Wednesday 29th, January, 2014

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 12 No. 87

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

. . . putting the people first

Rabiul Awwal 28, 1435 AH

N150

D Defect to APC, South-east allies tell We'll outsmart APC, A Atiku as Shekarau joins PDP >> Pg 6 vows Mu'azu >> Pg 4

APC senators slam 2014 Budget

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

I

n what appears to be a tactical compliance with the directive of the leadership of their party, All Progressives Congress

(APC) senators yesterday disparaged the major components of the 2014 Budget, and sought a comprehensive overhaul of the Appropriation Bill.

The lawmakers also lam-

pooned both the structural framework and policy parameters of the budget estimates, despite repeated pleas by Senate President David Mark, that the considerations and deliberations

on the budget should be guided by patriotic spirit.

The APC senators took time to criticise the budget proposal, saying it failed to address the yearnings of ordinary Nigerians,

as much as it misplaced priorities of citizens.

Speaking during debate on the budget, Senate Minority Leader, George Akume (APC, Contd. on Page 2

Borno state Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima (middle), yesterday inspecting a burnt mosque after Sunday’s attack by unknown gunmen in Kawuri, Konduga local government area of Borno state, where over 80 persons were killed and 300 houses destroyed.

Photo: NAN

Reps to probe arrest of 320 northerners in Rivers

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he House of Representatives has directed its committees on Defence and Internal Affairs to investigate the

arrest of 320 northerners by the Rivers state police on the suspicion that they were members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

The committees were mandated to conclude their investi-

gations and make appropriate recommendations to the House within one week.

In a motion moved by the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Abdulrahman

Suleiman Kawu (APC, Kano) under matters of urgent importance, noted that on Sunday, January 26, 2014, the Rivers state police command arrested about 320 persons suspected to

be members of the violent sect in the state.

While stating that the arrest sparked “a furious debate in the polity and raised tension in secuContd. on Page 2

Boko Haram: Borno, Adamawa attacks death toll rises to 135

>>>>> Page 3

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

PAGE 2

News CONTENTS News

2-10

Editorial

12

Op.Ed

13

Letters

14

Opinion

15

Metro

16,17

Business

21-22

Stockwatch S/Report Arts

23 24,25 29

Compensate us with automatic tickets - PDP Reps beg Mu'azu

By Umar Muhammad Puma

P

eoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in the House of Representatives, yesterday begged National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, to consider their sacrifice to the party and keep its promise by giving them an automatic tickets in the forthcoming election.

“I seek this opportunity to plead with the executive to keep their promises to the members in the National Assembly, and for members to always toe party line no matter how rough those lines could be, and for them to maintain discipline at all times.

Members of this caucus would want to be reassured of the party’s promise of automatic tickets in the forthcoming general election”, Leader of the House, Rep. Mulikat Akande-Adeolu urged.

She made the plea at a meeting of the party chairman, members of its Governors Forum and its caucus in the House, held at the National Assembly Complex in

Abuja. “The PDP caucus will like to suggest a retreat for National Assembly members, party leaders and the executive to enable us further deliberate on important matters bothering our party.

“All these measures would no doubt go a long way to engender the unflinching loyalty and indeed utmost commitment to the cause of the party, this will be part of the concrete steps to move our great party forward”, she further suggested.

In his address, Mu’azu, lamented the dwindling fortunes of the PDP in the country, saying it was a pity that things have gone the way they have for the party.

He attributed the party’s descend to lack of adequate linkages between the House caucus and the party.

“I want to assure you that unless there is programme that is beyond me, I promise you I will be meeting you regularly as we have agreed by the leadership of the House, and I will make it a duty to be here in person.

“I want you to appreciate our

party, our party is a big house; it is the largest political party in Africa. For those of you who do not know, we took our time to build it; a lot of you do not know how critical it is for us. If our party gives you a platform, you owe a duty to the party for you to remain loyal. I assure you loyalty pays. I can hear from Mulikat and I can read from the body language, you want me to say okay, but we would cross the bridge when we get there”, he said.

In his remark, Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Godswill Akpabio who was accompanied of Governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko who is from Labour Party (LP), and Governor Peter Obi who is from All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said “I came with the two of our brother governors (Mimiko and Obi), and to some extent, you are all politicians you can understand political language; you know the implication of their coming. It was just an unspoken and uncommon appearance; I came with them briefly to let you know that you

are not alone.

“If we would have had this kind of forum in the past, a lot of things wouldn’t have happened. I want to salute the wisdom of the leadership of our country led by the President for the formation of the PDP Governors forum, we are very determined to bring closeness to the PDP family “, he said.

The meeting was chaired by Mu’azu, and has in attendance the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, his Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, Governor of Kaduna state, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, Governor of Kebbi state, Saidu Usman Nasamu Dakingari, Akpabio, and Governor of Katsina state, Ibrahim Shehu Shema.

Others are, Delta state Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan; Cross River state Governor, Liyel Imoke; Governor of Abia, Theodore Orji; Governor of Niger state, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu; Mimiko; Obi; Taraba acting Governor, Garba Umar; deputy governors of Kogi and Jigawa, among others.

APC senators slam 2014 Budget Kogi: Wada gets accolades for 2 years of governance –Page 5

Int’l

31-34

S/World

35

Digest

36

Politics

37-38

Newsxtra

39

Sports

41

Columnist

48

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU The Peoples Daily wants to hear from you with any news and pictures you think we should publish.

You can send your news and pictures to: adverts@peoplesdailyng.com pictures@peoplesdailyng.com contact@peoplesdailyng.com

Phones for News: 08142929046 08024432099

Contd. from Page 1 Benue), criticised the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) budget, saying that over the last two years, the programme has not been managed transparently.

He said the N268.37 billion budgeted for the SURE-P should be scrutinised to ascertain the specific projects on which the funds were being spent.

Also speaking, Ahmed Lawan (APC, Yobe North), said the over N163 billion meant for the Niger Delta region is enormous and unjust, compared to the N2 billion budgeted for invigoration of the North-east, badly hit by the Boko Haram insurgency.

Lawan equally lamented that the budget earmarked for defence is insignificant compared to what the Niger Delta would receive in the 2014 Budget.

According to him: “The finance minister has not been able to reduce the recurrent expenditure as she promised. There is need to fund the security adequately because there are security challenges in Nigeria.

“Let me clarify that I have nothing against the South-south or the Niger Delta, but what I said is that the funds proposed for the Defence, that is the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and the Ministry of Defence headquar-

ters is far low compared to what has been earmarked for 30,000 militants and the Amnesty Programme.

“The Amnesty Programme and the 30,000 militants would have N52 billion while Defence would have much less; just about N43 billion. And what we are saying is that you have a state of emergency in our states.

Fund the security agencies better. Our states carry the burden of funding the security agencies in our place.

He further noted that the 2014 Budget is only beneficial to less than five million Nigerians. “74 per cent of the annual budget is going to less than 5 million Nigerians. 26 per cent is earmarked for the capital for over 165 million Nigerians. How do you create jobs?

How do you alleviate poverty/ “Where are the social safety nets? The people must be at the centre of the concept, application and implementation of the budget, not some civil servants, public servants politicians and so on. We cannot have peace so long as we spend much of our funds on ourselves”, he further decried.

Also, Alkali Jajere (APC Yobe), said that the budget does not represent the aspiration of ordinary Nigerians, adding that it is on collision course with the Fiscal Responsibility Act. The opposition senators there-

fore urged their colleagues in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join hands with them to tinker with the budget, such as to have a more pragmatic approach to the economic challenges facing Nigeria, even as they reiterated disappointment over the inability of the co-ordinating minister of the economy, Ngozi OkonjoIweala, to stem the tide of escalating recurrent expenditure.

On the contrary, the PDP senators who spoke, expressed confidence on the budget proposals, saying that speedy passage of the budget will go a long way to satisfy the financial needs of Nigeria.

They also urged their opposition counterparts to desist from comments that would encourage eruption of violent groups across the country, emphasising that the wellbeing of Nigerians should be the priority in consideration of the budget.

While presenting the Appropriation Bill, the Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba, said in the N4.6 trillion budget, the capital budget for infrastructural development is N1.1 trillion, while recurrent expenditure is N2.4 trillion, which is in addition to N712 billion for debt servicing and over N399 billion for statutory transfers.

He also said the major thrust of the 2014 budget was job creation, which would be achieved

through consolidation of structural reforms, macro- economic stability and diversification of the economy through emphasis on agriculture and investments in priority sectors.

According to his presentation, education, defence, police, Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programmes (SURE-P) and health received the largest chunk of the capital budget in the 2014 budget.

In the presentation, he said education has N725.94 billion, defence got N340.33 billion, police, N301.42, SURE-P was allocated 268.37 billion, health got 262.74 billion, works has N128.65 billion, power has N99.05 billion, agriculture and rural development has N66.64 billion, while INEC got N45.00 billion.

Speaking earlier, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, regretted that some critical projects in the 2013 budget were excluded in the 2014 budget, urging that such projects should be restored.

While speaking, the Senate spokesperson, Enyinnaya Abaribe, cited the case of Rivers state, where the state House of Assembly, dominated by APC lawmakers, met and passed the 2014 Budget in less than one hour, calling on the National Assembly to do the same, to avoid wasting time.

Reps to probe arrest of 320 northerners in Rivers Contd. from Page 1 rity circles in the state”, he further noted that “the suspects, men and women, were arrested in the early hours of Sunday in a convoy of 17 buses at the border between Rivers and Imo states”.

Kawu said he was “disturbed that the arrest of the 320 men and women has raised several issues that require immediate attention of every well-meaning Nigerian for the security, economy and political well-being of the country and its citizens, and that the ar-

rested persons were in Rivers for legitimate business as most of them were petty traders and menial job seekers in search for means of livelihood in their fatherland”.

The lawmaker said he was worried that such manner of arrests and injustice portend obvious danger capable of breeding political instability to the already overheated polity as the suspects were known to be “law abiding citizens whose nature of business is well known”.

Citing Section 41 of the Consti-

tution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which guarantees that every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria, he noted that this was not the first time the said suspects were in Rivers state; having been there severally in search of a legitimate means of livelihood.

