Saturday, july 30, 2016 binder1

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CHILD ABUSE

I'm not Girl, 10, chained to 'burglary proof' scared of l 6-yr-old boy old age

Pg. 5

Pg. 19

SATURDAY Saturday, July 30, 2016

Vol. 3 No. 892

arraigned for murder

Pg.6,11 6 Pgs.

Sanctity of Truth

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GENERAL HALILU AKILU

MY experience working with buhari, IBB

l Cracks inSHARIA militaryCOURTS led to '85 coup NATIONWIDE l It was wrong to stop Lagos Metro l How N'Delta crisis should be handled Pg. 49

EFCC receives petition on budget padding

Keshi buried amid tears

Pg. 55

PDP CRISIS

Court order didn't stop our convention lJibrin visits DSS office –BoT chair Pg. 5

Pg. 6

Kanu's release will ease tension –Ohanaeze

Pg. 5

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

Comment

Contents | 30.07.16

Lamentations in IDPs' camps

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hen the photographs of some malnourished children first hit the internet last month, the general thinking was that the pictures were another form of abuse on social media platforms. The ambivalence towards those photographs could be justified as there had been cases in the past where photographs of events that happened in different countries had been put on social media to appear as if they were Nigerian pictures.

Even some major newspapers had been misled to publish such photographs on their cover pages.

However, it came out to be true that the photographs were indeed those of malnourished children at the camp of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Bama, Borno State.

The photographs were actually released

by Doctors Without Borders also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), a US-based non-governmental organisation that helps people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from health care worldwide.

MSF issued a statement saying some 24,000 IDPs are in dire health situation with at least 30 people – mostly children – dying on a daily basis.

The IDPs, who had hitherto lived in the comfort of their homes for many years, were displaced from their communities after the Boko Haram terrorists invaded their homes.

When President Muhammadu Buhari saw the disturbing pictures, he reportedly summoned the officials of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, who had since met with him at the Aso Rock villa.

Before the meeting with the president, the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, had paid a visit to Bama camp when he received reports that hundreds of malnourished persons recently rescued from Boko Haram captivity were dying on a daily basis in a camp in Bama, a community that is 75km away from Maiduguri, the state capital.

Miffed by the discovery, Shettima ordered that 61 children with acute condition of malnutrition should be relocated to the intensive care unit of the Umaru Shehu Ultramodern Hospital in Maiduguri where they are currently being attended to.

Beside the children, another set of over 400 persons with lesser cases of malnourishment were also moved out of the camp to a special care unit for proper feeding and medication.

There is also a photograph of a young man suspected to be an IDP using a shovel to serve food in the camp. This is ridiculous and dehumanising. Shovel is meant to lift sand and not food!

An official at the camp reportedly told

journalists that “We have been recording daily cases of mortality here in the camp since the soldiers brought in these set of IDPs who had been under the Boko Haram insurgents’ captivity for over two years.”

Also, the head of MSF in Nigeria said: “This is the first time MSF has been able to access Bama, but we already know the needs of the people there are beyond critical.

“We are treating malnourished children in medical facilities in Maiduguri and see the trauma on the faces of our patients who have witnessed and survived many horrors.

“Bama is largely closed off. We have been told that people including children there nearly starved to death. According to the accounts given to MSF by displaced people in Bama new graves are appearing on a daily basis. We were told more than 30 people are dying a day due to hunger and illness”.

“It was because the governor visited Bama and brought the sick and malnourished IDPs to Maiduguri after the soldiers of the Nigeria Army rescued them that even the MSF were able to go there to administer medication on them.

• Since the disturbing pictures became public knowledge, a lot of people have been asking what happened to billions of naira donated by the federal, state governments, corporate organisations, NGOs and individuals.

• Nigeria has been labelled as one of the countries with the highest levels of corruption. This is especially seen within the public sector including stealing public funds and accepting bribes. Nigeria could have lost around $4 to 8billion yearly due to corruption between 1999 and 2007 when civilians took over governance after many years of military rule.

The situation that led to the malnutrition of the children resulting in some deaths could also be as a result of corruption. It is the constitutional responsibility to ensure that the lives and properties of its citizens are safe at all times.

It is bad enough that the government could not protect the citizens from the onslaught of Boko Haram. It is even worse that those driven away from their homes are still being subjected to harrowing experience in the supposed safe haven as a result of lack of food and proper medication. This is double tragedies for the IDPs. Although the president had met with the officials of SEMA, Nigerians and donors deserve to know what happened to the billions of naira donated to cater for the welfare of the IDPs. Anti-corruption crusade remains the selling point of this administration and Buhari should wield the big stick if it is established that the money donated to the IDPs had been embezzled.

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

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Managing Editor, Business & Strategy n Yemi Ajayi

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Managing Editor, South n Emeka Madunagu Managing Editor, North & Abuja n Laurence Ani (Leave of Absence)

Editor n Ayodele Ojo Editor, Sunday n Juliet Bumah Editor, Saturday n Waheed Bakare Deputy Editor n Vincent Eboigbe

Bureau Chief, Abuja n Onwuka Nzeshi Bureau Chief, Brussels n Leo Cendrowicz Bureau Chief, Washington DC n Marshall Comins Editorial Coordinator, Europe n Sam Amsterdam News Editor, Saturday n Ndubuisi Ugah

Business Development Manager n Taiwo Ahmed Sales/Circulation Manager n Oyebanji Abiodun Head, Arts & Creatives n Ugochukwu Nnakwe Head, Admin. n Robinson Ezeh

Statement-making pencil dresses

INSTYLE

An instant way to enhance curves, appear slimmer and look chic without trying too hard for any occasion is with pencil dresses. They are suitable for every occasion and have so many positive attributes that it is almost impossible not to have a few of them hanging in your closet

}15

Mystyle

Feeling cool in hats Popular radio presenter, actor and comedian, Steve Onu, a.k.a Yaw, of Wazobia FM Radio, gives insight into his style sense, love for hats which he says is not just because he is bald but which has more to do with the fact that he just feels cool and better in them

}17

Interiors

Alluring wooden kitchen cabinets More than just a space for cooking and eating, the kitchen is where many of the action in the home takes place. It’s the heart of the home. Whether you're renovating, redecorating, or simply updating this space, get inspired and consider wooden cabinets to transform the area into a stunning one

}18

Omo Sexy still rocks

SHOWBIZ

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde is the face of Ghandour Cosmetics, which launched in Nigeria on July 25.

The star actress talks about the endorsement, her 20th wedding anniversary, how marriages can be sustained, growing older and loving it and more

}19

SPORT

Amata’s long leap Doreen Amata is a high jumper who holds the national record and is a Commonwealth Games gold medallist. She relives the story of her foray into athletics, late dad’s inspirational words, travails of the sport and prospect of winning medals at the forthcoming Olympics in Rio

}27

THE ARTS

Ojonugwa books bridge gap Inspired by the need to see a new Igalaland, a new Kogi State, as well as the need to address the predicament of those who desire knowledge but don’t have time to sit to listen, Jerry Ojonugwa has written two books, ‘The Rising of Igala Kingdom’ and ‘Inspirational Wisdom for Daily Living’ to bridge the gap

}37

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

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News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

Abacha Loot: Swiss to repatriate $321m to Nigeria Ebere Ameh

T ABUJA

he government of Switzerland and Swiss Federation Council (SFC) have indicated their readiness to repatriate the sum of $321 million from the second batch of the funds allegedly stashed away in that country by late former Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, to Nigeria.

This was disclosed in Abuja yesterday by the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Mr. Eric Mayoraz, after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the SFC and the Federal Government on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.

According to the envoy, the MoU will facilitate easy repatriation of new cases of criminal lodgement of money in Swiss Banks to Nigeria.

“We have repatriated $720 million in 2005 to Nigeria and we are now in the process of repatriating $321 million from the second batch of Abacha funds that we have collected. The MoU is for the future cases, so it will allow a better cooperation and of course, if Nigeria has some new cases

to submit to Switzerland, it will accelerate the process through this MoU that we just signed today.

“It will reduce time for the process of transmitting the legal request from Nigeria to Switzerland and also from Switzerland to Nigeria because the MoU is not only for looted assets, it is also for all criminal matters,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, Mayoraz noted that people goods and money move around the world easily,

…signs MoU with FG adding that the mobility of these goods, money and items is not limiting to honest people and clean money.

He said that criminal and proceeds from crime profit from it as well and calls on states to cooperate in order to fight transnational organised crimes, corruption, money laundering, the drug trade, and the like.

Explaining the provisions of the MoU, the Am-

bassador highlighted two aspects, which he said, would bring the two countries closer to their goal of fighting international crime if followed.

He said: “The MoU provides for foundations to improve cooperation. In particular, it brings direct contact between central authorities within our respective judicial authorities and ministry of justice and second, it aims

at fostering the understanding of each other’s legal system in realities.”

Referring to the MoU as a common venture, he said it would be a win-win situation for both countries.

“We set out a common venture. The venture includes the fight against corruption, a priority of President Buhari’s government.

Nigeria fights corruption, Switzerland fights money hailing from corruption and other international crimes entering into bank

Navy shuts escape route of pipeline vandals in Lagos Flora Onwudiwe

T

he Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command (WNC), Rear Admiral Fergusson Bobai, has said the Nigerian Navy has shut all the escape routes of the pipeline vandals in the Arepo Ikorodu areas of Lagos.

Bobai who said this at a press conference held yesterday at the Western Naval Command in Apapa, Lagos, said: “We the navy have blocked escape routes towards Ogun State and we are going to sustain this

operation and see, where it will lead us.

“The essence of having this blockade by land and water is that when they are running out, we will be able to grab them, profile and investigate them.”

Bobai also confirmed that there was an ongoing operation at the Arepo area adding that the directive for the operation came from the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin.

He said: “The directive came from him, for us to carry out the operation in the Arepo area. This is with

a view of dismantling the vandals who are scattered in Arepo, Ibafo and Ishawo areas of the state, but before , we were directed not to use air power.

“But when we carried out an assessment of the area, a lot of the vandals moved from the areas accessible by water and land to areas that were difficult terrain into the swampy areas. We had to use the air power, which was granted by the CDS.” The FOC said the Navy collaborated with Lagos and Ogun governments since the operation was

between both territories.

Bobai said other security agencies were participating, stressing that the Navy had also employed the Special Boat Services alongside the Department of State Services (DSS).

He added that the Navy would not only arrest the vandals but would also get at their sponsors.

The FOC, who also spoke about the kidnapped of the monarch of Iba, noted that there were ongoing meetings with the Police to ensure that the Oba was safe, even if he was within the area of operation.

accounts.

“There is a common ground. This is not a legal tool. If we will each do our share of the work, we can reach our goal. It will, in the future, be harder to profit from corruption and I am very proud of that,” Mayoraz noted.

Earlier in her remarks, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadija Abba Ibrahim, who represented the Federal Government, expressed the appreciation of the government on the willingness of the government of Switzerland to support the anti-corruption agenda of the present administration.

She noted that the importance of the repatriated funds would facilitate essential development in the country.

She said the MoU was not only peculiar to one case but any looted funds, stressing that: “It would make the bureaucracy of repatriating money from Switzerland much quicker and easier.”

Among the dignitaries present at the signing ceremony were the representatives of the Minister of Justice, and the Undersecretary, Economic and Consular, Mrs. Regina Ezuwa.

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

5

EFCC receives petition on 2016 budget padding Emmanuel Onani, Philip Nyam, Anule Emanuel, Mojeed Alabi, Temitope Ogunbanke and Wale Elegbede

S

trong indications emerged yesterday, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), may have been in receipt of a petition written in respect of the allegations of the 2016 budget padding in the House of Representatives.

The development occurred on a day the embattled former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, visited the headquarters of the Department of State Service (DSS) in Abuja.

It would be recalled that Jubril had recently opened a can of worms on the padding of the budget by the lawmakers, by implicating the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, in the controversy of over N40 billion.

The lower chamber of the National Assembly had, before proceeding on its annual recess, announced the removal of Jibrin.

A highly placed source in the EFCC, who spoke on the condition of anonymity last night, said: “Yes, I understand there is a petition before the Commission for investigation of the alleged budget padding.”

But the spokesman for the anti-graft agency, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for comment.

Jibrin visits DSS

However, Jibrin who resorted to his twitter handle@AbdulAbmJ, to explain why he visited the DSS office, said the visit was for him to explore all avenue in clearing his name from the alleged padding.

While arriving the DSS’ headquarters at 7.20p.m., Jibrin said in his twitted message: “Just arrived SSS HQ. The journey to get Speaker Dogara and other members of the corrupt Ndubuisi Ugah and Charles Onyekwere

F

ollowing the continued detention of the Biafra Radio director, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, by the Federal Government, a group, the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), has demanded the immediate release of the activist, saying it is long overdue.

It would be recalled that Kanu, who is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), had been in detention after he was arraigned in court by the Federal Government.

Speaking on his continued detention, President of the OYC, Mr. Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said by releasing the pro-Biafran activist,

group has began!”

Dogara ‘bribed’ members with $20,000 –Lawmaker

But in the ensuing controversy, Jibrin has accused Dogara of bribing some members of the committee to peddle lies against him.

Jibrin, who made the allegations while responding to the press conference addressed by his erstwhile deputy, Chris Azubogu, said: “First, only nine out of the 40 appropriation committee members agreed to participate in such a press conference after shamelessly collecting $20,000 each, distributed to them yesterday at the Speakers residence by his Deputy Chief of staff Hon CID Maduabum.

“My same Deputy, Azubogu (you will remember his history with Herman Hembe in the 7th Assembly) who was used to organise the press conference was clearly on camera almost crying at the press conference where I announced my resignation.

It took some minutes before I could calm him down, get him seated for me to commence the event.

“On the lies that I never conferred with committee members or excluded them, here is the fact. The members of appropriation committee were fully carried along except those periods that the Quartet of Speaker Dogara and others took away the entire secretariat from me.

“When the appropriation bill passed second reading and is refered to the appropriation committee, a meeting with standing committee chairmen, their deputies and principal officers is usually held to discuss the guide lines for the committee work. We held that meeting on Wednesday January 27, 2016 with Mr. Speaker in attendance.”

“It is also a blatant lie

that I disappeared. I was always at home since we were on a short break.

Even more shocking is the fact that my Deputy Hon Chris Azubogu who was regularly at my home during that period and always enjoying his favorite wheat and vegetable soup can go on national TV for a price of $20,000 to tell such shameful lies. Well, CCTV don't tell lies. The period that my colleagues didn't see me was the two occasions that Speaker Dogara and the others took away my secretariat.

Atleast, now you know that your budget was with Mr Speaker not me.

Jibrin hijacked budget –Appropriation c’ttee chair

While reacting to Jibrin’s allegations, Azubogu (PDP, Anambra), dissociated the committee’s members from the allegations being peddled against the speaker

by Jibrin, describing them as “very unfortunate, baseless and diversionary”.

Azubogu, who spoke at a press conference alongside eight other members of the committee, alleged that: “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that a comprehensive collation

of the reports of the budget from the various standing committees of the House was done by the Appropriation Committee which was in the process of deliberation when the ousted chairman unilaterally high-jacked the entire budget to a hideout with his consultant without the consent of the committee.

“That was the last time the committee saw the budget only for Jibrin to resurface about three weeks later, with a report purported to have come from the committee.”

He said: “In reaction to this unwarranted provocation Members approached Mr. Speaker with a complaint and a demand to remove Jibrin as the chairman of the committee. In his calm and peaceful manner, Mr. Speaker sought to resolve the matter amicably in the overall interest of the House and the nation.”

It’s personal war of interest –Ndume

Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has said the drama in the House of Representatives over padding of the 2016 budget was more of personal ego and self interest between the lawmakers concerned.

Ndume who led a few lawmakers yesterday to

join President Muhammadu Buhari for the Ju’mat prayers at the presidential villa, Abuja said it was the constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly to add and subtract in the appropriation process before the final budget is produced.

Speaking to State House Correspondents, he said: “We have the constitutional duty to add, subtract and adjust. That was what was done.”

Ndume, however, explained that “this is the first time we did a budget that was collectively produced in the sense that it was done in such a way that the Senate, House of Representatives and the Executive played different parts.

“This time, the President took his time to ensure that he did not only sign on the budget, but also signed on budget details that he is satisfied with.

“What is happening now is a fallout between individuals, it is more of personal thing between Dogara and Jibrin,” he stressed."

We are behind Dogara –Kurfi

The member representing Dutsinma/Kurfi Federal Constituency of Katsina State in the House of

Representatives, Hon. Danlami Muhammad Kurfi, has urged Nigerians to discard the allegations by Jibrin against some principal officers of the House, stating that he (Jibrin) was an attention seeker who should not be taken serious.

Speaking with journalists yesterday, Kurfi said: “He is trying to deceive Nigerians with all his allegations against the House and some of its presiding officers. He should have spoken up since if he is indeed a good person that he is trying to make us believe, of which he is not. All these so-called evidence of constituency projects he is presenting now are just an afterthought.”

CACOL seeks for prosecution of culprits

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has recommended a comprehensive probe into the saga.

CACOL in a statement issued yesterday by its Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said the probe should include the three other principal officers mentioned in the allegations and counter-allegations over budget padding in the House of Representatives.

L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and APC Chairman, Lagos State, Otunba Henry Ajomale, during a meeting with the party members at the party secretariat, Acme Road, Ogba, Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: STATE GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Biafra: Kanu’s release’ll calm tension in S’East–Ohanaeze …group denies Ogah’s alleged N20m bribery lIPOB condoles with Dokubo over wife’s death

it would help in calming frayed nerves across the South-East and the SouthSouth region.

He said: “The continuous detention of Kanu is in no small measure contributing to the volatile security situation in Southern Nigeria.

“On so many occasions, several agitating groups have given his detention as one of the many reasons behind their activities.”

Isiguzoro in a statement he issued in Enugu, said: “In the light of the above, we urge the President Muhammadu Buhari administra-

tion to give peace a chance by enabling an atmosphere of dialogue.

“Both the international conventions and the Nigerian Constitution allow for selfdetermination. However, we insist that such much be done with due regard to the laws of the land. We, therefore, urge the present government to unconditionally free Kanu from detention.

“The government should take our assurances that we shall make efforts that no one take up arms against the government. We say this because the IPOB, to

which Kanu is a member, has remained non-violent and peaceful.”

In the same vein, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has denied receiving the sum of N20 million from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Abia State, Dr. Uche Ogah, over the lingering governorship seat tussle in the state.

The President General of group, Gary Enwo-Igariwey, in exclusive interview with Saturday Telegraph yesterday, described the allegation as baseless, saying

anybody with prove should come forward and substantiate it.

According Igariwey, the shooting that occurred at the Ohanaeze secretariat which caused a scare during a meeting last week was an issue between the two warring factions of the youth wing of Ohanaeze which, he said, they were trying to resolve.

The president general stated that trouble ensued when the National publicity secretary of the youth wind, Obinna Adibe, who belong to the Arthur Okafor-led faction, allegedly came with policemen from the Enugu State Area Command to arrest one of the youth leaders, Alex Okemiri.

“I will sue anybody who wants to rubbish the good name of Ohanaeze to court.

No crisis in Ohanaeze but only in the youth wind which we are about resolving. No any Ohanaeze took money from Uche Ogah as alleged,” he said.

Meanwhile, members of the IPOB have commiserated with the defunct leader of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Chief Asari Dokubo, who lost his first wife to a motor accident on her way to Ibadan.

In a statement made available by the spokesman for the group, Mr. Emma Powerful, urged Dokubo and his family to bear the irreparable loss.

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News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

Police rescue another 10 -yearold girl chained by woman Kunle Olayeni, Abeokuta

I Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (middle), from right: Senators Baba Kaka Garbai, Stella Oduah, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (fourth right), Senator Monsurat Sumonnu, Senator Fosta Ogola (extreme left) and members of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) after the Senate President hosted the group to a dinner, in Abuja…on Thursday.

No court stopped Port Harcourt convention –PDP, BoT chair Onyekachi Eze, ABUJA and Ibraheem Musa, Kaduna

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said there is no court order stopping its August 17 national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Also, the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Senator Walid Jibrin, has disclosed that the convention of the party would still go ahead as scheduled based on the party's constitution and guidelines.

However, the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the party, at a press conference yesterday, said the court only ruled on the legal representation of PDP among two contending counsels.

The development came as the factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to sack erring judges, who he said were tarnishing the image of the judiciary.

Meanwhile, the senator representing Ogun East in the National Assembly, Senator Buruji Kashamu, yesterday said he decided to play a mediatory role in the leadership crisis in the party.

Spokesman for the NCC, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who addressed the press, however, insisted that no court had stopped the August 17 national convention.

Adeyeye said: “The motion seeking to restrain the PDP from conducting the proposed August 17, National Convention has not been heard by the court and no date has been fixed for the

Lagos moves to stop kidnapping, militancy

W

Muritala Ayinla orried by the ugly insecurity trend in some parts of the state, the Lagos State Government has assured residents of its ability to combat all forms of crime within the state.

The government said it had marshalled enough equipment and resources, human and material, to wipe out kidnappers and militants in the state just as it called for intelligence information from the residents.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to prompt response to all crime incidents reported by residents to the various security agencies.

It urged the residents not to hide any vital information on crimes from security agencies, saying that information gathering is an integral part of securing the environment as it is the fuel on which both offensive and defensive operations are based.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Communities

and Communication, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, made this known at the monthly interactive session themed ‘Securing our Communities,’ organised by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs for Community Development Committees (CDCs), Neighbourhood Watch, Community Development Associations with other relevant stakeholders, held at Ikorodu Division of the state.

He said: “If proactive information intelligence is not provided to security agencies about a threat, the threat will eventually manifest.”

He added that the government is exploring ways to foster a structured relationship with all informal security agencies with a vision to holistically and collectively combating crime in the state.

He assured Ikorodu residents that the state government had zero tolerance for crime, be it kidnapping, stealing, and other criminal acts, urging them to remain calm because the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) is on top of the security challenges being faced currentlly.

hearing.”

According to him, the issue before the court last Thursday was the issue of who is the authentic legal counsel for the PDP between Ferdinand Orbih (SAN) and O. O. Fakunle (SAN).

“It must be emphasised that at no stage did the Hon. Judge set aside the judgement of Justice A. M. Liman of the Port Harcourt division of the Federal High Court, which could have led to the dissolution of the NCC. “An order validating Sheriff as National Chairman could not have arisen from the issue of proper legal representation,” he argued.

Adeyeye quoted Justice Okon Abanga, who gave the judgement to have noted: “Though I have powers to nullify the decision of the Port Harcourt division that recognised Makarfi leadership, I will not do so because there is no application to that effect before me. I will, however allow the Court of Appeal to do justice to that.”

Sheriff praised the judgement, describing it as a demonstration of the existence of some fine judges in Nigeria.

He said the court order had boosted his desire to wipe out impunity from the party, and announced his readiness to take the PDP to its original owners at the grassroots level.

Before the press briefing

however, Kashamu who said he decided to join the Makarfi-led NCC following a reconciliation meeting at Taraba State Government House two weeks ago, held a closed- door meeting with Sheriff. The meeting lasted for about 30 minutes.

The senator who seemed excited after the meeting, told journalists he came on a mediatory mission.

“I came to mediate; I have been talking to the two groups. He (Sheriff) is an easy going man. He wants the party to move forward.

In the next three days everything will be over,” he stated.

The initial efforts at reconciling Makarfi and Modu Sheriff’s factions failed to agree on the venue of the proposed convention as well as sharing of delegates to participate in the convention.

Meanwhile, Jibrin while speaking to journalists in Kaduna yesterday, said the PDP was yet to receive a copy of the judgement that purportedly restrained the party from going ahead with its planned convention.

According to him, whatever the contents of the judgement, PDP will appeal the court verdict.

He said: “The ruling of Federal High Court Abuja came to us as a shock but we are calling on our party members not to be discouraged as the party is taking necessary steps to resolve the problem, restore the glory and carry on with the National convention as planned.

n a dramatic turn of events, another 10-yearold girl, Promise Udeh, has been rescued by the police in Ogun State after she was chained by her aunt, Mrs. Chiamaka Okafor.

The girl was chained for allegedly stealing the sum of N4, 000 at Okafor’s residence at Saraki, Adigbe area of Abeokuta, the state capital.

Saturday Telegraph learnt that she was chained for two days (Wednesday and Thursday) before she was rescued.

The incident, which happened on Thursday came barely seven days after a nine-year-old boy, Korede Taiwo, who was chained and tortured for weeks inside a church in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state, was rescued by security operatives.

In Korede’s case, he was chained by his 40-year-old father and pastor in charge of Celestial Church of Christ (Key of Joy Parish), Ajibawo area in Atan Ota, Francis Taiwo.

Saturday Telegraph gathered yesterday that Okafor chained the girl to a 'burglary proof' at an uncompleted building in Adigbe area.

She, however, when policemen, acting on tip-off from neighbours, stormed the scene and rescued Patience at about 7.30pm.

The police subsequently arrested the husband of the suspect, Sunday Okafor.

The state Acting Police Public Relations Office (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the incident yesterday, said the girl had already been taken to the Stella Obasanjo Children’s Home, Abeokuta for proper care.

Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said the newly appointed state Commissioner of Police, Illiyasu Ahmed, had directed that the fleeing aunt be arrested.

He said: “We had information that a 10-year-old girl by the name Promise Udeh was chained to a 'burglar proof' iron at an uncompleted building at Adigbe area and this led our men to the scene.

“The girl was rescued by the police and upon interrogation she told us that it was her aunt that tied her on the allegation that she stole the sum of N4, 000. The aunt is on the run, while her husband who is an accomplice has been arrested and is helping us in our investigation."

Chiamaka was said to have fled around 4pm on Friday when the Divisional Police Officer, Adigbe led a team of policemen and journalists to the residence of the Okafors.

Sources said on sighting the police team she escaped through the backdoor leaving behind her four children, including a baby of about six months.

INEC to recruit 325 ad hoc staff for bye-election in Sokoto Umar Abdullahi,

A Sokoto

ll is now set for the State House of Assembly byeelection for Tureta constituency billed for August 20, as the Sokoto State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has recruited 325 ad hoc staff. A statement signed by the commission’s Head of Voter Education, Muhammad Musa, yesterday, said the bye-election became necessary due to the vacancy created by the resignation of the former member representing the constituency, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar.

It said: “The state constituency has 32,384 registered voters, 10 wards, 67 polling unity and nine voting points.

“About 325 ad hoc staff will be recruited, especially from serving members of the National Youths Service Corps scheme, trained and deployed for the exercise.”

The statement also advised political parties wishing to participate in the election to conduct primary elections for the emergence of their flag bearers.

This, the statement averred, is in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act, 2010, the intending voters are also advised to come along with their permanent voter cards on the election day.

Tinubu: I’m proud of Ambode’s giant strides

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Muritala Ayinla ational Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday lauded Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State for his achievements in office in the last 14 months, saying the governor has made him very proud The APC leader, who also joined Ambode to appeal to the residents, especially APC members in the state to approach the Independent National Electoral Commission's offices for the collection of their Permanent Voters Cards

(PVCs), saying that the people must indeed give the ongoing exercise by INEC the necessary seriousness it deserves.

Tinubu, who spoke at a meeting with local government and ward chairmen of the party, held at the party’s secretariat in Lagos, also commended the Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule and the entire team of the state government, for supporting the governor to achieve so much within a little time.

He said: “I was with President Muhammadu Buhari for about two hours yesterday and Ambode was not there when we were discussing generally about the problem of Nigeria. The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, got

up and spoke glowingly of the governor and I became even more proud of him.”

Meanwhile, as residents gear up for the local government polls, Ambode urged residents to approach the offices of INEC across the state for their PVCs to enable them to participate in future elections.

Ambode said it was important for residents of the State who were yet to collect their PVCs to approach the electoral body, as the process of distribution of the cards had begun in earnest.

The governor said available information at his disposal was to the effect that a lot of people were not aware of the ongoing exercise by INEC, and as such, people

must be made to be aware and take the distribution seriously.

Saturday Telegraph gathered that the electoral commission a few days ago began distribution of PVCs in Lagos with a call on registered voters to come with their temporary cards for the collection of the PVCs between 8am and 4pm from Monday till Friday.

But the governor said: “There is an INEC exercise going on now in which they are distributing voters’ card to those who are yet to collect. Many people are not even aware of the development and I like to use this medium to appeal to our party members to go and collect their PVCs.’’

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

FG re-opens Abuja airport’s runway

l Fire averted at Murtala Muhammed Airport Clem Khena-Ogbena,

T Abuja

he runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, which had been closed for some time due to repair work, has been re-opened.

Announcing the re-opening on Thursday to journalists at the airport, after officially inspecting the extent of work done, the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said he was satisfied with the level of work done so far, even as he admitted that a few places awaiting repairs posed no risks to aircrafts and passengers.

He said: “We have done this though, bigger planes cannot for now land in Abuja and we shall soon send notices to NOTAM”. He stated that official notices had been given to airmen, assuring them they could land on the runway safely, henceforth.

The minister also disclosed that plans were in top gear by the Federal Government to award contract for the construction of the second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

He added that it was very necessary to have a second runway, citing the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

He said due to the Federal Government’s dwindling resources, it could no more sustain the funding of the country's 22 airports, adding that a concessioning option for the affected airports had been considered.

The minister assured that the concessionary would first commence with the four major airports: Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Abuja, disclosing that a transaction adviser

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hree students of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, have been suspended over the allegation of a failed attempt to kidnap the President of the institution’s Students’ Union, Tayo Sekoni.

The trio of Oladayo Mojeed Babatunde, 500 level student of the School of Transport; Adebanjo Fatai Adekoya, 500 level student of the Faculty of Law, and Fola Kosoko, who is simply described as a fresh graduate of the university, had reportedly attempted to kidnap Sekoni on his way home on the night of July 28.

A statement issued on Friday by the university and signed by the Acting Head of the Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Ademola Adekoya, warned the students against participating in any social and academic activities of the university until the suspension

day night saved by men of the Airport Fire and Rescue Services Department from being consumed by fire.

The fire which occurred at the E-Wing of the airport

terminal emanated from the airport electrical control panel and was quickly put under control by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) fire fighters.

L-R: Member, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Mrs. Funke Nwankwo; President of AAAN, Mr. Kayode Oluwasona and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, during a courtesy visit by members of the association to the Presidential Villa, in Abuja… yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Confirming the fire incident yesterday, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, said the fire incident had not disrupted normal flight operations at the airport.

Dati said: “A quick response by men of the Airport Fire and Rescue Services Department has averted a fire incident at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.” “The incident, which occurred at the E-Wing on July 28, at11pm did not affect flight operations. Preliminary investigation indicates that the fire emanated from the electrical control panel.

“Our engineers who have restored power at affected areas are working round the clock to restore normalcy.

Members of the public are therefore advised to disregard nay-sayers who may want to exploit the situation to create unnecessary panic.

“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria wishes to apologise to all travellers and airport users for inconveniences caused while assuring them of their safety and security.”

Niger gov pays 1,351 pensioners N2.6bn Dan Atori, MINNA

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iger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, yesterday ordered the release of N2.6 billion for the payment of 1,351 pensioners in the

LASU suspends three over foiled abduction of union president Mojeed Alabi

would soon be appointed for the bidding with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

Meanwhile, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, was on Thurs-

7

order is lifted.

The statement added that the suspended students were to appear before a disciplinary committee.

“The aforementioned students/graduates have been strongly instructed not to participate in the socio-academic activities of the prestigious Lagos State University until the suspension is lifted. In addition, they are not to be seen within the university premises except on invitation,” the statement read in part.

state.

The governor ordered the payment through the Director General of the state Pension Board, Alhaji Usman Muhammad.

Confirming this, one of the pensioners, who gave his name as Alhaji Mahmud Abdullahi, told our correspondent that he never thought the money would be released in his lifetime.

“I have even spoken with my friends and former colleagues, they con-

firmed the same thing and we pray that the Almighty Allah bless this governor and the economy. All Pensioners, say thank you, Mr. Governor,” he said.

However, only pensioners that left the service under the old pension scheme are to receive their entitlements before the others.

When contacted, Muhammad said 1,096 local government retirees and 255 pensioners in the civil service were to benefit from the payment.

He said those to be paid would have to provide among others their letters of first appointment and disengagement from the service while relations of deceased workers must produce the death certificate of the relation they intend to claim their entitlements.

The Director General warned that the board would not tolerate any ' under the table dealings' during the payments as the full weight of the law would be brought on any-

one, including staff of the Board that tries to circumvent the process.

He said: “The board was critically looking into the cases of pensioners that fall under the new Contributory Pension Scheme with a view to ensuring they received their benefits as soon as possible.

“We are trying to see how we can help the retirees, why are they not paid after money has been deducted from their salaries?”

NERC asks appeal court to ‘arrest’ electricity tariff's judgement

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Foluso Ogunmodede wo weeks after its power to increase the electricity tariff was dismissed by a Federal High Court, Lagos, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), yesterday asked the Court of Appeal to “arrest” the court's verdict.

It asked the court to stay the execution of the judgement pending the final determination of the substantive matter before the court.

The Federal High Court had on July 13 ruled that NERC's discretionary powers to increase the contentious tariff were without recourse to the enabling laws guiding the commission.

Dissatisfied, NERC's lawyers, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN), Nnamdi Oragwu, Peter Edokpayi and Tobenna Nnamani, headed for the Lagos division of the appellate court.

In a notice of appeal exclusively obtained by Saturday Telegraph, NERC’s lawyers pedicated their objections on14 grounds for determi-

nation.

They are the followings among others: “The trial Judge erred in law when he held that the court had jurisdiction to entertain the 1st respondent's originating summons when the processes were incompetent and refused to decline jurisdiction to entertain the 1st respondent's originating summons when it was clear that the action was statute barred, having been brought outside the statutory period prescribed under S 2(a) of the Public Officers Protection Act, Cap P41, LFN, 2004.

“The trial judge took the position of the litigant by assisting the first respondent in couching its claim.

“The trial judge erred in law and deprived the appellant of its constitutional right to fair hearing when he suo motu raised in its judgment issue of compliance of the appellant's counter affidavit with provision of the Evidence Act, admissibility of newspaper publication and granting relief to the first respondent not sought without first giving the parties opportunity to address him on the issues raised suo motu.”

Civil servants to work three days per week –Okorocha Steve Uzoechi, OWERRI

G

overnor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State yesterday said he was contemplating the reduction of work days for civil and public servants in the state from five to three days per week.

Okorocha made the disclosure while briefing journalists on the state of affairs

in Imo at his Spibat residence in Owerri.

He said the reduction from five to three days was to enable workers have more time to attend to other activities that would supplement their monthly earnings to better support their families.

“I encourage Imo workers to find additional things to do so as to support their families because of the economic situation we are facing in Nigeria.

“We are considering plans

to reduce working days from five to three in Imo so that workers will use the rest of the days to work and support their families,” he said.

Okorocha, who was not specific on when the implementation of the reduction in working days would commence said the state government was equally planning to further make a downward review of salaries paid to the state workers.

He said in spite of the current payment of 70 per cent

of salaries to workers, the state still pays the highest salary scale in the SouthEast.

“Directors in these other South-Eastern states receive something a little above N90, 000 while in Imo they receive more than N100, 000.

We intend to clear salary arrears up to July by next week.

After that we will consider downward review of salary to workers so as to be at par with other states in the South-East,” he said.

Okorocha also spoke on his urban renewal programme, noting that relocation of Ekeukwu Owerri market and the Orji and Nekede mechanic villages to Avu was irreversible.

“From Monday, August 1, a taskforce to enforce the relocation order for the mechanics will commence work, and I am advising vehicle owners to ensure that they do not take their vehicles to any of these places from Monday,” he said.

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News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

Attacks: OPC won’t strike unless it gets approval –Gani Adams

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Isioma Madike he leader of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, has said his organisation would not strike back at the militants terrorising Lagos and its environs until it gets the needed approval from the state government.

In an exclusive telephone interview with Saturday Telegraph in Lagos yesterday, the OPC leader decried what he described as none committal support from the state government, security agents and leaders of the Yoruba race.

He said his organisation has realised that most of its efforts and sacrifices in the past have always been mistaken and treated as criminal acts in government and security circles.

According to him, OPC needs to get clearance from the state government for it to be able to act decisively. “That is our position now. Without that we may not act as expected.

Even in security circles or even government, if a superior officer does not give a clearance to the rank and file, it will be very

difficult for such an officer to act, talk less of OPC. “We don’t want to be blamed again. However, let me reiterate that we have been doing something underground in our own way to make sure we suppress the militant attacks but fiscal combats without clearance will be difficult for now. Even our people do not often appreciate our sacrifices. Any time there is crisis they will be calling OPC but won’t like to support in our efforts to do the right thing.”

Adams, who confirmed that OPC was in Ikorodu on Monday afternoon to assist in repelling the militants in their normal way of approaching such issues, said SARS came in and accused them of attempting to assume their powers.

“But, we told them that we only came in to support, like we normally do in situation like that so as to prevent our people from being killed further like chickens.

“When the army, nicknamed operation MESA came, our members approached them and requested for their support to allow them move in to the river area where the militants usually come for at-

tacks. To our surprise, the commandant called the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of that division who told him to make sure we didn’t carry arms.

“You understand that language. So, you can imagine people going to the lion’s den empty handed. Would that not amount to suicide mission? He wanted us to face the militants that have been killing and maiming our people with bare hands. That alone has put us in a fix psychologically. This is what I have been telling the media since I came back from Europe that if people want us to do this job, would the law enforcement agents not turn it against us and declare our actions illegal? This is why we are now insisting on clearance.

I overheard on Tuesday that the Commissioner of Police in the state called our commandant to report to his office.

“I was there and nobody contacted me. What does he want to discuss with him?

What will he say? We don’t need to be beating about the bush; we have to approach the problem in a normal way.”

He cited the case of a first class oba in the state that was kidnapped for about three weeks. When that kidnapping

took place, he said, there was a lot of casualties in the palace and that community become a ghost town after that. He further disclosed that his organisation had a meeting on Tuesday where far-reaching decisions were taken.

According to him, the organisation resolved that until the government or its agents agree to partner with them to stop these ugly incidents, there will be no action from them as people are expecting. “Look at what happened in Igando recently? Did the police succeed in stopping the criminals? You can only be effective when you use people on ground in the locality to face them.

“In Borno, if not because of the civilian JTF, the rate of success in the fight against insurgents that is recorded thus far won’t have been possible.

And here, they are pretending, the government of Lagos and Ogun states did not call us, the council of traditional rulers did not call us, the security agents, either police or DSS did not call us and have a word of commitment. If they had done that, we could have had something to hold on to that will enable us to contribute our little quota in seeing to

L-R: Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; former ProChancellor, University of Ibadan, Chief Wole Olanipekun; a representative of Oyo State Governor, Mr. Olalekan Ali and daughter of late Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, Mrs. Yetunde Adejuigbe, at the 50th memorial of Fajuyi, in Ibadan… yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

IKEJA

YENAGOA Bayelsa got N19bn from FAAC

Bayelsa State Government yesterday said it got N19billion from the Federal Government for the month of July.

The state government explained that it received a gross inflow of N7.2 billion for the month of June as against the N19 billion being peddled, noting that the Federal Allocation Commission (FAAC) deductions totaled N2.3 billion.

The state’s Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah, made the clarification during the monthly transparency briefing at the Government House, Yenagoa He said the amount was realised after all the necessary deductions.

The government, however, restated its commitment to the agreement it reached with organised labour, saying out of the N3.5 billion funds available for spending for the month of July, 2016, it would pay the 50 per cent of salaries to workers for the month of July.

