Peoples Daily Weekend, Saturday 14 - Sunday 15 February, 2015. Edition.

EFCC arrests Nyako’s son

>Pg 6

Why Val Day’s ‘Season of red’

>Pgs 31,33

AIG Mbu vows to ‘arrest’ Fashola, Amosun >Pg 18

weekend.peoplesdailyng.com

Saturday, FEBRUARY 14, 2015 Rabi’ul Al-Thani 25-26, 1436 AH

. . . P utti ng the p eop l e fi r st

pmlonline peoplesdailyng

N150 Vol. 4 No. 30

We can’t defeat Boko Haram —Jonathan

>>Pg 2

A message posted on the fence of the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu’s house Friday morning; may be to the military that were said have been patrolling his house and the stretch of Bourdillon Road in lagos, since last Sunday. lindaikeji. blogspot. com

Polls shift: The pains, the gains >Pg 4-5

Will Jega conduct polls? >Pg 7-9

306 Days after

Why PDM endorsed Buhari >Pg 16-17 Will the abducted Chibok schoolgirls ever be rescued?

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Page 2

Interview

Medical tourism’s missed opportunity for our private sector —Pate

Concerned about the volume of money being expended by Nigerians on medical tourism and what needs to be done to reverse the ugly trend, a former Minister of State for Health, Prof Mohammed Ali Pate in this interview with Peoples Daily Weekend, said the volume of medical tourism in Nigeria represents the missed opportunity for the private sector in the country. Pate also spoke on other national issues

W

hat informed your decision to aspire for the governorship position of your state?

Well you know Nigeria has a lot of potentials after the rebasing of our GDP and we know that the economy is going to continue to grow fast. But the north-east region where my state is located has been faced with challenges over the past few years. Even though my state of Bauchi is relatively spared of those challenges, but when you look around you will see the issues of unemployment particularly among the youths; the issue of poverty, the issue of insecurity, the issue of health, and education challenges that face our people. So every well meaning citizen will have to ask him or herself what he can do to contribute in terms of tackling these challenges that are facing our people. So it is in that context that we had the occasion to consult with various stakeholders and we realized that there are appetites out there of what we have to offer to the people of Bauchi which is to continue to drive towards more progress, prosperity and sustenance of peace.

And when we realized that we have something to offer, we felt that we should participate in the democracy that we are running in this country.

What informed your decision to resign your ministerial appointment to go back to academics, and why did you return to politics few years after?

Some people think that politics is a profession that is exclusive of a certain group but that is not the case. We are all actors in the political process so whether you are a chief executive or a minister or former minister or an

elected representative or any other thing in the political process, you are a participant. In life you have multiple platforms that you can use to contribute to national development.

We had platforms that we used before to contribute our quota in the Primary Health Care Development Agency, in the Ministry of Health and when the time was appropriate we also had another platform to contribute to Nigerian national development as well as global health in a different platform.

Away from politics, you have been a major stakeholder in the health sector, what disparity have you observed between our health institutions and their counterparts in the advanced counties and what do you think can be done to improve the sector?

I have seen several countries and each country is struggling with its own health system. You know that the American health system is undergoing reform. The ‘ObamaCare’ is a health reform in America.

Nigeria’s health system has witnessed steady progress in the past years.

We have seen steady progress under the administration of President Goodluck Johathan. Specifically, we have witnessed progress in areas like the Polio Eradication Programme.

At present, Nigeria has only six cases. Before now we used to have thousands of cases. Nobody is talking of polio now. The success of Mr President and his administration led to that recorded achievement.

Immunization used to be very low but now we have progressed in that area.

Things like meningitis used to be a problem, but this administration has helped to reduce that kind of ailments drastically. In the area of maternal

health, six years ago there were no midwives in many health facilities.

But now, there are more than 20,000 health workers that federal government has employed in Primary Healthcare Centres. Village and community health workers, these are new things that happened in recent years. They are touching the lives of our people, this year alone I am aware that there are more than a million pregnant women who had benefited from this kind of things. These are the things Nigerian Health system has been able to accomplish.

One alarming thing is the situation where a sitting president will travel out of the country for medical attention, which many have described as an indictment on our health system, do you share this sentiment?

I have to say that this is not an area I can comment on, because I have not seen the president receive medical care abroad so I cannot speak on that.

All I know is that the president is a very passionate person when it comes to health, and his administration has done a lot in transforming the health sector particularly the poorest segment of our society. When we launched the Save One Million Life Initiative, the president stood up and told the world how he had nine siblings and seven of them died of child mortality. He explained that when he closes his eyes he remembers those siblings and how they would have looked and because of that he is passionate about the health of women and children.

He is a president that places health at the top of his agenda.

For the first time in history, this administration facilitated meetings between the economic team and the

Prof. Pate health sector and as a minister at the time I represented the health sector and we discussed extensively on how to leverage on some available funds to improve our health sector. In the subsidy reinvestment funds for instance; there was a space for not only infrastructure but for maternal and child health. So if you look at all of these areas, I think they are sufficient to convince any well meaning person that this administration is passionate about the health of the citizens.

Nigerians, rich and poor, in their numbers, go to India and other nations for medical attention particularly those suffering from renal diseases; why is that so if government has done well in the health sector as you explained?

As an expert and a stakeholder let me explain this to you, I see the volume of medical tourism in Nigeria to a very large extent as representative of missed-opportunities for the private sector in the country. Because those Nigerians going to Egypt, India, Dubai, UK, US and those other places for medical tourism represent huge opportunity for the private sector. Ask those that travel for medical attention abroad if they go to government hospitals when they travel to those countries. They go to private hospitals. I had been to Indian government hospitals and had seen how they function. They are not too different from our own. But these medical tourists go to private sector facilities and those facilities are where our people go to spend inordinate amount of money paying for air ticket, hotel accommodation before getting the services. The question then is, how can we make our own private sector

competitive? So that we can retain those outflows of resources from those that can afford it, to remain here and spend it so as to contribute to our economy rather than encouraging capital flight.

You are talking about health, what of education? There is even more people flying out of this country for education than those for medical tourism. In Abuja for instance, if you do a random sampling of households, you will discover that their kids are either in Ghana or some other countries for education and they are spending huge amounts of capital for that. So if we can transform our education system to make it attractive for people to invest and people are willing to pay the school fees here then you can channel that money in the country and prevent this unnecessary capital flight. People focus on medical tourism alone but there are many others sectors. But because of the nature of the private sector and the competitive environment that we have, the private sector investment is not forthcoming as it should. But I believe that with the rebasing of our GDP and with the structural reforms of this administration moving forward if we get some states to function in the manner that attracts investment, you will see some of those investments being retained and you will see further growth. In the next few years, Nigeria will be the number one investment destination in the world. If that is achieved you will not be surprise, to see people from South Africa and other countries in the continent come to Nigeria for medical care, because we have excellent doctors both at home and abroad.

We can’t defeat Boko Haram —Jonathan

By Lawrence Olaoye

B

arely few days after the military declared that the Boko Haram insurgents will be ‘crushed’ before the March28 Presidential Election, President Goodluck Jonathan has admitted that it would be impossible for the security agencies to wipe out the terrorist group before the forthcoming general elections.

Jonathan, who spoke yesterday while meeting members of the diplomatic corps,

said completely liberating the three Northeast states under the siege of Boko Haram could not be guaranteed even though reasonable portion of the territories under the control of the insurgents would be recaptured before the elections.

“Some people asked, will Nigeria wipe out Boko Haram within six weeks if in six years, we were unable to do so? And I said no. The security people are not saying they will wipe out Boko Haram before elections will be conducted.

“Even if we don’t take over all the territories in Borno State, definitely in Adamawa and Yobe States, we’ll take over completely and even Borno State the headquarters of Boko Haram. Even if we don’t take over completely, at least, 70 percent of that state will be freed for elections to be conducted.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is working towards brokering a deal that would see President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Gen Muhammadu Buhari

of the All Progressives Congress (APC) hold a joint broadcast condemning election violence.

Chidi Odinkalu, chairman of the commission, said the idea is for Jonathan and Buhari to jointly speak to Nigerians and tell them that the election is between brothers and not a war, and that the country belongs to us all.

“Let us change the messaging for this election and show we can do better. We want to show that Nigerians can hold elections without killing one another,” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Page 3

Feature

Ram business has uplifted me - Abdullahi

By Mohammed Usman

F

or some, it is a ‘dirty’ business, while for others it is very risky to invest in the buying and selling of life animals that may die at any point in time including the enormous task of feeding and maintaining the health status of each ram till the day it gets a buyer.

However, for Malam Garba Abdullahi, former Secretary of Madalla Market Ram Sellers, it is a business that has brought him many goodies that only he and God can quantify.

Speaking to Peoples Daily Weekend, Garba said he inherited the business from his father. “I did not learn this business from anybody, I inherited it from my father. Even after I finished school, I continued with it.”

The former scribe of the Madalla Market Ram Sellers, who said that he had been in the business for over 20 years, stated that is an all season business. ‘‘In this business, any time you pass by this place you will see us here. There are people who do the business only during festive periods, but we are always here.

From here we supply hotels, restaurants, homes and suya joints.”

Garba also stressed that the naira depreciation was affecting their business, adding that no business is devoid of its ups and downs. “You know this

business deals with life animals, sometimes when we travel to the far north to buy the Rams, we discover that the price has increased and other times the price would come down. During Sallah and Christmas, we do have increment in prices. Now that we are not in the festive period, the price is normal and it is not high.

“Like every other thing in life, we do experience ups and downs. We buy healthy rams but sometimes before we get here some will become ill, while some might die and that is our loss. Most times because of the weather, some rams might fall ill. So, we do spend money on treatment which those who buy from us would not refund. This means that we recorded a loss.

So, these are some of the problems we are experiencing in this business.”

He also said that they mostly supplement local rams with imported ones so that they can meet up with their storage capacity. “The ones we buy from the Fulani and other people are not enough for us, so we buy imported ones from our colleagues in Jigawa, Yobe and so forth. So, mostly it is the imported ones that we sell in this place.”

While justifying their travel to neighbouring countries to buy rams for sale in Nigeria, he said “You know in a place like Niger Republic, God has blessed them with animals like rams. There, rearing of animals

is mostly their focus. There, you can see a person with over 50 herds of rams, and each herd numbers up to one hundred.

That is why we have to get animals from there so as to get the amount needed for our stock.

“Here too, we can rear animals, we also have the potential, but most rich folks do not have such plans. Even as we are doing this business, if we get help from rich individuals in the society or the government, we can get a farmland where a considerable number of animals will be reared.”

Speaking on what he has earned over time in the business of buying and selling rams, Garba stressed that “All I have to do is to thank God. From this business, I have built a house of my own, I feed my family and take care of other family members. I have also been sponsoring my children to school. It is only God that knows the goodies that this business has accrued to me.”

While soliciting for assistance, he added that no matter the economic status of a business man, he/she needs more money to back up his/her capital, adding that most people do not know that the business is very lucrative. ‘‘At times we do sell beyond our imaginations, but other times you will supply rams and not get your money at once. Most of our customers pay in installments. So, if you don’t have a good backing

Malam Garba Abdullahi

or support from another lawful source of income, you will surely have shortage. So we need help in this aspect.”

According to Abdullahi, all they need from government is soft grants. “This is because it is the amount of money that you invest into the business that determines what you get back in return. Actually here, we don’t take loan from banks. This is because of the problem and difficulties involved. That is why it is what we have at hand that we use. But if we there is a way that we can obtain loans without difficulty, we will like it.”

Narrating his experience in the business, he stated that though it involves risk, there is no occupation that is as good as selling rams. Though it is not devoid of its ups and downs, all you need is patience and perseverance. He advised people in business to have patience, perseverance and believe in God

“ A ram market

always.

Garba also advised youths to engage in lawful sources of income. “It is not a good thing for young people to be without any meaningful job, as it leads to social vices. If the young ones engage in a meaningful workjob or business they will be better off. This is because when you are in need, you will be able to solve your problems.

You will even get people’s support. So, I am advising youths to engage themselves in a lawful job or business. If you have finished school and you do not have a white collar job then get into business, no matter how small.’’

Garba added that government jobs are not easy to get, stressing that there are many graduates that are doing well in business, some of them have even forgotten about government jobs because business has uplifted them.

Even as we are doing this business, if we get help from rich individuals in the society or the government, we can get a farmland where a considerable number of animals will be reared.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 4

Special Report

Polls shift: The pains, the gains

By Patrick Andrew

A

t 13 years, Promise had a promising life. She was in one of the unity schools in Kaduna and in SS2. She had hoped to be a medical doctor with special interest in embryonic surgery. Everyone in the family was sure only the sky could be her limit, as she was not just full of life, but her spirit and zest were contagious.

Promise was of stately beauty, exciting, and captivating in appearance such that even at her young age the maiden turned heads.

But strategy struck. Promise is no more, cut too early in her teens. No, she was not ill, but was bustling with health. Well, election tension had forced her father, a senior civil servant, to consider relocating his family to his home state in the south east.

Sadly on the way home on that fateful day, the luxurious bus she, along with other family members, boarded had a head-on collision leading to the loss of seven lives including the ‘promising Promise’.

Two days later, a similar incident occurred along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which is under construction. Again, 13 persons met their untimely death, a bulk of whom had thought that relocating from Lagos to their home states in the south east in the face of the growing election tension was the surest way to safety. They sought a safe haven, but the cruel hand of fate snatched them away in circumstances that could have been avoided were the general elections not being heightened to a ferocious pitch.

Pastor Sunday Balogun of the Garden of Love Ministry, narrated his experience, “The growing trend in the political arena appears not only a threat to the unity of the country, but was assuming a status which if allowed would set the country back for more than 20 years and thereby retard the development already recorded.

“Nigerians are fleeing in panic and fear, following threats from some supporters that if either of the presidential candidates of the leading political parties does not win the February 14 election, then the country will be set on fire.

“Panic had been heightened by inflammatory comments which compelled many to relocate from their places of businesses back to their home states. Sadly, many have met their untimely death through accidents,” he said citing an example.

“On Friday, February 6, a luxurious bus conveying some Igbos, who were relocating from Gombe and Bauchi States respectively, had a ghastly accident somewhere in Makurdi, Benue State. As many as 15 persons died on the spot, while

PDP Chair, Mu’azu

APC Chair, Oyegun

“When a bird is about to fly and you throw a stone at it, you have succeeded in hastening its flight. How do you expect people to remain where they are uncertain about their safety, where bloodbath awaits them? I don’t blame those running away from Kadu­na and other places.” many were rushed to the general hospital nearby.

“These persons would have been alive today had there not been election tension occasioned by unrestrained hate-comment mostly faith and tribal driven.

The nation has indeed lost these precious citizens whose only crime it appears was being Nigerians unfortunate enough to be born at a time when parochial political interest dominates the polity.”

The mass relocation and the unfortunate deaths and loss of property en-route their home states has even become a political campaign item maximised by various parties to further whip up sentiments and hate.

For instance, when Abia State indigenes who were residing in the northern part of the country returned home and related the experiences encountered on the way, they lamented that their businesses, property and no fewer than 23 persons died from accidents within the last seven days prior to their meeting with the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Alex Otti.

It was not a false alarm as they had names of the dead and

places where these accidents occurred. Coming under the auspices of Abia Patri­ ots for Good Governance and Credible Leadership, they endorsed the APGA guber candidate for the forthcoming election and as­sured him that the mass movement of the people back home would boost his victory at the polls.

Coordinator of the group, Mazi Sam Adiele, said “Even seeing the mass exodus back home of Ig­ bos residing in the north at this period due to perceived fear of election violence, invariably strengthens our campaign for your total victory at the poll”.

Peoples Daily Weekend also gleaned that even northerners residing in Kaduna, but from the far north equally felt unsafe and opted to relocate. But relocation for them also had consequences.

At the popular Sheik Abubakar Gumi Central Mar­ ket, where most Hausa traders from the core northern states like Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, do their business, many were forced to flee when supporters of the two leading parties clashed in Bakin Ruwa and Kabala West Junction areas of Kaduna metropils.

In Bayelsa State, the Chairman, Arewa Consulta­ tive

Forum (ACF) South-South and South-East, Alhaji Musa Saidu, said his people were forced to relocate en-masse from the looming danger in Yenogoa, the state capital and its neighbouring Rivers State.

Ironically, they were running away from one travail only to encounter another. “There is serious security threat in the nation, especially from the former militant leaders in the Niger Delta. The threat has generated much fear in the polity and no parent would want to lose his or her child. “The situation in Rivers State is out of control be­ cause nobody is in charge of the state.

“PDP does not trust APC, APC does not trust PDP. Every crime is now politicized; the situation in the state needs a very special attention. There is a very massive danger looming in the state,” the ACF claimed.

Then tearfully he said, “Some had to flee as if the country is at war as they abandoned their possessions to go and start afresh elsewhere. That is the least of the problem, the accident that occurred at Mope Road and the subsequent ones along AbajiAbuja Road and the unfortunate accident that occurred near

Kaduna, clearly showed the dire consequences of election tension.”

To Saidu, cars, businesses, property in Bayelsa and Port Harcourt have been abandoned, while lives were senselessly lost just because politicians with their inflammatory comments had engendered unnecessary fear in the common people who were merely in these places to eke out a living.

Igbos and Yorubas that have braced up themselves and resisted the pressure to relocate from Maidugiri, the hotbed of Boko Haram, found themselves unable to contain the desperation to flee.

Even indigenes say they are apprehen­ sive of the anticipated violent reaction in the after­ math of the general elections, a situation that has increased tension and panic-travelling.

“Anybody who witnessed what happened here two Sundays ago when Boko Haram made at­ tempts to capture Maiduguri will not hesitate to flee,” Ibrahim Ahmed, a resident flee­ing with his family to a north-central state, said.

According to reports, at Kano Park in Maidu­ guri which also serves as a bus station for luxury buses, many residents said fleeing with their family members before the elections was the only option.

The desperation to flee is better captured by the rush to move away from Maiduguri when barely four hours after an official gave the hint that one of the luxury buses that was conveying passengers to the southeast had a fatal accident at Dogon Kukah near Damaturu, killing no fewer than 17 of the passen­gers, while about 50 were injured.

Here in Abuja, Francis and John have relocated their families to Enugu and Asaba for fear of possibly outbreak of violence after the elections. Now, they are forced to run two families with its attendant financial implications.

They are just average income earners struggling to cater for themselves, but harder still they now have to contain with the difficulty of maintaining two homes.

They are not alone. Friday works with a popular television station in Abuja. He had been a victim of the post 2011 election violence and therefore would not brook a repeat. Though from the south south region, he opted to relocate his family to Ghana. He worked hard to save enough to fund the journey and ensure that their stay in Ghana would be with minimum hassles.

And so Thursday, February 5, he bade them farewell, hoping that they will rejoin him in Abuja sometime in June. However, three days later, INEC came down hard with an unexpected

Contd on Pg 5

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Contd from Pg 4 elections were shifted to March 28 and April 11.

Friday is at a loss over whether to recall the family. He had rented an apartment for six months in Osu Area in Accra, Ghana, paid a private teacher for the period to tutor the children. And now, the polls are shifted. Friday can’t get a refund on the rent even if the private teacher may be willing to refund the tuition fees.

And what is the psychological imbalance occasioned by the relocation of the family, especially on the children?

Gombe-Bauchi and Maiduguri axis is a forte for dried fish business. That is one thriving business the traders from the south west and south east will surely miss. Many had dared the insurgency and continued with the lucrative business, but have been unwilling to risk their lives in the probable post-elections violence.

Uche Eze captures the scenario, “No, we can cope with Boko Haram insurgency. I know I am risking my life in Mubi or when I go to Maiduguri for my dry fish business. But what benefit do I have from either the PDP or APC? They don’t know me and my family. I am not bothered about whoever wins, they benefit only their families.

“Now, there is no business for me, my family is suffering while the top political candidates are eating well and enjoying life with their families. Who cares for me?

In 2011, I barely escaped with the skin of my teeth. My friends died and none of these politicians cared about their families. So, why should I risk my life for any politician?”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) was on a smooth sail. With a flurry of defections from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the party was on course, its home stretch to brace the tape ahead of the PDP seems certain.

The APC’s momentum was palpably, very infectious. There was celebration in the air. The party’s leadership daily wax victory songs and they were certain to break the jinx of incumbency.

Governor Chibuike Amaechi was teasingly called ‘the PDP’s nemesis’ as were the rest of the aggrieved persons who had abandoned the PDP, accusing the party of lacking democratic tenets, being unjust, unfair, and too arrogant. They yearned for the elections, content that the D-Day for the humiliation of the ruling party had arrived. With

PAGE 5

Special Report

The pains, the gains that they hoped their moment of glory had arrived. Now that seems a mirage.

Though Jega’s INEC had issues with the PVC distribution going by its admittance that only 45.8million cards were distributed out of the 65.8million printed representing 66.58 percent, the electoral body insisted that it was ready to conduct the exercise.

Had that occurred Lagos would have had less than 42 percent of registered voters participating in the elections on account of noncollection of PVCs. Ditto Kano which as of Thursday, February 5, according to INEC, could only boast of 45 percent distribution of the voter cards.

Of course, the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) a majority of which were unable to collect their PVCs nor did they know whether it would be possible to vote and even if they voted whether their vote would count since there is no constitutional provision for them to participate in the exercise.

But the ‘loss of momentum’ could be the gain of the PDP. Former Adamawa guber aspirant, Dr. Umar Ardo, a PDP member, said the desperation to get the polls shifted was a ploy to attempt to rebuild confidence in the party and ensure that some lost grounds were recaptured.

“Now, whether that will materialise and assist the party to re-organise its house which appears to be in disarray is a different matter entirely. But the shift has obvious positive implication for the PDP and a negative one for the opposition party,” Rauf Ibrahim, a Katsina PDP member, said on phone.

APC’s presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, clearly sought to calm frayed nerves and ensure that the party maintains its hold on the growing followership and therefore sustain its surge in the consciousness of the people.

“We are all going to appeal to our supporters to give INEC a chance, because there is a 30-day limit for the swearing-in of a new government and before that time, election must be conducted.

“So, there will be no more room for manoeuvre as far as we are concerned. I hope the military; the ruling party and INEC will accept this as the limit

Prof. Jega provided by the constitution.

“We do not expect INEC to say they cannot conduct the elections.

In any case, INEC briefed the National Council of State that they were ready to conduct the elections.

“Now if they are approached by the military for whatever reason to consider an additional six weeks before the elections start, we are going to accommodate that and abide by it. We urge our supporters to remain calm, to participate in the elections on March 28 and April 11.”

Though INEC agreed to shift the dates for the general elections mainly because many eligible voters were yet to get their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs), the national security adviser’s request may well have favoured the IDPs and INEC as well.

“I would like to reiterate here that INEC is an EMB and not a security agency. It relies on the security services to provide a safe environment for personnel, voters, election observers and election materials to conduct elections. Where the security services strongly advise otherwise, it would be unconscionable for the commission to deploy personnel and call voters out in such a situation.

“A day before the Council of State meeting, the office of the National Security Adviser

(NSA) wrote a letter to the commission, drawing attention to recent developments in four northeast states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe currently experiencing the challenge of insurgency. The letter stated that security could not be guaranteed during the proposed period in February for the general elections,” Jega adduced as reasons for shifting the polls.

Of course, INEC has had issues with distribution of PVCs and card readers. The machine, a major logistics for guaranteeing authentic votership, the commission itself acknowledged severally had been its major problem because the operation of the machine and training of required ad-hoc staff were yet to be sufficiently addressed.

Further, INEC said it relied on Section 26 (1) as amended of the Electoral Act. “Where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct an election as a result of natural disaster or other emergencies, the commission may postpone the election and shall in respect of the area or areas concerned appoint another day for the holding of the postponed election provided that such reason for the postponement is cogent and verifiable.”

“The commission is concerned about the security of our adhoc staff, the young men and women of the NYSC and students of tertiary insitutions who constitute at least 600,000 young

“ Members of NYSC assisting during elections

men and women that we will be used in the election,” he said, noting that since the commission was not a security agency that could guarantee the protection of personnel, observers and voters during the elections, it could not likely wave-off the advice by the nation’s security chiefs.

Accordingly, INEC has once more extended the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards by registered voters with four more weeks until March 8th, 2015. The commission’s Secretary, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, urged registered voters who were unable to access their cards to take the opportunity to obtain the card.

Thus, the rescheduling has afforded INEC a breather of sorts to train their personnel and adhoc staff on the card readers, as well as step up distribution of the PVCs. Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Delta, Anambra, and several other places where the distribution was paltry would enjoy considerable progress before the March 28 presidential election.

Ekiti APC said regarding the shift: “There is good in evil and vice versa. APC is challenged by the postponement and will seize it as an opportunity to further entrench our presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, and all APC candidates in Ekiti in the consciousness of people as change agents. Enough of Jonathan at the centre and Fayose at our state level.” That means the party will not rest on its oars but continue to walk the streets for votes.

“Given the fact that less than 34 percent of eligible voters have not been able to access their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) up till today, just a few days before the original date of the election, INEC’s decision is laudable. A situation where such a large percentage of our people would have been disenfranchised is unacceptable and the fact that the APC was insensitive to that fact speaks volumes.

“We wish to encourage our supporters and we urge them to remain calm and to be patient.

Our party is strong; our candidate is confident; our cause is just; our God is mighty and our victory is assured. No matter what happens and no matter how long it takes, we shall prevail. God bless Nigeria,” Femi Fani-Kayode, the Director of Media, PDP campaign organisation, said.

Of course, the message is clear, the parties will take advantage of the shift to comb the nooks and crannies for supporters, boost their strong holds and seek to deplete the fortress of their foes.

APC is challenged by the postponement and will seize it as an opportunity to further entrench our presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, and all APC candidates.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 6

News

‘PDP, Presidency oppose card readers to compromise polls’

By Osby Isibor, Abuja

T

he All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of opposing the use of Card Readers in the forthcoming general elections as being proposed by INEC, describing it as the PDP’s agenda to manipulate the electoral process.

A statement signed by APCPCO Director of Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu said it viewed this latest ploy by the ruling PDP and the Presidency as the precursor to the move to stampede the resignation of Professor Attahiru

Jega before the appointment of a pliable lackey, who will do the hatchet job of stopping the use of the Card Readers.

Shehu noted that the INEC’s decision to use the Card Readers was borne out of the need to ensure electoral transparency and integrity.

The statement reads, “Aside the huge financial investment involved in the procurement of the Card Readers, the PDP’s desire to hoodwink the Nigerian people on this anti-rigging device, is not just subterranean but an affront on the independence of the electoral body.

“We are equally aware that this is the latest

gambit of the ruling Party in its desire to thwart the electoral wishes of majority of Nigerian electorate. We are aware also of the use of its tested and well-oiled rigging machine of unregistered voters and accentuation of same by the use of soldiers that had been specially trained and reserved for that nefarious purpose.

“We have said it that, based on the ruling of the Federal High Court, Sokoto against the use of Soldiers for Election duties, our Party shall is opposed to the use of soldiers for the Election Days on 28th March and 11th April, 2015.

“We insist that the use of Card Readers for

authenticating the propriety of the Permanent Voters’ Cards presented and ultimately, accreditation of Voters, as envisioned by INEC. These, in our estimation as a credible Party, remain the irreducible minimum that must form the basis for the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections on 28th March and 11th April, 2015.

“We call on all Nigerians to remain vigilant and we, on our part, shall remain alive to our responsibility in galvanizing the citizenry for assuring on the virility of the Nigerian nation.

Indeed, eternal vigilance is the price of our liberty.”

EFCC arrests Murtala Nyako’s son

By Osby Isibor, Abuja

O

President Goodluck Jonathan (right), Dr Andrew Pocock British High commissioner & permanent representative to Ecowas (middle), and Minister of Trade Industries & Investment Olusegun Aganga, during a cocktail Hosted by the President for the Diplomatic Corps in Nigeria yesterday, at State House Abuja.

Photo : Joe Oroyo

3 policemen killed at Checkpoint in Abuja

T

hree police officers have been killed at a checkpoint in Arab Road junction, Kubwa, Abuja.

Although the exact time of the incident has not been ascertained, it was believed that the police officers were attacked in the middle of the night or wee hours of Friday morning.

Their bodies were discovered very early on Friday and have since been taken to an undisclosed location.

Plain- clothed detectives were seen at the crime scene on Friday morning before sealing up the container where one of the bodies was discovered.

One of those at the scene of the incident, Abdullahi said, “I rushed here when I learnt of the incident, to see their bodies being evacuated by other policemen.

This Arab road is known as a crime zone in this Kubwa.

Thieves used to snatch people’s bags and okadas, but police presence changed a lot of things, I just can’t believe that they met such a misfortune.”

Mu’azu asks AU observers to report INEC inadequacies

By Ahmed Abubakar

T

he National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Adamu Mu’azu has urged the African Union (AU) to report the inadequacies of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying that the use of Electronic Management Tool (EMT) for the 2015 elections is welcomed, but Nigeria not ready to be used as guinea pigs.

Mu’azu said INEC must ensure a successful test run before approving it for use in the elections, stressing that INEC management must get their sums right before introducing the measure.

Mu’azu spoke yesterday when a delegation of Africa Union election observers led by AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi visited him at his office at Wadata House in Abuja.

Dr. Abdullahi said they were impressed seeing no street fighting or protests trailing the postponement, adding that it was a sign of maturity of Nigerians and the depth of democratic practice in the country.

Dr. Abdullahi who was a former Commissioner in Mu’azu’s cabinet when he was governor of Bauchi State between 1999 to 2007, was accompanied on the visit by

peratives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday morning in Gombe state arrested Abdul-Aziz Nyako, son of former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako. This is coming two weeks after the EFCC declared the former governor and his son wanted.

A statement by the spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said he was immediately flown to Abuja, where he is currently being grilled by a crack team of detectives who had been working on the Adamawa investigation for several months.

Abdul-Aziz, who was declared wanted by the EFCC in the case of stealing, abuse of office and money laundering, is currently being interrogated over alleged illicit funds traced to companies in which he has interest.

Specifically, he is being asked to explain how over N15billion funds belonging to Adamawa State was allegedly laundered into the accounts of five companies said to

five members of the AU observer mission to monitor the March 28 elections.

The PDP chairman told the delegation that “what is happening today in INEC has been highlighted to them via letters from our party to his office on so many issues including the fraud of PVC we anticipated, including the manipulation. We all said this in writing to INEC. It is because we are the ruling party, we don’t want to be unruly because if we were the opposition, we would make a lot of noise and say a lot of things.”

The Chairman told the delegation if “in their own sense of judgment, how does Professor Jega who is the leader of INEC exonerate himself from disenfranchising 23 million Nigerians and telling the world that he is ready for elections and we are saying that he is not ready.

He said 23 million out of the 68 million registered voters by Jega’s personal submission in the Council of State that was held last week to review the preparedness of INEC to conduct the election; that 23 million PVCs were either produced and not distributed or not produced at all.

This must be highlighted and made known to the world. Your report must be very explicit to explain what has happened. ” Mu’azu concluded.

owned by him- Blue Opal Nigeria Limited, Crust Energy Nigeria Limited, Blue Ribbon Multilinks Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Blue Ribbon Bureau De Change.

The funds was allegedly funneled into the accounts of the companies from Adamawa state accounts domiciled in a new generation bank by the account officer who incidentally is the manager and an in-law to Ex-governor Nyako.

The EFCC said the manager claimed he transferred the funds through verbal instruction from the former governor for purposes that were not stated.

The commission said its investigations revealed that from 2007 to 2011, then Governor Nyako directed that all state-owned accounts domiciled in various banks be transferred to the new generation bank.

Abdul-Aziz’s company, Blue Opal, is said to own, among other investments in Nigeria, an estate in Abuja, while his father’s account officer owns several properties and investments scattered around

Boko Haram kingpin nabbed in Niger Republic

. As insurgent group launches deadly attack in Chad

A

suspected Boko Haram kingpin simply identified as Kaka Bornu has been arrested and several weapons including rocket launchers seized from his home in the town of Diffa in southern Niger Republic, according to security report.

The town on the Nigerian border has come under attack from the militants this past week, since Chad deployed hundreds of troops in the area as part of a regional effort to tackle Boko Haram.

The man was also identified as a trader known to authorities for suspected involvement in trafficking stolen goods, the security report said.

“Different type of weapons of all calibre including rocket launchers, were found in his house,” one of the Niger military sources told Reuters, requesting to remain anonymous.

Apparently miffed by the support of the Chadian

government to stop armed insurgency in Nigeria, Boko Haram fighters carried out their first attack inside Chad, killing five people in an early morning strike on a village and military camp on the shores of Lake Chad, a security source has said.

Friday’s pre-dawn attack left four civilians and one soldier dead and most of the village of Ngouboua torched before the fighters were pushed back, the source told the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity.

The attackers struck after crossing the lake from Nigeria’s Baga in large canoes and set ablaze nearly two-thirds of Ngouboua - about 20km east of the Nigerian border - where around 7,000 Nigerians have taken refuge.

Chadian military aircraft carried out airstrikes against the fighters, destroying their vessels, the security source added.

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Will Jega conduct the general elections?

By Patrick Andrew

T

he rumour has been rife.

Just hours before the crucial meeting of the National Council of State, last week, his alleged threat to resign should a decision be imposed on him went viral. His rumoured sack or threat to resign from his post has become the lot of Prof Attahiru Jega, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

To be sure, the rumour is not peculiar to Jega. All public officers, especially political appointees, are seldom left out of the eye of the storm. They take the centre stage, mired in speculative or often warp assumptions and sometimes outright barefaced lies from sundry quarters. Ironically, the sources of these figments of imagination often defy status, more so in a smothering political environment such as Nigeria.

And INEC has been in the spotlight, ever since the nation began to approach the D-Day for the conduct of the 2015 general elections.

The electoral body is charged with, perhaps, the most sensitive duty this year: one that will not only be a milestone in the anal of Nigeria’s political setting, but could shape its subsequent complexion and indeed affect the integrity of its sovereignty as a nation.

Even prior to independence, elections in Nigeria have always generated no little tension. In fact, since 1960 when the first indigenous electoral umpire was appointed, no chairman has presided over the electoral body without receiving excruciating knocks for alleged compromise.

The post independence election was conducted in 1964 by Eyo Ita Esua. However, Esua never had a second chance to improve on the observed mistakes from the past experience. In fact, no electoral body’s chairman has conducted two general elections in Nigeria before the person’s term expires or the person is removed from office.

After Esua came Chief Michael Ani, who marshalled the elections that ushered in the Second Republic in 1979. Expectedly, FEDECO (Federal Electoral Commission) in the estimation of the opposition or persons who failed to secure the mandate of their respective constituencies, the commission’s leadership did not fare better than his predecessor. Chief Ani stepped down to usher in Justice Victor Ovie-Whiskey to conduct the 1983 elections.

Ovie-Whiskey received barrels of knocks for presiding over a universally acclaimed fraudulent general election, one renowned for the irritant ‘bandwagon effect’. Well, the military presumably listened to

President Jonthan public outcry rightly or wrongly and stepped in to chase away democracy and its apparatus, including the electoral body.

Then came Prof Humphrey Nwosu, a political scientist of repute.

Yes, he of the Option A 4 system who also became infamous for failing to declare the result of the 1993 presidential election, which was acclaimed to be one of the freest and fairest ever in the history of democracy worldwide.

