Saturday, september 24, 2016 binder1

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LAGOS 'OILWELLS'

Residents sneak into sealed houses at night

Pg. 9

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Crime&City Update

BUHARI

How NGOs use beggars to defraud Nigerians

I prayed hard to become president, I can't complain Pg. 53

Pg. 11

SATURDAY Saturday, September 24, 2016

Vol. 3 No. 948

Sanctity of Truth

/newtelegraph

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

SHOCKING REPORT!

isis paid suicide belts, guns as dowry for nigerian brides

N150

KC EJELONU

PAGE 3

l We'll wait for true identity of the girls –BBOG l Fear grips UI community over B'Haram threat

IPOB sit-at-home order paralyses activities in Anambra, Rivers

No romantic l Imo records partial compliance l Enugu, Delta, Ebonyi ignore order feelings for Lynxxx Pg. 20 l Group congratulates members Pg. 5

Ondo: Abraham, Oke, Boroffice threaten to dump APC

Pg. 9

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

T

oday, most of us have goodquality digital cameras on our cell phones. This makes it easy to capture memories anytime and anywhere. Younger generations may not realize it, but photography was not always such a quick and easy feat. Not so long ago, capturing a photo required painstaking techniques by the photographer and exacting stillness on the part of the subject. But photography also has its history- the evolution began with Camera Obscura. The ancient Chinese and Greek philosophers were the first to note that when a light passes through a pinhole and into a dark area, an inverted image is produced. This led to the forerunner of the photographic camera, the camera

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Pictures that tell stories

ASHES TO BEAUTY STORY OF THE CAMERA obscura. Thereafter came the Plate Cameras, Film Cameras, Instant Camera and Digital Cameras.

The predecessor to the true digital camera Old Leica Camera was the analog elec-

Digital (still photo) camera

tronic camera developed in the early 1980s. This functioned as a still video camera, taking a still image and storing it as a single frame of video. The first true digital camera was introduced by Fuji in 1988. Today, digital technology has been incorporated into compact (point-andshoot) cameras, video cameras, SLR, and other high-end professional cameras, as

well as most cellular phones. And there’s also something for the future- the camera has evolved significantly since its inception. As you read this, a start-up company is working on a compact lightfield camera that works by taking in light traveling in many different directions allowing multiple photographs to be taken simultaneously.

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ISIS fighters gave suicide belts, machine guns to marry Nigerian brides Ndubuisi Ugah and Yekeen Nurudeen with agency reports

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resh reports yesterday revealed how fighters of the dreaded Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) usually use suicide belts and machine guns to woo their victims, especially women as dowries.

A report published by The Sun in the United Kingdom, revealed that some documents found in Libya showed how two fighters gave a suicide belt and machine gun to two Nigerian brides.

From the report, it was gathered that some cashstrapped militants had offered “deadly bridal presents” to their wives-to-be as a bizarre sign of their affection.

The report noted that: “In one example, Tunisian Abu Mansour, married a Nigerian called Miriam but instead of paying a dowry, he vowed to pay compensation of ‘one suicide belt’ in the event of his death or the marriage being dissolved.”

Another bride from Nigeria, simply called Fatima, was promised a Kalashnikov assault rifle in the case of divorce or if her husband, Malian Abu Said, was to die.

Investigations revealed that forces allied with Libya’s unity government reportedly found the documents as they searched buildings seized during a battle with the terror group in the coastal city of Sirte.

The papers, it was gathered, belonged to the ISIS

l We will wait for the identities of the girls – BBOG l UN: 910 schools destroyed, 952,029 pupils displaced by B'Haram ‘Judicial and Complaints’ department and have now been published on the progovernment forces’ Facebook pages.

Many reveal the bizarre marriage contracts and divorce rulings that have been drawn up.

Last year, an ISIS marriage certificate was circulated among supporters of the extremist group after the bride included being allowed to carry out a suicide attack as a condition of marriage.

The document states that the woman should be allowed to go on a “martyrdom operation” should ISIS leaders approve her request.

It stipulates the husband must not forbid her from undertaking such a mission, and is signed by both parties.

The document was first shared by the chief interna-

tional correspondent for AlRai Media, Elijah Magnier, who disclosed that the certificate was not the group officially allowing all ‘jihadi brides’ to commit suicide missions.

ISIS took over Sirte in July 2015 and imposed a reign of terror over the the Libyan city.

Public killings have become a regular occurrence, with the dead – either shot or beheaded – strung up, or left to hang on ropes from beneath a bridge on the south side of Sirte.

The capture of the city has also sparked fears that jihadis would use the Mediterranean city as a springboard for attacks on Europe.

Meanwhile, the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) movement, advocating the rescue of the 218 abducted

Chibok schoolgirls said it would not conclude that the brides were Chibok girls until their identities were ascertained.

Reacting on behalf of the group, Dr. Emman Shehu, who is also a member of its Strategic Team, said Chibok girls were not the only Nigerian girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorists group.

He noted that some Nigerians had joined the ISIS voluntarily while some had gone on training with the Islamic State.

“Chibok girls are not the only ones abducted.

Besides, it is no secret that some Nigerians have joined ISIS voluntarily, while others from BH have gone as part of a training regime.

Very speculative to make firm conclusions based on just the term, Nigerian girls.

“When the identities are confirmed, then we can know whether they are actually from Nigeria or some other West African country. Remember BH is now ISWAP and is actively recruiting in several West African countries,” he said.

UN: 910 schools destroyed, 952,029 pupils displaced by Boko Haram About 910 schools were destroyed, while at least 1,500 others were forced to shut down between 2009 and 2015 due to activities of Boko Haram in the NorthEast, a United Nations report has noted.

The UN National Information Officer, Mr. Oluseyi Soremekun, stated this yesterday in a media advisory heralding the launch of this year’s “Global Educa-

Fear grips UI community over Boko Haram letter Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

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ension mounted yesterday at the University of Ibadan (UI) following the circulation of a letter purportedly written to all staff by a Boko Haram group announcing its plan to bomb the Institution.

Both teaching and nonteaching staff were seen discussing the messages which was now widely circulated.

No official reaction has been made on the mail.

It was gathered that while some lecturers got the mail through their institutional e-mail addresses, others were copied through social platforms such as Whatsapp to share the letter.

In the alleged mail, the group “al-wilayat al-Islamiyya Gharb Afriqiyyah” described University of Ibadan as an embarrassment to Nigeria for bringing western education.

Security has therefore been strengthened at the university gates as security

operatives there were seen engaging in scanning, as well as stop and search exercise of the motorists. The situation created traffic snarl which lasted for hours.

The purported letter threatened to begin detonation on the campus, adding that most staff and students are going to die before the Independence Day. The letter reads: “You people are an embarrassment to Nigeria and are the people that brought in Western education to

Nigeria. You doomed this nation and in turn you all are going to be doomed.

Most of you are going to die before Independence Day. You will not spend the Independence Day in peace, you and your students.

“Detonation will start going from tomorrow till Independence Day and there is nothing you can do as we are among you. Even your little searches at the gate won't do anything. By the time we are through with you, your government will be sorry.”

tion Monitoring Report in Nigeria”.

Soremekun said the report was due for launch on Monday by UNESCO and the Federal Ministry of Education.

The UN official said by early 2016, an estimated 952,029 school-age children had fled the violence in the zone, quoting a portion of the report.

“According to the report, between 2009 and 2015, attacks in North-Eastern Nigeria destroyed more than 910 schools and forced at least 1,500 to shut down to protect children and teachers at risk. By early 2016, an estimated 952,029 schoolage children had fled the violence.

“As of 2015, in Nigeria, where Boko Haram has targeted education workers and students, at least 611 teachers had been deliberately killed and 19,000 forced to flee since 2009,” the report said.

He said UNESCO and the Federal Ministry of Education are organising a Stakeholders Forum on the implementation of Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and also launch the Report.

The UN official said the theme of the report is: ‘Education for people and planet: Creating sustainable futures for all’.

The new Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report by UNESCO shows the potential for education to propel progress towards all global goals outlined in the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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News

Ndubuisi Ugah he Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debts, Senator Shehu Sani, has described those pushing for the sale of the country's national asset as “economic predators and profiteers who want to take advantage of the situation in the country”.

Sani, who represents Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, pointed out in a statement issued yesterday that: “Nigeria's capitalist forces raped Nigeria to recession and now they want to kill and bury it.”

Following the economic challenges faced by the Federal Government in one of the worst recessions in Nigeria’s history, Business mogul, Alhaji Aliyu Dangote, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Senate President, Bukola Saraki, among others have canvassed for the sales of national assets.

They argued that the sale would make more economic sense if such assets like the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Joint Ventures, are sold with the proceeds used to help the economy out of recession.

But the activist-turned senator condemned the suggestion as being against

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

Shehu Sani: Agitators for sale of national assets are ‘economic predators’ the interest of the nation, stressing that privatisation in Nigeria has not delivered the much anticipated efficiency and services other than enrich a few fronts and their masters.

“There is currently nothing to show for the sale of government houses,

(and) firms. The advocates of sale of our collective national asset simply want to dispossess Nigerians and expand their business empire.

“They call themselves private sector and business men; they refused to invest in agriculture, solid

minerals or science and technology, they simply want to buy off profitable public asset.

“There are no captains of industry in Nigeria other than crony businessmen, rent seekers, commission agents who depend on patronage from govern-

ment,” he said.

Sani noted that businessmen in the country prefer to buy off “readymade” oil wells and gas from the Niger Delta, instead of investing funds to find oil and gas in Lake Chad and Benue trough.

He called on Nigerians

to rise up against any attempt to sell the country's asset, arguing that, “selling our national asset to stem recession is like selling one's lungs to buy food.

“Recession should excite innovation and ideas and not justify roguery.

Nigeria’s poor have always lived under systemic recession and depression and on the edge of extinction,” the lawmaker said.

...sale to provide immediate funds, says Udoma Sunday Ojeme

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he Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, yesterday reconfirmed Federal Government’s plans to sell some of its assets, saying it was necessary to raise immediate cash to cushion the effect of recession.

Udoma, who stated this yesterday in Lagos at the Nigerian Economic Summit Group world press conference, noted that the intention was not to sell all the assets but a little to make up the difference required to the country.

The minister, who emphasised the need for Nigerians to patronise made

in Nigeria products, said the Federal Government, unlike in the past, would not waste the available opportunities in the current economic crisis.

He said: “We have been in this crisis in the past, but the moment we are out of it we relax. But now, we don’t want to waste this crisis. It is another opportunity to diversify. In the next two years, we want to stop the importation of petroleum products.

“We are also looking at the area of food. That is why agriculture is so important to this government.

By 2018, we are going to be self-sufficient in rice while in 2019, we are going to be sufficient in wheat.”

Speaking on the forth-

coming summit in October, he said that the Federal Government takes seriously the outcome of the summit, stressing that it had already started addressing some of the recommendations of last year’s edition in the areas of competitiveness, improving the business environment as well as job creation and inclusive growth.

He said: “We have gone even further than the recommendations of the summit in setting aside N500 billion in the 2016 Budget for social investment programmes in order to address the needs of the most vulnerable in our country.

This amount is unprecedented in the history of

Nigeria.

“The summit last year which was “agenda-setting” in nature, attracted both local and foreign participants, as well a number of internationally reputed resource persons.

“It also catalysed efforts by government to commit to addressing Nigeria’s competitiveness following discussions from the plenary session where the former Prime Minister of Georgia, Nika Gilauri, shared insights about the tough choices his administration had to make in order to move from the fourth quintile in terms of global competitiveness to the first quintile within a period of 10 years.”

He added that this year’s, which is the 22nd edition, was designed to encourage more production and consumption of Made in Nigeria goods and services.

“We believe that with more patronage Nigerian producers will be encouraged to improve the quality of their products. As the quality of our goods and services improve, international demand for them will increase.

“There is no doubt that the fastest route to grow our economy and to create jobs for our teeming population is by pursuing export led growth. Export led growth will add to our foreign reserves and stabilize the naira,” he noted.

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

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Biafra: IPOB lock down South-East over sit-at-home order Steve Uzoechi, Okegwo Kenechukwu, Dominic Adele, Emmanuel Masha, Charles Onyekwere and Victor Mba

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artial compliance across the SouthEast States yesterday greeted the sitat-home-protest order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the region.

While economic activities in some states and its surroundings were grounded, others states recorded partial compliance, a development which prompted residents to begin to have a rethink.

But while IPOB congratulated all its members worldwide, the exercise was deemed a flop in Delta State, while reports from several cities showed that most Biafrans adhered to the protest directive.

The IPOB slated yesterday, to embark on a protest to drive home their demand for the sovereign state of Biafra and unconditional release of the Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The group, to symbolise the release of its leader also released a pigeon with the colours of Biafra – red, yellow, black and green.

Markets, schools, banks shutdown in Onitsha

All markets, schools, banks and other activities were shut down in the commercial city of Onitsha in total compliance to IPOB order in Onitsha, Anambra State.

Saturday Telegraph correspondent who monitored the sit at home compliance reports that the compliance commenced as early as 6am as all the streets were deserted and movement of people and vehicles were restricted by unseen IPOB members.

Meanwhile, security were beefed up in and around the commercial city to forestall any violence protest as a combined team of Police, Army, Navy and others are patrolling all nooks and crannies of the city.

Saturday Telegraph gathered at the press time that no person has been arrested or shot while the Police public Relation Officer Anambra State Police Command, ASP Nkiru Nwode, confirmed that the sit at home was very peaceful as everybody went about their normal business without molestation.

On his path the Chief Security Officer of the Anambra Vigilante Services, Chief A. Okpompi, told our reporter that the protest was peaceful when this reporter visited Onitsha Main Market.

Owerri records partial compliance…

In spite of the massive

l Pro-Biafra group congratulates members worldwide l Partial compliance recorded in Ebonyi, Delta l Markets, shops scanty in Onitsha, Port Harcourt, Enugu

Area of the state, the state Coordinator of IPOB, Mr. Ugochukwu Nweke, described the people of the state as myopic and coward in the Biafra struggle.

“Ebonyi residents are myopic but we the IPOB are resolute, we cannot succumb to all manner of threats, intimidations and harassments by security agents and the Nigeria government.

“We are unstoppable and we cannot mind Ebonyi people who are not concerned on Biafra course, they have never behaved like Igbos,” he said.

Business activities paralysed in Aba

deployment of security personnel and strategic positioning of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) in Owerri, the Imo State, it was evident that the sit-athome directive issued by IPOB recorded substantial success though not total.

By Thursday evening, there was already apprehension in the air and most parents eventually did not allow their wards to go to school or leave the house yesterday to avoid any confrontation until there was a clearer picture of the scenario in town.

Apparently, massive compliance was registered among craftsmen, traders, artisans and small businesses.

Civil servants in the state who already had the option of either going to work or going to farm due to the three-day working week policy of the governor, conveniently sat at home and complied with the directive; a situation which left the state secretariat deserted.

In the early hours of the day it was clear that people were in doubt whether to come out or stay at home which led with many of them inadvertently complying with the sit-at-home directive.

Within the period, the relief market was almost empty while operations at the New Market were scanty.

It was, however, around 1pm that near normalcy returned to the city with human and vehicular traffic increasing substantially.

In the Orlu area of the state, most traders sat at home until about mid-day while banks did not throw their gates wide open but opened the gates only for customers and then lock it thereafter.

MASSOB, BIM disown directive in Delta

In Delta State, commuters and proprietors of businesses flouted the directive.

The failure came after the Zonal Leader of the Movement for the Actualisation and Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independence Movement (BIM) in Delta North (Ibo speaking axis of Delta state), Chief Chinedu Amaifeobu, supported by Chief Felix Ugorechina and Pastor Boniface Amosite Onyenwe, Regional Administrators, Ukwuani and Aniocha South respectively, disassociated their groups from violent agitation.

Also, the failure was unconnected with the signal from the police headquarters in the state on September 22, warning supporters of the group to steer clear of the state.

Although, there were suspicious movement of miscreants within Asaba metropolis, owing to its nearness to Onitsha, Anambra State, stern looking security operatives, including men of the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS), Anti-Riot Squad and AntiKidnapping Squad, took strategic locations at the Asaba end of the River Niger Bridge and along the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway, to forestall break down of law and order.

Banks, schools, petrol stations and other private and government institutions opened for business transactions.

Business grounded in Port Harcourt

Economic activities in Port Harcourt and surroundings were grounded yesterday following the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous Peoples of Bi-

afra, IPOB. Although, there were no protests across the state as was the case last year, but yesterday's sit-at-home order curtailed the movement of goods and persons, especially in Port Harcourt.

At the Ikoku area of Port Harcourt where security operatives made arrests during previous IPOB protests, there was a large deployment of security operatives, who had taken over the adjoining spare parts market, which operators were at home.

Some Biafra flags that had been mounted in parts of Ikoku were brought down by the security operatives who were armed and combat ready.

While some markets opened for business, and entertained sellers and buyers who carried out transactions, most of the shops along the major roads were shut, with some areas deserted, just as only a handful of commercial vehicles were on the road.

The sit-at-home order

by IPOB also forced some private school owners not to operate, as their pupils stayed at home.

Residents defy order in Enugu

Residents of Enugu metropolis did not obey the sit-at-home call yesterday made by pro-Biafra groups, Indigenous people of Biafra(IPOB)and movement for the actualisation of sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB) as markets, shops, banks, schools and offices were opened for business as gathered by Saturday Telegraph.

Although it was observed that some people in obedience to the call did not open their shops, it was clear that the Coal City

Business and commercial transactions in Aba was Deserted paralysed following the sitstreet in at-home order by IPOB. Anambra.

The usual traffic jam Inset: at major roads in the city Locked-up was conspicuously absent. shops.

Apart from the few tricycle photo: operators residents of the naija.com city would have found it difficult to move from one residents defied the stay at place to the order.

Traders at the Ariaria Inhome appeal.

From Garriki in Enugu ternational observed the orSouth to Ogbete, all busi- der as many market shops ness premises were open were under lock and key. for business and children Also, most shops in the area went to school unmolest- were closed as the traders ed. Transporters carried on strictly obeyed the order.

A trader along Pound with their businesses as if Road, Mr. Okoh Vincent, nothing happened.

Saturday Telegraph In- said: “I decided not to open vestigation shows that the for business for fear of besecond largest city in Enugu ing attacked or caught in the State, Nsukka did not obey web of pro-Biafran security the call either as people operative confrontations.”

Efforts to speak to various went about their normal chairmen proved abortive as businesses.

“There is nothing like the situation was same at the sit-at-home here. People are Ngwa Road market popugoing about their business- larly called Ahia Ohuu and es,” a resident of Nsukka the shopping complex along Aba Owerri Road. told our correspondent.

Some of the commerIn anticipation for a possible protest or riot over the cial banks in the city were call, police and soldiers were closed while few attended seen stationed at strategic po- to customers amid tight sitions in Enugu metropolis security. with unsmiling faces.

Non-compliance in Ebonyi

However, the order recorded non-compliance with normal activities unstopped in Abakiliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

When Saturday Telegraph visited some major markets and motor parks, normal activities were seen. Public and Civil Servants were also seen on their duty posts when our correspondent visited.

There was serious presence of police in strategic locations, including the popular Nkaliki where MASSOB office is located as policemen took over the area.

However, at Water Works and Ogoja roads, teargas was thrown by security agents to disperse some groups suspected to be members of IPOB and MASSOB. Speaking to Saturday Telegraph from his base in Ebonyi Local Government

IPOB congratulates members worldwide

Meanwhile, IPOB having come to the conclusion of its sit-at-home protest, yesterday congratulated all its members worldwide.

The IPOB said it appreciates all members, lovers of freedom and friends of Biafra all over the world for their support towards a successful sit-at-home protest in solidarity for the unconditional release of its leader Nnamdi Kanu.

The group said: “The Indigenous people of Biafra IPOB worldwide and the Directorate of State DOS congratulated the people of Biafra worldwide, friends of Biafra, lovers of freedom all over the world for their supports towards the successful sit at home order and successful protest across the globe in solidarity for the release of our leader prophet Nnamdi Kanu and for restoration of Gods nation Biafra.”

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News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

Budget padding: Jibrin absent as Ethics Committee begins hearing

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Philip Nyam, Abuja former Chairman of the House of Representative’s Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, was yesterday absent as the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges commenced its investigative hearing into the allegations levelled against him.

The investigation followed an alleged breach of members’ privileges arising from allegations on budget padding by Jibrin, who less than 48 hours ago had said he would not appear before the committee except if the hearing will be made public.

“The grand plan is to dilute the ongoing external investigation by the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and use the Ethics Committee for a soft landing.

“I have said repeatedly, I stand by my allegations and will continue this struggle to expose the 2016 budget fraud and corruption in the house even if I am alone,” he said.

burial proceedings and went away with the corpse on the claims that the deceased was their member.

She further narrated that the matter was reported to the police and that the matter is still being investigated, but as at the time of filing this report, the police haven't brought the culprit to justice.

Afolabi said members of the group have continued harassing, threatening and coercing her for initiation into the cult.

She claimed to have been spiritually attacked and had a terrible experience in the hands of this dreaded group, as she had a miscarriage and lost a six-month-old pregnancy.

She also noted that her husband who was advised by his family members to run for his dear life had abandoned her.

Already she has gone into hiding with her two children after being abandoned by her husband who had disappeared into safety. She is therefore, appealing for security provision for her and her children so that she can go about her legitimate activities.

“The notorious cult group in Awa, Ijebu, the Olobinrin want me by all means and at all cost to be initiated into the group even against my wish. They claimed that it is a right of inheritance, since my mother was a member of the group before she died.

“But my Christian faith would not allow me to ever be a member of a cult group.

I am a good Christian and a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and it is even written in the Bible that thou shall not serve God and mammoth”, she said.

ness the entire proceedings,” he said in a statement.

At the hearing yesterday Oker-Jev tendered evidence of reported statements where Jibrin accused the House of corruption varying in different degrees.

He said according to legislative powers act of 21 (1) a, that any member who publishes any document as evidence from submission to any committee is guilty of contempt.

Oker-Jev explained that based on section 24 of the same legislative powers act, Jibrin was liable to 12 months in imprisonment or a fine of N200.

Meanwhile, Jibrin has written to the chairman of the committee, Ossai Nicholas Ossai, saying he has no confidence in the probe panel.

Jibrin, who is slated to appear before the committee on Monday in a letter dated September 22, said he had no confidence in the Committee of Ethics and Privileges to investigate him.

The letter read in part: “You will recall that in my letter to all Hon Members ahead of the resumption of the House, I stated clearly in my recommendations that I did not believe you have the ability to be an impartial arbiter.

“You called me after reading my letter and tried to explain your public statement and further made efforts to convince me that you will indeed be impartial. I listened to you but I had my doubts.

“Subsequent events after the sitting of Wednesday 21st September and specifically our conversation on phone when you called me on the 21st and 22nd have further affirmed my misgivings and convinced me beyond reasonable doubt that you cannot be impartial”.

He further stated that “when you called me on 21st, you tried to assuage my doubts and encouraged me to appear. I told you clearly I will appear under the condition that the proceedings will be public with access given to both print and electronic media, Civil Society Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations, Nigerian Labour Congress, Nigerian Bar Association, Academic Staff Union of Universities, National Association of Nigerian Students and the general public.

“The next day you called we had the same conversation and concluded that you will put everything in writing.

You can imagine my shock and disappointment when I saw your verge letter. Even more shocking was when I discovered the entire hearing is not to probe my allegations but to probe a so called breach of privilege of members and misconduct by me.

The appellate court also directed the Chief Judge of Lagos State to reassign the case to another judge (aside from Justice Lawal-Akapo and Justice Latifat Okunnu) for re-trial.

Justice Mshelia in her lead judgment held that the trial judge erred in law by holding that it was bound by the principle of 'stare decisis' by the decision in Okey Nwosu Vs Federal Republic of Nige-

ria and Akingbola Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The appellate court further held that the lower court erred when it struck out counts 1 to 24 and 26 in the amended information against the third defendant.

Justice Lawal-Akapo had while clearing the accused persons of the alleged offence held that, “I find no merit in the prosecution’s application, it is hereby dismissed.

The defendants’ application dated November 27, 2013 succeeds.

“The criminal charge in this suit is hereby struck out and the accused persons namely; Francis Atuche, Elizabeth Atuche and Ugo Anyawu are discharged.

The complainant’s notice of plenary objection dated December 3, 2013 is hereby dismissed”, the judge further held.

l Lawmaker writes probe chair, alleges bias Jibrin had accused the House Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and four other principal officers of corruption by way of padding the 2016 budget.

The House had on Wednesday in a rowdy session passed a motion to investigate the alleged breach of members’

privileges as a result of Jibrin’s allegations which portrayed the House as corrupt.

The motion which was sponsored by the Chairman, Rules and Business of the House, Emmanuel Oker-Jev, said the lower chamber had come under “heavy attack”

following the allegations.

The motion was referred to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to investigate the matter and if found guilty, Jibrin may be suspended.

However, Jibrin said he would only appear before the committee if the hearing was

made public.

“I will take up the opportunity provided by the ethics committee to state my case under the condition that the hearing will be public and will allow the press, CSOs, NGOs, NLC, ASUU, NANS, NBA and the general public to wit-

President Muhammadu Buhari (middle), with the best of Nigerian professionals residing in the United States being flanked by his Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters and International Relations, Abike Dabiri (left) and Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode

Court frees Suswam, ex-perm sec over alleged N107bn scam Cephas Iorhemen,

A MAKURDI

Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Aondoaver Kaka’an yesterday set former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam and a former permanent secretary in the state’s Ministry of Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy

Affairs, Emmanuel Atini, free of involvement in an alleged fraud of N107 billion.

Atini and 51 others including 10 corporate organisations were indicted by the Justice Kpojime Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor Samuel Ortom to probe the eight-year tenure of the former governor for alleged involvement in the misappropriation of the money.

The court issued an order restraining Benue State government, the Attorney General

Edo‘ll resist external invasion during election –Speaker

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s rumours of militants plan to invade Edo State during the forthcoming gubernatorial polls continue to make the rounds, Speaker of Edo House of Assembly, Justin Okonoboh, has said that Edo people will do everything to resist any external invasion during and after the election.

He stated this while reacting to rumours that militants from the neighbouring states had been hired by some politicians and power seekers to foment trouble in the state during the governorship election.

The speaker, however, warned those involved in the proposed act to think twice before embarking on such a criminal exercise, adding that anyone or group

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Akeem Nafiu special panel of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has ordered the re-trial of a former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB, Mr. Francis Atuche, over alleged theft of N25.7 billion belonging to the bank.

The order was sequel to the upholding of an appeal lodged by the Economic

of the state and or their agents from acting on the report of the panel against the erstwhile permanent secretary.

The embattled permanent secretary had initiated the suit Number MHC/671M/16 through his counsel, Innocent Da’Agba and urged the court to quash his name as contained in the commission's report.

According to Da’Agba, the report of the commission and government’s position on it amounts to worst form of infraction, and added that

the applicant was not given fair hearing.

“It is unheard of in our jurisprudence that a witness is turned to accused. The applicant was invited and he honoured the commission; he came and explains his role as the permanent secretary of Bureau at the time he served meritoriously before he retired.

“It is surprising that after they heard him, without even giving him a chance to defend himself, they barred him from holding public office,” he said.

Justice Kaka’an in his judgment consequently, set aside the commission’s report and the state government’s white paper in respect of Atini and issued an order restraining the respondents jointly and severally from acting on the white paper to the extent that same has been set aside.

In another judgment involving the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), John Ngbede, the trial judge dismissed the application on the grounds that it is inappropriate.

Save me from occult group, mother of two cries out Olalekan Osiade

of persons found in such a nefarious act will face the music.

“Even though it is mere speculations and rumours, the fact that Edo is a peaceloving state does not mean we should fold our hands and watch external people invade our state. Edo people are not cowards, we would resist any attempt by external forces to cause mayhem and unrest in our state.

“Edo election is purely an internal matter, it does not warrant or call for foreign interference. I’m really shocked to hear that some bad politicians in the state in conjunction with those who want to take over Edo by all means have hired militants to foment trouble and make the state unbearable for people during and after the governorship election.

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and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the judgment of Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of an Ikeja High Court wherein the former bank chief was discharged and acquitted of the offence.

Justice Akapo had in his judgment delivered on June 22, 2015 upheld the submissions of the defence lawyers led by Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN) that the court lacked

jurisdiction to entertain the suit and that the prosecution’s case lacked merit.

Also discharged of the theft charge were Atuche's wife, Elizabeth and a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu.

However, the appellate court in its judgment delivered yesterday by Justice Gana Mshelia (Mrs.) set aside the judgment of the lower court.

mother of two and a native of Awa Ijebu in the Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mrs. Abiola Afolabi, has appealed to relevant government agencies and security organisations for security and protection over her life and those of her children from constant threat, harassment and intimidation from a dreaded group known as Olobinrin.

According to Afolabi, her ordeal began on January 13, 2016 during the burial of her late mother when the occult group stormed the venue of the burial and attempted to initiate her into the evil club.

Noting that she refused to be initiated, she explained that the group disrupted the

Appeal Court orders Atuche's re-trial over N25.7bn theft

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

7

Ekweremadu seeks Chinese cooperation Chukwu David, Abuja

L-R: Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Senator Danjuma Goje and Senator Aliyu Wamakko, after the Jum’at prayers at Asokoro Mosque, in Abuja… yesterday PHOTO: ATIKU MEDIA TEAM

Three suspected electricity vandals arrested in Akwa Ibom l EKEDC to customers: Connect illegally, risk prosecution

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Olaniyi Aderuku

hree people are now in police net in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, for allegedly vandalising substations in the area, according to a dependable.

They were apprehended by the community vigilante group at the substations in Ikot Uso, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The arrest came on a day the Management of Eko Electricity Distribution (EKEDC) Plc also warned consumers engaging in meter by-pass to stop the practice to avoid prosecution or payment of fines.

An official of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), Eket Business Unit, Mr. John Onyi, confirmed the

theft and arrest to NAN yesterday.

He said the company lost 37 transformers in July and 15 transformers in August following a renewed wave of theft of power infrastructure.

“As we speak, we lost four transformers in Eket in August; we want to thank Ikot Uso Community for arresting the vandals and handing them over to the police,” he said.

Onyi said the community vigilante group caught them while they were vandalising the armoured cables at substations in Eket and its environs.

“They vandalised five substations at All-Weather Road, Asang, Atabong, Hospital Road, and Oron.”

He said the company had lost huge revenue because of the vandalism and energy

theft.

Onyi urged the various communities to step up surveillance on PHEDC installations, saying: “If we allow the vandals to destroy the power installations, the people will be thrown into darkness.”

Eket Business Unit of PHEDC covers 13 local government areas.

Meanwhile, the General Manager, Media Communications of EKEDC, Mr. Godwin Idemudia, said in a statement in Lagos that the company was collaborating with security agencies to check energy theft.

“Anyone caught engaging in the illegal act of meter by-pass or illegal connection will pay a minimum fine of N50, 000 or be ready to face prosecution in the law court,” he said.

Idemudia described energy theft as an act of economic sabotage punishable under the laws of the land.

“Perpetrators should be ready to face the consequence of their criminal act,” he said.

The general manager said an Energy Theft Detection Units had been set up in all the eight business districts of the company to fish out those engaged in meter bypass, illegal connection or re-connection.

According to Idemudia, members of the Energy Theft Detection Units will be going round with security agents for inspection.

He said the company was working with the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in tackling the problem of energy theft.

Kidnapped Isheri landlords, trainer regain freedom Camillus Nnaji and Taiwo Jimoh

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he Lagos State Police Command yesterday confirmed that the four victims abducted at Agbowa on September 16 by some gunmen and the other four residents of Isheri, Lagos State, who were also abducted at Ogun State axis of Isheri had reunited with members of their

family.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmos, who confirmed this in a statement, said the Agbowa victims-Toyosi Aboderin, Ogechi Maku, Toju Amorighoye, and Funniyi Tayo Lawal (baby), were reunited with their families about 1:30am on Friday.

She also stated that the Isheri victims namely: Dr. Bello Omololu, Esang Fidelis, Kennedy Ucheagwu, Olalere Olawale,

were also reunited with their families about 11pm on Thursday.

The statement further noted that the pressure mounted on the kidnappers by the command in collaboration with its Ogun State counterpart made the criminals abandon their mission and release the victims.

Badmos however, stated that a manhunt for the hoodlums was ongoing, while also expressing appreciation to members of the public whose

cooperation contributed in no small measure to safe return of the victims. She also restated police’s commitment to protection of lives and property.

The victims were whisked away by the gunmen in military camouflages during their routine morning exercise near Lekki Gardens Estate.

The gunmen had demanded N300 million ransom for each of the victims but the amount was later reduced to N20 million.

Edo guber: APC alleges plot by PDP to rig poll Cajetan Mmuta, BENIN

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he Godwin Obaseki Campaign Organisation yesterday in Benin, Edo State, raised the alarm over a grand plot by desperate leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the September 28 governorship election in the state.

The Deputy Director General of the campaign organisation, Mr. John Osakwe, at a press conference in Benin City, alleged that leaders of the PDP in the state had flooded

their private homes with fake soldiers, police and National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members with a view to ensuring that the conduct of Wednesday's governorship exercise by the INEC was compromised in favour of the opposition.

He also stated that the opposition party had infiltrated top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in order to gain direct access to information, logistics and planning for the purpose of rigging the poll.

In addition, Osakwe said both the campaign outfit and

the ruling party had uncovered secret plan by the opposition to assassinate the APC governorship candidate in the election, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, pointing out that relevant security agencies have been adequately briefed on the worrisome development.

While describing the plan as not only heinous but also dastardly, Osakwe said such desperation by the opposition and their sponsors must be condemned by all peaceloving people of the state as it smacks of a threat to democracy in the country.

“As often as the APC inspires confidence in the po-

litical space, so on the other hand, the PDP sows fear and this is threatening to roll back the progress made politically and economically. Edo people fret that politics is being drawn into another downturn, and citizens keep guessing the next line of action by the PDP, since they won't run out of destructive, outdated and unfashionable political ammunition,” Osakwe said.

He added that: “The time had come for the state to save its future and fight to secure it. The sheer recklessness of the PDP has led the state to this state of heightened tension."

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eputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has appealed to the Chinese government to assist Nigeria to get out of its current economic recession.

Ekweremadu made the appeal in Abuja, when he played host to a delegation of the Chinese-African People's Friendship Association, CAPFA, led by its President and former Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Abulaiti Abudurexiti.

He also appealed to the Chinese government to transfer its technology to Africa just as he sought the assistance of China in the area of direct foreign investment, saying that was needed to take the continent to the next level of development.

Ekweremadu, however, warned Chinese nationals against illegal mining in

the solid minerals sector in Africa, asking those already neck-deep in the activities to desist forthwith.

He said China could play significant friendly roles in getting Nigeria out of its current economic woes, having also passed through difficult times in their march to economic prosperity.

“We will like to seek China's support to Nigeria's economy particularly and to the rest of Africa generally, especially now that we have found ourselves in recession. We expect that China will support our initiatives aimed at getting out of the recession as quickly as possible. We also expect to see the transfer of technology from China to Africa and we expect more of direct investments in Africa,” he said.

He lauded the economic policies of China in Africa, saying they have significantly helped to improve air, rail and road transport systems on the continent, and appealed to Chinese authorities not to relent in their effort.

OOU lecturers suspend strike, give Amosun fresh ultimatum Kunle Olayeni, Abeokuta

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ecturers of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, have suspended their “sit-at-home action” and gave the Governor Ibikunle Amosun administration two weeks ultimatum to address their demands.

The branch chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in the university, Dr. Deji Agboola, who disclosed this at a press conference yesterday, said the suspension followed a resolution passed by the congress of the union.

The lecturers had on August 8 embarked on the industrial action over nonremittance of subvention to the institution for the past 23 months by the state government.

Apart from the unpaid subvention, the lecturers are also aggrieved over nonpayment of two months' salaries and allowances.

But Agboola said his union had suspended the strike to enable the state government to honour the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with the leadership of ASUU on December 31, 2015.

The ASUU chairman warned that the union would take action if the government failed to accede to their demands within the fresh ultimatum.

He bemoaned the lack of funding for the university, saying despite the significant leap in the revenue profile of the state, “OOU was not put into reckoning and the promise of undertaking befitting capital projects was not redeemed in any manner whatsoever.”

EFCC arrests own staff ‘bribed’ by lawmaker

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he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said it had arrested one of its operatives for allegedly collecting a N15 million bribe.

The commission said in a statement that Uzodinma Agbazue, a deputy detective superintendent, was arrested on Thursday for “offences bordering on criminal conspiracy and extortion”.

Agbazue was arrested following a complaint by a lawmaker currently under investigation by the Commission, the statement signed by the commission’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said.

The lawmaker alleged that the EFCC detective collected N15 million from him with a promise to compromise the investigation.

According to the com-

plainant, Agbazue allegedly approached him, claiming he had been mandated by the officer handling the case to discuss and reach an agreement on how to “kill the case”, the statement said.