IRC ranks top three global executive search

IRC Global Executive Search Partners, a global professional alliance of executive, has been named top three global executive search services providers in terms of geographic coverage.

Leading Edge Consulting is a member firm of IRC Global Executive Search, currently the fastest growing Executive Search alliance in the world, and operates as IRC (Nigeria) with Dr. Ije Jidenma as its managing partner.

In the Global 25 rankings recently released

by Hunt Scanlon Media, IRC Global Executive Search Partners is the third largest network of executive search offices worldwide, currently represented by 80 offices across six continents creating a unique opportunity for clients to receive top quality service wherever their needs appear.

ADO-EKITI New Ekiti lawmaker writes speaker

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given a Certificate of Return to Mr. Toyin Obayemi as a member of Ekiti State House of Assembly.

He has therefore sent a letter to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Kolawole Oluwole, on the need for him to be sworn in.

Obayemi was declared the sole candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the April 11, 2015 general election by Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti, on July 4, 2016.

The court said the election of Mr. Musa Arogundade of the PDP, representing Ado Constituency 1 in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, was invalid.

APC wins Imo North Senate rerun, two assembly seats Steve Uzoechi,

T OWERRI

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr. Ben Uwajumogu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of Imo North Senatorial District rerun election held on July 28.

Uwajumogu scored 56,076 votes to defeat Mr.

Athan Achonu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 43, 815 votes following Thursday’s supplementary poll.

The INEC Returning Officer for Imo North Senatorial District, Prof. Arinze Agbogu, who announced the result yesterday, said the result was a summation of scores of July 23 and that of July 28 supplementary exercise.

Uwajumogu had earlier scored 48,921 on July 23, while Achonu scored 40,142 votes,

with over 56 polling units and over 25,000 voters yet to vote.

INEC consequently declared the rerun inconclusive fixing a supplementary election to give over 25, 000 voters in the 56 polling units an opportunity to exercise their franchise.

While declaring the final result, Agbogu said available data before him showed that Uwajumogu had majority of lawful votes cast, and therefore, returned elected for the Imo North senato-

NEWS I N BRIEF

ST

rial district.

Similarly, INEC had declared Mr. Nkenna Nzeruo of the APC winner of the Oru East State Constituency election, while Mr. Collins Chiji of APC was declared winner for Isiala Mbano state constituency.

The two state constituencies’ election had earlier been declared inconclusive due to reported cases of violence that marred the exercise in some communities in the two constituencies on July 23.

the end of this madness.

“We are not saying that we can do it better than them but we believe we have a role to play in this. It’s in our own interest; it is in the government’s interest. Last year when they were campaigning, one of their supposed major priorities was security of life and property of the citizens of the state but barely one year in office, this has become a major problem.

“Even if the government

seems not to be interested, I think the council of obas would have issued a categorical statement condemning this act and pressurise the government to do the right thing, because what happened to the oba of Iba can equally happen to any of them if they don’t act fast. Criminals always enjoy a situation where they act on impunity. So, if nothing practical is done about this issue, no one will tell what will happen in future,” Adams said.

Onaiyekan tasks Buhari on war against corruption Cephas Iorhemen,

T

MAKURDI

he Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, yesterday tasked President Muhammadu Buhari not to relent in his administration’s war against corruption but intensify efforts until it is won.

He also admonished the Federal Government to check religious polarisation and destruction of lives and property in the churches and communities by extremists and insurgents.

Onaiyekan, who stated this during a funeral mass for the burial of Most Rev. Athanasius Atule Usuh, the Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, at the Ibrahim Babangida Square, advised Nigerians to remain united despite ceaseless attacks on them by suspected Fulani insurgents.

While praying God to inter-

vene in the continuous attacks on people of the state, Archbishop Onaiyekan, said Usuh was known for hard work and ecclesiastical sagacity.

He acknowledged the achievements recorded by the late Bishop whom he said had created four dioceses, including that of Gboko, Katsina-Ala, Otukpo and Lafia, Nasarawa State respectively out of Makurdi diocese, and stressed that the catholic faithful would have loved that he lived longer.

He said Usuh saw the end coming and was prepared for the journey and advised that people's hearts should not be troubled because the late bishop was sure that Christ would give him a place in His Father's House.

Onaiyekan urged Usuh’s successor, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, to keep faith and called on the bishops presiding over the dioceses created by the late bishop to keep working as their reward would be in heaven.

Jabita Hotel appoints new director

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he Board of directors of Jabita Intercontinental Hotels has introduced new measures to enhance the services of the hotel to its numerous customers.

The new measures were made public at the end of the Hotel’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos by the Chairman/ CEO of the organisation, Chief Rasheed Adewale Shitta-Bey. Among the valuable measures introduced include the refurbishing and rehabilitation of the hotel’s environment, enhanced security with palliatives and election of a new director, Mrs. Abisoye Osivaya, nee Shitta-Bey, to replace Ajibola Shitta-Bey. According to the chairman of the organisation, the election of Mrs. Abisoye Osivaya, was

considered due to her intellect, composure, education, exposure and professionalism.

Rasheed Shitta-Bey said there was need to effect a change in the board in order to give to the numerous customers the good taste of hospitality industry as obtained international.

He maintained that the choice of new director was in good taste and the option to elevate and promote immeasurable services in Jabita International Hotels.

Shitta-Bey said the hotel now has the following members in the board to direct the affairs of the organisation. They include: The Chairman/CEORasheed Adewale Shitta-Bey, Mrs. Abisoye Osivay, Alhaja Simbiat Shitta-Bey and Mr. Ibrahim Adejare Shitta-Bey.

CHANGE AND CONFIRMATION OF NAME

maxwell

I formerly known and addressed as TITUS YUSUF now wish to be known and address as MAXWELL BWALA ALEX. All former documents remain valid, the general public should please take note.

GODSTIME

I, formerly known and addressed as DEO BUMEIN have added GODSTIME to my name, and now wish to be known and addressed as GODSTIME DEO BUMEIN. All documents bearing my former name remain valid. The general public please take note.

KINGSLEY

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ELIZABETH AKPANTA OKO now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ELIZABETH KINGSLEY PETERS. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

boluwaji

I formerly known and addressed as KIYESOLA MICHAEL now wish to be known and addressed as KIYESOLA BOLUWAJI MICHAEL. All former documents remain valid.

Authorities concerned and general public please take note.

CHRISTOPHER

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ELIZABETH BONIFACE ISAAC now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. INYENEOBONG CHRISTOPHER BASSEY. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and general public please take note.

IGWE

This is to notify that the names REV. (BISHOP) DANIEL AWO IGWE and REV. (BISHOP) DANIEL AWO OKOHA refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as REV. (BISHOP) DANIEL AWO IGWE. All former documents remain valid. Ecobank Plc, UBA Plc, First bank Plc and the general public should please take note.

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

9

PDP chair: Dokpesi visits Lagos, says no rancour with Bode George

A

Second from left, Rev. Cole Omeaku Chiori, Peter Cole Chiori (3rd from left) presenting copies of exercise books to pupils of Methodist Primary School, Apapa, Lagos, to mark Cole's 70th birthday… recently

Wale Elegbede n aspirant for the national chairmanship position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming National Convention of the party, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has urged members of the party in Lagos State to unite and forge a common ground in a bid to win the state from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Police ‘stray’ bullet kills one, injures others in Nasarawa l Kwara CP directs officers to display GSM numbers Cheke Emmanuel, Lafia and Biodun Oyeleye,

A Ilorin

t least one person was feared dead yesterday while two others are seriously injured when they were hit by stray bullets from policemen in Nasarawa State.

The killing came barely three days after students of the state polytechnic, Lafia, were allegedly shot dead by the police in an attempt to

disperse students who were protesting the death of their colleagues that were killed by a moving car.

The incident occurred when fracas ensured between members of organised labour and security operatives at the gate of Government House along Shendam Road, to await the outcome of negotiation between a delegation by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by its President, Mr. Ayuba Waba and Governor Tanko Al-Makura.

It was gathered that the body of Aliyu Mbugadu, Doma Umar, Musa Salihu

and one Rabiu, who were in critical conditions, were taken to the police clinic along Jos Road in Lafia.

Reacting to the incident in an interview with journalists, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abubakar Bello, who exonerated his men of involvement in the killing, said only the conclusion of the investigation would establish what actually happened.

Also fielding questions from journalists at the scene of the incident, Waba wondered at the timing of the incident when negotiation was going on at the government house.

He expressed rude shock that the police who are supposed to protect the members of the union could turn their guns against them at a peaceful event.

The NLC president, however, challenged the Nigeria Police to always respect the rules of engagements especially when dealing with civilians.

Waba said NLC would organise a national protest against the police.

Meanwhile, the new Kwara State Police Commissioner, Mr. Olusola Amore, yesterday ordered all Area Commanders (ACs) and

Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) under his command to display their telephone numbers conspicuously in their respective offices as a means of achieving modern policing system.

The new police boss said the directive was to enhance effective communication between the police and host communities under their control just as he equally directed the ACs and DPOs to assemble a group of eminent personalities in their domain for regular interactions as it's being done by the new leadership of the police force.

Ex-UBA GMD/CEO lauded at book launch

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t was reign of accolades for the outgoing Group Managing Director/CEO of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, in Lagos as captains of industry and leading voices of Nigerian society witnessed the launch of a book in his honour.

The book titled: “Dynamics of the Nigerian Financial System” edited by Prof.

Michael M. Ogbeide, is a compilation of essays on the Nigerian financial system in honour of Oduoza, who retires at the end of July, having completed his two terms of three years each at the helm of the pan African financial institution.

Speaking during the occasion, Chairman of Best Foods Limited, who was the chairman of the book launch, Emmanuel Ijewere, said Oduoza is worth celebrating

because “he has proven himself to be a worthy banker, an authority in the banking industry, and an administrator who has traversed the banking and financial landscape without blemish. A special brand dedicated to excel.”

Also, Chairman United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony O. Elumelu, in his remarks, commended Phillips Oduoza for sustaining the growth trajectory of UBA Plc in the last six years.

“Oduoza is a man with a very cerebral mind, very diligent, loyal and astute. A man retiring in two days, who still works like he just resumed. During the period we worked together at UBA, he was a wonderful big brother. A man who loves and encourages progress and a man who always works for the best of everything.”

Elumelu said that the performance of UBA today, both financial and brand management are all attributable to Oduoza and all the team he worked with.

Similarly, former CEO of Diamond Bank Plc, Mr. Alex Otti, praised Oduoza for his extra-ordinary talent and management skills and leaving the banking industry

AKURE Senator blames govs for economic crisis

with his integrity intact. He urged Oduoza to ensure that he puts his wealth of experience in the banking industry to the benefit of the country.

ADO-EKITI

The Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Chief Tayo Alasoadura, has blamed financial recklessness by some of the state governors as the factor responsible for the economic recession being witnessed in the country.

Alasoadura, who was a chairman of forum of finance commissioner and former commissioner for finance in Ondo State, said lack of transparency contributed immensely to the financial and economic recession being faced in the nation.

The Senator, who is one of the governorship aspirants under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), said accountability and transparency is the only prerequisite for good governance in the country.

Fayose hails Momoh’s emergence as BON chairman

Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has hailed the election of Chairman/CEO of Channels Media Group, Mr John Momoh, as the Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON).

He extolled Mr Momoh’s virtues as an ace broadcaster and veteran journalist whose hard work and expertise as a media entrepreneur has earned him several deserved awards.

He highlighted his national award as an Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), his 2014 Planet Africa Awards for Excellence in Leadership among others, as well deserved honour.

Mr Fayose believes that broadcasting in Nigeria is set on a dynamic and prosperous course with Mr Momoh now in the saddle.

“It is heart-warming to commend Mr John Momoh for emerging the first professional and private television entrepreneur to become the chairman of the BON."

The national chairmanship hopeful said this when his campaign team berthed in the commercial centre to canvass the support of delegates from the state ahead of the national convention billed for Port Harcourt, Rivers State on August 17.

“I appeal to you to bury your differences and unite so that PDP can win this state.

Since 1999, we have presented a divided house at every election and it is always our undoing at the poll. Your leaders can attest to the fact that I have made series of efforts to unite the various groups in the past.

If you support my aspiration and I emerge as the chairman, we will unite the party and win the state,” he said.

He told delegates that there is no rancour between him and Chief Olabode George, who is also aspiring for the same position.

Lagos State PDP chairman and a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Moshood Salvador, described Dokpesi as a pride of PDP, noting that he is a respected Nigerian who is capable of leading the party.

“The PDP is proud to have High Chief Raymond Dokpesi in its rank. He is capable to lead the party but let me say we will also accompany our own, Chief Olabode George, to Edo State to canvass for votes from delegates,” he said.

The Edo State PDP organising secretary, Henry Duke Tenebe, appealed to the Lagos delegates to accord Dokpesi their support during the national convention, stressing that he is a bridge builder and a detribalised leader.

SOKOTO

LG to train youths, women on modern farming techniques

Chairman, Binji Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Alhaji Umaru Danhabi, yesterday said arrangement had been concluded to train youths and women on modern farming techniques.

Danhabi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto that the beneficiaries would be trained in poultry, animal husbandry, fish farming, beekeeping and vegetables farming among others.

He said the involvement of youths and women in the programme would boost food production in the area, in addition to making them self-reliant.

He also said the local administration was poised to encourage youths and women participation to promote all year round farming with a view to ensuring food security.

Danhabi said the area was blessed with vast arable land needed for the production of assorted food and cash crops.

Again, FAAN disrupts Arik’s operations, flays court order

S

Wole Shadare cores of passengers were left stranded at many of the nation as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday disrupted operations of Arik Air at the domestic General Aviation Terminal and international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

Meanwhile, Arik Air has

expressed its dismay over FAAN's disruption of its operations as workers of the agency prevented Arik Air from gaining access to the Airside of both terminals.

Access to the Airside is critical and fundamental to the airline’s operations for moving catering, supplies and other sundry items to the aircraft, as well as the movement of its personnel to ready the aircraft

for departure.

This access is also necessary for the airline to conduct secondary security screening, mandatory security checks and for securing the aircraft at all times in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and recommended practice.

The carrier said this is not the first time that FAAN has taken the law into its own

hands as it had resorted to such strong-arm tactics against the airline in the past and most recently in May this year.

It is already in the public domain that Arik Air and FAAN have a lingering disagreement on the long-standing and unsubstantiated claim by FAAN of spurious indebtedness of the airline to the agency which is now before the Federal High Court in Lagos, at the instance

of FAAN. Both sides were reconciling payment accounts between the institutions over the charges paid by Arik Air to date and in this regard, Arik Air has been providing all the needed assistance and cooperation to conclude the reconciliation process.

It noted that FAAN has shown total disregard for the laws of the Federal Republic of

NEWS I N BR I E F

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Nigeria by carrying out such disruptive action again.

In Suit No: FHC/L/ CS/1558/2015 brought by FAAN against Arik Air before a Federal High Court in Lagos, the court on 20 June, 2016 had ordered that both parties maintain status quo ante-bellum until Ruling on the Ex-parte is delivered. The matter was further adjourned to 10 October, 2016.

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Voices Is sending your wards to summer school overstretching them? p.12

City & crime update

SATURDAY, 30 JULY 2016

Suspects

‘Army uniforms make it easy to kidnap diplomats’

T

Juliana Francis

he Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is rapidly becoming a dreaded axis.

This location has witnessed the kidnapping of many top Nigerians and foreign diplomats.

The Abuja-Kaduna Expressway was where the Deputy High Commissioner of Sierra Leone, Major General Alfred Claude-Nelson, Executive Director of Dangote Group Engineer, Mansur Ahmed, chairman of Code of Conduct Bureau and several others were kidnapped.

The road is also where kidnapped victims are usually dumped after family members and friends have paid ransom.

This expressway is a major route to different states in Nigeria.

Some suspects, who participated in the kidnap of some highly placed persons, including Major General Claude-Nelson, said that the victims were random targets.

According to them, kidnapping people along the route was like a child’s play. They explained that all they needed to do was put on army uniforms, armed with a gun and voila, the victims walk into their traps.

Suspects arrested for kidnapping Claude-Nelson are Alhaji Rabiu Yusuf, 30, gang leader, Garba Abubakar, aka 27, second in command, Yusuf Adam, 20, driver of gang, Hussaini Musa 25, Shuaibu Idris, 35, Usman Bello, 20, Muhammadu Abubakar, 30, Sulaiman Abubakar, 25, Musa Iliyasu, 20, Balarabe Mohammedu, 20 and Musa Ali, 45, a security guard at Paki Area Development Council Kano State. He was the person who harboured the kidnappers inside a government building for two days.

The suspects were all arrested by Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT), supported by Kaduna Anti-kidnapping Operatives.

Three AK47 rifles, serial numbers; LU3855, 406724 and AC03302 were recovered from them. Also recovered were loaded AK47 magazines containing 90 rounds of ammunition and two army camouflage uniforms. The weapons were recovered from Musa, alleged armourer of the gang.

The kidnappers’ waterloo started after they kidnapped and released Claude-Nelson. They collected ransom of N1.5million for his release.

A police source said: “The mastermind of the kidnap of Claude-Nelson was arrested by IRT operatives. The gang is most

notorious for kidnapping. It used to terhad contacts of buyers. In one of our operarorise Kaduna State. The mastermind of tions, two of my members were caught and the kidnaps, Alhaji Rabiu Yusuf, is also the killed instantly by herdsmen. Our operaleader of the gang.” tional vehicle was set ablaze. We recruited The gang members were arrested after more men. Last year, our receiver, Saleh, the Acting Inspector-General-of Police, died. There was no one else to receive our (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, directed IRT stolen cows. I then decided to venture into operatives to head to Kaduna State, fish kidnapping because it was the trending out the kidnappers of Claude-Nelson and business among herdsmen.” some top Nigerians.

He said that after the death of some of A source added: “After seven days of his men, he recruited another set and they none stop investigations, all the kidnapformed a kidnapping gang. They bought pers were arrested. Garba Abubakar is rifles, 16 live ammunition and army unithe second in command of the gang. His forms. girlfriend, Fatima Umar, 28, was arrested Yusuf said: “We laid siege to the Kawith the suspects. She’s assisting the police duna-Abuja Expressway. We normally in their investigation. The suspects have blocked the expressway with a black coconfessed to being involved in many loured Mazda Saloon car. We abducted kidnappings, including the abduction of many persons, including Claude-Nelson.

Claude-Nelson.”

We have collected millions of naira as ranOne of the suspects, Balarabe Mosom from our victims. I was arrested a few hammedu, said that he was in charge of days after Sallah in Zaria. One of my gang moving vehicles of kidnapped victims to members, arrested by the police, led them Niger Republic, where the cars were sold to my house.” immediately.

Garba, who was the first suspect arMohammed said: “We kidnapped the rested in connection with the gang’s acSierra Leonean diplomat. I moved his car tivities, narrated how they planned and to Niger Republic, where it was executed the kidnapping of sold immediately.”

Claude-Nelson.

Members of the gang, conHe said: “The sum of N1.5m We struck that night fessed to being involved in cattle was paid as ransom before we rustling before they took to kidrelease Claude-Nelson. Some and luckily for us, the napping. They said that most of days before the last Sallah celtheir members had been slaughman drove into our ebration, which was during tered by herdsmen. end of Ramadan, I and six trap. The moment his the Recollecting how they kidof my friends decided to stage a napped Claude-Nelson, Mohamkidnap operation on the Abujacar was snatched, I med said the victim was abducted Kaduna Expressway. The idea drove it away on June 3. was to raise money for the SalHis words: “We struck that lah celebration. We had no parnight and luckily for us, the man ticular target in mind. drove into our trap. The moment “We blocked the Dutse axis his car was snatched, I drove it away. I of the expressway. Some of us wore army took it to my ‘crosser,’ Abubakar, living in uniforms. When we blocked Claude-NelKastina State. I allowed him to go alone to son and his driver around 8pm on that Niger Republic with the vehicle. Yes, I got fateful day, they thought we were genumy share of the ransom. I was waiting for ine soldiers. It was when we abducted him Abubakar to bring in the proceeds from that the reality dawned on him. We didn’t the sale of the car when I was arrested.” know who he was until his kidnap was Rabiu Yusuf, father of 10 children, said announced by the media. We demanded he was a cattle-rustler until many of his N30m as ransom. He spent four days in members and the receiver of the cows died. our custody. We released him after the sum He said: “My friends and I have stolen of N1.5m was paid. It was one Umaru, many cows from their owners in the forest. who collected the ransom. He declared We sold the cows to a man known as Saleh only N1m. I got N200, 000 as my share. from the Kawo area of Kaduna State. We That operation was the third I had done normally go into the bush at night, where with that gang. I spent my own share of these cows are reared to steal them. We do the loot during Sallah. I also invited my this when the herdsmen are sleeping. We girlfriend from Zaria to join me in celebratmove the cows in a vehicle, to Saleh. Saleh ing the Sallah. We spent part of the money

together. In fact, she was with me at Paki Local Government Secretariat in Kaduna State when I was arrested.”

A victim of the gang, Mr. Sule Umar, 55, a staff of Nassarawa State Internal Revenue Service, said he was abducted on his way to Zaria, Kaduna State, on June 15.

According to him, a ransom of N500, 000 was paid before he was released. After the arrest of the gang, Umar was at the Kaduna State Police Command, to identify some of the suspects.

Umar recounted his experience: “I was traveling to Zaria, from Nassarawa State when I was kidnapped. On approaching Gidwa Takwas, a village off the AbujaKaduna Expressway, I was accosted by gunmen. They pulled me off the road. I thought they were soldiers; before I knew what was happening, they started firing indiscriminately into the air. I was terrified.

They dragged me out of my car into the bush. The next morning, they said I should call whoever I know could bail me. I called one of my friends, Aliyu Tahir. They demanded N50m.

My friend told them that none of us could afford such an amount of money.

My friend ended up paying N500, 000 before I was released. The kidnappers also made away with my car; a Honda EOD saloon car, my laptop, a Samsung phone, ATM cards and the sum of N65, 000. It was a traumatic experience for me. I thank God they had been arrested.”

Recalling how he received news of Umar’s kidnap and subsequent ransom demand, Tahir said the gang left him with no other option, than to quickly look for the ransom.

He said the kidnappers called him in the morning of June 16, to tell him that his friend, Umar, had been abducted. They threatened to kill Umar if he (Tahir) didn’t pay the ransom.

Tahir said: “I begged them not to kill him. The man that called insulted me. I thanked him. He switched off the phone.

After about an hour, he called again. He said if I wanted my friend to live, I should bring N50m for his bail. I told him we couldn’t even raise one percent of that money. I pleaded; we ended the negotiation at N500, 000. I was instructed to take the money to the Maraba area of Jos within 24 hours or Umar would be killed.”

Tahir said that he was further instructed not to alert the police. The kidnappers later called and told him to go and pick Umar at Gidwa Takwas area, Abuja.

City&crime update

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

Ndubuisi Ugah

R

with agency reports

eligious leaders around the world, including those in the United States are asking their members to pray for the Christian community in Nigeria and particularly the northern part of the country, where more than a dozen Christians have been murdered in recent months.

Hundreds of Christians have fled the North since the spate of killings began, according to investigations by an online news portal, Per Second News.Com, which also revealed that the killing of Christians in northern Nigeria have increased by 62 per cent in just one year.

Per Second News gathered that a publication this year by World Watch List (WWL), showed that a staggering 62 per cent rise in violent killings of Christians in northern Nigeria as churches in the country unite to highlight this problem for the first time.

The report, which is to be released in Abuja, by a group, Open Doors and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), ‘Crushed but not defeated, the impact of persistent violence on the church in northern Nigeria’, revealed the detailed study of the violence that had occurred in the past one year.

Investigation revealed that in 2015, about 4,028 killings and 198 church attacks were recorded, according to the online news portal, compared to the 2,484 killings and 108 church attacks that were recorded in the previous year.

An estimated 30 mil-

Global concern mounts as religious leaders issue prayer appeal

…spate of killings decimate Christian community in Nigeria lion Christians in northern Nigeria form the largest minority in a mainly Muslim environment. For decades, Christians in the region have suffered marginalisation and discrimination as well as targeted violence.

Members of the Christian Association of NigerianAmericans (CANAN), while speaking through its Executive Director, Dr. Ade Oyesile, said: “We are saddened by the rapid occurrences of these atrocious killings without a corresponding accountability being meted to the growing list of perpetrators.”

It also urged the Federal Government to go beyond mere expression of shock at the vicious killings and set in motion practical steps to stem the ugly spectacle of continuous massacre of Christians.

The group noted: “As at July 20, 2016, our records show that at least 384 Christians had been killed and 111 injured in various parts of the country. With just weeks past midyear, this figure compares in a scar proportion to a total of 431 deaths and 301 injured Christians in the entire 2015.”

Also reacting, a magazine that chronicles attack on Christians, revealed in its publication recently, that: “These killings are carried out either by tit-for-tat attacks, arson on properties

especially churches or the targeted systematic killings of Christians perpetuated by the Boko Haram terrorist group.

“Our figures of Christians killed and maimed by Muslims are consistent with documentation by "The Religion of Peace.”

The magazine, which gave more details of the vicious killings for this year alone, said: “On January 27, at least 16 Christians were killed and 32 injured when a suicide bomber sent a shrapnel at a vegetable market in Chibok, a Christian town in Maiduguri.

“On January 29, in Adamawa, 10 Christians were killed and 28 injured when a

O

July 15, 2015.

The colourful and wellattended ceremony held at the Igbogbo palace, Ikorodu, Lagos, was chaired by the Governor of Lagos, and Akinwunmi Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Af-

30, in Dadawa, an outskirt of Sabongari in Kano State, a man and his daughter were burnt alive in a church by Boko Haram.

“At Ninte village, in Jema’a Local Government Area in Kaduna State on May 31, just a month after, three Christians were burnt to death in a pastor's home as they slept.

“In Kano on June 2, a Christian woman was beheaded by Islamic fundamentalists after a minor argument. On June 30 at Obi town, in Nasarawa State, a pastor was killed by a militant Muslim.

“The July 9 incident where a female pastor was hacked to death in the FCT

by Muslim radicals traumatised every right thinking individual.

“These dastardly killing of Christians in the country must stop. It is most disappointing that these unprovoked killings of Christians have continued despite the Federal Government condemnation statements.

“There is palpable anger in the land and it is anger without answers, and the Federal Government has a direct responsibility to secure the lives of all citizens.

“This is more so as we Christians, do not preach gospel of retaliation, we preach peace and peace we are seeking now.”

“Whatever the Federal Government is doing, if any, it is either too slow or insignificant compared with the reoccurrence of the killings; the Federal Government needs to step up and take bold actions to give members of the Christian community in the country a sense of security and belonging.”

President Yoruba Community in Naples, Mr. Babatunde Owolabi; representative of Ooni of Ife, Erelu Tunwase of Yoruba Land, Mrs. Ajiun Ayorinde and Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, during the presentation of OMOLUABI award to the Speaker, at the celebration of Yoruba Cultural Day, in Naples, Italy…on Thursday

Lagos community gets new monarch

ba Semiu Orimadegun Kasali {Emugoriade 1} has been installed as the new king of Igbogbo land in Lagos.

The people of Igbogbo community have been without a king since the demise of their traditional ruler, Oba Johnson Olatunji Fatola, on

suicide bomber detonated a bomb at a busy market near a church. All the victims were Christians.

“On February 14 in Abbi community in Uzo-Uwani, Enugu State, Fulani herdsmen killed two Christians when a brother and sister were hacked down in a Christian dominated community. Nineteen people were injured.”

On February 24 in Agatu, Benue State, the nation witnessed the merciless killings of at least 300 Christians by radical Islamic mercenaries including pregnant women.

“In Enugu on April 25, 48 Christians were killed and 60 injured also perpetuated by Fulani herdsmen. On April

11

Kenneth Ofoma Enugu

fairs, Hon. Musiliu Folami.

Dignitaries at the event included Special Adviser, Communities and Communications, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan; Ayanburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi and his wife; Ranodu of Imota; Obateru of Egbinland and a host of others.

Commissioner for Local Government & Community Affairs, Hon. Musiliu Folami presenting the staff of office to Oba Orimadegun

T

he case of little Chibuike Oramalu, the six-yearold boy who recently regained his freedom after spending six weeks in police custody for alleged murder has taken a turn for the worse as the police have officially charged him to court with murder.

Chibuike was charged alongside Chief Edwin Oforma, 58, before an Enugu Magistrate’s court on Friday.

However, Oforma, the owner of the gun, which Chibuike accidentally discharged while cleaning his house killing another boy, Oluebube Boniface, 12, on May 29, had extra charge brought against him for owning a Zebra English made double barrel gun with cartridges without a valid licence.

The Learned Magistrate, His Worship Hillary Asogwa, after listening to the submissions of representative of Chibuike, a human rights group, Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN); agreed that the six year-old boy was in-

Group kicks as police charge 6-year-old boy with murder

capable of committing crime and as such he could not be remanded in prison custody.

The learned magistrates therefore released Chibuike Oramalu on bond to the mother but went ahead to remand Mr. Edwin Oforma in prison for murder and unlawful possession of double barrel gun.

Meanwhile, CRRAN has petitioned the Chairman of Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, requesting the commission’s intervention to stop police from sending Chibuike to jail.

In a petition signed by CRRAN President, Olu Omotaya Esq, the group submitted that the arraignment of the six-year-old Chibuike for murder by the Police was a mockery and abuse of administration of justice in the country.

“The question is why are the officers handling this matter bent on sending the six-year-old to prison by whatever crook means. The

Police Service Commission has to live up to its responsibility and save the Nigeria Police and the country in general from this type of embarrassment.

“We also appeal to kindhearted Nigerians to help the mother of Chibuike whose house cleaning job has already been terminated by this incident and she has also lost the benefit of the accommodation given to her by her former employer (Oforma),” the group noted.

It would be recalled that Chibuike Miracle Oramalu, a primary 2 pupil of “Carmelite Nursery and Primary School, Nike Avenue, G.R.A. Enugu,” was taken into custody at the State Criminal and Investigation Department (State CID), Police Headquarters, Enugu, on Monday, May 30, and later released on July 13.

Chibuike was cleaning the house of his mother’s employer when he saw a gun on the bed.

12

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Voices

30 JULY 2016

Is sending your children to summer school overstretching them?

It is good for them to relax their brains Summer school is too stressful for the children, so it is better when the school closes for them to relax at home so that their

brains will also relax.

—Mrs. Bassey, self-employed

I actually think so because children have been working all this while, they deserve the much needed rest. Summer school is stressing them.

But because of work or plain laziness some parents want to send their children to summer school but then children should be allowed to rest.

—Mrs. Udensi, entrepreneur

It is good to engage them meaningfully It doesn't overstretch students because they are going there to learn. If they don't attend summer school, the children would be idle and they may cause public disturbance or engage in frivolities. Summer school helps them to learn such that when the school resumes, they would have been familiar with the syllabus.

—Prince Ephraim, electrical engineer

It favours the students Summer coaching is in favour of students because it would make them have an insight to what they would meet in the next academic session. It's also an avenue to keep them busy and most times it restrains them from the company of bad friends if they aren't allowed to play around at home. If holidays are too much children may lose focus educationally hence the need for them to be preoccupied with academic activities.

—Ekene Ezenwa, student

The children should be allowed to spend their holiday resting and recovering from the stress of school activities, it's an opportunity for them to sleep well, feed well and engage in recreational activities.

—Mrs. Patricia Onwuegbuzie,

They deserve rest

Children should be allowed to enjoy their holiday

theatre nurse

It is good for them Summer school is good for all these children because when they are at home they could be engaged in harmful and dangerous games. So the summer school is very good.

—Yinka Biola, hairdresser

It is not bad t is good because if you leave the children at home they will only resort to playing games and forget certain things that they learnt while at school, so it is good for them to go for summer school. For me it is not bad.

—Mrs. Esther Godwin, tailor

It is overstretching them Summer school is somehow, if I have my way I don't want them to go for summer school, they have to rest. For me, they are not going for summer school, it is overstretching.

—Mrs. Edith Ofuonye, hair stylist

It keeps them ahead of others I'm in support of children going to summer classes because it keeps them ahead of their mates and it will reduce the way they play and most schools in Nigeria make money from the programme.

—Kola Sharafa, corps member

It should be scrapped by the minister of education The Minister of Education has a duty to ensure that this scheme is scrapped from the educational system in Nigeria. The holiday period is supposed to be a time when students can rest after the completion of three successive terms and they shouldn't be subjected to any form of holiday coaching.

—Tomisin Aderuku, legal consultant

It prepares them for the new session It is to gear them up.

Holiday coaching prepares children for a new academic session. As a student who wishes to prosper, you don't rest until you get to where you're supposed to be because education is a continuum.

—Pius Oyesanmi, estate broker

A pitiable experience for students The children believe they are on holiday already and that is the only time they have to rest and regain lost energy instead of having to wake up very early again to prepare for summer classes. It is stressful and a pitiable experience for students.

—Damilola Adeyosoye, student

Most parents are not informed enough to look after their wards I support children going to summer classes because most of the parents are not learned in the sense that they cannot take care of their children while at home and this affect them during resumption. Also, some children are too careless in handling their school’s materials while at home.

—Mrs. Ibrahim, teacher

compiled by: OGE NDUBUNMA, OLANIYI ADERUKU AND MARIAM ABDULLAHI

WeekendBliss

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

13

N O P U E S O L C E SADIQ BABAJID

I HAD MY HONEYMOON 10 YEARS AFTER MARRIAGE Public Health expert based in the U.S., Babajide Sadiq, is a co-founder of Genii ‘Geniuses’ Associates, an innovation in global health consulting. He came recently to Nigeria to discuss plans to help developing African countries with a world-class approach to public healthcare. He tells LANRE ODUKOYA about his many feats, his ‘Save-Africa’ initiative and family.

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

How exactly did you become a Public Health practitioner and what does your job entail?

I’ve been a public health practitioner for over 10 years. I’m a Nigerian and I studied here. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy and my Master’s degree in Public Health from Florida State University. I have my Doctorate in Public Health too and my area of specialisation is Epidemiology and I did my minor in Bio-Statistics. During the course of my profession, I’ve had experiences in different areas of public health which includes environmental health, chronic and infectious diseases, global health, bio-data

and I’ve also served in two huge states in the United States of America- Florida and Texas. I used to be their epidemiologist in Florida before I moved down to Texas. Moving down to Texas, I was the senior public policy holder and now I’m the health equity epidemiologist for the State of Texas.

So what brought you back to Nigeria?

I love my country first of all and everything one does outside the country as a patriot, we have to return to replicate them here in one’s fatherland. This country continued on page 14

Instyle

The Arts

Hospitality

TV & Radio

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p.37

p.41

p.36

Enhance your look with pencil dresses

Ojonugwa tells Igala story in simple, brief format

Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers: A choice leisure haven

The media and change initiative of Buhari administration

14

Close Up C o n t i n u e d f r o m pa g e 1 3

made me, I was born here, lived here and my family members live here.

These are sufficient reasons for me to come back and give back to this society.

When I graduated and was doing my Master’s in Public Health, I saw that there were diverse public health issues in this country before I travelled. And since I do some of these things abroad, I think I should be able to return to Africa and replicate some of the things we do abroad in Nigeria.

How much were you able to interact with the Nigerian community in the U.S. who needed your help in terms of health services when you were abroad?

Let me give you an overview. Genii Associates is an innovation in global health consulting. We saw that there was a huge gap after our research or science-based studies, apart from the monetary aspect of providing public health for people in developing countries, we don’t have a structure. Let me give you an example of what I mean about lack of structure; if you have a very good company without a structure, the company will collapse. Most of the things we do in public health in developing countries are done haphazardly. We mostly wait for an outbreak before we do something. My colleagues and I (three other partners) sat down and say we must give back to the developing countries. So when we are addressing the issue here in Nigeria, it’s not only for the Nigerian public but for the rest of the developing countries.

The reason we are focusing on developing countries is that we’ve observed that most of these places have similar issues when it comes to public health.

They often have diverse cultures and resources are not enough. There are so many plans we can adopt to help.

We said ‘why don’t we come up with a model that would actually work?’

That was the reason we came up with what we call the Evidence Base Model in Public Health. The Evidence Base Model in Medicine is what they use in developed countries. Let me break it down. For example, if I come to you that I have a headache and you give me two Paracetamol and it doesn’t work, you have to document it, so that if someone else comes with headache you don’t administer the same drug on him or her. Based on the evidence, they follow the protocols and do it right. The model has shown that it has worked, so why do we have to do something that hasn’t worked. In public health in the last 30 years, they just said that if this is working in medicine, let’s adopt it in public health. So, we’re saying this isn’t just a plan but a model, an empirical one. The only difference is that we are imputing different things that are peculiar to developing countries to the model. I was listening to news the other day and someone was talking about vagina fistula and they have huge population of people living with it in Osun state. And another person said ‘we educate them and the number of victims is still going higher’. When I spoke to people in this community, they told me that there’s this cultural belief that children who do this thing are not promiscuous and are very rich.

Why don’t you address that cultural issue? If you don’t address that cultural issue you’re just wasting your time.

You have to address it because it would make a huge difference.

Where exactly in Nigeria do you hope to start from and what form would this model take in executing it?

We’re looking at using the disease

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

'I was head of public health in Florida, Texas for 10 years surveillance system in Nigeria, data collection system and the healthcare management system. When I look at the data collection system, everybody knows that we don’t have a data collection system. We want to design a good one. That is what the model adopted is going to do. If we have a model in place and we have a good data collection system, then you can say that, people from ‘xyz’ age are the ones suffering from a particular disease. Our plan is to run the programme for two to three years in the countries and leave the plan for people we must have trained to continue.

So who are you working with?

We’re trying to start with local governments for now. And we would spread our tentacles because we need to work with the people in power, it might not be in Lagos because we’re yet to arrive at a take-off point. It’s easier for you to bring a new thing and try it in a small place and move to bigger places later.

someone is knocked down by any of these diseases, it would affect me psychologically. I’m affected. I’m working with some experts with over 35 years’ experience.

Do you want to model it after the concept of Doctors’ Without Border?

The answer is no. Doctors without Border render their services and leave but when you don’t have a structure, when they leave you, they leave you with problems. We don’t want to leave you with problems and if you have any, you have a structure that explains the intervention you need.

Steve Jobs died when there was iPhone 3 and now there’s iPhone 6, if the business was built around Steve Jobs there won’t be iPhone 6. It’s because there’s structure that they can carry on without him.

Which devel-

In case you don’t get support from the government, what would you do?

When you design this model, if you know that there is not enough resources, you look for alternatives. For example we have the malaria problem but there are not enough resources to kick out malaria, we have our grant lighters, we can help to get grants. We have the Bill Gate Foundation and there are huge NGO’s out there that will support. Based on our pedigree we have scores of NGOs we can approach for this kind of need. There are many NGOs out there willing to help but how will they help you if you don’t have a structure?

You’re bringing this to Nigeria at a time when a presidential candidate in the U.S. is accusing Nigerians of storming the country to take all their jobs, are you afraid of staying back in the U.S.?

You’ve asked me this question because you don’t know my professional pedigree. Apart from having my first degree in Nigeria, I had the others in the United States and if you know where I have worked, you’d realise that I can never be afraid. I love this country and I want to give back.

This isn’t a money-spinning business, everybody back there should return home and contribute their quota. I have worked for the Centre for Disease Control and I’ve managed over 10 million data sets in Florida. But if everybody keeps saying they don’t want to come back home, who is going to fix the problem? It’s not about money.

The reports from the World Health Organisation about developing countries are not favourable- it’s always cases of cholera, malaria, diarrhoea and so on. I have my family members here and if somebody calls me to say that

oping countries are you looking at?

