Saturday, october 22, 2016 binder1

Sports

SLAIN 3SC FOOTBALLER

My last discussion with Izu was on money, death, says team-mate

Pg. 31

City&Crime Update

WICKED MUM

Teenager abandoned to die, rescued by Good Samaritan Pg. 11

SATURDAY Saturday, October 22, 2016

Vol. 3 No. 976

Sanctity of Truth

/newtelegraph

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

N150

All arms of government are corrupt –Osinbajo

$2.1BILLION ARMS DEAL

fg to USE OBANIKORO AS PROSECUTION WITNESS

Pg. 6

PAGES 4, 5

...against Fayose, Omisore l EFCC re-arrests Fani-Kayode

IPOB, AFENIFERE, OTHERS TO BUHARI

Don't shield Amaechi

lNJC disagrees with NBA on indicted judges Lagos set to impose death sentence on kidnappers

My mum cried when I chose acting –Lolo 1 of Wazobia FM Pg. 19

Pgs. 3, 9 Pg. 6

Pg. 19

Pg

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

SATURDAY

Comment

Contents | 22.10.16

President and the judiciary

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here is something between President Muhammadu Buhari and the judiciary; from his days as a maximum ruler to the present democratic dispensation which clearly spells out the functions of the three arms of government and guarantees the independence of one from the other.

The recent arrest of seven top members of the judiciary in what the Nigerian Bar Association [NBA] has described as Gestapo style operation, by operatives of the Department of State Security [DSS] has further opened old wounds. It has also done more damage to the fight against corruption.

Supreme Court Justices Inyang Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta, Justice Mohammed Tsamiya of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin, Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Chief Judge of EnuguState, Jusice I.A. Umezulike, Justice Kabir Auta of the Kano High Court as well as Justice Muazu Pindiga of the Gombe High Court were taken from their homes in a midnight raid.

The DSS slammed allegations of corruption on the judges, claiming that huge sums of money in various denominations were recovered from the homes of some of them.

There are also reports that more judges will receive similar treatment in the days ahead.

While we applaud President Buhari’s fight against corruption in all facets of the society, it is important that he goes about it mindful of the fact that since he swore to defend the constitution of the Federal Republic, there is need to follow due process and the rule of law.

No citizen is above the law. Judges who have the power of life and death over compatriots, must also subject themselves to the laws of the land. Breaching the law is as criminal as the common criminals who are sentenced to the gallows.

However, it is also nauseating for operatives who are paid with tax payers’ sweat to go to the homes of any body, hooded, to carry out arrests at odd hours and in the presence of terrified family members including women and minors.

Expectedly, condemnations have trailed the invasion. The Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, could not conceal the embarrassment. He said: “It is indeed very saddening and deeply regrettable, the distressing and unfortunate incident which occurred on Friday October 7 and Sunday October 8, 2016.“ President of the NBA, Abubakar Mahmoud, did not mince words: “We view these actions as illegal and unconstitutional and a threat to the independence

of the judiciary and must be aimed at intimidating the judiciary and the legal profession. These military style operations are totally unacceptable in a democratic society,” he said.

It is sad that due process was not followed.

The National Judicial Council [NJC] has the statutory duty of handling cases involving judges and has not been a dormant part of the fight against corruption. Before the raid, the body had recommended Umezulike, Auta and Tsamiya for sanctions and had even cleared Pindiga of any wrong doing.

It is also to the credit of Justice Mahmoud who is spending his last days as CJN, that a lot of reforms have taken place in the judiciary. We can understand why he is so pained by the gross abuse of power by those whose statutory role is confined to internal security.

In all this, it is possible that President Buhari had been kept in the dark. His presidency covers the DSS as well as the Nigeria Police Force. While superior officers may be planning a mass purge of the police in Rivers state, we commend the State Police Commissioner for aborting what could have been bloodshed in Port Harcourt.

The DSS which was created from the police does not have the power to do the job of the police. It also does not have the power to usurp the functions of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission ICPC] or stand in for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC].

Governor Nyesom Wike, had to wade in as the DSS operatives stormed another judge’s home in the Garden City. As the Chief Security of Rivers State, the governor did the needful because it was not clear to him at the time, that those hooded invaders were not a band of insurgents who could have come to disturb the peace of the state.

The Judiciary acts as a check to balance our democracy. While not absolving anyone of any wrong doing, we urge President Buhari to beware of some of the men around him who may be doing jobs outside their jurisdiction. At the end, no one would remember what they did, posterity can only remember what the President did not do to check them.

The President must resist the temptation to step into the realm of the judiciary and the legislature, that is one sure way of enjoying his tenure and giving his best.

And he must not allow politicians to trick him into a field that will create more confusion. There are clear ways of fighting corruption.

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

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Managing Editor, Business & Strategy n Yemi Ajayi

Managing Editor, Publication & Operations n Emeka Obasi

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

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Trendy kimono

INSTYLE

Can there be anything more comfortable and trendy than a kimono?

Kimono is the rave of the season; hardly will you walk down a street without seeing one or two persons layering with kimono. If you have a strapless dress but wish to cover up a bit or the forecast says that the weather is going to be cooler, a kimono over it can add some modesty or remove a bit of the chill

}15

Mystyle

Anejo’s love affair with accessories Mathew Abiche Anejo is the creative director and CEO of DabichXperts, a fashion outlet that clothes politicians and celebrities. He speaks about his love for accessories- shows and bracelets especially- outfits that will trend in 2017, what makes a man well dressed, his style philosophy and much more

}17

Interiors

Exotic wine bar

A wine bar is ideal for aesthetics and doesn’t need to take up a lot of space.

A wine bar is the most comfortable place to have chat and get relaxed not forgetting the cosy mood it provides to talk to friends and family on just about anything. Installing a wine bar in your home, apart from being a classy way to entertain family members and guests, can also act as decorative element

}18

SHOWBIZ

Lolo’s love tango Comedienne, actor and hilarious on-air-personality, Omotunde Adebowale, otherwise known as Lolo has proven her effervescence beyond doubts. The lady who has become the rave of the moment via her role as ‘Adaku’ in the comic sitcom, Jenifa’s Diary, shares her story of failed marriage, career and childhood in a compelling read

}19

SPORT

An ex-Eagle’s undying love Former Super Eagles player Patrick Pascal’s undying love for the national team he played for, for many years continues with his role as general coordinator of the team. He recalls his sojourn in Ibadan with 3SC where he’s still a beloved figure, winning the football gold at the 1996 Olympic Games, missing out of the 1998 World Cup, working with new German coach, Gernot Rohr and more

}25

THE ARTS

Echoes of slave trade The recent stage production of the play MAAFA: Point of No Return, by the National Troupe of Nigeria in collaboration with Eda Theatre International brought to the fore the disquieting story of slave trade.

Significantly, it is a story of liberation, of change. It draws the attention of the society to the need for peace, love, and possibility of having a united Nigeria

}37

3

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

Pictures that tell stories

FROM OPEN FIRES TO MODERN KITCHEN STOVES

I

n the industrialised world, as stoves replaced open fires and braziers as a source of more efficient and reliable heating, models were developed that could also be used for cooking, and these came to be known as kitchen stoves. When homes began to be heated with central heating systems, there was less need for an appli-

ance that served as both heat source and cooker and stand-alone cookers replaced them. Cooker and stove are often used interchangeably.

Modern kitchen stoves may use alternative methods for heating food.

Natural gas and electric stoves are the most common today in western countries. Both are equally effective and

safe, and the choice between the two is largely a matter of personal preference and pre-existing utility outlets: if a house has no gas supply, adding one just to be able to run a gas stove is an expensive endeavor. In particular, professional chefs often prefer gas cooktops, for they allow them to control the heat more finely and more quickly.

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Corruption: FG to arraign indicted judges next week Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

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trong indications emerged yesterday that the Federal Government would arraign the seven judges that were arrested and released on bail by the Department of State Service over alleged corruption next week.

The DSS had on October 8 and 9 raided the apartments of about seven judges, arrested and released them on bail over allegation of corruption.

Those involved are two Supreme Court JusticesIyang Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta.

Others are Justices Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court Abuja, Kabir Auta of the Kano High Court, Muazu Pindiga of Gombe High Court, Mohammed Tsamiya of the Court of Appeal in Ilorin, and the Chief Judge of Enugu State, I. A. Umezulike.

This was just as the Nigerian Bar Association NBA, which had at the initial stage of the arrest lambasted the DSS, said that it had to call on the affected judge to leave their office and face trial in the interest of justice.

Similarly, more judges have shown indication to resign from the Bench but for the rules barring them to return to the bar.

An authoritative source told Saturday Telegraph yesterday that in the bid to arraign the judges in court next week, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, had approved the immediate prosecution of the suspects.

He added that this was done so as not to give the erroneous impression that government was promoting corruption.

l More judges seek to withdraw from the bench

The source who prefers anonymity said the trial of the judges would be carried out in phases and handled by the National Prosecution Council, which was recently inaugurated by the AGF. The source however could ascertain whether the judges would be arraigned before a regular court or special one.

The source further stated that the refusal of the NJC to suspend the suspected judges was interpreted as a “slap” on the Presidency and that no country would allow a few people to constitute themselves into a cabal that is “above the law”.

“The charges are generally for corruption, with an isolated case of illegal possession of firearms to be pressed against one of the judges.

"The firearms were recovered from the home of one of the suspects by the DSS during the nocturnal raid on October 7 and this had sparked national outrage.

"I can tell you that the National Prosecution Council will lead the prosecution of the suspects, while the Director of Public Prosecution in the Federal Ministry of Justice will coordinate the team.

“The charges were cleared from the OHAGF only yesterday and the suspects are certainly going to be charged to court any moment from now. The Federal Government is not deterred by the refusal of the NJC to suspend the suspects from office", he added.

Asides the seven judges billed to be arraign next week, the DSS and EFCC had penciled down another eight that are yet to be arrested or invited for

questioning.

In its own change of tune, the NBA had asked all the judges being investigated over their alleged involvement in acts of corruption to resign or proceed on compulsory retirement to enable them to face prosecution.

The association said that it changed its stand in order to protect the sanctity and integrity of judicial processes.

The bar added that it was also meant to safeguard the public image of the judiciary as an institution.

Speaking through its national President, The A.B Mahmud SAN, it called on the National Judicial Council, NJC, to take very urgent steps to restore the sanctity of the courts.

He said: “I have in the course of the last two weeks or so made several statements and remarks on these developments. Our position is therefore well known. We have emphasised our commitment to safeguarding the independence of the nation’s judiciary.

“We therefore strongly recommend that, without prejudice to the innocence or otherwise of the Judges involved in the ongoing investigations, they should be required to recuse themselves from further judicial functions or required to proceed on compulsory leave until their innocence is fully and completely established or until the conclusion of all judicial or disciplinary proceedings.

“We believe this will be necessary in order to protect the sanctity and integrity of judicial processes that may involve the judges concerned and safeguard the public image of the in-

stitution.”

Meanwhile, there are strong indications that many serving judicial officers in the country have lost interest in the bench but are finding it difficult to resign their appointment.

Saturday Telegraph's investigation revealed that the judges in this category are complaining that the 1999 Constitution tied their hands against taking such decision.

It was learnt that the judicial officers are considering their families and unpredictable future in the country to reluctantly remain on the bench.

An impeccable source who spoke to Saturday Telegraph on the condition of anonymity said that time had come for an urgent review of section 292(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria if the government sincerely wanted to reform the judiciary.

The section specifically provides: “any person who has held office as judicial officer shall not, on ceasing to be a judicial officer, for any reason, whatsoever, thereafter appear, or act as a legal practitioner before any court of law or tribunal in Nigeria” According to the source, for that dangerous provision, many of the judicial officers will have tendered their letters of resignation and go back to the bar.

“There is no special school for judges. Both lawyers and judges read law together and were trained at law schools together. All you need as a judge, you already have it during your training.

You are to listen impartially to parties in cases and look at the law to decide them.

“Magistrates can go back to the bar if they lose their jobs or resign their appointments. I no longer see any reason why judges of superior courts of record should be barred from active practice.

“That section, if you ask me, promotes corruption on the bench. If you know that as a judicial officer in a high court, you must bow out of the bench at the age of 65 years and that under no circumstance, you cannot appear before any judge again, you will strive to gather money and assets for retirement.

“You may even be encouraged to collect what you should not collect particularly when criminals who are ready to offer you money in billions will appear before you. The fear of tomorrow can make a judge to commit.

“Be that as it may, many judges live within their means. Many of them have made their money before joining the bench. But when desperate politicians are in your court and want judgments in their favour at all costs, they are ready to do anything including writing frivolous petitions and concocting allegations against you as the presiding judge.

“The time has come for judges to be freed under Section 292 of the 1999 Constitution. If I can’t have honour and respect on the bench, I will rather go to the bar".

However, one of the judges operatives of the DSS attempted to arrest in PortHarcourt, Justice Liman, had reportedly threatened to resign his appointment on the account that the bench was fast losing its honour and aura of respectability.

Meanwhile, the National

Judicial Council (NJC), has rejected the call by the NBA asking the indicted judges to step aside pending conclusion of proceedings against them.

This was contained in the statement signed by the NJC’s Acting Director, Information, Mr. Soji Oye, yesterday.

The statement read in part, “Thus, the current position of the Nigerian Bar Association vis-à-vis its recommendation that the affected judicial officers involved in the ongoing investigation of Judicial Officers by the DSS, be requested to proceed on compulsory leave until the conclusion of all disciplinary proceedings against them, is unacceptable to the NJC; as it breaches the 2014 Revised Judicial Discipline Regulations formulated by NJC pursuant to Section 160 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

“It is to be reiterated also that by the provisions of Section 158 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, NJC shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person while exercising its disciplinary power of control over judicial officers in the federation.

“The members of the public are hereby informed that the mechanism that will determine a judicial officer to be directed or requested to proceed on compulsory leave or be suspended from office, is a disciplinary power that NJC can only exercise after initiating disciplinary proceeding on the complaint or petition forwarded against the Judge, after he has been found culpable."

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News

Olalekan Osiade he Federal Government may have concluded plans to make use of a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Mussiliu Obanikoro, as prosecution witness against the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and a former deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, in the ongoing probe of $2.1billion arms deal involving a former National Security Adviser (NSA) to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Fayose, had earlier been indicted by a military panel, which alleged that Fayose was among those given the money released by the former NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), in the build up to the 2015 general elections.

Saturday Telegraph gathered from sources within the presidency that Obanikoro, who flew into the country during the week, and surrendered himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had been penciled as one of the prosecution witnesses to be used against Fayose, when he is eventually brought to justice.

Although, the governor enjoys immunity as guaranteed by the constitution, indications emerged that he might be prosecuted as soon as he finishes his tenure.

Obanikoro, who is alleged to have also soiled

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

FG to use Obanikoro as prosecution witness against Fayose, Omisore

…reaches nolle prosequi accord with ex-minister his hands in the arms deal, would in return be left off the hook and not prosecuted as expected, as an agreement had been reached that the Federal Government would file a nolle prosequi (no case submission) against the former minister.

The source, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, explained that, with the manner the deal was brokered, Obanikoro, who was in the United States, had no choice but to agree and return home.

“The former minister offered to nail Fayose and reveal the secrets between them after much pressure, so that he can save himself. He was told that they will let him go if only he could help them, by standing as a prosecution witness against Fayose.

“They have been on it since March, but it took some time before he could agree to play along with them. He was also accused of fraud, that’s why he didn’t want to come back home until they gave him this chance.

“It was an opportunity to redeem his image and walk freely. He took a wise

decision by accepting the offer to be a prosecution witness because he can’t continue to hide in the United State. There is no place like home”, the source said.

Obanikoro had been in the news lately over reports that he had confessed to the EFCC and revealed all that transpired between him and Fayose. He was reported to have admitted that he gave Fayose the sum of N2.3billion from the NSA. Another source, who claims to be privy to the details of the negotiations,

said that the powers that be had already made up their minds to nail Fayose and that is why the Muhammadu Buhari-led adminstartion is exploiting that option.

“You know that a sitting governor has immunity, but we are prepared to wait till 2018, by then, he would have finished his second term in office and there won’t be any immunity for him. One thing is certain; a lot of people would have been convicted by then, including some of his indicted aides.

“And if all those indicted

Jibrin sues Reps for N1bn Philip Nyam Abuja

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he suspended former chairman of the House of Representatives committee on appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin has dragged the leadership of the House to an Abuja federal High Court seeking N1 billion damages.

In an originating summons in Suit No. FHC/ ABJ/CS/ 812/16 in Hon

Abdulmumin Jibrin vs.

The Speaker, House of Represebtatives & 2 ORS before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court 3 Abuja, Jibril is chllenging hi suspension from the House for 180 days.

A statement from his counsel, Chukwuma Nwachukwu, said: “The sum of N1billion being general damages for the suspension of the Plaintiff for 180 legislative days from the floor of

with him are already in jail before his tenure ends, tell me how he won’t face his own music. It is only a matter of time before the long arm of the law catches up with him”, the female source said.

However, Fayose, apparently disturbed by the turn of events, had earlier issued a statement, alleging that the return of the ex-minister from the United States was an “arranged and compromised” move that is tailored towards nailing him.

Fayose described Obanikoro’s voluntary return the 2nd Defendant.”

The lawyer, who said the court had slated the suit for hearing on November 22, said his client was seeking amongst other prayers a declaration that his suspension, “from the floor of the House of Representatives for 180 legislative days commencing from September 28, 2016 is a violation of the Plaintiff’s fundamental right to freedom of expression guaranteed by Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)."

and his surrender to the EFCC as an orchestrated plot to see that he is “implicated at all costs”.

“Those who arranged the dramatic and compromised return of Senator Obanikoro to Nigeria obviously did so in continuation of their project ‘Fayose must be implicated at all cost’ but I am not bothered because my election was legitimately funded.

“However, if this is why they are intimidating judges and the judiciary, it won’t work as far as my own matter is concerned as no one can play God. As far as I am concerned, I am busy here in Ekiti attending to the welfare and well-being of my people. I won’t be distracted” While the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwajeren, did not respond to text message sent to him on the matter, Fayose's spokesman, Lere Olayinka, said his boss was aware of the anti-graft agency's plan. He however said the governor would not trade words with the commission.

Olayinka said: "We already know what they want to do, but we are not perturbed. We don't need to respond to their actions, we shall meet in court".

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

5

EFCC re-arrests Fani-Kayode over alleged N4.6bn fraud Akeem Nafiu

with agency reports

l Knows fate Nov 14 l Dasuki to be re-arraigned Nov 16

former Minister of Aviation and the Media Director of Goodluck Jonathan 2015 Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, was yesterday re-arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was arrested and driven to the commission’s office after the conclusion of proceedings in a criminal charge filed against him and three others over alleged N4.6 billion fraud.

The arrest, however, came on a day it was gathered that the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, would be re-arraigned before an Abuja division of the Federal High Court on

November 16 before Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf.

The EFCC had on June 28 arraigned the former minister and three others on a 17-count charge of alleged N4.6billion fraud.

Apart from Fani-Kayode, other accused persons arraigned by the anti-graft agency are the former Minister of State for Finance, Mrs. Esther Nenadi Usman; one Danjuma Yusuf and a company, John Trust Dimensions Nigeria Limited.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and were later admitted to bail in the sum of N250 million each.

The EFCC in a charge marked FHC/L/ C/251c/2016, accused the defendants of conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering.

A

Saturday Telegraph gathered that Fani-Kayode’s arrest might not be unconnected with his nonavailability at the last proceedings of a criminal trial initiated against him by the anti-graft agency at an Abuja Federal High Court.

Prior to Fani-Kayode’s arrest, the EFCC had opened his case against him and others by calling his first witness, Idowu Olusegun, a media consultant.

While being led in evidence by EFCC's lawyer,

Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness informed the court that N30 million was paid in cash to him, by the office of the director of media and publicity, PDP campaign organisation.

He said he had reached an agreement with an organisation, Paste Posters Company Limited, for the sum of N24 million for media consultancy services.

He said a further negotiation was reached in which N50 would be paid for each size of A2 posters, while N20 would be paid

for each size of A4 flyers.

Olusegun told the court that after the printing job for the posters and flyers was done, he was invited to the office of the organisation, and given N30 million in cash.

He told the court that he had demanded to know why payments was made in cash but was informed by one, Mr Oke, that the cash was the approved means of payment.

He said Oke was the person communicating with him throughout the pen-

JTF frees kidnap victim, foils another abduction in Niger Delta

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he Joint Military Operation in the Niger Delta yesterday said it had freed a kidnap victim and foiled another kidnap attempt in a bid to halt oil theft and criminality in the area.

According to a statement issued in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State by the spokesman for the Joint Force, codenamed “Operation Delta Safe”, Lt.Cdr. Thomas Otuji, said the feats were achieved on Wednesday.

The statement noted that: “On October19, 2016, Operation Delta Safe gallant troops’ resilience paid off when in conjunction with the Nigeria Police and Vigilance group, rescued a kidnap victim, Chief Matron of Ughelli Central Hos-

pital, Mrs. Patience Abere.

“The victim was rescued at her residence in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State. The matron was abducted by three notorious armed men in her Kia Soul car with registration number: AS 609 UGH. “One of the suspects, Mr Innocent Egboboh, was apprehended while two fled on sighting the troops.

Two locally-made pistols and three live cartridges were recovered from the suspect,” Otuji stated.

The spokesman said that troops also foiled a kidnap attempt, trailed and arrested two suspected kidnappers at Okwugbude Community in Okpe Local Government Area, Delta State.

No criminal will escape justice –IGP T he Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is ever ready and more determined to ensure that all those who engage in vicious crimes do not escape justice.

A statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Don Awunah, said the IGP listed the crimes as: kidnappings, armed robbery and other criminal activities.

Awunah said this stance was what made the operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to swing into action to check such crimes.

He said the team had on Oct. 12 launched a massive onslaught on the kidnappers of some residents of GRA Phase II, Port Harcourt main town, Borikiri General Area and YKC axis of Woji in Rivers State.

“This feat yielded prompt outcome as the hoodlums were arrested as a result of due diligence and intelligence exhibited by members of the Police Force complimented by public spirited citizens eager to curb crimes in the society.

“The suspects who were responsible for most kidnappings in Port Harcourt, were arrested at different locations in Rivers,” he said.

Awunah said the suspects arrested during the operation were: Daniel Gabriel, the gang leader, Alaso Igodo, Akeodi Aselemi and Ayibinmoter Livinus, among others.

He said items recovered from them were: One 1 AKA 47 Rifle with bridge NO. 0731, Four 4 AKA 47 Magazines with 42 live ammunitions, four face masks and one green Mazda saloon car used by the syndicate as operational vehicle.

L-R: National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole and Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo, during the arrival of vice-president for the coronation of Oba Ewuare II in Benin…on Thursday.

PHOTO: NAN

Taiwo Hassan

A

former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi Lamido II; Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola and Founder/General Overseer, Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, have charted a road map for the nation’s economy as the country grapples with recession.

Speaking at the first annual conference and public presentation of The Point Newspaper in Lagos yesterday, the trio said the only way out for the country's economic woes is for President Muhammadu Buhariled administration to push aggressive backward integration programme that would prioritise local production, discourage foreign imports, promote agriculture and industrialisation.

According to the Emir, the Buhari administration is facing daunting economic

dency of his engagement to do the media jobs.

The witness also told the court that apart from the N30 million paid to him, there is also an outstanding payment of N24 million which was not paid to his company.

Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned to November 14.

Meanwhile, Dasuki was formally arraigned before two judges in the same court by the EFCC until his counsel, Joseph Daudu, sought the merger of the two charges.

The two cases were for Dasuki’s alleged roles in a total N41 billion scam, according to an online news portal, Premium Times.

Daudu said the charges brought against his client in both courts were of similar content. He made a request, pursuant to sections six and thirty-six of the 1999 Constitution, as well as various sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, requesting the courts to consolidate the charges.

The counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Jacobs, did not object the application.

The cases were then forwarded to the Chief Judge of the Court, Ishaq Bello, for consideration of the application for merger.

When the case resumed yesterday before one of the judges handling the matter, Baba-Yusuf, after hours of private deliberation by counsel and the court, Baba-Yusuf announced the decision of the Chief Judge to bring both charges before one court, hence the continuation of the matter before his court.

Recession: Sanusi, Aregbesola, Bakare chart path for the economy challenges that have been spiraling from past administrations, which has now crystallized into recession.

He said the country would get out of its economic woes and recession if it continues to allow foreign economic powers like China, United States of America (USA), United Kingdom and France to dominate its economy in the name of foreign assistance, aids and borrowing.

Aregbesola and Bakare who also spoke at the event lamented the present economic woes of the country while prescribing a new way of solving the economic problem just as reflected by the emir in his earlier presentation The Emir insisted that foreign economic powers do not have the interest of Nigeria at heart rather they

are looking for opportunities to exploit the economy of Nigeria.

Specifically, Sanusi fingered Chinese investors for ruining Nigeria's agriculture sector, especially in terms of importation of tomatoes paste into the country, substandard goods and leather for shoe making.

He described this act as economic sabotage that has destroyed the growth of local industries and manufacturing sector. He disclosed that Nigeria imports three million pairs of shoes annually from China, adding it is deficit for the economy and should never have been allowed.

"The Chinese investors are not just beating us in efficiency; they are beating us also in unfair trade practice. Look at this issue of tomato paste; the moment they heard that Dangote is

building tomato paste industry they increased the price of the product. It's deliberate economic sabotage that someone could go and produce tomato paste in Shanghai after getting government's subsidy and come and dump it on our shores and also destroy our industries.’’

He continued: "This rosy painted view we have about China as people who have come to develop Africa, we must remove it from our sense as the Chinese, American, British and French are not any different when they come here as they are after their economic interests.

"The idea that China has come to develop our economy is false. Sorry, China too also has billions of people that they have to provide jobs for," Sanusi said.

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News

Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

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ice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has said that all three arms of government: executive, legislature and the judiciary are corrupt.

The vice-president, who spoke yesterday at the grand finale of the 4th convocation of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, said to be out of the problem, there was need for reorientation of values among Nigerians, especially the political leadership, if current war against corruption must be won.

He said: “All the institutions of government, I mean the executive, legislature and

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 October 2016

All arms of government are corrupt – Osinbajo

the judiciary are corrupt. What we need is serious value reorientation.”

While describing ABUAD as a great university given its achievements since it was established, Osinbajo explained that the country might leverage on the training system provided for learners in institution to reverse horrifying corruption picture.

“As it teaches learning, character and morality, so does value reorientation is a key weapon to fight corruption. That was why the present Federal Government is intervening, because if we refuse to do that every facet of the country will fail. We must

l Fayose to FG: Give Ekiti airport

act fast and deal with the situation as quickly as possible,” he pointed out.

The vice-president assured Nigerians that no sector of the society would be left untouched in the anti-graft war under the present administration.

He recalled it was Babalola who in 2002 argued in favour of the establishment of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

“I have great respect for Chief Afe Babalola because of his stand against corruption.

Sometimes in 2002, Chief Babalola argued the case for the

establishment of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) where he let the court realised that corruption was the greatest problem of our nation.

On the request for an airport by Governor Ayodele Fayose, who was present at the occasion, Osinbajo said: “Ekiti State deserves an airport but I have discussed what we need in return with his Excellency. The Federal Government will continue to give support to every project that will fast track development in each of the states of the federation. We know how important

is this airport to Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti.”

On his part, Fayose said the state deserves an airport, calling on the Federal Government to support the state government to actualise that.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, the governor noted that being a landlocked state, the state deserves an airport, as many federal roads in the state are not in good condition.

“This is a miracle university. It came into being in 2009 and has become a reference point in Africa. The VP was amazed at the level of development and I advise the

Woman kills fiancé two months to wedding Kunle Olayeni, Abeokuta

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gun State Police Command has arrested a middle-aged woman, Omolara Oluwagbemi Abosede, for allegedly killing her fiancé, one Sodiq Dauda.

The woman was said to have stabbed the deceased on the rib with a kitchen knife following a disagreement between them.

Saturday Telegraph gathered that though the wedding of the duo is slated for December this year, they had been cohabiting in a rented apartment.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the arrest of the woman, saying she committed the crime on Tuesday.

Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said in a statement that Dauda lost his life the following day (Wednesday) at the Ijebu-Ode General Hospital where he was rushed to.

According to him, the two lovers had minor disagreement over non-rendering of proper account of the gas business the man entrusted to his would-be wife.

He said the suspect confessed during interrogation that she stabbed her husbandto-be after he broke a bottle and threatened to stab her.

Oyeyemi explained that Dauda's mother tried to settle the feud before the unexpected happened.

“According to the suspect during interrogation, she claimed that her husband beat her up and sent her away from their apartment. But when she called the mother in-law, she was told to come back home as she will be coming to settle the matter,’’ disclosed the police officer.

“She stated further that immediately she got home, the husband descended on her, beat her mercilessly and broke a bottle which he threatened to stab her with.

It was then she too took a kitchen knife which she used to stab him on the rib.

NDLEA discovers cocaine inside brassiere

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he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has prevented a 30 year-old Brazil-based hair stylist, Nnanji Juliet Ijeoma, from smuggling cocaine into the country.

Officials discovered that the brassiere of the suspect was laden with narcotics at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos during the inward screening of passengers on a South African Airways flight.

The suspected white

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Wale Elegbede

idnappers in Lagos State may have to face capital punishment as the state government may soon join the growing number of states such as Edo, Ogun and Anambra that have imposed death sentence on kidnappers.

According to a private member Bill sponsored by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, any person, who kidnaps, abducts, details or captures or takes another person by any means or tricks his or her with intent to demand ransom or do anything against

powdery substance tested positive for cocaine with a gross weight of five hundred and thirty-five (535) grammes. Sequel to this seizure the agency has vowed to detect more hidden drugs and prosecute offenders.

NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba, said Ijeoma was a “30 year-old lady, who was arrested on her way from Brazil, following the discovery of 535 grammes of cocaine hidden inside her brassiere. The incident is being investigated and she will soon be charged to court.”

L – R: Chief Executive Officer, London Stock Exchange (LSE), Nikhil Rathi; Director General, National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Chinelo AnohuAmazu; UK Minister for International Trade, Greg Hands; Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; Executive Director, Capital Markets Division, NSE, Haruna Jalo-Waziri, at the opening bell ceremony of the London Stock Exchange in London... yesterday

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Ndubuisi Ugah motions ran high on Thursday night when eminent Nigerians from all strata of life converged on Lagos to watch the premiere of ‘Olobiri,’ a movie which mirrors the suffering and pains of the people in the oil-producing communities in Niger Delta.

Among the personalities who were present at the occasion were the former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon; and former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku among others, who expressed regrets over the poor state of Oloibiri community, Bayelsa State, since 1959 when oil was first discovered in the area.

Speaking at the occasion, Gowon, who was the special guest of honour, said after watching the film, it became obvious that the Federal Government had done great wrong to the people of Oloibiri, the first place oil was

60 years after, Gowon apologises over Oloibiri’s abandonment lAdmits oil-producing states treated unfairly lAnyaoku, others rue community’s neglect discovered in Nigeria in large commercial quantity and the Niger Delta region.

He said: “Watching through the movie, I cannot help but feel the plight of Oloibori and all other oil-producing communities and their people. I agree that the movie mirrors a clear manifestation of the collective negligence and failure of leadership in successive governments in our country. ‘‘Looking back today, I must confess here that the people of Oloibiri have felt badly neglected and of course, they are hurt.”

He stated that, as a country and people, we must acknowledge that along the way,

we had made mistakes, adding: “Clearly, Oloibiri community has not been treated fairly; they deserve our sympathy, consideration, and collective resolve to develop this once vibrant community.”

The former head of state urged the government to seek ways of rectifying the past wrongs.

He said: “I move as a former head of state to offer the nation’s profound regrets and my personal apology to the good people of Oloibiri with the prayers to the present and future government at all levels in the land to work towards redressing the wrongs of the past to these people.

“I also request the people

Lagos set to impose death sentence on kidnappers his/her will commits an offence, and liable on conviction to death sentence.

The bill, which is titled 'A bill for a law to provide for the prohibition of the act of kidnapping and for other connected purposes,' went through a public hearing on Friday at the Lateef jakande Hall within the Assembly premises with some stakeholders in attendance.

Attempt to kidnap was also criminalised under the bill and it was suggested that such a person would be committed to life imprisonment.

Also, the bill is against false representation to release a kidnapped or abducted per-

VP and FG to do something tangible to assist this great institution. This university is the largest employer of labour after EKSG. It is another government in Ekiti. We are proud of you and happy that the university is located here,” he said.

On his part, the founder of the institution, Babalola, said unlike the situation in public universities, ABUAD was graduating the fourth set of its students in six years of its establishment, adding that graduates of the institution were already working and causing wonders in various spheres across the globe.

He said his vision was to produce quality graduates that would be able to compete with their peers anywhere in the world.

son under section 4, and this attracts seven years imprisonment.

Furthermore, the bill provides that any person, who knowingly or willfully allows or permits his premises, building or a place belonging or occupied to which he has control of, to be used for the purposes of keeping a person kidnapped is guilty of an offence under the law and liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of 14 years without an option of fine.

A legal practitioner, Mr Richard Komolafe, from the United Action for Change (UAC), who spoke at the stakeholders meeting, com-

mended the bill but said that death sentence was no longer fashionable all over the world.

Komolafe said: “Hanging itself is inhuman by conventions as against life imprisonment. I appreciate this bill, it is very timely, but we hope it will be passed in time.”

He, however, urged the lawmakers to find a way of not getting genuine rescuers from being robed in cases of pretentious kidnap.

Another stakeholder, who is the Director of Legal Drafting in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Yejide Kolawole, who also commended the bill, said that it was essential that

element of conspiracy attempt to kidnap be added in the Bill.

“I suggest 21 years imprisonment for conspiracy to kidnap, depending on the level of involvement. However, seven years penalty for section 4 is too mild. I suggest 20 years to deter those who would want to engage in the crime.

“On section 5, anyone who instigates kidnapping should be given a stiffer penalty of 25 years, though the person does not participate overtly in act.

“On section 7, owners of a building used to aid kidnapping should have a higher punishment than mere forfeiture of property,” she said.

of Oloibiri to forgive the oversight and mistakes of the government and the corporate government of Nigeria.

“I have great faith in our youth in the Delta region. The future is yours; if you keep it whole, you will be able to build a better country than we would leave to you today. It is up to you to love your country, defend it whether good or bad but try to make it right.

“In the Delta region, do not go on destroying all these facilities that you would need to develop. For God’s sake, stop doing that, because you are hurting yourself and you are hurting the nation as a whole.”

Similarly, Anyaoku said the movie had successfully told the story of crude oil in Oloibiri and abandonment of the place after 22 years of producing oil.

He said: “I recall, as an undergraduate at the then University College of Ibadan in 1956, the joy that greeted the discovery of the first crude oil in a commercial quantity in Nigeria in Oloibiri. I was one of those who expected that Oloibiri and her environment were destined to be the pride of the nation. But that was not to be.”

The former Secretary General of Commonwealth, however, believed that the film was a great service not to the people of Olobiri and Niger Della region alone, but to everyone, especially our government.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 October 2016

FG to issue Eurobond worth $1bn soon Tony Chukwunyem and Taiwo Hassan with agency report

lNigeria rakes N184bn from port reforms in 2015 lExxon lifts force majeure on Qua Iboe

he Federal Government expects to sell a Eurobond worth around $1 billion before the end of the year and is in the process of appointing managers for the sale, Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said yesterday.

Similarly, the Presidency has

disclosed that the automated port concession reform carried out at the nation’s gateways in 2012 has increased the country’s port revenue to 25 per cent, while actual port revenue also increased from N57 billion in 2005 to N184 billion in 2015.

The Eurobond is part of country’s plans to borrow a total

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CHANGE AND CONFIRMATION OF NAME

udoh

I formerly known as MISS OGUAMA DIANA NKECHI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. UDOH DIANA NKECHI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

adeniji

ajadi

I formerly known, called and addressed as KASALI FALILAT MOJISOLA now wish to be known, called and addressed as AJADI FALILAT MOJISOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public note.

ikedi

I formerly known, called and addressed as RISKAT SUMBO ANDREWS now wish to be known, called and addressed as BOSE SUMBO ADENIJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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orishteme

atanda

Formerly known, called and addressed as MAKA JOY now wish to be known,called and addressed as MAKA ORISHTEME. All former documents remainvalid. Ecobank plc, Sterling Bank Plc and general public should please take note.

ajadi

I formerly known, called and addressed as KASALI FALILAT MOJISOLA now wish to be known, called and addressed as AJADI FALILAT MOJISOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public note.

okere

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OBAJI

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olu

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tochukwu

I, formerly known and addressed as NWOKO VIVIAN OPARA, now wish to be known and addressed as NWOKO VIVIAN TOCHUKWU. All documents bearing my former name remain valid. The general public please take note.

ede

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All former documents remain valid.

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This is to confirm that AFOLABI OLUMIDE ATANDA and ADEBAYO AFOLABI refers to the same person.

Henceforth wish to be known and addressed as AFOLABI OLUMIDE ATANDA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

johnpaul

This is to notify the general public that the names Obi Nnamdi Johnpaul, Obi Nnamdi Paul and Obi Otika Nnamdi John Paul refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Obi Nnamdi Johnpaul. All former documents remain valid. Banks and the general public please take note.

ime

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This is to confirm that the names Yeoriton Cyril Dokubo and Esther Cyril refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Yeoriton Cyril Dokubo. All former documents remain valid. Diamond bank Plc and the general public please take note.

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I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adaeze Chikaosolu Ijeh now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adaeze Chikaosolu Stephen Emeya. All former documents remain valid. Banks, N.Y.S.C, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (M.D.C.N) and the general public should please take note.

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udoh

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of N1.8 trillion ($5.8 billion) from abroad and at home to fund an expected budget deficit of N2.2 trillion this year.

“We are appointing parties this week, we are hoping to come before the end of the year,” Adeosun told Reuters at the sidelines of an investment conference at the London Stock Exchange.

Although she gave no details, she later told the conference that: “We have headroom and we are very fortunate in that regard, we have very low debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio.”

Africa's biggest economy has slipped into recession for the first time in 25 years, brought on by low oil prices that have cut government revenues and weakened the OPEC member's currency. Crude oil sales make up 70 per cent of national income.