Nwosu’s oratory, versatility, vision and fervour, had gingered hope and confidence for an unassailable democratic practice until the unpardonable dent, a slur that perhaps would perpetually haunt not just the failed umpire but all the actors associated with the ungodly act that truncated a credible process to democracy.

Faced with the ignominy of being arm-twisted against announcing the result of an election which was keenly contested and for which he could ordinarily have beaten his chest for a job well done, Nwosu on his own accord went into oblivion, sad that his job was indeterminate.

The contraption Interim National Government (ING) came into being with no provision for an electoral umpire.

Eventually, jackboot gave way to civil rule in 1999. Justice Ephraim Akpata became the third person from the minority extraction vested with the power to midwife election.

Akpata’s efforts threw up Olusegun Obasanjo, who assumed the presidency amidst cries of electoral

Prof. Jega impropriety, of course from the All Peoples’ Party whose candidate, Chief Olu Falae, was a product of an alliance between the APP and Alliance for Democracy (AD).

Justice Akpata died in office in 2000 and was replaced by Dr. Abel Guobadia from Edo State, who conducted the 2003 general elections, but not without the complaints of irregularities.

Accused of several electoral immoralities, Guobadia came under scathing criticisms for aiding the incumbent Chief Obasanjo to return to Aso Villa and looked set to break the second term jinx, going by his seemingly robust romance with the presidency. But it was tenuous.

Guobadia’s tenure ended in 2005, meaning that he barely managed to complete his first tenure.

Professor of Pharmacy, Maurice Iwu from Imo State succeeded him and conducted the 2007 elections that brought in the late President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Iwu’s effort was widely seen as chaotic and fraudulent. In fact, the US government doubted whether Iwu could organise a credible election and called for him to be replaced.

The character, which summarised that bleached election, was attested to particularly by the winner, the late Yar’Adua, who publicly asserted that the processes leading to his victory were clearly distorted.

It was doubtful if Yar’ Adua would have retained his services had death not come calling. Iwu’s tenure was due to expire on June 13, 2010.

However, on April 28, 2010 but the

then Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan, removed him from office.

Iwu’s sack paved way for Professor Attahiru Jega to mount the saddle.

Jega’s appointment was applauded with only paltry objections here and there. Civil liberty organisations and unions hailed the former activist and unionist, and former Bayero University vice chancellor.

His first assignment in 2011 was praised, albeit not without knocks. He too admitted the 2011 elections had obvious frailties which he promised to correct and set the conduct of elections on a pedestal where every vote will count.

But the knocks have steadily increased. The climax, perhaps, may be the recent compromise with the military to have the 2015 general elections shifted from this weekend to March 28 and April 11 respectively.

The above scenario clearly indicateds no chairman of the electoral umpire has ever served two complete tenures. Most were sacked after their first tenure, while a few were sent packing while they were preparing to conduct the elections for the second time.

This takes us to the searing rumour that hit the media early in the week following reports that the presidency was plotting to force Jega to proceed on his terminal leave, probably from March 1 since his five year term will come to an end in June, two months after the rescheduled general elections.

Now, the twist is should Jega proceed on the leave, a change in the leadership of INEC would become

inevitable and there are fears that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is likely to appoint only a stooge, who will be willing and ready to kowtow to its whims and caprice, and be compromised.

Already, Prof. Nazim Mimiko, sibling to Governor Mimiko of Ondo State, is being touted as Jega’s replacement, a development that many Nigerians consider to be a “political trick” that Jonathan would want to use to ensure his reelection, along with the elections’ postponement.

Political parties see this PDP’s wicked trick as something done to derail the APC’s soaring momentum.

Therefore, the parties have come together against the common enemy –the PDP-which has been getting flaks from them for allegedly conniving with INEC to wound the peoples’ quest for change.

The Coalition of the Political Parties, in a press conference on Monday, strongly warned the PDP against contemplating the removal of the INEC chairman under any guise, stressing that Jega’s removal will be resisted with dare consequences.

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Movement, Alhaji Bashir Ibrahim, said the parties and Nigerians in general will not accept the compromise of the leadership of the electoral body either by direct termination of Jega’s appointment or resort to tacit terminal leave arrangement.

“We are going to resist the move

Contd on Page 8

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Page 8

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Contd from Page 7 to remove him from office. The role of the election management board led by Jega in shifting the dates of the election may not be the best, but any move to remove him will be resisted,” Bashir added.

The leader of COP said if the INEC chairman is removed, it would show that the shift was engineered by the ruling PDP for ulterior motives.

The COP was reacting to a rumour that went viral. Barely 24 hours after INEC shifted the polls to March 28 and April 11 after wide consultations as directed by the National Council of State, which had been briefed by the electoral body, as well as the military on their preparedness for the elections, the media became agog with the rumour that the ruling party through the presidency intends to ask Jega to proceed on terminal leave.

The COP believes it was a ploy by the PDP in connivance with the military to manipulate the elections in favour of the incumbent Jonathan.

The Chairman of the Transitional Monitoring Group, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, who spoke on behalf of the CSOs at a news conference in Abuja said, “The most worrisome reality is that the Nigerian military, which is supposed to be nationalistic and patriotic in outlook, has allowed itself to be led by those they serve for expressly narrow interests.

“To say the least, the military has failed the Nigerian people. It is a betrayal of trust for the military in connivance with the National Security Adviser to have allowed itself to be used to suspend Nigeria’s electoral process.

“The grand conspiracy to arm-twist INEC to shift the 2015 general elections to satisfy narrow political considerations is a clear indication of the abyss to which the military has descended.

“The claim that they will not be able to protect INEC personnel and materials for the polls that were to hold on 14 and 28 February 2015, is a national disgrace and embarrassment.”

Zikirullahi stated that the excuse by the military that it needed “to concentrate on the fight against Boko Haram is untenable,” and wondered the kind of magic the Chief of Defence Staff and the NSA wanted to perform to deal with Boko Haram in six weeks that it could not do in six years.

Zikirullahi added that the CDS had in the past fed Nigerians with lies pertaining to the ongoing fight against insurgency and therefore called on all security chiefs and the NSA to bury their heads in shame and resign.

“The Civil Society Coalition hereby calls for their immediate resignation, for abdicating a national responsibility, and attempting to drown the voices

“

Jega may not conduct polls

APC’s rally of the Nigerian people. The current military high command, if they still have any iota of honour and good conscience, should immediately vacate their positions,” he insisted.

Zikirullahi advised Jega to resist any attempt to push him out of office. “This coalition respects and understands INEC’s position that it was ready to go ahead with the elections, until the military decided to abdicate its constitutional duty,” he stressed.

In yet another swift reaction, Femi Gbajabiamila, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, said any attempt to remove Jega will be contrary to the Constitution of Nigeria and will therefore be resisted.

“First I do not consider the chairman, INEC as a civil servant subject to civil service rules, same way I, as a member of the House of Representatives is not a civil servant. There is a difference between a civil servant and a public servant or officer. Jega falls under the latter. INEC and its chairman are a creation of the constitution.

“Their operations, rules and regulations are as provided under sections 156 and 160 of the Nigerian constitution which expressly states that only INEC has the powers to regulate its own procedures and cannot be subject to approval of the president or any other authority thereby establishing its independence.”

“Secondly,’ terminal leave’ is a form of removal whichever you cut or slice it and Section 157 of the constitution is very clear that the removal of the chairman of INEC can only be initiated by two thirds of the Senate and not by

the president,” stressing that the question of who is a civil servant is answered in Section 171 of the constitution and the chairman of INEC is not included.

He concluded by asserting that the move will also violate the provisions of the Code of Conduct for public servants.

“Finally, it will be a violation of Section 1 of the Code of Conduct as embedded in Part 1 of the fifth schedule to the constitution to appoint Prof. Mimiko, brother to a PDP governor ( if the rumors are indeed true), as INEC chairman.

“There is an inherent conflict of interest and that will never fly.

Section I just referred to states: “a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.”

Amidst this speculations and rave reactions, legal experts have been talking on what specifically the law says, particularly the 1999 constitution. According to the 1999 constitution (amended), the president can only remove the INEC chairman if two third members of the upper legislative chamber - the Senate endorse the removal.

Adegunsoye Brown, a legal practitioner in Abuja, therefore believes that Jonathan cannot only remove Jega unilaterally and will need to rely on the approval of two-third members of the Senate and he does not see Jonathan enjoying that now should he yield to pressure to attempt to ask Jega to leave.

He hinged the argument on Section 157 (1) which states that “Subject to the provision of subsection (3) of this removal section, a person holding any of

But according to the extant rules and our time-honored conventions, his tenure ‘actually’ comes to an end on March 24 because he is required, without more, to compulsorily proceed on terminal leave three months to the mathematical end of his tenure.

the offices to which this section applies may only be removed from that office by the president acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed for inability to discharge the functions of the office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misconduct.”

Subsection 2 states “This section applies to the office of the chairman and member of the Code of Conduct Bureau, the Federal Civil Service Commission, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the National Judicial Council, the Federal Judicial Service Commission, the Federal Character Commission, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Population Commission, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the Police Service Commission.”

On the issue of asking the INEC Chairman to proceed on terminal leave since his tenure is due to expire on June 13 and as argued in line with civil service regulation that stipulates that any such officer due for retirement should proceed on terminal leave three months prior to the due date, the lawyer averred: “Though there is no express law for or against it, he could however rely on Part D Section 171, under Public Service Rules of the Federation, to move against Mr. Jega.

Section 171 (1) states, “….Power to appoint persons to hold or act in the office to which this section applies and to remove persons so appointed from any such office shall vest in the president.

Subsection 2 listed such officers to include the secretary to the government of the federation, ambassadors and high commissioners, permanent secretaries or head of any extra ministerial department of the government of the federation however designated.

It is also noteworthy, according to the lawyer, that the president must consult with the Council of State, but the appointment will be subject to the confirmation of the Senate.

Section 153 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (amended) listed 14 bodies, including the INEC

to be established by the Federal Government.

According to Section 154 “Except in the case of exofficio members or where other provisions are made in the Constitution, the Chairman and members of any of the bodies in the provisions of the constitution, be appointed by the president and the appointment shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate.”

Section 154 (3) says “In exercising the powers to appoint a person as Chairman or member of the Independent National Electoral Commission, National Judicial Council, the Federal Judicial Service Commission or the National Population Commission, the President shall consult the Council of State.”

Citing what he termed ‘valid argument’ Adegunsoye adduced an argument published by one of the online media in which ‘a colleague has done an elaborate explanation of the facts therein’ and he believes that it should shore up reasonable argument and rest the matter. ‘“Jega was appointed by President Jonathan on June 8, 2010, and confirmed by the Senate on June 24, 2010. Under the law, his tenure runs for five years. Mathematically, therefore his tenure ‘exactly’ ends on June 24, 2015, counting from the date of Senate’s confirmation.

“But according to the extant rules and our time-honored conventions, his tenure ‘actually’ comes to an end on March 24 because he is required, without more, to compulsorily proceed on terminal leave three months to the mathematical end of his tenure.

And this is being very generous, because, if you go by the ‘doctrine of relation back’, a strong case can be made that his terminal leave shall commence on March 8 (the date he was appointed) instead of March 24 (the date he was confirmed).

Further, he went on to cite evidence of compliance with the provision in previous cases.

“For those who might argue otherwise, there are legions of precedents including, most notably, that of Jega’s predecessor, Prof Maurice Iwu. Iwu’s tenure was due to expire on June 13, 2010.

However, on April 28, 2010 then acting President Jonathan ordered Iwu to proceed on terminal leave.

“That Iwu’s own terminal leave less than three months to his mathematical five years was probably a matter of expediency of that turbulent era and presidential grace to boot.

“In recent times, we have seen other equally constitutionallytenured public servants proceed on terminal leave before the exact date of expiration of their tenure.

“Here are a few examples.

Former IGP Abubakar’s tenure was due to end on July 30, 2014, but he proceeded or was sent on terminal leave on May 12, 2014. Former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, voluntarily proceeded on terminal leave three months before the constitutional or mathematical end of his tenure. The same was with former PCA, Contd on Page 9

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Contd from Page 8 Justice Salami,” he said, stressing that whereas Salami had certain equities Jega does not.

However, many have objected, stressing that Jega’s appointment is somewhat different and that what obtains to a core civil servant should not apply to him.

The Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Dr. Ahmed Sadiq, believes that Jega’s appointment is unique though a political appointment as well. “No, you can’t apply this provision to Jega. He is not a career civil servant per se. The provision applies strictly to civil servants not time-bound political appointees,” he said at the COP press briefing where the parties vowed to resist any move to unseat Jega.

Nonetheless, another lawyer, Max, again made reference to the publication above and insisted that it was instructive enough as it had the desired meat in terms of logic and legal finesse to address the issue of applicability to the office of INEC chairman. ‘“To underscore that there are no exceptions, the federal government in a well-received circular issued by the former Head of Service, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali, “called on those affected to comply with immediate effect by observing the three months terminal leave as provided for in the extant rules,” arguing that it affected all public servants (career civil servants or political appointees) without exception because there are all timebound.

He also made reference to the fact that starting from January 1, 2009, appointments of public servants from the rank of director was politicised because a circular had expressly stated that whoever accepted the elevation to the rank of director on political basis should consider such appointment time-bound, meaning that the appointment is renewable and can be terminated by whoever had appointed him.

“According to the circular, which is captioned ‘Three Months PreRetirement/Terminal Leave’, the government states that “It has been

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Jega: Civil servant or political appointee People queuing to vote

observed that the mandatory notice of retirement for officers who are due to retire is not being observed as provided for in the extant rules.

“Accordingly, it has become necessary to reiterate the provisions of Public Service Rules (PSR) 100238 which states that officers are required to give three months’ notice of their retirement from service terminating on the effective date of their retirement”.

For avoidance of doubt, the term retirement, in context, applies, mutatis mutandis, to those on fixed tenure like Jega.

“The circular was addressed and sent to the Chief of Staff to

the President, Chief Justice of the Federation, all Ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Chairman jf the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Others are Heads of extra-ministerial departments, the Accountant General of the Federation, Auditor General of the Federation, Surveyor General of the Federation, Directors General/ Chief Executives of parastatals and agencies.

“So, as we can see from above, it is

left for Jega to decide between these two options: either he voluntarily proceeds on his terminal leave by March 24, 2015, or he may be forced to do so by executive fiat. If, however, he is emboldened to sit tight, he has to know that any extra day he spends in office beyond March 24 is not by any force of law but by the sheer good grace of President Jonathan”.

Again drawing from Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s (Emir of Kano) CBN experience where a constitutional lawyer, Norrison Quakers, (SAN) said the president by the provisions of Section 11(2)(f) of the CBN Act, can remove the CBN Governor only with the approval of two-third majority of

the Senate, Adegunsoye averred that it equally applies to Jega.

All these pales into insignificance when paired against what President Jonathan said during the media chat on Wednesday: “I have not told anybody that I am going to remove Jega. I have not said so. You see some of these things are a creation of people for one interest or the other,” he said.

But he was quick to say that he appointed all the INEC national commissioners and the Resident Electoral Commissioners on the strength of the constitution, adding that if he felt Jega was not good enough, he could ask him to go.

Past INEC Chairmen of Nigeria Eyo Esua (1960-1966) Eyo Ita Esua from Cross River State (South-south), led the first indigenous electoral body in the country. Esua’s commission organized the first post-independence federal and regional elections of 1964 and 1965.

But the December 1964 election was marred by controversy and confusion which led to a military coup in 1966.

The commission was dissolved thereafter.

Michael Ani (1976-1979) Chief Michael Ani also from Cross River State was appointed in 1976 by the General Olusegun Obasanjo regime as the chairman of the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO). Ani’s commission conducted the election which ushered in the Second Republic government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari. on October 1, 1979.

However, the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), led by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, rejected the outcome of the election and challenged Shagari’s election in court but lost.

Victor Ovie-Whiskey (1983) Justice Victor Ovie-Whiskey from Delta State (Southsouth) was appointed by the Shehu Shagari administration in 1983 as chairman of FEDECO. He was seen as upright and non-partisan.

At the time of his appointment, he was the Chief Judge of the old Bendel State. The general elections of 1983 which he conducted were however marred by widespread irregularities. Under him, electoral officials were accused of rigging in favour of the then ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Eme Awa (1987-1989)

Prof. Eme Awa, from Abia State (South-east) served as Chairman between 1987 and 1989. He was a professor of Political Science at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He resigned his appointment around 1989 over alleged disagreement with former military President Ibrahim Babangida who appointed him.

Humphrey Nwosu (1989-1993) Professor Humphrey Nwosu from Anambra State (South-east) took over from Awa, his former teacher, and served till 1993.

He conducted the June 12 election seen as the freest and fairest election and presumed to have been won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola. It was Nwosu’s commission that introduced the novel voting system of Option A4 and Open Ballot System.

Prof.Okon Uya (1993-1994) A professor history, Uya was appointed by former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, to conduct a new presidential poll after the annulment of the June 12 election.

The defunct NRC and SDP were asked to present new candidates for the new presidential poll. But the crisis that greeted the annulment did not allow Uya room to conduct the election, indeed any election at all before he was removed.

Sumner Dagogo-Jack (1994-1998) The late General Sani Abacha appointed Chief Sumner Dagogo-Jack from Rivers State (South-south) as the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON).

He served between 1994 and 1998 and conducted elec-

tions for the local government councils and the National Assembly. The elected officers were, however, never inaugurated before the sudden death of Abacha in 1998.

Ephraim Akpata (1998-1999) Justice Ephraim Akpata from Edo State (South-south) was appointed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar’s administration in 1998. He registered new political parties in 1999 and conducted the election that ushered in the Obasanjo’s government in 1999.

Abel Guobadia (2000-2005) After Akpata died in January 2000, President Obasanjo appointed Sir Abel Guobadia from Edo State (South-south) as the chairman of the commission. He conducted the election in which Obasanjo secured a second term in office in 2003.

The election was also widely condemned by the opposition. In June 2005, Guobadia’s tenure expired.

Maurice Iwu (2005-2010) Professor Maurice Iwu from Imo State (South-east) who succeeded Guobadia in 2005 was perhaps the most controversial of all the nation’s umpires.

He conducted the 2007 general election characterised by wide spread irregularities.

Even the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua admitted that the election that made him president in 2007 was flawed.

However, the Anambra governorship election last February redeemed the commission’s image a little bit. The election was widely regarded as free and fair except for administrative hitches. But Iwu had already lost goodwill and his appointment was not renewed.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Page 10

News

Prepare to celebrate freedom from PDP, APC tells Nigerians Ayodele Samuel,Lagos

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on Nigerians to prepare to celebrate their imminent liberation from the PDPimposed yoke under which they have labored for many years.

In a statement issued yesterday in Lagos

by APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said but for the insistence of the PDP and the Jonathan administration that the suffering of Nigerians must be prolonged for another six weeks, the Valentine’s Day, which is a global

celebration of love and affection, would have also marked the celebration of freedom from the PDP servitude by all Nigerians.

It said, however, that those who orchestrated a needless postponement of the elections have only won a Pyrrhic victory as the delay will only further sweeten the joys of victory over the oppressors of the Nigerian people, over those who have looted the country’s treasury dry and left broken bones and gnashing of teeth in their wake. ‘’Saturday, Feb. 14th would have been a day of double celebration, of Valentine’s Day and of the liberation of the long-suffering people of

Nigeria from the burden imposed on them by a clueless, incompetent and purposeless PDP federal government ‘’While they could not change Valentine’s Day from Feb. 14th, they have temporarily delayed the celebration of freedom by their orchestrated six-week postponement of the elections. Nigerians should see this as a temporary setback. They should continue to maintain their unwavering enthusiasm for change by getting their PVCs ready to vote out the yoke masters. ‘’Nigerians must continue to insist that the elections be held as rescheduled and in line with constitutional provisions,’’ APC said.

Al-Makura assures completion of Doma, AkpanajaBenue road

By Gmbo Ahmed, Lafia

G

overnor Tanko Al-Mkaura of Nasarawa state has assured the people of Akpanaja chiefdom in Doma local government council of his administration’s determination to complete the construction of the abandoned Doma Akpanaja Benue road by the then PDP administration if given the second mandate.

Governor Tanko Al-Mkaura gave the assurance yesterday in Akpanaja during the installation and presentation of second class staff of office to His Royal Highness, Alhaji Musa Agye, as the Osakpa of Akpanaja.

Al-Makura also urged the community to avail themselves of the proximity to Olam Farm which is an opportunity to enable them gain employment.

He urged the community to forget the past and collaborate with the state government’s policy which is geared towards improving the lives of the people, as according to him the chiefdom has suffered from communal clashes years back.

The governor expressed worries over the communal skirmishes that engulfed Agbashi community in the recent times, calling on them to embrace one another irrespective of tribe, religion or political differences.

He also called on eligible voters yet to obtain their PVCs to avail themselves of the INEC time frame, adding that the PVCs is their license to elect credible leaders who would govern them accordingly.

His words: “My administration has taken into consideration and embarked on robust projects that will be of immense benefit to the people of Akpanaja chiefdom, which the road project if completed will boost social economy activities in the area”.

APC supporters at a rally in wurno, yesterday in sokoto state,

Polls: Ex-African leaders lead NDI observation mission to Nigeria

By Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Buhari Youth Congress for Change has called on the Nigeria government to ensure that it sticks to the March 28 and April 11 date set for the general elections or face revolt.

President of the group, Alhaji Adamu Nguru stated this in a press statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna yesterday where he said the group would not take any further shift in the election date.

According to Alhaji Adamu, “we are fully prepared for the election come March 28 and if the government fails again; we are prepared for everything within the frame of the law to fight back.

“We expect the government of the day to take a clue from what happened in Ivory Coast some years back, where Laurent Gbagbo was disgraced out of office. And this

is what we would support all well meaning Nigerians to come out in March to march for change by March 28.

The group lamented the security challenges that have bewildered the nation without any possible solution in sight.

“It is unfortunate that the once strong and gallant Nigeria military that was once the pride of Africa is now the military that is running away from ragtag terrorists because their leaders have lost concentration on their primary responsibilities.

“Today everybody knows that the major challenge facing Nigeria is that of security, some terrorists have held the country ransom for these six years and the Nigeria security agencies have no answer to this, because their leaders have allowed themselves to be dragged into politics and this has exposed the country to danger”.

Selfless service key to Nigeria’s devt

By Evelyn Okakwu

A

non-governmental organisation based in Abuja, Friendship with Christ Home for the Poor, has called for increased selfless services among Nigerians, saying it’s the only key to Nigeria’s development.

According to Dr Tochukwu Francisca of the NGO, Nigeria’s major problem is selfishness.

Dr. Tochukwu Francisca urged Nigerians to imbibe the culture of good brotherliness by providing skill acquisition and capacity building to the poor, so they can become useful Nigerians and create job opportunities for others.

She said the group has over the years engaged in providing counseling to street children and others in a bid to redirect their lives and help them to realize their God given talents..

The organization’s main objective is to care for the aged, feed the hungry and clothe the naked both inmates and the poor outside the home, as well as intervening in the education and medication of the poor.

Communal crisis worries Delta communities

By Osakhare Erese, Asaba

T

here are palpable tension in Ezebiri and Ofrukama Communities in Bomadi, Ugheli South Local Government Area of Delta State following the killing of no fewer than three persons with twelve others seriously injured.

Reports said that one of the victims in the current killings, a 22 year old, Egolukumor Dyetorok, over inexplicable communal differences sparked off trouble in the areas.

It was reliably gathered that killings in both communities, may not be unconnected with the disputed fishing land, a situation where there have been alleged bizarre murder of innocent

persons.

Sources said some residents of the communities have fled from their homes for fear of the unknown, while security agent through the Police Relations Office in the State, DSP Celestina Kalu said the Police have arrested 23 suspects in the wake of the crisis.

Speaking to our correspondent, Chief David Adam, Chairman Council of Chiefs in Ezebiri, said that his community was yet to come to terms on why their neighboring community should kill their children over a disputed land which has been in Bormadi High Court for over four years.

He ca l l ed on th e sta te government and security agents to step into the issues.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

MWAN Commissions Water Scheme for IDPs From Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he Medical W o m e n ’ s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) has constructed mini water scheme for IDPs in NYSC Damare camp in Girei local government area of Adamawa state.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, wife of the state Governor, Mrs. Hannatu Bala James Ngilari said the importance of water cannot be over emphasized, especially to the life of IDPS who were forced to flee from their normal places of abode.

Mrs. Ngilari represented by the state Commissioner of Women Affairs, Mrs. Marlyn Danbabaye called on other sisters organizations to emulate and commended the Association for its service to humanity.

Earlier in an address, National President of the Association, Dr. Valerie Obot said, the association which was established in 1976 is aimed at extending voluntary hands to victims of war, conflict and natural disasters.

Dr. Valerie Obot pointed out that the project was part of activities line up under a project known as project help which was initiated by one of its members.

She also expressed hope that by provision of the water scheme at the IDPS camp, it would assist in reducing the high rate of rape, especially among women and children which according to her are exposed to as a result of shortage of water in various areas, as well as the reduce of diarrhea disease among children.

In a remark, Executive Secretary State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) , Alh. Haruna Hamman Furo described the gesture as timely and commendable.

Responding, women leader of the IDPs Madam Fedilia Joseph thanked the Association and promised to make judicious use of it.

Page 11

News

No case of child abuse in Adamawa IDPs camps-NEMA

From Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he National E m e r g e n c y Management Agency (NEMA) Coordinator in the North East, Alhaji Sa’ad Bello, in charge of camps in Adamawa State has declared that there is no reported case of child abuse or child trafficking

in the various Internally Displaced Persons IDPs camps in Adamawa State.

Bello made the declaration in responses to a media report that such cases are rampant in the Northeast camps of the agency, insisting that all the government recognized IDPs camps in the state are properly secured.

He said that, his

reaction was necessary because the report did not specify which of the six states in the northeast that had perpetrated the child abuse and child trafficking.

“Those of us here in Adamawa have not had any case of child abuse nor child trafficking. However, we will not speak for other camps, but in Adamawa there is no reported case of

child abuse” he maintained The camp coordinator disclosed that the headquarters of NEMA has set up a committee to unravel the said report and expressed the hope that justice would be done to the allegation.

Bello disclosed that the minors in the camps were under the firm control of parents and guardians while the security agents

having been keeping close monitoring of movements of persons as well as vehicular movements.

According to him, it was unfair for the media to make a blanket statement other than being specific, as to the camps officers and state in the northeast in which NEMA officers perpetrated or aided and abetted the acts of child abuse or child trafficking.

Jonathan must clarify his position as Commanderin-Chief under the constitution - APC Campaign

T

he All Progressives Congress Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), has said that President Goodluck Jonathan, by his own admission, has ceased to play his role as the commander-in-chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, on account of which he needs to urgently clarify his position under the constitution.

In a statement signed by the campaign’s director for media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the APCCO said that Jonathan’s loss of

control was quite evident in the media chat which the president hosted on Wednesday, February 11.

“President Jonathan claims that he had no idea about the plans to postpone the elections,” Malam Shehu said. “Who then gave the command to the service chiefs to write the letter to Jega considering that the NSA’s line of reporting is directly and exclusively to the President? Did they write it without clearance from the commander in chief?”

Edo employs 20 victims of Immigration recruitment tragedy

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

G

overnor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has given automatic employment to twenty victims of the last Immigration recruitment tragedy of March 15, 2014 and also gave the sum of N2 million to the widower and children of the late Mrs. Sandra Amu who died in the commotion.

This is coming almost a year after the Federal Government promised automatic employment to those injured in the exercise and three employment slots to families of those who lost their loved ones in the recruitment fiasco.

Disclosing the employment offer during a meeting with the family of the woman who lost her life and eleven of the twenty persons who sustained injuries during the ill-fated recruitment exercise held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City on Saturday, March 15, 2014, Oshiomhole said “it is unlawful for people seeking employment to pay money.

“I think it is important that people don’t exploit

office power to compound the problem of those who are already down. What we can, without prejudice to whatever plans the Immigration Services or the Ministry of Internal Affairs is making, see how we can assist in terms of employment.

“The government will also provide the family of the deceased with legal representation so as to sue the Immigration authorities for the loss of life. Each time people are reckless with human lives and they go home and sleep, it is why we talk about the culture of impunity, where people can do anything and go free.”

Earlier, Coordinator of the group, Mr. Edmond Osuma had told the governor of their challenges since the Immigration recruitment exercise last year, that it has been a serious problem in getting in contact with the Controller of Immigration.

He solicited the assistance of the Governor to enable the group to see the immigration authorities and requested the governor’s magnanimity to alleviate the hardship of the victims.

The statement further noted that the service chiefs, at the prompting of the National Security Adviser, made presentations to the Council of State.

“Who authorized them to make that presentation since the President claimed that he was not informed about the shift in the polls date, nay by extension the security issue that was raised by the security chiefs for the postponement of the polls?” Malam Shehu asked.

“Is the President telling

the nation that the top brass of the military can act without his consent?

If that is the case, what then is his constitutional responsibility as commander in chief?”

The APCCO noted that the situation is troubling for Nigeria and for our country’s democracy, where service chiefs could supposedly act independently of their commander-in-chief.

Shehu added: “Were the president’s appointees acting independently of

him or did he give the go ahead to them? What authority does the NSA have to write directly to the INEC Chairman considering that his line of reporting is to the President who appointed him?”

The statement concluded with the suggestion that President Jonathan needed to take whatever action necessary to rectify this anarchy.

“Either that or he needs to be more honest with Nigerians about his actual role in the election postponement.”

KWARA STATE UNIVERSITY, (KWASU) MALETE P.M.B 1530, ILORIN Office of the Registrar REF: KWASU/ADM/044/VOL.XI/203 INVITATION FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION OF CONTRACTORS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF NIGERIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL INTERVENTION- PHASE II INTRODUCTION: An allocation has been made to Kwara State University, Malete for the implementation of projects underNeeds Assessment of Nigerian Public Universities Special Presidential Intervention-Phase II 2.0 THE PROJECTS Interested and competent contractors with requisite experience in the handling of similar projects are therefore, invited to submit pre-qualification documents for the following projects:LOT 1: Construction of Science Laboratory and Procurement and Installation of Laboratory Furniture for

College of Pure and Applied Sciences LOT 2: Construction of Nigerian Language Research Centre – Phase 1 LOT 3: Construction of Indoor Sports Hall LOT 4: Development of Solar Farm for KWASU-Phase 1 3.0. REQUIREMENTS AND ARRANGEMENT OF PRE-QUALIFICATION DOCUMENTS The required pre-qualifications documents should be arranged in the following orders: i. Evidence of incorporation or Business Registration with Corporate Affairs Commission ii. Article and Memorandum of Association iii. Registration with relevant bodies at State/Federal levels iv. Evidence of Compliance with the Provisions of the Industrial Training Fund(ITF) Amendment Act 2011 in respect of contribution to the Fund where applicable v. Evidence of Certificate/Exemption from PENCOM in compliance with Pension Reform Act 2004 vi. Company’s Audited Account for the last three years vii. 3 year Tax Clearance Certificate viii. Evidence of payment of Education Tax ix. Evidence of Financial Capacity and Banking support x. Company’s Technical Qualifications and Experience of key staff xi. Verifiable list of similar and other jobs successful executed stating: Client locations, Letters of Awards, Cost, Practical Completion Certificates and Photographs attached xii. Equipment and Technology Capacity (where applicable) xiii. Evidence of Trade/Technical partnership or affiliation with manufacturers (where applicable) xiv. Contract Registration with KWASU in the appropriate category xv. Annual Turnover of the Company xvi. VAT Registration and evidence of remittances xvii. Satisfactory history with KWASU (if any) xviii. Full details of Company Profile 4.0 SUBMISSION OF PRE-QUALIFICATION DOCUMENTS All Pre-Qualification Documents are to be packaged In Wax-Sealed envelopes marked “NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF NIGERIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL INTERVENTIONPHASE II”and submitted To: The Registrar, Kwara State University, Malete not later than two weeks from the date of this advertisement.

5.0 PLEASE NOTE THAT i. A non refundable processing fee of N25,000 must be paid to the University ii. This advertisement is not an Invitation to Tender. Full tendering information and instructions shall be sent only to the Companies that are found pre-qualified and screened. iii. The University will not go into correspondence on account of unsuccessful applications.

Signed Surajudeen O. Oyebode Registrar

PAGE 12

Photosplash

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

L-R: Lagos Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye; Commissioner for Information And Strategy, Mr Lateef Ibirogba; General Manager, Lagos Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA), Mr George Noah and Special Adviser to governor on Media, Alhaji Hakeem Bello, at a briefing on FERMA yesterday in Lagos

L-R: NUJ Senior Special Assistant to the National Secretary, Mr. Gbenga Bamidele; President, Malam Garba Mohammed, and National Secretary, Mr. Shu’aibu Liman, at a news conference on the postponement of the 2015 election , yesterday in Abuja

R-L: Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Boboye Oyeyemi; president of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Alhaji Nazeem Yasin and the Deputy Corps Marshal Motor Vehicle Administration, Charles Theophilus, during a courtesy visit to the president in Abuja

Display of gift items for Valentine yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Mr. and Mrs. David Job during their wedding ceremony at ECWA Goodnews Churh at Mpape, Abuja, last weekend

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE13

Police arrest two for pulling down Jonathan’s Billboard From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

T

wo suspects were yesterday arrested by security operatives for removing President Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection campaign billboard in Bauchi state.

A statement signed by the Bauchi state command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Haruna Mohammed made available to newsmen in Bauchi yesterday, named the two suspects as Sani Danyaya 25, and Adamu Abdullahi 26.

According to the statement, the act took place on Wednesday the 11th of February, 2015 at about 01:30hrs by one

Salisu Abdullahi, male and 35yrs of Sabon Gida Yelwa, Bauchi State, arrested and brought to Yelwa Division with one Sani Danyaya, male and 25yrs of Yelwan Makaranta Bauchi.

The statement further said the suspect conspired with one Buhari Musa now at large and removed a campaign billboard of PDP Presidential candidate, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan where it was mounted, but were pursued and arrested while trying to escape with the billboard.

DSP Haruna pointed out that further investigation led to the arrest of one Adamu Abdullahi, male and 26 years of the same address.

He said the exhibit was

recovered and investigation is in progress after which suspects will be charged to Court for prosecution.

The two suspects in an interview with newsmen confessed taken along the billboard, but in good faith, “We are strong PDP members and we love Jonathon to be president of this country we will vote for him that is why we stole the billboard with intention to bring it back after we display it in our erected tent for President Goodluck election campaign”, they said Speaking further, Sani Danyaya said “ We really took the billboard to show Professor Suleiman Bogoro that we are working for Jonathan’s re-election as

the president of Nigeria. We didn’t mean to destroy it you can see its not damage. We actually wanted to achieved or get financial support from Professor Bogoro and the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed to put our campaign office in order” Danyaya said, “PDP is a great party we love and want the continuity of President Goodluck Jonathan because he appointed Professor Suleiman Bogoro as TETFUND Secretary and The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed. They are doing their best to the state, they brought dividends of democracy to Bauchi state that is why we are campaigning for President Jonathan”.

Uduaghan urges Missions to return schools to govt From Osakhare Erese, Asaba.

D

elta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel U d u a g h a n has appealed to the missionaries to return schools handed over to them by government which they can neither maintain nor put into use.