“Following the approach, a sum of N15 million was given to Agbazue whose game plan collapsed after the Investigating officer, who was ignorant of his scheme, refused to do his bidding,” Uwujaren said.

“With the investigation gathering increased momentum after parting with the hefty sum, the complainant became uncomfortable and demanded a refund.

“The complainant stated that, when he requested for the refund of his money, Agbazue only returned N5 million claiming that the balance of N10 million had been given to someone “to kill the case from the top,” the statement added.

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News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

Tinubu’s wife urges diversification, restructuring of economy

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Temitope Ogunbanke

hairman of Senate Committee on Environment, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday said diversification alongside fiscal restructuring would lead Nigeria to become a developed nation.

Speaking yesterday in Lagos during the 19th Town Hall meeting with members of her senatorial district in Lagos Central, Tinubu said meaningful and well funded diversification was a sure foundation for fiscal restructuring, nothing that sharing anticipated resources will always bring deficit, anxiety, agitation, political suspicion and under development.

She said: “The current critical situation in Nigeria calls for sober reflection. The issue at the front burner of political debate in Nigeria today is diversification and restructuring of Nigeria.

“Some advise we should restructure our fiscal policy while others are craving for physical and geographical restructuring. What Nigeria needs is diversification. If Ni-

geria can successfully diversity into agriculture, tourism, technology, manufacturing and sports, we will be on our way to economic recovery, and agitation for geographical restructuring will fizzle out.”

Tinubu also appealed to Niger Delta militants to sheath their swords and accept peace and negotiation in order to move the county forward.

“With militancy and in-

L-R: Community Lead/ Business Engagement, Africa-World Economic Forum, Mr. Bertrand Assamoi; Chief Executive Officer, CWG Plc, Mr. James Agada; Associate Director and Head of Africa (Membership),World Economic Forum WEF), Ms. Jesmane Boggenpoel; Founder/ EVC CWG Plc, Mr. Austin Okere and Chief Operating Officer, CWG Plc, Mr. Kunle Ayodeji, during a courtesy visit to CWG headquarters, in Lagos…recently.

Embrace peace, Kachikwu tells Niger Delta youths

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he Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, has commended the youths of Ohaji-Egbema and Oguta Local Government

Area for surrendering their arms and accepting peace while urging other youths in the Niger Delta region to do the same.

Kachikwu stated this in

CACOL to FG: Selling national asset irresponsible, unacceptable Temitope Ogunbanke

T

he Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has described the decision to sell-off national assets by the government as a betrayal of the change that Nigerians voted in 2015 general elections and totally irresponsible.

CACOL in a statement issued yesterday by its Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran said government decision to “sell off the heritage of Nigeria hiding under guise of so-called ‘recession’ is prodigal, irresponsible and unacceptable!”

He said: “Every reason been adduced for this decision is completely warped and very unintelligent. We

had challenged the President to sell some of the aircrafts in the Presidential Fleet; we had called for the reduction of overseas travel, the slashing the humongous allowances and salaries of elected officials, etc. for the country to cut the cost of governance but government have remained adamant.

“We condemn and reject this decision in its entirety.

We call on Nigerians to act now by resisting this attempt to erase the historical achievements of our heroes past, we must not let this happen. The regime itself should be ashamed that it has no concrete achievement that can be pointed to, yet it wants to sell-off assets that were put in place by past leaders.

Abuja when he played host to a delegation from the Imo State House of Assembly.

He urged other youths of the Niger Delta region to lay down their arms and embrace dialogue, noting that, meaningful development could only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace.

Kachikwu explained that no region could develop in an atmosphere bedeviled by wanton destruction of critical national infrastructure and economic assets.

“No man destroys his economic potential and still prospers optimally,” Kachikwu stated.

He attributed the neglect and untold hardship being faced by the oil producing areas in the country to misappropriation, misuse and diversion of funds meant for the development of the region, by various state governments and interventionist agencies over the years.

Kachikwu noted that if various state governments judiciously used the oil derivation funds, there would have been meaningful development across the oil producing states.

The minister also thanked youths of the two oil producing local government areas

Dickson’s wife delivers quadruplet in US

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day after securing victory at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal over his rival, Timipre Sylva, as winner of the last governorship election, Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has been blessed with quadruplets.

Dickson’s wife, Dr. Rachael Dickson, was delivered of a baby boy and three beautiful baby girls in the United States of America, with moth-

er and children doing well.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the blessing was particularly for the family and Bayelsans “because this bundle of joy is coming after many years of praying and waiting upon the Lord.”

Dickson thanked friends, family members and Bayelsans for their prayers and support, and enjoined them to continue to pray for the family.

for being at the forefront of efforts to maintain and restore peace within the region.

In his speech, the leader of the delegation, Hon. Ezediaro Henry Uzoma, member representing Oguta State constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly, said the visit was to show solidarity and support for one of their own over his appointment as Minister of State, Petroleum Resources.

Uzoma appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari on the appointment describing it as the best thing that had happened to the nation in these trying times.

He, however, attributed the current economic challenges the nation to embezzlement and mismanagement of scarce resources from the oil and gas sector.

Uzoma used the opportunity to brief the minister of his vision to engage the youths of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta local government areas through effective and efficient empowerment programmes geared towards focused human capacity development, training and retraining of the youths in useful vocational and productive ventures.

YOLA

Adamawa to employ 149 nurses

NEWS IN BRIE F

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In an effort to check the dearth of medical personnel in the Adamawa State, Governor Jibrilla Bindow has approved the employment of 149 nurses in the state.

The state Head of Service, Mr Musa Kaibo, made this known in Yola, at a reception organised for the General Secretary of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Mr. Thomas Shettima.

He lauded the emergence of Shettima as the scribe of NANNM and urged him to be good ambassador of the state.

In his remarks, Bindow reiterated his administration commitment to the welfare of health workers in the state.

surgency, the government at all levels will always find it difficult to provide the basic amenities and services for the people,” she said.

While speaking on the theme of the town hall meeting, ‘Redefining Democracy Through Service’, Tinubu called on Nigerians to rescue the country's democracy.

Also speaking, Leader of All Progressives Congress

(APC) in Lagos Central Senatorial district, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, said his party is committed to tenets of democracy.

He commended the senator for rendering selfless service to people of her senatorial district through several empowerment programmes He also called on politicians to see politics as an avenue to serve people and not a means of acquiring personal wealth.

Sheriff defies PDP peace move, inaugurates Delta factional EXCO Onyekachi Eze, ABUJA

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espite subscribing to the move to reconcile the factions in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff faction, yesterday inaugurated a State Working Committee (SWC) in Delta State, with Mr. Austin Ogbabu as the chairman.

The state chapter of the party had on May 10, elected Mr. Kingsley Esiso as chairman through a consensus, but Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, who inaugurated the factional executive in Abuja, said he was doing so on behalf of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

Ojougboh, however, said the faction was committed to the peace moves initiated by it and Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee.

He called on the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, not to do any-

thing that might jeopardise the peace process.

“We want to appeal to Fayose to key into the peace process that the two leaders are championing.

We want to tell Nigerians that the two leaders (Sheriff and Makarfi) are committed to reconciliation, and to encourage our teeming supporters that the statement made by Fayose has no bearing on the reconciliation.

“In spite of what the Appeal Court or Supreme Court decides, there would still be need for peace. It is either we do it before or after the court judgement,” Ojougboh added.

Fayose had told State House correspondents on Thursday that that PDP governors were not aware of the new reconciliation moves between the two factions, urging the party to continue to pursue the case in court.

The two factions had met on Tuesday and resolved to reconcile their differences.

Security guards kill man for attempting to enter forest Uchenna Inya, ABAKALIKI

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man in Effium community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Ndubuisi Nwali, was yesterday killed for attempting to cut down an economic tree in a forest in the area.

A source that did not want his name in print said the incident caused clashes between members of two villages in the area.

According to the source, the youths of Nwekendiagu village

FCT Izunaso makes case for disabled persons

The Founder of Kpakpando Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation and the National Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Osita Izunaso, has advocated for the establishment of Ministry of Physically Challenged Persons.

Izunaso made the call in Abuja at a reception in honour of the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on People Living with Disability (PLWD), Dr. Samuel Ankeli.

The APC chieftain, who said the PLWD deserved a special attentions for their aspirations to be met, also noted that it would be the focal point of the Foundation in its advocacy in years to come as Ministries of Women Affairs, Niger Delta and Youths and Sports Development were created as a result of advocacy.

as result of the killing of one of their own decided to lunch a reprisal on the other village resulting in destruction of properties.

“The forest guards shot one Ndubuisi just because of a mere rumour that he attempted to enter into the forest. And now, the youths of Nwekendiagu village has moved to the other village to retaliate,” the source added.

The caretaker committee chairman of the local government area, Mr. Clement Odah, confirmed the incident. He, however, said normalcy has returned to the area.

IKEJA Synergy Attornies holds workshop

Worried by perennial problems of building collapse in the country, Juweirat Law Resource Centre in collaboration with Synergy Attornies' one of the nation’s foremost law firms, is organising a maiden workshop for lawyers and other stakeholders in the building and construction sector.

The two-day workshop has as it theme: “Legal Due Diligence on Building and Construction”.

According to the Co-ordinator of the event, Lady Edith Uduji, the theme of the workshop is central to the myriads of solutions and remedies that would address the incessant collapse of buildings in the country.

News

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

Babatope Okeowo and Johnchuks Onuanyim

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he three top governorship aspirants during the last All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary in Ondo State have rejected the decision of the leadership of the party to uphold the election of Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) as the candidate of the party.

The trio also took a swipe at the leadership of the APC over its refusal to implement the report of the Appeal Committee of the party, which recommended the nullification of the primary election that produced Akeredolu as the candidate of the party.

The aspirants including Dr. Segun Abraham who came second, Chief Olusola Oke and Prof Robert Ajayi Boroffice who came third and fourth respectively ruled out the possibility of supporting Akeredolu to win the November 26 governorship election in the state, while threatening to dump the party for a new platform in order to contest the forthcoming election.

Addressing reporters at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) press centre in Akure, the state capital, the aspirants condemned the Na-

Ondo APC aspirants threaten to dump party tional Chairman, Chief John Oyegun for his “undemocratic behavior” by overruling the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC).

Boroffice who spoke on behalf of the other aggrieved aspirants said they are already consulting with their people and would soon make public their next line of action that would liberate the people from the present state of hopelessness and despair.

"The appeal committee within the mandate of their authority having regards to the preponderance of evidence laid before it recommended that the election be nullified and another election be conducted.

"The majority of the members of the NWC voted that the recommendations of the appeal committee be upheld.

To our dismay and in a manner at variance with democratic norms, the National Chairman overruled the majority of the NWC. "He rejected the path of truth and upheld the primary election that it's process was charcterised with corruption.

Let it be known that we are not deterred by the action of the NWC and the undemocratic behaviour of the chair-

man.

"We are encouraged by the genuine desire of the people of Ondo State for a change that will free them from the economic captivity of the present administration in the state. " We are determine to liberate our people and no undemocratic decision of a party and its leadership would be allowed to misdirect our attention from the goal. We condemn in absolute terms the undemocratic decision of the NWC. "Since our party and the official leaders of the party have found pleasure in covering fraud, we owe the people of Ondo State a sacred duty of liberation. This we are committed to and this we shall do. " In the days ahead, we shall consult widely and make public the next line of action that will liberate our people from the present state of hopelessness and despair On the plan to dump the party, Boroffice said, "the people of the state will determine what our next decision would be.

On his part, Oke said: " We are still examining the situation, if we get to the bridge we will cross it. We have no

personal position. We will come out later with a clean and clear position within the shortest period of time.

“I have not moved out of APC when I am ready I will shout it and address the press.

But the APC National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, has dismissed the claim, saying that, "voting on the issue did not arise in view of the NWC’s

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Andrew Iro Okungbowa ormer Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Senator Jeremiah Useni, has advocated the need for the three-tiers of government and Nigerians to continue to uphold and support the traditional institutions and the Traditional Council of Nigeria (TCN).

Also, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi

PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Lawmaker splashes N73.8m scholarship on 41 children will expend over N1.8 million on each of the candidate, amounting to N73, 800, 000 on the 41 candidates per session for a six year secondary education.

He said 297 public schools were selected in the state for the initiative from 99 wards of the nine local government ar-

eas of the district, out of which three best pupils were selected to represent each school.

“We selected 297 pupils and registered them for the 2016 National Examination Council (NEC0) national common entrance examinations into federal and unity schools across the country.

s part of efforts to tackle the education deficiency in the state, the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Barrister

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David Umoru, has offered 41 gifted children from villages in Niger State scholarship worth millions of naira to study at various unity schools across the country.

The programme which was kicked started by his Gifted Pupils Initiatives (GPI),

Adedayo Odulaja and Olaniyi Adekuru

Oil wells: Residents sneak into sealed houses

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hen the Lagos State Government declared last month that a total of 12 houses on Abeokuta and Ibadan Streets in the Ilasamaja area of the state had been shut following the discovery of shallow oil wells built by the landlords to steal diesel from pipelines, residents and, indeed, the rest of Nigeria, were alarmed.

The action, which the government said was taken on Friday, August 12, was made known by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, who briefed journalists at the Lagos House, Ikeja. Ayorinde said the oil wells were built for the purpose of illegally scoop-

ing diesel and selling same to members of the public, an action he claimed, had been on for a while.

He further revealed said some of the affected landlords went as far as building pumping machines and boreholes to perpetrate the crime on a large and commercial scale. According to the commissioner, the decision to shut the wells and cordon off the area was taken by government to forestall loss of lives and property as a result of the looming danger the activity could cause.

However, investigations

by Saturday Telegraph, have revealed that just a month after the houses were shut, the occupants are back to their homes. It was also discovered that only five houses and not 12 as officials of the State Government an-

nounced, were involved in the diesel scooping saga.

Of that number, four are on Abeokuta Street while only one is situated on Ibadan Street. A resident told Saturday Telegraph that the houses, which usually look a bit deserted in the afternoon towards evening, often come back to life once darkness descends on the area.

“I know for sure that the Ileya event was celebrated in that house. Apart from music emanating from speakers mounted around, I have friends that actually went there who ate food and meat in the house,” he said.

At Abeokuta Street, the red markings the Lagos State Government employed to make inscriptions on the houses are still very visible. The affected houses on Abeokuta Street are those on

tee (NWC) decision to reject the 2016 Ondo State APC Governorship Primary Election Appeal Committee Report was taken on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 in executive session after careful and exhaustive deliberation. The minutes and rejection was confirmed by the NWC on Thursday, September 22, 2016.

Useni, Ooni call for upholding of traditional institutions

L-R: Past President, Rotary Club of Igando (District 9110), Mr. Adebayo AkinOmotuyi; his wife, Abosede and the new President, Mrs. Pat Ifeoma Nwabuwa, during the investiture of Nwabuwa as the 7th President of the club at Rotary Centre, Ikeja, Lagos...recently

Dan Atori, MINNA

rejection of the Appeal Committee’s report".

He also stated that the NWC took the decision to reject the recommendations of the Committee on two grounds. Firstly, it lacked merit and secondly because of time.

In a statement, the party said: "For the records, the National Working Commit-

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No. 1, 3, 5 and 7, including the one at No. 11 on Ibadan Street directly opposite Sonic Private School.

According to residents, who spoke to Saturday Telegraph, there was no truth in the claim that a water tanker from the Lagos State Fire Service was stationed at Abeokuta Street from the day of the event.

They rather alleged that the police also took advantage of the situation by making profit from the illicit business days after the discovery and after the houses were shut.

The Lagos PPRO, Dolapo Badmos, has said she is not aware that the residents are back in the houses. “The area remains cordoned for the evacuation purpose and that is what is still on ground,” she added.

(Ojaja 11) has appealed to the government for more funding of traditional institutions across the country.

Useni, who was at the Enuwa Palace of the Ooni on a private visit to Oba Ogunwusi in company of his friend, General Ebun Olaiya (rtd) and his aides, made the call while felicitating with the Ooni on his ascension to the throne of his forefathers.

Useni, a former military administrator, said: “We must respect our traditional rulers and institutions because they are very important.”

According to him, their role in the development of the society, especially in keeping the peace is very important and implored the government to work closely with them in order to achieve the desired result in this harsh economic situation and rise in militancy

and youth restiveness.

For them to continue to play their expected role and remain relevant, Useni, who was at a time the chairman of the TCN where he pushed for the five per cent constitutional funding of recognised traditional institutions by the government, called on the government to increase the funding as five per cent has become grossly inadequate for them to meet with the present realities.

On his part, the Ooni expressed appreciation to the Senator for finding time and taking the pain to come from Abuja to visit and pay respect to the throne.

“Thank you for your visit and the good works done over the years and during your chairmanship of the Traditional Council of Nigeria,” the monarch stated.

Al-Makura: Displaced criminals relocating to Nasarawa

N

asarawa State Governor, Umaru AlMakura, has said criminal elements dislodged by recent military operation in Zamfara State have infiltrated the state.

Al-Makura, who raised the alarm when the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, visited him in Lafia, said three hideouts of the criminals have been identified in the state and appealed to the Army chief to also extend its operation to the state.

“Since the military operation in Zamfara that dispersed the criminal elements, we have noticed a gradual sipping of some of them into our vicinity and we have been able to identify about three areas as their hideouts.

“Once we finalise our survey, we shall liaise with you to use your usual formula to defeat the miscreants,” he said.

The governor commended the military for decimating the Boko Haram terrorists, and in joining hands with other security agencies to curb security challenges in the state.

S&P downgrades credit ratings of Nigerian banks Tony Chukwunyem

F

ollowing its downgrade of Nigeria’s credit rating by one level to ‘B’ last Friday, global rating agency, Standard & Poor’s (S&P), has lowered its credit ratings for Nigerian financial institutions in its ratings universe.

In a note issued yesterday, the agency said it had lowered its long-term counterparty credit ratings of Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTB, Stanbic IBTC and Ecobank Nigeria, to ‘B’ from B+. It also lowered the credit ratings of Fidelity Bank and First City Monument Bank to ‘B-‘ from ‘B’.

It, however, stated that while its outlook on Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTB, Stanbic IBTC is stable, its outlook on Ecobank Nigeria is negative.

S&P further stated that: “We also affirmed our 'B-/C' long- and short-term counter-

party credit ratings on FirstBank of Nigeria Ltd. and FBN Holdings PLC (FBN). We removed these ratings from CreditWatch negative where we had placed them on June 22, 2016. The outlook is negative.”

In addition, it said: “Our 'B-' long-term counterparty credit rating on Diamond Bank PLC remains on CreditWatch with negative implications, where we placed it on June 22, 2016.”

The agency stated that: “These rating actions reflect our view that economic risk in the Nigerian banking system has increased due to the weak economic environment in Nigeria, on the back of low oil prices, a restrictive foreign exchange regime, and delayed fiscal stimulus.

“The Nigerian economy (oil and non-oil) contracted in the first two quarters of 2016 since the oil sector suffered from a combination of low prices and decline in production."

10

Voices How would you react if your spouse built a house without your knowledge? p.12

T

Juliana Francis

he suspected kidnapper, Saidu Abdullahi, who killed the Catholic Priest, Reverend John Alex Adeyi (Ph.D.) in Benue State and abandoned his corpse inside the bush, has continued to sing like a bird to police investigators.

In his latest lyrics, he said that after killing Adeyi, he still went ahead to pretend he (the priest) was alive just to collect the ransom from his family.

According to him, he used his share of the ransom to build a fantastic four-room apartment.

Operatives of the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT), who tracked and cracked the kidnapping gang two months after the abduction of Adeyi, said they were shocked over Abdullah’s lack of remorse in murdering the priest.

Rather, Abdullahi looked into eyes of the policemen and smirked. He wanted them to understand that whatever God planned, nobody could change it; thus there was no sense in crying over spilt milk.

He explained that the priest had to die, because God planned it that way. He added that God also planned that he, Abdullahi, should be the killer.

He calmly explained: “I sensed danger and alerted Aliu, who was in the bush with me. The priest was with us. I sensed some people were trailing us. We started running, instead of the priest to run with us, he ran in the opposite direction. He ran towards the direction of the vigilante men that were hunting us. I felt he was trying to escape. I shot him. He died on the spot.

We abandoned his corpse and left the bush.

The next day, his family called me. They paid N2million ransom. I got N750, 000 as my share. I used it to build four rooms apartment in my village, Bauchi State. I want you to have this in my mind; I had no intention of killing that priest, but it was destined by God that the priest should die by my hand. The destiny played out. His death was beyond my control.”

Abdullahi, who is said to be second in command of the gang, was arrested along with others identified as Suleiman Gina, 30, gang leader, Aliyu Garba 26 and Haruna Idi, 27.

The police said: “Sequel to the kidnapping and murder of Reverend Father John Alex Adeyi of Catholic Diocese of Otukpo and Parish Priest of St Bernard's Parish Okpoga on April, 24, 2016, by some notorious kidnappers and collection of ransom from

City & crime update

SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2016

I killed Catholic priest, used ransom to build house –Suspect

•God planned priest’s death by using me his family, the IGP, Ibrahim Idris, ordered IRT operatives to embark on a massive manhunt. And with the aide of Technical Intelligence Resources of the Force, all four kidnappers, including the priest’s killer were arrested. They were arrested in Bauchi, Enugu and Benue States by IRT men between September 1 and 14, 2016.

“The black Nokia Lumia phone of the priest was recovered in Boto village, Bauchi State, while the phone used for the ransom negotiation was recovered in Obollo town, Enugu State.

The priest was murdered in Ogonokwu Forest, Otukpa area Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, from where his body was recovered on June 22, 2016, two months later. The suspects confessed to have collected N1.7m ransom from the priest’s family after they killed him. The suspects led IRT operatives on September 15, 2016, to the bush in Orokam area of Benue State, where the team recovered three guns used in the operation. The guns were buried in the bush.”

Abdullahi, a Fulani herdsman, said he left his village for Benue State in 2013.

He worked with one Alhaji Ishiaku, who owns plenty cows.

During his sojourn with Ishiaka, he met and became friends with his present gang members- Haruna, Suleiman and Aliu.

They initiated him into robbery. Together, they robbed many motorists on highways and dispossessed them of valuables. Later, Suleiman, the gang leader, sold the idea of diversifying into kidnapping to other members of the gang. They bought it.

Abdullahi said: “Suleiman, most times, used to pick our targets. Whenever we kidnapped victims, we take them to our camp at Olukamu, in Adegun area of Benue State. We also camped some of our victims in the bush along Enugu Benue Road. In April, we kidnapped the priest and his driver. We took him into the forest and kept him for three days. While

Rev. Adeyi

we were waiting for the man’s family to give us feedback on the ransom demanded, I discovered that some vigilante men were in the bush, searching for him. They wanted to rescue him. He tried to escape, I shot him.”

Recounting his own story, Garba, also a herdsman, said he was born in Ibadan, Oyo State and later relocated to Enugu State for business. In 2015, he entered Benue State to work with one Yabaju, a Fulani man.

Garba said: “I joined this robbery gang in the same year in Benue State. We normally operate along the Orokam Expressway, Otukpa, Benue State. We operated with a single barrel long gun and a locally made pistol for operation. We used to take advantage of bad spots on the expressway to rob motorists. Our targets are usually exotic, expensive looking vehicles. Our gang leader, Suleiman, did the surveillance and whenever he sighted vehicles he felt the occupant was rich, he would signal us. We would stop the vehicle and rob the occupant. On the day we kidnapped the priest, Saidu and I blocked the road after Suleiman signalled to us. He said we should stop the white SUV. We didn’t know who

The suspects

the occupant was, but the moment we saw the priest, we knew he was rich. We stopped the vehicle, threw out his driver and dragged the priest at gun point into the bush. We walked for five hours in the bush until we got to a point we felt was okay to camp him. We kidnapped him on a Sunday. The next day, we contacted the priest’s family and demanded a ransom of N28m. Suleiman and Haruna didn’t stay with us in the bush. They were the ones always moving in and out to get us food. By Monday evening, we made our first ransom demand. We noticed the family of the priest was acting funny. They weren’t ready to cooperate. They wanted to lure us out.

I don’t know what came over Saidu, he just pointed a gun at the priest and killed him! I asked why he did it, he couldn’t explain. When Suleiman and Haruna came and saw what we had done, they pulled out of the operation. They ran to their villages. Saidu decided to follow me to my base in Obollo Town, Enugu State.

We intended to wait there until things cooled down.”

He said they were still hiding when the priest’s phone rang. The caller was one of the priest’s family members. The caller said they were ready to pay N2m ransom.

Garba said: “Saidu, who was with the phone, warned them not to come with police. He directed them to come with the money to a certain venue. After about two hours, they brought the money. Saidu picked it. Saidu and I shared the money.

I got N658, 000 as my share, Saidu got N750, 000; we sent N100, 00 to Haruna and N80, 000 to Suleiman. I used part of my money to rent an apartment in Obollo town and invested the rest in my grocery business. After that operation, I parted ways with every member of the gang.

I don’t know how police trailed and arrested Haruna and Suleiman. They both led police to arrest me and Saidu.”

The fourth suspect, Idi, said the gang had carried out robbery attacks in Enugu and Benue States. He said the gang was formed two years ago. In the gang’s first robbery operation, the members blocked the expressway in Benue State and hijacked a trailer. He said he made N30, 000 from the operation.

He said they were having a field day, carrying out robbery operations until their leader brought the idea of kidnapping.

He narrated: “On the day we kidnapped the priest, I was the one who drove Ali and Saidu to the point where we kidnapped the priest. I can’t explain why Saidu shot the priest. I wasn’t there; but after the priest was killed, I left for my village. The next day, Saidu called and said that the priest’s family paid N500, 000.

He gave me N100, 000 as my share. Two weeks after, we went to that same spot to rob unsuspecting motorists, but before we knew what was happening, policemen came out from nowhere and engaged us in a shootout. We changed our location and succeeded in robbing a trailer carrying goods. We collected N150, 000 from the driver. I got N50, 000 as my share. That operation was the last I did before I was arrested. I have also taken the police to the bush where I buried our guns.”

City&crime update

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

11

How NGOs use beggars to defraud Nigerians Their cases are as complex as they are pathetic. OKEGWO KENECHUKWU, in this report, brings to the fore issues concerning some non-governmental organisations set up under the pretext of helping the needy but turn out to be scams

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ife appears to be a mystery which only the creator can unravel. While some are born great, others are born with not only silver but golden spoon while yet others are not so lucky. There are many people who experience unfortunate vicissitudes in life. And many with various ailments from birth.

Oba, in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, hosts a private camp, Welfare Rescue Mission International (WRMI), belonging to a Non-Government Organisation. The home presents some of these realities. It is an abode where many are quarantined for different reasons.

Chika Odigwe, a 24-year-old girl from Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state, is one of such individuals. He is not there alone. Msughter Garba, a 32-year-old boy from Benue State, shares the same home.

Both have something in common; they are down with strange ailments that have confined them to the camp for quite a while now.

But, while Odigwe suffers from tumor of the leg, Garba battles with cancer of the month.

Yet, it was not the unfortunate situation these Nigerian found themselves that attracted this reporter’s interest and incursion into the home where they are kept; it is the way and manner they are being subjected to inhuman treatment. The mission was said to have been set up to raise money for the treatment of these patients, alleviate their suffering and rehabilitate them. But, the activities of the centre, like many others in the state have thus far left much to be desired.

Happenings in the homes have raised some questions. When this reporter encountered the president and Board of Trustee (BoT) Chairman of WRMI, Dr. Edozie Amaechi, who hails from Egbelu Umueze Ezinihite, Imo State, he confirmed that his home was set up to treat, rehabilitate and alleviate the suffering of his patients.

Despite Amaechi’s claims, a cross section of the neighbourhood where the home is situated, doubted him. They questioned the sincerity of those behind some of these humanitarian missions scattered in almost all the nook and cranny of South-Eastern Nigeria.

Saturday Telegraph gathered from some concerned citizens of Anambra State that most of the so-called humanitarian organisations are only but an organised fraud centres whose owners only take advantage of the pathetic conditions of its inhabitants. They are those who also condemned the way and manner these patients are being exposed to the public glare under harsh weather conditions to attract the sympathy of the populace.

“They are set up to dupe unsuspecting public of their hard earned income without actually helping their patients,” said a man who prefers to remain anonymous.

In spite of this perception,

Odigwe INSET: Amaechi

such organisations have suddenly become lucrative businesses for many young men and women, who are cueing into this emotional modern strategy to exploit their fellow human beings. It is common sight in the state to see agents of these organisations use the pathetic conditions of these less privileged individuals to beg for money in market places, streets, and even churches. In their desperation, they often expose the patients to dangers of other infections.

Amaechi could not agree less. He said he has his reservations for these humanitarian works. He also conceded to Saturday Telegraph that the activities of quarks have continued to cast a doubt over the genuineness of some of the homes and their owners.

“Our greatest challenge is the

They are set up to dupe the unsuspecting public of hard earned income without actually helping their patients

Garba

fight against fake humanitarian missions that exploit these helpless sick to dupe people; as a result, such deceptive ones bring our reputation to question. The bad image they create affects those that are sincere with what they do and dim the chances of raising the required funds to help those in need from the willing and kindhearted Nigerians,” he said.

Amaechi, nonetheless, stated that his welfare rescue mission international has successfully treated 19 cancer patients at the National Hospital Abuja and four at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu (UNTH), Enugu.

He said: “We also sent three patients abroad and rehabilitated over 10 widows and orphans, which cost us huge amount.

We equally set them up with a minimum of N500,000 to start life anew after treatment from the money donated by the individuals and organisations.”

He did not stop there but said that it cost more than N3 million to treat one cancer patient. “This is why we are passionately appealing to the federal and state governments to help us in the fight against this ugly trend.

These people are most times rejected by their families. We get some of them through a letter of handover from their families and we usually open a corporate account with their families. Whatever was collected on their behalf is shared and part paid to the family account.

“This is why we are pleading with the federal and state governments to please look inward and appraise the plight of these unfortunate Nigerians since some of their cases can be handled within. With their present status, nobody wants to own them, but a few of them are lucky somehow.

“We have also been fighting the illegal humanitarian organisations. Some of them are not registered and has no location anywhere in the country. They are the ones painting us black before the public,” Amechi stated.

12

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Voices

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

How would you react if your spouse built a house without your knowledge?

Angry but seek for explanation

explanations.

My initial reaction would be that of anger. I would be angry that she embarked on such a project without my knowledge. However, I will table the matter and ask for

—Emmanuel Udensi, engineer

My spouse is free to expend her money

I will not be disturbed one bit. My spouse has a right to do what she wants to do with her money. If she discussed with me I will encourage her.

—Taiwo Osayi, engineer

I will be delighted Come to think of it everyone wants to become a landlord or landlady in Nigeria, therefore, if I discover my husband built a house without my knowledge, I would take it as a surprise and be happy.

—Adaeze Ogochukwu, businesswoman

I will see it as a surprise

It is good. If he does it behind me I'll see it as a surprise. But the bottom line remains that he ought to tell me about it if there are no ulterior

motives behind it.

—Iyabo Ayoola, businesswoman

That would be abnormal

It calls for celebration If I discover such I would be glad. After all it is good news and ought to be celebrated by every woman who knows the effect of being a tenant.

—Joyce Ebhojaiye,

Couples are meant to plan together. Such a thing will not occur if your husband is your best friend and confidant. Anything contrary would be abnormal.

—Nkem Christabel Dokai, lecturer

civil servant

She is a greedy woman

I would need explanation for her action

If I find out my wife has a house without telling me on time I would just conclude that she is a greedy woman. That is all.

—Chris Obodo, businessman

It will be very surprising but after that the matter has to be tabled. She might have some cogent reasons.

No matter what it is not an issue that would tear the home apart.

—Patrick Osammor, businessman

I will seek for explanation

I will caution her It's natural for me to be angry but if it is a first time offence I'll caution and advise her against such attitude.

But if she does similar thing subsequently I'll call the attention of her brothers to it. No matter how bad it gets, I won't lay my hands on her.

—Friday Osigwe, businessman

I will rejoice with her The least I can do when I discover such is to thank God. It is not an evil deed so I should understand and rejoice with her.

—Adeyemi Adams, student

As for me, once I discover such I would just ask to know the reason why she didn't tell me on time.

Everything in life is based on understanding..

—Bunmi Ogunseye, civil servant

I could only be angry for awhile If she does it without my consent then there must be a reason for it. The motive of which might be to surprise me. I could only be angry for a while because she didn't tell me not because she built a house. Moreover, it would be practically impossible for her to do such because we run a joint account. However, if she gets the money from another source, she's probably preparing it as a surprise.

—Paul Mbah, trader

compiled by: NGOZI OGBOLU, OLANIYI ADERUKU, OGE NDUBUNMA AND ESTHER SODEKE

News Abuja

Buhari seeks global action on N'East humanitarian crisis

resident Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to the international community to move swiftly and assist Nigeria deal with humanitarian crisis in the North East region.

He said further delay or downplay on the need for humanitarian intervention in Nigeria’s North East and the Lake Chad Basin could be catastrophic.

The President was speaking at an event on the hu-

manitarian crisis in the Lake Chad Basin, in New York, on the margins of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA71).

Buhari, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said it was time for collective global action to invest in the people of Nigeria’s North East and the Lake Chad Basin region.

“We are renewing the

Anule Emmanuel,

P

call for re-dedicated international action to end the humanitarian needs of victims and address the root causes of terrorism itself,” the president said, at the event jointly-sponsored by the U.N Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

President Buhari noted that the “complexities and

severity of humanitarian crisis across the world have increased in recent times, resulting in devastating repercussions. Political and socio-economic structures as well as the growth trajectory of many countries have been negatively affected leaving traumatised populations.

The dual impact of Climate Change and terrorism cum insurgency has created deeper implications for peace and security, social harmony and

the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

While commending the Multi-National Joint Task Force for degrading Boko Haram, he said that the Nigerian government has been fully responsive to the urgency to save innocent lives, protect victims of Boko Haram atrocities, guarantee stability and facilitate the resumption of normal social and economic activities in the North-East of the country.

“The Government of Nigeria is not overwhelmed by the enormity of this humanitarian challenge. Rather, we remain resolute in defeating terrorism in all its forms.

We have put in place a robust people-driven counterterrorism strategy built on a combination of revamped security operations and a human rights-based approach to help bring about rehabilitation, reintegration and reconstruction,” the president said.

WeekendBliss WE CAN NOW REMOVE SICKLE CELLS FROM EMBRYOS

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

13

Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, a Nigerian obstetrician/gynecologist is also the Managing Director Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, which pioneered the Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Injection (IMSI) in Nigeria. The clinic specialises in In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and treatment of infertility. He is the country's representative of obgyn.net (a network of obstetricians and gynecologists all over the world) and has membership of many international professional associations including the global health council. In this interview with LANRE ODUKOYA, the 55-year-old doctor speaks about amazing inventions from Nordica, childhood and leisure.

You’ve been in the news for almost a decade with the Nordica fertility intervention, what have you done to remain very relevant?

It’s the grace of God. God has been faithful. Just like you said, you need to continue to re-invent. Fortunately, the field we are is a very dynamic one in the sense that new things come up on a yearly basis. So the thing is to stay at the [cutting edge] of what is happening and we have so many people we are collaborating with all over the world in Denmark, Spain etc. In other words, what we are just trying to do is to make sure that whatever happens out there, we can also do it in the country. Although, there are so many things that we are still not doing in Nigeria, we are trying to close the gap between what is happening in the world out there and what is happening in Nigeria. You must agree with me that the health sector in Nigeria, except for the productive health sector, there is a wide gap between what we have and what is obtainable in Europe and America but it’s not like that in the productive sector.

N O P U E S CLO I AJAYI

DR. ABAYOM Instyle

The Arts

p.15

p.37

Friday inspired fashion © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Africa Day: Kakadu premieres in Jo'burg

In the process of replicating what is happening in the developed countries in Nigeria, does is not cost more?

Part of the things you

Hospitality

do is to continue to train. For example, there is no year that we don’t go abroad to train on new courses despite the cost of travelling which is now a lot more expensive; it is the only way we can stay on the cutting edge. It’s a policy of the company that we need to continue to train so that we can stand anywhere in the world and defend whatever we are doing.

Is Nordica a franchise?

Yes, Nordica is a franchise. The headquarters is in Denmark.

The IVF intervention for people living with fertility problems has finally resonated with Nigerians. How did you achieve this feat?

It resonated well with Nigerians, kudos to you guys: the pressmen. Sometimes, I’m amused when I’m going on the road and I see bus conductors talking about IVF. It shows the level of awareness. It wasn’t like that 10 years ago. So I think we’ve all done a good job but I also think we can only do better because now we ought to go beyond the surface to really go to the nitty gritty of it all because the health knowledge in Nigeria is very low. You can see everybody now running around in order to keep fit. That awareness has increased greatly. A few years ago, it wasn’t like that, so it shows

D'czars Hotel and Suites: Adding value to guests’ lives

p.41

continued on page 14

TV & Radio

Celebrity interview on Saturday Night

p.36

14

Close Up

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

used to be because now the knowledge is becoming better. People are beginning to see babies born through IVF as normal but a few years ago, it was very strong. We are now seeing people who can stand in front of the camera and say they had babies through IVF.

