Peoples Daily Weekend, Saturday 25 April - Sunday 26, 2015. Edition.

‘Why we prefer dating married men’

Pg 31

Pipeline protection contracts: Enough money to burn?

Pg 4

62 abandoned babies rescued in Lagos Pg 22 weekend.peoplesdailyng.com

Saturday, April 25 - 26, 2015 Rajab 6, 1436 AH

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

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N150 Vol. 4 No. 40

N350bn debt: Acute fuel scarcity looms

Pg 11

President-Elect, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (l) in a handshake with President Goodluck Jonathan during his official visit to the Presidential Villa , yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Joe Oroye

375 Days after

Will the abducted Chibok schoolgirls ever be rescued?

How Sports Minister wasted >>Pg 53 over N100m in Brazil

African countries happy over Jonathan’s defeat —Obasanjo >>Pg10

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 2

Interview

Buhari alone can’t solve Nigeria’s problems —PDM chairman Though Nigerians are full of expectations that General Muhammadu Buhari will immediately solve all the problems in the country come May 29 when he takes over from the outgoing president, the Chairman of Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Alhaji Bashir Yusuf, believes it would be a mirage to expect the General to address the myriads of maladies that have bedeviled the country for years within a few months or even years. He also believes that it would be suicidal for the APC government to discard federal character principles or turn a blind eye to past incidences of corruption. He spoke with Assistant Editor, Patrick Andrew, Excerpts...

T

he general elections have come and gone, what is your impression of the results and the blowing wind of change?

We thank God that the elections have turned out the way they did. Nigerians may not have known that they dodged a bullet.

If the election had turned out any other way Nigeria would become a write-off within the next four years and if the last four years are anything to go by you know the trajectory is not good. We have lost tens of thousands of human beings to insurgency and clearly the government, which swore to protect the people, didn’t seem to care. It politicised everything, turned the insurgency into a pro and against government Issue. Meanwhile, people were dying as there was no single family in the areas the insurgents were operating that was not affected by it. Sadly, people who swore to protect both the weak and the strong were lukewarm. This alone was justification for a change.

In addition, we are now in a country that has become notorious for runaway corruption; where people are stealing billions of dollars. In my view and from the facts available, this is unprecedented in the history of humankind. The level of corruption and stealing that is going on in Nigeria today is unprecedented. There is nowhere in ancient or modern history where the amount of money being stolen in Nigeria today has ever occurred.

Today, Nigeria is said to have more than 10 million out-of-school children and that is the population of some countries. Yet, we continue as if we are living in a normal society. Where you have more than 10 million children school out-of-school, how are you going to stop disorder when they attain adulthood? In essence, we, in the last four years, have been victims of a government that

“

absolutely has no care about what happens to Nigeria and Nigerians. So, the condemnation that you saw in the last elections is the momentum that came out of the frustration due to lack of capacity and sensitivity of the government to do the right thing.

As you must have noted from the pattern of the votes that our problem is neither religion nor ethnicity because although Buhari is a Muslim he could not have won without Christian votes and that our problem is also not sectional because though Buhari is a northerner he could not have won without southern votes. So, Nigerians expressed themselves in this manner in other to get liberation from their present condition. They threw away all prejudices in order to liberate themselves.

Out there, the General is seen as a messiah by many who also have great expectations. What do you envisage would be the shape of his government?

I don’t want to assume too much because I am not a member of the APC. So I have no idea how that government will be formed. What I worry about though is the level of expectation on Buhari. The expectation is suffocating. Nigerians expect him to solve all their problems. Of course, that is understandable, they, having been brutalised over a long period and, therefore, since someone who has a track record of patriotism, discipline and fairness, has come on board, they are all over themselves. I hope that before the new government takes over, a deliberate and sustained campaign should be done to educate Nigerians that the president alone cannot change the country; all of us must play our respective parts. The APC alone cannot change Nigeria. In fact, the victory at the polls is more than APC’s victory; it is a Nigerian victory because the multitude that voted for Buhari were not members of the APC. They were mostly Nigerian citizens who

I have no pity for the PDP. If it is empty totally today and people move to other parties I will not have any pity for them because this country has been under their control for 16 years and it has been degenerating, nothing has improved.

Yusuf yearned for change and so we all must play our part to make the change possible.

Attitude has to change, in view of the fact that Nigeria is technically broke. The source of funding of public projects; revenue from oil is dwindling and with all the problems created over the years, the means to solve the problems is also dwindling. So, we have to be realistic to accept that this change would require immense sacrifice from everybody and that it will take time to be achieved. I hope the APC will study what happened in previous governments to avoid the mistakes that were made.

Do you subscribe to the persuasion that the principles of federal character should be discarded in the selection of the Senate president and the speaker of the House?

I have no seat on the table when the decision will be made. However, the principle of federal character is constitutional and it is required whenever there are positions to be shared in the country. So it will be impossible for even the APC to discard the principle.

I don’t think that the APC will share offices without due regard to the principles of federal character.

But based on the results of the general elections, it seems the south south and south east may be left out in the allocation of elective offices because they don’t have the required

elected personnel?

But that is only in the legislature.

Ministers will be appointed from every state of the federation and that means at the federal executive council, every state will be represented. In sharing offices in the legislature, if they are no elected ranking APC members from the two regions in the Senate and the House, how feasible is it to give these regions leadership positions? This is the way the presidential system works. The leadership positions of the legislature are occupied by the party with the dominant majority.

But then, there are other offices like the minority leader, deputy minority leader and the minority chief whip which will be occupied by PDP members in the Senate and the House and if there are no APC members from the zones that you mentioned, then they have lost out.

What approach should Buhari adopt to fight corruption in Nigeria?

I understand that the policy is to draw a line and look to the future, but you see people don’t understand what that means. It does not mean that as you look into the future if something from the past comes up that you will ignore it. If a crime is committed unless it has the statute of limitation whenever it comes up it has to be prosecuted. The only difference is that there may not be a formal Contd on Page 15

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 3

Feature

How Sambo, Anyim, allegedly plotted to transfer $470M to Emeka Offor

VP Namadi

O

ur initial report had disclosed that Vice President Namadi Sambo worked as the key political facilitator of a scam whereby the Federal Government would surrender its $470 million National Public Security Communications System (NPSCS) network to OpenSkys Limited, a firm owned by Mr. Offor.

Two highly placed sources in the Jonathan administration told our correspondent that Mr. Sambo was known for always aggressively backing and pushing through any business deals linked to Mr. Offor. The two sources added that, in the words of one of them, “the VP is known to be a financial beneficiary from Sir Emeka Offor’s businesses.”

NPSCS, the subject of the current controversy, is a highly sophisticated communications system designed and built by a Chinese firm, ZTE Corporation, to boost the capacity of the Nigerian police and other security agencies to battle crimes, especially terrorist acts.

The project was funded with a $399.5 million loan obtained from the China Exim Bank, as well as $70.5 million in direct cash invested by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

An investigation by SaharaReporters revealed that Mr. Offor’s OpenSkys Limited was one of several Nigerian private firms invited to bid for a contract to operate Nigeria’s Upon the completion of the stateof-the-art communications network, the Federal Government invited several Nigerian companies, including Mr. Offor’s OpenSkys, to bid for a contract to handle the day-to-day operations. But rather than bid, like the other firms, for the management of the system, Mr. Offor introduced a dramatic twist by seeking to hijack and own the system. According to government and police sources familiar with the affair, Mr. Offor claimed that the

SSG Anyim

frequency band on which the network was built belonged to his firm. “Based on this spurious claim, he essentially made a bid to have his company take over the network as a majority stakeholder in a partnership—with the government having a minor stake.”

Even though police authorities provided ample proof to show that Mr. Offor did not own the band on which the Chinese firm built the network, Vice President Sambo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim, and the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Police Affairs, James Obiegbu, conspired to steer the deal in the direction of handing the $470 million security infrastructure to Mr. Offor.

Our sources said Mr. Obiegbu, who was known to fraternize with Mr. Offor socially, virtually hijacked the chairmanship of the inter-ministerial committee set up to supervise the completion of the security network.

Sources within the inter-ministerial committee told SaharaReporters that Mr. Obiegbu routinely ignored the recommendations of the group. “Dr. Obiegbu was known to write totally different reports that did not reflect the consensus of the committee,” one source asserted. He added, “Yet, he wrote the reports as if they were what the members of the committee agreed on.”

SaharaReporters learned that, at one stage, the police representative stopped attending the meetings of the committee because it was clear that the permanent secretary’s agenda, backed by Vice President Sambo, was to transfer the network to Emeka Offor’s OpenSkys.

A source told SaharaReporters that Mr. Obiegbu was likely behind a recent report on the NPSCS saga in The Nation, a Nigerian newspaper. Our source said the newspaper report gave the misleading impression that the committee presented two options to

Offor

President Jonathan, but the president chose the option of transferring the government-owned asset to Mr. Offor because of problems with funding the system.

“First of all, it is not true that two options were considered. Dr. Obiegbu and his sponsors wanted the system transferred to OpenSkys. It was as simple as that,” said one source, familiar with the affair. On the question of transferring the network to Mr. Offor’s company because the cost of maintaining it can be prohibitive, several of our sources described that as nonsensical and fraudulent.

One of our sources underscored the point that the Nigerian government had committed $470 million to the network. “The government has to repay the loan secured from Exim Bank of China. In addition, it has sunk $70.5 million in cash. Yet, the plan supported

by Dr. Obiegbu, the SGF and the vice president—and of which President Jonathan was misled—is for OpenSkys to now start charging fees to the police and other security agencies for their use of the network. That method will actually cost Nigeria far more,” said one source.

In addition, the network comes with close to 1.5 million mobile phone lines. “Other potential management

“

companies had proposed a selfsufficient, self-financing model. Their plan is to commercialize about a million of the telephone lines, and then use the proceeds of that commercialization to service the loan and finance the security aspects of the network,” another source disclosed. He added: “The model recommended by Dr. Obiegbu and pushed by Emeka Offor and Vice President Namadi Sambo amounts to hijacking a public asset and taxing its original owners twice.”

One source in the Presidency told SaharaReporters that the report presented to the president was meant to mislead him into thinking that Mr. Offor’s OpenSkys owns the frequency in which the network was built. The report concealed the fact that this frequency has always been used by the police.

According to another source, “The whole idea of handing this crucial security network to OpenSkys is ridiculous. It’s like buying a very expensive vehicle and then deciding to transfer ownership because you cannot fuel it! If you could buy that car, fuelling it is not likely to be too much of a problem. And we have a system that can pay for itself just by selling off its [mobile] lines that the security agencies don’t need.”

The model recommended

by Dr. Obiegbu and pushed

by Emeka Offor and Vice President Namadi Sambo amounts to hijacking a public asset and taxing its original owners twice.

PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Special Report

Pipeline protection contract:

Enough money to burn?

Pipeline vandals

By Osby Isibor

V

andalism has become one of the biggest challenges faced by Nigerian government especially in the energy sector with its attendant colossal losses running into millions of dollars. This in turn, decreases the country’s crude oil and gas production as well as translates into power generation shortages. Apart from pipeline vandalism, the nation has been bamboozled with routine oil thefts to the tune of over 400,000 barrels per day.

Since the beginning of this year, incidences of oil theft and pipeline vandalism have risen to unimaginable height.

In the last couple of months, two of the major pipelines, the Trans Niger Pipeline, and

the Trans Forcados Pipeline (TNP), were hacked into in multiple points, leading to production losses as well as drop in power generation.

The situation became very worrisome with shocking reports emanating from a senior government official, stating that the nation in the last six months, recorded over 200 incidences of crude oil and gas pipeline vandalism.

Sadly enough, the government has consistently amused Nigerians with reports of how such criminal practices have been hampering power supply to the citizens. But it hardly tell Nigerians how much billions of naira it has expended in phony contracts to ex-militants to ‘guard’ the pipelines without meaningful results.

According to reports, the cost of the pipeline

surveillance contract to these ex-militants was put at N5.6 billion. It was awarded by the government to the exmilitants to check oil theft in the once volatile region.

The first contract awarded by the government of the late President Umar Yar’Adua as part of the amnesty programme, expired two years ago (2013) and was not renewed imme­diately.

In the deal, Asari-Dokubo, Tompo­lo, Otunba Gani Adams and others got contracts to protect pipelines in designated areas. In the contracts, the militants were expected to protect oil pipelines to prevent vandalisation. A breakdown of the last pipeline protection contract entered into with the ex-militant leaders showed that Mujaheed Asari-Dokubo got $9 million yearly to pay his 4,000 former foot soldiers

to protect the pipelines.

Ebikabowei “Boyloaf” Victor Ben and Ateke Tom got $3.8 million a year each, to have their men guard the oil pipelines they hitherto attacked in the Niger Delta creeks, while Government “Tompolo” Ekpumupolo had a $22.9 million a year, contract to do the same job.

The second phase of the contract is believed to have commenced from Monday March 16, 2015. It was also learnt that with the new contract, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) whose statutory duty it is to protect against vandalisation of public installations including the pipelines, had been directed to hands off the security of the wa­terways and pipelines. When contacted to confirm the information, an

NSCDC source, who pleaded anonymity, denied knowledge of such directive.

From every indication, the menace of pipeline vandals has so far defied logical solution as multiple Joint Task Forces (JTFs) set up by government have had little or no effect on the activities of the vandals, despite the hundreds of millions of Naira in taxpayers money used in maintaining the JTF outfits. This is even as the several million-dollar security contract with Niger Delta ex-militants yielded no result, otherwise how can one explain the incessant pipeline vandalism and oil theft still going on?

This unnecessarily huge security expenditure and the unabated despicable oil theft are enough reasons for

Contd on Pg 5

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 5

Special Report

Enough money to burn?

Contd from Pg 4 government to have a rethink on the perceived measures it has put in place.

Many Nigerians have called for the revocation of the contracts to the ex-militants since they have failed to do the job they were paid for.

For instance, elder statesman and a delegate to the recent National Conference, Chief Edwin Clark had in June last year called on the Government of Nigeria to revoke pipeline security contracts awarded to ex-militants, including Government Ekpemukpolo, alias Tompolo, and Asari Dokubo.

Clark, who was then commenting on the report of the National Conference Committee on Public Finance and Revenue, also indicted top military personnel for oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

But he suggested that contracts for the protection of oil installations should rather be awarded to youths and communities where such installations are located.

He noted that oil theft astronomically increased since oil pipeline and maritime protection contracts were awarded to the former militant leaders.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo had at a media parley in Abuja recently, distressingly declared that: “Over 200 incidences were recorded in six months on the Trans Niger crude pipeline in the East, affecting Okoloma gas supply.

These regular interruptions on the Trans Forcados crude oil pipeline affect gas supply in the West. Sabotage incidents have constrained gas supply to power plants and held generation at less than 4,500MW.” Nebo had also blamed the lingering irregular power supply and total blackout experienced in some parts of the country on continuous attacks on gas pipeline by vandals. This came on the heels of the recent destruction of 24”ELPs gas pipeline at Inikoroga in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State.

According to him, reports on the bi-weekly attacks, made it necessary to believe that there are forces within the zone working to prevent residents of the zone from enjoying steady power supply.

“Few weeks ago, after the President commissioned Phase 2 of the Egbin Power

NNPC headquarters

Station in Lagos, he assured Lagos residents of his commitment to making steady power supply a reality. But it is obvious that the busting of gas pipelines to our power stations has moved from being a horrible bi-monthly occurrence, to a depressing daily interval.

“We just concluded fixing the vandalised Escravos Lagos gas pipeline that was knocked off by vandals few weeks ago, and it took us time to fix. Within that period, gas plant OBEN was shut down for its maintenance and its enhancement of capacity, hoping that when it is done, we would have regular electricity.

Now, we are faced with the devastating blow of fixing a newly vandalised gas pipeline in Delta State,” he stated.

Early this year, the Federal Government had assured Nigerians that infrastructure vandalism, particularly of oil and gas pipelines, and power assets would become history as the Federal Government in conjunction with international consultants, was working out modalities to provide digital surveillance of oil, gas and power infrastructure.

Nebo disclosed that plans were underway to commence the electronic monitoring of pipelines and other facilities channelling gas to power plants across the country, adding that electronic gadgets are being installed to monitor gas pipelines.

The minister, who disclosed

“

Sadly enough, the government has consistently amused Nigerians with reports of how such criminal practices have been hampering power supply to the citizens. But it hardly tell Nigerians how much billions of naira it has expended in phony contracts to ex-militants to ‘guard’ the pipelines without meaningful results.

this at the inauguration of the new 220 megawatts turbine at Egbin Power Plant recently, said the measure was to curb incessant pipeline vandalism.

He also revealed that government was planning to enlist the Nigerian Air Force in the joint task force team to provide aerial surveillance for pipelines.

He explained that the government had to take this bold step, as this was now the only way to safeguard infrastructure in Nigeria.

“When we have a holistic energy mix, things will get much improved, oil thieves and vandals who break into our pipelines make it difficult for Nigerians to even benefit from what this government has done.

“We have far larger capacity installed than the power we are giving out because of gas supply, which is being taken

care of. More forces are being deployed.

“Electronic gadgets are being installed to ensure that at any point of disruption our security forces will know and know how to forestall it,” he had said.

The minister also accepted that vandalism had become one of the biggest challenges faced by the government and admitted that the problem had resulted to colossal losses running into millions of dollars in crude oil and gas production losses as well as power generation shortages.

It is therefore, imperative to ask some pertinent questions here: Who are these vandals destroying these pipelines?

Why has the problem of pipeline vandalism persisted over the years in spite of huge amounts of money paid to contractors to protect these

facilities? Does it still make sense to continue the contracts in view of the obvious failure of these militants to justify the contracts? Would the problem of pipeline vandalism ever be solved with the suspected complicity from powerful quarters? Above all the foregoing, how justifiable is the continued existence of the Civil Defence Corps in the face of the hijack of their constitutional mandate?

According to a financial analyst, Dr. Ben Akaolise, the revelation by Professor Nebo on the upsurge in pipeline vandalism and inability of government to curb the situation, is a serious indictment on a government that spends billions of naira yearly on the protection of oil pipelines without getting the desired results.

“Assuming those vandals are saboteurs, then those militants paid to do the job of protecting the pipelines but are found wanting in discharging their duties are no less so. Even those paying such amount to them at a time that majority of Nigerians go to bed without food, qualify for the same appellation.

“We are tired of a government that has made daily lamenting of sordid state of affairs in the oil sector its pastime when it has all the powers to change the tide for good but has demonstrated gross incapability to do this,’ Akaolise stated.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 6

News

Buhari receives man who trekked from Lagos

By Umar Muhammad Puma

P

resident elect, General Muhammadu Buhari yesterday received Suleiman Hashimu, the young man who trekked from Lagos to Abuja to celebrate the victory of the APC at the recently concluded Presidential election.

Buhari who received Hashimu at the Presidential Campaign headquarters in Abuja at about 6.00pm congratulated him for his achievement and his courage to embark on the exercise.

Buhari said, “I want to congratulate you for making it.

He is a young man and he was lucky that his health did not fail him. I also heard so many stories that you wore almost half a dozen pair of shoes. I also understand that there are people who have been quite generous to help you to pay for more pair of shoes”.

Hashimu told the President elect that he made a promise about two years ago to trek from Lagos to Abuja if he (Buhari) emerges winner of the 2015 elections.

He said “I made a promise because of the love I have for Mr. President that if Buhari should win the 2015 elections, I will trek from Lagos to Abuja which I have done. I thank God that I made a promise and I fulfill the promise”.

He told newsmen that it took him 18 days to trek from Lagos to Abuja, covering a distance of about 12 hours daily.

He said “I passed through Kwara and Niger states to Abuja.

I was trekking from 6.00am to 6.00pm and anywhere I find

myself when it is 6.00pm, I pass the night there. I spent 18 days from Lagos to Abuja”.

Asked if he ever found himself in the bush at 6.00pm, and what he did, Hashimu said “Once I found myself inside the bush by 6.00pm and I managed to continue the trek till 9.00pm to a nearby village.

“I made this promise two years ago. I am based in Ibadan and I started my journey from Lagos because Lagos is the most popular city in Nigeria and I started from Berger junction in

CBN orders lenders to get tough on bad debtors

INEC deploys three national commissioners to Abia, Imo, Taraba

By Miriam Humbe

By Mohammed Usman with agency report

T

C

entral Bank of Nigeria(CBN) has ordered banks on Friday to crack down on borrowers with non-performing loans (NPLs) in a move aimed at avoiding a repeat of a 2009 industry bailout that cost the government $4 billion.

A sharp drop in the global price of oil, Nigeria’s main export, has triggered a currency crisis in Africa’s largest economy and strained government’s finances, while also harming the cash flow of some companies with foreign currency loans.

Reuters went further that under the new plan, banks will give bad debtors three months to square up their accounts. Failure to do will result in them being named and shamed in Nigerian media and being barred from currency and government debt markets.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria has observed the rising trend of non-performing loans in the industry,” Tokunbo Martins, director of banking supervision, said in a statement.

“Banks and discount houses are required with effect from May 1 ... to give delinquent debtors three months’ grace to turn their accounts from non-performing to performing status.”

They must then publish a list of those “delinquent debtors that remain non-performing in at least three national daily newspapers quarterly”, the statement said.

The CBN gave no estimate of the current level of commercial lenders’ NPLs. In 2009, the CBN rescued several banks that had lent mainly to the oil and gas sector just before crude prices collapsed and as the stock market turned sour, triggering a near collapse of eight commercial banks.

Lagos.

He however said that he was not bothered whether Nigerians believe him or not saying, “I am not bothered about what people think. It is a promise between me and my God. I don’t want anybody to believe me. I left Lagos because I made a promise.

Right from Kwara state, I never walked alone for five kilometres.

People always walk with me to the next village. I work with a construction company based in Ibadan”.

L-R: President, National Industrial safety council of Nigeria,Dr Reginald Anyanwu; convener, Dr Chinyere Amaechi; business development officer, West African height safety, Amanda Esiri and registrar, institute of safety professionals of Nigeria, Mr Benson Adam-Otite at the 2nd Nigeria safety and security awards/lecture, yesterday in Lagos

Benue NLC election ends in crisis, as new exco emerges in Bauchi From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi and Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

T

he delegates’ conference of the Benue state council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), held yesterday ended in a deadlock with two factional groups emerging .

Peoples Daily Weekend gathered that due to disagreements among members, the congress was split into the public and private sector groups with each faction conducting its separate conference.

It was also learnt that the public sector group had commenced the process of electing its officials when midway into the proceedings, a chairmanship aspirant (names withheld) announced

his sudden withdrawal from the race; and declared his intention to run for the position of vice chairman.

At that point, the representative of the National Secretariat of the NLC, Comrade Boniface Isok outrightly disapproved his withdrawal, accusing him of breaching the constitution as the ballot paper already bore his name as contesting for the position of chairman.

It was at the heat of the argument that some unknown youths cashed in on the confusion, and started throwing chairs at the delegates and shouting slogan “no election”, thereby forcing everyone to scamper for safety.

In another development, Nigeria Labour Congress Bauchi state Council

yesterday elected new Executive Council members to run the affairs of the council for the next four years with the incumbent Chairman, Comrade Hashimu Muhammad Gital retaining his position as chairman.

The election was held at the Multipurpose Hall where 1363 delegates from different affiliate unions elected their leadership during the 11th delegates’ conference under a peaceful atmosphere At the end of the election, the incumbent chairman, Comrade Hashimu Muhammad Gital defeated Comrade Yakubu Sagir Kafi with 745 votes against 515 votes, while Comrade Saleh Danjuma and Comrade Usman Danturaki were elected as Vice Chairmen respectively.

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deployed three National Commissioners each to Abia, Imo and Taraba states on supervisory duties for “effective oversight” on the supplementary governorship elections holding today.

The National Commissioners will be assisted in each of those states by three Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), besides the substantive RECs for the affected states, INEC Secretary Augusta C. Ogakwu said in a press statement on Friday.

The supplementary elections are scheduled to hold in: • 51 Registration Areas (RAs) in nine Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Abia State; • 79 RAs in 23 LGAs in Imo; and • 32 RAs in 10 LGAs in Taraba.

“INEC has also deployed three Directing staff from the Headquarters to each of the affected states to coordinate the operations, while some other staff from the Headquarters have been deployed to the states as Monitors,” the statement said. “In addition, Electoral Officers (EOs) from neighbouring states will be on ground to assist the EOs of the affected LGAs.” Mrs. Ogakwu said the Commission is determined to ensure that the supplementary elections are free, fair credible and peaceful, and urged voters in the affected areas to conduct themselves peacefully and in accordance with set procedures of the elections, so that the process is crisis-free and concludes in good time.

INEC also called on the Police to ensure compliance by political actors with the restriction on movement in places where the elections are holding.

“INEC reassures the public that it is investigating allegations of misconduct by some officials during the recent general elections, and will ensure that anyone proven to have violated the rules is brought to book,” the statement concluded.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 7

Analgesics, cough syrup:

Cover

The new scourge among youths Why government must prosecute drug peddlers, establish rehabilitation centres

By Miriam Humbe, Abuja, Umar Dankano, Yola, and Mustapha Adamu in Kano

T

he consumption of illicit drugs by youths has become a nightmare to parents, government and the society at large. While parents and guardians have to cope with the challenges of managing youths who become virtually intolerable due to drug use, as well as high cost of medical bills both at home and abroad, the society bears the brunt of cases of armed robbery, rape, prostitution and other vices, no thanks to drug abuse.

Recent research revealed that some of the substances consumed by these hapless youngsters, especially in the northern states of Kano, Kaduna and others are tramol and codeine illegally imported into the country by drug dealers who have found a ready market for their inglorious business.

The resultant effects of drug consumption are that youths are getting more restless and readily used by politicians and terrorists as willing accomplices in their various schemes. The onus of fishing out the peddlers of these destructive drugs lies on the society and government whose duty it is to preserve the dignity of future generations.

The National Drugs

“

Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration, (NAFDAC) and concerned agencies have the mandate to arrest the cartels and bring them to book.

Will the war be won in Kano?

Despite government’s assiduous efforts to combat the menace of drugs and substance abuse, the scourge is spreading like a wild fire on a wheat farm among youths in Kano State.

According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), figures for seizures of drugs, convictions of drug dealers and arrest of drug addicts, Kano State has the highest rate of drug abuse in the country, representing about 37 percent of the state’s population.

The problem has become a major concern for the state government and residents alike, prompting frantic actions by all stakeholders to combat the illicit practice through offensive and logical means. This gave rise to the establishment of a drug abuse rehabilitation centre

by Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in 2013, where about 2,000 youths were rehabilitated.

The state government also inaugurated a task force committee to check the activities of fake drug

peddlers in the commercial city.

Unconfirmed reports state that Kano has the highest unemployment rate in Nigeria and the financial burden on families is compounded by the high birth rate. There is also a high rate of family break up and divorce. Many families end up on the streets, where the whole range of illegal drugs and mind altering substances are available, and children are inevitably at risk of being sucked into the world of drug addiction, leading to wasted lives and early death. These are some of the variables that hinder the success of the war against drug abuse in the state according to the report.

However, the prevalence of drug and substance abuse, as well as other illicit acts are a dent to the reputation of Kano as a predominantly Muslim state with rich religious and traditional cultures that abhor such practices.

Gallingly, the unwelcome practices are more widespread in the metropolis where youths, especially teenagers of both sexes are seen on the streets trading and using drugs such as codeine syrups, marijuana, gums, tramol, rochie among other intoxicants at hot spot areas such as Plaza and Cinema in Fagge Local Government Area, Jakara area of Kano Municipal Local Government, among other areas. Ironically,

I can’t do without codeine syrup because I want to totally forget the torment I suffered from my step mother. I become sad if I can’t get at least one bottle a day. Nobody introduced me to this life. It was my decision as I have heard about it severally. I know it will be a solution to my problem

Giade

the practice has extended to married women.

Moreover, health experts have revealed that drug abusers are at risk of physical and mental health problems. Notable among them include weakness of the immune system, increasing susceptibility to infections, cardiovascular conditions ranging from abnormal heart rate to heart attacks. Drug abuse also cause seizures, stroke and widespread brain damage that can impact all aspects of daily life by causing problems with memory, attention, decision-making and permanent brain damage.

Our correspondent met an 18-year old drug abuser, Rakiya Sabo, a resident of Fagge Local Government Area. She was spotted savouring codeine syrup in the midst of her male peers at an undisclosed location.

Narrating her story, the lady, who seemed to be a victim

of a broken home, said she has engaged in the practice for about three years with the aim of dousing the maltreatment she suffered in the hands of her step mother following her mother’s divorce.

According to her, codeine is her ‘darling drug’, stressing that she is so addicted to it that she cannot live without taking at least one bottle a day, adding that her decision to leave the house, which she described as hell was as a result of the situation she found herself in.

“I take codeine to douse the tension I suffered as a result of maltreatment in the hands of my step mother. I have chosen to take syrup to put out all the tensions and sorrow caused by my wicked step mother,” she said angrily.

Although she expressed regret over her decision, but however added that nobody introduced her into the practice. “Let me tell you, I Contd on Page 8

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

...New scourge among youths Contd from Page 7

can’t do without codeine syrup because I want to totally forget the torment I suffered from my step mother.

I become sad if I can’t get at least one bottle a day. Nobody introduced me to this life.

It was my decision as I have heard about it severally. I know it will be a solution to my problem.”

When asked how she feels after taking the syrup, Ms Sabo said “it is a wild excitement.

The feeling is great and I can’t resist. I feel on top of the world, I can do everything in that condition.”

But Sabo, who was emotional when asked about giving up on such lifestyle, said her marriage, which according to her, has been scheduled in five months time, is the only way she thinks she can stop taking drugs, maintaining that she wants to make a good wife to her husband and good mother to her children.

On education, Ms Sabo said she is a secondary school leaver and is seeking admission into a university, adding that she hopes her fiancé would allow her continue with her studies.

Like Sabo, another teenager, Kabiru Musa of Zage quarters, Municipal Local Government Area, told our correspondent that he was caught in the web of illicit drugs while searching for a lasting solution to a sorrowful situation he once experienced. ”A friend of mine was stabbed with a knife and I was accused of committing the offence. Although I was smoking cigarette, I just decided to taste the syrup in order to wash away my sorrows. Though I believe that taking drugs is a bad act, I must say that I have found a solution to all my sadness.”

The JSS 2 student, who cheerfully expressed the great joy derived from taking codeine syrup, also said he is ready to give up the act if members of the community embrace him like other children. He lamented the ill-treatment drug abusers receive from members of the society, saying “if the society embraced us despite our situation, we would have stopped committing the illicit act by now. Let me use this opportunity to call on the general public to pray for us to

Youths abusing drugs

desist from this illicit practice.

We are your children come and embrace us,” he appealed.

A 35-year old man, Malam Nazifi, said he only smokes marijuana and cigarette, noting that he enjoys a great moment when he smokes cannabis twice a day.

He said he cannot mention any reason why he smokes Indian hemp. He added that he is aware of the physical and mental effect of cannabis, but is not even thinking of quitting.

“I only smoke marijuana and cigarette. I know it is dangerous to my health but let me tell you the truth, I can’t stop smoking because of the intense pleasure I derive from it. I have forgotten when I started smoking cannabis but

“

it is quite a long time.”

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the Kano State governor on Pharmaceutical Matters, Pharmacist Ali Adamu, said the state government is up and doing in tackling drug abuse.

According to him, the state government, in its ongoing combat against the menace, has so far destroyed counterfeited and fake drugs worth N5 billion in three years.

He added that the success being recorded in fighting fake drugs prompted the state government to set up another task force committee solely to tackle drug and substance abuse which is headed by the state Commander of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),

Muhammad Garba.

“The issue of drug abuse is a great problem bedevilling the state for about a decade and it is worrisome to everybody.

Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is also worried about the development. That is why he set up another committee which is solely to fight the menace of drug abuse.

In its continued committment to address the problem, the state government has so far destroyed counterfeited drugs worth N5 billion within three years.”

He further added that the two task force committees are working in tandem to tackle the problem, stressing that the menance has drastically reduced as a result of their commitment.

Even three days ago, the state government destroyed fake drugs worth N213 million and out of the drugs, a large quantity of tramol tablet worth N108 million was set ablaze

“Even three days ago, the state government destroyed fake drugs worth N213 million and out of the drugs, a large quantity of tramol tablet worth N108 million was set ablaze,” he added.

He, however, maintained that all hands must be on deck to address the problem in the state, noting that the government cannot do it alone, stakeholders in the society including clerics, traditional rulers, civil society groups among others should joins hands with the government in order to find a lasting solution.

The impact on youths in Adamawa and environs As the new democratically elected administration of the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, prepares to take over power come May 29, many socioeconomic challenges are awaiting solutions so that the entire system can work again.

Apart from alcoholism, illicit drugs are being abused daily by many young boys and girls in Adamawa and environs. Places like Jimeta River bank (Bakin Kogi), Luggere, Gireyo, Abattoir Contd on Page 9

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 9

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...New scourge among youths Contd from Page 8

(Mayanka), as well as Jambutu motor park are well-known areas where these illicit drugs are sold in huge quantities freely.

Investigation by Peoples Daily Weekend revealed that some of the drugs being consumed for intoxication are mostly over dosed catarrh and cough related syrups such as Benylin Codein, Emzolyn, Roche and volume 5 among others.