Governor Uduaghan who frowned at the state of Mary Magdalene Grammar School, Ashaka, Ndokwa East local government area

of the state, observed that before some of the schools were handed over to the Missionaries, they were reconstructed as Model Secondary Schools.

Speaking at Aboh shortly before commissioning a 14.7 kilometer AshakaAboh road, he said that government cannot watch and allow such facilities to waste after spending so much resources in his administration’s quest to provide quality and affordable education for

Deltans.

As a result, he directed the Ministry of Basic and Primary Education to liaise with the Missionaries whose schools were not in use to hand over such schools back to government as there were many Deltans who desire free education from the government.

At Aradhe, Isoko North local government area of the state, Governor Uduaghan who commissioned the Aradhe/ Ushie/Ashaka road ordered

the contractor handling school building projects at Aradhe Secondary School to return to site within one week.

According to the governor, the construction work going on in the school must be completed before he leaves office, stating that if the contractor was not capable of handling the project, it would be revoked and re-awarded to a more competent contractor.

L-R: Chief Medical Directot, National Hospotal Abuja, Mr. Jaf Momoh; Head of National Emegency Management Agency (NEMA), Special Air Operation Unit, Captain Ibrahim Mamman; Director of Clinical Servives, National Hospital, Dr. Ogugua Osi- Ogbu and Coordinator, National Trauma Centre, National Hospital Abuja, Dr. Olaomi Oluwole, during the testing of NEMA medical air evacuation capability exercise, yesterday in Abuja.

Phpto: Justin ImoOwo

News APC insists on use of card readers for 2015 polls

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he All Progressives Congress Presidential C a m p a i g n Organisation (APCPCO) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure the integrity of the forthcoming general elections through the use of the card reader machine to authenticate the voters.

This is contained in a statement released to newsmen in Abuja on Friday and signed by the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Oorganisation, Malam Garba Shehu.

According to the statement, INEC’s decision to use card-readers is borne out of the need to ensure electoral transparency and integrity. ``We insist on the use of Card Readers

Niger spends N1.857billion on scholarships in 7 years From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

T

he Niger state government has so far spent over N1,857,679,970 on over 150,000 students on the payment of scholarships, bursaries and other allowances to students in tertiary institutions within and outside the state in the last seven years.

The overseeing Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Professor Mohammed Kuta Yahaya who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Minna at the end of the state executive council meeting, said that government set aside N25m monthly for the payment of scholarships and other allowances due to students of the state origin in tertiary institutions.

Kuta described the payment of scholarship as one of the ‘most significant achievement of the present administration in the state.

He said the regular payment of the scholarship has contributed immensely to the capacity building of the students.

‘Niger state students have continued to enjoy

INEC records 49,515 multiple registration in Edo

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

A

total of 49,515 persons were at the weekend confirmed by the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) to have participated in multiple registrations in Edo state.

Edo State Resident Electoral commissioner,

Mike Igini disclosed this at the state headquarters of the commission in Benin where leaders of the various political parties were sensitized on their roles ahead of the general elections.

Igini who raised alarm over the upsurge of selfacclaimed Information C o m m u n i c a t i o n Technology (ICT) scammers whose efforts

to undermine the electoral process under his watch, he said will fail. ``We have a lot of ICT scammer that they can build bridges where none exist. INEC staff beware’’, he warned.

The REC recalled with nostalgia voter apathy in previous elections where the temporary voter cards (TVC’s) were used by

INEC in the country, with particular reference to Edo, Ondo, Anambra and Osun states governorship elections.

He said except for Osun governorship election, the Edo state governorship poll, out of over 1.6 million (TVC’s) which were in the hands of Nigerians, 39% eligible voters participated in the exercise.

for authenticating the propriety of the Permanent Voter Cards. ``These, in our estimation as a credible party, remain the irreducible minimum that must form the basis for the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections on March 28 and April 11. ``Aside the huge financial investment involved in the procurement of the Card Readers, the desire to hoodwink the Nigerian people on this antirigging device, is not just subterranean but an affront on the independence of the electoral body.’’

The statement also said that based on the recent ruling of a Federal High Court in Sokoto against the use of soldiers for election duties, APC was opposed to the use of soldiers for the elections. (NAN)

Consequently, Ondo state recorded 1.6 million voters with (TVC’s), out of which 534,250 persons voted, while Anambra state, only 24% of over 1.7 million Nigerians with (TVC’s) performed their franchise, according to him.

He noted that the permanent voter cards (PVC’s) for residents in the state who partook

scholarship, this is one of the most significant intangible contributions of the administration, it has also contributed to the capacity building of the students’.

The Commissioner said government has also continued to take actions that have made teaching and learning attractive in the state especially with the prompt payment of teachers’ salaries and other allowances as well as making the school environment conducive for both teachers and learning.

Professor Kuta Yahaya who is also the Commissioner for Agriculture disclosed at that the state government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Raw Materials and Research Development Council on the cultivation of sweet sorghum for use by the council.

The state executive he disclosed has approved the release of 10 hectares of land in Tegina for the cultivation of the crop which he said will boost the income of the farmers apart from providing jobs from youths in the state.

in the continuous voter registration (CVR) across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo state are now available for collection.

The 3-day exercise for the (PVC’s) collection has been scheduled to begin from Saturday 14th February 2015 between 8am and 4pm daily across 14 Local Government Areas of the state.

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Crime Cycle

Stanley Onyekwere pmlcrimecycle@gmail.com 08138559513

Phishing, insider threat top cyber threats in 2015- Expert

T

he Head, Cyber Risk Services at Deloitte Nigeria, Mr. Tope Aladenusi, said phishing and insider threats will continue to be the biggest cyber threat sources in Nigeria in 2015.

Aladenusi made this known at the ‘Nigerian Cyber Security Outlook 2015’ which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, on Thursday.

He said phishing and insider threats would increase, especially as crude oil prices continue to fall.

According to him, phishing is a form of social engineering that attempts to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and ATM card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money) by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. ‘’Phishing is a continual threat that keeps growing to this day. The risk grows even larger in social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace,

etc. ‘’An Insider threat is a malicious threat to an organisation that comes from people within the organisation, such as employees, former employees, contractors or business associates, who have insider information concerning the organisation’s security practices, data and computer systems. ‘’As companies take austerity measures such as downsizing and salary slashing, due to the falling crude oil prices and the devaluation of the naira, there is a higher risk that employees, former employees or contractors resort to cybercrime as a means to maintain their standard of living,’’ he said.

Aladenusi said there was likely going to be an unprecedented rise in attacks from disgruntled employees.

He added that the cybercrime of choice by majority of Nigerian cyber criminals would be via social engineering.

According to him, intelligently crafted phishing emails and phone calls to naive customers will increase. ‘’A total of 31,536,000 were the number of seconds that made up the year 2014 and around the world, each second was used effectively by hackers in planning attacks and exploiting vulnerable people, systems and processes. ‘’Brazen attacks unlike anything we have ever witnessed before were carried out and from all indications, 2015 is likely to be another roller coaster ride. ‘’In 2014, the National Assembly of Nigeria made a bold move in the war against cybercrime when the Senate passed the Cybercrime Bill. ‘‘The feat, in addition to the cyber security strategy and policy documents introduced by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), are attributes that define 2014 as the year of the awakening,’’ he added.

Police IG, Suleiman Abba Aladenusi said that 2015 would witness an increase in cyber security issues that might likely reduce towards the last quarter.

He said that, however, the reduction would only be based on a successful implementation of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) and electronic ID by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

Aladenusi said that the company’s 2014 cyber security outlook was an eye-opener into the Nigerian cyberspace, as all the predictions made were accurate. ‘’2015 must therefore not be underestimated, as the seeming deduction is that the hackers are always one step ahead; this is a gap that must be bridged,’’ he stressed.

‘Why we trained over 30,000 policemen on human rights’

T

he Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission

(NHRC), Prof. Ben Angwe, has revealed that the commission had trained over 30,000

Ex-VIO docked over alleged impersonation

O

ne Usman Abubakar, a former staff of the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), has appeared in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court in Abuja for alleged impersonation, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Police prosecutor, Cpl. Sani Yusuf, told the court that the 33-year-old accused had been suspended since February 2014, but was still performing his duty.

Yusuf said Abubakar was reported at the Mabushi Police Station by a Provost Officer of the VIO, Mr. Rimdan Naribul, on February 10.

According to the prosecutor,

Crime Quote

C

rime seems to change character when it crosses a bridge or a tunnel.

In the city, crime is taken as emblematic of class and race.

In the suburbs, though, it’s intimate and psychologicalresistant to generalization, a mystery of the individual soul.

Barbara Ehrenreich

while the complainant was on surveillance patrol within Wuse area, the accused was seen performing VIO duty within Berger Junction roundabout, Abuja.

The prosecutor added that when the accused was confronted, he was unable to give a satisfactory account of his action.

He said such an offence contravened the provision of Section 132 of the Penal Code.

Meanwhile, the accused denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

However, Senior Magistrate Chukwuemeka Ubani granted him bail in the sum of N100, 000 with a surety who must live

policemen on human rights observance in the last two years.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, the spokesman of the force, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The statement said Angwe made this known when he paid a courtesy call on the InspectorGeneral of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba.

Also, the executive secretary added that the purpose of the visit was to further strengthen the existing relationship between the commission and the police.

Angwe said the commission would monitor the conduct of security personnel that would be deployed for the conduct of the forthcoming general elections.

He commended the IG for his prompt response to issues brought to the notice of the force by the commission.

Responding, the IG announced the appointment of an NPF/NHRC

Police training liaison officer to strengthen the existing relationship between the force and the commission.

Abba assured the commission

that the police would continue to support, as well as its commitment to credible, peaceful, free and fair elections.

Crime Nugget: Neighbourhood crime prevention

B

y addressing the factors that may lead to crime, neighbourhood crime prevention affects the fear and perception of crime, as well as the actual prevalence of crime. If members of the community are participating in crime prevention, their perception and fear of may reduce.

There are different approaches

to neighbourhood crime prevention. The attempt is to establish a cohesive and socially aware community where crime cannot flourish. Some examples of neighbourhood crime prevention are neighbourhood watch programmes, citizen patrols, organized community clean up days, social events with local law enforcement (picnics, festivals,

etc..), and physical design.

Neighbourhood crime prevention programmes are most successful if there is active participation from both citizens and local resources. The more actively involved members are in the overall well-being of the community, the more successful the program will be at reducing crime.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 15

Politics

2015: Any chance for another shift?

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By Osby Isibor

ince the return of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, conduct of general elections has been fraught with issues. This year is not an exception. The general elections which earlier scheduled for February 14 and 28 were later shifted to March 28 and April 11.

Saturday February 7 was the day the controversial decision to move the election forward was taken. With various levels of consultative meetings held with representatives of political parties, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), State Resident Electoral Commissioners, Board of INEC and other relevant stakeholders, it was obvious that the unexpected was going to happen.

After a never-ending wait by Nigerians, the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, late into the night dropped the bombshell, announcing the shift in the election dates to March 28 and April 11.

Though Prof Jega maintained absolute and unshaken confidence in the preparedness of INEC to conduct the election, he however, noted that an important ‘variable’ in terms of security was a major sore point.

According to him, the NSA had written to his office intimating him that all of the military capacity is required in the NorthEast and thus can’t be deployed to provide ballot security in the rest of the country.

The NSA stated the non-availability of the armed forces for the provision of security for lives of staff of INEC and the electoral materials, which is an essential ingredient in the successful conduct of the polls.

While giving reasons on the decision to postpone the election, Prof Jega said, “While the Commission has a very good working relationship with all security agencies, especially on the platform of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) since its inception in 2010, it has become pertinent for it to seriously consider the security advisory presented to it by the Security and Intelligence Services. I would like to reiterate here that INEC is an EMB and not a security agency. It relies on the security services to provide a safe environment for personnel, voters, election observers and election materials to conduct elections wherever it deploys. Where the security services strongly advise otherwise, it would be unconscionable of the Commission to deploy personnel and call voters out in such a situation”

The alleged involvement of the federal government in the move to truncate the earlier plans of INEC to conduct the presidential election on February 14 was made open when the National Security Adviser to the president, Sambo Dasuki openly canvassed for a shift in the election date.

Speaking at an open forum at London think-tank Chatham House, Dasuki said it was desirable for Nigeria to delay the elections to give organisers more time to distribute millions of biometric ID cards to voters, and that he had already discussed it with the INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega. He said a delay within the time allowed by the law would be a good idea, saying “that is what we are encouraging at the moment”.

The reason canvassed by the NSA did not go down well with many Nigerians who insisted that the elections would hold as scheduled.

Political pundits have argued that if the call for a postponement was based on allowing would-be voters to collect their PVCs, the Federal Government could consider declaring a public holiday.

But the Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, rejected that suggestion and declared that schools across the county will remain in session during the election period.

With INEC showing no sign of backing down from its decision to conduct the election against the mounting pressure from its traducers, more desperate measures became options for stopping the electoral umpire in its stride. First was the option of open protests by various groups, who demanded postponement of the election on the basis of poor PVC distribution. At different occasions, the headquarters of INEC were besieged by hired crowds masquerading as concerned protesters, seeking the postponement of the election.

Yet another bait, the issue of security challenges in the North East as canvassed by the NSA became handy.

This was to be followed by 16 political parties out of the registered parties endorsing calls for a shift of dates for the polls. They cited insecurity, issues with the distribution of permanent voter cards (PVCs) and the exodus of people from the cities to their villages as bases.

Also, five of the 14 presidential candidates issued a statement for INEC to postpone the elections to a more appropriate date.

But in a swift reaction, a group of 10 other political parties, under

Prof. Jega

the aegis of Coalition of Progressive Political Parties (COPP), warned against the shift of the elections. The declaration by the 10 political parties came two days after the 16 others had called for the postponement of the elections.

At a press conference in Abuja, spokesperson of the group and national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Bashir Ibrahim said any attempt to postpone the poll would “plunge our country into anarchy.”

Many have accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of masterminding the election shift, but the party and its presidency have been denying any involvement.

Retired senior military officers had warned against the postponement to avoid military takeover of the administration of the country. They opined that the postponement might lead to anarchy in the country, which, according to them, may lead to military intervention.

A former Director of Procurement in the Defence Headquarters, Brigadier-General Ayodele Ojo (rtd) said, “It is a backward step to the dark days of military rule when anti-democratic forces on the eve of the June 12, 1993 presidential poll, were able to secure a dubious injunction from an Abuja High Court restricting the National Electoral Commission from conducting the election.

“This singular act was instrumental to the annulment of the election. It is worrisome that the call, this time around, is coming from a highly-placed security official of the Nigerian government.

Moreover, the reason given for

the postponement is untenable, to say the least.”

Also, a former Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Brig-Gen Williams Obene (rtd), warned against heating up the polity with the postponement.

He said, “I think the polity is really fired up; there are so many reactions, interpretations and misunderstandings. And if we say we are a democratic country practising civilian democracy, then we have to work by the rule of law. If that is not done through the constitution, then it can attract anarchy.”

Another officer has also argued that postponement of elections was unknown to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Former Minister for Police Affairs, Maj-Gen. David Jemibewon (rtd), warned that, “I think we are being guided by the constitution of this country. Certainly, there is no provision for postponement of elections. However, if there is an emergency; if there is war; if there is disaster of a wide scale, it may be dictated by circumstances.

“Where do we say we derive the postponement from, is it from

“

the constitution? The National Assembly has not debated it. It is an unnecessary talk.”

Now, new dates are here with us and several questions are begging for answers. The first that readily comes to mind is, why now? Many believed that the timing for the shift was suspicious and done in bad faith. The military knew long ago that it needed to concentrate on the war against Boko Haram in the North East, but it didn’t say that until the nation was so close to election. So, why the last minute change?

As it is often said, imperfect elections are often better than none. There can never be a perfect election, as long as it is conducted by humans. So seeking a perfect election at all cost is like assuming the supernatural. Elections have been conducted under extremely difficult circumstances in many countries and still come off well.

A case in point here is our African brother, Mali, which proceeded with its national elections in July 2013 despite widespread concerns about insecurity in the north.

According to election observers, the exercise wasn’t perfect, but the election helped move the country forward. Is Nigeria’s situation as bad as Mali’s?

Another nagging question is can the military quell Boko Haram insurgency within six weeks?

What is really going to change militarily in six weeks? There is close to zero chance that after years of losing ground, the Nigerian military can launch a successful counterinsurgency in the next few weeks and defeat Boko Haram.

Even with massive external assistance from the regional joint forces this is highly unlikely.

So, what happens in late March if Boko Haram is still a major threat? If insurgency continues in the North East are we still going to witness another shift? Nigerians wait to see how all these play out as they anxiously prepare for the ‘big day.’

Many have accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of masterminding the election shift, but the party and its presidency have been denying any involvement.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

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Politics

Why PDM endorsed Buhari for presidnent- National Chairman

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he PDM recently endorsed the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen Buhari, why was that?

And why do smaller parties shortly before the presidential elections tend to collapse to endorse the candidates of leading parties?

Let me clarify that. We did not endorse the candidature of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, but we support him. The two words are totally different in legal terms. As a political party, if you endorse another party’s candidate it is as if you have adopted the party itself and it is unacceptable for two parties to adopt a candidate for an election.

What we did was to pass a resolution supporting his candidature, as well as calling on members and supporters of PDM to vote for him. However, it amounts to endorsement. Now, why did we do that?

Well, the PDM does not have a presidential candidate for the simple reason that we were registered in August 2013 and we only had one year to set the party up, register members and in fact our congresses and conventions took place as early as November last year. So we were reasonable enough to understand that in an environment like Nigeria with 36 states and the FCT and 774 local government areas with almost 180million people, it would be unreasonable to begin to work towards producing a presidential candidate who would win the election in 2015.

However, we decided that we would vie for every office from the state assembly to the governorship, but would need to prepare more for the presidency and so we opted to defer that aspiration until 2019. That was a strategic and conscious decision that we took. If we don’t have a candidate and with our almost six million voter strength, should we just throw that voting strength away? Or should we in the best interest of the country look at the candidates that are available

“

Veteran journalist, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, is the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).

Only recently, his party endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. He explained why the PDM opted for Buhari instead of presenting its own candidate. Patrick Andrew brings you excerpts....

Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim and throw our lot with the better candidate, who in our assessment is in the better position to move Nigeria forward?

So after that assessment we came to the conclusion that Buhari is the candidate that fits our profile. We actually had five criteria that we used to arrive at our decision and thereafter we communicated same to him.

What were the five criteria that you used?

From our point of view, Nigeria is facing one of the most critical challenges yet and so we outlined five areas that we think must be confronted by

So after that assessment we came to the conclusion that Gen. Buhari is the candidate that fits our profile. We actually had five criteria that we used to arrive at our decision and thereafter we communicated same to him.

the incoming president in 2015.

The first primarily touches on the issue of public and national security. For the first time in our history, our territory has come under the control of nonstate actors in the name of Boko Haram. They have taken over a territory the size of Belgium within Nigeria and have kept it.

This act has encroached upon our legitimacy as a state because one of the defining characteristics of a state is territorial integrity.

We cannot as we speak today say that Nigeria’s integrity is intact. So, the first and most challenge that any president coming in must confront is the issue of national and public security. By public security, we mean a situation where people can go around doing their businesses without the fear of a bomb going off in any part of the country.

Having assessed the performance of President Jonathan over the last four years, we have discovered that we do not have confidence that he would reverse this trend, which began under his watch. The seizing of our territory happened under his watch. If he has been unable to reverse this trend in the last

four years, in spite of the huge resources expended and armed forces under his command, then we have no faith that he will be able to do so in the next four years.

On the other hand his opponent, Gen. Buhari, has a track record in this field. He was the one that chased the Chadians out of Nigeria and at one point when the Maitatsine insurgency occurred in Adamawa State he was the one that crushed it.

Also as a former military officer who has held all the staff and command responsibilities in the armed forces, we believe that he is best suited for this challenge.

The next area is corruption.

This country has never experienced such high level corruption as we have seen in the last four years. We used to say that the late Gen. Sani Abacha’s government, which was charged with stealing $5billion, was the most corrupt. But when the pension fund scandals were breaking at the speed of light every month it was reported that pension was raided and stolen.

Then there was this other $20 billion from the NNPC that has not been satisfactorily explained by anybody, Malabo oil’s $1.2

billion shared among some people, none of which has been addressed. In fact, according to a centre that Koffi Anan is involved under African Union, Nigeria has lost $30 billion, which is an average of more than $2 billion per month.

All these happened under the current administration and we thought that this will not be the administration that will confront corruption in the next four years. We, therefore, looked at the opponent that has unquestionable track record in fighting corruption and in fact one of the crosses that he has to bear now in his campaign is that he has been too harsh on corrupt people. If we really want to fight corruption then we must look at a direction different from where we are now. On this count also we believe Buhari is the best candidate.

On the management of the economy itself, actually mismanagement of the economy has reached the highest peak under this government. If you know the figures of the import waivers that have been given to friends and cronies of the powers that be, from one calculation that we made we found out that every Nigerian has lost an average of N7,000 from 2011 till date.

Though we said we are the largest economy in Africa, this isn’t true because what actually happened was that rebasing does not add a penny to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) but only re-assesses and recalculates the GDP of the country. In fact, 20 years after we rebased, we have done so again and so we decided to re-assess the value of our economy and we realised that the value is far in excess of what we thought it was. It did not add a single penny to the GDP. On the other hand the kind of capital flight that has taken place in this country is unprecedented.

Based on this, we decided that we need an alternative, which is what Buhari offers.

The next is massive unemployment.

Hordes of Nigerians filled stadia all over the country during the NIS employment scandal just for 4,000 vacancies and it became a scandal of international proportion. Today, for the first time we have one quarter of our working population unemployed, which is about 27 percent. In this area also this government has failed.

National unity comes next.

This country has never been as divided as it is now. The president and his team have no room for compassion. They have used Contd on Pg 17

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Contd from Pg 16 religion, ethnicity and anything that divides us as a people. His campaign spokes person, Femi Fan-Kayode, once said that he has no faith in Nigeria.

In fact, all the people around him like Chief Edwin Clark, Tompolo, Asari Dokubo, are people who have no interest in the unity of the country. Why does he attract divisive persons and why does the president himself make divisive statements? Buhari is a former head of state and from an institution that unites this country more than any other, a patriot with a personal disposition that is focused on these five categories.

INEC conceded to the NSA’s request for security reasons to shift the date for the polls. Many still think that it was merely the voice of Jacob but the hands of Esau. Do you share in this conviction?

INEC has played into the hands of this government. It had four years to prepare for this election; therefore it is untenable that barely two weeks before the elections about one third of the registered voters were unable to collect their Permanent Voters’ Card. And we have heard INEC argue that ‘well we have done our best, we have produced the PVCs, we have distributed them and it is up to Nigerians to come and collect them.’ That argument is not tenable. Had the PVCs been ready in the past six months, then you could say that, but as we speak I am sure not all the PVCs have been distributed.

No, INEC has not done a perfect job. However, the government cannot use insecurity as the basis for the postponement of the elections because security is within the purview of the government. So if it has allowed insecurity to get out of control it

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Politics

NSA shouldn’t have written to INEC cannot now use it as a reason for postponing the elections.

Many have suspected before now that the government may deliberately have allowed the insecurity to escalate in order to use it as an excuse against the conduct of the elections. It would be that at one time the Senate president said we are not thinking of holding the election because we are in a state of war, about four months ago. It is rather curious that barely a week to the presidential elections, the government began to canvass for the shift in the date of the polls.

You cannot create a problem and then use it for your selfish benefit.

Besides, where on earth does the military write to an independent civilian body asserting that it is not in the position to render its constitutional service? They ought to have written to the Commander-in-Chief telling him that they are ill-prepared for the elections. But not to INEC because the military has absolutely no business with the electoral body as they report directly to the C-in-C. But it boils down to the same thing?

No, it is not the same thing.

The military operates under a chain of command. The Chief of Defence Staff reports directly to the C-in-C. INEC does not report to the National Security Adviser (NSA) therefore, he has no business writing to INEC. Isn’t it rather embarrassing that soldiers are telling the electoral body that it cannot render its service?

If they are unable to offer this service after being informed 13 months ago when the elections time table was released taking into cognizance the fact that we have five divisions in the army out of which only one is engaged

Besides, where on earth does the military write to an independent civilian body asserting that it is not in the position to render its constitutional service? They ought to have written to the Commander-in-Chief telling him that they are ill-prepared for the elections. But not to INEC because the military has absolutely no business with the electoral body as they report directly to the C-in-C.

National Chairman of PDM, Bashir Ibrahim stated this during a visit to General Buahri in Abuja. in the fight with the insurgents in the northeast, what are the other divisions doing?

Don’t forget that the military is not providing primary security but only complementary support to the police. We thought that this shift was pre-planned, a scheme to ensure that the elections do not hold and even if it does, it must be held at a time convenient to the government and the PDP. We cannot accept this.

But even if the NSA had written to the C-in-C won’t he forward the same to INEC to act on based on the provision of the Electoral Act? In a system where things work, the military reports to the C-in-C and if they tell him that they are unable to secure the country for the election to hold, the C-in-C ought to have retired the high command of the military; the service chiefs. What usually happens is that the C-in-C gives the military an objective to achieve and it would be up to them to achieve it, it is not right for them to tell the C-in-C that ‘we can’t do this’. Why were soldiers recently court-marshalled? Was it not because they were given objectives which they were not able to achieve?

In a system that works, the president gives directives. ‘I want you to secure this election, these are the dates, find the resources

to do it’. If l am the C-in-C and my military tells me that they can’t achieve that objective, I will retire the high command and replace them with those that can deliver.

Isn’t it true that Gen. Buhari’s post-election statement in 2011 gave the impetus to election violence?

The responsibility of security, peace and order in any sovereign territory rests with the government. Where there is breakdown of law and order the government investigates and punish the culprits. Has the government investigated the 2011 post-election violence? Yes, it has. And was Buhari found responsible for instigating that violence? No. So, where then is the connection?

The Justice Lemu panel exonerated Buhari.

So as Nigerians we must be honest with ourselves on the reason for the post-election violence, which clearly was massive rigging. Most of the killing happened in Kaduna because it was believed that had there been a free and fair election, the PDP couldn’t have won in Kaduna. So being fair is the only panacea for avoiding violence.

There are issues with card readers and dismal distribution of PVCs, aren’t these credible excuse for shifting the polls?

I was in the meeting where the INEC chairman consulted

political parties. The only issue that Jega sought advice on was on the letter written by the service chiefs through the NSA. INEC did not raise the issue of card readers and paltry distribution of PVCs. It was the NSA who initially raised the issue, but later dropped it because the figures that INEC came out with actually showed that we could have held a free and fair election with what was available.

It is the PDP that raised the issue of the geo-political distribution of PVCs. The PDP is an interested party in the postponement of the election.

Inspite of the peace pact signed by the political parties, hate speech has remained dominant. What is the way out?

I think it is the case of the kettle calling the pot black because it was the PDP that started the hate speech. Its head of media campaign labeled one party a Muslim party, then we heard of ‘Janjaweed’ ideology (a rebel group in the Sudan), all these labels came from the PDP. He spew hate speech in everything he says and does. Ex-militants, who claim to be defending the president, have been calling for war if he does not win the presidential election. Everybody should therefore moderate what they say.

Pre-Election violence claims 58 deaths in 22 states

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he National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday revealed that no fewer than 58 persons have so far been killed in 22 states across the nation as a result of pre-election violence.

In a report captioned “A Pre-Election Report And Advisory On Violence In Nigeria’s 2015 General Elections,” the commission’s Chairman, Professor Chidi Anselem Odinkalu, noted that “On March 28 and April 11 2015, Nigeria will, for the fifth time in 16 years and only the eight time

since independence in 1960, undertake perhaps the closest and most competitive election in its 54-year history.

“Addressed to Nigeria’s leaders, politicians, communities, citizens, and friends, this report and advisory explained why the country must turn the page on a long history and worsening history of election violence.

“To continue on that trajectory, this report demonstrates, would seriously endanger not just Nigeria or the human rights of its citizens, but the peace and

security of an entire region whose stability and fate is tied inextricably with that of Nigeria.”

Reading the forward, Odinkalu said called on Nigerians to encourage the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega, and his team to do a good job. Jega is not a thief, he is not a rogue, wish him and his team well.

He also announced that the NHRC was working to broker a meeting between President Jonathan and General

Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the chairmen of APC and PDP. Jonathan and Buhari will be made to issue a joint statement on peace for their followers to see them as brothers.

Odinkalu said he would not want to see any Nigerian leader dragged before the International Criminal Court like it has happened to Charles Taylor and others and urged Nigerians to support the commission to ensure success against violence and hate speech.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Page 18

Politics News

2015 polls: Mbu threatens to arrest Fashola, Amosun if...

By Patrick Andrew with agency report

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he Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2 comprising Lagos and Ogun States, Joseph Mbu, has threatened to arrest governors under his jurisdiction if they fail to fall in line during the March 28 and Aprill presidential and governorship elections respectively.

The former Rivers and FCT Commissioner of Police, who was recently elevated and reassigned as AIG of Zone 2, warned all politicians including governors under his supervision to shun conducts that will be at variance with orderliness and democratic tenets, stressing that any one found that does not behave in harmony with established principles risks arrest.

Mbu, who dropped the hint in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, warned politicians, whom he said may have cultivated a penchant for disorderly conduct during elections to desist forthwith, noting that he was determined to ensure that the forthcoming exercise will not be business as usual.

“Our actions and activities will go a long way to decide on this election. So. I have come

to tell you that we must remain impartial in ensuring free, fair, peaceful and violent-free polls.

“As far as the law is concerned, we are not going to respect anybody and whoever is coming to the booth should vote and leave peacefully. Anyone who comes there to campaign even if it is the chief executive of the state, a constable at that polling booth would stop him,” he said, implying that his men would be at liberty to effect the arrest of whoever they considered to have acted out of sync with standard behaviour.

Directing attention to the men and officers who are likely to be on election duty, Mbu said, “I am here to encourage, support and advice you because we have a critical part to play in the forthcoming elections.

“Our actions and activities will go a long way in deciding on this election, so, I have come to tell you that we must remain impartial in ensuring free, fair, peaceful and violent-free polls.

“As far as the law is concerned, we are not going to respect anybody and whoever is coming to the booth should vote and leave peacefully. Anyone who comes there to campaign even if it is the chief executive of the

Buhari not endorsed

by Northern CAN

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group under the aegis of Arewa Citizens Action for Change (ACAC), has dismissed the news making the round that the North-East chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has endorsed the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, for the 2015 general elections.

According to ACAC, Buhari was not endorsed by either CAN or its Chairman, Reverend Shu’aibu Byal.

In a statement by the Chairman of the association, Emmanuel Danjuma, and Legal Officer, Mr Sadiq Abubakar, the people said the issue of the two presidential candidates of the APC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was never discussed during their courtesy visit to the North-East CAN chairman since the visit was not political and

had nothing to do with the issue of elections in the country.

“The main aim of our visit to the North-East CAN chairman was on how to achieve a peaceful society in northern Nigeria and to revive the good relationship that existed between Muslim and Christian youths and the possible solutions to problems the region might experience during and after elections.

“We wish to state categorically that there was never a time in our discussion that the CAN NorthEast Chairman stated that he had endorsed Buhari or will canvass votes for Buhari in the general elections.

“The association is categorically debunking these false allegations that are mere speculations and have no basis. Our association is solely saddled with the responsibility of promoting peace and uniting the youths of the two main religions.”

state, a constable at that polling booth would stop him.”

Mbu, who debunked the notion that he was sent to the zone to do a hatchet job in the forthcoming elections, said he had been commissioner in Oyo, Ekiti and Rivers States as well as in the Federal Capital Territory.

He dismissed the allegation that he was sent by the presidency to compromise the integrity of the elections in favour of the ruling party, saying instead that, “I am here to make sure everywhere is calm; I am not here at Zone 2 only for elections.

“Zone 2 must not just fail during the elections. I am here to make sure everything goes on peacefully, but the police will arrest anybody that commits any electoral offence.

Anybody found with arms would be arrested by the police and anyone that cannot be arrested; we will recover the arms by force.

“No politician or any of their followers must shoot at any policeman; if you shoot at any policeman, my policemen would shoot back in self defence. Our duty is to make sure that the elections are conducted freely, fairly, peacefully and violentfree. There must be a code of conduct that you have to uphold to make sure that we actualise our goals.” AIG Mbu

10,000 APC members defect to PDP in Borno

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ver 10,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), according to the leader of the PDP in Borno State, former governor, Ali Modu Sheriff.

Addressing the decampees in Borno yesterday, Sheriff said, “many of you are aware that the present governor, Shettima was not the person I initially planned to succeed me in office, but when my former Commissioner, Alhaji Modu Fannami Gubio, was elected as the governorship candidate of my defunct party (ANPP) in 2011, they (some people who participated in the primaries) hired some assassins to kill Fannami one week to the INEC dateline for submission of our candidate’s name.

“Unfortunately, we had no option at that time than to rush and pick Shettima who came second to replace him (late Fannmani). May his soul (Fannmani) rest in peace.”

Sheriff, who was one of the

sponsors of the defunct ANPP, before it metamorphosed into the APC, joined the PDP, citing alleged ‘’selfish interest, bad governance and lack of transparency in the leadership of his former party,’’ as reasons for leaving the APC. He told the crowd that he had never joined a failed political party as symbolised by the APC, adding that he remained the only governor who was elected for two terms, and served as senator for three terms.

Sheriff further asked the people of the state to collect and safeguard their Permanent Voters’ Cards, (PVCs), to enable them perform their civic rights in the forth-coming general elections by voting for Alhaji Mohammed Imam as governor of the state and the PDP at the national level, as according to him, the APC-led government of Shettima has collected over N600 billions without no single project of N10 million executed in any of the 27 council areas of the state in the last

four years.

The House of Assembly PDP candidate for Shani, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur Ibrahim, who presented the 10,000 APC members that defected to the PDP, assured them that if given the mandate, the party would carry everybody along irrespective of tribe or religious affiliations.

Responding on behalf of the decampees, Alhaji Husaini Kale said, they chose to opt out of APC “due to the selfish interest and neglect of party supporters by Governor Kashim Shettima”.

In his address, the PDP governorship candidate, Alhaji Imam, assured the people of the area that he would address most of their problems, particularly the issue of job creation, implementation of N18,000 minimum wage, roads construction, poverty alleviation and water supply among others if voted into power.

Nigeria-American professionals endorse Jonathan

T CAN President, Oritfejafor

he Association of NigerianAmerican Professionals has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for second term on the strength of the ‘YouWin’ project and the revamping of the light rail by the present administration.

A statement signed by the group’s Chairman, Dr. Iheanacho Orabuchi, read; “In the face of global terror, the international community prefers Jonathan.

Despite a restive electorate and

voters who are angry and want change, the change is President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. He is the change we can trust at this time.

“We strongly believe that Jonathan is the best candidate for the President of Nigeria at this time.

He has been tested and has the strong leadership qualities to lead Nigeria to the next level.

It further listed about 22 accomplishments of Jonathan’s administration including the

establishment of over 100 Almajiri schools, 12 new universities, privatisation of the power sector and the completion of the Niger Delta power sector among others.

“Nigeria needs Jonathan at this time. He is the change we need and trust; he has changed lives in Nigeria for the better.”

The group of professionals also honoured President Jonathan with the ‘Excellence in Leadership’ Award for his outstanding accomplishments in Nigeria.

