New telegraph saturday, november 7, 2015 binder1

83 Biafra agitators arrested

E a g lets ’ g ol d en boy

‘Osimhen’s dad }25 has no generator to see son on TV’

lOne feared dead lSchools,markets, banks shut }5

OSIMHEN

SATURDAY Saturday, November 7, 2015

RIOT ACT

Vol. 2 No. 626

Sanctity of Truth

}

/newtelegraph

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

N150

PSYCHIATRISTS ON BROKE ECONOMY

Ambode: Violate traffic laws, go to jail }7 PIRACY

India, China flood Nigerian markets with N11.6bn pirated books }6

CCT TRIBUNAL

MORE NIGERIANS WILL COMMIT SUICIDE } 50-51

More people will take to alcohol consumption, especially ‘paraga’ because of depression and anxiety, which in turn will lead to more heart-related diseases

BUHARI’S CABINET

No large convoy for ministers

Again, Saraki loses bid to stop lNominees can’t lobby President - Sources lNgige, Babatope, Adebayo, Ali speak trial }4 }45

2

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

Contents | 07.11.15 INSTYLE

Knot Wrapper Tying wrapper is an age-long tradition in Nigeria. Away from tradition, knotting wrapper is a beautiful innovation that is gaining popularity on the red carpet

}15

SHOWBIZ

Clarion Call Many of Muma Gee’s fans were surprised when she contested for the House of Reps’ seat early this year. She however cleared the air that her foray into politics was not out of desperation but to answer her people’s clarion call

}19

THE ARTS

Masterpiece From today, art connoisseurs will have an array of “the best contemporary paintings” as two masters, Mrs Nike Okundaye and Tola Wewe, exhibit their works in Lagos

}18

FEATURES

Seasonal Business For cane weavers, business is high during the Yuletide but it fluctuates after the festive season, thereby making cane weaving a seasonal business.

}23

SPORT

Slum Star Boy On the verge of becoming the alltime leading scorer of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the compelling story of Nigerian Golden Eaglets goal prodigy, Victor Osimhen, is a classic example of grass to grace

}25

TRAVEL

Olokun Festival This year’s Olokun Festival lived to its billings as a gathering for the people of the Yoruba extraction in the South West Nigeria and in the Diaspora

}42 Plus: Street Diary 10 | Investigation 23

SATURDAY

Comment

Toeing Nyerere’s post presidency path

T

he pecks of office make it difficult for a clutch of leaders to keep their eyes away from power even after leaving the seat of government. In many cases, this makes the incumbent uncomfortable leading to friction. Tanzania’s first president, Julius Kaberunge Nyerere ,stayed away from Dodoma and Dar es Salaam as much as he could choosing a quiet life in his Butiama village in the Northern part of the country. However, he was very active internationally.

It is on record that Nyerere travelled out of Tanzania more when he left the presidency than when he ruled the East African country. Many find it strange but it happened. The former President devoted time to fighting for the poor in Africa and all over the world.

When Nyerere bowed out in 1985 after ruling for over two decades, he used the Swahili term, Ninang Atuka [pulling out], something akin to General Ibrahim Babangida’s stepping aside in 1993. For a politician who founded the Tanganyika Africa National Union [TANU] in 1954 and Chama Cha Mapinduzi [CCM] in 1977, quitting office did not mean staying away from politics. That only came in 1999 following his death.

Nyerere began as a teacher with a diploma from the Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, before bagging a Master’s degree from the University of Edinburgh.

All through his reign and after, he simply chose the title Mwalimu which is Swahili for teacher. In retirement therefore, his people had cause to go to him in Butiama for political lessons. It was not an obligation, they only wanted to tap from the fountain of his knowledge. Afterall, he was the ‘Father of the Nation’ [Baba wa Taifa].

Thursday, October 14, 2015, marked the 16th year of Nyerere’s passage in 1999, aged 77. He died of leukaemia in a London hospital. But his activities after leaving office did not in any way threaten the peace of the country. He was part of the process that picked erstwhile foreign minister Ali Hassan Mwinyi as his successor. Even when he dismissed Jake Kiwete was too young to lead Tanzania ahead of Benjamin Mkapa, the people still voted Kiwete as the President in 2005.

The lesson in Nyerere’s globe-trotting

after service to fatherland lies in the fact that leaders could be actively engaged outside their countries by their predecessors. The import is that their experience is put to good use while at the same time they are kept away from boredom which could force them into unholy alliances that could heat up the polity.

It is in this vein that we commend President Muhammadu Buhari for finding former President Olusegun Obasanjo worthy of international assignments. His recent peace mission to Guinea-Bissau is an example of how to keep ex-leaders busy with assignments aimed at stabilising members of regional blocs and other far flung places.

Nyerere’s foreign travels brought him honours from far and near. He bagged the Royal Order of Seraphim from Sweden in 1963, the Cuban Order of Jose Marti in 1975, Order of the Aztec Eagle, Mexico in 1975 and more from Jamaica, Namibia, Angola, Burundi, Rwanda, Mozambique, Ghana, Uganda and Guinea Bissau.

There was the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in 1973, the Sir Seretse Khama SADC Award,1976, Lenin Peace Prize,1987, the International Simon Bolivar Peace Prize, 1992 and the Gambia Peace Prize ,1995.

In Kenya, streets are named after him in three cities: Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. There are also streets named after him in Botswana, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Julius Nyerere University, Kankan in Guinea.

Perhaps, the international community will remember Nyerere for conquering Idi Amin Dada of Uganda, the self-touted conqueror of the British Empire in 1978.

The bully had invaded Tanzania’s Kagera region as he never hid his disdain for Nyerere haboured his predecessor and benefactor, Apolo Milton Obote.

It was Obote that rapidly transformed Sgt. Amin, one-time East African heavyweight boxing champion to a general in the Ugandan Army.

Nyerere was vocal in the fight against apartheid in South Africa. He supported China during the days of tension with the old Soviet Union. Under him Tanzania was part of a successful military coup in Seychelles, backed liberation struggles in Angola , Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

DAILY TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief

Funke Egbemode

Editor n Yemi Ajayi Editor, Saturday n Laurence Ani Editor, Sunday n Emeka Madunagu

Deputy Editor, Saturday n Waheed Bakare

Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz

Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins

Editorial Coordinator, Europe n Sam Amsterdam

Ag. Bureau Chief, Abuja n Onwuka Nzeshi

News Editor, Saturday n Ndubuisi Ugah

Business Development Manager n Taiwo Ahmed

Sales/Circulation Manager n Oyebanji Abiodun

Head, Graphics n Timothy Akinleye

Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

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News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

Asset declaration: Again, Saraki loses bid to stop trial at CCT Foluso Ogunmodede and Akeem Nafiu

B

id by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to stop his ongoing trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja, yesterday suffered another setback at the Federal High Court in Lagos, as the presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, struck out his application to halt further proceedings in the matter before the CCT. Justice Buba described Saraki’s application as unmeritorious.

Saraki had in the suit marked FHC/L/ CS/1507/15, filed by his lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, sued the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

They were the 1st to 5th respondents.

Others are: CCT, CCT Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar; Ataedze Agu, Sam Saba, Mohammed Diri and M. S. Hassan were the 6th to 11th respondents respectively.

In the suit, Saraki asked

l Judge: Court lacks jurisdiction to entertain suit the court to declare that his ongoing arraignment and trial before the CCT as constituted by the 7th and 8th respondents contravene the basic requirement of Article 3 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.

Specifically, he asked the court to nullify the charges brought against him by the 1st, 2nd, 9th, 10th and 11th respondents before the CCT, especially relating to assets declaration which had not been the subject of the procedure prescribed by the CCB Act LFN 2004.

This, Saraki said, had breached his rights to equality before the law and fair hearing as guaranteed

by Article 3 of the African Charter of Human and People Rights and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.

Besides, Saraki sought an order restraining the 1st to 5th respondents from inviting, arresting, harassing, persecuting or prosecuting him on the basis of any allegation of wrongdoing arising before or from his tenure as governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011 in view of the breach of his fundamental rights to a speedy trial, fair hear-

ing and exoneration by the AGF and a judgment of an Abuja Federal High Court, in a suit marked FHC/ ABJ/CS/152/2014.

At the proceedings yesterday, respondents’ lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacob (SAN), urged the court to discountenance the reliefs sought by the applicant on the grounds that the court lacked the requisite jurisdictional powers to entertain the suit.

Accordingly, Jacobs described Saraki’s application as an attempt to obtain a “black market order” akin to “judicial rascality.”

Jacobs said: “The applicant’s suit is simply asking my Lord to stop his trial at the CCT which is ongoing in Abuja. The applicant’s originating processes filed in September does not concern any action taken in Lagos. It is clear that the charge against the applicant is before the CCT sitting in Abuja.

“The applicant had prayed the Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the tribunal, but the prayer was refused while an appeal filed at the Court of Appeal seeking similar reliefs was also refused.”

However, he said the applicant’s suit before the court

was a mere attempt to subvert the cause of justice. He urged the court to refuse it.

Saraki’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, argued that his client’s right to fair hearing was been threatened by the respondents.

He said this arose out of a political situation in which they desired him to vacate his office as Senate President.

Oluyede told the court that other steps taken by the respondents, was to come up with trump-up charges against Saraki and

his wife and ensure he is convicted at all cost.

He further submitted that the applicant was at liberty to commence a fundamental right action anywhere, so far he feels his rights were infringed upon.

After arguments canvassed by both parties, Justice Buba described Saraki’s application as inconsistent just as the court lacked jurisdictional powers to entertain it.

The judge in his ruling emphasised that the issue of jurisdiction was paramount and that if there is no evi-

dence that the infringement or likely infringement cut across more than one state that the court will not have the vires or jurisdiction to entertain same.

Justice Buba said: “The filing of further affidavit after the court raised the issue of jurisdiction suo moto is not only an afterthought, but amounts to fishing.

“Accordingly, this court has no hesitation in coming to the inevitable conclusion that from the material placed before this court, the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain this suit. Same is hereby struck out.”

...Senate President's trial, a persecution —Na’Allah Chukwu David Abuja

D

eputy Senate Leader, Senator Ibn Bala Na'Allah has reiterated the conviction of the Senate that the trial of its President, Senator Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) was a persecution and not prosecution.

Na'Allah, who stated this in an interview with journalists in Abuja, explained that it was this conviction that attracted the sympathy of majority of the senators to the em-

battled Saraki.

He made this explanation following the agitations and criticisms provoked amongst Nigerians by the shutdown of the Senate on Thursday in solidarity with Saraki over his trial.

Na’Allah said the suspension of plenary was part of the solidarity stance of the senate in view of the circumstances surrounding the trial.

He said the majority of the senators believed that the trial of the President of the Senate by the CCT was in no way a prosecution.

He said: “You see it is a matter of belief and I am going to tell you in very clear language; the belief of the 8th Senate and substantial number of the senators is that the trial of the President of the Senate is persecution rather than prosecution.

“If it is persecution we believe that we have a responsibility to stand by him. But if it is prosecution, every senator of the federal republic believes and rightly so, that this government must be given all the necessary assistance it requires to fight corruption.

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

5

Uneasy calm as three DSS operatives watch over Dasuki’s residence Our Correspondent

T

here was uneasy calm around the Asokoro, Abuja residence of the embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), as three operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), were seen calmly seated by the entrance to the expansive compound, when Saturday Telegraph visited the area, between 2: 21pm and 2: 32pm yesterday.

Apart from the operatives, who were keeping vigil by the gate, our correspondent spotted two of the secret services’ vehicles parked about 100 metres away from the premises. Each of the vehicles had just one operative.

The former NSA to exPresident Goodluck Jonathan was prevented from travelling abroad for medical treatment by operatives of the DSS on Wednesday

night, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

This happened despite a subsisting order of a Federal High Court in Abuja which, Tuesday, granted his application to embark on a medical trip abroad.

Dasuki is facing charges of alleged unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering. As at Thursday, it was widely reported that he was under house arrest, ostensibly to further prevent him from leaving the country.

The embattled former security adviser had confirmed to our sister publication on Thursday that he was being prevented from embarking on his medical trip abroad.

“It is true that the FGN (Federal Government of Nigeria) is preventing me from travelling, despite a court order,” Dasuki had said via a text message.

Why Jonathan failed to end insurgency, by Northern Elders Ndubuisi Ugah

T

he Deputy National Leader of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr. Paul Unongo, has said former President Goodluck Jonathan would have taken the credit for ending insurgency in the country if he had listened to the advice of the forum.

Unongo said NEF wondered why Jonathan refused to implement the group’s blueprint to end the war against the Boko Haram sect.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Unongo said the recommendations which Jonathan allegedly ignored are being used by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The NEF leader also berated some opinion leaders who said President Buhari’s anti-corruption war was selective.

Citing the trial of the Senate President, Bukola

Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Unongo said the President’s body language had shown that the new government would not condone corruption.

He said the NEF would not hesitate to criticise the new government if it acted against the wishes of the masses.

Unongo said: “We (NEF) have not written any letter to President Buhari on Boko Haram. I am sure he picked up the recommendations we sent to Jonathan and they are working for him. NEF didn’t condemn Jonathan because he is Jonathan. We gave Jonathan a piece of advice.

“We were talking to him for over two years. We told him that he cannot fight Boko Haram with obsolete equipment and we told him that the battle was not only about using arms. We told him to use psychological intelligence."

Atiku joins Buhari to pray in Aso Rock Anule Emmanuel Abuja

F

ormer Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday where he joined President Muhammadu Buhari and other Muslim faithful for the Juma't prayers.

Yesterday’s prayers took place at the State House mosque.

Atiku on arrival to the villa headed straight to the mosque which is located beside the President's office.

The visit by the former Vice-President is the first (publicly) since President

Buhari was sworn into office on May 29.

After the prayers, Atiku openly exchanged pleasantries with Buhari before swiftly leaving the villa.

The former Vice-President did not speak to the reporters before he was seen off to his car by his former aide, now presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu.

Atiku lost to President Buhari in keenly contested primaries for nomination of the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the party's national convention in Lagos last year.

L-R: Former Vice-President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.) and President Muhammadu Buhari, during the Jumaat Prayers, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

83 Biafran agitators arrested Okegwo Kenechukwu, Emmanuel Onani, Dominic Adewole and Peace Morrison

I

t was a “bloody Friday” across some South-East and SouthSouth states as the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereignty State of Biafra (MASSOB) made true its threat to embark on its planned protests to agitate for the Biafra State.

In Onitsha, the commercial centre of Anambra State, businesses, vehicular and human activities were grounded by MASSOB that started the protest as early as 8am at Bida Road near Onitsha main market and the Ochanja axis of the city.

While the protests gathered momentum, unconfirmed reports alleged that one person was shot dead at Ochanja market by a stray bullet as members of the state vigilante services in charge of Ochanja market shot sporadically in the air to scare the surging crowd scampering for safety.

The development, however, came on a day the Nigeria Police warned the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) against their planned protests across the South-East, vowing to deal with all forms of threats to peace and national security.

However, Saturday Telegraph gathered that some people who were caught in the crossfire also sustained varying degrees of injuries from gunshots while running for their lives.

In the ensuing chaos, most banks, markets and schools within the commercial city remained closed while all shops along the streets were deserted.

It was also gathered that the absence of adequate police patrol personnel in the town compounded the problem as most people fell prey to some miscreants who took advantage of the situation to dispossess members of the public,

l One feared dead l Banks, markets, schools shut l You can't protest in South-East — Police especially visitors of their valuables.

Some people who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity condemned a situation whereby some miscreants constitute themselves as armed robbers instead of agitators of Biafra’s State. They jointly called on Igbo leaders to rise to the challenge to ensure that the agitators do not derail from genuine Igbo course to something else.

Although the Anambra State Government had announced through the market leaders who also exchanged text messages to ensure that their markets were open but the traders seemed to be unwilling to go to their markets.

In Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, our correspondent, who monitored the protest, reported that the state Police Command arrested 83 members of the Biafra movement during what they termed as their “One-Million-Man-March.”

Those arrested comprised 78 males and five females who unfurled Biafra flags as they marched peacefully demanding the release of detained Radio Biafra director, Nnamdi Kanu.

The command’s spokesman, Mr. Anisim Butswat, said the people were arrested during a flag-raising ceremony of the Biafra Movement on the MbiamaYenagoa Road.

“Those arrested are at the criminal Investigation Department, CID for investigations and interrogations,” he said.

While warning the IPOB on the planned protest, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mrs. Olabisi Kolawole, an Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), in a statement said the warning followed intelligence reports that members of the IPOS

were planning to embark on violent protests in the South-East.

The Police reminded those planning the protest that the law prohibiting unlawful possession of firearms was still in force.

The statement reads: “Information available to the Nigeria Police indicates plans by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to embark on ill-advised protest using dangerous weapons across some South Eastern States.

“The Nigeria Police reminds the brains behind this security threat that the law prohibiting the unlawful possession of firearms is still in-force. Therefore any attempt to unleash mayhem on innocent and law abiding Nigerians under any guise by this group would be met with stiff resistance from the Police and other security agencies, the actors will be brought to justice in line with extant criminal laws.

“Citizens in the SouthEastern states are hereby assured of adequate protection, as appropriate Police deployment has been emplaced to deal decisively with any group or persons who might be bent on breaching public peace and threatening national security.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of Biafran agitators who gathered at the popular Koka junction along AsabaBenin Expressway in Delta State were dispersed with tear-gas by men of the state Police Command.

The protest, however, temporarily crippled economic and vehicular activities along the ever busy expressway as motorists took to shortcuts in and out of Asaba metropolis.

Some of the agitators, who wore the emblem of the IPOB, palm leaves severely tied in on their elbows were promptly ar-

rested and taken away.

The Acting PPRO, Mr. Charles Muka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), who spoke on the development, said: “Yes, we are still working on it.”

A member of the group, who simply identified himself as Chukwudi, wondered why men of the command swooped on them.

He said; “We have always resisted the temptation of going violent because we believe that nothing good can be achieved under such atmosphere. Instead, we have deployed self-determination strategy in the struggle.”

He said no amount of intimidation and harassment by the agents of the Federal Government would make adherents of the group to shelve the alternative offer to give hope to the hopeless in the eastern part of the country.

While he condemned the arrest and detention of the director of Radio Biafra, Kanu, others were chanting hymns of freedom and displaying placards of various headlines, including “Freedom for Biafra”, “Freedom for Kanu”, “FG, Stop Intimidating Us” etc.

The protesters, who were half-naked and mainly youths, recalled how supporters of the struggle have been bullied and threatened in the last few months, insisting that “Biafra is on the Move”.

“The Federal Government should release Kanu and stop intimidating us.

As a nation that is due for freedom, we want our freedom, we want to go.”

Corroborating Nwaoha's claim, Chinneye Udeoba, who expressed bitterness over Kanu’s detention, gave those behind his arrest and detention a strict warning before a tribal war is triggered,” they argued.

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News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

ADO-EKITI

ALAUSA

IKOYI

Ambode to host 50,000 CDA Ekiti, World Bank to execute Southern Sun Ikoyi’s succour for orphanage members for Community Day $55m water projects

N EWS I N BRIEF

ST

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi, has said the state government is determined to get closer to the grass root, saying he would host over 50,000 members of the Community Development Associations (CDAs) for this year’s Community Day celebration.

The state Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami, who said this yesterday in Ikeja, said government was putting machinery in motion to mobilise over 50,000 grass roots people for the celebration.

According to him, the 3,240 CDAs in the state had been encouraged and mobilised to bring their members to the grand finale of the event which would hold on Thursday.

Ekiti State Government and the World Bank are to rehabilitate water projects in the state with the sum of $55 million in the next six years.

The projects will be under the Third Urban Water Sector Reform Project being led by the World Bank.

In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the World Bank team led by Mr. Pier Mantovani, met with Governor Ayodele Fayose in his office over the project.

In his remarks, Fayose said the state was ready to fulfill its own side of the bargain by providing the counterpart fund of $5 million, but warned against sidelining the state government in the execution of the project.

182.07m

1.3%

The total number of Installed Capacity of Mobile (GSM) lines in 2012.

Source: Ncc.gov.ng

With the stage now set for Southern Sun Ikoyi golf tournament, immates of Arrow of God Orphanage are looking forward to brighter days ahead as proceeds from event are dedicated to the home.

The tourney which is in its fifth year will hold at Lakowe Lakes Golf Course on the outskirts of Lagos on Wednesday.

It is part of activities by the hospitality home to provide a networking platform for its clients and customers; offer support to charitable causes as well as positively influence sporting activities within its community. About 72 golfers are expected at the event.

The hotel’s General Manager, Mr Mark Loxley, said: “The tournament is not a commercial effort but a corporate means of expressing gratitude to our sponsors."

The annual population growth rate of Lao People’s Democratic Republic in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

788m

The number of active mobilebroadband subscriptions of developed countries in 2012.

Source: Itu.int

DPR seals 28 filling stations in Oyo, Niger Adeolu Adeyemo and Dan Atori OSOGBO/MINNA

T

wenty filling stations were yesterday sealed in Osun State by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for hoarding and selling petroleum products above the approved pump price.

This is as the DPR also sealed up eight filling stations in Minna, the Niger State capital.

The DPR’s Deputy Controller, Ibadan Zone, Mr. Sodiq Ibraheem, who led the team that sealed off the filling stations, warned others who were still hoarding and selling above pump price to take appropriate measures or be dealt with according to the law of the land.

Speaking with journalists in Osogbo, Ibraaheem said, “some petrol attendants were also arrested in the process.”

He said other parts of the states would be visited to ensure that petroleum marketers comply with the

official pump price while also charging Nigerians to support them by reporting erring marketers to National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for prompt action.

“Despite several efforts made by the Federal Government to make life more comfortable for the citizens, some people still prefer to subject Nigerians to unnecessary hardship. This is callous and wickedness but we will try our best to right all wrongs.

Meanwhile, the DPR has sealed up eight filling stations in Minna, the Niger State capital.

The DPR Controller in the state, Mr. Abdullahi Isah Jankara, said a fine of N800, 000 had been paid by the defaulting marketers.

Jankara, while confirming the incident, said the eight filling stations were sealed up for offences ranging from price hike to lack of safety mechanism, paid the sum of N100,000 fine each for not obeying the rules.

Bailout: PDP Govs’ Forum accuses CBN of partisanship Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

T L-R: President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alhaji Remi Bello; Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwan Akiolu 1; Vice-President, LCCI, Dr. Onikepo Akande and Vice-President, National Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mr. Jani Ibrahim, at the opening ceremony of this year’s Lagos International Trade Fair, in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

India, China flood Nigerian market with N11.6bn pirated books CONTRABAND

End of the road for importers of contraband products as Customs descends on them

N

Bayo Akomolafe

igeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized some pirated home videos and books worth N11.6 billion since the beginning of the year at the seaports.

Some of the contrabands are secondary school books such as New General Mathematics for JSS 2 by Pearson, New Concept Mathematics JSS 1, New Primary English Book 5, and Nigeria Primary English Pupils Book 6 by Learn Africa.

Others are dictionaries and copies of the Holy Bible.

It was learnt that the

imports were shipped from Asian countries to Nigeria by unscrupulous businessmen.

Customs records revealed that some N1.5billion worth of home videos, dictionary textbooks, dictionaries, and novels were shipped in three containers marked MRKU 4366790, MRKU 9065731 and PCIU 272436 in January this year.

A container marked MRSU 0099184 laden with 30, 000 copies of pirated literary works valued N70 million was inspected at the AP Moller Terminal Apapa, Lagos in July.

Also in September, a 20foot container of pirated books worth N30 million was seized at the same terminal.

Last month, the Customs Comptroller General handed over 24 containers laden with pirated dictionaries, Bibles and secondary school books to the Nigeri-

an Copyright Commission (NCC).

In the last 10 months, record revealed that the service had seized books such as Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning Primary 6, Macmillan Brilliant Primary English, Social Studies JSS 2 and Macmillan New Primary English Workbook 4, all by Macmillan; Metropolitan Colouring Activity Book 2

by Metropolitan Publishers; Essentials of Physical and Health Education JSS 3 by Ezra Publishers and New Oxford Secondary English SSS 2 by University Press Plc. This week, Customs has handed over 24 containers of pirated good seized at the Lagos port in September to the Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Afam Ezekude.

Spokesman for Customs, Mr. Wale Adeniyi, a Deputy Comptroller, told Saturday

Telegraph that some of the pirated books flooding Nigerian markets were shipped from India, China and some Asian countries.

The director general to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ali, said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed by the two organisations in 2011, which enabled NCC to set up a unit at Lagos port to carry out joint inspection. “We started very well and I will like the cooperation to continue for us to achieve our respective mandates. Port operators ought to realise that the commission has a genuine work to do at the ports,” Ezekude said.

The DG said NCC had seized pirated works nationwide valued at about N7.9 billion in the last four years.

He explained that 459 suspected pirates had been arrested.

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors' Forum has accused the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of partisanship in the release of bailout fund to state governments.

This is coming on the heels of the alleged failure of the apex bank to release the bailout fund for Kogi State.

In a statement issued yesterday by the coordinator of the Forum, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, the PDP governors noted that while mostly All Progressives Congress (APC) had their bailout funds released, those of PDP states were denied theirs.

“How come almost all APC states that applied for bailout have gotten theirs but states like Kogi that have fulfilled all the requirements have been denied theirs with no explanation from the CBN?” the Forum asked.

It accused the CBN of allowing itself to be dictated to by the ruling party.

The statement advised the apex bank against becoming a tool in the hands of the ruling party in the release of bailout funds to states that deserve them.

“The CBN governor, Mr. Emefiele, has to insulate the apex bank from the shenanigans of politicians to avoid serious political and economic dislocation in the country," the statement said.

Glo’s Dance with Peter pays tribute to Michael Jackson

A

lthough previous editions of Globacomsponsored Dance with Peter reality TV show have revealed the amazing talents in the show, today’s edition will prove to be quite challenging for the contestants.

The 21 dancers left in the show will have the arduous task of re-enacting the legendary dance steps of late king of pop, Michael Jackson, from “Billy Jean” to “Wanna be starting something”, “Beat it” and “Bad.” Today’s broadcast promises to be an absorbing view as the show judges, Peter Okoye, Kaffy and Don Flexx, will no doubt

have an equally intricate task of scoring the dancers who are expected to put up a thrilling contest, given how hugely talented all the finalists are.

Globacom said in a statement that more excitement awaits viewers as Glo ambassador and king of contemporary highlife music, Chinedu Okoli, popularly known as Flavour, will be on the programme as a guest judge.

He will interact with the contestants, share his personal experience in showbiz world and offer tips on how they could become successful entertainers, after the reality show.

7 NOVEMBER 2015

APC, Umana ask Appeal Court to cancel A’Ibom guber poll Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate in the April 11 gubernatorial election in Akwa Ibom State, Umana Okon Umana, yesterday filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, challenging the judgment of the state Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on the poll.

The tribunal headed by Justice Sadiq Umar had in its judgment delivered on October 21 nullified elections in 18 out of the 31 local government areas of the state and ordered a rerun to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

But in their notice of appeal, the APC and Umana

faulted the tribunal judgment over the miscarriage of justice and turning upside down, the head of the natural justice.

The appellants asked the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal in relation to the validation of election results in 13 local government areas of the state.

They also asked the appeal court to nullify the entire election conducted in the state on April 11, 2015 due to non compliance with the Election Act 2010 and voter guidelines of INEC. Appellants specifically asked that the first respondent in the appeal case, Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, be removed from office and that a fresh governorship election be conducted in the state.

Buhari moves against importation of construction artisans Anule Emmanuel Abuja

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has taken a step that will end the importation of foreign artisan workers into the country.

The President said he prefers construction companies both local and foreign doing business in the country and engage Nigerians in order to create employment.

The President in this regard yesterday directed the Federal Ministries of Works and Lands, Housing and Urban Development to urgently prepare and present for approval and implementation, a plan of action for the speedy revitalisation and expansion of the nation's vocational training centres.

President Buhari stated this after being told at a meeting at the presidential villa with the Board of Directors of a leading construction company in the country

that because of a shortage of competent construction workers and artisans in the country, many construction companies were forced to bring in skilled workers from abroad.

While observing that this practice was very detrimental to his administration's commitment to boost employment opportunities for young Nigerians, President Buhari pledged that his administration will move quickly to address the shortage of skilled construction workers in the country.

He assured members of the Board of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc that his administration will act swiftly to ensure that the Building Craft Training School and Skill Improvement Centre in Lagos are fully revamped, staffed and equipped to produce more skilled electricians, brick and block layers, carpenters, painters, welders, fabricators, plumbers and other artisans.

Plough recovered loot into devt, cleric counsels Buhari Joe Obende Warri

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resident Muhamadu Buhari has been urged to plough 50 per cent of the recovered loot from corrupt Nigerians to the development of the country, particularly the Niger Delta, in the interest of all.

General Overseer of God’s Ministry International, Evangelist Samson Mamamu, made this call yesterday at Salvation City, New Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State at the close of the church's 39th Annual Spiritual Convention in an open letter to

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the president.

Such projects, he recommended, should be developmental.

The cleric also called for the “restructuring of Nigeria without further delay” as most of her problems were tied to her ‘lumpsomeness’.”

He advised the president to work more on the economy in favour of the ordinary Nigerian who could barely feed himself these days.

He hailed Buhari’s anticorruption war but cautioned him to be wary of "corrupt politicians who are devilish wolves in sheep's clothing" as they would approve of his fight in the day and work against him at night.

OJO

JOS Pwajok to be buried Nov 13

NEWS IN BRIEF

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The family of late Senator Gyang Pwajok, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate during the April 18 election in Plateau State has said Pwajok will be buried on November 13 at his residence in Nyam Shom Close, Atiku Street Rayfield Jos. In a statement signed by his elder brother, Mr. Samuel Dung Pwajok, on behalf of the Lo-Bard family of Due, said there will be a service of songs on November 12 at Waye Foundation, Duwei.

He said: “The family equally wants to appreciate all the outpouring of emotions, solidarity and prayers since the demise of our son. We however wish to appeal that at this time of greave that the pains of this tragedy should not be compounded by certain actions and spreading of rumours that can only inflame the mood of the family and many of the late Senator's associates and followers.”

LASU gets new VC

After more than seven months that the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University, LASU, Prof. John Obafunwa, was chased out of the campus by the staff unions, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday appointed in acting capacity, a Professor of Medicine, Prof. Fidelis Njokanma as the new vice-chancellor.

The new appointment followed the governor's resolve to address all the contradictions facing the state-owned higher institution.

The new development was a result of a meeting of the institution's newly appointed Governing Council members on Thursday.

Njokanma was until his appointment the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), a position he held since May 2014.

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JALINGO Sambo emerges new Kpanti Zing monarch

Taraba State Government has announced Alhaji Sulaiman Ibrahim Sambo as the new Kpanti Zing monarch.

The state Permanent Secretary in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Buba Yero, said this on behalf of Governor Darius Ishaku at a press briefing on Thursday at the Government House, Jalingo.

Prior to the announcement, no fewer than 22 kingmakers of the Zing Traditional Council had on Thursday unanimously elected Sambo as the new paramount ruler of their chiefdom.

The stool of the Kpanti Zing was keenly contested by Muhammed Tumba Ibrahim, Abdu Kombranko, Dahiru Bello Kombranko, Abubakar Kombranko and Sambo.

Traffic laws: Conductors, motorcyclists risk jail term, says Ambode

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Muritala Ayinla enceforth, commercial motorcyclists, bus conductors and other transport operators who flout the Lagos State Traffic Law 2012 would have their days in courts and possibly get jail term.

This is because the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has vowed to enforce the law to the letter.

With this, bus conductor who chooses to hang on the tailboard of a moving bus and commercial motorcyclists who opt to operate on the 450 prohibited roads and bridges will have their days in courts.

While owners of tank farms on Apapa axis also got 90-day ultimatum to build loading bays for their tank farms or have their farms shut by the state government.

The governor, who said this at the end of a meeting with transportation stakeholders and the security personnel in the state, said a mobile court would be introduced to speedily try anyone found contravening the laws.

He said: “Henceforth, all commercial vehicles, except Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) buses, must use only the

l Gives tank farm owners 90-day ultimatum l Introduces mobile courts to build loading bays for

service lanes in accordance with existing traffic laws.”

In addition, tank farms owners must desist from allocating pick-up papers to trucks beyond and above their daily capacity as is the case presently.

“I wish to reiterate the commitment of this government to making life easier for our people. As much as we want to be civil, everybody should know that this will only apply to law abiding citizens.

“All conductors of commercial buses must sit down in their buses and keep the doors closed at all times while in motion. It is against the law for conductors to hang on the bus doors and leave the doors open. Any bus contravention will be met with severe punitive measures.

“Commercial buses can only drop and pick passengers at officially designated bus stops henceforth. Any illegal and indiscriminate picking and dropping of passengers is against the law.

The governor added that street hawkers and those who patronise them on the roads may also face

the wrath of the law as they both constitute traffic gridlock on Lagos metropolis.

Ambode said it was unfortunate that the tanks farm owners did not get back to him after a meeting he held with them over three months ago where he (Ambode) asked them to come up with a solution for the traffic gridlock which is caused by the tankers queuing on the roads and bridges to load petroleum products.

He added: “On the traffic situation especially in the Apapa axis, the tank farms and the petrol tankers are the major cause of traffic. There are 42 tank farms in Lagos and more are in the process of being approved. Lagos alone accounts for 80 per cent of the cargo that come into the country through the ports. There are up to 80 to 90 per cent of the fuel used in Nigeria is loaded in Lagos.”

Based on the security implications of the developments and abuse of the laws, Governor Ambode disclosed that the State Security Council had decided as follows: "All tank farms are hereby given a 90-day grace period

their tank farms. Any tank farm that fails to provide a loading bay after this grace period would be shut down by the state government.

“In addition, tank farms owners must desist from allocating pick-up papers to trucks beyond and above their daily capacity as is the case presently.”

Ambode, however, reiterated the commitment of his administration to making life easier for our people as much as possible.

He said: “Being civil with the people, everybody should know that this will only apply to law abiding citizens. This administration has promised continuity with improvement. To achieve this improvement, there has to be a change in the way we carry out our businesses. Change is a process. I plead with everyone to be part of this change.

“In order to assure the commercial motor cyclists and bus owners of our joint resolve, the chairmen of the related unions are here with me as a sign of their readiness to comply with these new set of actions.”

L-R: Director, Relief And Rehabilitation, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Ezeh Udemezue; Senior Administrative Officer, NEMA, Hassa Ciroma; Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Boniface Ortese and Governor Samuel Ortom, during the presentation of relief materials to victims of flood in the state…yesterday

PHOTO: NAN

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FCT

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Nigeria’s democracy under threat - PDP

N1tn probe: Lamorde to appear in Senate onTuesday

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday chided the All Progressives Congress (APC) for its visionless leadership, noting that events in the past six months had shown that the gains of democracy left behind by PDP were seriously under threat.

PDP’s Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who said this at the inauguration of a 53-member National Conference Committee, which will hold next Thursday, said PDP, having put in much to grow and deepen the nation's democracy would go to any length to sustain the gains.

He disclosed that the conference was intended to fashion out strategy that would help PDP sustain democratic ideal as an opposition party.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, confirmed yesterday that the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, would appear before his panel on Tuesday to answer questions on allegations of fraud against him.

Anyanwu, in a telephone interview in Abuja, said the committee would have invited Lamorde earlier but for its other engagements.

