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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Event
Photos By
Fidelis Isibor
•Cutting of National Weekender’s cake by management staff
HURRAY!
National Weekender Is 2 •CEO Ben Alaiya (m) flanked by Brila’s Jide Ojo and Vanguard’s Tony Ubani
•As SportsDay Celebrates 7 Years LAST week Saturday was a blast for the management and staff of SportsDay Printing and Publishing, owners of Sportsday Newspaper and National Weekender Newspaper, as National Weekender Newspaper prided for having a passion for truth, objectivity and decorumcelebrated its 2nd year anniversary in the journalism
industry. The event which drew fans and ardent readers of the sports frontier as well as notable personalities of the sports industry as well as the media. Also, SporstDay Newspaper was not left out of the celebration as the newspaper turned 7 years in the industry amidst lots of cheers and hopefulness.
•National Weekender team
•L-R: Engr. Duru, Tony Ubani and Advert manager, Rosemary Ugiomoh •Tony Ubani having a chat with an agent
•Cutting of SportsDay’s cake by management staff
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Weekender’s Babe
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
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Okowa Urges Churches To Sponsor Pilgrims By OYE CHIJIOKE, Asaba DELTA State Governor, Senator, IfeanyiOkowa has urged churches and wealthy Nigerians to sponsor the spiritually inclined but poor citizens on pilgrimages to the holy land. Governor Okowa who made the call recently when the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr. John Opara led management team of the commission on a courtesy visit to the government house, Asasbastated that given the current economic downturn in the country, there was the need for churches to take up the gauntlet and convince their well-to-do members to sponsor other members on pilgrimages. According to him, “If we begin to encourage this, it will have positive impacts on our society.There is a lot of scramble for government sponsorship for pilgrimages, even among those who can afford it, we need to look for other ways to fund pilgrimages, we want to direct our resources to the poor in the society and encourage the rich to sponsor the less endowed members of the society, this will free government from the huge money it is spending on pilgrimages.” He advised members of the public to take advantages of the family pilgrimage as it was both spiritually and morally rewarding and “gives them the opportunity to have time with their family and seek the face of God” The governor commended Mr. Opara on the various innovations he has introduced to Christian pilgrimage in the country, especially the family and youth pilgrimages and the skill acquisition programme stating, “You have taken Christian pilgrimage beyond what it was before you came in as the Executive Secretary”. Earlier, MrOpara had told the Governor that four different pilgrimages have been introduced by the Commission for Nigerians to avail themselves of the opportunity to seek the face of God while engaging in other activities that will be beneficial to them and the country. He described Governor Okowa as a “very reliable individual one can always trust,” and commended him for his interest in encouraging pilgrims to the holy land. Okpara disclosed that efforts are on to reduce the burden of sponsorship of pilgrims on government.
Benin King Maker’s Death Stalls Oba’s Burial Rites By EMIKO BAKE
EDITOR’S NOTE:
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Name:
Omolayo Olosunde
Phone:
08108687689
Hobby:
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Turn On: Honesty Turn Off: Pretence
AFTER months of speculations about the demise of the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Omo N’oba n'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa I, we can exclusively inform that, the great monarch, who has been reported to have “gone into Savanah” may not return as his heir apparent is being traditionally girded for the exalted West African Kingdom’s Throne. “Indeed, the king passed in, but in Benin tradition, we do not use the word – dead for our kings; rather, we say gone into the savannah,” another son of the soil explained to us. However, we gathered from our impeccable source that, the traditional burial date and befitting rites, preparatory to the Monarch’s joining his Ancestors cannot be fixed, following the death of the Iyama of Benin, one of the seven Benin Kingdom’s King Makers. According to our source, “there are seven king makers, who must be traditionally present at the coronation of the new Oba. But now that one of the seven king makers has passed on, neither the gone Oba can be laid to join his ancestors, nor a successor enthroned; again, the dead Iyama must as demanded by tradition, be committed to Mother Earth before the Oba. Next week has been slated for his burial “and that spells that, only after then, that we can start talking about ‘the gone ‘Lion’ and the coming “Lion,” he divulged “We have since commenced the required traditional rites for his passage and will be announced that he has gone to be with our ancestors by next month (September),” he added. Oba Erediauwa I was born in 1923. Before being crowned, he was known as Prince Solomon, Aiseokhuoba, Igbinoghodua Akenzua. He attended Government College, Ibadan (1939–1945), then Yaba College, before going to King's College, Cambridge to study Law and Administration. He joined the Eastern Nigeria Civil Service in 1957 as a District Officer, later moved to the Federal Civil Service where he retired as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health in 1973. He was for a brief period, the regional representative of Gulf Oil. In 1975 he was appointed Commissioner for Finance in Bendel State during the Military Administration of Major-General George Agbazika Innih. Ascending throne on 23 March 1979, he celebrated his 30th anniversary in 2009. During this period, he on several occasions and, times acted as a peace-maker between politicians.
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
News
Senate Sets Up Committee On Aviation Repositioning THE senate has set up an adhoc committee on aviation in order to reposition the ailing sector. This arose as a result of a motion brought before it by Senator BalaIbnNa’Allah titled the worrisome and unstable position of the Nigerian Aviation Industry. The upper chamber noted that there is near crisis in the aviation sector with domestic airlines requesting for bail out. It further noted that there had been interventions by past governments which granted bail outs to some domestic airlines. Unfortunately, the red chamber frowned at the misuse of such funds, which further deepened the crisis in the sector. It resolved to undertake a holistic investigation of the circumstances militating against the healthy growth of the sector.
Pensioners’ Verification Will Expose Ghost Workers – Union MR. BunmiOgunkolade, the Senior Assistant General Secretary, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, has said the verification of pensioners slated for September across
We Don’t Have Subsidy In Nigeria, We Have Hedge –Sanusi THE Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammad Sanusi, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to plug revenue leakages in the country if he must make headway in his war against corruption. Sanusi, a former CBN governor maintained that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation had been a drain pipe of the Nigerian economy for a long time. He stated this in Lagos at ‘the Federal Government Budget Symposium’ organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. The emir was the royal father of the day at the event titled ‘Come Nigeria – The nation’s fiscal challenges and way forward for the new administration.’ He said, “No matter how good your budget is, if you cannot do simple things like track your oil revenue, you cannot meet the basic government’s obligations to the citizens. “Before the government goes borrowing, they need to find out why revenue is so low, given that our GDP is supposed to be high”. He also faulted the NNPC’s swap of crude oil, saying that the country had always been on the losing side in the deal. “Nobody does swaps unless country like Iran when it is under economic sanctions and can’t sell its oil at the international market or may be your crude is of very low quality,” he said. The emir added that the country was not actually subsidizing the
price of petroleum products, but was only hedging it, adding that the oil subsidy was structured in a way that could give a lot of room for manipulation. “Anybody who knows economics
knows what subsidy and hedging are. We don’t have subsidy, we have hedge,” he added. According him, there was no way the country could win with this hedging.
the country, will go a long way to expose ghost workers. Ogunkolade said in Abuja that the exercise would help the Federal Government to block unnecessary wastage. He said the verification would be done simultaneously across the country, adding that all pensioners would have to appear with their documents in their various states. According to him, “all pensioners will come and do their fingerprints along with necessary documents to show that, they were once staffers of the claimed ministries, agencies or departments of government. He said that the exercise was scheduled to commence in September due to the large number of retired civil servants as against
Aregbesola Shuns Ooni’s Burial For Lagos Meeting OSUN State Governor, OgbeniRaufAregbesola, was on absent at the interdenominational service held for the late Ooni of Ife, Oba OkunadeSijuwade. The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. MoshoodAdeoti, said the governor was unavoidably absent because he was invited to Lagos for a very urgent meeting. The governor eulogized the late monarch for his contributions toward
Girl-child Education Key To Reducing VVF, Maternal Mortality In Nigeria —UNFPA
the promotion of Yoruba culture. He said the late monarch sent a text message to him before he travelled abroad for medical attention and committed him and the state government into the continuous guidance of God. The governorship candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in the August 9, 2014 governorship election, Senator IyiolaOmisore, who is a prominent son of Ife, attended the ceremony.
Ex-MEND Leaders Back Boroh Over Amnesty Beneficiaries Probe
FOREMOST Leaders of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) threw their weight behind the ongoing probe and verification exercise being conducted by the chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Implementation Committee,
Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh into the number of ex-militant benefiting from the Amnesty programme of the Federal Government. The ex-MEND leaders, led by the former second in command, Dr. Ebikabowei Victor-Ben, also known as
the para-military, which had already started. “The civilian pensioners are higher in number and that is why our own is taking this long,” he said. Ogunkolade said that retired police officers had concluded their verification, the Army, Navy, Air force and other para-military would soon commence theirs. The secretary said those, who lost their documents should not entertain any fear as the situation would be considered and rectified. He said that they would be expected to swear to an affidavit, to give strength to their claims. “There were people who got employed in the 60s; those people can claim not to have any document but those who got jobs in the 80s cannot make such claim.” He said the verification would ensure a stable database for all civil servants in the country, to enhance
BoyLoaf, said though some groups had expressed concerns over the verification exercise, the probe would help sanitize and strengthen the programme, as well as out issues of inclusion of those purportedly disarmed under the third phase of the programme.
THE United Nations Fund For Population Activities (UNFPA) has said that the girl-child education is key to reducing increasing cases of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) in Nigeria. MsRatidzaiNdhlovu, UNFPA Country Representative in Nigeria said at a news briefing in Sokoto that Nigeria must invest more in the education of the girlchild to address the problem. She said that education would have a multiplier effect on the girl-child’s perception of life, wellbeing and general societal development.“To educate a woman, you educate a nation and the education of women is crucial in improving the disturbing health statistics in Nigeria,” she said. “With more educated women, the chances are that more children will be enrolled in schools, as the women are their custodians.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Crime
Buhari’s Hammer Of Justice:
Whose Heads Bear it? By STEPHEN AYA AS the days go by, there seems to be nowhere to hide anymore for looters and corrupt corrup individuals as Nigeria goes to war against corruption. The country’s leader, President Th Muhammadu Buhari has Mu as assured Nigerians of his co commitment to fighting ccorruption and making those found guilty face the music, fo regardless of position or re political affiliation. po President Buhari recently announced tha,t he will ann probe the immediate past p administ adminis s ration of President Goodlucck Jonathan. But this move is seen in some quarters as selective Justice, because according to them, such ac probe pr should be extended to past p administrations before Presiden P t Jonathan came on Board. B The issue is not which, where wh or when to start the antianti corruption war, the question quest is how long it will last,
and if free hand will be given to all our anticorruption agencies likethe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to properly investigate cases and bring substantial evidence to the court so as to secure convictions of suspects. President Buhari, speaking via his spokesman Garba Shehu, has assured that he will not interfere with any of such investigations. According to Garba “we affirm that having made his zero tolerance for corruption clear to all and sundry, President Muhammadu Buhari does not micro-manage or interfere in the daily work of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies”.He affirmed. Furthermore, success on this war will depend on the Court, where Judges and lawyers hold sway. Take for example thecomprehensive report of the House of Representatives on the oil subsidy mega-scam of 2011 in which the names of all those who had wrongfully and illegally benefitted from the scam were published, together with the astronomical sums that each of them had looted. Unfortunately, for four years now,
these cases have remained in various law courts in our land because, they (looters) have tied up the cases pertaining to their prosecution by all manner of so-called “interlocutory injunctions” and “stay of execution” writs. And no single kobo have been recovered from any of them. The question however is what can be done to expedite persecution of corrupt individuals. Renowned lawyer Professor Itse Sagay(SAN), has called for the amendment of some laws in order to further strengthen the court in the prosecution of corrupt persons. He said “There is a need to amend our laws to strengthen the state at the expense of individual liberty at least for a short while, if we are to get to redemption point. All legal provisions permitting preliminary objections to prosecutions for corruption must be repealed from our laws. The power of any court to issue an order of injunction against a trial for a crime, particularly corruption, should be repealed. Interlocutory applications, in cases concerning corruption, should be banned.” He advocated. Chief Femi Falana was more open when he was quoted in a newspaper to have said that the enabling acts have now been
enacted by the National Assembly and that all that is required now, is for the bills to be forwarded to President Buhari for them to be signed and made into effective laws. “While the decision of the Federation (sic) Government not to interfere in the work of the anti-graft agencies is a welcome development, the National Assembly should forward to President Buhari for his assent the Witness Protection Bill and the Whistle Blowers’ Bill. The National Assembly deserves commendation for enacting both laws together with the Administration of Justice, 2015. Under the new Act, the granting of stay of proceedings and other delay tactics have been banned in the trial of criminal cases. Accordingly, a criminal trial shall be concluded within 6 months unless there are exceptional circumstances which may prolong any trial beyond that period. Indeed, the elevation of trial judges to the Court of Appeal will no longer lead to fresh trial before other judges as judges will be given the fiat to conclude part heard matters.” Falana added If all these legal loophole is truly taken care of, then the ground can be said tobe set for a major war against corruption in Nigeria.
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Crime
Idi-Iroko Customs Intercept N39m Goods By STEPHEN AYA THE Headquarters Monitoring Team Idi-roko axis, of the Nigeria Customs, have intercepted goods Valued at over thirty nine million, fifty four thousand, five hundred naira N39,054,500.00), between 31st July and 1st August, 2015. This declaration was made by the team’s Co-cordinator, Deputy Comptroller Yahaya Usman Biri, while chatting with some newsmen recently in his office. He stated that the first seizure was on 31st July, 2015 at about 0410hrs on the Lagos-Shagamu Expressway while on an information patrol. The Coordinator said that his team trailed the product, which came from unapproved routes. He added that the consignment was loaded in a DAF truck with registration number XS 250 KTU and declared that two (2) suspects, one Mr. Maruf Bello and Pastor Ajayi Joshua were arrested at the point of interception and have been detained in the Nigeria Customs Service facility at Ikeja for further interrogation. He put the Duty paid Value of the consignment at three million, nine hundred thousand
naira (N3, 900,000.00) only. In the same vein, he reported that his team at 2140hrs of Saturday August 1st 2015 intercepted five (5) brand new Toyota Corolla cars (2015 models) along the same Lagos Shagamu Expresswaywhile acting on intelligence. He stated that the five (5) 2015 models of Toyota Corolla cars has a duty paid value of thirty five million, one hundred and fifty four thousand, five hundred naira (35,154,500.00) only; thus bringing the duty paid value of the two (2) seizures to thirty nine million, fifty four thousand, five hundred naira (N39,054,500.00) only. Responding to questions from reporters on the position of rice in the tariff, Deputy Comptroller Yahaya Usman Biri stated emphatically that importation of rice is not prohibited, but that its importation is restricted to the seaports only at a duty and levy of 10% and 60% respectively. He stated that smugglers will have a hectic moment with them in the days ahead following the fine-tuning and re-jigging of their operational modalities in conjunction with other customs formations.
Police Warn Residents As Seven Drown In Bauchi THE Bauchi State Police Command has raised the alarm over increasing cases of drowning in the state.It said seven persons had so far drowned within two months. Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, who stated this in a statement on Thursday, in Bauchi, said the seven deaths occurred in five cases within the past 52 days. Mohammed added, “It has come to the knowledge of Bauchi State Police Command that of recent, cases f drowning are on the increase in the state and is causing concern to the command. “Available statistics so far revealed that between June 21 and August 12, 2015, over five cases of drowning have been reported from various locations across the state. “As a result, seven victims were confirmed dead; they include three from River Yuguda; one each from River Kirfi, Alkaleri, Zara in Ganjuwa and Yelwa respectively.” The PPRO warned the general public to stay away from river banks and urged parents to monitor their children and wards to desist from swimming in rivers and streams so as
to save their lives. He assured the public of the command’s commitment to providing safe and secured environment in the state. “In view of the above, members of the public, especially those unable to swim, are advised to stay away from river bank/streams or open drainage usually flooded with water during this period of rainy season. “Parents are equally urged to monitor and warn their children as well from going to the river/streams to swim because, apart from risking their lives, they will also be exposed to water borne diseases,” he warned.
Nigerian Bags 22 Years In US Prison By STEPHEN AYA
•Lawal Babafemi
A 35 year old Nigerian man, Lawal Babafemi was sentenced to 22 years in prison by a US court in Brooklyn on Wednesday August 12th 2015 for receiving weapons training from al Qaeda's Yemeni affiliate and writing rap lyrics, among other contributions, for the group's English-language media operations. Lawal ,who was extradited to the US from Nigeria after he was accused of the crime, pleaded
Extradition: Judge Berates Counsel For Shielding Minting Boss JUSTICE Valentine Ashi of the FCT High Court sitting in Apo on Wednesday, August 12, 2015 expressed his dissatisfaction at what he believes to be a deliberate delay tactics on the part of counsel for Emmanuel Ehidiamhem Okoyomon, former Managing Director of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPMC, whose extradition to the United Kingdom, UK, has been ordered by a Federal High Court, Abuja. Okoyomon's extradition is being sought by the UK government over his alleged role in the bribery allegation involving officials of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the NSPMC and Securency International Pty of Australia between 2006 and 2008. Justice Ashi had at the last sitting on August 5, 2015 fixed August 12, 2015 for hearing on the preliminary objection raised by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, to the bail application brought by Okoyomon’s counsel, Mike Enaharo. Enaharo had approached the Court to challenge Okoyomon’s continued incarceration at Kuje Prisons, accusing the Deputy Comptroller in-charge, Medium Security Prison, Kuje and the Attorney General of the Federation of denying Okoyomon of his right to personal liberty.
The Deputy Comptroller was absent in court, on August 5, 2015, despite being ordered by the court to appear that day. He had sent in a letter, stating that Okoyomon was being held at the prison by virtue of a remand order by the Court of Appeal. The letter and the action of the prison officer, however, angered the judge, who subsequently ordered that he present himself in court today. At the resumed sitting today, Muslim Hassan, representing the AGF, apologized on behalf of the prison officer, who was also present in court. “They acted based on the legal advice from their prison legal services, and they are remorseful for whatever the action may have caused,” Hassan said. However, Justice Ashi, a vacation judge, found himself in a tight corner, as his intention to hear the preliminary objection raised by the AGF to Okoyomon’s bail application with the aim of speeding up the case, could not go on as planned, as the defence counsel further brought a counter-affidavit and a written address, which the prosecuting counsel told the court that he was not privy to before the sitting. The judge, while adjourning the case till August 24, 2015, for definite hearing, urged the counsel to avoid engaging in delay tactics with regards to the case.
guilty to the allegations in April 2014, but was only sentenced yesterday According to prosecutors, Lawal had traveled from Nigeria to Yemen twice between January 2010 and August 2011 to meet with leaders of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, known as AQAP and while in Yemen, Lawal who goes by a pseudo name "Ayatollah Mustapha", worked on the terror group’s media operations unit, including its magazine "Inspire,". He and two others, a Vietnamese man named Minh Quang Pham and US citizen, Samir Khan served as contributing writers and editors for the terror group magazine, and also produced it. Prosecutors say there are pictures of Lawal and his accomplices in the magazine wearing camouflage and holding rifles. It was also stated by the Prosecutors that the group's leadership, including Anwar alAwlaki, paid Lawal almost $9,000 to recruit English speakers from Nigeria.
Man Batters Wife To Blindness By STEPHEN AYA THE police at Ikotun division have arrested and charged one Paul Uduozor before an Ejigbo Magistrates’ court for allegedly beating his wife which resulted in her blindness. The suspect, had allegedly battered his wife, Faith, and in the process damaged her eyes. The victim’s eyes’ lenses were damaged and she can no longer see with both eyes. The incident happened at 6, Oloro Street, off Akani Street, Abaranje, Ikotun, where they reside. The matter was reported to the police by neighbours and Paul was arrested and charged to court for the alleged offence. He however pleaded not guilty. The matter was adjourned till August 31st.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Politics
Bayelsa Guber 2015: Cloud Gathers Over Treasure Base By FRANCIS OGBONNA AHEAD of the Bayelsa gubernatorial election, slated for December 5, political activities within the acclaimed “Treasure Base of the Nation” appear to be gaining momentum. Despite the fact that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not yet lifted the ban on political campaigns, political gladiators have not failed to use every available and non-political forum to seek for vote for themselves or their cronies. Also, while preparations for party primaries are under-way, aspirants, especially those of the two major political parties-the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party in desperate attempts to achieve their political ambition are beginning to align, with some of them re-aligning with certain camps within the state that they had long been at war with. In fact, recently the state has seen mass defection by PDP bigwigs into the APC, following the major loss suffered by the PDP at the last general elections, and in
particular the Presidential poll. A typical example is a former chairman of Niger-Delta Development Commission, Timi Alaibe, a long time ally of the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and a card- carrying member of the PDP jumping ship to the ruling APC. Most of the State Assembly members and former aides of former Governor Timipre Sylva have also started returning to the APC so as to realign with their boss. Rumours also are rife that the self-styled Governor-General of the Ijaw nation and first civilian Governor of the state, Chief D.S.P Alameiseigha, who is also said to be interested in contending for the keys to the ‘Creek Haven’ government house, has finalized plans to move to the APC. According to political analysts, these opposite movements is attributable to the fact that the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson have been able to leverage on the power of incumbency to establish himself as the party leader of the state, more so following the defeat of the former president. It is against this backdrop,
that observers say the December contest would be between against Governor Dickson and whoever emerges the APC flagbearer. However, some commentators opine that the incumbent’s biggest opposition at the forthcoming polls is not who the APC will present as candidate at the elections, but the former first lady of the federation, Dame Patience Jonathan and by extension the former number one citizen of the country. Governor Dickson and the first family had long been in bitter enmity, with the rift assuming another dimension since after the Jonathan’s loss at the March 28th polls. According to commentators, Jonathan’s loss only aggravated the issue, because a win for Dickson at the state’s guber elections would mean the Jonathans going into political extinction. The crack between Dame Jonathan and his former political godson, which led to the resignation of the former as Permanent Secretary in the State’s Ministry of Education, alongside 10 other aides of Dickson, according to a source in the Government House began after the latter
refused to grant the serving Senators representing the three zones within the state automatic tickets, thereby facilitating their trouble-free return to the upper legislative house, but instead insisted on them going through primaries. The Senators, who like Dickson, had been hand-picked by Jonathan, in protest lodged their complaints with the President, who apart from advising the Governor against following through with his plans, was angry Dickson had not carried him along in his schemes. Tension further increased, when Dame Patience Jonathan as part of her plans to maintain control over the government, requested that Dickson sacked all his Commissioners, replacing them with the names on a list she had provided; which the Governor did not agree too. To punish the incumbent, Dame Jonathan lined up a replacement for Dickson in the person of the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Matters, Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa. She intended to use the influence she enjoyed as the wife of the
President (if her husband had been re-elected) to impose him as the sole party candidate for the PDP at the state. Nevertheless, following the defeat suffered by her party at the centre, she had since dumped Dudafa, for Alaibe, who she had sanctioned his defection to APC. According to commentators, she reckoned that Dudafa was a small fry politically compared with Dickson, unlike Alaibe, who be virtue of having used his office as NDDC Chairman to favour the north, should be able to get some prominent people within that region to prevail on Buhari to append his candidacy. However, after discovering that Alaibe was not popular with Bayelsa people, Dame Jonathan decided to pitch tent now with the former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Silva, who her family had long been at daggers-drawn with. Analysts opine that though Dame Jonathan knows that she may not be able to exercise control over Silva, if he eventually wins, she would rather put at his disposal, all her political machinery, instead of having Dickson re-elected.