Testimonies by some of the addicts interviewed who declined identification showed that some use fuel, sewage substances, rubber batching solution, lizard excrete just to mention a few for acclaimed intoxication.

Sani Ibrahim, a cobbler, said though he knows that the trend is dangerous, but it has become a habit to him, adding that he must take it daily before the business of the day begins or else he would not be himself at all.

“Well, I know it is a bad thing, but I cannot start my daily affair without taking a mixture of codein syrup and solution because I feel charged and high,” Sani maintained.

Similarly, the Adamawa State Commander of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, Alhaji Hassan Zungeru, has advised parents and guardians to be watchful of the company and activities of their wards, especially the girl-child.

Commander Zungeru gave the advice in an interview with Peoples Daily Weekend in Yola,

the Adamawa State capital.

He decried the increasing rate of female teenagers engaged in drug abuse and urged all stakeholders to be interested in moulding the character of our future leaders (the youths).

He described the development as alarming, explaining that recent statistics by the agency and other sister agencies have revealed that there is a disturbing increase in the rate of female participation in drug abuse which is a source of concern to all well meaning Nigerians.

He regretted that females who were before not known to be associated with illicit activities are now fully participating in the ingestion of hard drugs.

“Youths are the worst culprits of drug abuse in the state. While in the previous years, female teenagers were not known to be actively involved in hard drugs.But presently, they are now at the front line of drug abuse,” Zungeru said.

He advised parents to be extra vigilant and monitor the affairs of their children in order to stop them from being involved in drug abuse or other societal anti-social behaviour.

Zungeru warned that ninety percent of female drug cases recorded in the state were linked to peer group pressure.

He therefore, requested for government’s support towards establishing a full-fledged drug abuse rehabilitation

Bags of illicit drugs being set ablaze

Drugs

centre in the state so as to serve as a safety net.

However, taking of Lizard dung and gutter water is now in vogue among drug addicts in Adamawa State.

Zungeru said most drug addicts in the state were unemployed youths who cannot afford the costly classified hard drugs.

“Lizard dung and gutter water is now an emerging trend because the classified drugs are beyond the reach of the youths who are mostly unemployed,”Zungeru said.

He listed Indian hemp, tramol, rubber solution used for patching tyres, cough syrup with codeine as some of the commonly abused drugs.

The commander said the disturbing development had prompted the agency

in collaboration with the Adamawa Emirate Council and the state government to embark on sensitisation and awareness tour of rural areas to educate the populace against the menace of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

He said the first leg of the tour which has reached advanced stage under the leadership of Sarkin Matasa, (youth leader of Adamawa emirate), Abdulaziz Nyako, would cover 33 districts of the emirate.

“Immediately after completing the Adamawa emirate, we will move to others like Mubi and Numan,” Zungeru said.

The NDLEA state commander said the sensitisation tour which involves lectures, exhibition, and drama by the state cultural troupe and testimonies from repentant drug victims has been effective.

He said in some areas visited, some of the youths involved shed tears and renounced drug abuse when they heard testimonies from rehabilitated drug victims.

He added that the Sarkin Matasa of Adamawa emirate, Abdulaziz Nyako, was compiling the list of repentant drug addicts as the tour progresses for rehabilitation by the state government at the end of the campaign.

“We want government to avail them of its skills acquisition training programme so that after rehabilitation they would have something to do and become useful to themselves and the society,” Zungeru said.

Addicts constitute nuisance in Jos In Plateau State for example, investigation revealed that the practice of abusing substances among youths is very common particularly in the state capital, Jos, where they publicly indulge in the habit.

Reports also revealed that in various towns and villages in Plateau, there have been countless cases of incidences of youths sneezing dangerous substances like cough syrup, solution and even cow dung.

It is equally obvious that the habit is common among idle youths mostly from affluent homes. Some are led into the habit by friends, others were inquisitive and eventually got hooked.

According to the DirectorGeneral, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Amadu Giade, the problem of drug addiction has been very difficult to manage because many addicts are ashamed of themselves.

This is common among children from affluent homes whose parents prefer to lock them in or take them aboard for rehabilitation and counselling.

Giade disclosed that the agency has come up with an online method that allows them to communicate via e-mail.

“This allows the agency to get access to the victims, as well as provide vital information that would help curb the habit and thus reduce the number of addicts in the country.”

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

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News

African countries happy over President Jonathan’s defeat – Obasanjo From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

F

ormer President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday said countries across the African continent are happy over the outcome of the presidential election in Nigeria, which saw the defeat of incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr. Obasanjo said his checks in a number of African countries suggested they were as happy over the result of the election as majority of Nigerians are.

He referred to President Goodluck Jonathan as a moving train who was providentially stopped from collapsing Nigeria.

“I have visited six countries since the election, they are as happy about the results as we are in Nigeria. It is good not only for Nigeria, it is good for Africa and I believe it is good for the world.”

Mr. Obasanjo, who led the African Union Observation Mission to the April 2015 General Election in Sudan, spoke on Thursday at a Washington DC event.

The former president described Nigeria as a country that obsessively plays “a dangerous game of moving close to the precipice”.

He said the country came close to disintegration in the run-up to the 2015 elections but switched swiftly to the path of redemption after the polls.

“I hope we will not fall over one of these days,” he said.

He said one month to the election, no one believed “we will have a peaceful election that is reasonably free and fair.”

Describing his role in the election as that of a person standing on the track of a moving train, the former president said during the countdown to the elections, he faced the option of “jumping off” the tracks or “be crushed” if the train did not providentially get “derailed and stop.”

He said he did not jump and was not crushed adding that “at every stage, there must be leaders imbued with sufficient courage and will to stand firm when you have to stand firm.”

He described the results of the elections as what Nigerians “deserve” though some Nigerians “did not want it”.

Mr. Obasanjo was the featured speaker at the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) event titled ‘What is Right with Africa: Reframing Africa’s Leadership Challenges’. He made these remarks in response to a question

by Princeton Lyman, a former ambassador to Nigeria.

RE-run: Police IG orders vehicular restriction in 5 states From Ado Abubakr Musa, Jos

T

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state (L) and President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari, during Gov. Obiano courtesy visit to the President elect, yesterday in Abuja.

Kukah urges Buhari to restore confidence in governance

By Mohammed Usman with agency report

T

he Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Rev. Mathew Kukah, has called on the Presidentelect, retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to restore public confidence in governance when he assumes power on May 29.

Kukah gave the advice on Friday in Abakaliki in a convocation lecture at the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. He spoke on the topic, “ Transition to Democracy: Can Nigeria Ride the wave?”

According to the cleric, restoring public confidence in government and politics should be the presidentelect’s immediate challenge when he assumes office.

“This will be determined by the nature of the choices he makes in assembling a team that would help him in achieving his set goals and moving the country forward.

“He must, however, move away from seeing the team’s assemblage as a period of sharing of carcass, a typical characteristic of Nigerian governments.

“Nigerians have shown that they trust his

judgment and integrity. He must, therefore, face the challenge of demonstrating the sagacity of managing his patrons and their choices as he can shape both Nigeria as a country and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a party,” he said.

Kukah said that fighting corruption might sound fantastic, “but it is a great challenge because the cankerworm is written over all facets of the country.’’

“I will advise that rather than chasing the ‘thieves’, the president-elect should address the issues of the misery and squalor that

have become Nigeria’s lot, as development will raise the best army to fight corruption,’’ he said.

He also called on Buhari to embark on the policy of reconstruction, reconciliation and rehabilitation, adding that the country had failed in its past bids to achieve these objectives.

“His challenge lies in how he responds to the perceived interpretations of his victory, especially within the various institutions, networks and interest groups especially, in the northern part of the country,’’ Kukah said.

2015 Hajj: NAHCON shortlists approved accommodation providers

By Stanley Onyekwere

A

s part of efforts to enhance the comfort and well-being of Nigerian pilgrims during the forthcoming 2015 Hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has released the approved list of accommodation providers.

According to the Commission, those on the list have met the required criteria to provide accommodation for Nigerian pilgrims in the Holy Land.

Similarly, the commission has also made public names of catering companies shortlist for the feeding of the pilgrims during the Hajj period.

“In view of the need to ensure early completion of preparations for the 2015 Hajj exercise, state pilgrims welfare boards are hereby invited to come forward to select the accommodation and catering providers of their choice from the approved list as soon as possible.

“This will enable the

commission to ensure that all necessary arrangements for the conduct of the pilgrimage are completed on schedule.

“The commission will therefore greatly appreciate early response to this invitation by all states’ pilgrims’ welfare boards and the FCT,” the Commission said in a statement on Friday.

he Acting InspectorGeneral of Police, Solomon Arase, yesterday ordered restriction on vehicular movements in Local Government Areas of Abia, Delta, Imo, Kogi and Taraba States where re-run elections are scheduled to take place today.

The restriction is to take place between the hours of 08.00am to 5.00pm, according to statement released by Police Spokesperson, Emmanuel Ojukwu.

“This restriction of vehicular movements order affects movements in and out of the areas where the rerun elections are to take place, except for Ambulances, Fire Service Trucks and others on essential duties.

Consequently, travelers and citizens who intend to ply roads within those hours are advised to plan alternative routes. The IGP also warns government officials and

political office holders not to go to polling Units with uniformed orderlies or aides, while persons who have no business with voting must not be found within 300 metres of a polling unit.”

The Police High Command has also put adequate security measures in place by the deployments of additional senior officers to supervise security of elections in the states as follows: To Abia State: One (1) Deputy Inspector-General of Police, One (1) Assistant Inspector-General of Police and Two (2) Commissioners of Police.

To Imo State: One (1) Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police and Three (3) Commissioners of Police. To Taraba State: Two (2) Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Two (2) Deputy Commissioners of Police.

Meanwhile, citizens are enjoined to remain vigilant and report all suspicious movements or dealings to appropriate Police Authority.

Adamawa NLC Chair win second term bid

From Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Adamawa state Chapter Comrade, Dauda Maina has secured a second term of three years in office in Thursday’s election of the body conducted in Yola.

Maina who emerged victorious in the contest defeated his only rival, Comrade Yakubu Mijah with a wide margin having scored 1032 votes against the 385 votes polled by Mijah.

Apart from the chairmanship position which w as cont e s t e d , all ot he r

positions were returned unopposed.

Addressing delegates shortly after his victory, Maina thanked them for the confidence reposed in him promising not to disappoint them.

He promised to continue to use dialogue in pursuing workers right and welfare from government.

Earlier in their separate remarks, the returning officers f r o m N LC h e a d qu a r t e r s , Comrade Funmi Olakulade and Comrade Zakari Usman urged the executives to carry all members on board in the union’s activities.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

62 abandoned babies rescued in Lagos

By Patrick Andrew with agency report

T

he Lagos State Government yesterday disclosed that it has successfully rescued at least 62 babies abandoned across the state in the last one year.

Dr. Adesegun Oshinyinka, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of Youths and Social Development, who gave the figure at a news conference in Ikeja, said 34 of the babies were male, while 28 were female.

He said that the babies had been taken to some registered orphanages where they were being given adequate care.

Oshinyinka said cases of abandoned babies had become too many and appealed to mothers to always take responsibility for their babies no matter the circumstances.

Giving other statistics, he said the government received no fewer than 111 applications for adoption of babies within the period and that 85 babies were released for adoption, while 76 adoptions were legalised through family courts.

Out of those legalised through family courts, 51 were adopted locally, 18 were international adoptions and four were for relative international adoptions, no fewer than 940 beggars and destitute persons were taken off the streets during the same period.

He said that 37 persons, suspected to be criminals among them, were handed over to the police, while 910 were released to their relations.

The permanent secretary said that no fewer than 1,486 of such persons were currently at the facility where they were learning skills apart from being given care.

T

he National Coordinator of the Odua Peoples Congress and Founder of Odua Progressive Union, Otunba Gani Adams, has paid a solidarity visit to Nigeria Embassy In South Africa over the spate of Xenophobia attacks.

Adams at an interaction with members of the Nigeria Union in South Africa, a cross section of Nigerians and members of the Nigeria Mission in South Africa led by Nigeria’s Ambassador, Mrs. Uche Ajulu-Okeke promised to propose to the Nigeria government the need to make additional laws that will further protect Nigerians who have legitimate reasons to be outside

News

N350bn debt: Acute fuel scarcity looms, oil marketers warn From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

O

il marketers yesterday warned of imminent acute scarcity of petroleum products across the country, over unpaid N350billion debt being owed by the Federal Government.

The Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Femi Olawore addressing a press conference in Lagos

said the next five days are very crucial to marketers to continue to import and distribute petroleum products across the country.

He denied claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that it has fuel in storage that will last for 29 days, he challenged the NNPC to tell the public where the petrol is stored.

“I challenge Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, NNPC) to tell us where the

fuel is stored, there’s no fuel anywhere” he said.

“They are owing us and they should pay. We are doing business on behalf of the Federal Government and if they didn’t ask us to sell with subsidy, all these problems won’t have emerged.

“At this point, majority of the banks are not helpful. All post-dated Sovereign Debt Notes (SDN) issued by the Finance Ministry were not honoured by the banks; they claimed they cannot

deal with post-dated financial instruments.”

Olawore stressed that since the marketers (MOMAN) and Depot and Petroleum Products Marketing Association (DAPPMA) are using their shareholders’ fund to import fuel and the fund has become huge debt, there are concerns among shareholders so that the debt will not go bad.

The marketers said the industry to date had only received approximately N30billion in foreign

exchange differential claims out of the N100billion owed.

“In the same vein, only N345billion has been received in core subsidy payments, covering payments up to the second quarter of 2014.

“Specifically, only three companies out of the six MOMAN companies received payments for forex differentials and no company, MOMAN or DAPPMA, has been paid interest charges on delayed payments,” he stated.

Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos (3rd L), President, Guild of Editors, Mr Femi Adesina (2nd L), General Secretary, Mr Isaac Ighure(4th R), and others during the editors’ visit to Gov. Fashola , yesterday in Lagos

Xenophobia attacks: Gani Adams pays solidarity visit to Nigerians in S/Africa From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

PAGE 11

the country.

Ambassador Ajulu-Okeke revealed that some Nigerians were target of the ongoing attacks and had their businesses disrupted.

She revealed that the Embassy has dedicated the old Embassy building as a camp for Nigerians to seek refuge in case of any treat or danger.

Ajulu-Okeke assuring that the mission is doing everything it can to ensure their safety.

The OPC leader on his part commended the Embassy for its protectiveness since the unwarranted attack on foreigners expressing concern that the South African government owes it a duty to protect the lives and property of foreigners.

Speakership: Why APC should not ignore South South - CJF

By Patrick Andrew

A

n advocacy group, the Coalition for Justice and Fairness (CJF), has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against excluding the South South geopolitical zone from its zoning formula, especially as it affects the Speakership of the House of Representatives.

The group said the APC, whose chieftains are currently deliberating on the zoning formula, should be conscious of the delicate nature of the Nigerian society and allows fairness and equity to prevail in the distribution of elected offices.

The group said since the President-Elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari hails from the North West and the Vice President-Elect, Prof Yemi

Osinbajo comes from the South West, it would be foolhardy for the APC to zone the National Assembly leadership to the North East and South West regions.

The CJF expressed that view that excluding the South South and South East geopolitical regions would have serious avoidable implications that the party leadership would do well to carefully consider.

The CJF in the statement signed by its convener, Muraina Ahmed, warned that the exclusion of the zones will negate the federal character principle enunciated in section 14(3) of the Nigerian Constitution.

“For the records, the APC as the majority party has the conventional privilege to zone the offices of Senate President, Deputy Senate President,

Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“The knotty issue that will test APC’s abhorrence of impunity, which was one of the major reasons Nigerians voted for the party, is the zoning of the listed leadership offices in the National Assembly.

“To be fair, for instance, the South East has no APC senator at all and has not produced any ranking APC Member of the House of Representatives.

The South South has one Senator who is a fresher and does not meet the ranking criterion. But the South South has four members - elect for the House of Representatives two of whom are ranking, with one of them, Hon. Pally Iriase parading impeccable credentials and legislative leadership experience.

“This is a golden opportunity

that the APC must not miss.

In the spirit of fairness and adherence of federal character, the position of Speaker, House of Representatives should be zoned to the South South geopolitical zone.

“There are dangers in deliberately shutting out the South South from the Speakership of the House of Representatives for the following reasons: The South South lost the Presidency and if APC fails to be magnanimous in victory but embarks on vendetta by denying the zone the opportunity to produce Speaker, the government may unwittingly start on a controversial way in the minds of discerning Nigerians.

The incoming 8th Assembly of the National Assembly is due to be inaugurated on June 6, 2015.

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Photosplash

L-R: Kingsley Okon of Oron, Akwa Ibom State and former Miss Jane Miaphen of Quan-Pam L.G.A of Plateau State their wedding at Dunamis Int’l Gospel Centre, Aso Pada, Karu L.G.A, Nasarawa State - Photo Gabriel Gwajime 08188310358

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

R-L: Community Leader , Bwari Area Council, Abuja, receiving a car gift from the Chief of staff to Senator Aduda, Mr Dabara John, during Aduda’s empowerment programme yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Participants at the Kaduna State Commercial Agriculture Development Project workshop, yesterday in Kaduna

L-R: Deputy Director, Finance and Administration, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC),Executive Secretary, NIPC, Saratu Umar and acting Director, Human Resoures, Mutawali Kukawa, media briefing recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

JNEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega (R), presenting INEC bag to the Acting IG, Mr Solomon Arase, during his first visit to INEC headquarters, yesterday in Abuja . Photo: Mahmud Isah

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 13

News

‘We’ve almost wiped out insurgents in North East’ From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Air Vice Marshal John Ifemeje has said that the Nigerian military is almost at the end of the operation of wiping out the insurgents in the north east and bringing ever lasting peace to the nation.

Speaking in an interview with journalists shortly after the closing

ceremony of its yearly 19-day exercise on joint and multi agency training in internal security and low intensity conflict, nicknamed exercise HASKE BIYU for Senior Course 37 yesterday in Kaduna, the commandant noted that from the results they are achieving in the North East, insurgency will soon be a thing of the past.

“From the results we are achieving in the North East, we are almost at the end of the

operation and wiping out the insurgents and bring ever lasting peace to the nation,” he said.

He said the exercise, which was designed to broaden the understanding of counter revolutionary warfare with emphasis on insurgency and training as part of the college curricula, included participants of members of paramilitary organisations, security agencies and selected media organisations.

Speaking on the impact of the exercise, he said participants have been privileged to understand the need for inter-services’ and inter-agencies’ cooperation in International Security and Low Intensity Conflict operations.

On his part, Director, Department of Joint Studies, Brigadier General Benjamin Ahanatu, said 85 participants comprising of 12 agencies participated in the three-week

long exercise and lamented the absence of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

“The NPF did not participate for the third year running, the Nigeria Union of Journalists was visibly absent also, the presence of these two agencies is key to the success of the exercise and we are making a strong case for the presence of NPF in the next edition,” he said.

Yakawada condemns killing of El-rufai’s campaign coordinator From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

F L-R: Wazirin Katagum, Alhaji Sule Katagum; Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu; Bauchi state Deputy Governor-elect, Alhaji Nuhu Gidado; Bauchi State Chairman Council of Emirs/Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu; Bauchi state Governor-elect, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar and Emir of Ningi, Alhaji Yunusa Danyaya during a courtesy visit by the Bauchi state council of emirs to the Governor-Elect, yesterday y at Ramat House, Bauchi

Obiano visits Buhari, begs for appointments for Ndigbo

By Umar Muhammad Puma

A

nambra State Governor, Willy Obiano, has asked President elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, to consider Southeast in terms of appointment, completion of second Niger bridge and some of the federal roads in the region, in his administration.

Addressing journalists in Abuja after visiting Buhari, Obiano said “I came to congratulate His Excellency the President-elect on

his victory and I am also here to reassure him that Anambra and the South East would support him. I also pleaded with him on some pressing problems that are of importance to the South East.

“We also pleaded in the area of appointment for the people of Anambra and of course for people from the South East, be it ministerial, ambassadorial and what have you. So basically it is to congratulate the president elect on his well deserved victory.”

Asked whether he is

considering joining the APC, he replied, “Well I am a very focused governor. Under my tenure I brought change in the area of security in Anambra state and I will always support things that would bring change to improve the well-being of Ndi Anambra and Nigeria as a whole. So yes.”

On whether he is in touch with APC leaders from the South East with regard to appointment for people of the South East? “Yes most of them have actually paid a courtesy call on me and yes we

are talking and I suspect that the President is not going to give appointment to only people from his party, because everybody would support him and so he has to consider people from the other parties so that we can all embrace the change.”

He however dismissed speculations that he would soon join the APC, “It is not correct. I will remain with APGA and work very closely with Mr. President”, he said.

Transition: Jonathan plans familiarization tour of Villa for Buhari

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said a date would soon be set aside for him to take the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, round the Aso Rock villa on familiarization tour of the facilities.

The President made

the disclosure yesterday after having a closed door meeting with his successor at the Presidential villa.

Beaming with smiles after the closed door meeting, Jonathan said his discussion with Buhari was fruitful just as he added that their discussions bordered on issues of national interest.

He said “We will take a date when the president will come and I will show him round the state house but today is not for that.

Today is to continue with our conversation.

So we don’t need to worry the president, we don’t need to worry the President.”

When asked to sag

something about his meeting with Jonathan, Buhari said “The President said it all.”

At the meeting of Jonathan with Buhari were the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun and former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau.

ormer Secretary to Kaduna State government, Alhaji Samai’la Yakawada, yesterday condemned in strong terms, the killing of El-Rufai’s campaign Coordinator in Atuku, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna state, Mr. Markus Ishaya.

This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in the state, describing the attack as barbaric.

Gunmen trailed Mr. Markus Ishaya to his village in Atuku Kasa, and shot him several times.

“I want to use this opportunity to condemn the killing of Markus Ishaya by agents of wickedness.

My empathy and prayers go to the family of Ishaya and the entire community over this callous murder and desecration of human life.

“May Almighty God grant his soul eternal rest and give his family and friends the fortitude to bear this painful loss,” Yakawada said.

Late Ishaya was the Kaduna State Governorelect’s coordinator in Atuku Ward and did very well in mobilizing for support. He has since been buried.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 14

Crime Cycle

Stanley Onyekwere pmlcrimecycle@gmail.com 08138559513

Tenant in trouble for assaulting landlord

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tenant, Doris Okafor, 24, has been charged before a Tinubu Magistrates’ court in Lagos for allegedly assaulting her landlord.

Okafor, a student, lives at House 43, 4th Avenue, Road 403, Festac Town, Lagos.

She faces charges of conspiracy and assault occasioning harm.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Daniel Ighodalo, told the court that Okafor committed the offences at 10 a.m. on March 18 at No. 66, Emmanuel St., Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

He said the accused with

four others still at large went to residence of her landlord, Godwin Ulom, in Lekki, Lagos and assaulted him.

“The student assaulted the landlord after he had a confrontation with her for smoking hemp as well as her alleged association with persons of questionable character.

“The tenant came to the landlord’s residence with four men suspected to be hoodlums to beat him up,’’ Ighodalo added.

According to him, the landlord was beaten to pulp.

He noted that the offences contravened Sections 171 and

Theft: Driver charged over employer’s property

A

28-year-old driver, Friday Okonoboh, was on Wednesday brought before a Somolu Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing his employer’s property.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused is facing a one-count charge of stealing.

The prosecutor, Insp.

Nurudeen Thomas, said the accused committed the offence on April 13 at about 6.30 a.m. at No. 26, Ajose St., Mende in Maryland, Lagos.

Thomas said the accused, who was employed by the complainant, MrsOlajumokeAderounmu, as her personal driver, looted the home of the woman and escaped to Edo to sell off what she stole.

He said the property stolen

included a Toyota Corolla car marked KTU 548 CB valued at N2.5 million and laptops valued at N500,000.

Other items are shoes, clothes and glass cups.

“The accused sold the stolen items and converted the money to personal use,’’ the prosecutor said.

He said that all the items had, however, been recovered.

According to him, the offence contravenes Section 285 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. B.O. Osunsanmi, granted him bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case till June 19 for further hearing.

Hacker docked over N68bn theft

O

ne Stephen Omaidu, has appeared before Justice M. A Nasir of Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja, on a-two-count charge bordering on theft to the tune of N68, 028, 000, 000.00 (sixty eight billion and twenty eight million naira).

Omaidu, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), allegedly hacked into the server of a second generation bank and transferred the sum of sixty eight billion, and twenty eight million naira into different accounts for personal gains.

The EFCC, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, Omaidu, said the accused committed offence in connivance with Alhaji K. B Kabiru, Godswill Oyegwa, Ben and Oliver (all now at large) allegedly.

It added that the offence is

punishable under section 287 of the Penal code Act. “Following his “not guilty” plea, counsel to EFCC, S. AUgwuebgulam asked the court to fix a date for trial to commence.

According to the statement, defence counsel, Gabriel Sanifu asked the court to admit the accused to bail pending trial,as the offence is bailable.

However, Ugwuebgulam objected to the application on the ground that the accused had failed to honour the administrative bail terms earlier granted him by the Commission and could do same if not remanded by the court.

“Justice Nasir ordered the accused to be remanded in the custody of the EFCC and adjourned the case to April 28, 2015 for ruling on the bail application,” the statement noted.

409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 171 recommends three years imprisonment for assault occasioning harm, while Section 409 provides a two-year jail term for conspiracy.

Okafor, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.

The Magistrate, Mrs. OlaitanAjayi, granted him bail in the sum of N20, 000 with a surety in like sum and adjourned the case to May 18 for hearing proper.

Ag. IG, Solomon Arase

Unemployed man faces N4m fraud charge

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36-year-old jobless man, Ugbo Ozuem, who allegedly defrauded a Lagos-based company of N4 million, was on Friday brought before an Igbosere Magistrates’ court, Lagos.

Ozuem, whose address is unknown, is standing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy, fraud; forgery and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Ingobo Emby, told the court that the accused, with others still at large, committed the offences between December 2014 and January 2015 at Asset Resource Management Company Ltd (ARM) at No.1, Mekunwen Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

He said the accused obtained N4 million from ARM under the guise of being the owner of ARM mutual funds redemption form,

bearing the name of one Mrs. Sarah Joseph.

The accused forged the ARM’s mutual funds redemption form and used it to withdraw the money.’’

He said the offences contravened Sections 285 (1), 312 (1) (a), 363 (1) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the accused pleaded not guilty.

After listening to the plea of the counsel to the accused for bail, the Magistrate, Mrs. A. A. Famobiwo, granted him bail in the sum of N250, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

She said the sureties must be gainfully employed.

The magistrate adjourned the case to April 30 for mention.

Crime quote: “The ordinary response to atrocities is to banish them from consciousness. Certain violations of the social compact are too terrible to utter aloud: this is the meaning of the word unspeakable.

Atrocities, however, refuse to be buried. Equally as powerful as the desire to deny atrocities is the conviction that denial does not work. Folk wisdom is filled with ghosts who refuse to rest in their graves until their stories are told.

Murder will out. Remembering and telling the truth about terrible events are prerequisites both for the restoration of the social order and for the healing of individual victims.

The conflict between the will to deny horrible events and the will to proclaim them aloud is the central dialectic of psychological trauma. People who have survived atrocities often tell their stories in a highly emotional, contradictory, and fragmented manner that undermines their credibility and thereby serves the twin imperatives of truth-telling and secrecy. When the truth is finally recognized, survivors can begin their recovery.

But far too often secrecy prevails, and the story of the traumatic event surfaces not as a verbal narrative but as a symptom.

The psychological distress symptoms of traumatized people simultaneously call attention to the existence of an unspeakable secret and deflect attention from it. This is most apparent in the way traumatized people alternate between feeling numb and reliving the event. The dialectic of trauma gives rise to complicated, sometimes uncanny alterations of consciousness, which George Orwell, one of the committed truth-tellers of our century, called “doublethink,” and which mental health professionals, searching for calm, precise language, call “dissociation.” It results in protean, dramatic, and often bizarre symptoms of hysteria which Freud recognized a century ago as disguised communications about sexual abuse in childhood. . . .” ― Judith Lewis Herman, Trauma and Recovery

Police arraign 16-year-old for defiling 2-year-old

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he Police have arraigned a 16-year-old, Azeez Ganiyu, who allegedly defiled a twoyear-old girl, before an Apapa Magistrates’ court in Lagos.

Ganiyu, who resides at Ijora Badia area of Lagos, is standing trial for the offence of child rape.

The Prosecutor, Soji Ojaokomo, told the court that the accused committed the offence on April 16 at the same address.

Ojaokomo said the accused called the girl and lured her into a lonely place while her mother went to get food for her.

“Ganiyu took the girl to an uncompleted building beside the

house and defiled her.

“Her mother started looking for her child on her return and she asked her neighbor, who said she left the girl to play outside with other children.

“The mother said while she was searching for her child, she heard her screaming from an uncompleted building beside the house.

“When she got there, she saw Ganiyu satisfying his carnal desires with the child,” he stressed.

According to him, the said offence contravened the provisions of Section 137 of the

Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

However, in his ruling, the Magistrate, Patrick Adekomaiya, ordered that the case file should be forwarded to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 137 prescribes life imprisonment for defilement of a minor.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to May 5 for receipt of legal advice.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 15

Interview

‘Buhari alone can’t solve Nigeria’s problems’ Contd from Page 2

probe instituted to look at what happened in the past. Besides, as for what will happen in the future you can’t stop people from coming out with breaches, which were committed in the past. If that comes up, I am sure that the law will take its course.

President Jonathan reportedly offered to handover on May 28, but the APC said it is not obtainable and that it must be May 29.

What is your reaction?

I think the controversy itself is absolutely unnecessary in the sense that the country has a tradition that the serving president hands over to the incoming president on May 29 and traditions are not unimportant.

Of course, everyone comes from a certain tradition and is identified by it. Secondly, by law the tenure of the current administration terminates on May 29, so why would he want to hand over on May 28? What happens between the time he leaves office and when the incoming government is legally required to resume office? Who will be in charge? Should the country be left in a vacuum? I think the president should reconsider his position and handover the instrument of power to the incoming president on May 29 and then go home.

You said the volume of corruption in the country under Jonathan’s watch has been unprecedented even from ancient times, are you speaking from empirical background or mere assumption?

I said that at no time in the history of mankind: modern or ancient, that the level of corruption taking place in Nigeria today had ever happened before. What has been happening in Nigeria from 2011 till now is that an average of $1 billion is being stolen every month.

I will give you some examples, in 2011, subsidy on fuel and kerosene was N267 billion, but by 2012, it was N2.6trillion that is 10 times the original amount within one year.

Did we increase our consumption of fuel? Did the generators and vehicles multiply 10 times within a year? Has the money reportedly stolen been recovered?

Officially as we speak, we are losing an average of $6.7 billion from oil theft every year. This is the figure that the government has acknowledged that it lost. Now, if you put together these figures: the N2.6 trillion and the $6.7 billion that is an average of $1 billion a month that is being stolen in Nigeria and nobody has accounted for this money. Oil theft is a daily occurrence, fuel subsidy is an everyday experience and it is only increasing not decreasing. Where in the world have you ever seen this kind of massive corruption?

Gen Buhari receiving certificate of return from INEC The American president cannot spend $10,000 off budget. He has no right to spend that amount off budget or he would be impeached.

But here, officially in the 2012 budget, what we had for fuel subsidy was N267 billion but what was spent was over N2.6 trillion. Who appropriated that money? On whose authority was that money spent?

Nowhere in the world would this kind of thing happen and nothing takes place. There is no retribution, nothing. This can only happen in Nigeria.

Would you say the oil theft and the subsidy scam were perpetrated by a syndicate?

And would you suggest that the in-coming government should probe subsidy scam?

Well, wherever there is organised crime it is perpetrated by a syndicate, people who know themselves, who planned and executed it.

As to whether the in-coming federal government would like to probe the subsidy scam. I don’t know, but it has said that it would

“

draw a line and I have no doubt that the president that is taking over would be confronted with these facts. The General Muhammadu Buhari that I know will not look the other way.

Nigerians have high expectations on the Buhari government, which area would you suggest that the administration should focus on?

I honestly think that Buhari has his priority. He has outlined three areas of priority: security, corruption and economy. And these are the fundamental problems in the country today. Nigeria needs to be secured because right now the country is vulnerable, every citizen is unsafe and without security nothing else can happen. Everybody knows that the president-elect has a track record in that area. And then the other issue is corruption. If you don’t address corruption insecurity will persist and the economy will never take off, and fortunately also Buhari has a track record in that area as well. Then the third, of course,

is the economy and when you say the economy it means everything: production, services, job creation, income generation and distribution as well. These are priorities that any sensible government should address.

Your party, the PDM put up a good fight, but it still could not make significant impact, what is your reaction?

Our party was expected to perform better than it did but what happened was that Nigerians were so scared that the PDP may return that they decided that the only solution was to vote for the APC enmasse so that the PDP does not have any chance of returning. They saw in the APC presidential candidate a promise and hope for the country and, therefore, everybody voted enmasse for the party.

The result was that other parties suffered. Personally, if this is the price to pay for the change that has taken place, then I think it is a fair price.

Decamping to the APC has become the vogue now,

The level of corruption and stealing that is going on in Nigeria today is unprecedented. There is nowhere in ancient or modern history where the amount of money being stolen in Nigeria today has ever occurred.

what should we do to avoid a gradual drift to a one-party state?

