Binder1

19.09.14

No. 70

N200

NIGERIA'S FIRST FRIDAY NEWSPAPER

Chibok Diary

DAY

158

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

www.leadership.ng Leadership newspapers

@leadershipnGa

Gundiri Wants Military Action In > Page 2 Chibok, Michika, Others

nationwide darkness Looms

Oil Workers Cut Gas Supply To Power Plants 15

Ideye Topples Mikel, Moses As Nigeria’s Highest Earning Footballer Plus the full earnings table

By Ishaku kIgBu

Brown Ideye

Mikel Obi

£10million

ElECTIONS MuST hOlD NEXT YEAR SAYS TAMbuWAl

£4.16million

11

Victor Moses £9million

PDP ENDORSEMENT: I’M huMblED, OvERWhElMED – Jonathan 8

West Brom Albion striker Brown Ideye has toppled Nigeria’s big guns like Chelsea star Mikel Obi and Yakubu Aiyegbeni as the country’s highest earning footballer in Europe. Mikel Obi in the 2012/2013. ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

YOuGOv PREDICTS 'NO' vOTES WIll WIN SCOTlAND REFERENDuM 6 bY 54%

POlICE NAb MAN FOR bEhEADING WOMAN IN 7 EbONYI

seized $9.3m: senate summons dasuki, badeh, minimah

4

#BringBackOurGirls 158 day

Friday, September 19, 2014

Editor’s Note It’s an extra special Friday. Why? Because we have so many moods to mellow, as parents and guardians are freaking out as school resumption is practically three days away. That is if the NUT stand won’t sway public school's resumption and all its wahala.

You will be glad to know and caution your child on the dangers of pedestrian abuse of expressway, which is our Friday Extra issue today. For young girls intent on devouring the style that is Tiwa savage, Lerato and Bisola distill the music figure’s fashion sense that makes her so unique.

Find out who’s our new chef writer from Dobby Signature with the tweaked African delicacy to give a weird but adventurous twist to your cooking. You can surprise your partner with the dish on your next eat-at-home-date. Meanwhile, Weekend Flavour, Solomom Nda-Isaiah has several other tit-bits on your favourite celebrities’ activities to ensure your weekend is as smooth as possible. Enjoy your day as we Thank God It’s Friday!

“Strange how desire doth outrun performance” – William Shakespeare For Feedback: fridayleadership@leadership.ng

ChIbok IN ThE WEEk Saturday, September 13, 2014 Playing politics Upon visiting the BBOG group, abuja, Chairman of the democratic People’s Party (dPP) Major Gen. Bashir Salili (rtd) bemoaned the high level of insecurity in the country and its implication to the nation Nigeria. He said were he in power at this critical period he would have exercised diplomacy to curtail the situation. yet he urged government to employ all resources in its power to “crush insurgents”.

Sunday, September 14, 2014 Expected Senator of Borno Central Senatorial district, Senator ahmed Zanna, to the BBOG village sit-out, failed to appear despite promises to send a representative. Meanwhile, the BBOG group demands that federal government admit the true state of events to parents to avoid the further distrust between the public and the government.

Monday, September 15, 2014 Camera-Shy or what Senator ahmed Zanna explains that he needs time to prepare for his visit to the BBOG, abuja since the media rave his expected visit aroused. His impending visit is seen to be a boost to the reduced number of Borno representatives in the group ere the number at the initial stage of the protest.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014 Following “We decided to keep our distance from the group

because I am an accused and my friend (Sen. ahmed Zanna) is a suspect … The biggest challenge in this country is that the government is not sincere.”

–Senator Ali Ndume, at the BBOG, village sit-out, Abuja.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014 Chibok Chairman, Tsambido Hosea abana, commended that efforts of the Bring Back Our Girls group. abana said such actions will ensure government attends to its responsibilities not only on the kidnapped Chibok girls but other topical issues arising from the insurgent attacks.

Thursday, September 18, 2014 To mark its 160th day, BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) recognizes and contributes to provisions and clothing to internally displaced persons from insurgent attacks in Borno.

The group planned to visit internally displaced persons camps in the F.C.T to empathize with them.

Today Friday, September 12, 2004 The BringBackOurGirls group has advised that citizens’ approach be adopted in the war against the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, saying Nigerian citizens should come up and take their destiny in their hands since it has become COMPILED

BY UGOCHUKWU IROKA clear that the Nigerian security apparatuses are incapable of containing the sect. ...As Compiled By Abah Adah

Members of #BringbackOurGirls group of protesters during a village square meeting at the unity fountain in abuja yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

Insurgency In The North East: Gundiri Wants Full Military Action

BY ChIkA MEFor AND EjIkE EjIkE, Abuja In the light of the recent escalation of Boko Haram’s insurgency in the North East and particularly in view of the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok five months ago and the alleged abduction of about 50 girls from Michika, former governorship aspirant in Adamawa State, Engr. Marcus Gundiri, has called for full military action in all affected parts of the country, to ensure that peace is restored in the nation.

Engr. Gundiri, who spoke to LEADERSHIP on the situation in the North East ahead of the upcoming elections, lamented that with the insecurity in the region, the whole process of elections and peace in the nation was threatened.

"I always say that security is everybody's business. The security situation in the North East is so worrisome that it has become a major issue for everybody.

Imagine that in Adamawa, my state, election is less than one‎ month away and insurgency is coming into the state with full force.

"Already, two local governments in Adamawa - Michika‎ and Madagali - are under siege and the election and peace of the region are threatened. I would advise that the military should employ full force to reclaim Chibok, Michika and all other towns that have been taken by the insurgents," Gundiri said.

The Adamawa governorship hopeful also called on the military and security agents to build trust among the people and ensure that they were safe to carry on with their lives and even participate in the upcoming elections.

“As I am talking to you now, the terrorists' activities have prevented so many people ‎from their work and even some people that registered for the permanent voter’s card in about seven local governments in Adamawa could not get their permanent registered card, because of insecurity,” Gundiri said.

He however expressed optimism that the situation of insurgency in the region would be handled soon, noting that if Afghanistan could hold elections in spite of its terrorism problems, there was no way Adamawa and the North East would not hold elections.

Lie to a liar, for lies are his coin; Steal from a thief, for that is easy; lay a trap for a trickster and catch him at first attempt, but beware of an honest man. ― Egyptian Proverbs

our stand

3

September 19, 2014

Contract Staff As Pension Managers

T

he Pension Commission (Pencom) recently directed pension operators to do away with outsourced staff, because of the inherent integrity implications their presence in the industry portend. This directive derives from the perceived importance of pension matters, which are not only serious but also sensitive, by virtue of the fact that they have to do with the welfare of people who devoted their youth to the service of the fatherland and need the proceeds from that effort in the evening of their lives. Not just in Nigeria but elsewhere also, issues that have to do with a pension fund and its management attract deserved attention.

The situation is more desperate in Nigeria, given the controversies that trailed pension fund administration not too long ago, with reports of missing billions of pensioners’ money and the man put in charge of the fund himself suddenly disappearing without trace, or so it seems. It is not unlikely, then, that the recent decision of the commission to bar licensed pension operators from using contract staff for critical functions in their operations such as funds management and accounting, pension management

and administration, was part of a strategy to cleanse the sector and restore its credibility and the public’s confidence in the pension policy.

Furthermore, the commission insisted that the allegations of fraud and improper training of the contract staff and the problems they pose must be addressed. This was just as it stressed that the inherent risks in the engagement of outsourced staff have already begun to manifest in the observed illicit tendencies. The commission also gave all the operators six months within which to either train them in affected functions, convert their employment to permanent status, or replace them with permanent staff.

In our opinion, it is pertinent

Ag. Editor Hassan Gimba Ahmed Deputy Editor Kazeem Akintunde Editorial Board Safiya M. Adamu, Chairman Christian Ochiama, Deputy Chairman Standards Aniebo Nwamu, Director ’Lara Olugbemi, Assistant Director

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah to emphasise that the pension industry needs all the protection it can get, because of the role it plays in the economy. It is one industry that touts masquerading as contract or outsourced staff must not be allowed to operate in. This category of staff, not trained and not entitled to the benefits enjoyed by full-time employees and who rely mostly on stipends, will do almost anything, including compromising corporate policy, to augment their income.

We also point out that the pension industry underwent a policy review not too long ago, which even the experts are still struggling to grapple with, let alone the investing public who are yet to come to terms with the provisions of the old and the new policies. In this circumstance, getting touts involved would invariably cause more harm than good to everyone involved in the pension industry.

We do, however, commend the commission for this bold move to sanitise the industry, but urge it to persuade the pension operators to not use the opportunity of this directive to displace hardworking ones among the casual staff. They should explore the advantages of the option of training those of them who are sufficiently acquainted with the industry, with a view to giving them permanent employment.

Chairman Hajiya Ireti Kingibe Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Divisional Directors Abdulmumin Balogun Ademola Oladosu Iyobosa Uwugiaren Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Zipporah D. Tanko Joy Adekanye

Leadership

Holdings

Managing Director Abraham Nda-Isaiah Executive Director Nnamdi Samuel New York Office Mohammed Bello Shehu London Office Dr Bello Salihu Johannesburg Office Abiodun Oguntuase Business Manager Bilkisu Mohammed Rimi

If you marry a monkey for his wealth, the money goes and the monkey remains as is.

— Egyptian Proverb

LEADERSHIP is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation’s capital.

We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interest of Nigerian people even against their rulers, and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed.

We shall never, ever for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being: For God and country!

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September 19, 2014

LIVING TO BE 100

One health tip daily Nature’s Pollution-Fighter The powerful antioxidant and detoxifier L-cysteine can help protect your body from the harmful effects of pollution, heavy metals, chemicals, radiation, alcohol, and smoke. This naturally occurring amino acid may also help boost the immune system, protect against heart disease, build muscle, and decrease fat buildup. L-cysteine is also useful for combatting inflammation and promoting healthy hair and nail growth. The substance is found in eggs, fish, almonds, sesame seeds, soy, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, legumes, avocados, bananas, whole grains, and brewer’s yeast.

Ideye Topples Mikel, Moses As Nigeria’s Highest Earning Footballer ➔ FROM FRONT PAGE

season was Nigeria’s highest paid footballer earning four million pounds a year. Yakubu Aiyegbeni with a move to Chinese club Guangzhou beat Mikel to earnings by taking home 5.4million pounds. But in an unprecedented turn of events, Brown Ideye this season beat all former big earners by penning down a 10 million pounds deal for West Brom Albion of England emerging as the highest paid Nigerian footballer.

But who is Brown Ideye? The 25-year-old player began his career with Bayelsa United before crossing over to Ocean Boys and was a member of the Ocean Boys team that won the Nigerian Premier League. He signed for European club Neuchatel Xamax, a Swiss side in January 2008 and moved to France to sign for French Ligue 1 club FC Sochaux. Again he moved on July 6 2011 to sign a five-year deal with Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv. In August 2012, Ideye scored the winner in a Champions League qualifying 3rd round secondleg game against Feyenoord, in which Kyiv progressed. In July 2014 he signed a three-year deal with English Premier League club West Bromwich Albion, becoming the club’s record signing at £10 million.

On the continent however, other top footballers plying their trades across foreign leagues in

the world earn more Nigerian players.

Players like Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure and Didier Drogba of Cote d’Ivoire, Asamoan Gyan, Michael Essien, Andrew Ayew of Ghana, Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon and Seidu Kaita of Mali smile to their banks weekly or monthly while Nigerian stars on their part only made marginal increases as the case may be.

Reports reveal though that some Nigerians playing outside the popular major leagues in Europe take home good sum of money than most of their counterparts in the top leagues like the English Premiership, Spanish La Liga and Italian Serie A. This is not to say, though, that they are not earning well. Reports reveal that some of them get quite enough. Particularly, those playing outside the popular major leagues in Europe take home good sums of money, compared to what most of their counterparts in top leagues like the English Premiership, Spanish La Liga and Italian Serie A earn.

John Mikel Obi Annual Wage: £4.16million The Chelsea midfielder was previously earning £2,600,000 (£50,000 per week) before signing a five-year contract extension in 2012 worth £4,160,000 ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Seized $9.3m: Senate Summons NSA, CDS, COAS

By Bayo Oladeji, Chika Otuchikere, Kunle Olasanmi, Jonathan Nda- Isaiah, Abuja and Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

The Senate has summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA) Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd), Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshall Alex Badeh and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt-Gen Kenneth Minimah over the smuggled $9.3million seized by South African government.

The South African police had on Monday an Israeli and two others with $9.3million cash, allegedly meant for arms transaction.

Speaking yesterday, chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator George Sekibo, invited Dasuki, Badeh and Minimah to appear before its Committee on Defence next Tuesday to brief it on the smuggled $9.3 million seized in South Africa.

He said, “I have just called the Chief of Defence Staff, National Security Adviser and Chief of Army Staff; I don’t want to preempt issues because we have not heard details about it but they will be here on Tuesday next week.”

On mutiny, Sekibo said it was not a surprise that death sentences were passed on the 12 soldiers because, as soldiers, they were aware of the implication of mutiny.

He added that before the judgement was passed, the army had carried out its investigation into the matter.

Troops Kill Another 60 Insurgents In Konduga Nigerian troops have killed another 60 members of the Boko Haram in Konduga , Borno State, and arrested a high ranking leader of the sect who was said to have been wounded.

Military sources informed LEADERSHIP Friday that the terrorists’ leader, whose name is still being kept secret, was captured after the second but fiercer battle waged by the insurgents to recapture the town following their earlier routing by the military.

In addition to their losing scores of their fighters, the terrorists also lost weapons and equipment, including 24 rifles, five rocket-propelled grenade tubes, two machine guns as well as a Ford Ranger vehicle; another Ford Ranger vehicle was destroyed.

During the first battle of the day which lasted over 12 hours,

scores of the terrorists were killed.

The source said, “Right now, our troops are combing the vicinity of the battle scene in a cordon-and-search operation to determine the exact casualty figures suffered by the terrorists in the encounter.”

Corroborating the Defence Headquarters, the director of Army Public Relations, BrigadierGeneral Olajide Laleye, in a statement signed by him, said: “In continuation of the ongoing operation to dislodge Boko Haram terrorists from the North East, gallant troops of the Nigerian Army conducted offensive operations between 4pm and 8pm yesterday (Wednesday,17 September 2014), in Konduga area of Borno State, killing over 60 Boko Haram terrorists.

“Military hardware recovered from the insurgents include 13 AK 47 rifles, 5 Rocket Propelled Guns (RPGs) tubes, 2 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 1 Anti-Aircraft Gun and 2 Ford Ranger pick-up vehicles. Nigerian Army troops did not suffer any casualty. Morale of troops remains very high”.

APC To Jonathan: Clear yourself over $9.3m controversy now Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to come clean on the circumstances surrounding the $9.3million that was impounded in South Africa.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the APC also called on the National Assembly to launch an urgent investigation into the issue, saying the silence of the peoples’ representatives on the issue was deafening, unfathomable and unacceptable.

It said there is no doubt that the president was at the centre of the whole issue, considering the presidential treatment given to the plane and its cargo, since the plane departed from the Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, away from the reach of the Nigerian Customs Service which could not, therefore, have cleared the plane and its passengers. ‘’It is absolutely urgent for President Jonathan to clear the air on this alleged off-the-shelf equipment or arms purchase, which runs against all known protocol for such purchases anywhere in the world. Military equipment

Dasuki

and weapons are not bean cakes to be purchased by the roadside.

There are globally-acceptable protocols for such purchases by governments, otherwise what differentiates a government from an insurgent group that is shopping for arms? ‘’Is the Jonathan Administration not aware that the UN General Assembly on April 2, 2013, adopted a landmark Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) precisely to regulate the international trade in conventional weapons by avoiding the kind of roadside purchase that the Nigerian government is said to have been involved in? Though the ATT has not come into effect, the fact that Nigeria is among the few countries to have signed and ratified the treaty shows that the country is concerned by unregulated arms trade.”

The party said the resort to ‘’procedural error’’ to explain away the whole issue cannot work because Nigerian authorities cannot pretend not to be aware that currency brought into or taken from South Africa is monitored by law, and that anyone bringing into that country more than R25,000 in South African currency or $10,000 or their equivalent in foreign currency must declared such.

It said those using ‘’procedural error’’ as an alibi are being deceitful.

“This is because if entering or leaving a country with undeclared $9.3 million is mere ‘’procedural error’’, why was Sule Lamido’s son convicted for not declaring a mere $50,000 at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport?” it queried.

APC said, however, that in the spirit of fairness, it has decided to give President Jonathan and ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you. ― Ghana Proverb

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September 19, 2014

Seized $9.3m: Senate Summons NSA, CDS, COAS ➔ FROM PAGE 4

his government the opportunity to make urgently-needed clarifications by answering a number of questions relating to the $9.3 million scandal: Is the money indeed meant to purchase a helicopter as has been reported? To which arm of the government or security force does the money belong?

Who appropriated it and for what purpose? Why was the money being ferried in cash by the same government that has been spending huge time and money to promote a cashless policy? Is the resort to cash to avoid a paper trail for the transac-

tion, in which case it is illegal?” ‘’Mr. President, we are aware that each arm of security has an account with the CBN for the purpose of arms purchase and such transactions are properly documented, so why was this not the case in this instance?

‘Mr. President, why did it take your government all of 10 days to admit its involvement in this scandal, considering that the embarrassing incident happened since September 5 and was not known until September 15? Does this saga not give credence to the widely held

view that you are indeed benefitting from the Boko Haram insurgency and that you have deliberately allowed it to escalate to this level? ‘’Mr. President, has this saga not confirmed the suspicion that your 2015 reelection bid has been factored into your handling of the Boko Haram insurgency? Has this saga not given more credence to revelations that the sponsors of Boko Haram are those closest to the President? Has this saga not finally confirmed that the President knows more than he is telling the nation about the sudden escalation of the

Boko Haram insurgency, especially in the run up to the 2015 elections? ‘’Mr. President, has this saga not confirmed that powerful forces in your administration are all working in concert to use the Boko Haram insurgency to secure tenure extension for President Jonathan? Is not clear now why the Senate President infamously declared two days ago that election is not on the table since the country is in a state of war? Have we not been proven right in our declaration at the panel discussion in the British House of Commons ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Ideye Topples Mikel, Moses As Nigeria’s Highest Earning Footballer Players

Club

Daily

Monthly

Yearly

Yakubu Aiyegbeni

Guangzhou

N3.6m

N100.5m

N1.2bn

John Mikel Obi

Chelsea

N2.8m

N80.4m

N964.7m

Victor Moses

Chelsea

N1.5m

N50.6m

N672m

Emmanuel Emenike

Spartak Moscow

N1.3m

N36.5m

N440m

Osaze Odemwingie

West Brom

N1.3m

N36.5m

N440m

Joseph Yobo

Fernabache

N1.3m

N34.2m

N410m

Obafemi Martins

Seattle Sounders

N359,128

N10.1m

Brown Ideye

West Brom

➔ FROM PAGE 4

annually. His hefty pay packet however suffered substantial tax cuts under the United Kingdom tax rules. He joined Chelsea in 2006 from Norwegian club FC Lyn Oslo on a US$25m move.

The 25-year-old Jos-born player is a big investor in real estate and owns mansions in Jos, Lagos and London worth about N800m. Mikel also has shares in top companies.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni Annual Wage: £5.04million The widely travelled Nigerian international has played for Julius Berger, Gil Vicente, Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Kfar Saba, Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton, Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers. He made a big money move to China’s Guangzhou R&F, where he was reported to have been pulling in nearly £100,000 a week, before joining a Qatari side recently for an undisclosed amount. Aiyegbeni’s annual take-home at his former Chinese club was placed at £5,040,000.

John Utaka Annual Wage: £2.08million Rumour has it that the former Super Eagles winger took home £80,000 a week at Portsmouth at a time when the club was in dire financial straits! But he insists he only earned about £30,000 at the club.

Utaka joined Montpellier in 2011 in a two and a half-year deal estimated at £40,000 per week.

Joseph Yobo Annual Wage: £1.8million The former Super Eagles skipper earned £1,974,000 annually at Everton, but took a pay cut after Fenerbahce coughed out £2.5m to Everton FC for

N2.7bn

his transfer. The cut was, however, insignificant, since Yobo was reported to have earned in the region of £1.8m in wages per year in the three-year deal at Fenerbahce. The plus for Yobo was that his earnings were barely taxed in Turkey, unlike his colleagues in the United Kingdom who pay up to 35% tax on income.

Kalu Uche Annual Wage: £1.04million, plus a £630,000 transfer payout It was payday in a big way for the erstwhile Super Eagles midfielder, when in 2012 he was paid £630,000, being half of his transfer fee from Espanyol to Turkish club Kasimpasa.

Kalu, who had moved to Espanyol on a free deal from his previous Swiss club Neuchatal Xamas, which was later declared bankrupt, had an agreement with Espanyol to take 50% of any subsequent transfer fee, if Espanyol were to sell. That plus his estimated £20,000 weekly wage fetched him a place on this list.

Victor Moses Weekly Wage: £55,000 Moses joined Chelsea in the 2012 season for £9m, after leaving Wigan. Failing to secure a regular shirt in Chelsea, he secured a deal on reduced terms with Liverpool, but the club was concerned about the forward’s £55,000 a week salary.

Obafemi Martins Annual Wage: $6, 695,000 The on-loan Levante of Spain forward has played for top clubs like Inter-Milan of Italy, Newcastle United of England, Birmingham City of England, Vfl Wolfsborg of Germany, Rubin Kazan of Russia and is currently with the Se-

Yakubu Aiyegbeni

Kalu Uche

Obafemi Martins

Joseph Yobo

attle Sounders in the United States of America.

The widely travelled Martins was the fifth highest paid player in United States Major League Soccer for the 2013 season, according to a players’ union release. He is also the highest paid ever player for Seattle Sounders, with an annual basic salary of $6, 695,000.

The 28-year-old striker owns two mansions at Victoria Garden City in Lagos worth N500m, a massive home in Como, Italy valued at N800m and top hotels in Italy. Martins, who recently delved into philanthropy, put N400m into his charity foundation.

Brown Ideye Transfer Fee: £10m

Ideye began his football career with Ocean Boys where he won the Nigerian Premier League before venturing to Europe. He was seen then as the most aspiring youngster from Nigeria. 20 years old at the time, he joined Swiss outfit Neuchatel Xamax.

A failed trial at Dutch side Willem II Tilburg along the way made him land in Ligue 1 with Sochaux, which cost about £4m.

He has since upped his price, particularly after joining Dynamo Kiev for £7m in 2011. West Bromwich Albion went all out to buy the Super Eagles forward for a £10m transfer fee, breaking their own record. But many questions have been asked since they bought the striker from Dynamo Kiev. Who is he and what has he done to justify that kind of money?

Negotiate a river by following its bends, enter a country by following its customs. ― Armenian Proverb

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September 19, 2014

YouGov Predicts “No” Votes Will Win Scotland Referendum By 54%

By Ebriku John Friday, with agency reports

As British citizens awaits the announcement of the final result of the final voting today, YouGov’s yesterday predicts that ‘No’ votes will win Scotlands referendum with 54 per cent of the vote.

The YouGov also predicts that ‘Yes’ votes stood at 46 per cent. With this latest prediction, Scotland would remain part of Great Britain.

According to YouGov, the prediction was based on the responses of 1,828 people after they voted yesterday, together with those of 800 people who had already voted by post, adding that yesterday’s respondents had previously given their voting intention earlier this week.

By recontacting them, it could assess any

last-minute shift in views. The responses indicate that there has been a small shift on the day from ‘Yes’ to ‘No’, and also that ‘No’ supporters were slightly more likely to turn out to vote.

YouGov also asked people whether they had encountered active supporters of the Yes and No campaigns at their local polling station and, if so, whether the campaigners had acted reasonably. Big majorities said that any campaigners they encountered behaved reasonably; but 10 per cent of No voters said they had encountered unreasonable behaviour by ‘Yes’ campaigners, while 5 per cent of Yes voters said they encountered unreasonable behaviour by ‘No’ campaigners.

Speaking to Sky News, British Prime Minister David Cameron said he is “ner-

vous, but confident” that Scots will say “No.” “…Everyone who cares about our United Kingdom, and I care passionately about our United Kingdom, is nervous, but I am confident that we have set out how Scotland can have the best of both worlds - a successful economy with a growing number of jobs that we have seen today, the Scottish unemployment rate at 6 per cent is actually lower than the unemployment rate in London, and shows what a success the Scottish economy is,” he said. “So, the success of that, but combined with the ability of Scots if they vote ‘No’ to have even more powers and even more say over how to run their own affairs in Scotland.”

An Ipsos MORI poll on the eve of the referendum showed the support for independence has risen to 49 per cent and the num-

ber of those against dropped to 51 per cent.

The support for independence has increased seven percent since a similar poll was conducted on August 5.

Turnout of yesterday’s referendum is expected to be very high, since over 95 per cent of constituents have registered to vote.

The polls have also found eight to 14 per cent of Scotland’s 4.3 million voters are undecided before the Thursday vote.

Earlier surveys had indicated 48 per cent of Scots were likely to vote “Yes” for independence, compared to a 52 per cent majority rejecting the bid to break away from London’s rule.

Both sides in the campaign are making a final push, even making housecalls to try to gain the support of people who have not yet decided which way to vote.

Seized $9.3m: Senate Summons NSA, CDS, COAS ➔ FROM PAGE 5

on September 8, 2014, that the Jonathan administration will attempt to cash in on the Boko Haram insurgency to postpone elections?’’ it asked.

The party said the answers to the questions raised would go a long way in showing Nigerians that their government is not clandestinely buying equipment and weapons to fuel the Boko Haram insurgency and then profit from its own act of perfidy.

Boko Haram: 60 wounded soldiers receive gifts from Depowa 57 men and three officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces who were injured at the army operation Zaman Lafiya against insurgents in the North-Eastern part of the country yesterday received gifts from Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA) including unspecified amount of money.

The President of DEPOWA and wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs. Mary Badeh who led officials and members of the association to the 44 army reference hospital were the wounded soldiers are currently receiving treatment donated hampers, containing beverages and toiletries to the wounded soldiers to help alleviate their pains and to also demonstrate to them that they are always remembered.

The donation came barely a week after same soldiers were decorated with purple hearts medals by the Minister of Defence, Gen. Muhammad Aliyu Gusau (rtd).

Distributing the gift items to the soldiers, Mrs. Badeh urged them to use the gifts to sustain themselves, adding that the token donated was a show of concern over the plight of the soldiers and wished them a quick recovery.

According to her, “we came here for this visit to our husbands, brothers and our children that were affected by the ongoing Boko Haram insurgents fight and DEPOWA have plans for the widows of the affected soldiers as a skill acquisition centre is being built for them.

“What is given to these soldiers today are not even enough to say thank you to them. They’ve done enough by defending our nation and just want to encour-

age them that hope is not lost. They have defended our nation. It is not something we can say thank you to them because it’s not enough. We just want to appreciate them for defending our nation for saving us mothers, and we’ll want to say to them that we’re proud of them ,” Mrs. Badeh said.

In her remark, the Medical Director, 44 Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, Maj. Gen. Abimbola Amusu said the affected men and officers were responding to treatment and some of them will soon be discharged.

10,000 Boko Haram suffer torture in Nigerian detention camps – Amnesty The latest report of the Amnesty International on the use of torture in the country has revealed that between 5,000 and 10,000 persons suspected of associating with Boko Haram insurgents are currently undergoing torture in many Nigerian detention centres.

Amnesty International made this known in a report presented to journalists yesterday in which it accused the Nigerian military and the police authorities of engaging in various forms of torture in order to extract confessional statements from suspect.

According to Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy director, Netsanet Belay, the inhuman treatment goes far beyond the appalling torture and killing of suspected Boko Haram members.

In its report entitled, ‘Welcome to hellfire, torture and other Ill-treatment in Nigeria,’ Amnesty International disclosed that 500 torture survivors, detainees, their relatives, rights defenders and lawyers were interviewed during 20 research visits to the country. The report also identified 12 commonplace torture methods.

It gave details of how people are often detained in large dragnet operations and tortured as punishment, to extort money or to extract “confessions” as a shortcut to “solve” cases.

The group however called on the National Assembly to immediately take the long overdue step and pass a law criminalizing torture, adding that there is no excuse for further delay.

Compiled from hundreds of testimonies

and evidence gathered over 10 years, the report exposes the institutionalized use of police torture chambers and routine abuses by the military in a country, it said, prohibits torture in its constitution but has yet to pass legislation outlawing the violation after two years.

The report also reveals how most of those detained are held incommunicado – denied access to the outside world, including lawyers, families and courts.

The reports revealed that torture has become such an integral part of policing in Nigeria that many police stations have an informal Officer in Charge of Torture or ‘O/C Torture’. They use an alarming array of techniques, including nail or tooth extractions, choking, electric shocks and sexual violence.

The reports further stated that Nigeria’s military is committing similar human rights violations, detaining thousands as they search for Boko Haram members.

“Soldiers pick up hundreds of people as they search for those associated with Boko Haram, then torture suspects during a ‘screening’ process that resembles a medieval witchhunt,” it said.

However, the Nigeria police have refuted all the allegations levelled against the country’s security agencies, describing them as blatant falsehoods and innuendoes.

Force public relations officer, Ag. CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP Friday, said the report “smacks of indecency and intemperate language to liken our dear nation Nigeria to hell fire”.

According to him, “While the Nigeria Police and other operators in the criminal justice sector are undergoing systematic reforms, and aligning themselves with the demands of democracy, there is no gainsaying the fact that the Nigeria Police Force has since improved its operational efficiency and effectiveness. Since the dawn of democracy in 1999, the Nigeria Police Force has significantly improved on its human rights records, owing largely to training and re-training, community policing, attitudinal change and structural transformation.

“In its report under reference, Amnesty International did admit in its methodology that it visited some Police Formations

A deaf husband and a blind wife are always a happy couple. ― African Proverb

Badeh

Minimah

and interviewed some family members of suspects. At no time in its report did Amnesty speak or interface with the Police authorities. This obviously shows their disdain and apparent lack of character where the democratic tenets of fair hearing are concerned.

“The report covered a seven-year period of 2007-2014. I dare say that some of the issues raised have since been dispensed with and settled. Of a truth, torture or illtreatment is not, repeat, not an official policy of the Nigeria Police.

NEWS EXTRA /7

September 19, 2014

Police Nab Man For Beheading Woman In Ebonyi A man identified as Chinedu Nweke, is now a guest of the Ebonyi State Police Command for way-laying and beheading a 45-year-old woman.

Nweke, 32, a native of Amuda, in Ezza North local government area of the state, was arrested for behading the woman identified as Philomena Nwega, on September 6, 2014, when she was returning from the farm.

The state commissioner of police, CP Maigari Dikko, told LEADERSHIP FRIDAY that “The suspect confessed that on September 6, 2014, he way-laid and cut off the head of Philomena Nwega, a 45-yearold woman from the same village [as his] while she was returning from farm.

“He said he did the deed because the son of the deceased, one Friday Nwega, raped his wife some time ago. After committing the murder, the suspect threw the headless body into the Ogbor stream in Amuda and buried the head in a nearby bush,” Dikko disclosed.

Dikko also stated that both the body and the head of the deceased have been recovered by the operatives of the Command’s Department of Investigation. He also hinted that a team of policemen attached to the Onicha Police Division, acting on a tip-off on August 14, 2014, swooped on and arrested three armed robbers who had barricaded the Onicha-Ohaozara Road, in order to rob travellers and unsuspecting road users.

“Those arrested include Joshua Odu (24), Ogbonna Oluchukwu (27) and Chukwu Friday (27). Items recovered from them include one locally made revolver, one locally made shot-gun and a round of ammunition,” Dikko said.

The commissioner also revealed that the command had, also, on August 13, 2014, at about 06:30pm, arrested eight suspected cult members for alleged cult activities and the attempted murder of one Igwe Uchenna, a resident of Awkuzu Street, Kpirikpiri and Azuewa Ijeoma of Ele Street, Abakaliki.

Obinna Okafor, Chekwube Ibekwe, Obi Nnamdi, Azubuike Leonard, Zelobor Chukwudi, Okoronkwo Uchenna and Oforbike Dennis were some of those arrested by the command.

Obinna Ogbonnaya, Abakaliki

Chairman of the Adamawa Bbranch of the Nigeria Association of Physically-challenged Persons, Alhaji Abubakar Hosere, show-casing some locally made shoes by his members in Yola, yesterday. Photo by nan

Missing Gun: Man, 27, Seeks Justice Over Manhandling

By Achor Abimaje, Jos

A 27-year-old man identified as Solomon Gyang, who hails from Foron District, Barkin Ladi local government council, is seeking justice after disclosing that he allegedly escaped being killed by men of the Special Task Force code-named ‘Operation Safe Haven’.

Gyang called on civil societies and nongovernmental organisations to come to his aid, with a view to getting justice for being tortured.

“I travelled to Abuja and, upon my return, the STF men came to my house again and arrested me with two other boys. During an

outpour which lasted for several hours during the day, they attempted to kill us. My head was covered with a black cloth and I was about to be taken for execution to an undisclosed location,” he said.

Gyang, who alleged that he was disfigured by the beatings he received at the hands of the soldiers, said he was severally “beaten into a state of coma by the socalled STF men; they even hung me upside down from a tree throughout the night.”

He disclosed that the ugly episode began on August 10, 2014, at about 12:30 pm, at the Bisichi Market, when he received a call that his baby was hospitalised. On his way to the hospital, his younger brother called

to inform him some men of the STF came looking for their missing gun and that he (Gyang) was suspected to be one of those suspected of stealing it.

The village head of Foron, Markus Dapam, also revealed that though the incident occurred since August 10, the STF refuse to release the boys and warned members of the community not to visit. “They only released them after me and other districts heads from Fan and Foron intervened,” he said.

Dapam further appealed to the state and federal governments to help investigate the matter and condemned the indiscriminate arrest of members of his community.

Undergraduate Kidnapped In Kogi Found In Rivers

By Sam Egwu, Lokoja

After five months of solitary confinement in an unknown location to which he was taken by his abductors after he was kidnapped on April 14, 2014, in Anyigba, Kogi State, Mordecai Bright Audu, was let loose in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Narrating his ordeal in the company of his father, Engr. Audu Abuh at the NUJ Press Centre in Lokoja, the third-year accounting student of the Kogi State University, KSU, said he boarded a private vehicle bound for Kaduna from the uni-

versity’s gate, at about 6.30am, for a fare of N2, 500.

Audu said he lost consciousness upon boarding the vehicle.

“I found myself in a building in Port Harcourt, where I was held captive for a month. Though the kidnappers constantly gave me food and drink, they removed the SIM of my handset and when they got tired of me, they dumped me by the roadside one night.

“Upon my release, I saw a woman passing by and I greeted her. I told her of my ordeal and she obliged to help me to a

church Kings World Ministry International, located at the Trans-Amadi Industrial Estate, Port Harcourt. She later introduced herself as Sister Kate.

“It was one Mr Preye who called my father from Trans-Amadi Industrial Estate, near a popular motor park, before I finally believed that I could really get to be free,” he said.

“God is the ultimate in everything that happens to us. Though, at first, I did not believe when a call came that I should come and get my child, faith in God led me there to see my son alive,” his father said.

Kaduna Bombing: 4 Suspects Arrested

By Midat Joseph, Kaduna

No less than four suspected gunmen have been arrested for their role in the bombings which rocked Sanga local government area of Kaduna State on Wednesday by men of the Nigerian Army who were drafted to the area to maintain peace.

According to Bitrus, a resident of the area, the alleged gunmen were arrested by securi-

ty men who combed all the bushes in the local government, following the attack which killed about 50 people.

“Four of the gunmen were arrested by soldiers. The soldiers transported the suspect to their base in Kafanchan. We saw how they were arrested but we couldn’t approach them,” he said.

The spokesman of 1 Division Nigerian Army, Col. Abdul Usman, promised to con-

firm the arrest from the soldiers on ground.

However, the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Aminu Lawan, could neither return calls nor reply text messages sent to him at the time this report was filed in.

Vice-chairman of Sanga, Pastor Bulus Mandey Anzah, who is standing in for the chairman, Hon Adamu Danzaria, was said to be in Government House Kaduna for a briefing over the attack.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said it was finalising plans to take relief materials to displaced persons in the area.

The agency’s spokesman, Abubakar Adamu, said that the agency was concerned about the plight of the displaced people and has perfected plans to avail them of relief materials such as food, clothes and other essential needs.

A good surgeon must have a hawk’s eye, a lion’s heart and a woman’s hand. ― Cambodian Proverb

8 NEWS

September 19, 2014

Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo

PDP Endorsement: I’m Humbled, Overwhelmed – Jonathan

PDP approves timetable, guidelines for party primaries

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Despite yesterday’s overwhelming endorsement by his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as sole candidate ahead of 2015, President Goodluck Jonathan continued the suspense on when he would openly declare to run, declaring instead that he is overwhelmed and humbled but extremely challenged by the endorsement.

The PDP’s highest decision-making body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), met yesterday and roundly endorsed President Jonathan as the sole candidate of the party following a voice vote presided over by the national chairman of the party, Dr Adamu Mu’azu.

The endorsement followed series of endorsements by the party’s governors,

its caucus in the National Assembly, the Board of Trustees and a larger caucus of the party between Tuesday and Wednesday.

But President Jonathan, who continued the suspense on the timing of his declaration, said he would leave out his declaration for the 2015 election for another day. He, however, underscored the import of his emergence as sole candidate of the party, stressing that he will not disappoint the party and Nigerians.

He said, “Adopting me as the sole candidate of the party has humbled me; I am totally overwhelmed. I want to appreciate the governors for initiating the process even though the House of Representatives started it, but when the governors backed it, it was like an atomic bomb.

“I am so overwhelmed that I lack words to express myself. I know the press wants me to declare but I leave it for another day. For today, for you to

have that kind of confidence, I am extremely challenged. It means that whatever we had done in the past three years, we should tripple it. That is the only way Nigerians will appreciate it. I will not disappoint you.”

The PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) had Wednesday night unanimously endorsed President Jonathan as the party’s sole candidate for the 2015 presidential poll.

At its meeting held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja which started at about 8:16pm and ended at about 11:20pm, the BoT also approved the timetable and guidelines for the party’s primaries and national convention for the 2015 polls.

Former information minister, Prof Jerry Gana made the BoT position known, while addressing journalists alongside deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu and PDP BoT secretary, Walid Jibril after the board meeting.

Senate Okays INEC’s Additional Polling Units

By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Abuja

The Senate Committee on Electoral Matters yesterday approved the controversial plan to create additional polling units across the country ahead of the 2015 elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC had recently announced the plan to create the additional polling units to decongest over-populated voting centres, but the move had generated controversy as politicians from the South alleged that the arrangement was done to favour the North.

Dispelling the notion, however, the INEC chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, insisted that the exercise was not done to favour any candidate, political party, or section of the country.

Explaining further, he stressed that when the additional 30,000 polling units are created, it will make the conduct of the 2015 elections easier and the results could be announced earlier than 48 hours as done in 2011.

Meanwhile, contrary to claims that elections may not hold in the North East because of the insurgency in the region, the chairman of INEC has said that if elections could hold in Afghanistan and Iraq, it can hold in Nigeria’s troubled North East in 2015.

Insecurity: FG Certifies 35 Private Security Coys, Warns Against Corruption

By Christiana Nwaogu, Abuja

L-R: Former EFCC chairman Mallam Nuhu Ribadu with Ms Sarah Blackwell and Ms Katie Shay of the Washington-based International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (Icar) at the UN Regional Forum on Business and Human Rights in Addis Ababa, yesterday, Ribadu was recently appointed into the Icar’s Board of Experts.

Oil Workers’ Strike: Diezani, NNPC Snub Reps’ Summon It’s an internal affair - NNPC

By Edegbe Odemwingie and Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

A mediatory meeting convened by the House of Representatives over the oil workers’ strike suffered a major setback yesterday as major stakeholders snubbed the meeting called by the joint House Committees on Petroleum (Downstream & Upstream) and Gas Resources despite summons.

Petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Ma-

dueke, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) all snubbed the meeting.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in a written reply to the House Committees stated that the workers’ crisis in the NNPC is “an internal affair”.

The NNPC GMD, Thalma Dawah in the letter told the committees that the corporation is currently engaging the workers’ unions. “In no time, our staff will go back to

work,” he said.

Members of the committees expressed displeasure at the snub, a routine occurrence by government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

Hon Emmanual Jime (Benue/APC) said such disregard for legislative summons was a “deliberate attempt by agencies to undermine the National Assembly in doing its works.”