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Tourism

Get a feel of Disneyland at Rojenny Tourist Village

Amusement centre

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till waters run deep. That adage aptly qualifies Rojenny Holiday Village, the single largest tourism resort in South-East Nigeria.

Located in the serene town of Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, just on the outskirts of the commercial city of Onitsha, along Owerri-Onitsha Expressway, and occupying a long stretch of land estimated at 8 sq. km, it is undoubtedly a dream destination for holidaymakers from across the world.

A stop at the gate gives you no idea of the buzz of activities that go on inside the premises.

Even the Rojenny Holiday Village engraved boldly on the gate does not reveal much. But as you step into the compound, you are amazed. First, the gentle

Serene vicinity

breeze caresses your face, as if to say ‘welcome to our world’.

This sure is the home of African hospitality. You look straight ahead of you and behold a massive expanse of land, long stretch of trees, beautiful lawns, and gigantic structures dotting the length of the compound.

You are awe-stricken. Wow! You exclaim, and the person next to you says you aren’t seen nothing yet.

This is where your tour begins. A walk around is even more eye-opening. You discover immediately that a day is not enough to see everything that there is to see. Where do you start? The tourist attractions are too numerous: the lush-green fields; the zoo (which habours such wild life as baboon, python, the green monkey, tortoise, lion,

etc; rare birds such as peacock, eagle, flamingo, ostrich, etc; aquatic animals like turtle, alligator, crocodile, etc); the Ozo Village and Museum; the Rojenny International Stadium, which was said to have hosted seven continental matches involving Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Morocco, and Cote d’Ivoire during the time of Jasper United and Udoji United Football Clubs, and also camped Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets under Fani Amun for two years and three months during the time of Ibrahim Babangida as Nigeria’s Military President; the over 1000-capacity conference hall; the amusement park for children; the joy rides; the lawn tennis court; the basketball court; the volleyball court; the Olympicsized swimming pool with

elaborate and fully developed poolside; the Paradise Nite Club; among others.

More interesting is the fact that you never perspire while you are walking around.

Though a manmade tourist centre, Rojenny has a natural feel, which makes it an allyear-round tourist delight.

Coconut and other trees line the two sides of the avenues and ensure a regular supply of cool and gentle breeze, giving the environment the feeling of a temperate climate.

In case you get hungry, there is the newly developed Angelic Garden and Restaurant (which has sprung on the ashes of the African Restaurant and Bar) for your quick relaxation and refreshment, and there is also the English Bar for assorted wines. If you decide to stay the night, which of course is the ideal thing in a place like Rojenny, there is the Nwaezeora Lodge which has enough beautiful and tastefullyfurnished rooms for all guests, plus the new guest house which is currently at the furnishing stage. Besides these, there are also neighbourhood hotels which work in partnership with Rojenny to accommodate any number of visitors.

Again, Rojenny is a tourist destination. Modelled closely after Disney World in the United States of America, it provides at once all the things necessary for a tourist to stay busy as long as his tour lasts. It is developed in such a way to serve as a base for tourists wishing to visit other tourist sites in South-East Nigeria, like the Ogbunike Cave, the Umuahia War Museum, the Agulu Lake, the Igboukwu archaeological sites, the Njaba River, and so on. The position of Oba is also an added advantage.

It is said to be at the centre of Igboland, whether from Agbor in Delta State, from Nsukka in Enugu State, from Ndoni/

Cottages

Ikwerre in Rivers State, or from Ozuitem Abriba in Abia State.

Rojenny is also a place for spiritual tourism, irrespective of one’s religious conviction.

The Blessed Michael Cyprian Tansi Memorial Chapel provides a place of worship for Catholics and Christians of other denominations. There is the African traditional shrine for adherents of African Traditional Religion; and there is the Mosque for the Muslim brethren.

The quiet atmosphere of Rojenny makes it conducive for writers and researchers from any part of the world. The tourist sites are enough inspiration to any writer and can eliminate the so-called writer’s block. Sitting very close to Tansian University, Oba, and just few kilometres away from Madonna University Okija, Rojenny is certainly the destination of many research students who may wish to use the library facilities of both universities. Moreover, research students working on Igbo culture may have no better place to go.

Conceived and developed

by Chief Rommy Amandi Ezeonwuka, a native of Akpo in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, Rojenny is indeed a wonderland, a multipurpose centre with a complex mix of African culture and western civilisation. It is a choice destination for excursions, sports recreation, relaxation, picnics, conferences and seminars, research, cultural entertainment, and so on. This tourist haven, constructed between 1983 and 1986 and opened to the public in November 1986, will soon host a Diaspora Tour, which is aimed at giving African Americans, whose ancestors were taken away from Nigeria as slaves, an opportunity to visit Nigeria and have a feel of the land of their ancestors. chukseoluigbo. blogspot.com

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Homes

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

By Miriam Humbe

hether you have just moved into a new space, settling into a rental apartment, or just frustrated with your kitchen, here are some ideas to help you arrange your kitchen for efficient cooking and cleaning.

Start with what you have: You may love them, hate them, but unless you have the money for a full scale renovation, your sink, stove and refrigerator aren’t going anywhere. Their position will dictate where everything else goes. Cleaning them inside and out can go a long way towards making them presentable.

Create stations: Taking a cue from restaurant kitchens, mentally assign stations for all the tasks that you do in your kitchen: cleaning, storage, prepping, cooking, putting food away. If you bake a lot, also have a baking station.

Organize items according to task: The point is to organize the kitchen so that there is as little unnecessary movement as possible. If, after you’ve washed the cutlery from tonight’s dinner at the sink, putting it away means walking across the kitchen to do so, chances are it will never get put away, no matter how pretty the cutlery drawer organizer is.

Move things around so that what you need is in arm’s reach: Cutlery and dishes should be near the sink; spices and cooking implements, whether rubber spatula or skillet, should be near the stove; put knives and chopping boards near your prep area; store sugar, flour, rolling pins, cookie sheets and standing mixer near your baking area.

Out of reach: Put things you rarely use — higher up or lower down. Having to get on a ladder, or even bend your knees, means you’ll use something less frequently.

If necessary, buy two: I use cinnamon for cooking and for baking, so I’ve got one canister near the stove and one in my baking area. While I’m not suggesting you buy two food prep machines, consider doubling up on little items like spices and spatulas.

Merchandise your storage: Yes, I confess, my kitchen is always ready for its close up. I like it organized, I also like it pretty. Arranging items by size and colour as well as by how often you use them can go a long way towards making your time in this room pleasant.

Pretty but also useful: If the canister that you use to store flour is hard to open, it is not useful. Before you buy something, try it out in the store and consider how you will use it. Does it feel substantial in your hand but also light enough that it’s easy to use?

Can you open a container with one hand?

I have removed rubber sealant rings from many a flour container in order to make them easier to open.

Stick with the place you’ve given for things: With everything in the kitchen has been assigned a spot, it is easy to see what you have and what is missing. With a quick glance into my refrigerator, I can tell that I’m out of butter or milk or low on veggies. Since I always keep these things in the same place, a glance at my kitchen cupboards tells me I am out of glasses and I’d better do some washing! apartmenttherapy.com

e n i z a g a M

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

d n e k e We ent

m Entertain

Fashion

ps Beauty Ti

od Kannywo

d

Hollywoo

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d Bollywoo

I don’t have time for rumour peddlers Nikiru Sylvanus >>PG 34

Muna’s death was unexpected’

>>PG 36

Will Smith Reveals his ‘Most Painful Failure’

>>PG 36

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

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Your Body, Image & U

What you eat says a lot about your body image With Jacqui Iwu bwreforms@gmail.com 08184825606 (sms only)

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lot of people feel what they feed their body is not vital and they can eat whatever they lay their hands on. Again, food must not be when you eat a whole pot of cooked food and drink whatever you see. Food could even be small but very healthy chops. Those who enjoy snacking can also feed on healthy snacks. Some nutritionist will disagree that snacking is healthy.

This is because lots of people who love snacks hardly go for healthy ones. Cooked or fried groundnuts with fresh garden eggs are all healthy snacks. Roasted unripe plantain is good too. The only problem with roasted plantain is the unhygienic way it is prepared by road side sellers, if you have a barbecue equipment, you can do your roasted plantain on your own and add other items like fish and beef to spice it up depending on your taste. A combination of fried groundnuts and fresh banana is a also a healthy snack and can be used as food. There are so many healthy snacks so, I totally disagree that snacking is not healthy, it all depends on what you snack on.

Those who feed on too much baked foods and flavoured drinks suffer from the bad effects of snacking. Lots of people love to eat cakes, pies, doughnuts, chinchin, biscuits, and all sorts of things, while forgetting to take

fresh fruits and water. The thing with baked foods is that they go well with sweetened drinks so those who enjoy eating too much of them hardly drink water, but rely more on cola and other fizzy drinks which contain lots of caffeine and sugar. Drinks with just caffeine and sugar are not healthy at all. They are just empty calories and have no nutritional value.

Those of you who love fruits like watermelon, oranges, coconut are on the right track. If you break the coconut yourself, enjoy the water. Coconut water flush out toxins and enrich your skin texture. These fruits can be used as food and your body will get all the nourishment it needs. They will also make your skin glow. There are people you see, especially women and you think that they use very expensive skin products, but if you examine them closely, they feed more on fruits and vegetables. Such women also drink lots of clean water to moisturizse/ hydrate the skin both in and out.

If you are a man and you drink lots of alcohol, you must make regular water drinking your companion. You must not rely on just the one glass of water you drink during your lunch or dinner, but must drink plenty water starting with your breakfast. Water will help reduce the bad effects of the alcohol in your vital organs like the kidney/liver/heart. Please

do not use water as an excuse to drown in alcohol. This will backfire in your face some day. Try to reduce the amount of alcohol you take and drink more water. There are men you see with very crinky and dry skin, such men tend to consume too much alcohol and apart from the damages done to the kidney/liver/heart, it dries up your skin and makes you look older than your age.

The worst kind of alcohol are the dry ones like gin, brandy, vodka, whiskey etc. It does not matter how expensive or refined these alcoholic drinks are, they are still unhealthy when consumed too much. Those who drink beer can always check the number of bottles they take in a day and must not make beer consumption a regular stuff.

How about wine? Different wines have their alcoholic contents and some are much healtheir than others. Wines are made from grapes which are basically fruits, but their production process matters a lot, making some more healthier than others.

Red wine is much healtier than other types of wine, but stay away from wines with high alcoholic contents.

I personally get very bad headache when I drink some types of white/dry wine in small quantity so, I keep away from white wine even if it is one glass. If this hap-

“

The thing with baked foods is that they go well with sweetened drinks so those who enjoy eating too much of them hardly drink water, but rely more on cola and other fizzy drinks which contain lots of caffeine and sugar.

pens to you each time you consume any wine product, stay away from such wine. It means they are not good for your body.

Champagnes are good, but also contain alcohol as well so do not pride yourself as one who can afford to drink champagne and then feel it is healthy. The alcohol in them are equally as bad as the ones in other alcoholic drinks.

Those who come from countries where most wines are being produced tend to benefit more from getting them fresher than some of us in this part of the world.

Coming back to solid foods, those who cook their own food and also understand various food nutrients tend to eat healthy because they know how to combine their food items. Someone who eats eba/amala/tuwo every day, morning, afternoon/night does not understand what eating healthy is. These are basically carbs that must be combined with some protien so that you can have a balanced diet.

Knowing how to combine your food makes your diet rich/ healthy. Carbs are just for energy and weight gain. The foods that nourishes your body and gives it a good look are protein/fruits/vegetables plus plenty of water.

Jacqui Iwu is a Life/Career/Business Coach A Stress Management Expert &Conference Speaker Media Relations Personnel BLOG: http//bluntjacqui.blogspot.com FACEBOOK: Beautifulwoman. column TWITTER: @ JacquiWORLD

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Page 23

Womanhood

Arunma Oteh: The economist at her best

Arunma Oteh

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runma Oteh became Director General of Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in January 2010. In this position she was responsible for regulation of Nigeria’s capital markets, including the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Early years Arunma Oteh is of Nigerian/British nationality.

She is from Abia State. She studied at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, Nigeria, earning a first class honors degree in Computer Science.

She went on to the Harvard Business School where she obtained a Masters Degree in Business Administration. She co-edited the book, African Voices African Visions.

Oteh worked for various institutions including the Harvard Institute for International Development and Centre Point Investments

Limited of Nigeria in corporate finance, consulting, teaching and research.

She joined the African Development Bank (ADB) in 1992. She was a Senior Investment Officer/Senior Capital Markets Officer from

“

1993 to 1997, then Division Manager Investments and Trading Room from 1997 to 2001 when she was appointed the Bank’s Group Treasurer responsible for fund raising and investments in major international capital markets.

Oteh was appointed VicePresident for Corporate Management at the ADB in March 2006, responsible for Language Services, General Services and Procurement, Human Resources, and Information Management and Methods.

SEC Director General Ms. Oteh was nominated as the Director-General of the Securities & Exchange Commission by President Umaru Yar’Adua in July 2009. Arunma Oteh became Director General of the SEC in January 2010, after being confirmed by the Senate.

Arunma Oteh became the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria, in January 2010 and was elected Chairperson, Africa Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC) of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) in June 2010. She was re-elected Chairperson in June 2012 and in September 2014. She is a member of the Nigerian Economic Management Team (NEMT) chaired by the President of Nigeria and a Director of the Board of the Pension Commission, Nigeria (PENCOM) and of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON). She is also a Board member of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and was a member of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Agenda Council on Institutional Governance from 2010 to 2014. Prior to joining the SEC she was Executive Vice President, Corporate Services, at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) from 2006 to 2009 and as Group Treasurer from 2001 to 2006, led AfDB’s capital market activities across the world. She also held other positions in capital markets and lending in the course of her career in the

In community service, she initiated and undertook the N1.3 Million community project, that is, the construction/rehabilitation of the 600m drainage at Miango Junction in Jos metropolis in 1994.

Bank which she joined in 1992.

Prior to the African Development Bank, she worked in corporate finance, consulting, teaching and research for a number of institutions including the Harvard Institute for International Development, U.S.A. and Centre Point Investments Limited, Nigeria where she started her capital markets career in 1985. She has served on the board of a number of organizations, including the Board of the International Financing Facility of Immunization (IFFIm). She is the co-editor of the book, ‘African Voices African Visions’.

Ms. Oteh holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA), from Harvard Business School, Boston, U.S.A. and a First Class Hons. Degree in Computer Science, from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

In 2011 and in recognition of her contribution to economic development and to transforming the Nigerian capital markets, she was awarded the “Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON)” national honour. She also received the “Distinction in Public Service” Commonwealth Business Council/African Business Award in 2011 and the Eminent African Business Leader Award from the China Foundation for Global Partnership in 2013 while the SEC received the Africa Investor (AI)’s “Most Innovative Capital Markets Regulator” award in 2011, 2013 and 2014. She was also named the 2014 AI Capital Market Personality of the Year and the 2014 AABLA West African Business Woman of the Year.

On July 18, 2012, Oteh was called back to resume work after an independent investigation by the board-appointed firm, Pri c e w at e rh o u s e C o o p e rs , cleared her of any financial impropriety. Oteh concluded her five year tenure as SEC DG in January 2015.

Awards and Achievements In 2011 Oteh was made an Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in “recognition of her contribution to economic development and to transforming the Nigerian capital markets”. In 2011 she received the “Distinction in Public Service” award from the Commonwealth Business Council/African Business.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 24

World Kiddies SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Wonderland Amusement Park and Resort

With Miriam

Humbe

HIS AND HERS CORNER

Wonderland

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o n d e r l a n d Amusement Park and Resort is an ultra modern world class recreation centre, the first and the biggest most equipped amusement park in the whole of Nigeria . It is situated in the heart of Abuja , a few minutes’ drive from the city centre, and opposite the National Stadium, and close to the City Gate. It has an area of approximately 330,000 square metres. It was commissioned with a flamboyant opening ceremony by the then president of Nigeria , Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on the 1 st of March, 2007.

The park has leisure gardens for relaxation, games and rides for all ages, a restaurant called the Fulani Ranch, which provides continental Mediterranean and African cuisines; there are cafeterias and shops all over the place

for visitors’ satisfaction.

Some of cafes include the Forest Cafe and the Shisha Hut, each offering foods with unique and delicious tastes.

Some of the shops include the Fountain Shop, Wonder Shop, Nina’s Candy, Zain Shop and many others. One of the many relaxation spots in Wonderland is the Fountain square, with a beautiful view. Wonderland also has an elaborate arcade building called the Fun city Arcade. The park has convenience facilities (Toilets), a clinic centre for emergencies in case of minor injuries from accidents, and an administrative block for complaints and enquiries.

A hotel resort is also in the plans to be executed shortly.

Wonderland Amusement park is the place to be, because it is a family oriented park.

Walking down the aisle

Cartoon Angle

Scoobydoo and friends

Horse merry-go-round

ABCDE

Snowhite and the seven dwarfs

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Kiddies World

PAGE 25

With Miriam

Humbe

ABCDE

MODEL OF THE WEEK

AFRICAN TALES

The Robber and the wise Old Man

Amir Naziru Bimutum

ACTIVITIES

With the help of the right materials, have fun colouring this image.

Show your work to your parents or teacher for correction. Cheers!

Robbery scene

I

n a big town there lived a very rich gentleman. The fame of his wealth soon spread. A clever thief heard of it and was determined to have some for himself.

He managed to hide himself in a dark corner of the gentleman’s room—while the latter was counting his bags of money. As soon as the old gentleman left the room to fetch something, the thief took two of the bags and escaped.

The owner was astonished, on his return a few minutes later, to find two bags short. He could find no trace of the thief.

Next morning, however, he was chanced to meet the

robber just outside the house.

The dishonest man looked so confused that the rich man at once suspected he was the thief. He could not, however, prove it, so he took the case before the judge.

The thief was much alarmed when he heard this. He sought a man in the village and asked his advice. The wise man undertook to help him—if he would promise to pay him half the money when he got off. This, the robber at once said he would do.

The old man then advised him to go home and dress in rags.

He must ruffle his hair and beard and behave as if he were mad. If anyone asked a question he must

answer “Moo.” The thief did so. To every question asked by the judge he said, “Moo, moo.” The judge at last grew angry and dismissed the court. The thief went home in great glee.

Next day, the wise man came to him for his half of the stolen money. But he could get no answer but “Moo” from the thief, and at last, in despair, he had to go home without a penny.

The ungrateful robber kept everything for himself. The wise man regretted very much that he had saved the thief from his just punishment but it was already too late.

CREATIVITY

Make a paper airplane

Paper plane

T

here are many skills fathers should pass on to their children: how to ride a bike, how to skip a stone, and of course, how to make a paper airplane. When it’s time to show your kids how to fold a humble piece of paper into a soaring jet, don’t stumble around and hastily construct one from the poor memory of your youth — one that takes a disappointing nosedive as soon as it leaves your fingertips.

Instead, teach them the art of making a plane that can truly go the distance.

The three designs below are tried and true (you wouldn’t believe some of the science behind paper airplanes) and are perfect beginner, moderate, and expert level models to play with. They go in order from easiest to hardest, so there’s something for every age level — including adult; don’t act like you’re not going to try these out in the break room.

The bulldog dart This paper airplane is a warmup of sorts. It’s simple, requires few folds, and flies well. It’s just not going to win you any contests or style points. If it’s your kid’s first time making a real paper airplane,

this is a good place to start.

First you fold the paper in half lengthwise, and then unfold. This initial crease is simply a guideline for the next folds.

Fold the top two corners down so they meet the center crease. This is the classic way to start a paper airplane, and probably what you first learned as a kid.

Flip the plane over, and fold the corners in again to the center crease. You want the diagonal line coming off the top of the plane (on the left side) to be lined up with the middle (like on the right side).

Fold the top point down so that the tip meets the bottom of where the previous folds come together.

Fold the entire plane in half, in on itself. This creates the snub nose, which gives the Bulldog Dart its name.

Fold the wings down so that you’re making a straight line across from the top of the snub nose.

Repeat on the other side.

The finished Bulldog Dart. This flies better when thrown at lower speeds. Your tendency is to launch it, but the heavy nose will just fly it into the ground. Give it a softer throw and you’ll have better luck.

PAGE 26

e-Learning

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Don’t discuss ‘sensitive information’ in front of me – Samsung SmartTV

S

amsung’s n e w SmartTV has a cool new voicecommand feature, through which the internetconnected device could record everything you say and transmit it to a third party, The Daily Beast writes.

The company’s voice-recognition software allows viewers to communicate with their television by talking to it. It is enabled when a microphone symbol appears.

Basically, instead of using a

traditional remote control to change the channel, people can simply ask their Samsung TV to change it for them by uttering a few words.

This is worrying people, largely because of a warning

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hidden deep inside its “privacy policy.”

The Daily Beast first spotted this sentence, which reads: Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that

information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party.

The Daily Beast makes the point that if peoples’ living room conversations are being recorded and passed on, privacy is

being undermined.

Homes are supposed to be places in which families and friends can talk about anything and everything.

“Don’t talk about tax evasion, drug use,” the Daily Beast warns.

Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party. . . that if peoples’ living room conversations are being recorded and passed on, privacy is being undermined. Homes are supposed to be places in which families and friends can talk about anything and everything.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 27

Compiled By Doyin Ojosipe

The fate of Essido and his Evil Companions (I)

C

hief Oborri lived at a town called Adiagor, which is on the right bank of the Calabar River. He was a wealthy chief, and belonged to the Egbo Society. He had many large canoes, and plenty of slaves to paddle them. These canoes he used to fill up with new yams-each canoe being under one head slave and containing eight paddles; the canoes were capable of holding three puncheons of palm-oil, and cost eight hundred rods each.

When they were full, about ten of them used to start off together and paddle to Rio del Rey. They went through creeks all the way, which run through mangrove swamps, with palm-oil trees here and there. Sometimes in the tornado season it was very dangerous crossing the creeks, as the canoes were so heavily laden, having only a few inches above the water, that quite a small wave would fill the canoe and cause it to sink to the bottom.

Although most of the boys could swim, it often happened that some of them were lost, as there are many large alligators in these waters. After four days’ hard paddling they would arrive at Rio del Rey where they had very little

difficulty in exchanging their new yams for bags of dried shrimps and sticks with smoked fish on them.

Chief Oborri had two sons, named Eyo I. and Essido. Their mother having died when they were babies, the children were brought up by their father. As they grew up, they developed entirely different characters.

The eldest was very hardworking and led a solitary life; but the younger son was fond of gaiety and was very lazy, in fact, he spent most of his time in the neighbouring towns playing and dancing. When the two boys arrived at the respective ages of eighteen and twenty their father died, and they were left to look after themselves. According to native custom, the elder son, Eyo I., was entitled to the whole of his father’s estate; but being very fond of his younger brother, he gave him a large number of rods and some land with a house.

Immediately Essido became possessed of the money he became wilder than ever, gave big feasts to his companions, and always had his house full of women, upon whom he spent large sums. Although the amount

Leisure Poem

HAMMER ON THE NAIL Issues of this life I wonder what to call, Pleasing pique of piranha?

If I am correct, It should as it would A mangled dangled ball.

his brother had given him on his father’s death was very large, in the course of a few years Essido had spent it all. He then sold his house and effects, and spent the proceeds on feasting.

While he had been living this gay and unprofitable life, Eyo I. had been working harder than ever at his father’s old trade, and had made many trips to Rio del Rey himself. Almost every week he had canoes laden with yams going down river and returning after about twelve days

Career words! What will you like to be?

with shrimps and fish, which Eyo I. himself disposed of in the neighboring markets, and he very rapidly became a rich man.

At intervals he remonstrated with Essido on his extravagance, but his warnings had no effect; if anything, his brother became worse. At last the time arrived when all his money was spent, so Essido went to his brother and asked him to lend him two thousand rods, but …

To be continued (next week)

Laugh out loud (lol)!

At the cross road When mist mixture And canoe seen cap siding When the ocean refused Her tide touching thro And mind made nude Will the journey be?

Rubicon they said, A twine apple as magpie Where sharp axe Is rendered blunt.

The hope of hapless Postponement in delay Procrastination in disgust Foiled fake fame Concurring in contradiction Hallucination in rue.

At the cross road Your worth is known Either mean or meaningful The power of morrow Lies on your decision Be a good mother of morrow Or you murder morrow.

ACCOUNTANT ARCHITECT CHEF DENTIST DOCTOR FIRE FIGHTER

LAWYER LIBRARIAN MAIL CARRIER MECHANIC NURSE OPTOMETRIST spacer

PHARMACIST PILOT POLICE OFFICER REPORTER SECRETARY SPACER TEACHER

JOY: honey do you still love me like before?

Akpos: Yes love! My love for you will never change.

Joy: thats my honey, I want you to buy me something.

Akpos: Just name it Joy: It’s just one BB Porsche.

Akpos: No problem. Just find out the price and let me know.

Joy: It’s N350, 000.

Akpos: Is it manual or automatic? Is it still in a good shape, as in the engine? Have you checked the fuel consumption too?

Joy: honey, it’s not a car oh, it’s a phone.

Akpos: Phone?! That means it will have a fridge, generator set, plasma and a wardrobe?

Joy: Are you buying it or not?

Akpos: Please I am not oh! I can’t!

Joy: Helo!

Akpos: Hi! Joy: Don’t even bother again; I’ will call that my other boyfriend to get it for me this evening.

Akpos: Better still, call your sugar daddy; he will be faster.

Joy: (sad, cry) I am going to delete you from my BB Akpos: Is your phone hanging? Because I have deleted you since you mentioned Porsche

By John Ocheje

Motivational

If what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, “Do you know what I just heard about your friend?”

“Hold on a minute,” Socrates replied.

“Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?”

“Well, no,” the man said, “actually I just heard about it and…”

“All right,” said Socrates. “So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now, let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?”

“Umm, no, on the contrary…”

“So,” Socrates continued, “you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left—the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?”

“No, not really.”

“Well,” concluded Socrates, “if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?”

Beauty

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 28

TIPS

Compiled by Isioma Nwabasha

10 ways to detox your hair Long and healthy hair

Avoid heat

W

omen do so much to protect their skin on a daily basis, but not enough to keep their hair healthy. Most women do not know that too much styling and colouring can lead to loss of volume, breakage, dullness and split ends.

And it is a vicious cycle because hair can grow in thinner and weaker.

To save your hair from thinning out an easy detox (cleanse, treat, cut back on heat) is required.

Cleanse your scalp For a healthier hair, you should shampoo less often. But if your hair is on the oily, limp or dull side, you will want to wash it regularly even every day. A clean scalp is key for hair health and growth. Just like the pores on your face, hair follicles on your scalp can become clogged with dirt, oil and product buildup. Look for shampoos containing selenium sulfide, salicylic acid or pyrithione zinc to slough off dead skin and excess styling goop.

Instead of dumping a dollop on your head, start lathering at the nape of the neck and work up towards the hairline. Hair at the nape is thicker, so it traps sweat, gets oily and usually needs the most cleaning.

Lay off the heat Hot tools may seem innocent enough, but using them every day

will weaken and dry out your hair, leading to breakage and dullness.

The most damage usually occurs during those final minutes of styling, when women are perfecting their hair with a flat iron or curling wand.

Before applying heat on your hair always use a thermal protectant through strands. Keep the heat setting on medium, too high risks scorching hair and too low requires multiple passes to smooth it out, which can also damage your hair.

To give your hair a heat break, instead of fussing with tools, wrap slightly damp strands around large self-adhesive rollers, air-dry and remove. The gorgeous result: smoothness with a bit of bounce.

For waves sans a curling wand, wash your hair at night, sleep in a few damp, loose braids and unravel in the morning.

Add moisture When you need to replenish parched hair, reach for a preshampoo treatment. These products are packed with nourishing oils that deliver moisture to the hair’s cuticle and protect vulnerable strands from stretching and snapping when washed.

At least once weekly, massage the treatment through dry hair, hang out for 15 minutes, then shampoo. Look for one with

essential oils such as chamomile (to add shine), coconut (to soften), geranium (to strengthen), and argan (to moisturize).

Go deep once a week Hair cuticles (the outermost layer) are made of protein cells called keratin that lie together like shingles on a roof. They overlap to create a waterproof and airtight barrier around the cortex (or root) of the hair. When those cuticles are harmed by heat, color or UV rays, the cortex lacks a shield, leaving it vulnerable to problems.

Every week, use a protective deep treatment, such as Pantene

Apple cider vinegar

Pro-V Deep Restoration Complex Weekly Rehab Crème. Apply to freshly washed hair, from scalp to ends, and leave on for 10 to 30 minutes; longer hair typically needs more time because it is older and likely to be more beaten up. Rinse with lukewarm water, hot water can strip the protective oils that act as a natural conditioner, sapping your hair’s moisture and shine.

Back away from the dye When you go lighter or cover grays, you can expose strands to damage from the ammonia or peroxide used in most hair colour.

In fact, in one study from Portugal, researchers found that bleaching hair made it up to 60 percent weaker.

If your hair is dye-fried, use the deep treatment twice a week, then boost radiance with an at-home gloss. To help prevent issues, stay as true to your natural hue as possible, it makes regrowth less noticeable and lets you go longer between appointments.

Natural fix

Baking soda Sodium bicarbonate is an extraordinary cleanser (exactly why it is in toothpaste) and a great exfoliant that gently removes product buildup.

Just add a tablespoon to a dollop of shampoo, work the mixture through hair, focusing on the roots and rinse for residue-free strands.

Olive oil It contains fatty acids that coat hair, moisturizing and protecting against damage. Heat a tablespoon in the microwave until it is warm, not scalding (about 10 to 15 seconds).

Test with a finger. Then, apply to dry hair and cover with a shower cap for extra penetration. Leave on for 20 minutes, rinse with warm water and shampoo as usual.

Eggs They are packed with protein and amino acids that help restore strength, shine and volume, preventing split ends from worsening and smoothing your hair’s texture. Combine one egg with a quarter-size blob of shampoo, run through hair and let it sit for five minutes; rinse really well.

Apple cider vinegar The acetic acid helps wipe out product residue and oil while adding shine. Mix two tablespoons of vinegar with a cup of water and pour evenly over hair in the shower after you have shampooed. Let hair soak up the mixture for a minute before rinsing, then condition.

Tea tree oil A natural antifungal and antiseptic, tea tree oil helps eliminate bacteria, dandruff and flakes. Add a few drops to your regular shampoo, massage into your scalp and leave on for five to seven minutes before rinsing.

Culled from Fox News M

Compiled by Miriam Humbe

Fashion

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 29

Paint the town red in a smart red outfit for Valentine’s Day W

hether you like it or not, Valentine’s Day is here today.

This is a good excuse to tell all the special people in your life – from bonafide boyfriends and girlfriends to potential love interests and your everyday friends that you care about them. But like any important event, you need to figure out what to wear first. Are you going to go classic and pull out your Little Black Dress, your black and red outfit or eschew the day all together and pull out your rattiest sweatpants?

If you are looking to shout out your love and paint the town red, you must choose an outfit that is smart and sassy and you won’t see your partner’s eyes linger anywhere else but on you.

For a more girly look, go for a shade like pink and wear a flowy dress for that flirty yet fun feel.

Add a classy belt and minimal accessories and you are good to go.

Black is an evergreen colour and with just a little support from gold, it can be revamped to suit every occasion, especially Valentine’s Day. Keep the accessories low with just a statement neck piece and you’ll rock this look.

Keep it simple and businesslike, yet fancy with a metallic silver jacket that can revamp even the blandest attires.

Valentine’s Day is really a time to show love to others but ideally, for you to feel your best and you’ve got to take matters in your hand if you want to look your best and dress to impress. No, you don’t necessarily have to spend thousands on the perfect look.

Instead, you can simply look into

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 30

Pots &Pans Valentine chocolate surprise cupcakes With Miriam Humbe

Ingredients

Preparation

Original recipe makes 24 cupcakes 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups white sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking soda 2/3 cup vegetable oil 2 cups water 2 tablespoons vinegar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 egg 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

30 mins COOK 25 mins READY IN 55 mins

Apple and carrot juice Celebrate love and enjoy life with this refreshing juice which provides anti oxidants, electrolytes and half your daily requirement of Biotin. Biotin is an important B vitamin (B7), also known as vitamin H for its role in promoting hair growth. Biotin is also needed for healthy metabolism and plays a role in regulating blood sugar levels. Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients in this juice:

Carrots are the richest plant source of vitamin A, and a good source of potassium.

Apples contain antioxidants that help protect “good” cholesterol levels in the blood.

Ginger root reduces nausea, pain and inflammation, and provides heartburn relief. It also aids digestion and may help to boost the body’s thermogenesis and metabolism.

Ingredients

Directions

3 carrots 2 apples 1 in (2.5 cm) piece of ginger Loaded with silicon and hydrating minerals and vitamins, this juice will make you glow and nourish your skin from the inside out.

Wash all produce well.

Add all ingredients through juicer and enjoy!

Servings: 1

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, 1 teaspoon salt and baking soda. Stir in oil, water, vinegar and vanilla until blended. Pour mixture into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.

To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, egg, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop a heaping teaspoonful of the cream cheese mixture into each cupcake. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Allow to cool.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 31

Valentine Special

Why Val Day’s ‘season of red’

By Isioma Nwabasha

O

ne of the ‘seasons of red’-the Valentine’s Day is here again and Nigerians, even the ones whose accounts are in red, have joined the rest of the world in painting the town red. Red is the warmest of all colours. It is an intense colour that is packed with emotions ranging from passionate, intense love to anger and violence, representing both cupid and the devil. It is a hot, strong and stimulating colour that represents excitement and energy.

Studies have shown that red can create physical effects such as

Ruby ring

elevated blood pressure, enhanced libido, increased respiratory rates, enhanced metabolism, increased enthusiasm, higher levels of energy and increased confidence.

In different cultures red carries differing meanings. In some places, it represents purity, joy, and celebration and is a traditional colour worn by brides; in others it connotes danger and pains. In China, red is used for good luck and represents happiness, prosperity and babies are given their names at a red-egg ceremony. In South Africa, it is the colour of mourning and in Russia it is associated with communism because in history, a red flag was used when they

overthrew the Tsar. In the United States, red, when combined with white and blue represent patriotism and pride of country.

In most African countries, red is used to portray devilish activities, it is common to see most herbalists and other occult people adorn red attires.

Above all, red represents life as it is the colour of blood which is essential for all living things.

It is also the official colour of the feast of Saint Valentine which is celebrated all over the world by especially, young people.

From time immemorial, beloveds have been compared to red roses. If we juggle the letters of the word ROSE we get EROS, who is the God of Love. Rose has thus been the traditional choice of lovers around the world. A red rose without thorns is a symbol of passion, love and romance. While a red rose with thorns typically exemplifies the struggle and challenges associated with the journey of love, meaning that it can be joyous, fulfilling and delicate, as well as painful and cruel. The red rose is a symbol of romantic love usually given in a long stem form.

Diamonds might be forever, but the red rose’s significance of love is

much older than that of diamonds.

And while a red rose bouquet now plays a critical role in Valentine’s Day, anniversaries and marriage proposals, it is also the ultimate “just because” gift to express romantic love.