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Politics
PDP Leaders Dismiss Metuh’s Sack By OGUNOJEMITE AYODELE
• Chief Olisa Metuh
THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Anambra South Senatorial District of Anambra State, has debunked reports in some media claiming that the party spokesperson, Chief OlisaMetuh has been sacked. This was contained in a statement issued on Friday which stated that, the purported suspension did not emanate from either Otolo Ward 1, or any of the Wards and LGA in Anambra South Senatorial District and not from PDP Anambra State maintaining that it was the handiwork of agents of All Progressive Congress (APC) in their desperate attempts to bring down at all cost the Leader of PDP in
Anambra State, Chief OlisaMetuh. They challenged the authors of the stories to publish the names and signatures of the elected PDP Ward, LGA and State officers that signed the false and malicious resolution. According to the statement, the position already taken by the Anambra State PDP captured in the resolution signed by all the PDP current and serving members of the National Assembly from Anambra State, the State Caucus and the State Executive Committee, as published on page 42 of Saturday SUN newspaper of August 8, 2015, and page 103 of Sunday THISDAY newspaper of August 9, 2015, respectively, whereby they unanimously passed vote of implicit confidence on Chief OlisaMetuh, is irrevocable while maintaining that
Saraki To NASS Workers: Shun Corruption, Inefficiency SENATE President, Bukola Saraki has charged the workers of the National Assembly to shun corruption and inefficiency in the discharge of their duties. Saraki stated this when the leadership of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), National Assembly chapter, visited him in Abuja. The Senate President acknowledged that the workers were key to the success of the 8th Senate, saying that the upper chamber under his leadership would continue to make issues of staff
welfare a top priority. He said that while the Senate is ready to provide the conducive environment necessary for the staff to deliver on their mandate, the Senate in turn expect managers of its bureaucracy to reciprocate the gesture through hard work and dedication to their duties. Saraki said: “I want to also urge you to tell your members, particularly in this time of change that we have all fought hard for that ushered in the new government during the last elections that we must change from ways things were done in the past.
Lalong Reinstates Sacked Varsity VC, Appoints Jega Pro-Chancellor THE Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, has reconstituted the GoverningCouncil for the Plateau State University, Bokkos, with the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, as chairman. The governor also reinstated thesacked Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Danjuma Sheni. In a statement by the Director of Press Affairs, Mr. Emmanuel Nanle, the governor named other members of the council, whose appointment, he added took effect from August, 14, 2015. Other members of the Council are Chief Samuel G. Mafuyai (Central Zone), Prof. Rahila Gowon (Central Zone), Chief James Barry (Northern Zone), Chief Musa G. Izam (Northern Zone), Prof. Seddi Sebastine Maimako (Southern Zone), Mr. Zingfa D. Galam (Southern Zone), National Universities Commission (representative), and PLASU Registrar/Secretary to Council. Other agencies to be represented on the council are Ministries, Agencies and Organisation are as provided for in the extant law establishing the
university. In the same vein, the Lalong has reaffirmed the appointment of the pioneer and current chancellor of the University, the Soun of Ogbomosho Land, Oba Jimoh Oladunni Ajegundade III.
We must avoid bureaucratic delays, we must avoid inefficiencies and we must shun corrupt practices. “These things are important. It is important for us to accept that things cannot be done the way it used to be. We will do our best to give you conducive and enabling environment so that the hardship that some of you are going through will be reduced and in return, we will expect productivity, we will expect that things be done differently.” The Senate President added that the 8th Senate is determined to work hard and that the unalloyed support of the workers is needed to enable it succeed. He said: “More importantly, please go back and charge your colleagues that we must work very hard to bring result to the great people of Nigeria that are yearning for change and as you do that, I am sure that what you need for your own welfare will be addressed,” Saraki stated. Earlier, the Chairman of the National Assembly branch of PASAN, Comrade Bature Musa, said the emergence of Saraki as the Senate President has been of great blessing to all members of the union.
Police To Build 6,000 Houses Nationwide THE Police on Friday said it will build 6,000 houses for inspectors and other lower rank officers in its efforts to improve staff welfare. The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of logistics and supply, Mamman Tsafe, announced this in Gusau during a visit to the Police in Zamfara State. Tsafe noted that the initiative was from the present Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase. He said it was unfortunate that a police officer would spend 35 years in service without owning a house. Tsafe stated that Arase was ever ready to mobilize the police technical and financial resources to produce houses at very cheap and affordable prices for the officers. “We will soon come back for the ground breaking of more than 6,000 houses to be
given to inspectors and other rank and file. “We already know how many Inspectors and other officers are in each state. The ground-breaking of the projects will be done in each geopolitical zone by DIGs, while the commissioners of police will do it in their respective states,” Tsafe said. He assured that salaries and other benefits due to personnel would henceforth be regular so as to guard against corruption destroying the image of the police. Tsafe said all these measures were to boost the morale of the officers, warning that anybody found involved in any form of corrupt practice would be severely dealt with. Commissioner of Police in the state, Olufemi David, while welcoming the DIG, said the command had been doing its best to provide security for residents.
no amount of blackmail, harassment and intimidation from the APC can deter and distract Metuh from the ongoing task of rebuilding, remobilization and repositioning of PDP to reclaim Anambra State in the forthcoming elections. They pledged their unreserved loyalty and support to the Chairman of PDP in Anambra State, Crown Prince Ken Emeakayi, the Leader of PDP in Anambra State, Chief OlisaMetuh, the PDP National Vice Chairman (South East) Chief Austin Akobundu, the Acting National Chairman Prince UcheSecondus, and members of the National Working Committee of our great Party, the PDP.
Politicians Task INEC On Violence-Free Kogi Guber Election SOME politicians have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure it remained the unbiased umpire in the conduct of the upcoming Kogi gubernatorial election. The election is scheduled to hold on Nov. 21. In an interview with National Weekender in Lagos, the politicians noted that the only way to guarantee free, fair and transparent election would be for INEC to remain the unbiased arbiter. The Lagos State Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Mr.OlatunjiShelle, urged INEC to see itself as the unbiased mediator. “INEC should see itself as an unbiased umpire for the election to be hitch and violence-free. “The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) should be above board and all electoral materials should be kept intact and distributed in time to avoid hitches and delays. “The police and the Department of State Security Service (DSS) have to ensure that `thuggery’ and violence are prevented.They should not allow people to infiltrate from other states to participate in the election”. Shelle also said that Card readers should be used and made to function optimally. A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Kano State Chapter, Alhaji Musa
Umar, enjoined INEC to show commitment in the conduct of a free and fair election, devoid of bias. “History of elections in Nigeria has shown Kogi state to be prone to political violence. INEC should propagate violencefree election in Kogi”. Umar, then, called on INEC to join forces with the law enforcement agencies to ensure secure environment for the conduct of a peaceful election. Rev. Austin Nnorom, the Publicity Secretary of Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, SouthWest Chapter, urged INEC to avoid delays in the display of voters register. “We expect early display of voters register to ensure that people are not disenfranchised from voting in Kogi. The Nigerian populace expect INEC to have consistent improvements in our electioneering process. “We expect that this election will not be marred by any form of irregularity; that will not be accepted by the Nigerian people’’. Nnorom, then, appealed to INEC to update all electoral materials, including the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC). Dr. YunusaTanko, a former National Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council, advised that the issue of voters register be promptly addressed to eliminate hitches. “A lot of things need to be put on ground; the issue of voters register would need to be updated and displayed in good time.
APC Cautions Sultan, Oritsejafor, Kukah, Others On Corruption TWO days after the National Peace Committee met with President Muhammadu Buhari and cautioned him on the probe of the immediate past administration, the president’s party has risen in his support. The ruling All Progressives Congress, in seeming reference to the committee members, asked opinion leaders to ensure that their actions and utterances do not give comfort to those who looted the commonwealth of the country. Some members of the peace committee, headed by former military ruler, AbdulsalamAbubakar, include the Sultan of Sokoto,
Sa’adAbubakar; the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ayo Oritsejafor; and prominent Catholic cleric, Matthew Kukah. Speaking after the committee met Mr. Buhari, Mr. Kukah said although the leaders were not in support of corruption, they were worried about the process. “I think what we are concerned about is process,” he said. “It is no longer a military regime and, under our existing laws, everybody is innocent until proven guilty. “Again, our own commitment is not to intimidate or fight anybody. The former President’s commitment and what he did still
remains spectacular and I think that President Buhari himself appreciates that.” However, on Thursday, the APC, in a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, warned against any attempt to truncate the ongoing fight against corruption in the country. It expressed total support for President Buhari’s determination to end the scourge in the country. It appealed to all Nigerians, especially opinion leaders, to ensure that their actions and utterances do not give comfort to those who looted the commonwealth of the country. “Our party promised Nigerians
change, but the change that we promised and which Nigerians desire so much cannot be achieved if we allow the resources that belong to all Nigerians to be appropriated by a few. “How do we upgrade our decayed infrastructure and provide jobs for our people when the money meant for that has been embezzled by a few? “President Buhari has promised to break the vicious cycle of corruption that has held Nigeria down. “How can he do that if he allows those who have looted the treasury to escape justice, and then use their ill-gotten wealth to fight the
government? “How can he do that if he turns a blind eye to the monumental cases of corruption in all sectors? “We know that fighting corruption in a society where the cankerworm has eaten deep into its fabric will not be easy. We know that corruption will always fight back. “But there is no other choice than to confront and destroy this monster once and for all, lest it destroys Nigeria,” it said. The party said the President’s sincerity of purpose could be seen from his statement that any of his party members who was found to be corrupt would not escape justice.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Editorial
9
Jonathan’s Probe, Good Riddance But No Gagging THE media, early last week, was awashed with the news of the commencement of the total probe of the former President Jonathan-led administration, by the incumbent. According to reports, as part of President Muhammadu Buhari government’s anticorruption drive, the National Economic Council, NEC, Adhoc Committee on the Management of Excess Crude Account Proceeds and Accruals into the Federation Account, headed by the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, is to hire two international forensic audit firms to probe revenue that accrued into the Federation Account and how it was spent while Dr. Jonathan served as President. This probe marks the beginning of the fulfilment of the vow the President had made before assuming office that, earlier in April he will probe the $20 billion alleged missing from the
coffers of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Recall that the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Sanusi Lamido, had alleged that the $20 billion made from the sale of Nigeria’s crude oil by the NNPC, could not be accounted for. Mr. Sanusi, who was later crowned the Emir of Kano after the death of Ado Bayero, the former emir, was promptly sacked from the CBN after he made the allegation. Expectedly, this news was greeted with mixed reactions. While some commentators, who described the move as selective, considering the fact that, the scope of the audit will be limited to the Jonathan administration, criticized the move, most Nigerians applauded the move, saying it was long over-due. These Nigerians, miffed by the alleged monumental looting carried out by public servants including members of Dr.
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Jonathan’s cabinet under his watch, argue that extending the probe beyond the immediate past government, will not afford President Buhari the time to attend to other pressing matters of state, i.e. delivering on other parts of the campaign promises he had made. Moreover, if former President Jonathan, after assuming office as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, felt there was need to probe his predecessors, he should have done so, instead waiting until now to say “I believe that anybody who is calling for a probe, must also ensure that this probe is extended beyond the Jonathan administration.” Unswayed by the above criticism, the president on his path has insisted that, it will limit his probe to the Jonathan administration. Disclosing this to pressmen, the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the president, Mr. Femi Adesina, said “The president, even before he
was sworn in, had said he will not waste time digging into the past. The far past includes Obasanjo and others. But the president has said he will not waste time to go that far.” National Weekender, as a stakeholder in the Nigerian project, applauds this decision and advises that it is extended to other ministries, Parastatals and agencies of the Federal government. We also suggest that this process be replicated across the thirty six states of the federation and the FCT, and the 774 local government areas in the country, as this deeprooted scourge called corruption, appears to have attained an endemic status and if found guilty, any of such past or serving public servants should be prosecuted according to the law of the land. National Weekender also salutes the resolve of the president to recover all the stolen public funds, particularly those starched-away in foreign accounts. We believe
LETTER
that if these monies are repatriated, particularly at this point in time, when the country is cashstrapped; it will go a long way in making available the much-needed funds for developmental purposes. However, we would also like to advise that even if the presidency finds the immediate past president culpable and decides to prosecute him and his cronies, Dr. Jonathan should not be gagged from revealing whatever information he has on preceding governments, even though he does not intend to extend his probe to them. Perhaps, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) as ‘independent’ agencies may take up these cases, carry out investigations to prove the veracity of the former president’s claims and prosecute those involved, no matter whose ox is gored.
Send Your short and simple letters or comment to the editor@nationalweekenderonline.net
Challenge On Good Governance I will like to use this medium to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari, not to disappoint Nigerians, but strive to provide good governance and deliver on his promises. He should know that the massive votes given to him (Buhari) was a trust which he should not betray, adding that, efforts should be taken quickly to make a positive impact on the lives of the people in the shortest possible time. Nigerians are aware that the challenges that lay ahead are enormous, but with hard-work, determination, perseverance and selfless service to our fatherland, alongside prayer from
all-of-us, the President Buhari – led government will overcome and move the country forward. Without mincing words, Nigerians yearn for good governance, freedom of expression and freedom of conscience, so that, they can participate actively in how they are governed. Also the international community is watching President Buhari to see how he would fare in his secondcoming, as Nigeria leader, hence, he is expected to hit the ground running and live up to expectations of many Nigerians, who crave for ‘Change’ by healing the wounds and bitterness occasioned by the campaigns.
The most critical tasks ahead of President Buhari include, the fixing of the energy sector, which has defied successive regimes, shoring up of value of # to the dollar, development of infrastructure, education and health, … diversification of the economy as well as security and job creation. Since governance is a continuum, President Buhari should continue with his predecessor’s good programmes and complete them, just as, the bane of government in Africa, is lack of continuity of good programmes, from one administration to another. –Prophet OladipupoFunmilade – Joel, Lagos
Quote Of The Week On President Buhari’s watch, the rule of law, not impunity, shall govern every aspect of life in Nigeria and there will be no room for sentiments, bias and corruption in the application of the laws of the land. –Alhaji Garba Shehu,Presidential Spokesman
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
On My Own –
From Nothingg To To Something, Something, Nowhere Nowhere To Somewhere, Nobody To Somebody...
Lagos Wild Life Tamed Us –Jessy Jags … recalls Timid, unchallenging Jos Plateau Swings
•Here, Yes, here, in this interview with our men on the prowl, Assistant Editor Francis Ogbonna and his aide, Stephen Ayah, JESSY JAGS tells you his trip from Jos to Lagos YOU left Chocolate city for a while and then returned, what informed your decision? It was strictly a business decision. It had nothing to do with a fight with either M.I. or any other person. We were all signed-on, individually, and I have served my time with them at that time, I mean my contract was up and it also happened at a time when they were trying to sign on new artistes. So, I could not wait because I just wanted to get my music out, it was one of the wildest things I have ever done. So, how was the adventure? It was wonderful, fruitful; I guess that is why everybody is happy that I am back. I guess I am a much better artist now than when I left the first
time. I want to believe I have much more to contribute now than the first time that I was around. Now back in Chocolate City, what do we expect from you? I’m coming in not just as an artiste, but as a producer. I’m also coming in as a mentor to some of the new artistes that we have in the house. So it is a huge responsibility. Where does your strength lie, singing or producing? Let me say that when I did Jagoroche everybody said it was the productions and when I did the spear everybody said it was the artist in me. While producing other people
CONT’D ON PG 31
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Entertainment
•Eben
•Frank Edwards
e f a c
•Sinach
Singing In The Name Of The Lord
•Buchi
Stage Praise Singers/LoveWorld Romance
By FRANCIS OGBONNA
•Sophiye
•Joepraize
ALTHOUGH the Nigerian Gospel music industry continues to be a niche market, catering only for a select group - the Christian community in the country, there are a few gospel artistes who have blast this self-imposed barrier, with their songs gaining popularity amongst individuals who are not of the fold. This break-through is attributable to the fact that these artistes have been able to blend a rich array of tunes, lyrics and genres, moving from the usual mediocre tunes that characterised the typical Nigerian gospel music to world class melodies. Now they enjoy wider appeals and have over the years built huge fan bases, not just across religious divides, but internationally as well. Today, gospel musicians headline shows and concerts, and have their songs played even at clubs, which to a large extent has increased their commercial value. Nevertheless, the story of gospel music in Nigeria will not be complete without the mention of LoveWorld Records and its contribution to the gospel music industry today. Incorporated in 2009, LoveWorld record label is a pacesetter as far as gospel music is concerned and has literally sustained the industry with the quality of lyrics and tunes supplied by its signees. In fact, many of its artistes’ songs are sung on a day to day basis by several churches and people all over the world. LoveWorld prides itself as the first record label dedicated solely to the publishing, production, promotion, marketing
and distribution of gospel music and gospel artistes alike in Nigeria. It has in its repertoire of artistes, which it likes to call ministers, such performers as; FRANK EDWARDS Frank Edwards, aka ‘Rich boy’ arguable the hottest of them all have been referred to by many as the best gospel artiste in Nigeria for now. Edwards with his music brings people to another dimension of rock and worship with his songs. The “Mma mma” hit-maker is an exceptional, versatile and multitalented rock artist. He, within his relative shorter period as a performing artist has excelled in terms of creativity, lyrical content and integrity, commercial appeal and album sales. Edwards is also a multiinstrumentalist. He is also a genius producer, master mixer. As a result, Rock Town Records, which he owns, has a generation of upcoming talent with names like GIL, Divyn, David and many others EBEN Emmanuel Benjamin, popularly known as Eben, is a gospel rock artist from Nigeria. Eben started singing in the youth choir of Winners’ Chapel in 1997 and later established himself as one of the main vocalists in the mass choir, becoming a regular feature in the annual Shiloh events from 19992005. Eben released his debut album ‘On the Rock’ in 2006 and his Afrocentric rock style has endeared him to millions worldwide. Eben is currently working on his second album and plans to tour South African and the United Kingdom within the year. BUCHI
Multiple award winning reggae gospel artistes gained notoriety with his hit song “It is well.” A bastion of hope for the reggae genre, which many claim is gradually going into extinction, the former lecturer in 1992, gave his life to Jesus in Christ Embassy Church and transmitted from the nightclub to the choir of that ministry, where he has remained till date. Buchi has ministered in church concerts including Reinhard Burnke’s stadium-packed outreaches. His awards till date include, the prestigious AMEN for Best in Gospel Category, 1999 Faith, POMP and TOMA Awards for Best Artiste, Reggae Artiste and Gospel album of the year. SINACH Sinach (born Osinachi Kalu), is a quintessential worship leader and songwriter who has written more than 200 songs and won several awards. Her song ‘This is your Season' won the Song of the Year award in 2008. Sinach has performed in several countries including South Africa, USA and Uganda at the Miracle Centre Cathedral- a church led by Pastor Robert Kayanja. Other artistes signed to Loveworld, include Ayo Vincent, Joepraize, Obi-Shine, Isaiah Samson, Sophiya, T-Sharp, P.U., Fega (the self-styled gospel diversified diva), Chris Shalom, Ada and Iyke Onka. LoveWorld Records is an arm of the Believers Love World ministry aka Christ Embassy Church, with the sole vision of taking God’s divine presence to the peoples of the earth through Gospel music and creative arts.
•Ada
•PU
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Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Entertainment
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
e f ca
Flavour's Baby Mamas Fight Over Chinedu’s You Stole Honey Pot My Joke
Beyond Jokes:
•Bovi Accuses AY
Kate Henshaw, Basketmouth In Al Jazeera’s “My Nigeria” DOHA-based state-funded broadcaster owned, Al Jazeera has concluded plans to air a new documentary shot in Nigeria and designed for the Nigerian market. Premiering on Al Jazeera English on Monday, 24 August, “My Nigeria” is a series of six half-hour documentaries designed to tell the human story. From stand-up comedian, Basketmouth to Nollywood star turned politician, Kate Henshaw, from ICT expert Gbenga Sesan to fashion designer Deola Sagoe, from football coach Femi Bamigboye to female mechanic Sandra Aguebor, each film focuses on one central character who invites viewers into their world, sharing their story in their own words. According to the head of documentaries at Al Jazeera English, Ingrid Falck: “The series was commissioned specifically to support Al Jazeera English’s brand, ‘Hear The Human Story,’ to bring people’s stories directly to our screens, told in a first-person style without mediation, offering a range of authentic views,”
By FRANCIS OGBONNA NAIJA’S hi-life exponent, Chinedu Okoli, better known as Flavour N’abania’s baby mamas, are presently engulfed in a territorial battle, and of course with ownership of the handsome singer as the prize. Delta soap model and mother of the ‘Ada Ada’ Hitmaker’s first child, Sandra Okagbue took to Instagram to tell anyone who cares to know that she is “Flavour’s mirror.” Sandra captioned a photo she took in Flavour’s house in Igbo and English: “Ugebe Oyibo Chinedu on point.” (Chinedu’s mirror on point.) However, what was most interesting about the post was
the “#Golibe”, she included. ‘Golibe’ is the title of Flavour’s love song which starred Anna Banner, his second baby mama, in the music video. The lyrics of the song also included “Ugebe Oyibo.” Anna, an ex-beauty queen, recently put to bed Flavour’s second child, a girl, in the US. Flavour welcomed his first child, a bouncing baby girl with Sandra Okagbue, who allegedly used to be former Super Eagles and Chelsea FC of England Midfielder, Mikel Obi’s boo last September. Banners baby with N’abania on the other hand was born last week; almost a year later, this time again another baby girl.
The series was shot across Nigeria by award-winning South African directors, Brian Tilley and Clifford Bestall. Flack said: “To get beyond the clichés of Africa, there isn’t a better place than Nigeria For every stereotype of corruption or extremism; there are millions of ordinary Nigerians making this African powerhouse tick. Our series focuses on these individuals to see first-hand how Nigerians are busy making a difference.” Managing Director for MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, said: “MultiChoice has a long standing relationship with Nollywood and Nigeria’s creative industry. As an organisation that has for over a decade supported the development of the industry, it gives us great joy that Al Jazeera is shining the spotlight on success stories while showcasing the amazing talent that exists in Nigeria. Our audiences on the DStv and GOtv platforms will By FRANCIS OGBONNA definitely find the series inspiring.”Kate Henshaw, Basketmouth In Al Jazeera’s THE Marketing Manager, SportsDay Publishing and Printing “My Nigeria” Company Limited, publishers of Nigeria’s foremost sports Doha-based state-funded newspapers, SportsDay and high flying tabloid, National Weekender, broadcaster owned, Al Jazeera Ms Rose Ugiomoh last week, won big in the reality-cum-music TV has concluded plans to air a new show, Hitlist & Cruizin, promo. documentary shot in Nigeria and Rose by virtue of her selection, was taken on a shopping spree by designed for the Nigerian market. members of the show’s crew, where she was allowed to pick at will, gifts Premiering on Al Jazeera English on of her choice. Her experience was caught on tape and will be aired in Monday, 24 August, “My Nigeria” is a subsequent edition of the programme. series of six half-hour documentaries The visibly excited Ugiomoh, fondly referred to as ‘Aunty Rose’ by her designed to tell the human story. teeming fans, who follow her weekly column – ‘Love Links With Aunty From stand-up comedian, Rose’ in National Weekender, in a remark, said she didn’t believe it was Basketmouth to Nollywood star true at first, but just decided to try her luck anyway and was surprised, turned politician, Kate Henshaw, when she got a call saying she from ICT expert Gbenga Sesan to had won. fashion designer Deola Sagoe, from “It is still like a dream to me. football coach Femi Bamigboye to My friends, who were watching female mechanic Sandra Aguebor, the show with me even each film focuses on one central discouraged me at a point from character who invites viewers into participating but, I decided to go their world, sharing their story in on with my plans and it actually their own words. paid-off at the end of the day. According to the head of I am really glad I listened to documentaries at Al Jazeera English, them.” Ingrid Falck: “The series was ThankingUgiomohforhaving commissioned specifically to support faith in the show, the CEO of Al Jazeera English’s brand, ‘Hear Emrose Adinoyi Production, The Human Story,’ to bring people’s promoters of the show, said “It stories directly to our screens, told in a is a core part of our vision to first-person style without mediation, reward viewers for their loyalty. offering a range of authentic views,” Our dream is actually to keep The series was shot across Nigeria increasing the stakes and who by award-winning South African knows, someday someone might directors, Brian Tilley and Clifford even win a car on the show.” Bestall.
