commands? Do you do his will?

He told Joshua that this book of law shall not depart from day and night, but you shall meditate on it and be careful to observe and obey it all; only then shall you have good success. That means if you do not obey the word of God, then you should forget anything concerning prosperity. Let me tell something you need to take home today, there is what we call little joy and there is joy forever. I am not praying to enjoy little joy.

Have you ever seen some people who are well known because they have made real money but now they don’t have money to feed?

I don’t need that kind of prosperity, what I need is joy forever. When God starts blessing you, the blessing will work till the end. He said obey the word. Let us see what the book CONTINUED From Page 23 Christians become committed to the health, education and employment needs of others in the society. The cleric stated that the church should awaken to the task of winning and nurturing souls for the kingdom.

He told them that whatever was contrary to the will of God was therefore contrary to the values and principles of God and also the nation.

Adefarasin noted that the church was no longer playing its prophetic role but was now reactionary in its affairs, advising for a change of attitude and heart.

Dr. Williams Okoye in his message maintained that the nation cannot go anywhere until the church played the role it was supposed to in attaining unity and advancement. Okoye said the role of the church in the society can be carried out by an individual just as William Wilberforce did in the United States.

He stated that a genuine and lasting transformation did not have anything to

of Romans 1: 28 says, “And even as they do not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud”... hold it there.

Backbiting is worse in the church. In your front they pretend that they are with you; at the back they are evil. But the truth is God knows who is who. The Bible says because they refused to acknowledge God, God gave them to a reprobate mind. When your mind is seared, you do anything; you can kill because your heart has been seared; devil has taken over, what controls you is demon. When the spirit of God is no more with you, you can do anything.

Because they refused to acknowledge Him, God gave them a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient...If there is anything that will make God destroy the church, it is the sin of fornication. How can an unmarried girl have the boldness to approach a prophet like me and ask me to pray for her to become pregnant? Who will impregnate her?

A boy who has promised her marriage but has not paid her dowry?

These things were not heard of in the days past. The world has turned upside down. The other day, I was browsing the net and I came across a story about some homosexuals that were caught and paraded naked publicly in Imo State. That kind of thing used to be peculiar to foreign nations; it is happening in our communities today. It is not our culture. That is the kind of thing that made God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

These days, a lot of men of God and prophets are homosexuals, lesbians in the church; we know them. How can someone say he is a man of God and has attained marriage age; money is not his problems; he, in fact, rides very big cars, lives in a comfortable house, yet he refuses to marry? People still go to them to be laid hands on; we know them and it is very easy to know them. Church, be careful who lays hands on you. The reason is simple. What I have is what I give to you. Anytime I lay my hands on you I transfer spirit, oil and power. If it is negative, it will follow you.

If you have a chance to open phone contacts of people, you will discover that they have phone numbers of all manner of pastors and prophets. They visit this potpourri of pastors in different occasions; and that is the reason why people get confused. Even when God re-

members you, remember where he remembered you. Stop going here and there, Satan has entered the church.

An envious spirit cannot attract prosperity to your life. Unfortunately, people who know you well are the ones that will envy you most.

But listen, when you appreciate what He has done for your neighbour, the same God will remember you for good. Learn how to appreciate good things and you will attract goodness to your life. If the spirit of envy is found in you, then you are not a child of God; because, as a child of God you are expected to behave like your father. Child of God we run a prophetic ministry here; and it is true that miracles happen here every now and then. However, I give this to you today that unless you live in obedience to the word of God, prosperity will always elude you.

Another thing that hinders a person from prospering is pride. If you exhibit the spirit of pride in the church, you not only disobey the usher or the pastor, you in fact disobey God and prosperity can be denied you because of pride.

When we are obedient to the word of God; we should also take note of principles of prosperity and put them to practice. Watch out for the principles in this column next Sunday. Remain blessed, in Jesus’ name.

Chidi

Omobude becomes new PFN president do with infrastructural development but the renewal of our minds.

Okoye emphasised that this was possible when the church placed emphasis on sound teachings, values and principles, encouraging them to return to sound biblical teachings.

Also ministering was Rev. Ray Ndoye, who spoke on the distractions to actualising the mandate, stating that distraction is a means of diverting the heart and mind from accomplishing a particular goal or objective. Ndoye advised against any form of partnership that did not glorify God, which he said was capable of distracting one from accomplishing one’s mandate.

He listed the following areas in which one can be distracted to include distractions from your adversaries, from one’s friends and close associates. Others are utterances from ministers of God, past personal success and distractions from one’s flesh, noting that man needs to deal with

his flesh to actualise his mandate.

On his part, Bishop Mike Okonkwo enjoined Christians to be awake from their slumber and fulfil the mandate of God for their lives. Okonkwo, who drew his text from the book of Joshua 14:6-15 spoke on the topic: ‘Awakening the mandate’ and emphasised that God’s mandate to Christians is blessedness and fruitfulness as representatives of His. The clergyman, who was the fourth president of PFN, noted that God’s words which are His mandate are not suggestions but commands which must be carried out to the letter. The cleric hinted that the church has the mandate to take over and possess the land, advising them to arise to the task of fulfilling their mandate.

Okonkwo maintained that the mandate God gave to the church has not changed, assuring the faithful that His plans for mankind must be fulfilled.

The bishop stated that the church are the

people of God, who have obtained mercy and have received the blessings of the spirit which has driven away condemnation and curses. He noted that the church as got itself entangled with the “I cannot” spirit and has passed it on the society, advising that this worm which is eating deep into the church and society be done away with.

Okonkwo encouraged them to fight the good fight of faith and not the devil as new creatures that Christ defeated the devil on their behalf, saying that they only need to defend themselves from him with the word of God which is their weapon.

He listed the following as weapons of their warfare, the word of God, the blood of Jesus, divine dynamite which the Holy Ghost, the ministering spirit and the name above every other name.

Present at the event were the Deputy Governor, Lady Valarie Ebe; wife of the governor, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, among other dignitaries.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Praise & Worship

Sunday February 10, 2013

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The essence of womanhood (2) Family FORA wit Pastor N. C with

Amaefula

E-mail: familyfora@yahoo.com Phone:08060315052,

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our equality with a man is not in contesting headship. It is in your value and usefulness in fulfilling your purpose of being. Do you know that the woman is the crown of man in creation?

When God concluded his creation, he appointed the man as the king of creation to be in charge and oversee the affairs of all creatures. Yet He (God) discovered that something was missing. He concluded after a thorough investigation that it is not good for man to be alone. (Gen. 2:18) He did not stop at that, he decided to proffer a lasting solution to the loneliness of man by providing a competent assistant capable of managing global affairs of creature with the man. Who else did God create if not a woman? Woman, do you know that you are the crown God placed on the head of a man as the king of God’s kingdom on earth. How can a king be identified without his crown?

What else do you clamour for when the Creator has given you such a recognition making you the beauty of creation? When God brought the woman to the man to see his reaction, an unusual exclamation occurred: “This is now the bone of my bones and the flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman” Gen 2:23. After this scenario, God knew that the man had accepted his offer wholeheartedly. From then, woman became an integral part of a man’s life and fulfillment. God has given us a position that

can never be contested either by the men or our children. Rise to your role of building; build your husband, build your children by using all raw materials necessary for unshakable structure. Do not engage any material that will pull down. You are either building lives as a woman or pulling down thereby defeating the essence for your living. Oh! What a shame to womanhood and indeed to your Maker - God. A woman is one who God created from a serene environment when man was asleep so she is emotional. Gen. 2:21 “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs and closed up his flesh thereof ”. Her emotional nature is connected to her appearance. She is created for attraction so she seeks attention. This trait gives her a considerable and concerned nature. A woman has a soft nature and this makes her husband and children so dear to her.

She can sacrifice anything to make them comfortable. This attribute enables a woman as an agent of peace.

The soft nature of a woman is one of God’s deposits in her to maintain an enabling environment for her family and strangers at large. How can God give us this enablement and yet there is so much disunity in the system? The level of divorce which is a menace to the society and a disgrace to the God of heaven, whose purpose from the beginning is receiving a fight for disintegration, can never be overemphasised. Are our children not being used as instruments of destruction by the high and mighty? Are we not the mothers of girls who have resorted to cheap ways of livelihood than hard work? This is indeed a clarion call to all women. What has become of the dignity in womanhood?

Where is our sense of good judgment?

What legacy are we living for our generation to come? What sense of value have we

inculcated in our children and helped our husbands to develop?

It is high time we as women began to live out our purpose in peace making.

This will give room to grooming the right kind of children with the right sense of judgement void of cheating and amassing public wealth. Suffice it to say that every woman with the ideology of who she really is, is laden with the responsibility of peace keeping beginning from her home.

The level of peace any nation enjoys is attributable to the level of peace the families in that nation enjoys. Who are the builders of these homes? - the woman. A wise and God-fearing woman will not be a channel of discord, misunderstanding and hatred in the family which will eventually extend to the society at large. “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness,” Proverbs 31:26-27. We as women must get involved in the affairs of our husbands and children. This is essential because our lives revolve around them. When a man is properly positioned with the right values, it brings blessings to the family and the society. This is also applicable to a child. But when the opposite becomes the case, the woman degenerates into perpetual sorrowful living with much regret being a failure to womanhood.

You are not born as a woman to fail. Rise up to this great challenge. It may be tough but diligence, determination and decision to make it will be a guiding watchword into living in fulfillment of your purpose and essence of real womanhood. Be a channel and agent of change.

•For Counseling and Prayers: Email: nneomamaefula@yahoo.com or call +2348060315052, +2348187464031, +2348052157173

Soul: The second component of man –Rev. Izuchukwu The soul is the centre of will and emotion. Until the soul of husband and wife is cleaved together in relationship with God and love for each other, marriage will continue to be anniversary of trial and error. Rev Izuchukwu Chukwudebelu of Assemblies of God Church, FESTAC 11, explains more on the spiritual dimension of a successful marriage. Excerpts:

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nd if a kingdom is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. Mk 3:24-25. If the foundation be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Ps 11:3.

The essence of marriage is to be in agreement on both major and minor issues of life.

People usually say that minor issues need not be shared with one’s spouse. With benefit of hindsight, I have carefully observed that there are minor issues when ignored or neglected could minus peace, trust and love in marriage union. No marriage in spite of where it was contracted can stand the test of time if there is division.

The moment there is division in the camp, the enemy has unknowingly been invited.

Any manner of division between husband and wife is an express invitation to the devil. However, even if the foundation was destroyed, with the agreement of husband and wife, there could be a sound reconstruction.

The soul is the centre of will and emotion.

It is where the likes and dislikes take place.

Both the mind of the man and woman must be knitted together. Until the soul of husband and wife is cleaved together in relationship with God and love for each other, it continues to be anniversary of trial and error. If you want to have your way always, you will definitely lose your way. We are not in marriage for fault finding but for fault mending. You cannot walk with God and miss your way.

For where envying and strife are, there

is confusion and every evil works. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace to them that make peace.

James 3:16-18. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. I Cor. 14:33.

Marriage is by agreement not by force.

The modern day concept of, ‘By fire and force’ remains an alien to the institution of marriage. Agreement takes place in the mind.

Where there is no agreement, there is bound to be discord. God has never been the author of confusion. Marriage is meant to improve your living. In my opinion, ‘love comes by hearing and hearing of the word of love from your partner’.

If you are truly a lover, then be a true follower and practitioner of it. Love plays a vital role in the cementing of a husband and wife’s soul. Ironically, the word ‘Love’ has been beaten, battered and abused in this generation.

Anyone you do not love, you naturally hate.

The person you hate is the one you get angry with.

Anger destroys faster than Leukemia – cancer of the blood. A man in Kaduna kept malice with the wife and slept in the sitting room, abandoning the bedroom for five years.

That was nothing but bondage defined. The day after the man heard the word of God and changed his mind towards the wife, he was promoted and his business jerked back to

Izuchukwu

life. Similarly, a woman forgot her diary in the church (not my pastorate); a worker in the church saw that she wrote down offences with dates committed against her by the husband inside it. Beware, lest you gather the offspring against your partner consequent upon the recorded offences at your disposal.

•For counseling, contact izuchukwudebelu@yahoo.com phone: +2348033290241, +2348028390885, +2348056027044, +2347044714424

President Obama

Obama’s adviser on religion resigns

P

resident Barack Obama has announced that his adviser on matters of faith, Joshua DuBois, is stepping down.

The news came at the midweek National Prayer Breakfast, the same venue where DuBois — head of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships — was introduced four years ago.

“Joshua has been at my side, in work and in prayer, for years now. He is a young reverend, but wise in years,” Obama said.

“Every morning he sends me via email a daily meditation—a snippet of Scripture for me to reflect on. And it has meant the world to me. And despite my pleas, tomorrow will be his last day in the White House.”

DuBois, 30, oversaw the reorganisation of the White House’s faith-based partnerships.

The Pentencostal minister now plans to turn those devotional texts to the President into a book, according to Washington Post religion reporter, Michelle Boorstein. He is also getting married.

“Humbled beyond words. Grateful to God for a good President, and a good friend,” DuBois tweeted after the announcement. “Thankful for all of you.

And excited about the future.”

In addition to encouraging and advising Obama on personal matters of faith, DuBois oversaw a reorganisation of the faith-based office and connected the President with religious leaders.

CT profiled Dubois, a key member of Obama’s “spiritual Cabinet,” as “the perfect hybrid” to serve as the President’s point man on religion.

In a 2009 interview with CT, DuBois explained how Obama’s faith-based initiatives would expand upon those under President George W. Bush by focusing on an administrative-wide mission of “reducing poverty, reducing the need for abortion, encouraging responsible fatherhood, and working with the National Security Council to foster interfaith dialogue around the world.”

The faith-based office initially received criticism from religious organisations from the right and the left, CT reported, citing concerns over blurred church-state divisions. CT also noted how evangelical leaders felt it was off to a promising start but still had concerns.

Michael Wear, who oversaw faith outreach for Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, is also leaving the office.

CT has regularly reported on the White House’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. CT has also regularly reported on the National Prayer Breakfast, where Obama made the announcement, including the ironies of the President’s 2012 speech.

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Sunday February 10, 2013

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Old time truth is enduring, says Pastor Olusore In Christendom today, all manner of doctrines and practices threaten to water down biblical mode of serving God. In this message, Presiding Minister of Livinglight Church, Pastor Israel Olusore, makes a clarion call for all God’s people to turn back to the old standards handed to us as contained in the Bible. Excerpts:

J

eremiah 6:16 says, “Stand in by the roads and look and ask for the internal part where the good old way is; then walk in it and you will find rest for your souls.

But they said we will not walk in it.”

Those who locate the old part and locate the old way are ever at rest. There are ways and there is the way. Those who locate the way are positioned to rise on the high ways of life. You will never go down again.

The 12 located the way; we are still talking about them today. Everybody went back to their ways but they followed the way and the way made them the way.

I see God making you the way. They became pacesetter; they became trail blazers, they located the way.

Lift up your heart and say, “God, give me the courage to maintain my walk in right part, the good old way, to me today.

As you show me today, Lord I receive it, in the name of Jesus.”

Every change brings progress; no change leaves you the way you were. In the kingdom of God, those who know the way are the ones that are called pacesetters, trail blazers. I see God making you a trail blazer, a pacesetter and the part that others will follow in the name of Jesus Christ.

We are still looking at kingdom series because it is a very important subject for

every child of God. We are continuing our studies on kingdom behaviour. Every kingdom has its specific behaviourial pattern which oftentimes the people that do not belong to that kingdom consider awkward, absurd, blasphemy or heresy.

When Jesus Christ first came and started telling them what they should do, they considered him heretic; so they left him. But that is what everybody is coming back to. Those who come in line with it, they will be called the governors. They will have possession of the kingdom. I see you becoming a kingdom possessor.

In every field of endeavour you find yourself, you are going to be the head and not the tail. You are going to be above only and not beneath. It may take time but it is sure in Jesus’ mighty name. One Pastor Joshua, who has a vibrant church in Abuja, sent me a text and said, “I listened to your broadcast this morning.

That message is a palace message; it is what the church needs now. Anybody that has value ought to be a member of that your church.”

I told myself, “What God said has started coming to pass; because he said ‘go and empower myself for the coming harvest’.

In teaching them purpose, you empower them. Let them have understanding what the kingdom really entails. The world has gone berserk; the world has crept into the

church; but it is the kingdom of God that will prevail.

He knew what he was called out to do.

So, when all the thousands left him remaining the 12, he started work again.

This service is an unusual one. From this place those who catch it will end up with nothing less than a billionaire; will end up with nothing less than a provider of succour to many. They will end up as city controllers; many will revert to you for assistance.

The same 12 they asked him then, “Men and brethren, what shall we do? We did not know it was going to be like that.

With help of the Holy Spirit, we will be anointing people to empower everyone for the year ahead. 2013 is a strange year.

Talking about kingdom behaviour, your look does not matter; but how you behave matters to God. Apostle Paul gave a description of Saul.

He said, “Can’t you see Saul? Very tall, placed; that is my king.” When he misbehaved, God said I have removed him.

I pray that God will not have cause to remove you. Your position shall not be taken by another, in the name of Jesus Christ.

Let us go back to Jeremiah 6:16 that we looked at earlier; “Thus said the Lord, stand ye in the ways...” There is a way that seemeth right to a man but the end thereof is destruction. There’re lots of ways in

Olusore

town now; motivational ways, principles of this, principles of that, silencing God, magnifying the principle but denying the power that is there...Ask for the old part. The old time truth is still the most current truth. The old way is still the most relevant way. I see them wearing wigs now. We had wigs in 1968/1977. Men were wearing stiletto in those days; it is still coming back. What was will still be.

Fashions go, fashions come but the truth remains. “I am the way, the truth and the life,” says the Lord.

•For counseling contact email: info@ livinglightng.com or phone 08028425555

Overcoming season of dryness Hope for Hopeless with Pastor Goke

Aniyeloye

D

ryness to a plant is having lost sweetness or moisture, this hinders plant from normal growth. To land, it is when it is barren, when there is absence of rain.

To a woman, it is when she ought to have been eating her children’s food but she is still struggling to feed them. When she ought to have stopped rearing children, she is still expectant. When she ought to be enjoying her husband, she is still struggling to win his love.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 and 2 says, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted”.

I have come to declare to somebody today that your time of harvest has come.

Dryness has different meanings to different things. We have dryness in the following categories: Spiritual dryness; Physical dryness; Financial dryness; Emotional dryness and Fruitful dryness.

Spiritual dryness: This is a time where life seems dull, where the motions of a daily routine don’t bring much satisfaction. Where you feel your prayers are meaningless, where your devotional seems fruitless. Something is wrong with your walk with God. You now feel as if you should say goodbye to your Christian walk all together. You have been preaching certainty but now you are not certain, you

have been preaching possibility, now your main message is probabilities.

At one point or the other in our Christian journey, we experience dryness, probably when something happens to us or our beloved one. At this point in time if you have been praying for five hours, you may find it difficult to pray for even 30 minutes.