Condemning the arrest by the Rivers police, Kawu said it was “regrettable that the police force, particularly in Rivers state, have jettisoned the primary responsibility of protecting the citizenry to

harassing innocent people in pursuit of personal and sectional interest...if no urgent step is taken, such arrests by the Rivers state police command may bring about political instability, insecurity and may as well lead to breakdown of law and order, posing threat to the very existence of the country as a whole”.

The matter was referred to the relevant committees for further legislative consideration without further debate, in accordance with House rules on investigative and infrastructure motions.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 3

News

Boko Haram: Borno, Adamawa death toll rises to 135 From Umar Dankano, Yola, Stanley Onyekwere, with agency report

T

he death toll from last weekend’s invasion of Kawuri community in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno state and Adamawa’s village attack last Tuesday, by suspected Boko Haram insurgents, has risen to 135.

According to the Reuters, a local government councilor Dala Lawan said 85 people had been killed by gunmen who arrived in several trucks, dressed in military uniform, and opened fire on residents, burnt houses and torched small community mosques.

“The first burial was 53 but more corpses are still being picked in the bushes and some with serious injuries also died. We have just found two more corpses, bringing the death toll to 85 for now”, he said.

Lawan added that some women were kidnapped by the assailants and 50 people were receiving treatment in hospital.

Reuters reports that another local government official Ali Kaka confirmed the death toll.

Reports have it that as at yesterday, no one knows yet exactly how many residents of Kawuri village may have burned to death.

The Borno state Police Com-

missioner, Lawal Tanko confirmed the incident, but put the death toll at over 40, while 25 people were wounded.

Tanko said there was no arrest made in connection with the attack, saying security forces are on top of the situation and mounted surveillance to arrest the fleeing assailants.

Similarly, death toll in Adamawa’s village attack, has risen to 50, as at yesterday morning and already additional troop deployed.

This is coming on the heels of President Jonathan’s visit that was greeted by protests.

Confirming the death toll, the council chairman of Madagali, Mr

Maina Ularamu said local officials have counted about 50 corpses, including two police cops, while many rushed to local hospitals.

“I was told that at least 50 civilians are confirmed killed, while two police officers comprising an ASP and corporal were also killed during the attack.

Speaking on the attack, the Brigade Commander of the 23rd Armored Brigade, Yola, Brigadier General Rogers Nicholas had confirmed the attack, saying that, “We are yet to ascertain the exact number of the casualties, but we are on the top of the situation troop was deployed to track the attackers,’’ he said.

Kano govt orders polio workers to ensure house to house immunization

K

ano state government has ordered polio workers in the state to ensure house to house immunization in all the 44 local government areas of the state.

The state Commissioner for health, Dr Abubakar Labaran gave the order yesterday while monitoring the exercise in Garun Malam, Bebeji and Madobi local government areas of the state respectively.

The Commissioner commended the turn-out of children below the age of five years to the immunization centres, describing it as "encouraging".

Dr Abubakar however expressed delight for the cooperation given by parents, traditional and religious leaders as well as other voluntary organizations towards the success of the exercise in the state.

He then urged them to maintain the tempo thus expressing optimism that by the end of 2014, polio would be eradicated in the state.

To the general public, the Commissioner enjoined people to complement government's effort by ensuring tidy and healthy environment in addition to being regular with routine immunization at the hospitals.

This he said, was important in guarding the immune system of children from birth to five years thereby protecting them against infections.

The Monthly polio immunization exercise entered its second day in Kano and was expected to round up on Wednesday January 29th 2014.

L-R: Yobe state Governor, Malam Ibrahim Gaidam, receiving a report on the 2013 Hajj from the state's Amirul Hajj and Speaker, Yobe state House of Assembly, Hon. Adamu Dala Dogo, yesterday at the Government House, in Damaturu.

APC defends senators, says party directive not flouted From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as quite misleading Tuesday’s media reports that its Senators flouted the party’s directive to its members in the National Assembly to withdraw co-operation with the Executive until the restoration of law and order in Rivers.

In a statement in Lagos by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the reports were borne out of the gross misunderstanding of filibustering as a veritable democratic tool to impede legislation by obstructive tactics.

It said that the slant of the reports, that the APC Senators’ presence and participation at the screening of the military chiefs on Monday represented a rejection of the directive by them, could not have been farther off the mark, as non-cooperation does not mean non-participation.

“We never directed our members in the National Assembly to boycott the chambers’ sessions, whether it is screening of appointees or plenary. What we said is that they should block Executive Bills. In any case, a Senator or an Honourable member can only filibuster when he is in attendance. Fillibuster does not equate to boycott or non-attendance,’’ APC said.

The party also said its directive will not only benefit APC members but indeed all Nigerians as well as national institutions, including the National Assembly itself, which the President has tried to rubbish by totally ignoring its resolutions calling for the redeployment of Rivers Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu.

Constitution: Reps simplify impeachment process

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he House of Representatives ad-hoc committee for the review of the 1999 constitution yesterday submitted a report altering Section 143 of the Constitution to remove ambiguities in the process of impeachment and removal of a President and Vice-President from Office on allegations of gross misconduct.

This is one of the 17 proposed amendments submitted to the House by the ad-hoc committee on the review of the constitution chaired by Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha.

Other proposals made are: alteration of Section 4 of the Con-

stitution to provide immunity for Members of the Legislature for words spoken or written at the plenary or at Committee proceedings, alteration of Section 6(6) of the Constitution to allow for the justifiability of some parts of Chapter II of the Constitution, alteration of Section 25 of the Constitution on the definition of citizenship to include all persons indigenous to communities now forming part of Nigeria, a Bill for an Act to provide for National Social Integration of the country and alteration of Section 56 of the Constitution to guarantee freedom of speech and legislative actions of Members of the National Assembly.

The provisions of section 143, as

amended, provides that impeachment process against the president or vice president shall proceed once a portion, not less than one third of the members of the House of Representatives, sign a notice of any allegation written against any one of them.

This is provided that the offence of the person targeted for impeachment is detailed, specified and a copy presented to him by the Speaker within seven days of the receipt of the notice. Equally,any reply from the person on who the allegation(s) is made shall be communicated to the legislators.

According to the amended provision, the president or vice president stands removed once

the allegations so considered by the House are served on him by a two third of the Senators.

It also provides that "no proceedings or determination of the National Assembly or any matter relating thereto shall be entertained or questioned in any court."

Giving a synopsis of its work, Ihedioha had stated that the House had referred a number of Bills to the Committee for further legislative input. "The Committee treated most of them which formed part of the Report submitted to the House in July, based on which the House conducted the votes on amendment of the Constitution on 25th July, 2013," he said.

PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

News

We will Pirates attack tugboat, Kidnap 2 in outsmart Delta . . . MEND claims responsibility APC, vows Mu'azu S

By Etuka Sunday

By Lawrence Olaoye

N

ational Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday described the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) as master poachers even as he disclosed that his leadership is equally learning the game and would soon outsmart the opposition at the game.

Mu’azu, while receiving the Akwa-Ibom PDP delegation led by the state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, said the APC took advantage of the crisis in the ruling party and pitched members of the party against one another.

The PDP chairman also disclosed that that party would soon convene a conference to sensitize the people on the manifesto of the party.

He said the stakeholders would also reappraise the manifesto and align same with the current yearnings of its members across the country.

He said “The world is dynamic; so is our manifesto and we will ensure that in each wards, local governments, state by our development a foreigner will know we are PDP. As you drive along in this country, immediately you enter a PDP state, the difference will be clear.�

Mua’zu also assured that there would be no anointing of candidates under his leadership just as he assured the delegation that he would ensure internal democracy.

Speaking earlier, Akpabio had told the new Chairman to shun those politicians who would sit down in Abuja to make spurious political claims.

According to him, democracy is a game of numbers and elections are fought and won at the grass roots.

He said certain politicians who cannot deliver their families would make bogus claims of having the capacity to deliver their states.

Akpabio said Akwa-Ibom state is solidly behind the PDP leadership and would do everything possible to make it succeed. He also said the state had already endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for the second term.

He however urged the PDP National Working Committee to ensure that governors’ loyalty to the party at the national level and the President as the leader of the party be reciprocated at the state level by having the governors as leaders at the state levels.

ea Pirates yesterday attacked a tugboat near the Brass River crude oil export terminal in the Niger Delta, taken hostage, the ship’s captain and an engineer.

6RXUFHV ZKR FRQÂżUPHG WKH incident yesterday said that the

tugboat was coming from Port Harcourt in Rivers State to Brass to load petroleum at the terminal before it was intercepted by the pirates.

The spokesman for Italian oil company ENI, which operates the terminal said that the boat belonged to a contractor and that no ENI worker was involved.

Meanwhile, a statement from an email address claiming to be the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), formerly Nigeria’s main militant threat and responsible for years of attacks on the oil industry until a 2009 amnesty, said it launched the attack.

The email it was learnt came

from Jomo Gbomo, a pseudonym and email account MEND has used in the past when attacks are carried out. +RZHYHU VHFXULW\ RIÂżFLDOV believed MEND no longer exist as most of its senior leaders have either embraced the amnesty programme or in jail, so the statement is believed to be a prank.

Why 17 aggrieved PDP senators are yet to 'defect' to APC

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

R

easons emerged yesterday over why the 17 aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators are yet to defect to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

Findings by Peoples Daily, which was also corroborated by the Senate Spokesman, EnyinQD\D $EDULEH ZKLOH EULHÂżQJ journalists in Abuja, indicated that the n/PDP senators could not defect to APC, because they are yet to write individually, a formal letter to the Senate President, to notify him of their intention to defect.

According to Abaribe, the n/PDP senators wrote a joint letter to the Senate President, indicating their intention to defect to APC, even as they warned the Senate leadership not to declare their seats vacant.

He said the senate rule on defection and the constitution of Nigeria requires that any senator who wants to defect to another party should individually write to the Senate President, a letter he personally signed, indicating his intention to defect to another party of his choice.

According to him, "The 6HQDWH RI¿FLDOO\ LV QRW DZDUH of any letter about senators defecting because any letter that comes to the senate will be UHDG RQ WKH ÀRRU 6R LI VHQDWRUV write personal letters to the Senate President that is strictly personal between them and the Senate President".

He explained that the n/ PDP senators merely wrote a joint letter to the Senate President as a personality, rather than to the Senate as an institution.

