Daily Times Nigeria Monday, November 21, 2016
APC slams Rivers’ amnesty programme, urges police to trace source of returned arms Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt
ÏÏÏThe Rivers state chapter of the
All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the Amnesty Programme of the Rivers state government as a sham meant to hoodwink Nigerians. The party stated in a statement released on Sunday by the state chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya, that the whole process was stage-managed as the arms being returned under the Amnesty Programme were being turned in by cultists empowered by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to cause insecurity in Rivers State before, during and after the 2015 general elections. The statement made available to our correspondent in Port Harcourt, said: “We have continued to watch the drama where the Amnesty Programme script is being played out by the devious PDP government in the State and its militant wing. We hope that the movie directors in Africa Magic are watching the scenes with a view to adapting them for a blockbuster movie that will send leading movies on the continent to the archives. “The Chairman of the Rivers state Amnesty Committee, Kenneth Chindah, recently stated, while submitting its report to Governor Wike that over 22,000 members of different cult groups have
embraced the amnesty offer of the administration and that his committee observed that cultism is prevalent in all the 23 local government areas of the state.” The APC chairman said that his party was not deceived as it was aware that “the cultists returning arms were the same group of young men equipped and empowered by the PDP leaders in Rivers State to intimidate, maim and
kill opposition figures in the State.” He regretted that the “unholy project has claimed the lives of some leading Rivers State politicians, including over 200 members of APC.” Chief Ikanya further stated that having realised the main aim of employing violence to win the 2015 general elections, the cultists were asked to return their arms and wait for the next gen-
eral elections in 2019. According to him, “some of these dangerous cultists have been encouraged not to surrender their arms and to ensure that the rerun election in the State billed for December 10 should not hold as PDP is not ready for any peaceful rerun election in Rivers State, after which they will join others in another round of amnesty drama.
Some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) displaying placards in appreciation to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Benue State Government after the inauguration and handing over of 100 units of houses constructed for them in Guma, Daudu village, Benue State… at the weekend.
Stanbic IBTC hosts annual Fine Arts and the Acts Event ÏÏÏDeeper insights on the con-
nection between arts and business will be on showcase in Lagos as Stanbic IBTC organizes its annual Fine Arts and The Acts event. The event, slated for Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on November 23, 2016, will feature an arts exhibition. The art exhibition will also feature a wide range of art works from abstract art to photography Contemporary artistes such as Olumide Oresegun, D Okhai Ojeikere, Kainebi Osahenye and Muraina Oyelami will be showing. Others are Jumoke Sanwo, Angela Isiuwe, Gerald Chukwuma, Dipo Doherty
and Olufemi Oyewole.The event is themed‘Inspired by Nigeria’ “Our support for and collaboration with the arts community is designed to drive economic development, inspire creativity and innovation and create the background for the existence of a diverse group of people whose skills and expertise are instrumental in moving society forward,” stated Mrs. Sola David-Borha,Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc. In the same manner that values, tastes, attitudes, social and cultural norms, as well as individual preferences are factors that shape the perspective on which fine art is conceived
and created, David-Borha said the Standard Bank Group, to which Stanbic IBTC belongs, has in its 153 years of existence mastered the art of creating products and services designed to meet the needs of a diverse clientele. Mrs. David-Borha said the forum will provide a platform for business people, bankers, industrialists, entrepreneurs, artists and art enthusiasts and investors to interact,while networking opportunities will be exploited to advance business interests, especially those supportive of the arts community.“By organizing this annual forum, we hope to unlock the opportunities that will help practitioners
to build successful careers and create sustainable development of Nigeria’s arts and entertainment sectors,” Last year’s edition featured paintings by renowned artists, Prof Bruce Onabrakpeya and Victor Ehikhamenoras well as the art collections ofFola Adeola and Adedotun Sulaiman. Celebrated comedians, including Nigeria’s Basketmouth, South Africa-based NdumisoLindi and Patrick Idringi, a.k.aSalvado, Uganda’s foremost humour merchant, joined by a rich parade of artistes, including fast-rising music act, The GirlZ Rule Band, and popular instrumentalists The String Quartet, enlivened the gala night with their astounding performances.
Group congratulates Obaseki, deputy Titus Akhigbe, Benin-city
ÏÏÏ
A social political group, the Owan Integrity Group (OIG), has joined the growing number of groups and individuals sending congratulating messages to the Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, who were sworn-in in Benin penultimate Friday. A release signed by the leader of the group, Hon Johnson Abolagba, says the coming of Obaseki and Shai-
bu is a fine example of continuity in governance and wish the duo a successful tenure. “We at Owan Integrity Group wish to congratulate and felicitate with His Excellencies, Godwin and his deputy, Philip Shaibu for taking over the mantle of leadership in the state. We have no doubt that the pair will build on the developmental strides of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who has changed the face of the state.” Hon Abolagba, a onetime House of Rep Member, and Deputy Governor
aspirant, also urged the new administration to assemble competent hands to help them to succeed. “We know the expectations are high and we believe the new government will meet the high expectation of the people by assembling competent individuals to run the affairs of the state.” In the same vein, the OIG has also welcomed the appointment of Osarodion Ogie as the new Secretary to the State Government. “His appointment is well deserved. I know Barr Ogie very well, he is very through and artic-
ulate. He will bring his vast experience to play in the governance of the state.” The OIG also use “this opportunity to greet the former governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for his service to the people of Edo State. We say thank you our Great Comrade for your stewardship, Edo State people will ever remain grateful to you.” The Owan Integrity Group was formed by likeminded individuals to speak on behalf of the great people of Owan East and West Local Government Areas of the State.
7 News Masturbation affects the brain, impede productivity, clergy warns
ÏÏÏ
The Resident Pastor, Shepherd House Assembly International, Jos, Rev. Paul Ojoh, has said that pornography and masturbation could affect the brain and impede productivity. “Those twin evils could hurt the brain and impede productivity because of the cumulative negative effects of addiction to them,” he stated on Sunday in Jos, during a sermon at the Youth Conference of the Church. In the sermon titled: ‘Dealing with Forces of Addiction’, he noted that a high percentage of youths suffer addiction mostly to pornography and masturbation. “Research has shown that more than 50 per cent of youths are addicted to pornography, while 60 to 90 per cent of adolescent boys and 40 per cent of adolescent girls are addicted to masturbation. “These addictions are sins against nature; the right hemisphere of the brain functions in facilitating creativity and inventions and a portion of the brain called ‘cingulate codex, is responsible for moral and ethical decisions. “So, when you feed your brain with masturbation and pornographic materials, it impedes your productivity and affects the efficiency of your brain which is designed to perform the task of creativity and invention’’, he explained. Ojoh said that the remedy to such addictions was acknowledging that addicts could not fight the battle of emancipation alone, and therefore required divine intervention to see them through. “Addicts of masturbation must admit that they cannot overcome their battles alone. They must accept that it is only possible with the divine intervention of God. “It is important you avoid anything that triggers such addictions; these are things that you see and read that pollute your mind towards it like movies, magazines and places “ You must renew your mind and feed it with the word of God to fight addictive materials that have occupied the space of your mind. “Addicts should also seek counsel from people of integrity, who will counsel them and monitor them through their recovery process,’’ he said. He said that addictions could also enslave a man, put him in bondage and regulate the lifestyle of the affected person or persons, which could subjugate potentialities. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the clergy, who defined addiction as a repeated habit which becomes a lifestyle, mentioned other negative addictions to include the internet, food, sex, alcohol, amongst others. The youth conference featured comedies, drama plays and special renditions from the Choir.