Sometime we feel we are on top of the mountain; at other times we feel as if the mountain is on top of us. There are periods where life seems very dull, almost boring, depressing; we feel God answers prayer no more.

Some possible reasons for experiencing spiritual dryness

•The issue of unconfessed sin in our lives. Psalms 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me; Psalms 32:1 and 2 says, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered: Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. Isaiah 59 :2 says, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Isaiah 1:15, Lamentation 3:40-42 All this Bible passages are pointers that sin may cause spiritual dryness. But if you have cried to God and confessed and yet you are still experiencing dryness, then you have to look into other points.

•Spiritual dryness can bring about emotional breakdown. At this point in time, we may not feel alive to God, but it does not mean God is not alive to us. From God’s perspective, He still treasures our fellowship. The good news is, God’s presence remains, though we may not feel it.

• Another cause of spiritual dryness is underfeeding or starving our soul. When we lack the intention and regularness of communing with God. Now what happens when we miss some of our meals for a couple of days of a week?

•Loss of balance: Our conversion to Jesus Christ does not relieve us from observing the order of the creation of which we are part. God’s creation is built upon the balance between work and rest. Many ministers today are too busy doing work of God but have abandoned the God of the work. It is better you get connected to God of the work than get connected to the work. Genesis 2:3 says, “and God bless the seventh day, and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made”.

Therapy

Help for those who suffer from spiritual dryness has to be determined according to the cause.

•Forgiveness: Confession and renewed assurance of forgiveness are the only way out if a definite sin has been committed.

•Discipline and responsibility. If undernourishment is the cause, practical help for a new discipline in personal prayer and Bible reading is indispensable. The more practical, the better.

We depend too much on secondhand sermons, there is nothing too wrong preaching a good message that you have from a preacher but you will quite agree with me that most of such messages lack inspiration. It is good to have a best time for daily Bible reading and prayer. Although, the morning hour is ideal, in most cases, especially in Lagos, it is not always pos-

sible. You need to be willing to take certain responsibilities in God’s kingdom. Many pastors feel relaxed after being promoted to certain position, they feel evangelism is for the young converts, prayer is for those in prayer department, Sunday school is for the members of the church only. The book of Revelation 2:4 says, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love …Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of this place, except thou repent.

Always go for balance diet: Many ministries and pastors today are suffering from spiritual undernourishment. Some feed only on deliverance, every of their programmes is about deliverance, while some have professorship in holiness and some are masters in prosperity. I want to bless the name of the Lord for a particular denomination in this nation; they embrace holiness, evangelism, deliverance and prosperity. A church or pastor that deviates from the four pillars of Christianity is already a failure. No Christian can live without all these pillars. You just have to bag a PhD in evangelism before you can get to heaven; I mean you must believe in prosperity, holiness, deliverance and evangelism.

Next week before we go on with spiritual dryness, I will shed more light on this four pillars.

•Join Goke Aniyeloye every Tuesday on Dove Television for Hope for the Hopeless by 10.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m. You can also reach us through this e-mail addresses : gokeaniye999@yahoo.com or gokeaniye@gmail.com

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Praise & Worship 33

Sunday February 10, 2013

Finishing well: The story of King Asa

T

he utmost and topmost prayer that everyone prays about in a lifetime or at the beginning of an endeavour is the ability to finish well. Stories abound about leaders whose end were woeful, some ended in the hospital and later recovered (some did not), some ended being disgraced out of office in the form of impeachment while some barely escape being axed. There are some leaders who are presently cooling their heels in prisons. With all these and more, you will agree with me that the cardinal prayer of any leader should be to finish well. As you read these lines, it is my prayers that you will not end your leadership disastrously in the name of Jesus (Amen).

Asa’s reign was in the 9th century B.C and was the third king of Judah, after the division of the kingdom. He succeeded his father Abijah in the twentieth year of the reign of Jeroboam, king of Israel. He reigned over Judah for forty years. His leadership can be divided into five stages and incidentally nearly all leaders, churches and relationships pass through the stages.

Chronicles 15 & 16) The utmost and topmost prayer that everyone prays about in a lifetime or at the beginning of an endeavour is the ability to finish well. Stories abound about leaders whose end were woeful, some ended in the hospital and later recovered (some did not), some ended being disgraced out of office in the form of impeachment while some barely escape being axed. There are some leaders who are presently cooling their heels in prisons. With all these and more, you will agree with me that the cardinal prayer of any leader should be to finish well. As you read these lines, it is my prayers that you will not end your leadership disastrously in the name of Jesus (Amen).

Asa’s reign was in the 9th century B.C and was the third king of Judah, after the division of the kingdom. He succeeded his father

Desti Destiny Hour

Abijah in the twentieth year of the reign of Jeroboam, king of Israel. He reigned over Judah for forty years. His leadership can be divided into five stages and incidentally nearly all leaders, churches and relationships pass through the stages.

Five Stages Of Leader’s/Church Life Revelational Stage - 2 Chron. 15:1-6 At this stage, every leader discovers the following: •The calling and new opportunities •Seeing the invisible, new opportunities and infinite possibilities •Become aware of innate potentials to carry out the contents of the revelation that has been received •Thinking of the abilities inherent in him/ her to make the needed difference.

If a leader (most especially a spiritual leader) does not catch a revelation of a ministry or church, starting same could be difficult. All solid relationships start from here.

•Inspirational Stage - 2 Chron. 15:7-9 At this stage, leaders become passionate to act as inspiration is the tonic needed for action and overcoming obstacles. This is the stage where we think about the next level.

Leaders mobilize at this stage. In relationship, this stage is the stage where a statement of intention is made known to the person concerned. People discover the graces and gifts of God upon a leader at this stage.

•Formalisation stage - 2Chron.15:10-19 This is the stage where the vision of a leader is birthed. At this juncture, possibilities become realities. The verb here is commitment and engagement. Asa gathered the people, committed them into making a covenant, and disengaged his idolatrous mother.

Relationship is consummated here. The leader/church makes most of the needed wealth at this stage.

•Institutional Stage - 2 Chron. 16:1-6 The characteristics of this stage in leadership are as follows: •A leader sees himself as an institution •Takes decision without recourse to God (Christian) os state (civil) •Spends church money or government money on a project he/she feels is necessary •Rules are broken here at will •Enthusiasm dies gradually at this stage.

This is because at this stage, things are kept in repetition •Creativity slows down gradually - the doctrine of maintenance and stability comes in which is really a cover-up language for stagnancy. Leadership plateau here.

•Crystallisation Stage 2 Chron. 16:7-10 At this stage, leadership is characterized by the following: •Pride and over bloated ego - genuine advice is considered to be an affront.

•Leaders become Alpha and Omega who have become oblivious of the fact that enthronement into a position is only by grace and not might or power.

•Forgetfulness of the humble beginning heart becomes seared.

•Leaders become immune to sound reasoning while enjoying the adulation of praisesingers and sycophants.

•The once humble leaders suddenly turn oppressive and will do everything to quiet all views contrary to theirs.

The real issue here is that such leaders have cut off themselves from their source and their leadership acumen has become stale. If the leader do not go back to the first love (Revelation stage), the institution dies, ditto to relationship.

Some Great Leaders Who Did Not Finish Well •Alexander the great: Conquered the then known world but lost to liquor bottle.

Malik Rotimi

•Noah: Preserved his own generation but lost to a bottle of liquor.

•Samson: Won many battles but lost to the appetite of promiscuity on the lap of Delilah.

•Demas: Was a fervent and effective minister of the gospel but ended as a judge who sentenced Christians to death.

•Malik .O. Rotimi is a minister with a passion for leadership development and training; a member of International Institute for Church Renewal (I.I.C.R.), Lagos, and a Bible teacher of Celestial Church of Christ Miracle - Alagbole. He could be reached on 0802-118-1047, 0813-698-5740.

E-mail: malik4victory@gmail.com

God is never late (2)

and make God appear late.

•Doubt: To doubt is to waver in faith, i.e. find an alternative to God. In other words, believing God for a thing and yet seeking an with alternative to such in case “if faith does not Pastor Femi work” James 1:6-8 “but let him ask in faith, nothE-mail:femilanre01@yahoo.co.uk, sms or call 08030752799 ing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a Welcome, this week I see a new thing hapwave of sea driven with the wind and tossed. pening in your life in Jesus’ name. I see resFor let not that man think that he shall retoration of missing opportunities and open ceive anything of the Lord. doors for new ones in Jesus’ name.

A double-minded man is unstable in all his It is well with you and you will go from ways’’. glory to glory in Jesus’ name.

Once you doubt God’s promises, you Last week, we said God is never late. The disqualify yourself from receiving speedy truth is that God’s timing differs from men. answers. So many things may encourage Man looks at time vertically, God looks at doubts, like past experience, testimonies of it horizontally. To God, time is more than the others who claimed to put their trust in God 24 hours a day routine we have. and yet did not have results, discouragement However, if you are a child of God, you from friends, fear, etc., you must learn to hold are born again; everything works together on to God’s word absolutely to enjoy the fullfor your good. ness of His blessings.

We discussed last week about Mary, Martha and Lazarus. John 11:1-6 •Wrong confession: If you must see anThe Bible affirmed that Jesus Christ loved swers to your prayers at the appropriate time, them just as He loves us today. John 15:13. your faith and not your fears must continuThough Jesus Christ loved them, he did ously be your confessions. If you must see not attend to their need or request at their your miracle, your faith and not your presown timing but at the timing of God, which ent situation and circumstance must be your is the best for them. confession. You should keep saying what you Seeking God’s will for your life is good but want to see and not what you are seeing. seeking God’s will at God’s time for your life You will definitely see whatever you keep is more appropriate. saying one day.

Most of the time we make our requests, Those who made their faith and not their God is more willing to grant them, but oftenfear their regular confession have always gottimes we are not prepared for what God has ten reasons to celebrate. prepared for our lives or, better put, the timing In the world, seeing is believing; in the for such requests before God is not ripe. kingdom believing is seeing. Prov. 18:21 Apart from getting ready for what is made “Death and life are in the power of the ready, and the appropriate timing, there are tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit other factors that hinder answers to prayers thereof ”.

Mark 11:23 “For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast unto the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith”.

Whatsoever you keep saying, is what you will eventually see?

After praying and believing that God has answered your prayers, you must be conscious of all you say thereafter; you don’t speak your situation or circumstances any longer, but your faith. You don’t keep saying the negative and expect to see the positive.

•Not praying through: More often, people believe in Christ Jesus and are either not praying effectively or are being lazy about it.

The Jacob’s kind of wrestle in Gen.32:24 is a kind of prayer a believer in Christ who is passionate in getting results must employ if he/she must get unhindered prayers.

Praying through is praying until you have an assurance in the spirit that what you are asking the Lord for is done. That is the genuine wrestle.

Ephesians 6:12 made it clear, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high place”.

That you prayed for two or three hours does not mean you have prayed effectively, at times, it is not how long you have prayed but how well you have done. More than often, prayer is expected to be speaking God’s words back to Him. In other words, you would need to be a good student of the Bible to pray effectively.

Praying in other tongues, (praying in the spirit regularly say an average of one hour

per day will do a lot of good).

Praying until you get a conviction in the spirit that it is done is very essential in getting answer to prayers.

Today we have discussed three major hindrances to prayers; next week we shall be concluding the series.

Remember, if you have not given your life to Jesus Christ, you are not under a divine covering of the Lord. You can be eaten up by the devil anytime. To do so is simple.

•Believe in your heart, that Jesus Christ is the son of God. •Believe also that He died for your sins on the cross of Calvary.

•Confess Him as your Lord and personal saviour.

•Repent of all your sins, and ask Jesus to forgive you.

•Say Jesus Christ, come and be my Lord and let your kingdom be established in my heart.

I am saved.

If you were once in faith and had backslidden, •Pray that the Lord forgives you all sins, confess them to Him •Ask that the Lord restores you back unto Him •And ask for grace to continue in His will.

Make your Bible your friend; avoid wrong friendship and association that can corrupt you •Look for a Bible believing church.

•For further prayers & counselling, please contact Femi Lanre-Oke, Jesus Praise Evangelical Ministries Int’l P.O.Box 1158, Agodi-Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State. E-mail femi_lanre01@yahoo.co.uk, sms or call +2348030752799, +2348053695097.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday February 10, 2013

Arise and shine T

he New Year is off to a quick start already. Our good wishes are with our team in the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON. Many businesses are praying to scale through hurdles and rise from ruins.

Students have resumed for serious studies. The elected officials are trying to go about their mandate. Hopes must rise for this year, 2013. For you and your family, God shall restore the years that the cankerworm has eaten in Jesus’ name! “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God” and you “shall never be put to shame” in Jesus’ name (Joel 2:26). Amen!

God wants you to ARISE and SHINE! Prophet Isaiah puts it succinctly: “Arise, shine; for your light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you” (Isa 60:1). It literally means: “Be enlightened; for your light comes”. For it does not follow that all are enlightened to whom the light comes.

There must be a receptive and a reflecting power in us. Opportunities are not enough. Opportunities come to nations and to people but unless we arise and shake ourselves from slumber and indifference, it will go to waste! Arise and shine!

We are not to be as the vortex swallowing up all heavenly privileges; but a fountain, to send them abroad. We are not to be as a reservoir, collecting all the water but as the river that allows its content to flow. We are at risk of becoming like the Dead Sea which receives much water but flows nowhere! The Dead Sea cannot sustain animal life; and too much exposure inside it may be harmful to one’s health! We are a lighthouse to give light to the sea-fairing vessels and save lives of distressed voyagers.

Human endeavours are not enough! Isaiah does not say, “I have come.” He does not point to the medium, but to the light itself“The glory of the Lord”. It is not about you.

It is not about me. It is not about us. You are not the centre of attraction, but God is!

Make Him known. It is the light of God, shining through human agencies and not the humans themselves that bring about the much-needed blessings for the world.

There is no light like the light of God’s inspiration. By its glorious influence, it brings safe guidance, sure prosperity, and spiritual peace.

Jesus is the true light of the world. We must let Him shine through us. Without Jesus’ light we shall grope and fumble in darkness. Without His light, there is no true life in us! He who commanded in the beginning still mandates us today: “Let there be light!” (Gen 1:3). “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:16). Paul adds: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8). “Be enlightened; for your light has come” means to impart to others the spiritual light you have received. Let God’s light prosper in your life and you yourself will be resplendent with posterity (Isa 58:8, 10; Eph 5:8, 14). “Therefore He says: ‘awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light’” (Eph 5:14). Let not the god of this world blind your minds from believing “the light of the glorious gospel of Christ;” let the light of God shine on you (2 Cor 4:4).

Prophet Isaiah observed right that the

rest of the earth is covered with darkness: “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you and His glory will be seen upon you” (Isa 60:3). Gross darkness of all kinds of errors covers the earth. The Bible describes this abject condition severally as foolishness, blind leaders, liars, suffering, ignorant worship, sin, vile affections, unrighteousness, sexual perversion, reprobate mind and so on and so forth (Matt 15:14; 23:19,24; John 8:55; Acts 14:16; 17:23,30; 26:18 Rom 1:21-32; Eph 4:17-20; 1 Pet 2:9). All men are in darkness till God gives them the light of His Spirit.

The plan of God this year, 2013: “His glory will be seen upon you” (Isa 60:3). Light is come. What an advent! How valueless is all else in creation without light! The light of a new morning of national life. A new dawn in your family. New joys. New ground breaking feats. His glory will be seen in your business and all your undertakings. His glory on your children. His glory in your ministry. Arise and shine!

The call of God is always to arise! God told Abraham to arise and walk the length and breadth of the land to be given to him (Gen 13:17). Lot was to arise to escape the inferno of Sodom (Gen 19:15). Jacob was to arise to go to Bethel and build an altar there (Gen 35:1, 5). Joshua was to arise to take leadership of Israel to cross Jordan

BE ENLIGHTENED; FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME MEANS TO IMPART TO OTHERS THE SPIRITUAL LIGHT

YOU HAVE RECEIVED.

LET GOD’S LIGHT PROSPER IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU YOURSELF WILL BE RESPLENDENT WITH POSTERITY

Answer these questions and win a prize 1.

What was Jesus’ seventh statement on the cross?

2.

Who said “Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of God” and in which Bible book?

3.

Supply the Old Testament passage that prophesied Jesus’ death with sinners?

•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.

into the promised land (Josh 1:2). Deborah and Barak were to arise to win the battle of the Lord (Judges 5:12) and same with Gideon (Judges 7:15). Solomon was to arise and build the Sanctuary of the Lord (1 Chron 22:16, 19). Nehemiah and the returned captives were commanded to arise and build the broken walls of Jerusalem (Neh 2:20).

“Arise” was used seven (7) times in the story of Jonah! (Jonah 1:2, 3, 6; 3:2, 3, 6; 4:8).

God calls you to arise, NOW. Take control of your territory for God. No one can stop you now. You are a person on a mission!

God’s mission of course.

The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying: “arise” (Matt 2:13, 20). Jesus told the paralytic: “arise, and walk” (Matt 9:5-6). Jesus returned new life to Jairus’ daughter and told her to arise (Mark 5:41). Similarly, Peter was empowered to tell the comatose Tabitha to arise (Acts 9:40).

Peter was encouraged to arise and go down to Caesarea for the conversion of Cornelius (Acts 10:20). At his conversion from Saul, the persecutor to Paul, the preacher, Jesus commanded him to arise! (Acts 9:11).

You must shine the light you have received to brighten every darkness around you! “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:6). Soon, you shall “shine forth as the sun” with all the redeemed in the kingdom of God (Matt 13:43). As true children of God, “blameless and harmless,” and “without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation,” may you “shine as lights” in this dark world (Phil 2:15). Amen. ARISE AND SHINE! •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 February 3, 2013 Quiz 1.

Paul- Rom 7:15.

2.

Job-Job 42:10.

3.

Adam -Gen 2:19, 20.

How can someone know if he/she is under a curse?

Holy Inquiry with Pastor Paul

Nkirukah E-mail: pstpaul11@yahoo.com

Dear pastor Paul, I’m a regular reader of your column, ‘Holy Inquiry’ and your sermons have helped me a lot. I have a question that has been disturbing me. Can you enlighten me on how someone would know if he or she is under a curse or spell and if there is any sign or indication to this?

Thanks and remain blessed, Joshy, from Ipaja, Lagos.

Dear reader, When one is under a curse or spell, it is very easy to notice in the sense that the person will always find things of blessing very difficult to come by. Thus, the opposite of blessing is curse. Therefore, a life that lacks blessing is a life under a curse

or spell, and a life that is under a curse is a life that lacks blessings.

However, there are so many types of curses; it depends on the type of curse or spell in question. There are some curses that can make things difficult for one (hardship) and the result of this is poverty. There are some curses that can kill, that is why when people are dying in a particular family or community, you hear people say ‘there is a curse in that family or community’. Curse also can make a person useless. Well, space will not permit me to explain but I believe that with the above examples you can be sure of how curses or spell operate in one’s life. If you are experiencing any of these signs above, you know that there may be curse or spell working against you.