I think leaving one party to another has the good and bad sides.

The good side is that if there is no internal democracy in one party or that there is a lot of high handedness or the party lacks commitment to any principle, I think there is no harm for a member to move from one party to another.

On the other hand, the people are moving out of opportunism reasoning that since another party has won an election they should go there and share in the offices that will be distributed. I think this is a very bad development. I have no pity for the PDP. If it is empty totally today and people move to other parties I will not have any pity for them because this country has been under their control for 16 years and it has been degenerating, nothing has improved. If this is the lesson that the PDP needs to learn in other to understand that Nigerians are angry, I think it is the right thing to do.

However, the answer is not for all of us to move to one party because that party that has won power also needs an opposition for it to perform. I believe that some people must bear the brunt for building a credible and viable opposition in other to keep the APC on its toes. But I don’t believe the PDP is that kind of opposition.

The PDP has been so corrupt that I don’t think it has the capacity to provide a viable opposition.

PAGE 16

Politics

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

2015 election: How Governor Jang got it wrong From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

T

he keenly contested 2015 general elections have come and gone and there are victors and villains alike.

Moreover, the results have provided ample reference points for subsequent political analyses. Nonetheless, to some people, the outcome of the elections were foreseen, while others hardly anticipated what eventually happened.

Politicians in Nigeria, according to political analysts, have deep but false conviction that the power of incumbency, use of brute force and indulgence in spending spree during electioneering campaigns automatically guarantee them victory at the polls. They equally hold the belief that these deceptive ingredients pave way for them to manipulate election results.

Indeed, history clearly shows that these have been the case in previous elections.

Money politics had severally assisted desperate politicians to significantly determine the outcome of previous elections. But the 2015 general elections defied all calculations in this regard.

Although there was significant presence of money politics, but the tsunami-like yearning for a breath of fresh air forced the hands of desperate politicians and it produced results which were pleasantly shocking. It crashed the hope and expectations of desperate and powerdrunk politicians.

Perhaps, it was the usual conceited confidence and arrogance that beclouded Governor Jonah Jang’s sense of reasoning, just as he never believed that all his preelection utterances gingered by the power of incumbency could fall flat simply because of the yearning of the people for change. He had thought or rather held the belief that ‘power politics’ and the warped perception of those in power that as ‘power brokers’ they dictate where the power pendulum would swing.

Prior to the elections, especially the gubernatorial poll, Jang was severally accused of imposing his tribesman on the state to the detriment of other tribes.

He held the false belief that because the Berom boasts of the largest population compared to others in the state just like the Tivs in Benue and Igalas in Kogi, who on the bases of their sheer numerical strength have continued to dominate others in their states, that it would be the same in Plateau, but he was in for a rude shock.

First, the result of the presidential election surprised the governor, as the people demonstrated their disdain for the PDP by spurning the incumbent president.

Political pundits were unanimous that Jang in his wildest dream had never thought that Buhari would emerge the winner of the March 28 presidential poll. Jang seems to have ignored the common belief that God alone gives power, according to his will. ‘Power politics’ seems to have incited him to believe that he and his associates would remain in power for as long as they wish to.

He was reported to have said at various PDP rallies across the state that the 2015 presidency is not for the north, that the region should be patient until 2019 and even come 2019, they would see who the northerners really are.

Jang had during the campaigns trivialised Buhari‘s candidature, thinking that the existing power structure of the ruling PDP would favour the party at all levels. In his last zonal rally in Pankshing LGA, at a town hall meeting, he belittled Buhari and Lalong`s ambitions, dismissing

Gov. Jonah Jang

Gov.-elect, Simon Lalong

it as an insignificant matter that would hardly yield results at the end. ``Buhari had contested three times and did not succeed which means that Nigerians don`t want him as their president.

“He was once a military president and couldn`t do anything and as a civilian president I don`t think he would do anything if elected. What would he do?

I respect him as a General, but I would advise him to withdraw and be patient because 2015 is not for the north. The north should be patient until 2019 and even come 2019, we will see who is really a northerner. `` The outgoing governor did not only dismiss Buhari as someone unlikely to achieve his political goal, he also cast aspersion on the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Barrister Simon Lalong, thinking that his alleged low political status and little structure in the state do not present any obstacle to the PDP. Even Lalong’s political associates were not considered important in Plateau politics and so he thought they would not influence the electorate significantly.

Thr governor never believed in Lalong’s candidature since he, Pauline Tallen, a former Deputy Governor and John Shagaya had no open support of top political leaders in the state. He believed that they would not generate enough clout to dim the shine of the PDP. He also failed to reckon with the influence of aggrieved PDP members in the state who, although could not demonstrate their support publicly to the Lalong group, played active roles against the PDP. True, Jang had vowed that as far as he is concerned, he would not handover the key to the new Government House built by his administration to an opposition government. But he was not conscious of

the tsunami-like image of General Buhari and the people’s acceptance of whoever associates with him. In spite of all odds though, Lalong remained resolute in the struggle, kept pushing and garnering support daily until it became obvious that he and not the PDP’s candidate was the man to beat at the election.

The governor-elect was constant with the refrain “God gives power” to whom he wishes and by his grace, the APC would emerge victorious at all levels. He avoided making unnecessary utterances that were insignificant to his ambition.

During electioneering campaigns, opinion polls indicated glaringly that the APC had canvassed for more support than the PDP and that it is obvious the party was growing in confidence than the ruling PDP. Indeed, Jang had this mistaken belief that the acceptance of a former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye, and exFCT Minister, Jeremiah Useni, who hail from the central and southern senatorial districts into the PDP would undoubtedly make them throw their weight behind the PDP governorship candidate, GNS Pwajok, despite being imposed by him.

Useni and Dariye were supposed to back Pwajok in the gubernatorial election, but because of the failed gentleman agreement in respect of the zoning structure between the three geo-political zones, political pundits were of the view that in spite of being members of the PDP, they worked against the candidature of Pwajok because he was never seen as the candidate of the party.

Although their opposition to Pwajok was not as open as that of Tallen, but it was argued that they and their likes in the PDP didn`t support Jang`s decision to bring Pwajok as the next Plateau governor on the platform of the PDP, believing that other zones would be cheated if he

“

Politicians in Nigeria, according to political analysts, have a deep, but false conviction that the power of incumbency, use of brute force and indulgence in spending spree during electioneering campaigns automatically guarantee them victory at the poll.

Jeremiah Useini eventually wins the election.

Political pundits further argued that the fallout of the ruling party in the state was as a result of Jang`s refusal to listen to the continued plea by individuals and traditional rulers including the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jocob Gyang Buba, who is of the same tribe with Jang and is the chairman of traditional rulers in Plateau.

Investigation revealed that Buba wrote a five page letter to Jang entitled ``Lastlap Decision Making`` warning him about the possible implication of siding with his tribalman to the detriment of other tribes, saying it would eventually become problematic to the Berom nation, particularly if the PDP loses the election.

Part of the issues raised in the letter include, “We noted that in 2007 and 2011, a senatorial district did not present any gubernatorial candidate not because of any agreement, but possibly out of a sense of fair play and morality. Could this not be used against us?

“The security challenges that the state faces, particularly in Plateau North has been used by many political and tribal opponents against us to preach the most unfortunate and false ‘gospel’ that it arose from the hatred of the Berom towards Islam and Muslims, particularly the Hausa and Fulani. ‘‘Would our action not be impacted by this false ‘gospel’? Do we note the fact that though the Berom is the largest single tribe on the Plateau, we do not have such numbers like the Tivs in Benue State or Igala in Kogi State, that can make us solely elect a governor? Shall we not also be open to the same accusation of ethnic bigots that we have often leveled against the bigger tribes?’’

Buba suspected that should the PDP lose at the poll, there would be possible political gang up against the Berom nation with adverse political consequences. Now that the PDP has lost the governorship election, would Buba’s fears materialise?

However, now that Governor Jang had gotten it wrong and Buhari and Lalong have emerged victorious in the presidential and governorship elections, would he now believe that one can contest election more than four times, lose and then win?

Would he agree to handover the key to the new government house built by his administration to the opposition? Would he believe that the power of incumbency does not always pay? Would he also believe that God gives power to whoever he wishes at any time?

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE17

Interview

PDP plotted its downfall, Ahmed Yar’Adua Architect Ahmed Aminu Yar’Adua was a gubernatorial aspirant in Katsina State on the platform of the PDP in the 2015 general elections. An alumnus of the Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPS), Jos, he was Secretary to the Kastina State Government during the first tenure of Governor Ibrahim Shema. In this interview with Patrick Andrew he reviews the 2015 elections and what led to the defeat of the PDP.

H

ow would you appraise the PDP governorship primaries and the general elections that your party eventually lost?

What happened during the PDP primaries in Kastina State was not in the best interest of the party. Nine of us contested the PDP primaries and because the party has no internal democracy, only the governor’s candidate was involved in the selection of delegations to the primaries. The 1,200 delegates were chosen solely by the governor. He did this just to produce his own candidate. We wrote petitions to the National Working Committee of the party, but nobody listened to us, they only chose to listen to the governor.

The primaries were a sham.

We protested and staged a work out. Nonetheless, they gave 30 votes to the eight of us, while the other aspirant, Nashihu, was awarded 1,300 votes to emerge the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP. Nashihu may have been successful in his field of endevaour, but he was a nobody in the political arithmetics of Kastina State. The governor also imposed the senatorial, House of Representatives and State Assembly candidates, he even handpicked councilors as well.

So, what we had was simply a dictatorship and not democracy and that was why the PDP lost out woefully in the elections.

Generally, would you say that the 2015 general elections were fairly conducted across the country

by INEC? Do you think there should be improvement in

“

future elections?

I have witnessed about six elections, and I think that the 2015 poll seems to be the best. Most importantly, INEC ensured that the votes of the people counted.

The electorate were given a chance to chose those they wanted and to remove those they don’t want.

Should this be sustained in the polity in subsequent elections, there will be integrity in our politics and the right caliber of persons will be willing to vie for elective offices.

Professor Attahiru Jega has written his name in gold in Nigerian history. The introduction of modern technology via the card reader made remarkable differences. We have to also acknowledge the roles of the social media, civil society organisations and election monitors. We also acknowledge the commitment of the electorate who were determined to prevent electoral fraud at the polling units. INEC ensured that elements of fraud were reduced to the barest minimum.

APC may appear to be getting it right now, but by next elections we will know how they will manage the issue of delegates and contestants, the issue of internal democracy.

I am also suggesting that there should be a constitutional amendment to make INEC conduct local government elections. This is because state INECs are extensions of government houses.

Why did the PDP perform dismally in the last general elections?

Before the elections, PDP as a party had lost focus. The electionresults are evidence of this.

The founding fathers of the party had sense of purpose when the

party was founded, but 16 years later, it totally lost focus. There was no more ideology.

Imagine a situation where party chairmen became mere appendages of the governor, which is not in the PDP constitution.

The so-called party leader is more powerful than the chairman. The president is the party leader at the national level, while the governors are leaders in their respective states. The party leaders do whatever they want and nobody can challenge them. They are powerful and omnibus.

In Kastina State, the party’s leader imposed a permanent secretary on us. He brought him as a party chairman because he was his classmate. He had no clout and political pedigree in the state.

Three secretaries were supposed to sit with the governor to take decisions on the daily running of the party. But I have never been invited to any state caucus meeting.

So, during the general elections, there were lots of protest vote against the PDP, because the party lost focus. How on earth will any reasonable party allow five of its governors from very sensitive states like Kano and Rivers to decamp to the opposition APC and nobody took it serious? And when you look at the PDP presidential primaries, how can a party that has been in power for 16 years say they printed only one form for its primaries? That was also part of the problem.

It was a sign of dictatorship

by President Jonathan and it replicated in every state where the governors also imposed their stooges on the people.

There have been mass defection to the APC. Some

Now, the APC has come with the same selfish elements. There are people that have defected to the APC because the PDP no longer serves their interest.

Yar’adua say those leaving the PDP are political harlots, do you think so?

You see, just like the governor of Kano State, Musa Kwankwaso, said sometime ago, there are people who calculate and take new risks and there are others who sit on the fence and wait for things to happen before they make a move.

Nigeria seems to be tending towards a two-party system, what do you think is responsible for the slide towards a two-party system vis-à-vis the dominance of the PDP and APC? Many political parties in Nigeria are not actually driven by ideologies but by the elites and their business interests. The PDP, for instance, is populated by selfish elites and businessmen, while only a few people are interested in the service of the people. Now, the APC has come with the same selfish elements. There are people that have defected to the APC because the PDP no longer serves their interests.

We also have the small parties which are also about interests, because the larger parities do

not serve their interests, so they want to form their own parties.

However, what is important is that there should be varieties of political environment. There should not be one or two dominant political parties. People should be given the chance to associate and belong to where they want to.

Are you asserting that Nigeria should revert to the two-party system as was the case under Ibrahim Babangida?

You see, in democracy, people should be given the freedom to form whatever association that they want. People are not crammed into straight jacket system of oneparty or two party-states. The small parties today can become big ones tomorrow or over time and win elections. You see, when the APC started, when Bola Tinubu’s ACN and Muhammadu Buhari’s CPC and others came together, nobody gave them a chance. The small parties should be allowed to flourish. INEC should put some regulations in place to check the operations of these parties. They should be many parties in Nigeria.

PAGE 18

Political News

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

2015 budget: Reps Ortom promises to constitute slim cabinet query FG’s N145b subsidy provision B From Uche Uche

By Patrick Andrew

T

he House of Representatives has queried the provision of N145 billion subsidy components that were embedded in the 2015 Budget.

Though the House passed the budget totalling about N4.5 trillion, it however cleared the air on the seemingly confusion over whether subsidy has been retained or abrogated as speculated in some quarters.

In a statement issued yesterday

by Hon. Afam Ogene, (APC, Anambra), Deputy Chairman, Media &Public Affairs Committee, said contrary to the speculation that fuel subsidy has been removed from the 2015 Appropriation Bill, the House of Representatives has clarified that, indeed, the federal government made provision for the subsidy welfare scheme.

According to him, the House noted that a total of N145 billion subsidy component was embedded in the 2015 budget it passed on Thursday, April 23, 2015, made up of N100 billion for subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit ( PMS), and N45billion for kerosene .

“When the executive presented

the 2015 budget proposals, it made provisions for N100 billion for petrol , and another N45 billion subsidy on kerosene . Both items, alongside some others, are contained in the revenue framework upon which the 2015 Appropriation Bill was predicated.

“Having now passed the 2015 budget proposal, the revenue framework wherein the subsidy quotient is located, would now be sent alongside, as part of the attachments accompanying the passed Appropriation Bill, to the executive for presidential assent,” the Deputy House spokesman said.

He said, “though the subsidy components were not included in the consideration of the budget proposals for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), which the House dealt with last Thursday, the revenue framework upon which the entire budget proposal was predicated on was jointly worked upon by officials of the executive arm of the government and the House Committee on Finance - and provisions outlined for fuel subsidy as earlier pointed out.”

Ogene’s explanation may not

be unconnected with the persisted fuel scarcity, something that has defied reason, forcing many to believe that marketers may have acted in anticipation of a likely hike in fuel price in response to removal of subsidy.

Madueke

PDP to set up rebranding c’ttee before 2019 – Muazu

By Patrick Andrew

P

eoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to constitute a committee to assess and analyse its performance in the last general elections with a view to rebranding preparatory to subsequent elections.

National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, restated

Mu’azu

the determination of the leadership of the party rebrand and reposition the party not only to play opposition politics but prepare for the 2019 general elections, when he led the National Executive Committee to the South East on Thursday.

Mu’azu insisted that the party has accepted its lose of power in good faith but was working assiduously to forge ahead with the aim of reclaiming its lost glory, adding that the NEC of the party would ensure that the party is properly rebranded and redirected for subsequent elections.

Muazu dismissed assertion that the PDP was heading for extinction, stressing that, “The PDP National Working Committee under my supervision will be able to rebrand the party, redirect it, and ensure that the party takes up its national and state leadership position.

“The mistakes we have made, individually and collectively, will be analysed by a committee and passed to us for implementation to ensure success in subsequent elections,” even as he said that he has taken full responsibility for the party’s poor performance at the polls.

“Power comes from God. PDP

is under test by God,” and exonerated members of the NEC from blame for the party’s dismal performance at the general elections that saw the defeat of an incumbent president and the loss of several states and majority seats in the National Assembly.

“Unfortunately for them, the responsibility as to whether we succeed or fail does not solely rest on the National Working Committee. However, I have repeatedly said it that success has too many fathers and brothers too. Failure has none. I have taken full and total responsibility of whatever has happened to the party now.

“I believe in God. And I also believe in destiny and I also believe that power and glory belong to the Almighty God. He gives to whom he wants when he wants. Therefore, he has taken from us. We give thanks to him all the same today and in the future, and forever we will remain thankful to him.

“I assure you that we are under test by God and He will not let us fail. We will succeed. We will pass this test,” he said and went on to expressed concern over manipulation in some quarters to rob the PDP of victory in Abia governorship poll.

enue State Governor-elect, Dr Samuel Ortom, has disclosed that he would constitute a lean cabinet to run his government.

Ortom, who made this disclosure yesterday in Makurdi at a party held to celebrate his victory in the state, explained that the decision to form a government of lean cabinet was necessitated by the dwindling financial fortunes of the state.

He said the cabinet would be constituted in consultation with major stakeholders who are expected to nominate credible people with impeccable character and ability to deliver, even as he pledged the commitment of his government to promoting excellence at the expense of sycophancy and mediocrity.

The former Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, stressed that his administration will also have zero tolerance for corruption and that corrupt public officials will be disgraced.

According to him, members of his cabinet would subscribe to a code of conduct which will abhor corruption, adding that a mechanism shall be put in place to monitor them.

He also dispelled rumours making the rounds that new recruitments and replacements into the civil service were being secretly made by the current government at the state level, stating that the governor had given his word that no such thing had been done since his declaration as winner of the governorship election.

The governor-elect also said he had reached an agreement with the governor that local government elections will not be held until the economy of the state improve.

Ortom expressed confidence

that the governor would keep his words as a gentleman otherwise he will know what to do when he takes over.

The former minister further said he is discussing with the outgoing governor about the need to put the appointment of first class and other chiefs on hold until the current salary and pension arrears are cleared.

He announced that a 20-member transition committee with 10 members each from the outgoing and incoming administrations will soon be constituted, as well as another one for the inauguration ceremony, saying at least one person from each of the local government areas will be represented.

Director General of the organisation, Professor Steve Ugbah, commended members for their commitment and hard work which he said had enabled them wage a successful and gallant fight against the hitherto ruling party and someone he described as the ‘Benue Goliath’.

Ortom

Nnamani to challenge defeat in court

S

enator Chimaroke Nnamani yesterday indicated that his defeat in the March 28 senatorial elections was questionable and that he is taking the Peoples Democratic Party flagbearer, Senator Gil Nnaji, who won the elections to the Election Tribunal.

Nnamani, who contested for the seat on the platform of the People for Democratic Change (PDC), said he will be contesting the validity of the victory of the senator-elect.

A statement signed by the Chairman of the PDC in Enugu State, Comrade Sunday Ani, said Nnamani has formally petitioned the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Enugu to challenge the result declared by the Independent National Electoral

Commission (INEC).

“On 28th of March 2015, the good people of Enugu East Senatorial District turned out en-masse to perform their civic duty. You cast your votes overwhelmingly for the candidate of our party, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, to represent you in the Senate. However, to your shock and disbelief, another candidate was announced as the winner.

“Against this background, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani accepted the responsibility to reclaim the mandate, and this he has done by petitioning the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.”

He expressed confidence “that justice will be done in God’s time,” and urged the party’s supporters to “remain calm and continue to trust in God.”

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 19

Tourism

Olumo Rock: Nigeria’s breathtaking tourist destination

O

lumo rock, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nigeria, West Africa, sits in the ancient city of Abeokuta, a name which means “Under the rock”. Abeokuta was originally inhabited by the Egba people who found refuge at the Olumo rock during inter-tribal wars in the 19th century. The rock provided sanctuary to the people as well as a vantage point to monitor the enemy’s advance leading to eventual triumph in war. The town of Abeokuta eventually grew as these new settlers spread out from this location.

Abeokuta is just about an hour’s drive from the bustling metropolitan city of Lagos providing convenient access to an array of hotels, restaurants, clubs, casinos and various nightlife activities. Lagos is also home to the closest airport to Abeokuta, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Hotels in Abeokuta within minutes drive from the rock include Gateway Hotel and Olumo Guest House.

Tourists to Africa definitely need to consider putting Olumo rock on their travel plans. New renovations completed early 2006 upgraded the infrastructure of the site to include a new museum, restaurants, water fountain and an elevator that will provide even the climbingchallenged a wonderful view of the surrounding city.

The ancient Itoku market where local artisans and traders enjoy to haggle over price just as much as the customers like to find a

Stairway to Olumo rock

bargain. The market is the center of the indigenous Abeokuta industry of tie-anddye, locally known as adire.

Adire crafters, usually women, both old and young show off their designs in sheds along the road. Behind these sheds are buildings where many of these crafters live and work.

In places where the plaster has cracked off the walls, you may see traces of the mud bricks used in the original construction. The locals are very friendly and if asked, will often give tourists and visitors informal tours of the dyeing processes. Other popular items to watch out for include local beads, bracelets, sculptures and musical instruments like the sekere and talking drum.

A trip to Olumo rock usually commences with a climb up the man-made stairs carved into the rock. While this sounds easy enough, it leaves many breathless and ready to take a break to rest on the benches under the trees growing from the rock and enjoy some clean breeze.

The journey continues with climbs on irregularly sized rocks (or ladders which are now thankfully provided) through a narrow corridor that leads to the top of the rock. Long the way, you can catch sights of carvings in the rock, cowrie-studded statues and the ancient abode of priestesses who live in huts on the rock. And yes, it is not uncommon to catch a sight of the very aged women who live there and mutter greetings or blessings as people make their way through.

The gateway to Olumo rock tourist complex

It is often helpful to enlist the services of a guide who possess vast knowledge of the history of the rock and the culture of the people.

This makes for an interesting climb as every twist and

“

turn will reveal a significant story making the trip a truly memorable one.

On the way back down the rock, the sight of the Ogun river running like a silver chain amidst a forest of aged

red corrugated roofs bordered by thick green forests which melt into the horizon is breathtaking.

Olumorock.com

The rock provided sanctuary to the people, as well as a vantage point to monitor the enemy’s advance leading to eventual triumph.

Olumo rock

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 20

Homes

By Mariam Humbe

Beautify your home with embellished stairways

Too often staircases are left plain, when a little decorating can wake up the space and tie rooms together.

S

tairways are a prominent architectural feature in any home, but are usually ignored when decorating. Since people fail to consider them, many stairways remain plain when adding just a little something helps create a theme in the home.

The great thing about staircases is that they provide a transition from one space to another. When this transition happens, it’s important to continue the decorating theme in the stairway; otherwise the lack of décor will cause a disruption. Decorate the passageway in your home and make it the ambassador of your theme. Here are a few ideas on how to decorate your stairway and also make good use of it.

Staircase walls are great spots for displaying a gallery of art or family photos.

Here, colorful artwork is placed so that it can be seen from different angles, and two candles frame the main way that leads upstairs. All too often the space under the stairs is wasted or turned into a messy storage area. Get creative and make use of it by painting a wall in a vivid shade and adding practical furniture pieces. This is a great way to not only store wine bottles but also to show them off. A rustic stone wall adds warmth and texture to this sleek staircase. It also serves as a focal point from the main floor.

A little color goes a long way in this stylish home. With the bright red shade of the vase and matching painted column, the area gains character and glamour.

For an ocean theme, place a few eyecatching starfish and make the hike upstairs an enjoyable journey. For a fun twist, get stencils you like and turn your stairway wall into a work of art. Here, decal frames in different shapes add interest to the area. Deep hues and a few objects d’art add dimension and style. We can appreciate every curve and every detail of this beautiful staircase because of how

colors frame and exalt its features.

Paint the stairway wall in a color that helps both the upstairs and the downstairs.

One strong shade should make a strong

enough statement. This pop of lemon makes all the difference in the stairway area and on the rest of the home.

Elegant vases welcome you as you

reach a new floor via this open staircase.

Make your stairway a stage and display accessories or collections. houzz.com

e n i z a

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

d n e k e We

g a M ent

m Entertain

Fashion

ps Beauty Ti

od Kannywo

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Hollywoo

PAGE 21

d Bollywoo

Iyanya features Tekno, Selebobo in ‘Yudala’ >>PG 37

Pete Edochie is my husband —Rita PG 34

El James’ hubby writing ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ sequel PG 36

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 22

Political Analysis Re-run: Can Mama Taraba make it?

may hardly change the current reality.

Already signed, sealed and delivered in the INEC book is PDP’s Darius Ishaku

polling 317,198 votes against Aisha Alhassan’s 262,386. A difference of 54,812 votes.

But the canceled votes totaled 127,125.

The major reason the election was declared inconclusive was the cancellation of the whole Donga Local Government votes. Donga has a total 95,657 registered voters.

What caused the cancellation of Donga votes was some cases of election malpractices recorded in five units in the local government.

Donga is unarguably a PDP stronghold. Should APC’s hopes remain alive

because of Donga? No. It’s like PDP raising hope to win where they are less popular. For instance, had there any cause for runoff in the last presidential election, say because of the cancellation of Kano votes, it’ll be quite unlikely for PDP to win the runoff. Kano is APC stronghold, while Donga, nay Taraba is PDP stronghold.

Apart from 95,657 Donga votes, there are still pockets of polling units cancelled in places where Aisha Alhassan is not the favourite, findings show.

The votes totaled 31,468. If you sum up the numbers,

you will arrive at 127,125 registered voters.

It’s unlikely that voter turnout will be above 50 percent after accreditation.

At 50 percent voter turnout, the disputed votes will shrink to about 65,000.

Remember, Mama is going to the poll with a burden of 54,812 to first level the tally and then increase the tally against her rival at a battleground where her rival stands in pole position.

But some political analysts would argue that APC bigwigs in Donga, like the former deputy governor, Uba Maigari, may give APC a ray of hope. But Maigari,

represents in some ways.

Meanwhile, INEC has redeployed more Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs and national commissioners to the affected states, the new Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr. Solomon Arase, has also dispatched more police squads to the three states.

In Imo State, for instance, INEC says that it has deployed three new Resident Electoral Commissioners and three national commissioners in the state to support the state REC, Dr. Gabriel Ada in the conduct of the election.

Adah disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Owerri where he said that the commission had distributed 113,803 Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs to registered voters in the 256 polling units where the re-run would take place.

According to him, the election would be conducted with the strict use of card readers for accreditation in the affected areas while only PVCs will be allowed.

He revealed that there would be total restriction of movement of people in the entire state.

Ada however declined

to comment on issues being raised by the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on the inconclusive April 11 governorship election and INEC preparations for tomorrow’s contest.

INEC had declared the April 11 elections in the three states inconclusive due to irregularities observed during the election which led to cancellation of votes in some constituencies.

In Taraba State, the cancelled votes were higher than the margin of winning.

In Abia State, INEC said elections would be conducted in some polling stations in nine local government areas with combined registered voters of 179,224.

The supplementary election would be between Ikpeazu of the PDP and Otti of the APGA APGA. It will hold in selected polling units in Aba North and South, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Umuahia North, Isiala Ngwa North, Obingwa, Ohafia and Ikwuano.

In Imo state, the governorship poll was declared inconclusive, following the cancellation of results in more than 250

polling units in 23 of the 27 local government areas.

The re-run will be between Governor Rochas Okorocha of the APC, and Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP. Ada said the state constituencies affected in

the re-run include Ikeduru, Isiala Mbano, Isu, Oguta, Owerri West, and Oru East.

He explained that INEC ordered the re-run election because of the 79,000 difference between the votes scored by the leading and the second candidates.

Aisha Alhassan, (Mama Taraba)

By Jaafar Jaafar

who recently defected from PDP to APC, lost his polling unit to PDP in the April 11 polls.

I lost hope for Mama in the election when I hear APC calling for the cancellation of the whole Taraba election, seeking fresh election as precondition for participation in the run-off.

To me, INEC only forced Mama to be the proverbial donkey resting with the burden of load on its back.

Mama has given a good fight, and her outing was really radiant, but the odds are clearly against her.

A ...Okorocha, Ihedioha go to ‘war’ in Imo t it stands, the Taraba runoff election scheduled for today,

By Patrick Andrew with agency report

T

he PDP and the APC will be at daggers drawn today when the rescheduled gubernatorial re-run in Imo and Abia states, respectively comes up.

And it is a contest that involves an incumbent governor, Rochas Okorocha of the APC and serving Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihediora of the PDP in Imo state.

In Abia, the supplementary election pitches Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP and Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA in the contest.

Already, the two states there is palpable tension in the states for the parties concern and in fact for the people. The APC desperately wants to win a state in the South east, while the PDP is anxious to reclaim the state and further inflict pains of the APC in the region.

The Abia duel is one the PDP machinery is ready to traverse oceans to edge out APGA, while some are sentimental about retain the late Emeka Ojukwu legacy, which APGA

premiumtimesng.com

“The registered voters in the affected polling units are more than 145,000 and when you consider this figure with the difference, you discover that it was quite substantial number of voters,” he said.

Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic P.M.B. 2052, Katsina-Nigeria

Rector:

Proffessor Y. Haruna B.Sc, Ph.D (Mathematics) BDP, PGD (Computer Science), PGD (Education), MMAN, MNMS, MSAN, MLRN, MNIM, e-mail: hauyu008@yahoo.com, yharuna@2012@gmail.com

Registrar:

Hassan Muhammad B. ND (P.A), HND, (Bus, Admin), PGDM MBA (Haruna Resouces), FCAI e-mail: muhdhassanb@gmail.com 24th April, 2015

Pre-Qualification of contractors: Year 2013-2014 (merged tertiary education trust fund (TETF) intervention in library development

Invitation for the Pre-qualification of supply Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic is seeking for supply to pre-qualify for the execution of year 2013-2014 (merged) Teritary Education Trust Fund (TETF) Intervention in library Development Project:(a)

Lot 2

i.

ii.

iii.

Projects: Lot 1 Procuremnet of 2,574 Nos. Of various Assorted Books, 132 Nos. Of Journals, 172 volumes of various Encyclopaedias and 114 Nos. Of Dictionary and others (TETF/POLY/KATSINA/LIB/13-14/01-04);

Lot 3 (b) xiv) xv)

xvi) xvii) xviii) xix) xx) xxi) xxii) xxiii)

xxvi)

Procurement of 195 Nos. Furniture and Equipment (TETF/POLY/KATSINA/LIB/13-14/05-07); Pre-Qualification Evaluation Criteria Company profile and organizational structure including names and Technical qualification(s) and experience(s) of key personnel; Verifiable list of previous works successful carried out within the last three (3) years with names of client, evidence of award and practical completion and the details of on-going projects; Evidence of Registration with the corporate Affair Commission; Evidence OF current Tax clearance certificate; Vat Registration Certificate; Evidence of Registration with the Federal or State Tenders Board; Evidence of Financial capability to handle the job Bank reference; Evidence of Compliance with pension reform act 2014; Company Audited Account for immediate past three years (3) years; Evidence of compliance with the provisions of section 6(1)-(3) of the amended ITF act, 2011; xxiv) The Original copies of items i-x listed above for slighting during the opening session; xxv) Any other information that will assist the Polytechnic in assessing the organization.

Note that all cost incurred pursuance to the advertisement and production of other documents shall be borne by the responding firms.

(c)

Return of Documents Pre-qualification documents listed in (b) above be return along with the original copy of the receipt for the payment of the appropriate Non-refundable pre-qualification fees in a sealed envelope marked “pre-qualification documents for 2013-2014 (MERGED)

Procurement of: Enterprise Electric Digital Software (EDLS) Database with over 5,000 e-books and journals, Installation, Implementation and Integration of Enterprise Electronic Digital Library Software and HP Server Quad Core Intel Processor, 5” HDD SAS, 10GB Extended RAM, Fast Internet Controller, 20” Mornitor, Keyboard, Mouse, DVD writable, full multimedia (TETF/POLY/KATSINA/LIB/13-14/05-07; HP workstation Dual Core Processor 2.4gh, computer systems, 320gb HDD, 4GB RAM dull Multimedia, Anti Virus Software, Mikrotik Firewall Router RB 110, LaserJet Printer, HP Scanner, 10 Camera CCTV Online Camera Systems for Library and Double sided 7ft,6 in Block Street Shelves (TETF/POLY/KATSINA/LIB/13-14/08-12); Land Setup, Internet Access & System Reactivation, 300 systems Nodes, 42U. Equipment Racks, 24 Ports Switches, 12 Months C-band Dedicated with internet Access and Enterprise Anti-Virus in the Library Computer Room, Solar Power Lighting Systems for Library 2.5KVA Pure sine Wave Inverter Charger Machine, 240w Solar Panel, 200AH De3ep Cycle Batteries, 45A 24/48V DC, Solar Change Regulator, Solar Array Structure (Room Mount), Cabling/Earthling, change over switches gear, Battery Stand, Switches, Bulbs, Lamb Holders, Delivery/Logistics/Installation, Training on Use of Library Software for 1 week Duration for 10 Staff, Procurement of 195 Nos. Furniture and Equipment and Annual Support involve all applicable monthly support for one (1) year (TETF/POLY/KATSINA/LIB/13-14/13-17);

TERTIARY EDUCATION TRUST FUND (TETF) INTERVENTION IN LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS and addressed to:The Registrar, Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, P.M.B. 2052 Katsina.