Abaribe also said until the senators write individually to the Senate, a letter that would EH UHDG RQ WKH ÀRRU RI WKH 6HQate, Senate is not aware of any intention by any senator to defect to opposition APC. While emphasizing that the rule for defection of senators is clear and open in the constitution, he insisted that every senator must write a personal letter to the Senate on his intention to defect, explaining his reason for defecting.

L-R: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Commissioner National, Dr. Nuru Yakubu, representative of INEC Chairman, Professor Ishmael Igbani, and Project Director of UNDP, Dr. Mourtada Deme, during the National Youth Conference on 2015 Elections in Nigeria, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Nigeria far from meeting MDGs education target, says UNESCO

By Maryam Garba Hassan

T

he 11th Education for All Global Monitoring Report has said that failing to prioritise education over the years, Nigeria will not be able to meet the target of Education for All by 2015.

The report said that, whatever the time period, Nigeria has the ODUJHVW JDS WR ÂżOO WKDQ DQ\ RWKHU country in the world as between 2011 and 2015, it needs 212,000 primary school teachers, 13% of the global total.

It said at current rates, it ZRQ W HYHQ EH DEOH WR ÂżOO WKLV JDS by 2030. The report revealed that universal primary enrolment - the most watched goal will be far from reality in the country as there are more children out of school in Nigeria than in any other country in the world adding that the current ÂżJXUH IRU RXW RI VFKRRO FKLOGUHQ LQ the country stand at 10.5 million.

The report said Nigeria is now RQH RI RQO\ ÂżIWHHQ FRXQWULHV WKDW the Report projects will have few-

er than 80% of its primary school aged children enrolled in 2015.

"It is out-of-school population not only grew the most in absolute terms of any country in the world since 2004-2005, by 3.4 million, but also had the fourth highest rate of growth, showing that the wealth in the country is not trickling down into public social good.

As for EFA Goal four on adult literacy, Nigeria is also showing worrying trends. There were 17 million more illiterate adults in the country in 2008 than in 1991, an increase of 71%. In total, there are 40 illiterate adults in Nigeria today, it added.

The report further said Global learning crisis is costing $129 billion a year in sub-Saharan Africa as over half of the children are not learning the basics in reading and Maths, whether they are in school or not.

It further reveals that a global learning crisis is costing governments $129 billion a year.

It said ten per cent of global spending on primary education is

lost to poor quality education that is failing to ensure that children learn and that in sub-Saharan Africa, the situation has left 40% of young people unable to read .

The Report shows that a huge learning crisis is unfolding because the quality of education In Nigeria is so bad.

"With four years of schooling in Nigeria, less than one in ten children emerges literate even after 5-6 years in school, less than 30% will emerge unable to read even a single sentence" it said..

According to the report, the crisis is affecting the poorest, girls, and those in rural areas the worst and that due to low quality education over the years, 40% of youth are illiterate.

Part of the reason for this is that there is a huge lack of qualiÂżHG WHDFKHUV According to the report, current pupil/teacher ratios are small in the country because enrolment of children into school is so slow.

More teachers are urgently needed to help increase the number of children going to school.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 5

News

DDC machines contract: Court faults INEC

L-R: Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, Adamawa state Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd), President Goodluck Jonathan, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshall Adesola Amosu, at the commissioning of the Nigeria Air Force School, during president one GD\ RIĂ€FLDO YLVLW to Adamawa state, yesterday in Yola.

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

F

Kogi: Wada gets accolades for 2 years of governance From Omale Adama, Lokoja

T

he former National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party Senator Amadu Ali has said that democratic dividends being enjoyed in Kogi state is an indication that dmocracy is working.

Speaking at a Town Hall meeting to mark the 2nd Anniversary of Captain Idris Wada, the former PDP boss said that Kogi state Governor deserved commendation for completing projects bequeathed to him by his predecessor.

According to him, this singular honour indicated that Captain Wada is working and he called on the people of the state to continue

to give him adequate support so that he can move the state forward.

He was optimistic that gone are the days when white elephant projects adorn the state to the detriment of the tax payers, stressing that the governor's gesture is worthy of emulation.

He called on the Governor to remain focused, adding that PDP supporters in the state should take advantage of the workholic governor support the party in every election for PDP to emerge victorious.

Also speaking at the occasion, Alhaji Ibrahim Dirisu (rtd) commended governor Wada, saying that the people of Kogi state are fully behind Him.

Real Admiral Dirisu who spoke on behalf of the people of Kogi West said Wada is ready to do more for the people as he appealed to those who have not join the winning team to turn over to the party.

Also speaking, a former Deputy Governor of Kogi state, Chief Patrick Adaba who spoke on behalf of the people of Kogi Central said all the governor has been doing has the mark of fear of God coupled with objectivity He said projects in the state are well distributed across all the three Senatorial Districts of the state as he called on the Governor to continue to remain focus so that dividend of democracy spread across the state.

The ALCON Chairman in the state, Mr. Alosious Okino said the cooperation has enjoyed good working relationship with the Governor and thanked him for all his efforts toward transforming rural areas in the state.

Senator Nurudeen Obatemi who spoke on behalf of members of the National Assembly said the coming on board of Wada was full of challenges, adding that they at the National Assembly appreciate what he has been doing in the state.

He commended him for his working relationship with his deputy, stressing that they have been able to transform the state since he came on board.

Presidential visit: Presidential aide molests journalists

From Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he visit of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to AdDPDZD VWDWH IRU WKH RIÂżFLDO commissioning of the Air Force Comprehensive Secondary School Yola did not go without a hitch as presidential aides harassed journalists covering the assignment.

The reporters who were ini-

tially screened and allowed entry into the premises of the school, ZHUH ODWHU FRQÂżQHG WR RQH RI WKH classrooms for about two hours and were later told they have no business in the place by a presidential aide who threatened to use maximum force to get them When asked by a Journalist why they were being sent away, the aide said “You people are sim-

ply not invited for this occasion, do you want me to call my men to send you out?�

Meanwhile, business and social activities in the state capital were shut down following the president’s visit as people remained indoors for the fear of the unknown. %HIRUH WKH YLVLW WKH VSRNHVman of the 23rd brigade Yola Cap-

tain Nuhu Jafaru has announced that major roads within the state FDSLWDO ZLOO EH FORVHG WR WUDIÂżF during the presidential visit.

Also the Jimeta ultra modern market as well as majority of the commercial l banks in the city were forced to close shop following the restriction of movement order imposed on the city.

Nasarawa Assembly wants Al-makura to sack erring electoral commissioner From Ali Abare Abubakar, /DĂ€D

M

embers of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly (NSHA),have asked Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura to sack an electoral commissioner with the state independent electoral body, Hassan Ibrahim for being partisan.

The assembly arrived at the resolution following an emergency plenary session when its joint committee on information, security, special duties and that of NASIEC ,submitted its report on the investigation on the Commissioner.

Submitting its report earlier,

chairman of the committee set up to investigate the comment attributed to the commissioner, Tanko Umar Tunga (APC, Awe),indicted WKH HOHFWRUDO RIÂżFHU IRU SDUWLVDQVKLS GHVFULELQJ KLP DV XQÂżW WR KROG WKH RIÂżFH KH SUHVHQWO\ RFcupy.

According to the committee chairman, following the resolution of the House on the one-year tenure for council chairmen, Ibrahim went on air, in a program tagged “Forum� carried on the state owned television station, to disparage the assembly.

He allegedly incited the people against the lawmakers when he

publicly declared the resolution of the assembly null and void.

In their various submissions, the lawmakers were unanimous in their decision that the electoral commissioner has compromised his duties by declaring openly his support for a particular party.

Philip Aruwa Gyunka (PDP, Akwanga South),decried the conduct RI WKH RIÂżFHU ZKR KH DFFXVHG RI appearing on the “Forumâ€?, with the intention of inciting the people against constituted authority.

On his part, Francis Orogu (PDP, Keana), commended the chairman of NASIEC, Dr Modibbo, for upholding the state elec-

toral law by publicly acknowledging that results from the council elections be announced at the ward level.

At the end of its deliberations, Speaker of the House, Musa Ahmed Mohammed, threw the two motions seeking to sack the electoral commissioner as well as that constituting another joint committee to investigate the NASIEC, to vote and was passed by a voice vote.

The House then resolved to communicate its decision taken to the Governor as asked him to submit a fresh name to replace the commissioner to the assembly.

ederal High Court, Abuja has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Chairman, Prof Atahiru Jega over the N34.5 billion contracts the Commission awarded in 2010 for the purchase of Direct Data Capturing (DDC) machines for voters’ registration.

In a judgment delivered by the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta yesterday, the court held that in the award and execution of the contracts, INEC, its Chairman and three companies involved in the transaction, infringed on a valid and subsisting patent right owned VROHO\ E\ D ÂżUP %HGGLQJ +ROGLQJV /LPLWHG %+/

The judge held that from the totality of evidence provided by parties in the case, it was clear WKDW WKH SODLQWLII %+/ DFWXDOO\ owned a subsisting patent right over the process, application and the use of DDC machines for voters’ registration.

He ordered INEC, Jega and RWKHUV WR SD\ %+/ 1 ELOOLRQ as compensation for infringing on its valid and subsisting patent right. %+/ KDG LQ WKH VXLW ÂżOHG by its lawyer, John Okoriko, alleged that INEC and Jega infringed on its patented right over “the process and application of DDC machines for the compilation and collection of various bio-data,â€? by awarding contracts for the purchase and deployment of the DDC machines for the compilation of the Voters Register without the FRQVHQW RI %+/ Joined with INEC and Jega as defendants were the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the companies to which INEC awarded the contracts - Haier Electrical Appliances Corporation Limited, Zinox Technologies Ltd and Avante International Technology.

Justice Auta held that the nation’s Patent and Design Act preclude anybody from using a patented invention without the consent of the inventor. He added that Section 6 of the Act provides for the protection of a patent right and that it was the duty of the court to ensure such protection.

The Judge frowned at the decision by INEC and Jega to award the contracts without %+/ÂśV FRQVHQW GHVSLWH EHLQJ aware it has the patent right over the invention.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 6

News

Rivers state govt is broke - PDP insists From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he Peoples Democratic Party, [PDP] Rivers state chapter says available evidence has shown that the state government can no longer meet its responsibilities because it is broke despite the contrary view of Gov. Amaechi’s Information and Communications Commissioner, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari.