Let’s quickly study the scriptures below for a better understanding. Joshua 6: 26 reads; ‘And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his first born, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it’.

The above scripture is the curse that Joshua placed after destruction of Jericho, but let us also examine another scripture below to see where and how it came to pass. 1 Kings 16 : 33-34 reads; And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him, …In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. My dear, you can now see that the above scripture in 1Kings 16 is the fulfillment of the curse that Joshua placed in Joshua 6 and verse 26. You can now understand that curse does not only cause hardship but can also cause untimely death. You can imagine how those children died just like that without knowing that it was a curse from their father.

Let’s also examine Genesis 49 : 3 and 4 which reads: ‘Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity,

and the excellency of power, …Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it’: he went up to my couch.

Deuteronomy 33 : 4-6 reads; Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob, …And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together, …Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

The above scripture shows how and where the curse that Reuben’s father placed on him was broken by the servant of God Moses, but even at that you find out that though Reuben was the first born of Jacob yet we could hardly hear much of him, unlike Joseph. He could not excel like Joseph his brother though he was almost the last born among all Jacob’s children.

As I said earlier, the Bible says we are blessed, so any person that is having little or no blessing, it is either there is a curse or spell on him/her. Not to be blessed is not ordinary. I advise that you go for deliverance if you are experiencing strange happenings in your life or family.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

35

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Ehiz wins MTV Base VJay search Twenty-five Twenty five year old Lead City Univer University graduate, Ehizojie “Ehiz” Okoeguale has emerged winner of the MTV Base VJay Search.

Ehiz was announced as the winner at the finale which took place a couple of days ago at OneEleven Night Club in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Ehiz beats other finalists; Ada and Kemi to

conclinch the job which h is a N10 Million naira co tract and a brand new KIA Cerato.

Ehiz will join Sizwe Dhlomo and Nomuzi Mabena on MTV Base’s in-house talent roster, presenting his own chart show on MTV Base.

The show can be viewed on DStv Channel 322, STV and AIT.

Ace comedian, AY makes movie debut

Charles Novia returns with Alan Pozer

Movie buffs that may have been wondering when they would grace another exciting flick from controversial film producer/director, Charles Novia, will be glad to know that the popular Nollywood practitioner has finally come out with a brand new offering after You have seen him on different occasions and on several platforms dishing several years on film hiatus. out rib-cracking jokes. But if you think his talent lies in only comedies, then Movie buffs would recall that you have another think coming. during Charles Novia’s time M& M can reveal that ace comedian, AY is playing the lead role in a Ghabehind the scene, he found naian flick titled Number One Fan. The new movie is being produced by time to release a highly controversial ‘tell-all’ book Ghanaian actress, Juliet Ibrahim and directed by Moses Iwang. about the happenings in Nollywood.

AY, Theatre Arts graduate from Delta State University stars as detecMany critics felt it was sexist and only x-rayed tive Kwesi Trapp of Ghana police. Having done a lot of skits with Gholthe actresses of Nollywood leaving out the acIf you have always wished to see lywood stars, he has commanded a good fan tors, directors and producers. Well, Charles music diva Goldie and television perbase in Ghana.

Novia is back again on the movie block sonality Denrele Edun together on TV doThe new film also stars Yemi Blaq, KC with his latest offering titled Alan Pozing their thing, then you need to hold your Ejelonu, Sonia and Juliet Ibrahim, Kier. breath as you are about to witness the two entan and Zainab from Big Brother.

According to the feelers reachtertainers in ways you have never seen them beHowever, it will also intering M&M, the new flick is said fore. est you to know that AY will to be a romantic comedy that Yes, award-winning songstress, Goldie and showbiz be doing what he does best explores the sexual advenperformer, Denrele are set to star in their own TV reality at his annual AY Live tures of a young music show titled Goldie and Denrele: True Friendship. which will take place label executive and The reality television show, which is being produced by Tee on March 31st at Eko his daily grapples Jay Star, is about two friends in the volatile Nigerian entertainHotel in Lagos. with the temptament industry, and how they support each other, have misundertions in that standings, their quiet moments, and their day to day struggles. sector.

According to the information made available to M&M, the duo have

Goldie, Denrele to star in reality television show

already shot some episodes of the show.

It was also gathered that Goldie and Denrele’s reality television show will start airing by the end of the month on Silverbird TV, TVC, BenTV UK.

MI Abaga to release brand new single

Ice Prince denies rejecting Glo’s deal

The rumour of his snubbing an offer from a telecommunication service He went on a three-year self- imposed hiatus due to business purposes. But provider went viral online recently. But come February 21, 2013, hugely talented rapper M.I will drop the first single off award-winning rapper, Ice Prince, has dishis upcoming album which is billed for release in June this year. missed recent speculations that he has turned It will also interest MI’s fans to know that the rapper is slated to speak at down a lucrative endorsement deal with Globacom. the African Leadership conference today, 10th February 2013, at the prestigious Just so you know, internet reports posted recently Harvard University alongside Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. suggested that the rapper, whose real name is Panshak Since his record- breaking album MI:2, MI has been appointed Vice-President Zamani, had snubbed a multi-million naira deal with the for Music at Chocolate City, founded Loopy Music, been appointed an telecommunications operator. active UN Ambassador for the Smuggling of Migrants and has featured However, Chocolate City’s management has in no less than seven music hits. moved quickly to deny the reports saying there is “I don’t have any other information except that it’s going to be beyond anyno truth in the matter. one’s imagination,” MI said in reply to a question. “Everyone just has to wait a “We were just as surprised as anybody when we few days for the unveiling to begin,” he added with a smile. read the news of Ice Prince “purportedly” turning Feelers reaching M&M suggest that the rapper and label, Chocolate City are down “the offer” , especially since it isn’t true,” said pulling out all the stops for M.I’s upcoming album. The rapper is believed to Tobi Sanni-Daniel, Ice Prince’s business manager. have scored some of the biggest international collaborations and is set to once “Globacom is a multi-national company with again raise the bar as he takes the top seat in Africa’s rap game. an excellent track record of delivering quality.

His fans would also like to know that MI’s second album, MI: 2 broke records onAny individual would be proud and honoured to line and off the shelves and was listed on Billboard as one of the top sounds in 2010. be associated with them.

36

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Connecting

Vanessa with

Vanessaonsunday@yahoo.com

Appreciate the giver and not just the gift this Valentine’s Day

A

joke Ace comedian, Klint the Drunk posted on his twitter account recently got me laughing and thinking at the same time. It said ‘’your boyfriend buys you a Bold 5 blackberry for Valentine’s Day and you buy him 2 white handkerchiefs, a white singlet and boxers. Is he an ‘atilogwu’ dancer?’’

Funny isn’t it, but it all goes to show that what you do or don’t do on Valentine’s Day can be criticised, analysed and even blown out of proportion.

The kind of gifts you give and even the way you present them to the person you profess to love can be given a deep connotation that will either make or mar that relationship. So I’ll advise you to tread with caution as you shop for the perfect valentines gift as February 14th draws even closer.

Gifts are more or less vehicles used to convey how much you love and appreciate your significant other during a season such as Valentine’s Day. So its wisdom to put in a little effort in locating that gift that will surely help to make the D-day a memorable one.

Models All the same, if love is all about giving and sharing, why do people still make a big fuss over the kind of gifts they give or receive on Valentine’s Day? Love they say is never selfish or self seeking, but come February 14th of every year, people stand guard to scrutinize the gifts their lover gives to them. Haven’t you heard it’s wrong to look a gift horse in the mouth?

When it comes to gifts, it’s the thought that counts and not necessarily the value of the gift given.

The truth is a gift should never come with a price tag. It should be taken and given in the spirit of the season and not over analysed out of proportion. When it comes to someone you love, what he/she gives you on Val’s day should not be as important as the thought the person put into buying it, don’t you think so? When trying to guess how much a gift is worth, you end up removing the romantic lustre out of that gift and make it to look like a bargain season rather than a love season.

Why I am saying this? A lot of breakup and heartbreak occur after every Valentine’s Day and a large percentage of them are caused by the kind of gift received or the total lack of it. After every Valentine’s Day, you’ll hear such complaints as: he didn’t buy me that blackberry phone; I wanted my husband to buy me an expensive lace but he only brought Mr. Biggs meat pie home; I was expecting my girlfriend to buy me a shirt or gold cufflinks I subtly mentioned to her last week but she only

gave me a pair of stockings! All these complaints end up causing a rift in the relationship.

However, it is important to say that although it may be disappointing not to get the gift you were wishing for, don’t take it to heart. Just because your hubby or girlfriend gives you a cheap and generic present should not lead to a breakup. The f a c t that he/she did not get you an expensive gift may say more about their bank balance and the fact that you need to be more understanding of his/her financial situation. Do not assess the value of the gift that you receive; rather be thankful for the thoughtfulness of the gift-giver. So Determine in your heart to be more appreciative of the gifts you’ll receive in this years’ Valentine’s Day no matter the price tag.

Suffice it to say that not getting a good gift for that person you profess to love on Valentine’s Day when you could readily afford it is more or less a capital offence. Also, when you neglect to put up an important love message or the picture of your love on either your Facebook wall or blackberry BBM dedicated solely to the love of your life, could even land you a jail sentence. (Laughing) What you do on Valentine’s Day to show your love should be far more important than what you bought as valentine gift. On a love day such as this one, you’ll agree with me that it is the little things you do that makes the day very special and not necessarily the gifts you bring. To really make Valentine’s Day special, it can help to think outside the box and plan something a little more creative.

While most of us have work and responsibilities to attend to on Valentine’s Day, it is possible to maintain the romance throughout the day with minimal money and effort. To really make the most of the day, try not to keep celebrations just for the evening. Instead, get up a bit earlier and start the day with breakfast in bed, then send a quick text during the day (or slip a note in with their lunch) to let them know that you are thinking of them and looking forward to your plans later. That way you keep the love flame aglow while you wait for the evening session where you express your love in the most graphic way possible.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Heart-throb ...Find your soul mate here

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

37

&

Weddings Engagements CELEBRATING THE JOY IN MARITAL BLISS FEBRUARY 10, 2013

‘Kele kele’ songstress, Tiwa Savage engaged on her birthday

N

igerian sexy and ‘kele kele love’ songstress, Tiwa Savage is now officially engaged to Tunji, popularly known as Tee Billz in the music industry.

Tee Billz popped the big question, “will you marry me?” on February 5, 2013 at her 33rd birthday dinner which held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos and had close family members, friends and well wishers in attendance and she said ‘yes’ after which they sealed it with a long kiss. He popped the question shortly after Praiz sang a wonderful rendition of the birthday song to the Mavin Record first lady. Immediately, Tunji went down on one knee and in a very emotional voice proposed to her.

The beautiful moment was witnessed

by Mavin Record boss, Don Jazzy, Banky W, Dr. Sid, Praiz, the Mavin crew, Beat FM Personality, Toolz and several others.

Before now, the couple had consistently denied having a love relationship, and even when marriage rumours surfaced weeks ago, their denials became even more intense. However, on the morning of February 5th, 2013 which happens to be Tiwa’s birthday, Tee Billz reportedly updated his BlackBerry Messenger status to ‘Happy birthday Mrs Billz.’ On her part, Tiwa also posted two birthday

You have a story to tell us about your wedding/engagement, or your new born baby.

You can call this line 08051980588

BABIES OF THE WEEK

cakes on her Instagram page. The inscription on the first cake read ‘Happy birthday Mrs. Billz‘.

Tee Billz is also her manager and business partner.

The couple received a lot of congratulatory messages on the social media, twitter after the proposal.

Royahn Abolore Alabi was born at Ifako Ijaye General Hospital, Lagos, to Mojeed and Atinuke Alabi. He was delivered at 1:13pm and weighed 3.2 kg.

Atinuke revealed that, “During the pregnancy, I liked eating amala with vegetable or ewedu with dry fish.”

What were the obvious physical changes?

“Physical changes included protruding belly and darker skin,” stressed Atinuke.

What irritated her during the pregnancy? Atinuke said that she was not irritated by anything.

“Nothing irritated me and I never vomited,” she added.

What do Royahn’s parents like about him?

“Royahn is his daddy’s carbon copy,” Atinuke emphasised.

What do his parents want him to become in future? “We want him to become a world class professional in whatever good career he chooses,” Atinuke stressed.

What is the meaning of Royahn? Atinuke revealed that “Royahn means fulfillment and satisfaction.”

Chucks and Ene of Tinsel get married in real life

I

n the make belief world, sometimes partners who are romantically involved and truly love each other end up getting married. But the truth is that how many of such happen in reality?

On January 25, 2013, Nigerian actors, Florence Uwaleke and Iyke Okechukwu surprised everyone when they got married traditionally.

We learnt that the traditional wedding took place at the bride’s home in Owerri, Imo State.

Florence is popularly known as Ene while Iyke is known as Chuks on the popular M-Net soap opera, Tinsel. In Tinsel, the couple dated for some time and eventually got married.

They were a young couple who were madly in love with each other and tolerated each other’s excesses. However, today, they have brought their love story from the set of Tinsel to reality.

Florence and Iyke dated quietly for a while and actually bonded during those long hours on set. It will not be out of place to say that even their roles as lovebirds in Tinsel might have also influenced their relationship which they have taken to the next step. It was gathered that Iyke proposed to Florence, his sweetheart late last year and she happily accepted to be his wife.

It was a day of double celebration for Florence because she got married on her birthday.

The white wedding will take place sometime in the year.

Khadijat Wuraola Adekunle-Sodiq was born at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo to Saheed and Mujirat Adekunle-Sodiq. She was delivered at 7.57 p.m. and weighed 2.9 kg.

According to Mujirat during the pregnancy, “I craved for different kinds of food like rice, amala and fruits as well.”

What irritated her during the pregnancy? Mujirat said that she hated dirty environments.

What do Khadijat’s parents love about her? “She resembles our first born who is robust and heavy,” Mujirat stressed.

What do they want her to become in future? “Almighty Allah will decide for her but as her parents we would prefer she becomes the Justice of the Supreme Court,” Saheed emphasised.

What is the meaning of Kahdijat? “Kahdijat means Mother of faith,” concluded Mujirat.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

38

A Fashionista’s

World FEBRUARY 10, 2013

I don’t have a boyfriend and that’s not my priority now –Miss Globe Vivian Oghale Agahro is the current Miss Globe. This stunning beauty who is a graduate of Theatre Arts from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State speaks with Adaeze Amos about how she emerged Miss Globe and her plans for the future.

What are your statistics?

I’m five feet seven inches tall, dark complexioned and I have brown eyes. My statistics are 32, 30, 38.

What do you like to do when you are less busy now that you are a queen?

On a lighter note, I love to sleep because it is the only way I relax. Sleeping puts me in a surrealistic state where everything is possible. I also love to dance.

What are your favourite food and colour?

My favourite food is rice and my best colour is pink Did you ever envisage being a beauty queen when you were much younger?

Actually, I never did because I was just like every growing child. When I was in my early teens, I got people telling me I’m going to become a beauty queen or model someday because of my features. I accepted what they said in good faith. So, as I grew up, I decided to give pageantry a shot.

Was your dad in support of this?

Yes he was. In fact, he was the one who actually got me my first pageantry form in 2004 but I have forgotten the name of the pageantry. So, he has always been in support of me participating in beauty pageants.

When did you start to actualise your dream of becoming a beauty queen?

It was in 2006. I was in my first year in the University of Port Harcourt. I took the form to participate in my departmental pageant called Face of ATAS (Association of Theatre Arts Students) and I came out first runner-up.

Apart from Miss Globe which other beauty pageants outside your school have you participated in?

I participated in a few like Miss Intercontinental in 2008, Miss Oil and Gas in the same year and Face of Daniels International beauty Pageant now known as Beauty of Africa Pageant in 2009.

What is Miss Globe all about?

It is a pageant aimed at bringing different cultures together and promoting peace. It has been on for 20 years and it is ranked as the third biggest pageant in the world.

Where did Miss Globe pageant take place?

It took place in Europe, in four different countries namely Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania.

But the grand finale was held in Albania. It had over 40 contestants from different countries and Miss Albania emerged the winner.

Did you feel inferior in the midst of the white beauty queens?

No, I didn’t, not for a second. I even felt superior because I was the only dark-skinned person there. The contestants gave me that feeling of superiority because they always wanted to be around me and it made me very popular in the camp. So, I didn’t feel inferior because black is beautiful and I’m a proud black woman. Also, because Africa is the cradle of civilization.

What gave you an edge over others?

I stood out from other contestants and beside that I had God’s favour.

How do you see yourself now that you are a queen?

First and foremost, I see myself as a role model to every girl in Nigeria and I conduct myself as a role model because these girls would be looking up to me.

What lesson have you learnt from being Miss Globe?

Being Miss Globe has proved that anybody can rise to any standard in life if he or she works towards it.

What are your duties as Miss Globe?

My duty is to fly the flag of Nigeria in the international community and locally to promote peace in Nigeria. I also play a mentoring role to young and aspiring beauty queens.

What is your pet project?

My pet project is aimed at carrying out a sensitization programme about flood that ravaged those living around the coastal area in Nigeria. Secondly, to preach peace to people because without peace there will be no meaningful development in Nigeria. I also intend to use my office to campaign against the destruction of lives and properties through terrorist activities because terrorism threatens the peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

Do you have the hope of going for bigger pageants?

If the opportunity presents itself, sure I will grab it with both hands.

Who is your boyfriend?

I don’t have a boyfriend, that is not my priority right now.

What are you going to change about your lifestyle now that you are a queen?

I’m not going to change anything about me. I’m only going to strive to become a good role model because people are looking up to me.

What is your style?

I’m simple. I don’t move with fashion trends.

Who are the ladies you admire?

Agbani Darego because she was the first Nigerian to win Miss World crown and Omowunmi Akinnifesi, former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria.

Any hope of settling down one day or you don’t consider marriage in your agenda?

Sure, I hope to get married one day. That is the dream of every woman; to have a loving family. We must procreate for life to go on.

What then are the qualities of your ideal man?

A good and God-fearing man that will love and respect me.

What is it about beauty pageants that thrill you?

The whole composition, from the audition to life on

camp, the experience of meeting different people with different philosophy about life. The healthy rivalry that characterises pageantries and above all the grand finale make hearts of contestants to race like a stallion (laughs).

Finally, what is it about life generally that thrills you?

Life presents us with uncertainties, our inability to predict the future thrills me and creates an unprecedented drive in us.

Whenever I wake up and think about my family and the grace of God that keeps m e going, I smile.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Opinion

Sunday February 10, 2013

39

Between Abati and the President’s critics

E

bullient American President, John F. Kennedy, was quietly seated in the Oval Room at the White House, when two writers working on his biography came calling. One of them, in the course of interraction, had made a slightly critical comment about folk hero, President Abraham Lincoln, who governed the US from 1861 to ’65. Swiftly, Kennedy’s countenance changed, to show disapproval and he promptly responded that no one has the right to condemn a President over his action. In the context of that discourse, Kennedy was only referring to the fact that, for a leader to arrive at a decision after due consultation with his team, he must have been sure-footed, though in the cocoon of leadership encampment.

