Nigerian observer 07 02 2014

The Nigerian

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol. 38 NO.415• FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014 • N100.00 ART ALIVE

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Page 18 Biological rate of deterioration of our cultural wooden objects

Edo to rename 3 hospitals

By FRIDAY OBANOR

BENIN CITY – Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. (Mrs) Aihanuwa Eregie has disclosed plans by the

state government to rename the Stella Obasanjo Women and Children Hospital to Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin City.

Also to be renamed

are Ewohimi Women and Children Hospital and the Otuo Women and Children Hospital to Ewohimi Hospital and Otuo Hospital respectively.

The remaining of the three hospitals, according to the commissioner followed insinuations in some quarters that services Continues on page 2

Community Development

ISSUES

Page 23

Nigeria Surge In Rape Cases

W’Bank doles out N26.7bn to 26 states

ABUJA - The World Bank says it has disbursed 165.307 million dollars (N25.788 billion) out of 200 million dollars on Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) in 26 states between 2009 and 2013.

Adamawa, Anambra, This is contained in a Bauchi, Bayelsa, world bank’s report “ Benue, Cross River, F o s t e r i n g Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Transformational Enugu, Gombe, Imo Development in Nigeria’’ and Katsina. obtained in Abuja.

Others include; Some of the states Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, include Abia, Akwa Ibom, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo,

Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara state.

The report stated that the communities involved had recorded

progress in education, health, water and environment.

Other areas it added include transport, Continues on page 2

APC Registration

Committee lauds massive turn-out in Edo

BENIN CITY - The Edo State Registration supervisory Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has thanked all members of the party for coming out en masse to register for the party to bring about the required change in the country.

A statement signed by the chairman, Dr. Otive Igbuzor and secretary, Onari Brown advised anybody planning to hijack the registration materials to shelve the idea as they will not be able to return them to the

committee.

The statement also stated that all prospective members of the party can register with or without INEC registration card.

The registration exercise according to the statement is being audited in Wards 2, 4, 5, 7, and 11 in Oredo Local Government Area after which registration will commence.

The exercise is also being audited in Wards 3 and 9 in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area.

The committee made it

TIT BIT “At a time in your life when you feel that the world is against you, it is most likely that you have again entered the contest room, where you are being tested on your understanding of the word.”

- Kingsley Ogbeide-Ihama

clear that anywhere materials are hijacked, the registration of that unit will be cancelled.

It advised all registration officials to adhere strictly to the guidelines. Under no circumstance should registration be carried out outside the Registration Unit, the statement added.

COMMISSIONING: L-R: Wife of Benue State Governor, Mrs. Yemisi Dooshima Suswan, wife of the Vice President Hajia Amina Sambo, First Lady Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan, President Goodluck Jonathan, FCT Minister Senator Bala Mohammed, and wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Helen David Mark, at the commissioning of Wuye International Market by the President in Abuja yesterday.

Govt decries activities of illegal revenue collectors BENIN CITY – Edo State Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Orobosa Omo-Ojo has decried the activities of illegal revenue collectors who masquerade as

government agents to extort money from motorists.

The commissioner

who expressed dismay over the extortion of money from unsuspecting motorists

said the action was giving the state government a bad image.

BENIN CITY – Beginning from 5pm today Friday, February 7 – 9th, 2014, Christ

Embassy Benin will play host to the life-changing Higher Life Conference with Pastor Chris at the Loveworld Crusade

Ground, Km 12, Benin – Sapele Road, Obe, Benin City.

The Explosive Conference will last till Sunday,

is word-based, is usually signposted with healing, blessings, supernatural Continues on page 2

Higher life conference with Pastor February 9th with signs

By TUNDE Chris opens today following.

EIGBIREMOLEN The conference which

He was reacting when he responded to distress calls over the extortion following which he visited Oluku axis of the Benin By-Pass where the perpetrators were caught in the act.

Though non of them could be apprehended, during the visit, the appearance of the commissioner led to the rescue of some motorists who were in the process of being extorted.

Continues on page 2

News Edo to rename 3 hospitals

Continued from page 1

rendered in these hospitals are basically for women and children.

Speaking during an interactive session with newsmen in Benin City yesterday, Dr. Eregie said the present state government is committed to healthcare delivery at the primary level via its collaboration with International implementing partners, such as UNICEF and WHO. She said immunization coverage presently stood at 75 per cent while efforts are being made to ensure that the state achieve the national target of 85 per cent in 2014.

Giving an insight on the ministry’s Essential Drugs Programme, the commissioner noted that the programme has been repositioned to meet 85-90 per cent of the drug needs of the citizens, stressing that the programme ensures that all state owned hospitals are supplied with good quality and affordable drugs sourced directly from the manufacturers and major distributors with a view to enhance quality.

According to her, “Drugs are sold at the same price in all state-owned hospitals and this programme has to a large extent reduced the out-ofstock syndrome in our hospitals”.

Disclosing government’s effort at ensuring that its training institutions remain a flow without any e n c u m b r a n c e s , Commissioner Eregie said the law establishing the state School of Nursing and Midwifery has been reviewed in line with current standards and it is currently being processed as appropriate while students are already residing in the new school hostel.

“The hostel at the school of midwifery is near completion,

refurbishing the library and provision of ICT facilities are being handled, while accreditation has been granted for the Pharmacy Technicians Course, Health Information Management and Laboratory Technology”.

Dr. Eregie further hinted that a new Demonstration Clinic has been provided for use at the School of Health Technology with on-going

plans to provide the appropriate equipment with facilities already provided for sporting activities at the school.

Also speaking at the session, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Peter Ugbodaga said government has recruited staff in key areas of the hospital which needed

W’Bank doles out N26.7bn to 26 states

Continued from page 1 electricity, skills acquisition and Local Government Area and Community partnership building.

It said that 49,057 children were enrolled in schools with average attendance of 7,112 per week.

According to the report, about 77.52 per cent of the communities’ population has access to good drinking water.

It said that 172,188

attendance were now recorded in new health centres while the number of women attending antenatal and postnatal clinic was now 36,100 in all the participating communities.

According to the statement, 31.23 per cent area of land has been protected through erection of erosion controls, gully drains and woodlot.

Govt decries activities of illegal revenue collectors

Continued from page 1

The illegal revenue collectors who wore reflective jackets, it was observed were operating from a make shift tent erected by the road.

On siting the commissioner with his team, the illegal operators abandoned their victim whom it was alleged had been delayed for over two hours for failing to part with sum of N30,000 as penalty demanded and ran away.

“There is 53.48 per cent reduction in travel time due to new roads,’’ it said.

The document further stated that 3,312 new small scale businesses had been established with about 66.5 per cent of the participants actively supporting their communities.

The project is established to increase access of poor people to improved social and natural resources and infrastructure services.

NABTEB releases 2013 Nov/Dec exams results

BENIN CITY – The National Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB) has announced the release of the 2013 November/December National Business Certificate (NBC), National Technical Certificate (NTC) and Advanced National Technical Certificate (ANTC)/Advanced National Business Certificate results.

The Registrar/Chief Executive of NABTEB, Dr. Olatunde Aworanti who announced the results during a press briefing said

that a total of 95,086 candidates nationwide enrolled for the examinations which held in 2,092 centres across the country.

According to him, 86,153 candidates registered for the ordinary craft level, while 8,933 enrolled for the Master Craft Level.

Dr. Aworanti added that the Board administered examinations for the craft men which led to awarding certificates in NBC, ANBC, NTC, ANTC, NVC and MTC respectively.

He further informed that out of the 91,758 candidates who sat for the

projected, you are expanded, you are lifted and then you find yourself living the higher life. Make No mistakes about it, this conference will change you forever. That is the life we live and many can’t understand it. It’s a higher life!”

On the imperative of attending the conference, the man of God says, the Higher Life Confab has been held in various cities and countries of the World – UK, Canada, USA and South Africa. In all the meetings, God confirmed His word with the demonstration of power.

Pastor Chris is expected to minister in the fullness of the Blessedness of the Godhead and to deposit Miracles working abilities in those that will attend.

In his words: “The atmosphere at the venue will be charged with signs and wonders, and whatever predicament you

may find yourself now, Higher Life Conference Benin is God’s answer for you. At the meeting, the spirit of God will set you on course and on your way to a victorious year”.

He further said: “At the crusade ground, disappointment will be a thing of the past and there will be a transformation in every area of your life, and everyone is guaranteed a testimony! It will be of immense benefit to the socio-economic and political structure of Benin City, Edo State and the geo-political region or zone at large”.

Finally, the man of God revealed that the venue of the conference has been specifically built in a way that eases human traffic flow, while hundreds of well-trained crowd control marshals have been fully deployed and mobilised to the venue to avoid stampede or its likes.

By VICTOR OMOALU/ RUTH ATSEGOR

Higher life conference with Pastor Chris opens today

Continued from page 1 upliftment and miracles, all of which go a long way to build, strengthen and uplift the body of Christ. It is timely and set to greatly impact the entire state and its environs.

According to Pastor Chris, “The High Life Conference is so named because when you attend that conference, you are

specialist.

Dr. Ugbodaga noted that the area affected at the alleged collapsed on-going Central Hospital building had since be pulled down adding that the present administration in the state has made the Health sector a priority.

examinations, 83,610 enrolled for the NBC/NTC, while 8,148 candidates sat for the ANBC/ANTC which represents 96.5 per cent of the total enrolment.

The NABTEB Chief further disclosed that 38,998 candidates scored five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics which represents 46 per cent in NBC/NTC examinations while 50,386 candidates scored five credits and above with or without English Language and mathematics.

He said out of the 91,758 candidates who wrote the examinations the board recorded 3,458 cases of malpractice representing 3.71 per cent as against the 7,449 cases recorded in 2012.

The decrease Dr. Aworanti stated was due to the introduction of e-learning packages intensive monitoring involvement of educational stakeholders, appointment and training of credible examination personnel amongst others.

While asserting that the recorded enrolment of 95,086 was below expectation, following the nation’s quest for rapid technological development, Dr. Aworanti however, stressed that parents interest in technical/ vocational education should be rekindled.

He also called on government to strengthen its flair for technical education by providing the necessary facilities for the existing technical colleges, just as he sued for government, religious, NGOs and stakeholders partnership towards advancing technical education in Nigeria.

Commissioner applauds APC registration in Ovia N’East EGBETA – Edo State Commissioner for Transport, Ambassador Orobosa Omo-Ojo (JP) has described the turn out of people for the All Progressive Congress (APC) registration exercise in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State as “very impressive”.

He made the remark at Egbeta Community in the area during the registration exercise which commenced on Wednesday nationwide.

The units and communities where the commissioner monitored the registration exercise included Utese, Olumoye, Ogbesse Egbeta and Okada.

He commended all the registration officers for their efforts at educating members on the registration process and therefore enjoined them to sustain it.

As part of his effort to ensure that members register with the party without any hinderance, Hon. Omo-Ojo deployed a stand-by photographer to be on ground at Uhen to take and print passport size photographs instantly for the members freely.

According to him, the purpose of the free passport photographs and the availability of the voter’s register was to ensure that nobody is disenfranchised.

He said the impressive turn out of members was an indication that APC and its members were out for a change across Nigeria.

The commissioner, who also met with some party leaders in the locality while monitoring the exercise, advised all members to come out en masse to register for the exercise which ends on Monday next week.

Govt assures on completion of new Central Hospital Complex

By FRIDAY OBANOR BENIN CITY – Edo State g overnment has

concluded plans to complete the construction of the new 200 bed Accident and Emergency Unit Complex of the Central Hospital, Benin City which was stopped in 2012 as a result of alleged structural defects.

Addressing Journalists at an interactive session in her office yesterday, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Aihanuwa Eregie said, “beside government capturing the project in the 2014 budget, plans are on top gear to fully furnish and equip this new structure with Stateof-the-Art medical equipment for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.”

Dr. Eregie revealed that “appropriate planning for the equipment to be installed in respect of the type, location within the complex as well as other specifics has been undertaken, even before completion of construction”.

She added that the children and women hospital at Ewolhimi in Esan south East Local Government Area of the state has been completed, fully equipped and is expected to be commissioned soon by the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Chronicling the achievements of the ministry so far, the commissioner stated that new equipment has been provided in the theatres of the Central Hospital Benin, Uromi and Auchi while new ultrasound machine has also been provided for the central hospital Benin, Eye clinic at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital which was fully equipped with modern

State-of-the-Art equipment make one of the best in Nigeria.

Continuing, Dr. Eregie averred that 20 out of the 34 state government owned health facilities have been renovated, with plans also to renovate the remaining 14.

She further disclosed that three of the warehouses in the Central Medical Stores, Benin City have been renovated to international standard in order to ensure that appropriate conditions are in place for storage of medical goods, drugs and equipment.

According to the commissioner, “Budgetary provision for the Edo State Health Sector in 2014 stood at N8 billion (9.47 per cent) of the total capital budget estimate as against the value of N2.7 billion in 2013.

“This is a clear indication of the intention of the present administration under the leadership of Governor Adams Oshiomhole to show his total commitment to revamping the health sector and achieving the clearly distilled vision and mission of the MOH”, she said.

On personnel issues, commissioner Eregie informed that the present administration inherited death of staff who in the state owned health facilities which was occasioned by retirement, resignation and demise, stressing that there was also the inability to recruit new staff annually as envisaged due to several contending issues.

She revealed that plans are underway to recruit staff of all cadres in the various health facilities to make up for the shortfall and ensure adequate healthcare delivery to the citizens.

News MDGs: UN Advises FG

ABUJA – Mr. Ray Chambers, a UN SecretaryGeneral (Special Envoy), has advised the Federal Government to engage the private sector to achieve the MDGs four on the reduction of child mortality.

Chmabers, who is also UN Envoy for Financing the Health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and for Malaria, gave the advice in Abuja on Tuesday, when he visited the Minister of Health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu.

He said that the private sector support to the Ministry of Health, coupled with international partners, would significantly increase funding, to scale up efforts at achieving the MDGs. Chambers said the private sector health alliance led by Aliko Dangote and some stakeholders, would help the health ministry gather more support from other private companies.

“Some of them have transportation that can get to the most remote villages.

“This potential, public private partnership will be unique to Africa in terms of the quest to reach goal number four by the end of 2015.

“As a result of work done by a number of people led by the minister, we do think that there will be significant additional funding coming from the World Bank, USAID, United Kingdom, UNICEF and the Government of Norway.’’

He advised the private sector to get involved, in order to achieve the MDGs, adding that there was no time to change plan.

Chambers expressed optimism that Nigeria’s leadership would take the country to achieve the MDGS. He called on all member states to bring in ideas for the post-2015 MDGs, saying that the U.S had been working hard toward it, even though definite goals had not been defined.

Chambers said he was hopeful that in the next six months the post-2015 goals would be ready.

He advised that the ministry should evaluate its achievement and challenges quarterly, to be able to know what needed to be done.

Responding, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu said the Public Private Partnership agenda had been applauded in Nigeria.

Chukwu identified nutrition as one area that the government was looking into, to improve the health of children.

He said government was ready to procure more mosquito nets, to prevent malaria, but blamed the manufacturers for their inability to produce enough for the country.

Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State (right), registering for All Progressives Congress (APC) membership at his ward in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa on Wednesday.

Psychiatric Hosp Co-op Society Holds AGM

By ROLAND OSAKUE/ INNOCENT OMOAKA

BENIN CITY- It was pomp and celebration at the weekend in Benin City when the cooperators of Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Staff MultiPurpose Co-Operative Society held its 12th Annual General

L-R: Vice President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr. Kunle Mokuolu, Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Adeseyi Sijuwade, President, NSE, Mr. Ademola Olorunfemi and Vice President, Mr. Margaret Oguntala during the post inauguration visit by NSE President to the NRC in Lagos recently.

Meeting, new executive officers to pilot its affairs for the next two years.

The election which began with the accreditation of members of co-operators had Pharmacist (Dr.) Ken Uyi Oriakhi elected as President victory with 257 votes against Mr. Chima Ike Gabriel who had six votes from the 303 staff accredited.

Other executive officers elected were Clem Ogbezode, as Vice President, Awotipe Stephen, as Treasurer and Charles Odaro as Secretary.

Meanwhile, the Clinical Services and Accounts Departments, as well as the Administration and Pharmacy departments of the hospital were asked to send one official respectively as their representatives in the new executive.

In a valedictory address, the out-going President of the CoOperative, Mr. Peter Ajayi Apeji, represented at the occasion by the out-going Vice President, Ambrose Lawani, lauded the members for the

Fire Destroys Kara Market In Sokoto SOKOTO - (Sokoto State) Property estimated at hundreds of millions of naira have been destroyed by fire at the popular Kara market in Sokoto.

Some of the items sold at the market included grains, onions, agricultural inputs, wheat offal, kola nuts, generators and spare parts, among others.

The fire which started at about midnight on Tuesday was said to have been ignited by an electrical spark at a shop opposite the Kofar-Kade gate.

There was, however, no loss of life or injury in the inferno which was still raging when newsmen visited the scene.

Some of the traders were able

to salvage some of their wares, while others were seen guarding their property against thieves.

Some traders told newsmen that the spark was caused by the restoration of power supply.

“There was no light at the market since 6p.m. on Tuesday.

It was restored at about midnight.

“That was believed to be the genesis of the unfortunate fire incident’’, Alhaji Musa Danhajiya, a victim, told newsmen.

Another victim, Malam Yusuf Labbo, told newsmen that: “we have lost property worth hundreds of millions of naira and cash.

“The fire was put off by some

good Samaritans and the victims, and we are still guarding our salvaged items.’’

The Secretary of the Kola Nuts Sellers Association in Sokoto state, Mr Shina Agboola, told newsmen that the fire had caused tremendous damage at the market.

Agboola said: “my association has over 108 members at the affected market and they had suffered huge losses.

“We are therefore appealing to the government to come to the aid of the victims’’, he added.

The Director-General, Sokoto State Fire Service, Alhaji Harande Chedi, confirmed the

incident, saying no life was lost.

Chedi, however, said the service would investigate the allegation of restoration of electricity and power surge to ascertain the cause of the inferno.

On his part, the DirectorGeneral of the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Hassan Maccido, also told disclosed that the State Government would set up a committee to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the fire.

“The state government will also come to the aid of the victims, but the victims should regard the incident as an act of God,” he said.

growth of the Co-Operative, with an increase in its assets base from N188, 546,989 in 2011 to N204, 330,520 as at December, 2012, an increase of 8.4 per cent.

According to Mr. Apeji, “the gross surplus for the year under review was N18, 176, 412 as against N14, 976, 425 in the preceding year, an increase of 21 per cent while the total loan granted in the year under review was N147, 875, 800 as against the sum of N128, 250 000 granted in the preceding year, an increase of 15.3 per cent.

Mr. Apeji highlighted the achievement of his administration to include; the acquisition of land measuring 1000 x 1000 at Idumwunghae Community and the securing of two loan facilities for members

of the co-operative, which he said, were aimed at enhancing the socio-economic powers of its members who are the primary beneficiaries.

He however urged eligible members of the co-operatives who were allotted parts of the land acquired to take full possession of the land by developing it to avoid controversies and conflicts that are associated with lack of development on land.

President-elect, Pharm (Dr.) Oriakhi assured of his executive committee members resolve to drive the socio-economic base of the co-operative through expanding the source of internally generated revenue, stressing that it will engendered the prosperity of the members.

Pharm Oriakhi also called for more corporation from members of the co-operative at ensuring that the newly elected officers succeed in their assignment.

FG Assures On Implementation Of Nuclear Power Programmes ABUJA - The Federal Government is putting strategies in place to ensure the full implementation of Nuclear Power Programmes in Nigeria, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has said.

Anyim stated this when a delegation of the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA)/ International Expert Group on Nuclear Liability Mission paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

The SGF, represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Mr Linus Awute, said the timing of their visit was quite auspicious as the process of developing the nation’s policy on the civil liability for nuclear damage was ongoing.

He noted that the visit would yield a catalytic effect in the implementation strategies being developed.

Leader of the delegation, Mrs

Peri-Lynne Johnson, said the purpose of the visit was to brief the Government of Nigeria on the International Nuclear Liability regime.

She said IAEA, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, ensures that nuclear power programmes implementation by members states met international standards with strict compliance on safety, security and safeguards.

Johnson said that the IAEA established an international Expert Group on Nuclear liability in 2013 to explore and providing expert advice on general issues relating to nuclear liability and to further develop the IAEA nuclear regime.

Others, she said, are to promote global adherence to this regime and to assist member states in developing their internal legal framework relating to nuclear liability.

Physician Advocates Cancer Screening ABUJA - Dr. Deborah Ojo, an Abuja based general physician has advised members of the public to go for cancer screening to know their status.

Ojo told newsmen in Abuja that it was also important for the government to educate people on the risk factors and the right ways to be cancerfree.

She said cancer could be prevented by eating healthy diet and regularly exercising, among others.

“Conducting regular selfexamination and screening for breasts, testicles, skin, colon, prostate and cervical cancer will increase one’s chances of discovering cancer early.

“When discovered early, treatment is most likely to be successful.

“Limit the number of sexual partners and use condom during sex. The more sexual partners, the more likely you contract a sexually transmitted infection such as HIV or Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

“People who have HIV have a higher risk for cancer of the anus, liver and lung,” she said.

Ojo said that HPV is most often associated with cervical cancer, but it might also increase the risk for cancer of the anus, penis, throat, vulva and vagina.

“Exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight and it assists in lowering the risk for various

cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney.”

Ojo said that one should also avoid smoking and steer away from second-hand smoking.

She advised ladies to conduct breast examination monthly, adding that it was better done between seven and 10 days after onset of menstruation.

She said older women should also conduct mammography at least once a year to pick breast problems early.

She said that cervical PAP smear should be done for sexually active and postmenopausal women.

News FG To Scale Up Cancer Treatment -Minister

The Okakuo of Urhomehe community, Orhionmwon local government area of Edo State, James Ebose (right), who represented the Okaevbo of the community, Chief Manson Umweni Odubu delivering condolence message to the Benin Monarch, HRM Oba Erediauwa during a visit to the palace over the demise of Eson N’Erie, Oloi Esther Omoye Erediuwa.

