Edition 32 ebook

The election in Rivers State was a grand mess!

Elections definitely held in Rivers and PDP won fair and square - Nimi Walson - Jack

The Leggings phenomenon and the legs of their wearers

Page 5

- Douglas Waserite Dodiyi - Manuel Page 6

Monitor and minimize your child’s screen time Page 15

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Port Harcourt’s first freely distributed fortnightly newspaper April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2. No. 32

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Rivers State guber election: Who shall wear the crown?

Muhammadu Buhari: Fourth Time Lucky

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April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Life’s Wall

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Editorial

by Merith Benedict

We invite you to share with us your most profound thoughts!

Victor (21) – truth does exist, and yes because the truth brings glory to God and shame to the devil

Question For Current Edition Does truth exist, and are you prepared to tell the truth at all times?

R e s p o n s e s Ozurumba Tobin (59) - Yes truth does exist, I and everyone is ready to tell the truth at all times. You know there is nothing God hates as much as telling lies. I for one will say truth is generally good to tell, but in some cases, lying brings good fortune to human race e.g that of Abraham and his wife Sarah when he lied to abimelech king of Gera, and that of Jacob who lied and deceived his father Isaac.

Pastor Mike (34) – the bible says the truth is the only thing that can set you free but in Nigeria today, lies are being capitalized on, it’s a pity. I will always say the truth.

Kunle (30) – it depends on the situation at hand. If my life is at risk and saying the truth will cause my death I will go ahead and tell lies.

Godswill (25) – yes the truth still exist in our society and I am very willing to always say the truth Mrs Abigail Okoro (32) – no, the truth has lost track in our society. People tell lies as if they are drinking water. I am also guilty of this act but I am also trying my best to adjust Dr Nathan Dagogo (40) – yes, the truth still exist, though on a low rate. I can’t remember the last time I told lies. I am willing to continue on that lane

Eric (28) – in our society now, truth still exists. As for me , I am always prepared to tell the truth Joy (23) – people do not say the truth anymore, they think telling lies is a smart way of doing things . I will say the truth because it is my ticket to heaven.

Shade (24) – yes it does, I completely understand how difficult it can be to be completely honest but I try at all times to tell the truth.

Ini (30) – yes it does, but I can’t guarantee telling the truth at all times. As a guy, there are certain things that should be kept to oneself.

Nicki (27) – well to me, it doesn’t exist as everyone tells lies whether small, big, white or diplomatic ones. They are all the same thing.

Seun (29) – no, because sometimes telling the truth deprives one of opportunities and people tend to condemn you when they are no better.

Kingsley (24) – In the world today, only few people have genuine integrity. Truth exists but it’s hard to tell it at all times

Ireti (25) – in Nigeria, I would say only a few people tell the truth and I’m not an exception.

Chisom (26) – telling the truth is the best thing one can ever do.

But there are some cases when truth will be delayed

Iyabo (34) – I think there is no such thing as truth especially in Nigeria as most people can’t distinguish between truth and lies these days. Falsehood has taken root in the lifestyle of the populace.

Jessy (22) - truth exists for sure. It’s good to tell the truth at all times but it’s almost impossible because truth also has its consequence and punishment. You’ll be tagged as heartless if your truth hurts others.

Iyke (27) – the truth depends on one’s perception. The truth cannot be told at all times.

Christian (20) – truth exists, no because there are some penalties that befall you at times if you say the truth Joy (24|) – truth exists, because truth is the key to freedom, and lie is an open door to bondage Justina (27) – truth exists, and of course I am prepared to tell the truth at all times because truth is what is required from a Christian as he is not a defense Peace (29) – yes truth does exist, I am for truth because when we lie, lie is of the devil. All Christians must be truthful and straight forward.

Gift (35) – truth exists, truth makes you honorable, outstanding, great, reasonable,. If people know you are truthful at all times,, they will easily count and rely on you

Nkechi (30) – yes, because truth set you free, you need to stand in the truth because it’s the only way out.

Henry (27) – truth does not exist, being sincere is different from telling the truth. Sometimes one needs to lie for peace to reign.

Mrs Ozzy (33) – yes, because no matter the circumstance, say the truth and the truth shall set you free. Even if you are under duress say the truth and stand by it.

Emeka (23) – truth always exist even what isn’t told. A lie is just a deviation from an already existing truth. I’d love to always say the truth but I’ve got a long way to get there

Isreal (20) – yes, I am ready to say the truth at all times even if people hate me for doing so.

Andrew (30) – yes, truth exists but it is bitter to say it. But if you have an opportunity to tell the truth, say in a murder case, you can’t tell a lie. You must say the truth to save your head.

Michael Eebeegbo (27) - yes, we must say the truth at all times because as a christiian, saying the truth is one of the things that we must be known for.

Kelly (24) – of course, the truth does exist but am not ready to tell it at all times because lying becomes necessary at times.

Kanbo (28) – yes, it does. I can but I can’t say for others.

Tina (25) – that doesn’t exist as we are surrounded by the growing race of insincere people. I don’t think I can tell the truth at all times.

Philips (27) – yes, truth exists. Sometimes though, it might be difficult to say the truth. I can’t take that as an excuse despite the consequences attached to it, I will always say the truth.

Sonia (24) – yes it does, but am not ready to say the truth at all times, because it can put me into a very big problem.

ThankGod (29) – as for me, it does not exist. Lying is the order of the day. I can’t go and look for a good job and start saying the truth because I might end up not getting that job.

Nathaniel (30) – for sure, it exists. And I am so prepared to tell the truth at all times no matter the penalties even if I am persecuted for the truth, heaven is my limit.

Joshua (27) – yes it does exist, only that we sometimes try to conceal it. I wish it were that easy but I can’t guarantee that.

Ciroma (24) – it does not exist in our world anymore. If it does I am not aware. I am actually not an honest person, because the world today does not call for honesty.

Samuel (30) – truth exists, but I am not prepared to tell the truth at all times. I might need to save my head.

Chidinma (21) – yes, it is good to say the truth.

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General Muhammadu Buhari: Fourth Time Lucky

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arch 28, 2015: 6:00am. General Muhammadu Buhari would have woken up this morning with a familiar feeling. Will this election go the same way the others have gone? Since 2003, General Buhari has been a constant fixture on our political landscape contesting and consistently losing the elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011. An indefatigable fighter, he had doggedly re-contested for the president’s seat each time he lost. He has come to be known as our own generation’s Abraham Lincoln.

On that fateful morning, the General would have woken up, unsure of what Nigerians will do at the polls, regardless of the almost overpowering reassurances that he and his party must have received during their endless campaign treks all over the country. The APC started the campaign with a bit of a lead over the PDP in most of the states of the federation. At that time, PDP was not bothered much and their hierarchy must have thought this was a familiar terrain. If it is the same Buhari, then he is beatable again. But as the campaign gained momentum, it was becoming obvious to the ruling party that this election will not be like others. This was not going to be the same bandwagon voting that overwhelms the opponent. PDP began to take the campaign seriously from that point.

The elections of March 28, will go down in history as the most contested elections in the history of this nation. It was also the most publicized, thanks to our numerous social media platforms. It will almost certainly be the one election that got the frontline candidates canvassing for votes as though their lives depended on it, and it does in a way; their political lives and those of their followers depended on them wining at the polls.

Fourteen political parties presented candidates for the elections, but I think the other 12 outside of PDP and APC mostly wasted everybody’s time crowding the ballot papers. I believe that all of them would have come together to form an opposition bloc, but then again this is a democracy and expectedly their ideologies may not be the same.

Ideology! Who really talks about ideology when it comes to Nigerian politics and Nigerian political parties? There is nothing so called. People simply gather together for pecuniary reasons, form a political party and decide to make a grab for power. Ask the key people in the different parties to reel out their manifestoes, they will become uncertain of what is contained in there.

The elections came and went, but it has produced a winner. General Mohamadu Buhari has become the President Elect after the fourth trial, call it fourth time lucky. We have to salute his doggedness, his focus and determination to keep going after every defeat.

A cursory look at the election results and the voting pattern makes one thing clear; whoever wants to lead this nation must be a bridge builder and must be willing to build effective coalitions. From his first outing where he only held sway in the core north west states, this election has seen the General built such an effective coalition that have now seen him winning all the north west and north east but for one state (Taraba), and winning all the north central states but two (Nassarawa and Plateau). He also for the first time won Niger, Benue, Kwara and Kogi states, traditional stronghold of the PDP. He didn’t do well in the southern states as expected, but even if he was expected to lose to the president in those places, it is rather shameful that all the noises from the APC chieftains in those place could only produce such paltry numbers, both in the southsouth and south-east. Those places voted overwhelmingly for PDP. It may be argued that the votes were along religious and ethnic lines, and after all, the President also didn’t do as well in the core north states.

Others may also argue that voting was based on the personalities of the gladiators in these states, but the fact remain as clearly shown in the map, that Nigeria voted along tribal lines during the last elections. The southwest and north central are arguably the only regions that voted perhaps based on conviction, but not along any ethnic, religious or personality bias.

President Jonathan made a good showing in a lot of states, particularly the south west. Lagos was particularly close, and it showed that he was not such a lousy candidate as some may want to think.

Let’s leave the fact that he is now the President-Elect, but I don’t think that General Buhari is the real winner of this election, the same way I don’t think that President Jonathan is the loser. Let’s take it one by one. For the real winner, I think this is definitely Nigeria, Nigerians and Nigerian politics.

Nigeria is a winner because this was not the script for the outcome of the election. The whole world expected violence, and even prepared for it. Medicine San Frontiers (MSF), popularly known as Doctors without Borders came to set up a trauma center in Port Harcourt because they expected so many people to come in for treatment from the much expected post-election violence. That did not happen.

The US had always predicted an end to the Nigerian nation in 2015, and the elections were widely thought to be the catalyst that will spark this annihilation. I believe that even the simple minded will be able to confidently say that we will still be a country post May 29. We have survived what would have been the greatest scare of our lives. Thousands ran away from Nigeria. I don’t blame, they don’t want to be caught in the web of obscene violence. The expats ran away; the investors held their funds; employers delayed recruitment processes; businesses dithered; the superrich went to their holiday homes in Europe, US and Dubai. Those who could not run out of the country ran to their villages. None wanted to be at the center of things. Prophecies were rolled out, herbalists were consulted, and imams spent hours on the mat, but none of what we thought would happen eventually did. So I think Nigeria came out the better from this election, so it’s a winner.

Nigerians are also joint winners with Nigeria. Now, everybody in Nigeria knows that their votes are powerful, and there can be no doubt that now that the people know that if an administration does not deliver, they will be on their way out. There will no longer be any tolerance for mediocrity. Nigerians have woken up, and I pity this incoming administration if they failed to live up to the expectations of Nigerians who have voted them in with this majority in the next 4 years if they think it is still business as usual. From now on, I can say that democracy will now properly take root in our Nigeria.

Nigerian Politics will also share in this victory. Even though the elections were still marred with irregularities, it was clear that the introduction of dual technologies including the PVC and the card reader made a lot of difference this time around. Suddenly, hoarding voters’ card does not confer any advantages anymore. The rigging methods of the olden days have now become near obsolete. The old order has change and Nigeria is on the go!

Secondly, with the almost immediate conceding of defeat by the president, it will really be difficult in

future to haver leaders who will continue to be recalcitrant in the face of obvious defeat. President Jonathan has done something that no other politician will imagine he will do… in Nigeria. I know it is the normal thing to do, to accept your loss and congratulate the winner, but hey, this is Nigeria! The most normal thing elsewhere in the world, becomes abnormal in Nigeria. Ordinarily the act of calling the winner of the election by the looser is so common place that no one baits any eye lid in the Western world when such happens, but in Nigeria, it should almost qualify the president for a Nobel Prize for peace, and if it does, I hope he gets it.

I commend President Goodluck Jonathan for this action, and I think that it makes me want to think to forgive everything that I have considered that he didn’t do well as president in the past 6 years.

It may look trivial to a lot of people, but I believe that God answered the prayers of his saint this time.

I think that we all should be aware that the writers of the script of Nigerian destruction missed it at this point. President Jonathan perhaps for the first time said no to his advisers and followed his heart. If he perhaps have said no to them on so many issues from the start of his presidency, maybe he would not have need to make that call to General in the first place.

Obviously he is surrounded by people who had less than noble intentions for this country as the President probably has. Of course, one of them almost caused mayhem on the floor of the coalition center when he started delivering messages that he was not sent. These were the kinds of people that shrouded the President from knowing what was going on and how people were perceiving his presidency.

So of course the, losers of course are the political jobbers, whose job is to be parasitically linked to the government in a way that gives them maximum opportunity to milk this country dry. They are the ones who are desperate that the status quo must continue. They are the ones who would stop at nothing to keep the government in power. They are the ones who will not mind that this country breaks apart as long as they are still in power. They are the losers of this election. They will continue to be losers, because for a lot of them, the evening sun is setting over their political careers.

The losers are also those within the international community that expected to profit from the destabilization of this country. In Yoruba language, they say, “Olorun O jo yin”, meaning, “God does not look like them!” And surely God does not resemble the enemies of this country. And as Nigeria and Nigerians finally begins to wake up, surely God will continue to frustrate every evil intention they may have for this country. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Folarin Banigbe - Philips CEO/Publisher

"Published by Immenso Media Technologies”

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ISSN: 2408-5871

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PH Microscope is a freely distributed fortnightly publication started in June 2013 and dedicated to showcasing PH businesses, organisations and even government.

We provide information to people on whats going on around the state. We also offer an affordable and effective advert platform to everyone. We do PR inserts, and help businesses and organisations to connect with their immediate environment.

Even though we have our convictions, and we express these convictions in a generally objective manner, we pride ourselves as being non-partisan and unaffiliated to any brand or organisation. We simply strive to provide an equal platform for opinion sharing, and information dissemination.

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April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Metro News

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Fashion and Style

by Eric Uzoma

by Merith Benedict

Cinfores Limited Supports the ICT Laboratory Bloody of State School Amadi-Ama in Rivers State Combat Over Fan!!!

On Monday, the 23rd of March 2015, KIR Foundation’s Educational corporate partner Cinfores Limited donated two (2) Projectors and twelve (12) UPS equipment to the Computer laboratory of the State School AmadiAma; one of the schools adopted by KIR Foundation.

Sir Ikechi Nwogu, the Director, Finance and Administration Cinfores Limited said “that Cinfores Limited is committed to filling educational gaps in the society”.

Mr. Otonye Tamuno-omie, the ICT Director, Senior Secondary School AmadiAma, in his appreciation

Also, Maureen Okoli, a student of State School Amadi-Ama and a Cinfores Ambassador thanked Cinfores Limited for their kind donation on behalf of all the students of the school. Melissa Okonny, the Programs Manager of KIR Foundation encouraged other companies to be actively involved in corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects in our public schools.

Sweat ran down my body - accident victim An accident took place involving a commercial bus and a trailer along Aba road, opposite CIWA in Port Harcourt by 4pm on Monday the 23rd of March 2015. One of the victims who gave his name as Bobo Silver when interviewed by PH-MICROSCOPE about his experience said the accident happened as a result of brake failure of the bus he entered. It was a shock to me because” I have never experienced an accident before; I only hear when people talk about it”. He further said he was terrified and sweat ran down his body but he thanks

God he wasn’t injured. He said he was at the back seat like every other passenger and noticed the bus was heading straight to the trailer in front. Efforts made to ask the driver about the cause of the accident wasn’t successful because he was badly injured.

Notwithstanding, one of the passengers who sat on the next role behind the driver seat also confirmed the incident saying the bus driver lost control and crashed into the trailer. As of the time of this report, the bus was shifted by the side of the road to enable easy flow of traffic.

Man beats his wife because of politics When politics is taken out of our street, struggles and finds its way into our homes what we get is chaos and barbaric act. This is the case of a man whose name is withheld, beats up his wife beyond recognition and threatens to divorce her because she doesn’t want to vote the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State. A witness

who pleaded to be anonymous gave an account of the incident saying that it happened on the 24th of March 2015 at Oyigbo in Rivers State, precisely Iriebe.” He said the problem started when the man and his wife argued over whom to vote for in the upcoming governorship election in the State. In reply, the wife said she

will vote the PDP governorship candidate Barr. Nyesom Wike, stressing that he is a man that has the people at heart”. The husband angrily raised his voice and asked her if she was drunk to say such in his presence.

The witness said the wife shouted and said she has already made her decision and no one can change it. This

made the man slap her repeatedly and they both engaged in a fight. According to the witness, people gathered to separate them before he kills her. The woman ran out of the compound and headed straight for the police station.

As at the time this report was filed, the police were not seen anywhere says the eye witness.