The African Development Bank has said it would help Nigeria to overcome its recession. The lender's board is expected to grant a $1 billion loan at a rate of around 1.2 percent, which Nigeria could use to help plug its deficit.

The minister said she hoped oil prices would stabilise around $42 and $50 per barrel even as oil edged higher yesterday, with Brent crude futures 12 cents higher at $51.50.

Adeosun also said the government had spent N770 billion on capital expenditures since President Muhammadu Buhari signed the 2016 budget in May. Also, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment in the Office of the Vice-President, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this yesterday during the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)/Financial Derivative Company (FDC) Public Private Dialogue on Port

efficiency and Maritime sector in Lagos.

She said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was determined to turn around the country’s gateway sector by ensuring that there were standard infrastructure put in place at the port, which would help block revenue leakage, improve process efficiency and reduce human intervention.

Meanwhile, ExxonMobil has lifted force majeure on Nigeria’s Qua Iboe crude oil, the nation’s largest export stream, a spokesman said yesterday.

The grade had been under force majeure since a leak on the main pipeline bringing the oil to the export terminal forced the company to close it in July.

News 7 Septuagenarian arraigned over N1.6m fraud

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Septuagenarian, Adewale Murtala, yesterday appeared before an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court for allegedly duping the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Osun province 1, N1.6 million.

Murtala, 71, is facing a twocount charge of fraud and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Taiwo Adegoke, told the court that septuagenarian committed the offence sometimes in Feb. 2012 at about 12.45 p.m at Temidire Estate, Osogbo.

Adegoke said the accused fraudulently obtained N1.6 million from Pastor Alade Samuel of the church in an attempt to sell a piece of land to him, knowing it to be fake.

He said the plot of land belonged to another person before

the pastor was duped and N1.6 million collected from him.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened sections 419 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code cap 34 vol.11 laws of Osun, 2003.

Murtala pleaded not guilt to the charge, and his Counsel, Mrs Oketade Olufunke, prayed the court to grant her client bail in the most liberal terms.

The Magistrate, Mrs Halimatu Bashiru, granted bail to the septuagenarian in the sum of N500,000 and two sureties in like sum.

Bashiru said the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, attach an affidavit of means and evidence of tax payment.

She said the sureties must also produce two passport sized photographs, and adjourned the case till December 21 for hearing.

Presidency: N’Assembly delaying submission of 2017 budget Chukwu David,

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Abuja

ndications emerged yesterday from the Presidency, that the National Assembly might be responsible for delay in early presentation of the 2017 Appropriation Bill for the consideration and passage by the apex Parliament.

The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly MattersSenate, Senator Ita Enang, gave this indication while briefing the Senate correspondent in Abuja.

Enang said President Muhammadu Buhari would lay the budget after the Na-

tional Assembly passed the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), which is currently before the Senate and the House of Representatives.

He, however, disclosed that both the National Assembly and the Executive were collaborating to ensure that the 2017 budget was passed in good time to pave the way for early commencement of implementation.

Enang urged Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Government in its quest to provide food, employment and security for the people, in view of the concerted efforts to pass the budget early.

He said: “One of the questions you always ask is on the budget of 2017. I want to assure you that, first, the budget implementation for 2016 is

going on very well and everything is going on as expected and appropriated.

“For the 2017 budget, you will agree that the process starts with the laying of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper. Mr. President has submitted that to the National Assembly –Senate and House of Representatives – and they are considering it.

“It is what is approved by the National Assembly; the parameters such as the exchange rate, oil price benchmark, volume of oil production, borrowing plan and other parameters that are contained therein that may be approved or as may be approved by the National Assembly that will be used in concluding the budget estimates."

No franchise infringement against BBOG –Hadiza Buhari Anule Emmanuel, Abuja

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he Africa Support and Empowerment Initiative, AFRISEI, has rejected allegations of franchise infringement levelled against it by the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group, led by former Education Minister, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili.

The group in a statement co-signed by the President and Secretary of the NGO, Hadiza Buhari-Bello, a daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari, and Don Uche, respectively, said the organisation was a responsible

lEzekwesili: You are mixing up things body that would never engage in illegal activities by stealing someone else’s franchise.

The BBOG advocacy group via a statement jointly signed

by Aisha Yesufu and Ezekwesili had dissociated BBOG group from a fund-raising event organised by Hadiza Buhari-Bello, daughter of Nigeria’s president.

The event tagged: “Official Inauguration and Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Chibok Girls Endowment Project”, took place at the Peace Corps of Nigeria premises, Abuja, on October 17,

with the #BringBackOurGirls inscription on the backdrop.

While demanding an immediate retraction and unreserved apology from the organisers of the event, the BBOG also urged the general public to disregard attempts at linking the group to the event.

Meanwhile, Ezekwesili tweeted a response to Hadiza’s declaration that her group Africa Support and Empowerment Initiative (AFRISEI) did not need Ezekwesili’s Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group to raise funds for the abducted Chibok girls.

The convener of the BBOG

and founder of the Transparency International slammed Hadiza accusing her of corrupting the BBOG’s work by ‘blurring the lines’.

She also explained the nature of BBOG’s activities and warned Hadiza to back off.

She tweeted: “A people that keep blurring the lines between good and bad… We, @BBOG_Nigeria don’t raise funds. If your organisation is raising funds, don't call it ‘BBOG stakeholders”. Ethics matter, not so? What's hard to understand? From the outset in 2014, @BBOG_Nigeria decided that the movement shall never be mired in donations.

Simple.”

Chibok girls: Women groups hold rally in Lagos, hail Buhari Wale Elegbede

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equel to last week’s rescue of 21 Chiboks girls from the captivity of the Boko Haram sect, women from different walks of life yesterday, staged a solidarity rally in Lagos, to commend and express their support to President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Gathering under the aegis of African Arise For Change Network, the hundreds of

women staged the peaceful protest around Ikeja axis before marching to office of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to drop a letter of commendation for President Buhari Brandishing placards with inscriptions like "Nigerian Women celebrate return of Chibok Girls, ‘Thank You Mr. President And Our Gallant Military’, “Mrs. Aisha Buhari remains a pillar of support in every sense to the IDPs and true to return of Chibok Girls,” the women said it is backing the administration's

efforts in rescuing the remaining Chibok Girls still held in captivity by the Boko Haram terrorists sect.

Speaking on behalf of the groups at the Government House, the Lagos Coordinator of the coalition, Mrs. Oluwatosin Bolarinwa, said the African Arise for Change Network is happy to receive the news that 21 of the abducted Chibok Girls that have been released from Boko Haram’s captivity following talks initiated by the Federal Government.

Bolarinwa said: “We can only imagine the emotions of

the parents whose children have been returned bringing an end to months of harrowing experience for the families of these girls that have been freed.

“We celebrate with these families even as we acknowledge that there are uncertain times ahead as they work with the government to rehabilitate these young ones.

The days and months ahead may be testing but we hope for a positive outcome in the reintegration of the girls in the firm belief that the harder part of their ordeal is over."

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News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 October 2016

FG tasked on withheld subventions to special schools

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Mojeed Alabi

he proprietor of M.D School, Lagos, Mrs. Omolara Adedugbe, has urged both the federal and the state governments to release to concerned schools subventions meant for schools catering for children living with specialneeds.

Adedugbe, who stated this at a media briefing held as part of activities to mark the school's 30th anniversary, noted that the funds would enable the pupils to access quality educational services and therapies which would make them contribute to the society.

According to the school owner, a symposium on special-needs children would be one of the key programmes to mark the

school's anniversary, adding that social responsibility initiatives such as free medical screening, community cleaning and interschool competitions would also be featured in the week-long celebration.

She said the school had succeeded in eradicating discrimination against children living with disabilities.

“There is a subvention meant for schools with special-needs units and we have had causes to write to the Federal Ministry of Education and also to the Lagos State Government.

But all we got were promises. Officials have been here about two or three times but nothing came out of it.

Government has to subsidise because we will continue to have special-needs children in the society," she said.

Stop attacking N’Delta militants, Avengers tell Buhari

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…accuse president of politicising Ogoni clean-up

Ndubuisi Ugah

id by the Federal Government to check the renewed attacks by Niger Delta militants dimmed yesterday, when the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari over his alleged sneering remarks about militants since the cessation and suspension of hostilities by the militant group.

The group in an open letter to Buhari signed by its spokesperson, ‘Brig General’ Mudoch Agbinibo, warned the president to have a rethink over his continuous sneering comments on the militants.

Specifically, the militants noted that: “We are curious of comments like “Niger Delta militants’ objective is to colonise Nigeria economically… Niger Delta militants are sponsored by economic

looters…”

In the letter, the NDA averred that: “During the passing out parade (POP) of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) 63rd Regular Course, you personally issued misleading statements and threats of decisive military action if necessary to deal with Niger Delta agitators because you have purportedly opened up channels of talks through security agencies/ agents and the multinational corporations.

“Mr. President, do a democratically elected government open channels for talks in situations like we have in the Niger Delta through security agencies/agents or you are assuming that the Niger Delta is a conquered colony in your 1984 era?

“Mr. President, you continue to emphasise on the charade you call flag- off process to the cleanup of Ogoni land as part of your government’s

programme to salvage the ravaged environment. We are disturbed with the type of rhetoric and politics you are degenerating your age and authority as President of Federal Republic of Nigeria to on issues concerning Niger Delta since you came into office.

“You continue to live in pretence and blind to the history of the Niger Delta agitation because of some psychopaths around and advising you… as far as you are concerned, you are as white as the snow!

But recall that you were once a military governor, a minister of petroleum, military head of state and chairman, Petroleum Trust Fund and the late General Sani Abacha’s henchman (the most corrupt dictator in the history of Africa),” NDA added .

“To say the least, your hands are soiled deep in the

blood of Kenule Saro Wiwa (the Ogoni - nine), events leading up to the pollution of Ogoni land that you are politicising the clean up process. Wait a moment, how come your government is glorifying a charade called Ogoni clean up, while you were a major player in that crime!

“How can you justify Ogoni clean up at the same time constitute a task force called “Operations Delta Safe” that is embarking on environmental pollution with the burning and bombing of petroleum products in the guise of fighting oil theft?

“Does that amount to lack of genuine ideas or sincerity? Or at least, is there no relationship between environmental pollution and the ongoing indiscriminate burning and bombing of petroleum products by operatives of the so-called Operation Delta Safe?"

NIS promises better deal for illegal immigrants

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Juliana Francis o ensure better treatment and proper processing of details of illegal immigrants before they are repatriated from country, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), yesterday, commissioned its screening facility at Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

The centre, which was given a facelift to meet international standard, was upgraded by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The Lagos State Command spokesperson, Jide Ogunbe, a Deputy Superintendent of Immigration, disclosed that although NIS used to treat illegal migrants with respect, NIS will now further enhance its better treatment of illegal immigrants with

the upgraded facility.

Ogunbe said: “The facility was renovated

by IOM to bring it up to internationally acceptable standard. The centre will provide conducive atmosphere for illegal migrants. This goes to show that NIS treats persons, including illegal migrants with respect and dignity.

Just because they are illegal immigrants doesn’t mean NIS would treat them shabbily.”

The Comptroller General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede, represented by the Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration, Zone A, Lagos, Isiaku Hamad, while speaking at the inauguration of the facility, expressed appreciation happiness over the upgrading of the screening centre to a “world class standard.”

10 suspects arrested in Burkina Faso foiled coup

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urkina Faso said yesterday it had arrested 10 suspects in a “vast conspiracy” earlier this month by forces loyal to ousted leader, Blaise Compaore, which aimed to seize power in the impoverished Sahel state.

The plot called for attacking the presidential palace and detaining “certain authorities”, said Interior Minister Simon Compaore, who is no relation to the exleader.

Some 30 troops from the ex-president’s security unit also planned to free comrades who were part of

a failed September 2015 coup against the transitional government that took power after his fall, the minister said.

Cases against 10 soldiers have been referred to a military prosecutor and 20 are still being held for questioning.

Blaise Compaore was chased from power in October 2014 following a popular revolt after he tried to change the constitution to extend his 27-year rule.

The attempted 2015 coup was staged by troops from the presidential guard loyal to the ex-leader but was blocked by street protesters and by the army, which attacked the plotters’ barracks.

Governor, Rotary District 9140, Mr. Akabom Enebong (left) and Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, during a visit by Rotary International to the governor, in Port Harcourt … yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Fish out killers of my security aide, Mimiko tells Police Babatope Okeowo,

O Akure

ndo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, yesterday tasked the Police to fish out the killers of the commander of his convoy, Idowu Oyewole, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), who was killed on Wednesday.

Idowu, the Unit Mobile Commander (Mopol 17) attached to the State Government House , Alagbaka, Akure, was killed by suspected armed robbers around 8.30pm in his private house situated at Ugele community along Akure-Owo road in Akure, the state capital.

Oyewole’s death was said to have occurred when the officer responded to a distress call from a neighbour without knowing that the distressed neighbour was under attack

by armed robbers that shot him immediately he arrived the neighbour's compound.

Mimiko, who visited the family, said Oyewole as a dutiful and dedicated officer, just as he charged Police authorities to ensure his killers are found.

The governor, who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, described the death of Oyewole as a pill of reality too bitter to swallow.

He further urged the authorities to ensure that the peaceful status of the state is maintained, submitting that the peace in the state cannot be compromised.

Lamenting that the wife and children of the deceased are being made to experience the harsh side of life with the killing of their bread winner, Mimiko, prayed God to dry their hot tears and heal quickly the wound the sad occurrence must have inflicted on their hearts.

ENUGU MAKURDI Kaduna to spend N2.55bn on Police arrest job racketeer- Ortom’s wife makes case for drones, surveillance equipment ing syndicate in Enugu girl-child education KADUNA

NEWS IN BRIEF

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Kaduna State Government yesterday earmarked over N2.55 billion to procure CCTV cameras and drones, to provide adequate security cover for the state in 2017.

More than N1.5 billion of the amount was set aside for the procurement and installation of CCTV cameras in strategic areas of the state, to reduce crime.

The figure is contained in the state’s 2017 budget document currently before the state House of Assembly.

“The N1.5 billion is for procurement and distribution of CCTV cameras for monitoring and surveillance towards reducing criminal activities within the metropolis and securing the state.”

Enugu State Police Command yesterday said it arrested members of a notorious syndicate that specialised in job placement racketeering in Enugu.

The command’s spokesman, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu that the syndicate members were rounded up through intelligence information.

Amaraizu said the syndicate, which operated under the name “Step Golden Concept,’ had been a thorn on the flesh of members of the public in Enugu and its environs.

“It was gathered that the suspects who usually act as job providers, use the platform to extort various sums of money from unsuspecting job seekers,” he said.

Stakeholders in the country have been challenged to remove all bottlenecks that prevent the girl - child from getting formal education.

The wife of the governor of Benue State, Dr. Eunice Ortom, threw the challenge at this year’s celebration of the international day of the girl child organised by group, Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF).

She said by so doing, the full potential of the girl child would be unlocked to enable her contribute her own quota to nation building.

Ortom noted that the joy of every parent is to see their children including girls rise up the social ladder, and advised them to jealousy guard and protect the right of the girl child to have access to education.

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

Olalekan Osiade, Kunle Olayeni, Babatope Okeowo, Temitope Ogunbanke, Charles Onyekwere, Gabriel Efeduku

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he Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose; the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB); human rights lawyers and a host of others yesterday called for a probe into the allegations levelled against the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, by some justices of the Supreme Court.

Justices John Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta had accused the minister of attempting to bribe them to pervert the cause of justice and influence the outcome of the tribunal rulings on governorship elections of Akwa Ibom, Abia and Ekiti states.

Fayose Fayose, who is in the centre of the allegation fired the first salvo through one of his media aides, Lere Olayinka, noting that, for a justice of the apex court to have deposed to an affidavit, it means he had sworn to the truth to the best of his knowledge and ability, and that such an allegation should not be left lying low.

“Our take is that the allegation should be looked into.

When is the Department of State Service (DSS) storming Amaechi’s house? When is Amaechi going to be arrested?

When is President Muhammadu Buhari going to order investigation into these damning allegations?” Fayose queried.

Afenifere While speaking with Saturday Telegraph yesterday through its Secretary-General, Bashorun Seinde Arogbofa, Afenifere specifically called for the suspension of both Amaechi and the judges so as to conduct a thorough investigation of the allegation that the minister wanted to pervert the cause of justice.

The septuagenarian leader said the judges and Amaechi should vacate office and face investigation if the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari must be taken seriously, saying that it would be wrong for both the judges and the minister to remain in office at the same time when they were being incestigated.

“With what is happening, it is difficult to get at the truth of matters. Even then, can there be fire without smoke?

The way these people have been parading themselves shows that a lot is shrouded.

When Amaechi was governor, people said he had questions to answer about his financial dealings.

“Why we don’t support the fire brigade action and clapping down on them in that manner, it can’t be said that their hands are clean especially when judges give different judgments on the same matter. There is something wrong basically.

9

Fayose, Afenifere, IPOB, others to Buhari: Probe judges' allegations against Amaechi L-R: Commissioner of Police in charge of Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS), Mr. Dibal Yakadi; AIG Zone 7, Salisu Abudulahi and Convener, Nigerians Unite Against Terror, Dr. Joe OkeiOdumakin, at the training on human rights and police citizens’ relation for SARS’ officers in Abuja… yesterday

“I agree that corruption has to be fought to a stand still and we must begin with the judges who give the judgment. Both the judges and Ameachi should vacate office in order to defend themselves. That is how to know that we are fighting corruption”, he said.

Another Afenifere chieftain, Senator Femi Okurounmu, said the allegations against Amaechi should be investigated.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Okurounmu stated that the former Rivers State governor had been overdue for prosecution over alleged corruption cases.

He said, "Amaechi has been overdue for prosecution even before this allegation by the judges because he was one of those whom the United States government forwarded their illegal lodgments in banks to Buhari even before he was made a minister.

"But because he is in APC, Buhari took no action. Now that we are getting allegation even from judges, any element of doubt about Amaechi being a very corrupt man should be proved or cleared.

"Some of these people should go to jail if Buhari is sincere about fighting corruption", Okurounmu said.

A human rights lawyer, Mr. Morakinyo Ogele, said since Amaechi has no immunity, he should be investigated and if found guilty should be prosecuted.

Ogele said it is an offence punishable under the law to want to bribe judges saying, “the man should not be spared because he belongs to the president’s political party”.

He however said it would be unfair for the accused to be suspended from office pending investigation.

Ogele added that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was wrong to have called for the suspension of the judges pending investigation, saying the NBA could not ap-

probate and reprobate at the same time.

IPOB On its part, the leadership of IPOB accused President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the All Progressives Congress, (APC) of shielding the former governor insisting that the allegation of inducing the judges must be probed.

The organisation in a statement made available to Saturday Telegraph, signed by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, noted that the alleged attempt to induce judges to thwart justice was a corruption of unimaginable magnitude.

"This is corruption in the highest order and the president is shielding him and others.

"The APC is bent on ruining the country, if not so, why is the government still appointing corrupt people while there are good and transparent people in Nigeria?"

"Some people in APC have been alleged as a corrupt errand boys who shared money to judges to deliver cases in favour of the APC. They are destroyers, squanders and evils that believe in any little opportunity to siphon the public funds.

"The fight against corruption in Nigeria is a system where government of the day uses the agencies to torment the opposition group.

"Therefore, the government and the givers of bribe are corrupt because the law says that he who gives and he that takes bribes are both corrupt and it is dangerous for the government to still retain those corrupt people, if the government still believes in fighting corruption with high level of transparency," the statement reads.

CACOL On his part, the executive chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Comrade Debo

Adeniran, said the counterallegations being shoved down the minds of the people, following the recent ‘can of worms’ opened by the arrest of some judges are designed to distract attention from the real issues.

“Without mincing words, it validates the position that indeed, sharp practices of humongous dimensions have been and apparently continue to be perpetrated in the ‘Temple of Justice’.

“The counter-allegations being put forward by Justice John Okoro for instance, betrays the reality that the existence of corruption in the judiciary is deep-seated and had been sort of institutionalized.

“Assuming without conceding that Justice Okoro is right, the fundamental question to ask is: why did he wait till when he was arrested and charged with allegations of corruption to reveal that to the legally necessary quarters and the public as a honourable Judge well schooled in law and its applications?

“And then do the counterallegations erode the gravity of the corruption crimes the judges are being judicially made to answer for? Are the counter-allegations evidencebased?

“The DSS acted on an evidence-based operation, the right thinking Nigerian knows that if the DSS had not carried out the arrest of the suspected corrupt judges, Justices, like John Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta would have seen no evil, and heard no evil.

“Let no frivolous counterallegations from suspects of corruption in particular hinder the very important need to cleanse the judiciary of the cockroaches, rats and mosquitoes. Let elements that have allegations substantiate them with evidences in the law courts, in others words, nobody is above the law, and whoever the law pronounces culpable should face the constitutional consequences.

“Nigeria must move forward, the attempt to use illogical distractions to solicit public sympathy over corruption crimes is not acceptable and will fail. On all suspected corruption criminals; we once again call on all the anti-graft and law enforcement agencies be diligent and thorough in their investigations and prosecutions, just as we emphasise the need for operating within the rule of law”, CACOL said.

FHRACC In the same vein, the Foundation For Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade called on the Federal Government to extend its robust fight against corruption to its political appointees.

National Chairman of the group, Mr. Alaowei Cleric, in an online statement made available to Saturday Telegraph described as weighty the allegations of bribery and undue interferences against Amaechi, saying that the matter should not be swept under the carpet.

The statement reads: "The petitions written by Hon Justices John Okoro Inyang of the Supreme Court and Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court to the National Judicial Council which indicted the trio of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Minister of Transport and the Department of State Services is too weighty to be thrown overboard especially with regards to Buhari's resolve to stamp out corruption from our body polity.

“Since the government has assured Nigerians that there is no sacred cow in its anti-corruption crusade, Buhari should prove to Nigerians that he is for nobody and for everybody. The government should set up a fact-finding committee to unearth the truth behind the allegations.

“And now that the government has declared a total war on corruption, we charge Mr. President to beam his

searchlight on some of his appointees."

The group also urged the government to follow up keenly the N500m MTN bribery allegations against Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the N270m scam against Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, noting that these scandalous dealings should not be swept under the carpet.

NDITG However, the Niger Delta Intelligence and Transparency Group (NDITG) lent its weight behind the embattled minister, saying that the bribery allegation is a sponsored conspiracy to blackmail Amaechi.

The group said its investigation has revealed that top PDP officials are behind the “ongoing conspiracy being orchestrated by Justices Okoro and Ngwuta to blackmail Amaechi”.

In a press statement issued yesterday by its National Secretary, Micheal Awhawha, the group said the opposition party leaders and state executives who are envious of Ameachi were behind the separate letters written by the justices, all in a bid to tarnish the image of Ameachi.

"Our findings revealed that it was the agenda to use the embattled Justice Okoro and Justice Ngwuta to smear the image of Ameachi. It is quite unfortunate that Justice Ngwuta in his letter laced with lies and deception unsuccessfully tried to implicate President Muhammadu Buhari, indeed, the judiciary needs urgent overhauling.

“The agenda is simple, the conspirators want to do everything possible to blackmail Amaechi by linking him to arrest and investigation of corrupt judges. But, we advise the governors of an opposition party to focus on providing good governance to their states and not attempt to waste time and resources on plots to blackmail Amaechi".

The group further stated " we have observed that since the Justices Okoro and Ngwuta letters were made public, Nigerians who could not be deceived by mere lies have expressed their supports for Ameachi. Infact, Justice Okoro and Justice Ngwuta have destroyed the reputation of the judiciary in Nigeria".

"We suggest that Buhari and Ameachi should focus more on their efforts towards the repositioning Nigeria for greatness to guarantee a better country for future Nigerians", the group noted.

10 Voices Would you be a friend to your spouse's ex? p.12 Pauline Onyibe

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Yenagoa

or 24-year-old Joseph Izu, who played in the defence for Nigerian Premier League club, Shooting Stars of Ibadan, Sunday, October 16 was like every other day as he came back to his country home Okarki in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State to pay visit before setting out to Ibadan.

But little did he know that he was not going to take part in the camping exercise that was supposed to commence the next day (Monday). Joseph proposed but some unknown soldiers disposed.

He had gone that fateful Sunday to visit his wife and the daughter and tell his folks that he was going for camping in Ibadan that was supposed to take him and others to Algeria.

Joseph Izu never lived to actualise him dream as his life was cut short by unknown soldiers.

While trying to get to the root of the matter, this correspondent set out on a journey from Yenagoa to Okarki a neighbouring community very close to Bayelsa but actually n River State equipped with the phone number of the CDC chairman.

There was admonition that utmost care should be taken because the community was known for criminal tendencies. On getting to the junction this correspondent was greeted with another shocking news that the community was not safe at that time as another corpse was recovered that morning and they were burying him.

The pain in the community was palpable as the people were still in mourning mood.

For the father of Joseph Izu, Mr Reuben Izu, who spoke to Saturday Telegraph on the telephone as he had already gone back to Port Harcourt, his base, the killing of his son was terrible thing. “I feel so sorrowful and bad. At this stage of my life, I will be the one to bury my son. A young, aspiring focused boy. He was working not that he was a burden to the nation. He was contributing to the nation’s success through sports. For his life to be terminated suddenly, when he was becoming one of the bread winners I have, is a shock to me.

The whole family is mourning. Even here (Port Harcourt), mourners are all over the place.

“But my problem now is what the military is saying which is very stupid.

I cannot think of a human being saying that kind of thing. Let the world bear us witness. How can the army go round and talk about shrine. What is shrine? Is it shrine that will make them shoot at a close range? Is it shrine that will not give you the wisdom even when somebody

The river where he was dumped INSET: The bullets used for the operation

City & crime update

SATURDAY, 22 OCTOBER 2016

My son’s blood cries out for justice – Father of slain footballer He told us that he was invited to the camp of the Super Eagles and he had to resume on Monday. He asked someone to go to his house and get his packed bag. But before the boy he sent came, he was shot by soldiers The locals speaking

gave you his identity? The boy just came from where he was working. How many days did he spend in the community that he would be a cult member? How can the military just open their mouth and say such things?

“This is the way army behaves. These extra judicial killings are getting too much in this country. When you make mistake, you can't accept the mistake. The military is not using their weapon properly. I want justice. I want this thing to stop. Today it is me, tomorrow it can be another person.

It’s time the Federal Government stopped it. It is getting too much. If my son’s blood can be the last to save other souls, I will be happy and I know that he has paid the sacrifice for every other person.”

The chairman of Ijaw Youth Council, Ejiro Ogbolo Clan, Goodleaf Osineme, said they didn’t want to give interviews on the matter as they were being cautious.

“We didn't even want to talk to anybody because we don't know who is who. We don't know where this thing is coming from. There has never been any incident of armed robbery or kidnapping. Soldiers cannot come into this community without informing the people and begin to shoot sporadically and kill people. The commander that came for this operation I know him very well. These men were

not criminals.

They killed Joseph Izu and went away with his ID card, his phone and his wallet.

Women were shouting and crying leave him, but they killed him. We just buried one now. We are still expecting more because we are looking for our children.”

Asiegbu Sampson President of Ngenne Youth Assembly said Joseph was not a man of questionable character and Okarki had been peaceful until that Sunday.

Magnus Arubu the youth president said they destroyed his house. He said: “The Federal Government should intervene in this matter. Let them fish out the people that came to do this.”

Another kinsman Comrade Jonah Wisdom, said the late central defender was shot twice in the leg and the mid region despite pleading that he was a footballer and not a criminal.

He said: “When Izu heard the commotion and the shootings, he stepped out and was stopped at gun point by one of the soldiers. When he identified himself as a footballer and brought out his identification card, he was shot in the leg.

Despite the gunshot he was still pleading for his life. Another soldier came and shot him in the stomach. The soldiers dragged him towards the Orashi River, about some meters away and dumped his body in it. They also shot a 21-yearold boy, who was trying to swim across the river. Okarki had been known as a peaceful community and we have never had any case of criminality.

It is very barbaric and unfair.”

Joseph’s friend Akin Anthony had kind words to say about the slain 3SC player.

“Izu had a few minutes before he was killed shared N1,000 each to about 28 youths and

women around. He told us that he was invited to the camp of the Super Eagles and he had to resume on Monday. He asked someone to go to his house and get his packed bag. But before the boy he sent came, he was shot by soldiers.”

The locals said the soldiers were attached to a military point in Akinnima and led by a Major.

Just as if the murder of Joseph Izu was not enough when the community was recovering from the shock, another corpse surfaced on the Orashi River.

21-year-old man, identified as Oko Whiskey Osuekina was discovered floating on top of the River three days after he was allegedly shot on the head by soldiers.

The locals thought he had travelled when he was nowhere to be found only for the corpse to float to the surface on Tuesday morning.

According to indigenes, the deceased was shot in the head by soldiers on Sunday while trying to swim to safety during the armed invasion.

“He was shot in the head by the soldiers. On Sunday, he was by the river washing his motorbike when he heard sounds of gun shots. He dived into the river and tried to swim to safety. But one of the soldiers shot him in the head,” Collins narrated.

The authorities of the 2nd Brigade of the Nigerian Army had in a statement issued and signed by Brigade Commander Hamisu Hassan said the killing of the footballer occurred during its regular operations against cultists, kidnappers and others criminals in aid of the civil authorities in Rivers Accordingly to the Military, “On Sunday, 16 October 2016, troops of the Brigade deployed at Akinima Ahoada East Local Government Area conducted a confidence building patrol in the general area of Igovia and Okarki villages. The patrolling troops indicated the presence of suspected cultists in Okarki village.”

“The troops moved in and raided the suspected criminal hideout. One person lost his life at the hideout while several others fled. Later, it was confirmed that the person who lost his life was a Nigerian Footballer, identified as Mr. Izu Joseph.

Nevertheless investigation is ongoing to further determine why and what he was doing at the cultists’ shrine at that time. ”

City&crime update

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 october 2016

11

Faith Menkiti, 13-year-old, was abandoned by a ‘wicked’ mother to die, but providence came to her rescue. Her pathetic story, according to ISIOMA MADIKE, who visited the teen at the Isolo General Hospital on Wednesday, appears to have once again raised issues about good parenting

“S

he lied to me that she was taking me back to my biological father but abandoned me here. She wanted me to just die and be forgotten since I wasn’t familiar to the neighbourhood she left me.

I’m grateful to the woman that rescued me and the Police that brought me to this hospital. I wish I never had her as my mother.”

That was how Faith Menkiti, a teenage girl, who was abandoned but rescued on Sunday by a Good Samaritan at No 144 Mushin Road, Isolo, Lagos, narrated her ordeal in the hands of a woman she described as her mother. The frail-looking girl lies critically ill at the Isolo General Hospital at present. Her pathetic condition would melt the hardest of hearts as she gasps for breath.

Notwithstanding, not many would want to look at Faith a second time. Yet, fate cuddles her. Her physical appearance would frighten the faint-hearted while she mumbles and struggles to speak. Though, fluent in her native Igbo and English languages, Faith is barely audible even at a close distance. The doctors had their fears at first.

“We thought she would not make it the day she was brought in here,” said one of the doctors that attended to her on admission. Another added: “She appears to me like a destiny child.” In spite of these, the doctors refused to disclose Faith’s ailment, as they insisted that it was against the practice of their profession. A man, who identified himself simply as Dr. Williams, said they are doing everything within their means to save the girl’s life. “That is what our profession demands of us. The complaint by police of unruly behaviour by some staff of the hospital when the girl was brought here is regrettable but such arose from the experience of the past.”

Faith was taken to the Isolo General Hospital for proper medical attention by Akeem Adedeji, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), who doubles as the Aswani Divisional Police Officer (DPO), and one of his officers, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Victoria Uduebor.

Uduebor is in charge of Juvenile Welfare Centre at the station. The officers took Faith for admission after clearance from the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Alausa. They were received

by Drs. Fawehinmi and Salawu, who commenced treatment after the police had deposited money for her treatment. As at Wednesday, over N40, 000 had been spent for her treatment and upkeep.

“My joy is that she is recovering and we must not relent in our effort to see her live again. Uduebor has been mandated to be visiting the hospital on a daily basis to see that proper care is given to Faith. This is the directive from the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command,

Emergency ward of Isolo General Hospital

ABANDONED TO DIE Sick teenager forsaken by mother, rescued by Good Samaritan Fatai Owoseni. She is first and foremost a human being like all of us and a Nigerian. She could have been anybody’s child. We are praying for her quick recovery,” Adedeji said.

However, the police seem to be looking deep into the issue. “We cannot rule out ritual intentions,” one officer, who craved anonymity, disclosed to Saturday Telegraph at the station.

Faith told Saturday Telegraph that her father hails from Anambra State.

Her parents separated shortly after she was born. “My mother thereafter remarried another Delta Ibo man and had three other children, a boy and two girls. I grew up thinking the man was my father until things started happening; I was always singled out for punishment for things any other normal child would do without incurring the wrath of their parents.

“Last year I was stopped from going to school and instructed to be selling at traffic to support my younger ones. I accepted my fate until my wicked mother promised taking me back to my paternal grandmother in Anambra State. I can’t remember what happened as time went by until the night she asked

me to follow her to the place where someone would take me to the east.

“That was how I was abandoned on that fateful day without food.

She just told me to wait while she gets something in a nearby place. I

We thought she would not make it the day she was brought in here Faith in her hospital bed

PHOTO: Isioma Madike

waited till nightfall without seeing her and was almost fainting before the good woman saw me and took pity on me. She later took me to the police station. That is all I could remember,” Faith recounted.

Adelaja Temitope lives at No 48 Amodu Faronbi Street, Isolo.

She found Faith where she was abandoned on Mushin Road, near Aiye Bus Stop on October 16. Faith was said to have lived in Ilogbo area of Lagos but could not identify the place. Temitope’s fear was heightened when Faith could not stand firmly as if she was going to give up.

This, perhaps, may have been what necessitated the Good Samaritan to report the incident to the station. Police incidented the case and immediately referred it to the Juvenile Welfare Centre for appropriate action and followed up with the urgency the case required.

When Saturday Telegraph wanted to find out if the police were the appropriate agency to pay for the demands of the dying girl, a woman who responded but refused her name in print because: “I was not the right person to talk to press” asked the reporter to go to Alausa for proper briefing. The response was not different at the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Alausa, as the officer who attended to this reporter simply said: “Our Oga is not around and no one here can talk on such issues.”

However, good parenting, according to experts, encompasses empathy, honesty, self-reliance, self-control, kindness, cooperation, and cheerfulness. Has Faith’s mother demonstrated any of these qualities in her action against her child?

12

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

Voices

Would you be a friend to your spouse’s ex?

That would be courting problem God forbid! Being a friend to my spouse’s ex is like inviting problems to my family.

Whatever got them separated in the first place is enough to stay away the time.

—Favour Obinna, civil servant

It depends on her kind of person

It depends on the kind of person she is. If she shows me kindness, I could be her friend but whereby she is cunning and wicked I would never let her close to me or my family.

—Maureen Nwachukwu, nurse

As men we can easily relate

Friendship is a matter of the heart. Two people have to be in agreement before they can be friends. Therefore, if I agree with him, we are men and can easily move on together as friends. It's only women that see something wrong with everything.

—Felix Enebeli, businessman

If the person is understanding Yes, I can be my spouse’s ex friend if only he is a person of understanding.

I am a jealous man and little things can lead to argument. So I must watch the man for a long time to discover his real person before becoming his friend.

—Uzoma Ugah, engineer

He might want to date my spouse I can't be my spouse's ex friend because he dated my spouse before we got married and he might still be interested in my family’s affairs. He might want to date my spouse again.

—Raymond Allegenyi, civil servant

I won’t consider it

I must trust my spouse to do so

I can be a friend to my spouse's ex, because for me to call a guy my spouse I must have a level of trust in him to know what he is capable of doing or not.

—Busola Olorunnowo, civil servant

That is playing with fire I can't risky it even though I trust my spouse but not to be friend with her ex because that is like playing with fire. Also, I don't know if my spouse’s ex still have emotional feelings for her and if I should allow that closeness, there is no way they will not commit immoral act because I created the friendship window.

—Adekunle Adeyinka, musical artist

That may checkmate her I might be his friend because that may checkmate her indirectly.

Besides, when I accept to go for a lady, the fact that she might have been dating another person before I met her does not count. To me, she is still a well packaged gift waiting for the right man to unwrap.

—Christian Amuzie, businessman

—Claudia James, businesswoman

I am supposed to do away with her

It depends on what led to the break up I can because even the bible says we should love our enemies, but the love will be from a distance because I might end up hurting and destroying myself and my affair while wanting to be a nice guy. And also what will warrant such friendship will depend on the reason for their breakup.

—Henry Nkwazema, civil servant

It would be difficult to be a friend to my spouse’s ex. I can never even try it. It is not interesting to me because I don't want a broken home.

I would not do such a thing. What kind of friendship would that be?

She's called ex and I am supposed to do away with her.

—Adaeze Uzoma, civil servant

I won’t even want to see her with him I wouldn't even want to see them both together talk more of being a friend with her. Women can be so desperate when it comes to husband’s issue that if you don't hold the one you have very well, she could be snatched away from you by a friend or an ex.

So I wouldn't.

—Ekeolere Ayomide, student

One needs to be wise I can't be her friend because I don't know her mind or intention. In some cases her mission might be her to come and cause disagreement and break up between me and my spouse, so one needs to be wise.

—Modupe Bello, businessman

I detest such a relationship I can't because I hate ex.

And if I will at all, it's going to be just on a formal level and nothing more.

—Ahmadu Sulaimon, self-employed

compiled by: JOHN EDU, NGOZI OGBOLU AND ESTHER SODEKE

WeekendBliss

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

13

N O P U E S O L C H-ALUKO

LILIAN AMA

With 20 years foray into the Nigerian movie industry as an actor and producer, Lilian Amah-Aluko, is one of Nollywood’s leading figures. Still brimming with the joy she felt as a young actor 20 years ago, she told ADEDAYO ODULAJA the future as regards Nollywood is still very bright.

What are you working on at the moment?

Well, I am working on two movies and both are in the pre-production stage and as usual, we are always looking for finance to finish the movies.