That paraphrased recast is simply to bring dialectics into the raging riposte between the Presidency and the now greatly enlarged camp of the opposition.

Curiously, eminent Nigerians now averse to the leadership style of President Goodluck Jonathan are such in surge that party partisanship is clearly out of it.

Last Sunday, however, the brickbats hit a crescendo when the President’s spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, graced virtually all Nigerian newspapers with a steaming hot slammer, “The hypocrisy of yesterday’s men’, in which he lampooned the President’s heavyweight critics. In what was also seen as an amazing speed in clash-reply, intrepid prose-stylist and former Aviation minister, Mr. Femi FaniKayode, the following day, jabbed Abati, as it were, in an article titled, ‘Delusions of today’s men of power.’ From there, all on both sides of the combat hit the stump of unrestrained diatribe, in the jackal prowess of anything Nigerian.

OBASANJO LEFT BEHIND A WHOOPING $67 BILLION AS THE COUNTRY’S EXTERNAL RESERVE BUT THAT UNDER JONATHAN, THE AMOUNT HAD BEEN GREATLY DEPLETED TO THE EXTENT THAT THE COUNTRY COULD NO LONGER BOAST OF EVEN Though initially, the streets had been abuzz with evening breeze rumour that former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his cuddled grand-successor, President Jonathan, have parted ways. It was not until lately that the exchange of intellectual cudgels between those loyal to both sides brought to grim reality, the fact that ‘a father and his son’ are no longer in talking terms. Developing events have thus sheared off the façade of toothy camaraderie believed to subsist between Aso Rock and Ota Farm.

Really, the meat in Abati’s scathing remarks on the President’s highly placed critics is an unconscious effort to justify Kennedy’s quipping comment, to the effect that a President is a team player who alone bears the burden of all, whereas his critics feel otherwise.

While Abati was justifying his brief, which is to propagate the ‘good deeds’ of the Jonathan administration, Kennedy, on his part, gave vent to class protection, which is that, a sitting President should protect an ex-President, more so one who ruled over a century ago; that is, whose direct impact on the tenure of the incumbent is patently foggy and farfetched, as could be intoned.

But again, it is sublime, noting that Abati’s article is understandably survivalist, in his undisguised attempt

$6 BILLION

to belittle those in the opposition. As the President’s Special Adviser on Media, he could not have been expected to do otherwise, as not acting the way he did would simply amount to the hara-kiri of a world-class fool. That is exactly the style with media managers in government, in Nigeria. This also applies to Fani-Kayode and the others now hitting at the President, as they too would have similarly defended Obasanjo this way while in power and are expected to still form a wall of protection round him now, because they still adore him.

That ends with the fight between the ‘children’ of Ota Farm and those of Aso Rock. But in the course of raging hostilities between the two camps, Nigerians have either been horrified or regaled with one startling revelation or the other. As the battle raged penultimate week, however, the chilling revelation that reverberated in my spine was the expose brought out by Lady Oby Ezekwesili, the former Education Minister.

According to her, Obasanjo left behind a whooping $67 billion as the country’s external reserve but that under Jonathan, the amount had been greatly depleted to the extent that the country could no longer boast of even $6 billion. Quarrelling or no, Ezekwezili should know better; as a Vice-President of the World Bank and

Kayode de Fasua ua

kayodefasua@nationalmirroronline.net (07043855192; SMS only, pls)

as a Nigerian, she would no doubt have global financial detail relating to her fatherland, at her fingertip.

The ordinary men and women, who are the holoi poloi, the wretched of the earth, have particularly been complaining of hunger at a time government says it has boosted agriculture; they have been roaming about the streets in the era the Jonathan government has created thousands of employment; they have been groping in the dark despite that this hardworking government has boosted power generation by additional 2000 megawatts; and of course, they have been dying in thousands in the hands of insurgents, whereas, the good administration has told everyone to go about their normal business as the situation is under control.

Someone who chooses to walk with the head in neglect of the legs can never be in short of headache or migraine. A profligate system that advocates prudence is like a great midnight dancer clad in rags; daylight will sooner reveal all. As such, the Jonathan government should distance itself from the pedestrian act of sending intellectual bulldogs after critics, but should learn from criticism and adjust for the common good.

For forever, there must be dissentients, also for the good of all.

Abia needs bad governance media tour ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE

T

he Good Governance Media Tour under the leadership of Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, had come to Abia State and gone, but the dust its visit had raised is yet to settle. Speaking with newsmen, Governor Theodore Orji said that the tour seemed orchestrated for Abia State, but it had ended up exposing his critics and that the state was under-reported.

While reading Orji in an interview it was as if one Louis Kronenberger in Company Manners had Orji at heart when he wrote that one of the misfortunes of our time is that in getting rid of false-shame we have killed off so much real shame as well.

People like Gov. Orji are the only ones who rejoice in such occasion that bystanders had rated Labaru Maku-led team to the Abia State as very low; and there should be the Bad Governance Media Tour that would tell Orji what he would not like to hear. Not that of Maku.

The Minister’s “good governance” tour of Abia State and the veiling of shame in praise of mendacity were baseless.

What Maku had succeeded to do in Abia State was to defocus the world that there was Federal Government’s presence in that state, which was not true. Did the Minister reach Aba town to

see the high degree of bad governance that their guided and censored tour was unable to meet? The environmental decadence of Aba is one reason there should be the Bad Governance Media Tour in Abia State.

The overrating of Abia State by Labaru Maku was a shock, when Orji could not show anything on ground his government could say it had accomplished, except verbal report. So, from where did Maku get his pumped-up appraisals of the state? Did Maku form his opinion based on the manipulation of the human rights in Abia State by the Orji administration, the non-conduct of LGAs election, reckless abuse of the Fiscal Responsibility Law, Public Procurement law, FOI law, and condescension of Civil Service or what?

That Maku was in total praise of the government in Abia was like a child eating from the house of those that killed his or her parents. It was not politics when a person or group decided to give a nod to evil and corruption and evaluating them in the positive. How come that the “Good Governance Media Tour” failed to see proper the shame called Abia State? Perhaps, Orji took them to his compound, because that is the only beautified place in Abia State, and the

blatant “Good Governance Media Tour” thought that it was part of the bloated Abia projects.

The Utopian rating of Abia State by the “Good Governance Media Tour” had shown that Maku was a national parrot, a singer, who would not stop singing for his self-seeking position, even when there was nothing to sing about. Did Maku visit the International Market – Ariaria Market, Ekeoha Plaza and Ngwa Road market? So, from where did he get his ill-fated facts that Abia State was using its economy judiciously? It was obvious that this “Good Governance Media Tour” of Abia State was hyperguided in order not to find the true state of the government of Governor Orji in Abia State.

But it was dangerous and shameful that any right thinking person could say that Abia State was great in term of good governance. It was not an impressive statement of an outing. Such would not make Abia State and its lameduck government to progress. The “Good Governance Media Tour” wanted to close the eyes of people from the crudity called government in that state but has succeeded to energise onlookers to beam more on the state.

Governor Orji should stop boast-

ing yet that he had received numerous text messages on commendations from citizens within the country and in the Diaspora. He has been boasting that such text messages came from the United States of America (U.S.A.), United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Ghana and other places since the tour ended.

Orji should not be jubilating yet because “Bad Governance Media Tour” is on the way to Abia State. And he will be crying, contrary to his outburst that “This Good Governance Project is good.

It is a wonderful one and I commend the Presidency, the Minister and all of the journalists that found time to come...”

When “Bad Governance Media Tour” comes to Abia State, it will write what it sees in Abia State, and not what it is told by Governor Orji to write about Abia State. It will tell the world how Orji has been using propaganda to run his government. And by then, people like Labaran Maku will cover their face in embarrass-ment and shall be reminded that lies can never wash shame.

•Odimegwu Onwumere, Poet/Author, contributed this piece right from Umuahia, the Abia State capital. Email: apoet_25@yahoo.com

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Politics

Nigeria has just begun the celebration of its centenary, what is your view on this?

There is unity, there is one country and so there is no question of anybody asking or talking about whether we need to stay together or to stay apart.

You saw all our leaders who are alive, from Gowon, up to our present president were present, all of them without exemption. We have seen also members of the National Assembly, all of them said yes. We thank God for the existence of Nigeria for 100 years as a country. It is a great Nigeria with good promise; that is important for us. Within this 100 years, we did very well, we even fought a civil war and we resolved ourselves to ensure that after all that, we still remain one united country. I thanked God when I saw what they were doing because I was a witness as a young person, when the British flag, the union jack, was lowered and Nigerian flag raised. I was there watching at Tafawa Belewa Square when our independence was handed over to us and today we are talking about our 100 years in existence as a nation. What we need to do now is to continue with that resilience to build a better, united and a prosperous country because we have every opportunity, education-wise, resource-wise, political-wise, we are all there. Today Nigeria is 14 years in democracy.

We have to deepen and strengthen it. We should encourage ability to move toward consensus issues; to talk about what unites us most and not what divides, that is the only way we can help our country move forward. Today, we are a regional power; we are in Mali, we had been in Liberia, Sierra Leone and we are among the first to put our soldiers in the frontline to salvage our members from the yoke of apartheid. That is somehow great; it is a history which we should be proud of. For us, 100 years in existence is wonderful and what we need is the future so that in prosperity, we would celebrate the 200 years of our existence.

Are you satisfied with the transformation in the last 100 years, particularly the economic and political development?

Development not only means the physical, it also means the ideas, the psyche of the people, that is what we should be looking for because you can not quantify development. Are you talking about physical development or real mental and social development? Today, you imagine our nationals who are outside our boundaries, who are making waves all over the world, doctors, lawyers, engineers etc. Look at our development in physical infrastructure; our roads, health, agriculture were not like that before; about 50 years we were off colonial rule that we we’re able to do that. We need to compare and contrast what happened before. What we need to do now is to learn to fast-track further development in all respects. That is why I talk about Diaspora, bringing our people in. Fast-tracking the agriculture and adding value to it; by improving our railway so that trains can run faster, building infrastructure, improving power so that we would be able to cater for the needs of our people. You cannot reap unless you plant.

You were in Addis Ababa during the AU summit.

Looking at the situation in Nigeria, do you think the country still commands respect in the comity of nations, especially in Africa?

Of course Nigeria as a country, contributed to all the debates that led to a policy. I was there as chairman of ABRM; we were there with eminent Nigerians; Obasanjo was there; so also was our President.

We are not looking at what these two people have said or done; that is not the case. The case was that as a country we went there to tell them that we are in Mali to bring peace. Tell me which other African country, not only being outside the borders, but are working shoulder to shoulder with developed nations like France, Britain and Germany. To me, that is the hallmark of being respected and accepted.

How do you feel when you hear people blame your

Sunday, February 10, 2013

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Tukur

Merger or not, PDP has no rival –Tukur

Two major events took place last week. One was the commencement of the centenary celebration of Nigeria as a nation and the other was the merger of four political parties in the country. National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, in this interview with Obiora Ifoh reiterates that for unity to be achieved in the country, there is need for consensus approach on issues. He also reacts to the merger of the opposition parties and insists the PDP is the party to beat. Excerpts: party for not leading well in the last 13 years?

Opposition is meant to criticise, to oppose. Yes, why not, but are they correct? If we didn’t lead our country correctly, are we going to see the democracy we are seeing today? We ran election and won, Nigerians have spoken; that is why we are still in government.

Nigerians were surprised to see ex-President Obasanjo and President Jonathan together in the church; how do you think that their reunion will help development in the country, stabilise the polity and your party?

I will ask you myself, don’t you want to see that we are building one on top of the other. Obasanjo was the president before, today it is Jonathan. For him to really now go and work with Jonathan and give Jonathan what he knows, so that Jonathan will help us move forward and to also hand over one day to somebody. Is it not right and encouraging? Let us clap for them.

What is the agenda of the party to tackle the issue of Boko Haram?

When we came, I said that the agenda of PDP is reconciliation, dialogue, rebuilding our party based on equity and justice. If you cannot dialogue with people, you cannot win. The triple ‘d’ of PDP is defence, dialogue and diplomacy.

What is your reaction to the merger of the opposition parties? Are you not threatened by the possibility of being defeated giving the strength of the opposition?

Beautiful. The more the merrier. Let me tell you, there is no polling booth in the whole of Nigeria where you do not have one member of PDP. PDP is the only party in the country that fields candidates in every polling booth in the country. That shows the acceptance. It’s the party in government now that is in the majority. It does not mean that we want to be a party and there is no opposition.

In fact, opposition is a charge to action. People tend to believe that when they see people coming together, that they will be a threat. If they have the strength, why do they come together? If you go for a contest, you have the striker, you know Lionel Messi, PDP is Messi in that contest. They are not threat at all; it is better, it inspires PDP to action.

In that contest, tell them that I said PDP is the Messi. When we came to form PDP, we did not ask anybody that we wanted a one party state; Nigerians should really decide, it is the electorate, ours is a grassroots party. My job is to hand over this party to the owners. They are the ones to decide from the wards, local governments, states, zones and to the centre. PDP is the party that is steering the nation’s governance.

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Politics

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Aluko

Ogundipe

e to challenge Fayemi

election in the state from pursuing their intent, saying: “I believe anybody having any contrary opinion is on his own.

If somebody is not satisfied and wants to come out to contest, he is free.

“The declaration was because the governor has done something that interests the party. But it is still going to be affirmed. The affirmation will be done when the party rolls out its calendar. That will resolve the issue of candidacy,” the party chairman said.

Although Fayemi had not expressed interest in contesting for the office for a second term, he said his preoccupation for now was consolidation of the various development and life-transforming projects that had been the hallmark of the administration in the last two years, his party and ACN members had started rooting for his re-election.

This is as sources in the party said the governorship ticket of the party will be keenly contested by the governor and other aspirants, adding that some interested party members were only buying time and would indicate their interest in the coveted office soon.

Within the PDP, which is at present parading no fewer than 12 governorship aspirants, there is renewed confidence that the party will clinch the governorship from the ruling ACN based on what the state PDP Chairman, Mr Makanjuola Ogundipe, described as the “lacklustre attitude of the ruling party in government since it assumed power over two years ago”.

The confidence in the PDP circle emanates from the fact that the members believed in the party’s popularity and that “we were robbed of power through the manipulations

2015?

Oshiomhole said: “all should recognise for l of sacrifices will be required to moderate st be ready to submit r national interest. se involved in the prothe irreducible minied to make those sact is all about Nigeria, y its about giving our choose from. That the ward or sanction and r have to listen to the

the emergence of the PC) said “it is healthy, ll accept there is no racy and the best eviwhen people are able rty or the other so that ,” he noted.

Mallam Shekarau said s of the National Re-

of the judiciary that produced the incumbent ACN government in October 2010”, according to Ogundipe.

However, how the PDP in the state resolves the internal and leadership crises rocking the party matters in the realisation of its dream of achieving its governorship ambition.

About a year after, the party has not resolved the problem that arose from the May 18 last year congress of the party whereby a contender for the chairmanship position, Hon Akin Omole, dragged the party to court only last month.

Moreover, there is the contentious zonal arrangement in the party over the governorship candidate. Under the arrangement, which some analysts say is capable of causing disintegration in the party, people from the southern senatorial zone are of the opinion that it is their turn to produce the next governor of the state.

Their argument is that northern and central senatorial districts have produced two governors apiece, while the best of the southern district had been deputy governors.

This is why PDP members in the zone are grouping and regrouping to ensure one of them emerged the candidate of the party and expected to get their support for the election.

Among aspirants from the southern district, who are ever persuaded that the governorship candidate of the party should come from their area are former deputy governor, Abiodun Aluko; former deputy governor, Mr Bisi Omoyeni; Senator Bode Olowoporoku; former Afenifere scribe, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; Senator Gbenga Aluko; Hon Ropo Ogunbolude and Mr Bimbo Owolabi. However, the zoning issue is causing disquiet in the party as other aspirants from the remaining two senatorial districts are as well jos-

building and Inter-Party Committee of the ANPP is to reach out to other political parties of like minds to enrich the democratic process and give Nigerians an alternative choice.

He noted that the formation of the Alliance for Progressive Congress APC by four frontline progressive parties is a major breakthrough in the country and he assured that the ANPP is committed to providing the people an alternative platform in the country. He said: “ANPP is committed to this new change and this new progressive development to provide Nigerians with an alternative platform to ensure that the aspirations of Nigerians for good governance at the centre is realised.”

Meanwhile, senators from the four opposition political parties and Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) Thursday in Abuja endorsed the merger and formation of APC. Sen. George Akume, who spoke with newsmen, expressed the support of the affected senators toward APC. Akume, who is also the Senate Minority Leader, described the development as ``a step in the right direction and a national rescue mission’’.

He said the endorsement of the senators concerned for the merger was based on the effort to save the fortunes of the country.

Akume said the opposition senators hailed the merger talks among the progressive parties because

41

Awe

tling for the party ticket for the 2014 governorship.

The aspirants include former governor, Ayodele Fayose (North); Police Affairs Minister, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (North); Hon Wale Aribisala (North); Senator Ayo Arise (North); Mr Yinka Akerele (North); Chief Peter Obafemi (North); and former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s aide, Mr Bodunde Adeyanju (Central). Ex-governor Fayose in expressing opposition to the issue of zoning and perhaps speaking the mind of aspirants from other senatorial districts, described the calls for zoning as “the design of the political weaklings who are only looking for shortcuts”.

His words: “I do not know anywhere that governorship is zoned. I am counting on my popularity to get the ticket of the party and the votes of the people. I have an uncompleted assignment in the Government House of Ekiti State. The people are yearning for my return knowing full well that I was unjustly removed from office,” But the youth in the southern senatorial district, who said Fayose was wrong and could not stand for the election having come from the north senatorial district, which had produced two governors, added, “The south district has high calibre gubernatorial aspirants with stainless public and private records who are more politically appealing and can win Ekiti votes more than Fayose.” The youth said in a statement that “Fayemi will have himself to blame by proposing to stand in Ekiti North, which already has done its two terms. Equity and justice must prevail in Ekiti State to avoid political crisis. Ekiti south senatorial district, irrespective of political parties must reject such inordinate ambition of anybody contesting from other senatorial zones”.

However, it is expected that things will take shape in the political atmosphere in the state in the next few weeks as the clock tickles to bring 2014 nearer.

it showed that the stakeholders in the mission were committed to the renewal of the nation.

He called on all members of the five parties across the country to work in partnership with their leaders to achieve the goals and objectives of the new political party. ``We support our leaders; we applaud their wisdom and patriotism in their epochal drive to stem this declining tide. We also appreciate the courage of our governors. ``We call on all the members of our parties in our senatorial districts, our political associates and followers to work assiduously toward the realisation of this national redemption project’’ he said.