The Party in a statement signed by its special Adviser on media, Jerry Needam, wonders how the Commissioner would deny this glaring fact in the face of the failure and collapse of almost all the social and public agencies in the state.

Describing the Commissioner’s brazen denial as laughable, the PDP among others wants Mrs. Semenitari to explain why the state government still owes officers and men of the State Transport Management Agency (TIMARIV) for about six months, the newly recruited 13 thousand teachers are also owed six months’ salary, roads and other infrastructural projects abandoned, and the delay in the release of the N300m Christmas bonus meant for the civil servants in the state.

The PDP also demands explanation from the Information Commissioner to justify the reason for the denial of funds for full implementation of the 2013 budget by the various Ministries if the state was not broke, insisting that the revelation that the Rivers Students abroad on the RSSDA sponsorship are stranded and at the verge of being thrown out by their universities is a confirmation that the states treasury is empty.

The party still wondered in why officials of the Rivers State government would continue to deny facts that are available at the door post of the people, saying a responsible government should be courageous enough to tell its citizens the truth at least on the affairs of the State.

“If the state is not broke, let the pensioners receive their full gratuities rather than the piece meals, a style of payment which has never happened in Rivers State except now that the state is in financial distress”.

Similarly, the PDP says it is not satisfied with the information surrounding the movement of 320 indigenes of Gombe State into Rivers State at a time when the state is on edge due to the activities of the Save Rivers Movement, an Amaechi funded political machine.

The party notes that the coming into the state of 17 bus load of people at same the time from the North-east Nigeria, a hotbed of the dreaded Boko Haram, is suspicious. “Is it to further orchestrate that Mbu Joseph Mbu is not doing his work as they want him to be seen or to call dog a bad name in order to hang it?

Defect to APC, South-east allies tell Atiku . . . As Shekarau heads to PDP

By Lawrence Olaoye, Abuja & Edwin Olofu, Kano

P

olitical associates and supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the South-east geopolitical zone yesterday threw their weights behind him on his possible defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This is coming as indications emerged that immediate past Kano state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, will dump the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Atiku got the nod of his supporters to dump the PDP at the conclusion of a consultative meeting he had with the stakeholders at Ikenga Hotel in Enugu.

A snap poll conducted at the end of the meeting showed that 64 per cent of those present at the meeting backed his defection to the APC, 31 per cent favoured the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), while only 5 per cent

asked him to remain in the PDP. The former Vice-President, in his opening remarks, told participants at the meeting that, "this is the most difficult political decision I will be taking".

He, however, assured them that the decision he will ultimately take will be in the best interest of Nigeria. "I take your counsel and support seriously. But ultimately, the decision that I will take will be in the best interest of Nigeria", he stressed.

He recalled how he has been systematically shut out from the activities of the PDP, noting that he has been kept away from the Board of Trustees (BoT) and caucus meetings of the party.

"This is the only zone that I have seen so many women being active in the political process. I cannot take any political decision without consulting you, because you are the source of my support in the South-east zone.

"I intend to conclude this consultation before the end of the

month; so that we can begin the more difficult task of salvaging Nigeria", Atiku said.

He recalled that he had been in the vanguard of alliance of political parties because he has always supported a two-party system.

He also noted his happiness with the success recorded by promoters of the APC in building a viable opposition political party in the country.

"Our country's democracy and stability will be further enhanced when we have a two-party system.

"I am happy that today, this is evolving and will take shape in the years to come. In helping me take this decision, I want you to consider the interest of Nigeria, far above any other interest", the former vice-president tasked the participants.

Those present included, Hon. Phil Agbasi, Hon. Justice Eguh, Chief Ken Emechebe, Hon. Greg Eguh, Senator Julius Ucha, Ozo Ramsey Onyia, P.C. Agwu, Chief (Mrs.) Theodora Obi, and Chief(

Mrs.) Ify Ozoani.

In the meantime, our correspondent in Kano has learnt on good authority that the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), flag bearer in the 2011 presidential poll and two-term governor of Kano state, Shekarau, is dumping the APC for the PDP. Sources told our correspondent that the former governor's allies and associates would meet today to conclude all arrangements for his defection to the PDP, and immediately make the announcement at a press conference.

Sources revealed that the former governor's ground for exiting the APC is that he had been sidelined by the top echelon of the party after his successor, Governor Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso joined it.

Shekarau, who was the head of the merger committee of the defunct ANPP, lost interest in the activities of the APC after his political arch rival, Kwankwaso assumed the leadership of the party in Kano state.

L-R: PDP Women Leader, Kaduna state, Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim Madina, member, PDP Board of Trustees from Kaduna state, Hajiya Hauwa Musa Kida, and former PDP Women Leader in the state, Hajiya Hauwa Safana, during a solidarity press briefing by Kaduna state PDP women on the nomination of a women from state as minister, on Sunday in Kaduna.

2013 Hajj: Yobe gets Saudi best performance award From Uche Uche, Damaturu.

F

or good conduct through obedience and respect for Saudi authority rules and regulations during hajj operations in the Holy land, Yobe state government has been given Saudi’s best pilgrimage performance award and good commendations from other relevant bodies.

The 2013 Amirul Hajj team leader, Honourale Adamu Dala Dogo, who is the Speaker Yobe

State House of Assembly, disclosed this yesterday while presenting the hajj report to Governor Alh. Ibrahim Gaidam in government house Damaturu.

He said that the achievement recorded by hajj team was due to strict obedience and adherence to the rules and regulations of Yobe State Pilgrims Commission, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He stressed that Nigerian pilgrims were recorded as well behaved and most disciplined.

He said such disciplined attitude brought to Yobe commendation from the Head of MUTHAWIFFS or Service Providers for Africa nonArab Countries, Mr.Abdul-Wahid, who nominated Yobe state as one of the best amongst all countries, and Organisations from Africa non-Arab countries in terms of good conduct and behavior during the 2013 hajj operations.

He disclosed that the Head of Service providers had invited officials from the state pilgrims commission to his office in Makka

where he honoured them with befitting gifts usually given to most honored countries, states, organizations or individuals who excelled in their fields of endeavours.

The speaker however disclosed that the state lost two of its citizens in the holy city of Makka in the persons of late Mohammed Bashir from Bade local government area and late Hajia Sa’adatu Gari Mairogo, a resident of Damaturu metropolitan.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

News

No Chinese expatriate killed in Kaduna – says state govt From Muhammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

C

ontrary to reports by some media organisations (not Peoples Daily), that a Chinese emigrant was killed in a community in Kaduna State, the state government yesterday described such reports as baseless

and untrue.

A statement by the Director General, Media and Publicity to Kaduna state Governor, Ahmed Maiyaki, he said the report of the killing which indicated that a Chinese expatriate was killed in a village in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna state was erroneous and a wrong

editorial judgment on the side of the media organizations that published the story.

The statement read, “Contrary to reports by some media organizations recently, we wish to clarify that no Chinese expatriate was killed in any community in Kaduna state.

“Our findings revealed

that some Chinese expatriates were attacked in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau state and not Kaura Local Government of Kaduna state as wrongly published by some media organizations.

“While we continue to respect the freedom of the press to independently function, it is our

UBEC to reactivate ‘Good Performance’ award

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) said it will reactivate the Good Performance award which has being in existence since 2010.

UBEC in a statement yesterday in Osun state, after its eleventh quarterly meeting said it has all the machineries to ensure effective performance.

The statement which was issued by its Head, Media/Protocol, David .E. Apeh, added that “the commission has a lot to review community self-help initiative and work plans for acquisition of monitoring visitors, ensure Institutionalizing continuous quality and assurance in school for optimum performance”.

J

ustice Ahmed Mohammed of a federal high court will tomorrow commence hearing of the case of certificate forgery filed against a former governor of Benue state and the Senate Minority leader, Senator George Akume.

Plaintiff’s counsel, Chief Amobi

A

Commandant, National Defence College, Rear Admiral Patrick Agholor (left), welcoming Commandant General, NSCDC, Dr Ade Abolurin (right), to the 4th annual seminar on National Security, by the Alumni Association of National Defence College, yesterday in Abuja. WITH them is Chairman, Seminar Planning Committee, AVM Chris Marizu(middle).

Photo: NAN

Nzelu, will, at the resumed hearing tomorrow, open his case against the former governor.

The plaintiff in suit, Comrade Philip Agbese, had alleged that Akume forged his degree and secondary school certificates to qualify to contest governorship and senatorial elections in Benue State.

Agbese, through his counsel, Nzelu, is praying for a declaration that Akume did not possess the certificate number SCO39633 allegedly issued to him by GSS Otukpo, Benue State in 1971.

Joined in the suit are WAEC, INEC,IGP and NYSC as 2nd to 5th defendants.

Agbese, an indigene of Benue

state and a civil rights activist residing in Abuja, also asked the court to declare that the result allegedly issued to Akume by WAEC did not belong to him and that the defendant did not obtain any degree from the University of Ibadan or any recognised university in Nigeria.

Rustling: Katsina restricts movement of cattle From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

W

orried by the increasing incidences of cattle rustling across the state, Katsina state government has restricted the movement of vehicles conveying cattle in or out of the state.

The state commissioner

of police, Muhammad Hurdi disclosed this yesterday in an interview with newsmen. He noted that the movement of such vehicles within the state would be between 6am to 7pm.

Hurdi said the decision was reached at the state security council meeting , adding that the decision was taken in order to give security agents and members of

the community the opportunity to monitor the movement of the cattle.

He added, “The idea is that once these animals are moved in the day time, people will be able to see, and if it is suspected to be stolen, appropriate action could be taken.”

Hurdi urged those concerned to adhere strictly to the stipulated

time, stressing that the action was taken to guard people’s source of livelihood.

According to reports, people from the southern part of the state, specifically herdsmen and farmers in Faskari Local Government Area are facing serious threat to their means of livelihood as a result of wide spread incidences of cattle rustling in the area.

Boko Haram: Court slates Feb. 3 to arraign Nazeef, others

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

A

Senior lecturer with the Kogi State University, Dr. Muhammad Nazeef and two others will be arraigned on a fresh criminal charge before a Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday, February 3, 2014.