Subsequently, chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Hon Muraina Ajibola, who led the meeting announced fresh summons to the listed parties.

The federal government yesterday issued operational licences to 35 new Private Guard Companies (PGCs) as granted by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Speaking while issuing the licences at the headquarters of the corps in Abuja, the commandant general of the corps, Prof Ade Abolurin, warned beneficiaries and other operators of private guard outfits against engaging in activities that could undermine national security.

Speaking on the security challenges facing the nation, Abolurin pointed out that the country is beclouded by the activities of various militant groups in the country, and urged unlicenced security operators to key into the security sector.

Congratulating the new entrants into the industry for working hard to meet the conditions stipulated for the issuance of Private Guard Companies’ operating licence, Abolurin said the event marked another milestone in the collective desire to enhance the security of the country taking into cognisance the current challenges.

He also challenged all private security companies on the need to be proactive and collaborate with security agencies, especially in the area of intelligence gathering, even as he assured them that every piece of information made available would

She is beautiful; she has love, understands; she respects herself and others; everyone likes, loves and honors her; she is a goddess.

African Proverb.

9

September 19, 2014

c

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES LIMITED (A SUBSIDIARY OF LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPERS GROUP)

2014 ANNUAL

CONFERENCE & AWARDS CEREMONY Chairman MR. SAM AMUKA Publisher, Vanguard Media Limited Keynote Speaker MR. BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, SAN Executive Governor, Lagos State STAR AWARDS 2013

LEADERSHIP PERSON OF THE YEAR General Yakubu Gowon GCFR LEADERSHIP GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan

LEADERSHIP POLITICIANS OF THE YEAR The G-7 Governors Dr. Babangida Aliyu (Niger) Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) Alh. Sule Lamido (Jigawa) Alh. Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi (Rivers) Alh. Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) LEADERSHIP BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR Mr. Olatunde Ayeni

AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2013 LEADERSHIP CEO OF THE YEAR Simdul Shagaya CEO, Konga.com LEADERSHIP COMPANY OF THE YEAR Chi Limited LEADERSHIP BANK OF THE YEAR Diamond Bank LEADERSHIP ICT COMPANY OF THE YEAR Jumia LEADERSHIP BANKER OF THE YEAR Mr. Philips Oduoza GMD, UBA LEADERSHIP GOVERNMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) LEADERSHIP AUTHOR OF THE YEAR Malam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai

LEADERSHIP PRODUCT OF THE YEAR Nagari Farm Yoghurt LEADERSHIP MICROFINANCE BANK OF THE YEAR LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited LEADERSHIP TELECOM COMPANY OF THE YEAR Swift Networks Limited LEADERSHIP PUBLIC OFFICER OF THE YEAR Dr. Akinwumi Adesina Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development LEADERSHIP BRAND OF THE YEAR SAMSUNG LEADERSHIP ARTISTE OF THE YEAR Ice Prince LEADERSHIP YOUNG PERSONS OF THE YEAR The Golden Eaglets LEADERSHIP SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR Stephen Okechukwu Keshi

Venue: ThisDay Dome, Abuja Time: 9:00am Date: October 14th, 2014

10/ NEWS

September 19, 2014

Fayemi, Omisore, Orji, Oyegun, 301 Others Make National Honours List Bayo Oladeji, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the award of national honours to some prominent Nigerians and friends of Nigeria, including his chief of staff, all the service chiefs including the acting inspector-general of police, eight governors, nine ministers and a host of other professionals, politicians and traditional rulers among others.

The investiture, according to a statement issued and signed by Dr. Adeyemo, M. Tunde, director (Special Duties Office) for Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), holds by 9am on Monday, September 29, 2014, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The service chiefs are the Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin and the Acting Inspector

General of Police Alhaji Suleiman Abba.

The state governors on the list are Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Ibikunle Amosu (Ogun), David Jonah Jang (Plateau), Saidu Usman Dakingari (Kebbi), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi) and Thodore Orji (Abia).

Some deputy governors, including that of Kano, were also honoured.

Ministers who made the list are Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau (Education), Prof Chinedu Nebo (Power), Sarah Ochekpe (Water Resources), Mike Onolememen (Works) and Labaran Maku (Information).

Other ministers are Hajiya Zainab Maina, Musa Mohammed Sada, Amb Basir Yuguda and Ezenwo Nyesom Wike.

Some members of the National Assembly and other prominent politicians, who also made the list, include Senators Babajide Omoworare, Nkechi Nwaogu, Umar Argungu, George Sekibo and Hon Arua Arunsi.

Also on the list are the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, his APGA counterpart Victor Umeh, former chairman of defunct NRC Chief Tom Ikimi, former military governor of Lagos Raji Rasaki, Senator Femi Okunrounmu and PDP governorship candidate in the last Osun governorship poll, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

Former and serving justices and judges of High Courts, Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court are also on the list. Some heads of the federal agencies like National Orientation Agency (NOA) Mike Omeri are on the list.

Also on the list are the man who designed the National Flag Mr Taiwo Akinkunmi, the Comptroller-General of Immigration David Parradang and Mrs Moji Makanjuola of the NTA who represents media professionals on the honour roll call.

Sport personalities who won laurels for Nigeria in various international events are also recognized. Prominent in this category are Blessing Okagbare, Manu Garba and Emmanuel Amuneke.

Borno State Gov Kashim Shettima, receiving his 64 page e-passport from Borno comptroller of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Alhaji Madu Musa, at the launch of the new passport in Maiduguri, yesterday. NAN

2015: APC Will Effectively Secure, Manage Nigeria - Buhari

BY ANKELI EMMANUEL,Sokoto

Former head of state and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday in Sokoto insisted that should APC win the 2015 presidency, the insecurity and other crimes against humanity currently on the rise in Nigeria will be outdated.

Buhari, who spoke while on a two-day working visit to the state, assured that the APC would not only secure but effectively manage Nigeria, since it has become obvious that the federal government has shown no concern for the safety of lives and property of its citizenry through its lack of political will to end to the insurgency rocking the north-eastern part of the country.

Buhari said that, had the federal government deployed the number of security personnel it deployed for the governorship election in Osun State to the north east, the insurgents would have been crushed by now.

“APC is a party with clear objectives; we intend to secure and efficiently manage Nigeria. The priority of APC is to make Nigerians sleep with two eyes closed. We intend to stop corruption and make ordinary people, the weak and vulnerable, our priority.

“The number of military men deplored to monitor election in Ekiti State, if deployed to north east, would have rescued the abducted Chibok schoolgirls that are still in captivity. In the next five months, there will be total mobilisation

of the people to vote out PDP. Nigerians can do it and we will do it.”

He stressed that that the APC will win 2015 elections overwhelmingly, noting that “what happened in Osun would be replicated in 2015.”

General Buhari, while commissioning an Orthopedic Hospital in Wamakko local government and upgraded general hospital at Bale in Gudu local government, said he appreciated Governor Wamakko’s developmental strides.

According to him, the governor places emphasis of projects that have direct effect on the lives of its citizenry such as the education, health among others “I am impressed with the systematic way the governor is executing projects across the state.”

A woman will be twice bound when her chains feel comfortable.

Dominican proverbs

Ebola Threat Not Over Yet ­– LASG

By GEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos

Despite successes recorded in the containment of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country, Lagos State government yesterday said the country was yet to be free from the threats of EVD. The state commissioner for health, Dr. Jide Idris, who disclosed this while receiving some Ebola preventive materials donated by Neimeith Pharmaceutical Plc to the state government, said EVD’s rampaging effects in neighbouring countries still poses serious threats to the country.

The commissioner said though the last case under observation would be discharged yesterday, the threat of transborder transmissions from Ebola-ravaged neighbouring countries was still there.

He said: “Lagos has been very lucky and proactive in the containment of the disease. So far, for over a week, we have not recorded any new case. We have followed up on all the contacts. In fact, the last contact should be delisted today (yesterday), all things going on well, but as long as we still have the situation in Liberia, Sierria Leone and Guinea, we are not out of the woods yet, because there is still the possibility and every potential that the virus could be re-introduced here.

“Luckily, the federal government has been proactive too in manning our bothers, but we should not rest on our oars and that is why we are trying to sensitise the public on the virus .We are to continue with every major strategy we started with, and we hope we don`t record any new case.”

N10bn Jet-hire Scandal: Order Diezani’s Arrest Now, Timi Frank Tells House of Reps

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

An social activist, Comrade Timi Frank, has asked the House of Representatives to order the arrest of the minister of petroleum resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke for repeatedly failing to appear before its Committee on Petroleum to answer questions over her alleged squandering of N10billion in two years to fly private jets.

He warned that the refusal of Alison-Madueke appear before to the House of Representatives would be setting a bad precedent and if something is not done urgently to ensure that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is adhered to in this matter, it would set a bad precedent.

Frank, in a statement, said: “Her continuous refusal to appear before the House Committee on Petroleum smacks of arrogance and a feeling of untouchability. Is Diezani now above the Constitution which in Section 88 and 89 empowers both chambers of the National Assembly to OFFIONGANWAN summon any I, formerly called MISS person in NiOFFIONGANWAN OFFIONG geria to tesAKPANIKA, now wish to be addressed as MRS OFFIONGANWAN JACINTA tify before it AKOGU. All former documents remain when necesvalid. General public should please take note. sary?”

NEWS NATIONAL /11

September 19, 2014

FG Set To Redesign Abuja–Keffi Express Road

By Igho Oyoyo, Abuja

The federal government, through the Federal Ministry of Works, has said that the redesigning of Abuja-Keffi road is in progress in order to ease the incessant traffic gridlocks on the road which have been generating much concern among residents living at the Nyanya-Mararaba axis.

Minister of works Mike Onolememen, who made this known yesterday while paying host to high ranking officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), led by the Corps Marshal Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, said that the Abuja-Keffi road was one issue that had generated a lot of concern because of the vast large number of Abuja workers residing on that corridor.

Onolememen noted the traffic the road is handling is far in excess of the maximum designed traffic for that road, saying that the ministry is in the process of finalizing the design for the expansion and dissipation of the traffic.

“We believe that the Abacha Barracks end should not and cannot be the only entry point into the city. So, we are going to do a kind of an arc diversion through which we will have a number of entry points into the city. We believe that is the design solution for that particular problem.

“It is a problem; like the FRSC Corp Marshal pointed out, there is not much they can do in terms of traffic control on that road, because the problem is a very fundamental one and it requires an engineering design solution,” the minister said.

General Election Must Hold Next Year – Tambuwal Warns against violation of Electoral Act

By Edegbe Odemwingie and Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, yesterday insisted that Nigeria’s general elections must hold in 2015 despite fears in some quarters over the possibility of conducting peaceful elections amidst the insurgency in the country’s north east.

Tambuwal’s statement comes on the heels of controversies generated by the “election is not on the table now” statement credited to Senate President David Mark.

“I firmly believe we can go into elections

in 2015; elections in 2015 should be held.

What we need to do is to address insurgency before the elections and encourage soldiers to do the needful,” Tambuwal stated at a meeting with a delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at the National Assembly.

Section 180(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) says if the country is at war, there will not be elections. Many have called for a declaration of war on Boko Haram to check recent gains of the sect primarily in the North East.

In other matters, Tambuwal urged the NBA to step up action against politicians who violate the country’s electoral laws ahead of 2015 elections.

He told the NBA delegation led by its president, Mr. Augustine Alegeh, that in spite of repeated warnings by the In-

L-R: Osun State governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); chief of staff to the governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola (left) and national president, Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria, Engr Nnoli Akpedeye, during a congratulatory visit to the governor on his re-election victory, at Government House, Osogbo

PDP Begins Reconciliation

By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Abuja

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has embarked on reconciliation with aggrieved members of the party.

Yesterday, Senate President David Mark met with the integration committee members to reconcile aggrieved members from the south west geopolitical zone. Senator Mark heads the committee.

The meeting attended by Delta State governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Dr. Musa Babayo, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu, Alhaji Sani Toro and the national vice chairman, South West, Chief Ishola Filani, was held behind closed doors.

Also yesterday, the Senate President played host to the State Working Committee of the PDP, Ondo State chapter, in his office in Abuja.

Senator Mark told his guests to remain faithful to the PDP as it was the party for today and tomorrow, noting that the PDP is a national party that accommodates all Nigerians irrespective of ethnic or religious inclinations.

Mark, who made this comment in a press statement issued by his chief press secretary Paul Mumeh, said that the party had the capacity to accommodate all interests.

dependent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), some politicians have commenced campaigns before the stipulated time.

Tambuwal said good governance is suffering as politicians abandon their responsibilities for politicking ahead of time.

“The problem is that some politicians are already in election mood, so the NBA should call the attention of those to stop forthwith,” he said Tambuwal noted that insecurity and corruption were on the increase in the country, and called on all Nigerians to join hands in the fight against social ills.

He said that the House of Representatives was committed to passing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) before politics takes the center stage.

PHOTO BY ABUKAKAR SALIHI.

N2.6b Oil Subsidy Scam: Court Imposes N50,000 Fine On Arisekola’s Son

By Olugbenga Soyele, Lagos

A Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere has ordered Abdulahi Alao, son of the late Ibadan-based businessman, Alhaji Abdullazeez Arisekola Alao, to pay the sum of N50, 000 as fine to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the failure of his counsel to appear in court for the continuation of his trial.

The trial judge, Justice Adebisi Akinlade, gave the order after the defence team led

by Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) failed to show up in court for the cross examination of a prosecution witness, Lawal Ahmed, who also doubles as the principal witness in the ongoing trial.

Alao and his company, Axenergy Lim-

ited, are standing trial before the court for their alleged involvement in a N2.6 billion oil subsidy scam, under the Petroleum Support Fund, for a purported importation of 33.3 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Before the order was made, a junior counsel, Oluwatosin Dawodu, who held the brief of Osipitan, had urged the court to adjourn the case to a later date, explaining that Osipitan was absent because he had to attend a conference.

But the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed the motion, saying it was deceptive.

“I therefore urge my Lord to use the sledge hammer of justice to prevent that from happening; and that the cost of

Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever Walt Disney, founder and CEO of the Walt Disney Company

transportation of the witness be taken over by the defence counsel,” he submitted.

In a short ruling, Justice Akinlade, who had earlier insisted that Dawodu must go ahead with the cross examination of the witness, however granted the adjournment.

According to her, the adjournment was necessary to enable the defendant get deserved fairness and proper representation.

The court also ordered that the transportation cost of the prosecution witness be paid to him before the next adjourned date.

She subsequently adjourned the matter till October 8, 2014 for continuation of trial.

12 NEWS NATIONAL

September 19, 2014

BRT Vandalism: Tribunal Grants Army Leave To Recall Witnesses B y OLUGBENGA SOYELE, Lagos

The three-man Tribunal of Enquiry set up by the Lagos State government to probe the road traffic accident and vandalism of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses yesterday granted leave to the Nigerian Army to recall three witnesses who had earlier given evidence before it.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ebenezer Adebajo (rtd) granted the army permission to recall Razak Mustapha, Ikechukwu Umeaku and Dapo Adediran, all employees of Mutual Model Transport Ltd., sub-operator of

the LAGBUS, to enable the army’s legal team, led by Lt.- Col. Hycinth Ande to cross-examine them on their evidence.

The witnesses had in their separate testimonies accused the military personnel of being responsible for the vandalism of the BRT buses on July 4 while protesting the death of their colleague who was allegedly knocked down by a BRT bus at the Palmgrove Bus Stop in Ikorodu area of the state.

At the resumption of the public hearing yesterday, Ande informed the tribunal that the witnesses needed to be recalled because the

army was not legally represented while they were testifying.

He said, “As it stands now, the army wants to take a date to crossexamine all the witnesses and we will equally be asking for copies of all the documents that they tendered before the tribunal.

“We need time to go through the documents to enable us crossexamine the witnesses,” he argued.

Justice Adebajo while granting the request, directed all parties of interest to henceforth produce sufficient copies of all documents they intend to tender before the tribunal.

The chairman also directed the

Adamawa By-election: 778 School Principals Endorse Fintiri

By Pembi David-Stephen, Abuja

Principals of 778 secondary schools across Adamawa State have unanimously endorsed the candidature of the acting governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in the forthcoming 0ctober 11 by-election.

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the press secretary to the acting governor, Solomon Kumangar which was made available to journalists yesterday.

According to the statement, the school principals arrived at the decision at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting with the acting governor.

He explained that the principals’ decision to support Fintiri was premised on his ability to make a clean break

from the past, as evidenced by the recent improvement in teachers’ welfare.

The statement said the acting governor promised that his government would continue to identify with the aspirations of the Adamawa people and would never let them down or take them back to the inglorious past.

It said the stakeholders at the meeting included the speaker and members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, former legislators, former and serving commissioners, special advisers, past and present local government chairmen.

“The acting governor of the state, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who is the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

2015: WIC Hails UPP For Zoning Presidency To South East

BY PAUL UWADIMA, Abuja

L-R: Executive Director, Commercial Services, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Mr Ernest Mupwaya, presenting souvenirs to the Shamaki of Jiwa, FCT, Alhaji Muhammad Danladi in the Palace of Sarkin Jiwa, during AEDC’s customer sensitization on health, safety and environmental issues in using electricity equipment, yesterday in Jiwa, Abuja.

The World Igbo Congress (WIC) has hailed the United Progressive Party (UPP) for zoning its 2015 presidential ticket to the South East, even as it urged other political parties in the country to nominate people from the zone as their presidential candidates.

The UPP through its national chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie had declared recently that the party had zoned its presidential ticket to aspirants from the South East zone.

The WIC in a communi-

que signed by its chairman, Ichie Larry Udorji and secretary, Chief Cyril C. Nwaguru, and made available to LEADERSHIP in Abuja, yesterday, noted that the Igbo race has thousands of leaders who could be president of the country.

The communique reads in part, “We call on each political party in Nigeria to give serious consideration to nominating an Igbo as its presidential candidate for the 2015 election to address decades of deliberate and systematic punitive exclusion of Ndigbo in presidential politics.

Kano Bombing: Safe School Initiative Remains Top Priority – FG

BY Patience Ivie Ihejirika, Abuja

Following Wednesday’s attack on Federal Government College of Education, Kano, the federal government has reiterated its commitment towards ensuring a safe learning environment for schools in the North.

The coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mr Mike Omeri, who stated this while briefing journalists yesterday in Abuja, said the

safe school initiative remains government’s top priority and resources are being put into it nationwide.

“Safe school initiative is being implemented in the primary target area of conflict in the North-east, but even at that, there are administrative structures that need to be put in place to ensure that the programme takes off immediately.

“We are assuring the citizens that the safe school initiative is a top pri-

ority of government and all experts, all resources are being put into the initiative nationwide beginning with the primary areas,” he explained.

He further stated that the president has dispatched the minister of education to visit the school and assess the situation with a view to providing needed relief materials to the victims urgently, adding that the police authorities are still conducting investigation into the incident.

Ebola: Osun Schools To Reopen Oct 6

By JOSHUA DADA, Osogbo

Osun State government has announced that Monday, 6th October, 2014 is the resumption date for the 2014/2015 academic session for public and private primary and secondary schools in the state.

A release from the office of the commissioner for education, Mrs Grace Laoye Tomori stated that af-

ter a careful consideration of views from stakeholders, the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola has directed all public and private schools in the state to resume academic activities on the fixed date.

The decision, according to the release, would enable both principals and teachers to receive adequate training and put in place all necessary measures to prevent Ebola epidemic

in schools and the state in general.

Mrs Tomori who is also the deputy governor of the state assured the people of the state that Osun is Ebola free.

The deputy governor called on school managers to ensure daily practical demonstration of hand washing by the pupils, students and teachers, and maintain the culture of general hygiene.

September 19, 2014

13

14 NEWS NATIONAL

September 19, 2014

Ebola: FG To Provide Equipment For Tertiary Health Institutions

2015: Boni Haruna Under Attack For Endorsing Jonathan

B y wiNifred ogBeBo and Victor okeke, Abuja

The national vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for North East, Mr. David Babachir Lawal has berated the minister of youth, Boni Haruna, for asking Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan, because of the peace in the country when his people back at home are under the siege of the Boko Haram terrorists.

The minister, at a proJonathan rally on Tuesday, reportedly said “There is peace in the country and there is no need to ask the man (Jonathan) to leave

The federal government has pledged to provide hand held infra red thermometers and personal protective equipment for all the tertiary health institutions in the country.

The minister of health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during a meeting on strategies for Ebola Virus Disease(EVD) control with the chief executive officers of Federal

Tertiary Health Institutions( Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors) across the federation.

He noted that the objective of the meeting is to ensure continuity on the efforts recorded so far on the containment of EVD and to collaborate with all the tertiary health institutions in all the states of the federation to maximize progress and keep alert against emergency of any kind in the future.

“We will provide each of you with hand held infra red thermometers

and some personal protective equipment for use in your respective hospitals.

“As our ambassadors in the states you are required to have the right information and competence to deal with any suspected case of EVD in your various states and as such you will also be provided with the right information on what to do in the event when you are confronted with a case.

“We are also strengthening the former Aviation Influenza Laboratories.

By Bayo oladeji, Abuja

the scene,” In a statement he personally signed, Lawal said he “Never would have thought that you, Mr Boni Haruna, yourself a refugee in Abuja, with thousands of your own kinsmen being daily butchered

by Boko Haram and with thousands of the youths either brutally murdered, taken into captivity or displaced, I do not see what business you, a minister of youth development has with that rally,” The APC chieftain asked the minister where he would return to after the tenure of Jonathan next year?

‘Proposed Law Against Illegal Grazing Not Targeted At Fulani Herdsmen’

By NNamdi mBawike, Enugu

10 x 4 ADvErT

The speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Eugene Odo yesterday assured that the ongoing attempt to promulgate a law to make provisions for the control of normadic cattle rearing in Enugu State was not being targeted at any section of the country including Fulani herdsmen.

Odo, who gave the assurance yesterday during the opening session of a three-day public hearing on the law to prohibit illegal cattle rearing in the state, disclosed that the proposed law is aimed at promoting peace, mutual cooperation and security

in the state.

The bill which also aimed at providing grazing reserve for cattle rearers in all the 17 local government areas of the state is being sponsored by the chairman, House Committee on Agriculture and member representing Nsukka East constituency, Hon. Chinedu Nwamba.

The Enugu House of Assembly speaker, who spoke while declaring the public hearing open, called on all stakeholders to take the opportunity of the public hearing to make their input. Odo was represented by the leader of the House, Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye.

Jonathan Should Be Encouraged To Do Another Term – Agukwe By millie iBe, Abuja

Former commissioner of information, Imo State and the national coordinator of the South East Amalgamation for Jonathan/ Sambo has declared that President Goodluck Jonathan should be encouraged to do another four years in office to complete the transformation of the country.

Agukwe who just returned from the World Igbo Congress in Atlanta United States where the group went to drum up the support of the Igbos in the Diaspora and the Americas stated that his group was

able to get the world Igbo body to endorse the president for another term in office.

According to him “We can beat our chest to tell you that after issues were fully deliberated upon, the Igbos unanimously endorsed President Jonathan’s re-election in 2015, which now concludes the circle. The Igbos at home and the Igbos in the diaspora have come together to endorse President Jonathan’s re-election bid.

“A lot of reasons were adduced, first of all those who ruled this country before all did their eight years.

BUSINESS NEWS /15

September 19, 2014

business news BoI Launches Cottage Agro Processing N5bn Fund

By OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

The Bank of Industry (BOI) has launched a N5 billion Cottage Agro Processing (CAP) fund in a bid to finance industrialists in Nigeria.

The managing director of the bank, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, disclosed this to the media at the launching of the fund in Lagos, yesterday.

He said the fund would provide loans to beneficiaries to establish small scale plants or mini mills to process Nigeria’s agricultural products such as cassava, oil palm, paddy rice among others.

“The loans will be granted at a single digit interest rate of 9 per cent per annum and a total management fee of six months.

We project that the fund will help in creating a total of 20,000 direct and indirect jobs.

“We plan to finance about 1,000 projects under this funds, having identified the priority products for each state and having assembled a number of partners, the friendly SMEs banks for the effective operation of the fund,” he said.

He pointed out that the CAP fund is only the first in a series of funds targeted at specific sectors and customer segments of the Nigerian economy and stated that “the projects financed will be located very close to the source of the agricultural products to be processed, while the business plan must address both the primary and secondary sources of energy to power the plant.”

Olaoluwa added that the fund size of N5 billion for the Cottage Agro Processing (CAP) fund is only a starting point “as we intend to deploy a second phase after the full utilisation of this initial fund.”

Heritage To Sign SPA With AMCON Before Deadline

By Bukola Idowu, Lagos

Heritage Banking Company Plc, under its investment subsidiary, the HBCL Investment Services Limited (HISL), will today, sign a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) with the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) after it has been able to pay 20 per cent of the N56 billion bid price of Enterprise Bank Limited, two days before the September 21, 2014, deadline.

LEADERSHIP findings showed that the agreement between the bad bank and the HISL will be signed in Abuja this morning as the HBCL’s investment arm had emerged the preferred bidder for Enterprise Bank last week, 15 months after the bank had been put on sale.

Heritage Bank is expected to pay the initial deposit of 20 per cent or N11.2 billion 48 hours after the SPA was signed or forfeit its position as the preferred bidder to the reserve bidder, Fidelity Bank Plc. However, Leadership Friday reliably gathered from sources inside the HISL that

the bank had been able to raise the initial deposit and will sign the SPA and pay off the initial deposit today, two days before the September 21 date.

Even at this, the bank is still expected to pay up the balance of N44.8 billion by October 13, three weeks after or forfeit its position to Fidelity Bank.

Heritage Bank, former Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria, had been announced as the preferred bidder over Fidelity Bank and 22 other interested investors by AMCON, last week.

The HISL bought the bank and would now acquire the entire issued and fully paid up ordinary shares of Enterprise Bank Limited following the approval of the board of directors of the AMCON. The statement by the AMCON noted that the emergence of HISL and Fidelity Bank as the preferred and reserve bidders respectively resulted from a rigorous and competitive bidding process coordinated by its financial and legal advisers, the Citigroup Global Markets Limited and Vetiva Capital Management Limited and G. Elias & Co.

Lafarge, IFC, Wartsila Partner To Boost Power Supply By 220mw

by NSE ANTHONY- UKO, Abuja

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), Lafarge, and Wärtsilä, Development and Financial Services Company based in Finland have announced a new agreement to more than triple the output of the Ewekoro power plant from 90 megawatt (mw) to 310mw.

The agreement which was signed in the Ministry of Power, Abuja, would result in improved access to electricity for about 1.4 million households in the country while supporting economic growth with

about 220mw targeted to be transferred to the national grid.

Performing the symbolic signing ceremony, the minister of state for power, Muhammad Wakil, described the event as a milestone which underscores the need to fast-track the nation’s on-going privatisation exercise arguably described as the biggest in the world.

The agreement calls for Lafarge Cement to transform WAPCO’s existing 90mw dualfuel, captive power plant into a 310mw gas-fired and highlyefficient internal combustion engine power plant. IFC,

through IFC InfraVentures, its Global Infrastructure Project Development Fund, will provide financial and commercial structuring. Lafarge will manage the project and Wärtsilä will build and manage the power plant.

The group chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director of Lafarge Africa Plc, Guillaume Roux, said, “Lafarge is demonstrating its value adding leadership and strong commitment to the Federal Government of Nigeria’s transformational agenda to increase power generation.”

L-R: Group chief executive officer (CEO)/managing director (MD) of Lafarge Africa Plc, Guillaume Roux; minister of state for power, Mohammed Wakili; IFC manager, Africa Special Initiative for Infrastructure, Richard Arkutu and director of development and financing services, Lars-Erik Shoring during the ceremonial signing of the agreement by Lafarge, IFC and Wartsila for the 310mw power generation Ewekoro power plant.

Nationwide Darkness Looms As Oil Workers Cut Gas Supply To Power Plants

BY Juliet Alohan, Abuja

The ongoing strike action embarked upon by workers in the oil sector has cut off gas supply to five power generating plants across the country, thereby putting the country at a potential risk of nationwide darkness.

The affected power generation plants include the 1,320mega watts (mw) Egbin power plant, 750mw Olorunsogo, 868mw Geregu and the 220mw Sapele power plants as well as the 270mw AES Independent Power Plant.

The minister of power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, who called on workers in the petroleum resources sector to call off their industrial action, said the effect of the strike is severe on the power sector.

He observed that “the action taken by members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural

Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in the course of their ongoing strike have cut off gas supply to major power stations.”

Nebo regretted the adverse effect of this development on power supply at a time when government had recorded substantial progress in solving the gas problem, thereby, raising peak generation in recent weeks to an average of 4,500mw with a spinning reserve of about 300mw.

He “decried the current setback arising from the oil and gas workers’ action, curtailing supply of gas-to-power stations, reducing power generation, and inevitably leading to a drastic reduction in power supply across the country,” a statement yesterday by his special assistant, Media, Kande Daniel, said.

The power minister, however, assured that efforts were on to ensure a speedy and amicable resolution of the matter, and appealed for the understanding of electricity consumers affected by the development. Nebo, while appreciating the concerns and fears of the workers, also appealed to the members of NUPENG and PENGASSAN to take into consideration the enormous damaging socio-economic effect of their action on the nation, and return to work.

Nebo, who also inspected the Apo substation where a weatherinduced explosion occurred during the week, assessed the extent of damage, and was assured by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) engineers that efforts were on to restore supply to parts of Abuja affected by the incident, by Friday this week,” the statement informed.

Not saved every movement is money progress; SomeDanish movements areMoney just a taken, way offreedom burning fats! ― Israelmore Ayivor Money is as good as gained.

Proverb forsaken. ― German Ayivor

16 BUSINESS NEWS

September 19, 2014

FG Releases 55% 2014 Capital Budget In 9 Months

By NSE ANTHONy-UKO, Abuja

9 months into the year, only N600 billion of the N1.1 trillion capital budget approved in the 2014 budget has been released by the federal government, representing 54.5 per cent.

This is following the release of N200 billion for implementation of the capital projects in the third quarter.

The special adviser to the minister of finance, mr Paul Nwabuikwu, in a statement, stated that the federal ministry

of finance has released the sum of N200 billion as capital for the third quarter of 2014.

The two-paragraph statement was, however, silent on the amount of the fund that has been cashbacked, raising apprehension that the release may just be on paper.

According to him, “The funds will help ensure further progress in the execution of capital projects across the country.”

However, the federal government had earlier released N400 billion for the first and second quarters.

The Senate had on April 9 passed

the budget raising the amount in the fiscal document from the N4.642 trillion submitted by President Goodluck Jonathan to the National Assembly on December 19, 2013, to N4.695 trillion.

Highlights of the budget as passed by the upper chambers and signed by the president are statutory transfers N408.68 billion; debt servicing N712 billion; recurrent expenditure N2.454 trillion; capital expenditure N1.119 trillion; and aggregate expenditure N4.6 trillion.

Entertainment, Media Revenues To Hit $8.5bn In 2018

By CHimA AKwAjA, Lagos

Nigeria’s entertainment and media revenues will reach an estimated $8.5 billion in 2018, more than doubling from the 2013 figure of $4.0 billion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.1 per cent, representing one of the fastest growth rates in the world, according to a study released yesterday in South Africa by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

PwC’s Outlook on Africa Entertainment and media 2014-2018 said the internet will be the key driver for Nigeria where the number of mobile internet subscribers is forecast to surge from 7.7 million in 2013 to 50.4 million in 2018.

Television, in the form of advertising and subscriptions and licence fees, will also become a $1 billion-plus market in 2018, while the market will grow steadily.

The outlook includes historical and forecast data on the internet, television, filmed entertainment, radio, recorded music, consumer magazine publishing, newspaper publishing, consumer and educational book publishing, business-to-business publishing, out-ofhome advertising, video games, and sports. It gives a detailed breakdown of these sectors.

It includes detailed information for South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and other sub-Saharan African markets in each of the 12 industry segments. Increased internet access will generate more consumer spending than any other media product or service in the next five years in the South African entertainment and media industry.

Centre For Social Justice Queries Low Utilisation Of SURE-P Funds

By NSE ANTHONy-UKO, Abuja

A civil society organisation, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), has questioned the rationale for carrying over unutilised SURE-P funds from year to year despite the fact that the implementation of projects was held back by lack of funds.

The civil society organisation, which released a report on the implementation of SURE-P funds, yesterday, in Abuja, noted that 49.9 per cent of the N180 billion set aside in 2012, was utilised while utilisation in 2013 was 67.71 per cent, resulting in a cumulative of 58.5 per cent for the two years.

“Out of the budget of N180 billion in 2012, N93.5 billion was stated to have been carried over in 2013 and the average fund utilisation rate was 49.9 per cent. A total of N72.44 billion was spent in 2012.

The 2013 budget of SURE-P was N273.2 billion made up of N180 billion allocation and a carry over of N93.5 billion. A total of N185.2 billion was spent and another N88.37 billion entered the 2014 budget.

“This is very poor considering that SURE-P projects are augmentation of existing and ongoing projects that do not demand fresh contracting and bidding processes,” the report read in part.

The agency pointed out a controversy on the actual sum carried over to 2013. The SURE-P committee said that it received the sum of N164.9 billion. It, therefore, called on the ministry of finance, budget Office of the federation and the SURE-P committee to reconcile the actual amount of funds carried over from 2012 to 2013 considering the affirmation of the SURE-P committee that it received only N164.9 billion in 2012, implying a shortfall of N15.1 billion.

“If the sum of N72.44 billion was spent in 2012, the implication is that what should have been carried over to 2013 from the original sum of N180 billion would be N107.6 billion,” the report read in part.

Not every movement is progress; Some movements are just a way of burning fats!

― Israelmore Ayivor

September 19, 2014

17

18

September 19, 2014

AGRICULTURE /19

September 19, 2014

AgriC REPORT

A farm

Sustaining Gains In Agriculture To Ensure Food Security A major obstacle to the nation’s economic development has been the lack of sustainability of government projects and policies such that a change in government is likely to stall major projects.

Ruth Tene Natsa writes on the need to sustain the gains made in agriculture towards eradicating hunger and ensuring food security

The sector has successfully ended four decades of fertiliser sector corruption and the era of government’s buying and distributing seeds,etc.

An online English dictionary defines sustainability as endurance, standing/bearing up against continuously.

Sustainability in these context is ensuring that the gains made in agriculture through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) are sustained even after the President Goodluck Jonathanled regime is long past gone.

The need to sustain these gains is for achieving poverty/ hunger reduction, job creation and ensuring food security towards preserving the nation’s growing population.

Nigeria, once an agragrian economy, was well known for its dominance in cocoa in the West, oil palm in the East, cotton and groundnuts in the North, among several other

agricultural products until the discovery of oil which led to the total neglect of the nation’s agriculture, leading to low agricultural activity and a heavy dependence on importation, rising poverty, collapse of agricultural extension services as well as an ageing population of farmers as young energetic youths refuse to engage in agriculture.

In the past three years, the federal government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has witnessed tremendous progress in the sector while the momentum towards the actualisation of set goals continue to increase. These successes have been attested to by several farmers and major players in the industry who assert that the success in the sector is such that it has never been witnessed and, thus, the need to preserve it and ensure its continuity.

In the words of the minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the sector has successfully ended four decades of fertiliser sector corruption and ended the era of government buying and distributing seeds, building and

creating a data bank of farmers in which a total of 14 million farmers had received subsidised seeds and fertilisers between 2012 and 2014.

He added that through the ATA, they had successfully ended government monopoly over foundation seeds and opened it to the private sector, thereby encouraging an increase in seed companies from 5-80, with five billion increase in the private sector investment in fertiliser only.

The minister also asserted that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s Nigerian Incentivebased Risk Sharing Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) facility to reduce the risks of lending to agriculture is working as total bank lending to agriculture expanded from two per cent in 2011 to five per cent in 2013, while government in the bid to reduce post harvest losses also completed a total of 1.3 million metric tonnes silos capacity across the country within the past three years, among several other achievements.

The need to preserve these successes, according to the minister, is what has led to the inauguration of the National Agricultural Policy Committee in Abuja, recently.

Number Of Hungry People Declines By 200 million – FAO

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja, with Agency Report

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have confirmed a positive trend which has seen the number of hungry people decline globally by more than 100 million over the last decade and by more than 200 million since 1990.

The report revealed that the overall trend in hunger reduction in developing countries means that the millennium development goal (MDG) of halving the proportion of undernourished people by 2015 is within reach “if appropriate and immediate efforts are stepped up,” the report said.

It further revealed that 63 developing countries have reached the MDG target, and six more are on track to reach it by 2015.

The heads of the FAO, IFAD and WFP, Jose Graziano da Silva, Kanayo F. Nwanze and Ertharin Cousin, said, “This is proof that we can win the war against hunger and should inspire countries to move forward with the assistance of the international community as needed.”

They stressed that “accelerated, substantial and sustainable hunger reduction is possible with the requisite political commitment,” and that “this has to be well informed by sound understanding of national challenges, relevant policy options, broad participation and lessons from other experiences.”

SOFI 2014 noted how access to food has improved rapidly and significantly in countries that have experienced overall economic progress, notably in Eastern and South Eastern Asia. Access to food has also improved in Southern Asia and Latin America, but mainly in countries with adequate safety nets and other forms of social protection, including for the rural poor.

Hunger reduction has accelerated, but some lag behind Despite significant progress overall, several regions and sub-regions continue to lag behind. In Sub-Saharan Africa, more than one in four people remain chronically undernourished, while Asia, the world’s most populous region, is also home to the majority of the hungry - 526 million people.

20/ TOURISM

September 19, 2014

Poor Customer Relations, Insecurity, Bane of Tourism Sector

L-R: Director, Marketing & Promotions Department, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs Fibi Ikilam; director, Administration & Supply Department, NTDC, Mr Boniface Chukwuekwu Eboka; director-general, NTDC, Dr (Mrs) Sally Mbanefo; managing director/chief executive officer, Keystone Bank, Mr Philip Ikeazor and deputy general manager, Commercial Banking, Keystone Bank, Aisha Mohammed during a courtesy call to the NTDC office, Abuja. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE

Insurgency: Museum Commission, Others Unite To Rescue Cultural Heritage Stories By Chika Okeke, Abuja

Since the beginning of insurgency by Boko Haram in the North East, most of the country’s heritage sites has been battered and destroyed, especially the Sukur Cultural Landscape in Adamawa State that was enlisted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a world heritage site.

In less than three years, the conflict exposed Nigeria to frightening number of casualties, including human and material resources. While the government at all levels priortised the human and material losses in the crisis prone states, damaged heritage sites were neglected.

To this end, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), in collaboration with the Prince Claus Fund (PCF) for Culture and Development, Netherlands, and the International Centre for the study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), held a 5-day capacity building programme for the protection of cultural heritage in the conflict afflicted zones of Nigeria in Abuja.

The workshop, which drew participants from conflict afflicted zones in Nigeria as well as culture affiliated parastatals in the ministry, was part of activities lined up by the NCMM to respond to the growing threat faced by cultural heritage during the crisis. However, the PCF, through its Cultural Emergency Response (CER) programme, was designed to provide quick help in evacuating, stabilising

or rescuing cultural heritages under threat of destruction or damaged by man-made disasters, natural disasters or conflict.

Since it came to existence 10 years ago, the CER has carried out more than 160 cultural emergency relief actions worldwide, providing financial support to people and organisations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean to enable them carry out first aid treatment to damaged cultural heritages. While declaring the event open, the the minister of tourism, culture and national orientation, Edem Duke, revealed that plans were underway to rehabilitate heritage sites destroyed by insurgents in conflict afflicted zones in Nigeria.

Duke called on traditional and religious leaders to assist the NCMM in protecting the heritage resources even as he commended the PCF, ICCROM and their host countries; the Netherlands and Italy, for their long lasting support to Nigeria. On additional measures taken to protect heritage sites, he said, “We have our mandate and that mandate is limited because when it comes to protection on crisis environment and during the period of insurgency, it is not a task that can be undertaken by civil servants and ordinary citizens. At that point, we have to work with security agencies and that is why we are part of this programme.

“The uniqueness in the PCF gesture stems from the fact that virtually all forms of intervention and assistance coming from either individuals or groups, including states have been focused on immediate humanitarian

needs that cover an important aspect of human needs that was unfortunately neglected.

Responding, the director-general of the NCMM, Mallam Yusuf Abdallah Usman, regretted that damaged heritage sites in crisis prone areas were neglected for the past three years, saying that ignorance on the part of policy makers was partly responsible for the neglect. While appreciating the PCF for sponsoring the programme, he reminded the federal government that “resettling people hit by crisis without restoring their valuable way of life cannot be said to have been successful.