To reach him on or before Friday 8th may, 2015 by 10am (d) Important Notice (i) ONLY short-listed companies shall be invited to progress with the main tender. (ii) This advertisement of “invitation to pre-qualify” shall not be construed to be an invitation to tender nor a commitment on the part of Hassan Usman

Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina to award any form of contract to any company, it shall not entitle any company submitting documents to claim indem

nity from the Polytechnic. The Polytechnic reserves the right to take final decision on any of the documents received in the pre-qualification package. (iii) Tender opening will be on Friday 15th May, 2015 by 12.00 noon at Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina, Committee Room Central Adminis tration.

Thank you

Ihedioha

Okorocha,

Signed: HASSAN MOHAMMAD B. REGISTRAR

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 23

Womanhood

Eugenia Abu: Mentoring younger generation through positive impact

M

rs.

Eugenia Abu, gorgeous and cerebral, is one of the most recognisable faces in Abuja and the country at large. For 17 years, she was a prime-time anchor on national television, regularly delivering the highly rated 9 o’clock news to millions of homes across the length and breadth of Nigeria. She has been in the high-pressure media environment for 32 years, and you can’t help but wonder how she does it: combining a demanding job at the National Television Authority (NTA) with a multifaceted career, a ton of extracurricular activities, and a family—and excelling on all fronts.

“I am married to a very good man,” she said, giving a hint on how she has stayed centered over time. “I think it takes a confident man who has the interest of his wife at heart to allow you become who you want to be.”

She met her husband, Mr. Thompson Abu, while interning at a radio station during her first holiday from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

He proposed shortly after she concluded her national service, and has been her unseen pillar of support since.

Apart from being the darling of television viewers, Mrs. Abu has also received critical acclaim, garnering several awards in journalism, including the Nigeria Media Merit Award for Best Newscaster of the Year 1995. A much sought-after compere at high profile events, she is also a prolific and prizewinning writer. Her first book, In the Blink of an Eye, won the 2008 ANA/NDDC Flora Nwapa Prize for Best Women’s Writing.

That collection of essays was followed by the criticallyacclaimed poetry collection, Don’t Look at Me Like That.

Mrs. Abu, who is also a member of the Editorial Board of Thisday Newspaper maintains weekly columns in two national dailies: ‘Tales from the Main Road’ in BusinessDay on Fridays; and ‘Five Favourite Books with Eugenia Abu’ in The Sunday Trust. At present, she is in the process of gaining her second master’s degree—this time in Creative Writing from Keele University, Staffordshire. (Her first was in Communication Policy from City University, London.) She is about completing her first novel, which is set in a Nigerian university campus, giving her the opportunity to share experiences from a previous era of her life long before we all knew her through our TV screens.

“I was in the run at some point to become vice president of the Student Union at ABU,” she said. “Not because I wanted

Eugenia Abu it but because we had somebody running to be president called Abdulrahman Black—he is late now—and he wanted me to be his vice president.”

On October 19, 2012, Mrs.

“

Abu turned 50. Her family and friends put together a fourday event, which mirrored her eventful life and her various ways of engagement. Activities for this milestone included: a

photo exhibition of ‘The Life and Art of Eugenia Abu’; a literary evening where a panel of literati discussed her essay, fiction and poetry collections; an anniversary lecture titled,

I was in the run at some point to become vice president of the Student Union at ABU. Not because I wanted it but because we had somebody running to be president called Abdulrahman Black—he is late now—and he wanted me to be his vice president.”

‘Being the Best You Can Be’, with Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, as the Guest Lecturer; and a dinner where Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former Governor of the Central Bank and schoolmate of the birthday lady, delivered a talk on Mentoring and National Development.

“Mentoring is something that I’ve been doing from when I was much younger. I tend to be very much like my mum. She loved to impact and never let bad behaviour go by without making a comment.”

One of the highlights of her 50th birthday was the unveiling of The Eugenia Abu Centre, which she plans to use to give more structure to mentoring, creative writing and her different passions.

Below, find excerpts of her engaging reflection on a host of issues: I wanted to be a lawyer when I was growing up. Broadcasting didn’t cross my mind at all.

I loved films and might have thought of acting, which I did a bit of in my secondary school and during my A’ Levels. I didn’t go courting television; it came looking for me.

This was how my broadcasting career started: the first radio station in Benue State, Radio Benue, Makurdi was running test-transmission sometime in 1979. The station was calling for announcers. I had just finished my A-levels and was waiting to go to the university. I just thought of giving it a try since I was not doing anything at that time. I was tested and given a parttime job.

I was the first female continuity announcer at the radio station. I would open the station at 4am. I spent three months and learned everything I could. I was a DJ while also producing and presenting request women and children’sprogrammes. I was doing virtually everything. At the end of the three months, my university admission came through and I went to school.

For every holiday during my three-year study at Ahmadu Bello University, that radio station took me.

I always say that to be a good broadcaster on television, you need to do radio first—because in radio, you have no chips on your shoulder. Your dressing doesn’t matter. It is your voice that is required, and nobody cares how you look. This in a way makes you focus more on your skill and voice rather than on your looks. So when you hit television, it isn’t about your gele—it is about your craft. metropole.ng

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 24

Kiddies World SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

With Miriam

Humbe

ABCDE

HIS AND HERS CORNER

Millennium Park Abuja

Some fun-seekers at the park

T

he Millennium Park is the largest public park of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria and is located in the Maitama district of the city.

The Millennium Park was inaugurated by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom on 4 December 2003. It’s located near to the former Presidential Palace close to the nucleus of presidential and administrative buildings of the city.

A river crosses the Park in its main rectilinear axis, dividing it into two parts.

One side on the Park is dedicated to uncontaminated nature.

In a system of terraces at different levels are located Nigeria’s mountain vegetation, Savanna, Deciduous forest, Rainforest and brushwood as well as greenhouses for butterflies and tropical birds.

The other side, corresponding to the main entrance from road, is dedicated to the scientific knowledge of the natural environment. This part of the Park has a very traditional and rigid Italian Style Garden Layout. Entering the Park, a rectilinear path completely paved with Roman white travertine brings the public into its green areas. A series of fountains run alongside this white mark refreshing the public during the hottest days. This path visually links the enormous Cotton Tree, a holy tree of Abuja situated on one side of the Millennium Park, with the Aso Rock, the holy Rock of Abuja. The path layout is based on a trident geometry separated by huge polygonal pools. The roads are crossed by a series of multi-coloured bushes going from yellow to red with a very particular wave-like course.

This Park, conceived and designed by the Italian architect Manfredi Nicoletti, has quickly become one of the main attractions of the city of Abuja bringing thousands of people together each day.

Flashback to 2003, it’s December and the Queen of England is in Abuja for the Commonwealth meeting of Heads of Governments. As part of her itinerary, she has to plant a tree, a social

custom associated with good faith and environmental awareness (and pictures, of course).

But where? Millennium Park, of course, where else?

Millennium Park is the largest public park in Abuja, located in Maitama, one of the kosher neighbourhoods in Abuja. It boasts of having received more distinguished guests than probably any other park in Nigeria (feel free to NOT quote me on that). Apart from the botanical species on display in the park, it also has pools and fountains that literally cause one to pause and reflect at each glance, a ‘bridge’ is also constructed for those who want to stand and watch the water flowing beneath them. Swings and other fun games are available for your kids, so keeping them occupied is never a problem; the park provides a little in the area of edutainment also for kids, at the end of the park are flags of different countries giving the kids a fun way to learn of new places.

Public holidays as well as festive periods are usually the busiest in the park, as different people, friends and families, spend time at the park relaxing. So, the most common activity at any time are separate picnics, the lush green grass providing rest; while the trees are there for shading too. In case, you are a visitor with no family (and as usual no homemade food), there are shops that provide snacks, drinks and the usual just before you get in. Just like parks anywhere, shows/concerts are sometimes held on the lawn of the Millennium Park, they boast a good crowd as well as a solid show. It is common sight also to see music artistes shooting videos for their songs in the park, a ‘cameo’ appearance won’t exactly be a bad idea.

If you are in Abuja for business or leisure and willing to have a nice quiet time with nature, take a cab to Millennium Park, it’s easy and relatively cheap. Driving with your car too is no problem, ample parking space provided. The park offers free entrance, and is open to persons all day.

Take a few lessons from mum

Cartoon Angle

Tom and Jerry

Mickey Mouse, Minnie and Donald Duck

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Kiddies World

PAGE 25

With Miriam

Humbe

ABCDE

MODEL OF THE WEEK

AFRICAN TALES

How the tortoise got his bald head

Treasure

ACTIVITIES

With the help of the right materials, have fun colouring the image below. Show your work to your parents or teacher for correction. Cheers!

I

japa the tortoise was not always a bald animal.

He used to have hair on his head, however, due to unfortunate circumstances, which the tortoise brought “upon his own head” literally speaking, he lost it all.

It happened a very long time ago, long before the tortoise broke his back, but that is another story altogether. The dog and his family had prepared a feast of yam porridge. The aroma reached the tortoise who immediately followed his nose which led him to the dog’s home. The tortoise went in and saw that a big pot of yam porrigde was cooking. Wanting all of it for himself, he called out to the dog and told him that he had brought a message from from the king. “The king wishes to see you and all your family in the palace”, the tortoise said. The dogs immediately left to see the king leaving the tortoise with the big simmering pot of yam porrigde. The tortoise began to eat as fast as he could.

He knew that the dogs would be back soon because the king was not even at the palace.

And soon, he heard the dogs approaching. There was still a lot of porrigde left in the pot. The tortoise wanted to take some home with him and looked around for something he could put some porrigde in. The dogs by now were almost at the door. As he was running out of time, the tortoise pulled off his cap, filled it with the porrigde and put it back on so nobody would know he was carrying porrigde. He planned to hurry off immediately because the porridge on his head was indeed hot.

When the dogs came in, the tortoise told them he would be leaving. They dogs asked him to stay with them for lunch as they had some porridge cooking. The tortoise tried to make excuses to leave immediately, but the dogs kept him, trying to convince him to stay.

Eventually, the porridge was so hot that the tortoise just had to pull off his hat. Everybody was shocked when he pulled of his hat to reveal steaming hot porridge. The porridge had burned his scalp so badly that all his hair fell off and in fact, never grew back again.

CREATIVITY

How to make a paper butterfly

T

his paper butterfly is just awesome. Isn’t it amazing how one can take a simple square sheet of paper and turn it into something as beautiful as this paper butterfly? The whole figure is so complete that it’s mind boggling, and you’re going to learn how to make a paper butterfly exactly like this. It’s not difficult at all if you follow the step by step instructions carefully.

Step 1: Start with a square piece of origami paper. If you only have regular 8.5x11 paper, follow these instructions to make a square sheet.

Step 2: Fold the paper in half by folding the upper left corner to the lower right corner.

Step 3: Unfold.

Step 4: Fold in half again by folding the upper right corner to the

lower left.

Step 5: Unfold.

Step 6: Fold in half again by folding the top half back.

Step 7: Unfold.

Step 8: With your finger, push down on the middle so that it pops in.

Step 9: Bring the left and right creases together to form this triangle.

Step 10: Fold the left corner of the top layer to the top corner of the triangle.

Step 11: Fold the right corner to the top corner.

Step 12: Turn over.

Step 13: Fold the bottom part of the triangle up with a portion of the top corner showing, like in the picture.

Step 14: Turn over.

Step 15: Pull down the left flap

of the triangle and the side will be forced to bend in. Fold and flatten the side down.

Step 16: Like before, pull down the right flap and fold in the side.

Step 17: Turn over.

Step 18: Fold down the top triangle.

Step 19: Fold a good portion of the triangle back up, but leave some parts folded down.

Step 20: Mountain fold in half.

In other words, fold the left side under the right side.

Step 21: Diagonally fold the wing as shown.

Step 22: Turn over.

Step 23: Fold the other wing the same way.

Step 24: Open the wings and you have a beautiful butterfly.

PAGE 26

e-Learning

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Those who use e-cigarette daily ‘more likely to succeed’ •Study found occasional e-cigarette use did not increase chance of quitting •‘Tank’ models were better than ‘cigalike’ models at helping people quit •Over 25% of tank users quit after a year, while 11% of cigalike users did •Tank e-cigarettes have containers that can be refilled with liquid, while cigalike models resemble cigarettes and have disposable cartridges •Smokers who want to give up with e-cigarettes should use them every day, say experts.

•New research suggests occasional use does not increase the chances of quitting and different types of e-cigs affect success rates.

•Using ‘tank’ e-cigarettes appears to be more effective than ‘cigalike’ models, which are chosen by three out of four people trying to quit.

• Scientists at King’s College London found after a year more than a quarter of daily tank users had quit smoking.

T

his compared with 11 per cent of daily cigalike users who managed to give up conventional cigarettes, which was less than the 13 per cent who quit without ever using e-cigs.

E-cigs, which are used by more than two million smokers, work through battery power to produce a vapour from a liquid which contains nicotine.

Cigalikes which resemble tobacco cigarettes have disposable replaceable cartridges, while tank models look quite different from cigarettes and have containers that can be refilled with ‘e-liquid’.

Lead author Dr Sara Hitchman from King’s College, said: ‘Our research demonstrates the importance of distinguishing between different types of e-cigarettes and frequency of use when examining the association between ecigarettes and quitting.

‘At this point we don’t know why people who use tank-type e-cigarettes daily are more likely to have quit.

‘Research suggests that tanks might deliver nicotine more effectively and perhaps be more satisfying to users, but there may also be other factors, including price and the ways that tanks allow the user to adapt the product, such as the nicotine content and flavour of the liquid.’

Two studies published in the journals Addiction and Nicotine & Tobacco Research suggest e-cigs are ‘not having any negative effect’, say the authors.

In a study of more than 1,500 smokers in the UK, two thirds of daily e-cig users went on to make an attempt to quit smoking in the next year compared with 44 per cent of non-users.

After a year, 14 per cent of daily users had reduced their use of conventional

Using a ‘tank’ e-cigarette (pictured) appears to be more effective at helping people quit smoking than ‘cigalike’ models.

The tank variety has a container that can be refilled with liquid, while cigalike resembles a cigarette

“

They identified a specific genetic variation, which means a smoker is more likely to keep smoking for longer than those without the gene variant.

cigarettes by more than half compared with six per cent of non-users.

CAN’T KICK THE HABIT? SMOKERS WITH A SPECIFIC GENE KEEP LIGHTING UP FOUR YEARS LONGER Scientists may have discovered why some people find it so much harder to quit.

They identified a specific genetic variation, which means a smoker is more likely to keep smoking for longer than those without the gene variant.

While the discovery may come as a relief to many struggling to stub out their addiction, the research also suggests those with the gene are more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer at a young age.

The reason, they say, lies in the fact the genetic variation causes a person to inhale more deeply when smoking.

Researchers from Washington University, St Louis, found smokers with a particular variation in a nicotine receptor gene were more likely to continue smoking for four years after those without the variant had quit.

And those with the variation to the CHRNA5 gene were also more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer four years earlier than those without the genetic change.

Overall, daily e-cig users were not more likely to quit, however, and using them on a non-daily basis showed no advantage in quit attempts, quitting success or cutting down conventional cigarettes.

An analysis of just under 600 people found non-daily cigalike users were actually less likely to have given up compared with those not using e-cigarettes,

with only 5 per cent having quit.

The researchers said this was a cause for concern because many of the most prominent brands of cigalikes in the UK are now owned by the tobacco industry and another recent study found that cigalikes were the most prominent e-cigarettes at the point of sale in small shops.

But researcher Professor Ann McNeill, also of King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, said e-cigs could help smokers trying to kick a ‘dangerous’ habit.

She said: ‘The findings suggest they have to be used daily to be most effective, and if you’re struggling use the tank models instead.’

Professor Linda Bauld, of the University of Stirling, said: ‘What this new research tells us is what e-cigarette users already know.

‘The type of device, how often it is used, and how much nicotine it contains, all matter. Some devices will be effective to help smokers to quit and others less so.’

Prof Peter Hajek, director of the Tobacco Dependence Research Unit at Queen Mary University of London, said: ‘These two large surveys confirm that using e-cigarettes can help smokers reduce their cigarette consumption, and that some smokers may need to use e-cigarettes for a number of months or longer before they manage to stop smoking altogether.’

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 27

Compiled By Doyin Ojosipe

Greedy tortoise and the lizard O nce upon a time there was a famine in the land of the animals. One day, the lizard was passing by a farm when he saw the farmer approach a rock.

The lizard hid and watched as the farmer rolled the rock away to reveal the entrance into a cave. The farmer went inside and came out a few minutes later with a handful of yams and rolled the rock back into its place. The lizard waited for the farmer to leave then he too rolled away the rock and went into the cave. Inside the cave were several stacks of yams. The lizard took out a yam, and rolled the rock back into its place. Every day, the lizard would return to the cave to take a yam and would go home to eat the yam.

One day the lizard was carrying his yam home, he came across the tortoise who asked him where he had gotten his yam. He offered to tell him on the condition that the tortoise told no one. The tortoise promised to keep the secret, so the lizard told the tortoise to meet him the following morning and he would take him to the secret cave. Early the next morning, before the very first cock crow, the lizard and the tortoise went to the secret cave. When they got there, the lizard rolled the rock away to reveal the entrance to the cave. The tortoise could not believe his eyes for there were more yams in there than even he could eat, because the tortoise was a very greedy fellow.

Leisure Poem Gruesome (On the day of Nyanya bomb blast)

(by McPatrick Michael Linus) It claims scores at dawn Thick black smoke beclouds the sky Stampede and more stampedes All that were adore now debris Rent of cloths flies about All that meant to be hid reveals The babes wail for breast, but Those that give are gone at prime

Greedy tortoise The lizard picked a yam and started on his way home but the tortoise was not done yet. He was going to carry as many yams as he could and maybe even more.

Very soon, the farmer came and found the tortoise who was still busy collecting yams. By this time, the lizard was home, had eaten his yam and was taking a nap. The

farmer grabbed the tortoise and asked him how he came to be in the cave. The tortoise confessed that the lizard had brought him there, so the farmer took tortoise to the lizard’s house. There they found lizard lying on his back. The farmer asked lizard if it was he who brought tortoise to his cave. The lizard was shocked and said it was not possible

Let’s see how good you are with the economics words

as he had been feeling unwell and lying on his back all day. The farmer grabbed the tortoise and threw him against the wall and the tortoise lay on the floor with a broken shell. The tortoise cried out to the insects of the forest who helped him pick up and glue the pieces of his shell together.

And that was how the tortoise ended up with a broken shell.

The rewards for knowledge Torn, burn and littered Dreams and fantasies shattered The terminal turn abattoir Parts scatter and fly In a twinkle, once scenery turn gruesome

Laugh out loud (Lol)!

A

kpos was being chased by 2 men for one of his numerous crimes and he ran into a forest. Seeing a quicker route, he climbed up a tree. The two men followed him into the forest, got to the tree where Akpos was but they didn’t know where he ran to.

Angrily one of the men said ‘ this boy don escape again.

The other man said ‘don’t worry I know this boy, he is just a Mumu if you call his name 3 times he will answer.

Then Akpos laughed out loud from the tree and said to the men. ‘Hahahahahaha!

If you like call my name from now till next year, I no go answer you oh. U think say na Akpos of before be dis?

The Spirit of Can Do…

I CAPITAL

IMPERFECT

POLICY

DEPRECIATION

INVESTMENT

PPFCURVE

ECONOMICS

ISOCOST

PRICES

ECONOMY

LSE

QUOTA

EXCHANGERATE

MONETARY

SCALE

FISCAL

MONEY

TRADE

have seen better days but I have also seen worse I don’t have everything I want but I do have something I woke up with some aches and pains but I woke up My life may not be perfect but I am blessed I learned that we can do anything but we can’t do everything We all make mistakes, have struggles and even regret things in our past, but you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles and you are alive with the power to shape your future.

If you think you can’t….you won’t If you think you can…. you will.

When I am tired at practice … I tell myself am not tired and I can push through People will tell you…you can’t do something because they can’t do it themselves If you want something, go get it The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.

By Chidinma Ubah

Beauty

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 28

TIPS

Compiled by Isioma Nwabasha

Want a clear skin, try exfoliation E

xfoliation is a skin medication that every fashionable female would want to try. It is the removal of dead cells from the uppermost layer of the skin, many women think exfoliation products are basically cleanser and soap, but they only remove dirt and oil from the skin.

Exfoliating your face and skin can make it brighter and softer. Buffing away dry, dead cells on your face will reveal the fresh cells underneath.

Exfoliation products can be bought or even prepared at home. Below are simple steps to make homemade exfoliating scrubs.

Toothpaste scrub: Items needed Toothpaste •Table salt Method: Squeeze out a little toothpaste (not gel), a tablespoon of table salt, mix

Facial exfoliation

together, apply on the skin in a circular motion, leave for about 10 to 15 mins, rinse off with warm water then switch to cool water to close pores.

Honey scrub Items needed •Honey •Sugar Method: Put honey into a bowl, add little sugar, stir into paste and apply on the face then leave for about 10 to 15mins, wash with warm water. Apply egg white on the skin and leave for five minutes then wash off.

Exfoliation should be done once or twice a week, considering the nature of your skin. If you have delicate or sensitive skin, twice a week might cause irritation. On the other hand, if you live in a warmer climate or your skin is naturally oily, you might have to exfoliate more than twice a week.

Honey and sugar scrub

Scrub

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 29

Compiled by Miriam Humbe

Fashion

Look brilliant in ankara, denim mix

I

t is always fun and trendy to mix both brilliant colours and prints, especially when you are doing it with vibrant Ankara fabric with a touch of your favourite denim. You can mix your ankara with well cut out pieces of denim or even mix two Ankara fabrics of different colours or patterns to make an incredible design.

Ankara fashion with a mix of denim is incredibly beautiful. It is also modern and those who have their eyes on the latest fashion trends are capitalising on this new trend to bring out the best in their looks.

Denim has been used for other fashion items like trousers and jackets for decades now. The most interesting thing today is the way you can freely add denim to your ankara styles to create a fashion statement of your own.

One thing that is so

captivating is the way which these styles are designed. This is to showcase the ingenuity of Nigerian designers and also draw attention to the fashion statement of the ever increasing fashionistas.

Different patterns have proven to be an extremely important trend this season, thus giving Ankara and denim mix an opportunity to flourish. But wait a minute; it is definitely not your mama’s traditional skirt and blouse ensemble. We are now seeing it in cropped tops, high waist shorts, Peplum tops, pleated skirts etc.

Both new and established designers are now transforming ankara into a modern soughtafter fashion material and this is with the help of denim. Here are some of the hottest and the latest fashion trends with ankara and denim outfits.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 30

Pots & Pans

With Miriam Humbe

Spicy groundnut soup with rice balls Groundnut soup is a Nigerian favorite for its creamy consistency and spicy taste. It is usually eaten with fufu, a less time consuming and heavy version comes with rice balls.

Ingredients Half a small jar of groundnut paste, or alternatively peanut butter 2 garden eggs or one small aubergine 5 okras 2 tomatoes 1 big red onion fish filet, for instance salmon 3 cups of rice 1 small tin of tomato puree ½ cube of vegetable stock 2 teaspoons of red pepper seasoning (a spice mix you can buy everywhere in Nigeria. If you can’t get hold of it, replace it with chili) Salt

How to prepare: Wash and slice the fresh tomatoes into very small pieces. Mix them with the groundnut paste, the tomato puree and half a cup of water in a pot, heat the mixture and stir constantly to prevent from burning. Add more water from time to time when the

Spicy groundnut soup with rice balls

P

paste becomes too dry or risks burning.

After about ten minutes, when the paste has become oily and smooth, add 2 to 3 cups of water and bring to boil (if the paste has burnt on the ground, pour into a different pot). Leave to simmer.

In the meantime peel the onion and cut into halves. Wash the garden eggs and the okra and remove the ends. Cut the okra into halves and make deep cross cuts in the garden egg. Add all vegetables to the soup.

After about 20-30 minutes when the onion has softened take out the two halves and grind them using mortar and pestle. Add to the soup with the fish and the vegetable stock.

Season with 2 tablespoons of red pepper seasoning and leave to simmer for another 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

For the rice balls boil the rice until it’s very soft. Then stir vigorously using a big wooden spoon until the rice becomes a homogenous paste. Form balls by pouring the paste into a wet cup and shaking it in circular movements. Alternatively, fill the rice into little plastic bags to form the balls. Serve hot with the soup.

Multivitamin pawpaw juice

awpaw, a tropical fruit, has smooth texture and aromatic taste when ripe.

Pawpaw juice prepared with this recipe is a heavenly experience for palate and provides healthy dose of nutrients and minerals like calcium, chlorine, iron, phosphorus, potassium, etc. There are many benefits of this juice and it’s particularly useful in curing diseases related to blood, constipation and heart.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 medium size Pawpaw 1/2 cup Fresh Pineapple Juice/ Orange Juice 2 teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice 2 teaspoons Sugar or Honey 1/8 teaspoon Black pepper Powder 1/2 cup Cold Water (for desired consistency) Salt to taste Directions: Peel pawpaw and remove seeds; dice it into small pieces.

Place pawpaw pieces, pineapple juice, fresh lemon juice, sugar, black pepper powder,

1/2 cup cold water and salt in blender or food processor. Blend until a smooth puree. Check for consistency; if it is too thick, add more water or pineapple juice.

Blend it again for 5 seconds and taste for sugar and tartness.

Add more sugar to make sweeter or more lime juice to make it tangy and blend again for 5 seconds. Fresh pawpaw fruit juice is ready. Pour it in chilled serving glasses and serve immediately.

Tips and Variations: • Blend with crushed ice to make it slushy.

• Choose papaya which has yellow-orange skin and sweet aroma.

Multivitamin pawpaw juice

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Ngozi Jacob (single girl) n my own view single ladies date married men because of finance.

Married men give money more than single guys. If you ask some young men for money they will start giving you excuses and most single ladies don’t want to hear those kind of stories.

Kennedy Dimaku (married man) For me I don’t even support the issue of dating at all let alone a single girl pitching her tent with a married man. Be that as it may, a single lady Is supposed to date a single man with the intention to marry someday.

As far as I am concerned it is an abomination for a single lady to date another woman’s hubby. Biblically, it is wrong, even the society frowns at it.

I don’t see a justifiable reason why a single girl should run after a married man no matter the so called benefits she is getting. To me the material gifts are irrelevant.

Esther Onah (single mother) The reason why young single women date married men is because they know what a woman needs since they have a wife at home. They know what women want and can take care of them.

Moreover, most married men like to show off their young lovers so they provide you with the things you need to look good. My dear e get who no like better thing?

Chinelo Obiorah (single lady) I date married men because they are understanding, caring and know what a young lady needs. The young single men are stingy, unavailable and mostly interested in only sex, they are only good in shattering a girls heart though there are a few good ones.

But a married man is experienced in the ‘ladies department’ so he will pet and pamper you. My sister being with a married man is better than wasting your beauty on a young man who doesn’t even appreciate you. I am not saying young men are not good but they are not worth the stress.

For me an experienced and matured man is a major turn on. My old man puts me on the same pedestal with his wife and treats us equally. I will choose a married man over a single, young guy anyday.

Hadiza Mohammed (single girl) My sister I dated a young man for six years, suffered with him when he had

I

Ada Divine

PAGE 31

Relationship

‘Why we prefer dating married men’

Well, dating a married man might be cool to some, an unforgiveable crime to a few and a taboo to many. Some ladies date married men because of money; some claim they love them, while others do so because the single guys don’t look their way or are not ready to settle down.

Isioma Nwabasha interviewed a cross-section of people to find out the reasons why some single ladies prefer being with ‘taken men’ instead of ‘rolling’ with single, young and energetic men.

Ngozi Jacob

Kennedy Dimaku

nothing because I thought when things improve he will marry me, but as soon as he got a lucrative job he dumped me.

So now, I only have time for old, married men and since I started dating them my life has improved. I have more money to spend on the finer things of life that my ex-boyfriend couldn’t afford and yet he was maltreating me.

One of my old men bought a car and opened a boutique for me so what else am I looking for? My religion permits polygamy so I am hoping that one of my ‘oldies’ will propose marriage to me. As for young, single men I only need them to thoroughly ‘service me’.

Doctor Ojay (married man) Single ladies that date married men are frustrated because they don’t have a geninue relationship that can lead to marriage. A married man that lusts after a single lady is greedy. In fact the both of them are irresponsible.

Ada Divine (married woman) One of the reasons is because married men are more generous than single guys who are still saving up for the future.

Most married men fulfill their promises and can do anything just to get you unlike the young men if you make too much demands they will just leave you and move to the next girl.

Opeyemi Bankole (married woman) What makes a single lady to date a married man is basically money.

Also since the married man is more experienced in the romance department, he will satisfy the young lady in all ramifications.

Theo Okonkwo (single guy) The major reason is that married men know what it takes to take care of a woman. Most ladies don’t want to run after single guys that may use and dump them. With the married men they are covered because they know they can always get what they desire, moreover, they don’t stop the girls from having ‘ extra relationship’ unlike the young men who are possessive.

It is easier for a young single lady to date a married man as he will care and pamper you. For most of us (young, single men) our biggest concern is just to be able to take care of our self, the take home pay is not even enough for me not to talk of maintaining a girlfriend.

Sometimes if my girl asks me for N6,000 to make her hair, I simply ask her to barb the hair or look for cheaper hair styles. But the married man can give you more than that because he understands your needs and is already

taking care of his wife’s expenses.

The married men know that if they come into contact with you, they will be the ones to provide your basic needs and a little luxury.

So single ladies until they are ready and find a willing marriage partner date married men to take care of certain aspects of their life.

Ikechukwu Azih (single guy) Gone are the days when girls marry at a tender age, today they date and have ‘fun’ just to get money and luxury items. A struggling single guy might not have the kind of money to spend on a girlfriend bearing in mind that most of these girls are very materialistic.

So these young men enter into relationships just to have free sex, most of us don’t want commitment, we just want to sleep with this girl and when we are tired we move on to the next girl till we are ready for marriage.

It is likely that a married man will not play games as he already has a wife at home, so when he gets a young girlfriend, he tends to pamper and spoil her with gifts. The money he gives to her is like keep quiet money.

The young single man doesn’t have so much money to spend cos he has targets to meet and if he doesn’t meet up these same girls will refuse to marry him.

Single ladies date married men just for the fun and not because of love.

Christabel Gabriel (single lady) I have never dated a married man because I don’t want to share my future hubby with anyone. So I dont know why some single ladies indulge in this terrible act.

Joy Okon (single girl) I am currently dating an old married man because I need a father figure in my life. That is my own reason not because I don’t like single young men.

Mirabel Onoja (married woman) I dated a married man before I got married. I finally bade him goodbye two days to my wedding. I had a good time with him all through the period we dated. I decided to date him so that I would know how best to handle my husband. ‘’I felt it would also help me monitor my husband’s activities and keep him from women. The man was actually encouraged to date a woman outside because his wife made his home hell for him.’’

Chinelo Obiorah

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 32

Fiction

A family in disarray

M

ama was about sixty five, daintily warm hearted and kind.

Roots of grey stained her short black hair in unequal patches. She was a stout woman drained and shriveled from the somberness of cardiomegaly and diabetes. She had birthed eight kids, five girls and three boys. My mother was third, immediately after Uncle Arinze. The perfect family people in their days prayed for. And with Mama’s mother – My Great-grandmother – still alive, we all believed she would outlive the ailment.

“What do you mean by Dike is your son?” Mummy queried Daddy with a sting of betrayal in her eyes.

“I mean, I am not impotent, and Dike is a proof of it.” Daddy shot back, now on his feet facing her directly.

“After all I’ve done for you?

After all my sacrifice, you choose to betray me this way.” Mummy said, crying and beating her chest rhythmically.

“Shut up, UK. Shut your mouth.” Mama shouted, startling everyone. ‘UK’ was short for Mummy’s name, Eucharia. We had been silently processing the words coming out of Mummy, Daddy and Uncle Arinze that we totally forgot she was present.

“You might have had five children for your brother, my son, while you were married to your husband, and you have the mouth to say he did wrong by having one outside.” Mama said in Igbo, stressing “You’re a big fool” in English so as to convey the right amount of meaning intended.

“Please Mama, don’t even get into this. It is none of your business.

No one invited you hear o. Just don’t start.” Uncle Arinze said, wagging his hand in her direction.

Obinna definitely had to be his son.

Daddy stared at Uncle Arinze for a while and then pounced on him. The first descent crushed his jaw, his left eye, and then his shoulder. He made to cover the next one by returning a punch to Daddy’s eye, but was shielded by Daddy’s glasses before it crashed to the floor.

Mummy stood for a while, watching them fool around, then tried to separate them. An attempt that landed her on the floor beside the toilet door. We all observed in silence and did nothing. Obinna was by her side the instant she touched ground, shouting and raining abuses on Daddy for pushing her.

“Stop fighting, both of you.

Somebody separate them.” Mama shouted above her voice, waving her hands in the air. The diabetes had partially paralyzed her right leg so she couldn’t walk without her stick, and standing was a much difficult issue. She waved her stick aimlessly in the air when she felt her hands weren’t doing enough.