Photo: MOSES OBOH.

Parents, Teachers Key To Students For Science ABUJA - An ICT expert, Mr. that some teachers are just Subjects Says Expert find Gabriel Iheanacho has said that in the classroom just for the pay parents and teachers hold the key to students picking interest in science subjects.

Iheanacho spoke with newsmen in Abuja against the backdrop of apathy exhibited by many secondary school students toward science subjects.

“Parents hold the key to making their children develop love or hatred for scienceoriented courses.

“They should try to find out what their children have flare for, from the cradle and encourage them in line with it.

“When at age three or four, a child is inquisitive and tries to dismantle any gadget both electronic and otherwise to know its make-up, it shows to a

great extent that the child is science-inclined.

“And the parent should try to make the environment conducive for him or her to be creative.

“Rather, you find that parents are usually very impatient with such children, terming them as destructive children.’’

Iheanacho said such attitude

often dampened children’s quest to seek knowledge without any mentoring.

He advised parents to encourage their children by buying those books with science orientations, make them read about renowned scientists who had helped to shape the world with their inventions.

For the teachers, he said: “You

they would collect at the end of the month.

“Many of these teachers do not even have the slightest knack for the subjects they teach.

“When a teacher is not excited about a subject he or she is handling, how can such a person infuse enthusiasm into the student?

LAGOS - An NGO, West African Women Association (WAWA), in Lagos called for increased awareness and sensitisation of women on breast cancer.

Its Vice President, Mrs. Iyabo Kareem, made the call at a symposium organised by the association in Lagos, to mark the 2014 World Cancer Day. “In the developed countries, the rate of cancer has been reduced by 50 per cent due to awareness campaigns and sensitisations.

“We are calling on the governments at all levels, well-

meaning individuals and groups to embark on awareness campaigns on cancer, especially breast cancer.

“This is because it is a major public health issue in the country today,” she said.

Kareem said that the awareness campaigns would help to demystify the causes, prevention, symptoms and treatment of cancer.

According to her, though there is no single measure that can completely prevent breast cancer, awareness, a healthy lifestyle and dietary changes can greatly reduce the risk of

THE solemnization of Holy matrimony between Oghomwen Ehigie and Emmanuel Imade comes up tomorrow Saturday, February 8, 2014.

A statement jointly signed by the couple and made available to The NIGERIAN OBSERVER stated that the marriage ceremony is billed to hold at Christ’s Chosen Church of God International, Isekhere branch, off Ibiwe, Benin City Edo State.

The ceremony would climax with a reception for guest at Columbia High School, No. 146, Upper Owina Street, off

Agho, Ekewan Road, Benin City.

The solemmsation would preceded by the traditional marriage ceremony today at No 2 Oni Benson Street, Off Awolor Street, Useh Quarters, Benin City beginning at noon.

The parents of the bride and groom, Eder Ehighe Awosial and Mr. P. E. Imade who hailed from Usen Village in Ovia-South West Local Government Area and ofumwengbe village in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State respectively are amongst dignitaries expected at the two days event.

cancer.

She said, “Breast cancer is a major public health issue in Nigeria and increased awareness on early detection will help to reduce the rate of mortality as a result of the ailment.

“There is need for proper public enlightenment and education on the causes, symptoms, preventive measures and treatment of breast cancer.

“Also, awareness on breast cancer will help to reduce stigma associated with it.”

Kareem said that Nigerians should be adequately informed that cancer was not caused by witchcraft and that it was not transferable.

Also, a member of the association, Mrs. Fausat Awelenje, said that women of all ages should endeavour to be familiar with the look and feel of their breasts.

She urged women to also do a self-check on their breasts regularly, especially after their menstrual period, to see if there was any change.

“Women of all ages are encouraged to become familiar with the normal look and feel of their breasts at different times of the month.

“Looking in the mirror regularly is a good way to learn the normal shape of your breasts and check the breast tissues.

Breast Cancer: Association Calls For Sensitisation Of Women

Oghomwen Weds Emmanuel Tomorrow

• Oghomwen and Emmanuel

ABUJA - The Federal Government in Abuja, pledged to scale up the capacity of health workers for early diagnosis and prevention of cancer.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, stated this at a briefing to commemorate the 2014 World Cancer Day, with the theme “Debunk the Myths.”

He said there were about 10,000 new cases of cancer in the last one year, stressing that government had established cancer screening, diagnostic and treatment centres to curtail the disease.

He said government was committed to ensuring that Nigerians had access to good treatment and management of cancer.

Chukwu added that radiotherapy and nuclear medicine services for treatment of cancer would be made available to 10 federal tertiary health institutions by the end of 2016.

“A technical working group will soon be inaugurated to scale up cervical cancer screening project in Nigeria.

This will further expand our current effort in cervical cancer prevention.

“The focus on cervical cancer is because of its prevalence in Nigeria as it is the second commonest cancer after breast cancer, and the fact that it is preventable”, he said.

Chukwu held that the theme of the day aimed at demystifying the negative impact rumours and myths on cancer prevention and control.

Represented by Sani Bala, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, the minister said government had intensified awareness campaign to demystify the myths surrounding cancer, Chukwu said the myths included the rumour that “we don’t need to talk about cancer, there are no signs or symptoms of cancer.”

He advised the public to endeavour to go for routine checkup, adding that early detection of the disease remained the best and the cheapest method of management of the disease.

News Unilorin Expels 8 Students

Dr. Chinomso Chinyere, Landmark University Medical Centre, attending to a patient during a free healthcare services organised by the centre for the community at OmuAran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara on Wednesday.

Climate Change: Environmentalist ABUJA An environmentalist, Mr Lekan Fadina, has advised the Federal Government to adopt less carbon-intensive pathway to mitigate the impact of climate change in the country.

Fadina told newsmen in Abuja that one of such pathways was to promote clean energy in a sustainable manner.

He said that the country should also promote efficient energy technologies and sustainable management of natural resources such as land, water and forests.

According to him, such a development would help reduce the exposure of vulnerable communities to the adverse impact of Climate Change.

“It will at the same time contribute to the global greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts.’’

The expert, however, advised the Federal Government to also implement the decisions of the last Conference of Parties (COP) in Warsaw, Poland.

He said that the lesson the country could learn from attending such conferences was to implement the decisions taken at such meetings.

“Every time we attend conferences there is a new concept, new direction and new input; so implementation is key in this regard. “ There must be funding, there must be enabling environment, we must be able to invest in research.

“Also, there must be collaboration; there must be coordination both among the ministry and other stakeholders.

“We must realise that climate change projects are our responsibility and at the end of the day, we must be part of the implementation process,’’ he said.

He said that climate change and the implications for human health deserved urgent attention.

He added that the country had

Calls For Clean Energy experienced extreme weather events ranging from drought to changes in water supply.

According to him, the extreme weather condition is making it increasingly difficult for vulnerable rural communities to make a living.

“The major concerns include the high threat of food security and inadequate natural resources.

“It also includes diminished biodiversity, decline in human health viability, increasing land

degradation, increasing desertification and coastal zone recession.,’’ Fadina, however, called on the Federal Government to address climate change issues in a holistic manner.

He stressed that establishing the Climate Change Commission would not address the problem in its totality.

“We need not only to establish the commission but to address climate change itself; we need to address it in its totality.

ILORIN - Mrs Kate Sallee, the Deputy Registrar, Student Affairs Unit of the University of Ilorin, has said eight students of the institution have been expelled for misconduct.

Sallee, who is also the Secretary of the Student Disciplinary Committee (SDC), said in a statement that the management of the university recently tried the students and found them guilty.

She said the students included Temidayo Olakunle of Department of Educational Technology; Dennis Adeniji of Department of Sociology and Ademola Oguntade of Department of History and International Studies.

Sallee further listed Muhammed Suzo of the Department of Accounting, Olakunle Oyinloye of the Department of Sociology and Ahmad Surajudeen of the Department of Statistics as involved. “ Others included Azeez Said of the Department of Sociology and Abdulwaheed Sanni of the Department of Common and Islamic Law,” Sallee said.

The Deputy Registrar said two students were also rusticated for one academic session.

According to her, the students were Habeeb Shittu of the Department of Chemistry and Abdullahi Mohammed of the Department of Private and Property Law.

“The university also suspended one Mayowa Salawu of the Department of Zoology pending the outcome of investigations into allegations that he associated with or belonged to an unregistered club on campus,’’ she said.

Sallee, however, noted that one student, Sulaiman Araba, who is of the Department of Social Science Education, was exonerated from the charge of misconduct levelled against him. “ In its sustained bid to uphold fairness and justice, the penalised students would be given the opportunity to appeal

against the punishment meted out to them.

“Those who are not satisfied with the penalty they got should route their appeal to the University Council through their Heads of Departments, Deans of Faculties and the ViceChancellor. “ This should be within 48 days of the receipt of the letters conveying the SDC’s decision to them,” she said.

Sallee listed membership of cults, examination malpractice and breaching of the institution’s code of conduct as some of the reasons behind the expulsion of the students.

LAFIA - Dr Abdullahi Modibbo, Chairman, Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASEIC), said that the commission would recruit about 4,000 ad-hoc staff for the march 22 local government elections in the state.

Modibbo told newsmen Lafia that with this number of ad-hoc staff, in addition to the staff of the commission, there would be effective conduct and

monitoring of the exercise in the 13 local government areas of the state.

He said that the commission decided to recruit enough ad-hoc staff, to overcome the problem of shortage of personnel, adding that the state government had released N27 million out of the N500 million approved for the conduct of the polls.

“I want to re-state the commitment of the commission to conduct free, fair, credible and acceptable election in the state.

“This is the mandate of the commission and I also want to assure the good people of the state that the guidelines for elections will be strictly followed.

“We have started the training of local government electoral officers and procurement of some electoral materials for the March 22 local government elections, to ensure its success,” he said.

The chairman stated that the commission had commenced sensitisation campaign, to make people live up to their civic duties of casting their votes on Election Day. “We are appealing to the people of the state to cooperate with the commission, to enable us conduct violence-free local government election for the benefit of all, ” Modibbo said .Modibbo also appealed to traditional and religious leaders, as well as other stakeholders, to join in the campaign for a rancour-free election in the state.

LG Polls Electoral Commission To Recruit 400 Adhoc Staff

JTF Frees 3 Abducted Indian Sailors YENAGOA - The Joint Task Force (JTF) comprising the Nigerian Navy and the Department of State Services said it has rescued three Indians abducted by a nine-gang of kidnappers in Rivers.

This is contained in a statement issued by the JTF Media Coordinator, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, in Yenagoa.

Nwachukwu, who gave the names of the Indians as Kanishk Johrar, Mohinder Saini, and Balwinder Singh, said they were sailors abducted board a fishing trawler at Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, a month ago.

The spokesman said that their captors moved them into the shores of the Nigerian waters and demanded one million dollars ransom.

He said the JTF tracked the abductors to their hide out at Abissa, a small fishing port in Akuku’ Toru, Local Government Area of Rivers and arrested five suspects.

In another statement, the spokesman said the JTF operation pulo shield uncovered 12 illegal oil distillation camps in Ugheli South and Warri South-West Local Government Areas of Delta.

He said the JTF uncovered 28

Cotonu boats, 24 underground storage tanks containing about 70,000 litres of illegally distilled automated gas oil (AGO), 547 steel drums and five surface tanks.

The others are 22 plastic tanks filled with illegally refined AGO, five speed boats loaded with 150 drums of refined AGO, 47 fabricated steel pots and 37

ovens used for cooking illegally sourced crude oil.

He added that the 10 suspects arrested were currently at the JTF headquarters for further investigations.

Nwachukwu further said that the troops also arrested seven other suspects for pipeline vandalism and oil-related crimes.

He said the troops also discovered and scuttled one wooden boat, six illegal crude oil dumps and 20 metal drums containing illegally refined AGO. The spokesman said the 10 days operation started on January 20 and ended February 2, adding that the 17 suspects were undergoing preliminary investigations.

Police arguing with a commercial bus driver over allegation of traffic offence at Adeleye Junction, Sari Iganmu, in Lagos on Wednesday.

South West Oyo Assembly Clears 4 Commissioner-Nominees

Minister of State for Niger-Delta Affairs, Mr. Ishaiku Darius; Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Taminu Turaki; Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe and Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.

IBADAN - The Oyo State House of Assembly has cleared four additional commissionernominees submitted to it for approval by the executive arm.

The reports state that the clearance has brought to 23 the number of commissionernominees approved by the House.

Those who cleared at Tuesday’s plenary were Prof.

Nureni Tanimowo, Kolade Abimbola, Azeez Adeoye and Ajiboye Omodewu.

Speaking before the confirmation of the nominees, the Speaker, Alhaja Monsurat Sunmonu (APC-Oyo), urged members of the House to confirm or reject the nominees.

After heated deliberations, the

Man, 30, To Hang For Murder

ADO-EKITI - An AdoEkiti High Court has sentenced one Mayowa Omolayo, 30, to death by hanging for killing one Tayo

Oluwabusuyi.

The reports state that the state counsel, Mr. Babasoji Awe, had told the court that the convict committed the offence

Divorce Rate: Court

Blames Faulty Courtship OSOGBO - The President of a Grade I Customary Court in Osogbo, Chief Gabriel Oparanti, has identified faulty courtship as one of the factors responsible for the increasing rate of divorce.

Oparanti made this observation in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo.

According to him, in those days, before a man marries a lady, he must have screened her properly, and by screening, I mean secretly watching her attitudes.

“Men would ask about the woman of their interest from friends, families and close associates, and before marriage, families would know themselves properly, even to ancestral history.

“Then, you cannot say you are married until the dowry was paid. This is an important traditional rite which was not overlooked in those days.

“Most of the relationships that people call courtship these days are not courtship but premarital misbehaviours.

The court president said the fact that many young people had taken advantages of themselves before bringing their families into the picture reduces the sanctity of wedlock.

Oparanti identified poverty owing to laziness, unemployment, illiteracy and non-preservation of culture as other factors contributing to

the dissolution of marriages.

He suggested provision of job opportunities and empowerment programmes for the unemployed youths, both at senior school and graduate levels.

“The government should set up financial institutions to cater for women at the grassroots and create job opportunities for unemployed graduates.

“We must not also forget our roots; we must not neglect our culture and tradition, and we should preserve it, especially as regards marital issues.”

on May 30, 2009, at Igbo Oroke farm on the Ilawe road in Igede-Ekiti.

He said that the accused, a blacksmith of 14 C, Ilamoye St. Igede-Ekiti, on the said date killed Oluwabusuyi on his farm by slashing his throat three times with a machete.

The convict had confessed to entering the farm of the deceased to steal only to be accosted by him.

Omolayo claimed that the deceased was the first to attack him before he overpowered and killed him.

Before the delivery of the judgment, the counsel to the accused, Mr. Chris Omokhafe, had urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

But the presiding judge, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, held that all the essential ingredients of murder had being established in the case.

“The prosecution had done

all that was expected of him to prove the case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt.

“The sentence of the court upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you will be dead.

“May the Lord have mercy on your soul,” Ogunmoye ruled.

House, through a voice vote, confirmed the nominees for appointment as commissioners.

“After a careful consideration

and deliberation of the profiles of the nominees, we have no choice than to clear the four of them”, Sunmonu said.

By ROLAND OSAKUE

of its members started pulling out on allegations that they were not given recognition in the scheme of things.

On this premise, he appealed to the newly reconstituted executive to hearken to the needs of members so that together in unity they can achieve the much desired positive change.

In his submission, Bright Eguagie Alabi, coordinator of the organization in Oredo Local Government Area, promised to live up to the expectations of all and sundry.

He promised to ensure that there is a positive result from the APC’s membership registration drive in all wards of the Local Government.

In attendance at the meeting were top notchers of the body in the locality including David Guabadia (Secretary), Osagie Elegbe (Director of Mobilization) and Anthony (Director of Media and

Taking Edo To Next Level Is Sancrosant - Edo In Safe Hands

BENIN CITY – Prince Osariemen Aiwerioghene, the Edo South District Leader of Edo In Safe Hands, a sociopolitical organization aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, has appealed to members of the body in Oredo Local Government Area to work in harmony so that its dream of good governance and moving the state to the next level can be achieved.

He was speaking during the inaugural meeting of the newly reconstituted executive of the body with its ward leaders.

Prince Aiwerioghene recalled that the chapter has for long been in the forefront of the organization, playing the role of path finders.

However, he regretted that in recent times the chapter had suffered some setbacks as some

Oyo To Hold Festival Feb 14 IBADAN - The Oyo State Government will on February 14 and 15 hold the second edition of “Samodun Festival” to showcase the diversity of Yoruba culture.

The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Adetutu Adeyemi, told newsmen in Ibadan that the festival was aimed at promoting unity across the south-west states.

Adeyemi said “the festival was borne out of Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s decision to

use culture to promote unity across the South-West states.

“It will also assist in preserving the Yoruba culture.

“As Yorubas, we are going back to the basis to uphold our cultural heritage and this will further strengthen the actualisation of South-West integration.”

The commissioner said that the festival, with the theme: “Asa Parapo” was geared toward utilising culture as platform to reawaken business, tourism d e v e l o p m e n t , entrepreneurship and youths development in the state.

Highlights of the event, she added, would include a cultural festival parade, youths talent in culture, cultural displays and food tourism by the governor ’s wife, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi.

The Samodun Fiesta held last year witnessed performances from the 33 local government areas of the state, where Yoruba tradition was showcased.

This year, the government is extending invitation of participation to seven Yoruba speaking states of Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara and Kogi.

Alleged N 1.1m Fraud Court Remands Travel Agent For Alleged N1.1m Fraud

Traders salvaging their wares as Kara Market in Sokoto is engulfed in fire on Wednesday morning.

AKURE - An Akure Magistrates’ Court has remanded a travel agent, Akin Ogunlusi, 36, in prison custody for alleged stealing and fraud of N1.1 million.

The prosecutor, ASP Isah Atanegbe, had told the court that the accused committed the offences sometimes in August 2013 at about 10 a.m. at Ondo road, Ile Oluji in Ile Oluji Magisterial District.

“Ogunlusi unlawfully obtained the sum of N573,000 and N578,000 from one Lawal Lasisi and one Gabriel Omoogun respectively, under

the pretence of procuring Georgian Visa for them which he failed to do.

“He also stole an original WAEC certificate, primary school leaving testimonial and original NCE result slip, property of Gabriel Omoogun, which he fraudulently converted to his own use,” he alleged.

Atanegbe further alleged that the accused stole a primary school leaving certificate, original WAEC certificate, original OND certificate and letter of employment at Ministry of Education belonging to Lawal Lasisi.

Lagos Navy Seeks More Assistance From US Govt LAGOS - The Nigerian Navy (NN) has requested for more concessions in the purchase of Excess Defence Articles and other maritime security hardware from the U.S. Government.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, made the plea at the opening ceremony of Exercise OBANGAME Express 2014, the final planning conference, held in Lagos.

Jibrin urged the US to expand its current training support to the West African sub-region, to cover a wider area of human capacity development, as well as the number of beneficiaries.

He noted that the US government and its allies have been making concerted efforts to enhance the capability of the Golf of Guinea nations to monitor and protect their territorial waters.

Others include the protection of the various exclusive economic zones from all forms of illegalities.

“Many countries in the subregion have benefited from the US facilitated maritime domain awareness facilities, as well as Excess Defence Article acquisitions.

“We have been able to use the capacity so acquired in improving security within our maritime domain, in particular and the wider Gulf of Guinea maritime area.

“These efforts entailed a threepronged strategy of improving the maritime domain awareness capability of concerned nations and enhancing the maritime interdiction capabilities of our maritime forces.

“We have also tried to inculcate the spirit of interagency and sub-regional cooperation amongst maritime forces and the concerned countries, respectively.

“The exercise provides a veritable opportunity to assess progress being made along the three legs supporting the objective of improved maritime security for the sub-region,” he said.

Jibrin urged the exercise planners and delegates to aggregate the lessons from these recent engagements and design

a realistic exercise that would help a fair assessment of the extent of progress.

Addressing newsmen at the end of the conference, the Exercise Director, Capt. Nancy Lacore, said 22 countries would participate in the exercise, billed for April.

She said that the essence is to improve the capacity of the African navies to combat crime, in order to allow economic activities at sea to flourish.

“We have been seeing huge successes in the exercise,” she said, adding: “This year ’s exercise has about 400 per cent increase in the number of participants.

“We have gone from basic tactics to regional cooperation, which is the way to fight crimes at sea,” Lacore added.

Jibrin was represented by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command (WNC), Rear Adm. Samuel Alade.

APC members in Katsina State ... to distribute membership registration materials to polling units in their respective local government areas on Wednesday.

Tax: CITAN Identifies Sustainable Electricity Devolution Of Power

LAGOS - The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITAN), has said that sustainable electricity supply would enhance the nation’s tax based revenue.

(CITAN) President, Mr Mackanthony Dike, made this assertion in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

Dike said that enhanced power supply would lead to increased economic activities and employment.

According to him, high productivity and its attendant wealth creation opportunities would compel more Nigerians to pay their taxes.

He also said that revenue generation through taxes would be leveraged further if power is devolved to other federating units.

Dike urged the three tiers

of government to study the tax success efforts in the First Republic, stressing that the three regions were properly developed through taxes.

“A good example among the regions was the Western region, where development and economic growth was made possible, within a short period.

“Even the standard of living was reasonably good,” he said.

Dike said that in contemporary times, the Lagos State Government had successfully executed its budget with tax-based revenue.

“The state gets over 60 per cent of its annual budgets from funds from internally

People registering as members of ACP at Ward 1, Adeoyo in Ibadan on Wednesday.

generated revenue.

“This simply means that we could get it right if we are

willing to go all out to advance the nation’s tax system,” he said.

Dike also canvassed the enlightenment of Nigerians on the implications of prompt payment of taxes in an emerging economy.

LHSA Moves To Prohibit Forceful Entry, Occupation Of Landed Properties LAGOS - Lagos State House of Assembly has held the public hearing on a bill for law to prohibit forceful entry and occupation of landed properties, violent and fraudulent conducts in respect of landed properties in Lagos.