One thing that has always been consistent every February 14th is the red rose and its symbol of love and romance. Red roses proclaim a loud and visible ‘I love you’. A dozen roses certainly send a big message on Valentine’s Day. They are the ultimate symbol of romantic love and enduring passion. So if you have someone that you want to express your undying love for on Valentine’s Day, stick with this colour. Your Valentine gift to your partner is incomplete without a bouquet of bright red roses. So when shopping for a red dress, jacket and other accessories for that romantic valentine dinner, remember to surprise your significant other with a bouquet of red flowers showing how much you cherish him/her.

But Nigerians unlike the rest of the world do not really love flowers. In our own society when/ if a guy wants to impress a girl, he is never to give her flowers (even on valentine) because if he

does there is a probability that they will end up in the trash can.

Seriously, which Nigerian girl will honestly appreciate a bunch of flowers? According to our findings, most Nigerian girls dislike flowers ‘because it is not beneficial to them in any way.’ For most of them the money used in purchasing the flowers ought to have been used in other resourceful ways. So if you are a sharp guy and want to make your girlfriend love you more this Valentine’s Day and beyond, try giving her any of these gifts listed below: Gadgets: Believe it or not, Nigerian girls are very tech savvy.

An average babe owns at least a Smartphone, or an iPad, Tablet and even laptops. So imagine how happy you would make your girl by gifting her sleek new Android device or better still, the wavemaking iPhone 6 or Samsung note 4. This is one tangible gift that she is going to cherish for a very long time. This one beats even the most expensive box of chocolates or red roses any day, any time.

Jewelry: Like the popular saying, ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,’ and that is so true.

Contd on Pg 33

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 32

Fiction

The hot chase that sent students scampering T he sun was scorching as usual in Gidan kwano campus at Federal University of Technology, FUT Minna. There was no breeze, the leaves stood still as the heat of the sun radiated mercilessly.

One would think a little of hell fire was released to torment the earth. Dull uninterested people moved around pre-occupied with thoughts of the ongoing exams.

The loud thud of Jonny’s shoes interrupted the stillness and moods.

He ran with all he had so did Gbonka who was chasing him.

The dried leaves rattled beneath their rubber soles. The ground shook like an earthquake with each of their steps. Jonny ran with the speed of lightening, at that moment he was possessed with the spirit of Usain Bolt, his shirt flew behind like a balloon, his eyes were red as blood.

The chase started from Hall 4, an exam venue. He ran into the open food court and boycotted the tables. He jumped on one table and Somersaulted, landing firmly on his feet. At that point he was possessed by the spirit of James Bond; the chase proceeded to convocation ground. He dribbled the pillars with ease using his hands and feet to jump chain obstacles, at that moment he was possessed by the spirit of Ronaldo.

All the while Gbonka who now resembled a cheeta chased him relentlessly as if his own life depended on it.

After manipulating trees like Jackie Chan, doing acrobatics like James Bond, dribbling like Ronaldo and running like Usain Bolt a small stone made him trip and he flew across the ground sliding on the gravel like crystal on marble, at that moment of failure Arsene Wenger’s spirit was in charge. He was about to stand up with agility like a marvel hero when Gbonka caught up with him and hugged him tightly.

For years no could boast of ever seeing Gbonka smile but he did at that lucky moment.

He caught Jonny, mercilessly he dragged Jonny towards the VC’s office amidst the crowd, the uninterested crowd that were bothered about exams now had something interesting. It was not everyday that a security man chased a student like a thief.

Two amebo’s who had followed the chase from the start had now caught up, they were panting and rested their hands on their knees to catch their breath.

They started running back to Hall 4 from where they were sent.

Soon they got back in Dr Waguda’s car. The distance was quite short but Jonny and Gbonka chose to run round the school.

A cheer went round the crowd as Jonny who was already shaking wet his trousers, still along with Gbonka, Dr Waguda and the crowd, Jonny was led towards the VC’s office.

Gbonka had been working as a security guard for 12 years now.

His usual station was at the gates of various school venues. During

exams, he sometimes guarded the door and helped in transporting forcefully a miscreant who is caught cheating to the VC’s office. That happened very scarcely. Something interesting happened whenever cultists were on the chase. It was usually at night and no one would see his theatrics as he had shown now. The securities and police men learnt to leave the cultists alone when there was a shootout and the cultists won, they also abducted a top government official and locked him up in the toilet, they knew they were no match.

But today as usual, Gbonka was doing his duty guarding the door when he noticed a student who looked everywhere except the computer in his front. He sat at the edge of his seat. Gbonka knew he didn’t read and was scared. He also knew that he couldn’t cheat since the exam was CBT so he decided to give him a deadly stare to make him more uncomfortable and scared.

Not long after the boy ran out at great speed and Gbonka followed him automatically, when the chase became hard Gbonka refused to stop, it was a case of his reputation.

Jonny was a 4th year electrical engineering student, almost the best in his department.

He had a GP of 4.8 which was quite incredible. The topper, a Yoruba girl was at 4.99 which was a miracle.

Jonny’s life is usually from hostel to class to library to sports field to kpakungu on Saturdays for chilling, if sitting under a tree with friends and eating kilishi was chilling and fellowship in Elf layout on Sundays.

After service one Sunday, a girl

named Cynthia walked up to him.

This girl was everybody’s dream girl. She had Mercy Johnson’s body, Jackie Apiah’s face, Nadia Buari’s complexion, Stephanie Okererke’s height, Agbani Darego’s grace, Rita Dominic’s lip and Eku Edewor’s voice. All in all, she was a lethal combination and obviously out of Jonny’s league but as Kirk got lucky and landed Molly in the movie, she’s out of my league. It was Jonny’s day because Cynthia’s chatted with him like an old friend, exchanged numbers and pecked him on the cheeck after saying good bye.

Jonny thought ‘am I dreaming?’ as Cynthia walked away.

Jonny was lost in dreamland as he made his way to Gidan Mangoro close to his school to visit his friend Lamakuda. It wasn’t everyday a girl pecked him, a girl like Cynthia. Jonny’s imagination ran wild causing discomfort in his trousers as he made his way to his friend’s. His friend on the other hand welcomed him like a hero and even offered him kilishi for the great achievement.

He gisted his friend as both of them tore large portions out of the kilishi to eat. They did not drink water though their mouths were burning harshly so as not to allow the other to have a larger portion.

‘Do you have her number?

Lamakuda asked.

‘Yes now, you think say I dey lie? Jonny said.

‘Ehen show me.’

‘Guy you be badooo.’

Lamakuda said as if the number looked like Cynthia.

‘No be small thing.’

‘Omo guy from deeper life sister Yemi to miss world Cynthia, but guy wait o, no be LIT she dey?

‘Yes.’ ‘Una get inter-departmental course with LIT? ‘No naa wetin carry LIT enter Elet Elec? Jonny asked with a frown.

‘Then wetin she wan from you, no be say she want to make you teach am something, or say make you do her assignment for am.’

‘Wetin na, na only assignment I dey do for girls, are you forgetting that unlike you I have a girlfriend?

‘No guy, but be careful, a girl like Cynthia cannot give something without expecting something much more in return.’

‘She’s not in my Dept, she know say I no get money wetin she go ask.’

‘Your sanity.’

His state of euphoria evaporated from a metallic state to a gaseous state like heated sodium undergoing sublimation as he entered his room and saw his girlfriend Yemi waiting for him.

Yemi was such a girl who lived by principles, a diehard extremist in religion but she still had a boyfriend, she was washing when her friend Delilah entered and was singing Yemi Alade’s Jonny loudly.

‘Jonny leave you follow Cynthia and you don’t know what to do and he talk say you no do am like the way Cynthia dey do.’ She remixed the lyrics.

‘Frendo, you get Jonny? Yemi asked straightening up; she knew the song was for her ears.

‘No.’ ‘Which one leave you follow Cynthia now?

‘Hehehehehe no be me na you.’

‘What’s that.’ Yemi asked

rather annoyed.

‘Your Jonny don leave you follow Cynthia and he talk say you no do am like the way Cynthia dey do, or you no even do am at all.’

Delilah sang on.

‘Stop talking rubbish.’

Delilah ignored and continued singing. Later when Yemi was spreading her clothes she overhead a discussion and the girls stopped as soon as they saw her. She could take it no longer.

She went to Jonny’s room, he wasn’t in, she sat down and waited.

Jonny was able to manipulate Yemi, giving reasons such that only Yemi would accept. When Yemi left, after a long prayer session which Jonny endured all the while immersed in Cynthia’s thoughts and offering occasional loud over enthusiastic amen whenever Yemi paused, a large grin played on her lips. Her man was faithful.

Cynthia worked Jonny’s brain up so that when she was through with him his wit and innocence were gone. Then she landed him in the biggest mess of his life.

‘Jonny you’ve got what you’ve always dreamed of. It’s payback time.’ She said casually.

At first Jonny thought she was kidding, after all she made him witless but she was not joking, Jonny’s nightmare had just begun. Cynthia’s cultist boyfriend threatened to finish him if he did not sit for exams for him.

‘But that’s impersonation.’ He protested sheepishly.

An ugly crease appeared on the thug’s face as he thrusted a bag containing a fake exam card, ID card and the handouts for the course to Jonny.

‘I know you’re the best, if I get B I’ll manage but C you go pay, Cynthia don already settle you.’

He said and left.

A fear gripped Jonny studied for the exam and on the D-day proceeded to the hall. Gbonka checked his credentials at the entrance and twisted his neck meaning “go in”. He sat facing the computer with his heart racing; his shirt’s collar was wet with sweat and his armpit slippery from same effect. He looked up and a lecturer was staring at him intently. He looked around and the students were gazing at him suspiciously after all he was not their course mate. He looked towards the door and Gbonka gave him a diehard stare.

At this point he was vibrating.

He looked at the computer; it was blank. Jonny stood up as if prompted by an unknown force and made towards the door in flight mode. Gbonka followed him, the lecturer sent two boys after them, others had gathered and wondered what was chasing him.

As Jonny wet his trousers, he felt guilty and totally humiliated.

Without further ado he went limp and fell on the ground, he remembered to roll his eyes backwards. Gbonka and the rest changed direction to the school clinic.

Naijastories.com

PAGE 33

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Valentine Special

Season of red Contd from Pg 31

But what if you don’t earn enough pay to afford diamond jewelry?

Improvise!

There are other affordable pieces of jewelry you can still buy for her.

Fortunately, gold and silver come in different grades, so choose the one that your pocket can handle.

If your girl truly loves you, she will appreciate it. If she is the type that likes beads and costume trinkets, lucky you! Those ones are available almost everywhere, in different designs and they are easy on the wallet too.

Shoes and bags: All girls love shoes and bags. So in this season of love, gift your girl a brand new lovely pair of shoes and bags. They may not necessarily be high end designer brands. There are nice leather products that are pocket friendly.

Makeup Kit/Set: An average Nigerian girl owns at least a lip gloss and an eye pencil. Yes, we love makeup. It would be a pleasant surprise if you give your girlfriend a new designer makeup set or kit.

How would you know her favourite brand? Simple, you can take a peek into her purse whenever she comes around or simply ask her casually so she doesn’t suspect what you are up to. So what if your girlfriend isn’t a makeup kind of girl? You can then buy her a lovely designer perfume which she would definitely appreciate. Mind you, it is not about the price but the intention behind it. But remember that nothing puts a girl off than a cheap, foul smelling perfume. Just be creative.

Hair Products/ Extensions: If by now you don’t know that Nigerian girls cherish their hair, then it means you don’t know anything about them at all!

We love our hair. Need I say more?

Nigerian ladies invest heavily on human hair (Brazilian, Indian, Peruvian and Asian weaves), and other hair extensions for their braids. So study your girl and find out her favourite mane. Yes, these hairs don’t come cheap, but if she can afford them so can you. If she is a natural hair queen, buy her some really nice organic shampoo and hair cream/treatments to keep

her rich African hair glowing and bouncy.

Clothes: You can surprise your significant other with good clothes to mark the day of love.

Date Night: You can take her to any nice restaurant, or better still, you could have a date night in. Be a gentleman and treat her to a romantic meal prepared by you. Honestly, she is not going to forget this in a very long time.

A dinner at a fine restaurant is equally lovely. Remember, it is a day to express your love for each other. You can also spend time at the cinema, beach or an amusement park etc.

Do not ruin your day with your lover, especially in this season of love with things like flowers and chocolates that your lover/friend/ spouse won’t appreciate. Show your partner that you love and appreciate them with gifts that will make them go ‘gaga’ for you.

However, aside its relevance to the Val’s day, the colour red can also be used to describe different situations, items and occurrences in our everyday life. It is also a symbolic colour that connotes both good and bad, love and hatred. Since we live in a colourful world, below are other idiomatic meanings that represent the fiery colour.

Visibility: Because of its visibility, stop signs, stoplights, brake lights, and fire equipment are all painted red. It is a highly visible colour that is able to focus attention quickly and get people to make quick decisions, which is one of the reasons fire trucks and fire engines are usually painted red.

Flashing red lights means danger or emergency, while stop signs and stop lights use the color to alert drivers about the dangers of the intersection.

Red carpet: It is used in events for celebrities and VIPs to walk on.

Christmas: When the colour green and red are combined, they traditionally represent Christmas and the joyous holiday season.

Red ruby: Red is often associated with the fortieth wedding anniversary, as the red ruby is the traditional fortieth wedding anniversary gift.

Designer clothes and accessories In the red: It means losing money, no money, or overdrawing your account at the bank and is thought to come from the feelings of stress and anxiousness and the physical symptoms they cause such as elevated blood pressure and often anger or danger.

Red herring: It is used when referencing something that is deceiving, dishonest, or distracting from the truth; something that takes attention away from the real issue.

Paint the town red: It is associated with celebration, partying, fun and excitement.

Seeing red: This is based on the physical characteristics of anger that include redness of the cheeks, physical exertion and elevated blood pressure.

Red eye: It is associated with overnight airline flights due to the perceived lack of sleep passengers receive and the appearance of red in the whites of their eyes as a result. It also connotes beating someone to a pulp or ignoring them publicly.

Red carpet treatment: This refers to making someone feel special and pampered as if they are a VIP or high profile person.

Red flag is often used in reference to a warning of danger, problems, fighting, and war.

Red-letter day: Means a day of special importance and good fortune.

We decided to look a bit

further into the meaning of this lovely gesture and found out why the red rose has become such an important symbol of love.

Roses have been around for more than 35 million years and can be found in various places around the world.

According to ProFlowers, the red rose started off in the Greek and Roman times in connection with Aphrodite and Venus –the two goddesses of Love.

It was later incorporated in Shakespeare’s work and used to symbolize passion and affection.

From then on the world adopted the red rose into a worldwide symbol of love.

Anything from a deep burgundy color to a bright red can be found in the aromatic flower.

You’d be surprised to know that even the quantity of roses has a meaning.

One rose demonstrates love, two tied together represents an engagement, a dozen portrays gratitude and thanks, 25 are reserved for a congratulatory event and 50 shows unconditional and passionate love.

So for this February 14th, think carefully about who you want to give a red rose to… and how many would deliver just the right message!

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 34

Nollywood

I don’t have time for rumour peddlers - Nikiru Sylvanus Lately, there has been rumours that the governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has turned the Imo State Government House in Owerri, the state capital, into a gay club. Those peddling the news claimed the governor was deep into the act that was why he gave those practising the ignoble act protection from the anger of the people of the state.

But in this interview with Nigeriafilms.com, sultry movie star, Nkiru Silvanus, a onetime Special Assistant (SA) Lagos Affairs to the governor and later SA on Public Affairs, but now the Director General, Imo Film Academy, spoke on the issue and others about some rumour making the rounds about her. Excerpts:

T

here have been reports lately about your relationship, but in your usual manner, you’ve refused to respond, why?

I feel that very soon, the time will be right to respond to it. Also, I don’t respond to some of these stories because I don’t want to be distracted. I’m just too busy, and giving stuffs like that attention will be like adding extra work to my already filled hands.

So, of course I don’t want to be distracted by lies that people spread around. Anybody who is successful will be talked down by people who wish they could be like you but have concluded it will be impossible.

They always feel that talking you down will help them feel good.

That is why they try to get at you, especially in this era that there is the social networks and it is accessible to everybody. But when you are focused and know what you are doing, time will definitely tell. Time heals all wounds, time is powerful like one of my very close friends will say. Time cleans everything away, just be focused and once you know that you are not a person of questionable character, you’ll be fine.

So it is all rumours. That is all I’ll say about the relationship rumour. It’s just like what is happening in Imo state, where you have some people who have not been there in the last six years but are saying all sorts of negative things about the governor, and he has achieved so much. But they’ll rather say negative things; things that are not true.

They talk like they live in Imo State. That is life. Social media has made it easy for people to talk about anyone.

Talking about the governor, there is a story making the rounds he that has converted the state house chapel to a gay club, how true is this?

It is highly laughable! Nigerian politicians are so desperate that they will label a house for worshiping the almighty God, a house of homosecually. Initially, they were peddling rumours that this same church was a mosque and that the governor, demolished it and turned it to a church. That was to incite the Muslims against him. But it didn’t work; now they are saying the church is a gay centre. How desperate.

Have you also started reading what some people are saying on social media that Okorocha is a Muslim and an Alhaji and that he is paying people N2million each to become a Muslim. How is that even possible?

Someone that you had initially accused of converting a mosque to a church, now you are contradicting yourself that he is an Alhaji. Can you see the stupidity of some politicians? It may interest you to know that people who are

peddling this kind of news are even the so called educated people and even some men of God in the state, who have pitched their tent with some ruthless and greedy politicians in Imo State.

We are in the end time when people who are supposed to be men of God and set good examples are being bias because of financial gains. Many people have sold their souls to the devil and have begun to eat from the devil’s pot of soup.

They are now attacking a man, who could be called a man of God, because everything about Rochas depicts godliness. Rochas starts his day with God and ends it with God. When I met him before he became a governor, he had a Chapel in his house and office.

He starts from the chapel and ends with the chapel. He has a pastor that moves around with him. I’m talking about the chaplain. Now, he assumed office in Imo for the very first time and saw that there was no chapel or any place of worship the Government House so he decided to build one.

Later, he saw the need to develop a more befitting one and that was exactly what he did.

Because he is passionate about God, he built a magnificent one, an edifice. And what happened, because of politics, people are now mocking God. Or is that not so?

You look at a house of God and call it a house of gay! Those peddling such rumours will be adequately punished because it is now a fight against God, not man.

People like one Bishop in Imo who has reportedly been promoting the unfounded story against the governor, just because this Bishop is wining and dining with enemies of the Okorocha’s administration.

Why should men of God get themselves dirty because of politics? Anybody who stands against God stands for Satan.

Your fans have not been seeing you on TV like many of your colleagues campaigning for politicians, knowing fully well that you work with the government of Imo State and you could have easily lend to your voice to the campaign of the governor, why?

The truth is that a good product markets itself. Governor Anayo Rochas Okorocha has been able to surprise the people of Imo State with his landslide achievements never before seen by the people. We are not making noise because the achievements of the governor are glaring.

The evidence is everywhere.

The governor has done so much that little or nothing is being campaigned about because like I said the evidence is everywhere.

In fact, you begin to wonder what you want to start coming out to talk about when the people already know; they can see the

awesome performance of the governor and they have chosen their path.

But it is being speculated on social media that the governor has virtually done nothing?

One of the problems is that Okorocha has done too much that most people have even forgotten how things used to be before he got into office. This is a man that has brought jaw-dropping transformation to the state in over 1000 different ways in just three years.

Governor Rochas executed over 1,000 great projects in Imo State in just three years and he is not even stopping. This man is highly loved by the young and old for making them happy again.

Talk about human resources, job creation, agriculture, infrastructure, education just name it, the governor is a messiah.

Many people are also saying that not everyone is benefiting from the much talked-about free education by the governor. Some are even saying that there is nothing like free education in Imo. What do you have to say to this?

No Imo State indigene who is speaking genuinely will ever say that. Anybody can come to Imo state and confirm for themselves.

Well, of course, enemies of progress and opposition will not dare say anything good about a person.

There are people who are angry with the governor because he has been able to wipe corruption from the state and blocked ways people have been pilfering money in the past. In the Imo Sate, students will fight you if you there is no free education.

Here, you are also being given free lockers, sandals, uniforms, books and he even pays stipends for going to school. So, what else can you ask for from a man who loves education and human development with a passion.

What is your opinion about celebrities joining politics, people are saying most of them join because they want to make more money?

Well, I can’t actually say why each person joins politics because it is an individual decision. You take a decision for yourself for a particular reason and you pursue your dream and your vision.

For me, if anybody is going into politics because you feel that it is a place to cut your own piece of ‘national cake’, then that’s a wrong reason.

That is why we are still insisting that Nigeria needs able men like Okorocha at the federal level, so as to make politics less lucrative like he has done in Imo so that hungry individuals who want to go into politics to dig into the pocket of the masses can be

Nkiru Sylvanus put off.

The bottom line is that politics must be made less lucrative so that people with ulterior motives can find something useful to do with their lives. In Imo, for instance, if you are coming to work with His Excellency then you are coming to serve because doesn’t joke with his people.

That is why some people who came into this administration because they want to come and steal money couldn’t cope and when they dropped out, they started peddling all manner of lies about this administration all because they’ve been prevented from stealing the money meant for the development of the land and the people of Imo. You know, if a thief is being prevented from having access to what he had been stealing easily, he’ll rebel against the person is that exactly what’s happening in the case of the governor.

Okorocha has locked up access to thieves in the state and they are angry with him because he has been using the money to better the lives of the people Imo and because he has also invariably exposed their incompetence and put them to shame.

You used to run a programme on AIT where you chronicle happenings in the state, what happened to the programme?

What happened was that we’ve had a lot of projects under construction and we wanted to finish them so that we can show the people the other side of the works.

won evah stcejorp eht fo tsoM fo esuaceb tub detelpmoc neeb erehwyreve seitivitca noitcele eht ,tnemom eht ta yrtnuoc eht ni eht retfa llit tiaw ot dediced ew trats nac ew taht os noitcele lla htiw elpoep eht gnitniauqca .noitamrofni siht uoy yaw eht morf gnigduJ ,emmargorp eht detneserp fi deksa evah elpoep tsom ni dnuorgkcab a evah uoy deiduts uoy fi ro ,gnitsacdaorb ?noitacinummoC ssaM saw ecrof gnivird ehT evol ym fo esuaceb ylniam tsom dna tnemniatretne rof I desserpmi woh ,yltnatropmi eht fo ecnamrofrep htiw neeb evah etanoissap yrev ma I .ahcorokO .krow sih dna mih tuoba no-sdnah a evah uoy nehW uoy ,tnedicni na fo ecneirepxe a htiw retteb ti llet ot elba eb lliw saw I ,oS .srehto ot noissap eguh ot yoj htiw dellfi dna etanoissap cilbup eht ot segassem eseht ssap sah ssob ym tahw era eseht taht eerht naht ssel ni od ot elba neeb .sraey na evah elpoep ynaM yhs siht gnieb uoy fo egami ?taht si eurt woh ,lrig yhs yrev eb dluoc I ,lleW fo tuo teg ylkciuq I tub semitemos yllaicepse noitca otni gniws dna ti a rof tnemnorivne na ni yats I nehw esitamilcca ylkciuq I ;setunim wef nehW .tnemnorivne ot flesym ereht ,boj ym gniod ot semoc ti ,hguoht ssenyhs ekil gnihton si I .reviled ot boj a evah I esuaceb ekoj t’nod I !dednim-yreviled ma .boj ym htiw moc.smlfiairegiN :ecruoS

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Laverne Cox to co-star in CBS legal drama

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he Orange is the New Black star Laverne Cox being tapped to co-star in CBS’ buzzy legal drama doubt, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The drama revolves around a yet-to-be-cast smart, chic, successful defense lawyer at a boutique firm who shockingly gets romantically involved with one of her clients who may or may not be guilty of a brutal crime.

Cox, in one of the biggest showings of diversity this pilot season, will co-star as Cameron Wirth, a role specifically created for a transgender actress. The character is described as a transgender Ivy League-educated attorney who is as competitive as she is compassionate. She is fierce, funny and the fact that she has experienced injustice first hand makes her fight all the harder for her clients.

Grey’s Anatomy alums and married writing duo, Tony Phelan and Joan Rater, will pen the script and produce the CBS Television Studios drama alongside prolific producers, Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly.

Hollywood

Locarno post-production initiative to focus on Israeli films

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he Locarno Film Festival’s Carte Blanche initiative said it has partnered with the Israel Film Fund to select five to seven films in post-production to be presented during the upcoming edition of the festival.

The up-and-coming producers of the chosen films will present their work to industry professionals during the festival’s industry days.

Each film will attract postproduction support from the various sales agents, buyers, and funds present in Locarno.

The best film will be awarded with a prize of $10,800 (10,000 CHF).

The Israel focus for the fifth edition of Carte Blanche marks the first time the initiative’s focus has been outside America. Previous years have focused on films from Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Brazil.

The festival has long been a fan of Israeli cinema and is hoping to attract future films to the Swiss fest. Israeli director,

Eran Riklis, has screened several films at the festival’s Piazza Grande, including last year’s Dancing Arabs, as well as previous films, The Syrian Bride and The Human Resources Manager.

Previous selections of Carte Blanche include Alejandro Fernandez Almendras ‘To Kill a Man’, which took home the Sundance Grand Jury Prize in World Cinema last year, and Anna Muylaert’s ‘The

Second Mother’, which took home the Sundance Special Jury Award for Acting in World Cinema this year, and is currently screening in Berlin’s Panorama section.

Lionsgate in final talks for Mel Gibson’s ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ L ionsgate said it is in final talks for North American rights to Hacksaw Ridge, a World War II drama starring Andrew Garfield and returning Mel Gibson to the director’s chair for the first time since Apocalypto in 2006.

The project was a huge draw at the Berlin Film Festival, where CAA fielded interest from U.S. buyers on behalf of the producers, including Bill Mechanic and David Permut. At the same time, IM Global, which is handling Hacksaw Ridge internationally, launched the project to foreign buyers, closing a raft of presale deals around the world.

Per the terms of the reported $10 million to $12 million pact, Brian Oliver and Tyler Thompson’s Cross Creek Pictures and Demarest Films will co-finance the $45 million film, and release the picture domestically through an imminent partnership with Lionsgate.

Demarest is run by Sam Englebardt and Bill Johnson.

(Some put the Hacksaw deal closer to $15 million).

Hacksaw Ridge stars Garfieldas real-life war hero Pfc. Desmond T. Doss, who became the first conscientious objector in American military history to receive the Medal of Honor even though he refused to bear arms on religious grounds.

The Interview is finally in UK cinemas T he wait is over. The Interview, a controversial film about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un hits UK cinemas.

The comedy, starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, had its US release late cancelled last year amid a hacking plot of Sony Pictures studio in which terror threats were made against cinemas that chose to screen it.

The FBI insisted the online

attack was carried out by North Korea, and after much political and celebrity pressure, the film was eventually shown online and in a limited number of cinemas.

The hack resulted in thousands of internal Sony files leaked online.

It was announced resently that Amy Pascal will step down as co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and head of the film studio.

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Celebrity gists

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Kanye is spoilt, petty-Shirley Manson

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arbage’s lead singer, Shirley Manson, has accused Kanye West of being “small, petty and spoilt” after he criticised Beck for winning album of the year at the Grammys.

Kanye West said Beck’s award win was ‘disrespectful to inspiration’ and that Beyonce should have won.

In a post on Facebook, the Scottish singer addressed the rapper’s outburst during Beck’s Grammy acceptance speech. “Grow up and stop throwing your toys around. In attempting to reduce the importance of one great talent over another, you make a mockery of all musicians and music

Will Smith Reveals his ‘Most Painful Failure’

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from every genre, including your own.”

West felt Beyonce should have won the award for her self-titled album, Beyonce. He approached the podium as Beck accepted his award for Morning Phase, but turned around without making comments.

Speaking backstage later, West said: “Beck needs to respect artistry and should have given his award to Beyonce. Because when you keep on diminishing art and not respecting the craft and smacking people in their face after they deliver monumental feats of music, you are disrespectful to inspiration.”

‘American Sniper does not encourage violence’

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ne of Hollywood’s top producers, Harvey Weinstein, said the hit film, American Sniper, does not encourage violence.

Weinstein told Newsbeat that it is “powerful” and that “it shows what these veterans go though.”

The film is based on a book by the US’s most successful marksman, Chris Kyle, who helped fellow veterans deal with mental health issues after he finished service.

Eddie Ray Routh, 27, the exsoldier accused of murdering Kyle and another man on a gun range in 2013, has gone on trial. 800 people went through jury selection for the murder trial amidst fears that the

popularity of the film would colour their view of the case. It is on course to be the most successful film released in 2014, having totalled $335.7m (£220.4m) so far.

Weinstein, who has a string of hit films, said “The movie is powerful because I think it opens us to the world of PTSD. It shows what these veterans go through, what our warriors go through. There are bad guys out in the world.

“I think we are defending ourselves against the terrorists out there. You know, look at this world, look at what ISIS did the other day, I mean this is just barbaric. We have to go out and we have to be smart. I think the Chris Kyle’s of the world, in my opinion are heroes.”

‘Muna’s death was unexpected’

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una Obiekwe’s death is arguably the most shocking entertainment industry news of 2015. The well loved actor died in January 2015 and prior to his death, most fans had no idea he was struggling with health problems.

Inside Nollywood spoke to Chinwe Obiekwe, who is Muna’s step sister, at the actor’s burial ceremony. A clearly distraught Chinwe explained that Muna’s illness was diagnosed in October last year, adding that his kidney failure was

triggered by high blood pressure possibly caused by stress. According to her, Muna’s family was already making plans for a kidney transplant “his uncles were to come to Nigeria to operate on him”. Unfortunately, both of his kidneys failed and he passed away before the transplant operation.

On why Muna kept the news of his illness away from the public sphere, she said he was a private person and preferred to deal with issues along with his family.

he Focus actor, Will Smilth in an interview Esquire’s Scott Raab, admitted that “I am the type of person who is always going to be somewhat dissatisfied with myself. I am never going to be a good enough father and husband. I’m never going to be a good enough actor. I have to get comfortable with waking up every day and trying to move some little increment closer to the person I have always dreamed of being,” he shared.

Smith also touched on how After Earth’s failure ‘was a valuable lesson’ and ‘the most painful failure’ in his career.’

“Wild Wild West was less painful than After Earth because my son, Jaden Smith, was involved and I led him into it. After Earth comes out, I got the box-office numbers and I was devastated for about 24 minutes, and then my phone rang and I found out my father had cancer. That put it in perspective, viciously. I went right downstairs and got on the treadmill for about 90 minutes.

“That Monday started the new phase of my life, a new concept. Only love is going to fill that hole. You can’t win enough, you can’t have enough money, you can’t succeed enough.

There is not enough. The only thing that will ever satiate that existential thirst is love.”

Smith also revealed that Jaden only has “one pair of shoes and has refused to be a slave to money.”

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

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Ent e r t ain m en t

I’ll soon get married — Osas Ighodaro

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ctress and former Miss Black USA 2010, Osas Ighodaro, said she and her actor fiancé, Gbenro Ajibade, will soon tie the knot. In an interview with Encomium, Osas said she is thrilled about being engaged to Gbenro and can’t wait to marry him “I feel great about it and for the wedding bell. Stay tuned because it is coming up soon,” she said.

Osas, who met Gbenro on the set of Tinsel, said his physique and his love for

Anna Kendrick to perform at the Oscars

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inger Anna Kendrick will perform at this year’s Oscars. The Academy recently announced that the Pitch Perfect 2 star will make a special appearance at the awards show to be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris on February 22.

The ‘Cups’ singer is excited as she took to her Twitter account to confirm the announcement stating, “Excited to announce @TheAcademy has invited me to be part of a special performance at the #Oscars on Feb. 22nd!”

The 87th Oscars show producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, added that her performance is sure to be an ‘only at the Oscars moment’.

Kendrick was last nominated for an Oscar in 2010 for her role in Up In The Air and the songstress will be joining a talented list of performers such as Tim McGraw, Jack Black and Tegan & Sara for this year’s show.

God was an attraction. ‘‘The fact that he is God fearing and his love for the most high I admire a lot. His physique is attractive, but it was when we got close and started talking that I got to know him as a person. That got me more attracted to him’’.

According to the actress, the best valentine she has ever had is the one with Gbenro. “The first valentine spent with Gbenro was my most memorable. He surprised me, took me to Obudu Ranch (Cross River State). It was very romantic and surprising.’’

Ellie Goulding ends Mark Ronson’s singles chart reign E llie Goulding’s song, Love Me Like You Do, has gone straight to number one in the UK singles chart, ending Mark Ronson’s reign at the top.

The song, from the soundtrack of the Fifty Shades Of Grey film, sold more than 172,000 copies, about 87,000 more than Ronson’s Uptown Funk, featuring Bruno Mars.

It is Goulding’s second number one, after Burn in 2013.

In the album charts, Bob Dylan scored his eighth UK number one.

Goulding’s song Love Me Like You Do, her 15th top 40 hit, is the fastestselling single of the year so far. Ronson’s Uptown Funk has spent nine weeks in the chart in total, seven of them in the number one slot and it remains the most listened to track of the week, with 2.10 million streams, compared to the 1.46 million accrued by Love Me Like You Do. Rounding off the top five singles was Hozier’s Take Me To Church; Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney’s

FourFive Seconds, and Meghan Trainor’s Lips Are Movin.

US singer-songwriter, Dylan’s 36th studio album, LP Shadows In The Night, featuring covers of 10 classic pop standards made famous by Frank

Nkiru Sylvanus denies marrying Oge Okoye’s ex-hubby

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ctress Nkiru Sylvanus has been in the news lately for marrying her colleague’s ex-hubby. In an interview with an online blog, the beautiful actress denied having an introduction with Oge Okoye’s former husband, Stanley Duru. ‘‘First, I have been married on the internet for more than three times. They first got me married in 2008, then they got me married again in 2011 and now, they are getting me married again in 2014/2015. I am beginning to ask, why do they like to get me married? If I were married in 2008 and in 2011, why

again should I be getting married again in 2015? That means they were all lies. It is all rumours.

Some people will report this stuff like they know you, when they only see you on television. ‘‘Right now, I am not married. I could be thinking about marriage very soon, if the right man comes calling. If I am satisfied within my soul that this is the man I am going to spend the rest of my life with. Because I’ve worked so hard as a young lady that right now, I don’t want just anybody, but a man that will be there for me. A lot is being said about me, and I know.’’

Sinatra, was a new entry at number one.

His last UK number one album was in 2009 with Together Through Life.

Last week’s number one album, Meghan Trainor’s Title dropped two places to number three, with X by Ed

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 38

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ISSUES

Winners and losers of the postponement

Niyi Akinnaso

“The new wave of successes being recorded by the military in the war against insurgency, especially with the arrival of new effective combatant equipment and machinery, plus the newly revamped cross-border co-operation with Niger, Chad and Cameroonian military, offer a very genuine hope that in a very short while, the situation in the affected states will be brought under such reasonable control that will guarantee safety of the electoral process and electorate in the warfront region of the Northeast at a no distant future” —Doyin Okupe, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, at a press briefing on Thursday, following the meeting of the Council of State at Abuja

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he orchestration of the postponement of the 2015 elections was a masterpiece.

I call the postponement a political game because it is an electoral strategy that may affect the outcome of the election. What the public knew about it is probably much less than what was beyond their knowledge. Though talks about the postponement had been in the air for quite some time, it only recently reached a crescendo.