SportsDay’s Manager Hits Big On ‘Hitlist & Cruizin’
THE once cordial relationship that existed between two of Nigeria’s most celebrated comic acts, Bovi and AY the Comedian appears to be on the rocks, following the allegation of Joke pilfering brought against the latter by the former. AY (real name Ayo Makun), is presently promoting an upcoming show and for it, he put up a hilarious skit. In the skit, he tells his security man to use his head in a bid to top his girlfriend from visiting him during his date with another. When the security man asks how to prevent her from gaining entry, AY says "Use your head" When the girl comes, the security man headbutts her. The act did not go down well with Bovi who felt cheated. In response to the skit, Bovi shared a video from eight years ago where he cracked a joke at the Night of a thousand laughs. In his joke, he said a security man had to headbutt his boss's daughter because the boss had earlier told him to use his head to prevent the daughter from going out. Bovi's fans agreed the skit was a rip-off of Bovi's intellectual property and others argue that, though comedians borrow jokes, using it as a skit is another thing entirely. Bovi and AY’s relationship goes way back, and the former even served as best man at Makun’s society wedding which took in 2008 at the Household of God church, Lagos.
Photo By
Fidelis Isibor
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, Aug August 21 2015
Event
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Ooni Of Ife Goes Home At Last •Vice-President, Governors, Vice-Chancellors, Monarchs wave Good-Bye On the Spot stories By OGUNOJEMITE AYODELE, ADEBAYO NURUDEEN with Photos from FIDELIS ISIBOR’s Lens AN inter-religious farewell service was Friday held for foremost Yoruba monarch, late Oba Dr. Okunade Adele Sijuade, the Ooni of Ile-Ife. The burial ceremony which took place at the palace in Ile-Ife, was attended by VicePresident, Yemi Osinbajo, former PDP Presidential Aspirant, Chief Dele Momodu, Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, Sen. Iyiola Omisore, Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyemi, Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Prof. Bamitale Omole, notable traditional monarchs, entrepreneurs, family members and well-wishers. Speaking with newsmen shortly after his arrival, the Vice-President,
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo described late Oba Sijuade as a lowly, humble and wise man, whose directions and fatherly advice kept the Yoruba nation together adding that, he will be greatly missed not only in Yoruba land but by the country at large. Also speaking, former presidential aspirant and Chairman of Ovation Magazine, Chief Dele Momodu described the late king as “A king in a class of his own and one of the greatest Yoruba kings ever”. Former governor of Osun state, Iyiola Omisore described him as a good person and prayed that his soul rest in perfect peace. Showering more accolades on the late Oba Sijuade, Ambassador Segun Taju described him as a
revolutionary king and a colossus, who during his live time touched the lives of many “he has done great things, he is a wonderful father, he accommodated everyone and helped take the Yoruba culture to the centre stage across the world. I remember when he invited me and I left Havana Cuba to London for an exhibition at the British museum of Kingdom of Ife, it was well acclaimed across the world. Baba has touched everybody as a colossus. We are greatly missing him and we will continue to remember him for the great things he has done” he said. Speaking on behalf of the Christian community in Ile=Ife, Bishop Olaoye said “he is very godly and attentive. He had a cordial relationship with
the church and the church will miss his kind gesture and contributions”. However, Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, was absent at the inter-denominational service held for the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade. The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Moshood Adeoti, said the governor was unavoidably absent because he was invited to Lagos for a very urgent meeting. The governor eulogized the late monarch for his contributions toward the promotion of Yoruba culture. He said the late monarch sent a text message to him before
he travelled abroad for medical attention and committed him and the state government into the continuous guidance of God. The 85-year-old Oba Sijuade was crowned in 1980 and was widely respected. He died in London in July but his death was only announced on Wednesday August 12th. He was considered the most influential monarch by most Yorubas, who number about 35 million in the region. Nigeria’s many monarchs vary in hierarchy and importance and some like the Ooni of Ife and the northern emirs rule over large areas, while others are traditional rulers of a villages or towns.
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21 2015
Event
On the Spot stories By OGUNOJEMITE AYODELE, ADEBAY
•L-R: Olori Sijuade Odunola, Sijuade Oladunni, Sijuade Morinsola
•Cross-section of Ife chiefs
•Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo
•Prince Ademola Aderemi and late Ooni’s brother
•Gov Mimiko
•Ovation Publisher, Dele Momodu
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Business
15
•President Buhari
Economic Recovery:
Long, Hard Road To Go By OGUNOJEMITE AYODELE
THE road to economic eldorado for Nigeria remains very far still, following unpleasant happenings in the financial sector that spell false of the economic growth promised Nigeria by PresidentMuhammadu Buhari during his campaign. President Buhari assured Nigerians that he will strengthens the country’s economy to create more job opportunities and ensure that the naira becomes equal to the dollar in value. This the economic promisedland, guaranteed by the present administration. However, it is unclear how President Buhari intends to fulfil this promise, since investors are yet to see a clear cut economic reform agenda presented by him. This obviously,has constituted some form of economic and financial risk to investors especially foreign investors in the country forcing them to withdraw a whooping N303bn from the Nigeria stock market recently. According to The Head,
Research and Investment Advisory, Sterling Capital, Mr. SewaWusu“There is the torrent of events in our political economy, particularly the slowdown in growth and lack of economic direction by the new government. It has not been able to form a cabinet so that we can have a clear cut policy direction for the economy.” He said. Wusufurther explained that the volatility in the exchange rate was another factor that had led foreign investors to sit on the side-lines. “They (foreign investors) are calling for devaluation (of the naira) but the CBN at the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting did not say anything about devaluation. The impact of that affected the equities market,” he said. According to him, even though the yields in the fixed income market for bonds and Treasury bills are attractive, foreign portfolio investors have remained on the side-lines because they are pricing in the foreign exchange risk. He added that as long as foreign outflow exceeded inflow, the
equities market would remain depressed, adding that the weak half-year results being released by most companies were enough not to attract investors. Although President Buhari has promised to name his cabinet by September 2015, it is not clear if the president will appoint a petroleum minister since speculations suggests that he will be heading the ministry by himself for the next 18months. Buhari who was a former Nigerian petroleum minister is reported to have said this while meeting with some members of his political party, the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Abuja recently. According to an APC Chieftain who pleaded anonymity, the president will oversee the ministry for the next one and half years after which he will appoint a minister. The source said, “At the meeting we had recently, we discussed the issues of portfolios and other matters, the President said he was going to handle the Ministry of Petroleum himself for about 18 months. “He said it was after this that
he would appoint a substantive minister for the ministry. He said he would only personally handle the reorganisation of the muchimportant ministry. “Besides, he said the ministry needed to be reformed and be rid of corruption. He promised to sanitise the ministry.” It was, however, gathered that the President was thinking of appointing an experienced person as his special adviser on petroleum. He further explained that the president’s decision is in a bid to sanitise, reposition and rid the ministry of corruption. Recall that as part of President Buhari’s administration’s commitment towards the fight against corruption, the president during his meeting recently with United States President, Barrack Obama secured US assurance in recovering and repatriation of stolen funds. President Buharihad vowed to recover billions of dollars stolen under the administration of his immediate predecessor, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan. He said that Jonathan’s government threw the nation
into financial crisis by throwing all financial and administrative processes in parastatals and agencies to “the dogs” Promising that the era of impunity and financial recklessness was over, the President said the next 90 days might be hard for the Federal Government and the states. “The next three months may be hard, but billions of dollars can be recovered, and we will do our best,” Buhari said in a statement made available to journalists after his meeting with the 36 state governors in Abuja. Inasmuch as some people believe that the president’s intentions are noble especially in his fight against corruption, a financial expert opines that the economic situation of the country should not be put on hold while the president goes about recovering looted treasury. He added that to build confidence in the minds of investors both foreign and local, there need be a clear cut direction by the government and a proper understanding of President Buhari’s economic plan.
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Business
Investigate EU Ban On Nigerian Foods
MARKETS/ COMMODITIES
CBN Exchange Rates FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES 07/08/15
DOLLAR 196 POUNDS 303.6432 EURO 213.64 S/FRANC 199.187 CFA 0.3087 WAUA 272.7319 RENMINBI 31.5621 RIYAL 52.2611 D/KRONA 28.6278 SDR 272.6948
197 305.1924 214.73 200.2033 0.3287 274.1234 31.724 52.5277 28.7738 274.0861
PRICE MOVEMENT AS AT Fri Aug 7, 2015
Top Gainers FO MOBIL PZ ASHAKACEM BERGER
208.00 160.00 34.51 23.00 9.97
8.00 5.00 1.51 1.00 0.47
•House Of Reps Orders
PRICE MOVEMENT AS AT Fri July 10, 2015
Top Losers FO 180.00 UNILEVER 39.90 NB 136.51 JBERGER 47.97 HONYFLOUR 3.23
-5.24 -2.10 -0.99 -0.53 -0.17
FLIGHT SCHEDULE
FIRST NATION AIRWAYS
Lagos – Abuja (Mon – Fri) 06:05, 09:30, 11:45, 16:00 (Sat) 06:50, 11:45 (Sun) 11:45, 16:00
Abuja – Lagos (Mon – Fri) 09:00, 11:30, 13:40, 18:30 (Sat) 09:00, 13:40 (Sun) 13:40, 18:30 Lagos – Portharcourt (Mon – Fri) 14:45 (Sat) 16:15 (Sun) 14:45 Portharcout – Lagos (Mon – Fri) 14:45 (Sat) 18:20 (Sun) 16:50 AERO CONTRACTORS Lagos - Abuja (Mon – Fri) 06:50, 13:30, 16:30, 19:00 (Sat) 12:30 (Sun) 15:30 MEDVIEW AIRLINES Lagos – Abuja (Mon – Fri) 07:00, 08:50, 12:00, 15:30 (Sat) 10:00, 15:00 (Sun) 17:30, 18:30 Abuja – Lagos (Mon – Fri) 09:00, 14:00, 15:00, 18:30 OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS-ILORIN (MON-FRI) 07:15 LAGOS-IBADAN (MON-FRI) 7:00 IBADAN-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:00 IBADAN-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:30 ILORIN-ABUJA (MON-FRI)08:30 ILORIN-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 17:00 ABUJA-ASABA (MON-FRI) 10:00 ASABA-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 14:15 ASABA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 11:30 LAGOS-ASABA (MON-FRI) 13:00 ABUJA-ILORIN 16:00 ABUJA-IBADAN 15:00
Agric-Boost Plan Excites Stakeholders
STAKEHOLDERS in agriculture have said that, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s plans to establish additional 60 agricultural equipment hiring enterprises will boost mechanised farming in the country. Some of the stakeholders told reporters in Abuja on Friday that, the hiring centres would have multiple effects in farm produce. According to them, the less than 100 existing hiring centres are insufficient in view of the high demand for the equipment. Chief Abiola Adetokunbo, Chief Executive Officer of Abiola Farm Nig. Ltd., said it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to provide sustainable leverages for mechanised farming to strive. ``I am indeed happy with the level of progress so far. I think the ministry is being repositioned to serve farmers and agricultural stakeholders better,’’ Adetokunbo said. Adetokunbo said the additional 60 national agricultural equipment hiring enterprises could not have been agreed at a better time. Mr Akpe Ape, a farm Manager in Karu, said the decades of traditional farming had negated the growth of agriculture in the country. ``Mechanise farming is the antidote to this setback. We have fertile lands in the country; the problem has always been how to process these lands to grow crops. ``We cannot achieve much with the primitive approach of tilling the soil,’’ Ape said. On his part, Alhaji Baji Musa, Chairman of Soya Beans Growers Association, Kurudu in FCT, said the additional hiring centres would promote farming. ``Please assist us by telling the authority that some centres must be sited in rural areas like Kurudu here. A lot more could be achieved if we got access to the equipment,’’ Musa said. The Federal Government last year set aside N50 billion as Mechanisation Intervention Support Fund for the establishment
of 1,200 private sector-driven Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises. It also promised to provide mechanisation support grants to farmers to allow them to hire agricultural mechanisation services. The ministry also prepared to expand the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) and the e-wallet scheme to provide subsidised electronic mechanisation to support farmers. Already, over 6,590 units of tractors, 13, 500 power tillers and harvest and post-harvest equipment are presently available in 80 centres.
Oil Price Stabilizes After Six-Year Low
OIL prices steadied Friday after New York crude reached a new multi-year low point against a backdrop of high supplies. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for September hit $41.35 a barrel — the lowest level since March 2009. It recovered to $42.22 a barrel, down one cent compared with Thursday’s close. Brent North Sea crude for September rose 12 cents to stand at $49.34 a barrel in London afternoon deals. Bernard Aw, a strategist at IG Markets, predicted prices to remain weak after the International Energy Agency on Wednesday forecast the global crude supply glut to last into next year. “The IEA assessment that the supply glut situation would be extended beyond 2015 continues to contribute to the pessimistic outlook for energy,” he said. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries this week said that its output in July rose by 100,700 barrels per day from the previous month to 31.5 million bpd. The producer cartel’s refusal to cut its output level despite sagging demand is seen as a reason for a prolonged global oversupply, which has contributed to oil prices falling to almost a third of their mid-2014 peak. Analysts have said the move is an attempt by the cartel’s kingpin Saudi Arabia to defend its market share as it fends off competition from US shale oil. Oil prices fell this week also as traders tracked developments over China, the world’s biggest consumer of energy. Commodity markets in general have been beset by China’s decision to devalue its currency in a bid to boost exports out of the Asian country, which is the world’s second biggest economy after the United States.
THE House of Representatives yesterday, frowned at the ban on the exportation of some Nigeria’s agricultural produces for allegedly containing high level of unauthorised pesticides and lack of proper storage by the European Union. Consequently, the House presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara in its resolution, mandated its Committee on Commerce and Agriculture when constituted, to liaise with relevant stakeholders to work on resolving the issues and concerns raised by the EU Food Safety Authority to lift the ban. TheresolutiontoensurethatEUliftsthebanonNigeria’sagricultural food, was sequel to the motion sponsored by Rep. Jerry Alagbaoso representing Orlu/Osun/Oru East of Imo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Alagbaoso had in the motion on the ‘need to investigate the ban of exportation of some Nigeria’s food items by the European Union,’ noted with dismay that the recent ban by the EU on some agricultural food exports from Nigeria, had affected the economy of the country. He further noted that the reason given by the EU for the ban, was that the banned food items allegedly contained high level of unauthorised pesticides, while others lacked proper storage, adding that the pesticides were usually applied when the products were being prepared for export. The lawmaker also informed the House that the EU authorities had previously warned the Nigerian authorities that, the banned items were hazardous and had issued about fifty notifications to relevant Nigerian authorities since 2013. According to Rep Alagbaoso, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC had blamed the exporters of those products of being responsible for the ban due to their non-compliance with regulatory requirements for semi-processed and processed commodities. He said that he was “worried by the negative impact of the ban on the income of the farmers of those products and the middlemen, who trade on them as well as the foreign exchange that accrues to Nigeria through those exports.”
Stock Exchange: Mixed Fortunes For Lagos, Cairo, Nairobi • As Jo’Burg, Casablanca Smile
For stock investors in Major African stock markets like the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Egyptian Exchange, Kenya Securities Exchange, Ghana Stock Exchange, and Mauritius Stock Exchange, it has been a mixed bag of fortunes in terms of returns this year. On the positives, investors in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and that of Morocco (Bourse de Casablanca) have had reasons to smile. Market check shows that while returns from the Nigerian Stock Exchange have been in excess of minus 10% this year, Egypt also lowered to minus 10.59% year-to-date (Ytd), while that of Nairobi stood lower at minus 3.35% ytd. Returns from the Ghana stock market are also in negative of 2.81%; while Mauritius is down by 3.70% ytd. On the positives, the year-to-date returns of Johannesburg Stock Exchange are high at 5.10%; while that of Bourse de Casablanca was positive at 1.55%. Lack of policy direction, occasioned by delays in forming a cabinet in Nigeria, as well as issues around Forex and a recent spate of terrorism, have eroded gains in the Nigeria and Kenya bourses. Africa’s largest stock market – Johannesburg continued to benefit.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Health
17
L iving
Supernatural with
PASTOR EBENEZER BAMISHE 08066440970
Nation Building In Righteousness(Cont.)
Cataracts: A Visual Guide WHAT Are Cataracts? A cataract is a progressive, painless clouding of the natural, internal lens of the eye. Cataracts block light, making it difficult to see clearly. Over an extended period of time, cataracts can cause blindness. They're often related to growing older, but sometimes they can develop in younger people How Cataracts Affect Your Vision In a normal eye, light enters and passes through the lens. The lens focuses that light into a sharp image on the retina, which relays messages through the optic nerve to the brain. If the lens is cloudy from a cataract, the image you see will be blurry. Other eye conditions, such as myopia, cause blurry vision, too, but cataracts produce some distinctive signs and symptoms. Cataract Symptom: Blurry Vision: Blurry vision at any distance is the most common symptom of cataracts. Your view may look foggy, filmy, or cloudy. Over time, as the cataracts get worse, less light reaches the retina. People with cataracts may have an especially hard time seeing and driving at night. Glare: Another early symptom of cataracts is glare, or sensitivity to light. You may have trouble seeing in bright sunlight. Indoor lights that once didn’t bother you now may seem too bright or have halos. Driving at night may become a problem because of the glare caused by street lights and oncoming headlights. Double Vision: Sometimes, cataracts can cause double vision (also known as diplopia) when you look with one eye. This is different from the double vision that comes from the eyes not lining up properly. With cataracts, images appear double even with one eye open.
Color Changes: Cataracts can affect your color vision, making some hues look faded. Your vision may gradually take on a brownish or yellowish tinge. At first, you may not notice this discoloration. But over time, it may make it harder to distinguish blues and purples. Who Gets Cataracts? The majority of cataracts are related to aging. More than half of Americans over 65 have cataracts. Babies are sometimes born with cataracts, also called congenital cataracts, or children may develop them as a result of injury or illness. What Causes Cataracts? The exact cause of cataracts is unknown. While the risk grows as you get older, these factors may also contribute: • Diabetes • Smoking • Excess alcohol use • Eye Injury • Prolonged use of corticosteroids • Prolonged exposure to sunlight or radiation How Are Cataracts Diagnosed? Most cataracts can be diagnosed with an eye exam. Your eye doctor will test your vision and examine your eyes with a slit lamp microscope to look for problems with the lens and other parts of the eye. The pupils are dilated to better examine the back of the eye, where the retina and optic nerve lie. Surgery for Cataracts If you have vision loss caused by cataracts that can’t be corrected with glasses or contact lenses,
you may need surgery to remove the cataracts. In cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens. The surgery, which is done on an ou-patient basis, is safe and extremely effective at improving vision. If cataracts are present in both eyes, surgery will be done on one eye at a time. Cataract Surgery Risks Complications from cataract surgery are rare. The most common risks are bleeding, infection, and changes in eye pressure, which are all treatable when caught early. Surgery slightly raises the risk of retinal detachment, which requires emergency treatment. Sometimes, lens tissue left after surgery and used to support the IOL can become cloudy, even years after surgery. This "after-cataract" is easily and permanently corrected with a laser. Tips to Prevent Cataracts Things you can do that may lower your risk of developing cataracts: • Don't smoke. • Always wear a hat or sunglasses in the sun. • Keep diabetes well controlled.
deceiving the world the Bible says devil is a liar and a thief John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John: 10:10: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Satanic devices are the major reasons why the results of all the negative influences permeate our society. Jesus did not come as an inventor of technological postulation; He never appeared as a philosopher or as a theorist of any specie. When He had the opportunity to be crowned as a worldly king, He did not succumb to the pressure of worldly pleasure, all because Jesus had a clear caught understanding of His mission here on earth, He wanted a spiritual nation and He knew the worth of sacrifice it demands to achieve the great task. John 6 14-16 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus that prophet that should come into did, said, This is of a truth th the world. therefore perceived that they would come Vs. 15: When Jesus therefo make him a king, he departed again into and take him by force, to mak a mountain himself alone. now come, his disciples went down Vs 16: And when even was n unto the sea. Jesus’ depth of comprehension in the mastery of the universe is undoubtedly irreversible and irrevocable; He a spiritual nationhood by stood the test of time and established est strength of character. Acts 17:26: 17 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on o all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 1 Cor: 15:45: And so s it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the llast Adam was made a quickening spirit. Jesus is the righteousness oof God, this is a divine reference. It hath made him to be sin for us, who says in 2 Cor: 5:21: For he ha knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Sin came into the world wo because of the disobedience of Adam. Sin is a perversion; it corrupts, incapacitates and makes reshapes the inner man or the individual the strong weak. It reshape personality and makes him ugly, sin made Satan and Adam unfit and the effect of sin is sstill extraordinarily strong, Satan’s stronghold deception t h ld iis d ti off sin i and because leadership determines nationhood, all his mechanism are focused in controlling the seat of power and it is at this juncture leadership devoid of a true relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the knowledge of God’s word gets completely entrapped by Satan. Sin of idolatry is a terrible act before the Almighty God. It is Satanic to lay the foundation of any nation on idolatry; there can never be any better innovation or culture that can serve as alternative to the standard that has been approved by the Almighty God. All the sacrifices and the rituals we offer to idols in the shrines and sacrifices that are placed at the juncture of our roads, also the shedding of innocent blood for money rituals and to pacify the gods and goddesses in other to have tranquility, progress and the good of life in our families and nation are abominable sacra ledge, Satan has no life to give, he has only come to steal, kill and destroy and he does it under the pretence of good things of life. Proverb 14:34. Righteousness exalted a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Dan: 4:17: This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. God has not thrown His divine master plan for mankind into the sea of forgetfulness, the whole lots of life investment, He committed in establishing the human race is not a castle built on the figment of imagination and can never fissile into the tin air. The Almighty God rules in the affairs of man. Jesus remains the only perfect example in life, if you have been living your life without Jesus there is no hope of eternity for you, you need Jesus in your life and you can surrender your life to Him and let Him come into your life to be your Lord and saviour, so He might lead you in the way of righteousness and your chances of enjoying His grace will be certain and you will experience a satanic life free divine destiny. Say this prayer accordingly.”Father God have mercy on me , today I turn from my wicked ways, please forgive me all my sins: I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord and I believe in my heart that He died and You raise Him from the dead, I thank you, heavenly Father because you are merciful, full of compassion and grace to save from sins, Father, please, forgive and deliver me from the pit of hell: even now, as I believe in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and I accept Him as my LORD and SAVIOUR, confessing with my mouth the LORDSHIP of JESUS CHRIST. I thank you Father because you have saved me in Jesus name. Amen.
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Campus Square This Strike Is Killing Us OSCOTECH Students Cry Out By MICHEAL ORIJI STUDENTS of Osun State College of Technology OSCOTECH have recounted loses and pleaded with Governor Rauf Aregbesola to pay up the salary of their lecturers so that they can go back to school complaining that the strike is “killing them”. The strike action which was embarked upon by the teaching staff of the institution started in June 2015 and for more than two months, there has not been lectures in the school. Speaking with campusfile, BabatundeKehinde an ND2 student said lecturers of the school embarked on the strike action following more than eight months of unpaid salaries by the state government and it’s not been easy for students. “They have not paid them since November last year and this has made the lecturers refused to work. For about two months now there have not been lectures in school and students are not finding it funny at all”, Babatunde said. He continued by saying that the strike started in June and pleaded with the state Government to try as much as possible to pay the salaries of the lecturers on time so that they can resume work. Another student, Kenny of Computer science lamented that the strike action has affected students of the institution negatively stressing that if not for the strike, they should have finished with their ND programme by now. “I should be through with my ND programme by now but for the strike. It is unfair that government has not paid our lecturers which is in turn having a terrible impact on us” he said On his part, Shina an ND2 student said that upon resumption, lecturers will rush students which will affect their results. He pleaded with Governor Rauf Aregbesola to please pay the lecturers their salaries.