Battle for power; PDP, APC attacks each other Two people were killed on Tuesday the 24th of March 2015 at about 9am in Omoku, in Ogba/ Egbema/ Ndoni Local government area of Rivers state. It was ascertained that the ugly incident happened to be a spillover from an earlier attack on Monday evening in Okwuzi community, in the same local government area. According to sources, one of the victims was a relative of the commissioner for power; Mr. Au-

gustine Nwokocha. It was however said that properties worth thousands were destroyed due to the rampaging APC and PDP supporters, who tore at each other amidst sporadic shooting that started at 8am. The incident caused confusion in the area as residents, traders and passers- by took to their heels to avoid being hit by stray bullets. Confirming the incident, the Rivers state PPRO, Ahmad Mohammad said it was a clash between

two political parties in the state and he confirmed the two deaths. He added that there was no reported case of house burning and that people should go about their daily activity as the situation there had been brought under control. In line with the killings, 28th of March 2015 is not to be over looked as people lost their lives and many sustained injuries. A soldier was killed on that day as hoodlums attack security agents

Victim survives car accident When people survive accidents of high magnitude, it is seen as a miracle. On the 1st April 2015, a dark green Toyota Camry with the number DP 730-PHC smashed into a truck parked by the side of the road beside PABOD breweries

Oginigba. It wasn’t certain the time the incident occurred, but when Ph- Microscope crew got to the scene of the accident, the police told us that the patient was taken to the hospital (name withheld) by a Good Samaritan. The hospital

manager Mr. Okey Chile confirmed the incident saying that the patient was brought into the hospital at about 10pm Wednesday night. He gave an assurance that the patient is undergoing treatment.

FASHION HOUSE LISTINGS

speech to Cinfores Limited said that, “with the resources that are available, teachers must strive to train their students to be better than them”.

in Obio- Akpor LGA, three other people were killed in Tai, Eleme and Obio/Akpor government areas of the state. This is as a result of the All Progressive Congress boycotted the election due to the refusal of INEC to provide results sheets. However, at about 1:30pm voting started in most polling units in Port Harcourt city, Khana, Emohua and Obio/Akpor, Abua/ Odua local government areas of the state.

It was an awful sight to behold as two UST students who came from the same L.G.A and also roommates, engage in a physical combat that almost cost them their lives. Both students studying marine engineering, staying in hostel G. had a disagreement that cold rainy night.

On the 21st of March, at exactly 10pm, one of the students John (not his real name) asked the other Kelly (also not his real name) to put of the fan. He sounded more like this “o boi abeg off that fan, cold dey”. Kelly on the other hand refused and insisted on leaving it on. He said “which kind cold, no be only you dey this room.

Chill abeg”. Both parties began to exchange words, laying abuses on each other. All of a sudden John threw two massive blows at Kelly which resulted to him bleeding on the mouth. Kelly of course didn’t stay quiet; he retaliated by picking up a ceramic plate which was lying on the floor, and threw at John, smashing his face. The fight continued until other guys in the hostel intervened, but already the damages have already been done. Blood filled the ground of the room, they were both taken to the school clinic for treatment.

APC supporters in Rivers State rejoice over presidential victory The All Progressive Congress supporters in Rivers state took to the streets in most parts of Rivers State as their presidential candidate Muhammad Buhari won the contest against president Good Luck Jonathan. Governor Rotimi Amaechi and other party faithfuls were seen congratulating the newly elected president in Abuja.

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Speechless: 7 Rotimi Amaechi Road (IBB way) GRA phase 3, Port Harcourt and plot 1, onne road GRA phase 2 Port Harcourt.

Revemp: #1A onne road GRA phase 2 Port Harcourt.

Ogobest Collections: 2, Emenike Street, Mile 1 Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State Mubik Boutique: Shop 312, Omasere Plaza, Rumuomasi Road, Rumuomasi, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The Leggings phenomenon and the legs of their wearers O ne of the most popular fashion trends in vogue is the leggings. It’s amazing how people wear them regardless of how they look. Leggings are a versatile piece of any woman’s wardrobe, but not every woman understands how to wear them properly.

Leggings are viewed as accessories meant to complement an out- fit instead of being an outfit in itself.

They are meant to be worn as part of a layered outfit.

It’s hard to pull off a fashionable look if you wear leggings as a pair of pants, instead of as a pair of tights under other clothing. By mixing and matching colours and choosing the right shoes, leggings can be worn in any season and be stylish.

Leggings are a kind of mumble pants. They are sometimes seen as underwear too. They are usually made of soft and light fabrics. We have the leggings, jeggings and tights. Jeggings are thicker than leggings and also carry an imitation of the jean design. They can also be classified as lighter denim fabrics. They are elastic, soft and warm on the skin. They feel very comfortable on the skin. Jeggings are styled almost the same way as jeans and can be worn as normal pants too. This fashion trend however is more suitable for slim people.

Let there be no doubt about this, tights are definitely not the same as leggings or jeggings. Although they may be thick at times, they are still not leggings or jeggings. Leggings have feet, whereas tights have no feet.

Leggings are designed to be worn as a sort of trousers under overlarge sweaters, jackets or tops. They should be worn as an accessory instead of in place of pants.

The modern trend of leggings has been abused by many of its users and this has raised so much dust as to the worth of the trend; is it decent? Is it worth wearing? The infamous leggings, they can be so terrible but when they are used the right way, they are just trendy, warm stylish and much more.

One very important fact is that many people tend to wear a much tighter leggings to look slimmer or for a girdle effect. Leggings are not girdles get the right size or you will look like a stuffed up sausage .and that definitely is an eyesore.

How to Wear Leggings

Follow these steps to make sure you’re wearing your leggings stylishly.

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Leggings are not pants and shouldn’t be worn as pants. While you can comfortably step out of the house wearing a shirt and pants you can’t do so wearing leggings, you won’t look fully clothed. Even if the shirt is below your butt you’ll still look like you stepped out of the house without putting everything on.

Wear leggings with a short dress, or with a button down long shirt belted around the waist. And also a big, long sweater or jacket. You can also wear small shorts or skirts with your leggings.

Do not wear leggings with tank tops, cropped up tops or a short tight top except you are going to the gym or heading for the club, but even if you are headed for the club, wearing a big jacket over it is suitable.

Do not wear leggings that are too tight, too loose or too sheer that one can see every dimple in your legs. Wear them with tops long enough to cover your buttocks. Also wear good underwear to avoid appearing half nude. You don’t want everyone to see your body bounce do you?

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Length matters also; ensure your leggings are a little bit beneath your ankles not above.

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Check out the occasion and environment before you decide on wearing leggings. They are definitely not the best option for an office environment; they are not office attire, except you fol- low the rules to wearing leggings strictly and your work environments permits such. They are also not suitable for some events like weddings.

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If you ever feel too self-conscious wearing a short dress, then pairing that dress with leggings can really help. You can also wear shirt dresses and tunic dresses with leggings. This offers tall girls (wink) a lot of freedom.

Wearing the latest trend is fun and sometimes makes you feel classy.

Keep in mind that you do not need to wear leggings just because they are in style. If they make your body look stuffed up like sausage or they make you look just too skinny, then Scan the image to read on the go the most fashionable thing you can do is to just pass.

How do you wear your leggings, and what do you like or dislikes about the leggings?

You can contribute by sending an email to merith@phmicroscope.com or an SMS to 07067015623.

For more interesting fashion tips or to choose a fashion topic send an email or sms to the above contacts.

Emiitest Ventures Limited: 1B, Rumuola Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State Eln’i’s boutique: 22, Ohiamini Road, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Igc Ventures: Shop 31, Mile 3 Motor Park, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Benova: Luli shopping mall, Hall B, N0 20 Rumuola Road, Port Harcourt, Nigeria and N0 192, Stadium Road, Port Harcourt.

Alabodavo: 41, Wogu Street, D Line, Port Harcourt, Rivers State Priority Clothing: 23, Obagi Street, Elelewon GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Linek Classic World: 56, Market Road, Rumumasi, Port Harcourt, Rivers.

Zuby - Chety World Klass Investment: 24, Emenike Street, Mile 1 Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers.

Abigail Fashion And Design: 1, Location Road, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Promise Boutique: Okrika Avenue, Eleme, Rivers State.

Smart Collections: 40, Mbodo Road, Alu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Chimiral signature Amazing Grace plaza, 102 Woji road , Stive Outfit 18 Rumuola Road, PH Cceee Concept 39 Rumuakalagbor/Elekahia Link road, Port Harcourt Zigal Fabrics, Leather and Accesories Luli shopping mall 20 Rumuola road PH Dress Code Clothing and Accesories 9a Rumuadaolu off Rumuoala Road PH.

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April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Politics

Politics

The election in Rivers State was a grand mess! - Douglas Waserite Dodiyi - Manuel

was not acceptable to me.

It was so bad that these women, and I don’t really who they were, went to that polling booth and had a hot argument with the PDP men there, saying that that unit was my unit, and they cannot allow me to lose in that unit. I could hear them talking and shouting and I could see that they were actually thumb-printing for me.

I initially thought that they had come to

am no longer interested in this election.

I said to them, “even if I am announced the winner, I would repudiate such a victory. This is not what I came here to do.

I came here for a change. I came to make sure things happen the way they are supposed to happen, to achieve something for my community; to do something that I can tell my children about; to achieve a victory over which I can go to church and give thanksgiving and say “Thank God,

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n the aftermath of the elections, a number of people have protested that the elections were massively compromised. There have been accusations and counter-accusations between the two frontline parties. We decided to seek out someone who was involved in the elections and who would have been at a vantage point to comment on the conduct. Mr Douglas Waserite Dodiyi-Manuel was the Labour Party candidate for the Akukutoru/Asaritoru Federal Constituency and he gave an eye-witness account of the conduct of the election in Kalabari land. The interview is no holds barred, and we tried not to interprete him as much as possible….

PHM: There are differing voices on the elections as held in Rivers state. As a stakeholder in the process, can you take me through your experience on the day of the election?

Mr Douglas Waserite Dodiyi-Manuel: Well, first and foremost, election is a process that begins with accreditation of voters, and ends with declaration of results. Until the results are declared, the process is not completed. Now the process can be truncated midway, because once set down rules are not adhered to, at that point it ceases to be a democratic election, as there are different forms of election. So in Akukutoru/Asaritoru federal constituency, I make bold to tell you that there were no elections; what we had there was not an election. The process started in the morning with accreditation. Before the culmination of the accreditation, I got wind that they were beating and chasing away every non-PDP agent from the polling units. On my way there, I saw an agent of the APC, a grown up man, who had just been beaten mercilessly. His clothes were torn, his body bloodied and his face covered with bruises. I looked at him and asked him “how come about this? What warrants this? Under what circumstances can this have happened? What did you do?

Did you hurt anybody?” He told me what happened and said he even knows the person that did that to him. He said the PDP thugs just saw him and started harassing him, asking what he was doing at the polling booth, and thereafter starting slapping and beating him, dragging him on the ground. I was perplexed! This was in Abonema Town.

and tutor.

Anyway, on my way back from meeting my family, I stopped over to speak with a PDP stalwart (name withheld) who told me that at a meeting held the previous night, PDP had appealed to APC to let go of the election, and they (APC) had refused. I don’t know how true that is as I am not a member of the APC or the PDP but these were his words, “we have appealed to them, and they have refused, so now we are going to do it by force. But don’t worry (referring to me), you will not win the election, but we have allocated votes for you!” I laughed. In fact the first thing he had told me when we met is that he heard that I had stepped down. When I said to him I have not stepped down, then he told me what he now said about the meeting with APC and all that.

While we were still together, I saw another of my cousins, who is also a serious PDP juggernaut. He ran to me and asked me what was happening, that news around was that I had stepped down. I told him it’s not true. Other people met me there asking the same questions about me having stepped down, and I kept saying it’s not true. I wondered what kind of information they have been given that has now made them to come to ask me. I told them all to please disseminate the information that I had not stepped down. Obviously it was ploy to destabilise me and my supporters.

Why? I don’t know but it clearly alludes to the fact that the elections have been pre-rigged, so to say.

He said to me, you will not win the election, but we have allocated votes for you!

At about the same time, my coordinating agent had called all the other agents and the women monitoring team who were all working with me. I had agents in every ward, and I also had a group of women who monitors what is going on at the wards and polling units. I fragmented the women in Abonema into two women leadership. They all came to me, and I told them “Look, with the developments right now, you have to be careful. If you see them coming, you cannot fight back and you will be hurt. So protect yourself by hiding your tag. Perpetually be on the line so you can be the last to vote. That way you will be able to monitor things”. I said to them “As an agent, you are supposed to be given a place near the election workers to sit and monitor things, but since they have not provided anywhere for you to sit; since the PDP people are causing mayhem, you have to be on the line to try and monitor.

At the end of the exercise, you can also vote.” Those were my instructions to them. They had come to meet me in front of what we call “Awonungo”. That’s the grave of my ancestors; BobManuel, the first Amanyanabo of Kalabariland.

Thereafter, I went to see my cousins from my maternal side. They wanted to see him. They were not happy that I did not gather them formally to tell them that I was running for office and discuss my election exclusively with them, despite all the campaigns that I did. I told them that sitting down with people in Kalabariland today entails giving them money, which is one of the negatives that we have imbibed as part of our culture. Whenever you sit people down, you must drop money. That means that for someone that does not have money, no matter the good idea you have, no matter the ingenious ideas you have, the people cannot benefit from it, because you don’t have money to give them.

Some of us are actually paid for talking, and it is a privilege for people to hear me talk free of charge. I am constitutional law tutor. So when I come to talk to you and you tell me I must bring money, then it is insulting to my profession as a speaker

After that, I went to my polling unit. I asked the youth corper and the other adhoc INEC agent to show me the result sheet for the unit.

They told me I should not worry, that everything is alright. I said to them, “look, I am not a political mover or shaker or anything. I am just here to offer myself to my people, and if they vote for me, fine. I came here on the basis of the integrity of this process, and I expect that this thing will work, that the process will work. First and foremost, you have accredited me without checking for my fingerprints. You just put the PVC in the reader and once it showed my face, you said I can go. I thought that my fingerprints was also meant to corroborate what the card has indicated. Now I am asking for the result sheet, you are telling me all sorts of things.

I hope this election has not been rigged already”. They kept saying, “Don’t worry sir. Don’t worry sir” but I kept insisting, “let me see the result sheet, but they were not forthcoming.” At that point, voting had commenced. Meanwhile, the two persons I was asking, I didn’t know that one of them was actually a PDP agent.

There were 3 PDP agents on the table with the ‘youth corper’.

They were all in normal clothes. In fact, now I realize that I was actually accredited by a PDP agent, who was holding the card reader. There were no other party agents there because they had chased everybody away. It was at that point that I realized that it was the PDP agent that accredited me. The policeman who was attached to the unit was all the time standing behind me. Of course he was hearing all that I was saying and he had a smile on his face. I just said, “Well, can I vote? And they said yes. When it got to my point, I took the ballot paper and went towards the booth. Now the way the booth was built is such that two people can be there at the same time, but in the booth, there was a PDP agent stationed there. Now while I was there, there was a woman who was also trying to vote. So the man was saying to the old woman in Kalabari language, “vote the umbrella, vote the umbrella.” But the woman was saying that, “I have already pressed the umbrella for the president”. The guy insisted, “give all to the umbrella (meaning both senate and the House of Reps).

The woman kept insisting, “no, I want to give this one to my son, pointing to the logo of the labour party”. Now this is an old woman in my unit, who knows me, knows my parent, and she had voted for the PDP for the president. Now she wanted to vote for me for House of Rep also. The guy was insisting and was forcing the woman to vote his way. So I left my side of the booth and came over to him and said, “my friend, who are you?

What is your problem? Why can’t you let this woman do what she wants to do?” At that point, I saw some group of boys coming with clubs, sticks, machetes and all sorts. When they got to the polling booth, they started harassing the ‘youth corper’ (who is already working with them), accusing him that they were told that somebody voted for APC in that place, so they wanted him to give them all the ballot boxes in that unit to check. So this PDP guy in that booth was calming them down and was telling them not to worry, that for as long as he is there, no one was voting APC in that place. Seeing them, I was shocked, and surprised.

I had never seen such a thing before. So I insisted the man should leave the woman alone. When the woman saw me and recognised me, she now asked me, “It’s your own I am looking for”. At that point, her hand was already on the logo of the Labour Party. I just looked at her with utter shock. I guess she expected me to tell her out rightly if that was mine, but I was just looked at her for a while and I went back to my side of booth. I believed she voted for me all the same, but at that point, I didn’t feel like voting anymore, because this was not the kind of victory I was looking for. But in the end I voted, I voted for PDP in the presidential election, and I left. I told the people that came with me that we had to leave. When they asked me why, I told them, “this is no longer an election! Election is a process, and voting is just part of the process! This process is altered”.

At this point while we still talking, I realized that a man and his wife, or his sister or so were being beaten up seriously, for voting for APC, by the thugs of PDP. Someone just pointed him out, that this man has just voted for APC and they proceeded to beat the hell out of him. The man cannot be younger than 51years of age. Small boys that cannot be more that 24years were beating him up and the woman that he was with. They were hitting him on the face and dragging him on the ground. So when you look at things like that in an election environment, it is off protocol immediately. The policeman had disappeared. I decided to go off to a far place to watch. As I was going, the thugs were behind me, running to another polling unit to cause mayhem because they were going from polling unit to polling unit. While they were going, some women were also coming from the opposite direction.

They met on the road, and the women told me not to worry, that I should just go and sit down, saying to me that the game was not meant for Pastors like me. I didn’t know them, but they were most likely women who were supporting me although these were not the women working for me.

So the voting started, however irregular. People were on the line and they voted, but people were also just thumb-printing. The line did not affect what the other people were doing. I am telling you what I saw with my eyes. The only person I challenged was the PDP guy in the booth, and other than the fact that I also challenged the irregularity of the result sheet not being there, that was the only person I challenged.

PHM: Was the ‘youth corper’ in their payroll or has he been intimidated?

Mr Douglas Waserite Dodiyi-Manuel: Well, I don’t know whether or not he is in their payroll. I read on Facebook that some corpers were on their payroll, but I cannot confirm that or prove that in court. But obviously, he was working with the PDP guys. If they want to deny that, they can deny that also, after all, they go to church every Sunday. They pay tithe and give offering in church. I am not here to argue with those who want to deny.