The accused persons, who had been in the custody of the State Security Services (SSS) since October last year, will

Segun Okeowo ‘Ali Must Go’ leader is dead From James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

Alleged cert forgery: Plaintiff set to open case against Akume

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

hope that it is also a fundamental ethics of the profession to clarify all information before going to press”.

The state government further assured all citizens of adequate security measures to protect lives and property and called on the entire people of the state to continue to live peacefully with one another.

be charged for their alleged involvement in terrorism activities.

The accused person could not be arraigned yesterday due to lack of service of the charge sheet on them by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice which signed the charge sheet.

Efforts by the defense counsels, Hassan Liman (SAN)

and Chief James Ocholi (SAN) representing the first and second accused persons to compel the counsel representing the SSS, Mr. Cliff Osagie to serve the charge sheet on the accused persons proved abortive as, he (Osagie) held that the accused persons cannot be arraigned in the absence of the AGF. The SSS lawyer told the court that the accused persons needed to be served with the charge

sheet seven days before their arraignment to enable them prepare for their defence, in line with the rules of the court.

The trial Judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, after listening to counsels’ argument, held that the accused persons need to be properly served with the charge sheet and held that, “the charge will have to be adjourned to enable the court bailiff serve them on the accused persons”.

former National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS), between the year 1977 and 1978, Akogun Segun Okeowo is dead.

Okeowo, who was NANS National President between 1977 and 1978 died yesterday at the age of 73 after battling with heart attack.

He was the man behind the popular “Ali Must Go” in 1978 when the then Minister of Education, Ahmadu Ali came up with anti-people’s policies which students demonstrated against them.

Confirming the death to our correspondent, the second son of the deceased, Mr. Kayode Segun Okeowo said the former Ogun State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) boss died at the Ogun State Teaching Hospital, OSUTH, Sagamu yesterday morning.

According to the deceased’s son, “truly, Baba gave up the ghost yesterday, we rushed him to the hospital and he died there. He has been battling with various ailments but he suffered heart attack yesterday morning and that was the end”.

Among the early caller at the residence of the former students union leader, located at Aluta House, 21A, Surulere street, Makun Sagamu included a former governor of Ogun state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Comrade Wole Olaoye, the Students’ Union Government, SUG President, University of Ife, 1980-1981 and the man the deceased succeeded as NANS President, Orji Nwafor Orisu, who was in office between 1976 and 1977.

PAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 9

PAGE 10

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 11

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

Money Sense

Y

ou can never be too prepared for a job interview. You never know what minor element of your personality or presentation can make or break your chances.

While you maybe polished to a luster for the usual interview questions and your resume is gleaming, what about some of the other intangibles involved in getting hired?

After all, for better or for worse, about a third of hiring managers assess candidates and make a hiring decision within the first 90 seconds or so. Fair?

Of course not but it does mean that it’s critical to control those elements that aren’t just about your previous job performance.

Recently, education research firm Classes and Careers published an interesting information graphic that rolls up a slew of less obvious things that influence the hiring process.

For starters, there are a slew of nonverbal queues that hiring managers consider mistakes that can cost you the job. The most egregious ones are failure to make eye contact which is at the top of the list. Other dealbreakers include failing to smile, bad posture and fidgeting.

In addition, your choice of clothing is important. More than

Money Tip: Before you give up your current career, you’ll need to assess the advantages and disadvantages and test-drive your budget to determine whether your savings are sufficient to support your lifestyle during the transition.

Quote To succeed, you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you– Tony Dorsett

Mistakes people make in job interviews half of hiring managers say that your choice of clothes can be the deciding factor when choosing among similar candidates. In particular, it can be a liability to

dress too fashionably or trendy.

According to Classes and Careers, here are the 10 most common mistakes people make at job interviews:

10. Over-explaining why you lost your last job 9. Conveying that you’re not over having lost your last job 8. Lacking humor, warmth or

personality 7. Not showing enthusiasm or interest in the job 6. Inadequate research about the position or company 5. Concentrating on what you want rather than what the company needs 4. Trying to be all things to everyone 3. Winging the interview 2. Failing to set yourself apart from other candidates 1. Not asking for the job

…why employers don’t want to hire overqualified candidates

W

hen you’re applying for jobs, being told that you’re being dismissed because you’re “overqualified” for a job you know you could do well is incredibly frustrating. After all, having higher qualifications than what a job requires should be a good thing, shouldn’t it? To job seekers, being told they’re overqualified can feel like being told by a date that they’re too funny or good-looking and leaves them wondering why it’s a dealbreaker.

So why is being overqualified so often seen as a bad thing? It’s understandable to be rejected if you’re not qualified enough, but what’s the concern about the overqualified?

When hiring managers label job candidates overqualified, here’s what they are thinking.

1. We can’t pay you enough: Employers will often assume that if you have more experience or education than the job requires, your salary expectations are probably higher than the role pays too.

2. You don’t really understand what the job is: Hiring managers will worry that in your quest to get hired somewhere, you’re being overly optimistic about what the work will be like. For instance, that you think you’ll be doing highlevel office administration when

what they need is someone to run the front desk. Or that the advert might say data entry, but you assume that surely you’ll be able to quickly prove yourself and take on more interesting work when they really just need someone who will do data entry and be happy with it. Related to that...

3. If you take this job, you’ll be bored: Hiring managers often think that someone who used to do higher-level or more interesting work can’t possibly be happy with less challenging responsibilities, and they assume that you’ll quickly get bored, then frustrated and then want to leave.

4. You won’t be happy working for a manager with less experience than you: If you have significantly more experience than the hiring manager, she may worry that you won’t be happy or comfortable taking direction from her, and that you’ll think you know better.

What’s more, if the hiring manager isn’t entirely secured in her skills,

she might worry that you do know better and that you’ll be judging her decisions which can lead to her passing on your candidacy altogether.

5. You’ll leave as soon as something better comes around: Because hiring managers often can’t understand why someone would want a lower position than what his or her background might qualify him or her for, they often assume that you’re only interested in the job because you’re feeling desperate. They figure you’ll take it for the paycheck, but that you’ll leave as soon as something more

suited to your background comes along.

So what do you do if you’re hearing that you’re overqualified for jobs you actually want?

The best thing you can do is to understand the concerns above and address them head-on. You can do that by explaining why you’re genuinely interested in the position. For instance, you might explain that while your kids are in school, you want a job with stable hours that doesn’t require the level of responsibility you’ve had in the past or whatever is really true for you. (And that’s key - it needs to ring true for you; don’t make something up.)

If you know hiring managers are likely to worry about your salary expectations, you can also say explicitly that you’re clear about the lower pay that comes with the position, and that it’s fine with you.

Ideally, you’d address this in the cover letter, to avoid having your application discarded before you’ve even had an interview. But once you get to the interview stage, be prepared to discuss it again, and probably in more detail.

Overall, the idea is to understand what worries managers about overqualified candidates and address their concerns head-on, proactively and genuinely.

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

EDITORIAL

APC’s big, risky gamble election, however, produced two NGF chairmen, Amaechi and David Jang, the governor of Plateau state, who is a staunch supporter of another term for Jonathan. Today in Rivers there is a Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, who sees himself as being in opposition to the governor and takes directives only from Abuja. Politically

“

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC), which INEC officially registered as a political party only last year, and is expected to give the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a good run in national elections next year, last week challenged President Goodluck Jonathan where he is weakest. It directed its members in the House of Representatives where it now holds majority seats and the Senate to block all executive bills and proposals, including the 2014 Approbation Bill and the screening of new service chiefs in the military.

It is the party’s way of protesting the political crisis in Rivers state that pitches the governor, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, against the PDP federal government. The directive, read by Lai Mohammed, APC Interim National Publicity Secretary, reads in part: “APC hereby directs its members in the National Assembly to block all legislative proposals, including the 2014 budget and confirmation of all nominees for military and civilian positions until constitutional rule is restored in Rivers state in particular and Nigeria in general”.

Rivers state has been turned into a political cesspool since May, last year, following an unsuccessful plot to unseat Amaechi as the Chairman of the very powerful Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF). The

Blocking the 2014 budget will be counterproductive because doing so will only make easier for this corrupt government to steal the funds motivated mayhem is the order of the day.

It is feared that Rivers may very well be the Achilles heel of our democracy during or after next year’s polls. It is for this fear that we call on all lovers of democracy to support genuine calls for a restoration of constitutionalism in that state.

However, we won’t condone replacement of one form of illegality or irresponsibility (impunity) by another.

Unfortunately, this is what the

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”

APC has done.

In its reaction to the barrage of criticism that has greeted the order it gave to its federal lawmakers, the APC said the directive “is a product of deep thinking and robust debate within our party’s NEC to save our democracy….” It explained that “filibustering or legislative non-cooperation are veritable tools of democracy.” Maybe so, but for what ends? True, the APC is doing a good job of keeping this dumb Jonathan government on its toes and making Nigerians hopeful of a better tomorrow.

But this change will not come through working against the interest of ordinary Nigerians.

Blocking the 2014 budget will be counterproductive because doing so will only make easier for this corrupt government to steal the funds.

The APC said its action was the result of “deep thinking and robust debate”. But how come, seven of its senators defied it and sat on the committee on defence that screened the president’s nominees for positions of military service chiefs? The recent defections from the PDP have strengthened its position in the National Assembly against the governing party. However, it must not push its luck. If it doesn’t already know, the same governors and House members that have crossed the floor are saying that there isn’t much that separates the two parties, if anything.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

CHAIRMAN MALAM WADA MAIDA, OON, FNGE DIRECTOR/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RUFA’I IBRAHIM MANAGING EDITOR ABDUL-AZEEZ ABDULLAHI

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALI M. ALI

HEAD, ADVERT/MARKETING HUSSAINI ABDULRAHMAN, CNA

EDITOR, DAILY AHMED I. SHEKARAU

MANAGER, ADMINISTRATION HASSAN HAMMANYAJI

DEPUTY MANAGER, PRODUCTION ABDUL-RAUF MUSA

EDITOR, WEEKEND HAMEED M. BELLO

HEAD, LAGOS BUREAU ADESOJI OYINLOLA

“To be a reputable, profitable, innovative and technologically reliant media company offering world class services and products”

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 13

Opinion Jonathan’s 2015 covenant with Nigeria

By Peregrino Brimah

Q

uoting President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, in Addis Ababa on January 31st, 2011 while meeting with Nigerians working in the UN and the AU, as reported by Daniel Idonor in an article in Vanguard of 1st February, 2011, captioned, “I‘ll not contest 2015 election – Jonathan:” “President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, said he has no ambition to stay in office beyond 2015, assuring Nigerians in Diaspora that while he will not contest the 2015 election, he will ensure that this year’s election is free and fair.” That article went viral. Over 5000 people shared it on the Vanguard page alone.