Understanding that pre-production involves brainstorming, seeking locations, assembling the cast and all that, what stage exactly are you in the production process?

At this point, we are in serious discussions with potential sponsors and we have also decided most of our cast, we are going to have auditions at the last stage for a few other characters that we still need to fill and we are searching out locations and all of those things you do before you start to roll.

Do you have titles for them yet even if they are tentative?

Both of them do have but I’d rather not mention them, both are not my productions; I am working in concert with other people.

But can you mention some of the people you are likely to feature in the movies?

For one of them, I am working on something with Neville Ossai, he is also an ex-member of AMP (Association of Movie Producers) Exco and the main cast of that movie are not many, there should maybe like 6 of them but we have a lot of extras. On the second movie, I’m working with Aquila Njamah and the main cast of that also are not many but it has a very large cast of extras. The lead characters are not many as well.

Can you talk about what the movies are all about?

I don’t know if I can because they are not my projects per se; I am working with other people and they may not want the cat let out of the bag too soon.

ACTING MY FIRST MOVIE WITH RMD AND TADE OGIDAN WAS MAGICAL

Having shown the capacity for delivering the kind of content Nigerians want, do you think working on some projects with other people fills a vacuum?

Yes it does because production is a collaborative art for me and with the recent developments in Nollywood,I think the more we come together to produce good content, the better for all of us so I am exploring the opportunities that I’ve come across to work with my colleagues, immensely talented people. Neville Ossai was with me both in AMP and we also went to UCLA together. I know his capacity and what he can do. Aquila Njamah is one of the names when it comes to movie directing in Nollywood, he has actually been off the scene too for a while so this is like his comeback movie, he is planning big for it and luckily enough, I got on that boat as well.

You have played many roles in the course of your career despite being very selective about your roles. But which role would you regard as most memorable so far?

There are actually two roles that mean a lot to me at the different ends of the spectrum. Alero in Out of Bounds, the very first thing I did, good woman, pastor’s wife and all of that. The second very memorable role for me is Norie in Hush, that’s totally different from anything I’ve done. Norie is a crazy woman and again it is memorable because I worked with RMD again after so long. I started with him in Out of Bounds where I played his wife and in Hush I played his baby mama. It’s memorable to me for those two reasons and Hush is an MNET production that is still on with a talented crop of actors and crew members.

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Would any of these two also be the most challenging?

My role in Hush was very challenging continued on page 14

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because the woman is so alien to who I am, she is a nut case so having to put myself into that character took some stress for me.

Looking back all the way until now, has any character been close to your reality at any point?

For different reasons, two characters. Alero in Out of Bounds, there are certain similarities in my life story to that one, I am not going to say what those similarities are. The second one is one of my productions, She Devil, the character I played in it has certain similarities. In fact it is funny because I didn’t write the story, it was written by Emem Isong but immediately I read it, I was captivated. There was a particular scene in that thing that actually happened to me.

How does it feel being thrown into the mix with Tade Ogidan and RMD, who continue to be among the big names in the industry, on your debut production?

It was magical, that is the only word I can use to describe it. It was something I had dreamt of for years before that eventually happened, I wanted to act and didn’t think I would get the opportunity. But then I went for this audition, which was the first I was going for and I got a role. And then things happened, the production didn’t happen at that time then a few, maybe, months or so later, the production actually started but it was with a different director, Tade Ogidan.

And he said he was going to do his own casting, that he won’t work with a cast chosen by somebody else so I thought: ‘Bang goes my chance, they would take the role away from me.’ And the role I got initially was a smaller role but when Uncle Tade did his recasting, for whatever reasons, best known to him, I got the role I eventually played, wife to RMD’s character, Voike. That was beyond anything I had dreamt about, I didn’t think at my first time I was going to get a lead role working with big industry people who were giants, people I only ever saw on TV. It was scary, it was exciting but they were thorough professionals, I’d always give credit to Tade Ogidan and Richard for what I am today in this industry. They took an unknown, totally unknown and they gave me a lead role without any stress, they just felt ‘you can do it so do it’ and that is the kind of professionalism we actually need in this industry. That was my introduction to the industry.

For someone given such a lift at the beginning, have you also played such a role for younger people coming into the industry?

Yes, I would say so. In all the productions I have done, you would see unknown actors getting lead roles too or people who are fairly new in the industry. Joseph Benjamin in Jungle Ride, in She Devil back then, Dakore EgbusonAkande was fairly new, she played a lead role there. The Triangle, which is a movie I produced for somebody, the young girl who played lead was a total unknown but she was good.

I know that for commercial reasons, people like to use known faces but I also believe that the production should make the stars, not the stars making the production so I try every single time I get a chance to produce something, I give room for up and coming actors, you have to be talented of course, play lead roles, significant roles so that if they do it well, it could boost their careers.

Looking back at a time in the past, can you recall who you were before fame and fortune?

As per fame and fortune, I’ve always been a career professional. Even when

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'Having late T.M Aluko as father-in-law enhanced my creativity' I was acting, I was still working in the bank so most of the money I made is from my white collar jobs. I am not rich by any standards but at least I am okay. I know the industry, in recent years, is becoming financially rewarding to the extent that you do stuff and get paid for the kind of money that you would have had to work 2-3 months to earn when I was in the bank so it’s good but I’d say the time I would look back and say this is where I was before fame and fortune is now because where I am going from here is up.

How about the time you had not even started work?

I started working straight after Youth Service. Even before I started working in the bank, I had worked with DHL, I worked with FEDEX so I’ve always been working.

Did you do all that before working as an airline hostess?

That was my very first job. I was actually doing my Masters when I worked in ADC Airlines and after that, it was one job after another from then on until I left Fidelity Bank which was my last place of work.

What’s your take on the trend of actors making the transition into being in charge of production which is something the younger actors have caught up with?

People aspire for more than what they are at any point and actors aspire to be producers or directors because it gives them a measure of control over they put out.

When you an actor, a lot of

times, you don’t have any say in how the production turns out and if you are the kind of person that has a message to put out there, you may choose to do your own production so that you can control the message. That is the reason I went I to production, I don’t know about other people.

Looking at the AMP election, how did you feel upon learning you did not emerge the president as desired?

I was not surprised, that’s the truth.

When I set out to contest the presidency of the Association of Movie Producers, I knew it could go either way, I could win and I could lose. So from the onset, I made up my mind that regardless of what the outcome was, I’m a member of AMP and the will of the people must prevail. So, on the day of the election, when the results were announced, some people who felt that I should be the president were not satisfied and they wanted to take several actions but I didn’t think it was necessary. As far as I was concerned, the members of AMP have chosen who they want to lead them so every member of the association should fall in line. I didn’t think I wanted to be president so badly that I would do anything to get it. Even in the midst of the politicking, there were several things people would say ‘if you want to win this election, you have to do this’ but I’d tell them I won’t do anything that my conscience will not accept and that if I win that election, let it be that I did everything the right way and still won.

That is the only kind of winning that would give me joy.

You were not happy with the returns from one of your movies not long ago. Do you think the circumstances have improved?

Yes, I think they have. There are more cinemas now, more screens and more distributors and Nigerians too are now going out to watch Nigerian movies, which is unlike before when Nigerian movies were not making money. A Nigerian movie has crossed the 100 mil-

Amah-Aluko

lion mark, several more have gotten close and there are other avenues of distribution, the online market is rapidly growing and DSTV and other pay TVs are buying Nigerian content. Even coming to our Alaba distributors, Bank of Industry has empowered some of them. Project Act is also coming up to empower others and with empowerment comes the ability to increase the volumes which means the figures become interesting and pirates can be taken out of the picture once you blanket the market with the movies.

On piracy, do you think the current government is doing enough in the area of tackling piracy and protecting copyright?

I am one of the people who voted for Buhari, I voted for him twice. I did in this last election and the one before and I have very strong faith in his integrity. If he says something, I actually believe he means it, how it plays out is a totally different thing because at the end of the day because he is not the one that will come down to chase the pirates but at the same time, we all know the buck stops at his table. He has shown genuine interest in aiding the industry not only because it has brought fame to Nigeria but because it has the fortune to bring fortune to Nigeria. He has made several pronouncements about aiding the industry and protecting intellectual property and I believe they will do it. It is left for us to come together as professionals, strengthen our guilds and associations and give our necessary support.

You started as an actor, then went into production and lately, you have added writing. How have you embraced these distinct but interwoven areas?

I wrote my first novel at 7 and for me, writing is an outlet. I read a lot and at every point, I have a book and a very vivid imagination which I use to examine different things that are going wrong or have gone wrong within the confines of fiction. That is what writing is for me, it’s therapeutic. Acting gives me joy, I get to be a different person every single time I take up a new role. For me, that’s fun and production for me is an avenue to direct, I want to send out a message. Each has been about advocacy; in Jungle Ride, it’s about unemployment and how it affects young people. With She Devil, we talked about loyalty and in the Triangle, we looked at incest. So my movies or the movies that interest me are advocacy projects.

How does it feel being married to a son of one of Nigeria’s iconic writers, T.M Aluko and would you say that affected your creative part?

My late father-in-law is a very special being. Apart from being a talented writer, which is odd because his background was Engineering, he was also a very very enlightened and decent man. He doesn’t put people in boxes, he takes everyone on his own merit. Did it enhance my creative part?

Yes, my father-in-law was very interested in me an actor and writer. When I launched my first novel, Daddy gave me quite a huge amount of money, he couldn’t come to the event, he was old and ill at that time but he called me that morning to wish me luck and sent me a nice cheque. That association certainly further motivated me and Seye (my husband) is himself also a creative person, he is also an Engineer but he writes although he doesn’t do fiction but poetry and such. He is a musician and he is also a very decent human being.

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Trendy kimono C Deborah Ocheni

an there be anything more comfy and trendy as kimono? Kimono is the rave of the season; hardly will you look down the street without seeing one or two persons layering with kimono.

If you have a strapless dress but wish to cover up a bit or the forecast says that the weather is going to be a bit on the cooler side, a kimono over it can add some modesty or remove a bit of the chill.

Kimono is perfect for warmer weather because they are light and airy, but still cover you up if the weather is cold or you just want something on your shoulders.

They come in all sorts of beautiful patterns and different fabrics such as lace, chiffon, ankara, and they can be worn with absolutely everything.

TIPS zz Pair your kimono with a romper or denim shorts and crop tops for a casual, but chic look. zz A simple way to add a bit of “dressiness� to your jeans is by putting a kimono jacket over it. zz The belt helps to add some curves and make the jacket look better zz If you want to bring a bit of sparkle to your look, opt for a sequin kimono. zz The more colourful a kimono is, the more vibrant it becomes.

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ACCESSORIES TO LIVE FOR

Fierce fringe boots Deborah Ocheni

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ringe boots are very cute and girly. They are often associated with the cowboy/ cowgirl look but they can also be used with other styles depending on what you wear them with.

Fringe boots, just like any other pair of boots, are the ideal choice for footwear when the colder seasons start to set in. They not only make your whole outfit stylish but they also help keep your legs warm despite the freezing cold weather.

Fringe boots are classically made of suede, but today's brands and designers offer a wide range of fabrics, starting from simple leather to patent leather. Another intriguing thing is the shape and style of this footwear, it can be boots with tube, ankle, wedge and stiletto or block heel.

TIPS zz Keep the heels on your ankle fringe boots low, too, if you want to achieve a casual look. zz When choosing a pair of fringe boots, try not to go overboard by settling for a pair of boots all covered in fringe. This may look cute if you’re trying to look like a 10-year-old but if you want a chic look, minimal fringe details should be enough. zz In line with the ‘less is more’ rule with fringes, when wearing fringe boots, try not to wear any more items with fringes. Unless you are channelling a cowgirl style kind of look which makes it okay for you to wear fringe boots and fringe jacket zz Choose a pair of fringe boot in a neutral colour, this will look a lot more posh compared to fringe boots in bright colours as it would be easier to create an outfit if you are to wear neutral coloured boots. zz There is no point in wearing fringe boots if you are planning on hiding the fringes underneath your jeans. Be proud of those cute little fringes hanging on your boots and show them off by wearing bottoms that you could tuck into your boots such as skinny jeans and leggings.

The slim silhouette of these bottoms will also balance out the bulk from your fringe boots. zz Another great way to show off the beautiful fringe details you have on your boots is to wear shorts with it.

MY STYLE

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22 October 2016

I live for bracelets and shoes –Anejo Could you imagine the world without fashion?

The world without fashion will be a dark world; you can’t imagine living in a world without anything to attract your eyes? It is today referred to as the 'dark age' but we are no longer in that age; so it's fashion for life.

Which celebrity style do you admire most?

Richard Mofe Damijo’s (RMD).

Is there anything you are unlikely to be caught wearing?

Yes, the typical lace materials that are flooding our local markets What makes a man well dressed?

His style, choice of colour, quality of such dresses, and his foot wears more importantly.

When it comes to fashion would you say your physique works to your advantage?

Yes it does. I wear what complements my body type and I feel satis-

Mathew Abiche Anejo is the creative director and CEO of DabichXperts, a fashion outlet that clothes politicians and celebrities. In this interview with Deborah Ocheni, he speaks about his love for accessories, outfits that will trend in 2017 and others. fied with them.

Which fashion trend do you like most?

The current native trend in our country today works perfectly for me on most occasions Personally, what does style mean to you?

Style to me means the combination of what one wears or one is interested in wearing at every point in time. It ranges from his choice of fabrics, how well they are

tailored to his shoes, wrist watches, and other accessories.

Which accessory do you live for?

Bracelets and shoes How do you love your shoes?

I am a shoes freak, so I am very selective in my choice of shoes; they just must match.

Are you a label freak?

Not really, but I appreciate good dresses when I see them.

Fashion wise, would you rather go for quality, trend or colour?

I would always go for quality first, colour is very important too because as a male specialist designer, choice of colour matters a lot.

What is your ready to go outfits?

DabichXperts specially tailored caftans and casual wears.

How would you rate designers of these days?

As a matter of fact, modern designers are doing very well especially in our contemporary society; we have some very young and talented designers who are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to achieve great heights in fashion designing.

Which outfits are likely to trend in 2017?

2017 is around the corner; we are likely to have an enhanced outlook of what is worn in this last quarter of 2016. With us, designers, it just gets better.

Do you also design for female folks and celebrities?

Yes, because the female designs are also male kind of styles not the regular skirt and blouse styles.

'Abiche' given to me by my late grandfather. The concept of the name derives from Abiche and Experts.

The fashion market seems saturated, how do you hope to keep afloat?

I have never really been bothered about how much is flowing into the market out there; my interest over the years has being just trying to put out my very best always from the very depth of my creative ability, and believe me every single concept or style I put out there had yielded very good returns. There are lots of 'copy cut' clothes makers out there today, DabichXperts is a natural phenomenon. I was never tutored by any one as an apprentice; I operate from my inborn talent and so, my designs are simply natural and unique.

Who are your popular clients?

My major clients are my contemporaries; I have also made some very good outfits for the immediate past Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro. I have also made clothes for Senator Ben Obi, Hon

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Solomon Onah and others. I am currently working on becoming the sole designer and costumier of a talented and fast growing musical duo 2Aplus under Tuperfect entertainment chaired by Don Chris Jimmy.

Would you say you are satisfied with your attainments so far in fashion designing?

I wouldn't say that I have gained full satisfaction at the point I am now because I am still working very hard to get to the top; the important thing is that I am certain about my goals and I know I am moving towards the top.

Are there any challenges?

When you talk also about challenges, I would simply say that they are enormous, ranging from financial to availability of electricity etc.

The fact that I am determined keeps me going despite all that.

Would you say government has done enough for creative people in our society?

That is an aspect I feel government can still do better in terms of loan/credit facilities and provision of basic amenities to aid entrepreneurs grow their businesses. There are a lot of potential yet to be harnessed out there.

What is your advice to those who wish to attain the height that you are now?

Just believe in yourself, try to be as honest as possible and most of all work very hard and trust in God. You will surely get there.

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

T

The denim jumpsuit

his week’s fashion face-off is between songwriter/actress Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas and Nigerian actress/fashion icon Mercy Aigbe-Gentry. The outfit in question is denim jumpsuit.

Ashanti paired her denim jumpsuit with nude colour pointy stiletto, bracelet, statement cocktail ring and long beaded neck piece. I love her subtle makeup and how she flies her long straight weave on.

Gentry added an extra touch to her already stylish looks by rolling up the sleeves and trousers. She accessorises her looks with matching pink sandals and crossing bag.

Both celebrities look posh and smart with the way they reveal their cleavages. In your judgement, who wore the denim jumpsuit better?

Do you conform to trends?

Trends come with creativity, so it's already the heart of what I do.

Trend wise, don’t you think women have more varieties than men?

How do you guys feel about that?

Do you feel cheated?

No, I don't think so. I think naturally women or ladies have more time and pay more attention to what they wear than men. Almost every fashion trend that is available for ladies also exists for men; it also has a lot to do with individual dress sense.

How did you come up with name DabichXperts and what is the message behind it?

DabichXperts was coined from the very special name

Anejo Douglas

Gentry

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Interiors

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22 October 2016

Exotic wine bar Deborah Ocheni

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hink beyond normal functionality. A wine bar is ideal for aesthetics that doesn’t need to take up a lot of space. Wine bar is the most comfortable place to have a chit chat and get relaxed not to talk of the cosy mood it provides to talk to your friends and family just about anything.

Installing a wine bar in your home is a classy way to entertain family members and guests. Bars can be used and decorated in a variety of ways, so it is a good idea to establish your theme and budget before buying any stylish elements.

Decorating a bar is about function and personal style. A bar should be stocked with glasses, drinks, stools and storage, but also feature art, lighting and décor elements.

They come in different forms such as standalone cabinet, wall hung cabinet, corner and inbuilt cabinet; they are all beautifully designed with many slots and shelves.

If you have small children, make sure that all alcohol is stored high above the bar or in child-safe cabinets.

TIPS

zz According to ‘wiki how to do anything’ there are a lot of tips on how to decorate wine bar for aesthetic effects some of which are: zz You will need to consider cool storage, wine racks and safe glass storage. zz Bar elements are often made of bamboo or wicker, rather than traditional wood. Depending upon your budget and desire, you can be as subtle or daring as you want, with a few South Pacific accents or with a faux straw roof and coconuts. zz If you love British culture, sports and/or traditional elements then a pub en-

vironment is comfortable and classic. zz If your whole family will be using the bar, then create a beverage centre that has fun in mind. Decorate with posters, vacation photos and storage for every type of glass and drink. zz Think of where you will store glasses, shakers, cutlery, wine openers, condiments and more. If you install cabinets, choose a wood that matches your bar and theme. zz If you want people to sit at your bar, then buy bar stools that match the theme and are the correct height.

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My mum cried when I chose acting –Lolo of Wazobia FM Comedienne, actor and hilarious on-air-personality, Omotunde Adebowale, otherwise known as Lolo has proven her effervescence beyond doubts. The lady who has become the rave of the moment via her role as ‘Adaku’ in the comic sitcom, Jenifa’s Diary, shares a compelling story of failed marriage, career and childhood in this interview with LANRE ODUKOYA. How did you get the Igbo accent that has overshadowed your Yoruba personality?

Oh well I grew up believing in one Nigeria; all my father’s tenants were Igbo, so I didn’t even know that there were cultural differences. It was when I grew up that I began to understand that there are differences between tribes or between Muslims and Christians. So, I think I have always had that kind of affinity from when I was a child. But Wazobia was a challenge; I had never spoken pidgin before I went to Wazobia. I have done Radio Nigeria, Metro FM, Radio One, but I like taking on challenges. If you are going to do something what will make anybody like it is the fact that you do it well. So, if I’m going to be impersonating an Igbo woman, then I must know their culture, I must know what they do, how they cook, how they dress and those are the things I do very well. I will never cook like a Yoruba woman, you will not see me do ‘omi obe’ (stew). I will cook the classic “onugbu” (Igbo native soup) like they cook it and those are the things I like to do. I research, I listen and that’s how I do my things.

But everyone now sees you as Igbo…

My Yoruba is still there. That people don’t even believe I’m Yoruba is a good thing. It means that I do what I do very well. The day you see me play a typical Yoruba womanwhen my ‘Mama Risi’ character comes out, you’d think this lady never went to school for a day. So, my Yoruba is still there, I just haven’t used it for something prominent yet. Incidentally, the characters I’m still playing have been Igbo. But if I have to do Yoruba, you’d see that my Ijebu is on point.

How did you learn to make Igbo meals so much?

I learnt them from the Igbo women in the market. When I go to do market and say, ‘o fa ku’ which means I want to cook, what would I use? They’d tell me, buy a bit of palm kernel, you can use fish or meat to cook it. I’d ask, what do you use yellow pepper for? What do they do with ‘dawadawa’, I ask them a lot of basic questions and they tell me. I love to cook. So, when I get home, I just sit down and look at all the ways they’d taught me to cook and I cook. And it’s always near perfect. There’s nothing you cannot learn if you put your mind to it.

How do you feel about the rating you get as a growing comedienne?

Maybe because I do radio, so, I’m constantly on air and a lot of people get to listen to me. Let’s not forget that women are different from men. We’re ‘multi-taskers,’ you’d hardly find a woman who is just a career comedienne. We have shops, jobs, families and other things that we juxtapose.

And now my station has TV, so that makes people see my face every day. There’s also an ‘Adaku’ in Jenifa’s diary (a running soap opera). People get to see me at least once a week in their homes. That and more are making the brand a little bigger.

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Lolo

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Our aim is to tell the African story – Mo' Abudu You said it was so fast in getting across to approve the proposal of sons of Caliphate once the producer got in touch with you. What is that?

Well for me, there is no other way to react if something is good than to say it is. The director said it took about 30 minutes or so to get back to him, which I think is a slight exaggeration, it would have taken longer than that but Dimbo Atiya, the producer sent me a trailer and I said ‘I like what I saw, let’s develop this.’

And then as he said, it’s premiering two years after all that, from the point of developing to the point of where we are now. So these things do take time but that is the only way to get a perfect job done. You have to develop it, you have to treat it, there is going to be a lot of back and forth on it ahead of scripted programming, things in which he was very involved and I was very involved and we wanted to be sure we got it right. And then we did wrap that up then it was time to cast, Dimbo assembled his cast, found the locations and they started shooting. It was an incredible amount of work, then we came to post production you know shooting is the least stage of production. There is the stage of treating the audio, the editing, the special effects and all that. I am just pleased we have done this and that we are showing northern Nigeria for the first time. It is the first time a mainstream channel in Nigeria will do this and it is very important that we show what is happening in the different parts of the country, it is the only way we can live with each other better and have proper appreciation for each other.

With EbonyLife TV behind this, how do you intend to get it across to many people who would like to see this in Nigeria?

EbonyLife TV is on Compact Bouquet and others but maybe we are looking into making it available to more people in due course but you have to understand that production costs money. And in the business of production, there has to be a bit of give and take with regard to what you watch and how you watch it so we are on the Compact and Compact Bouquet on DStv and we have to urge whoever wants to watch it to subscribe to them and watch it. We are hoping also that in the future, we can also go down to the other bouquets and having seen the quality of the show, you can begin to imagine how much we have invested in it and you know that no expense would have been spared to come up with such.

In the evolution of programmes on EbonyLife TV, what is the next for the channel?

Oh my God! There is so much and you just have to keep watching that Channel. You know we did Fifty the film, we did On The Real, The Governor now we are doing Sons Of The Caliphate, then have Jere, which is about the Cinderella story and then Fifty the series coming soon. Then we have another series called Legal Lagos which is about a law firm also coming and

She began with Moments with Mo but Mo’ Abudu has become a notable entertainment figure involved in films, TV series and an endless list of entertainment programmes. In this interview with Adedayo Odulaja, the CEO of EbonyLife TV spoke about the wave-making Sons of The Caliphate among other issues.

Sons Of The Caliphate is primarily a series about the north but with the vision being to preach unity in the country, do we see other tribes getting a look in as well?

Of course, we are looking for stories everywhere, from all parts of Nigeria and beyond. As you know, we do a lot of work in Calabar, we do a lot of work in Lagos and we have done this series in Abuja and we are going to do some work in South Africa. We are Africans and it is important for us to bring Africans together. So, even if you take a show like Moments With Mo, we have Moments Nigeria, Moments Ghana, Moments Kenya, Moments South Africa, so it is to ensure we can have a pan African conversation. That is what we aim at in everything we do and we would go to every part of Africa where the stories are.

With the peculiar nature of the northern part of the country, what misgivings did you have at the initial stage?

It was important at the beginning of the project to make sure that we didn’t upset anybody and that is something we uphold whether we are working in the north or the south or the east, west or anywhere else. Nobody wants to be upset, so it was important that every project we have, we have a consultant that can ensure all sensitive areas are taken care of. Dimboa knew he had to make that happen and he did.

Why is it important to do a series of the film, Fifty?

Because Fifty had done so well at the cinemas everybody kept saying the way it ended, there needs to be more and the thing about telling a story is a story can go anyway. That is the beauty of having good writers, you know it, you write of course.

Especially for fiction writers, their imagination can be wild and sometimes you have to tell them ‘it’s okay, don’t overdo it’ and that is why we are looking into the series.

When is that due?

We are in pre-production now and we should start shooting in January and that will run until maybe March before the post-production stage. I don’t think you will see that until the third quarter of next year or so, these things take time. It is like building a house and for us, it is first about nothing but quality work always.

With EbonyLife TV becoming known for films, TV series and others at present, what did you have in mind when setting up the channel?

We always said it was going to be the home of quality home-grown programming and that is what it is becoming and everybody can attest to it.

Mo' Abudu

also Life 101 which is a drama series based on a university campus and The Governor Season 2. We have Bustle and Rhyme which is a daily drama around two music producing studios in Nigeria as well. So there is so much coming and it is about giving the industry an opportunity to grow and empower as

many people as we possibly can and ensuring these stories are told. And that people can play a role either in the acting or directing and so on. We can’t forget there is the Wedding Party which is set to premiere and which will keep everybody entertained and engaged.

Many people thought it would just be the place you could catch Moments with Mo but it is becoming a hotbed of entertainment Yes, Moments with Mo is still there, Moments is there we also just created another show that will start airing in January called Moments Z, this is about younger girls having a conversation about things that are important to them and these are girl between 18 and 22 and sitting on their own couch and having a conversation with you or anyone else around the issues that are important to them.

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 October 2016

Showbiz big girls with kids out of wedlock Some of these Nigerian female celebrities had their first babies while they were teenagers and it is evident that they were yet unmarried the first time they all became mothers.

SAMUEL INYANG writes Waje Waje

She shot to prominence after featuring in one of the popular songs of PSquare. Born Aituje Iruobe, Waje had a daughter in her teenage years and it was clear she was unmarried at the time.

She didn’t make it known she had a daughter until sometime in 2011 while the girl was already 10 years old. But before unveiling the identity of her beautiful daughter, the talented musician never denied the existence of the child or that she is the result of an affair she had many years back.

Thought she is still very single and not really into any serious relationship the public is aware of, that has not stopped her from rising to the top or dotting on her now teenage daughter. Waje has a 19 years old daughter she's very proud of.

Genevieve Nnaji Genevieve

Omawumi

She remains one of the mostsought after actors in Nigeria but the story behind Genevieve Nnaji’s child has remains a mystery. Not so surprising considering this is an actress who is so shy of revealing anything personal but what is known is that, like Waje, she gave birth to her daughter as a teenager.

Known as Chinembuka or Theo by some of her friends, the daughter, whom the actress protected at all cost from the public glare until recently, was conceived when our dear Genny was still in secondary school.

The actor and producer, now in her late 30s, remains unmarried and she doesn’t seem bothered about that.

Omawumi Megbele Her story is close to what you call a fairy tale. She was rumoured to be dating popular producer, Dokta Frabz at a time but not long after, she became involved with another man, Tosin Yusuf, who later became her husband and along came news of her pregnancy.

It started like a rumour but she delivered her daughter, Kamilah Yusuf later and questions started arising as to who is the father of her child. She later got married to her husband at a low key marriage at the registry but it doesn’t change the fact that her daughter was delivered out of wedlock.

Fathia Balogun

Fathia

This beautiful script interpreter is without doubt a delight to watch anytime but of course the same cannot be said of the news of her separation from her former husband, Saheed Balogun. Runours were rife that Fathia has had a baby with another man before she decided to settle down with

Saheed, who is also an actor.

Some even claimed her union with Saheed was an after-thought as she had initially declined the actor’s advances initially in favour of a London-based lover.

She later got married to Saheed but the union has since broken down completely over issues relating to infidelity.

Grace

Grace Amah

This petite light-skinned actress who acts mainly in English movies also has a child out of wedlock. She has successfully earned herself a place in the group of celebrities with kids out of wedlock and some pessimists are still of the opinion that marriage may not be a thing on her mind soon especially as she has becomes rare at events and the social circuit.

Ibinabo Fiberisima

This actress and former president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) is presently fighting a battle that can be described as the biggest in her life yet and many of her fans are fervently praying she comes out unscathed from it. The former beauty queen was in a celebrated relationship with actor and current president of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Fred Amata.

It was a relationship many of Ibinabo’s friends thought would lead to the altar but just as it started, it was brought to an abrupt end with no cogent reason but not without the actress having a child for the actor. That brought the number of children she has had out of wedlock to 3 as she had two children before the time.

Ibinabo

Funke Etti

She was one of the regular faces in the Yoruba Nigerian female movie industry some time ago.

Funke Etti was at a time thought to be having an affair with Itele, another actor in the Yoruba movie industry but she denied it. After she delivered a bouncing baby boy, the father of the baby was conspicuously missing at the naming ceremony, with sources even claiming that was because she is yet unmarried to the person responsible for the pregnancy.

Funke

Alex Lopez

She is probably one of the very few celebrities that will talk about the children\child they have out of wedlock openly with no sign of regret. Alex Lopez is always happy to talk about her son, Joshua, whom she had for her lover years back. Although the relationship didn’t last, she is always quick to express her gratitude to God for the joy of motherhood which the relationship afforded her.

Alex

21

22

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Social Media Craze TravelTourism

22 October 2016

Trending

Akpotha

Gist

Photos Controversies

Adedayo Odulaja

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Dokubo

Nigerian women on Buhari’s #TheOtherRoom comment

Y

es, it is a week already since the controversial comment

by President Muhammadu Buhari that his wife belongs in his kitchen, the living room and the other room and Nigerians are not about to get tired of it. #TheOtherRoom, which has suddenly become the most popular line in Nigeria since then, has drawn reactions from Nigerians irrespective of class, gender, social status and even religion. Having replied that “my wife belongs to my kitchen, living room and the other room” while in Germany on a three-day visit to discuss issues relating to security and economy, President Muhammadu Buhari caused a Twitter meltdown that is yet to dissipate more than a week after.

Nigerians were quick to conclude that “the other room” was in reference to the bedroom and that animated the discussions on social media.

A few days after, veteran Nollywood actress, Hilda Dokubo, was forced to make her disapproval of President Buahri’s comment known on social media. Via a 2-minute video clip she shared on her Instagram page @hildadokubo, the CEO actor made it clear she does not belong in the kitchen, living room or other rooms and she deserves some right as a woman and human being.

“Hi, my name is Hilda Dokubo and I am a woman. I do not belong to the kitchen. I go to the kitchen to fix food for my family and myself; we eat there sometimes. I don’t belong there.

“I do not belong to the bedroom either. I sleep there, it is my rest place. My things are there but I don’t belong there.

I do not belong to the sitting room, it’s a

lounging place; I rest there and I watch television there. I do not belong to the other room because I don’t know where the other room is in my house, except like this other room sounds like the toilet. I cannot belong to the toilet.”

Reacting to the trending topic however, a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, added a new dimension to it all. While adding a measure of joke to her obviously serious mien, Senator Garba described the kitchen as “her primary constituency” while adding that she is “proud to be in ‘the other room’.” Trust our senators, it elicited a boisterous round of laughter from the male-dominated Red Chambers of the National Assembly.

Popular actress, Chioma Akpotha, joined the league of female folks making their voices heard on the matter. Akpotha took to her Instagram page and her post did add a new perspective to the raging discourse about the ‘the other room’.

Spinning powerful lines of poetry and word play, the actress wrote: “The Other Room (is) where a woman pretends to be weak so that a man can believe he is strong; where a woman pretends to be foolish, so that a man can say he is wise, where a woman stoops so that a man can conquer.

“The Other Room (is) where gods of men become worshippers of women; where leaders of thought become minions of the bleeders of blood; where wielders of power succumb to power.

“The Other Room where the brashness of testosterone yields to the bra straps of Estrogen; where the bravado of masculinity is tamed by the wiles of femininity; where the turgid becomes the flaccid.

“Three rooms in a house – one in which a man believes he is king; two in which he realizes a woman is god!”

N Tekno

Taking a break from the grind

PHOTO: FACEBOOK

2Baba, Seun Kuti, others mourn Jeyibo

A

s the funeral services for late Koga Entertainment boss, Chirs Jeyibo, continue on Wednesday, notable Nigerian entertainers have paid tribute to the resourceful and kind-hearted man.

Jeyibo died on October 7 in a fatal late night auto crash.

At a tribute service held at Koga Studios, off Oregun in Ikeja, Lagos, among family members, friends, business associates who gathered to honour the late entrepreneur were Wumi Obe of TWO, 2face Idibia, now known as 2Baba, Seun Kuti, Vector and Patoranking.

Late Joyibo

Tekno’s odd relationship advice: ‘Let your women cheat’

igerian singer, Tekno delivered a shocking relationship advice to Nigerian men and women alike in a viral video shared via social media on Wednesday.

As far as he is concerned, guys should tell their wom-

en that it's okay to go out and cheat. Bizzare you say, we think so too but wait to hear the “Pana” singer’s reason.

"Guys, if you have a girlfriend... sometimes, you should allow your girlfriend cheat on you. Just small. Because we all cheat as guys. There is no way

you can be with one girl.

It's not possible," he said.

Not stopping there, the “Duro” hit maker said no man anywhere can tell him he does not cheat. But after a number of stinging criticisms by some of his fans and followers, Tekno came back to release another video that he was only joking.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

Investigations

23

Gbame community square.

Inset: Toilet

OTODO GBAME SLUM

A DISASTER FORETOLD Like a lion’s den, a visit to Otodo Gbame, a densely populated slum in Ikate, Lekki, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, exposes the threats of epidemics posed to the neighbourhood. MOJEED ALABI, who recently visited the naturally formed peninsula, reports

T

he months of January and February are not to be forgotten in a hurry in the annals of Lagos State, a mega city, that prides itself as the ‘Centre of Excellence’.

About 25 children, who were aged between three months and three years, reportedly died of a strange disease, which was later described as Fatal Febrile Rash Illnesses (FRI). The peculiar symptom of the disease is boil which develops on the body of the children.

Isioma madike

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

They would later die within three to four days of contraction.

The deceased were children of the inhabitants of Otodo Gbame, a densely populated slum in Ikate, Lekki, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state. It is a naturally formed peninsula, which has, adjoining to its west, Victoria Island and Ikoyi, with the Atlantic Ocean to its south, Lagos Lagoon to the north, and Lekki Lagoon to its east.

The state government on February 17, had confirmed the outbreak of the strange disease when its Commissioner for Health, Jide Idris, led a delegation on a fact-finding mission to the community.

According to Idris, there were 34 cases of sick children with FRI. “The graves of 20 of the children had already been identified by their parents. The outbreak of the disease has been attributed to the people’s lifestyles. This may be

one of the repercussions of an invasion of the land meant for other forms of development,” he said.

The commissioner linked the development to lack of vaccination, saying the community could not be covered by the health officers, because it was difficult to reach due to its difficult terrain and the violence associated with the neighbourhood.

“We heard that Otodo Gbame is a reclaimed area and sand filled for something else entirely. A lot of people come into Lagos and just take over different places and since they don’t have adequate facilities for all the sanitation required, this (disease outbreak) is what will happen. If it was actually planned for people to live in, there would have been at least a primary healthcare centre as a minimum,” Idris was quoted to have said.

However, many doubted the claims of the commissioner. But, a visit to the community by Saturday Telegraph, revealed houses built without planning. Most of them, between 10 to 15 metres of length and breadth are constructed with woods and raft and are usually with a single door serving as entrance and exit points.

Most of these shanties are built on the river, its banks and on the ocean sand.

Samuel Ikeme, a commercial motorcyclist who works around Admiralty and Chisco/MTN areas within the Lekki-Ikate neighbourhood, is in his early

20s. He has lived in Otodo Gbame for more than two years after returning from Cotonou, Benin Republic, where he claimed he was born and raised by his artisan parents.

It is not clear whether Ikeme is a Nigerian or a Beninoise but what is clear is that his parents are still in Cotonou with his siblings. His decision to relocate to Nigeria was simply in pursuit of greener pasture and Ikeme’s first destination was Badagry where he had stayed with a friend for some months.

“In May 2014, my friend said we should move to Lagos from Badagry but accommodation was a problem.

He contacted one of his friends who asked us to come to Otodo. He said to live in that vicinity, we should buy Schnapps for the Baale and other persons, and that he would accommodate us,” Ikeme told our correspondent in Pidgin English.

Since then, Ikeme had lived in Otodo Gbame, where he first worked as a canoe paddler and later as soil dredger, before raising money to buy the motorcycle which he now uses for commercial purpose. According to him, there is money in Lagos but accommodation is a major challenge.

“But for those who know their ways, Otodo Gbame is a community for hustlers and if you are lucky to be initiated continued on page 24

24

Investigations

c o n t i n u e d f r o m pa g e 2 3

by the right men, you would soon become a big boy as well,” he added.

He said life in Otodo Gbame is not only full of risks but also rough and dirty. The same water, he said, where the people fish is also their latrine where they defecate close to their rooms. “People still swim in the same water and others boil it to drink, particularly those who cannot afford to purchase the Makoko water.”

Ikeme was hired to take this reporter on what appeared to be a dangerous but interesting voyage.

Shortly after the end of the interlocking tiled road linking the highbrow Ikate Elegushi axis to the slum, Ikeme navigated his bike dangerously along the swampy and narrow paths.

“He did this until we reached the ocean sandy land where sparsely decorated huts appear in their hundreds.”

A friend (name withheld), who was also on the trip, was scared to the bone marrow. It was around 11am on that fateful Thursday, and at an open sandy square were young men and ladies in their 20s. They were busy gambling with games of dice and cards, and drinking heavily all sorts of local alcoholic gins.