It’s not about denying. I know what I saw, and immediately I knew that if this is what is happening here, it could well be happening in the other 390 units. So if I am fighting this unit, will I also be fighting in the other units.

So anyway, these women told me to go and sit down, and went on towards the polling booth. I believe they went to thumbprint for me. My suspicion is this; I believe they were going from unit to unit to thumbprint for me. But of course, as long as you are voting for the president, you had a pass to do whatever else you wanted to do. I had a lot of support and people were determined to do what they had to do to make me win, even if that method

- Mr. Douglas Waserite Dodiyi-Manuel vote for me in any case, so when I saw the men trying to resist them, I went there and I told a guy who turned out to be a PDP agent, and not an INEC agent; I asked him why they were not allowing the women to vote. He said that if they have their PVC, they will vote.

The man then asked them if they had their PVCs, to which they answered in the affirmative. The man knows me, knows that I was labour party, knows that I had voted for the president, and felt if they were also coming, they will also probably vote for the president too, so he allowed them to vote. But as I went back, I realized that the women didn’t stop voting on time. They were just there thumb printing. The PDP guys didn’t mind because the women were thumb-printing for the president as well as for me. I am telling you what I saw with my own two eyes.

These women were thumb printing for me multiple times, as well as for the president. I said to myself, this can’t be! Then a young man, maybe in his late 30s or early 40s, ran towards me with a ballot paper, and said, “see, I am voting for you”. Now to the best of my knowledge, that man if I recognise him, had voted before me.

And here I am sitting down somewhere, and he brought the card to show to me, that he was voting for me. Apparently that was the second time he was voting.

He now went back and gave the ballot paper to the INEC ad-hoc staff, who received it from him and put it in the ballot box! I saw that with my eyes too. The next time he came to me, he came with quite a number of already printed voting cards showing that look, we are voting for you. He took it back, wrapped them in a particular way, mounted them and gave it to the INEC person, who put it in the house of rep box, and the presidential ones in the presidential box. He did the same for the senate ones. There were some other ballots that he didn’t wrap the same way he wrapped my own.

The other ones he just bundled them together, but the ones for me he wrapped in a particular way. They were so many and the INEC guys took them and put them in the box. I was speechless, with my arms folded, just looking at the whole scene, because I had come into these elections thinking that we will have an element of electronic assurance through the accreditation since only those who have PVC and have been accredited will vote, and all of that. I looked at the situation, and I told the people around me there that I

He saw me through this and I won”“.

PHM: So what do you think will happen on April 11? Do you think the Labour Party and the APC have learnt any lessons from this?

Mr Douglas Waserite Dodiyi-Manuel: I don’t know! We have learnt a lesson with what has happened. We know how to win elections, but the question is, “are we ready to do what it takes to win elections?” If to win elections in the US, UK and South Africa and other civilized democracies involves popularity and electoral franchise, to win an election in Nigeria, in Rivers State, and in Kalabari land is tantamount to winning a war. What we witnessed on March 28 was a war, a riot, an insurrection, dissidence or whatever you can call it, but it was not an election.

Whoever comes out to tell you that that was an election, and that it was free and fair, that person is shameless, dishonourable, and a curse to this generation! That person is an aberration to a decent society.

He is responsible for the evil that thrives in our land.

PHM: What about the election monitoring groups? They came back and said elections were free and fair? Is it that they didn’t come to Kalabari land or they didn’t see what was going on?

“So when they were brutalizing Isobo Jack, and the policeman tried to restrain them, they also brutalized him” Mr Douglas Waserite Dodiyi-Manuel: I cannot tell you that there were no election monitors but I didn’t see anybody like that. First, at the time I went to cast my vote, there were certain things I didn’t see.

I didn’t see other party agents. In my unit, at a point after I finished voting, my agent was carrying his Agents identification tag, and I told him that there were no elections anymore, and that they should remove their tags. I didn’t see any election monitoring team anywhere in Abonema. Within the amount of violence, no sane person would have shown up there. As long as

you are not wearing a PDP badge, there is no guarantee what fate may befall you.

These thugs are uneducated rural dwellers and were heavy on drugs or whatever else.

So that you are an inspector even puts you in arms way, because the thugs will believe that since you have since them, there is no guarantee that you will not report what you have seen, so they may have as well get rid of you.

But there were certain other bodies who were promoting peace who had called me to tell me that they will write a report of all that happened and send to INEC. They recognised what happened and said to me that it is said that these things had to happen. I don’t know if they were being sympathetic to me or not, because even when they called peace meetings and I would go there, I would be the only person there.

The other candidates never showed up.

I don’t know if I am going to court. In principle, I will be going to court, but I don’t know if I will. The beneficiary of the fraud, Boma Goodhead, the PDP candidate is my cousin. I will not attribute any misdemeanour to Boma Goodhead directly because I didn’t see her there. I don’t have any evidence that Boma sent anyone to come and do what they have done. As far as I know, PDP was asked to deliver Boma, and as they put it, they delivered her. As far as I know, she didn’t participate, even though she is a beneficiary of the fraud. But I believe that she cannot go to a church and testify that she had won an election, I believe that she cannot stand up and tell people that she contested an election and that people voted for her. I don’t think she would say she won an election, she simply benefited from a fraudulent incidence that was upheld by INEC to be an election, but all well and good.

PHM: INEC said they have investigated and found out that there was an election.

Do you think INEC’s assessment was correct?

Mr Douglas Waserite Dodiyi-Manuel: That is rather preposterous and desecrative of decency, and that’s where education should play a part. I explained earlier what I think an election process involves.

A democratic election begins with an accreditation of voters and declaration of elections results in order to choose the winner from candidates that participated, to occupy a position of political leadership. So when they came, the fact that I voted is only piece of the entire process.

Were there multiple prints in addition to my own ballots? Were people intimidated? There was a woman that said she was voting APC, and a man was telling her, you cannot do that here. He was vehemently insisting that she could not do that there, and as he was saying that, there was another woman 2meters away who is being beating up for having voted APC. The man was insistent that neither the woman nor any other person can vote for any other party in that place. These were the situation we found ourselves in. So when INEC said they had come to check, did they come to Abonema, or to Buguma? People were beaten up. I had to be sending money to people for the treatment from injuries sustained in the hands of PDP men. Agents were beaten to a pulp for refusing to sign result sheets.

A cousin of mine, an APC member, was harassed because he refused to allow the PDP people to have their way. A former legislator of this state called him and told him to give up the unit to PDP, but he refused, daring them to kill him. He had told them they can take the presidency, but he insisted that they cannot take the House of Rep, because he believed in my policies.

So even though the INEC people that came, I don’t know who they spoke to.

Let’s not deceive ourselves, this is Nigeria.

Nigeria is a lie. It is built on a lie. Our population figure is a lie. Our electoral figure is a lie. The number of voters declared

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April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Politics are lies. The number of votes are lies. Nothing is true. So when you look at people making comments on TV as to what a party should do and the number of votes in a place, they are talking balderdash. Everything is cooked up, nothing is true. Are you going to tell me that in Borno, over 1m people came out from Borno to get accredited and vote in this election, against what we all know? It is preposterous, insulting and desecrative of this democracy. It is shameful to know that even though we have 23 local governments in Rivers, within hours of touching down in Port Harcourt, you are sanctioning the process of election in all of these places. How long would it take them to get to Kula, where it was reported that two corpers drowned? How do we know that they drowned simply because they were found in water? How do you know if they were not dumped in the river after they were killed? Did they do a post-mortem to know if their deaths were caused by drowning?

That is how careless people talk. So that is why I have decided to just go back to my business.

So in principle, I am going to court, but I am also considering the other side. I tell my followers that I cannot beg people to serve me. I have come here to do something that would be beneficial to my community. I am still in shock as I speak to you. We all have violent tendencies.

I am much more security inclined that most of these hooligans. I can take them out surgically, I can take them down in a manner that can close Abonema down, but I am a Pastor, I am a leader and a father. I make lives. I talk to people and their lives take pattern because I have been through what I needed to go through. I came here to raise people. I didn’t come to shed one drop of blood because of politics. If the people want good leadership, they will have it. IF they want bad leadership, and then spend the next four years, praying for Rivers state, then so be it. I tell people to fight for their right, and their decency. We are more than these people. As the thugs came to the unit, the people who were on the line were more than these hooligans. If we all stood up and said, “who are you? Get out of this place”. If we had chased them, they would have left us alone. If other people in other polling had done the same, they will have no place to go. But we sit down and watch these things happen, and yet we complain. On that day, I saw an entire an entire street filled with boys with long canes in both hands. I didn’t witness that, but I heard that they flogged away all the people that were in the polling booths on the main road in the town. I saw old women coming back cursing the boys for what they had gone done to them. They flogged people indiscriminately, elders, young people etc. All the polling units on that road still had INEC staff there, but no voters, but they were thumb printing in those polling stations.

I saw a senior police office wounded in the car of a PDP stalwart. Apparently the policeman was attached to Isobo Jack of the APC. So when they were brutalizing Isobo Jack, and the policeman tried to restrain them, they also brutalized him. So the PDP people took the police officer to quickly pacify him and treat him to make sure he is alright. I saw the policeman bloodied, with bandages on his head in the car of the PDP man as I was on the side of the road, talking with a cousin of mine who is also a PDP member. And you wonder, all these because of an election? Now what has election got to do with that mess.

I looked at our people and I gave up on them.

I remembered the song it is well with my soul, I considered my soul, my family, my career, and my business and I realized that it is well with me all around. I looked at the people that I thought I have come to fight for and I said, “if they are unable to wake up, to see what I see, then there is nothing I can do”. A friend of mine once advised me. He said, “Leave the poor where they are, lest you be like them”. The people giving you money to do all these, where are their children? They are either doctors, lawyers, engineers or in school overseas. Even I, my wife and children are not here, they are in South Africa. Most of us don’t have our family here, and people destroy their lives for these people? Even President Jonathan has conceded to General Buhari, he has called him and congratulated him. The day he did that should be on record in Nigeria as a great day. It should be a day to celebrate honour and decency; a day to celebrate our humanity and respect for

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Politics the lives of people. He could have said, “I don’t agree with this thing”. Everyone rigged in this election. Nothing in this election is reality, and with the state apparatus at GEJ’s disposal, he can always make sure that there is something to prove, but he looked at the possible incendiary dimensions that the rejection of the results will have and opted for the path of honour.

What Elder Godsday Orubebe tried to do there was a show of shame. He tried to quake Nigeria. He did what he did to create unrest in Nigeria. These men will be in their high towers when people die, when lives will be wasted. A former minister of the federal republic of Nigeria! A man that aspired to be Governor of his own state! I believe that these are the discredits of GEJ. If you look at such people and then see that these are the same people that GEJ selected to be in his cabinet. These are the people he made leaders in the society for the upcoming generation to look to. These are the minuses of GEJ; that people like this can work with you.

How would they have possibly worked together? What kind of advice would that man have given GEJ in the sector of his responsibility?

It is utterly shameful. We are heading towards April 11 now. I believe in prayers, but not stupid prayers that mock God. The bible says, “be

conscience; we threw nobility to the dogs; we lost our flower. We became a society of thugs, a society where merit is undermined; where merit is unattractive. That was the beginning of our problems as a state. If you look at both PDP and APC in Rivers, they are the two hands of Odili. One was the right hand, and the other is the left hand. You cannot dissociate them from

one another. When Prince Tonye Princewill aspired to run for governorship in 2007 under the platform of AC, one of his cardinal aims was to probe the administration of Peter Odili. Today, as a governorship candidate, one of his cardinal objectives is to lift the perpetual injunction preventing Dr Odili from being prosecuted. APC has never talked about that injunction. PDP has also not said anything about it, yet a society like Rivers state cannot determine that these people are hiding under a cover that covers corruption.

They are trying to protect the shield that covers corruption. That perpetual injunction is the shield of corruption in this state. They have not told us what they will do about the perpetual injunction that shields the grand larceny that goes on in this state. That injunction defeats accountability in democracy. It says they cannot be questioned and they cannot be touched.

Today, Gov. Amaechi has embarked on a white

“At that point, I saw some group of boys coming with clubs, sticks, machetes and all sorts.

When they got to the polling booth, they started harassing the ‘youth corper’” not deceived. You cannot mock God. Whatever a man sows, he shall reap”. If you sow in the flesh, you will reap corruption. We are not here to sow violence, we are here to appeal to APC and PDP to give peace a chance. We of labour party want to develop our people. We want to give leadership and re-orient our people. These thugs in Abonema did not get up by themselves to go about. There are people who groomed them to be thugs, and the people who groomed them are not in Labour Party. I make bold to say that the thugs worked for PDP. PDP should give peace a chance. I know what Port Harcourt looked like before 1999; before Dr Peter Otunnaya Odili became governor. This is the leadership he gave to Rivers State. Militancy as we know it in Nigeria, started in Rivers state, under Peter Odili’s administration and leadership.

Dr Odili as a doctor, has no sense of shame. My father was a medical doctor, so I grew up with nobility, and I had tremendous respect for Peter Odili, until his manifestation. Under his leadership, the fiber of the Rivers society got corrupted. Killers were groomed in Rivers state; by whom, I don’t know. But it is factual to say that under Dr Peter Odili’s leadership, Rivers state lost her decency and her dignity. We lost our

elephant project, building a mono rail between Lagos bus stop and UTC bus stop at a cost of more than 50 billion naira. With 50 billion naira, Amaechi could have given 1000 rivers indigenes a grant of 50million naira each to open up an agricultural hub. That is what we didn’t have. What we have is an uncompleted mono rail with more than 50 billion naira already gone, and the project is not yet completed. When it is completed, you can imagine the electricity requirement, or diesel requirement to run that thing. So who in his right mind will get up and enter mono rail from Lagos bus stop to UTC bus stop. They will rather enter bus and pay 50naira. I don’t know how much monorail will take from you. Even if they take 500naira per person, and the thing is filled with people, how long will it take before they can recover that investment? It is a big white elephant project which has gulped resources that should go into health care, education, information technology, agriculture, urban development, commerce and industry, justice and legal industry, you name it.

PHM: Will we be seeing you back?

To talk about the future, I believe, it is to play

God. We don’t talk about tomorrow when you don’t know what today will end with. I am very engrossed with my business right now. If Tonye Princewill wins his election, then I believe I will pop into Nigeria and Rivers state once in a while, to make sure he has followed on the policies already agreed, to create jobs through industrialization. Creating jobs is not just packing 13,000 people into the civil service like (Gov) Amaechi has done.

Elections definitely held in Rivers and PDP won fair and square

When we go by the plans that the Labour government is make, take for example the Ministry of Information, the schedule of activities that will go on in the Ministry of Information will create an industry within the ministry of information. What this government has done in Arts and Culture in 7 years is to build Obi Wali Cultural Center and waste money on an annual carnival. They cannot show us the amount of revenue that has been generated from the Ministry of Arts and Culture. They cannot tell me that they pay their salary through revenues derived. No, they pay through federal allocation.

Now that allocation has dwindled, they cannot pay salaries again.

Honourable Nimi Walson-Jack is a stalwart and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State. He had been a gubernatorial aspirant in the primaries that threw up Barrister Nyesom Wike, and despite not getting the ticket, he has continued to be a rock within the party providing support to the effort of the party and coming tops at the 2015 General Elections. We spoke to him on his opinion about the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly polls. Here is what he has to say……

- Nimi Walson - Jack

must the available and should be produced on demand?

So I don’t know if I will come back into politics.

I am busy with my businesses, and I want to refocus on it. I have interests in a lot of sectors; telecommunication, pharmaceuticals, beverage, agriculture and energy industry. I have my personal industrial target to me. That’s why I say politics for me is a sacrifice, but the people don’t understand. Perhaps they think that I am one of these political jobbers that they can tell to give them money. I was willing to give that time to my people. Being in Abuja would take so much time from me. My kids are in primary school. I love to take my kids to school and pick them up after school and see them running to me and shouting, Daddy! Daddy! That is the joy of fatherhood. All these would have been altered by going to Abuja, but I was ready to give all that, and these people think it’s their money. How much is their money now? I have told you about the kind of investments I am already working on bringing into this country.

I am working with people get some investments fund into this country? How much is the constituency project money? 500m naira when we are talking of bringing 100m US dollars per annum into my constituency to fund projects.

Most our people do not see even though they have eyes. Look at the young boys being used for thuggery now. I can guarantee you that in the next 4 years, they will not be lawyers or doctors or engineers. Your guess is as good as mine what they will be in 4 years’ time. Our people allow their own lives to be destroyed for as little as 5,000 naira. What can I do? Heaven knows I have tried. I have offered myself, I spoke to people. I educated them about what governance is about. I made them know why they should vote for the right candidate. I gave them parameters to adjudge candidates, not just saying he is my brother or my sister because that is not a good way to judge a candidate. I have done my best. Political leaders have not done anything to see to the industrial development of my people. Unfortunately we have an uninformed public. Most of our people are unable to articulate what these political leadership will do for them. They are like zombies. That is why America has an Electoral College system.

The destiny of America cannot be placed in the hands of uninformed popularity. The future of America cannot be placed at the discretion of irrational popularity. There is a deeper and higher consideration for them, but this is where we have found ourselves as a people.

PHM: How many votes did you now get in total?