Giving a welcome address, the Chairman House Committee on judiciary and public petition, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, said what the house is doing is a product of series of petitions, this bill when passed is not directed to a person, it is directed to criminal practices on land. He added that the law is concerned and frowned at unlawful attitude of Omoonile. Hon. Agunbiade lamented that men and women armed with leather weapons put up state of violence. He said Lagos Assembly invited the public to contribute to the making of the law.

In his remark, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, thanked Hon. Igala for reviewing criminal code of Lagos. He said issue of trespass on land is scaring. He said he has seen many heinous crimes arising from land dispute. He added that land grabbers have taken law into their hands and unleashed havoc.

Professor Wole Smith said the proposed law is to protect the state. He added that security is important; adding

that in the past violence was used to take land.

Former Chairman of judiciary and public petition, Hon. Babatunde Ogala disclosed that what we have in Lagos are not land grabbers but hoodlums and thieves. He said from the day the law is

passed anybody who illegally possessed a land has committed an offence. In the same vein, Kunle Adegoke representing Nigerian Bar Association noted that the problem is enforcement of the law.

LAGOS - Mr Abraham Ololade, Chairman, Rosellas Amusement Park, Iganmu, Lagos, has called on the public sector to invest in the tourism industry, to enhance its expansion.

Ololade told newsmen in Lagos that tourism was capital intensive and required active public sector investment and contribution, to move it forward.

“We have over a hundred tourism practitioners in the country to develop the sector but they cannot do it alone. It requires public sector partnership (PPP).

“The sector is capital intensive and requires government contribution and input, to move the sector forward,’’ Ololade said.

He stressed the need for government to harness, exploit and develop existing tourism potentials in the country through public private partnership (PPP) deals.

According to him, the country

has about a thousand tourist sites, including the Yankari games reserve, other national parks, historical sites, beaches, rocks, museums and monuments.

“All these rich tourism potentials cannot be developed or exploited alone by the practitioners but requires government assistance and intervention,’’ he said.

Ololade was optimistic that investing in the country’s rich tourism opportunities would increase government’s revenue.

He said that the organisation had entered into partnerships with some government establishments to promote and develop the sector.

“The idea of partnering with government establishments is to fast-track the sector’s growth.

“The country’s tourism sector is a pillar that will release and enhance economic growth, infrastructure development, trade promotion, poverty eradication and job creation,’’ he said.

Experts Want Public Private Partnership To Develop Tourism

Across The Nation NBTS Receives 4,000 Units Of KADUNA - The National Blood From Donors Blood Transfusion Service

L-R: Lagos Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Bosun Jeje, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos and the Deputy, Mrs. Adejoje Orelope-Adefulire at the inauguration of ±Lagos ±Home Ownership Mortgage scheme by Gov. Fashola in Lagos recently.

Assassination

Governor Yero Condoles With Abani Family, Zazzau Emirate ZARIA - Governor. Muktar Yero of Kaduna State, has condoled with the family of a Zaria-based Islamic scholar, Sheik Muhammad AuwalAlbani, over the sheik’s assassination.

Auwal-Albani, his wife and son were assassinated on Feb. 1 at Gaskiya Layout, after his daily Islamic lesson that used to hold at Markazu Salafiya in Tudun Wada, Zaria, Kaduna State.

The governor also extended his condolence to the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, the Auwal-Albani family and his staff and students at Darul Hadith School, Zaria.

“I want to plead with the family and everyone to take heart and remember that death is inevitable”, the governor told Idris during a condolence visit to his palace.

He added that “all of us must surely die but only God knows when, where and how we will go back to Him. “We pray that Almighty Allah will grant the deceased Jannatil Firdaus and also pray that Allah should expose those behind the tragic incident.

“I am happy that Malam’s students have taken a decision in line with what he had been teaching them.’’

Responding, the Emir thanked the governor for the visit and appealed to government at all levels to redouble their efforts toward ensuring adequate

security of lives and property.

He said “we will continue to pray in all places of worship for God to protect us, protect our property and allow peace to prevail in our homes.

“We will also continue to pray for peace in places of work, places of worship, markets and all over Nigeria.’’

(NBTS) collected 4,000 units of blood in Kaduna State in 2013, an official has said.

The NBTS North-West Zonal Coordinator, Dr Ifeoma Ogbue, confirmed this to newsmen in Kaduna.

She said that there had been much improvement in public response to voluntary, unpaid blood donation at the NBTS. Ogbue remarked that voluntary blood donors were heroes committed to saving lives.

“By choosing to donate blood without getting paid, these individuals commit a heroic act,” Ogbue said.

She gave the assurance that all the blood units were adequately screened.

Ogbue told NAN that NBTS screened the blood units for hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis before taking them to blood bank.

She said that over 40 per cent of the blood donors were regular.

She said that the NBTS was intensifying efforts to create more public awareness on the

Kebbi Flags-Off N5.2bn Road Projects

DANDI (KEBBI)- The Kebbi Government has said that it would spend N5.2 billion on the construction of roads in Dandi and Arewa Local Government Areas of the state.

The Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Bello Tugga, said this at the flag-off of roads construction in Dandi.

Tuga said N2.3 billion would be spent on the construction of a 22-kilometre Kamba-Dole Kaina road, which was expected to be completed in 12 months.

He said N1.8 billion would also be spent on the construction of a 20-kilometre

Kangiwa-Makera road, while N1.1 billion would be spent on the 55-kilometre MadamfaraKare road.

The State Governor, Alhaji Saídu Dakingari, who flaggedoff the project, reiterated the commitment of the state government to the provision of social amenities to the people.

He said the state government would complete the 50kilometre Kamba-Feka road in the neighbouring Niger

Republic, to sustain cordial relationship between the state and the neighbouring Niger and Benin Republics.

The Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Mera, represented by a member of the Argungu Emirate Council, Alhaji Sani Augie, commended the state government for the provision of the roads.

He said the traditional rulers in the state would continue to support policies and programmes of the state government to enable it achieve its programmes.

need for voluntary blood donation.

The coordinator told newsmen that the NBTS regularly conducted training in hospitals on the need to donate blood.

She also said that the NBTS would partner with religious leaders, individuals and organisations to enlighten the citizens on voluntary donation of blood.

“Let us encourage our youths and all those of us who enjoy good health to make a commitment to help to save lives,” she said.

She said that the NBTS was targeting to collect more units of blood in 2014, adding that regular blood donation would help to reduce about 40 per cent of maternal death.

Onitsha are currently owing the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) N1.5 billion, an official of the company said on Tuesday.

Mr. Kingsley Aja, Manager, Onitsha Business Unit of EEDC, announced this in an interview with newsmen in Onitsha.

He said that the amount included a rolled over debt owed the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) which the new power investor inherited as part of assets and liabilities.

Aja said that customer in Onitsha were in a monthly arrears of more than N100 million even when bills were issued to them.

He noted that the debt burden always had a monthly additional of more than N100 million to already existing debt profile, adding that federal and state governments were among the debtors.

“The huge debt burden is giving the company and its management serious concern,’’ he said.

Aja said that the company had ordered for pre-paid meters for distribution to customers as part of efforts to check the fast growing debt burden in the business unit.

“We want our people to see payment of their electricity bills as important as paying school fees and making monthly allocations for foodstuff.

“From a common sense point of view, the benefit of electricity cannot be overemphasised as well as its relative affordability by all.

“Most times, you still find out that some educated customers who should know about the benefits of power, are among those who do not pay their bills,’’ he said.

Aja, however, appealed to customers to assist the company to serve them better by paying their bills promptly.

“We are ready to serve our people better and attend to their complaints. But they have a duty to assist us by jettisoning this idea of indebtedness,’’ he added.

Onitsha Residents Owe Power Company N1.5bn ONITSHA (ANAMBRA)-Manager Electric power consumers in

Kano Assembly Gets New Speaker

KANO - The Kano State House of Assembly has elected a new speaker following the resignation of the former, Alhaji Gambo Sallau.

The new speaker is Alhaji Ishaku Danja, who was until Tuesday’s election, the Deputy Speaker.

The reports state that Alhaji Hamisu Chidari, the Majority Leader, is now the Deputy Speaker.

The House had also elected Alhaji Kabir Alhassan as the new Majority Leader to replace Chidari.

The former speaker announced his resignation in a broadcast in Kano on Tuesday.

He said his decision was based on political reasons, as he said “I, Gambo Sallau, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, hereby announce my resignation as the speaker.’’

Sallau and three other members had on Monday announced their decision in a local radio station to remain in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The decision came barely 24 hours after 26 of the 31 legislators defected to the APC

L-R: Former Ekiti State House of Assembly member, Mr. Gabdebo Ibuoye; former Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti and Mr. Oladipo Arogunmasa during Fayose’s meeting with 172 PDP Ward Chairman in Ado-Ekiti recently.

Abuja Muslim Cleric Urges Peaceful Co-Existence In Nigeria

ABUJA - Sheikh Nura Khalid, the Chief Imam of Legislators’ Quarter’s Mosque, Abuja, has urged Nigerians to live in peace and harmony wherever they found themselves.

Khalid made the call in a telephone interview with newsmen in Abuja.

He reminded Nigerians that “we are all one, irrespective of our socio-political, religious and economic background.

“We should not allow disgruntled elements who find pleasure in destruction to destroy our nation in the name of religion.

“That is why we find it necessary, especially in this new year, to preach to those behind the security challenge

in the country to desist from such acts.’’

The chief imam also urged Muslims in the country to devote their time to the worship of almighty Allah and emulate the virtues of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Khalid also reminded Muslims about the importance of sacrifice, spiritual cleansing and forgiveness of all their sins from Allah.

The cleric says it is only Allah that gives and takes and forgives.

He further urged Nigerians to assist the government in its effort to tackle the security challenge in the country.

He stressed that with peace and tranquility, the security of lives and property would be guaranteed in the country and

the world at large.

“Security is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians and should not be left in the hands of government alone,’’ he said.

He urged the Federal Government to create a more conducive environment for investors, especially foreign investors, for the development of the country.

Khalid also urged the Federal Government to give priority attention to job creation, especially for the youth in order to avoid restiveness.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (sitting left), registering as an APC member at his ward in Jada LGA of Adamawa State on Wednesday.

Defection

Lawmakers counsels Intending Senators ABUJA - Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri (PDP-Bayelsa) has advised any PDP senator who intends to defect to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the Nigerian constitution.

Lokpobiri told newsmen in Abuja that while a senator had the constitutional right to defect to any political party of his or her choice, such an action should meet the requirements of the law.

He said: “If anybody wants to decamp, it’s within his constitutional rights to defect in line with the provisions of the law. If you follow the provisions of the law in the process of defecting, the law allows it.

“But the conditions are very stringent. So, anybody who wants to defect, certainly, has a constitutional hurdle to cross.

“Anybody who wants to cross (defect) should look at the constitution very well, satisfy the constitutional requirements and if you are able to satisfy those conditions, if you want to cross, you cross,“ he said.

Lokpobiri cautioned that Section 68 of the constitution specified penalties for any senator who failed to meet the constitutional requirements for defection to another political party.

He said: “Anybody who is defecting should also know that if he does not meet the constitutional requirements, penalties are also attached to it in line with the provisions of Section 68 of the Constitution.

“And I believe that there would be sufficient reason for those who want to defect not to defect at this particular time.

“They themselves went to court and the court now, based

on their own request, ordered that the status quo should remain,“ he said.

Lokpobiri who also chairs the Senate Committee on Water Resources, added that the constitution specifies that each senator must write individually to notify the senate of his intention to defect.

According to him, there can be no group defection because each individual senator is representing a different senatorial district.

He, however, underscored the need to strengthen the principle of internal democracy to reduce tension and conflicts within political parties.

L-R: Donor of the borehole, Dr. Benjamin Alli, Principal, St. Anne’s School, Mrs. Ibidolapo Falomo; Chairman, University Press, Dr. Lalekan Are and Vicar, Anglican Church.

National Conference

IPAC Says Delegates Composition Is Unjust ABUJA - Dr Yunusa Tanko, the Chairman Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has described as “unjust” the composition of the delegates to the National Conference.

He made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

“We condemn the structure in which only five out of the 25 registered political parties are allocated 10 delegates.

The modalities released by the Federal Government showed that the five major parties with representation in the National Assembly are to

ABUJA - Mrs Felicia Sanni, the President-General, Abuja Market Women Association of Nigeria, has appealed to the Federal Government to make available clean cooking stoves at a subsidised rate.

Sanni told newsmen in Abuja that cooking with firewood had a negative effect on the health of women, particularly their sight.

Seek FG’s Support

nominate two delegates each to represent them at the National Conference.

Tanko said this decision came as surprise to other political parties because all of them supported the idea of a National Conference.

“We believe in the conference because it will give Nigerians another lee way into a democratic setting.

“It is unfair on the part of the government to give special consideration to five out of the 25 political parties; it doesn’t make sense at all.

Clean Cooking Stoves: Market Women “What firewood does is better imagined than said.’’

“So we are appealing to the Federal Government to make clean cooking stoves available and affordable; we are not saying they should dash us.

“No market woman believes in dash; there is nowhere in the world that

government provides such facilities free of charge.

“Even in the U.S., they still buy; so government should provide it for us at a cheaper rate.’’

The president said that the association had been partnering with the Federal Ministry of Environment to sensitise market women on

the need to embrace clean cooking energy.

She said she had observed that cooking with gas which people considered to be expensive, was cheaper in the long run, because of the health advantage.

“We want to carry the awareness to our rural women to tell them that the firewood that they think is cheaper, is not cheaper at all because of the damaging effect.

‘This is because the voice of the five parties will be heard and that of the remaining 20 will not be heard.

“The Federal Government has an opportunity now to change that position by involving all the political parties.

Tanko, who is also the National Chairman National Conscience Party (NCP), said if all the political parties were invited by the government then every view would be reflected.

“There should be fairness in administration because the other political parties are registered by law, except if there is another undertone to the segmentation of political parties in the country.

News

L-R: Commissioner of Police, Plateau, Mr. Chris Olakpe, Assistant Commissioner of Police, CID Jos, Mr. Haruna Garba and Police Area Commander, Metro Jos, Mr. Charles Ezeala at the peace building meeting with the stakeholders in Jos recently

Association Wants Mortgage Bank Recapitalised LAGOS - The President, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Mr. Bala Ka’Oje has called for the recapitalisation of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to N200 billion.

Ka’Oje told newsmen in Lagos that the recapitalisation would increase the capability of FMBN lending to housing developers.

According to him, without FMBN providing low interest rate funds many developers would have been doing other businesses than housing construction.

“Commercial banks extension of credit facilities to housing developers at interest rate of between 20 and 22 per cent has been very cumbersome, especially in

2013.

“The FMBN Estate Development Loans (EDL) has been the saving grace and it is always available at 10 per cent interest rate.

“However, the problem is that FMBN is not having enough funding to be able to provide loans to all housing developers who need it.

“And all calls for FMBN to be recapitalised to the tune of N200 billion to enable it do more has not yielded result,” he said.

Ka’Oje said that FMBN Estate Development Loans were used for the construction of affordable houses which most workers in the states used to access the National Housing Fund (NHF) loan.

He said that it had helped to increase the number of NHF

Fire Service To Embark On Enlightenment Campaign

Prospective members of All Progressives Congress (APC) waiting to register at Ward 12 Ojukwu Field Mile 1 in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

ABUJA - The Federal Fire Service is to embark on a door-to-door enlightenment campaign in the FCT, to educate residents on safety measures to be deployed during fire outbreaks.

Mr Ademola Jolaosho,

Subsidy Claims: NASS Commends PPPRA

ABUJA - The National Assembly has described the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) as a classical example of a government agency that has succeeded in exhibiting global best practises.

The Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon. Dakuku Peterside, made the observation in Abuja when the committee paid an oversight visit to the PPPRA headquarters.

Peterside said that PPPRA’s efforts in saving N409 billion in subsidy claims in 2012 and reduction in petroleum products consumption volume from 60.25 million litres a day in 2011 to 33.66 million litres in 2012 were commendable.

“I must say that the new PPPRA is a classical example of a government agency that has succeeded in exhibiting

global best practises to the benefit of Nigeria.

“We can clearly see that the agency has put its efficiency at work to save such enormous amount in one year and this is deeply commendable. Our prayer is that you sustain the tempo.

“It is good to ensure that Nigeria enjoys maximum gain from the subsidy we pay for white products.”

He stressed the need to ensure that several billions of naira being spent on subsidy did not end in the pockets of few individuals.

According to him, the money is budgeted for Nigerians and all Nigerians must benefit from it.

The chairman who said that the lawmakers owed the responsibility of ensuring that Nigerians enjoyed value for every kobo paid on subsidy, advised PPPRA to still do more.

“As we intend to commend you, we say we are not still satisfied; we are not where we ought to be.

“There is still more work to be done to ensure that we bring subsidy to the best it supposed to be,” he said.

He gave his assurance on the speedy passage of the Petroleum Industrial Bill (PIB) which according to him will enable the country to enjoy maximum benefits in the sector.

“You can be rest assured that the 7th session of the National Assembly is committed to the speedy passage of PIB. It will surely be passed in the life time of this assembly “We will do everything within our power to ensure that Nigeria has a new brand PIB before the end of the tenure of these current lawmakers,” he said.

The Executive Secretary of the PPPRA, Mr. Reginald Stanley, said that the agency had achieved up to 67 per cent in the number of participants in the subsidy scheme.

Stanley said the agency had ensured that only owners of downstream facilities participated in the scheme, adding that this had resulted in saving N409 billion in subsidy

claims in 2012.

He said the agency took steps to boost the Local Content Initiative of the government by encouraging indigenous participation in downstream activities.

According to him, this has attracted investment to the Nigerian economy in excess of N60 billion in the past two years.

ABUJA -The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) said it saved N57.9 billion13 through the implementation of the provisions of the 2007 Public Procurement Act. This is contained in a document obtained by the newsmen from the BPP in Abuja.

The document quoted Mr. Emeka Ezeh, the BPP DirectorGeneral as saying “as a result of the Bureau’s prior review

interventions, a total savings of N57, 957 billion was achieved in the financial year 2013.”

Ezeh stated that the bureau received about 308 projects valued at N1, 687 trillion, but only considered 184 requests valued at N1, 176 trillion.

According to him, it also granted Certificates of “no Objections” valued at N1, 118 trillion.

Ezeh said that the bureau received several complaints

Assistant Controller General, Administration and Supply, Federal Fire Service, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

He said the service presently focuses on enlightenment in business premises like offices and markets, to educate people on precautionary measures against fire outbreak.

“As time goes on, we will extend it to homes because what is obtainable in the office is also obtainable in the home.

“We need to advice people who engage in unsafe practices in their homes, to be careful so as to guard against fire outbreaks,” he stated.

BPP Saves N57b For FG

which included; the delay in processing and forwarding projects which the bureau had already issued certificates of ‘No Objection’ among others to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for consideration.

He called on the Federal Government to strengthen the newly established procurement units in the civil service to enable the country reap the benefits of the ongoing procurement reforms.

Lighen up: AVOID going too dark in your foundation shade. Have your shade professionally matched to your skin tone as close to the day as possible Matte is a must: For cheeks, stay away from shimmery powder, no exceptions for eyelids keep shimmer strictly “no lids”.

Primary focus: Primer is essential for keeping makeup intact, it’s like the base coat on a manicure. Oil free versions are best and also sensitive skin friendly.

Say no …. to spf: Primer and foundation should be spf free formulas containing sunscreen cast a ghostlike glow with the camera flash.

When lining eyelids, start in the centre and work your way to the

outer edge. Lining the entire lid will cause the eye to appear smaller use a slanted brush with a dark (but not black) shadow to line lower lids.

More is more: A camera flash will wash out colours, no matter what. Don’t be scared off by a dramatic finished look. It won’t photograph that way.

Blend, blend, blend: When it comes to concealer cheek contouring and eye shadow a quality set of brushes is key. The camera flash will highlight unblended edges, creating a clownlike look and unblended concealer will highlight fine lines.

All natural: Always have makeup applied in natural light this will be the best indicator of how it will look when

“Don’t let the day of the occasion be the first to try your product consultation and trail runs are essential to create the perfect final look.”

Beauty Guide “Picture Perfect:”

Make Up For Gorgeous Photos

photographed.

Mellow yellow: To set makeup choose a yellow powder rather than translucent much like

spf formulas, translucent powders cast a white glow when photographed.

Practice run: Don’t let the day of the occasion

be the first to try your product consultation and trail runs are essential to

When mixed with a bit of water and applied to a breakout, baking soda

apply it to a stubborn zit.

It’s the same thing.

Applying lemon juice to acne scars 3 times a week will help to lighten

create the perfect final look.

Skin Care Remedies Olive oil can be used as a gentle eye makeup remover

can be used as spot treatment.

Ever hear of a zeno hotspot? Gently heat up a metal spoon with a flame or hot water and

them and improve the surrounding skin tone.

Putting sliced tomato on your skin is a powerful sunburn remedy.

yourself and have a mental picture of the future of the biz (vision) set a goal for your self.

Planning is also important because if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. And you

must have a role model, remember, discovering your best talent and skill, the ability to apply it where it will make the most effective contribution to your fellow man is success.

By ELOHOR JENNIFER OFOLUWA

Modeling The Shape Of Your Face With Blush BLUSH has currently become an important part of make up we cannot forget. It can light up your face and make your skin look invigorated. But most important thing is to choose a natural colour that suits your skin tone, and to do that you need to look in a mirror on a day light to test it.

If you have fair complexion, the best for the look. In case of mature skin, peach

By JENNIFER O. OGEDEGBE

will warm up your face, while pink will look artificial and theatrical. Ladies with a bit darker skin can use blush in warmer shades, such as orange, copperygolden or cinnamon bronze but if your skin is in shade of ebony or brown you should choose a warm coloured blush such as papaya, peach or tomato.

To master the art of modelling the shape of your face, you need to consider which shape your face is. You can distinguish four types of shape *Oval *Triangular *Square *Round face Oval – shaped face does not require a lot of modeling, you apply the blush in the middle of the cheeks to

give them a girlish looks and add colour to your complexion etc.