Students Stage Protest Against Buhari
In a purported move by the Federal Ministry of Education to reverse the University status accorded to some Federal Colleges of Education, students of AlvanIkoku College of Education, Owerri (now AlvanIkokuUniversity of Education, Owerri) have staged a protest condemning the action. A source told said that the students with placards caused heavy traffic as they marched toward the Imo State Government House to register their grievances. When Post Nigeria contacted Dr A.F. Mohammed of Federal College of Education, Zaria (now Federal University of Education, Zaria) if the school was also affected in the reversal, he stated that the Government was making such plan. “As I speak, there is an attempt to reverse it, but it won’t stand. It is forward ever, backward never. “Our leaders are in Abuja right now sorting things out,’’ he added. The Federal Executive Council on May 20 had approved the conversion of four Federal Colleges of Education to universities. The decision was taken at a meeting of the council, presided over by former President Goodluck Jonathan. The affected colleges of education as Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo (now Adeyemi University of Education, Ondo); Federal College of Education, Zaria (now Federal University of Education, Zaria); Federal College of Education, Kano (now Federal University of Education, Kano);and AlvanIkoku College of Education, Owerri (now AlvanIkokuUniversity of Education, Owerri).
Panic In OAU Over Ooni Burial
Students Protest Death Of Colleague By RUFAI OLATUNBOSUN
•Late Ooni Of Ife
By OGUNOJEMITE AYODELE & RUFAI OLATUNBOSUN PALPABLE Fear has characterised activities in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) since reports of the death of the Ooni of Ife, Oba OkunadeSijuade filtered into the ears of students and staff of the school more so, since a curfew was imposed on the great city to enable initiates perform traditional rites for the departed king. According to Campuslife investigations, students and staff of the institution especially lecturers have been very careful with their movements in the school while lecturers who live in the city seldom attend classes. Speaking with our reporter, a lecturer of OAU who didn’t want his name in print explained why
most lecturers have not been going to class to deliver lectures. In his words “There is a Yoruba adage which says ‘orilalakan fi n sori’ which means that the wise man should be careful. Most of our lecturers are not indigenes and I need not tell you that there are traditional rites going on in the city where some of us live. For them not to regret, they have decided to shun classes and stay in their homes for this period and it’s not too much. As soon as burial is over, am sure everything will be back to normal. On the part of the students, things have not been the same since the announcement of the death of Ooni. Many students according to reports have not been attending classes while social activities especially at night time have died naturally. Speaking with our reporter,
a student of the school, Samson Uyisaid fear has since gripped students since they heard of the demise of the Ooni adding that this has forced most students to remain in the safety of their rooms. According to him, the fear of being kidnapped and used for ritual as most people believe is done when kings die is why most students refuse to go out at night. Speaking further Uyisaid although some bold students still move around, attend classes, the situation is unlike usual he explained. The Ooni of Ife passed away on the 29th of July in an hospital in London. His body arrived Ife on August 1 and his chiefs who have been denying his death finally confirmed it on the 10th of August. He was buried yesterday, August 14.
Nigerian Emerges Youngest First Class Graduate In London EVANCE OchukoIvwurie Jnr. from Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State has made history by becoming the first youngest First Class graduate in Economics, since the establishment of Royal Holloway University of London, United Kingdom, UK, 166 years ago. Ivwurie Jnr is the son of Hon. EvanceIvwurie, representing Ethiope East Constituency at the Delta State House of Assembly, under the platform of the Labour Party. A statement issued by his father, expressed delight at his son’s feat. An accompanying statement quoted Prof. Paul Layzell, the University Principal (Vice Chancellor) as saying: “EvanceOchukoIvwurie Jnr has
made remarkable success and outstanding performance in our extremely competitive and high quality citadel of learning because of his hard work and resourcefulness. “He is a very ambitious economist with extensive understanding of economic theory and its practical implications. His experiences span the undertaking of analytic and empirical work and research projects with minimal supervision, whilst working in a team environment with multiple priorities and tight deadlines. He is passionate and committed to his study and continuous improvement in quality standards when performing statistical analysis of industry and economic data.”
UNIPORT Students Decry Poor State Of Toilet By OGUNOJEMITE AYODELE Occupants of old medical hostel, Choba campus of the University ofPortharcout (UNIPORT) have decried the disgusting and dilapidated state of their rest room. The students who took to various platforms on social media to register their dissatisfaction with the state of their restroom said that despite their plea to the management of the school, the toilets have remained unattended to. An occupant of the hostel said “As it stands now, we don’t have any toilet in our hostel. The toilets are bad and not only bad but disgusting. We have appealed to the school management several times to come to our aid but they
have turned deaf ears” she said. She further said that she is using this medium to appeal to the vice chancellor to come to their aid stressing that some students now have their bath in the open while some others have contacted toilet diseases. Nevertheless, an alumni of the school, Miss. Befe maintained that Nigerians have a habit of misusing public facility. “You can hardly find a clean and well-tended public toilet, whether in schools or on the streets of our cities. Until there is a major attitudinal change in citizens towards public facilities and a significant improvement on their hygiene, I'm afraid the status quo will remain in virtually all public toilets and/ or facilities including our hostels. He said.
AMINU Adekola, a 200L of Agricultural Technology in the school, was hit by a driver who veered off the road unto the path of the student who was walking towards the school gate. According to eyewitness reports, the driver, who was a learner, was trying to avoid a head-on collision with a truck that strayed off its lane in an attempt to avoid a pothole. Students of the institution accused officials of the Oyo State Ministry of Works of digging the hole in 2014 while repairing a rusty water pipe. Our correspondent, who visited the scene around 7.15 am on Thursday, observed that the students had caused a gridlock on the Ibadan-Abeokuta Road after blocking the road with tyres, planks and other objects. The students also dug the road to stop free traffic flow in front of the school as all vehicles taking the route were forced to take an alternative road. The road, which was blocked by the students, connects inner Ibadan with some communities, including Apata, Owode and Omi-Adio. Our correspondent also observed that several policemen were stationed at the scene to forestall a further breakdown of law and order. The team was led by the Divisional Police Officer, Apata, Mr. Hassan Khalil. The students also protested against the deployment of an Armoured Personnel Carrier by the police. A worker of the institution said the students locked and chased employees out of their offices. The students later stormed the state secretariat but could not gain entrance into the premises. One of the students, who identified himself as Sadiq, blamed the water corporation for the accident. He said students from other tertiary institutions in the state had joined in the protest. “From what we heard, our colleague was hit by a learner who was avoiding a truck. The truck was trying to avoid entering a pothole. The hole was dug last year by officials of the water corporation. They worked there for many days and after their work, they left the huge hole. “There should be a fly-over in front of the school gate to protect the students from accidents or in the interim, speed breakers. This is an expressway and students cross the road at great risk all the time,” he added.
Three Students Charged For Armed Robbery THE Rivers State Police Command has arrested and charged three students of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) for alleged armed robbery. The students were identified as, Nwachinemere Benjamin, 24;Osaki Bob, 22 and Reginald Sekibo, 21. They were arrested during an operation by the Anti-Robbery Squad of the Police in Port Harcourt during an operation. All investigations have been completed and the suspects are awaiting trial.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Celebrity Cruize
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
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REVEALED! Tope Alabi’s Bag Of Burdens •Francis Ogbonna and Stephen Aya were dead on point with the lady, who claims to have discussions with God every time; before, during, and after every project. Always on the move, but Lo, when we caught-up with one of Nigeria’s most enchanting female Gospel Singers/Artistes ... she reeled-out all she never did before about her growing-up, marriage, encounters with God, refusal to be a Woman of God, but a Follower of Christ, a servant of His Biddings and many more challenges and ... Welcome to Tope Alabi’s Secret Bag Of Confessions -
W
hen you were starting out many years ago, did you ever think you were going to become this big? Not really, I was just doing it because I loved singing. The idea of making money
out of it came much later. I have always been passionate about singing. You had options between doing secular music and doing gospel, but you chose gospel. Before you became
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Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Celebrity Cruize
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Am A Musi CONT’D FROM PG 19 popular as a gospel artiste, you were doing jingles and sound tracks for movies, which actually brought you to limelight. What informed that choice? I never chose gospel, gospel music chose me. I started doing gospel because, it was what God wanted me to do. I actually wanted to do secular, but God had actually been telling my parents since I was seven years old that He wanted me to sing to the glory of His name. I studied Mass Communication. I had wanted to be a newscaster or a fashion designer. It got to a stage, where I found out that I loved to sing a lot. I was in the choir when I was growing up, but that didn’t mean anything. Anybody could be a chorister, provided you could sing well. But my parents told me that when I was much younger, some people used to tell them that, I would be a minister of God. But because we were Catholics, my parents considered taking me to the convent. They said I might fulfill the dream of becoming a minister of God, when I become a reverend sister. I would be sleeping and I would see myself singing to a multitude of people. At times, I would be preaching in my dream. Did you go to the convent? No, I refused. That place was so quiet. I told my parents that I didn’t think students were even allowed to play in that school. When you passed the gates of the convent at Ibadan, you wouldn’t even hear a bird chirp. Ah! I told
them I wouldn’t go I would rather be a r in our house. I didn’ singer, I just found m I even loved to be a wanted to be an actr Apart from sing also seen you featu two movies and w that you are a fan too. However, wh not pursued acti singing? It is because I h busy just like you For example, I just Ekiti State now, w programme and in am supposed to be in From South Africa for the United Ki Producers have a calling me to take movies, but I haven' though it’s one aspe will really like to pur How do you th to compose songs, always on the move Any time God as on Him (in fasting a about 10 or more d hectic schedules asi that. And whenever not only refreshes m new songs. Wheneve me to seek His fac my appointments in Him. What has been challenge doing mu I have had so ma that, it may be di pinpoint one. There that they said I carri
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Celebrity Cruize
As Rich As My ic –Tope Alabi to that school; reverend sister n’t want to be a myself doing it. a theatre girl. I ress. ging, we have ture in one of we must say ntastic actress why have you ing alongside have been very u said earlier. t came in from where I had a a few days, I in South Africa. a, I will head Kingdom (UK). actually been part in a few 't had the time, ect of my life I ursue. hen find time , since you are e? sks me to wait and prayer) for days, I set my ide and do just r I do that, He me, but gives me ver He instructs ce, I cancel all n obedience to your greatest usic? many challenges ifficult to just e was this time ied cocaine and
there was also this time, they said I duped someone of several millions of Naira. There was also this occasion, when I was on a foreign musical tour when someone called and said I had released a new
Anybody could be a chorister, provided you could sing well. But my parents told me that when I was much younger, some people used to tell them that, I would be a minister of God. But because we were Catholics, my parents considered taking me to the convent.
essed to being a audio, where I confessed lieve it because mermaid. I didn’t believe I felt it was just one of those media aved the whole stunts. So, I just waved thing aside. It was when I got home and another pastor called me and said he just got the tape and that, I was the one. I was dumb-founded. So, I asked him to please play it eatest surprise, for me. To my greatest I actually listened to it over the phone and I just sat there. The voice was exactly my voice. But I ow the person just can’t explain how nfession I have did it. The only confession ever done and will continue to do ist. In short so is the gospel of Christ. many of them... nage g to wriggle gg How did you manage enges, g because out of these challenges, ould actually y some of them could destroy the career of artistes or ou? Not many y entertainers like you? people can handlee this kind of allegation? ped me manage God actually helped how, He didn't all of them. Somehow, allow them to affectt me. They (my all me, God did assailants) didn't call and if He did, then He will perfect cerns me. everything that concerns ly y everything y g You do virtually nd, includingg with your husband, m on stage g (he performing with him eyboard, y is always on the keyboard, while y married you sing). Now every es, sometimes couples have issues, y manage g they quarrel, how do you ch a way y that if your quarrels in such does not affect yourr performance on stage? Actually, it is not all the time that we perform togetherr on stage. He
actually has his own business that he does as well. It is just that he tends to attend most of the shows I perform in that makes it look like we are always together. Having said that, it is important that couples quarrel, because if they don't, things won’t get better. We try to settle it so that it doesn't affect our performance. You see sometime, such quarrels even happen on stage and what we do is that, we give ourselves signals and when we are done with the show, we sit and I tell him, this was why I gave you that look and he explains that, this was why he did what he did and we apologise w h e r e
CONT’D ON PG G 22
Photo P hoto By By
FFidelis idelis IIsibor sibor
Photo By
Fidelis Isibor
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Celebrity Cruize
I Was Born Into
Kwashiorkor CONT’D FROM PG 21
necessary and make up. Our quarrels don't last up to two days, because the Bible says, we shouldn't allow our anger to last into the next day. Let’s talk about your relationship with the late Reverend Ajanaku. He was someone you revered until you had that problem, not many people expected that it would affect your relationship like that? The Israelites lived as slaves in Egypt for over 400 years, but when it was time for God to bring them out, He told Moses to bring them to the Promise Land, that is why I am here today. When God is working in your life, anything can happen along the line. The Israelites faced turbulence and eventually got out of it. We need people, who are spirit-filled to just fold their arms and watch what God will do. Are you still in touch with Rev. Ajanaku’s family? No, I am not in touch with them. Have you ever been tempted at any point in time, to want to dump music and may be, go do some other thing, because of similar challenges? I will never think that way in my life. Just how rich has music made you? Because God is rich, then I am rich. It is not music that makes people rich, but God that makes people rich. How did you spend your first million? I spent part of it doing a few charity works, like visiting and helping some orphanages and then producing my next album. You have two daughters, has any of them taken to singing or acting like you? My first daughter sings, but she doesn't do Yoruba songs, she prefers English genres.
Does she have an album in the market yet? I intend to feature her soon in one of my albums, maybe in my next album. But of course, it will be in English. So what do we expect next from you? Expect something great, something inspiring and lifting. In
There were times we didn’t have food to eat. It got to a point one of my mother’s eyes went blind. She would have lost the two eyes. We were 11. But they died one after the other. We are just three now. My elder brother is in his 50s. I am 44 this year and my younger brother is 35. It was tough and rough.
my next work, I will be teaching, particularly young and up-coming artistes on how to listen to God first. The problem we have with gospel artistes today, is that most of us don't really listen to God before we write songs and that is why we struggle, but we don't have to struggle when we have God. I also will be working on my next album, I will produce some of the songs there myself... What is the title of the album? I will like you keep that secret for now; will let you know when it is time. I also have a 25-song sound track for my movie, which will be out before the end of the year. Which is you strength, singing or acting? Both… How do you rest, like you mentioned earlier, you are going to South Africa today and from there, you would be visiting the UK? I have my programmes mostly on weekends, so I try to rest a bit during the week. Considering the fact that you are a mother, wife and you have got a heavy schedule, how do you balance family life and business? It has been God. God has been helping me in everything. You cannot do anything without him and His power. How was growing up? Were you born with a silver spoon? No. I was born with a kwashiorkor spoon. There were times we didn’t have food to eat. It got to a point one of my mother’s eyes went blind. She would have lost the two eyes. We were 11. But they died one after the other. We are just three now. My elder brother is in his 50s. I am 44 this year and my younger brother is 35. It was tough and rough. My elder brother is in Paris now and my younger brother is a chartered accountant. We bless God; He has been faithful to us.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Foreign News
Tianjin Blasts:
Fire Fighter Rescued 31 Hours After Massive Explosions RESCUERS Friday pulled out a fire-fighter who was trapped for 32 hours after responding to two huge explosions in Tianjin, state media said, as authorities moved forward gingerly in dealing with a fire still smouldering amid potentially dangerous chemicals. The two explosions late Wednesday at the Chinese port city— one of them the equivalent of 21 tons of TNT — killed at least 50 people and injured more than 700. The blasts originated at shipping containers owned by a logistics company authorized to handle hazardous material and struck a mostly non-residential warehouse district. The death toll included 17 fire-fighters sent in after the first blast, and would have been much higher in a more populated area. Other firefighters also went missing while responding to the blasts, though authorities have not executions in place since 2008. Pakistan's clarified how many. parliament then amended the constitution One fire-fighter was pulled to allow military courts to try civilians in from the zone at about dawn terrorism cases. The Supreme Court upheld Friday and brought to a the use of such trials earlier this month. hospital, where he was being The army said the trials were fair and that treated for face, chest and feet the accused can appeal their convictions.
Pakistan To Execute Seven Militants Over 2014 School Massacre PAKISTANI military courts have sentenced seven Islamic militants to death over a series of attacks, including an assault on an army-run school that killed more than 150 people, the army said Thursday. Another militant was sentenced to life in prison, according to an army statement. It said six were members of the militant group Tawhid-wal-Jihad, while the other two were from the Pakistani Taliban and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif confirmed the sentences, but it was unclear when they would be carried out. Tawhid-wal-Jihad was established in the late 1990s by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who went on to lead al-Qaida's Iraq affiliate, a precursor of the Islamic State group, before he was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2006. Pakistan's military says the men belonging to Tawhid-wal-Jihad played a major role in planning and facilitating the school attack and several others. But the school attack was claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, a home-grown militant group. Pakistan has launched a number of military operations against the Pakistani Taliban, but has also been accused of turning a blind eye to other Islamic militant groups seen as allies against archrival India and as a way of projecting influence in neighbouring Afghanistan. Islamabad and Kabul have long accused each other of sheltering militants involved in crossborder attacks. The attack on the school in Peshawar, in which nearly all the victims were schoolchildren, shocked Pakistanis and led the country to lift a moratorium on
injuries, the state broadcaster CCTV reported. "Forces from all sides are searching for the (remaining) missing fire-fighters," Tianjin Fire Department head Zhou Tian said at a news conference early Friday. The logistics company, Ruihai International Logistics, handled chemicals ranging from flammable gases and liquids including compressed natural gas and ethyl acetate to toxic chemicals like sodium cyanide and toluene diisocyanate. However, the warehouse was a transit point and authorities do not have a clear picture of what was there at the time of the blasts. Records at the site were destroyed in the disaster, said Gao Huiyou, deputy director of occupational safety in Tianjin. Zhou said further firefighting efforts most go slow because of the potentially complex mix of chemicals at the site "Many types of different materials with different characteristics are mixed together and could at any time result in a chemical reaction or explosion," Zhou said.
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TIT BITS...
Pakistan, India In Talks Over Kashmir PAKISTAN'S president has renewed his offer to neighbour and archrival India to hold bilateral talks to resolve the issue of the disputed Kashmir region. Mamnoon Hussain said in a televised speech on Friday marking his country's Independence Day that Pakistan believes in "peaceful co-existence" though it would not comprise if its defense and security were under threat. Pakistan and India have a history of uneasy relations. They fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. Kashmir — a divided region today — is claimed by both countries. Pakistani security officials say Indian forces late on Thursday fired shots from their part of Kashmir at Pakistani troops.
1,000 Americans On Alleged Islamic State HitList AN alleged hitlist of the Islamic State (IS) terror group has threatened over 1,000 US nationals, a media report said today. A group calling itself the IS Hacking Division posted the list online this week, providing the phone numbers, locations and "passwords" for 1,400 American government and military personnel, CNN reported. It also released their purported credit card numbers and excerpts of some Facebook chats. "We are extracting confidential data," the message said. "And passing on your personal information to the soldiers of the khilafah who soon ... will strike at your necks in your own lands!" According to CNN, many of the phone numbers and email addresses on the list were not in service. But one person on the list, reached by phone, confirmed that he had previously served in the US military. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pentagon have launched a probe into the supposed IS list.
Bush Refuses To Rule Out Torture If Elected President JEB Bush has declined to rule out the US resuming the use of torture – with the Republican presidential hopeful saying brutal questioning methods might be justifiable and necessary in some circumstances. The former Florida governor said d in general he believed torture was inappropriate iate and his brother, former President George ge W Bush, largely ended the CIA’s use off the techniques before he left office. The CIA had been using ng waterboarding, slapping, nudity, y, sleep deprivation, humiliation and d other methods to coerce al-Qaidaa detainees – methods the militaryy would be prohibited from using on n prisoners of war. “I don’t want to make a definitive, e, blanket kind of statement,” Jeb Bush sh told an audience of Iowa Republicans, ns, when asked whether he would keep ep in place or repeal President Barack Obama’s bama’s executive order banning so-called enhanced interrogation techniques by the CIA. A. A Senate report released in 2014 cited i d CIA records d in concluding that the techniques were more brutal than previously disclosed, that the CIA lied about
them, and that they failed to produce unique, life-saving intelligence. The CIA and its defenders take issue with the report. Jeb Bush said he believed the techniques were effective in producing intelligence but that “now we’re in a different environment.” He suggested there may be occasions when brutal interrogations were called for to keep the country ssafe. “That’s w why I’m not saying in every condition, condition under every possible scenario,” Bush sa said. Later Lat on Thursday in Iowa, Bush said there was a difference between enhanced interrogation and torture enh but bu declined to be specific. “I don’t know. I’m just saying if I’m going to kn be president of the United States you yo take this threat seriously.” Bush has been walking a careful path, seeking to disassociate pat himself from some of the unpopular him aspects aspe of his brother’s legacy while praising praisi him. In discussing the Iraq war, for d example, Bush, who previously acknowledged that the intelligence didn’t acknowledg to invade, on Thursday support the decision de said some of the mistakes made id he h had h d learned l d from f during the occupation, including what he said was a wrong decision to disband the Iraqi military.
N/Korea Denies Role In S/Koreans Mine Blasts
NORTH Korea is denying that it planted land mines that injured two South Korean soldiers last week and prompted Seoul to restart propaganda broadcasts across the border for the first time in 11 years. North Korea's powerful National Defence Commission said Friday it "makes no sense" that it buried mines on the southern side of the border because it only uses such devices for defence. Investigations by Seoul and the U.S.led U.N. Command blamed Pyongyang for the mines that exploded when soldiers were on a routine patrol near a wire fence in the southern side of the border. One of the soldiers lost both legs while the other lost one leg. Officials said the mine planting violates the armistice that ended the Korean War.
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Foreign News
Indonesia Court Overturns Teachers’ Sexual Abuse Convictions AN Indonesian court has overturned convictions against a Canadian teacher and an Indonesian teaching assistant who were serving 10 years in prison for sexually abusing three young children at a prestigious international school in Jakarta, their lawyer said Friday. Neil Bantleman, 45, and Ferdinant Tjiong were convicted in April by the South Jakarta District Court of violating Indonesia's child
protection law. They maintained their innocence and appealed to the Jakarta High Court. The two men were supported by fellow teachers and the principal at the Jakarta International School, now called the Jakarta Intercultural School. Hotman Paris Hutapea, an Indonesian lawyer representing Bantleman and Tjiong, said the court overturned convictions of sexually abusing students who attended the school's kindergarten and who
are now 6 and 7 years old. The school is attended by children of foreign diplomats, expatriates and Indonesia's elite. It has 2,400 students aged 3 to 18 from about 60 countries. "The truth is finally revealed and justice has been done," Hutapea told The Associated Press on Friday. He has said that the sexual abuse claims were motivated by money. The principal and a number of other teachers have alleged the same. The mother of one of the children had sued the school for alleged negligence and was seeking $125 million in compensation. On Monday, the same district court that convicted Bantleman and Tjiong threw out the $125 million civil case. It said it was not proven that any of the alleged abuses had taken place. New evidence from medical reports from three different hospitals in Jakarta and Singapore showed no major injuries or abnormalities in the three children, the court said.
US Embassy Drug Boss, Journalist, Others Opens In Cuba Killed In Mexico Bar Shooting GUNMEN opened fire on a bar in the Mexican state of Veracruz Thursday, killing six people including a local boss of the Zetas drug cartel and a journalist, officials said. Five men wielding high-power guns burst into the bar in the eastern city of Orizaba, shooting dead journalist Juan Heriberto Santos and Jose Marquez Balderas, a local Zetas boss known as "El Chichi," in addition to four others, the state government said in a statement, citing witnesses. Two police officers were wounded, one seriously, as officers unsuccessfully tried to chase down the gunmen after the attack. Two other journalists were also in the bar but were unharmed, officials said. The editor of the local newspaper where they work, Luis Dominguez, said the two reporters told him the gunmen sprayed Santos with bullets then kicked him in the head "in a tremendous rage" before leaving the bar, a popular hangout with local crime reporters. Dominguez said one of the gunmen also beat the two journalists from his daily, El Buen Tono, with a bottle. One of the reporters was slightly wounded, he told Radio Formula. Veracruz, home to one of Mexico's busiest ports, has seen a surge in violence linked to organized crime in recent years. It is also considered one of the most dangerous states for journalists. Seventeen reporters have been killed there since 2000, according to rights group Article 19. Also Thursday, seven bodies were found wrapped in blankets between the states of Puebla and Veracruz, a local police source said. The bodies had bullet wounds, signs of torture and a note of warning attached to two of them, the source said. The country was shaken two weeks ago by the brutal murder in Mexico City of five people including photojournalist Ruben Espinosa, who had fled to the capital after receiving threats in Veracruz. Veracruz Governor Javier Duarte, a member of President Enrique Pena Nieto's Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), has been accused of threatening journalists.