Mr Douglas Waserite Dodiyi-Manuel: The question should not be how many votes I polled because the votes were not counted. But if you ask how many votes were allocated to me, it was less than 300, notwithstanding the fact that I had over 800 people as agents. It is sad, but that’s the environment we have found ourselves, and somebody will now claim this as an election victory and go to church for thanksgiving. This is tantamount to mocking God, but God cannot be mocked! I have tried, and heaven knows I have tried.

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: No, it’s no so. I have been an electoral commissioner myself in Rivers State for four years. In Rivers state, before we came to RSIEC (Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission), result sheets were written in government houses as (Gov) Amaechi himself has said. We were the first in the history of elections in Nigeria to give the presiding officer the results sheets to go with to the Polling station.

We were the first to do the personalisation (or customisation) of result sheet in the whole of Nigeria; INEC copied it from us. This is the way it works; result sheets are given to the POs (polling officers). The election bags are packed a night before, in our case, we pack it days before. The political parties come with their officers and examine the bags and confirm with a checklist that everything that should be there is there. What is important is that when the polling officer is setting up his polling center, he has to account for everything that was in the bag to the party agents when they arrive. Once they have seen the result sheet, that’s all. If it is not there, he will send for it and they will bring it.

PHM: I’d like to take your comments about the conduct of the elections specifically as it concerns Rivers State Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: You see, that’s why they say politicians are liars, as they also say lawyers are liars. This is because many politicians, particularly the older generations can’t admit the truth. It’s even now made worse by the newer generation. I have tried in my little way to be honest. I think you should admit your faults and shortcomings. Worst case scenario, you keep silent about the things you don’t want to lie about.

My whole family came down from Abuja, and we left my home (in Port Harcourt) at about 6am to arrive the polling station early because it was far from where I live. We stationed there till 6pm in the evening. Where I voted, there were 8 polling units, and all these polling units were well attended, and between accreditation and the voting proper, we actually went visiting to the other polling units within the cluster, and we were also in touch with friends via modern communications. People came out to vote; perhaps not as much as in 2011, but people turned out. Governor Amaechi himself turned out to vote in his own polling unit in Ubima and met people waiting there. He sought to be accredited before he had his disagreements with the officers there. So for him to turn around and allege that there was no voting is mischievous.

You see, what those who say that there was no voting are doing or has done is to tarnish our general image.

There are people who believe that a person in the status of the Governor cannot tell a lie, so here is my governor saying that there are no elections in these places? Some people will naturally want to believe because of his office, but certainly, that is not the truth of the matter.

PHM: According to the people who are complaining, it is not as if there were no voting, but that what happened was a rape of a democratic election process…

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: With due respect, let’s take it this way. First, he said that there were no elections, and saying that there were no elections is different from saying that the elections were marred with irregularities. Even the law assumes that the elections will have irregularities, and that is why the law says that the irregularities must not be such as can substantially affect the outcome of the elections.

We have done all these before and it does not mean that we rigged an election. We have to put SPOs (supervising polling officers) on the surveillance to go round the polling units under them to confirm that everything is in place.

This is done at the point when accreditation is said to be over and voting is about to begin. At the end of the voting, you fill the result in the sheet. If the result sheet is not there and you finished counting, it is common knowledge the no agent will sign, so if one party takes the sheet to go and sign somewhere, there is evidence that the others did not sign. This will confirm the story these agents will tell that they did not sign the sheets. Again, with the camera phones, it is easy for agents to film the signing for proof.

There was a lot of voters’ consciousness in the North, and they have always been like that. It doesn’t matter whether or not they rig elections, but they have always been politically conscious and it reflected in the voter turnout.

Even (Prof ) Jega admitted that there were irregularities in Rivers State, but I say there were irregularities everywhere in the country. For examples, are you telling me that more people live in Kano than in southern Nigeria? Didn’t you see underage voters on television cameras voting in Northern Nigeria? The issue is, “are those underage voters in quantities enough to affect the outcome of the elections?” So will you then say that because of that one incident, the elections are overall irregular? Even take the instance that he (Gov Amaechi) was talking about; the absence of election result sheets. It’s not as if it is not there, but they don’t need to show it to you.

He has been a politician for some time now, and he should know these things, it is not a big deal.

PHM: But does the law not say the result sheet

So the point we are making is that there could have been irregularities at some polling units, but there are 4442 polling units in Rivers Sate.

Can Gov. Amaechi as a leader truthfully say that there were no elections in all these polling units? In the 8 polling units around where I voted, there were no sham.

PHM: There were reports of stations where people were beaten, intimidated or coerced to vote in certain ways. Were you aware of this?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: Of course! In fact there is a particular station where there was no voting. I was told that there was a disagreement between the security forces and an agent. In the process, the agent was shot dead, and that

meant there was no voting in that center. You will know that the election is rigged if you know that unit, and you now found out that they declared results in that unit. That is why the law said that political parties should have agents. If there are agents, no one will be arguing if there was an election or not.

A particular personal experience I have while I was an election commissioner: there was a man in Oyigbo ward 8, who ran under the citizen’s party. The report we got in the commission was that he lost the election. The Monday after the election, somebody appeared in our office to complain that he won the election, and this was not the person we had announced. We were surprised, and when we asked, he brought out his result sheets, that is the one that our officers gave to him from every unit. We cross checked the signatures and they were valid signatures of our officers. We computed the result and found that he truly won. When we compared it with what our officer had given to us, the officer apparently had given us something different from what this man brought. Since the law does not allow us to cancel after we have announced a result, we advised the man to go to court. We went to court to testify that our officer had rigged the election, and the court reversed the decision and we gave the man his certificate. I understand that the man was still eventually not sworn in by Governor Amaechi.

The point is, Nigerian elections have gone past the days of sitting in a hotel room to write result sheets, so we feel pained that of all the elections in this country, only Rivers state is being complained about. Meanwhile you are not complaining about the elections held in the northern part of the country. In fact, no member of the PDP complained about the elections held in those northern states where PDP lost. So in my opinion, elections held. The voter turnout was not as much as it was in 2011, and it showed in the results. In 2011, we gave the PDP 2million votes in Rivers state, but now we gave 1.4million votes or thereabouts. I myself would have told you something in fishy if they had said that we gave President Jonathan 2million votes, because we didn’t have the same number of volume of voters as we had previously.

PHM: Were you surprised about the outcome of the elections?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: No, I wasn’t surprised.

The truth of the matter is that I have long known that the northern part of the country who believed that they are entitled to rule forever had wanted to take back power for a long time. I must confess that we all, along with the Yorubas, fought the northen domination, but the Yorubas now found that if they want to have any role in government, they needed to go with the Hausas. With this, we are back to ground zero because APC does not talk about power rotation. It is only PDP that talks about power rotation. So if the same north that started with us with the rotation have now torpedoed it because they felt they have been out of power for too long, and have now gone for a different political alliance with the west for the purpose of ruling, I can only hope that the marriage will last, because when they want the same power and the Yorubas are not ready to concede to them in the next 4 years, they may now be looking for another political ally.

However, in terms of the general results, I am not surprised. I knew the north was going to vote that way. The only problem I had was with the Eastern Nigerian votes which showed clearly that they didn’t come out to vote. In a place where they registered 1.7million voters, only about 400, 000 came out to vote, meaning

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April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Poetry Corner

Politics that 1.3million people didn’t come out, and these were even cards that were given out this year. Voter apathy showed clearly in Eastern Nigeria. I also got the western votes right. In fact if I took a bet I would have won money because I told people that PDP cannot lose Osun by more than a hundred thousand votes, and that is exactly what happened.

cal thinking of Rivers people. So in political parlance we can call Rivers state a PDP stronghold. One can conjecture a thousand reasons why the people voted PDP, but the reality

elections. In 2011, a united PDP got 2million votes for the president.

Now in 2015, a divided PDP or a split PDP (into APC and PDP) got 1.5million votes for the president.

APC complained to the INEC chairman that his staff gave results sheet to PDP, and he sent an independent investigation panel who came and said that such did not happen. Are we now saying that INEC, the chairman, and the officers he sent were all lying? Why must it be you (the governor) that is always correct, and every other person a liar? Why must it be so?

There was a lot of voter’s consciousness in the North, and they have always been like that. It doesn’t matter whether or not they rig elections, but they have always been politically conscious and it reflected in the voter turnout.

PHM: But the north too suffered from apathy because I think it was only in two states that they have more than 50% of voters accredited.

PHM: That’s APC, but there were other reports from several quarters saying that there were incidences of violence and intimidation all alleged to have been carried out by PDP ‘agents’.

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: I don’t have the figures, you will find that in many places they did more than 60-80%.

We can compare the figures later, but I know that the core north had more percentage turnout than the rest of the country.

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: I was only in Ward 7 Unit 22, and I only monitored the surrounding units up to Unit 29, so I cannot say what happened in Bori for example, or in Etche. I cannot speak on something I am not aware of.

PHM: Okay, with the demography of the votes, what statement does that make?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: Well, it shows that Nigerian politics have become more tribal. Whatever gains we had made in recent times have been wiped out. I don’t know why that is, and perhaps historians will eventually find out and tell us why. But clearly, you can draw a map and see a certain colour in the north, and a different colour in the south. It’s only the Yorubas that were different, and this can either be attributed to either an independence of thoughts or perhaps there was some agreement about being fair with both sides. I also think education played an important part in the way Yoruba voted.

PHM: But the north central votes were also different. They seem to have changed game this time. They didn’t vote the way they normally voted in the past elections.

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: With the north central, there were changes for and against. The result in Nassarawa for example was pro-PDP even though the state is an APC state.

Benue is PDP, but in this election, it was 2 to 1 for APC. So you can put it down to consciousness or something, maybe even voter apathy, but there are certainly many factors why the voting went the way it did in Benue.

PHM: Is personality voting also responsible for the way the votes have gone?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: I guess so.

If you take the Benue votes, it was clearly personality driven. Ethnicity and religion too must have played a role in certain instances, but I would have thought that the whole country should have been at that level where Western Nigeria is, but we can argue that Western Nigeria is more developed educationally, because it is only there that you can see two strong parties both almost equally making a strong showing. This made election more competitive in those areas.

PHM: Coming back to Rivers state, March 28 is gone, and the results are the way they are. How does this affect the fortune of the different gubernatorial candidates?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: You see, for me as a PDP member, the performance of the PDP at the presidential election is an indication of the politi-

it not disgraceful that a ruling party will lose an election and complain that the opposition rigged it? And how were the elections rigged? Was it by snatching ballot boxes or writing results in hotel room as the Governor alleges? INEC came and investigated the matter, and did they say that they found that results were given to PDP?

PHM: What are your expectations of the incoming APC Federal Government?

is that they have always voted PDP. So if you follow this pattern, then the question would be, “would this number of people change their pattern of voting within two weeks?”

Then again, how do the people interprete the loss at the federal level?

Would it make them angry enough to come out and vote again for the party of their choice? Or will it disillusion them and make them just give up on the system? One man’s meat is another one’s poison. While people are rejoicing in Katsina, the people here are in mourning. So, we know that this may be a problem and we are working on it, but we will like to let people know that Rivers PDP has not been a failure. PDP Rivers sate voted massively for GEJ, we contributed 94% of the state votes, we got all the 3 senates and 13 House of Reps seats, all of which has contributed massively to PDP in the center because as of today, the APC does not have the majority in the senate and in the house, which means we are still relevant, and that relevance has to be consolidated by also having the state administration.

PHM: One might argue that PDP was APC and vice versa, and in the real sense the people that were in APC today were PDP members…

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: (cuts in) No! PHM: But Governor Amaechi was a PDP member and most of the people that are in the APC today migrated from PDP. So when you say PDP is not a failure in Rivers state, but now that PDP is now split into APC and PD, if people are voting personality as we have clearly seen, would this not affect the way the votes go?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: First and foremost, the question on whether the split will affect us not have been answered during the presidential

PHM: Can we not say that this is because of the personality involved?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: I can’t tell.

I can’t tell. People can only conjecture in the absence of a proper survey. People can say anything, but the point remains elections have been conducted and the votes have been counted. Elections are conducted by parties who are represented by

With this, we are back to ground zero because APC does not talk about power rotation. human beings and PDP scored that number. So if the point is that the people are going to look at the people contesting the elections, the question to ask is, “did they look at the people who contested for the Senate and the House of Reps?” If they did and the PDP won, then the chances are that the results for the governorship and the house of reps elections will also pass the same way that Presidency and the National Assembly went.

PHM: There were reports that the elections were massively rigged by the PDP in Rivers state. Can you comment on this?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: I have already answered this question. The fact is that people who lose elections will always complain. If people say the elections were rigged by PDP, is

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: Well, I have not read their manifestoes, and if they will govern by their manifesto, then as soon as the governorship elections are concluded, a lot of us will read up their manifesto and see what will be their response to the demands of ground. There are quite a lot of demands of ground and many of them have been addressed by the national confab. Chief Lai Mohammend (APC National Publicity Secretary) have said that they will implement the areas that they believe are relevant from the submission of the confab, so we have to see which areas they will implement. It is also our government, and once they are elected, all of us will have to participate. Once we see the agenda of the government, then everybody will get involved.

PHM: President Jonathan was the first caller to General Mohamadu Buhari, even before all the results have been announced. What is your assessment of that gesture coming from him?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: President Jonathan told us that we are going to be grateful to him after he has left office, and that is what is going on. Sometimes, we don’t see when things are really improving; we just take them for granted. That we were able have an election in a developing country like Nigeria, without interference shows the nature of the individual. To us as Niger Deltans, we feel pained that our chance is gone, but he has left a legacy. Now politicians know, from counsellor to president, that they can be removed from office midway. It’s a good lesson for everybody to learn, and I feel that setting the pace or following the pace already set by two governors, but being the first president to do so shows that we are already moving to a new era, when every election will not be contested in an election tribunal. As president, I am sure he had access to the reports as they were coming in from the field, either from the security agencies or from the PDP machinery, and so clearly he saw in advance that he had lost the election. He could have done anything

to truncate the process but he didn’t.

People think that after an election you cannot torpedo the election, but the case of Cote d’ Ivoire have shown that elections can be torpedoed even after results are announced. By saying congratulations, and just giving it up, I think he has set a mark, and I commend him. I also hope that politicians everywhere will follow suit. I told my supporters when I was running for the PDP primaries, “I am going to contest a fair primaries, and that they should better work hard, because if I lose, I am not going to challenge the elections”. Now I am happy that they have seen that I am not the only who thinks like that. In Kwara State, a councillor was rigged into office, and he declined to take his seat! So you can see that the number is growing, and one day we will come to know that it is not true that politicians cannot be trusted.

PHM: How does PDP begin to rebuild?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: Frankly speaking, I can’t tell, but that PDP will rebuild is a task that must be done. In every democracy, if the exco does not deliver on an election, they have to go. If you deliver, a vote of confidence is passed and you are returned, so there must be reforms and changes in the months ahead.

What form it will take I can’t immediately tell, but I can tell you one thing clearly; till date, the PDP cannot boast of membership with membership card. This is something that APC achieved as soon as they were formed. PDP had it when they were formed but over the years, they now have a generation of members who had no membership card. At least of one thing I am sure, PDP in rebuilding will register members.

PHM: Some say that there will be an implosion in PDP in terms of the party falling apart Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: You mean implosion in terms of people going out of the party? There will be an implosion, and there will be an explosion. People will go out and people will come in. Even now, in some states where there is no chance of even producing the governor, some people who can’t stand the thought of that scenario are already on their way now to join the new ruling party, but definitely there will be some people who will remain in PDP to rebuild the party. The APC leader started off with one governor in the West, then he got 5, and then Obasanjo came and took away all except Lagos, leaving him with that one. After that, he got back a few states, and today he has a hand in the Federal Government. He is certainly not the most intelligent person in party organisation in Nigeria, so there are other people too who will now take PDP and restructure it, and in a few years’ time, PDP will become a stronger and more viable party.

By BARRY NEEDOM

World poetry day: March 21 “Every poem is unique but each reflects the universal in human experience, the aspiration for creativity that crosses all boundaries and borders, of time as well as space, in the constant affirmation of humanity as a single family” – UNESCO. Before now, World Poetry Day (WPD) was generally celebrated in October, sometimes on the 5th and 15th respectively. But the later part of the 20th century witnessed the world community celebrating World Poetry Day on October 15th. The 15th October date was actually the birthday of VIGIL, the Roman epic Poet and Poet Laureate under Augustus.

While the discrepancies in the actual date for the celebration of the World Poetry Day continue, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) deemed it very necessary to resolve this and during its 30th session held in Paris in 1999, it adopted a decision that proclaimed 21st March as the new World Poetry Day(WPD).

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in declaring the day, says – “To give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movement”.

In celebrating World Poetry Day, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization also recognizes the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind. In addition, the body reiterated that poetry has become the mainstay of oral tradition, and over centuries, had communicated and will continue to communicate the innermost values of diverse cultures.

The main purpose of World Poetry Day is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world. The WPD also is instituted firstly to support linguistic diversity through poetic

expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities.

Also, it is there to encourage a return to the oral tradition of poetry recitals, to restore a dialogue between poetry and the other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting.

Lastly, the World Poetry day is to support small Publishers and create an attractive image of poetry in the media so that the art of poetry will no longer be viewed or

considered an outdated form of art, but one which enables society as a whole to regain and assert its identity.