He said: “We are ready to resume our investigation on the petition brought against the EFCC chairman and he had been summoned to appear before us next week Tuesday (October 10). We should have done it much earlier but for the tight schedule of the committee.”

IKOYI NGO moves against high incidence of cancer

A group, The Child Survival and Development Organisation of Nigeria (CS-DON) has called on Nigerians to join forces with children, women and other stakeholders to fight against cancer.

The call by the group is on the sideline of its 7th anniversary themed: “United Against Cancer.”

The founder of CS-DON and former First Lady of Cross River State, Mrs. Onari Duke, said in the last few years, they had been working very hard to ensure that the fight against cancer is reduced to provide succour for the children and women who have been suffering with cancer.

Duke was represented by members of the committee led by Mrs. Uju Irukwu, Mr. Conrad Adigwe, Mrs. Felicia Obilo and Mrs. Feyi Tinubu.

81

5.99

£928,125

The life expectancy of women at birth of Cuba in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Algeria in 2002.

Source: Itu.int

The monthly salary of Steven Gerrard of Liverpool FC in 2014/2015.

Source: Paywizard.co.uk

Ex-provost found dead inside OAU office

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ecturers and students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, were grief-stricken following the discovery of the lifeless body of a former Provost, College of Health Sciences, Prof.

Solomon Ogunniyi, inside his office.

It was gathered that Ogunniyi was found dead inside his office on Thursday.

Some of the students said Ogunniyi locked himself up in the room and he was found dead by those who forced the door opened after knocking at the door repeatedly without any response.

They added that Ogunniyi’s colleagues were worried because the deceased did not come out of the office for a very long time.

He was said to have been rushed to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital where doctors confirmed him dead.

The deceased, who was said to be around 60 years of age, left behind a wife and two children.

The Public Relations Officer of OAU, Mr. Biodun Olanrewaju, when contacted on the telephone, confirmed the story.

He said Ogunniyi’s death could be caused by illness while ruling out murder. He, however, said nothing suggested that the lecturer was murdered.

The lecturer’s death came barely three months after the university lost a lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Economics of the institution, Dr. Deji Adejobi, to assassins.

Adejobi was shot dead at his residence located at The New Dawn, near Ife toll gate, in Ile-Ife. Also, Prof. James Olomo of the Department of Nuclear Physics disappeared over two years ago and he is yet to be found.

Ambode assures investors of govt’s support Taiwo Hassan

L L-R: Director, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc (JBN), Mr. George Marks; Director, JBN, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu and President Muhammadu Buhari, during JBN Board of Directors courtesy visit to the President, at the State House, in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO:TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

We won’t renege on N5,000 monthly stipend, says APC

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Nigerians that it will not renege on its campaign promise to pay N5, 000 stipend monthly to 25 million most vulnerable Nigerians while calling on the citizens to ignore the mischievous attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to confuse and mislead them on the issue.

This came as a group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) asked President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfill his presidential election campaign’s social contract with millions of unemployed Nigerians by commencing the payment of the monthly stipends.

However, APC in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said even though the PDP-led Federal Government plundered the nation’s resources in its time, it (APC) has devised creative means not only to

l HURIWA tasks Buhari on allowance pay the money but also to fulfill its other campaign promises to Nigerians.

It said the non-implementation of the payment policy so far is due to the fact that it was not included in the 2015 budget, which was prepared by the PDPled Jonathan administration, and also because of the need to first block all financial leakages.

“Now, the Buhari administration has been busy putting in place measures that will make it possible to start the implementation of this project. Such measures include the introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

“We are happy to inform Nigerians that as at the end of September 2015, over N1.4 trillion, which hitherto was lying unproductively in various commercial banks, has been recovered and paid into the TSA,” said the APC’s spokesman.

The party said that ‘‘in its

usual jumpy and superficial approach to issues, the irresponsible opposition has already rushed to judgement on the issue without bothering to hear from the APC, which made the promise in the first instance.

“Had the PDP not sacrificed the truth on the altar of political expediency, it would have realised that the APC never at any time indicated it has reneged on its promise to pay N5, 000 monthly to 25 million most vulnerable Nigerians. In our press statement of August 30, we still reiterated our plan to redeem our campaign promises, including the social security payment policy, despite the primitive looting of the treasury under the watch of the PDP. “It is, therefore, astonishing that the same PDP, which is becoming more and more infamous for its penchant for peddling half truths and sensationalising every issue, will rush to the

press to celebrate the figment of its imagination that the APC will not fulfill its campaign promise regarding the payment,” it said.

Meanwhile, HURIWA in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, said the President shouldn’t hide under any legislative cover to fail to implement the payment of N5,000 monthly stipend to millions of unemployed youths.

“Mr. President must keep to his sacred oath to millions of Nigerians especially the unemployed youth by commencing the implementation of the payments of monthly unemployment stipends.

Anything short of the quickest implementation is tantamount to saying that Mr. President secured the votes of millions of youth through false pretences,” the group said.

agos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has assured both local and foreign investors that the state government will continue to create an enabling environment for genuine business investment in the state.

Ambode, who made this known while declaring open this year’s Lagos International Trade Fair, at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos yesterday, said the state remains a hub for trade and investment.

The governor, who was represented at the occasion by a Senior Special Adviser to the Governor, Ade Olabinjo, said the state played a crucial role towards the growth and development of the nation’s economy.

He said: “Lagos is so cen-

tral to the development of the country’s economy because it is the commercial nerve centre for the country’s trade.”

In his address, the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alhaji Remi Bello, said this year’s fair was the 29th edition in succession that the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry would be holding in the state.

Bello said the fair will be staged in three different venues: the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos; Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos and Freedom park, Lagos.

According to him, over 700,000 exhibitors and participants will be at the fair, adding that among them are foreign investors who have signified their interest to showcase their products.

Taraba guber: Tribunal delivers judgement today Sabiu Mustapha JALINGO

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alpable tension has enveloped Taraba State, especially the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the state’s Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, decision to deliver its judgment today in the case filed before it by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Aisha Jummai Alhassan.

Alhassan, who is now a minister-designate had challenged the victory of Governor Darius Ishaku in the tribunal.

The APC candidate, shortly after the election result was announced by the

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Jalingo, called a world press conference where she rejected the results.

At the press conference, she reportedly claimed that she was the actual winner of the polls.

But as the tribunal rules on Alhassan’s petition case today, many PDP supporters have expressed fears that the outcome of the judgment might not favour them after all.

The tribunal in some of its judgments sacked the PDP Senator representing Taraba Central Senatorial District, Bashir Abba Marafa and declared the APC’s candidate, Yusuf Yusuf, as the winner of the April 11 polls.

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Don’t ‘over simplify’ anti-graft war, Shekarau tells Buhari Muhammad Kabir

T KANO

he immediate past Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, has declared his total support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war, but with a warning that the President should not “over simplify the fight” as something that could be achieved within a twinkle of an eye.

Fielding questions from journalists on his 60th birthday anniversary, Shekarau said: “I support the fight against corruption and I think it is something worth supporting. But my problem with the fight is Buhari’s over simplification of the fight making Nigerians to think that money is coming from corrupt officials to run his government. This is not true and he should do

away with such thinking.”

The former minister said: “Buhari should know that fighting corruption is not something that will quickly give him money that has been stolen by ex this ex that, he should look at what happens to the fight since (Chief Olusegun) Obasanjo regime to date, most of all those that have been arrested or accused of corrupt practices are yet to be convicted and some are still standing trial, so is not an easy fight.”

Shekarau also said fighting corruption should begin from the grassroots, which meant that the whole system needed to be overhauled, stressing that: “One cannot fight corruption without addressing the main focal point that leads to one be corrupted, that is ensuring welfare of those who overseen the system and chang-

ing their values and the way they see things.”

Shekarau also disassociated himself from his party’s (Peoples Democratic Party) hard line position that Buhari’s government is selective in its fight against corruption, saying: “It is too early to judge the government in a fear analysis.”

He said in every aspect of the government, including the Buhari new system of ministers without portfolios, “one should patiently wait to see this change in governance it will amount to been stupid if in just five months of the government one will begin to attack it, more so the critical issue of corruption form the centre stage of the administration every patriotic Nigerian should give it benefit of doubt and pray for it to succeed.”

On security, Shekarau said: “If truly one wants to

address the critical security problems in Nigeria, he must look at four fundamental areas; that welfare of the security personnel, their training, their equipment, and the most important of them all is the issue of pension after service because it is the yardstick of what their services are measured with.”

Similarly, the former governor also expressed worry over the fact that Buhari does not make any significant changes on the same persons that were there as the drivers of his anti corruption war is seriously disturbing because there is no way one will fight corruption with those alleged to be part of corrupt practices.

He also wondered how zero - corruption level could be achieved when some anti-graft agencies personnel such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

Jonathan’s economic policies shrouded in secrecy — Nwaogu Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

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wo-time Senator from Abia Central Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, has condemned the approach to the execution of economic policies of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The Senator, who said this at the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, when she visited the national leadership of the party to express her appreciation for their role in her husband’s funeral, said the development was rather unfortunate.

She said the coming on board of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC was divine.

Speaking alongside the former National Chairman of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Chief Sam Nkire and former Abia State Deputy Governor, Dr. Chris Akomas, who are Board of Trustee (BoT) members of APC, Nwaogu advised that those who were joining or

have joined APC should be people of positive minds.

She commended APC and President Buhari for the mantra of change.

She said: “l am here to fraternise myself once again with my party, APC, to identify myself, to associate myself with the change train and anybody today in this country who does not realise that this is a divine mandate given to APC to usher in change to sustain change, to bring about change in all endeavours of our lives especially in our economic lives is not realistic.

“We all know what has been happening or what has happened in the economy of our dear nation that it was shrouded in secrecy. Thanks to the emergency of Buhari and the change doctrine, change mantra and change advocates.

“Those who have sworn not to conceive anything of the truth would not see this change because even the Bible tells us that it is only the truth that can set us free.

“For us to attempt to bring to a level of acceptance for the President to remove the pres-

ent level of unemployment, to remove or try to see how we can increase our revenue, to see that we have no other country other than Nigeria, therefore everybody has a contribution to make towards revamping this nation.

“This nation is blessed with natural resources. It beholds on us to put our brains and our contributions together as citizens of this nation to ensure that when we train our children from

Multichoice slashes rates at Lagos Trade Fair

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ultiChoice Nigeria has announced a special offer of the DStv Zapper decoder plus compact bouquet subscription, at N15,000, a 45 per cent, reduction from the previous price of N28,500.

This new offer is only available at the Lagos International Trade Fair, while GOtv subscribers would also get to buy GOtv decoders inclusive of one month subscription for N2, 900 during the fair.

In addition to the price

MTN inaugurates CarFi sticks for subscribers

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TN Nigeria has introduced the MTN CarFi Sticks to aid subscribers’ access to internet while they are in traffic. MTN CarFi Sticks, which was inagurated at this year’s Abuja Motor Fair sponsored by MTN, is the first of its kind to be introduced in Nigeria.

MTN’s sponsorship of the motor fair is part of the company’s activities to support the rapid development in the automotive and road transport sectors in Nigeria.

The event which is in its

17th edition was organised

by BKG Exhibitions Limited.

Describing the MTN CarFi Stick, GM Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Richard Iweanoge, said the device would make life more comfortable for road travellers using the internet.

“The MTN CarFi Stick is a wireless gadget designed to provide internet access for motor vehicles. It is a fast, reliable and easy to operate high-speed network access terminal that can be inserted into a car cigarette lighter

tertiary institutions, that they do not come out to roam in the street. They say an idle man is a devil's workshop.

“I am pledging to the family of APC that I am now part of APC that is to say that wherever l would be called upon l will serve and l also use this medium to enjoin everybody who has agreed to join this party to ensure that you have something positive to contribute towards nation building.”

socket, and then allows up to 10 portable devices to connect to a Wi-fi network while in a moving vehicle.

“With the device, users can surf the internet easily. MTN Nigeria is the first telecoms operator to launch the device, and we will leverage it to drive innovation in the data space. MTN CarFi Stick is a unique device developed in line with our vision of leading the delivery of a bold, new digital world,” Iweanoge said.

slash, DStv and GOtv subscribers stand a chance of winning exciting prizes such as LED TVs, DStv Explora Decoders, 1 KVA generators via daily lucky dips at the fair.

General Manager Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Martin Mabutho, said: “In addition to the bundled price slash of one month’s Compact subscription plus a Zapper decoder, we will also be upgrading our new subscribers who pay for the family bouquet to the compact bouquet at no extra cost.

This offer is open to new subscribers only.”

He said the compact bouquet has gone through a recent revamp and now includes broader and varied content, with the most recent inclusions being the M-Net Family and VUZU channels, which will give subscribers more reasons to enjoy their television viewing experience.

The 35th Lagos International Trade Fair runs from November 6 to 15 at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), the Muson Centre and Freedom Park in Lagos.

(EFCC), the police, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are still

there? So, how can one see changes in the fight, with 99 per cent people you meet on ground still with you.”

change of names ONOHOOME ADELANA I, formerly known and addressed as MISS FAITH ONOHOOME OMOLOGBE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. FAITH OMOLOGBE ALIDU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

TEIBOWEI

I, formerly known and addressed as RACHEAL SMART TEIBOWEI now wish to be known and addressed as RACHEAL NNWOKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

STEPHEN

I, formerly known and addressed as CHIJIOKE VICTOR STEPHEN now wish to be known and addressed as CHIJIOKE NDUBUISI ANAGARAKU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

HARMON I, formerly known and addressed as BENSON HARMON KINGSLEY now wish to be known and addressed as BENSON SINIMETODONWO KINGSLEY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

YOUNG I, formerly known and addressed as YOUNG UBANI now wish to be known and addressed as EMEKA UGOCHUKWU UBANI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AARON I formerly known and addressed as OLATUNDE OLAYEMI DAMILOLA , now wish to be known and addressed as AARON OLAYEMI DAMILOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OLAOLUWA I formerly known and addressed as OKUSAJO OLAOLUWA RAHMON, now wish to be known and addressed as OKUSAJO KING OLAOLUWA. All former documents remain valid.General public take note.

ANTHONY I formerly known and addressed as AGBO UGOCHUKWU NNAEMEKA, now wish to be known and addressed as AGBO UGOCHUKWU ANTHONY. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ODUMODU

I, formerly known and addressed as OKWORI JOHN CHUKWUDI, now wish to be known and addressed as STEVE FELIX ODUMODU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ADELANA STEPHEN AITUAYUWA now wish to be known and addressed as ODIAHI STEPHEN AITUAYUWA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OMIETIMI

I formerly known and addressed as EDI OMIETIMI, now wish to be known and addressed as ILEBERI GBEYE-EMI FREDRICK. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

NWABUEZE

I, formerly known and called ABAZ CHRIS NWABU and/or ABAZIE CHRISTIAN NWABUEZE now wish to be called and addressed as ABAZIE CHRISTIAN NDIDIAMAKA. All documents bearing my former names remain valid. General public to note.

DURU

I formerly known and addressed as MISS CHRISTIANA UZONNA DURU, now wish to be known and address as MRS. CHRISTIANA UZONNA NJOKU. All former documents remain valid. The FCT secondary education board and general public should please note.

ANOKPE I formerly known and addressed as MUSA ALI SHERIF, now wish to be known and addressed as ANOKPE ALI SHERIF, All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OTOIGHILE

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ELIZABETH UCHE MADU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ELIZABETH UCHE OTOIGHILE, All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

IZUKANACHI

I formerly known and addressed as ANIAKOR CHIKA KENNETH, now wish to be known and addressed as ANIAKOR IZUKANACHI KENNETH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

IMOEKOR

I, formerly known and addressed as ROSELINE AGOCHI, now wish to be known and addressed as ROSELINE IMOEKOR. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHUKWUBUEZE

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS CHUKWUBUEZE DIVINE EBERE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. TORU DIVINE EBERE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

confirmation of names OTOIGHILE

This is to confirm that the bearer of these names BOKOLO LOVENA, BOKOLO EBINABO and BOKOLO LOVENAH refers to one and the same person. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

This is to confirm that the bearer of these names IKIERIGHA LUCKY and IKIERIGHA LUCKY JEREMIAH refers to one and the same person.

All former documents remain valid.

General public take note

This is to confirm that ORODE PATIENCE ELOHOR STANLEY is one and same person as ORODE PATIENCE, that henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as ORODE PATIENCE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

NWANZE AMOBI CHRISTIAN and NWANZE AMOBI ANAGOR refer to one and the same person. All former documents bearing the above names remain valid. General public should please take note.

This is to confirm that the bearer of these names NWANNA ROSELINE and NWANNA KELECHI ROSELINE refers to one and the same person. All former documents remain valid.

Union Bank Plc and general public take note.

This is to confirm that the bearer of these names ODAWN HARUNA and IBRAHIM HARUNA refers to one and the same person. All former documents remain valid. GTB and general public take note.

This is to confirm that NIMAME LUCKY IWEKUMO is one and same person as WILSON LUCKY, that hence forth I wish to be known and addressed as NIMAME LUCKY IWEKUMO. All former documents remains valid. First Bank PLC and general public please take note.

Voices Would you allow your spouse to donate egg/sperm to infertile couple? p.12

SATURDAY

Street Diary SATURDAY, 7 NOVEMBER, 2015

10

Erosion threatens 177 communities in Anambra One of the affected communities

Erosion is one natural disaster that has bedevilled virtually every community in Anambra State, claiming lives and property worth billions of naira. In this report, OKEGWO KENECHUKWU, looks at some major erosion sites that have sacked some villages and rendered many others homeless in the state.

A

nambra State is one of the privileged few states in Nigeria that God has endowed with abundant human and material resources anybody can think of across the globe.

Available statistics has shown that the state covers an area of 4.416 sqkm and has tropical rain forest vegetation, humid climate with an average temperature of 87of and a rainfall between 152cm-203cm.

The state is situated on a rolling flat land on the eastern plains of the River Niger and has a population of about 4,055,048 people according to the 2006 Census.

Naturally like any other states or creatures, there is also the other side of the bad, the good and the ugly.

With an enviable track record of producing the first Nigerian President, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe; late Dr. Chinua Achebe; the famous literary Icon, former Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme; former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Dr. Chukwuma Soludo and the late mathematician, Chief Chike Obi, among others, it thus appears that the state has also produced the largest number of erosion sites in the entire South-East.

The most popular ones among them is the Nanka-Oko erosion that has also attracted international outcry.` There is also another bigger one at Ibollo Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local Government Area, which is a gully erosion site that cuts across seven villages in the country home of Chief Emeka Offor.

At least, not more than 16 erosion sites have been identified ravaging Obosi community, the home of the immediate past aviation minister, Chief Osita Chidoka and former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

One of such erosion is located at the Ibollo Layout Obosi, stretching across the Owerri Road and threatening the dual carriage way of the Onitsha-Owerri Road, if not for the prompt intervention of the state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano.

In fact, erosion menace is a common feature in all the one hundred and seventy

seven communities. It is on record that in all the 177 communities of the state, there are one, two or more erosion sites.

For instance in Orumba North and South Local Government Areas, the Ekwulobia gully erosion was reported to have claimed almost a village between 2009 and 2010 while the popular Oko-Nanka site had cut across three community of Nanka, Oko and Amaokpala communities with a serious threat to Ekwueme’s ancestral home, which was now at the verge of collapse.

The erosion also claimed more than 20 households who were now sojourning in their own town. The one along the OnitshaOwerri Road had also sacked a cream of Ibollo Layout residents, while threatening to cut off the Onitsha-Owerri Road.

The erosion site which had been converted to a refuse dump ground, however, turned to a gold mine for scrap hawkers.

During a visit by Saturday Telegraph to the site, some hawkers clustered in their numbers in search of condemned scraps, metal, robbers and all sorts of bottles that are sold to the dealers in various markets in the commercial city.

This ugly development has also attracted the attention of Governor Willie Obiano who Saturday Telegraph gathered had began a rescue operation along the Onitsha-Owerri Road erosion site to save the Ibollo community from total extinction.

In a similar vein, the women of Oko Community notably the Umuada Oko recently embarked on a one day praying and fasting session to attract God’s attention to save the five villages of the community from being consumed by fast devastating encroaching erosion.

In a related development, one service lane at the over head bridge at the EnuguOnitsha Expressway by the Nkpor New Motor Spare Parts has been cut off following unabated rain fall, forcing commuters to resort to only two lanes.

As at the time of filing this report, no meaningful measure had been taken by the Federal Government to save the situation while some of erosion sites are gradually degenerating to a point of no control.

Expressing how much Obosi community of Anambra State has lost to the ravaging flood, 63-year-old Chidiebere Nwogwugwu said, “our governor thinks this job is overwhelming, he should resign before we all die of hunger and homelessness. How will you explain that after all we did to put Willie Obiano in office, what we get is flood eroding all the proceeds of our farm and displacing many of us from our residences and business places?”

Ngozi Onuoha, a foodstuff seller at Orumba North shared similar sentiment.

Her words read in part; “are we the only ones living in this country? If we are not why then do we always have to keep begging the government to do something about this erosion? You know the reason many people don’t even come to

I’m very weary of heaping all the blames of the erosion menace on the government

the market these days is because of interrupted power supply that the DISCOs now blame of excess water flowing everywhere.

They don’t want people to get electrocuted around some places where there are damaged poles. We’re suffering and this is making us all feel voting for this governor is a huge mistake.”

Sunday Mbah, a banker who resides in Nanka-Oko feels largely, people should help the government to achieve a lasting solution to the menace of erosion currently plaguing the state. “I’m very weary of heaping all the blames on the government, though I also understand that the meteorologists have since warned about this thereby giving the government ample time to prepare for the eventuality we are now having. ''I think on our own, we can avoid dumping refuse to block the waterways.

Our drainages are bad and they’re mostly the effects of this bad habit of not minding where to dump our waste products. Government needs to do something urgently in terms of sensitisation, clearing of the drainages and enforcement of laws against environmental offenders.”

Health

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015

NEW TELEGRAPH ON SATURDAY

11

7 NOVEMBER 2015

‘How I found a cure for sickle cell ailment’

Founder of Rufus Nature’s Gift Herbs Nigeria Ltd, 64-year-old Pastor Rufus Ojuola, speaks with TIMOTHY AKINLEYE, on his claim that he has found a cure for sickle cell anaemia.

What kindled your interest to find a cure for sickle cell anaemia?

My parents were very good at using herbs to cure sicknesses and they didn’t engage in this practice for commercial gain.

My foray into herbal therapy was divine.

It happened while I was on a missionary assignment in Iyegu, a village on the outskirts of Ida in Kogi State. I had an uncle whose name was Chief Adebayo Alajo, in Akure. He had seven children and was always desperately anxious on account of his sick children, looking for blood donors. I had a revival back then and my uncle’s son, Segun, was the one who covered the event.

Three weeks later after the programme, I learnt he was dead. This really rattled me, so I decided to pray to God to do something about this dreaded ailment which had cut short the lives of four of my uncle’s children.

When I got back to Iyegu where I was doing missionary work for God, I seriously petitioned God to provide a solution to this problem. On the seventh day, I had a revelation. As I was lying down on my bed half awake, I saw a man standing before me telling me that there was a cure for sickle cell anaemia; that there were herbs that could effect a permanent cure. The man wanted to know why I was so desperate for a cure and I told him it was because of what had happened to my uncle especially the fourth child, Segun. He now asked me to follow him into the bush. Just very close to the back of the house I was staying, he showed me three plants not quite far from one another. He told me to take the root of one, the sap of another and the leaves of the third and in the vision, we went back inside and boiled them. As we were talking, there was a knock on the door and the man varnished. It was then I realized I was having a vision. The person who had knocked actually came to tell me it was time for morning prayer in the church. After the prayer, I kept on meditating on what had transpired between the mysterious man and I. So what happened afterwards?

I called one of my boys and we went to the exact spot the man had shown me and to my surprise, we found the plants there.

Just as he had demonstrated to me in the vision, we harvested the plants, made fire and boiled them. Three hours later, a man came with a complaint about his boy who had been given an injection the previous day and could not urinate since then. I told the man to bring the boy and I gave him three spoonful of the mixture. I told the father to let us observe him for some time as I was not completely sure how he would react to the herbs. I started praying as well.

Within 15 minutes, the boy started urinating. Just about the same time, another boy with sickle cell disorder was brought in and I sold the medicine to the father for N1000.

The report from that one too was positive.

Many others came until the medicine was exhausted. This convinced me that God had given me a cure for sickle cell anaemia through providence. I prepared another and put in small bottles which I started giving to people free.

I also approached some doctors and introduced the herb mixture to them.

bush for several years and for my passion for others. We have living testimonies to proof the efficacy of our cure. The process is self-proclaimed. When people bring their children, we send them for genotype test and White Blood cell Count tests to determine the percentage of sickle cells in them.

Also, we measure the height of the child before treatment commences. After about one or two months the WBC test is done again for comparison. After six months, you do another test and you begin to notice a reduction in the number of sickle cells in the child’s blood such that by the end of 18 months, no sickle cell will be in that blood again. Is this not empirical enough?

Aside this, this medicine causes a healthy marrow to grow. It’s like a natural bone marrow transplant. This means more blood will be produced to make them healthy and more active than before. Unlike orthodox medicine’s bone marrow transplant, we don’t keep our patients in bed for 100 days. Rather, you go about your normal daily activities while the process goes on inside. The good news is that the gap between orthodox and herbal therapy is bridging fast. I have about four doctors now who refer their patients to me. From Abuja, Kaduna, Akure and Lagos, notable doctors are referring patients to me for treatment on regular basis. I also have matrons in Owerri, Anambra, who are referring patients to me. To me, that underscores their faith in herbal remedies. There is policewoman in Lagos who came to me in Auchi.

After 18 months, the genotype of her child changed to AA. The result is with my wife at home. But generally, people don’t really want their identities revealed otherwise, we would have given you their contacts. Till date, we have treated over 2,000 people who are now living free of sickle cell while we have about 4,000 currently undergoing the treatment both home and abroad.

Pastor Ojuola

Dr. Mimiko, Ondo State governor, (2nd Right) inspecting some of the drugs at an exhibition in Akure recently

The news started spreading like wildfire.

I travelled to Enugu and a boy with stunted growth was brought to me. I gave him the herb to drink and I charged them N4,000 but they only paid N2,000. After about three months, they started looking for me.

When we met again, they brought the boy who had now regained his normal height quite hale and hearty. I told them to go for a genotype test and it was confirmed that the boy’s genotype was now AA. I eventually crossed to Edo State where I met Bishop Bada of Anglican Church. I related the story to him and he invited me to a programme he was having in May of that year. He asked if he could include me in the programme given that it was healthrelated. He gave me N60,000 to buy bottles in which I put the medicine and I distributed to the the people free. There were about 2000 people in attendance because the programme was well advertised. The testimonies that followed caught the attention of The Observer newspaper which published the story. After this, lots of people were coming for the herbal cure and it has been wonderful since then.

Do you have any formal certification for your medical treatment?

I’m neither a medical doctor nor a herbal practitioner. I’m a pastor to whom God has revealed a hidden knowledge that has been of immense benefit to humanity. Now, I make bold to say, by God’s grace, I’m a guru in sickle cell treatment. However, I’ve since registered with the Edo State chapter

of Nigeria Herbal Practitioners Association. The only challenge is that our government doesn’t believe in whatever is ours.

They are still not fully on the same page with us to create an enabling environment for us to practice. In spite of this, we are making arrangement to establish in Ghana and other West African countries. My guess is that when they see that we have gained sufficient public reckoning outside the country to the point where the World Health Organisation recognizes us they will attempt to take the credit. I have my NAFDAC’s registration number.

The agency gives two levels of approvals: the first indicates that the product is not harmful to humans and the second is an affirmation that it does what it claims to do. Have you secured these two?

The first approval has been secured. The second level is coming from the numerous testimonies about our treatments. By the time we go for renewal I’m sure they will give us certificate for the second one. I’ve been on this treatment for 16 years now.

But from a medical standpoint, there is no cure yet for sickle cell?

Orthodox medicine is not an option as far as sickle cell anaemia is concerned. My uncle spent a lot of money yet he lost four children to sickle cell. But since I’ve started this treatment, no child has died. It has been testimonies all the way to the glory of God. I believe God has used this revelation to reward me for seeking his face while in that

How long do you keep a patient under your watch?

After the confirmation of their genotype as AA, we give them another six months to observe them. Then within the next one year, we begin to introduce them back to those food we initially stopped them from eating in the course of the treatment. After this, they continue their normal life. The treatment typically lasts 18 months.

Has there been any case of relapse?

No. Once the patient is free he remains healed for life. The only issue is that the person can develop arthritis or rheumatism if he/she is fond of taking cold drinks. So, we generally advise our patients to avoid or keep cold drinks to the barest minimum.

How do you source your herbs?

I get two from Niger State and one from Kogi. There are some from Akure too because our products are currently four while we are planning to make them six. We are also making efforts to get those plants cultivated in Akure here.

What is the treatment process like?

Typically, we ask that the genotype and the WBC tests be done and brought to us for records. We also take the weight, height and Blood pressure of the child before treatment commences. Most of the time the heart beat rate is high, so we have developed another drug to bring down the rate at which their hearts beat. Our herbs also help to boost their blood and immunity and to resuscitate those veins that are weak or clean up those that are blocked to enhance effective blood circulation. We then begin to monitor them until they are perfectly fine.

SATURDAY

Voices

SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2015

12

Would you allow your spouse to donate egg/sperm to infertile couple?

I will gladly support her

If my wife has finished giving birth, she still has more eggs and she is willing to donate, I will gladly support her since it is a way of helping other people.

– Collins chukwudi, engineer

There is nothing like infertility In Nigeria today, one has to be very careful about certain things. I believe in miracles and God can do anything.

There is nothing like infertility as far as I am concerned but if need be for egg donation, I doubt if my husband would ever buy the idea.

– Felicia Joseph, civil servant

I will gladly do it with my husband’s approval There is nothing wrong in donating egg to an infertile spouse but the issue is that who is going to be the real parent of such child? I'm yet to understand the science, but if it is not harmful, I will gladly volunteer to do it with my husband’s cooperation.

– Kemi Joseph, teacher

It depends on my husband As a doctor there are so many checkups that need to be done before carrying out such things. If my husband allows me to do it, the infertile couple would need to verify my health status to see if I am really healthy before donating egg to them.

– Basirat Bright, medical doctor

I don’t want what will result into problem I will never allow my wife to do such because the couple may not appreciate what we did for them in the future. I don’t want what could result into problem, so it is better the couple take necessary medications and see what happens.

– Godwin Ubani, businessman

I will with my husband’s consent

It is God that

gives children

I will freely donate if my husband agrees first. Egg donation is not like blood donation, so we have to be careful as well.

I will not allow my husband to donate sperm because it is God that gives children, not humans. They should pray to God over their childlessness and God will definitely answer, but I will not allow my husband to donate.

– Adaeze Ugo, caterer

– Ugochukwu Ekwearu, businesswoman

I will never do it I would never do such except if I'm not willing to conceive anymore. It depends on my culture and that of my husband too. Even if the culture permits it, I will still not donate my eggs.

– Tina Geoffrey, nurse

I won’t allow my husband to donate sperm I will not allow my husband to donate his sperm because this is Nigeria. When the child grows up, the parents might say the child is not their biological child and start maltreating the child or even try to contact us to take the child back. I won’t accept because anything can happen later in life.

– Comfort Segun, sales representative

The couple should wait on God I will not allow him because it is against our culture. Things are not done that way. If my husband donates his sperm, the child is definitely his child no matter how you look at it and I won’t want any issue later in the future. I would advise them to wait for God’s time. Couples should patiently wait for God to grant them fruits of the womb.

– Julli Omokhodon, businesswoman

We would help other people

I will allow my wife to donate her egg to a couple who is childless, but that will come after my wife has given birth to the number of children I want. We would help other people because children are very important.

– Virtus Mmadu, trader

I will not allow my husband I will not allow my husband to donate his sperm because nobody knows what will happen tomorrow and if my husband donates his sperm, the child is his own. Why would I accept another woman to get pregnant for my husband?

– Adetope Openaike, hairdresser

It is against our

tradition

I will not allow my wife to donate her egg because our tradition does not allow it. If she gives the egg, the child is still her own and the couple might not take care of the child because it is not their biological child.

– Michael Eze, businessman

My husband would be the father of the child

I won’t let him do it because no matter what happens the fact still remains that my husband is the true father of the baby and may one day go back to claim the baby.

– Mrs. Faith Ekuku, businesswoman

If that is what can save the marriage

I can only allow that if the man involved is related to my husband. But I can also consider the woman if she is a close friend to the family and it is the only thing that can save the marriage.

– Mrs. Justina Chukwukere, trader

compiled by

NGOZI OGBOLU, PEACE MORRISON and UGOCHI AKWUEZE

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015

SATURDAY

WeekendDelight 13

Instyle You could go stylish in knot wrapper p.15

The Arts

C o n v e r s at i o n

REMI

ABERE

Okundaye, Wewe return to exhibition stage p.18

Hospitality

Calabar Hospitality Fiesta revs Canaan City p.41

TV & Radio The role of parents in children’s education p.44

Why I’m climbing Kilimanjaro with Dabiri-Erewa, Amosun After making headlines in June as the oldest Nigerian woman to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro, 49-year-old Remi Abere is going back with some influential women including Abike Dabiri-Erewa and the wife of Ogun State Governor, Olufunso Amosun, on November 29. The mother of five tells OLUSHOLA RICKETTS her experiences climbing the mountain and reasons she is embarking on such a tedious voyage again.

A long romance with Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro situated in Tanzania is not only the highest mountain on the African continent, it is also the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. The name itself is a mystery covered in clouds. But Remi Abere wasn’t moved by that mystery. All she wanted to achieve was to get to the summit of the mountain, and she did it in June through thick and thin. It didn’t even occur to her that it was something remarkable until a colleague in the office stumbled on it and spread the word.

In her words, “I didn’t tell a soul when I got back and I was in the office the next day. I didn’t see it as a big deal until my daughter put it on Facebook and a colleague in the office saw it. She told people in the office and everyone thought I did something great.

I might not be able to verify if I was the first Nigerian woman to get to the top, but I am pretty sure I am the oldest. When you get to the park you would register with your passport, so I registered with my Nigerian passport.” © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Abere has always been a lover of adventure right from childhood. About four years ago, she was at a Toastmaster meeting where Joshua Awesome, the first Nigerian to climb Kilimanjaro, shared his experience. She recalls that Awesome made it look so extraordinary and from that moment it was one of those things on her bucket list.

She adds, “I love the challenge and adventure. I used to do sponsored walks, among other sponsored activities while growing up in Scotland. You know when you are in a serene place it aids your creativity and thinking. Some people, including my sister who lives in Badby, Northamtonshire, England, said I could not make it. She is a sports person; she does swimming, tennis, hiking, charity walks and sailing. She told me that a few of her friends who had tried t it didn’t get to the summit. We’ve always been competitive, so when she said I couldn’t make it, I was determined to prove her wrong.”

Everything apparently worked against Abere. Just before she was to leave Nigeria, she had malaria, flight was cancelled twice, CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

14

CONVERSATION

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

‘I have always wanted to give something back to Nigeria’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

had leg cramps, but her mind was already made up. Her experience, she points, taught her that there is nothing that is impossible if you believe you can do it!