According to him, “There is no doubt that cultural heritage sites have received more than a fair share in all of these conflicts from the direct and indirect destruction they suffer to the neglect they receive in reportage and evaluation.

He noted that the PCF had been offering support through grants for rehabilitation of heritage sites affected by crisis around the world, saying that through their (CER) programme, two NCMM staff had benefitted in a training programme organised in collaboration with the ICCROM in Rome from 2010 to 2012. Usman was optimistic that the programme would be extended to other parts of the country, including military and paramilitary agencies.

He added, “While we regret the event that instigated our responses, we are, however, pleased to celebrate the synergy that this collaboration is bringing into our relationship with the rest of the world, thereby, making culture a truly universal heritage.

Experts in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry have described poor customer relations and insecurity as one of the greatest challenges militating against the growth of tourism in Nigeria.

This was part of the submission made while declaring open a 2-day maiden edition of Africa Tourism Expo in Abuja tagged ‘Creating The Framework, and Business Environment, For Investment In Africa’s Tourism Industries.’

The event which was organised by a Nigerian destination management company, Destination Marketing Extra Limited (DMX), in partnership with tourism firms in South Africa and Canada, was supported by 10 organisations, including the LEADERSHIP Group.

In his address, the national president, Institute for Tourism Professionals, Abiodun Odunsanwo, urged practitioners in the tourism sector to inculcate the culture of friendliness and improve their customer relation services even as he called for the establishment of grading formula for hotels in Nigeria.

He regretted that Nigerians hardly appreciate their tourism potential, saying that the federal government should improve the quality of tourism-related institutions in Nigeria.

On his part, the convener of the expo who is also the principal partner of (DMX), Mr Joesef Karim, said that the essence of the event was to develop tourism in Nigeria and Africa, noting that the private sector hardly felt the impact of governance, especially among government tourism establishments.

Also speaking, Ms Maud Masiyiwa of Capstone Training and Development, South Africa, suggested that tourism curriculum for schools and meaningful training for practitioners should be more realistic. She was of the view that health and safety should be top priority before establishing a hospitality and tourism industry.

Sango Festival Will Create Wealth For Nigerians – Alaafin The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, has expressed his readiness to collaborate with the the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) in marketing the potential inherent in the Sango Festival to attract local and foreign tourists in a bid to create wealth for the people and Nigeria.

Speaking during this year’s edition of World Sango Festival in Oyo, the monarch described the NTDC boss role in promoting culture and tourism in the country as historic and a model for public office holders.

While assuring of his support, he said, “Oyo town will like to partner with the NTDC to market the numerous traditional festivals in the town, especially the Sango Festival, to attract both local and foreign tourists, and create wealth for the people of the state and the country at large.

Responding, the DG of the NTDC, Mrs Sally Mbanefo, commended the Alaafin of Oyo and the people of the town for receiving her warmly, noting that the landscape of Oyo State was dotted with a good number of tourism potential.

She stressed that the Sango Festival has been exported to over 47 countries even as she appreciated efforts of the Alaafin and Oyo residents for keeping the festival alive against all odds. Mbanefo, who expressed joy for being part of this year’s World Sango Festival, assured the monarch of her continuous support in ensuring the success of the festival and other cultural events in the town.

The system will always be defended by those countless people who have enough intellect to defend but not quite enough to innovate.

Edward de Bono, Maltese physician, author, inventor and consultant.

21

September 19, 2014

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September 19, 2014

Taxation Of Contract And Direct Labour Procurement (3) Direct labour procurement of goods and services and contract implications Opadiran (1987) defined Direct labour procurement as a process by which a project is executed by the workers of an organisation instead of the project being contracted out. It can simply be described as a ‘do it yourself’ approach to project procurement.

Direct labour could also be defined as a method of procurement whereby a client otherwise known as “the owner” uses his or her own inhouse resources for the design and execution of a project.

The in-house resources here will include both supervisory staff, skilled and unskilled labour force besides equipment.

Worthy of note in this system is the elimination of the contractor, which makes the direct labour method distinct from other procurement methods.

According to Iyagba and Idoro (1995), direct labour method of procurement can take various forms among which are: Fully in-house direct labour Here the organisation has the human resources in place for all the phases of the project. The organisation pays the monthly wages or otherwise of the human resources.

Partially in-house direct labour Here the design and production information could be prepared by practicing consultants, while construction is handled by permanent personnel.

Hire-labour direct labour Here the project owners do hire of labour, machinery, purchase material and coordinate the construction work, possibly engaging a qualified professional for the management of the construction process.

Self-help type of direct labour Self-help construction where the inhabitants of a community are organised and mobilised with the direct labour establishments of a government ministry. Others are: a. The developer provides the necessary recources, buys the necessary materials, hires the men and the machinery required, and mobilises the resources on his own. b. Communal construction with the use of voluntary labour drawn from family members and friends. c. A self-help construction whereby the inhabitants of a community organise and mobilise themselves to execute a project.

FORMS CONTRACT IMPLICATION

Fully In-house Direct Labour

No contract

Partially In-house Direct Labour Design and production of information by third parties are contracts.

Hire-Labour Direct Labour Hire of labour,machinery, qualified professionals and contract purchase of materials

will not qualify as Direct labour. Cash purchase of materials may qualify.

Self-help type of Direct Labour Direct Labour of the Direct Labour Establishment of the Government Ministry Others May qualify as Direct Labour when executed through cash

advance to a staff of the MDA

within approval limit. They

may not qualify when managed by a third party.

These arrangements were seen to originally represent the true context of direct labour construction. Based on the definition, the following comments are made on the different forms of Direct Labour presented above:-

Contract can be inferred from the basis for payment by the project owner.

Cash advance to a. staff to be retired after the procurement – No contract b.

Payments for staff invoices – Contract (staff

tax in focus should not invoice his/her employer) d.

Payment to staff for third party invoices Contract e.

Payment based on certificate of job completed f. Contract any direct labour procurement must possess these characteristics to qualify as non contract Acti ng chairman, FIRS, Kabiru Mashi procurementg. acting Ownership of procurement within his ordinary course facilities: The ministries, of business, that is, trading, department and agencies of but has made an adventure government must use only into another business, that the in-house resources for the is, contracts. Further, a design and execution of the manufacturer who makes project. contractual sale or purchase h. Absence of contractual is no longer acting within his relationship with both staff and ordinary course of business non staff, in the procurement. that is manufacturing, but has i. Payment should be through gone into another business, cash advance to staff. The cash that is, contract. Although advance must be retired at the the manufacturer may use the end of the procurement and items purchased or sold in within approved limit. his manufacturing business, the contractual arrangement Direct labour for the sale or purchase will procurement be subject to five per cent and the Nigerian tax withholding tax. laws The schedule to the Conclusion Companies Income Tax It is the Public Procurement (rate, etc of tax deducted at Bureau’s policy that procuring source (Withholding Tax)) entities outsource those Regulations 1995 exempts services that are either not those transactions which are, part of their core business and indeed constitute “outright activity or for which there is sale or purchase of goods and a fluctuation requirement in property” and which take place the terms of specialist skills “in the ordinary course of that or equipment, or where the particular kind of business,” open market provides a more from tax deduction at source. efficient and commercial Where a sale or purchase alternative. It is also its policy transaction becomes repetitive that services, materials and or habitual, it will not qualify equipment shall be acquired by for exemption. The sale of procuring entities at the most goods on a once-for-all basis favourable terms compatible will qualify for the exemption with the desired quality and in so far as it meets the second delivery requirements, taking condition. A sale takes place account of total life cycle in the ordinary course of costs and in a manner that business when it takes place safeguards and preserves the in the course of that particular reputation of the procuring business. Where, for instance, entity; and to support the a trader sells goods directly to development of an indigenous third parties, he will be seen as contractor base in Nigeria acting in the ordinary course and particularly in the area in of his business, that is, trading. which the various procuring However, where the trader entities operate. Despite these enters into contract for the sale comprehensive provisions in of the goods, he is no longer

the Procurement Act and the Financial Regulations, many government agencies deliberately set aside contract award procedures in favour of direct labour procurement option.

The pertinent questions would be “Why are the MDAs interested in the direct labour procurement method?

Could it be for better quality delivery, availability of more competent in-house staff, cost saving, non availability of competent contractors or tax planning etc? Whatever the reasons, their actions should be guided by relevant laws.

They should be sure and ready to prove a case for direct labour in the Public Procurement Act, that they have ascertained; that a schedule of rates, costplus or target contract would not be feasible, as quantities of work to be carried out cannot be defined in advance; that works are small and scattered or in remote locations with no local contractors and demobilisation costs for outside contractors would be too high; that works must be carried out without disrupting existing operations; that the risk of unavailable work interruptions is better borne by procuring entity than by a contractor; that no contractor is interested in conducting the work at a reasonable price; that it has been demonstrated that force account (direct labour) is the only practical method for constructing and maintaining works under special circumstances; or that national security would be compromised if any other method was used.

Any tax planning that violates the provisions of the tax laws is illegal.

Some government accounting officers are quick to argue that the reason for the direct labour procurement option is the absence of budgetary provision for the payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) which are invoiced to them by the contractors. It is advisable that accounting officers of ministries, departments and agencies of government should include the VAT payable in the budget estimate for approval instead of violating the provisions of the relevant laws. From the content of the Financial Regulations and the Accountant General Circular of 2009, it is instructive to note that any payment for public procurement above N200,000 may not be accepted as a payment for direct labour, and could be deemed as taxable government e9xpenditure.

Feature 23

September 19, 2014

By Paul Chiama

Nigeria has the potential to transform its energy sector, create wealth and bring an end to premature death associated with the use of charcoal and other alternative energy sources.

The United Nations Under-secretary and representative of the UN Secretary-general, Dr Kandeh K. Yumkela, made this revelation last Monday, September 15, 2014 during the International Legacy Lecture Series marking the 79th birthday of the former national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Bamanga Tukur.

For Tukur, attaining this golden age was nothing to keep mum about. It was not a moment, either, to invite friends, well-wishers, associates and family members to grandiose merry-making.

The state of the Nigerian nation, particularly the energy sector, was something that needed to be looked into and, indeed, Tukur gave it the attention it deserved. With the theme “The New International Development Agenda: Energy Transitions And Sustainable Development”, Tukur demonstrated his interest in making positive contributions in serious matters affecting Nigeria’s future economic development.

The choice of Yumkela as speaker was, therefore, not miscalculation. While speaking at the event which took place at the Bamanga Tukur African Renaissance Centre, Abuja, Yumkela identified a lot of opportunities and prospects in the Nigerian energy sector.

He also decried the country’s failure to “utilise and harvest from her potentials”.

The under-secretary made a startling revelation. According to him, about 80 million Nigerians live without electricity. This indication means that, arguably, more than half

Looking Into The Energy Sector of the country’s population has no access to electricity. Yumkela added that this development exposes those without electricity to the use of alternative sources of energy which are, sometimes, inimical to health.

“Nigeria probably has between 70 and 80 million people without electricity. Nigeria is a significant part of that energy poverty,” he said. He also stated that, in Africa, about 600 million people live without electricity.

Yumkela revealed that the effect is the global threat of premature death as a result of the use of charcoal in generating energy and lack of clean cooking methods. According to Yumkela, there are about 4.3 million cases of premature death globally every year, besides other health risks resulting from environmental pollution associated with the use of charcoal and other alternative sources of energy.

Nigeria, one of the African countries suffering from energy poverty, does not have any reason to face challenges in generating energy or suffer energy-related afflictions. According to the Yumkela, any progress made in energy generation in Nigeria will improve the economy of the country, as well as the health standard of the people.

To emphasise the potentials, he stated that, “You can create wealth in Nigeria and sell to

Further, he urged Nigeria to bring about transformation in the energy sector by taking a clue from the policy that brought about transformation in the telecommunication sector. “We have to do to [the] energy sector what you did to the telecommunications sector. We need policies that will make that happen,” he said.

To bring this hope to fruition, the UN representative proffered a method that must be imbibed: “You need both government and the private sector. It takes determination and leadership to change infrastructure and make things happen. You need national and international investors, not only in the case of Nigeria but globally, to bring about transformation and transition in Nigeria,” he advised.

Nigerian lawmakers have a role to play in actualising this energy project. According to Yumkela, members of the National Assembly should make legislations that will favour the realisation of this dream and attract investors. He stressed that reliable energy is critical to sustainable development in Africa and that, the sustainable development in the continent requires a lot of input from Nigeria. Nigeria has a lot of economic gains to tap from attaining this height, if it does. At least, besides being an energy distributing nation, the health of the populace will be improved. National wealth, job creation and general progressive transition, in line with the present administration’s transformation agenda will be recorded.

The organiser of the event, Tukur, stated that, “For Africa to achieve continental integration, eradicate poverty and be fully integrated into the global economy, it needs to trade and work with Africans.”

Yumkela

the rest of Africa”. This can help one grasp the degree of short-fall Nigeria records by her failure to generate energy using her abundant crude oil resources.

Yumkela expressed his optimism that Africa can really be in transition towards sustainable development anchored on reliable energy generation and further challenged Nigeria, saying, “You need an energy market and we need to trade energy. God gave you everything; you can be the Brazil of Africa”.

A call to the

Beloved of

Bishop Oyedepo is A P 60 PA The presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide PAPA DAVID OYEDEPO clocks 60 on September 27, 2014.

The global church has its roots in Northern Nigeria, where LEADERSHIP remains the most influential platform.

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September 19, 2014

Bernard Okhakume MC & A Weekly Digest market consumer advertising 08053040003

mcaandadigestweekly@gmail.com

OOh Advertising In Africa: Prospects & Challenges Introduction: The Out-of-Home media platform has come of age. It is everywhere and it is the yardstick by which the economic activities in a market (say a country) is measured.

The volume in terms of the prevalence of the various sizes as well as the spread of deployment in terms of geographical coverage tells about advertisers that are controlling economic activities in that country. It is therefore important to seek ways to constantly and continuously improve it.

It has become all the more important to focus on ways to enhance the growth of this industry especially these days that the practice everywhere in Africa, notably in Nigeria, has become thoroughly traumatized by the barrage of challenges and obstacles by governments through the very many agencies and departments with statutory responsibility to regulate and control the industry.

Historical Perspectives • In the beginning: OOH is the oldest platform through which man has ever engaged in any form of marketing communication • All over Africa: We can trace it to the era when our forebears communicated about their wares and the

“prices” using visual forms The coming of formal form in Nigeria: • IT all began with the UAC experiment (in 1928) • Then the WAP story • Then, the coming of Lintas & Afromedia • Then the birth of OACAN which later metamorphosed to OAAN Outdoor (OOH) as a Media Platform: Contributions to the growth of the economy • Offers varied platforms that promotes a very strong link between advertisers/marketers and their intended audiences • Creates jobs for hundreds of thousands of skillful professionals • Provides a veritable platform for the various levels of government (federal, state, and local) to derive their internally generated revenues • Enhances the aesthetics of the environment The attributes help the Marketing Communications process • Helps connect the advertiser and the prospects • Helps to promote the desirable at-

Agbaji Chinedu business 1:0:1 Agrobusiness with Agbaji Chinedu 08035004617

Agbaji@yahoo.com

Producing vegetables such as tomatoes, ugu, watermelon, cucumber, pepper, okro, ewedu, etc, can guarantee you a bumper harvest and an amazing return on investment [every 60 days] that could reach100 % in profit. Vegetable is very important source of vitamins and minerals that forms an essential source of the human diet. There is no much difference between vegetable farming and other types of farming. The only little difference is the duration of cultivation and maturity. Depending on the variety planted, vegetables take very short time to mature, compared to other crops. For instance, Spinach takes less than three months to mature. Others like cucumber, pepper among others, may take more than three months to mature.

How Lucrative Is Vegetable Farming?

It is a lucrative business in the sense that it takes shorter period to mature and the demands for vegetables in the market is high. Cucumber, as an example, provides

a unique combination of nutrients, as a result the demand is high, whatever amount you invest in cucumber, it can be turned around in 60 days with 100 percent profit, you can makes over 100 percent turnover on his investment in watermelon alone every three months. Pepper, the general one and the green one used in making salad and all sorts of things, Pepper is planted and harvested within three months, attracting considerable profit in the market. Pepper is always selling in the market - because almost everybody eats pepper.

Okro sells fast and we have two times for planting it - March and September and it runs through three months. The September period, which is the late season, is the best planting season, as it can raise farmers up, if done in a very large space. Ugu is another fast selling vegetable and I think this is because it is used by all the tribes in Nigeria people compared to other kinds of vegetables.

Cultivation during the Dry Season. Irri-

• •

tributes of the product Helps the viewing public with information on available options to their needs and wants

The prospects- still growing • Tremendous help from technological advancements • Thus, there is a brighter horizon for the industry and the practice The Challenges: There are high-level challenges all over Africa, except South Africa where there is a semblance of sanity especially in the rates payable. The challenges are monumental stifling in the West African sub-region.

The Nigerian experience is EXCESSIVE and the major culprit is the state governments. The manifestations are in the areas of: • Multiple Taxation- Indiscriminate

•

rate fixing: This is mostly unjustifiable and unreasonable as the only reason, in most cases, the drive to meet the government’s targets handed down to regulatory agency (always too willing to do the bidding of the government whether reasonable or not), Outdoor Operators have to bear government’s responsibilities: The task of landscaping and beautification of the environment, security, electrification, etc., have been transferred to the operators, not minding the huge fees paid to government through the Signage & Advertisement Agency, Stifling and excessive regulations at all levels: The industry is the most regulated in Nigeria. The sad dimension being that in most cases, individuals with little or NO knowledge of the practice (who are not registered, and some cannot even be registered by APCON – the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, are foisted on the industry. At best what we have in most cases could be likened to butchers consulting for and regulating the operations of surgeons! ➔ TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

Vegetable Farming Business gation is the way out for vegetable farmers during the dry season. It is actually in the dry season that you sell more. In the dry season, a bed of vegetable costs double of what it will cost in the raining season. This implies that vegetables are scarce in the dry season.

Minimum Start-Up Capital To grow vegetables on I hectare to 2 ½ hectares of land, you would need between N70,000 to N90,000. This amount is due to climate change, insecticides, etc”.Well, it depends on an individual’s target. For instance, if you want to cultivate it at your back-yard, you can start with any amount.

But if you want to cultivate vegetables on commercial basis, I will advise that the minimum land you need is one acre and above.

Appropriate Farming Conditions: Contrary to popular belief, vegetables can be grown anywhere: it is the system that is used that would be different. A normal

land that is not swampy; that you can grow vegetables during dry season. You make use of sandy-loamy soil. Sandy loamy soil is dark in colour. And this type of land requires less fertilizer because they are rich in organic matter. You can also grow vegetables on sandy soil. Most sandy soil is best used for vegetables during the rainy season because it doesn’t hold water. It drains water easily. While you can’t use it during the dry season because you would need to be applying water every day because of the fact that it drains water easily. Another soil is the clay soil. You should avoid clay soil during the dry season because you would have to need a lot of water. Hence, during rainy season, you can grow on virtually any type of soil.

Challenges: There could be vegetable glut - a time when the harvest of farmers mature and are brought to the market at the same time. It is not peculiar to vegetable farmers alone. It could also affect others farmers.

The way of this world is to praise dead saints and persecute living ones. ― English proverb

September 19, 2014

Your Entertainment and Lifestyle Guide

Tiwa Savage’s ‘Dress Sense’

A blow to another’s purse is like a blow to a mountain of sand.

ESSENTIALS PLAYLIST

razak’s diary Tattles ― Egyptian Proverb

26

STARTERS

September 19, 2014

EDITOR’S NOTE If you do say that Pop star Tiwa Savage’s fashion choices are the most criticised in the Nigerian music industry, you could we ll be right as much as you are wrong.

It’s a two-way traffic. Well, TATTLES decided to weigh-in on the issue about her fashion sense.

The news that Big Brother Africa was postponed because of a fire outbreak was met with sighs and long faces from lovers of the show. However, having

concluded plans to go ahead with the show, the organisers, M-Net and Endemol SA, have announced that the ninth season of the reality television show – Big Brother Hotshots – will now kick-off on October 5, 2014. Will you be watching?

The hardworking guys at tooxclusive. com have availed us the latest Nigerian songs out there. From Davido’s Naughty to Burna Boy’s Check and Balance, you

can listen and conclude that Nigerian music is getting better, somehow.

Congratulations are also in order for Iyanya. The Kukere crooner’s endorsement deal with technology company Zinox computers was allegedly renewed for a whooping N50m! This simply shows that hard work does really pay.

Tired of eating the same boring meal over and over again? Fear not, because,

starting this week, popular food blogger Dobby of dobbysignatures. com will be sharing her unique food recipes with readers of ESSENTIALS. You do not want to not try out her recipes.

Enjoy the weekend!

fridayleadership@leadership.ng follow us on Twitter @essentialsng

one TO WATCH

Essentials Playlist

Latest Nigerian Songs Davido ft. DJ Arafat – Naughty Finally, Davido is breaking his silence with the official release of his first single of the year. The man of the moment, who has carted away numerous awards in best and indigenous categories, shelved personal plans in a bid to promote the artistes in the stables of HKN Music. Regardless, he’s been an entertaining feature in other works by celebrated artistes.

Legendury Beatz ft. WizKid – Oje

The Starboy crew is out with a new tune and this time it’s by Legendury Beatz who features the Starboy himself on this track titled Oje. This is definitely a club banger and further proves that the Starboy crew will be a force to reckon with in the Nigerian industry for years to come.

Burna boy – Check & Balance

Aristokrat Records lead artiste Burna Boy breaks the deafening silence that has greeted his few releases this year with the official premiere of his second single for the year. The afro-disco flavour is produced by Spellz.

P-Square ft. Don Jazzy – Collabo

By the time you are reading this, the ‘danger twins’ P-Square must have released their sixth studio album Double Trouble. However, this song Collabo features ace music producer Don Jazzy. The song is widely loved already an, surely, it will be a club banger.

D’Prince – OYO (On Your Own)

Also produced by Don Jazzy, this Afrobeat number by D’Prince is a wakeup call to everyone who has grown comfortable with the idea of building their efforts and achievements around other people who are occupied with their own tribulations.

Yemi Alade – Kissing

Effyzzie Music Group’s powerhouse Yemi Alade who is currently in Kenya

working with Tanzanian music star Platinum Diamond for the #CokeStudioAfrica show presents this number off her hotly anticipated debut album King of Queens slated to be released in a couple of weeks.

The groovy mid-tempo love song is produced by hit-maker Fliptyce with enriching bass guitar sounds by Fiokee.

As always, Yemi does justice to this one with her honeyed voice, singing about the beauty of enduring love.

Ice Prince & Iyanya – Freestyle

We bet you never saw this one coming.

It was Oritsefemi who Iyanya recently collaborated with on Story Story and look how well that turned out. Now, in a new effort with Ice Prince and on the ever appreciated afro genre, they present “Freestyle“produced by Ajay On The Beat.

Mo’ Cheddah – Tori Olorun

Rectify

OJB Jezreel ft. Ice Prince – Searching (remix)

Another emotional drama for you, Rectify is a show that pokes at the dark underbelly of the American dream, presenting a sobering picture of crime and punishment, damnation and salvation, beauty and horror.

The show finds newly released deathrow inmate Daniel Holden (Aden Young) moving past his initial unease in an environment he no longer understands. Holden is trying to take control of his own destiny in a dangerous and unpredictable world

Afro-pop songstress, Mo ’Cheddah isn’t backing down easily. After the success of her 2014 debut single Destinambari, followed closely by the finely flavoured My Time, she’s all-fire again, with Tori Olorun. Most interesting is the fact that she takes us back to the days of old – when our parents were younger – with that popular folk chant for planes flying overhead.

Veteran music producer OJB Jezreel remixes Searching – which is, arguably, his signature track – with Chocolate City’s rap sensation Ice Prince.

that is not too happy to see him wandering about among the lawabiding citizens of this small town.

His presence has not only opened old wounds but creates a butterfly effect on those around him, his family members and the potential perpetrators of the crime that landed him on death row in the first place. Currently in its second season, the show stars Aden Young, Abigail Spencer, J. Smith-Cameron, Adelaide Clemens, Clayne Crawford and Luke Kirby.

movie review

VJ Adams ft. Chidinma & Oritse Femi – Melo After trying his hands on Winner, Soundcity presenter Adams Ibrahim has released another single, this time with Chidinma and Oritse Femi lending their voices to a song with the potential to become a potential hits. Some songs are like that; they grow on you.

— Courtsey tooxclusive.com

My Delusion Genre Short Film Director Okuns Osanyade Year 2013 My Delusion says a lot in just four minutes. It tells a tale of love, woe and addiction. With less dialogue and the use of props probably too small for some to notice, the director passes a lot of information to the viewers (for example, what Charles does for a

living and why he was sacked). Further impressive in the tale of love lost due to the delusional interpretation of marital vows is the acting, scene transition and the musical score. These three features compensated for the writer’s seemingly frail grasp of what the perfect anticlimax should be.

— Reviewed by Innocent Ekejiuba of NollySilverScreen.com

group REPORTERS Abisola Alawode DESIGN & LAYOUT Chukwudi J. Nwabueze, Iniobong Ekong

ACTING EDITOR Hassan Gimba Ahmed

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah Chairman Hajiya Ireti Kingibe GRP MANAGING DIRECTOR Azubuike Ishiekwene GRP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS Michael Okpere, Dr. Kazeem Durodoye

Your weekly ESSENTIALS is filled with exclusive interviews, amazing articles from guest columnists and contributors.

27

September 19, 2014

EssEntIals Taste

How To Make Tapioca Pudding With Kpokpo Garri Hi everyone!

Whenever you hear Kpokpo garri on the streets, don't be confused.

Kpokpo garri is simply tapioca.

I really don't know why tapioca doesn't get so much love as pap (akamu/ogi), as it is absolutely tasty and definitely deserves the same adulation as other Nigerian desserts. Tapioca is the white starchy extract from cassava. Its fermented, flaky version is the garri we all know. It’s a staple food in some parts of Nigeria and it has a similar consistency with pap, from the way it is prepared to the way it is eaten, though its physical appearance indicates that it has round, clear starch bubbles in it.

Some of the health benefits of tapioca include its ability to help in healthy weight gain (1 cup of tapioca = 45 per cent of daily carbohydrate requirement). This is because, although many all over the world are are concerned about staying thin and fit, there are also a whole lot of people who look for options for healthy weight gain.

Being underweight is as dangerous

number of other functions.

Ingredients

•1 cup Tapioca starch (Kpokpo garri) •1 cup Coconut Milk (which can be manually extracted from the coconut) •1/2 cup Sugar •Milk (as desired) •Water (as desired)

Directions

as being obese and tapioca provides a quick and easy way to gain healthy weight fast. It also helps to improve digestion, lower cholesterol, prevent diabetes, improve metabolic activities,

protect bone mineral density, protect against birth defects, improve heart health, prevent Alzheimer’s disease, increase circulation and red blood cell count, maintain fluid balance within the body and a

Step 1. Place the tapioca in a medium-sized bowl and pour water over it, just enough to cover the tapioca in the bowl for about 15 minutes.

Step 2. Transfer the soaked tapioca into a small pot and pour the coconut milk over it. Add some water (just enough to cover the contents in the pot) and turn on the burner to medium.

Step 3. Cook till starch looks translucent for about 10-15mins.

Once it's translucent, the starch is ready to eat.

Turn off burner/stove; add milk and sugar. Serve.

Making Ham, Cheese Sandwich Here's a quick sandwich you could make today if you do not want to spend time in the kitchen. Sandwiches are one of the quickest meals to prepare and this ham and cheese sandwich is no exception, as it can be prepared in just 10 minutes.

You can take it for breakfast with a hot beverage or even as a snack to curb those hunger pangs in between meals. This snack is also a perfect lunch-box meal for school kids.

Ingredients

• 8 Wheat bread/ white bread slices • 8 Thinly sliced ham • 4 Cheese slices • 1 plum tomato, thinly sliced • 4 Lettuce leaves •Butter/margarine/mayonnaise as desired

Directions

Step 1. Take two slices of bread (you can cut off the bread crust if you choose to, though I skipped that); apply butter/margarine/ mayonnaise on one side of the two slices.

Step 2. Place a lettuce leaf, a slice of cheese, one or two slices of tomatoes and two slices of ham on the buttered part of one slice

and cover with the other buttered bread.

Step 3.Repeat for the remaining

slices, stack them up and slice the whole pile in diagonally.

Serve with tea, coffee or your

favourite beverage for breakfast — Courtsey dobbysignature.com

The immature rice stalk stands erect, while the mature stalk, heavy with grain, bends over. ― Chinese Africa

FEATURE

28

September 19, 2014

Hollywood At Home

For many in Hollywood, conspicuous consumption has given way to a quieter kind of glamour. Today’s stars make their personal style statements not with flash but in other ways, like the knowing curation of obscure art and international antiques or luxurious details that will make a big impact. Here’s to all the ways stars still define living in splendour.

Lionel Richie The musician’s Beverly Hills home is a Tuscan Dreamscape that combines grandeur with down home comfort.

Stop by Lionel Richie's Los Angeles home on a weekend and there’s a good chance he'll be outside, clippers in hand. "If I'm really relaxing, I’m cutting hedges," he says.

"It's a form of meditation."

It may sound like The Simple Life, but behind the hedges is a 28 room, 17,000-square-feet Italian Renaissance Revival mansion. Built in 1929 for a member of the Guggenheim family, "it's a house you don't find anywhere," Richie told Architectural Digest, "much less 10 minutes from the centre of Beverly Hills". It's also the family gathering spot: Kids Miles, 20, and Sofia, 15 (with ex-wife Diane), stay over at the drop of a hat. "Everybody in and we celebrate the fact that we are a tribe." Though Richie, 62, favours smaller gatherings, "for the first time I let the world in" for daughter Nicole's spectacular wedding to rocker Joel Madden.

Richie draws inspiration from his frequent travels, enhancing original elements of the house with furnishings that "are expressions of who I am." Working with interior designers Peter Schifando and J. Jonathan Joseph on the interiors, Richie also included his collections of Buddha’s signed artwork by jazz great Miles Davis, Charles X opaline boxes and elements of family history.

"In every room on the first floor, I have slave shackles or a branding iron," says the native of Tuskegee, Alabama, "as a reminder that I stand on the shoulders of some amazing people.”

Father of the bride The normally ultra-private Lionel opened his home to 155 revellers for daughter Nicole's 2010 wedding to Joel Madden.

They mingled in tents – featuring hand- painted tiles and vintage chandeliers – built over the pool. One giant surprise: An elephant, prized

by Nicole as a symbol of luck, greeted guests at the door.

Richie

The tiger depends on the forest; the forest depends on the tiger.

― Chinese proverb

FRIDAY EXTRA September 19, 2014

By Ugboja Felix Ojonugwa

W

INSIDE

hen the contracts of constructing paedestrian bridges were awarded in 2012, it was with the expectation that the move will result to increased road safety and orderliness in the Federal Capital Territory. However, according to investigations conducted by LEADERSHIP FRIDAY, many of the paedestrian bridges are not used accordingly.

While observing the major highways in Abuja, this reporter was shocked at the sight of paedestrians dashing across the highways in droves, while most oncoming vehicles bore down on them at break-neck speed.

Strangely, there were paedestrian bridges few metres from where these paedestrians zig-zagged across the road.

Excuses of unruly paedestrians “I don’t understand why you are asking me this question, I don’t use the bridge, I don’t care if it is safe or not. After all, life itself is a risk.’’ That was how Courage Ede reacted when he was asked why he opted to cross the expressway, in spite of the risk involved, when he could easily use the pedestrian bridge which was close-by.

While Ede opined that life is full of risk, he didn’t seem to also accommodate the need for caution, a mistake which has led to the loss of lives on the country’s highways.

LEADERSHIP FRIDAY also caught up with a number of Abuja residents who evidently fancied this risky act of dashing across highways. One of them, Adebayo Oladeji, had another excuse for not using the paedestrian bridges. “I think the paedestrian bridges are badly located and are in less strategic positions. Also, I think that it is too far from the junctions and difficult to access.’’

Mary Onoja, a mother of two, told this reporter that it is faster to dash across the highway than use the bridges. “I just want to get something across the road. It is faster for me to just dash across than go all the way to the bridge before coming down. It takes so much time,’’ she explained. When asked if she preferred being run over by a car and leaving her kids motherless than spare a few minutes to save her life by using the paedestrian bridge, she was livid. “God forbid! I won’t die before my time. God will not allow it to happen.’’ Onoja’s reactions are not starnge. Many more who abuse the highways do not want to die before their time, as well. This is a cause for concern.

This reporter, however, discovered that that a number of road violators are aware of their error, but are far more concerned about joining the band-wagon than be perturbed by any enforcement or will to obey road rules.

Ibe Izuagba, a sexagenarian, also had a reason for dashing across the highway.

“Honestly, this is my first time; I always go out with my car. I didn’t even see the bridge, because I can see that everybody is crossing the road.’’ He promised not to put his life at risk anymore.

Just like Izuagba, a smart-looking young man who identified himself simply as Francis admitted that it was wrong to cross the highway like he did. “It is very wrong. I don’t have any excuse at all, because there is a provision for paedestrian crossing. I am actually

The motive behind the construction of paedestrian bridges in Abuja has been grossly abused, both by paedestrians and hawkers and criminals who have all found some use for the bridges.

Pictures by FELIX OJONUGWA

How Paedestrians Desert, Misuse Abuja Bridges crossing the road because others are doing it, but I believe it is very wrong,’’ Francis said.

The Fear of Pedestrian Bridge Criminals A number of offending paedestrians disclosed that they resorted to dashing across the roads, especially at night, because of the activities of conmen and criminals, who often accost helpless paedestrians who wish to use the bridge. A middle-aged man who pleaded anonymity revealed that he was once a victim of these criminals. “I was attacked once on the bridge when I was returning late from work. I had to surrender every item, including my phones, to the robbers, because they threatened to throw me off the bridge if I didn’t comply. That incident left me traumatised and made me develop a phobia for paedestrian bridges,’’ he said. He is not the only wary paedestrian. Offor Clement is particularly worried about the number of beggars and sick people who often crowd the bridge, begging for alms and coming so threateningly close to paedestrians.

“I am always appalled whenever I see some very gory things on the bridge; beggars, some disabled and very sick people stay on the bridge, depriving it of its sanity and judicious use,’’ stated Clement.

Making A Case For Compliance While a number of Abuja residents avoid using the pedestrian bridges which are fairly safe enough, a number of them are quite safety-conscious and have never acted otherwise.

“I always use the pedestrian bridges, because they are safe to use and are meant

to be used. Also, I advise my friends and families to always use it, because there are a number of cases of people loosing their lives while trying to cross the highways,’’ said Donald Akere.

Habiba Mohammed also wondered why people shy away from using paedestrian bridges. “It is very sad to see how careless people are these days, preferring to run across the road while they can simply use the bridge, just because they claim to be in a hurry,’’ she said.

‘Commercialising’ Paedestrian Bridges While some of the paedestrian bridges may be deserted during the day, they become night markets at night or early in the evening. Some paedestrain bridges like those in Lugbe, Gwarimpa and Sheraton Junction get transformed into a bee-hive of commercial activities once the sun sets.

Wares, ranging from bed sheets to secondnew clothes, snacks, movie and music CDs, mini electrical appliances, phones, paintings could be seen in all these places.

“We are doing this just to survive and, besides, we are always chased around by the men of the task force every time,’’ said Emeka Nwafor, who sells second-new clothes on one of the pedestrian bridges. “I know it may be wrong, but man must hustle,’’ Emeka stated.

Concerned Authorities React The head, public relations unit, transport secretariat, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Barr. Ifeanyi Ugbamadu, agreed that the unit was having a headache of its own.

“Since the administration constructed these bridges, it has been a problem getting

paedestrians to comply with their usage. We are aware of the activities of some unwholesome businesses, beggars and some criminals who want to take over these bridge, but that is not enough excuse for the paedestrians [not to use the bridges], because there are security patrols in the FCT and, besides, it is always safer to use the bridge because criminals are everywhere. We are appealing to Abuja citizens, as we have always done, to increase their usage of these bridges in order to reduce road casualties to the barest minimum,” Ugbamadu said.

Ugbamadu did point out, also, that the bridges were constructed, not to thwart the people, but in line with best global construction practices.

“The bridges are not meant to be located at junctions for safety and traffic purposes, so that shouldn’t be a problem at all. That is why we have constructed road barriers which about a kilometre from either side of the bridges. It is really unfortunate, though, that these barriers are now being sabotaged by some people,’’ he said.

Ugbamadu assured that, in order to stem the tide of road abuse and encourage paedestrains to use the bridges, efforts are being made to sensitise the public about the safety of using the bridges. He also promised a clamp-down on this menace in the ‘ember’ months, because of the degree of sensitivity of the times.

“We are engaging law enforcement agencies to help us apprehend paedestrians who refuse to use the bridges where they are available and to also arrest those who use the bridges for other illegal purposes,’’ he said.

Best Places to see Fireworks Big Questions & Answers nobel ultimate top list Why... answers to scientific questions

30 FRIDAY EXTRA/Best places to SEE...

September 19, 2014

Those who think the best place to watch fireworks is somewhere in the American heartland might want to think again and many of us who grew up watching the July 4th extravaganza on the Hudson River in New York or in Boston may not have the best point of comparison.

While the fireworks display on America’s birthday is impressive, the best places to see incredible fireworks require a passport.

Fireworks

T

he world’s top pyrotechnic techniques meet high art at the L’International des Feux Loto-Quebec (also known as the Montreal International Fireworks Competition), a summer event series held Wednesday and Saturday nights at La Ronde amusement park in Montreal. Pyrotechnic firms from around the world compete at the annual contest, which takes place from late June through late July.

Each country is given a half hour to present an original “pyromusical synchronisation” programme that pairs explosions with musical scores, where you can see as many as 5,000 pieces bursting into the sky. To get the best view, watch from La Ronde Amusement Park on lle Sainte-Helene, the Jacques Cartier Bridge, or from either side of the St. Lawrence River.

Just a tiny dot on most maps of the mid-Atlantic, Portugal’s Madeira Island and the New Year’s Eve festival in its capital city have won the Guinness Record for the world’s largest fireworks display. We’re talking

17 tons of fireworks causing about 8,000 explosions per minute, set off from nearly 50 spots around Funchal Harbour.

Starting in mid-November and lasting until early January, the city’s centuriesold streets are decorated with Christmas lights. Plan ahead, since January is the height of the island’s tourist season.

The Mexico City suburb of Tultepec has a week-long fireworks festival you definitely want to experience from afar.

On March 8, the festival honours San Juan de Dios, the town’s patron saint, with the Burning of the Bulls. Lifesize papier-mache bulls are mounted onto towering scaffolds, stuffed with fireworks and set aflame after dark.

Locals dance alongside the fire-spewing bulls, dangerously close to the sparking mayhem. Be sure to arrive early, as public fireworks displays are often very crowded.

Every summer there are hundreds of fireworks (hanabi) festivals around Japan. One of the biggest is the Tondabayashi Festival outside of Osaka, which draws up to 1 million spectators.

Head to the Church of Perfect Liberty on August 1, when up to 120,000 are fired into the air, including a grand finale that can include up to 7,000 fireworks at once. For the best view, bring a blanket to the banks of the Yodo River, where you’ll be surrounded by locals.

On the fifth of November, the United Kingdom celebrates the infamous Guy Fawkes Night. All around the country there are bonfires and fireworks, with replicas of Fawkes himself burnt in effigy. But even though the plot to blow up parliament took place in the capital city, London isn’t the place you want to be on that night.

Instead, you want to head to Lewes in East Sussex, which has arguably put on the biggest and best show since the 17th century. With tens of thousands of spectators flocking to this small village, the locals celebrate November 5 with massive bonfires, flaming torches, multiple parades throughout town, and, of course, several fireworks displays put on by the Bonfire Societies.

The annual Festa del Redentore in Venice is by no means the biggest or

A camel does not tease another camel about his humps.

— Egyptian Proverbs

most spectacular of fireworks shows, but ask any Venetians and they’ll likely tell you it’s their favourite celebration of the year. On the third Saturday in July, the residents commemorate the end of the plague in 1577 with fireworks, food, and family. As soon as the sun sets, hundreds of small boats set sail in the middle of St. Mark’s Bay, brightly decorated with balloons, garlands, and lanterns, while you picnic on the shores with the locals. Come nighttime, the spectacular fireworks are set off from a pontoon in the Giudecca Canal, reflecting over the waters and illuminating the city.