In the city of Port Harcourt, the UNESCO World Book Capital 2014, the World Poetry Day was observed and celebrated by the Poetry Corner of the Port Harcourt Microscope Newspaper, The Ogoni Poets Forum (OPF) and other Poetry and Literary clubs. However, the celebration was lowkey with poetry recitals and poetry work presentations.

Always keep a date with us for the next edition and you will be glad you do. You can equally share/forward your poems, comments, suggestions and even articles about poetry for publication to: poetrycorner2015@gmail.com or call or sms 09051876309.

Remember, the star poem of the month shall be recognized and rewarded.

But Judges’ decision is final.

POEM

IT IS YOU I SALUTE (for Ken Saro-Wiwa) Now that you neither utter nor ponder Not that you lay in slumber But have chosen to join their number It is you I salute.

You who were born in this Delta Homed in hovel, no shelter Raised in the midst of danger Against all convictions you stood even stronger It is you I salute.

You whom they rejected Despised and was forbidden But now the most accepted Approved and most chosen It is you I salute.

You who minded not credentials Been aware of the fecund potential Potential pilfered not by Ebola and Malaria Not even there in Guinea and Liberia It is you I Salute.

You dunce turned sage Though toiled all night through haze This morn for you heaven has found a plate That they all come, so eager to taste your cake It is you I salute.

COMPLETION

A DAUGHTER OF EVE

Trinity’s missing part, glowing finally returning to its desiring home.

A fool I was to sleep at noon, And wake when night is chilly Beneath the comfortless cold moon; A fool to pluck my rose too soon, A fool to snap my lily.

4 + 2 arms, 4 + 2 lips, 2 + 1 hearts, 2 + 1 minds.

You single stem born of diverse roots Milk, mild, gentle and so good Though time may cause the earth to be rude Your branch shall not forsake the path of truth It is you I salute.

whispering love enchanting happiness Two plus the one, Constructing paradise.

Your noble name they coined deception Now they sing and discuss you at lectures Some even change your name to mentor Because the tale has been told by the vendor It is you I salute.

The one, unknown lost part, Starvingly needed for, Completing existence.

SARO-OGUMBA

- STEFAN M. GERLACH

My garden plot I have not kept, faded and all forsaken, I weep as I have never wept; Oh it was summer when I slept, It’s winter now I waken.

Talk what you please of future spring And sun-warmed sweet to-morrow:-stripped bared of hope and everything, No more to laugh, no more to sing, I sit alone with sorrow.

Two stars, Blessed by, God with The one.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

Three stars circling around each other, dancing together, in an, Infinite universe.

Scan the image to read on the go

2015

PHM: So in your assessment, is PDP ready for being an opposition party?

Hon Nimi Walson-Jack: Whether you are ready or not, the opposition role has been thrust on you, and the benefit of it is that, because we have been in power for 16 years, we understand governance. Now it is the role of the opposition to the government that we now have to gear ourselves up for.

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Understanding Autism & Improving Access to Services

Date: 18th April 2015

Time: 10:30am

Venue: Swiss International Mabisel Hotel 9 Mabesel Road, Off Ordinace Road Trans-Amadi PH.

Scan the image to read on the go Sponsored by TCHANAN Foundation

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April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Politics

13

Politics

Rivers Guber Election: Who shall wear the crown?

By Folarin Banigbe - Philips

Finally, it all comes down to polling units, voters and ballot sheets. The beauty of democracy is that you always have to wait for things to unravel. No one can say for sure what is going to happen. No matter how much you have put in, you have to trust that people want you want them to do, or even what they have said to you they will do.

Nigeria of course is a maturing democracy and votes are not usually based on anything rational, but one expects at least to say some convictions in the Rivers Guber polls on Saturday April 11. There are about 14 candidates listed on the ballot sheets, but it is clear to all that the battle is pitched between three candidates. Nyesom Wike represents PDP, and is pitched in a grand duel with APC’s Dakuku Peterside and Labour’s

Nyesom Wike - PDP

Family Tree Barrister Nyesom Wike was born on 24 August 1967 to the family of Reverend and Mrs Nlemanya Wike. He hails from Rumuepirikom community in Obio Akpor local government area, Rivers State, Nigeria. , A holder of several traditional chieftaincy titles, Chief (Barr.) E.N. Wike is happily married to Justice (Mrs.) Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, a High Court Judge with the Rivers State Judiciary, and blessed with three lovely children; Jordan, Joaquin, and Jazmyne.

Education/career An outstanding administrator, lawyer, leader and politician, chief (Barrister) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike holds degrees in Political and Administrative Studies as well as Law. Achievements After a brief stint with private legal practice, Chief E.N. Wike was elected twice as the Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, an office he used to redefine and exhibit his special brand of governance.. He served his two terms in office from 1999 to 2002 and 2004 to 2007. While in office, Chief E.N. Wike also served as Deputy President, Association of Local Governments of Ezenwo Nyesom Nwike is a former Minister of Education.

From 2003 to 2006, and While in office, Chief E.N. Wike also served as Deputy President, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, in 2004 and was later elected the President of ALGON), the umbrella forum through which all the 774 Local Government Council Chairmen in Nigeria interface and interact on issues affecting the Politics and policies of Nigeria. He also represented Africa as a member of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Local Governments Forum. Wike was the National President of All Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), from 2007 to 2011, he was appointed the Chief of Staff of Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi. And in 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him as the Minister of Education State of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Tonye Princewill.

All three candidates are veterans of Rivers Politics. Of the three, Tonye Princewill have been this way before, contesting for governorship in 2007 against Sir Celestine Omehia. In an election that was fraught with irregularities, Tonye Princewill had gone to court when INEC declared Omehia the winner, but the case was withdrawn as soon as the Supreme installed current Governor Rotimi Amaechi by Judicial Fiat. He has never held political office, but he is a pioneer businessman and a social philanthropist who believes that Governance is easy if it is approached with a business mind.

Chief Wike on the other hand have contested and won the

Barrister Wike distinguished himself as the best performing local government council chairman in Rivers State. As council chairman, he embarked on iconic projects that re-defined council administration and set the right example for his colleagues. As ALGON National President, Barrister Wike played a pioneering role in national security and primary healthcare, leading all local councils to commit themselves to high level grassroots development across the country.

Between October 26, 2007 and May 28th 2011, Chief N.E. Wike served as the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and was appointed the Director-General of Governor Amaechi’s re-election Campaign Organization. On the 14th of July, 2011, Chief E, N Wike was subsequently appointed and sworn-in as the Honourble Minister of State for Education.

Following a cabinet shake-up, Chief (Barr.) Wike emerged the nation’s Supervising Minister of Education on September 12, 2013.

In May 2013, Wike donated his salary for six months (about 11.7 million naira) to a non-profit organization, Tompolo Foundation.

As the Minister of State for Education, Chief (Barr) E. N. Wike made remarkable impact in the basic education sub-sector, spearheading a nationwide reform of the nation’s education system.

The fundamental programmes that were driven by the former Minister of State for Education include the creation of access to quality education for 9million Almajiri children in Northern Nigeria through the construction of dedicated schools in affected states, construction of basic education vocational training schools for out-of-school children in Southern Nigeria and Special Girl-Education Schools for less privileged girls in 16 states of the country.

The former Minister of State for Education also championed the free distribution of books across the nation. Over 60 Millions of textbooks and library resource materials have been distributed since 2011.

Determined to ensure that teachers have the capacity to deliver on the Transformation Agenda of the Jonathan administration, the former Minister initiated the training of close to 500,000 basic education teachers and school administrators.

As the nation’s Supervising Minister of Education, Chief (Barr) Wike took proactive measures to resolve key challenges in the basic and tertiary education levels. Under his watch, the Federal Government established four new Federal Polytechnics, with one sited at Bonny, Rivers State. Barrister Wike facilitated the N1.3trillion Intervention fund for public universities in Nigeria, the very first of its kind aimed at reviving university education in Nigeria. He facilitated the revival of infrastructure in 51 State and Federal Polytechnics and ensured the construction of microteaching laboratories in Colleges of Education in Nigeria.

His efforts have been recognized by stakeholders within and beyond the shores of Nigeria. He was conferred with the Best Performing Minister, 2011 by the Nigerian Pilot Newspapers, African Network Campaign on Education For All, ANCEFA, awarded him the Policy Champion Award for Africa to recognize his roles in the creation of quality access for Nigeria Children.

The Abuja Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, conferred on him a “Recognition Award for Reviving Basic Education in Nigeria”,while the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, conferred on him “Award of Performance in the Education Sector”. The former Honourable Minister of State for Education has received several other awards from reputable stakeholders in the education sector who appreciate his investments of energy and intellectual resources in the system.

On December 8, 2014, PDP Delegates from all the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State unanimously voted for Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2015 election in Rivers State.

most elections, twice serving as chairman of Obio Akpor local government area. He is known to be a grassroots man, and he has the compliment of the machinery of the Grassroots Democracy Initiative (GDP). He has also served at the different executive levels, first as the Chief of Staff also to Gov. Amaechi, and then as the Minister of State for Education, later becoming the Supervising Minister of Education. One can say he is no stranger to politics and governance.

Dakuku Peterside served as chairman of Okpobo/Nkoro Local Government, then served as commissioner for works under Gov. Amaechi before proceeding to the National Assembly as a House of Reps member. He started his political career as a special assistant to Gov. Peter Odili on youths and student af-

Dakuku Adol Peterside - APC

Early Life And Education Dakuku Adolphus Peterside is a Management Expert, Public Policy Analyst, Scientist, Civil Society Activist and Leadership Trainer. A widely travelled gentleman, he is married to Elima, Lawyer, and they have three (3) children, Soba, Belema and Mieibi. He is an ardent Christian, whose hobby is writing, reading, swimming and football.

Born in 1970 to a middle class family of Senibo Adolphus Peterside, a scion of a famous warrior precipitate merchant who is called Senibo Nibilagh Peterside in Biriye Polo, Opobo, Dakuku Adolphus Peterside grew up in Azumini, Aba,both in present day Abia State, Kaduna, Bori and Port Harcourt at various times. Dakuku studied in Okrika Grammer School, Okrika, one of the pre-eminent public schools in the 1980’s in Rivers State.

Having graduated from Okrika Grammar School (OGS nicknamed Old Garri sellers during his time) in 1986/87, He was a school prefect by reason of his conduct, leadership qualities and academic standing.

He went further to University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt where he studied Medical Laboratory Sciences, specializing in Haematology and Blood Transfusion. It was at RSUST that the world discovered this rare gem, leadership icon, pride of his people and a citizen of the world. He was elected National President, National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS) in January 1992. In RSUST he became a symbol of diagnostic and analytical politics towering above his peers like a colossus. He was also editor, Kampuswatch the flagship of RSUST’s campus journalism. Till date he represents the best of medical laboratory science students who caught their teeth in campus politics. Dakuku Peterside returned to Rivers State University of Science and technology, Port Harcourt and earned a Master’s Degree in Management. He is presently a doctoral candidate of the University of Port Harcourt. After formal university education he has attended sev-

eral management courses in United Kingdom, United States, Israel, France and Spain.

Early Political Career When he graduated from RSUST, he joined public service which quickly became a passion. He was first appointed Special Assistant to Governor of Rivers State (Dr. Peter Odili) on Student and Youth Affairs in August 1999. It was in this position that he perfected the Art & Science of bridge building between the youth and the leaders, between today and the future.

It was at his demanding office as Special Assistant to the Executive Governor of Rivers State that he was invited to serve as Chairman, Opobo-Nkoro LGA in December 2002. At the LGA he proved that he is an administrator per excellence, an achiever and a scientist with the mind of a politician. He earned the prestigious sobriquet of the BEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIRMAN of his time in just six months.

Several years after he left the chairmanship of Opobo/Nkoro LGA, he is still being celebrated as a human machine who accomplished rare feats and brought back hope in grassroots governance. He contributed alongside others to establish the ‘Vanguard of Opobo Nation’ (VON) in 1994 and was its secretary. He also served as the National President of VON From 2000-2008 In 2005 Hon. Dakuku went further to pursue another of his passion –leadership grooming. This he did through an NGO he founded earlier –Development and Leadership Institute (DLI). The rapid growth and transformation of DLI to a leading NGO in its area of work-leadership grooming and development work is as a result of the Midas Touch of Dakuku Peterside.

In just 12 months the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO) recognized DLI as a leader in its sector in Nigeria and by 2009 DLI was on the Board of all Key International Committees of WANGO. While he was championing the transformation of DLI from a local NGO to an international Non-Profit Organization, Governor Chibuike Amaechi invited him to serve as commissioner of works. Again he reconstructed all known records and changed despair to hope. It is on record that under his tenure, the Scientist-cum-politician, under the amiable leadership of Governor Amaechi embarked on the construction of 1,000 Km of roads. In the history of Rivers State no such volume of road construction has been undertaken by any government before. It is on record that globally we need transformation minded leaders of his stature to safely berth us in the next generation.

Today we have too many people with high sounding words, and too few corresponding actions. Hon. Dakuku Peterside is a man that matches every word that proceeds out of his mouth with a corresponding action, and in the right direction.

Small wonder the High Flyer did not stop at Commissioner of Works but went further to represent his constituency in the National Assembly of Nigeria in 2011. He was thereafter appointed Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream).

Early in life, Dakuku believed in the fact that public life is a veritable platform to change society for the better, if guided by integrity and passion to serve. He has been involved in various political parties at various times NRC, ANC, DPN, PDP and now APC. He is an unrepentant believer in democracy as the only form of government that can guarantee peace, security and happiness of most members of the society.

fairs. He is erudite, intelligent and has an amiable mien.

Rivers citizen have the task of choosing between these three men on April 11, and one of them will be the next Governor of Rivers State at least for the next 4 years. We hope that the elections will go smoothly, and we hope that whoever wins will focus on bringing back the glory days of Rivers state and also hopefully compliment whatever good this administration has done. Rivers deserves to continue to grow and recover grounds lost in the days of militancy the led to the flight of business and the dearth of infrastructure. We present the candidates to Scan the image to you for a final time before Rivers go to read on the go the polls.

Prince Tonye Princewill - LP Politics Tonye Princewill’s political career started when he was nominated as the gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress Rivers State in 2007. Tonye Princewill’s campaign attracted significant grassroots support. He however lost the election under contested circumstances to the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Celestine Omehia.

England. He’s is a prince of the Kalabari Kingdom of Rivers State in Nigeria.

Early life and Education Prince Tonye Princewill was born 4 January 1969 at London, in the UK to the family of King (Prof ) T. J. T. Princewill, the Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom of the Amachree Dynasty of Rivers state. His father was a Professor of Medical Microbiology before he became a monarch.

Tonye Princewill started his early education in the United Kingdom, before returning with his parents to Nigeria. In Nigeria, he was enrolled at Hillcrest High School in Jos from 1976–1980. He then attended Federal Government College (Port Harcourt) where he obtained his West African Senior Certificate/ General Certificate of Education O’Level in 1985. He took his BSc in Petroleum engineering at the University of Port Harcourt. He did a Master’s degree in Mineral Resources Engineering at the Imperial College London.

PERSONAL LIFE Prince Tonye princewill is married to Rosemary. He has daughter and twin boys Career Tonye Princewill started off his career with Royal Dutch Shell as a Reservoir and Well-site Petroleum Engineer. He also worked briefly with the UK’s Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency, the Department of Trade and Industry. He was the Chief Technology Officer of Panasonic in the United Kingdom; and served at the Global Asset Management desk of Citibank. He later moved into private business and established the Riverdrill Group of Companies (Nigeria) where he is chairman. His business interests are in both upstream and downstream oil and gas, information technology, environmental waste management and aviation services.

Tonye Princewill launched a legal challenge against the newly elected governor shortly after the election results were released. He offered evidence to prove to the electoral tribunal that the election was rigged. In a newspaper interview, he alleged that Celestine Omehia offered him a Naira 1.5 billion (approximately USD 10 million) bribe to withdraw the case before the tribunal, which he rejected. Following a Supreme Court decision to replace Celestine Omehia with another People’s Democratic Party candidate Rotimi Amaechi, he withdrew his case at the tribunal following a local party decision of the Action Congress in Rivers State, a move which drew criticism from his supporters. Tonye Princewill said in a report that “we took the decision at the time that the enemy of your enemy is your friend,” noting that he was in battle with Celestine Omehia and his ‘godfather’, Dr. Peter Odili, the former governor of Rivers State, when Rotimi Amaechi was installed by the court.” Tonye Princewill later led members of the opposition parties in Rivers State under the banner of the Forum of Organized Opposition Political Parties (FOOPP) to form a unity government with Amaechi’s administration. Tonye Princewill’s support of the Amaechi’s government received mixed reviews. Some viewed it with skepticism, while others saw it as necessary for the development and stability of Rivers State. His announcement in 2010 that he was returning to the People’s Democratic Party was controversial and weakened opposition in the state.

In 2013, he joined the management committee of People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), the founding movement behind the People’s Democratic Party, where his serves as the Director of Organization.

In first months of 2014, after several months of speculation on his political future, Tonye Princewill indicated his interest to succeed Rotimi Amaechi, the current governor of State. Then in April 2014, he announced the formation of an Exploratory Committee to explore the viability of his candidacy of running for governor of Rivers State. Tonye Princewill was a governorship aspirant candidate for the People’s Democratic Party, but in November 2014 announced that he had been disqualified on the instruction of Nyesom Wike, former minister of State for Education and fellow Governorship aspirant on the grounds of “not being a PDP member”.

Tonye Princewill is an advocate for open government and effective public service delivery using modern technology. This earned him the nickname, the “Digital Politician.”