Their looks were not only ferociously scary; they also appeared hungry for victims to devour. But with Ikeme standing by, they were assured of safety as he simply told them in the local Ogu language: “They are friends and not security agents.”

After brief exchanges, Ikeme led the Saturday Telegraph team to a church hall within the community where the leadership of Otodo Gbame, including its Baale, Chief Dansu Hunpe, the Community Development Area Chairman, Hennu Solomon, Family Head, Pa Waheed Ponna, among others, was holding a meeting with some visitors, who had apparently come to negotiate a parcel of land.

Asked about the challenge of development in the community, they chorused their frustration, accusing government at all levels of neglect.

They also blamed their highbrow neighbouring community of Ikate, particularly the Elegushi Royal Family, of illegally encroaching their land.

According to Chief Hunpe, the community, which was founded by their ancestors, who came from Ajido in Badagry area of Lagos, has been in existence for more than 200 years.

He said as fishermen, the ocean had attracted the people, and following their successful sojourn on the water, they decided to live in the area and build a community. He said today, being the ninth Baale installed by his people, the community is now populated by more than 200,000 persons of different races, including Yorubas, Igbos and Hausas.

He explained: “By the term ‘Otodo Gbame,’ we mean a community sited in swampy area. It is an Ogu language. This place has been in existence for many years; about 200 years ago. Our major work here is fishing.

We are great grandchildren here. Our forefathers came here for fishing from Agido community in Badagry. Our language is Ogu, which is poorly spelt as Egun. Over time, however, other tribes such as Yoruba, Hausa, Calabar, among others, have joined us and we have co-existed without rancour.

“We are under Eti-Osa Local Government Area, where we pay our tenement rates to government account regularly. The population here is more than 250,000 and we have community development associations. In fact, we have the voting strength in

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

‘The graves of 20 children had already been identified by their parents’

the whole of Lekki here,” the Baale said.

Meanwhile, Solomon, who acts as the community’s spokesman, decried what he described as the abandonment the community suffers from government, saying the few signs of development noticed in the neighbourhood such as power supply, are products of communal efforts. It is unfortunate, he said, that common public toilets are not built for the community by the government. According to him, many letters of appeal have been written and protests taken to the state government Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja, to demand for social amenities without success.

“In terms of school, there are only private schools and no health centre but private ones. We don’t have polling units, we have written protest letters many times to INEC and other appropriate authorities, but there is yet to be response. Our Baale was installed by the community and not by any government because we are accountable to our people. Only Eti-Osa Local Government Authorities used to come here.

“During the 2015 elections, we insisted we would not go to Ikate to vote anymore and that polling unit should be allocated to us. We used to go and vote in Ikate and Itedo communities, but we realised that we are more than them in terms of population. They had been using us to gain patronage from government. So, we needed to address that by refusing to vote again until polling units are allocated to our community,” Solomon explained.

Speaking on the controversy surrounding the ownership of the land, the community spokesperson said there have been series of conflicts between the community and their Ikate neighbours. He said that violent thugs had once descended on their local-

ity burning down houses and killing people.

He said: “There are issues and they stemmed from encroachment. Because we did not allow them they are creating crisis for us. We have written many times to the governor, and have engaged in open protests at Alausa, the seat of government. We have done many media reports and have taken them to courts. We are presently in court.

“There is a case of arson which is already at the appeal court. There is also the case of litigation over encroachment which is currently at the Federal High Court. The court has only mandated that status quo ante should be maintained pending the determination of the matter.

“We did not sue government but our neighbours. We have both signed different undertakings to ensure peace, and there are restrictions in terms of boundaries that indigenes of both communities must observe. We cannot cross

to their community and they must not cross to ours. If they do, it is illegal and it will spark violence.”

When confronted with the risk associated with the location of their community, the people’s lifestyle and the allegation that the community poses security threat to the state, Solomon, who is the only literate figure among the community’s leadership, refuted the claim. Rather, he said everyone knows fishermen stay by the river. He added that being poor is no crime but that it is government responsibility to cater for its citizens regardless of their social status.

“Our appeal to the government is that we have tried very well to get basic amenities here but all that we have got are products of self-helps. We need rural electrification, security posts, health centres and empowerment support for the youth, women and fishermen. And about our neighbours, government should warn them against encroaching on our lands. They should live on their

Youths in the community

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

Global Hot Costa out to spoil Mourinho's Chelsea return p.28

Sport Splash

25

News Eagles can be unstoppable with Success, Iheanacho, Iwobi –Lawal p.32

Eagles will compound Algeria’s woes in Uyo -Pascal Super Eagles General Coordinator and ex-international Patrick Pascal told Saturday Telegraph’s AJIBADE OLUSESAN in this interview that unity in the current national team was unprecedented and could help the squad pick the ticket to 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Super Eagles won 2-1 away to Zambia do you think they would have it easy against the Algerian side who drew 1-1 at home against Cameroon when the two sides meet Uyo next month?

No match is easy; you have to approach every match the way it comes. And the most important thing, is that we have an edge, because we won an away match.

And now we are at home and all hands are on deckthe technical crew, players and the football federation -are concerned about the maximum three points.

Algerians are having some problems now, a few days after their 1-1 against Cameroon at home they sacked their coach and there are insinuations we could actually capitalise on that now that they don’t have a permanent coach do you agree?

Yes we do not pity them because they sack their coach, we have sacked how many coaches and who pitied us? So if they like they sack the entire team, we will be very happy, so they can come with nobody that’s not our problem.

Our problem is our concentration for the game. So we don’t care about the sacking of their coach, or engaging of new one. Our focus as a team is to go on that day and grab the three points, it will be a very good advantage for us to claim six points, it will go a long way in our bid to qualify.

You are the General Coordinator of the Super Eagles, and an ex-international are you not bothered about the quality of players in Algerian side. They have Riyah Mahrez, Islam Slimani , shouldn’t we be scared of these names?

What happened in Ndola in Zambia, had any country gone there and beat the Chipolopolo?

So we don’t care about the big names, because we have young players that are equal to the task. And these young players are ready to make their names and they have proved that they are ready to work for Nigerians and themselves so we don’t care about any big name that is coming here. The only thing is that 90 minutes will decide and for the entire duration of the game, we’ll work for it These young to get our three points, and that’s all we are players are ready waiting for.

to make their names and they have proved that they are ready to work for Nigerians and themselves

AFCON 2017 will start in January and Nigeria will not be there, what do you think the mood will be among the Eagles as we won’t feature in the continents’ biggest football competition?

You know as professional players they will not be happy that we are not in the Nations Cup that we have won before. Now we are playing qualifiers for the World Cup, the concentration is now on Russia 2018, since we are not in the Nations Cup. We went to Zambia nobody expected we could do something there, they took us to a stadium they had never lost before, the best result any other country had recorded there was a draw. So the mood of the players cannot be said to be bad because even yours as a football fan and writer you are happy we are on course for the World Cup. I am sure you never thought we could come out with something in Ndola but we got three points there and everybody is celebrating and happy.

So if the fans and supporters are happy, so how much more those who did the job.

The Team Ajibade Olusesan l Co-ordinator

Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Iheanacho

Sir, I know you believe with me and C O N T I N U E D on PA G E 2 7

Sport

26

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

Nigerian League Rendezvous

BY CHARLES OGUNDIYA

Change of guards hits NPFL clubs

W

ith just a few weeks after the end of the Nigeria Professional Football League season, there has been changes in the technical crew of some clubs.

Immediately after their last game against Niger Tornadoes, coach of former champions, Kano Pillars, Mohammed BabaGanaru, tendered his resignation letter, same as Plateau United coach, Zakary Baraje.

The leaving of Baba-Ganaru was not the end with the club as the board of Kano Pillars was dissolved by the Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The governor further directed the chairman of the state Sports Commission to draft a proposal on a new, proactive

board that would work towards restoring the glory of the club.

It was the same scenario in Akure as Sunshine Stars parted company with Coach Solomon Ogbeide, replacing him with Kayode Olorungbe.

Relegated Heartland FC was not left out as the management board was dissolved and also the technical crew of the club sacked.

The governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, immediately appointed Chibuzor Etuemena as the new General Manager of the club while Oscar Keke will function as the new operating officer of the NNL side with a mandate to gain immediate promotion back to the NPFL at the first time of asking following their relegation at the end of the just concluded season.

Akwa United finally terminated the appointment of manager, Maurince Cooreman, after a series of suspension and queries.

Coach of MFM FC, Ilechukwu Fidelis, also resigned from his job but was later recalled by the General Overseer of the coach, Dr. Daniel Olukoya.

There was rumour also during the week that the management board of the Lagos-based side was dissolved, but the chairman of the team, Godwin Enakhena, quickly dispelled the rumour.

More managers might lose their job before the start of the new season as clubs like Enyimba and others plan to dethrone newly crowned champions, Rangers.

LEAGUE TABLE Team

P

W

D

L

GF

GA

GD

PTS

1 Rangers

36

18

9

9

53

37

16

63

2 Rivers Utd

36

19

3

14

38

29

9

60

3Wikki

36

16

9

11

45

28

17

57

4 IfeanyiUbah

36

16

8

12

37

33

4

56

5 Lobi Stars

36

16

7

13

41

35

6

55

6 Sunshine

36

14

11

11

44

37

7

53

7 Kano Pillars

36

15

7

14

47

40

7

52

8 El-Kanemi

36

16

3

17

37

42

-5

51

9 Enyimba

36

14

8

14

34

35

-1

50

10 Nasarawa Utd36

16

2

18

41

43

-2

50

50

11 Tornadoes

36

15

4

17

40

42

-2

49

12 Plateau Utd

36

13

10

13

34

37

-3

49

13 Abia Warriors

36

12

12

12

35

39

-4

48

14 Akwa Utd

36

13

8

15

45

46

-1

47

15 Shooting

36

14

5

17

41

48

-7

47

16 MFM FC

36

12

9

15

36

40

-4

45

17 Warri Wolves

36

12

9

15

29

38

-9

45

18 Heartland

36

11

11

14

25

30

-5

44

19 Ikorodu Utd

36

7

11

18

32

55

-23

32

20 Giwa

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

League action between relegated Heartland and MFM at the recently concluded season

I am still Shooting Stars' coach –Ogunbote

S

hooting Stars of Ibadan coach, Gbenga Ogunbote, has said he still remains the coach of the Oluyole Warriors despite numerous offers coming his way.

While speaking to League Rendezvous on the telephone, the former Giwa coach said he was approached by some club and hopefully everything will be sorted out soon.

It was reported that Ogunbote was on the verge of joining Akwa United who recently sacked their coach, Maurice Cooreman.

“A lot of teams have contacted me and Akwa United was one of them,” Ogunbote said. “But contacting me does not mean we have finalised, but everything will be known soon.

“I am still with Shooting Stars and right now I am in Ibadan as against the rumour that I am already in Uyo to sign the dotted lines.

“I am looking at all the offers but if I am going to remain with Shooting Stars, my target will be

to qualify the club to play on the continent at the end of next season.

“The target is to put an end to fighting relegation every season and I believe with proper preparation, we can achieve that.”

Reports have it that two other coaches were also grilled for the Akwa United job as the management of the club hopes to find the best candidate for the job.

According to a source in Uyo, the club is on the look out for a good coach and very soon the new man to tinker the club in the new season will be announced.

The source said: “There are so many things that are being considered in the choice of a coach and the club has promised not to compromise on any of the criteria set up for a new coach.”

Wike affirms support for Ezeji's testimonial

G

overnor Nyesom Wike has affirmed the Rivers State government's support for the Victor Ezeji Testimonial scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt on December 10th.

The Governor speaking through the state's Commissioner for Sports, Boma Iyaye, said the Main Organising Committee for the event would receive government’s support in its bid to host a befitting testimonial for the retired striker.

The Governor acknowledged Ezeji's service for defunct Rivers state club sides Sharks FC and Dolphins FC and also commended his choice of Port Harcourt as the city to

host his testimonial.

“The government will support Ezeji and the Main Organising Committee to ensure that you have a hitch-free testimonial,” Iyaye told the MOC. “For Ezeji to decide that his testimonial will hold in Port Harcourt shows the love and respect he has for our city.

“He played for Sharks, Dolphins and won laurels. We thus consider him a part and parcel and legend of Rivers Utd.” Ezeji, although from Abia State, grew up in Rivers State capital and can be considered a Port Harcourt boy through and through.

He started his playing career in the city, got married in the city and still lives in Port Harcourt at the moment.

We'll retain our players – Katstina Utd

C Ogunbote

hairman of newly promoted Nigeria Professional Football League side, Katsina United, Aminu Kurfi, has disclosed that most of the players that prosecuted their Nigeria National League 2015/16 season would be retained for topflight campaign next season.

Kurfi who doubles as the Senior Special Assistant to Katsina State governor on sports, said the club management was confident about the ability of the players to compete favorably in the elite league

having shown the stuff they are made up in the just concluded NNL season and in the Federation Cup. “It was these same players that defeated highly rated MFM of Lagos in the Federation Cup before they went on to give FC IfeanyiUbah a run for their money in the same competition,” he said.

“I am waiting for the technical report but I can tell you that there are no plans to overhaul the team. It does not make sense to tamper with a winning team.''

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

'Rohr sees himself as a Nigerian now' C O N T I N U E D f r o m PA G E 2 5

other Nigerians that we still have a lot to do, considering that we still have five matches to play?

Of course I agree but we have to be happy with what we have done so far, what about those other teams that lost their matches? What do you say about teams that are rated number one, two and three in Africa and they have one point each after first round of matches?

So all what is good, is this is the beginning of the show and we are climbing up, and everybody should come out and support our players because now we are no longer struggling, our team is taking shape unlike before; if a player is not around we have another who can fit in very well, that’s what we want.

This is the beginning of the show, if you start very well you will end up well. So as we start ed with that away win we will end up qualifying for Russia.

Two names have been on the lips of many Nigerians, Kelechi Ieanacho and Alex Iwobi, what is your impression about these youngsters?

I will say we have gotten our Tom and Jerry in the Eagles. God has blessed us with these wonderful players. They play with their mind and strength every time they wear the jersey.

When they get two scoring opportunities you can be sure they will score one goal from it.

When you have players like that your prayer is for them no to get injury so that they can always come home and help the national team.

This set of players in the Eagles are all wonderful lads, they are very disciplined and focused, I am happy as a general coordinator that there is no quarrel, everyone is working hard, we stay together anytime we are in camp, we are happy for this.

Sir you have worked with at least five coaches and Gernot Rohr is the first foreigner you are working with; after two games what do you have to say about this German?

What you need in football is result. So for me I have not had any problem with all the coaches I have worked with. We worked well

with local coaches and the white man came again and we are giving him 100% support. He considers himself to be a Nigerian now, he is the coach of our national team, and he is not even talking about another country.

So working with the fifth coach I have never had problems with anybody and no one has ever questioned my work, everyone enjoys my work; because I give 100%. So we are doing the same thing for the person we are working with now, we don’t care if he is an indigenous person or not; the most important thing is that he is now the Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. We don’t care where he is coming from, all we do is give him the maximum support.

How are you coping with the job of Super Eagles General Coordinator?

I am the first ex- international to become the coordinator of the Super Eagles, and I have worked with so many people and no coach has come out in the media criticising my job, so am very happy with that.

I don’t have any problem with anybody whoever the NFF appoints today as coach we are ready to work with that person 100%.

The only thing that we care about is that the national team should achieve something.

If you check our team, you will know we have been struggling but now it has taken a new shape and Nigerians are watching our football and they are happy.

27

title. That’s the kind of thing that will make you happy, that when you come out and your neighbours can see that you have done something great for the country and everywhere you enter the memory is still fresh, so am very happy. For you to interview me today it is because of that Atlanta 1996.

So we know we have tried for the country and now we are at the administrative level, still serving our fatherland and with the support of people, we are doing our job well.

Pascal

I don’t care if my children want to play football, and will support them too if they choose education

You were at the Atlanta 1996, as alternate player what does is mean to have been part of such a good squad?

It’s such a great thing, lifetime achievement that one will never forget. Because that’s why you are calling me MON, if I didn’t go to that tournament you won’t be addressing me with that national

Are you disappointed that two years after the Atlanta triumph injury did not allow you feature at France 1998 having played many qualifiers?

I am not bothered anymore because we are doing well now at the administrative level. People who went to USA 1994, what has happened to many of them in terms of achievement after football? Some of us that didn’t attend any World Cup finals we thank God for what He has done for us; I am the first ex- international to be the coordinator of that team now. In terms of administration, I started as Team Manager of Wikki Tourists and then became the vice chairman of the club and later Special Adviser on sport to two governors in my state, Bauchi. I was also a chairman of a board. I worked with those governors for 16 years.

So World Cup has passed for me but I am still in this business and even the players that went to the Mundial, where are they today? I do not have any regrets that I did not attend any World Cup as a player. I thank God today that throughout my football career there was nothing like serious injury.

So it is not enough for you to go to the World Cup, what is also important is life after football .

So what was your first breakthrough as a footballer and how did your parent accept that?

I finished from Teachers College so after that nobody supported me to play football, because all what my parents were after was for me to further my education. So then I started working with Central Bank, they employed me and said we were going to be playing football for them and from there I joined Wikki Tourists and later Shooting Stars of Ibadan.

When Shooting Stars were having problem with relegation and having worked with coach Kashimawo Laloko at Wikki, he told the management of 3SC that he worked with a player in Bauchi who could help and they invited me to play for them and that was my breakthrough.

You had a very good time in Shooting Stars…

Shooting Stars is my home, you can even call me a Yoruba person because up till now they are still saying in Ibadan that they have not had players like us. I spent three years there and there was never a match I was benched, I was a regular player as we won the double 1995 and went to African Cup final 1996. I can’t forget that moment.

So what was the first big money you made in football?

The first big money I collected was when I left wikki Tourist to Shooting Stars, because they doubled my salary and I was surprise as my teammates were even complaining. In my closet I will always say ‘God thank you for this big door wey you open for me”. Because I remembered how I was suffering in Wikki as a regular player.

Super Eagles' defender, Jamiu Alimi (right)

Will you allow any of your children to play football?

I will support them because you can’t change their destiny. We got a lot of “koboko” during our time for trying to play football and here we are today, our parents who were trying to stop us, we are the ones feeding them today.

I don’t care if my children want to play football, and will support them too if they choose education.

No Clubs 1 Atletico 2 Real 3 Sevilla 4 Barcelona 5 Villarreal 6 Bilbao 7 Las Palmas 8 Eibar 9 Alaves 10 Sociedad 11 Leganes 12 Celta Vigo 13 Malaga 14 Valencia

LA LIGA

P 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

Pts 18 18 17 16 16 15 12 11 10 10 10 10 9 9

No Clubs P Pts 1 Man City 8 19 2 Arsenal 8 19 3 Tottenham 8 18 4 Liverpool 8 17 5 Chelsea 8 16 6 Everton 8 15 7 Manutd 8 14 8 Southampton 8 12 9 Crystal Palace 8 11 10 Watford 8 11 11 Bournemouth8 11 12 West Brom 8 10 13 Leicester 8 8 14 Burnley 8 7 15 West Ham 8 7 16 Hull City 8 7 17 Middlesbrough8 6 18 Stoke City 8 6 19 Swansea City 8 4 20 Sunderland 8 2

EPL

TABLES

"Steven has a straightforward injury and we're not expecting a long lay-off," he said.

All of Burnley's seven points this season have come at home, but Everton are flying higher under Ronald Koeman and Dyche knows they will present a difficult obstacle to overcome.

He added: "There is no pressure on us.

We have handled big occasions before and we have a good feeling about playing at Turf Moor.

"I think we have to be at it in every game. There are certain challenges that are really tough and Everton are a very good side."

Hot Costa out to spoil Mourinho's

Defour

nfluential Burnley midfielder Steven Defour will miss Saturday's match against Everton through injury.

Sean Dyche has confirmed Burnley will be without Steven Defour for this weekend at least after the Belgium international suffered a hamstring injury.

The midfielder has become a key player for the Clarets since making an £8million switch to the Premier League from Anderlecht in August.

But the 28-year-old will not be involved against Everton at Turf Moor, though manager Dyche does not believe he will be sidelined for long.

Burnley suffer Defour injury blow I 6:30pm Sociedad v Alaves 8:45pm Granada v Gijon SUNDAY 12pm Celta Vigo v Deportivo 4:15pm Sevilla v Atletico

3pm Hull City v Stoke City 3pmLeicester v l Palace 3pm West Ham v Sunderland 5:30pm Liverpool v West Brom SUNDAY

10:45pm Real v Bilbao

ampton 4pm Chelsea vs Man United

T his weekend's Premier League football kicks off with a fascinating fixture as Tottenham Hotspur travel to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth.

Spurs come into Saturday's early kick-off as the only side still unbeaten in the top flight and Mauricio Pochettino's men will move to the summit for at least a couple of hours should they take maximum points from this match.

Serie A

Valdes

The north Londoners earned a battling goalless draw against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League in midweek - and Spurs' superb defensive discipline should stand them in good stead for this crucial clash.

Pochettino's men boast the best defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded just four goals in their opening eight top flight tussles; indeed, Spurs have chalked up a hugely impressive seven clean sheets from their 12 matches in all competitions this season.

BUNDESLIGA

ictor Valdes says that this weekend’s Premier League match against Arsenal is a challenge that he and his Boro teammates will relish.

Saturday’s trip to the Emirates

Middlesbrough’s Valdes dares rampaging Arsenal

Alli

SATURDAY 3:30pm Leverkusen v Hoffenheim 3:30pm Darmstadt v Wolfsburg 3:30pm Freiburg v Augsburg 3:30pm Berlin v Cologne 3:3pm0 Ingolstadt v Dortmund 6:30pm Bayern v M’gladbach SUNDAY 3:30pm Leipzig v Bremen 5:30pmSchalke v Mainz 05

V

SATURDAY 5pm Sampdoria v Genoa 7:45 AC Milan v Juventus SUNDAY 12:30pm Udinese v Pescara 3pm Atalanta vs Inter 3pm Cagliari v Fiorentina 3pm Crotone v Napoli 3pm Empoli v Chievo 3pm Torino v Lazio 6pm Bologna v Sassuolo

Tottenham seek to protect unbeaten record

6:30pm Malaga v Leganes 8:30pm Villarreal v Las Palmas

11:30pm Man City vs South-

3pm Swansea v Watford

4:15pm Valencia v Barcelona

3pm Burnley v Everton

SATURDAY 1pm Espanyol v Eibar

12:30 B'mouth v Tottenham 3pm Arsenal v Middlesbrough

La Liga

EPL

FIXTURES

Global Football Special www.newtelegraphonline.com

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

28

Sport SATURDAY

22 OCTOB

8 8 8 8 8 8

No Clubs 1 Bayern 2 FC Cologne 3 Leipzig 4 Berlin 5 Dortmund 6 Hoffenheim 7 Mainz 8 Frankfurt 9 M’gladbach 10 Leverkusen 11 Freiburg 12 Augsburg 13 Bremen 14 Wolfsburg 15 Darmstadt 16 Schalke 17 Hamburger 18 Ingolstadt

P 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

8 8 7 7 6 2

Pts 17 15 15 14 13 13 11 11 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 2 1

Pts 21 16 16 14 14 14 13 13 12 12 11 11 10 9 8 7 7 6 5 1

BUNDESLIGA

No Clubs P 1 Juventus 8 2 Roma 8 3 AC Milan 8 4 Torino 8 5 SSC Napoli 8 6 Lazio 8 7 ChievoVerona 8 8 Cagliari 8 9 Genoa 7 10 Sassuolo 8 11 Inter 8 12 Bologna 8 13 Atalanta 8 14 Fiorentina 7 15 Sampdoria 8 16 Pescara 8 17 Udinese 8 18 Palermo 8 19 Empoli 8 20 Crotone 8

SERIE A

15 Deportivo 16 Real Betis 17 Espanyol 18 Gijon 19 Osasuna 20 Granada

J

Roger Federer spoke about how he was using Rafa Nadal as an inspiration for his 2017 comeback.

'I wish Rafa to be healthy because I know what it means. I am going through my first big injury. I have to say that it's almost easy for me, I spend a lot of time at home with my family, I am calm while practicing but I don't know how it will be when I will start competing again.

Roger Federer

Injury-hit Gladbach have slipped to ninth in the league after their top four finish last season, with one win in their last three matches.

Against Bayern, they will still be without attacking midfielder Raffael and striker Thorgan Hazard, among more than half a dozen injured players.

"Bayern are not invincible," said central defender Jannik Vestergaard, with Gladbach having lost just three of their last 10 encounters against the Bavarians.

With there being doubts as to whether the hugely anticipated fight between Anthony Joshua and Waldimir Klitschko will go-ahead on December 10th, in Manchester, it seems that the IBF heavyweight title will be boxing somebody.

Speculation suggests that Klitschko only wants to commit to the fight if the WBA belt is on the line as well as Joshua’s

SPORT BRIEFLY Anthony Joshua

Vastergaard

Gladbach prepare for 'toughest' game against Bayern

orussia Moenchengladbach, fresh from their first Champions League win this season, are preparing for what is their most difficult task this season with holders Bayern Munich awaiting on Saturday.

Gladbach will go into the game brimming with confidence following their 2-0 victory at Celtic on Wednesday that earned them three points and kept their hopes of making the Champions League knockout stage alive.

"Victories are always good for the team. We got a win under difficult conditions and it will be exactly the same on Saturday," scorer Lars Stindl said. "We want to get the maximum out of that game in Munich.

"It is always tough against them but in the past few matches we always looked good against Bayern.

Nevertheless for us it is still the toughest game of the season."

B

Kickoff: 4:00pm

ose Mourinho will always have a place in the hearts of Chelsea's faithful but his former charges are hoping to make him suffer when he returns to Stamford Bridge as manager of Manchester United on Sunday.

Two days before being sacked in December a doomed Mourinho spoke of a "betrayal" of his work by some of the players who had propelled Chelsea to the Premier League title the previous season.

Fingers were pointed at Diego Costa, among others, and the Spain striker's huge dip in form was a contributing factor to the Portuguese tactician's bitter exit.

Costa has started this season like the marauding forward Mourinho signed from Atletico Madrid, scoring seven goals in eight Premier League games, and he will be relishing the highly-charged atmosphere expected on Sunday.

The visit to Stamford Bridge could hardly have come at a worse time for a United side who have won only one of their last five Premier League games to stall what had been a promising beginning to the Mourinho reign.

Fifth-placed Chelsea have also had a whole week to prepare following their demolition of champions Leicester City last weekend while United have been

working overtime.

Mourinho's new team drew 0-0 at Liverpool on Messi Monday and will play Turkish club Fenerbahce in the Europa League on Thursday before they can fully focus on the visit to west London.

No wonder Mourinho, whose side are seventh in the table, said it was a time for digging in.

"This is not the week where we were expecting to close the distances to the top of the league. This is the week we have to keep contact with them," he told the club's website (www.manutd.com).

"Then we will arrive at the moment where we win three, four or five matches in a row and we will be there fighting with almost everybody for the title."

It is not the first time Mourinho, who won two Premier League titles for Chelsea before his first sacking in 2007, will sit in the away dugout at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea return

B

P

aris-Saint Germain have started the season slowly under Unai Emery, and one of the obvious reasons for that is the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The Swedish star played a key role for the Ligue 1 club over the last few years, but not much effort was made to replace him in the summer.

The Ligue 1 champions lost just a couple of games last season, and have already been beaten twice in this campaign.

Paris-Saint Germain host Marseille on Sunday night, and there is a growing optimism among teams in Ligue 1 of getting a result in Paris.

PSG, Marseille derby can’t be the same without Ibrahimovic – Fanni

Kimi Raikkonen says that the United States Grand Prix is a nice circuit with an exciting uphill section at the start. The Finnish driver thinks the design of the circuit is good with uphill and downhill challenges.

“It’s a nice circuit” says Kimi of the American track.

“They put a good design in it, plus it has uphill sections and it’s not just flat. I think it makes it more interesting.”

Kimi Raikkonen

arçelona travel to the Mestalla Stadium for a historically tough match against Valencia on Saturday, and despite the Bats' poor form this season, they will make the game difficult for Barça because of course they will.

While Barcelona remain perfect in the European Cup, they're still sitting in fourth place in the La Liga stadings and the weekend brings one of the toughest matches in the league calendar.

Valencia hate to lose to Barça, and their stadium is one of the most hostile environments in Spain.

André Gomes and Paco Alcácer return to Valencia for the first time since leaving the club to join the Catalans in the summer, and they might even get a chance to start given the short period of rest after the Man City game.

Barca in tricky trip to Valencia

will be a tough test for Boro, with the Gunners up at second in the Premier League table.

But former Barcelona goalkeeper Valdes says that it is the kind of fixture that players look forward to.

“It will be a special game for us, in a good atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium,” he told Sky Sports.

“When you are in the Premier League you are always against very good teams and players.

“But I think they are one of the best teams in the world right now, so it will be very hard.

Y TELEGRAPH

Ber 2016

29

30

Lifestyle of Sportsmen

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

Kane’s girlfriend shows off baby bump

RONALDO STILL GOT A THING FOR IRINA SHAYK? D

H

arry Kane may be missing Spurs games through injury at the moment – but a new arrival may soon put a smile on his face.

The Tottenham ace, 24, is expecting his first child with girlfriend Kate Goodland in January – and the childhood sweethearts look to be preparing for the occasion.

Kate was spotted getting the family groceries and showing off her baby bump at a local supermarket, loading several bags into the family car.

oes Cristiano Ronaldo still have a thing for Irina Shayk? It’s the biggest question on everyone’s lips.

The Real Madrid superstar, whose relationship with the stunning model ended a year ago, has liked two of her Instagram pictures in the past few days.

Shayk recently sparkled in Verona as she stepped out onto the red carpet.

And given his previous form, it has fuelled rumours that CR7 wants to edge his way back into her good books.

But the Portugal superstar has been linked to a long list of attractive women, including a former Miss Spain and beautiful Victoria’s Secret model Kristina Peric who looks a lot like Shayk.

Shayk

Harry was nowhere to be seen during the shopping trip.

Kane is currently out of action for Spurs with an ankle injury but could return to training as early as Monday.

The striker revealed in July that he and long-term girlfriend Kate were expecting their first child, with the arrival expected after Christmas.

He wrote on Twitter: “So happy that @KateGoodlandx and I are expecting our first child! Exciting times ahead! Can’t wait!”

Kate

Stories courtesy : Dailymail

Hamilton plays down rumoured romances with Jenner, Rihanna

L

ewis Hamilton was left squirming when he was grilled about his rumoured romances with Kendall Jenner and Rihanna.

The Formula 1 champion, who has been linked to model Kendall, RiRi and even Rita Ora, was grilled about his love life by Ellen on her show.

Lewis, 31, is world famous but in America, it would seem that people don't know that much about Formula 1 so during his appearance he was ex-

M

anchester United star, Paul Pogba and girlfriend Dencia have angered some guests with their loud love making.

According to the UK Sun, businessmen and women have already cried foul over loud parties he has held at the city’s five-star Lowry.Now it emerges he has been scoring in the bedroom between 3am and 4am.

The extratime sex ses-

Iheanacho

Iheanacho set to complete mansion in Imo

1

9-year-old Manchester City and Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho is currently building an expansive mansion at his hometown in Obogwe in Ohaji Egbema LGA of Imo State.

While calls by his agents for his salary to be increased to £150,000 haven't been heeded by City manager, Pep Guardiola, Iheanacho's £10,000/per week salary which is about 5.3 million naira is still doing wonders for the Nigerian-born striking sensation as he is set to complete his house before the end of 2016.

plaining exactly what it is. But after all that, Ellen wanted to get the important facts covered first.

“You've been with Rihanna...” Ellen said as pictures of the pair were flashed on the screen, to which Lewis replied: “Oh really?”

Ellen quipped: “Yes you have.... Kendall Jenner and lots of people, yes, are you single now?”

Lewis, who found himself awkwardly laughing along with the show's audience, insisted that he wasn't dating but concenJenner trating on his job.

Dencia

el t o h rb u t is d ia c n e D , a b Pog ns’ a o m x e s d u o ‘l h it w s t s gue

sions with Paul Pogba’s new squeeze – African singer Dencia – have caused a stir among well-heeled guests.

One visitor to Manchester told The Sun they complained to the Lowry staff about his sex moans – but nothing was done so they switched hotels.

The guest, who asked not to be named, said: “We stayed at the Lowry and saw Pogba and Dencia together.“You can’t miss Dencia – she is loud and flash. “We were staying near them on the third floor of the hotel, so saw them coming and going from his room at the end of the hallway. “I settled down to sleep at 2am after getting in late.

“There was loud hip-hop music blaring from his room and lots of giggling.“It eventually quietened down but between 3am and 4am there was unmistakable moaning and groaning to be heard.

“They didn’t seem t o care who heard them. It went on forever.”It sounded like a porn movie.''

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

My last discussion with Izu was on money, death –Alaba

31

•3SC star in the minds of players, coaches

I

Charles Ogundiya

encomium for the former Ocean Boys defender.

Captain of the team, Seun Akinyemi, said the army should own up to their mistakes and stop saying evil about the late player.

He said the many negative things said about the player were not true as Izu was never a bad person.

Akinyemi revealed: “I was in the same camp with him for three seasons, and I never found any trait of bad behavior in him.

“People should just watch what they are saying because God will surely judge everyone accordingly.

It’s only God that can reveal the circumstances surrounding his death.

“I have been thinking since his death was announced and as the captain of the team, we just lost a rare and fantastic player.”

Shooting Stars goalkeeper, John Dosu, said Izu was his roommate in Ibadan and couldn’t believe he was gone.

t was a sad moment for Shooting Stars defender, Osawe Alaba, after hearing of his defence partner, Joseph Izu’s death in the hands of gunmen which it later emerged were men of the Nigerian army.

Alaba was in tears as he recalled his last discussion with Izu, describing him as one of the best defender in the country, while adding that their last discussion after the end of the season was about money and death.

“He was more than a teammate to me, I played alongside him many times during the season and I can attest to his on and off field attitude,” he said.

“Our last discussion at the end of the season was how we were going to get the money owed us by the team.

“He was asking me that are we going to wait till we die before they pay us all our outstanding salaries and match bonuses.

“Immediately I heard about his death, I couldn’t but recollect our discussion, something that made me cry more.”

He called on the management of Shooting Stars Football Club and the Oyo State Football Association to immortalise the player.

Alaba believes helping out with the career of the deceased’s eight-year-old daughter through school will be a good gesture.

He added: “I don’t know what the club is planning, but sponsoring the education of the daughter won’t be a bad idea at all.

“He worked for the club and they are still owing him, so it won’t be a bad idea to take over the education of the child among other things.”

The Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt during the week confirmed that its soldiers shot dead Izu, with Brig.Gen. Hamisu Hassan informing newsmen that the late footballer was allegedly seen around a cult shrine raided by the troops.

But apart from the report of the Nigeria army that the player was found among cultists, it ...in action has been outpouring of

Izu (left) with team mate, John Dosu

The younger brother of former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Joseph Dosu, said the army just wasted the life of the player.

“Izu was a great guy when he was alive,” Dosu said. “He often played in front of me as a central defender and never took offence whenever I shouted at him during games and we always returned to the room together to enjoy the rest of the day.

“The memory of our time together still fresh in my mind and I am yet to get over the shock of his demise.

“He was a very jovial player and very hardworking who didn’t joke with his work, all his thinking was to get victory in all games.”

Speaking with Saturday Telegraph, Shooting Stars coach, Gbenga Ogunbote, said he was very surprised about the army’s statement.

Ogunbote said: “Before his demise, the Izu I knew was an easy going person. A hardworking player, his focus was always about how to win his next game and didn’t mind what people said about him. “Every time you see him play, he always gave his best on the field of play, to the best of my knowledge, I didn’t see him with anything bad.

“It was very surprising when I heard he was this or that, to be honest, I find that very ridiculous.”

The coach added that the army must be cautioned and they must not always resort to killing of innocent souls, especially defenseless citizens.

Speaking further, he said the

I have been thinking since his death was announced and as the captain of the team, we just lost a rare and fantastic player

player proved himself worthy when he was alive and at some point saved the club from embarrassment.

“Killing human beings that you are supposed to protect should not be the final resort, I think it is a very terrible case; killing itself reduces the strength of a country and these trigger happy officers should be brought to book.

“He was one of the best defenders ever to play for Shooting Stars, he always gave his best anytime he was called upon to play; he had saved the club on one or two occasions from embarrassment, he had proven himself; to be honest with you, it is a big loss to the club and the country. I pray all of us have the fortitude to bear the loss.

“I don’t want to preempt Shooting Stars on what to do for the player, but I am sure they are not folding their arms.”

One of the fans of the Ibadanbased side, Goke Solanke, described Izu as a rough diamond when he joined Shooting Stars three seasons ago.

He said he was always willing to learn and would be greatly missed by the club.

“It is hurting to learn that Izu Joseph is no more. You were a rough diamond when you joined Shooting Stars three seasons ago when the team was still slugging it out in the NNL. “He had a steady progression from being an emerging defender to becoming a force at the heart of the defence for the Oluyole Warriors.

“Always willing to learn, always!

Always learning from his past mistakes after each match. Many did not believe in his ability until he proved so many people wrong with his performance.

“He did not live to fully fulfill his potential, the Shooting Stars family will really miss him, he showed his loyalty in three years at the Club.”

The late Izu joined 3SC in the 2013/14 season from Bayelsa United and had just completed his third season at the Oluyole Warriors.

The 24-year-old is survived by a wife, an eight year-old daughter and aged parents.

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

Eagles can be unstoppable with Success, Iheanacho, Iwobi –Lawal

F

Ajibade Olusesan ormer Super Eagles midfielder Garba Lawal has said the national team can become unstoppable if Watford striker Isaac Success is paired in the attack with Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi of Arsenal.

He said it was unfortunate Success suffered an injury before Eagles’ trip to Ndola where they defeated Zambia 2-1 in a World Cup 2018 qualifier but it would be interesting to see how the 19-year-old lines up with the rest of the squad when he arrives for the clash against Algeria on November 12, in Uyo. Lawal who is a member of the Nigeria Football Federation Technical Committee said it was unbelievable that

God had blessed the country with such exciting youngsters, insisting with the right blend and coaching the current team would go places.