Bangladesh is one because one of our consultants is from there. And since I’m from Nigeria, charity begins at home. I would like us to start from Nigeria. In the next few months, we want to have a summit and we would invite all the developing countries in Africa first. If I can do it in my country of birth successfully, people would believe me more. In about three months, the summit will hold either in Lagos or in Abuja and we would have the ministers of health from African countries.

At what point did it dawn on you that you’d be a public health worker?

I’ve always seen myself as a fortunate person because I think I’m not better than any other person I had encountered. I tell people that Nigeria has the smartest brains in the world.

I chose public health because when I was doing my NYSC in Nsukka and I saw the health condition of people, I said to myself that I would someday be helping people in this area of need. I had a friend and we were trying to come up with a health education programme on tobacco smoking, pregnancy and all that. And I see that most people really want to know but they had no access to the needed information. Knowledge is power and that actually gave me the zeal to do something. When my partners and I started talking, we realised that there was a communication gap we needed to fill. That was what fired up my passion for public health.

What kinds of job did you undertake before the big ones came?

I was doing my Master’s degree in public health in Nigeria before I travelled. But I was working with WHO on breast cancer programme for the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.

When I was looking at that, data collection was very hard and when we were doing a project on breast cancer, we found it hard to find variables like people’s sex and age. And when you’re talking about breast cancer, it’s prevalent among women over 40 years. And we were missing a lot because we were unable to extract data. As an inquisitive young public health person then- I was in my 20s and I wanted to change the world. I had such a tall dream to change the world as quickly as possible. I knew something was wrong with our data which I couldn’t explain, so when I got to the U.S., I realised what was wrong all along. That was what spurred me to want to return to the country and make a change happen in my area of expertise.

Are you married?

Yes and to a Nigerian.

You met her in the U.S.?

No, we met before I travelled. The day I got married was the same day I travelled to the United States.

Sadiq

How many hours did it take you to wed?

I wedded in January 2006, but I just had my honeymoon last month because we spent four days in Dubai.

I actually had that honeymoon after 10 years of marriage because I had to work hard upon arriving in the US. There was no time actually to do the honeymoon before this year.

Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

Enhance your look with pencil dresses Deborah Ocheni

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n instant way to enhance curves, appear slimmer and look chic without trying so hard for any occasion is with pencil dresses. They are suitable for every occasion, and there are so many positive attributes about the pencil dress that it is almost impossible not to have a few of them hanging in your closet.

This timeless wardrobe musthave has been boosting the confidence of women everywhere for decades, and it’s now hotter than ever thanks to celebrities that are making it a red carpet staple.

No matter your body type, rocking the pencil dress can flatter your figure and make the most out of your favourite accessories. It’s no wonder this hip-hugging dress has withstood the test of time.

Pencil dresses are an an extension of pencil skirts. They are a great piece of clothing as they beauty anybody’s silhouette.

Pencil dresses are well structured and fitted and complement women who have slim, yet a little curvy figure. There are numerous styles and colours in pencil dresses when it comes to options and varieties.

TIPS zz You think that pencil dresses are too stylish to wear for formal occasions, then you're wrong. It can make you look as elegant as a business suit. You just have to choose the right style and colour.

A pencil dress shouldn't be too revealing for the formal look. zz The sky is the limit when choosing a pencil dress for casual occasion. You can experiment with different necklines, fabric and styles. You can choose from bright colours to magnificent hues as per your skin tone. zz If you think that a pencil dress won't suit your figure, you need to change that perception because it is one dress that looks great on any kind of figure- plump or slim. zz Choose the fabric wisely if you are a little plump. Too thin fabric sticks to your figure and enhances unwanted curves. Wear darker colours like black, brown, navy blue and dark green, and pair it with heels. zz If you are slim with little curves, choose thick structured fabric that won't look loose on your figure. Wearing dark colours can make you look too slim hence you should go for bright and neutral shades like pink, beige, coral, peach, etc. Wear stilettos or pumps to add some height. zz If your trouble spots are on your bottom half, sticking to a solid colour pencil dress is your best bet.

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Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

ACCESSORIES TO LIVE FOR

Stylish charm bracelet Deborah Ocheni

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ave you noticed the way fashionable guys are turning charm bracelets into wardrobe staple? Charm bracelets are a popular jewellery item and a quick way to spice up an outfit.

They are often inexpensive and are easily paired with other bangles to create a slightly bohemian flavour or worn alone for a more modern, sleek look. They come in many shapes, sizes and colours, with designs and materials that fit every category of fashion. They also come in many different materials, including silver, gold, acrylic and stainless steel. They are very simple to wear stylishly.

Charm bracelets are an item of jewellery worn around the wrist.

They carry personal "charms", decorative pendants or trinkets which signify important things in the wearer's life. Charm bracelets have been the subject of several waves of trends.

The first charm bracelets were worn

by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians and Hittites.

A fashionista knows how a piece of jewellery can make any outfit stand out. If you choose to wear a charm bracelet it can give the whole outfit a different interpretation.

Combining several different charm bracelets and wearing them on one wrist is one of the jewellery trends these seasons. When you are choosing charm bracelets, you need not pay attention to how well the colour of the bracelet goes with the colour of the whole outfit because they are statements on their own. It is also important that a charm bracelet matches your personal style; for example, a bracelet with an ethnic ornament would give any outfits “final touch” to the whole look. If you want to take it further and wear several bracelets at once, a wooden charm bracelet would also work well with ethnic-style ones.

Another option is to wear several ethnic-style charm bracelets all at once. Just play with the styles and colours to create that unique and unforgettable look. Keep in mind that mixing different styles in one outfit is also trendy, but is not something that a “jewellery beginner” can successfully do.

Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

MY STYLE

I feel cool in hats Popular radio presenter, on air personality, actor and comedian, Steve Onu, a.k.a Yaw, of Wazobia FM Radio speaks with Deborah Ocheni about his style sense and more.

You are always seen in a signature hat. What is the idea behind it?

Nothing behind it, I just love wearing it. My head is bald, the Lord is my barber. There is no hair on the head, but basically that is not why I wear the hat.

I just feel cool and better in it.

How do you define your sense of fashion?

Personally, fashion is looking simple and smart in whatever fits you.

What determines what you wear?

I think it’s got a lot to do with my mood, weather and where I am going to.

Do you consider any fashion item indispensable?

No. Which fashion items take up most space in your wardrobe?

Native outfits; I want to go all white now.

What is your ready to go outfits?

Shorts and shirts How easily do you get your fashion items in Nigeria?

Very easily. Lablaq designs

Facts The word ‘jeans’ comes from the cotton pants worn by “Genes,” the local term for Genoan sailors.

Initially, both men and women wore togas in Rome, but after the 2nd century, respectable women wore stolas and prostitutes were required to wear a toga.

The average American owns seven pairs of blue jeans.

Beauty Deborah Ocheni

Y

arn braids are definitely a money saver.

You can buy one or two packs of acrylic yarn not the wool one. It is also a protective hair style that is seriously trending now.

They look natural as long as they are done properly; you will not be able to tell that they

my native attires, and I get my 10 years ago; all the shows that jeans and shirts whenever I trav- I have been producing are done el outside the country. under Yaw Naija Entertainment, it is aimed at producing content for radio, TV and film.

What will you never be caught wearing?

Nothing, because I am an ac- What informed the decision to tor. I can wear female outfits set it up?

I use to do shows right from depending on my role but I can never be caught wearing the when I was in the university; same boxers. then it was mainly stage plays and live theatre. I noticed peoWhich jewellery holds special ap- ple were not going out to watch peal for you? stage plays anymore; the desire Necklace. to have a company that will be producing stage plays led me How much did it cost? to set it up but as time went on I won't disclose the amount I realised that it was not easy to do stage plays.

What is the most expensive fashion item you have ever bought? How has the experience been so far? Would you say you are living Shoes up to that objective?

Do you have a signature perWe are trying; we are not fume? where we used to be but we are No I don’t; I wear anything definitely where we want to be. I that smells nice. have done eight stage plays, and God wiling I will do the ninth Who is your best designer? one next year. I also do comedy It is difficult for me to start and musical concerts because mentioning names but I admire they happen on stage.

Lablaq and Ouch.

What is the major challenge enHow is your radio programme far- tertainment outlets face in Niing? geria?

The radio programme is still Funding is the major chalkicking very strong and I thank lenge. Even though I have heard God for that. I am with Wazobia many times that there are lots of FM and they are good with what funds that we can have access they do. to but I still know that funding is the major challenge. We are Would it be right to say radio is creative enough to do the job but the medium that brought you to funding is the issue. limelight?

Whether you like it or not ra- Would you say government has dio still happens to be the widest done enough for the entertaincoverage for anything you are ment industry? doing, and those that are fans I think they are doing a lot of British Broadcasting Corpora- right now. Maybe that was not tion (BBC) also know me. When the case with past governments, it comes to radio, give it to Wa- but I know that the former zobia FM because they made that president (Goodluck Jonathan) fame possible. released enough funds for entertainers to do their stuffs, but What is Yaw Naija entertain- I don’t know if it is for movies ment? alone or other areas of arts. I Yaw Naija entertainment is an think the present administraentertainment outfit I set up over tion has plans for entertainers.

5 tips on how to slay yarn braids are yarn braids. All you have to do is make sure that the end of the yarn is sealed and you have a beautiful braided style.

The only disadvantage is the ends of the yarn definitely gives it away if they are not sealed by burning them.

Otherwise, they are a cute, low cost ensemble.

We have outlined five tips in pictorial form on how you can effortlessly slay yarn braids with chic vibes.

Yaw

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Interiors

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

TIPS

Alluring wooden kitchen cabinet Deborah Ocheni

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ore than just a space for cooking and eating, the kitchen is where many of the action in the home takes place. It’s the true heart of the home. Whether you're renovating, redecorating, or simply updating this space, get inspired and consider inventing wooden cabinets to transform the area into a stunning one.

Kitchen cabinets are really very important and also very interesting for the homeowner because they allow you to store food items and kitchen utensils safely. A creative mind can think up unique ideas

on how to plan the storage space in the kitchen no matter how little the space is.

These days kitchens are not only places where meals are cooked and served but also serve as a cosy place where the family sits around with coffee, chatting and bonding big time. Now it becomes all the more important to design the kitchen aesthetically making enough room for the whole family to relax and sit comfortably.

Opting for wooden kitchen cabinets is the best bet because kitchens are places that endure high traffic and there is bound to be a lot of moisture and water spills there, but in doing this it is essential to choose cabinets made of good quality wood.

zz Kitchen cabinets are designed to suit the storage needs of the family and a lot of things have to be considered while getting them built. zz There is a lot of kitchen equipment that one would be using and an appropriate place must be planned for each of them to be used conveniently. zz There will be so many pots, pans, cutlery, china, and so many other things that need to be organised well to make the kitchen clutter free. zz Ensure you must have sufficient place to move around the kitchen freely. zz You can choose the modular designs or the custom built ones that are built with specific measurements of your kitchen.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

John Dumelo: I reconciled with Yvonne Nelson because life is too short p.20

ShowBiz

Stop skin bleaching, I’ve done it for 34 years –Maheeda p.35

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Omotola

I'm not scared of growing old Omotola Jalade Ekeinde is the face of Ghandour Cosmetics, which launched in Nigeria on July 25. In a conversation at the official launch of the range of hair products, the star actress speaks to LANRE ODUKOYA about her endorsement, the 20th anniversary of her wedding and more.

How does it feel to be a brand ambassador for Ghandour Cosmetics?

It’s a pleasant experience because they’re very nice people and wonderful employers.

For how long have you been with them?

The deal has been on for three years.

Oh, you hardly see endorsements last up to three years, right? That’s to demonstrate to you how comfortable I am with them.

But it is not common knowledge that you are Ghandour Cosmetics’ brand ambassador…

That’s true because they’ve only been present in Ghana. This is actually their launch in Nigeria, so the first three years I’d been with them was mainly in Ghana.

How much of the hair products from the company do you use?

I use as much as I can. I use the hair spray and I encourage people to use it. It’s my number one and of course, I use the relaxer.

How lucrative is the deal?

For me to be with them for three years, you should know I’m comfortable.

A few weeks back, you celebrated 20th wedding anniversary with your husband. That is quite a feat rarely achieved by people in your industry. How does this feel?

I’m just thankful because I’m married to my friend and destiny supporter. There’s no relationship without its challenges. When people say 20 years, the first thing that comes to the minds of many is ‘Oh, my God, you guys must be really without stress.’ I just want to tell people that if you’re determined to do it in life, you would make it.

You have troubles everywhere in life, you have with your parents, your siblings, friends and so on. So, it’s a normal thing; don’t use any quarrels in your relationship with your spouse to justify the claim that marriage is hard. It’s not any harder than any other relationship you have in life with maybe your business partners, siblings and friends. I understand there can be abuse in some marriages and in the event of that, I think you should find your way out as quickly as possible. But if there’s no abuse, there’s nothing that you cannot overcome. I’ve had a very wonderful time with my spouse. And that’s what matters- just be friends.

You had a 20-day getaway with your husband, where exactly did you jet out to?

We went to Hawaii

Omotola

And so are there things on the cards for the future?

If you know me very well you’d realise I don’t talk about future plans because by God’s grace, my life happens very quickly and sometimes I can’t even catch up with myself. So, it doesn’t even make sense

to talk about the future. But I guess we all want to be healthy and alive; that I think is the most important thing.

How about your engagement with Ghandour Cosmetics and the company plans?

Ghandour Cosmetics is launching in Nigeria at the moment and its immediate plan is to roll out and let everyone be aware of the fact that they’re now here. They produce for themselves, so I think they would have their factory in Nigeria. That’s something I’m really looking forward to like they have in Ghana so that it can create more job opportunities for people in Nigeria. So, I think that should be their immediate plan.

What’s your definition of beauty and how does it reflect in a woman?

Especially for women, first and foremost, I think beauty is in confidence; if you’re a confident woman and you recognise your self-worth, you’re beautiful.

That’s why sometimes you see some girls visually and in your definition of beauty you think they are not that physically appealing or aesthetically beautiful but when the girl enters into a room everybody turns. And you’re like, ‘why is everybody looking at that girl? She’s not even that fine.’ You need to get it together, she’s a confident woman. So, beauty for a woman is recognising your self-worth and working with what you have. Most women don’t have everything, I don’t even have everything too, but I work with what I have.

How does Ghandour Cosmetics help?

The company is promoting hair wellness obviously and we all know that the hair is the crown of a woman. I think that for a woman to be beautiful; your face is the first thing they see- so your face is your introduction and the hair is the crown of the head.

You can now imagine how important Ghandour Cosmetics job is.

You’re growing grey already, does that convey any feelings?

Well, I’m 38 years old and I’m not scared. But even if I was 51, that’s not the point; there are younger people with even more grey hair. The point is that in life, we should accept who we are. And you’d notice that when people feel a sense of sufficience in life, they wouldn’t be afraid of aging. People are actually afraid of age when they look at where they are in life and feel that they’ve not achieved much. So, they think time is running out and that’s why people are actually afraid of aging. If you really probe it, you’d realise these things. But if you are content with what you have in life and know that all fingers are not equal and that you’re actually where you are meant to be because you could as well be six feet below, that helps. That you’re alive and well in itself is a reason to celebrate.

Your dress is gorgeous, who designed it?

I don’t know who the designer is but my stylist is Moachi, he’s my stylist and he dresses me. So, if it’s not a Nigerian designer, we’ve made it a point of duty not to be hyping them. We only hype Nigerian designers.

The present economy is tough on everyone including people in Nollywood. What’s your take on the effects on your industry?

I believe the president, Muhammadu Buhari, has a focus and until when he convinces us beyond doubts that he’s not for our interest, for now I choose to believe him and I wish Nigerians believed him too.

In life, we should accept who we are

20 Showbiz

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30 july 2016

John Dumelo

Nigeria a run for her money as well, but I think ultimately, it’s a healthy competition.

Ghanaians copy Nigerians and Nigerians copy Ghanaians. At the end of the day, it’s a good marketing strategy. We have a huge fan base in Nigeria and Ghanaians also have Nigerian stars they’re crazy about.

I reconciled with Yvonne Nelson because life is too short

How easy was it for you to break into the Nigerian movie industry?

I think at my time, that was between 2007 and 2008, it wasn’t that easy obviously because there were very good Nigerian actors around. So for them to accept anyone who wasn’t a Nigerian was a bit challenging but I think by and large we all accepted the fact that we can cross borders to work. So, it was eventually okay.

You recently began a series online on what to prioritise before getting married. Are you actually the original author of those nuggets and why are you doing that?

That’s correct, those words are mine. A lot of people are talking about the beauty in marriage and I see a lot of people getting married very early and quitting terribly early too. I think people love the idea of marriage but they don’t know how to stay in marriages. Some don’t even know how to be in love and sustain it. I just thought we could advise one another not to rush into this union because it looks beautiful and friends are getting married, because you love beautiful wedding pictures, the music and photo splash on BellaNaija blog.

A lot of people just go into marriage with wrong mind-set Are you rationalising remaining a bachelor still?

I am single and happy. I am taking my time to make one of the biggest decisions anyone would make in life and that’s the reason you read those series about marriage from me. I don’t like it when marriages fail and won’t ever want to be a victim of what’s avoidable.

Dumelo in warm embrace with Yvonne Nelson

Suave and prolific actor, John Dumelo, is almost as popular in Nigeria as he is in Ghana where he’s one of the best in his trade. The ladies’ toast who has been romantically linked with leggy actress, Yvonne Nelson, speaks to LANRE ODUKOYA about marriage and humble beginnings.

We all thought you loved Yvonne Nelson and could make her your wife especially after those racy photos you had together…

Yvonne Nelson is my friend and we’ve enjoyed a beautiful friendship over a period of time. Yes, at some point we had a misunderstanding but I’ve made up with her because life is too short.

Your colleague, Chris Attoh, had come to pick a Nigerian wife, are you looking in that direction too?

Do you have any wife you want to give me? I have friends here and I make new ones every time I’m around and that’s it.

What brought you to Nigeria at this time?

I have links with B0-16 (hair product).

You know when you work for a cosmetic company, you do stuffs with their other brands, so I work for Style- Up and I still have links with other products of Ghandour Cosmetics. I’m here because of the launch of B0-16 in Nigeria and I would always support the company’s activities.

How often do you sincerely use these products?

I honestly use Style-Up (wave hair cream) all the time and I think it’s one of the reasons they chose me. It may as well be because I have a bit of fashion sense and I always keep my hair trim and neat that they chose me as the brand ambassador for Style-Up. Ever since I’d been on Style-Up, I’ve seen a lot of men and boys who also always use Style-Up because it’s good for the hair, straightens out the hair and makes it look clean.

Lest I forget, it attracts a lot of women as well.

How many girls has it attracted to you?

It has attracted a lot of them.

Can average Nigerians afford the product?

When I said it attracts ladies, what I meant was that your hair becomes nice and you know ladies like nice things.

Some ladies are attracted to nice hair, so, obviously, that would attract a lot

What are your thoughts on fatherhood and parenting?

Fatherhood is good and so is parenting.

I’ve witnessed a family where a father wasn’t around to get the kids to be who he wanted them to be. I’m not saying that women can’t be the best but when you have a father, it just makes parenting a lot easier and results better. I was closer to my dad while growing up.

Dumelo

of ladies. And I can assure you, it doesn’t cost anyone a fortune. It’s for everybody and not for the high-end consumers.

Were you having hair break out before you decided to be using Style Up and other Ghandour hair products?

I’ve been using other products apart from Style Up and whenever I used other products aside Style Up, the waves don’t last and the texture doesn’t last too. But with Style Up, everything lasts.

While introducing yourself to the audience, you spoke a lot of Yoruba

and Igbo, how did you learn the languages?

I’ve had a number of Yoruba and Igbo girlfriends since I’ve been coming to Nigeria to shoot films. But if you ask me their names now I can’t remember.

I’ve worked a lot in the East where I learnt much of Igbo, and I’ve also met a lot of Yorubas on the job.

Would you say Ghollywood has peculiar challenges different from what Nollywood is battling with?

Well with me being around, it’s Ghana in Nigeria and what I would say is that Nigeria has good films and that always keeps Ghana on her toes. Ghana gives

What’s the meaning of Dumelo, your surname?

It means the ‘crocodile is in town’. Normally, the crocodile doesn’t live in town.

You don’t wear tattoos and pierce your ears like many of your colleagues do…

Do you want me to pierce them? I know people who wear tattoos and the ones with pierced ears and we don’t have to judge them. It’s a lifestyle choice, it’s just like someone who drinks and others who smoke, they have just chosen different lifestyles.

How exactly did you even start acting?

I actually started acting at seven. It was after that film that the industry in Ghana marked my face and fame followed almost immediately. The film was entitled ‘Baby Thief’.

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

O u t &A b o u t

I became hip-hop artiste based on research –Unilorin lecturer

Men Of Africa

A New York-based event organisation that promotes African culture, Men of Africa (MOA), has concluded plans to organise another series of its Afrobeat event tagged "Peppa Soup White and African Print party" on August 6 at 53 Edison Place, Newark, NJ. Men of African was started by Kwabena Jumah and Ben Saso (Dj Nayah) with a goal to bridge the gap between Africa and United States through music, art and film.

Isiaq Abdulwaheed Omotayo is a unique personality no doubt, but adding hip-hop singing to a full time job as a Political Science lecturer makes him even more interesting to a newshound.

Biodun Oyeleye sat down with him recently to find out why a teacher would take to singing and his answer: to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

My background My name is Isiaq Abdulwaheed Atanda Omotayo and my nickname is the ‘Theorist’ given to me by my students. They call me theorist based on the fact that we propound theories in the class. I had my primary education in Oyo State, secondary education in Ilorin and my first and second degrees at the University of Ilorin. I equally have my doctoral degree in view, all at the department of Political Science of UNILORIN. Currently, I lecture in the Department of Political Science at the same university. I have been an inventor. I am one of the people who paddled the bicycle of educational feeding CDs in Nigeria. I equally happen to be one of the directors of A-level educational consult in Kwara State.

I am the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lanko Theory Education Service Limited.

Why are you as an academic venturing into hi-hop music?

Let me say that there are always thousands of ideas in reading. I love to engage into impossibilities.

So when you read through literature you will come across different ideas. Actually what brings about the issue of hi-hop music is as result of one of the researches I was actually conducting on hi-hop and fuji artistes and from there I discovered a lot of gap in the literature. And given the trend of things at the University of Ilorin, I discovered there has not been a lecturer that happens to be hi-hop artiste throughout history and even in Africa.

So, I discovered that there is always theory in practice and practice in theory. I notice that this is an area that is trending and we are having issues with our youths in that very area. So, if I do a research that actually pointed into a gap, then I think it is better to engage that gap practically. So that informed the idea of hi-hop music in the first instance.

I, as a record breaker, in line with the UNILORIN system; for the first time in history I discovered there is that gap in the literature that people go into music without

If I have become rich today I can even be a very good resource to my own university and state and to my own country; because music is intercontinental

education and they don’t care about it. Of course, they don’t care and I don’t think they would because I have seen people who didn’t go to school but made it in music. But that is a camp, and this is a camp too, that you can be educated, be a career person and still be a good musician.

This is another signal to the whole public that being a musician does not mean you cannot go to school and going to school does not mean you cannot exhibit your talent. You can actually have both.

Do you really have the talent to sing good music?

I have the talent right from the outset, but I have never seen myself singing. But being somebody who always wants to engage in impossibilities, when I saw it I try to exercise my potential. I can sing very well. You need to understand that what actually informs a good lyric is good education. If you have good education even if what you want to sing is going to be in form of slang at least that education will still guide you. It will guide you in such a way that when people listen to it they will know that you are pointing at something. You can bring out ideas in different languages and in different forms.

Given the background where l am coming from I am going to be fine and of course, lyric will be okay. I can sing very well. Singing could come in diverse forms; it could be for love, it could be for the happenings in the society, it could be for advice. But the most important things is that it is for public consumption; but the most important thing is that it will be guided by education.

Did you inherit singing from your parents?

Not at all; but myself grew up as a more or less a ghetto person. Of course while growing up we used to have singing competitions from one junction to the other. I participated. And what seems to be a memorable thing in my history is that I used to wake people up during Ramadan fast. From there I think the idea actually generated.

Why hi-hop?

Personally, I don’t dislike any music. It is a thing of interest. I so much love the word hi-hop, but another is that why I was researching I discovered that the fuji artistes are always at the receiving end. I don’t know why. People hardly delve into that area and become successful. Incidentally, these fuji musicians have good lyrics but may be because of the way that genre of music sprouted. I discovered in my research that these people have issue of endorsement. If thousands of endorsements are to be distributed today you will hardly find a fuji musician there.

Of course, Pasuma got one but because he tried to diversify. The

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Julius Agwu ready for UK, Aberdeen

Isiaq

likes of Saheed Osupa are still struggling to get one. And these hi-hop artistes will go on stage.

They have their demo already and within four-five minutes they get their pay. Another thing is that hi-hop is walking with the trend of modernism while the fuji is still in line with the traditionalism. People like me being, an academic have to do with is convenient for me. I can only sing when I am tired so that I will do it in form of extra curriculum activity. I chose hi-hop genre because I can easily pass my message across to the people and get right.

If I have concert I will go and come back in a day; which is another service to the community. As far as the school rule is concerned, we are entitled to extra curriculum and community services. In fact, that could be another way of sending a very good message to the youth outside. I think it is going to be an encouragement to all of them.

As a budding hi-hop artiste, what is your unique selling point (USP)?

If you remove education from anything there will be an issue.

The way some of these artistes manage their home fronts is because education is lacking. I am not saying they are not educated but the education might not be properly applied. What will make the difference is that I am representing a crafted and initiated brand. Which means it is another school of thought; a philosophy which others will follow in terms of the choice of the lyrics. I am not saying I will not collaborate with other musicians, but the language of the lyrics and import of the message must be very clear.

So that brand is another school of thought that is going to be unique.

For instance, we have a particular track that we call ‘Ologo’ and when you look at the word and the message therein, you will discover that virtually everybody will like to listen. We are concerned about the message and direction of our song. Whether we like it or not it is a philosophy that cannot be faulted by anybody, that music is one of the fundamental means of passing messages across now.

You can create peace and revolution through music.

For now we want to unveil ourselves as the first university lec-

turer hi-hop artiste in Nigeria and Africa at large. We have searched through the literature and we discovered we are going to be the first person to be in that area. We will launch the album separately. We have about 17 tracks on ground.

Will this music take over academic work?

What actually brought about this is because of my ability to go into different researches and researches into the impossibilities; therefore, I cannot leave education line come what may. But we need to understand one thing that in the academic, we have right to sabbatical and leaves of absence, fellowship and the rest of that. The problem of the academics is that we dwell on theories, I think it is about time now that we showed action.

Many of our professors of the performing arts at UNILORIN are making millions of naira through their performances. If I have become rich today I can even be a very good resource to my own university and state and to my own country; because music is intercontinental.

How will you marry lecturing and life as an artiste?

It is a very critical question that one must battle with. But when I want to have a brainstorm on music, I do it when I am tired. But combining academic with music is not easy.

There is a broad demarcation between talent and being educated.

That is why people are making it through their talent without education. Academically, there is an approved pattern of programme.

But at least come what may academic first because that is the background, but I will always follow legal means before going out for any concert or activity that coincide with my academic calendar.

Any assistance from the school?

The truth is that I have not had any formal contact with the school authorities, except for my associate professor and very many other lecturers who had seen me where I am performing on stage. I believe if you want to do something that will be successful; it will have to come from you. Going things hardly come from the group, it is from the individual. So, UNILORIN should be celebrating that I am making the name of the institution to go virile.

It is applause for them.

Julius Agwu is set to kick-off the 11th edition of his annual “Crack Ya Ribs” comedy show in the United Kingdom this summer with shows in London and Aberdeen on August 21 and 28 respectively The comedian will be joined on stage by other comedians, including Seyi Brown, Acapella, Buchi, Dan D’Humorous, Nkechi (Nedu), Mimicko, Yo m a , MC Gladys, MC Shakara, Tevin, Beeze and Joe Representa.

There will also be performances from ‘Osinachi’ crooner, Agwu Humblesmith.

Indian festival in Lagos!

The Festival of India, a collaboration between International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and the India Disapora in Lagos, will be held on August 13, at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos.

Speaking at a briefing, CEO of Gaurapad Charities and chairman organising committee, Bolaji Rosiji, said the goal of the festival was to celebrate cultural unity and diversity for national and global peace – vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is one family).

“The Festival of India, with the Ratha Yatra (chariot) Festival as its central spectacle, has an inestimable impact on the minds and hearts of literally countless casual visitors and active participants in major cities worldwide.

The Ratha Yatra (chariot) Festival originated in the holy city of Puri, India, and has been celebrated for thousands of years. It is a grand culmination of a series of celebrations spread over the summer and the monsoon month and is the most splendid of them all,” he stated.

Turning Point coming to Nigeria The popular television magazine programme, ‘Turning Point International’, will be visiting Nigeria on Monday, August 1.

The show, which began production in 1997, is kicking off its 20th anniversary celebration in Nigeria. The announcement, which came as a post on its social media pages including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, was accompanied with a picture of the Nigerian map indicating Lagos and Abuja as the next destinations.

‘Turning Point International’ is scheduled to interview a number of industry big names in Nigeria, including veteran comedian Ali Baba, Pastor Paul Adefarasin, TY Bello and the former first lady of Lagos state Mrs. Abimbola Fashola.

The popular show is known for accentuating the voices of the African people through thought-provoking interviews, real life docudramas, insightful features and inspirational music.

It is hosted by Nigerian-British presenter and award-winning gospel artist, Muyiwa Olanrewaju.

Ali Baba

22

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Social Media Craze TravelTourism Trending

Gist

30 july 2016

Photos Controversies

Family to Nigerians

Pray for Mayowa

A After

Before

Ex-Oyo State governor’s daughter battles with the Kosokos

F

ormer Oyo state governor’s daughter, Kemi OmololuOlunloyo, has apologised to the son of late Henrietta Kosoko, Taiwo Olowu, for her negative comments about his mother.

Following the death of Henrietta in June, Olunloyo had accused the late actress’ husband Jide Kosoko, also an actor, of being behind his wife’s death.

She wrote: “Nollywood and Ritualism. Actro Jide Kosoko’s third wife just died. The light skin bleaching Nollwood actor. This makes it three wives dead. He is now technically a black widower.

He should be investigated for ritualism and the occult world. Something I hear is very prevalent in Nollywood.”

Her accusation, however, led to comments from members of the public including Morenike Kosoko, who called Olunloyo a prostitute.

In response, Olunloyo said she hoped the late Henrietta would end up in hell. But she had tender what she called an apology letter.

She shared via her Instagram wall: “I sincerely apologise to Taiwo, the son of late Henrietta and Jide kosoko. My

reaction from Morenike Kosoko angered me. Calling me the wizard of prostitutes Olosho Asewo is uncalled for. I had two children out of wedlock because of domestic violence at 27 years and late Henrietta also had twins for another man she left too. I have learned not to engage Nigerians on social media who say such garbage to me. I had the right to be angry at this time, but anger is not the answer. May Henrietta rest in peace and not hell and to Jide Kosoko stay strong. I hurt those young men and once again I am sorry for saying that out of anger.

The story is trending online.”

week ago, a story of Mayowa Shukurat Ahmed diagnosed with Stage IV Ovarian cancer became a topic of discussion on social media According to diagnosis result sheet from the Reddington Hospital, the graduate of University of Lagos and an HB SS patient, incidentally is diagnosed with bilateral Ovarian Mass Carcinoma.

Raising $100,000 was required to save the life of the 28-year-old lady life.

Nollywood actress, Toyin Aimakhu, took it a notch further when she visited the lady in LUTH, calling Nigerians to come to her rescue on the Instagram. And it was heartwarming to learn that within few days, the N32million needed to save the young lady’s live had been raised.

But, there were also suggestions and tweets that Mayowa and her situation was a scam.

This immediately created mixed reactions from Nigerian.

The Ahmed family, in their effort to save their daughter, had come out to debunk the rumour.

Here is the open letter: Hello all, We have been called by friends, family and everyone who has our contacts that our raising funds for Mayo is a scam. We were also informed that some persons had made

statements concerning her state and her ability to pull through this ordeal. As a family, we wish to make these affirmative statements: - Mayowa is presently in LUTH receiving treatments that will prepare her for 7-hour trip to Abu Dhabi. We have also engaged the services the Flying Doctors to accompany her on the trip based on recommendation by the doctors in LUTH Mayowa is receiving treatment in LUTH to allow her be able to travel as advised by the doctors in LUTH and she has been transfused to help -The funds are solely for Mayowa’s treatment and no other reason.

-We await her visa for travel documents to commence the journey as we are in touch with the doctors abroad and they are waiting her arrival We appreciate the contribution made by Nigerians on this journey. Mayowa will live to tell this story and you shall be one of the audiences by His grace.

Please support us with prayers as you will surely be told about the success story. We have not given up on her and we will never give up until the work God has started is finished.

Thank you once again and we will provide updates on her treatments and procedures Signed, The Ahmed Family.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK Kemi

Davido, a philanthropist?

I

t seems Davido is now a new person. The controversial pop singer believes that everyone deserves to be educated and he has decided to do something about it.

On his Instagram page, the billionaire’s son has made

a commitment that he would be giving scholarship to four students yearly.

He shared: “So many people deserve education. Starting from this year, I plan to start the Veronica Adeleke Education Scholarship programme. I plan to

send people to school every year. I’m starting with 4 students this year. Details will be released soon on how to apply. DO YOUR PART TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER, EVEN IF YOU START SMALL. AT LEAST START! OBO!”

Photo: Facebook

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

Investigations

23

Long queue for kerosene. photos: suleiman hassan

F

or some weeks now, Lagos residents and, indeed, Nigerians in other parts of the country who use kerosene for cooking have been subjected to severe hardship as a result of the scarcity of the product. The problem has even been compounded with the attendant unofficial hike in the price of the commodity.

As at May, kerosene sold for N100 per bottle and N200 per litre. But in the past few days, the price has jumped from N100 to between N180 and N200 per bottle in some areas of Lagos metropolis. At most filling stations, the product now sells for between N275 and N350 per litre, worsening the pains of the million households that depend on it for cooking.

An earlier survey by the OTL, organisers of Nigeria’s biggest downstream seminar and exhibition, had shown that over 30 million Nigerian household use kerosene for cooking and light as well as fuel for local lanterns.

On Tuesday, a housewife, Mrs. Kate Ekanem, bought a four-litre can of kerosene at a Lagos filling station for N2,400.

“My mind went back to those days when kerosene scarcity forced us to use ‘Abacha Stove’. This kind of stove was very common when the military was in power and kerosene was perpetually a scarce commodity,” she said.

Ekanem said tinkers in her area are already making brisk business knocking the stove together from empty metal drums and tins. “The scarcity of kerosene has forced people to be buying them

Isioma madike

Editor, INVESTIGATIONS isiomamadike69@gmail.com 08090896879 © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

KEROSENE

SUFFERING IN THE LAND AS NIGERIANS SEARCH FOR PRODUCT More Nigerian families have now turned to firewood, charcoal, ‘Abacha Stove’, and gas for those who can afford it, for their cooking needs, as kerosene disappears from the filling stations, reports ISIOMA MADIKE

(makeshift stoves) and procuring sawdust from carpenters. Charcoal sellers are also making it big presently. We just hope the scarcity will ease soon,” she added.

Already, the scarcity in Lagos is spreading gradually to other parts of the country. Ibadan, Kaduna, Aba, Akure, Benin-City, Kano and Calabar are all said to be experiencing the same shortage.

During the week, Saturday Telegraph, visited many filling stations in Lagos metropolis and its outskirts. Of all the ones visited, only a handful of the major marketers admitted selling kerosene in the last few weeks. Others claimed they have not had the product for weeks now.

Conoil filling station along the popular Mile 12 Market Road in Ikosi area of Ketu was full of people waiting in four long

queues when Saturday Telegraph visited the area on Tuesday. Each of them In the queue had a plastic container.

A middle-aged housewife, who was on the queue, told this reporter that “an attendant told us here two days ago that they are expecting to get kerosene today.

That is why you see many of us here.

The other stations around have not been selling it for weeks now.”

The service manager at the station, who pleaded anonymity, said the stock they were selling was their last. “We have been rationing it to buyers. We have also tried to ensure we do not sell more than 50 litres to an individual so that many families can afford something,” he said.

He did not stop there. But said they

had observed that some of the people bought for many 50-litre containers and went home to re-sell to others at exorbitant prices.

The situation was the same in Ikoyi area of Lagos. At the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega station along Kingsway Road, consumers were seen in the long queues, struggling to get the product. Their presence resulted in heavy obstruction of traffic in the area. At the other stations in the metropolis, various sizes of containers were seen kept in long lines, with their owners waiting some steps away. Some other people had left their cans for days continued on page 24

24

Investigations

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

‘A bunch of firewood that sold for c o n t i n u e d f r o m pa g e 2 3

in the queue pending when kerosene would be available.

Abubakar Musa visited many outlets in Idi-Araba but could not get kerosene to buy. He then decided to hire a commercial motorcyclist who took him to Yaba, where he bought half a gallon for N1,200. Another resident of Isale Aruna, off College Road, Agege, Vincent Okodua, with a family of eight, told Saturday Telegraph, that about “two weeks ago, when we first heard that kerosene was scare, I rushed to help my wife fill up our gallons to sustain my family until anytime the situation normalised.

“By then, a four-litre gallon was N900. Now the same quantity goes for over N2000 in this neighbourhood. You may not even see it to buy, and my stock has finished,” Musa said.

Many users of kerosene have switched to firewood, charcoal and gas for those who can afford it. This has caused the prices of those items to rise.

A bunch of firewood that sold for N90 a few months ago, for instance, is now N400. Many users, however, said they prefer it to using stove because, according to them, it lasts longer.

A resident of Ogba, Mrs. Mobola Balogun, said: “I have no choice than to turn to charcoal. I can’t be jumping from one filling station to the other keeping vigil for kerosene.”

She said the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) was not helping matters. According to her, “everywhere has been plunged into darkness and we still need kerosene for our lanterns. Imagine, a bottle of kerosene in Ogba, going for N240. It’s a shame to Nigeria.”

Restaurant owners and operators of eateries are also complaining. Madam Bridget Kalu, who operates an eatery along Ajayi, Oke-Ira Road, said she adjusted her menu prices to accommodate the escalating prices of kerosene and sawdust. Workers at some filling stations are now seen as mini-gods. The desperation of people to get kerosene at any price and by all means has made many to approach the attendants with bribes to get the product.

The station manager of Oando service station along Ojodu-Isheri Road, Ogba, who identified himself simply as Kabir, confirmed that the station has not received kerosene for the past one month.

“We have not been selling kerosene for the past one month here. The product is scarce and everybody knows that,” Kabir said.

Following the short supply at the filling stations, the retailers who had stockpiled the products are also rationing what to sell to customers, even at higher prices. Many of them are fast running out of stock that they find it very difficult to meet the demands of residents. Saturday Telegraph’s visits to Ejigbo and Apapa depots could not yield much dividend, as officials of the depots declined comments on the issue.

However, some officials of the inde-

pendent marketers, who do not want their names in print, confirmed that they have not been loading kerosene from the depots for some time now. They could not give any convincing reason for the scarcity, although some of them attributed it to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers.