He gave a statement to investigators Tuesday denying any involvement in Espinosa's death.
Air Pollution Kills 4000 In China Every Day – US Physicists AIR pollution is killing about 4000 people in China a day, accounting for one in six premature deaths in the world's most populous country, a new study finds. Physicists at the University of California, Berkeley, calculated that about 1.6 million people in China die each year from heart, lung and stroke problems because of incredibly polluted air, especially small particles of haze. Earlier studies put the annual Chinese air pollution death toll at one to two million, but this is the first to use newly released Chinese air monitoring figures. The study released on Thursday blamed emissions from the burning of coal, both for electricity and heating homes. The study, to be published in the journal PLOS One, uses real air measurements and then computer model calculations that estimate heart, lung and stroke deaths for different types of pollutants. Study lead author Robert Rohde said that 38 per cent of the Chinese population lives in an area with a long-term air quality average that the US Environmental Protection Agency calls "unhealthy". "It's a very big number," Rohde said. "It's a little hard to wrap your mind around the numbers. Some of the worst in China is to the southwest of Beijing."
WASHINGTON'S top diplomat travelled to Havana on Friday to raise the Stars and Stripes over the newly opened U.S. Embassy, making a symbolically charged victory lap for the Obama administration's new policy of engagement with Cuba. Ordinary Cubans will cheer, U.S. business executives will network and Secretary of State John Kerry will meet with Cuba's foreign minister, the country's Roman Catholic archbishop and a hand-picked group of dissidents. Then the hard part begins. Soon after Kerry heads home Friday evening, the Cuban and U.S. diplomats who negotiated the embassy reopening will launch full-time into the next phase of detente: expanding economic ties between the two nations with measures like direct flights and mail service. The Americans also want to resolve billions of dollars in half-century-old American claims over property confiscated after the Cuban revolution. Cuba has its own claims, as noted in a newspaper column by Fidel Castro on Thursday saying the U.S. owes the island "numerous millions of dollars" for damages caused by the embargo. "We have diplomatic relations; now we can get to the real work," said Wayne Smith, a retired U.S. diplomat who witnessed the closing of the U.S. Embassy in 1961, served in Cuba under President Jimmy Carter and returned this week to attend Friday's
ceremony. Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro announced on Dec. 17 that they would reestablish diplomatic ties 54 years after the flag was taken down from the embassy overlooking Havana's seaside boulevard, the Malecon. Obama also said he would be moving to empower the Cuban people by loosening the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba through a series of executive actions that make it easier for American citizens to travel to Cuba and trade with the island's growing class of private business owners. Eight months later, Cuba has repeatedly demanded a complete lifting of the embargo. It has not responded to Obama's actions with measures that would allow ordinary Cubans to benefit from them, such as allowing low-cost imports and exports by Cuban entrepreneurs looking to do business with the U.S. "I think we're ending one phase and entering another," said Robert Muse, a U.S. lawyer specializing in Cuba. "The handshakes, the fraternal regards, the raising of the flags, that'll end on Aug. 14. Then I think it's very particular conversations begin." While Cuba has increased its highly limited Internet access since Dec. 17 in a measure U.S. officials partially attribute to the warming with Washington, ordinary Cubans are growing increasingly impatient for concrete results from the new relationship.
Two Arrested In Bangladesh Blogger Murder TWO suspected Muslim militants have been arrested over the killing of a secular blogger in Bangladesh, the fourth such deadly attack this year. Saad-al-nahin and Masud Rana, suspected members of
Ansarullah Bangla Team, a group blamed for some of the previous attacks on bloggers, were arrested on Thursday evening. Local media reported that Nahin was arrested in 2013 on a charge of attempted murder in an attack on blogger Asif Mohiuddin, who was injured. Nahin was freed on bail but was supposedly being watched by detectives. Last Friday, at least four men posing as tenants entered an apartment building and
hacked to death 28-year-old Niladri Chottopadhay Niloy. Friends of Niloy, who also goes by an online name of Niloy Chowdhury, said he had received several threats that prompted him to remove all his photos from his blog. They said he had a Facebook account in which he criticised radical Islamists at home and abroad, as well as hard-line views of other religions. The family and friends said Niloy had sought police protection after he was threatened, but police asked him to leave the country for his safety.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Business
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Greek Lawmakers Back Third Bailout After All-Night Debate
Barclays, Citi, Others Agree To Pay $2Bn To Settle Forex Rigging Suit NINE major banks accused of foreignexchange rigging have agreed to pay more than $2 billion to investors in settlements, a law firm involved in the process said. Plaintiffs have "reached settlements totalling more than $2 billion with Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citi, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, JPMorgan, RBS and UBS," legal firm Hausfeld said in a statement published after a hearing in New York. Hausfeld, which represented investors, gave no indication how the sum would be divided between the banks and said that the agreements were preliminary and must still be approved by US District Judge Lorna Schofield. In June, sources close to the situation reported that Barclays would pay $375 million, HSBC $285 million, BNP Paribas nearly $100 million and Goldman Sachs about $130 million. But they also specified that the amounts were subject to change. None of the banks responded immediately when contacted by AFP.
Some of the banks in Thursday's announcement had already agreed to specific sums. US banking giant JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay $99.5 million in January, followed by Bank of America at $180 million, Citigroup at $394 million and Swiss UBS at $135 million. "In addition to the billions of dollars in compensation, these settling banks have agreed to cooperate with investors in their continuing litigation" against other institutions, Hausfeld said. Thursday's agreements are distinct from proceedings led by US and British regulators, which in May ordered $6 billion in fines on six major banks -Barclays, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Royal Bank of Scotland, UBS and Bank of America -- for rigging foreign exchange market and Libor interest rates. Barclays, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and the Royal Bank of Scotland all pleaded guilty to US Justice Department charges of conspiring to manipulate the massive currency market.
"While the recoveries here are tremendous, they are just the beginning," said Hausfeld chairman Michael Hausfeld. "Investors around the world should take note of the significant recoveries secured in the United States and recognize that these settlements cover a fraction of the world's largest financial market," he said. The firm also noted that it was considering "concerted action" in London.
GM Boosts Production Of Big SUVs, Trucks GENERAL Motors Co. (GM.N) is boosting production of its highly profitable large SUVs and trucks to a pace that could result in 48,000 to 60,000 additional vehicles for the 2016 model year, in a bid to capitalize on rising demand, sources told Reuters. GM's Arlington, Texas, plant that makes full-sized sport utility vehicles including the Cadillac
Goldman Sachs To Buy GE Bank’s Online Deposits GOLDMAN Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) is buying GE Capital Bank's U.S. online deposits, a move that will give the largest U.S. investment bank a more stable source of funding to help it better weather future crises. The deal is relatively small,
giving Goldman Sachs $16 billion of deposits to help fund its $860 billion of assets. But it represents the latest step in a historic shift for Goldman, a standalone investment bank that has been forced by regulators to look more like a universal bank since the financial crisis. Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns faltered in 2008 after they could no longer borrow from bond investors and in other markets. Regulators have been pushing investment banks since then to mimic commercial and universal banks and fund more of their
GREEK lawmakers approved their country's draft third bailout in a parliamentary vote Friday that relied on opposition party support and saw the government coalition suffer significant dissent. The vote came after a marathon all-night session marked by procedural delays and acrimonious debate over the three-year, about 85 billion-euro ($93 billion) rescue package that includes harsh spending cuts and tax hikes. Greece needs the money to avoid defaulting on its debts and securing its future in the euro currency. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has come under intense criticism from hardliners within his own radical left Syriza party for capitulating to creditor demands to introduce the austerity measures, many of whom voted against the bill. The discord is threatening to split his party and could lead to early elections. Greece needed to pass the bill ahead of a meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Brussels Friday afternoon, where the ministers will decide whether to approve the draft agreement. The deal will also need approval from the parliaments of several other countries, including that of Greece's harshest critic, Germany, before any funds can be disbursed. Some nations, such as Finland, have already given their approval. Dissenters in Tsipras' own party angrily challenged the government, accusing it of reneging on anti-austerity promises it made before winning elections last January. "I feel ashamed for you. We no longer have a democracy ... but a eurozone dictatorship,"prominent party member and former energy minister Panagiotis Lafazanis said ahead of the vote. Lafazanis on Thursday co-signed a declaration along with another 12 left-wing politicians declaring they would start a new anti-austerity movement. He stopped short of quitting Syriza outright, however. Tsipras' radical left party won elections in January on promises to repeal similar budget austerity imposed in return for Greece's two previous bailouts. His aboutface, agreeing this week to tough terms with creditor negotiators from the European Central Bank, European Commission and International Monetary Fund, has led to outrage among hardliners that now threatens to split the party. "We took a painful decision of responsibility, and took a step back," Tsipras said in his defense of the bailout. "Our position cannot be served by escape or by fantasy. We took the decision to remain alive instead of committing suicide and complaining how unfair it was." Tsipras said Germany, and in particular its finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, was attempting to undermine Greece and its position in Europe's joint currency, and would rather see Greece kicked out of the euro.
assets with deposits from consumers. In times of stress, deposits are less likely to disappear because they are federally insured. Some officials at the Federal Reserve, for example, pressured Goldman Sachs to acquire retail bank Wachovia soon after Lehman's collapse. Goldman Sachs considered buying online bank ING Direct, but Capital One Financial Corp (COF.N) bought it instead in 2011, according to a person familiar with the bank's plans. At the end of June, Goldman's deposits stood at $89 billion. Terms for the deal
were not disclosed. The bank long avoided targeting consumers as customers, but has lately been rethinking that position. It is starting up a new online consumer lending business, and hired Discover Financial Services (DFS.N) executive Harit Talwar to help develop it. People close to the bank said its decision to buy the GE Deposits was independent to its consumer lending business. For General Electric Co (GE.N) the deal comes days after it agreed to sell its health care finance business to Capital One.
Escalade and Chevrolet Suburban added Saturday overtime shifts beginning on Aug. 1, a GM spokesman confirmed on Thursday. GM is also expected to boost output of pickup trucks, other people familiar with the company's plans said, but it was not clear how that would be done. The Arlington plant is capable of making 400 big SUVs per shift, or about 1,200 in a full day's production, barring any planned or unplanned maintenance, said the sources, who wished to remain anonymous because GM has not announced its plans. Adding one day a week to production for a full year could result in as many as 60,000 additional vehicles a year, although production is likely to be less because of maintenance downtime or parts shortages, said the sources familiar with
GM's plans. GM does not disclose profit margins on individual vehicles, but analysts and company executives say the large SUVs and pickups generate profit well above the average for GM's North American operations, which was a robust 10.5 percent in the second quarter. “Industry sales are running ahead of expectations," said GM spokesman James Cain. "Sales of our full-size SUVs are very strong and we have been working to find creative ways to increase production to meet demand and rebuild our inventories.”
26
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Forex Talk Mike Fowope With
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Money Management (1) M
oney management is the most important skill for every online trader. It reduces the risk of losing your trading capital. Protecting your capital Money management is a concept that protects your trading capital from losing trades and it is the most important skill for trading. This lesson will demonstrate the importance of applying prudent risk management to avoid large losses that can lead to you losing your entire trading account. Money management, also called risk management, is a core concept that you should start with immediately when you begin to learn and it should be the very core focus throughout your trading career. It will allow you to deal with performance downturns and it will preserve your trading account during
these times, enabling you to carry on trading. The core principle of money management is that you should only ever risk a very small portion of the money that you have to trade with on any single trade. Many professional traders do not advocate risking any more than 1% to 2% of an account on a single trade. Limiting your risk per trade to a maximum of 1-2% of your whole account greatly reduces the effect of losing streaks, as you will preserve the majority of your trading account. Risking only 1% on each trade means you can lose twenty trades in a row and still retain over 80% of your starting capital. If you were to risk 5% per trade, after twenty losing trades there would be less than 40% of your original starting capital left.
After losing twenty trades, the account is reduced to $16,523 after risking only 1% on each trade; risking 5%, the account balance is reduced to $7,547. After twenty trades, by risking 5% on each trade, the trader now has to make over 100% of the account just to get back to the original starting capital. Simply by adhering to risk management, an account can survive longer drawdown periods and still be able to trade. The risk reward ratio ensure that you gain more than you lose The risk to reward ratio is how much capital a trader is willing to risk in order to gain the potential reward on the trade. You can use either a monetary value or pip value when calculating the risk to reward.
For example, if you are risking $1 to potentially make $2, the reward is divided by the risk and so the risk to reward ratio is 1:2. If you are risking 30 pips on a trade and have a 300 pip profit target, the risk to reward ratio is 1:10. When looking to take a trade, you should always make sure that your potential reward is larger than your potential loss. Know where your stop loss and profit target is before you trade Any time you consider entering into a trade, you should not only have pre-determined where your entry will be, you should also have pre-determined where your stop loss and profit target will be. Once you know where your stop loss and entry point is, you can calculate the risk and potential profit on the trade.
As a general rule of thumb, you should aim for a risk reward ratio of 1:2 or better. If you maintain a risk to reward ratio of 1:2 then you only need onethird of your the trades to win to remain break even. The risk reward ratio is closely connected to the percentage of your trades that end up winning. The risk reward ratio itself does not automatically mean success. Even a risk reward ratio of 1:4 does not help you if less than 20% of your trades end with a profit. So the risk reward ratio has to be seen as an aspect of an overall trading strategy, and not in isolation. A great way to improve your effective risk reward ratio is using trailing stops, as they will make sure that in many trades that end of losing, you are losing less than the amount originally set for your stop loss.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21 2015
Event
YO NURUDEEN with Photos from FIDELIS ISIBOR’s Lens
SUCCESSION Ooni’s Throne Battle Rages •Over 7 Princes Queue For Crown •Politics for the succession of the departed king has begun in earnest amongst the ruling houses in Ile Ife. National Weekender investigation revealed that there are more than seven (7) princes from the different royal houses in Ife presently laying claims to the throne.
ALTHOUGH the names of the Princes jostling for the In her words “It is normal for people from various royal position were not revealed to our reporter, a prince of houses to fight for the throne. From history when a king dies Ife, Mr. Aderemi explained that all the royal houses have in Ile-Ife and a new king is to be crowned, many candidates presented candidates for the position. from different royal houses will come out with claims that He revealed that, there are more than seven royal houses they are next to become king. But as all these continue, the in Ile-Ife who have the legitimate right to the throne and are real successor will be somewhere quiet, you won’t see him allowed to present candidates to succeed the late Oba. fight or contend for the throne with others.” She said. “Immediately Oba Sijuade’s death was announced, She explained further that, when late Oba Aderemi died, more than seven Princes from the various ruling houses in he anointed late Oba Sijuade and after various consultations, Ife kingdom have indicated interest in becoming the next he was crowned despite interest from other ruling houses. ruler of Ife Kingdom. There have been She revealed that the particular person, candidates from the Ademiluyi, Aderemi, who will succeed Oba Sijuade may Owodo, Alani, Gesi, Ilugbaje, and already be known by the chiefs and the Ogbooru royal families amongst others. kingmakers according to custom. “They have started consulting with When our reporters on the spot the chiefs on what to do to become the probed further to find out the name of next Ooni of Ife because, all of them the man, who is most likely to succeed are qualified except the Abewela royal the Ooni, she said that rites need to be family, whose actions caused the Ifeperformed and consultations made to Modakeke crisis and have been banned determine the actual person to succeed from ever becoming king. But, nobody Oba Sijuade adding that, until that is can say for sure, who will succeed late done, nobody is allowed to mention Oba Sijuade” he said. anybody’s name as the likely successor Collaborating what the prince to the throne, as only the initiates know said, Queen Cecilia Okero Ademiluyi and can say for sure, who the next king popularly called Iya Source, explained would be and the family from where the more on succession in Ife land to our king will come. reporters. NationalWeekender however Mrs. Ademiluyi explained tha,t there gathered that, the next Ooni of Ife will are in fact, more than twelve (12) royal be crowned latest November as it is not families in Ile Ife, who can legitimately allowed by custom to leave the throne •Prince Ademiluyi lay claim to the throne. She said that it vacant for too long. It was also gathered is not surprising that many candidates that the Ademiluyi family, who have have indicated interest in succeeding the late Ooni because been tipped as favorites to succeed late Oba Sijuade’s according to her, right from time in history, when it’s time claim (if he had any), to the throne is still subject to for a new Ooni to be crowned, many candidates will indicate approval from the kingmakers, who take counsel from interest from the various ruling houses in Ile Ife. the gods of Ife land.
Pick Pocket Nabbed At Ooni’s Burial
A pickpocket was apprehended by men of the Nigeria Police Force at the burial ceremony of the late king of Ile-Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade on Friday. According to the arresting officer, he was arrested while trying to steal from the pocket of an unsuspecting guest at the event. “He was caught by our men trying to steal from a guest
who didn’t even know. Our vigilant officer saw him put his hand in the man’s pocket and quickly apprehended him” he said. The suspect, who identified himself as Ajagun Ademola denied the allegation claiming that he was trying to collect the program of the event from an usher when he was apprehended by the police.
Ademola, who was not an invited guest or family member claimed to have travelled from Ayedun a neighboring town to Ife on his own to pay his last respect to the late king. He said that if he was told that he would be accused of stealing he wouldn’t have attended the event at all adding that it was his first time of visiting the town.
•Queen Cecilia Okero
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21 2015
Event
People’s Lamentations •AS the high and mighty shower encomiums on the late Oba Dr. Okunade Adele Sijuade, the ordinary man in Ile- Ife say that, the late king did not only associate with the rich but also cared for the poor. They described him as an accommodating, cheerful, welcoming and generous king. Some of them expressed grief as they told our reporters what they will miss most about Ooni Sijuade. Our team of reporters of ADEBAYO NURUDEEN and ace Cameraman, FIDELIS ISIBOR led by OGUNOJEMITE AYODELE were on the spot to bring you these fresh and juicy stories … THERE are many things that will be missed about our king. Because he has done so many good things for us in Ile-Ife For instance, I am a transporter, I have a truck which I use to carry loads. Many times the palace patronizes me but now that the king is gone, I may not enjoy such privileges again. My prayer is that his soul rest in perfect peace.
–Mr. Azeez Mustau I will miss a lot. He was very merciful and accommodating such that whatever troubles that take you to him, he solves. Also, whenever we go to see baba for assistance and the chiefs try to drive us away, baba will quickly caution them and ask them to allow us talk to him. So, I will deeply miss him.
–Lamidi Olatunde He was a respected king not only in Yoruba land but all over the world. He commands respect amongst his people that immediately he decrees a thing the people obediently follow. We will miss him because his presence in Ile-Ife brought peace.
–Mr. Kole Akobi HE was a very good and useful king. He was a king that one can be proud of because there are kings whose followers cannot be proud of but our late king, Oba Okunade Sijuade was a king that I am very proud of. I pray that he rests in perfect peace.
–Mrs. Tayo Ogunsewe
THE late king is a very good man. He was a very generous man. I work at Ife secretariat in Victoria Island, Lagos. Whenever the late king came around, he gives to everyone present at the secretariat even without them asking. We will really miss him.
–Mr. Francis Etibor HIS death came as a shock and very painful to us. He was a very nice and accommodating man. He was a king that whenever there is trouble in the town we had confidence that immediately we get to his palace, there will be calm and solution. He was a fair judge who was never bias in his judgments.
–Mrs. Oladele Racheal
HIS death is painful to us because when the king was alive, we the Association of Beverage sellers in Ile-Ife whenever we celebrate our Odun Olojo he always assists us. He identified with us and accommodated us so we will greatly miss him.
–Mrs. Busayo Omotosho (Lady ‘B’ Bar)
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Entertainment
Kris Accuses Kylie Of Stealing Her Swimsuit KYLIE Jenner apparently wore her mother Kris Jenner's swimsuit during a vacation in Mexico. The 59-year-old momager called out her teenage daughter on Instagram on August 13 and jokingly threatened to ground her for stealing her swimsuit. Kris posted a picture showing a throwback image of herself wearing pink Body Glove swimsuit and a recent image of Kylie wearing the same swimsuit. "Ohhhhhhh so THIS is where my vintage Body Glove bathing suit went!!!! @ kyliejenner you are grounded!" Kris captioned the picture. It turned out what she said was just a joke as she cheekily added, "Wait, I can't do that anymore you're 18...." Apparently, Kris gave the swimsuit to Kylie, given that one of the hashtags read, "recycle." The other hashtags included, "who wore it better," "80's," "who knew
you would like my old stuff," "love," "mexico," and "acapulco1989." Regarding the hashtag "who wore it better," fans were apparently on Kris' side. User @disneydoll.4life wrote, "@krisjenner you look way better than @kyliejenner does in that swimsuit." Similarly, user @ gshop100 commented, "Kris wore it better honestly lol." User @ xdemivanrooy even said that Kylie failed. "Sowieso Kris, byeee kylie you failed," she wrote. The throwback picture of Kris was previously posted by Kim Kardashian over a year ago. Back then, Kim praised Kris for her hot body. Alongside the picture, Kim wrote, "I have the hottest mom! LOL This was her after 4 kids!!!!! Myy hero!!! I am me because of you!!! Thank k you for showing me what compassion, strength and family amily means!!! I love you."
Ben Affleck Denies Buying Ex-Nanny Lexus, Funding Her Lavish Lifestyle Ben Affleck didn't buy his ex-nanny Christine Ouzounian a Lexus convertible which she drove on Wednesday, August 12. According to an online magazine, the car is not from the "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" actor and he isn't even in contact with Christine. "He did not buy her the car," said Ben's friend of Christine's new convertible. "It's not from him." The source also refuted an allegation that the actor is still in contact with his ex-nanny. "They are not in communication. They are not talking," said the source. On the other hand, a friend of Christine told the publication last week that the two were "in touch every day, all day long." While the affair rumors are swirling around, the 42-year-old actor is currently on his way to Atlanta to rejoin his family. "He's focused on his kids and his work," his friend said. "He's trying to ignore this circus." Ben has been linked to Christine's lavish lifestyle following their alleged affair. Prior to showing off her new convertible, Christine was spotted staying at the luxurious Hotel Bel-Air. Ben allegedly paid
e f ca
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Bollywood Notes Katrina Kaif Admits Love Is Complex
KATRINA Kaif is gung-ho about Nitya Mehra's time travel adventure, Kal Jisna Dekha, which she promises is a love story you don't expect, reports Mumbai Mirror. When asked to define love, Katrina said, "Love is complex. I recently watched the animated feature, Inside Out, which deals with six emotions with 25 men between ages 25-35 and I've never felt so much emotion amongst guys. Life is a journey of highs and lows, understanding what make you happy and what works for you. Love is an important aspect." While Katrina has a clear idea of what love means to her, read on to know what Sidharth Malhotra said about his relationship with Alia Bhatt.
Saif, Katrina Impress In ‘Saware’ Angelina Jolie Not On The Verge Of ‘Dying’ Despite circulating reports, Angelina Jolie is not on the verge of "dying." The National Enquirer previously reported that Angelina's anorexia and cancer had been relapsed and her family "feared she will be dead within a few years." According to the tabloid, the "Maleficent" actress "refuses to eat and has deteriorated to a mere 83 pounds." Her condition was reportedly "so grave husband Brad Pitt and their six children fear she will be dead within a few years." The outlet then quoted a number of doctors, who never treated Angelina, as claiming that various medical problems can be associated with having lost a lot of weight and muscle. The doctors didn't speak specifically about the "Wanted (2008)" actress. A "so-called" insider said, "Angie is driving herself to an early grave. She looks like a walking corpse."