This translated to hundreds of thousands reading it online and many more in the print version. It was one more of many instances in the run up to the April 2011 election where the serving President of Nigeria assured the country’s people that if reelected; he will not contest in the elections in 2015, him being strongly of the opinion that “four years is more than enough to make all invaluable changes to a nation.”

By 2015, Jonathan would have been in Aso Rock Presidential Villa and for 8 years in total - 2 years 9 months as Vice President under a very ill and regularly absent President, 3 months as acting President, 1 year as President in a first short term, completing the term of late Yar’adua, and 4 more years as President and commander –in-chief for a second, full term. Not a novice to the possibilities of the office, the President had already experienced considerable time as President and Vice (4 years) and made enough executive decisions to appreciate and understand the full context of his promise. He knew what could be done in 1+ year he had served as President and 2+ years as Vice; and consequently understood properly better than any of us, realistically how the 4 years he solicited and promised will be enough, and all more time he needed to give Nigeria fresh air.

Was this promise to complete his work for Nigeria by 2015 and not go for reelection the word and bond of Mr. President? We have heard that he signed this same promise. We have seen

several different copies and instances of the same promise at other times in all other major Nigerian editorials. Verily if this was not what the President said and promised Nigeria as a covenant to woo and court our support to vote him in, in the April 2011 Presidential elections, he would have refuted these headlines spread in all Nigeria’s top dailies. Reno Omokri, Reuben Abati, Doyin Okupe or whoever was Mr. President’s media and publicity person at the time, did not come forward to dissociate Mr. President from this covenant, as is the case in more trivial perceived misrepresentations.

Clearly this is the word, bond and covenant of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan with the people of Nigeria, made before God and man.

This was the covenant upon which the Nigerian masses agreed to select him and vote him into power. These simple, fresh-breezy words, the promise to not deathly cling on to power but to rather ensure he establishes a free and fair playing ground come 2015 for whoever might contest, made many of us support his candidacy. This was not just

another political promise. This was his memento insignia. We have little excuse not to give him the benefit of trust. He swore to us that he will not be a liar: What I do promise is this -- if I am elected president in 2011, I will make a covenant with you, the Nigerian people, to always do right by you, to tell you the truth at all times…

–Goodluck Jonathan on faceBook; CNN, September 15, 2010 It is 12 months to elections!

Nigerians call upon our President to fulfill the other part of his covenant, - the creation of a true and decent election setup for the best State and Presidential candidates who emerge from PDP, APC, LP, PDM, NCP, SNP, APGA, AD and whatever other political platforms to contest come 2015.

He will do well by also helping Nigeria establish a decree that bans all old politicians and their crooked friends, mentors and mentees from future elections, participation, sponsorship or otherwise. It is time for our Youth… a fresh start… a new leaf. Like clockwork, throughout our history, the Military take over when we violate our promises to the

people and mess-up. Do we want this?

Mr. President has not come out to declare he will violate his word and break his covenant. I do trust our President will not do any such thing. I believe he is a man of honor, of truth and a man who fears God. Sadly and why I write this is that I believe it is legally permissible for him to say he is not running; what he cannot yet do is say he is running —due to INEC stipulations. I wonder why he hesitates to say what Nigeria is sure he will —that he won’t be running? Why toy with us on something as serious as a covenant before God and man with a pledge to be true and do right?

Now, indeed and in truth and from the beginning of time and surely till the end of time, people will break their covenants to man and God and renege on their vows. But let those of us who do so beware, and let those of us who support such betrayal and fraud be conscious of the consequences.

“The Lord has no pleasure in fools!”

Dr. Peregrino Brimah via drbrimah@ends.ng;Twitter@ EveryNigerian

skyscrapers that say business is booming in this city that should be the hub of dessert trade. I don’t see the infrastructures that show a city in the 21st century. I don’t see the bustling commerce that we were told as kids once made Kano one of the centers of trade in the world.

I start asking why Kano is not what Kano should be. Why it’s not the paradise of the north and the oasis in the dessert? If we’d been a nation that plans properly, Kano would have the second largest airport in the country after Lagos. It would be center of trade for the entire north, Chad, Niger, northern Cameroon and all those countries within a thousand mile radius of the northern tip of Nigeria.

Kano should be the city that doesn’t sleep because business should flow through it like a water flows under a bridge. The three biggest airports in Nigeria should be Lagos, Port Harcourt and

Kano. Those three cities are the economic lifeline of Nigeria and, if God had blessed us with the kind of visionary leaders we deserve, those cities will be on the tip of the global business tongue.

I heard a curious thing from a few “big men” and some aviation folks while I was in Kano. That Kano is being given the short shift because the Nigerian lady of aviation wants to develop the new airport in her region, that she had ordered airlines to make it their first choice of destination outside Abuja and Lagos.

I had a good laugh about that because there is no way anyone can rise to the top in Nigeria with such narrow-minded views and disastrously selling Nigeria short. Then, I had a bigger laugh because when you compare the two airports and their potential, both in terms of economy and traffic, it’s not even apples and oranges – more like nuts and pine apples. And, you know the lady had a boss who has economists from all over the world around him who knows what is best for the economy. I couldn’t stop laughing at Nigerians and innuendoes. Then, everyone laughed at me. You don’t Nigeria, they said. When it’s a country with two birthdays and is celebrating the anniversary for an event most countries confine to the dark pages of the history books, just one word comes to mind - “Yikes!”

Ose Oyamendan-Eimakhu is a Nigerian filmmaker who lives in Los Angeles in the United States

Selling Nigeria short

By Ose Oyamendan-Eimakhu

I

f the country could speak, I bet the first words would be “guys, easy! Damn!” We’ve seemed to mastered life going in reverse.

If the western scientist were fair, they would have made a study of Nigeria and let the world know how it works. Then, it may be they are the smart folks everyone makes them out to be. Maybe tackling Nigeria would send them to the metal ward. You know it’s bad when a country doesn’t even know its age. And, we’re not talking about civil servants or football player miscalculating their ages. We’re talking a country with records. A country with huge age discrepancy in decades!

Was she born in 1914 or was she born in 1960? What date should be more celebrated? The military imposed democracy day that must rank as one of the biggest ironies of all time? Or the independence day of October 1st that was negotiated by the heroes of our history? If she was really born on October 1st 1960, why spend mega-billions celebrating the 100th anniversary? There must be a sense to the centennial thing though, as my secondary school teacher once taught us – “go to the Aro mental hospital and find the patient in the worst mental health. Even he would talk to you, it may just not make sense.

But, he will talk and it will make sense to him.”

I think I know what’s going on here. Two of Nigeria’s biggest

passions are making money and celebrations. I figure someone came up with the brilliant idea of combining the two and the anniversary of the amalgamation makes a perfect sense. Or, why would you celebrate the centenary of your nightmare because let’s face it – colonialism was a nightmare. It was the rape of the worst order.

I was thinking Nigeria when I drove around the ancient city of Kano many weeks ago. I’d not been there in at least two decades.

But, I always love coming here.

I love going through Nigeria because if you don’t believe in God, all you have to do is meet Nigerians. The history is laid out there in front of you. You see what 53 years had made possible and you feel the impact of gross mismanagement. Yet, the people march on with huge smiles on their labored faces.

I love Kano because I knew it before it knew me. It was there in

“

our history books, back in those days when the schools actually taught you about Nigerian history, back in those days when you learn about Nigerian heroes and you feel pride dancing from your brains to veins. These days, the kids learn more about foreign cultures and history than Nigeria’s. A big shame, if you ask me because I’ve been around the world and there are few cultures that can beat ours collectively.

And, there are few economies that can beat ours if we have not been cursed with decades of ineffectual, selfish leadership.

In Kano, I saw how the dual hydra-headed monsters called tribalism and politics have combined to keep Nigeria in the Stone Age. Or, how do you describe the falling fortunes of a city that was the pride of Africa long before the colonialists knew there was something across the Atlantic. I’m driving through Kano and I don’t see the

I love Kano because I knew it before it knew me. It was there in our history books, back in those days when the schools actually taught you about Nigerian history, back in those days when you learn about Nigerian heroes and you feel pride dancing from your brains to veins. These days, the kids learn more about foreign cultures and history than Nigeria’s. A big shame, if you ask me because I’ve been around the world and there are few cultures that can beat ours collectively. And, there are few economies that can beat ours if we have not been cursed with decades of ineffectual, selfish leadership.

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

Opinion Rescuing our democracy

By R.A. Ipinyo

N

igerian politics since independence has been characterised by ethnoregional cum religious bickering rather than ideologically growing the process. This was witnessed from the First Republic which eventually led to inter-parties fighting and serial military takeovers. Generally Africans have refused to grow the politics differently from the Western democracies which took their orientation from the socialist or capitalist viewpoints. What we have in Africa has been individualistic, egoism, group interests, regional or religious sentimental politicking.

Even at that level a sound politics can still emerge to develop the various societies and ethnic group interests through proper competitions and corroboration within the various subgroups.

Unfortunately politics has rather opened the avenue for more corruption from regime to regime at the expense of the essence of politics.

With such a weak background Nigerian politics has only been sliding from one regime to another and the engine of change has remained the same factor, which is, exposing weaknesses and deceitfulness of a serving regime and character. Meanwhile the object of running a democracy is the possibility that citizens would have fairly equal opportunity to participate in their own government. Participatory democracy would have created interactive relationships between elected and electorates and fine tuning the approach of the electors

in the direction of public opinions.

Not so in Nigeria where a governor would tell his advisers that their opinions are not sought or needed to run his government; that is the advisers are jut appointed to come to the dining table but not for any ideas they may have or not. If a governor should err he is on his own as the

for the citizenry is only self-serving.