“The majority of marketers, who hitherto imported the product, have also halted importation due to difficulty in accessing foreign exchange. The shutdown of refineries that produced the product through which the market augmented is another issue. They have been forced to reduce the quantity produced,” said, some of the officials.

But sources close to the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) said the supply of kerosene has remained the same.

Another source within the NNPC also said Oil

Marketers and Depots and Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPMAN) is to blame for the current scarcity. “There is a conspiracy to sabotage the effort of this administration. These marketers are just hoarding the product to create unnecessary tension,” the source said.

There are those who have also adduced the high quality of kerosene in circulation which could be used for both domestic and aviation fuel as the cause of the scarcity. This, many claimed, has pushed the marketers, who purchased the stock from DAPMAN, to sell it as fuel, making it to be in short supply.

The financial secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers (IPMAN), Alhaji Danladi Pasali, added a new dimension to the reason for the scarcity. He was quoted as saying that some individuals use kerosene in the process of manufacturing their products. While others blamed the lingering kerosene crisis across the country on what they call “the insensitivity of government to the plight of the masses.”

However, constant power failures, high cost of other petroleum products and poor A gas-stove carrying a pot photo: www.voanews,com

government policies, according to many, appear to have equally increased the burden of the masses. Nigerians, it seems, are now wary of hopes as they await the reforms of the promised change with cautious optimism.

A recent happening in Magboro, a small town also known as ‘new Lagos’ in Ogun State, is a good way to illustrate the frustrations in the land.

Time was about 7.30 pm on Sunday, July 16. A group of half-clad children assembled by a whirlwind lamp placed under a tree, to commence their daily ritual of moonlight plays. Not too far away was a recording studio. And from there blared away one of Idris Abdulkareem’s old hit tracks at full decibel; 'Nigeria scatter scatter, everything jaga jaga, poor man de suffer suffer, Gbosa Gbosa gunshots in the air…'

The plays had barely begun when the entire neighbourhood was illuminated. Instantaneously, all the children, as if animated by bulbs that came to life, chorused “up NEPA!” Even the adults joined in that reflex reaction. But their elation was soon aborted. The echoes of the shout were still vibrating when, as suddenly as it came, the light went out.

And, as in primordial times, darkness retuned upon the face of the neighbourhood. In surrendered mien, Jide, one of the children sighed, “oh, this NEPA self…”

The frustration is not without cause.

For many months, Magboro, like many other places, has been experiencing erratic power supply. On the average, the

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

League Enyimba, Rangers in oriental derby p.26

Sport Splash

25 Interview I thought about dumping Nigeria... but I will do well in Rio – Amata p.27

Rio 2016 Mikel, Okagbare, wrestlers lead TEAM NIGERIA's CHARGE for medals T

Ajibade Olusesan eam Nigeria came back from London 2012 Olympics without any medals, and many sports pundits have concluded that the contingent is again going to Rio 2016 Games on a jamboree.

They have reasons to be pessimistic considering the shambolic buildup of the team to the Games. This is one of the few times in recent history that Team Nigeria will head to the world’s biggest sporting showpiece without a training tour.

Many sports federation laboured to send their athletes to qualifying tournaments and have struggled to get them ready for the Games.

However, Nigerians are peculiar people; they tend to thrive even in the face of adversity. Despite the shoddy preparations, some pundits wouldn’t be surprised if the country claims some medals when the games begin in Brazil.

Nigeria is competing in eight events at the Games namely: athletics, football, wrestling, canoeing and rowing, table tennis, swimming, weightlifting and basketball.

Boxer Nojeem Maiyegun, at Tokyo 1964 Games, won first of the country’s 23 medals since Nigeria first featured in the 1952 edition in Helsinki, Saturday Telegraph, in this piece, argues that some Team Nigeria athletes have the potential to reach the podium for the country despite the poor preparations.

Blessing Okagbare

FULL STORY ON PAGES 28 AND 29

The Team Ajibade Olusesan l Co-ordinator

Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Aruna Quadri

Mikel Obi

Sport

26

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

Nigerian League Rendezvous

BY CHARLES OGUNDIYA

Enyimba, Rangers in oriental derby •As Shooting face Sunshine in South-West tie T he highlight of this weekend’s Nigeria Professional Football League matches will be the oriental derby between defending champions, Enyimba and title chasing Rangers, in Port Harcourt, the adopted home ground of Enyimba.

Rangers are targeting their first title in 32 years and a victory against Enyimba will move them a step closer as they continue to battle alongside Wikki Tourists and Rivers United.

The Flying Antelopes have been blowing hot and cold recently. After making themselves the favourite by winning 3-2 away to Akwa United they failed to replicate such form at home against Lobi Stars last weekend as they drew 1-1 with the visitors.

Enyimba on the other hand will be buoyed by their victory against Rivers United during the week in the

Federation Cup as the game promises to be explosive.

There will be another derby in Ibadan, this time a South-West match between relegation threatened Shooting Stars and Sunshine Stars of Akure.

The games between these two sides have history of turning nasty in recent years and fans are already anticipating a grudge match in Ibadan.

Rivers United will return to league action after their Federation Cup exit during the week as they welcome Nigeria National League candidate, Ikorodu United, who are bottom of the table with seven matches to go in the season.

Leaders, Wikki Tourists, will be away to Akwa United who last won a game in 90mins in MatchDay 25 after coming from a goal down to beat kano Pillars 2-1.

The Promise Keepers have lost three matches in a row with the last game seeing them crashing out of the Federation Cup they won last year. They will hope for good fortunes against Wikki who also lost out of the Federation Cup during the week.

Lobi will host Warri Wolves while Kano Pillars will be away to IfeanyiUbah in Nnewi as MFM welcome their fans back to Agege Stadium when they host Plateau United.

NPFL LEAGUE TABLE Team

P

W

D

L

GF

GA

GD

PTS

1 Wikki

27

13

8

6

37

17

20

47

2 Rangers

27

13

8

6

38

30

8

47

3 Rivers Utd

26

14

2

10

28

20

8

44

4 Kano Pillars

27

12

6

9

40

27

13

42

5 Enyimba

25

12

4

9

26

23

3

40

6 Sunshine

25

10

9

6

31

24

7

39

7 Lobi Stars

27

11

6

10

28

25

3

39

8 IfeanyiUbah

26

10

7

9

26

26

0

37

9 Nasarawa Utd

26

12

1

13

31

33

-2

37

10 Akwa Utd

27

10

6

11

34

34

0

36

11 MFM FC

26

10

6

10

28

28

0

36

12 Abia Warriors

27

9

8

10

24

30

-6

35

13 El-Kanemi

26

11

1

14

28

31

-3

34

14 Warri Wolves

27

9

7

11

24

29

-5

34

15 Tornadoes

26

10

3

13

28

32

-4

33

16 Plateau Utd

27

8

9

10

26

30

-4

33

17 Shooting

26

10

3

13

30

40

-10

33

18 Heartland

27

7

9

11

18

25

-7

30

19 Ikorodu Utd

25

3

9

13

20

41

-21

18

20 Giwa FC

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

MATCHDAY 29 Nasarawa Utd vs El-Kanemi Shooting vs Sunshine Rivers Utd vs Ikorodu Utd IfeanyiUbah vs Kano Pillars MFM vs Plateau Utd Enyimba vs Rangers Lobi vs Warri Wolves Akwa Utd vs Wikki Tornadoes vs Abia Warriors

Top scorer

13 goals Godwin Obaje (Wikki Tourists) Okiki Afolabi (Sunshine Stars) 12 goals Anthony Okpotu (Lobi Stars) 11 goals Ismaila Gata (IfeanyiUbah) Abdulrahaman Bashir (Nasarawa Utd) Chisom Egbuchulam (Rangers) 10 goals Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars)

T

Enyimba's Peter Onyekachi (middle) strugling for the ball with Rivers United's Yusuf Jaiyeola (left) and Ihunda Chinedu

Lobi, work in progress – Idoko

he vice chairman of Lobi Stars, Mike Idoko, has said the performance of his team has given him hope for a better future.

The former Sunshine Stars of Akure General Manager said the team was a work in

T

progress and by next season, they would be the team to beat in the league.

“If you consider the time we took over the affairs of the team, there was little we could do as management,” he said.

“But looking at the performance of the

Relegation battle gets hot

he quest to escape relegation by clubs continue this weekend as more than four clubs are currently in the relegation zone.

With Ikorodu United close to relegation, the likes of Heartland, Shooting Stars, Plateau United, Niger Tornadoes, Warri Wolves and El-Kanemi Warriors are all struggling to stay afloat.

With four points separating El-Kanemi Warriors in 13th position and Heartland in 18th position, the six clubs will have to be at their best to retain their top flight status.

Shooting Stars Media Officer, Jubril Arowolo, disclosed to League Rendezvous that they were going to survive at the end of the season.

“I know we are in a difficult situation but we have the personnel to do remain afloat,” he said.

“The technical crew has been working round the clock to take the team up because Shooting should be competing for the title, not fighting relegation.

“It has happened and the best thing is to continue fighting hard till the end of the season starting from our game against Sunshine Stars.”

Abdullahi Mansur won his first game as coach of Warri Wolves at the weekend and has assured fans of the Seasiders that the team would be playing in the premier league in 2017.

The former Plateau United assistant coach in his first address to the players made them to understand that they would be playing for the honour of their names and the club they represent by beating the drop.

team in the second half of the season, everyone can see the improvement, and hopefully next season, Lobi will be the team to beat.

“Going to Enugu to pick a point against Rangers who are fighting to win the title shows we are up there with the best, and with little push, the team will achieve greatness.”

He added that they were going to fight for a continental ticket, but if they didn’t get a slot, the team will be put together ahead of the new season.

On officiating and fans' behaviour so far in the season, Idoko said kudos must be given to the referee appointment committee and the League Management Company for doing a good job.

He however said there was room for improvement while calling for strong sanctions for erring officials to be able to give the league more credibility.

Idoko added: “You have to give it to the referees this season, apart from a few cases, which happen in other leagues, I will give them pass mark.

“They should not rest on their laurels because there is still a lot of ground to cover, and also there is room for improvements.”

Lobi will be home to Warri Wolves this weekend.

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

I thought about dumping Nigeria…but I will do well in Rio – Amata

So many athletes are out there trying to work hard and make sure that we all go to the Olympics and give our best

Doreen Amata is a high jumper and holds the national record of 19.5 metres in her event. The All Africa Games gold medallist told CHARLES OGUNDIYA that she would have been an event planner or accountant if she had not chosen athletics.

How did you get into athletics?

I started from a very tender age. I started from putting poles together at the back of our home and jumping over them playfully with my siblings. Then when I got into secondary school I started participating in inter-house sport, where I did long and high jump and I always finished first in every competition. But then it got to a point that inter-house sport was scrapped in public schools in Nigeria, so it all stopped for me. But then one of our teachers, Mr. Afolarin, who was our Physical Education teacher tried to put a team together for racing. Personally, I don’t like running and he wanted me to be part of the team, so I made him understand that running was not my thing, that I’ll do any other thing but not just running. He however made us to go for trials which we did and I placed fourth; automatically, I was in the team. Each time we went for competitions, I was always with the team.

I remember back in 2001 he took me to the National Stadium, Lagos and that was my first time of going there, he actually wanted me to compete in the high jump at the then Mobil Track and Field for youth, but I didn’t get to compete in 2001. He later introduced me to my coach and things progressed from there.

So, would you say that you became a professional high jumper in 2002?

Not really, in the sense that I did not start training until 2003. So, I would say I started training in 2003 but then I was still in school. I was in Lagos State University; the training was not really consistent until I got out of school. Let me say I started professionally in 2006/2007.

Since you started professionally, what can you say that you’ve been able to achieve? Do you think you have taken the right decision?

Of course, yes. In track and field, I would say there are so many opportunities out there; you just need to know what you want. You need to know that you are doing it for yourself, and I tell people that if you keep looking at the fact that you are doing it for your federation, for the country, you are going to get frustrated. Because there are so many things right now that are frustrating athletes.

First and foremost, you have to think about yourself, think about it as a profession, because when you are doing something professionally, you would know what steps to take to achieve your goals and dreams. You don’t let the challenges distract you.

So, I would say that when it comes to track and field in this country, I have achieved a lot even though I still have not got to where I want to. Not even half of my aim but I will say that I’ve got to a point where I can look back, how I started, and give glory to God. Because God, who has got me to this particular level, will help me achieve more.

If I start listing the things I’ve been able to achieve since 2007, it’s a lot. In that year, I made it into the Nigerian senior team for the first time and I won the All Africa Games setting a new national record of 18.9 metres back then.

Then in 2008, I made it into the Olympic scene, jumped a

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new personal best again and had a national record of 19.5 metres. From then on, it’s been that way. In 2011, I went to the World Championship, made it into the finals and finished eighth. Last year too, I made it into the finals at the World Championship. So far, I’ve attended two Olympic Games and this year’s games would be my third, and by the grace of God I am hoping for the best.

Preparations for this year’s Olympics Games have been shoddy for Nigerian athletes, but personally what efforts have you made in order to achieve more than you did in the past?

Well, I would say, like I always say, that right now when it comes to Nigeria and our preparations, we have not done anything as a nation,

but individually I know that so many athletes are out there trying to work hard and make sure that we all go for the games and give our best.

Personally, I have been doing that. Like my coach would always say, good things happen to good people, so you have to work hard. I’ve been working hard like I worked hard during the pre-season and I got into the indoor, jumped a new national record, 19.3 metres twice and then came out to the outdoor season. In May, I equalled my first senior best of 19.5 metres. Right now, I know I’ve been working very hard and I’m doing everything I have to do to make sure I get to Rio for the Olympics Games and do better than what I’ve already done.

What was your parents’ reaction to your choice of athletics as a career?

Well, I lost my mum at a very tender age, so she wasn’t really there to advise me against it but I know if she was around, she would have supported me anyway.

And my dad, he supported me, he really stood by me. He passed away in 2011 but then there was a prayer he’d usually pray for me always, it is: ‘don’t worry my girl, you will go out there and beat those white girls.’ He usually said that I would go out there and win everyone and be the best, and he really believed in me. Everyone in my family had always supported me and admitted the fact that this was what I wanted to do and still do. They are my diehard fans.

You said education delayed you from competing professionally early enough. So, how was it attending competitions, and training and at the same time going for classes while you were still at school?

It was really difficult, I won’t lie. It was so difficult schooling in Nigeria and training at the same time. Our school system in Nigeria basically does not encourage any other thing aside schooling. There is no room for recreational or extra-curricular activities in the system. If you want to school, you just have to face it squarely and do nothing else. But track and field is a profession that needs all your attention as well. Trying to make out spare time to train when there was no time had always been the problem. I could remember that then, I had to let go of a particular course

Amata jumping at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing

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resident of Nigeria Wrestling Federation is doing a good job and it is evident in the splendid performance of his wrestlers. Seven of them qualified for the Olympics Games with Adekunroye going to Rio as one with the brightest chance to win a medal.

The Ondo state-born fighter has become a beautiful bride since she won gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

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borududu competes in the 63 kg category and one of the continent’s most experienced. She is a seven-time African champion with two Olympics appearances under her belt. She crashed out in the quarterfinal of the London 2012 Olympic Games when she was beaten by Monika Michalik of Poland.

She seems ready for a good run this time because of her recent form, she won a silver medal at the Africa/Oceanic qualifiers in Algiers, Algeria to pick a ticket to the Olympics and followed that up with another silver medal performance at the Spanish Grand Prix last month.

With rich experience and form, Oborududu can reach medal zone in Rio.

Blessing Oborududu (Wrestling)

he is Nigeria’s poster girl to the games.

He is up there with the rest of the best in athletics. She certainly has what it takes to win something in 100m, 200m and long jump events of the game. She won a bronze medal in long jump in her first appearance in Beijing 2008 but faltered badly at the London 2012 Olympics.

This could be a redemption time for the 27-year-old; she is capable of defeating the likes of Elaine Thompson, English Gardner and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce if she gets her act together. Although her season's best of 11:2 secs has not been encouraging, she can raise her game at the biggest stage.

Okagbare is a record holder in 100m at the Commonwealth Games; she is also the reigning champion in 200m and has World Championship silver and bronze medals in her medal collection room.

She has prospect especially in long jump at Rio. If Nigeria is going to win a medal in Brazil, it is most likely going to come from Okagbare.

Blessing Okagbare (Athletics)

a result of shoddy preparations ahead of the games because less than a month ago, she won another bronze mean at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Adekunroye was the most outstanding athlete at the Indian Pro Wrestling league last year where she led her club to the championships.

She said the experience in India had boosted her confidence to confront anyone in the world. “ I just have to keep improving on the things I have

mata burst into international limelight when she leapt to an All Africa Games gold medal in Algiers 2007 even though she was featuring at her first major championship. She crashed out in the quarterfinal at her first Olympics one year later in Beijing. Her performance dropped since and ended 27th at the London 2012 Games. She seems to have recaptured her old form after coming second at the African Championship in Durban, and another impressive showing in meets in the United States earlier in the year shows she is now coming back to her own. Although she is still far from the championship mark, Amata can surprise everyone in Rio.

Doreen Amata (Athletics)

Odunayo Adekunroye (Wrestling)

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he British-born Nigerian canoeist was a flop in his first Olympics in London four years ago, but he is now a far better athlete.

Ministry of Sports and Nigeria Olympic Committee chieftains have talked up the prospect of Akinyemi picking a medal at the games. Although the ministry has not covered itself in glory as regards preparations, that has not deterred Akinyemi who has had a somewhat impressive build up.

He won the Africa championship in Kenya last year to pick the ticket to Rio and has built on that performance with good results in some test competitions.

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Jonathan Akinyemi (Canoe slalom)

Mikel, Okagbare, wrestlers lead Team Nigeria's charge for medals

training centre for high-performance athletes after the Games.

Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre Named after the first Brazilian woman to participate in the summer Olympics (in Los Angeles in 1932), the aquatics centre will host the diving events, synchronised swimming and water polo.

Olympic Equestrian Centre - Another legacy of the Pan American Games, the equestrian centre was modernised and expanded for the Games and contains the jumping and eventing arena, crosscountry course and horse and trainer accommodation.

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Maracana - The world-famous stadium will stage decisive matches in the

The Olympic Games will take place at 27 venues in and around Rio this summer, as well as five football cohost cities in Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Manaus, Salvador and Sao Paulo.

Here, Mirror Sport takes a look at where the world's top sportsmen and women will seek their place in history.

Rio 2016 Olympics: Your guide to all 27 venues set to be used during the games

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uadri’s rise to stardom has been phenomenal. Against all odds, the Oyo Stateborn player rose to the pinnacle of the game when he was voted the International Table Tennis Star Players of 2014, after breaking into top 30 in the ITTF rankings from number 200 in the previous year. He is still Africa’s best, the one to carry the hope of Nigeria in table tennis in Rio. With inspiration coming from seven-time Olympian Segun Toriola, Quadri can shock the world and win for Nigeria her first piece of Olympic silverware in table tennis.

Of course, the Chinese are favourites going into the games but Quadri has played against them in World Tour and on his day can beat anyone.

All eyes will be on him to also help the men’s team to a medal finish.

Aruna Quadri (Table Tennis)

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time trial at the 2012 London Olympics, the 31-year-old’s hopes of a gold in Rio were boosted when his chief rival, Dutchman Tom Dumoulin, fractured his wrist during the Tour de France and is a doubt for the Games. “I think it’s probably harder for him this time. He has to travel out to a completely different continent whereas we came back home, and that is probably more of a challenge for Chris,” Wiggins told British media.

Wiggins tips Froome to add gold to Tour triumph

radley Wiggins has backed Chris Froome to emulate his 2012 Tour de France and Olympic time trial double success but felt his former Sky teammate’s task is more difficult as next month’s Games are in Rio de Janeiro.

Froome, who will join Wiggins in the Great Britain cycling team, clinched his third Tour de France on Sunday and will now be attempting an unprecedented treble as he also plans to take part in both the time trial and road race at the Rio Games.

Having won a bronze in the

draws for the Rio Games on Tuesday and included Vladimir Malkov and Natalia Perminova in the men's and women's singles as well as the men's doubles partnership of Vladimir Ivanov and Sozonov.

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Rio stadium

football tournament and the opening and closing ceremonies. The stadium was recently modernised for the 2014 World Cup. Sambodromo - Traditionally used for samba school parades during carnival, the Sambodromo will host the archery competition and the start and finish of the marathon races.

Olympic Arena - A legacy of the 2007 Pan American Games, the Rio Olympic Arena will be home to artistic and rhythmic gymnastics and the trampoline events.

Olympic Stadium - Another venue built for the Pan American Games, the Olympic Stadium hosts early stages of the football tournament before making way for athletics on the modernised running track.

Pontal - A temporary facility on the coast in Rio's Western Zone which marks the start and finish for the road cycling time trials and race walking.

Riocentro - Various pavilions will host everything from badminton to boxing and table tennis to weightlifting, with a "low-speed air conditioning system" in pavilion four particularly useful for badminton.

Carioca Arena 1 - The home of Olympic basketball was built for the Games and afterwards will be part of the Olympic Training Centre, with facilities for 12 sports.

Youth Arena - Located on Avenida Brasil, one of Rio's busiest streets, the Youth Arena will stage the modern pentathlon's fencing matches and the group stage of the women's basketball.

Beach Volleyball Arena - A temporary structure on Copacabana Beach will host the beach volleyball events, with a centre court for the matches, five training courts and two warm-up courts.

Whitewater Stadium - One of the most complex facilities, the Whitewater Stadium contains 25 million litres of water in its two canoe slalom courses - one for competition measuring 250 metres and another 200-metre training course.

Lagoa Stadium - Rodrigo de Freitas Lake, one of the city's main landmarks, stages the rowing and canoe sprint events.

Olympic BMX Centre - Occupying around 4,000 square metres of the Radical Park, the BMX centre has a dirt track full of ramps and turns.

Mountain Bike Centre - Also part of the Radical Park, the mountain bike track is 5,400 metres long and makes the most of the natural contours of the land.

Rio Olympic Velodrome - The stage for the track cycling events, the purposebuilt facilities will be used as a Carioca Arena 2 - The home for wrestling and judo will become a permanent training centre for a variety of sports after the Games.

Carioca Arena 3 - Home of the taekwondo and fencing competitions, the venue will become a specialist sports school with capacity for 850 full-time students.

Olympic Golf Course - Built for the Games on reclaimed land, the course was designed by renowned architect Gil Hanse and opens to the public after the event.

Future Arena - Home to the handball tournament, the Future Arena is a temporary structure which will be dismantled after the Games and used in the construction of four state schools in the city.

Olympic Hockey Centre - Renovated after the Pan American Games, the hockey centre has two artificial pitches, changing rooms, stands and an administration area. After the Games it will be used by the Brazilian team.

Deodoro Aquatics Centre - The venue for the swimming discipline in the modern pentathlon features a renovated outdoor pool and temporary seating for spectators.

Deodoro Stadium - Built around an existing polo field, the temporary Deodoro Stadium will host the rugby tournament and the equestrian and combined running and shooting sections of the modern pentathlon.

Marina da Gloria - The base for the sailing competitions taking place in the waters of Guanabara Bay includes a new roof, event areas and a temporary pier for spectators.

Olympic Tennis Centre - Some of the centre's 16 courts are temporary, but the centre court and its facilities are permanent and will be one of the biggest sporting legacies of the Games.

Maracanazinho - Volleyball's traditional home in Brazil features one renovated training court and a temporary one created for the Games.

Amazonia Arena - Built for the 2014 World Cup, the stadium in Manaus will host six matches in the group stages of the football tournaments. The city is in the Amazon rainforest and the stadium's shape is inspired by an indigenous basket of exotic fruit.

Corinthians Arena - Also constructed for the World Cup, the home of Corinthians is in Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city.

The arena will host group and quarterfinal matches plus a men's semi-final and the women's bronze medal game.

Fonte Nova Arena - Built in 1951 and renovated for the World Cup, the stadium in Salvador will host eight group-stage matches and two quarter-finals (one men's and one women's).

Mane Garrincha Stadium - The national capital of Brasilia hosts eight groupstage matches, including the opener in the men's event, as well as two quarterfinals.

Mineirao - Situated in Belo Horizonte, the Mineirao will host six group games, two quarter-finals, a women's semi-final and the men's third-place play-off.

Uly 2016

Froome

he Badminton World Federation (BWF) has included four Russian players in the draws for next month's Rio de Janeiro Games, "pending the validation of the International Olympic Committee".

Following the IOC's decision on Sunday not to issue a blanket ban on Russians despite evidence of systematic doping, global sporting federations have been left to decide which athletes can compete at the Rio Games.

The BWF held the

012 London Olympic champion Andy Murray has revealed the reason he keeps looking at notes in between matches as he targets a second gold medal at the upcoming Rio Olympics.

The Scot was seldom seen reading a sheet of paper in breaks between games as he marched to a historic second Wimbledon title in July. He offered a rare insight into the motivational scribblings after his success at the prestigious All England Club.

The 29-year-old, who has worked with a sports psychologist in the past, writes down important aspects of his game-plan to focus on during each match and sprinkles in inspirational reminders of his qualities.

As Murray prepares to defend the Olympics singles gold medal he won so memorably in London four years

ago, the world number two will again turn to his notes for guidance in Rio. "They're personal notes.

Some of them stay the same the whole time. They're basic things I remind myself to do during the matches," Murray said.

"When I play my best tennis I feel like I'm doing these things. They would be like, Make sure you're moving your feet when you're nervous.

People have a tendency when they're nervous to not move, not use their legs.

"I think when I play my best tennis, I do this, X, Y and Z, whatever it is on the notes.

Then I have some notes of the tactics for the match.

"Sometimes I just look at the tactics that I've written down for the match. I refer to them at change of ends. I find it helps me."

Badminton feudsesraiatinosn My notes spur me on in matches – Murray clears four R

igeria is one of the two most successful African countries in the Olympics in football event of the games.

Nigeria shocked the world at Atlanta 1996 to claim gold medal after beating Brazil in the semifinal and Argentina in the final.

The team was close to repeating that feat at Beijing Olympics in 2008 but this time Lionel Messi-inspired Argentine team was strong enough to stop them in the final.

The man that masterminded that silver medal feat in Beijing, Samson Siasia, is at the helms once again and is keen to go the whole hog this time. The former Super Eagles coach has battled with a plethora of crises in his build up to the games. Many key players including Kelechi Iheanacho and

Alex Iwobi opted out of the tournament and his team has also been subjected to sufferings in Atlanta where they camped for the games.

However, it does not make any sense to write off a Siasia side, because the tactician has a way of galvanising his side at a competition with or without external motivation. Siasia is a ‘tournament person’, aside World Youth Championship in 2009 where his team crashed out In the quarterfinal, there was never a competition he attended without at least getting into the final. So, with Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi as captain and goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, the team has enough men to challenge for the title. They have to navigate through a difficult group which includes Japan, Colombia and Sweden and how well they cope at that level can determine their progress in the competition.

known now. I wouldn’t want to promise Nigerians anything now. I am going to the Rio 2016 Games to do my best. Any medal God gives me I will take. I am not sacred at all. All that I have in mind to do at the Games is to make Nigerians proud,” she said.

National U-23 football team

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She has followed up that performance with another bronze medal at the 2015 World Wrestling Championship in Las Vegas, USA. She also won bronze at the World Grand Prix held in Baku, Azerbaijan, same year.

She hasn’t dropped in form despite lack of motivation as Y TELEGRAPH

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UNVEILING HOTTEST S EPL WAGs FOR 2016-2017 SEASON

4. Abbey Clancy (Peter Crouch’s wife) toke-on-Trent is not considered a particularly glamorous place.

HOWEVER, it gave birth to one of the greatest WAGs of all-time in Alice Goodwin.

And Stoke is clearly glamorous enough for our no.4 WAG Abbey Clancy, who is married to Potters beanpole Peter Crouch.

2. Annelie Alpert (Loris Karius’s girlfriend) he newest Premier League WAG on the list is Annelie Alpert, who is the other half of Liverpool summer signing Loris Karius.

Loris isn’t badlooking himself, but his missus is just ridiculously hot.

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No.1 on our heavily-researched list of the hottest Premier League WAGs 2016 would have been Viktoria Varga this time last month, but Graziano Pelle’s £320,000-a-week move to China means she’s now off-limits. But Caughtoffside.com brings these 10 ladies who are more than lovely enough to make up for Varga’s Pelle’s transfer away.

3. Edurne Garcia Almagro (David de Gea’s girlfriend) rom Stoke, we travel back up the country (and the Premier League table) to Manchester, where we find David de Gea and his lovely lass, Edurne Garcia Almagro.

Edurne is a Spanish singer who performed at Eurovision back in 2015.

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1. Jesica Sterling (David Ospina’s wife) op spot on our list of the hottest Premier League WAGs 2016 goes to the wife of a rarely seen Arsenal player – no.2 goalkeeper David Ospina.

Colombian stopper Ospina married Jesica Sterling in 2012 and the couple have two children together.

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6. Sam Cooke (Chris Smalling’s girlfriend) ellow Red Devils babe Sam Cooke is in at six.

Cooke found fame as a Page 3 model and now she’s the partner of Chris Smalling. What a story!

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8. Annie Kilner (Kyle Walker’s girlfriend) nother Londonbased WAG is in at eight, as we introduce Annie Kilner – girlfriend of Tottenham and England right-back Kyle Walker.

Miss Kilner’s name went viral back in 2015 when it was WRONGLY alleged that she had been orally pleasured by a dog.

A graphic video swept the internet along with a vicious rumour claiming that Kilner was the recipient of the pooch’s ‘love’. We repeat, THIS WAS NOT HER. We’re glad that’s settled.

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9. Toni Terry (John Terry’s wife) ext up is a wife who must have the patience of a saint. It can’t be easy to be married to controversial Chelsea captain John Terry, but Toni Terry wears it bloody well.

Toni, who tied the know with JT in 2007, is easily Chelsea’s no.1 WAG.

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5. Georgina Dorsett (Tom Cleverley’s girlfriend) nother W A G w h o was sort of famous before she became a footballer ’s girlfriend is ex-TOWIE star Georgina Dorsett.

Georgina is now very much in love with Everton midfielder Tom Cleverley.

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7. Ana Ivanovic (Bastian Schweinsteiger’s wife) s we said, that dog rumour was a load of balls. Talking of balls brings us onto our next wonderful WAG – Ana Ivanovic.

Ana literally smashes balls for a living. And, as a former world number one in women’s tennis, she’s one hell of a ball-smasher.

The world-class sports star married 2014 World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger this summer, so now she’s officially a world-class WAG too.

Ana is the first of three Man United WAGs in our Premier League WAGs 2016 extravaganza.

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10. Erin Borini (Fabio Borini’s wife) e start with Erin Borini, who recently upgraded her WAG status from fiancee to wife when she married – you guessed it – Sunderland striker Fabio Borini.

Erin is the ultimate ‘girl next door’ type.

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30 JUly 2016

Global Football Special

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH www.newtelegraphonline.com

Oblak: Atletico need consistency, luck

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International Cup:

Real Madrid, Chelsea clash in the US Keane

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resh off the back from a morale-boosting win over Liverpool, Chelsea will be in confident mood going into their second International Champions Cup game against Real Madrid this weekend.

Antonio Conte has steered his new team to three straight pre-season wins against RZ Pellets, Atus Ferlach and, most recently, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side and the Italian will now be expecting his players to show the same kind of defensive resilience as at the Rose Bowl when they play Zinedine Zidane's men on Saturday.

Real may have won the Champions League in May, but their exploits in the International Champions Cup in the US started off on a poor note when they were beaten 3-1 by Paris SaintGermain on Wednesday.

But what kind of team can Chelsea fans expect Zidane to start in Michigan Zidane fielded a relatively strong side against PSG, with regulars Raphael Varane, Marcelo, Casemiro and newly-returned Alvaro Morata all starting in Ohio.

However, the Los Blancos coach brought on several academy players after the break and

Oblak

Barcelona eye victory over Celtic

Man United open to Keane offers

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anchester United are willing to listen to offers for Will Keane during the transfer window, according to Sky sources.

The 23-year old made two appearances for United's first team last season and also had a loan spell at Preston.

Sky sources understand Keane is valued at around £1m, and five clubs have enquired about the striker.

Keane scored the first goal of Jose Mourinho's reign as United manager during the 2-0 pre-season friendly win at Wigan Athletic.

even handed his son Enzo his first-team debut.

Zidane's younger son Luca, 18, is also part of his travelling squad and could well play while Sergio Ramos has only just re-joined the group.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, however, are the notable absentees from the Real pre-season squad.

Conte, meanwhile, has all of his players at his disposal apart from new signing N'Golo Kante, who is on his holidays following his exploits with his nation France at Euro 2016.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane: "There were some good things about the game [against [PSG], but we’re lacking physically. We only started 10 days ago.

"I’m happy with the work, but not the defeat, of course. We can never lose. Even a friendly.

This is Madrid. But we’ll pick up the pace and then La Liga is very long and we have to start well.

"Maybe we lacked a little aggression for a strong rival. Especially in the first half. We had the ball and we had chances. Tactically we have to work more and find the automatic moves.

We’ll do it little by little."

aving failed to win a trophy despite a strong season last term, Jan Oblak hopes Atletico Madrid can improve in 2016-17.

Atletico Madrid will need to find consistency and "a little bit of luck" to win a trophy this season, according to goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

Diego Simeone's men finished third in LaLiga last term, and then lost to rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League final, in Oblak's second year with the club.

And, having joined Atleti just after their 2013-14 league triumph, the Slovenian goalkeeper is hoping to play his part in a successful campaign.

Oblak insisted his side must perform at a high level throughout the season, while good fortune will be required to challenge for major honours.

"Of course, every season you start with these goals [to win trophies], but we know that it is not always possible because we are playing against great teams," he told Perform ahead of an International Champions Cup fixture against Tottenham in Melbourne.

"But we keep working and fighting, and I am sure that this season, again, we will have the possibility of winning something. It depends on us if we are going to reach our goals or not.

"I think many times in football you need a bit of luck. But you need to play great all season, it's not just one game or many games.

"But, in the end of course, if you are fighting for first place you need to have a little bit of luck as well."

Messi

arcelona coach Luis Enrique is likely to start Lionel Messi as they face Celtic in one of the International Champions Cup match today in Dublin.

After the La Liga champions face the Scottish champions in Ireland, Barcelona will meet Premier League champions Leicester on August 3 at the Friends Arena in Stockholm.

Barcelona's final ICC game is against Liverpool on August 6 at Wembley, before they play Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup. Barcelona will be hoping the ICC helps them start the next La Liga campaign in a strong fashion, as they look to pick up three points at home against Real Betis.

Luis Enrique's side missed out on Champions League glory last season and instead saw their arch rivals Real Madrid pick up the trophy.

No doubt Barcelona's main aim next season will be to regain the Champions League title and they have been boosted by bringing in four summer signings.

The club have already announced the signings of Andre Gomes, Samuel Umtiti, Denis Suarez and Lucas Digne.

The Catalan giants will also be hoping Messi shrugs off the torrid summer he has endured to help them win plenty of silverware this season.

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'My late dad inspired me Taiwo, Falayajo ready to make Nigeria proud to strive for greatness' T Charles Ogundiya

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just to be able to train. I was like, ‘fine that was the only course I had on Fridays and I think I could just let it go and attend training. So, the training could go on through the weekend. But it wasn’t easy at all. That’s the truth.

What should be done to readjust our educational system to suit sporting activities?

I think for one, we have to give our students scholarships because it is not easy going to school and trying to pay your way through. Most people back home don’t even have the money to do that especially for a career that requires funds to establish too. Even if it is not a full scholarship it must start from somewhere. They can start with probably a half scholarship. Also they can make the lectures and courses a bit flexible. I know in the States, one could choose when one wants to attend classes, so one would be able to choose times that are suitable. That is one of the reasons they are excelling in sports over there, because they have enough time to train. I see the college athletes train and most times we train together.

They train out there every day and they still attend classes. Imagine we have a system that will encourage athletes to go to school and then train at the same time, I am sure we are going to have so many talents, but right now we don’t have such opportunities. I know of a young guy in UNILAG who keeps complaining to me that he doesn’t have the time to train and I know that what he is running right now is not up to what he has the ability to do. I know this because he is someone I’ve been encouraging and it is as a result of not enough training time. He is in school and can’t train. I feel so much for young athletes that are in school but then the most important thing is to go to school as athletes because there is life after track and field. I have this career right now but anything from now till about five or seven years, what am I going to be doing then?

Athletes need to go to school but the government needs to give athletes the opportunity to want to go to school and do sports at the same time. Many athletes out there are struggling to get their school fees paid, struggling to feed and fend for themselves and even get kits to train with. How would you expect athletes like that to perform

well with so much going on in their minds? It is difficult.

Have you ever thought of dumping Nigeria for another country?

I won’t say that it never occurred to me but then I love flying the Nigerian flag. Maybe when I had the opportunity I had looked deeper into it, maybe I would have done it too. But, I guessed I never really paid attention to it, maybe that is why I’m still here today. But then, I usually wondered why athletes suddenly start performing better when they change nationality than when they are competing in Nigerian colours. That is the thing we need to look into. For example an athlete running 10+ in Nigeria and after departing for another country, such athlete start running sub 10secs, we need to figure that out and find a solution as soon possible.

I feel when they go out there, they get all the support they need to perform better. In those other places, they stop thinking of some pertinent issues like what they are going to eat, how they will get to training and so on. All those worries are gone and they only concentrate on their training. Also when it comes to financial support, we all have families that rely on us and it is only when you even have enough that you will be able to support others.

Things like these affect athletes and prevent them from performing. We need to do a lot to revamp athletics in the country.

What is your advice to athletes?

I would advise the athletes to forget about what is going on in the country, since they have chosen athletics as their profession. They should try and concentrate because at the end of the day, if they run fast, they are going to make money, if they jump well, they will surely get sponsors. They don’t need Nigeria or the Athletics Federation of Nigeria to make that money, their talent will speak for them. If you sign deals and contracts, definitely you will make money, you will go to meets and make money and you don’t need Nigeria to do all that but your talent and hard work will speak for you.

Coping with marriage and career First, I would say God has been helpful because when you put Him in everything you do, success is sure. Second, I am married to an awesome man who has been supporting me. That makes it very easy for me. When it comes to my career and family I am not stressed.

Apart from track and field, what else do you love doing?

I love cooking, organising things; maybe I would have been an event planners or an accountant, because that was where I was heading before I veered to athletics.

Amata

What will you do when your career ends?

I am looking at training to become a coach because I have flair for coaching. I love correcting people and that will help me to excel if I decide to become a coach. Also, I am thinking of having a business of my own on the side.

wo Nigerian youngsters currently making waves in South Africa, Olajide Taiwo and Omotayo Falayajo, have promised to be good ambassadors of the country.

Olajide recently signed for newlypromoted South African side, FC Baroka, while Falayajo joined Durban FC ahead of the 2016/2017 league season.

Speaking with Saturday Telegraph from their base in South Africa, the two friends said they wanted to perform well for their clubs so as to improve the rising profile of Nigerian

players in that country.

“As a player, I always want to give my best when I am on the pitch,” the 23-year-old Taiwo said.

“So many Nigerian players have played in South Africa and I want to work hard to sustain the good name of my country.”

On his part, Falayajo wants to use his performance to open doors for more Nigerian players to get the opportunity to play in South Africa.

He said: “The performance of some senior men that have played in the PSL and are still playing there gave some of us the opportunity to be here in South Africa.''

Bonke (right)

‘I’m not new Mikel in Norway’

L

Ajibade Olusesan illestrom SK of Norway midfielder Innocent Bonke has played down comparisons with Super Eagles skipper Mikel Obi as he continues to dominate headlines in Norway.