The stainless object made to hit Junior, and on swerving away from it, his slanted figure balanced on Ada. Her reflex action was to push him off and slap his face. This began another fight between the two. Junior slapped her back with a keen eagerness that intended to knock her out.

“Why did you lean on me?”

She screamed, standing to her feet and slapping his skin-shaved head.

Junior stood, towering over her, as the next slap landed, which led to the pulling of her hair, kneeing of his dick, and much more hands flying in

“

I hated them all at that instant. They all irritated me. If Daddy wasn’t impotent, then he had to have fathered one or two of us, and I hoped I wasn’t one of them. Actually, I prayed I wasn’t my mother’s child at all.

the air.

Mama shouted until she couldn’t shout anymore, Obinna was curled up with Mummy who was sobbing helplessly in betrayal; Daddy and Uncle Arinze were taking turns being on top of each other while landing punches. Junior and Ada followed cue.

A sense of aloneness enveloped me; one I willingly accepted. I knew I didn’t belong in the same space with them. I felt a burning necessity to assume a state of sanity since it had certainly eluded them all. I watched them bite off each other like their redemption depended on it; each retrieving a piece of themselves taken by the other person.

I wondered how other families who had steadily envied us would feel after watching us disgrace ourselves like that. I thought about my friend, Conrad and his endless tackles about me having everything I ever wanted, and how he had to work for everything he had because his family wasn’t as rich as mine.

But at least they were happy.

Happiness wasn’t a word that we were familiar with in my family. We had all our material needs and most of our wants, but happiness eluded us. I suddenly craved the poverty stricken homes filled with love and happiness. Money definitely couldn’t buy happiness. Pleasure perhaps but certainly not happiness.

The dysfunctionality was unbearable. We had grown to see each other as strangers born of the

same womb. We shared a blood link, and that was all that mattered to us. Family had become a title that required an obligatory presence to satisfy a certain necessity. Friends became more reliant than siblings.

Secrets were acquired to shield oneself from the blights of others.

There was much more hatred and selfishness than love. We gradually learnt to tolerate each other.

I hated them all at that instant.

They all irritated me. If Daddy wasn’t impotent, then he had to have fathered one or two of us, and I hoped I wasn’t one of them. Actually, I prayed I wasn’t my mother’s child at all.

“Shame!” I shouted. “Shame on you all! I can’t believe this is even happening. Mummy, you sit there and talk about how much shame I have brought to this family, and yet here you are, uncertain who fathered your children; and the irreconcilable possibility that they might be your brother’s! Shame on you! At least we know where Ada got her acts from. Daddy’s hypocrisy has blinded his judgement so much that he now sees fathering a child out of wedlock as a thing of pride; a thing of redemption; a thing to prove his worth. Shame! Has anyone stopped to ponder upon the fact that if Daddy is not impotent, then there is a possibility that he fathered one or two of us, if not more?” I shouted.

My voice rose with each acquired audience. Tears had begun to fall from my eyes uncontrollably.

“No!” I continued. “You all think by fighting each other, you would pour out your anger to a point where you stop hurting. Newsflash; you won’t! You never stop hurting.

No matter how much your fists leave prints on the other person’s face or how much you throw yourselves shamelessly to the ground, you would still feel the pain after it all ends. We are broken. Life as we know it is over. We have nothing now, just ourselves. So suck it up and act like adults, and let’s find a solution to this.” My voice had taken a different strength that summoned everyone’s attention. Strength I willed relentlessly through clogged throat and teary eyes.

Daddy was the first to move, slowly rising from his tight grip on Uncle Arinze’s neck, then Junior gently let go of Ada’s hair, and Ada, Junior’s trouser. Obinna and Mummy untangled from their shameful grip, and Mummy watched me with a gleam of pride in her eyes. Had she suddenly seen worth in me, or was I still the useless child that brought shame upon the family name? Suddenly, they were doing a great job at it themselves without any help from me.

When everyone had seated, I continued. Gradually I had assumed the rational role. “Uncle Arinze, I think you should leave, and this is the biggest respect I can give you now. You are not a member of this family, and until we are certain you fathered any of us, you are not

welcomed in this house.”

He looked at Mummy for backup, but she too was in accordance; so he stood from his flattened position and left the house angrily.

“I believe this is the point where we call Dike and have him join the meeting.” I said.

Daddy nodded.

The door quietly crawled open before I could call him. He came in with Somadina, who had been forgotten completely since the drama started. They both sat on the floor near the door. Finally every occupant of the house was clustered in one big room, sharing one thing we had rarely ever shared — the same breath.

“First, we should talk about what to do about Ada’s pregnancy, then we discuss the issue of paternity tests and how…”

“Mama!” Somadina called, cutting in. He eyes were nailed to her with worry.

I immediately looked from him to her. She was seated head down like her neck failed to support her head.

“Mama!” Mummy screamed this time.

Since I was the closest to her, I slowly touched her arm and felt the stiffness. By the time I raised it and watched it drop down in a thump, Mummy was at her side, crying and shaking Mama’s pallid body rigorously, and screaming her name.

My knees gave way and I dropped to the ground with ease, silently blaming myself. This had all been my fault. If I hadn’t failed in school, none of these would have happened. If I had just finished that course before applying for another, Mama would still be alive. If I had just loved the right person. I let the tears run down my eyes. I deserved them. I deserved worse.

“Is Mama dead?” Somadina asked through his clogged throat, tears coating his eyes.

“Yes, Som, Mama is dead.” I managed to say.

Naijastories.com

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 33

Romance

Falling in love with the other man

O “

h my gooooosh!

Oh my goshhhhhhhh!!!”

Anita screamed All eyes flew reflexively towards her, and when they realized what she was screaming at, the eyes of the ladies and gentlemen in the room turned uniformly – as if being controlled by the same remote – towards the big screen of the TV carefully hung at the top center of the restaurant’s alcove.

Anyone who heard that scream would have assumed that something quite terrifying had seized the victim’s mind, but when the gazes of the men and women in the exotic restaurant discovered what made her scream from the TV, their disappointment was visible in the series of hisses and disapproving looks that followed.

“Nita” Badmus said softly to an absentminded Anita, and so he got no response.

“It’s DAVIDO!!!

It’s Davidoooo!!!!” Anita yelled in a reduced voice now, her face flushing red quickly, she had to stylishly enclose both cheeks with her palms as her attention grew more immerse, her big beautiful eyes danced over the screen while the chubby celeb kept dancing to the beat of the music being played.

“Anitaaaaa!” As much of a yell that was, Anita still couldn’t hear her man calling.

The nearest couple to them spoke into each other’s ears in very deliberately silent voice and as they sniggered loudly, Badmus’ eyes fall sadly on the table in between him and Anita. There was a tray opposite him, and there was quite a large number of delicious items in it, what drew his attention most was Anita’s tray, which had virtually more than what the skinny girl could consume; slightly beside the tray was a big bowl of strawberry ice cream. Anita’s neglect of the big bowl had made it melt gradually and had almost turned it to milk instead. Inside her plate was a full chicken with a patch that looked more like a rat’s bite

than hers, it had also been neglected by this screaming lady all in order to create an appetite to devour the plate of fried and jollof rice which had also been accompanied by a beef that was more than half the size of the neglected chicken.

Having spent so much on the beautiful damsel, Anita still had the guts to be tripping openly for a chubby celeb whose memory only would exist behind the screen. A man she’d definitely never get the chance to meet.

Thoughts clouded Badmus’ mind as he reflected deeply on what a waste it seemed taking Anita out, when her mind was yearning after one very handsome celebrity that he could never be.

The song soon finished playing, and Badmus already knew what would happen next.

“Oh my gosh, I love Davido!

I really love him!!!” She said impulsively, as her attention gradually came back to the table they were seated. She didn’t notice any mood swing in Badmus’ action because she was still powerfully buried in her Davido’s spell, and everything about her showed it.

Anytime she saw or heard anything about this particular man, Anita’s countenance became filled with so much admiration, so much satisfaction, so much yearning – yearnings that had even in times past earned her break ups from other men, – but

“

what could she do? She had verbertimly told Badmus how much she loves the star, how much she wished she had the chance of meeting him. How much she could choose to die for him, how much she could even do things she would never openly tell Badmus that she’ll could to him.

Badmus had thought he could cope with that, ‘who wouldn’t love a star?’ he’d assumed, until when the real happenings began to unfold and he started to appear a fool.

He looked at her, as the glowing smile of lust on her face gradually started fading.

Badmus looked at her with pity, he wished he could explain what was wrong.

“What is wrong?” She asked as if she knew his wish.

“What is wrong?” He suddenly realized that he had been equally absent minded in his jealous thoughts. The question was not only sudden, it was equally unusually unexpected and timely.

Badmus asked himself the question again and again in his mind, but couldn’t pick anything at first.

“What is wrong dear? You seem upset about something?

C’mon don’t tell me you’re jealous. You know how much I love seeing Davido… You know that I love you more than anything else in the world, I only like that artist so much too” She said as usual.

Anytime she embarrassed him with her strong hypnotic admiration for the star, she’d

then start analyzing how much she loved Badmus more. In most situations, the attempt to relieve him appears even falser than her expressions.

Badmus could not pick out what he found wrong until night, on his sleeping bed. He turned over and over reflecting on the psychological implications of what she does to him.

‘What is wrong dear,’ he realized finally, ‘ is that, by your show of lust towards a man – especially a man you might never have the chance to meet – you make me feel small, unremarkable and inconsequential to your life… you make me feel incapable

Badmus could not pick out what he found wrong until night, on his sleeping bed. He turned over and over reflecting on the psychological implications of what she does to him.

of pleasing you, and that ultimately makes me doubt if you even really think I love you at all… No man can take that!

I feel dead when you show such admiration to someone who is not me, and when you suddenly realize how bad it makes me feel, you help me feel worse when you then try to convince me that you love me? It feels stupid, it is bad and I hate it.

I thought I could take it when we first met, but now I’m sure I can’t anymore, I love you, but I can’t just take that part of you anymore…

Unfortunately angel, no man can take it!’

Badmus didn’t even realize he was all by himself in his room, he didn’t know when he started soliloquizing his thoughts in his mad desire to get the news into Anita’s skull.

He knew he couldn’t however, because Anita was a good girl, a girl brought up from a very rich and a very responsible family, a girl every man somehow somewhat wanted as wife… and ultimately because, part of him knows that if that ‘Davido’s part’ is taken away from her, she was sincerely a totally made bride that would always make him happy if she was his!

Naijastories.com

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 34

Nollywood

Pete Edochie is my husband - Rita

Actress Rita Edochie is a notable figure in the movie industry. Since her foray into Nollywood in 1997, the prolific and talented screen diva has featured in many movies and worked with top stars including Pete Edochie, her brother-in-law. In this interview, Rita talked about her acting career, politics, family and experiences on set.

Enjoy:

C

ould you tell us a bit about your background?

I am happily married with four children, two boys and two girls. I am a proud grandmother. My first daughter is married. God blessed us with a grandson. I worked at Anambra State Broadcasting Services as a presenter for over 15 years.

Why did you quit broadcasting?

It’s funny though! I didn’t quit my job; I was laid off because they felt my acting career was a problem to them. After all, I wasn’t the only person doing something else; others were also engaged in one business or the other while working with the broadcasting station. And I have never allowed my acting schedules to interfere with my job.

I did acting during weekends and it hurts so badly that they didn’t query me for one day for being redundant. I believe that majority of them were obviously jealous and envious of me. I had to call my lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, and we sued them. The case is still in court. Hopefully, with the support of the Human Right Commission, the case would soon be over.

So, your ‘unlawful dismissal’ brought you into acting fully?

Yes! I got into acting fully, since it’s one career I am passionate about, I had to go into it fully and I am enjoying it. But I had to diversify into politics.

I am a politician. I have a group of women working with me in an NGO, Umuada Empowerment Initiative. We have over 50,000 women in the group in Anambra State.

Do you miss broadcasting?

Yes, I miss broadcasting; it’s a job I love so much. Though, it’s not a paying job like acting, it’s a wonderful job that gives you an edge over people. But the people I worked with gave me a different perception about the profession, making me feel bad. I am a very sincere person that’s why I am telling you what really transpired working as a broadcaster.

How did you find your feet in the movie industry?

I started acting in my secondary school. I didn’t study Theatre Arts, I read Mass Communication. So, I believe acting is a natural calling. I joined the movie industry through an audition. Luckily, I was given the role after they found me competent to act.

Could you tell us about the first movie you featured?

It’s Waterloo, a wonderful movie. It was fun working with all the cast and crew on that set.

Are you related to Pete Edochie?

Yes, Pete Edochie is my husband’s elder brother. He and

Rita Edochie my husband, Tony Edochie, are born of the same parents.

There have been misconceptions about your relationship with Pete Edochie; some people think he is your husband?

Of course, he is still my

husband, according to Igbo tradition. Since he is an elder in my husband’s family, he is still my husband. But he is not the one doing the job (laughter). And I thank God for my husband, Tony Edochie, for all his love and affection. In fact, he is my pillar of

Genenieve an Egyptian Princess in Magazine

I

f you have ever wondered what Nollywood actress, Genevieve Nnaji, would look like as an Egyptian princess, you don’t have to look further anymore as a magazine has already solved that.

After appearing almost flawless in her flowing bodyhugging white gown at her friend’s wedding recently, the multi-award winning actress

has appeared in an Egyptianinspired outfit.

A fictional Magazine, ‘Voodoo’, featured Genevieve in the second edition of her cover as an Egyptian princess, after modelling songstress, Tiwa Savage, in the past.

Looking every inch of an Egyptian princess, the multibrand ambassador has again shown that she truly leads while others follow.

success and I pray he will be my husband in the next world. We are inseparably in love! My husband is a retired broadcaster. He also worked at Anambra Broadcasting Services where his elder brother, Pete Edochie also worked.

So, why did you join

politics?

I have knowledge of politics even as a broadcaster. I decided to join politics at the point where my love for human emancipation began to wax stronger and my desire to better the lots of women in the grass root grew. I joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where I could express myself as a politician.

When exactly did you start acting?

I played so many lead roles while working at ABS in the ‘90s. I joined Nollywood as a professional in 1997. So, I’ve spent 18 years in the movie industry.

You’ve played so many lead characters, what was the experience like playing alongside Pete Edochie?

It’s like you are married to your husband in real life. And he has been so supportive on set.

When he thinks I am not playing it well, he advises me to depict the role perfectly, as a veteran in the profession.

What have you achieved being an actress?

Acting has given me stardom and I am thankful for the platform God has placed me in life.

What was your growing up like?

I knew only my mother because my father died when I was still a baby. I was the last child of the family. We are five children and we thank God for given our mother the grace to rear us.

How was it growing up without a father?

My mother also filled the gap of our father. She was a very strict and disciplined woman. We called her ‘lion’ because she was a disciplinarian, and above all, hard working and caring. She is late now; we miss her dearly. Please let’s not talk about that again.

(Sobs).

PAGE 35

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Hollywood

‘Fast and Furious 7’ becomes fastest film to make a billion dollars F

ast and Furious 7 has officially become the fastest film to make a $1 billion at the box office.

The James Wan-directed movie - which is the last film in the series to star late actor Paul Walker - hit the impressive figure in a record-breaking 17 days.

This comes shortly after Vin Diesel predicted the action film will win the Oscar for Best Picture.

He said: “Universal is going to have the biggest movie in history with this movie. It will probably win Best Picture at the Oscars, unless the Oscars don’t want to be relevant ever… There is nothing that will ever come close to the power of this thing.”

Nicki Minaj

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin ‘to officially divorce’

T

heir conscious uncoupling has now become a plain old divorce – Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have legally split, according to reports.

Actress Gwyneth and Coldplay frontman Chris first announced that they were separating in March last year, labeling it a “conscious uncoupling”, but stayed close friends and had not actually divorced.

However, according to The Sun, they have apparently been thrashing out the details of their break up over the past weeks and Iron Man star Gwyneth is filing to make it official in the US courts.

The Daily Mirror has reported that papers were due to be finalised and that the pair were planning on splitting their £120 million fortune and custody of their children

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin

Apple, 10, and Moses, eight, equally.

There had been rumours that the pair could reunite after they were spotted on holiday as a family and spending Valentine’s Day together, but making the split official puts an end to the speculation that they were recoupling.

Both have also started new relationships – Gwyneth has been getting close to Brad Falchuk, the producer of TV series Glee which she has made guest appearances in, while Chris has been having an on/off relationship with Jennifer Lawrence.

Apparently, the former couple have been trying hard to approach the divorce amicably, meaning that their family holidays could continue even after the papers are signed.

…sets to beat ‘Transformers’ record in China box office

‘F

ast and Furious 7’ has racked up an eight-day total of more than $250 million in China, setting new milestones and completely dominating the box office in the world’s second-biggest film market.

The movie had 584,500 screenings, according to data from research group Entgroup, and a staggering 29,828,822 admissions.

James Wan’s movie looks like a sure bet to exceed the most recent Transformers film’s performance to become China’s biggest movie ever.

In July 2014, after 10 days in release, Transformers: Age of Extinction had taken $224 million after 10 days from 289,684 screenings. The big difference is that there is currently no competing Chinese movie, whereas Transformers had to deal with the local movie Breakup Guru on 188,000 screens.

Industry figures on the fringes

of the Beijing International Film Festival this week said regulators will be watching the success of the movie closely, as it could skew things too strongly in favor of foreign movies when the year-end tallies come out.

There are a few big Chinese films coming out later in the year, including action comedy Hollywood Adventures, featuring big names such as Zhao Wei, Huang Xiaoming and Tong Dawei and directed by Tim Kendall, which opens toward the end of June.

Also, state movie company China Film Group has a stake in Furious 7, believed to be around 10 percent.

CFG controls the distribution, which helped give the movie a powerful presence in theaters and also means that some of the revenue will flow back to Chinese state coffers.

Vin Diesel, Jason Statham and Michelle Rodriguez came to Beijing in late March for the Furious 7 premiere, and Diesel hinted that Furious 8

might be shot in China, all of which will has helped the buzz around the movie.

Then again, Avengers: Age of Ultron opens on May 12, and Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo have been in China to promote it, so Hollywood’s take could be in line for a further boost next month.

In second place last week was Ever Since We Love, featuring Fan Bingbing, which brought in $11.59 million during its opening weekend, with 79,322 screenings and 2.13 million admissions.

Easternlight’s Wolf Warriors, directed by and starring martial artist Wu Jing, was in third place, adding another $8.7 million for a gross of $78.96 million after 18 days.

Johnny Depp starrer Mortdecai brought in $2.1 million in its opening weekend in China, which came long after its international opening, while Annie Yi’s romance The Queens took $1.88 million in its opening five days.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 36

Celebrity gists

EL James’ hubby writing ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ sequel

L

ess than one month after it was revealed that Sam TaylorJohnson will not direct the Fifty Shades of Grey sequel, the follow-up film’s scriptwriter has been announced.

The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy author, EL James, has enlisted husband Niall Leonard to pen the script for the forthcoming film Fifty Shades Darker, which will once again star Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele.

“Niall is an outstanding writer in his own right, with multiple established credits and we are lucky to have him join

Team Fifty,” producer Michael De Luca said in a statement to THR, which was first to report the news.

Leonard, who has two children with his wife of over 20 years, is already an established author and screenwriter, having written for various British TV shows including Air Force One Is Down and Wire in the Blood; he has also penned novels such as Crusher, Incinerator and Shredder.

Fifty Shades of Grey had an extremely successful box office debut on February 13, garnering a whopping $85 million over the three-day President’s Day weekend.

I have no talent, says Jerry Springer

S

howbiz legend, Jerry Springer, in a recent interview said he has no talent. According to him, “the truth is, at my age, 71, if you stop, you stop. You don’t take a couple of years off and come back at 87. I don’t want to stop enjoying life. I have no talent but I get to do these shows. I am not being disingenuous, but as a kid no one would have picked me out and said, ‘He’ll be in show biz.’

I’ve just been lucky. Why stop? I honestly don’t see myself slowing down, other than for health reasons.’’

Not only has “The Jerry Springer Show” been renewed

through 2018, it enters its 25th season this fall, but Investigation Discovery has ordered a second season of the Springer-hosted “Tabloid,” premiering June 6.

“We get the headlines then we see what the back stories are.

It is fascinating. I mean, the one consistency with virtually all the shows I do is I start off with the premise that we are all social beings. Throughout history, we’ve loved telling stories and hearing stories about ourselves … it is all about human interaction. Once we were in the town square — now the only thing that’s changed is the size of the neighborhood.”

‘Furious 7’ tops box office “

F

urious 7 picked up $29.1 million in its third weekend of release, according to studio estimates. The fast cars and gravity-defying stunts sequel is barreling towards the $300 million mark stateside having already hurtled past the $1 billion mark globally.

Domestically, “Furious 7 has earned $294.4 million.

Despite the blockbuster’s continued dominance, “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 did better

than expected, pulling in $24 million across 3,633 locations.

It had been projected to fall short of the $20 million barrier.

Universal has been racking up big numbers with “Furious 7,” but the studio scored another hit with the micro-budget horror film “Unfriended.” The look at a bunch of teenagers engaging in some digital age bullying cost a measly $1 million to produce, returning that many times over

after one weekend in theaters.

“Unfriended” made $16 million across 2,739 theaters. Going into With “Furious 7,” “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2,” and “Unfriended” taking up the first three slots, the top five was rounded out by “Home” with $10.3 million and “The Longest Ride” with $6.9 million. “Home” has made $142.6 million since debuting last month, while “The Longest Ride” has lassoed $23.5 million.

Audu Maikori steps down as head of Choc City Music

C

EO of Chocolate City Music, Audu Maikori, has stepped down as head of the music label, but he is still CEO of Choc City Group, which has a media coy and other businesses.

“I have headed Chocolate City for the past 10 years and it has been the most amazing period of my life despite the many challenges that came with it. At this point I have decided to step down as CEO of Chocolate City to allow the younger generation steer the ship. My resignation takes effect from June, but I won’t disclose who will take over from me until then’’, he said.

But, according to sources close to the label, rapper MI might be the next head honcho at Choc City. His label, Loopy Records, is going to be merged with Choc City which houses MI, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, Ruby, Gyang, Nosa, Victoria Kimani, Loose Kaynon, DJ Caise, and DJ Lambo.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 37

Entertainment

Mariah Carey will always be the love of my life —Nick Cannon

D

uring an interview on The Meredith Vieira Show, Movie producer, Nick Cannon admitted that his ex-wife, singer Mariah Carey, will always be the love of his life.

“It is one of those things, I am a hopeless romantic too. Through this learning process, you never say never. To me one thing I know is that she will always be the love of my life, always be my family and that is never going to change.”

When asked what he admires most about his ex, Nick said it is the way she keeps personal matters private. “That is one thing I actually admire about Mariah because she is a professional. You ain’t going to get nothing out of her. I was like you know what, I am learning.”

Asked if he was dating anyone, Nick said he is single “I am not dating anyone, I don’t have time.

I’m trying to focus on being the best father I can possibly be and business, we have so many things, from the book to my philanthropic efforts to all the shows and movies I’m producing.”

Big Sean, Ariana Grande split after 8 months

O

ne of the cutest couple in the music business has called it quits. After eight months of non-stop PDA and collaboration, rapper Big Sean and singer Ariana Grande are no longer together.

The couple confirmed their split in a statement to People Magazine. “They both deeply care for each other and remain close friends. We kindly ask that the media respect their wish for privacy regarding this personal matter at this time,” the joint statement said.

‘I will get married when I find someone I love so much’

B

ritish-Nigerian actor and writer, Kalu Ikeagwu, said he will only get married when he finds a woman he can’t live without.

“I am yet to find the right person to settle down with. I mean that person that I love so much and want to spend the rest of my life with. I will get married, but let it be according to the will of God. Marriage is an important institution, so it has to be the will of God. I want to be successful in my marriage just as I am successful in my career. I will get married when I find the right person and when I see the lady who is showing the right sign of a wife material.”

About what he expects from the woman he wants to marry, the actor said “there are a lot of things I would like my ideal woman to possess. Number one, she must have an unshakeable love. And even if it is the only thing she has, I am okay. But she must also have a close relationship with God which is very important.”

Iyanya features Tekno, Selebobo in ‘Yudala’

A

fter releasing a new track on Tuesday, Iyanya is out with another single called ‘Yudala’ and this time he features other Triple MG label artists, Tekno, Selebobo, Baci and Mystro.

According to him, the song Yudala stands out for its clear message and discernible lyrics which every Nigerian can relate to. Yudala appeals to the consciousness of every Nigerian who listens to it as it projects the renewed optimism in the new socio-economic and political dispensation.

The song was produced by DJ Coublon.

Timi Dakolo releases ‘wish me well’

M

usic star, Timi Dakolo, is out with his first single in 2015 and it is titled ‘Wish Me Well’.

The song, produced by Cobhams, is off his forthcoming album, ‘Love and Consequences’, For his new song, Timi draws inspiration from his days as a young boy in Port Harcourt just before West African Idols, going through the harsh events of life.

“I have had it bad, from days with no money to pay my school fees, having to survive by selling pure water, pushing wheelbarrows for money, it has been tough. I remember when Idols came calling, I knew this was my opportunity to make it, I picked my bags and moved to see what would happen. I was scared, but if I didn’t, I wonder where I would be.”

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 38

OUR MISSION “To be the market place of ideas and the leading player in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while delivering value to our stakeholders”

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

Chairman Malam Wada Maida, Oon, Fnge Director/Editor-in-Chief Rufa’i Ibrahim Editor, Daily Hameed M. Bello

Chief Operating Officer Ali M. Ali

Deputy Manager, Production Abdul-Rauf Musa

Acting Editor, Weekend Lawal Sabo Ibrahim

Manager, administration Hassan Hammanyaji

Head, Lagos Bureau Adesoji Oyinlola

“To be a reputable, profitable, innovative and technologically reliant media company offering world class services and products”

ISSUES Why Jonathan may not win Nobel, Mo Ibrahim prizes

WRITE TO US

Edwin Uhara

S

ince the March 28 presidential election in which the outgoing president, Goodluck Jonathan, lost and conceded defeat to Muhammadu Buhari, he has been hailed as deserving the Mo Ibrahim Prize for governance. While his supporters, carried away by the euphoria of the moment, hyped him as deserving the Nobel Prize. While I strongly believe that Jonathan deserves his place for conceding defeat and averting the possibility of Nigeria being plunged into violence, I seriously doubt if he is qualified for any of the prizes given the criteria for bestowing such awards. By conceding defeat even before the final official result was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the president prevented certain elements who had vowed to go to war if he is not returned to power from plunging the country into violence.

Indeed, given the violent rhetoric that had heralded the elections, the general perception was that its outcome would definitely signal the end of the country as it had been predicted by several reports among which, the United States Intelligence Council, “Mapping subSaharan African” stood out. In 2005, the report had predicted that Nigeria would break up given the intractable ethnic, religious and multifarious fault lines that have blighted its peaceful co-existence and pushed it to the brink; a possibility that had been heightened by the 2015 elections.

The prediction was almost coming to pass given the fear-mongering and violence that had characterised campaigns until the president’s concession. To underscore the significance of Jonathan’s concession, the proprietor of the Mo Ibrahim award, business mogul, Mo Ibrahim, had lavished praises on the outgoing president, for delivering on his promise of a free and fair presidential election and graciously accepting the outcome even as it led to the truncating of his second term ambition.

This special recognition has raised the hopes of those who believe he deserves the respected prize for governance. But the criteria for awarding the prize go beyond just conceding to an electoral defeat. It is far more rigorous. The prize celebrates African heads of government who perform commendably in office and do not seek to entrench themselves in power. It grants the recipient $5million over 10 years and

Peoples Daily Weekend welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed to: The Editor, Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja.

Email: opinion@peoplesdailyng.com adverts@peoplesdailyng.com pictures@peoplesdailyng.com contact@peoplesdailyng.com guarantees a lifetime payment of $200,000 thereafter. The most recent winner is Namibia’s former President, Hifikepunye Pohamba, internationally acclaimed for strengthening his country’s democratic values and socio-economic equality. He was also praised for reducing the poverty rate among the rural poor. President Jonathan, by ensuring credible polls and submitting to their outcomes even when they hurt his reelection chances, satisfies the basic criteria for the award. However, he falls short in several critical factors that may put him at the same level as statesmen who had been rewarded with the lifetime achievement award.

While the Nigerian president stands out in enabling, or, at least, not inhibiting, the advancement of Nigeria’s democratic culture, he has failed to achieve the same impact in several other sectors of the society in the years he presided over the affairs of the

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country. While it is not my intention to belittle the concession by Jonathan, a rare gesture in our clime, I am of the view that by conceding defeat in an election in which he was clearly beaten, he only ensured a soft landing for himself knowing that he performed dismally in office. It was a smart move by a president who is aware that history may not be too kind on him. Observers have also pointed out that the president, disillusioned by criticisms and overwhelmed by the demands of office, was just too happy to leave, a fact he alluded to when he said he was happy to be out of the ‘cage’ for 16 years.

The Mo Ibrahim award for which Jonathan is thought to be a contender is not just for leaders who voluntarily quit power.

According to Mo Ibrahim Foundation, the “prize also recognises and celebrates African leaders who have developed their countries, lifted their people out of poverty and paved the way for sustainable and equitable

The prize also recognises and celebrates African leaders who have developed their countries, lifted their people out of poverty and paved the way for sustainable and equitable prosperity.”

prosperity.” But it is in the critical factor of good governance, that Jonathan falls short.

His record in office in the last four years may deny him the prize. The rebasing of the economy, which made Nigeria Africa’s largest economy, helped to drive investors’ interest in the country. But, despite the increased flow of foreign direct investment, his administration was unable to match economic growth with development. Also, according to World Bank statistics, about 100 million Nigerians fell into poverty under his watch.

The president has been accused of wastefulness and profligacy, evidence of which is his government’s inability to save during the years of oil boom. His image is also hard hit by massive allegations of corruption involving members of his cabinet, corporations and parastatals under his direct supervision. These issues, joined by the unsolved problem of power, massive unemployment and widening socio-economic inequality, deny him the economic legacy that would have pushed his case for the Mo Ibrahim prize. As with the economy, Jonathan, despite spending hugely, struggled to develop the security apparatus of the country in the face of terrorist attacks and incessant kidnapping

by Boko Haram and bandits across the country. His government’s inability to ensure peace and stability, as well as accusations of its insensitivity to the plight of victims of terror, like the Chibok girls, who have still not been found, led to popular disaffection with his rule.

As proved by his defeat, not even the military’s recent triumphs against the Boko Haram insurgents have shed the perception of him as an incompetent president. As pointed out earlier, while his inability to stem insecurity will be a stumbling block to his consideration for the Mo Ibrahim prize, his calm reaction to the result of the tense election and strong invocation for his supporters to accept the victory of his rival, averted a post-election violence in the scale of 2011, and made him a legend in Nigeria’s history books. This singular act is Jonathan’s biggest bragging right for the prize. But will it be enough? The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has a reputation of awarding its prize to leaders with salient and incontrovertible record of good and effective governance; the reason only five leaders have received the prize in its nine years of existence.

Culled from Opinion.ng

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Time to fight corruption, strengthen institutions

By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

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oliticians will say whatever it takes to get elected. Every one of them swears they’ll be less corrupt, and less corruptible, than the lot in power.

However, when people stand up and take a stand, there is something beautiful and powerful about it. It sends the message that nothing will be done or achieved without their involvement. Furthermore, it sends a message to those in leadership positions that people are growing tired of the slow pace of development in the society.

As Nigeria enters another phase of its democratic dispensation, we must avoid those things that have made us unable to achieve substantial progress.

The road toward real transformation and reconciliation is never going to be as easy as change itself. That is why from day one of the inauguration of General Buhari`s administration, he must be held accountable for all government actions and inactions. Fear of losing power is the greatest way to keep politicians in check.

The President-elect, General Buhari, must know that, with 16 years of democracy, we cannot shy away from the fact that the people who have been victims of slow pace of development in the society are becoming impatient. While those in power focus their attention on amassing wealth which the

citizens trusted them with, he must quickly arrest the situation to restore hope to the people by delivering on his promises of substantial change. As it stands now, the people are watching closely and would not tolerate failure.

Yes we know that the removal of President Goodluck Jonathan will not automatically put an end to our struggles.

However, I feel it has set the nation on a path towards meaningful conversations and finding solutions to build a new Nigeria. It has opened the long awaited and needed opportunities to fight corruption and strengthen existing institutions.

Corruption and weak institutions are some of the challenges facing our nation and are responsible for many of our problems. No nation can strive where this duo exists. It

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will not be wrong to say that, one of the reasons why Jonathan was voted out, is due to his undiluted affection for corruption and corrupt persons.

Government’s budgets are huge yet implementation fails year after year because corruption does not give room for performance and achievements. Over the past 16 years, government has budgeted hugely on every sector of the country. But years on, it seems efforts have not been made to get the jobs done. The reason is not farfetched, money budgeted, signed and released has not been effectively utilised due to corruption.

For General Buhari to bring those changes he promised during his campaign, he must eliminate this endemic at all levels of government. When he does this, other

In strengthening our institutions, we must start by building values, structures, and processes. With these three elements in place, no individual will be placed above the law, government will function optimally, and accountability will be made easy.

Opinion

things will fall into place. Money will be channelled accurately, jobs will be done effectively and meaningful results will be achieved.