“Success will go places and I can imagine how the Eagles will look like when he comes into the mix. I have been watching him since his time at Granada and was impressed with his work there. I am not surprised he moved to England and has been doing great in Watford. He offers his team a lot of options because he can play in a variety of positions in the attack; he can operate from the flanks and can play as a central striker.

“I am sure many of you remember that he grew up with Iheanacho from the U-17 category and they can strike an understanding in the senior national team with Iwobi,” he said.

Adepoju: Eagles have edge over Algeria but..

Samuel Ebhodaghe

F

ormer Super Eagles midfielder Mutiu Adepoju is optimistic Nigeria will beat Algeria when the two sides meet in a 2018 World Cup qualifier on November 12, in Uyo, but warned the players that the task would be difficult.

Nigeria heads into the tie as Group B leader after claiming a 2-1 win in Zambia in the opening fixture of the series while Algeria stumbled to a 1-1 draw in front of their fans to sit third on the log.

Adepoju who is a member of the Nigeria Football Federation Technical Committee said that with this two-point advantage, the Eagles could draw inspiration to take their

opponents to the cleaners when they arrive in Uyo. He warned that the Fennecs could be problematic, urging the Eagles to remain focussed throughout the game.

“I feel the Eagles have an edge over the Algerians giving what the two sides played in their first matches of the qualifiers.

Eagles won away while Algerians drew at home against Cameroon. That gives Nigeria a psychological edge going into this game.

“Having said that, I also think Eagles’ victory is not cast in stone, they have to work hard for it.

The Algerians are so good, they have very good players and we must be ready to see a tough game,” he said.

Lagos Gov's Cup: Odegbami, others for 2nd media tennis exhibition

Iheanacho and Iwobi celebrate a goal against Zambia

Oyekan donates kits to indigent footballers

A

s part of his commitment towards helping young talented football players to achieve success, a member of the Lagos State Football Association, Prince Ifalada Oyekan, has donated football kits to players.

Oyekan donated football boots, shin guards, football hoses and jerseys to young football players at the Jankara playground, Lagos Island, who desire to earn a living through football but do not have equipment to build a solid career.

Having discovered that Nigeria's is blessed with quality and talented

football players who rank among the best in the world, Oyekan, stressed that there was need to delve into such humanitarian service since it would go a long way in helping to boost the career of indigent players.

“Jankara playground, Lagos Island, which is being managed by Bombata Football Association, has produced players like, Gbolahan Salami, Edem Etebor, Omoyegun Nirudeen, Festus Odini, Adekunle Dawodu, among others. We believe this move would discourage indigent players from delving into criminal activities but continue to focus

on their football career,” he said.

He thanked the Lagos State Football Association boss, Seyi Akinwunmi, for appointing him as the chairman of LSFA's Chairman Grassroot Committee, saying his appointment enabled him to have more knowledge of grassroots football.

The chairman, LDFA, who had donated jerseys to the winners of EKO Football Fiesta Under- 13 and Under 16 and a trophy to the LSFA, said he would not relent in his effort aimed at improving grassroots football.

F

ormer Nigeria international and celebrated sports columnist, Chief Segun Odegbami (MON), leads other pen pushers to the second media tennis exhibition of the Lagos Governor’s Tennis Cup Championship scheduled to hold on Saturday at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos.

Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Mr Fred Edoreh, won the inaugural event last year.

Odegbami

FUAM postpones NUGA games for third time

N

igerian university athletes’ hopes of participating at the 25th edition of Nigerian University Games Association earlier billed for Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State this year have been dashed once again.

The long-awaited games that had earlier suffered postponement twice since the hosting right was awarded to the FUAM at the last edition held at Obafemi Awolowo

University, Ile-Ife, in 2014 will now hold in the first quarter of 2017, according to the President, Professor Steven Hamafyelto.

He confirmed that the decision to postpone the games was made known during the meeting of the Association of Vice Chancellors of Universities in Nigeria held in Abuja recently when the Vice Chancellor of the host University, Professor Emmanuel Kucha, announced that the games would be

postponed till the first quarter of 2017.

The VC blamed dearth of funds for the University's inability to fulfil its obligations to NUGA. The VC at the council meeting assured members that the facilities would be delivered at the end of October 2016.

He further stated that the seven weeks industrial actions by the unions led to the stoppage of work at the construction sites.

At its last meeting on September 21st to 22nd, NUGA Executive council took critical decisions to mitigate challenges of university sports as a measure to forestall future occurrence of postponement of the games ahead of international competitions like FISU. To this end, the AVCUN set up a sub-committee for sports to interface with NUGA and the host university so that the games will be held as and when due.

According to the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2016 Lagos Governor's Tennis Cup Championship, arrangements have been put in place towards making the exhibition tennis a huge success.

The media tennis event according to the Tournament Director of the 2016 Lagos Governor's Tennis Cup, Prince Wale Oladunjoye, is to encourage journalists to play tennis as a form of recreation which also serves as a platform to promote their physical fitness.

The competition will start at 7am on Saturday, October 22, the final day of the Lagos Governor's Tennis Cup proper, while the presentation of prizes to the winners will hold during the closing ceremonies the same day.

Other journalists listed for the tournament are broadcast sports analyst and presenter, Mr Ejiro Omonode; Chairman of Lagos SWAN, Mr Edoreh; Deputy Editor (Sports), Nigerian Tribune, Mr Ganiyu Salman; Sports journalist with NAN, Mr Owolewa Olayinka; NTA Ogbomoso sports, Mr Femi Afariogun; Television and radio broadcaster, Mr Taiwo Oyeyemi and the Editor of the Osun State-based online news outfit, Mr Kayode Oladeji.

Meanwhile, National President of SWAN, Comrade Honour Sirawoo, has promised to grace the media tennis exhibition saying "we have to encourage our members to keep fit at all times and this competition provides an avenue to promote healthy living."

Investigations 33

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

Baale Dansu Hunpe

Chief Muritala Elegushi

Heap of refuse at riverbank

own and leave us alone. They should appeal to these rich people that life cannot be for them alone,” he demanded.

But the people of Ikate are not taking the allegation of encroachment lightly.

They have accused the fishermen of land grabbing and illegal colonisation of a community belonging to their forefathers. Chief Muritala Adedoyin Elegushi is the secretary to the Elegushi Royal Family. He is concerned by the development.

The chief, who claimed that his grandfather, Chief Dauda Fasanya Elegushi, was a representative of Eti-Osa at the Western House of Chiefs in Ibadan in the olden days, challenged the people of Otodo Gbame to bring out evidence of the community in the Lagos State geographical map.

He queried the claim of the foundation of Otodo Gbame community, saying any community that may have existed for such donkey's years as claimed by the people, should have been captured in the state’s map and its chief identified and installed with a staff of authority by the government.

“Eti-Osa started from Sangotedo, with boundaries in Sangotedo and Abijo, which was where Lekki was.

The existing communities then included Gede-Gede, Araromi, Moba, Obalensoro, and Abule Ijaw, among others. Late Oba Yekini Elegushi was the councillor representing Sangotedo and Admiralty in those days.

“The Elegushi territory comprises Ikate, Olokosho, Gbara, Maiyegun, Ilasan, Itedo, Olongolo and Olube and Aro. But government has acquired some of the villages, and by Land Use Decree, no one can have more than half a hectare.

The new redistribution done by government gave about 16 hectare to Aro; 14.53 hectares to Mayegun; 14.7 hectares to Gbara, and so on.

“In fact, the land that is now being claimed by the Gbame people was once claimed by the Onibeju Family and there is a judgment on it. The administration of former governor Lateef Jakande had also allocated the place to one Prince Okanlawon Ajayi as a private developer who did the reclamation.

“So, Egun people are very new to this area. In the history of Lagos, they occupy what has become the present day Badagry. Gbame was never in the history of Lagos State; it was only a name coined less than 10 years ago. And unfortunately those backing them to commit all these illegalities are the human rights groups, who are, apparently using them to get grants from foreign organisations.

They have failed to realise that you don’t just jump onto people’s land and establish yourselves hiding under the guise of poverty.”

He said by their existence in the neighbourhood many are afraid of kidnapping, robbery and other forms of crimes, because all sorts of characters could be found in the creeks. He accused the Lagos State Government of endangering the life of the citizens by condoning what he described as illegality.

“If there should be natural disaster in that area, won’t the government be responsible for their evacuation. So, why have we not stopped them before they put us all into trouble?”

Corroborating the chief is the immediate past chairman of Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Prince Anofi Elegushi, who said throughout his six years tenure in office, there was no legal backing for the existence of Otodo Gbame. He agreed that the people had colonised a reclaimed land that was sand filled by a private developer, and that being a slum, different individuals with accommodation challenge have moved into the community and committing all

Olanrewaju Elegushi

Pa Waheed Ponna

sorts of environmental crimes.

Olanrewaju Elegushi, who is the new Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Transportation, expressed the people’s frustration; he said that in this era of abduction, many residents of Lekki had called for government’s intervention to evacuate the Otodo Gbame community from its present location to avoid the impending doom of flooding, health hazards and violence.

Meanwhile, Saturday Telegraph made further efforts to ascertain the legality of the community’s existence and by putting a call through to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy

Affairs. The inquiry revealed that the community is in the process of finalising its registration as a community development area.

However, the officers in charge of community development, who craved anonymity, explained that there was no official recognition for the community’s Baale. “His claim of being the ninth Baale is strange to the government,” the sources said.

But in its response to the increasing spate of abduction within the Ikorodu and Epe axis of Lagos, the state government has issued a seven-day evacuation notice to about 18 waterfront communities including Otodo Gbame or face forceful eviction. In a statement issued by the governor on October 9, the government cited reasons of rising cases of insecurity, the use of waterfronts by criminals, among others, for its decision.

Saturday Telegraph gathered that a committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, has been saddled with the responsibility of demolishing these communities regarded as posing security threats to the state. The communities are Ago Egun in Bariga; Ebute-Ilaje (Bariga), Offin (Ikorodu); Itun Agan; Ajagbe Sari Iganmu; Mosafejo Oworonsoki ; Okun Ayo; Tarkwa Bay; Abete Ojora; Olufunke Majidun; Tomaro; Baiyeku; Oko Agbon; Irede; Otumra Ilaje and Otodo Gbame.

In an interaction with one of the human rights groups that is advocating for the community, Amnesty International, its newly appointed spokesman, Isa Sanusi, kicked against demolition of Otodo Gbame. He said the Nigerian authorities are prohibited under international law from using forced evictions as a punitive measure.

The organisation’s Housing Rights Researcher, Morayo Adebayo, also noted that while the government needs to address the issue of abductions, destroying people’s homes and forcibly evicting tens of thousands of people from their homes can never be a lawful response. “Many people in these settlements make their living in or near the Lagos Lagoon waterfront and are now facing terrifyingly uncertain future.

“By attempting to push these residents off the waterfronts with just a week’s notice, no genuine consultations, and no provision of compensation or alternative housing, the Lagos State authorities are blithely violating international human rights law. We are urging the Lagos authorities to immediately halt their plans to forcibly evict the waterfront communities across the state,” she pleaded.

In like manner, another non-governmental group, comprising the 18 communities listed for demolitionNigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, also urged the state government to retract its notice and called for dialogue. Patience Ibojo, on behalf of the group, described the eviction order issued to the communities as one of the anti-poor policies of the state.

“Our communities are full of lawabiding, impoverished, residents of Lagos State. We belong in the city and we have a right to the city as well as rights to shelter and livelihood. Forced eviction is not only unlawful, it is also ineffective. It will not solve whatever problems your administration hopes to solve.

“It will not set Lagos on the path to being a global megacity. The only path to real megacity status is to embrace the urban poor and partner with us to find lasting solutions to challenging urban problems such as security and development,” Ibojo said.

Sportsplash 34 Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 October 2016

'I wish I’d married differently' CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

But you also compere events…

Yes, I’ve been compering events for a long time. Of course I do corporate events and I do weddings, child christenings and so on.

As long as you can afford me, I’m there for you.

Do you mean you’re very expensive?

There’s nothing like being expensive. I tell people that the premium you place on yourself is yours. The fact that I say your shirt is N50,000, that I cannot afford it doesn’t mean it’s too pricy. It just means that it’s out of my reach. A Porsche is a car, a Toyota Corolla is a car, but it’s the affordability of the two that makes the buying.

You’re beginning to come across more as an actor than an on-air-personality; is this a deliberate attempt?

Well, everything has its timing, I love being on air, I love the radio work and I’m not going to leave radio for anything because it has its own niche. And I love acting too, but as long as we can put the priorities together, we can still do it. Standup comedy is on the side too, so,

it depends on which side of me you’re inviting. I’m not going to let any limit be placed on my abilities because what we celebrate is the fact that you can do so many things and do them very well.

You’ve had to work with Funke Akindele so fervently that one begins to wonder if you would have time for any other engagements like your radio show…

It’s all about timing. We went to London for the shooting of Jenifa’s Diary season 7 and 8, it was my leave period so I had worked it out to coincide with that schedule. And all the salon shots we had were in the afternoon. I close at 3pm and once I close from the office, I go there and we shoot. And Funke Akindele is an extremely hard working woman, I had never seen anybody work like that.

I’m not saying this because she gave me a platform to act, I had seen her work. She’s not a producer who sleeps while the actors are on set. No, she’s always there. So, if she can push you, I thought I have to give this my best. So, I can’t say I’m tired. If I want to achieve great things, I cannot say I’m tired.

Bill Gates and these super rich people we celebrate don’t sleep. If you want to achieve anything big in this life you must sacrifice for it and that’s what I do.

Let’s talk about your family I have four amazing kids, three sons and a daughter. Though, I’m single and I know a lot of people would scream, ‘Oh my God! All the entertainers are divorced,’ yes, my divorce proceeding is on but it’s a mutual

A FAN DID TO ME

– Ebube Nwagbo

I have many experiences. The way people just grab you in public, especially when you do not know who they are. I am talking about male ones. They would try to kiss or hug you. They get carried away, forgetting that you do not know them and they do not know you too. When you react, some of them see it as offensive and start creating a scene. It is quite embarrassing, but I guess it comes with the terrain.

Lolo

thing, not something to quarrel about. My family life is private and I wouldn’t drag the name of the father of my kids into the pages of newspapers- he doesn’t deserve it.

It’s not a quarrel, we might have issues that we’re dealing with as human beings, but it doesn’t mean we have to start talking down each other. He’s the father of my children.

So, even for anything, I give him that utmost respect. That is why we don’t talk about it on the pages of newspapers but being a journalist, I would rather you hear it from me than for you get it from some place and misjudge me or misquote what I said.

You once said you would be married to an Igbo man, just out of the love you have for the ethic group. If that’s an ambition, do you still nurse it?

It doesn’t matter where any man comes from, I don’t think that I gravitate towards an individual. It’s what you are as a person that matters to me and not where you come from. They’d say thieves are from Benin, but I’ve seen thieves from Ijebu, Northern states and everywhere. I’m not looking for anybody based on tribe even though it’s not that I’m shopping.

Is that an indication you’d give marriage a second shot?

Well, I’ll leave that in God’s hand. You know if you’ve gone through a situation and you didn’t do well, I think this is the time for me to withdraw into myself, learn a few things why things didn’t go well, what did I do wrong?

So, when I’ve learnt my lessons and healed properly internally, then maybe, I’d give it a thought.

Oh, you are still healing?

Of course! It takes time for you to be able to go through it. Marriage is not a walk in the park like what people think. It’s something you signed for forever on this earth and now you have a break- that shows you didn’t do some things right. So, as an individual, you need to heal internally, work on your person, so that when you get into another relationship, you’d have learnt lessons from the one you didn’t do well.

Are there chances that you might reconcile with your husband?

Well, I am not God. Everybody is work in progress. It’s just that we in the media are judged very harshly because we live our lives before people but I’ve done my very best to

make it as silent as possible. It’s a family thing, we’re dealing with our own issues and that’s all I would like to say.

What kind of childhood did you have?

I had a very lovely childhood. I grew up as an independent child. I’ve been in hostel from primary three, and I’ve been independent for a long time. I schooled in Ijebu Ode, Anglican Girls’ Grammar School, and I also went to Christ Apostolic Church School, and it was in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State and not even Lagos. Those are where my creativity grew- you know how good it can feel when you had to be all by yourself. I love to read. I was always coming out tops in impromptu speeches, I won a lot of laurels for my school, I won in debating; so if you meet some of my teachers, they’d say they’re not surprised. I was always winning awards in English and Literature- those were my core things. I love the dream world. I know I’m going to author a book very soon even if it won’t be long, I might just do some short stories. I’ll prepare my biography, I’m not going to die because I’m still very young.

Did your parents give you express approval to pursue a career in the arts?

You know how parents are - they just believe in what they want you to study. Even my legal profession was chosen by them. I just went home and realised they had filled my JAMB form already, so, it was just a case of ‘you’re studying law and that’s it’. My father is late because he died in 1993, so he didn’t see me get into the university. After I finished studying law and I told my mum that I wanted to start acting, she just started crying. “Haaa, despite all the years you spent in school you want to go and be ‘ajogbasile’ (dancer who merely earns a penny)? Do you want to be dancing and be collecting peanuts? Everything you find to do, succeed at it. Now my mother would tell me, ‘I am your fan’. She’d even call herself ‘Mama Lolo’. That makes me very proud because I’ve succeeded in what I’ve chosen to do.

If you get a second chance, what would you do differently in life?

Maybe I would marry differently. I’d love to relive my university years again. It was fun for me but I would have wished that it was more memorable because there were so many things I wish I knew when I was in school that I know now. Imagine if I knew what I know now years ago, my laurels would have been so many.

MultiChoice raises the stakes with less subscription for more contents on DStv

I

t’s a great news for DStv subscribers in Nigeria as MultiChoice is delivering even more entertainment value to the DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access bouquets. Starting from November 1, subscribers will enjoy massive content upgrade on all DStv bouquets including varied and quality channels that the whole family can enjoy.

This latest move is in line with the company’s promise of putting its customers at the heart of the business.

In the last nine months DStv has delivered the world’s best football leagues to DStv Compact customers (February) followed by the DStv price freeze in April

and in the latest giant leap in providing customer value, DStv is combining more quality and variety to its bouquets to ensure everyone has access to the best family entertainment at a price they can afford.

“This major boost in entertainment value across all DStv bouquets demonstrates our commitment to ensuring DStv customers receive great entertainment and best-in-class value. The price reductions in our state of the art decoders – Explora and HD Zapper – will ensure that great family entertainment is available to everyone at the most affordable price. We are all living in tough economic times, and while the every-

day costs of food, water, power and fuel are increasing at an alarming rate, we recognise that there is still a need to take time to escape and relax with the family at home to enjoy quality and entertaining programmes from movies to sports, series, documentaries and a whole lot more,” said John Ugbe, Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria.

The latest exciting enhancements to DStv packages include, DStv Premium. Also this October, DStv Premium customers will celebrate with M-Net on the M-Net Movies Block party pop-up channel on 109, and can look forward to more exciting pop-up channels in the coming months like the

M-Net Movies Harry Porter pop-up channel which will run from November 4 – 14.

DStv Compact Plus gets better with 11 new channels.

In a major revamp of DStv Compact Plus, customers will enjoy more fantastic channels with buzzworthy original series plus hilarious local sitcoms, riveting talk shows and thoughtprovoking documentaries previously only available on the DStv Premium package.

And DStv Compact gains six new channels to boost the bouquet. There’s also DStv Family which got six new channels for the family and DStv Access excites with four new channels with wide variety

of content. DStvBoxOffice wow includes the GREEN button sale- for the first time DStvBoxOfficeintroduces the GREEN button sale feature which allows subscribers rent a movie at

discounted price of N286 on selected movies only.

The GREEN button sale on these select movies will be available for a limited period only before they leave BoxOffice completely.

L-R: Head of Retention, MultiChoice Nigeria, Kemi Omotosho; Brand Manager, Tope Oshunkeye; General Manager, Marketing and Sales, Martin Mabutho and Public Relations Manager, Caroline Oghuma; during the press conference in Lagos recently.

35

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 October 2016

LANRE ODUKOYA

SHOWBIZ TODAY

08059296445 lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

Nollywood James Uche down with kidney disease

A

fter Nigeria’s entertainment scene was rattled by the death of ace producer, OJB Jezreel, following a prolonged battle with kidney disease, more entertainers battling the same health issues have emerged.

Nollywood actor, Leo Mezie has been down with kidney ailment for some time, with his colleagues rallying for funds to aid his treatment.

Another actor, Prince James Uche, a former vice president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, has been battling similar

health issues for a few years, and he is now reportedly in dire need for dialysis.

In a bid to solicit funds for his ailing colleague, Desmond Elliot called on the public today, October 19, that James Uche who ‘has been in hospital struggling to survive for over one year now’, needs money for ‘dialysis, medical care and food to survive.’

As it was with Leo Mezie, an account has been opened in support of James Uche, which was given by Desmond as: ‘Prince James Uche, WEMA BANK PLC 0232151677 OR ZENITH BANK PLC 1001063788.’

L-R: King Sunny Ade flanked by Mr. Deji Olomojobi, General Counsel, Mr. Idris Olorunnimbe, CEO/ Founder, Mr. Hamza Idris-Kutigi Mr. Terfa Tilley-Gyado, Director Of Communications all of Temple Management Company

KSA, Temple Management prep for world class concert

Play Network to launch 'The Play Woman'

P

lay Network Nigeria recently introduced The Play Woman an initiative aimed at millennial women with the mission of advising, inspiring, connecting and creating a community that emboldens the woman.

Understanding the power of women and supportive relationships, The Play Woman, will connect women across industries through online and offline topic focused content, monthly social events and workshops that foster self-development.

Meeting like-minded women can be a task in itself, but The Play Woman, headed by Naomi Nwagboso, will be a space where women who are working towards being great in their own right, can come together to reap the benefits associated with gender specific networking.

The first of such events supported by The Play Woman is a whiskey business evening, which will hold tomorrow at 6 pm at Thomas

and Ray, Wuse 2, Abuja. The theme is exploring research in entrepreneurship with the following guest speakers: Arese Ugwu – Founder Smart Money Africa, and author of The Smart Money Woman; a book with a creative spin that details the best way for the 21st Century African woman to manage her money and better her financial situation, Charles Okpaleke – CEO, Play Network, Prof Al-Mustapha Ussiju Medane – Research/Policy Analyst and SA to the president of the Senate on Research and Documentation and Xavier Carbonel – Country Manager, Remy Cointreau.

The official launch of The Play Woman; a cocktail and cupcake themed networking event will be on Saturday November 12 at Shop and Play, Wuse 2, Abuja. More information can be found on The Play Woman instagram page @theplaywoman and registration for all Play Network and The Play Woman events can be done online at www. playnetworknigeria.com

TURNING P INT Sadiq Daba

W

hen I started there was no industry; all we did was programming at NTA. I think what we did then culminated in what we now know as Nollywood. In the past, we used to have Telemovies and those Telemovies were far better than some of the movies you see in Nollywood now.

So, if you are talking about my turning point, it should be those good old days at NTA when ‘programmes were programmes.’ Have you heard of ‘Cock Crow at Dawn,’ ‘Behind The Clouds,’ ‘Masquerade’ and ‘Village Headmaster’. Those were turning points.

A

grand legacy concert in honour of Chief Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye popularly known as King Sunny Ade (KSA) tagged ‘Sunny On Sunday’ has been officially unveiled by leading talent agency and event firm, Temple Management Company.

The world-class concert is scheduled for Sunday, December 11 at Federal Palace Hotel and Casino, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event was unveiled to the media at a press briefing which held in Lagos on Tuesday at Four Points By Sheraton Hotels. At the event, KSA and Mr. Idris Olorunnimbe, CEO, Temple Management Company were flanked by two performing acts, Tiwa Savage and Darey. Also at the event was Terfa Tilley-Gyado and Mark Redguard King Sunny Ade who turned 70 on September 22, 2016 has been performing for over 50 years. The veteran musician who has been dubbed as the king of Juju Music has been nominated twice for the Grammy Awards. His illustrious career has produced a lot of albums featuring international col-

laborations with Stevie Wonder, Manu Dibango, Youssou N’Dour and Salif Keita among others.

Sunny On Sunday concert is set to feature a blend of some of the finest international and Nigerian artistes representing old and young. To give the event international coverage, MultiChoice Nigeria will be the official BROA partner.

Speaking about the event, Idris Olorunnimbe, CEO of Temple Management Company, stated that the company was proud to shoulder the responsibility of celebrating a Nigerian music icon on a big scale that has never been witnessed before.

Temple Management Company has made its imprints felt in four key areas of operation including entertainment, arts, media and sports.

“For us at Temple Management Company, this is a national assignment that has been long over-due and we are glad to shoulder this responsibility. We want to assure fans of King Sunny Ade of a truly world-class concert. We are working with partners in South Africa

and other parts of the world to deliver a befitting celebration of a legend,” Olorunnimbe said.

King Sunny Ade promised that the grand concert will be one of his career highpoints that every music fan should look forward to. He explained, “This is must than just a birthday celebration for me. I am looking forward to giving one of the best performances of my life that will prove to people that I still have some music in me.”

Also speaking about the coverage of the concert, Martin Mabutho, General Manager Marketing and Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria, said “We are excited to broadcast the celebration of a musical legend, King Sunny Ade, whose music transcends generations and borders. We realize the impact he has had on many who love good music and we are glad to partner with Temple Management Company to bring this historic celebration to our customers.”

DStv and GOtv subscribers can catch the legacy concert live on channels 199 and 29 respectively on December 11.

Waje, Desmond Elliot, Toolz others task govt on poor healthcare

W

aje, Desmond Elliot, Tolu Oniru-Demuren a.k.a. Toolz, Ali Nuhu and other top Nigerian celebrities have urged the government to invest in the healthcare sector as stipulated in the National Health Act (2014) and keep its commitment to the 2001 African Union’s Abuja Commitment.

Speaking at the launch of a new video by the ONE campaign, “I am in to make Naija stronger,” Waje said as proud and patriotic Nigerian, it was distressing for her country to be suffering from an avoidable health crisis.

“It is time to act Naija. We must come together with a collective voice, and tell our government to do more by investing in the health of our children and families. By doing so, we will make Naija stronger.”

While adding his voice, Kannywood star, Ali Nuhu said, “Enough

is enough! This is the message we are sending to our government. A healthy Nigeria makes a wealthy Nigeria and we need to stand together to Make Naija Stronger. Now it’s your turn. If you haven’t added your voice to better our nation’s health system, you need to do so right now.”

Also, the Deputy Director of ONE Africa, Nachilala Nkombo, stressed that while other African countries were improving their health indicators, inconsistent and insufficient health funding in Nigeria over the years had made access to basic health services a luxury for ordinary Nigerians.

Waje

36

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

TV&Radio

22 OCTOBER 2016

with Deborah Ocheni

This weekend ONTV

TELEVISION

TVC

Saturday 7:30 Crocadoo 8:00 The Indomitables 8:30 Pocahontas

Menkiti

A

State of the girl child today

few days ago, Nigeria celebrated goals girl progress to mark the 2016 International Girl Day, this and other girl child related issues formed the focus of this edition of Good Morning Nigeria an NTA’s programme that is aired at 7:30 am.

Azuka Menkiti, education specialist (UNICEF), speaks on the challenges facing Nigerian girls in terms of access to education. “I am an education specialist, I will talk more on issues that the girl is dealing with in education; in Nigeria today we have statistics that have shown that out of the 10.5 million children who are missing education, 77.7 percent of them might not be able to enrol at all, so we are not really dealing with dropouts which for us is not as significant as the fact that a lot of girls are most likely not to be able to access education.

“Girls are more likely not to go to school than boys. In northern Nigeria, statistics show that one girl is in school out of three, so the girls are dealing with issues of societal pressures within their environment. The society believes that girl’s education is not a good investment and a lot of parents think that investing in a girl who will eventually get married into another family is a waste of resources.

So, we are dealing with low value attached to the education of the girl. We are also dealing with social and religious interpretation around girl child education and the issue of early marriage; some girls are married off as early as between seven and 10 years old,” Menkiti said.

She added that attention is focused on girls in other to change the misconception of low value placed on girl child. “What is happening at the moment is that a lot of attention is being focused on girls

to change the misconception of the value of a girl child within her family, community and society prior to International Day of the girl child for 2016 which was focused on ‘goals

Research has also shown that there is an uneven distribution of household chores between boys and girls and that the girl is only good for the home FACE BEHIND THE VOICE

Jennifer

City FM’s JLuv

J

ennifer is a beautiful On Air Personality that works with City FM 105.1. Before now she worked with Continental Broadcasting Service and 88.9 Brila FM. Her passion for life and unique personality has earned her nominations for prestigious awards like The Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA) and the Nigerian Entertainment Awards. Jennifer is known as Jluv and she hosts The City Café (Mid Morning Madness) with KShow weekdays from 11am to 1pm.

girl progress’ and the call for data.

For us in UNICEF, we conducted a survey prior to this celebration so as to be able to bring out the challenges that the girl child is facing so as to provide a critical step for working towards addressing these challenges, and that data shows that one of the key challenges is the fact that girls spend more hours in doing household chores than the boys and that girls between the ages of five and 14 spend 40 percent more time than the boys of their age on paid household chores,” she stated.

She concluded that if girls spend 40 percent more than the boys in doing domestic chores, it means they are denied a lot of things such as being able to play and do other things as children. She said: “Research has also shown that there is an uneven distribution of household chores between boys and girls and that the girl is only good for the home; we are not saying that girls should not support their families in doing household chores but we are also talking out the effect because if they spend 40 percent more time on household chores than the boys, it means they are denied a lot of things such as ability to play and do other things as children.”

Programme summary

Star Gist African Magic (154) Daily@ 1:30 am

It beams the spotlight on African and international celebritie;, it features the latest news and take you behind the scene music, magazine and video shoots.

The Jonhsons

African Magic Urban (153)

Saturday@10am

It is a comedy programme that portrays the life of an average family in Lagos and the challenges they face.

Saturday 9:00 The Big Issue 10:00 News 10:30 Indomitables 11:00 On the Town 11:30 Sports Week 12:00 News 12:30 Video Fashion 1:00 Nollywood Yoruba 2:30 Firewors 3:30 Golden Chance Lotto 4:00 News 4:30 Sports Week 9:05 Arambara 5:00 Fanz Champioship 9:30 Village Square 5:30 Jendo 11:05 Snakes and Lizards 6:30 Project Poise Show 12:00 Souncity Top Choice Videos 7:00 The Teju Baby Face Show 1:00 Hitz 8:00 Boom Box 1:30 Pavitra Rishta 8:30 Sports Week 2:35 Village Square 9:00 Silent Noise 4:10 Movie 9:30 Events Diary 5:35 Los Rey 10:00 New 6:20 Spice Most 11:00 Play on Repeat 7:00 News Headline Sunday 7:10 Footprints 7:00 Hosanna Hour 8:00 Pulse 234 8:00 Nollywood English 8:30 Spider 10:00 News 9:00 Spice Specials 10:10 Nollywood Yoruba 9:30 Soundcity Party Mix 11:30 Sports Week 10:30 Omnisport 12:00 News Sunday 12:30 Warning Bell 8:00 Hutos 2:00 Relentless 2.0 9:05 Arambara 2:30 Hour Salvation 9:35 Village Square 3:00 Chapel of Grace 11:05 Snakes and Lizards 3:30 Golden Chance Lotto 12:00 Soundcity’s Global Countdown 4:30 Excellent Leadership 1:00 Hitz 5:00 Hitlist N Cruzin 1:30 Pavitra Rishta 5:30 Vivid View 2:40 Village Square 6:00 Stand Point 4:10 Movie 7:00 The Ungrateful Soul 5:35 Los Rey 8:00 WAEC Infobox 6:30 Glam Mamas 8:30 The Valley Between 7:05 Before 30 9:00 Pastor Chris Teaching 7:30 Saints 9:30 Ogun State 8:00 Sunday Paparazzi Show 10:00 News 8:30 Spider 9:00 On the Couch 10:25 Omnisports 10:50 Movies

RADIO

Smooth fm 98.1 Saturday 6:00 Breakfast In Bed 7:30 Venus Raising 8:30 Soul Food 9:00 Bite Size 9:30 Entertainment News 10:00 Smooth Book Review 11:00 Total Football 12:00 Metro Life 5:00 Luxury Soul 9:00 Late Night Blues

Sunday 7:00 Smooth Motivation 10:00 Music Mix 12:00 Sunday Brunch 4:00 Music Mix 5:00 Luxury Soul 6:00 Soulfully Yours 9: 00 Late Night Blues 10:00 Music Mix

Radio continental 102.3 fm Saturday 7:30 Papers Today 8:00 Good Living 10:00 Saturday Sports 12:45 Replay Africa 1:00 Fan Zone 4:00 Me & You 6:00 Entertainment Unscripted 7:30 Afrobeat Tonight 9:00 Single Life 10:30 Old School Groove

Sunday 7:00 Press Report 8:00 Church without Barrier 10:30 Think You Know the Bible 11:00 Country Music 1:00 Chart Busters 2:30 Palaver 5:00 World News 6:00 Youth Connect 8:00 Sunday Evening Groove 10:00 Music

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

The Arts

37

MAAFA: Echoes of slave trade, renewed voice for unity on stage T Tony Okuyeme

he recent stage production of the play, MAAFA: Point of No Return, by the National Troupe of Nigeria in collaboration with Eda Theatre International brought to the for the disquieting story of the slave trade.

Significantly, it is the story of liberation; the story of change. It draws the attention of the society to the need for peace, love, and possibility of having a united Nigeria.

Staged at the National Theatre, Iganmu-Lagos, to mark the 56th Independence anniversary of Nigeria, the play written by Segun Olujobi and directed

by Makinde Adeniran, is the story of a godlike warrior (Osusu), as told by his own very son (the narrator). Subtitled 'Point Of No Return', it is the story of man’s inhumanity to man; the story of an untold truth. Sold into slavery with his pregnant wife, and son, through the deception of his own people, the Warlord, Osusu, soon discovers that his destiny lies in uniting the warring tribes of his nation to achieve their much awaited freedom. However, the task seems impossible, especially when the tribes fail to see who exactly the enemy is. Like they say, “the enemy on the outside is easy to fight but what do you do with the one within?”

It reenacts and draws attention to the disunity that existed amongst the different communities and settlements that helped the slave merchants and traders to have successful expeditions not just in Nigeria, but in Africa as a whole. While the people lived in fear of the excesses of the white man and what he stood for, some local slave traders connived with the invaders to hunt and harass their people. Even efforts by the brave ones among them to resist these maltreatments and forceful

Scenes from the film

enslavement of the able-bodied men and women, yielded no positive result as the hatred emanating from the local people themselves did not help situation.

The choice of Maafa, as a play was, therefore, informed by the need to inform and re-educate the Nigerian people on the need for unity. It highlights the requirements for progress, especially if the people work with one mind and with the aim of achieving growth and development.

According to the story, the hero of the play was Osusu, faced with the task of defending his people even when it seemed he would not be able to go far, stood up for his people. Osusu was not deterred. The narrator of the play, played by Soibifa Dokubo (Waka), took the audience through unfolding events making easier to understand the mission which Osusu set out to accomplish. Besides being a godlike warrior in the throes of deep-rooted

hatred and acrimony not just from the white overlords, he was also from their local agents who stood between the people and their destinies. While Osusu worked hard to liberate the people and set them on the path to freedom, those who collaborated with outsiders also worked assiduously to ensure that the unity was shattered and broken.

From his vantage position on stage, the narrator, Osusu’s son, engage the audience in this gripping story. “Yes this is the story of the slave trade, more of man’s inhumanity to man”, he addresses that audience with characteristic finesse and wit of a revered raconteur.

“It is the story of an untold truth; of how man in Africa sold out and yet he did not gain from it. It is our story; our own history, our fate.”

Sold into slavery with his pregnant wife and son through the deceit and deception of his own peo-

ple, Osusu finds himself at a crossroad regarding what to do; and wondering how to face his future and that of his people. However, he chooses to fight, even when his own son is also wallowing in the same state to unite the people.

Although, chained and imprisoned just for standing for the truth, as a warlord, his image loomed larger than life.

His destiny is ostensibly tied to the welfare and wellbeing of his people. And all the tribes must be invited so as to ward off the excesses of the invaders; marauders whose sole aim is to divide and maltreat and enslave and chain the people.

This set the stage for a battle between the white people and the locals. However, when the prison walls finally fell, it was clear how the combined powers and love shown by the community was awesome. It was also clear that this is what they need from the onset to overpower their oppressors.

In his remarks, the Artistic Director of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Akin Adejuwon, said: “The play is to teach us what to do to be a better society. It is our story, written to show us the way forward.

“It is a lesson for us at 56 on how to love one another at all times. We have to conquer the enemy outside to be able overcome our own internal differences. This way, Nigeria can then move forward.”

The former artistic director of the Troupe, Prof. Ahmed Yerima, said: “This is our story. It has not been told this deep and direct in a long time. This is why I commend the Troupe, the artistes and all for a job well-done. Let us try to look at the salient issues raised here to help us move forward as a nation.”

Also speaking, the director of the play, Makinde Adeniran, called on Nigerians to learn to love one another, stressing that: “It is a lesson for us all, more so for the artistes who were able to unite to give us this wonderful show. It is to them, I give the credit for the success of this play.”

38

I

FRED NWAOZOR

t was exactly 6.05am on Saturday 29th August 2009. To Chisom, the previous night could be best described as lovely and splendid owing to the fantastic dream he just had, though the 17-year-old teen had woken to face the reality of the day.

The ‘reality of the day’, which seemed not unlike paradox, was that Chisom who was reckoned to be an exemplary and brilliant chap by anyone who knew him, just managed to secure two credits among the nine O’Level subjects he sat for in his just concluded Senior School Certificate Examination (S.S.C.E) that precisely took place between March and May of that very year (2009). Funnily enough, being a science student, the subjects he barely made credit in were Igbo Language and Economics. The most worrisome was that, as the best student in Mathematics among his peers, he got F9 in the subject.