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

that if we face something, we can do it well. That’s one of the reasons that made us to start this journalist award: Nordica journalists award and we did the first one this year. We think we can do anything properly with the level of journalism as it is also not up to par with whatever we are doing. We expect that journalists should be able to challenge doctors and ask us questions because they have also read, not just listened to what we say. And that is when the public can benefit from good reportage. I think it can get better.

Can it get to a point where we are all enlightened and we have lesser people in need of IVF? No, it’s not possible because in advanced parts of the world, for example in Denmark and Germany, the awareness is higher but they need more IVF than we do. Out of the countries of the EU, it’s only three that do not sponsor IVF. One of them is even considering sponsoring it. If you look at the population of Nigeria and then Denmark that has about six million, if you look at the number of psychos per thousand, it is higher in Denmark than here. We have observed that some people are born infertile, some people inherited low sperm count and the likes.

What is the stand of the Nigerian government on supporting IVF? Earlier this year, we took some journalists through the process of IVF because if you don’t know, there’s no way you would report properly. So I think we would probably repeat it. You also are opinion leaders. You should be able to understand what this means. Mixing religion and medicine sometimes conflict. Some things that some people are holding onto were what happened 30 years ago. Science is improving on a daily basis. What the problem usually is, is when does life start? That has always been the question. We know that life does not start when the sperm and the egg come together because even in the body, naturally, when sperm and egg come together, it doesn’t always result in a baby. So when you say life starts when the sperm and egg come together, I think there is a mistake.

Fortunately, because we are learning more about genetics, we are beginning to see new things. It has become clearer to us that some of the emotions that we had before were not particularly very true. For convenience sake, some people have remained on that level. If you’re using your eggs at 45, the chances that you’ll have a baby is less than 5%. This person for instance has had a condition that is life-threatening and she’s on some drugs that would prevent her blood from clotting and she came to me to do IVF with her egg. There are more risks than advantages to it. Anytime we are talking about issues that relate to child birth, most of the time, we are more emotional than rational and that’s why it’s important that when we are discussing it, the professionals should be there.

It’s not that pastors should gather themselves together and start talking about what they do not know. I do not also believe that it is only doctors that should be there because they would be talking from one point of view. It should be a balanced thing. There is

Are there things adults can do in advance to be fabulously fertile?

You can store your eggs.

We know fertility decreases with age and the thing is the quantity and the quality of the eggs. The good thing is that when you store your eggs, it retains the quality. So if you store your eggs at 30 and then you turn 45 later, the quality of your eggs would still be as that of a 30 year old.

'I wanted to repair planes as a child' Ajayi

morality in IVF because some people involve in some things that are unethical. I think we should get the science right first.

Where exactly does life start in a baby?

As practitioners, what we believe is that life begins when we see the heartbeat of a baby because before then, anything can happen. Even in IVF, some people say pregnancy test is positive but after running a scan, nothing is there. So, it’s when there’s a heartbeat that life starts and it would be up to six weeks of pregnancy.

Would you honestly say that Nordica fertility centres in Nigeria are apace with what obtains in advanced countries?

Like I said, anything that is available in the world is available here in terms of technology. That’s why, for us, we are doing so many things that so many clinics are not doing. In terms of male infertility, we can do anything that is available in the world. We can do ICSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection), IMSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection) we can also do PICSI which is physiological ICSI. We can do DNA fragmentation. We still believe that the egg is the most important thing in the quality of the embryo because what IVF is, it’s to produce an embryo. An embryo is when the sperm and the egg come together and then we transfer the embryo back into the uterus. We’ve always known that the quality of the egg is the quality of the embryo but we now know also that the quality of the sperm contributes about 20 to 40% to the quality of the embryo. Don’t forget all what the doctors can do is get embryo, we can’t get babies. The thing is for you to be able to get the embryo that is able to become a baby. That’s what the doctor can do. Because now, we are able to

know the genes of the baby, we can tell you even at the level of an embryo, one that can become a baby and that which cannot become a baby. Because we now know that about 70 to 75% of embryos produced in labs all over the world cannot become babies and that’s because God is still God. Normally, God made it that a woman should not produce more than one to two eggs every month but because we use drugs, we can get 15 to 20 eggs.

How did you feel when you achieved your first successful IVF? It was in 2004. The young man turned 12 days ago. We celebrated him on September 15th. He was here to cut a cake. The first set of twins we had was in May 2005. The first triplets are the most remarkable; we had them in July 2005. They had the first cycle in which we couldn’t bring out the eggs.

It’s a nice experience so far. I think of them as coming from what we have done. I see them as the gifts that God has given mankind. I do not see the difference between IVF babies and babies born any other way.

Do IVF babies have health challenges?

Babies born through IVF would inherit whatever their parents have except if you do the procedure that we are talking about: PGD or PGS. For example, there are some diseases that you don’t want in your offspring. If two AS people marry, for example, if we do PGD (Pre implantation Genetics Diagnosis), we can pick out the embryos which have the sickle cell and then we don’t transfer them so we don’t transfer diseases from there, we can remove all kinds of diseases including cancer. We can do sex selection through that as well.

Are there still stigmas trailing IVF children?

Yes, but it’s not as strong as it

What about the male?

Men continue to produce sperm although the quality also decreases after 45 and the chances of congenital abnormalities increase. That’s one of the reasons why we are doing some of the tests that we are doing because we now know that your DNA fragmentation increases when you are over 45 which leads to miscarriages and all sorts of things. A man, most of the time, can continue to have babies.

Before you became a doctor, was there any other childhood career dream you’d nursed?

As a child, I wanted to be an aeronautic engineer. I love planes. I didn’t want to fly a plane I just wanted to repair them. That was what I thought I was going to be, but when I was 14, somebody told me because I had started using glasses at 10, with your sight, nobody could entrust you with a plane. That broke my heart and I was looking for something else that I could be. Then at 14 years, I went on a visit to Lagos University Teaching Hospital and I saw medical students for the first time in my life and from that moment I knew I was going to become a doctor. They were in their sparkling clean lab coats, it was pure and heavenly. Then I said, why did I ever want to be an aeronautic engineer? This is what I should be. So, when I was going to the university my first, second and third choices were medicine.

Did you ever get to a point you felt like making a detour again?

Since I made up my mind to practice medicine, there has never been going back.

How did you meet your wife?

I met her when I was doing my NYSC in Ibadan, Oyo State. We met in the hospital. She was a nurse then.

What was the most treasured item she ever gave you?

That’s very difficult for me to remember because I don’t value material things that much. How I look is really not who I am sometimes. I’m such a contradiction, well, maybe because I’m Pisces.

Are there some fashion accessories you also love to collect so much?

I think I like wrist watches, but they are all just there. If you can afford them buy them but if you cannot, leave them alone.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

Friday inspired fashion

A

Deborah Ocheni lot of people have made it a tradition to wear traditional outfits on Fridays.

Some years ago some Muslims would take their traditional dresses to office in a bag and wear them in the afternoon for Jumaat prayer. It is needless to say that the era of carrying extra bags containing traditional outfits has given way as most Muslims can be seen dressed in traditional wears to work on Fridays.

Muslims now wear traditional outfits to office every Friday for the sake of convenience and to avoid changing dresses in the office; this practice obviously caught on with everybody irrespective of religion especially for the fact that Nigerians love traditional dresses.

The fad of wearing native clothes on Fridays is spreading very fast such that even corporate organisations have acceded to this popular culture, requiring their staff to wear corporate attires. So, it is safe to say Fridays are days to showcase Nigerian costumes regardless of the organisation you work.

The idea is to give more dignity to the country's tradition and to ensure that it is sustained. Ladies are not left out in the fad of rocking classic native attires on Fridays especially the ones made in ankara fabrics, and it is becoming a big fashion trend for so many classy ladies including celebrities to wear natives on Fridays.

Instyle

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TIPS zz Keep minimalistic style it you are sceptical about this trend by pairing native top with jeans trousers zz You can layer up ankara trousers with white shirt zz Ankara blouse and short pencil skirt looks corporate zz Rock multi-coloured maxi dress for look that is chic and sophisticated zz Short flayed dress looks simple yet sleek on Fridays zz You may go a little over the top by wearing a matching up and down zz There is no limit to what you can ‘slay’ on Fridays; you just have to be creative about it.

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Instyle

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

ACCESSORIES TO LIVE FOR

Collar necklace: Taking outfits to the next level Deborah Ocheni

C

ollar necklaces can bring you under the spotlight irrespective of your ordinary outfit. The collar necklace has become hugely popular in the fashion track; even though this piece of neck accessory dates back to the ancient Egyptian era, it is today revamped to give the wearer a modern edge.

Jewellery designers and fashion enthusiasts have heavily borrowed this Egyptian embellishment along with its distinguished feature of broad structure and added some spins and twists only

to make this jewellery a statement piece to complement any style and mood.

Collar necklaces have been a huge trend for a while now, and it doesn’t seem like they are going anywhere any time soon. The right collar necklace can bring any outfit to the next level; a really glam one can transform a plain outfit into something special.

A minimal collar necklace serves as a fail-safe finishing touch for an outfit that needs a little extra something.

You may have officially decided to add it to your wardrobe but bear in mind that collar necklace does not pair easily with any and every outfit in your closet.

TIPS zz A nearly bare chest V neckline is the perfect canvas for a minimal collar necklace zz A minimal strapless style echoes the architectural vibe of the metal bauble when paired with collar necklace zz You can now add some glamour dose

to your peplum blouse by pairing it with a collar necklace zz A casual graphic T shirt can become dressier as soon as you pair it with a glam, sparkly collar necklace zz For added edge, layer your neckpiece between the shirt and its collar.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

My style is simple, nice and elegant –Osae-Brown What do you think of the world without fashion?

The world will be very boring without fashion. If you take a look at the biblical creation story, God knows the importance of beauty that is why he created a pretty man and woman in the beautiful Garden of Eden. And when Adam and Eve transgressed, He made clothes to cover their nakedness. Fashion is as old as the world. It keeps evolving.

Which celebrity style do you admire most?

I admire the celebrity designer, Lanre Da Silva Ajayi, I like her creativity and simplicity. Her pieces are unique and very simple. She wears her own label. She looks great in them, always.

Is there anything you are unlikely to be caught wearing?

You can hardly see me wear any attire that is entirely revealing. I don’t wear clothes with spaghetti straps.

I wear sleeveless dresses but not dresses with spaghetti straps.

What makes a woman well dressed?

A woman is well dressed when she is the one wearing the outfit and not the outfit wearing her. The outfit must sit well on her body.

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

Yes. I am petite. Hence I go for dresses that suit that petite shape.

Which fashion trend do you like most?

Recently, I have been experimenting making corporate dresses with African fabrics like ankara. It has turned out great. People who have seen me in them loved them. Lately, I have been wearing dresses made with ankara fabrics even to corporate meetings.

Osae-Brown

Personally what does style mean to you?

For me style means, keep it simple, nice and elegant.

Are you a label freak?

Not all the time, but I love unique pieces that sit well on me. Regardless of what the label is, if it suits my body shape and taste, I go for it.

Beauty

L

Deborah Ocheni ips are some of the most basic features that define your face and expressions. Your lips give the ultimate appeal to your face.

Pretty pink lips are an attractive facial feature, particularly for girls and women.

Yet many ladies suffer from dry, dull and discoloured lips which both look and feel unpleasant. If these problems sound familiar, there's no need to worry! Your lips just

Instyle

MY STYLE

24 September 2016

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

I don’t follow trends; I wear what looks good on me. What will make me look decent and presentable.

Yes, quality is important. However, the fact that a fashion piece is of good quality or premium does not mean it is expensive.

need a little love and attention. Here's how to get pretty pink lips in a jiffy According to WikiHow, exfoliating with a toothbrush and frequent moisturising is key to achieving natural pinker lips Exfoliate with toothbrush One of the best ways to get naturally pink lips is to regularly exfoliate your lips with a toothbrush. All you need to do is dampen a soft-bristled toothbrush and gently rub your lips using small circular motions, this removes dead skin and stimulates blood flow to the

The world without fashion is a boring one according to Funke Osae-Brown. Osae-Brown is a household name in the arts and lifestyle section of the media. The publisher of The Luxury Reporter and beautiful mother of two speaks with Deborah Ocheni about her fashion philosophy, love for the creative sense of modern designers and sundry issues

What do you consider a wardrobe staple?

A dress made of quality African print.

Do you have specific outfits for particular events?

Yes, when I am going for a business meeting, I wear a corporate dress. If I am going for a wedding or church service I wear outfits made with lace fabrics.

What is your ready to go outfit?

A simple, fitted knee length dress.

How would you rate designers of these days?

Modern Nigerian designers have really come of age. They are doing remarkably well. I am impressed by their creativity and style. They are really pushing boundaries with their designs. Most of them now have a ready-to-wear line which, for me, is superb.

Which accessory do you live for?

I love perfumes.

How comfortable do you feel going out without makeup?

I feel very comfortable without makeup. I am not a heavy makeup person. Most times, I apply my powder and lip gloss; at other times, with a dash of lip stick. I really love my natural look.

Do you think women should enhance their beauty with makeup?

Yes, no matter how simple. Face powder is a form of makeup too. You can apply makeup that gives you that natural look.

Do you conform to trends?

No, I don’t.

Does your background influence who you are now?

I grew up in a family where I was brought up to be hard working, slothfulness was not condoned. Hard work was the motto for my siblings and I. We were brought up to be self-independent and to aspire to be the best in all we do. Yes, my background has a strong influence on the adult I have grown up to become.

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

Our target market at The Luxury Reporter is unique.

We have chosen to report a unique market that not many media organisations are currently reporting.

That is an edge for us. In addition to that, we have expanded our online offerings. Aside our website, www.luxuryreporter.ng, we have a monthly e-magazine called TLR, which can be downloaded free on our website. We have published 10 editions since we introduced it in December 2015. In June 2015, we also introduced our WebTV called, TLR Online TV, which is available for viewing on our website and Youtube. On TLR online TV, we take our readers on tour of lifestyle shops, hotels, restaurants, boutiques and luxury stores, to enable them to experience the store visually and make informed decisions.

What are you offering different from other publishers?

Our well researched stories, unique topics, style of writing and the general aesthetics of our website and

Two natural ways to get pink lips lips, making them soft and pink.

Frequent moisturising Frequent and intense moisturising is key when it comes to getting soft, pink lips. Use your favourite hydrating lip balm during the day and slather on a layer of petroleum jelly at night. This is particularly important during periods of very hot or cold weather, as these conditions cause lips to become dried out and flaky.

If you prefer more natural moisturisers, try applying cocoa butter, coconut oil or even olive oil to your lips.

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magazine have differentiated us. We offer quality articles and interviews that are well written. We believe our readers deserve quality content, so we go out to source for our own stories which are unique to us. We don’t aggregate stories from other news website to put on our website as it is common with most online platforms.

Would you say you are satisfied being a journalist?

I am very satisfied. I am proud to be a journalist.

I couldn’t have chosen a better profession that allows me express myself creatively. I love to write. I am enjoying my job. I will choose to be a journalist any day.

Are there any challenges?

The challenges are many, but we are overcoming them one at a time by the grace of God. There are challenges of getting people to believe in what you are doing. It is a niche market and it is quite new.

To pioneer this line of reporting online isn’t easy at all. Most advertisers of luxury brands still believe their clients are not online but they are wrong. There are many well-known names who are consumers of luxury goods, who are online tweeting about their experience.

This kind of mind set is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. Even manufactures of top luxury brands around the world were hesitant at first to come online. They have since realised that their market is online because consumers now like to consume news and information on their favourite brands on-the-go. Therefore, you see brands like Gucci, Rolex, Bugatti, Hennessey, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Versace, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, having strong online presence through their Facebook pages, Twitter handles and other social media networks. Whenever they announce their latest collections online, you see their posts having many likes and shares on Facebook and Instagram, for instance.

How do you manage your time as a mother and career woman?

Being self-employed is the best thing that can ever happen to a woman. It helps you manage your time because you are in total control. I can plan how to do school drop off and pick up. I can also schedule meetings with clients and get back home on time to be with my family.

What informed your decision of becoming a Family Planning advocate?

I got involved in Family Planning advocacy through a friend who works at NURHI. I have been a part of some of their workshops. They need women to tell fellow women that there are women like them using Family Planning but they might just not know. Since I have travelled that road before, I decided to share my experience with fellow women that they have nothing to fear signing up for Family Planning as it helps them get back their lives and career. It expels the fear of unwanted pregnancies.

It also helps them space their children properly in other to live a healthy, quality life.

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

Government has never really been supportive of the creative industry. The creative industry became what it is today through the hard work and resilience of the practitioners in the industry. What government needs to do is to create an enabling environment for these talents to thrive. Piracy is a major challenge that needs to be dealt with by government. Copyright laws need to be enforced and pirates need to be arrested and prosecuted accordingly. Government must take seriously the issue of intellectual property theft. In addition to that, funding in form of grants must be made available for the creative industry. Countries like Germany and France give grants to practitioners in their creative industries because they understand the importance of the contribution of that sector to the Gross Domestic Product of their countries.

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

Hard work and zeal are two qualities you must have to succeed. Also, discover your passion. That is very important. If you are passionate about what you do, back it up with hard work and zeal. Don’t bother about the challenges; just use them as stepping stones to greater things. Adversity brings out the best in you. Don’t ever be discouraged. More importantly, pray hard.

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Interiors

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

Fascinating stair banister Deborah Ocheni

I

t may be small or narrow, but that doesn't mean your stairway can't get the same decorating treatment as the rest of your house.

Stairway banister serve more than a functional purpose, they give stairs

a visual presence and make a staircase a work of art.

Intricately detailed iron railings garner attention without blocking incoming light or views of the arched window located behind the staircase.

Gracefully shaped stairway banister details create a sophisticated stair railing that takes a slight twist

at the landing. The single railing complements the homeowner's elegant furnishings and provides a rich counterpoint.

Striking in its simplicity, an iron stairway banister captivates attention while straight banisters embellished with knuckle like details guide eyes and traffic upward without any distraction.

TIPS zz Decorating them with twinkle lights will bring in some charm, extra personality and act as a nice nightlight. zz Paint them! If you want to dive in and update their look, try using a new colour of paint on them. Even if you want to brighten them up with a neutral shade, or darken them up with something deeper painting them is a great way to change the atmosphere. zz Use beads to jazz things up a bit or even thread some ribbon to give a softer look. You could even try to tie some scarves together to give an ethereal feel. zz Wrought-iron staircase railing makes a sculptural statement zz For traditional-style homes, the tightly tailored look of a classic white-and-wood-tone stairwell is often the best choice.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

No romantic feelings for Lynxxx –KC Ejelonu p.20

ShowBiz

Knowing how close you and Olaniyi Afonja are as partners, have you both considered acting a serious movie devoid of the comic talents you are now widely known for?

Of course, it is very possible. We can do it and don’t forget we started with serious movies but that was before we discovered our talents for comic movies.

What can you recollect if asked to offer an account of your grass to grace story?

I can’t help but often remember the time I was suffering but you know enjoying for just one year after suffering for 10 years almost always wipes away the memory of those years of suffering. The challenges were diverse but you just have to keep going on no matter what. We are now popular but one must remember that one started with some of our friends and many of them are not where one is today.

There is a lot of difference with where you are coming from and where you are but we thank God for the evident changes in our lives.

'Muniru ati Ambali' is arguably the most popular movie you have featured in. Do you think any other movie comes close in terms of fame and commercial success?

You can’t deny the goodness of God, there is none. We are involved in the industry constantly and we know the marketing data of the industry and of all the movies I and my partner, Sanyeri, have featured in or produced, no one can compare. I have done a lot and he has done many as well but sometimes the area you are not looking at maybe the avenue for God to bless and elevate your efforts.

Which movie would you consider most challenging?

There is no movie without its peculiar challenges but I’d say that same movie that shot me to limelight, Kamilu Kompo was the most challenging yet. It took so much efforts for the movie to hit the market and even after it did, we didn’t know that was how it would turn out but God made it happen.

You are mostly known as Kamilu Kompo but not everyone likes to be called by the characters they have played at a time or the other. How do you feel about this?

I played the character in Oleyo, just as I did in Jonathan, Eda l’on sare, Kamilu Kompo and even Muniru ati Ambali.

There is none of these by which I am not called. I am also called Golugo in some movies and if by tomorrow fans choose to call me by another name, it is all well and good. I don’t mind at all.

Based on a character or the other they portray, it is usual for fans to react in funny ways upon seeing actors oneone-one? Have you encountered any of such?

Some people always act as antagonists in movies, like Broken Bottle (also known as Ajigijaga), may his soul rest in peace. He always acted as a criminal and the way he talked and acted make

Hot new girls to watch out for in music p.21

Kamilu Kompo

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Who are the people featuring in the movie you are working on presently?

Myself, my partner, Olaniyi Afonja; Muyiwa Ademola, Oga Bello, Faithia Balogun, Wale Akorede and many others.

Apart from Sanyeri who is widely known as your partner and friend, who else do you regularly work with in the industry?

I relate with everyone because no one knows tomorrow. We are in the thick of it now but some people are surely coming after. So, there is no one who doesn’t call on us and there is no one we also do not call upon. Even if you are not a comedian already, we will try to blend you. My synergy with Sanyeri is seemingly flawless because we were trained at the same time and same place but we work with everyone else.

Giving birth 5 years after marriage taught me more about life – Kamilu Kompo Adekola Tijani (popularly known as Kamilu Kompo) is currently one of the most popular players in the Yoruba section of Nollywood. Funny and spontaneous in movies, the calm and calculated actor in real life spoke to Adedayo Odulaja on life, career and others. people look at him in real life as if he wass truly an armed robber. Chief Kanran is another man who is always act the role of a wealthy man. So, people always expect to see him living in luxury without realising that he only plays that character in movies. But if I’ve only shot one movie but someone like Muyiwa Ademola had shot 30 movies, they would want to cling to me because of the part of humour I portray. Humour always leaves a bigger impression on people and while Muyiwa Ademola is viewed as a gentleman, they would look at me based on the comic scenes I’ve portrayed and they tend to disturb people like us more than they would any other person.

Is there at least a particular weird or crazy moment you recall from any encounter with fans?

You know the way you and I have been relating on the phone is nothing like the way we behave in movies. That is work but people don’t think of it as such, they see you and ask you to recreate a particularly humourous scene in a movie. That has happened many times and doing what you are asked would make you look like a nuisance. We are used to it though.

Who were the people you were looking up to as mentors and inspiration before you became a notable actor?

There are many elderly people in our line of business. From the likes of Baba Sala, Baba Mero even before it got to the likes of Baba Suwe, Baba Latin, Lanko, Ijesa,

The Yoruba section of Nollywood is widely known for its various cliques and caucuses. Which do you belong?

We have our own and it is called The Unique Charitable Foundation which is headed by Muyiwa Ademola who is the president.

Faithia Balogun is the vice-president while Femi Adebayo is the financial secretary with myself and Sanyeri also included. That is the caucus we work with and go out together.

Do you get scripts for most of these movies you feature in or you are just left to improvise and come up with what you can on your own?

Yes, by God’s grace. We get the scripts, read and digest them and we pencil down whatever ideas we have and then present it when we get to location. It may be about subtraction or addition of certain areas but you won’t know the direction of the movie.

Since you are also very actively producing your own movies, how do you juggle your time between your own projects and the ones people need you for?

It is all about scheduling. For now I am booked from now until the end of October so we can only find a way of adjusting to calls that come in from now. With planning, every activity, be it producing or acting in other movies, can be accommodated.

What direction will you want your career to take while noting that God has blessed you to some length?

God has not blessed me enough; I pray God blesses me more. You know the nature of our work, one must keep praying, continue to work hard and be humble but on the whole, I believe I am still going far. May God by His grace help me get there. I pray for grace, life and good health to ensure and enjoy God’s blessings.

Could one say being funny played a role in convincing your wife to date you when you met her?

Work is paramount but you know many people are funny; especially in this industry of ours but once the camera is on, they are unable to show it. But in real life, when you see how gentle Baba Suwe and Baba Latin are, you won’t believe they are that funny but once the camera starts rolling, inspiration comes to naturally but I can’t say that played a role in my wife’s decision to date and then marry me.

By the time we met and even got married, I was not known as a comic actor but surely you can’t discontenance that I must have been a funny person to her.

So, what should your fans expect as 2016 begins to wind down, especially with Nigeria in recession?

We are presently on location as we speak and very soon we will conclude shooting for the forthcoming movie and then proceed on the final part of the production process. But like I said, the movie does not have a title yet.

How true is it that you and your wife had to wait for five years after marriage before your baby arrived?

Yes, we did but in the end God took control. I was totally overwhelmed and grateful to God when the baby arrived.

It is one of life’s challenges but one must keep going. It taught me more about life and how to handle life’s challenges.

Dejo Tunfulu and so on. All these people along with one elderly man in Ibadan, Baba Kuete and Baba Sabiko, Baba Aderupoko and many others used to entertain us and we would commend them but our thoughts never went to that area at all. We just wanted to act but we didn’t know the actual lane we should explore. In my first movie, I acted as a student, because we had not discovered out talents at the time.

Until I acted as Kamilu Kompo, Sanyeri also acted in Aina Orosun, that year and they were very well received. This led us to finally realise this was our way and we have remained on it ever since.

20 Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

No romantic feelings for Lynxxx –KC Ejelonu Buxom actress, Kelechi Ejelonu, is not one to regret quitting a well-paying banking job in the U.K. to pursue her dream in Nollywood.

She speaks about her career, men and more in this interview with LANRE ODUKOYA. You once said you get intimidated by much taller guys when you’re cast with them…

I actually didn’t say taller guys intimidate me, I meant that my height sometimes get in my way of getting roles.

This is because sometimes they would have picked their male actor and his height when they match us side by side wouldn’t just work.

Does that make you feel terrible?

I really don’t feel terrible because in Hollywood, they can find a way around things like this. Height is not an issue it’s just that in our industry, they can’t fix that gap in height. They just want to shoot and go into the next project. In Hollywood they spend months to sort it but they don’t have that patience in Nollywood- they just want to move on to the next project even if the chemistry is great between the actors.

After featuring in the musical video of the song, ‘Ife Wa Gbona’ by Tiwa Savage, have you done anything else with the lady and what’s your relationship with her at present?

No, I’m not a video vixen. It just happened that the director of that musical video is some I’d worked with in the past. His name is Bolaji Kekere-Ekun, I worked with him on his short film entitled Nkiru. He was the one trying to cast for a character in the video and sent me a message to ask if I was available and I said yes. He said he was going to show my photo to Tiwa Savage and her manager at the time, because they obviously needed to see the people they were casting. And that was how I got on the video.

Did Tiwa Savage give the director an express approval?

Yes. The director would give the picture and profile of who is going to be in the video to the artiste. The artiste also has to approve it because it’s their music video and she approved. And then, I got the details for everything. It was a great experience.

What was the response of people when it came out eventually?

People saw the video and it was later

cause I was beginning to get many calls for roles. And I know Tinsel is more or less a Monday to Friday thing. I was actually meant to be on Tinsel much earlier but one of the producers kept reserving me for something else. She

with?

They are Rita Dominic, Omotola EkeindeJolade, Olu Jacobs, Joke Silva, Ego Boye is a fantastic actress, and Pete Edochie.

How have you dealt with men who tried to take advantage of you in Nollywood?

Before they can try that, they’d look at the person they’re trying that with. I always say that the way you present yourself matters a great deal. If someone sees a lady and he tries to take advantage of her, it’s either he’d seen a beautiful girl and wants to try his luck or the lady is exposing some parts of her body and the guy is having fun watching the girl. I have never been faced with the sex for role condition, they dare not try it with me. I don’t put myself out like that. I believe the one who could be abused like that is the one who is desperate and I’m not one. So, they’d only try it with girls who are vulnerable.

You’ve never been romantically linked with anyone since you came into the industry. Don’t you think you’ve been unnecessarily discreet about your relationship?

The kind of career I’d chosen put my face out and I need something to keep to myself and that thing is my relationship. The public can find out any other thing but I want to keep this for myself.

The minute you sought stardom and found it, your life doesn’t seem yours alone anymore because you influence the public. And if they desire to If a guy likes me know your relationship and he’s going status, have they asked for too much? online to check The media has a way of breaking relationships for my status, if you don’t protect it You have to that turns me off. yourself. protect it like a baby. that they realized it was me. I was in a different attire; I was wearing more traditional wear. I hardly wear traditional wears.

I guess they saw me differently. It was cool. I got a good reception on that one.

Did you start a friendship with Tiwa from that point?

I haven’t done any other project for her after then but when we see each other, we say hello and she’s very cool and humble.

You’ve also lamented very unserious people who just want to call girls for the fun of it and they turn out not to mean business.

I got this information about this audition although, not a lot of information but as an actor you have to go and check things out. I went for the audition and the guys involved were telling them to show their bellies and they were chatting. It just felt like they were bored at home and they decided to do an audition.

Although you haven’t done many movies, you’ve actually had some very brilliant outings. Would you say that acting has been paying your bills?

Acting has been picking my bills, though not all. A lot of people didn’t know that I had a 9am-5pm job which I left last year. I got into Tinsel sometime in March this year, I was away for Christmas to see my parents and had to make a decision to choose between that job and acting be-

Try and contact me. Send me a message didn’t k n o w w h a t she was reserving me for but she said w h e n the role Ejelonu comes s h e would give me a call.

Well, she gave me a call this year then I had to leave my 9am-5pm job because Tinsel would take more of my time and I couldn’t joggle it. I believe people should have different streams of income because acting doesn’t guarantee you steady money. You might be guaranteed a job that would not be paying the kind of money you desire.

You left Berkley Bank’s job in the UK where you’d have been promoted and earned a better welfare package for the uncertainties in the Nigerian showbiz space, would you say that you’re still proud of that decision you made?

If it’s with regards to money, yes I would have a lot more.

I have master’s degree and I have experience so even if I come to Nigeria and I’m not getting movie roles, I know I would get a job with my qualifications. I don’t regret my decision.

Who are the actors you still aspire to work

Does confessing you have a relationship expose it to danger?

Saying I have a relationship and denying that I’m in one, what is that doing to the society?

What if there’s someone admiring you enough and wants to know if it’s safe to be closer? And your social media status doesn’t even reveal anything about whether you’re in a relationship or not.

I’m a very traditional girl, very old fashioned. If a guy likes me and he’s going online to check for my status, that turns me off. Try and contact me. Send me a message.

How will he get your email address, phone number or any other means of reaching you?

You can send me a message on Facebook.

But you just said you don’t like to be sought after online…

I’m that kind of girl who appreciates a man who is bold enough to walk up to me and say, I really like you. If you want me to be your girlfriend, I want you to say it, would you be my girlfriend? Unfortunately I’m that kind of person. A lot of my friends complain I don’t answer my whatsapp, BMM and Facebook messages and I would tell them, call me. I’m very okay with that. If people want to know if I’m in a relationship, the only answer I can give is that I’m not married. And someone who’s not married is obviously available.

Is there anybody like your kind of guy in showbiz?

I don’t want to use the word ‘crush’. If I mention Lynxxx, it’s because he’s a guy who’s got a sweet heart and I knew him before I got into the industry. I’ve watched him grow and he’s a guy I’m really proud of. I look at him and say, that’s a great guy.

So, if Lynxxxx comes comes for your hand in marriage, would you say yes to him?

No, he’s actually like my brother. I told you how long I’ve known him. I don’t like him in a romantic way. Do I like anyone in the industry romantically? The answer is no.

Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

Okebalama

Hot new girls to watch out for in music

Rae

Swarming the music industry like bees on honeycombs, these starlets are carving a niche with astonishing presence. They all make music soothingly easy. OGECHI NDUBUNMA takes a cursory look at the new girls on the bloc.

Gyang

Chidinma Okebalama a.k.a Chee This Nigerian songstress has been virtually away for a long time. She released a song titled “A Non Ebea” which was a hit and since then has been away from the limelight. She however made a comeback with her recent collaboration with Olamide on the song “No More” produced

by Leriq. During her break, she was not completely out of sight as she performed at different major events and wedding gigs. We recall she was also one of those who thrilled at Glo CAF awards last year.

Ruby Gyang She is signed to Chocolate City and has a baby with Jesse Jagz, M.I.’s brother. She joined the record label in 2015. Ruby is an Afro Soul singer and songwriter who said that Whitney Houston, Mary J Blige, John Legend, Beyonce and Asa are her role models. She spent her early years in Jos, Plateau State. Ruby has been involved in other ventures apart from music, but she is becoming a major Nigerian singer and she’s definitely one to watch out for.

Niniola

Simi

Zaina

Niniola This sexy Nigerian singer and songwriter broke into the limelight in 2013 after she was 3rd runner up in the MTN Project Fame reality show.

This beauty is slowly paving her way into the music industry and making an indelible name.

She was nominated as the Most Promising Act to watch in the 2015 Nigerian Entertainment Awards after she released the song entitled “Ibadi” which was used as a sound track in the season 2 of the series ‘Gidi Up’. Niniola is currently making headlines and is undoubtedly a face that fans would continually love to see if she continues to dazzle the way she’d done these past months. She insists her role models are Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton, Madonna, Beyonce, Celine Dion, Angelique Kidjo and The Cranberries. She also likes Sheyi Shay, Yemi Alade and Aramide.

Simi Simisola Bolatito Ogunleye known by her stage name, Simi, is another artiste to watch out for.

In such a short time, the velvet-voiced girl has risen and done so much. She is signed to X3M Music and had her first album released in 2006.

She came into the limelight after she released the song “Tiff”. She has collaborated with artistes like Adekunle Gold and Falz while speculated to be in a relationship with one of the two.

She got her record deal after she did the covers of some popular songs like “Man Down” by Rihanna and “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele.

Her songs with Falz have topped charts and were major hits. One of such song is “Soldier” which has over 700,000 views on youtube.

Zaina Zaina is an American Nigerian singer and songwriter born in Chicago. Zaina has a degree in Law. She has worked with artistes like Banky W, Eldee, Lynxxx, Styl Plus, Sauce Kid and many others. She is signed to Soul Muzik and had performed at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards in New York. She has also received two nominations from the NEA award. The dark skinned beauty is one artiste to watch out for. So far she has released two singles and one video.

She recently opened the third edition of Darey’s Love Like a Movie, his signature concert.

Lola Rae This beautiful artiste made it to stardom with the song “Watch My Ting Go” which many would not have anticipated because of the fact that she spent a long time in England. She has released more songs since then. She is a Briton, Ghanaian and Nigerian. She was nominated for the “Most Promising Act to Watch at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards. The songstress is also a dancer and had shown her skills in most of her music videos. Her most recent song is titled “One Time” and it has been featured on various charts already. It is speculated to be her biggest song so far. She made a cameo appearance as Ice Prince’s love interest in his song “More”. She is becoming one of the best and she has only just begun.

Victoria Kimani Miss Kimani is an American-born Kenyan singer, actress, entertainer and songwriter.

Like Ruby she is signed to Chocolate City. She is called the record label’s first lady. She has her unique styles and all of them work perfectly for her. She knows how to dress her curves and show off her hot legs. Kimani claims that she receives criticisms from Kenya because of the time she spends in Nigeria. It might surprise you to know that her parents are clergies. Her songs have been played across Africa. Her song ‘Show” was a major hit and is still being played in Nigeria. However, she has had other hits.

Kimani is becoming a major competition in the industry and we have our eyes on her.

Kimani

Nyra

Emma Nyra Emma Nyra seems to have some things in common with Zaina, Lola and Kimani. She is also an American-born Nigerian singer. She is an actress, model and songwriter too. Emma Nyra released her debut albums in 2011 and they are “Do It’ and “Everything I Do”. She signed a contract with Made Men Music Group after working with Iyanya and D’Tunes for a while.

She has also worked with Davido, Patoranking and other artistes. She made a vocal appearance in Iyanya's “Your Waist”. Like some others on this list she was nominated for “Most Promising Act” At the “Nigerian Entertainment award.

Although she recently left Made Men Music after a major fight, she has a single on the way and is not relenting in her efforts.

Toby Grey Toby is known for the cover of Kiss Daniel’s “Woju” which she titled “Gboju”. The song caused a slight frenzy at the time because some people were of the opinion that she was capitalising on Kiss’s song for her own fame. She is a song writer, singer and performing artiste. She was influenced by Asa, Nneka, Ciara, Lewis and Leona. She has performed at different events and recently graduated from the University of Lagos with a degree in French. Toby has quite a number of good singles but she’s yet to make her debut album.

Temmie Ovwasa The beautiful YBNL princess was recently signed by Olamide. She said she did not believe it when Olamide sent her a message on social media, but when he sent her a direct message she knew that it was a serious deal. She has released her debut album titled ‘Jabole’. Temmie is a very fresh face on the music scene and we can’t wait to see more of her.