Tip: if you have gottten problem with your skin shinning throughout the day, always have pressed mortifying powder with you. Powder is an important part of make-up we cannot do without. To succeed in this business you must always dream big, desire it, believe in

“Ladies with a bit darker skin can use blush in warmer shades, such as orange, coppery-golden or cinnamon bronze but if your skin is in shade of ebony or brown you should choose a warm coloured blush such as papaya, peach or tomato.”

MORE than any other issue in Nigeria today, the greatest concern has been the security condition of the country.

ALMOST on a daily basis, there are accounts of several security threats arising from armed robberies, assassinations, armed militancy and banditry, kidnapping, bombings and of recent, the blood-let from a religious sect called the Jaamatus Alhus Sunnah Lid Daawatis Wal Jiliad (otherwise called Boko Harm) who say they are opposed to Western education and are ready to attack every vestige of western civilization.

INDEED, the rate of crime and criminality, as exemplified in the high incidence of kidnapping, bombings and other organised crimes has sadly moved from the realm of security threat to an area of real and present danger.

THE frightening security condition in Nigeria has not only been a source of worry, it has also dented Nigeria’s International status.

FOR instance, on August 26, 2011 the terrorist group, Boko Haram bombed the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s Federal capital city. The consequences of that attack, as of today, are yet to abate.

IN the wake of the UN building attack, Nigeria, lost her hosting right of the global food security meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAQ) which was moved from Abuja, to Senegal. The meeting was an assemblage of experts and food administrators all over the globe.

ASIDE the UN building bombing on August 26, 2011 that claimed 23 lives including 11 UN personnel, local Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, had until late, been orchestrating series of isolated attacks predominantly in Northern Nigeria.

THE NIGERIAN

Curbing Insurgency In Nigeria The sect is believed to be targeting centres of international attraction, especially in the Federal Capital Territory.

CURIOUSLY, the presidential committee on security challenges in the North East Zone has identified security lapses, inter-service rivalry and lack of collaboration as factors that have encouraged the proliferation of security crises in the Northern part of the country. It also blamed the security breaches on high level of poverty, unemployment and other social ills.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER is however of the considered opinion that serious security collaboration and intelligence sharing must be urgently evolved to arrest security breaches and this needs to go beyond the shores of the nation. The federal government must build inter-agency cooperation through diplomatic channels/pacts, and international intelligence to ensure that crime of whatever scale is nipped in the bud.

MOST importantly, there is the overriding need to promptly move to demilitarize the Nigerian society and reduce the heavy influx of arms and ammunition in the country which have unfortunately gone into the wrong hands.

TO this extent, the Customs and Immigration Services, in tandem with the Ministry of Interior should work round the

clock to protect the porous Nigerian borders.

SOMETHING fundamental equally needs to be done to reduce, if not totally eliminate the existence of private militias that were established, funded and used by politicians and individuals who later dumped them after having been trained to handle arms.

ALSO, the various security agencies, beside the need to be technologically equipped and funded to carry out their assigned tasks, would need to be restructured. The structure and duties of our security agencies must be revisited so as to ensure that each organ very well knows its specific roles and function, while the laws establishing these agencies must be made clear on who does what.

THE government at all levels, particularly the federal government, urgently needs to carry out reforms in the security sub-sector to eliminate inertia created by inter-agency rivalry and react decisively to security threats with dispatch.

ON their part, the citizens must cooperate with the security agencies by supplying them with prompt, useful and relevant information on likely security breaches. This can be facilitated by the existence of a wellcoordinated biometric database of Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike indicating where people live, their nature of jobs and background. This will assist in fishing out the bad eggs in the society.

DECISIVE steps should be taken to cripple Boko Haram Sect and their operations as well as end their menacing reign. If anything, a safe, secure and peaceful environment is what the present democracy needs to be strengthened and sustained, as such the government and people of Nigeria cannot afford to leave this to the whims and caprices of miscreants.

Leadership

Between Force And Influence

There is an extent to which a person being carried by another can make the weight easier for the person who is caring him or her. When the weight becomes lighter, then the leader is able to move faster in the journey to his destination. This is the effect that is created by influence.

Influence preaches the message of do”. it is most times gotten from what the followers have seen about their leaders. The way he does his things and the mind set he has given them about him. If they feel his desire is for their betterment, it enables them to easily follow him. For influence to come into play, complete transparency (no secret activities which are suspicious) is required other important attributes integrity, accountability (Enable to account for every resource trust worthiness(be worthy of trust.)When people see this in you, it becomes easier for them to follow you to where you are going to.

Permit me to say here that force is the absence of influence, force is never needed whenever there is influence. This is because when you direct the People, your influence make them follow you. This was the method applied by one of the leaders in the bible days. Jesus Christ was able to get large followers along with him not by controlling or forcing them, but by influencing them. He opened there eyes as to where he was leading them to and they could see that it was for their benefit. Hence they followed him without given him trouble, is a powerful method that brings out great result when applied, crumbles even a good leader’s intension is a key to leadership and can never be overemphasized.

Leadership is important in

By UGBOME PRISCA IFEOMA

every environment There are specific roles he plays which cannot be replaced where ever it is that men gather, they always look for someone who they can look up to, to give them direction and coordinate them in the way to go, leadership plays this role in such gatherings.

My definition of a leader is a person who is able to carry people along to where he is going without the people having anything to criticize or condemn about him. This definition focuses on two main aspects the position the leader is or assumes, and the method looking at the definition, our present day leaders fail in their methods of approaches to leadership.

They adopt a “do as I say” mechanism on those who they lead and when this people resist their dictates, they use force to ensure absolute compliance. The overall consequences of this is that the followers are not willing to follow but will only do such if the harsh method of their leaders are applied on them. This is the first method of leadership which I call FORCE. Force, according to the Collins Cobuild learners dictionary is defined as “when one makes you to do something even though you do not want to” it is making something happen or to make someone do something against his desire either by threatening him or not giving him the possibility of choice. This method has been applied time and time again because many rulers believe that in leadership, the main trust is to get the people to where you feel they should be without due consideration of how the people are affected.

Where ever it is that people are forced as a method of leadership. The leader ’s authority is unstable. This applied especially in a democratic setting where the government is for the people and by the people. When force is applied on the people, the people always

resist the leaders and this always turns out disastrous.

Taking a look at leadership definition above, imagine carrying someone as big as you are and the individual is resisting you, it becomes excessively difficult for you to continue on your journeys.

Force is the reason why the military was not accepted by Nigerians when they took hold of the government.

Whenever a leader adopts force as his method, his day

“Force is the reason why the military was not accepted by Nigerians when they took hold of the government. Whenever a leader adopts force as his method, his day in power become numbered. One vital issue to be understood here is that force, which ever result it is applied to get (positive or negative, good or bad) will always face opposition from those who are in the followership position under that leader.” in power become numbered.

One vital issue to be understood here is that force, which ever result it is applied to get (positive or negative, good or bad) will always face opposition from those who are in the followership position under

that leader.

An example of force and its effects being displayed is the removal of fuel subsidy by the pro federal Government lots of citizens took to the streets to protest against this removal, a protest which went on for days Watching this protest and listening to the individuals I gathered that as much as many of them protested because of the immediate suffering that is brought upon them. Many others protested because they felt the president was trying to impose on them what should be done in the country with their due approval.

These people also made it obvious that they understood the economic benefits that go along with the removal but bluntly refused the removal because they wanted to make it clear that they do not appreciate force.

The price of petrol had to be reduced leaving the federal government with only little of what they wanted and needed to cause a change in economy of the nation. This is what force and it’s tools bring into play where ever it is applied. Influence on the other hand is the power to make other people agree with your opinions or do what you want. If someone has an influence on others, that person affects the way they think or act or what happens to the individual.

This is the second method of leadership and this is the type which characterizes a successful leadership. Here, the people see reason to follow the leader and hence do not Resist but faithfully follow the leader’ s direction

“My definition of a leader is a person who is able to carry people along to where he is going without the people having anything to criticize or condemn about him. This definition focuses on two main aspects the position the leader is or assumes, and the method looking at the definition, our present day leaders fail in their methods of approaches to leadership. They adopt a “do as I say” mechanism on those who they lead and when this people resist their dictates, they use force to ensure absolute compliance.”

Insight

Hijrah 1435 Ah

By DR. PRINCE OYAKHIRE

Being a lecture delivered by Dr. Prince Oyakhire, OON, Ph.D., organised at the Benin Central Mosque by The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Edo State recently.

BISMILLAHIRRah’Manir-Raheem. AlHamdu Lillahi RabbilAlamin.

Subhanaka Allahumma. In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful, The AllMerciful and The EverMerciful. Your Excellency, Executive Governor Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole of Edo State, The Chief Imam, the League of Imams, Hon Luqman Muhammad, Chairman Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Edo State; the Royal Father of the Day-Onogie of Ewu-HRH Alhaji Barrister Abdur-Razaq Ojeifo; Mother of the Day-Dr Hajia. Permsec Ododo Odaro; the Amirah of FOMWAN, other Guests of Honour which include Hon Justice A. Abiri, Alhaji Udo Oyarekhua and Alhaji Yusuf Bello; eminent Islamic scholars, respected elders, Brothers and Sisters in Islam I welcome you sincerely to this occasion. I also heartily welcome all and sundry including our peaceful Muslim Ummah to today’s lecture organised by the respected Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Edo State. We are here for the general propagation of Islam (Dawah) and more specifically for the dissemination of Hijrah 1435AH awareness. I am pleased to be here as a participant and also to preside as the Chairman of today’s religious event. We thank

Allah greatly for our progressive sustenance regardless of our imperfection, transgression, impiety and the privilege of bringing us into the current Hijrah 1435 AH which began a few days ago. May Allah prosper us in it. As-Salamun Alaikum.

This submission makes references to the Holy Bible and the Noble Quran because religiously assembled facts are not contentious as they represent facts and other facts relevant to facts in issue being absolutely authentic. I will briefly talk on four issues, notably, the origin of Hijrah, Islam, Holy Quran and the role of Muslims in Societal Reformation. I am a facilitator assigned to prepare a simple preamble. The Lecturer will speak to us later.

He has many good things to tell us about the Role of Muslims in Societal Reformation. Some of the good things that will be mentioned are contained in the protective Compact of “ISLAM” and the inviolability of the QURAN. Truly, Hijrah is a yearly Ritual which strengthens Muslim Ummah globally.

Humans are fragile, imperfect and often oblivious of events, ideas, facts and figures.

Hijrah is a Religious dispensation which must not be ignored. Muslims must in all circumstances be patient, must persevere and wait for Allah’s blessings. Allah, the Lord, is tolerant, merciful and

not easily angered even when disbelievers abuse disobey or tell lies against Him and His Messengers. Please, number your days, work hard, do not do evil and apply wisdom so that you will be prosperous in life. In consequence, honour will seek you because Honour seeks only the Worthy.

Hijrah is essentially about Islam, Quran and Prophet Muhammad who was born in 570 AD in Mecca in the 7th Century.

His father, Abdullahi, died before he was born and his mother, Amina, also died shortly after his birth. Orphaned at a young age, he was brought up by his uncle, Abdul Talib. As he grew, he became well known for his veracity, generosity and honesty. He was calm, meditative and dependable as an Arbitrator in disputes. At 25, he married a wealthy widow, Khadijah and became a merchant in her business. In 610 AD, he reported a vision of Angel Gabriel, the Holy Ghost, (Ruh-ul-Qudus) who transmitted to him the first of many Divine revelations which he began to disseminate and by same he attracted followers as well as opponents. In 619 AD, the “year of sorrows”, his wife and uncle died. His revelations reached their most intense capacity within a phase of four months. He escaped persecution, went northwards to Madinah in 622 AD and established a loyal leadership. The inspirational movement to Madinah is famously called Hijrah. Subsequent years witnessed violent clashes with the Meccan disbelievers.

In 629 AD, he undertook the first Hajj (Pilgrimage) to

Mecca but after a truce with Mecca broke down, he led his forces and captured the City in 630 AD. Prophet Muhammad was 40 years old during the Ramadhan fasting when he began to receive Allah’s revelations which lasted for 23years. He was Allah’s Messenger, humble, diligent and faithful. He propagated Islam in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond. He is the seal of the Prophets and the completion of the number of the envoys.

He brought, FAITH to mankind. Allah sent him to the whole World with the message of fulfilment and redemption (salvation). He died in Madinah in 632 AD at the age of sixty three.

A momentous event like the beginning of Hijrah 1435 AH/2013 affords Muslims the opportunity to track the passage of years once more.

In other words, Muslims are expected to go down memory lane and be reinforced Islamically. How did Hijrah begin and what was in place before its advent? The Gregorian calendar commenced before and continued after the birth of Prophet Isa, Jesus Christ, Son of Mary in Israel.

Almighty Allah caused a change in the counting of years with the advent of Islam and the revelation of the Qur’an courtesy of the Arab Nation. Allah annihilated Yemen King Abrahah and his troops who came to Mecca on the back of elephants to wipe out the traces of Islam and to destroy the Holy Kábah.

Shortly after that encounter, the need for counting the passage of years became a compelling necessity. Indeed, it was only after the death of

“This submission makes references to the Holy Bible and the Noble Quran because religiously assembled facts are not contentious as they represent facts and other facts relevant to facts in issue being absolutely authentic. I will briefly talk on four issues, notably, the origin of Hijrah, Islam, Holy Quran and the role of Muslims in Societal Reformation. I am a facilitator assigned to prepare a simple preamble.”

Prophet Muhammad that Muslims under the leadership of Umar Ibn Khattab started to record the passage of years from the year of the migration of the Prophet from Mecca to Madinah which marked the Hijrah. Muslims migrated

enemies and threatened by death to the position of a Regional Power with a strong Central Leadership. It was a transition for spreading Islam through individual Dawah to institutionalised Dawah initiated by the State which

H bu ov si an re th ca

from Mecca where Islam was first announced to Abyssinia and later to Madinah because of safety as pagans and disbelievers declared war against Muslims and Islam.

Muslims needed green pastures and also desired peaceful atmosphere to carry out Dawah and to spread Islam. The movement was not basically for wealth acquisition as evident in many of them. Shuaib Arrumi and others left estates and valuable property in Mecca and fled to Madinah.

The movement eventually became a transition from a position where Muslims represented a small group of people, surrounded by

spread to other parts of the World. At that point, Islam became not only an act of worship but also a way of life that encompasses politics, economy, social interactions and other aspects of life which eventually became a Comprehensive Religion.

Indeed, while we celebrate Hijrah today, it is not enough to merely recount the history of Hijrah and point to its routes and heroes.

Rather, we need to look at ourselves, draw useful inference from the movement and make use of the tangible lessons inherent in this important phase in the history of Islam. Basically, we should not only look at

imp com esta fi spre We duty the sho circ re quo leth shou and imp with as alw bas fron but

Insight

h Awareness

Hijrah as merely a movement ut also carefully analyse the verall ideological ignificance in terms of Islam nd Dawah. It is vital to ealise that the event marked he beginning of Muslim alendar and more

portantly it mmemorated the ablishment of the rst Islamic state eading to what it is today. should be resolute in our y to serve Allah even in face of persecution. We ould not allow cumstances to rattle us or esign ourselves to status o characterised by hargy and passivity. We uld use available means d circumstances to prove our situations hout losing our identity Muslims. Remember ays that Hijrah was not ed on expanding the ntiers of material gains anchored essentially on

the preservation of Muslim identity. Hijrah bears credence of perseverance, resilience, decency, piety and ethics of a Muslim’s good behaviour and pleasant relationship. This is basically another dimension which the

Prophet mentioned when he said, “a Muslim is someone who spares people the harm of his tongue and his hand and a migrant is someone who migrates from what God has forbidden”. Please, endeavour to migrate from what God has forbidden, not just physically by moving to a new place but also spiritually and ethically by choosing good over evil and ethics over corruption. Please, courageously confront trials and stay on the path of Allah.

Instructively, Hijrah teaches us that wherever Muslims are or go they should impact goodness on mankind.

Muslims must work for moral and material goodness of society.

The Prophet encouraged the immigrant

Muslims to cultivate land which brought about food surplus in Madinah where everyone had enough to eat.

The Prophet established a Masjid (a big Mosque). He, by himself, carried stones for the

building of that powerful structure. He established Islamic and educational Institutions (Madrasah) for Community. The first one under his supervision was named Suffah. He also

established brotherly (Mu’akhah) relations between the Muslims who migrated from Mecca (Muhajirun) and the residents of Madinah (Ansar) who helped the Prophet and his Companions. He helped to clean Madinah. He dug wells and provided water for the whole community. It is understood that more than 50 wells were dug in Madinah and there was enough clean water for people. The City which was previously known for vices like drunkenness, social misconduct and crimes like murder became safe through his Dáwah. Besides, the Prophet also carried out the commandments of Allah. We must be conscious of Allah’s commandments and obey all the prohibitions in the Quran.

Muslims must seek elevation in ranks in the sight of Allah by constantly working as true Muslims. Remember always the hadith of the Prophet which says, “A Muslim is someone who spares people the harm of his tongue and his hand and a migrant is someone who migrates from what God has forbidden”. Happy New Year (Hijrah 1435 AH/2013).

The THEME of today’s lecture is the “OF MUSLIMS IN SOCIETAL REFORMATION” It is desirable to explain briefly the key words and meanings in the mission statement, notably, ROLE, MUSLIMS AND REFORMATION. It is not often easy to define terms. It is more difficult in Social Sciences such as this topic where terms are shackled by a fluidity that humbles explanation. The terms or words like ROLE, MUSLIMS AND REFORMATION are complex in this context but have been carefully defined.

The word “ROLE” in this

context means the FUNCTION OR POSITION that somebody has or is expected to have in an Organisation, in Society or in a relationship by which certain functions must be performed by the individual singly or pari-pasu with others e.g an Actor’s part in a play, film or Movie. A “MUSLIM” is a person whose Religion is ISLAM. He or she submits totally in faith to the WILL of Allah, such as Prophets Moses, Noah, Abraham, Jesus, Muhammad and 20 others in Scriptures.

Societal “REFORMATION” means the act of changing by improvement human beings who form society culturally, educationally, economically, ethically, morally, politically, religiously and socially. New ideas informed the reformation in Religion in 16th Century Europe which led to attempts to reform the Catholic Church and to the formation of Protestant Churches. With the preceding preamble, it is now fairly clear as to the ROLE Muslims are expected to play in societal Reformation.

Certain fundamentals are required or must be in place for Muslims to be able to play the relevant role expected of them to effect Societal Reformation. Briefly, a Muslim must fear Allah, must be well informed, educated generally, disciplined, diligent, compassionate, resourceful and patriotic. In consequence, Muslims must continuously seek knowledge through education because it is the foundation of wisdom, light and power being a catalyst that restores human dignity. (Q96 1-5). The rational application of integrity and intellect by

Muslims produces peace for society. Peace is not just the absence of social tension but the presence of justice which ISLAM represents.

By knowledge, disposition and the fear of Allah true Muslims are agents of societal reformation. In order words, true Muslims behave decently, righteously, faithfully and impact positively the lives of all people in the neighbourhood. A true Muslim is an inspirator, a motivator and a revivalist.

He or she is a blessing to mankind in all ramifications.

True Muslims understand clearly from knowledge and experience and greatly appreciate the inimitable fact that this World is basically held by four invisible pillars, notably, “the unusual wisdom of the Learned, the impeccable justice of the Great, the immutable prayers of the Righteous and the impregnable valour of the Brave”. Peace and knowledge are basically required for societal reformation, growth and development. Islam praises learning in several Quranic verses coupled with the Prophet’s proclamation that “a scholar’s ink is more precious than a Martyr’s blood”. It is desirable for Muslims to learn from one another in the same way iron sharpens iron. Apostle Paul directed Timothy in one of his letters that he should teach others the many things he had taught him so that more and more people would increase in knowledge but warned him seriously not to put a novice in office. To be continued next week

“The terms or words like ROLE, MUSLIMS AND REFORMATION are complex in this context but have been carefully defined. The word “ROLE” in this context means the FUNCTION OR POSITION that somebody has or is expected to have in an Organisation, in Society or in a relationship by which certain functions must be performed by the individual singly or pari-pasu with others e.g an Actor’s part in a play, film or Movie.”

Art Alive

With FRANCIS ODUPUTE

Biological Rate Of Deterioration Of Our Cultural Wooden Objects

By ALASAN U. MODUS

WOOD is naturally very durable in moderate, sheltered environment’ it can last for thousands of years without substantial change.

Biological deterioration is principally found in the form of insects and fungi. This activity can results in the complete destruction of an object and when decay processes becomes evident in historic object, there is justifiable cause for alarm. Most of the biological damage is started in poor environment condition for storage and display. Continuously biological decay is dependent upon four (4) conditions. If anyone is removed, the decay is arrested. These conditions are; Supply of oxygen Supply of moisture Supply of food Moderate temperature range SUPPLY OF OXYGEN A continuous supply of oxygen is required by terrestrial life forms, including these which consume wood. When the supply is diminished or removed entirely the consumption ceases and the organism will be destroyed.

This is fact a new method of eradicating wood destroying organisms.

These so called “anoxic” methods require the use of sealed chambers which are sometimes a good alternative to pesticide SUPPLY OF MOISTURE Control of this condition can be difficult. The moisture content of wood is dependent upon the amount of moisture in the immediate surroundings.

The terms “relative humidity” is derived from the relationship of moisture in the air and temperature of that air. The amount of moisture (in the form of water vapour) can be stable in a given volume of air, and as that air is heated and cooled, the relative humidity changes. Since the capacity of warm air to hold water vapour is greater, the relative humidity is ‘lower than a cooler room with the same amount of water vapour. Conversely, as the

air is cooled, the relative humidity goes up. Relative humidity is usually reported as a percentage, comparing the amount of water vapour in the air at the temperature is the amount that is held if the air is saturated (100% relative humidity) Wood, like many materials will reach a balance of moisture content with the surrounding environment.

Wood takes on moisture in

seem terribly self-evident, in some cases, the actual food source for some organism is not wood. In the case of fungi (molds and mildew), the food source may be on the surface of the wood.

Handling an objects may leave residues which support the growth of these organism, under the right conditions. Fungi are

high relative conditions, and releases it when the humidity is lower. In extreme changes the wood can swell (high humidity) and shrink (low humidity).