Although Disney World’s Magic Kingdom nightly fireworks display may sound a little too touristy, to give them credit for a great show and there’s still a way to make it a special experience without the hassle. Sit on the sandy beach at Disney World’s Polynesian Resort just across the bay from the Magic Kingdom Park. Great advice: Get there early and have dinner at the resort, ➔ CONTINUES ON the next PAGE

61

September 19, 2014

SECURITY REPORT In the following pages we commence the Food Security Report by celebrating Erisco Foods Nigeria Ltd. An incisive expose on how the food value chain can be improved is also included for intellectual development.

On October 16th, 2014 we shall celebrate the

World Food Day

with a report on leaders in food production, processing, feedmillers, breeders and suppliers of agricultutal equipment among others.

Join us!

A

SPECIAL PROJECTS PUBLICATION

PROJECT DIRECTOR: ABDULMUMIN S. BALOGUN 08069727798 NATIONAL COORDINATOR : ANGELA TONY-IJI 08033890255 CREATIVE MANAGER: CHUKS NWABUEZE

32 FRIDAY EXTRA

September 19, 2014

nobel

A Century Of Prize Winners

Le Due Tho

For his negotiations to end the Vietnam War.

Henry Kissinger (1923-) Henry Alfred Kissinger was the 56th United States Secretary of State, and the first to be born outside of the United States. In 1973 he received the Nobel Peace Prize along with the Vietnamese Le Duc Tho, who turned it down, for negotiating a ceasefire in the Vietnam War. On May 27,1923, Kissinger was born in Fuerth, Germany. He was 15 when his parents took him to the United States to escape the persecution of Jews in Europe, and on June 19, 1943, he became an American citizen. He received his BA, summa cum laude, from Harvard University in 1950, his master’s degree two years later and his doctorate in 1954.

Upon completion of his PhD Kissinger became a member of the faculty at Harvard and remained with the institution until 1971. During these years he worked in the Department of Government and the Centre for International Affairs, was study director of the Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy division of the Council of Foreign Relations, director of the Harvard International Seminar and of the Harvard Defense Studies Programme. During World War II Kissinger worked in the U.S. Army Counter-intelligence Corps from 1943 to 1946, when he was made a captain in the Military Intelligence Reserve, a position he held until 1949.

In the 1950S and 1960s he was occasionally an advisor in international politics to presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

It was with President Richard Nixon, however, that Kissinger’s name was most closely connected, and he served as the 8th U.S. National Security Advisor from 1969 to 1975. International affairs were Nixon’s principal focus, and Kissinger was always at his side. President Nixon began his term by saying that America was entering an “era of negotiation,” and began the gradual withdrawal of troops involved in the Vietnam War. There then followed the U.S. invasion of Cambodia, the bombing of Hanoi and the mining of the port of Haiphong. It was in these conditions that Kissinger, as National Security Advisor, began the negotiations with the North Vietnamese in 1972 that led to the Paris Peace Accords signed in January 1973. The agreement called for

peace

the withdrawal of American troops and the release of all prisoners of war by the North Vietnamese government; neither party, however, fully respected the agreement. The United States continued to support Saigon, and North Vietnam continued to attack South Vietnam with increasing intensity until the Americans were forced to hurriedly withdraw in 1975.

Before his work during the Vietnam War, Kissinger was a consultant to the Department of State, the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, the National Security Council, the Weapons Systems Evaluation Group of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the director of the Psychological Strategy Board.

He was also at President Nixon’s side on important diplomatic visits abroad, and he negotiated the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the USSR and formalised relations with China, ending decades of isolation and hostility between the nations. He was involved in numerous other interventions, including those in Chile and Argentina.

In September 1973 he became head of American diplomacy as secretary of state under President Nixon. That same year he negotiated the end of the Yom Kippur War. Kissinger’s reputation survived Nixon’s resignation in August 1974 in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, and he continued in his role as secretary of state when Vice President Gerald Ford became president.

In 2002 President George W. Bush appointed Kissinger to a committee investigating the attacks of September 11th.

Some of Kissinger’s many works on international affairs, foreign policy and diplomatic history are Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy (1957), Years of Upheaval (1982) and Diplomacy (1994).

He received the Woodrow Wilson Prize in 1958, the American Institute for Public Service Award, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Dwight D. Eisenhower Distinguished Service Medal and the Hope Award for International Understanding in 1973, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and the Medal of Liberty in 1986.

He married Ann Fleischer in 1949 and was divorced in 1964 In 1974 he married Nancy Maginnes and they currently reside in Connecticut.

(1911-1990) When he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Henry Kissinger in 1973, Le Duc Tho refused the award because true peace had not yet been re-established in Vietnam. In fact, it was necessary to wait another three years for the country to stabilise after decades of war. The seeds of this peace were sown by Le Duc Tho, however, and their effects were already evident before the ceasefire agreement that stipulated the withdrawal of American troops from the former French colony.

Le Duc Tho, whose real name was Phan Dinh Khai, was born in the north of Vietnam, then known as French Indochina, on October 14, I911.

His political activities, including forming the Indochina Communist Party in 1930’ led to his imprisonment twice by the French, first from I930 to I936 and then again from 1939 to 1944.

One year after he was released for the second time he went to Hanoi, recently declared the capital of French Indochina (now the capital of Vietnam), and joined members of the Viet Minh.

This organisation sought independence from the occupying French and gained enormous popularity after the surrender of the Japanese, who had occupied the country during World War II. The War ofIndependence began

peace in 1946, when the French bombed Haiphong, and it only finished with the Geneva Accords of 1954, which resulted in the division of the country into two parts: the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, allied to communist nations, and the Republic of Vietnam, allied to the United States and other democratic countries. During this troubled period Le Due Tho was a high-ranking member of the Viet Minh. From 1955 until I986 he was a member of the Politburo of the Vietnamese Workers’ Party, renamed the Communist Party in 1976.

War broke out once more in 1955 and lasted for 20 bloody years. At this time Le Due Tho took on a new role, as leader of the Viet Cong (the North Vietnamese), against the government of South Vietnam. Le Duc Tho contributed to the 1973 Paris Peace Accords, which established a ceasefire. As the special advisor of the North Vietnamese delegation he had participated in the peace conferences with the Americans since 1968 and, thanks to his negotiation skills, he became his country’s main spokesperson during the process. In 1975 he led the North Vietnamese offensive that resulted in the final defeat of South Vietnam.

It was only then that lasting peace appeared to be possible in the newly named Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Henry Alfred Kissinger also received half of the prize.

For their negotiations to end the Vietnam War.

The miserable got together with the hopeless.

— Canadian Proverb

Culled from the book ‘Nobel’

INVALUABLE TIPS FOR LIFE 19.09.2014

8 Ways To Create More Time To Think The key is not to distract yourself with things Finances

Marriage

Grooming

8 Tips To Save Money At Any Hotel

8 Ways To Be Your Husband’s Best Friend

The Subject Of Matrimony

Motivation Health How to Think Like a Wise Person

Impetigo

34 FORESIGHT

September 19, 2014 DOing nOTHing

WORK & CAREER

SometimeS doing nothing bringS itS own rewardS. by not taking a particular action you may find yourSelf taking a route that you had not even conSidered before, opening up new opportunitieS and being more productive.

6 Ways To Deal With Frustrating People Diversity of opinion can be very helpful, but so often people will intentionally or unintentionally slow you down or block your way. Regardless of their intent, one way or another you still have to resolve their concerns to move on. Because any innovative forward progress is likely to stimulate pushback and resistance, you need a solid set of tools to deal with those who will stand as roadblocks to your success.

Figure out the why Sure, some people are random and arbitrary, but most reasonable people have a motive for being a roadblock.

Someone’s contrary nature may have nothing to do with you, but if you can get to the root, you can figure out a way to placate the person and find some sort of compromise. Until you find out exactly why he or she is contradictory, you are wasting valuable time and energy stabbing in the dark. speak someone’s language So often, frustrating encounters are simple errors of communication. You may have knowledge and expertise in a specific area that is unfamiliar to your opponent. It also may be that they are the ones with relevant knowledge and experience.

Either way, you are better off sharing what you know and working together in an atmosphere of understanding.

Take the time to ask for the person’s perspective . give them what they want One of the secrets to successful negotiation is finding out what the other party wants most. What is the one thing someone most

desires to leave the table with? What will he or she leave behind? Once you know what the person wants, lay out the circumstances under which you can give it, if at all possible. And remember, the thing doesn’t have to be an object.

It can be an opportunity, emotional, social recognition, or reward. It can even be protection from a perceived threat on someone’s horizon. If you can’t meet his or her needs fully, have the person suggest an alternative and show that you are willing to work toward a compromise for the greater good. get the person invested in you People work harder to be polite and accommodating to someone they like and respect. So, work to build a positive relationship with the person in the grand scheme. Take a genuine interest in their needs and wants.

Show empathy and understanding for the person’s concerns. Help him or her understand that you are a person who is more than just a goal-oriented taskmaster. Help the person see the greater good of your objectives in a way that is exciting and inspiring. go around someone Sometimes, you can’t bring people around to your way of thinking. Look for other routes to your objective.

Ideally, you want the people causing your frustration to back down and remove themselves from the path.

But if they won’t, use your creativity to find other routes to achieve your objectives. No need to disrespect anyone in the process. Today’s obstacle may be tomorrow’s supporter.

Culled from in inC.Com

foresight

Catherine agbo

group

FOUNDEr ChairMaN grOUp MaNagiNg DirECTOr grOUp EXECUTiVE DirECTOrs

Identify Your Accomplishments Maybe your present livelihood or place of employment is exactly what you always wanted to do or you may be in a job or industry that you never expected to enter and due to lack of nothing else to do you choose ratherb to get busy doing just about anything that can pay the bills. You may be happy about what you’re doing, or you may be disappointed or even indifferent about it.

But for the time being, put all that feeling of not being satisfied or not being where you would rather be in your career aside.

Without addressing any of the complexities of why you work in that organisation or why you didn’t work in another, try to identify the single best accomplishment of your career. It can be something you did for your employer, or something you did for yourself, or something you did to help one of your colleagues.

However, in order to understand this, imagine that you are Bill Gates, one of the wealthiest people in the world.

Take a stroll through your forty- eight-thousand-squarefoot home near Seattle (imagining that is your home as Bill Gates), and ponder on some questions.

What’s the best thing you have done in your work and career?

In business decisionmaking, certainly one of your highlights should have been licensing your computer operating system to IBM for almost no money, provided

you could retain the right to license the system to other computer manufacturers as well. In that case, IBM was happy to agree because, after all, nobody would possibly want to compete with the most powerful company in the world, right? So, with that one decision, your system and your company became dominant throughout the world, and you, who hapens to be Bill gates, were on your way to a net worth of more than $60 billion.

Or maybe you’d like to look at your greatest career achievement from a different angle.

Instead of focusing on the decision that helped you make so much money, maybe you would prefer to look at the decision to give so much of it away. After all, no other person in history has become a philanthropist on the scale of Bill Gates.Nations in Africa and Asia are receiving billions of dollars in medical and educational support.

This may not be as well publicised as your big house on Lake Washington with its digitalised works of art, but it’s certainly something to be proud of.

Determining your greatest career achievement is a personal decision. It can be something obvious or something subtle. But it should make you proud of yourself when you think of it. So take a moment, and then make your choice.

Create an impact in any field or organisation you find yourself, and identify them to help you grow in work.

inFLUEnCing PEOPLE

CONTENT Ehinome Osezua graphiCs Nsofor Oluchukwu

ag. EDiTOr

MAKE YOURSELF UnFORgETTABLE

sam Nda-isaiah hajiya ireti Kingibe azubuike ishiekwene Michael Okpere, Dr Kazeem Durodoye

Foresight published as an insert in LEADERSHIP Friday. a number of the articles here are sourced from diverse sources. please do send your feedback and enquiries to: foresight@leadership.ng

from Start to finiSh, the proceSS haS to be handled delicately.

Business Calls

In the business world, you may need to telephone to find out some information. From start to finish, the process has to be handled delicately. First, you’re asking someone, who might be a stranger to give you information. Then you are asking to speak to the person who would be dealing with your preposition. Your first phone encounter is often with the secretary of the decision-maker

that you want to reach.

The secretary, often very powerful as a ‘screen’, is subconsciously deciding how he or she feels about you. If your voice is pleasant and smiling, but not sycophantic, it may get you past the first hurdle.

There’s no pretence involved in smiling. If you went to the person’s office and saw the secretary, you’d certainly be pleasant and smile.

FORESIGHT 35

September 19, 2014 BE UPDATED

FINANCE

Make sure your action plan is up to date. If something unforeseen happens you may need to amend your timescales, bring in different people or adjust your budgets. Timescales are important so set yours down today.

Basics of...

Asset Allocation

If you have got only two nickels to rub together; keep them in separate pockets. Asset allocation is about not putting all your eggs in one basket.

It’s the ultimate protection should things go wrong in one investment class or sector, as is likely to be the case from time to time.

For example, many people loaded up on technology stocks in the late 1990s. When the market corrected in 2000, many of these investors experienced steep losses.

Or, you may put your money into bonds, among the safest of investments. Yet the bond market, too, has its up and down swings. Disgusted with that market, you put your money in a money market account.

However, though virtually bomb proof, this market provides far lower returns. After all, less risk means lower rewards. And even modest inflation steadily erodes the value of your cash.

Moreover, a bad year in the stock market may show up

REACHING THE

as nothing more than an insignificant blip by 2015 or certainly by 2025. This is because the stock market is historically the best long-term investment vehicle – one that can deliver an average return of roughly 10 per cent annually for those willing to stick it out for the long haul.

In the short term, however, the stock market is more volatile than other investments.

Consequently, investors with less risk tolerance – and this generally include people who are close to retirement age – should put less money into the stock market and invest more in bonds. Younger people, however, can take on more risk because they have a longer investing horizon.

Your risk tolerance and goals will determine how much you put into each of the three investment categories. If you make careful choices with your asset allocation, you’ll earn better returns without losing sleep.

culled from money.cnn.com

The Journey’s As

NEXT LEVEL Good As The End “The climb offers you far more value and as many rewards as getting to your mountain top.”

It’s important, when going after a goal, to never lose sight of the integrity of the journey. The journey towards any result, whether it is being amazingly good at what you do for a living or great in the way you conduct your life, it’s just as important (if not more important) than the end. The climb offers you far more value and as many rewards as getting

to your mountain top, it shapes your character, offers you opportunities to realise your potential and tests you to see how much you really want to win. It’s the climb that teaches you, transforms you and evokes the genius that inhabits you.

You get to develop qualities of greatness, such as perseverance, courage, resilience, compassion and understanding. Sure, getting to the dream feels deliciously wonderful. But it doesn’t bring you the same sustained gifts as the journey.

Financial FUTURES

Top Money Concepts to Teach Your Kids

Save for a rainy day The cornerstone of healthy personal finance is also something many teenagers struggle with: saving money.

From the time your kids are old enough to desire toys, books, and other entertainment items; you should teach them how to save for the things they want to buy.

An allowance is a good tool for this concept. Your child may want a video game that costs $50, but gets an allowance of only $5 a week.Give a choice: candy or comic books today, or the more expensive item a couple months from now.

Almost all personal finance boils down to this essential concept, and it’s best to learn from experience.

You can help with this notion another way, by offering to pay interest if your child saves part of the allowance with you, or by matching part of the savings if there’s bank account, for example: you can contribute 1 dollar for every 5 your kid puts in the bank.

Let them see the benefit, so they can immediately see the benefits of not spending money.

Work hard for your money Help your child make the connection early in life that money isn’t something freely given, but is earned through work. This isn’t to say that you should put your small children to re-roof your house. Instead, just emphasise that nothing comes free, even if you’re tempted to bestow upon your offspring everything that their hearts desire. If you choose to give your kids an allowance, tie it to the successful completion of certain jobs throughout the week. Or you may choose to set a market rate for various tasks.

Age-appropriate chores and rewards are the key. Younger kids can help with simple

things like setting the table, where doing the job well isn’t as important as learning how to see it through. Older kids can take on more arduous jobs like mowing the lawn, in exchange for greater compensation. You may even encourage them to begin offering their services around the neighbourhood.

Understand a budget A budget is a foreign concept to kids. Younger children, especially, simply won’t realise that parents have a limited amount of money to spend every month. But learning what a budget is, and why it’s a good idea, is one of the central pillars of financial literacy. The best way to teach kids how a budget works is simply to show them. That’s not to say that you should open your books up to your children and show them every penny coming in or out. Instead, just give them a broad sense of how adults have to divide up their money each month.

One easy way to demonstrate this concept is to take a stack of Monopoly money, and tell your child that the stack represents how much money you make every month from work. Then, divide up the bills one at a time to show how much you spend on the house, how much you spend on food, how much you save, how much you give to charitable organisations, and so forth.

The denominations aren’t important. What’s important is showing your children that you have a conscious plan for your money, and that you’re on top of the family finances.

Encourage your child to start a budget. Part of allowance should go to savings, part to charity, and part of it is just for fun. Help your child identify what he truly values, and budget his money accordingly. www.life.familyeducation.com

36 FORESIGHT

September 19, 2014 thoughts

LEADERSHIP

The quality of your thoughts dictates the quality of your confident action. So, start tuning into the inner dialogue in your head. If you hear it running you down and being highly critical, practice replying with positive phrases.

8 Ways To Create More Time To Think While it is undoubtedly true that superior execution is better than any great idea you can think of, you need new ideas if you are going to stay ahead of the competition. And it is awfully hard to come up with those ideas if you don’t have any time to think. And so leaders must look for ways to create ‘white space’ in their lives that they could fill with new ideas. These are some of the things you should try: Breakfast This could be the most important meal of the day but some have taken to getting up earlier, than 5am, buy a newspaper on their way to the office, so they won’t look even weirder than they are, but spend virtually all of the time just staring into space. The key is not to distract yourself with things like checking email or voice mail, or making to do lists. Just sit and think.

First things first Intriguingly, there are others who try to carve out thinking time early in the day.

But they do it before breakfast.

Typically, the first thing they do is check email and skim the headlines online. You should put that off, until you have spent some time thinking about your most important objectives.

Simplify Stress and needless distractions, diminish your ability to think. Most times leaders take these steps in order to become even more organised. One good idea is to create an agenda for the following day, with all the necessary supporting materials at hand, before you turn off your computer at night.

Reinstate the lunch break Unless you are meeting with a client, there is a natural tendency to work through lunch; you have a quick sandwich or salad at your desk while tackling yet another thing you have to do. One good ideas

“

is walking away from your desk and finding some place where you could find 30 minutes to get away from everything.

Relax before taking a shower Sometimes the best ideas could come in the shower. But the ideas only occur if you’re not stressed; if you’re worried about something, that’s all you’ll concentrate on in the shower.

Try to be stress-free before you step into the tub. It doesn’t guarantee you will get a new idea, but it might increase your chances.

Fly first class Some leaders find the time flying a perfect place and time to think. But

it is awfully hard to come up with those ideas if you don’t have any time to think with packed planes and smaller seats, that option will become more difficult. The best option will be to fly first class whenever you can.

Schedule it Block off 15 minutes every day – in the middle of the day and label it ‘thinking’ on your calendar.

In praise of dead cell phones.

You probably would never believe this one.

If your cell phone battery dies and you didn’t have a car charger.

After about 20 minutes ­– 20 long minutes of panic and withdrawal pain – you’ll come to appreciate the fact that you are not about to be interrupted.

The old ways still work.

Taking some time off – a long weekend perhaps – where you tried to do nothing but contemplate what’s important is good for you. A lot of leaders will endorse this idea promptly but they can’t remember the last time they did no work over three consecutive days.

CULLED from forbes.com

4 Things Really Charismatic People Do

Some people are likeable, but others have great charisma. You feel charisma the moment it enters a room. It’s not just that someone is likable.

Charismatic people draw attention. They automatically energise you and motivate you to step up, to take action. It’s likely that you have some charismatic traits that can be developed to help you attract and inspire those around you. If you aspire to be charismatic, here is a list of behaviour to expand on: Exude joy.

The first thing you notice about charismatic people is the spark of life. Whether they are saviours or troublemakers, they have a strong passion that triggers powerful emotions in those around them.

Even in anger, they make people feel happy to join a cause. They show obvious pleasure in experiences and they invite others to share in the experience they are having. Enhance your charisma by sharing your passions with those around you and helping their passions flourish.

Inspire confidence.

It seems that charismatic people have the world in their control. Their personal self-worth and confidence appear strong, even when they’re not.

They have faith in their abilities, their knowledge and their worth. They also

WHAT LEADERS ARE SAYING...

“The man who has done his level best, and who is conscious that he has done his best is a success, even though the world may write him down a failure.” B.C Forbes

“Coercive power is the curse of the universe; coactive power, the enrichment and advancement of every soul.”

Mary Parker Follett

know the line between confidence and narcissism.

They don’t disparage or dismiss the people around them. Enhance your charisma by dampening your insecurities in favour of celebrating your strengths. Share your confidence with others so they feel stronger in your presence.

Share conviction.

The times that charismatic people stand out the most are when they are driving a movement.

Charismatic people believe in something powerfully and share that belief with others. Their conviction and consistent actions influence others to follow.

Dedicated followers add exponentially to the energy that oozes from a charismatic leader. Apathy will kill charisma and momentum. Enhance your charisma by being diligent and committed.

Great storytellers.

Moving someone to action requires context and motivation. Stories are the most effective way to get to the emotional core to break inertia. Charismatic people have a talent for spinning a yarn that connects deeply and relates directly to the action that needs to occur. Enhance your charisma by learning to craft and tell meaningful, emotional stories with the arts of humour, metaphor, and symbolism.

culled from inc.com

“Bigness comes from doing many little small things well…

Individually, they are not very dramatic transactions.

Together, though, they add up.” Edward Finkelstein

FORESIGHT 37

September 19, 2014

GENEROUS

In order to support other people, be generous to yourself first. Practice being generous to yourself; start to give yourself the unconditional love of a parent for a child. Make each day to be alone, even if only for 10 minutes.

MARRIAGE

Myths That Could Kill Your Relationship There are hundreds of myths about relationships. The problem with persistent myths is that they can erode a relationship’s happiness. When you think a relationship should be a certain way, and yours isn’t, frustration sets in. And frustration is the number one thing that eats away at a relationship. It’s directly tied to these myths. That’s why it’s so critical to bust the below misconceptions.

So without further ado, here are some myths about relationships that might surprise you.

A good relationship means that you don’t have to work at it The strongest most enduring relationships take lots of hard work. Some cultures, education system and parenting styles don’t prepare people for the fact that even good relationships take effort. A healthy relationship is like a good garden. It’s a beautiful thing but you wouldn’t expect it to thrive without a whole lot of labour.

But how do you know if you’re working too hard on a relationship? One sign is if you’re feeling unhappy more than you’re happy. In other words, are you spending more time tending to the relationship and keeping it afloat than enjoying it.

Unhappiness becomes the normal state of affairs.

Another bad sign is if you’re trying hard to make improvements and changes, but you don’t see the same level of effort on your partner’s part. There has to be some sense of trying really hard, both making changes and that’s making a difference. On the flip side, if both of you are trying and you can see positive changes being made at least some of the time, then that’s a good sign.

If partners really love each other, they know each other’s needs and feelings It’s a setup to expect your partner to be able to read your mind, because when you anticipate that your partner will know your

wants, that’s essentially what you’re doing.

People develop this expectation as kids.

But as adults, you’re always responsible for communicating your feelings and needs.

If you’re truly in love, passion will never fade Thanks to movies and romantic novels, people assume that if they genuinely love someone, the passion, urging and loving never go away. And if they do disappear, then it must not be the right relationship or the relationship must be in trouble.

However, passion naturally diminishes in all relationships. Daily routines are one of the culprits. As responsibilities grow and roles expand, couples have less and less time and energy for each other.

But this doesn’t mean that the passion is gone for good. With a little planning and playfulness, you can boost passion.

Having a child will strengthen your relationship or marriage Relationship happiness actually decreases with every child. This doesn’t mean that you start loving each other less or that you won’t bond at all over your child. But the mounting challenges can complicate relationships. Having realistic expectations helps you prepare for your new role.

When you think that a child will improve your relationship, it only adds to the complications. ‘Should’ statements don’t allow you to see what the other person is doing to strengthen and manage the relationship and these expectations cloud your judgment. Plan ahead and talk about the changes that will occur when you have your first child or more kids.

Jealousy is a sign of true love and caring Jealousy is more about how secure and confident you are with yourself and your relationship or the lack thereof. Take the following example: If you have a jealous partner, you might try to show them how much you care so they don’t get jealous. But you soon realise that any amount of caring isn’t a cure for their jealous reactions.

While you can be supportive, your partner must work on their insecurity issues on their own. No matter what you do, you can’t make your partner feel more secure or change their self-confidence.

Fights ruin relationships In actuality, what ruins relationship is not resolving your fights; fights can be really healthy and an important form of communication. Also, the type of fight a couple has plays a role. Not surprisingly, condescending fights that leave couples with no resolution only damage the relationship.

Productive conflicts that help the relationship end with some mutual decision about how to manage disagreement.

CULLED FROM www.webmd.com

Be Your Husband’s Best Friend It’s not enough to just be in love. You and your spouse really should strive to be best friends. So how do you get to be your husband’s best friend? The answer is simple enough.

Fun Times You have got to spend time together. Join him in some of his favourite activities and get him to join in your favourite activities as well. Try new things together too, to see what you like. Your husband may like to play table tennis, golf or even swimming. Try to go with him a few times, even if it’s really not your thing. Enjoy going out with him. Whenever he goes for his sports or games you could just take your favourite book and read while he plays.

Share His Excitement Find out what makes your husband excited,

what he is passionate about. Find out about those things and ask questions or research the topic to learn more. His excitement may be a favourite sports team, a certain band, a political stance, or a video game. When he starts to tell you about his team’s new quarterback or talk politics don’t just stare up at him blankly counting the seconds until the conversation is over. Join in his excitement. Let him know that even though you don’t personally care about these things, that you care about him and the things that make him tick.

Love Him for His Weaknesses If you really want to be your husband’s best friend then don’t forget to love him for his weaknesses too. It’s probably his best qualities that first attracted you to your spouse. But now that you are married

you have started to see some of his weak qualities. Don’t bash him for them. Your husband is probably not a Mr Fix-it kind of guy. If you were to hand him a tool box and say, “Hey the dryer is broken, go do something about it”, he might look at you and bust out laughing. If you both know he’s not that kind of guy, never give him grief over it.

Lift Him up A lot of times you expect your husband to be so strong both physically and emotionally.

Sometimes carrying the weight of the world to be that sort of man can be very draining for your husband and family. One way to be your husband’s best friend is to give him a break sometimes. Share that burden with him, doing so will show how much you do love and care for him.

CULLED FROM love.allwomenstalk.com

38 FORESIGHT

September 19, 2014 ORGANISE YOU LIFE

GROOMING

You spend a big junk of your life working, so getting on with your colleagues and knowing what motivates them can be vital to your wellbeing in the workplace.

The Subject of Matrimony engaged woman. You should not be seen uttering love speeches to, let alone embracing, a gentleman other than your intended husband.

All forms of touching a member of the opposite sex should be kept to a minimum.

Putting a lady’s shawl about her shoulders, or assisting her to mount a horse, to enter a car and others is of course entirely acceptable; and it is indeed absolutely correct for a gentleman to take a lady’s arm through his,

CONTINUES FROM LAST WEEK

“ Rule 2: Avoid open shows of affection While deploring overt flirtation, do not be happy to make teasing remarks of it openly. Imagine to yourself everything most profligate and shocking in the way of dancing and sitting down together.

With the risks of more serious gossip in mind, friends and sisters may feel obliged to warn their own sisters of their imprudently romantic behaviour with a man, such as driving off in his open-roof car at odd hours alone with him, allowing him to use pet names, which has already exposed you to some very impertinent remarks.

Rule 3: Maintain your dignity Even within the family circle, ladies should behave with decorum. It is most unwise to engage iwn amateur theatrical as an

HOW TO GET PROMOTED

With the risks of more serious gossip in mind, friends and sisters may feel obliged to warn their own sisters of their imprudently romantic behaviour with a man

to support her while out walwing. (Kissing – even for an engaged couple – is, of course, out of the question.) The relaxed, playful manners – however charming – occasionally causes a lady to be accused of impertinence and only her innate judgement saves her from indulging in flirtation with a man.

To be seen running after men, is a great ‘Blunder’; although it may be admitted that the sight of a gentleman in uniform is enough to turn many a lady’s head.

Rule 4: Do not indulge in matchmaking It is natural to wish to see friends happily married; and even, on occasion, to seek to bring two eligible people together.

This should, however, only be undertaken with great care. And indeed, you can permit yourself, on several occasions, to speculate about possible marriages for friends and relations. The desire to see a beloved niece, who consults you at length on her tangled love affairs, happily married, will lead to comments such as ‘He is such a nice, gentlemanlike, unaffected sort of young man.

CONTINUES NEXT WEEK

Lead By Example

CONTINUES FROM LAST WEEK STEP SEVEN: A good manager is also a role model, so it almost goes without saying that you must set an example for how you want your team members to behave.

Lead by involving people in establishing group objectives, setting standards, and achieving deadlines and demonstrate your own strong personal commitment to achieving the team’s goals. Set an example too by maintaining high standards in your appearance and general

behaviour by establishing warm, friendly relationships.

TOP TIP In most workplaces, there’s nearly always someone who is a nightmare to work with. Before you were made a manager, if you had a troublesome colleague, you may have let off steam about him or her to a friend in the office.

Being a boss doesn’t mean you have to be a saint, clearly, but it does mean you have to be extremely careful about what you say about colleagues and to whom. Even if you feel like

screaming, don’t commit any derogatory comments about a colleague via e-mail: it’s all easy to inadvertently send them to the wrong person.

Also be careful about conversations you have in the office, simply because you could be overheard. Use your common sense.

And, if you can, wait until you get home and unburden yourself to someone completely outside of your work life: your partner, friends or family member or even your pet if you have to.

SPEAKING OUTDOORS

How to Improve Your Speech-writing Skills Props When Bucks County (PA) commissioner Sandra Miller and Christopher Serpico, announced their candidacy, they festooned the county courthouse with red, white and blue balloons, only to be surprised when the balloons drifted upwards and set off fire alarms, forcing an evacuation of the building.

Stage mishaps Bob Doloe’s race for the presidency was not enhanced by a speech where he leaned against a loose railing and tumbled off the stage.

President Gerald Ford’s reputation for clumsiness motivated his assistants to have his water glass securely fastened at the podium with a brace. However, he did manage to blurt out that Eastern Europe was not dominated by the Soviet Union, that cost him some credibility.

Personal items Kurt Masur; musical director of New York Philharmonic, had to step away from the stage a moment before the orchestra could play. The low-tech glitch was because he forgot his glasses.

Microphone Busy preparing for his radio broadcast, President Reagan made a joke about bombing Soviet Union, never realising that his pre-speech comments were being recorded.

President Bush had a similar problem with some post-speech comments. He complained that the Q&A session hadn’t gone the way he had expected. An open microphone (accidentally left on) broadcast his whinny comment.

FORESIGHT 39

September 19, 2014 THINK LIKE A CHILD

MOTIVATIONS

Looking at the world with a child’s eyes can help you see alternative pathways to reaching your goals, as well as taking down some of the rigid barriers that adults often impose on themselves and on others.

How to Think Like a Wise Person Age and intelligence don’t always bring better judgment. If you are asked to judge how smart someone is, you’d know where to start. But if you were going to assess how wise that person is, what qualities would you consider?

Wisdom is the ability to make sound judgments and choices based on experience. Wisdom distinguishes you from the rest of the pack. Don’t wait until you’re older and smarter. It turns out that the number of life experiences has little to do with the quality of those experiences. Between ages 25 to 75, the correlation between age and wisdom is zero. Wisdom emerges not from experience itself, but rather from reflecting thoughtfully on the lessons gained from experience.

Intelligence only accounts for about 2 per cent of the variance in wisdom. It’s possible to be quick on your feet and skilled in processing complex information without reaching sensible solutions to problems.

Cultivating wisdom is a deliberate choice that people can make regardless of age and intelligence.

See the world in shades of grey, not black and white. Imagine meeting a 15-year-old girl who plans to get married next week.

What would you tell her? Here’s a response that scores low in wisdom: “A 15-year-old girl wants to get married? No, no way, marrying at age 15 would be utterly wrong. One has to tell the girl that marriage is not possible.

(After further probing) It would be irresponsible to support such an idea. No, this is just a crazy idea.”

In contrast, wise people embrace nuance and multiple perspectives.

Consider one answer that receives high marks for wisdom: “Well, on the surface, this seems like an easy problem. On average, marriage for 15-year-old girls is not a good thing. But there are situations where the average

case does not fit. Perhaps in this instance, special life circumstances are involved, such that the girl has a terminal illness. Or the girl has just lost her parents. And also, this girl may live in another culture or historical period. Perhaps she was raised with a value system different from ours. In addition, one has to think about adequate ways of talking with the girl and to consider her emotional state.”

Wise people specialise in integrative thinking, the capacity to hold two diametrically opposing ideas in their heads and reconcile them for the situation at hand. Fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.

Balance self-interest and the common good. A second defining quality of wisdom is the ability to look beyond our personal desires. Wisdom and egocentricity are incompatible.

People who have gotten where they are, by not taking other people’s interests into account or even by actively thwarting the interests of others would not be viewed as wise.

This doesn’t mean that wise people are self-sacrificing. In give and take, well-being and success both suffer if you’re too focused on others or on yourselves. It’s neither healthy nor productive to be extremely altruistic or extremely selfish. People who fail to secure their oxygen masks before assisting others end up running out of air, and those who pursue personal gains at the expense of others end up destroying their relationships. culled from psychologytoday.com

Beat the Blues with Character Strengths If you ever have ‘one of those days’, use your character strengths to find happiness.

Those kind of blues that come from the everyday stresses and strains of life piling up. You just feel like staying in bed, even when you hate the feeling, but then you are thinking what good are your character strengths, if you can’t use them to get rid of the feeling. They are supposed to be tools you can deploy to make you feel good, but you lie stuck in the blues. And so, another thing piles onto your list of disappointments and frustrations. Then you sink deeper into the mattress.

Eventually you’ll have enough of lying around.

So, drag yourself up. These blues that grab a hold of you are not there to stay.

Keep walking and enjoy the new spring growth evident all around. You’ll have a second realisation that you no longer feel blue.

Upon just a bit of reflection you’ll smile with the next realisation that your character strengths have indeed come to the rescue.

Appreciation of beauty comes forward. Creativity turns your experience into a metaphor you could use later in your work. Your character strengths will actually take away your blues. So, here are a few tips to keep in mind: Trust in your tools Your character strengths are part of who you are and

WHAT MOTIVATORS ARE SAYING...

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who can not change their minds can not change anything.”

George Bernard Shaw

“Life is all memory except for the present moment that goes by so quick you can hardly catch it going.”

Tennessee William

you can depend on them to come forward and pull you forward, even when you are down in the dumps. Trust this truth. They are your built-in recovery tools that never go away.

Connect the dots Be mindful of how your character strengths affect your experiences in life. You might have noticed that you began to feel better, but without knowing that it was because certain character strengths were at work, you wouldn’t know you can bring them to bear next time you feel crummy.

It’s not always sunshine and lemonade Accept that life has its ups and downs no matter how competent you are as a person. Such cycles are part of the nature of life. Don’t worry that being unhappy, means that you are doing something wrong.

Don’t expect to be happy all of the time It is not realistic. Don’t fight your normal everyday swings in mood. It’s only when you get stuck for a long time in one place that should signal you that something has gone awry.

Everyone has a unique array of character strengths on hand and ready for use. Discover your own personal gang of internal superheroes. culled from psychologytoday.com

“The most significant change in a person’s life is a change of attitude.

Right attitudes produce right actions.”

William J. Johnson

40 FORESIGHT

September 19, 2014

HEALTH

THERAPY Headache remedy: Eat 10-12 almonds, it is the equivalent of two aspirins for a migraine headache.

Impetigo GENERAL INFORMATION DEFINITION

Impetigo is a very common and highly contagious bacterial skin infection. The two forms of impetigo are called bullous (less common) and nonbullous.

BODY PARTS INVOLVED

It usually involves the skin around the face (often around the mouth and nose), arms and legs.

SEX OR AGE MOST AFFECTED Both sexes and all ages, but most common in children between ages 5 and 10.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

•Small red sores that change to blisters. Some blisters contain pus and yellow-brown crusts form when they break. The blisters don’t hurt, but they may itch.

•Slight fever (sometimes).

97%

• 97 per cent of hospital consultant episodes for impetigo require hospital admission.

• 54 per cent cases of impetigo reported at the hospital are men.

• 46 per cent of hospitalised patients are women • 95 per cent of impetigo patients require emergency hospital admission.

• Patients admitted for treatment do not stay more than 2 or 3 days.

SOURCE

www.cdc.gov

CAUSES

makeup.

•Other skin problems, such as bites, burns, infections, sores or injuries.

•Poor general health.

•Warm, moist weather.

•Poor hygiene.

HOW TO PREVENT

•Can’t always be prevented.

•Avoid contact with an infected person.

•Maintain good general health and good hygiene.

WHAT TO EXPECT

DIAGNOSTIC MEASURES

•Your own observation of symptoms.

•Your health care provider can diagnose impetigo by an exam of the infected skin.

•Medical skin tests are usually not needed.

APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE

Treatment is with drugs used for bacterial infection.

Staphylococcus aureus or streptococcus pyogens (for both) bacteria growing in the upper part of the skin layers. It is usually spread from one person to person or from germs on something an infected person has touched. The time from exposure to the germs and the start of symptoms is 1 to 3 days.

Person is contagious when the rash is crusting or oozing pus.

POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS

•Can rarely lead to other skin conditions and scarring.

•Kidney disorder (rare).

PROBABLE OUTCOME

It can clear up on its own, but your health care provider may recommend treatment to help prevent any complications. It may recur in young children.

RISK INCREASES WITH

•Contact with an infected person.

•Skin that is sensitive to sun and irritant, such as soap and

HOW TO TREAT

GENERAL MEASURES

Self-care steps include:

•Wash sores with gauze using soap and water and pat dry. If crusts are difficult to remove, soak them in warm water, soapy water and scrub gently.

•If there is an outbreak in the family, urge all members to wash hands often with antibacterial soap. Antibacterial wipes may be used.

•Keep finger nails short. Don’t scratch the blisters. Scratching can spread infection to other parts of the body.

•Do not share towels, washcloths, sheets, pillows or clothes with infected person.

•Men should shave around sores on the face not over them. Use an aerosol shaving cream and change razor blades each day. Don’t use a shaving brush; it may have germs on it. Don’t share razors with other people.

MEDICATION

•An antibiotic ointment or cream is usually prescribed.

•Oral antibiotics may be prescribed.

ACTIVITY

No limits.

DIET

No special diet.

CALL YOUR DOCTOR IF...

•You or your child has symptoms of impetigo.

•Fever occurs.

•Sores continue or don’t begin to heal in 3 days, despite treatments.

SOURCE: COMPLETE GUIDE TO SYMPTOMS , ILLNESSES & SURGERY, 2012

QUESTIONS ANSWERED: NUTRITION AND THE GASTROINTESTINAL STSYEM We are advised that salt is bad for us and to cut it down. But can eating too little salt be harmful? . There’s salt in so many foods that you would have to be dangerously faddy to avoid it, and you’ll become deficient in proteins, minerals and vitamins. You wouldn’t then know which symptom was due to lack of salt

and which is due to other deficiencies. People with rare kidney diseases or for whom mistakes in drug treatments made them salt deficient, feel sick, dizzy, have low blood pressure and may lapse into stupor or coma. However, that would never happen to a normal person who is simply cutting down on salt.

I drink a lot of tea without

milk, usually piping hot. Is it true that it could raise my risk of cancer of the oesophagus? A friend suggested that there was new evidence that it does.

That evidence is from a British Medical Journal report of a study in northern Iran, where some people drink tea at temperature above 70 degrees. The results are

solid because they aren’t complicated by other possible cancer-inducing factors such as alcohol or smoking, and the researchers measured the temperature of the tea as it was drunk. There were twice as many oesophageal cancer, proportionately, in people who drank their tea ‘very hot’ than in those drank their tea lukewarm.