Grey

Ovwasa

21

22

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Social Media Craze TravelTourism

24 September 2016

Trending

Gist

Photos Controversies

Adedayo Odulaja

Social media booms as KSA turns 70

S

Sunny Ade

PSquare excited as 'Bank Alert' garners 1 million views in 5 days

N

ow that the hitherto feuding Okoye twins popularly known as Psquare, have decided to channel their energy into music once again, their fans are clearly excited. We guess there is no better way to make this known than for fans to propel PSquare to a record-breaking achievement of gathering more than one million views just a few days after releasing the video of their latest effort.

The song, a rhythmic infusion of diverse sound containing lines from a famous Onyeka Onwenu song, was released days before and the video followed shortly after. Titled “Bank Alert”, the visual for the celebratory

song featuring the legendary Onyeka Onwenu, John Okafor (Mr Ibu), Kcee, Phyno and others, was released on September 16 and by Wednesday, September 21, it had over a million views on YouTube. One can’t put the feat down to anything other than fans showing love to the brothers despite their widely publicised in-fighting which many had concluded is seemingly unending.

As at the time of writing this piece, the video has at least 1,021,000 views on the online video platform, and to show their appreciation to fans, the twins wrote: “1m views!!! Thanks so much guys for the love and support.

Gbagam. #Bank Alert.”

eptember 22 was the birthday of Juju legend, King Sunny Ade and Nigerians did not forget to celebrate the man who is rightfully regarded as one of the world’s most influential music icons. The man who has transcended generations when it comes to entertaining Nigeria, Africa and indeed, the world, was not just celebrating any other birthday. It was his 70th.

From President Muhammadu Buhari to Governor Rauf Aregbesola to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and even the chairman of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, the congratulatory messages flew in from all directions.

Not left out of the frenzy, corporate organisations including Union Bank, GTB joined scores of Radio and TV stations to ensure it was a befitting 70th birthday for the Ondo State-born Juju maestro.

As statements were been issued all around, so was the social media scene in Nigeria agog with the celebration of a true star who has been active for well over four decades in the entertainment scene.

A statement issued by Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity in Abuja says: “President Buhari joins friends, family and fans of the multi-talented instrumentalist, songwriter and dancer in celebrating his remarkable life.”

While noting with delight that Sunny Ade had been given numerous awards for (his) outstanding performances, including nominations for the Grammy, the president added that the Septuagenarian had over the years brought pride to his country by mastering his art against all odds and taken the African musical genre to the global stage.

He noted “King Sunny Ade’s love for humanity, especially the less privileged, by setting up a foundation that caters for the needs of others’’ and prayed that almighty God would grant “the versatile entertainer longer life, good health and more strength.”

Born on Sept. 22, 1946 in Osogbo, Sunday Adeniyi is more popular as King Sunny Ade whose career begun with Moses Olaiya’s Federal Rhythm Dandies, a highlife band, before he left to form a new band, The Green Spots in 1967.

The birthday of the legendary musician ensured he was one of the trending topics on Twitter on Thursday just as many Nigerians also paid tribute to him on Instagram.

Writing on Twitter in acknowledgement of the Juju king’s birthday, Star 101.5 FM wrote: “NP: Let them say – King Sunny Ade Happy birthday Sir!” Another Twitter user, Adebiyi Kayode Isaac@CallyKayode wrote: “King Sunny Ade is the definition of aging gracefully. Happy Birthday, #KSA! On his own, YourWayVideo @KAYZWENDEH_ wrote: “Happy 70th birthday to the Legendary Juju music Icon King Sunny Ade #KSA. The 1st Nigerian to be nominated for Grammy award.”

Singer, YQ who is credited with introducing late rapper, DaGrin, to the world through featuring him, wrote via his @officialYQ handle: “Happy birthday to a Legend. One of the fathers of African music, KSA King Sunny Ade.” R2TV@R2_TV wrote: “Happy birthday to musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, the LEGEND. King “Sunny Ade…” Ajala Jalingo@UNCLE_AJALA: “Happy 70th Birthday to King Sunny Ade. Legend.”

However, a Twitter user had expressed his anger earlier that despite celebrating his 70th birthday, many were not acknowledging the icon on Twitter. Known as Femi Lee, he vented his anger through his @femscie handle by writing: “It’s King Sunny Ade’s 70th birthday and TwitterNG is almost mute. Since it’s not Jay-Z& what have you. We are mentally enslaved.”

At the end of the day, Femi would have been assuaged as King Sunny Ade did not just trend on account of his birthday, it was acknowledged well within and beyond the shores of Nigeria.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK When you just bought a car and there is no access to your girlfriend's house and you need to prove it to her

PSquare

PHOTO: FACEBOOK

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

Investigations

23

SCHOOLS OFFER PAYMENT IN INSTALLMENTS, EXERCISE BOOKS TO WOO PUPILS

The dwindling fortunes of public schools appeared before now to have defeated the purpose for which they were established as many of them degenerated and became eyesores. Their loss became gains for private schools that sprang up under different names and standards. But, with the economic meltdown in the country, parents who could no longer cope with the high cost of these institutions are withdrawing their wards back to the once rejected government schools. ISIOMA MADIKE, who went round as schools resumed, reports the many incentives being deployed by these private institutes to keep their pupils

Isioma madike

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

“C

hange” is the slogan of the All Progressives Congress-led government at the centre in Nigeria. Many fell for it as they appeared tired with the old order. Today, however, things are changing out of control or so it seemed.

Though, schools resumed on Monday after more than two months holidays,

Pupils of Local Government Nursery and Primary School, Ijegun in Assembly Hall. Inset: Students of another public school also in Lagos.

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

owners of private schools, parents as well as pupils are not amused. There were low turnouts of pupils across private schools. The harsh economic realities of today, occasioned by the biting recession, seemed to have reconfigured the educational equation across the nation.

To beat this challenge, parents are withdrawing their kids from private secondary, primary and nursery schools.

They complained that they could no longer cope due to the fact that their take

home pays can no longer take them home.

A support staff member of one of the new generation banks with head office along Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Anthony Boi, had three of his children at the prestigious Mayflower Private School, Ikenne, Ogun State. The pupils brought back home a letter from continued on page 24

24

Investigations

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

the school management as they were coming home for the long holidays.

The content was an upward review of both school and accommodation fees.

“We were paying a little above N79, 000, which they now increased to approximately N118, 000 per pupil.

For someone like me that have three of my kids in the school, it becomes difficult to cope. So, I have no option than to move them to the public section, even though that was not what I wanted because of the quality. But, that is what my salary can carry as my wife has been out of job for quite a while now,” Boi said.

Boi, however, is not an isolated case. A middle aged woman, who identified herself simply as Chinasa, also told Saturday Telegraph that her husband had to relocate her and the children to their native Imo State when they could no longer survive with his meagre income in Lagos State. Many other families have also taken their children back to their grandparents in the villages as a way of cutting back on their expenses.

Chinasa said: “We have four children and all of them were in private schools here in Lagos. Unfortunately, the schools increased their fees, citing high cost of maintaining their facilities and hiring quality teachers. We couldn’t blame them because everyone knows that the country is tough now.

“Incidentally, my husband’s income has remained static. If it were to be the time I had 'provision' store, I would have been supportive like any good wife, but I lost my shop when I couldn’t pay for what the owner was demanding as rent. So, his parents suggested we relocate back home as they believe the private schools in Imo State would be less expensive.

“That was not to be, anyway. We realised sooner than we settled down that it was not any better in that part of the country. With this reality, we had to enroll the kids in public school.

The private school’s starting fees for the two children in the primary were over N120,000 while the public demanded only N5,000 for school uniforms. And we were asked to buy the textbooks, which are not available in the school. The fees of the other two in secondary school were also exorbitant. So, we had to settle for the one we could afford.”

Bola, a JSS 2 student of Barachel Model College, Ifako off Oyemekun Street, Lagos, was also withdrawn and taken to Prof. Babs Fafunwa Millenium College, a state governmentowned public school, Omole. Her parents could no longer cope with the N54, 000 fees per term the college charges for that level of students.

Though, she was not happy over the change, Bola nonetheless, understood the circumstances that warranted the realignment.

“Initially, I was sad because I thought my friends would laugh at me. But, I soon discovered I was not alone in this; many of my friends were also taken away from private to public schools. Two of my elder siblings are in the university and I can understand the difficulty my parents are facing trying to give us the best they could afford. This is what the much talked about change brought about; the situation is affecting many families at present,” she said.

The story is virtually the same at most other private schools across the country. But, the owners of these schools are not relenting, as many of them have come up with some incentives to retain their pupils. For

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

‘I was sad when my parents

A Lagos high grade private school PHOTO: buzznigeria.com

Another private school in a Lagos suburb PHOTO: www.cato.org

instance, in Normal College, Ifako, Agege, Lagos, parents were promised a five per cent cut in the fees should they pay up before the resumption date.

A senior teacher in the school, who preferred to be anonymous, told Saturday Telegraph that the strategy worked because many parents, according to him, rushed to pay because they needed to benefit from such lure. “Quite a sizable number of parents benefited from this. You know that things are hard and many people would want anything that could cushion the effect of this recession.

“It’s a motivation the owners of the college are contemplating sustaining in this hard time. We did our survey and discovered that our contemporaries lost many of their pupils to public schools.

So, if we did not take such action, we would have suffered this same fate.”

Also in Avid International Schools (secondary, primary and nursery), Idimu Road, Osuke-Ota, Ogun State, management of the schools distributed textbooks to pupils that completed their fees before resumption. Apart from this, they provided a flexible mode of payment, by allowing payment in installments. This, a source in the schools said, was done to encourage parents who are not finding things easy at this critical period.

Other schools such as Facebook Primary/Nursery School, Ojodu; Maytop Nursery/Primary School, Iju-Ishaga, Lagos; St, Michael Dolly College, Maryland, Lagos; Adebayo Mokuola College, Ikeja, Lagos, and Isa Valley College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos, have equally devised means to beat off the “change” in the land. While some discounted their fees, others accepted pay-

ments in installments. A few others distributed exercise books to their pupils.

When this reported visited some public schools in the state to ascertain how they are coping with this seeming surge, the principals and head of primary schools encountered, refused to comment. They cited the civil service rule as inhibiting them from talking to the press. “We are not permitted to talk to the press. You can go to the ministry as that is the only place you could get whatever information you desire,” one of them said.

At the ministry, the reporter met a brick wall, as the commissioner for education who doubles as the deputy governor was said not to be in her office.

An assistant director, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Saturday Telegraph that the ministry anticipated such a situation and had planned for it.

“Well, it’s a confirmation that public schools are back with the standards they were known for in the past. It’s not only about hardship in the country but the confidence people now have on government schools. Though, the country is hard, if the public schools are not doing well, parents won’t look at our direction. That is the simple truth. So, we are coping fine, if that answers your question.”

A good education, it is often said, is the most precious legacy any parent can leave for their child. This may be why parents make provision that will secure the future of their children. It could also be the reason the founding fathers of modern Nigeria envisaged a public school system that would be a global champion, whose products will play major roles in the country’s future.

That probably informed the original mission of schools, which was “to encourage the advancement of learning throughout Nigeria and to hold out to all persons, without distinction of race, creed or sex, the opportunity of acquiring a liberal and sound education.”

Public schools, in the early days of

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

Interview With Rio medal, I've no regret dumping Holland – Troost-Ekong p.27

Sport Splash

25

News Peters slams Rohr over list for Zambia clash p.32

Moses

Super Saturday

Iwobi, Moses set London on fire

•Musa, Mikel battle for spots •Eagles stars need tough games to prepare for Zambia –Salisu

P

Ajibade Olusesan otentially, up to five Nigerians could be on parade when London giants Arsenal and Chelsea clash in an English Premier League tie today at the Emirates Stadium.

Super Eagles forward, Alex Iwobi, seems to have cemented his place in the Gunners’ first eleven while Chuba Akpom is looking forward to emulating his childhood friend after

The Team Ajibade Olusesan l Co-ordinator

Charles Ogundiya l Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

playing a part in his side’s 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the English Football League Cup midweek.

Chelsea have three Nigerians in the senior team with Victor Moses being the most likely to play in this match. Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi is yet to feature under Coach Antonio Conte and will be looking forward to making his 250th league appearance for the Blues. There is also youngster Dominic Solanke who the manager holds in high esteem.

Iwobi who broke into the Arsenal senior squad last term has continued his good run of form for the Gunners this season after providing three assists.

Although he did not score in Arsenal’s 4-0 win at Hull City last weekend, he was regarded arguably the best player on the pitch after providing two assists. He was also in fine

Odion Ighalo and Isaac Success played against Man United and they both did well, this is a good preparation for us ahead of the World Cup qualifier

form a few days earlier as the Gunners recorded 1-1 draw at PSG in the UEFA Champions League The forward has gained confidence and power; he has a good combination of quick passing, picking players out and running with the ball with a good eye for goals and is capable of wreaking havoc on the Blues today.

Moses was in action for 90 minutes as Chelsea came from two goals down to pick a 4-2 win at Leicester on Tuesday, and the Nigerian will be willing to run the flanks for Conte's men at the Emirates today.

Ahmed Musa has not pulled his weight well enough since he moved to Leicester and it will be a miracle if he starts at Old Trafford when his side face off with Manchester United today.

He started in the loss to Chelsea

Iwobi

and could not stamp his authority on the match before he was pulled off in the second half. Jamie Vardy is likely going pair Islam Slimani in Leicester’s front line while Miyad Mahrez will play in Musa’s preferred right wing.

“It is good that the players are involved in big games like that before the World Cup qualifier against Zambia,” Super Eagles assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf, told our correspondent.

“Iwobi is doing well and I am sure he will prove himself against Chelsea.

And for Moses, we all know what he can do on his day. Just last week, Odion Ighalo and Isaac Success played against Man United and they both did well, this is a good preparation for us ahead of the World Cup qualifier and we hope that these players will come back home and carry their club form into the Super Eagles.”

26

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

Nigerian League Rendezvous

BY CHARLES OGUNDIYA

Rangers, Rivers, others in final push for title T he 2016 league season could be termed as the toughest in the history of the Nigeria Professional Football League with up to five clubs still mathematically in the race to win the title.

Six points separate the top six teams but Lobi Stars who have played one match more are already out of the race.

But any of the leaders - Rangers, Rivers United, Wikki Tourists, IfeanyiUbah FC and Kano Pillars - can still emerge champions, although Rangers remain the favourite.

The Flying Antelopes travel to Abeokuta to take on relegated Ikorodu United this weekend, but should be wary of the current form of the Oga Boys, as they have been getting results since moving to the Ogun Statecapital. The last match of the season will see

Rangers take on El-Kanemi Warriors at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium, Enugu.

In the case of Rivers United, just a point behind Rangers, anything short of victory against relegation threaten Abia Warriors and Akwa United on the final day will end their dream of winning the league in their first season since the merger of Dolphins and Sharks.

Wikki have more goals advantage than other teams and a slip by Rangers and Rivers United will swing the title in their favour, although they have to get the full points away to Shooting Stars this weekend.

IfeanyiUbah and Kano Pillars have outside chance of winning the title but it will take a total collapse by the top three for them to win.

Rangers (57 points) Ikorodu Utd vs Rangers Rangers vs El-Kanemi Rivers United (56 points) Rivers Utd vs Abia Warriors Akwa Utd vs Rivers Utd Wikki Tourists (54 points) Shooting vs Wikki Wikki vs Sunshine IfeanyiUbah (53 points) IfeanyiUbah vs Enyimba MFM vs IfeanyiUbah Kano Pillars (51 points) Heartland vs Kano Pillars Kano Pillars vs Tornadoes

Destiny now in our hands –Obaroakpo Ikenna Amadi

A

bia Warriors’ defender, Austin Obaroakpo, believes the chances of his team escaping relegation now lies in their own hands.

The team defeated Enyimba 3-1 in a rescheduled league match during the week, and the defender has charged his teammates to build on that result ahead of their last two matches of the season.

He expressed optimism ahead of their game against Rivers United this weekend as he believes, the team will go all out for the three points against the title challengers.

“Now our destiny is in our hands, this result has lifted us and we are going to fight to stay up,” he said.

“We are going there to put in our best; as much as they need a victory, we also need it too. We need to escape relegation and we are not going to fold our arms against them. We have to make sure we come out with three points.”

IfeanyiUbah's Elu Wilson (left) challenges Lobi Stars' Patrick Ikeokwu for the ball

Rangers not relenting until title is won – Chukwu

T

echnical consultant of Enugu Rangers, Christian Chukwu, has said the club is not relenting until the title is won despite taking a step closer to their dream.

The Nigeria Professional Football League leaders currently top the table with 57 points, one point ahead of Rivers United in second place.

Rangers have waited for the title for 32 years and this is the closest they would get to the trophy in recent years, with two matches to the end of the season.

We have suffered a lot to get to where we are now,” Chukwu said.

“We are not relenting because we still have two matches to go and we are going to give it everything because we don’t believe that we have won anything yet. We are going to start celebrating after the last match.”

The former Super Eagles coach applauded the League Management Company for how they have turned the league around.

While comparing his active days in the league to the present generation, he said he was happy that the glamour associated with the league was gradually returning.

Rangers will take on relegated Ikorodu United this weekend with a victory taking them a step closer to the title.

Which team joins Giwa, Ikorodu in NNL?

THE TWO FIXTURES

W

ith two games to the end of the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League season, more than four teams are fighting to escape the drop.

Banned Giwa FC and Ikorodu United are both confirmed to play in the Nigeria National League next season, but the other two teams that will be joining them in the lower division remains the question.

Abia Warriors and Heartland gave themselves some reprieve after their midweek victory against Enyimba and Niger Tornadoes respectively.

Others still in the mix are Warri Wolves, MFM FC, Shooting Stars and probably Niger Tornadoes, but with two matches to go till the end of the campaign, the battle remains intense.

Heartland have never been relegated in their history but will have to defeat Kano Pillars at home this weekend and also beat Plateau United away on the final day while also praying for other results to favour them so as to preserve the history.

Warri Wolves finished second behind Enyimba on the table last season, but the reverse has been the case this time as they are on the brink of dropping to the lower division.

It was a dream start to life in NPFL for MFM FC, leading the table at some point, but a series of bad results especially at home pushed them down the table, and if care is not taken, they may be joining Ikorodu in the lower division.

Shooting Stars and Niger Tornadoes just need three points in their remaining two fixtures to retain their top flight status for term.

THE TWO FIXTURES Heartland (40 points) Heartland vs Kano Pillars Plateau Utd vs Heartland Warri Wolves (42 points) Sunshine vs Warri Wolves Warri Wolves vs Ikorodu Utd

NPFL LEAGUE TABLE Team

P

W

D

L

GF

GA

GD

PTS

1 Rangers

34

16

9

9

47

36

11

57

2 Rivers United

34

18

2

14

36

28

8

56

3 Wikki

34

15

9

10

43

27

16

54

4 IfeanyiUbah

34

15

8

11

36

32

4

53

5 Lobi Stars

35

15

7

13

39

35

4

52

6 Kano Pillars

34

15

6

13

46

38

8

51

7 Sunshine

34

13

11

10

43

35

8

50

8 Enyimba

35

14

8

13

34

34

0

50

9 Nasarawa Utd

34

16

1

17

39

39

0

49

10 El-Kanemi

34

15

3

16

36

38

-2

48

11 Plateau Utd

34

13

9

12

33

35

-2

48

12 Akwa Utd

34

13

7

14

42

42

0

46

13 Tornadoes

34

14

3

17

36

40

-4

45

14 Abia Warriors

34

11

11

12

33

38

-5

44

15 Shooting

34

13

5

16

39

46

-7

44

16 MFM FC

34

11

9

14

34

37

-3

42

17 Warri Wolves

34

11

9

14

28

37

-9

42

18 Heartland

34

10

10

14

23

29

-6

40

19 Ikorodu Utd

34

7

11

16

31

52

-21

32

20 Giwa FC

0

0

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MFM (42 points) Tornadoes vs MFM MFM vs IfeanyiUbah Shooting Stars (44 points) Shooting vs Wikki Abia Warriors vs Shooting Abia Warriors (44 points) Rivers Utd vs Abia Warriors Abia Warriors vs Shooting Niger Tornadoes (45 points) Tornadoes vs MFM Kano Pillars vs Tornadoes

MATCHDAY 37 Heartland vs Kano Pillars El-Kanemi vs Plateau Utd Ikorodu Utd vs Rangers Sunshine vs Warri Wolves Shooting vs Wikki Rivers Utd vs Abia Warriors Nasarawa vs Akwa Utd IfeanyiUbah vs Enyimba Tornadoes vs MFM

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

E

Ajibade Olusesan

verything suggested he was a different kind of player when our correspondent approached William Troost-Ekong for an interview at the restaurant of Le Meridien Hotel, Uyo, Akwa Ibom where the Super Eagles camped for their last AFCON 2017 qualifying match against Tanzania.

Cool, calm and courteous, his responses to questions gave him out as someone that is clever and careful. He is certainly not your typical Nigerian player; there is a special thing that sets him apart from many of his colleagues, he is thoroughly well-cultured.

Although he was born in the Netherlands, his father hails from Akwa Ibom State, Troost-Ekong, spent his childhood in the European country where he played for different categories of that nation’s age-grade teams on international stage, and his background has really helped shape him into a wellmannered star.

Everything about him was Dutch but he felt more like a Nigerian, he could have represented the Oranje, he certainly had the talent to compete for places in the national team of Holland but he had this deep-seated desire to represent his fatherland.

He realised that dream when he first trained with the national U-23 team in 2014 before he got the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the senior level a year later.

He told Saturday Telegraph that the feeling that came with wearing the Nigerian jersey for the first time in the game against Chad was great but he felt something deeper when he played for 90 minutes in Eagles’ 1-0 win against Tanzania early this month right in front of the people of Akwa Ibom where he hails from.

“That was a great feeling for me, because it is like homecoming,” He told our correspondent.

“And winning in front of my local fans was special for me, I really enjoyed every moment on the pitch because of my people that came in large numbers to watch us play. It is always special playing at that stadium.

“Our Governor (Udom Emmanuel) was particularly happy to see me, we spoke and even suggested I come home and build a house, he promised to give me a land, which is amazing.”

Playing for the Netherlands is a tempting proposition, it is a far bigger platform compared to Nigeria on the international stage but the former Groningen star did not see it from that perspective, saying that he felt more fulfilled now wearing the green and white jersey of Nigeria.

“I could have played for the Netherlands because I represented the country at the junior levels but I wanted to play for Nigeria. Today, I feel I do not have any regrets I took that decision, having played a couple of matches for the national team and went to the Olympics where I won something. I am enjoying myself in the national team. I think if I am in that position again, I probably would not have taken a different decision,” he said.

The Tanzanians almost ruined TroostEkong’s ‘homecoming party’ when they held on tenaciously as the Eagles laboured to break the Taifa Stars’ defence at the Uyo Township Stadium until 76th when Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal came.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game even though there was nothing much at stake. We kept on piling the pressure even when the goal was not coming and it was a big relief when Kel-

Troost-Ekong (right) takes on a Japanese player

fender insisted they could get a result against the Chipolopolo.

“I am confident, I think as a team we are playing better and better, we can go there and get the result but it is going to be difficult. I will be deceiving you if I say it is going to be an easy one,” he said.

He is confident Nigeria will pick the sole ticket from Group B of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers even though former African champions Cameroon and Algeria are the other teams in the section.

He said: “We are confident we can do it, it is a hard group but we can’t be afraid to take on the challenges. Algeria are probably the best team in Africa and I have heard a lot of things about Cameroon too; if we are to be at the World Cup, we have to be ready to play any team.”

One of the talking points of the Eagles’ 1-0 win over Taifa Stars was the partnership between Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun. The two players complemented each other well in the heart of defence, leaving pundits to suggest Nigeria might have found a lasting solution to that problematic department of the national team. Troost-Ekong said the two players read each well but the decision to play them together rest with the coach.

“Playing alongside Leon was massive, we controlled the defence well against Tanzania and I hope we can form a good partnership for Nigeria but then, the coach has a decision to make about that,” he said.

He was one of few Nigerians that changed clubs last summer when he signed a contract with Gent of Belgium but he won’t leave his Norwegian side Heugesand until November. He said his target was to make his mark in the Belgian league where he is expected to team up with his national teammates, Moses Simon and Rabiu Ibrahim.

“I have had a good season with Heugesand in Norway, I am the captain there, the season will soon end and by November I will go to Gent in Belgium, the club that I just signed for and I am determined to make my mark and play football there.

“I’d already known a few things about the club when I went there to sign my contract; my national teammate told me a few things too and I am looking forward to experiencing that when I finally join them,” he said.

With Rio medal, I've no regret dumping Holland – Troost-Ekong echi scored that beautiful goal; we were happy it ended in victory.

“I think we dealt with them well, defensively our team was good, we had the match under control and it was very good for us,” he said.

His first piece of silverware came when he played every minute of national U-23 team’s bronze medal outing at the Rio 2016 Olympics. He was in fact, one of the best performers in the Nigerian side, and he said having a medal round his neck at the end of the tournament was the greatest moment of his career so far.

“It is great that I was in that team that made Nigeria proud. We went with a mission to win something there; although there was a kind of distraction, we came through. We tried to make Nigeria proud and we are happy to have done that. It is the best moment of my career so far and I hope I can have better moments for Nigeria,” he said.

The team’s build-up to the tournament was turbulent with the team arriving the venue of their first match just a few hours to the game due to several reasons including flight hitches. Although they went head to beat Japan 4-3 in the opener and still got to the semifinal of the tournament, the problems that beset the team never disappeared even after the competition.

Troost-Ekong admitted it was tough battling with such off-the-pitch problems but the players never allowed that to affect their performance on the field.

“You must have read about what happened to us, although it was not the best way to prepare for a tournament like that, we were more motivated by the way the

people of Nigeria supported us and happy we won this medal for them at the end,” he added.

Super Eagles’ next assignment will be against Zambia in a World Cup qualifier, the team has always struggled away from home and there are fears they could capitulate in Ndola on October 9. But the Heugesand of Norway de-

Algeria are probably the b est team in Africa and I have hea rd a lot of things about Camero on too; if we are to be at the World C up, we have to be ready to play a ny team ...with bronze medal

27

4:00 PM

West Ham vs Southampton

SUNDAY

Arsenal vs Chelsea 5:30 PM

Swansea vs Man City 3:00PM

Sunderland vs Palace 3:00PM

Stoke vs West Brom 3:00PM

Boro vs Tottenham 3:00PM

Liverpool vs Hull City 3:00PM

wansea host City for a second

aggression, intensity

more difficult than this [EFL

Swansea boss plots to stop City

Kickoff: 12:30pm

PM B'mouth Vs Everton 3:00PM

La Liga

Espanyol vs Celta Vigo 7:45PM

Villarreal vs Osasuna 5:30PM

Atletico vs Deportivo 3:00PM

Leganes vs Valencia 11:00AM

SUNDAY

Palmas vs Madrid 7:45PM

Bilbao vs Sevilla 5:30PM

Gijon vs Barcelona 3:00PM

Eibar vs Sociedad 12:00PM

SATURDAY

Cologne vs Leipzig 4:30PM

Hoffenheim vs Schalke 04 2:30PM

SUNDAY

Bremen vs Wolfsburg 5:30PM

Mainz vs Leverkusen 2:30PM

Hamburger vs Bayern 2:30PM

Frankfurt vs Berlin 2:30PM

M’gladbach vs Ingolstadt 2:30PM

Augsburg vs Darmstadt 2:30PM

SATURDAY

Bundesliga

Deeney

inedine Zidane's Real, who missed out on a La Liga record 17th straight victory when they drew 1-1 with Villarreal on Wednesday, visit Las Palmas on Saturday.

Real talisman Cristiano Ron-

Z

Ronaldo under radar as Real visit Palmas

atford stunned Manchester United last weekend with a superb 3-1 victory at Vicarage Road, but the real test of Walter Mazzarri's Hornets will be if they can keep their Premier League run going at Burnley.

The Hornets take on the Clarets at Turf Moor under the Monday night floodlights, with Mazzarri hoping to build on the impressive win over Jose Mourinho's Red Devils.

Captain Troy Deeney said before that victory that there is no reason why Watford can't 'do a Leicester ' and challenge for the title, and then admitted he wasn't surprised at beating United.

But the mark of champions - even at this stage of the season - is to follow up big wins by grinding out results, and Watford will need another three points at Burnley given that they are already eight points behind league leaders Manchester City.

W

Watford take form to Burnley

SUNDAY Torino vs Roma 11:30pm Genoa vs Pescara 2:00pm Inter Vs Bologna 2:00pm Lazio Vs Empoli 2:00pm Sassuolo Vs Udinese 2:00pm Fiorentina Vs AC Milan 7:45pm

SATURDAY Palermo vs Juventus 5:00pm Napoli vs Chievo 7:45pm

Man United vs Leicester 12:30

Serie A

EPL Saturday

FIXTURES

Sport

Dzeko:

A

entirely conbut it was not an , at t fe r ie em Pr rformance agains fter successive vincing United pe es ch an M s, League defeat ird-tier outfit. hope to the th e will particular interest in er ter United will Th faltering tion at home re-energise their nd on Mourinho's team selec d whether Englan ake up grou to Leicester and Wayne Rooney, campaign and m at ry cto vi ith n captai tters w the early pacese ty and United , keeps ons Leicester Ci en in poor form pi be s am ha ch to ho e w m ho his place. on Saturday. ie Vardy will be ders ManchesLeicester’s Jam After losing to lea , either side s strong record atford ing to maintain hi ored past in ok lo ter City and W to at fe s League de am he has sc of a Champion already trail Pep against a te unters. d his last four enco five te of ni e U re d, th e th Feyenoor ts in in e m po to his na ant City by six With two goals r-old Guardiola's vibr ea -y 29 e th r, fa e. es so h plac and sit in sevent ourinho has spo- league match e pressure on the Red es to pile mor Manager Jose M ges reacting vi ils with another at Old Trafford. ar ch w ne s hi t ken abou me Dev rd signing Islam ivity", which so Meanwhile, reco le to follow up badly to "negat bpu ith w d se ail increa i will be av ab ’s observers felt he Shaw Sliman ke Lu er als in last weekend nd fe de his two debut go her ot lic criticism of st an la rd ith fo w at ley W rn at by 3-0 win over Bu nst after the 3-1 defe rformance agai productive pe weekend. on s. pt nt am ne th po or op N le A 3-1 win over p on Wednes- more high profi ue Cu Town in the Leag urth straight defo day prevented a

o t k o o l d e t Man Uni k c a r t n o k c get ba r e t s e c i e L t agains

Klopp

H

istory is against Hull City ahead of their Premier League clash with Liverpool this weekend.

The Tigers have never beaten the Reds in competitive action at Anfield and, having picked up just one point from their last three top-flight fixtures, Mike Phelan’s men will need a significant upturn in fortunes if they are to put that particular statistic to bed.

Jurgen Klopp’s side come into this match in fine fettle, having won four of their last five fixtures and the hosts are, understandably, strong favourites to maintain momentum by taking maximum points from their tussle with the Tigers.

Defending Premier League champions Leicester City were thumped 4-1 in Liverpool’s only home match thus far this term and the Reds will hope to further improve upon their solid record on home turf under Klopp, for the hosts have lost just one of their last 14 Premier League matches at Anfield.

Liverpool have bagged seven points from tricky trips to face Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in the Premier League so far this season, with the Reds’ only blip coming in a shock 2-0 defeat against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Furthermore, Liverpool have hit 15 goals in five matches since being beaten

by Burnley, while the Tigers were taken apart in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Arsenal in their previous Premier League outing.

Tigers set for tough Liverpool test

Global Football Special www.newtelegraphonline.com

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

28 SATURDAY

24 septe

No Clubs P 1 Manc City 5 2 Everton 5 3 Tottenham 5 4 Arsenal 5 5 Chelsea 5 6 Liverpool 5 7 ManUnited 5 8 Crystal Palace 5 9 Watford 5 10 West Brom 5 11 Leicester City 5 12 Hull City 5 13 M'brough 5 14 Southampton 5 15 Swansea City 5 16 Burnley 5 17 B'mouth 5 18 West Ham 5 19 Sunderland 5 20 Stoke City 5

EPL

Pts 15 13 11 10 10 10 9 7 7 7 7 7 5 5 4 4 4 3 1 1

din Dzeko has vowed to become more ruthless in front of goal after his brace in Roma’s 4-0 win against Crotone in Serie A on Wednesday.

Dzeko put his profligate display at Fiorentina over the weekend firmly behind him as he netted twice against Crotone to ensure Roma not only bounced back in style but also became the League’s highest scorers after five rounds of action.

“Great start? I scored two goals, but I think I missed two or three chances against Fiorentina in the first half and then we lost. It was important to win,” the striker told Roma TV. “Totti? It’s always nice to play with Checco. When he has the ball, I must always go behind the defenders, as I did

E

I’ll become more ruthless

P 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Pts 12 11 10 10 10 9 9 7 7 7 7 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 3 1

Four bowlers and a wicketkeeper were named as the South African Cricket Annual’s Cricketers of the Year in the publication which was released on Thursday.

Fast bowlers Sisanda Magala and Hardus Viljoen, spinners Dane Piedt and Tabraiz Shamsi and wicketkeeper-batsman Dane Vilas joined a long list of outstanding players who have been honoured by the authoritative publication, now in its 63rd year.

P 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 5 5 4 5 4 4 5 4

Pts 13 11 10 9 9 9 9 7 7 7 6 5 5 5 4 4 2 2 2 0

Fabregas

LA LIGA

No Clubs 1 Real 2 Sevilla 3 Barcelona 4 Atletico 5 Las Palmas 6 Villarreal 7 Bilbao 8 Sociedad 9 Eibar 10 Gijon 11 Alaves 12 Deportivo 13 Malaga 14 Real Betis 15 Leganes 16 Celta Vigo 17 Espanyol 18 Osasuna 19 Granada 20 Valencia

Tabraiz Shamsi

No Clubs 1 Juventus 2 SSC Napoli 3 Roma 4 ChievoVerona 5 Inter 6 AC Milan 7 Bologna 8 Genoa 9 Lazio 10 Fiorentina 11 Udinese 12 Sampdoria 13 Sassuolo 14 Torino 15 Pescara 16 Palermo 17 Cagliari 18 Empoli 19 Atalanta 20 Crotone

SERIE A

TABLES

against Sampdoria.

“Do I feel to be on Bacca, Icardi and Higuain’s level?

They’re all great strikers, but now I feel very good.

“I scored four goals in five games, but I have to be more ruthless like the Coach says. I will do so in the future.”

Dzeko

S Cup tie]. They had a very good team, even if they played without some players, but on Saturday there will be new important players here.

"But we have to prepare a good game and we have to play well, and then we will see.

Messi

to Swansea earlier in the day.

Points may matter a great deal but at this early stage of the season victory over a great rival could provide serious momentum to either side, particularly for Wenger if he is able to halt his five year winless run in the league.

Former Formula One team manager Flavio Briatore has said that in his opinion Lewis Hamilton needed to get his head back in the game if he wanted to retain his world championship for a third consecutive season.

"Rosberg lately seems to have put the head in place," Briatore told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport magazine.

"Hamilton is 'a bit DJ, a bit rapper' - he has great talent, but if you want to win you have to concentrate only one thing.”

Lewis Hamilton

SPORT BRIEFLY

t is invariably one of the highlights of the season when Arsenal and Chelsea face off in the Premier League but of late it has been the latter who had enjoyed the more success.

Since the first arrival of Jose Mourinho in the summer of 2004 Arsene Wenger has won just five matches against the Blues – even during the disastrous final months of the Special One’s second tenure at Stamford Bridge Arsenal managed to shoot themselves in the foot, getting two players sent off in a 2-0 defeat.

The arrival of Antonio Conte at least offers a new take on the familiar rivalry between Arsenal and Chelsea and both sides head into Saturday evening’s clash knowing that defeat could see them slip as many as eight points off early pace-setters Manchester C i t y, who travel

I

and good ball possession.

"We just have to look forward. If we play well and work hard, I think we are going to have some better moments.

"Saturday against Manchester City will be

Arsenal, Chelsea clash at Emirates

time in four days on Saturday in the Premier League before taking on Liverpool and Arsenal, but coach Francesco Guidolin insists brighter times lie ahead for his side as he plots to arrest their early season slide.

"I am optimistic because I saw my players play a good game," he said.

"At Southampton, we deserved to lose. But in this game we started very well, with focus,

T

cording to captain Andres Iniesta.

The Argentina forward faces a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a groin injury in Wednesday's 1-1 La Liga draw with Atletico Madrid.

"There's no question we are stronger with Messi," Iniesta told Cadena Cope radio ahead of Saturday's match at Sporting Gijon. "When these things happen we all have to give a little bit more.

"We lost two points against Atletico and we have to make sure we don't throw away any more."