The 20-year-old midfielder’s prospect is catching the eyes in Norway and his composure, passing accuracy and guile in the middle of the pack has earned him comparisons with the Chelsea star who also began his career abroad in that European country.

“Mikel is a fantastic player for Nigeria who also had a successful stay here in Norway but I will like

to say I’m Bonke not new Mikel. I’m flattered by the comparisons but I think I have to be myself,” he said.

“Getting regular playing time was my target when I arrived at the club, and I have been able to focus on that.

“I always try to give the coaches several options to my game, I know I can really develop to become a big player at Lillestrøm with consistent playing time, and I am happy everything is going on well.

“I need to be consistent on the pitch, this is the first stage of my career, and probably I can be the next big deal in the country.But now I want to keep doing well and help the team.”

Ex-athlete donates boots to club

Charles Ogundiya

F

ormer international, Gabriel Lessor, has called on other retired Nigerian athletes to come to the rescue of up-and-coming stars after donating 11 pairs of running spikes to Buka Tiger Athletics Club, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

The former long jumper said the gesture was his own way of helping the athletes to develop and become great in the sport.

“As a former long jumper who started late, I felt the importance to offer support early in the life of an athlete,” the US-based Lessor said.

“I reached out to Buka Tigers when I heard of his track club and contribu-

tion in nurturing future champions for Nigeria.

“I initially meant it to be secret but I thought of posting it on social media to encourage other former athletes to find ways to support our boys and girls back home.

“I hope to continue to support Buka Tigers as much as I can and also extend my effort to other clubs as well.”

While appreciating the kind gesture, the coordinator and coach of Buka Tiger Athletics Club, Ayodele Solaja, urged corporate bodies not to wait until athletes start begging before they come to their rescue.

He praised the effort of the donor and assured him that the athletes would make proper use of the equipment.

Investigations 33

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

N90 before now, is N400 today’ Wood fuel is now harvested and transported in large quantities from rural to urban areas

Chopping firewood photo: jujufilm.tv

Inset: smoke cooking. photo:newsandmuse234. blogspot.com

area has about an hour of electricity supply per day, according to inhabitants of the locality. The picture is the same in most Nigerian towns and cities.

From Lagos to Anambra, Akwa Ibom to Ekpoma, Issele-Uku to Yola, Nigerians groan under the yoke of epileptic power supply. In some cities, the Harmattan period is always a relief as it comes in handy. But in other places like Lagos, it usually has no meaning as residents often resort to hand-held fans made from raffia palms, cardboard papers and allied materials in such times to ward-off sweat from their faces.

Those who enjoy the luxury of a generator, bear an extra cost to power it. Most affected are traders, artisans, medium and large-scale industrialists who depend on steady power supply for a living. Generation Companies (GENCOs) and DISCOs, the present behemoth in charge of generation and distribution of electricity in the country, seem to have fallen asleep in the darkness, blaming it on broken down equipment and vandalism of their facilities.

For their underperformances, consumers who are still charged exorbitantly through estimated bills are livid with all kinds of unprintable names for the GENCOs and DISCOs. But Nigeria, it appears, is destined for a rude recession into primitive cleavages. And that slump is unhalted. Roof-piecing prices of essential items, particularly ford stuffs, have drowned many people in a vast ocean of poverty.

When he came to office on May 29,

2015, Muhammadu Buhari, inherited a price regime that saw premium motor spirit selling at N87 a litre. Since that time as if determined to send the soul of Nigeria to economic perdition, has increased fuel to N145 per litre. Hiding under the cover of deregulation, government has remained unrepentant in its drive on ramming the new price down the throat of the masses. This has made life difficult for Nigerians, as petroleum products touch every facet of life.

Whereas the bulk of rural and urban dwellers are not sure of where the next meal will come from, those they elected to public offices feed fat on the common till. The grandstanding and opulent lifestyles of this category of Nigerians are lubricated on the clogged wheels of corruption. For many years now, Transparency International, in its annual anticorruption index, has continued to rate Nigeria as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

Today, there are arguments on the effect of government economic reforms on the people. While the government says the economy is well-managed, the people are saying they are not feeling the impact. There are those who believe that the poor power supply situation has been responsible for non-alignment between micro-economic stability and the well-being of the people.

The problem, according to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), affects the people in small, medium and cottage industries, the most.

“If they cannot get power to fire their

Charcoal in nylon bags for sale

equipment, they will become idle, and when you are idle, you don’t generate money, and when you don’t generate money, your poverty level increases,” it stated.

However, the expensive nature of kerosene in recent time has succeeded in pushing more families down the energy ladder. As it stands today, over 80 per cent of the country’s population now depend on firewood and its allies for cooking and other uses.

In recent past, wood extraction for fuel was a rural habit. It is now harvested in large quantities and transported from rural to urban areas.

Many people are now into the busi-

Cooking with charcoal in Lagos photo: suleiman hussaini

ness of supplying firewood and/ or charcoal to people (vendors) in urban areas.

“This has found acceptance in urban areas and in a manner to which its demand is leading to the harvest of both dry and wet wood, as against the mostly harvested dead woods, dry branches and twigs,” some have noted.

But, this has constituted a threat to landscape conservation in Nigeria, according to environmental experts.

Recently, a shift is made from the direct use of firewood for cooking to the indirect use with the reduction of wood to charcoal. Before this, wood dust (saw-dust) was collected from timber shades and was used for fuel.

In both inventions, wood dust and/ or charcoal were used in a stove-like oven known widely as ‘Abacha Stove’.

And, because wood fuel is affordable and readily available, unlike other sources that are recurrently scarce with constant hike in prices, many tend to always go for it. Also, because poverty seems to be endemic in Nigerian society, everyone is resorting to wood fuel for cooking among other uses.

Incidentally, an environmentalist and Director of Corporate Accountability at Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Akinbode Oluwafemi, has said that the use of wood fuel is a setback and major cause of deforestation in the country. “This is linked to the crises of economic and social conflicts and problems associated with the disappearing of the forest.

“When the forest disappears, some people would migrate towards wherever there is some green land.

So essentially, you’ll find out that we are in a nation without a coherent sustainable energy policy. What we should be talking about now is the alternative to ensure there is energy for domestic consumption without necessarily impacting heavily on the environment,” he added.

Sportsplash 34 Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

Klever Jay

Sholanke Abiodun Joseph aka Klever Jay became popular when he released ‘Konikoni Love’ in 2008, but that slipped away. He however tells Saturday Telegraph how he plans to stage a comeback, how marriage changed him, among others.

I haven't lost my magic

Are you currently working on any?

Right now, I am working on a track with 9ice and I plan to drop my third album very soon.

How do you plan to sell the album to the public since you’ve been quiet for years?

I was off the music scene for a while. But since December 2014, I have been working so hard to make a comeback. We did a lot last year; we dropped five videos. I have released a video this year too for my single, ‘Owo Eko’ and it is doing well. Clarence Peter directed it.

Since I need the attention of the people more before releasing the album, I felt I should feature 9ice. We plan to promote it very well to make more statement's and let people know that I still have what it takes to do music at the highest level. We have a whole lot of plans before dropping the album; I pray God helps us.

You once gave us songs that dominated the industry; have you lost your magic?

I haven’t lost any magic. I am still the same Klever Jay of those days. What happened was that when I came into the industry newly, I was doing music for the passion. I didn’t think much about the business part of it. But after the release of ‘Konikoni Love’ and ‘Igboro Ti Da Ru,’ things weren’t going the way it ought to be. Music is different from music business. Now, I have a better understanding of many things in the industry.

Don’t you feel it would be hard for you to create the impact you once had in music?

Everything is in hands of God. My case will not be the last and it is not the first. Some artiste left the scene for a while and came back better, while others left and couldn’t make much impact again. I am putting in my energy and experience and I am positive that things will be better.

You have to understand certain facts in this industry in order not to have problems.

When you are the man of the moment, whatever you touch becomes gold or the best in people’s ears. Even when you sing rubbish, people will still appreciate it. And in Nigeria, people like to hear new things. When your product is not getting the needed attention, you should not have the mindset that God has forsaken you.

The good thing is that the name is already registered and people can never forget my contribution to the Nigerian music. Before ‘Gongo Aso,’ 9ice was already into music but the song came and gave him the needed breakthrough. Before ‘Limpopo,’ we all knew Kcee and how much effort he had put in music. He did many videos and many collaborations, yet he didn’t make much impact. So, I don’t allow things that didn’t work for me bring me down; I learn from them and move on.

Looking back to those days you were famous, what did you miss?

My situation now doesn’t change what I achieved or who I am to the music industry. Generally in life, things are either rosy or dull. The fact I want people to know is that I am still working and I believe strongly in my talent. I know very soon my hard work will pay off. I am always in the studios recording, morning till night. You cannot compare the Klever Jay of four years ago to Klever Jay of last year. It shows that there is a progress since I came back. We are not relaxing at all.

No doubt, there were many things I enjoyed when the ovation was high that I do not enjoy now. But this is life.

I enjoy seeing my kids and they give me the drive to put in more effort in my music Could it be that marriage slowed you down?

Not at all; nothing like such happened to me. I have seen married for seven years and I am blessed with two girls. Starting a family didn’t affect my music or business. For me, when you are doing well in business, the family remains in good shape.

What has marriage changed about you?

Marriage made me to be responsible and to do the right thing at the right time. There were many mistakes I did at a time that I would not have done if there was a woman in my life. Then, there was no reasons to be cautious or think of others. But now, I know I have to do certain things because I have people who are looking up to me. That alone keeps you in check whenever you want to misbehave or give up.

For some reasons, have you ever thought of walking out of marriage?

I have not. I enjoy seeing my kids and they give me the drive to put in more effort in my music. I have never regretted getting married, though it is to the glory of God. Is seems you and K-Solo don’t do things together anymore?

We are still cool. I was with him two weeks ago to record a song. The song is out now.

But there was a time you had some altercation with him…

I didn’t see that as something serious.

Friends are meant to disagree to agree. If we are doing things together and we don’t tell each other the truth, we are not friends then. When you criticise me for something and I know inside me that you may have a point, it shows you want the best for me.

TURNING P INT

I

Omowunmi Akindele a.k.a Mz Kiss

think things turned around for me in the music industry when I released my video, ‘Figure 8,’ in 2013. The video, which got a lot of rotations, was directed by Paul Gambit. I came as that fresh girl with a new sound. When I also featured on Dammy Krane’s Faleela in 2015, everyone started paying attention to me. Those two projects brought me into limelight.

My progression has been amazing; people have been following my music and my fan base is growing daily.

Five years ego, I actually thought I was going to blow the next day after recording my song. It was when I started working I knew things were not easy. But I knew I was going to be a force in music, but I didn’t know it would come in this way.

Klever Jay

35

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

LANRE ODUKOYA

SHOWBIZ TODAY

08059296445 lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

Dad threatened D’banj, don jazzy before I became a star –Davido

D

avid Adeleke otherwise known as Davido has revealed his rough road to stardom and the face-off between him and his billionaire dad, Adedeji Adeleke, before he became a superstar.

He stressed further that at some point, his father threatened to arrest Don Jazzy, D’banj and Kamal Ajiboye. The songster also revealed he has three songs with American rapper, Yung. The ‘Omo Baba Olowo’ singer revealed how he had to go against his father’s wish to become who he is today. It was so bad that his dad threatened his current manager, Ajiboye. In a recent interview with Ebro Darden of Hot 97 in New York a few days after his performance at One Africa Music Festival, Davido shared his initial challenges in pursuing his music career, “I was hanging out with D’banj at the time he had that Kanye deal.

I now told my Dad that I was trying to stay, and he was like ‘What?

My friend you better go back to school. I called my roommate, and told him ‘Imma do this no more.

If my Dad calls, tell him you don’t know where I’m at. When I left, my family was looking for me for like six months. They sent a letter to D’banj’s house, they sent a letter to P-Square’s house, they sent letters to everybody’s house. My Dad was calling

the school, and they were telling him; ‘He wasn’t even here for the past semester, he left…’ It was like the whole Nigeria knew who I was before I even dropped a single. Kamal that is my manager now, used to be Don Jazzy’s assistant.

My Dad started calling him and said ‘if I see you guys with my son, all of you are getting arrested.”

Davido also defines his genre of music, “I don’t even call my music Afrobeat, I call mine Afrofusion.

To me it’s just too different. I can’t tell you it’s Afrobeat, because it’s not. ‘You know the originator of the Afrobeat is Fela.

Fela has a sound which I can say has heavy baseline, bass instrument, and the percussion is different.

If you ask me ‘Gobe’ is Calypso, Afro mixed with Calypso. But I feel like the Afrobeat is catchy and has caught the wave from time. Because I know some Afrobeat songs that I don’t want to call Afrobeat. I call them Afro-Pop or Afro Trap. Everything is just still African music.”

Iyanya finally quits record label

T

he chicken has finally come home to roost. After denying tales of exit from his record label, The Temple Company rancorously, top singer, Iyanya, has finally addressed the public about walking away in agreement with his former manager, Ubi Franklin.

Here’s all he wants the public to know about signing a deal with a new management company, “Dear fans, I am pleased to announce that i have now signed on with Temple Management Company. About a year ago, Ubi and I discussed options to diversify our business interests and creative visions and we both agreed that we would explore all avenues open

Stop skin bleaching, I’ve done it for years –Maheeda

P

orn queen and controversial singer, Maheeda, has made a detour from bleaching 34 years after.

Maheeda’s old pictures show that she was dark before she traveled abroad and began to bleach.

Interestingly, many had confused bleaching with toning and hid under the guise of the former to shed away their real skins. According to basic understanding of the two terms, ‘Toning’ in cosmetics, skin toner or simply toner refers to a lotion or wash designed to cleanse the skin and shrink the appearance of pores, usually used on the face while ‘Skin bleaching’ refers to skin whitening, skin lightening, and practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to lighten skin tone or provide an even skin complexion by lessening the concentration of melanin.

Maheeda believes that many people have various excuses for whatever they do to their skins, but she’s thrown away that bad habit.

She voiced her regret thus, “Daddy, I have changed again.

There is a tall wall called excuse stopping you from doing what I just did. Stop bleaching, I have been making walls since 1982.”

Davido

to us. So much has happened since and I have now completed Iyanya work on my new album which will be released under a new record label. With both @thetemplecompany and the new album. I am now embarking in a direction which will not only bring you the same quality, verve and energy that you have become accustomed to, it will take things to the next level. Ubi remains my brother and we both look forward to this new phase of our careers. God bless you all”

Y

ou mean the positive or negative ones? Fans always demand money from me whenever they see me on the streets. Two years ago, when I visited the Ladipo market in Lagos with my mechanic to get square parts for my car, some boys held us to ransom.

About 100 of them, they had tattoos drawn all over their body and were fully armed. I felt so bad and I wondered why celebrities had to face such.

They later collected N50, 000 from me before we were allowed to go, the money I planned to use to get something at the mar-

E A FAN DID TO M

– Kehinde Akinremi a.k.a Chief Kanran ket. Nothing we can do; we either settle them or beg because they have nothing to lose. Even when you give them a certain amount of money, they make more demands.

Also, there was a particular day that my car broke down on the road. While I was trying to fix it, some school students who knew

me started singing my song to taunt me. It was really embarrassing, but such is life.

My 50 years anniversary on stage is near. I don’t have sponsors, but individuals who love and appreciate me are ready to make things happen. We are talking to some musicians for the celebration, while other plans are also going on too.

Maheeda

36

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

TV&Radio

30 JUly 2016

with Deborah Ocheni

This weekend ONTV

Zoro, Adesina and host

The media and change initiative of Buhari administration

M

oment for Thought is an NTA programme that discusses topical issues with seasoned discussants while proffering solutions to them. It is aired on Thursday at 10:30pm.

This week edition of the programme featured Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity and Muhammad Sani Zoro, Chairman, House Committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS). It focused on the media and the change initiative of Buhari administration.

Adesina spoke on the need for journalists, media organisations and the profession to take a second look at regulation of the industry. “I think the issue of entry point is not even the major problem in journalism today. I think what we need to look at is regulation in terms of self-regulation by journalists themselves, regulation from the organisations and regulation within the industry.

“There are excesses I must confess and when those excesses appear they get away with them. I think regulations need to be enforced more particularly at the level of the organisations and at

the level of the profession. For instance, if Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) says these things are off limit and you find any of your journalists breaching those things, what does NTA do?

“If a newspaper say these are minimum standards in this organisation and any member of that organisation breaches those minimum standards what does the organisation do? And when the profession prescribes certain ethics and anybody flouts them, what does the profession itself do? These are things I think we need to look at again.”

Speaking on the advantages and disadvantage of Social Media, Zoro said there are professional journalists and those who use the platform of the media to communicate, adding that those people that use the media cannot be called professional journalists because they do not subscribe to certain standards. “The Social Media is a phenomenon that nobody can avoid, it has its uses and it also has its negative side, but I will rather go for the positives. The instantaneous manner in which the Social Media breaks news is something that is good for society because it is a media that is spontaneous. It is also a monster that cannot be killed because it can be

FACE BEHIND THE VOICE

A

Cool FM’s Shine

nino Judy Shine Begho is an Itsekiri girl from Delta State. She is a fun-loving entertaining girl, and people usually say there’s: "never a dull moment with Shine".

Shine is a graduate of mass communication from Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State. She came into public attention when she started modelling in the university; she was a runway model and had done a few pageants too, but the media is her life.

She has traversed through different media houses, thereby garnering her lots of experience. She started as a TV presenter with Galaxy Television, Lagos, in 2007. She moved to radio in 2008 with Eko FM Lagos before having a stint with Hot FM Abuja and then Classic FM Lagos. She switched to City FM Lagos before

Rainbow FM then Zoodrums Radio (internet radio). Finally she landed at her dream station 96.9 Cool FM Lagos. However, she still finds time for TV on the side, making appearances here and there on different stations.

abused, every Tom, Dick and Harry if I may use that phrase has access to the Social Media and anybody that has this access can call himself a journalist which I don’t agree with.

“The thing is that there are professional journalists and there are those who use the platform of the Social Media to communicate; those people that use the Social Media cannot be called professional journalists because they do not subscribe to certain standards that are traditional to main stream media,” he said.

Adesina highlighted the good side of Social Media: “Social Media is very useful; it can be used to mobilise people, but then this capacity to mobilise for good can also be used to mobilise for bad. We see quite a large dose of it in this country. People will just cook up lies and put them on the social space, and once you have sent out these lies, you can’t retract them. You find heavy volume of lies, falsehoods and twisting of what people have said on the Social Media, and those of us in government experience this a lot, but what can we do? When people do this, we put up the correct things but you will also see the tendency to believe the worse.

Adesina added that he likes opposition, and sees Nigeria as an enterprise in which all have their interests. “I would like every party to know that this is our country, if you think you are pulling down an individual you are actually putting a knife into the fabric that holds the country together. I would like an opposition in which all stakeholders see Nigeria as an enterprise in which we all have a joint stake”.

Programme summary

Breakfast Show

TVC Daily @ 7:40am Breakfast show is a TVC programme that talks about daily life challenges and activities.

Sunday Politics Channels TV (245) Sunday @ 8:30pm

Shine

Sunday Politics is a political programme that x-rays recent significant developments and activities in politics in and around Nigeria, as political perspectives of national issues are captured and analysed.

TELEVISION

TVC

Saturday 7:00 Hossana Hour 8:00 Boom Box

Saturday 7:30 Crocadoo 8:00 The Indomitables 8:30 Pocahontas 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

10:00 On the Town 11:00 Between the Lions 12:00 News 12:30 Video Fashion 1:00 The Big Issue 2:30 Fireworks 3:30 Golden Chance Lotto 4:40 Boom Box 5:00 Hyperchondraic 5:30 Stand by Me My Beloved 6:00 Boom Box 6:30 Project Your Poise Show 7:00 Teju Baby Face Show 8:30 Fenz Championship 9:00 Sillent Noise 9:30 Events Diary 10:00 News 11:00 Play on Repeat Now Sunday 7:00 Hosanna Hour 8:00 Nollywood English 10:00 News 11:30 Sports Week 12:00 News 12:30 Nollywood English 2:30 The Sunday Interview 3:30 Golden Chance Lotto 4:30 Excellent Leadership 5:00 Hitlist and Cruising 5:00 Vivid View 6:00 Stand Point 9:00 Pastor’s Teaching 9:30 Ogun 10:00 News

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

CITY FM 105.1

RADIO

Saturday 6:00 Saturday Breakfast Show 8:00 Weekend Update 8:30 Growing Up Matters 9:00 City Talks 10:30 Don-Digy’s Corner 12:15 The City Kids Show 2:00 Fan Zone 3:30 Soccer Wrap 7: 00 Encounter with Grace 8:00 Round Table 11:00 Elisha Baza Show

Sunday 5:00 Praise in the City 5:30 Christ Embassy 6:00 Sunday Praise Show 3:00 Music Culture 6:00 Singspiration 8:00 Only the Hits 9:00 Once Upon a Time 10: Refresh

RADIO LAGOS Saturday 75:10 Audra Aro 5:20 Iwure Aaro 5:25 Waasi Idaji 6:15 Nigba Ti Wa 7:15 Asayan Iroyin 9:10 Idan Orita 10:15 Ara Ewe 12:00 World News 1:00 Mooko Mooka 1:30 Lere 2:00 Oyin Momo 2:30 Ogegele 3:00 Odo Iwoyi

Sunday 6:15 Oro Igbala 6:30 Oro Iyin 7:00 Personal Paid Announce- ments 7:15 Asayan Iroyin 7:30 Ase Ibi Mimo 10:15 Eba mi Dupe 11:10 Mukulumuke 5:30 Rotimi Akinwole on FM 9:00 Obirin Ologo

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

I

Tony Okuyeme nspired by the need to see a new Igalaland, a new Kogi State with people living together in unity, as well as the need to address the mindset of those who desire knowledge but lack the time to sit to listen, Jerry Ojonugwa, a trained banker and a minister of the gospel, has written two books, ‘The Rising of Igala Kingdom’ and ‘Inspirational Wisdom for Daily Living’.

The two books were launched at Christ Life Evangelical Ministry Inc. in Mangoro area of Lagos last week with culture and ceremony, as it brought together sons and daughter of Igala Kingdom and indeed Kogi State.

While The Rising of Igala Kingdom’ is a 56-page book that seeks to address among other things, “pathway to a greater Kogi State, beginning from Igala Kingdom as a cardinal part of the state, ‘Inspirational Wisdom for Daily Living’ is a 48-page book written as a daily companion with encapsulated quotes drawn from the Bible, natural laws and daily life experience.

Speaking on the inspirations behind the books, Ojonugwa, who is a managing partner with Kustomer Services Kommunications, a media and customer service consulting company, said: “This book, The Rising of Igala Kingdom’, is born out of the burden to see a new Igalaland, a new Kogi State with people that dwell together in unity. A new Igala is possible; a new Kogi State is possible; and it begins with you."

It is paradoxical to say the Igala Kingdom is rising in the face of the visible existing challenges, isn’t it? For kingdom that is confronted with so many issues, ranging from economic backwardness to high poverty level, political quagmire, mysterious death, cultism, thuggery, lack of unity, to mention but a few.

“This book seeks to address among other things, our pathway to a greater Kogi State, beginning from Igala Kingdom as a cardinal part of the state. We need to adopt the right mindset for the progress and development of our land and the state in general.

“It is time to come together for unity of purpose. No matter where you come

37

The Arts

Ojonugwa tells Igala story in simple, brief format

Ojonugwa

from, you can be a change agent in your own capacity. The time has come to sheath our sword and to understand the true essence of politics. It should not be a do-or-die affairs. Your ambition is not worth the blood of anybody. Let’s imbibe the politics of developments and sportsmanship at all levels, not that of personal aggrandizement.”

According to him, the book equally takes the reader on memory lane to understand the history of the Igala nation.

“Knowing at least a little of Igala history and her leaders is very important.

Most of the Igala sons and daughters born and bred in cities and in the diaspora don’t know anything about where they come from, the moral values of the people and what a good Igala man or woman stands for and depicts.

“Knowing your history makes you a true African child. In this book the

history of the Igala, right from pre-colonialism till date has been packaged in a simple and easy to read brief format,” he added.

On ‘Inspirational Wisdom for Daily Living’, he explained that it “was born out of the pain of seeing and dealing with people who desire knowledge that can address their mindset but lack the time to sit to listen or study due to their secular engagement, nature of business and so many other genuine reasons.

“Considering the nature of Lagos which is the setting of this book, Lagosians, are people willing to gain knowledge but so many things compete with their time. This book is born out of the desire to enable readers address and adjust their mindset towards life issues while on the move despite their tight schedule.

“This is not a devotional nor just a book but your daily companion with en-

Art Approach: Young artists prepare for dance, drum workshop

A

Participants at last edition of the workshop

rt Approach, a yearly youth empowerment project for young and professional dancers and drummers in Lagos and its environment, returns to the stage in September.

This year’s edition of the project, which was established and initiated by Oluwasogba Tayo Sam, in 2014, will be held from September 5 to 10.

The project has trained more than 200 young theatre artistes.

The workshop covers various aspect of theatre: dance, drama, drumming, pantomime, costume making, among others, Sam stated.

“We cannot fold our arms at this period with the situation of the country, we need to carve out the future for ourselves rather than blaming the government, we can help others actualise their dreams that have been put to practice, and art approach has 70 to 80 participants annually,” he added.

According to workshop coordinator, Solomon Emmanuel, the event will be held at Whitestones Studio, Surulere, Lagos.

The resource persons, he added, include, Maxwell John (dance instructor), Moses Segun (dance instructor), Adegbenle Ope (drum instructor); while participating performing arts companies include: Golden Crown Performing Art Troupe, Day Dream Performing Arts, Footprint of David, Nikky-Media Network, Zion Dance Company, Whitestones Culture Ambassadors, and E1st Production.

capsulated quotes drawn from the Bible, natural laws and daily life experience. A quote or two can set you achieving on a daily basis. It is a book you can actually relax with… It is a companion you can always revisit for inspiration because the quotes are drawn from the scriptures, nature and daily life experience.”

Speaking to journalist, the Onuh Igala of Lagos, Chief Sanni Yakubu Ejima-Doga, who was the Royal Father of the Day, commended the author for writing the books, stressing that it is a good development. “We are here to support him; and we are here to also pray for him that he will climb higher and higher.

“And by way of culture, and looking back, we should always remember the need to promote where we come from.”

Search for TLC’S Next Great Presenter begins T

LC’s search for its next African return has called on fans from across the continent to submit a 90-second video audition showcasing their presenting skills and explaining why they have what it takes to be the perfect presenter.

This year the popular entertainment TV channel, in association with Colgate Optic White, is looking for that special person who has the winning style and Colgate smile to land the chance to present TLC’S Most Extreme, a new, four-part series coming to TLC Entertainment in Q1 2017, and an extra one-off special documenting the winner’s story.

Featuring some of the most hilarious, gripping and outrageous moments from TLC’s history, TLC’s Most Extreme will be a must see for diehard fans of the channel and a fantastic platform to launch a new presenting talent to DStv subscribers across Africa, the producers stated.

Candidates will also be required to read a pre-written script to camera. Entry ends August 21.

Last year, over 1500 TLC fans from across the continent entered the highly-contended competition, and after 60,000 votes, Namibia’s David Mbeha was crowned the winner.

This time around, according to the producers, the competition is set to be even bigger, with more amazing prizes up for grabs for the lucky winner, including a luxury holiday for two, plus of course the opportunity to travel to London to film the four part series in one of TLC’s studios.

38

FRED NWAOZOR

“A

ngel,” Francis called.

“Yes Honey.” responded Jessica.

“It’s high time you met my parents.” He thought aloud.

Miss Jessica Annan, the 34-yearold Ghanaian-born broadcaster who hailed from Accra the Capital city of Ghana was engaged to Engr. Francis Ababio who was also a Ghanaian and both of them resided in Accra, Ghana, but the former was yet to meet the latter’s parents who lived in as well as hailed from Kumasi - a distant province from Accra. On the contrary, Francis had severally met with her parents because she lived with them. This time, the equally 34-year-old promising bachelor thought it wise to disclose his intention to balance the equation as they were catching their funs at a relaxation joint situated in the vicinity of his place of residence. It was about 5:15pm (GMT) on Tuesday.

“Really?” Jessica elatedly exclaimed.

From the look on her face, she had been longing to embrace such moment. She was dark-complexioned, pretty, plump about 1.56 metres tall and was clad in a pink gown, plaited hairs, designer perfume and a pair of ash sandals coupled with her various jewelries. Right before her was an already opened bottle of cold soft drink positioned on the white round plastic table they were making use of; it was accompanied with a white straw.

“Ya,” said Francis. “It’s time to harmonise the deal.”

On his part, an equally opened bottle of cold stout was facing him.

His white polo, blue jean trousers and white leather slippers to match made him looked smart and younger. He was sparingly fair, slim and about 1.67 metres tall.

“The pleasure is all mine,” she enthused. “Thanks a lot!”

“You’re welcome, dearie.”

“So, when shall we be heading for Kumasi?” She anxiously enquired, sipped her drink via the straw.

He sipped his too. “By the weekend.” He answered. “Would that be okay by you?”

“Hmm….,” she murmured, recalling her schedule for the week.

“Yes, of course.”

“Fantastic.” Francis appreciated. “So we have a deal, right?”

“Yep,” replied Jessica. “What day precisely?”

“Probably…, Saturday.” He suggested. “What do you think?”

“Saturday would be fine.” She assented, nodding.

Francis glanced at his wrist watch; it was almost 6pm (GMT), which was about 7pm Nigerian time. “Wow,” he exclaimed in a low tone. “You need to be on your way now.”

She quickly looked at hers.

“You’re absolutely right,” she consented. “They must be worried now.” She added, referring to her parents.

They both stood up, walked towards Francis’ red Toyota Primera car. “Lest I forget,” he recollected. “There’s something unclear about your dad.”

“What’s it?”

“I think he doesn’t feel comfortable each time he sees me

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

ShortStory

30 JULY 2016

frednwaozor@gmail.com +2348028608056 Follow: @mediambassador

Tainted omen

around you unlike your mum.”

“How do you mean?”

“Maybe he doesn’t like me.”

“Honey, why are you insinuating such a thing?” She cautioned.

“Maybe he’s just being protective.”

“Protective?”

“Yes, you know I am his only daughter?” She thought aloud.

“So, he wouldn’t like anything to happen to me.”

“Well, if you say so.” He said, hopped into the car, and started the ignition.

She hesitantly joined him, and they drove off.

By the weekend, Saturday precisely, Francis and Jessica arrived Kumasi to meet with his parents as planned; they travelled in his car. The intended hosts had already been notified about the visit. The moment they got to their final destination, the hosts (Francis’ parents) likewise the guests were closely seated on a two-in-one cushion chair; their chairs were situated directly adjacent to each other.

“Francis,” Chief Ababio called.

“Go to the bar and get a bottle of Champagne.”

“Okay, Dad.” Within a few seconds, the wine was served among everyone in the room in the company of four similar long glasses. Thereafter, Francis resumed his seat, crossed his legs.

“Make yourselves comfortable.” Chief Ababio urged.

His wife Mrs. Kate Ababio smiled, appeared very elated.

“Thank you, sir.” Jessica appreciated.

“You’re welcome, dear.” the chief host said.

There was a brief silence. “So my dear,” Chief Ababio, the chief host broke the silence in haste.

“What do you do?” he asked Jes-

sica.

“I am a broadcaster, sir.”

Mrs. Kate smiled, felt fulfilled.

“Interesting,” Chief Ababio applauded. “Radio or Television?”

“Radio, sir.”

“Okay,” he rode on. “So, what’s your full name?”

“Jessica Annan.”

“Annan?” the female host chipped in.

“Yes ma.”

“From Accra, right?”

“Yes ma.”

“What’s your father’s name?”

Chief Ababio alongside his son, Francis was so surprised how the woman took over the interview; more fascinatingly, hers was proceeding in breakneck speed.

“Honourable M.P Annan.” Jessica replied.

“Honourable Mike Annan?”

She verified.

“Yes, ma.”

“That bastard!” Mrs. Kate thought, soured her face. “You again?” She hinted aloud, pointing one of her right fingers at the female guest.

“What’s it, ma?” Jessica inquired.

“What’s it?” Her hubby reiterated.

She became moody, thereby ignoring the enquiries.

“Mum, what’s it?” Francis added.

She remained moody, seemed brutal.

Jessica who couldn’t fathom the scenario, likewise others, seemed electrocuted that she almost peed on her panties.

“You again in my life?” Mrs. Ababio reiterated, furiously stood up. “Nooo…” She ranted loudly, walked towards her matrimonial room.

Francis followed her to the bedroom whilst Chief Ababio and Jessica were still seated in

the parlour, embarrassed. When he got to the room, his mum was already seated on the bed, looking very mean.

“Can someone tell me what’s really going on here?” Chief Ababio shouted, seated still.

Jessica began to sob, stood up and attempted to walk away.

“Jessica…” Chief Ababio called tenderly. “Sit down, my dear.” He urged, paused. “I must get to the root of this, today.” He eventually assured her.

She heeded the advice, went back to her sit, still sobbing.

Immediately, Francis and his mum returned to the parlour.

“Mum has something to share with us.” Francis announced having gotten the awaited gist, then went back to his seat and cuddled his fiancée. “Be strong, okay?” He enjoined her.

Jessica nodded, became sparingly strong again.

Mrs. Kate joined her hubby in the chair, then took time to share the unknown story, which was long overdue.

Down the memory lane; about 36 years back, Jessica’s father Hon Mike Annan jilted Francis’ mother Mrs. Kate Ababio when they were still single. Then, the young Kate who was obsessed with Mike was engaged to him and they were about to tie the connubial knots, not until one fateful morning when Mike boldly walked up to her and notify her that he was no longer interested in the proposed marriage for an undisclosed reason.

More painfully, few weeks later, she learnt that he had wedded another woman who later begot Jessica among others. Mrs. Kate had some time ago shared the memorable story with her husband, Chief Ababio, but it seemed

he couldn’t recall the name of the man in question.

So, when Mrs. Kate Ababio shouted ‘You again?’, she was actually referring to Hon Mike Annan; she couldn’t imagine that the image of that very man who she could best be described as a ‘monster’ would appear in her precious life again.

This is exactly the reason Jessica’s dad had been uncomfortable whenever he saw Francis around his daughter; he was definitely suffering from guilty conscience.

And, he was of the view that their proposed marriage wouldn’t work if Francis’ mum got to realise Jessica’s parental background.

“What?” Jessica shouted the moment she absorbed the gist as being narrated by Mrs. Kate.

“My dear,” Mrs. Kate called Jessica frankly. “My son can’t marry you.” She declared unequivocally.

“Mum, please don’t talk like that.” Francis quarreled.

Chief Ababio who recollected the story the moment it was disclosed to the gathering was speechless, couldn’t utter even a word.

Jessica hastily stood up, dashed out of the sitting room. Conspicuously she couldn’t withstand the tainted omen. Her fiancé joined her but she warned him to steer clear of her. Therein, she set her journey back to Accra in an aggressive and devastated mood.

Who knows what would happen to her father when she got home? Think about it, till we meet next week!

• Nwaozor novelist, playwright and poet, is Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research & Career Development - Owerri

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

Travel & Tourism

39

CHEF'S CORNER

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istory will be made today as Eatrite, a new brand restaurant with a vision of becoming the best restaurant in Nigeria opens to the public today after almost seven months of incubation. It is located on 53 Opebi Road, Ikeja Lagos.

Situated on the ground floor of a three storey building in the ever busy Opebi Road, which harbours a hybrid of business outlets, the new restaurant comes with a luminous and fascinating ambience, with creatively and tastefully decorated interior that is well lit with discerning peaceful symmetry.

Though a regular restaurant quite alright judging by the rich and endless menu list on display, however, on talking with the promoter of the restaurant, Barrister Ilamina Agada, a former banker turned businessman and now a restaurateur, Eat rite is out to promote a new culture in Nigeria.

Firstly, he tells you that one of the ideas behind the setting up of the restaurant is to promote healthy eating culture hence the restaurant has been branded as Eatrite, as Nigerians, he says don’t eat right but rather eat junks and unhygienic food that end up causing great harm to their health.

But with Eatrite, he says that will change as he reveals that ‘‘we are coming to the market to sell healthy food as we believe that there is a gap in the market,’’ adding that ‘‘people have problem with their health because they don’t eat right and healthy.’’

According to him, too much intake of sugar, fat and salt are basically responsible for many of the health issues that Nigerians grapple with today and that there is hardly any restaurant or eatery in the country where provisions are made for people with special health or diet needs. Therefore, his restaurant provides that first choice for people as it will be devoted to encouraging people to eat right and maintain a healthy regime hence the slogan of the restaurant, Agada

TRAVEL BEATS Southern Sun Ikoyi management has pledged improved services and relationship with the business community and its numerous patrons even as it expressed gratitude to them for their support and loyal patronage.

This commitment was made the general manager of the hotel, Mark Loxley during the recently held quarterly corporate VIP cocktail hosted by the hotel. The event, which was well attended by many of the hotel’s corporate and individual guests, investors, diplomats, embassy representatives, industry personnel, local and international corporate representatives,

ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA Editor, TRAVEL&TOURISM iroandy@ymail.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Eatrite opens for business today ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA writes that Eatrite, a new brand restaurant, which opens to the public today is not like any other as it is uniquely styled, with a promise to promote eat right and healthy living culture he reveals is ‘live healthy.’

While pandering to the special needs of people, he, however, admitted that Nigerians like good and sweet food, therefore, this category of people will be well looked after, as he says to you that ‘‘we know there are those who want to indulge, and we will cater for them because we are a general and regular restaurant.’’

Everything and menus that make for a quick service restaurant, he says would be offered even as he disclosed that for the special needs menu, it would be essentially ala cart and that it would not take more than 20 minutes to get the orders ready and that while waiting for the orders, guests would be entertained and engaged.

To drive home the point that eating right and healthy living form the core of its business, Agada, adds that even the regular meals would also meet the basic healthy eating standard as low sodium salt will be used while fatty

oil will have no place in its kitchen. He also revealed that coffee and tea would be served without sugar but honey and sweeteners would be provided.

A breakfast culture is another unique feature of the restaurant as Mr. Agada informs that guests should expect to be treated to light breakfast at the restaurant as it opens for business at 7am daily and that guests are welcomed to the live cooking section where they can view the chefs preparing and cooking their meals as they wait.

Home and office delivery is also part of the service culture of the restaurant while regular drinks of all sorts would be served, however, Agada, informs that the restaurant in the coming days plans to produce its branded fresh juice drinks that would be served in cups and later bottled.

The promotion of the culture of dining and eating out, he says is paramount to it, disclosing that Nigeria lacks a good restaurant where you can actually take your date or family to dine on a date and not just to eat as most people do.

Admitting that ‘‘Nigerians like good food, ’’ he reveals that ‘‘our ambition is to be the number one restaurant in

this country,’’ explaining that he wants Eatrite to be the ‘Chipotle’ of Nigeria.

Chipotle is a Mexican top rated restaurant in the United States, which from a humble beginning has over the years risen to world claim. ‘‘We want it to be the top rated restaurant in this country and that is why we are starting this way,’’ he says, with a big bang that is meant to announce the audacious ambition of the restaurant to the public, disclosing that ‘‘we want the public to know that this is a restaurant with a difference and should be free to make it their home and place of first choice for dining.’’