It all began with the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, indicating in his lecture at the Chatham House in London on January 22, 2015, that the election should be postponed because of the inadequate distribution of permanent voter cards. He indicated that he had earlier discussed the possibility of postponement with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

When it was clear that Jega would not agree to postponement on the basis of the permanent voter cards’ distribution, the attention shifted to security issues. A chorus emerged from Dasuki and the security chiefs that, in view of renewed efforts to fight the insurgency in the northeast, it would be impossible to provide security during the elections, especially for INEC’s staff

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Then came the emergency meeting of the Council of State which advised Jega to meet with various groups, including security chiefs, political party representatives, civil society organisations and state Resident Electoral Commissioners to assess the preparedness for the elections, after several meetings with various groups, the INEC chairman announced the postponement of the elections to March 28 and April 11, 2015.

Is the postponement justified? On the basis of the argument raised in its favour, namely to buy more time to facilitate PVC distribution and provide better security, the postponement seems quite reasonable.

To complicate the PVC problem, Jega’s own data suggests a much higher percentage of the PVC distribution in the north than in the south. This discrepancy could only play into the fears of any political party that assumes that its electoral strength is in the south. Nobody wants to consider such factors as voter apathy and environmental constraints that may inhibit the collection of the PVCs.

What many observers find difficult to admit is the argument raised by the security chiefs which formed the basis of the opening quote by Okupe.

We may not want to dwell on the objections of the international community, especially Britain and the United States, to the use of security concerns as a reason for postponing a scheduled election.

These are countries where election timetables are sacrosanct.

Against this background, the postponement cannot but give Nigeria a bad name in the international community. More specifically, it rubs off negatively on President Goodluck Jonathan because this would be the second general election under his watch that would be postponed for one reason or the other.

The real question, however, is whether and how the Jonathan administration would defeat the Boko Haram insurgency in six weeks when it has failed to do so in six years. It offers an interesting twist on Dasuki’s earlier poser that Jega could not distribute the remaining PVCs in two or three weeks when he could not do so in one year. Now that he has six weeks, the chances

of fully distributing the PVCs are much higher than surmounting insurgency within the same period.

This is why Jonathan and his security chiefs may end up as big losers in the postponement game if the security situation does not change for the better in the north-east. Any attempt to further shift the elections for security reasons is sure to raise serious objections.

Already, some voters have begun to migrate to their home states to escape post-election violence. Such voters are now caught up in the postponement game. What should they do now? Go back to where they migrated from and re-migrate in about six weeks? Or stay at home until after the elections in April?

True, the momentum of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, may have been put in check by the postponement, it is unclear as to how it could be completely scuttled. At the same time, Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party have a real chance to restructure their campaign by focusing on real issues. Already, the boomerang effect of the certificate or no caricature campaign has led to serious questions in the print and online media about whether or not the president completed his doctoral training or truly has a PhD thesis.

Be that as it may, we must not forget that Boko Haram is inadvertently the winner in the postponement game, because they have succeeded in getting a whole country to postpone its elections.

The voters who will be able to collect their PVCs within the next six weeks are legitimate winners of the postponement game. What is unclear is which political party may benefit more than the others.

At the end of the day, however, Jega and INEC may be the ultimate winners if they are able to conduct free, fair, and peaceful elections without further interference.

Akinnaso posted this article on Abusidiqu.com

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Opinion

Jonathan and the making of a Maradona Bayo Olupohunda

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he postponement of the February 2015 general election had all the trappings of a well-organised plot. The time line and intrigues leading to the announcement seemed precise. The speculations that the February 14 date for the presidential election could be changed had dominated political discourse, but no one could tell specifically if it will be postponed as widely speculated.

While the argument and debate raged on, Nigerians tore themselves apart and the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, fumed and threatened that the elections must go on. The man at the centre of it all, President Goodluck Jonathan, kept a calm demeanor. He never gave a hint beyond the usual talk that the handover date of May 29 was sacrosanct.

When specific questions bordering on the proposed shift in the elections were thrown at him, the president kept repeating the same line he had used since the idea of the shift was mooted in London by his National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

But Jonathan, whom many of his critics have described as ‘clueless’ seemed to have something up his sleeve. Meanwhile, he continued his multi-faceted political campaign surreptitiously. In Lagos, he attended the Holy Ghost Night of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He also attended the Lord’s Chosen Church in Lagos where he displayed ‘humility’ before the Lord and delivered a homily about the plan of Boko Haram to proclaim a Caliphate in Nigeria. The faithful gasped in horror. In an election time, the ‘revelation’ of a life under a Boko Haram caliphate reinforces Kingsley Charles

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n the Yoruba culture, for instance, children who die each time they are born are given such names as Kokumo, Kosoko, Durojaiye and several others.

These names, it is hoped, will lure such children into staying and not die again.

A few days ago, while I stood by the newsstand of the University of Calabar Library running my eyes over the newspaper headlines, I met a young bespectacled man, who had the demeanor that suggested that he was intelligent. We exchanged opinions on issues about the election and the political parties for a few hours. He demonstrated much sagacity in the conversation, buttressing his arguments with logical and factual points.

After our argument, I introduced myself and shook hands with him, to herald a new friendship.

But my introduction was reciprocated with a name that reverberated with warlike vitality in my eardrums. It sounded: Worship God. I was moved to laughter and then displeasure. I couldn’t figure out how such an intelligent young man managed to harbour an excrescence on his persona.

When I inquired the reason for such a name, he merely responded that it was his parents’ choice. It worried me. In all parts of Africa, names are unique and special in every way. They identify a person and his origin.

For example, the names Awoonor and Chukwuemeka both reveal that the owners of the name are of Ghanaian and Nigerian extraction respectively. In Nigeria precisely, during the pre-independence era, English names were widespread.

Because of the difficulty encountered by the British colonialists in pronouncing our African names, they foisted English names on Nigerian employees then. So, the colonialists ensured that those who wanted to get education through the

a campaign already polarised along religious lines. It was scaremongering at its best.

As the president was concluding his ‘ward round’ of churches, Nigerians waited with baited breath as the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, ran from pillar to post ‘consulting’ his commissioners and other stakeholders about the planned extension of the elections.

Then, the bombshell came late in the night on Saturday. After weeks of intrigues and speculations, Jega announced the shift in elections to March and April putting an end to one of the much talked about issues in the run-up to an election that is poised to be a watershed in Nigeria’s history. With the extension in the date of the election, Jonathan has pulled a fast one on the opposition and Nigerians in general. Many Nigerians have referred to the extension as a democratic coup against the constitution. The shift in the elections was bound to create a controversy and heat up the polity to a boiling point but it appeared that the presidency was prepared for the backlash.

First, many Nigerians considered the reason given for the shift in the date of the elections suspicious. Even the timeline leading to the weekend announcement seemed like a well choreographed plot. Let us look at the timeline. Like a bolt out of the blue, the national security adviser appeared in London where he read a speech advising INEC to consider a shift in the poll date so that the electoral body could have more time to distribute the Permanent Voter Cards which until that time had been haphazardly distributed. Many Nigerians were finding it hard to collect their PVCs, some were told to go to other places to get their cards.

But in spite of INEC’s difficulties, it was still believed that the challenge of logistics would be rectified and the elections could go on according to the old timetable. But like everything Nigerian, other reasons why the elections may not take place began to spread among Nigerians. There was a widely held belief that there could be other ‘hidden agenda’ that may force the powers-that-be to shift the elections. Even while the reason existed in the realm of conspiracy theory, it soon became the main reason. Given what many thought to be the desperation of Jonathan to secure a re-election by all means, it was thought that the president’s camp was becoming jittery because of the widespread support being enjoyed by the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.

The evidence had become clear to the ruling PDP with the massive turnout at Buhari’s campaigns, the campaign rhetoric of “Change” that seems to be sweeping across the country. Given all of these reasons, it was thought that the president had become jittery that if the elections were to have held on the former dates, he might as well be preparing his handover note. This line of thought seemed enough reason to have the elections shifted. Indeed, never for once since the PDP has dominated power at the centre has it been confronted with the possibility of losing a presidential election to a once disparate opposition now coalesced under one sweeping broom known as the APC. Unlike before, the PDP looks genuinely worried that it may lose the presidency.

For one, the general disenchantment with the Jonathan administration’s handling of corruption, insecurity, unemployment

and especially the missing Chibok girls is likely to haunt him at the polls. More importantly, the political climate that has seen more Nigerians coming out to welcome Buhari in his campaigns seems to be a real concern for the president. The naira is on a free fall due to the slump in oil prices.

The growing poverty among Nigerians and the president’s pronouncements when he denied the existence of corruption and cited a few Nigerians who own private jets as evidence of growth had angered a majority of Nigerians.

Not even the trumpeted achievements of Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa has cut a dice among Nigerians. Opinions are divided as to the achievements of the president. While many of his supporters believe he has performed creditably to deserve a second term, the opposition and many Nigerians think he should not spend another night at the Villa after May 29.

The reasons given by the military has raised some questions. Why did it choose the former date of election to begin a military onslaught on Boko Haram? How does the military hope to defeat an insurgency that it failed to do in five years? Certainly, there is something more sinister than what Nigerians have been told was the reason for shifting the elections. The whole drama seems like the biblical hand of Esau and voice of Jacob scenario. Is Jonathan truly afraid of losing and had to perform another Maradona ’hand of God’? Even Nigeria’s last known Maradona, Ibrahim Babangida, will be green with envy.

Culled from Opinion.ng

Behind the Nigerian name mission schools jettisoned their native names. Names such as Richard, Francis, Charles, Brown, Elizabeth, Anita and a host of others are vestigial remains of the British enforcement.

However, with our political emancipation from the British imperialists, the strength of the western names began to wane and our traditional names started to rise, springing to prominence like mushrooms on a harmattan morning.

Consequently, this revitalised our multifarious culture and strengthened our bonds. In the past, the process of naming a child was usually rigorous, just as it was considered sacred. The choice of a name was important, as it was believed that it has a special significance on the child. By giving a child a name, parents go beyond viewing him/her as an embryological product of cellular fusion, but as a gift that should be respected and given an identity.

Besides being the child’s identity, names

“

are regarded as cryptic forces which direct a child’s path. They express concern for the child’s future and the parents’ expectations.

Traditional names are attributes that the child is hoped to acquire. Unlike the western names and occidental cultures, African names are steeped in myths and fables. The circumstances that surround a child’s conception determines a child’s name. Still in the Yoruba culture, the first child of a twin is christened Taiwo, which is an abridged form of Eni ti o wa to aiye wo.

When translated into English, this means: he who came to taste the world. The tale behind that name is that the second child, Kehinde (he who comes after), tells the elder twin to go to the world first and give it (Kehinde) a shout if the world is sweet.

Therefore, if the first twin, for any reason, does not cry, it will be hard to get Kehinde to follow.

Traditional names are also given as supplications to the Creator, to protect the

Unlike the western names and occidental cultures, African names are steeped in myths and fables.

The circumstances that surround a child’s conception determines a child’s name. Still in the Yoruba culture, the first child of a twin is christened Taiwo, which is an abridged form of Eni ti o wa to aiye wo.

child from evil. Chinualumogu (May God fight on my behalf), for example. Eze, Ade, Obio, Omo ovie, Effiom, Ovie are some of the names given to children of royal lineages across Nigeria. However, there appears to be an emergence of an excrescence on our naming culture, one which is fast gaining spread in our society. Every now and then, we hear names like Wonderful, Worthy, Great, Divine, Destiny, Praise, Possibility, Happiness, Unique Victory, Testimony and even the more ludicrous God is able and Amen. These names are completely bereft of meaning. No doubt they are products of religious dogmatism. Worse still, some of them are adjectives, which in English do not serve a nominal function.

It is seemingly obvious that our slavish adherence and blinding loyalty to religion has beclouded our reasoning.

Our cultural values are teetering on the brink of obscurity owing to our religious fanaticism. Younger generations are no more christened names which appreciate the presence of light in our lives. Gone are the days when stunning beauties bore sweet names as Arewa, Asake, Ngozi, Irohghene, Onyinye and many more.

Regrettably, our progenies are dubbed names which jar on our nerves when pronounced. Might I state here that I don’t mean to appear impious or irreligious. All I clamour for is the revitalitisation of our rich cultural and traditional names. They are our pride. They are the epitome of our freedom and independence. And, above all, they reveal to the world a cultural heritage that emanates from a fascinating history.

Charles posted Opinions.ng

this

article

on

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 40

Comment

AUN’s sports program targets vulnerable Adamawa youths

By Omoregbe Omorogiuwa

T

hink of a tournament in Northeast Nigeria where teams must register equal number of Christian and Muslim participants. A sporting competition that brings together at-risk youths from the various religious and ethnic communities making up Adamawa State has kicked off in Yola with great expectations. The brain child of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) and Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), the Peace Through Sports programme targets vulnerable youths in communities around Yola and Jimeta for positive engagement, fun, learning, interaction and bonding.

Program Coordinator and Executive Director for Resident Life, Mr. Abdullahi Bello, said the idea is to “improve their ability to deal with conflict and violence and help attain and sustain peace in these communities.”

A holistic, year-long programme comprising peace workshops, sporting competitions and skills acquisition, the AUN-API sponsored Peace Through Sports programme has 1,512 participants drawn into 104 sporting teams. The organizers registered 888 male and 624 female participants, equally drawn from Muslim and Christian populations and cutting across age groups of between 14 and 32. They will be organized into “Unity Teams.”

Participants represent over 50 percent of the ethnic inclinations in the state. A culturally diverse and vibrant community, Adamawa has over 80 ethnic and several language groups. While a majority of the selected youths are native Hausa speakers, Bello said, “We also have Yoruba and Igbo participants as well.”

The registered 104 teams comprise 48 soccer teams, 28 volley ball teams, and 32 basketball teams. There are 32 male soccer teams (ages 14-32), 16 female soccer teams (ages 13-25), 12 female volleyball teams (ages 13-22), 12 male volleyball teams (Ages 1230), 16 male basketball teams (ages 13-28), and 16 female basketball teams (ages 12-26).

Over 1,500 youths attended a weeklong pre-tournament workshop which opened at AUN’s Commencement Hall on February 3, where motivational speakers and change leaders took turns to highlight the message and sub-themes of the tournament. Attending the workshops was a pre-requisite for

By Ayo Turton

N

ot too many people would disagree that Goodluck Jonathan became the Nigerian president under the most unusual circumstances. Besides, those who stole power through the barrels of the guns, he is the only person to get the coveted prize of being the Nigerian president without crisscrossing the length and breadth of the country making campaign speeches or even before he could print a single political poster. He enjoyed a tremendous amount of goodwill on his way to the presidency as well.

But, ironically, what appealed to the ‘chessmasters and puppeteers’ who needed a king they could use as a pawn, is exactly his and their undoing. His docility, calmness, pliant nature, unassertiveness, malleability and amenability were attractions to those who wanted to install a terminally sick President Yar’Adua, because they didn’t want someone who would challenge his authority or someone he would have to look constantly behind his shoulders to see what he is up to as his running mate. The

participating in the competition. The opening day of the workshop was a foundation session on peace and conflict study, which approached violence from global, national and local perspectives including sources of conflict, positive and negative peace, peace movements, war, and the role of international organizations. President of AUN, Dr. Margee Ensign and Revered Dr. Peter Bartimawus of the EYN Church, were the facilitators.

Day two, facilitated by renowned US security consultant, Dr. Lionel Rawlins, focused on war and peace, examining in detail the sources and responses to violent international, National and Local conflict.

Contemporary case studies are often used. It also examined the root causes of conflict from a variety of perspectives including sociology, political science (international relations), and psychology.

Day three was for peace education, theory and practice, addressing the potential role and use of sports as a global and local tool for conflict prevention, social transformation, community development and peace building.

It had Dr. Fidelis Ndeh-Che and Bello, speaking.

Chief Information Officer, Julius AyukTabe, and Legal Adviser, Barrister Idi Haladu Ali, anchored the session on basic conflict resolution which focused on both the theory and skills in applied conflict resolution including mediation, facilitation, arbitration, friendship and negotiation in domestic and international contexts.

The last session on non-violence and faith-based/ ethical perspective on peace had the Catholic Archbishop of Yola Diocese, Dr. Stephen Mamza, and Secretary

“

of the Adamawa Muslim Council, Imam Dauda Bello, examined peace from the faith perspective and in an ethical context, throwing in the case studies of Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi.

Defining vulnerability, Bello said, “These are youths who either lack family or community support, young people who have unstable family situations, young people who enter school behind peers and fail to catch up, young people who are often absent from school, young people who are disconnected from learning by virtue of class, gender, or economic status.”

To identify the most vulnerable youths and nominate them for participation or for free ICT training, Bello said that the API relies on its members who are respected in the community. They include religious, traditional and business leaders well entrenched in their respective communities and can easily identify these vulnerable youths. “The AUN-API also works with principals and teachers who work closely with high school students, who are failing to catch up academically, often absent from school or have unstable family situations.

It also works with local coaches who are community volunteers in the Yola and Jimeta areas of Adamawa State.

President of American University of Nigeria, Dr. Ensign, urged the youths to keep learning ways to maintain peace. She said learning is one of the pathways that have been identified for peace. “We have identified 1,500 of you not only to be doing sports but to make sure you know how to keep learning.

This University is going to support your continuous learning, to find ways to deal with

We don’t want to live in a society where people are just fearful that there could be another war. Peace is living in harmony and prosperity. Peace is when people can work together and can resolve their conflict without problems. Research tells us that societies where boys and girls are treated equally are more peaceful. And countries that are peaceful have low levels of corruption.”

anger, to practice forgiveness, to never lose hope to stay positive, to work for change and to care for others.”

Ensign explained the deepening of the relationship between the AUN and the Adamawa community, tracing the bonding process to the formation of API by the university in January 2012. “We decided to focus on youths. We decided to try to identify with positive youths and that is 1,500 of you. You are the ones that will continue to make the change that is necessary. The first programme we put our positive youths in is Peace Through Sports.”

Besides the Peace Through Sport program, AUN is also involved in peace through education through its literacy training, as well as free ICT and entrepreneurship training for youths in the region. “We are trying to build more employment in this region so when you finish school, there would be more opportunity for employment and for income.

“We don’t want to live in a society where people are just fearful that there could be another war. Peace is living in harmony and prosperity. Peace is when people can work together and can resolve their conflict without problems. Research tells us that societies where boys and girls are treated equally are more peaceful. And countries that are peaceful have low levels of corruption.”

A founding member of API and workshop facilitator, Rev. Bartimawus, explained how sports can engender peace in a society.

“Sports can be used to help us work together, to help us interact, to help us build a culture of tolerance.”

He advised the contingents to get to know themselves. “We hope that during your time together, you will get to know someone from another school. We want you to cross consciously to befriend another person from another school. Get to know somebody closely. Whether he is a Christian or a Muslim, that is not the issue. Whether from a girls’ school or a boys’ school is not the issue. We are here to help you work you through peace through sports. Sports has power, power to unite.’’

Dr. Ndeh-Che, AUN’s Executive Director for Projects and Proposals, enjoined the participants to desist from forming opinions based on fallacious comments.

Irony of Goodluck: A king as a pawn president and his vice must be amenable to control; no smart Alec or independent minded individuals need apply.

But because we are not God, when fate mixed with some strokes of good luck, Jonathan became president. Those attractions became a burden to the whole country. These ‘attractions’ of course attracted many other ‘puppeteers and chessmasters’, it was only a matter of time before “overtake come overtake overtake” The ethnic lords with stronger holds asked the likes of Obasanjo to move over.

His appointees also find comfort in those ‘attractions’. Every minister, special adviser and director-general is a president unto him/herself. One even insisted on being addressed as the coordinating minister for economy. If a minister is the one coordinating the economy what will the president be doing?

This is a government of anything goes,

impunity reigns supreme. The attractions that made him the president has become an albatross to the whole nation and his government. In fairness to him, the government recorded some achievements in certain areas, but the leadership to even articulate these achievements is missing.

As we approach another turn in our checkered political history and attempts are being made to offload the burden of Jonathan ‘attractions’, a new set of ‘puppeteers and chessmasters’ have emerged on the scene and are saying ‘not so fast’.

Among these groups of people are those who have vested interests and are benefitting immensely from the status quo. But the chief and most deadly of these groups is that group of deadly hawks from our past with an axe to grind with emerging General Buhari.

This, I believe, is the number one reason for the politics of the election postponement.

We need to go beyond scratching the

surface in Nigeria, the forces against June 12 are still here with us, issues that led to the civil war are still here with us and the emergence of Jonathan as president was as a result of the overplayed hands rather than an altruistic election. He is just a pawn afterall. So those who think after we must have removed Jonathan that it is going to be ‘kumbaya’ all the way, I am laughing at you in Swahili.

We need to address this issue once and for all and the only way to do this is for whoever is going to become the next president to see himself as another crisis manager and pull down this structure under which all these evils thrive. Otherwise, our ‘big bang’ day is fast approaching, if not already here with us.

Turton, a US-based attorney posted this piece mon Ekekeee.com

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 41

Online Comments Presidency approves Immigration recruitment

fresh

Fatima Musa The president’s vision on education has been centered on the premise that an educated people are healthier, more productive and are able to compete in the present age. #GEJNaija Naijaman Which aspect of this article did you read and didn’t understand? Your education, if you really have any, is unhealthy to you as it is evident that you failed to condemn, in the strongest possible stance, the Clueless-In-Chief’s plan to employ the same deadly immigration job tricks again to fleece hapless unemployed citizens.

Does this man and his band of vultures not get it? Moro, the chief perpetrator in that dastardly fraudulent job scheme, is still walking tall and on the job and campaigning for the PDP. More than 20 citizens were killed by that fake job recruitment exercise.

Hundreds of others sustained all manners of injuries. Well over N600 million was stolen from those applicants and have not been accounted for till date. No public apologies yet from the very persons directly or indirectly responsible for that debacle.

No compensations and or restitution paid to the unfortunate victims & their poor families, killed or injured. And @Fatima Musa, you are applauding the thought of yet another plan to duplicate the same feat by this confused, heartless administration?

How shameful.

Zirem This administration has been nothing but insensitive to the plight of common Nigerians, especially the youths. Who knows what to expect from this recruitment since no proper action was taken after the last one that robbed young Nigerians off their money and as if that is not enough, it claimed the lives of some. This is like ripping off a bandage of a healing wound.

We need change.

Soyinka and the burden of truth Victor says: Thank you my brother, you told the hard truth which many are shying away from.

This is the battle for the soul of Nigeria.

God is on the throne, he never sleeps nor slumbers and he will save Nigeria.

Monarch tasks Wuse traders on unity Chibaik says: This is the dawn of a new era and indeed a welcome development for all traders at Wuse Market under the auspices of the newly elected Chairman, Mr. Okorie Ikechukwu Raphael. He is a man with a great experience & incredible leadership quality having been in the market for almost two decades.

I personally believe in good leadership and fundamental human rights, especially as regards to traders in the province or context of discussion.

Wole Soyinka Biography, Prof.

Abba Morro

Prof. Charles Soludo

Nigeria will disintegrate if attacks on Jonathan persist, warns ex-militant Samuela Ganmo Kwara says: To your tent O Israel, if this contraption is no longer working, let us say our goodbye peacefully, but I know the north wouldn’t allow this, even if Goodluck doesn’t win this election, it is clear that whoever wins would face the similar fate of Niger Delta militants.

DSS declares wanted

Asari

Dokubo

John says: If DSS is serious about Asari’s whereabouts, they know who to ask.

Jonathan is the one who granted Asari and Tompolo the licence to procure weapons for a time like this. This president is a tribal warlord, equipping militants instead of the military.

Reply

The market is over in Nigeria Abdullah Musa says: Kudos Sir Joe. Remind me to forward your name for National Honour when Buhari takes charge.

Housing scheme: Subscribers protest in Abuja Obum says: Omar should bury his face in shame, is it not the same NLC leadership that gave Oshiomohle the name with which he became governor today and is still going high? Omar made a statement on AIT on April 29, 2013 that he can give workers 100 percent assurance that Kryston Lally is a reputable developer from Greece who will deliver on the said housing scheme. I was ashamed to watch this same man come on air to say that Kryston Lally forged his signature six times and used them to withdraw money from the account that he is signatory to.

I learnt that himself and the private developer connived and lodged d money (billions of naira) into an account where it is yielding interest, while he keeps telling subscribers cock and bull stories. I just can’t imagine the kind of country we are in, is this man supposed to be walking about freely? While the EFCC is busy chasing

yahoo boys who take $100 from foreigners.

lagoon can it be used? Regards

2015: What need (II)

KAREEM says: I am Oluwatunmise Kareem, I would love to know more about cashew exporting and processing. Please reply with your contact details and info about where I can learn more about cashew export and processing. I look forward to your reply, Thanks.

Nigerians

really

Abdullah Musa says: Some write for their own consumption only. Imagine someone saying that the APC is made up of disgruntled elements from the PDP. There is something about the author’s name that suggests tribal sentiments: my kinsman only, whether corrupt, incompetent, it does not matter.

Jonathan plots to shift polls – Oyegun

Poll shift: Buhari cautions PDP, Jonathan

Law. says: I pray God decides the fate of this country.

Mike says: Serves them right. All those who said that a war against Boko Haram is a war against the north, and all those who have been sponsoring the infiltration and frustration of the military have all shot themselves in the foot. So if you want elections, cooperate with our army, stop sponsoring Boko Haram. Period.

Akinbode Adekeye says: My advice to our politicians is that they should focus on their campaigns. They should leave INEC and the army alone.

“The only case against Buhari”

Council of State backs Jega on polls

Police officer’s wife arrested for robbery

Samuela Ganmo Kwara says: The opposition parties that supported the elections to go ahead as scheduled should sign an undertaken that there wouldn’t be issues of disenfranchisement of their supporters and parties because INEC has not distributed all the PVCs in their custody to voters and this affected almost all the states.

Austine Udeh says: I am not surprised at this maladjusted character of this wife of a police officer because it has been the trend over the past years. People should be cautious of what they buy to avoid had I known.

The Economist endorses Buhari, bids Jonathan farewell Mr. Abdin says: Change is coming even from abroad and that is why we need a competent president not a clueless one that cannot govern our country well. Buhari carry on no polls shift.

God save Nigeria.

Nigeria: Investing in cashew nuts for local and export markets Akinola Ajilore says: Please I have 237 acres of land near a

Kalu J. Okafor says: Hunger is the worst disease. Moses Anyaoha is developing kwashiokor and needs this to stay an inch ahead of death.

I won’t speak until after polls – Obasanjo Don A. Solomon says: Is he tired of talking?

Lai Mohammed, devil’s advocate – Fani-Kayode Mr B says: Anytime a drunken man opens his mouth, he speaks incoherently, acts belligerent. A typical Fani Kayode that I know.

FG plots to annul February pollsAPC Mr.Abdin says: We need change in Nigeria.

Mr.Abdin says: The change we are calling for is already here. God bless Nigeria.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 42

Interview

C

onsidering that you ruled Nigeria for about eight years, do you take any responsibility for the state of Nigeria today?

Well, you take responsibility for anything either good or bad – that is what leadership is all about and as far as I am concerned, I take full responsibility for what we did.

Do you regret the June 12 saga?

History will one day come and apportion blames to various actors in the whole saga.

There are a lot of people today in this country who supported what we did at that time.

What was the rationale behind the annulment?

We discussed the security situation and we were worried about putting up a government that would not last.

What were the conditions that raised those concerns?

There was this security problem that was dicey and the only people who could tell you what would happen were those of us in government, we, the practitioners of violence by our profession. We knew there was a high level of frustration in the society which could provide fertile grounds for a coup d’etat.

But in the end that was what happened because …

(Cuts in) In the end we were right.

Was it a plan?

No, it couldn’t have been a plan.

Don’t forget that there was a speculation by prominent people in the country who were saying at that time that the worst civilian government was better than this contraption (Interim National Government, ING).

The reason for that question was based on what you said about the coup issue because when you left, you did not retire General Abacha, a man who had been a central player in many successful coups and you left him in charge of the army more or less. That is why I asked if it was a plan for him to take over?

When we established the ING, we wanted to give it teeth; so whoever was in power would believe that it had backing.

So it never occurred to you that he (Abacha) wanted the number one job for himself?

It never crossed my mind.

So when he executed this coup, what did you think?

It didn’t come to me as a surprise because all of you in this country at that time gave him the wherewithal to do it. I’ve always said a coup will always succeed if there is frustration in the society and that frustration was seen and orchestrated at that time, if you remember, coming from very prominent people, that this contraption was not better than the worst civilian government, and some of us knew at that time that if a coup happened, Nigerians would jump into the streets to welcome it.

So, why didn’t you retire Abacha knowing that there was a fertile ground and you had a coup maker…

(Cuts in) If there had been pressure on the ING for an election in six months’ time, Abacha would not have found it easy to stage a coup.

Given the fact that Nigerians wanted a government they elected and not the contraption you put together, why did you find it difficult to understand why Nigerians would not line up behind it?

I have told you what happened before that contraption came about Now you are calling it a contraption by the way?

(Laughter). No I like the word. I’m very fond of that word.

At that time in the whole of this country, you can go and check it, there wasn’t a single voice that said ‘let’s take a chance with the ING, let’s give it a chance if it would work’.

But it didn’t have legitimacy because they were not soldiers and they were not elected civilians I governed for eight years, using decree. That contraption was given a constitution which was

Nigerian youths need re-orientation —IBB

Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, recently spoke on some salient issues including insurgency, Interim National Government, low morale in the military and the need for reorientation of youths in the country. Monitored on Channels TV, the interview was an episode in the current affairs programme, STWK (Straight Talk With Kadaria), anchored by Kadaria Ahmed. Excerpts....

Gen. Babangida supported by a law. It was legitimately done as is the case all over the world.

You were away when the Abacha coup happened. When you came back, did he get in touch?

We did discuss and he took his time to explain to me what happened.

Did you give him any advice on how to run government or how soon he should hand over to civilians?

Those were things which he knew very well because he had been part and parcel of the administration for eight years; he knew the political actors in the country and he went ahead to call them, explaining to them what had happened, trying to legitimize what he had done and, believe it, there were a lot of politicians who supported him because he talked to them.

Were you surprised at how his government became repressive and he became known, perhaps, as one of the worst dictators Nigeria had ever known?

Yes and no. Yes, because people would see him as a military person and secondly, he was a man of limited words, you could not predict him.

Yes and no. Abacha was a man of very

limited words, he does not talk a lot, but no because he had worked with us , he participated and worked with other people and he knows what it is to run a government , he has a good knowledge of how a government should run, how a system should work and how the security of the country should be guaranteed. You can’t deny him those things.

What in your view should we do about Boko Haram?

“

Nigerians must know that this insurgency affects Nigeria generally and not just any part of Nigeria or religion. Therefore like the civil war, we should remember that the whole country was mobilised against secession.

There was unity amongst Nigerians, unity against the secession and we must accept that this is a Nigerian problem, and Nigeria must find solutions to the problem. So everybody should put his hands on deck to fight against this phenomenon.

But how do we begin to build unity among Nigerians to enable them look at it as a national problem?

First of all, it is a question of leadership at all levels: At the political level, what leaders say and do should be of paramount importance to every one of us. The religious leaders also have a role to play in this, the business men have a role and so when people see that everybody is united against insurgency, no Nigerian will like to step out of line if we all are marching towards getting around this Boko Haram situation. Nigeria needs to mobilise against it, and thus make it easier to win the war.

Are you surprised with the performance of the Nigerian Army against Boko Haram?

No, l think you should be asking questions.

Is this the same Nigeria that became exceptionally known in similar situations in the Congo, Tanzania, the United Nations operations, ECOWAS operations and the whole operations that we participated in?

You left a formidable army, what did you do to give the army the unity of purpose it had at that time, the strength, the ability to not just keep Nigeria safe but to help other African countries that people in government now could actually do?

When I was 22 years old as a 2nd Lieutenant, l was told time and again that this is the only country that l have and that l have no other option than to be prepared to sacrifice my life for this country.

How do you get an 18 or 19 years old boy or even those of you who have finished from the university in this modern age get enlisted into the army? The question is, what is this Nigerianness that they are trying to put into our minds? They won’t give a damn about this and, therefore, you have to do a re-orientation to get this back.

Is the starting point orientation or is it people in government first begin to take responsibility by providing the things that they should actually provide as government?

First, let us take responsibility. That I agree with you. I think l can quote my boss.

Which boss, sir?

Obasanjo... He will die for Nigeria but he won’t like to die for his party. This shows you a man who believes in this country.

But Nigeria has been good to him so it is not surprising that he will die for Nigeria?

It has been good to all of us and I share his conviction.

But it has not been that good to those between the ages of 18 to 30?

That is right. So, they will say okay, why?

So, we have to find a way of addressing the problem of this age group.

Is this the same Nigeria that became exceptionally known in similar situations in the Congo, Tanzania, the United Nations operations, ECOWAS operations and the whole operations that we participated?

Biographies

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 43

Samora Moisés Machel (1933 – 1986)

S

amora Moisés Machel (September 29, 1933 – October 19, 1986) was a Mozambican military commander, revolutionary socialist leader and eventual President of Mozambique.

Machel led the country from independence in 1975 until his death in 1986, when his presidential aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain where the borders of Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa converge.

Early life Samora Machel was born in the village of Madragoa (today’s Chilembene), Gaza Province, Mozambique, to a family of farmers.

His grandfather had been an active collaborator of Gungunhana.

Under Portuguese rule, his father, like most black Mozambicans, was classified by the demeaning term “indigena” (native). He was forced to accept lower prices for his crops than white farmers; compelled to grow labor-intensive cotton, which took time away from the food crops needed for his family; and forbidden to brand his mark on his cattle to prevent thievery. However, Machel’s father was a successful farmer: he owned four plows and 400 head of cattle by 1940. Machel grew up in this farming village and attended mission elementary school.

In 1942, he was sent to school in the town of Zonguene in Gaza Province. The school was run by Catholic missionaries who educated the children in Portuguese language and culture. Although having completed the fourth grade, Machel never completed his secondary education. However, he had the prerequisite certificate to train as a nurse anywhere in Portugal at the time, since the nursing schools were not degreeconferring institutions. Machel started to study nursing in the capital city of Lourenço Marques (today Maputo), beginning in 1954. In the 1950s, he saw some of the fertile lands around his farming community on the Limpopo river appropriated by the provincial government and worked by white settlers who developed a wide range of new infrastructure for the region. Like many other Mozambicans near the southern border of Mozambique, some of his relatives went to work in the South African mines where additional job opportunities were found. Shortly afterwards, one of his brothers was killed in a mining accident. Unable to complete formal training at the Miguel Bombarda Hospital in Lourenço Marques, he got a job working as an aide in the same hospital and earned enough to continue his education at night school. He worked at the hospital until he left the country to join the Mozambican nationalist struggle in neighbouring Tanzania.

Mozambican War of Independence Machel was attracted to anti-colonial ideals and began his political activities in the Miguel Bombarda hospital in Lourenço Marques, where he protested against the fact that black nurses were paid less than whites doing the same job. Machel decided to leave Lourenco Marques, when a white anti-fascist, the pharmaceutical representative Joao Ferreira, warned him that he was being watched by the Portuguese political police, the PIDE. He slipped across the border, and made his way to join FRELIMO in Dar es Salaam, via Swaziland, South Africa and Botswana. In Botswana, he hitched a lift on a plane carrying recruits of the African National Congress of South Africa to Tanzania. Impressed by

The late Machel the young Mozambican, a senior ANC official J.B. Marks (according to Joe Slovo) bumped one of the ANC recruits off the flight to let Machel on.