Third-placed Barca, who won eight of their 10 games when a knee injury kept Messi out for two months last season, are three points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid.

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO will “definitely” continue fighting into next year after his October 29 rematch with Ty “Wladimir will definitely go on and fight next year but we haven’t made any plans regarding opponents or anything, we are 100 per cent focusing on this fight and that’s it, but this will definitely not be his last fight.” son Fury, according to his manager Bernd Boente,” he said.

Wladimir Klitschko

he rest of Barcelona's squad will have to do "a little bit more" to make up for the absence of five-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi for the next three weeks, a c -

Messi-less Barca must do 'a little bit more' against Gijon

aldo failed to find the net against Villarreal but Zidane was unconcerned.

"I'm not worried if he doesn't score," said the French coach. "I'm worried when he isn't out on the pitch.

"What matters is for him to regain his form because he'll always get goals."

Las Palmas striker KevinPrince Boateng was sent off in a 4-1 defeat at Real Sociedad on Wednesday and is suspended.

Atletico host Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday and will be in positive mood following Angel Correa's second-half Ronaldo equaliser against Barca.

Y TELEGRAPH

ember 2016

29

30

Sport

Lifestyle of Sportsmen Referee celebrates Milan’s win by stripping down to her skimpy underwear

F

ormer Italian model turned referee Claudia Romani celebrated AC Milan’s victory over Sampdoria by stripping off into a skimpy bikini.

The 34-year-old who once dated football legend Filippo Inzaghi showed off her stunning figure after Carlos Bacca scored a late winner on Friday.

Draped with the shirt over her shoulders Romani was all smiles

Romani

J

24 september 2016

as she struck a number of revealing poses.

Bizarrely the TV reality star is qualified to officiate in Italy’s top two leagues after setting out a mission to become the world’s best looking referee.

According to the Mirror she reportedly said: “Running around on the pitch with all those players and calling the shots is just an irresistible opportunity. ”

MODEL DESCRIBES HARD SEX WITH LIVERPOOL LEGEND

ohn Arne Riise became a Liverpool legend by drilling free kicks hard and fast into the back of the net.

Sadly, employing the same technique in bed with glamour model Katie Price and her onion bag did not earn him similar plaudits.

In her latest book, Reborn, Price, who was formerly known as Jordan, wrote: “If I’d needed a shelving unit erected, he’d have been perfect.

“Instead of handling me gently and passionately like most women want, he was like a cordless drill on a multi-speed setting! He reminded me of a red

Busty Serena shows off cleavage at Djokovic’s fundraiser

S

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

erena Williams dazzled in the fashion capital as she took hanging out in Milan to new heights.

The American tennis star looked amazing, hitting the streets of the Italian city in a revealing top unzipped as far as possible before losing her modesty.

She had earlier wowed in a busty top as she arrived in Milan for Novak Djokovic’s charity gala.

The fashion-conscious Wimbledon champion was spotted getting out of a car ahead of the event with a low-cut top on.

She later showed up at the Novak Djokovic Foundation and friends gala dinner – which saw tennis’ elite mingle with the high-society of Milan’s fashion industry.

Djokovic, 29, has won 12 grand slams in his career and has been running the gala dinners in aid of his foundation, which supports education in Serbia.

His wife Jelena also dazzled at the gig in Italy, with designer Giorgio Armani and Vogue Serena editor Anna Wintour throwing in their support.

Bosch that I have in my garage. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.”

She did not name Riise in the book, referring to him as Mr X. However, The Sun has now revealed that Riise was the mystery man and that he and the glamour model had a fling between 2011 and 2012.

Riise left Liverpool in 2008 and then spent three years in Italy with Roma, before returning to England with Fulham in 2011.

Cortez Based on the dates, it will have been during his time as a Cottager that Riise and Price hooked up.

Katie

Miss Spain 2014, Ronaldo's latest girlfriend

C

ristiano Ronaldo is reportedly in a relationship with former Miss Spain winner Desire Cordero.

Spanish celebrity publication Mujerhoy.com claim that the Real Madrid star has been dating the 5′ 11″ stunner for a month.

Cordero, who won the Miss Spain title in 2014, has even moved to Madrid to be closer to former Man United star Ronny, according to Mujerhoy.com.

Cordero is 22, nine years younger than Ronaldo, 31.

Cordero

Stories courtesy : Dailymail

Terry spies on Kardashian during injury break

C

Kardashian

helsea captain John Terry is seemingly feeling at a loose end during his injury break.

The Blues skipper, who has missed Chelsea’s last two matches with a ligament strain, has been spotted spying on Kim Kardashian during his spell on the sidelines.

JT has kept himself entertained online by following Kim K on Instagram.

The screenshot on the left was captured by Bench Warmers.

Now he is a follower of the no.1 Kardashian, Terry has access to gems like this.

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

Oparanozie, Orji reflect on their career from U-17 days

31

Fifa.com takes a look at the careers of Super Falcons stars, Desire Oparanozie and Ebere Orji

M Oparanozie

illions of footballers all over and that was really tough for my side. Althe world dream of one day though we managed to draw 2-2, it was playing on the global stage, not enough and we were knocked out. It but most never achieve that was very disappointing.” goal. Nigeria's Desire Oparanozie and EbLearning from U-17 lessons ere Orji have not only achieved that, they Even though their first performance on have done so at different levels and between them, the two have appeared at an the global stage ended in disappointment, astonishing 10 World Cup finals- five each! they both took something very valuable It started for both of them in 2008, when from it: experience. And it was that experithey were a part of the Flamingoes side ence they both put to good use – in Orji's that competed in New Zealand at the in- case, just a few weeks later.

Exactly 17 days after being sent off augural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Aged just 14, Orji was the youngest player against Brazil, Orji was back on the pitch, in the squad and Oparanozie was just a albeit over 9,000 kilometers away in Chile year older. She still recalls their first game as Nigeria's Falconets took on England in against Korea Republic. “We got off to their second group game at the U-20 World a winning start and that is a wonderful Cup. This time around, the west Africans won their group and admemory to have. We had a vanced to the quarter-finals, great side in that tournament where they were knocked and should have advanced to out by France.

Playing in the second round.”

Two years later, Orji and Orji's lasting memories of France has Oparanozie teamed up again her time in New Zealand is at the U-20 World Cup in the beauty of the countryside. been good.

Germany, both playing in “Being so young, I had not I feel very all six matches as their team traveled widely and to see this became the first from Africa beautiful country with the sea welcome to qualify for the final of a surrounding, it was a wonderhere. I've been women's World Cup. Both ful experience. I had not seen played their part, sharing anything like that before.” happy since four of the six goals Nigeria After their 2-1 win against scored en route to the final. the Koreans in the first match, I got here “This was my best World Nigeria were beaten 1-0 by and things Cup experience. To play in England in their second game, the final against the host was setting up a decisive clash have really a terrific achievement and against Brazil, which to come home with a silver improved they needed to win medal is something I will to stay in the comcherish forever.” petition. The game Since then, both have against Brazil is a match both would prefer not continued playing on the global stage, to remember. “We knew that as Orji made the Nigerian squad for the we would probably have to Women's World Cup in 2011 and was back win the game to progress, but at the U-20 level a year later. Oparanozie I was injured and could not can add the 2015 World Cup to those two play. That was very frustrat- appearances. ing, sitting on the sidelines and Making a career not being able to help the team,” Playing at the U-17 World Cup also alOparanozie recalls.

Orji, who leveled for her side lowed both players to embark on a professhortly before the break, sional career that has seen them play in has her own personal different countries in Europe. Orji plays in heart-break story Hungary for Ferencvaros and last season of what hap- won both league and cup with the club p e n e d from the capital. This allowed her to gain later. “I further experience by playing in the UEFA w a s Women's Champions League.

“Last season I scored some 30 goals in sent o ff the league and this season I had eight after the first four matches. But I know that I have to keep on working hard to keep scoring. That is what I want to do, as I just love scoring goals.”

After stints in Russia, Germany and Turkey, Oparanozie, meanwhile, has landed in France, where she plays for Guingamp.

“Playing in France has been good. I feel very welcome here. I've been happy since I got here and things have really improved compared to the other places that I've played in in Europe.

“It all started in New Zealand though. Playing there in a FIFAorganised tournament was a great platform for me. The experience was very good and I thought if I could play at this level, I could play at the World Cup. I told myself: 'Why not go all the way?'”

Orji

X

32

Sport

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

Olympians highlight Top Sprinters tourney Charles Ogundiya

D

ivine Oduduru and Orukpe Erayokan, who were part of Team Nigeria to the recent Rio Olympic Games in Brazil, are the highlight of athletes that would be competing at this year’s edition of Top Sprinter meet.

Over 450 athletes from all over Nigeria have already confirmed their participation at the three-day event scheduled for September 29 to October 1, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

The presence of the two Olympians and other top athletes who represented Team Nigeria at the African and World Junior Championships this year will undoubtedly add a special shine to the event.

Oduduru gave amomentary boost to Nigeria’s otherwise sombre performance on the track at Rio 2016 when he ran against Usain Bolt twice in the heats and semis of the Olympic 200m.

The former junior international will contest in the 200m race against Erayokan and Nicholas Imhoaperanhe, defending National Sports Fes-

tival Champions in 400m and 100m respectively, as well as Samson Nathaniel, who was a World Indoor 4x400m finalist for Nigeria this year. Others are Emmanuel Arowolo and Biola Soyemi, who were consistent in the 2016 Athletics Federation of Nigeria Golden League this season, and National Junior Champion, Raymond Ekevwo.

There will be a power tussle in the men’s 400m final between Erayokan and Nathaniel who moved to the US earlier this year. Both athletes represented Nigeria at the 2015 African Games where they posted their personal bests, with Erayokan becoming the fifth fastest Nigerian ever in the 400m with a blistering time of 44.95secs, compared to Nathaniel’s PB of 45.80secs.

The ladies will not be left out of it, with 2015 National 200m Champion, Praise Idamadudu, and African Championship and World Junior athletes such as Yinka Ajayi, Mercy NtiaObong and Blessing Adiakerehwa, all confirmed to compete in the various women’s sprint events – 100m, 200m and 400m.

Peters slams Rohr over list for Zambia clash Adeolu Johnson

F Abuja

Mikel

Beware of Zambia, Lawal warns Eagles Ikenna Amadi

F

ormer Super Eagles midfielder Garba Lawal has warned national team players to be wary of Zambia’s physicality and strength when the two sides meet in the 2018 World Cup qualifying opener.

He said that the match against Zambia would prove to be an acid test to their qualification to Russia 2018.

“We need to be focused as every game for Nigeria is like a cup final which is very difficult. African football is very difficult. It is not the way you watch it on the television, the way they play in their club

sides. A lot of African countries now know how to play football. So it is difficult for Nigeria playing against African countries because they want to defeat us. Every game is important and it is left for them to be focused as it will not be an easy game.” he said.

He was also quick to state that any player given the opportunity to represent Nigeria should grab the opportunity well.

“Every player wants to play for the national team; so if you have your chance you just have to grab it and showcase your talent. I believe every player is important whether they are playing or not as only 11 players can be on the pitch.”

Iheanacho, Iwobi must be disciplined –Chukwu Charles Ogundiya

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ormer Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu, has warned youngsters Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi to be focused in their career.

Chukwu told Saturday Telegraph that the future was bright for the two players who had taken the English Premier League by storm since making their debut for Manchester United and Arsenal FC. He also prayed against injury which he said could end the career of promising players.

“The future is very bright for them especially with their age,” he said.

“We just have to pray they don’t have injuries and also they should not allow the success to get

into their head.

“They should be disciplined and we have to also guide them. With discipline, they have long time to play and their future is bright for their clubs and national team.”

After scoring again against Bournemouth in the 4-0 victory, Iheanacho now boasts an impressive record in the Premier League of 10 goals from just 14 shots on target.

The 19 year-old Nigerian has thrived in the absence of Sergio Aguero, picking up three goals and as many assists already this season.

Iwobi was recently named man-ofthe-match in Arsenal’s 4-1 defeat of Hull City in the EPL although he is yet to score a goal but already with a some assists.

ormer Super Eagles Coach, James Peters, has faulted the invitation of 20 foreign-based players for the World Cup qualifier against Zambia in Ndola on October 9.

Eagles Manager, Gernot Rohr, on Thursday, released a list of 23 players for next month’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash between the Super Eagles and Zambia’s Chipolopolo with only three locally-based players making the cut.

The three invited home based are Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers), Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah) and Jamiu Alimi (Kano Pillars) but the former Nigeria Football Federation Assistant Technical Director felt there was no sense bringing some foreign-based players to warm the bench.

Instead, Peters said, the home based players should have been given more chance for the development of the game as preached by FIFA. He said apart from the waste of resources on ticket expenses on such players, a complete team of foreign-based players might not find the weather in Ndola favourable.

“These foreign based players may not be favourably disposed to African weather having gone to Europe for some time. Besides, the number of days they have together before matches are not adequate enough for them to blend,” he said.

Peters advised that the handler should have maintained a home based team round the year while an addition of eight to 10 players could be brought from abroad to strengthen the area of weaknesses noted in the team.

“When the boys come from Europe they find themselves in a different environment and stay two days in camp before leaving for the match, all these have an effect on their performance, but if we have bulk of the players from home they will be fresh for such challenges,” he added.

He said during his days with Otto Gloria in the national team, only a few players like John Chidozie, Nnamdi Nwokocha and Tunji Banjo were invited from England and they always struggled to find a place in the team.

Prince Gas Cup enters quarter final

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he on-going Prince Gas Football Tournament has reached the quarterfinal stage which begins next Wednesday at Igando Palace Playground, Alimosho, Lagos.

Chairman Organising Committee, Sulaiman Gbadamonsi, disclosed that six teams had booked their places in the quarter final stage.

Among the teams that have prrogresed are Samjason FC, Junior United, Hanem FC, Anointed FC, Christ Embassy and Oloke FC. .

Commenting on the tournament, Gbadamonsi expressed satisfaction with the level of officiating, organisation and standard

Chukwu

of play by the participating teams.

He disclosed that this year’s edition was better organised compared to the previous edition, saying that all the quarter finalists have equal chance to win the tournament.

“I am very impressed that this year’s edition is better because we have included teams from Badagry and Ogun State to take part in the championship which means the tourney is well known now. I believe that the better team will eventually play in the final,” he said.

He warned the spectators and players to shun violence that might tarnish the image of the competition, saying that any team that violates the rules will be sanctioned accordingly.

Gbadamonsi thanked the sports philanthropists in the community Elder David Akere and Idowu Ogundipe who contributed financially to support the tournament.

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withdrew me from private school’ Though, the country is hard, if the public schools are not doing well, parents won’t look at our direction Nigeria’s formation, fulfilled this mission as they became major factories for the production of a new generation of Nigerian elite, who went on to take charge of the new Nigerian nation that emerged. Most of the key members of Nigeria’s civil and diplomatic service, the cultural and political establishments, and even corporate Nigeria were mainly products of these schools. They equally produced scholars, who ranked among the best in the world in their fields.

But, they soon degenerated and became eyesores. There was no longer any sign of their status as planned schools right from their entrances, particularly the primary and secondary schools. Most of the buildings were bastardised, while those wearing rainbow new looks had only paints applied without extensive repair work. Many lacked access to potable water and sewage disposals, as there were limited spaces for 'soak-away' pits following the breakdown of the central ones designed many years ago.

Roads leading to some of the schools were not easily accessible and were in terrible states of disrepair with heap of refuse that became worse whenever it rains. The once beautiful and attractive schools became environmental blights not only to people in their neighbourhood but also to the government, which built them. The schools became slums. Dirt, debris, acute shortage of basic amenities and infrastructural decay eventually crept in on the once vibrant institutions.

The major stain was the steady decline of the infrastructure. It was obvious most of them were living in the glory of their past. The decay, however, was most visible in the classrooms, hostel facilities, dining halls and lavatory. Incidentally, susceptible parents, who could not afford the high cost of private secondary institutions but wanted standard, still manage to hang on to this noble ideas of the founding fathers of these schools.

Perhaps, this may be why a parent lamented that “public schools were everything but decent. They portrayed government’s inconsistency over the years. The facilities were in shambles and these young chaps were made to go through a very difficult time for a systemic failure they did not cause.”

However, the hostels were not just overcrowded, they were unkempt. Besides, there were no standard bathrooms and toilets. The students defecated in makeshift latrines, which were covered with planks on the premises. Interestingly, that served as a bathing place for the pupils also. And the offensive odour in and around the school compounds left fear in the minds of not only the students but their parents, who fervently prayed against epidemics.

In most colleges, pupils slept in their classrooms at siesta periods to evade heat and filthy hostels. Night rest was not better either, as many struggled for the few spaces on the floor where they had to battle against mosquitoes and other vectors, including bedbugs and lice. Equally of concern to parents was

the way food was cooked and served in the schools.

Aside the quality and quantity the students had to contend with, the food did not come at the right time. The kitchen personnel allegedly shortchanged the pupils by starving them and serving breakfast in ridiculous measures. “I couldn’t recognise my daughter when I saw her. She was so skinny and looked malnourished,” said a parent.

The anonymous parent said the situation gave private school proprietors a field day as they remained the only option for any parent that desired good education for their children. He said that the dwindled fortune of public schools defeated the purpose for which they were established and further sank the education sector in deeper mud.

“Today, different private schools spring up under different names and standards. The government, which is supposed to be a check on the influx of these mushroom schools, is as guilty as those private individuals that are establishing them. A government that cannot provide a desk, with which students in government schools could write, lacked the moral justification to question the setting up of sub-standard schools,” another concerned parent said.

However, some of these glorified private schools have left much to be desired. For instance, a narrow, creaky, and decaying wooden-bridge provides the only access to Fingers of God, a privately-owned Nursery and Primary Schools located in the Ikeja axis of Lagos State.

Looking more like a medieval cage, many of the wooden small classrooms only have benches without chairs. The interiors are moist just like the murky marches all around. The dingy corners, provides excellent sanctuaries for

swarming throng of mosquitoes.

Through the parallel gaps that run across the wooden floors, the pupils are constantly faced with the sights and sounds of their amphibious neighbours, breeding and luxuriating in the stagnant waters below. And like all other houses in such miserable corners of this Lagos suburb, the school buildings stand in vulgar, wobbly pose, defiantly threatening to disintegrate any moment.

Yet, 'Fingers of God' is not alone in this neglect. Most others across the federation are equally in terrible states, except for the high grades, populated by the very rich in the Nigerian society.

This situation, coupled with the grinding poverty in the land, appeared to have forced many schoolchildren out of school with most of them readily taking to menial jobs in order to make a living. This group of people often sees the market environments as providing a sanctuary for them. They hawk food

items, goods and engage in other activities that could fetch them something to take home. They are daily confronted with ignorance, disease and malnutrition.

There are also those who could be found in groups sitting under the bridges looking forlorn and unkempt.

They remain in vicious cycle of need and unmet expectations. Apart from their pathetic stories, most of them are daily been smuggled across the Atlantic to other countries to work as servants to wealthy merchants or on farmlands.

In many homes, including those of the elite across the country, the sad tales are replicated as the children often undergo debasement and dehumanisation as victims of sexual abuse by their mistresses, husbands or their older children. Even those who hawk wares on the streets also run the risk of being victims of those “animals in human skins.”

Street hawking has turned a lot of them into hopeless youths with a bleak future. It is not uncommon to see children walking the streets looking desperate, wretched and hungry while hawking during school hours.

The streets have become normal for many of them, who seem to have accepted their fate.

Incidentally, some of them grow up to become touts, thugs, drug addicts or armed robbers. The girl child is no different. Her devourers prey on her ignorance, self-worth and vulnerability. Everywhere in the neighbourhood, the pitiable states of these children are evident.

Just like Lagos, the phenomenon of out-of-schoolchildren and the associated problems are matters that have also been of great concern to successive governments in other states. Every day, children of school age, who have been denied access to basic primary and secondary education, are being exposed to all sorts of dangers. The worst hits are the orphans, who are usually “loaned” out as domestic servants and apprentices at very tender age.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, insists that Nigeria has failed the children of the poor in the country. She stated that access to quality education was important in any society and that the nation was sitting on a time bomb if nothing is done to address the crisis. Ezekwesili stressed that the “dynasty of poverty” and high number of out-of-school is unacceptable.

Now that parents are taking their children back to public schools, will the authorities do the needful and scale up not only the standards but upgrade the fading facilities? Perhaps, this could be the greatest gain of the current recession said to have been brought about by the change mantra.

Pupils of Ansar Udeen Primary School, Victoria Island, during their resumption in Lagos….

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Sportsplash 34 Showbiz

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Veterans in Nollywood With Nollywood now having been around for more than 20 years, there are figures who have been around and are still very active in the game. For these figures, they are not just around and keeping it real, they are still actively influential in many projects coming out of the Nigerian movie scene.

Adedayo Odulaja and Ogechi NdubuNma write.

Kanayo.O.Kanayo Kanayo.O. Kanayo has been in the industry from the beginning of Nollywood. His debut film was Living in Bondage and he featured in it in 1992. A United Nations ambassador who has won numerous awards including the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Kanayo is still very much around. From the days of acting in Laraba to recently appearing in Kunle Afolayan’s October 1, he is a veteran who remains very active.

Nkem Owoh It would be hard to talk about Nollywood without mentioning one of its funnymen.

Nkem Owoh has been in the industry from the late 80s. In 2003, his stock rose even higher when he starred in the movie, Osuofia in London. Not only is he an actor but a singer with the song, “I Go Chop Your Dollar” later banned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to show for it.

He is a lead character in the 2016 Yvonne Okoro movie, Ghana Must Go. Genevieve Nnaji By virtue of having started as a child actor, this screen diva can claim a spot on this list.

Currently one of the highest paid actresses presently, Oprah Winfrey once referred to as Africa’s Julia Roberts. Boasting her own clothing line called St. Genevieve, this beauty was the leading cast in Mirror Boy and produced her first movie, Road to Yesterday last year to critical acclaim.

Tony Umez This actor graduated from the University of Lagos and made his debut in the makebelieve world in 1994. Having acted in over 200 movies and even criss-crossing the borders of English and Yoruba sections of Nollywood, Umez stands tall as a veteran still keeping it real.

As recently as two years ago, he was named as one of the actors of a controversy movie titled Room 027. Beyond the criticisms of being a kind of soft porn, Umez still played his part well.

Chiwetalu Agu Chiwetalu Agu is known for his numerous phrases which he says he evokes plainly for the purpose of entertainment. He is best known for indigenous movies but has been in the industry for more than 20 years. Being really good at what he does and having proved it over the years, he is listed as one of the most outstanding comedians in Nollywood and is widely admired both within and outside Nigeria.

Kenneth Okonkwo Another actor who was there from what is termed the very beginning of Nollywood through Living in Bondage, Kenneth Okonkwo is a certified Theologian. He has a degree in Business Administration as well as International Law and Diplomacy.

Like Genevieve, he also featured in the soap opera, Ripples back then but remains active through the years. He was the male lead in the popular movie, Dumebi the Dirty Girl which dazzled the industry just a few years ago.

Pete Edochie This Nollywood actor seems to have handed the acting legacy to his immediate family as both his son and wife are also in the industry. He recently did a cameo for the video of “Gollibe” by highlife music star, Flavour.

Since making his name as Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart, the screen adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s iconic novel of the same name, there won’t be a list like this if Pete Edochie was not on it.

Nobert Young The actor who stole hearts in the epic movie, Igodo almost two decades ago, Nobert Young is one of the figures who have remained an item with fans through the years.

Also a feature on Tv for years along with Ronnie Dikko, he is an actor that is still very

active.

Charles Okafor Along with Nobert Young, Charles Okafor was a regular feature in the epic movies that defined Nollywood back in those days. Today, he is still very much around and part of the industry he helped nurture.

Patience Ozokwor Popularly called Mama G, Patience Ozokwor has won several awards for her top of the bill portrayal as the wicked motherin-law in many movies. Also one of those in Nollywood known to have flirted with music at one point or the other, Patience Ozokwor is still very much around and involved in Nollywood.

Ngozi Ezeonu This light-skinned actress has featured in over 150 movies with numerous awards to her credit. A hairdresser by training at the beginning, she caused a frenzy with her drastic weight loss not too long ago with many people concluding that she was sick at the time before she cleared the air. Saying Ngozi is very gifted when it comes to roles in which she has to cry is stating the obvious.

Hafiz Oyetoro One of those trained in the craft and who has taught scores of others, that Hafiz Oyetoro is better known as Saka in itself says a lot.

Unknown to many, he has been a teacher through it all and is currently running his PhD program aside the funny roles he plays in both English and Yoruba movies.

A Master’s degree holder in Theater Arts, Hafiz is a definition of sticking to what you do and becoming a star in it and not even recently turning 50 is about to stop that.

Clarion Chukwura She is an actress and and Humanitarian who was the first Nigerian to win the coveted Best Actress award at the FESPACO Film Festival in 1982. Once romantically linked to Shina Peters, with popular video director, Clarence Peters, as the product of that alliance, people label Clarion as ageless.

Still very much in demand after years of being active, her starring role in the movie, Apaye fetched her the coveted Best Actress in a Leading Role award at AMAA in 2014.

Richard Mofe Damijo The actor and politician has been in the industry since the late 80s, steadily rising to become the force he is today. He won the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2005 Africa Movie Academy Awards and was active while he served as Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Delta State. RMD, as he is popularly known, just turned 55 and many will be blown away with his performance in forthcoming movie, Oloibiri.

Bimbo Akintola She scored her debut in 1995 in the movie, Owo Blow and years down the line, remains one of Nollywood’s finest. Constantly questioned by a lot of people on her still single status, Bimbo has garnered awards throughout her career and recently featured in the Ebola movie, 93 Days.

Olu Jacobs This highly talented actor was trained in England and in Nigeria. He has won several awards and is married to the beautiful and equally influential actress, Joke Silvia.

Jacobs has starred in over 120 movies and has watched the industry blossom with his involvement.

Perhaps only Pete Edochie can rival him when it comes to who has acted the role of Igwe in most Nollywood movies. At 71, Olu Jacobs is still present, and acting.

Jide Kosoko This actor has featured in numerous movies including recent ones like Gidi Up, Doctor Bello, The Meeting, Last Flight to Abuja and others and has a basketful of awards for his

efforts. Apart from recognition from far and wide, he has also left a legacy in his family with his recently deceased wife, Henrietta Kosoko and his two daughters, Sola and Bidemi Kosoko fully involved with Nollywood.

Kanayo

Sadiq Abubakar Daba He came into the limelight in the late 70s when he starred in the starring screen effort, Cockcrow at Dawn but went off the radar after years of grooming others at the Nigerian Television Authority. However, many were grateful to Kunle Afolayan when he brought him back as Inspector Dan Waziri in the acclaimed October 1.

For his efforts in that film, Daba won Best Actor award in 2015 and the retire broadcaster spends his time on movie locations and preaching against drinking and smoking.

Segun Arinze Having featured in movies and commercials, some of which he provided audio vibes for, Segun Arinze is still one of the most popular names in Nollywood.

With his role in Ilorin Women listed as one of his earliest movies, the man popularly known as Black Arrow, has acted in movies like Anini, Darkest Night, Church Business, Across the Niger, Silent Night, Family on Fire, A Place in the Stars, GSM Connection and many others.

Genevieve

Liz Benson An actress who has overtime shown Nigerians what it means to have true class and be greaceful yet humble about it, Liz benson has started in countless movies. Her breakthrough came with the soap opera, Fortunes in 1993. She recently featured in the Stephanie Okereke-produced movie, DRY. Adebayo Salami He is a filmmaker, producer and director who has been involved in acting for as long as we can remember. He has acted in numerous Yoruba movies and got the name, Oga Bello from a popular comedy series known as Half Hour. He was a member of the Ojo Ladipo Theatre Group and took on the group’s leadership after the death of the founder. He featured in the first Yoruba film ever and acted alongside the great Ade Love, the father of Gabriel and Kunle Afolayan.

Oga Bello remains active and he is a role model and mentor to many apart from his two children, Femi Adebayo and Tope Adebayo who have taken well after him.

Akin Lewis The actor, writer and dramatist, started his career in 1951. He played the lead role in Madam Dearest which brought him into the limelight and has won several awards including the award for Best Actor in the Television and Audio Visuals Awards (TAVA). He has been acting for almost 30 years and has featured in the popular series, Tinsel as well as the movie, Heroes and Zeroes.

One of those trained by late iconic playwright, Ola Rotimi, Akin Lewis has done a lot in the industry and has not stopped being the best at what he does.

Hilda Dokubo She had her debut film in the movie, Evil Passion in 1992. The beautiful actress was once the Special Adviser on Youth Affairs to Peter Odili, former Rivers State governor.

She has been in movies like Jezebel, My God Will, Error of the Past, Black Maria, End of the Wicked, Light and Darkness.

She was recently cast in Onye-Eze and The CEO, respectively produced by Obi Emelonye and Kunle Afolayan. Hilda is also an advocate for the youth and is a great example for upcoming actresses.

Jide Kosoko

Liz Benson

Nkem Owoh

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LANRE ODUKOYA

SHOWBIZ TODAY

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John Ode thrills with new song, Grateful

AY’s movie “A Trip to Jamaica” set for world premiere

Trip to Jamaica”, a movie by award-winning Nigerian standup comedian, Ayo Makun, popularly known as AY will be premiered worldwide on September 25 in Lagos.

AY, who is the principal character in the movie and its Executive Producer, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja According to him, the star-studded movie is a hilarious instalment of the Akpos series shot in Lagos, Atlanta and Montego Bay in Jamaica.

“After the success of ‘30 Days In Atlanta’, there were a lot of calls for more. So we decided to do a spinoff to showcase further adventures of Akpos”.

“A Trip to Jamaica’ bridges the gap between Nollywood, Gollywood, Hollywood and the Jamaican movie industry.”

He added that artistes cast in the movie were drawn from Nigeria, Ghana, America and Jamaica.

The cast include award-winning actress, Funke Akindele, Hollywood veteran, Eric Roberts and Paul Campbell from Jamaica.

Others include: Nigerian Nse Ikpe-Etim,

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08059296445 lanre.odukoya@newtelegraphonline.com

Ghanaian ‘lover boy’ Chris Attoh, Dan Davies from Hollywood and Rebecca Silvera who was the former Miss Jamaica.

“A Trip to Jamaica’ was created to celebrate the best of our cultures. Using a football match which will showcase great players who have all worn their countries' national colours at international competitions is a fitting way to herald the release of the movie. The football game will be witnessing live comedy and musical performances as a way of celebrating the cultures of these unique countries,”AY said.

According to him, ex-footballers to play in the match include: Kanu Nwankwo, Jay Jay Okocha, Peter Rufai, Joseph Yobo, Mutiu Adepoju, Victor Ikpeba, and Ghanaian’s Stephen Appiah.

Artistes from different countries are expected to grace the premiere.

He added that the movie would be available on cinemas across Nigeria on September 30.

It was co-written by AY and Dianne Diaz and directed by Robert Peters, the US based multiple award winning film maker who also directed ‘30 Days in Atlanta’

Felabration 2016 AU, AFRIMA to celebrate afrobeat legend

ollowing the successful release of the full Nominees List for the 2016 All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, the African Union Commission, AUC, and the International Committee of AFRIMA, have entered into partnership with Felabration 2016, the annual festival organised to celebrate the late music maestro and Afrobeat creator, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

The decision to support the 2016 edition of Felabration with theme “Everybody Say Yeah Yeah” was disclosed by the Associate Producer, AFRIMA, Ms. Adenrele Niyi, to the founder of Felabration and daughter of the late music legend, Ms. Yeni Kuti, when she paid a courtesy call to the AFRIMA Secretariat in Lagos on September 15.

According to Ms Niyi, AFRIMA will be fully involved with Felabration 2016 from the first event, the Senior Secondary Schools Debate, which holds on October 5. From October 10 the week-long festivities commence.

“There’s no better way to begin this partnership with Felabration than through the school debate for secondary school students in Lagos State. It creates the perfect platform for the AFRIMA Foundation to pursue its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in Lagos State, the 2016 Official Host City for AFRIMA through our CSR initiative, Educate-A-Child (Our Voice). It is an Africa-wide campaign that took AFRIMA to Bakoteh Proper Lower Basic School, Banjul, Gambia, in May to interact with the teaching staff and students. The visit to the school was part of the programmes lined up for the AFRIMA-AUC joint media/cultural conference held in Gambia on May 24. During our visit, AFRIMA donated educational materials, computers and musical equipment to the school.”

The Associate Producer stated that in keeping with the objectives of the CSR to raise the standard of education in Africa and create conducive learning environment for

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AY

alented gospel songwriter and singer, John Ode, popularly known as Sent John has released another song entitled Grateful after his hit single, Breaking Forth, which was released just a few months ago. The song is adjudged a praise tool and it was widely received.

Grateful is an Afro-gospel music and the artiste iwith his usual orchestral prowess delivered appreciation message with powerful vocal dexterity in this song of thanksgiving and appreciation to God for love, care, blessings and favour the world enjoys every day.

According to the artiste, his inspiration came from the burning desire to appreciate God for all the good things He has done for him. “We can't pay God for the gift of life and the many good things He has done for us, we can only thank Him with gratitude.

To key into God’s blessings, we don’t have to allow what we want take away what we have by being ungrateful," he said.

Ode

Bishop Chidi Anthony loses mum

L-R AFRIMA 2015 Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa, Ahmed Soultan (Morocco) presenting a musical instrument to the Headmistress of Bakoteh Basic School during the AFRIMA visit to Bakoteh Proper Lower Basic School, Banjul, The Gambia in May 2016.

African children. Participating schools and winners at the school debate would benefit from the Educate-A-Child endowment.

Responding, Yeni Kuti thanked AFRIMA and the AU for the gesture and urged more organisations to emulate AFRIMA. “We are delighted that AFRIMA will be participating in Felabration 2016 starting with the school debate; it’s been a challenge hosting this school debate and to have AFRIMA come in through the Educate-A-Child CSR is a relief. Each year, the debate has been very interesting and the schools and students benefit greatly in terms of exposure to new knowledge and the opportunity to increase the educational materials available for learning.” Ms. Kuti added that the topic for this year’s debate, “Reparation: Yes or No?” would challenge the students to delve into African history and learn new things about their heritage. “We want to keep Fela’s love of culture and learning alive among young people,” she said.

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ishop Chidi Innocent Anthony is bereaved. The suave cleric who lost his mother at 73 years says his mother, Mrs. Lolo Grace Ogbonnaya Anthony Ajuonuma, has “finally gone to rest eternally in God.” The obsequies had been released from the clan of Chief Anthony Nnawuihe Ajuonuma after the Ajuonuma’s demise in August. The burial and Christian wake-keep will be taking place at their home town in Umuchoke Umuwala in Nkwerri L.G.A. Imo State on September 28 while the burial holds on September 29. She is survived by children, sons-in-law, daughtersin-law and grandchildren.

Mrs Grace

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24 SEPTEMBER 2016

with Deborah Ocheni

Celebrity interview on Saturday Night

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aturday Night is an every Saturday entertainment programme that focuses on interviewing celebrities on issues ranging from their career to personal life. It is aired every Saturday at 10pm on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

This edition of the programme featured Halima Abubakar, popular Nollywood actress and she spoke on her new movies ‘the Mistresses’ and other issues.

She revealed the plot of the movie as: “The Mistresses is a social subject that highlights what so many females go through. There is a saying that one bad apple spoils the rest because you don’t know every person’s character. We have a lot of men that lie leaving women unaware that they are either married or engaged. I am just trying to say men should stop lying and leading women astray by promising them marriage just because they want something from them. Also, the females should stop pretending that they have just a boyfriend. The need for us to be responsible and accountable for our behaviour is what inspired me to do the movie. I just want people to be truthful so they

can know where their hearts lie.

When asked if Abubakar had been deceived by men, she said: “I have never been deceived by any man; if there had been, I did not notice. I will leave if I find out he is lying, no one is tying me down. I feel if you are not happy in a relationship or marriage there is no point you stay in it. I am sorry because I am not married and I not supposed to say anything about marriages because I don’t know what another person may be going through but from what I have seen, I think a lot of people have problems with their marriages, and that is what the movie

Definitely, I will get married one day but I need to understand myself first. I don’t know if I am mentally mature enough for marriage

is about.

However, Abubakar said the fact that a lot of people are having problems with their marriages will not discourage her from getting married someday. “Definitely, I will get married one day but I need to understand myself first. I don’t know if I am mentally mature enough for marriage. Obviously, I am grown enough to get married but I am saying that probably mentally I am not, and until I understand that I will keep reading.

Speaking on how Abubakar handles the press she said: “I am actually quite a handful; when the press writes something that is not true, they will actually get to hear from me. Initially I used to handle it by myself until I got tired. I am in so many magazines and newspapers, many people just read and believe everything while some others don’t even click the link to read the full story. What I do these days is to block whatever I don’t want to hear, take in the ones I can handle and leave the rest for God. The most scandalous thing I have ever heard about myself is the one to the effect that I was pregnant for a colleague; earlier this year we shot a movie in Owerri where I was pregnant in a character and the other one was that I smoke cigarettes. The fact is I hate cigarettes. It was just a movie,” she said.