Aware of the challenges ahead, Agada, is confidence on delivering on the restaurant’s promise as he reveals that it has put in place all the required elements, ranging from infrastructure to personnel. Its kitchen is fully fitted with strict adherence to health and safety regulations while the personnel are experienced and well trained in the service culture of the restaurant.

The offerings of the restaurant are price friendly as well as Agada reveals that ‘‘we want to be very competitive in pricing,’’ adding that ‘‘we don’t want our prices to be on the high side as we are new in the market and we need to win the confidence of the public,’’ insisting that customers’ satisfaction is of paramount interest to him.

For instance, the restaurant is offering a 20% reduction in price as a basic breakfast at the restaurant starts from N500 while lunch price range from N1000.

Going forward, he says they hope to introduce 24 hours dining but for now the restaurant is billed to operate daily, opening for business by 7am and closing by 10pm.

Southern Sun Ikoyi hosts business community, pledges improved services also witnessed exclusive media coverage and red carpet interviews from Nigeria’s leading lifestyle station Ebonylife TV. Loxley said the hotel’s quarterly cocktail event is aimed at providing continued support to businesses within the community and building relationships geared towards future and fruitful collaborations. He also urged the business community, particularly in Lagos, to capitalise on networking events such as the cocktail to build their businesses given the challenging economic climate.

Also speaking at the event, the Sales and Marketing Manager, Southern Sun Mayfair Nairobi, Sallie Khavere, enlightened guests on the vast Tsogo Sun portfolio even as she introduced them to the charming and colonial-styled Southern Sun property located in Mayfair Nairobi, Kenya.

Southern Sun Ikoyi, which is managed by Sun International, boasts 195 beautifully furnished rooms and suites that guarantee utmost tranquility and privacy with focus on business and leisure travellers.

L-R: Sales and Marketing Manager, Southern Sun Mayfair, Nairobi, Sallie Khavere; General Manager, Southern Sun Ikoyi, Mark Loxley and Sales and Marketing Manager, Southern Sun Ikoyi, Ubong Nseobot, at the cocktail event

Travel Personality

Hospitality Hospitality

Destination

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Stephen Isokariari: Travel agency business is fun, fulfilling

AbujaWestown SheratonHotels: Hotel and Towers: EnticesAwith choice bumper leisure Ramadan haven offerings

NigeriaWeizo Tourism: Stakeholders Accra 2016: Leads point pathway to growth the way to seamless p.42 travels in West Africa

40 Travel&Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

STEPHEN ISOKARIARI

Travel agency business is fun, fulfilling Stephen Isokariari is the chief executive officer of Dial Travel Bureau Limited, Port Harcourt and also the chairman of the board of trustees of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA). He speaks with ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA on life in the travel world, travel agency business, and revamping of NANTA among others Isokariari

H

The beginning is first love was the financial world with a rich stint in both accounting and auditing. His coming to travel business at the time he did is something that was perhaps destined, as he attributes it to fate: “I think it is fate.”

The road to the travel world was paved by a company he once worked for as an accountant. At the time of joining the company, he was unaware of the fact that it had a travel agency that was moribund.

Given his track record, he was appointed by the company management as the general manager of the agency, Naishan Travels in Port Harcourt. “So, that is how I fell in love with the function and the business of a travel agency in the travel world. Now after some years I found myself becoming the managing director,” reveals Isokariari of his entry into the travel agency business where he made a name for himself and Naishan Travels, which then was one of the popular travel agencies not only in Rivers but across Nigeria.

Setting up Dial Travel Bureau Limited After the tour of duty at Naishan, which today is defunct, he decided to remain in the industry instead of returning to the world of finance. Travel business, he says “at that time was profitable, it was fine.’’ Hence, he decided to set up his own travel agency in 1996. “That is how I found myself opening Dial Travel Bureau Limited and Dial Travel today is 20 years, which is exciting because looking back one could say to oneself that one has done well.”

Nigeria travel agency business: Yesterday/Today For him, Nigeria travel agency business has had a chequered history, describing it thus: “It has gone through ups and downs, the bad time and the good time.

But today we give thanks to God that it is still there.”

“One of the attractions that had helped me to remain in the travel industry was because when I was managing Naishan Travels, it was profitable. Profitable in the sense that all I needed to do was a phone call to an airline and the airline manager would attend to me unlike today.

“Anything you needed then you can get within two, three days. You want to move 100 persons out of Nigeria all you need is to contact the manager of the airline either in Port Harcourt or Lagos and before you know it they have already booked the tickets and documentation

TRAVEL PERSONALITY would be sent to you.

“It was fun and it was that fun that enabled people like me to remain and to even set up my own travel agency.

Outside that I probably wouldn’t had gone to the industry,” he says.

But he laments the fact that the fortune of the business has nosedived.

“But today the situation is quite different. Today, we are in the Millennium age where everything is now possible, where customers do the reservation themselves, pay and go their way without even coming to the travel agent.”

Airlines unethical practice Besides, the airlines’ managers, he says, have not also helped matter as many of them totally disregard and discard the travel agents and instead court and deal directly with the travelling public, which is against the ethics of the business.

“It is amazing to note that despite the fact that they have decided to remove the commission and all the benefits that the agencies, which are International Air Transport Association (IATA) members like themselves are supposed to enjoy. They go behind to introduce discount to travel agents in the name of corporate clients.

“The commission was just between nine and 10 per cent but today the airlines are giving 30 per cent discount.

So, who is fooling who? The business is no longer with the normal standards which I know. It is now an all comers’ affair. It is now a business where anybody that travels for three days or two or three times thinks that he can open a travel agency.

“The standards that were there in those days you can hardly find now,” laments the travel agent.

The role of the internet “The difficult one that we are going through right now is the internet business, which has affected greatly the fortunes of the travel agencies but some of the people who have gone into internet business have also found out that they need a travel agent because when they hit the brick wall in trying to book and pay for their tickets they come back to us and we end up issuing their tickets.

“But it is still a stumbling block because if you were expecting to issue

a thousand tickets you end up issuing 500 tickets or issuing 600 tickets, which means you are making losses.”

Government’s neglect of travel agents Apart from the airlines impacting negatively on the fortunes of the industry, he also decries the role of the Nigerian government, as he says that “the refusal of the government to recognise the peculiarity of our business and sub sector of the industry, is a great set back.”

According to him, travel agents contribute hugely to the national economy not just only through job creation, advancing the travel industry but through taxation imposed on ticket sales yet the government refuses to recognise its role and instead burden it with multiple taxation.

NANTA to the rescue NANTA is an advocacy body and also interface between its members and its various audience, such as the government, airlines and the travelling public.

Over the years, the body was very robust and politically alert to its responsibilities but in recent years NANA almost went inactive, abandoning its role, thereby allowing the various infractions being witnessed today.

But the good news is that following the coming on the scene of a new executive council and Isokariari as the new chairman of the Board of Trustees, the once vociferous, association is gradually finding its voice as it has repositioned and set to revamp the industry.

“I am happy to say that we were just elected into office in March but a lot have been achieved since then. Despite

BACKGROUND Stephen Isokariari is from Buguma in Rivers State and one of the most experienced and renowned travel agents in Nigeria. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Dial Travel Bureau Limited based in Port Harcourt. He is also the chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), a body, which he served over the years as the deputy president for six years.

Describing himself as a ‘jolly good fellow,’ which he is really, as he is self-effacing and humane, he enjoys travelling and meeting people.

He was born in Plateau State and raised in the South West and South South (Niger Delta), which is his ancestral home.

Hence he tells one that “I am partially a Yoruba man but I was born in the North and buttered more or less in Yorubaland and now back home in the Niger Delta.”

He is a trained accountant and has worked for many years as auditor. Isokariari is married and has six children.

the turbulence in the industry, despite the turbulence in the economy of Nigeria, we have made inroads towards ensuring that NANTA is recognised and that it plays its role in the industry and the country.”

Isokariari is very confident that the new NANTA can regain its lost glory and even surpassed it as he tells you that “I believe that it is possible for us to get back to the top and even higher.

The way we are going now, we are focused.

“In the last eight or 10 years we have not been in the limelight but today we are back on the limelight. I am happy now that giving what is going on that we are getting there.

“I want to believe that NANTA is back on stream and I pray that by the grace of God NANTA with me as chairman of the board of trustees we would go far.”

Travel agency business is fun and fulfilling “It is fulfilling for me because it was profitable before now, very profitable, I should beat my chest to say that I have done well. I have been to countries ordinarily I wouldn’t have gone on my own except if I have business to do there.

“I have had the opportunity of being into aircraft, seeing how the aircraft are being flown; get to see aircraft being maintained. A whole lot and it wouldn’t have been possible if I was not in the industry.

Cape Town is my best destination He says that Cape Town is his most attractive destination. Next is Dubai.

“In those days it used to be UK and whenever I go to London, I am always around Brighton, Portsmouth and Bristol, where you have the waterside,” he says.

Nigeria is my village “Nigeria is my village oh,” he intones. He glows whenever he is in his countryside (Buguma) because he enjoys fresh fish stew with pepper and fresh tomatoes without oil. This, he says, is very healthy and makes his skin to glow.

“It was fun, it was really fun and I was never sick because I eat fish throughout the weekend. And I am at peace with nature,” he recalls “but today with the militancy and all the boys carrying guns you no never want to be in the village,” he laments.

Travel&Tourism

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HOSPITALITY ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA writes on the many leisure and entertainment options of Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers

A

buja Sheraton Hotel and Towers is one of the leading hospitality homes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, where you are treated to classic hospitality offerings with its array of sophisticated facilities and services under a wellcrafted luxuriating atmosphere that is a blend of artistic and aesthetic ambience.

For a regular visitor to the hotel, one of the basic elements that sets it apart from the crowd is its avalanche of leisure and entertainment options, which are very uniquely set up. And you may never get to discover this except you go on an exploration of the hotel as this reporter did on his recent visit to the hotel.

It was morning hours and many of these facilities were not in their full and active mood yet except for the sport and bar sections but you can’t miss the colours and glitz that they certainly exude and the intended excitement and satisfaction that they elicit.

Their fascinating and appealing nature and the fact that these facilities are for many people, especially walk in guests, the attractive pull for visiting the hotel. This, the hotel management, knows too well hence the high premium that is placed on them.

The Lobby Bar This indoor section of the hotel is plush and colourfully fitted, exuding a luxuriating and attractive mood. It is a spot where both guests and their visitors and even walk in guests relax and unwind as well as hold business meetings and talks if you so wished.

It offers different snacks and cocktails while at evenings the mood at the bar swings to a lively and exciting one with a live band entertaining with different genres of music to keep the beat on till late hours of the night.

The Lobby Bar also plays host to Sheraton Social Hour every Friday where among other leisure offerings you are treated to wine from across the world and Salsa dance.

Link@Sheraton Cafe An exceptional setting with luxurious appeal, Link@Sheraton Cafe offers you the best of Microsoft experience and keeps you connected to the world chatting online with loved ones, friends and business partners through its complimentary high speed internet access while sipping fresh beverage and snacking.

You also have access to a printer.

Jacaranda Casino The casino house is one of the newest offerings of the hotel and beckons all enthusiasts of the card and gaming machine to its

The pool area

ABUJA SHERATON HOTEL AND TOWERS

A choice leisure haven

abode. It is fitted with different card games and slotting machines for its numerous patrons. Also, Roulette, Blackjack or five Card Stud Poker and the casino is said to offer the highest and richest payout.

It opens Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 12noon till 3am.

Obudu Drill House This eatery, which is otherwise known as The Steakhouse, specialises on steaks, offering guests different kinds of steaks and it is believed to be one of the best in the city of unity and commands rich patronage from the guests.

It opens from 3pm and stays opened till dawn.

For other gastronomy treats you have to visit Papillion Restaurant for buffet and Luigi’s Restaurant for Italian offerings.

The Boathouse With a lush and naturally inviting outdoor environment, the Boathouse with its pool bar and restaurant offers rich entertainment for guests with different drinks and meals offerings. Guests can seat out here to relax and hold talk for hours unhurried.

It opens by 11am and closes by 10.30pm.

Sporting facilities For guests looking to maintain a trendy look and healthy regime, the hotel offers ample sporting and leisure amenities in this regard ranging from swimming pool for adults and children’s pool, squash court, table tennis, pool board, tennis court to basketball court and football pitch for seven aside as well as a well-fitted gymnasium or sport

The lounge

centre with a plush setting offering both individual and corporate membership.

Coconut garden This is a rich garden-like environment with natural and fascinating setting. Calm and peaceful, offering guests a place of succour for renewal, retreat and intercourse with nature, away from the maddening crowd.

It also has children’s playground that is fitted with swings and other amenities for the children visiting to unwind.

At one end of the garden is an enclosure housing an African spurred tortoise, which is known as ‘Ali the Tortoise,’ weighing about 105 kilogrammes and is the hotel’s claim to conservation of natural habitat.

Ladies Happy Hour This is one unique entertainment offering by the hotel dedicated to the ladies holding every Saturday at the hotel’s poolside. Great environment to unwind with ladies and enjoy special treats es-

pecially for the ladies, who among others are entitled to 50 per cent discount on beverages, swimming for free, free games, competitions and gifts capped with top notch musical entertainment.

It opens by 11am and spans 3pm The Club floor This section offers exclusive treats to Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) members of the hotel, Club rooms and Suites guests and it comes with a posh and aesthetically pleasing and rich lounge setting where members are pampered and catered for with a touch of personalised service.

Dance classes Another unique and interesting leisure package of the hotel is dance classes where guests are treated to pulsating and rhythmic dance steps such as: Salsa dance on Saturday from 7-9pm; Dance fit on Tuesdays and Thursday from 5.30 – 6.30pm and Ballet/Hip hop holding on Thursday from 4-5.15pm and Saturday from 12 – 1.15pm.

NEW TELEGRAPH PARTNER HOTELS B E N E F I TS There are lots of benefits to derive as one of our partner hotels. For enquiries and details on how to join the programme, please contact Andrew Iro Okungbowa: 08023152195, e-mail: iroandy@ymail.com

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Travel&Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

Rio De Janiero: Discovering Brazil’s

DESTINATION As the attention of the world turns to Brazil where the 2016 summer Olympics Games opens next week, SHEENA ROSSITER, who was in Rio De Janiero, the host city for the global sporting fiesta, brings you memories of her three days exploration

R

io de Janeiro is a city very much defined by its beautiful beaches and bronzed bodies. But while the as-seen-on-TV images of Ipanema Beach’s golden sands and the lush, green Tijuca National Rainforest are most certainly true, the coastal Brazilian city offers much more than just its looks.

Steeped in history, Portuguese explorers first sailed onto the shores of Guanabara Bay in 1565. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage site’s history can be spotted through its architecture, with Portuguese colonial buildings lining the streets alongside Oscar Niemeyer modernist masterpieces.

And even though Rio de Janeiro was stripped of its Brazilian capital status in 1960, when Brasilia was founded, the city nonetheless defines Brazil. Its samba soul and carnival queen image have even given Rio the nickname the Marvelous City, a name with which those visiting the city for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will most certainly agree.

Day One – Emporio Jardim

Start your day off right with breakfast at Empório Jardim. Located in the leafy streets of Jardim Botânico, the laid-back, modern café perfectly exemplifies the local Carioca (representative of Rio de Janiero) lifestyle.

As the café has no set menu, you can mix and match over 75 items to make your perfect breakfast - to be paired with the variety of freshly made bread, of course.

Breakfast shines from morning to night at Emporio Jardim, where patrons can create their own meals from an awardwinning à-la-carte menu of 76 items.

To digest, take a stroll down to Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro’s botanical gardens. Founded in 1808, the 54-hectare historical gardens are home to over 6,500 species of plants and wildlife.

And though they’re located just below the right arm of the famed Christ the Redeemer statue, the verdant surroundings will make you feel as though you’ve been whisked away to another world entirely.

Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas A short walk across the street sits Lagoa

Rodrigo de Freitas, the site of the rowing and canoe sprint venue for this summer’s Olympic Games. Take a breather while enjoying coconut water, paddle out in one of the swan-shaped paddle boats, or even rent a bike for a lap around the 7.5 kilometre lagoon.

Take a short taxi or bus ride to Rua Dias Ferreira in the upscale neighborhood of Leblon. As Rio de Janeiro’s best spot for culinary delights, the street boasts options from all corners of the globe. Head to Zuka for some Brazilian-fusion cuisine served in a minimal setting, or hit up Sushi Leblon just a few doors down for the city’s best sushi. (Though sushi certainly isn’t synonymous with Brazil, the South American nation is actually home to the world’s largest Japanese Diaspora community, and so it does sushi right in its own unique way.)

Ipanema beach After a long and lazy lunch, head to Ipanema Beach for an afternoon of relaxation. The beach is neatly divided into

BACKGROUND Rio de Janeiro or simply Rio, is the second most populous municipality in Brazil and the sixth most populous in the Americas. It is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's third most populous state. Part of the city has been designated as a World Heritage Site, named "Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea", by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on 1 July 2012 as a Cultural Landscape.

Founded in 1565 by the Portuguese, the city was initially the seat of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, a domain of the Portuguese Empire.

Later, in 1763, it became the capital of the State

of Brazil, a state of the Portuguese Empire.

In 1808, when the Portuguese Royal Court transferred itself from Portugal to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro became the chosen seat of the court of Queen Maria I of Portugal, who subsequently, in 1815, under the leadership of her son, the Prince Regent, and future King João VI of Portugal, raised Brazil to the dignity of a kingdom, within the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and Algarves.

With a population of over 6.32 million, the city is also known for its sprawling favelas (shanty towns). Its raucous Carnival festival, featuring parade floats, flamboyant costumes and samba, is considered the world’s largest.

subsections, so that together they offer something for everyone: Arpoador, in the corner between Copacabana and Ipanema, is frequented by surfers; Posto 9, found at the end of Rua Vinícius de Moraes, tends to be the best spot to find toned and tanned bodies; and up past Posto 10 in Leblon is for sports-lovers, as football, volleyball and frescobal (a two-person paddle ball game) matches are ever-ongoing.

Arpoador As the sun begins to hang its head, stroll down to the small corner beach of Arpoador to watch the colorful display.

Winter or summer, the sunset here presents the city’s best, so prepare to be joined by throngs of surfers and others climbing the rocks as the day comes to an end.

Arpoador Beach is renowned as both a surfing hub (with waves reaching 7-10 feet high) and the ideal spot for watching the sunset.

T. T. Burger Following the spectacle, check out T.T. Burger for a Brazilian twist on an American classic, topped with guava ketchup and freshly made queijo Minas (Brazilian cheese). Founded and run by chef Thomas Troisgros, the son of French chef Claude Troisgros, owner of the Michelin-starred Olympe Restaurant, T.T. Burger offers the same quality ingredients and top-chef experience at a fraction of the price.

Ipanema Inn Then, head to the boutique-style Ipanema Inn to refresh after a long day on the beach. Dress your best before venturing back out to see what Ipanema nightlife has to offer.

Sugarloaf Mountain rises just beyond the heart of Rio de Janeiro in Guanabara Bay. The view from nearby Corcovado

Mountain, home to the Christ the Redeemer statue, reveals the many granite peaks that make up the city’s dynamic geography.

Night life - Canastra Just a short cab ride away, Canastra off General Osorio Square blends French chic with Carioca casual. Run by three Frenchmen, the bar serves up an extensive wine list and a refreshing tapas (small plates) menu. Tapas here present a nice break from the traditional fried snacks, such as coxinhas (fried chicken dumplings), that are ubiquitous in Brazilian juice bars and hole-in-the wall pubs. Most of the fun spills out onto the street to enjoy the warm evenings with a glass of wine in hand.

Emporio 37 If you’re not yet ready to call it a night, grab a quick cab to Empório 37 to dance into the wee morning hours. The most well-known late-night club with free entry in Zona Sul, the bar plays classics to please all crowds.

Day Two: About town

Spend the day touring the sights about town. Of course a visit to Rio de Janeiro isn’t complete without checking out one of the seven wonders of the world, the Christ the Redeemer statue. Get an early start or even book your ticket in advance, to avoid long lines.

Grab some food and your morning coffee from Da Cozinha Café, across from the statue’s entrance. The café boasts an all-organic menu, from traditional food representing northeastern Brazil to waffles topped with fresh, organic honey.

It’s located right inside the Museu Internacional de Arte Naïf, a 19th Century house that caters to hands-on activities for children.

Head down the mountain and take a taxi to Urca, a neighbourhood overlooking the historic Guanabara Bay. Enjoy lunch at Bar

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JULY 2016

Samba city in three days The famed Christ the Redeemer statue — completed in 1931 and measuring 30 meters tall — perches atop Rio’s Corcovado Mountain and offers sweeping views of the city.

Sugarloaf Mountain

Urca, a classic establishment that’s been serving traditional Portuguese cuisine since 1939.

Sit inside for great traditional service and beautiful views of the bay, or sit out on the sea wall for a real Carioca experience. Whether in or out, the classic bolinhos de bacalhau (cob balls) pair perfectly with a crisp, refreshing beer like Original, a nice lager that goes well with Rio’s scorching temperatures. (Tip: Usually served in 600-mL bottles, beer here are typically shared among a group rather than consumed individually.)

Head up to Sugarloaf Mountain for an afternoon of trail-based activities and to catch a 360 degree view of the city and its surroundings. Stay for sunset and then take the cable car back down to relocate to Old Rio for the night.

Night life – Santa Teresa Pack up from the Ipanema Inn and head to the hillside neighborhood of Santa Teresa for a change of scenery at another charming boutique hotel. Once a coffee plantation, the luxurious Hotel Santa Teresa recently underwent a beautiful restoration; think exposed brick walls, exotic woods and a clean, “tropical chic” design.

Once settled, walk down to Espirito Santa for a dinner of traditional Brazilian food, with options representing all of the country’s wide-ranging regions. The Frango à Cajuína, a Brazil-nut-breaded chicken breast drizzled in a cashew sauce, comes highly recommended and offers a nice taste of the Amazon.

Take a short taxi ride down the hill to Lapa, Rio’s nightlife district famed for nurturing samba into the genre it is today. For live music, head to Circo Voador, where high-profile Brazilian and international acts regularly perform.

Sitting right behind the Lapa Arches, the open-air venue offers a great view of

Travel&Tourism 43 TOP TOURIST ATTRACTIONS 1. Sugar Loaf: Best – known landmarks, towering 394 metres above the harbour 2 Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer): A giant status of Christ overlooking the city from the 709-meter summit of Corcovado, is almost as widely recognised a symbol of Rio as the distinctive shape of Sugar Loaf.

3. Carnaval (Carnival): It is a most spectacular celebration spanning four days during winter.

4. Copacabana: A long stretch of beach and popular with the people.

5. Tijuca National Park: Tijuca National Park protects the Tijuca Forest and several viewpoints overlooking the city, and surrounds Cristo Redentor.

6. Escadaria Selarón: One of Rio's newest tourist attractions was begun in 1990 by Chileanborn artist Jorge Selarón as his gift to the Brazilian people.

7. Ilha de Paquetá: The island of Paquetá, with an area of a little more than a square kilometer, lies in Guanabara Bay, an hour's boat trip from Praça 15 de Novembro.

8. Passeio Público and Cinelândia: Stretching along Avenida Beira-Mar, Passeio Público is an attractive park designed in 1779 by a group of artists. Brazil's oldest public park and one of the oldest in the Americas, it is filled with sculptures by Mestre Valentim

and pavilions with paintings by Leandro Joaquim, two of the park's designers.

9. Ipanema and Leblon: Continuing on from Copacabana's four-kilometre strand, the beaches of Ipanema and Leblon are separated by the Jardim de Alá Canal, which drains the lagoon, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas.

10. Nossa Senhora do Carmo and Monte do Carmo: The parish church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo was the Capela Real (Royal Chapel) from 1808 to 1889 and the cathedral until the modern one replaced it in 1976.

11. Santa Tereza: A district of steep, quiet streets and hundred-year-old houses, Santa Tereza is Rio's most atmospheric neighborhood.

12. Quinta da Boa Vista: The gardens, villas, and imperial palaces of São Cristóvão are now public parks and museums, the foremost of which is Quinta da Boa Vista.

13. São Bento: On the hill just above the harbor are the church and monastery of São Bento, one of the finest Benedictine complexes in Brazil.

14. São Francisco da Penitência: The Igreja da Ordem Terceira de São Francisco da Penitência is divided into three sections with separate entrances, and the simple façade of this church belies the riches within.

15. Catedral de São Sebastião

central Rio and an authentic Carioca feel.

(Tip: If you bring a kilo of food as a donation, you get in for half the price.)

For a more traditional Brazilian samba option, Carioca da Gema down the street boasts a live band that plays traditional samba songs and supplies no shortage of friendly Brazilians willing to teach any visitor how to samba.

Day Three: Tereze

Rise and shine at the Hotel Santa Teresa and head down the stairs to Térèze. The in-house restaurant’s extravagant breakfast serves up everything from Iberian ham to a wide array of local Brazilian fruits, including acerola (cherries from Pará state) and the superfruit açaí.

Térèze also serves up nice views of Rio from its hillside location, or you can opt to sit poolside by the art deco-style pool.

Downtown Rio Mosey down the street to Largo do Curvelo to catch the yellow Bondinho street car across the Lapa Arches. After a few-year hiatus, the historic tram line is now reopened, offering a free-of-charge mode of transportation from Santa Teresa to the heart of Rio in Lapa.

Though Downtown Rio has often been overlooked in the picturesque postcards of the city, the prep for the Olympics has ushered in all sorts of transformation, such as a new tram transportation network and a revitalised, pedestrian-only port area.

After a bit of a wander around Lapa and Praça XV de Novembro (which hosts a great antique fair every Saturday), rest for a lunch at Confeitaria Colombo.

Founded in 1894, the decadent old Portuguese colonial restaurant represents a piece of Rio de Janeiro history.

The upstairs section serves up feijoada, Brazil’s national dish of black-bean stew, every Saturday, but if you opt to stay downstairs in the café, the roast-beef sandwich is a must.

Maracana stadium

Praca Maua Head to Praça Mauá, an area that’s been overhauled as part of the Rio 2016 Olympics face-lift. Once a slave-trading market, the square was forgotten for decades but recently reopened as the home of such cultural institutions as the Museu de Arte Rio (MAR).

The wonderfully curated museum is constantly changing with rotating exhibitions, with more classical art lining the top floors and more modern art spaces on the main.

Just across the square sits the Museum of Tomorrow, a science museum inaugurated last December as yet another part of Rio’s central extension ahead of the Games.

Around US$2.17 billion will be invested over 15 years into the port rejuvenation project called Porto Maravilha (Marvelous Port), intended to overhaul several neighbourhoods that hug Rio’s port.

Keep an eye out for open-air festivals popping up in Praça Mauá. Live music and eclectic food trucks are a regular standby in the square, serving everything from gourmet burgers to new spins on traditional Brazilian snacks like acarajé (black-eyed-

pea fritters). If it’s a quiet night though, stop by Restaurante Mauá for some traditional Brazilian cuisine and a few fruity caipirinha cocktails. For something lighter, check out Focaccia for a Brazilian twist on traditional Italian salads and sandwiches.

Night life – Old Rio For your last night on the town, venture to the heart of Old Rio for the perfect final taste of Brazilian hospitality. Trapiche Gamboa boasts three floors of live music that continues late into the night, and Pedra do Sal, said to be the birthplace of samba, hosts free, live, open-air samba on Monday nights (plus Fridays throughout the summer).

As the samba beats begin to wind down, head back out to the street to order a freshly prepared caipirinha from one of the abundant street vendors, a final toast to your 72 hours in the Marvelous City.

Saude! *Culled from Selamta, Ethiopian Airlines in – flight magazine: Sheena Rossiter is the coowner and creative director of Dona Ana Films & Multimedia. She lives in the Marvelous City.

Sportsplash 44 Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 july 2016

Celebrity RÈsume

Name: Ejiro Amos Tafiri Occupation: Fashion designer State of origin: Delta State Institution: Yaba College of Technology Inspiration: Music, paintings, culture, experiences and people.

Top clientele: Omotola JoladeEkeinde, Kate Henshaw, Rita Dominic, Chidinma Ekile, Mercy Aigbe, Eku Edewor, Latasha Ngwube, Toolz Oniru and Toke Makinwa Childhood dream: I wanted to be a doctor or vet Reaction of parents to career: My father was very angry. But they suspected it because right from the day I joined the clothing and textiles class in SS 1, I was always the best student. They knew I was quite creative, but they didn’t understand why I wanted to be a designer. I told them the right thing for me was to do what I wanted to do. It was difficult to convince them, but things got better gradually.

Biggest Influence: I tell people that I don’t really know why I became a fashion designer. Though my grandma was a tailor, I never knew her when she was making clothes.

Signature: My signature will be drapery, which means I like to use fabrics that move. People who know my line will tell you that Ejiro is cosmopolitan, I like to tell African stories in international ways with my designs. I see regular things and use it in different lines that I know people will appreciate.

Mentors: Mudi, Nike Ogunlesi, Mrs. Roli Bode-George, Mrs. Folosho Alakija and a host of others Secrets to success: The secret is complete trust in God to bless our work, which He has done and is still doing. Also, hard work and perseverance.

Marital status: Engaged

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

FaceOff Ondo PDP: Zoning tears friends apart

p.46,47

45

Politics

Restructuring will spell doom for Nigeria –Oyubu

p.48

I inherited empty treasury –Bauchi gov Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, is a lawyer and a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state.

He was was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and took over the leadership of the state on May 29, 2015. In this interview with some journalists, he gives insights into some challenges confronting Nigeria , particularly the clamour for restructuring, among other national issues. ONWUKA NZESHI brings exerpts...

On the financial state of Bauchi When I took over on 29th of May, what was handed over to me was a state in which civil servants were owed four months salaries and with pensioners, they were owed N14.9 billion gratuities and other loans comprising of commercial contractual liabilities amounted to over N100 billion and to worsen the situation, there was virtually nothing in the coffers of the government.

Even before taking over, Bauchi State was in a problem because labour was on strike and I had to invite labour to sit with us and discuss the problems. I promised them that immediately I take over, we will attempt to address their problems and that their continued strike will impede our ability to take over because so much information was required from the Civil Service and if they were on strike, there is no way we could get these vital information. Labour was kind enough to call off the strike.

For the preceding three months before I took over, federation accounts were held, Bauchi State participated, they got their own share of the federation account but somehow, these monies were frittered away in the name of securities and salaries remaind unpaid and we were handed over that state of affairs.

Bauchi State is dependent on salaries, it is essentially a Civil Service state and not much of commercial goes on, even the markets go to sleep the moment salaries are not paid and for that reason I had to take a decision to pay one month salary.

My problem was that the treasury was empty and I had to device a means of obtaining a loan of N4 billion from the bank, and for which I utilised N2.6 billion to pay the salaries for May 2015, and then fertilisers had to be obtained because we are an agrarian state, about 85 per cent of the population of Bauchi State practices one form of agriculture.

I had to procure fertiliser because the preceding government had deliberately forgotten about that. It is a very key component to farming and a touchy issue in Bauchi, if you for a year without been able to provide fertiliser, I can assure you that such government is doomed, and so I had to look for money to buy fertiliser.

Part of that loan went into purchase of 10,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser and 5,000 metric tonnes of urea for the 2015 farming season, and we were able to calm frayed nerves.

OLALEKAN OSIADE Assistant Editor 08033076969 lekanosiade@gmail.com lekanosiade@yahoo.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Abubakar

On Excess Crude Account civil servants at that time.

There was a meeting of the National The N8.6 billion was again injected into Economic Council (NEC), in which govthe economy of the state in terms of salary ernors came to the council with a lot of payments and related items. The story is complaints about their inability to pay now trending and a civil society organisasalaries and state in which we took over tion recently invited governors to account the affairs of our various states because for how they spent the monies, I was the it was the first meeting of the NEC. only governor that came up and was able At that council meeting, the govto show them how we utilised our own ernors demanded that Excess Crude receipt, we did not divert this money and Account should be shared amongst it has gone a long way in reviving the state. the three tiers of government but the We went on paying salaries from that Central Bank governor warned us that period as at when due until December the Excess Crude Account is in 2015 when the local governdollars and part of our foreign ments in Bauchi were unable reserve. to pay salaries and provided I must confess that That the moment we touch a bailout of N480 million and about $2 billion of the reserve, I did it because I am the chief we are experiencing it will bring it to a level where executive of the state, and I teething problems in our creditors abroad will lose thought it was going to be a confidence in us and we were temporary problem. the APC and being in advised not to touch the Excess In January 2016, they back to Crude Account. me to request for N430 million government is a new In the alternative, the CBN and I told them I did not have phenomenon for us governor was directed to source that money and even if I did, I for naira equivalent of the Exwasn’t ready to give them becess Crude Account and concause it would be foolhardy for vince commercial banks to give it out as them to be borrowing to pay salaries, I told loans to the states as bailout for salaries them we have to sit down and find out and this in a nutshell is the story of the the distortion in our payrolls and address famous bailout which came in the form them, that gave birth to the verification in a loan. They are soft loans because the Bauchi State. interest is one digit at 9 per cent and reThe true state of affairs as at today is payment period is 20 years. that the state government is owing one States were asked to submit the month salary and local governments owe amount of debt in terms of salaries that two months. they are owing to civil servants and we On garnishee order on state accounts were all given in various degrees this The reason why we came to this shortmoney. Bauchi State took in N8.6 billion fall was because some 300 councillors who because that was what we were owing

served the past regime of Bauchi State decided to go to the industrial court in Jos and they sued for their final severance allowances.

The suit commenced well before I took over but because the ministry of justice at that time was behaving true to type, the case was not well defended and in fact a default judgement was entered and somehow they picked this period that we are grappling with verification of workers and payment of salaries to now levy execution on the accounts of the state government.

A garnishee order was given by that industrial court over all the accounts of government. I am a lawyer and should be the last person to criticise judges but I took exception to this case because councillors as their name suggest cannot be staff of the state government and can at best be that of the local governments, and so the accounts of the state government should never have been garnisheed for the payment of severance of councillors but that was what transpired and a big gap was created on the resources of the government.

That now precluded the government to pay that one month salary that we are owing because they took away close to N1 billion from the accounts of Bauchi State to pay these councillors, that is why we have this gap up to this moment and I am doing all I can to close this gap.

On the challenges of the APC government APC is a party that has come to power from an opposition political party and I must confess that we are experiencing teething problems in APC and being in government is a new phenomenon for us and I cannot say that things are going on smoothly.

That is why we paid a visit to the president and we expressed the need for governors to be called upon to delve into the problems of the party with a view to reinvigorating the party so that it can continue performing the functions of a party in power.

We are trying to address these issues and Mr. President has graciously allowed us and we had in fact formed committees of the APC governors’ forum to address this and all the other issues bedevilling the ruling party.

At the state levels, there are problems I must confess particularly with our representatives at the centre, but what I always say is that the most beautiful form of government is constitutional democracy especially when the constitution is written as in Nigeria. The beauty is that every level of government has its functions and powers and if we are going to abide by the functions and powers allocated to us in the constitution, there would not be any form of friction.

But because the APC is new to governance and it has come from many years in opposition to attain the position of a ruling party, we are having teething problems. And I assure that we are addressing these problems because they are not C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4 8

46 Politics

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

You have resigned your appointment as a commissioner in the state, why?

I resigned my appointment in order to further prosecute my political ambition by aspiring to be the Governor of Ondo State and I believe that a primary election should hold and it has been slated for August 22. As we go into the primary, I will emerge the winner by the grace of God. I resigned based on the constitution of the party; you must resign your appointment at least month to the primary. I want to follow it so that there would not be problem.

You know after the primary, people can go and challenge the outcome but if you have not given them the legal ground to disqualify you, nobody can disqualify you.

It is specified in the PDP Constitution that there should be primary and once it has been specified, we should not allow a sole candidate to just buy form and turn around to say we have a primary in Ondo State.

What are your chances of winning the party primary considering the insinuations that a particular candidate has been endorsed by the governor?

No one has endorsed any particular candidate and going by what I have put on ground; I have many followers in PDP, well loved by members of the party and I want to believe that it is our party members that will participate in primary and I know these people will not open their eyes and allow PDP to crumble in Ondo State. The central has been holding on to power in the past seven years. By next year it will be eight years and we believe this power should shift to the North and if there is no reason to shift the power to the North, we should look toward the Southern part of the state. Presently, I am from the North and I have many followers and my people will never jettison me at the primary.

They know the quality in me, they know what they want and they know the kind of person they want to lead them in the state. The governor has done very well, therefore somebody that can do very well or better than what he has done should be put in place. This is somebody whose choice will not bring any rancour in the party. If there is any rancour, then the party should be prepared for failure. I believe the outcome of the primary will favour me because I have done the work, I have the experience and my relationship with party members is superb and people who have been clamouring for me know what they are doing. Since I resigned, people have been rejoicing; meaning they have been expecting me to resign before now. But when I did it, the accolade I receive from people is very encouraging.

Is it true that Mimiko called some of you and told you he is supporting Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN)?

Yes, he called me; I am one of the closest people to him. In fact, among the aspirants, I am the closest to him. He called me and told me the same thing. Even up till Saturday I was with him and he appealed to me not to resign my appointment but between that Saturday and yesterday the situation in the party and Ondo State prompted me to put in my resignation letter. If we allow things to be going the way they are going, I pray PDP will not have problem in Ondo State.

Party leaders said the governor took the decision because of the capacity of Jegede to win the election. Do you share this view?

Which capacity? I don’t know which capacity is referred to here. If you mean political capacity, he does not have half of what I have. If you are talking of academic and experience, I believe I am up to the task. I am a genius academically; politically. Going by experience I am the most qualified and competent to go in for that position. I have worked as a board member in the Aforestation Project; from there I was Senior Assistant on Government Project during Pa Adefarati’s government.

FaceOff

Bamiduro

Zoning not in PDP's interest –Bamiduro When you are in charge of all government’s projects it means you have experience in all MDAs in Ondo State. Apart from that I worked as SSA on Due Process; meaning that I know every business that can be transacted any where you have government set up. From there I resigned my appointment as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs that has given me the opportunity to have both state and local government experience. I have interacted with all the Obas, I know what it takes at the grassroots, the state and the federal. Even though I have not had any appointment at the federal level, but all these conglomerate of appointments had made me to interact with the Federal Government in one way or the other. Going by that experience I believe people should not jettison that and say you are looking for somebody else. If somebody should be looking for anybody who is most suitable to occupy that position, I want to believe it is BAM and that is why everybody has been clamouring for me in Ondo State. I must confess people want me. Had it been I did not resign that would have affected negatively my political carrier in the future because people will no longer have confidence in me.

Do you have the financial capacity to prosecute the election?

Sincerely speaking, I don’t have the financial capacity but I believe God is in place and He is going to do it for me. People will rally round me, the situation we are in Ondo State does not require much particularly in the PDP. Even if I go into the primary without giving a dime to the delegates, the PDP members in the state know what they want, know where this thing should go and where it should be zoned to and if at the end of the day they vote for somebody else that another person has dictated and at the end of the day we lose at the general election; everybody will face the wrath. It will be too calamitous for PDP to lose in this state. But I want to believe that

the PDP members know what they want and who the slot should be given to and by the grace of God I will win the party primary. Election is not what you run alone; people will surely come to your aid. I know people who want PDP to retain power will come to my aid. Even to buy the form, I don’t have the money but I know when the time comes people will rally round me and make the purchase of the form of the form easy for me.

Some aspirants from the North senatorial district met last week and said they are not going to participate in the primary, what is the situation of things now?