Excessive high moisture content for good preservation’ but even moderate conditions can support decay. Some insects such as termites can generate their own moisture as they consume wood.

SUPPLY OF FOOD While this factor may

probably the agent of the greatest destruction of wood in nature. Often fungi damage wood, which makes it more inviting to insect. Insect which completely consume an object or historic structure before they are detected.

TEMPERATURE Organism which destroy wood have been found in virtually every e n v i r o n m e n t .

Unfortunately the optimum temperature range of 2432°C is one that humans are

comfortable in, so temperature is not a practical way to control the organism. Amazingly, a newly-discovered species of termites has been discovered which even operate at sub-freezing temperature.

Only sustained high temperature have shown any success in arresting development or destroying wood-

consuming organism. And unfortunately, the object may be severely damages as a result of extreme low temperature, since it may be dried out and shrink in this condition, high temperature can cause damage to surface decoration and paint and may cause glue to release.

Common types of wood destroyed organism. There are two (2) main types of wood destroying of an object. In fact,, infestation by one usually lead to infestation by the other

“Recognition and treatment of deteriorated wood damage is often noticed when debris is found on the floor. As such, the object should be removed from the rest of the collection and completely wrap and sealed ion polyethylene sheeting.”

wood, fungi and insect from a biological cycle which has been perfected over millions of years.

Fungi includes, molds and mildews and are everywhere in the environment Fungi are simple plant like organism which do not have chioropyll is produce their own food. In essence, they have a parasitic relationship with their host.

The rapidly multiply in a supportive environment,

and send seed-like spores out (sometimes air –home) to extend their ranged.

Some fungi do affect the strength of woof cellulose (polymer back bone) and ligain (cellular aglue).

Utimately the wood residue crumbles to a powder.

There is almost no point trying to eradicate or exclude fungi since they are so ubiquitous. However, we can successfully control their consumption of wooden object. Simply put it the relative humidity is kept moderately (less 60% there will be virtually no problem with fungi.

Insect such as beetles in their larval stages are among the most destructive.

These insects lay eggs in wood, the maturing larval cat continuously, only emerging to male and continue the cycle. The emerging adult will leave a small exist or fight hole

while unfavourable conditions may slow their development, the ususl life cycle is completed within a year.

Termites can pose a threat to furniture but are usually more interested in the wood building surrounding the collection.

Other insect present a special problem since they may not even use wood for food some ants and bees tunnel through wood creating galleries for shelter. There are not usually a problem with furniture but can be major destructive agent in historic buildings.

PROTECTIONS OF WOODEN OBJECT From the above comments, you may gather that the removal of one or more of the favourable growth conditions is sufficient to arrest the spread of biological deterioration.

The simplest method to defer fungal and insect damage is to maintain and monitor a moderate environment, •since the most controllable factor is the moisture content, good collection care will include maintenance of a 40-60% relative humidity. Wood have variable degrees of natural resistance to decay.

Wood with low resistance can be treated with preservatives insect and fungi show little interest in penetrating paint and varnished to consume wood, so those objects which are or can be coated will be better off.

Recognition and treatment of deteriorated wood damage is often noticed when debris is found on the floor. As such, the object should be removed from the rest of the collection and completely wrap and sealed ion polyethylene sheeting.

Inspect the rest of the collection for damages infested object can be treated by a professional extermination company and extermination procedure should be carried out in the company facility.

Fungi damage is usually noticed in advanced stages of development. Fungal growth can be removed by wiping or vacuuming the surface with a wet dry vacuum and the filter replaced or thoroughly cleaned afterward. Cleaning should be done outdoors.

Art And Culture

Bells are hollow vessesl with flared mouth struck by tongue or clapper and are instruments for giving ringing sound but taking many other forms as a shallow cup or a coiled spring struck by a hammer.

Bell materials, shapes and sizes are very common among the Edo s as single and multiple clapper bells, single and double clapperless bells.

Clapper bells are struck by a movable clapper hung within the bell.

Clapperless bells are struck from outside with a beater. The clapperless bell is also known as gong.

Single clapper bells made of bronze or brass can be found in most shrines to ancestors and deities, where they are used to evoke the spirit.

Large bells are used to summon meetings. They are also used to give signals and are used to indicate the number of hours of the watch that have elapsed, two bells, three bells meaning that there are two, three hours past.

A warning bell from the ancient fable of the mice who proposed to hang a warning bell round the cat’s neck, and to bell the cat is to take leading part in any harzardous movement.

Bells may be conical, quadrangular, circular or oval in cross section.

Brass or bronze clapper bells have been used by Edo people since the time of bronze casting while the metal type existed from the time of Iron smelting.

Bells of brass or bronze are depicted on many of the old bronze plagues of Great Benin and several bells were found in Benin Capital after the British conguest Most of the bells were supposed to be more than there hundred and four

With AMBROSE EKHOSUEHI

Bells In Culture

hundred years old.

In the literature on Edo culture there are some references to the use of brass clapper bells.

Thomas mentions the ringing of bells as part of the - customs, while Boulton says that brass bells with unbelievable sweet tones were used during ugie festival in honour of the ancestors. Paul, BenAmos mentions that in the olden days, warriors used to wear brass bells round their necks for protection in battle and to announce their victories when returning from war.

Peoples who have had strong cultural contacts with Benin Kingdom have been influenced in their use of bronze and brass clapper bells.

Two types of single clapper bells made of iron can also be found among the Edo. One type is known as eroro, egogo, like its brass counterpart consists of a piece of iron bent into a more or less conical shape.

In some shrines several bells of the iron type are attached to an iron staff which is shaken to make them sound. The other type is called aza and is similar in shape to the iron eroro, apart from the handle which is formed like a knife blade. It is used as musical instrument to produce accompanying rhythm in certain ceremonies.

The most common type of multiple clapper-bell used among the Edo people is a double clapper bell. It is called

commonly sounded to tell the spirits that worshippers are present.

It can also be played with other instruments to

known as egogo among Esan, Ulo or agogo among the Etsako and agogo among the Ivbiosakon, urhobo and

“Elaghalogho”, the name which means to be ‘onomatopoetic and consists of a pair of bells united by a short chain.

Each bell is made of a piece of iron bent into a more or less conical shape and is round or oval in cross section.’

The musician holds one bell in the left hand and the other in the right hand when playing the elaghalogho and is

produce an accompanying rhythm.

Elaghalogho bells are depicted on some of the old bronze plagues of Benin.

One of the most common musical bell instrument of Edo culture is the single clapperless bell called egogo, made of two pieces of iron folded or welded together into conical shape. It is

Isoko.

Single clapperless iron bells- egogo are used in many music to produce basic or accompanying rhythm and melody. In certain festival egogo produces the basic rhythm. Large bells, are also symbols of chieftaincy and high status.

The egogo is often described by early European visitors to

“Double clapperless Iron bells are used most Nigerian people but double clapperless brass bells with stem grips are ofter on old Benin bronze plagues and Benin people are the only Nigerian people that uses double clapperless brass bells. A number of such bells of great age were brought to Europe after the conquest of Benin in 1897.”

Great Benin; thus inl600, Dutchman D.R. tells that the Benin have hollow iron bell whereon they strike. About hundred years Later Van Nyendael mentions that the inhabitants of Benin, have Iron bells on which they play.

Bells similar to Edo bells can be found among most Nigerian Peoples, who also use names that are more or less identical with the Edo terms, thus Igbo groups call their bells agogo, the Yoruba use the term agogo, and the Igala use the words Ugege or agogo.

Another type of double clapperless bell that can be found among all the Edo speaking peoples is a pair of Iron bells united by a bent handle, each bell being similar in shape and making, to the single clapperless bell.

This double bell is used instead of two single bells.

The Etsako call this bell a or akpoge, the vbiosakon use the name agogo, while the Benin call it egogo a gbeva Double clapperless Iron bells are used most Nigerian people but double clapperless brass bells with stem grips are ofter on old Benin bronze plagues and Benin people are the only Nigerian people that uses double clapperless brass bells. A number of such bells of great age were brought to Europe after the conquest of Benin in 1897.

Bells are not only used in traditions but are pronouncement to alertness, warning, call to service as of church bell, school bell, Christmas bell, sending messages, of opening and closing of an entreaty and sound of joy and — victory in culture.

Ambrose 0. Ekhosuehi 27 November, 2013.

Fatal Reprisal: Ask For DNA...

THIS writer’s e-mail was clogged, nay, has been bombarded with mails from all gravitational points of the earth, with all manner of persons expressing their sentiments and angst over our last pout-pouri on this same heading regarding a likely murder incident that happened in Benin, Edo State, recently.

Need we go over that sad debacle again? The unfortunate woman, a patent medicine dealer was married to this ‘big shot’ and between them they seared three beautiful children; along the line the man’s biological components (those angelic tadpoles that make a man a real man) go haywire and searing more children becomes seemingly ‘impossible’ until one day, the man of the house returns home to announce that one ambitions babe somewhere had made him the proud babies papa of a set of twins! All hell let loose!

What did our dear ‘authentic’ mama do? She demands a better explanation for the bad news, and not just that, she demands for a DNA test, emphatically stating that the man of the house could not possibly father more children based on the ‘fact’ that he had low sperm count! ‘But now there are twins! The man would insist!

And Die! (II)

wildfire.

In the previous edition of this column we attempted to console ourselves by analyzing the situation and pin-pointing the mistakes that we considered fatal on the part of our late sister, the woman of the house, and we hoped women would learn from them.

Sequel to all that, we had to sample opinion of a select few on the matter. The opinions differ as the individuals also differ. There are lessons underlined in everyone’s opinion. See if you could read between the lines!

James Okundia, a Benin – based laboratory scientist is of the opinion that if it was a laboratory test and not mere presumption that had indicated that the man had low sperm count, it is imperative for another lab test to certify the viability of his fertility, to see how he’s fairing.

“It is possible that the man had been treated and his wife never knew because she had taken everything for granted. There are no hard and fast rules about

Dialogue, not confrontation.

Now, if that incident had merely ended on claims and counter-claims this writer and all other right thinkers would not have been bothered a bit. Women’s Rights Advocate and other interested stakeholders wouldn’t be asking the Police to “do thorough investigation in a bid to unraveling certain mysteries…”

Again, there are several hydra-headed issues that bestride womanhood like a colossus to contend with, defilement of little baby girls being top on the list.

However, from a ‘mere’ family upheaval, the event became a heart-chilling movie from Hammer House of Horror! Now, it’s a public discourse!

The cold-blooded murder of a major stakeholder!

First the woman of the house gets kidnapped, then she’s murdered!

What happened? That’s the same question on everyone’s lips. We could imagine the man of the house, after he had purportedly paid a huge ransome for his wife’s release asking that same question when rather than having his wife returned to him alive, gets her cold and lifeless remains; we could imagine three young innocent children asking that same question when the stark reality hits them that there won’t be sweet mother anymore,’ relatives, friends and associate, neighbours, even foes would be asking, “what happened? Since the sad news spread like

medical conditions. We have several cases of people who had been diagnosed with certain terminal illnesses, who actually came down or presented with such illnesses with all the symptoms that the naked eyes could see and in the process of treatment the illnesses disappeared without further traces. Some would say it’s a miracle, while others would ascribe it to the treatment administered, yes, even doctors say, “we treat, but God heals,” so no medical condition has a permanent statusquo. Low sperm count is not an illness; it is a medical condition that could improve or further degenerate.”

On his part, a general medicine practitioner, Dr. Taiwo Akpata, describing low sperm count as “…the semen ejaculated during an orgasm containing fewer sperm than normal.

The medical term is oligospermia (sounds quite like Holy Ghost!) while a complete absence of sperm is azoospermia (a zoo!).

He went on further to say that, “A man’s sperm count is considered lower than normal if he has fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen!” (God, what have you done! That’s tantamount to too much sperm in one milliliter of semen!)

Dr. Akpata continues: “If a man has low sperm count chances are that the condition would decrease the odds that one of his sperm would fertilise his partner’s egg, resulting in pregnancy.” That is not the end of the

FEMINIQUE With IJEOMA UMEH email: ladywithegoldenpen@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 08182382839 medics submission, he told FEMINIQUE in whisper, “many men who have a low sperm count are still able to father a child.”!!!

Well!!! Now, what do lay men think?

Silas Igbuzor, a Civil Engineer says, “If the man was cured, good for him, but if he had contributed in anyway to his wife’s death he should be rest assured that he has signed his own death warrant. If I were him, I would keep that ‘strange’ woman at arm’s length and insist on that DNA. I can’t bring such a woman under my roof! God forbid!”

Madam Atiti Izebuwa, a business woman says, “Awaa! I won’t allow my son to marry such a woman because my son’s life would be at risk, but I would take the twins and take good care of them. That kind of woman is after material gains; she does not love my son!”

Ellen Ibe, an unmarried post-graduate student of International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) says, “That other lady, if she has hand in the matter should ask God for forgiveness and confess to the man. But that woman did not handle the matter well. The in-laws did not do well too; the man himself was not quite reasonable. He misused his position as a man. He couldn’t protect his wife. I hope he would protect his three children. That other lady should be thoroughly investigated. If she’s guilty she should be punished accordingly.

The man should be thoroughly scrutinized too, including his siblings.” Monica Itua, a business woman sums it up this way: “Let the law take its full course. Let the justice that only God can give prevail. Let everyone that has a hand in that woman’s untimely death have their destinies also truncated and their lives cut short. The strange woman who wants to reap where she did not sow, may God give her the same measure she gave to her innocent fellow woman. May the blood of the innocent, cry out for justice, may it torment its tormentors; may they not know peace! May both the kidnapers and killers be cut short in their prime…” well, we had to cut Monica Itua’s prophecies of doom short because that may be regarded as “unprofessional and unethical conduct” when we sentimentalize! However, FEMINIQUE joins the rest of womanhood to cry for justice!

Now, the shortest email the writer received: “On whose side are you, lady?” On the side of justice, the writer submits!

Words on Marble No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Eleanor Roosevelt Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

Ralph Waldo Emerson In three words I can sum up everything I have learnt about life: Life Goes On! Robert Frost Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too.

- Will Smith

Development

Edo SEEFOR And Youth Unemployment IN Management parlance, a periodic appraisal is necessary to consider and compare the present position with the last one as a means of planning for the future.

Therefore, it may be rewarding to assess the progress of the administration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to the present time, although, some analysts might question the justification for judging a Governor half-way to the end of his tenure.

In fairness, a just appraisal should be on the ruling party in the state in terms of policy in respect of promises of political stability and Economic prosperity. It is also true that comrade Adams Oshiomhole is not the architect of the present state of large scale unemployment in the state as government has done much to reduce the increasing rate of unemployment in this area.

It is on record too that the present administration has done more than enough in its employment policy as it had gainfully engaged over 20,000 youths into the state government programme of youth employment scheme popularly called EDO YES”.

Judging from the fact that the consequence of growing unemployment in a nation is far greater than that of slight increases in prices as prof. Lipse once noted, it is often said that when resources lie idle, their potential output is lost forever.

Unemployment for a long period can be a very degrading thing. indeed when an able bodied head of the household finds himself without work for a period of years, the experience can be soul destroying.

It is in this regard the federal government of Nigeria received world Bank Board approval for a credit from the international development Association towards the cost of state Employment

and Experience For Results (SEEFOR) project.

Edo state being a component and unit of the federating states of Nigeria happened to be one of the beneficiary states participating in the project implementation and intends to apply part of the proceeds of this credit to payments under the contract of road maintenance in Benin City, Ekpoma, Ubiaja, Jattu, Auchi and environs.

It is in the light of this fact that Edo SEEFOR recently engaged over 530 youths to further consolidate the current focus of the present administration of the state ably led by comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Speaking in Benin City, the Edo State capital during a week long training/ orientation seminar organized for the new employee of the SEEFOR programme, the state coordinator of the project, Comrade Taiwo Akerele said the interventionist project is aimed at helping to collaborate and to ease stress burden of women and youth unemployment in the State.

According to him, so far”, the Edo State SEEFOR project has successfully engaged over 530 youths in direct/indirect Labour.

This he continued, is to enable these individuals to become gainfully employed under the public works of the scheme, adding that much as this ongoing project would also assist able bodied men/ women to meaningfully contribute their quota to the development of the state.

Comrade Akerele who is also the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on world Bank assisted project in the state further hinted that the 530 Youths presently under the SEEFOR project were drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state.

Speaking on the recruitment and short listing procedure the SSA noted that the process has a

By FRIDAY OBANOR

pre-requisite for demographic balance where age, sex and other cateria were considered to make sure that the entire recruitment exercise is transparent.

captured in the present employment not to loose hope as the recruitment process is a continuous exercise.

In a similar vein, the State Honorable

urged those not captured to wait for the second phase of the exercise.

He then added that the SEEFOR project has an i n d e p e n d e n t implementation arrangement supervised by the Ministry of Budget and

the project because of the need for IDA to complement the Laudable achievement of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in the area of youth employment, infrastructure development and intensive generation of revenue as well as prudent

Economic Planning even as he was quick to point out that the selection process for the present recruitment was transparent.

The Edo State Employment and Experience For Results (SEEFOR) project, is an international Development Association (IDA) assisted project and Edo State happens to be one of the four pilot states within the Niger/Delta region involving Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Edo States respectively.

Edo is benefiting from

management of resources.

At the end of the programme not less than 16,100 unemployed youths would have been trained in areas such as Hair Dressing, Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), Fashion Designing, Catering and ICT. To achieve this, the SEEFOR project has a steering committee with Edo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu as the chairman.

• Cross section of participant at a training session

Also speaking at the ceremony, the General Manager Edo State Waste Management Board MS Gillian Uche Ochugbue averred that the whole essence of the SEEFOR project is bored out to further reduced unemployment of our Youth-which is the current focus of the Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led administration.

On her part, the State media officer for SEEFOR, Comrade Flora Bossey assured those who were not

Commissioner for Budget and Economic, Planning, Mr. Lawrence Aghedo said youth employment is very dear to the present administration in the state adding that Governor Adams Oshiomhole is doing everything humanly possible to ensure that jobs are created for our teeming unemployed youths.

While calling on those that were luckily selected during the just concluded recruitment exercise to make good use of the opportunity, the commissioner however

“According to him, so far”, the Edo State SEEFOR project has successfully engaged over 530 youths in direct/indirect Labour. This he continued, is to enable these individuals to become gainfully employed under the public works of the scheme, adding that much as this on-going project would also assist able bodied men/women to meaningfully contribute their quota to the development of the state.”

Opinion

Goal Setting, A Secret To Success

THERE is a saying that; “He who fails to plan, has planned to fail.”

How this could likened to lack of “goal setting,” which can be termed a powerful tool for failure.

Many big dreamers had died without actualizing their dream, many are frustrated, thinking, they are under a curse. This is simply because, they work hard but no result to show for it. Some achieved, little far less than what they expect. Meanwhile, a key reason for this, is that, they spend enough time dreaming, thinking what they want from life, work harder than taking time to “set goals” for themselves. “It is dangerous to embark on a journey without considering your purposed destination.”

Therefore, goal setting is an effective tool for making progress. According to Susan Word Goal Setting is a process of deciding what you want to accomplish and maping out a plan to achieving your desire.

Also, goal setting involves establishing specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time targeted.

According to James Manktelow and Amy Carison (Planing to live your life your way), it is a powerful process of thinking about your ideal future and for motivating yourself to turn your vision, dreams and imagination into reality.

It is a motivating tool embraced by great achievers of success in all walks of life, usually set by group, individual, institutions and establishments.

The concept enable people to understanding life destination, knowing precisely what you want to achieve, it gives area of concentration or focus in life efforts. Similarly, it serves as an anti distraction toward achieving your goal.

More also, it serve as guard line in setting long and short term vision. As well as unnegleted took for time and resources management also in acquiring knowledge in your area of focus.

Goals being a “motivating factor” it is a brain behind the moving speed every achievers made towards the pursuit for success. Setting sharp, clearly and defined goals makes you measure and take in the achievement of those goals. In the same way, it build self-

confidence to enable you known your ability and competence in achieving your goals.

However, in setting goals, according to James Manktelow and Amy Carison measures are to be consider for easy achievement; creating an imaginary “big picture” of what you desire to what you want to achieve in your lifetime (or at least, by an important and distant age in the future). Also to achieve in life, then move forward to break them down into smaller target that you must achieve at every given period of time.

Also, you must device a working strategies to achieve your goals. “Faith without work is dead.”

Setting a life time goals, the setter must put into consideration the following.

Career: you must know the level you want to reach in your career, financially. Know how must you want to earn, at every given stage and how its related to your life goal.

Education; goal setter should be able to ask his/her self questions like, is there any knowledge you want to acquire in particular? What information and skills will you need to have in order to achieve others goals.

Family circle: Goal setters should know, if he/she want to be a parent, if so, how are you going to be a good parent.

Attitude; this is an inherent, quality that cannot be taking for granted in pursuit of goals.

The setter should scrutinize, his/her attitude to know, if any part of his/her mind set would hold him/her back knowing what upset you. Similarly, the social pleasure, should be consider as “all works no play make Jack a dull boy” but care must be taken, never take pleasure at the expense of your goals. Know how you want to enjoy yourself.

Furthermore, it is observed that many goal setters bitterly lament over series of questions on their inability to achieves their goals; such as why is my goals not achieved? What skills do I need? Are my goals not lucrative enough? These and many question. All the same no problem without solution.

Therefore, aspirants of success should note the various goals, skills and principles in realizing goals.

Similarly, there are short and long terms goals.

A short term goals are things

By MARTIN ERHARUYI you aspire to actualize within a short period of time of not more than five years. This is to assist in achieving your medium and long term goals.

While the long term goals are things you aspire to actualize in your lifetime.

In addition to the tips,

to reflect your changing priorities and experience. In the same way, setting a lucrative goals, according to Susan Ward demands the use of the ancrony S.M.A.R.T, to make your goals more powerful.

S – Specific (or significant)

measured above in setting personal goals, achievers should learn to set a fire year “smaller goals,” after creating your lifetime goals, that will help you complete your lifetime plan. Then, create a one year, six and one months plan of progressively smaller goals that you should reach to achieve your lifetime goal.