In January 2015, he became the Rivers State governorship candidate of the Labour Party on a single-issue manifesto; job-creation.

Public Affairs and Engagement Tonye Princewill writes about confronting corruption, infrastructure development, behaviour change, security, health, academic advancement and ethnic harmony in his weekly column in the Vanguard newspaper. As a leading advocate of youth empowerment in Nigeria, he has expressed concern about the use of youth in Nigeria, particularly during elections, for violence and thuggery.

Tonye Princewill is an advocate for open government and effective public service delivery using modern technology. This earned him the nickname, the “Digital Politician.”

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April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Politics

A review of the Presidential Elections: How Nigerians voted

By Folarin Banigbe - Philips

W

hen the Ekiti State votes were called first that fateful Sunday Monday morning of the 30th March 2015, the nation was on edge. Ekiti had fallen to the PDP, expectedly. And then the other states’ results started rolling in, and by and by, Nigerians showed their preference in the ways they had voted for the different candidates.

Clearly in this election, the votes were along sentiments rather than issues. The map showed all the places that the two parties, APC and PDP, had won the majority, and we can see clearly the north voted overwhelmingly for their own while the south did the same. President won in Taraba and Adamawa states, although northern states, they are known PDP strongholds.

The only eastern state where the APC had more than a hundred

thousand votes is Imo State, and it will be pertinent to note that Imo is an APC state so this may have contributed. Then you have Edo, which although and APC state, also fell into the hands of the PDP, by a somewhat closer margin.

The south west and the north central perhaps changed the game in this election, Out of the 6 south west states, but the PDP only took one state. We have about 6 north central states (counting Niger) and for the first time, APC won in all but Nassarawa and Plateau states. Nassarawa is an APC state while Plateau state is PDP. But APC had never won before in Benue and Niger state. For Kwara and Kogi, personalities mattered.

The stalwart of Kwara politics, Senator Bukola Saraki had moved away from PDP to APC about 3 years ago, and the resounding APC win in

that state makes it obvious that the political structure he had built for himself is still strong enough to win elections. For Kogi state, Dino Melaiye had moved from the PDP to the APC, and I think that the APC had worked on the dissenting voices in the PDP, converting them over to their side, and the result is the loss of the state by PDP. IN conclusion, it’s probably safe to assume that Nigerians are still strongly sentimental about their ethnicity, their religion and this will continue to affect the choices they make at elections, especially when two equally strong candidates are vying for political office.

Scan the image to read on the go

STATES

APC

PDP

WINNER

Abia

13,394

368,303

PDP

Adamawa

377,761

251,664

APC

Akwa Ibom

58,411

953,304

PDP

Anambra

17,926

660,762

PDP

Bauchi

931,598

86,085

APC

Bayelsa

5,194

361,209

PDP

Benue

373,961

303,737

APC

Borno

473,543

25,640

APC

Cross River

28,368

414,863

PDP

Delta

48,910

1,211,405

PDP

Ebonyi

19,518

323,653

PDP

Edo

208,469

286,869

PDP

Ekiti

120,331

176,466

PDP

Enugu

14,157

553,003

PDP

Gombe

361,245

96,873

APC

Imo

133,253

559,185

PDP

Jigawa

885,988

142,904

APC

Kaduna

1,127,760

484,085

APC

Kano

1,903,999

215,779

APC

Katsina

1,345,441

98,937

APC

Kebbi

567,883

100,972

APC

Kogi

264,851

149,987

APC

Kwara

302,146

132,602

APC

Teenagers and Youths

P

632,327

APC

236,838

273,460

PDP

Niger

657,678

149,222

APC

Ogun

308,290

207,950

APC

Ondo

299,889

251,368

APC

Osun

383,603

249,929

APC

Oyo

528,620

303,376

APC

Plateau

429,140

549,615

PDP

Rivers

69,200

1,487,075

PDP

Sokoto

671,926

152,199

APC

The following are some of the effects:

Taraba

261,326

310,800

PDP

Yobe

446,265

25,526

APC

Zamfara

612,202

144,833

APC

Abuja

146,399

157,195

PDP

1. The child will have a much higher risk of childhood obesity because of less physical activities. The more time your child spends in front of a screen, the less time he or she is actively exploring her environment and developing important physical skills.

Total

15,427,943

Parents need to know the effects that excess screen time have on their kids.

screen. In some homes, the TV set is on 24/ 7 even if nobody is watching it. A child that is brought up in such a home will likely get addicted to the screen. Parents have to consciously discipline themselves in minimizing how much time and what they do on the screen.

•

Parents will need to set a house rule that limits screen time to one or two hours everyday. More importantly, parents should enforce the rule by being a good role model as said earlier on.

•

Every family needs to do an honest evaluation of their screen time versus their physical activities, such as walking, doing active chores, or playing sports together. If you realize you spend more time on the screen as a family, you need to set goals to increase your level of physical activities.

•

Create screen- free bedrooms: Don’t put a TV or computer in your child’s bedroom. Having these things in your child’s bedroom will keep him or her from spending quality time with the rest of the family. It should also be a standing order in your home that your permission should be requested for your child to participate in any screen time. TV/ DVD, computer and video games.

•

2. The child is likely to be more aggressive in behaviour.

3. The child is more likely to be engaged in ‘risky’ behaviour when he grows up.

4. The child is more likely to be less creative and poor in mental and academic development.

6. It raises a child’s risk of attention problems, anxiety, concentration and depression.

The time spent in front of the screen could be better spent by being more physically active. It is important to sit less and move more in order to stay healthy. Health experts suggest no more than two hours of computer or television time per day for children unless it’s related to work or homework.

Children younger than two years should be kept away from the TV entirely. Parents should not use TV time as reward or punishment; practices like this make TV seem even more important to children.

How can parents monitor and minimize the screen time of their children?

•

Parents have to set the example and be the role model to their children on how much time is consumed on the

Parents should provide other alternatives to screen time: Spending excess time with the screen can become a habit. This makes kids to have little or no interest in activities outside the screen.

Give children creative ideas and alternative that can make them spend their time more gainfully, such as playing outside, picking up a new hobby, writing a fiction, drawing, craft and painting, reading books , learning a new language, how to play musical instrument or learning a sport or game.

•

Parents can cultivate the habit of turning off the TV during family mealtime. Family meals are a great opportunity to talk and discuss with one another. Don’t let the screen rob you and your family of such an activity during meals.

•

Limiting your child’s screen time may seem like an impossible chore or it may seem like a battle that is too difficult to fight.

But it is worth fighting. You need to put your feet down as parents and consider the huge benefits your child and your family stand to gain if you monitor and minimize the screen time.

5. It can make it hard for kids to sleep at night.

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Monitor and minimize your child’s screen time

arents need to really be parents on this issue of screen time. There is an urgent need to raise this alarm now to all parents: Don’t let the screen steal your child from you. ‘Screen time’ is a term used for activities done in front of a screen , such as watching TV, working on a computer, or playing video games, using a mobile or tablet. Screen time is sedentary activity, meaning you are being physically inactive while sitting down. Very little energy is used during screen time. The amount of time children spend glued to a screen has risen dramatically in the last twenty years. A lot of time is spent on playing video games, using social and entertainment media and watching TV via YouTube rather than the traditional TV set. Many parents have a tough time monitoring and minimizing the screen time of their kids. In many homes, it is a tug of war.

15

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Tel: 08063247337, 08023649812, 08054033211.

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16

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Health Nuggets

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Vox Populi

By Victoria Sideso

How emotionally healthy are you?

A

vast majority of people in the world pay close attention to their physical health and treat threats to their physical well being as soon as they occur. They wear warm clothing when it’s cold and get treatments for wounds to fast track the healing process. We sustain psychological injuries in life just as often as we do physical ones, but we are much less proactive about protecting our psychological well -being, than we are our physical well-being. Mental or emotional health refers to your overall psychological well-being. It includes the way you feel about yourself, the quality of your relationships, and your ability to manage your feelings and deal with difficulties.

I’m amazed at how much time and energy we, as a society, put into our fitness and well-being and how little we invest in the other components of who we are. Even in our Christian societies where the stress may not be on physical fitness, the focus is definitely on the spiritual components. While both of these things are important areas to invest in, one part in particular that seems to be severely neglected is the area of our emotional health: a person’s functioning in thoughts, feelings and behaviour. In order to be healthy and whole as individuals, we have to begin living in an introspective way and learning what it means to look within. That’s hard to do in a world so fixated on the tangible and the outward. It’s crucial to be aware of our emotional temperature as well as the things that heal or hurt us. It is important to do a self examination to see if you are emotionally healthy and stable.

The following are characteristics of emotionally healthy people.

• They have a sense of meaning and purpose. They see things from the depth rather than the tip of the iceberg and are more open minded when dealing with situations.

• They treat others well. Viewing other people with compassion and treating them with kindness is a hallmark of your well- being.

• Hold gratitude for their loved ones. If you’re emotionally healthy, it’s likely you easily feel and show gratitude for the people and the things in your life.

• Are content with their lives. They have this sense of knowing they are where they need to be and have a positive outlook of their future.

• Let their playful side play. They have high emotional intelligence and are enthusiastic and passionate about life. They can laugh and have fun and feel comfortable with themselves.

• Are adaptable. Emotionally healthy people take reasonable steps to change what does not seem healthy for them but at the same time can adapt to things they cannot change.

• They train their mind to be curious and are flexible to the process of learning.

• Can build and maintain healthy relationships. They connect to a wide variety of people but are selective when they want to attach to individuals on a profound level. For example, if a relationship is not fostering, they can detach from it.

• Are self- confident. Emotionally healthy people function from an internal place where they know who they are, what they need and have clear boundaries for themselves and respect that of others.

• Are resilient to challenges that life throws at them. When faced with bumps on the road, they find healthy ways to bounce back.

• Can balance their emotions. They have more feelings and feel intensely, but at the same time, they have the skills to go through emotional modifications when needed.

• Do not get stuck in something that is counterproductive and can move out of what is counterproductive for their self growth, whether a relationship, or a job or something else.

They do not stay in a position where they feel stuck.

Emotional intelligence is something most of us can acquire through behaviour modification and self refection. Emotionally healthy people are more focused on the present, pay attention to the effects of the past and have clear but modifiable goals for the future.

By Eric Uzoma

In your own view, would you say that the elections were free, fair and credible, why?

KELVIN OKECHUKWU (29): It wasn’t that free because the ballot box was hijacked in one pulling unit at oyigbo by unknown assailants. But so far no one was injured.

CHIDUBEM (27): It was not free and fair at all in my polling unit because they didn’t allow majority of us to vote. Some of my friends were beaten and we couldn’t do anything about it.

IBUKUN ADEOTI (27): It was free and peaceful, everyone conducted themselves very well. Security agents were up and doing.

SHAIBU (45): In my view, the election was not fair and free because of INEC’s fake result papers.

DOZIEJ JUSTUS (30): Everything went just fine. I went around as an individual observer and I found out that people were law abiding and our democracy is taking the right turn.

IBISO (20): I think it is free and fair because it was violent free and peoples vote counted.

MRS.IFEOMA (35): I think it is successful with the final outcome, though there were different issues here and there of which I believe Nigerians are not expecting an election that is 100 percent. I will score it 80 percent.

ANTHONY JOSEPH (28): I will say the elections were free, fair and credible because everyone at my unit conducted themselves very well.

MRS. HELEN (55): I’m sure you will agree with me that no matter what, there will be all kinds of rumours around town. I will give my own judgment based on the fact I have on ground; I will say it was a free and fair election.

Mr. LUCKY MENEMII (40): It was free but not fair. I will like INEC to improve more in their system.

How to identify an emotionally healthy person

NDUBUISI DONALD (30): It was free, fair and credible but my problem is about the card reader, it shouldn’t have been used.

If you listen very well, you hear complains of voter not accredited because of the machine.

It was peaceful but not fair.

MR. CHRISTIAN (32): For me it was not fully free and fair, but the outcome balanced the whole thing. I will rather say the lesson learnt from this is that anything you are doing, have your facts, points and evidences to prove to the people.

ISHIMA (22): NO, it wasn’t.

11 Signs you are emotionally unhealthy • Taking things too personally.

• Acting like you’re always a victim.

• Obsessive negative thinking.

• Lack of emotional self control.

• Cruelty or lacking empathy and compassion.

• Needing constant validation.

• Being envious of everyone else.

• Hoarding pain and loss.

• Making superficial judgements about others.

• Cheating and cutting moral corners because you can.

• Being a stubborn perfectionist.

Tips on improving emotional health (1) Get enough rest. This includes getting enough sleep. Most people need seven to eight hours of sleep each night in order to function optimally.

(2) Learn about good nutrition and practice it. The more you learn about what you eat and how it affects your energy and mood, the better you can feel.

(3) Exercise to relieve stress and lift your mood. Exercise is a powerful antidote to stress, anxiety and depression.

(4) Get a dose of sunlight every day. Sunlight lifts your mood, so try to get at least 10 to 15 minutes of sun per day.

(5) Limit alcohol and avoid cigarettes and other drugs. These are stimulants that may unnaturally make you feel good in the short term, but have long-term negative consequences for mood and emotional health.

(6) Do things that positively impact others. Being useful to

others and being valued for what you do can help build self esteem.

(7) Practice self discipline and treat others nicely. Self control naturally leads to a sense of hopefulness and can help you overcome despair, helplessness and other negative thoughts.

(8) Learn or discover new things.

(9) Manage your stress levels. Stress takes a huge toll on mental and emotional health, so it’s important to keep it under control. While, not all stressors can be avoided, stress management strategies can help bring things under balance.

(10) Limit unhealthy mental habits like worrying. Try to avoid being absorbed with negative thoughts about yourself and the world that suck up your time, drain your energy and trigger feelings of anxiety, fear and depression.

(11) Make time for contemplation and appreciation. Think about the things you are grateful for. Meditate, pray, enjoy the sunset or simply take a moment to pay attention to what is good, positive and beautiful as you go about your day.

(12) Spend time with people you like. Make spending time with people you enjoy a priority. Choose friends, neighbours, colleagues, and family members who are upbeat, positive and interested in you. Take time to inquire about people you meet during the day that you like.

(13) Be a joiner. Join church groups, networking, conservation and special interest groups that meet on a regular basis.

These groups offer wonderful opportunities for finding people with common interests.

All in all, emotional health is necessary for healthy relationships. Whatever internal or external factors have shaped your emotional health, it’s never too late to make changes that will improve your psy- Scan the image to read on the go chological well-being.

For questions or comments , send a mail to Victoria@all-errands.com. You can also reach us on twitter @AllErrandsPHC.

17

CHRIS (28): Let it be said that INEC is on the verge of reformation and change. Let it be said that the bad eggs have been taken away to give room for the good ones. Let it be said that Nigeria is now moving from democratic nascence to maturity. Let it be said that 2015 will be different. It was free and fair.

MC PHRL (20): Disenfranchisement, rigging, card reader failure, women not allowed to exercise their right and all of that. So I think the elections was not free, fair and credible.

NELSON (27): Yes it was, despite that he (GEJ) lost the election, he has made history in Nigeria for free, fair and credible election ALOZIE (35): In some states yes, in others no. places like Gombe wasn’t free and fair to my knowledge because children were allowed to vote.

ESOGBON (28): I think so. GEJ has put his name on the lips of Nigerians for a free, fair and credible election. If it were to be some people they will make sure they rig the election.

MR. MAXWELL (38): In my own opinion it was free but as for fair I can’t say because over there in the north, there were cases of under aged voters.

ALH. SULEIMAN (47): At my area it was free and fair because it was one man one vote.

MR. DESMOND (30): Yes, here in the east it was obviously free, fair and credible. There were no records of political parties fighting if not in Rivers where you hear of killings here and there.

MR. NNAMATI (52): In Nigeria it will be very difficult to see a totally free and fair election. E.g, in Rivers state we heard of killings, in Gombe we also heard of a similar case. So we can’t have a free and fair election.

ANDREW (26): Yes it was free, fair and credible because with the way things went, there was no sign of rigging, peoples vote counted.

MRS. GIFT (29): I believe the election

wasn’t free, fair and credible. The thing is that electoral process in our country is still at the kindergarten stage.

TARI (25): Anyways the election has been free but not fair so far. In kano people complained that INEC did not announce the exact number of figure. On Saturday, there was also a bomb blast in Enugu that ended voting in that ward. So after all these unfortunate incident, I can’t say the election was free and fair.

MR. SAMUEL (32): It was free, fair and credible because this time people’s vote counted. God bless Nigeria.

EMMANUEL OLAITAN (27): Yes, I think it was fair because I voted for change and that’s the party that won STEPHANIE (23): I don’t know if it was a free and fair election. All I can say is Nigerians felt they’ve made their choice but remember, the way that seems right unto a man, at the end is destruction. The known thief might be better than the unknown, let’s see if 1 dollar will be equal to 1 naira.

ESTHER (26): I am indeed short of words, people are voting Buhari but do not know his intentions for the country. So for me it wasn’t fair.

MR. JOSHUA (39): I think it was fair because this is the first this country has recorded

an election of one man one vote.

LESLEY (22): The election was a free one, but now APC has won, no one is talking about rigging.

MARGARET (31): It is so painful that we in the south are not united enough; just imagine the vote difference in the northern part of the country. It’s a shame that we could not stand by our own person, anyways, Buhari you are welcome to power and bring the change you promised.