Rihanna, Lewis Hamilton Romance Heats Up RIHANNA may be "keeping her options open" right now, but it still looks as though she's choosing to focus her attention on one particular guy. The singer has been linked to both Formula One race car driver Lewis Hamilton and Real Madrid soccer player Karim Benzema, but E! News learns that the romance between RiRi and Lewis is heating up. "Rihanna and Lewis had a nice little getaway last weekend in Barbados. Rihanna also spent time with her friends and family but Lewis was the only romantic interest on her mind," a source tells E! News. "They had lots of fun together around the island and also got some private
romantic time." But what about Benzema? "Karim is fading out and it looks like Rihanna has only one guy on her mind, and that's Lewis," the insider adds. "She is taking it very slow and just having fun, but she likes who he is and what he is about." There's "no label on them just yet."
THE trailer of Saif and Katrina-starrer Phantom was impressive. Now, a song from the film has been released. The video of the song, sung by Arijit Singh, comprises of a montage of scenes from the film. The song is an ode to all the heartbroken souls out there. 'Saware' is a soulful number by the master composer, Pritam. Katrina's transformation from that of the heroine to the macho girl is evident from this song and offers a glimpse as to what can be expected of her in the film. Saif's pain of being surrounded by violence and not being able to express his love for Katrina, also comes through in the number. Directed by Kabir Khan, the film is slated to release on August 28, 2015.
Kapil Sharma Releases ‘Kis Kisko Pyaar Karu’ Trailer STANDUP comedian and TV show host Kapil Sharma on Thursday unveiled the trailer of his debut venture "Kis Kisko Pyaar Karu". The entire starcast - Kapil, Elli Avram, Sai Lokur, Manjari Phadnis, Simran Kaur Mundi, Varun Sharma, Arbaaz Khan along with director duo Abbas and Mustan - were present at the bustling event. Actor-director Satish Kaushik and actor Gurmeet Choudhary also lent their support by turning up. "You can call 'Kis Kisko Pyaar Karu' a comedy thriller. There are a lot of things in the film... I've even done a bit of romance in the film.. When I spoke to Abbas Mustan, they too were of the opinion that we need to make a neat and clean comedy film. In terms of comedy, it is easy to get under the belt, so it's a big thing if you proceed by being careful about it," the "new boy on the block" Kapil Sharma told media persons.
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Fashion
Wanna Be Ladies’ Eye-Popping Dude? Check these out …
C
olorful, simple p or elegant, g fashion for men can best be described as class. However, it all depends on how you groom yourself.They must try as much as possible to create an aura of elegance and masculinity for themselves as long as fashion is involved. Being a man, you must not only create an appearance for yourselves but you must be able to grab the attention of the opposite sex as a woman would never resist the presence or a pleasant request of a good looking man. Here are some of the major items a man should always have in this wardrobe. 1. Colognes Aside looking classy, smelling good should also be part of your everyday routine. The male colognes has been specially mixed to leave a stronger and long lasting effect than the female colognes. This does not only make men smell good, it also helps boost their confidence especially in the midst of a female company. 2. Wrist Watches Wrist watch is an important accessory in getting your day started, and makes a lot of fashion statements. Although, its sole purpose is to tell the time but ladies also admire men who wear a pair of wrist watch. 3. Bag In this age and time, not only women are found carrying bags. Stylish bags have also been specially designed for the men and this has become very helpful. 4. Sunglasses This isn’t only an essential fashion item by men but a “must have”. There is hardly any man who does not go about with this fashion trend because they not only protect your eyes from direct contact with the sun but adds an extra cool factor to the face. 5. Belts This fashion item can be any designer of your choice but it is always essential to rock this item especially with a plain T-shirt and a pair of jeans. It pronounces your outfit and enhances your style. 6. Blazers Nothing makes a guy’s outfit look special and classy without the touch of a blazer. This can come in different colours except black because they help boost your appearance and give your outfit an edge. However, cool colours should always be into consideration while picking out a blazer for any occasion. 7. Loafers Men have all kinds and categories of shoes, the list is endless. Amongst all their foot wears, ‘Loafers” should not be found wanted due to its casual and very comfortable nature. They are also referred to as “life savers”.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
On My Own –
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
From Nothing To Something, Nowhere To Somewhere, Nobody To Somebody...
From The Cold Tin City Of Jos, To Hot Bustling Life Of Eko CONT’D FROM PG 10 these last few years, I allowed the artiste in me to grow and as a result I have become a better artiste, and a better producer. My whole person or life has greatly improved. So, I can say that I have proficiency in both singing and producing. How does it feel producing for your elder brother M.I? It is a wonderful feeling that we have gotten to this level. It is amazing how hard we have all worked. Coming from Jos, working and sleeping in the studios back then, the night hours, the number of times we did not get it right, all these add up to what you will say, it is worth it. Believe me, it was all a wonderful experience How challenging was it leaving Jos? It was challenging because we were coming into a different environment. In Jos, everything was cool, we took things easy, and life was simple. But then, we found ourselves in a different environment, where you have to run after everything, what you may call “the wild life of Lagos”. And even the culture and the music of where one is coming from, is different, we had to get used to it somehow because it is the new home. So it was a really challenging. What have you done so far to assist up and coming artistes from Jos? I guess we have done that with some artistes like “The Briggs Boys” who are doing well for themselves right now. They are not signed under Chocolate City but we practically push them to the level they are now. We maintain a very cordial relationship with artistes back home in Jos, I mean we organize an annual concert called “The Peace Concert” in Jos and Kaduna where we all feature. Again, the whole thing is not a function of where you are or stay, it is what you have been able to do with yourself. Ice Prince and I made as much as a thousand Night trips out of Jos just to get to where we are today. The truth of the matter is that Jos has no entertainment structure but you have to make things happen to you. The biggest story coming out of Jos today is how M.I, Ice Prince and I were able to take the music world by storm, coming from such humble background of our people. So the young artist from Jos must also work hard for themselves. Which artist do you enjoy working with? This one is a bit difficult oh! ... It has to be Ice Prince, we think alike and most times have the
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same Idea of what to do with a song. In five hours,Ice Prince and I can do close to ten songs, but with M.I, given the same time we would have been able to do only one song, maybe it is because Ice and I are age mates and M.I is our big brother. As siblings, do you have fights with M.I and does it affect your work when you did? M.I and I have the most incredible relationship I can ever think of. We are friends first over everything, We are brother yes,
We maintain a very cordial relationship with artistes back home in Jos, I mean we organize an annual concert called “The Peace Concert” in Jos and Kaduna where we all feature. Again, the whole thing is not a function of where you are or stay, it is what you have been able to do with yourself. Ice Prince and I made as much as a thousand Night trips out of Jos just to get to where we are today.
but I will say that we are very good friend and we are that tight if you understand what I mean, and we have been able to separate work with family relationship. We do have misunderstanding but we have been able to resolve it most times without any body knowing. M.I is a great elder brother not only to me but to others here as well. Do you have another brother? Yes, we are three boys, our younger brother is a Journalist. Infact,he is an entertainment writer. What was your father’s reaction, when you and M.I told him that you are going into music full time and later on relocating to Lagos? It was like oh my God, but then I guess he had already seen it coming, because back then in Jos when we were playing music in Church he was getting positive feedback from his friends, relations and even when we stepped out of church, he was still getting the positive reactionsthrough the nice things he was reading about us in the papers. But then I will say our father is a positive minded person because he showed us a lot of understanding, it was not easy for him.He really showed us a lot of understanding, he knew us and we knew him. We had been doing gospel music right from when we were kids and I guess he must have been advised or he took the decision himself. But he just sat us down to discuss the situation and advisedus, since we were deviating from what he had laid down for us to follow that was all. You said he sat you down. What advice did he give you? He told us to always remember who we are and to always stand by our decisions no matter what, and to be the gentlemen that we were brought up to be. Talking about being gentlemen, how does it work out for you, especially in relating with female admirers? Its customer service, so basically you have to treat then nicely, no matter the situation. You may have some no go areas that some determined fans will like to go but all you have to do is to politely tell them, No thanks, you but you can’t go there. What is the craziest thing a fan female have ever done to you? Well, both male and female fans have done different things to me such as asking me to sign autograph on different part of their body, but just recently, a male fan asked me to sign on his international passport.
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Relationship
LOVE LINKS FOR INSTANT LOVE CONNECTION, SEND YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND REQUEST NA
Letter To Aunty ROSE
Lessons Of Life
WITH Manfred Vitus Imo 08062333578 With Aunty ROSE 08097639574
E-mail: rosemaryugiomoh@yahoo.com My name is Biye, 23, I need not be told that am ugly, it’s obvious because some guys on Campus in Port Harcourt where I live and school, tell me. Aunty Rose, how can I cope on campus with very pretty girls all over the place? I feel odd in the midst of beauties. No guy makes passes at me. What do I do? Biye my sis, How to cope with been an unattractive girl. Be yourself. What does been beautiful mean to you? •Beauty is possessing qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc. delighting the senses or mind: .Excellent of its kind •Wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying. These are all synonyms. Comely, seemly, attractive, fair, beauteous. Beautiful, handsome, lovely, pretty refer to a pleasing appearance. A person or thing that is beautiful has perfection of form, like color, etc., or noble and spiritual qualities: t looks you have spent thea beautiful landscape, a beautifulbulk woman.of 1. Ugly. your childhood and early •Why Feeling Ugly and Unattractive? adult life abroad? Feeling ugly and unattractive is a highly common problem that probably all of us have I may bulkhowofgood my lifeyou are in reality, there experienced at onehave time orlived another.the No matter looking abroad, but my heart hasandalways been have probably been times when you felt low unattractive. This can unfortunately have atimpact home-Nigeria. Check out thea lotskit I a big on our happiness and our success and has of consequences. Feelingfor uglyBovi damages our you self esteem leavingbe us able feeling genuinely less happy with did and would to ourselves than we probably before. Then atItheam sameatime it makes us feel less capable. tell that, it’s indid my heart, fullIt isblown attractiveNigerian…More people of course who findso, attractive is common for attractive I waspartners. bornItin people to get theleft morefor desirable jobs. Ifand you feel ugly, then you Iaren’t going to want to Nigeria, a while came back. pursue a career as an actor or actress, and you might feel like you can’t be as successful just in an officerelocated based job. back to Nigeria November last so you that I go back Have year, you’ve ever heard could of the lawsay of attraction, you’ll know that feeling ugly can andaforth. become self-fulfilling prophecy. If you feel ugly then you’ll find yourself dressing less What prompted you‘pull off’ more attractive attractively (to drawactually less attention to you, and because you can’t clothes), you’ll findtoyourself walking withhome? less confidence (and confidence is sexy) and decision come back you’ll take less time into looking I wanted takeafter myyourself. career to the next I feel you are the reality is that you most probably aren’t ugly. Apart from anything else level. beautyBy is in the eye of the beholder, but that aside even byacting conventional standards very few career you mean your people are genuinely ‘ugly’. And even if you are there are things that can be done both about thecareer? way you look, and the way you feel. Yes, acting What to domy if you feel ugly.career. Before came to Nigeria, have Can you Changeyou Your Thinking It’s time to change your thinking. If you feel ugly then no doubt you are probably focusing on a few key areas of Your appearance that you aren’t happy with and that you think are ‘ugly’. Maybe you have a double chin, or a large nose, or small eyes. In any case you shouldn’t focus on things you can’t change as it’s not healthy or helpful. What you should focus on is what you do like about yourself and what can be changed. While you might not like your jaw, or you might not like your ears, there will almost always be something you do like about yourself. Maybe your teeth, your jaw line, your eye color. In any case there will be something that you have going for you and you should focus on this instead. When next, the thoughts of you not liking think your nose, make sure your thoughts will follow up this way and immediately with ‘but I do like my jaw’. It’s a little psychological trick that can transform your perceptions. At the same time you can also improve this area of yourself and make it your feature. If you don’t like your eyes but you like your lips as a woman, then you can start wearing a red lipstick to draw attention to them, and you can take care to keep them moisturized and great looking. If you don’t like your lips but you like your eyes then you can draw more attention there with eye make liner or make up or by making effort to keep them wide.Changing your eyebrows and growing your brows can draw attention to your eyes. Have a Make over One of the best cures for feeling ugly is to have a makeover and this can be a style makeover, a makeup makeover, or just a new health and beauty regime. You can dedicate some time to making the most of what you have and showing off your assets. If you dress to show off the best parts of your body, if you make sure your skin looks good and healthy, and if you try a new hair cut then you’d be surprised to find that it can actually transform your look entirely and make a beauty out of even the ugliest duckling. The best way to achieve this is to turn to the professionals. Go and get a makeover, or spend a little money on a haircut (you only have to do this once and then you can get subsequent hairdressers to just copy the style). Don’t be afraid to really mix things up either and to try bold decisions, or how about hair coloured. One thing to remember is that no matter your physical features, there’s probably a look out there that will appeal to you and suit you, so make sure to experiment and to find it. Exercise and work out. Working out is something that can improve your mood incredibly – a great way to get rid of those depressing thoughts – but at the same time it can alter your physique, your confidence and many aspects of your health giving you a great ‘glow’. This is one of the best ways to make yourself into a slightly more perfect physical specimen in both body and mind. Change Your Goals When you feel ugly this is often a result of having unrealistic expectations and our role models have a lot to answer for in this respect. If you find yourself looking at the covers of magazines with a heavy heart and thinking you’ll never look like that, then you will likely find that you do indeed start to feel ugly. The reality though is that these celebrities are a nowhere near as attractive in real life. Learn Photoshop and you’ll quickly start to see the tell-tale signs of airbrushing and of warping to make hips look thinner and busts look bigger. Better then is to have more realistic icons who have more interesting features that tell a story. Personally I want to look likeOMOTOLA EKEINDE. She has a beautiful face. I rather appreciate my looks than bother myself. Do Other Things At the end of the day, once you’ve had a makeover and gotten into shape, there is only so much you can do about your looks. Does it really matter though? At the end of the day there are things far more important than what society perceives as being good looking. Focus on skills and abilities that are a little deeper and more important –You may not be
I
an Omotola or Genevieve, but you can become an OkonjoIweala or Abike Dabiri. Try not to be shallow. If you feel ugly then it means you have obviously judged yourself on your looks. If you do the same with others then perhaps that’s no surprise. Rather then, try judging people less on their physical appearance in general and this should hopefully spill over into your perception of yourself. Ways to change our Perception about your looks Realise that being attractive is a totally subjective thing and no-one will please everyone. Although there are some that please a lot of people, everyone will feel unattractive at some point. Being 'attractive' is different to being good-looking, because it is to do with a lot of things, not just your physical appearance., if a lady gets hits-on a lot one night, her friends feels invisible, but the next night she goes out she will get more attention and her friends will feel like crap. I don't know how it works. It mystifies me, especially as some ladies often get more attention when they have gone out spontaneously and look kind of a mess. There are NOT THAT MANY stunningly attractive people out there! So don't feel like you are the only one who is not pretty. Loads of people are unattractive and the vast majority of the ones I know have long-term boyfriends. You don't have to accept something so subjective and superficial about yourself if you don't like it. Don't give up on feeling attractive. Maybe you aren't the type of girl who is interested in clothes or makeup or hair, and I'm certainly not suggesting you change anything more drastic than that. But changing the way your hair is done or something can make a huge difference to your appearance and can make you feel better. In my first year of university, I became friends with a very unfortunate looking girl. She wasn't just plain, she was ugly, which sounds harsh but it was true. She was never going to be good-looking, but she also dressed herself so badly. We all went shopping and I suggested she try some outfitsand she looked so much better. Yes, she still had an unfortunate face, but suddenly you noticed that she had a good waist and had a kind of slim elegance to her. Find what your good features are (EVERYONE HAS SOME) and emphasise them. A lot of attractive people are just people who have learnt what to emphasise and what to downplay, often with help from others. Finally, a lot of girls find it hard to trust guys that question their motives, whether they are pretty or not. It depends on past experiences, and good looks do not protect you from bad ones. I think the only way to get over this is to build up good experiences, but it takes a long time and is hard to do. I must tell you these about Ladies and Women: There can be competition between women.Where we allow other women to be beautiful. Other women can be pretty, as long as they’re not too pretty. A woman can be beautiful, but if she’s also smart, organized, and she is worth her salt, Forget it. Other women will gossip about her and secretly love seeing her slip up. We alternate between wanting to be her and, well, hating her. The choice is yours. Look beautiful, feel it, Exhume confidence. I remember a friend, a heartbreakingly beautiful girl who incited much envy from other girls. I will be flat out honest and share how intimidated other girls were of her, when we first met!) Her crime? She let her beauty shine: she wore make-up, curled her hair and dressed stylishly. When girls spoke about her beauty behind her back, they would whisper, “But she wears a lot of make-up,” as if that could explain away her beauty. Instead of enjoying your beauty, and trying to be your best selves, you act like junior high girls who all have to dress alike, talk alike, and look alike. Jealousy at work. If we believe that we are in a giant, cosmic beauty pageant with other women, that other women’s beauty somehow diminishes our own, or if we are addicted to being the prettiest woman in the room, we will never feel good enough. Instead of befriending other women, or celebrating their gifts, we will see them as the enemy, and do everything we can to knock them down. Celebrate your gifts? Your unique beauty, body, personality? When ladies teenagers, with a boy’s body, they wanted breasts and hips and thighs like their older friends. When they are curvy new mother – with breasts and hips and thighs – They want to be like that young teenager. Free yourself to be authentically, proudly you, feel free like other women. Letyour beauty shine, open up a space for other women to shine. Sometimes, this means giving women permission to be drop dead beautiful – prettier than you – and to love them for it. When we’re feeling jealous, you think someone else has something you don’t or can’t have. It can arise because you think beauty is a limited commodity – your beauty somehow takes away from others, or vice versa. It becomes a scarce resource we fight over so we can get our “fair share.” You can feel jealous or criticize others when you’re living dishonestly. Instead of looking inside at how you compromise your integrity, project these feelings onto others. Instead of feeling the regret or lack of authenticity, it’s much easier to feel jealous. It’s safe, because it can be all about someone else. Jealous feelings arise when we’re being inauthentic – silencing our style or our beauty, or, on a greater level, the very things that bring us happiness – and we see another woman who is expressing her style and beauty. We see her confidence in being true to herself and want the same for ourselves. That woman pricks us, hooks us with envy, and brings that uncomfortable contrast to the surface. Jealousy. Instead of using these feelings as cause to hate a pretty woman, or worse, to use them as ammunition to hate yourself for feelingjealous,I gently invite you to use that discomfort to unleash your true self. Use your envy like a pitchfork, to dig underneath whatever keeps you from being authentic and find that juicy, creative, beautiful manna that resides inside, just waiting to burst forth. Jealousy is only a signpost, to guide you to a place where you feel lacking. Think about how you can fill that lack by being authentic to who you are, to your body, to your beauty, and then sharing that with the world. Most importantly, forgive yourself for feeling jealous. It’s quite human, an attempt to protect ourselves from pain. In writing this column, and in all honesty sharing how much other ladies jealous , I hope to normalize their emotions and talk about the elephant in the room – how much we can feel competitive towards each other. Hopefully, as we meet our envy with kindness, we can soften its hold. Why are we’re jealous of other women, when we’re competing with each other, we crumble the foundations of our very support. Women need each other. It is the women in my life who uphold me and understand my feminine journey. And, likewise, I validate and support and uphold the women in my life, I increase the courage and strength of women everywhere, every time I let a beautiful woman be beautiful, a strong woman be strong, a pretty woman be pretty, I feel fulfilled when women are happy. Try to make yourself happy, work on your low self esteem. All the best.