Similarly, former Head of State and Presidential candidate of the CPC in the last presidential poll, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari said on Thursday that the merger of opposition political parties was to mobilise Nigerians ahead of the 2015 general elections to unseat the PDP. Buhari offered the explanation to newsmen shortly attending the public presentation of a book written by ex-FCT Minister, Malam Nasir el-Rufa’i, in Abuja. ``To be fair to those in the committee in charge of the parties participating in the merger, we (CPC) have given them terms of reference and so we should allow them to formally report back to us otherwise

we will be undermining the authority we have given them. ``The bottom line is that we want to mobilise Nigerians against 2015 elections to secure and manage the country,’’ he said.

The CPC controls only one state, Nasarawa, in the North Central geo-political zone, but it enjoys a large influence across the 19 states in the Northern part of the country. It was gathered that but for the high handedness of some leaders of the party, CPC would have being in control of some states including Kano, Katsina and Gombe.

Presently, some leaders of the ACN including Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo State) and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun State) are presently in talks with their counterpart in Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, with a bid to wooing him to the ACN so that the entire South West can be under the newly formed Mega Party.

But Mimiko, who is the only governor running on Labour Party (LP) platform has turned the invite. It is said that the governor does not believe in the ideals of the ACN and would not want to associate with the party.

Equally, the CPC, it was gathered, has embarked on a reconciliation exercise in a bid to bring its aggrieved members together and give the APC the needed strength.

42

Sunday, February 10, 2013

GROWING UP with

Aunty Angela growingup5@yahoo.com

Hello children, How are you coping with your studies? I hope you have all set your goals on how to make good grades and stand out in your classes. This week, we have a variety of interesting and educative articles. Have a wonderful week.

SPORTS QUIZ

H

e was born on November 22, 1985 in Accra and he is a Ghanaian professional footballer, who plays as a striker for Al Ain of the UAE Pro-League.

He shot to prominence after scor-

ing three goals at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and also missing a crucial penalty kick in the last minute of extratime in Ghana’s quarter-final defeat

by Uruguay.

On August 31, 2010, he signed for Premier League club Sunderland on a four-year deal and he was later given the squad number 33 shirt at Sunderland.

On September 10, 2011, it was confirmed on the Sunderland website that he would leave on a season long loan to club Al Ain FC. The Ghanaian finished the season with Al Ain by helping them capture their tenth league success and was the top goal scorer in the season with 22 league goals.

However, off the field, he is a musician. He recorded and released a Hiplife song with Castro The Destroyer, where he features under the alias ‘Baby Jet’. The music video shows his famous dance celebration which he demonstrated at the 2010 World Cup and at Sunderland. The song won an award at the Ghana Music awards in 2011.

Questions: Who is this player?

What country does he play?

What jersey number does he wear for his club?

What jersey number does he wear for his country?

ANIMAL FACT

Woodpeckers •Woodpeckers are instantly recognisable by their unique behaviour of pecking vertically on trees and poles.

•The most common feather colours for all woodpeckers are black, white, red and yellow. However, a few species also have orange, green, brown, maroon and gold in their coloration.

•Their short legs and sharp nails make it easier for them to cling to bark.

•A woodpecker’s tongue is up to four inches long depending on the species, and it wraps around the skull.

•Many woodpeckers have thorny tongues that help them extract bugs from trees and holes.

•Most woodpeckers have four toes two face forward and two face backward.

This arrangement is called zygodactyl.

•Woodpeckers eat bugs, sap, fruit,

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nuts and seeds.

•They do not have vocal songs; instead they drum on echoing objects such as hollow trees and logs, utility poles, chimneys, rain gutters and trash cans.

•Between feeding, digging nest cavities and drumming, woodpeckers can peck up to 20 times per second or a total of 8,000-12,000 pecks per day.

•Woodpeckers don’t get headaches from pecking. They have reinforced skulls structured to spread the impact force, and their brains are tightly cushioned and protected.

•The average life span of a wild woodpecker can last from four to 11 years, depending on the species.

•Woodpeckers lay two to eight white eggs. The young are born blind and naked.

•Bristle-like feathers over their nostrils help to keep wood particles from being inhaled.

WHO INVENTED WHAT…?

Charles Perkins Strite form automatic pop-up bread toa the toast after toasting it, was first patented by Charles Strite on May 29, 1919.

Dissatisfied about the burnt toasts being served in the canteen of his company, he invented a mechanical device that toasted bread by exposing it to high-temperature coils. On October 18, 1921, he was granted U.S. patent #1,394,696 on October 18, 1921 for the pop-up bread toaster.

Later he formed Waters Genter Co. and

BRAIN TEASER

QUOTE

Lee, Joe, Sue, Janet and Charles took a math exam. Charles was not last; Janet was not first or last. Charles scored higher than Joe, Janet scored higher than Sue, Lee scored lower than Joe but higher than Janet. Who had the highest score?

If a child is given love, he becomes loving ... If he’s helped when he needs help, he becomes helpful. And if he has been truly valued at home ... he grows up secure enough to look beyond himself to the welfare of others.

Answer: Charles, Joe, Lee, Janet and Sue.

–Dr. Joyce Brothers

Children, you can send your contributions and pictures through this email address growingup5@yahoo.com or call telephone number: 0805 198 0588

T

he big problem with early toasters was that the process was manual.

People had to watch the toast and turn the device off when they thought it was finished. Charles Strite developed the first toaster that modern Americans would recognise; the pop-up toaster.

While this toaster still only toasted on one side, it had a clockwork timer that shut down the heating elements and pushed the toast up out of the machine. It still had to be watched, but it was the first step to creating an automated system.

The automatic pop-up toaster, which ejects

Modern inventions

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43

Sunday, February 10, 2013

DID YOU KNOW?

Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake Lake Victoria, also called Victoria Nyanza, is Africa’s largest lake and chief reservoir of the Nile, located in eastern Africa lying mainly in Tanzania and Uganda but bordering on Kenya. It is the world’s second largest freshwater lake, following Lake Superior in North Ameri-

ca.

The lake was named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, a British explorer and the first European to discover this lake in 1858. Its area is 26,828 square miles (69,484 square km).

Find and circle all the words related to Christmas. They could be found in any direction.

P

C

R

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D

R

O

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R

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K K U Family Umbrella Recorder Crayon Straw

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victory Clock Rug juice Hat

puzzle Calendar Pencil snacks Bottle

JOKE

Bobby and the sweets

O

MATCH UP

ulated the ster started selling his toasters to restaurants.

In 1925, using a redesigned version of Strite’s toaster, the Waters Genter Company introduced the Model 1-A-1 Toastmaster, the first automatic pop-up, household toaster that could brown bread on both sides simultaneously, set the heating element on a timer, and eject the toast when finished.

Charles Perkins Strite was an American inventor. He was born in Florida on February 27, 1878 and died on October 18, 1956.

Modern toasters have come a long way from the simple pop-up timer variety. Toasters now have a variety of settings, and some toasters can tell the time or make eggs for you in the morning or anytime of the day.

Old invention

Match each word in the left column with its synonym (that has the same meaning) on the right. Good luck.

Dishonest Succumb Felicitate Happy Joyful Congratulate Sad Corrupt

WORD JUMBLE

didn’t take.

The shopkeeper then took the sweets and gave to Bobby. He was very happy to get two hands full of sweets.

Bobby’s mother was curious to find out why he behaved that way. So while returning home she asked him, “Why didn’t you take the sweets when the shopkeeper told you to take?”

Bobby smiling replied, “Mom! My hands are very small and if I take the sweets I can only take a few. But when uncle gave with his big hands, see how many more sweets I got?”

RIDDLES Why did the woman wear a helmet at the

TONGUE TWISTER

dinner table?

Answer: She was on a crash diet

I can be long, or I can be short.

I can be grown, and I can be bought.

I can be painted, or left bare.

I can be round, or I can be square.

What am I? Answer: Fingernail At the sound of me, men may dream or stamp their feet.

At the sound of me, women may laugh or sometimes weep.

Who am I? Answer: Music

Roni ----------Stiged ------Ossireu ------Rnlae ------The letters below represent a common phrase. Can you figure it out?

UODGOCKL -------------------------

ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK’S WORD JUMBLE Trssede --------- Dessert Vleo ----------

ne day, little Bobby followed his mother to a shop. When they got there, the shopkeeper looked at small cute Bobby and showed him a bottle with sweets and said, ‘’Dear child, you can take the sweets”. But Bobby didn’t take any.

The shopkeeper was surprised, as he murmured, “Such a small child he is but why is he not taking the sweets from the bottle? Some minutes later, once again, the shopkeeper said, “Take the sweets little boy”. This time around, Bobby’s mother heard and said, “Take the sweets Bobby dear.” However, Bobby still

Love

Myfial ----------- Family The letters below represent a common phrase. Can you figure it out?

FJRUISETNDS ----------------------JUST FRIENDS

One-One was a racehorse; Two-Two was one, too.

When One-One won one race, Two-Two won one, too. On mules we find two legs behind And two we find before.

We stand behind before we find What those behind be for.

POP

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

44

Lessons of Life

ANGELA DAVIES lessonsoflife2@yahoo.com 08023342083

TRUE LIFE STORY ON MATTERS OF THE HEART FEBRUARY 10, 2013

‘I helped a ‘sister’ into my home, she took over my husband’

I

s it wrong to give shelter to a female church member? I was once a happily married woman but today I am a single mother because of ‘sister’ Patience whom we all thought was a true born again Christian and actually needed a roof over her head.

If I had only listened to my husband, Anthony, and stuck to his initial suggestion, I know my marriage would have still been intact despite my childlessness then.

My name is Jasmine and this is my story.

It was one fateful Wednesday afternoon at about 2:30 pm that I received a phone call from my pastor, Pastor Emmanuel; he requested to see me and my husband after church service that evening. Amazed, I said, “Pastor, I hope there is no problem because you have not called us for some time now.” He assured me that everything was alright.

Immediately after the service, Anthony and I went to the pastor’s office. He told us that there was a ‘sister’ who needs assistance and he believes we were the only ones who could help her. “Sister Patience has been in the church for just a few months however, she is on fire for the Lord. She is a member of the prayer warrior, sanctuary cleaners and choir,” he said. He further stated that, “The sister she is putting up with brought two of her younger siblings to stay with her and since it’s a one-room apartment, the place has become too small and uncomfortable for them so she is looking for another place to stay. When she mentioned it to me, my mind went to you and your husband,” Pastor Emmanuel revealed. At the end, he pleaded with us to be our brother’s keeper. My husband, Anthony promised him that we would think about it and get back to him in three days before leaving his office.

When Anthony and I talked about the issue, he bluntly told me he does not like the idea of a full grown woman living with us; nevertheless he is willing to get a small apartment for her. “Darling, she cannot live in this house with us. But I am willing to get a small apartment for her if Pastor Emmanuel will not mind,” he suggested.

“But darling, we live alone in this duplex.

There is enough room, aside that, the boy’s quarters is also there. Why not allow sister Patience stay with us even if it is in the boy’s quarters,” I suggested. I knew Anthony would eventually agree because he loves me so much and would do anything that would make me happy even though we have been married for almost 10 years without a child. Despite all the pressure from his mother he neither thought of marrying another wife nor chasing me away from our matrimonial home.

Anyway, I succeeded in convincing him and he agreed that she would stay in the boy’s quarters. On the morning of the third day which coincidentally was a Saturday, Pastor Emmanuel came to visit us at home believing that we would have made up our mind. “Welcome pastor, we

wanted to come and see you later in the day but since you are already here, we will just give you our answer,” said Anthony.

“Well, pastor sister Patience can stay with us, however, she will stay at the boy’s quarters,” he stressed. “O thank you brother Anthony, I know I can always count on you and your wife. I will inform her immediately. But when she can move in?” he asked. “Whenever she likes,” I answered.

He thanked us and happily left.

The next day, sister Patience showed up at our house and I took her to the boy’s quarters. “This is where you will be staying. You are welcome and please my dear I want you to feel at home,” I said. “Thank you sister Jasmine, I really appreciate this kind gesture from you and your husband,” she stated. I became challenged as a Christian when I hear sister Patience praying every night, especially between 12 and 2:00 am. Then at exactly 6:00 am again, you would hear her praising God and praying for at least another hour or thereabout. I felt that was the kind of Christian I should be. I felt I was not praying enough about our childless situation and so I decided that I would be a good friend with her so that we could be praying together concerning my childlessness. If possible hold vigils together at least twice a week if necessary.

As weeks went by, I told her I wanted us to be prayer partners and she accepted.

She asked me what the matter was and advised that I open up so that she would know how best to handle the prayer. Since I felt she was a true born again, I told her certain things about myself and my husband because I wanted quick result. We held prayers inside my sitting room once my husband leaves for the office because I am a full time house wife. I never allowed

her go beyond my sitting room. However, a few months later, I took ill when Anthony travelled so I pleaded with sister Patience to come and stay with me until he returned and she agreed.

For those four days, I noticed that I didn’t hear her praise God nor pray like she used to. Even when we scheduled to hold one hour vigil, she told me that she was too tired and I became a bit worried.

Anyway when Anthony came back from his trip, I told him how helpful sister Patience was in his absence and he thanked her.

About two weeks later, I realized that Anthony keeps going to the boys quarters to see sister Patience and when I asked him, he said they were praying concerning ‘our situation’. “Anthony, if you want to pray concerning our situation, I should be there too and the prayer should be done in our apartment and not inside sister Patience’s room,” I emphasized. From that day, Anthony’s attitude towards me changed. She snaps at me at the slightest provocation, he calls me a witch who has eaten up all her children and advises that I become a true child of God like sister Patience. At this point, I knew that the devil had taken over my home and marriage.

When I confronted sister Patience about what was going on between her and my husband, she said she had no idea about what I was talking about. Anthony started making our home uncomfortable for me; so one day, I asked him, “What has taken over your soul? You are no longer the loving husband I married. Darling please tell me what my offence is and I will apologize to you,” I begged. “You are a barren woman and I need children so I have decided to take another wife,” he revealed. “Did you just say another wife? Who is this woman?

Where is your faith? God is the giver of children,” I wept. He told me it was over as God has just revealed his God given wife to him.

I rushed to the church to inform the pastor Emmanuel and he told me he was sure I didn’t hear Anthony well hence he would follow me home to talk to him. To our shock, when Pastor Emmanuel and I got to our house, we saw ‘sister’ Patience sitting on my husband’s lap and they were both drinking whisky while the bible was on the chair. “Sister Patience, what do you think you are doing with Brother Anthony? Is this how you intend to thank the woman who accepted into her house? You should be ashamed of yourself,” Pastor Emma said. “I want you to go to your room, pack your things and leave my compound this minute,” I said. “Well, sister Patience is not leaving this house, and my dear wife you are the one leaving. As we speak she is pregnant for me, something you could not do in almost 10 years. We are getting married at the registry in three days. As for you Pastor Emmanuel, thanks for making me meet my God giving wife. However, I don’t want to see you in my house again. Now both of you leave my house,” he screamed. “Well, my mission is accomplished. My mission was to get a husband and I said to myself, the easiest place to achieve this was in the church. And thank God it worked. I only pretended to be born again so that I could win the heart of Pastor Emmanuel and some church members.

My God, I am a good actress”, Patience revealed.

With teary eyes, I said, “Sister Patience, I accepted you into my house and you had the effrontery to destroy my marriage? I assure you that you will never enjoy your marriage. Now you are all smiles but believe me tomorrow you will be all tears.”

Even Pastor Emmanuel shed tears because of the deception from ‘sister’ Patience who he thought was a true child of God and he was trying to help. Since Anthony asked me to leave his house, I went to my bedroom, packed some of my belongings and important documents and left for my brother’s house.

A month later, I discovered that I was pregnant and nine months later, I gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. Meanwhile I heard that ‘sister’ Patience lost the pregnancy some months later. Anthony and ‘sister’ Patience I learnt live like cat and mouse at home and they are very unhappy.

I always remember them in my prayers. I have moved on with my life and God has been so faithful to me. My son is my world and I don’t intend to remarry.

The only advice I have for readers is that it is good to help people but please you should be sensitive in your spirit because we have a lot of fake born again people in the house of God.

Please send your advice to the phone number or e-mail address above. No calls, please.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

45

Wellness YOUR HEALTH AND HEALTH RELATED ISSUES

Family planning: Why men should be involved FEBRUARY 10, 2013

C

hildren are always a great blessing to their families. Training them can be rewarding and meaningful but at the same time exhausting emotionally and financially. Couples who prepare in advance when they want to have a child, how many children they want and at what time, practise what is known as family planning.

After your first child is born, family planning takes a whole new meaning and having another child will definitely change your family’s lives. An important question for couples to answer is: are you and your partner ready to take care of a newborn again?

Various medical journals define family planning as deliberately choosing when to have children by spacing the number of pregnancies, as well as avoiding unintentional pregnancy. It is a method of choosing to wait to have a baby, or alternatively, to try to conceive at a desired time. Family planning involves the use of some form of contraception or natural family planning methods until a couple is ready for a child.

According to the National Population Commission, Nigeria has a huge population of over 140 million people and this is owing to the fact that women still give birth to about five kids on average and a larger percentage are yet to have access to any form of contraceptives. In a statistics released on their website, “a total of 13 per cent of currently married women are using a method of family planning, including eight per cent who are using a modern method. While most women want large families, there is a minority who wants to limit their family size or wait a period of time before having their next birth but is not using contraception.

Seventeen per cent of currently married women are in these two categories and have an unmet need for family planning”.

Equally, a survey conducted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) noted that contra-

THE BENEFITS OF FAMILY PLANNING To the mother: Her body has enough time to recover from pregnancy and childbirth.

She has more time to regain health and energy.

To the new baby: The baby has an increased chance of being born on time, and not too early.

Condom, the best contraceptive

The baby has a higher chance of weighing enough at birth, instead of being born too little.

Babies born on time and at healthy weights have a better chance of growing well and avoiding sickness. Babies who are born underweight face a higher risk of disabilities.

To older siblings:

Men should be involved in family planning

Child spacing is appropriate in family planning

ceptive use was still very low in many developed countries, including Nigeria where a mere 23.7 per cent of married women had ever used one. Culture, religion, poverty and poor access to these various methods were cited as militating factors responsible for this.

The Society for Family Health (SFH), an affiliate of Population Services International (PSI) which has been trying to promote long-term birth control in Nigeria for the past six years, made a startling discovery. According to it, al-

Go for family planning immediately after child-bearing

Dr. Ayodele

though various types of contraceptive methods are available, about 20 per cent of Nigerian women still do not use them.

What’s in their way? They found out that women who expressed interest in birth control would go home to tell their husbands about contraception, but they never came back to ask for it again. So they understood that for family planning to become effective, especially in the northern part of the country, the men have to be actively involved. This led them to initiate a campaign where

Polio: Ejigbo LG vaccinates 40,000 children The Ejigbo council area in Osun State has immunised 40,495 children under the age of five against polio during the first round of the 2013 immunisation.

Immunisation Officer in the council, Mr. Ismael Akinsola, made this known in an interview with journalists in Ejigbo recently.