Long term solutions that would have good chances of dealing with our socio-economic inequalities, dealing with both structural and actual unemployment rates and reducing the gaps of inequalities in various sectors can only be developed by the people in power and assisted by captains of industries. To deal with structural unemployment involving unskilled youths and many adults would require creating farm settlements and small scale industrial settlements across the land and providing training on the job for low skilled individuals. Those who already have some skills that form the bulk of actual unemployment can best be addressed through injection of new funds into the industries together with the introduction of new innovations into the economy. The political parties hold the keys to moral and economic developments in the land through legislations and

implementations. Insincerity of the politicians can only continue to push the society from crises to crises and creating ungovernable communities.

I am confident that the nation can be delivered from the snare of the politicians in two directions.

If in whatever sense we have been held captives or they may attempt to capture us from henceforth it shall never be possible. Every Nigerian must open up and take a queue even from the type of letters from President Obasanjo, President Jonathan or from Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello.

They show that there is little to classify as secret in Nigeria’s political history or that there is nothing to gain by keeping quiet and burning away silently.

They are new developments that should not be ignored. Gen Buhari should do a public letter too; he should write what he knows and where we need the change.

Gen Babangida may also write rather than working in silence as well as all concerned Nigerians.

If we wash our dirt jointly and publicly perhaps a solution would come. No one should be given the impression that he owns Nigeria more than others. After all if they had not been afraid to ride on Nigeria as a donkey they must not be embarrassed if the donkey dumps them on the hard rock. Our collective responsibility to save the sliding socio-political system, which has eroded deeply into our value system through corruption, ineptness, nepotism and the like, is the only hope.

Prof. R.A. Ipinyomi can be reached on ipinyomira@yahoo. co.uk.

the person that replaces him will be someone whose main concern will be to deepen the successful CBN-led reforms and ensuring that the hard earned money of Nigerians is safe in whichever bank it is kept. An important concern is also that the value of this money remains stable, inflation is controlled and investors can confidently invest foreign capital in Nigeria, knowing that they can take it out when they wish and the value is unlikely to be seriously eroded.

Nigerians do not need a CBN Governor whose main concern is keeping Aso Rock and its super ministries happy.

One could even argue that Sanusi’s concern with accountability of NNPC’s accounts strengthens confidence of foreign investors in the autonomy of the CBN and the possibility of reform in Nigeria.

On the other hand, harassing Sanusi would only increase the country’s risk perception as an investment destination. It would send a wrong message to the outside world on the autonomy and strength of our institutions.

It is perhaps for this reason that the Presidency has maturely resolved to manage the vexatious open letter behind closed doors.

For all the celebration of foreign investment in Nigeria, much work still needs to be done for this investment to impact the lives of millions more Nigerians. More than 80% of all the foreign capital inflow is Foreign Portfolio Investments (FPI), meaning these are funds going into equities and bonds, not factories, real estate and other investments which will directly create jobs for Nigerians. So the policies for which Sanusi and the CBN are being celebrated are just minimum requirements, we need to do a lot more toget the sort of investment required to transform Nigeria. This means Nigeria must do everything it can to safeguard the reforms while we seek to build on them.

Thompson Ayodele is the executive director of Initiative for Public Policy Analysis, a public policy think tank based in Lagos.

WRITE TO US Peoples Daily 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 SMS: 08134607052

commissioner or adviser in that area may not have been consulted by the said governor. There is not the minimum political or ideological cohesion that should cement daily political dealings necessary to combat our common aspirations in moving or society to where it ought to. It is most often a one man show at Abuja or every other state headquarters.

This is indexed in our society where today one group would move from one political party to another and vice versa because their opinions are not heard or sought. The movements from one party to another are not determined by any visible ideological, regional or ethnic demands but mere disagreements or extreme quests for more corruption through power twisting. In this particular instance in Nigeria we are likely to have two fairly equally strong political parties called APC and the current ruling party PDP. This is a scenario many of us have been demanding in

order to eliminate a system of one big party and several opposition parties many of which would never win a seat at any level. With the emergency of APC and the shedding of many members of PDP we may be inching near some equilibrium or stability in the system forcing electors to perform.

We must develop a model that can halt the slide of ethnoregional and religious politics to a community development based system. In particular while we sense that PDP is fading and may need some holidays from the central power APC must ensure the entire nation that it is out to develop Nigeria irrespective of religious differences. In fact APC would need to shop hard for its presidential and national candidates and discard a number of candidates already labelled in the public as religious politicians. In the same vein, PDP needs revival through injection of new blood to its leadership and its decision making organs. It must

approach the problems of Nigeria beyond fashioning power sharing formula which is not guaranteed to solve any of our problems.

Power sharing that has nothing to do with economic development of any part of the nation or thproviding moral compass

The imperative of CBN credibility

By Thompson Ayodele

L

ast December I met a former classmate who is doing very well selling electronics. He started out with his uncle about eight years ago. Now he has three shops, one of them profitably leading his foray into computers and computer accessories. He told me that the business is hard graft; competition is tough and margins are low. Growth lies in huge volumes. The policies pursued by the Central Bank of Nigeria have led to the stability of the naira.

According to my friend, violent price upswings caused by the instability of the naira hampered the growth of the business in the past. He remembered his uncle has had to lay people off twice when sudden price movements led to a sharp decline in demand.

The successes of many other Nigerians in their businesses owe something to the monetary policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the leadership of Lamido Sanusi who has vigorously pursued price stability and low inflation.

Since the commencement of the Sanusi era at the CBN, the apex bank has consistently pursued policies aimed at achieving price stability and low inflation.

This contributed significantly to the stability in the financial system generally; inflation fell from over 13 per cent in 2009 to below 7.8 percent as at October 2013. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) developed a culture of open deliberation and explanation of the rationale behind its decisions. This resulted in a sort of confidence building “forward guidance”.

Sanusi’s entry in 2009 quickly exposed governance rot and weak financial position of many Nigerian banks. It was apparent that the distress in these banks was aggravated if not caused by the compromised supervision of the CBN. To prevent a general loss of confidence and a run on Nigerian banks, the new CBN governor took bold measures to restore confidence.

Without worthy counterparties in the financial system, foreign investors would not have staked their funds in Nigeria. According

to World Bank data, the average Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow between 2009 and 2012 is US$7.25 billion per year. In fact, total capital inflow in the first 10 months of 2013 was US$18.26 billion, a growth of more than 100% in the last five years.

Despite the challenges facing Nigeria, she still remains the most preferred investment destination in Sub Saharan Africa. This is because investors believe that Nigerian opportunities outweigh the risks and pockets of credible regulations like the CBN encourage them to bet that things will get better in Nigeria.

It has helped significantly that the CBN is perceived as an autonomous institution whose primary interest is safeguarding the economy rather than following political dictates. In Zimbabwe, the very obvious manipulation of the central bank has been decisive as the political crisis in driving down foreign investment to US$264 million.

Nigerian financial industry leaders and foreign investors are keen that when Sanusi leaves,

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 15

Comment

The Nigerian Spring that didn’t happen

By Osahon Uwagboe

T

he Nigerian spring was supposed to be in the mold of the Arab Spring that began in Tunisa in 2010. It was precipitated or sparked by the self-immolation of a man called Mohamed Bouazizi in Sidi Bouzid. He lit himself up in flames in protest of police corruption and ill treatment, but more importantly, due of the grinding circumstances he had found himself : unable to find work and selling fruit at a roadside stand, on 17 December 2010, a municipal inspector confiscated his wares, an hour later he doused himself with gasoline and set himself afire.

That became the tipping point of the harsh conditions the people found themselves in at the time.

A Nigerian Spring would be a situation wherein we do not really expect a sudden reaction from the people, who are under parlous socio-economic circumstances, but a particular incident that makes the situation no longer acceptable. This raises the question ‘do we have such circumstances in Nigeria that

could spark a massive revolt against the Government that we could then name the ‘Nigerian spring’. In December,2013,a 50-year-old man with name Fred Onuigbo, in Abuja, was said to have gone behind a filling station in Gwarimpa area, put some sticks together, then lit a fire and was burnt to death.

That was apparently due to the dire circumstances he had found himself. He had a lost his job as a cab driver, he had seven children in school; above all, his mother’s corpse had remained unclaimed in the mortuary and so on.

However, when we look deeply at the circumstances surrounding the Onuigbo’s death, we can see clearly a case of an irresponsible government.

I imagine that even if there was no one to turn to -family, friends, etc- had there been a listening government, this would possibly not have happened. I mean, when individual assistance fails, this is where the government should come into its own. The government should have a social welfare system that caters for its people in situations like this. I know the bulk of the problems

are financial, and that is what the government will most likely have to deal with .But then, they do not necessarily have to provide that for everyone, particularly when the means are really not available. But, at least, they can give a listening ear and provide some advice, or better still, proffer solutions on the way forward. Therefore, the question we should ask: is there a government office responsible for people’s welfare? I am aware that this is subsumed at the National level into the ministry of women and social development, and in states, for instance, the Lagos state ministry of sports and social development.

The circumstances that we face suggest that we let the people know that there is a place they can go when in crises, and this must be well publicized; just like it is being done concerning taxes! And if they can’t give the financial assistance outright, there could be some process, whereby a loan could be provided and people are made to pay back or they could help them setup a small business. This should mostly go to people who are

interested in starting business. In this regard, I know that we tend to have problems with giving out loans in this country due to an improper identity system.

But,the government could set up a system of identity that is tied to the financial institutions data base, such that everyone who opens an account or does any transaction would use that particular number with biometrics -to prevent fraud as it would enable people to be tracked. This will immensely help the system of credit in our country so that people are helped to move forward. Thus, the government of the day should without delay put in place this National identity cards system that has these strong features of identity.

Now, if the government cannot put this sort of welfare system in place, I think that they do not have any business demanding that we pay tax anymore! The government cannot be asking for taxes when it has not put in place a system that shows the people how their taxes are being spent.

The system must be balanced!.

If they do this, people will be willing to pay tax and the government would spend less of the tax payer’s money on advertisement and endless programmes on how to generate revenues. Therefore, the institutions should rather be strengthened for accountability, and then we would see people naturally committed to paying tax. This is how it happens in developed societies; and their peoples dutifully pay their taxes.