“The day we ascended for the summit, day five, we started at midnight with light on our heads to see clearly and it was freezing. I didn’t know how I would survive it; my fingers were freezing and I couldn’t feel them any longer. I thought I was going to lose my fingers and started wondering if all this was indeed worth it,” she narrates Inside Kilimanjaro According to the mother of five, most people spend seven to eight days to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. She explains that Nigerians are not used to breathing at a high altitude and that makes it a bit difficult for most people to make the summit.

“In East Africa, people live in higher altitudes so it is a lot easier for them to climb mountains. Though one must have stamina and endurance, most people that fail to reach the summit along the way get affected by the high altitude. So, this is why tour guides recommend seven to eight days because you need to adjust to the higher altitude. At a point I wanted to turn back.

It was truly exhausting. Each night I massaged my legs and had a nightly mantra which I said continuously till I fell asleep.”

Helping hands There were two angels who came in the form of her tour guides, Arnold Molay and Goodluck Essau. They were enormously supportive and one of the reasons she survived on the mountain.

“They understand the mountain very well; mountain climbing is a lifestyle there.

Even when I felt I was going to collapse with each step I took, they would tell me I was already there.

“There were some pretty dangerous places that we had to manoeuvre, but my guys were very encouraging. They have the expertise and know every corner of the mountain, and if you listen to them, you have a much better chance at reaching the summit, as long as you are fit and can stand the altitude. I was the only woman in our team; I was taking aback by the way they looked after us,” she states.

One thing that also fuelled her determination was the presence of two other Nigerians in her team, Segun Aina and Tope Ogedengbe. She claims that the thought of holding them back gave her more energy and drive to carry on.

“I guess if they were moving at a slow pace I would be slow too, but I needed to rise to the occasion. They got to the summit about 8:25am and I got there about 9:05 from 12 midnight when we began the journey to the summit on day five. On the Rooftop of Africa it was such an indescribable feeling, I felt a great sense of accomplishment and joy being at Africa’s highest peak. I forgot that I was weak and utterly exhausted.”

They didn’t climb the mountain alone, as porters were following them too. According to her, the role of the porters was essential because they helped to carry bags.

She remembers that no one was allowed to carry more than 20 kg and the porters went ahead to set up their tents.

Sacrificing her toes to the mountain Another challenge surfaced as soon as it was time to descend. She confesses that she didn’t know how she would make it down as she was completely exhausted and had no energy.

“What goes up must come down. I didn’t know how I got down, but I did.

My tour guides helped me and there was a technique I was asked to use. I was to slide

My fingers were freezing and I couldn’t feel them any longer. I thought I was going to lose my fingers and started wondering if all this was indeed worth it

Abere climbing the mountain

down with the heels of my boots. I soon realised that I had sacrificed both my big toe nails. This was such a painful experience later, but I did not feel it at the time.

“Once I got to the camp I was just so relieved that I did it. I couldn’t believe it. I have done some pretty hard things in life, but this was one of the hardest. The two men too admitted that it was one of the hardest things they’ve ever done. When I told them I was going back the second time for a cause, one of them asked if I was crazy,” she says.

Reaction from husband, loved ones Though her husband questioned why she wanted to put herself through such pains since it was not compulsory and there was no financial or other reward, she says he is very open-minded. He also knows that once his wife has a bee in her bonnet there is no stopping her.

“If I decide to do something my husband most times does not object, because he knows I would do everything to achieve it and he believes in my ability. But one thing that made me even more determined is the fact that my sister Julie felt I couldn’t do it.

I don’t think my mother slept for the seven days I was on the mountain.

“My mother is the type that will encourage you even though she is not comfortable with it. She would silently pray and ‘worry herself’ until you get back. She lives in England.

“On the mountain, you have to be ready to live with less comfort as you don’t take your bath for seven days, toilet facilities are poor, many times you duck behind rocks and you sleep in sleeping bags. It was an uncomfortable experience. “ Climb With Remi Abere has decided to go back to Kilimanjaro in what she tagged “Climb with Remi”.

On November 29, she will be leaving the shores of Nigeria to Kilimanjaro alongside five other women: Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Olufunsho Amosun, Joke Olanipekun, Uzo Nwani and Debo Laditan. Despite experiencing Kilimanjaro once, there is still fear within her but she knows what to expect and she is fit for the task.

“I never knew how fit I was until I went to Kilimanjaro. I am probably fitter than an average Nigerian woman of my age and that’s really because I am such a restless person, always up and about.”

Abere perceived the idea to climb for a cause when her friend, James, showed her some footage of the internally displaced person (IDP) camp in Yola. She was moved by the plight of the women and children.

She is of the opinion that the plight of the women and children is not their fault and everyone should all contribute to help alleviate the situation in any way.

“I thought we should do something to create awareness. We are in the South; since the war in the North doesn’t really affect us we forget about them. My 50th birthday is around the corner, so I said to myself that I would climb Kilimanjaro again with other women. I want to take fellow Nigerians like myself who are not used to climbing mountains to create massive awareness for people in the IDP camps.”

To her, there is no better awareness than having six middle-aged women climbing the mountain to bring the attention of the public to the plight of these women and children who were sent packing from their homes.

She shares, “I have always wanted to give something back to Nigeria. I believe I am privileged, I don’t wake up in the morning thinking about where my next meal will come from.

I have five lovely children who are doing well. My four girls are in their 20s, while my son is 14 years old. I am healthy and married for 27 years. I have a great job, great friends and family around me. There are certain things in life that we are fortunate to have only by the grace of God”.

The ex-Eagle Toastmaster President states that at a certain age in life it is not about personal achievement anymore. She strongly feels helping people in the IDP camp is right, while believing that it would encourage other women to come out and be helpful.

“At present, I just want to be doing things to help the society. Climbing Kilimanjaro to bring awareness to a cause so critical is one of those things I chose to do. We have the mindset that government should be responsible for everything, but they don’t have all the resources. So, it is about doing what I can to make things better.”

They are expected to leave Lagos on the night of November 28. The mountain could be reached via seven routes, but she prefers they take another route different from the one she took previously.

“I love a scenic route because I would love to take pictures to bring for people to see nature at its best on the mountain. It is five days to ascend and two days to descend.

We should be back 11am on December 6,” she notes.

Inasmuch as money is essential for logistics, she says they are not after money in the real sense. They would be having a press conference on Saturday (today) to outline certain things.

“Airtel is doing enough for IDP already, so

it wasn’t a hard decision for them to sponsor us. We are speaking to Skye Bank, Zenith Bank, DHL among others. EbonyLive TV is our media partner.

“We expect companies to donate products; I don’t desire to be in the middle of how the money is spent because I want my integrity to be intact,” she informs.

Convincing Dabiri-Erewa, Amosun, others She says the moment Dabiri-Erewa, Amosun and the other three women saw the video she put together they wanted to be part of it.

Her words, “I did the video and I decided to send it to some women who are my friends.

The amazing thing is that each person that saw the video wanted to go. Dabiri-Erewa took one look at the video and said count me in and the same thing applies to Amosun who insisted that she is also a mother of five like me. My friend Joke who is an entrepreneur lives so close to me. I told her and she was willing to go. I didn’t do a lot of convincing and this tells me that women of a specific age desire to contribute to the society and make things better. If Abike makes it to the top, she would be the oldest woman to make it to Kilimanjaro and I hope we all make it to the top. I don’t want to take all the credit for putting this together because a person like Funsho Amosun has been extremely helpful. We are taking a production team to the mountain too, so we are producing a documentary to be aired during Christmas. ” She, however, says that things will not end after Kilimanjaro because there are more issues she desires to call attention to by challenging herself and other women.

A glance into Abere’s world People assume Abere is a Delta name, but she is from Ekiti State. She works for IBM as the corporate citizenship and corporate affairs lead for West Africa. She insists that the cause identifies with similar product of her company.

“The company supports charitable gestures and one thing in the works now is helping refugees in Syria. I have been with them for nearly six years and I am also a keen member of Eagle Toastmaster.”

She plans to go into teaching after leaving the corporate circuit. A 1987 graduate of University of Ife, Abere is also a chartered accountant and had her master’s in Communication from the University of London.

She says, “I have started a PhD, but had to put it on hold till May to concentrate on other things. I believe in continuous learning because the world is changing every day. If you stop learning, you become obsolete especially in this age of information.”

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

You could go stylish in

KNOT WRAPPER T Deborah Makoji

he art of wrapper tying is not a new trend in Nigeria; it’s a traditional one that has been in existence for ages. However, it has evolved into a more stylish and innovative pastime as wrappers are now tied into knots.

If you are fed up with tying your wrapper the traditional way, then knot wrapper is for you. Knot wrapper is a beautiful innovation that came to the traditional Iro and Buba that Nigerians tie, it has been in vogue for decades but people didn’t discover it until recently.

Back in the day my uncle tied his covering clothe exactly the way knot wrappers are being tied now.

This trend is super-stylish and it has been strutted on red carpet by celebrities and fashionistas who attend events. A knot in your wrapper makes the normal Iro and Buba look unique and urbane.

This knot wrapper gives that chic, sophisticated and unique look. The fabrics

that can be used are silk, chiffon, satin, george, velvet etc. The beautiful thing about the knot wrapper outfit is that there are different blouse-styles that can be worn with the wrapper. This ranges from the regular “Buba”, umbrella, scoop neck, round-neck or bib to blouses amongst others. The wrapper is delicately wound round the blouse to form an inverted knot that gives it an elegant finish.

Tips on tying knot wrapper • Grab both ends of the wrapper.

Bring the ends across each other and interchange your hands.

• Twist the ends, switch them across each other and take to the back.

• Tie neatly. You can either tuck the loose ends in or leave them hanging from the knotted edge.

• You can tie the knot in various ways, you can have it tied to the front, side or back depending on the look you want to achieve.

fashion etiquette

Accessorise cocktail dress with care

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any people think that accessorising means wearing all the accessories that match a certain dress. Accessorising is actually a key to achieving a certain glamorous look. A cocktail dress can change dramatically based on the accessories one wear. When buying a cocktail dress, imagine if the design can be paired with large earrings, glittery lipstick and several bangles that will place you on top of your fashion game. The idea is for you to accessorise in moderation and let the dress speak.

Cocktail dress can be worn with gold or silver jewelry and a dramatic clutch. No matter how beautiful your big handbag looks, it should not be paired with cocktail dress, always opt for clutch to keep everything simple and stylish.

Depending on individual choice, cocktail dress can be worn with shoes such as sandals, clunky heels, wedges and platform shoes.

Instyle

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Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

Accessories to live for

Men’s underwear

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uying underwear used to be a relatively simple matter that any man could master by answering one question: boxers or briefs? Now, with literally hundreds of styles to choose from, each with its specific attributes, fabrics and designs, knowing what is right for you seems like it could require carrying out a research.

Below are the different types of men’s underwear and reasons individual choose one over the other. While some men choose comfort, others consider the medical benefits, hygiene and maintenance. While some men may find regular briefs too restrictive, others may find boxer shorts too loose.

So individual choice plays a significant role in the kind of underwear men pick.

Boxers

Boxers are temperature friendly and generally quite comfy. If you're out of shape, boxers help hide it. Although you can inadvertently strangle your genitalia by sitting down at the wrong angle when wearing boxers, they also ride up your leg, causing you to inadvertently expose your genitalia to your pants lining, or if you are wearing shorts.

Boxers offer more space and freedom inside, and tend to be more comfortable than briefs. That does not mean that briefs are uncomfortable, since briefs provide a soft and cushioned feel, but they are not something you would wear when you are alone at home and want to relax.

With that being said, boxers tend to get a bit uncomfortable when you are walking or doing any physically strenuous activity, since your genitals can dangle around, causing discomfort or awkwardness. Boxers look great when you are relaxing on a beach or enjoying your weekend at home.

Judging from the conversation I had with some men, some of them avoid boxers because the flies of boxers are usually a slit, which encourages flop out and the fact that the whole world will get to know when you have an erection.

Mr. Chima John, a dealer of men’s underwear at Ikeja, attributed the reason most men opt for boxers to fertility. “In order for testicles to provide adequate quality and quantity of sperm, the temperature of the testicles needs to be slightly lower than your core body temperature. In fact, that’s one of the reasons the genitals are located outside of the body, so that they can remain cool, while remaining free, and boxers will not only make you comfortable but it cools your genitals because it is airy and this helps in the quality and quantity of sperm for men that have problem of infertility”.

Briefs hold the genitals too close to their body, they are likely to overheat inside, with the temperature being several degrees above where it should be and this according to Chima can result to low sperm count.

Briefs

Boxer brief

Boxer briefs are commonly used in athletics instBoxer briefs are commonly used in athletics instead of a jockstrap, but they are now a common trend for everyday usage. The boxer brief design provides fitting coverage for the midsection from the waist to the thighs. Boxer brief designs can have a keyhole fly, button (snap) front, pouch, or no fly at all. The waistband is usually a separate band of elastic material, often in a contrasting colour to the cotton or flannel material that comprises the rest of the boxer briefs.

Some boxer briefs have stitching on the rear to outline the buttocks and avoid a central seam.

They have the coziness of briefs, with the style and comfort of boxers. They can't cause strangulation and they accentuate your groin in a good way. Boxer briefs offer lots of support and they are appropriately manly. Boxer briefs do not bunch up like boxers, hides an erection when needed, and will never strangle your testicles according to some users.

As beautiful and comfortable as opting for boxer briefs sounds, users worry about its downside.

According to users, boxer briefs fly is awkward (although not dangerous like briefs) it is below the crotch, and generally requires more effort such as using two hands to expose manhood when you want to urinate. With boxer briefs you can run and traverse fences without the fear of strangulation.

Briefs are cozy, but generally less fashionable unless you are built like a model. Briefs offer a lot of support and due to its elastic nature, it keeps your genitalia at a higher temperature, and do not bunch up like boxers. Briefs have no fly at all making urinating whilst severely pressed a severe risk.

Briefs are the favourite of seven-yearolds, and you generally feel like a child when wearing them.

Although boxers provide unmatched comfort, the reason briefs are the more popular choice is because they are perfect for going out. They are tight, and provide the required support for genitals and save you from the embarrassment of getting an inadvertent erection. Briefs are mostly preferred by athletes because they provide a more masculine look.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

MY STYLE

Instyle

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Simplicity and modesty Chinenye Dibiana is the creative director of Nenyedibs Concept; she speaks with DEBORAH MAKOJI about her fashion philosophy.

What is your sense of fashion?

To me fashion is all about simplicity and modesty; I see fashion as something that comes from the mind to define one's personality. Fashion is wearing what suits you without necessarily following the trends.

What determines the kind of outfits you wear?

My mood. Sometime I would want to be free, and whenever I am in such mood I wear whatever I will be free in not minding the occasion or trend.

Do you consider any fashion item indispensible?

I don’t allow myself to be too deeply attached to things. I am the kind of person that is content with what she has; I don’t

Beauty

consider any fashion item indispensable because I can always make do with whatever I have.

Is there anything you are unlikely to be caught wearing?

May be leggings, it's not that I don’t wear it at all but you will never catch me wearing it with hanging or crop top. If I must wear leggings, it must be paired with a long top that will cover it to a certain extent.

How do you love your hair do?

I like braids a lot. If not braid then it's Ghana weaving. I am an afro-centric person; I love African hairdos but I am not a fan of weave-on.

How do you like your makeup?

I love subtle make-up, I am a very simple person. I don’t

even like make-up.

What kind of shoes holds special appeal to you?

Flat shoes, although I like making statements with highheeled shoes once in a while but I am lover of flat shoes.

Who is your best designer?

Lanre Da Silver Ajayi.

What is the most expensive fashion item you ever bought?

Wristwatch.

What is your signature perfume?

Davido’s Coolwater.

Which jewelry holds special appeal to you?

Stud earrings, I love everything simple.

Home remedy recipes to treat and soothe sunburns

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Deborah Makoji f you are physically active and usually spend a fair amount of time under the sun without following the guidelines for safe sun exposure, you probably have had a taste of how painful and bothersome sunburn can be. Extreme dryness or wrinkling of the skin is part of its symptoms. There are anti- inflammatory medications to cure sunburn but instead of taking over the counter anti-inflammatory medications or painkillers, which may only worsen your condition, it better to go natural with these home remedies.

Dibiana

Facts

In 1922, the first “flesh-colored” stockings were sold for women whose skin colour was pinkish-beige. It was after about twenty five years that stockings for brown and black-skinned women were available.

The cardigan was originally made to be a military jacket made of knitted wool.

In 1955 London designer Mary Quant opened Bazaar, a boutique on Carnaby Street. Her miniskirts, tights and crocheted tops defined the new youth culture look.

Levi Strauss made working pants out of denim for people during the California gold rush. Levi Strauss is now the world’s largest producer of jeans.

Strawberry paste

Aloe vera One of the best remedies to help repair sunburned skin, it is loaded with glyconutrients that accelerate healing. Ideally, it is best to use the gel from a fresh plant. Cut a mature aloe vera leaf open to reveal a thick gel-like juice. Use that as a topical ointment to reduce the darkness of your sunburned skin. Apply it at least five times a day until your condition improves.

Strawberries Berries have tannin, which helps to reduce the darkness of sunburn. Use it as a topical balm by mashing a cup of ripened strawberries and apply it on the affected area. Let it stay after a few minutes, and then rinse with fresh, lukewarm water.

Cucumbers Simply putting cucumber on sunburns affected area is guaranteed to provide instant soothing effects. You can also use it as a paste by mashing it and applying it on your skin.

Cucumber

Aloe Vera

SATURDAY

The Arts SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2015

Okundaye, Wewe return to exhibition stage with Stitches of Partnership 4

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Stories: Tony Okuyeme joint exhibition of works by foremost batik and textile designer, Mrs. Nike Okundaye and celebrated painter and former Ondo State Commissioner for Arts and Tourism, Tola Wewe, opens today at Nike Art Gallery, Lekki, Lagos. The exhibition, which is entitled “Stitches of Partnership 4,” offers art connoisseurs in Lagos, another opportunity to collect what has been tagged “the best of contemporary paintings”. It will run till November 17.

“Stitches of Partnership 4” is perhaps to mark the gallery’s end of year activities and offer collectors their new works.

Each of the two artists will feature 20 paintings, which will be juried, but the works will be mirroring individual artist’s studio traits to daily happenings in the society, ranging from culture, to environment and other social issues.

The collaborative effort which will feature the two top artists, who have in their various endeavours produced and executed remarkable art works in the last two decades, will be graced by prominent art aficionados.

The hosting of the exhibition, according to the management of Nike Art Gallery, is due primarily to the popular demand by the public to view the works of the duo. The opening event will feature dance performance, Nigerian cultural food and wearable arts.

“It will feature paintings that showcase the rich cultural heritage of Yorubaland and Nigeria. Works are drawn from the archives of the two artists and they are paintings that will thrill any art lover,’’ the gallery said.

Okundaye, a foremost batik and textile designer, is the brain behind the Nike Art Empire. She is one of the most respected internationally known female artists from Nigeria, who has made astounding strides in textile, visual arts and mixed media painting. Some of her works can be found amongst the collection of George Harrison (Beatles pop group member), the White House (seat

G

Reflection with

Tim Akinleye 08098668480

timwriteswell@gmail.com

Assuming (1) Assuming there's no Christ, But all you have: a brother, a wife; A brother who cares for the world but you Who loves to give you fish But loathes to see you at the river bank.

Assuming there's no Comforter, And all you have: a sister, a husband; Sister indeed to all but you.

Husband who loves to hate his Eve; Leaving you comfort less nights and nights.

Wewe's work. Inset: The artist

of power in the United States of America), and museums worldwide.

There is hardly any important museum in the world that does not have her work.

She is an artist of many parts.

She drums, directs plays, dances, paints, and trains young adults to do all of the listed. However, she is most outstanding in paintings and designs of adire, beadwork and batik. She was once described as an artist who used detailed and arresting batik images to chronicle her society's contradictory views towards women.

‘Mama Adire’ as she likes to be called, has won countless awards from around the world, not only for her artwork, but her contributions to her community and the impact she has had on people’s lives.

One of Okundaye’s proudest achievements was in 2000, when she was invited to Italy by the Italian government Okundaye to train

young Nigerian sex workers on how to use their hands to engage in creative ventures.

Wewe, whose works are widely acclaimed for their originality, simplicity, surface texture and mastery of colours, is considered one of Nigeria’s most talented artists. His works are “hybrid of African and western sensibilities and images, reflecting his own training and experience as an international artist”.

Wewe is a founding member of the Ona movement, which emerged in February 1989. The movement is a group of scholars, critics and practicing artists committed to pursuing artistic excellence through the adaptation and interpretation of traditional materials and methods, forms and styles of contemporary Yoruba art and design.

His works have been exhibited across Europe and the US. As a full time artist, he lives and works in Ondo State.

“Stitches of Partnership 4,” therefore, offers art enthusiasts glimpse into thematic preoccupation of the two artists.

Guests at AFRIMA 2015 to get free shopping voucher

uests at this year's All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) which holds on November 15 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, will be offered free shopping vouchers by the organisers of the event.

During the ceremony of unveiling the activities of AFRIMA ceremony in Lagos, the International Committee of AFRIMA announced 5000 units of discount vouchers worth N3, 000 to be distributed to all guests/participants by Supermart.ng, an online supermarket, at this year's AFRIMA. Unveiling the partnership deal, Director of Communication and Sponsorship, AFRIMA, Matlou Tsotsetsi, said, “There is a global call to action today for collabora-

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tion. Businesses, great and small are called upon to examine economic challenges and share ideas on how it can be eliminated in Africa. This is a good opportunity for us to air our views about the approaches being used to shop with convenience in Africa. Like it or not enterprises are growing in Africa. With Supermart.ng, the cost of moving goods and personnel around, cost of maintenance of motor vehicles due to wear and tear and with so much manhours get wasted due to road congestion is reduced.”

With an amazing three-hour grocery delivery across Lagos, Supermart.ng is the largest online supermarket in Nigeria with a convenient platform for on-

line grocery shopping without leaving the convenience of your home or office.

Supermart.ng has the widest selection of grocery items online with over 60,000 items on their online supermarket. They also offer you products from top brands.

According to the Senior Associate, Communications and Partnerships, Supermart. ng, Oluwatayo Alofun, “Supermart.ng is proud to support AFRIMA 2015. This is in line with our business objective of meeting African needs by Africans. While we are meeting these needs in the area of food, technology and logistics, we proudly support other Africans that are meeting African needs in other areas especially in entertainment, tourism, arts and culture".

Assuming Christ isn't the Hope of believers, All your hope is built on a wife Daughter of Eve and flesh of someone; Who loves to nag and whine about money, Who daily takes you to the cleaners.

Assuming Christ is not the Hope of glory, But you're stuck with a hurting woman Who says you have nothing to hope for: That God has probably forgotten you, You're two scores and ten.

Assuming Jesus didn't die for you, But you once said I do to a possessed lady, Who delights in your misery, And gives you so many reasons Why her employer is smarter than you.

Assuming there's no gospel of hope, But all you have is a distant partner, And to see the seeds of your loins, Daily, for hours you must travel, To see the heritage of the Lord.

Assuming Jesus is without the Christ, And all you have is an apathetic family, Who pretends to share your grief, But each time money speaks Sadly, their truth is silent.

Assuming the earth is all there is, A brother, a wife, your fate to decide; To one you're a burden, to other a failure.

Each night alone, you weep alone, And wish tomorrow never comes. to be continued

All rights reserved © 2015

SATURDAY

OJB Jezreel

Xplicit dance leader

I didn't get N250m donation for my kidney transplant p.20

p.22

Why I gave out my adopted girl in marriage to Akpororo

ShowBiz SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2015

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MUMA GEE

MY PEOPLE DRAGGED ME INTO POLITICS Gift Iyumame Eke, professionally known as Muma Gee is jack-of-all-trades and master of all. More known for her eclectic stage presence and vocals in promotion of African culture, the belle of Niger-Delta explains her hiatus from music and what’s left of the feud she once had with actress, Chioma Chukwuka Akpota, in this interview with LANRE ODUKOYA. Why have you stayed away from the entertainment industry for this long?

There’s a time in a man’s life when you take time to reminisce; a time of silence and that is the time when I also have to face some other facets of life and see how to transit to the next level. The next level is where I am now and that’s what I’m working on.

Is the next level vying for an elective office?

Well, the next level I mean is not just about one area of my life. It is in general terms: career, foray into politics and so on.

Let me make a point clear; my getting into politics wasn’t because I was too desperate to occupy a political office rather it was the call of my people for years which I heeded through music. My people approached me and said I should represent them at the Federal House of Representatives from my constituency. I saw that as a clarion call and although I wasn’t ready to kick off my political career, I had to heed that call. When a people that I’ve been promoting culturally for almost a decade through music asked it was exigent that I delved into politics. The next level in my music career is what I’m into by the promotion of African cultural values and heritage, taking it to another level and ensuring that I’m not deviating from the music style I’ve created which is unique and is my selling point.

Many people get into politics with good reputation and exit as 'sinners'. Did you consider the demands of politics before your last adventure?

I didn’t put all that into consideration because I believe in myself and I have confidence in the formation of my personality.

I cannot be changed by any situation even if it’s a norm among those I meet there. I follow where my inner being directs me to function.

I don’t believe that I will be negatively influenced by getting involved in politics. I don’t think it’s true that when people go into politics clean they come out tainted. It basically

depends on the formation of your personality. If you’re someone who doesn’t smoke and someone attempts to influence you to start smoking because you want to attain a position, for me it would be a no brainer.

I’ve never been desperate for any position or anything at all and I will never be. If I get to a point of no return, I don’t think I would compromise my personality because a lot of work had gone into me beginning from God who created me, and I also am facing this responsibility. For every decision I take I will always take responsibility.

and other amenities?

There was no electricity, no potable water. They drink from the same river where they take their bath as well as use the water to cook. There are no hotels and my team and I were housed by a few concerned families. Of course, I ate the food made from the water fetched from the river. We actually travelled with our own water but they prepared their food with their water and I wanted to be part of it all so I ate like them.

They take their bathe by the riverbank and there were lots of people suffering. We have representatives but they don’t even know the people representing them at the national assembly. They don’t see I don’t fight and politicians.

Does that imply you will take another shots at politics?

I don’t fight and run away to fight another day. I run away to fight How are Cleopatra and fight and fight to finish and Caesar, your twins? ensure that I fight another another day. I day if the opportunity presThey’re growing fast fight and fight ents itself. I made a great imand they are good. pact that a beginner where to finish and Has motherhood slowed I hail from never made. ensure that I you down a bit?

During my campaign, I toured round my constituI remember having an fight another day ency where no politicians agreement with you for had ever reached especially us to keep this interview if the opportunity a place called Odua, Rivers strictly professional, no presents itself State. I did all I could do bequestions about my famcause there was no access ily. My family is a private road to such areas- it has affair to me. However, about five wards. I went there to ensure that we’re doing great, motherhood is good I see how the people there live. They live like and my family is fantastic. animals and I was prepared to live with them and I was there for almost a week. And the The last time there was so much buzz people were happy. So, if the elections had around you was when you participated in the Gulder Ultimate Search celebrity been properly done, I would have won. showdown where you got into a fierce feud with Chioma Chukwuka- Akpota Do you mean at Odua there are people over Emeka Ike. Have you forgiven her who live like animals?

Yes, I went there to experience their liv- after that and has your path crossed with ing conditions. There was even an attempt any of your mates in that show? to kidnap me there.

No, we’ve never met. I’m someone who lives a very private life, although I comDo they have electricity, pipe borne water municate with people through the phone.

I’ve not met anyone on that search. If God can forgive, who am I not to? We are all just humans; I may not forget but I’m too sound-minded to occupy myself with such irrelevant issues. If not that you’re reminding me, I see that as a phase that I’ve passed. I won’t say I’ve forgiven Chioma because I didn’t even see the quarrel as relevant after what happened.

Is there any part of your career that you consider almost a misadventure?

I have none and the reason is that I don’t regret the things that I do. I know that whatever I do or whatever happens to me has a purpose. So for anytime I do, whether it turns out good or negative, there’s a future purpose for it. I see everything that didn’t go well in the past as an experience to aid my future. I know that whatever happened in my past prepared me for something else.

My experience in entertainment sometimes opens doors for me outside showbiz.

The entertainment industry doesn’t wait for its stars; you seem to be asking for that when new kids on the block are making hits and all the money…

If you look through and watch these kids’ works and genres of music, none falls into the category of what I do. I thank God for their lives and I’m happy for them. By the grace of God, I’m one of the few Nigerian musicians who have been able to carve a niche for themselves out of nothing. My genre of music is such a unique one that in 200 years to come there will be nothing like competition. So there’s no reason for comparison. The fact that I took a break and I’m watching the industry doesn’t mean that I couldn’t have released works if I wanted to. I took the break and while taking time to research on what’s next to come up with, I also decided to start a family in keeping with God’s words. That was why I got married. The good thing about this whole thing is that I’m very happy there are new kids on the block.

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Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

I didn't get N250million donation for my kidney transplant —OJB

Nigerian singer and producer, Babatunde Okungbowa, fondly called OJB Jezreel, has since his returned from India where he underwent a kidney transplant operation two years ago, been in the news for the wrong reasons, including suffering a relapse, going on a spending spree, abandonment by wives, being broke and living the life of a recluse. In this interview with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS, the musician opens up on some critical issues.

So much have been said and written about you since returning from India where you underwent a kidney transplant operation, including suffering a relapse, going broke and abandoned by your family members. What is really the true story?

It is still strange to me because when the news of the relapse broke I was in Calabar having an interview session with EbonyTV Live. There, I heard that I was on admission and seriously ill. When I got home, Hip TV visited and they had an interview with me. I explained to them just like I always tell people that it has not been a smooth sail since I did the operation.

The operation was just one step; the second step is the maintenance, which happens to be the real challenge. Friends who come around are often shocked when they see that I buy drugs worth almost N300, 000 just for a month. So, this is how I have been maintaining the situation for two years now and there will always be off and on due to infections or reactions to certain things. It might look as if I am under the radar, but I am still working to make things happen. Few people are even complaining that I am working myself too hard.

I laugh because I don’t expect how they want me to survive without working.

Was there ever a time you had another operation?

There was nothing like that. It surprises me when I meet people on the road and they want to know how the second surgery went. I am appealing to journalists to take out time to research properly before they go to press. I feel we are all friends and we’ve probably grew up together in the industry. They shouldn’t misinform the public because what they put out there goes a long way.

Could it be that you are hiding things from the public?

If I underwent a second surgery I don’t see any reason I should hide it and even if I did it I didn’t ask anyone for money. At present, I have dedicated my life to this and it is taking a lot of me. If I had gone through another operation, I would have

loved to share my story as a source of encouragement to people because within a year we’ve lost some top entertainers to renal failure. We have people that their situations were not even as critical as mine and they are gone. When I had my encounter it was scary because everybody around me thought I would die and the doctors didn’t help matters too. I have been to the hospital 30 times since the operation in December 2013 due to reactions probably as a result of the water or food I took.

But have you visited India since the operation?

I have been there like two times for medical checkup and nothing more. But right now, I would be going to America for my checkup because I feel that they have more sophisticated drugs. Most of the Indian medical professionals were trained in America and the Caribbean countries.

So, I thought I should go straight to the master. Also, I would like to point it out clearly that it is not like you do a kidney transplant and it is over; it is not. If you don’t keep up to your drugs regularly, you would be back to the beginning.

How does it feel hearing all sorts of stories about you including squandering the fund given to you by members of the public?

There was a point I looked at the news as nothing; I saw it as desperate people who were trying to cook up stories. But it is now getting personal; t is now like a deliberate attempt to discredit everything about me. I want people to look at a man that went through a lot, came out of it and he is trying to survive. I am still working too; some months ago I was in Delta and we discovered an artiste that is making wave over there. His name is Isioma and I have challenged him to come to Lagos for us to work together. I see apprehension in people’s faces when they see me because they’ve read something else about me. I am not saying it has been a smooth sail, but I am hale and hearty.

It was also alleged that you used part of the money realised from the public

to build a house and bought three cars?

People calculated that I made N250 million from the donation. Where did they get that figure from? I bought my Toyota Yaris in 2007, the second car was brought in 2010 and my Armada was in 2011. The only car that came to my hand newly was an LR3 and it was a gift. I didn’t build a house; I am still at Gbaja in Surulere, Lagos. I saw that the house might not be convenient for me when I get back, so we renovated a part for me to stay. I even read that I now stay in Lekki, Lagos.

How much did you realise from the donation?

If you remove the N16 million the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, gave me, I only realised N9 million from artistes and other sources.

This is the first time I would declare such figure; maybe I need to make it open for people to think otherwise. I didn’t make any serious money from that and the donation didn’t last for a month before I called it off. I remember someone sent me a message on twitter that I was being proud for calling it off. I am sure that if I didn’t call it off the same guy would call me a scam. Look at all the figures I put together, they were not even near N30 million. Let’s be factual, can N30 million buy four expensive cars and build a house?

We shouldn’t forget that I needed to do surgery from this money too.

What turn has your career path taken since then?

I would be 50 years old next year. In life, there is what I see as full circle. I think I have done my full circle. I think Tuface has done his full circle; I think some other artistes have done theirs too, but they are battling with that reality. Whether we like it or not, a Davido or Wizkid must always come out. But if Shina Peters comes out tomorrow, it doesn’t change the fact that a King Sunday Ade was there before him.

So, I have done that full circle; the new circle I am moving to now is more of entertainment consultancy. We are trying to do what I started 10 years ago, which has to do with developing talents. I have been

going to places to discover people, which brought my path to Isioma.

Don’t you think it is time to leave music considering the taxing nature and concentrate fully on your health?

Maybe if I had collected the N250 million people claimed I got I would probably be resting, but I don’t have such money. I won’t wait for people before I survive. I didn’t start like that; that is not OJB. I appreciate the fact that people came to my aid, but I am not used to begging. I have never been that kind of person who takes advantage of people. I have a couple of artistes I am working with and we are pushing with the little we have.

Do you still get any form of support from people, especially artistes?

After the major donation that was it. I think some people were not happy. I have never commented on it when people said I made N250 million; people felt I made money from my sickness. I am not reaching out to Nigerians to help me; nobody knows the true details or has an idea what I had passed through. People should accept that OJB has moved on and I am still doing what I know how to do best. Even if I was given N250 million, it would finish at some point if business is not coming in.

You must really miss those days you were so famous and vibrant in showbiz, any hard feelings looking back?

I think the kidney situation has led me to a lot of soul searching; it has made me realised that I had lived my full circle. I have been doing music for almost three decades. Though I am not planning to retire, I need to move on to other areas of entertainment. Four years ago I still felt the need to remain in the mainstream, but I now feel somebody else needs to be in that position. That is my sincere opinion and I have accepted that fact. So, if I do music personally now I do it for fun; it is not a do-or-die affair. I am not competing with anybody, but no one can take away the effect that I had created in the industry and that alone satisfies me. c o n t i n u e d o n pa g e 2 1

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

'My grandma prayed for me when she heard Ifemi'

After leaving Project Fame in 2010, the edition Chidinma won, Tolu Adesina struggled to stand tall in the music industry and everyone thought it was over for him. But things now appear to be taking shape with the release of Ifemi featuring Don Jazzy. He speaks with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS. Until recently no one heard of Tolu since Project Fame. How has it been?

When you leave a Project Fame competition of that magnitude and you come into the mainstream, talent is not enough. You need someone to represent you, a good manager and record label.