FRIDAY EXTRA 41

September 19, 2014

ultimate top list GOVERNMENTS IN-EXILE

1

CENTRAL TIBETAN ADMINISTRATION Tibet is a region under the administration of the People’s Republic of China, a situation considered by the Central Tibetan Administration to be an unlawful occupation. The exiled Tibetan government is headed by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama. The CTA claims jurisdiction over those regions referred to as “Historic Tibet.” Among its current functions are the building of schools, health services, economic development and cultural activities for the international Tibetan community. Its current policy advocates autonomy rather than total independence. The CTA is based in Dharamsala, India, where the Dalai Lama first settled following the Chinese military occupation of Tibet in 1959.

MONARCHY OF IRAN The modern Iranian monarchy was established in 1501 and was presided over by the Shahanshah, the equivalent of an emperor.

Through much of its history, Iran was ruled by an absolute monarchy. Its last ruling shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, was deposed by the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and sent into exile.

Upon his death, the crown passed to his eldest son Reza Pahlavi. He has used his position to try to influence the Iranian electorate to perform acts of civil disobedience and non-participation, though he opposes foreign military action to oust the Islamic regime. He currently lives in Potomac, Maryland.

2

3

CHECHEN REPUBLIC OF ICHKERIA Chechnya is a break-away province in the Northern Caucasus and the site of two devastating wars between Chechen separatists and the Russian Federation.

When the Russians overran Grozny in 2000, the Chechen government was exiled to various Arab countries, the UK, the U.s., and Poland. In 2007, Ichkerian President Dokka Umarov declared himself the “emir” of a greater Caucasus Emirate, though this claim has been rejected by pro-republican forces and members of the former Chechen government.

4

REPUBLIC OF SERBIAN KRAJlNA This government was formed during the Yugoslav Civil War of the 1990s but was reinstated in 2005. Serbian Krajina was formerly a self-proclaimed Serbian state within Croatia, later overrun by Croatian forces. More recently, former legislators of the RSK again pushed for greater autonomy (though not independence) from the Croatian government. The RSK exiled government is headquartered in Belgrade.

5

NCBUG The NCGUB (National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma) was formed in 1995 at a convention in Bommersvik, Sweden. Among its founding goals were the support of the political initiatives of imprisoned Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the establishment of a democratic multiparty union through talks with the ruling military junta led by General Than Shwe. Members were elected to parliament but not allowed by the junta to take office. It is currently based in Rockville, Maryland.

MONARCHY OF LAO

CHECHEN REPUBLIC OF ICHKERIA

6

MONARCHY OF LAO The monarchy of Lao traces its origins to the consolidated Kingdom of Laos, formed in 1946. In 1975, the monarchy was dissolved by the communist regime and was sent into exile. It remains opposed to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and its stated goal is “to institute in Laos a true democracy, one which will ensure freedom, justice, peace, and prosperity for all Lao people.” Its headquarters is located in the U.S.

7

PROGRESS PARTY OF EQUATORIAL GUINEA The PPGE (as it’s abbreviated in Spanish) was founded as a pro-market, pro-democratic party in Equatorial Guinea in West Africa, after a lengthy period of repressive military authoritarianism. The volatile political situation in Equatorial Guinea led to party members’ harassment and imprisonment. In response, the party declared a “government-in-exile” in Madrid, where it is still located.

8

THE CROWN COUNCIL OF ETHIOPIA This governing body once acted as a board of advisors for the reigning emperors of Ethiopia.

When the monarchy was driven out in 1975, members of the Crown Council (including descendants of Haile Selassie) claimed that the emperorship still existed, and was thus the only legitimate head of state.

Its current leader is Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie and it is based in Washington, D.C.

MONARCHY OF IRAN

9

THE CROWN COUNCIL OF ETHIOPIA Cabinda is a region located in West-central Africa between Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cabinda’s claims to independence from Angola trace back to its days as a Portuguese protectorate. When Angola achieved independence in the 1960s, the exiled Cabinda government declared independence as well, though it went unrecognised. Its government is currently based in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

BELARUSIAN NATIONAL REPUBLIC The BNR was created as a pro-German buffer state against revolutionary Russia in 1918. The BNR was never a real state, as it had no constitution, no military and no defined territory. When German troops withdrew from Belarus, the region was quickly overrun by the Red Army and the BNR provisional council went into exile to facilitate an anti-communist movement there.

Its government still exists, though it is unrecognised and in exile in Toronto.

10

The man who has plenty of means of existence, conducts himself pretty much as he himself wishes.

Culled from the book ‘Ultimate top 10 list’ — Chinese Proverb

42 FriDaY EXTRA

September 19, 2014

big

questions & answers

Why does water soak upwards against gravity?

Water is wet. In scientific terms, wetting refers to the tendency of a liquid 20 stick to a solid.

Water molecules are electrically polar, with positively charged hydrogen atoms and negatively charged oxygen atoms. This makes them stick to each other (cohesion) and to the sides of the container (adhesion).

If the adhesive force is greater than the cohesive force, the molecules at the sides’ will try to hug the container, which causes the curved meniscus at the surface. l’ The force pulling the water up is called ‘capillary action’.

The narrower the tube, the lighter the column of water for a given contact area with the tube and the greater the capillary action. A towel has thousands of tiny fibres that provide lots of surface area to draw the water upwards.

Is anything ever absolutely still?

If ‘absolutely’ is meant in the sense of ‘completely’, then the answer is no. The celebrated uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics shows that the more precisely we try to pin down the exact location of anything to tell if it’s stationary, the more it jitters about.

On the other hand, if ‘absolutely still’ in the sense of stationary with respect to the whole Universe is meant, then yes - at least, subject to this caveat.

The Universe is filled with radiation left over from the Big Bang; this provides a reference frame by which we can tell how fast we’re moving in absolute terms and in what direction.

In 1996, a team of NASA scientists showed that we on planet Earth are moving at around 1 340 OOOkm/h relative to the Universe as a whole.

The miser destroys what he collected. ― Chinese Proverb

quickfire What is nuclear Known to physicists as the ‘weak interaction’, this is one of the four fundamental forces at work in today’s universe. as its name suggests, in pretty feeble and short-range, the power to turn the constituent nucleus - protons and neutrons - against each other. this makes it the driving force behind some forms of radioactivity and also the nuclear reactions that power the sun

Who was the first person to write out the Periodic Table of the elements?

the first list of fundamental elements was published by antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier in 1789. He listed 33 ‘elements’ that “are the substances we have not discovered means for separating”. His analysis was remarkably good: 26 were true elements, five were oxides of undiscovered metals, and only ‘light’ and ‘heat’ seem odd inclusions today.

However, the relationship between different elements is arguably more important than a simple list. a repeating pattern emerges when elements are listed in their natural order, reflecting the elegant fundamental laws of nature. such periodicity came to light gradually during the 19th century, but the ‘Periodic table’ as we know it today is usually attributed to Dmitri Mendeleyev who presented it to the russian Chemical society on March 6, 1869.

FRIDAY EXTRA 43

September 19, 2014

why?

... answers to everyday scientific questions

Why Does It Rain?

It rains because warm air can hold more water than cool air.

When wet air cools down, it can no longer hold as much water, so the water condenses and falls as rain, snow or hail. Temperature drops with increasing altitude, so warm, wet air cools down as it rises.

Warm air is less dense than cool air, so warm air will tend to rise on its own. It can also be forced upwards by terrain or by another air mass. Each of these scenarios leads to a different type of rain.

Water can evaporate from a puddle of water. Some of the water molecules in the puddle will be moving about as fast as if they were at boiling point, and some of these will escape from the puddle and get into the air as water vapour. The air can only hold so much of this water vapour; once it reaches its limit

the extra water will condense into visible droplets, forming clouds or fog and some of these droplets will fall as precipitation or rain.

How much vapour the air can hold depends on temperature.

Warmer air can hold more, but because it is not as dense as cool air it will tend to rise. The atmosphere cools as you get higher: 6.5°C (43.7°P) for every 1,000 metres (1093.61 yd). As the warm, wet air rises it cools, and above a certain point water vapour condenses into droplets.

Rising damp Convective rain falls when pockets of warm, wet air rise because they are less dense than the surrounding, cooler air.

This occurs when the ground is heated by direct sunlight on a fine day. Warm, wet air can also

be forced up as it passes over mountains, causing orographic rain, or it can be forced up when it runs into a mass of cold air. The warm and cold air masses don’t mix; instead the warmer one is forced up and over the denser, cold air, creating a weather front, which gives frontal rain.

A typical weather front consists of a billion tonnes of warm air overlaying 750 million tonnes of colder air.

The clouds that form as a result can be enormous: a typical cumulus cloud (the individual fluffy cloud that might be seen floating around on a mostly sunny day) weighs just over 1 million metric tonnes, equivalent to 200,000 elephants. But the amount of water in the cloud can be surprisingly small - our typical cumulus cloud might contain only enough water to fill

a bathtub.

A storm cloud, on the other hand, can hold 900 tonnes of water.

Compared to the water in the oceans and ice caps, and even to the water in rivers and lakes, the amount of water in the atmosphere is relatively small: if all the water in the atmosphere fell as rain at once the oceans would only get a couple of centimetres deeper.

But try telling that to the people who live in Mawsynram, India, probably the wettest place in the world, where the average annual rainfall is 1,188 cm (467.72 in), or to the inhabitants ofWaialeale in Hawaii, which has an average of 335 rainy days a year. They probably long to visit Arica in Chile, which has one day of rain every six years.

Culled from Why?: Answers to everyday scientific questions

The opinion of the intelligent is better than the certainty of the ignorant.

— Chinese Proverb

44 FRIDAY EXTRA

titans

September 19, 2014

oF hIstoRY

AUGUSTUS & LIVIA

63 BC-AD 14 & 58 BC-AD 29

he found Rome in brick and left it in marble.

R

ome’s first and greatest emperor, Augustus, was the heir of Julius Caesar and founder of the Julio-Claudian imperial dynasty, which ruled until the fall of Nero.

Born in genteel obscurity as Octavius, he was the great-nephew of the dictator of Rome, Julius Caesar, who adopted the boy as his son. Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC – when Octavius was only 19 - made him the great man’s heir, politically and in terms of his vast fortune.

Now calling himself Caesar Octavian, he was initially mocked or ignored as a young novice but showed his mettle, first challenging the swashbuckling cavalry general Mark Antony, then joining him in alliance against Caesar’s assassins.

The First Triumvirate – Antony, Octavian and Lepidus – defeated the assassins Brutus and Cassius at Philippi in 42 BC and then divided the Roman empire – with Octavian getting Rome and the west and Antony the east, where he went into political and romantic partnership with Cleopatra of Egypt. As Antony and Cleopatra’s ambitions alienated the Romans, the two sides went to war: Octavian – who was no soldier but whose forces were commanded by the talented general Marcus Agrippa - defeated his nemesis at Actium in 31 BC, leaving him master of the empire.

Antony and Cleopatra commited suicide.

Octavian now combined various different roles in the Roman republic into a new position – princeps, emperor, which he held until his death. At first, the position was not meant to be hereditary.

Still only thirty-three, Augustus (‘Revered One’) as he now called himself, was slim and cold, a punctilious manager, delicate, unemotional, censorious, adulterous, a master of men and politics.

He reformed government, provincial administration and justice, regulated taxation, patronised writers such as Horace, Virgil and Livy, embellished Rome, and tried not to expand the empire beyond its already vast borders, campaigning mostly against the Germans. In 9 AD, he was heartbroken by the loss of a legion under Varus in Germany. His last years were dominated by his wife Livia and the issue of succession. But however demented and murderous some of his successors, he had created a system of sometimes hereditary, sometimes elective autocrats – the emperors – that lasted until the end of the Roman empire.

As it turned out, the dynastic future belonged to his wife and her family.

Livia was born in 58 BC into the fam-

ily of Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus, a magistrate from an Italian town whose blood lines carried a proud heritage. She was betrothed to her cousin Tiberius Claudius Nero in 42 BC and gave birth to her first son also named Tiberius Claudius Nero - the future emperor.

It was a tumultuous time, however, to be starting a family. In the civil wars that followed the murder of Julius Caesar in 44 BC, both Livia’s husband and her father supported the assassins of Caesar against Caesar’s heir, the young Octavian. When Octavian and his ally Mark Antony defeated Caesar’s murderers at Philippi in 42 BC, Livia’s father committed suicide. Then her husband joined the new anti-Octavian forces that gathered around Mark Antony, whose alliance with Caesar’s heir had proved short-lived. As a result, the family was forced to abandon Italy in 40 BC to escape Octavian’s proscription of his enemies.

After a brief time in Sicily and then Greece, Tiberius Claudius Nero and his wife were persuaded to return to Rome in 39 BC, when Octavian offered an amnesty to supporters of Mark Antony.

Back in the capital, Livia was introduced to Octavian for the first time and by all accounts he immediately became besotted with her. By this stage, she was pregnant with a second son, Drusus, but despite this, her husband was persuaded to divorce her and present her as a political gift to Octavian.

From the moment of her marriage to Octavian, Livia carried herself in public as a reserved, dutiful and loyal wife. As her husband’s political strength grew, so her status gained recognition. In 35 BC she was made sacrosanctas, which gave her inviolability equal to that of a tribune.

But it was behind the scenes that she wielded her greatest, often supposedly malign, influence. She was a powerful woman and the sources are very prejudicial against her. There is no doubt she was ruthless and shrewd but equally there is no evidence she actually commited any of the poisonings for which she is infamous.

Augustus’s only child was Julia, a daughter from a previous marriage; so it was not clear who might succeed him. It was quite clear, though, to Livia: her own sons should inherit the throne.

The emperor’s first choice was his nephew Marcus Claudius Marcellus. However, in 23 BC, Marcellus died, in strange circumstances. Livia, who cultivated various experts on poison, was suspected of murder.

Next, Augustus favoured Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, his closest friend and his chief military commander, the victor of Actium. In 17 BC Augustus adopted

Stone statues of Augustus & Livia

Agrippa’s two youngest sons, Gaius and Lucius Caesar, and the line of succession seemed to be secure. Agrippa died in 12 BC, however, and the question of who would succeed Augustus was thrown into further doubt when, in AD 2 and 4 respectively, Lucius and Gaius died. The circumstances of the young princes’ deaths were mysterious, and again Livia was widely blamed. At last, Augustus was forced to embrace the option pushed by Livia: her son Tiberius, diffident but able, was adopted as the ailing emperor’s son in AD 4 - thereby establishing him as one of the heirs to the throne.

Livia was forced into one final intervention. In AD 4, during the final rearrangement of his succession plans, Augustus also adopted Agrippa Postumus – Agrippa’s sole surviving son. Within two years, Postumus was exiled from Rome, possibly because of allegations that he had been involved in a coup plot against Augustus, though again Livia’s hand in events should not be discounted.

Nevertheless, by AD 14 there were signs that Augustus was looking to rehabilitate his last adoptive son. Unwilling to countenance a possible late challenger to Tiberius, Livia is said to have poisoned her own husband, the aged emperor.

After Augustus’ death, Agrippa Postumus was quickly murdered, and Tiberius became emperor. Livia continued to be a figure of major importance - not least because her husband had bequeathed her one third of his estate (a highly unusual move). She now became known by the title Julia Augusta. Tiberius had always been appalled by her intrigues, even though they were in his favour; now he resented her interference.

When she died in AD 29 he did not at-

The man who marries my mother, I call him uncle. ― Egyptian Proverb

tend the funeral. He also forbade her deification. Livia’s most fitting eulogy was delivered by Augustus’s great-grandson, whom she had helped to bring up in her own household. Caligula described her as a ‘Ulysses in a matron’s dress’ – his praise perhaps the surest damnation that Livia could ever have received.

Though Tiberius was a competent administrator and talented general, he was all too aware that he was not his adopted father’s first choice - nor, indeed, his second or third preference, which perhaps explains why he never seemed comfortable as a ruler.

Much of his reign was plagued by internal unrest and political intrigue. In AD 26, tiring of affairs of state, he moved to a palace on the island of Capri and spent the last decade of his rule in semi-retirement, leaving the Praetorian prefect, Lucius Aelius Sejanus, as de facto day-today ruler.

The ambitious Sejanus viewed his new role as a stepping-stone towards absolute power. From AD 29 he unleashed a terror.

His enemies among the senatorial and equestrian classes were falsely accused of treason, tried and executed, making him the most powerful man in Rome. Sejanus also contrived to sideline Tiberius’ heirs.

On becoming heir to Emperor Augustus in AD 4, Tiberius had adopted his nephew Germanicus, who became a popular general and later governed the eastern part of the empire. In AD 19, however, Germanicus died in Syria in mysterious circumstances. Tiberius’ own son Drusus died in AD 23 - possibly poisoned by Sejanus, who was looking to further his political ambitions by marrying Drusus’ widow Livilla. Tiberius, however, refused him permission to marry her.

Culled from the book ‘Titans of History’

FEATURE

September 19, 2014

Hollywood At Home

Jenner

Kris Jenner With gilded ceilings and fur bedding, the estates of stars like The Kardashians are over the top, opulent and just plain wow-inducing!

When Kim Kardashian came home from her European honeymoon, the house she walked into was one of the most famous in reality television history. "Unlike other families, we work here all day," says Keeping up with Kardashians ‘momager’ and executive producer Kris Jenner of the Calabasas, California, spread where the past seasons of her family's E! Hit have been filmed. "This is where we work, play, live, breathe, rest, relax," says Jenner. "We have quite a few people living here." Until their fully gutted Bel Air mansion is finally renovated, that includes Kim, husband Kanye West and their ‘Instagrammably’ adorable daughter North, 1.

But don't expect to see sippy cups strewn across the mansion's Alice in Wonderland-esque floors.

Instead, the daring decor Jenner calls "1920s fabulous Hollywood glam" is evident in every inch of the home, right up to the Swarovski crystal ceiling lights in the downstairs powder room.

Like the metallic grass-cloth wallpaper that weaves its way throughout the first floor, that high-gloss vibe, she says, "all flows from one room to another with such consistently fabulous design."

As die-hard devotees of the show may remember, the home's make-over had been a long time coming. "When I first met with Kris, I thought we were going to do a modest redecoration," says interior designer Jeff Andrews, who came recommended by Kardashian family friend and business associate Ryan Seacrest. "It escalated into an entire overhaul of the house. It was a life- changing moment for Kris, I think." Though the entire revamp took two years, Andrews's first task was helping Jenner exchange traditional hallmarks (chintz-inspired upholstery, framed family photos on every available surface) for punchpacking black-and- white backgrounds. "The floors and walls are such a huge decision because it's not something that you can easily change again," explains Jenner. "They need to remain really classic and timeless and something you can live with for at least a decade."

Once the graphic colour palette was established, Andrews aimed for a modern-edged look that is "still sophisticated and peaceful without being garish." He layered in oversize furnishings covered in shimmery velvets, rich textiles like the family room's metallic shag carpet and plenty of shine-from the kitchen's mirrored tile backsplash to the silver-leaf Donghia wallpaper on Jenner's bedroom ceiling.

"Kris and I are both drawn to pattern, texture and a little bit of drama," he says. Glittering accents, such as the custom crystal chandelier suspended above a black lacquer claw-foot bathtub, add even more sparkle. That space – where the family's hair and make-up teams convene daily – embodies the private-yetcamera-ready nature of the entire home. "My bathroom," Jenner admits, "is the focal point of our business life." Lavish touches aside; she insists nothing in the home is untouchable.

"Every single room of the house is used," she says. As millions of viewers know, "We make a lot of memories here."

— Culled from ‘People’ magazine

Do not weaken the attention of him who is occupied.

― Egyptian proverb

45

46 TATTLES Song Theft: Robin Thicke Blames Pharrell

As if losing ex-wife Paula Patton wasn’t enough life drama, Robin Thicke has been dragged to court by late Marvin Gaye’s family for ‘lifting’ their father’s hit song Got to Give It Up on his Pharrell Williams-produced song Blurred Lines.

Recently, though, Thicke informed lawyers that he was “high” when the song was produced and that “honestly, Pharrell did the production and writing of the ‘stolen’ song”. It was earlier reported that the Gaye family claimed that the R&B singer didn’t give credit to their father’s sweat but proclaimed him and Pharrell were the original writers of the song. In court earlier this week, Thicke claimed he was wasted on Vicodin and booze when he helped create Blurred Lines and that’s his defense to allegedly ripping off Marvin Gaye. To make matters even more interesting, Thicke kind of blamed Pharrell for the track copycat, saying, “The reality is, is that Pharrell had the beat and he wrote almost every single part of the song.” Over to you, Williams.

Kim, Kanye Take Yoga Classes Naked!

It is very unlikely that the last will be heard of super couple, Kim and Kanye West. Having set tongues wagging from the moment they began dating to their engagement, wedding, controversial video for Bound 2, daughter’s birth and naming, their recent choice of relaxation will cause even more stir!

The duo are said to have embarked on raunchy yoga sessions as a way to keep the rapper calm, while also ‘spicing up their love life’.

An insider informed the Daily Star newspaper that “It was after their second yoga session with a private instructor at their home that Kim suggested to Kanye that they strip off to do their homework. They did their yoga poses for about 30 minutes, both completely naked.

Not only is it making Kanye calmer and more relaxed, but the yoga is also spicing up their love life.”

Dr Sid Reveals 5 Things He’s Learnt From Don Jazzy Mavin Records crew member and Surulere crooner Dr Sid was interviewed recently by Pulse.ng and he shared some of the things he has learnt from label boss Don Jazzy : 1. Don’t rush Don Jazzy, don’t rush creativity. It’ll come when it’s needed because if you rush it you may come out with content that is not up to par.

2. Strive for perfection. Be your biggest critic, when everyone is telling you you’re the shit, tell yourself “I can be better”.

3. Don’t believe the hype. See, because everyone is going to be gassing you as an individual.

4. Listen. Surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth. I like to say surround yourself with ‘no’ men, those who will question your authority.

5. Care for people around you, your subordinates. No man is an island.

If you take care of people who take care of you; it’s a cycle which leads to success.

Negative Media Contributed To My Marriage Crash Stand-up comedienne Princess Damilola has revealed that her marriage ended just two weeks after her wedding in May 2013, due to a number of factors. She mentioned “negative media” as one of the contributors to the failed marriage.

The comedian was a guest on Y Naija’s Rubbin’ Minds recently, where she revealed that “It’s like a mystery.

It was based on the fact that individual differences came up and, after the two weeks when the marriage ended, I didn’t think it was something of joy for me to start announcing to everyone and then my family and the guy’s family believed that we could all make it work. The marriage ended due to irreconcilable differences but then the negative media contributed to it,” she revealed.

I’m On My Own Lane- 2Baba Idibia In a recent interview with Olisa Adibua on The Truth, when asked if his career is where he wants it to be, 2Baba said, “Personally, I don’t think so.

But let me say this: I started a long time ago, about 17 years ago and I had my time, I had my headaches. Back then there was no focus on Africa like there is now. But I’m still out there, doing my thing, I ain’t going nowhere, neither am I in a competition with anybody. I’m on my own lane and I’m waiting for every other person that’ll come after me and spend the amount of time that I’ve spent in the industry, then they can now come out and talk. In terms of infrastructure and piracy, we’ve not gotten there yet. But in terms of talent, ability and discipline, we are world class.” Pure word from 2Baba.

September 19, 2014

Good Kisser singer Usher is thinking about settling down again. In an interview on Extra with Angie Martinez, Usher admitted that he’s getting closer to tying the knot again. “I’ve been even more excited about the idea of it,” he said.

Lindsay Lohan recently revealed that she handled the body of late singer Whitney Houston while she was performing her community service two years ago at the Los Angeles County Morgue.

TiSPY

Which Nigerian singer likes to expose her cleavage?

Why I Like To Expose My Cleavage – Emma Nyra In an interview with Encomium magazine recently, singer and Triple MMG signee Emma Nyra explained the reason behind her affinity for cleavage-baring.

“It’s not that I flaunt them but [for the fact that] part of your selling point as a female artist is your body, your voice, your look, your hair, everything. Chidinma’s lack of hair is her selling point, you understand.

Each part of you is your selling point,” she disclosed.

Asked why she flashes the boobs even though she is obviously not well-endowed, she did not hold back.

“Its confidence, you understand.

Somebody like Toolz, for example, her selling point is her body. Before her voice, it’s her body. As a woman, her own packaging is always different. I have grown up to be comfortable with the way it is, because I have accepted the fact that I can’t change it. I have to accept the way I am. Men don’t look at me, the women look at women. If I go out with or without makeup, a man will not notice. But if I go out and I see a woman, she will say Emma Nyra you are looking different from how I see you on TV. She would comment on everything, up to my eyebrows but a man won’t look that deep unless he is into fashion and everything. I have learnt to accept myself. If you are not confident about yourself, people won’t buy your brand,” she said.

The Things

They Said “I don’t like loud, arrogant guys” –Popular OAP Toolz

“Don’t play hard to get”

–Singer Waconzy advising ladies

FLiRT “The number of young men wanting me to be their sugar-mummy is ALERT getting too much” — Actress-cum-singer Cossy Orjiakor

GOT A CELEB GIST? GET IN TOUCH!

TATTLES 47

September 19, 2014

TATTLES with Abisola Alawode

OUR EAR-ON-GROUND

Davido recently revealed to the media and who cared to listen that his next batch of singles have been lined up. The singer said the songs – New York City and Won le ba produced by Shizzi, Secret Agenda produced by Puffy Tee and Earthquake featuring Sina Rambo .

Come October 23, 2014, Mavin Records which, of course, includes Don Jazzy, Dr Sid, D’ Prince, Tiwa Savage, Korede Bello, Reekado Banks and Di’Ja, will be performing live at Manchester Ritz by 7pm. That will be the first time when the record label’s artistes will be performing as a group in the UK. Good luck to them!

Pop star and brand ambassador for computer firm, Zinox Group, Iyanya recently signed a oneyear extension deal with the company. The deal is said to be worth over N50m. Yes, think about that.

Tiwa Savage’s ‘Dress Sense’ Honestly, Tiwa Savage is good at what she does. As an actress, model and musician, her introduction into the Nigerian music industry gave female musicians hope that they could compete favorably with the men as pop stars. Writing as someone who has seen Savage perform on stage, I still haven’t seen any Nigerian female musician who can match her energy on stage. Yes, her voice is a strong selling point. Any female musician who wants to make it as a pop star in this country should use Savage’s career as a blueprint.

Besides the admiration and attention Savage gets as a musician, her sense of fashion often irks her fans. Whether it’s the body suit she wore in her Wanted video (the video itself is a story for

another day) or the see-through dress she wore to this year’s edition of the BET Awards show, anytime she steps out, her dressing always attracts some form of attention.

Anyone who has followed her career will also notice that Savage has become a lot liberal with her fashion choices.

Also, she has almost single-handedly brought ‘sexy’ back to Nigerian showbusiness. If she releases a video today, be sure that you will see a lot of skin from either Savage or her dancers.

Resultantly, many have labeled her “the Nigerian Beyonce”, “a Beyonce wannabe” or a “bad copy of Nicki Minaj”.

But the singer has not taken it lying down. She also has a few words to say in her defense on Twitter. “[I‘m] going to

PUBLiC “Blue Ivy is the most precious little lamb” DiSPLAY — Musician Nicki Minaj

speak my mind this morning. People only wanna see fault in others. No one speaks when I wear dresses. Why do you people only focus on certain outfits? No one talks when I wear gowns. People only wanna dwell on negatives. Haters wanna make out like I only wear pants. Get a life.

Truth is, most haters do worse things behind closed doors. It’s unfortunate [that] the criticism is not valid. If I was always unclad, then fine; but, truth is, most times, I am not.”

Considering the above, it is obvious that Savage doesn’t give a hoot what anybody thinks about her dress sense. One thing is a given; sex sure sells, be it overseas or in Nigeria and TATTLES is sure Mrs Billz is smiling to the bank!

Indigenous musician/ aspiring politician, 9ice, is fast toeing the line of 2Baba.

The Alapomeji Records CEO recently welcomed his fourth child with his girlfriend, Sunkanmi Ajala. The singer now has four children from three different women.

TiP FOR “You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take.”

THE TOP — Wayne Gretzky

Call Bisola on 08126995258 Or e-mail at abisolaalawode@yahoo.co.uk

48

COLUMNS

Diary

Razak’s

co s y raz z y @ ya h o o. co m

I’m an impulsive guy with an insatiable thirst for adventure. This is all about my dalliances & escapades.

Iya Bashira In Bauchi!

Having suffered at the hands of that terrible lady, I felt the best I could do was to get the shock off my mind and try to enjoy the atmosphere of Bauchi.

Mama na wanted to know what got me all worked up and flustered. But I wasn’t telling; not even over my dead body or at gunpoint. If Mama na hears of it, she wouldn’t stop hassling me to “get married, dan ubanka” and I wouldn’t hear the last of it. Gosh!

I was into my second week in Bauchi and, to be candid, I had no mind to go back. I was not yet ready to go back telling Bhaira of another failing. I was tired of letting her feel sorry for me.

That embarrassment I would heal myself before joining the world again, I decided.

One afternoon, in a bid to try something new, I went looking for somewhere to have egusi soup and tuwo shinkafa, with fish. I took a bike to the training ground of the Wikki Tourists FC of Bauchi, where I knew many women who were not from the North would be making some good soups and stews.

Since the Igbos were very good at making egusi soup, I decided to test what little Igbo Ada my former girlfriend had taught me. I went around the mammy market asking for an ‘Igbo restaurant’, until I came to ‘Mama Akwanga Restaurant’.

“Blos, welcome,” she said in affected English.

“Ina kwana,” I replied.

“Kalau,” she replied in flawless Hausa. Her fair complexion reminded me of my mother. More surprising, the two girls who were making the rounds in-between tables looked very much like her. For a moment, I started, thinking I had seen a ghost. But it was not; one of the girls did look just like my sweet Bhaira!

For a moment there, I thought about walking out, but I heard the woman’s voice float over to me again.

“Gasu yara na,” she said in that Hausa again.

I sat down and ordered for my meal. The Bhaira doppelganger moved so fast to come serve me, I was dumb-founded. Also, the food was so hot I thought I couldn’t handle it. Spicy egusi soup with a lot of fish and very smooth tuwo shinkafa.

How did one acculturate with a place so much and know how to prepare our dishes? I was so engrossed in my food, I didn’t notice Mama Akwanga come in with the doppelganger.

“I was born in Akwanga long before the Civil War. My father was a very well-to-do food stuff dealer. But, shortly before that coup by Kaduna Nzeogwu and co, they were killed in one of the first uprisings in Jos. They had just gone to Jos to get Irish potatoes to sell in the popular Akwanga Market and just like that….,” she shook her head.

I never invited her to begin her story, but it was beginning to sound like a not-too-bad idea. It was

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like music for my ears.

“One of our neighbours, Mama Mariam, took me and hid me. She, it was, who took me in and made me one of her salesgirls. She also enrolled me in school. I would go to school in the mornings and return to the restaurant in the afternoons to join the serving. I was just nine but we always cooked in turns and when my turn came, I had just turned ten. I cooked the egusi soup which my mother had taught me to cook and, before long, my egusi soup and tuwo shinkafa became the winning combination. It was while working in Mama Mariam’s restaurant that I picked up on the Hausa language.” She paused as I requested for another ‘wrap’ and a bottle of coke.

The doppelganger was, again, at hand to serve me.

“By the time I finished secondary school, I was no longer interested in doing any other thing. I and four other girls graduated the same year and we decided to come to this place to begin our own businesses. Two of them are down the road and the other now works as the official chef of the state government.”

I finished my meal and, for some time, I couldn’t believe how well and heavy I was feeling. I had set out to have a good lunch and I had ended up doing just that with a reading session added for good measure – only the reading was from no book.

I bade them goodbye and had to decide to walk it off before taking a motorcycle.

When I got home, I went straight to bed. I did not hear my mother wondering aloud where I had been for two hours! My father just laughed aloud, wondering if I had missed the girls in Bauchi so bad that I wanted to kill myself in one afternoon. I drifted off to sleep. I guess.

All I remember was Bhaira introducing me to her doppelganger, to my amusement.

I woke up and headed out again. But Mama na was ready.

“I hope this time you are not going straight to hell,” she said.

“No, mama na. I just want to go see a friend.

When I return I’ll just go to bed.” I couldn’t figure out which of the statement was true. None.

As a matter-of-fact, I was heading to Mama Akwanga’s place to have dinner.

In no time, I was on a bike. I didn’t want to be late for dinner at Mama Akwanga’s. I hailed a motorcycle and, voom! I was on my way.

“I knew you would return,” said Mama Akwanga.The doppelganger was beside her as both of them stood like sentries while the hungry men ate ravenously.

Another uneasy feeling announced its presence in the pit of my stomach.

Write to us! Share your favourite recipes, TV shows, movies, and of course write to Matilda, Mimi and Rasaq. Send us your comments and suggestions on our features.

We want lots of feedback from you! fridayleadership@leadership.ng

September 19, 2014

Relationships FoR You, BY Me

Misreading The Signs

There are people who need to see a couple of signs from their partners before they decide if they want to move forward in their relationships or not. Sadly, some others are like robots that emit no emotions but, in truth, really like the person they are with, even though they continue to ‘form’ as if they do not want to be in deep with the person.

Another group are more direct and tell you head on “I like you and I want to be with you”. The problem with this is that a lot of people seem to think that being forward is rude and it just means you want one thing- my body (this applies both to male and female). Think about this: if you are throwing out what you think are the signs and don’t want to be labelled a pervert or one who is being too forward by saying what exactly it is you feel and, yet, you aren’t heard, do you think that, somehow, you misread the ‘signs’ from the other person in the first place? Perhaps, there’s nothing there or you are hoping there’s something there? It’s all really confusing isn’t it?

You have to forgive me; I am not so good at dating. I’d rather be with someone who is so cool to be around, we become friends first and then progress to something real, with no real romantic back story. However, what passes on for the love story is that there has to be some sense of ‘hard work’ or ‘chase’ before it can be considered real. But the snag here is that there are a number of very dedicated men and women who chase you and work so very hard but, ultimately, just want something from you (could be sex or money).

Some people can take you out to dinner, buy the world for you, come to your crib at odd hours of the night just because they want to “see your face” and be the jerk who informs you the next day that “I hope this doesn’t ruin our friendship”. Yet, you have someone who doesn’t spend a dime on you, but it doesn’t stop you from knowing that he’s real.

My point here is this; what exactly are the signs? Is there a manual out there that can tell when someone is genuinely into you and not just in need of anything from you? I am tired of trying to decode or decipher men’s codes and understanding how they think; why he did this, said this, went there, thought this….I couldn’t put up with all of that, so I hung up my coat and gave it all up.

The friends I have who seem to think I will never find a man or will never date or enter an ‘arranged’ marriage have given me their experiences to help you spot signs of stupidity and seriousness and I will list them below (good luck): When She/ He Likes You He/she likes bullying/teasing you. You can actually tell when a guy likes you when he teases you a lot, especially when he/she first meets you and long after then.

He/she makes an effort. Some guys need a kick-start but, somehow, I have learnt to ‘read’ a guy who wants more from me than my body. When he calls, he genuinely wants to know how I am doing and isn’t flirting with me or calling me ‘sexy’. When he does [call me ‘sexy’] it’s more of a compliment than flirtation.

He/she wants to know about you. If your boyfriend/girlfriend asks about your past, dreams, desires (not just sexual), wants, needs, inspiration, what you love or anything relating to your thoughts intimately as an individual, you can be very sure that he wants what is best for you. This is a very good indication he likes/loves you.

He/she gives you cuddles and caresses. While touch is more important to some people than others, casual touches that are not necessarily sexual in nature are definitely signs he/she is letting you know that he/she likes/loves you.

He/she can comfort you when you have a bad day. This is one of the most important indicators of a relationship that will stand the test of time. If you feel you can automatically turn to him when times are tough and he is able to give you comfort and help you to feel better, then, my friend, you have a guy/lady who really loves you.

He/she makes you feel special. Paying you compliments about how beautiful/good-looking you are is one way of making you feel special. It may just be that simple phone-call, an email, or even a formal love letter. Whatever he/she does, he/she wants to give you pleasure and to build you up as a person. He/she wants to make you feel like you are the most wonderful man/woman in the world. www.miseducationofmimi.blogspot.com Mimidoo Achineku is a PR consultant in the SME, TV & Film industry.

She is a blogger, fabulous, old, depending on who you ask and she isn’t lonely!

He whose house is made out of glass, shouldn’t throw stones at people. — Egyptian proverb

FRIDAY SPECIAL/BOOKS & ARTS /49

September 19, 2014

With Chikelu Chinelo & Onukogu Kanayo Jubal

A Poet For The Streets Title Waiting for Sanity Author Joe Dudun Genre Poetry Year Published 2014 (July) For someone who is not a huge fan of poetry, because of its in-between the line meanings and very shaded interpretations, Dudun’s work is so easy to understand and get a grip on. Perhaps, the gloassary helped out somewhat, but as someone who spent almost a decade in Itsekiri land (Sapele), much of his meaning was quite easy to relate with.

The 35 poems are divided into three sections – Inspired, Placed and Waiting. Apart from the opening poem, First Song which is obviously dedicated to the ultimate creator, the remaining poems in the collection (written over a period of three decades) are dedicated to his parents, brothers, secondary school classmates and principal, university mentors and schoolmates as well as socio-cultural and political inspirers (local and international) who basically represent the vision of the desired change.

Waiting for Sanity is the product of social observation; the work of one who reflects on his environment via his own experiences.

In this witty workwhich, of course, is good enough for the streets, Dudun shows that being an academic does not take one above the realm of the normal; a learned man can still write for the streets, so to speak.

Dudun begins his feast of observations like a true African, paying homage to the traditions and customs of his people, acknowledging the fact that he is a man with roots which should be respected, with poems like Ogheyegba, Umale-okun, Umale, Kpomitsiale and Ereyon.

Dudun penned a number of street-worthy poems; he even had one for Maitama, Olibiri, Jos, Oworonshoki, London, Ado Ekiti, Yenagoa anda number of other places.

His social consciousness was aptly captured in the poems, Daybreak, Fuel Hike, Hopeless and the pick of the pack, Waiting for Sanity – a song about the mad-house called Lagos. He even spared a few loving thoughts for one of Nigeria’s greatest sporting talents, Nwankwo Kanu in the poem Kanu and another for the national conference, Confab, which he reportedly extensively on for LEADERSHIP News-

Twelve-year-old Ebuka (not real names) stood lackadaisically, scrubbing his right eye and droning on about his project.

“Listen up, children, you will be evaluated on your presentation, project impact and …” interrupted Bella, the coordinator of the American Corner of the Summer Reading Programme.

Like a light bulb infused with sudden voltage, the boy straightened smartly and continued with his presentation.

Withdrawing the cardboard sheet that held pictures and cut-lines of activities taking place, he recounted stages, participants, materials, evaluation techniques for teaching the three children from the neighbourhood on ‘how to write numbers and alphabets’.

Suddenly he halted.

“What did you learn from this project?” repeated Bella.

“I discovered self-confidence and the ability to teach and help younger children who are less knowledgeable than I am.”

Right there and then, it struck home; the reward of progressive teaching, of letting children think for themselves through a process of self-discovery, did.

That is what Ebuka and other 11-12-year olds learnt over the holidays.

Progressive learning (education), propounded and practiced by John Dewey at the end of the 19th century, placed emphasis on developing students’ practical and social skills, while not leaving the academic aspect out. It embraces the idea of intelligence as varied, includes the arts and is measured in realistic problemsolving. Other principles of progressive learning include: products as subsumed by process consideration and viewing the community as an extension of the

classroom. While parents are the primary teachers, goal setters and planners, as well as resource-providers; Learners are action participants, problem-solvers and planners. Teachers, on the other hand, are facilitators, guides who foster the thinking process in students.

The Spark a Reaction initiative is a unique addition to the informal education setting for children between ages 11 and 12, to aid them think outside the box, to take non-selfish interest and proffer solution to problems in their varied communities. The children identify a problem and produce a solution, set down processes to tackle it and then implement.

Interestingly, it was neither about winning the project nor submitting it; rather, it was about the processes involved, the knowledge gained and the degree of self-discovery while at it, identifying with communities and the ability to decide whether to ‘cry off’ or finish.

It is amazing to see how much the children have done at the end of three weeks.

Ebuka elucidated his project processes so well and let go of his timid self. He decided on the project, sourced resources for it, participated in it and finished. He won too.

Having watched Ebuka’s presentation, Mighty made what little contribution he could. In addition to his Learn to Spell Project, he composed a pen-drawn carbon-paper-poster of ‘Bring Back Our Girls’, at the back of his project. He was, arguably, the most enthusiastic of the lot. He worked hard, quizzing handlers and volunteers on how to make his project evaluation worthwhile. He was first runner-up.