This weekend AIT

TELEVISION

Saturday 7:30 Business Africa 8:30 Destiny Encounter 9:00 Cartoon 10:00 Super Book 10:30 Sports File 11:30 Snakes and Lizards 12:00 Souncity Top Choice Videos 1:00 Hitz 1:30 Pavitra Rishta 2:35 Village Square 4:10 Movie 5:35 Los Rey 6:20 Spice Most 7:00 News Headline 7:10 Footprints 8:00 Pulse 234 8:30 Spider 9:00 Spice Specials 9:30 Soundcity Party Mix 10:30 Omnisport Sunday 8:00 Hutos 9:05 Arambara 9:35 Village Square 11:05 Snakes and Lizards 12:00 Soundcity’s Global Countdown 1:00 Hitz 1:30 Pavitra Rishta

2:40 Village Square 4:10 Movie 5:35 Los Rey 6:30 Glam Mamas 7:05 Before 30 7:30 Saints 8:00 Sunday Paparazzi Show 8:30 Spider 9:00 On the Couch 10:25 Omnisports 10:50 Movies

WAP TV

Saturday 06:00 Wap-Alaffs Report 06:30 Popular Songs 07:00 Kookoorokoo 09:30 Indomitable 10:00 Sport Arena 11:00 Awokogbon 12:30 Nnena and Friends 01:00 D Beat Zone 02:00 Destiny River Report 02:30 Reel Naija Spare my Life O4:30 Teju Baby Face Show 4:00 World News 4:30 Turning Point 5:00 Personalities Places

and Events 5:30 Our Ladies Our Pride 6:00 Hitlist & Cruzing 6:30 Making of a Chef 7:00 The Valley Between 8:00 AIT News Hour 9:00 Tales of Eve 10:00 Taste of Love 12:00 Sunday Homily Sunday 06:00 Wap-Alaffs Report 06:30 Turning Point 07:00 The Relevant Church 07:30 Kookoorokoo 09:30 700 Club 10:00 Awokogbon Kogbodeye 11:30 X2D 12:00 Indian Series Omnibus 01:30 The Benjamins O2:00 Video Fashion 02:30 Thousand Laugh Xtra 04:30 Reel Naija Spare My Life 6:00 Igbo Series 6:30 Clinic Matters 7:00 I Love Nigeria 8:00 Knorr Taste Quest 9:00 Tales of Eve

RADIO

Rainbow 74.1 FM

Abubakar and hostess exchanging pleasantries at the end of the programme

NEWS

G

Telemundo, Discovery Family kick off new series on GOtv

Otv has dedicated the month of September to television series buffs with the introduction of new and exciting series which are; World’s Funniest, Woman of Steel, Bitesize Breakfast Block and Afternoon Adventures.

World’s Funniest will air on Discovery Family, Fridays at 7:10pm.

This new hilarious, one-hour series is inspired by the hit YouTube channel, a compilation of videos showing funny pranks and comical fails from around the globe. Each week, a panel of ce-

lebrities and comedians will analyse the videos that have trended across the internet, with the goal of awarding the funniest one with the “Golden Terry Award”.

Telemundo premieres Woman of Steel on Monday, it take viewers inside the lives of Robert Kardashian and Blac Chyna with the brand new series, Rob & Chyna.

It’s also ‘Back to School’ season and to make breakfast and getting ready for school more exciting, Disney Junior has introduced a Bitesize Breakfast

Block, morning shorts of some kiddies’ favourite shows. The Bitesize Breakfast Block is aired on Monday at 6:30am; it features splits of Goldie & Bear, PJ Masks, Jake and the Never Land Pirates, Doc McStuffins and Miles from Tomorrow.

There will also be Afternoon Adventures with Disney Junior featuring The Adventures of the Disney Fairies, Miles from Tomorrow, Sofia the First, Jake and the Never Land Pirates, The Lion Guard and Goldie & Bear on Monday at 1:20pm.

Saturday 7:30 You and your Marriage 8:00 Whispers 9:00 Sports Tackle 10:00 Family Life 11:00 Kids on Radio 12:00 Hot Gist and D Sport 4:00 Wazobia Flavour 6:00 Request and Shout 11:30 Icon Saturday

Sunday 8:00 The Word with Interaction 9:00 God Bless Nigeria 10:00 Rainbow Gospel Gig 11:00 Talk your Own 11:30 Story Story 12:00 Classic Music 5: 00 180 Degrees 5:30 House Party Mix 9:00 Akamara 10:30 Afro Classic

Radio continental 102.3 fm Saturday 77:30 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

37

The Arts

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

Africa Day: Kakadu premieres in Jo'burg

F

Tony Okuyeme ollowing three years of very successful performances in Nigeria and Davos, Switzerland, the spectacular, award-winning “Kakadu” the Musical will premiere at the Nelson Mandela Theatre, Johannesburg, as part of the Africa Day Celebrations scheduled to hold from June 7 to 18, 2017. This was announced yesterday by the Executive Producer, Jo’burg City Theatres, Claire Pacariz.

A true African story whose time has come, Kakadu, the Musical is based on several pivotal events that happened in Nigeria between 1965 and 1974, the watershed years immediately following independence from British colonial

Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

T

he federal government has sought the cooperation of Chinese officials to tackle unrestrained cases of piracy in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

The appeal came as Beijing TV dramas and movies are set to debut in Nigerian homes using Startime as channel of transmission.

Permanent Secretary in ministry of Information and Culture, Dr. Sade Yemi Esan, represented by Director in the ministry, Peter Dama, made the appeal in Abuja.

The occasion was the launch of Chinese Cultural festival hosted by Startimes.

Recalling that Nigeria and China had enjoyed a long time bi-lateral relationship dating back to 1971, Dama urged key players in Chinese entertainment industry to ensure Nigeria’s film industry, the Nollywood is also given the same cooperation to access China’s entertainment market.

“One of the issues of concern is the activities of some unscrupulous Nigerians and Chinese cooperating to pirate the hardwork of Nigerians using your system and infrastructure to perpetuate this act. I want Chinese government to step in and take stringent measures so that this does continue to happen”, he said.

Speaking earlier, Global Vice President of StarTimes, Ms. Guo Ziqi, de-

rule, leading to the Biafran War and the aftermath of that war. It is written and produced by one of the leading lawyers in Nigeria, Uche Nwokedi, SAN. Musical direction and orchestration is by Benneth Ogbeiwi and the artistic and technical direction is by Kanayo Omo. With a strong plot, captivating storyline, spectacular dance and a blend of the anglo-american soul and pop music of the 1950s and 1960s that influenced musical expressions in 1960s Africa, Highlife music, Afrobeat and traditional Nigerian folk music, Kakadu "is the most wonderfully eclectic musical ever performed anywhere. A unique 'must-see, must experience' production."

According to Pacariz, "Kakadu is a highly creative, original production

Pacariz

which has been internationally acclaimed as the first ever musical from Nigeria and that is why we are interested in bringing it to South Africa for the 2017 Africa Day celebrations."

Africa Day, she added, is the annual commemoration of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on May 23, 1963. On that day, leaders of 30 of the 32 independent African states signed a founding charter in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“It is quite significant to the ethos of Kakadu that we have been invited to a theatre named after Nelson Mandela, a champion of liberties,” says the writer and producer, Nwokedi.

Kakadu joins a long list of world class productions that got invitation to the Nelson Mandela Theatre in Johannesburg.

FG seeks China cooperation to tackle piracy in entertainment industry scribed Nigeria as home to the largest subscribers of StarTimes. “ I believe that this cooperation will further promote the friendship between Nigeria and China. This event will screen 5 mega hot series and 5 star studded big budget movies such as Chasing After The Love, Woman From The Family of Swordsman, Mazu, Go Away Mr. Tumour, Finding Mr. Right, Beijing Love Story, Back In Time, etc on StarTimes’ platform. Beijing leads China in produc-

ing TV dramas and movies. It now has more than 3,400 institutions specialising in movie and TV production and operation, producing over 3,000 TV episodes and nearly 300 movies per year.’

The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television holds the much anticipated Beijing TV Dramas and Movies Broadcasting Season in Nigeria, Rwanda and Tanzania this September initially for three months and lasting till September

L-R: Peili, Dama, Ziangdong and Ziqi, during the Launching of Beijing TV Series Broadcasting Season in Africa 2016

2017 to further promote and consolidate inter cultural relations and promotion particularly on movies and drama series.

In her remark, Deputy Director of Beijing Municipal Bureau, Ms. Yang Peili, said that: ‘Historically China has maintained a deep and friendly relationship with African countries and the cultural exchange is a means of supporting the communication between the two sides; the launch of the Beijing TV Dramas & Movies Broadcasting Season in African countries aims to bring more Chinese stories into Africa and promote the cooperation in film and TV industry between the two sides.’

Mr. Israel Bolaji, StarTimes Head of Public Relations, stated that: ‘After two years of development, Beijing TV Dramas and Movies Broadcasting Season has become an endearing and enduring brand in Africa, which helped popularise Chinese culture while facilitating friendly exchanges between China and Africa.

Hit Chinese TV drama series and movies dubbed into English, French and five African languages by StarTimes, were aired over the last two years. TV dramas like Let's Get Married, Beijing Youth, The Heart without Thieves, Battle to Save Marriage, The Young Doctor, The Sweet Burden, Mi Family’s Marriage, Ordinary World and movies such as Love Is Not Blind, 20 Once Again, The Left Ear, A Wedding Invitation have been wellreceived by African audience.

38

FRED NWAOZOR

“J

ust a dream?” Madam Ade pondered, popeyed as she sat lonely on a plastic seat at her matrimonial home’s

balcony.

It was barely one week after the burial of her late husband’s remains, at 8:00am on Saturday precisely. She was yet to get the picture of that very dream clearly.

To her, Chief R.O. Ade’s abrupt murder was a true manifestation of that nightmare experienced by her last child, Tunji. But she needed a clearer interpretation in order not to go astray. The question remained: who would do the long awaited interpretation? A prophet, chief priest, soothsayer, or a native doctor? Nevertheless, all she knew was that she needed an interpreter, but how to go about it was what the poor widow was yet to come about.

“What type of dream was that?” She continued in her mourning attire – white silk wrappers and top coupled with white hair scarf and earrings.

“Mum,” said the 23-year-old Lola who happened to be the firstborn of the couple as she walked to the balcony. “So, you are all alone here.”

Lola was a three hundred level (300L) undergraduate. She alongside her immediate younger brother named Tunde was the only one who had gotten to a tertiary institution among four of them.

“My dear,” Madam Ade responded. “Don’t mind your mother.”

Lola sat closely to her. “Mummy,” she called. “You have to stop thinking about this.” She advised, paused. “Only God knows why dad left at the time we needed him most.”

Lola and her other two siblings were yet to be briefed on the much-think-about dream. It was still a matter between Tunji and his mum.

“Where is Tunji?” Madam Ade verified.

“He’s in his room.” replied Lola “Please, go and call him.”

“Okay mum.” She said, stood up and walked away.

“Yes mum.” Tunji said the moment he joined his mother in a jiffy as requested in the company of Lola.

“Please, sit down.” Madam Ade urged him.

Tunji quickly sat on a separate plastic seat situated very close to his mum’s. On her part, Lola resumed hers. Both siblings were seated opposite each other, facing their mother who was flanked by them.

“Tunji,” madam Ade called calmly. “Please, tell me more about that dream.”

“The dream?” quoth Tunji.

Madam Ade nodded continuously.

“Which dream?” Lola interrupted.

“Your kid brother here,” quoth Madam Ade, gesticulating. “Had a very terrible dream prior to your daddy’s death.” She cleared the air hesitantly.

“A terrible dream?” wondered

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

ShortStory

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

frednwaozor@gmail.com +2348028608056 Follow: @mediambassador

Just a dream II

Lola, looking at both parties.

Madam Ade nodded. “I am still pondering on it.” She confessed.

“Tunji,” Lola called. “What’s the dream all about?” She inquired, became perturbed.

“Daddy was shot in the dream.” Tunji disclosed.

“Shot…?”

“Ya,” said Tunji. “He was shot dead.”

“You mean,” quoth Lola. “daddy was shot dead in the dream?”

The pale-looking Tunji nodded.

“Oh my God!” Lola exclaimed, occupied with burning sensation. “Who shot him dead?” she added.

“Uncle Alagbo.” responded Tunji.

“Uncle Dada Alagbo?” She enquired, agitated. “His closest colleague in the office?”

Tunji replied via a nod.

“No, it can’t be true.” Lola disagreed. “Uncle Dada was daddy’s best friend nah.”

“That is exactly where I am deeply confused.” Madam Ade interrupted.

Intriguingly, the man in question, Mr. Alagbo played a very major role, both financially and otherwise, during Chief Ade’s burial rites. And, he was as well greatly touched by the incident.

“Tunji,” Madam Ade proceeded. “Where was your dad shot in the dream?”

“In the head.”

“I didn’t mean the part of

his body,” said Madam Ade. “I meant, at which area?”

“In his car,” replied Tunji.

“When he was returning from office.”

“Were you in the car?” quoth Madam Ade. “Yes mum,” said Tunji. “I was seated at the front with dad.”

“And, you were not shot, right?”

“Yes mum.”

“How many persons were involved in the assassination?”

“Three.”

Lola shook her head. “Same number of persons that came to the house.” She thought .

“And, they weren’t masked?”

Madam Ade inquired.

“Yes, mum.” Tunji said. “Their faces were left widely open.”

“So, one of them happened to be Mr. Alagbo?”

Tunji nodded frantically. “He was the one that pulled the trigger,” he notified. “Thrice.”

“Thrice…?” Lola interrupted, bemused. “Exactly the number of times I was told daddy was shot.”

Madam Ade shook her head.

“This is getting more confusing.”

“Tunji,” Lola called. “What time was that in the dream?”

“In the afternoon, about 4pm” responded Tunji. “The time daddy usually returned from office.”

There was absolute unsolicited tranquility.

In a few seconds time, Late Chief R.O. Ade’s younger and only brother, Mr. Dele Ade who lived closely joined them, hurriedly sat on one of the plastic

seats situated a bit farther from the gathering, looked very rejected and tattered.

“Good morning Uncle Dele!”

Lola and Tunji chorused.

“Good morning, Dele.” Madam Ade followed suit.

“There is nothing good about the morning ooh…” Mr. Dele exclaimed, scratching all over his body.

“Such is life.” Madam Ade said, thinking he was still much disturbed by his brother’s departure.

“I killed him.” Mr. Dele hinted immediately. “I killed him ooh…”

“What a hell are you talking about?” Madam Ade quarreled apprehensively. “You killed who?”

Others looked at him in silent awe.

“I killed Brother Remi ooh.”

Remi was the first name of his late elder brother, Chief R.O. Ade. “You killed who?” Madam Ade shouted, stood up.

“Yes, I killed him.” He said repeatedly.

Lola and Tunji couldn’t fathom the unforeseen scenario; they were both trapped in their respective seats. In the process, their other siblings rushed to the balcony having overheard the unwonted noise coming from their mother, only to encounter the mind-boggling disclosure.

“You mean,” Madam Ade ranted. “You killed your only brother?”

Mr. Dele Ade had been look-

ing for a means to eliminate the deceased owing to greed. He wanted to own all the plots of land they inherited from their late father all alone. He was of the view that once he succeeded in eliminating Chief R.O. Ade, his two male children wouldn’t be a serious case or a troublesome issue afterwards.

It might equally interest you to acknowledge that during the burial, while the deceased corpse was dressed in a coffin, according to their custom, it was accompanied with a blunt cutlass to enable his spirit haunt anyone responsible for his demise; though Mr. Dele made a futile effort to oppose the arrangement, stating that it was fetish thus against their family’s faith.

The uncontrollable uproar raised by Madam Ade immediately after the confession, attracted everyone far and within to Late Chief Remi Ade’s compound. They couldn’t believe their ears as soon as they were briefed on what was going on.

Therein, Mr. Dele took to the street in an insane mood, leaving his clothes except pants behind.

Arguably, the evil that men do lives with them, contrary to the famous presumption that it lives after them. Or, what’s your opinion? Think about it!

• Nwaozor novelist, playwright and poet, is Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research & Career Development - Owerri

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

Travel & Tourism Hilarious

CHEF'S CORNER

M

afo Victoria Waniko, a Mass Communication graduate was the former Miss Tourism International Nigeria (2014/2015). She represented Nigeria at the world stage in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where she emerged as the only African among the top 10 finalists.

A model as well, she combines her brain and beauty in fighting the cause of the downtrodden and less privilege especially the rights of the child, a cause she crusaded for during her one year reign as beauty queen. Even after her reign, she has continued on that line and expanding her

COOKING BLUNDER

with MAFO VICTORIA WANIKO

39

horizon to include taking on projects that would bring succour to people in different forms.

Despite her various engagements and busy schedule, the Kogi Stateborn model, is a thoroughbred homegrown as she is homely and delights herself with regular home chores such as cooking, as she says that: “I do cook.”

Her most cherished delicacies, she says, is jollof rice besides romancing Chinese food and pastries. “I like to make good Nigerian jollof rice and eat Chinese food out. I am also pastries girl - cakes, bread and biscuits are my favourites. I also like ice cream and chocolate.”

But no matter how she may love to indulge, she tells you that eating healthy is her top priority. “But I have to be more health conscious about my eating habits so I try not to over indulge unlike before,” she says.

For the former Miss Tourism who loves to cook her food herself most of the times, she still fights to overcome two often repeated blunders or what you might want to call over indulgent. That is: “I use to put a lot of salt in food which is funny as I can't really stand salt now and I just put little in my food. I also occasionally burnt food too.”

I occasionally burnt food

Waniko

TRAVEL BEATS

Ekpo Dance, Drama and Drumming Festival for October 7

Dubai Parks and Resorts set to blaze the trail in theme park offerings

Preparations are in top gear for the celebration of the Ekpo Dance, Drama and Drumming Festival billed for Old Parade Ground in Area 10, Abuja between October 7 and 8.

Organised by TNY Gallery and African Cultural Heritage Centres, the two days festival, according to the organisers, is part of events lined up in support of the recently launched ‘Change begins with me’ campaign of the federal government.

The theme of the cultural festival is: ‘The imperatives of community and culture as a panacea for poverty eradication and peaceful co-existence – the Ekpo dance story. The grand opening ceremony is to be held on October 7 with government officials, culture workers and various traditional and cultural troupes in attendance as well as different institutions of learning and the art community.

The celebration is expected to feature a number of dance drama, dance, musical and traditional theatrical performances by Ekpo (Masquerades) related troupes from Cross River and Akwa Ibom states among others.

Also are traditional food competition, poetry and folklore renditions, drumming and percussion session as well as international cultural exchange presentations.

TNY Gallery and African Cultural Heritage Centres is founded and managed by Patty Etete Inameh, a versatile and erudite scholar, author and historian as well as a former lawmaker with the national assembly and Special Adviser to the House Speaker.

ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA Editor, TRAVEL&TOURISM iroandy@ymail.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Dubai Parks and Resorts promises adventure seekers across the world the best of theme park experiences as its prepares to open its doors for business on October 31. And with its sights on the Nigerian market, it has signed on four leading Nigerian travel management companies.

With a focus on becoming the largest integrated themed park in the Middle East, six cumulative experiences await visitors including Motiongate Dubai; Bollywood Parks Dubai; Legoland Dubai; Legoland Water Parks; Lapita and Riverland Dubai all fused into the 25 Million square feet Dubai Parks and Resorts landscape.

The park is designed to offer new heights in entertainment with the Motiongate Dubai showcasing

everything Hollywood while Bollywood Parks Dubai brings to life first-hand experience of the globally celebrated Indian movie industry and the Legoland Dubai and Water Parks, the very first of its kind in the Middle East region.

To attract visitors from Nigeria and West Africa, it has signed partnership deals with Tour Brokers International, Wakanow, Quantum/Ajala, based in Lagos and All States Travels based in Abuja, to provide exclusive information and marketing support services to Nigerian and West African visitors.

Dubai Parks and Resorts occupies a prime location on Sheikh Zayed Road, the main connection to Abu Dhabi, with excellent local access across a range of transport links.

UNWTO commences entires for Jan. 18, 2017

The United Nations World Tourism Organisations (UNWTO) has commenced the race for the 13th edition of its yearly and most prestigious global awards slated for January 18, 2017.

Jointly oorganised with the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR / IFEMA), the event will take place on the first day of the 2017 FITUR/IFEMA, Madrid, Spain travel expo with the deadline for submitting applications fixed for September 30.

Since its first ceremony in 2003, the UNWTO Awards for Excellence and Innovation in tourism are held annually to highlight and promote the work of organisations and individuals around the world that have greatly impacted the tourism sector.

Their achievements have served as an inspiration for competitive and sustainable tourism development and the promotion of the values of the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Recognition is given in the following categories: The UNWTO Lifetime Achievement Award, The UNWTO Ulysses Prize, The UNWTO Awards for Innovation in Public Policy and Governance; Enterprises; Non-Governmental Organisations; and Research and Technology, and The UNWTO Ethics Awards.

Sinking Nigerian aviation on focus in Akwaaba 2016 The sinking Nigerian aviation industry is expected to provide the subscript for discussion in the forthcoming 12th edition of Akwaaba - African Travel Market, which is set to hold at the Expo Hall of Eko Hotel and Suites between October 30 and November 1, as organisers of the yearly travel and tourism trade exhibition.

To this end, this year’s Aviation Day conference, which is to be held on

Travel Personality

October 30, is dedicated to x-ray the fallen Nigerian aviation business as experts with various pedigree are being lined to have a brainstorming session on the way out of the crisis ravaging the industry.

Listed discussants include the former Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Harold Demuren, former Managing Director of the Federal Airport

Yusuf Olela: West Africa hospitality business has huge opportunities

p.40

Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Richard Aisebeogun, who was also a former Chief Operating Officer of Overland Airways and ADC Airlines and the former Managing Director of defunct Virgin Nigeria, Capt Dapo Olumide, as well as the former Managing Director of defunct Nigeria Airways, Edmund Yomi Jones.

Also listed are: Capt Mike Omokore, a search and rescue expert and Kenyan

female aviator, Dorcas Aketch, who at various times had stint with Kenya Airways, Virgin Nigeria and Rwandair.

For the three days event, over 30 speakers have been lined up to discuss aviation and tourism in Africa. Exhibitors from Kenya, Bahrain, Dubai, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Benin Republic are said to have booked spaces for the event.

Hospitality Hospitality

Destination

p.41 p.41

p.42

D’czars Westown HotelHotels: and Suites: Entices Adding with value bumper to guests’ Ramadan lives offerings

NigeriaTourism Tourism:Day Stakeholders World 2016: point pathway to growth Tourism for all, promoting p.42 universal accessibility

40 Travel&Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

YUSUF OLELA

West Africa hospitality business has huge opportunities The general manager of Swiss Spirit Hotel and Suites Alisa, Accra, Ghana, Yusufu Olela, speaks to ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA on hospitality business in the country, West Africa and how poised his hotel is in claiming the top spot despite the stiff competition from the rising ranks of branded hotels in Accra What motivated your coming to West Africa?

Actually, what inspired me were the huge opportunities that have not been explored in West Africa as far as the hospitality industry is concerned, because the West African economy has not been driven so much by hospitality, but that is changing now.

If you look at statistics of the industry that recorded the fastest growth, it is the service industry and hospitality business that fall into this group.

Secondly, it is to share my experience in an industry that has not been well developed compared to Kenya or East Africa because in East Africa, tourism as an economic segment of the government is considered as one of the leading foreign exchange earners which is not the same when you look at Ghana and Nigeria, but you will find out that with time this is still the area that has a lot of potential.

The other time I was checking at the last statistics here in Ghana, tourism in the last few years has not been growing as expected by economy planners, but it is almost surpassing cocoa in terms of foreign exchange.

So, basically what happened with cocoa is probably what happened in other African

TRAVEL PERSONALITY countries where when you produce cocoa and you don’t add value to it and it goes out as cheap raw material and comes back to you as a finished product, which is more expensive. This is exactly the scenario in the oil industry, we are the major oil producers, but sometimes you are extremely broke.

What informed the recent rebranding of your hotel?

Alisa started in 1999 with only 14 rooms and later the owner got another space for 25 rooms which is the heritage block and another space, the Landmark for 68 rooms, then the Pegasus building with 100 rooms and also harnessed resources to put up another 99 rooms he christened the ‘Village’ which made a total of 267 rooms.

This is really hard work for a company that is proudly owned by a Ghanaian and was built from scratch to its present stage. When I came to the hotel, my first task was to concentrate on why I actually came to Alisa Hotel, which was basically to evaluate the facilities and services we are offering here and to compare with what the market has and the clients that come from different international communities, within and outside Africa.

I realised that we needed to reposition ourselves for service delivery and product, we started working on this and we developed the standard and procedure. We looked at the structures to make sure that they align with what we want to achieve, we launched a preparatory proce-

dure, and assisted the managers to set objectives and all the basics that it takes to run an organisation successfully.

Then I asked myself what next after all these? And what came to my mind is sustainability. How do we keep our services and standards the way they are supposed to be as long as we run this institution? That was where the idea of an international chain came in.

The branding was to help us benchmark our product and services The reason we brought in the international chain was to help us match our services with international standards because there is a quality assurance compliance expectations we must achieve, then develop the people in terms of training needs and exchanges that take place, which actually integrates us with the global e-commerce platform that makes sure that our product and services can easily be accessed by someone who has not visited Ghana.

So, with the international chain the brand equity comes in which make people to easily associate with the business that will give them a similar brand in Ghana.

That connectivity was missing and that was why the management decided that it will give the hotel a leverage and long term goal of sustainability to get into a partnership with an international chain. We began the search and met with different international brands before we finally considered Swiss International.

What has been your experience of Ghana hospitality business over the period?

The experience has been very fulfilling. The people have been very friendly and it was very easy for me to integrate with the people in the community.

The cultural diversity is not too different from where I come from in Kenya, so I felt much at home within a very short period of time. When it comes to the industry and what I do, I want to find huge opportunity, huge in the sense that there is so much to be done in the industry; the industry is not as developed as what we have in Kenya, where I come from as the options are limited.

Capacity issues are there because the industry is not supported by so much training facilities that will make people deliver the expected services in the industry.

This is still something which has to be worked

on, we need to expand our training institutions and make up the curriculum to fit into what the industry needs.

The other challenge apart from capacity is the raw materials that you need in the hotel, which is a problem when you talk of sourcing for them, because a lot of items are imported, which means you cannot get everything entirely fresh. Import means quality control is not in your hands.

Import means that things will be relatively expensive and that is why you find out that West Africa as a destination and Ghana specifically is relatively more expensive when compared with other countries where similar items are being produced locally.

Is there no way Africa can produce some of these items rather than being import dependent?

I think there is an opportunity for such reality, but I think the market must be sensitised and the ministry and the respective industries like the ministries of Tourism and Agriculture need to meet and ask what are we importing but that the country can produce? When this is done, things will take shape.

Also, if today you start giving people statistics of how many kilogrammes of beef are imported to this country and we decided to set up a ranch and work with different investors, it will happen, but it also depends on the fiscal policy and I think Africa’s economy entirely is still very young and needs to be protected.

And when I say protected, it means that you have to ask yourself why?

One of the reasons I think Africa’s economy is not protected is because you found out that imported items still come into Africa and even cheaper than what is being produced here.

So, this scenario exposed the economy because the buyers will be looking at the best bargain, which will drastically reduce home-grown products.

However, for this thing to be produced locally there is need for incentives to encourage patronage, including what some people considered to be subsidy.

The question is why would a product like imported rice be cheaper than what is produced here? It means there is something wrong with our production processes, the system and the cost of input in the production chain. So, I see a lot of opportunities, especially now that the focus is shifting from oil and gas to the non-oil sectors.

This is an opportunity where I see a lot people participating in different service solutions to the industry and one of them is agriculture.

BACKGROUND

Olela

Yusuf Olela’s stint in Africa hospitality business spans about 20 years, garnering experiences across the continent. That is from Kenya, Ethiopia to Zimbabwe and has now berthed in Accra, Ghana, where in the last couple of months he has been piloting the affairs of Alisa Hotel, which was recently rebranded as Swiss Spirit Hotel and Suites Alisa, as the general manager. Olela is a Kenyan.

Travel&Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

41

Hotel’s facilities/ services at a glance Boosts 26 rooms all fully furnished and fitted to taste with amenities such as queen size bed, mini bar, water heater, flat screen television, tea/coffee-making machine and toiletries among others. The different categories include: Prince and Princess room (the smallest); Duke and Duchess (standard room); Majesty suite (bigger than the duke and duchess); Imperial suite; and Emperor suite; Swimming pool, gymnasium, club, restaurant, bar, barbeque spot, 24 hours Internet service, and lounge, car hire/airport shuttle, conference hall and meeting rooms.

Imperial suites

D’CZARS HOTEL AND SUITES

Adding value to guests’ lives Two years on D’czars Hotel and Suites located at D'Czars Bus Stop, Ilo Awela, Ota, Ogun State, has stamped its presence as the hospitality outfit of choice within its catchment area offering its teeming patrons standard and quality facilities and services with a touch of professional excellence. Precisely September 21, 2014, the hotel opened its doors for business and this week it has rolled out the drums and the red carpet in celebration of two years of service to humanity with the series of activities climaxing today.

The General Manager of the hotel, Godwin Ochugbo, speaks with OGE NDUBUNMA and OLANIYI ADERUKU on the strides made by the hotel and its future as it looks to upgrading its offerings in the market so as to remain top and attract more clients and attention as a reference point in the community.

How would you describe the two years of your hotel’s operations?

The general operations of the hotel have been satisfactory as we have always put in our best to ensure that the needs and aspirations of our esteem customers are met.

What have been some of the challenges?

The basic challenge has been poor power supply, which means you have to use alternative source of power irrespective of your occupancy level, thereby increasing the overall operational cost.

What area of the business has experienced a boom in the past two years?

Generally all areas in the hotel are interrelated therefore sales in the area of accommodation can translate to sales in restaurant, bar, club and other service

outlets of the hotel.

What are some of the activities put in place to celebrate your two years of operations?

To mark the event of our two years anniversary, we shall be organising a pool party event which will be featuring different performing artistes. The celebration will also climax with the presentation of gifts/awards to our best guest for period.

Is your anniversary celebration going to be a yearly event?

Yes because in the hospitality Industry we look for every opportunity for events to maximize sales and profit and the period of the anniversary provides us with such opportunity and also presents a medium to appreciate

HOSPITALITY our customers for their patronage all through the period.

Are most of your guests residents of Ogun State?

As a hotel of international standard we receive guests from within and outside the country as well as residents of Ogun and other states who always come in for leisure activities.

How have you been able to maintain and renew the hotel’s facilities within this period?

At D’Czars Hotel and Suites we have a 365-day maintenance culture which means we address any maintenance issue as soon as they occur, without allowing them becoming a problem in the future.

How profitable has running the hotel been?

Running a hotel is profitable and also very challenging.

ter using our service key word which is Q.S.C.S which is an abbreviation for Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Speed.

We are not resting on our oars as we are putting in our very best, we are trying to get better and add more value to what they are paying for. We will continue to do our best to maintain the uniqueness of the hotel.

In what area has the hotel boosted its community in terms of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?

We are contributing in so many ways especially in terms of employment, as we try as much as possible to restrict the employment offers within the environment.

Also with the hotel located here, it is affecting other businesses like when you have people in the rooms they always look for places to patronise, such as salons if they want to have their hair cut and cosmetics shops if they want to buy anything.

So it also affects other little businesses within the locality and at the end of each year make donations to orphanages in the community.

Has there been a downward trend since you started?

We have been growing and improving on a daily basis. On our one year anniversary we commissioned one of the best clubs around Sango Ota (OLOLA Night Club) and also on our second anniversary we are unveiling our Barbeque and Shawarma spot and other entertainment packages around the pool bar.

What should your guests expect from you going forward on in terms of facilities and quality?

We shall continue to serve them bet-

Ochugbo

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42

Travel&Tourism

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

DESTINATION As the world prepares to celebrate World Tourism Day on September 27, ANDREW IRO OKUNGBOWA writes on the nature and significance of the day

S

eptember 27 is globally recognised as World Tourism Day (WTD), a day set aside by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) to celebrate the bounties of the industry, which globally is regarded as the largest employer of labour. Its contributes meaningfully to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the world because of its enriching economic potential as well as latent force for human development.

Globally, nations across the world will on Tuesday roll out the drum to celebrate and toast to the industry. The sound of celebration obviously will be loudest in countries where engagement in tourism has yielded huge windfall.

This is because it affords such nations the moment to once again dedicate themselves to the development and promotion of the industry with an expectation for a higher yield in the coming years.

Historically, the celebration of WTD was adopted by the general assembly of UNWTO in 1979 and ever since it has become a yearly celebration across the world. It is on record that the motion for the celebration of September 27 was mooted by a Nigerian, late Ignatius Atigbi, who was then the secretary general of the defunct Nigerian Tourism Authority (NTA), which today is now known as the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).

The celebration is geared towards fostering awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value. Also, the celebration officially seeks to highlight tourism’s potential to contribute to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as it addresses some of the most pressing challenges society is faced with today.

Last year the theme for the celebration was ‘One billion tourists one billion opportunities’ with the global celebration hosted by Burkina Faso, as it is the tradition for world leaders in tourism to gather at a designated point to mark the day while nations organise different events and activities across their landscapes to celebrate the day.

While the theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Tourism for all - promoting universal accessibility.’ This year’s theme, UNWTO said is instructive as there is a growing global demand and advocacy for tourism for all and every people on earth to enjoy the beauties of travel.

Furthermore, UNWTO’s commitment to accessible tourism for all is

WORLD TOURISM DAY 2016

Tourism for all, promoting universal accessibility guided by the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, a fundamental frame of reference for responsible and sustainable tourism development. Article 7 of the Code recognises that “direct and personal access to the discovery and enjoyment of the planet’s resources constitutes a right equally open to all the world’s inhabitants.”

Hence it disclosed that “accessible tourism for all is about the creation of environments that can cater for the needs of all of us, whether we are travelling or staying at home. That may be due to a disability, even temporary, families with small children, or the ageing population, at some point in our lives, sooner or later, we all benefit of universal accessibility in tourism.

“Which is why, we want to call upon the right for all of the world’s citizens to experience the incredible diversity of our planet and the beauty of the world we live in. On this year’s World Tourism Day help us spread the word of both the importance and immense benefits universal accessibility has and can bring to society at large.”

Host country – Thailand

First story building, Badagry

The official host country for the global celebration this year is Thailand with Bangkok as the host city while Siam Kempinski Hotel is the designated venue. Tourism in Thailand has in recent years witnessed accelerated growth despite challenges confronting the country.

In 2015, the country was the most visited in Southeast Asia, hosting almost 30 million international tourists while

it earned US$ 44.6 billion in tourism receipts, showing that tourism is playing an ever greater role in the country’s development and path to further prosperity. Bangkok, the capital, is a browsing city known for its beautiful temples, floating markets and impressive skyline.

RIFAI: Travelling has become a huge part of many lives

Tourism has experienced a revolution in the past 50 years. In 1950, there were 25 million international tourists; today there are around 1.2 billion people travelling the world. Travelling has become a huge part of many lives.

When travelling, we come across new people, new sights, and new ideas. Often our perception of the world changes as we see more of it.

However, we must not forget that for many, travelling can be quite a difficult process.

15 per cent of the world’s population is estimated to live with some form of disability. That is one billion people around the world who may be unable to enjoy the privilege of knowing other cultures, experience nature at its fullest and experience the thrill of embarking on a journey to explore new sights.

Travel&Tourism 43

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

Accessibility for all should be at the centre of tourism policies and business strategies not only as a human right, but also as a great market opportunity Nigeria: Badagry beckons

Accessibility for all should be at the centre of tourism policies and business strategies not only as a human right, but also as a great market opportunity. With the world’s population ageing, all of us will benefit sooner or later from universal accessibility in tourism.

As we celebrate World Tourism Day, let us recall that all of the world’s citizens have the right to experience the incredible diversity this planet has to offer.

We thus urge all countries and destinations, as well as the industry, to promote accessibility for all in the physical environment, in transport systems, in public facilities and services and in information and communications channels.

I wish you a very happy World Tourism Day and a future full of enriching and compelling travel experiences to be enjoyed by all.

Thank you very much! *Message to the world by the UNWTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai

In Nigeria the drum of celebration may not be too loud not because the country is not a blessed country when it comes to tourism.

However, its vast, enduring and rich tourism industry is yet to receive the much desired attention with its potential largely left fallow.

The implication of this is that the enthusiasm and excitement that would herald the day in many other climes where tourism is a goldmine and money-spinning industry will be missing in Nigeria as the day is most likely to be greeted with lacklustre and colourless celebration.