On making our institutions stronger; strengthening existing institutions and building more reliable ones remain the key to Nigeria’s socio-political development and sustenance of its democratic structures.

It must be noted that a combination of strong institutions and good leaders would fast-track development in all sectors of the country. In strengthening our institutions, we must start by building values, structures, and processes. With these three elements in place, no individual will be placed above the law, government will function optimally, and accountability will be made easy. If the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission (ICPC) are strong enough, corrupt persons will be brought to justice. If the security agencies are strong enough, curbing insecurity would be effective. If the judiciary is strong enough, people will not resort to violence when they know they can seek redress in the court of law.

Rotimi posted this piece on Abusidiqu.com and can be reached via twitter @MickeySunny

S/Africa waging war against its own Mark Alani-Bambe

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ust when Nigerians were celebrating the relatively peaceful conduct of the 2015 elections and the emergence of a people oriented government, we all woke up to news of the infamous xenophobic attacks in the Republic of South Africa. What a killjoy! My heart goes out to Nigerians and other Africans who are victims of this malady which by all standards is unacceptable and in fact condemnable. Until now, I have personally rated the Republic of South Africa as a leading African country where democracy has found its root and its tenets well embedded (fundamental human rights being a tenet of democracy).

The Republic of South Africa over the years has given the world this impression.

Recent developments have however given us a true picture of that nation. Even though there has been negligible reported pockets of violence against foreigners in South Africa in the past, one can hardly imagine that citizens of a nation which Nigeria stood by in its trying moments can quickly turn against it, slaughtering its citizens at will and carting away their legitimate and hard-earned property in broad day light.

Nigeria issued at once, over three hundred passports to facilitate assylum-seeking South African citizens during the apartheid era. Nigerian musician, Sonny Okosun in 1977 wrote the hit song, “fire in Soweto” in honour of black South Africans during the apartheid era. The gravity of attacks against Nigerians are to say the least virulent, brutal and overwhelming as children are not even spared. What a way to pay back.

For foreigners, life in the Republic of South Africa is now hellish, brutish and short. Until now the realities of the word xenophobia was already fading and being replaced by less offensive words like ethnicity, the people of South Africa have however brought it back to the

front burner. Wikipedia has described xenophobia as the unreasoned fear of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange. It further says xenophobia can manifest itself in many ways involving the relations and perceptions of an ‘ingroup towards an outgroup’, including the fear of losing identity, suspicion of its activities, aggression and a desire to eliminate its presence in order to secure a presumed purity. The people of the Republic of South Africa have exhibited all of the above including a devilish purity.

Zulu King, Godwill Zwelithi’s utterances on March 23 can be said to have launched the xenophobic attacks in South Africa and he had refused to apologize, even after finding out that his people have maimed, killed and destroyed businesses belonging to black foreigners which he claimed were not his intentions. He is still insisting that foreigners should go back to their countries but tried to save face by saying attacking foreigners is not how to chase them away.

He wants the government to do it legally.

The Zulu king was quoted to have said “We are requesting those who come from outside to please go back to their countries.

The fact that there were countries that played a role in the country’s struggle for liberation should not be used as an excuse

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to create a situation where foreigners are allowed to inconvenience locals. I know you were in their countries during the struggle for liberation. But the fact of the matter is you did not set up businesses in their countries.” If not coming from a king, I would have considered such statement irresponsible, I would rather say it is insensitive, resentful, full of hate, largely acrimonious and rancorous.

The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action speaks loudly and urges all governments to take immediate measures and to develop strong policies to prevent and combat all forms and manifestations of racism, xenophobia or related intolerance, where necessary by enactment of appropriate legislation including penal measures. The Republic of South Africa is privy to this, but has acted far from it.

However, if South Africa has any genuine reason to banish foreigners and isolate itself from the comity of nations, it is free to do so. The Zulu King captured his genuine feelings when he outlined three major complaints and why he wanted foreigners to go; 1. South African traders in townships said they could not compete with the prices that foreign-owned businesses were selling their products. 2; foreigners were involved in violent crimes. 3. Lack of respect shown

The irresponsible nature of the Nigerian government has continued to gradually and systematically force its citizens to migrate to other (even smaller) countries for various reasons with seeking greener pasture and qualitative educational pursuit topping the list. Nigeria has been turned to an infertile nation infested by cancerous politicians who have torn our national fabric into shreds and left its citizens hapless. It will be close to the truth to say that it is the dream of most Nigerians to work, study, live, seek medical attention or even die abroad.

by foreigners to locals. The Republic of South Africa as a sovereign nation is free to pursue its foreign policies with little or no interference and whenever it wants foreigners on its land no more, it should be done within legal framework.

Meanwhile, let us see how far it can go in doing this. “It is safe to first pursue the thief from without before dealing with the traitor from within” says the Yoruba adage.

As much as we castigate the government and people of the Republic of South Africa, we shouldn’t spare the Nigerian government as successive governments had squandered and embezzled the common wealth of the nation. The irresponsible nature of the Nigerian government has continued to gradually and systematically force its citizens to migrate to other (even smaller) countries for various reasons with seeking greener pasture and qualitative educational pursuit topping the list. Nigeria has been turned to an infertile nation infested by cancerous politicians who have torn our national fabric into shreds and left its citizens hapless. It will be close to the truth to say that it is the dream of most Nigerians to work, study, live, seek medical attention or even die abroad. What a shame! What an embarrassment! What an ignominy! What a dishonour to the giant of Africa.

However, as it is, all hope is not lost.

Nigeria will be great again. Our dry bones shall live again.

Our cultural, moral and ethical standard shall be restored.

Nigerians will be proud to be Nigerians again. Nigerians have clamoured for a change and they have seen its realisation.

General Muhammadu Buhari is the beacon of hope. I commiserate with the victims of the infamous xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Alani-Bambe, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, posted this piece on Abusidiqu.com

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PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Comments

Swinging along with the pendulum Joshua Amana Otene

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he 2015 general election usheredin an exciting epoch in the political memoirs of Nigeria. For the first time as a democratic nation, an incumbent president has been shown the way out of office via the power of the ballot. Also for the first time since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), self-acclaimed largest political party in Africa, has suffered a humiliating defeat in the hands of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) at practically all levels of electoral contest. It is therefore clear that the political power pendulum in Nigeria has switched directions, the effects of which will become more evident after May 29.

However, even prior to the official handover date, the effects of the historic swing of Nigeria’s power pendulum have begun to manifest. Far withdrawn from the thought of political existence as an opposition party at least for the next four years, PDP bigwigs started cross-carpeting in droves few days after the result of the presidential poll was announced. At the gubernatorial election where the APC consolidated its position as the ruling party by claiming victory in majority of the states, there is likely to be an avalanche of decampments in the days ahead.

All keen observers of the dynamics of power would concur to the notion that ‘power is transient’. Power is also dynamic and if there is one lesson Nigerian politicians must learn from the 2015 election, it is that political power rests with the electorate and they can confer it on trust to whomsoever

they deem worthy. Indeed the PDP has suffered electoral defeat but, the loss presents an opportunity for its membership to return to the drawing board and ask itself some pertinent questions. How well did we utilise the enormous power entrusted into our hands by Nigerians in the last 16 years?

Where did we get it wrong and how can we navigate our party out of the marshlands it is currently enmeshed in?

But rather than working together to reposition the party, power mongers in the PDP are clinging tenaciously to the pendulum of power and swinging freely along with it in the direction that it goes.

The ex-PDP members that are currently trooping unabashedly into the APC should ask themselves what their true motive is for deserting the party that they only recently swore allegiance to. Apart from the expected mourning resulting from the tragic electoral loss, there is presently no internal crisis within the PDP to provide even the subtlest of excuses for its members to decamp. This will therefore confirm that the decampees are influenced only by their avarice, thirst for power and all the lucre that accompanies political power.

Despite the torrent of plaudits that greeted President Jonathan’s sportsmanly disposition to the election, the flurry of secret (or even open) condemnations he must have to contend with from stratums of his party membership, kinsmen and teeming beneficiaries remain incontestable.

After 16 consecutive years in the mainstream of power and all the associated trimmings, it is not impossible to find PDP members that would choke at the thought of being stripped of all the bounties and privileges they are

currently enjoying. Again, there are others whose ethnic, social or religious affinities to Jonathan has given them unfettered access to numerous dividends of democracy, dividends which ordinarily do not trickle down to the common man.

But as repugnant as the reality is, PDP (and of course its many beneficiaries) has found itself in opposition politics and it is a fate that the party and its members, especially those that have benefitted enormously from its good fortunes, must embrace wholeheartedly. For our democracy to continue to take roots, there is need for a virile and vibrant opposition party.

A viable opposition will not only put the incumbent on its toes, but also provide an alternative to the electorate in subsequent elections. However, the APC cannot deter interested individuals from joining its fold. As a political organisation, it must uphold the tenets of freedom of association as enshrined in our constitution. But the statement credited to the President-Elect, Gen. Buhari, that the recent decampees will not be offered appointments into his cabinet is quite commendable.

For the political power that they so covet, our politicians must be willing to pay the right price. The ‘change’ slogan that many Nigerians are basking in today was made possible through the diligence and sacrifice of a few people, who weathered the turbulent storms of opposition politics for 16 solid years! The President-Elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari stands tall on the list of the pillars of contemporary opposition politics in Nigeria and therefore deserves to be its leading beneficiary. Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu also runs atop the list of

champions of opposition politics in Nigeria.

The efforts and sacrifices of these two, among other men of conscience and principle, have altered the equation in Nigeria’s political landscape today.

Although it is often argued that majority of Nigerian politicians do not uphold clearcut philosophies, I am of the view that the seeming lack of political philosophy on the part of our politicians is attributable to the low level of our political maturity. Time and events will eventually shape our politicians, as well as the electorate. This is so long as the country does not slide into a one-party state. With time and further realisation of the power of the ballot, the parties will be compelled to fine-tune their philosophies and also educate the electorate. It is then that we can have issues-based politics, rather than the politics of primordial sentiments that we are currently practicing.

For instance in the United States, being the democratic model which Nigeria appears to be emulating, the issue of politicians decamping has not been a matter of reckoning in recent years. This is because in the US, it is easy to identify politicians with the party manifestoes that they stand for. The conviction of an average American politician vis-à-vis party manifesto has made loyalty a transcendent issue. With the passage of time, I am optimistic that the culture of democracy in Nigeria will rival that of the US. But that time can be shortened considerably, if only our politicians stick to objectivity, principle, character and quit oscillating with the pendulum of power.

Otene can be reached via twitter @JoshuaOtene

SMEDAN, NEDEP and Nigerian entrepreneurs

By Okeke Celestine

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hen the federal government launched the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) in February 2014, it was conceptualised to provide business support services and access to finance for MSMEs in the country and to add one million jobs yearly. As laudable as this vision was, the programme has turned out to be another white elephant funding initiative, existing at best on the pages of newspapers.

At the launching of NEDEP, President Goodluck Jonathan had said “This programme will be a change agent, not only training millions of young Nigerians and harnessing the unbridled entrepreneurial energy in our society, but also providing them with affordable and accessible finance to act as a catalyst for their ambitions and enable them achieve their dreams”. Nigerians are yet to see the training for millions of Nigerians under the programme even though the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, the ministry managing the fund, has the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) as agencies under its command.

Nigerian entrepreneurs are yet to have articulated training and or access to details on how they can benefit from the programme neither has the Bank of Industry publicised a document detailing the workings of the programme.

Jonathan at the launch further stated that “With NEDEP, Nigeria has begun its journey… a journey whereby we do not just implore our youth to ‘go out and attain employment’ but rather we say to them ‘go out and create employment, employ yourselves, employ others, become the employers this

great nation needs”. One would have expected the presidency to step up efforts to ensure that NEDEP does not go the way of other funding initiatives that have failed to impact on job creation, rather the office of the senior special adviser on job creation is embarking on training/workshop on how to write resume for youths. If the adviser on job creation spends her office funds to train youths on how to write resumes who then is driving NEDEP? The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, proudly stated that “With the rigorous implementation of the programme NEDEP expects to create an average of one million jobs per year”, the question here then is, what rigorous implementation have we had? What practical steps have SMEDAN, ITF, NDE and BOI taken to help entrepreneurs access funds?

Beyond mandating SMEDAN to generate

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50,000 applications before the year ends (a tall order bearing in mind the mind-set of the average staff of SMEDAN) what else has the ministry done with a view to ensuring that NEDEP achieves the purpose for which it was launched?

A visit to the Bank of Industry will reveal quite sadly, the level of commitment the ministry and its agencies have to the programme; you will be confronted with the reality that there exists no separate application form for NEDEP, there exist a low level of information/ knowledge of the initiative by staff of the bank. The application form given to entrepreneurs who visit the bank for enquires is the same given for commercial loans, forms asking for collateral when NEDEP demands no collateral for certain amounts.

The recent addition of GEM (growth and employment project) to the funding

The ministry of investment, trade and industries and its agencies managing NEDEP and other funding initiatives should be more pragmatic and responsive to the needs of Nigerian entrepreneurs, asking an entrepreneur to present three years tax clearance certificate is akin to asking him/ her not to bother applying for the funds or to use the words of an entrepreneur who has been denied several applications ‘it is like asking me to not to apply if I have to pay three years tax before accessing the

initiatives available to Nigerian entrepreneurs is a disturbing development. What levels of achievement have we achieved with NEDEP and other funding initiatives to warrant the launch of another initiative by the same ministry? What are the inadequacies observed with NEDEP that is necessitating the launch of GEM? Why not strengthen NEDEP? These are pertinent questions entrepreneurs on the streets are asking, or are these initiative cases of the more you look the less you see.

We urge him to suspend the implementation of GEM and put the needed structures in place to ensure the success of NEDEP except GEM is structured to achieve what NEDEP cannot achieve, in which case we will then urge it to suspend NEDEP and build it into GEM. The ministry of investment, trade and industries and its agencies managing NEDEP and other funding initiatives should be more pragmatic and responsive to the needs of Nigerian entrepreneurs, asking an entrepreneur to present three years tax clearance certificate is akin to asking him/her not to bother applying for the funds or to use the words of an entrepreneur who has been denied several applications ‘it is like asking me to not to apply if I have to pay three years tax before accessing the fund when it is a start-up business’.

It is our hope that officials of the ministry and the agencies under it take up the challenge of ensuring that funding initiatives meet the needs of the average entrepreneur, anything short of this is not going to be result oriented neither will it change the belief that such initiatives are mere covers for moving funds to other purposes.

Celestine, the Initiative Head, (MSME-ASI), posted this piece on Abusidiqu.com

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

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Online Comments

Ag IGP, Arase resumes duty, vows to deal with deviants Yomi Falade says: Could it be that to continue the massive rigging in the south east and south south states, Jonathan had appointed his ‘country’ man as IGP? Xenophobia: FG begins evacuation of Nigerians from S’Africa Don Dom says: The xenophobic attack in South Africa should be treated by African nations as an act of war.

The Zulu king is a disgrace to Africa, South African leadership is a disgrace to Africa.

There is no greater shame on the black race as the recent history of ethnic cleansing, xenophobia and the rest. It is becoming a shame to be an African.

Atiku may emerge APC BoT chair Mr.Abdin says: Atiku Abubakar is the right man for the job. APC all the way.

Mediterranean tragedy: World moves to stem illegal migration Jasper says: I hate to sound cruel, but I think that if the UN really cares about these children they should demand a safe zone around these shelter points. The surge of migrants is creating intense burden on the host countries and the demands that these children be given immediate shelter, food, education, medicine and legal aid is asking far too much of many countries. There is also the issue of how difficult it is for many of these migrants to assimilate into their host countries, creating additional tension on the local population.

How can the UN be so demanding and yet unable to set up global orphanages or youth homes for these migrant children?

House Speaker: Why the odds favour Dogara Kabir Abdulkarim says: Definitely, we are in support of his candidature, he deserves the seat, he is among the oldest serving legislators and the most credible.

Frustration partly to blame for insurgency – Badeh Macdonald says: I know that one day people will twist the atrocities of Boko Haram to one reason or the other.

If frustration is the cause of the insurgency, do not forget that it is still the same frustration that led many people to armed robbery, kidnapping, murder and ritual killings etc. If they are pardoned, then all criminals in Nigeria should be set free.

I didn’t spend N2trn on elections – Jonathan Yomi Falade says: It is true that Jonathan didn’t spend N2 trillion on elections, he just pocketed the money.

Saraki supports Buhari on asset declaration Mustapha Gude says: It is a good idea for the incoming government to eliminate all sorts of corruption, not only for political appointees or elected leaders, they should include all government parastatals.

AL-makura now in good company Mohammed Abubakar says: Tanko Al-makura should be given the title of Sarkin Yakin Nassarawa because he fought many wars of impeachment and won them.

Jonathan transition committee trickish – Buhari campaign org

Sen. Saraki

Ag-IG Solomon Arase

Gov. Al-makura Yomi Falade says:

Buhari should perfect the new voting system that birthed his presidency.

He should ensure that the new INEC becomes an envy of the world, that as the US Ambassador said, even the US, the “mother” of all democracies, can learn from it. He should perfect the use of the card readers and institute an unriggable tamper-proof automated e-election ASAP. This way, he will bequeath an unrivalled lasting legacy to the Nigerian polity.

The cause of corruption in Nigeria is this: Public and private workers are not being paid livable wages, and the shortchange is what erstwhile government officials embezzle. Please, arrange to pay all workers enough for their monthly living and expenses, then they will not need to take bribes and loot the treasury, and anyone who does will have to pay dearly. When workers are paid livable wages, they will individually develop the country and the GDP and revenue from taxable income will increase.

Scrap aviation ministry, activist tells Buhari

could have illegally purchased the exorbitant BMW vehicles for Oduah and there is no way the SGF, Anyim could query his “sister”. The ministry of aviation is bedeviled with anarchy and impunity fueled by nepotism. Hence it is bereft of checks and balances.

Unless this primitive primordial disorder is corrected, accidents or do I say incidents in the aviation sector have just started.

We’ll not forgive unrepentant looters, says Shehu Sani Yomi Falade says: The definition of a repentant looter is one who returns the loot.

2015: Jonathan exploiting unemployed youths in re-election agenda-Buhari Vanguard Oginni Temidayo says: Some people brought SURE-P to Osun State and many youths applied, but since Jonathan lost the election, nobody has seen nor heard from them.

We have been duped some youths spent up to N150 000.

Garba Kano says: The aviation sector as it is today is being run as a clannish enterprise. For instance, the National Assembly which is to provide an oversight function is also plagued by this nepotism as both the Senate and the House have their aviation committee chairmen from the most favoured tribe “Igbo”.

Corruption is widely acknowledged is an agent of compromise. It leads to compromising principles, rule of law, due process and outright lowering of standards. You fill a public office with your brothers, sisters, sons, daughters in-law, fellow village men and women, Under such a circumstance everyone sees each other as a “brother”. This is what seems to be happening today in the aviation sector.

If not because of nepotism there is no way the NCAA director Ggeneral Turaki Atiku

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

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Interview

‘Youth must play vital roles in Buhari’s government’

Barrister Ayuba Wandai is the National Coordinator, Vanguard for Transparent Leadership. In this interview with Ali Abare Abubakar, he spoke on the significance of the change in governance at the federal level and expectations of the youths for the incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari among other issues.

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he 2015 general elections have come and gone, ushering in a change of guards at the federal level with the emergence of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the APC as the President-elect.

What in your view does this portend for the development of the country?

I will start by saying that it is inevitable for us in Nigeria to have change at this point, it is something whose time has come.

The change advocates got it right this time around. Why it eluded us all this while was because all agents of change in the country were previously working at cross purposes. For the first time they brought themselves together on one platform. It is good that we have change and that Nigerians are hopeful once again.

The most interesting thing about the change is that it is led by no other person than General Muhammadu Buhari whose track record of incorruptibility, transparency and steadfastness is what Nigeria needs at this time. I will say for so many young Nigerians that we have never been privileged to see a good government in place and I hope the president-elect will not disappoint us. I hope he will build strong institutions and not individuals. My sincere belief is that Nigerians will be better off with this change in place.

Your organisation, Vanguard for Transparent Leadership, is desirous of holding leaders accountable to the people. Do you foresee the incoming administration meeting the desires of Nigerians for transparent leadership?

I believe so because from 2003 when he waded into politics, Buhari has always canvassed for votes on the idea of transparent leadership. He has done that three times before. Even his utterances since he was declared winner of the election shows that he is going to run a transparent government. I am confident even as an individual and as an organisation that he is going to run a transparent government, we believe that in the next few months, when he takes over, we will see Nigerians being brought to book for doing what is not right.

There will not be separate laws for the rich and mighty from that of the ordinary people, every citizen is going to tow the line.

We are not only going to see transparent leadership from him, but Nigerians will behave much better. The problem with Nigerians, as have been variously observed, is not that we are corrupt or nonchalant, but the absence of a functional leadership

Barrister Ayuba Wandai to lead the way for the people to follow. I am sure that with Buhari in the saddle, he will surely show us the way to follow and Nigerians will support him.

Politicians usually use and dump youths after assuming office.

What are your expectations for youths under the incoming administration?

My expectations for youths in this administration are that the president-elect must ensure that he appoints credible youths into key positions. He must also scout for youths that have leadership

“

skills inbuilt in them and put them in supportive positions, groom them to be able to learn from the older generation. I think since the first republic, during the Sardauna, Tafawa Balewa, Azikiwe, Awolowo golden era, when there was this political culture in place of grooming the younger ones in leadership.

What the younger ones have experienced so far is that the old brigades don’t want to give way.

If the president-elect and the APC want to continue enjoying the support of the youths, which they got in the last general elections,

they must put in place a strategy to groom them for future leadership positions and the youths must also play vital roles in policy making and implementation.

You were part of the APC administration in Nasarawa State. How far can you say that the Al-makura administration has sustained transparent leadership?

The fact is that everybody knows that his Excellency, Umaru Tanko Al-makura, is not a corrupt person. Everybody knows that he is a man of peace, a man of taste and not somebody that wants

My expectations for youths in this administration are that the presidentelect must ensure that he appoints credible youths into key positions. He must also scout for youths that have leadership skills inbuilt in them and put them in supportive positions,

his image rubbished on flimsy charges. I think you must give it to him, he is running the most transparent government in the history of Nasarawa State. As far as I am concerned, he is the best governor the state has so far produced. I am very happy to see him re-elected and I am confident that he is going to consolidate on his various achievements. We intend to see rapid development, for him to turn things around and to put the state on the pedestal of genuine growth. I am sure the people of Nasarawa will not regret the next four years.

What is your take on the allegations by Labaran Maku, APGA guber candidate, suggesting that the April 11 election was rigged in favour of Al-makura?

You see politics is a very interesting game and lots of things go with it. You cannot seek for leadership and then box yourself into a corner by depending on a particular ethnic group or religion and expect that you will succeed.

First is that since the creation of the state, no democratically elected governor has been elected on the platform of ethnicity or religion. Abdullahi Adamu was not elected on the platform of religion or ethnicity, Aliyu Akwe Doma was also not elected on the platform of religion or ethnicity.

Al-makura was not elected in 2011 based on ethno-religious platform. Even his re-election was not on a platform of religion or ethnicity.

It is clear in Nasarawa State that Maku only tried to spring up ethno-religious sentiments to try and win the election, but Nasarawa people said a big no to that. When you run for office, you are supposed to sell your credentials, sell your track record and people ought to attest to your good character, leadership skills and even believe in you. I think these are basically what Maku lacked. Next time that he wants to seek for office, he should do so on the basis of competence, incorruptibility, track record etc, but if he continues on the platform of ethno-religious sentiments, I assure you the people of Nasarawa will still reject him. He does not have anything to offer, he is no match for Al-makura, a man of big heart, who only appeals to the conscience of the people for development, peace than Maku’s myopic reasons.

Let me tell you, it was glaring during the election that the combined votes of APGA and PDP were even less than that of the APC. Al-makura had a clear majority and the work he has done in the past four years was what made the people of Nasarawa believe and re-elected him.

PAGE 43

Biographies

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo (1917 – 1999)

J

oshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo (19 June 1917 – 1 July 1999) was the leader and founder of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and a member of the Ndebele (Kalanga) tribe.

He was a trades-union leader, who became president of the banned National Democratic Party, and was jailed for ten years

by Rhodesia’s white minority government. After his release, ZAPU contributed to the fall of that government, but then feuded with the rival ZANU group led by Robert Mugabe. Fearing for his life, Nkomo fled the country, before controversially allowing ZAPU to merge with ZANU. Nkomo had many nicknames, including “Father Zimbabwe” and “Chibwechitedza” (the slippery rock).

Nkomo was born in Bukalanga or Bulilima, now referred to as Semokwe Reserve, Matabeleland South and was one of eight children. His father (Thomas Nyongolo Letswansto Nkomo) worked as a preacher and a cattle rancher and worked for the London Missionary Society. After completing his primary education in Southern Rhodesia, Nkomo took a carpentry course at the Tsholotsho Government Industrial School and studied there for a year before becoming a driver. He later tried animal husbandry, then became a schoolteacher specialising in carpentry at Manyame School in Kezi. In 1942, at the age of 25, during his career as a teacher, he decided that he should go to South Africa to further his education, do carpentry and qualify to a higher level. He attended Adams College and the Jan H. Hofmeyr School of Social Work in South Africa.[1] There he met Nelson Mandela and other regional nationalist leaders at the University of Fort Hare, though he did not attend that university. It was at the Jan Hofmeyr School of Social Work that he was awarded a B.A. Degree in Social Science in 1952. Nkomo married his wife Johanna MaFuyana on 1 October 1949.

After returning to Bulawayo in 1947, he became a trade unionist for black railway workers and rose to the leadership of the Railway Workers Union and then to leadership of the Southern Rhodesian chapter of the African National Congress in 1952 (later the Southern Rhodesia African National Congress). In 1960 he became president of the National Democratic Party, which was later banned by the Rhodesian government.

Armed struggle Nkomo was detained at Gonakudzingwa Restriction Camp

by Ian Smith’s government in 1964, with fellow rebels Ndabaningi Sithole, Edgar Tekere, Enos Nkala, Maurice Nyagumbo and Robert Mugabe, until 1974, when they were released due to pressure from South African prime minister B.J. Vorster. Following Nkomo’s release, he went to Zambia to continue opposing the Rhodesian government through the dual processes of armed resistance and negotiation. Unlike ZANU’s armed wing – the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, ZAPU’s armed wing – the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army – was dedicated to both guerrilla warfare and conventional warfare. At the time of independence ZIPRA had a modern military, stationed in Zambia and Angola, consisting of Soviet-made Mikoyan fighters, tanks and armoured personnel carriers, as well as well trained artillery units.

Joshua Nkomo was the target

Nkomo of two attempted assassinations.

The first one, in Zambia, by the Selous Scouts, a pseudo-team. But the mission was finally aborted and attempted again, unsuccessfully, by the Rhodesian Special Air Service (SAS). In August 2011 it was reported by the BBC that Nkomo had been tipped off by the British government.

ZAPU forces strategically weakened the Rhodesian government during the bush war.

The most widely reported and possibly the most effective of these attacks which had an impact in the Rhodesian’s social life was the downing of two Air Rhodesia Vickers Viscount civilian passenger planes with surface-to-air missiles.

The first, on 3 September 1978, killed 38 out of 56 in the crash, with a further ten survivors (including children) shot dead by ZIPRA cadres, sent to inspect the burnt wreckage. Nkomo later dismissed the massacre as false allegations perpetrated by the Rhodesian media and expressed his regret at the downing of a civilian plane, but defended the act by citing that the Rhodesian government was known to transport military personnel aboard civilian liners.

The eight remaining survivors are said to have managed to elude the guerrillas and walked 20 km into Kariba from where the flight had taken off (it was heading for Salisbury, Rhodesia’s capital, now renamed Harare). Some of the passengers had serious injuries and they were picked up by local police and debriefed by the Rhodesian army.

The second shooting down, on 12 February 1979, killed all 59 on board. The real target of the second attack was General Peter Walls, head of the COMOPS (Commander, Combined Operations), in charge of the Special Forces, including the SAS and the Selous Scouts.

Due to the large number of tourists returning to Salisbury a second flight had been dispatched. General Walls received a boarding card for the second flight, which departed Kariba 15 minutes after the doomed aircraft. No one has been brought to trial or charged with shooting down the aircraft due to amnesty laws passed by both Smith and Mugabe. In a television interview not long after the attack on the first aircraft, Nkomo joked about the incident while admitting ZAPU had indeed been responsible. In his memoirs, Story of My Life, published in 1985, Nkomo later said, “during that interview, the

interviewee had asked about what we used to down the planes and I said stones, jokingly in an attempt to avoid answering the question due to military intelligence which demanded secrecy regarding what type of weapons we had acquired from the Soviet Union. They remembered the laugh and not the regret for the shooting down of both aircraft.”

Politics ZAPU election badge, c1980 Nkomo founded the National Democratic Party (NDP) and in 1960, the year British prime minister Harold Macmillan spoke of the “Wind of Change” blowing through Africa, Robert Mugabe joined him. The NDP was banned by the white minority government and it was subsequently replaced by the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU), also founded by Nkomo, in 1962, itself immediately banned. ZAPU split in 1963 and while some have claimed this split was due to ethnic tensions, more accurately the split was motivated by the failure of Sithole, Mugabe, Takawira and Malianga to wrest control of ZAPU from Nkomo.

ZAPU would remain a multi-ethnic party right up until independence.

Following the first majorityrule election in ZimbabweRhodesia in which around 60% of the population voted, a government led by Abel Muzorewa, was formed in 1979 between Ian Smith and Ndabaningi Sithole’s ZANU, which by now had also split from Mugabe’s more militant ZANU faction. The civil war waged by Nkomo and Mugabe continued unabated and Britain and the USA did not lift sanctions on the country. Britain persuaded all parties to come to Lancaster House in September 1979 to work out a constitution and the basis for fresh elections. Mugabe and Nkomo shared a delegation, called the Patriotic Front (PF), at the negotiations chaired by Lord Carrington. Elections were held in 1980 and to the surprise of Nkomo but few others, the Common Roll vote split on predictable tribal lines, with the 20 seats in Matabeleland going to ZAPU and all but three of the sixty in predominantly Shona areas falling to Mugabe’s ZANU. Nkomo was offered the ceremonial post of President, but declined.

Conflict with Mugabe Despite reaching their ultimate goal, ousting Smith’s minority regime, Nkomo would not reconcile his differences with Mugabe. While ideological differences kept the two men apart far enough to begin with,

Nkomo’s ethnic background was grounds for additional distrust by Mugabe who constantly feared an uprising by the historically turbulent Ndebele population. Nkomo would make concessions and attempts to improve relationships but met with varying results, the most successful being the ones where Sally Hayfron would intervene, as she was the only person within Mugabe’s Party who was supportive of Nkomo.

Allegedly, when Mugabe was offered a seat by Julius Nyerere in his office where he met Nkomo months before, he refused and instead told him “If you think I’m going to sit right where that fat bastard just sat, you’ll have to think again”.

Initially, Mugabe refused to give Nkomo the position of Minister of Defense which Nkomo had been hoping for. After the intervention of Sally Hayfron, Nkomo was appointed to the cabinet (as minister without portfolio), but in 1982 was accused of plotting a coup d’état after South African double agents in Zimbabwe’s Central Intelligence Organization, attempting to cause distrust between ZAPU and ZANU, planted arms on ZAPU owned farms and then tipped Mugabe off to their existence.

In a public statement Mugabe said, “ZAPU and its leader, Dr. Joshua Nkomo, are like a cobra in a house. The only way to deal effectively with a snake is to strike and destroy its head.” He unleashed the Fifth Brigade upon Nkomo’s Matabeleland homeland in Operation Gukurahundi, killing up to 20,000 Ndebele civilians in an attempt to destroy ZAPU and create a one-party state. Nkomo fled the country. Mugabe’s government claimed that he had “illegally” left dressed as a woman: “NKOMO FLEES: ZAPU leader, Joshua Nkomo, fled in self-imposed exile to London after illegally crossing the Botswana frontier disguised as a woman on 7 March. 1983, claiming that his life was in danger and that he was going to look for “solutions” to Zimbabwean problems abroad.”

(Government Printer, Harare 1984). ” Nkomo ridiculed the suggestion that he escaped dressed as a woman.

“I expected they would invent stupid stories about my flight....

People will believe anything if they believe that”.[7] He added that “... nothing in my life had prepared me for persecution at the hands of a government led by black Africans.”

After the Gukurahundi massacres, in 1987 Nkomo consented to the absorption of ZAPU into ZANU, resulting in a unified party called ZANU-PF, leaving Zimbabwe as effectively a one-party state and leading some Ndebeles to accuse Nkomo of selling out. These Ndebele individuals were in such a minority that they did not constitute a meaningful power base within the cross-section of ZAPU. In a powerless post and with his health failing, his influence declined.

When asked late in his life why he allowed this to happen, he told historian Eliakim Sibanda that he did it to stop the murder of the Ndebele (who supported his party) and of the ZAPU politicians and organizers who had been targeted

by Zimbabwe’s security forces since 1982. “Mugabe and his Shona henchmen have always sought the extermination of the Ndebele,” he said.

Nkomo had been an inactive member of the Missionary Church for most of his life. He died of prostate cancer on 1 July 1999 at the age of 82 in Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 44

Archives

Did Western agents assassinate the UN Secretary General in 1961?