In Dar es Salaam, Machel volunteered for military service, and was one of the second group of FRELIMO guerrillas sent for training in Algeria. Back in Tanzania, he was put in charge of FRELIMO’s own training camp, at Kongwa. After FRELIMO launched the independence war, on September 25, 1964, Machel soon became a key commander, making his name in particular in the grueling conditions of the eastern area of the vast and sparsely populated province of Niassa. He rapidly rose up the ranks of the guerrilla army, the FPLM, and became the head of the army after the death of its first commander, Filipe Samuel Magaia, in October 1966.

Frelimo’s founder and first president, Eduardo Mondlane, was assassinated by a parcel bomb on February 3, 1969. His deputy, Rev Uria Simango, expected to take over – but instead the FRELIMO Executive Committee appointed a presidential triumvirate, consisting of Simango, Machel and veteran nationalist and poet Marcelino dos Santos.

Simango soon broke ranks, and denounced the rest of the FRELIMO leadership in the pamphlet “Gloomy Situation in Frelimo”.[8] This led to Simango’s expulsion from the liberation front, and the election, in 1970, of Machel as Frelimo President, with dos Santos as Deputy President.

The new commander of the Portuguese army in Mozambique, Gen. Kaúlza de Arriaga, boasted that he would eliminate FRELIMO in a few months. He launched the largest offensive of Portugal’s colonial wars, Operation Gordian Knot, in 1970, concentrating on what was regarded as the FRELIMO heartland of Cabo Delgado in the far north. Kaúlza de Arriaga boasted of destroying a large number of guerrilla bases – but since such a base was just a collection of huts, the military significance of such supposed victories was dubious. Machel reacted by shifting the focus of the war elsewhere, stepping up FRELIMO operations in the western province of Tete.

This was where a massive dam was being built at Cahora Bassa, on the Zambezi, to sell electricity to South Africa. Fearful that FRELIMO would attack the dam site, the Portuguese set up three concentric rings of defence around Cahora Bassa. This denuded the rest of Tete province of troops, and in 1972 FRELIMO crossed the Zambezi, striking further and further south. By 1973, FRELIMO units were operating in Manica and Sofala Province and began to hit the railway from Rhodesia to Beira, causing panic among the settler population of Beira, who accused the Portuguese army of

not doing enough to defend white interests.

Independent Mozambique with Maputo as capital Frelimo’s immediate warning was that there was no such thing as democratic colonialism, and that nobody should imagine that Mozambicans would tolerate Portuguese rule just because there had been a change of government in Lisbon. Frelimo’s fears were well-founded. The MFA allowed General Antonio de Spinola to become the first post-coup President. He had been commander of the Portuguese forces in GuineaBissau, and was believed to be deeply implicated in the assassination of the Guinean nationalist leader, Amílcar Cabral.

Initial discussions between Frelimo and the new Portuguese government, held in Lusaka in June 1974, proved fruitless. It was clear to Machel that the Portuguese foreign minister, Socialist Party leader Mario Soares, had no power to negotiate independence.

So Machel sent one of his top advisers, Aquino de Braganca, to Lisbon to find out who really held power in Portugal. His answer was that Frelimo should really be talking to the MFA, particular to military intellectuals such as Col. Ernesto Melo Antunes, whose power was on the rise, as that of Spinola waned.

Machel refused to give the Portuguese the ceasefire they wanted. For as long as there was no commitment to Mozambican independence, the war would continue. Frelimo re-opened its front in Zambezia province, and stepped up operations throughout the war zone. There was little resistance. Following the collapse of the Caetano government, rank and file Portuguese soldiers saw little point in continuing to fight, preferring to stay in their barracks.

More serious talks between the Lisbon government and Frelimo ensued, and this time the MFA played a dominant role. The result was an agreement, signed in Lusaka on September 7, 1974, which agreed to transfer full power to Frelimo with the date for independence set for June 25, 1975.

That day there was a short lived settler revolt against the agreement, put down within a day by Portuguese and Frelimo troops acting jointly. A transitional government was set up, containing ministers appointed by both Frelimo and Portugal, but headed

by Frelimo’s Joaquim Chissano as Prime Minister. Machel continued to run Frelimo from Tanzania. He returned home triumphantly, in a journey “from the Rovuma to the Maputo” (the rivers marking the northern and southern boundaries of the country), in which he addressed rallies in every major population centre in the country.

The journey was interrupted at the beach resort of Tofo, in Inhambane Province, for a meeting of the Frelimo Central Committee, which drew up Mozambique’s first Constitution. This gave the outline of the one-party, socialist state which Frelimo intended to establish. Frelimo was constitutionally the leading force in Mozambican society, and the President of Frelimo would automatically be President of Mozambique. On June 25, 1975, Machel proclaimed “the total and complete independence of Mozambique and its constitution into the People’s Republic of Mozambique”. This, Machel said, would be “a state of People’s Democracy, in which, under the leadership of the worker-peasant alliance, all patriotic strata commit them-

selves to the destruction of the sequels of colonialism, and to annihilate the system of exploitation of man by man”.

Machel’s government moved quickly to bring key areas under state control. All land was nationalized – individuals and institutions could not hold land, but leased it from the state. On July 24, 1975, just a month after independence, all health and education institutions were nationalized. National health and education services were set up, and all private schools and clinics were abolished. The Catholic Church immediately lost the privileged position it had held in these areas. On February 3, 1976, the government nationalized all rented housing. “Landlords? What do we want landlords for in our country for?”, asked Machel at the rally announcing the measure. Private ownership of houses was not banned. Anyone, Mozambican or foreign, could own a house for their own use - but building private property for rent was forbidden. This changed the face of Mozambican cities – black Mozambicans moved from the suburbs into blocks in the centre of the cities, occupying houses and flats, once owned by Portuguese landlords, and many of which had now been abandoned.

In February 1977, at its 3rd Congress, Frelimo declared that it was now a Marxist–Leninist party, dedicated to the building of socialism, based on the “workerpeasant alliance”. The Congress re-elected Machel as President of Frelimo, and thus automatically as President of the Republic.

Frelimo was reorganized into “celulas” (branches) throughout the county. The party was to be a Leninist vanguard, and state institutions, at whatever level, were to be subordinate to the party. In 1978 elections were held. Since this wa a one-party state, there as no organized opposition. Instead candidates were presented by Frelimo at meetings – and were sometimes rejected when people complained of offences ranging from wife-beating and drunkenness to acting as an informer for the PIDE during the colonial government.

Frelimo faced a hostile environment, with the white minority governments of Ian Smith’s Rhodesia and apartheid South Africa on Mozambique’s borders.

In March 1976, Machel’s government implemented United Nations sanctions against the Smith government, and closed the borders with Rhodesia. In retaliation, Smith’s Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) recruited dissatisfied Mozambicans and former Portuguese settlers and helped set up an anti-Frelimo movement.

Initially this “Mozambique National Resistance” operated as an auxiliary branch of the Rhodesian armed forces. Frelimo dismissed them as “armed bandits”.

Marriages and family life In the late 1950s, when Machel was working as a nurse on Inhaca Island, he met a local girl, Sorita Tchaiakomo, and set up house with her. Their first child, Joscelina, was born on Inhaca in 1958.

Idelson (1959) and Olívia (1961) were both born after the family returned to the mainland, where they lived in Mafalala, a suburb of Lourenço Marques. Machel returned to the Miguel Bombarda Hospital and was accepted onto a course of further training. At the hospital he began a relationship with another nurse, Irene Buque.

She gave birth to their daughter Ornila in February 1963, three weeks before Machel left Mozambique to join Frelimo. N’tewane,

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 44

Archive

Misbehaving kid? This barber will publicly shame him G ot a kid who’s raising hell? Afraid the police will be called if you break out the belt? A suburban Atlanta barbershop may have a solution for you.

Three days a week, parents can take their misbehaving kids to A-1 Kutz in Snellville and ask for the “Benjamin Button Special,” which Russell Fredrick and his team of barbers are offering — free of charge — to parents who want to try a novel form of discipline.

The cut involves shaving hair off the child’s crown until he begins to resemble a balding senior citizen, inviting that unique brand of adolescent humiliation that can only come from teasing classmates and unwanted attention.

Supporters say it’s the perfect punishment for misbehaving kids who want to “act grown.”

Fredrick, the A-1 Kutz coowner and a 34-year-old father of three, said he decided to advertise the cut after he used the unique disciplinary measure on his 12-year-old son, Rushawn, last fall — and saw immediate results.

Rushawn’s grades, which had fallen, “dramatically skyrocketed” after he got his old-man haircut, Frederick said.

The boss barber said he has already had one parent take him up on the offer. And there has been a surge of interest from other parents, especially after Fredrick posted before, during and after photos of his second “Benjamin Button” subject on social media last week. The images were shared widely on Facebook and Instagram, where Fredrick goes by the name “Rusty Fred,” and picked up by the popular gossip websiteMediatakeout.com.

Reaction has been mostly positive, Fredrick told The Post.

“There are a few people that are saying it’s emotional abuse; but on average, everyone is applauding the mother that brought the child in — and applauding me as well.”

Fredrick said he was surprised by the attention the photo garnered, but he thinks he knows why his alternative disciplinary measure struck a chord: Cases like the one involving Adrian Peterson – the NFL star who wascharged with child abuse after spanking his 4-year-old son with a tree branch — have forced many parents to reevaluate they way they bring order to their households, Fredrick said.

That’s especially true, he said, in African American communities, where corporal punishment receives higher levels of support.

An attorney for Peterson, who was forced to sit out the entire NFL season, said in September that his client “used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in east Texas.”

“Parents are at a loss,” Fredrick told The Post. “When you

go to discipline kids these days, they can’t necessarily use physical punishment they way parents did in the past, but they have to do something. If you don’t, and your kid ends up doing something crazy, everyone is going to say the problems started at home.”

Even so, he added, giving your child a haircut that makes them look like a mini-George Jefferson should be a last resort. The 10-year-old child in the photos he shared on social media had been brought to the barbershop by a single mother who told Fredrick she was looking for a way to teach her son a lesson after he misbehaved in school.

“

Fredrick, who says his barbers are sometimes the only positive male role models his younger patrons interact with regularly, was happy to help.

“I hope that most people won’t have to do this unless it’s an extreme circumstances and nothing else is working,” he said. “First, you talk or implement your restrictions. But when the conventional ways don’t work these days, you have to get creative.”

Xanthia Bianca Johnson, a Washington-based psychotherapist who works closely with adolescents and families, told The Post that in her experience, using shame as a disciplinary tool

is often counterproductive. When children misbehave, she said, they’re letting parents know that they’re in distress. The goal of effective discipline, she said, is giving children an opportunity to reflect on their mistakes; that, she said, becomes increasingly hard to do if they’re “distracted” by blame and shame.

“There’s lots of research that supports the fact that when a child is blamed or shamed it triggers their nervous system, and when the nervous system is shut down, it is directly connected to the brain,” she said. “The part of the brain that processes logic gets shut off and it can actually stunt

Parents can take their misbehaving kids to A-1 Kutz in Snellville and ask for the “Benjamin Button Special,” which Russell Fredrick and his team of barbers are offering — free of charge — to parents who want to try a novel form of discipline.

physical and emotional growth.”

The idea of using humiliation as a form of discipline is nothing new, said Wanda Wheeler, a clinical social worker who works closely with families. Consider dunce hats and parents who came to school to spank their children in front of classmates, she said.

But, Wheeler said, children often lack the self-esteem to brush aside humiliating situations.

“It may have a temporary effect that results in changes in behavior, but there could also be a deeper or more lasting effect on the child’s self image,” she said.

Douglas Gotel, a clinical social worker and credentialed play therapist, said different communities rely on different disciplinary measures, but in his experience shame and humiliation build resentment and erode self-esteem over time.

“It may work for her, it may work for that community, but there are more effective ways to teach values,” he told The Post, referring to the 10-year-old’s mother. “…This is controversial and some people will look at it as draconian, but the mother is making an attempt the best way she can, with whatever parenting skills she has. While this is not the most effective method, she is trying to hold her child accountable for an infraction while providing him with structure and discipline.”

One person who is willing to make a value judgement is Willie Jefferson Jr., a Houston father of two who shaved his 11-year-old son’s head after he misbehaved in class last fall. “I know what works for my children,” said Jefferson, who noted that he grew up in an “old school Mississippi family,” where corporal punishment was the norm. “When I spank, it corrects behavior. You may be able to talk to some kids; for others a spanking or an embarrassing haircut may be a great option.”

Jefferson told The Post that the threat of public humiliation was so effective, his son is still on good behavior several months after he was given an old-man haircut. He noted that spanking or a humiliating haircut should be a last resort for parents, but an option nonetheless.

“Shaming isn’t bad for children if it teaches respect,” he said.

“It taught me respect, it taught my parents respect, it taught my grandparents and great grandparents respect, and that’s what I’m going to stick with.”

And the 10-year-old boy at the top of this post? Fredrick, the Georgia barbershop owner, said the child returned to get his hair fixed. After four days of public humiliation, the boy’s mother told the barber her son had learned his lesson — and even started calling himself “old man Jenkins.”

Source: World Observer Online

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 45

Digest

A city where everyone works, with no police W

ith virtually no police, crime or unemployment, meet the Spanish town described as a democratic, socialist utopia.

Unemployment is non-existent in Marinaleda, an Andalusian village in southern Spain that is prosperous thanks to its farming cooperative.

On the face of it, the Spanish town of Marinaleda is indistinguishable from any other in its region. Nestled in the picturesque Campiña valley, the surrounding countryside is made up of rolling green hills, miles of olive plantations and golden fields of wheat stretching as far as the eye can see. The town is pretty, tranquil and typical of those found in Andalusia, Spain’s poorest and most southerly province. On the face of it, the Spanish town of Marinaleda is indistinguishable from any other in its region. Nestled in the picturesque Campiña valley, the surrounding countryside is made up of rolling green hills, miles of olive plantations and golden fields of wheat stretching as far as the eye can see. The town is pretty, tranquil and typical of those found in Andalusia, Spain’s poorest and most southerly province.

It’s also a democratic, anticapitalist village whose mayor actively encourages shoplifting.

Since the financial crisis began in 2008, Marinaleda has shot to fame — and so has its maverick mayor Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo, who earned the nickname,”The Spanish Robin Hood,” after organizing and carrying out a series of supermarket raids in a direct action protest last August. Basic groceries such as oil, rice and beans were loaded into carts, wheeled from the store and taken to a local food bank to help the poor, as helpless cashiers looked on, some crying.

In an interview after the event, Gordillo, the democratically elected mayor since 1979, said it was not theft, but a non-violent act of disobedience.

“There are many families who can’t afford to eat,” he argued. “In the 21st century this is an absolute disgrace. Food is a right, not something with which you speculate.”

In this province alone there

are 690,000 empty properties due to bank foreclosures. But not in Marinaleda, because Gordillo has a solution: anyone who wants to build their own house can do so for free. Materials and qualified workmen are provided by the town hall, and the generous allowance of 192 square meters means the homes are spacious. Families then pay just 15 euros ($19) per month for the rest of their lives,

with the agreement that the house cannot be sold for private gain.

In Andalusia, unemployment now stands at 37 percent (a staggering 55 percent for young people). But Marinaleda, population 2700, has virtually full employment through the town’s farming cooperative, where laborers earn equal wages of 1200 euros ($1600) per month. Here, in a region where 1 in 3 people are un-

employed, this achievement cannot be understated.

“We need to rethink our values, the consumer society, the value we place on money, selfishness and individualism,” Gordillo remarks. “Marinaleda is a small example, and we want this experience to extend throughout the world.”

Source: World Observer Online

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 46

International

Boko Haram kills five in Chad

By Mohammed Usman with agency report

B

oko Haram’s violence spread to Chad for the first time on Friday when they raided a remote village, killing at least five people. The insurgents arrived by canoe, travelling across Lake Chad from north-eastern Nigeria.

They attacked the village of Ngouboua at about 3am, setting homes on fire and killing four civilians and one soldier. Some reports placed the death toll at 10.

This was the first raid on Chadian soil since the onset of Boko Haram’s insurgency in Nigeria six years ago.

Ngouboua is less than 10 miles from the border with Nigeria, where the sect now controls swathes of territory.

A transit camp for Nigerian refugees is located in the village, although the Chadian government has decided to move all of the fugitives to the safer town of Baga Sola.

Because of Ngouboua’s proximity to the frontier, aid workers have only visited with a military escort. A resident of the village told Reuters that the gunmen “came on board three canoes” and were later “pushed back by the army”.

Chad’s army has intervened in both Nigeria and Cameroon to fight Boko Haram. In response, the leader of the insurgents, Abubakar Shekau, has declared ‘war’ on Chad and denounced the country’s president, Idriss Deby.

Chad’s 20,000-strong army is the most effective in the region. It claims to have inflicted heavy losses on Boko Haram inside the movement’s Nigerian heartland.

But Chadian officials privately acknowledge their country’s vulnerability to attack. Boko Haram has frequently raided villages in Cameroon and Niger Meanwhile, thousands of civilians have fled their homes in the south-eastern Niger town of Diffa, following

waves of cross-border raids and suicide bombings by Boko Haram.

Attacks in Niger are deepening a humanitarian crisis in the remote border zone. About 7,000 people have arrived in Zinder, Niger’s second-biggest town, about 450 kilometres west of Diffa.

The area is already struggling to feed 150,000 people who

have run to escape violence in northern Nigeria Niger’s military said its forces had killed 260 Boko Haram militants and arrested others since February 6. A suspected local leader of the group had been arrested and several weapons including rocket launchers were seized from his home.

The United Nations Security Council has adopted a new resolution aimed at cracking down on Islamic State (IS) funding including ransom payments and any person or group trading with IS. According to BBC, U.S. Republicans are trying to toughen the legislation sent to congress by President Barack Obama authorising military action against IS. The international community has united against targeting IS as the UN resolution was passed unanimously.

IS militants are earning up to $1.65 million per day from oil sales and at least Canadian Al-Jazeera English journalist, Mohamed Fahmy, holding $35 million per year from an Egyptian flag after a retrial near Tora prison in Cairo, Egypt ransom payments, said a UN report.

The UN resolution will most likely put pressure on Turkey as the country is believed to be a key transit Iraq and the Levant and Boko point with its trucks going to Risen, to reveal his sources, as Haram were among the main Iraq and Syria with refined well as going after WikiLeaks. reasons for decline in press products.

It fell three places to 49th in freedom. In Europe, censorship the world. Britain was ranked Meanwhile, Deah Barakat, on ‘spurious’ national security one of three Muslim students 34th in the world in 2015, ground and “the desire on the killed Tuesday in the U.S. having fallen one place since part of some member states state of North Carolina, was last year’s index was published. to compromise on freedom of planning to travel to Turkey There was rare good news for information.”

Tunisia, the birthplace of the this summer to provide Meanwhile, UN Secretary urgent dental care to Syrian Arab Spring, which rose seven General, Ban Ki-moon, urged refugees. places and Latin American authorities to free other giants, Brazil and Mexico.

Deah Barakat, 23, was journalists “in accordance fatally shot at the University Mongolia saw the greatest with Egypt’s international of improvement of any country, North Carolina’s obligations to protect the residential up 34 places to 54th. complex in freedom of expression and Chapel Hill along with his Conflict, religious censorship association”. and the rise of non-state actors wife, Yusor Mohammad, such as the Islamic State of 21, and sister-in-law, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19.

“Deah was planning to visit Turkey this summer along with local dentists to An AFP reporter at the help Syrian refugees with may have been an attacker.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban scene saw soldiers and police their dental problems,” said Pakistan (TTP) claimed commandos arriving.

Kenan Demir, a close friend The mosque is close to of the late UNC School of responsibility for the attack in several government buildings Dentistry student. an email statement.

Senior police official Mian including the offices of the “I have known him since Saeed said the assault, which Federal Investigation Agency he was a child. We were left more than 60 wounded, and passport agency. friends for 15 years,” Demir Mushtaq Ghani, information told The Anadolu Agency began when the militants for Khyber in an exclusive interview in entered the mosque from a minister Pakhtunkhwa province, of the Turkish capital, Ankara, nearby building site.

“They were wearing suicide which Peshawar is the capital, which he has come to visit vests and carrying grenades said the attack was a response for a few days. and Kalashnikovs. One blew to the army’s ongoing offensive “He shot a video about himself up, while another was against militants in the tribal two months ago for a project shot by the police and was later areas along the Afghan border. called Refugee Smiles, where Since June last year, the he asked for donations killed. The operation inside the mosque is over, but we are army has been waging a major to raise funds for dental conducting a search operation campaign against strongholds supplies and equipment in the surrounding buildings,” of Taliban and other militants to benefit refugee children in the North Waziristan so that he could make a he said.

TV footage showed people tribal area, which lies close to difference in their lives,” he running away from the scene, Peshawar. said, adding that so far he The military has heralded the had raised $193,000. some carrying injured ones on their shoulders, others success of the operation, which In a video posted recently limping, as police fired shots it said has killed more than to the fundraising website, and checked people at a barrier. 2,000 militants, though the YouCaring, Barakat urged A witness, Muhammad Raza, precise number and identity of people to “take advantage told AFP: “There was a huge those killed cannot be verified of this opportunity to help explosion, I can see many independently.

Syrian refugee students with injured lying in front of me.” urgent dental care needs.”

‘World press freedom declined in 2014’

F

reedom of Information fell sharply around the world last year, according to Reporters Without Borders annual World Press Freedom Index.

The decline was sharpest in the European Union area, with countries such as Italy, Iceland and Andorra seeing dramatic deterioration in working conditions for journalists.

In Italy, “threats from the mafia, among others and unjustified defamation suits skyrocketed”, according to the report, sending it 24 places down to 73rd in the world.

Andorra, which experienced the worst decline of any country in the world (down 27 places to 32nd), “has paid the price for the lack of independence of its media from financial, political and religious interests,” it said.

Other countries where press freedom slumped badly included Venezuela (down 20 places to 137th), Libya (down 17 places to 154th) and Russia (down 4 places to 152nd).

The USA ‘continued its decline’ after the Obama administration spent much of the year trying to force New York Times journalist, James

Taliban kills 18 in Pakistan

18 people were killed as Taliban militants stormed a Shiite mosque in northwest Pakistan.

The incident comes two weeks after a suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in Southern Pakistan killed 61 people, the deadliest sectarian incident to hit the country in nearly two years.

Police said several gunmen

Drought scene in US southwest

threw grenades before storming the Imamia mosque in Peshawar, the main city in Pakistan’s restive northwest, around the time of the main Friday prayers.

An AFP reporter saw 18 dead bodies at the Hayatabad Medical Complex, while the hospital’s public relations officer, Toheed Zulfiqar, put the toll at 19, saying one of the dead

UN resolves to crack down on IS funding

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 47

Business

The need for intensive economic growth in Nigeria

By Mohammed Usman

T

he importance of economic growth cannot be overemphasized. This is because the fulcrum of economic decisions of a country more or less lies on the rate of economic growth.

Although, sincere economic growth of a given country may not translate to fair distribution of income, holding other things constant, the status of fluctuation in economic growth to a given extent determines the attraction of investment from outside world.

However, recently, there was a national daily’s report that National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) projected slower economic growth for Nigeria as a result of falling oil price. According to the report as contained in the Bureau’s recent report entitled “Nigeria in 2014: Economic Review and 2015 - 2017 Outlook.”, Nigeria’s economy is expected to grow by 5.5 percent in 2015, down from 6.79 percent projected in 2014.

The report said that the NBS which forecasted that the “non-oil sector of the economy is expected to drive growth” within the period as a result of plunging oil revenue, revealed, “Over the 2015 through 2017 period, growth is expected to average 5.7 percent.”

Furthermore, it was indicated that the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2015 may be 5.54 percent, while that of 2016 may increase to 5.78 percent.

Still, real GDP will likely surpass 2015 and 2016 to reach 5.80 percent in 2017.

For now, the estimated growth rate for Nigeria’s economy for the three years fell short of the 2014 projection of 6.79 percent.

Global oil price crisis was being attributed this unfortunate forecast as the NBS stated that the Nigerian economy was facing challenges which seem to occur just about every decade in connection to a decline in crude oil prices.

NBS went further that since the country is an oil exporter, the decline in crude oil prices was a downside to the economy in both the short and medium term.

A country where there is a forecast of Economic growth regression in the mix of abundant

Solid minerals

natural and human resources which play major role in economic growth, need to sought after intensive economic growth which is achieved by the proficiency in the utilization of her resources such as natural and human resources.

Nigeria’s abundant natural resources for over decades now have remained relatively in the state of inefficient utilization.

According to the Raw Material Research and Development Council’s (RMRDC) pamphlet made available last year, Nigeria, asides huge agricultural and oil & gas potential, has coal, bitumen, iron ore, gypsium, kaolin, phosphates, limestone, marble, barite, gold, bentonite, gemstones and so forth.

But, a report attributed to Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) figures released, has it that criminal case that has ravage the stealing of crude oil has been estimated to be $6.45 billion last year. The report which said that at least 200,000 barrels of crude are stolen every day in Nigeria, went further to say that Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala have said in an interview that stolen crude oil stood at about 400,000 barrels a day in April last year, and that equals 17 per cent of national production and amounts to a loss of $1.4 billion.

Meanwhile, more products of crude oil are Paraffin wax, Asphalt and tar, Petroleum coke, Sulfur etc. All these would add value to Gross Domestic Product in a country with functioning indigenous refineries, and hence improvement in economic growth.

In the area of human resources, millions of Nigeria youths are underutilized as they are unemployed.

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was also being reported to have said that no fewer than 5.3 million youths are jobless in the country, while 1.8 million graduates enter the labour market every year.

The Chairman, Governing Board, Centre for Management Development(CMD), Prof. Tunde Adeniran, was also reported to have said this “I believe Nigeria is one of the blessed countries

Naira and dollar notes in the world in terms of mineral and human resources. The only problem we have is that we are yet to utilise the resources especially the human resources.”

In the same vein, the Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers (NSME) once expressed concern over the underutilization of the country’s local solid mineral resources by the Federal Government. The society called on government to encourage sustainable utilization of the nation’s solid mineral resources locally in order to enhance optimal capacity utilization of industries in the country and to develop the sector.

A place where skill, rational and technical persons are to be groomed today is our education sector. But this is other way round.

In this connection, the governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola was once reported to have said that there was need for a complete overhaul of programmes and courses being run by Nigerian universities so that they could be in tune with the nation’s current realities.

He added that the courses being offered in Nigerian universities were designed over a century ago by the colonial masters to advance their own economic gains and set up trading businesses under royal charters within their territories.

“To man such business setups, the colonial masters needed lawyers, accountants, clerks to oversee them and that was the purpose for which they designed those programmes to suit their needs,” he said.

He advised the youths to have a change of mindsets from white collar jobs and be adaptive to vocational and skill-oriented jobs that are relevant to the Nigerian

nation of today.

In proffering solution to unemployment which would indirectly or directly make youth utilizable, Uzochukw Mike, on his blog, said there should be Seminars on Change of Mindset.

In his words, “There are a lot of people in tertiary institutions that are not versatile, and they have the mindset that the only place they will work are in offices that are garnished with air-conditions and other good things that help life. Others have the mindset that the places they will work are those that only relates to the area of their study.”

He added “When the mindsets of many are changed to good by teaching them in seminars to acquire some other important skills apart from their area of specialization, the unemployment rate in Nigeria will be reduced.”

In a write up by Friday Atufe, George Okojie, Samson Echenim, Taiwo Ogunmola and Olushola Bello, it was concluded that one key sector that holds the key to the growth and development of the country is the energy sector, particularly the electricity

industry. They added that the federal government should do all within its powers to enhance electricity generation to its fullest capacity.

The President of Ceramics Professionals Association of Nigeria, CPAN, and Chief Executive Officer, Epina Technologies Limited, prof.

Patrick Oaikhinan, while responding to an interview, said that Nigeria has kaolin, clay, silica, metallic minerals like tin, diamond, chromium iron, and added that there was no state in this country that is not having one or two mineral resources, saying that if the Federal, State and Local Governments can build ceramic industry, it will give not less than 5.5 million jobs to Nigerians so that we can take our boys and girls off the street.

He said that there was need for Nigerians to sit down and reexamine developmental growth, particularly the industrial growth and see how far Nigeria can fortune her economy, saying “If we all come together to couple our resources together, I think we can grow Nigeria’s economy better.”

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 48

Business

CBN intervenes in forex market – dealer

By Mohammed agency report

Usman

with

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he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has intervened in a special forex sale to boost liquidity on the interbank market and strengthen the naira, a dealer has said.

Two large sales were done at N198.50 to the dollar, totalling $40.8 million, Thomson Reuters data showed. Trading on foreign exchange market was delayed until after 10 am (0900 GMT) yesterday to allow dealers submit demand for dollars to the central bank.

Meanwhile, the World Bank has set aside more than $1 billion in risk

financing to back the use of flared gas from oil fields across Africa to generate power, a senior official said.

About two thirds of people do not have electricity in sub-Saharan Africa and the continent is hopeful that new gas finds along the east coast can boost power projects. Power shortages are a big impediment to economic growth and many businesses provide their own power using costly diesel generators.

Anita George, Senior Director of Energy at the bank, said about 700 billion kilowatt hours of power, equivalent to 80,000 megawatts running for the whole year could be produced from all the gas flared routinely around the world.

Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer and worst flarer of gas found when extracting oil on the continent, received its first partial risk guarantee from the bank of $145 million in 2013 to support the country’s gas-to-power industry.

Under the 10-year deal, Chevron Nigeria will supply the gas-fired Egbin plant near Lagos to generate electricity in a bid to increase supply in the populous nation where around three quarters of the country’s power comes from gas.

The bank’s guarantee covers private lenders against the risk of a power utility failing to honour its financial obligations. Other two Nigerian projects will bring the total risk

financing to $400 million.

“In Nigeria we have a whole pipeline of gas-to-power projects being developed,” George said.

Flaring around 14.7 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas annually, Nigeria is ranked second on the global list of worst flaring nations behind Russia, bank officials said.

Nigeria has signaled its intention to curb flaring which sends tonnes of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at its oil fields. However, policies that outlaw the practice are yet to be passed by parliament.

Besides Nigeria, the bank was also looking at gas projects in Cameroon, Mauritania and Ghana.

L-R: Branch Manager, Skye Bank PLC, Bauchi, Alhaji Hussaini Uba; Gombe Branch Manager, Alhaji Abubakar Garba; North East Area Manager, Alhaji Yusuf Fagge and representative of Bauchi State Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr. Kasim Ibrahim, inaugurating renovated block of 2 classrooms by the bank at Baba Sidi primary school, yesterday in Bauchi

Minister seeks Britain’s support on science, technology

By Mohammed Usman

M

inister of Science and Technology, Dr Abdu Bulama, is seeking for the collaborative support of Britain to develop science and technology in the areas of space technology programme, biotechnology, agriculture and medicine.

The minister, who stated this when he received in audience the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pocock, and his team in his office in Abuja, said Nigeria’s existing and fruitful partnership with Britain over the years has been beneficial and has yielded positive impacts, saying there was need for consolidation and improvement with a view to help the ministry in particular achieve full implementation of its new Revised Policy on Science, Technology and Innovation.

In a statement signed by the ministry’s Deputy Director (Press), Mr. Taye Akinyemi, the minister said “We want to partner with you in the area of Science, Technology and Innovation which is our statutory mandate as a ministry”.

Bulama said the ministry would leverage on the offer by the British government through its Newton Fund which supports research and development outputs in the sector.

He further called on the British government to implement a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries, so as to establish a West African Science Innovation Network in Abuja, adding that the

establishment of the National Research Council as an apex body for the coordination of all research activities in the country will draw support from the West African Science Innovation Network when it is put in place.

He stressed that Nigeria’s Space Technology Programme has come of age as it had launched three satellites in the past which incidentally was supported by Britain. He said currently, the ministry through one of its agencies, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), was developing a

Boats waiting for passengers at Swali market Yesterday in Yenagoa,

Synthetic Apperture Radar Satellite which will be helpful in the area of security, mapping out Nigeria’s solid mineral deposits, and monitor the coastal areas of the Niger Delta.

The minister added that funding in the area of commercialisation of the research and development results (R&D) which are useful to industries, would strengthen the research institutes to achieve a lot.

Earlier, the British High Commissioner, Dr. Andrew Pocock, said he was in the ministry with his team to urge Nigeria to become an active partner in Science and Technology like South Africa.

He said the British government has put about $750 million in the Isaac Newton’s Fund to support research and development. Pocock reiterated his home government’s commitment to assist Nigeria actualize its programmes in the areas of Space Technology, Biotechnology, Solid Minerals and Agriculture.

Pocock noted that the British Satellite Technology Limited would equally support the Space Programme of Nigeria as it is currently developing its new Synthetic Apperture Rader Satellite.

Uncertainty shrouds Nigeria’s debt yields

….Again, CBN bans inter-bank trading of dollar

By Mohammed Usman with agency report

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igerian bonds are facing uncertainty as it was expected to stay flat or rise slightly next week after rising over 100 basis points due to a sell-off as uncertainty persisted.

Traders said some local pension and assets managers were trimming their positions, prompted by the local currency’s bleak outlook. The central bank’s intervention to sell dollars to prop up the naira failed to ease their concerns.

“A number of investors are selling their bonds because of the negative outlook on the economy

by Standard and Poor and fears that the naira could lose more value ahead of the election,” one trader said.

Standard and Poor on Tuesday placed Nigeria on credit watch negative.

The yield on the 2016 debt note rose to 16.15 percent on Friday, from 14.99 percent last week.

The 2022 debt note closed at 16.68 percent against 15.21 percent, while the 2024 bond was closed at 16.70 compared with 15.2 percent last week.

“We actually expect some rearrangement of portfolios next week and some investors covering their short positions,” another dealer said. “Yields should stay flat or at most slightly higher by next week.”

Meanwhile, CBN yesterday banned banks from reselling dollars bought at its currency auctions to other banks, dealers said, a move aimed at curbing speculation.

Central bank officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The central bank had asked commercial lenders to submit their customers’ dollar demand in a special forex sale on Friday, which delayed trading for over an hour.

Two sales were conducted at 198.50 naira to the dollar totalling $40.8 million, Thomson Reuters data showed.

Also, the overnight lending rates climbed to record high yesterday after the central bank sold Treasury bills to mop up liquidity and enforced a cash reserve requirement for lenders, dealers said.

The rate at which commercial banks charge other banks for borrowing on the interbank market jumped to 95 percent after the naira squeeze from 20 percent on Thursday.

Overnight rates climbed to a record high of 100 percent on Tuesday after central bank soaked up liquidity to support the naira currency, which crossed a psychological 200 mark for the first time this week.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Page 49

Oddities Compiled by Isioma Nwabasha

South African twins marry same man

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a n y twins a r e known to be inseparable and usually share an unbreakable bond. However, a pair of South African twin sisters loved each other so much that even marriage couldn’t separate them. They married the same man.

According to The Drum, for identical twins Owami and Olwethu Mzazi, it was their life-long dream to marry the same man.

They stated that during their childhood days they shared everything.

“We have always done everything together and that is how our grandmother raised us. So when we decided to marry, we said any man that wants to marry one, will marry the other,” Owami said.