Also, 20 list to guide your daily activities. Preview your plans and make sure that they are in line with the way you want to live your life.

Goals setters, should also, periodically review the longer term plans and modify them

M – Measurable (or meaningful) A – Attainable (ActionOriented) A – Relevant (Rewarding) T – Time-bound (Traceable) More also, setting effective and achievable goals required the following tips.

State each goals as a positive statement. Express your goals positively. It is an important skill that must not be underestimate.

Be precise: make your goals in a precise form by putting in date and amounts, so that you can measure your

achievement. It will help you known, when yours is realized.

Set priorities: This skill will help you to set priority (importance) for each of your goal. Also, it will help you to direct your attention to the most important ones.

Pen down your goals: It is a relevant skill because it gives your goals more force.

Keep operational goals small: Make the goals you are working on small and achievable. A tool large will demoralize you because, it will seem that you are not making progress.

Set active goals, not out come goals: an achievers should take care to set a goal that he/she can control as possible. It is mal to fail to realize a personal goal for reasons beyond your control.

In business goals, these reasons could be bad business environments or unexpected effects of government policy.

Also they could be poor

judging, bad weather, injury or just plain bad luck.

Finally, set realistic goals: achievers should spend time in setting goals they can achieve, set your goal yourself, others can set unrealistic goals for you, because of the ignorance of your own desires and ambitions.

It is also possible to set goals that are to complex because you might failed to recognized the obstacles in the way, the skill you need to develop to achieve a particular level of performance.

Similarly, business goal setting is not in any way different from personal goals.

Although, in business, goal setting it involve more persons (people) for it to be achieve, this made it more complex in nature than the personal goal setting one person.

In business, goal setting encourage participants to put in substantial effort. It define individual roles in achieving the goals of the establishment they represent.

However, it is an important tool for managers of establishments since it has the ability to function as a selfregulatory mechanism that helps employee prioritize tasks.

Business goal setters, are strongly advice to set goals that are transparence, understandable and make them (goals) known to the participants.

In conclusion, goal setting in a not shell, is about setting a target for oneself at every point in time, which require persistence, effort, cognition and choice also a pains taking concept that is needed in the journey to success. Avoid, setting an unachievable goals, make your goal simple and achievable.

Remember “dreaming, vision, and imagination are good but reality is better.

“A short term goals are things you aspire to actualize within a short period of time of not more than five years. This is to assist in achieving your medium and long term goals. While the long term goals are things you aspire to actualize in your lifetime.”

Issues Nigeria:

Surge In Rape Cases

UNLIKE emotional or physical reactions in western societies, when an undergraduate university female student or married woman is sexually assaulted in Nigeria, quickly, not a few Nigerians would blame her for indecent dressing or seductive behavior. But what would one say when innocent female children in Nigeria suffer similar fate, especially in the hand of a clegy who ordinarily is seen as role model and an epitome of good moral.

The case of a 47-year-old Pastor, Eze Eze Fidelis, Coordinator of Deeper Life Church, alleged to have simultaneously defiled nine and eleven year old girls, and that of a professional block moulder, Mr. Ogbe Felix, said to have waylaid, raped and dispossessed two married women of their monies and phones in Benin City, Edo state, on Saturday July 6 and Monday, July 8, 2013, including many other cases of rape has prompted many Nigerians to ponder what might have accounted for such gender violence.

Similarly, on Thursday, July 25, 2013, in Ibadan, Oyo state, a 28- year-old, Taye Ige was arraigned before an Ibadan Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl (names withheld) at Akinjobi-Ojaoba area of Ibadan. The prosecutor, Corporal Oriola James, said the defendant was arraigned on a one-count charge of unlawful carnal knowledge.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Ebeloku Riskat-Mustapha, however, directed that Ige be remanded at Agodi Prison and the case file be sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, for legal advice.

Meanwhile, a serving Nigerian Army Officer with the Nigeria Defense Academy NDA, was made to appear before a Kaduna Magistrate Court sitting in Bamawa on Wednesday, November 28,2012 to answer charges of alleged sexual assault on a 16year-old girl whose name was given as Muimuna Inusa. In an application of direct criminal complaint against the officer, Inusa accused the officer who is a Lieutenant Colonel, of luring her into his house and forcibly having sex with her against her wish, leaving her traumatized.

In the case KMD/19DC/ 2012, she is accusing the Colonel of committing criminal intimidation, rape, acts of gross indecency, abductions and threat to life, contrary to Sections

397,282,285,272 and 372 of the penal code.

According to the statement of claim, he alleged that on the October 22, 2012, the accused person called her on the excuse that he wanted to send her on an errand without knowing that the officer had an ulterior motive for the invitation. She noted that after inviting her into the house, he forced himself on her and threatened to kill her if she made any noise. She said all her efforts to resist him proved abortive since he was stronger than her.

In Lagos state, in the month of June 2013, it was a pathetic story when a family of three stormed Ejigbo Chief Magistrate Court to witness the arraignment of a suspected randy man, who allegedly raped a housewife and mother of one.

The husband, the wife who was the alleged victim and their son (names withheld) were in court to witness the arraignment of the defendant, Ifeanyi Amos, whose action has allegedly put the family in trauma. Amos, according to the prosecutor, committed the offence recently in council area of Egbe-Ikotun when he was alleged to have had unlawful carnal knowledge of the victim (names withheld).

According to the four-count — charge preferred against the defendant, he was alleged to have conspired with others now at large to commit the dastard act. In other to actualize the alleged evil act, the defendant allegedly in concert with others now at large assaulted the victim by beating her to surrender to their alleged bestial desires.

Besides, the defendant and his co-travelers allegedly stole a sum of four thousand naira from the victim before they had illicit sex with her.

According to the prosecution, the alleged sins of the defendant offend sections 409, 258, 168 and 278 and punishable under sections of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2011.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to three of the counts while the trial Magistrate, Patrick Nwaka, declined to take his plea in respect & count two (the offence of rape).

Meanwhile, in a related development, a commercial bus driver, Mr. Adewale Adeloke Adetayo, was in July 2013, arraigned before Court 6, Ikeja, Magistrate Court, for allegedly defiling his daughters (names withheld), aged 10 and 13 years.

Adetayo, a native of Modakeke, Osun state, who

plies Ikotun-Mushin route, was apprehended by Esther Child Right Foundation and Compassionate Women Initiative, following a tip-off by one of his neighbors.

According to the president Esther Child Right Foundation, Mrs. Ogwu Esther, the accused confessed to the crime in his Police statement and when he was quizzed in a popular Yoruba television programme, “Labe Orun.” Adetayo reportedly

treatment. He added that the state Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, had ordered an investigation into the incident and vowed that the suspect would be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.

Like a scourge, these regular cases of reported rape by the media in Nigeria and its attendant stigmatization of victims confirm the absurd extent of the crime. For instance, in the United State of

sixty per cent are other acquaintances such as friends’ of the family, babysitters, or neighbors; strangers are offenders in about ten per cent of child sexual abuse cases, the studies revealed.

But there are some predisposing risk factors; like poverty-induced child labour which forces some parents and guardians to allow their under aged girls to hawk petty items.

In the process, these girls are unduly exposed and are usually lured by criminallymind, dirty adults to be raped.

When a young rapist who serially raped old women was apprehended and interviewed recently, he said they engaged in the act because they could

confessed during the programme that he had been sleeping with the girls at his Abaranje home after he divorced their mother.

A radio anchor, Mr. Ademola Olota, said he was called and informed the incident on June 26, 2013, by one of his listeners. His words, “it was just few minutes after my programme on that fateful day that a listener called me and pleaded not to mention his name because he wanted to discuss something with me”.

In Ogun state, the Police command arrested a 45 — year — old man, Toyin Sodimu, for allegedly raping his 16— year — old daughter in Temidire community of Oke Apo, Akomoje, Abeokuta on Saturday, July 20, 2013.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement that the teenager reported the incident to the Adatan Police Division after her father raped her about 2:00am. Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, said following Sodimu’s arrest, the 16 — year — old girl had been taken to the hospital by the Police for medical examination and

America, USA, where about eighty thousand cases of rape reported to the Police form 2004 to 2010, according to United Nations data, US Justice and Department estimates three hundred thousand American women are raped annually, and the Centre for Disease Control says one point three million.

The six hundred and seventyeight cases the Lagos State Police Command said it recorded between March 2012 and March 2013 should be seen as numbers. This is because unreported rape cases are on the increase. More alarming is that the epidemic affects underage persons. The media are replete with reports of young girls sexually violated, as young as three months.

According to a 2009 study in Clinical Psychology Review, CPR, in 65 studies from twenty-two countries, the highest prevalence rate of child sexual abuse was in Africa (34.4 per cent).

However, most child sexual abuse is by men About thirty per cent are relatives of the child — brothers, fathers, uncles or cousins — about

not afford the services of hookers and they needed to satisfy their sexual urge. He said it did not have anything to do with rituals as it was hitherto suspected.

There is no gain saying the fact that obstacles abound in fighting rape. Section 353 of the Criminal Code Act treats rape discriminately. While unlawful and indecent assaults of male person as felony punishable by three years imprisonment, Section 360 of the Act regards indecent assault of a woman, a misdemeanor, with two years’ imprisonment.

More obstacles- the laws experts collaborated evidence of a witness for a crime committed mostly Secretly. If the case survives these encumbrances, the serious crime of having unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl of or above 13 years and under 16 years of age or of a woman or girt, who is an idiot or imbecile is punishable by two years’ imprisonment. The law never imagined rape of much younger people.

Anyhow, a bill is before the House of Representatives. A section of the bill reads, “Any

By AKPESIRI OGHENERHABOKE

man convicted of rape is liable to life imprisonment. Persons convicted of gangraping any victim shall be liable, jointly and severally, to minimum of twenty years imprisonment without an option of fine; where the offender is less than 14 years, he shall be liable to a maximum of fourteen years imprisonment and a minimum of 12 years, without an option of fine.”

The Nigerian society should stop blaming rape victims for the assault on them. Rape is a crime, the long walk to minimizing it starts with rapist facing stringent punishments rather than society excusing their aberration for whatever reasons. This is in addition to

the fact that, apart from the commensurate punishment, alleged rapists should be availed psychiatric assistance, not only to possibly rehabilitate them, but also to get information from them about why they rape.

Obviously these are sick felons, especially those who defile little girls, too young to be considered as being sexually attracted.

It would, however, seem that the bulk of the work of prevention belongs to parents and guardians whose responsibility it is to protect these hapless young children, especially as the establishment has adopted a callous attitude and is seemingly unwilling to enforce compliance with the law.

Most importantly, parents and guardians should no longer take the trust of relatives and friends for granted as many of the felons who defile children have been found to be trusted friends and relatives who eventually betrayed such trust. The welfare department should also be alive to its responsibilities and remove the kids from the streets.

International Features

Hillary’s Question: Not If, But How

LET’S be clear about this much: no matter what the soothsayers on cable TV tell you, Hillary Clinton is no more likely to clear the Democratic field and avoid a primary in 2016 than Dennis Rodman is to become her secretary of state. Walter Mondale couldn’t pull that off in 1984, and Al Gore couldn’t do it in 2000, and the conditions for Washington-anointed frontrunners have only gotten exponentially harder since then.

Somewhere out there is a guy you’ve barely heard of – name of O’Malley or Schweitzer or Hickenlooper – whose idea of fun is spending every night of the month on a different couch in Iowa. At this point in 2002, remember, most people thought Howard Dean was a brand of sausage.

The good news for Clinton is that if she decides to run (and I’m inclined to believe she hasn’t yet), she’ll start out with a huge national fundraising apparatus and the loyalty of party regulars. The bad news, of course, is that this is exactly the kind of thing that makes her vulnerable to another grassroots rebellion. In modern presidential politics, every day is Bastille Day. So if you’re Clinton, the question you have to be asking isn’t whether to run so much as how. How do you run against the status quo you personify – or, at the very least, make yourself something more than the default choice of the establishment?

Part of this conundrum is tactical; Clinton is now a celebrated stateswoman, and it’s not clear how you preserve that stature while still running a less conventional kind of campaign in the early primary states. (The last former secretary of state to run for president was Alexander Haig in 2008, and it’s safe to say he isn’t the model Clinton wakes up emulating.) But the deeper question, if you’re Hillary Clinton, is less about the atmospherics of a campaign than about its animating idea.

The mainstream of the party has now veered back toward its more populist and pacifist instincts, venting its suspicion of the emerging military-digital complex, along with outright contempt for the wealthy and for conservatives generally. That’s not where Clinton is. She maintains close relationships on Wall Street, where executives are not so secretly pining for her return to the arena, and she’s advocated a firmer American hand around the world, most recently in Syria. Her worldview reflects the governing establishment of both parties more faithfully than it does the Democratic base.

This is exactly what most analysts think tripped her up last time, and there will be pressure for Clinton not to make the same mistake twice. The easiest way to break free of the status quo label and avoid a serious challenge, some Democrats will tell her, is to become something more like this cycle’s Barack Obama – to break from her allies inside the big banks and the Pentagon and to channel the fury that’s been building since the Bush years.

If anyone could get away with this kind of ideological feint, it would be Clinton. Wall Street is so desperate for a champion in power right now that the executives who support her would probably stand by and applaud while Clinton burned them in effigy, just so long as it got her to the White House. No Democrat in Washington is going to mind terribly if Clinton puts on a John Edwards mask and starts railing against the rich, if that’s what she thinks she needs to do.

Except that isn’t necessarily what she needs to do. For one thing, Democrats have a different set of complaints about Washington than they had six years ago, and it isn’t only about populism. Back then, they hoped that a younger, less embattled voice, emanating from a charismatic new protagonist, could shake the system free from paralyzing partisanship. Increasingly, though, they seem to have concluded that while Obama has their best interests at heart, he simply doesn’t know how to leverage power and has never really mastered Washington. (As I

wrote last week, Obama’s aides did little to change that perception when they basically admitted, in the run up to his State of the Union address, that he had mostly given up on legislating altogether.)

In other words, the party (and, to a large extent, the country) may now be coming back around to Clinton’s rationale in 2008, which sounded pretty tinny at the time – that only a seasoned veteran of Washington’s dysfunction could hope reform it.

And as Mitt Romney could surely tell you, ideology really isn’t the currency of modern campaigns; authenticity is. Nothing screams “status quo” more loudly than a candidate who will say whatever she has to. This was Clinton’s real downfall in 2008. Her very first bumper sticker proclaimed that she was “in it to win it,” as if simply getting Democrats back to the White House was a compelling end in itself. It wasn’t.

Should she ultimately run again, Clinton might actually do herself a greater service by holding her ground. When we talked about Clinton, David Axelrod, the strategist who spent a career running campaigns

moment, as Bill Clinton started to do in 1992.

As Joe Trippi, who was the architect of Dean’s antiestablishment insurgency, puts it: “She’s almost the perfect person who can argue that both ideologies are obsolete and that you need someone who understands the old system to put forward some ideas that are new.”

Cautious Clinton advisers will say that the political moment is sure to shift before 2016, so she doesn’t have to figure any of this out now. And that would probably be true for another candidate. But like it or not, Clinton is already at the center of a fast-cohering machine, much of it directed by people who barely know her. By the times she gets into the race, if she does, she will inherit a disorderly army of fundraisers, self-proclaimed strategists and professional climbers. It will be too late, then, to consider what the rationale for her campaign ought to be, beyond keeping a lot of powerful Democrats in power a bit longer.

If you’re Hillary Clinton, you’ve already been down that path. You know where it ends.

For U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks at the 10th National Automobile Dealers Association Convention o January 27, 2013.

against the establishment before guiding Obama to the White House, told me: “The quickest way to authenticate yourself, and the hardest thing to do, is to be willing to put yourself at risk by standing up for things you believe, even if it means taking positions every once in a while that people don’t see as the smart political move.” Which could mean that the real way to prove you’re not just a projection of the status quo isn’t necessarily to mouth tired condemnations of the establishment, but rather to

speak hard truth to the partisans who indict it.

Clinton could tell the Democratic voters of Iowa and New Hampshire that, yes, inequality is a defining problem for the society, and yes, American risks becoming a surveillance state resented around the world.

But the answers don’t lie in demonizing her financiers or the intelligence agencies she knows well, or even in ridding the earth of Republicans. The answers lie in tossing out the outdated orthodoxies of the last century and wrestling more thoughtfully with the technological

“If anyone could get away with this kind of ideological feint, it would be Clinton. Wall Street is so desperate for a champion in power right now that the executives who support her would probably stand by and applaud while Clinton burned them in effigy, just so long as it got her to the White House. No Democrat in Washington is going to mind terribly if Clinton puts on a John Edwards mask and starts railing against the rich, if that’s what she thinks she needs to do.”

International N.Korea Threatens To Cancel Reunions With Seoul

SEOUL, South Korea North Korea threatened Thursday to cancel reunions of Korean War-divided families because of upcoming U.S.South Korean military drills and accused the United States of raising tensions by flying nuclear-capable B-52 bombers near the Korean Peninsula.

The apparent about-face a day after the rival Koreas agreed on dates for the emotional meetings fits a pattern analysts describe of North Korea agreeing to things

South Korea covets and then pulling back until it gets what it wants — in this case a ratcheting down of massive military drills

by Seoul and Washington that are seen as a huge drain on impoverished the North’s military.

The rival Koreas decided Wednesday to resume the family reunions, which haven’t been held since 2010, on Feb. 20-25.

Before the agreement, many in Seoul were skeptical that North Korea would allow the reunions anytime soon because of its

TEHRAN - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani faced harsh criticism from conservatives Wednesday over what they say is a poorly implemented scheme to distribute food to low-income families in the sanctions-hit Islamic republic.

Rouhani, a moderate elected last year, has already drawn fire over a landmark nuclear deal with world powers and diplomatic overtures that have been broadly welcomed in the West but slammed by hardliners at home.

Both the diplomatic push and the social programme are aimed at alleviating the effects of crippling Western sanctions imposed over Iran’s nuclear programme, which the West suspects is being used to develop weapons, charges denied by Tehran.

The programme aims to hand out packages of frozen chicken, rice, vegetable oil, cheese and eggs to poor families ahead of Iranian New Year celebrations in mid-March.

But critics say the programme has forced people to stand in long queues in cold weather, harming the image of the Islamic republic, and local media reported that an elderly man had died while waiting in the western Kermanshah province.

Parliament speaker Ali Larijani has urged the government to “immediately

amend the distribution method,” the Khorosan daily reported.

The hardline Kayhan newspaper said Rouhani should apologise over the programme and called for officials involved in it to resign.

“This plan could have been a gesture that the government cares about the poor … but it has turned into a damaging measure accompanied by insult and humiliation,” it said in an editorial.

“Making huge numbers of poor people wait in long lines in freezing weather … has been used by enemy media to portray a dark image of Iran.”

Even Reformist newspapers criticised the government for what they said was a hasty decision to implement the scheme without proper preparation.

In response, Rouhani has tasked Welfare Minister Ali Rabii with re-organising the handout effort and improving distribution, media reports said.

Rabii has meanwhile defended the plan, saying at least nine million baskets of goods would be distributed.

“The policy of this government is to provide welfare for the whole society,” he said in response to those he accused of “unfairly” attacking the programme, the official IRNA news agency reported.

“Unfortunately, these people have no perception of national interests.”

Iran’s Rouhani Faces Backlash Over Food Handout Scheme

anger over the annual military drills scheduled later this month.

North Korea calls the drills preparation for war and is extremely sensitive about any nuclear-capable U.S. craft in the region, while South Korea and the U.S. say the exercises are purely defensive.

On Thursday, the North’s powerful National Defense Commission warned that the reunions may not happen if South Korea goes ahead with the drills and continues slandering leader Kim Jong Un. “It would be a nonsense to hold reunions of families and relatives separated due to the past war while extremely dangerous nuclear war drills take place,” an unidentified spokesman for the commission’s policy department said in a statement carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.

It said U.S. B-52 bombers conducted nuclear strike drills targeting the North on Wednesday while the two Koreas were discussing the family reunions.

The U.S. Pacific Command wouldn’t confirm the North’s claim but said it has maintained a strategic bomber presence in the region for more than a decade. Seoul’s Defense Ministry also wouldn’t confirm local media reports that cited unidentified military officials as saying there had been a training flight by a single B-52.

Despite the North’s threat, South Korea said the drills will go ahead as scheduled.

Lim Eul Chul, a North Korea expert at South Korea’s Kyungnam University, said the North is apparently stepping up pressure to try to get Seoul to conduct the drills in a low-key

manner. Analysts believe the drills are an economic drain on North Korea because they often force it to respond by mobilizing troops and conducting additional exercises.

North Korea has a history of launching provocations and scrapping cooperation accords with South Korea to protest the annual drills. The country issued near-daily threats during last year’s drills. It also canceled planned family reunions last September after accusing Seoul of preparing for war drills and other hostile acts.

North Korea last month approved a resumption of the reunion program, in the latest in a series of recent conciliatory gestures. Analysts have said North Korea needs improved ties with Seoul to help attract foreign investment and aid, and that it is unlikely to cancel this month’s reunions.

The Korean Peninsula officially remains in a state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea to deter potential aggression from North Korea.

Ordinary citizens in the two Koreas are not allowed to exchange phone calls, letters and emails. About 22,000 Koreans have had brief family reunions — 18,000 in person and the others by video — during periods of detente, but no one has had a second chance to meet their relatives.

“I feel pain for the families who must be looking forward to the reunions,” said Kwon Joon Young, a 22-year-old university student in the South. “I hope North Korea stops its childish acts and realizes this issue has nothing to do with military drills.”

Sisi, who deposed the country’s first freely elected leader, has said he will run for president, a Kuwaiti newspaper reported on Thursday.

The widely expected move is almost certain to increase political tensions and anger Islamist militants who have

stepped up attacks on the state since Sisi ousted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in July after mass protests against him.

It will also deepen concerns that military men will again dominate Egypt after a 2011 popular uprising raised hopes of a civilian democracy.

The newspaper, Al-Seyassah, quoted Sisi as saying in an interview that he had no alternative but to meet the wishes of the Egyptian people for him to run.