A

s the UN reopens its investigation into the plane crash that killed Dag Hammarskjold, its second secretary general, some are pointing fingers at the United States and Europe The United Nations has ordered a new investigation into the mysterious 1961 African plane crash that claimed the life of its secretary general at a time of high international intrigue and intervention by outside powers as the post-colonial continent took shape.

The flight was carrying Dag Hammarskjold, the UN’s Swedish chief, on a high-stakes mission to negotiate with rebels in Katanga, a breakaway mineral-rich province of Congo that was backed by Belgian mercenaries and Western governments and business.

Pilot error was officially blamed after the DC6 plane carrying the UN’s second secretary general crashed into the bush, killing all 16 onboard, in the then British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).

But there were immediately competing theories that the plane had been shot down, possibly by American agents or European mercenaries, as Hammarskjold was believed to be about to broker a deal opposed by Western interests.

A commission of retired international judges in 2013 called for a new investigation after hearing "persuasive evidence" that the plane was shot down.

The UN has now announced that it is ordering a new review by

Dag Hammarskjold an independent panel led Mohamed Othman, a Tanzanian jurist, and assisted by Kerryn Macaulay, an Australian aviation specialist, and Henrik Larsen, a Danish ballistics expert.

The team of experts is expected to travel to the crash scene. But for their mission to succeed, they will also need access to intelligence held by the US, Britain and other European states who have been urged to hand over the material.

More than five decades later, the new panel may be the last chance to determine what really

happened to Mr Hammarskjold’s plane that night.

Theory #1: Pilot error Evidence: The aircraft was flying overnight in central Africa at a low altitude. As John Mussell, the former Royal Rhodesian officer who coordinated the search for the plane, told the New York Times: “It doesn’t matter how fatigued you are or how experienced you are. If you are in Africa and going into unfamiliar territory, it’s not difficult to make a serious mistake.” There were three major enquiries after the crash, two were

inconclusive and a third, by the Rhodesian government, blamed pilot error.

Counterpoint: Even back in 1961, that conclusion sounded a bit too convenient given Hammarskjold's powerful foes. Former president Harry Truman's take?

“He was on the point of getting something done when they killed him," said Truman. "Notice that I said ‘when they killed him’.”

Theory #2: The Americans shot it down Possible motive: When turmoil over land and minerals engulfed

Congo, Hammarskjold sent UN troops to support Patrice Lumumba, the prime minister. President John F Kennedy was known to regard Lumumba as a destabilising force and a possible Soviet ally.

Evidence: Two American intelligence officials at stationed at listening posts on the night of the crash claim to have heard the plane taken down. One of them says he heard radio transmissions in which a voice said: "The Americans shot down the UN plane."

The other says he heard someone say: "It's the plane.... I've hit it. It's going down." heory # 3: Mercenaries took down the plane on behalf of European industrialists (and perhaps with British help) Motive: Hammarskjold did not just anger the Americans with his intervention in Congo. Even more incensed were European industrialists who stood to lose control of the country's mines.

Evidence: According to the Guardian, two top aides to Hammarskjold were convinced that mercenaries had been hired to take out the plane, and that the British government aided in the ensuing cover-up.

Theory #4: A Belgian pilot shot the plane down 'by accident' Evidence: Susan Williams, a British academic who wrote an in-depth account of the crash, wrote that a "Belgian pilot called Beukels" claimed to have shot the plane down "by accident" after it had failed to divert to a different landing strip.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

UN Secretary general Dag Hammarskjold is welcomed by Moïse Tshombe, leader of the Katanga province, at Elizabethville ( now Lubumbashi) Airport in Belgian Congo in 1960

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 45

Digest

What happens to your body when you give up sugar?

I

n neuroscience, food is something we call a “natural reward.” In order for us to survive as a species, things like eating, having sex and nurturing others must be pleasurable to the brain so that these behaviours are reinforced and repeated.

Evolution has resulted in the mesolimbic pathway, a brain system that deciphers these natural rewards for us. When we do something pleasurable, a bundle of neurons called the ventral tegmental area uses the neurotransmitter dopamine to signal to a part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens. The connection between the nucleus accumbens and our prefrontal cortex dictates our motor movement, such as deciding whether or not to taking another bite of that delicious chocolate cake. The prefrontal cortex also activates hormones that tell our body: “Hey, this cake is really good. And I’m going to remember that for the future.”

Not all foods are equally rewarding, of course. Most of us prefer sweets over sour and bitter foods because, evolutionarily, our mesolimbic pathway reinforces that sweet things provide a healthy source of carbohydrates for our bodies. When our ancestors went scavenging for berries, for example, sour meant “not yet ripe,” while bitter meant “alert – poison!”

Fruit is one thing, but modern diets have taken on a life of their own. A decade ago, it was estimated that the average American consumed 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day, amounting to an extra 350 calories; it may well have risen since then. A few months ago, one expert suggested that the average Briton consumes 238 teaspoons of sugar each week.

Today, with convenience more important than ever in our food selections, it’s almost impossible to come across processed and prepared foods that don’t have added sugars for flavour, preservation, or both.

These added sugars are sneaky – and unbeknown to many of us, we’ve become hooked. In ways that drugs of abuse – such as nicotine, cocaine and heroin – hijack the brain’s reward pathway and make users dependent, increasing neuro-chemical and behavioural evidence suggests that sugar is addictive in the same way, too.

Anyone who knows me also knows that I have a huge sweet tooth. I always have. My friend and fellow graduate student Andrew is equally afflicted, and living in Hershey, Pennsylvania – the “Chocolate Capital of the World” – doesn’t help either of us.

But Andrew is braver than I am.

Last year, he gave up sweets for

The brain becomes tolerant to sugar – which means more is needed to attain the same 'high'. In ways that nicotine and heroin hijack the brain’s reward pathway and make users dependent, increasing neuro-chemical and behavioural evidence suggests sugar is addictive in the same way Lent.

“The first few days are a little rough,” Andrew told me. “It almost feels like you’re detoxing from drugs. I found myself eating a lot of carbs to compensate for the lack of sugar.”

There are four major components of addiction: bingeing, withdrawal, craving, and crosssensitisation (the notion that one addictive substance predisposes someone to becoming addicted to another). All of these components have been observed in animal models of addiction – for sugar, as well as drugs of abuse.

A typical experiment goes like this: rats are deprived of food for 12 hours each day, then given 12 hours of access to a sugary solution and regular chow. After a month of following this daily pattern, rats display behaviours similar to those on drugs of abuse. They’ll binge on the sugar solution in a short period of time, much more than their regular food. They also show signs of anxiety and depression during the food deprivation period. Many

sugar-treated rats who are later exposed to drugs, such as cocaine and opiates, demonstrate dependent behaviours towards the drugs compared to rats who did not consume sugar beforehand.

Like drugs, sugar spikes dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Over the long term, regular sugar consumption actually changes the gene expression and availability of dopamine receptors in both the midbrain and frontal cortex. Specifically, sugar increases the concentration of a type of excitatory receptor called D1, but decreases another receptor type called D2, which is inhibitory. Regular sugar consumption also inhibits the action of the dopamine transporter, a protein which pumps dopamine out of the synapse and back into the neuron after firing.

In short, this means that repeated access to sugar over time leads to prolonged dopamine signalling, greater excitation of the brain’s reward pathways and a need for even more sugar to acti-

vate all of the midbrain dopamine receptors like before. The brain becomes tolerant to sugar – and more is needed to attain the same “sugar high.”

Although these studies were conducted in rodents, it’s not farfetched to say that the same primitive processes are occurring in the human brain, too. “The cravings never stopped, [but that was] probably psychological,” Andrew told me. “But it got easier after the first week or so.”

In a 2002 study by Carlo Colantuoni and colleagues of Princeton University, rats who had undergone a typical sugar dependence protocol then underwent “sugar withdrawal.” This was facilitated by either food deprivation or treatment with naloxone, a drug used for treating opiate addiction which binds to receptors in the brain’s reward system.

Both withdrawal methods led to physical problems, including teeth chattering, paw tremors, and head shaking. Naloxone treatment also appeared to make the rats more

anxious, as they spent less time on an elevated apparatus that lacked walls on either side.

Similar withdrawal experiments by others also report behaviour similar to depression in tasks such as the forced swim test.

Rats in sugar withdrawal are more likely to show passive behaviours (like floating) than active behaviours (like trying to escape) when placed in water, suggesting feelings of helplessness.

A new study published by Victor Mangabeira and colleagues in this month’s Physiology & Behavior reports that sugar withdrawal is also linked to impulsive behaviour. Initially, rats were trained to receive water by pushing a lever. After training, the animals returned to their home cages and had access to a sugar solution and water, or just water alone. After 30 days, when rats were again given the opportunity to press a lever for water, those who had become dependent on sugar pressed the lever significantly more times than control animals, suggesting impulsive behaviour.

These are extreme experiments, of course. We humans aren’t depriving ourselves of food for 12 hours and then allowing ourselves to binge on soda and doughnuts at the end of the day.

But these rodent studies certainly give us insight into the neurochemical underpinnings of sugar dependence, withdrawal, and behaviour.

Through decades of diet programmes and best-selling books, we’ve toyed with the notion of “sugar addiction” for a long time.

There are accounts of those in “sugar withdrawal” describing food cravings, which can trigger relapse and impulsive eating.

There are also countless articles and books about the boundless energy and new-found happiness in those who have sworn off sugar for good. But despite the ubiquity of sugar in our diets, the notion of sugar addiction is still a rather taboo topic.

Are you still motivated to give up sugar? You might wonder how long it will take until you’re free of cravings and side-effects, but there’s no answer – everyone is different and no human studies have been done on this. But after 40 days, it’s clear that Andrew had overcome the worst, likely even reversing some of his altered dopamine signalling. “I remember eating my first sweet and thinking it was too sweet,” he said. “I had to rebuild my tolerance.”

And as regulars of a local bakery in Hershey – I can assure you, readers, that he has done just that.

Jordan Gaines Lewis is a Neuroscience Doctoral Candidate at Penn State College of Medicine.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 46

International Earthquake rattles New Zealand A

strong 5.9-magnitude earthquake rattled New Zealand on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, with local authorities saying there were no immediate reports of damage despite it being widely felt.

The quake hit at 3:36 pm (0336 GMT) with its epicentre about 41 miles from the South Island town of Kaikoura at a depth of 35 miles, the

USGS said.

The local GeoNet monitoring service measured the quake at 6.3 and said it was felt across the entire country, but was unlikely to cause damage because of its dept.

Kaikoura District Council chief executive, Stuart Grant, said if felt like two tremors in quick succession, describing the second of them as a ‘big jolt’. He said the council building

was evacuated as a precaution but appeared undamaged.

The manager of Kaikoura’s Mitre 10 hardware store, James Hills, said the quake dislodged items from shelves and sent panicked customers fleeing from the building.

“There was a bit of panic, everything was falling off the shelves. There has been a little damage, certainly not heaps, but yeah, there is a lot of stuff

fallen over.”

The quake struck in the same region as a 4.7 tremor on Thursday that jolted office buildings in Wellington. New Zealand is on the boundary of the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates, which form part of the so-called ‘Ring of Fire’ and experiences up to 15,000 tremors a year.

Pregnant woman dies in bus crash

United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) stand near a UN armoured vehicle in Beni.

A

pregnant woman is one of the two victims of a crash between two metro buses in Johannesburg.

The buses crashed into each other on Jan Smuts Avenue in Saxonwold, Johannesburg, on Friday morning. One of the bus drivers was killed on impact, while some of the 66 passengers were still trapped in the wreckage, according to reports.

The mother-to-be, who is believed to have been five months pregnant, was pulled from the wreckage alive, but she died on the way to hospital. According to an IOL report, one of the bus driver

lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the other bus.

Meanwhile, Blade Nzimande on Friday called on all South African universities and colleges with partnerships and academic relations to “cut their ties with Israeli institutions”.

This followed the Israeli government’s decision to refuse the minister of higher education and training a visa to visit Palestine.

Nzimande had applied for a visa to visit his Palestinian counterpart‚ Dr. Khawla Shaksheer‚ from Saturday until April 29.

“The purpose of the visit was for the two ministers to discuss an

implementation plan for the signed agreement and to encourage further academic collaboration among their various academics‚ students and research communities‚” a statement from the ministry read.

After several attempts to apply for the visa for Nzimande and his delegation of three officials‚ the application was returned with no explanation.

“No written explanation has been given for the decline‚ the verbal reason given was that Nzimande had criticised the Israeli government and thus the refusal.

This is the first time a South African cabinet minister has been declined

a visa‚” the ministry said.

The University of Johannesburg‚ the ministry said‚ “is the first university in South Africa to terminate academic relations with an Israeli institution”.

Nzimande urged other tertiary institutions “to review and cut ties with Israeli institutions until Israel fulfils its obligation under international law recognising the borders‚ based on the lines of June 1967‚ with East Jerusalem as its capital”.

He also called on the Palestinian Solidarity Forum “to put pressure and lead the call for an academic boycott”.

Mediterranean migrants: Capsize ‘captain’ in court

T

he man accused of captaining a boat that capsized off Libya with the loss of more than 700 lives has appeared in an Italian court.

Prosecutors want to charge Mohammed Ali Malek, a 27-year-old Tunisian, with homicide and peopletrafficking. Malek’s lawyer said his client was a passenger on the vessel, not a smuggler, and denied the charges.

Some of the 28 survivors are expected to give testimony at the court in Catania, Sicily.

Prosecutors said the survivors identified Malek as

the captain of the boat who accidentally rammed the overloaded fishing boat into a merchant ship that had come to rescue it, last Sunday. The boat capsized with hundreds of migrants allegedly locked in its lower decks and unable to get out. The death toll is believed to be the highest from a single incident.

Prosecutors want to bring charges of causing a shipwreck, multiple first degree homicide and being accomplice to clandestine immigration against him. They also accused another crew member, a 25-year-old

Syrian, Mahmud Bihit, of being an accomplice to clandestine immigration.

He is reported to be one of the survivors to identify his coaccused as the man captaining the boat.

Judges will decide at Friday’s hearing whether to file formal charges.

The number of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa has risen sharply in recent months.

More than 35,000 are thought to have crossed from Africa to Europe this year and some 1,750 have died while attempting the

journey.

Meanwhile, relatives and diplomats rushed to an Indonesian prison island on Friday ahead of the looming execution of nine foreign drug convicts who are set to be shot in defiance of international outrage.

Indonesia has advised consular officials to go to Nusakambangan, the highsecurity prison island where its executions are carried out, and where all of the death row convicts have now been transported to.

Xenophobia: S/African shops shut in Malawi

M

alawians have protested at shops owned by South Africans demanding their immediate closure, following the recent xenophophic attacks in South Africa.

This is according to Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) boss, John Kapito, who said “it will help show South Africans that people depend on one another across the global and the continent.”

He said the shop owners of Pep, Game and Shoprite have been tipped to close the shops on Friday. “We have ordered them to remain closed for the day because we are avoiding scenes which you and I don’t want to happen. The demos will be characterised by protests against the attacks on foreigners out there.”

However, government said demos and boycotting South African shops will not in any way help cool down the situation in South Africa.

Speaking in an interview, Malawi Information Minister, Kondwani Nankhumwa, believes dialogue will be of paramount importance for the two governments, as well as others in the region to bring an end to the attacks.

Meanwhile, Pakistan said the botched US drone attack that killed two foreign hostages showed the risks of the controversial tactic, as details came to light apparently pinpointing the fatal strike.

President Barack Obama admitted on Thursday that one American and anItalian hostage were accidentally killed in a counter-terrorism operation in January targeting a suspected Al-Qaeda hideout.

Obama said US consultant, Warren Weinstein, and Italian aid worker, Giovanni Lo Porto, were killed along with Ahmed Faruq, an American described as the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

Islamabad said it was shocked and saddened by the incident and offered sympathy to the families. “The death of Weinstein and Lo Porto in a drone strike demonstrates the risk and unintended consequences of the use of this technology that Pakistan has been highlighting for a long time,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Malawians queue to board buses from a camp for those affected by anti-immigrant violence in Chatsworth, north of Durban.

PAGE 47

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Business

World leaders move to end extreme poverty by 2030 …… Nigeria’s needed action

By Mohammed Usman

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ecently, an international online agency posted that world leaders have drawn up ambitious goals to end extreme poverty by 2030 and promote development over the next 15 years. The agency said experts stated that trillions of dollars would be required to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the United Nations is expected to adopt in September, adding that how to pay the bill needed to be figured out. It added that the goals would address a wide range of issues from healthcare for all, to education, water, energy and protecting the environment.

According to the agency, following the era of budget austerity, western governments have made it clear that foreign aid will be insufficient to do the job. It further quoted the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, as saying that heads of state must embrace a new financing framework, one that mobilises Official Development Aid (ODA), private investment and higher levels of government revenues.

The report which stated that a UN panel led by former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, has estimated that Africa loses $50 billion a year to illicit finance, double the amount of official development aid that flows into the region and that multinationals account for 60 percent of the lost revenue.

It also reported the Finance Minister, Ngozi OkonjoIweala, to have expressed the need to crack down on illicit finance, tax evasion by multinational corporations and unjust mining and energy contracts that rob countries of their natural resource wealth.

A UN study estimated that $250-300 billion a year in development finance is lost through the outflow of potential revenues that can be taxed.

World Bank Managing Director, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, said sophisticated financial centers act as “quasienablers,” assisting corrupt individuals and legitimate

companies in diverting money from the poor.

“For the schoolchild in Haiti, the new mother in Malawi or the farmer in Bangladesh, these losses have real impact. They result in classrooms that are overcrowded, health clinics that are never built and water that is never delivered,” she said.

Nigeria as part of the developing countries has its own share of this scenario pictured above. It is a known fact that it has considerable number of poor persons. For instance, the World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, at IMF/World Bank Spring

Meetings, stated that Nigeria is one of the top five countries that has the largest number of the poor, “while economic growth remains vital for reducing poverty, growth has its limits, according to a new World Bank paper released.

Countries need to complement efforts to enhance growth with policies that allocate more resources to the extreme poor. These resources can be distributed

“

through the growth process itself, by promoting more inclusive growth or through government programmes such as conditional and direct cash transfers.

Going further, the World Bank boss said “Economic growth has been vital in reducing extreme poverty and improving the lives of many poor people. Yet, even if all countries grow at the same rate as in the past 20 years and if the income distribution remains unchanged, world poverty will only fall by 10 percent by 2030, from 17.7 percent in 2010. This is simply not enough and we need a laser like focus on making growth more inclusive and targeting more programmes to assist the poor directly if we are going to end extreme poverty.”

This of course calls for a considerable amount of fund which curbing corruption and revenue loopholes as stated above, coupled with action, would go a long way in reducing extreme poverty in Nigeria. On this note, in the report by the agency, Indrawati singled out fighting tax evasion and illicit finance, including the offshore hubs and shell companies used to transfer money, as important elements for addressing the shortfall in development finance.

Economic growth has been vital in reducing extreme poverty and improving the lives of many poor people. Yet, even if all countries grow at the same rate as in the past 20 years and if the income distribution remains unchanged, world poverty will only fall by 10 percent by 2030, from 17.7 percent in 2010. This is simply not enough and we need a laser like focus on making growth more inclusive and targeting more programmes to assist the poor directly if we are going to end extreme poverty.”

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 48

Business

Interbank rates fall on matured bonds, T-bills

By Mohammed Usman with agency report

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vernight lending rates halved to an average of six percent on Friday from 12.25 percent last week after the central bank retired large matured bonds and treasury bills in the week, boosting liquidity in the market, traders said.

However, a technical glitch that hit the central bank’s trading platform hindered major fund transfers and placement in the market. “The market liquidity was boosted by repaid matured bonds and treasury bills worth N806 billion

($4 billion), but because of the technical fault, many traders were unable to transfer or place money in the market,” one dealer said.

Traders said the trading hiccup, which started on Wednesday, may spillover to next week and could delay more transactions. The secured Open Buy Back (OBB) traded at six percent on Friday among some few commercial lenders who were able to place funds in the market, down from 12 percent last week.

The secured fund traded seven percentage points below the central bank’s benchmark interest rate of 13 percent.

Overnight placement also

traded at six percent against 12.5 percent last week. “We hope the technical issue would be resolved by next week, otherwise it could threaten settlement in the market and stall trading,” another dealer said.

Meanwhile, trade on local debt was stalled after the glitch affected central bank’s trading platform, traders said, adding that they were concerned the problem that started on Wednesday could run into next week, threatening bond settlement in the interbank.

“There is no trading currently going on in the market as a result of the unresolved technical glitch on the central bank’s platform,”

one dealer said.

For the periods that the market traded normally this week, yields trended downward after a total of N570 billion ($3 billion) in matured bonds was paid out, with many investors keen to reinvest in the market, traders said.

“We have seen fresh interest by some offshore investors, mostly a rollover of matured funds and local pension, which has driven up demand for local debt before the glitch,” a senior trader said, referring to a technical fault that hit trading.

Minister of National Planning, Dr Abubakar Sulaiman (R), signing financial agreement for the 11th European development fund support to strengthen community-based psychosocial and protection services for children and adolescents in Borno, yesterday in Abuja ,with him is the Head, European delegation, Mr Michel Arrion.

Fitch sees growth for Nigerian, sub-Saharan banks

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n consideration of the buoyant non-oil and services sectors, as well as private consumption, that are holding up credit demand in Nigeria, Fitch Ratings Limited said banks in the country would witness growth in 2015.

According to a statement issued by the rating agency in London, growth in sub-Saharan Africa should provide favourable conditions for the region’s banks in 2015, despite the decline in commodity prices.

Credit growth is set to expand because there is strong demand for infrastructure financing and the private sector is buoyant. These are likely to offset threats from weaker commodity prices and

heightened political risk and uncertainty, Fitch Ratings noted.

The agency stated that “Even banks in oil exporting countries, where low oil prices might be expected to trigger loan contraction, are experiencing continued credit demand. “In Nigeria, buoyant non-oil and services sectors, plus private consumption, are holding up credit demand. Loan growth reached 25 percent in 2014.”

Fitch Ratings also assigned MPI ‘1’ scores to both “Nigeria, where demand for new lending is strong” and “South Africa, where loan growth expectations are low”. This indicates low systemic

risk potential. Credit expansion is one measure included in Fitch’s macro-prudential indicators (MPI), specifically designed to highlight heightened potential banking sector risks.

MPI scores of ‘3’, which highlight the greatest systemic risk potential, were assigned to relatively few sub-Saharan countries, namely Angola, Ethiopia and Ghana. MPI ‘2’ scores were assigned to Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Kenya, Lesotho and Mozambique.

Fitch’s Director, Middle East and Africa Financial Institutions, Mahin Dissanayake, stated that “In Angola, public sector

investment remains a priority and banks are finding new takers for loans in government entities and ministries. Sub-Saharan banks tend to be awash with deposits; loan/deposit ratios for banking sectors in Fitch-rated countries average 78 percent, which is low by international standards.

“This reflects both limited opportunities for profitable lending and asset structures that tend to be heavily invested in high yielding government securities, rather than loans. Despite more deposits, credit growth can still be constrained because short-term deposits are not well suited to funding longer-term loans.

Oil prices trade near 2015 highs on Yemeni worries

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rent crude looked set to finish the week near 2015 highs on Friday as air strikes in Yemen stoked concerns over the security of Middle Eastern oil shipments.

A softer US dollar and strong economic indicators in Europe and Asia also lent support to oil prices, which have surged by nearly $10 a barrel this month amid rising tension in the

Middle East and slowing US production growth. Brent crude for June delivery was up 60c at $65.45 a barrel by 9.44am GMT, having touched its highest since December 10 at $65.69 earlier in the day. The benchmark settled up $2.12 on Thursday.

US crude for June delivery fell 10c to $57.64 a barrel, after settling up $1.58.

The front-month contract hit a 2015

high of $58.41 on Thursday and is on course for its sixth straight weekly gain.

The rise in futures over the last month shows a growing disconnect between oil producers and Wall Street over when slumping oil prices will recover, with the financial community betting that the oil price cycle may turn more quickly than the industry expects. “Equity markets are already looking for the upside,” said

Scott Key, chief executive of IHS. Meanwhile, many analysts say the market balance does not support the recent price gains and some producers are bracing for oil to remain at about $60 for as long as the next five years or so. “It is not quite a bright picture from the fundamentals side,” said Eugen Weinberg of Commerzbank, pointing to high inventories in the US and strong

KADCCIMA urges incoming administration to manage economy

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he President, Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), Dr Abdul Alimi-Bello, has advised the incoming administration to effectively manage the nation`s economy.

Alimi-Bello gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) ahead of the official opening of the 36th Kaduna International Trade Fair on Saturday. He identified the real sector of the economy as one of the areas he would want the Buhari administration to tackle in order to promote domestic production for overall economic growth. ``The current state of the economy is seriously affecting the real sector. People cannot access funds because the foreign exchange rate is so high, so also is the lending rate. The incoming administration should support the sector and manage the economy very well. It should try and improve security, reduce the level of corruption and review the rate of deposit so that the manufacturing sector will be perfect,’’ he said.

On the trade fair holding from April 24 to May 3, AlimiBello said the event would focus on promoting local production which is key to the economic growth of any nation. ``The theme for the fair is Promoting Domestic Production for Nigeria’s Sustainable Development. We need to, as a nation, promote local production which is key to the development of any economy. It is important to get our industries working so as to promote local production and create jobs,’’ the KADCCIMA president said.

He said KADCCIMA had introduced various innovations to attract visitors to the fair. ``We have introduced lotteries to entice participants and visitors and we have also designated a place to display wildlife just to educate children, especially students of primary and secondary schools, who have never seen these animals in real life.’’

He added that the staging of the fair was moved forward from its traditional February date due to the general elections in the country, noting that the 40-yearold fair had helped to stimulate economic growth and linkages which had strengthened the economy. ``At the end of this year’s fair, our aim is to show the international community that things are going well in Kaduna State and show the people that the insecurity challenges are over. We have to move the economy and do our work right for a greater Nigeria.’’(NAN) production from Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) nations.

The world’s biggest oil exporters in OPEC are pumping almost two million barrels a day more crude than required, the highest surplus for at least a decade, data from Reuters, top forecasters and energy agencies showed.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 49

Oddities Compiled by Isioma Nwabasha

Teenager trapped in toddler’s body

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irija Srinivas may look like a toddler, but she is actually a teenager trapped in a two-yearold’s body. The 19-year-old, from Bangalore in India, was born with congenital agenesis, meaning her limbs failed to fully develop, leaving her just two and a half feet tall and weighing a mere 12kg.

Her head is so heavy in comparison to her body that she is unable to even sit up and doctors have said that there is a chance she could suffer a fracture if she tries to rotate her neck quickly. Her condition means the teenager struggles to even do the most basic household chores by herself.

But against the odds, and with her friends and family behind her, Girija is carving out a career as an artist. “I don’t like anyone pitying me, I have shown everyone what my capabilities are. My mother helps me with eating and other normal things. But while I’m painting and drawing I need nobody’s help. I do it myself. I sell five to six paintings per month, which makes me between 8,000 and 10,000 rupees (£86-108). I have to look after my parents and I need to have the financial capacity to do that.”

Girija lives with her parents and an older brother in the South Indian city of Bangalore, where her father is a tailor and her mother devotes herself full-time to her care.

Nanda Baayi, Girija’s mother, said: “We faced difficulties from the

beginning. Even now, it is tough for us to look after her. There is immense pain in our heart. When she was born, she was not like other babies. When the doctors told us that her condition was permanent, it broke our hearts.” But despite her parents fears for her future, Girija dreams of an independent life and hopes her art can help her get there. “I don’t want to be popular because of my rare health condition but I want to be famous someday for my art.

“I do not want sympathy, I want recognition. I have an aim to achieve more in life. It is my dream to go abroad and achieve something big.”

Girija could never go to school because of her condition, but she says she is not too fond of studying anyway.

“I am not sad for not going to school. I don’t care about it too much,” she said.

But like most other girls her age, the teenager’s time - when not drawing - is taken up watching TV and playing with her pet. Girija has been on the receiving end of cruel taunts about her size, but says she has a large circle of friends in her neighbourhood. “People say many things about me, laugh at me and call me mad. They even wonder how my father is looking after me, but my family members treat me as a normal person and I have many friends of my age. They never tease me that I am a toddler. I am not sad for being too small and unable to walk or move like a normal person.”

Man keeps giant leech as pet, lets it suck his blood when hungry

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ost people are happy to settle with a cat or a dog, but this man shares his home with a slightly more bizarre pet, - a giant leech. Not only does he let the creature live in his house, he lets it suck his blood too.

In an odd and slightly sickening clip, the giant leech attached itself to its owner’s arm as it enjoys a midnight snack. As the blood-sucking leech tucks in, the man calmly shines a torch across the colossal creature, which measures approximately the size of his forearm.

When a leech bites, it attaches itself to the skin and will stay there

feeding on blood until it is full. It then drops off its prey to digest.

But contrary to popular belief, most leech species do not feed on human blood, and prefer to feast on small invertebrates which they eat whole.

Leeches have also been used for medicinal purposes, such as plastic and reconstructive surgeries and to prevent blood from clotting.

In recent news, a Chinese hospital discovered a 7cm leech attached to the inside of a boy’s throat. The leech had got into the child’s airway after he stopped to drink water from a pond on his way home from school.

Woman earns £1k from farting, squashing men on camera

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arah Reign makes a living as a security guard, but the size 30 seductress earns an extra £1,000 a month by eating on camera for men. The 26-year-old is a ‘feedee’ who guzzles down huge meals and sweet treats on camera after working shifts at a factory.

Fans love to watch her doing anything from eating a whole chocolate cake and smearing it over her face, to covering her stomach with butter and sticking it in her belly button, earning herself around £1,000 a month from her sideline.

Sarah confessed she had deliberately gained weight. “I really enjoy eating,” she said. ‘”No-one at work knows my secret. It felt awkward eating on camera at first as fans love to watch you chewing every mouthful. But I eat so much anyway I thought it’d be fun to do it on cam. I just keep eating until I’m full.”

After requests from adoring fans, she even branched out into breaking wind on camera and selling her worn pants which cost more the longer she wears them. She is now also a parttime squasher and clients can pay for her to sit on them, if they stump up for the hotel too. “It was awkward at first but I got really into it, sitting on his face, smothering it with my belly,” she said.

Although she had plenty of requests for squashing sessions, she did not take the plunge until three years ago.

“I had so many men ask, but there was a guy who lived nearby who wanted to try it. The first time, I watched some videos the night before to prepare but nothing phases me. When I got to the hotel it was weird at first and it is hard not to laugh. He lay down on the bed and I climbed on top of him. But I got into it really quickly. For the hour session, I was crushing him the whole time.”

Sarah has had eight squashing clients. ‘‘I had so many requests for videos of me farting and even me sitting on the toilet, that I started doing those this year. But it can take a while to film because I don’t like to fake it,” she said.

One of her other sidelines is posting out her lacy pants after they have been worn. “If I wear them for a day, it is £20, but for a week it is £125 and they get a video of me wearing them. I have several orders a month. There is a wish list on Amazon too where they can spoil me, I ask for sexy lingerie, sweets and a slow cooker.”

She has had long-term boyfriends since she started being a part-time squasher. “It has not been an issue for them. Some of them have watched the videos, some of them haven’t. Most of them have really supported me and didn’t care.

I am single right now, but I wouldn’t rule out going on a date with an online fan. I have men ask all the time, it is not practical because they are in other countries. I have lots of fans in the UK and Germany. But if they were from the US, I would never say never.”

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

PAGE 50

Healthy Living

What hair says about your health When it comes to our hair, most of us worry about what to do with it: how short to cut it, how to style it, but according to experts, our hair says a lot more about us than how closely we follow the latest styles.

In fact, the health of our hair and scalp can be a major tip-off to a wide variety of health conditions.

Dry, limp, thin-feeling hair hat it means: Many factors can lead to over-dry hair, including hair dyes, blowers and swimming in chlorinated water. But a significant change in texture can be an indicator of underactive thyroid, known as hypothyroidism. Other signs of hypothyroidism include fatigue, weight gain, slow heart rate, and feeling cold all the time. In some cases, the eyebrows also thin and fall out. A telltale sign: when the outermost third of the eyebrow thins or disappears.

What to do: Report your concerns to your doctor and ask him or her to check your level of thyroid hormone.

Scaly or crusty patches on the scalp What it means: When a thick crust forms on the scalp, this usually indicates psoriasis, which can be distinguished from other dandruff-like skin conditions by the presence of a thickening, scab-like surface.

Psoriasis is the most common of all the autoimmune diseases and occurs when the skin goes into overdrive, sending out faulty signals that speed up the turnover and growth of skin cells.

What to do: There is a long list that helps relieve psoriasis, and treatment is often a process of trial and error. Topical treatments include shampoos containing coal tar or salicylic acid, and creams or ointments containing zinc and aloe vera.

Hydrocortisone cream works to relieve inflammation. Prescription creams include vitamin D, vitamin A, and anthralin. Many patients also have great success treating the scalp with UV light therapy, and systemic medications such as cyclosporine work better for some people than topical medications.

Psoriasis puts you at increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, certain type of cancer, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and depression.