Since seventy-two hours back he saw the results, he hadn’t taken anything tangible as regards meals, neither had his parents who felt the pains more than he did. Prior to the said exams, as the first child of the family, his well-to-do parents couldn’t wait to see him secure admission in the tertiary institution of his choice, University of Ibadan (UI) precisely, towards studying Medicine and Surgery which was his dream discipline. But at that moment, it appeared his dream had been shattered unannounced.

As he lied in the bed in that early morning of Saturday, rotating from one edge to another, all he could think about was the very day being Tuesday he checked the results online; the day in question was undoubtedly the worst moment in his life.

As soon as he saw the results at the cybercafé he patronised on that fateful day, he asked the computer operator that attended to him to revisit the site and check the results again, stating that there was a mix-up somewhere; no doubt, no one who truly knew Chisom that wouldn’t equally insinuate there was a ‘mix-up’. Having confirmed the results online for the umpteenth time as instructed by him, he was therein seemingly convinced that those trashes were actually his.

After settling his bills, he quietly stood up and began to count his steps back home like a walking cadaver.

When he got home in the evening of that horrific Tuesday, rather than going to his parents who were seated in the sitting room to intimate them on the outcome of the outing as expected, he chose to do otherwise since to him he had virtually nothing to present; he went straight to his personal room snubbing their presence, looked soared, and irritating. Mr. and Mrs. Okonkwo couldn’t withstand the shock that emanated

ShortStory

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

frednwaozor@gmail.com +2348028608056 Follow: @mediambassador

Laughable error

from the abrupt and unusual behaviour; having sensed danger, the latter followed him (Chisom) to the bedroom.

As she got there, the results’ sheet was lying pitiably on the tiled floor alongside the bearer, thus she ignored the latter and quickly grabbed the former to see things for herself.

“What..?” Mrs. Okonkwo shouted, standing as she glanced at the results. “Is this your result?” She asked emphatically, strongly looking at Chisom who was on the floor.

Chisom was rather speechless.

Mr. Okonkwo who entered the room on hearing his wife’s exclamation, quickly took the results’ sheet from her. “What is this?” He equally exclaimed, looking at his wife who stood very close to him.

“Ask your son.” She instructed, frowning.

Mr. Okonkwo looked at his son who was still lying on the floor. “Chisom.” He called.

The poor chap couldn’t respond.

“Is this your result?” He inquired despite Chisom’s silence over his call.

Interestingly, Chisom nodded indicating that those results really belonged to him.

“No, this cannot be your result.” the couple chorused.

Chisom couldn’t utter any word, kept facing the ceiling as he lied like a forgotten goat.

As Master Chisom Okonkwo lied in his bed in that early morning, looking like one who had been betrayed as well as robbed, he was deeply consoled by the ‘fantastic dream’

The scepticism lingered for several hours until the reality dawned on them. Since then till this Saturday August 29, 2009, the entire family was yet to recover from the colossal shock.

As Master Chisom Okonkwo lied in his bed in that early morning, looking like one who had been betrayed as well as robbed, he was deeply consoled by the ‘fantastic dream’ he had the previous night. In that dream, he found himself rejoicing alongside his family members having successfully secured admission to study the course of his choice in his

dream-university, Medicine and UI respectively.

“Could it be real?” He thought as he knelt down to pray over it.

After the morning devotion at about 6.56am, he didn’t hesitate to share the lovely terrific moment with his parents. The latter never doubted the dream because, ab initio, they had been of the indisputable view that there was really something wrong somewhere that would eventually be rectified in due cause. But how the rectification would be actualised was what they didn’t know or couldn’t explain.

Owing to the dream, the following Monday being 31st August 2009, they (the parents) were motivated to visit Chisom’s school toward discussing the issue with the school’s principal – Mr. T. O. Ayodele.

“No, we must apply to the exam board for onward review of the results.” Mr. Ayodele assured. “I know Chisom too well; this cannot be his result.”

He added.

The following day being Tuesday September 1, on behalf of Chisom’s parents, the school management wrote the Exam Board requesting candid review of the chap’s examination scripts. The formal application was honourably received, thus the board in question replied the school in a jiffy assuring them that it would in earnest

look into the matter towards ascertaining the actual error, if any, as well as making amends where necessary.

Three weeks on, still in September same year, as God would have it, it was discovered that Chisom’s results were mistakenly allocated to another candidate. Fascinatingly, his actual results, in which he made alpha in all the subjects, were misplaced with that of one of the illiterate male students of the affected secondary school; needless to reiterate that the beneficiary of the human error happened to be a daft candidate who could not even defend the results.

Consequently, the laughable error was duly corrected.

Hence, Chisom’s data was updated with the original results whilst the fake excellent results were retrieved from the other candidate; various concerned institutions across the federation were equally notified on the change of impression.

One month later, Chisom who had already gotten an outstanding grade in his JAMB examination was admitted into his dream university to read Medicine and Surgery. It was like a dream come true.

• Nwaozor novelist, playwright and poet, is Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research & Career Development - Owerri

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

Travel & Tourism

39

GLYCEMIC INDEX AND GLYCEMIC LOAD

Managing blood sugar glucose Oven baked moin-moin

A

Airo Mause

ccording to the Harvard Health Publications, glycemic index is a value given to foods generally based on the fact on how soon or how slowly these foods can increase or affect our blood glucose levels.

The number of glycemic index typically ranges from or between 50 and 100; the value hundred represents pure glucose.

Blood glucose levels known also as blood sugar can be low, normal or above normal.

This can lead to toxicity and complications seen in type 2 diabetes such as blindness, kidney failure or increased cardiovascular risk. Foods low on glycemic index tends to release glucose into the bloodstream slow and steady while food higher on the glycemic index tends to spike up the blood glucose rapidly.

Low GI foods support weight loss and manage blood sugar better while foods high in glycemic index is good for people

CHEF'S CORNER with hypoglycemia such as people who suffer from low blood sugar and fatigue.

People with pre or full blown type 2 diabetes need to be made aware of their blood glucose levels and its management.

The slow and steady release of glucose into the bloodstream from low glycemic foods is vital point in managing and keeping blood glucose under control.

To fully comprehend the effect of glycemic index of food on the blood sugar we need to know also the glycemic load of that particular food. This should be determined by how much carbohydrates are in an individual serving of the food.

This knowledge can help us determine the effect on blood sugar when you consume a particular food. This is also depending on the rate at which the food is converted to glucose and how soon the glucose is available in the blood stream.

A separate value called the glycemic

load can help us understand that. It is not enough knowing the glycemic index, the glycemic load gives us a more accurate outlook of a food actual effect on the blood sugar.

So, how do you determine your glycemic load? For example, the glycemic index of black eyed peas is 50 but a serving of the beans has like 150 kilogrammes, therefore, the glycemic load is 15.

Watermelon has a high glycemic index but a typical serving of watermelon doesn't contain too much carbohydrate, so in relation the glycemic load is low.

The glycemic load below 10 and this is however considered to be low and if above 20 it is considered high. Caution should be taken in amount of food eaten when consuming food laden with carbohydrates in respect to the glycemic index of the particular food.

The glycemic load appears to be a unique factor in dietary programmes targeting metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and obesity.

Management A diet programme that manages the glycemic aims to avoid sustained blood sugar spikes can help to avoid the onset of type 2 diabetes. For diabetics, glycemic load is highly recommended tool for managing blood sugar.

Oven baked moin moin is one of the recommended foods for its management.

Recipe for oven baked moin moin • One inch ginger • Two cloves garlic • Half teaspoon baking soda

TRAVEL BEATS

Global Travel Lifestyle Network admits TOPCOMM PR Travel Lifestyle Network (TLN), the global network of independent communications agencies delivering public relations and marketing communications to clients across the travel and lifestyle sectors, has admitted TOPCOMM PR Concept and Events Limited, as its first member agency in Nigeria.

TOPCOMM becomes the first agency to join the Travel Lifestyle Network in West Africa and the second in Africa after Irvine Bartlett of South Africa.

Chairwoman of Travel Lifestyle Network and Managing Director of KPRN Network in Germany, Hanna Kleber, congratulated the agency for joining the network after a rigorous process of assessment and final voting by the members.

“We are delighted to welcome TOPCOMM to the Travel Lifestyle Network where members benefit from each other’s expertise and continental-based knowledge for better service delivery either through a collective pitch or

ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA Editor, TRAVEL&TOURISM iroandy@ymail.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

individual referrals,” said Kleber.

“From our assessment, TOPCOMM is an established name in the public relations sector in Nigeria particularly in the field of destination and lifestyle travels. The Travel Lifestyle Network is delighted to extend its network to Nigeria and collaborate with TOPCOMM,” she explained.

Chief Service Officer of TOPCOMM, Temi-Tope Ogbeni-Awe, is elated by this development, as he said that: “Public Relations are constantly evolving with regards to the challenges of modern times. At TOPCOMM, we are moving with the tide, hence our joining a reputable global Travel Lifestyle Network to further deliver not only international standard practices but a bouquet of exceptional services.

“The Travel Lifestyle Network will afford TOPCOMM the opportunity to brainstorm and share best practices ideas with other leading member agencies across the world in order to exhibit top professional proficiency in our service delivery to our esteemed clients.’’

Travel Personality

Carment Nibigira: Africans should build, patronise the continent’s tourism industry

p.40

• 500g black eyed peas • Two big red bell paprika or tatase pepper • One stock cube • Two cooking spoon vegetable oil • Two tablespoons crayfish or one medium sized fish • Half teaspoon nutmeg and cinnamon • Two onions • One medium sized tomatoes (because oven baked moin moin tends to be dry, tomatoes make it more moistened) • One teaspoon salt to taste

Preparation: First wash and de-skin the beans and then soak in lukewarm water overnight with half teaspoon baking soda. I do this because the baking soda help get rid of the flatulence of beans and unwanted gases.

Then the next morning combine with ginger, garlic, onions, paprika or habanero pepper and some chili to taste and then blend evenly.

If you are using fish debone the fish and you can use the stock from the fish for blending. Then pour in a mixing bowl and add the spices - garlic, ginger, salt and one stock cube.

Also, add the oil and if not enough add a bit more, add nutmeg and cinnamon and slice the onion thinly, pour in the bowl, mix well and add your fish if you are using one.

I use a muffin baking form for my baked moin moin but whatever form you are using grease it well and portion into it then preheat the oven to 200 degrees for five minutes and then put in the moin moin and bake for 50 minutes.

Seychelles’ Tourism Minister, St. Ange, for Conde Nast Traveller Forum 2016 in Dubai

Seychelles’s Tourism Minister, Alain St. Ange, is to deliver a key note address on destinations at The Conde Nast Traveller Forum 2016 slated for November at The Park Hyatt in Dubai.

Ethiopian Airlines increases flights to Seychelles Ethiopian Airlines has announced increase in its flight frequencies to the Seychelles to five flights weekly beginning from December 16.

Ethiopian Airlines, which is the fastest growing and most profitable African airline, confirm that it is delighted to improve on its operations to the African country, known for its luxury tourism offerings, from its Addis Ababa hub.

Hospitality Hospitality

Pearlwort Westown Hotel Hotels: and Entices Suites:with bumper A pleasurable Ramadan offerings offering

p.41 p.41

Conde Nast is one of the most respected tourism and travel magazines in the world and the forum this year is dedicated to "the future of luxury" and aimed at exploring the growth and changes in the luxury tourism market across five key sectors: destinations, technology, airlines, hotels and social media.

St.Ange is speaking on the destinations’ section to some 500 key industry professionals. In the address, he will be looking at how the Seychelles has developed into one of the world's premier luxury destinations.

St.Ange has also been invited to be one of the guests of honour at the Conde Nast Traveller Award that is set to follow this year's Forum.

Destination

BadagryTourism: Nigeria Convention Stakeholders and point pathway Visitors Bureau:toLast growth ditch p.42 effort to create a tourist destination p.42

40 Travel&Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

CARMENT NIBIGIRA

Africans should build, patronise the continent’s tourism industry East Africa countries appear to be far ahead in travel industry, how can West Africa and Nigeria leverage on the successes of the region to grow its travel industry?

East Africa is not doing better, we were forced to work together and look for solutions together. So, when you talk about East Africa, it is five countries looking for solutions. We know very well that we cannot work in silos.

As individual countries in East Africa we are too small, too fragmented with small economies to stand alone.

So, we are inter-dependent, we need each other and we cannot survive unless we work as a regional block. If you look at the economy of Kenya, it is the economy in terms of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) the size of Lagos.

The truth is very clear; do we look at solving issue together? Do we work on borderless border principles? Do we see this as tourism not only for the trade or travel but also connecting Africa? That is the bottom line. I like the conversation of Africa for Africans, no one else is going to build tourism.

Tourism was not designed for us as Africans for our consumption. Look at any hotel which has been built in the last 30 years, the local market was always ignored in the design of the product. So, if we really want to tap into the tourism business we have to change the narrative and the conversations about Nigeria.

If Nigeria within a bigger geographical location, as long as having visa to enter Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cote d’voire, any of the five countries, as long as I still have to fly from Nairobi to Addis Ababa and Abuja, as long as the hotel doesn’t really give value for money and we are not competitive in pricing and product, we still have a long way to go.

It is not about East Africa being better than Nigeria or West Africa, it is about the conversation of how we can position ourselves as a destination, whether you are on a small-scale of a small country in Africa, Burundi, Rwanda or Uganda or Nigeria as the biggest economy.

Do you think the proposed African Union passport can help in any way?

I think what is being discussed now is the e-passport, so by 2023 all African countries should have an African passport. The idea is very good and it is great. Two things for me which are still bizarre are the cost of the visa and the bilateral agreement.

West Africa countries are still reluctant to team up to reach agreement with other countries to bring down the cost of travel to those countries. So, for me the passport is a tool, but right now what is of concern is why should I come from Burundi or Kenya and pay $150 to enter Ghana for 30 days. And then I go to Nigeria and pay $290 for 30 days?

Nibigira

Carmen Nibigira, who is the coordinator of the East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP), was a special guest at the recently held Accra Weizo, a travel and tourism trade conference held in Accra, Ghana, and organised by the promoters of Akwaaba African Travel Market. She spoke extensively on the state of the travel industry in Africa

TRAVEL PERSONALITY We need to understand that it is not just about the passport, it is not just about the visa. When we lock ourselves in and say you cannot come to this country, whom are we preventing our country from? I will give you a typical example with myself.

I hear that in Nigeria it could be different but the experience at your airport is something else. We need to make sure that what we sell and the message we package is a whole seamless experience. I think this is exactly the pivot of what we discussed here at Accra Weizo.

The seamless experience has to be from getting my visa, you charge me a lot of money, I come into your country

and I am so frustrated. Here in Ghana I had to go to three ATMs that are not working. So, it is not just about passport it is the whole seamless experience we need to create.

What is your target market in East Africa and do you consider the West African market as a source market?

Two things I would like to say; our number one source market is East Africa. We do not look outside. Before we even talk about looking outside we look inside. In Kenya 40 per cent of the domestic market is within the country, so 40 per cent of Kenyans are travelling within the country.

So that is a big chunk of money. It is not necessary that you have to go outside to look for your next source market. And after that domestic market, number two is Uganda, which is the biggest source market within East Africa for Kenya. We trade among ourselves, so the reason why that is happening is because we have made it possible for people to travel.

I do not need a passport to travel within East Africa, I use my national identity card and I don’t need a visa.

We have even made it possible for expatriates coming into our country with a work permit to travel for free. A Canadian or an American or a customer from New Zealand resident in any of those three countries in East Africa doesn’t need a visa to go to any part of the country.

So, when you talk about what is your source of market, your source should be within your country. And then it is common sense, in Africa, either by default or by design, we are neighbours and neighbours will always be the first to want to come and visit you.

Regardless of whether you have a good relationship or not, whether you are trading or not. So, it is about regional domestic and then look beyond your borders and then everything else will come after. If you have issues of terrorism, the French will not come.

What are your suggestions for improving on Nigeria tourism?

Two things which I would like to say; the domestic tourism in Kenya did not happen by chance. It was a deliberate policy, five years ago when it was hit by post-election violence in 2007 and then the attack and then threats. They realised they have to bounce back. They created a campaign TembeaKenya, which in Swahili means visit Kenya.

That campaign is designed to promote Kenya to Kenyans.

It is a policy driven by the government money pumped into domestic tourism and marketing and products.

But it was also led by the private sector.

When your hotels are empty or running below 40 per cent occupancy, definitely you know something is wrong.

So what do you do? You change your market, you change your strategies and you change your marketing procedures. So, what you need to do in Nigeria is to go back to the drawing board and say where do we want to go as a country?

In Nigeria you have so many tribes, full of diversity and the size of the country and the share size of the population. You have what it takes to drive Nigeria as the leading destination in West Africa. So, try to look at some of the policies you have in the country.

Number one, do you have anything campaigning for your domestic tourism within the country? Do you have a back-up from the government pumping money for domestic tourism? As I said tourism is privately led, if the private sector cannot promote tourism then it will not happen. Why is South Africa a successful story? Because they decided to come and chase us, they come and look for us wherever we are, they will make a product for us so we do not go anywhere else.

BACKGROUND Carmen Ngibira is not only a passionate tourism professional but also an intellectual with an uncanny dedication to the development and growth of the travel industry in East Africa as she is presently the coordinator of the East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP) where she interfaces with both the public and private sectors in seeking for better ways to improve on the travel industry of the region.

She also shares the same dream for the Africa continent as was displayed by her during the recently held Accra Weizo, where as the special guest, she held the audience spellbound with her well researched and elucidating presentation on East Africa travel and how the entire continent, particularly the West Africa region can learn from its unfolding success story.

Nigibira was educated at the University of Brighton, United Kingdom, where she obtained a Bachelor degree in Travel Management and College of Birmingham, United Kingdom, where she earned Master’s Degree in Tourism Destination Management and presently a PhD candidate at Clemson University.

Before assuming her present role, she was at a point the director general of Burundi National Tourism Office, academic assistant at Ecole Hotelifre Lausanne, Switzerland, duty manager, Holiday Inn City Centre, Dar Es Salam, Tanzania, director general, Eos Visions, Educational Travel in Africa, Burundi, general manager, Willoughby Hotel and Apartments, Cheltenham, United Kingdom, senior adviser for Asia and Africa, TUI Thomson Worldwide, East Grinstead, United Kingdom and reception and conference manager, York House, Eastbourne, United Kingdom.

The Burundian travel expert speaks fluently her native language, Kirundi, then Swahili, English and French. She is also a member of the board of directors of Akilah Institute for Women.

Travel&Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

One of the rooms.

Inset: Lordis

PEARLWORT HOTEL AND SUITES

A pleasurable offering ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA writes on the enchanting facilities and services of the newly opened Pearlwort Hotel and Suites in Lagos

P

earlwort Hotel and Suites, which is located on Plot 7, Impressive Close, off L. J. Dosunmu Street, Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, is the newest addition to the growing ranks of hospitality homes in Lagos State.

Unearthing this hotel is a discovery of some sort and one that certainly brings joy and a feeling of relief and excitement once you finally make your way to its undulating location and then begins your exploration of its bowels.

No sooner than you take in its impressive exterior façade and bids your way through its glass door to the enchanting and opulent reception and then to the lounge that you realise that closeted within this appealing enclave is a hidden treasure - pearl.

It is something of proud to the hotel management as the elated General Manager of the hotel, Daniel Lordis, said that this was what informed the sobriquet of the hotel: Experience the hidden treasure.

“You have to make effort to discov-

HOSPITALITY er it and once you do, it brings you joy,” Lordis, adding that, “it is what informs everything about the hotel, with the look and feel of the hotel becoming everything to treasure.

“It informs our delivery on our promises, staff recruitment, product and service,” said Lordis, who is an experienced and well-travelled hotelier who cutting his teeth with Sheraton Lagos Hotel (Starwood Hotel), rising to the position of director of sales in charge of its five hotels in Nigeria where he left to set up a consultant and management hospitality outfit some years back.

According to the general manager, the hotel is “a corporate organisation that places high value on our culture with focus on the guests, employees and the shareholders. To be the first exceptional and best-recognised indigenous hospitality company in Nigeria,” adding that, “we focus on various ranges of customers such as businessmen, corporate bodies, public sectors, leisure and holiday travellers and residents of the locality.”

Hence, he defined what the name of the hotel, Pearlwort stands for: P – Positive Expectation; E – Eye on OUR CompLEMENTORS; A – Act Fast and Implement Quickly; R – Reinvesting in our Business; L – Listening to our Cus-

tomers to Learn More; W – We value respect; O – Oneness; R – Responsibility in Corporate and Social World; and T – Treating our people fairly and with respect.

Your discovery is that the hotel is not only out to raise the bar with its fascinating and attractively apportioned facilities, which smirk indeed of sophistication and of the highest quality and standard comparable to any international brand but more important, is to set the mark as standard and professionally driven independent brand.

From the front office, including those manning the gates to the backroom staff, are all Nigerians, this deliberate policy, said Lordis, “is driven by the vision of the hotel to be the first indigenous hospitality company and that is why you will find all locals here.”

According to him, “we are trying to prove a point that whatever foreign brand can do we can do it better because Nigerians have the skills and capabilities,” adding that “we are well-educated, exposed and travelled, we know what a good standard is and can equally afford it, and we have that product in Pearlwort Hotel and Suites.”

Besides the sophisticated appeal of the hotel, its customer based culture is very impressive as Lordis makes clear that the customer is the next most important person to the hotel, adding that, “you need to treat your customer well and right,” hence he said that the hotel guarantees

the highest service delivery standard.

Another area where the hotel stands out is in the area of technology as its facilities are top notch when it comes to technology and most of them are the latest hospitality offerings and are quite interactive. For instance, all the rooms are fitted with 42 inches IPTV, which affords the guest the opportunity to do basically everything from the comfort of the room.

Opened for business on October 1, the general manager is happy about the fact that from day one the hotel was well received and it has been riding the crest, insisting that the hotel is here for the long haul and not letting off steam, especially when it comes to maintenance and upgrade of its facilities going forward.

Pearlwort Hotel and Suites, he said, is redefining hospitality in Nigeria and the promise to the guests, he said is that, “a guest should look forward to walking into a four-star hotel, we have the deliverables of a four-star, the best product, the best service, the best hospitable staff and the best cuisine.”

Rooms The hotel boasts 75 rooms, all furnished to taste and perfectly fitted with the latest hospitality amenities; with 58 standard rooms, one paraplegic room, three business suites, seven deluxe suites and four executive suits with two private rooftop penthouses presidential suites; all laced with the best of amenities such as comfy large size bed, tea/coffee-making machine, complimentary coffee, tea and chocolate, mini-bar fridge, LED flat screen TV (Nonius Internet Protocol TV – IPTV) Entertainment System with cable stations, Internet protocol telephone.

Dining/wining It offers choice options for dining and wining with two well-furnished and polished restaurants serving sumptuous African and continental meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and three bars with opulent feel and look stocked with wide selection of drinks.

Of the two restaurants, Skyview Restaurant comes with a plush and luxurious setting, offering a delightsome view of the sky.

Conference It also comes with good and attractive business conference facilities (a function suit and two meeting rooms) for business meetings and social events of different nature.

Wellness/leisure Pearlwort Hotel and Suites promotes rich wellness culture with a well-apportioned swimming pool, a gymnasium fitted with various fitness amenities and spa for different treatments.

The outdoor swimming pool offers a rich ambience to relax, enjoy a good deep and varieties of foods and drinks with a pool bar. There is also an outdoor patio and classic lounge delighting guests with its unique and savoury offerings.

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

FESTAC, LAGOS

LAGOS

SEASON 7 RESTAURANT 29, OROLEYE CRESCENT, OFF ABEL ORENIYI, OFF SALAVATION RD, OPEBI, LAGOS

CAPITOL HOTEL, AGEGE

41

REE DANIELS HOTEL AND SUITES

42

Travel&Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

BADAGRY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU

Last ditch effort to create a tourist destination ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA writes on the latest effort by Badagry Convention and Visitors Bureau to open the historic but sleepy town of Badagry for tourism business

B

adagry town is one of the five divisions of Lagos State and beyond this recognition is the fact that the coastal town has a rich and enduring history. It was once a notable slave enclave with its sea port used in ferrying thousands of slaves across the Atlantic to Europe and other parts of the world during the reign of the obnoxious trade.

Ever since, efforts have been made by successive state governments, especially in the last two decades to transform the town from its ignoble past, given its rich potential, into a thriving tourist destination and business hub for the state and West Africa region because it is a border town as well.

At the last count, a former governor of the state, Bola Tinubu, introduced a star project, Lagos Black Heritage Festival (LBHF) hosted in the town, but after two editions it was abandoned only for his successor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, to revive the festival but gave it a different bent. He didn’t quite stop at that as he also dreamed up a film village and energy city status among others for the sleepy town.

But unfortunately, none of these made it out of the drawing board while few of the projects initiated by him such as the Badagry Marina project are still at the foundation stages. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode not wanting to be left out of the unending theatrics has also kept the hope of the people alive as he has made promises of lofty projects aimed at renewing the town.

Perhaps tired of waiting for the much promised manna to fall on their laps, members of the community are now beginning to look beyond the government for solutions to attracting patronage and investment that would help transform their community from its present beggarly state to a lively, thriving and most sought after tourist destination.

The last ditch effort is that by Badagry Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB) headed by Fadipe Sewanu Ashamu as the managing director and chief executive officer of the bureau with financiers and other respected tourism operators, which include Temidayo Hephazibah as director of marketing and Vincent Okwenyi as assistant tourism negotiating officer.

Ashamu is from Badagry and his name if nothing else is synonymous with Lagos State tourism as he has spent almost his entire career as a civil servant with the state’s tourism. He started out as the general manager of the defunct Lagos State Tourism Board and Waterfront and later a director in the ministry from where he rose to the position of the pioneer permanent secretary in the then newly created ministry of tourism.

He was later moved to the local government commission as permanent secretary from where he retired last year.

Ever before stepping into the state tourism scene, he had from the onset with a friend, who was then as passionate as him, set up the defunct Faniago Hotel along the beach in Badagary.

Judging by available records, Ashamu imprint is in almost all the tourism related projects that the state government has over the years succeeded in planting in the town. So, he is familiar with the terrain and certainly knows what it takes and perhaps the challenges of transforming his beloved Badagry to a dreamed tourist destination.

Rather than fold his hands after retirement and lament the poor state of his town, he has in partnership with others floated BCVB, which has enunciated an ambition programme aimed at attracting investment from all corners of the world in tourism and business related activities to Badagry.

According to him, the motivation for setting up BCVB was simply to step up what had engaged his attention over the years now that he has retired from the service.

Hence he harped on the new outfit, which he said would work in collaboration with the government and the private sector in further developing Badagry.

The decision to set up a convention and visitor bureau, which is a noble idea, he said, was informed by the fact that it was a model that has been successfully employed by developed destinations across the globe in developing and marketing their cities.

“If you go to other developed cities what they used to promote their cities is convention and visitor bureau,” he said, adding that, “I believe in Badagry since it is my own town and it has all the elements of a perfect tourist destination.”

The road to setting up Badagry Convention and Visitors Bureau has not be an easy one as he had to surmount a lot of obstacles, including having the support of the people by educating them on the project and meeting with Badagry Local Government Council to also educate its officials on the need to develop the town’s tourism business.

He then went ahead to sign a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the council on the project, saying that, “our main focus is to sell Badagry as a tourist destination by letting the whole world know that Badagry is a place worth investing in.

“Our aim is to bring people to Badagry so that the economy will improve,”

DESTINATION

Agiya Tree Monument

h e said.

To this end, BCVB has created a number of proFirst storey building grammes that are geared towards exposing the investment potential of the town and attracting visitors to its entrails.

Achieving this ambitious project, he said, “is a big challenge.”

According to him, BCVB, which was established in August this year to market Badagry as a destination and bring economic improvement to the people of town and its environs, main functions include: to market Badagry as a tourism destination to the rest of the world; to serve as a focal point for coordination of all tourism activities in Badagry; to provide services that will enhance quality of visitors experience.

To provide leadership in expanding tourism business opportunities in Badagry; to generate economic activities through visitors’ spending to the people of Badagry and its environs; to serve

Akwaaba 2016 set to open on Oct 30

W

ith a week to go, organisers of Akwaaba African Travel Market, said the stage is set for the 2016 edition of the annual travel and tourism trade exhibition and conference holding at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, with about 20 Africa countries

as a catalyst and facilitator for tourism infrastructure development; to serve as a clearing house for all hospitality establishments in town and its environs; and to attract investment opportunities to Badagry; as well as to encourage visitors to visit the area and enjoy the ambience of our natural, cultural and historical sites, including the hospitality of the people of Badagry.

But he is undaunted by this challenge as he is well abreast of it and has therefore, equipped himself to navigate the murky waters. Capacity building, he said, is one major challenge, as he acknowledged that the town lacks the needed trained manpower to achieve its ends.

Training of tour guides is another area of interest, as he revealed that, “we have plan to train a lot of people on tour guiding as we have identified some youths in the town who are interested in this area. Some of them were trained in craft making when I was in government and we are going to work with them,” even as he added that, “we are encouraging people to study tourism.”

That of infrastructure as the town

and many exhibitors from across the world, expected to attend the event, which opens on Oct 30 spanning November 1.

Akwaaba, which is in its 12th year is a travel event featuring travel and tourism related organisations, travel experts, national tourism boards, sellers, buyers and other suppliers of travels. It is aimed at exposing African tourist destinations to the world hence it is tagged as ‘where Africa meets the world.’

Some of the countries expected at the three days event include: United Arab Emirates (UAE) to be represented by Dubai Tourism; Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Namibia, Tanzania, Benin Republic, Ethiopia, Uganda,

Travel&Tourism 43

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

Govt urged to uphold Ekpo Dance, Drama and Drumming Festival

W

Attenuation Well

Point of no return

presently lacked any standard toura befitting logistics park in the town. ism facilities, especially in the areas of As it continues to popularise its hospitality and conference is also of existence and reach out to the world, concern. The only place that boasts a Ashamu, who is upbeat about the prosgood hotel and meeting facility is the pects of BCVB, said that it has in the Administrative State College of Nigeria works four major events, which are (ASCON) in Topo, which is an adjoinbilled to hold next year. These are: Yoing town to Badagry. ruba Conference Series holding from But sadly, those facilities are poorly March 1 – 3 with the theme – ‘harmonrun by the government officials charged ising Yoruba history for subsequent with them. Therefore, Ashamu unYoruba generation.’

Badagry Economic Summit slated folded a big plan to attract investors in building hospitality and conference for March 23 – 24 with the theme – ‘unleashing investment opporfacilities in the town. To begin with, BCVB through one of its financiers tunities around historical and coastal zones of Epe has already embarked on the construction of an and Badagry,’ Igbo Art international conference and Culture Internafacility in the town. tional Festival billed Resorts, theme and for April 28 – 30 and logistics parks are Lagos Hotel and also in the offing, as Tourism Investment Ashamu disclosed Conference to hold that Badagry as a August 24 – 25 with coastal town needs the theme – ‘making a logistics park and Lagos the preferred that plans are already hospitality and tourAshamu underway to establish ism hub in Africa.’

Togo, Zimbabwe, Bahrain, Ghana and Liberia.

According to the organisers, a pre-event cocktail for all the exhibitors and special guests is slated for October 29 while the event opens on October 30 with wine tasting/ sampling session in the afternoon and then followed by the African Travel Awards/dinner, a most coveted event.

It would be spiced by fashion, musical and comic shows featuring the best from the continent.

While on October 31 the exhibition and conference sessions would open spanning the third and final day of the event. This year’s conference session is taking on a new dimension with series of talk shops on aviation and tourism dominating the two days. A number of speakers and panel of experts are scheduled to speak and discuss the various topics penciled for the occasion.

ith the successful hosting of Ekpo Dance, Drama and Festival 2016, which held for the first time in Abuja between October 7 and 8 at the Old Parade Ground with the theme: ‘The imperative of community and culture as panacea for poverty eradication and peaceful co – existence,’ the federal government has been urged to institutionalised the festival by making it a yearly national celebration.

This call was made by the Chief Conceptualise of the debutant festival, Patty Etete Inemeh, who is a former member of the House of Representatives and founder of TNY Gallery and African Cultural Heritage Centre, Abuja, even as a former Minister of Petroleum Resources and presidential candidate, Don Obot Etiebet, called on Nigerians to imbibe the moral values that the Ekpo masquerade were known for in the traditional society.

Speaking at the colourful festival, which witnessed the suffusing display and dramatisation of masquerades, dances and folklores among others, Inemeh, who is noted for his devotion to the promotion of Nigeria cultural heritage, especially that of his Annang people in Akwa Ibom State, said that part of the inspiration for initiating the festival was to underline the socio-cultural and ethnic bond as well as economic relationship that existed among the various groups in Nigeria.

Introducing the festival at this time, Inemeh said was timely given the federal government’s quest for the diversification of the economy, adding that the various elements embedded in the festival had the potential of contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country even as he drew attention to the fact that they once powered the economy of the various ethnic groups in different aspects, ranging from agriculture, mining to manufacturing.

Therefore, he urged the federal government and Nigerians to pay serious attention to these elements that were once cherished as the bedrock of Nige-

ria’s traditional society. To this end, he appealed to the government that, “this Ekpo dance and drumming festival becomes a yearly event in the calendar of both the federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation by declaring the 7th or 8th of October each year as Ekpo dance, drama and drumming festival day Abuja.

“This fact could be collaborated in the recent declaration by the Mayor of Houston Texas in declaring July 23rd of every year as Ekpo dance, drama and drumming festival day in Houston Texas, of which the last episode attracted many tourists from all over America. Thus contributing to the tourism potential and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Houston Texas.”

Also speaking on the significance of the festival, Etiebet, who was the chairman of the event, drew attention to the social value inherent in the dramatisation of Ekpo masquerades and the disciplined nature of its, adding that Nigeria society today had been destroyed because of the relegation of the social values and discipline inherent in them.

“You would notice that the dramatisation and dance of the Ekpo masquerades depict this discipline, this absolute obedience to commands of the drums and displays of personal gallantry, innovativeness, pride, gracefulness and creativity in what they were engaged in doing.

“That brought about resourcefulness and commitment that kept the society going in peace and riches. Those core values are lacking in the main, in our society today, which concern led President Muhammadu Buhari to launch the ‘Change begins with me’ initiative so that we all can begin to retrace our steps back to those ethical values that once ensured that the country’s greatness and peaceful co- existence.”

Two of the books written by Inemeh, ‘because I am Bantu’ and ‘Memories of Africa’s glorious past,’ were formally launched and presented to the public during the two days festival.

R-L: Inemeh presenting award certificate to Muhammadu Buhari represented by his Senior Special Adviser, National Assembly (Senate), Senator Ita Enang while Engr. Benedict Ukpong watched... during the festival

… Belinda Muthinhiri of ZTA headlines Africa Travel Awards For the first time in its history, this year’s African Travel Awards will bestow a posthumous award on one of its awardees, Belinda Muthinhiri of Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), who died last month.

She was voted as the African tourism personality of the year for her devotion to the promotion of intra- Africa tourism. Twenty one other winners, including individuals and organisations, are to be awarded in different categories during the awards’ night.

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, Walther Mzembi, is one of the winners already

declared and he is slated to deliver a speech at the event. Others are: Ethiopian Airlines and Emirates for best airlines in Africa and Cape Town with the most passenger friendly airport in Africa. The Chief Executive Officer of Rwandair, John Mirenge, African aviation personality of the year while his airline clinched the award for the best short haul airline in Africa.

Kenya, including it tourism board won four awards. Rwanda also won four awards while Ethiopia won five and South Africa six. The only winner from West Africa is Radisson Blu, Dakar, Senegal, that was chosen as the best business hotel in Africa.

Sportsplash 44 Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 October 2016

Celebrity RĂˆsume

STAGE NAME Skales Full Name Raoul John Njeng-Njeng Occupation Rapper, singer, songwriter and performer Date of Birth April 1, 1991 Genres Hip hop, Pop, Rap Years active 2000–present Current Label OHK Music First Label Empire Mates Entertainment Other Label OHK Music Marital Status Single First Single Must Shine Biggest Hit Shake Body (2014) Biggest Achievement In 2008, he entered the 'Zain Tru Search' competition and won the competition's North Central region.

Upon relocating to Lagos, he signed a record deal with Empire Mates Entertainment in 2009.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

22 OCTOBeR 2016

Retaining Ike-Oye will spell doom for APGA –Okafor p.46 It's about one month to the governorship election in Ondo State, what are your plans to emerge as the next governor?

The important thing for me is to reach out and campaign and we have started doing that. We are having oneon-one, we are having house-to-house.

We are doing sectoral campaigns. The other campaign which is the main open rally will commence soon. We shall be visiting all local government areas and the moment we have concluded that, I am sure it would be clear to Nigerians, those who are in control of Ondo State, that I have large followers. This is because people of the state have made up their mind to vote for the APC. They are waiting for it and I am sure that because they have seen someone who is offering them leadership with integrity, somebody who is prepared to make all the sacrifices as I have said to them that nothing is too much to sacrifice towards improving the lot of the people.

So, all we are trying to say to people of Ondo State is that we are prepared to give them good governance which has eluded them in the past.

Some people have argued that the battle is a two-horse race between the APC and PDP. What stands you out as the candidate to beat?

We know many things that are going right for us. Firstly, it is clear to an average Ondo State person that the PDP candidate is nothing but a third-term agenda of the present administration and it has not done well for people of the state. We are determined to make sure that the present administration and whoever it is supporting has no basis to return to power. So, we have everything working in our favour. Secondly, I have contested before and people know me.

What I am putting on line is my avowed integrity. People know what I stand for and I have said to the people of the state that all I am striving to do is to come and serve them. Let them have at least, for the first time, what I can call a good government which is lacking for a couple of years in this state and to make sure that the state is developed at all cost.

EFCC must stop media trial of suspects – Bishop Ephraim

p.47

I'm offering leadership with integrity –Akeredolu

Having contested and lost in 2012, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), is set for a battle that would make or break his political career. The lawyer-turnedpolitician recently reeled out his programmes and the strategy he is adopting to win the polls. OLALEKAN OSIADE brings excerpts. failed, election results were rejected in those areas. We have 203 wards in Ondo State and all the wards would have technical backup, one person per ward. So, I don’t believe that somebody can come and stuff ballot box now or just write hypothetical results. So, a lot has changed.