Sadly enough, if the feelers emanating from many of the state is anything to judge by, don’t expect the day to be marked in many cities and towns across the country as many of the state governments and tourism authority may not even be aware of the celebration much less the importance of marking the day as tourism has for years be relegated to the backwaters of history in their scheme of affairs.

Perhaps the only respite will be coming from a few states where there is likely to be some form of celebration spearheaded by both the public and private sector operators while at the federal level the federal Ministry of Information and Culture has signalled its intention to the day in Badgary, one of the five divisions of Lagos State.

The national celebration to be hosted by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed would serve as a twopronged event as aside marking WTD it would also jumpstart the minister’s nationwide tour of tourist attractions.

The host state, Lagos State, expected to jojn forces with the Federal Government in the Badagry

Mohammed

Rifai

Badabgry Museum Heritage

event, so as to make it a bumper event as both forces certainly possess the leverage to pull off a most successful celebration and attract a sizeable pull of operators to the event.

Badagry at a glance

Badagry is a coastal town at the western flank of Lagos on the Lagoon off the Gulf of Guinea, between Lagos and Seme, a border town in Benin Republic. Its population is estimated at 240,000 and it evolved as a settlement around the 15th century and became a major slave port during the slave trade era as a result of the port.

It is on record that over half million slaves were ferried through the Badagry port to America and other European countries. The town also served as home to the deposed Lagos Oba, Akitoye, by the colonial masters. With the abolition of slave trade came the dip in the popularity of the town while trading and agriculture assumed place of importance in later years.

It has a rich culture as it is inhabited by different ethnic groups with its traditional ruler known as Oba Akran.

The town harbours a number of relics, which are both symbolic of its slave trade and colonial experiences with many of them serving as tourist attractions.

Tourist attractions

The Brazilian Baracoon houses the first storey building in Nigeria.

It was here that the famous Nigerian clergy, a returnee slave, Bishop Ajayi Crowder, was believed to have stayed and translated the Bible into Yoruba. There is also Lord Lugard’s house and the Black Heritage Museum, which now house a number of the slave trade artifacts and a range of Nigerian historical and cultural elements.

Some of the other spots to reconnect with the past include a private museum curate by the Mobees’ family, one of the families that were part of the history of the era. There is also the modern slave museum built by the Lagos State government by the port side along Marina Road, the slave market, where slaves where paraded and put on auction, the palace of Akran, the traditional ruler of the town, also entices with a number of arts and craft of the people and their rich history.

There is The Agie tree planted by the spot where the first Christian crusade or open evangelism was held and then the missionary and colonial cemetery.

Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Folorunsho Folarin-Coker

TeamAfrica commences search for 21 wonders of Africa on Sept 27

A

frican history would be made on September 27, which is World Tourism Day (WTD), as the search for the 21 Wonders of Africa is launched by TeamAfrica, a Pan African Travel Association.

For TeamAfrica, the significant of the launch of the search across the continent goes beyond that of the WTD as it also marks the transformation of the Organisation of African Union (OAU) to African Union (AU) in September 1999.

Therefore, it’s a most auspicious day to commence the search for the 21 most professing icons that are expected to blaze the trail in the marketing and promotion of Africa countries as a single tourist destination.

The organisation, which came into existence March this year and has finalised its registration process, is also opening its portal for new members to enlist. According to the Team Leader, Ikechi Uko, the 21wonders of Africa which is the flagship project of the group will be launched immediately after registering new members.

He explained that the delay in the takeoff of the project is because of legal issues that needed to be sorted before takeoff. While waiting for the registration process the association had been busy articulating positions on Pan African issues.

The Pan African travel association had commended the efforts of the AU leadership to bring about seamless travels within Africa for Africans. The AU leaders launched a new African passport at its annual general assembly held in Kigali for diplomats as a way of bringing to the fore the issue of free and easy movement within the continent.

For members of TeamAfrica who discussed the issue exhaustively it was agreed that the launch of the AU document is noteworthy but symbolic as it has no real value as at now. They pointed out the difficulty of implementing the Yammousokro Decision to open African skies for aviation which has not been implemented since 1999. According to the AU chairperson Dlamina Zulu this delay in implementing an AU decision since 2003 has cost Africa 40 per cent market share in aviation on the continent. So the implementation of the African Passport may face similar difficulties.

TTA argues that the immediate implementation of Visa on Arrival (VOA) for all Africans is easier to implement and adopt. Ghana recently joined Rwanda and Seychelles in implementing VOA for all Africans and it has taken off successfully. Nigeria has announced it will start with VOA in 2017. The team recommends this route as a faster way of integrating Africa while discussions on the modality of how implementation of the AU Passport is being worked out between nations.

ECOWAS region was the first to launch free movement protocol among the 15 countries. Recently regional blocs in the East and Southern Africa have all implemented free movement protocol for regional citizens with no negative fallout.

Some regions have even implemented joint visa for the regions like the EAC tourism Visa for three countries in East Africa. The next linkage may be free movement protocol between the regions. ECOWAS and the EAC group can sign MoU and bring this about long before the targeted date of 2018 for AU Passport launch for citizens.

A visa fee is another issue of interest in Africa.

As Uganda drops visa fees from $100 to $50 is commendable. However, some Africans still pay close to $200 for visas within Africa and TTA believes that the AU should assist members to establish a uniform fee for visas for African travellers.

TeamAfrica is an association for players in travel and tourism business in Africa. Its major role is to encourage travel within Africa for Africans as most Africans do not travel much within Africa. TTA aims to grow travel within Africa by jointly promoting events within Africa and pressure governments to adopt policies that encourage intra Africa Travels.

It was formed in Kigali, Rwanda, last year and has since grown to include practitioners from over 15 countries.

Sportsplash 44 Showbiz

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

Celebrity RÈsume

First Album Full Name My Story Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk Albums Date of Birth My Story, Desire October 31, 1986 Marital Status Place of Birth Single Calabar, Cross River State tion upa Occ Awards Singer, songwriter and label executive Artiste of the Year (Headies 2014), Music Genre Hottest Single of the Year for “Kukere" Hip Hop, R ‘n’ B, Afrobeat

at NEA 2013 among others Biggest Hit Kukere (2012) Active Years 2008 till date First Record Label Made Music Men Group Record Label Made Music Men Group

Biggest Achievement Won the 2008 MTN Project Fame West Africa, co-founded Made Men Music Group, a record label home to artists such as Tekno, Selebobo and formerly, Emma Nyra and Baci. His single, "Kukere" remains one of the most popular songs released in Nigeria in modern times.

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Politics

24 september 2016

I'll win Edo guber polls comfortably –Obaseki

p.46

Enugu State is 25-year-old, what informed the quest for the creation of the state?

Enugu State or old Enugu Wawa state was actually created after 30 years of struggle by the Wawa-speaking people of Igboland to herald a state of their own.

What informed this struggle was simply that the northern Igbos embraced western education much later than the southern Igbos. So, at the time we were having first generation of doctors, engineers and lawyers, our southern brothers were already in their fourth generation of such people. So, they had a good head start on and because of that, they occupied the principal positions in the government of Eastern Nigeria and southern states when it was created and later on, old Anambra State.

So, in all of these different administrative set up, the Wawa-speaking people were always seen as wood fetchers such that if you wanted an honest domestic worker; its either you go to Nsukka, Abakaliki or Afikpo to get such a person.

Our southern brothers did not believe that we were endowed as they were to sit at the same table with them. Well, our pioneer leaders who had also acquired western education like Chief C.C. Onoh, Dr. Akanu Ibiam, Martin Elechi, Chief Nwodo, Chief Charles Abangwu, Chief Enechi Onyia, Mgbada, just to name a few; started to spearhead the agitation that we should have equal treatment as the other people especially as the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, began to help us produce a lot more younger graduates.

We felt that our people also needed to participate in equal proportions in governance. But getting the state was not easy.

One of the big problems we had was the experience of the Igbo and the issues of their abandoned properties in the southern states of Rivers and Bayelsa in particular where a lot of properties of the Igbo were confiscated and said to have been abandoned to the people of those areas after the Biafran War. A lot of the properties in Enugu were owned by these very people we are complaining about that were marginalising us and since they had more riches than our leaders, they were able to stop the creation of Enugu Wawa State for a long time because they were afraid that their properties will be declared abandoned and the people of Wawa State are going to take their properties and so on and so forth. So, a lot of misgivings delayed this very important developmental agenda that our people had.

Since that state was created, there is no doubt that there had been monumental progress in the Wawa-speaking part of this country. And by the grace of God, General Sani Abacha, went ahead to give the people of Abakaliki what is now Ebonyi State with headquarters in Abakaliki, and as we speak now, the people of Nsukka are agitating for Adada State.

State creation in Nigeria today is the biggest catalyst for development because the state headquarters with all the government apparatus have to be built and

OLALEKAN OSIADE Assistant Editor 08033076969 lekanosiade@gmail.com lekanosiade@yahoo.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

'Call for Buhari's resignation, ploy to reinstitute corruption'

45

p.47

Nwodo

Five states for Igbos is cheating – Nwodo Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo was the first civilian governor of Enugu State and one of the founders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was the pioneer National Secretary and later became the National Chairman of the party. In this interview with CHARLES ONYEKWERE, he spoke on sundry issues. Excerpts... there is the tendency that more money will come into the area. If you have Adada State now, they will have their own allocation every month as well as what will become now as old Enugu State again will have their own allocation and then the local governments and so on. So, these are indices of development in our country for today. We believe that as long as Igbos have five states, they are losing one governor; they are losing three Senators as well as about seven to eight members of the House of Representatives. They are losing manpower that is critical at the centre as well in the states in terms the members of House of Assembly. So, that is why the South East is still agitating for one more state to be at par with others so that when we vote at the National Assembly, our votes will count and not when a state like the Kano State votes in the North, it will cover the entire votes of the people of the South East. We think that, that is not fair. So, this is the background for the creation of our state.

What is your take as regards running of the affairs of our local government councils?

When I was a governor, the revenue allocation favoured federal, state and local governments. Less than six (6) months into our governorship, the federal government, (then military) without consultation with the governors changed the revenue allocations in favour of local

governments. At that time, the Babangida administration made us (the governors) to believe that those who will manage local governments were people who are retiring as permanent secretaries and going back home with wealth of experience to put the local areas into serious developmental purposes. They wanted to make sure that they have money to do what we had in the mind of doing. That was the first time we had the governors’ forum and we went to see the President and we said to him what you are saying is right but if you come to Enugu and jump into a pothole the thing that will come out from your mouth is Nwodo.

If you go to school and there is no chalkboard to write, you will say Nwodo, and if you go to the hospitals, and there is no drug, you will also say Nwodo.

So nobody talks about local government chairman. We are having the responsibility and you are giving the local government people the money.

That was our first problem. The second

South East is still agitating for one more state to be at par with others so that when we vote at the National Assembly, our votes will count

problem we had less than six months from then was the devaluation of the currency, our budget became nonsense.

If you are going to do a project of one million, you are going to look for about 1.7 million to do the project. And then they increased in the wages of civil servants without increasing the money that was given to us and most state could not pay salaries. The former government had savings which they called “stabilisation fund”, so if you make a strong case, that, this is what you are getting and this is what you are spending, they will give you money from the stabilisation fund, may be, to help you sort out salaries for three months and you come back to beg again. So it was that difficult. The point is that, at that time, no governor is even crazy enough to touch the money going to the local government; the money goes straight to them.

At that time we had a holistic plan that supervises what the local government does and concentrate on the ones we can do. But the difference is that, today the governors have access to the money meant for local governments.

They don’t take it for the actual development of the local areas but rather take it for other reasons and the people in the local government will be forced to sign that the money has been used for the local areas which is a general problem CONTINUE ON PAGE 48

46 Politics

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

I'll win Edo guber polls comfortably –Obaseki How do you feel after touring the various local government areas of the state?

From the feelers we are getting across the state, the indication is that we will win by 75 per cent.

That is what the last exit poll I monitored indicated. Particularly, in Edo South, things have improved quite significantly from the last poll that we received. Edo Central has been very interesting. The amount of defection from the PDP has essentially crumbled the opposition party in the central. And even in the opposition stronghold, their strongholds, we are beginning to see them very jittery and in Edo North apart from a few units in Akoko-Edo and one unit in Owan East, it is essentially for us, so, from what we can see, barring any unforeseen circumstances, barring violence that will scare people from the poll and barring any attempt by the opposition party to cause disruptions in some highly populated voting units so that the results from those units would be inconclusive, we believe that we are very comfortable.

Are you not worried about the fear that the sanctity of the election could be compromised?

Well, we were worried but we are no longer worried, you saw the demonstration of force by the combined team of military and police, essentially trying to re-assure people that the security situation in the state is intact. We also are encouraged by the arrests that are occurring across the state. You will recall that some militants who disguised in several buses being lodged in some hotels were arrested and I hope the investigations will lead to more arrests. I know that based on reports and petitions, there is high alert in riverine areas, particularly, along the River Niger; places like Agenebode where they planned to import militants from Idah across the water where is being financed by one of the well known PDP leaders from the area, Ilushi axis too is another area where they expect to arm militants. I think that is also very well being policed so we are confident that the measure being taken around the Ovia River that incursions will be checked. So, with these efforts by the security agencies, I am assured that at least they will be able to monitor and substantially reduce the number of those militants that will come in.

Our concern is on election day because we also understand that some people who will disguise as journalists and agents with accreditation badges are going to be moving round with arms so I think it is important that even those who have been accredited, efforts should be made to ensure that they are disarmed.

How satisfied are you with the mobilisation within your party?

The level of mobilization has been quite high, we have met practically every group; youths, leaders, community leaders, associations, development associations, in-fact, there had been no group in any local government area that we have not reached and touched; students have come out even though many of the university students are on holidays, they have rallied with us, they’ve been very supportive. Farmers, they came in their thousands, artisans, tailors, salon operators, they have all endorsed us. The spate of endorsements across the state has been

Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 28 governorship election in Edo State. In this interview with CAJETAN MMUTA, he shares his experience and challenges ahead of the polls. Excerpts... very humbling to say the least.

There is concern of internal sabotage within your party.

It is part of the opposition propaganda strategy to try and cause dissension within the rank of the party, the party is very cohesive, I mean you saw the statement that was made by the Deputy Governor and several other party leaders just to debunk this opposition’s strategy to create dissension and division within our party.

We are much smarter and wiser than that, we know all the tricks in their books and this time around, it is not working.

Some of your members are believed to be working against you?

I hear this sort of generalisations; I have met with the leadership and executives of our party separately across the 18 local governments, they are not foolish people, even those who have been touted to work against us, they know they will not benefit, what would they gain from doing that? So, it is all propaganda, do you know how many texts I get everyday? The problem areas within our party we know but the interesting thing is that even those areas, it is not because the individuals have any issue with party itself, so they are intra party quarrels but the good thing about those situations is that each one of them is working for the same purpose just that they do not agree, it is like a quarrel within a family but the family is still a family.

So what is your message to INEC and security agencies?

I believe in the integrity of INEC as an institution, they have conducted elections, they have been the bastion of Barring any our democracy over the attempt by last 17 years and you have to give kudos to them and the opposition like any umpire, they will get bashing from the people party to cause who have lost but I believe disruptions in that they have lived largely up to their responsibilities. I some highly know that they have done a populated lot of work I am impressed with the arrangements that voting units so have been made but that is not to say that they have that the results been superhuman since this from those is a human institution, there is still bound to be a few units would be loose ends that still needs to inconclusive, be tidied up. But, so far so good, you still have a lot of we believe that information flying around, stories and innuendos we are very about going on and people comfortable trying to insinuate that there are corrupt practices within the institution but by and large I just feel they know their responsibilities. So far, from w h a t they have done, I am satisfied.

We have sent petitions to them about information

we have about opposition members being accredited as observers, its an issue that we expect them to look into, our allegation that opposition has access to some result sheets, we have asked them to investigate. I don’t believe that the INEC is as porous as being alleged.

For the security, we are quite impressed, we are quite pleased; the intelligence service has been quite responsive as is evidenced by the arrests which have been recorded. We have no reason to doubt that the security will continue to be stepped up because there is enough intelligence as to what is being planned and what is going on.

The very interesting thing about the opposition party is that whatever they plan just leaks from their own camp.

It is like as they are planning, they are coming to tell us what they are planning. Last week, they had a meeting and part of the strategies was to attack my convoy today (Thursday). I heard that last week and as at today, more information has come in as to exact places, it is very interesting and we thank God because this is God’s project, once the heaves are for you,

who can be against you?

Any message to the people?

For Edo people, over the last one year, I have traversed the entire state, I have met with people, citizens from all over the state and I am abreast of our challenges, I am aware of the successes we have attained but more importantly, the amount of work that still needs to be done. In all my campaigns and travels, what I see is the amount of work and the challenges ahead of us but more importantly the opportunities and that has made me re-dedicate myself to this cause that as a people even though we are facing severe challenges at this point in time, the opportunities ahead of us are enormous and mind boggling and that there is hope for Edo state and hope for Nigeria and that to realize this hope, we have to hug and hold democracy tight and ensure that we do not, no matter the provocation do things or take steps that will threaten our democracy in any way and that our hope and our redemption lies in us and in us sustaining democracy.

So despite all the anti-democratic tendencies we see today being paraded, particularly, by the opposition party, that should not deter us, we should not meet violence with violence, violence will only derail our democracy.

Let us be confident, let us be prayerful, let us be hopeful that God in his infinite mercies who throw challenges our way also has given us the resources and the opportunities to overcome those challenges. God never give challenges that you cannot overcome. I am convinced that if we continue with the quality of leadership which we have been fortunate to have in the last eight years, if we continue with that kind of leadership, in a question of time, Edo will the envy of the nation and our continent.

Obaseki

Politics 47

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

'Call for Buhari's resignation, ploy to reinstitute corruption' Osita Okechukwu is the Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON) and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview with JOHNCHUKS ONUANYIM, the VON DG faulted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)'s call on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign, among other issues. Excerpts...

Why is APC against the PDP's call for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari?

They want us to forget yesterday, they want us to forget the gross corruption that they masterminded that led the majority of Nigerians into hungry in the last 16 years, that made our youths to be unemployed, that led to the decayed infrastructures, because if they are able to push us to forget that they put us in a horrible condition where we have found ourselves, then they would be presented again to be voted for to bring back corruption. Forget! Forget! Forget!

Forget what we did and don't mind us. That's what they want, but Nigerians are not fools. They cannot forget the locust years; we can't forget the squandermania; we can't forget the empty promises; we can't forget May 13, 2010, when they promised us that they have awarded contracts to the tune of $53 billion for the construction of three greenfield refineries; one in Bayelsa, one in Lagos and another in Kogi. Nigerians cannot easily forget.

Yesterday is today's architecture.

PDP members have argued that when they came into power in 1999, there was nothing in the government coffers but former President Olusegun Obasanjo was able to reposition the economy for growth. Do you agree?

It is still on record that Obasanjo did not complete any federal road even the one that passed through Abeokuta. It is also not yet completed up till date. Jonathan did not complete any federal road, even the one that passed through Niger Delta, called

This is the first time in the last 17 years when the budget of the NNPC, CBN, FIRS and one other agency that had not been presented to the National Assembly was presented

East-West Road. It is on record. The two railway contracts that they gave were riddled with corruption. The Lagos-Kano railway line of 1,300 and something kilometres was for $8.6 billion. The Abuja- Kaduna rail line was awarded for about $1.6 billion.

The Chinese they gave the contracts awarded Lasar, the capital of Beijing of 4,000 kilometres of modern rail line at $4.2 billion, while we awarded 1,300 kilometres for $8.3 billion. Was that a good contract arrangement for people to talk about.

Don't you think the country would have been better off if the PDP had won the 2015 presidential election?

We are planning to fix the country and we are fixing it. We don't have to do it like PDP going to public coffer and start sharing money. Buhari doesn't want to share money. We want to obey the rule of law. It would not be like the PDP way any more. The rue of law is the backbone of democracy and democracy everywhere is incremental. Whatever PDP is saying, they are saying because they want to bring back corruption.

Okechukwu

Former President Goodluck Jonathan recently reeled out his achievements saying that Nigeria was the biggest economy in Africa by the time he left office. Would you disagree?

Nigeria as the biggest economy, this is what the students of political economy would look at to study the 16 years of the economic nexus of the PDP regime that drove more Nigerians into economic poverty and produced the richest African. The para-

dox has to be studied. On one hand they produced the richest African and on the other hand most Nigerians went into poverty. So, it has to be studied. Does it have a pass mark?

How could you convince Nigerians that Buhari should not to resign despite the recession?

Number one is transparency. A transparent culture, that is what PDP is fighting. Buhari is laying a transparent culture. This is the first time in the last 17 years when the budget of the NNPC, CBN, FIRS and one other agency that had not been presented to the National Assembly was presented. If you look at this, it is a great achievement. Under Obasanjo, he never allowed the NNPC or the CBN or the FIRS budget to go to the National Assembly. Late President Umar Yar'Adua did not allow that and Jonathan did not allow that. Nigerians

must take note that it is a key achievement of this regime. It is the road to a transparent accounting process so that if you have N10,000, you know that it is prudently accounted for. So far, nobody has heard that the NSA is sharing money to people. It is an achievement.

Look at the Tenders Journal, why is it bulky now? It is bulky because Buhari said that every Ministry, Department and Agency must follow the procurement Act. They must do advertorial and other requirements before you can open the tender paper. This also is a major achievement. For me it is better that Nigerians are criticising Buhari today instead of criticising him in 2019. That is the position that we have taken. Let us slow and steadily build a foundation of transparency and accountability. That is what Buhari is doing.

Are you saying that if Nigerians should open the books of the APC government, they would not find corruption anywhere?

Please, Nigerians should do so. It is left for them to do and that is why we are challenging people. We are saying that two years ago, you can't probe Osita Okechukwu in the Voice of Nigeria, but today you can probe me. That is our position because when you raise the benchmark of fighting corruption, whether you like it or not you should also be aware that that benchmark is not selective. It is for everybody.

Perspective

Lalong, ensuring lasting peace on the Plateau

Michael Dan-Audu

I

n the last 18 years, Plateau State had been a theatre of violence and bloodbath but in less than a year of Governor Simon Lalong's administration, the state has been one of the most peaceful in the Nigeria.

The secret of Lalong's miraculous restoration of peace to a place that suffered and experienced violence for over a decade and half still beats the imagination of all, even political opponents.

During the tenure of Jonah Jang, the people looked up to him to restore peace to the state as a retired Air Commodore, since his predecessor, Joshua Dariye, was excused for his inability to curb the violence at the early stage because of his background as a civilian.

Despite Jang's military background, the state suffered violence for good eight years and conflict experts argued that injustice meted on the citizens fueled the crises.

One of such injustices was the preference and subsequent imposition of Jang’s nephew, late Gyang Pwojok, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, in spite of the fact that credible, exposed and experienced brains vied for the governorship ticket of the party.

However, for the first time since 1999, the people supported an opposition party and Lalong was lucky to have emerged the governorship candidate of the opposition party, All Progressive Congress (APC).

Lalong's campaign focuses on restoration of peace, youths empowerment, providing free and accessible education for all and ensuring justice takes it course.

Of course, some electorates doubted him while the PDP laughed and tried to woo the people with money, but at the end the people realised that the right man for the job was Lalong and they massively gave him the mandate to pilot the affairs of the state for four years, but in less than a year the people music has changed from four to eight years.

Realising that Plateau State is a civil service state, Lalong on assumption of office without any delay, worked out modalities for settling the eight to 10 months’ salary and pensioner arrears owed the civil servants and pensioners by the last administration. This strategy has endeared him to a lot of supporters and admirers and the simple reason is because Plateau State is a civil service state and any governor that desires to succeed must take the plight of civil servants seriously by feeling their pains and rejoicing with them when they

are rejoicing.

Prior to his emergence Beroms, Fulanis, Geomais, Taroks and Hausas were at one another’s necks for reasons still unknown but the good news is that all the ethnic groups in the state are at peace with one another, all thanks to Lalong's tireless efforts in restoring lasting peace to the once troubled state.

Interestingly, Lalong on assumption of office, met with leaders of various ethnic groups in the state and later expanded the monthly meeting to accommodate stakeholders where the solutions to the crises was proffered and issues of development was discussed.

The first step taken to restore peace was to appoint a Hausa man as the Secretary of Jos North Local Government Management Committee and other ethnic groups form the membership of the committee.

Again, Lalong gave them a sense a belonging in his administration by appointing two persons from the Hausa community as Information commissioner and Deputy Chief of Staff.

Indeed, this action has attracted a lot of criticism but the quantum of praises was unprecedented because of the peace currently being enjoyed in the state. This is a huge sacrifice by the Lalong's administration for the state to have a taste of peace

after 18 years of hostility, showing that no sacrifice is too big for peace. The restoration of peace would forever remain the greatest achievement of Lalong's administration; all now required of Plateau people is to rally round the Lalong’s administration for the hard earned peace to be sustained.

One must also commend the Executive Bill sent to the Plateau State House of Assembly for the creation of Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution which the House approved and Lalong has since signed into law.

At the moment, Plateau is the first state in northern Nigeria to establish the Center of Peace and Conflict Resolution in order to foster peace and harmonious relationship amongst the habitants of the state, irrespective of their ethnic, religion and political affiliations.

As a lawyer and experienced politician who served the state as Speaker of the House of Assembly, he operates an opendoor policy by making himself accessible, discharging his duties with high sense of fairness and justice to both his haters, opponents, admirers and supporters which has made the people to not only support the government but see the administration as their personal own.

•Dan-Audu wrote in from Abuja

48

Politics

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

'Herdsmen on rampage because Buhari is their kinsman' CONTINUed from PAGE 45

in Nigeria today. So it is too hard to get a local government in Nigeria that is doing well in primary health, primary education, and primary agriculture and so on because the fund is not there. It is either we don’t want it and we scrap it, or we want it and empower it.

What is your advice on how to handle the consistent attacks by Fulani herdsmen?

One of the issues with the Fulani herdsmen is that they feel that their own man or brother is the president. It is not that the president asked them to be doing that but the notion that my brother is in charge what can you do to me, is the major factor fueling this menace of herdsmen. And therefore looking at it as it is happening, the security agencies, that is the police, and the army cannot do better than the local vigilance because the local vigilance group knows the hideout of those Fulani herdsmen and can even help them to escape if they want. I therefore advise the state governor to make sure that the local vigilance groups are up and doing. If they apprehend these people and the state knows these are the people who did these acts, it is now the duty of the state government to make sure that the full wrath of the law is meted on them. There must be a point at which we are going to take the destiny and the responsibility of ourselves in our own hands for the country as at it is now is becoming more polarised. The law in this country does not allow an individual to purchase an AK47 riffle without licence but these said herdsmen carries it around without anybody questioning them; it is worrisome. I believe we need to be up and doing and if eventually we catch one of these people, we hold him down till the governor comes, our press will make a noise about it with our radio stations until the law catches up with the person and they will know that they cannot do this anymore in Enugu State.

I equally advise that those who have basic knowledge of security to draw up a plan as to how our local vigilances can be trained on how to protect themselves so they don't just get killed because they are doing vigilante. They will be given basic education and training on how best to catch the perpetrators and then hand them over to the police. In the course of doing this, we will be helping ourselves and helping the governor too; so that these wouldn’t happen again for our good and that of the government.

How were you able to manage the state when you became the governor?

When the state was created and I became the first elected civilian governor, I sponsored two policies. The first was policy of triangular equilibrium because I felt that any part of Nsukka, Enugu, Abakaliki and Afikpo should not complain of marginalisation as was done in the previous 30 years. So at that time, the only part of Wawa that is not in the state was Afikpo. The three senatorial zones were Nsukka, Enugu and Abakaliki and I made sure that whatever we are doing in the government, these three senatorial zones were carried along.

As the Chief Executive of the state from Nsukka and my deputy from Abakaliki, I made sure that the third most important position in government which was Secretary to the State Government (SSG) was given to Enugu senatorial zone. Now in the three arms of government, I headed the executive and I made sure that the Chief Judge of the state came from Enugu senatorial zone in the person of Justice Eze Ozubulu and then insisted that the third arm of government should go to Abakaliki

It is not that the president asked them to be doing that but the notion that my brother is in charge what can you do to me, is the major factor fueling this menace of herdsmen

Nwodo

which was the Speaker who hailed from Abakaliki. The same thing went on even in the distribution of principal officers in the House of Assembly; the Speaker was from Abakaliki; the Leader of the House was from Enugu and the Chief Whip was from Nsukka that is for the N.R.C party. For SDP we did the same thing, the Deputy Speaker was from Nsukka, the Deputy Leader was from Abakaliki and the Deputy Whip from Enugu. So, this was how we went about the government in Enugu.

When we came to appoint the members for the constitution of the boards, if Nsukka produced the chairman of a board, Enugu will produce two members and Abakaliki two members. If Abakaliki produced chairman, the other two senatorial zones will produce two members each. If we are going to renovate secondary schools; we take two schools each from each senatorial zone. If we are going to renovate general hospital, we will do same thing. If we are going to build road, we do same thing except that Enugu as the capital had more need for roads to be rehabilitated than the others.

Now, when we come to the second policy of my government, I named it Meri-Quotocracy. I just coined that word to represent two things, namely Merit and Quota. I believed that I should not sacrifice merit on the altar of quota, because if you don’t use the most qualified people to do the most difficult task and assignment, then you are shooting yourself in the foot.

Do you think Enugu State has fared well after 25 years of its creation?

Yes, Enugu State in my view has moved on since its creation. I think that every government that has lead the state prioritised her programmes and tried to do the best they could. And therefore, there has been steady improvement in infrastructure and in the empowerment of the people. The creation of Ebonyi State helped a lot in the development of the Wawa in so many ways. The only fault I have in our progress is as it is the order of the day in Nigeria for successive governments to believe that the government before them had nothing to offer and they abandoned projects initiated by the prede-

cessors and then they start new projects which within their own tenure might also not be completed. So, you have all over the place littered with abandoned projects. For instance we spent a lot of time, to engage one Mr. Arthur Ugwu from Akagbeugwu or somewhere here in Enugu and his team to produce 20 years master plan for ESUT; the main campus in Awkunano where Jim Nowbodo started it and the Adada campus. If you look at this two master plans, you will be shocked if there will be any university in Nigeria that will meet the quality of those drawings and of course there will be no governor that will stay for 20 years in office at most eight years; but I felt that any government that is coming doesn’t have to think about what to do in these campuses. With the master plan, all you just need to do as a governor is to find out what is the need of the campus at the time you are the governor and you deal with those ones and the university will keep growing at the end of the day.

The infrastructures we are talking of in the master plan were roads, the gardens, and then the buildings wherever they were supposed to be were intact. The drawing of all the buildings to my knowledge met the standard as at that time. Now, these were abandoned at the end of the day and the university was moved to Agbani, the teaching hospital was moved from Ugwu-Queens Nsukka to Parklane Hospital.

Again, we the people of Nsukka were not receiving the radio channel in Enugu, so we started a transmission station at UgwuQueens Nsukka to make sure that we are heard not only in Nsukka but in Kogi and beyond and in spite of all the money we invested there, the project was almost 80 per cent concluded and 24 years down the line it is still abandoned. It required just the last payment to complete that project.

You see the road that the governor is doing now between Opi-Nsukka, we designed that road exactly as it is being built now and it’s the same contractor that is doing that job, the R.C.C. that we gave the job.

When I was removed as governor, I had paid them N6 million plus just about a week before I was removed and when I left, RCC left the site. I went to their office in Lagos to complain and they said to me that when Senator Jim Nwobodo

was the governor, they were building the road from Oghe to Uzo-Uwani and Jim’s government owed them before they were removed and that they were not paid; so they took the money my government paid them for that. Since then, it took 24 years for us to go back to that drawing board. If you drive on that road now, you feel very happy. So, this is why I am complaining that government should not feel that whatever their predecessor started is stupid, especially when it is targeted at the good of the people and when you are going to spend more money changing the goalpost to fit your own whim and caprices. If we had given in on those master plans, I am sure that ESUT will be a different ball game than what it is today. So, I will advice the current governor to try as much as possible to complete whatever we left undone or uncompleted.

Whatever Chimaroke left uncompleted, whatever Sullivan left uncompleted that will be cheaper to complete and in the interest of the people of this state, the current governor should look at them and try and complete those projects. My condition on this is those abandoned projects that are germane to the people, please, please complete them.

What is your take on the growth of infrastructure between your time as governor and Enugu now?

Well, there has been a lot, like I said, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani did a lot in terms of road network especially in Enugu East senatorial district, he touched a lot of roads in that area and also built the state university and also his own private university, the law school and all that.

All these are indices of development.

Sullivan Chime did a lot in the areas of roads in the state capital. There are few state capitals that can boast of good road infrastructure like Enugu State and in the last phase of his administration, he tried to move out of the state capital; like the road going through Nike Lake Hotel to Opi, the four-corner road and other few like that.

So he did quite a lot in road infrastructure.

Ugwuanyi is equally trying to do the same thing on the other important roads that have not been touched especially the by-pass in the 9th Mile corner which is a major nightmare during Christmas, Easter and other festivities. If he is able to complete that project which was started by Chimaroke, it will help a lot and what he is doing in Abakpa, is going to break the bottleneck experienced often by those going through Nike Lake to Abakpa down to Nsukka. At least the university town is being given a face lift. For almost 24 years, you can’t drive into Nsukka and this is where we have the first indigenous university named after the country founded by a great Nigerian, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

I think that by-and-large in terms of rural electrification, they can do exactly what we did. You know I got ADB loan for 70 communities and we finished the electrification and we applied for another 74 communities and because of the speed we used in completing the first phase, they approved the second phase immediately and I wanted even to do it faster than the first one because what I did now in the second one was that I bought all the foreign components, I forced the contractors to give us all the foreign components and to nominate their source of supply and I made sure the bank paid the suppliers directly and the suppliers shifted everything to us and they were emptied in the government house where we thought it will have maximum security, so that all the contractors needed to do was to put the poles and come there and take the components and fix them.

49

24 SEPTEMBER 2016

Young Telegraph with DEBORAH OCHENI

Nothing evil in it

TOPIC

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

Views on chieftaincy titles

It is nothing special

I don't think there is anything evil in it, it is just our tradition and I am pained that Africans do not appreciate their culture.

I don’t think it a special thing; I don't even understand the Igbos and all this chieftaincy titles because they give it to even foreigners.

IKEM KELECHI

PRINCE OGC OKWUIGWE

It’s not worth much in Igbo land

Special recognition

Chieftaincy titles are not worth much in Igbo land anymore; it used to be a way of bringing recognition to the community but now, fraudsters and drug kingpins are given titles everywhere in Igbo land

It is a special recognition, giving to those that have made remarkable contributions to communal development.

NEME LOVE

I don't understand how they rate it now

An exclusive preserve for married people

In those days titles were given to people who have done more than enough good towards the development of communities such as giving scholarships, building infrastructure, road construction, renovation of schools and so on but I don't understand how they rate it now.

Title is given mainly to married people with children. It is not for unmarried ones.

CHUKS MAYOR MADUKA

MARGARET WILLIE

Honour given to people by their community

It has lost its value!

Chieftaincy has lost its value to the extent that they now give it to single men and young girls. I don't understand it at all.

It is quite difficult to differentiate chieftaincy titles from honour given to people by their community for their good works in the community.

JOY ISDORE

Not for young ones

DANIELA CHIDINMA

It chases away potential suitors

Chieftaincy title is not for those that are too young because before you know it, you will be dragged into whatever tradition that comes with the title.

Giving chieftaincy title to a young single lady is a way of helping her to chase away potential suitors.

OKPANACHI OJOMA

OLUSEGUN CAXTON

News Extra Sportsplash 50 44JUNE JUNE2016 2016

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH SATURDAY TELEGRAPH SATURDAY TELEGRAPH 4 JUNE 2016

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InIn The The GYM GYM

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SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

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W W

World News 51

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

offers oil cut India, France sign fighter jet deal Saudi for OPEC deal

I

ndia has signed a formal agreement with France to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets for $8.7bn (7.8bn euros; £6.7bn), in a major defence deal.

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian signed the agreement in Delhi on Friday.

PM Narendra Modi had

announced the purchase in January.

India is looking to modernise its Soviet-era military and the deal is the result of years of negotiation.

"You can only ever be completely sure once [the deal] has been signed and that's what happened today," Mr Le Drian told AFP news agency after

Friday's signing ceremony.

The first Rafales are expected to be delivered by 2019 and India is set to have all 36 jets within six years.

Friday's deal is a substantial reduction from the 126 planes that India originally planned to buy, but is still the biggest-ever foreign order of Rafale fighters, AFP says.