Owl kills male because ‘his organ was too small’

T

he fussy female, dubbed the Black Widow, turned down the advances of a wannabe lover after she deemed his genitals unsatisfactory Some birds want the whole package. None more so than a particularly demanding Snowy Owl in Poland, who killed her new boyfriend because of his tiny penis.

The bird, nicknamed the Black Widow, left her suitor half-eaten, shocking vets at the animal shelter in Knyszynska Forest.

Park keepers had noticed the owl was unhappy and decided to pair her up with a new mate, but just two days after arriving from Germany, they found the new owl devoured and dead.

Shelter spokesman, Robert Konowal, said: “The first two days were fine and they seemed to get on very well. We were horrified when we discovered that she had killed him. At first we couldn’t understand why but we took the remains to a vet who after examining him found that his testicle sack and private parts were underdeveloped.

“In other words, he wasn’t a suitable lover and we assume that after failing to perform she killed him, probably out of frustration. The Snowy Owl is beautiful, but also brutal and we have nicknamed her

the Black Widow.”

The zoo confirmed that they were now looking for another snowy owl, but so far other facilities were reluctant to accommodate the request after the way the owl’s last partner ended up.

Coy offers best employee ‘a porn bonus’

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tech security firm is offering its best employee of the year an unforgettable bonus, a night with a porn star.

While companies usually offer a cash bonus to hard-working staff at the end of the year, or even just vouchers, that does not suffice for one Chinese firm.

The company, Qihoo 360, is offering an evening with the Chinese porn star known as ‘Julia’ to their top employee for Chinese New Year, which is just around

the corner.

The 27-year-old, who is a huge star in China, has played the starring role in many porn flicks, such as J-Cup Super Boobs and Jumbo Breast Teacher.

The lucky employee will also be able to choose a five-day holiday trip to Bali, or a new Porsche.

Neither Qihoo 360 or Julia have denied the allegation. Chinese New Year will be held on Thursday, February 19.

Grandfather uses child as ‘deposit’ in spa

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six-year-old girl who was left behind as a payment deposit by her grandfather at a spa has been living there for a month, after he failed to pick her up.

Little Siyao was brought in by her grandfather, who announced that he wanted a good wash in a warm tub, followed by a relaxing message. But when it came to pay, he said he had forgotten his money and would need to go home and collect it.

Mee Wang, 40, manager at the bath house in Kunming, in southwestern China’s Yunnan province, said: “He told the reception that he would leave his granddaughter, Siyao, 6, behind as proof that he intended to return, and then left.”

But by the end of the day, he had not returned and kind-hearted staff were left looking after the girl, who has now been living there for more

than a month. She has become friends with some of the staff, who make sure she has somewhere nice to sleep overnight when the centre is closed and have arranged for a television to be switched on in case she feels lonely or scared.

They are also feeding her, have provided clothing and she is free to use the washing facilities at the bath house.

After the story was published in local media appealing for the grandfather to come forward, many people also contacted social services and urged them to intervene, although at the moment she is still lodged at the bathing house.

Many cities in China have bathing houses where residents who do not have central heating or running water at home go to get clean, relax and have a foot or body massage.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Page 50

Healthy Living

Effective ways to stress relief

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veryone experiences stress, but too many of us are content living with it, we push it aside, bottle it up and eventually, fall victim to its ugly consequences. Not all stress is bad. It can keep us striving to reach new goals and make our lives worthwhile and exciting.

But when your emotions and health are compromised, it is time to hit the brakes and plot out a new course.

Follow these step-bystep directions to get rid of unnecessary sources of anxiety and develop a healthier relationship with those you can’t avoid.

Set your timeline On your stress-relief journey, you will first learn to identify areas of your life that need extra attention. Your sources of stress may be clear to you already or they may take a few weeks to surface, while you observe your daily patterns. You need to set goals and learn the strategies needed to reach them.

Print out your stress-relief road map and think about how long you would like to spend on each step, whether it is a few days or a few weeks. Use this timeline to keep youself on track, but don’t be afraid to slow down, back up, or skip ahead if you find that different strategies work better at different times Think about your health Ask yourself: What healthrelated effects of stress have you already noticed in your life?

If you haven’t considered (or you have chosen to ignore) the harmful effects that stress can have on your mind and body, then you are overlooking a major threat to your well-being.

Taking a long, hard look at the potential consequences of unrelenting, unaddressed anxiety can help us realize that we need to make a change,

before it is too late.

Start a journal The most efficient way to rein in specific stress triggers is to start a journal. Commit to writing down, at least once a day for at least 10 minutes, everything that evoked a negative or stressful reaction, the place and time of day, the source of the stress

and your reaction. You can do this either throughout the day or before bedtime. (If nighttime stress journaling affects your sleep, do it earlier.)

Also take a few minutes to write down the positive points in your day: When did you feel the most relaxed, the most joyous and the most fulfilled? Keep

these thoughts with you as you put your journal away.

Define your biggest stressors We can’t tell you what your individual sources of stress are, but we can guess that at least some of them fall into a larger category of universal problems: money, relationships, work-

life balance, health (yours and your loved ones) and timemanagement issues.

Sound familiar? Our list of common stress triggers may provide some insight into your own situation.

Pick your worry profile Worrying does little to make our lives better. At best, it is counterproductive; at worst, it inhibits our thoughts, drains our energy and even makes us sick.

Think of it as a negative thought loop. Since it never closes on a satisfying answer, worry only begets more worrying.

The driving factor behind worry is fear, but fear of what?

That depends on your worry profile. We asked experts to identify six types of worriers and to show us how each can get a handle on their hand-wringing.

Learn to be imperfect Can’t sleep when there are clothes to be folded. Can’t enjoy a good book when you have bills to pay? Does the thought of making a mistake give you heart palpitations? While the right dose of perfection can boost your satisfaction, too much can be paralysing. There is a difference, after all, between holding yourself to a high standard and holding yourself to an unattainable one.

Reflect and push onward Now is the time to stop and reexamine what you have learned so far: Have you identified your stress triggers? The things you tend to worry about? The areas in your life where you are trying a bit too hard to be perfect? Have you spent at least a few days journaling about your recent ups and downs and have you recognized the patterns and problems that need fixing?

Once you have come to terms with your most pressing stress issues, start setting the goals you will need to wave them goodbye.

Culled from Whole living

size of the bladder and bladder sensitivity. But ultimately, there is not a ton of research on the subject. The truth of the matter is normal urination in women across the lifespan is not as well understood as it should be,” Benjamin Brucker, MD, Assistant Professor of Urology at NYU Langone Medical Center, said.

Should you pee at every pang?

As you know, that “I gotta go” sensation ranges from small pangs to a feeling that almost hurts. “You don’t want to give in to every slight sensation to urinate, but you also don’t want to hold it in to the point where it is painful. Ultimately, you want to have healthy voiding habits,” says Brucker. That translates into finding a middle ground that doesn’t have you running to the bathroom every time you take a sip of water, but also doesn’t result in you bent over with cramp-like

sensations.

What is the worst-case scenario?

“There aren’t any specific complications you can get from holding in your urine, although it may expose you to the risk of developing urinary tract infections, which can be treated with antibiotics,” says Brucker.

Having a UTI can also make you feel like you have to go more often than normal, as can conditions like overactive bladder and painful bladder syndrome. If all of a sudden you feel the need to pee way more than usual, head to a doctor to get checked. Kegels and medication can improve an overactive bladder, while physical therapy and medication can help treat painful bladder syndrome.

Can you train your body to pee less?

You know it is important to stay hydrated, but guzzling water can have the annoying side

effect of needing to pee every few minutes. So it is possible to get your body used to holding out?

“Some people’s bladders are quite sensitive and they will have the sensation to void even with the smallest amount of urine in the bladder. It is okay to try to distract yourself and not give in to every slight urge,” says Brucker. This could potentially stretch your bladder a bit in a healthy way,

though you shouldn’t expect any major changes.

The bottom line is that you probably aren’t going to do any real damage to yourself by holding it in, but just for comfort’s sake, you should hit the bathroom when it starts to feel annoying.

After all, there aren’t many other things that can bring on that same sense of relief.

Culled from Prevention

Relieving stress

How bad is it to hold your pee?

Y

ou might have heard about bedtime procrastination, but what about bathroom procrastination? You know, when you put off peeing until your legs are crossed and you can barely hobble to the porcelain throne.

Whether it is because you are going through work emails at your desk or you would rather avoid the horrors of a public restroom, sometimes peeing just lands at the bottom of your to-do list. But can that actually be dangerous?

How long is it okay to hold it?

Your body’s physical capacity to keep in urine is based on a few things: “Most of the time women can hold urine for three to six hours, but this will vary.

It really depends on the amount of urine that someone makes, which is determined by hydration status and fluid intake and also functional bladder capacity, which is a combination of the actual

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

Are you a hypocrite or a Christian? (II) P raise the Lord! I’m glad to bring you the second part of this message. Last week, I defined hypocrisy as insincerity, double standards, pretence, duplicity, twofacedness. I said a hypocrite is a charlatan, a fraud and someone who pretends to be what he is not.

I also said that in the New Testament, the meaning of hypocrisy and hypocrite brings out its use in the Greek drama where a hypocrite was someone who wore a mask and played a part on stage, mimicked the speech, mannerism etc. of the character.

Today I want to continue to show you the portrait of hypocrites.

Hypocrites make a public show of their praying and fasting for people to praise them. In fact, they make a show of every spiritual activity.

Hypocrites miss the whole essence of prayer and fasting.

Prayer and fasting is not for showoff but this is what hypocrites do.

Their interest is not in the prayer and fasting but rather the need to make people know they are praying and fasting so that they can commend them. The teaching of Jesus contradicts this wrong behavior of hypocrites. Hear Jesus: “And now about prayer.

When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward

you.” (Matt 6:5-6 NLT) Some people have misinterpreted this teaching

by Jesus to say that praying publicly is wrong. No. Jesus wasn’t dealing with the practice of public praying but rather the motive. Prov 20:27 says, “The LORD’s searchlight penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive” (NLT). If the motive is wrong, the act becomes unacceptable. James 4:3 tells us that wrong motive hinders answers to prayer.

In Matt 6:16-17, Jesus again addressed this problem of hypocrisy with regard to prayer saying, “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face.” (NLT) Don’t pray and fast because you want people to notice you or commend you as a prayer warrior; you are just wasting your time. Human beings should not be the focus of your prayer and fasting. Can they answer your prayers? Isn’t it God who answers prayers who should be the focus of your attention? Receiving people’s commendation on your praying and fasting prowess will not fetch you anything eternal except to boost your ego – mere vanity.

You’ll receive no reward from God since it is human adulation you want, and you’ve already received it. If you continue with ‘image making’ you’ll receive nothing from God. You’re a hypocrite; you’re not a genuine child of God. Hypocrites pretend to be

godly whereas they are full of evil machinations. The chief priests and the scribes were hypocrites.

They were religious but were murderers at heart. They only pretended to be holy but they were everything but holy. They were full of evil machinations.

They sought to lay hands on Jesus to kill him. Luke 20:20 says they “sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.”

(NKJV) Jesus was not killed by the non-religious; he was killed by the religious leaders of his day. Hypocrites have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead. (1Tim 4:2) The hypocrites of Jesus’ day, teachers of religious law and Pharisees ignored the important things of the law but prided themselves in tithing for which Jesus scolded them.

“How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you ignore the important things of the law — justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things. Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat; then you swallow a camel!”

(Matt 23:23-24 NLT) That Pharisee who went to the temple to pray, unlike the tax collector, boasted about his tithing and fasting: “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” (Luke 18:12 NKJV) He went home empty handed. But

From the Pulpit green pastures

By Pastor T. O. Banso

cedarministryintl@yahoo. com the tax collector who humbled himself saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” went home justified. Hypocrites will rather trust in their works than come to God on His own terms. Fasting and tithing, as good and biblical as they are, can never be superior to the work of the cross. Nobody is saved by fasting and tithing; salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph 2:8-9 NKJV) Everyone saved is “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24-25 NKJV) No one should magnify his works above the finished work of Christ.

Don’t be a hypocrite. If you want to be a Christian, be a true, genuine Christian. If you’re not ready to be a Christian, don’t pretend. It is sad that there are many hypocrites in church today.

Hypocrites have no part in the Kingdom of God neither will they allow others to enter the Kingdom of God. “Hypocrites!

For you won’t let others enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and you won’t go in yourselves.”

(Matt 23:13 NLT) The portion of hypocrites is weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt 24:51) Once more, I’m going to stop here today. I’ll conclude this series next week by the grace of God. I believe God has spoken to you. Be a doer of the Word and not a reader alone. Don’t be a hypocrite! And it shall be well

with you in Jesus’ name.

TAKE ACTION! If you are not born again, please take the following steps:*Admit you’re a sinner and you can’t save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start to attend a Biblebelieving, Bible-teaching church.

There you will be taught how to grow in the Kingdom of God. Kindly say this prayer now: “0 Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day.

I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today.

By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God” I believe you have said this prayer from your heart.

Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible believing, Bible teaching church in your area where you will be taught how to live your new life in Christ Jesus.

I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things becoming all God wants you to be.

Christ’s supreme love and timely warning (II) 2.

CRAFTY WOLVES CLOTHED AS FAITHFUL PROPHETS atthew 7:15; Ezekiel 22:25-27; Acts 20:2831;1 Kings 13:11-24; 2 Chronicles 18:4-11,28-34; Isaiah 9:13-16; 44:20; Jeremiah 28:1015;2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; 2 Timothy 2:17,18; Revelation 2:1416; 20:10-15.

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Appearance can be very deceptive.

Gifts without grace, charisma without character, love without light, tenderness without truth, hospitality without holiness, worship without the Word, eloquence without enlightenment, fellowship without food for the soul, faith without faithfulness,

M

prosperity without purity, success without salvation, revelation without righteousness, can be very deceptive in religion. Beware of ravening wolves in sheep’s clothing, destructive adversaries clothed with dazzling affection, dangerous friends (foes) clothed as delightful friends, poisonous serpents clothed as peaceful saints, cruel tormentors clothed as compassionate teachers, wicked murderers clothed as winsome messengers, determined destroyers clothed as devoted defenders. Beware, wolves are still wolves inwardly, whatever be the outward pretence or polish. Even when they pretend and pose as shepherds, they are looking for sheep to devour, not to defend, protect or feed. Jesus said, beware.

3.

CONCEALED WICKEDNESS OF FALSE

By Pastor W.F Kumuyi PROPHETS Matthew 7:15; 23:13-15; Luke 11:44; Job 20:12-14; Psalm 10:810; Jeremiah 23:11-14; Acts 8:911,18-23; 13:6-12; 2 Peter 2:1720; Revelation 2:20-26; Proverbs 19:27; Romans 16:17,18.

False prophets come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Be wise and be watchful. Look beyond their

outward appearance, deep beneath the outward, pleasing personality.

Watch and listen to the witness of the Holy Spirit, examine the fruit of their lives and evaluate the fruit of their labour. Beware, lest you throw your soul into the claws and jaws of a ravening wolf because of an untested assumption that you are entrusting your soul to a good and faithful shepherd. Deception,

eternally dangerous deception is the trade of Satan and his servants and false prophets – at their best, really, at their worst. False prophets so conceal and hide their wickedness and cleverly proclaim error as truth that even elites and educated people in different areas of life and discipline are easily deceived. Scientists and philosophers, the mighty and the wealthy, the intelligent and the wise, the educated and the civilized, the religious and the zealot, the secular mind and even the spiritual man have been deceived by false prophets in the past, in all generations and in this generation. If we are to escape the false prophets’ deception and the damnation it brings, we must diligently watch. We must be constantly guided by the Holy Spirit and the Scripture. Beware, watch, take heed.

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S p or T

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

‘Dream Team’ll

qualify for All Africa Games, 2016 Olympics’

Kano Pillars face unknown Malaika’s test today >>PG 53

>>PG 55

Arsenal ladies seal Ubogagu move

>>PG 54

Giroud may start against Boro >>PG 54

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 53

Sports

Kano Pillars face unknown Malaika’s test today

By Albert Akota

N

igeria champions Kano Pillars will start their quest for the 2015 CAF Champions today at relatively unknown South Sudan champions AlMalaika FC in a preliminary round first leg match.

Pillars best run in the competition was on their debut in 2009, when they fell at home and away to fellow Nigerian club Heartland in the semifinal.

However, Pillars lost out in the first round in 2011 and 2013 editions, and lost out in the preliminary round in 2014 to AS Vita of DR Congo, who went on to reach the final of the competition.

They need a better performance this year after winning the Nigeria league crown three times in a row.

Their biggest absentee will be central defender Umar Zango, who is nursing a knee injury and will miss both legs as a result.

Newly-signed striker Christain Obiozor has so far proved an inspired

recruit and he will again be expected to deliver the goals for this team.

‘Sai Ma Sugida’, as Pillars are called by their fans, have prepared adequately for this year’s challenge.

They featured in the expanded Super 4 in Abuja, where they finished third behind the U20 and U23 national teams.

They also played two warm-up games in Ghana against Hearts of Oak, which they drew 2-2, and the Ghana U23 team, which they won 1-0.

Pillars goalkeeper Emmanuel Fabiyi said the team have prepared well to go past Malaika.

“We have been preparing well for the Champions League game against Malaika. I believe by God’s grace we will achieve positive result from Sudan,” said the Benin international goalkeeper, who was one of the new signings by Pillars.

“We will put in our best as usual and pray God perfect the day for us. We won’t look down on them because they are champions of their country, like we are.”

Rabiu Ali - Pillars star

CAF CL: Sokari CAF CL: Sokari ready for Buffles test ready for Buffles test E F nyimba midfielder Kinglsey Sokari is confident his team can overcome Buffles du Borgou of Benin Republic tomorrow at the Enyimba Stadium in a first leg 2015 Caf Champions League preliminary round match.

Sokari, who scored a beautiful free kick in the Peoples Elephant’s last warm-up match against Abia Warriors in preparation for the game, is optimistic the 2003 and 2004 winners will come well tomorrow.

“We are fully prepared for the game. I believe we will win convincingly come Sunday,” he said.

“Last season’s experience in the Champions League will help us to do better this time round. I want the fans to be behind us and give us their support.

“Nigerian football has been on a low recently, we hope to put smiles on the faces of our fans and supporters.”

Enyimba had a yo-yo performance at the recent Super Four tournament in Abuja and there has been news that the players are disenchanted with the lack of payment of the entitlements.

Sokari, however, feels

that will not count for anything as the team is fully focused on the game tomorrow and starting the competition on a good note.

“We have our issues, yes, but that isn’t something that is on our minds right now. All we are focused on is the game tomorrow,” Sokari said.

“The boys are fired up; I’m also looking forward to the game with great

Kingsley Sokari

anticipation. I hope I can score in the game, but I also wish we can win with a big margin so it will put us in a good stead as we head to the second leg.

“Let me also add that we have been paid a percentage of our entitlements, so that will also ginger us to victory.”

The return leg against Buffles will be in Benin on the weekend of February 27.

ormer Super Eagles coach and former technical committee member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Christian Chukwu has warned against over-hyping the Flying Eagles as the enter the last phase of preparations for the Africa Youth Championship.

Chukwu, a former Nigeria captain described the Flying Eagles as a ‘wonderful’ team, but says they don’t need too much praise at this point so they don’t get carried away.

“I have never problems with our junior teams because they have always performed well. The U17, the U20 and the U23, they have all won trophies for Nigeria in the past and I don’t think this Flying Eagles team should be an exception.

“They also played very well at the Super 6 and I think they are a wonderful team with very good players. But we should not let them get carried away before the main tournaments,” Chukwu said.

The former Harambee Stars of Kenya coach however, went on to praise the duo of Manu Garba and Nduka Ugbade for putting up such a good team, but maintained that they mustn’t be carried away.

“We have to compliment

Manu Garba and Nduka Ugbade for the wonderful job they have done, because they have such a wonderful team, but they shouldn’t let the

Musa Mohammed

players get carried away with it.

“I hope they won’t be found wanting when the time comes just because they got overconfident,” Chukwu reckoned.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

PAGE 54

Sports

Crystal Palace v Liverpool: Rodgers’ men aim to bury past S elhurst Park has been the scene of some painful moments for Liverpool in recent times, but today’s FA Cup fifth-round tie will offer them a shot at exorcising those demons.

It was there that Liverpool’s title dreams were all but ended last season, when a 3-0 lead somehow vanished inside nine minutes to take two points and control of the trophy’s destination from the Anfield club’s hands.

Manager Brendan Rodgers insisted before November’s visit to Selhurst that the Premier League crown was not lost in that capitulation, but the game that followed inflicted even further psychological damage.

Despite Rickie Lambert’s goal after just two minutes, Palace hit back to go 3-1 ahead

- and there was no dramatic turnaround on that occasion.

That represented a fourth consecutive loss for Rodgers’ side, but they head into this weekend’s match in altogether more promising form, having lost only twice in 21 matches - one of those an extra-time League Cup defeat to Chelsea since that Palace reverse.

With Rodgers in Italy on official club business, assistant Colin Pascoe faced the media on Thursday and he cited the loss to Palace as a turning point.

Sitting seventh in the table only four points off fourth - and chasing silverware domestically and in Europe, Liverpool remain on course to provide a fitting send off for MLS-bound captain Steven Gerrard, who has gone nine years since he last lifted the FA Cup trophy.

Crystal Palace versus Liverpool

Arsenal ladies seal Ubogagu move

E

nglish club Arsenal Ladies have confirmed the signing of striker Chioma Ubogagu, who has Nigerian roots.

Ubogagu, born in London and raised in Texas from the age of three, joins the North London club from Stanford University in the USA. “Arsenal Ladies have completed the signing of forward Chioma Ubogagu from Stanford University in the United States,” Arsenal announced.

The striker is heading to London with a reputation that has seen

Chioma Ubogagu

Pepe returns to Madrid training following rib injury

P

epe handed Real Madrid a boost as he returned to firstteam training after nearly a month out with a rib injury.

The Portugal international has not featured for Carlo Ancelotti’s side since their 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey on January 15, but he is back in contention for this weekend.

Real host Deportivo La Coruna at Santiago Bernabeu today, looking to recover from their 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Atletico in the league.

Pepe’s return could add a stronger option at the back after Raphael Varane and Nacho struggled in the derby, however they will be without Fabio Coentrao.

The full-back played the full 90 minutes at Vicente Calderon, but now looks set for a period on the sidelines having suffered a calf injury during training.

Real Madrid defender Pepe

her score 27 goals in 89 appearances for Stanford University.

She also weighed in with 37 assists in her four-year spell for the university.

Arsenal Ladies manager Pedro Martinez Losa has described his new acquisition as a “fantastic talent” and “very creative” in front of goal.

Losa believes that Ubogagu will have no problems fitting into the Arsenal Ladies squad.

Ubogagu has represented the USA at under-20 level. She was part of the USA women’s under-20s that won the 2012 Fifa Women’s World

Weekend fixtures Barclays Premier League

CAF Champions League St Mitchel United v Mamelodi Sundowns CAF U17 Championship Niger v Guinea v

Nigeria Zambia

English FA Cup W/ Bromwich Albion v West Ham United Blackburn Rovers v Stoke City Derby County v Reading Crystal Palace v Liverpool

French Ligue 1 Paris Saint Germain v Caen Lens v Evian Thonon Lille v Nice Monaco v Montpellier Nantes v Bastia La Toulouse v Rennes Bordeaux v St Etienne Metz v Guingamp Lorient v Lyon German Bundesliga Bayer 04 Leverkusen v VfL Wolfsburg Borussia Mnch. v 1. FC Kln FC Bayern Mnchen v Hamburger SV SV Werder Bremen v FC Augsburg TSG 1899 Hoffenheim v VfB Stuttgart Eintracht Frankfurt v FC Schalke 04 Hertha BSC v Sport-Club Frg. Hannover 96 v SC Paderborn 07 Italian Serie A Sassuolo Palermo Milan Atalanta Genoa Roma Torino Udinese Chievo Cesena

v v v v v v v v v v

Fiorentina Napoli Empoli Internazionale Verona Parma Olimpico Cagliari Lazio Friuli Sampdoria Juventus

Spanish La Liga Sevilla Real Madrid Granada CF Malaga Valencia CF Barcelona Rayo Vallecano Celta de Vigo

v v v v v v v v

Cordoba Depovo de La C Athletic Club Espanyol Getafe Levante Villarreal Atletico de Mad

English FA Cup Aston Villa Bradford City Arsenal

v Leicester City v Sunderland v Middlesbrough

Giroud may start against Boro

M

iddlesbrough is the visitors to the Emirates Stadium in the FA Cup tomorrow and Olivier Giroud believes Arsenal must stay wary after Aitor Karanka’s side dispatched of Manchester City in the last round.

An opportunist’s goal from Patrick Bamford and a swift counter-attack finished by Kike proved enough to send Middlesbrough through 2-0 in the fourth-round tie.

Arsene Wenger’s men came up against Championship opposition in the last round too, securing a 3-2 win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Giroud believes upsetting Boro’s confidence early on will be the difference between the two teams as the club aim to

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud keep hold of the trophy after their success last season.

“If they are here it’s because they succeeded in beating a great team like City, so we need to be aware of that,” he told Arsenal Player.

Sports

PAGE 55

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, saturday 14-sunday 15 february, 2015

‘Dream Team’ll

qualify for All Africa Games, 2016 Olympics’ Siasia, under 23 coach

By Albert Akota

A

head of the All Africa Games qualifier against the Gabonese U-23 team, Dream Team VI coach, Samson Siasia revealed their preparedness of the Olympic Games qualifiers and his ambition with the U-23.

Coach, the All Africa Games qualifiers starts this month. Let’s start by knowing how prepared your team is?

We are doing well, the boys are preparing just fine and they have been responding to what we expect. We are not done yet, but we are getting there and I’m sure we will keep improving as we keep going.

You said a couple of weeks ago that you guys were ready, but from the tone of what you just said, it doesn’t seem so, does it?

If we are to play Gabon today, we are ready and that is what I said. But since we are not playing them today, I’d say we are still preparing.

We have to keep preparing because we are not a perfect team yet, but that doesn’t mean we cannot play matches when they arise. We have to keep getting better with every opportunity we get.

How has the Super 6 and Tunisia games helped you prepare thus far?

Oh they have been good for us. Before those games, we only played some local friendlies with lower teams and we didn’t really get the competitive edge we wanted.

But the Super 6 and Tunisia friendlies have given us a different edge.

We needed some competition and that exactly was what we got. The players are tougher now mentally, and it has also helped us know the players that will make our team. So they were good opportunities.

So can you tell us the sort of players you think are ideal for your team?

Of course they have to be good footballers first and foremost. Then the character comes into play, and I mean the character of the player to adapt to the system we want.

Those games against Tunisia and the Super 6 have helped us identify these players within our ranks and have also put the other ones in line with what we expect.

And so far, I would say they have shown progress.

“

Of course they have to be good footballers first and foremost. Then the character comes into play, and I mean the character of the player to adapt to the system we want.

So how far have you gone with the release of the overseas based players you invited?

We are still working on it, and some of them have given us their words that they will be here but we are not relying on that.

We know this doesn’t fall under the FIFA free window and clubs are not obliged to release their players.

If eventually they come, good for us, but if they don’t, we will make do with the players we already have at our disposal. We cannot over rely on those overseas based players.

The other time you told us it would take you some time to give us your ambition with this team. Is it a good time now to tell us?

We want to do well and qualify for both the All Africa and Olympic Games.

We must keep working hard but the ultimate goal of course is to win the Olympic gold in Brazil next year and hopefully we will get there.

Thanks for your time once again You’re welcome

BIG PUNCH What this country needs now are people with the fear of God; all this corruption we are talking about, all this insecurity is because we have abandoned the way of God. -Pastor Aminchi Habu, while endorsing Buhari

SATURDAY — SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14-15, 2015

Saturday Column

F

riday, February 13, 1976 started like any other day for the ever dutiful, 37-year-old Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed. Without the slightest hint of anything sinister awaiting him, Nigeria’s fourth head of state hopped into his official car, a black Mercedes Benz limousine. His driver drove along their normal George Street route to the seat of power at Dodan Barracks.

Meanwhile, all over Lagos, traffic had gained momentum and in little time, the head of state was caught up in the Friday traffic. A simple leader with populist ideas, he had no speeding convoys and preferred to stay in the traffic with his ‘Fellow Nigerians’ until it eased. They were all calm, while other drivers kept glancing at their much-loved and admired leader. Like Hugo Chavez, Murtala felt a deep connection with the people and he must have been surveying the area full of his loyal and smiling compatriots, with many peering at him through their cars when all of a sudden, like a dark scene from a horror movie, the Mercedes conveying the leader was suddenly ambushed by a handful of well-armed soldiers. The terror that ensued upon firing the gunshots was instantaneous.

In a few minutes of bloodchilling anarchy, the young Nigerian leader was assassinated. Nigerians rarely shed tears for their leaders, but if there is one who evokes so much emotion, pity, ululations and tears, Murtala is the man. For many Nigerians, he gave the ultimate sacrifice for a nation he fought for and is considered a national hero.

BIRTH AND EARLY DAYS Born on a Tuesday, November 8, 1938 in Kurawa Quarters of Kano State to Risqua Muhammed and Uwani Ramatu, he had seven siblings (one girl and seven boys) and was the second child. The Alkalin Kano and Chief Kadi of the State was his grandfather (same with his great-grandfather, Salihu Dattuwa). A Hausa by tribe, he was initially referred to as Murtala Kurawa after their quarters, but later took up the name we all know him by today. His father was literate and was trained as a veterinary inspector.

EDUCATION On January 26, 1952, he was admitted as student number 941 as Barewa College, Zaria (formerly Government College). He was one of the ten students from Kano and finished in 1957.

He also attended the Regular Advert: business: news: lagos:

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Officers Special Training School, (Teshie, Ghana) where he was taught 2nd Lieutenant infantry tactics and military laws by the late Odumegwu Ojukwu, a man of uncommon brilliance, in 1958. He also attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS).

MARRIAGE & FAMILY Murtala might be a strongheaded soldier, but he was an amazing family man. His Yoruba wife (with partly Fulani roots), Mrs. Hafsat Ajoke Muhammed, said they met in 1961 while she was studying at the School of Dental Hygiene in Lagos, then he was a 2nd Lieutenant in the army. They got married in Kaduna in 1963 after her studies, the same year he became a Captain.

Their marriage was a blissful and peaceful one. In 1965, the marriage was blessed with a cheeky baby girl.

On the January 22, 1966, they had their first son, Zakari. As at the time he was killed, his daughter, Zalihatu was just two years old.

Her marriage was blessed with six children.

MILITARY CAREER Trained as a regular combatant at Sandhurst, he later took courses in Army Signals. He was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the Nigerian Army in 1961 and became a lieutenant seven months later. In 1962, he was drafted to Congo as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. Upon returning to Nigeria, he served as the aide-de-camp (ADC) to Dr. Koyejo Majekodunmi, the Western Region Administrator put in place, following the declaration of a State of Emergency. He was later appointed the Officer-in-Chief, First Brigade Signal Troops, Kaduna, after which he proceeded again to Catterick School of Signals for an advanced course in telecommunications. 28 months after he was commissioned, he was promoted and became a captain and appointed to oversee a signals unit at the Brigade Headquarters, Kaduna.

By the end of 1964, Murtala was already a temporary Major (known as a T/Major). Thereafter, he was transferred to Apapa as the Commanding Officer, 1 Signal Squadron. When the first coup was carried out in January 1966, he was still in Lagos and was stung with the loss of prominent northerners.

With IBB, Abacha and the rest, he carefully planned and launched a devastating countercoup in July of the same year which cost AguiyiIronsi and many others their dear lives.

ROLE IN THE CIVIL WAR

8620 9705 9046 1969 0344

Murtala, 39 years after

The late Gen. Murtala Mohammed The Nigerian Civil War (19671970) lasted for thirty months and one of the principal actors of that sad phase of Nigerian history was Murtala. During the war, he was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nigerian Army 2nd Division. It was his division that routed forces of the Biafran Army and expelled them from the Midwest Region and from there he moved up to cross the River Niger to join the 1st Division which was on its way to Enugu City and Nsukka. At a point during the war, 28-year-old Murtala and his men reportedly stormed Asaba, Delta State, and supervised the killing of innocent civilians.

Events and Achievements On July 30 1975, Murtala made his maiden speech to the nation as Head of State and Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces. When he came into power, he constituted the Federal Executive Council with 25 ministerial posts, 12 of which were held by civilians even though the real power was vested in the Supreme Military Council (SMC) of which he was the Chairman.

The federal government also took over the running of state universities and broadcasting, taking charge of the two largest newspapers published in the country. He also set up a 50-man committee to see to a new draft constitution and make plans on handing over to civilians

by October 1979. The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) was headed by the late Justice Rotimi Williams.

He was very decisive with issues.

His country men and women were immensely happy with him and were satisfied that at long last, Nigeria now has a strong, decisive and uncompromising leader, the one with the discipline and tenacity to take them to the Promised Land.

In his characteristically decisive manner, he felt Lagos was too dirty, rowdy and crime-ridden to be the nation’s capital and set in place plans to build a new Federal Capital Territory to be sited in Abuja. He set up a panel headed by Justice Akinola Aguda to consider the possibility of a new capital. Few days before he was killed, he made an announcement that the federal capital would be moved to a ‘federal territory of about 8,000 square kilometers in the central part of the country.’

He set up a panel headed by Justice Ayo Irikefe on the creation of seven more states (Niger, Bauchi, Gongola, Benue, Ogun, Imo and Bendel) to the 12 existing ones on December 22, 1975. The panel came up with a report which was utilized in the formation of new states in 1976.

PERSONAL CHARACTER Murtala was a blunt, outspoken and consummate risk taker. A soldier who ironically had no regard for the chain of command, he was in a class of his own when it came to dangerous exploits. While planning a coup against his own Commanderin-Chief, Gowon, Murtala, then a brigadier, went to Muhammed D Yusufu, who was Gowon’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) and told him

pointblank that there was a plan for a coup and he could go and reveal it to ‘anyone he liked’. That was not Murtala’s first time of announcing a coup in such a blunt manner. He did the same in July 1966 before AguiyiIronsi’s government collapsed.

Murtala was an obstinate. When he took part in the coup that brought Gown to power in 1966, he wanted the title of the Supreme Commander even if that was improper and made little sense as Gowon was the Head of State. He insisted that he wanted the post but seeing that the military advisors from the United States and the United Kingdom did not support him, he backed out and the everdiplomatic Gowon compensated him by making him a Lieutenant Colonel (he was acting prior to that time) and also made the Inspector of the Army Signals Corps.

A no-nonsense person, Murtala was known for his legendary outbursts of terrifying anger.

Although many of his fans may not be aware of this especially with the passage of time, I could have easily dubbed this piece ‘Nigeria’s Angriest Leader’. However, his fireand-brimstone part was just one sided, he had his good fractions too. Apart from the earth-shaking anger, he also exhibited what some have described as arrogance and insubordination, especially to his superiors and there are many instances given to illustrate this.

Culled from nairaland.com

DAN GAYE

No provision for ING in 1999 Constitution –AGF

Does his boss give a damn?

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +2348142929046. Cell: +234 8024432099; 803 7007759 e-mail: contact@peoplesdaily-online.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141