Blessing got a late start – she started attending two weeks into the programme – and eventually could not submit. Her project involved teaching six children in her neighbourhood how to make bead works. Despite her inability to submit, proof of dedication to her community as part of life were evident in the six photographs she had earlier shown her handler and the royal and turquoise glass-beadbangle she made for the unsuspecting but enthused handler.

Perhaps, the most personal development witnessed was that of Rex. Rex’s mother had pushed for her son to enter the programme, a few days before the end of registration. She ensured Rex attended all classes for the duration of the programme. But Rex had other ideas. His assignments, personal ones – those he had to do himself and the ones his parents had to help out with, such as learning the names of his state’s Senate and House of Representatives’ members – were ignored, until the morning he arrived sniveling on the heels of his harassed mother. Her mind was made up.

She was taking Rex home for good.

“My son makes me look like I force him to do this; like I am a bad mother. Since he prefers to play with his visiting cousins, I will leave him to it,” she said.

He cried and begged his mother to let him stay. He promised he would do better and finish all impending assignments.

His elder sister pleaded too, until the mother gave in. This happened a week to the end of the programme. The next day, he submitted the only file-bound project and book report. Although he didn’t win, he discovered that school (informal as the setting may be) is a part of life.

Prince’s defense of his presentation was not quite easy, because his classmates, noticed things that led to their questioning the processes involved.

Ebuka, Mighty and Kenny were quick to point it out and learn more of his action plan. However, he wrote the best book report on The Miracle Worker, a dramatic piece of the life of Helen Keller (which other pupils avoided like the plague). He took the format of book report given to the class and put a personal stamp to it, while relating the story to the environment and proffering solutions to problems of persons living with disabilities in the country.

Partnerships were fostered by Kenny and Kingsley on a project to provide provisions for an orphanage in their community. It goes to show that learning is more than just a competition; rather, it is about building healthy partnerships.

“Partnerships take you far,” pointed out YTI ambassador, Clara Okorie.

The children made their teachers proud and their projects are shelved as literary references and proof of results of creative and progressive learning. This is more of what our education system should imbibe. Procreation of problem-solvers, doers rather than talkers, that is.

papers, for as long as it lasted.

The collection of poems is a finely woven one which takes the appreciative reader on a journey through the many scapes which make Nigeria what it is. Dudun, told Book & Arts that every poem in the collection is “a result of an inspiration to reflect a certain sublime thought at a certain peculiar time. That, for me, is the magic of poetry.

“I am convinced that poetry no longer

need to reside in the shelf space of the book.

My commitment is to take poetry to the streets, to emphasise a dialogue for communal and progressive change. That is what Waiting for Sanity is all about.”

Dudun, who was born in Burutu,Delta State, has written more than 30 books, contributed to a number of literary and cultural journals, directed a number of movies, won a number of awards and worked with

a number of media houses in Nigeria (The Punch is one of them). The active participant in the evolution of Nollywood is also a creative writer, film-maker, a founding member of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), an applied creative writing advocate/teacher, conservationist and currently the Managing Editor (Features & Special Stories) of Abuja-based LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group.

Spark A Reaction – The Reward Of Progressive Learning

KANNYWOOD trends

By Al-Amin Ciroma

September 19, 2014

email: alaminciroma@gmail.com. GSM: 08033225331 (sms only)

ControversyTrails Project Act-Nollywod

F

ollowing government’s efforts to support training and skills acquisition for the Nigerian movie industry, the Federal Ministry of Finance has approved the applications of some Kannywood stakeholders and practitioners who are a part of the Project Act-Nollywood.

The grant, which is given to existing practitioners for short, intensive training courses in Nigeria and/or abroad, will see the movie makers drafted to existing public and private training institutions, in order to learn and adhere to global best practices by improving the reach and effectiveness of their training programmes through the upgrade of existing facilities, procurement of equipment and development of an agreeable curricula.

According to findings, the ministry has approved the sum of US$3,300 each to Asian School of Media Studies in Mumbai, India, the venue of the training, as well as an additional allowance of N2,798,890 for the beneficiaries. So far, about 19 filmmakers were to undertake the courses, which were earlier scheduled to hold between August 25 and September 20, but will now hold between September 29 and October 25, 2014.

Meanwhile, a Jos-based movie director, Salisu Mu’azu, did not hide his dismay over the absence of representatives from Plateau State. For him, this is a clear indicator that those involved in the selection process do not intend to carry along all stakeholders in the north.

“We are not aware of this development.

We were, also, not told, until now that you called to give me an avenue to air my view on the matter. However, Jos is one of the central points of filmmaking,not only in the north, but in the nation.

Therefore, if such gestures are coming from the government and none of our members are involved, then I can assure you that someone is bleeding Kanywood dry,” he told Kannywood Trends.

A Kaduna-based filmmaker, Yakubu Lere, equally expressed his dismay over

The beneficiaries – Jamilu Ahmad Yakasai, Mustapha Mustapha, Bashir Abdullahi, Mohammed Ahmed Bifa, Ibrahim Mandawari, Hamisu Lamido Iyantama, Sani Abdullahi Abdullahi, Aliyu Shehu Yakasai and Bala Anas Babinlata. Others are Hauwa Maina, Faika Ibrahim Rahi, Balarabe Salisu Tukur, Usman Yusuf Adamu, Ishaq Sidi Ishaq, Umar Sani Labaran, Falalu Dorayi, Mikhail Bin Hassan, Muhammad Ali Nuhu and Aminu Mohammed Sabo – all expressed their gratitude to the coordinators of the project and promised to take up more of such opportunities in order to bolster their passion towards telling the story of Kannywood successfully.

Most of the beneficiaries were too sceptical to comment on the issue, as a result of the many delays which have accompanied its take-off. One of them who spoke but refused to give his name disclosed that the project was slated to in February this year, but a gross lack of coordination ensured it did not take off.

Many others still have misgivings about the process of selection of the course’s participants. According to them, almost all the beneficiaries are largely from Kano, with a representative each from Niger and Kaduna states. the mode of selection of participants.

He also wondered why Kaduna State is not represented. According to him, as the second most popular centre of Kannywood, the state is supposed to get quite a number of representatives.

“I am not surprised, because things are not done the right way in Kannywood. I heard about Ali Nuhu going for a certain course in India through a family source, but not as a representative from Project Act-Nollywood Fund. After Kano, Kaduna and Jos are leading centres of film-related matters in the north.

We also have considerable number of stakeholders in Katsina, Sokoto, Niger and others states in the region. I think they should have a re-think,” he opined.

Disputing the alleged favouritism on selecting the beneficiaries, the national vice-president of Arewa Filmmakers

Ali Nuhu

Hauwa Maina Faika Ibrahim Rahi

Bashir Abdullahi

Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Salisu Mohammed, said his organisation did a thorough study on the selection process, adding that all northern states were fully represented. “I can tell you that the selection process was free and fair and aimed at the selection of representatives for the capacity-building. It will interest you to know that, initially, individuals were meant to apply, but the AFAN acts as an intermediary between the project coordinators and the practitioners without any prejudice. So, there is no bias whatsoever in the process,” Mohammed countered.

If the stories told about the allege bias in the selection process are anything to go by, then the industry’s frontliners should, as a matter of urgency, have a round-table session and sort out their differences.

Hamisu Lamido Iyantama

Ishaq Sidi Ishaq

Yakubu Lere

Salisu Mu’azu

Salisu Mohammed

Don’t let an angry man wash dishes; don’t let a hungry man guard rice.

— Cambodian Proverb

Ibrahim Mandawari

September 19, 2014

51

52

September 19, 2014

THE

ELECTABLES On September 30th, 2014

Who

Makes The List?

The best among Nigeria’s politicians; the best among those who aspire for political and elective office; the most popular candidates; the traiblazers; Nigeria ‘s most presentable candidates and those who have the vision and sense of mission to lead.

This is a must read!

A

ANGELA

08056991418

ADEGBOYE

08034098480

JOSHUA WAHEED

08032083633 08033705561

SPECIAL PROJECTS PUBLI CATION

weekend flavour With Solomon Nda-Isaiah

September 19, 2014

Klint To Anchor ZAFAA 2014

By SAmuel ABulude, Lagos

As the much awaited annual ZAFAA African Films and Academy Awards gathers momentum, the organisers have unveiled ace comedian Klint as the compere for the event. According to them, he will be joined Klint

by Princess Deun as fellow anchor of the programme.

Slated to hold in London, between Thursday, November 6 and Saturday, November 8, 2014, the three-day event will kick-off with a business investment forum, a youth education programme and empowerment seminar at the BFI Imax.

CEO of Nollywood Entertainment Limited UK (owners of the ZAFAA franchise), Prince Sam Anwuzia, confirmed that different bodies like the British Film Institute (BFI), Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and the Nigeria Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), will all conduct a training programme for creative, young people.

British High Commission Hosts Chevening Scholars To Grand Reception

By Anthony AdA ABrAhAm, Abuja

It was an atmosphere of fun and cheer over the last weekend, when the British High Commission Abuja hosted a reception in honour of the 13 Nigerians who were awarded UK Chevening scholarships this year.

According to the Deputy High Commissioner, Simon Shercliff, who hosted the reception, since the scholars will be resuming studies in the UK in few days’ time, he took some time to explain more about the scholarship.

"Chevening Scholarships are the UK government’s global scholarships programme, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations. The scheme has been in existence for more than 30 years. Last year, Chevening, which does business in more than 114 countries, celebrated its 30th Anniversary," Shercliff said.

He also stated that Chevening alumni globally cuts across thousands of highly successful and influential network of individuals and that the programme is not to encourage brain drain.

Gospel Artiste Debuts Album

By Anthony AdA ABrAhAm, Abuja

Prince Adeyinka, an Abuja-based gospel singer who hails from Kogi State has been writing soul-lifting songs for the listening pleasure of his fans for some time. Recently, though, the singer released an 11-track album titled Esteemed Grace.

Adeyinka disclosed that he opted for the title of the album, because his life has been a testimony of God’s abundant grace, “as I am an example of how God can pick up someone from filth and choose to place him amidst kings”.

Adeyinka, who is currently a final-year student of the Kogi State University, Anyigba, where he studies economics, pointed out though that combining his academics and his singing has not been a bed of roses.

“It is God’s work and He (God) has been making things easy for me in His own time and at his own pace,” he said.

Da Prinze: Back, Bigger, Better

By Anthony AdA ABrAhAm, Abuja

Prince Ehis Usifoh, aka Da Prinze, is one artiste to watch out for.

Coming from a family of entertainers – his elder brother Osarenmen Usifoh is a notable movie director/producer-turned businessman while the name of his uncle, Alex Usifoh-Omiagbor rings a bell in Nollywood – Da Prinze sure is coming

from somewhere.

A former back-up artiste with Eedris Abdulkareem, Da Prinze has been around since 2011, when he shot one of his musical videos in which he featured a Nollywood actress, Uche Ogbodo.

Now, after a brief sojourn in the Bahamas, armed with a better orientation and proper repackaging to take his rightful position in the industry, Da Prinze is back

with brand new album for fans to enjoy.

The singer revealed that among those in his forthcoming album are Who let the dogs out? singers the Baha Men. "I did two songs with the Baha Men, actually, Carribean girl and Anyhow You Want It. There is a Jamaican-American artiste named Jackio who I am presently working with. I have also recorded about three or four songs

da Prince

with the former Miss Global Bahamas, Jamie Morrison, as well," Da Prinze said.

P-Square Releases Double Trouble Album

By SAmuel ABulude, Lagos

Arguably Africa’s most popular pop duo, P-Square has added another feather to its cap with the release of its latest album, Double Trouble. Considering the publicity and the reviews which have greeted the release, it suffices to say that the release may be their best work so far.

Evidently, you can tell that they put a lot of effort into the album from the first track.

The duo had previously

revealed in an interview with Spinlets that they “always pray and fast days before the release” of any of their album.

Their talked about single with Marvin Music CEO Don Jazzy, titled Collabo, is a huge plus for the album. Its highlife feel, laced with Don Jazzy’s voice and a host of traditional instruments lending their harmony in the background, is a delight to listen to.

The 18-track album (16 songs and two bonus tracks) – with songs like

P-Square

They are Missing You, Shekini, Eje Ajo ft. TI, Bring It On Ft Dave Scott, Personally, Zombie, Ije Love, Sari Sari, Oga digide, Ifeoma, MMS, Enemy Solo

ft. Awilo, Collabo ft. Don Jazzy, Alingo, Testimony and No be Joke – is proof of the duo’s already cemented reputation as talented singers.

Copa Lagos 2014 Promises All-round Entertainment

By SAmuel ABulude, Lagos

If the hype and all the plans for this year’s edition of Nigeria’s foremost beach soccer event, Copa Lagos, is anything to go by, then beach soccer-lovers are in for non-stop entertainment when the fiesta kicks in between December 12 and 14, 2014, at the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Besides unequalled soccer offereings and excited spectators, organisers have also promised that as much as 15 musicians (among whom will be a-list singers) will keep the event alive for the two days.

Besides the four beach soccer teams that will slug it out – Nigeria, Switzerland, Cote d’Ivoire and Barcelona – the event

will feature duels between the Barcelona team and the revamped Stationery Stores beach soccer team, as well as two more beach soccer clubs whose identity will be revealed later.

The three-day event which has put Nigeria on the global map will also include live music, beach fashion shows, celebrity games (Nollywood actors playing football against ex-Super Eagles players) and other side attractions.

Sponsored by First City Monument Bank (FCMB), the beach soccer fiesta, according to Kinetic Sports CEO, Samson Adamu, will showcase the best of entertainment.

“Since the launch of the first Copa Lagos three years ago, expert participation from the sports industry has been remarkable and this has become more

Chairman, Stationery Stores Club of lagos, tilewa Adebajo; head, Corporate Communications, FCmB, uche mojekwu; Ceo, Kinetic Sports, Samson Adamu and the head, Corporate Affairs, 1960 Bet, Kunle Shinaba Bet)

than a sports event.

Interestingly, a new sponsor, 1960Bet, has come on board to add to our entertainment values to the public, as FCMB has been with us from inception.

Stationary Stores of Lagos will bring their new team

A person looks only on the outside of things; god looks into the very heart..

— Dominican Proverb

to compete with the Barcelona beach soccer team. It is noteworthy that the ‘Clean the Beach’ campaign will be done before the event and the FCMB will organise a beach soccer clinic for 40 children. It’ll be fun all the way,” Adamu assured.

54

September 19, 2014

Stanley Nkwocha

2015: Nigerians Will Decide On Jonathan

Our Eye On Power And Politics

08038011382 (text only)

Ebola: How Safe Are Our Schools To Reopen ?

It should be clear to all Nigerians and politicians alike that except the skies fall, President Goodluck Jonathan will certainly contest for re-election in 2015. As a matter of fact, anyone who wishes to embark on a wild goose chase should nurse the ambition of clinching the 2015 presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It is res judicata for the PDP as regards its choice of candidate.

Last week when former inspector general of police and chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie called on President Goodluck Jonathan not to contest, he was only embarking on a belated call as events around the polity and the PDP in particular, clearly suggest.

One fundamental mistake the opposition is making on its strategy and campaigns is that they are basing their energy, resources and strategy on the “fact” that “Nigerians hate Jonathan”. As far as some are concerned, it is already a fait accompli that Jonathan will lose as he is no more popular. To these group of politicians I can only laugh at their naive thought-flow as such is fallacious and falls flat of logical thinking.

If the opposition intends to win 2015 elections, then they must base their strategies on Jonathan’s strengths and plot how to weaken them. But to assume that he is not popular anymore and will not win votes is to make caricature of their ambitions. This applies to the governorship battles in states like Borno, Gombe, Imo, Bayelsa, Kogi, Yobe, etc, where some politicians think the incumbents will be shoved aside easily. It is time they put their

Few days from now, schools which were prevented from reopening on the orders of the federal government as part of measures to control the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease would be reopened.

Needless to state that the Nigeria Union of Teachers, in protest over the decision, has kicked against the decision of

the federal government to reopen the schools, prompting the House of Representatives to wade into the matter.

Agreed that the Ebola threat level has reduced but if we have not gotten it under control it would be catastrophic in my opinion to reopen our schools for now as we just might ignite a time bomb.

This opinion is candid.

Feedback: stanleyn@leadership.ng Stan’s Memo

Any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country Margaret Thatcher

Musings

i

I hear convicted former governor of Delta State, James Ibori has twice rejected successor choices of outgoing Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

As it is now a new candidate is being shopped for. I am scared that Uduaghan might shop, shop and still shop without getting the right candidate.

Ibori can’t be in a dungeon for stealing and endorse ‘recordless’ folks. Perhaps it is time Uduaghan turned his search to the ‘other side of town’.

Mutiny: Beyond The Death Sentences The Brig-Gen G.C.0 Okonkwo led court martial panel of the Nigerian Army might have succeeded in sentencing 12 soldiers to death over mutiny, just as several others bagged different sentences for various offences committed by them. However, the Nigerian Army must look deeper to ascertain the factors responsible for their acts.

The Army must ensure that such acts are not repeated and to achieve this is not to keep slamming the rules and regulations on the conduct of the army and other military personnel but to simply improve on the welfare as well as military assets of the Army which seeks to boost the rank and file’s morale.

At last weekend’s convocation ceremony of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, it was revealed that of the over 100 officers commissioned through the Direct Short Service, not a single Army officer passed out. At the point of entry, it was only the Navy and Airforce that young Nigerians opted for. This tide must change.

The brilliance and successes of our Army must not be allowed to fade away as a result of the grave challenge posed by insurgency. We must conquer and to do that, the right and conducive

A Word For Jega The delineation of polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by Prof.

Attahiru Jega has stirred the hornet’s nest and suspicion has become the order of the day, even as the INEC boss has attempted to explain the decision to embark on the exercise.

All regions of the country, be it South, East, North or West are screaming foul play - accusing the INEC of harbouring hidden agenda ahead of 2015. If I were Jega, I would allow the status quo to remain and concentrate on delivering credible election in 2015. By now the voters register which has always been a source of problems ought to have been cleaned up to avoid the ‘Tales by Moonlight’ of the past.

My whole point is that delineation atmosphere for our soldiers must be of polling units is not a factor to be provided. It starts with self pride and considered in assessing the quality of contentment. Gentlemen, we can’t stop elections. Or is it, Prof., Sir? her; we have come a long way.

Power Play: Buhari Vs Atiku The battle for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket come 2015 won’t be easy. Already the aspirations of General Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are beginning to clash, with their foot soldiers already crushing stones

against each other.

Feeling like the major contenders and the ‘big boys to beat’ they seem unperturbed by the aspiration of others in the party. And this I bet would be their waterloo. If a dark horse does not emerge as a result of the power play that is gradually

ensuing, it would also be difficult to pin the direction the ticket will go between both men.

But I know one thing for sure: the pride existing between both men will see them flex muscles till the last seconds of the primaries night.

Not every movement is progress; Some movements are just a way of burning fats! ― Israelmore Ayivor

TRIBUTE 55

September 19, 2014

By FaTIma Sanda USaRa

From whose perspective do you begin to describe someone who was something to everyone? He was a son, brother, husband, father, uncle, friend and employer. His departure from this world left a void in the hearts of those who knew him. As days crawled into weeks and now more than a month since that fateful August 12, 2014 when he breathed his last, one’s heart still jerks from the seeming dream of losing a brother so dear, so soon.

That we had to lose him now is painful enough, that we had to helplessly wait for him to die is like adding salt to injury. Indeed, who could have changed a matter already decreed in the Divine Hall? Even he had accepted his fate gallantly, as he had bought a return ticket for his mate but a one-way ticket for himself in preparation for the inevitable.

He embarked on a journey to India in which there was no chance of return. He eventually lost the fight to cancer while there.

Looking back at the life of Major General Bala S. Usara (Rtd.) one would be compelled to give gratitude to the Lord of mankind for associating one with him. Truly, Yaya Bala, as he was known around family circle, was among the few Nigerians who would have changed the history of this country if they had had the chance. He was a professional to a fault and a loyal officer of the Nigerian

We Lost Him

Army. He held several instructional, staff and command appointments, some of which were; Physical Training Officer 3 Infantry Division, Brigade Physical Training Officer 2 Mechanised Brigade, ADC to military governor of Bauchi State, Platoon Commander 7 Mechanised Brigade, Acting Chief Instructor of Nigerian Army School of Physical Education, executive secretary of International Military Sports Council, Commandant of the Nigerian Army Sports Camp, Commandant Nigerian Army Physical Training School, Colonel Operations Army HQ Department of Army Training and Operations, among others.

Usara upheld his pledge to be faithful, loyal and honest no matter whose ox was gored.

Thus, he never gave familiarity or kinship priority over merit. In fact, due to his refusal to use his connection to the advantage of anyone, it would be safe to claim that his kin suffered more where others enjoyed.

One of his sisters was once told that she had passed her promotional examination in the civil service and there would be no reason to deny her promotion that year. She ran to him with this information so that he would ‘talk’ to the then director-general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), seeing as they were friends. He admonished her to bear the situation and be optimistic against “next year”, because he does not like to put anyone in a tight corner in order

lETTER To ThE EdIToR

The Scramble For Port Harcourt Brick House

By ComRadE nwokoma mESSIah

The race for various elective offices in the country has begun and as usual, lots of politicians have begun strategizing on how to position themselves to get involved in the struggle for space in the political firmament. Rivers State as usual is not also left out of the struggle for power not with politicians in the state and their supporters jostling for recognition one way or the other.

Some candidates who naturally have no political base have also come out to seek attention as political leaders. But as usual, when the time for real politicking does come, we all know and do expect that the weeds will surely be separated from the chaff.

It is for this reason that one is very inclined to look at the quest of one of the candidates for the post of governorship of the state with a view to really articulating the chances and desirability of his candidacy on the lives of the people of Rivers state.

It is not in doubt that our dear state Rivers has been ruled by people from one geopolitical expression since the inception of our democracy almost 16 years ago. What may certainly be in doubt is if the leadership of the state today by the naturally populated upland people does promote equity and unity for the state which naturally is divided into the upland and riverine. The answer to this may be debatable but the truth is that political power in the state sure needs to revolve between the ge-

opolitical zones that make up the state in this case the upland and riverine.

Much may have been said about the erosion of the natural dichotomy that has been the factor for power sharing in the state but as we all know, it can really not be wished away. What appears to be in the heart of many Rivers political figures is who really amongst the riverine politicians have the clout to wrest power from where it is today while also not injuring the unity that has pervaded the state politically, culturally and socially.

Without trying to mince words, I remain very equivocal in stating that the candidacy of High Chief Dumo Lulu Briggs stands heads and shoulders tall above that of other candidates even on a level playing ground devoid of so called zoning arrangements. This is because he has all it takes to bring positive change to the state and its people. He is also looked upon by the teeming youths of the state as a real motivation for greatness.

This is not the first time this young Rivers son with attraction for growth and development of our state based on intellectualism and versatility will be gunning for the position of governor of the state but it remains to be contradicted that this is the first time his quest for the post will be receiving the sort of hype it is getting across the state due to what some political watchers and observers have termed the maturation of his quest to rule the state.

—Nwokoma wrote in from Port Harcourt

Usara

to help him. I also remember that despite being in a position to ‘work’ the placement of two of his nephews into the Nigerian Defence Academy, he vehemently refused to use his position to better their chances.

One of them sat for the exams thrice without success; not because he failed but because of the ‘Nigerian factor’. The second was luckier; he was even invited for the interview twice.

The first year he failed the interview during the physical activities. The following year was the most devastating; he was disqualified because he was six days older than the

required age! Despite pleadings with Usara to intervene, since he was then the army’s chief administration officer, he refused, saying if he should break the law for his nephew, what justification would he have to deny many others in the same situation similar intervention?

Again, despite being chairman (or whatever) of the short service recruitment programme at one time, one of our cousins who went for the screening could not scale through. When mama thanked him for the other’s admission, he told her that “he deserved it, he worked for it and, in fact, he came first in one of the exercises; so there was really no reason to thank” him. Prior to the exercise, he had warned the duo that they were on their own and would be better off not to expect any assistance from him.

In his eulogy (read by the G.O.C, One Mechanised Division, Kaduna, Major Gen. K. C. Osugie) Lt. General K. Minimah described him as “an articulate, dedicated, loyal and hard-working officer who was calm but firm and fair with a good sense of purpose and responsibility: A gallant professional soldier, a gentleman officer, worthy son of Nigeria, a loving father and a caring husband...Late Major General Bala Sanda Usara (Rtd.), may your gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.”

May his soul and those of others before and after him find eternal bliss in jannatul firdaus.

Amin.

56 World News

EU, ECOWAS Set To Wipe Out Small Arms In West Africa

By Tunde Oguntola, Abuja The ECOWAS campaign to curb the proliferation of small arms in West Africa has received a boost with the launch of an EU-supported 5.56 million Euro project that will strengthen on going regional efforts to mop up small arms and light weapons and empower the populations.

According to a press release made available to LEADERSHIP Friday, it said, the project known as the “EU support to ECOWAS regional peace, security and stability mandate,” which was launched in Abuja on 16th September 2014 will complement similar initiatives and contribute towards the reduction of illicit circulation of arms in the region through a comprehensive voluntary arms collection programme complemented by an incentive scheme to enhance regional security.

“This is an excellent model of partnership arrangement worthy of emulation,” the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Kadré Desire Ouédraogo said at the launch of the three-year project to be financed by the EU and implemented initial-

ly as a pilot project in six of the region’s fifteen Member States.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) is the implementing partner for the project which will address knowledge gaps on the dangers of proliferation of such arms through an advocacy and sensitization campaign; build the capacity of stakeholders, collect and destroy such arms and undertake the provision of social amenities in border communities as development incentives.

“This project is in consonance with the objectives of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and other Related Materials, which is now a legally binding regional framework for the effective fight against the scourge of small arms and light weapons since 2009,” the President added.

He acknowledged the value of the various components of the project targeted at reduction in armed violence through weapons collection exercise in exchange for development incentives; the provision of operational level competency of National Commissions and other stakeholders accompanied by a robust community sensitization campaigns.

Scottish independence: Excitement And Anxiety As Voters Decide

By Ugochukwu Iroka, With Agency Report Scotland has started voting in a referendum to choose whether to end the 307-year-old union with England and become an independent nation or stay within the United Kingdom - a decision which could have consequences outside Britain.

As polls opened in Scotland, most opinion polls and experts said it was a vote too tight to predict.

In its final hours, the battle for Scotland had all the trappings of a normal election campaign: “Yes Scotland’’ and “No, Thanks’’ posters in windows, buttons on jackets, leaflets on street corners and megaphonetopped campaign cars cruising the streets blasting out Scottish songs and “Children of the Revolution.”

The gravity of the imminent decision was hitting home for many voters as political leaders made passionate, final pleas

for their sides.

The independence movement says Scots should be able to choose their own leaders and make their own decisions rather than be ruled from London. Many of those voting for independence felt that being governed from the Westminster parliament had opened too wide a gap between rich and poor.

The prospect of breaking up the United Kingdom, the world’s sixth-largest economy and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has prompted citizens and allies alike to question what would be left.

British politicians, banks and businessmen have closed ranks to warn of economic hardship, job losses and investment flight should Scots decide to go it alone. Defence would also be a big question - Britain’s submarine-borne nuclear arsenal, part of NATO’s defences - is based in Scotland’s Firth of Clyde.

US To Strike ISIS, Targets Inside Syria Top US military leadership has approved a plan to strike ISIS targets inside Syria, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told a House panel yesterday.

Hagel said President Obama was briefed on those plans, approved by Hagel and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during his visit to US Central Command on yesterday. Although, Obama has not signed off on those plans yet.

While ISIS continues spreading its radical Islamist rule in Syria and Iraq, US lawmakers are debating the best way to stop them.

Yesterday, Secretary of State John Kerry began testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

He said that while Syria had removed most of its chemical weaponry, President Bashar al-Assad continues to use chlorine weapons and is “in violation” of a treaty against the use of such weapons.

The House approved Obama’s plan to arm and train Syrian rebels. The House then tacked that onto a government spending bill that would allow leaders to continue funding the US government and sent it to the Senate. While, the Senate will be voting on that whole package, fueling criticism that lawmakers are avoiding a separate vote on arming the Syrian rebels.

Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, said that she had serious concerns.

September 19, 2014

57

September 19, 2014

Hauwa Booth WOMAN ON THE LOOSE

Ff:@ofastupidwoman: Read @ www.diaryofastupidwoman.com I want to use this opportunity to thank my Uncle (a real uncle who fits the definition in every way) for giving me a fighting chance. I know he reads this column occasionally and I hope he does so today.

Sometimes, saying ‘thank you’ just seems [so] inadequate. Have a great weekend.

Diamond Bank, Why? Well, well, well. When you are at the bottom of a bank’s food chain anything goes. After all, your money is in their clutches. Once, I was a really happy customer of Diamond Bank that I became a voluntary marketer. Granted, my affection for the bank has been marred by certain recent events, but the infractions are becoming one too many.

Scentsual Soirée has two accounts. When it wanted to open a sub-account, the company was made to go through the same rigorous account-opening process, citing that it was an independent account.

In the end, two accounts were opened. It didn’t make sense to me but, hey, banks and bankers are a different breed. Anyway, the company took a retail loan of N2,000,000 (note the zeros) and the loan repayment of N192,000 was attached to Account 1.

For the month of August, SS was indebted to the tune of N50,000 (kindly note the zeros). SS was also behind on the repayment by 10 days (note). A cheque had been deposited which would just have about cleared the liability, with about N8,000 left to pay (business has been topsy-turvy, to say the least).

The loan repayment ends this September.

A partner got a call [from a bank official who demanded to know] when the outstanding sum will be paid. Really?

When you take a loan, there is a contract that stipulates terms and conditions for that loan, including defaults, penalties and all that. I asked if SS had reneged on the original arrangement to cause the bank to start panicking about its money.

SS is behind by 10 days – not 10 months or 10years, just 10 freaking days – and owes N50,000 (not N500,000 or N50,000,000) out of N2,000,000! Also, there is still activity on the account!

Anyway, I called our account officer to let him know how displeased we were but he claimed not to be aware and blah, blah, blah. [Later] an alert came through, informing us that someone had paid off the N8,000 balance and we foolishly thought it was our Account officer getting us out of the way of the Diamond Bank’s steam-roller! Nope. Someone

had dipped his/her fingers in Account 2 without informing or notifying us!

There is a term we use for this type of behaviour: an illegality. There is no way that can be explained.

They had absolutely no right! Remember the account opening process? Worse, Account 2 was not attached to the loan! That’s banks for you; the rules apply to you but not to them! They’ll chuck it down to policy.

No courtesy, logical reasoning or emotional intelligence was applied in dealing with this.

Couldn’t our Account Officer be given the task of ‘debt recovery’ as a means of customer service? I dare say we have been credible customers!

The loan was attached to the goods in the shop; if N8,000 was about to make the bank collapse, why didn’t they come get one reed diffuser to auction off and get the money?

I just have one question for them; if SS didn’t have an Account 2, what would they have done? Gone after our personal accounts? There is something fundamentally wrong here. I am sure [that] if they applied the same ferocity and illegal method to recover the hundreds of millions/billions that have accrued in bad debts, they would have been midwifing small and medium scale businesses like SS to their credit! By the way, Scentsual Soirée is not the only one with this experience.

Should The 12 Condemned Die?

‘Show Appreciation’

Those who are in their 60s and still drive in Abuja must be given a standing ovation. Navigating the streets, contending with the traffic and all the lunatic drivers let loose from God-knowswhere, running into the traffic police and still remaining sane and looking 60 (and not 80) is no small feat!

We are all conversant with the disjointed way the traffic lights work; half-on, half-off, some lights working, others not, red light then green, no amber etc. The traffic police have devised a way to make a ‘way’ by exploiting the situation. Such was the predicament of one 66-year-old mama.

A gun-wielding cop jumped onto her path and ordered her to pull over. He asked her if she knew her offense. At 66 years of age, you would have learnt through the years that it is an exercise in futility to protest or establish your innocence with the Police and so she answered ‘yes’. He happily collected her driver’s license and told her that she would have to go to the mobile court. At 66 years of age, living in Nigeria, you have earned your stripes. You also get to say “no”. He got distracted by another prey but that one was wiggling in the trap, so he abandoned that one to his compatriots and came back to the more submissive prey. At 66 years of age, you have acquired a certain standing that comes with the fading years and, as he tried to get her to go to the court she said “my son”. He halted in his tracks and said “you have weakened me. Oya, take your driver’s license and go but show appreciation”. What pained her was the lowest denomination she had on her turned out to be N500; but she looked at what saying yes and parting with N500 had really cost her; 7minutes.

It was worth N500.

I wonder what those who are facing and averting real-life danger would ask for as appreciation.

That is the most popular question being asked around the place and generating conversation. This is one of those times when grey areas need to be considered.

There is [also] the story of what led the soldiers to shoot at their superior.

I still wonder if the outcome that day would have been different if the officers had succeeded in killing their superior.

Then there is the strict code of conduct that soldiers live by; ‘live by the gun, die by the gun’. Every soldier knows the consequence of every act he undertakes, every decision he takes. They swore to it and mutiny

ranks high on the ‘never do’ list.

Well, a military court has sentenced them to death.

However, there is a struggle to justify their sentence.

The army is clear about its stand on issues. You don’t toy with mutiny; it can give wrong ideas to the others.

We, on the other hand, are taking a wholistic view to waver. Most are sympathetic to the army’s plight, especially the rank and file and the fact that they are not adequately prepared to face the clearly well -prepared Boko Haram insurgents.

The question which begs to be asked is why the GOC sent them on a suicide mission; that is if the story that

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the contingent had expressed serious concern about the mission is anything to go buy. It was the expected outcome of seeing their colleagues being decimated that drove the young chaps to give their superior a taste of his own medicine.

On the other hand, they are well aware of the ‘obey first, argue (if at all) later’ mantra. It was an order.

Thankfully, it is neither one of us but the Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces who gets to decide this one. This president has been a first of all sorts for many reasons. Really, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.

Hello Readers, thank you for reading and spreading the word about this page. We are now ready for your feedback. Let’s hear your take. Constructive criticism and contributions will be published. Send thoughts to diaryofastupidwoman@gmail.com OR 08055241197 via TEXT ONLY. Don’t forget to include your name and location. Please bear with us if yours doesn’t make it onto the page.

58 NEWS NATIONAL

September 19, 2014

Synagogue Building Collapse: Lawmaker Blames Physical Planning Officers

By Taiwo Ogunmola- Omilani, Lagos

The chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on the Environment, Hon Tobun Abiodun has blamed officers in-charge of physical planning in the state for Saturday’s Synagogue Guest House collapse, saying they neglected their duty of monitoring buildings in the state.

The lawmaker told newsmen yesterday that the officials should be punished for neglecting their duties of supervising the church buildings.

He said they should be made to answer for their carelessness which led to the collapse of the building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).

“The overseer of the church, Pastor Temitope Joshua should not be blamed, but the officers in-charge of physical planning in the state should be made to answer for the assumed carelessness.

“It is a major disaster and a great loss and I condole with the families of those who lost their lives.

“Also, we need to be more careful and proactive and guard against a future occurrence so that such magnitude of loss would be averted.

“This is a major error; there is no way a foundation of four storeys could carry six storeys; so the defect is expected.

“But my concern is that we have town planning officers that should supervise

buildings in the state; they are accomplices.

“There is no way someone would build a six-storey building instead of four-storey and they would say they were not aware.

“I believe that they compromised standard. The professionals that are meant to supervise constructions should be made to answer for this.

“Until they know that if they compromise in any way they are risking people’s lives, there would be problem.

“They should be more proactive in the discharge of their duties,” he said.

The lawmaker stated that such problem is a regular occurrence in the state, adding that there should be penalties for contravening the building law.

Africa richest Aliko Dangote receiving Asokoro Island brochure from Suleiman Yahyah shortly after endorsing it as “world class that will reshape Abuja landscape.”

Ebola: S’South, S’East Health Commissioners Understudy Rivers

By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

Commissioners of health from the states in the South-south and South-east geo-political zones of the country are in Rivers State to understudy the efforts put in by the state government to tackle the spread of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), which was first reported in the state in August 2014.

This is as the state government said the number of persons put under surveillance

in the state for possible signs of Ebola symptoms has reduced from 340 to 264, insisting that primary and secondary schools in the state will not reopen on Monday, September 22, 2014.

The state commissioner for health, Dr Sampson Parker, who spoke to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the visiting commissioners will visit state government Ebola facilities, especially the treatment and isolation centre at Oduoha in Emohua local government area of the state.

Parker said, “Right now, I have my colleagues from the South-south and Southeast states with me; I am hosting them here in Rivers State. They have come on solidarity visit and also to understudy what we are doing. We will go on inspection with them in the facilities that we have in Rivers State, particularly the treatment and isolation centre.

“We are on a home-ward stretch; the reason being that for about one week now, we have not had any new case at the treatment.”

Edo Teachers Give Conditions For Monday’s Resumption

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

The Edo State wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) yesterday gave the state government conditions under which its members would resume work on Monday, the 22nd of September.

Rising from an emergency meeting, the teachers resolved to resume school on Monday on the condition that the state govern-

ment will provide the necessary equipment to all schools for Ebola screening for the pupils and teachers.

Speaking to journalists immediately after the meeting, the state NUT chairman, Mr Mike Uhunmwangho said the state government must also train two teachers in each school on how to handle the screening equipment.

Uhunmwangho stated further that if the state government fails to meet these condi-

tions on or before today, the 26th of September, the teachers would meet to review their resumption.

Also speaking, the representative of the state commissioner for health, Dr Osamuyi Irowa, who is the director of Disease Control in the state Ministry of Health, said the decision to meet with the teachers was in furtherance of the state government’s enlightenment campaigns on Ebola virus.

Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever Walt Disney, founder and CEO of the Walt Disney Company

ANAN Commissions Hostels, Barracks For Military Personnel In Jos College

By Achor Abimaje, Jos

The Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) has commissioned two hostel blocks for students and three blocks of barracks for military and security personnel at its training arm, in Kwall, Bassa LGC near Jos, the Plateau State capital.

Facilities commissioned also included a cafeteria designed for the use of food vendors to be contracted to cook for students as the students are not allowed to cook in their hostels.

Alhaji Sakirudeen Labode, president of ANAN, who performed the commissioning of the facilities, said the facilities were borne out of ANAN’s mandate to make the Nigerian College of Accountancy a standard and comfortable citadel of learning for professional accountants in the country.

The director general of the college, Dr Joseph Femi Adebisi said the new hostel blocks, each with capacity for 56 students, would further boost the college’s readiness to accommodate its students, as the college already had six hostel blocks of the same capacity (56 beds each) before the two new blocks were constructed.

The ultra-mordern cafeteria which has 10 kitchens and a large dining hall, Adebisi explained, would be rented to 10 caterers who would cook and sell to students according to laid down rules and standards of the college.

Kwara PDP Crisis: Court Restrains Ilorin West LG Chairman

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

An Ilorin High Court has restrained members of the Yusuf Olugbon-led factional executive from parading themselves as Executive Committee members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ilorin West local government area of Kwara State.

The court also restrained the PDP from recognising Olugbon-led faction as Executive Committee of PDP in the council.

The ruling of the court presided over by Justice I. A. Yusuf followed a Motion Exparte filed by another factional chairman, Alhaji Toyin Olosasa and two others against the PDP and 40 others on the purported swearing in of Olugbon-led faction by the state PDP chairman.

The judge in his ruling, however, directed the State Executive of PDP to “collect back any official monuments, cars, money or benefits given to the 35th and 38th defendants (Olugbon and three others) as a result of their swearing in as the Ilorin West Local Government Executive Committee of the PDP, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

The applicants’ counsel, Mogaji Oba Abdulkadir, who had filed a 27-paragraph affidavit in support of the applications, told the court that Olugbon-led faction had concluded plans to in turn swear in ward executives, arguing that if the court “fails to grant the prayer, the justice being sought by the applicants will be jeopardised.”

NEWS NATIONAL /59

September 19, 2014

Group Canvasses For Northern Women Participation In Politics

By Ruth Choji

A non-government organisation (NGO) Northern Women Caucus Alliance Forum has urged women from the north to seek elective positions in 2015.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the interim president, Sa’adatu Abdullahi who stated that they are worried about the perception people have about the northern woman said “A northern Nigerian woman, weather Christian or Muslim is by nature shy, modest and humble and this is often misunderstood in some quarters as weakness and in the western world, we are considered as being oppressed which is not true”.

According to her, this is no longer the case as the northern women have achieved a lot and have all it takes to compete globally and indeed contribute greatly to the development of Nigeria.