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Perspectives On Retirement And Aging With Vitality WHAT RETIREMENT IS ALL ABOUT? To entire is to exit from the work force. The idea of retirement is based on the general fact that both productivity and the pleasure to work do diminish with old age. Although retirement is a well-earned period of relaxation from the daily vigor of work, many people do not find it a particularly pleasant prospect. This is due to loss of income, absence of long standing social interactions with colleagues and sometimes lack of “something” to fall back on. FACTORS LEADING TO RETIREMENT. This can be classified into: A. Under Normal Circumstance. The employer would lay off the worker when the cost of retraining him/her out weights his/her contribution/ productivity to the profitability of the company or organization. Second, the worker would desire to effect a final separation from the job when the physical and mental strains of labor (due to old age) out weight whatever satisfaction or income he obtains from it. B. Normal Statutory Requirement: This can be done in two ways either of - The worker has put in 35 years in service Or - When the worker has attained the age of 60 years. C. Retirement under unusual circumstances:- This takes the following forms – (i) An officer can be retired compulsorily - Compulsory retirement is affected for the purpose of facilitating improvement in the organization/department to achieve greater efficiency and productivity. - Advice of a properly constituted medical board certifying the worker is no longer mentally or physically capable of discharging his functions. - He could be required to retire in order for him to take up appointment elsewhere. - He/she could be required to retire on the ground of public interest. Distinguishing features of retirement: - Retirement is no idle time. Retirees may consider retirement as the rest of their life rolled into one long-holiday. To some, retirements are the doors to start great things, taking it as a new beginning and finding new endeavors. And yetto some, It is the beginning of lack, pain and sufferings. - Short days and less energy: All things being equal, a retiree has shorter span of life before him/her and has generally, less vigor to go with it. - He should take decisions with much care. The retiree or about to retire should distinguish between the realities of life from the shadows. He/she must pay his/her debts with all the promptness within his power, as it gives him emotional and psychological satisfaction, not purchasing that for which he is unable to pay. He must take care of his family that they may think and speak well of him. He must do deeds of thoughtfulness to those dear to him. General worries about retirement. - Financial issues: These issues bother on money which includes (a) uncertainties about means of livelihood, consequent upon loss of regular income (b) inability to cope with rising cost of living (c) inadequate and/or untimely pension provisions from the organization worked in. - Personal issues. These have to do with - (a) the possibility of boredom and loneliness associated with retirement. (b)Loss of status and social standing (c) Good health and physical fitness; how to remain healthy, (d) lack of routine/discipline provided by job (e) Loss of organization’s concessions such as accommodation, medical attention, car loan, official car etc. (f)Old age problems (for some) (g) Inability to care for dependants – feeding, paying school fees and medical care. Steps To Avoid Retirement Crisis; To effectively avoid retirement crisis you are reminded - To assess your present financial situation - Consider your retirement comfort, prioritize your own retirement security above any other financial commitment. - Consider where to stay-type of accommodation, children’s education, feeding and care; and of course, not how to celebrate birthday/or burial ceremonies. - Assess all risks and probabilities that could negatively affect your retirement such as health problems, inflation, rising cost of living, accommodation and other social issues. - Determine your life style. To support whatever lifestyle you have adapted, create an income strategy to cover your expenses in retirement. Making Adequate Preparation For Retirement. Retirement is a significant milestone in life and as such, needs forethought and planning. The reality however, is that many people are gripped with (real or imagined) fear, as they move closer to retirement or are informed of impending retirement. For many, it is the end of happy life; others see it as the end of active service and social reckoning. The announcement of retirement is greeted by many with agony and pain by the would-be retiree, his family and friends. At times, it comes to an individual as a curse than a blessing. To others, the curtain of a useful life has been drawn to a close and a cloud of sorrow, inadequacies, of meager benefits, isolation, loneliness has descended. It is instructive to inform you that all these feelings/anxieties are misplaced if adequate preparations have been made. In actual sense, a would-be retiree is expected to be happy rejoicing and thanking God for exiting the work force without blemish. He needs to thank God for His faithfulness and unchallengeable authority for setting the right time for everything under the sun.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Politics
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No Hands In Taraba PDP Governorship Primary –INEC
INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it did not supervise the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) primaries that produced candidates for April 11 2015 governorship poll in the state. Testifying before the Taraba State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, the electoral umpire claimed that the PDP primary election was conducted in violation of provision of the law which mandated INEC to be present, to supervise and observe the conduct of the poll. Counsel to PDP, Solomon Akuma, a senior advocate, however countered the claims and tendered document to show that a primary was conducted that produced Darius Ishaku as the party’s governorship candidate in that
election. An INEC staff and witness to one of the petitioners Aminu Idris, told the tribunal while giving evidence that none of the INEC official was in attendance. The tribunal had two weeks rejected INEC’s request for the tribunal to relocate to the Taraba state capital, Jalingo, to continue its proceedings. The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice ZainabBilkachuwa, had directed some election petitions tribunal in some states, including Taraba, to relocate to Abuja over security concerns. Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Musa Abubakar, in his ruling, dismissed INEC’s objection to the tribunal’s jurisdiction to sit in Abuja and hear a petition. Hajia Aida Alhassan of the All
Progressives Congress is challenging the election of PDP candidate in the April poll. Justice Abubakar held that the tribunal was validly constituted by the Court of Appeal President in line with her constitutional powers. INEC had, in its motion, argued that the tribunal ought to sit in the state where the election was held and that the President of the Court
said “much as the APC government at the centre has indicated its commitment to the rule of law and of due process in all public engagements, as a party, we are completely averse to such show of overzealousness by our security operatives who are naturally supposed to be protecting lives and properties of Nigerians’’ ‘’It is already public knowledge that the personnel would feign protection of the INEC headquarters in the face of alleged looming danger occasioned by the peaceful protest, but pointedly, they forget that the party leaders have at various times held positions of responsibility and have a rich reputation that their involvement in violence would never be contemplated. Armed with this reality, it becomes expedient to state that the security operatives only rushed into a conclusion that was driven by overzealousness and which is far away from the story of
petitioners, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), to the effect that since INEC’s motion, challenged the Court of Appeal President’s exercise of her constitutional power, the matter he should have gone to the Federal High Court. The petitioners are challenging the outcome of the last governorship election in Taraba State, won by Ishaku of the PDP
Niger Assembly Orders Ex-Gov Aliyu’s Probe NIGER State House of Assembly has directed the state Governor, Alhaji Sani Bello to set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the eight years administration of his predecessor, Dr. BabangidaAliyu, particularly
APC Frowns At Police Teargasing Peterside, Others THE South-South headquarters of the All Progressives Congress [APC] has frowned at the harassment and tear gassing of some of its chieftain and candidates from Rivers State stating that the development was draconian and therefore unacceptable. The party also demanded an apology from the police personnel or be sanctioned by the police authorities to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to continue in that stead. National Vice Chairman, South South of the party, Prince Hilliard Eta, in a statement issued by his media aide, BasseyIta, said the party will not accept such overzealous and draconian tendencies by security personnel, especially now that the new dispensation has declared an intolerable position against corruption and lawlessness of whatever dimension. The statement reads in part; ‘’The South South office of the All Progressives Congress[APC] considers as draconian and coming from overzealous minds, last Wednesday’s visit of assault occasioned by the tear-gassing of some very revered and responsible party leaders and candidates from Rivers State who were at the INEC headquarters to albeit peacefully launch a protest against the heavily compromised and dissident Resident Electoral Commissioner[REC] for Rivers State, Mrs. Gesila Khan, who has defied orders of a constitutionally mandated court to produce electoral materials to the APC candidates to aid the quick dispensation of justice, following petitions arising from the abysmal conduct of the general elections of March 28 and April 11 in Rivers State this year.” According to the statement, Etta
of Appeal lacked the power to move the tribunal to sit in any other location. It also argued that the state’s legislative election tribunal was currently sitting in Jalingo, and queried basis to move the governorship election petitions tribunal away from the state. In its ruling, the tribunal upheld the argument by lawyer to the
protecting the INEC office.’’ The party demanded an apology from the security operatives to their unsuspecting victims while also urging the Police High Command to ensure that the affected personnel yield to the party’s demand or be sanctioned accordingly. It also urged the INEC Acting Chairman, Mrs. Amina Zakari, to further assert her authority as the head of the electoral body by ordering the REC to respect court decisions, especially as it pertains to the ongoing litigations over the polls in Rivers State. The statement, which observed that such fragrant violation of court orders by supposed impartial personnel like INEC officials, was a dangerous precedent for our democracy, called on judges to be more drastic in enforcing their orders on litigants so as to guarantee the protection of the electoral rights and values of Nigerians.
in the management of state finances just as the later has urged the legislators to face their duty of making laws and leave the choice to probe him or not to the Governor. This resolution by the State House of Assembly during its sitting nevertheless dashed the hope of the former Governor to evade investigations into alleged financial recklessness during the eight years of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration. The motion which was moved by a member representing Bida II constituency, Honorable Mohammed Haruna listed among others; 22 activities of the past administration which according to him needed to be investigated. Top activities for investigation include the operation of Local Government Joint Account, Ward Development Projects, Bonds, the Three Arms Zone project, Minna Airport City Project, the sale of Government property to Commissioners, members of state house of assembly and other politicians, the 10km local government projects, Minna City center projects and the alleged N2.6 billion shared among public officers on the eve of the end of the immediate past administration. Others included; IBB University, Lapai, former College of education which was turned into University
of Education, SUBEB, SURE-P projects, MDG Projects, the Pension board, Minna Building material market, Five Star hotel, the rental paid by government for the former Governor’s House amongst others. Hon. Haruna who moved the motion observed that the present administration inherited an empty treasury due to the financial recklessness of the past administration to the extent that the state is almost bankrupt which has caused stagnated development of the state. Teachers and local government workers’ salaries accumulated for a period of four months, Haruna said adding that Nigerlites is expecting the House to take appropriate steps towards remedying the situation the state found itself. According to him, “If there are relevant provisions of our laws that empower us to check and correct the defects and not allow business as usual then our refusal to exercise such powers may be tantamount to compromising our cardinal responsibilities as representatives of our various constituencies.” When the motion was thrown to the floor of the House for deliberation, the member representing Gbako, Honorable AbdullahiMamagi said the way and manner the present administration is handling the issue of investigating the former administration is not
MORE kudos came the way of Lagos StateGovernor,AkinwunmiAmbode over his directive that pension arrears owed retirees of state and local governments as well as parastatals, running to the tune of N11bn, be paid immediately. This time, the commendation is coming from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a former Minister of Transport and elder statesman, Chief Ebenezer Babatope said the governor deserves praise for giving priority to the plight of retirees and pensioners in the state. Babatope, a member of the PDP’S Board of Trustees (BoT) who lamented the hardship pensioners are
going through in Nigeria also urged other leaders to emulate the governor because according to him “when a man works, he definitely should get his rewards”. He however admonished the governor to follow- up on the directive and see to it that the pensioners are promptly given their benefits as instructed. “I think it is a welcome development if a governor could say that pensioners in the state should be promptly paid their arrears. I think Ambode should be praised, sentiments apart. This is because retirees and pensioners are being badly humiliated in Nigeria now and that is very sad”.
Babatope Hails Ambode’s Gesture To Retirees
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Politics
Buhari/Jonathan Parley:
Observers’ Silent ‘Noise’
By CHARLES ENWEREM THE recent invitation of former president, Goodluck Jonathan to the Aso Villa by President Muhammadu Buhari, seems to be drawing more attention than usual in the public eye especially, in those of political watchers. President Muhammadu Buhari met with Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the past weekend in the Presidential Villa and indications are that the meeting of the pair isn’t one to be treated with kid’s gloves. The meeting was said to have lasted for about an hour and it was revealed that President Buhari invited Jonathan to give him insight into the ways to stabilize the new administration, especially in the areas of the fight against Boko Haram and the purchase of military hardware from alternative sources. It was also revealed that Dr. Jonathan also presented
detailed information on the additional weapons already paid for by his administration, which will arrive the country shortly. Following the need for the pair to meet, experts are already looking at the political undertone of such invitation. Many say that barely two months after President Buhari was sworn into office, he has already invited his predecessor which is an indication that all is not really well with the Nigerian situation and especially, the former’s administration in the light of the massive corruption, which plagued his administration and the call for the probe of principal officers in his government. The journey to greatness is a gradual process and has its many pit-stops on the way. The good side of the invitation is that, President Buhari reached out to Dr. Jonathan and the latter honored the visit, a move, which many
would not acknowledge after the result of the polls. This was an action which in 2011, he didn’t enjoy from his then challenger at the polls. Kudos should also be given to President Buhari for thinking it strong enough to invite his predecessor for a chat; be it for good or for bad, a move which is believed to come following the state of the nation and possible ways to salvage and re-structure the nation for the good of the country and its citizens. Political observers believe that the gesture which the President has shown, is in good fate and unlike past leaders the nation has had, this goes to show how much of a leader and people-person the president is. Political experts are of the view that, the Nigerian leaders should draw leadership lessons from such great nations like the US and the UK. This is believed to come as a result of the actions of some former presidents of the nation,
principle of which is the open letter written by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, a move which was described as “one of the most acerbic letters in modern history” and was frowned at by many as well as the international society. He was perceived as accusing him of ineptitude and of taking actions calculated at destroying Nigeria. In the detailed letter which political watchers and experts described as “dripping of anger, frustration and viewed as what appears to be a genuine concern to rescue a nation on the brink”, Chief Obasanjo lamented that Dr. Jonathan had become terribly divisive and clannish, destroying his own party, polarizing the country along regional and religious lines and ridiculing Nigeria in the comity of nations. According to some political observers, as well as prominent Nigerians, it is not in the best interest of the nation for a
former president to write an open letter to a sitting president, citing an example with the former American president, George W Bush, it is common knowledge to state that after he left office and handed over President Barrack Obama, he has never been in the corridors of power let alone, coming out to haul over the coals of his successor. The only place he spends most of his retirement days is at the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas. Suffix to this all, the prompt issue on the minds of many, is that President Buhari had sent out an arm of invitation to his predecessor whether for good or bad and Dr. Jonathan saw it wise to honour such; even though it is seen that his administration was weighed down with massive corruption. It is also worthy of note that both men were seen chatting and laughing after the meeting, which could mean that the visit was more of good than bad.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Crime
35
EFCC Docks Two For Land Fraud
Tenant Sets Building Ablaze Over Rent •Owes Blind Landlord Over Three Years Rent A tenant Dominic Udo has set the house he leave inablaze, over a row the landlord. He is said to be owing his blind landlord three years and six months’. The house,situated at Young Lanein Ajegunle area of Lagos State The landlord, simply identified as Richard, was said to have reported the matter at the Citizen Mediation Centre, in Amukoko .Both Udo and Richard were invited to the centre, on August 5, 2015. On August 7, 2015, Udo was alleged to have put fire on a candle and left the house. The fire ignited his room in that evening but the fire was put out by residents in the area. The residents suspected that Udo would have done that based on the fact that the landlord took him to the centre after which he promised to quit the residence.
Richard, who wanted to eject the tenant from the building for some time now because of his defiant behaviour then went to Ajegunle police station and made a report, yesterday some of the tenants said. A resident, Mama Nkiru said, “The tenant had no human sympathy. How could a man, who
(M) (now at large) sometime in the month of June, 2015 or thereabout in Bauchi State, which is within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court ,with the intent to defraud, committed an illegal act to wit: Giving as genuine a forged certificate of grant of Right of Occupancy No: BA/28150 purportedly issued to one Alhaji Idris Tela Saleh which you knew to be forged to Alhaji Inuwa Garkuwa as proof of title to land you fraudulently sold to him located at Fadaman Mada Bauchi and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law, Laws of Northern Nigeria.’’ The suspects, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them. Following their plea, prosecution counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa, prayed the court for a trial date. Justice Umar ordered the suspects to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned hearing on the matter to August 20, 2015.
Female Pastor Charged Over Visa Fraud
ICPC Orders Foreign Firm To Remit N28.3m Unpaid Staff Pension Funds SERVITRUST/Prudential Guards Limited, a guard company operating in Nigeria, has been directed to by Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to remit the sum of N141, 785.75 to the retirement savings account of one of its employees. ICPC, while acting on a petition by the employee, discovered that the company had failed to remit the said sum being the petitioner’s accrued pension for eight years to his Pension Fund Administrator, Lead way Pension Ltd., in violation of Section 11 (3) (b) of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 The Commission also uncovered other irregularities in the management of staff pension funds by the firm. ICPC found out that the firm had not remitted N28, 252,299.89 contributory pension monies to the National Pension Commission for 647 members of staff in its Rivers State office alone to their Pension Funds Administrators (PFA) since 2005. ICPC, at the end of the investigation, has also alerted the National Pension Commission to enforce Section 11 (6) (7) of its Act as it relates to the activities of Servitrust/Prudential Guards limited so as to serve as a deterrent to other companies like it.
is a commercial motorcycle rider live in a house for over three years without paying his landlord a dime? It is wickedness. He should be ashamed of himself. We are suspecting that he set the building ablaze himself because the landlord took him to the Citizen Mediation Centre. “
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, August 12, 2015, arraigned the duo of Yazidu Abdullahi and Auwal Tahir Aliyu before Justice Rabi T. Umar of Bauchi State High Court on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N 780,000.00k( Seven Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira). The suspects, who are members of a syndicate, allegedly perpetrated the fraud using a forged document, Right of Occupancy on a property with title No (BA/28150) situated at Fadaman Mada, Bauchi State. The suspects allegedly used the forged documents to sell the uncompleted building on the plot of land to Garkuwa who eventually discovered that the said land belongs to one Abubakar. Count five of the charge reads: ‘‘That you Auwal Tahir Aliyu (M), Yazidu Abdullahi (M), Haruna Abdulmumin (M) (now at large) and Sadiq Shehu
•Joy Tongo
A Pastor with the Mountain of Fire Ministry, Yaba headquarters, Pastor (Mrs.) Joy Tongo has been charged before Isolo Magistrates court in Lagos and remanded in prison for her alleged involvement in a visa scandal. The 35-year old Tongo allegedly defrauded Stanley Dim under the false pretence of procuring him a Chinese visa for missionary journey. According to Dim, Tongo met him at the church headquarters in Yaba and promised to link him with her partner in China for missionary journey and thereafter, he would be able stay back there and earn a living. Tongo allegedly told him that he will pay N300, 000 for the procurement of visa and other necessary documents for the trip. Dim, who did not suspect any foul
play, gave her the money and she promised to get back to him with the visa a day before the journey. Tongo allegedly failed to deliver the visa on the day she promised. The travel period also elapsed and there was no alternative arrangement for the trip to China. When Dim contacted Tongo, she said the journey had been postponed and it will be for another date. After days passed and promises failed, Dim demanded for his money, which Tongo refused to pay. She claimed that she had used the money to obtain forms for his travel documents. Dim then reported the matter to the Alakara police division and Tongo was arrested and charged to court. She was charged with obtaining under false pretence and stealing under the Criminal Code.
Court Dismisses NATFORCE Boss’ Suit Against ICPC Justice Adeyemi Ademola of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja has dismissed the suit filed by the Director-General of the National Task Force on Combating Illegal Importation of Goods, Small Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons (NATFORCE), Dr. Emmanuel Okereke. The suit was to stop Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) from investigating alleged employment scam leveled against his organisation. In 2013, ICPC had received a petition through the Bauchi State Office of the Commission that NATFORCE was defrauding the public through an employment scam. The petitioner alleged that under the leadership of Dr. Okereke, unsuspecting members of the public were made to believe that NATFORCE was recruiting, and desperate Nigerians looking for employment parted with monies for the recruitment exercise. In the course of its preliminary investigations, the Commission invited Dr.Okereke to defend himself. Rather than honour the invitation of ICPC to clear the allegations, he went
to court to challenge the powers of the Commission to invite and/or summon him for investigation on the activities of his organisation. He also asked the court to restrain the Commission from further summoning, attempting to arrest, detain or investigate him in connection with the alleged employment scam.The counsel of ICPC, Mr. Ezeana Sunny, filed a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the plaintiff to sue the Commission based on the grounds
that “the suit is vague, speculative and academic, misconceived, bereft of live issues, diversionary, lacking merit and ought to be dismissed as an abuse of court process”. After listening to arguments of both counsel, Justice Ademola decided the case in favour of ICPC saying the court cannot stop the Commission from performing its statutory duties.With this decision, ICPC could continue its investigation of the allegations against NATFORCE.
Fake Police Officer Nabbed In Ibadan A fake police officer, Olayinka Micheal, was arrested by the Oyo state police command while posing as an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) attached to Agodi Area Command, Ibadan, Oyo state on August 10th 2015. Luck ran out on him after some police officers patrolling Iwo Road shopping Complex Ibadan sighted him trying to effect an arrest. Curious to know what was going
on, the police officers approached him and in the course of their discussion, found out he was a fake police officer. He was immediately arrested. Items found on him included a fake police warrant card and a portrait of the suspect in full police uniform with the rank of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP 1) He is expected to appear in court soon.
She pleaded not guilty and the presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Joy Ugbomoiko, granted her bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum. She was however, remanded in prison custody pending, when she will perfect her bail conditions. The matter was adjourned till 5 September, 2015
Illegal Fuel Dealer Arrested
THE Police in Lagos State have arrested a man for allegedly turning his residence into petroleum product sales depot. Squad Commander of Police Rapid Response Squad in Lagos State, ACP Olatunji Disu, made this known in a statement in Lagos on Thursday. The statement said the suspect was arrested at 24, Awoseyin Street, Shomolu, on Wednesday. Disu said the operatives acted on a tip off that the suspect and one Adeola, sold petrol and diesel inside the house in spite of objection by co-tenants. “In a special operative d-coy and to ascertain the information received, some officers acted as prospective buyers of fuel. “The suspect was about to sell petrol to them from drum stationed in the passage of house when other policemen in uniform stormed the spot. “The suspect was in the habit of selling petroleum product to members of public inside faceme-I-face you building. “He claimed he was a commercial bus driver before he was introduced into bunkering’’, said the statement.
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Crime
Moral Indiscipline Is Our Bane –Ali Advocates Urgent Surgery For Constitution Tongue-lashes Journalists, Lawyers, Ministers, Civil Servants, et al Votes For Get-Back-Our-Stolen Money Moves
•Renowned Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Yusuf Olaolu Ali, in this interview with our Judicial Links man, Stephen Aya, says that there is need for judicial reforms. He also speaks on the subject matter of plea bargain, fight against corruption, appointment of Attorney-General from the ranks of SANs, among others. Read on … IT does appear that anyone,who would be appointed AttorneyGeneral of the federation must be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Why is it so? You see, when you are setting up a team, you look for the first elevens; you try to put up the best. As far as the legal profession is concerned, the attainment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is the epochal thing and every legal practitioner craves for the rank. So, you don't want to put up someone, who would not give you the quality service needed because for such a Job, you need to get the best. You won't get someone who though is occupying the position; you still feel something is missing. Never! Truth is that being a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is the highest honour. So, when you want to appoint an Attorney-General of the Federation, you ought to put somebody, who would not be unduly intimidated by other people. If you put any other lawyer who is not a SAN, he would be ambitious to become one and in the process, some critical things could suffer because of his ambition. It is like somebody in the university system; if you are not a professor, there is limit to what you can do. For example, if you are not a professor and become the Vice Chancellor, it means that for the time you are the Vice Chancellor, nobody would be promoted to the chair of professorship because you cannot sit at a meeting or chair a meeting of professors when you are not one. The Vice Chancellor is the chairman of promotions committee of universities. So, that is why if you want to appoint a Vice Chancellor, you appoint a professor so that there would be no problems.. So, it is the same thing. We’ve produced many SANs since 1975. Now, there is no reason for you to think you want to produce somebody who is not a SAN to become the Attorney-General of the Federation. You want to put a lawyer that would be a march to any lawyer in any part of the world in terms of attainment; this possibly informs the decision to always have a SAN as Attorney General. Lots of people have picked holes in the constitution. What can we do to solve this problems and how do we properly carry out these reforms, so that there could be a constitution that binds and highly revered? You see Constitution is a living document. And, like humans, it is not a perfect document. You can't have a perfect constitution. Constitution usually develops and evolves. Let's take the American Constitution, for example. It is usually the interpretation by the courts that engenders amendments. A constitution cannot contain everything that you think could be in a document; otherwise it would become an encyclopedia. And, it is the interpretations of the provisions that would flesh it up. They would form the body of the
constitution as you go on. For me, the present Constitution has lots of issues; the issue of devolving of power in the tiers of government. I want a situation we had in 1963 Constitution where we had three items on which each levels of government could legislate upon. We have issues on the Exclusive Legislative and Concurrent lists that would spell out things and then, the issues that would be on the Residual Legislative List. The concurrent would exclusively be for federal government alone; it would be what the federal and state could legislate upon and the other one would be the one that only states could dabble into. Then, I have always advocated and supported the call for the abrogation of Section 308 that talks about immunity for people in public offices. All I am saying is that it should be whittled down. How do I mean? Cases that border on mis-governance and corruption should be exempted from immunity. That is, if there is a valid allegation of corruption, nothing should stop the security agencies from proceeding to investigate either a sitting president, vice president, or a sitting governor , deputy governor. If a prima facie case is established to which it can be taking to court, immunity should not cover that. I say that because, that immunity is not supposed to be forever. It is supposed to cover you while you are in office, but I know Nigerians suffer general amnesia. Once somebody has spent his term and he leaves, nobody seems to remember he has committed any offence. So, that problem remains there. That is why some of us said look, clear these cases of mis-governance. And, of cause for my immediate constituency, the judiciary, I advocate for a better provision to ensure the independence of the judiciary. Why do public servants in Nigeria refuse to resign their appointments, even in the face of allegations? But abroad, they quickly resign and won't meddle with investigations? You see, that has to do more with our public moral. In those other countries, it is because they know their people will not agree to a lower moral level ofbehaviour from their leaders. Nigerians condone and as often is the case, encourage their leaders to act irresponsibly while in office. The bitter truth about it all is that, most Nigerians, do not have proper moral and social orientation on how public office should be or how a public servant should carry him or herself. This is so sad. I have been pointing at this behavioral flaw and I will continue to say it that the average Nigerian public servant is corrupt, because people make unnecessary material demands from them. Nigerians have this notion that public office is an avenue to live large! To be uncountable and to do what you ordinarily can't do as a private individual. If it is about comfort arising from property acquisition, say, cars, they should get as many as they
have no need for! For example, if your brother is a minister, things you are not entitled to or sometimes, have no need for, you would begin to make requests for them. God save him or her if he or she did not responds to the request. Often, a report is made to the Elders Council in the village. And, rather than look at what is right, they would say, look, give him what he wants, after all, this or that person was there and look at what he did for his family members or his community and all that. So, these days, people begin to think that public office is a place of harvesting more than you sowed. It is this same reason that is accountable for why the society celebrates those doing wrong today - The tout, rascals and people who have no qualms about their public image are those celebrated. Nobody cares how people make money, all that matters is that they have money to throw around. Unfortunately, even those who claim to have good education and exposure are also doing same thing. The journalist would celebrate a thief; collect money from fraudsters and won't expose them. People will tell lies and they know it is a lie, yet will go ahead to report it. Even the lawyers, they would defend a thief and someone, who obviously has stolen public money. Imagine, a pauper getting into public office and within a year, he has become a millionaire. Nobody would query and ask needful questions. So, we have gotten to a level where we celebrate corruption, inefficiency and tribal jingoism. Nigeria is probably the only country in the world where corruption has race, gender, religion and all that. If the Hausas raises alarm over missing public funds against a Yoruba person, they will say no; stop that, is it because he is Yoruba? If a Christian raises alarm over stolen money against the Muslim, they will say, never, say is it because he is a Muslim? We have gotten to that level. That level where, our public morality is so low that,,there is no compelling reason for our leaders to resign, when they do something wrong. Whereas, in other places, there is common agreement on what is wrong and what is right. Therefore, it does not matter whether the offender is Yoruba, Ibo or Hausa. What is good is good and what is right is right. In Nigeria, anyone who has done something wrong in public office would readily ride on sentiments -tribal or religious. We are to blame. We are not immune deficiency from it, the media, legal profession, almost every sector of the economy. What happened in the last dispensation is a clear pointer to this. To most Nigerians who are objective, the last administration was not doing well, but people that came from where the past president came from believe he is an angel. So, when you get to that kind of level, how do you call the person to resign? How possible can that be where nobody can define what is wrong or right? Some people say he
is not doing well, while others say, no, he is doing well. Nigeria is a funny place where it is only in public offices that, people become relevant. It is the offices that promote them, whereas very serious offices should be given to people, who will come to dignify those offices, not for the offices to dignify them. These are the problems. People are going into government to make money and you can only imagine what will happen when you ask such a person to resign when he feels he has not stolen enough! No one who has a name and reputation would stand and watch anyone destroy a name that took years of hardworking to build. It is only when you have such persons in public office that you will begin to see public officers resign over allegation. We have made public office a place to make quick money and live as if there is no tomorrow. A place, where you are not accountable to anybody. If people see public offices or where it is the only place where one has made or made the highest money, it will be difficult to ask such a person to resign, because he sees the office as the best thing in life and an opportunity to make money. That is why I am subscribing to the appointment of people with integrity into public offices. Not people whose known public image is rascality or thugery. To such people, appointment as a minister or commissioner is a call to steal. Still on corruption, Plea bargain is seen by many to be a way corrupt persons escape punishment. What is your take on that? Corruption is already here; you must look for all legitimate means of ensuring that all our monies that have been stolen is brought back. Let us face it; there is nothing evil about plea bargaining once you have the rules that guide it. Our major problem is that we simply jump into it without any rules guiding it. That is why people are saying it has been abused and so on. For me, it will be difficult to prove that someone stole N5billion, because those who commit such crimes are people who are well connected. They have the resources to fight to the end, and because of the uncertainty of litigation everywhere in the world, when the matter goes to court you cannot say this is the way it will end until it finishes. Law is based on facts. That is why people in America encourage it. If you stole, say, N2billion, they would say look, the option are these, If we take you to court and undergo trial, and it is against you, you will go to 21 years in prison, but if you agree to drop N1.8billion, we will let you go and save us useful time to do other things. Then, you are given a lighter sentence because you have returned substantial part of the money. And, as a country, it pays us better rather than, to insist on pounds of flesh that might never come. Never forget that those, who commit this kind of crime
are people, who could afford the best lawyers anywhere in the world. So, they could afford the best of defence. That is why often, people wonder why someone who stole N20 would go to jail, but one who stole N20 million is set free! It happens everywhere in the world, not only in Nigeria. If you watch the Orenthal James Simpson trial or Oscar Pistorius trial in South Africa, because they are celebrities, they hired best lawyers. When former United States President, Bill Clinton, was to be served an impeachment notice, he hired the best lawyers. It is only a fool that would not deploy the best resources to defend himself. Recently, the media was abuzz with the visit to the home of the Chief Justice of the Federation by the Rivers State Governor, NyesomWike. What is wrong with that? Well, I think the less said about that is better. I read his reasons for going to the home of the Chief Justice of Nigeria or so without proper invitation. One of the excuses he gave was that, he wanted to discuss the issue of their Chief Judge. Truth is, he didn't need to see the CJN to discuss the issue of CJ of the state, but then, I think it was good the CJN did what was right and professional by ensuring that he didn't have audience with anybody that has matters in court. In essence, you are saying that it is wrong in the first instance? I think it is a bit of indiscretion. For goodness sake, you don't do something especially when you now went visiting without prior notice. The CJN is number four on the hierarchy in terms of protocol in Nigeria - The President, Vice-President, the Senate President and the Chief Justice of Nigeria. But some of us have quarrel with that because we believe that after President, Vice-President it should be CJN. Because the President heads the executives, the Senate President heads the legislative arm and the Chief Justice heads the judiciary. I don't see any reason why the Vice -President should take precedent over the CJN or the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Vice-President does not head any government; he is a subordinate to somebody, who is heading. The same thing from the way National Assembly is structured. The Senate President is the chairman of National Assembly. So, executive, legislation and judiciary should come next. So, if I have my way, they would amend that law and also in the state too. We have the governor, the speaker and the chief judge of the state. Is there any legal justification for a sitting judge to petition a governor? It is an on-going matter, so, I will rather say little about it. Let me just tell you that I was very surprised when I heard about it. I won't say more than that. Thank you very much sir You are welcome
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Sports
LMC To Stop Foreign Clubs’ Sponsorship THE League Management Company (LMC) has revealed that it would work with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) to ensure that firms operating in the country stopped sponsoring foreign clubs. The plan, according to the LMC, is to push the Federal Government and the National Assembly to enact a law that, will make it mandatory for Nigerian companies entering into sponsorship deals with European clubs, to pay some percentages of the net worth of the deal to the domestic league. Speaking at the inaugural sportspro.ng/Lagos Business School workshops, which held at the Pan Atlantic University on Tuesday, LMC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, also re-echoed the body’s position at the recent World Leagues Forum inaugural meeting in London, which sought a percentage of European Leagues’ broadcast and other commercial partnerships deals secured from Nigerian organisations for the airing of live games and other activations in the territory.