Thinning hair What it means: It is normal to shed approximately 100 to 150 hairs a day, the result of the body’s natural turnover. It is when you notice considerably more hairs in your brush or on the towel after you shampoo or when hair appears to be coming out in clumps that it is time for concern.

One common cause: a sudden psychological or physical stressor, such as a divorce or job loss. Another: having a high fever from the flu or an infection. Diabetes can also cause

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hair to thin or start to fall out suddenly; experts say sudden hair thinning or hair loss should be considered an early warning sign that diabetes is affecting hormone levels.

A number of medications also cause hair loss these include birth control pills, along with lithium and Depakote, two of the most common treatments for bipolar disorder.

All tricyclic antidepressants, some SSRIs such as Prozac, and levothyroid -- used to treat hypothyroidism -- can cause thinning hair. Hormonal changes can also cause hair to thin, which is why both pregnancy and perimenopause are well known for causing hair to fall out, while polycystic ovary syndrome can cause hair loss and overgrowth of hair, depending on how the hormones go out of balance. Thyroid disease, especially hypothyroidism, is one of the most common causes of hair loss.

What to do: While vitamin D deficiency hasn’t been pinpointed as a cause of hair loss, research has demonstrated that taking vitamin D helps grow the hair back. “We don’t know how vitamin D contributes to hair loss, but we do know the hair follicles need good levels of vitamin D to recover.

Talk to your doctor about getting your blood levels of iron checked for anemia, and take iron if needed.

Overall hair loss that appears permanent What it means: Both women and men are subjected to androgenetic and androgenic alopecia. It is usually caused by a change in the pattern of sex hormones, but diseases and other underlying conditions can cause this type of hair loss. In women, a derivative of testosterone is often the culprit, shrinking and eventually killing off hair follicles. Traditionally known as “male pattern baldness,” this type of hair loss is often hereditary and is typically permanent.

Men’s hair loss always follows a pattern of thinning along the hairline, at the temples, and in the back of the scalp. Diabetes also can cause or contribute to hair loss. Over time, it leads to circulatory problems.

Certain underlying conditions can cause this type of hair loss by altering hormones; these include thyroid disease (both overactive and underactive thyroid) and autoimmune disease.

What to do: If you suspect a medication is causing or exacerbating your hair loss, talk to your doctor about whether an alternative is available. Minoxidil, the generic name for

Hair loss the drug marketed as Rogaine, is the primary proven method of treating androgenic hair loss. It works by blocking the action of hormones at the hair follicle.

Dry, brittle hair What it means: When individual hairs litter your pillow in the morning, this typically indicates breakage rather than hair falling out from the follicle. Breakage is the result of hair becoming over-brittle from chemical processing or dyeing. Bleaching, straightening and other chemical processing techniques strip the cuticle to let the chemicals in, which makes the hair shaft more fragile.

However, certain health conditions also lead to brittle, fragile hair. Among them: Cushing’s syndrome, a disorder of the adrenal glands that causes excess production of the hormone cortisol. Overly low levels of parathyroid hormone cause blood levels of calcium to fall and phosphorus to rise, leading to fragile dry hair, scaly skin, and more serious symptoms such as muscle cramps and even seizures.

What to do: No matter what the cause of your dry, brittle hair, minimizing heat and chemical treatment are necessary for it to get healthy again. If an underlying condition is throwing your hormones out of whack and in turn affecting your hair, talk to your doctor.

Next, deep condition your hair to restore it to health. Hair oils can help restore flexibility to the hair shaft. Look

for products made with natural oils such as coconut and avocado oil, which penetrate the cuticle, rather than synthetic oils made from petrolatum, which merely coat the hair. Take fish oil supplements to renourish your hair.

Hair falling out in small, circular patches What it means: The body’s immune response turns on the hair follicles themselves, shrinking them and causing hair to fall out entirely in small, typically round patches. Diabetes can trigger the onset of such hair loss in some people and it can continue to spread; in extreme cases, sufferers lose all their hair or lose hair over their entire body.

Alopecia areata can also cause the eyebrows or eyelashes to fall out, which in addition to the circular pattern can distinguish it from other types of hair loss.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition and has been shown to be more common in families with a tendency towards other autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, early-onset diabetes, and thyroid disease.

What to do: The treatment most proven to work against alopecia areata is cortisone shots delivered directly into the scalp in the spots where the hair is falling out. If you don’t get steroid injections, the circular patches will get larger and more cosmetically noticeable.

Boost your health with green smoothie N

Pineapple and avocado smoothie

ot only are pineapple and avocados delicious, they are both good for you.

Pineapples have anti-inflammatory properties and are great for people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. They are also a great source of fiber. Just one cup of pineapple contains nine percent of your daily recommended value of fiber.

Avocados are a great source of B vitamins and healthy fats. Just a quarter of an avocado contains five percent of your daily recommended value of omega-3 and

eight percent of your daily recommended value of omega-6 essential fatty acids.

The pear also helps to add a little more dietary fiber, however, you can substitute the pear for banana.

Pineapple-Avocado green smoothie recipe • 1/4 avocado • 1 cup pineapple, cubed • 1/2 pear, cored Start by adding the liquid to your blender, followed by the soft fruit. If you like add spinach.

Blend for 30 seconds or until the

smoothie is creamy.

Nutrition information Calories: 341 Protein: 8g Fiber: 15.5g Calcium: 18% RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) Iron: 5.8mg Vitamin A: 62% RDA Vitamin C: 151% RDA This smoothie is also a rich source of vitamins B1-B6, vitamin K, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.

PAGE 51

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Church abuse (VIII)

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lory be to God! As I promised last week, I want to conclude this series today. In the last edition, I began to talk about the duties of a good shepherd. I was able to discuss the following: (1) He gathers the flock (2) He leads the sheep (3) He knows the sheep by name (4) He waters and feeds the sheep.

Here are the remaining duties of a good shepherd I want to discuss in this series: •He looks for the lost sheep – “So my people are wandering like lost sheep, without a shepherd to protect and guide them.” (Zech 10:2 NLT) The sheep do get lost (go astray) sometimes, and it is the responsibility of the shepherd to look for lost sheep.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’”

(Matt 15:24 NKJV) He also told the parable of the lost sheep in Matt 18: “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matt 18:1214 NKJV) The parable is also recorded in Luke 15:3-7. Despite still having ninety nine sheep, the shepherd left them to look for the only one lost. That is what a good shepherd should do. But not the shepherds of the people of Israel that God indicted in Ezek 34:8: “You didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost.” (NLT) It is the responsibility of the Hebrews 11:30,31

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orty years separate the events of verses 29 and 30; that is, the crossing of the Red Sea and the destruction of the walls of Jericho. The miracle of crossing the Red Sea marked the beginning of the wilderness journey under Moses while the miracle of the walls of Jericho falling down marked the beginning of conquering Canaan under Joshua. During the period of those forty years, many mighty acts of faith were recorded: bitter water made sweet (Exodus 15:22-25); manna and quails supernaturally provided (Exodus 16:4-18); water from the rock (Exodus 17:17); defeat of the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-13); the crossing of river Jordan (Joshua 3:9-17) and others.

For many of the miracles in the ministry of Moses, the

ministers of God as shepherds to look for the lost sheep though there may still be many in the fold that have not gone astray. “It is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matt 18:14 NKJV) Moses was a shepherd of sheep and the shepherd of the Israelites from Egypt to the wilderness. He understood the importance of a shepherd in leading the people. When God decided to replace him, Moses said to the LORD, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.” (Num 27:1617 NKJV) God chose Joshua to replace him as the shepherd of his people. No leadership vacuum was allowed. A sheep without shepherd will go astray and will be exposed to danger.

•He cares for the sheep, protects and defends the sheep with his life – A good shepherd cares for the sheep and protects and defends the sheep at the risk of his own life. Jesus says, “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” (John 10:15 NKJV) Shepherds in Israel laid down their lives in defence and protection of their sheep. David told Saul, “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its

beard, and struck and killed it.” (1 Sam 17:34-35 NKJV) Being a shepherd is a serious calling, and so should it be to those who work in the vineyard of God. Shepherds of God’s people must care for, protect and defend their flocks against preys – spiritual and physical including false teachers and false prophets.

Paul says, “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.” (Acts 20:29 KJV) Wolves are carnivorous animals related to the jackals and domestic dogs that are reputed for having “keen intelligence, skilled hunting, and highly organized social structure” Carnivores are flesh eater. Paul wasn’t talking about wolves but grievous wolves.

Wolves are dangerous animals already not to talk of grievous wolves. Grievous means dreadful, heinous, terrible, etc. Paul was warning about grievous, dreadful wolves with “keen intelligence, skilled hunting, and highly organized social structure” that will enter the church with the sole aim of tearing believers and ‘eating’ them up. These grievous wolves are already here!

The church is at the risk of these grievous wolves and those who shepherd God’s people in the vineyard of God must therefore, “Care for the flock of God entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly — not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your good example. And when the head Shepherd comes, your reward will be a never-ending share in his glory and honor.” (1 Peter

From the Pulpit green pastures

By Pastor T. O. Banso

cedarministryintl@yahoo.com GSM: 08033113523 5:2-4 NLT) Conclusion: Prov. 27:23 says, “Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds” (NLT) Every shepherd of God’s people should be alive to his responsibilities.

“What shepherd takes care of a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk?” (1 Cor. 9:7 NLT) God will reward faithful, diligent shepherds but will punish worthless shepherds who don’t take care of the sheep yet milk them; those who don’t bother about the state of the health of the flock but concentrate on their selfish interests.

Zech11:17 says, “Doom is certain for this worthless shepherd who abandons the flock! The sword will cut his arm and pierce his right eye! His arm will become useless, and his right eye completely blind!” (NLT) That shall not be your portion in Jesus’ name. May the Lord say to you, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!” (Matt 25:21 NLT) May he find you worthy of His reward.

TAKE ACTION! If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus. I urge you to 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 Bible-believing, 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.

Pulling down strongholds by faith Israelites did not wholly believe God as Moses and some faithful remnants believed. However, at the time of Joshua, Israel believed God as much as Joshua did. Jericho was a great obstacle before Israel. It was a stronghold.

Its location was strategic, its walls were high and thick, and its soldiers were well-trained and well-armed. Faith brought victory over Jericho. The obedience of faith brought victory. Rahab also demonstrated faith and was protected and preserved while the unbelieving people in Jericho were destroyed. The faith that pulls down strongholds also saves the vilest of sinners and brings despised aliens into the commonwealth of Israel – into the household of faith.

1. CONQUERING BY FAITH

By Pastor W.F Kumuyi Hebrews 11:30; Joshua 6:35,12-16,20; Deuteronomy 1: 28-30; 2 Corinthians 10:4,5; 2 Kings 5:1,9,10,14; 1 Kings 18:41-45.

Before coming to Jericho, a powerful fortress barring them from entering the promised land, the Israelites had crossed river Jordan by faith. To enjoy the benefit of the previous act of faith,

we must overcome the present obstacle by faith. Israel was faced with formidable difficulties and powerful oppositions. To unbelievers, Jericho and the other cities seemed impregnable, but faith laughs at impossibilities.

Satan’s strongholds cannot stand before godly people of faith who rely fully on God and obey His Word implicitly.

God’s instructions to

Israel were very simple. Those instructions might have seemed childish or ridiculous. God promised to deliver Jericho into their hands if they would only believe and obey. And divine power overthrew Jericho’s walls when Israel manifested the obedience of faith. At the command of the Lord, they were to be silent; and at the command of the Lord, they were to shout.

Implicit obedience to God’s word is absolutely essential if we are to have His blessings.

These accounts in the Scriptures show us the wondrous power of real faith to bring to pass that which is beyond nature.

Walls of Jericho between us and the promised blessings, barriers between us and holiness give way and fall when we truly believe God.

PAGE 52

Sp or T

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Why Stephen Keshi returned as Super Eagles gaffer

I regret selling Fabregas to Chelsea, says Wenger

Nigeria referees get more FIFA, CAF matches

PAGE 53

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Sports

NFF blasts Nigerians over Keshi

By Albert Akota

W

ith opinions divided and as reactions continue to trail the

reappointment of Stephen Keshi, the Nigeria Football Federation has criticised Nigerians for kicking against it decision by insisted that they have appointed

a “Nigerian football hero with a winning pedigree”.

Keshi’s return although expected has been greeted with mixed reactions, with a good

number criticizing the decision to rehire him after he failed to qualify Nigeria for the last Africa Cup of Nations.

But the NFF, through its first

vice president, Seyi Akinwunmi, explains why they retained the 53-year old.

“Keshi is a quintessential Nigerian football hero having brought glory to our dear country as a player, captain of the National Team and as a coach of the Super Eagles,” he said.

“He does have a winning pedigree and despite our failure to qualify for the 2015 AFCON, we must remember that he has succeeded with the Super Eagles before and is one of our more experienced Nigerian Coaches with vast international football experience and therefore remains a champion for the development our indigenous coaches,” Akinwunmi stated.

The Lagos State FA chairman also went on to lambast Keshi’s critics, saying they must have short memories for questioning his competence.

“Those who allege that he does not have the technical acumen to make the Eagles soar again must have a very short memory,” he said of Keshi’s critics.

How sports minister wasted over N100m in Brazil

By Albert Akota agency report

I

with

n Nigerian sports, the outgoing week could best be described as power play to be demonstrated within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rather than be licking the fatal injuries of the general elections turned on themselves with battle to consume each other.

Gongnews went to dig under the carpet to unearth the genesis of the mother of all battles between Dr Tammy Danagogo and Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye. The ‘fight’ is founded on issues of business, money management and ego.

Our source who is deep in the know said, “Dr Danagogo is one man who admittedly does not know the working of and in sports. When the World Cup was nearing, he brought a travels and tours company, wakanow. The NSC was made to invest over N100million on the instruction of the minister against the advise of the Director General.”

As fate will have it, all the people who went to Brazil through the National Sports Commission on the ticket of wakanow for the World Cup got to Brazil quite well, but none was able to get a single ticket

to watch any of the Nigerian matches.

They all watched the games from their hotel rooms in Sau Paulo where Nigeria had no business.

They eventually returned home with a long tale of woes.

The massive scandal was kept under the pillow by the same Director General he is fighting.

Meanwhile, when the players of the Super Eagles protested about their allowance before the match against France, it would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan approved $3.4million which the Globacom chairman, Mike Adenuga, added $200,000 to make the money $3.6million which Danagogo took to Brazil.

When FIFA paid Nigeria her share of the World Cup money worth $8.4million the manner of sharing the money became knotty. Unconfirmed reports said the NFF was to give out the $3.6million the President advanced to the team through the minister by cash.

Former Secretary General of the NFF, Barrister Musa Amadu, objected that that is not within the administrative purview of the civil service.

Later, he was given an account to pay the money but he refused saying such instructions need

to be put into writing. His refusal to ‘play ball’ led to his forced exit via resignation.

Our sources revealed that the sum of $200,000 could not be accounted for between the NFF and the minister. The fear that the Director General, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, who has the complete dossier of this money and many others can spill the beans led to the coup d’etat to get him out at all costs.

That is why memos were scripted, routed to President Jonathan through his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, whereby fictitious issues of insubordination were manufactured and sold to the President.

A source said, “the President was so schooled that the idea of calling the Director General for his own side of the story did not materialise. He was plugged and emotionally railroaded not to be able to think twice. I sympathise with him. It is the frustration of the election that was worked up.”

The source squealed, “The posting inside the NSC that was whipped up was just a distraction. They only used it as a facade to attempt to destroy the DG so that he can’t get back to him.”

“You know he does not come to the office regularly

President Goodluck Jonathan except when there is money in the commission. Each time he comes, he will ask for monies and leave. In the Commission, we all know that the minister is doing all these to be able to corner the funds that will be coming for the All African Games in September,” said a staffer who pleaded for anonymity.

Since the PDP does not have internal mechanisms to look into matters of common interests concerning their party, may be this

is a function of the heavy casualties they suffered in the hands of Nigerians who massively voted against them, one wonders why they cannot reverse back to party lines to seek and solve arising issues like this. With the national leader, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, drawn into the dirty flak by one party in the crises, where are the other leaders of the party who could have called for caution. Shame to PDP!

Page 54

Sports

Sokari to join Flying Eagles camp after malaria battle

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Can Arsenal stop Chelsea victory dance?

Kingsley Sokari

E

nyimba midfielder Kingsley Sokari has brought forward his arrival in Abuja for the Flying Eagles after malaria battle.

The 19-year-old has been missing from the Nigeria Under 20s training camp as a result of commitments with the Dream Team VI and the Nigeria Professional Football League runners-up.

All these nomadic trips with the national teams, including the Super Eagles, and Enyimba are beginning to weigh him down, with the player failing to suit up for Enyimba in their league

game against Taraba United on Wednesday after failing a late fitness test.

“I couldn’t play against Taraba United because I was not feeling fine, I was down with malaria,’’ said Kingsley Sokari said.

“I was to return to Aba with Enyimba on Thursday to pick up my belongings before I go and join the Flying Eagles camp.

“But I spoke with Coach Manu Garba yesterday and he said I should report to camp immediately, so I’ll send someone to bring my luggage to Abuja.

I regret selling Fabregas to Chelsea, says Wenger

A

rsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted he regrets allowing Cesc Fabregas to leave but has called on fans to respect the Chelsea midfielder on Sunday.

The 27-year-old left the Emirates Stadium in 2011 for Barcelona but - after struggling to nail down a place in the first team - he returned to the Premier League last summer under Jose Mourinho’s tutelage.

Wenger has in the past suggested he doesn’t wish he had tried to swoop for Fabregas rather than allow the Blues, who are on the verge of becoming English champions, to take the Spaniard but he has not conceded he wish he had not sold him in the first place.

“My regret is him leaving

here,” the Frenchman told reporters. “But I want every player to be respected.”

Wenger also suggested he expects star attacker Alexis Sanchez to give the likes of Eden Hazard, Harry Kan, Diego Costa, David de Gea and Philippe Coutinho a run for their money in the Player of the Year awards.

“It’s Alexis’s first season so he will compete very closely with Hazard for Player of the Year,” Wenger added.

Alexis has enjoyed a superb debut season at the Emirates following his €40 million move from Barcelona, scoring 22 goals in all competitions and providing 11 assists, while Hazard has sparkled for Chelsea, hitting 18 goals and laying on 14 assists.

Kieran Gibbs and Eden Hazard

A

rsene Wenger gets another chance to finally beat his old nemesis and keep the Premier League title race alive for a little longer when Arsenal host leaders Chelsea on Sunday.

For all the Frenchman’s achievements during his long reign in north London, he has never enjoyed a win against a side managed by Jose Mourinho.

Five draws and seven defeats, the last of which was an acrimonious 2-0 reverse at Stamford Bridge when Wenger became embroiled in a touchline spat with Mourinho, is a miserable record that Wenger is desperate to improve.

A first victory on Sunday at The Emirates would slow, if only temporarily, Chelsea’s charge towards a first English title since 2010 and keep alive Arsenal’s

remote hopes of ending their own, much longer, wait for the Premier League silverware.

With both sides having six games to play, Chelsea are 10 points clear of Arsenal and 11 ahead of Manchester United, who have only five games remaining.

Victory for Chelsea, and again at Leicester City on Wednesday, would see them clinch the title, Mourinho’s third at Stamford Bridge after his back-to-back triumphs from 2005-06 during his first stint in charge.

Wenger’s team are on an eightmatch winning run in the Premier League and although they have struck title-winning form too late, victory over Chelsea would be sweet.

Former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas will return to the Emirates for the first time since

joining Chelsea from Barcelona last summer and will be prepared for the boos.

“We are level on games now, we are 10 points in front and we don’t want to give them hope to put pressure on us,” he said.

“It’s been five years for (Chelsea) without winning the Premier League title; for me it’s been 27 years so I’d love to win it as soon as possible.”

Who will finish second, third and fourth is much harder to predict. United face Everton on Sunday while Man City, two points behind Arsenal, can go second for 24 hours at least if they beat Aston Villa today.

In the survival battle at the other end of the table, bottom club Burnley host 18th placed Leicester, while 19th placed Queens Park Rangers host West Ham United.

Keane blasts school boy Luiz defending

F Cesc Fabregas

ormer Manchester United captain Roy Keane has blasted David Luiz for his school boy errors and believes that he doesn’t know what he is doing on the field.

Paris Saint-Germain side crashed out of the Champions League quarter-finals to Barcelona on Tuesday night, and unfortunately for Luiz, he was at fault for four out of the five goals Barcelona scored over the two legs.

Keane, a Champions League winner, believes Luiz is out of

his depth and thinks he looks completely lost every time he is asked to defend.

David Luiz commented on his side’s poor showing in both games and insists that the better side qualified for the semi-final.

There has always been a question mark over Luiz’s defending, but the scrutiny over his ability has worsened after Brazilian’s poor showing in the last World Cup.

PEOPLES DAILY Weekend, Saturday 25,- sunday 26, April, 2015

Page 55

Sports

Why Stephen Keshi returned as Super Eagles gaffer T

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) reappointed Stephen Keshi as head coach of the Super Eagles for another two years.

Keshi was first appointed as coach of the Nigeria national team in 2011.

The former Mali and Togo national team trainer sat down with supersport. com shortly after he signed the contract to discuss his project as head coach of the three-time African champions.

Congratulations “Big Boss” on finally signing the contract. You must be relieved.

Stephen Keshi: Relieved is not the word. I will rather say I am just looking forward to starting work immediately.

Like you know, the 2017 Africa Nations Cup qualifiers is around the corner and our first match is on June 13 against Chad.

I recall signing a similar contract in 2011 and I remember everything vividly.

I want to thank everyone especially the media who came out massively to be a part of the unveiling ceremony in Abuja (On Tuesday) on such short notice.

Your predecessor, Samson Siasia was sacked for failing to guide Nigeria to a place at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Many say you should have suffered a similar fate after failing to guide the Super Eagles to a place at the 2015 Afcon.

Stephen Keshi: You need to understand that the circumstances and conditions that Siasia worked under were completely different from what I faced.

At that time (period of the 2015 Afcon qualifiers), Nigerian football was dogged by a lot of drama and

infighting.

There were so many issues relating to what faction would lead the NFF and these things hampered our preparations.

We were told of different elections and different NFF presidents and board members.

The players were aware of what was going on and it affected them psychologically. These ultimately affected the results posted on the pitch.

When everything was going on smoothly earlier, I qualified Nigeria for the World Cup and won the Afcon title in 2013 without any kind of problems.

I also had to work without a formal contract. Things are however very different now and with the current spirit I have seen so far from the NFF, I am sure we will do well.

The NFF is surprisingly quiet on the composition of your backroom staff but there are rumours that you asked for your former number two, Daniel Amokachi not to be re-appointed.

I read about the speculations. The truth is that I cannot hire or fire any coach. That is the duty of the NFF and the best I can do is to give my point of view when recommendations are made.

What were your recommendations on Amokachi?

I can’t tell you that. There are certain things that are confidential between a head coach and his employers.

The NFF will always ask my opinion about members of my backroom staff because I am the one that will work with them ultimately.

However, the final decision on who gets fired or hired rests with the NFF and not me.

Speaking about the NFF, are you comfortable working with

the present members of the executive committee?

I really don’t understand this question why should I not be comfortable working with them?

Because you were sacked by the same board midway through Nigeria’s 2015 Afcon qualifying campaign?

Point of correction….I wasn’t sacked. You cannot sack a man that does not have a contract with you.

At that point, I did not have a contract with the NFF. I was merely asked to step aside for someone else (Amodu Shuaibu) to continue.

And I honestly don’t believe there was any malice in that decision. If there was, the same NFF would not have offered me a new contract.

The NFF only took a decision which they believed was right for Nigerian football at that time, and I respect that.

I have an excellent working relationship with my bosses.

Public opinion over the NFF’s decision to hand you a new contract is divided. Do you think you face a difficult task proving yourself to your doubters?

Stephen Keshi: (Laughs). No. I don’t need to prove myself to anyone. I know what I can do.

Listen I understand Nigerians are unhappy that the team did not qualify for the last Afcon and are not playing well.

I take responsibility and I apologize.

The truth is we must learn from the past to have a better future.

Nigerians must know that this is not Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles but their Super Eagles.

The team belongs to everyone and Nigerians must come together, forgive mistakes of the past and move on.

This is a new era and we must all

Stephen Keshi at work

Stephen Keshi man of the moment

work together to form a great Super Eagles again.

What mistakes made during you first stint would you work on correcting this time around?

Stephen Keshi: Initially, I had a plan and I followed that plan.

Everything was going on well and we ended up winning the 2013 Afcon title.

We also qualified for the 2014 Fifa World Cup but then things began to change.

There was a lot of interference and it affected everything we were doing.

The good thing is that things are very

different now and I am sure we will do well.

How confident are you of Nigeria’s chances picking a 2017 Afcon ticket ahead of Group opponents, Chad, Tanzania and Egypt ?

Stephen Keshi: I have always taken things one step at a time. We will prosecute the game against Chad first.

After that, we can worry about Tanzania and Egypt.

Thanks coach for your time.

Stephen Keshi: Anytime, Sam.

BIG PUNCH

Peoples Daily WEEKEND, SATURDAY — SUNDAY, APRIL 25-26 , 2015

Saturday Column Eric Teniola

U

ntil 1999, the Presidential Fleet was under the control and supervision of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Senior air force officers were then seen on the eleventh floor of the Federal Secretariat which was then the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, hanging around.

But in June 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo transferred the fleet to be part of the schedule of the Chief of Staff to the President.

The argument was that since the Chief of Staff was the head of the staff attached to the President and aware of the hourly movement of the President, he was in a better position to control the fleet adequately. I understand that the fleet is now under my friend, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) the National Security Adviser whose loyalty and patriotism are never in doubt.

Before 1999, the fleet was almost dormant for lack of use.

General Ibrahim Babangida hardly travelled outside the country, except on a few visits some states, and Chief Earnest Shonekan, whose tenure lasted less than 100 days made use of the fleet only twice when he attended the Commonwealth Conference outside Nigeria and when he was overthrown and brought down to Lagos in company of Chief Dapo Sarumi.

General Sani Abacha hardly travelled outside Abuja; in fact during his era, pilots attached to the Presidential Fleet complained of underutilisation, raising fears that they might lose their licenses for not flying enough. In 1997, he made only five trips outside Abuja; in 1998, he made three trips, the fourth would have taken him to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso on June 8, 1998 for the African Union Conference, the very day that he died.

General Abdulsalami Abubakar who spent less than eleven months in office was too busy with his transition programme that he hardly travelled. He made four trips during his era, two to the Niger Delta to inspect the oil spillage in that area.

As for Olusegun Obasanjo, he was a flying President. Even till today that the Presidential Fleet is outside his control, he is still flying around the world. He loves to fly.

That is the way he is. And the Pilots attached to the Presidential Fleet loved him for that.

The Presidential Fleet still remains the most important posting in the Nigerian Air force. For example, the present Chief of Defence Staff, Marshall Alex Sabundu Badeh was a product of the Presidential Fleet, as he flew former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar between 1999 and 2007 severally.

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Even the present Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Nunayun Amosu was a product of the Nigeria Presidential Air Fleet too. The Fleet has one of the largest Aircraft in the world in comparison to other countries.

The British Prime Minister has no Presidential Aircraft. Members of the British Government charter either British Airways or Virgin Atlantic most times. The government of Tunisia operates a Boeing 737 BBJ. An Airbus A340-500 has also been purchased with VIP configuration, but was never used for travel and has been stored since the 2011 revolution that ousted former dictator Ben Ali. The Tunisian government is reportedly trying to sell off both aircraft.

The government of Algeria operates an Airbus A340-500. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong travels on commercial aircrafts, usually operated by Cathay Pacific. He travels within the country in helicopters operated by the Government Flying Service. The Ivorian government uses a Gulf IV as a VIP aircraft.

Further they also use a government Boeing 727-200WGL. The State of Israel does not currently possess a specific jet for use of its Head of State. Whenever the current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flies long distances (out of the country), the government leases an airliner from the state airline El Al. Meanwhile, the President Reuvin Rivlin and other high ranking dignitaries are relegated to El Al first class commercial service. As of 2014, the Knesset was considering the purchase of such an airplane, dubbed “Israeli Air Force One.” Kenya’s President has a Fokker-70 for use as the presidential jet. The Fokker executive plane was purchased at a cost of $50 million.

The 70-seater jet was reconfigured with telecommunication facilities.

Prior to the purchase of the Fokker, the Kenyan President primarily used Kenyan Airways for his international travels.

The Saudi Arabian Royal Flight operates a Boeing 747-300 and a Boeing 747-400 for use of the King.

The President, Prime Minister of Singapore and government officials typically travel on regular scheduled commercial flights run

by Singapore Airlines. However, on rare occasions or short trips, government officials may travel on one of the few passenger-configured Fokker-50 operated by the Republic of Singapore Air Force.

The President of South Africa travels in a Boeing 737 (BBJ) operated by the South African Air Force 21 Squadron, which is based at AFB Waterkloof near Pretoria, the executive capital. 21 Squadron also operates a fleet of two Falcon 50s and a Falcon 900B Fleet, 550/1

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Borno and Yobe states in particular have been consistent in opposition. Now that power has shifted from the former majority party, PDP … that is one reason we need to be considered in the power sharing formula.

—Senator Ali Ndume

Off-Loading the Presidential Fleet

President Jonathan Citation 2, and a Global Express XRS is hired to escort the President on long flights as a back-up aircraft.

The Falcon 900 is normally used by the Deputy President and highranking cabinet ministers.

The President of Zimbabwe travels in a charted Air Zimbabwe Boeing 767-200ER aircraft, which is part of the national airline’s fleet.

Occasionally, the President will share the plane with commercial passengers on scheduled flights.

The Tanzania Government Flight Agency operates a Gulfstream G550 for VIP transports. There are two other VIP aircraft a Fokker F-50 and F-28 for internal and regional destinations as well.

The President of Ghana flies on a Falcon EX 900 jet. The Botswana Defence Force operated a Gulfstream IV transport that has since been sold and the Botswana Defence Force now operates a Global Express OK1. The government of Burkina uses a special Boeing 727. A Falcon 900 has been added, and is the type frequently in use now. The Egyptian government operates an Airbus A340-200 as a VIP transport. The first presidential airplane was given as a gift from Saudi Arabia to Egypt.

The Pope is one of the richest and famous men on earth. He is the Head of the Catholic Church that has followership all over the world. Typically, the Pope flies on a chartered Alitalia fixed-wing aircraft when travelling to or from more distant destinations. Traditional protocol dictates that a Pope flies to a country he is visiting on a chartered Alitalia jet and returns on a jet belonging to a flag carrier from the visited nation; this may vary

when he is touring multiple nations.

The Nigerian’s Presidential Air fleet is being maintained with over 10 billion naira budget annually.

Poor states like Osun, Gombe, Ebonyi, Ekiti gets less than 2 billion naira every month from the Federal Mobilisation Fiscal Commission as allocation. The Presidential Fleet of Nigeria has the third largest Air fleet in the country, coming behind Arik which has twenty-two airplanes and Aero Contractors with fourteen planes. The Presidential Air Fleet has ten Aircrafts. These include, two falcon 7X jets, two Falcon 900 jets, Gulfstream 550, one Boeing 737 BBJ (Nigerian Air Force 001 or Eagle One), and Gulfstream IVSP. Others are one Gulfstream V, Cessna Citation 2 aircraft and Hawk Siddley 125-800 jet.

Each of the two Falcon 7X jets purchased in 2010 costs $51.1m, while the Gulfstream 550 costs $53.3m. Airline CEOs put the average price of Falcon 900 at $35m, Gulfstream IVSP at $40m, Gulfstream V at $45m, Boeing 737 BBJ at $58m, Cessna Citation, $7m and Hawker Siddley 125-800 at $15m.

In addition, the Federal government, last year, submitted several new items to be purchased by the Presidential Air Fleet to the National Assembly for approval.

The items listed as new in the PAF budget are – the completion of hanger project (N405,500,000.00), tyre bay tools and equipment (N106,000,000.00), Towberless tow tractor for aircraft towing (N58,740,000.00), hanger sweeper (N31,870,000.00), luggage conveyor belt truck

(N28,898,000.00) and Harlan tow aircraft equipment towing (N27,590,000.00).

Other news items are – CCTV and surveillance equipment (N18,000,000.00), aircraft tools and equipment (N11,480,000.00), battery workshop equipment (N5,050,000.00), complete tool box for general works and vehicles (N360,000.00), heavy duty crocodile jacks (N300,000.00), aluminium ladder (N285,000.00), safety boots (N52,500.00) and foldable ladder (N50,000.00).

The question before us is can we maintain the Presidential Air Fleet in the face of our dwindling economy? The answer is no.

The alternative is to sell some of the aircrafts so as to reduce cost.

It is even cheaper to charter planes for some of our top officials than to maintain the Presidential Air Fleet as it is now.

The other angle is to let the Nigerian Air force face other challenges, instead of the present rivalry among senior officers over posting to the Presidential Air Fleet.

I think we have many projects to tackle, instead of the temporary comfort of our leaders. All these are for the consideration of the incoming government of Major General (rtd.)

Muhammadu Buhari.

In his Essays of Innovation, Francis Bacon wrote “And he that will not apply New Remedies, must expect New evil; for time is the greatest innovator.”

Teniola, a former Director at the Presidency, wrote in from Lagos.

DAN GAYE Shekau disappears —News

With Chibok Girls?

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