The politician who stated that northern women have no intention of usurp ing the powers of the men but only desire to complement their efforts also stated that northern women have been able to break the glass ceiling in the academia, businesses, civil service, politics, judiciary, religion and journalism and are now ripe to take their place in politics.

One of the participants, Safiya Rabiu said, the organisation is timely because northern women are now ready to contribute their quota to nation building.

Counterfeit Drugs: NAFDAC Push For Life Sentence

By Mbachu Godwin Nnanna, Abuja

The Director General, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii yesterday disclosed that unless a stiff penalty is prescribed on counterfeiters of drug the fight against fake drugs in Nigeria will be unsuccessful.

Orhii disclosed this at a one day sensitisation workshop of NAFDAC stakeholders in Abuja. He stated that the agency is pushing for a life sentence for counterfeiters of drugs , adding that the NAFDAC existing law are being reviewed to give the fight against fake drugs a boost. The director general noted that the revised law is receiving attention at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and if signed into law and implemented will reduce counterfeiting of drugs.

Orhii who was represented by the agency’s director of special duties, Dr Abubakar Jimoh said that the agency has over the years built coalition with other stakeholders in the fight against counterfeits, noting that the fight against counterfeit drugs cannot be left for an institution alone to address. He urged Nigerians to rise up to the occasion and be involved in the fight against counterfeit drugs.

He identified illiteracy, poverty and lack of awareness as the major challenges inhibiting the fight against counterfeiting of drugs in Nigeria., adding that sensitization has become a veritable instrument of fighting counterfeiting of drugs .

L-R : Deputy speaker House of Reps. Emeka Ihedioha, deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu and the Archbishop of Enugu Province most high Rev Emmanuel Chukwuma during the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion 2014 Primatial Award of Excellence held at the cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Enugu, yesterday.

FG Sets Up Emergency Centre To Combat Cyber Crimes

By Olaolu Oladipo, Lagos

As part of its efforts to combat the fraud being perpetrated in the cyber space, the federal government through the Ministry of Communication Technology has floated an agency charged with the responsibility of fighting cyber crimes.

This is coming just as stakeholders have called for greater awareness on the scourge with a view to articulating a more coherent response by all relevant stakeholders utilising cyber platform for their business transactions.

This was disclosed in Lagos yesterday by the director in charge of e-Governance in

the ministry, Mr. Tope Fadeshemi at the quarterly forum of a Lagos based online advocacy company, Digital Jewels.

Tagged “Information Technology Security Awareness: The Vital Missing Link in the e-Payment Value Chain: Capability Response”, the forum was a one-stop meeting point for stakeholders in the information technology industry to rub minds on topical issues affecting the industry.

Speaking with newsmen at the sideline of the forum, Fashedemi said the centre which is expected to come under the direct supervision of the National Security Adviser (NSA) would be charged with the responsibility of tracking, preventing as

well as reporting cyber crimes within the nation’s border.

Commenting on the scope of the centre as a viable IT infrastruture, he said “It will allow people with requisite knowledge to monitor suspicious movements or transactions and hopefully stop it. It can also alert the organisations concerned to prevent successful attack or in some cases track whatever attack that had been carried out.”

On the benefits, he stated that “The idea is to have something like a cyber INTERPOL. The idea is a concerted effort that is being driven by the office of the National Security Adviser who is heading the team.

JNI Condemns Kano Attack, Describe Attackers As Blood Thirsty

BY ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) yesterday condemned the attackers of Federal College of Education (FCE) Kano describing them as blood thirsty fellows.

JNI in a statement issued by the secretary general, Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu said it received with consternation and shock the bomb explosion and senseless killing of innocent students at the College of Education, Kano, which come after some relative calm without blast and

killings.

According to JNI “This barbaric and callous attack is condemnable in its entirety; it will always demand for questions on what exactly the perpetrators want, are they blood thirsty or it’s a conspiracy? JNI will continue to condemn so long as the denigrating acts continue.

“Also, as with previous similar cases, the sporadic gun shots that ensued after the blast is very worrisome and calls for practical investigation which must bring the perpetrators to face the wrath of the

law and find ways and means of stopping future occurrence of such devilish act.

“What always gives concern is that with the visible security check points all over the state, it is hardly imaginable that such a dastardly act could still occur; hence the JNI is seriously perturbed by such reoccurrence. This is indeed very worrisome.”

The statement however said as “Muslims we find solace that there is the Day of retribution which all souls shall account for their deeds.

State Assembly Legislators Insist On Financial Autonomy

By Ebriku John Friday, Abuja

State assembly legislators under the aegis of the National Association of State Assembly Legislators (NASAL) have thrown their weight behind their speakers call for state legislature’s fanancial autonomy.

The interim president of NASAL, Hon. Valentine Ayika, who stated this yesterday during an inaugural world press conference in Abuja, said it would enable the states’ assembly members carry out their vested constitutional responsibilities within the ambit of separation of power.

It would be recalled that the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria had in a communiqué issued in June after a three-day retreat in Uyo, moved for financial autonomy for states’ assemblies.

Ayika stated that with the formation of NASAL, the various challenges being faced by state legislators would be addressed and adequately tackled with the view of instilling democratic governance based on rule of law.

He listed a-seven point agenda by which NASAL will be guided in running its activities.

While reacting to the public perception of state assemblies as rubber stamps to the executive arms, he insisted that state legislators are doing their best to checkmate executive abuses.

According to him, when there is no confrontation between the legislature and the executive arm, it does not imply that the legislature is not aware of its responsibility.

He added that when the legislature tries to implement those of their statutory vested powers, it is the same public that will say let the polity not be overheated. Life is all about balancing our action, actually.

A person looks only on the outside of things; God looks into the very heart.

Dominican proverbs

60 ISLAM

September 19 , 2014

Discourse with Sheikh Muhammad Mahmud Turi turimuhd@yahoo.com 07038199475 (text only)

In the name of Allah who states “He who created death and life, that He may try which of you is best in deed; He is the exalted in might, Oft forgiving” Q14:42 Peace and blessings of Allah be upon His noble servant, our master Muhammad and his oppressed progeny.

As we are still in this sacred month of Zulqidah, it is good to remind ourselves its remaining historic events; these include the martyrdom of Imam Ali son of Imam Musa al - Ridha (as) based on some narrations, 200 years after hijra.

So it is recommended to visit him from near and far. The 25th was the placement of the earth beneath the Kaaba; it is recommended to observe the night in worship and remembrance of Allah in search of His pleasure. And on the last day of the month according to an authentic narration Imam Muhammad son of Imam Ali al - Taqi was martyred by the Moutasim - led Abbasid regime.

Preparation for the observance of pilgrimage is also on course by the intending pilgrims. In line with this and for the first time, the Islamic movement in Nigeria has organized a comprehensive workshop for the intending pilgrims where Islamic scholars, medical doctor and other stakeholders highlighted on the worship.

After the workshop, the participants paid a special visit to the respected martyrs of the Islamic movement at the Garden of mercy in Dembo village and a courtesy call for a farewell to the leader of the Islamic movement.

For quite some weeks, we have been dealing with sad event that afflicted the Islamic movement in Nigeria. Lots have been put on paper and many human rights and civil liberties organizations vowed to sue the government over the murderous action on members of the movement including three sons of the leader, sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) two of whom were personally shot to death by Lt. colonel Okuh on 25th July, 2014.

In fact the United nations human rights commission has held a special session on the Zaria Quds day massacre and the senseless role of the military yesterday, Thursday 18th. The event was broadcast via Skype video link. Sheikh Zakzaky (H), leader of the Islamic movement ought to have been at Geneva in person but for the visa he was refused.

12th September Remembrance I wish I could graphically put down my pen on the event of 12th September, 1996, recently commemorated by the Islamic movement. The day is very significant in the history of the movement symbolizing the futile attempt by then Abacha led government to destabilize it at all cost. Beside the murder of 12 members consequent to a peaceful protest for the release of the sheikh arrested on baseless allegation and the all opposed self - succeeding crazy, the government woefully failed with the Allah’s inevitable

Life As A Trial: The Mission Of Man On Earth!

intervention leading to the unconditional release of the revered sheikh. If I could find time later, I will revisit the event.

The Mission Of Man On Earth However, the piece I want to discuss this week is the mission behind the creation of man. It is very unfortunate that most people are either ignorant or careless about this mission for which they were created and placed on earth. The philosophy behind life is very clear in Islam. Allah says “Behold, thy Lord said to the angels I will create a vicegerent on earth they said Wilt though place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? Whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name) He said I know what ye know not” Q2:30 We can clearly understand from the verse above that Allah has created man to live as His vicegerent on earth. This means that he should run his life strictly in accordance with the directives of Allah as contained in the noble Qur’an. So it is part of this exercise to teach the children the essence of life which is to worship Allah alone and not associate anything with him; “O you people! worship your Guardian Lord, who created you and those who came before you; that you may become righteous. Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from the heavens and brought forth therewith fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth). Q2:2122 Based on this, the life has three stages; our living on earth, the interim stay in the grave otherwise referred as the life in the unseen and the life hereafter. All these three stages are important but most important of all is the life here as is the fieldwork of the two lives to come. Therefore, we must work harder to live as vicegerents of Allah so that we may acquire His pleasure and attain the greatest abode of His righteous servants in the hereafter. Therefore, in the cause of his life, man must make sure that he properly understands and gives more attention to spiritual aspect of his being which has greater impact and determines his hereafter.

Here and hereafter are two accustomed expressions that simply refers to this life and the life after this. Which of the two is more important? The earthly life of course. This is because, it is the seed for the life that comes after it. No doubt, all messengers of Allah were sent on this motive and no nation was left. In fact Allah has told us the answer of the rebellious in a response to angels on the coming of the messengers “They will say, yes indeed a Warner did come to us, but we rejected him and said Allah never sent down any (message); ye are in nothing but a grave error! Q67:9 Runnindg A Pleased Life prosperous is he who purifies the soul and failed has he who soils it with sin and

impurity. Q91:9-10. In a hadeeth, the prophet (s) every child is born on a pure nature, it is his parent that bring him up as a Christian or a Jew. “we will give a pure and wholesome life to every one man or woman who acts righteously and has faith and we will reward them in accordance with the best of what they used to do” Q16:97 On whatever capacity one lives in this world, he shall be judged based on his action. So the trial of life covers the rich and the poor, the scholar and the ignorant, the civil servant and the farmer just as it affects all and sundry. So we must be very careful in our duty to Allah the Most High!

And from the wisdom of Allah the linking bridge is death that all souls must taste. We may ask what is death?

Simply, death could be defined as an end to living. Life’s end or stoppage from being alive. I could recall a little article I wrote during our university days on a similar appellation on which many commented including medical students.

Although we know about death, but we hardly think over especially with regard to what comes after it. When the Western scientists enumerate characteristics of living things they simply say death is the final but unimportant end! One must ask himself some related questions. However, is the death an end or a beginning? What is the wisdom behind death? Where do we go after death? What is the relation between the physical and spiritual aspects of human being? And what are the lessons to learn from the death of others we witness?

Regrettably, many people do not mind

Too many desires harm the mind; to desire much money harms the body.

the religious teachings about death and therefore live unconscious of the related highlights. Most important thing I want to call our attention to is the spiritual aspect which is beyond the comprehension of a qualified medical doctor. A doctor pronounces a man dead when the various systems of his body such as circulatory and respiratory among others cease to function. The organs are there but no longer function and the doctor can neither restart nor give a kick.

Allah says “They will further say Had we but listened or used our intelligence we should not (now) be among the companions of the blazing fire. They will then confess their sins; but far from Allah’s mercy are the companions of the blazing fire! Q67: 10 -11 In the light of the above verses we can understand that LISTENING and INTELLIGENCE are very important criteria for good comprehension of the essence behind this life. As such those that missed the guidance were perished in hell. May Allah protect us!

The sermon of Luqmanul Hakeem to his son is very relevant here where he admonished him to associate no one with Allah, to be obedient to his parents, to be steadfast in prayers, bid people unto virtue and forbid vice, bear patience with whatever may befall him in the path of Allah, turn not his face in scorn and pride and not be indifferent towards people.

Q31;19 The psychological contribution of Dr. Alexis Carrel, a French scholar wrote in his book, Reflections sur le conduite de la vie, Persian translation, Pages 99 -100 is very relevant here and could traced from its sources.

Rewards According To Deeds So the righteous and the wicked are rewarded accordingly. “But give glad tidings to those who believe and work righteousness, that their portion is Garden, beneath which rivers flow. Every time they are fed with fruits there from, they say why, this is what we were fed with before, for they are given things in similitude and they have therein spouses purified; and they abide therein (forever)” Q2:25 Imam Ali has said at times one’s enemy is more helpful than one’s friend because he makes one aware of his shortcomings leading one to overcome them.

Therefore, the success behind this life is undoubtedly to live in accordance with the teachings of the creator and attaining His pleasure. The losers are those that wasted their lives by missing the guidance of Allah running their lives in accordance with their wishes. Most people will not perceive this until they die. These are the ignorant, the careless that think they are in control but the real and actual controller is Allah, the Omnipotent and disposer of all affairs.

I hope we will make the best use of our time to acquire the pleasure of our creator in this trial so that He might be pleased with us and reward us abundantly.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah!

― Chinese Proverb

62

September 19, 2014

ERISCO FOODS LIMITED A Member Of Erisco Bonpet Group

Chief Eric Odinaka Umeofia

The Way To Industrialise Nigeria Is Through Indigenous Manufacturers-Ceo Erisco Foods Chief executive officer of Erisco Group, Chief Eric Odinaka Umeofia speaks to SAMUEL ABULUDE on the success story of Erisco Foods, the first indigenous food products manufacturer in Nigeria and how Government import policies have hampered local industries over the years.

How has Erisco Foods fared over the years?

We have done well within the limit of our resources and the enabling environment that the government policies have afforded us. There have been so many ups and downs. The manufacturing industry has not been attractive so far.

It seems successive governments do not know much on how to encourage manufacturers in this country.

My company Erisco Group, having done business in spare parts and electronic and food items successfully in Angola and the United Arab Emirate, we decided to take the challenge and replicate some of our success stories here in Nigeria dealing in manufacturing of food products like Nagiko tomato paste which we started in 2009 and now Nagiko sugar and other agroallied products. I must tell you that wehave been losing money due to government policy of dumping and forcing imported food products on Nigerians which otherwise are made here and priced cheaper because we have the raw materials. Government’s attitude that allows all sorts of food importation has caused many agro-allied industries to struggle. I want to categorically say that foreign investors are not better than local investors. How much incentives is government giving to its local investors? China has done very well in that regard giving 17.5% reduction of duty incentive to their investors. What has our own government done? Indigenous manufacturers are not really being encouraged. There is high duty payment for our goods at the ports. The problem of multiple taxation is what we’ve been facing here even in Lagos state. We forget that the way to industrialise a nation is through empowering indigenous Manufacturers.

of the good intention is difficult.

I would have wanted a situation where government in its drive to encourage local or indigenous manufacturers makes the duty lower while increasing that for foreign investors. I want Nigerians to patronise locally made goods and indigenous manufacturers. Patronising foreign products to the detriment of good local inigenous products is economic ebola.

What has been Erisco Foods contribution to food security in Nigeria?

Erisco Foods has contributed a lot. We have proved to Nigerians that local manufacturers can compete with the foreign ones. The unique selling point of Erisco Foods is that our products are fresh and they are purchased at affordable prices. Other tomato pastes imported into the country and packaged here are heavier. As a company, we don’t cut corners. We have a staff strength of 650 members

manning the 240,000 metric tonnes capacity factory in Ikeja.

How much of tomatoes is wasted in the country?

Tomatoes are grown in Nigeria, predominantly in Northern Nigeria. Morethan 40% of our tomatoes here is wasted. This is because we don’t have a plant that preserves tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes contributes to the good health in Nigeria. Any tomato produced here in our factory finishes in two months. But in China, it gets into Nigeria in three months. There is no company that preserves tomato in Nigeria. And tomato which is a perishable good has a forty-day durability per season. Nigerians only consume 30 to 35% of our tomatoes. We are having a partnership with Jigawa state and we are hoping to develop a good working relationship with other state governments. We are also planning to go public in two to three years.

You mean the present government is not tackling the issue head-on?

The present government led by President Goodluck Jonathan has been doing its bit to reverse the trend but we are not yet there compared to other countries. I must say this government identifies the problem and wants the economy to grow but in doing this and still allowing foreign investors, government policy is affecting the indigenous manufacturers in some negative ways. Look at the leading supermarkets like Shoprite franchise from South Africa, for example. Do you know all their goods including food products are imported and they discourage marketing our local goods on their shelves in our own country?

Shoprite markets 95% of foreign goods and if this is allowed by our government, it indirectly affects the market for our comparable goods. Nagiko and our other products have been refused by Shoprite and I learnt it isn’t us alone; all Nigerian made goods. India produces 85% of its own goods and only allows 15% of imported goods to be consumed in their country. We don’t have a good export policy here. And again I feel that commercialisation of our ports is killing the nation and we manufacturers due to increase in demurrage, freight tickets and other levies. Our Government presently has good intentions but the implementation

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SECURITY REPORT

SPECIAL PROJECTS PUBLI CATION

63

September 19, 2014

The

Agriculture Value Chain Benefit

V

alue Chains reside at the core of high-impact and sustainable initiatives focused on improving productivity, competitiveness, entrepreneurship, and SmallMedium Enterprises (SME) growth.

Value Chain thinking is revolutionizing agriculture and the food industry. Focus has shifted from agricultural production to consumer demand, marketing and the coordination of product flows from producer to consumer. The Value Chain concept acknowledges that production must be linked to demand and the critical role of organizing the flow from farmer to consumer opportunities.

A Value Chain links the steps a product takes from the farmer to the consumer. It includes research and development, input suppliers, production, processing, marketing and finance.

Over the years Agriculture have proven to be one viable sector more than capable of contributing 75% to the GDP [economy] of most nations as against its current giving of 43% in a country so dependent on oil, like Nigeria. There are innumerable members of the value chain in Agriculture -from cultivation to the final consumer and to the individual farm produce, it goes all the way. The nature of agricultural development and the way food is produced, processed and sold is changing rapidly. Consumers increasingly want safe food, higher food value, and varied agricultural products. This is creating opportunities for farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs along agricultural value chains to transform commodities into higher value products—a process that can play an important role in poverty reduction.

Rural poverty in Africa and Nigeria most especially remains high despite efforts made in poverty alleviation. The rural poor, who often depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, can benefit from changes in agriculture, provided they are part of the emerging value

chain. It then implies that this factors draws lessons for AgriSMART future engagement in this area, and particularly how the rural poor can participate in the value chain.

For a country such as Nigeria and most west African nations, Internal and External support for agricultural value chains is an important option for agricultural development, because higher financial returns can be realized through value-enhancing inputs. Improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural value chains can also enhance benefits to all participants in the value chain, and contribute to food security and poverty reduction. The humongous change in the context and the value-enhancing revolution occurring currently in the chains of agriculture is benefiting nationals and multinational agribusiness, but small firms and other forms of agribusinesses can also benefit from the massive revolution in Agriculture.

It is said that countries need to adopt a comprehensive approach to policy, regulatory and institutional reform to remove constraints to the development of agriculture value chains; and that countries and projects need to identify the infrastructure requirements for the development of value chains and develop models for including the poor and marginalized groups in them. Nigeria will have to adopt a program with the singular objective of developing specific commodity value chains. The overall objective of this program will be to identify and remove all major constraints to achieving competitiveness, and to ensure equitable returns for producers and those who operate within the local and export food distribution systems.

Farming is the starting point of food production in every nation. Making it more attractive seem apparently difficult at the moment, currently 45% of Nigeria’s mode of cultivation remains

SECURITY REPORT the local way of tilling the soil with crude farming implements resulting to lower production and heavy energy utilization, which have been the bane of growth and development of the agricultural sector and contributing 65% to Nigeria’s Import of food commodities.

On the other hand, commercial agriculture is the prototype of definition based on development of the sector. It transcends beyond farming for the family and generating 75% food production for citizens [food security], excess for export, and massive employment.

The inadequacy associated with processing raw material into finished products have been the major challenge limiting Nigeria’s agribusinesses from taking it’s place in the annals of agricultural history in the world.

A survey was conducted in 2012, to ascertain the quantity of agricultural produce that goes to waste during processing and loss connected with raw materials unprocessed. The result of the survey gave rise to worry for the future of agriculture in Nigeria. It was recorded that 72% of agricultural produce in the North are sold without any form of processing whatsoever, only 16% goes for processing and 12% goes to waste. On the other hand, the survey compared it with that produced in the South, West and the East and took the average percentage value to ascertain the desired result to validate the test. 49.5% are sold without processing, 25.5% is processed into several other products and 25% to waste. This simply implies that every agricultural produce left unprocessed goes to quick consumption, outright sale, and little consideration is given to storage which results to food insecurity and every year Nigeria loses billions of dollars from unprocessed raw materials.

By: Jeff Okoroafor

www.opinionnigeria.com (edited)

THE LEADERSHIP FOOD SECURITY REPORT PROVIDES SOLUTIONS

A

SPECIAL PROJECTS PUBLI CATION

64 NEWS NATIONAL

September 19, 2014

2015: US Reiterates Commitment to Free, Fair Election

L-R: Interim secretary of National Association of State Assembly Legislators (NSAL), Hon Jibrin Ndagi Akwanu; interim national president of NASAL, Hon Valentine Ayika and interim vice president of NASAL, Hon Yakubu Mohammed Ahmed, during NASAL’s inaugural world press conference in Abuja, yesterday.

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

As Nigeria prepares for the general elections in 2015, the United States of America (USA) yesterday reiterated its commitment to free and fair polls in Nigeria, describing the desire as its priority.

The leader of the United States Department of State Consulate, Lagos, Patrick W. Quirk in a public lecture with the title, “Electoral Security in Nigeria”, disclosed that “security in election goes beyond using military and police.

“The presence of international observers may not stop electoral violence, it would reduce violence to a large extent,” he added.

In his opening remark, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Isaac Folorunso Adewole described the lecture as very apt in this moment in the country when the 2015 general elections almost approaching the feverish point.

Jonathan, Others To Grace Book Lunch On Gov Suswam

By Paul Chiama, Abuja

A new book titled “Suswam: Politics and Governance in Benue, an Insider’s Account” written by Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Benue State Governor, Dr Cletus Akwaya, will be presented to the public on Tuesday, 23rd September, 2014 by 10.00AM at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

According to press statement sent to LEADERSHIP Friday by Hon. James Ulokoith on behalf of the coordinating committee of the book lunch, noted that President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is expected as distinguished guest of honour at the occasion, while the Vice President, Arc Mohammed Sambo, Senate President, David Mark GCON and Rt. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Speaker House of Representatives are expected to grace the occation as special guests of honour.

Other functionaries expected at the occasion include, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Governor of Niger State, Obong Godswill Akpabio, Governor of Akwa-Ibom State will serve as co-chairmen, while Chief (Mrs) Margaret Icheen, former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly serves as chairlady.

The governor of Benue State, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Suswam, his wife, Yemisi Dooshima Suswam will be the chief celebrant and co-celebrant respectively, while his Deputy, Chief Steven Lawani will be the chief host of the occasion.

Other invited guests at the occasion include state governors, members of the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council, members of the diplomatic corps, Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt.Hon. Emmanuel Terhile Ayua, Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Iorhemen Hwande, political party chieftains, business leaders and academics across the country.

PHOTO BY JANE OKEKE.

Insecurity: Jonathan, Northern Traditional Rulers In Crucial Meeting

By George Agba, Abuja

In a frantic move to end the reign of terror unleashed on Nigerians in the northern part of the country, President Goodluck Jonathan last night entered into a closed door meeting with traditional rulers from the region led by Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III. Although the meeting which com-

menced at 9:30pm in the First Lady’s Conference Room at the Presidential Villa, Abuja was still ongoing at the time of filing this report, LEADERSHIP Friday gathered that the meeting was sequel to the one held by the royal fathers in Kaduna, where they deliberated on the Boko Haram activities in the North east and the economic situation in the North.

The Sultan who spoke to journalists af-

ter the Kaduna meeting had said he would take the opinions and observations of the northern traditional rulers to the president as part of ways of forging stronger alliance with government against terrorism.

Present at yesterday’s meeting are Vice President Namadi Sambo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and other Presidential aides.

Synagogue Tragedy: Rescue Operation Concluded

By George Okojie, Lagos

Rescue and recovery operation was Thursday concluded at the scene of the collapsed guest house at the Synagogue Church of All Nations, just as the church authority releases video of the survivors.

Briefing newsmen on the conclusion of rescue operation by emergency agencies, the general manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Femi Oke Osanyintolu, said the agencies had finished their rescue operation at the site, say-

ing the number of the dead bodies evacuated from the rubbles of the collapsed structure were 80 while 131 occupants of the ill-fated structure survived the tragic incident.

He said: “One of our major challenges is that we don’t have the roll call of the people in the building before the unfortunate incidents. However, we have been working with the top echelon of the Synagogue Church of All Nations to get the list. We have reached ground zero and there is nobody in the place again. We used our equipment called Delser to locate and ascertain that there is no more

bodies under the rubble and we have also reached the ground zero.”

Probed on whether he was aware that some of the rescued victims died on arrival at the hospital, he said:” we wouldn’t know. We have told you earlier that we have issue concerning the list of people in the building before it collapsed. The artisans working on the building and those residing in the guest house.”

According to him, the information relayed on the dead victims and survivors was based on their experience as emergency officers at the site.

Hajj: Flynas Airline Completes Airlifting Of 9,500 Pilgrims

By George Agba, Abuja

The Flynas Airline, contracted to transport 9,500 Muslim pilgrims from Abuja and Kaduna zones has successfully completed the transportation of pilgrims in Abuja zone.

The country’s managing director of the airline, Alhaji Umar Kaila who made this known to state house correspondents in Abuja yesterday, expressed the hope that the transportation of the pilgrims in Kaduna zone would also be completed in two days.

“In total we have 9,500 pilgrims to airlift (transport) this year. So far, Flynas has successfully concluded airlifting of all the pilgrims allocated to us in Abuja as at Monday (Sept.

15) and we have only about three or four flies to conclude our operation as well”, he noted.

Explaining that the airline was using four aircraft for the smooth transportation of pilgrims from Abuja and Kaduna zones, Kaila assured that adequate arrangements had been made by the company to ensure that the pilgrims were returned with their luggage after

Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever Walt Disney, founder and CEO of the Walt Disney Company

the Hajj as agreed.

He, however, solicited the cooperation of the pilgrims and the State officials to achieve the feat, even as he expressed delight at the manner in which the National Hajj Commission and State officials helped in resolving the challenges.

Kaila also commended the way and manner the Abuja pilgrims conducted themselves during the exercise and called on those from Kaduna zone to emulate their Abuja counterparts to ensure smooth operation.

Naerls forum

September 19, 2014

National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, ABU Zaria Contact: Dr M.K Othman - 08065571637. mkothman@gmail.com

S

NAERLS Efforts In The Use Of GIS For Agricultural Extension Services In Nigeria

everal avenues like policy formulation, capacity building, innovative technologies with a great potential of Geographic Information System (GIS) have been exploited in some areas of life. Providing useful information at appropriate time to farmers is an essential component of extension services. Application of GIS to the process of information dissemination has proved to improve the farmers’ understanding of new agricultural technologies information and the efficiency of the extension personnel. GIS also initializes viewing, understanding, questioning and interpreting data in many ways by revealing relationships, patterns and trends in form of maps, globes, reports, and charts.

The aforementioned advantages of GIS make it a potent tool to use in solving most of the challenges that are hindering work of agricultural extension services and this made the Institute to embark on staff capacity building as related to the use of GIS. GIS will not be appreciated without relating it to spatial analysis. Spatial analysis in

Group photograph of participants at the SAA/AGRA project launching in Kano.

GIS involves three types of operations, these are: attribute query (also known as non-spatial), spatial query and generation of new data sets from the original database. Various spatial analysis methods can as well be applied.

Attribute Query: Attribute query requires the processing of attribute data exclusive of spatial information. In other words, it is a process of selecting information by asking logical questions. For instance, from a database of NAERLS adopted

villages that contains land ownership status, type of crops planted, farm size, etc, a simple attribute query may require the identification of all parcels for a specific land use type. Such a query can be handled through the table without referencing the parcel map. Because no spatial information is required to answer this question, the query is considered an attribute query. In this example, the entries in the attribute table that planted certain types of crop can be identified.

Spatial Query: The query involves selecting features based on location or spatial relationships, which requires processing of spatial information. Question may be raised about parcels of land within a certain distance. In this case, the answer can be obtained either from a hardcopy map or by using a GIS with the required geographic information. For example, if a spatial query is required to identify all parcels of land within a specified distance, this process cannot be accomplished without spatial information.

opinion

Who Says Dutse International Airport Isn’t The Best In Nigeria?

BY PAUL CHIAMABy Yusuf Suleiman “If there was a fourth term, Lamido should have been asked to run.”.. The Dutse International Airport ...”is one of the best if not the best in this part of world...” Sultan Abubakar III, Dutse, September, 6th, 2014 Barely eight month to the expiration His Excellency (Dr) Sule Lamido’s tenure, the governor has added another feather to his cap September, 6th, 2014 would remain indelible in the History of Jigawa state. It is the day the 2014 Airlift of pilgrims from the newly Dutse International airport was inaugurated. The relative calm and scenic atmosphere of Dutse was checked with the throng of eminent personalities from within and outside the state to witness the historic event. All roads leading to the airport was jam-packed with motorist. Among them were Nigeria’s Vice President Arc Namadi Sambo, Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III, Minister of Foriegn Affairs Dr Nurudeen Muhammad, Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, Minister of Transport Senator Idris Umar, The Shehu of Borno and the Emirs of Kano, Hadejia, Suleja, Ringim, Funai, Daura, Kazaure, Gumel, Kaltungo, Maradun and the Oba of Lagos and this year’s National Amirul Hajj Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale.

As an ardent observer and somebody who is been working in the governor’s office since 2007, the mammoth crowd assembled at the venue of the inauguration reminded me of Governor Lamido’s maiden promise of airlift of jigawa state pilgrims from Dutse International Airport last year. Though his adversaries believed at that time, it was a rhetoric or political statement that is

unrealistic. For me, I held statement that very firmly knowing fully the pedigree and character of the man His Excellency Dr Sule Lamido. Let me say that for benefit of those who are not following jigawa events as they unfold, This is a man who all his declaration is more than mere statement but a concrete and realisable promise. He is the man who built best State Secretariat in Nigeria, best NYSC Orientation Camp, best High Court Complex, built best vast array of roads network,of cumulative distance of over 1500 Kms, best Collage of Nursing and Midwifery, best Rally ground named Aminu Kano Triangle, best, Television and Radio stations, best local Government Secreteriat, best state own school for gifted, and is building best state university at Kafin Hausa, best Residences and offices of Deputy Governor, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Local Government Chairmen, Chief Judge and Grand Khadi, best housing estate for civil servants, best Emirs’ lodges, in fact best has become household name in Jigawa and lamido’s second name.

Dutse International Airport, for instance, in less two years to conception project, it was completed and it turns out to be best. The projects which begun on the 5th October, 2012 after ground breaking ceremony by President Goodluck Jonathan has recorded tremendous success and it is been recorded as the best and fastest airport project ever executed by any government in Nigeria.

The solid structures of Dutse International was carefully built on five kilometres radius piece of land. Situated at 10. 4 kilometres Distance northwest from Dutse town.

Architecturally beautiful is strategically sited

to connect jigawa state with rest of the world.

The N13bn edifice is akin to any modern structure you find not only in nigeria but in the world. the standard of construction of Terminal building, Tarmac and runway, seven storey control tower, fire service station, Apron and Car pack and access roads, Arrival, Departure, Protocol sections fully air conditioned is a masterpiece and pride to all Nigerians. The 3000 by 60 meters Runway Tarmac constructed with careful attention to quality is the best standard you can find anywhere in the world as attested by the a German pilot Capt. Ripp Christian who led 3 member crew to inaugural flight to Dutse Airport on October 5th,2013. He said”I have gone round most of the airports in Nigeria but I have never had as smoothest runway as this one, is of international standard” Security are important aspect in air transportation and it pleasant to note that was also given due attention, the airport has been fully fenced, there is three brand new fire trucks of category 9 standard (basic requirements for the landing of 747-400 series aircrafts) with intimidating feature and combined water stock of 37,500 litres the first of its kind in Nigeria stationed for emergency. Body scan Machines, conveyer belt, the High resolutions Close Circut Television cameras (CCTV) which records movements in the whole of the airport sections are all being installed and functional.

Similarly, on the safety, the state of art air Navigation equipments , Doppler, the voice communication and control system(VCCS) and the Conventional Very High frequency omnidirectional Radio Range (CVOR)housed in the 7- storey control tower establishes

Money made through dishonest practices will not last long.—Chinese Proverb

communication from all direction with aircraft at the distance of 180 nautical miles from the Dutse International Airport. The CVOR is the latest best air navigational equipment in the world manufactured

by Thales. The airport’s Landing Aid Instruments: Localiser which guide the aircraft to centre of the Tarmac, the Glide Slope that provide glide angle, the Distance Measuring Equipment(DME) and Non Directional Beacon were all artistically and carefully installed to give pilots and passengers a pleasant experience while landing at Dutse International Airport.

Pundits on air navigation attests to the facilities provided at Dutse international airport is the best among all Nigerian airports, so, fly to joy that pleasant experience of our Airport and other facilities.

There are numerous opportunities in jigawa.

Dr. Sule Lamido remarkable achievements in jigawa state underscore his determination and dedication to any project he embark on. It is not surprising the phenomenal transformation of the jigawa state under eight years has left many especially those familiar with development challenges and predicaments guessing on the secret behind It success. Lamido left all Nigerians and non Nigerians who visited the state gaping, wondering how he was able to do so much despite the lean resources of the state. This is why the state has now become a theatre of visitors from within and outside the country to take the advantage of numerous investment potentials bound in the state.

—Suleiman, is an Editorial and Media Relation officer, Govt House, Dutse, Jigawa State

66 OPINION

September 19, 2014

Number Porting: Subscribers Must Take Up The Challenge

By Nnamdi Onwudiwe

When the number porting scheme was launched by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in April last year, one expected to witness a “porting frenzy”. One imagined a situation where subscribers who had grumbled over the years for being cheated, ill-treated and shortchanged by GSM companies would jump and scream “hurray”! That in their droves they would call their individual operator’s bluff and gleefully celebrate good riddance, especially given the choice that they retain their numbers in so doing.

More so, one was excited at the thought of the operators falling head over heels and working frantically to please and keep the loyalty of their subscribers.

Such incentivised moves as the crash in tariffs, better voice and data transmission, enticing bundles and generally improved quality in their services, were eagerly anticipated.

Alas, this has not been so. There has been no porting frenzy and no rush to dump any network. Rather has it been a slow but cautious testing of the waters by subscribers – more like “the devil you know is better...” So the mobile number portability (MNP) scheme has just run quietly in the background thus far, being cautiously experimented with probably out of some sort of curiosity. Meanwhile, the operators continue with their self indulgent and diversionary promos at the expense of good quality services.

Thus, complaints over poor services have continued to rise.

After more than a year of operation, information from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), indicates that less than 200, 000 subscribers have taken advantage of MNP. To be precise, 197,000 subscribers have ported from one network to another in their efforts to take advantage of the opportunities availed by the scheme in terms of improved quality of service.

Though MNP is ongoing, one considers this number rather small given a subscriber base of more than 120 million Nigerians.

For the benefit of those who still don’t know, number porting enables phone subscribers in a multi-network environment to change from one network to the other without changing their telephone numbers following the granting of a porting request. Number portability officially came into effect in April, 2013,the policy having been in abeyance since 2009.

It was conceived in furtherance to the NCC’s objectives of protecting consumer interest through the development, monitoring and enforcement of compliance with regulations by telecom service providers in order to ensure better quality services, fair pricing and competition, and in line with the provisions of section 128 of the Nigerian Communication Act (NCA) 2003 which vests the NCC with the exclusive right to regulate numbers and number portability in Nigeria.

Thus far, indications are that the vast majority of mobile phone users are not aware of the existence of the number porting scheme, much less of its operational modalities or principles.

Johnson

The fault for this does not lie with the regulator, but with the operators, who have refused to put the same zeal they use for their promos to sell the MNP to Nigerians through the mass media. Nevertheless, the regulator could pick up the gauntlet and let the people know that there is such a policy in place for subscribers who feel dissatisfied with their service providers to show their disavowal by simply “porting”. There needs to be some more enlightenment and information for the public.

Without a shred of doubt, it can be argued that the number porting scheme was a masterstroke from the NCC. MNP literarily empowered subscribers not only to make choices, but to loudly express their dissent in doing so. Since the operators had somehow learnt to flout some performance benchmarks set by the regulator, MNP was a spur meant to make every operator gear up or face the prospects of losing their market share to their competitors. But the subscribers have been rather hesitant and therefore the operators are retaining their capacity

for sharp practices and the impunity that goes with it.

Speaking at a prize giving ceremony for winners of an essay competition organised by the NCC in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, said the scheme affords subscribers a variety of choices, enhanced quality services as well as deepened competition amongst telecommunication providers. He expressed hope that the months ahead would see more people changing their service providers from one to another.

The success of the scheme on the GSM band will see its extension to the CDMA platform as well. Given that very few fixed wireless networks are still in operation, there is really no need to hurry.

Following the commencement of the scheme, Minister for Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, had expressed the government’s expectations and optimism thus: “We are going ahead with MNP because it is going to give subscribers lots of choice and freedom. MNP will bring new dimensions to the competition in the industry. All network operators will have to work harder to earn the trust of subscribers, because they (subscribers) will now have choices. MNP will definitely give the consumer varieties of choice but the major issue is for us to improve on our infrastructure and improve services so that we don’t have to be moving from network to network”.

As earlier mentioned, more publicity and awareness campaign on number portability might just do the magic.

Since the operators won’t do it, the NCC could. It’s a big opportunity to get the GSM sector working much better without wielding the big stick on the operators. The fines they pay as penalties for defaults are a token, compared to the rip-offs they perpetrate on subscribers on an increasingly consistent basis.

Onwudiwe is an ICT professional based in Lagos

Nigerian Audit Speaks, Will Government Listen?

By Dauda Garuba

In 2007, Nigeria passed a law requiring an audit of extractive revenue payments made to and received by the federal government. In advancing the implementation of its mandate, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) recently presented itsfirst report on the Fiscal Allocation and Statutory Disbursement (FASD) Audit 2007-2011, marking a major milestone in its implementation of the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

At 219 pages, the NEITI FASD Audit report is rich and revealing. It shows that Nigeria relies just as heavily on oil and gas today as it did in 2007. More than 80 percent of Nigeria’s budget comes from extractive revenues. Nigeria’s state-owned oil company, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), administered 51 percent of total fuel subsidy payments for the period covered by the audit in a manner that placed “a

shadow cast” on transparency and its role in the subsidy payment process. The report also revealed that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had no updated financial statement from 2009 to 2012. This contravenes the provision of Section 20(1) of the NDDC Act 2000 (amended) which mandates that the commission prepare and submit audited accounts of the preceding year to the president no later than 30 June.

Similar breaches were observed in the administration of the Natural Resource Development Fund and the Equalization Fund.

Contrary to the purposes for which they were instituted, both funds became a pool for grants and loans to finance various expenditures. The FASD Audit also reveals subnational governments’ poor capacity for managing internally generated revenue.

The report contains important recommendations—though they are buried in the text and not legally binding. For example, the NNPC should draw subsidy claims only from a petroleum support fund at the

Central Bank of Nigeria, not directly from domestic crude proceeds. It should also close loopholes in the production-sharing contracts that may lead to exploitation or fraud. The report further suggests that lawmakers constitutionalize Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account—a stabilization fund created by the Obasanjo administration to hold excess revenue earned from increased crude prices. (The account currently has “no Constitutional backing,” according to the report.) At the subnational level, aggressive revenue generation and proper management can and should aid poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Nigeria received a “weak” score of just 42 of 100 on NRGI’s 2013 Resource Governance Index, which measures resource governance in 58 countries. The new NEITI report has reinvigorated the collective call to action spurred by the index score. To its credit, the federal government recently passed a freedom of information law, and it has worked tirelessly to meet the new

EITI Standard. But unless it moves quickly to implement the recommendations in the new FASD Audit report, it risks fueling even greater public mistrust, and Nigeria as a country will continue to fail to realize the maximum benefits from its resource wealth.