I didn’t have any of these, which made pushing my music difficult. There was no one to put the music out, so it took me a while. I got a record deal last year.

Now, I am less worried about the business; I am more worried about creating good music because I have a team that is now responsible for pushing my music. That is why it took me so long to find my balance. It has been challenging really, but there is a lot of growth this year. I have a new song Ifemi and everyone seems to love it. I am getting more shows and this is a good development having struggled to make music since I left Project Fame in 2010.

What were you doing all this while?

I was just recording in the studio and that kept the dream alive. I had the choice to either go back to Kaduna where I was coming from or stay in Lagos to make music. So, I just kept recording, experimenting and being in the studio environment because I didn’t want to lose out on my dream.

Could you tell us about your new record label?

The name is Alyhills Records owned

by Mr. Shawn. He once lived in Kaduna too, so he knew me even before I went to Project Fame but as a gospel singer.

When he moved to Lagos, I met him at an event and he wanted to know how far I had gone with my music. I just told him I was still struggling and yet to have a representation. I was later introduced to Don Jazzy and Jazzy mandated him to start a record label. Presently, I am the only artiste on the label.

What role is Don Jazzy playing in your music?

Don Jazzy is our biggest mentor as a record label and an artiste. He is a role model to us because we aspire to become like Marvin one day. Everything we are learning we learn from the best because the man is so talented and brilliant with his ideas. We are affiliated to him sort of; it is like a big brother to my record label and personal mentor to me.

How would you describe the music culture in Kaduna?

We don’t have an entertainment industry; what we basically have is an indigenous industry which is the Hausa genre because people residing there are predominantly Hausa. I think Lagos is the only place that has the structure. If you really want to be successful in music, you have to come to the centre of music itself and that is Lagos.

How did you cope with the fact that you did not with win Project Fame after so much promise?

It was very hard for me because you would rate yourself on performance and the talent you possess. I saw myself winning and I didn’t imagine that I would not be in the final four, but it happened that way. For a short period, I was discouraged but I took comfort in the fact that I made it to the final six. So, I decided to stay in Lagos and pursue music.

So, how did you develop yourself?

I was exposed to a lot of things as a child. When I was a kid I sang in the choir; I was 11 years old. My father also owned a record studio, though he was an accountant. He was so in love with music and he had an extensive library of music. Then, he would play music in the house every day and I was getting more exposed to music as I was growing up. I listened to the likes of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, among others. Joining the choir also increased my knowledge of music because I started going to churches to sing. So, I had time to groom my music to the point that I was confident enough to take on the world. Before Project Fame, I participated in five different competitions in Lagos, including Nokia First Chance and West African Idol. I didn’t get anywhere in any of those competitions; a lot of them even told me I didn’t have what they were looking for. But since I believed in myself I didn’t give up. I went to Project Fame and finally people saw my talent.

What inspired your new single, Ifemi?

My new single produced by Baby Fresh was inspired by my grandmother. When I was a kid, my grandmother used to sing the chorus of the song to me. Anytime she visited from the village she would start singing the song from the gate. That was how we knew she was around. So, that whole feeling of love I felt from my grandma I put it inside the song for everyone to enjoy.

I don’t think there’ve been any single I dropped in my career put together that had received the kind of love the song is getting now. I get tweets as far as Yola, Akwa Ibom, Benin among others.

These are places I have never been in my life. The acceptance has been massive on social media; I recently did a competition and everyone kept singing their version of Ifemi. I think for the first time everybody actually thinks I have a good song. I am very glad about that.

What gave you the impression that the song could go far?

I felt that it was a song that both the young and old could relate to, so it became the perfect kind of song to come out with. It doesn’t capture only the youth; it captures everybody. I have a follow up single coming up very soon with an amazing video featuring a top musician. What we are doing right now is attending shows; we are getting calls from different parts of Nigeria. We’ve been to a couple of weddings too. After enjoying the buzz of Ifemi for some time, we intend to drop another single.

How were you able to combine your academics with music?

I studied architecture at the Kaduna State Polytechnic. I believe that you need to go to school regardless of what you want to do in life. You need

21

How did your parents feel when they heard your song?

My dad and mum were very excited because they knew Ifemi very well. My grandma like I said always sang it to me as a child. When they heard the song, they felt so proud of me. They sent it to my grandmother and she called me; she prayed for me for almost an hour.

She told me that I did a great thing and God would bless it.

Adesina

to have basic education because it is paramount to anything you desire to become in life.

Do you plan to go back to school for more degrees?

For now, at this stage in my career, my focus is music. My career has already started off in a good way, so, I don’t think I want to distract myself because I have done the basics. Now, it is entertainment because I expect my music to grow into other things like movies, fashion and endorsement.

You’ve really worked on your body…

It is a deliberate effort; looking good is a good business like they always say.

The Tolu everybody knew was slim, but I have been visiting the gym with the help of my manager and friends. So, I admit that there has been a lot of improvement in my appearance.

What would you say stands you out in the industry?

I think it is my voice, many people can testify to it. A lot of people who have heard Ifemi said they loved the way I sound. So, my voice set me apart from any other artiste in the industry.

'My marital status has nothing to do with my health' c o n t i n u e d f r o m pa g e 2 0

How do the likes of Wizkid, Davido, Olamide and other younger artistes relate with you?

We should accept the reality that some people were there before you came on the scene too. This is their moment and whether they like it or not too, another group would come after them. So, I feel that if you respect yourself they would respect you. What I am battling with doesn’t even trouble them at the moment. I am battling with school fees, how to take care of my children and

wives; they are battling with acquiring the finest cars, living a fancy lifestyle and getting the hottest ladies. At some point, 20 years ago, I was in their shoes too but it is a different ball game entirely now. As they get older too they would get to see that there are more challenges in life than just being a celebrity.

Given a second change would you marry three wives again?

What I am facing has nothing to do with my marital preferences. I don’t think marrying three wives or more

plays any role in my life. Though people might think that getting married to three wives affected me, my life was going on fine before. People would tell you that MKO Abiola or Fela Anikulapo-Kuti failed because he had plenty wives or liked women that is a lie. The only thing is that I was too consumed by passion than the business.

The business was like 20 per cent while the passion was 80 per cent. I look back now and I wished I had put in more business sense into what I did then. Hopefully, maybe the new circle I am going into would now be an opportunity to actually make things right.

22

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

Why I gave out my adopted girl in marriage to Akpororo —Xplicit dance leader

Did you know that famous comedian, Akpororo, met and engaged his lover, Josephine, in an unlikeliest place? David Abraham runs Explicit Home of Favour where orphans and vulnerable children are raised to become responsible adults. The ministry gave birth to the riveting dance group popularly known as Xplicit. In this interview with LANRE ODUKOYA, Abraham talks about how God instructed him to dump a towering football career to save children, relative challenges and how Akpororo became his in-law to-be.

You were supposed to be a professional footballer but you made a detour to catering for orphans and vulnerable children who all live under your roof. How did the humanitarian side of you evolve?

It was a difficult decision for me to take. Football as it were is another life entirely, if you’re a real footballer, you’d known that soccer is a thing of passion that takes your body and soul.

So, at the peak of my career playing for 3SC Ibadan; the word just came that I had to quit football and start a ministry.

Abraham

From where did the word come?

(Chuckles) The word came from the Lord. If men told me, it would have been difficult to believe. But it was directly between me and God that I should leave football and be raising little children.

How old wasthe first child you adopted?

The eldest was like 12 years of age.

It was in 2004.

How many did you have for a start?

I had 15 kids. I initially had five but I later found out that they had siblings still on the streets. Some were three, four and two from the same parents. At the end of the year, it was over 30 and the following year it had grown to 70.

How were you getting funds to take care of them?

That’s the mystery because one thing I hate to do is to take undue glory.

A lot of people have blamed me that I’m not very formal and so don’t document things. I don’t want to document what I didn’t source for. It’s miracle.

Sometimes I look into the account and try to see how much we spend in a month and it’s unbelievable. I don’t even understand where the money comes from. I know God has been very faithful. The money comes through the

dancing we do anyway, dancing is a form of reaching out, ministering and income generation. Beyond the dance we do, God has been faithful, He has raised men and women who are army of God’s blessings. All the kids are in school and all of them are in private schools, some in primary, secondary and university.

How many kids do you have currently under your roof?

I have 40 now because a lot of them have graduated, some are doing their youth service scheme, some are working and some have been returned to their families. Some have decided to move on with me like the one getting married shortly.

Staying under the same roof (where you and your biological kids stay) with 40 kids must be quite a task, how do you manage that?

Well, if I read books, I would have failed. If I went for training on how to

Features

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

23

Mende wonderland Nigeria is blessed with arts and craft. A visit to the now famous Mende wonderland where traditional cane weavers demonstrate their artistry under the bridge is a testament to this fact. But, as beautiful as the woodwork may seem, its market appears to be seasonal. PEACE MORRISON, who spent a day with the craftsmen, uncovers what becomes of the products when market dries up

I

t appears weird to first timers, but beautiful to lovers of arts and creativity. This under the bridge wonder has helped to highlight the import of wood to the comfort of man and its numerous indispensable uses. For years, however, this rare talent of design has been consigned to an obscure corner in Mende, Maryland, Lagos. It is extremely valued not only by Nigerians but by for-

eigners also.

The various displays of the exquisitely crafted products made from canes are expressions of the country’s rich heritage.

Apart from the lovely artistic sights, the products are stocked in bundles and buyers come from far and near to patronise the craft. Their prices range from N10, 000 to N250, 000 per bundle, depending on the size and design of the canes, said a

31-year-old graduate weaver from Delta State, Samson Otecana.

Otecana, who studied Business Administration from Lagos State Polytechnics, Ikorodu, is also a graphic artist. He learnt the trade as a child while watching his mother do it under the Maryland Bridge, which links Ikorodu Road to Ojota. He told Saturday Telegraph that his mother was introduced into the business by a relative after being trained and was certified as a cane weaver. Since then, according to him, she has continued to support her family, financially with earnings from the work.

“That was where she got the money to train me in secondary school. And because she taught me the trade, I was able to use the craft to train myself throughout my years in higher institution,” Otecana

We need government to help us move out of this place; it will enable us to advertise and attract more customers

added.

Otecana said his decision to continue in the business after his education was borne out of his passion and love for the art. Weaving, he added, makes him to think craft and design that imaginatively attract his customers.

“I enjoy doing this business and the fact that I am a graduate gives me advantage because it makes me highly creative and my work to stand out. It also enables me to design and create unique items with leather, fabrics and other materials. Though, many people do not know that I am a graduate. This is why they often doubt me. In some cases I had to tell them my qualification; if necessary show them my curriculum vitae because a lot of people think this business is for the poor and uneducated who have no ambition.

If you see me well-dressed you would not know I work under this bridge.’’

He admitted that cane business is lucrative but quickly added that it is a seasonal trade, which requires those involved to be engaged in other jobs so as to be afloat at all times. This may be why Otecana continues with his graphic designs to sustain himself and his family after festive periods. ‘’We cannot depend on this business alone. Many of us have other things that CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

24

Features

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

Demand fluctuates after festive seasons C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 3

we do apart from this cane business, because it is not an all season commerce. So, I always look for something else to do before the next season. Thank God I am also a graphic designers; I fall back to it in such periods. My father is a contractor but during the season he weaves with us to make more money for the family.’’ he said.

Since the business is seasonal, Christmas period is boom time for cane weavers as they make high profit within the season. In this period, according to Otecana, every cane weaver makes baskets and hardily creates other items because that sell more. “Many use it for shopping. But, after festivities, business dries up. At such periods some of the products which were not sold will be kept till the next festive season.

“There is less demand of items after the festive period, which pushes down the prize to a ridiculous level. This is why we stockpile them. The materials last for so long because they are strong and durable. We also spray insecticide on them to keep insects at bay and for them not to penetrate and cause harm to the products. Sometimes when they get dusty and change colour, we spray them with another colour to make them look new, fresh and attractive.’’

Narrating some of the obstacles facing cane weavers under the bridge, Otecana told Saturday Telegraph that wooing customers to patronise them under the bridge is challenging. He said some of the customers get scared because of the age long fear of miscreants’ attack under Lagos bridges. He, however, pleaded with the state government to relocate them to a well-organised place to calm the nerves of customers, particularly foreigners whose fear of harassment by touts has become legendary.

“That is why we have to light up everywhere, especially in the night so that people will not be scared to come here. Some people even think we keep guns here. So, we need government to help us move out of this place; it will enable us to advertise and attract more customers. People go to Shoprite because it is well organised and conducive for shopping. With the kind of work we do, we need to be in an attractive place. ' ''We also call on Nigerians to patronise our products because the whites appreciate and patronise us more than our people despite the fact that many people export our products. We learnt the products have high value abroad.’’ Otecana said.

Omojewe Egoye, in his early 30s, from Delta State also has found a vocation in cane weaving. Just like Otecana, Egoye learnt the craft from his father, who has been in the business since he was a baby. When Saturday Telegraph met with him, he was half way into weaving of a round basket, which his customer ordered.

Watching him perfect his craft in his office- a tiny enclosure made of plank and built closely with several others, presented some delight and curiosity. Egoye held a water cane in his hands and with the dexterity of an experienced artisan weaved the cane around a round frame he had made. After 15 minutes, it began to take shape of what looks like a basket for hamper. As he worked,

cars raced past the overhead bridge and the enormity of the sound of the speeding vehicles was terrifying.

However, there are more than 90 cane weavers working under the bridge; though similar in design, yet distinct from each other. Egoye revealed to Saturday Telegraph that his skill has enabled him to sustain his wife’s education and also the money to take care of his five- year-old daughter. He has also planned to further his education after his wife has graduated.

He said: “I have achieved a lot from this business. I have my own land and also a good accommodation for my family. And I cannot do another job because all these white collar jobs cannot give the kind of money I’m getting from this business. It is a good and lucrative trade.’’

Mercy Etikewe, another cane weaver, said the business is not for men alone. She said most of the females who are in the business make only basket because they feel it is easier and less stressful. “The female don’t weave furniture, beds, and other tedious items because it involves the use of nail, hammer, gas and other equipment which might not be ideal for women to work with and also because the male are more energised for those kinds of products. Despite the fact that these items are time consuming many cane weavers make a lot of money from them because they take more materials.”

zzz

We also call on Nigerians to patronise our products because the whites appreciate and patronise us more than our people Ewhieberene

Etikewe, who is a trained fashion designer, revealed that she has made enough to buy equipment for her fashion work, which she combines with cane weaving. ‘’The business has taken me to places like Abuja where I showcased my work to art lovers and those who appreciate what we do demand for them,’’ she said.

Cane weavers are skilled people in the art of knitting bamboo in a creative way into decorative items such as basket, furniture, kitchen utensil, beds, flower vase, baby cots, wedding chairs and other resourceful items.

Some of these furniture and other household items are used at hotels, offices, beach, event centres as well as tourist sites for different purpose. However, the Urhobo in Delta State are known for their knack in the art of traditional cane weaving.

Apart from the lovely artistic designs, the uses of these cane products are quite numerous. The woods for the craft are found in the riverine areas of Delta, Rivers, Edo and Epe in Lagos State. This rich natural resource is a major means of support and occupation for thousands of unemployed Nigerian youths who have found their ways into the business.

According to findings, this group of productive artisans has been in existence at Maryland neighbourhood for over 60 years. They reportedly moved to their present abode after they were chased out from their initial dwelling place.

The Christmas season seems to be the most lucrative period of the year for cane weavers.

At such times of the year they experience high demand for their products by their customers. This sales period starts from September when consumers make sizeable order of their products ahead, while they also weave large quantity of different types of baskets which will be sold during festive periods as hampers for gift items and other important purpose.

During this season, many cane weavers literally relocate to under the bridge in order to meet up with demand of their customers.

They work through the night and also continue during the day. Many middle men come to buy directly from them and re-sell to their various clients. After the festive period, they start experiencing low demand. According to them, the dry season in the business starts from late January till August.

SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2015

SATURDAY

FREE

Sport Splash 25

News

Athletics: Idamadudu, Adeyemi talk tough ahead of new season p.27

Global

Arsenal seek home comfort against Spurs p.30

Global

Banned Mourinho hopes for turn-around at Stoke p.31

Lifestyle

Moyes axed me at Man United because of his daughter -Zaha p.32

'DAD HAS NO GENERATOR TO WATCH OSIMHEN ON TV' •Story of Eaglets’ golden boy’s rise

from LAGOS slum to world stage Golden Eaglets striker, Victor Osimhen, is the last of seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Osimhen, Saturday Telegraph learnt on a visit to the neighbourhood where he was born and grew up. He is another classic example of ‘grass to grace story.’ AJIBADE OLUSESAN reports.

The Team

Vincent EboigbelAssistant Editor Ajibade Olusesan l Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Osimhen with U-17 coach, Amuneke

F

ew sights in football inspire as much excitement and anticipation as an emerging youth talent and Nigeria, being a strong production line of youth stars, has tossed another youngster up to the world in Chile.

After scoring eight goals in just five matches (before the semifinal clash with Mexico) in the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup, Victor Osimhen, has announced himself as one for the future.

Nigeria won the last edition of the cadet tournament in United Arab Emirates two years ago where Kelechi Iheanacho and Taiwo Awoniyi dazzled the world with their skills and scoring prowess.

And now another star has appeared on the horizon. Osimhen is like Iheanacho and Awoniyi rolled into one. He possesses that same exceptional balance that allows Iheanacho excellent control and the ability to dribble past defenders with ease and the physique and lethal finishing Awoniyi has displayed in abundance.

He also has deft touches and all-round technical play; his maturity, vision, awareness are his greatest assets. Osimhen can create and score goals with exceptional composure. Eight goals and three assists in Chile are a testimony to the great potential he offers.

The ongoing tournament has created an opportunity for him to ‘sell’ himself. Scouts all over the world are scrambling to get him sign for their clubs. In fact, he has been linked with topsides like Arsenal, Chelsea and even Manchester City. It is expected things will be like that, clubs must come after a potential winner of the Most Valuable Player of a FIFA competition.

Probably at the moment, on his hotel room bed in Chile, Osimhen is in deep thought on how suddenly his life has transformed.

CONTINUE ON PAGE 28

26

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

Nigerian League Rendezvous NPFL LEAGUE TABLE Team

P

W

D

L

GF

GA

GD

PTS

1 Enyimba

36

19

10

6

48

27

21

68

2 Warri Wolves

36

18

8

10

57

28

29

62

3 Wikki

36

17

9

10

43

35

8

60

4 Giwa FC

36

16

12

8

43

39

4

60

5 Sunshine

35

17

5

13

55

36

19

56

6 Nasarawa Utd

35

15

9

11

39

35

4

54

7 Heartland

36

16

5

15

43

37

6

53

8 Kano Pillars

36

15

7

14

44

37

7

52

9 Shooting

36

15

7

14

37

36

1

52

10 IfeanyiUbah

36

14

8

14

37

36

1

50

11 Abia Warriors36

36

15

5

16

37

41

-4

46

12 Rangers

36

12

10

14

43

48

-5

46

13 El-Kanemi

36

13

7

16

36

54

-18

46

14 Akwa Utd

36

12

8

16

32

42

-10

44

15 Lobi Stars

35

10

10

12

31

37

-6

43

16 Sharks

35

10 12

13

27

35

-8

42

17 Dolphins

36

10

11

15

34

37

-3

41

18 Kwara Utd

36

11

6

19

30

45

-15

39

19 Taraba

36

8

10

18

27

41

-14

34

20 Bayelsa Utd

36

7

13

16

26

43

-17

34

LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko

Support local clubs, Olusunmade urges fans

A

renown Arsenal fan, Demola Olusunmade, has called on Nigerians to pitch their tents behind clubs in the country instead of backing foreign clubs.

Speaking recently in Lagos, the brand and marketing professional revealed that, despite his love for English Premier League side, Arsenal, he still supports Enyimba of Aba with passion.

Olusunmade believes that an equal level of support for local teams is needed to help grow both the local league and the national team.

"I have been supporting Enyimba now for five years, it was at a point when the EPL team I support, Arsenal were not doing too well,” he said "I did not just support them with my mouth, but by buying their merchandise and other items to support the team.

“For example, if you have like 15,000 fans supporting a local club and are able to buy their replica jerseys like they do for all these foreign clubs, I am sure it will go a long way to help the team.”

Although he said there was nothing wrong in supporting a foreign club, he added that charity should begin at home.

He said: "In those days, very few people even knew of EPL, we have people supporting 3SC passionately. It was the same for Sharks, Rangers and others but suddenly we started importing everything.

"The same way that manufacturers are encouraging people to buy their local products, they should be able to support local clubs too instead of going outside to sponsor a club like some of them are doing now.”

Enyimba's Idris Aloma (right) contending with Heartland's Chinedu Efugh

Supremacy battle in Aba T

Stories: Charles Ogundiya he battle for the Nigeria Professional Football League 2015 title will likely be settled in Aba this weekend as league leaders, Enyimba, welcome second-placed Warri Wolves this Sunday.

Enyimba, seeking their record seventh title are six points ahead of their opponents and a point in the Aba cracker will see Enyimba crowned champions again.

The People’s Elephant have been the most consistent team this season, winning more away games (five) than any other team

MATCHDAY 37 Kano Pillars vs Akwa Utd El-Kanemi vs Wikki Dolphins vs Heartland Giwa vs Shooting IfeanyiUbah vs Nasarawa Utd Sharks vs Kwara Utd Taraba vs Abia Warriors Enyimba vs Warri Wolves Bayelsa Utd vs Sunshine Lobi Stars vs Rangers

TOP SCORERS 16 GOALS Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars) 15 GOALS Esosa Igbinoba (Nasarawa Utd) Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves) 13 GOALS Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors) Bright Ejike (Heartland) 12 GOALS Mubarak Umar (Wikki Tourists) 10 GOALS Anthony Okpotu (Lobi Stars) Ocheme Edoh (Giwa FC)

in the league, while also getting more draws (seven) during the season.

Warri Wolves on the other hands have been very consistent since the beginning of the second half of the season, and in Gbolahan Salami, they have a player who can unlock any defence.

The Seasiders are very hopeful of a win against Enyimba on Sunday to delay their opponents’ title celebration.

Speaking with League Rendezvous, the skipper of Enyimba, Chinedu Udoji, said they had already won the most difficult game of the season by beating Abia Warriors 1-0 at the weekend.

According to him, Warri Wolves cannot stop them from lifting the trophy on Sunday as they are ready to fight with their last breath.

“On Sunday, it will be celebration for us because I have waited for long to lift my first league trophy as captain of this great club,” he said.

Buttressing his captain’s point, Super Eagles defender, Idris Aloma, said they (the players) have already started celebrating.

Another player, Ezekiel Bassey, was also optimistic of getting the needed result against Warri Wolves that will see Enyimba lifting the trophy on Sunday.

Who joins Taraba, Bayelsa in NNL next season?

W

ith two teams, FC Taraba and Bayelsa United, already assured of playing their football in the Nigeria National League next season, the identity of the other two teams that will be joining them should be clearer at the end of this weekend games.

With two games to go in the season, the likes of Akwa United, Lobi Stars, Sharks, Dolphins and Kwara United are one loss away

from relegation as they pray for other results to be in their favour.

Sharks already with a threepoint deduction hanging on their head after they walked out of the game against Nasarawa United at the weekend will pray for a victory against Kwara United on Sunday, a victory that will condemn their opponent to the NNL. For Dolphins, it will be a battle for survival as they welcome

Heartland to the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt on Sunday while Akwa United in Kano will be hoping for a miracle against erstwhile defending champions of the league, Kano Pillars.

Lobi Stars, with an outstanding game against Sunshine Stars, are better placed than all the other teams and will be taking on Rangers this weekend. Rangers lost 5-1 to Sunshine Stars in their last game on Wednesday.

We are suffering, IfeanyiUbah players cry out

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layers of Nnewi based side, IfeanyiUbah FC, have cried out that the team’s management is not taking care of them contrary to the believe in some quarters.

According to some of the players who spoke with League Rendezvous on the condition of anonymity, they are yet to get their entitlements for the past three months.

“If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have signed for them,” a player said.

“The people running the club are not professionals, right from the president himself to the team manager.

“We have been finding it difficult to feed our families in the past months and yet people believe we are enjoying, when we are really suffering here.”

Another player alleged that whoever complained would be sacked, citing the example of a

FC IfeanyiUbah's line up during a recent match

former coach, Daniel Amokachi.

When contacted, the management of the club denied the story, describing it as baseless, claiming that the players always receive their salaries and match bonuses as and when due.

“If they say we are owing them October salary, fine, but

talking about three months, that’s a big lie,” said the admin officer of the club who only wanted to be identified simply as Chinedu.

“As I am talking to you now (Thursday evening), we just finished paying their match bonuses, so what are they talking about?”

League Rendezvous source however said the management response was far from the truth.

He said: “They pay match bonuses, but can you compare N20,000 match bonus to someone owed N500,000. And only players that play a match receive match bonus. So what happens to the remaining players when they are not getting their salaries for three months?”

“People should just understand that some of these private clubs are not what they portray outside. I really want the League Management Company to do something about it.”

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

Sport

27

Idamadudu, Adeyemi talk tough ahead of new season

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Ugochi Akwueze eigning 200m champion, Praise Idamadudu, and boxer turned-quarter miler, Sikiru Adeyemi, have announced their readiness for the next Athletics seasons.

Idamadudu, 17, outshone everybody at the All Nigeria Open Athletics Championships, where she finished first ahead of more established stars like Gloria Asumnu, as she became the fastest woman in 200m.

She had earlier won the African Junior Championships earlier in the year in Ethiopia, while also achieving her personal best during the Commonwealth Youth Championships in Samoa, where she finished first in 23.30secs to win the 200m gold.

Speaking with Saturday Telegraph, the Delta State-born athlete said despite her young age, the victory at the All Nigeria has given her confidence.

“My aim is to reduce my time to 22secs in 200m and hopefully do better in the 400m,” she said.

“I have started training in preparation for the coming season so as to achieve my goals.

“Although it will be difficult qualifying for the Olympic Games next year, but with hard work, God on my side and a little bit of luck, I know I can achieve that.”

In his own words, Kwara Stateborn quarter miler, Adeyemi, stated that he had what it took to excel in the new athletics season.

Adeyemi said: “I didn’t really achieve my target this year, but I am ready to make amends ahead of the new season.

“I missed out of the last All Nigeria because I was down with malaria which ended my ambition of going to the All Africa Games.

“My target is to run a personal best of 45secs and I know I can achieve that if I am focused and train very hard.”

The Athletic Federation of Nigeria recently promised to develop the junior athletes to take over from some of the senior ones who have not been performing doing well recent time.

Praise Idamadu (left) racing to the 200m gold at the African Junior Athletics Championshipin Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Meiza Sports set to expose Nigerian talents

33 schools battle for Lagos-GTBank Masters Cup

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hirty-three secondary schools in Lagos have been drawn into four groups to battle for the Season V of the Lagos-GTBank Masters Cup which is expected to kick off later this month across 10 centres in the state.

The Season V which has three debutants will see 21 boy and 12 girl schools slugging it out for the prize monies of N750.000, N500.000 and N350.000 for the first, second and third teams respectively in both the boys and girls category.

In the boys’ category, King’s College Lagos, Ansar Ud Deen College Isolo, Eko Boys High School and Baptist Academy Obanikoro will slug it out in Group A while St Finbarrs College Akoka, Federal Government College Ijanikin, Chrisland Schools and Whitesand School Lekki will battle each other in Group B. Teams in Group C include: Jubril Martins School Iponri, Ansar Ud Deen Grammar School, Methodist Boys High School and Corona School with Group D consisting Western College, Dowen College Lekki, Anwaru Islam Agege, FSCT

Yaba and Unilag International School.

Group E will see St Gregory College battle Addrao International School, CMS Grammar School and Green Springs Schools in the last in the boys’ category.

In the girls’ category, eight schools will qualify automatically to the quarterfinal stage as, Ansar Ud Deen College Itire, Jubril Martins School Iponri and Methodist Girls Collage Yaba will slug it out in group A. Ansar Ud Deen High School Isolo, Holy Child College Ikoyi and Corona School will trade tackle in Group B with defending champions, Queens College Yaba, Andrao International Victoria Island and Western College Yaba battle for supremacy in Group C while Group D is made up of Federal Government College Ijanikin, Greenspring School and Federal Science Technical College Yaba.

The Masters Cup, sponsored

by GTBank, is facilitated by Lagos State First Generation Heritage College Association (LAFGHECA).

Charles Ogundiya and Ugochi Akwueze

O

rganisers of the recently concluded Mieza U-20 Football Competition, the Omidiran brothers (Tayo and Jegan) have said the reason for organising the competition was to expose talents that abound in the country.

Speaking to Saturday Telegraph after the two-day event, Tayo, the senior of the brothers, said they were going to help the players achieve their goal of playing professional football.

“After this, hopefully we will work with our international partners and see if they can get some sort of contracts to play professional football abroad,” he said.

“For those that do not get professional contracts, we will try to get them scholarships where they can combine education with football.

“Apart from that, they will be getting continuous support from us because we are going to create

a data base for them where we can monitor their progress as individuals.”

22 players were selected after the event, an exercise Jegan described as a difficult one due to the array of talents available during the competition.

He expressed happiness at the level of professionalism the players displayed despite their young age.

He said: “I was watching how they will adapt to playing with people they haven’t played with before, how confident they will be and how they will express themselves in a different circumstance.

“I was pleased with what I saw, I like the way they played together even if most of them haven’t played together before.

They were creative, they enjoyed themselves and they scored

goals.”

Some of the players who made the final 22 expressed joy and promised to justify the confidence placed on them.

Akinola Samson who could not contain his joy said: “I am so excited being chosen as one of the top 22 players, and scoring a goal in the competition.

“Though I have been scoring goals before, I was the highest goal scorer in my academy (Goodnews Super Academy) but this was different because I was playing with people that are not really my teammates.”

On his part, Olatunji Kehinde said: “I thank God for giving me the opportunity to participate in this competition. Football is my life and my second religion, I believe I have what it takes to be an international player.”

Enrique: Results reduce talk of missing Messi

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uis Enrique accepts Barcelona miss Lionel Messi but believes results have reduced talk of a dependence on the Argentina forward.

Barca claimed a routine 3-0 win over BATE in the Champions League on Wednesday, a 30th-minute penalty from Neymar and Luis Suarez's goal on the hour mark putting the hosts in command at Camp

Nou before the latter added his second seven minutes from time, The Catalan club leads Group E with 10 points from four games and need only a point against Roma on November 24 to ensure a place in the last 16.

Messi's knee injury suffered on September 26 in a 2-1 victory over Las Palmas has had little impact on Barca's form, with the defending

Spanish and European champions losing only one of the eight games he has missed.

Luis Enrique said: "We obviously miss Messi a great deal, but I have always said the team had resources.

"There is no mention of Messidependencia [dependence on Messi] because the team is winning and playing well."

Action during the final of the Meiza sports competition inside the Agege Stadium

28

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

How mum strapped Osimhen

CONTINUE from PAGE 25

He is probably playing back, through his mind’s eye, the memories of his life, his humble beginnings, how things were tough growing up and the beautiful future staring him in the face now.

The house where Victor was born

Olusosun is a small community around Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, but it is popular because it accommodates one of the largest dumpsites in Africa. Olushosun landfill is a 100-acre dumpsite, which receives up to 10,000 tons of refuse each day. Inhabitants of this place are constantly worried about the stench that oozes from the site; incidentally, the next big thing in Nigerian football has emerged from this rather unlikely place. Although, it is just about few kilometres away from Lagos State Government House, many parts of the innermost of Olusosun still exhibit the features of an ancient town. The buildings are those Lagosians refer to as ‘faceme-I-face-you’ and there are still many mud houses on many streets in the neighbourhood.

This writer almost lost his way trying to locate exactly where the emerging star player was born and grew up due to the awkward layout of the area until a guide took him to an old one storey building, painted green with a touch of yellow. A flag of the All Progressives Congress hoisted at the top corner of the house and several torn campaign posters adorning most parts of the wall show the owner is a politician.

“Good morning, who are you looking for?” an elderly woman, selling confectioneries in front of the house queried. But immediately our correspondent revealed their identities and the purpose of their visit, a big smile appeared on the old woman’s face. Madam Adesoye who introduced herself as a neighbour of the Osimhens could not contain her excitement; she momentarily left her wares to beckon on other neighbours.

“Victor was born here, “ Adesoye said excitedly. “ Virtually all the children were born here before they packed out early this year. He is a very gentle boy who does not like trouble. He is very respectful and willing to help. He does not complain when sent on errands, he used to help me fetch water sometimes. We are very happy about what he is doing, everyone in our area is happy.

“There is a different feeling among the youth in this area because Victor’s story has inspired a lot of us to believe we can become anything we want in life,” Orji Joshua, a teenager, who was also born in the same compound, added his voice. “I know him to be a very humble person and quiet. It is always something like a carnival here anytime Nigeria is playing because we all want to see him score and by the grace of God they will bring the cup home.”

Osimhen

Osimhen's house

Our correspondent was told that the Osimhens moved to the house in 1983 but relocated this year to somewhere in Ogba. Saturday Telegraph learnt that the landlord showed little or no understanding when the family was unable to pay rents regularly. “I am happy about what is happening to them through Victor because they really struggled,” a neighbour who did not want to be named said.

As this writer was about to leave the environment, one of the neighbours pointed at a bread seller. “This is where Victor used to buy bread, he likes bread so much,” he said. We approached the bread seller and asked if truly she knew the player and his exploits at the U-17 World Cup. “He is my customer,” she answered. “He used to buy bread from me almost every day.

In fact, he is still owing me N200, he did not pay for the last one he bought,” she added as everyone burst into laughter. “I have forgotten about the money though, because I was happy when I heard what he is doing. I can’t believe a Adesoye boy buying bread here is on the television playing for Nigeria.”

back to sell sachet water

How mother used to strap him at the

The pitch where Osimhen trains INSET: The coach, Irikevwe

Many football stars in Africa never led lives of affluence before reaching stardom and little Osimhen was no different. He is from an impoverished background just like many kids in Africa; he was introduced to struggles in the streets even before he could correctly pronounce his name. According to the first born of the family, Andrew, the hardship they faced was so biting that little Victor, then a toddler, was made to face scorching sun in Lagos traffic where the mother used to sell sachet water to augment her paltry income as a civil servant.

“My mum sold sachet water here after coming back from work, so also my sisters,” Andrew who is a newspaper vendor at Ojota told our correspondent. “Victor was very young and mum usually strapped him on her back running after vehicles to sell sachet water. Indeed, growing up was tough.

“It became so tough and embarrassing when one of my sisters gained admission into secondary school and there was no money.

Many times we didn’t have money to pay our rent, things were so tough. The little salary mum was earning usually finished within a week and the struggle would start all over again.”

Andrew

Amidst that misery, life dealt another big blow on the family. Their enterprising mother lost her life about seven years ago.

“It was a tough time for us, but life had to go on. It is unfortunate that mother is not here today to see what her son is doing,” Andrew said.

I abandoned my education to care for Victor, others -Brother

Victor admitted in an interview during the competition that he learnt many tricks from his elder brother who is also a footballer. Andrew was a local star at Olusosun and its environs but he said he had to abandon the game to face his newspaper business. He had to start the business and jettison the idea of furthering his education so that he could raise money to help his younger siblings.