Akinsola said the exercise

was to ensure that all children between 0 and 59 months were given oral polio vaccine to protect them against poliomyelitis.

He said the areas covered include: Saka-saka, Isale-Osolo, Popo, OkeBalogun, Ayegbogbo, Ola, Ife-Odan, Masifa, Ilawo and Songbe.

The state Technical Vac-

cinator, Mrs. Ramat Ajibade, who monitored the exercise in the area, also explained that a day-old child was expected to be immunised.

Ajibade said that oral polio vaccines were safe and had no side effects on the children.

She urged the nursing mothers to always immunise their children.

Planning enough time between pregnancies allows the mother to breastfeed for a longer period of time. Breast milk offers unique nutrition to a growing infant.

The mother and father have more time to prepare foods for the older child, as well as more time to provide the loving attention the older child needs and wants.

the husbands of these women were also invited to come to the family planning clinics where they are educated as well on the best way to plan the number of children they want.

It is against this backdrop that the Chief Registrar of the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Dr Ademola Ayodele, spoke to Sunday Mirror about the use of contraceptives, family planning and the importance of involving men in these matters.

“Contraceptive is very important because it helps women to plan appropriately the size of the family and the spacing of their children. Its use is particularly important in our enviCONTINUED ON PAGE 46

HEALTH NEWS

Jigawa sets up 353 safe motherhood committees Jigawa State Government has set up 353 Safe Motherhood Demand Creation Committees to enhance reproductive health services in rural areas of the state.

Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Ha-

diza Abdulwahab, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Dutse.

Abdulwahab said the committees were established under the safe motherhood programme known in the Hausa language as “Haihuwa Lafiya”, initiated by the

ministry.

She said the committees had been saddled with the responsibility of educating communities on reproductive health and mobilising the public to participate in maternal care issues to reduce the mortality rate.

46

Wellness

Know your organs

T

he scrotum is part of the male’s external genitals and it is continuous with the skin of the lower abdomen and is located directly behind the penis and in front of the anus. It is the sac (pouch) that contains the testes, blood vessels, and part of the spermatic cord.

The scrotum is a thin-walled, soft, muscular pouch underneath the penis containing two compartments to hold the testicles, the glands that produce sperm, and one of the epididymides, where the sperm is stored. The scrotal wall is a thin layer of skin lined with smooth muscle tissue. The skin contains more pigment than that of surrounding areas and has many sebaceous (oil-producing) glands and sweat glands, as well as some hair. The two compartments of the scrotum are distinguished externally by a middle ridge called the raphe. Internally, the raphe connects to a muscular partition, the septum, which serves to divide the scrotum into its two areas.

Each testicle (small ball-like structures that produce sperm and hormones) is connected to a cord, called the spermatic cord, which consists of blood vessels, tubes, and nerve and muscle fibers.

The external appearance The major function of the scrotal sac is to keep the testes cooler than 37 degrees Celsius (ninety-eight point six degrees Fahrenheit). The external appearance of the scrotum varies at different times in the same individual depending upon temperature and the subsequent contraction or relaxation of two muscles. These two muscles contract involuntarily when it is cold to move the testes closer to the heat of the body in the pelvic region. This causes the scrotum to appear tightly wrinkled. On the contrary, they relax in warm temperatures causing the testes to lower and the scrotum to become flaccid. The temperature of the testes is maintained at about thirtyfive degrees Celsius (ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit), which is below normal body temperature. Temperature

Sunday, February 10, 2013

The Scrotum has to be lower than normal in order for spermatogenis (sperm production) to take place.

Its characteristics In response to heat or total relaxation, the scrotum becomes very loose and soft, with a smooth surface, and the relaxed muscle fibers cause the testicles to hang farther from the body. These changes in the scrotum illustrate the primary function of the scrotum, which is to act as a natural climate control center for the testicles.

The temperature in the scrotum is a degree or two lower than the usual body temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The testicles need this lower temperature in order to carry out their job of producing viable sperm.

If the testicles are kept at body temperature or higher for a prolonged period, infertility or sterility can result.

The scrotum continually monitors the environment for temperature changes and responds automatically in the way that is best for the production of healthy sperm.

The male scrotum A male’s scrotum is very sensitive to touch and can be a source of sensual pleasure. Some men enjoy having their scrotum stroked and fondled during sexual activity with their partner. A gentle massaging of the scrotum from underneath, cupping the testicles in the palm of the hand is often sensually pleasing to a male.

Failure of the scrotum to cool the testes, which occurs during high fevers or, in some animals, during the hot months, causes temporary sterility.

Swollen scrotum or testicle may or may not cause pain.

Possible causes of scrotum swelling can include: • hydrocele (fluid accumulation in the testicles) • spermatocele (testicular cysts) • testicular cancer • varicocele (swollen spermatic cord) Some of the diseases that can affect the scrotum include: tumors, cancers; inflammation and swelling of the testes as a result of infection or physical injury.

‘Contraceptive use still very low in Nigeria’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 ronment because of the restrictive abortion laws in the country. Birth control is essential, especially for women who believe they have completed the number of children they wish to have. Some of these women do not bother to take measures at control because they believe they are reaching menopause and become careless. We see a lot of these women coming into the hospital seeking abortions which, of course, is illegal. It is important to sound to all women who are up to reproductive age, whether too early or late, as long as the person is sexually active to practise contraception. If you do not want to be pregnant, don’t leave it to chances,” he warned.

Dr Ayodele highlighted various forms of contraceptives that could be used by couples for family planning to include: • Calendar method: Also called rhythm method, which is trying to gauge when the fertility period of the woman is and avoid sex during such periods. This is considered to be one of the oldest forms of contraception.

Because there are compromises in the heat of the moment, most men will convince their wives to neglect this method and as such pregnancy can occur. In these cases, we tell couples to combine two methods - condoms and calendar method - to fortify the leakages. Both should not be used in isolation; by the time you combine them, the effectiveness rises almost to the level of the other types of contraceptives.

• Intra uterine contraceptive device (IUD): A small foreign body, usually made of plastic with or without copper or a progestin, placed into the uterine cavity to provide an effective method of contraception. This is particularly effective because it has no metabolic side effect and can last up to six-seven years. Its major side ef-

fect is that it can be predisposed to infection; otherwise it is known to have the longest ratio of effectiveness.

• Oral steroid contraceptives: Otherwise known as the pill, it is very effective in the prevention of pregnancies for both married and unmarried women.

Other methods include post coital contraception, which is the administration of steroid drugs (emergency pills) or insertion of an IUD within three days, after an episode of unprotected sexual intercourse; long lasting contraceptive steroids and periodic or total abstinence.

The medical doctor, however, insists that without the husbands being actively involved in the use of any of these methods, any type of contraceptive a woman desires to use for family planning will prove abortive in the long run. “Before we advise any woman on the particular contraceptive to use, we also wish to know that she has the consent of her husband. You see, whatever we do, we will like the husband to be involved. In Nigeria, most men do not follow their wives to practise any form of family planning. The secret here is that a woman does not just say I want family planning without her husband or else it will be catastrophic. Ideally, what should happen is that the men should come in with their wives for family planning. Some of the misconception that men have would be destroyed by adequate trained professionals if only their wives can bring them for counselling. By doing so, you are not just treating the woman but the couple as a whole,” he said.

Medical experts advise that until you make a decision about when to have another child, be sure to use a reliable method of birth control even if you’re breast-feeding.

Once you feel ready to get pregnant again, it is important to seek advice from the various family planning clinics scattered all over the country.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Your

BONE Health

with Dr. Olatunji Idowu

Broken wrist injury (2)

However, if the x-ray shows that the two fragments of bone are displaced away from each other, or not well aligned, then the emergency department doctor will have to manipulate the fragments back into position. This procedure is done under anaesthetic and once the bone has been repositioned, the forearm and wrist will be immobilised in a plaster for 6 weeks. The wrist should be x-rayed again after 2 weeks to make sure that the bone is still well aligned. Depending on the preference of the treating doctor it may be possible to use a Removable Cast from two or three weeks so long as the x-ray shows that the bone is healing well.

Removable Wrist Supports provide the same degree of protection as a conventional plaster, but are much lighter and therefore more comfortable to wear. The fact that they can be removed allows washing of the wrist region, making it much more hygienic than a conventional plaster which allows the user to keep the skin in good condition.

Rehabilitation begins immediately by maintaining the range of movement in the shoulder, fingers and thumb, on the side of the affected wrist. This prevents secondary stiffness in these areas and helps to resolve swelling in the wrist.

Assuming that there are no complications with healing, the plaster can usually be removed after 6 weeks, if the doctor is satisfied that the bone has united and healed itself. At this stage more active rehabilitation can be undertaken.

Exercises in warm water are helpful to improve the hydration of the skin if it was encased in a plaster of paris. These also encourage the patient to gently begin moving the wrist in all directions, relieving stiffness. Exercises using Therapeutic Putty, Hand Therapy Balls and Finger & Grip Strengtheners can add strength to the muscles around the wrist and resolve wrist swelling. In the period following the removal of the plaster it may be helpful to wear a Wrist Support when not doing the exercises.

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.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

Business FRESH BUSINESS NEWS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Sunday February 10, 2013

G

ov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has blamed government’s failure to either rehabilitate or reconstruct the road leading to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on politics.

Speaking at an interactive session with media executives and top editors late Friday, in Lagos, Fashola noted that the issue had been politicised, adding: ‘’all sorts of things are going on.”

The governor regretted his decision not to modernise the 4.2 km road when the idea first struck him, recalling that his plan was to expand the road, provide service lanes and introduce tolls for motorists who opted to use the fast lanes.

Fashola said that his administration worked on more than 190 roads in the state in 2012, while another 100 roads would receive the desired attention this year.

According to him, Lagosians want him to concentrate more on developing the state’s roads to ease traffic flow.

Fashola said that in all that his administration had done to rehabilitate and reconstruct roads in the state, including the expansion of the Lagos/Badagry Expressway, it had not demolished any single approved building.

He challenged any landlord, who had lost his property to the state government as a result of the ongoing road construction, to come forward with the necessary evidence to back up such a claim, adding that rather, the state had paid compensation. ``Bring the proof that we unlawfully took your property,’’ Fashola said, stressing, however, that the owners of illegal buildings had no legal rights.

He recalled that in the Ejigbo axis, the government even constructed two bridges, instead of one, to avoid demolishing many buildings that were most probably illegal.

On the newly rebuilt Tejuosho market in Surulere, Fashola dismissed complaints that the owners of the burnt stalls could not afford them under the new dispensation, noting that many of them had already done so.

Fashola said that many of the traders had been able to pay for the stalls through instalments, adding that the state government was even the one holding them back.

The governor urged the development of the mortgage system in the country, adding that there was the need for Nigerians to imbibe the habit of acquiring facilities, including housing, through instalmental payment .

On the recurring complaints about the fate of Maroko residents, a slum settlement in Lagos that was sacked by the military administration of Col. Raji Rasaki in July, 1990, Fashola said the story was ‘’more fiction now than fact’’.

Fashola promises to rehabilitate more roads in Lagos

Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola

Fashola, who recalled that his father was one of those affected, said that some of those affected had been resettled in Ikota area of Lagos, but added, nonetheless, that the issue of restitution and resettlement was debatable.

According to him, the saga of Maroko, which now hosts some modern facilities, should be considered a ``slum regeneration project’’.

The governor also spoke on the possibility of waiving the restriction placed on motorcycles below 200 cc to facilitate the distribution of newspapers by media houses in the state.

Fashola said it was only the state legislature that had the power to do such a thing since it was responsible for the restriction on commercial motorcyclists from operating on certain roads in the metropolis, and the raise in the engine capacity.

However, he described the resort to the use of motorcycles for public transportation as the sign of a failed economy, adding that no serious economy considered riding a commercial motorcycle to earn a living a job.

The governor debunked rumours making the rounds that his wife was involved in the importation of the 200cc motorcycles.

He also spoke on the construction of a 27-km intra-city rail line from Okokomaiko to the Marina, saying it was possible for a train to run from Mile 2 to the National Theatre in the foreseeable future, with onward transportation by bus.

Fashola dismissed stories making the rounds that he had placed a gag on his commissioners not to speak to the press , saying that all that they did was to ensure that the State Ministry of Information was allowed to play its role as the government’s mouthpiece.

The governor added, however, that this did not deter the other ministries from briefing the press on their activities when it was time to do so.

He was assisted at the briefing by a number of commissioners, including the Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, the Commissioner for Works, Dr Obafemi Hamzat and the Commissioner for Information, Mr Aderemi Ibirogba.

Mobil declares force majeure in operations M

obil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil, has declared force majeure in its operations in Eket area of Akwa Ibom.

Force majeure is a legal notice that absolves an oil firm of liabilities for failure to meet supply obligations to crude buyers due to circumstances beyond its control.

The company said in a statement signed by its General Manager, Public & Government Affairs, Mr Paul Arinze, that it took the action in order to carry out repairs on a section of its pipeline. ``Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN), operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC)/MPN Joint Venture today confirms that it has declared a force majeure,’’ the company said.

It said that action was due to the difficulty in meeting projected lifting because of repair work on a section of the joint venture’s pipeline. ``We are working to minimize downtime and have notified appropriate regulatory agencies and purchasers,’’ the statement said.

It said that the company regretted any inconveniences but promised to continue to produce oil from facilities that are not covered by the action.

It, however, stated that the Qua Iboe Terminal was operating.

Ministry signs MoU with NGO to strenghten agric extension services The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has concluded plans to strengthen extension services to boost productivity and ensure food security.

Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, made the statement in Abuja on Friday at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the ministry and Sassakawa Africa Association (SAA), an NGO. The minister signed the document on behalf of the government while Prof.

Ruth Oniango, Chaiperson, Board of SAA, signed for her organisation.

The NGO has programmes in 14 sub-Sahara countries under its Sassakawa Global 2000 (SG 2000) initiative aimed at promoting agriculture and rural development.

According to Adesina, the involvement of SSA in the sector will strengthen the national extension system and “ensure that smallholder farmers have access to critical services”.

KWSG set to tackle power problem –Official T

he Kwara Government has put in place necessary measures to improve electricity supply in the state to attain more economic prosperity, an official said.

Alhaji Sanda Mohammed-Lawal, the Special Adviser to Gov. AbdulFatah Ahmed on Energy matters, made the statement in an interview with the News Agency of

Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Friday.

He said the state government had distributed more than 100 transformers to communities in the three senatorial districts within the last one year.

He said the governor had directed the state Ministry of Energy to provide Electricity for 800 communities yet to be connected to elec-

tricity supply.

Lawal said the measure was aimed at promoting investment at the grassroots and reducing ruralurban migration.

He reiterated the determination of the state government to pursue its transformation agenda by creating an enabling environment for the people of the state.

He assured all the communities that the state government would replace all faulty transformers in due course.

Lawal advised the people to always protect government projects in their areas against vandalism and theft.

Total signs MOU with host communities. Total Exploration and

Production Nigeria Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with its host communities in the Niger Delta to improve the living standard of the people.

The communities are in Etche, Ikwerre and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas in Rivers and Owaza Community in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia.

48

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business

Sunday February 10, 2013

Property Watch •For Lagos area as at Friday Feb 8, 2013 A. Building materials Cement: Dangote Cement per bag of 50 kg.......N1,800 Burham Cement per bag of 50kg.......N1,800 Elephant Cement…………………N1,800 Sandcrete blocks 6 inches sandcrete block ..........N130 9 inches sandcrete block ..........N150 Sand Sand per tipper load .......... N12,000 Sharp sand (double) ..........N22,000 Gravel (single) ...................N18,000 Gravel (double) ..................N23,000 Granite ...............................N120,000 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

Techno Oil introduces gas stoves to discourage firewood usage

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n oil and gas firm, Techno Oil Ltd., has introduced gas stoves, in a bid to promote the Federal Government’s drive to discourage use of firewood by Nigerian households.

The company introduced the product as part of the ``Going Green Revolution’’ policy, which it formulated years ago to promote preservation of the environment.

The Managing Director of Techno Oil, Mr Tony Onyeama, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja that the company introduced the stoves in line with the policy drive of the government to encourage use of cooking gas in households. ``We identify and align with the policy drive of government

to increase the use of cooking gas among a significant proportion of the populace within the next four years,’’ he stated.

Onyeama said the new stoves would be presented to the public at an event, slated for Oyingbo Market in Lagos on Feb. 21, explaining that the presentation would give the public, especially low-income earners, an opportunity to purchase the product.

The managing director said that the product was manufactured with distinguishing features, including safety, hygiene, affordability and portability. ‘‘Techno Oil has distributed well over 20,000 units of 3kg, 5kg, 6kg and 12.5kg gas cylinders to Nigerian households at affordable prices,’’ he said.

Onyeama said that Techno Oil had been championing the shift from kerosene to cooking gas among Nigerian households. ``Motivated by our commitment to the environment, Techno Oil has actively promoted and been in the forefront of attitudinal change from fuels to cleaner energy such as cooking gas,’’ he stated.

The managing director said the company had invested huge sums of money to provide gas cylinders and accessories for the new product.

He said that Techno Oil had also entered an agreement with an Asian company for the manufacturing of the stoves, to ensure availability of the product nationwide.

Wood Timber (hard) 1x1x12 ..........N1,000 Timber (hard) 2x2x12 ..........N600 Timber (hard) 2x4x12 ..........N700

Plywood 3x3x6-----------------N3,500 2x4x8-----------------N2,400

T

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. Four bedroom detached house with BQ at Omole Phase 11, Kosofe -----N40m Estimated price in 5 years------------N60m 2. 800 square metres at block 47 at Isheri North Estate, Lagos ---------- N6m Estimated price in 5 years----------N15m 3. 6 bedroom wing of duplex plus BQ at Adeniyi Jones off Opebi, Lagos------- N55m Estimated price in 5 years------------N100m

5. 2 nos bungalows on 800 square metres along Oba Akran, Lagos----------------N150m Estimated price in 5 years----------N250m 6. 1.12 acres of land with uncompleted building at Marwa Road, Satellite Town, Lagos---------------------------------------------------N1,5bn Estimated price in 5 years------------------N2bn 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. 8 nos of 3bedroom flats with BQ at Surulere, Lagos---------------------------------N80m Estimated price in 5 years----------N100m 10. A detached house at Oke Ira, Ogba, Lagos--------------------------------------------------N22m Estimated price in 5 years---------N35m •Compiled by Dayo Ayeyemi, E-mail: dayoayeyemi@yahoo.com

``Today, there is a great dependency on kerosene by both the middle and low-income groups in Nigeria but despite the huge amount spent by government to subsidise the product, kerosine remains scarce and unavailable in many homes in the country.

Onyeama lamented the low consumption level of cooking gas by Nigerians, saying that ``usage of cooking gas in Nigeria stands at 0.5kg per capita, compared to 3kg per capita in Ghana, 1.9kg in Cameroon, 5.5kg in South Africa and 44.4kg in Morocco’’.