They said because the aspirants are angry, people are angry that PDP had agreement during the era of Labour, ACN and PDP. Those three parties came together; it was the late Dr. Olaiya Oni that represented LP at that meeting. There was an agreement that the governorship slot should be zoned to the North during the 2016 election and now that we are in 2016 rather than allow it to be zoned to the North, the Central agenda is coming in. The Central agenda will be too detrimental to the progress of PDP in Ondo State. There is no way the Central agenda can work because the people from the Central are not wholly in support of the agenda. It was based on that that some people said no aspirant will participate. If no aspirant participates, it means there is indirect endorsement of the Central agenda which will not augur well for the party. The latest we want to do now is that both North and South will come together and present a common candidate. We want to see how the Central agenda will come into being. If the South and the North can present a common candidate, there is no way we can be defeated because this is an eye sore. People know where this thing should go, the person being influenced presently is not from his mind, people will just say they have heard you but it is not

Prince Bamiduro Dada and Hon Kayode Akinmade were members of the cabinet of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State. While Dada, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs quit the cabinet to contest the governor’s seat, Akinmade remains as Commissioner for Information.

In these interviews with Babatope Okeowo, the duo disagreed on the zoning of governorship to the North Senatorial Zone. While Dada popularly called BAM said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would lose the election if a particular candidate is fielded, Akinmade said what interests the people of the state is not the zoning arrangement but dividends of democracy and the continuation of Mimiko’s legacies.

Babatope Okeowo brings excerpts. within their mind. By the grace of God we are getting there and between now and next week we will know who will be the flag bearer among us the contestants because we have been meeting. We will decide soon the person we want to present, with that nobody can defeat us.

Assuming the candidate you present loses the primary, are you going to work for against the interest of party?

I will not work against the interest of the party once we have free and fair primary.

The outcome of a free and fair primary, a primary that is not stage-managed should be respected and obeyed by every participant. The outcome should be what we will work with. But I want to assure you if we have free and fair primary nobody from the Central can take the day. The people of Ondo State knows the right thing to do and the party members will not want to lose. It will be a suicide mission to present someone to present someone from the Central.

How do the delegates emerge? Are you not afraid that the delegates can be manipulated?

I am not afraid; whoever allows his future to be manipulated will have his destiny to blame. I am boasting in the Lord; people know what they should do and if they do otherwise I will not be the only person to pay for it. Everybody in this game will pay his or her due. Nobody will be excluded, delegates would be chosen according to pattern and constitution of the party. Whoever votes against his conscience will have his or herself to blame in the future. Remember we owe this state a duty to make sure things work well and we should remember we are not the only political party and we should do things the way it should be done. What can bring the PDP back to power after Mimiko leaves is what we should do and we have to do it right. If we do it wrong problem will set in.

I pray we don’t have problem after the exit of Mr. Governor, he should have someone who should succeed him but it should be one at the heart of the party men. If you do it appropriately, we will get it right and we will smile at the end of the day.

FaceOff 47

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

Mimiko is right to have preference – Akinmade

Why did the leadership of PDP in Ondo State headed by Governor Olusegun Mimiko zeroed in on Mr Eyitayo Jegede?

I want to tell you emphatically that as of today, the Ondo PDP shadow election is yet to be conducted and I know it will be conducted on August 22, 2016 and after that we will have a candidate.

But more importantly, it is the inalienable right of an individual to have preference for a particular aspirant or the other.

What we are witnessing today is a form of campaign by the aspirants to showcase themselves and make people appreciate and endorse them for the primaries. As at today, we have aspirants and for us to agree that we have aspirants, it is when they procure their nomination forms. I believe the form is out and before the end of next week we should able to ascertain the number of people that will be contesting.

The situation of ground is that the governor has cast his lot with his former Attorney General Mr. Governor as a citizen of Ondo State and Nigeria has the inalienable right to have preference for a particular aspirant of his choice. That is his constitutional right as a person. But that does not mean the party will not go into primary.

The party will still go into primary. You remember when a former ACN governor in Lagos State wanted to vacate office, he had preference for a particular candidate and it recently happened in Edo State APC, the incumbent governor has preference for a particular candidate. You cannot hold that against the governor because as a governor of the state, he has the right to support the candidate of his choice.

As the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum and the leader of the party in the state, will that singular act not be interpreted to mean veto?

It is not a veto. Mr. Governor has been in the saddle for the past seven and half years and we thank God for the transformation God has used him to bring to bear in the body polity of Ondo State.

In the area of agriculture, health, urban renewal, education and security of lives and properties, it is on record in the history of Ondo State that these seven years are some of the most peaceful years. The state remain one of the most secured in the country. Thuggery has become a thing of the past and hoodlums have practically withdrawn to their shells because the atmosphere is no longer conducive for them to operate. All those things came with a price. Mr Governor has to ensure that peace and stability reign in the state.

He has brought a lot of transformation in the area of education, he has built over 56 mega schools, he renovated many schools and he has done a lot in the area of urban renewal to the extent that the governor won an award two years ago as the best governor in terms of urban renewal initiative as a result of what he has been able to achieve within the state through that sector.

In the area of agriculture, he has done so well and what he is saying is that we have many aspirants who are eminently qualified to be the governor of Ondo State but unfortunately we need only one. I don’t think it is absurd for the governor to cast his lot behind a person. Five persons cannot become governor at the same time and he would have taken that decision based on information available to him and with the fear of God. The man the governor has cast his lot with is from the same senatorial district with him. Will that not be interpreted as a continuation of the tenure of the

governor?

Mind you, the governor is from Ondo and I don’t know where the person comes from. But be that as it may, in the history of politics in Ondo State, what we look after is some extraordinary quality in the man that wants to rule. First; the man that wants to rule Ondo State must be a man after God’s heart that means he must be ready to be leader and servant leader.

He must be ready to serve his people.

We are looking for a governor who will not have ethnic, linguistic or primordial sentiments. We want a governor who will rule Ondo State not a governor of a particular region or a particular zone. We want a governor who will be governor to all concerned in Ondo State and when you are bringing out a governor, you must bring out your best. The person that will aggregate what Ondo State people stand for, the person that will be able to promote the cause of the state, rule with fear of God and be fair to all concerned irrespective of where we find that person that will be our governor. If you go into history, between 1999 and 2012 all the candidates of PDP in those elections have been coming from a particular zone and at that time we never thought of zoning.

How do you mean?

In 1999 when Late Adebayo Adefarati wanted to contest election, Late Dr Olusegun Agagu contested against him, the people of Ondo State voted for Adefarati.

They did not vote for Adefarati because he was from Akungba-Akoko in Ondo North senatorial district. They voted for him because he was central to the agitation for the emancipation of Nigeria from the military junta in Ondo state. He was a leader of Afenifere in Ondo State. He was voted because he was vocal and was able to achieve a lot in galvanising the people towards a common goal.

In 2003, he also stood for election with late Dr. Olusegun Agagu from the South. At that time, Agagu won the election. Agagu did not win the election because he was from the southern senatorial district of the state. He won the election because of the political structure of that time. In 2007, the same re-contested election with some other people from other zones. You will recall that Prince Ademola Adegoroye from Akure contested the election and Dr Olusegun Mimko from Ondo contested the election. It was not based on any primordial sentiment. At that election, Dr Mimiko won and he was rigged out. But thank God, he got his mandate back through the j u d i c i a r y.

People voted for Dr Mimiko in 2007 not because he is from Ondo, they voted f o r h i m Akinmade b e cause

of what he has consistently stood for in terms of progressivism politics. They voted for him because he has used the instrumentality of government to better the lot of the people of Ondo State. They voted for him because he has pedigree.

Are you not afraid of a gang-up between the North and South senatorial district against the candidate from the central?

There is no gang-up anywhere, what you are seeing is politics at its best. Aspirants are moving round the state to canvass for support and mind you, It is not only PDP that is fielding candidate for that election. You are sounding like it is only PDP that will contest in the election.

If we bring candidate from one area, the other parties can also bring candidates from the zone or other zones. At that point, we will leave them to the electorate to judge.

Was there not a time that Labour Party, ACN and PDP signed agreement about zoning that governorship should go to the North?

I am not aware of such agreement and I don’t believe it exists. Look at the history I presented; the last election was keenly contested. Chief Olusola Oke that contested under PDP came second, he is from the South and Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN that contested on the ACN ticket came third. He is from the North and Mimiko from the Central won. Mimiko did not win because he came from the Central; he won because of the agenda of his government. He won because of what people could see that the government has done. When he was campaigning, he never based it on zoning. What is important today is the Ondo State agenda, not zoning agenda and what we want is the best for Ondo State. We want a governor after God’s heart and anything beyond that is zero.

Let us pray that when these political parties go to primaries, those who would emerge would be after God’s heart. What we want is development and transformation for our state. The fact that someone is your kinsman does not mean you will benefit from his government. We want a leader who would have a shoulder people can lean on. We want somebody who will rule with fear of God, we want somebody who will be fair and just to all concerned. We don’t want a governor who will only serve the interest of his kinsmen and his ethnic grouping. we want a governor that will be accepted by all.

Are you not afraid that PDP might lose the election considering the argument over zoning arrangement?

We are 100 percent sure that God’s

willing, come November 26, 2016, we will go to the poll and PDP will become victorious.

What gives you the confidence?

What the outgoing governor has done is there for everybody to see. In the history of this state, there is no government that has recorded as much success as the Mimiko's government. The administration initiated Quality Assurance Agency that has improved the quality of education in the state. He employed teachers and has given them their relativity allowance. He provided vehicles that take the children to and fro from schools on daily basis free of charge under the Shuttle Bus scheme. This has never happened in the history of Ondo State.

Take a look at urban renewal feats of the government. we have never had it so good in the state. It is not for fun that the United Nations awarded the governor with a UN Scroll of Honour Award for his achievements in Urban renewal.

Today, in Akure major roundabouts have become tourists attraction of a sort with the Water Fountain and the Dew roundabout providing beautiful scenery while the greenery has become a toast to the environment, providing health benefits for the citizenry.

We know what the Infant and Maternal mortality rate was in the state before the Mimiko administration. It was a thing of great fear to be pregnant in Ondo state before the present administration came on board. Today, his efforts at eradicating deaths at child birth are so pronounced that the World Health Organization (WHO), took it upon itself to tell the whole world that governments should come to Ondo state to understudy its safe motherhood project (Abiye) which gave birth to the Mother and Child hospital and the Agbebiye projects.Health care in Ondo state, as bad as the economy is nationwide, is still free. That is why you see people from neighboring states rushing to the state to access its free health care.

Before Mimiko's government, the only dualised road we had was the Oba Adesida road in Akure and it was without road furniture. The road between Fiwasaye Girls Grammar School and the road connecting to Ilesa-Owo road was only 15 per cent done when this government came in and this administration completed the stretch to FUTA express. To the glory of God and ingenuity of the Mimiko government, there are about six dualised roads in the state now. They are not hidden roads. Those who knew what Arakale road used to be in the past should be able to say what it is now, ditto for Owo, Ondo,Igbokoda and other roads that have been dualised and still being dualised. These are roads constructed with the full compliments including lights, drainages, millennium bus stops, infact with all the road furnitures available in developed countries.

Ondo State university in Akungba Akoko is one of the best state university, rated by the United States Transparency International Standard.

Artisans are given loans easily, everything is working well. Some of our projects that the opposition is criticizing are being copied in some of their states. Go to other states, they are trying to follow on our footsteps. They too are building markets, mega schools and even aping the School free shuttle buses and so on.

In Ondo state, government creates job daily through mechanised agriculture.

A visit to the government farm in Auga, Epe, Isuada and Ore will show how well this government has improved agriculture with many of our youths developing careers from these places.

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Politics

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

Restructuring will spell doom for Nigeria –Oyubu Dr. Janet Oyubu, an APC woman leader in Delta State, in this interview with OLA JAMES, countered the arguments for the restructuring of Nigeria while pleading with President Muhammadu Buhari to include more women in his government. Excerpts...

What is your take on the agitation for restructuring of Nigeria?

What we are practicing now is federalism, that is the presidential system.

I think restructuring could be a way forward but right now with the present worrisome background of militancy and the controversies surrounding the present day government, if we give room for restructuring, you have to take into account, the activities of various groups, such as Boko Haram, MASSOB and others, the country will not only break into pieces but will experience series of woes. Buhari wouldn’t want to be associated with failure that would eventually culminated into crisis and possibly disintegration during his time, Nigeria is united and too big to be divided.

But now that we have found ourselves where we are presently and we are trying to copy the American system of government, we should understudy them well and see how it apply to the African cultural and traditional system of government as well as how it can affect the common man.

To me, restructuring is not the answer now, the answer is re-orientation.

Though I support restructuring, we should regulate our attitude to life. The solution lies in us not the government per say; rather we should be honest and sincere to march on with the current situation on ground, the fault is not from the president. It is a global problem, not only an African problem.

With the situation we are now, you cut your coat according to your cloth.

So, how well do we fit into the present situation on ground. Restructuring ourselves is the most important thing.

Don’t you think Buhari should emulate ex-President Jonathan by appointing more women into his cabinet?

We are not competing or comparing with anybody, we are autonomous women armed with our own agenda.

But, that is not to say that women should not secure prominent positions in Buhari’s government.

The number of women in the present government is very few. My belief about Buhari is that he works with the fact before him.

I can say that the women in the

10 months now in Delta State but Edo State is not owing a kobo. They have increased Edo worker’s salary by a whopping 25 per cent. Sadly, in Delta State, we are accumulating more debt.

It is now dawn on government that the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) workers only go to work, sign their names and tell stories. It is just this PDP administration we are witnessing these shortfalls. There are so many anomalies that should be corrected, hence APC in the state is working harder than before to rescue the state from the grip of a lot of setback.

Our leaders and elderstatesmen are putting things in order to make sure that everything is working well in the next political dispensation.

I am happy that Deltans are beginning to realize that there is difference between APC and PDP.

present dispensation are not crying out loud, so the president might not know that we are suffering in silence. I think he (Buhari) should look more into women empowerment. He, has only appointed a handful of them not commensurate to what it should have been.

However, the women folk are working assiduously towards achieving that position, like the last dispensation. I believe firmly that this dispensation will be more caring than the immediate past government.

Is APC working in states and federal level?

Sure APC is working. In Delta State for instance, it is PDP that is in control. So, it is really difficult for people to know what we are doing.

For example, the palliative system of government is to cushion the effect of joblessness, empowering women and so on. Since PDP is at the helm of Affairs, they will use it to empower their party members like what they are doing now. They will not go through APC person if they even want to consider APC, the ratio is one to 20. So the government is indirectly empowering PDP members.

I can tell you frankly that APC governors are really trying. For instance, Governor Adams Oshiomole of Edo State is working hard, so also in other APC controlled states and the Federal Government. You can see that the APC governorship candidate, Obaseki is already winning. We don’t have any impact in Delta State because the PDP government is using all means to intimidate and shut us down. If possible, they will pursue us away from our communities. Imagine local government salary has not been paid for

Women in the present dispensation are not crying out loud, so the president might not know that we are suffering

Some persons are accusing Buhari of travelling frequently outside the

insurmountable.

On probe of previous government I am always uncomfortable with churning out figures, but I can say that definitely there will be heavy revelations because from what I have seen, for example, I know of a situation where in one day the sum of N1 billion was taken out of one account of government by several N10 million cheques but I will not be able to put a figure on the total recovery because the work of the committee is ongoing.

On restructuring of Nigeria The constitution allocates to each tier of governments certain responsibilities. In Nigeria we are prone to using very strong words when we feel very strong about an issue, I agree that there is a need to look at the various legislative lists contained in the Constitu-

Do you agree that the donations by Mrs. Aishat Buhari to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) is a way of complimenting where her husband is failing?

No it is not where the husband is failing because nobody envisage the current problems we are finding ourselves; I mean the fallout of activities of Boko Haram and various militant groups will culminates into the setting up of IDP camps. People came out initially to donate but the donation is figurative, they are not practical. But as a mother and woman who have feeling for her children she is trying to intervene in order to make up for the delay in the out lined plans to cushion the problems the Boko Haram and all the insurgent groups have caused. She cannot sleep and fold her hands when her children are dying. It’s not president Buhari that has failed it is the system that has failed.

If he gives order and big Nigerians like the Dangote and other eminent Nigerians and NGOs, she will not go to their house to enforce the implementation.

Do you think she is doing it sincerely?

I have told you before that as a mother she cannot fold her arms and watch her children die of hunger, abject deprivation and poverty in terms of food, medical facilities, clothes for the women. She is highly touched hence she is doing it as intervention measures.

Oyubu

I was handed a poor state –Abubakar C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 5

country, what is your reaction?

Well what an elderly man sees when he is seated a young man cannot see it even when he is standing, most trips Buhari made were in line with the recovery of looted funds staked abroad.

Imagine his comment while reacting to former Britian’s Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron that he was not bothered about his comment but they should return Nigeria's stolen properties.

I can tell you that 80 per cent of his trips were on invitation. I can say also that Buhari only made one trip for his health concerns and he did not spend more than the stipulated period.

All the trips he made were for the good of Nigeria. It is quite true that he is a bit slow, but he doesn’t want to rush at anything and make mistake. Infact he should be commended for doing this country proud by his actions.

tion of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a view to tinkering them and redistributing the powers.

For example, agriculture, the Federal Government of Nigeria has no land anywhere.

The land belongs to the states and local governments and that is where agriculture takes place. So, it is obvious that the states and local governments must be given more responsibilities as far agriculture is concerned and when you give them these responsibilities as an attendant incidence, funding structure of the federal government may necessarily change so that you transfer the bulk of the money to the tiers of government you have given responsibilities to and the moment you do this, I am sure that those agitating for restructuring will be calmed to an extent.

Mining for instance, all the powers reside in the federal government and the states where these minerals are located do not have powers as far as prospecting and mining for

minerals are concerned and these are the kind of areas that when you look at, I believe the agitation for restructuring may mellow down.

These are essentially my opinion.

On the National Assembly crisis and intervention by APC governors I assure that we are not going to tamper with cases that are before the courts of tribunal and we are not going to delve into the current problem of the moment. We are only going touch on the political issues pertaining to the National Assembly.

What is before the court, we will not touch because those of us who are lawyers know that, the current issue is just coming up and is not politics, if any prove if found in the various allegation, these are criminal offences and there is no way any committee of the governors will delve into that aspect of the crisis.

Buhari is over one year in office but since he came on board, he is still fighting corruption, targeted especially against PDP members, what is your reaction?

That word fighting PDP members should be retracted because he is not fighting PDP members. Rather, he is fighting corruption as it were.

If you are involved, whether you are APC, APGA, etc, he is not biased in his fight against corruption. He has not been sentimental about who is involved. Even the PDP members are getting more appointment than the APC, his party members. Frankly speaking, he is not fighting an individual, the problem there is that corruption issue has gone into our bone marrow.

There are a lot of system in government. For instance, if those he put there are trying to betray and frustrate his efforts, he cannot be a lone fighter.

He needs strong APC members who know their onions who can say no and it is our collective fight. For example, he is one year in office, our high handedness has come down tremendously, the real orientation has been imbibe in every Nigerian, we now know that it is useless amassing money that you cannot spend throughout your life.

Politics 49

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

In an apparent response to President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent statement in The Interview Magazine, where he gave reasons he was overthrown by General Ibrahim Babangida in the 1985 palace coup, a former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), retired General Haliru Akilu, has explained what could be termed the ‘Babangida side’ of the story.

Though Akilu urged Nigerians to avoid talking about what transpired 31 years ago, he himself did not allow sleeping dogs to lie, as he did not fall short of revealing what transpired years back in this no-holds-barred interview with MUHAMMAD KABIR. Exerpts…

As a former Director of the DMI during Buhari’s military era, could you share with us some of your experiences?

First of all, I happened to be involved right from 1983 when the change of government took place. That was when President Shagari’s government was toppled. It was a very well known and documented event. Many people were aware of what happened because during the broadcast of the Head of State, General Buhari, he mentioned reasons why the military had to come in. It was well documented. I was appointed as the Director, Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) January 1, 1984. General Babangida was the Chief of Army Staff, so, we worked very closely with General Buhari. At that time, General Sani Abacha was the GOC at the 2nd Division in Ibadan, Oyo State. Generals Buhari, Babangida and other colleagues who staged the coup of 1983 started very well, they were going to have so many reforms.

Along the line, things began to drift, there were so many interests between so many groups in the top hierarchy.

Unfortunately, the gap started widening and it widened to the extent that we had serious crack in the top hierarchy.

I think we should not go into all those details because it was a long time. We should avoid talking about events that happened 31 years ago. It will not do anybody any good. We should avoid talking about the coup and help Buhari to succeed because right now Nigeria is in dire need of survival and the gentleman is doing his very best. I think what he need is not to disturb his government but to give him collective support for us to be great again.

What were the benefits of these series of military change of government we had at that time?

Well, Nigerians say all the bad things that are happening now were the creations of the military, but I have my doubt. When Buhari was the military Head of State, Nigerians were hailing the discipline mantra of the government. Nigerians started behaving very well and they were being respected all over the globe. This is because of the stringent measures taken at home. Everybody knew the importance of the government’s code of conduct at that time. That was a good part of the government. Then again, when General Babangida came in, there were so many commodities in this country that were termed essential commodities. One had

Interests, cracks in top hierarchy led to 1985 coup – Gen. Akilu •Babangida removed Import Licence to stop queuing for essential commodities •Lagos metro project was just $550m, it was wrong to stop it

to queue to buy sugar, rice and other things because of the import licence regime. General Babangida decided to remove the import licence regime and open up the market and we abolished the National Supply Company after it finished its work. So, things started coming in, this question of queuing before you buy sugar or salt was no more. So, you can see the good aspect of the change and again the disciplined was still maintained. I remember we removed a governor in Borno. He was found to be using a quarter of a million on each trip to Lagos. A panel was instituted and finding showed that it was true. Civil servants were complained that the amount was too much to be expended on a trip but he refused to listen. So, because of that he was removed and subsequently even retired from the Army. This happened because we were not allowing misused of public funds or encouraging corruption.

Again, General Babangida did quite a number of projects. He met the Third Mainland Bridge abandoned and completed it within a very short period with little money. Today, if you

want build the Fourth Mainland Bridge you can’t do it. Lagos State is doing partnership with private outfits and if that is the case, may be they will do it (Fourth Mainland Bridge). But with government alone, it is not possible and another thing I’m regretting was the Metro Project in Lagos during Governor Lateef Jakande’s regime. It was studied and what was needed to do it was about $700 million but unfortunately the military stalled the project.

I even remember that the company decided to slash the price to almost $550 million. By now we should have had Metro in Lagos. Today, ask the Governor of Lagos if the cost implication if his government wants to revive the project. I am sure it will cost the country billions of dollars.

Another area the military made impact was the oil and gas. When General Babangida took over the price of oil came down to $9 per barrel before it went up to $10-11 until the Gulp War when it shot up. So, you can imagine how prudent the government was using $9 to execute all the projects including Kano- Abuja dual carriage way, irri-

We should avoid talking about events that happened 31 years ago.

It will not do anybody any good. We should avoid talking about the coup Akilu

gation farming, the movement of Lagos Federal Capital to Abuja, repairs of dams as well as the constructions of so many dams. There were a lot of irrigation farming all over the country, and I remember we started the project of weed so that we can be self-sufficient and it started doing quite alright. Unfortunately subsequent government jettisoned the idea of being wheat self-sufficient. Before, if you drive from Kano various states, you will see all of them competing including Ondo State, which also took up the challenge to produce wheat. Today, we are still importing wheat. However, I have seen action being taken to revive agriculture.

You said Babangida was prudent using oil money for developmental projects, but some Nigerians are still accusing him of mismanaging the money the country made from oil windfall.

Do you know how much the total was? There was a panel that looked into the utilisation of the money made from the so-called oil windfall. They calculated it to be about $4.5 billion and General IBB had his Minister of Finance then and the National Planning minister, Alhaji Alhaji. All those concerned sat down and gave their own figures and how the money was utilised and how much was spent on which project.

When we moved to Abuja, there was no road from the airport to the town, we constructed those roads, we constructed the International Centre, we constructed part of the Federal Secretariat, we constructed the Villa that is being used as the seat of power today, go and see how much was involved. We constructed the whole barracks in Abuja using the windfall money. I think it took us only two years to do that, and we thanks Julius Berger for that. Today, the only standard barracks we have in Nigeria are the ones in Abuja. Since we left, there is no improvement. We don’t have Ministry of Defence up till now. Armed Forces are in makeshift offices and IBB had the plan of building the Ministry of Defence and we built so many offices. My own office, the NIA office, was constructed and see the districts we opened: Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse. Go and see if there are potholes in those areas. I challenge you to visit those areas. So, the money was utilised doing such work and I remember we finished the Egbin Power Plant in Lagos. It was part of what we used the money for and today, Egbin is one of the places that give us power. So, if people are saying IBB took away oil windfall, I just laugh.

There were so many projects executed using that money. It was just mischief for any Nigerian who is educated and have sense of reasoning not to know that IBB did not take that money to his home town, and if it was stolen which bank was it deposited. Let the World Bank show the traces of the money. You can’t hide any dollar in this world. Today, they are tracing our money all over the world bringing them back to us, they called it Abacha loot.

So, if IBB had taken the money there must have been report today showing where the money is. There was a report, which said that the money was not utiC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 5 1

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Oba Sijuwade’s commitment to Awolowo’s legacy Being an abridged text of paper presented by DR. OLATOKUNBO AWOLOWO DOSUMU at a one-day colloquium on ‘The Life & Times of Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II’, organised by the Institute of Cultural Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, yesterday.

comes his way. He expects and demands it from every other person who interacts with him privately and publicly.’

Contrary to seemingly tribalist connotations, the ‘Yoruba Agenda’ is not about a set of self-serving proposals that would benefit only the Yoruba nation, to the detriment of other nationalities in Nigeria.

It is, actually, a set of recommendations that are firmly rooted in the principles of equity, justice and fair play for all Nigerians and would, ultimately, be in the best interests of all. It is a prescription for permanent unity and stability in Nigeria and is a document that is highly recommended for those who have never read it.

For the purpose of the theme of this paper, I will consider just one. I refer to the crucial issue of fiscal federalism and the consequent need to restructure the Nigerian polity. This issue, as much as any other, lies at the very core of the legacy of Chief Obafemi Awolọwọ.

B

oth Chief Awolọwọ and Oba Ṣijuwade were, undisputedly, icons in their respective generations. They both rose to the zenith of their chosen paths in life through hard work and perseverance. They also happened to be friends.

Theirs was a life-long friendship whose hallmark was a deep and abiding loyalty, a friendship that saw both great men through good and bad times. And, as they attained prominence and their appreciation of true friendship probably became more profound, their friendship endured. That has to be an eloquent testimony to the genuineness of their relationship.

But I would like to begin this presentation with an assertion that Oba Ṣijuwade’s commitment to the AWO Legacy stemmed, not only from loyalty in friendship, but also from a firm conviction that it was the right thing to do.

Commitment/Loyalty The Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s simple definition of commitment is the most apt, in my view, for the purposes of the theme of this paper. It defines commitment as ‘a promise to be loyal to someone or something’.

We live in a world where selfishness seems to be the order of the day, and personal gain the objective of most relationships and endeavors. Nevertheless, one of the most honourable character traits a person can develop remains the ability to be loyal. Loyalty is the ability to put others before yourself, to stick with them through thick and thin, and to look out for them.

Loyalty is essential to the most basic things that make life livable. Without loyalty there can be no family. Without loyalty there can be no friendship. Without loyalty there can be no commitment to community or country. And without those things, there can be no society.

Chief Awolọwọ’s great mission in life was to build a better society by, amongst other things, offering vital, life-transforming opportunity to those who were incapable of acquiring it for themselves. Kabiyesi’s commitment and loyalty to friendship, and to those noble ideals, contributed immensely to the endurance of that legacy.

Kabiyesi was a thoroughgoing businessman and, therefore, acquired and maintained friendships across political lines. To the uninformed, his friendship with an equally thoroughgoing politician like Chief Awolọwọ seems a most unlikely proposition.

I have no doubt that they both had ‘advisers’ who held strong reservations about their friendship. I do recall, however, that Papa always responded to such advice with the retort, ‘you cannot choose my friends for me’. He was so right. As it turned out, particularly after Chief Awolọwọ’s transition and until he joined his ancestors last year, Kabiyesi did remain the good friend that, constantly, walked into the Awolọwọ family’s world when the rest of our world was walking out.

Legacy The word ‘legacy’ is frequently used to describe the property that people leave

The late Awolowo

their heirs when they die. But every human being also leaves behind a nonmaterial legacy - one that is harder to define but often far more important. This legacy comprises a lifetime of relationships, accomplishments, truths, and values, and it lives on in those whose lives they have touched.

Legacies can be positive or negative A person who systematically disciplines his life so as to improve the lives of those around him and does his or her best to transform the lives of others in a positive way is bound to leave a positive legacy.

These are people who, invariably, have a specific way of life that governs their thinking and their behavior. They systematically attempt to structure their own lives in such a way that they become testimonies to whatever worldview they proclaim. Chief Awolọwọ was a shining example of people who left a positive legacy.

Yoruba unity had historically been severely tested through internecine wars such as the Ibadan-Ijaye war of 1861, over who should be the political head of Yorubaland; the Kiriji war (1877-1893), an epic and historical war between two powerful Yoruba confederates, Yorubas of the West (Ibadan and its allies) and Yorubas of the East (Ijesha and Ekiti); and the trade wars between Ibadan and Ijẹbu, when Ibadan traders were attacked on their way from Port Novo (1877).

Political unity also proved elusive for many years. Yorubas, historically and to this day, imbibe sophisticated concepts of democracy, liberalism and progressivism.

They possess a worldview that is devoid of bigotry or prejudice. On principle, they felt completely at liberty to proudly and openly support political parties other than the Action Group whose leaders were, ostensibly, overwhelmingly Yoruba. Indeed, the party had great difficulty winning elections in major Yoruba cities and towns in the early years of its formation.

However, there was a dramatic realignment in the political landscape of the Western Region in the second republic under Chief Awolọwọ’s leadership of the AG’s successor political party, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). In the 1979 elections, the party won well over 90 per cent of the votes in Western Nigeria. This shift signposted the culmination of a series of events surrounding the regional crisis of 1962-1966.

Prior to that, Chief Awolọwọ had been declared, by acclamation, ‘Leader of the Yorubas’ by the Yoruba leaders of thought at a meeting in Ibadan in 1967. It is instructive to note that some of his most ardent political opponents were active participants in that

The late Oba Sijuwade

acclamation.

From then on and until the end of his life, Chief Awolọwọ became the undisputed rallying point for the Yoruba nation. Nevertheless, his advocacy, mission and vision for ‘life more abundant’, which encompassed all Nigerians, continued unabated.

That unity, though forged in the crucible of adversity and sacrifice, appears to have, unfortunately, been subjected to severe strains and stresses since the transition of Chief Awolọwọ. The situation, unsatisfactory as we may deem it to be today, could perhaps have been worse, were it not for the spirited efforts of the likes of Oba Ṣijuwade and many other leaders of the Yoruba nation.

Kabiyesi was well placed to move Chief Awolọwọ’s legacy forward in this regard because he enjoyed the distinct advantage of avoiding disparaging labels such as ‘tribalist’ or ‘Yoruba irredentist’. In any case, such labels could never have stuck, for many reasons. His activities in this regard simply confirmed the Yoruba dictum, ‘ilé l’a ti ίk’ẹṣọ r’òde’.

For example, he was well known, even before he ascended the throne, for his cosmopolitan outlook and, therefore, his formidable network of friends across all geo-political zones in Nigeria. He not only maintained and deepened such friendships throughout his reign, he continued to expand his already impressive circle of friends.

Furthermore, the Yoruba Unity Forum, an umbrella body for all socio-cultural organisations within the Yoruba nation, was one of the significant initiatives championed by Mama H. I. D. Awolọwọ, Oba Ṣijuwade, Bishop Bọlanle Gbonigi and other notable leaders.

The objective of the Forum is to harmonise, and work towards the actualisation of the aspirations of the Yoruba nation within the larger context of Nigeria, regardless of partisan political affiliation. This objective remains; I have to say however, work in progress.

May I say, at this juncture, that attainment of the noble objectives of the Yoruba nation, which, by the way, redound to the best interests of all other nationalities in Nigeria, will continue to be hampered by our current regrettable lack of internal cohesion.

The Nigerian nationhood project and the Yoruba agenda ‘Justice is the appetiser, the main course and the dessert on the Yoruba’s political menu. He serves it daily to everyone who

On his preference for federalism, Awolowo said: • ‘In 1951 when the controversy on the form of Nigeria’s constitution began, I had already been for more than 18 years a convinced federalist.’ (AWO 1960). And to prove that this was not a position he arrived at without rigorous consideration, he says: • ‘Our own stand in this matter is well known. We belong to the federalist school. Nevertheless, we have elected to adopt a completely objective and scientific approach to our present search and are prepared to abandon our stand if we see sound reason for doing so.

• ‘…in any country where there are divergences of language and of nationality – particularly of language – a unitary constitution is always a source of bitterness and hostility on the part of linguistic or national minority groups. On the other hand, as soon as a federal constitution is introduced in which each linguistic or national group is recognised and accorded regional autonomy, any bitterness and hostility against the constitutional arrangements as such disappear.’.

On the need for a suitable constitution he said: • ‘In our view, three factors combine to produce political stability: the type of constitution, the form of government, and the calibre and character of political leaders in and outside government…

The search for a suitable constitution has gone on for more than 20 years, and still goes on today with renewed vigour and reanimated fervour. We predict that the search will go on after this generation of Nigerians has passed away, unless we are realistic and objective enough to give ourselves now a constitution which is suited to the circumstances of our country and which will, therefore, endure.’ (Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution 1966) On the alleged threat to national unity, he had this to say: • ‘…in the peculiar circumstances of Nigeria, only a federal constitution can foster unity with concord among the diverse national groups in the country, as well as promote economy and efficiency in administration… …if federalism had not disrupted the unity of those other countries which have operated this type of constitution for decades it cannot by itself impair or ruin the unity of our own country.’ (Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution 1966) Chief Awolọwọ was, clearly, an unrepentant federalist. He was also unrepentantly committed to a strategy for develC O N T I N U E D on PA G E 5 1

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When Funmi Wakama celebrated 50th birthday with IDPs

I

t was a gathering of prominent Nigerians at the 50th birthday celebration of the immediate past Chief Press Secretary to the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibukunle Amosun and foremost Broadcaster of repute, Mrs. Funmi Wakama, which held at the Merit House in the highbrow area of Maitama, Abuja on July 1.

Her goodwill no doubt, endeared the calibre of guests who attended the occasion, despite being a working day and a Friday.

The event started with a fellowship presided over by the Lead Pastor of the Citizens Church, Abuja, Pastor Peter Balogun who spoke glowingly and prophetically of the celebrant. He urged guests and family members present to learn how to

count their days in other to live a good life worthy of Christ.

The Pastor also prayed for the Celebrant, her husband, children and other family members. The religious aspect of the occasion climaxed with the thanksgiving by the Celebrant, her friends and family members.

Known for her love and compassion for the less privileged and the urge to give back to the society, the celebrant, an Assistant Director of News, at the NTA Headquarters, her friends, colleagues and family members left for a camp of the Internally Displaced Persons in Durumi, a suburb of Abuja, where she gave out schools kits including writing materials to the children and other items for their mothers including foodstuff and other

Wakama at the IDP camp

Sijuwade’s commitment to Awo's legacy C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 5 0

opment that puts people firmly at the centre of the process.

For him, therefore, rather than remain in denial about our ethnic divergence, geographical separateness and diversity, different economic visions, divergent resources, religious differences and, above all, linguistic differences, we would do much better to acknowledge and embrace them through a truly federal constitution.

Chief Awolọwọ’s position on this matter remains valid and, indeed, assumes even greater relevance and, I daresay, urgency today, in my humble opinion.

Since Chief Awolọwọ’s transition, a number of National Conferences have been convoked to address the constitution and various other issues. Senator Femi Okurounmu has been given the task of speaking on this topic at this colloquium so I will not go into details here.

I will say, however, that Oba Ṣijuwade always organised pre-Conference meetings aimed at harmonising the Yoruba position at those Conferences in order to ensure that their interests are adequately safeguarded. On every occasion, he, in the best tradition of Yoruba monarchs through history, provided dedicated leadership and supported the positions that were arrived at by the majority.

The ‘Yoruba Agenda’, which essentially upholds Chief Awolọwọ’s position on the matter of federalism, among other issues, emerged from, and was reaffirmed over the years at these and similar gatherings and it enjoyed Oba Ṣijuwade’s full support throughout.

On this critical aspect of Chief Awolọwọ’s legacy, Kabiyesi’s commitment remained steadfast till the end of his life.

THE OBAFEMI AWOLOWO FOUNDATION One important development after Chief Awolọwọ’s departure was the establishment, in

1992, of the Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ Foundation, the institutional custodian of his intellectual legacy, which was set up as an independent, non-partisan, non-profit research institute, dedicated to immortalizing the ideals of Chief Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ. It is committed to the promotion of a socially-edifying interaction between policy and scholarship.

We are immensely proud and privileged to have had, since inception, Oba Ṣijuwade as our Grand Patron.

We were in the midst of preparing for a Special Dialogue, themed, ‘AWO Legacy and the Youth’, incidentally in collaboration with Obafemi Awolọwọ University, as part of the events to celebrate Chief Awolọwọ’s centennial in 2009.

I was living abroad at the time but, thanks to technology, was able to organise the event, effectively and successfully, in close concert with a highly dedicated team of OAU-based academics led by the then Vice Chancellor, Professor Fabọrọde.

Unfortunately, we ran into the heavy storm of yet another dispute within the Nigerian university system. In the light of the developments, we had good reason to doubt the feasibility of hosting the dialogue. In the end, buoyed by Kabiyesi’s massive support and mobilisation, as well as the decision of the National Strike Coordinating Committee of ASUU to rise above the situation and permit their members to honour Chief Awolọwọ at the forum, we decided to take a risk and forge ahead. The event recorded unprecedented, ‘standing-room-only’ attendance at the Oduduwa Hall.

CONCLUSION Kabiyesi’s commitment to the sustenance of the noble legacies of Chief Awolọwọ was, without a doubt, total. It is reassuring to note that he was not alone in that commitment and that countless Nigerians appear determined to follow in his footsteps.

Wakama

household materials to alleviate their suffering.

The representatives of the displaced persons were excited at the gift items brought to them and prayed for more blessings upon her and her family An obviously elated Funmi Wakama, assured them that she and her friends would always come back to the camp to identify with them and to bring them succour and cater for their needs.

“Back then in Ogun State, on his birthday, His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, would leave the comfort of the Government House and take us all to every prison in the state, sometimes to juvenile homes, there he would donate all manner of relief materials and admonish the inmates to be of good behavior and not return to crime after serving their terms. The celebration would usually climax with the feeding of the aged and some other under privileged groups.

"You don't spend fours solid years with a boss like him, and nothing rubs off you.

Incidentally, himself and Her Excellency,

51 Dr. Mrs Olufunso Amosun called and sent good will messages early in the morning from Saudi Arabia, where they had gone to observe the lesser hajj. I was really touched by their kind words and prayers".

According to her husband, "For over a year, she had maintained that whatever we are going to do must include a visit and distribution of items to the needy.

From time to time, she does these things; sometimes clothing, foodstuff, etc, even when she was in Ogun State".

On her four-year sojourn in Ogun State, one of her sons, Opekerebia, said technology made it easy for them. "You know she is very high tech and loves gadgets; so we Skype, WhatsApp, she even created a family WhatsApp group, and we do find time to take our yearly vacation.

It's great to have her back".