“I had to quit football and even schooling and hit the streets to ‘hustle’ so that I could take care of my younger ones. My mother was a civil servant and things were not going on well for my dad too. So, after my first year in secondary school I told myself I had to do something to help the family and so a brother introduced me to

He use buy br from m almost day. In he is s owing N200, not pa the las he bou

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

on her back to sell sachet water

n's (right)

ed to read me t every n fact, still me he did ay for st one ught

this business I am doing now. I left home after mum died, moved to Ikorodu but I was still monitoring the development of my young ones.

“Victor is just like me on the field of play, he can run and score; I was a good striker but he has something that I don’t have and that is skills. The way he dribbles while running baffles me, I could not do that.

“Victor likes being himself, he is a very reserved person just like me. He does not share his thought so easily with people. He is a calm boy.”

He almost quit football - friend

Osimhen knew that he had talent and could make something out of football but things were not going as he expected. He had to make ends meet, he needed to try his hands on something else. So, as someone who had other talents he was very close to abandoning the beautiful game for other endeavours.

“I was worried, I knew he could make it in football because of his height, speed and skills,” Mayowa Olorunfemi, his closest friend and captain of his local club, the Ultimate Strikers FC, said. “But all my efforts to get him back to football almost failed until I begged our coach, Chinedu Ogbonna, to talk to him. And we thank God he listened and started coming to training again.

“It was just about two months after that the coach gave us a note to go to a club in Abeokuta for exposure and from there one agent discovered him during a competition.

We went for the U-17 screening after that. I am happy for him that he is someone we are celebrating today.”

Possesses traits of a star - Coach

Just like many kids, Osimhen started football at a very tender age and it was not long before his coaches noticed something special about him.

Coach Paul Irikhewe was the first man to introduce him to organised football and he said he was not surprised to see the player turning into an international star.

“I saw the potential in him right from time and that is why I usually encourage him and I think due to hard work, discipline and dedication he is excelling today, I am happy.

“I started working with him right from kindergarten, just like most of the boys you see here (pointing at players who were at a training session). They all grew up together and we have been working with them since then. He was not a difficult person to work with and that is why I am not surprised he is doing well; he is very respectful, humble and hardworking.

“He played a lot of youth competitions here with us but after sometime I moved him to play in Onigbongbo Junior League in order to face bigger challenges. I handed him over to the head coach there, Chinedu Ogbonna, and he never disappointed him. Even when he was selected for the U-17 team we were going to watch them during the qualifiers for the CAF tournament in Niger.”

Family shocked at rise to stardom

Pa Osimhen now walks tall among his peers today because of his son’s exploit. But according to Andrew, their father was unaware of his son’s talent before he became an international star. “Honestly speaking my dad is shocked about what Victor is doing, he did not even know the import of what is happening until people started knocking at his door saying ‘was that not your son we saw on TV now?’ Dad had never seen Victor play before; he doesn’t even own a generator to watch him in the ongoing U-17 World Cup in Chile. He relies on information from his other children and neighbours. In fact, despite the fact that I was a local star, he saw me play just once. So, Victor’s exploit is surprising to

him. Victor’s sisters and the other male child in the family, Samson, are very surprised to see him at this level.”

Striker endures sports festival snub

by Lagos

Osimhen probably would have been watching this tournament at home like most Nigerians if the coaches of Lagos State football team preparing for the National Sports Festival had not rejected him when he went there for a trial.

“They sent him away not because he was not good enough,” a senior coach in Ultimate Striker FC who did not want his name mentioned said. “The coach told us that many influential individuals had brought their candidates and there was no way they could accommodate him. And now this same Lagos State has been calling us for discussions since the player has started doing well at the World Cup.”

How he stole Amuneke’s heart in 10 minutes

Osimhen has no godfather, no one gave him a note to Golden Eaglets coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, but the striker only needed 10 minutes to win the heart of his coach during a trial. According to Olorunfemi, they got information about the open screening going on in Lagos and they went there to try their luck. “We went there the first time but due to a large turnout it did not get to our turn. I could not go the second time because I was not feeling well, but Victor went. Luckily, he made it. He told me how coach Amuneke was dismissing strikers that were tested before him in just one minute and before he could get to his turn he was thinking aloud as to what the coach was looking for in those strikers that they could not give him. He noticed those ones were not marking very well and he went there to do just what he thought the coach wanted. He collected a ball from a defender in just few minutes on the pitch and scored from that, after just 10 minutes the coach asked him to go and sit down and since then he has been part of the team,” he said.

Family prefers education

Although they see football as profitable, many African parents still believe education provides the surest getaway from poverty. So, Osimen’ parents wanted their child to go in search of a sound education.

“Initially I opposed the idea of him facing football squarely, I wanted him to take his education seriously because since I could not go to higher institution, I wanted my younger ones to especially our last born,” Andrew added.

“So, I insisted he faced his studies but when my dad told me somebody had discovered him and promised to help him I had no choice but to succumb.

“When he returned from the CAF U-17 tournament, I told him that whatever deal he would sign later I wanted education to be part of it. I told him he had to have something outside football to fall back on after retiring from the game.”

He is Amuneke’s adopted son

When Osimhen scored his first goal of the tournament in the 2-0 win over USA, he went straight to the coach and prostrated.

He said after the match that: “I prostrated before coach Amuneke after the goal against USA to show appreciation for all what I have learned from him,” he stated. That is the extent of admiration the youngster has for the retired international. Andrew said: “Coach Amuneke obviously likes Victor. He told us he wanted our brother to be staying with him. I think he spent some time with him and I am happy Victor has such a legend to

mentor him.”

29

Sports gene in the family

Where he plays football

Olusosun Primary School serves as the melting pot for youngsters in the community. Every evening they gather for football.

The youth in the area protested vehemently when they were barred from playing on the pitch due to a renovation work going at a time. That was where Victor honed his skills, Andrew was a hero on that pitch and although Victor was not as popular in the area as his elder brother, he also commands some followership.

He always wants to win - friends

Many of his friends testified to the fact that Osimhen is a gentle, reserved and almost an introvert, but some of them following close encounters have found out over the years that the striker usually loses his cool on the football pitch.

“He is a fighter when playing football so we are not surprised to see him like that in the Nigerian team,” Orji said. “Whenever we are playing kick-about football in the community, you could incur his wrath if as a teammate you didn’t play well. He wants to win every game, he can shout at you, abuse you if you stop him from winning.”

“He is a tough opponent as well as sometimes a difficult teammate. He wants you to give as much as he is giving to the team and if you fall short of that, he can pick up quarrel, that is the time you will see him in bad mood,” Dada Jimoh, another close friend added.

Apart from being a footballer himself, Andrew confirmed that the sports gene runs in the family. Their father, Pa Oshimhen, was a popular local wrestler in the village, he also said their late mother was a sprinter and was also popular in her time in the village.

Monitoring his development

We have seen many precocious talents fizzle away after they dazzled the world at age-grade competition. They never actualised their potentials due to several reasons including wrong choice of clubs, loss of focus, overzealous parents, thieving football agents and lack of adequate monitoring. ”Many young footballers killed their careers before they even started because they went for money not for development when they signed for clubs in Europe,” Andrew said. “ I told Victor that I wanted him to play for a club with a good academy that helps to develop budding talents. Clubs in countries like Belgium and France have good academies; he can go to Arsenal or Barcelona because they also encourage young ones. When he told me about the agency stuff I told him he should be careful because I have read a lot about agents taking players to unknown destinations, abandoning them there, collecting certain fees and still leaving players stranded. I told him I wanted to know how things were going on with him.”

... in the eyes of neighbours, teammates Dada Jimoh (teammate and neighbour)

Victor and I have been together for a long time.

We do everything together. Let me start from Principal’s Cup in school - wherever we go we usually come back victorious, Victor will make sure he did something. No one expected what he is doing and I am very proud to be his friend. He is so passionate about football, he trains very hard, if you tell him to go to the field to play football at anytime he is ready, he is not a lazy player.

Victor is gentle, he is not like some of us. He does not have time to make trouble.

The community is going to slaughter a big cow to celebrate him in the final, he is doing it and we know he will do it to the last minute.

Dada

Olorunfemi Mayowa (teammate)

Olorunfemi

He is my closest friend and a struggler. He never gives up because nothing has ever come easy to him.

He passed through a lot, life has been difficult and his success means a lot to us in this community, everybody is excited about him, they come out in their hundreds to watch his matches and as his teammate we are more than excited.

Gancho (teammate)

He is somebody that likes his friends; he is not a proud person and always wants to help. He is a good friend and teammate, we have been praying for him since he joined the national team and we are proud of what he is doing now.

Frank Opara (teammate)

Okpara

Gancho

I still cannot describe the feeling I have seeing my teammate representing my country at the World Cup and doing so well. I consider it a privilege to have played in the same team with Victor and I hope he comes home with the cup. It is going to be a carnival here.

30 Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH www.newtelegraphonline.com

TABLE

Premier league

No Clubs 1 Man City 2 Arsenal 3 Leicester City 4 Man United 5 Tottenham 6 West Ham 7 Southampton 8 Liverpool 9 Everton 10 C. Palace 11 Watford 12 West Brom 13 Swansea 14 Stoke City 15 Chelsea 16 Norwich City 17 B’mouth 18 Newcastle 19 Sunderland 20 Aston Villa

P Pts 11 25 11 25 11 22 11 21 11 20 11 20 11 17 11 17 11 16 11 16 11 16 11 14 11 13 11 13 11 11 11 9 11 8 11 7 11 6 11 4

SERIE A

No Clubs 1 Fiorentina 2 Inter Milan 3 Roma 4 Napoli 5 Sassuolo 6 AC Milan 7 Lazio 8 Atalanta 9 Sampdoria 10 Juventus 11 Torino 12 Empoli 13 Chievo 14 Genoa 14 Udinese 16 Palermo 17 Frosinone 18 Bologna 19 Verona 20 Carpi

P Pts 11 24 11 24 11 23 11 22 11 19 11 19 11 18 11 17 11 16 11 15 11 15 11 14 11 13 11 12 11 12 11 11 11 10 11 9 11 6 11 6

LA LIGA

No Clubs 1 Real Madrid 2 Barcelona 3 Celta Vigo 4 Atl. Madrid 5 Villarreal 6 Eibar 7 Valencia 8 Ath. Bilbao 9 Deportivo 10 Espanyol 11 Sevilla 12 Gijon 13 Real Betis 14 Getafe 15 Vallecano 16 Sociedad 17 Malaga 18 Granada 19 Las Palmas 20 Levante

No

Global Football

P Pts 10 24 10 24 10 21 10 20 10 20 10 16 10 15 10 14 10 14 10 13 10 12 10 12 10 12 10 10 10 10 10 9 10 9 10 7 10 6 10 6

BUNDESLIGA Clubs

1 Bayern 2 Dortmund 3 Wolfsburg 4 Schalke 04 5 Gladbach 6 Hertha Berlin 7 Leverkusen 8 Ingolstadt 9 FC Cologne 10 Hamburg 11 Frankfurt 12 Mainz 05 13 Darmstadt 14 Hannover 15 Stuttgart 16 Bremen 17 Hoffenheim 18 Augsburg

P Pts 11 31 11 26 11 21 11 20 11 18 11 17 11 17 11 15 11 15 11 14 11 13 11 13 11 13 11 11 11 10 11 10 11 7 11 6

Kickoff: 5:00pm

Arsenal seek home comfort against Spurs T he weekend features a north London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur where manager Arsene Wenger will hope his side can maintain their stunning domestic form and forget their European

woes.

In the Premier League, Wenger's side seems to have confounded the naysayers, who predicted a testing campaign after the Frenchman failed to sign a single senior outfield player in the close-season transfer window.

With 25 points from 11 games, they trail leaders Manchester City only on goal difference and face familiar foes on Sunday, having won their last five Premier League games.

Their continental exploits, however, have been far from impressive, which was perfectly illustrated in a woeful 5-1

Villa chase points to Etihad Stadium

A

Milik

Leicester City plot £10 million raid for Milik

P

remier League high-flyers Leicester city are plotting a January move for Ajax striker Arkadiusz Milik, according to the Mirror.

After struggling to make an impact upon his move to Bayer Leverkusen in 2012, Milik’s career has sky-rocketed over the course of the past two campaigns. The Poland international's loan to Ajax last season saw the 21-year-old shine, finding the net 17 times in 32 appearances.

Such superb performances at the Amsterdam Arena warranted a permanent move to the Eredivisie side and a return to the Poland national team. Upon escaping from his Leverkusen frustrations, Milik has added a further six strikes in 15 appearances so far this season for Ajax.

defeat by Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Their third defeat in four Champions League games left them bottom of Group F. In many ways, Wenger could not have chosen a better fixture to rebuild morale than against their fiercest foes. Arsenal have not lost at home to Tottenham for five years. Spurs have won only one of their last 22 Premier League trips to their north London rivals and have already lost a League Cup clash between the sides this season.

Yet Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham will be more optimistic than usual for a trip to the Emirates Stadium. They are in a rich vein of form, unbeaten in 10 league matches since losing at Manchester United in the first game of the season and up to fifth in the table, five points adrift of the summit.

Agbonlahor

re Aston Villa doomed? The task of preserving their top-flight status now falls to new coach Remi Garde - and it's a pretty ominous one.

They were awful against Tottenham in the first half on Monday night, and although they threatened an unlikely draw, you can't play well for just 15 minutes and expect anything in this league.

A heavy defeat to Manchester City would leave Villa fans - if they're not already - contemplating dropping out the top-flight for the first time since the Premier League's inception. Anything else, even a valiant defeat, and they may yet have hope.

Tim Sherwood was undone by some highly questionable calls - a few which worked, many which didn't.

Garde must avoid the mistakes of his predecessor. After a mini-blip in September saw them succumb to West Ham and Tottenham, City have steadied and blown the majority of their opponents away. Surely their ruthless streak will not halt when they arrive in Birmingham on Sunday?

Sport

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7 NOVEMBER 2015

31

Special Schalke look to get season back on track against Dortmund

Milan’s De Sciglio aims for fourth straight win

M

S

chalke 04 have picked the biggest stage in German football to get their Bundesliga campaign back on track as they head to in-form Borussia Dortmund on Sunday for the Ruhr valley derby.

Separated by only a few kilometres, the two clubs enjoy the fiercest rivalry in German football and Sunday's game should also be heated as fourth-placed Schalke look for their first win in three league games to stay in touch with the top spots. Dortmund, however, are in scintillating form under coach Thomas Tuchel, having cut champions Bayern Munich's lead to five points with three wins in their last three games.

Tuchel has refused to talk about the derby before his team host FK Qabala in the Europa League later on Thursday, but he is expected to rotate to keep his key players fresh for Sunday.

Dortmund's Marco Reus has scored four times in the last two games as he rediscovers his form following an injury-hit start to the season, while forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been equally impressive with 13 goals to his name in 11 Bundesliga matches so far.

Reus

attia De Sciglio feels AC Milan's defensive improvements in recent weeks have created tranquillity in the squad as Sinisa Mihajlovic's men aim for a fourth straight Serie A win when Atalanta visit San Siro this weekend.

After an inconsistent start to the season, Mihajlovic has masterminded successive victories over Sassuolo, Chievo and Lazio - they have not won four consecutive league matches since April 2014.

As a result, Milan have moved up to sixth in Serie A, just five points off leaders Fiorentina.

Defender De Sciglio believes things are starting to click and praised the work of Mihajlovic, who took charge in June, in turning things around.

"There is certainly a much more relaxed atmosphere than before, winning helps you win and that's what we want to do on Saturday," De Sciglio told Milan Channel.

"Saturday will require a lot of attention and concentration. We should replicate the game against Lazio in the sense that in some situations we will be less beautiful and more concrete, as we were in Rome.”

Trabzonspor chairman banned for imprisoning ref

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Banned Mourinho hopes for turn-around

fter one of the most unusual and extraordinary cases of misconduct, Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu (pictured right), chairman of top-flight Turkish club Trabzonspor, and several of his board members have been given lengthy bans for locking a referee in the dressing room until the early hours of the morning.

The incident happened last week after the official failed to award Trabzonspor a penalty. The referee and three other officials were only released under security escort after the personal intervention of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

The Turkish Football Federation announced that Haciosmanoglu had been suspended from carrying out his official functions for 280 days and fined 150,000 lira ($53,000).

It also ordered the club to play two matches behind closed doors.

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helsea travel to Stoke City on Saturday without banned manager Jose Mourinho, who hopes his absence will not prevent the players from picking up a much-needed victory.

The Premier League champions had a crucial win in Europe against Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday to lighten the mood around Stamford Bridge, but that does not help their predicament domestically.

Chelsea sit 15th in the table with just 11 points from as many outings and are already well off the pace of joint-leaders Manchester City and Arsenal.

As Mourinho serves a one-game stadium ban after being dismissed at West Ham recently, the Portuguese hopes his players can motivate themselves out of his presence.

"I think they will know I am with them," he said, when asked how his squad might cope. "They know I am going to prepare the team until the moment they go to the game.

"They know that during the game, the action of the manager is not so crucial and I think the fact they know why I am not on the bench is also important for the group."

Mourinho

De Sciglio

Ibrahim

FIXTURES La Liga

Bundesliga

SATURDAY

SATURDAY

Celta VigovValencia 4pm

Mainz v Wolfsburg 3:30pm

Levante v Deportivo 6:15pm

Leverkusen v Cologne 3:30pm

Eibar v Getafe 8:30pm

M'gladbach v Ingolstadt 3:30pm

Vallecano v Granada 8:30pm

Bayern v Stuttgart 3:30pm

EPL

Serie A SATURDAY

Verona v Bologna 6pm Milan v Atalanta8:45pm SUNDAY Torino v Inter 12:30pm Empoli v Juventus 3pm

Málaga v Real Betis 10:05pm

Hoffenheim v Frankfurt 3:30pm

SUNDAY

Darmstadt v Hamburg 5:30pm

Bilbao v Espanyol 12pm

SUNDAY

Palermo v Chievo 3pm

Barcelona v Villarreal 4pm

Dortmund v Schalke 3:30pm

Roma v Lazio 3pm

Atletico v Gijón 6:15pm

Augsburg v Bremen5:30pm

Frosinone v Genoa 3pm

Sassuolo v Carpi 3pm Napoli v Udinese 3pm

SevillavReal 8:30pm

SATURDAY Bournemouth v Newcastle 1:45pm Leicesterv Watford 4pm Man Utd v West Brom 4pm Norwich v Swansea 4pm Sunderland v Southampton 4pm West Ham v Everton 4pm SUNDAY ArsenalvTottenham 5pm

SPORT BRIEFLY Liu Shiwen Liu Shiwen has regained the top spot on the ITTF World Rankings after her victories at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Polish Open and ITTF Women’s World Cup in October.

LIU’s 4th success in 4 attempts at the Women’s World Cup has not only put her name on par alongside the legendary ZHANG Yining, but also helped put her back to the no. 1 spot in the world.

Mo Farah Mo Farah will take part in his first cross country race for five years when he begins his Olympic year with an appearance in the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country on January 9.

Farah will head to the Capital for his first competition of a year in which he hopes to successfully defend his 5000m and 10,000m titles in Rio. The 32-year-old claimed his first international athletics title when he won the European cross country crown in Italy in 2006.

Sport

style of Sportsmen

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

Moyes axed me at Man United because of his daughter -Zaha

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rystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has finally had his say about those rumours involving him and David Moyes’ daughter during his time at Manchester United.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mirror, he claims that the rumours had a profound effect on him and ultimately cut short his time at Old Trafford.

Following a bright start to his

United career, he quickly found himself languishing on the bench before being sent out on loan to Cardiff City for the second half of the season.

When the rumour surfaced it became an internet sensation, with many believing that it was one of the main reasons he was dropped by the Scot.

However, Zaha has now revealed that he never even met Moy-

es’ daughter, let alone slept with her, and furthermore, explains that he never got an explanation from Moyes as to why he was dropped.

“I never even met her (Moyes’ daughter). But as soon as anybody sees me now, people think: Wilfried Zaha, bad attitude. I just don’t understand why. I went through that every single day,” he said.

“Getting constant tweets, people outside making jokes.''

Life

Meet Icardi’s wife who dumped LOPEZ for Inter star

Moyer's daughter and Zaha

Odom kicks Kardashian out of hospital room?

K

Nara

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ccording to reports in Italy, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have all been linked with a move for Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi. However, while fans of these clubs may well be excited about securing the talented Argentine forward, the arrival of Wanda Nara may also delight one or two.

Icardi may be struggling in Serie A this season, he’s managed only three goals in nine outings for Inter, who currently lead Serie A, but the forward is a fine and creative talent who should offer goals and innovation to any club that takes the plunge on signing him.

Roberto Mancini may have dropped the forward

last weekend for the high-profile clash against AS Roma, but Inter would still reportedly demand a fee in excess of €35 million for their captain.

As well as Nara, Icardi brings some baggage, not least the soap-opera story of how he ended up with his current partner.

Model Nara was previously the wife of current Torino frontman Maxi Lopez, but after her former husband took Serie A new boy Icardi under his wing in order to help his compatriot acclimatise to life in Italy, she decided she’d have more fun playing away.

So Nara left Maxi and married Icardi, less than six months after handing in her divorce papers.

Arsenal, Barca target Lavezzi splits with girl friend

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Jesica

eports emerged earlier this week that Arsenal are set to go head to head with Barcelona for the signing of Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi.

The striker’s contract comes to an end next summer, and as such, both the Gunners and Barca are eyeing a cut-price deal to sign an experienced and versatile player who would represent an excellent option off the bench for either side. He was linked to Liverpool earlier in the year, although it remains to be seen whether Jurgen Klopp is taken by the former Napoli frontman.

However, while Arsenal and Barcelona fans will be delighted to learn of Lavezzi’s potential impending arrival, they may be disappointed to learn that Lavezzi no longer comes accompanied by marvellous showgirl, model and TV presenter Jesica Cirio.

The 30-year-old Italo-Argentine beauty and the Paris-based attacker were formerly an item, but have now gone their separate ways.

hloe Kardashian has been by Lamar Odom’s side since he was hospitalised in Las Vegas last month, but reports are now claiming the basketball star has kicked her out.

According to US Weekly, Lamar made the request after hearing negative things from his friends and family, who claim Khloe has used his hospitalisation for publicity.

A source alleged that the 31-year-old kept 35-yearold Lamar’s children from visiting him in hospital, despite reports that she actually paid for his family to fly over to see him.

The source added that Lamar’s friends and family had ‘turned him against Khloe’, claiming she tipped off the paparazzi to show the Kardashians visiting him at the hospital.

Not only that, but Khloe allegedly made members of his family sign confidentiality waivers before seeing him, with his cousin Sherae Clark-Williams apparently writing on Facebook: “I’m supposed to sign a waiver not to talk about North West, a child I have no interest in What so ever.”

A source said: “Lamar said he needed space and wanted to be alone. He told her to get out.”

However, a source close to Khloe denies the claims, saying he never told her to get out and that she’s ‘focused on making sure Lamar is stabilized’.

After Lamar’s father Joe claimed he wasn’t allowed to see his son because of Khloe, a source also denied that she’d been deciding who could visit him, telling the MailOnline that she didn’t have any control over her Lamar’s vistors in LA. The source added that she wasn’t even there when Joe visited, and that she ‘only had control over visitors was when [Lamar] was in a coma in Nevada’.

Forget all the reasons it won’t work and believe the one reason that it will.

- Unknown

Odom and Kardashian

Stories courtesy Dailymail

Features

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

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Watching him perfect his craft presented some delight and curiosity The chairman of Cane Weavers Association, Mark Ewhieberene, has been in the business for over 15 years. He learnt the craft during his primary school days but entered fully into the trade through his relative when he came to Lagos to seek greener pasture.

According to him, the people that started the craft were not able to stay in one spot and the business was not open to everyone like it is now. ‘’Not everybody developed interest in the business and by then, it was only patronised by white men who appreciated the craft. At the early stage, those who travelled abroad were amazed to see white people, especially the Asians

use cane items. That was where and how many developed interest in the craft and started doing same when they returned,’’ he said.

Ewhiberene pleaded that government should come to their aid and provide machineries for them like it is done in Asian countries where the business is also been practiced. He said that most of the work they do is supposed to be done by these machines because their work is a very tedious one.

“It requires a lot of manpower to do everything needed. The production process entails division of labour. While some persons construct, that is, the carpentry aspect of production that includes fram-

ing the skeleton of chairs or tables, others weave or craft. This activity entails tearing and smoothening of the canes before weaving and there are those who do the finishing and packaging.”

He did not stop there but pleaded that long term loans should be provided for them to do the business in a very lucrative manner. ‘’Most of the banks come to us with the offer of short loan which cannot go a long way. This is because from January to September we will all be managing and September to December we prepare ourselves for Christmas season. Government should assist us with loan so that we can have enough capital to buy materials to do our business,’’ Ewhieberene said.

PHOTOS:GODWIN IREKHE

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Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

LANRE ODUKOYA

SHOWBIZ TODAY

08059296445 lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

Tiwa Savage, Paul Okoye in fresh deal

Why Charles Oputa didn’t bankroll son’s wedding

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ot long ago, one half of the twin singing group, Peter Okoye of P-Square, grabbed a brand endorsement deal with a top sports’ wear company, Adidas. His other half, Paul, joined others to wish him well and prayed more to come his (Peter's) way.

However, speculations are now rife on the social media that Paul Okoye and Tiwa Savage may have signed deals with a yet-to-be unveiled company.

The duo is shooting a campaign for the unidentified outfit and was spotted in a studio on Lagos Island.

However, they have urged their fans on the social media to keep their fingers crossed while waiting for the unveiling of the brand they are representing.

If the deal finally sails through, it will be Paul’s first ever solo deal outside the PSquare group while his brother, Peter, has moved on to seal deals with Olympic Milk, Adidas as well as the Globacom sponsored Dance With Peter reality TV show.

Tiwa and Paul

2015 Headies award holds December 30

O

rganisers of The Headies Awards have announced that the 2015 ceremony will hold on December 30, at the Landmark Events Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The annual event which recognises outstanding work by Nigerian music talents and rewards them in grand style is expected to attract the crème de la crème of Nigeria’s entertainment industry including superstar musicians, A-list Nollywood artistes, media personalities and many others.

Shedding more light on the format of this year’s award nominations, Ayo Animashaun stated, “This year, only music released between July 2014 and June 2015 was eligible for nomination. To view the nominees and vote for your favourite talents in the respective voting categories, you’re to visit www.theheadies.com to increase their chances of going home with the highly coveted 21-karat gold-plated Headies Plaque.”

To join the conversation about The Headies online, where to follow is @the_ headies on Twitter and Instagram and like ‘The Headies’ on Facebook.

inger and popular social crusader, Charles Oputa, better known as Charley Boy, does not just come in the news again but for the right reason.

The singer recently pondered on the way Nigerians place priority on celebrations which in turn make them go bankrupt simply because they want to impress their guests.

Picking marriage ceremony as an example, Charley Boy, noted that some people go as far as borrowing money from banks to have an elaborate wedding and at the end are unable to pay back the money.

He advised that people should learn to do things within their reach and to stop showing off which he identified as the challenge of many families.

“It is normal for people to show off and have elaborate and flamboyant ceremonies, which are one of the factors that differentiate us from animals.

“I also believe that simple is beautiful, but some occasions call for an elaborate celebration, especially when it’s a once in a life time event. What better way to make the moment memorable than to make it elegant.

“However, what I find most worrisome is that some people go as far as borrowing money from the banks, other financial institutions, friends and family members just to celebrate weddings, burials, birthday parties, and the most upsetting part, is that after the show is over, then you still see them long after, struggling to meet up with the basic daily requirements of living?

“Why can’t they have a business plan in which they can invest that money and get returns or something more profitable?” He asked.

He further disclosed how he refused to sponsor his son’s wedding after he approached him soliciting support for an elaborate wedding and had to tell him to carry his cross alone because nobody sponsored his own wedding.

“Several months ago, my last son came to me to talk about his impending marriage and of course the wedding plan came up.

“He was expecting to have a high society wedding at my expense (Hummm see jobbing), but I told the young lad that it is whatever he can save for his wedding that will be the budget for it. Nobody paid for mine so he has to be disciplined enough to raise the money he needs for his.”

The maverick implored the medium to caution against the culture of waste which has been part of many and fast spreading across generations.

Charly Boy

Iyanya preps for marriage

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ne of the high profile events that took place over the weekend was the wedding ceremony of Triple MG co-owner, Ubi Franklin, to his actress wife, Lilian Esoro.

The event, which took place in Lekki on Sunday, November 1, had top personalities in attendance.

Iyanya, who was actively involved in the wedding ceremony because the groom is his manager, could not hold back his joy for the couple and he used the opportunity to talk about his plans of settling down, also like his friend and business partner.

The singer said that he would start thinking of marriage after he drops a couple of albums. “Congrats Ubi, I’ll join you after a couple of albums,” he said.

Jim Iyke shines in new flick ‘A Star in Heaven’

N

ollywood actor, Jim Iyke, appears to be on the verge of becoming a permanent resident of the U.S. city of Atlanta in Georgia.

Weeks after he joined the cast of Moses Inyang’s upcoming movie, the Stalker actor, who recently won the Best Actor award at the recently held GIAMA has begun production of a new feature film dubbed ‘A Star in Heaven’.

He unveiled the cast and crew of the work in the pipeline on his Instagram page and the actor may just be taking his first shot at producing a movie after all.

Jim Iyke

7 NOVEMBER 2015

vour.’ It’s registered.

where with unimaginable stench. I went to her and told her that I came to the slum because of her. Today, she’s in the university.

She’s got her O’ levels; she went on the streets to get anything in order to sustain herself. She was almost getting on the other side of life.

In doing all this, what have been the peculiar challenges in the adventure?

People would expect me to say the greatest challenge is the money to take care of them, Xplicit dance group. but that is not the case. I found out that whatInset: Josephine and Akpororo ever we have is what we eat. We eat sometimes once a day and we’re happy. Even my raise children, I would have failed. But He biological children feed the same way. But the that called me had sent me and He equips toughest challenge is that when you start raisme. So, the best way to train children is to ing kids you get from the streets- especially study me. The reality about what we find the ones from indigent backgrounds whose in the emerging world is that sometimes or- parents are together but have no substantial phans have more privilege than kids who livelihood or orphans- and after seven or eight have parents. I thank God that I answered years, the children start to go to the universiHis call and He equipped me for the call. It’s ties, graduating or appearing on television a great privilege that I’m the one chosen to performing, now family members would start coming. Relatives will start claiming, ‘Omo wa lead this cause. ni (he/she is our child)’ and so on since they have performed at Obasanjo’s birthday, they From football, how did you transit into must have gotten 50 per cent of the national dance which later formed the fulcrum for cake. Some went to service three years ago and the survival of your humanitarian project?

Yes, football was my career path but dance four of them disappeared from service and was what I learnt from childhood. Michael family members told them, ‘now you can start Jackson inspired me. When Xplicit started, your own thing. You don’t have to go back to I was the lead dancer. I would stand in the him.’ But God actually spoke to me that He front and dance like the kids. I would keep a designed it to happen that way. God made very small girl in the front because I couldn’t me know that when people get to their final hide her at the back. People loved her, she’s destination, they cannot go further. So, their small, though she wasn’t the best dancer; she destinations are different. Some are meant to was very good and agile. One of my craziest come and get to their destination of life and gifts is apart from bringing people together; I move on, some are meant to get to me and get can train them on how to dance. Whatever I education then move on and so on. God keeps can do, I can make people do it. That’s why telling me, ‘they’re not your children, they’re my children. You’re only their shepherd.’ And I must not do anything bad.

I cannot try to take God’s glory.

It’s more inspiring that one of your girls is getting married to a famous comedian, Akpororo. Another one is getting married in December and another in January 2016. Do you essentially look out for the kinds of kids to adopt?

If I have my way, I would look out for orphans but the amazing thing is that I don’t even look out for them. We find each other. If you’re supposed to be my kid, I will know. A lot of times, kids swarm my gate with all kinds of complaints, ‘I don’t have a father, I don’t have a mother’ and so on. But if God tells me ‘no’, then it’s no. Sometimes, I may just find someone hawking on the street and I would just approach and ask, ‘who are you?’ Two weeks ago, I was invited to a church to preach.

I went to preach to young people and a young girl came to do something. It was a youth gathering but she was not well packaged, not clean and almost everything about her was awful. And I felt somebody like this should not come to the altar of the Lord and after I left the podium, God told me ‘I brought you here because of that girl.’ But I didn’t listen, so I couldn’t sleep. And God asked me to look for that girl and I looked for her only to find out that her mother and three other siblings (all of them girls and their father died in 2009). They all stayed in one room apartment in an interior part of Ibadan. You can’t even sniff the air of that environment. Toilet and dungs are every-

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Do you run this like an orphanage or a ministry?

Yes, it’s called the ‘Explicit Home of Fa-

Did play any part in Akpororo meeting one of your girls and the planned marriage?

Well, she’s my daughter and the fairest of them all. And she had pressures in school when she graduated. Everybody wanted to date her because she has become a star and she’s beautiful. I prayed for and God told me that her husband is not part of all the men scrambling after her. God told me the man who will marry her has known her for years but the guy wasn’t ready, he won’t propose because he’s afraid. When he’s ready, he will confidently come. And I’ve invited Akpororo to Ibadan two or three times. He has been in my house, he ate with us beside the same girl and that was in 2011. He was just an upcoming comedian then and he had his first performance on ‘Open Mic with AY’, we were there while he was doing his hustling. He was under my roof where this same girl had served him and they took photos together. Then a lot of bankers and well to do persons wanted to marry this girl, but when Akpororo just came, he said ‘now I ready for you, I go marry you.’

That rang a bell in my spirit but I wouldn’t say that to a young girl because that would become a trigger for her to say ‘yes’. And my word for them is that whatever you like, be careful before saying yes because you’re not saying no thereafter. Then when she says yes, I would announce to all our spiritual fathers, pastors, bishops and every important persons because we would be planning the wedding.

So, everybody is careful to say yes or tell me about it. Sincerely, it was in Sapele in one of Gordon’s show that this young man came to me that I know your children are very disciplined and I can’t go behind you to even shake hands with any of them. Can I just sit and say hello to them. I gave him the nod. He asked me ‘can I talk to this girl?’ And my daughter answered ‘no, I don’t want to talk’. But I told her, listen, you’re an adult. Sit down, let him say whatever he wants to say, you can listen and later make your decision. She came to me later and said; ‘he was saying all he was saying, but I noticed that I felt joy within me after listening to him.’ I said that’s what every woman needs. Relax, you can listen to him any time again and pray about it. And I went to the Lord and got an answer. And I kept my mouth shut. So, I told him to tell her whatever he wanted.

Are you spiritually a seer?

I see and I listen. Sometimes I go into trance. When you see sometimes and you don’t have clarity, you listen. What you hear is clearer than what you see.

Is there anything God has told you about Nigeria?

Well, I have a word for Nigeria and I pray she listens because I’m part of the country. I

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thank God for the way He’s helping us with the issue of the Chibok girls. I thank God that some are returning alive. But a lot of children have been living in Sambisa, though under their parents’ roofs, the truth about it is that no child chooses his or her parents. They came to this world some became fortunate with parents while others are unfortunate.