MR. CHARLES (45): I think this is the most transparent election ever, although I know most people wouldn’t agree with me. All the same I admire GEJ charisma, his action is a positive step for our democracy.

GODSWILL (25): I think the election was free and fair.

KEMI (20): I don’t think it was a fair election as under aged people were the ones that voted for Buhari in the north.

UNCLE. D (48): For me I will say it is not totally free but maybe fair enough. At least with the incumbent president accepting defeat for me makes it fair.

SEUN (25): The election was free and very fair in my area, especially my LGA. I can’t really say about other areas.

NNE (30): In my view, the election was not free, fair and credible because of outright rigging in most polling units.

ABUBAKAR (40): The election was not free, fair and credible because of the under aged voters in the north. I think things like this should be looked upon in the next election.

ENGR. PAUL ETIM: It is the first time in the history of Nigeria that peoples vote counted. The election was a free, fair and credible one because the masses needed change and they came out to effect it. I will like to use this opportunity to plead with Nigerians to be united and remove all forms of unlawful act that will affect the nation’s democracy. As for the newly elected president, I congratulate you and also urge you to continue from where your predecessor stopped.

KUNLE OLUBODE (37): Yes it was, despite few issues here and there. We have never witnessed an election like this in a long time.

Jonathan has kept to his words by giving us a free and fair election.

OKECHUKWU EKECHUKWU (25): I can always boast of a man that can keep to his words. GEJ, has given us a free and fair election and we should be grateful for that. I wish the newly elected president good luck.

Scan the image to read on the go

18

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Metro

Teen’s Crib

IF YOU ARE FROM KWARA STATE, PLEASE READ THIS!!!

A group called “Progressive Kwara” which is non-political, but development oriented is calling upon all citizens of Kwara state living in Rivers state to join this group to work with the government of the day in Kwara state to nurture ideas and provide constructive feedback to the Government.

We know that living in Rivers state makes us very far from home, and individually, our voices may not be heard.

We have thus decided that as a group, we are able to harmonize our individual efforts and get the ear of the government.

So we encourage you to register by sending an email with your details (name, town of origin, LGA, age, occupation, phone number and addresses) to the email below: Progressivekwara@immenso-media.com This is a temporary address as we are at the moment building our website and will have email accounts, twitter handle and Facebook page published very soon.

For more information please contact THE COORDINATOR PROGRESSIVE KWARA C/O PORT HARCOURT MICROSCOPE 25, TRANS AMADI IND LAYOUT RUMUOBIAKANI, PORT HARCOURT 08122518442 progressivekwara@immenso-media.com PORT HARCOURT

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By Aby Elenwo

Handling criticism Among peers

L

onging for acceptance and love are two things most teenagers desire.

We seek for meaning; a desire to belong in our friendship, relationship and family. With this desire, we try to please everyone and accept all manner of criticism from people. However, most teenagers who are driven by this desire become victims of depression and low self-esteem; they try their best to keep everyone happy all the time but are not truly happy themselves.

Criticism can be defined as the disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings of someone or something.

It is an inevitable aspect of one’s life as we all have been put down by our friends and loved ones in one way or the other and at one time or the other. Criticism can be good or bad. Learning the difference and knowing how to deal with it determines how we cope with circumstances around us. Both positive and negative criticism is challenging because they both hit teens in the vulnerable soft spot between their desire to grow and the deep need to be accepted and respected. Some criticism allows teens to learn from their mistakes while still feeling good about themselves and their abilities. However, some criticism will come their way from those who are jealous or envious of their talents, abilities, or possessions. While teens carry out their daily activities, they are bound to run into such people in school, church etc and may not know how to tackle such issues. Working up the courage to move past being criticized is often difficult and prevent them from achieving their goals. Dealing with criticism is an important part of growing up, the sooner teens learn to overcome criticism, the more self- confident and capable they will become.

Why do people criticize negatively? * Some people criticize others and put them down just to feel worthy and successful. This usually happens out of jealousy, inferiority feelings and insecurity.

They take it out on others, hoping it will make them feel better about themselves, which never works.

E E L O T E H D S E E R L I W U

KRISTEN: Not me! I wear my own style. Sometimes there is no choice but to wear what latest celebs are wearing - because that’s usually what’s in vogue!

EMMANUELLA: Celebrities do influence what we buy, they set fashions for us to follow, but that doesn’t mean we have to buy the same clothes we see our favorite celebrities wearing. I still have my own style as well. People should wear what makes them feel good and gives them confidence.

TOSAN: I am NOT in fashion and I definitely do not copy celebrities. I have my own style. I want to be true to myself. You shouldn’t be paranoid about what other people think of you. If they’re willing to judge you on what you wear they’re not worth your time.

* Some persons criticize others in order to prevent them from making certain mistake in the future. For example a parent can criticize his child when he makes a mistake. As a parent, it’s your responsibility to correct these errors, but it takes the right approach to correct your kid’s mistakes or else you risk harming his selfesteem.

Helpful Ways to Deal with Criticism * Don’t take it personal: perhaps somebody speaks derogatively about you and tries to portray you as a bad person. Instead of letting go, you dwell on it, growing more and more upset. If you allow such words to sink in, the person who spoke such words has accomplished his or her goals. Never let negative words or other people’s opinion affect you. * Use the criticism as a learning experience: when people say words to you don’t quickly react rather listen to what they have to say and think of how their criticisms can help you improve. Remember, you are imperfect and others may see your errors more clearly. Learn from them whenever you can, but don’t return the favor by criticizing others! * Avoid seeking revenge: one way to overcome criticism is by not taking revenge

or trying to be defensive about what was said about you. * Show Them Kindness: It’s because they lack it themselves. This is why they are not able to offer it to others. Treat them with kindness. Help them out in areas you know they can benefit from your help. Get to know them personally. Don’t judge the effectiveness of your actions by their initial reactions. * Avoid them altogether. Sometimes it may just be that both of you are not compatible as friends at this phase of your lives, and that both of you are better off apart from each other. * Silence is golden: Finally silence is the best answer to a critic, just walk away Criticism doesn’t prevent you from reaching the finish line, but they can certainly distract you from it. Teens have to accept the fact that not everybody is going to like them and accept them for who they are. Trying to please people can’t make you happy, some people will find fault, no matter what you do. When someone dishes out a negative comment, use that as a means to remain focused on your goal. Your life is too short to worry about pleasing everybody.

Scan the image to read on the go

QUOTES R E V E N G E G R S V H T D E P

A S L A N O S R E P S I A F E L

D G X G B C O N H A C O C G R N

DAISY: A lot of people copy what celebs wear. I think everyone should have their own individual look and copying celebs is a waste of money.

JENNIFER: I think celebrities can take partial credit for the way people are dressing. Even though I don’t agree with it, I know it’s true. I mean, look at Taylor Swift and One direction. The moment they came around, everyone started dressing like Hipsters.

Puzzle P I T E T Q A Z W A P O E P R S

Do you think celebrities influence your style and why ?

SARA: I do think that celebrities do have an impact on what we wear. My little brother has got Beckham’s old hair style.

What is criticism?

S H O R T C O M I N G S I P Q C

19

N O F O X N E C P I N L K

T T O

B A I N S E C U Z I A Y L H I B

E L B A T I V E N I L R E J Y M

WORDS: Shortcomings, personal. Criticize, goal, tackle, golden, victim, inevitable, Silence, revenge

Too many people don’t have the confidence and the self-esteem they should because they are constantly dwelling on negative thoughts about themselves.

- Joel Osteen Too often, when we suffer some kind of rejection or disappointment, we get so discouraged that we settle right where we are. -Joel Osteen

Question for next Edition If you could switch places with someone for a day who would it be?

Please send your comments to 08060917396 or 07065080608

CHIZOROM: The only person I copy is Beyoncé, because I like her style, but I don’t go around like a Beyoncé clone!

SANDRA: I don’t, but if I really like something I might wear something similar. It costs too much to follow all the styles.

VICTORIA: I think that copying celebrities is very worthless and rather try-hard. You should choose what you’re going to wear - not copy some celebrity.

TOSIN: I have my own style, and I don’t copy any of the celebrities, as most of them have to prance around half naked to get noticed. If you choose an individual look, you’ll get noticed for the better!

TOMISIN: Why should I spend my money trying to look like a copy-cat of a celeb? It’s not worth the money. The celebs don’t look good half the time anyway. I like my own style - if it happens that I have the same style top as a celeb then so be it.

ESE: I always copy my idol, Arianna Grande. I copy her dress sense.

SOIBI: No, they don’t. I feel I should buy something because I like it. Besides, imagine if everyone decided to buy what the cheeky girls wear - ouch!

VIVIAN: I don’t really follow my favorite celeb’s footsteps. That’s only because I’m a girl and my hero is male. If I was male too, I’d probably copy his style.

SAMUEL: I don’t think anyone should buy things just because ‘celebrities’ are advertising them. People have their own minds and brands.

GBENGA: I would never copy a celeb because once they’re out of fashion you need to change your style and that costs money.

TAYE: I don’t really copy them unless I see them wearing clothes or have a hair style I like then I will try it. But I always buy and wear what I like and if some celebrity happens to be wearing it at the time that’s fine with me but I wear what’s comfortable whether it’s in style or not. I think that if that’s what you want to do that’s your own choice but it’s not the one I choose to make.

ALFRED: I think you should keep your own style and not copy other famous stars clothes. If all the boys want David Beckam’s hair style there would be too many boys wearing that hair style.

It goes the same for all the other famous stars.

EMIOLA: Sometimes they do, because I might see a top or something a celeb is wearing and like it, so I might try to get something similar.

CAROLINE: Celebrities do not determine my style. I only wear what I like but I wouldn’t wear something that wasn’t fashionable because everyone stares.

HANNAH: Celebs do influence me because they set the fashions and I like to be in fashion. If you do wear clothes influenced by celebs I think you feel less paranoid by what people will say.

FRANCA I always have my own style. Celebs can’t change the way I look.

MARY: I am an individual; I don’t worship or copy anyone’s dress sense! Most people would say the celebrity I dress like would be Taylor Swift, but I don’t let her or others influence me!

DANIEL: I think they influence what I wear because we all want to follow in our celeb hero’s footsteps with fashions, which means wearing the hottest new styles on the block.

20

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Relationship

Property Classified

Please Help!

PROPERTIES FOR SALE AT ABUJA, LAGOS, ASABA, PORT HARCOURT

I DON’T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW I CAN LEAD THE REST OF MY LIFE… Heart2Heart

By Ayodeji Faleye

ayductdejiro@gmail.com 07034636125, 08079694583

My heart has been broken in a way never repairable again. My boyfriend told me that he wants to put an end to our relationship of over one year. I couldn’t hold or control my tears because I really loved him, I asked him the reason why he made that decision and he replied “I don’t wanna think about marriage in my life”. I need your advice; I don’t seem to understand how I can lead the rest of my life and how I can believe other people in the future too.

EXPERT ADVICE

R E S P O N S E S Mpho - I quite understand the way you feel, it’s like you’ve just told my story.

I guess those kind of people are never meant to be with us, though it is hard to let go of them because one has built one’s whole life around them, but nothing else could be done than to let go.

Linda - You were living a life before you met him, so be strong and live a good life without him. Be grateful to God that he broke up with you early enough; imagine if you’ve gone far beyond this, it would have been so pathetic.

Victoria - He wasn’t meant to be in your life for long, so just move on; it’s an experience to all ladies. It only makes you strong because you can’t keep holding onto someone who is not holding onto you. Sorry for the heartbreak, some of us were also victims.

Happiness - He does not deserve you, don’t look back, he doesn’t deserve your tears.

Lucas – let him go, he wasn’t meant to be with you, there are plenty of fishes in

NEW!!!

MATCH MAKING CORNER!!!

Name: Chuks Age: 33yrs Origin: Imo Location: PH I am young, chocolate in complexion, I need a single, tall, slim and sweet beautiful lady between the age of 20 & 26. Well behaved, jovial and smart for a friendship that will lead to marriage.

the sea, don’t cry because of him please!

Annabel - I know it’s difficult to forget just like that but you have to move on.

Miracle - It is well my dear sister, just summon courage and forget him. God will help you.

Buyie - Does he control your inhalation? Stop deceiving yourself, when someone shuts the door on your face, another person will definitely open the door for you.

Naomi - He is not the right man for you, he doesn’t deserve your love, the one that deserves you will come.

Vera – You said how can you lead the rest of your life? Why, because of a man?

He’s not your right man from God, wait on God, the right person who will respect, honour and carry you like never before will come your way.

Ruth – Just pick yourself up and move on.

Sandra – it is very hard to handle rejec- Dear friend, my heart ached when I read all you went tion, but you’ve got to be strong. through, nonetheless it is one of those things, though it’s a painful experience. We encounter heart break most times for Alfred – The guy made it clear that he wants out, so dust yourself and move on a purpose best known to God, of which if God should show and remember your life does not revolve us the reason why it happened, we will rather be grateful to around him.

Him. At times things we want might not be the best for us but because we are being carried away by our emotions we Jude – Move on and pretend you never tends to get it by all means. Moreover, he told you he doesn’t met him. want to think about marriage in his life, so I don’t think you Hannah - God will definitely provide should waste your time holding on to him. I understand it’s for you the person that will love and care difficult to bear but you just have to lead the rest of your life, for you, allow him to go. let go of him and move on. Love him from a distance and I believe someone somewhere will show up, take time before Lucy – All things happen together for our own good. I just hope some years to moving on to a new relationship, get your heart healed first come you will thank God it happened. and don’t rush. God will see you through. It is well…

Anyway, you only need to realize that he is not God and he’s not the only man on earth. You have your life to live.

Scan the image to Miriam - The guy actually know what he’s doing, he wanted to leave you but doesn’t know the way to go about it, that was the reason he came up with the idea of not thinking to get married in life.

Just forget him and move on.

Name: Michael Udoka Age: 34yrs Origin: AkwaIbom State Location: I am looking for a lady of 24/28yrs from the same origin,working class, for relationship that will lead to marriage.

Name: Victor Age: 22yrs Origin: South Location: I am cute, loving and fun to be with. I need a loving, caring and beautiful lady between the age of 18 & 30.

Name: Age: 21yrs Origin: Abia State Location: PH I am dark in complexion, looking for a Rivers guy of 26 yrs, chocolate in complexion, worker and resides in PH.

Name: Prince Emmanuel Age: 29yrs Origin: Abia Location: PH I need a lady that have the fear of God, not too fat or short, working class or graduate

Name: Raymond Cyril Age: 33yrs Origin: Bayelsa State Location: Aba I need a lady of 23 yrs old, 5ft tall and fair in complexion.

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QUESTION FOR NEXT EDITION

AM I BEING BLINDED

BY LOVE? She is the woman of my dreams! I love her so much! I met her in 2011, and we are in a distance relationship.

Unfortunately, in the first year of our relationship, she was raped, but we stuck together and we were able to pull through.

Last year, again she was raped, this time by her brother’s friend. It was so hard, but we stuck together, and I stayed faithful to her, though it was very hard. I called POWA and they helped us with free counseling.

Recently, she started pushing me away, saying “I deserve better”, but the truth is that I don’t want to leave her; rather I want to marry her. Last week, she sat me down, crying, saying she has just discovered she is HIV positive.

Match: Age, Origin, Occupation, Location, Complexion

Note: It’s strictly for serious minded people.

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UAC Building, 26 Aba Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Tel: 084-301022, 07069708126, 08170297917. E-mail: akwaekeassociates@gmail.com Website: akwaekeng.com

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I asked how, but she said she doesn’t know. She says she wants me to move on because she won’t be able to start a family with me, but I told her this too shall pass. I want to be with her, but the truth is I don’t know if it is the best idea, or am I being blinded by love?