The roll call at the thanksgiving service included the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina; former Minister of National Planning, Prof Suleiman Abubakar; Special Adviser on Media to the President of the Senate, Alhaji Yusuf Olaniyonu, former Commissioner for Education, Ogun State, Mr John Odubela; Special Adviser to Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Mr Femi Ogunsola; Special Adviser to the Minister of Transportation on Media, Mr. David Iyofor and a former Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Ladan Salihu, among other dignatries.

However, because of the fasting period and to respect the faith of the Muslim faithful, a lavish dinner was thrown for friends and colleagues at her residence where they were treated to delicious meals and exotic drinks.

Her father, Chief Olusegun Coker, in an interview, appreciated everyone who came to rejoice with his daughter and the family on the occasion of her 50th birthday.

He wished her many more happy decades in good health and happiness.

'How Babangida spent oil windfall' C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 9

lised to create jobs, this is not true. How about Iron Smelting Company, the railways were functioning, the Nigerian Airways had two DC 10 planes and were flying Lagos-Kano-London route, our foreign missions were functioning.

There were no cases of our foreign missions staff being ejected from the buildings they occupied, there were no cases of their children being out of school.

What is the way out of the economy and security challenges? Can we afford to go to war in the Niger Delta?

Honesty I moved my heart for General Tukur Buratai, he is doing wonderfully well. A year ago, you can’t sit down comfortably if you hear ‘boom’ around Sabon Gari or anywhere you will shiver. But today, you can go to mosques and churches freely. This is as a result of the efforts of the military and it is the President the Commanderin-Chief who gave the directives to the field commanders to achieve such results. I really commend them for this achievement. But we cannot afford to open another theatre of war in the Niger Delta. It will create another big problem for the Armed Forces, it is not achievable; they can’t achieve result. Had it been that we are not prosecuting war in the North East, I would have suggested that we carry out one swift operation to teach theses vandals some lessons.

However, I am appealing to the governors of those states; it is their responsi-

bilities to maintain peace in their states.

Why are they governors if they cannot maintain peace? I think the President has been so gentle with to those governors. Why are you there as a governor?

The Governor of Bayelsa yesterday was talking rubbish, saying Buratai should watch his words. it is the responsibilities of the governors to maintain peace and encourage dialogue. The governors remain the Chief Security Officers of their states but they are always waiting for the president to do everything. If I were him, I will call them and warn them that if you can’t run your state, I will get someone to run it. I will apply to the National Assembly to remove those inactive governors put administrators and see what will happen. When Boko Haram was on the rampage, they accused the leaders of the North and said they were the sponsors. Today, who are the sponsors of the vandals in the Niger Delta? I urge the President to call the governors to order, if they cannot do it they should be removed. And I support Buratai because if dialogues fail, we cannot sit down. Even the Armed Forces can be augmented, after all we fought the civil war. How many of us were there? Gowon started with police actions, yet despite the short number we fought the civil war successfully. Also, this one can be fought successfully. How many of them want to cripple the nation’s economy of over 180 million Nigerians, and if the economy is destroyed it will affect all of us.

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Season of dog-eat-dog lingers on

hese are definitely unique times in Nigeria, especially with the large number of public figures breaking from the ‘tradition’ of esprit de corps (in the military) or ‘we we’ amongst civilians, to expose each other’s ‘sins.’

While the motives of individuals vary, ostensibly those throwing the stones are clearly trying to win positive places in the court of public opinion.

The Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, was the first to fire the salvo a fortnight ago when out of the blues he launched an ‘attack’ on his immediate predecessor, Solomon Arase, accusing him of bolting away with 24 vehicles belonging to the Nigeria Police Force!

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the AIG Operations told a stunned assemblage of reporters that he had launched an investigation into the disappearance of some vehicles at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

Idris said the vehicles were still in the premises of the Louis Edet House at least one week before his appointment as the police helmsman. He further pointed out that the former IGP was entitled to only four vehicles.

His words: “A week before I was announced as IGP, when you look through my office window, you could see so many cars.

But the cars all disappeared when I came in.

What I did was to assign a directive to the Special Investigative Unit for them to investigate all vehicles’ purchases and donations to the police in the last three years as well as their positions. When I took over, there were no vehicles.

“I discovered that the last IGP went away with 24 vehicles, including two BMWs. “While, some of the DIGs took seven cars, others went away with eight. And they left me with one old vehicle the new IGP. “The last time I went out for an engagement with President Muhammadu Buhari, the president wondered what I was doing

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esearch shows that most cases of marital crisis are products of inadequate understanding of what the marital institution entails and lack of emotional, psychological and spiritual preparation for the journey before embarking on it.

You must understand that a bad day, week, month or year in your marriage does not mean you have a bad marriage. You have to stay focused and see or remember the bright future in your marriage. There must have been something you saw that motivated your entry into this particular union.

In life’s journey, there are always ready storms standing to challenge your positive efforts, truncate your vision and discourage you from believing in your success story. There are always battles to fight in this world. Jesus said: “In the world, you have tribulation” (John 16:33).

Have you thrown a lavish successful wedding ceremony? Thank God. Did you have a successful child delivery? Congratulations. Do you now have a child or children? Praise God. David aspired to kill Goliath and he did. But after that, he still had to fight so many wars to succeed as king. One battle or challenge makes way for another. So, the challenge you may be passing through in your marriage is not new. In fact, there are many people out there with worse cases and would even be glad that you pray for them from an angle of strength. I don’t know the negatives you may be experiencing in your marriage. I declare that you will definitely pass through the situation into your testimony in Jesus name! This may not look possible now but do not ever consider throwing in the towel because of the momentary heat.

As a trader or businessman, you do not

TS from the Sidelines 08050498544 (sms only) tunsul2@gmail.com with the kind of rickety vehicle I drove to the Presidential Villa.

“Surprisingly, the brand new ones that were bought, including an Armoured BMW 7 series, were taken away by the immediate past IGP.” Phew, a truly unprecedented attack by an IG on a former IG; leaving many wondering what happened to the famed esprit de corps?

Of course, Arase did not take the verbal attack lying low; he immediately fired back asking the rhetoric question, “what would I do with 24 cars since I was not a ‘car dealer’!

He also asked Idris to read the handover notes he presented to him for better understanding of what happened to the cars.

The dust was yet to settle on this public spat between the nation’s highest ranking police officers when another salvo was launched, this time amongst civilians.

What started as a news headline when the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, said he had removed Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the wake of the ‘budget padding’ saga; This quickly snowballed into a major Public Relations disaster when the ousted chairman fired back opening a can of worms.

The former Chairman not only accused

the Speaker of initiating the idea of ‘padding’ the budget, but he also said Dogara actually connived with a highly-placed People’s Democratic Party politician to work on the 2016 Budget.

Jibrin in statement made available to newsmen, said he regretted supporting Dogara as Speaker because he was carried away by his looks.

Not yet done, Jibrin added salt to injury when he alleged that the Speaker has been making money from the Guest Houses available for his official use and he was also fond of using his position to mount pressure on some Nigerian companies that he extorts money from.

These are very weighty allegations! But wait a minute; how come these hefty allegations were kept away from the public domain before Dogara’s axe fell on Jibrin’s reign as Appropriations Committee Chairman?

While Jibrin’s allegations make good a copy, his action only further enhanced the general belief that the activities of whistleblowers for the good of the country is not a ‘Nigerian thing’, especially when it is coming from people in public service.

Remember Edward Snowden, the American computer professional, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee, and former contractor for the United

States government who copied and leaked classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013?

The 33-year-old North Carolina native was forced to flee to Russia after his bombshell. He did so out of his conviction that what the US government was doing was wrong. He never did so because he was ‘short-changed’ from a money spinning ‘deal.’

Such antics are not limited to just the murky world of espionage, as shown by Russian athlete, Yuliya Stepanova, it was the 800m runner's testimony that helped shed light on the massive scale of doping in Russian sport.

Stepanova and husband Vitaly, a former Russian Anti-Doping Agency official, played a key role in the chain of events that led to the IOC having to rule on Russia’s place at the Rio 2016 Games.

Neither husband nor wife blew the whistle because the system did not give them financial gains. On the other hand, keeping quiet would have enabled them make good money competing on the athletics circuit; but instead, they had a conscience and decided to pull the plug - they did so for the good of the sport!

Unfortunately, until we are able to imbibe such attitudes here, we will continue to lurch from side-to-side failing to fulfil our potential as a true ‘Giant of Africa’ as underhand deals costing the nation billions of naira continue to be the order of the day unchecked because they are never reported or brought into the open.

However, whistle-blowing is not enough in itself if the necessary agencies do not act in a proper manner to get to the root of the report and bring those found guilty to justice - only if this is done consistently will the malaise be checked in our dear country and Nigeria will become a better place for all.

Is this what marriage offers?

Marriage Clinic with Albinus Chiedu 08038117704 (sms only) marriagecanwork@yahoo.com close shop because you made a wrong business decision. Do you? Rather, you seek better alternative approaches to the business. Life is like a road journey with so many bus stops on the way. When you get to a point where there is a challenge such as flat tyre and so on, you do not decide to settle down at that spot, ending the journey unexpectedly, just because of that challenge. What you do is to seek solution to that challenge so that you can continue the journey and get to your destination. Do not give up on your marriage because of the challenges you may be facing presently.

There is something that must be understood by everyone in the marital institution.

Until you see God in your marriage, your marriage may never have peace or be joyful. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

You cannot see God in your marriage except you change the way you perceive the marriage. If you do not change the way you look at things, things will not change the way they look. Begin to see a better spouse. See your spouse through the screen

of God’s word. Do not see your spouse the way the world sees him or her. You may hear things like “if I were you, I will not take that rubbish from him/her. Who is he/she self?”. That is the advice the world will give you. It is all about self, ego, pride, lust, etc.

“And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

In your estimation, your spouse may be bad, unbearable, not teachable and unchangeable person. God sees your spouse as his product that he can use his powers to repackage and restructure. Your spouse was created in God’s image just like you.

“So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27).

God has the ability to change your spouse the way he converted a native doctor, cultist, armed robber, assassin and prostitute into a clergyman and clergywoman.

You may not see this possibility in your spouse if you keep perceiving your spouse the way enemies of God (some

ungodly third parties out there) perceive your spouse. Besides, the negative perception could even have been created by you, out of some other factors.

Do you want to have a joyful marriage?

You cannot achieve it by your own power (John 15:5). Hand over to the founder of the marital institution. Jesus says “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mathew 11:28).

Are you in a dilemma after several prayers, vigils and other efforts to improve your marriage? You may need a counsellor. The challenge with many people is this.

When your car develops fault, you get a mechanic to fix the car. When your body is sick, you go after a medical doctor. But when you have an emotional or spiritual pain, after failed attempts to fix it within the limits of your capacity, you remain in avoidable pains. Why not share the challenge with agents of the ultimate physician?

There is no man of flesh and blood that can solve your marital problems in this world but God can use an agent, such as a Christian Marriage Counsellor.

Do you feel you have lost your joy in life because of marriage? It can be restored.

God created marriage for your enjoyment.

You can make your marriage work. Get more information on crisis management in marriage from the book, MAKING YOUR MARRIAGE WORK by Albinus Chiedu.

We can equally talk via phone or SMS using the contacts above this piece. The mountain you see may not be as high as you think.

Your marriage shall be a miracle and a testimony in Jesus name. Amen.

Perspectives

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

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Dogara, padders and lawmaking business

hey are at it again. But this time around, they are not throwing chairs and tables as we have witnessed in the past. At least for now, they are not throwing a tantrum as children do when they fret over toys. Throwing a tantrum could lead to tearing of one another's clothes and the last time I checked, Nigerians had said 'no' to our lawmakers' demand for outrageous amount as wardrobe allowance. So, House Speaker Yakubu Dogara needs to be careful by ensuring that the ongoing 'pig fight' does not degenerate into a free-for-all.

Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin appears to be more prepared than Dogara. Jibrin, the removed chairman of the House Appropriation Committee, seems to have made up his mind that even if this show of shame will consume him, Dogara will also be lowered into the abyss of public opprobrium and ridicule. His constitency in reeling out the 'sins' of the quartet of Dogara, his deputy, Yusuff Lasun, the Majority Whip, Alhassan Doguwa and the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, has forced the speaker to the conclusion that his earlier stance of maintaining silence cannot be the best in the face of these damning allegations.

That the alleged padding of the budget is not coming from the camp of the Majority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, makes the saga more interesting. It would have been easy to label Gbajabiamila as a bad loser who is yet to come to terms with the fact that the contest that threw up Dogara has been won and lost.

The revelations about how the 2016 budget was padded with N250 billion, and corruption practices in the parliament by the combatant lawmakers should not cause any consternation among the majority of Nigerians. The allegations and counter-allegations only confirm our belief that there are honourable thieves and distinguished padders among our lawmakers. Nigerians have always had genuine ambivalence towards our lawmakers, their lawmaking and general conduct. Very few Nigerians will doubt that our National Assembly are peopled mainly by insensitive individuals who think more about themselves than the people who actually elected them.

Waheed Bakare on Saturday

09056089320 (sms only) waheedbakare2003@yahoo.com So, the can of worms being opened by Jibrin is not new irrespective of whether the quartet are innocent or guilty. There is nothing to suggest that the former Appropriation Committee chairman is also a saint.

The parties involved in this saga knew the clandestine affairs they had together before the bubble burst. If the parties involved are actually thieves, perhaps it is just a matter of who is more honourable among them and their level of greed. The suspicion has always been there that something is not just right about our lawmakers and their penchant for constituency projects.

Nigeria is a buffet in the eyes of our lawmakers and the National Assembly is a business venture where lawmakers scramble to take their own share of the buffet. There are chances that if the lawmakers had agreed on how to eat at the buffet without some gluttons biting more than they can chew, they would have all chopped and cleaned their mouths.

The relationship between our lawmakers

Dogara

and us has always been that of the legislators and their their constituents. It is rarely about person to person. This is why they think more about themselves and less about us.

For them, going to the National Assembly is farewell to poverty. This is why issues at the National Assembly are mostly about the lawmakers' selfish interest. If they are not asking for outrageous wardrobe allowances, they are probably yearning for new exotic cars, fretting over juicy committee appointments, discussing how to change their furniture or how to arm twist the executive to get their so-called constituency projects. As far as they are concerned, allocation of projects are whimsical rather than by necessity or reasons. Whereas constituency projects are mere political patronage allowed by the executive so that the legislators don't rock the boat.

Projects are not abstract. Constituents are supposed to see and feel them. But as you read this, how many constituency projects can you see in your areas? What are their state? Are the amounts spent on some of the projects comensurate with what are on the ground? Perhaps, a few boreholes were sunk with millions of naira, some of which dried up just weeks after they were commissioned with fanfare and great élan. Some of the mere consulting clinics, markets, women and youth empowerment centres built with millions of naira lack human presence and have been overtaken by weeds. They are occupied mainly by reptiles and animals in continuation of our culture of waste and misplaced priority. Yet, year in, year out, our lawmakers yearn for more constituency projects because they are avenues for making quick money.

53

In 2013, N201.79 billion was wasted on projects in the South West alone, some of which were either abandoned or did not even exist. Some of these projects came under the so-called constituency projects. Yet, constituency projects keep recurring in the budget of the National Assembly as if that is what our lives depend on.

Padding, insertion and mutilation of the budget are mere semantics except if the lawmakers want to tell us that there is difference between six and half a dozen. Dogara and all those whose names had been mentioned in this peculiar mess should in their own interest respond to the allegations and counterallegations instead of beating about the bush and claiming to be honest when our thinking is that they are not cleaner than pit latrines.

This is what we expect them to do. If they don't care about their names, they should at least care about the titles they parade as 'distinguished honourables.'

Attempt by some the lawmakers to give Nigerians the impression that the entire House is behind Dogara when he has not been cleared of this show of shame is to say the least absurd. It is a welcome development that 113 members of the House had faulted the claim by the speaker's supporters. A similar attempt by some lawmakers from Bauchi State who expressed support for Dogara leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

Queueing behind the speaker will not give him alibi except external bodies are invited by the House to investigate this saga so that Nigerians can know the padders who think the best they can do when the country is in recession is to further lower it into the abyss of abject poverty without caring about the feelings of the masses. The budget is the property of Nigerians and not the personal property of the lawmakers. Dogara's shoulders and those of others including the whistle blower, Jibrin, are broad enough for them to carry their crosses. This mess cannot be cleared through internal resolution of the saga as being suggested in some quarters. It is not in the interest of Nigerians for the belligerent lawmakers to sheath their swords.

They should divulge more so that we can know those who are our enemies among them.

APGA chair, Victor Ike-Oye: A passionate politician at 60 Frank Okafor

I

t was celebration for the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Ike-Oye, a few weeks ago, as the astute and seasoned politician celebrated his 60th birthday and 30th wedding anniversary with an Ozo title and Charity Day. Without any iota of doubt, a man like Ike-Oye, who has distinguished himself in different aspects life, deserved the triple celebration.

The APGA national chairman is one man that has proved to the world that reward for hard work is more work and that is why in the last few years, he has been saddled with different opportunities at public and private sectors. Apart from achieving remarkable success in his political career, he has also shown clearly that he is a successful businessman, reputable philanthropist and respected community leaders. He can also be regarded as a committed and caring husband and father, looking at how he has managed his family and marital life in the last 30 years.

In a country like Nigeria, where the health facilities seem not to measure up to required standard, for a man like IkeOye to turn 60, God deserves to be praised for keeping and upholding him till date, considering how many of his peers, who were given birth to at the same time or a few years after are no more. While God deserves the praises for long life and prosper-

ity, Ike-Oye also need to be commended for being a disciplined and principled man, who has not allowed things of the world, peer group pressure, deviant attitude and indiscipline to affect his divine mandate.

Considering the height that Ike-Oye has achieved politically, business wise and maritally, he has proved, by God’s grace, that he is a diligent and committed man, who can be trusted and relied upon with various activities in private and public offices. The APGA boss has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is a diligent man, having brought out the best in various tasks giving to him.

Politically, Ike-Oye has shown that he is a reliable political ally and someone that is not ambitious, considering how he remained patient and focused in his career. The notion that a patient dog eats the fattest bone rings true in Ike-Oye’s case, looking at how he climbed the ladder to become the national chairman of APGA. In an era where many politicians, especially those in opposition parties are visitors to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) office, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) or commission of inquiry at state levels, Ike-Oye stands tall, not facing any corruption charges. This shows

clearly that he is a trustworthy person and that is why he can stand tall among his contemporaries.

When the mantle of leadership fell on Ike-Oye last year, some people may have thought that he may find it difficult to paddle the boat of the party, but those who knew him very well said he would make APGA a successful party and spread its tentacles beyond Igboland. After his assumption of office, he promised to take the party to greater heights by “building a new and cohesive political movement founded on mutual love, peace and fraternity, devoid of bitterness and acrimony.” Ike-Oye in less than a year in office has silenced his critics looking at how he has transformed APGA into a viable opposition party.

In fact, last April, the Ike-Oye-led APGA shocked the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the local government elections in the Federal capital Territory (FCT), by winning the chairmanship seat in Gwagwalada Local Government Area.

Against all odds, APGA candidate, Hon. Adamu Mustapha Danze, was declared winner of the council poll, an achievement that was APGA’s first electoral victory in the northern part of Nigeria since theformation of the party.

Ike-Oye has also successfully played his

role in the polity as opposition party chairman by checking the APC on any issue that he perceived not to be in the interest of the average Nigerian, especially the Ndigbo.

Family wise, Ike-Oye should be commended for being able to celebrate his 30thwedding anniversary, considering the rate of divorce in Nigeria. Celebrating 30 years of the union with his wife deserves commendation and for being a role model to many youths in our society. Ike-Oye is a loving, caring, passionate and committed father and husband because without those qualities there is no way he would have celebrated 30 years in marriage.

The triple celebration, which included Ike-Oye being honoured with an Ozo title and organising a Charity Day is also a proof that apart from being good at home, he is also good outside the home.

Apart from being successful in politics, business, and marriage, Ike-Oye has also distinguished himself academically. He is well educated with several academic excellence. He got a master’s degree in communications and doctoral fellow in communications from Oxford University. Apart from being a seasoned journalist, he has also performed and served passionately in various private and public offices.

•Chief Frank Okafor, the Managing Director of Marcopolo Group of Companies,writes from Lagos

54 News Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 July 2016

PCN shuts 96 illegal medicine shops, seven pharmacies in Ebonyi Uchenna Inya,

P

ABAKALIKI

harmacists in Nigeria under the umbrella of pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) yesterday sealed 96 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) in Ebonyi State for operating illegally and stocking beyond the recommended scope.

The council also sealed seven pharmacies in the state for failing to renew

their registration.

Briefing journalists in Abakaliki, the Director and Head of Inspection and Monitoring Department of the council, Mrs. Anthonia Aruya, said a total of 296 facilities which included 38 pharmacies and 258 PPMVs were inspected during the inspection of shops and pharmacies which took place in 23 towns across the 13 local government areas of the state.

Aruya said it was in line with its mandate that PCN

inspects, approves, registers and issues license to pharmaceutical premises and shops to ensure that minimum standards are in place in terms of storage conditions, capacity of personnel to handle the level of practice in each facility and the quality of pharmaceutical services rendered in the interest of public safety.

She listed the towns visited by the council to include; Abakaliki, Isu, Oshiri, Afikpo, Unwana, Ezillo, Owutu-Edda, Nka-

lagu, Onueke, Umuoghara, Okwor, Effium, Ntezi, Ezzamgbo, Akaeze, Ishiagu, Amudo, Iboko, Okposi, Uburu and Oshiegbe.

Though three shops were issued with compliance directives, the director noted that the situation on ground in the state was commendable compared to other states visited so far as a good number of the PPMVs are in compliance, while others were yet to comply going by the number of shops sealed by the

L-R: District Superintendent, Apostolic Faith Church, West/Central Africa , Rev. Adebayo Adeniran; Director of Welfare Services, Mr. James Olaleye and Head of Public Relations, Mr. Kayode Adeleye, at a press conference to announce the Church’s forthcoming 2016 camp meeting with a theme: “The Relationship of the Godly” in Lagos.

PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Buhari approves heads of health agencies Ebere Ameh,

P ABUJA

resident Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of five new heads of agencies in the nation’s Health sector.

In a statement issued yesterday and signed by the Director (Press), Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi, stated that Dr. Chikwe Adreas Ihekweazu takes over the headship of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), while Dr. Sani H. Aliyu, heads the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).

Others who made the list of appointees are Professor

Babatunde Lawal Salako, who would head the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, and Prof. Echezona Ezeanolue and Prof. Usman Yusuf, heading the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA) and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) respectively.

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu is currently the Managing Partner of EpiAfric, a public health consultancy firm that focuses on Africa.

He obtained his medical degree at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1996 and had worked in Berlin, Germany, the United Kingdom and in South Africa before he established his consulting firm in 2014.

The new head of NACA, Dr. Sani Aliyu, is currently

a Consultant in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Cambridge University, United Kingdom.

He got his medical degree from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 1993. He worked as a medical officer at the State House Medical Centre, Abuja and from there moved to Cambridge in 1998.

He rose through the ranks until he became a Consultant in Microbiology.

Dr. Babatunde Salako, on the other hand, is currently the Provost, College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan.

He graduated from the same University in 1986. He is a fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians in both Edinburg and London.

He is also a member of an International Panel of Experts,

Minister denied access to Jalingo Airport Sabiu Mustapha, JALINGO

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here was sympathy and a mild drama yesterday at Jalingo Airport in Taraba State when the Minister of Women Affairs, Senator Aisha Alhassan, was denied access to the VIP arrival lounge as well as any other facility of the airport on her official visit to the state.

Alhassan, who landed at the airport at about 1pm was seen on crutches, a situation which she was never seen in, but despite her condition, the minister was prevented to access the VIP lounge to rest before she carry on her official visit.

Allegedly, at her arrival, anywhere in the airport was locked by the authority as ordered by the state government.

Also, her well wishers were hindered to go near the vicinity of the airport to welcome the minister, who hailed from the state.

At last, a car was seen drove near the jet that she came in and took her away from the airport.

A top source from Alhassan's political circle accused the state Secretary to State Government (SSG), Mr. Anthony Jellason and the state Chief of Staff, Rebo Usman, for given a directive to deny the minister access the airport facilities.

“On the schedule of the women affairs minister official visit to Taraba, there will be a visitation to the Maternity Ward of the Taraba State Specialist Hospital, to present some gift items to the women, but we have learnt that they are intending to scuttle the visit to the hospital,” the source told our reporter.

United States Institute of Disease Control in Atlanta.

While Prof. Echezona Ezeanolue is currently a Professor of Pediatrics and Public Health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA. He got his medical degree at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1995.

He did his pediatrics internship and residency at the Howard University, Washington DC, USA and obtained his Fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Disease from New Jersey Medical School. He moved to Nevada in 2005 where he remains to date practicing Pediatric medicine.

The new NHIS head, Professor Usman Yusuf is currently a Professor of Pediatrics at St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, United Sates of America.

REMO Akarigbo, an accomplished monarch-Daniel

The formal governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, has described Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Remoland, Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo (Erinjugbo II), as an accomplished monarch whose death ended another glorious chapter in the administrative and rich cultural history of Remoland.

In his condolence message, Daniel mourned the passage of the monarch whose courage, carriage and charisma as a sovereign was exceptional.

The statement stated: “It is with heavy heart and great sadness that I learnt of the passing of Oba Michael Sonariwo, an exemplary and accomplished sovereign whose reign witnessed unprecedented development in Remo Kingdom and its environs.

“As a sincere reformer and detribalised traditional ruler, he worked tirelessly to move his Kingdom forward with progressive vision, sterling leadership qualities and unshakeable commitment to serve which endeared him to the people of Remo Kingdom, Ogun State and Nigeria in general.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

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enforcement team due to non-compliance.

“The PCN enforcement team has been in Ebonyi State since Monday to strengthen the regulatory activities and to enlighten the general public that services rendered in unregistered outlets cannot be guaranteed and should thus be avoided.

“A case in point is the sale of expired products by a vendor where the enforcement team witnessed the return of such medicine by the client.

Some of the PPMVs shops are illegal, stocking well above the approved drug list for which they had no ability to handle,” Aruya explained.

She further warned that any pharmacists or vendor who flouts the directives would be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others, noting that it was expedient that all stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector submit to regulation due to the delicate nature of the critical services rendered by them.

#SaveMayowa scam: LUTH refutes overseas treatment for Mayowa

l Police begin probe into fraud Appolonia Adeyemi and Lanre Odukoya

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ontrary to any circulating information in the public arena, the management of the Lagos University Teaching (LUTH) has absolved its hospital and staff from referring Miss Mayowa Ahmed, 31, a LUTH patient overseas for further treatment.

This came as Aramide Kasumu, founder of Lifestake Foundation, who was involved in the #SaveMayowa fundraising campaign, alleged that the family of Mayowa Ahmed, realised N85 million from the campaign but lied to the public that only N30 million was raised, according to an online news portal, TheCable.

Similarly, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, has directed full scale investigation into the report that the “Save Mayowa campaign” is a fraud.

According to a statement signed by the management of LUTH, the tertiary hospital similarly was emphatic that LUTH was not involved with any fund-raising activity for Mayowa who presented with a history of clinical features of an ‘intra-abnominal mass’.

LUTH has also appealed to the public to await the outcome of ongoing police investigations concerning the disturbance of the peace yesterday around the LUTH ward premises where an altercation involving Ahmed’s relatives and persons not known to the hospital ensued.

“The police were invited to restore peace in the hospital and both parties were presently with the police.

It will be recalled that Mayowa’s family, supported

by Nollywood actress, Toyin Aimakhu, had launched an online appeal to raise funds for her cancer surgery in an Atlanta- based hospital in the United States (U.S).

Kasumu, said she personally drove Mayowa from her house to LUTH, said the family’s story on how the money would be spent on Mayowa’s recovery is not adding up.

“The brothers came publicly and said they raised N30million when in actual fact they raised N85million,” she said.

“And they said they had a visa when they didn’t have a visa.

They solicited funds to go to America, now they’re saying they’re going Dubai. So a lot of things were not adding up; they were not being straight-

forward.”

According to Toyin Aimakhu, who was also involved in the campaign, the fund-raiser has turned out to be a scam.

On its part, LUTH stated that although, Ahmed was an old patient of LUTH who has been on treatment for another condition, she came into the Private Wing of LUTH on Monday, July 25, 2016 with a history of intra-abdominal mass.

“The family and the patient brought along some results of laboratory investigations ordered and done from outside LUTH. Three different Specialists were invited to review Mayowa.

“The Gynaecologist, Oncologist and Haematologist all arrived at a tentative diagnosis of an abdominal malignancy.

They planned to conduct a series of fresh tests to confirm the definitive diagnosis, since the earlier tests were neither requested nor authorised by any doctor from LUTH.” According to the statement, the family however requested to fly Miss Ahmed outside the country barely 24 hours after her admission in LUTH, thus stalling all the planned investigations meant to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.

“We were able to transfuse her with much-needed blood only after lots of persuasion where the family was told point blank that it was risky for her to travel by air, given her low blood count.”

“Today is the 3rd day after admission and a definitive diagnosis has not yet been made while the relations insist on their own to carry her abroad,” it added.

Furthermore, LUTH stated, “has only dealt with Miss Ahmed and her relations throughout her stay and not with any other third party.”

Meanwhile, the Police in a statement issued by its Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmus, stated that the Founder of Lifestake Foundation, Ms Aramide Kasumu, and two members of the ailing Aramide Shukura Ahmed’s family, Mr Iwaloye Seun and Mrs Zaneen Ahmed, were earlier yesterday invited to the command’s headquarter on a fact finding mission.

The statement stated: “The command had placed a red alert on the access bank account opened in the name of Mayowa as it has been frozen while effort is ongoing to contact the managers of Gofundme online account so as to ensure funds raised through that platform is not fraudulently diverted.”

Sport Extra 55

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

30 JUly 2016

Sport Slaming

Who will pursue dad’s unfulfilled dreams?

Adekunle Salami

•Keshi’s daughter asks at graveside

adekunles@yahoo.com 08050498539 (sms only)

•Delta Speaker, Rufai, Ikpeba, others in tears Dominic Adewole

"D Asaba

addy, who will fulfil your dreams? Who will lift the World Cup trophy for Nigeria?

Haa! Daddy, you left us when you were most needed."

With these words at the graveside on Friday, Jennifer, the daughter of the late Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, bid his father ‘goodbye’.

Jennifer, who cried uncontrollably when her father was being interred at Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, regretted that the Big Boss suddenly died without fulfilling his lofty dreams.

According to her, after winning the Nations' Cup for Nigeria in 2013, he had wished to lift the World Cup trophy also for the country before a consuming crisis threw a spanner in the works.

"Even in death, I give you the

whole of my heart in appreciation for your care and concern for me. Your memory will always bring happiness to my heart," she said in tears.

Also, the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Monday Igbuya, was in tears at the graveside of Keshi.

With gloomy face and swollen eyes, the Speaker joined football administrators, players, coaches and political leaders to offer tributes to Keshi.

Igbuya said Keshi had created a huge vacuum in Nigerian football.

“His death is a monumental national loss. It is very sad. It is very painful. He was a great footballer and coach. He made Delta State proud.

He did the nation and the youth proud by standing out in the crowd not only as a skillful player but as a coach. We will definitely miss him” Igbuya said Earlier, friends and fans of the late coach, including Austin Eguavoen,

Schweinsteiger retires from international duty

Keshi

Peter Rufai, Victor Ikpeba, Mutiu Adepoju, and others, who were at the Asaba Stadium for the lying-instate ceremony to catch a glimpse of his body, left with swollen eyes, filled with tears.

Top government functionaries, professionals and sportswriters, who filed out for him and accompanied the body from Benin, Edo State, where a requiem mass was conducted for him, wore long faces.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's Commissioner for Information., Patrick Ukah, who received his corpse at the boundary post between Delta and Edo States, at the venue lamented his last moments on earth.

Dapo Sotuminu

F

ormer Super Eagles chief coach, Adegboye Onigbinde, yesterday extolled the virtues of the late Nigerian football legend, Teslimi 'Thunder' Balogun, as his family celebrates his 44th year memorial today (Saturday).

Onigbinde said the late 'Thunder' Balogun was a hero whose fascinating exploits motivated a lot a companies in Nigeria to float football clubs, especially in Lagos.

He said: "When people talk about Teslimi Balogun they tend to omit the aspect of his level of fitness as a footballer.

He was a very fit player who never indulged in drinking nor smoking."

Baghdatis out of Olympics

W Schweinsteiger

orld number 42 Marcos Baghdatis has pulled out of the Olympic Games in Rio with a left elbow injury.

The Cypriot, 31, reached the third round at London 2012 and was due to appear in his third Games in Rio. In a statement on Facebook, the 2006 Australian Open finalist said he still had "niggling" pain in his elbow.

Samoura: UN prepared me for FIFA role

F

IFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura says the years she spent working in war zones for the United Nations have prepared her for her new job.

The Senegalese, 54, started her role at football's governing body last month.

She told BBC World Service: "I've covered almost all the emergency situations in the world, including Afghanistan, Liberia, Sierra Leone, East Timor, Kosovo and Nigeria.

"I think my last 20 years have prepared me for this complex situation."

Samoura is the first woman to hold the position of secretary general at FIFA. She replaced Jerome Valcke following the Frenchman's 12-year ban from all football-related activities after he was found guilty of misconduct.

Samoura said: "My background equips me to inject more diversity to make FIFA a more sustainable institution. I'm married to a former football player for 28 years who's also being a good advisor to me on a daily basis - but more importantly I have many, many friends among football players.”

N

igeria is indeed a super great country. The way events unfold is very interesting and one wonders how citizens cope with the various challenges faced on a daily basis to make ends

Onigbinde extols Thunder Balogun's virtues

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ermany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger has announced his retirement from international football.

The 31-year-old Manchester United midfielder was part of the squad that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

He retires as Germany's fourth mostcapped player of all time on 120 - behind Lothar Matthaus (150), Miroslav Klose (137) and Lukas Podolski (129).

"I had the opportunity to experience moments that have been indescribably beautiful and successful," he said.

Schweinsteiger made his international debut in 2004 and holds the German record for European Championship appearances, having played 18 times at the tournament.

The record was broken when he was brought on as a substitute in Germany's 1-0 group-stage win over Northern Ireland, surpassing Philipp Lahm's total of 14, before Joachim Low's side went out in the semifinals to France.

"I desperately wanted to win that title that we haven't been able to bring to Germany since 1996," said the former Bayern Munich player, who could leave Manchester United this summer.

Poor administration and other matters

Samoura

meet.

It is a tough call for me to choose just one topic in a very eventful week. FIFA boss Gianno Infantino was in Nigeria with the Secretary General of the body, Fatma Samoura. The visit has many good sides but that is if the Amaju Pinnick– led board of the Nigeria Football Federation is thinking right about the advantages. The visit of the FIFA President was a big boost and a signal to the corporate world that the NFF could be trusted and that should be a huge positive. Many other countries on the continent and beyond will also respect Nigeria as a big football nation but the NFF rather chose to use the visit to flaunt its legitimacy or score a political point. I think the development of the game and the drive to achieve results should be paramount. The way the NFF turned the visit into a tool for achieving a political point was however cruel and insensitive.

Only last weekend, the Flying Nigeria just Eagles, after an inspiring 2-1 away missed an victory over Sudan, lost 4-3 in Lagos. And so Nigeria will miss the opportunity U-20 Africa Nations Cup and the World Cup. No one saw that comto celebrate ing but it was a result of the poor Segun Toriola’s welfare the team complained about a few days to the second leg. Till seventh date, the team is being owed as appearance it was Lagos FA boss, Seyi Akinwunmi, who managed to raise at the games some money to enable the players to honour that match. That is a gento boost the eration lost. The NFF neglected the country’s team and the players were also not wise enough to put their career first image before money issues.

Similarly, there was a cry from Atlanta, USA, by Coach Samson Siasia of the U-23 team. The coaches are being owed five months’ salaries while the players were yet to be given allowances at as Thursday. Team Skipper Mikel Obi was magnanimous enough to release $30,000 for the team and that was commendable but why must the NFF thread this path always. The football federation in a release said Mikel denied giving the team money, but I confirmed the Chelsea man actually gave out the cash to help the team.

The NFF has money to sponsor over 40 FA chairmen to Abuja for Infantino’s visit, accommodate 17 African FA chairmen but had no money to take care of players and coaches. What a country!

Also during the week, a letter from the Secretary General of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria directing athletes to pay their way to Brazil went viral online. Though the ministry later denied ever asking anyone to send out the letter, investigations revealed that the man who did it was actually directed to do so. The backlash led to the turnaround as the athletes are expected to travel this weekend for the games. More stories of poor welfare and no motivation will come from Brazil because the ministry no doubt is struggling to cope with the challenges of the games.

The ministry also named Eagles skipper Mikel Obi as the Team Nigeria Captain even when the Olympics team has been handed over to the Nigeria Olympics Committee. Though there is no big deal about captaincy, but Mikel is not likely to stay at the Games Village with other athletes and Nigeria just missed an opportunity to celebrate Segun Toriola’s seventh appearance at the games to boost the country’s image. Why the sport minister Solomon Dalung chose to create more confusion for the Rio-bound team beats my imagination. Generally, the preparation for this competition is very poor...It is a pity.

The last of my random thoughts is the ugly behaviour of Heartland fans against their InfeayiUbah FC counterparts.

Many fans and players were injured after a league match in Owerri and my heart bleeds for the domestic league especially now that efforts are being made to woo fans back into our various stadia in the country. The League Management Company should provide independent security men. Certainly we can do better than this for our league.

SATURDAY, 30 JUly 2016

SATURDAY

DESTINATION Rio De Janerio: Discovering Brazil's Samba city p.42 in three days

Sanctity of Truth

N150

PERSPECTIVE

Dogara, padders and lawmaking business

p.53

New-look Messi attacks Rodgers' men L

Ajibade Olusesan ionel Messi has been trending on the social media because of his new look, and the Argentine striker will be more interested in shrugging off a torrid summer with a good showing as he begins pre-season with Barcelona.

The Blaugrana face Scotland side Celtic in an International Champions Cup tie in Dublin today, and coach Luis Enrique will be keen to see how his most-prized asset Messi gets back to his best after a disappointing summer which saw him bringing his international career to an abrupt end after losing in the final of Copa America.

The loss to defending champions Chile was the third consecutive finals the Argentina would lose having suffered a 1-0 defeat in the hands of Germany in the 2014 World Cup final and the Chileans again in the previous edition of Copa America.

Messi’s ordeal was compounded by a good run of form by his arch rival Cristiano Ronaldo at the Euro 2016 as the captain of Portugal lifted the coveted European trophy.

However, Enrique would have spoken with his talisman on the need to look into the future and help his Spanish side win especially the UEFA

Champions League they surrendered to a Ronaldo-inspired Real Madrid last term.

A good run in the International Champions Cup will be a good platform for them to launch a new campaign both on domestic front and internationally. A victory over Scottish champions today is important before they face English champions, Leicester, next week.

Messi seems to know the importance of this game and has talked up the need for concentration with a praise for their opponents.

"It is only a friendly, but I don’t think their fans know what a friendly is. There are a lot of Celtic fans in Ireland, and I expect them to make a lot of noise and create another special atmosphere,” the Argentina legend said.

“My aim this season is the same as always, to try and win every competition that Barcelona are in. That is what is expected of us as a club, not to prioritise, but to aim and win every competition that we are in.

“The Champions League is always a big competition for Barcelona. It is a special trophy, and one that I would like to win many more times. It is never easier, and this year will be no different.”

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