“I will not reject the demand,” said Sisi, who is seen as a decisive figure that can ease political turmoil that has hit Egypt’s economy hard.

“I will present this to the Egyptian people to renew confidence through free voting.”

There was no official confirmation that Sisi will contest elections expected within six months. A statement from Egypt’s military spokesman said comments that appeared in the Kuwaiti newspaper were not direct quotes from Sisi. But the spokesman did not deny that Sisi would run for president.

Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood movement accuse

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif speaks during a press conference in Tehran, on December 22, 2013

Iran Rejects US Remarks On Its Nuclear Facilities IRAN’S Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has rejected as “worthless” a US claim that Tehran has no need for some of its nuclear facilities, media reported.

“Iran’s nuclear technology is non-negotiable and comments about Iran’s nuclear facilities are worthless and there is no need to negotiate or hold talks about them,” said Zarif, reacting to the remarks of the US top diplomat in the nuclear talks, ISNA news agency reported.

“Those who know our peaceful objectives are also aware that we will not negotiate about our (nuclear) facilities,” Zarif added.

Egypt Army Chief, Sisi Says He ’ll Run EGYPTIAN army chief For President - Report Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-

Supporters of Egypt’s army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi sit outside a police academy, where the trial of ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood is due to take place, on the outskirts of Cairo, February 1, 2014.

Sisi of staging a coup and undermining democratic gains made since a popular uprising ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

After deposing Mursi, Sisi unveiled a political roadmap meant to lead to free and fair elections.

But under his watch, security forces have mounted one of the fiercest crackdowns against the Brotherhood and stifled dissent, drawing fire from human rights groups.

About 1,000 Brotherhood members have been killed in the streets, top leaders have been jailed and the group has been declared a terrorist organisation.

The Brotherhood, which says it is a peaceful organisation, has been largely driven underground.

But it is resilient and is likely to keep challenging Sisi.

Al Qaeda-inspired militant groups based in the Sinai have been waging an insurgency that has gained momentum since Sisi installed a government.

Hundreds of security forces have been killed in the largely lawless peninsula.

The militants have also struck elsewhere, including Cairo.

Wendy Sherman, who is spearheading diplomacy with Tehran on its nuclear programme, said Iran did not need some of its nuclear facilities.

“We know that Iran does not need to have an underground, fortified enrichment facility like Fordo ... (or) a heavy-water reactor at Arak to have a peaceful nuclear programme,” Sherman told a Senate committee on Tuesday.

Iran struck an interim nuclear deal in November, under which it agreed to roll back parts of its nuclear work in exchange for the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and limited relief from sanctions that have choked its economy.

It also committed not to make further advances at its Arak, Fordo and Natanz facilities.

Fordo is an underground nuclear enrichment facility with nearly 3,000 centrifuges and dug deep into a mountain near the Shiite holy city of Qom, some 150 kilometres (90 miles) south of Tehran.

The Arak site is of concern to the West because Tehran could theoretically extract weapons-grade plutonium from its spent fuel if it also builds a reprocessing facility.

Western powers suspect Iran’s nuclear activities mask military objectives, despite repeated denials from Tehran, which insists its programme is entirely peaceful.

“Ms Sherman should stick to the reality and stop speaking of impossible things even if it is only for domestic consumption … since reaching a solution can be hindered by such words,” said Zarif.

Talks between Iran and world powers aimed at reaching a comprehensive nuclear agreement are to resume on February 18 in Vienna, following November’s interim deal.

International Court To Decide Whether To Suspend Kenyatta Trial Over ‘Obstructionism’

THE HAGUE - The International Criminal Court is to decide whether to suspend its trial of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta because of a lack of cooperation by Kenyan authorities.

Judges said they would hold a hearing in the coming weeks on a possible reprimand for Kenya after prosecutors told the court on Wednesday that “pure obstructionism” was wrecking any chance of pursuing Kenyatta on charges that he orchestrated post-election violence six years ago.

The case is a test of the authority and credibility of the Western-backed court, which has seen several cases collapse, secured just one conviction in 11 years, and prompted bitter complaints from Africa that it is being singled out as a soft target.

The case against Kenyatta has been undermined by the withdrawal of a string of

witnesses who prosecutors say have been intimidated or blackmailed, as well as other failures to secure documentary evidence.

In a January 31 court filing, prosecutors said a “climate of fear” had weakened their case and that judges should rule that Kenya was in breach of its obligation to help investigators.

They told the court they needed access to Kenyatta’s financial records, among other things, to see whether he had indirectly paid large sums of money to the perpetrators of the violence, in which 1,200 people died and thousands were driven from their homes.

Kenyatta, who is head of both state and government, denies the charge of crimes against humanity. His lawyers say the prosecution is now merely trying to blame Kenya for its own

failure to build a case.

Prosecution lawyer Ben Gumpert said it was nearly two years since the records had been requested, and the prospect of building a strong case was shrinking.

“The stones that remain to be turned are getting less and less promising ... more like pebbles,” he said. “We characterise the position of the government of Kenya as one of pure obstructionism.”

Prosecutors also say authorities have obstructed their attempts to interview police officers.

A lawyer for Kenyatta said that, since the records had been requested by prosecutors rather than the court, Kenya had been right to withhold them.

While Western powers led the push to establish the court and are keen to support it, they are

also anxious to maintain relations with Kenya, seen as a key ally in the battle against militant Islamism in neighbouring Somalia.

The case grew more controversial throughout Africa after Kenyatta, the son of his country’s founder, won last year’s presidential election on a joint ticket with William Ruto, his deputy, who is on trial on similar but separate charges.

Kenya says the court risks

destabilising east Africa if it presses on with the charges.

If the judges rule that Kenya is not meeting its obligations, they could adjourn the trial, effectively putting the case on ice, until Nairobi turns over further material.

The trial has already been postponed four times, most recently last month, when another prosecution witness withdrew.

This only increased

prosecutors’ reliance on the Kenyan authorities for information.

They cite as an example a request to see telephone records from the last days of 2007, when they contend the clashes were planned. These were not provided, however, until Kenyatta’s defence expressed an interest in them.

Defence lawyer Stephen Kay, who wants the case dismissed, called the prosecution request “an attempt to stop the case without admitting who has failed here”.

Syria Can Meet June 30 Chemical Weapons Deadline - UN Chief SOCHI, Russia - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday he was confident Syria would meet a June 30 deadline to eliminate its entire chemical weapons program under a US-Russian plan.

Syria has missed a February 5 deadline to hand over its stockpile of chemical weapons, prompting fears it could fail to fulfill on time the plan which helped avert a U.S.-led missile strike against President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

“About these chemical weapons, I believe the process has been moving on rather smoothly even though there have been some delays,” Ban told reporters after addressing a

meeting of the International Olympic Committee in the Russian city of Sochi.

“Our target is June 30 this year. This may be a very tight target, but I believe that it can be done with the full support of the Syrian government,” said Ban, who will attend the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi on Friday.

The agreement on the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons was reached after a sarin gas attack near Damascus last year killed hundreds of civilians.

Damascus blames delays in implementation of the plan on security problems and the threat of rebel attacks as the weapons are transported out of Syria.

The Syrian government has requested additional armor and communications equipment but the United States and the United Nations, which is jointly overseeing the destruction program with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, has said Syria has sufficient equipment to carry out the plan.

Ban, who called for a truce in Syria during the Olympics, said he had received promises over the plan’s fulfillment from Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem last week during talks in Geneva.

“He assured me that this chemical weapons destruction process will continue as scheduled,” said Ban.

Government forces Toyal to South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir patrol on February, 2014 the near Mingkaman to prevent attacks by rebel forces.

Peace Talks Between Pakistan, Taliban ISLAMABAD - Peace the Taliban in their support Begin talks between representatives base in the country’s of the government and Pakistani Taliban militants began in the capital Thursday after a short delay, the first test for the government’s controversial initiative of seeking a peaceful resolution to the country’s bloody

France Likely To Prolong C.African Mission

Anti-government protesters march on the street in Kiev yesterday.

PARIS - France’s defense minister says the military is likely to extend its mission in Central African Republic, a day after local soldiers turned on a man in their ranks and stabbed and stomped him to death.

Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio Thursday that extending the U.N.mandated six-month mission was probably the best way to ensure a peaceful political transition.

Six thousand African peacekeepers have been deployed to try to control the chaos that has enveloped Central African Republic, alongside 1,600 French soldiers. France says the goal is “a minimum of security” but even that has been hardwon.

“We are going to avoid the worst,” Le Drian told RTL. “By our presence we can lower tensions on the ground, to pave the way for a peaceful political transition.”

S. Sudan Rebels Claim 700 Govt Troops Defect

“Kiir’s army has suffered its biggest yet mass defection since the current conflict began on 15th December,” rebel spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said in a statement.

Koang said the defectors “engineered an internal revolt, opened fire on loyalist soldiers and in the process killed the commanding officer with the rank of colonel.”

The men then “joined the rebellion with their equipment”, which included 16 trucks and pickups, some of them mounted with machine guns, the

statement said.

There was no immediate independent confirmation of the claim.

Koang said the men mutinied in Lakes state on Wednesday while they were being sent to fight the rebels in Panyijar county in neighbouring Unity state.

They are now in the process of joining the rebels in Unity state, he said.

In a separate incident

Wednesday government forces and allied militia attacked rebel defensive positions in the northern part of Jonglei state, close to the border with Upper Nile, Koang said.

He said the rebel forces repulsed the attack, killing 60 government soldiers in the process. There was no independent confirmation of this claim.

Fighting erupted in South Sudan in mid-December

between two factions of the army — troops loyal to president Salva Kiir and those who supported his former deputy Riek Machar, himself a seasoned guerrilla fighter.

It quickly spread throughout the country as the rebels, under the nominal command of Machar, joined forces with ethnic militia.

A ceasefire agreement in January failed to put an end to the fighting, in which thousands have died and almost 900,000 been forced to flee their homes.

insurgency, officials said.

The talks were to be originally held Tuesday, but postponed after the government negotiators sought “clarification” about the identities of the Taliban’s negotiating team.

The request angered prominent pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Samiul Haq, the leader of the Taliban team, who accused Islamabad of not taking the peace offer from the group seriously.

But the dispute was resolved, and state-run Pakistan Television showed negotiators from the two sides exchanging smiles at the meeting.

It said government team leader Irfan Sadiqui told Taliban delegate Haq that Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wanted to see an end to terrorism. In return, Haq assured his full support for the success of the peace process, it said.

Sharif announced last month that his government wanted to pursue negotiations and named a four-member team led by Sadiqui, a journalist and prime ministerial adviser. It also contains another journalist, a former spymaster and an exdiplomat.

However, a spate of recent attacks has put pressure on Sharif to start a military operation against

northwestern tribal regions bordering Afghanistan. Critics say several such peace initiatives in the past have failed and only emboldened the militants.

The Pakistani Taliban has been fighting to topple the government and enforce their harsher brand of Islam across the country, killing thousands of civilians, soldiers, policemen and government officials. Haq at a rally in Islamabad Wednesday disavowed some recent attacks, claiming a trio of “enemy forces” — meaning the U.S., Israel and Pakistan’s archrival India — is trying to disrupt the peace process.

The Taliban negotiators are not from the group, although Taliban spokesmen claim they have the militants’ full confidence.

In addition to cleric Haq, they include Maulana Abdul Aziz, a cleric at the famed Red Mosque in Islamabad where government forces killed scores of militants in a 2007 military operation. The third member on the Taliban committee is Mohammed Ibrahim, the head of the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami party in the northwest.

Initially, Pakistani Taliban also wanted ex-cricketer Imran Khan to represent them in talks with the government. Khan welcomed the peace process, but turned down the request, saying the Taliban should hold direct talks with Pakistan.

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Becks Backs Beleaguered Moyes

DAVID Beckham says under fire Manchester United manager David Moyes is “the right man for the job” and backed him to bring success to Old Trafford.

Asked by AFP if he would consider Moyes as the boss of his new team in Miami, Beckham said he did not expect the Scot to be out of work any time soon, despite a wretched start to life as United manager.

“I am more than happy with the job he is doing there,” the former United and England

star said on Wednesday, shortly after he confirmed his intention to own a football club in Miami.

“He’s a great manager. I think he’s the right man for the job. He’s a manager that has gone into one of the biggest jobs in the world and there was always going to be a transitional period.

“But, for me, he’s the right man for the job and things will turn around.”

Moyes took over as United manager from Alex Ferguson in the summer but has

Norwich To Debut Yobo Against Man City MANCHESTER City will be eyeing a return to winning ways when they travel to Carrow Road to take on Norwich City on Saturday afternoon.

Kick-off is at 17h00 (CAT).

Manuel Pellegrini’s side were stunned by an impressive Chelsea side on Monday evening at the Etihad Stadium.

The 1-0 defeat, courtesy of a goal by Branislav Ivanovic, were the first points the Citizens had dropped on home soil all season long and it couldn’t have come at a more costly time.

Chelsea’s victory meant they moved equal on points with the Sky Blues as they both head into the weekend encounters trailing Arsenal by two points.

But the loss has by no means set City off course of their Premier League title ambitions and the race to the crown at the end of the season is still very much open.

They will however have to ensure that they do come out on top against a Norwich City side who have won of the most leakiest defences in the league.

It should bode well for Pellegrini’s free-scoring attacking side but

Joseph Yobo

Norwich and Nigeria defender Joseph Yobo, who is set to make his debut for Canaries against City, is ready for the daunting challenge.

“We had a break for Christmas in Turkey, but then two weeks of training after that and it was good, so I’m ready to go,” Yobo told the Norwich official website.

“I’m happy to be here. I know a few of the players already. It was entirely new to me but I felt welcome.

“I’m excited that I had this opportunity to come back to England. It’s probably the best league in the world, and it’s a new challenge so I’m looking forward to it.

“There were loads of clubs from abroad who were interested in me, but the manager here convinced me and I wanted to come back to the Premier League.”

struggled badly to inspire the Premier League champions, who were beaten at Stoke last weekend and lie seventh in the table.

They are 15 points off leaders Arsenal and have already lost eight times this season.

Beckham said he intends to be a “hands-on” owner when his US team is up and running, which should be in 2016 or 2017.

“My role will be owner, my role will be selecting players with the manager and with the other investors,” he said.

Beckham, who fell out with Ferguson before being sold to Real Madrid, said he did not envisage English football’s most successful manager being part of the Miami venture.

“Funnily enough no, he didn’t call me or text me,” he said.

Liverpool, Arsenal In Big Clash

THE biggest match of the Barclays Premier League this weekend will see table-toppers Arsenal visit inconsistent Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday afternoon. Kick-off is billed for 14h45 (CAT). netted exactly two goals in Arsenal know that a each of the last five. The victory in this match on Gunners were the last team to Saturday will give them stop Liverpool from scoring confidence heading into a in the Premier League, with difficult month. The the Reds netting 41 goals in Gunners have tough fixtures their 14 games since. There in February which could go have been four 90th minute a long way into defining or later goals in the last five their season. A win for Premier League meetings Liverpool, on the other between Liverpool and hand, will see them have a Arsenal at Anfield. firm psychological grip on Luis Suarez reckons their UEFA Champions defeating Arsenal this League aspirations. weekend can give his Arsenal have won six and Liverpool side a huge lift in lost none of their last seven their push for a top-four Premier League games and place. The club idol says

Liverpool’s Daniel Agger (right) battles for the ball with Arsenal’s Lukas Podolski (centre) and Olivier Giroud (right

United Target Return To Winning Ways

MANCHESTER United will be desperate to get back to winning ways in the Premier League when they host Fulham on Sunday. Kick-off at Old Trafford is set for 18h00 CAT. The Red Devils suffered their eighth league defeat of the season last weekend when they went down 2-1 at Stoke City, this despite David Moyes fielding all of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata in the starting XI. The loss left United in seventh place on the log on 40 points, 15 adrift of leaders Arsenal and seven off fourth place. Cracking into the top four and ensuring that the Manchester club does not miss out on Champions League football for the first time since 1995 is the only realistic goal in the league this season.

Defender Chris Smalling says the onus is on the players to ensure that they reel in fourthplaced Liverpool.

“We’ve got to go into it as if we need to win every game,” said Smalling after the defeat to Stoke. “We’re the ones who have

victory in Saturday’s huge game will be massive as the Reds try to clinch Champions League football for next season.

Arsenal are the leaders in the table and victory would be good for morale, give the whole squad an enormous injection and reduce the points difference at the top,” said the Uruguayan.

“We didn’t have success at the Emirates [Arsenal won November’s reverse fixture, 2-0] so our objective now is to win and I believe we have that chance. “It has been such a hard season. It’s rare that everything could be decided on the last day but we must keep going and to ensure that happens we need results against the other main candidates.”

to catch Liverpool.

“So we’ve got to win the points and put the pressure on them. We’ve not done ourselves any favours with losses like this.

“It seems as if we are taking one step forward and then one back. But we need to stick together and really get into the next game because time is running out to pick up these points.

“It is only us players who can really get us out of this muddle and so we really need to stick together.

“We don’t really talk about the Champions League, but I think we all know that’s the minimum we need to aim for.”

Though United are likely to be without Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Nani due to injury, Rio Ferdinand is set to return from a spell on the sidelines, while Nemanja Vidic has served his three-match ban and will reclaim the captaincy.

Fulham come to Old Trafford

in dire straits. Manager Rene Meulensteen (former assistant coach to Sir Alex Ferguson at Man United) has seen his side suffer four straight defeats in the Premier League, a run which leaves them bottom of the table and four points away from safety.

Meulensteen has called for unity as the Cottagers look to turn their form around and get out of the mess they find themselves in.

“The staff, players and fans are all not happy with this situation as it is,” Meulensteen said after a midweek FA Cup defeat to Sheffield United. “That is normal. That is frustration.

“The most important thing is that we don’t lose the togetherness because that is the only way we’re going to get out of this mess.

“If you start falling apart, then you have an even bigger problem and that is what cannot happen.”

Forest Set Up FA Cup Tie Against Ex-Boss Clough NOTTINGHAM Forest will face a Sheffield United side managed by former City Ground favourite Nigel Clough in the last 16 of the FA Cup after beating Preston North End 2-0 in a fourthround replay on Wednesday.

Jamie Mackie’s early opener and Darius Henderson’s stoppage-time strike saw Championship side Forest, managed by former Preston boss Billy Davies, progress at the expense of their League One opponents.

Now they will face another third tier side in Sheffield United, with the trip to the Blades’ Bramall Lane ground sure to stoke plenty of memories.

Former England international Clough, the son of legendary Forest manager Brian, started his career as a

player at the City Ground.

But it was in his role as manager of Forest’s Midlands rivals Derby County that Nigel Clough had a run-in with Davies following a touchline row during a game at Derby’s Pride Park in 2010.

Davies accused Clough of kneeing him in the back during a melee which involved players and coaching staff.

Clough later denied the allegation, but Davies made an official complaint to the League Managers’ Association.

Three subsequent matches saw Forest beat Clough?s Derby on every occasion.

The last meeting proved pivotal, with Clough sacked

by Derby just two days after a 1-0 defeat by Forest in September.

OM To Host Third Cnsecutive OLYMPIQUE Leagueoffensive Game Marseille host Bastia on talent with the Saturday at the Vélodrome Stadium in matchday 24 of the Ligue 1 (Kick-off will be at18h00 CAT).

It is the third consecutive home game for the Olympians, who have so far managed a win over Valenciennes, but had to share the points with Toulouse. A result José Anigo’s men could have avoided with a better defensive display on setpieces.

Ranked fifth in the log, four points away from the European zone, Olympique Marseille

need to go back to winning ways against Bastia on Saturday, ahead of a tricky trip to Saint-Etienne, a direct challenger for a continental spot.

An away victory for Bastia will see them reach the top half of the table, although they have not won on the road this season.

But the Corsicans have just strung two back-toback league wins and hope to take advantage of the Marseillais’ current poor defending.

“Marseille are a team with an incredible

likes of Florian (Thauvin), Gignac, Valbuena, Payet just to name a few. But in their last games, they seemed to have drifted apart,” explained Sporting Bastia’s coach Frédéric Hantz.

“We can also feel a greater pressure on the team and the club for results.

Olympique Marseille’s attacking side is talented but they do not defend as a team.”

The reverse fixture ended on a goalless draw at the Armand CésariFuriani stadium last September.

Olympique Lyon’s Bafetimbi Gomis (L) challenges Troyes’ Matthieu Saunier during their French League Cup semi-final soccer match at the Gerland stadium in Lyon February 5, 2014.

Robben ‘Set To Extend Bayern Uli Hoeness in the next Contract’ president few weeks — and it predicted

ARJEN Robben is set to prolong his Bayern Munich contract until 2017, according to reports in the Dutch media.

The former Real Madrid player has 18 months remaining on his current deal, and both he and Bayern have expressed a desire to extend it.

Netherlands international Robben, 30, is set to put pen to

paper on a fresh deal that will keep him in Munich until 2017, Dutch football magazine Voetbal International reported on Wednesday.

The magazine said Robben’s father and agent, Hans, was set to hold talks with Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and

the negotiations would “not take longer than 10 minutes.”

Last month, Robben, who scored the last-minute winner in the 2013 Champions League final, said he could see himself ending his career at Bayern, saying: “Why not? I feel great here. Let’s see.”

Robben joined Bayern from Real in 2009, and has so far has played 92 Bundesliga games, scoring 52 goals and setting up a further 34.

His signature on a new deal would mean all Bayern’s key players, with the exception of Toni Kroos, are contracted until 2016 or beyond.

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (centre) and teammate Andres Iniesta (2nd R) fight for the ball against Real Sociedad during their King’s Cup semi-final first leg soccer match at Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona, February 5, 2014.

Top-Of-Table Clash At Louis II

MONACO play host to Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday at Louis II, in the closing game of matchday 24 of the Ligue 1. (Kick-off is set at 22h00 CAT).

The Parisian leaders stand five points clear of their main rivals at the top of the log.

And while a victory in

Arjen Robben

Sick Chants Overshadow Copa REAL Madrid’s 3-0 Atletico climbed to the Clash Copa del Rey victory over top of La Liga at the Atletico Madrid on Wednesday was overshadowed by spinechilling and sickening chants from the crowd directed at Marcelo.