He pointed out that using firewood for cooking always posed potential risks of chronic allergies, conjunctivitis and lung cancer.

Minister gives progress report on Ibaka Seaport

Soft wood 2x2x12 ..........N250 2x3x12 ..........N300

4. A land measuring 5.081 square metre at Ajasa, Ipaja, Lagos------------------------------N25m Estimated price in 5 years---------N50m

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L-R: Director, Institute of Industrial Technology (IIT), Mr. Olumide Akinjo; Director, Corporate Relations, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Sesan Sobowale and one of the students sponsored by Guinness to the IIT technical training programme, Aibangbee Darlington, at the presentation of certificates to the students in Lagos on Friday.

Board raids FCT hawkers, burns wares T he Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) on Saturday raided illegal hawkers in the FCT, burning articles worth millions of naira.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that items that were burnt include second-hand clothes, shoes and other products, seized from hawkers in different parts of the FCT. Speaking on the development, the Director of the AEPB, Alhaji Isa Shuaibu, said the action was to serve as deterrence to other illegal hawkers.

Shuaibu explained that the

burning of the articles was to prevent likely allegation that workers in the board had converted the items to their personal use. ``We came out as part of our routine raid in different parts of the capital city and found hawkers on streets and in our usual efforts to apprehend them, they ran away leaving these items. ``We are burning them to serve as deterrent to other hawkers as they have refused to comply with our campaign against illegal hawking. ``We have no option than to burn these items to avoid pos-

sible allegation of converting them for our personal use.

While decrying the hawking of sachet water, Shuaibu said the board would soon clamp down on the hawkers to avoid indiscriminate littering of the streets with cellophanes.

He, however, commended the enforcement squad division of the board for the reduction in street hawking and begging.

The director said that the waste recycling project of the FCT Administration would soon be completed, saying that the plants were be cited in Nyanya, Apo and Kubwa.

he Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, said on Friday that the assessment of existing facilities, business opportunities and technical scope of Ibaka Deep Seaport in Akwa Ibom have been concluded.

Umar told newsmen in Abuja that other issues so far addressed included the challenges, vision, commercial rationale and operational status of the project. ``The second stage which is the outlining of the business and the procurement process report is to be concluded before the end of June,’’ he stressed.

The minister said that the progress made so far had resulted to the appointment of a Transaction Adviser for the project.

He said the adviser had submitted the Initial Due Diligence Report to the Project’s Steering Committee for the Development of the Seaport, which was inaugurated on Sept. 1, 2012. ``The Initial Due Diligence Report is to verify the project’s initial feasibility - from financial, technical and legal perspectives - and to design a structured approach to subsequent phases,’’ he said.

According to Umar, the submitted report is in line with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act. The minister reiterated the ministry’s total commitment to the development of ports’ infrastructure in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the minister had also inaugurated a Steering and Project Development Committee for the Badagry Deep Seaport in Lagos State.

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Chuckles

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Lawmaker distributes N14.4m to Ekiti students ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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National Assembly member from Ekiti State, Honourable Opeyemi Bamidele, has distributed Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) past questions and answers textbooks worth N14.4 million to final year pupils in

South News

Sunday February 10, 2013

senior secondary schools across the state.

Bamidele, , House of Representatives member representing Ado Ekiti/ Irepodun-Ifelodun Federal Constituency, said the gesture was to prepare the students for further studies through making them understand “the sense behind examination and required scope of assessment”.

The lawmaker, who had earlier distributed 8,000 copies of the book to students in the Central Senatorial district, extended the gesture to 10,000 students in the Northern and Southern senatorial districts in the week.

The lawmaker said the 486-page book entitled ‘JAMB Use of English and Pass at once on Mathemat-

L-R: Former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili; Traditional Ruler of Amansea community, Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo and the traditional prime minister of the community, Chief Lawrence Okeke, during Akunyili’s visit to commiserate with the community over corpses recently recovered from Ezu river in Anambra State, yesterday.

ics for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) (1990 – 2009)’ “provides an ample opportunity to assess the level of preparation of every student who aspires to gain entry into tertiary institution”.

Bamidele expressed confidence that the material was designed “in the hope of equipping every user of the book with the knowledge of possible areas being assessed and wisdom in its application”.

He said, in a message entitled “Surely, you can Do it” addressed to the students, Bamidele said: “In your journey in life, I want you to know that there is no limit to the height you can attain if you know God, walk closely with him, be hardworking and stay out of trouble while, at times, assuring yourself that you can do it”.

The lawmaker said he reached out to students in all parts of the state out of his passion for the progress and brighter future for Ekiti people as well as appreciation for the love of Ekiti people from various parts resident in the state capital, who voted for him in the 2011 National Assembly elections.

Don optimistic about South West regional integration agenda

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rofessor of Agriculture and chairperson of the last day session of the South West Grassroots Business Forum EXPO 2013, Prof. Tomi Adekanye, has expressed hope that the regional integration agenda would soon reproduce the good legacies of the old Western region under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Speaking Weekend at the Centre for Black Culture and Inetrnational Understanding in Osogbo, Osun State, she predicted that the agenda would achieve far more for the region than could ever be imagined because of the advantage of economy of scale inherent in it.

She highlighted the difference between concepts of growth and development as canvassed by the political leadership to explain the results of the activities, policies and programmes.

Adekanye, who said development is sustained growth evenly spread and

experienced by all and not just for a few people, noted that challenges in development are attributable to irresponsible leadership, social and food insecurity and many other self imposed environmental problems.

The university don challenged the governments to invest more in agriculture because of its central position to the economy of any society that wants to advance.

“We all agree that 70 percent of the country’s population is agrarian. So, we must pay a serious attention to the sector; invest in it to get more money. We should not be concerned with taxation alone and not fund food production to avoid re-occurence of the Agbekoya uprising.

“We should also ask ourselves how effective our agricultural extension services are. Agriculture is capital intensive.

All our rural areas should be opened up and made attractive to our people, particularly the youths,

by making infrastructure available.”At the Friday session all the Commissioners of Agriculture of the participating states made contributions to the theme of the EXPO: “Actualising Economic Development for Regional Growth.”

The EXPO, sponsored

by Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos State governments, in collaboration with Vintage Press Limited (Publishers of The Nation Newspaper) in partnership

with CEEDEE Resources, ended Friday with participants issuing a 17-point resolution which harped on restructuring the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the basis of regional blocs that will also double as new federating units.

The resolution said the target of deliberations at the EXPO 2013 was the eradication of poverty through productive federalism that ensures development and guarantees mass prosperity.

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Rivers govt plans water project for 5 communities R ivers State Government said on Saturday that it had concluded plans to establish a “small town” water project to serve five communities in Eleme Local Government Area.

The state Commissioner for Water Resources, Ms Patricia Simon-Hart, made the remark during the sensitization meeting with the communities in Eleme.

Simon-Hart said that government was committed to achieving the project due to the importance of potable water in health care delivery.

She said by the time the project was realised,

it would go a long way to solve the communities’ problems in accessing potable water.

Simon-Hart urged the communities to set up water consumers association to educate and sensitise them to ways of maintaining government facilities.

The Eleme council Chairman, Mr Orji Ngofa, thanked the government for considering communities in his area for the water scheme.

Ngofa, represented by the council secretary, Mr Bright Sanwi, pledged that the people of the area would cooperate with government to realise the project.

Anambra: Youths put out midnight market fire NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

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he timely intervention of Igbo youths at the weekend saved what could have led to a complete burning down of goods and structures worth billions of naira at the popular Old Motor Car Spare Parts Market, Ugwuagba, Obosi, near Onitsha, Anambra State.

The fire incident, according to the source, started at about 2 a.m. when it was ignited by an explosion suspected to have been caused by partial electric wire contact from one of the shops inside the market.

Sources said the youths, under the aegis of Association of Igbo Youths (AIYO), on hearing the explosion at that odd hour, rushed to the scene and fought relentlessly with the market vigilante operatives to put

off the fire, even before the arrival of men of the state fire service.

The Anambra state chairman of AIYO, Emeka Ominyi Uga, who confirmed this to newsmen yesterday in his office within the market, said when they heard the explosion and rushed to the market, they discovered that the fire had started in one of the shops at the Mitsubishi Line in Area 4 of Jide Zone.

He also confirmed that they joined hand with the market security and fought hard to put off the fire after it had engulfed a whole line of about 15 shops.

One of the fire victims, Mr. Paul Egwuatu also told newsmen that he, alone lost all his spare parts goods worth N3 million alone. He however, commended AIYO for their assistance and urged government authorities to come to their rescue.

Obi flags off immunisation 2013

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he Anambra State Government is to scale up frequency of Polio and routine immunization this year.

Governor Peter Obi announced this while flagging off the first round of 2013 National Immunization Days Plus for children under the age of five at the Primary Healthcare Centre, Uboma Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area.

He said the State Government was adopting comprehensive measures to expand and consolidate

on gains already recorded in order to maintain the State polio free status in the drive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

He enjoined parents to ensure that their children benefited from the various State government health programmes from birth to protect them from preventable diseases.

The Governor explained that his administration is repositioning all health facilities across the State to promote efficient

health delivery.

He reminded the people of their collective responsibility towards entrenching good governance.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Lawrence Ikeakor said in addition to the Polio Immunization, parents should equally made their children available for all routine immunization including the Pentavelin Vaccine to prevent future disability. He assured that the vaccines are free of charge and save without any con-

traceptive effect.

A representative of the World Health Organization, Dr. Rosemary Onuibe commended the Governor for ensuring that children are adequately immunized. He noted that Nigeria has fundamental role in the present efforts to eradicate polio in the world and disclosed that out of two hundred and twenty two cases recorded last year, across the world, Nigeria has one hundred and twenty one cases.

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North News

Sunday February 10, 2013

Niger-south to field governorship candidate against zoning arrangement PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA.

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espite the governorship zoning arrangement in operation in Niger State, the Niger -South Senatorial district is set to field candidate for the next governorship election in the state, come 2015, against the rotational formular already in existence..

Under the arrangement that has been in place since 1999, Niger- North senatorial zone is suppose to produce the next governor in 2015 after the turn of the Niger East Senatorial district that produce

the present chief executive, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu in 2007.

This position was arrived at during a stakeholder’s meeting in Bida yesterday, where delegates from all the seven Nupe speaking local government areas in the district collectively decided to ensure that a candidate that is acceptable to the people from the area is fielded for the governorship seat in the next election.

The meeting which held in the Hall of a well known school in the ancient town of Bida had in attendance mostly people

from the ruling Peoples Democratic People (PDP).

One of the delegate who attended the stakeholders meeting and who does not want his name to be mentioned stated that soon a committee would be put in place to start work on the resolution reached by the members and will later reach out to their people across the state.

The delegate lamented that presently, the Nupe speaking people have not been carried along in the scheme of things in the politics of the state, since the advent of the current administration in spite of

the fact that the Nupes are in the majority.

The Nupes cut across all the three senatorial zones of the state and the large tribe.

According to the delegate, ‘’ We feel that as it is practiced in Benue and Kogi states and where in a democracy, the majority should always have their way, we have therefore agreed to reach out to brothers and sisters from the other two zones so that we can enthrone true democracy by making sure that the majority has its way, irrespective of their political inclinations.”

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Arewa chieftains urge northerners to eschew violence TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

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ollowing the spate of attacks and killings in the Northern part of the country, especially last Friday’s killing of nine female health workers in Kano State, leaders of Arewa United Consultation Forum (AUCF), have appealed to Northerners to eschew violence and put their efforts together to develop the region.

Addresing a press conference in Lagos yesterday, the National Coordinator of AUCF, Alhaji Ado Shuibu Dansudu and the group’ s Secretary, Alhaji Aliyu Garba Tudu, urged government to employ a holistic approach in its ongoing effort to rid Nigeria of acts of terrorism.

His words: “We call on all Northerners to eschew violence and put their efforts together to develop the region in the face of the ongoing conscious effort to destabilise the region and

render it economically and politically impotent.

“We plead with our government to employ a holistic approach in the ongoing effort to rid the nation of acts of terrorism rather than narrowing it to a religion or ethnic group. We demand that the Federal Government should open negotiation with the Boko Haram sect now that they have offered to lay down their arms.”

The group also condemned in strong term the recent arrest and detention of over 100 Northerners in the Arena Shopping Center inside Ikeja Cantonment by the Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI officials in a military barrack for no specified offences.

The group while condemning the attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero and killing of some of his personal aides, expressed its solidarity with the Emir and enjoined him not to relent in his effort to unite Nigeria.

Three fake naval officers arrested for recruitment racketeering Maolud Nabiyyi celebration in Gusau, Zamfara State, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

NAFDAC warns Kogi residents over fake products T

he National Agency for Food Drug and Administration Control (NAFDAC) in Kogi State has warned residents of the state to desist from consuming products that have no label of the regulatory agency to avoid untimely death associated with the consumption of toxic substances.

NAFDAC state coordinator, Ali Mshalia, stated this yesterday in Lokoja at an award ceremony organised by NAFDAC for secondary schools in the state under its NAFDAC Consumers Safety Club (NSCSC), saying that anybody caught in the un-lawful act would be deemed to be committing suicide which is a criminal offence.

His words: “You cannot take your own life because it is an offence to do so and if you are caught taking drugs or any substance that has no NAFDAC ap-

proval, both the consumer and the seller are culpable and would be treated as criminals.”

He said the safety club was established in schools as platforms for campaign against fake drugs and to re-direct the thinking of

the young ones towards healthy living.

While charging the schools in the state to continue to support the agency to ensure a drug-free society , Mshelia disclosed that the organisation has recorded 95 per cent re-

duction in the fake drugs issue since last year in the state.

Five of the 50 schools that participated in the competition emerged winners in both the junior and senior categories of the annual award event.

Kwara gov’s wife harps on quality education, home training

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he wife of Kwara state governor, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed, has called on parents and guardians to give more attention to the education of their children and wards to secure their tomorrow.

Ahmed, who made the call on Saturday in Ilorin, described education as a veritable tool for building a virile nation. ``Education no doubt is key to the survival of any nation and as such priority attention should be accorded to it,’’ she said.

She also advised parents to give their children home training.

She said that home training was the basic requirement needed ``to turn around the future of the child and society for good.’’ ``There is need for parents to redouble their efforts in giving quality education and home training to their wards in order to make them useful to themselves and the society at large. ``The future of our children lies in how much love

and concern we have for them and that behooves on us to discharge our responsibilities as expected.’’

She gave assurance that the education desk of her pet-project, LEAH Charity Foundation, would not relent in its responsibility to make education available to the less privileged in the state.

She solicited the support of wealthy individuals to assist the foundation to realise its objectives of charting a new course for the development of the society.

HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

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hree fake Naval officers were arrested by the Benue Police Command yesterday in Makurdi.

The suspects who are said to be in the recruitment racketeering business are accused of collecting huge sums of money from desperate applicants intending to enlist themselves into the Nigerian Navy.

The Public Rrelations Officer, PRO of the Benue Command of the Nigeria Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP Daniel Ezeala disclosed that the three suspects (names withheld) were nabbed by his men at an undisclosed hotel following a tip off from an informant.

He further stated that the suspects during interrogation admitted that they were fake and were only carrying out the nefarious crime to sustain body and soul and also disclosed further that the

fake Naval Officers were collecting about N100,000 from each applicant seeking recruitment into the Navy.

He also revealed that another set of three persons who specialise in online computer fraud have also been arrested for defrauding some students of the Benue State University who were carrying out their registration exercise.

He further disclosed that all the suspects will be arraigned in court as soon as investigations is concluded adding that, the public should always feel free to volunteer information that can lead to the apprehension of men of questionable characters with a view to nipping crime in the bud as well as assisting the police to fight crime.

Meanwhile, crime wave is said to have dropped to the barest minimum as residents of the state capital are now said to be sleeping with two eyes closed .

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Marquez rules out Mayweather rematch P. 55

Sport

KEEPING YOU ABREAST OF SPORTING NEWS February 10, 2013

AFCON: Mark leads FG delegation to S/A

•Urges Eagles not to underrate opponents

GEORGE OJI ABUJA

S

enate President David Mark yesterday led the Federal government of Nigeria’s delegation to South Africa on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan to cheer the Nigerian Super Eagles at the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

A statement from the office of the Senate President said Mark, at the departure to South Africa from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at about 10:15 am charged the Super Eagles of Nigeria to re-ignite the indomitable spirit of Nigeria in the final match against their Burkina Faso counterparts in order to win the Africa Nations Cup in South Africa.

The Senate President reminded the Eagles that all Nigerians are solidly in prayers behind them.

He urged the Eagles not to leave anything to chance saying, “ our boys should show absolute concentration throughout the duration of the match. They must not make the mistake of underrating their opponents till the last whistle.”

Continuing he said, “Our national pride is at stake and you know sports especially soccer is a unifying factor in Nigeria.

I can say with every amount of certainty that all Nigerians are yearning for the victory.”

The delegation included governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, Senators, Adamu Gumba, Ayogu Eze and Nurudeen Abatemi.

Other members of the delegation are the Police Affairs Minister Caleb Olubolade, Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola Onwuliri as well as Works Minister Bashir Yuguda among others.

Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo(left) battles Moumouni Dagano of Burkina Faso when both sides clashed in AFCON 2013 Group C opener on January 21, in Mbombela.

Eagles battle Stallions for third AFCON title ANDREW EKEJIUBA

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he Super Eagles will today battle the Stallions of Burkina Faso in the final of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament at the 85 000-capacity Soccer Stadium in Soweto, a township on the south-west outskirts of Johannesburg.

The Eagles would be hoping to win the Nations Cup trophy for the third time against a determined Stallions squad.

According to records, Nigeria lifted the symbol of African national-team supremacy at home in 1980 and in Tunisia in 1994, but the closest Burkina Faso have come is reaching the semi-finals as hosts of the 1998 tournament.

The Nigerian team also expects to enjoy massive advantage in support with thousands of Nigerians working in the South African financial hub set to roar on the footballers they adore.

Nigeria boasts an amazingly consistent Cup of Nations record with 13 top-three finishes in 16 previous appearances while Burkina

Faso arrived in South Africa last month desperate to end a 17-match run without a victory. They however ended the win-less streak in style by thrashing Ethiopia in Nelspruit 4-0 and three of the goals came after being reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Abdoulaye Soulama was red carded.

A Burkina Faso victory in today’s final would prove a second straight Africa Cup of Nations fairytale - but their Belgian coach Paul Put simply hopes it can mark his redemption back home, following his ban in Belgium on allegations of match-fixing.

The 56-year-old former Lierse coach received a three-year ban from the Belgian FA (RBFA) following allegations the side had taken money from a Chinese betting syndicate to lose matches under his tenure in 2004-05 season.

The man who has guided the rank outsiders, Burkina Faso, to their first Nations Cup final says he was made a scapegoat

by Belgian football for what was a widespread problem. He also claims he was acting under duress after being threatened by

Stallions P. 54 will fall in Johannesburg –Ezeonwuka

those leading the scam.