And no child was born ugly, we use our Christian faith to say that everything is fine but everything is not fine. If everybody is fine there won’t be such word as ‘ugly’ in the dictionary. That’s why they say Beauty and the Beast. As long as we don’t choose our parents, why would your parents be wealthy and mine are not? Why am I not the first child of the country or governor’s son? It’s simple. Living under your parents’ roofs doesn’t mean you’re in the best place.

Some parents are just there, all they do is just to give birth and put foods on the table and raising children is a million times beyond that. Communication is lacking, when your children cannot speak to you, the outside world will speak to them. And they will follow what the outside world teaches. You and I know the counsel of the world can only be evil. I see young children at the universities and I ask, how old are you and they answer, ‘I’m 17.’ They’re in a hurry to get into the university. The sad reality is that what they’ve not done in 17 years; they’ll do in one week when they get to the school. Their parents would ask, ‘how was school?’ And they’ll answer, ‘school was very lovely.’ And they’ll still keep their innocent look. Look at the cult members when they’re caught, they’ll look good and you would never know they are devils when they’re in action. It’s beyond parents looking for money to raise the children. When children can open up to their parents, all becomes well with them. I do this with all the kids with me. We talk and you asked earlier, how did she get the guts to tell me she was in love? We talk like friends, some of the girls would tell me, ‘he ‘toasted’ me. I said no, but I like him o.’ Then I’d say start studying him when he comes back.

Check out the qualities you truly want in a man. I would let them know if it’s the height and the colour; that means you don’t have anything yet. So they ask me, ‘what can you want in a man?’ And I’d say ‘peace’. How? And I will say any man that has the fear of God will give you joy. The man must also have what Yorubas call ‘olubawi’, the man who mentors him to whom his actions and inactions can be reported.

How does your wife cope and handle this ministry and its diverse challenges?

If my wife is sitting with us here, you won’t even know. We’re equal in the house. We got all the kids together and she’s the biggest gift God gave to me. She was born to be my wife and we were born to raise the ministry together.

The group performing

All the kids are in school and all of them are in private schools, some in primary, secondary and university

Short Story

36

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

Derailed Homosapien Fred Doc Nwaozor

“G

ood morning students,” Mr.. Adesokan greeted after the unanimous greeting received from the students as the tradition demands. “How was your weekend?”

“Fine sir,” the students chorused. “Thank you.” They added. Stood still.

“Please have your seats.” He urged while standing.

The students who were dressed in sky-blue checks immediately assumed their respective seats simultaneously and anxiously waited for a formal introduction from the strange being.

It was Monday morning at about some minutes past nine o’clock after the students’ usual morning assembly; it marked the beginning of the sixth week of the second term segment. Mr. Adesokan was a new teacher in the school – Comprehensive Secondary School, Ojagidi, Ogun State; he resumed duty on that very day. He had just replaced Mr. Tunde who was transferred two weeks back to one of the neighbouring public schools in the state; Mr. Tunde was one of the school’s Mathematics teachers in charge of the senior session but his duty posts were particularly S.S.S-1 and S.S.S-2 classes.

“Hope this is SS1?” Mr. Adesokan verified.

“Yes sir!” The students chorused on the top of their voices.

“Alright,” he said. “What arm is this?”

“SS1A,” they responded.

Each of the senior classes was made up of four different arms ranging from A to D. “Good,” he said. Paused. “Do you know why I’m here?”

“No Sir!” The class of about 40 students exclaimed. They became jittery and curious. Apparently, the suspense was telling on them.

“Okay,” he said. “I’m Mr. Ola Adesokan.”

The overall students became more impatient. Couldn’t wait to hear the next word, phrase or clause that would be dished out by the unknown dude who seemed to be in his early 40s.

Mr. Adesokan who was slim, dark and average in height was clad in a pair of tactically ironed black trousers and grey plain shirt coupled with a pair of black sandals; the shirt was neatly tucked into the trousers.

“Henceforth,” he continued, “I’ll be taking you on Mathematics.”

This time, the students in their entirety became relieved. They have been longing to see who would replace Mr. Tunde; Mr.. Tunde was indeed a good and refined teacher who had all it takes to make even a dummy understand Mathematics to the fullness. His abrupt transfer from the school caused a tremendous pandemonium among the affected students.

And, looking at Mr. Adesokan – going by his dress as well as counte-

Having managed to exhaust his period that lasted for 80 minutes amidst the inevitable temptation, Mr. Adesokan signalled to the teen, asking her to come out

nance, the class appeared thoroughly convinced that Mr. Tunde’s replica had come to replace him; it became absolutely tranquil while they excitedly waited to hear more impressive words from a man who seemed not unlike a god-sent.

After all the needed instructions accompanied with consequential enquiries, Mr. Adesokan hurriedly introduced the topic for the day, which was overwhelmingly welcomed by the students.

Something abnormal transpired in the process. While Mr. Adesokan was enthusiastically teaching the class, he was distracted by a female student who was lousily seated on her desk. The girl in question who was ignorant of the scene she had created felt relaxed and was attentively and passionately listening to the lesson, unknowingly to her that she was making her corruptminded tutor lose his concentration.

Having managed to exhaust his period that lasted for 80 minutes amidst the inevitable temptation, Mr. Adesokan signalled to the teen, asking her to come out. The moment she stepped out,

he whispered to her to see him in his office during the school break time.

The poor girl who couldn’t wait to embrace the awaited break time because she was anxious to ascertain or fathom what actually prompted the unexpected invitation, began her journey to Mr. Adesokan’s office at exactly half past eleven o’clock in the morning (11:30 am) the moment the school bell rang for the break. Her class was about two kilometres away from the office.

“Good morning sir!” She greeted as soon as she walked into the staff room.

It was a complex room compromising four male teachers including Mr. Adesokan. Interestingly, all of them were Mathematics teachers; two were for the junior session whilst the other two were for the senior session. Their respective tables coupled with chairs were separately positioned at the four corners of the room.

“Good morning, dear.” They responded.

“How’re you?” One of them asked.

“Fine sir,” she replied and walked straightly to where her intended host was seated.

“Good day, sir,” she greeted the mo-

ment she got to her destination and stood directly opposite him.

“Good day, my dear.” Mr. Adesokan responded. “How’re you?”

“Fine Sir.” “Sit down.” He softly urged, pointing his right arm at the seat permanently cited opposite his likewise those of his colleagues.

“Thank you, sir,” she appreciated. Quickly sat on the seat.

“I called you here to know more about you,” said Mr. Adesokan. “Because when I was teaching your class this morning, you appeared very seriousminded,” he lied.

“Thank you, sir.” She cheerfully dished out.

“You’re welcome.”

She remained calm and relaxed.

“So, what’s your beautiful name?”

She smiled at the tone of the question especially the ‘beautiful’ that was inclusive. “Yetunde.”

She replied amid the thick smile.

The seemingly harmless discussion lasted for several minutes. At the long run, phone numbers were exchanged though she wasn’t with hers because they were severely warned not to come to school with their cell phones; in view of this, they agreed on how they would be reaching each other. The proposed closeness, which seemed to Yetunde like that of a father and his daughter owing to the tune/mode of the proposal, was actually a deceptive one.

At the 15th minute on the dot when the discussion ended, she hurriedly left for her classroom filled with fantasy as well as ecstasy like one who had just won a lottery.

On their part, his colleagues who were seated at distant locations weren’t aware of what really went on or what was discussed between them, though they weren’t interested either since such meeting wasn’t unusual among teachers and their students. Besides, being a new teacher, they were of the opinion that Mr. Adesokan needed to meet privately with some of his students, especially the serious-minded ones, to intimate him on the journey so far.

TO BE continued NEXT WEEK

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

37

TV & Radio with Deborah Makoji

SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2015

38

This weekend ONTV

TELEVISION

TVC

Saturday 7:30 Crocadoo 8:00 The Indomitables 8:30 Pocahontas

Uche Idoko

The role of parents in children's education

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igeria Today is a programme anchored by Segun Ojelade on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) every Friday at 6:30am.

Last week’s edition was tagged 'Quality of Teaching in Nigerian Schools II.' The programme discussed some of the challenges that schools are facing these days and the role of parents in their children's learning process. Uche Idoko, Executive Director, Centre for Gender and Economics and Stephen Maron, a lecturer, were guest speakers during the programme.

Looking at the learning environment these days, it is no longer news that the infrastructure in some schools are dilapidated, that schools lack teaching aides and other facilities needed for proper education. Both speakers compared what the situation is now to what it was in the past.

According to Maron, infrastructural decadence is a problem that is not limited to primary schools “Looking at the infrastructure in the teaching and learning environment now, there is a total decay in most of the schools, particularly if you go the local government areas in the Federal Capital Territory, you will find out that, most classrooms don’t have seats, pupils have to sit on the floor

and some don’t even have instructional materials. I did a research on problems of teaching and learning geography and I found out that most teachers lacked the knowledge of applying instructional materials. For instance; some schools have projector but lack the knowledge of how to apply them, and these things affect learning. The situation is so bad and it is not applicable to only primary schools but also higher institutions,” Maron said.

Similarly Idoko accepted the fact that lack of facilities and poor teaching aides had negative impact in the quality of students’ confidence. “It has a lot of negative effects on the children, we are in a globalised world. The absence of necessary facilities is affecting children’s learning outcome. Although, a good percentage of private schools have invested much in infrastructure and instructional materials but they also have their own issues,” Idoko said.

She also talked about the roles of parents in children learning process: “I think parents have a role to play in their children’s learning process. Why Nigeria is really peculiar is that, you see negligence among both rich and poor parents.

Among the rich it’s like they entrust their children to house helps who oversee their homework, going for the PTA meetings or maybe the younger brother or

FACE BEHIND THE VOICE

O

Classic FM‘s Kachi

nyekachi ‘Kachi’ Nnochiri was born in the early 80s in Lagos State, ‘Kachi’ as he is fondly called reads the news on Classic FM 97.3 at 6am, 9.15am, 11.15am and 1.15pm Monday to Friday.

Kachi is an all rounder of sorts; he has been a stage actor for many years, a television presenter, a screen actor and a model. His foray into

Kachi

radio broadcasting began in 2010. Prior to this he was second runner up in the ‘Amstel Malta Box Office’ Season 3 popu-

larly known as Amstel Malta Box Office AMBO3 in 2007 Kachi who hails from Abia State is a Theatre Arts graduate of The University of Lagos. He’s an avid lover of the Arts, a movie buff and video games connoisseur.

He is a cool and simple presenter with a good accent. He came back to television screen by anchoring Chat Street with Darlene.

their driver casually represent them.

There is lot of mortgaging children to unqualified lesson teachers going on.

For the poor parents it is also an issue of ‘I didn’t get it, I don’t know better,’ some don’t have interest while others do. Some parents are doing their best while others feel their children spend a lot of time with teachers and so there is no need for them to be involved in their learning. The need for parents to be involved in children’s learning is what we have been talking about over the years. Parents should get involved in the teaching of their children,” she added.

The programme also focused on parents’ interest, literacy and capacity.

Idoko said: “When it comes to the issue of parents and capacity, with my work in rural areas, I think interest supersedes capacity, if you see parents who lack capacity but have interest in the education of their children, they go from door to door looking for those to teach their children, they follow them to school to complain ‘my child did not come back with books.’ She might not know what is happening but she is interested. For some reasons, some have capacity but they are not interested and sometimes, culture plays a role. In the northern parts, they prefer early marriage to a girl-child, they don’t see the need to invest in a girl-child’s education because they believe that early marriage and child bearing is all that a female child needs in life.

Programme summary Sports Tonight

(Channels TV) Monday to Friday@9pm It is a programme that brings commentators together to provide detailed analysis of everything sports.

Chat Hour (Radio Continental 102.3) Monday @9pm Trending issues in the society are discussed, with the aim of correcting societal vices.

9:05 Arambara 9:30 Village Square 11:05 Snakes and Lizards 12:00 Souncity Top Choice Videos 1:00 Hitz 1:30 Pavitra Rishta 2:35 Village Square 4:10 Movie 5:35 Los Rey 6:20 Spice Most 7:00 News Headline 7:10 Footprints 8:00 Pulse 234 8:30 Spider 9:00 Spice Specials 9:30 Soundcity Party Mix 10:30 Omnisport Sunday 8:00 Hutos 9:05 Arambara 9:35 Village Square 11:05 Snakes and Lizards 12:00 Soundcity’s Global Countdown 1:00 Hitz 1:30 Pavitra Rishta 2:40 Village Square 4:10 Movie 5:35 Los Rey 6:30 Glam Mamas 7:05 Before 30 7:30 Saints 8:00 Sunday Paparazzi Show 8:30 Spider 9:00 On the Couch 10:25 Omnisports 10:50 Movies

Saturday 9:00 The Big Issue 10:00 News 10:30 Indomitables 11:00 On the Town 11:30 Sports Week 12:00 News 12:30 Video Fashion 1:00 Nollywood Yoruba 2:30 Firewors 3:30 Golden Chance Lotto 4:00 News 4:30 Sports Week 5:00 Fanz Champioship 5:30 Jendo 6:30 Project Poise Show 7:00 The Teju Baby Face Show 8:00 Boom Box 8:30 Sports Week 9:00 Silent Noise 9:30 Events Diary 10:00 New 11:00 Play on Repeat Sunday 7:00 Hosanna Hour 8:00 Nollywood English 10:00 News 10:10 Nollywood Yoruba 11:30 Sports Week

12:00 News 12:30 Warning Bell 2:00 Relentless 2.0 2:30 Hour Salvation 3:00 Chapel of Grace 3:30 Golden Chance Lotto 4:30 Excellent Leadership 5:00 Hitlist N Cruzin 5:30 Vivid View 6:00 Stand Point 7:00 The Ungrateful Soul 8:00 WAEC Infobox 8:30 The Valley Between 9:00 Pastor Chris Teaching

RADIO

Smooth fm 98.1 Saturday 6:00 Breakfast In Bed 7:30 Venus Raising 8:30 Soul Food 9:00 Bite Size 9:30 Entertainment News 10:00 Smooth Book Review 11:00 Total Football 12:00 Metro Life 5:00 Luxury Soul 9:00 Late Night Blues

Sunday 7:00 Smooth Motivation 10:00 Music Mix 12:00 Sunday Brunch 4:00 Music Mix 5:00 Luxury Soul 6:00 Soulfully Yours 9: 00 Late Night Blues 10:00 Music Mix

Radio continental 102.3 fm Saturday 7:30 Papers Today 8:00 Good Living 10:00 Saturday Sports 12:45 Replay Africa 1:00 Fan Zone 4:00 Me & You 6:00 Entertainment Unscripted 7:30 Afrobeat Tonight 9:00 Single Life 10:30 Old School Groove

Sunday 7:00 Press Report 8:00 Church without Barrier 10:30 Think You Know the Bible 11:00 Country Music 1:00 Chart Busters 2:30 Palaver 5:00 World News 6:00 Youth Connect 8:00 Sunday Evening Groove 10:00 Music

SATURDAY

Travel &Tourism SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2015

Travel Personality Muriithi Ndegwa: We are committed to raising the brand profile of Kenya p.40

Hospitality

Calabar Hospitality Fiesta revs Canaan city p.41

Destination

Olokun Festival 2015: The beauty, thrills of a people’s cultural feast p.42

CHEF'S CORNER

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ice and beans meal may not be most popular but it sure has it nutritional benefits especially for those who are not fans of beans porridge or try to run away from beans because of heart burn as well as the flatulence or indigestion that it is likely to cause. Nutritionists say rice and beans combination is highly recommended because it reduces the effect of flatulence and indigestion.

Ingredients • Two cigar cups (500g) long grain parboiled rice • One cigar cup (250g) brown/ black-eyed beans • 500mls of tomato stew • Chicken or Fish • Pepper and salt (to taste) • Two medium onions • Two stock cubes • One teaspoon thyme

Preparation: Wash and soak the beans for about five hours. Discard the water and rinse the beans. Put the beans in a pot, pour some

Rice and beans meal

Plate of rice and bean

water and set to boil. Once the beans starts boiling, turn off the heat, throw away the water and wash again. These steps will help minimise the indigestion associated with beans for most people. Prepare the tomato stew. Parboil the rice then cook

the chicken till tender with the chopped onions, thyme and stock cubes.

Cook the beans till tender and set aside. Pour the chicken/fish stock into a pot big enough to accommodate the rice and beans, bearing in mind that the rice will

TRAVEL BEATS

Jovago gets new managing director Africa leading online hotel booking platform, Jovago.com has appointed Kusha Dutta as its new managing director. Dutta who has since resumed office takes over from the former managing director of the company, Marek Zmyslowski, who is the pioneering MD of the organisation. Dutta moved from his position as head of revenue management.

Speaking at the colourful handing over ceremony held at Four Points

By Sheraton, the Chief Executive Officer of Jovago, Paul Midy, said “Kushal has made countless contributions to Jovago’s success.

We are positive that he is the kind of leader we need at Jovago right now. In his new role as managing director, Kushal will continue to serve the company with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”

The managing director assured the company of his dedication to the goals of the company as he pledged to take it to the next level. "As a team, we are pleased to carry on the vision and continue to increase our impact as Africa’s

largest hotel booking platform.

I clearly realise the scale of the assignment ahead and we are dedicated to expanding our portfolio within Nigeria, and around the world,” he stated.

Also, he saw the appointment as big responsibility for him and the team. But, he said that his stay in Nigeria for three to four years has taught him what people love and what they do not love.

"Being in the company for so long before taken over this role is actually helpful because I already

know how things work. For Jovago, it is a very good story that we are growing 20 per cent every month. And I am proud to say 99 per cent of our employees are from Nigeria."

According to Dutta, there are a lot of things to improve on such as content and price of hotels.

"It is our concern to give the best hostel at the lowest possible deal and 98 per cent of our hotels are the best you can ever see online.

You can always close your eyes and book with Jovago," he said.

L-R: Wasinda Nganjiwa, Product Manager MTN; Paul Midy, CEO Jovago; Kushal Dutta, Managing Director, Jovago Nigeria

Swiss International Hotels and Resorts launches Swiss-Select reward programme

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Swiss International Hotels and Resorts has launched a new exclusive loyalty reward programme for its guests known as Swiss-Select, which is powered by VOILÀ Hotel Rewards. With Swiss-Select Rewards and VOILÀ, one will enjoy rewards and earning opportunities

39

at independent hotels and resorts around the globe.

Swiss-Select offers free membership to the guests. Instead of limiting earnings to Swiss International brand alone, Swiss-Select members can travel to countless locations, stay at any participating

VOILÀ hotel worldwide, and still earn points. A member can redeem VOILÀ points with partners for free hotel stays while receiving benefits such as room-class upgrades, tailored pre-arrival room preferences, priority check-in, and privileged access to hotel amenities.

rise some more. Add the tomato stew, the parboiled rice and the cooked beans. Check that the water level is just less than the level of the rice and beans. Add pepper and salt to taste. Stir, cover the pot and cook at low to medium heat till the water is dry.

Uganda: A journey through the pearl of Africa At the recently concluded Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) in Diani, Kenya, the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) took the opportunity to take some of the tourism trade contributors on: “A journey through the Pearl of Africa: Uganda.” The destination training breakfast meeting was to promote the country’s destination and showcase the wide variety of its tourism offerings. During his presentation the head of marketing, UTB, Edwin Muzahura, highlighted the multitude of the country’s tourism offerings ranging from wildlife safaris, trekking volcanoes, water rafting and stunning beaches, making Uganda, as Winston Churchill dubbed it, the “Pearl of Africa”.

Putting its dark days behind it, the country is today considered one of Africa’s safest destinations. Uganda was ranked among top 33 places in the world to visit by The New York Times Travel.

The tourism sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in Uganda at annual growth rate of 21%.

The sector contributes to 9.9% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), second largest in the East African region after Tanzania.

With its scenic landscapes and mountains, Uganda offers the best of all African attractions in one destination. The country has four of East Africa’s great lakes namely Lake Victoria, Lake Kyoga, Lake Albert and Lake Edward, the Murchison falls are also located in Uganda and the river Nile crosses the country. Maritime attractions offering ranges from bungee jumping, white water rafting to sport fishing and canoeing or simply relaxing on the beach.

Uganda has 10 national parks all with their unique features and offering such a diversity of wild game that you are guaranteed to not only see the Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhinoceros) but the Big Seven (adding gorillas and chimpanzees) and many more. Uganda is home to the largest mountain gorilla population in the world and vast primate’s species such as chimpanzees and baboons.

40 Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

MURIITHI NDEGWA

We are committed to raising the brand profile of Kenya TRAVEL PERSONALITY Muriithi Ndegwa is the managing director of Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) and was quite an item at the recently concluded Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) in Diani. He speaks on the yearly travel trade expo and the dream of KTB in making Kenya the number one African preferred destination in the world.

What is the motive and vision behind the Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE)?

Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is actually interested in seeing that Kenya gets back to the growth projection in term of increase in the tourists number coming to Kenya.

To also ensure that Kenya remains as good brand and well known, that is our motive behind all the activities lined up for MKTE and specifically to bring in the hosted buyers to see for themselves that Kenya is open for business and also interact with our local trade.

Beside MKTE, what are the other activities that are lined up for the year and coming years?

First and foremost, we started with the hosting of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya, we also hosted the president of the USA, Barrack Obama, they are parts of the major activities to raise the brand profile of Kenya as a destination and also to show that indeed Kenya is safe for business for the international community.

Again, we brought the fifth edition of MKTE to the coastal part of Kenya for the first time because the coast is an area in Kenya that is having a little bit of challenge, so as to rebrand and showcase the region as a lovely place to visit.

Likewise, the Pope will be visiting the Sub-Sahara part of Africa later this year and precisely to Kenya on November 25-27. It is important to state that the proposed visit of the Pope is a true endorsement of Kenya as a brand.

The Africa Travel Association (ATA) will be having their 40th Annual General Congress in Kenya with over 500 visitors who comprise travel agents and tour operators marketing Africa in the USA, coming to meet with the local trade in Kenya.

In December, Kenya will be hosting another major event, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) with about 7,000 delegates. Also, we shall be participating at World Travel Market (WTM) in London (It ended on Thursday) with about 50 trades comprising hoteliers, travel agents and tour operators. At the same time, we shall be visiting Nigeria later in the year to further promote Kenya as a good destination.

Is there any positive development on the country’s tourism arising from the efforts of KTB in recent time?

We have been witnessing some good developments. For instance, Lufthansa German Airlines will commence back direct flight from Frankfurt to Nairobi as a result of our pro-activeness. Of course, this will further boost our tourism sector and increase the influx of our

international arrival from Germany and neighbouring countries.

We held a successful event in Dubai recently under the auspices of Wakanow.com, a Nigeria-based online travel operator with good link in Dubai as an avenue to explore the Middle East travel market.

Kenya is fast becoming a reputable Meeting, Conference, Incentive and Events (MICE) destination in Africa, how do you intend to sustain this development?

A couple of years ago, we believed that it is important for us to diversify our tourism offer having been known as a safari destination globally.

One of the products that we identified is MICE which the government and the private sector have keyed into.

Presently, Kenya was ranked second in Africa as far as MICE are concerned by the ICCA. For us to maintain the standard and sustain the good development, the government is not relenting on the expansion of our MICE facilities within the country.

The expansion of the MICE facilities will not be limited to Nairobi alone but involves Mombasa, Nakuru and Kisumu.

This is a product that is growing and we shall not relent in investing in conference facilities by the government and the private sector to ensure that we have good MICE facilities to continue our leverage on the trend.

business destinations and at that time, Kenya is more or less a leisure market.

That prompted a trip to Germany in April to Lufthansa head office where we were able to analyse the great improvement with the expansion project at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, tourism growth in recent years and the ways Kenya is changing as a preferred destination in Africa with high level of security measure in place.

After the meeting, they indicated that they would come back in 2016 and they later contacted us that they are coming back early 2015.

What informed the recent introduction of the e-visa by your government?

The e-visa is a very positive development for it gives comfort to apply for your visa anywhere so far you have access to internet. It means it will help us to reach out to wider places.

Following the implementation of the e-visa application for all the nationals visiting Kenya, the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of national government has since reviewed this process and decided that they will run both the e-visa platform and the manual platform concurrently, until further notice when the e-visa must have been fully harmonised.

This is not to deprive those that do not understand English the right of getting their visas with ease as the e-visa is presently available only in English.

What is KTB’s view on the recent downturn of international tourists’ arrival to the country?

I think the right thing to say is that

indeed we are about 18 per cent down but the truth of the matter is that the number may not tell the real story as the figure has to do with the international arrivals captured from Nairobi and Mombasa airports.

If you look at the cross border which we have not announced, the number of traffic keep increasing especially from Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia and other neighbouring countries.

Again, looking at the occupancy rates in the hotels, it shows that there is increase on the inflow of visitors to the country compared to two or three years ago. Looking at the forth coming events in Kenya, it means the numbers of visitors to Kenya will be on the high side.

What is your view on the Africa open skies?

If we look at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), I will start with Chicago convention in 1964, clearly looking at their own national airlines, African Union later came together through Yamusokoro decision that by certain date all African countries should have liberalised our airways unfortunately, that did not come to materialise.

In January this year at the African Union Heads of States meeting, about 12 countries signed a declaration that by 2017, they will liberalise, they are opening their airways, Kenya is one of the countries and we also have Nigeria, Uganda, Egypt, South Africa, Ethiopia and others.

Of course, they are big countries in Africa and this will benefit the tourism sector greatly and improve the economy.

What has been the fallout from the joint partnership between your country, Uganda and Rwanda?

The motive behind this is we realised that joint marketing will help the three countries simply because if we look at Africa’s contribution to global tourism it is a peanut, imagine, 53 - 55 million visitors out of about 1.1 billion that is a drop in the ocean.

This is the main reason why people are allowed freely between the three countries is to travel even without international passport. With National identity cards or voters cards in the case of Uganda, people are allowed free entries into the countries without any difficulties.

What influenced the decision of Lufthansa Airlines to resume flight operations to Kenya?

Yes, KTB initiated a discussion with Lufthansa on the need to come back to Kenya at the ITB held in Berlin in March this year. From what they told us, the airline stopped flying into Kenya about 14 years ago on the ground that they wanted to concentrate on

Ndegwa

Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

41

HOSPITALITY

L-R: Secretary, HACR, Mrs. Justina Ovat with the chairman, Charles Ogar dancing with the beauty queens at the background during the motorcade show on the street of Calabar

The winner of the Miss Hospitality Ambassador, Gold Nwanam (right) being crowned by the most beautiful girl, Imo

Calabar Hospitality Fiesta revs Canaan city

S

The first edition of Calabar Hospitality Fiesta otherwise known as CALHOSFI 2015, which held last week in Calabar, writes ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA has not only set the tone for the hospitality sector in the state but a fitting prelude to the Calabar Festival 2015, which is just days ahead.

ince its formal inauguration in 2010, the Hoteliers Association of Cross River (HACR), which is the umbrella body for all the hotels operating across the state, has sought to make a statement about its being and it finally got the opportunity it has long waited for last week when the maiden edition of the Calabar Hospitality Fiesta hosted by it held in Calabar, which is fondly referred to as either the Canaan or Paradise city.

It was a moment of celebration of its coming of age by the hoteliers, an occasion to showcase its beauty, create awareness about the tourism sector, opportunity for the hoteliers to interact and network and create activities to drive traffic to the city as well as serves as a prelude to the yearly one-month Calabar Festival.

But more importantly as stated by the chairman of the association, Mr. Charles Ogar of Pyramid Hotel and Conference Centre, Calabar, “CALHOFSI 2015 is yet another milestone in our quest to developing the tourism sector, it is a product we believe will create visibility and attract traffic to our businesses, a journey must start with a first, we have as an association started our journey into the future with this step tagged CALHOSFI.” Indeed Ogar was prophetic in his declaration as the five days event which were full of colours and enthralling moments, caught the attention of residents as many people who hitherto never reck-

oned with the existence of the body were attracted to the various events joining in the feasting and communal celebration as it turned out to be.

The hospitality fiesta was held in collaboration with Celebrity Planet 9ja, organisers of the Miss Hospitality Ambassador pageant, and a host of other partners including Multi Choice. The theme of the celebration was ‘ain’t stopping us,’ and this was quite apt and instructive in many regards.

Day One The celebration was kick started on Wednesday with cocktail and unveiling of brochure and pageant’s contestants at the Calabar Municipal Garden, a hunting ground for leisure in the city, which turned out to be the host of many of the events.

It was a colourful night with the hall draping in bright colours and exciting moments filled by members of the association and their visitors as well as fun seekers from across the city. The over 30 beautiful maidens who were adorned in blue T- shirts and jeans trousers added verve to the aesthetics of the day and the vivacious and convivial mood.

HACR’s chairman used the occasion to re-iterate the reasons behind the event and its benefits while urging everyone to take part in the feast, which in his words promised to be as entertaining and fulfilling as ever. Other speakers of

the night included the secretary of the association. Mrs. Justina Ovat and the owner of Greenvalley Hotel and Calabar Municipal Garden, Eyo Ita, who is also a member of the association.

Day Two The second day witnessed a city walk/musical concert with members of the association gathered at Okoi Arikpo House, home to Cross River State Tourism Bureau (CRSTU), in a motorcade led by the beauty queens attired in blue T - shirts and bum shorts in Novaroster’s double deck tour bus riding through Marian to Calabar Municipal Garden where they congregated for the night's event.

It was an exhilarating and joyous night with the 22 queens who scaled the selection procession of the previous night entertaining with their different talents ranging from singing, poetry and speech recitations to Thesperian act and aerobatic display with a mix of musical vibes by the DJ and comic renditions by Senator WHO KES and his team.

Day Three It was a day dedicated to talk shop as a symposium on the theme, living the Cross River Dream. It was a panel discussion led by Ogar, Ita, Charles Omoregha of CRSTB, Chima Rhodes of the Department of State Security, Dr.

Bassey Esu, a lecturer and Ovat.

The conclusion of the panel was that the Cross River tourism dream was a noble one and certainly alive even though it may seem to have waned with signs of decline but that concerted efforts need to be made by all the stakeholders in the state with the private sector in the lead and the government providing the enabling environment and policy direction.

Another critical conclusion was that there was the need at this point to identify what the destination is offering the public and that the value proposition of the destination must be clearly identified and promoted while everything possible should be done to enhance the experiences being offered including infrastructure, conducive environment, security and activities among others.

Day Four It was the grand finale of the pageantry, which was held at the banquet hall of Transcorp Metropolitan Hotel and it turned out to also be a defining moment, most colourful and entertaining. The hall was filled to capacity, all draped in different colours and people sitting through till 4am to witness the electrifying moment.

At the beginning of the night, 22 queens representing different hotels in the state entertained with a well-choreocontinued on page 43

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Travel & Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

Olokun Festival 2015: The beauty, thrills Last month, Suntan Beach in Badagry was a beehive of activities as the grand finale of Olokun Festival 2015 was held with hundreds of people in attendance. TAIWO JIMOH presents highlights of the cultural feast.

I

t was a long drawn cultural feast, spanning 11 days. Each day of the festival was eventful with colourful, exciting and fascinating events held from cultural celebrations, social entertainment to intellectual discourse with people of various interests and backgrounds both from within the country and outside the shores of the country in attendance.

This year’s edition of the Olokun Festival lived to its billing as a gathering for the people of the Yoruba extraction in the South western part of Nigeria under the auspices of Chief Gani Adams-led Oodua Progressive Congress (OPC). Drums were rolled out to celebrate their cultural heritage as part of design by the group’s leader to entrench the heritage of the people, preserve it and draw the world’s attention to it aesthetics and functional nature as well as its relevance, evolving nature and contributions to the development of the society and humanity.

It is instructive to note that the festival, which started over a decade ago as a small gathering by the group, has over the years evolved into a bigger platform for the celebration of the people’s cultural heritage. An occasion for the people to savour appealing feast and entertainment with hundreds of people partaking in the feast which now span many days with different activities to its name.

The theme for this year’s celebration was ‘traditional festival and the prospects of cultural dividends,’ with the 11 days fiesta commencing with prayers session held at the Lagos Airport Hotel. Other activities included a world press conference held at the White House Hotel in Ikeja and addressed by Adams among others.

This was followed by an art exhibition held at the Centre for Black African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) in Lagos. The next event was the Yoruba quiz competition where students from various schools in Lagos and elsewhere displayed their understanding and mastery of the Yoruba culture to the admiration of guests and participants.

The questions were centred on consonants, syllable and Yoruba numerical systems. Army Children Senior High School, Ikeja Military Cantonment, emerged as the winner, State Senior Secondary, GRA, Ikeja, came second while Estate Senior Grammar School, Ilupeju,

DESTINATION Oshodi came third.

They all went home with N70, 000, N50, 000 and N30, 000 respectively. Other schools that participated in the competition were Ilupeju Senior Secondary School, Bolade Senior High School, State High School and Community Senior Secondary School.

Also, Miss Onayemi Olamide, an undergraduate of Babcock University, defeated 14 other contestants to emerge as the winner of the Olokun beauty pageant 2015 and went home with a brand new car and cash gift.

Other events that took place during the long celebration were beach soccer, boat regatta, ayo olopon and Olosa gala night at Badagry, which attracted a huge crowd, especially the locals who saw it as another opportunity to felicitate with visitors and show off their once slave port community.

One of the major activities was the festival lecture, which was attended by a lot of intellectuals and cultural buffs and workers from across the five western states. The guest speaker at the event was a senior lecturer from the Lagos State University, Ojo, Dr. Enomhen Sylvester.

His lecture titled ‘cultural heritage and modernity in Nigeria,’ centred on the ways of life of the people, insisting

Olokun shrine

that culture lives and essential to the development of the human society and that African once placed culture on the highest pedestal with high premium on it.

“Culture was held in high esteem in Africa,’’ he said, adding that it was the people's ways of life. He therefore, urged the youth to understand their cultural practices and ensure that they abide by them. The senior lecturer also called on the adults to lead by examples and teach their children and wards the necessity and benefits of adhering to their cultural heritage.

On his part, Adams explained that the lecture was designed to educate the people about the various advantages that confer on them and the role it plays their development as a people and the society at large.

He said it was also to help identify and highlight the challenges Nigeria cultural development faces in modern time.

"Our choice of theme is also informed by the need to direct our common consciousness to the positive and negative impacts modernity, civilisation continue to have on our culture.

"By our culture and other vultures it is our intention to use this lecture to address not only the cause of this impact.’’

The Olosa gala night at Badagry was another heavily celebrated event with about 75 traditional rulers from South West and Republic of Benin among oth-

ers in attendance. The OPC national coordinator then urged the traditional rulers to protect the culture and tradition of the land and not neglect it because of politics or monetary gains.

“Festivals belong to the traditional rulers in Yorubaland because it is your responsibility to lift the culture and tradition high in the land. You are the custodian of the culture and tradition of the people and so you should not allowed it to be thrown away because of politics. “ On his part, the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Ganiyu Adekunle, charged the traditional rulers to take heed to Adams’ admonition.

He also urged his colleagues to obey his call not to relent on their efforts at uplifting the culture and tradition of the people.

The representative of Akran of Badagry, High Chief Agoloto, revealed that the continuous celebration of Olokun Festival in Badagry by Adams had brought about many good things to the people of the area.

The endless benefits, he said included the building of the largest sea port in Africa, which was recently located in the town and the discovery of petroleum and gas products in about five places within the town and this, he said, was projected to last for more than 160 years once exploration commences.