The Real Madrid fullback had not played in the match at the Bernabeu, but joined his team-mates in a 20-minute warm-down session after the game - at which point he was targeted by around 500 Atletico fans who were still in the stadium.

The Guardian reports that as Marcelo came close to them they launched into monkey chants, and when the 25-year-old stopped to

look up at them they began jeering, “Marcelo is a monkey.”

The player returned to his team-mates, after which his infant son came out to give him a hug - at which point the chant changed in a truly horrifying manner, with the Atletico supporters calling out, “May your father die.”

Last year’s final, which was held at the Bernabeu, was marred by red cards and brawling and the bad blood between the bitter rivals was still in evidence in a match littered with cynical fouls and gamesmanship.

weekend but their first defeat in 25 matches in all competitions since October brought Diego Simeone’s side down to earth with a bump.

“We tried but we just couldn’t find a way tonight,” Simeone said.

“They had the good fortune to open the scoring with a shot that was going out of play and that helped them settle.

“The players are feeling as you would expect after a 3-0 defeat. They are down because they are lads who want to win and when they don’t they are not happy.”

Monaco would mean a huge step towards a second straight national crown for PSG, a positive result for Monaco could kick start the title race.

After they were forced to a 1-1 draw in Guingamp, Laurent Blanc’s men managed to bounce back straight away with a 2-0 home win over Bordeaux last weekend, before booking a place in the League Cup’s final on Tuesday evening against Nantes.

The Parisians will travel without Edinson Cavani, who picked up an injured last

Friday, but can strongly rely on an in-form Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored three goals in his last two games.

On the other side, Monaco will be without their Colombian star Radamel Falcao, whose recent knee surgery will keep him sidelined until the end of the season, but we could witness the big debut of new signing and former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov.

“It is great to start with this game, if I can show what I am

capable of. Ibra, we all know who he is, there is nothing more I can say about him. I will meet some new players I do not know. Paris are coming in full strength, but Monaco forced them to a 1-1 draw in the first leg. So it is not only about a person, but also the group,” declared the Bulgarian on his arrival at AS Monaco.

Claudio Ranieri’s protégés forced the Parisians to a 1-1 draw at the Parc des Princes in the first leg, but will have to do even better at home to keep alive their chances of winning the title.

Dutchman Kevin Strootman, the latter firing a 25-metre screamer past Pepe Reina just after the half hour, had given Roma — beaten in last year’s final by city rivals Lazio — a 2-0 half-time lead at a rainhit Olympic Stadium.

However Napoli were back in contention when a shot from Gonzalo Higuain took

a deflection to beat Roma ‘keeper Morgan De Sanctis, the latter being credited with the own goal, just after the restart.

As the visitors grew in confidence, Rafael Benitez’s side were rewarded for their efforts just after the hour thanks to a superb Dries Mertens leveller.

Gervinho Winner Sees Roma Edge Napoli In Cup Semi IVORY Coast international Gervinho hit a fine brace including a late winner to put Roma within sight of their second successive Italian Cup final thanks to a 3-2 victory over Napoli in the first leg of the sides’ semi-final on Wednesday.

Superb individual goals from Gervinho and

Ex-Zambia Star Stabbed To Death EX-ZAMBIA winger Chiwanki Liyainga has died following a stabbing incident on Monday night in Lusaka.

The 30-year-old died at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka where he was rushed following a fight with unknown people in Chawama Township.

“Chiwanki went to Kuku on Monday for a drink but got involved in a quarrel with someone who went to call for reinforcement,” Zambia Police spokesperson Charity Chanda said.

“Chiwanki was then stabbed in the leg and ribs but managed to go to the Police station where he got a medical report but sadly died at the UTH around 20h00.”

The winger was a Zambia regular during the reign of Patrick Phiri and Kalusha Bwalya between 2004 and 2008.

Later featured briefly under Herve Renard scoring his only international goal in 2008 in the Frenchman’s first friendly in charge away to Libya that ended 2-2 in Tripoli.

Liyainga was until his death at Red Arrows although he spent last season on loan to second division side Lusaka City Council FC. His previous clubs include Power Dynamos and the defunct Young Arrows.

Isco Enjoying Madrid REAL Madrid Challenge midfielder Isco says he is happy at the club although he has been getting less game time that he did at his old club, Malaga.

The 21-year-old has started 15 out of the 22 La Liga matches that the Whites have played this season, but he says he is pleased to have contributed towards the club’s winning run.

“I’m happy, it’s true that I’m playing less, but I’m at Real Madrid to help,” he said. “I hope to achieve great things in the world of football.

“We’re in our best form of the season. We haven’t lost since November and we’ve found ourselves in a very good dynamic.

David Bechkam

Beckham ‘At Home Already’ In Miami

DAVID Beckham has declared himself “at home already,” with the former football star poised to confirm yesterday that he will own a Major League Soccer team in Miami.

It has been one of the worstWednesday at an art museum in kept secrets in world football downtown Miami, at which he that Beckham intends to is expected to announce details exercise his option to buy an of the team.

MLS club and wants to bring The MLS said there would be it to Miami, with the plan “a significant announcement contingent on a deal for a impacting the Miami privately funded stadium, US community,” with Beckham media report. joined by MLS Commissioner The former midfielder, 38, Don Garber. who made his name at The team will be ready for Manchester United and later action in 2016 or 2017, the played for Real Madrid, AC Miami Herald said.

Milan and LA Galaxy, is to “I feel at home already and it’s hold a press conference on a special place. I am looking forward to spending a lot more time here,” Beckham told Miami local television, which put his imminent announcement at the “Inter’s project top of the Tuesday late-night convinced me, and the news.

“It is very lovely to be Nerazzurri are the right welcomed by so many people club for me. and so many people want to help “It’s true that Lazio with the whole project,” added president Claudio Lotito Beckham, whose move will offered me a big contract further boost his global profile to remain at the club but I and that of Major League Soccer. chose “It’s an exciting time Inter because the obviously, hopefully for the Nerazzurri have high MLS and myself, and being welcomed to Miami like I’ve ambitions.

“It was never a question been welcomed is unbelievable.”

Beckham was given the of money.”

Hernanes Aiming Big MIDFIELDER Hernanes At Lazio feels that playing at Inter Milan will help him reach new heights in his career, one he could never have achieved at Lazio.

Hernanes joined Inter last Friday on a permanent transfer from Lazio, penning in a contract which will tie him down to the club until June 2018.

“When I arrived at Lazio I thought I would be able to achieve great things like win a Scudetto or play in the Champions League,” Hernanes said to Gazzetta dello Sport.

“However, after three-and-ahalf years with the Roman outfit, I understood there would be no possibility to achieve this at Lazio.

Hernanes

The Brazilian playmaker is expected to make his debut with the Rossoneri in Sunday’s match against Sassuolo.

opportunity to purchase a team at a discount, reportedly $25 million, as part of the 2007 deal that lured him to the Galaxy. His investment group in the deal includes Bolivian billionaire Marcelo Claure and British businessman Simon Fuller.

Confirmation of the superstar’s latest move for socalled “Brand Beckham” has been anticipated for months, but it has been held up reportedly by trouble finding a suitable site in the city for a stadium that would hold in the region of 25,000 spectators.

Beckham attended Sunday’s Super Bowl between Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos in New Jersey, and later jetted off for the warmer climes of Florida to drum up support for his project.

An underwear advert featuring Beckham, who played more than 100 times for England and was also captain, was among those shown on television during the Super Bowl, underlining his prominence in the United States.

Major brands paid in the region of $4 million for as little as 30 seconds of air time during

America’s biggest sporting spectacle.

Beckham retired from football in 2013 — his final stint was with Paris Saint-German — but he remains highly marketable and earns handsomely from endorsements and advertising, as well as performing charity and fundraising work.

His wife Victoria, a former singer with the Spice Girls, later moved into the fashion industry, increasing the power couple’s combined business revenue to almost 100,000 pounds ($160,000) a day, British media reported in October.

Beckham’s move into ownership of an MLS team represents a boon to the league and its drive to increase football’s popularity in the United States.

MLS side Toronto FC last month swooped for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe and AS Roma midfielder Michael Bradley, two major signings for a league that holds ambitious plans, with teams in New York and Orlando set to be launched next year as part of an aggressive expansion.

final will be played at Miami’s Sun Life Stadium on Aug. 4.

Other confirmed host cities are Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Washington DC, with one more to be announced.

Liverpool last toured the United States in 2012 and chief commercial officer Billy Hogan told their official website: “This will be the club’s seventh visit to North America, where we know we have a huge fan base, and being part of this tournament will allow us to bring the club

closer to those supporters and engage with them once again.”

City will be making their third visit to the United States in four years, after a preseason tour ahead of the 2010-11 campaign and visits to New York and St Louis last year.

United had already announced they will be touring the USA in the summer, although they are yet to confirm how many fixtures they will play or announced the dates and venues.

Real Madrid won the 2013 Champions Cup, beating Chelsea 3-1 in the final.

European Giants To Tour The US

REAL Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City will take part in a summer tournament in the United States.

The International Champions Cup will also feature AC Milan, Inter Milan, Roma and Olympiakos, giving it eight clubs who have won 150 domestic league titles and 27 Champions Leagues between them.

It will be played between July 26 and Aug, 4 in 11 American cities, with the eight teams due to be drawn in two groups of four, followed by semifinals. The

Isco

Spain To Train In US For Brazil D E F E N D I N G champions Spain will prepare for the World Cup in the United States along with Greece, BosniaHerzegovina, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Honduras.

England announced last month they will play a pair of matches at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, facing Ecuador on June 4 and Honduras on June 7.

The World Cup will be in Brazil for the first time since 1950 and opens June 12.

Last week, ESPN FC’s Doug McIntyre reported of a possible U.S.-Nigeria friendly coming out of training camp.

The Brazil-bound U.S. World Cup team plans to kick off its three-match, stateside send-off series at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif., multiple sources told ESPN FC. The Americans will base their pre-tournament training camp in Northern California before heading to Harrison, N.J., for a second match, the source said.

The United States, who are also expected to host an exhibition against CONCACAF rivals Mexico in April, open their Brazil 2014 slate on June 16 against Ghana in Natal.

They will play Portugal in Manaus six days later, and close out the group stage against Germany on June 26 in Recife.

Eagles Recall Haruna, LUKMAN Haruna and Ike Uche

Badminton Coach Advocates More National Competitions MOHAMMED Bako, the Head Coach of Badminton in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has appealed to the federation to organise more national competitions to promote the game.

Bako told newsmen on telephone that the sport can only grow when there are national competitions.

“We can only talk about grassroots development when there are local competitions.

“It’s only from the grassroots that we can achieve the developmental growth we desire.

“When we catch them at a very tender age, then we can sharpen their skills and mould them to represent the country at international competitions.

“The national competitions will serve as a scouting process to discover the very best in the country,” Bako said.

The coach stressed that the federation should make the sport proactive in 2014 by engaging the players throughout the year.

According to him, badminton should return to what it used to be 10 years back when it was a sport everyone loved.

He added that sponsors would come when the people read and see the federation engaging its athletes at all times.

Pillars Vow To Retain Glo League Title NEWLY appointed Head Coach of Kano Pillars FC, Okey Emordi, promised that the club would retain for the third year running, the Glo Premier League trophy.

Emordi disclosed this to newsmen on telephone while commenting on the club’s preparation for the 2013/2014 season scheduled to begin on February 21.

The coach said that he was glad to be part of a club that has such a good record adding that he was determined to maintain the club’s number one spot.

“I know of the task ahead of me, but I only ask for cooperation from the management, players, officials, fans and the people of Kano State. “ I also pledge my cooperation with them and I pledge not to disappoint any one and by God’s grace we will all achieve the club’s highest expectation,’’ he said Emordi formerly with Rangers International of Enugu said he would work with any player that was ready to play to instructions.

“I am ready to work with any player that would be discipline, understanding and play to instruction.

“I am ready to work with players that are prepared to work with me and help the team to record great success.

“Discipline would bring out the best performance in the team for the season,’’ he added.

Reports say that the Pillars had won back to back, the league in 2012 and 2013 seasons.

Ikechukwu Uche are to be recalled to the Super Eagles ahead of the World Cup in Brazil, officials have said.

And both players could well get their chance as early as next month’s pre-World Cup friendly against Mexico in the USA. Dynamo Kiev midfielder Haruna has been superb for his Ukrainian club after a recent injury setback, while Villarreal striker Uche has scored 12 goals in La Liga.

However, it is left to be seen whether a hamstring injury suffered by Uche last week may not stop him from the Mexico match.

Haruna last played for Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup, while Uche has not been involved with the national team since he bombed at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations

Lukman Haruna

NFA To Decide Super Eagles’ US Camping Site Today THE Nigeria Football Association (NFA) says it will today decide which city in the U.S. the Super Eagles will camp in for its preparations for the 2014 World Cup. Ademola Olajire, NFA’s all arrangements.

Head of Media, told The 2014 FIFA World Cup newsmen on Wednesday in will hold from June 12 to July Abuja the decision was 13 in Brazil. delayed to enable the Olajire said it would have association’s agent conclude been improper for the NFA to

announce the camp site when the agent was yet to conclude the camping arrangements.

“It is obvious that the Eagles will camp in the U.S., but we will announce the city by the end of this week.

“I am in touch with the agent and he will finalise the arrangements by Friday,” he said.

On the Eagles’ involvement in an eightnation tournament in the U.S., Olajire said the NFA had no financial commitment in the tournament.

He said the Major League Soccer (MLS), the organisers

of the tournament, had already communicated the NFA on the national team’s involvement.

Olajire said the Eagles were among the invited teams by virtue of being the African champions.

Reports say that Cote d’ Ivoire and Nigeria as well as one of the country’s World Cup Group F opponents, Bosnia-Herzegovina, are part of the tournament.

Other participants are Spain, Greece, Honduras, Bolivia and El Salvador.

The tournament is expected to hold between May 27 and June 10.

Rabiu Ali To Rival Sunday Mba For World Cup

Stephen Keshi

Agoma Festival Aims At C’wealth Games PETERS Emmanuel, Member, Agoma Sports International, has expressed optimism that the 13th Agoma Open Martial Arts Festival would prepare athletes for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

Emmanuel told newsmen in Lagos that more than 700 athletes were expected nationwide to feature in five sports at the festival.

The festival will hold from May 13 to May 18 at the Sam Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, while Commonwealth Games will begin on July 23 and end on Aug. 3 in Glasgow.

Emmanuel, who won the 2012 Taekwondo Outstanding Achievement Award, told that taekwondo, kickboxing, judo, kung fu and karate would

feature at the festival.

“The festival is to prepare athletes for the Commonwealth Games.

“It will also expose athletes to their various strengths and weaknesses.

“By the end of the festival, we would have discovered talents worthy of winning medals at the games,” he said.

Emmanuel said that only international and national Class A referees would officiate at the festival.

He said that participants at the festival would produce medical fitness certificate.

“The organising committee will not be held liable for any injury sustained at the festival; hence, evidence of medical fitness for participation is required,” he said.

KANO Pillars midfielder Rabiu Ali is set to battle France-based Sunday Mba for a place on Nigeria World Cup squad.

Rabiu Ali will therefore be one of the players from the 2014 CHAN for next month’s friendly against Mexico in the USA. The pre-World Cup friendly will be played on March 5 in Atlanta as part of the African champions’ preparation for the World Cup in June.

MTNFootball.com can

Rabiu Ali

report that the Pillars playmaker was given permission by his club to get across his travel papers to Abuja ahead of application for visas into the US. “Rabiu was excused from the team’s training camp to proceed to Abuja to submit his papers for visa application to the USA,” a Pillars official informed MTNFootball.com The skilful midfielder along with Ejike Uzoenyi and Kunle Odunlami were picked

by CAF for the CHAN Tournament XI. Coach Stephen Keshi has already hinted he plans to call up several players from the recent CHAN in his build-up to Brazil 2014.

And MTNFootball.com has gathered that Keshi has been most impressed with Rabiu’s creativity, which is desperately missing in his midfield combination of Mikel Obi and Ogenyi Onazi

in South Africa.

TNFootball.com has also learnt that several other players who were not part of the qualifiers for Brazil 2014, but have been doing well at their various clubs in Europe will also be considered by coach Stephen Keshi.

“My team will be open to any Nigerian player who is doing well,” maintained Keshi.

The Eagles are due to resume training camp by the end of the month ahead of the friendly against Mexico on March 5.

LASU Withdraws From NUGA Games CLEMENT Fasan, Director of Sports, Lagos State University (LASU), says the university will not take part in the 24th Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) Games in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The Games will be staged by the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) from February12 to February 22.

Fasan told newsmen in Lagos that the withdrawal was as a result of the students’ protest over increase in tuition fees.

The university was shut on January 23 due to the protest.

Fasan told newsmen that the withdrawal was “painful because of the studentathletes who are denied the opportunity of using the Games to prepare for other bigger competitions.

“The vice-chancellor had scheduled a meeting with the Sports Council that fateful day (Jan. 23) to give the management’s consent to the university’s participation in the Games.

“But the protest prevented the meeting from holding and a decision could not be reached,” the director said.

According to him, the athletes who hoped to use the platform to lunch themselves into bigger tournaments like the Commonwealth Games are badly affected.

He advised the athletes to enlist with sports federations and participate in their qualifications to achieve their dreams.

LASU won one gold and a silver in long-distance races, one bronze medal in table tennis two silver medals in judo at the last NUGA at the University of Benin in 2011.

LASU participated in eight sports during the preliminaries held at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in June 2013.

The sports are volleyball, judo, taekowondo, track and field, tennis, table tennis, basketball (male) and soccer.

CMYK

Every Woman’s Story F E E D

HER parents believed that allowing their daughter to be raised in the village would limit her opportunities of success in life. Their position was even more encouraged by the modern and advanced pursuit of gender equality or female liberation.

As it is today, the stress of survival has pushed the role of a breadwinner away from the strict concern of the male-head of a family, and therefore it is no longer viewed as a taboo for a female to seek a desired life outside the preference of a-would-be husband or a current husband.

Somehow as a reinforcement of this notion, those willing to take political and economic advantage of rural women have driven their ploy far and deep into the crannies of most rural settlements, and have emboldened such womenfolk to develop a new social appetite which the advocates or forerunners of such women emancipation organisations are unable to fulfill beyond what is required to gain their block-vote for a particular candidate.

To the parents of little Doris, seven years of age was an ideal time for their daughter to begin life in the city. When somebody hinted the idea of a relative in the city who would take good care of Doris, all that mattered most to Doris’ parents was that they could always reach out and hold somebody accountable for any misfortune of their daughter, should it become.

Doris enjoyed staying with her foster parents until she was twelve years old when the man whom she has always known and called “Daddy” as indeed the three other older biological children, started pushing to have canal knowledge of her.

And to such end, a constant refusal by Doris led to the man’s aggressive behaviour

towards her. She was then picked out for the most difficult tasks which never failed to attract the man’s scolding for not doing them well enough, delay in completion of the given assignments and of course her poor performance for coming

privileged essence which fate has especially created for them.

When eventually the man realised that his harsh treatment of Doris did not make her yield to his secret sexual overtures, he started regarding Doris’

the economic and socially clipped horizon of rural dwellers, he too would become more intolerant of her presence around him.

After all, since he of late has been experiencing some stagnation in his fortunes, it would not be

• Dame Patience Goodluck

out fourth in her class in spite of the irregular attendance at school.

For a child whose life has been natured in resilience from a tender age, the man’s brash attitude was a routine, and nothing to suck over. The man’s wife saw nothing especially wrong in the husband’s treatment of Doris. She too, so frequently wags her whip on her in enforcing and engraving their commands when the fun to do so, comes compelling.

Moreover, it was especially important that she administers her punishment in the presence of her three children in alluding to their

impudence as a deep personal insult by a villager, whose transformation and enlightenment is owing to his kind gesture. And if Doris could be as senseless as to toy with the opportunities he was offering her to becoming something different from

lost to finger Doris, whose source of mischievous stubbornness to her only benefactor could only be attributed to evil forces.

And when he privately hinted the idea of Doris’ continued stay being possibly harmful to their family’s spiritual and material wellbeing, his

BACK

By KINGSLEY OGBEIDE-IHAMA wife was sold on it as she too believes that anything that would hinder their material wellbeing should be timely severed.

No surprise, Doris found herself back in the village and everybody who heard the story of her repatriation and stubbornness to the foster parents blamed her for how carelessly she has handled the matter of her fate. Regretfully, hers would no doubt be like every other woman’s story which bears evidence of the woman’s guilt instead of evidence of societal guilt.

In my observation, I have come to the belief that in a woman’s life bears the full weight of evidence against the society. Any society that can address the causes and nature of every woman’s problem is on the right path of solving all of its problems, which of course includes solving the problems created by women against their fellows.

In this case, worthy of note is the clamour for women emancipation which I am yet to observe in any other place where the same womenfolk have been so harmful to the course they drum so much support for, than I find in Nigeria.

In most instances where traditionally, punitive measures are mete out on any woman, it is her fellow

women who stand firmly to execute such punishment, and ensure that the said women receive the full measure of the punishment. As such, most women would elect to be amongst those appointed to throw out the property of their relatives’ unfaithfully wife than to be found amongst those pleading for her forgiveness.

Interestingly again, sometime during the People’s Democratic Party Presidential Primaries, which saw President Jonathan emerging as the presidential candidate of the Party, Dame Patience Jonathan traverse the length and breadth of the country proclaiming ‘women emancipation’ and yet the only female candidate in the Presidential Primaries, Dr. (Mrs) Sarah Jubril succeeded in gaining only a vote which apparently, she gave to herself. But ever since, she (Sarah Jubril) has been appointed a Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Ethics and Values, one may ask about the ethics and values she has been able to impact on the polity when the main aspiration of a better life for such as little Doris is still for her parents to throw her into the ravenous den where she would be well exposed to all manners of societal hazards.

In my observation, I have come to the belief that in a woman’s life bears the full weight of evidence against the society. Any society that can address the causes and nature of every woman’s problem is on the right path of solving all of its problems, which of course includes solving the problems created by women against their fellows.

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