Coming back to the subject matter, the route to qualification for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations tournament was different for both Nigeria and Burkina Faso.

While the Super Eagles walloped Liberia 6-1, the Stallions needed a stoppage time goal to edge out the Central African Republic 3-3 on aggregate scores.

But that is where the difference ends, and since their 1-1 draw on January 21, both finalists in today’s cracker have grown in stature as they have at the back of their minds that the winner will now have a chance to represent Africa in the FIFA Confederations Cup later this year in Brazil.

On the road to the final, Nigeria scored 10 goals and conceded four while Burkina Faso have scored seven and conceded two.

Both have improved, but Burkina Faso will be missing in form striker Alain Traore, who equalised against Nigeria and scored three goals during the tournament before picking up an injury.

The good news for the Burkinabes is that their star player

Pitroipa P. 54 delighted to play in ‘dream’ final Jonathan Pitroipa has had his red card from their last match against Ghana rescinded after CAF decided that his booking was a mistake.

His presence will surely fire the Stallions to do what many analysts may see as impossibility.

For the Super Eagles, they have injury concerns for two of their top players, Emmanuel Emenike, who has scored four goals, and also Chelsea new signing, Victor Moses.

However, odds favour Nigeria over Burkina in today’s final as the Eagles are expected to be crowned African football kings a third time by bringing the fairytale run of Burkina Faso to an end.

Nigeria and Burkina Faso have already met in this competition, drawing 1-1 in a Group C opener with Emmanuel Emenike giving the Eagles a first half advantage which they held until now-injured Alain Traore levelled deep in stoppage time.

The Eagles also drew with defending champions Zambia before victories over Ethiopia, star-studded title favourites Ivory Coast and Mali propelled them to a final they enter as favourites.

Burkina Faso followed the draw with Nigeria by whipping Ethiopia, holding title-holders Zambia and edging out Togo through an extratime goal and Ghana on penalties.

Nigeria handler Stephen Keshi, who hopes to emulate late Egyptian Mahmoud El Gohary and win the Nations Cup as a player and a coach, is taking nothing for granted and reluctantly accepts the favourites tag.

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Sen. David Mark yesterday left the country for South Africa as head of the federal government‘s delegation to the final match in Johannesburg today.

POSSIBLE LINE UPS NIGERIA Enyeama, Ambrose, Oboabona, Omeruo, Echejile, Onazi, Mikel, Mba, Ideye, Emenike, Moses.

BURKINA FASO Diakite, Koffi, B.Kone, Koulibaly, Panandetiguiri, D.Kone, Kabore, Rouamba, Pitroipa, Nakoulma, Bance.

Atusiubah predicts P. 54 victory for Super Eagles

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Sport

Sunday February 10, 2013

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Pitroipa delighted to play in ‘dream’ final

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Enyeama

AFCON: We are bringing the cup home –Enyeama ANDREW EKEJIUBA

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

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uper Eagles of Nigeria goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, has assured Nigerians that his side will win the final match of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa against the Stallions of Burkina Faso. He revealed that after several years of service to Nigeria, he feels it is overdue for him to lift the AFCON trophy for the third time for the country.

“After years of service to my nation as a goalkeeper I feel it is overdue for me to lift the trophy with the Super Eagles having been involved in the nation’s set-up since 2002.

“Even the entire team, we are all determined to win. Every player is ready

and I think it will take team effort for us to win this cup,” he enthused.

The Super Eagles stunned Mali 4-1 in their semi-final clash this week to initiate a final against Burkina Faso, and Enyeama said that reaching the AFCON final is one of his greatest achievements.

He won the footballer of the year award in 2009 while playing in Israel, and also the CAF Champions league twice with Enyimba, but Enyeama believes those achievements cannot be compared to the AFCON trophy.

“Yes, I know that I have achieved a lot of things in my football career, but I still owe my country the AFCON trophy.

“The mood in the camp has been great and I have

had a great relationship with Coach Stephen Keshi.

He comes in with depth of experience and believes in all the players. It is always great playing under such a coach,” he added.

Meanwhile, midfielder John Obi Mikel was less forthcoming about his team’s chances, opting to play them down.

“We will go into the final game as we have done in our past games. We will be patient and keep playing the way we are playing still like an underdog.

“We have to keep doing what we are doing and not get carried away. We have missed the cup in the past, but we want to bring it back home for all Nigerians. It would be massive, but it’s not going to be easy,” he concluded.

urkina Faso international Jonathan Pitroipa is delighted his red card picked up in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final has been overturned.

The Stade Rennes forward picked up a second yellow card for simulation and the red card meant that he would miss the final against Nigeria.

Referee Slim Jedidi admitted he got the decision wrong after the match and the Confederation of African Football upheld the appeal.

“I’m glad because for me to participate in this final was the goal.

“I was disappointed to receive the red card because it would mean I

could not fulfill my dream to play in the final. And to participate in a final of the Africa Cup of Nations is the dream of every kid who loves African football. I am very happy to participate.

“I was told that the referee had acknowledged his error and normally it would be good for me but at the time it was not official.

“After the red card, at the time, I was shocked. Even if the score was 1-1 in my head I thought we were going to qualify for the final and I was not going to participate,” Pitroipa enthused.

Pitroipa was also happy to receive the support of his team-mates and the wider football community.

A Uju Atusiubah drums up support for the Super Eagles in South Africa.

female trumpeter with the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Uju Atusiubah has expressed confidence that the Super Eagles will defeat Stallions of Burkina Faso today in South Africa to clinch their third Nations Cup title.

Atusiubah who is presently in South Africa to drum up support for the

“I thank all those who supported me, from Burkina Faso and from the outside, my team-mates at Rennes and even former team-mates like Vincent Kompany who sent a message on Twitter,” he said.

Stallions will fall in Johannesburg –Ezeonwuka ANDREW EKEJIUBA

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he proprietor of Rojenny Tourist/Games Village in Oba, Anambra State, Chief Rommy A. Ezeonwuka, has predicted that the Stallions of Burkina Faso will lose to the Super Eagles in today’s final match of the 29th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) slated for the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

Speaking exclusively to Sunday Mirror ahead of the crucial tie, he revealed that the 4-1 spanking of the Eagles of Mali at the semifinals was enough boost to propel the Eagles to crush the Stallions.

“The Super Eagles 4-1 victory against the Malians at the semi-final stage of the competition confirmed that the team was in South Africa for serious business and I believe that the Stallions will fall to the Super Eagles fire-power in the final game.

“Nigeria reaching the finals today is also an indication that our football is once again on the rise. And with the forthcoming victory, I’m sure our league will also witness a boom following the superlative performance of our home-based players in Stephen Keshi’s AFCON squad.

“So the bright days of Nigerian football is back and I implore Nigerians to pray

Atusiubah predicts victory for Super Eagles IFEANYI EDUZOR

Pitroipa

national team told our correspondent in a telephone interview that the Coach Stephen Keshi-tutored side has what it takes to defeat their opponents in today’s finals.

“I am confident that the Super Eagles will defeat Stallions of Burkina Faso and bring the trophy home after more than 19 years of waiting.

“It is true that the game will be a tough match be-

cause the Stallions will try to be a hard nut to crack, but with the caliber of players in the Super Eagles camp, coupled with their superlative performance of late, victory is assured,” she said.

The trumpeter who promised not to stop blowing her instrument until victory is achieved noted that she is determined to use her talent to support the team to victory.

Ezeonwuka

for the success of the Super Eagles against the ambitious Stallions of Burkina Faso,” Ezeonwuka said.

Reacting to the sudden turnaround of the Eagles team, the proprietor of Nigeria’s only privatelyowned stadium said, Keshi never allowed anyone to force players on him and he never adopted federal character in the selection of players, as is done in politics.

“Keshi selected the best legs on offer in the country and blended them with the foreign-based players. He never cared to know where the players were coming from and he never cared whether the team was being dominated by Igbos or Yorubas, because he wants results. That is why he is succeeding,” he said.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sunday February 10, 2013

New discoveries that set South Africa 2013 on fire Although the likes of Didier Drogba, Emmanuel Adebayor and John Obi Mikel have been the focus of the majority of headlines at the 29th edition CAF Africa Cup of Nations, a number of previously unheralded players have grabbed their fair share of the spotlight. FIFA.com looks at some of the upcoming stars who have used the tournament to showcase their talents.

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ot exactly an unknown entity coming into the tournament, having already gained UEFA Champions League experience with Lille, but the 23-year-old forward confirmed his

Sunday Ryan Mendes Mba (Cape (Nigeria) Verde Islands)

A

fter convincingly progressing through the group phase, Ghana’s Black Stars came up against rookies Cape Verde and - rather surprisingly - the rookies were making most of the play in the early part of the game.

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah brought on Wakaso, and the 22-year-old left midfielder, who plays his club football for Espanyol Barcelona, repaid his coach’s confidence in him by scoring twice. He

Fatawu Dauda (Ghana)

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he 27-year-old goalkeeper is one of four Ghana-based players in the Black Stars squad in South Africa.

Widely expected to be a third-choice behind Adam Larsen Kwarasey and Daniel Adjei, the Ashanti Gold custodian moved ahead in the pecking order. Dauda picked up a man-of-the match award in his side’s quarter-final victory against Cape Verde Islands and remarked to journalists that he hoped to keep the

increased his goal tally to four before their 3rd place match against Mali yesterday–making him arguably the most efficient player of the tournament.

Gbenga promises better outing T

he United States of America-based Nigerian Super middleweight boxer, Micheal Gbenga (14-7, 14 KO’s) says that his recent defeat by Andre Dirrell (21-1, 14 KO’s) will not affect his chances of progressing in the paid ranks, but will rather make him a better boxer in future.

Gbenga on February 2, lost to Dirrell by a 10-round unanimous points decision at the Convention Center in McAllen, Texas in a fight in which the final judges’ scores were: 100-87, 10087, and 100-88.

Speaking shortly after the

fight, he stated that rather than the loss affect him, it will make him train harder to ensure he wins his next fights and be considered for a shot at the world title.

“It is unfortunate that I lost the fight by a unanimous decision, but I am assuring my fans that the loss will not affect my career, rather it will make me train harder for future fights,” he said.

According to him, many boxers in the past have had similar experiences and came back stronger, noting that he will put up a better performance in his next fight.

Britain’s Dean Francis (right) lands a punch on Michael Gbenga of Nigeria during their Commonwealth Light heavyweight title fight at the Bolton Arena.

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lthough mainly used so far as a bit-player by Coach Stephen Keshi, the midfielder managed to make an impact when brought on. Mba, who plays for Enugu Rangers in the Nigerian first division, he has established himself in the team as he scored one of the goals of the event: the all-important winner against pre-tournament favourites Côte d’Ivoire, which showed confidence and skill against the veteran Ivorian defence.

Godfrey Oboabona & Kenneth Omeruo (Nigeria)

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number one jersey for his country.

with

08055829770 ifeduz24@yahoo.com

reputation as a star-inthe-making as the key man in attack for the islanders. He is consistent and pacy and played a large part in helping the Blue Sharks to a surprising quarter-final berth.

Djenae Dakonam (Togo) Mubarak Wakaso (Ghana) O ne of the surprises of the tournament, Togo’s Sparrow Hawks mainly consist of foreignbased professionals, and the 21-year-old Dakonam is one of the few players in the squad plying their trade in Africa. The Coton Sport de Garoua defender usually plays on the right for his club in Cameroon but was used on the opposite flank by Togo’s coach Didier, and he proved himself to be convincing, quick and skilled despite only starting his national team career late last year.

Knockout IFEANYI Eduzor

ans raised some eyebrows in Keshi’s direction when he included this pair of defenders in his squad for the AFCON finals. But the 22-year-old Oboabona, who plays for Sunshine Stars in the Nigerian league, and Omeruo, a 19-year-old on loan at ADO Den Haag in the Netherlands from Premier League giants Chelsea, have seen plenty of matchtime, while captain Joseph Yobo has spent most of his

Ex-boxer sends SOS to Fashola F ormer national Bantamweight champion, Friday Felix, has made a passionate appeal to the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, for assistance in order to prevent him dying in penury.

The boxer, who represented both the state and country in many international tournaments with laurels to show for it, regretted that the state has not deemed it fit to offer him employment

nor financial assistance.

“It is regrettable that after being in boxing for more than 25 years nobody has deemed it fit to reward my efforts.

“I was the champion of Lagos State in my weight category for nine years and represented Nigeria in many international tournaments.

“I decided to make the appeal to the Governor because as a leader who has the interest of Lagosians at heart, I believe he will be of immense help to me,” he concluded.

Marquez rules out Mayweather rematch F

ormer four-division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez says he has no interest in facing WBC Welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr in a rematch.

Marquez, 39, fought Mayweather in 2009 and lost a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision to the bigger and faster fighter.

According to him, he has not decided whether to continue fighting or not, noting that his family wants him to retire without even fighting again, but he is yet undecided.

Marquez who was recently ranked by “Ring Magazine” as the number three poundOmeruo for-pound boxer in the world time on the bench. Keshi and number one in the junior welterweight division is curhas said that the defenders rently considered by boxing have done well. analysts to be among the

Marquez

greatest Mexican boxers of all-time. They stated that if he decides to fight again, it won’t be in the United States, due to the high taxes that is often taken out of his fight purse.

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N150

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bn, sum the Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, disclosed as what FG plans to inject into the seed capital of the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

F I G U R E S

N70

bn, amount the chairman of SURE-P, Dr. Christopher Kolade, said his committee has spent so far on projects across the country.

Contending ethical schools and teachings

Back Page

Comment

E-mail: nwaunah@yahoo.com Unah is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Lagos

with Jim Unah

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t does not seem to follow that once we have successfully separated the concept of religious morality from that of social morality, as we have attempted to do last week, that we will automatically arrive at a fundamentally uniform ethics to re-engineer and reconstruct society. This is because there are many different kinds of yardsticks for determining the right social conduct. In academic ethics proper, from which the various ethical systems are enunciated, there are schools and sub-schools, with each one insisting that its prescription for the right moral behaviour is overarching and the best. Under the circumstances, it may be necessary, by way of digression, to strive to identify and characterise the different schools or sub-schools of ethics; to guide selection for inclusion in the school curriculum.

Some ethical doctrines endorse, as morally right, those actions or set of actions that promote the wellbeing of the doer, regardless of whether or not they make others happy or sad. An action is morally right, the ethical egoist

would say, if it advances the wellbeing and happiness of the agent; if it makes the doer of the act happy. The ethical egoist does not concern himself with the happiness of the other, in carrying out his actions. He considers largely or solely how his acts or conduct will promote his welfare. Is this the sort of ethics we want to teach our children?

Certainly not, for it will merely breed a society of do or die people – a dog eat dog society. But isn’t that what we find around us in our society? Are the people in power – those in positions of authority – acting to advance the wellbeing of Nigerians? Why is it that the persons who rule our country are unable to provide regular, uninterrupted, electricity for the people?

Why is it that they have not been able to deliver road and rail infrastructure to the people? Why is it that captains of industry set up banks and corporations to defraud the people? Why is it that government and its agencies in the electricity service industry have failed to provide prepayment meters for users of electricity? Why should the persons in government look the other way when the PHCN is extorting money from members of the public through crazy and estimated bills?

The simple answer on the lips of everyone is likely to be the usual one word culprit – corruption! But corruption is the visible manifestation of a

fundamental moral disorder in our character as a people – crude self-interest eternally blind to the wellbeing of the other; utter disregard for collective prosperity, nurtured and constantly re-implanted by leadership in every stratum of society. Ethical egoism is the moral theory that captures this pernicious way of life. Consequently, it should not be allowed to rear up its ugly head, unmodified, in our school curriculum.

But is it possible for an ethics that truly works not to flow from the self ?

Can we teach an ethics that de-centres the self and not turn our children into monks, weirdoes and recluses? How can we resolve the tension between the self and the other or the conflict between the self and community, in our choice of ethics to be taught in schools? Indeed, the extreme reaction in academic ethics has been to counter poise altruism to ethical egoism. Since the utter selfishness incidental to egoistic thinking in the realm of moral action has become harmful to society, to the Nigerian society, some people think that it might be worth the while to enjoin and inculcate the doctrine of selflessness.

To be selfless means to consider others first in our actions. Altruism is the moral orientation that one ought to always consider others first in one’s actions; that the conduct of an agent is morally right if it is premised on the

AFCON: Mali beat Ghana to secure third place finish IFEANYI EDUZOR

T

he Eagles of Mali yesterday defeated Black Stars of Ghana 3-1 in the third place match of the on-going Africa Nations Cup decided at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where both teams began their campaigns in the 2013 AFCON finals.

The Malians repeated the feat they recorded last year when they beat Ghana in the third place match at the 2012 AFCON co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Mahamadou Samassa opened scoring for the Malians in the 21st minute while their inspirational captain Seydou

Keita increased the tally in the 47th minute.

Black Stars effort at reducing the tally was wasted by Mubarak Wakaso who had the ball put over the bar from the spot kick to deny himself they chances of emerging as the highest goal scorer of the tournament.

The Black Stars however, had a consolatory goal when midfielder, Kwadwo Asamoah, fired a long range shot that beat the Malian keeper, Soumbeyla Diakite.

With the scores at 2-1 in favour of Mali, the Ghanaians mounted pressure on their opponent’s goal area looking for an equalizer, but a counter attack gave Sigamary Diarra the opportunity to score the third

desire to promote the wellbeing of others, the wellbeing of the collectivity.

This is because it is only when others are happy that our own happiness can be guaranteed, as the person who would not allow his neighbour to have nine, could not even have one in peace.

You need the happiness of others to enjoy your own happiness. But were children to go about seeking the happiness of others, how would they ever pursue and accomplish their own goals, their personal projects, which are also conducive to collective social prosperity?

Luckily, the masters of ethics have not said that altruism and egoism are mutually exclusive. They have not said that self interest must be programmed to be in conflict with collective interest. A person can pursue a private act and achieve collective wellbeing for members of society. Altruism is not averse to private, personal, happiness, any more than personal projects are necessarily antagonistic to community wellbeing and happiness.

The way out, therefore, is to teach a set of self-interest conducts that are in congruence with ethos of collective survival and happiness. That takes us to the doctrine of enlightened self interest, ethical egoism and utilitarianism; which in conjunction with situation ethics and the ethics of character shall constitute the outline for a programme of ethics in our schools.

PREMIERSHIP RESULTS Tottenham 2-1 Newcastle Chelsea 4-1 Wigan Norwich 0-0 Fulham Stoke 2-1 Reading Sunderland 0-1 Arsenal Swansea 4-1 QPR Southampton 3-1 Man City

PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES Mahamadou Samassa of Mali celebrates after scoring the opener against Ghana in yesterday’s AFCON third place match.

goal that sealed victory for the determined Malians.

At the end of the explosive and energy-sapping encounter, Malian captain, Seydou Keita was voted the Man- of- the match.

Today’s Matches Aston Villa v West Ham 13:30 Man United v Everton 16:00 Monday, February 11, 2013 Liverpool v West Brom 20:00

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