The climax of the 11 days cultural feast

Maria Rodrigo from Spain (2nd left) and Iyanifa Ifatoun Marla (right) from Brazil with two other participants at the festival

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

of a people’s cultural feast Let us not forget our language and where ever we find ourselves, parents should teach their children their language because it is their cultural heritage

Cross section of traditional rulers with the Director-General of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, Mrs. Sally Mbanefo and founder of the festival, Gani Adams, at the event

was the grand finale which was held at the Suntan Beach in Badagry, which for years now has been the theatre of some sorts for the event. The beach came alive with celebration as participants, fun seekers and other cultural enthusiasts converged on the beach, which won a different colour and took on a new existence.

On the day, the chief promoter, Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF) and Oodua Progressive Union, Europe, Adams, said the culture of religious observances and traditional festival celebrations hold a pride of place and are held sacrosanct by the Yoruba people.

“Among our people, the respects for deities are anchored on the belief in their importance, which permeate all the facets of religious rites of the Yoruba. Likewise, the veneration of these deities through festivals call for our attention to their significance in sustaining unity, peace and prosperity in our communities,” he said.

“Olokun is derived from oni-okun (the owner of the sea), said Adams while speaking extensively on the festival and culture of the people. Olokun is the seagod of “lord of the sea”. Olokun is the chief god of not only for fishermen and everyone whose livelihood depends on the sea; he is the principal deity of everyone that lives close to the sea. ‘‘He is the Orisha entrusted with the

Oodua cultural troupe

care of the sea which is a major source of water and economic survival for mankind,” he said, adding that “part of the reasons we celebrate this festival is the name, Olokun, which is universal.’’

Explaining that in ‘‘Edo language, Olokun is Olokun while in Urhoboland, particularly Okpe, Olokun is Olukun.

Among the Igbo, Olokun is Mmuo Mmili or Eze nwaanyi Mmili. ‘‘It is Ndem Mmo among the Efik and the Ibibio while in Gaa language in Ghana, it is Farr Ingmo. ‘‘Beyond Africa, Olokun festival is celebrated in the Diaspora and it is among the belief treasures of the Yoruba that survived among the descendants of enslaved Africans in the Americas.”

On the theme of the festival, Adams reiterated that culture and religious tourism could augment and provide alternative source of revenue for our economy because Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources.

Part of these resources are our religious and cultural festivals which are capable of drawing tourists, which in turn would translate in attracting foreign exchange required for economic growth and development.

Dean of Arts, University of Lagos, (Unilag), Prof. Muyiwa Falaiye, in his lecture on the theme noted that festivals are mostly celebrated to propagate the cultural heritage of a people and they come in various forms.

“When a festival is a national one, it aims to imbue in citizens of that country the spirit of patriotism and solidarity.

When it is religious, it promotes amongst the diverse adherents of that religion a feeling of brotherhood and universal affiliation relative to the other world.

“Festivals could be international when they express the commonness of humanity through the promotion of existential ideals. In the celebration of any of these festivals, interpersonal barriers and structures imposed by existential divides as well as the rules and norms of everyday life are suspended.”

Furthermore, the university don in-

sisted that festivals irrespective of their kinds, are meaning-creating events.

“They are social points where openness of mind and representation of the world are evident. They enable people to reach out to, and appreciate, their history, by making them appraise their past and see how it affects their present, manage their past through critical reflection and visionary action, and thereby prepare them for their future,” he said.

The Director General, CBAAC, Sir Ferdinand Anikwe, said, “I am a great lover of the Yoruba culture and what Gani Adams has started other Nigerians should emulate him.

“It is good that when you attend other carnivals in the world, you would observe that those carnivals took off from Nigeria.”

The DG commended Adams for playing a role in the cultural sector of the country and that he should extend the culture to other ethnic groups in the country.

“We have beaten the white man in our culture and we must continue to do it. We are trying to lead the world through our culture and our best i s yet to come because culture will improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country,” he said.

Also, the DG, Nigerian Tourism Development Commission (NTDC), Sally Mbanefo, added that culture contributes to the GDP of any country and tourism is the greatest employer of labour.

For instance, festivals like Sango festival is celebrated in over 40 countries in the world and Yoruba culture has been exported to other countries in the world.

“Let us not forget our language and where ever we find ourselves, parents should teach their children their language because it is their cultural heritage. ‘‘A country without a culture is a country that has no history,’’ she said.

Theatre groups like Theatre Centrik, Oodua Cultural Troupe and Ajan gbodi cultural troupe from Badagry, thrilled the audience with their cultural dances while fuji music maestro Wasiu Alabi (Pasuma) put up an enthralling performance and a beautiful renditions of his many songs.

Guests in attendance included Oba Joseph Adeoye, Owa Ajero of Ijero kingdom, Oba Ganiyu Adekunle, Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Yisa Olanipekun and Zaki of Arigidi Akoko with over 70 Obas across Nigeria and Benin Republic.

Others were ‘Ambassador’ Yomi Fash-Lanso, Chief Victor Mobolaji Adewale, Deputy Coordinator, OPU Europe and other representatives of OPU worldwide, Maria Rodrigo from Spain and Iyanifa Ifatoun Marla from Brazil with more than 30 Arewa Youth Consultative Forum and Igbo Community members in Lagos as well as Badagry council of chiefs.

The troupe performing during the boat regatta

Travel & Tourism

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CALHOSFI 2015 ignites Calabar c o n t i n u e d f r o m pa g e 4 1

graphed unity dance and cat walked the stage in different attires including casuals, cultural and traditional and dinner wears, revealing their beauty and appealing statistics. At the end of the all night exercise, which was spiced by musical and comic performances by some of the home groom entertainers including Mofonik, Crazy Legz, Arikpo, Rex (Olele),Natty J, Senator WHO KES, Daddy Jay and DJ Tip Top, it came down to the top five.

The night climaxed with the top five, all dressed in dazzling and enchanting attires of Fab Afrik, taking to the stage in what was a last ditch effort to sway the three panel of judges. At the end, Gold Nwannam, Pyramid Hotel and Conference Centre queen, emerged as Miss Hospitality Ambassador 2015 and went home with a brand new car and N500,000 cash prize while Edmond Peace emerged the first runner up and queen of South South followed by Ufuoma Bezi as the queen of South East, Joy Efoli as the queen of South West and Vanessa Eyo-Ita as the North Central’s queen.

Day Five CALHOSFI 2015 climaxed on the fifth day with a coronation ball/end of year party held at Dannic Hotels. The event was equally entertaining and appealing with members of the association and their guests in attendance. Awards were given to two outstanding members of the association for their immense contributions to the hospitality sector in the state. Mrs. Grace Edet, the owner of Marian Hotels, which was the first ever privately owned hotel in the state, was one of the recipients.

Ma Marian, as she is fondly called who is over 70 years old was awarded the longest hotelier award.

Interestingly, Ma Marian also won the dancing competition as she won the hearts of all with her passionate display of the old ‘skool’ dance to the present gyrations.

The other awardee was Eyo Ita. He was awarded the pillar of support award. MC Brown, Senator WHO KES, MC Dayo and Rexy also took turns to entertain the audience while dinner was being served.

In all, CALHOSFI 2015 was a successful outing for the hoteliers association because besides creating a platform for interaction and networking by its members, it gave exposure and visibility in no small measure to the hoteliers and their businesses because many people were attracted to the five days events with a number making enquiries on the entire process.

The hoteliers have shown that they have come of age and are prepared to do what it takes to enhance their businesses, including creating events that would drive traffic because they have done this successfully on their own without government support or presence. Ironically, there was no government presence in the five days event, which in a way is a sad commentary because the state government, which forte is tourism was conspicuously absent.

Besides, HACR has through this made it clear that they are not just passive actors in the state tourism project but rather an integral part and is ready to take the bull by the horn as noted by Ogar on the final day when he said that the dream of HACR is to create an entertainment, leisure and conference empire out of Calabar and Cross River in general.

The jury is already out as the people anxiously wait to see how far Ogar and his fellow travellers can go and also whether the government would live up to its billings by supporting the people and handling its part of the project firmly and successfully.

44

Interior

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

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F

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A bathtub

Sofa

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Futon

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A storage bed saves space and can bring a touch of sophistication to your little spaced bedroom.

SATURDAY, 7 NOVEMBER 2015

SATURDAY

Cover exclusive

Interview

APC, a bundle of hypocrisy, says ex-Edo Speaker p.47

FaceOff

Politics of indebtedness p.48

Perspective

Health for wealth: Akwa Ibom investing in people for sustainable devt p.53

45

NO MINISTER-DESIGNATE CAN LOBBY FOR PORTFOLIO –PRESIDENCY •Buhari: No large convoys for ministers …sets new code of conduct

•Retreat taught us new guidelines to tackle governance, says Ngige •Lawyers divided as Babatope, Adebanjo, others comment Isioma Madike, Anule Emmanuel and Temitope Ogunbanke

T

here are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari may have blocked all avenues of lobbying by ministers-designate and their political associates for “juicy” portfolios.

Presidency sources confirmed to our correspondent that given the body language of President Buhari against corruption, everyone is scared to approach him for such discussions.

This, it was gathered, is a departure from the practice of previous administrations where political bigwigs, ministerial nominees and their sponsors, including state governors, lobbied desperately to secure what they called as ‘juicy ministries; for their candidates.

A source said: “All the ministers - designate know the disposition of Mr. President. They also know that any attempt to lobby for such a thing will be perceived as corruption.”

The source added that: “Not even one of them knows where he or she will be posted to. The President sees their selection as a call to service not a political jamboree like in the past.”

Though all the 36 ministerial nominees sent by the President were all confirmed by the Senate on October 29 and are yet to be sworn-in, none of them is sure of which portfolio he or she would be assigned to.

While receiving the list of the confirmed ministers from the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the presidential villa on Tuesday, President Buhari said not all of them will be assigned portfolios.

The President said given the current economic reality, he was only compelled to appoint one minister from each state of the Federation.

Saturday Telegraph yesterday learnt that with the presidential retreat for the ministerial designate over now, President Buhari will early next week swear them in and assign them portfolios.

The presidential retreat which was organised by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has the theme, “Delivering change from

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Buhari

CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

46

Cover

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

'No one can be appointed and be rendered redundant' CONTINUED from PAGE 45

precepts to practice,” provided a platform to educate them on the focus of the new government, emphasising why they need to key into the change agenda programme.

To further justify that his administration would not condone any “below average performance” from his would-be ministers, it was gathered last night that Buhari has handed over a new code of conduct that would assist government reduce the cost of governance.

Under the new arrangement there will be no large retinue of aides for the ministers, protocol officers and several cars in their convoys.

This is a departure from the practice in the past where ministers, special advisers and state governors maintained large vehicular convoys with sirens beating traffic lights in cities and major high ways.

Confirming this at the end of a twoday presidential retreat for the ministers - designate, former governor of Anambra State and a minister-designate, Dr. Chris Ngige, told state House Correspondents Tsav that President Buhari was serious about operating a lean government.

President Buhari at the opening session of the retreat said he would run a lean government that would stop all forms of wastage in the economy.’’

According to him, the President told the ministers - designate that “You are coming on board the ship of governance at an interesting time. So much has been said about the state of our economy. It is expected that we make the running of government at all levels as lean as possible, avoid waste and reserve resources.”

Ngige further said that “we are going to block areas of leakages, retinue of aides, protocol staff, large convoys of cars are things that will not fly in this administration.”

Reacting to the statement by the President that some ministers will not be assigned portfolios, Ngige said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) remains one.

He said: “If you have portfolio, if you don’t have portfolio, it is one single federal executive council. You bring whatever it is on the table.

“That is not a problem at all. We have a right to discuss things around the ministries because it is one single cabinet. The Ali important thing is that we want to move our people from where they are now as distributing the portfolio to ministers.

A former Minister of Transportation they are in abject poverty which concerns and member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) about 75 percent of the populace.’’

Ngige said: “So, we need to actually re- of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), structure the political and social levels of Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said: “President the country and that is what we are going Buhari is the head of government. This is his time, so let us wait for his plan and to do. That means poverty will reduce.”

However, some prominent Nigerians watch what happens. I cannot say the decihave continued to react to President Bu- sion of the president not to give portfolios hari’s decision not to assign portfolios to to all ministers will affect governance because he is the head of government and I some ministers-designate.

Some of them who spoke with Saturday wish him the best of luck.

“He is the president of the country and Telegraph expressed divergent views on the head of government, so, if he thinks he can feasibility or otherwise of the policy.

On his part, an Afenifere chieftain, Chief operate with ministers without portfolios, Ayo Adebanjo, said: “President Muham- let us see how he does it before we start to madu Buhari is the head of government criticise. President Buhari is trying out an and he has the discretion to run govern- experiment in governance and we should ment the way he likes. As he said, he has allow the experiment to come out in full satisfied the constitutional provisions by before we start to make pronouncement appointing ministers from each of the 36 on it.”

A legal practitioner, Mr. Yusuf Ali states. So, how he distributes portfolio is (SAN) in his reaction said: “The offices at his own discretion.

“He is not questionable by anybody. It created by the constitution are those of the is by the cabinet he chooses that people Minster of Justice and Attorney-General of would judge his performance. So, his ac- the Federation (AGF) and that of the states.

In fact, the constitution spelt out their function is absolutely at his discretion.

“Let us wait and see how he is going tions. Apart from those, no other minister to distribute portfolios to the ministers. is the creation of the constitution. If the We cannot anticipate him on how he will president likes, he can decide not to assign run his government but he must take into any portfolio to all the other ministers, he consideration the constitution when he is wouldn’t be breaking any constitutional

Babatope

It is expected that we make the running of government at all levels as lean as possible, avoid waste and reserve resources

rule. That is the way it in the constitution.”

Similarly, a lawyer and former Ogun East senatorial candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Bisi Adegbuyi, said: “It is not mandatory that the president must assign portfolios to all the ministers. There is nowhere in the constitution that it is expressly stated so.

Those arguing otherwise are just ignorant of the provisions of the constitution.”

For Chief Ralph Obioha, chairman, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Caretaker Committee and chieftain of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), his views were expected.

He said: “This is not the first time that we will have substantive minister, minister of state and Minister of Special Duties.

Once someone is sworn in as a minister, automatically that person is a minister; portfolio or not portfolio. Everybody in Nigeria believes we have too many ministries and some of them were created for ministers to head ministries.

“United States doesn’t have more than 18 ministers but there are other state officials who are members of the cabinet. So, I believe there must be rationalisation and giving portfolios to all ministers to supervise ministries whether the ministries are needed or not is not a good idea.

“The important thing is for Nigerians to start facing the reality. President Buhari is a serious minded person and the present situation in Nigeria calls for rearrangement and re-planning in order to use what we have to get what we want to achieve.

Nobody is in doubt that the substantial energy source that we have, which is petroleum is going out of the sky. Nobody is in doubt that the level of corruption in Nigeria is pinning Nigeria down.

“I believe making someone supervise a ministry as a minister doesn’t mean that that person cannot be changed. The person can be changed 30 days, 60 days or 90 days in a year. Minister of State can also be moved around. The way things are going in Nigeria the president being a president of the entire Nigeria may have a need to appoint six of the ministers as ministers in charge of coordinating and supervising what is going on in each of the six geo-political zones. He may also have to force those ministers to reside in the regions they are appointed to overlook.’’

Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, an elder statesman and former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, said: “President Buhari wants to reduce numbers of ministries and constitutionally he ought to have ministers from the 36 states of the federation. And now that he has reduced the ministries and he wants to comply with provision of the Nigerian constitution by appointing 36 ministers, he cannot give all of them portfolios; some would be minister of state, and I see nothing wrong with that.

“President Buhari said he wants to fight corruption and why should people be head bend on saying you must give our people portfolios? When you are asking for portfolio, you are asking for something which perhaps would be of advantage to you. What kind of advantage, corruption. So, it is all about corruption.

“If we really want to do away with corruption, we should allow President Buhari to choose those he thinks he can give portfolios to. There is nothing wrong in making somebody a minister without portfolio because by being a minister, he is already a member of the FEC. Another legal practitioner, Mr. Ladipo Johnson, said: “Many Nigerians don’t have the financial books of Nigeria, so, we may not know how much ministers earn and how expensive it is to maintain each minister, special assistants, personal assistants, etc. But if the people have given President Muhammadu Buhari a mandate of four years and he is trying to be prudent in management and use of the resources of the country, then so be it.

“The end result is what matters. If by reduction in number of people in his cabinet and reducing ministries, he can achieve the purpose for which he was elected, which is to bring succour and make the lives of average Nigerians better; then I think he would have done well and show us that big government does not necessarily lead to success.

“The constitution states that the president must have a minimum of 36 ministers. That each state must at least have one minister. It doesn’t talk about how many ministries we must have. So, let us see what the president will bring out and the structure he will develop or adopt. It is always open for people to go to court and seek judicial interpretation on issues from the Supreme Court. So, it is left to us to see if someone would challenge the issue and see what the Supreme Court will say at the end of the day.”

Differing from Johnson’s argument, Nkereuwem Udofia Apkan, who is an Abuja-based constitutional lawyer, said: “It is wrong because it is a constitutional issue. The constitution does not envisage that ministers would be created without portfolios. How do you appoint someone without duties? No one can be appointed and be rendered redundant; that is not the intention of the constitution. In fact, all ministers should have portfolio or else the president would be erring in the face of the constitution.”

Interview

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

47

APC, a bundle of hypocrisy, says ex-Edo Speaker Hon. Festus Ebea, the former deputy speaker, Edo State House of Assembly speaks with DEBORAH MAKOJI

Do you see the PDP taking back power from APC? Certainly yes. For me, PDP is still the party. In the last elections, I don’t think it right to judge the strength of the PDP as a weaker party. It happens that in our climes, probably what decides most times or that decided in the last election was the influence of money and what we call reversal of fortune occasioned by the defeat of Goodluck Jonathan in the election of the presidency.

People of Edo State have seen with their eyes widely open now that PDP is the only party that can actually protect their interest, don’t get me wrong, (Governor Adams Oshiomole )has done the best he could, I believe that he did very well in his first term but he completely lost it in the second term and it will definitely rub off the fortune of the APC in Edo State and people have now found out that let us deal with people we can trust, people are now more aware because when it rains in the state you don’t go anywhere and the roads are destroying people's vehicles, motorcycles and even causing accidents.

All these are making accessibility impossible and these roads were just fixed about three or four months ago during the election. We now tell the people that they should decide for themselves the greatest spell in bible is hypocrisy, even God frowns at hypocrisy. If we have a party that is so hypocritical like APC it is now left to the state to throw away that which God frowns at and begin to think that with the APC we are doomed.

I am seriously praying that our people should shine their eyes to know what is right for them; PDP is the only party they can trust. Check all our aspirants, you will know that they are people who can stand on their own, not people who will be pushed from left to right by their godfathers.

PDP aspirants are people who can stand on their own and rule with their God’s giving talent, people who know the state very well, they have been living in this state, they are not just brought from outside, these are things you must have in your mind, these are people who have lived all their life in Edo, they are people that care and have seen that if PDP doesn’t take over Edo State from this government which has decided to put the state in perpetual debt.

How ready is the PDP to take over

power in Edo State, what strategies are they putting in place to achieve that?

They are planning seriously, there are underground sensitisation processes to make sure that people are aware of the need for us to save the state not to save your stomach but for you to save the state and that is our calling and we have all come together, all of us must speak our differences. We want to remove the hypocrisy seat in governance. Today, you can point at Stella Obasanjo hospital, cassava factory and other projects built by PDP. Talking about the senate, some people have criticised the PDP senators for supporting the senate president, Senator Bukola Saraki, when he appeared at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) . What is your take on that?

If I ask you, what were the offences Saraki committed? We are asking, those who committed offences, have they been called? One thing you must know is that, once it does not favour them it is only in PDP that APC in their own hypocritical stand that you will be found guilty when you have not even been tried.

On their own side they will say an addicted criminal is righteous, h has not been pronounced guilty so, he is still righteous so you can compare Diesani with Ameachi.

Talking about Diesani and Ameachi, would you say the action of the law on Diesani is not just?

I leave that to you the press to judge.

Ebea

in Nigerian has become politics of settlement and it is the case of you must be paid back if you had invested, people see politics as an area to invest and equally gain back your investment. One thing you must know about this ministerial list for the fact that it has lasted this long, I was expecting the Oyedepo’s, Bakare’s, Adeboye’s but I did not see them, he brought the names we are used to. Well I don’t believe that people cannot change, it is possible that these people we are thinking are bad today have changed.

So, we can only On their own side wish and pray that they will say an this new nominees are able to help the addicted criminal is president to deliver the deliverables we righteous expect from him.

What is your position about the single treasury account?

It is very good because they are so many hidden facts about our income and I believe it is a right step in the right direction and I must commend president Buhari for bringing that to reality, I do know that Jonathan was trying to do that but for the fact that it has come to been in Buhari’s regime is worth commending.

In your own personal opinion, how will you assess the names on our ministerial list and the screening so far?

Well, as a person I would have been surprise if I get names outside these people because politics

Do you think this administration is youth friendly? I mean is there any hope for youths to participate politically in this present administration?

I don’t think the youths will have their way in this government because you can see the ministerial nominees now, I don’t think there is anyone who is less than 40 years old but during Jonathan’s administration we have people who are less than 40 in government. I will leave it like this for the press to check and judge is what we are seeing is what we actually prayed for but above all, we will keep praying for the nation.

What was growing up like?

My growing up was very good, I grew up having all that I needed from a polygamous background where we all love one another. I went tone of the best schools. I am happy with my people both at home and in Diaspora, above all, I am glad I a Nigerian from Edo State.

Does your background influence who you are now?

Yes it does because we believe that nature and not only environment nurtures perception. My background and my environment did nurtue my perception.

At what point in your life did you decide to go into politics and what informed that decision?

Politics for me is a calling, in the sense that my dad had represented before, I had a post in the federal house. Growing up especially during the reign of Ali of blessed memory started seeing what politics is all about and having Late Ambrose Ali as a mentor because of what he has done, not only for Ekpoma but the entire state, I do believe that politics has been calling for me because it helped me to that which Ali did for Edo people.

What is your sense of fashion?

I cannot begin to praise myself nut I believe that I am quite conscious of what I wear, it might not be expensive but I believe that one must appear neat, know the matching colours and what is appropriate for different occasion.

FaceOff

48

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH 7 NOVEMBER 2015

Oshiomhole has borrowed more money than any other gov – Orbih Last week, you asked Pres Buhari to stop the payment of bailout funds to states, especially Edo state, alleging that it encourages corruption. Elaborate on this?

Well, for those who have been following our track record, we have been in the forefront of the fight for the welfare of workers in Edo, especially, at a time we have a government led by a former labour leader who is totally insensitive to the plight of workers in Edo state. When he was busy retrenching teachers and refused to pay them their allowances we were in the forefront in the battle with the government to ensure that teachers were not retrenched and their outstanding allowances were paid to them, when he wanted to subject them to the competency test against all known rules of civil service employment we also came out forcefully to resist and fight against it.

So, the issue of PDP not interested in the welfare of Edo workers does not arise.

Yes, what we are saying is that from the time Adams Oshiomhole took over government as governor of Edo state, from the federation account Edo state local government councils have received well over N200 billion from the office of the Accountant General. These figures are there for all to see and for the past seven years all that is required out of this money to pay workers salaries is N45billion. What we are saying is that the question of bailout is arising from the misappropriation of local government allocation by the state government.

They are diverting this money that is meant for local government to meet their financial obligations to workers and welfare of people of the areas, into private pockets instead of releasing the money to the various councils. So, what we are saying is that rather than resort to dishing out financial bailout which is now becoming a regular thing, the federal government should investigate why the money meant for these councils as allocated from the federatin account are not given to the councils, where is the money going to; is it proper for the governor to take this money instead of giving the money to the councils? For example, between January and September 2015, Oredo local government council got from the federation account an official amount of N1.67m but what the governor gave to the council for this period was N102 million.

How do you explain that? This is replicated in all the other local government councils’ allocation. So, the issues here, in the first place, is that there no need for bailout. If they have gotten over two hundred billion since they came on board and what was required out of this money to pay all workers salaries was about N45bn, you will see that they will have a surplus for integrated rapid rural development but what we have is that the various local government councils cannot even pay the workers salaries because this money is being taken by the governor.

But we gathered that this money, a large chunk of it goes to the payment of teachers salaries and what is left to the councils may not be enough to satisfy developmental challenges at

Chief Dan Osi Orbih, Edo state chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), tells CAJETAN MMUTA, that seven years into the administration of Gov Adams Oshiomhole, has been a mockery of the anti-corruption crusade of the adminiatration of Pres Muhammadu Buhari; controversy surrounding his ministerial nominees;, the call for anti-graft agencies to probe the Edo state government over alleged mismanagement of local government funds and other issues.

Orbih

the council levels.

I have captured what is going on. It is not a question of paying teachers or not paying them, they have more than enough to pay everybody. What is happening is that rather than give this money to the various local government councils, the governor is taking the money from them.

Imagine a situation where between January and September, a local government council was supposed to get over one billion naira, it is being given only N102m.

How do expect it to meet its obligations to the workers and to also have the excesses money that is supposed to be for the development of the local government area.

So, it is not a question of inadequate fund rather it is a question of the governor misappropriation of local government funds. There is no need beating around the bush. I said they should probe Oshiomhole for diverting local government allocation and there should be no reason for bailout. If this allocation as it comes from the federation account is given to the

I have given you a classic example of a local government area

local government councils as it should be there will be no question for bailout.

Are you aware that reduction in revenue from the federation account following a nosedive in the prices of crude oil at the international market has affected everything?

All these reductions in the prices of crude oil and all that, I am quoting figures that have been allocated to the local government councils. I can take each of the local governments and tell you what they got from the federation account and what was given to them. If they get the actual amount that is meant for their local governments, you will see that what the fall in the revenue brings about is probably not having so much for developing the areas and not having enough money to pay salaries. I have not said this was what was expected, I have given you a classic example of a local government area getting N1.67bn and the state governor giving that particular local government only N102m. This money came from the federation account but they refused to give them, this money is being diverted.

It is sad that all these are happening at a time a labour leader is the governor of Edo state. what is worse, he has embarked on borrowing of money.

The question is what is he borrowing money to do? The amount of money he

has borrowed so far does not reflect in the development of the state. There is no correlation and way to place the amount of money borrowed with the ongoing projects in the state and what is more do we really need to borrow? The answer is no.

What we need in Edo state is to have a government in place that will reorder the priorities. If you have regular flight from Benin to Lagos, from Benin to Abuja, from Benin to other parts of the country why do you need to chatter a private jet for every journey you are making at every point in time.

That is one area we must curb the excesses of the governor. Now, we are there are no security challenges in Edo state; Edo state today is one of the most peaceful states in the federation, there is no question of insurgency, there is not Boko Haram in the state; we don’t have any security crisis in Edo state but on a monthly basis Oshiomhole takes between N500m to N700m and he is trying to use this money with the explanation to meet urgent security challenges. How come that every month since you came into power you are having the same security challenge that attracts the same amount of money? The recent N10bn he borrowed from the CBN is about six months of what he takes as security vote, so, do you need to borrow this money?

I am seeing a situation where the governor having realized that he is on his way out of government, wants to place a debt burden on the incoming government to make it impossible for that government to perform. We are in a typical African setting no matter how old a man is, even if he is seriously sick, he does not put a burden on the children. You have never seen a man because he is sick he begins to sell his land at old age, he will be thinking about what he can leave behind for his children but here Oshiomhole is ready to squander everything for no just cause.

You accused the governor of diverting allocations meant for local government councils but the governor said he never touched allocations to councils and even the state ALGON chairman also confirmed that. How do reconcile this assertions?

I have just asked for a probe of Edo state local government allocations. Let the various anti corruption agencies swing into action and expose the monumental fraud perpetrated by Adams Oshiomhole and his administration as it affects the allocation of local government councils. You see, in order to divert attention, he is busy suspending elected local government council chairmen. It is really a pity that he has resorted to a garage politics and oshobe tactics to suppress the local government council chairmen but thank God that some of them have come out to address the issues.

I was so impressed when I listened to the interview granted by the Oredo local government council chairman when he stated clearly that the government must come out and tell the people the truth.

What the council gets from the federation account is not what the governor is giving to the council and you don’t expect them to use sand to pay what is not given to them to the workers.

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NO GOVERNMENT CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT BORROWING, SAYS AFEGBUA It is seven years since Gov Oshiomhole became governor in Edo state. Assess the journey, how has it been?

It has been a journey of ups and down, which again has been able to alter the narrative in terms of delivering on the essential services for the well being of the people; ups and downs because we have a story to tell; a story about taking Edo from the back waters of political and socio-economic development to a story of positive development and developmental initiatives that have installed a high level of confidence in the minds of the electorate and the people and giving Edo state a face lift in different critical sectors of the economy. So, we have had our challenges, we cannot address the plethora of developmental challenges in the state in two terms but we have been able to make a significant and remarkable impact in the minds of the people and in the economic, social and political infrastructure of the state in the last seven years to the extent that we can point at existing legacies that were our own initiatives.

We inherited a state that was so decayed, so backward, so heartbroken, a people that were almost getting hopeless about governance; we inherited a people who felt that government was no longer there to provide the basic infrastructure and enabling environment to pursue their various aspirations.

Now, we have been able to consciencitized, mobilized and sensitized the people that no, government can really do something and make its impact felt in their lives and lives of their loved ones. So if you came into Edo in 2008, prior to the enthronement of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s administration and you visited Edo in 20015, seven years down the line, this remarkable achievement will generously stare you in the face in terms of comparism.

There is no basis for one, you cant compare this government; people compare this government with the days of Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia when he took the entire Bendel state by storm and delivered on so many areas. So, I think it is story of jubilation, a story of celebration, a story of adoration that we have a leader who has been able to step on toes to ensure that the collective majority of Edo people are catered for.

Notwithstanding the pass mark and the achievements you have given to the government, people are of the view that not much was done during the second term.

What is your take on this?

I think more is even being done now than the first term because you should understand something that there were quite a number of projects that were not completed in the first term which have been completed in this term. There were some that were jump-started in the first term that have to be completed in this second term but it is better for you to complete certain projects before you initiate new ones. Even in the second-term, we initiated new ones, the Central Hospital is one of such, that is a huge project, you need to visit there to see what is happening.

The Ewohinmi Hospital is another that has now started running and the general hospitals we have across the state, about 34 all of them have been renovated and put in the proper shape. All those ones are in this second term, Second East Circular road that we started in this second term is almost completed, you have the Okpekpe road where they conduct the popular Okpekpe road race, it has to be completed in this second term. We have the Okpella road that has commenced now, it is going to be

Prince Kassim Afegbua, Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to Gov Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state, speaks to CAJETAN MMUTA on the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) attacks on the APCled state government; the seven years of Oshiomhole’s administration; President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti corruption crusade; the ministerial screening and confirmation of ex-governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state among many other issues. completed in this second term and quite a number of projects. So, when people don’t have anything to say in terms of criticism, what about the Adesuwa road we started and completed in this second term. We have also done a couple of roads inside the GRA, we have done some drainage work and all that. The Benin City water storm project, the Siluko road we are taking it up to Channel Five now, it is still in this second term.

There are quite a number of them and so it is easier for people to; you have the Upper Mission, Upper Lawani and all that, we are still going to complete all of that. It is easy for them to make noise that first term you worked this time you have not done so much it is just because they have seen us started the projects and we are going to complete all of them. If you go to Edo north the Ojerami- Ewan-Akuku road is in this second term, we have other roads in that area. We have other ones in Anegbette road and even Auchi township roads, Jattu.

If you have started projects and you have

What people were asking was that where are we getting money to do the projects we are doing

Afegbua

not completed them you have not done the needful. There is in Aviele linking Auchi road, there are quite a number of projects.

So, I think what people were asking was that where are we getting money to do the projects we are doing, knowing full well that there were dwindling revenue from the federation purse and knowing also that there are so much to be done because of the level of decay that we inherited. I think this government will or surpass in the history of Edo state.

I pray that succeeding governor will do more so that the impact will continue to gladiate the minds of Edo state.

What are we expecting as next year approaches because the government appears compressed by lack of time?

There are quite a number of projects that are ongoing that we are going to complete.

We are going to complete the Central Hospital and deliver it to Edo people before the exit of this administration. We are also going to complete the Upper Lawani, Mission road, the Second East Circular road, the Okpella road and quite a number of other roads in Edo Central that have been awarded and we are currently being handled, we are going to complete them. We have the Queen Ede erosion, we have the Ekenwan erosion; we have the Auchi erosion that are ongoing as we speak. These are huge projects because when you go to those

sites before now those communities around those areas have already given up. It took the intervention of the Comrade Governor even when the PDP government refused us bailout funds with respect to ecological problems.

We have to seek for solution elsewhere because we cannot be lamenting all the time that there is no resources. So, it is the responsibility of government to look inwards and see areas where they can generate or get funds to address and arrest ecological drift like you see in all the places.

So, if you go to Queen Ede erosion site now you see the kind of work that has been done there, you go to Ekenwan the same thing and in Auchi the same thing. There are other areas that have erosion challenges that need to be addressed but we have to ensure that we complete all these ones in record time so we don’t bequeath a succeeding government a regime of uncompleted projects.

Since a lot more needs to be done, what calibre of person should Edo people look forward to as Oshiomhole’s successor because there is this fear that the governor might impose a crony?

There are no tracks to be covered for the Comrade governor. The only track to be covered is the track of performance, track of achievements, the track of having the courage to step on toes and get things done to move the Edo agenda forward. The tracks that have been tailored will be the track of equitable distribution of developmental projects, equitable dispensation of available scarce resources, the ability to also key into the developmental initiatives of the Comrade Governor with a view to taking Edo to the next level.

We have commenced a process and that process has to be tailored in such a way that these legacies will be sustainable.

Those legacies are legacies of development, legacies of infrastructural endowment, development and even legacies of exploiting the economic value of those infrastructural development because it is not enough to construct a road, this road is leading to this village is it going to add value to the commonality of existence of people in the area; look at the Okpekpe road race, it has an economic dimension to that road.

A young man who is into sports management and marketing first need to catch in on the smoothness of that road and say no we can do a ten kilometer race here and it can now be entered into the International Athletic Federation schedules. Every year in May athletes from different parts of the world come to congregate in that small village called Okpekpe to do a road race with very handsome rewards for their participation, thereby enhancing the economic wellbeing of the people; hotels are booked, people who are selling water, selling food are all there and that is a way to catching on the economic infrastructure to benefit the people. What about the roads that were constructed to various villages where agricultural crops are produced where they have to be moved to the urban centers where demand for them are high. It is way of getting an individual who has courage, who has the right temperament, who has experience, ability and capability to key into the Edo agenda and Edo agenda is that of development, that of forward looking. Edo people have become so sophisticated, so conscientized, so mobilized and so sensitized that they will take half measure for a leader.

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any Nigerians, according to medical experts, are apprehensive that the recent revelation by President Muhammadu Buhari that the country is broke may lead to quantum suicide among the populace.

Speaking in an exclusive telephone interview with Saturday Telegraph, a consultant psychiatrist and deputy secretary, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State branch, Dr. Oluseun Peters Ogunnubi, said the frank assessment of the country’s economy is likely to lead to “anomic” suicide.

According to him, the health sector before this time has been in shambles with non-functional equipment and jaundice personnel that are unmotivated.