CHANGE AND CONFIRMATION OF NAME

ogunsanya I formerly known and addressed as OJUGBO ABOSEDE now wish to be known and address as MRS. OGUNSANYA TEMITOPE ABOSEDE. All former documents remain valid, general public should take place.

oshikoya

I formerly known and addressed as IGE FOLASHADE OMOTOYOSI now wish to be known and address as MRS. OSHIKOYA FOLASHADE OMOTOYOSI. All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

maxwell

I formerly known and addressed as VIVIAN IFEYINWA NWOSU now wish to be known address as MRS. VIVIAN IFEYINWA AKAMBA MAXWELL. All former documents remain valid, general public should take note.

william

I formerly known and addressed as CHINONSO JOY OSUNWA now wish to be known and addressed CHINONSO JOY WILLIAM. All former documents remain valid.

N.Y.S.C, EBSU and the general public should please take note.

1.

ibeka

I formerly known and addressed as MISS EJIKE IBE now wish to be known and addressed MRS. IBEKA KEMJIKA ELECT. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

badru

This is to confirm that PRINCE BADRU BOLANLE is the same person as PRINCE BADRU BOLA. That henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as PRINCE BADRU BOLA. All former documents remain valid. Access bank Plc and the general public please take note.

ulasi

I formerly known and addressed as EZEOBI MARY NGOZI now wish to be known and addressed ULASI MARY NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Twitter begins discussions to explore a sale

T

witter Inc (TWTR.N) has initiated talks with several technology companies to explore selling itself, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday, as the social media company grapples with its slowest revenue growth since going public in 2013.

The sale negotiations will test Twitter's value both as a data and multimedia company, as other social media services such as Facebook's (FB.O) Instagram and Snapchat are expanding their footprints and developing new ways to generate profits.

CNBC reported earlier on Friday, citing anony-

FEDERALUNIVERSITY,GASHUA YOBESTATE INVITATION FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION

INTRODUCTION

The Federal Government has approved funds Through TETFUND 2014-2015 Intervention at the Federal University Gashua, for Library Development.

The University hereby, invites interested and qualified contractors with relevant experience and good track record of performance, to submit pre-qualification documents for the following proposed projects: a) Lot I – Supply of Assorted Books and journals. b) Lot II – Supply of Desktop Computers, UPS and Generator c) Lot III -- Supply of Library Furniture and Library Equipment. d) Lot IV – Supply of ICT Furniture and Equipment e) Lot V – web design, Hosting, Domain Registration and Networking

2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA a. b. c. d. e. f. g.

h. i. j. k. l.

Evidence of registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Detailed Company profile Evidence of current Tax Clearance Certificate (for the last 3 years- 2013, 2014 and 2015) Evidence of VAT registration and remittance.

Evidence of Certificate of PENCOM Compliance in accordance with the pensions Reform Act, 2004.

Evidence of compliance with the Industrial Trust Fund Amendment Act. 2011.

Evidence of Financial Capability and reference letter from a reputable bank with demonstration of having financial capability to carry out the project.

Audited company financial report for the last three (3) years Evidence of registration with professional bodies (where relevant) List of key technical personnel including their roles, designation and qualification.

Evidence of experience in jobs of similar nature.

Evidence of registration with BPP

3. SUBMISSION OF PRE-QUALIFICATION DOCUMENT

All technical Bids MUST be submitted in hard copies in a sealed envelope. The lot number and description of the project must be clearly written at the top right hand corner of the envelope, and the Bidder’s Name, Address, Phone Number and email address clearly written on the other side of the envelope, and address to: THE REGISTRAR, FEDERAL UNIVERSITY GASHUA, PMB 1005, GASHUA, YOBE STATE

A bid box will be provide at the office of the registrar where all pre-qualification documents will be kept until the bid opening day.

4. CLOSING DATE AND BID OPENING

The pre-qualification Document shall be submitted in hard copies on or before 12.00 noon on 6th October, 2016. The submitted bids will be opened immediately after the closing time which is 12.00 noon on the closing date at the Vice Chancellor’s Board Room, Federal University Gashua.

5. PLEASE NOTE

(i) Participation in the bid process does not guarantee any company the right to be given the job. (ii) Any bid document submitted after the closing date and time shall not be considered. (iii) Failure to adhere to all submission instructions may lead to disqualification of bids (iv) This invitation should not be construed as commitment on the part of the University, nor shall it entitle any

contractor to make any claims (v) Only pre-qualified companies would be contacted to submit their financial bids.

All enquiries should be directed to: Coordinator, Procurement Unit Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State.

SIGNED: Alhaji Sule Dauda REGISTRAR

French President Francois Hollande has hailed it as "a mark of the recognition by a major military power of the operational performance, the technical quality and the competitiveness of the French aviation industry".

The deal was first mooted in 2012 but faced major delays and obstacles over terms and conditions.

mous sources, that Twitter is in talks with companies that include Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google and Salesforce.com (CRM.N), and may receive a formal bid soon.

Twitter and Alphabet could not be reached immediately for comment. Salesforce declined to comment.

Twitter shares rose the most since its stock market debut in 2013, up 21 percent to $22.59, giving the company a market capitalization of close to $16 billion.

Twitter has been a nearconstant focus of takeover speculation amid persistently disappointing sales and user engagement.

S

audi Arabia has offered to reduce oil production if rival Iran caps its own output this year, four sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters as Riyadh seeks an OPEC deal to curtail supply and boost prices.

The offer, which has yet to be accepted or rejected

by Tehran, was made this month, the sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

OPEC holds an informal meeting next week in Algiers, which non-OPEC Russia will also join. The group, which produces a third of the world's oil, will also have a formal gathering in Vienna at the end of November.

Riyadh is ready to cut output to levels seen early this year in exchange for Iran freezing production at the current level, which is 3.6 million barrels per day (bpd), the sources said.

"They (the Saudis) are ready for a cut but Iran has to agree to freeze," one source said. Three more sources confirmed the offer was presented to Tehran.

A source familiar with Iranian thinking declined to comment on details of the proposal but did not rule out a compromise next week: "Let them all talk face to face."

There was no official com-

ment from Saudi Arabia or Iran.

A source familiar with Saudi oil thinking said: "Our goal is to reach a consensus and look at different scenarios for the production levels of the OPEC countries."

"We are looking forward to a credible and transparent solution which would lead to market stability," that source said, adding that the informal OPEC meeting would hopefully help build consensus before the formal gathering in November.

Saudi output usually drops in winter and spikes during hot summer months, hence Iran could dismiss the proposed reduction as an attempt by Riyadh to present a natural decline as a cut.

Iran has been promising to boost output to 4 million bpd, although production has stagnated in the past three months at around 3.6 million bpd, indicating the new push might be difficult without additional investments.

The first source did not say by how much Riyadh would cut if Iran agreed to a freeze.

The Algerian oil minister said this month that OPEC would need to reduce supply by around 1 million barrels per day to help rebalance the market.

al-Halabi reported from the city, adding that the relentless bombardment was hampering the ability of rescue workers to help civilians caught up in the fighting.

Three centres for a volunteer rescue group known as the White Helmets were hit in the raids.

"We have four centres in eastern Aleppo. The aircraft targeted three centres.

Two of them are now out of service," Abdul Rahman alHassani of the White Helmets told Al Jazeera.

He added that five vehicles belonging to the White

Helmets were destroyed, including an ambulance.

"Our centres were the direct target [of the strikes]," Hassani said.

The White Helmets group, which operates in rebel-held parts of the country, was this week named as one of the winners of an award often called "the alternative Nobel prize".

The Right Livelihood Award Foundation cited the White Helmets, also known as Syria Civil Defence, for "outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians."

Syrian army pounds Aleppo with air raids

S

yrian army jets have launched at least 100 air raids on rebel-held eastern Aleppo, killing 26 people, since the government announced a new push on the city, according to rescue workers.

The military, which is backed by the Russian air force, said late on Thursday that it was starting a new operationagainst the rebelheld east, which is home to at least 250,000 people and has been battered by bombing raids for months.

At least 15 Aleppo neighbourhoods were targeted, Al Jazeera's Amr

Protests mount in US over slain blackman

L

argely peaceful protests dwindled early on Friday in Charlotte, North Carolina, as police chose not to enforce a curfew prompted by two nights of riots after a black man was shot to death by a police officer.

A crowd of hundreds gathered, chanted and marched for a third successive night in the city of about 810,000 people, demanding justice for Keith Scott, 43, who was shot dead by a black police officer in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Tuesday afternoon.

Scott's death is the latest to stir passions in the United

States over the police use of force against black men. It has stirred broad debate on race and justice in the United States and given rise to the Black Lives Matter movement.

He was the 214th black person killed by U.S. police this year out of an overall total of 821, according to Mapping Police Violence, another group created out of the protest movement. There is no national-level government data on police shootings.

A U.S. Congressman from North Carolina scrambled to apologize after telling the BBC in a broadcast interview that he believed that the protesters were motivated by

jealousy.

"They hate white people because white people are successful and they're not," Robert Pittenger said in a televised interview late Thursday.

He later apologised on Twitter, saying, "What is taking place in my hometown breaks my heart. Today, my anguish led me to respond to a reporter's question in a way that I regret."

Protesters massed on Charlotte's streets for a third night as pressure mounted on authorities to release a video that could resolve different accounts of the latest police killing of a black man in the United States.

52

Perspectives

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

Mourinho’s transformation from ‘Special’ to ‘Ordinary One’

A

lthough the pale of gloom that descended on the fans of the English Premier League giants, Manchester United Football Club and the owners in the wake of events in a period eight days, which saw the Red Devils lost three games on the bounce was slightly lifted with the side’s 3-1 League Cup victory against League One club, Northampton Town, midweek.

The sequence of loses, first to ‘noisy neighbours’ Manchester City FC over a fortnight ago, which was followed by a Thursday loss to Dutch club, Feyenoord FC, in Europa League and then last Sunday’s slip in the English Premier League to lowly rated Watford in a 3-1 defeat, which was the first in over 30 years, unfortunately came to be under the watch of Jose Mourinho as Man Utd manager. This was a far departure from the general expectation that the Portuguese soccer tactician would bring the good times back to Old Trafford.

By the way, the sequence was also only the third time it has happened to the Portuguese.

When the worst kept secret in football finally became a reality few days after the much despised Louis van Gaal ended the Red Devils’ trophy drought by winning the FA Cup, with the formal announcement of Mourinho’s arrival, I immediately expressed my reservations to a few United friends explaining that the former Chelsea FC manager may not be the right person for the ‘Theatre of Dreams.’

Although I could not place where such feelings came from, while I insisted that another former Chelsea manager; Carlos Ancelotti would have been the perfect fit for the team from the red half of Manchester.

However, no one could doubt the Glazer’s decision to select a perfect handler, who had achieved so much in his short time as a coach, in an effort to end the slide of the team since the departure of long-serving manager,

“I

Brother/Sister ABC do accept you, Brother/Sister XYZ as my wife/husband to have and to hold, for better for worse. I will love you in plenty, in poverty, in good health and sickness. I will nurse and honour you according to the will of God till death do us part.”

After wedding, the journey of marital life begins. Along the line, one thing or the other might happen to attract doubts as to your spouse’s level of commitment to this vow. This is devil’s trick. He plants fear. Now, there are two major kinds of fear.

There is the fear of falling. This includes the fear of tomorrow and fear of failing in the choices we make or things we do. The second kind of fear is the fear of noise. “They have said it. It is widely believed that so and so could happen.” Avoid all these fears. If you give the devil attention, he will give you directives. He plants fear. Love casteth out fear and God has not given us the spirit of fear (1st John 4:18, 2nd Timothy 1:7).

After taking your marital vow, you have a duty to build and strengthen commitment to your marriage. There are many ways you can do this. First of all, you must perceive marriage correctly. It all begins with the right positioning of your mindset (Romans 12:2). Whenever there is a conflict, which is bound to occur in every marriage, the question in your mind should not be “can this union work?” Rather, the question should be: “How can I increase the opportunities for a better relationship?” If you are not in this line of thought, it means you are not committed to the marriage. By implication, you are already a problem to the relationship.

“They are no longer two but one flesh.

What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6).

Marriage is a permanent union and not a temporary experiment. If you do not have

TS from the Sidelines 08050498544 (sms only) tunsul2@gmail.com Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

Of course the Portuguese coaching pedigree is quite intimidating having won virtually every trophy available during his era as manager.

However, an impressive start at the beginning of the new season under the former Real Madrid manager forced me to keep my reservations in check believing that perhaps I was too hasty in writing off the UEFA Champions League winner with Inter Milan.

But then the disastrous sequence has once again prompted questions to be asked of the man who told the assemblage of the mass media at his Chelsea unveiling on June 2, 2004: "Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one," this statement prompted the media to dub him "The Special One." Of course, the then 41-year-old confounded all the pessimists by going on to win the Premier League, Chelsea’s first top-flight domestic title in 50 years, setting a string of English football records in the process, including the most points ever achieved in the Premier League (95) and the fewest goals conceded (15). And for good measures, it was also the first time a foreign coach would win England’s top flight league title at the very first time of asking.

Of course as they say the rest is history, Mourinho later left Stamford Bridge under a cloud before his contract expired only to make a shocking return to the Bridge in

2013 after a trophy winning spell with Inter Milan of Italy and Real Madrid of Spain, which made him the undisputable successful club coach in Europe.

In his second spell at the London outfit, a more contrite Mourinho told the media that he is now the “Happy One” but unlike his first stint, he was unable to make an immediate winning return and Chelsea went on to finish third in the 2013–14 Premier League, four points behind champions, Manchester City.

However, he was once again able to make Blues’ fans smile in the second season guiding them back to the summit of English football, which saw him named Premier League Manager of the Season, with Chelsea losing just three matches all year round.

But unexpectedly, rather than build on that success, things began to unknot at the Bridge the following season with Chelsea languishing at the wrong end of the table before Mourinho was finally relieved off his misery on December 17, 2015, after losing nine out of 16 league games.

Nonetheless, despite this the powers that be at Old Trafford still went for the Portuguese tactician ostensibly because their preferred candidate Pep Guardiola was out of reach after committing to rivals Manchester City.

Conversely, recent results have indicated that perhaps the affliction that saw Mourinho unable to get Chelsea functioning properly last season has not completely

gone away. For instance why would he for such a crucial game like that against arch rivals Manchester City jettisoned the age-old coach’s credo that you don’t tinker with a winning team when he changed a winning team and fielded Jesse Lingard and Henrikh Mkhitaryan - they were obvious misfits to the earlier formation that got Man Utd going from the start of the season.

Expecting a response in the following game, Mourinho opted to make eight changes to the side that went to Holland for the Europa League fixture. This again backfired with the Red Devils going down 1-0.

Following the Feyenoord misfortune, Mourinho promised a ‘different team’ but which again fell flat against lowly rated Watford FC. Sadly, his summer purchases, especially the world-record paid for Frenchman Paul Pogba are now looking like bad business deals especially with the former Juventus player coming under intense scrutiny.

Another area Mourinho has failed to address is United’s lethargic play, which appears to be a continuation of Louis van Gaal’s retrogressive style.

The expected team coordination and partnership on the field of play have been nonexistent, no real relationships being formed, and there seems little prospect of that being remedied until difficult decisions are taken.

Both Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, two of the biggest stars in the team, are not impacting on the game the way they should and were virtually anonymous in the three consecutive defeats.

Any discerning fan would notice that, Manchester City FC players appeared to have imbibed Pep’s philosophy more rapidly than United’s have Mourinho.

Luckily, it’s still early in the day, and one can only hope that unlike what happened in Chelsea FC last season, the ‘Happy One’ will eventually be able to turn the tide and lift the gloom that is once again descending on United fans!

Strenghtening commitment

Marriage Clinic with Albinus Chiedu 08038117704 (sms only) marriagecanwork@yahoo.com this understanding, you cannot build commitment and commitment will be difficult.

Also, avoid wounding your spouse’s commitment with your utterances during arguments or provocation. Don’t say things like “I know you don’t love me. You have never loved me.” This is just too far reaching. It hurts deeply for a spouse who has been trying his or her best to show commitment within the limits of his or her understanding. A more dangerous statement is “I will leave you and look for someone who appreciates me.” You must understand that the grass always looks greener on the other side. You are only inviting the devil to take over in place of the Lord Jesus. Watch it.

Do not talk to or treat your spouse like a stranger in presence of other parties, including your parents and in-laws. In the laws of marital success, it is a crime.

Sustaining romance can also help to sustain commitment to your spouse. Keep your spouse always in your mind and talk positively about your marriage to others.

There is no marriage that does not have periods of conflict. Fuelling the signs of commitment helps to minimize conflicts.

A show of commitment even has the capac-

ity to sway what you perceive as a negative character into a very positive one. It has worked for many people. It can work for you.

It is very important that you display transparency before your spouse in the things you do. How do you expect your spouse to have confidence in your commitment when you pass the night outside, at will without any explanations as to why and where? A bigger crime is that you don’t even feel you owe your spouse any explanations. Where is your commitment to your marriage vow when your spouse does not know your income or salary, hardly knows when you are broke or when you are not?

When you deliberately, through secretiveness, make it difficult for your spouse to defend the relationships you keep with strangers, who are of the opposite sex, you are not committed to your marriage.

If you have a negative family background, you should make deliberate efforts to avoid replicating it in your marriage.

Your wife or husband is not your bad dad or mother. The fact that your dad neither understood nor showed commitment to relationship with your mum should be a

challenge for a better marriage rather than an excuse for your marital failure. The failures of your background should never be allowed to truncate blessings of your future.

When you always dress fantastically and your spouse wears something that suggests you are not related or from the same home, it is either that you do not care enough to observe that your spouse cannot afford good clothes like you do and so, you need to provide it; or that your spouse does not really care about what he or she wears. Even in the latter case, your show of commitment is to work to upgrade the status of your spouse. That is why you are there. Your spouse is you and you are your spouse. “The two shall become one flesh...”

(Genesis 2:21, Mark 10:8). Dressing is not something to quarrel about anyway. It takes grace, tact, wisdom, diplomacy and above all, love to be committed.

To help your commitment to your marriage, those you call your close friends must believe in and encourage what Jesus Christ represents. Without genuine encounter with Christ Jesus, you will only struggle with commitment in marriage because “no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1st Corinthians 3:11). He is the owner of marital institution.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2nd Corinthians 5:17).

You cannot achieve commitment to your marital vow by your own power or by verbal new year resolutions. Jesus said: “...for without me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

News Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

Saudi probes death of Nigerian stowaway found on plane Ndubuisi Ugah and Wole Shadare

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he Saudi Government has commenced investigation into the death of a suspected stowaway whose body was found on an aircraft which returned from Nigeria.

A cabin crew member of Saudi airline, Flynass, on Wednesday found a body of a male at the sidekick of its plane which returned from Abuja after conveying 472 pilgrims.

This is as over 3,000 pilgrims, who performed the 2016 Hajj in Saudi Arabia have arrived on Medview flights to Lagos, Kaduna and Kano.

•3,000 pilgrims return from Saudi Arabia

The Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed, told journalists in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that both governments were investigating the incident.

He said the incident had not affected the flight operation apart from a delay of about five hours to allow for necessary checks and routine procedures.

Mohammed said NAHCON had established that the body found was not of any of the pilgrims as all of them had been fully accounted for.

But the latest flight arrived yesterday morning at

the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, with 323 pilgrims.

The pilgrims comprised those who travelled through Med-View Travels Konsult and some other tour agents as well as pilgrims from Oyo State. They were conveyed in a Boeing 777-200 deployed for Hajj operations

by Med-View Airline.

The airline airlifted pilgrims from the South-West states of Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun and South-South, Armed Forces, as well as Kaduna.

The airline commenced the return journey on Monday, September 19 2016with the airlift of pilgrims from

Osun and Lagos states.

The aircraft carrying the pilgrims touched the terminal of the Airport at exactly 7:30 a.m amidst cheers and praises by the elated pilgrims.

They described the trip as smooth and stress-free despite going through rigorous screening at the Saudi Airport.

Meanwhile, pilgrims who travelled through MedView Konsult have hailed the services provided by the agency which is an arm of Med-View Airline, saying the agency, through its various initiatives ensured they had a remarkable Hajj experience.

L-R: Rev. Vitalis Osinachi Ezeigwe; Rev. Emmanuel Odey Emiri; Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie; Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins and Rev. Christopher Atoyebi, during the priestly ordination of reverend fathers, at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos.

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

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enue State Government has threatened to sue a contractor, Hajaig Construction Company, which is handling the Daudu-Gbajimba Road for breach of contract agreement.

The move, according to the government, is hinged on the fact that since the contract was awarded and the contractor fully mobilised,

Road project: Benue threatens to sue contractor over breach of contract the contractor has refused to complete the job within the time frame given.

The state Commissioner for Works, Transport and Energy, Mr. Emmanuel Manger, disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists in his office on the progress of work

on the project since it was awarded.

Manger who expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work on the road, said work on the project ought to have been completed and commissioned by now.

He stated that already, the state Ministry of Justice

had summoned the contractor to explain the circumstances behind the delay in completion of the road, and insisted that the Governor Samuel Ortom administration was in a hurry to develop the state and was not disposed to entertaining any excuses.

PDP may declare Dariye’s seat vacant Musa Pam Jos

A

former Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State, Mr. Mike Dachom, has said the party may declare the seat of a former governor of the state, Mr. Joshua Dariye, vacant following his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also, a chieftain of the party in the state, Chief Alexander Mwolwus, described Dariye’s defection to APC as sham and an attempt to escape prosecution by antigraft agencies.

Dariye had on Thurs-

day, on the floor of senate announced his defection to the APC on the excuse that PDP, which brought him to the senate, is in crises and factions.

Dariye was governor of Plateau State under PDP from 1999 to 2007.

Dariye, before his defection, represents Plateau Central Senatorial Zone in the Senate under the PDP. He first got to the Senate under the Labour Party in 2007, but went back to the PDP in 2015.

Dachom said in Jos that all options are on the table, including initiating his recall, stressing that the reason Dariye gave for his action was not tenable in law, “as

the PDP is not in crisis.”

The former organising secretary said: “The crisis that the constitution envisaged is only one that can be so declared by a court of law. Unless a court makes a definite pronouncement that a party is truly in crisis, nobody can say so, more so as the Independent National Electoral Commission was able to recognise the Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP for the Edo State election.”

“The party will be exploring all options, including declaring the seat vacant, because the party is not in crisis.''

Meanwhile, Mwolwus, a former Special Adviser to

former Governor Jonah Jang on Political Affairs, in an interview with journalists in Jos, yesterday described Dariye’s excuse as flimsy and out of tune with realities.

Mwolwus, who had contested for the senate seat at the party’s primaries last year but lost to Dariye, said: “He is only looking for a soft landing and escape from the anti-graft agencies, which are investigating and prosecuting him.

“The public is aware that Dariye, who is our former Governor under the platform of PDP, is facing trial for some of his activities while as Governor of Plateau from 1999 to 2007.

53

Buhari: I prayed hard to become President Anule Emmanuel Abuja

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resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said he prayed fervently to be elected as Nigeria's leader to save the country from economic and political woes.

The President stated this while addressing a group of top flight aeronautics engineers, physicians, I.T experts, a Judge, a top policewoman, entrepreneurs, an Import Specialist at Customs and Border Protection, professors, two straight A students, and many others in New York, the United States of America.

He said: “But I prayed so hard for God to make me President. I ran in 2003, 2007, 2011, and in 2015.”

President Buhari said he was grateful that God answered his prayers.

“He did. And see what I met on ground. But I can't complain, since I prayed for the job. In the military, I rose from 2nd Lieutenant to

Major-General. I was military governor in 1975 over a state that is now six states.

“I was head of state, got detained for three years, and headed the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), which had N53 billion of that time in Nigerian banks.

“God has been very good to me, so I can't complain. If I feel hurt by anybody, I ask God to help me forgive. He has done so much for me,” he said.

President Buhari noted that “after 16 years of a different party in government, no party will come and have things easy. It's human. We need quality hands to run Nigeria, and we will utilise them. I will like to welcome you home when it's time. But I'll like you to be ready.”

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President explained that the current economic crisis being faced by the country was a result of lack of planning in the past.

Indigenous coy to help SMEs Isioma Madike

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n indigenous ICT conglomerate, CWG Plc., has come up with a Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) solution-based platform to mitigate their challenges.

This is said to be in line with the company’s mission to stimulate a new strategy of driving technology as a service. The solution is called Small and Medium Enterprise Resource Planning (SMERP).

The major features are: Customisable to suit different business segments such as retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and hospitals; easy to manage business’ transactions, processes and human resources; easy generation of statements, reports and receipts; easy generation of Invoices, quotations and receipts issuance, and transaction and data security.

Other features are dynamic and customised templates for store design; integrated logistics system for real time shipping; integrated payment gateway; flexible payment options and ecommerce feature which enable SMEs to set up an ONLINE STORE as an add-on for free.

However, it comes with some benefits. Some of it are POS module, e-invoicing and payment; warehouse management; accounting and finance module; sales management; purchase management and report module.

The hope of the owners of this company is to speed up efficiency in operations by deploying technology

solutions that enable growth with platforms like SMERP. SMERP is an ERP solution tailored towards the SME sector and has been developed in such a way that it is available to be used with little or no cost to enable businesses embrace the solution.

The technology solution is offered as “Software as a Service” within the cloud solutions. This is aimed at eliminating the incessantly high setup cost associated with technology acquisition and allows the SMEs access.

CWG has a team who support these SMEs to ensure they understand how to use the solution effectively to run their business successfully.

It adds value to SMEs operations, which includes but not limited to: Remote business monitoring; low cost business automation; sector specific best practice; business intelligence; financial reporting; transparent financial statements and operational efficiency.

It has been developed to suit different business segments with more emphasis on retail/distribution as well as healthcare and manufacturing.

SMEs are known the world over to be engines of economic growth and contributors to poverty alleviation, employment generation, wealth creation, security and stability.

In today’s Nigeria, there are a thriving pool of SMEs struggling for recognition and survival. They are yet to make any significant impact on the growth and development of the economy due to a number of challenges.

54 News Extra

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 September 2016

Sport Extra 55

SATURDAY TELEGRAPH

24 september 2016

No Presidential reception for Paralympics athletes Adeolu Johnson

…as gold medalists get $5,000 each

Abuja

T

he victorious special athletes to the just concluded Rio Paralympics Games may not be accorded Presidential treatment in spite of the large number of medals they came back with from Brazil.

Our source said that the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, had rewarded the athletes with what he felt they deserved for doing the country proud in Brazil.

We leant the eight gold medalists were given the sum of $5,000 each while Yakubu Adesokan, a world champion who missed out during the weigh in was also compensated with same amount for the mix up before his event.

The two silver medalists according to our source got $4,000 while the two

bronze medalists received $3,000 each.

Other members of the team who did not get to the medal stage were equally rewarded for qualifying and meeting the games standard.

The coaches were not left out as they got the same amount as the gold medalist except the male Coach, Prince Feyisetan Are, who got something lower for the misinformation that led to the disqualification of Adesokan who went berserk after he was ruled out of the championship for not appearing at the weigh in ceremony on time.

The athletes had already enjoyed N18million largesse from the members of the House of Representatives.

The special athletes won 8 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals to finish in 12th place overall and first in Africa.

Forget Ibe, Ikpeba tells Rohr

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Ifeanyi Anyaka

x-international, Victor Ikpeba, has told Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr and the Nigerian Football Federation to forget about Nigerian-born England player, Jordan Ibe. Ibe, now a Bournemouth player, was called to the national team by former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, but he turned down the invitation.

Ikpeba said Nigeria was too big for any player to take for a ride, stating that there was no need for the Federation to ask the man (Ibe) who has consistently refused to join the national team anymore.

"Since Jordan Ibe has refused to join the national team, the Federation should not ask him anymore to join the Super Eagles." he stressed "Without him, we have enough good players that can win competitions for us.

We should look at Alex Iwobi and others who are playing for Nigeria; they have been fantastic; they have been doing well," the NFF technical committee member remarked.

NIAA to honour Franson at Azusa Pacific Charles Ogundiya

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MERICAN track and field coach Terry Franson who turned talented Nigerian athletes like Innocent Egbunike and Fatimat Yusuf into Olympics and IAFF World Championships’ medalists at the Azusa Pacific University, California, is to be honoured at the 2016 Nigerian International Athletes Association meeting according to a statement signed by the NIAA president, Grace Apiafi.

Other talented Nigerians who became world beaters under Franson’s mentorship include Christian Okoye, a national champion discus thrower, the Ezinwa twin brothers, Osmond and Davidson, both Olympics and World champion medalists, as well as World University Games and African cham-

Sport Slaming

pion in discuss and shot-put Ade Olukoju.

Others include Airat Bakare, Blackman Ihem, Herbie Akpom, Patrick Nwanko, and Ike Mbadugha.

Apiafi said Franson’s lifechanging impact extended beyond the world of athletics. His top-tier coaching of Nigerian athletes came with a welcoming spirit that made the athletes feel at home.

“While developing their athletic abilities to compete at the highest levels, they benefited from Franson’s care and devotion to thrive in their education. He mentored many of his former athletes all through college till graduation.

In 1984, Franson was an advisor for the Nigerian Olympic team during the Los Angeles Summer Games.

Ibe

Adekunle Salami adekunles@yahoo.com 08050498539 (sms only) Pinnick

NFF, beware of 2016 'Don’t ridicule run-in fixtures Judiciary, NFF urged’

A

sport administrator, Yahaya Adama, has critisised the Nigeria Football Federation over a statement released by the NFF condemning the judiciary and law enforcement agencies for carrying out their legitimate duties.

The Kogi State-born sports administrator said it was wrong for the NFF, as a legal entity and a law abiding organisation, to be against officers carrying out their functions.

He called on Nigerians to disregard the purported statement since it was not signed and was not attributed to any source.

He however, advised those making mockery of Nigeria's legal and law enforcement bodies to wake up from their slumber because the laws of the land are bigger than any individual or group.

While x-raying the contents of the purported statement, Adama said the law enforcement agents were merely carrying out the orders of a court of competent jurisdiction, saying if anyone feels aggrieved, he should go back to court and find out if the orders were fake or not.

He also said the police as an institution had organs where individuals or groups could lodge complaints over illegal invasion of their privacy.

"The police and DSS went to LMC office to enforce a court order and some individuals are saying that it was an illegal invasion, it is laughable,” Adama said.

It could be recalled that men of the DSS and police stormed the office of LMC on Wednesday to effect the arrest of Shehu Dikko and Salihu Abubakar, the Chairman and Chief Operating Officer respectively, but the two officers were not at work.

Team Hope vow to upset Civil Defence in Asa-

T

eam Hope, newcomers to the NCC Tennis League, has vowed to cause a major upset when they take on Team Civil Defence, last year's runner-up, at the Government House Squash Club in Asaba this weekend.

Team Hope had a very shaky start in Abuja last week when they were pummeled

by Team FCT which won six out of seven matches.

"We were a bit nervous being our first time" said Collins Edison, the manager of Team Hope. "And the occasion and the big opening ceremony with the Minister of Sports there overwhelmed our players a little bit. But we are playing at home and I am sure we have the team to cause a major upset."

Team Civil Defence which parade two former national champions - Babalola Abdulmumuni and Shehu Lawal - for the men and current ladies' champion, Christie Agugbom, as their lead players, are not bothered by the threat.

"They are joking! exclaimed Agugbom, known for her resilience and determination on court. “We missed the title narrowly last year and we are not going to take any chances with any team" she said.

The other tie for the week will have Team Goshen host Team Lead Way at the Kwara State Stadium Tennis Courts, Ilorin.

All matches are expected to start at 10 am on Saturday and Sunday.

A

former FIFA President, Joseph Blatter, once said the future of the round leather game was feminine.

What informed Blatter’s position, I do not know but clearly he must have had in mind the interest women football has been generating in recent time.

Today, there is FIFA Women’s World Cup at the level of the U-17s, U-20s, the senior team and the Olympic Games just as we have in the male cadre. Nigeria in our peculiar way has a national team in all the levels of football.

This year, the U-17 and U-20 male sides have disappointed the nation by crashing out of the qualifying series of both African Nations Cup and the World Cup. Till date, many followers of football are yet to come to terms with the ouster of these teams. The Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the Nations Cup taking place in January in Gabon.

However, between now and the end of the year, three Nigerian female national teams will be on parade at crucial competitions. The hands of NFF chieftains are full. These three teams are very promising. The Falcons are the defending Champions of the AWC and they have the potential to retain the trophy if they are well motivated by the federation.

The competition is billed for Cameroon between November 19 and December 3 but amazingly the camping is yet to open and this tournament will produce the three teams that will represent Africa at the Women’s World Cup next year.

FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup is scheduled for Papua New Guinea between November 13 and December 3. Nigeria is yet to win the competition but finished second in 2014 with Asisat Oshoala standing out as the star attraction after emerging the highest scorer in the competition. The U-20 players are the future Super Falcons and so their development is crucial to the game and the federation. I recall that Desire Oparanozie, Esther Sunday and Cynthia Uwak are some of the products of the U-20 Falconets team. Head coach Peter Dedevbo only recently called up 30 players in preparation for the competition but camping is also yet to start.

Between September 30 and October 21 in Jordan, attention will be on FIFA’s Women U-17 World Cup and with six days to the competition, not much is known about the readiness for the competition. Oparanozie and Ebere Orji are some of the past products of this event in which Nigeria has featured as representatives of Africa since inception.

No doubt, the fixtures are overlapping and this is a big challenge for the NFF. I advise the federation should delegate responsibilities to top executive members to fully provide the enabling environment for each of these teams. The players should be in good spirits to bring honours to Nigeria.

If money is the problem, the federation should approach corporate sponsors and other ‘friends’ to help these teams.

The AWC is a must win for Nigeria to maintain her bragging rights after winning nine of the 11 editions of the competition so far. The forthcoming World Cup qualifier between Zambia and Nigeria in Ndola is one factor that could affect the women teams but this time the NFF should be conscious enough to put in place mechanisms to prosecute these assignments. It’s tough but attainable. Best of luck to our ladies as we expect good results since the men are now struggling.

Big kudos to Omidiran, other Reps

L

ast week, I dedicated my column to the victorious Paralympic Games athletes who returned from Rio with eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

No official word from the Federal Government yet about a reception for the athletes but on Wednesday, Honourable Ayo Omidiran, a top All Peoples Congress member from Osun State, who was a former deputy chairman House Committee on sports, moved a motion on the floor of the House for each of the 350 members to donate N50,000 to the special sports athletes. It was passed and a total of N18m will go to the athletes. It was a great move by Omidiran and other lawmakers. One expects the Senate to also do same because these athletes toiled to make Nigeria proud. Omidiran’s initiative was not a surprise because of her sports background over the years from school to the highest level of football administration. She is a former NFF executive member and a FIFA committee member.

Bravo Omidiran and colleagues.

SATURDAY, 24 september 2016

Sanctity of Truth

SATURDAY

N150

SPORT SLAMING

TOURISM

NFF, beware of 2016 run-in fixtures

World Tourism Day 2016:

Tourism for all, promoting universal accessibility

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WARRI WOLVES FOOTBALL CLUB PLAYERS

Etebo Obaje Uche Salami Egwueke Akpeyi Mba Agbim Bazuaye

Okorowanta Ujah

Ehiosun Ogude Odah Omodiagbe Atulewa Bousarri Anubi

a e s l e h C s v l a n e Ars

a t s Co

F

Ajibade Olusesan

too r o f hot rs e n n u G n o s k n a b r e …as Weng haka and Walcott S a n ch e z , X

or eight years, former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba devastatingly dealt with Arsenal.

The Ivoirian was Arsene Wenger’s albatross between 2004 and 2012 but the Frenchman is now more worried about another Chelsea hitman. Diego Costa is now Gunners’ tormentor-in-chief.

The Spaniard will certainly lead the front line for Chelsea as they storm the Emirates today and the whole of Arsenal dressing room is obviously thinking about how to stop this ‘beast’.

Drogba scored 13 times against the Gunners in just 14 games and Costa seems to have taken over from the Ivoirian.

Arsenal faithful will remember what the Brazilianborn hit man did at the venue last time his Chelsea came calling.

He did not only score the only goal of the match, he was so ruthless against the Gunners’ defenders.

His antics actually got defender Gabriel Paulista and Per Martesacker sent off in the two matches they played last season and the club generally did not recover from those blows

in the two matches.

He is a bogeyman who pushes, shoves, pulls, elbows and even scratch players on the face, he can provoke a rather calm opponent into making mistakes, and Arsenal fear him for that. He has scored two times in three matches against the Gunners, and it remains to be seen if he will continue in that manner.

Chelsea are on an unbeaten run of 11 matches against the Gunners in the league but Wenger believes he has a plan for his side to deal with Costa.

“By being completely cold-blooded and just focusing on your game and not responding,” said Wenger.

“Just try to annihilate his qualities and his game. You need to be committed but by respecting the rules of the game and not responding.

“Last year we were a bit unlucky to be down to 10 men at Chelsea because he [Costa] was suspended after.

“Of course, in this match, it will be important the way we play football and the way we behave. Discipline and results are linked.”

Arsenal’s Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez and new boy Granit Xhaka are the players Wenger will be banking on to deal with the visitors in this rather dicey London derby.

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