•Akpom
•Dikko
Olorundare To Resume Goal Hunts Soon
SUNSHINE Stars striker, Dele Olorundare has vowed to return to scoring goals when his team host Giwa in a Week 23 game of the Nigeria league on Sunday. Olorundare has scored only two goals this season and he is sure he will take his chances against Giwa to help his team win and stay on course for a firstever league championship. “As a striker I love scoring goals, I hope to return to scoring this weekend against Giwa FC. I will take my chances,” the hustling striker told AfricanFootball.com “But the team’s success is the most paramount to me as I will keep working hard to help my team win to achieve our aim of winning the league. I am sure I will bang in more goals to make that happen.”
•Olorundare
CHUBA Akpom is hoping his season-long loan at Hull City will give him the opportunity to show Arsene Wenger that, he is ready to become a first-team regular at Arsenal. Akpom scored on his debut for Hull City against Huddersfield Town last weekend, and the onloan Arsenal striker says he’s ready to grasp the opportunity that Steve Bruce has given him to play regular first team football. “I want to work as hard as I can and contribute to the team. This is my first full season on loan and that is important because it takes times to settle.” Meanwhile, Arsenal Boss Arsène Wenger, says Chuba Akpom will learn some vital lessons while on loan at Hull City this season. The teenage striker has made a fine start to his spell at the KC Stadium, scoring two goals in two games for the Tigers. Wenger is pleased to see Akpom flourishing and believes
Wenger Pampers Akpom’s Strike Force Dream
he will return to the club as a muchimproved player. “I told him many times that, I believe he has the quality to play for Arsenal Football Club,” the boss told Arsenal Player. “He’s not completely ready to play [here] yet but the quality is there and the experience can strengthen your belief. “The experience in the Championship will teach him how to fight, how not to give up, and it’s an important step between youth-team football and the Premier League.”
Al Ahly Boot-Out Nigerian Flop CAIRO giants, Al Ahly announced their 25-man squad for the new season on Thursday. The Red Devils decided to
Ekpai Predicts 3SC’s Crash KANO Pillars forward, Ubong Ekpai has told AfricanFootball.com the champions will maintain their home invincibility when they welcome Shooting Stars on Sunday in a Nigeria league Week 23 game. Pillars are unbeaten after three matches under new coach Mohammed Babaganaru and are now seven points adrift of league leaders Enyimba. Ekpai said Pillars are
aware of the opponents’ current form, but still hope to win on Sunday. “It is going to be a tough game against Shooting Stars no doubt, they have been in good form, the fact that they beat Heartland 3-1 away is a massive boost to their morale but we are on the high here too,” said the former Akwa United star. “We are ready for them and I am sure we will come out with the three points at stake in the game.”
leave-out German-Brazilian mid-fielder, Hendrik Helmke and Nigerian striker, Peter Ebimobowei, who failed to make an impact since joining the club last January, to rather make way for some of their several summer recruits. Indeed, the eight-time African champions have strengthened their side with the landing of attacking trio of Gabon international Malick Evouna, Ghanaian John Antwi and former Ittihad Alexandria’s Mohamed Hamdy, midfielder Saleh Gomaa, former club defender Ahmed Fathi and winger Ahmed El-Sheikh. Strongly linked with a summer move, veteran striker Mohamed Nagy ‘Gedo’ and former ENPPI hit-man Ahmed Abdel-Zaher have also been included in the list. Still in the race to retain their crown in the Confederation Cup, Ahly will be desperate to restore their leadership on the domestic stage, after losing their Egyptian Super League title to archrivals Zamalek last term.
•Ebimobowei
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NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Sports
Cabaye’s Gunners’ Kinda Dude –Pardew CRYSTAL Palace manager, Alan Pardew believes Yohan Cabaye would have slotted straight into Arsenal’s starting line-up, if the mid-fielder had signed for the Gunners this summer. Cabaye moved to Selhurst Park in July but was regularly linked with Arsenal and went close to joining the North London side two years ago. “Two years ago Yohan wouldn’t play (for Newcastle) at Manchester City because he thought he was going to Arsenal so it’s quite ironic he’s now here with us at Crystal Palace,” Pardew said. “He’s a fantastic player, we’re honoured to have him and he’s definitely the level of Arsenal players. “I don’t think Arsene Wenger or anyone at Arsenal would disagree with that. “We have a player, who could definitely play in their team and that’s a nice feeling for us.”
De Gea Knocks Van Gaal
DAVID DE GEA is ‘baffled’ by claims made by Manchester United boss, Louis Van Gaal that he refused to play against Aston Villa. Van Gaal sensationally revealed the Spaniard, who wants to Real Madrid, agreed to be left out of United clash with Villa tonight (7:45pm) because he was distracted by speculation over his future. The Dutchman said: “We’ve talked with him and he was fully agreed with our decision. We have a goalkeeping coach, League Table Frans Hoek, so I’m not doing Pos Team P W GD Pts everything alone. “Frans had a meeting with 1 Man City 1 1 3 3 David and he asked him, ‘Do 2 Leicester 1 1 2 3 you want to play?’ The answer 3 C/ Palace 1 1 2 3 4 West Ham 1 1 2 3 was no. 5 Aston Villa 1 1 1 3 “Then I have to take the 6 Liverpool 1 1 1 3 decision. It is a process. We 7 Man Utd 1 1 1 3 had been observing him in 8 Chelsea 1 0 0 1 preparation, and he was not 9 Everton 1 0 0 1 so good, he was not the same 10 Newcastle 1 0 0 1 David De Gea as before, when 11 S’ampton 1 0 0 1 he was my best player last 12 Swansea 1 0 0 1 Watford 1 0 0 1 season. According to the fans, 13 14 B’mouth 1 0 -1 0 he was the best player of the 15 Tottenham 1 0 -1 0 last two years.” 16 Stoke 1 0 -1 0 But according to the Daily 17 Sunderland 1 0 -2 0 Mail, De Gea is “baffled” by 18 Norwich 1 0 -2 0 Van Gaal’s comments and 19 Arsenal 1 0 -2 0 worried his professionalism 20 West Brom 1 0 -3 0 and commitment are being questioned.
Fixtures Sat. Aug 15
Southampton v Everton Watford v West Brom Sunderland v Norwich Tottenham v Stoke West Ham v Leicester Swansea v Newcastle
Sun. Aug 16
Crystal Palace v Arsenal Man City v Chelsea
Mon. Aug 17
Liverpool v Bournemouth
Tottenham Sign, Seal To Deliver N’Jie TOTTENHAM are set to announce the signing of Clinton N’Jie from Lyon in the next 24 hours. The forward has agreed personal terms with the north London club and is due to undergo a medical at their training base later today. talkSPORT told you on Wednesday that a fee had been agreed between the two clubs, with Spurs now expected to pay around £14m - including add-ons - for the 21-year-old.
Can Toure, Silva Paint Chelsea Silver Blueish?
THE TH E o peni pe p ning ngg w eek ee k-en end d off the the he 2015/16 2015/ 5/16 /16 opening week-end Barclays y Premier League g campaign p g deliv vered delivered l d d compelling ll lenty. y goals, drama and stories aplenty. ainst With Manchester City squaring up against up in Chelsea on Sunday, there will be no let-up the action. Former Barclays Premier League playerr and ctical now journalist Adrian Clarke casts his tactical ween eye over a crucial early-season encounter between last season’s top two. nding Chelsea’s off-the-ball work was outstanding last season, but on the opening day of this ws in campaign, Swansea City exposed flaws never the champions’ current make-up. Whenever ut an Swansea’s mid-fielders had time to pick out early forward pass (either from turnovers, good movement or a lack of pressure from Chelsea) they were able to easily dissect a square-looking and ponderous Blues back line. Catching Chelsea’s notoriously tight rearguard cold, before they have had time to readjust or drop off, is the most effective way of opening them up, and Swansea hurt them several times in this way, memorably from the incident that led to Thibaut Courtois being sent off. Manchester City have the tools to worry Jose Mourinho’s men in this type of scenario. In central areas, Yaya Toure and David Silva are two of the finest creative passers in the Barclays Premier League, and with Raheem Sterling’s arrival, City have an additional forward with pace to aim for when sliding passes in behind defenders. If one of City’s star mid-fielders gets the wrong side of their marker, looks up and sees Sterling
and Sergio Aguero both offering intelligent early runs on Sunday, Chelsea could be in trouble. Frank Lampard’s equaliser for City in this fixture last September stemmed from an angled pass between Chelsea’s centre-back and full-back that James Milner ran on to and centered. So City know it is a tactic that can bear fruit. To combat this, the title-holders will try to slow City down in possession, forcing their passes square or backwards. This will allow their own back four the time to close gaps and stay compact. This is why it is so important for Manuel Pellegrini’s side to close Chelsea down aggressively when the visitors have possession. Winning the ball back in good areas, before slipping angled passes between defenders, is likely to form
part of their game plan
To complement that approach Chelsea’s manager has picked Ramires ahead of Oscar three times in a row at the Etihad Stadium. Tucking inside to crowd the areas that Toure and Silva love to work in, as well as using his pace to burst forward on the break, it has been a logical and consistent selection policy. It would be no surprise to see the same ploy used this weekend. Chelsea’s full-backs are instructed to show extra discipline in this fixture, too. On their last two Barclays Premier League visits, BranislavIvanovic and Cesar Azpilicueta have each touched the ball just twice inside the final 20 yards of the pitch, and on one of those occasions the Serb scored. Their primary job is to defend.
Man United In €50m Hunt For Otamendi MANCHESTER United have turned their attention to Valencia star, Nicolas Otamendi after failing to sign Real Madrid’s ace Sergio Ramos, reports MARCA. The Red Devils have received a definitive no from the Bernabeu man, meaning that they have to look elsewhere to bolster their back line. The Argentina international is the player they have turned to, which comes at a terrible time for Los Che.
The La Liga out-fit have a Champions League play-off against AS Monaco next week, and winning it, will be vital to the success of their season. The Ligue 1 side got to the quarter-finals of the competition last time round, and will be a stern test. If United want to sign the centreback, then members of the Valencia hierarchy insist that they will have to pay his €50 million release clause. However, MARCA also claim that
the price could be negotiated down to nearer €40 million. The Premier League club are in need of a centre-back after having to rely on the brilliant form of goalkeeper David De Gea last time round. With the Spain international currently so unsettled by rumours linking him to Real Madrid that he isn’t playing, Louis van Gaal won’t be able to rely on him anymore and so will have to improve the area.
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
Event
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Brila Celebrates
‘Wave Your Banner’
7th Anniversary Photos By
Fidelis Isibor
•Chairman Brila Group Dr Larry Izamoje (m) flanked by his wife, Bridget and SportsDay CEO, Ben Alaiya
•Comedian AY entertaining the crowd
•SportsDay editor, Femi Olusetire
•Timi Dakolo (m) flanked by Dr Larry Izamoje’s children
IT was a night of fun and laughter as Nigeria’s premier sports radio, Brila FM celebrated its annual English Premier League (EPL) kick-off show, ‘Wave Your Banner’ penultimate Friday. The event was graced by dignitaries from all works of life as well as the media. These media VIPs include SportsDay’s CEO/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Ben Alaiya, CEO of Biscon Communications, Mr. Bisi Olatilo amongst others and had as chief host, the Chairman of Brila FM, Dr. Larry Izamoje, who was there present with his amiable wife, Mrs. Bridget Izamoje. As promised by the organizers, some of Nigeria’s foremost
•Chelsea fans waving their flag
•Murphy Jemba (m), Shaun Amadi (r) and a fan
entertainers were on hand to thrill the teeming fans, largely made up of faithful of elite football clubs across Europe. The array of stars, include Fuji exponent Pasuma; Alternative Soul singer, Timi Dakolo; Rapper, Reminisce; popular comedians, Ayo ‘AY’ Makun; Akpororo and Still Ringing. Their efforts were complimented by Brila’s poll of O.A.Ps including Murphy Jemba, Matthew Dafe, Sexy JoeJovita Eke, Oge, Aibeekay Sanni, among others, who took turn to replicate their trick in trade on air, on stage. Some upcoming acts were also giving the opportunities to showcase their talents.
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national
Desmond Ekwueme
NATIONAL WEEKENDER
Saturday, August 15 - Friday, August 21, 2015
EEKENDER A Passion For Truth, Objectivity, Decorum
Saturday, August 15 - Friday August 21, 2015
www.nationalweekender.net
Confusion Na Waa Over Majek Fashek Spiritual Help To The Rescue –Publicist, Friends NO OOO … Rehab Houses The Healing Powers –Hajiya Dangaji
By CHARLES ENWEREM PERHAPS, help has finally come the way of the reggae maestro, MajekFashek, as he was checked into a rehab in Abuja by Warri billionaire and oil mogul, AyiriEmami after so much awareness was raised to support his rehabilitation from drug and alcohol addiction. The recent confusion is on what the iconic music star really needs to get back on his feet and into the music circle which he once ruled. Many of his close friends and associates still maintain that Majek’s problem is more of spiritual, than physical and checking him into a rehab facility is not in his favour. OritzWiliki, one of Majek’s closest friends, described his travails as less of physical issues. “His problem is beyond drugs; it is spiritual. Sometimes, if you have a one-on-one conversation with him, m, he would discuss with you as if, nothing was wrong with him. I also so think part of the problems is that at he is not engaged. “You know, an idle mind is the devil’s work¬shop. If we put him in a rehab and he finds ds something doing after he is okay, y, Majek will be well a 100 per cent, I can assure you. Even in his present nt condition, he still maintains the same ame aura on stage that he had, when n he was the rave. I believe that if he is busy going on music tours, theree will be no problem,” he said. Meanwhile, Hajiya Amina ya Dangaji, the CEO of A-Plus Global Entertainment has said aid and still maintains that, the first step to helping the maestro iss by getting him to a rehab. This is coming after Majek’s family had reached an agreement to re-orient nt him while other angles to help him can be pursued at the background. und. Hadjiya who described bed Majek as her son and friend, said after he was dumped at her house, she he took it upon herself to seek medical attention for him. “I have no regrets because,Majek’ss album is ready to get into the market. We have concluded works on it but, we are just waiting ing fora few things to fall into place,” she disclosed. Another source said that hat the essence of going to a rehab ehab is not to make noise about ut the spiritual angle because, when so much noise is made, de, it paints a wrong picture of our society. Majek However,
seems to be adapting to his new environment and has been receiving visitors including;Charly Boy and Tony Okoroji, who visited him recently. MajekFashek, who spoke to journalists at the rehab facility in Abuja, said that he is on his way to recovery because he chose to listen to advise and seek treatment for his addiction. He also noted that his previous treatment did not suit his personality as they were filled with restrictions, but that his recent treatment allows him be himself and also receive treatment in a conducive environment. Speaking to our correspondent, the Medical Director of Synapse Services, Dr Vincent Udenze noted that, Nigerians should rather encourage and support MajekFashek while also seeing him as a model to make those with addiction problems seek help.
•Majek Fashek (l) with Tony Okoroji at the rehab. Dr.Udenze noted that most people unfortunately, abuse drugs without necessarily knowing the implications to their mental health, but refuse to seek treatme nt because of criticisms and stigmatization. He added that, “addiction is a problem that can affect anyone, irrespective of race, socioeconomic status or religion. It is good that Majek has come out to willingly let people know his problem, but he is not the only artiste with such a problem, we need to offer them help, without b e i n g judgmental”.
On SATURDAY
N150
08035321476 (SMS Only) desmondsportspro@yahoo.co.in
Appreciation! ACE juju music legend, King Sunny Ade in one of his hit singles title “Appreciation” sang in Yoruba language, “Appreciation, modupe, oni bu ore baba gba ope mi (Appreciation, I give thanks. God accept my thanks). This aptly describes my feeling and position last Saturday, when NATIONAL WEEKENDER turned two. It was a double dose anniversary cum celebration as its sister publication, SPORTSDAY clocked seven. I cannot help but thank God for keeping and making me part of history especially as a pioneer staff of both titles. I will live the story of my journey to and in SportsDay for another day. Last Saturday was memorable because it reminds one with a flashy effect of the very humble beginning of the parent company, SportsDay Printing & Publishing Company Limited. How time flies. To me, it still seems like yesterday. Every activity that marked the very first anniversary is still fresh in my mind. I thank God for making it possible for SportsDay to see seven which is a number of perfection. For me the journey of the company begins now. This is because for us to have stayed for seven years and come up with another newspaper, National Weekender surely those who doubted that the company will see seven can now take it and its board and management staff seriously. As a result the real work for us at SportsDay Printing and Publishing Company Limited has started because much is now expected of us. But like the CEO, Ben Alaiya will always say, it is not for he that willeth or runneth but for he that has the grace and mercy of the Lord. For us at SportsDay, it is the grace and mercy of God that has brought us thus far and we will continue to rely on these to get to the next level. Talking about National Weekender which is two, I know that it is just the handiwork of God, otherwise who am I among men to be commissioned with the huge task of starting the newspaper as editor. But to God be the glory, He has edited the paper, written all the stories and taken the paper to where it presently is. Surely He will take it to the next level. National Weekender is the creation of God and in His hands we have left the paper. As for me and the rest of the team we are just pencils in the hands of the creator. Many thanks to Wale Adenuga. In the journey ahead we call on Him to pilot the affairs of the paper. I must appreciate all those who came to celebrate with us especially the trio of Tony Ubani of Vanguard, Kunle Salami of New Telegraph and Jide Ojo of Brila. I must also thank the agents, vendors and readers who graced the occasion of our anniversary for making it a huge event. Special thanks should also go to those who for one reason or the other could not make it but sent their heart-felt greetings. In this category, the ardent readers of this column belong. I thank you for your kind words and prayers. And fro those who scolded me for not spreading the invitation cards, I say, please accept my apologies. I will not fail you the next time God willing.
Re-Okorocha’s Comic Relief •Why Crucify Okorocha?
Photo By
•Majek Fashek, before rehab
Fidelis Isibor
The truth is that as a free citizen of this country Gov. Rochas Okorocha has the right to do whatever pleases his mind, provided it is legal. Whether he mounted the billboard by himself or his cronies, let his enemies or those mocking him go to blazes. Okorocha is a bridge-builder and not sectional as his colleagues who don’t twice. They have not seen anything yet until Owelle emerges president of Nigeria one day because the Hausas and Yorubas would collectively vote for him. I pray I have the opportunity to have a handshake with Gov. Okorocha as a true Yoruba man that I am. Luckily, I have traditional marks on my face, so that another billboard shall be mounted near that of Barack Obama which caused all the unnecessary noise. It will be an indication that Gov. Okorocha is a true nationalist. –Gboyega Balogun, Abuja
NATIONAL WEEKENDER is Published by SportsDay Printing & Publishing Company Limited. Corporate Head Office: 19 Gbemisola Street, Off Allen Avenue Ikeja Lagos. Tel: 234 1 3426352. Editor: DESMOND EKWUEME. All Correspondence to the above address, ISSN: 23543043