Ogunnubi said: “Even when Nigeria was not broke, hospitals have become mere consulting rooms. There was no accessibility, availability and affordability of quality medicare for the mass majority of the people. This was what gave rise to medical tourism that is being experienced in droves. India has suddenly become the destination for quality medicare, which unfortunately, the poor majority in Nigeria could not access because of the huge financial implications.

“Now that the president has come out frankly to admit what most people already know, it would definitely lead to both active and passive suicide. Where someone is unable to pay for simple things like malaria treatment, what do you think will happen? By mere thinking on how to get the high cost of treatment in hospitals that do not even have what it takes to treat such trivial ailments would on its own lead to death. I mean death-induced by a state of hopelessness. This is what is going to happen if urgent steps are not taking to fix the economy back to shape.”

The consultant psychiatrist did not stop there. He also said that the secondary health facilities are the ones still managing to remain afloat even as he noted that they are being overstretched at the moment. “The primary care sector, which has remained unfunded, is in coma as we speak now while the tertiary sector, that is the teaching hospitals have become mere edifices. These have led to mass exodus of quality medical personnel abroad. I’m not talking of doctors alone; but nurses and other personnel are also moving. This is a shame for a country that should be selfsustaining in many areas, particularly in the health sector.

“I foresee a situation whereby anomic suicide will overtake all known health issues currently plaguing the nation. It may be the leading death in the next six months if truth must be said. Again, more people will take to alcohol consumption, especially paraga because of depression and anxiety, which in turn will lead to more heart-related diseases. This is my candid assessment of the situation that we found ourselves now,” Ogunnubi said.

In like manner, another consultant psychiatrist at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Osogbo, Osun State, Dr. Suleiman Babatunde, aligned with the position of Ogunnubi. He said that despite the change in government, there has not been any visible development in the lives of individuals. Civil servants, according to him, have been at the receiving end, feeling the crunch with many not being able to meet simple family obligations.

“Depression and anxiety are the major symptoms of a regress economy the world over and Nigeria, if you ask me, would not be an exception. The consequence of this will be attempted and actual suicide by many who may not be able to cope with the accompanying stress and hardship.

With the situation at hand, many would not be able to pay their bills as they should or even meet up with sundry domestic commitments.

“It will also lead to unemployment;

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Broke economy: More

•Rape cases will also increase - Psychiatrists Nigeria’s economy has been officially declared insolvent by the president. With this affirmation, medical experts, especially psychiatrists say many Nigerians may likely commit suicide as a temporarily measure to escape the quagmire. ISIOMA MADIKE in this report looks at this and other consequences through the eyes of experts

Endoscopic training session at the National Hospital Abuja

many will lose their jobs, crime and criminality will rise, incidents of rape like we are experiencing now will continue to rise astronomically and generally, weird things will be happening with no control. All these are suicidal. This behaviour would be as a result of frustration, which ultimately would lead many to take their lives.”

However, Dr. Femi Olugbile, also a consultant psychiatrist and former Chief Medical Director (CMD) at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), chose to look at the issue differently. He told Saturday Telegraph that the president was only talking about the drastic change and manner the scarce resources are going to be managed in the new dispensation.

“It was a realistic comparison of what was and how to get out of it. I believe Mr. President was talking about the lean economy and how to efficiently manage the system to avoid total collapse. As a medical doctor, I don’t think it will degenerate to the point where individuals would be so frustrated to consider taking their lives.

To me, it’s just how the resources would be prudently deployed to the very essentials in the economy; a kind of plugging the hitherto licking areas. That is my reading of the import of Buhari’s statement on the state of the economy,” Olugbile said.

But, Dr. Olusunkanmi Isamotu, a paediatrician and immediate senior special adviser on health to the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, differ slightly. He told this reporter that when a country is broke it means it is no longer able to meet up with the demands of activities in most sectors of the economy as it used to before such situation occurs.

“A lot of things the country was able to

PHOTO:www.tanimufoundation.org

Anomic suicide may be the leading death in the next six months if truth must be said do based on the available income, it won’t be able to do such things any longer. This applies directly to an individual. So, this situation would affect the life expectancy of the citizens because they would not, in a broke economy, able to do those things they had taken for granted. For instance, the health sector would suffer, in which case hospitals and the allied institutions would have difficulties in meeting up with the demands of the time.

“There would also be less money to service the available equipment or even replacing obsolete ones; drugs would become very expensive and out of the reach of the ordinary people and many would not be able to access these facilities as they should have. The resultant effect is that there would be increase in disease and deaths.”

Isamotu went further to look at the issue of food sufficiency. He noted that there may not be enough food for the required balance diet. This, according to him, would affect everybody because all need or require food to live a healthy life.

“In any case, many who would be unable to access the high cost of health would in turn move to patronise quarks. These unskilled personnel would also compound

Buhari

the already bad situation.

“Given that the average life expectancy at the moment is about 52 years compared to the United States of America which is about 78 years, the situation would further compound this ugly scenario. Apart from these, the education sector would suffer in that many children would not be able to go to school as their parents wouldn’t be able to meet up with the fees.

“The struggle of life in this circumstance would force them into crime and criminality even as some other unwholesome ventures that may eventually cut their lives short would become attractive.

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Nigerians 'll commit suicide In a similar regard, it would promote unemployment as many would be thrown out of job. The resultant effect would be that they may not be able to take care of their immediate families,” he said.

For Dr. Saheed Bello, family physician at LAUTECH, the country’s very bad economic state is obvious. He believes that the economic situation has greatly affected would even affect the citizens the more in the coming months.

“Many people cannot afford their bills now. In this year, we have experienced seven strikes, including doctors who had gone on strike for over four months. As it is now, government seemed not to be concerned. And the situation affects other sectors of the economy too. We now have many beggars on the streets and at the market level, goods are out of the reach of many with little money at their disposal to spend.

“All of these would sum up to increase mortality because people can no longer afford simple things like malaria drugs. For sure, these would eventually shorten the life expectancy in the country, which in the first place, is not encouraging.”

Incidentally, the experts agreed that there is a problem in Nigeria and that many, who are dying young, usually die from diseases that could have been prevented or treated if the economy is boisterous. People’s immune systems, they chorused, are weakened by living substandard lives, in which many frequently succumb to avoidable diseases like cholera and malaria.

President Buhari recent admission that the country is broke is, indeed, rattling not only to medical experts but to all Nigerians. Buhari, who is the President of Africa’s biggest economy, confirmed many people’s fear when asked about the neglect of infrastructure. He bluntly stated that paying salaries by the federal government is so tough that not much else can be done.

He mentioned that 27 of the 36 states had to be bailed out so they could pay salaries and went further to state that Nigeria was morally and economically vandalised. Watchers of the country’s economy took it from there. They have gone on to paint a gloomy picture of the economy and how it would inadvertently affect the already depleted life expectancy of the average citizens.

Compared to this time last year, a barrel of crude oil was over $100 (now less than $50), at the black market was N169 (now about N226),

Malnourished children

At present, lives in the remote areas of the country presents a horrifying picture

Rape

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Babatunde

while inflation was about eight per cent (now 9.4 per cent). These figures, however, have somewhat forced living standard to nosedive dramatically. The situation is remotely being linked also to the rise in many young people who have begun to have serious heart-related diseases that lead to, for instance, strokes and renal failures that have become rampant in

PHOTO:salaugbenga.wordpress.com

Olugbile

today’s Nigeria.

Before the country’s Center for Disease Control announced that it calculated a reduction in the national life expectancy figures, the World Bank had said it was just above 51 years old, almost 20 years less than the world average. This may be why Dr. Adamu Onu, a family medical practitioner, said that the

health crises across the country have poverty as the main cause.

He is of the belief that most people in Nigeria simply do not have access to healthcare because they live far away from the nearest clinic and do not have the money or the means to travel to the city to access better medical treatment.

Incidentally, this correlation of income and life expectancy is often said not to affect individuals born in wealthier countries negatively. On the average, they are expected to live longer than those born in poor countries. To these analysts, it is not the aggregate growth in income, however, that matters most, but the reduction in poverty.

At present, lives in the remote areas of the country presents a horrifying picture.

Infants within the age bracket of two years are generally looking malnourished. Many of them are pipe-stem thin with rather large teeth which jut from a somewhat perpetually open mouth etched on a face with skull-tight skin and buzz-cut hair. They often grit their teeth when they talk.

Their sight casts a dark shadow over a rising Nigeria, where millions of children have little to eat. If they survive, they are likely, according to experts, to grow up shorter, weaker and less smart than their better-fed peers.

However, it does appear that the country’s efforts at reducing the number of undernourished people would be largely hampered by blighting poverty where many cannot afford the amount and types of food they need.

In addition, shoddy management of food stocks, over reliance of carbohydrate-rich food that fuel and fill the poor rather than truly nourish them in the country’s poorest rural settings, according to findings, would only but worsened the already bad situation.

Ogunnubi

52 Politics The unilateral concessioning of health facilities in Imo, STEVE UZOECHI reports, is creating uproar among stakeholders.

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he arrangement to commercialize parastatals of government and concession public health facilities in Imo state was actually initiated by Governor Rochas Okorocha in his first tenure as governor of the state. The governor apparently, may have come to this resolution unilaterally and have since wrapped up the transaction to relinquish the health facilities of the state to concessionaires.

There was hardly any expert consultation on the concessioning project, according to labour unions and pro-life advocates in the state.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Imo state chapter had since dissociated itself from the privatization policy of the state as the project in their view was ill-conceived.

In a media chat with newsmen, the NMA state chairman, Dr. Hyacinth Emele had lamented that following the concessioning deal, Governor Rochas Okorocha had commenced the construction of brand new 27 General Hospitals across the 27 council areas of the state defying every counsel to the contrary. the doctors condemned the concessioning of public health institutions in the state to private individuals and dismissed the ongoing construction of 27 general hospitals as a, ‘self-serving exhibition, waste of scarce resources and a dangerous gamble with public health in Imo.’ The doctors who had earlier advised the governor to do a pilot study with only three hospitals in each senatorial district while uplifting existing facilities, providing adequate manpower, equipment, finances, training and retraining of doctors, expressed shock that government was continuing with the concessioning plan after the failed concessioning of the Umuguma Specialist hospital to a consortium represented by Governor Rochas Okorocha’s former Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Sylvanus Amaeshi.

The doctors in clear terms inferred that the concessioning plan of the governor was largely driven by pecuniary gains.

Speaking also in an interview, Dr. Darlington Akukwu of the Catholic Medical Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Imo state Chapter said that government seems to be interested only in making profits at the hospital.

He argued that with that as the motivation, healthcare services under a concessionaire cannot be affordable.

He said, “All the free health programmes sponsored by the Federal Government, NGOs, UNICEF and WHO in such areas like reproductive health; maternal and child health; HIV/ AIDS, Roll Back Malaria; immunization; tuberculosis and ebola would cease as the agencies would pull out their sponsorship since the facilities have gone into private hands and driven by profits.”

Akukwu explained that in corporate governance, there are sectors of the government that are revenue generating and there are sectors that are strictly for social services. He noted that health and education fall with the social services sector of government.

Continuing he said, “Health for instance is an area where government discharge its social responsibilities to the people. Everything in government is not about buying and selling; it is not

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POLITICS OF IMO HOSPITALS PRIVATISATION every sector that you evaluate profit in Nigeria, to expand their human ovarian terms of naira and kobo. You consider egg poaching and trafficking activities the health indices of the people which is under this shoddy healthcare reform why it is often said that a healthy nation law (NHA 2014).” is a wealthy nation. As far as health is While human organ trafficking is concerned you cannot always expect outlawed in the United States and the to evaluate return on government inEuropean Union, Njemanze regretted vestment by way of cash. Such indices that Nigeria has no legislative proteclike child and maternal mortality rate; tion whatsoever, which is why corrupt governments are putting public health HIV/AIDS prevalence; immunization facility in the hands of proxies of intersuccesses and even life expectancy of national biotechnological companies. the people are far more important than “The case in Imo is a tragedy where cash.” the entire public healthcare institution Commenting on the development, the Chairman of the Global Prolife Alcomprising over 560 health centres to all liance (GPA), Dr. Philip Njemanze althe general hospitals have been handed leged that the ongoing privatization of over to foreigners whose identity and public health institutions antecedent are unknown to in the state is a measure anybody in the state”, Njedesigned to take advanmanze said.

Earlier in his first tenure, tage of the loopholes in the These human Okorocha had announced a National Health Act 2014 which virtually gives imconcessioning deal between ovarian egg petus to organ trafficking the state and Apollo Hospitrafficking by international biotechnotal in India, a move that triglogical firms using corrupt gered a heavy backlash as activities are now Nigerian proxies. pro-life activists descended legalized According to Njemanon the state questioning the ze, international biotechreal motives behind the connology companies cessioning deals. They had involved in embryonic stem cell rewondered why the state government search in the industrialized would want to hand over its hospitals to countries apparently sponsored the an organization (Apollo Hospital) that passage of this NHA 2014, to obtain a was at the time under Interpol invessteady supply of human ovarian eggs tigation for human organ trafficking. and sperms for the industry to perfect The agitations temporarily shut human organ cloning research. down the governor’s concession plan Said he, “According to a European at the time and the privatization arUnion Report, Nigeria is already the rangement was assumed to have been world’s leading human ovarian egg shelved until recently when indications trafficking country through the then began to emerge that the 11 existing illegal activities of foreign and local general hospitals; the 27 additional genin-vitro fertilization clinics owned by eral hospitals under construction and biotechnology companies. These huabout 560 primary health care facilities man ovarian egg trafficking activities across the state have been concessioned are now legalized under the NHA 2014. to private entities without any public And aided by corruption in governconsultation or participation. ment, the Biotechnological Cartel has So when a detachment of the Imo acquired under government privatizaSecurity Network, a vigilante outfit of tion programs, the major hospitals in Governor Rochas Okorocha stormed

Okorocha

the 11 general hospitals in the state last week, chasing away patients and hospital workers and putting the facilities under lock and key, Imo people were not just outraged by the impunity of the act but by the fact that the concession deal has long been signed and sealed with the Imo populace in the dark.

Shrouded in secrecy by design, perhaps, Imo people know nothing about the terms of the deal; neither are the new operators of the health facilities nor the financial involvements of the deal known.

The rules of engagement and ethical checks put in place to regulate the operations of the concessionaires, if there are any, are still unknown to the Imo public who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of the privatization programme.

It was the public outrage that greeted the lockdown of the hospitals that forced agents of the government to state the obvious.

Ifeanyi Nwachukwu, an official of the government committee told our correspondent that the lockdown became necessary to enable government live up to its concession agreement.

Said he, “The people the hospital was concessioned to had notified the hospitals of their plans to take over the facilities with a deadline fixed for October 1, 2015 and also to fumigate the facilities, but the hospital managements had not been cooperative and responsive. And you know fumigation cannot happen while workers and patients are still in the hospitals, which was why the lockup became necessary."

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Imo state, Comrade Austin Chilakpu decried the incident explaining that labour had moved round all the locked general hospitals in the state unlocking them and returning workers to their duty posts. He noted that labour would resist the move until the right things were done in the right way.

Chilakpu maintained that the lockup was all about the concessioning plot of the governor but noted that, “the Federal Ministry of Labour through the Industrial Arbitration Panel had directed that the status quo must remain for now, until government and workers discuss and come to a mutual agreement on issues before any concessioning can take place.”

Reacting to the resistance put up by the organized labour in the state, government insists that there is no going back on the hospitals privatization deal.

A statement signed by Governor Rochas Okorocha’s spokesman, Sam Onwuemeodo, reads in part, “The truth is that the government is not going back on the policy of concessioning the managements of the parastatals and the hospitals. The labour leaders and the workers in the affected parastatals are only expected to be patriotic by supporting the government’s effort aimed at repositioning these parastatals and hospitals.”

Onwuemeodo’s statement also indicates that workers at the parastatals, health facilities and organized labour cannot dictate to government on the policy matters.

“It is important to state that the parastatals and the hospitals belong to the state government. The workers in them are also in the employment of the state government. The labour leaders and some of the workers in the parastatals and hospitals cannot come now to dictate to the government how these places should be run”, the statement read.

Already, the new managements of the affected outfits have commenced fumigation, painting and other maintenance works in them especially in the health centres and general hospitals.

Counselling 53

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

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External influences on marriage

nd the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:22-24).

This foundational scripture on marriage implies that each family is a sovereign state. No sovereign state allows external forces to freely interfere with its internal affairs. It is the responsibility of a husband and wife to collaborate and deliberately avoid external influences on destiny decisions in the marital relationship.

The only third party that should be deliberately sought after and engaged in your marriage is God. When God who is the founder of marriage institution is the cord that holds your relationship together, it can hardly be broken.

“Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: But how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him: and a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:11-12).

Third parties and their influences will always present themselves because the ants do not take permission before they invade a cube of sugar. To protect the sugar from ants, there is a need to cover it properly in a way that the ants cannot have access. You must team up with your partner to do everything that can keep away negative influences from in-laws, colleagues, course mates, church mates, mosque mates, neighbours, business partners, perceived friends, associates and other third parties to your marital affairs.

As for you who recently got married and you are struggling to push away

Marriage Clinic

08038117704 (sms only) marriagecanwork@yahoo.com the over bearing influence of that father, mother, father-in-law or mother-in-law, you must understand that your situation is very surmountable and is not peculiar to you. When you buy a new shoe, the shoe may be painful to your feet initially because it needs time to adjust to your feet.

You don’t throw away the shoe because of that initial challenge. Do you? You have just married a star to keep to yourself for the rest of your life. That star had followership before marriage. You don’t expect the followership to disengage so easily. You need prayers and deliberate efforts, laced with wisdom to achieve that. So, what is the solution to negative third party influence on your marriage?

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ” (1st Corinthians 3:11). Unity and love dwell in Christ Jesus and no enemy can ever be conquered without unity. For instance, the visitors and associates that influence your children to work against godly values must be avoided. This cannot happen if husband and wife are not one as prescribed by scriptures.

Secondly, you need wisdom to overcome overbearing influences of your inlaws or parents on your marital affairs.

This takes us to the next point.

Where there is no law, there is no offence. A couple must establish fam-

ily values to govern the home, the way a country establishes a constitution to govern it. Core values are like the lines and walls in a stadium. Without the goal post, you cannot tell when the ball is out, in the net, over the bar, throw-in, etc. Values guide and govern a home.

Family values help a couple to avoid unnecessary competition with other couples which itself is a negative external influence. Sometimes in a city like Lagos, you find yourself driving a car on the road at top speed, making all efforts to overtake the next car. When you succeed, you celebrate in your heart. Meanwhile, the driver of the other vehicle doesn’t even notice that you exist. This is what some couples are busy doing. You take a loan to buy a new car, dress or some other property; or transfer your kids to a more expensive school that your income cannot cater for. This is done simply to prove to your neighbour couple that you too, can do what they are doing. Meanwhile, they don’t even notice that you or your family exist. They are simply having fun, minding their own business and living their normal lives. You are struggling to compete with people who aren’t even aware of your unnecessary and foolish intentions in form of competition. This is a visionless, time-wasting an ungodly lifestyle. If you are living this kind of life,

examine your ways and repent.

As a couple, you equally need to watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation. (Matthew 26:41). There are couples who make the mistake of praying and praying without watching. This is why we have cases where a member of the prayer group that you belong, could gradually begin to dictate what happens in your marital relationship until the intimacy and peace in your marriage or home is wounded or negatively affected.

You need to watch the kind of friends that your children keep and observe them for possible changes in behaviour after being influenced by peers or school mates. Your visitors and maids must comply with the values in your home and not the one they brought from wherever they come from.

Actions such as discussing your domestic financial plans with a third party, disclosing your husband’s personal financial programmes and business plans to an irrelevant outsider, exposing very intimate matters to your in-laws, and so on, are examples of give-aways that could backfire and even break your home. See more details in the book, MAKING YOUR MARRIAGE WORK

by Albinus Chiedu.

Your marriage shall be a blessing and a miracle in Jesus name. Amen!

For questions, prayers, personal counselling, seminars, wedding ministration, etc, CONTACT: The Coordinator, MARRIAGE CAN WORK MINISTRY Mobile: +234-8038117704 E-mail: marriagecanwork@yahoo.com; marriagethings@gmail.com P. O. Box, 13188, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria

Perspective

Health for wealth: Akwa Ibom investing in people for sustainable devt Bassey Okon

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or any reasonable government that understands the essence of strategic and purposeful governance, a good healthcare system is at the very heart of its development agenda; hence the wisdom in the popular saying that “health is wealth”.

This understanding informed the developmental approach to governance by a great leader like Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore who placed a premium on improving on sanitation, hygiene, vaccination, and then strengthening the primary healthcare infrastructures of his country.

In a speech delivered on November 15, 2010 at the formal opening of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, one of the foremost infrastructural investments in the healthcare system of Singapore and indeed the entire Asia at the time, Yew said: “Health policies cannot remain static – we need to study the best of international health systems, learn from their experiences, and adapt best practices to suit our local context.”

Thus, it is not an accident that today, the top destinations for health tourism in the world are among the countries with the highest GDP, standard of living, life expectancy and by extension, among the most advanced and industrialised economies of the world.

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, understands this when he said: “When the significant sectors of the population are healthy and well educated, they can be more productive, innovative and thus the country can boast of a work force that is better positioned for global competitiveness; a workforce that will drive the economy and provide an improved quality of living for the masses”.

In just a few days of coming into office,

Emmanuel moved to revitalise the health sector of his state, a programme that had ushered the renovation and reequipping of health centres in the state with long standing history.

In terms of the maternal mortality ratio, she is ranked eighth in Sub-Saharan Africa behind, Angola, Chad, Liberia, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Somalia. A UNICEF report provides that one woman dies every ten minute for childbirth related complications, giving a total of 53,000 deaths per year. It further explains that about 800 women would die in every 100,000 live births.

Neonatal mortal mortality rate (that is, death of newly born children) in Nigeria is one of the highest in the world with an average of 528 deaths of newly born children every day. It is estimated that one million children under the age of five would die and a quarter of this number are children between age zero and 28 days of birth.

This is against the highest rates of infant mortality in the North-East and North-West with 260 and 269 deaths respectively per 1,000 births, where only 7.6 per cent and 12.0 per cent of births are attended to at public health facilities.

The state constitutes a significant part of success in the healthcare index report of the region. Host to some of the oldest healthcare facilities in the country, and coupled with the high literacy rate that ensures that more women are enlightened on safe maternal practices, the state has more healthcare facilities per woman than the average figure in the region. However, due to lack of consistent maintenance and upgrade of these facilities, many of them are becoming dilapidated and dysfunctional.

When Emmanuel assumed office as governor of the state in May this year, he

made good his promise of a human-focused development agenda; by visiting some of the critical infrastructures in the state that are of strategic importance to the human capital development of the people of the state.

One of such facilities that he visited was St. Luke’s Hospital Anua, Uyo. Established in 1937 by the Medical Missionaries of Mary purposely to help alleviate the high level of infant and maternal mortality in the community, the facility had only 12 beds at inception. It rose in prominence and gained recognition as a teaching hospital by the General Medical Council in Lagos and London as training and pre-registration centre for House Doctors.

The Nursing School within the facility rose in ranks equal to the Nursing school in the UK as the registered Nurses Certificate from the school was accepted for practice in the UK. The hospital became a reference point for maternal healthcare in the then South Eastern region of the country.

The workforce in the hospital was enhanced by contributions of professionals from the St. John Ambulance and the Quaker team from the UK. The medical laboratory in the hospital was a major training center for Medical Laboratory Technologists in Nigeria.

However, the health institution lost most of its glory during the Nigerian 3-year civil war that left it in a decrepit shadow of its old splendour. Since then, the hospital has been abandoned by successive governments, both state and federal as it was left to suffer more devastating setbacks. It was in this most pitiable state that the governor together with stakeholders from the Catholic Archdioceses of Uyo and the state Ministry of Health met the hospital on his (the governor) first visit to the institution where he

sought the collaboration and permission of the Catholic mission to renovate the hospital.

In less than 100 days in office, Emmanuel made good his promise to reposition the healthcare landscape of the state, by extension, the entire South-south region. He achieved this by restoring the School of Nursing from age-long neglect, and by rescuing the school from menace of gully erosion that threatened to sweep away critical sections of the school away.

In line with the founding vision of the hospital to primarily focus on infant and maternal health care as a critical component of the human development index of the area, the government built an ultra-modern gynecology ward which he named after one of the pioneer Missionary Dr. Ann Ward, who turned a ripe age of 80 this year.

Evidently, Emmanuel’s promise of a human centred development is not a mere campaign slogan, but a well thought-out strategy of a truly transformational leadership that is set to reposition the people of the state into relevance so as to drive real growth, rapid industrialisation and sustainable development. This, the government is achieving by ensuring a healthy populace.

Government can build new hospital and train more doctors and nurses. But those efforts will not be enough. In this century, we will need to actively apply new technologies and knowledge to advance healthcare.

Emmanuel’s strategy of ensuring that St. Luke’s Hospital regains its glory at safeguarding the life of every pregnant and nursing mother and welcoming more healthy gifted children is a passionate attempt to secure the future of the state while raising positive health indices of Nigeria as a whole. *Okon sent in this piece from Uyo

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Sport Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

FIFA U-17 World Cup final

Mali will be tough, says Amuneke …as Pinnick charges players to go for trophy

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Adekunle Salami ational U-17 team Head Coach,Emmanuel Amuneke, has stated that Mali will be a tough opposition for the Golden Eaglets as both sides clash in the All-African final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup taking place in Chile.

Mali came from behind to beat Belgium 3-1 in the first semifinal match on Thursday and the ex-Nigerian international said the African Champions deserved respect.

Sunday’s match will be the second all-African FIFA U-17 World Cup final.

The first was in 1993, when Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-1 in Japan.

“The Malians are the African champions, and we have to respect them.

Aside that, they have also had a great tournament here in Chile. But we are a team that finds a way to play and function no matter the difficulty posed by the opposition,” Amuneke said.

“I think it is going to be an interesting match but we want to enjoy this moment because this was a great match against a very strong Mexican team .We have an opportunity to defend the trophy we won in 2013.”

Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, has challenged the Eaglets to go

F

Iye Onoja

adekunles@yahoo.com 08050498539 (sms only)

T Nigeria's Samuel Chukwueze (right) is challenged by Mexico's Diego Cortes during the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015 Semi Final match between Nigeria and Mexico

for the trophy on Sunday.

Pinnick said: “I want to thank you on behalf of Nigerians especially, President Muhammadu Buhari, for playing your hearts out and truly demonstrating the never-say-die Nigerian spirit.

“I’m extremely happy for Emmanuel (Amuneke) because he, along with other officials, have demonstrated that they are good fathers to you all and I’m

This game is covered; the clips will be taken to where the players themselves are not able to reach. We shall use the footages on the players to market them to different clubs in Europe.”

CFA is also one of the six teams participating in the 2015 edition of the Meiza Football Tournament that took place at the Agege Stadium.

Jegan Jones, CEO, Meiza Sports Management; represented foreign agents at the tournament. “We will upload the profile of the players selected on the website. We shall create highlight clips for them; and we shall use that to project them to the clubs abroad,” Jones said.

Godwin Dudu-Orumen, Rector of the CFA, said beside the development of the players for football, the academy was also interested in their educational development.

On what has been sustaining the CFA, he gave kudos to Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell Milk.

glad that I was able to withstand the pressure to sack him when the team failed to win the African Championship trophy in Niger Republic.

“Emmanuel has shamed all the doubting Thomases but I don’t want you to forget that the most important match is against Mali onSunday. It is a chance to write your names into the history books.”

Okonkwo dedicates goal to mum

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olden Eaglets' striker Orji Okonkwo has described his 35-yard screamer which fetched second goal for Nigeria in the 4-2 defeat of Mexico in the semifinals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup as his best ever goal.

Okonkwo had played minor part in the tournament until fate thrust him into the fray as replacement for Funsho Bamgboye who was suspended after two yellow cards. The boy grabbed the bull by the horns to score an amazing goal for the team.

"I have never scored a goal like this before and you cannot practice this kind of goal," admitted Okwonkwo, the first boy in a family with six other children. I'm dedicating the goal to my mum who has been there for me; challenging me to be the best.

"My dad died last year; I remember him too but it is my mum that has been there for me all this while. I thank her so much," he said.

Okonkwo, is one of the team’s pacesetter performers who scored thrice, including a goal against Mali on April 21, 2014.

Onoja sisters set up another sisters' act

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Adekunle Salami

Siasia’s fine and the search for African football king

Football agents besiege CFA camp, training sessions

oreign football agents and their Nigerian scouts have stormed the training sessions of the Cowbell Football Academy at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos in search of young talented players.

The agents, who came from England, were at the stadium on Saturday, where they took notes on each player and recorded the games played by CFA Team and AB Initio FC. Steve Ogbeche, a Nigerian football scout who works with the European agents explained that their goal was to unearth young talents that can later make the next exodus of Africa’s players to Europe.

According to him, his team usually organise talent hunt programmes through which they pick out gifted players who have great potentials.

Ogbeche said: “We also ensure it does not end at talent hunt. Players need to have off-field attitude like humility, diligence, discipline, and the quest for success.

“These agents are from England.

Sport Slaming

he Onoja sisters, Neku (12) and Iye (10) have qualified for the finals of the Girls 12 event at the NNPC Junior Tennis Championship taking place at the Murtala Square in Kaduna.

Neku beat Monsura Asherere from Ibadan 6-1 while Iye defeated angel Emmanuel from Kaduna 6-0 to set up their third match-up in the NNPC Junior Circuit.

Iye, holds a 2-1 head-tohead advantage over her big sister.

In the Girls 16, Toyin Asogba from Lagos kept her hopes of winning her first title alive by reaching the semifinals.

Asogba who is taking full advantage of the absence of Angel Mcleod and Marlove Edwards, will meet Favour Moses from Kaduna in one semifinal while Adaeze

Megbu from Asaba will be facing Omolayo Bamidele from Ekiti in the other.

Three players from Lagos – Chris Bulus, David Amuzu and Stephen Augustine - grabbed semifinal places in the Boys 16, leaving one sport for Chris Itodo from Kaduna who is priming to revenge his straight set loss to Bulus in the SNEPCo Junior finals three weeks ago.

here are plenty issues on my mind to discuss this week but I will only restrict myself to two. Football administration in the country is fast turning into a ‘Charlie Boy’s Show’ of sort. In Charlie Boy’s Show, anything can happen.

National U-23 coach, Samson Siasia, came out publicly to state the problems he was facing in preparing the team for the Olympic qualifiers scheduled to take place in Senegal later this month. The team has Egypt, Algeria and Mali to contend with in the group stage of the competition and Siasia knows all is not well with the preparations. The players are owed allowances for nine months while the coaches are owed three months’ salaries. Siasia stated clearly that he should not be blamed if the team fails in Senegal and that message was instructive. However, the Nigeria Football Federation kicked against the public outcry of the coach and what did they do? The NFF issued a query, threatened to fire the coach but later fined him N.5m. The NFF’s decision is not only harsh, it is utterly unfair. A coach is being owed and because he complained about the general poor situation in camp, he is heavily fined while the problems are Siasia yet to be addressed. It is a big shame on the federation. It means the money the coach is expecting has been reduced by half a million naira. Why did the NFF allow the situation degenerate to such an extent that the coach had to cry out in frustration? Siasia, it was learnt pleaded several times with the officials but his plea fell on deaf ears. Super Eagles head coach, Sunday Oliseh, received three months upfront payment of N15m, and the coach of the team expected to serve as a feeder to the Eagles is treated badly with his wards. I strongly appeal to the board of the NFF to rescind this decision which is a big injustice ‘smashed’ on a patriot who has served the country well as a player and coach. If Siasia is not patriotic, the NFF decision was enough for him to quit the job. I am amazed that it is the NFF itself that is heating up the system at a time there should be focus on how best to win one of the three tickets at stake for Rio Olympic Games.

Also during the week, the Confederation of African Football released the shortlist of Top 10 players for the African Footballer of the Year for 2015. Eagles skipper Ahmed Musa and former national goalie, Vincent Enyeama, were in the running in the enlarged list but did not make the last cut. It was no surprise but a very sad commentary that no Nigerian player was in the top 10 on the continent. Many reasons can be adduced for this development but the major one is the ignorance of these players to do the right thing to boost their careers. The average Nigerian player thinks more of the money to be made in transfer and not about how to become great professionally. Why would Nigerian players be rushing to unrecognised leagues abroad? Why would the skillful ones in their prime prefer to languish on the bench rather than play regularly in another top team? How many Nigerian players are prominent in the EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga or Serie A? Not up to three. Self-development is crucial in one’s life and that is what many top Nigerian players lack at the moment. I met a young footballer in the domestic league and he told me of his intention to sign for a team in Malta. Before I asked why he told me the money was good enough for him to make ends meet at least in the next two years. At 26, the player argued that age was not on his side and he needed just any pro-career to make money. That is the bottom line for most of them. Sad enough, in the category of players based in Africa, Nigerian players again failed to make CAF’s cut because all the teams on the continent teams bowed out early. The NFF and players union should educate players on career management. I can recall the exploits of Victor Ikpeba in the colours of Monaco and those of Nwankwo Kanu in the colours of Arsenal when they were voted Africa’s best.

Ikpeba, Kanu and even Emmanuel Amuneke, another former African Player of the winner, should be engaged to educate current players at home and abroad on how to win the continental crown. Kanu last won it in 1999 and 16 years after, the search for the next Nigerian continues.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

7 NOVEMBER 2015

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DESTINATION OLOKUN FESTIVAL 2015: THE BEAUTY, THRILLS OF A PEOPLE'S CULTURAL FEAST

P.42

SATURDAY

Sanctity of Truth

SPORT SLAMING

Siasia’s fine and the search for African football king SATURDAY, 7 NOVEMBER 2015

Sanchez, Giroud swoop on Spurs

…as Kane threatens depleted Gunners

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Adekunle Salami he Emirates Stadium is going to witness one of the tough games in the English Premier League this weekend when Tottenham Hotspurs visit Arsenal. It is a London derby and expectations are high on what the players can offer especially now that the season is getting tough.

Interestingly, Arsenal with 25 points from 11 matches are second on the log and joint table toppers with Manchester City while Spurs are in the 5th position with 20 points from same number of matches.

Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, will bank heavily on in-form striker, Olivier Giroud, to get the goals for the Gunners and further put heat on Manchester City. With six goals this term, Giroud is one of the best strikers in the EPL and he is most deadly in the air.

Only on Wednesday, the Gunners suffered a 5-1 heavy loss against Bayern Munich but the consolatory goal came from the French forward. He scored four goals in six appearances for Arsenal in October.

Another striker of repute in the line-up of the Gunners is Alexis Sanchez. Despite a slow start in the league, the Chilean forward has also recorded six goals this term.

He scored three goals in five matches last month for the Gunners. He was particularly outstanding against Manchester United as his two goals nailed the Red Devils in their 3-0 win.

“The quality of strikers in the team has been a great plus for us and we are going to continue the tradition because goal scoring is important aspect of the game,” Wenger said while reacting on the current form of his strikers.

The visitors are also coming with a potent striker in Harry Kane. Just like Sanchez, Kane did not start the season well. He did not score until September 26 when his strike helped in recording a massive 4-1 win against Manchester City.

He scored 21 goals last season and so could prove handful for the depleted defence of the Gunners. A high scoring match that could go either side is anticipated. Spurs are yet to lose any game after their opening day 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford, hence Arsenal will work extra hard to grind a result.

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