Another fundamental change is that after four years, precisely since 2012, nothing has changed in Ondo State in the area of development. Things are going bad and the people are eager for progressive change. They want a government that would let them see light at the end of the tunnel because there is darkness in the state even with the enor-

that arrears and salaries of workers are settled as one of the ways of reposing their confidence in the government.

As a top legal practitioner, what really motivated you to dump the wig and run for political office?

There is only one thing that can drive mous resources we have in place here.

The present administration has failed to me, which is still driving me. It is service. deplore these resources for useful pur- I believe something has to be done and poses but instead they have embarked must be done properly. I have achieved on cosmetic projects. A lot has changed virtually everything in my career. I have such that after four years, salaries have reached the pinnacle of my life-chosen not being paid to workers. A govern- profession, but there comes a time when ment that does not take the welfare of you sit down and feel the interest of the workers as a priority is not fit to lead. people matters, hence, the call to serve.

I heard a governor said the other time It took some people a couple of trips to that not paying workers’ salaries is cor- Ibadan to come and persuade me in 2012 ruption and I want to add that it is also to contest for the governorship position a crime against humanity because how then. So, there is no other thing that is do you want them to live? So for me, the driving me than the desire to come and welfare of workers is paramount. When serve the good people of Ondo State. I am worried about the quagmire that we we come on board, we would ensure have found ourselves in this state. I am worried that we are oil-producing state, but we are not feeling the impact on us. There is a lot we can do for people of the state to be happy if It is clear to an we properly annex and channel the resources for their benefit. average Ondo When I served as the President of State person that Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), left a legacy of service over the the PDP candidate Iyears.

Thus, look at me, having contested in 2012 and still in the is nothing but a four years after, there is noththird-term agenda race ing that could have motivated me than the call to serve and leaving of the present a legacy on the sands of time. It is administration a great feeling that someone once passed through this place and his and it has not marks remain indelible.

done well for people of the state

You contested and lost in 2012. What has changed between then and now?

A lot has changed. Life itself is in constant motion, no doubt, things have changed. Take for example, we now have APC government at the federal level. It is no longer the situation in 2012 where we have an opposition party controlling the centre. Two, what has changed is that having exposed through the instrumentality of the law process, having exposed many things that were wrong in the voters’register, I know that it is one area that has undergone fundamental change from the office of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). For example, you would need a Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) to be able to vote. The card reader would be deplored as we witnessed recently in Edo State. Where card reader

OLALEKAN OSIADE Assistant Editor 08033076969 lekanosiade@gmail.com lekanosiade@yahoo.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

45

Akeredolu

Your emergence as the APC candidate has left some controversies. What efforts have you made to reconcile aggrieved aspirants?

Well since the primaries, we had about two or three weeks that we could not do much because of the appeal. We only had to wait for the outcome of the appeal to be out. The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has taken a decision on the candidate of the party and it is only after the procedure that one is sure of reaching out to aggrieved people for reconciliation. So, in the past one week, we had reached out to so many people and I think those who are aggrieved are only three initially. However, out of these three people, one of them has gone to another party. We have two left and we are speaking with them. We are looking forward to a united front ahead the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

I don’t believe all hope is lost, except for someone like Olusola Oke, who has moved to another party.There is definitely nothing that anybody can do, but for others who are still in the party, even a day before the election, we can still reconcile.

C O N T I N U E D on PA G E 4 6

46 Politics

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

Retaining Ike-Oye will spell doom for APGA –Okafor The National Working Committee (NWC) of your party recently suspended Dr. Victor Ike Oye as the national chairman.

Why such an action?

The action was an effort to save the party, it was actually a culmination of series of actions and efforts to save the party from the road to destruction and the road to extinction that the suspended chairman was taking the party on.

The list of the activities of the suspended national chairman is unending.

He seemed to undermine the development of the party, the growth of the party, our constitution has been abandoned, the NWC has been abandoned and the party ran as a personal enterprise. All efforts to get him to act according to the constitution of the party failed, so the members of the NWC were left with no other choice than to save the party from further slide.

Is it true that Governor Willie Obiano intervened and the suspension, though not announced, was rescinded?

Well, the governor who is the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) and the national leader of the party intervened to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis, he also made appeal for all parties to sheath their swords for peace to reign.

From the time the governor sought a peaceful resolution, the NWC members who suspended the chairman resolved to de-escalate the tension already generated and to ensure the issues remained localised as internal affairs of the party.

We therefore chose to stay off the mass media, waiting for the intervention and resolution of the elders of the party.

The governor did all within his powers to resolve the crisis, but while we were still trying to have the way forward to a peaceful resolution, the suspended chairman went haywire and called the people who legally and constitutionally suspended him dissidents, rebels, renegades. He said we were settled with spaghetti, egusi soup and money so as to abandon the course we had taken. We actually took serious exception to that.

And therefore we have come to a painful decision to enlighten the public on what was going on. We regret doing this, having taken all necessary steps to ensure that all issues concerning this be treated within the party but Oye made things practically impossible.

Ozo Nwabueze Mario Okafor is the Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He spoke on reasons behind the suspension of Dr. Victor Ike-Oye as the national chairman. OLALEKAN OSIADE brings excerpts. eral constitutional breaches for which he was suspended was disproved; rather he went on a self-destruct journey of name calling, intimidation, harassment, scaremongering which would not in any way solve the problem. So, the peace moves made by the National Leader/BOT chairman of the party had been personally aborted by the suspended national chairman, who chose to go haywire to cast aspersions and unleash unkind words on our persons by calling us derogatory names, never-do-wells etc.

Since he has resorted to that, he has shown that he is not in any mood to toe the path of peace and reconciliation because his language is not reconciliatory at all. His language does not provide for an atmosphere conducive for peace, understanding and harmony. We are beginning to feel that Dr. Oye is a fifth-columnist planted in APGA to destroy the party because he has not invested in the party at any level prior to his emergence as the national chairman. He has also not held any position in the party, none anywhere apart from claiming to be a backroom staff in Abia State. We have not heard that he has been elected a councillor before. .

Okafor

What is the way forward?

Well, the members of the NWC have decided and resolved to sustain his suspension. His suspension stays and subsists until otherwise decided. We are waiting for the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to ratify it, because it is funny to hear him say we do not have the powers to suspend him.

According to our constitution, under special circumstances, the NWC can suspend any officer of the party for gross misconduct, and any officer includes all

Did you give him reasons for your action?

In all our engagements with him, even within the period of intervention by some party elders, the suspended national chairman was never able to disprove any of the allegations leveled against him. Not even one was disproved. None of the sev-

We are beginning to feel that Dr. Oye is a fifth-columnist planted in APGA to destroy the party because he has not invested in the party at any level prior to his emergence as the national chairman

the officers starting from the chairman down to the other members of the NWC. And in a validly constituted NWC meeting summoned by Dr. Oye himself, a motion was moved by the National Youth Leader, Engr. Chuks Nwoga and seconded by the Deputy National Welfare Officer, Alhaji Ahmed Hamman Furu from Adamawa State, requesting for the national chairman's suspension for gross misconduct as enumerated. He was there and presided over the meeting, he tried to create a rancorous atmosphere to scatter the meeting, but he couldn’t. The motion sustained when there was no counter motion. He was therefore validly suspended according to Article 20 of our constitution.

Our constitution in Article 12 (3a) said that the NWC shall be responsible for the day-to-day running of the party, and make electoral provisions and guidelines to govern the nomination and selection of candidates for different elections. That had not been observed in the nomination of governorship candidates in Edo, Kogi and Ondo states even in Bayelsa State.

The NWC had not been involved in such nominations. But our party constitution stated that we shall make guidelines for all these primaries, but we had never been involved in anyone. Not because we didn’t want to, but because the sus-

I'll complete Mimiko's viable projects –Akeredolu C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 5

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has described the exercise as a charade, calling for the resignation of the national chairman. Don’t you see this as a bad omen for the APC? I know that the APC will win the election in November God willing, I have never had any doubt. As for the statement credited toTinubu, all I would say is that the chairman of the party has given adequate response. So, the party is united. Opinions of individuals do not influence the party because the party has picked its candidate and sent name to the INEC. Whatever dust raised in the primaries should be settled by now. So,for anybody trying to raise further dust is not going to help the party. Just like the national chairman of the party said, the time has come for all of

us to come together as one and the leaders to see themselves as one family for us to win the election because people of Ondo State are looking forward to APC and we cannot afford to lose this rare chance. The party has taken an irreversible position as we are running and we are running to win.

vision of Accessible and Qualitative Health Care and Social Services Delivery, while the last R is for Rural Development and Community Extension. The first programme is strongly attached to the last one, which I have said is going to be my legacy to the people of Ondo State.

If you eventually emerge the winner of the election, what should the people of Ondo State be looking forward as your cardinal programmes?

My cardinal points are five. I call it JMPPR. J is for Job Creation Through Agriculture, Entrepreneurship and Industrialisation. M stands for Massive Infrastructural Development and Maintenance. The third one, P is promotion of functional education and technological growth, followed by another P, Pro-

With your second programme, do you mean to continue with the Mimiko's projects?

Government is continuum. It is not about the personality or individual involved, once the project in question is viable and beneficial to the people of Ondo State, my administration would maintain or complete them as the case may be since doing otherwise would amount to wasting the state resources. We would never tolerate and/or encourage wastage because it is a form of corruption and hence criminal.

pended national chairman sidetracted us.

The danger in that is that if our candidate wins an election, the opposing candidates can go to court to say that our man's nomination was flawed. He has severally infringed on our constitution.

He alone operates the party's budget unilaterally, violates various relevant articles of the party constitution and guideline.

He has blocked the national treasurer, the national auditor and other relevant officers and organs of the party. He dissolved state executive committees of the party in Edo and other states without the approval of the NWC as stipulated in Article 22(2.i) of our party constitution.

And since the National Convention of the party had mandated us to see to the dayto-day running of the party, and that we will be failing in our duty if we do not put a stop to his maladministration. That is what culminated in his suspension.

But Dr. Oye said it is only a special convention of the party that can remove him from office. Don't you agree?

Well, I have the party’s constitution here. Article 22 (2) says, "any officer of the party at all levels who fails to discharge his or her duties as at when due or whose utterances or activities run counter to the spirit and letters of this constitution shall be suspended from office indefinitely pending the determination of his case by the relevant organs of the party. That is the provision of the constitution of the party. That’s why we said 'suspension'.

We did not say expulsion. From that comment it shows he was not even conversant with the details, provisions and clauses of the constitution of the party he was leading. It's unfortunate.

You were accused by the chairman of being teleguided and sponsored. Isn't that true?

That is not true. We acted in the interest of saving the party we have all staked a lot of time, resources and energy to build.

What can anyone give to 29 distinguished officers? Well, I won't be surprised to learn that such frivolous allegation was authored by the embattled suspended national chairman. But the question remains, did he commit any or all of the offences we listed. He had the opportunity to defend himself, not calling us or other members of the public names.

Has Dr. Oye reached out to any of you for reconcilliation?

No. Not at all. It is indeed predictable that he would not. I would have been very surprised if he did. How can he do so to people he saw and regarded as renegades, charlatans, dissidents. He believed that no one mattered except himself. Reach out to us for what? When he told the world that we had been settled with spaghetti, egusi and money. It is on record that none of us took water, food or money from any one. In fact we rejected even the hotel accommodation reserved for us, as we left the venue of the meeting straight into the night to Enugu, touching neither food nor water or anything else.

We are not in this for any selfish purpose.

Time will surely tell.

Have you considered a replacement for him?

We have no interest in who replaces Dr Oye. The party elders, the stakeholders and the teeming members of the party can choose whoever that is deemed fit, capable and well tutored in party administration. Once it is ratified we have no problem with it. But we can no longer work with the suspended chairman. Any move to retain him simply means the end is close by for the party.

Politics 47

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

Bishop Enebong Ephraim is the chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW), West Africa Region and a former diocesan of the global church. He spoke with ISIOMA MADIKE on various aspects of the Nigerian polity.

Excerpts: How do you see the ongoing fight against corruption?

In spite of the much talked about fighting of corruption in the country, the reality on ground is that we are yet to truly begin the fight against this evil.

The battle against corruption is multifaceted. So far, only one aspect of it has been tackled. How can we claim that we are fighting corruption when there are various dimensions of tussle in the National Assembly, majority of them bordering on corruption? With what is happening in the Senate, corruption is still very much with us and the situation app ears hopeless. The Code of Conduct Bureau has its hands full and is now looking for compromise so that the nation will continue under their evil spell. How can we say that we are fighting corruption when money that should be used to pay salaries are being starched away or just diverted while workers go hungry for four, six or more months? The Cross River State Water Board, which is in partnership with World Bank, has not paid salaries for 10 months. Some governors have received money from the Presidency twice or more, yet the salaries they were to use it for are still being owed. Even the average Nigerian knows this to be one of the worst faces of corruption, yet nobody has called them to order. Is diverting money meant for salaries to other things or using it to enrich oneself not corruption? Until we are ready to face the fact and do the right thing, corruption and the accompanying recession will remain with us.

How do you see EFCC effort on the war against corruption?

I support EFCC and desire that the commission does its best to rid Nigeria of corruption but let them do it by the rule of law. The commission is manned by human beings and human beings by nature are limited in wisdom and vision. So you cannot expect them to do perfect job. One of their top errors is that going by the laws of this country, every suspect of a crime is presumed innocent until he or she is declared guilty by a competent court of law, but that does not appear to be the case with the EFCC. Why is it that when EFCC officials have some facts about anyone, they quickly run to the mass media? What will happen if what they thought they found incriminating on a person is reversed by the court? Now, how do they repair the damaged image of that person? The commission should take the suspect to the court first to obtain judgement before going to the media. I do not care about who is involved in corruption.

My concern is that people, who offend anywhere, should be treated according to the laws of the land. I will also advise that people who offend should confess, apologise and ask for pardon rather than put forward defective defence for their wrong deeds and flex the muscle when they know that they are wrong.

What are your views about the Buhariled federal government?

Millions of Nigerians voted for APC and the president to come and move the country forward. Everyone includ-

EFCC must stop media trial of suspects – Bishop Ephraim

ing me expected them to hit the ground and be running. But when they came in, they just sat back and enjoyed the office. Did this actually show that they were prepared for the job? 15 months after they took over, board members are still being appointed. They wanted to change the approach in making appointments, but ended up appointing only their own. They did not want to rely on advice of corrupt state governors, so they told three people that they know to recommend names of quality people and they sent them the names of their friends and relations who turned out to be mediocres.

Would you say violence has been increasing or decreasing in the land in recent years?

There is violence in all parts of the land. Innocent blood has been shade people. Boko Haram is still driving people away from their houses and communities in north-eastern states, particularly Borno. But now and again, government will tell the people that the insurgent group had since been driven out of that territory. If they had since been driven out who is committing these terrorist crimes and killing the people? I do not believe in the god that does not have mercy on people. I do not believe in a god that can slaughter every other person if given opportunity that does not adhere to him. The Nigerian constitution tells us that we are in a secular society and people can worship the god that they choose. In such a country, why should one religion feel they have the right to attack, Maim and kill other people that do not agree with their bidding?

Isn't there violence in other parts of

The colonial masters did not like the people of the South because they thought the southerners were more educated and enlightened and could easily oppose their ideas the country?

There is daily report of kidnapping and killings in the South-South and South East geopolitical zones of the country while armed robbery and domestic violence is reigning in the West. Fulani herdsmen and Christian farmers are clashing regularly in the North Central zone. Activities of Niger Delta agitators and Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, are also causing citizens a lot of concern. Putting an end to all these is the responsibility of all Nigerians. Nigerians should stop carrying gun and begin to talk peace and reconciliation.

How do you see the relationship between the North and the South in modern day Nigeria?

It is not very smooth. People in government have told a lot of lies.

For instance, they secretly registered the country as a member of Organisation of Islamic Countries, OIC. The Nigerian constitution has said we are a secular country. You are registering Nigeria in OIC for what reason? Is it because there are no more Christians in the country? But Census statistics have shown that there are more Christians in Nigeria than Muslims. The problem began from the time of amalgamation

Ephraim

of Northern and Southern Nigeria. The colonial masters did not like the people of the South because they thought the southerners were more educated and enlightened and could easily oppose their ideas. They loved the North more and as they were about to leave (during the pre-independence census), they gave the North a key that would make them rule the country forever.

They told the North to inflate their population and the North did just that. During every census and election time, their population kept rising.

It was this bloated northern population that would be used in the sharing of national assets, in ministerial appointments and parliamentary seats. This way the North was always favoured.

Nigerian authorities are considering selling some public assets to cushion the effect of the current economic recession. What do you think of this?

I see the proposal to sell public assets only as a way of putting more money into the pockets of rich people.

It took us many years to build and develop those properties. Now if we sell them, how many years if ever, shall we use to get such properties again? It is like a son selling his father’s land when he does not even have where to live.

There is also some plan to borrow from global financial institutions to tackle the recession. Isn't that a good option?

They are saying the recession will end next year yet they are telling us they want to borrow. We do not know whether they have already borrowed and how much. They can borrow from anywhere they like, but in the borrowing, you find that our conscience has been mortgaged. Who will guarantee that when they borrow the money, they will invest it on projects they borrowed for? Many Nigerians see political appointments as an opportunity to steal.

They say it is their time and chance to make it in life. There may be few exceptions but the majority are birds of the same feather.

What can the church do to help the country out of its socio-economic crises?

Sometime ago I became so angry with this nation that God spoke to calm me down. The Bible has said that knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. They church can and will always pray for the nation and its leaders. The way forward is for all to repent and turn to God as the father of the nation. The leaders must tell the people the truth and shun corruption themselves. An outstanding American evangelist has prophesied that a revival that is greater than the Azuza revival is coming. Nigerians have to be ready so that the revival will not meet us unprepared. The solution to the Nigerian economic problem lies in the prophesied revival. Another outstanding prophet of God has also said that the revival will start in Nigeria’s city of Calabar and will be a greater revival than Azuza. That is when the forces of evil like Boko Haram will not be able to grow any more. I am praying God, let this happen while I am alive.

48

Feature

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

The suspects

I went into kidnapping after amnesty programme was stopped, says Marine Pilot Juliana Francis

T

wenty-nine-year-old Natei Okunna, also known as Osama, is the gang leader of the kidnappers that abducted three landlords and their aerobics instructor at the Isheri area of Lagos State, some weeks ago.

The suspects collected N12million ransom from the family of the landlords before they released them.

According to Okunna, he was in an expensive hotel playing with his mistress, when one of his men brought his share of the loot to his room.

The gang was fine-tuning plans to abduct a top traditional ruler in Lagos State, Oba Rafiu Salami, who is the Onibeju of Ibeju-Lekki Kingdom, Lagos State, when operatives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris’s Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT, led by a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Mr. Abba Kyarri, swooped on them.

Investigations revealed that Okunna is an ex-Niger Delta militant.

He was one of those that often bombed oil facilities and kidnapped expatriates, while demanding resource control for Niger Delta regions.

To ensure the bombings, destructions and kidnappings ceased, the Federal Government offered the militants amnesty.

Okunna was one of those that benefited from the presidential amnesty programme. Okunna, like many militants, was sent overseas to further his education. A monthly stipend was also paid to the militants.

He said: “I went back to crime after the Presidential Amnesty for Niger Delta Militants in 2009, because the Amnesty office stopped paying our monthly stipends. I’m a trained Marine Pilot in South Africa, courtesy of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. But after I returned to Nigeria, I couldn’t secure a job. I was surviving on the monthly stipends from PAP. But in 2015, PAP stopped paying. I relocated from my home Town in Warri North Local Government to Lagos State, where I joined some of my friends and brothers, who were into pipeline vandalism at the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.”

Okunna and some of his gang members were arrested after IRT operatives

•Gang planned to kidnap Onibeju of Ibeju-Lekki

Kingdom, after abducting landlords combed different creeks, searching for the kidnapped landlords.

The suspects were picked up in Ore Town, Ondo State, Sapele in Delta State, Ibafo in Ogun State, Epe and Ikorodu areas in Lagos State.

The suspects arrested with Okunna are James Kegbe, Thank-God Segede, Trust Bourdilon and Timi Inomi.

The suspects confessed during interrogation to have received the sum of N12m as ransom before releasing the landlords. The landlords are Kennedy Ucheagwu, Dr. Omololu Bello, Fidelis Esang and the instructor, Olalere Olawale.

A police source said: “The kidnappers held the landlords hostage in the creeks of Ikorodu. It was through intelligence gathering that we were able to locate where the kidnappers held the victims. We also learnt that they were making plans to abduct the Onibeju of Ibeju-Lekki Kingdom. They were already monitoring the movement of the Onibeju of Ibeju-Lekki Kingdom before we arrested them.”

The police source further noted: “The IGP wanted to prevent a repeat of the incident of August 7, 2016, when Oba Goriola Oseni, the Oniba of Iba land, was kidnapped and a ransom of N15.1m paid before he was released. He deployed operatives of the IRT to Lagos State, with an order to track and arrest all the suspects involved in the kidnapping of the

Our camp was in the creeks of Shawo in Ikorodu. When soldiers started bombing that area, we moved away. We set up a new camp at the creek of Ajegunle, Ikorodu

landlords. The first suspect, James Kegbe, A.K.A JJ, was arrested in his house in Ore Town, while the gang leader, Natei Okunna, was trailed to his hideout in Sapele Delta State, while the three other suspects were arrested in Ogun and Lagos States respectively.”

Okunna recounted: “When I joined the gang, it was Vickar who accommodated and showed me how they operated. First, we vandalised pipelines and sold the stolen oil product. Later, we moved into kidnapping. Our camp was in the creeks of Shawo in Ikorodu. When soldiers started bombing that area, we moved away. We set up a new camp at the creek of Ajegunle, Ikorodu.”

According to him, he and his members carried out several kidnappings. He recalled that when the time to abduct the landlords at Isheri came, he didn’t go on the operation because he was the boss.

His words: “I was the one who deployed the guys that went on surveillance on the day before the gang attacked. I was at the camp when my men brought the landlords. I gave instructions that the landlords should be properly fed. I left the camp three days after they brought the landlords. I went to lodge in a hotel with my girlfriend. When the ransom was paid, I was called to come for my share. I asked one of my boys to bring the money to my hotel room. When I counted it, it was N500, 000. They told me that everyone in the camp got a share of the money.”

He confessed that before the money came, the gang was already making plans to abduct the Onibeju of Ibeju-Lekki.

Okunna recollected: “An informant brought the job to us. The person said security around the king was very slack. We sent him to watch the man’s movements and report back to us. Our informant gave us a positive result. We were yet to choose a date for the operation when I was arrested.”

Kegbe said he was arrested in his home at Ore, Ondo State. He described himself as a fisherman, adding that he joined kidnapping because fishing wasn’t

fetching bumper income.

He added: “We were seven in number that went for the job of kidnapping the landlords. We went with one boat and five AK47 rifles. Our informant told us that the landlords would come out in the morning to jog around that area. Four of us stood by the road side with guns, waiting for them. When the landlords sighted us, they got scared and started running. We went after them. We shot into the air and four of them quickly lay on the ground. We took the four, while others escaped. I was given N300, 000.”

Segede, 27, said he worked as a cleaner in a hotel at Sheri North. He said that it was his step-father, known as MB, who brought the job to the kidnappers. He however insisted that he wasn't aware when his father contacted the kidnappers.

Segede said: "My step-father didn't tell me about his plans, but it was one of my friends, Trust, that told me the gang was planning to carry out a kidnap. Trust told me that my step father brought the job.

My step father is married to my mother; they have four children together. The man is a fisherman and a hunter. He normally hunts bush cow inside Isheri bush. He lives inside an uncompleted building within that same area, with my mother.

After I was told about the job, I indicated my interest; I was told that my role would be to monitor the movements of our targets. I was told to alert the gang the moment I see the landlords jogging. I was given N300, 000 and my stepfather got N500, 000."

Bourdilon, 28, said that part of his role in the gang was to buy foodstuffs and ensure the landlords were well fed. He said that after the ransom was paid, he and Kegbe led the landlords out of the camp and left them at a suitable spot, where they could find their way home.

Bourdilon introduced himself as a trader, selling with his wife at Ikorodu.

Bourdilon added: “I have always been part of that gang. It was Osama (Okunna) that taught me how to shoot. I got N300, 000 as my share from the ransom.”

The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Don Awuna, who confirmed the arrest, said that the IGP would not relent in his efforts in combating crime and criminality within the country.

Feature 49

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBER 2016

NAFDAC: One trouble too many

The unending issues over poor working conditions have resurfaced in the nation’s drug house. The workers, operating under the umbrella union of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), have again threatened to shut down its offices across the country if nothing is done to settle their due allowances. ISIOMA MADIKE, who has been following the crises in the drug house, reports that the face-off in the agency has been one too many in recent times

T

he festering management/staff crises that have threatened harmony at the National Agency for Foods, and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on many occasions, appear to have taken an ugly turn as members of the agency’s union spoil for ‘war’, yet again. The union declared a two-week warning strike on Wednesday over what they called management’s insensitivity to their plight.

The placard-carrying unionists who stormed the NAFDAC Headquarters at Afrint Area of the Oshodi/Apapa Expressway, brought activity to a halt as motorists and passers-by on the road got interested in the solidarity of the activists. Some of the placards inscriptions read: “President Buhari, give us Director-General in NAFDAC”, “Impunity in NAFDAC must stop”, and “EFCC, time to probe illegal award of contracts in NAFDAC, among others.

The union leadership called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency appoint a substantive directorgeneral for the agency in order to avert further trouble. Chairman of the union, Comrade Peter Joseph Anzaku, made the appeal during a media parley in Lagos on October 19. He said that the workers had endured what he described as debilitating conditions and were left with no option but to sensitise members of the public to the downturn of activity at NAFDAC. Anzaku lamented that all the grievances of the staff brought before the former DG, Dr. Paul Orhii, with the intervention of the Minister of Health, Prof.

Isaac Adewole, have been jettisoned by the current administration of the agency.

The situation, according to him, has now paralysed the agency’s activities. He pointed out that the current acting DG, Mrs Yetunde Oluremi Oni, was part of the crises in the agency which have forced it to go on strike many times.

He also said the role of NAFDAC in sanitising the nation’s health had made it expedient on the Federal Government to intervene in the ongoing crises. “We have written several memos to government in this regard since 2012 because of

our quest for industrial harmony but to no avail, hence this unavoidable strike.

“Therefore, she should go on her terminal leave before the agency is plunged into further mess,” the union leader said.

According to him, despite the intervention of all the stakeholders on the plight of the staff, the acting DG has refused to honour the minister’s order to solve all the internal crises in the drug house and provide a template for the salary structure.

“This warning strike is to allow management to address all the issues holistically. Failure to act, the union would have no other option than to embark on indefinite strike. That, however, seems to be the only language the management understands,” Anzaku added.

Also, Chairman of the Federal Area Council of the Federal Ministry of Health Workers Union, Lagos, Comrade Ibrahim Attah, who spoke on the occasion, said the plight endured by NAFDAC workers across the country had posed serious danger to the health of the nation. He, therefore, called on the President to intervene without delay.

“NAFDAC is bleeding and bleeding seriously. If nothing is done to adequately address the suffering being encountered by the workers, the consequences will be disastrous for the country,” Attah said.

He listed the workers’ plight to include discrepancy in allowances with workers of Federal Ministry of Health which he maintained was grossly against the rules established NAFDAC in 1994, non-promotion of staff whose status had been due for uplifting since 2012, in addition to the absence of a NAFDAC board and appointment of a substantive directorgeneral to replace the incumbent, who, he said, has operated in acting capacity.

He said: “We expect all these complaints to be addressed within the next weeks of this warning strike, failure which we will be forced to embark on total, indefinite strike.”

MHWUN, through its Congress, is also demanding an upward review of Job Specification Allowances as approved by the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission. Other demands are: Im-

Oni

Anzaku

mediate implementation of Skipping of Consolidated Research and Allied Institute Salary Structure (CONRAISS) as directed by the extant circular of November 4, 2015.

This, according to the union, is based on the National Industrial Court judgement in favour of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and the non-payment of eight months pension arrears from May to December, 2011.

The workers did not stop there. They said: “The conditions that we are passing through are simply appalling and will no longer be tolerated. Staff morale has never been this low, coupled with the insensitivity of the leaders to the plight of the workers. We believe this time has come for us

Protesting workers at NAFDAC Headquarters, Oshodi/Apapa Expressway PHOTO: ISIOMA MADIKE

to take the bull by its horns and fight this cause to a logical condition.

“Our motto, ‘safeguarding health of the nation’, seems to have been compromised because of misplaced priorities by the top management. NAFDAC generates about nine to 12 billion naira every year and to our understanding, 75 per cent of the funds normally should go for recurrent expenditure.

But that is not the case. There is no capital projects as we are witnessing, which brings us to the reality that the condition of service for us is a mirage.”

Anzaku said the absence of a board in NAFDAC had set the organisation backward, which, according to him, has reflected in the workers being owed over 13 months arrears till date. “Contractors are honoured more than staff members at NAFDAC and this is among our grievances. We haved resolved that this effort will be a huge success. We will also press for the acting DG to proceed on terminal leave having served her term.”

Saturday Telegraph gathered that facilities at the NAFDAC headquarters in Oshodi, Lagos, are in a sorry state as lack of electricity has disrupted work at the laboratory after the generator broke down. This, the union said, has rendered it impossible to carry out tests on products and posing danger to healthy living in Nigeria.

However, efforts at getting the side of management through the Director, Special Duties, Abubakar Jimoh, to react to this latest twist in the drug house were not successful as the many calls put across to him and the text sent to his line were not responded to.

Before now, Jimoh had said that most of the allegations were mere fantasies of some jobless elements being used to destroy the agency. “We are not funded by the government; so, we rely on the IGR. To that extent, things were staggered so that other sectors will not suffer. The union was taken into confidence when the payment of allowance was staggered. Therefore, there is nothing unusual about it. The onus is on us to protect the public health; some of these issues are secondary,” he said.

He described what is happening in the agency, a political colouration, noting that most of the allegations lacked merit and substance. “The agency cannot be distracted from the clear mandate Mr. President has given the DG,” he added.

According to him, the issue of welfare had two dimensions, the internal and the external. Jimoh explained that the internal dimension, which was within the purview of the management, was being attended to.

For the external angle, this concerns dealing with the Salary and Wages Commission, according to him: “and will soon be sorted out since the commission only requires little time to update the records.”

NAFDAC has been in the news for quite a while now, though, for the wrong reasons. On October 28, 2015, MHWUN gave a seven-day ultimatum to its management to address their welfare issues or face the consequences. That was not the first. Many of such threats had been given in the past with little or no result. The management, investigations revealed, had always ignored the workers, believing it would be able to cow them to submission or break the ranks of the union members.

Incidentally, that did not happen in one of the cases, as the workers made good their threat and embarked on a total strike on November 12, 2015. The morning after, the union had succeeded in shutting down the premises against management and the general public nationwide, thereby, paralysing all activities in the drug house.

Would the management of the drug agency allow history to repeat itself? Only time, as they say, will tell.

Extra Sportsplash 50 News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 October 2016

Police kill suspected robber, recover arms in Ibadan Sola Adeyemo,

O Ibadan

peratives of the Oyo State Police Command, Gbagi Division, yesterday killed a suspected armed robber, who was among those that had been terrorising some residents of Ogungbade, Egbeda Local Government Area, Ibadan, dispossessing them of cash and other valuables.

According to some landlords of the Tipper Garage Bus Stop, the robbers stormed their neighbourhood at 2.45a.m, broke into their homes and dispossessed them of their monies, while also inflicting injuries on them.

Distress calls made to the Gbagi policemen led to gun duel that eventually resulted in the killing of the suspect.

Parading the corpse of the robber at Gbagi Police Station, the state Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Adekunle Ajisebutu, who represented his boss, Mr. Sam Adegbuyi, said: “One man suspected to be armed robber terrorising the people of Akingbade area of Ibadan was killed in a gun battle and some of the gang fled with various degrees of injury that they sustained.

“The robbers engaged the police in a gun duel today (yesterday) at around 2:45am.

Sterling Bank backs Lagos Fashion Design Week

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etermined to sustain its efforts aimed at empowering Small, Medium Enterprise (SME) sector in the country to enable it play a more active role as catalyst for economic growth and development, Sterling Bank Plc has announced its sponsorship of this year’s Lagos Fashion Design Week (LFDW).

Speaking on the event, which is scheduled to hold from October 26 to 29, in Lagos, the bank’s Executive Director, Abubakar Suleiman, explained in a statement issued yesterday that the bank’s support of the programme was based on the need to diversify the nation’s economy in view of the sharp decline in oil export.

He said: “We also need to adequately harness the abundant talent in the fashion industry to support the local economy.”

The Lagos Fashion Design week, a leading fashion event on the African Fashion calendar organised by Style House Files, has succeeded in repositioning fashion as a useful tool for commerce and creativity in the country.

Apart from supporting the event, another initiative introduced by the bank for the empowerment of small business owners is the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Academy.

“We have always kept informing members of the public to always make sure they call the police whenever they notice any strange activities in their area and we are promising them of taking a serious action on any matter report to us with immediate effect.

“The police acted on a distress call by the people living in that area and when the

policemen got to the area, on sighting the police, the suspected armed robbers started to shoot at the police and the policemen also shot at them.

“This resulted in killing of one suspected armed robber while some fled with gun injuries that they sustained during the gun duel.”

Ajisebutu also used the opportunity to give out his

mobile number, as well as that of his boss to the public to call whenever they noticed any strange event in their area.

“My mobile number is 08036536581, while that of Adegbuyi is 08081768614,” he said.

Recounting their ordeals in the hands of the robbers, one of the victims, a woman who refused to disclose her names,

said: “As they entered into my house, I was begging them not to hurt me and my children and they promised not to do so but that I should cooperate with them and bring all my valuable things.

“I obeyed them, brought all the cash (N48,000) that I had at home, as well as my jewelry worth more than N150,000.

L-R: Acting Director, Chemical Evaluation Research, National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mr. Akinwumi Adedeji; Director, Special Duties, NAFDAC, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh; Acting DirectorGeneral, NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and Orangun of Ila, Oba Abdulwahab Adedotun, during the conferment of Royal Ambassador of NAFDAC on the Ooni in Ile Ife, Osun State… on Thursday

BIRMIN KEBBI

ZARIA

The Director-General, National Boundary Commission (NBC), Dr. Muhammad Bose, yesterday said the commission would soon erect demarcation poles on Nigeria’s boarder line with Niger Republic.

Bose, who said this in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, when he visited the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Mera, at his palace, said: “My visit to Kebbi is to sensitize the people of Dadin-Kowa in Arewa Local Government that the commission is set to construct demarcation poles on Nigeria border line with Niger Republic.

“The commission enjoins the people not to see the artificial demarcation as something meant to cause disunity.

Mrs Elizabeth Abok, Chairperson, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Women wing, Kaduna State chapter, on Friday identified child-spacing as a path toward producing a healthy, vibrant and successful family life.

Abok said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria, Kaduna State, on the sideline of UNICEF workshop on “Demand Creation for Child Survival and Development.”

She said child-spacing would avail the mother the opportunity to regain her strength and health, ready for another pregnancy.

Abok said: “If you want to have a healthy, vibrant and successful family, you have to plan very well because such plan helps the mother to actually prepare herself for subsequent birth."

NBC to demarcate Nigeria, CAN okays child-spacing Niger Republic border line for family life

NEWS IN BRIEF

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he All Progressives Congress (APC), in Bayelsa State has threatened to expose moves by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to influence Supreme Court judges handling the 2016 governorship elections petitions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the party posed the threat in a statement issued by the state publicity secretary of the APC, Mr. Fortune Panebi.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a reaction dismissed the allegation as frivolous and coming from a drowning party in the state.

The APC alleged that the PDP’s moves were to swing the 2016 gubernatorial election petition in the state in favour of its candidate, adding that it would fight to the end to get justice for the people.

The APC cautioned that the syndicate involved in the transfer of funds meant for civil servants salaries used as bribe would be investigated and prosecuted.

The party alleged that the pre- and post-elections activities had shown how desperate the Governor Seriake

FCT Atiku congratulates Oba Ewuare II

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has congratulates the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, on his coronation as the 39th Oba of Benin.

In a statement issued yesterday by his media office, Atiku said the choice and blanket acceptability of Oba Ewuare II to ascend the throne of Benin kingdom as the 39th Oba venerates the defining deep wisdom, courage and resourcefulness which the Benin obaship throne is widely acknowledged for.

“The new monarch was born into royalty and was properly groomed to be an oba. That is a big advantage that he has because he knows everything about Benin culture, tradition and the challenges,” Atiku said.

“There were even some other things that I can't even remember for now, which they carted away.”

Another victim, a man who also pleaded not to be identified, while giving his own account of the robbery operation, said: “They came to my house but they could not burst into my house because of the burglary proof that was fixed in my window.

“They were shouting on me and flashing me with torchlight that I should open the door for them, but I was so scared I could not open the door.”

The victim, who is in his late 60s, added: “I started calling on my neighbours when I realised that they had gained entrance through the same window.

“They then started shooting to scare away anybody who might want to rescue me.

They later removed the burglary proof on my window and entered.

“Because I called the attention of my neighbours, the robbers were angry and started beating me with cutlass and asked me to go and bring them whatever I had in the house.

“I gave them the N10,000 that was with me. The money was what I had succeeded in gathering ahead of the wedding of one of my sons coming up next week."

‘Chibok girls are willing to return home’

Chairman, Chibok Local Government Area, Mr. Yaga Yarakawa, debunked statements that the remaining 83 abducted Chibok girls were unwilling to return home.

He said he was optimistic that the remaining abducted girls will return back home safely.

Yarakawa said he was positive that President Muhammadu Buhari would do everything possible to make sure that the girls are freed and reunited with their families.

Judges' arrest: Bayelsa APC, PDP trade blames

Dickson’s administration was in the quest for power.

The APC alleged that it was aware of the latest moves by the PDP to move high powered delegations to Abuja to influence the up-coming Supreme Court judgment.

The APC accused the PDP of patronising and enriching corrupt judges in the country to the detriment of poor civil servants in the state whose salaries were unpaid for several months.

It assured the people of the state that the APC was doing everything legitimate to ensure it secured justice at

the apex court.

The party also warned the state Commissioner for information, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, on his recent scathing attack on the leader of the APC and former governor of Bayelsa, Chief Timipre Sylva.