At a May roundtable organized by NRGI, NEITI, the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, and the Facility for Oil Sector Transparency (FOSTER), we developed a roadmap for improving resource governance in Nigeria—a document that will soon be available online. We did this because transparency cannot be an end in itself, but rather must be a means to an end. With citizens’ participation in debate increasing and the demand for transparency and accountability on the rise, the NEITI report signals a growing push for Nigerian energy reform.

Now is the time to act.

Dauda Garuba is Nigeria program coordinator at the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI).

67

September 19, 2014

SCHOOLS, EDUCATION, & FAITH PLATFORM

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

SPECIALISED CLASSIFIEDS PAGES SONIA DARE FOUNDATION

LEGAL NOTICE

KOKO AREA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

This is to inform the General Public that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies And Allied Matters Act, 1 of 1990.

IN ThE hIGh COURT OF JUSTICE OF ThE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

This is to inform the General Public that the above named ASSOCIATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies And Allied Matters Act, 1 of 1990.

ThE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Sonia Ifunanya Chukwuka Ike - Chairman 2. Chinedu Amuzie - Secretary 3. Daniel Obinna Ike 4. Sandra Onyenemere AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To create awareness on the importance of education and to involve and engage the youngsters into positive programs that builds their natural talents, abilities and leadership abilities.

2. To create awareness on disability by taking the information tot he masses so as to give them a sense of purpose and identity thereby leading to improvement of their self-esteem and quality of life.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from this publication.

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SChEDULE Deceased name and address

Applicant for grant

Engr. Muhammad Musa Nama, Abuja

Mohammed Babagana and Mohammed Baba Abba SS Qtr, 221B Kuje, Abuja

Who died on the 7th June 2014.

Dated at Abuja this 18th September, 2014. The Sons of the said deceased.

SIGNED BARR. hAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

Signed: NWOSU TRACY; 09094350448

ThE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Alh. Adamu S/Aski Koko 2. Alh. Saminu Lani 3. Alh. Yahaya Bello Koko 4. Mal. A’kilu Gwadabawa 5. Aminu Adamu Koko

- Chairman - Vice Chairman - Secretary - Member - Member

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote the overall development of the entire area and its people.

2. To consolidate the unity of its members by promoting mutual respect, peaceful con-existence and understanding among its members.

3. To provide for the welfare of its members and their social, recreational and cultural interest.

4. To protect all interest thereof.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from this publication.

Signed: SECRETARY

LIVE AND LET LIVE SOCIAL CLUB OF NIGERIA

ThE ChURCh ON ThE ROCK EVANGELICAL OUTREACh

LEGAL NOTICE

This is to inform the general public that the above named CLUB has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under Part C of the Companies And Allied Matters Act No.1 of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named CHURCH has applied for change of trustees to Corporate Affairs Commission under Part C of the Companies And Allied Matters Act No.1 of 1990.

IN ThE hIGh COURT OF JUSTICE OF ThE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

ThE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Shaibu Nuhu 2. Sokeh Kevin 3. Igboke Chukwuma 4. Uguru Augustine 5. Ekeh Sylvester 6. Ahametula Ada

ThE OLD TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Rev. John Ejikeme 2. Pastor Mrs. Rosemary Ejikeme 3. Bro. Mbelu Solomon 4. Bro. Ifeanyichukwu Anthony 5. Bro. Oladejo Victor

AIM AND OBJECTIVE 1. To render moral and financial help to fellow members in time of need.

2. To unit its member with view of better realising their common goals.

3. To promote the social welfare and to foster the spirit of oneness and harmony in the relationship among its members and humanity at large.

Any Objection to the registration should be forwarded to RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, PMB198, Maitama, Abuja within 28th days from the date of publication.

Signed: SECRETARY

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SChEDULE Deceased name and address Applicant for grant

- Retained - Removed - Removed - Removed - Removed

ThE NEW TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Rev. Mrs. Ifeoma John Ejikeme 2. Pastor Chukwudi Henry Ejikeme 3. Bro. Ejikeme Anthony Ifeanyichukwu 4. Bro. Ejikeme John Ekane

- Appointed - Appointed - Appointed - Appointed

Agibi Kwaghgba Joseph Nigerian Custom Service

AIMS AND OBJECTIVS REMAIN ThE SAME Any Objection to this change should be forwarded to Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, PMB198, Maitama, Abuja within 28th days from the date of publication.

Joy Ndidiamaka Agibi, Hilda Agibi and Joseph Agibi No. 16, Vandeikya St, Gboko-East Who died on the 7th July, 2014.

Benue State The widow, daughter and son of Dated at Abuja this 18th September, 2014. the said deceased.

SIGNED BARR. hAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

Signed: SECRETARY

RAYMOND & CAThERINE AFUNANYA FOUNDATION This is to inform the general public that the above named FOUNDATION has applied for change of name from RAYMOND & CAThERINE FOUNDATION to RAYMOND & CAThERINE AFUNANYA FOUNDATION to Corporate Affairs Commission under Part C of the Companies And Allied Matters Act No.1 of 1990.

ThE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr Peter Nnochirionye Afunanya, MNIM 2. Mrs. Margaret Nnennia Peter-Afunanya 3. Mr. Augustine Chijioke Afunanya 4. Rev. Fr. Donatus Oluwa Chukwu 5. Dr. Gideon Chidi Osi

- Chairman - Member - Member - Member - Secretary

AIM AND OBJECTIVE 1. To assist the underprivileged people.

2. Pursuit of peace and conflict management and resolution 3. Poverty reduction and community service.

4. Public education and HIV?AIDS pandemic and partnership with drugs and rehabilitation of people living with HIV/AIDS Any Objection to this change should be forwarded to Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, PMB198, Maitama, Abuja within 28th days from the date of publication.

AWORI NATIVES COALITION CLUB

LEGAL NOTICE IN ThE hIGh COURT OF JUSTICE OF ThE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SChEDULE Deceased name and address Micheal S Omaye Jardin Nigeria Limited Who died on the 28th April, 2014.

Applicant for grant Joy Amune Micheal Guardian to Victor Micheal G w a g w a o p p o s i t e Po l i c e signboard FCT

Dated at Abuja this 18th September, 2014. The widow and son of the said

deceased.

SIGNED BARR. hAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

Signed: BARR. IJEOMA EZENTA 08035414172

The general public is hereby notified that the above named Club has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

ThE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Oye Taiwo - President 2. Elder Olatunji Akanbi Odu 3. Prince Sadiru Abiola Obalanlege 4. Alhaji Yahaya Alani Dada 5. Festus Abiola - Secretary ThE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote the unity of all Awori natives 2. To promote the welfare of all Awori natives Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja within 28 days of the publication.

SIGNED: BARR. ALI DAWODU

IQRA’A ISLAMIC FOUNDATION

OKONGWU MEMORIAL GRAMMAR SChOOL CLUB 97, NNEWI

BLOCK MAKERS ASSOCIATION IGBETI, OYO STATE

The general public is hereby informed that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named CLUB has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORMED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1 OF 1990.

ThE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Adamu Umar, MNI - Chairman 2. Abubakar Baba - Secretary 3. Mamman Tanimu Muhammad, MNI - Member 4. Hamidu Kadi Kufa, MNI - Member 5. Amina Wambai - Member 6. Muhammad Salis - Member 7. Hauwa Wali - Member 8. Danladi Abubakar Buhari - Member 9. Yabagi Alfa - Member 10. Amina Kere Ahmed - Member AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To educate Muslims and Non-Muslim alike in the light of Islam.

2. To cater for social, moral and spiritual needs of all persons.

3. To cooperate with any lawful organisation for the proper understanding and propagatin of Islam.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

> HENRY UBIMAGO 08068640944

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To promote, protect the unity of love and mutual cooperation among members.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED: ADAMU UMAR, MNI ChAIRMAN

For booking or inquiry call

ThE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Ibe Benjamin 2. Amaobi Chukwuka 3. Nonso Igwe 4. Lotanna Okoye 5. Azuka Ojukwu

> AUGUstINE 08032325988

> GLORIA OKwUM 08038722368

ThE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Rabiu Musibau 2. Olalowo Joseph 3. Iroko Joseph 4. Yusuf Abdulahi 5. Durosinmi Jamiyu 6. Tijani Jamiu 7. Aremu Bakre AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1 To foster unity among members.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

> ABIGAIL sAMBO 08064382438

> GLORIA RAPHAEL 08061356519

> GLORIA ODIO 08034285851

> GRACE OJO 08035054444

68

September 19, 2014

KADUNA STATE GOVERNMENT KACHIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT

INVITATION FOR TENDER The Kachia local government of Kaduna State wishes to call for Tender registered contractors who may wish to tender for the following Projects in the local government area.

1. Relocation of transformer from the the local government Secretariat to the general hospital.

2. Extension of electrification to anguwan patauchi 3. Extension of electrification from anguwan Rumada to Akwando All Tender documents should be submitted to the office of the council Secretary, not later than two weeks from the date of this publication in a sealed envelope.

Signed: Dabo Nurudeen Muhammed COUNCIL SECRETARY

CHANGE OFDOCUMENT FAMILY NAME LOSS of loss OF document The family of late Sir Boniface Ndukwuegbulam Onwukaeme wish to change their surname to Chukwukaeme.

Chizube Ijeoma Onwukaeme (Daughter),now Chizube ijeoma Chukwukaeme, Nkeiruka Nwabuisi Onwukaeme (Daughter), now Nkeiruka Nwabuisi Chukwukaeme, Ogochukwu Nneka Onwukaeme (Daughter), now Ogochukwu Nneka Chukwukaeme, Chukwuebuka Chinedu Onwukaeme (Son), now Chukwuebuka Chinedu Chukwukaeme, Rita Akuchinyere Onwukaeme (Wife), Rita Akuchinyere Chukwukaeme. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

VERONICA

I, Formerly called MISS RITA MZAMBER TYOZENDA, now wish to be addressed as MRS VERONICA MZAMBER BOSSA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

I formerly known as UCHE NLEMCHI CAJETAN SIXTUS, now wish to be addressed as NLEMCHI UCHE CAJETAN SIXTUS. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Immigration Service and the general public should please take note.

Imaobong

I formerly known as Imaobong Charles Uko, now wish to be addressed as Imaobong Idongesit Ettang. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and the general public should please take note.

MANSUR

I formerly known and addressed as MANSUR LUBABAH KWANBO, LUBABATU MANSUR AHMAD KWAMBO, KWANBO AHMADU LUBABATU BIJIMA, LUBABATU AHMAD KWAMBO, MANSIR LUBABATU KWAMBO, MANSIR LUBABATU AHMADU, AHMED LUBABATU KWAMBO now wish to be known and addressed as MANSUR LUBABAH KWAMBO. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and general public should please take note.

EGBULA

I, Formerly called EGBULA IKECHUKWU KYRIAN, now wish to be addressed as EGBULA CAJETHAN CHIBUIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

AYODELE

I, Formerly called MISS OMOSEEYE KEHINDE FUNMILOLA, now wish to be addressed as MRS AYODELE KEHINDE FUNMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

alder

I, Formerly called miss baruwa adebimpe basirat, now wish to be addressed as mrs alder adebimpe basirat. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

GRACE

I formerly known as MISS GRACE OYEDIYA ORJI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. GRACE OYEDIYA ELEWEKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take notice.

CHARKOVSKIY

I, Formerly called MISS UGBOMOIKO FAITH, now wish to be addressed as MRS CHARKOVSKIY FAITH. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

ACHA

I, Formerly called CHIDINMA UZUNMA OKPOKIRI, now wish to be addressed as CHIDINMA UZUNMA UGOCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note

THANKGOD IDEMUDO DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

FAVOUR FIVE CLUB

The general public is hereby informed that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

This is to inform the general Public that the above named foundation has applied for registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Company and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. IDEMUDO EKOM CLEMENT 2. IDEMUDO IFIOK CLEMENT 3. IDEMUDO EDIDIONG CLEMENT

Trustees 1. Eze David Uwa 2. Sunday Nwachukwu 3. Nwankwo Okechukwu 4. Ekeh Anthony Chukwuemeka 5. Nnaji Ejike David

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To promote love, peace and development

- Chairman - Secretary - Member - Member - Member

AIM AND OBJECTIVES 1. To promote the welfare of registered members.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission 42, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguyi Ironsi Street, P.M.B 198, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: Chairman

Signed; J. E Anaekwe & Co. 08035855848

SAFE HAVEN INITIATIVE FOR THE PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN The general public is hereby informed that the above named INITIATIVE has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Amanda Ihuoma Nnadi 2. Emeka Anthony Nnadi 3. Nwakaego Victoria Nnadi 4. Angela Chinyere Mgbekwue

ENAJITE ULOHO FOUNDATION The general public is hereby informed that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Bright Esemuonaha Uloho 2. Mr. Cornelious Oghenevwairhe Awanriota 3. Mr. Moses Ogbemudiare Uloho

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To combat child trafficking and child abuse.

2. To create awareness on how vulnerable children are to shavery, sexual molestatin and abuse through talk shows, seminars and work shops.

3. To takle child trafficking and abuse through research lobbying awareness raising.

4. To campagn against child trafficking through the social media, rallies, print media and electronic media.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To assist in education and medical care to the orphans, disabled and less privileged in the society.

2. To do charity to the needy in the society.

3. To cater for orphans, disabled and less privilege via health care facility, education and scholarships

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: B. Y. ATSEN, ESQ 08066070855

SIGNED: SECRETARY

LOSSOF loss OFDOCUMENTS of document DOCUMENT LOSS

This is to inform the general public of the loss of original offer letter with plot No. 97 flat 1 Malenja Street Zone 4 Wuse, file No. 5x166 allocated by Federal Capital Territory Administration dated June 12, 2006 belonging to Lucky emi Orelu was missing. All efforts made to trace the said document proved abortive.

If found, please contact the nearest police station.

General public to please note.

EMMANUEL

I, Formerly called OSEMWENKHAE OSAMUDIAMEN EMMANUEL, now wish to be addressed as EMMANUEL OSAMUDIAMEN ALBERT OSAHENI. All former documents remain valid.

NCS and the general public should please take note.

SAMUEL

I, Formerly called ROTIMI OGUNJIDE, now wish to be addressed as SAMUEL ROTIMI OLUJIDE. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Bar Association and the general public should please take note

Ezeh

I formerly known as Miss Nwachukwu Makuachukwu Chisom now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ezeh Makuachukwu Chisom. All former documents remain valid.

General public to take note.

SANI

I, Formerly called MISS YAHYA SAFEEYA HAJJU, now wish to be addressed as MRS SANI SAFEEYA HAJJU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

ALADE

I, Formerly called MISS AKINSANYA EBUN VICTORIA, now wish to be addressed as MRS. ALADE EBUN VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note

VICTORIA

I, Formerly called MISS VICTORIA AKILIWA MSHELIA, now wish to be addressed as MRS VICTORIA AKILIWA ZAKARIYA GARPIYA. All former documents remain valid.

NCS and the general public should please take note

TOLULOPE

I, Formerly called Tolulope Yetunde Ogunjide, now wish to be addressed as TOLULOPE YETUNDE OLUJIDE. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note

YOOSUFF

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OLADIPUPO VICTORIA, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS YOOSUFF VICTORIA OLUWAKEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

ACHA

I, Formerly called MISS UMEANIA EMILIA CHIAMAKA, now wish to be addressed as MRS ACHA EMILIA CHIAMAKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

EHIABOR

I, Formerly called MISS OSADEBE CAROLINE, now wish to be addressed as EHIABOR CAROLINE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

LOSSOF loss of OFDOCUMENTS document DOCUMENT LOSS This is to inform the general public of the loss of my two land documents, located in Kubwa with the following informatin: 1. Plot 1917, size 424.042, named BOSSAN SWANTA 2. Plot No. 3881, size 419.06 named ALEXANDER SWANTA, all belonging to MOSES AWUYA. All efforts made to trace the said document proved abortive. If found, please contact the nearest police station or call 08091540444 General public to please note.

LOSS of loss OF document DOCUMENT ADDITION OF NAME This is to inform the genreal public that we decided to add ofoegbu to our surname, henceforth wish to be called and addressed as: 1. Mr onyirioha-ofoegbu Reginald Emeka - Husband 2. Mrs. Onyirioha-ofoegbu francisca okwuchukwu - wife 3. Onyirioha amarachi onyirioha ofoegbu amarachi emmanuel - daughter 4. Onyirioha ofoegbu gregory ikechukwu - son 5. Onyirioha ofoegbu philip okechukwu - son 6. onyirioha ofoegbu andrew uchechukwu - son All formal documents remain vaild and the general public take note.

ASMAU

I formerly known and addressed as ASMAU AHMED now wish to be known and addressed as ASMAU MAIYAKI MOHAMMED. All former documents and certificates remain valid. Concerned authorities and general public should please take note.

Jamila

I, Formerly called Jamila Yakubu Mbaya, now wish to be addressed as Jamila Joseph Edako. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

chidinma

I, Formerly called chidinma uzunma okpokiri, now wish to be addressed as chidinma uzunma ugochukwu. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

Lucy

I formally known as Ip Lucy kefas Ali. service No 52676 of Nigeria Prison Service Taraba State Command. now wish to be known and addressed as Lucy Ezekiel Adiadia. All my former documents remain valid. Prison Service and general public please note.

Okeke

I formally known as Okeke Christopher, now wish to be known and addressed as Okeke Chris. All formal documents remain vaild and the general public take note.

OKAFOR

I, Formerly called MISS MMAHI NGOZI MERCY, now wish to be addressed as MRS OKAFOR NGOZI MERCY. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note

69

September 19, 2014

MAHYOSER OMZ FOUNDATION

OLUWATOMISIN FOUNDATION

LEGAL NOTICE

The general public is hereby informed that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mrs. Regina Agwuda Ochube 2. Felix Agbo Ochube 3. Henry Eche Ochube 4. Millicent Ogwa Ochube 5. Sunday James Ochube 6. Yvonne Oyiowo Ochube 7. Mary Ochanya Ochube 8. Davina Edugwu Ochube 9. V/Adm. Usman Oyibe Jibrin 10. Mrs. Margaret Edugwu Eje

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Dr. Oluwatomisin Adewole Abegunde 2. Mrs. Olusesan Abolade Abegunde AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To help the less privilege.

2. To promote education/scholarship award feeding and clothing.

3. To promote orphanage homes

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To help the orphans, widows and less privileged in the society.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: DBANQUET CHAMBER 08033436481

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE Deceased name and address

Applicant for grant Akase Doofan and Akase Paul

Akase Godwin Igbalumun Tersoo House 153, Zone C Apo Resettlement, Abuja Who died on the 17th July, 2014.

House 153, Zone C Apo Resettlement, Abuja

Dated at Abuja this 18th September, 2014. The widow and brother of the

said deceased.

SIGNED: BARR. IDRIS 080330619247

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

LEGAL NOTICE

MOTIVATING AFRICAN YOUTHS INITIATIVE

LEGAL NOTICE

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

The general public is hereby informed that the above named INITIATIVE has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE Deceased name and address

Applicant for grant Muhammad Inuwa Ibrahim and Saratu Muhammad Plot 240 Nuhu Tachi Rd, Tunga Minna

Ibrahim Saidu Wushishi FCT high court Abuja Who died on the 3rd January, 2007.

Dated at Abuja this 18th September, 2014. The son and widow of the said

deceased.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Engr. Kola Adeniji 2. Barr. Datta Amachree 3. Engr. Charles Orie 4. Ekwubiri Chinomso Havilah Ogenna 5. Barr. Blessing Balo 6. Dr. Zainab Tambuwal 7. Barr. Frank Omadhebor AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. Youth empowerment.

2. To promote cooperation and integration of African youths in teh context of ‘‘emerging leaders and entrepreneurs’’ so as to raise the standard of living of her people and ensure economic stability of the African continent.

3. To reawaken African consciousness in African youths the world over.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE Deceased name and address

Applicant for grant

Philip Iliya Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja Who died on the 12th January, 2010.

Dated at Abuja this 18th September, 2014. The brother and sister of the said

deceased.

SIGNED: JOAN GREG ESQ nO. 22/23 NSITF PLAZA WUSE 2 ABUJA

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

Samuel Iliya and Kande Iliya Masaka Opposite Market Nasarawa State

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

FRESH ACCORD INITIATIVE INTERNATIONAL

LEGAL NOTICE

MIND THE GAP COMMUNITY & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

The general public is hereby informed that the above named INITIATIVE has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

The general public is hereby informed that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. A-Delaw Av-Placii 2. Orievulu Kingsley Stephen AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To promote the advancement of peace in the society.

2. To cater for the general welfare of the members and the society.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE Deceased name and address Mr. Joshua Aragi University of Abuja Who died on the 27th May, 2014.

Dated at Abuja this 18th September, 2014. The widow and son of the said

deceased.

SIGNED: BARR. NKECHI CHUKWUEMEKA 08037789542

SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

OLUWATOMISIN ORPHANAGE HOMES The general public is hereby informed that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Dr. Oluwatomisin Adewole Abegunde 2. Mrs. Olusesan Abolade Abegunde AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To promote the orphanage homes in the world.

2. To support natural disaster in the country.

3. To promote health delivery within the rural area.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: BARR. IDRIS 080330619247

GRACE

I, formerly known and addressed as GRACE ELEOJO ACHIKWU, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS GRACE REGINA AHUBI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ishaq

I, formerly known and addressed as usman bose zainab, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS ishaq zainab usman. All former documents remain valid. NYSC authority and the general public should take note.

Applicant for grant Mrs Tabitha Joshua guardian to Ayuba Joshua No. 134 University quarter Giri, Abuja

VICTORIA

OLUCHI

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUCHI BLESSING OKOGBUE, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS OLUCHI BLESSING ERONDU. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and the general public should take note.

- Chairman - Secretary

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To promote community and youth development.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: VERA LESLIE 08033901887

SOUTHERN YOUTHS PEACE INITIATIVE

COVENANT FIRE WORLD WIDE MINISTRY

The general public is hereby informed that the above named BODY has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named MINISTRY has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Uchenna Christiana Ikegwuonu 2. Olisa Emeka Anthony 3. Onaku Vitalis Izuchukwu 4. Ikejiofor Emeka Onochie 5. Onwuemene Benedicta Isioma 6. Engr. Emmanuel Chielo 7. Nelly Ime Udoh

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. John Francis Ekene 2. Gabriel Oshomogho Moses 3. Florence Chinyere Ukpe 4. Lucy Oputa 5. Vincent Juliana Praise 6. Joy Isioma Ashinze

- President - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To promote youth participation, good governance, democracy and human rights at the grassroot.

2. To equip young poeple with contemporary job skills for self employment which in turn help to mobilize human, financial and other resources to support community initiatives and projects.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar-general, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

ISIYAKU

I, formerly known and addressed as ATTA NENE HADIZA, now wish to be Known and addressed as ISIYAKU NENE HADIZA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

OLUCHI

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUCHI JENIFER OZOWALA, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS OLUCHI JENIFER AUSTIN-ADESINA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To propagate and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2. To establish local branches for the propagation of the gospel worldwide.

3. To organize outreaches, crusades, seminars, workshops and revival sevices for the works of the gospel.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: BARR. OBINNA AMORHA 08062631263

SIGNED: BARR. EKENE FABIAN APUAMAGA; SOLICITOR

I, formerly known and addressed as VICTORIA NKEM EWERE HERBERT, now wish to be Known and addressed as VICTORIA NKEM EWERE ZEIN. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Tayo Olosunde 2. Olatunji Ajani 3. Korede Olosunde

CALEB

I, formerly known and addressed as CALEB MUSA, now wish to be Known and addressed as CALEB ENOJO OGAKU. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ELEYI

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS FRANCA ELEYI ONOJA now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS FRANCA ELEYI JESSA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

HAUWA

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS HAUWA OYIZA ABDULLAHI, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS HAUWA ABDULLAHI SADIQ. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

adamede

I, formerly known and addressed as idoko anthony agi now wish to be Known and addressed as adamede anthony agi. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CYNTHIA

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS CYNTHIA NNEOMA MANIFESTO IJOMAH, now wish to be Known and addressed as MISS CYNTHIA N. IGBUDU. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

SARAH

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS SARAH OGUGUA NWAKO, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS SARAH OGUGUA ITYAV. All former documents remain valid. United Bank for Africa (UBA), Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Benue State and the general public should take note.

LEADERSHIP FRIDAY

sports PREVIEWS AND NIGERIANS ABROAD September 19, 2014

Okagbare, Manu, Amunike, must watch Others Bag National Awards 2014 NB NDA Golf Tourney

By Salifu Usman, Abuja

African queen of the track and Commonwealth fastest woman, Blessing Okagbare and Flying Eagles coach, Garba Manu have been conferred with national honours of MFR and OON respectively for their outstanding performance. Okagbare won two gold medals for Team Nigeria in both 100m and 200m races at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a time of 10.85, breaking the games record of 10.91 seconds set by Debbie FergusonMcKenzie 12 years earlier at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. She won the gold medal in the 200, with a time of 22.25 seconds. In doing so, she became the fourth woman to win the 100m and 200m double at the Commonwealth Games.

Garba Manu on his part guided Nigeria U-17 men team, Golden Eaglets to lift FIFA U-17 World

Cup trophy for the record four times in UAE. The list of 2013 and 2014 National Honours award released yesterday the federal government, had Nduka Ugbade, Flying Eagles assistant coach, Emmanuel Amunike, Golden Eaglets coach, Emeka Amadi bagging MFR hunour awards respectively while members of the victorious Golden Eaglets players and backroom team staff were conferred with the national honour awards of MON. Falconets midfield, Asisat Oshoala who was the highest scorer and MVP at just concluded FIFA U-20 Women World Cup in Canada was also conferred with MON national honours award alongside Aminat Adeniyi, Abdulazeez Ibrahim, Ese Brume, Loveline Obiji, Maryam Usman, Oduayo Adekuoroye, Oluwatoyin Adesanmiand Paul Kehind who all won gold medals for Team

Holds In Kaduna

Okagbare

Nigeria at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The investitures of the awards on the recipients hold September 29 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria Slumps To 37, 6th In Africa

By Salifu Usman, Abuja

Super Eagles have dropped four places in the latest FIFA world ranking released yesterday to the 37th position in the world and ranked sixth on the continent.

Germany maintains their top spot. Algeria also remaining Africa’s best ranked team in the latest ranking.

The African champions lost ground on the ranking following a disappointing start to the 2015 Cup of Africa Nations qualifiers.

Coach Stephen Keshi’s squad lost 3-2 to Congo in Calabar before playing out a goalless draw with South Africa in Cape Town.

The Eagles are now the sixthranked African side behind Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal. Ghana moved up three places to stay 33rd in the world and fourth in the continent with Senegal onto the 36th spot and fifth in the region. Cameroon also moved up twelve places to 42nd. Even at this leap, they are the eighth highest-ranked African

NIGERIANS ABROAD Aluko Vows To Pick Hull City’s Shirt

Musa Amadu

Top Govt Officials Pressure NFF To Renew Keshi’s Contract

By Salifu Usman, Abuja

Keshi

According to AfricanFootball.com some very powerful government officials are now on their knees begging for Stephen Keshi to stay put as Nigeria coach.

“I can tell you that some very powerful government officials are now begging for Keshi to keep his job.

These include a top security service boss and they have been bombarding the NFF secretariat with directives for Keshi to be given a new contract.”

Reports yet to be confirmed say

No fewer than twenty two clubs would be participating at the 2014 edition of the Nigerian Breweries Plc Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Open Golf Tournament, which tees-off tomorrow at the NDA Golf Club.

This was contained in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP Sports, signed by the Public Affairs Manager (North) NB Plc, Mr. Danjuma John-Ekele.

According to the statement, most of the clubs are from northern Nigeria, from where over 200 golfers are expected.

“The official tee-off comes up by 7am tomorrow and is Mark expected to be done by the “We owe the society Commandant of NDA, Major social General M.I. Idris, accompanied corporate responsibility and there by top management of NB in can be no better way Kaduna, led by the Brewery of expressing this than Manager, Engineer Titus through sports being Ezema,” it stated.

It went on to explain that a unifying factor that plans have been concluded in brings people of different ensuring that the tournament ethnic groups and religions together.” was successful.

that Keshi also enjoys the support of the country’s no.3 and senate president David Mark.

Mark was instrumental in dissuading to return to his post after he sensationally resigned moments after he led Nigeria to a third Africa Cup of Nations last year.

Unfortunately, “the very powerful shots” have met a brick wall to their pleas for Keshi because the secretariat do not have the powers to appoint a coach for the country.

The power to engage a coach rests squarely with the executive

Hull Nigerian striker, Sone Aluko is determined to force his way back into the team after being overlooked this season. The 25-year-old Nigerian has not started any of the club’s four Premier League matches, having been pushed out by the Tigers’ new signings.

“Competition for places is very good. It’s healthy so I’m not against us signing players,” he told BBC Sport.

“I’m not going to run away from that challenge. I’m happy to stay in Hull and fight for my place.”

Hull boss Steve Bruce brought in four new additions on transfer deadline day: Mohamed Diame, Gaston Ramirez, Hatem Ben Arfa and Abel Hernandez and Aluko sees their arrivals as positive

for the club.”I’ve always wanted the best players to play in your team. It improves the standard and improves the quality. It means you’ll most likely win more games. I’ll always be confident that whoever we sign I’ll be able to get in the team and if not, then you don’t.”

Willingness to change is a strength, even if it is means plunging part of the company into total confusion for a while.

Chairman and CEO of General Electric

Jack Welch,

ROUND-UP /71

September 19, 2014

FIFA Order NFF, 31 Other Associations To Return Gifts From Brazil The world governing body, FIFA has ordered national associatio members to return gifts from the Brazilian FA which breached its laws.

Watches worth around €20,000 gifted to 32 national associations by the Brazilian FA (CBF) must be handed to FIFA before October 24, the world governing body has announced.

The Parmigiani timepieces were among a series of smaller gifts handed to representatives of national parties arriving at the World Cup in Brazil this summer, as well as 28 FIFA Executive Committee members and 10 other Conmebol nations.

However, FIFA’s Code of Ethics states that anyone within the Fifa framework

Sepp Blatter

must report any present with more than a “symbolic or trivial value”, and has set a deadline for all 65 watches to be returned within five weeks.

“The CBF should not have offered the watches, and those who received gift bags should have promptly checked whether the items inside were appropriate and, upon discovering the watch, either returned it or... reported the matter to the investigatory chamber,” a FIFA statement read.

“The FIFA code of ethics plainly prohibits such gifts. If in doubt, gifts shall not be offered or accepted. Football officials are expected to be aware of the importance of their duties and concomitant obligations and responsibilities.

Aminu Maigari

Babayaro Makes Case For Iheanacho Ex-International, Celestine Babayaro yesterday in Abuja made a case for the inclusion of Kelechi Iheanacho in the Super Eagles team.

He said that Coach Stephen Keshi should give the Manchester City youngster a chance in the team. Iheanacho was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 2013 Under-17 World Cup after scoring six goals, including one in the final, as Nigeria triumphed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Following his success, he signed a precontract agreement with the Manchester

City FC of England and scored a goal in his debut for the premier league club in a 4-1 pre-season friendly win against Sporting Kansas City in New York.

Babayaro said the former Golden Eaglets player is ripe to be in the Super Eagles team because “he is a special and an exceptional talent. I got into the Super Eagles’ team at a very young age and Iheanacho is a young man who is an outstanding player. I have watched him play and I don’t see any reason why Keshi can’t try him and see what he can offer to the senior national team.”

MX Games finalists posing with judge Nike (1st left), CEO MediaVision Ltd; Fela BankOlemoh (4th from left).

Winners Emerge In Mx Games

The long awaited MediaVision Extreme Games (MX Games) was held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere on Friday, 12th September 2014. The MX Games witnessed participation from twenty-eight (28) athletes from Lagos State and Ogun State competing in Rollerblades, Biking, Mixed Bikes and Unicycle. In the rollerblades event, Ernest Otagharwa of Lucky Stars Skaters Club came first while Tunde Ajiroba also of Lucky Stars Skaters Club came second with Samson Omotosho claiming the third spot.

In the Biking category, Temitope Mathew emerged winner after a grueling

Katsina Govt Hail Spotlights Over 3-0 Win Katsina State government has expressed delight with the performance of Spotlights Football Club over its 3-0 victory against Kwara United in the week-28 of the ongoing Pro-league.

The state commissioner of youth and sports, Aminu Ibrahim Safana stated this while commenting on the team’s victory.

According to him, the state government will continue to provide a conducive atmosphere for the players to excel, adding that with the current form of the team so

Eaglets Recount Sordid Ordeal In Libreville Golden Eaglets’ captain, Kelechi Nwakali and defender Lukman Halilu have been recounting their ordeal in the hands of the Gabonese saying the nasty experience would only emboldened them for the second leg cracker. Halilu said: “The journey from Lagos to Libreville was stressful and we were not happy the way we were treated in Lome when we were ordered out of the flight even after checking in and collected our board pass because we were told the Gabonese did not want us to come for the match. “Even on getting to Libreville, we were warned not to even eat their food because of their hostile nature which we later saw on match day. “The match never came in our favour to the extent that we were robbed because of the bad officiating by the referee and we are equally shocked when the fans started shouting at us and calling us ‘Ebola Nigeria!

Ebola Nigeria!!’

But Nwakali says the Golden Eaglets have put the nightmarish experience behind them as they turn attention to the second leg. “We are going to show Gabon that Nigeria is Under-17 defending champions and not ‘Ebola Nigeria’ as they called us in Libreville,” Nwakali said.

Meanwhile a Nigerian businessman, George Uche, has offered a handsome cash reward to the Golden Eaglets if they win next weekend’s African Under-17 Championship finale qualifying match against Gabon.

Uche does business in the Gabonese capital said he was impressed with the performance of the team despite the odds placed before them before their 1-2 loss to Gabon on Sunday hence the reason behind the dinner reception he hosted before their departure. Apart from doling out $500 to the players, Uche has pledged the sum of One Million French Francs

contest which saw Oriyomi Azeez and Opeyemi Adeniran of Storm Riders Biking Club claiming second and third spots respectively.

The Mixed Bikes event had Fatai Sharafa, Mary Okunola of Dynamic Bikers Club and Akanji Alimat of Storm Riders claiming the top three positions respectively and the Unicycle event was won by Michael Brown of Stag Motion Skating Club. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners won N30, 000, N20, 000 and N15, 000 respectively in each category with over a quarter of a million in total prize money. The next edition of the MX Games will hold later in October 2014.

(about Three Hundred Thousand Naira) to the team should they make good their promise to beat Gabon and pick one of the tickets to Niger 2015 Championship.

Amuneke

far in the league stressing the need for the players to sustain the tempo.

Safana said the club’s management led by Ayuba Umar must be commended for settling players’ entitlements which according to him gingered the players’ moral to do well in the league. But charged the players, technical crew and the club management to redouble their efforts with a view to ensuring that Spotlights pick one of the elite class tickets at the end of the season.

Wozniacki Through In Tokyo Caroline Wozniacki battled into the last eight of the Toray Pan Pacific Open with a 4-6 7-5 6-3 win over Jarmila Gajdosova.

The US Open finalist was not on her best form – being broken five times and serving four double faults – but still did enough to edge out her Australian opponent.

Second seed Wozniacki, who won the event back in 2010, will face No 8 seed Carla Suarez Navarro in the Tokyo quarter-finals.

Spaniard Suarez Navarro was also made to work in the second round but eventually came through to beat Russian qualifier Daria Gavrilova 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn’t know how to get along without it.

Walt Disney, founder and CEO of the Walt Disney Company

AMUSEMENT PARK

boxing is a lot of white men watching two black men beat each other up

— Muhammad Ali

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NIGERIA'S FIRST FRIDAY NEWSPAPER

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hile the rest of the world appears to be going mad, King Mswati III of Swaziland has made peace with his libido. There’s just too much bad news these days and it’s just as well that the king should re-invent his own sanity.

See the headlines and the trendlines. Some are already forecasting that the conflict over Ukraine can only lead to World War III. And just as the guns were going silent after the 51-day war between Israel and Hamas, ISIS has launched a savage attack for a so-called caliphate in Iraq and Syria.

As if that is not enough, Boko Haram is behaving like the other ISIS, a copycat from hell. If you throw Ebola in the mix, then you might agree that bad news has never been so bad.

Under these circumstances, King Mswati has created his own world, a testosterone jungle where virgins are an endangered species. He has reigned in this jungle for 28 years now. Nearly every year since he was installed in 1986, he reinvents his own space, no matter what decent people in his country or the rest of the world think.

Two weeks ago, he did it again. He fetched his 14th wife – a 19-year-old virgin – during the annual Umhlanga or Reed dance at which tens of thousands of young half-naked girls dance publicly for the king.

I don’t know how many nonSwazis put Umhlanga in their summer holiday plan, but the whole point of the festival is not necessarily to attract tourists; it is to feed the king’s libido. So, while President Barack Obama is growing grey hair over ISIS, Prime Minister David Cameron is fighting to keep Scotland and President Goodluck Jonathan is trying to take back his mojo, King Mswati was gunning for Sindi, the 14th jewel to his crown.

19.09.14 The King Invents His Own World The king’s anger is not only reserved for those who challenge his government. He has it coming for those who would not keep their steamy eyes off his sprawling palace

There’s a difference between “Sindi” and the 13 other brides so far captured in the king’s 28-year reign. I don’t know if it’s out of jealousy or sheer bad manners; some people have been speculating that Sindi is not a virgin! One publication even described her as “a party girl used to having fun,” and that “she drinks and smokes a lot and has tattoos on parts of her body I cannot mention.” Worse, the publication speculated that Sindi might have had an affair with two of the king’s sons. I can only hope that the spreaders of such heresy have no plans of travelling anywhere near Swaziland anytime soon.

Unlike Obama who has been criticised for a lack of strategy in the battle on ISIS or Jonathan who has been bashed for his cluelessness, Mswati’s creative juices never ebb. According to a recent report, in May he unilaterally increased his annual budget by 10 per cent to $61million, perhaps, among

other things, to accommodate the fattening-room expenses of the next lucky bride ahead of the Reed dance.

Parliament can do nothing about Swaziland’s royal budget, which also covers expenses for the upkeep of the king’s mother and palace aides.

Mswati must be among the world’s most envied heads of state. Obama has aged so much over his country’s many self-inflicted problems that he now looks like the granddad of the Obama on the flap of the Audacity of Hope. And even closer home to the king, President Jacob Zuma’s government has been so battered by charges of corruption that he is hardly enjoying the fruit of his secondterm victory.

Not so for the king who is in a world of his own.

Like his budget, his conduct cannot be questioned. He is the continent’s last absolute monarch. He keeps journalists

on a leash, forbids the wearing of anything – even berets – that criticize the king, and once suspended the chief judge for “insulting the king”.

The king’s anger is not only reserved for those who challenge his government. He has it coming for those who would not keep their steamy eyes off his sprawling palace.

Four years ago, the justice minister was jailed for casting a roving eye at the king’s 12th wife, while the queen was put under house arrest.

In the king’s world, there’s no place to worry about Boko Haram; there’s nothing called ISIS, and Ebola is a distant affliction. Life, in this testosterone jungle, is all about the next Reed dance, and the next one, and the next one.

But is it, really? And what sort of tradition is this that makes Africa the annual laughing stock of the rest of the world?

Swaziland has 40 per cent unemployment rate and the country’s one million population lives on an average income of less than one dollar a day.

Its HIV/AIDS infection rate is among the highest on the continent, with 64 per cent of all deaths in the country caused by the virus.

Yet, in this same country, the king has personal fortune valued at over $200million and drives a Maybach with television, DVD player, 21-speaker surroundsound system, fridge, cordless telephone and “sterling silver champagne flutes”.

If any Swazis reading this have been following the news about Nigeria from South Africa this week, they would be wondering why the hell I’m dissing King Mswati. Just about 300 kilometres from Mbabane, the Swazi capital, a Nigerianowned airplane arrived in Johannesburg, on September 5, with $9.3million in cold cash, enough to pay the 10 days’ wage of the entire Swazi population.

What has Mswati got to do with it? Or how is he to blame that two weeks after the scandal, there’s been no sensible explanation from Jonathan’s government for the obscene haulage. Even gunrunners in the black market must have a decent threshold. Mswati’s testosterone jungle may be a bad thing, but just look across Africa and tell me if the king is not in good company.

GHANA MUST GO PDP governors endorse Jonathan as sole candidate for 2015

— News

When Will The Bloodshed End? As if we have not had enough bloodshed already, gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram killed over 100 people, including students, in separate attacks across three states on Wednesday. The question is no longer if we

need an all-out war to root out the terrorists.

It is when we are going to arm our troops to do the job and bring the sponsors of Boko Haram to justice, however high and mighty they may be.

That’s brilliant!

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