You: Age, Origin, Occupation, Location, Complexion

6 Bedroom Detached House with service quarter, guest chalet, swimming pool and gate house on 1000 square metre land Maitama, Nicon Junction, Abuja Price: N650,000,000

PROPERTIES FOR SALE Description: Plots of land in a new layout Location: ROYAL PROMENADE ESTATE, after Elimgbu, Port Harcourt Title: Deed Price: N3 Million Description: Plots of land in a new layout Location: PLATINUM ESTATE Phase 1, off Igbo Etche Road, Port Harcourt Title: Deed Price: N1.5 Million Description: 2 Plots Of Land Location: Creek View Estate, Before Ykc Bus-Stop, Woji Port Harcourt Title: C of O Price: N40 Million Description: 2 Plots Of Land Location: Behind Omega House, East/ West Road Rumuodara Title: Deed Price: N20 Million Description: 200 Plots Of Land Location: Rukpokwu Title: Virgin Price: N1.5 Million Each Description: 30 Plots Of Land Location: By First Market Eneka/Igbo Etche Road Title: Virgin Price: N3.5 Million Each Description: 1&1/2 Plots Location: Eliozu Village, After ABC Trans-

port Title: Deed Price: N8 Million Description: 4000 Plots Of Land Suitable For Factory, University, Schools Or Private Residence Location: Bori Town Title: Deed Price: Call For Price Description: 1,2,5,10 And 50 Plots Of Land Location: Off Eneka/Igwuruta Road Title: Deed Price: N 1.4 Million Each Description: 2 Plots Of Land Location: Doxa Road, Off Peter Odili Road Title: Deed Price: N45 Million Description: 3plots Of Land Location: Off Abacha Road, GRA Phase 3 Title: Deed Price: N90 Million Description: 5 Plots Of Land For Sale Location: Rukpakulushi, Rumuokoro Port Harcourt Title: Deeds Price: N10 Million Each Description: 3 Plots, Fenced And Gate With Security House Location: Through Eliozu By Power Encounter Road Through East West Road P.H

Title: Deeds Price: N24 Million Description: Several Plots Of Land Location: Rumuewhara/Oroigwe, Through Elimgbu/Atali Road Title: Virgin Price: N4 Million Per Plot Description: Several Plots Of Land Location: Igbo Etche Title: Virgin Price: N1.5 & 2.5 Million Each Description: 8 Pump Filling Station On 3plots Of Land Location: Near Former Toll Gate, Port Harcourt/Aba Expressway Title: Deed Price: N150 Million Description: 2 Plots Of Land For Sale Location: Rumuosi Title: Native Price: N3 Million Description: 2 Plots Of Land Location: Woji, Close To Delta Bakery Title: Deed Price: N30 Million Description: 4 Plots Of Land Location: Eliowhani Road Title: C of O Price: N20 Million Description: Hostel of 64 Nos. Self-Contain Rooms Location: University Of Port Harcourt,

Choba Title: C of O Price: N200 Million Description: 10 Plots Of Land Location: Obigbo, Off The Expressway Title: Deed Price: N35 Million Description:4 Plots Of Land Location: Rukpokwu, Directly On The Road, Just After The Police Checkpoint Title: Deed Price: N40 Million Description: 1 And Half Plots Of Land For Sale Location: Farm Road, AlodeInEleme Title: Native Price: N2.5 Million Description: 1 And Half Plots Of Land For Sale Location: Along Eleme/Onne Expressway, Behind Mimi Filling Station Title: Deed Price: N5 Million Description: 2 Nos 3bedroom Flats On 2plots Of Land Location: Shell Location Road, Close To Fairheaven Hotels, Ada George Title: C of O Price: N55million

CONTACT: Numero Uno Properties Suite 9 Victoria Plaza, Beside Skye Bank Plc, Rumuodara Junction, Port Harcourt. Rivers State Tel: 08050931707, 08094865759

E-mail: info@numerounoproperties.com

Website: www.numerounoproperties.com

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April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

April 7 - April 21 Vol. 2 No. 32

Metro ily was insane but basically intact, Rabbit and I were getting along. I’d just finished competing in the Miss MBGN pageant, which I didn’t win per se, but I made quite a strong showing.

Diary of a screen writer

By Jessy Nwachukwu things to say in our last moment together I had to say something incredibly stupid! This was my exact words. “I wouldn’t mind if you want to see other people’’ great! Just great! “What?” he asked. I replied, “You know we’ll probably not see each other for a very long time”.

Believe it or not I didn’t just stop there, “if you love something, let it go” I’m not kidding, I actually said that. Rabbit replied again, “what?

Will you want me to see other girls?” “It’s probably for the best”, I said feeling very humble. Rabbit shook his head and then arrived at his house to find his parents already waiting. This was it.

Previously “Our main concern should be to get out of here alive”, he insisted. We got up to go and suddenly the snake began to come after us. “It’s coming this way” I said with a shaky voice. “run!” Rabbit screamed. We scurried off immediately, the snake moved so fast and was so closely behind me ‘Jesus!’

I

shouted when I looked back and saw the rattle of the snake sticking out about to sting me. Suddenly we heard a gunshot probably coming from an unknown direction. This loud sound terrified the snake and it ran back into the small bush behind the garden. We were saved by the gunshot! That was it, our last opportunity to consummate our love, how frustrating can this get? We quickly made our way out of the park and rushed home, in case the snake decides to come back.

Moments after they were gone, it dawned on me that it was a terrible idea making such a grand gesture to someone I won’t see for a long time.

Who am I kidding; I definitely don’t want him dating other girls or even moving on with his life, so why in the world did I mention it?

I have no idea.

Thursday May 1

Sadly enough that wasn’t the worst part. On our way back, I told him that he could meet other girls when he got to Abuja. Of all the

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As I sit alone here in my room, it’s hard to believe that a month ago my life was going well. My fam-

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I must have been distracted by the admittedly quite intense competition because it seemed like when I finally looked up, everything around me was falling apart.

Rabbit announced he was leaving.

My friend Nene told me she’d been admitted into university of Calabar and would be spending her remaining holidays there. Even Mr. Jacob, my piano tutor is away which means I can’t complete my piano lesson. But the biggest blow of all was the realization that my mother has finally managed to get herself in real trouble. In fact, she’s been on trial for the past ten days and the judge announced his verdict for crimes she committed during an environmental protest a couple of months ago.

When the Miss MBGN pageant ended, my dad told me that mum was still facing charges and could do time. Oh the embarrassment! My mum and her friends had staged a protest against the developer’s plan to build some kind of plant in a small community called Umueme that lies just outside of Trans-Amadi. Unfortunately, the plants, though toxic to the workers and the environment, was going to bring a lot of jobs to the community, so the town folks didn’t want any interference. When my mum and her activist friends got involved, things got ugly. Dad said he knew mum and her comrades didn’t have the support of the people when he went to bail her from jail and heard people murmuring among themselves for the women to go home and stop putting sand in their garri.

They sounded more like this, “we want jobs, na who send una?”

While my parents have been away at her trial, my dad’s close younger cousin uncle Fred has been staying with us and helping us out.

Kosi and I couldn’t go as he had to go to school and I had to take care of the house. Actually Fred’s girlfriend Wendy has helped me out mostly in cooking and cleaning of the house whenever she came to see Uncle Fred. Her visits has been great because Wendy is a good cook and also nice to talk to. Uncle Fred helps out with T.V watching. To be honest, even though we’re concerned about mum and everything, it’s been sort of fun.

Uncle Fred and Wendy have only been dating since February but they seem to be getting quite serious. Uncle Fred is a business man; he owns a boutique while Wendy is an accountant. They make an odd match but to all appearances, they seem to be happy couple. They practically see each other every day. This is a big deal because Uncle Fred is the king of ‘short-andunhealthy relationships’. Although he’s not attractive or stylish, he’s always dating and always getting sick of everybody after a week. Surprisingly it’s different with Wendy and not just because she is healthy in every way he isn’t. Uncle Fred drinks a lot and is so disorganized.

Wendy on the other hand barely drinks, is kind, optimistic and very organized. Uncle Fred’s only exercise consists of getting in and out of his car at various drinking spots.

Wendy exercises and does other activities that require coordination and flexibility. Normally, Wendy is the kind of person (nice and healthy) that Uncle Fred gets tired of. But unlike some of his other nice girlfriends, Wendy is really different. She laughs at Uncle Fred’s nasty humor and doesn’t pressure him to stop drinking and start taking his business more seriously, at least not bluntly. Uncle Fred may

not realize it but I can see Wendy’s influence at work already. Seems to me that Uncle Fred is in loooove.

As a screenwriter I can appreciate that. Uncle Fred and Aunty Wendy as I call her are nice together. Seeing them makes me happy. Not that I would ever tell them. Plus, I figured screenwriters should have a lot of friends. It’s just too bad Fred and Wendy are much older. They aren’t really friend material.

We knew my parents were coming home tonight. To take our mind of the wait, we decided to watch movies and eat as many snacks as possible suggested by Uncle Fred.

Uncle Fred sat on the couch and surveyed the supplies. ‘Kosi go get some juice in the fridge. I.J, you go get some of those cookie biscuit Wendy made.’ I came back with the juice as uncle Fred sent Kosi out on another mission. ‘I saw some cake in the fridge, go get some Kosi”.

Wendy was in the kitchen doing the dishes, she yelled out, “Fred stop ordering them around”. “They need the exercise”, he replied. After all the errands we finally sat down to watch the movie. Some moments later, we heard a sound of a car drive in, it was dad. I ran to peep through the window, I noticed he was alone.

“Where is mum?” I wondered to myself. Somehow I had hoped that things will go well for mum. As he came in, he had this sad look.

Somehow I understood that something had gone wrong at the trial.

As he entered we all welcomed him.

He sank into the chair tiredly and then began…..

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6. Position the camera such that you have all the egdes of the QR Code in your focus 7. Select Scan now (Some applications will automatically scan once they see the image) 8. There you are, you can click that link in your phone or tablet and read the article…

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By Chuma Nnoli

Flying Eagles to begin World Cup preparations very soon: Ugbade

River Plate director: ‘Doors are open’ for Manchester United striker Falcao Argentine giants River Plate have dreams of making a move for Manchester United forward Radamel Falcao this summer, says the club’s vice president.

In a conversation with Esto es River, vice president Matias Patanian admitted bringing back the out-of-form striker is

Flying Eagles assistant coach Nduka Ugbade has disclosed the team will resume camping very soon ahead of the World youth championship. Ugbade helped his boss Manu Garba in leading the Nigerian team to victory in the recently concluded African Under-20 tournament, in the process qualifying for the World Cup that would take place from May 30 to June 21 in New Zealand.

having a break was never really part of their initial plan.

“Initially my boss told me in Senegal we shouldn’t even have holidays, but considering the political situation in the country we decided to take at least a week or two off. We are resting now and watching, but maybe early in April we might be coming back to camp again to start our preparations.” He said.

The 45 years old told PH Microscope that The former Nigerian international also

T

1. Install any QR Code Scanner on your phone or tablet from either your Windows Store, Apple Store or Android Store or BB store (assuming you don’t already have it) 2. Grab a copy of the PH Microscope 3. Find articles or information you want to read later 4. Open your QR Code Scanner app 5. Find Scan image (or whatever it is that is the command on your phone). This starts the

Sports

23

stressed the need for the team to play some high quality friendly matches to test their might against strong oppositions before the May 30 Mundial.

“When you talk about the African continent its difficult to qualify but much more difficult to come out of your group at the World Cup because its high performance so we need a lot of support and a lot of friendly matches as well as training tours like the chief coach has said.” He added.

Successful transition to Super Eagles more important than winning Under-20 World Cup: Paul Bassey Nigeria Football Federation technical committee member Paul Bassey says a successful transition of the current under-20 national team players to the Super Eagles will mean more to him than even winning the World Youth Championship. The Flying Eagles as the team is called emerged as African Champions a few weeks back and are set to be one of four national teams set to represent the continent in the global tournament.

“For me age group competition is age group competition and my idea of under-17, under-20 and under-23 is that it is the foundation for the real thing which is the Super Eagles.” Mr Bassey said in a chat with PH Microscope.

That’s why sometimes I’ll rather look at the team than laurels. Keep this team together for the next one month with 80, 85 percent preparations, maybe they’ll go there and do something at the World Cup, but how many of them would be able to move from there to either under-23 or Super Eagles? That’s my priority. I’ve always believed that at under-17 and under-20 levels we’ve got a lot of potentials, we should win without any sweat. It is what happens at the Super Eagles level, Nations Cup, World Cup, that’s what we should be preparing for when looking at our junior national teams. We must look ahead.”

Nigeria has won the African Under-20 Championship 7 times but has never

achieved the same success at the World Stage, coming close in 1989 and 2005 with second place finishes.

Cricket can be one of the biggest sports in the land: Cyril Jebba The game of cricket has the ability to become one of the biggest sports in Nigeria if well managed. This is according to the Delta State Cricket Association vice chairman Cyril Jebba. Mr Jebba who plays the game with his club at the University of Port Harcourt noted that there’s an official Rivers State Cricket Association and that they have been doing a great job in promoting the sport in this part of the country. He however noted that the biggest challenge is being able to translate the love and knowledge of the sport to young kids in Primary and secondary schools, claiming that most schools don’t have the facility to have the sport played in their premises.

On what can be done to promote the popularity of the sport in the country Mr Jebba shared some tips with PH Microscope.

“First things first I think it has to do with the government,

expected to compete in 6 events and Commodore Nesiama disclosed that the country’s contingent will love to make an impact there.

“Right now as I’m talking to you we have some of the senior athletes camped in Abuja area preparing for the World Relays in Bahamas.”He told PH Microscope.

“But before then there is the Kenyan Na-

tional Relays on the 10th of April, we are specifically invited to bring in our 4x400m male and female teams, we hope to be able to attend that and that will be a good testing ground for our athletes in preparation for the World Relay. Meanwhile in the U.S. our athletes based there are also preparing and before the 3rd of May we’ll blend the two together and will be able to present a team that will represent us at the World Relays in 6 events, the 4x100metres, 4x200m and 4x400m male and female.”

the government has to bring out policies or encourage the schools to involve cricket in their curriculum, that’s the starting point. Imagine the number of students that come through the schools every year, just imagine for 6 consecutive years you have cricket being played all through the schools, multiply it by the schools and think of how many fans you’ll have in cricket. So it’s that simple.”

“That’s part one, part two the private schools need to leave their doors open for people who are genuinely coming to help them develop their kids in sports because cricket is a very wonderful sport. I tell people that cricket is a combination of not only the physical but also the mental part.”

At the world level Nigeria still has a lot to do to get to the level of the elite nations like World champions Australian, England, South Africa and the likes.

Tiger Woods to return to The Masters

Nigerian Athletes preparing vehemently for World Relays: AFN Technical Director Technical director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama says the country’s athletes are currently in serious camping as preparations continue towards the IAAF World Relays billed for Bahamas. The competition is an international biennial track and field sporting event that sees teams from around the world compete in relay races, some of which are not part of the standard Olympic programme. Nigeria is

something the club are considering for the upcoming window.

“We are dreaming of Falcao, the doors are open,” he said.

“It depends on what is sold to bring him in mid-year. If we do not sell we can bring in two players.”

Tiger Woods has announced he will play in The Masters next week.

The four-time champion has not played since early February and this week dropped out

of the world’s top 100 for the first time in almost 20 years.

The 14-time major winner had been a doubt after he withdrew just 11 holes in to the Farmers Insurance Open, saying he will not return until he can “compete at the highest level”.

Announcing the news on his website, Woods said: “I’m playing in the Masters. It’s obviously very important to me, and I want to be there.

Sports

By Chuma Nnoli

No Liverpool contract talks for Raheem Sterling until the summer

Know?

Did you

Unless food is mixed with saliva you can’t taste it?

Coca Cola launched its 3rd product Sprite in 1961?

An ostrich can run up to 70 km/h (43mph)?

Adidas and Puma founders were brothers. Adolf Adi Dassler (Adidas) and Rudolf Dassler (Puma)?

In 1975 Junko Tabei from Japan became the first woman to reach the top of Mount Everest (tallest mountain in the world)?

The Anambra waxbill, a small bird of many beautiful colours, is found only in Southern Nigeria and nowhere else on earth?

Africa’s largest country is Algeria, and the smallest country is the Seychelles, The smallest nation on the mainland is the Gambia?

According to Cisco, South Korea has the best broadband service (internet) in the world, with an average download throughput of 33.5 megabits per second?

Amir Khan could face American Adrien Broner in mouthwatering clash Amir Khan is set to meet former WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner, according to reports.

American Broner tweeted a video of himself ‘face timing’ Khan and the hashtag #BronerVSKhan was also tweeted by

the 25-year-old.

Khan’s last fight was against Devon Alexander last December, but is looking for his next fight in May with Las Vegas or New York likely venue for such a contest.

Broner is a three-division world champion from Cincinnati. He suffered his only defeat in 31 bouts against Marcos Maidana at welterweight two years ago. Khan, now 28, beat Maidana on points five years ago.

NBA: Kevin Durant wants to end career with OKC

Raheem Sterling has confirmed that he will not resume talks over a new contract with Liverpool until the summer.

The 20-year-old, who still has more than two years to run on his current £35,000-a-week deal at Anfield, insists money is not the driving force behind the issue and he wants to win trophies.

He told BBC Sport: “I just

want to focus on football and, when it gets to the end of the season, assess my position as a 20-year-old player playing in the Premier League.

“I keep hearing I’ve rejected all sorts of contracts. Me, the club and my reps have spoken about it and put talks on hold until the end of the season, so it’s frustrating to hear the contract situation keep going on and on.”

Real Madrid announce £23m Danilo deal Kevin Durant made some of his strongest comments yet about his future free agency, going as far to say he wants to have his jersey retired in Oklahoma City.

“I love it here, man. I love my

teammates, I love the city, I don’t really think about anywhere else,” Durant told Revolt TV in a recent interview.

“I hear it all the time, don’t get me wrong, and once you hear it you’re kind of like [looks up, thinking]. But for me, I

love staying in the moment, and I’m one of those guys that would love to stick it out with one team my whole career.

“Kobe [Bryant], Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki type. That’s awesome,” he said.

Real Madrid have reached an agreement with Porto to sign Brazilian right-back Danilo at the end of the season.

The fee for Danilo is 31.5 million euros (£23 million), Porto said in a statement to the Portuguese stock exchange.

The 23-year-old, who has won two league titles with the Portuguese giants and has 11 Brazil caps, will commit to the Santiago Bernabeu outfit until June 30, 2021.

Danilo, who won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, has become a regular for Brazil since Dunga took over as manager after last year’s World Cup.

Agent: Clubs in contact over Kevin De Bruyne Kevin De Bruyne’s agent claims a number of clubs have made contact regarding their interest in the Bundesliga sensation.

De Bruyne’s stunning form for Wolfsburg this season, scoring nine times and claiming

16 assists in 26 league games, has seen him become one of Europe’s most talked-about players.

“There are always interested teams and there has been some informal contact,” De Koster told FOCUS Online.

“People have asked me how Kevin is doing, how he has been developing superbly and putting in good performances.

That is only normal in situations like this. There have not been any concrete offers, though.

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