The party alleged that the PDP rather than take responsibility for its woes had keep playing the blame game.

In a reaction, the Chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa, Mr. Cleopas Moses, described the allegation as outlandish.

Moses said the allegation was coming from a party which had yet to get

its house together since the January 10, declaration of Dickson as winner of the governorship polls.

According to him the APC is hallucinating over its desire to regain Bayelsa and asks it to go ahead and name those the PDP allegedly engaged as syndicate to transfer the said funds to the judges.

Moses, however, warned the APC to substantiate its claims of bribery with verifiable facts so that the world could believe.

“This is another smear campaign against our party, another lie from the pit of hell aimed at diverting atten-

tion from the original plan of our traducers. But as always it will not sell because it lacks every attractive ingredient,” he said.

Moses also reminded the APC that it had become famous with bribing judges adding “if their colleagues in Bayelsa are accusing us it shows a desperation on their part to cover up something.’’

“They do not need to bribe anyone to manipulate the judgment of the apex court. The victory of the PDP at the lower court is enough reason to show that it will not change at the Supreme Court,” he stated.

Al-Mustapha bags doctorate degree in foreign university

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Temitope Ogunbanke

ollowing his philanthropist gesture and service to humanity, Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has been

awarded prestigious award of Doctor of Science (Honorary Causa) in Humanities

by Esep-le Berger University, Republic of Benin.

Al-Mustapha and five other Nigerians, including former Kaduna State governors, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and Alhaji Balarabe Musa, among others were

honoured during the institution annual convocation ceremony held at Palais De Congress, Cotonou, Republic of Benin.

Speaking at the event, president and founder of the university, Prof Germain Ganlonon, who decorated Al-Mustapha said the former CSO was honoured with Doctor of Sci-

ence (Honorary Causa) in Humanities because of his activities towards the emancipation of the down trodden, which were monitored before the university chose him for the unique honour.

He said the honour is a clarion call to duty asserting that it is a challenge to Al-Mustapha to continue to do more for humanity.

News Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 October 2016

51

Navy arrests 75 suspected criminals in Warri Ola James,

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WARRI with agency reports

etermined to flush out criminal elements in its base, the Nigeria Navy (NNS Delta), yesterday arrested 75 persons suspected to be involved in illegal oil bunkering, militancy, kidnapping and impersonation of naval officers in Delta State.

In the same operation, the Navy also impounded three vessels and 80 Cotonou boats loaded fully with stolen crude oil.

While the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, yesterday said the navy had reduced incessant attacks on merchant ships by pirates on the nation’s territorial waters, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Speaking while parading the suspects and the impounded vessels and boats at the NNS base in Warri yesterday, the Commander of NNS Delta, Commodore Joseph Odjunve, said the suspects were arrested in different parts

of the state.

According to him, the arrests were made during operations carried out by the Operation Delta Safe team in compliance with the directive of the Chief of Naval Staff’s zero tolerance for illegal oil bunkering, piracy and other criminal activities.

The Naval boss said many of the arrested persons were involved in destroying pipelines and stealing crude oil which they cook at illicit refining camps to produce diesel and kerosene.

“All manner of weapons were fabricated at a workshop they uncovered and the intelligence indicated that they also used their equipment to rupture pipelines to steal petroleum products a box full of all sorts of equipment used in the illicit act were paraded with the suspects at the naval Base in Warri,” he said.

Djunve also disclosed that many of the seized boats and products were anchored at the Sapele Naval yard.

One of the arrested persons, who gave his name as Joseph Oba, said he was a loyalist of the Farah Dagogo,

I didn’t order kinsmen to attack Tiv communities, Ishaku insists Sabiu Mustapha,

T JALINGO

araba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, has refuted allegations that he had directed his kinsmen to burn down Tiv houses if they resist his order on renaming of their communities in the state.

The state government had recently embarked on the renaming of some communities in the state from their traditional Tiv names to Jukun names, prominent among which is the famous Dan Anacha town which was purportedly renamed Kwararafa.

In a statement issued yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sylvanus Giwa, Ishaku stated the allegation, which was contained in a story published by an online medium was a mere fabrication by those bent on causing disaffection among the people of the state.

The statement further maintained that Ishaku at no time neither made the statement nor convened a meeting relating to the subject

matter as insinuated by the writer and his source.

“Our attention has been drawn to a news published in an online medium and edited by one Umar Shehu that Ishaku has urged his kinsmen to burn down houses of Tiv people if they resist his orders.

“It is necessary to clear the air on this matter and categorically state that Ishaku at no time made such a statement neither did he convene any meeting relating to the subject insinuated by the writer and his source,” he said.

Ishaku noted that the Tiv community recently paid him a solidarity visit during which they disassociated themselves from a petition written by a few individuals and opted for dialogue in resolving the matter.

Pauline Onyibe, Yenagoa

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he immediate past Provost of Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education, Sagbama, Bayelsa State, Professor Saviour Agoro, has commended the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, for giving him the opportunity to serve

FCT

RATTAWU confers posthumous award on Akunyili

The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), on Thursday conferred posthumous ‘Meritorious Service to Humanity’ award on a former Minister of Information and Communication, late Prof. Dora Akunyili.

Akunyili, who died in 2014, was honoured at RATTAWU’s First National Merit Award held in Abuja.

RATTAWU’s National President, Yemisi Bamgbose, said the late Akunyili was honoured because of her immense contributions in the struggle for a better welfare package for media workers.

“We decided to honour her posthumously today because of her efforts at securing better welfare for our members. Whatever we are enjoying today as improved welfare package was made possible with her efforts,” he said.

l Nigeria winning war against sea pirates –CNS

a militant leader in Bayelsa State and said he was invited by some persons to join the gang without knowing what he was walking into.

Ibas, who spoke in Onne, Rivers State, at the inauguration of an operation, codenamed “Tsare Teku III,” said deployment of several warships was responsible for the decline.

“Operation Tsare Teku III

is a continuation of an earlier operation we launched in the first and second quarter of 2016 to tackle incessant attacks on merchant ships by sea pirates.

“In order to sustain the gains of the earlier operation for optimum performance and benefits, it has become imperative to extend it by another three months.

“It is instructive to note

that attacks on shipping have substantially declined since the commencement of this operation, relative to what obtained between January and April 2016.

“This is because only four attacks on shipping have been reported during the period as compared to 45 incidences of piracy reported from January 16 to April 16.

“Operation Tsare Teku III

was conceived to stem the rising wave of attacks on shipping and other criminality within Nigeria’s maritime domain, particularly in the offshore areas,” he said.

Ibas, however, said the operation would enable merchant ships move their cargoes freely, while sustaining protection of oil and gas installations for improved revenue for the country.

A cross session of some alledged kidnappers and murderers of human right lawyer, Mr. Ken Atsuwete, during their parade at the force headquarters in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

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he Federal Government has earmarked about N5.5 billion for intervention in the critical health sector in North-East to address the devastation caused by the Boko Haram attacks.

Minister of Health, Prof.

Isaac Adewole, who disclosed this while speaking at the opening of the “Operationalisation of Saving One Million Lives Programme for the North-East” in Maiduguri, Borno State yesterday, said the money would be channelled through the Task Force on the NorthEast.

He said: “Mr. President

FG okays N5bn for health sector intervention in North-East has approved the Task Force for the North-East; the Task Force is a sub-unit of the Presidential Committee on the North-East.

“That Task Force is under the direction of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and it is being chaired by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. Udoma Udoma.

Adewole explained that the Task Force will focus mainly on four key areas.

“The Task Force is to address four critical areas in

the next six months; it will address water, environment, health and nutrition issues.

“In six months we want to restore sanity in the four sectors. I want to tell you that each sector is chaired by a minister,” he said.

Adewole added: “I am the Chairman of the subcommittee on Health and our budget of N4.3 billion has been approved for the North-East.

“That budget will entail spending about N4 billion

on health and nutrition for the sub-region with emphasis on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, in other words, within the health sector.

“We are committing about N5.5 billion to Borno and the neighbouring states in the North-East with respect to the urgency.”

He said the gesture was a pointer to the level of commitment by the President on the sub-region. This demonstrates Mr. President’s interest in the North-East,” Adewole said.

Provost: Dickson behind College of Education’s devt as the provost in the college.

Speaking to Saturday Telegraph yesterday in Yenagoa, Agoro said Dickson was the secret behind his successful reign in the college.

He disclosed that the college commenced academic activities for the 2012/2013 academic session with a stu-

SOKOTO Sultan’s 10th anniversary begins Nov 2

Sokoto State Government will hold an international symposium on the legendary Sokoto Caliphate as part of activities marking the 10th anniversary of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar (III) on the throne.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Danladi Bako, in a statement issued in Sokoto yesterday, stated that: “The caliphate’s contributions to the economy, politics, leadership and good governance in the sub-Saharan region will be the focus of the symposium.”

Bako, who is the Chairman of the Publicity Subcommittee of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), said the symposium would hold on November 2.

According to him, renowned local, national and international scholars are expected to feature at the event.

Bako further stated that a cultural night to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the people would hold on November 3, while special prayers for sustainable peace in the state, Nigeria and the world would be conducted on November 4.

dent population of 701 and 25 courses of study but has now got over 1000 students and about 33 courses.

Agoro, who rounded up his first tenure recently, stated that during his tenure as the provost, he was able to introduce theatre arts and music studio, a lab for the study

OWERRI Group holds parley on citizens’ involvement in elections

An Owerri-based group, Development Dynamics, has concluded a one-day public forum on active public participation in the electoral process for the people of Imo State.

At the parley, stakeholders and participants drawn from across the state agreed that election was the end of the electoral process and as a result, citizens should engage their leaders from the outset to ensure their priorities are met.

Speaking at the event, Programme Director of Development Dynamics, Dr. Jude Ohanele, urged participants to go back to their communities and groups to get them to engage their leaders for the development of their communities.

He said: “If we do what we have to do as citizens, those at the top will be shocked at the level of influence we can wield.”

of Nigeria languages with Izon language already being taught, a micro teaching lab.

Hoping to be reappointed because of his numerous

Delta monarchs angry with ‘self-styled’colleagues Dominic Adewole, ASABA

N EWS I N BRIEF

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achievements, the former provost said during his tenure, he was able to produce about nine PhD holders from only five that started with him.

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he Delta State Traditional Rulers Council has declared war against the installations of unauthorised persons as traditional rulers in the state.

The council therefore called on the state government to prevail on security agencies to urgently clamp down on persons that are involved in such acts of lawlessness as deterrent to others.

The monarchs, who

condemned in very strong terms, the carving out of new kingdoms from existing ones without due recourse to the enabling laws, flayed the controversial instances of such in some localities in the state.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the council in Asaba, the Chairman of the Council and Obi of Owa Kingdom, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor (II), said the purported carving out of a kingdom from Akugbene-mein and installation of an impostor as king was “unacceptable, null and void, and of no consequence.”

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Perspectives

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hat are some limitations to the fulfilment of God’s prophecy concerning your marital relationship and family? What are the indications of a false prophecy?

Your prayer life is a determinant of fulfilment. There is no relationship with God or victory over Satan without a life of prayer.

Unknown to many, each time you kneel down to pray, especially as a family or as a couple, Satan panics. Unfortunately, many people think that prayer is a mere talk into the air. A lot happens in the spirit because it is a spiritual matter. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal saviour, you must understand your authority as a believer.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19) Even false prophets who have cultic powers will not like to come near or associate with you when you carry such powers.

This however, has a condition. The condition is that you must be in right standing with God. In this 24/7 battle between two kingdoms, your status must be clear. If you are still prone to sinful life of lying, stealing, malice, strife, fornication, adultery and so on, you cannot find the authority by which you can declare: “The Prince Of This World Cometh: And He Hath Nothing In Me" (John 14:30). You are still under devil’s control (John 8:44, Romans 6:16).

Surrender yourself TOTALLY to Jesus and he will give your marriage and family, victory over false prophets and other battles of life.

Now, what are some indications of a false prophecy? How can you know whether a prophecy is true or false? The first question to answer here is: “What is the purpose of

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

Beware Of False Prophets (Part 3) Marriage Clinic with Albinus Chiedu 08038117704 (sms only) marriagecanwork@yahoo.com prophecy? The purpose of prophecy is to edify (1st Corinthians 14:4). Every prophecy on your marital relationship or family that does not edify it is false. Edification has to do with salvation, encouragement and comfort. When a prophecy comes to you, check the motive (you may never know, except you have the spirit of God who knows all things).

Most prophecies today are negative and end up scattering homes and families, breaking good relationships and so on. For instance, a prophecy that tells you never to give feeding money to your own biological mother again must be checked. A prophecy that tells you to kill your legally married spouse cannot be from God. A prophecy that tells you to drop out of school or never to go to school is anti-God. Check the purpose of any prophecy you receive. Is the motive to push you against God’s purpose for your life or to push you into it?

Secondly, does the prophecy glorify Christ or the prophet? A prophet is supposed to be a channel of God’s messageNot God himself. When a prophecy gives you fear, check the fear. Is it the fear of God

based on his word or fear of the prophet?

For instance, a prophet says that you should have sex with him or her when the person is not legally married to you. He tells you that something terrible will happen to you if you don’t do it. If you do it, who gains and who loses? Prophecy from God ought to encourage you to run away from sin and please God. It cannot encourage you to commit sin, which is the identity of Satan the devil.

A prophecy that encourages a man to see the nakedness of another man’s wife and even fiddle with parts of her body is nothing but abomination and iniquity. A prophecy that encourages you to lie to your spouse is about to scatter your marriage. A prophecy that encourages you to defraud or steal from your spouse or from the company where you work is a prophecy from Satan. Prophecy should encourage you to fear God, obey his commandment (Ecclesiastes 12:13) and not to disrespect God and incur his wrath just to please a certain man called prophet.

Another indication is a question. “Does the prophecy you have received produce liberty or bondage? If all that comes to you in form of prophecy is that your spouse,

News Extra

Work with local security to tackle terrorism, Ambode tells NSA

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Muritala Ayinla o effectively combat terrorism in the country through multi-layer information sharing strategies, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, urged the National Security Adviser, NSA, Major General Babagana Monguno to carry the local security authorities along.

The governor expressed optimism that such multilayer communication from the bottom-up approach would make a great impact in dealing with activities of

the terrorists and other security challenges.

Speaking at the two-day national sensitisation workshop on the implementation of the National Counter Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST) in Lagos, Ambode said the security system must first be aligned to fight terrorism.

The governor noted that the collaboration between security agencies and local governments across the nation should be effective in order to tackle terrorism and other security threats in the country.

Speaking through the Secretary to the State Gov-

ernment (SSG), Mr. Tunji Bello, Ambode said victory is certain with synergy especially when the government is committed to providing all the supports needed.

Ambode also said it was imperative to sustain the current successes that have been achieved in the fight against terrorism.

“We have a vision to make our state secure for business and tourism for the prosperity of our people.

We are therefore committed to support all initiatives including this workshop aimed at ensuring a secured and peaceful environment

for legitimate enterprises to succeed,” he said.

Also speaking, the National Security Adviser (NSA), who was represented

by Mr. Steve Agbana, said there was no agency that can work alone to ensure security of life and properties in the country, saying that NACTEST provides holistic document that spells out the roles every MDA, civil society group and others.

He said: “The reason we have come to Lagos is to put the structure in place. Most time, local government chairmen don’t know that they are the chief security officer for their local government. This is a wake-up call that they all need to work with the security agencies within their councils and in their state and federal.”

in-laws, colleagues, compound mates and every other relative is about to kill you; if you do not know who you are in Christ Jesus or you are a prayerless Christian, all you will keep seeing everywhere you turn are witches that are about to kill you. This is nothing but great bondage.

“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15).

Does this prophecy agree with scriptures? The Bible says in Revelations 22:1819 “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Can you see the curse that false prophets carry? Avoid them.

Whenever you receive a prophecy, ask: “Does it agree with God’s word in the Bible?

When a prophecy advises you to commit adultery, you should remember that God says you should not do it.

Finally, what is the identity of a false prophet? How can a false prophet be identified? This is the topic for next edition.

You need to place an order for a copy of the book, MAKING YOUR MARRIAGE WORK by Albinus Chiedu. Meanwhile, registration is still on-going for our Marriage Preparatory Programme for singles, holding from November 10 to 12, 2016 in Lagos. Take advantage of this opportunity.

Ondo guber: Group accuses APC of misconduct Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

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pressure group, Concerned Ondo Citizens has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of meddling into the activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of the November 26 governorship election in the state.

The Ondo State chapter of APC, had in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanyan, last Monday, called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Police,

Akwa Ibom teacher emerges 2016 Maltina Teacher-of-the-Year Mojeed Alabi

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ut of 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory that had entries in this year's Maltina Teacher of the Year competition, a teacher at the Special Education Centre for Exceptional Children, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Imoh Essien, has emerged this year’s champion.

Essien, who was rewarded with a cash prize of N1.5 million, will also be entitled to an annual reward of N1 million till 2020 while his

… 23 winners receive N13.75m school will receive a block of six classrooms building before the next edition.

Essien, teacher of Computer, Basic Sciences and Physical Education, who emerged among 23 other finalists across the nation, was unveiled on Friday night in Lagos by the competition's sponsor, Nigerian Breweries Plc. According to the winner, he draws his inspiration for teaching from his fun loving

personality through which he is able to help children with special needs, adding that a strong emotional and mental stability is vital to positively impact children with special needs, a job he has done for 12 years.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Binta Lawan, an English teacher, from Borno State, who was the first runnerup last year, repeated the feat this year, while Ogwu Patrick from Government

Day Secondary School, Adankolo, Lokoja, Kogi State, emerged second runner-up.

While welcoming guests at the event, the Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Nicolas Vervelde, explained that Nigerian Breweries operates with a philosophy of “Winning with Nigeria” and has championed causes that add value to the society since its inception in 1946.

“In 1994, we raised the profile of our support of the education sector when we established the Nigerian

Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund to enable us contribute to the development of the sector.

Everywhere in the world, teachers play a vital role in sustainable national development by training, coaching and modeling which is critical to determining the quality of education.

He informed that the company recently handed over a twin 3-bedroom staff residence to Federal Government Girls College, Onitsha, in honour of last year’s winner, Mrs. Roseline Obi.

to investigate the activities of INEC officials in the state.

The party also called for the overhaul of the commission in the state before the governorship election.

But the Concerned Ondo Citizens, in a statement by its Secretary General, Alhaji Musibau Aluko, said such statements are capable of heating the polity.

The group also advised the APC to settle its internal wrangling and work towards winning the election rather than raising false alarm.

“We will advise them to go and prepare properly for the election rather than raising a false alarm; what the commission needs now is the cooperation of all and sundry to have a successful election in the state,” the group stated.

It defended the integrity of the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, saying he had delivered an election considered as credible, in the past.

“We make bold to say that the APC is raising this alarm because they know that the REC, in the past had delivered elections adjudged to free and fair by all standard; (he is) a no nonsense man who cannot be compromised in any way by anybody.''

Perspective

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

53

Kitchen, living room, other room and other matters

"G

ood afternoon uncle."

"Ha, Chucks, you are here.

How do you do?"

"How do you do sir?

Where are the children?"

"They are in their room. I think they are doing their homework."

"I see. How about aunty? It's been a while I saw her."

"She just left the living room. She is now in the kitchen preparing lunch."

"Uncle, so aunty also belongs to the kitchen?"

"Yes, she does..."

"Like Aisha Buhari, our First Lady?"

"Chucks, don't be mischievous by bringing in the First Lady. Every African woman should belong to the kitchen..."

"Sir, don't tell me you support President Muhammadu Buhari for saying his wife, Aisha, belongs to his kitchen, living room and the other room."

"Do I look like a male chauvinist? Why should I support an insinuation that tends to confine women to the kitchen, living room and the other room when women all over world are already wielding political and socio-econmic power?"

"So, what do you mean by women should belong to the kitchen?"

"Women should cook good meals for their husbands without being confined to the kitchen."

"But uncle, men too can cook for their wives."

Of course, I am not averse to that."

"So, does it mean you won't support famous actor, Funke Akindele, who took to the social media that her husband, JJC, doesn't allow her to cook for her. They eat outside and she seems to be enjoying it."

"Are you sure that is not 'Jenifa's Diary', her soap opera?"

"No sir. It is for real."

"I wish her good luck. But there's much wisdom in the axiom: 'once bitten, twice shy.

As far as our setting is concern, there’s no pride in a woman who doesn't know how to cook or doesn't cook for her husband. Remember our elders say: 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. That's food.

Home made food my dear. A woman can make a man love her by cooking

Waheed Bakare on Saturday

09056089320 (sms only) waheedbakare2003@yahoo.com him good meals. I will encourage my daughter to read what Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, the second richest African woman, said in her interview published not long ago."

"I didn't read it. Could you tell me what she said sir?"

"She said: 'I also prepare his (husband) special vegetable dish and do his manicure and pedicure regularly. It gives me joy whenever his friends praise my vegetable dish based on what my husband tells them.'"

"Hmmm, uncle that make much sense to me."

"The point I am making is that some people are capitalising on President Buhari's faux pas to think that it is not compulsory for women to cook for their husbands.

Such chauvinistic narrative does not belong here. It's vestige of colonialism to think that whatever is obtainable overseas should be welcome at home."

"So, a good wife should belong to the kitchen, living room and the other room but should not be confined to those places as if that is the essence of marriage. Is that the point you are making sir."

"That's the point Chucks. For some men who are quick to condemn the president, find out how many attend their children's school's Parents, Teachers' Association meetings? Do they assist their children to do their homeworks? Do they iron their children's clothes? Do husbands pack

Buhari

World News

A

mid growing concerns that the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) tries mostly African leaders, South Africa is pulling out of the court jurisdiction, claiming that its obligations are inconsistent with laws giving sitting leaders diplomatic immunity.

According to government officials, President Jacob Zuma will soon submit a bill in parliament to withdraw from the court in The Hague, a move that comes as several African countries express concerns over what they call the ICC's disproportionate targeting of the continent.

The bill will propose that

Aisha

their plates from the dinning and take them to the kitchen after their meals or feel it is the duty of their wives to do that at all times?"

"Sir, are you saying if you don't to do some of these things, you are also a male chauvinist?"

"Yes of course!"

"But do you think Aisha was right to have criticised her husband in public like that? I think such matters are better discussed in the other room when the night is as silent as a graveyard."

"Perhaps, she might have tried but had to express herself that way because of frustration. However, going public is not the solution. She will soon realise the political damage her unbridled remarks have done to her husband. It's not everything that should be verbalised."

"But sir, some people feel she should be garlanded for her courage and boldness."

"I hope you are aware that some people also think her meddlesomeness is not needed because Nigerians voted for her husband and not her. Besides, those who are singing her praise would have cast aspersions on her if they heard that she has undue influence on her husband's decisions and how they affect us as Nigerians. But the lesson to be taken away from the couple's brickbats is that our politically exposed persons need to be tutored from time to time in the act of public speaking."

"Uncle, the judiciary imbroglio is assuming an interesting dimension."

"Yes, I can't wait to see how it will end."

"But sir, why is Justice Inyang Okoro behaving like a drowning man? It's like he is determined to bring down some people with?"

"Like who and who?"

"Like Rotimi Amaechi and Umana Umana, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Akwa Ibom?"

"Chucks, how does that amount to bringing them down. I hope you are not one of those core Buharists?"

"Uncle, who are core Buharists?"

"Those who think neither Buhari nor his aides are infallible. The judge has alleged that Amaechi and Umana at different times tried to bribe him to influence the decision of some governorship elections. While we expect the judge to prove his allegations,

we also expect the appropriate authorities to carry out a painstaking investigation."

"But Amaechi and Unana had denied."

"Yes, but we need a more convincing denial. Were Amaechi and Umana at the judge's residence? If yes, for what purpose?

Giving cryptic clearance to perceived corrupt government officials under this administration will not only rubbish Buhari's fight against corruption but will also present the president as an unrepentant dictator dressing himself in a borrowed robe of a democrat."

"Uncle, I almost forgot. Congratulations on the release of the Chibok schoolgirls. I know a lot of Nigerians are so excited."

"Of course, they are. But it's irksome that some people still feel the girls' issue is a scam."

"It is impossible sir."

"Chucks, that tells you the level we have degenerated as people. Remember I once told you that if care is not taken, the president would rule over a divisive nation.

Rather than fostering unity, we have become so divisive. Some of us don't even know the difference between criticism and cynicism.

How can anybody still be saying the Chibok girls are a distraction?"

"For God's sake, who said that uncle?"

"You want to hear it from my mouth that the teacher's mother is a witch? No way my boy."

"But you just said who ever alleges must prove."

"Okay, let me use Aisha's method to answer your question when she was asked to name the cabal who has hijacked her husband's government. Go and read the newspapers the day it was reported that the girls had been released, you will see the name of the politician who was trying to downplay the importance of the release of the girls with his flippant remark. Let me also help you by adding that it was not the first time he politicised the issue."

"Okay sir, I think I know the person you are talking about. But I am afraid that the way the Shi'ite issue is being handled we might end up creating another Boko Haram."

"I quite agree with you. I wonder why people destroyed the houses of members of the sect. If the members had erred, the law should be used to deal with them. In a heterogeneous society like ours where religious bigotry and ethnic sentiment are already a doubled-edged sword, using extra-judicial methods against the sect may be a costly mistake."

"Thank you sir. I want to leave now."

"No, you will have lunch with me so that you can know that my wife belongs to the kitchen because she cooks nice meals for me."

"You are funny sir. Okay, your wish is my command.''

South Africa joins Burundi, withdraws from ICC

•It’s a betrayal, says Amnesty South Africa repeal the Rome Statute that created the court because the statute is "in conflict and inconsistent with" the country's diplomatic immunity law. "A difficult choice had to be made," Justice Minister Michael Masutha said in Pretoria.

Burundi was the first nation to signify intention to withdraw from the court in a move that underlines the depth of the crisis in the country and comes amid widespread antipathy in

Africa towards the court.

But Amnesty International has described the decision by the South African government to withdraw from ICC as a “deep betrayal” of victims of human rights atrocities across the world.

“South Africa’s sudden notice to withdraw from the ICC is deeply disappointing.

In making this move, the country is betraying millions of victims of the gravest human rights violations and undermining the interna-

tional justice system,” said Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for Africa.

“South Africa’s support for the ICC, after the country suffered through decades of apartheid, was an important step towards creating rights respecting societies around the world.”

The global NGO called on the South African Parliament to convene urgently to reconsider the decision.

Masutha announced that the South African govern-

ment has informed the United Nations of its intention to withdraw from the ICC. He said the withdrawal would take effect one year after the UN Secretary-General received the notification.

Masutha, however, said South Africa remained committed to holding accountable those who have committed crimes against humanity and other grave crimes.

In a letter delivered to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-

Mashabane said that South Africa’s membership of the ICC was interfering with its peace mediation efforts in Africa.

This was an apparent reference to the ICC’s indictment of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for alleged atrocities in Darfur.

The South African government was found by the country’s own Supreme Court of Appeal to have failed to uphold South African law by not arresting him when he visited South Africa in June last year.

Sport Extra

54

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 OCTOBer 2016

Amunike targets coaching job abroad Adekunle Salami

A

former coach of the national U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, Emmanuel Amunike, is thinking of taking his trade outside the country.

Amunike who led Nigeria to win the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2015 has been linked with his former team, Zamalek of Egypt, but he denied the reports and noted that he would relish a chance to manage the White Knight someday.

"For the past six years I've been engaged with the Nigerian youth teams to produce a new generation and I'm happy we've done that," he told the BBC Sport.

"I'm a coach that is open to every option; if opportunity comes from Zamalek, that will be a happy elevation but there is a man in charge at the moment.

"If I get a chance to work somewhere else in Africa that will be awesome, and if it's in Europe - where I obtained all my coaching educa-

tion - that will be a big boost for my career.

"I am open to any offers. In football, you cannot limit yourself and wherever I get an offer I will evaluate it."

Winning the African Player of the Year award in 1994 and Olympic gold were part of the success story of his rewarding career.

Rohr goes tough on Eagles

S

Adekunle Salami

uper Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr has said he will not pick players who have failed to make impact in the national team after two invitations for the matches against Tanzania in Uyo and Zambia in Ndola.

He noted that there were fresh players yet to be given a chance and they could be considered before some of those yet to justify the invitation extended to them.

Rohr described such players as “vacation players” who have failed to fight for first-team places after two invitations.

The German said: “Some players have been invited for two matches but have yet to push for

a place in the first team and now we wish to invite fresh players to do what they could not do.

“The time is gone when a player comes for two matches, collects bonuses, allowances and ticket refund and does not measure up. “Those we need now are players who can fight for first team shirts and so make the team more competitive.”

The likes of Israel-based midfielder Nosa Igiebor, Kingsley Madu from Zulte-Waregem of Belgium, Rangers goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel and Jamiu Alimi from Kano Pillars are some of those in this bracket of ‘vacation players.’

Nigeria’s next assignment is the crucial World Cup qualifier against Algeria billed for Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Ilesha agog for Ogunjobi Cup final

Algeria close in on ex-Belgium coach

A

ll roads will lead to the Methodists High School, Ilesha, for the finals of the maiden edition of Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi Cup scheduled for Sunday, October 23.

The finals will be between two giant grassroots club sides in Ijeshaland, as Femo Dino FC battle Ijesha Golden Warriors.

To get to the finals, Ijesha Golden Warriors defeated Lekan Salami Eagles 5-3 on penalties after the full time

N

igeria World Cup rivals Algeria are expected to sign a contract with former Belgium coach Marc Wilmots this afternoon.

Wilmots will replace the Serb Milovan Rajevac, who quit his post after Algeria were held to a 1-1 draw at home in a World Cup qualifier earlier this month.

Several top European coaches including Frenchmen Paul Le Guen and Alain Perrin were linked with the top post.

Reports said Wilmots will sign the dotted lines this afternoon in Brussels.

The 47-year-old was in charge of Belgium between 2012 and 2016 after being assistant coach to Dick Advocat and Georges Leeskens.

The former Schalke 04 coach chalked up 34 wins, eight draws and nine losses when he was in charge of the Red Devils.

Incidentally, Algeria won 2-1 when they faced Belgium led by Wilmots at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Wilmots

Mikel

ended in a barren draw, while Femo Dino whitewashed Mighty Jets.

Ogunjobi, who hails from Itakogun Area of Ilesha, decided to give back to the youths of his home town.

The former Secretary General of Nigeria Football Federation is expected to lead Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, Edith Agoye, Akin Adio, Otunba Rasaq Mustapha, Prime and Osun FA board members to his home town on Sunday.

Ikoyi Club hosts Fakeye and friends T’Tennis tourney

G

bolahan Okuneye and Friends in the Table Tennis section of Ikoyi Club is organising a oneday Lagos State Junior Boys and Girls Table Tennis Tournament.

The championship, taking place today (Saturday) at the Table Tennis Section of Ikoyi Club, will feature 16 cadets players .

The tournament is sponsored by Gbolahan Okuneye and friends in the

table tennis section of the Ikoyi Club.

According to Okuneye: "The reason for the sponsorship is to expose the cadets table tennis players to competition because they need to play more tournaments such as this to enable them to gain more exposure in the game.

"This is just an experimental event, our intention is to make it an annual tournament.”

Kano Pillars get new board Muhammad Kabir Kano

G

overnor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has approved the appointment of a new management committee for Kano Pillars Football Club with immediate effect.

A statement signed by the Director General, Media and Communications to the Governor, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, noted that the new Board/Management has Muhammad Tukur Babangida as Chairman.

Other members are Prof. Musa Garba Yakasai, Faruk Sani Haladu, Tijjani Sale Minjibir, Sani Lawan, Murtala Alasan Zainawa and Yahaya Idris (Minister) The statement added that Gov. Ganduje appealed to the new management to work diligently and ensure that the objective of the administration of restoring the glory of the club was achieved.

The former management board members have been directed to immediately handover all public properties, including finances to the new management.

Sport Slaming Adekunle Salami adekunles@yahoo.com 08050498539 (sms only)

CAF award, AFCON draw…reality!

T

he countdown to the annual prestigious award, Africa Footballer of the Year, has started with three Nigerian players on the shortlist. They are Mikel Obi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa.

In a 30-man list, some Nigerians were excited that there were three Super Eagles on the list but that was not the case for me. The reason is simple; the three players are going nowhere. It will be a surprise if any of them make the cut for the last three. The last time a Nigerian won the award was in 1999 courtesy of Nwankwo Kanu who was then in Arsenal. Between then and now, it has been tales of woes. Austin Okocha was close on two or three occasions but was denied by in-form Samuel Eto’O of Cameroon. For many years, Nigerian players rarely feature in the last five. It is a sad development. Notable players on the list are Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, the duo of Islam Slimani and RiyadMahrez of Algeria. Others are Andre Ayew of Ghana, Victor Wanyama of Kenya, Cote d’ Ivoire’s Eric Bailly and Yao Kouasi Gervais (Gervinho).

Mahrez won the English Premier League with Leicester while Aubameyang, the reigning King, is still consistent.

It’s a straight fight between these two while Iheanacho and perhaps Alex Iwobi who was not in the shortlist will have to work hard for the next year’s edition. Football development in a country cannot be tied to this award but it is important to note that the eventual winner will succeed in writing the name of his country in gold.

While I was still trying to come to terms with the development, the draw for the 2017 Africa Nations Cup in Gabon took place on Wednesday evening in Libreville. What I saw on television was an embarrassment to Africa. The stage lightning was poor as well as the audio quality. There was no excitement at all. It was so ordinary and I only waited for the Secretary General to conduct the draw.

The event was a further manifestation of the country’s downward slide in the round leather game in the last few years. Nations Cup Draw without Nigeria? And that was the second time back-to-back. Zimbabwe, Uganda, Togo and Guinea Bissau were in the draw in which Nigeria failed to qualify.

It is a big setback for journalists because the chances of travelling for the competition next January is reduced since Nigeria won’t be part of the show in Gabon. I was in deep pain all through the draw especially because a former NFF boss, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, was heavily castigated for saying World Cup ticket was not the birthright of Nigeria.

It was believed then that qualification for the Copa Mundial was a MUST for the Super Eagles. Recent events are now contrary as Nigeria struggles even to make the Nations Cup. The draw brought back the reality of Nigeria’s absence in the forthcoming event. So painful. Mistakes or actions of some players and administrators have multiple effects on the citizenry. There will be no business for media organisations during the Nations Cup while many journalists who could have been in Gabon will watch the competition on television.

The 2-1 victory of Eagles against Zambia in Ndola is a ray of hope the NFF should build on. Young players like Iheanacho and Iwobi have demonstrated their willingness to take the team higher while Manager of the team Gernort Rohr has also displayed his deep knowledge of the game.

FIFA on Thursday rated Nigeria 60th in the world and 11th in Africa. It was an improvement but the country deserves better. The crucial match against Algeria is very important for Nigeria’s qualification for Russia 2018 World Cup. Nigerians have been bedevilled by a string of bad results such that many prefer to watch the Super Eagles with an open mind. This is the time we need the players to show patriotism and commitment to ensure consistency from now on. I want Nigeria to be at the draw for the next AFCON and also want the country’s flag to be hoisted in Russia. To have a Nigerian compete keenly for the footballer of the year won’t be a bad idea. Followers of football deserve better tidings in the game to at least shift their attention from European football.

The AFCON Draw and the CAF award was a massive reality of the state of our football and so all efforts must be made to take the country back to the top.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

22 October 2016

News 55

SATURDAY, 22 OCTOBER 2016

Sanctity of Truth

SATURDAY

N150

DESTINATION

PERSPECTIVE

BADAGRY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU:

Kitchen, living room, other room and other matters

Last ditch effort to create a tourist destination

p.53

p.42

s e k a t a Pogb m r o f w ne rd o f m a t to S ithdreagt foer Red Devils Br Costa's •

Ajibade Olusesan

W

e Pogba delivered a sublim orld record signing Paul er est nch Ma en wh ht nig performance on Thursday e in the Europa Cup, ach United blew away Fenerb d football fans why the Re ed ind rem t tha g win a sho n. ma nch 100m Pounds on the Fre Devils splashed almost player since most criticised Man United the is ld The 23-year-o her average rat Juventus because of his entus, the he made his move from Juv at e tim his g side. Durin t central bes performance for his new the utation for being one of range ible Frenchman gained a rep red inc an yed e. Pogba displa eat, thr ial midfielders in the gam aer , long-distance shooting and l wil at of passing, exceptional s yer pla t pas was able to run and gritty tackling. He While he has ball if and when required. nt that the the o ont d hol o als could tale the , son sea s that so far thi only shown glimpses of Devils were very reason that the Red the is s sse sse po r ste young . ney mo of a huge sum willing to part with such ce returning d the 10-game mark sin che rea t jus y onl has He ing to write inn beg y ead alr ny fans are league fixto Old Trafford but ma en sev gle goal in his opening football by off the midfielder. A sin urn ret or po a as n construed mance for tures this season has bee per ing although the outstand l give wil fans around the world, nts gia h kis Tur the 4-1 win over in Manchester United’s fidence boost. ond goal the midfielder a huge con ore hitting a stunning sec muchbef alty pen a He scored a s wa it ahce at Old Trafford, m but it tea as United saw off Fenerb the and a gb Po from both improved performance e. gu lea y can carry it into the remains to be seen if the as Man United h another huge fixture wit d nte He is confro ea. This is the els an EPL tie against Ch make a trip to London for ght for, he is expected to display his bou kind of game Pogba was Thursday, he round, just like he did on to success. tch ma a n tur to ty capaci m tea the e tak l wil t his side tha should be the catalyst for erienced players exp and d goo e hav Although Man United ris Smalling in , Wayne Rooney and Ch like Zlatan Ibrahimovic team on his the ry who he is, should car their fold, Pogba, being young shoulders. the physical tic, no Chelsea player has Apart from Nemanja Ma it remains and k pac the of le in the midd game. presence Pogba posseses the of e to dictate the rhythm country to be seen if he will be abl and b clu h bot for l scorer Pogba is not a regular goa the target in a game like this but he hits even more and it is not compulsory l be thoroughly criticised wil nce ma for his overall per pitch. than anyone else on the m of Diego l bank on the scoring for wil es Blu the However, r. nte ou enc in this top of the bill Costa to nail the visitors

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