People are not pushed! They understand there is a social contract, between the people and government. But where we are still being pushed, it is because we are putting the cart before the horse: when we have the a system of accountability, we would see people being motivated to pay their taxes, then people would demand a functioning welfare system that would address their needs in trying circumstances. But, when they don’t get the system, they would tell the government that it’s good that they be removed.

Osahon Uwagbo is reachable on eosahonxty@yahoo.co.uk

A failed ruling class and the litany of impunity

By Jaye Gaskia

I

f you take a cursory look at our historical experience since colonial times, why is it that every succeeding generation looks back on the past with fondness? Why does the immediate past always seem to better than the present? And why does it always seem to us that we were better off under previous regimes than we are under current ones? Could it be because in truth and of a fact there has been a progressive decline in the quality of leadership over the years, a progressive decline in the quality, competence, integrity, and patriotism of the ruling class over the years and decades? This definitely does seem to be the case.

On the strength of this trend, it is little wonder that this regime, this current ruling political class, in power and in opposition, represent the lowest that we have sunk as a nation and people. It is perhaps the reason why we have witnessed the least governance since the amalgamation of 1914; and why we are witnessing the crassest opportunism, as well as the steepest rise in the intensity of treasury looting and pillage of our commonwealth. It is the reason why they not only trample on the constitution which they made for us, but also ride rough shod over ordinary citizens.

The Nigerian ruling class has historically not been a stranger to impunity in governance; nevertheless, past generations of this ruling class will cringe

in their graves at the level of the impunity of their heirs, the current class of Vagabonds In Power [VIPs]. Let us take a roll call of the long list of the perfidious indiscretions of their looting infested reign over us. A constitutional breach of the highest order which they unconscionably piloted when they so inhumanely chose to play chess with the ill health of a severely sick and dying president; they are now playing out in a full blown tragicomedy in Taraba state with the ill health of another severely incapacitated governor.

These vultures and coyotes, these hyenas and maggots, who survive only by scavenging on the dead, will do anything possible to push the ailing Taraba state governor to his death bed, because of their own selfish interests, just as the kitchen cabinet around the ailing president did to the late President Yar Adua.

During that period as well as

“

in the current case, all manner of self-interested liars, including leading politicians and leading clerics who called themselves men and servants of God, trooped to visit the ailing President and Governor, and all claimed and swore by their Holy Books, lying through the skin of their colored teeth that all was well, and the subjects of their nocturnal visits were hale and hearty, as well as fit as a fiddle to govern! In the case of the late President, as in the case of the ailing governor, the very few who had some access, and who because of that access knew the truth, and refused to tell lies, were and are being subtly discredited. Yet determining the truth should be really very simple. The NMA has offered to undertake an independent assessment of the ailing governor; but the pack of scavengers around him will not let this happen.

Apart from the sickening way

they are playing political chess games with the lives of their fellow politicians, and leaders; what is even more significant for us about these games is the fact they these political gladiators are willfully breaching and violating the provisions of the constitution which they had sworn to uphold.

Why should any of these matter to us all? Well, let us be clear that there is a clear connection between this blatant disregard for the constitution, and for human life, and the anarchy that is being orchestrated in Rivers state, where a serving police commissioner, who ought to be a member of the state security council, is being used by external forces, to undermine not only the person of the governor of Rivers state, despicable as he might personally be, but also the institutions of the state.

There is a connection between this impunity being orchestrated at the very summit

The point being is that the level of impunity among this shameless ruling class has reached such a proportion that it has become mutually reinforcing, as well frustratingly undermining of our national development; socially, politically, constitutionally, and economically. The fact is we cannot condone and applaud impunity in certain aspects of our national life while we seek to expunge it from others. The fact against impunity is total and all embracing. The real question is whether or not we can continue to trust this thieving ruling class, or whether we should not all together take a deep collective breath, and undertake the necessary collective effort to heave them off our backs for good.

of power in these two instances of Taraba and Rivers, as well as the impunity being perpetrated the smaller minions in the MDAs. It is why more than half of MDAs do not remit their revenues to the federation account in clear breach of the constitution; it is why the NNPC will not remit trillions of Naira to the federation account; it is why the aviation minister singlehandedly authorised variations in the ministry’s budget for vehicles from N240m to over N600m, while spending N255m of that on just two armoured BMWs! The point being is that the level of impunity among this shameless ruling class has reached such a proportion that it has become mutually reinforcing, as well frustratingly undermining of our national development; socially, politically, constitutionally, and economically. The fact is we cannot condone and applaud impunity in certain aspects of our national life while we seek to expunge it from others. The fact against impunity is total and all embracing. The real question is whether or not we can continue to trust this thieving ruling class, or whether we should not all together take a deep collective breath, and undertake the necessary collective effort to heave them off our backs for good.

Jaye Gaskia is on Twitter@ jayegaskia & @[DPSR] protesttopower

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013

PAGE 16

Court remands driver for stealing woman’s purse

A

Grade 1 Area court in Mararaba, has remanded a 20-year-old driver, Jeremiah Ifiong, in prison custody for allegedly stealing a woman’s purse.

The accused was arraigned on a one-count charge of theft contrary to Section 287

of the Penal Code, which if convicted attracts five years imprisonment, option of fine or both.

The Judge, Mr. Albert Maga, gave the order after the prosecutor, Mr Friday Adaji, prayed the court not to grant bail to the accused.

Maga adjourned the case to February 6, for hearing proper.

Adaji told the court that the accused was ``an unrepentant person’’, and allegedly escaped from prison custody on two occasions.

He said the accused stole a purse belonging to Beatrice

Folarin of No. 8 Koroduma, One-Man Village, Nasarawa State.

He said that Folarin lodged a report against the accused at the `A` Division Police Station on January 25.

The prosecutor said that the accused stole the purse while

Sales boys docked for stealing N7 million

R-L: Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, receiving the report from the Chairman, Ministerial Committee on Kwali Chieftaincy Matters, Senator Philip Aduda, on Monday in Abuja.

T

wo middle aged men, Felix Daramola and Segun Adebola, on Monday appeared in an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court charged with stealing electronics worth N7 million.

They were arraigned by the police before Senior Magistrate Omolara Akindele on a two-count charge of joint act and theft by servant.

They pleaded not guilty.

The accused persons were said to be sales representatives in an electronic shop in Maitama, Abuja owned by one Hajia Zainab Ibrahim.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Atteh Effiong, told the court that the shop owner had received a demolition notice from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

He said this prompted her to begin relocation to her warehouse at Mpape.

Effiong alleged that the accused persons conspired and stole the electronic items in the course of relocating them.

According to him, the offence contravened sections 79 and 289 of the Penal Code.

Their counsel, Mr. Alex Edim, made an oral application for bail on the ground that they should be assumed innocent until proven otherwise in the course of trial.

But the prosecutor objected to the application, stating that any charge that carried more than three years imprisonment was ordinarily not bailable.

In her ruling, the magistrate stated that objecting to a bail application should be more than relying only on the penalty stated in the Penal code without any concrete back-up.

She then ruled in favour of the defence and admitted the accused persons to bail in the sum of N1 million each with two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties must be a federal civil servant on Grade Level 14 and must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court, Akindele ordered.

The case was adjourned till February 25 for further hearing.

(NAN)

the complainant was about to board a bus in Mararaba.

He said that the purse contained three ID cards, one ATM card of GTBank, recharge card of N10, 000 and cash sum of N6, 000.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. (NAN)

Photo: Mahmud Isa

‘How FCTA relies on chiefdom system to administer Abuja’

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) cannot but depend largely on the institution of chiefdoms, to administer the territory, because it consists of traditional rulers, who speak for and to the people at the grassroots, FCT minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, has said.

She said that when it comes to security, health issues, resettlement and compensation amongst others, the FCTA woul-d always we run to the traditional rulers for help, as it brings along a strong sense of success to the administration.

Akinjide made the disclosure on Monday when she received the report of the Senator Philip Aduda’s led- committee on the lingering chieftaincy dispute in Kwali Area Council, of the nation’s capital.

According to the minister; “we know that we cannot do without this institution, and because know what this institution does in

helping us manage and administer this territory.

“I certainly have seen in the past that the chieftaincy system in the FCT is absolutely crucial and essential to the workings of this administration.

“But if you speak to a lot of people, they don’t even understand why there should be chiefdoms in the FCT; and lot of them doesn’t even know that we have chiefdoms, so for us as we are exercising delegated responsibility.

While receiving the report, the minister told the committee that their work is not yet finished, as they would need to do some advocacy, to make sure that the FCTA actually gets to the level of implementation.

She said that government will set up a whit paper committee, which will be announced within the week, to be given a time frame within which to look into the report, and then come up with the white paper based on the report.

“We have to advocate for those who have put us in authority, to see the need to have this done, in

order to bring lasting peace to the Kwali Area Council.

“We would have a time frame for implementation. It is a process, and regrettably it cannot be shortcircuited, because after that there is a legal process to be followed.

“Because creation of new chiefdoms if that is what is in the report is something that needs to a legal instrument to exist and be gazette; but what I can assure all is the commitment of this administration to see this peace process through.

It would be recalled that aside the Aduda’s report, there were five other committees’ reports submitted in the past, in several efforts to resolve the lingering crisis in the Council, were no avail, as no any attempt was made towards implementation of the recommendations therein.

According to the minister: “The impediment to implementation of reports in the past might have been because not everybody was carried along, which is why this time, we have ensured that everybody is represented.”

Earlier in a remark, Aduda, who is the chairman of the committee, said in the course of the committee’s work; it visited the Council and held interactive sessions with the various stakeholders during which oral and written memoranda were received from them, including the FCT Council of Chiefs.”

He expressed hope that the report unlike other reports will be implemented by the government, because it is one that all hands were on desk, to ensure that they come up with the report.

The committee was inaugurated on July 2, 2013, with the mandate to critically examine the chieftaincy structure in Kwali Area Council, determine the remote and immediate causes of the dispute in the area, as well as to proffer general recommendations on the peaceful resolution of all identified problems.

It encompassed the entire leadership of the FCT ranging from top elected political office holders, traditional rulers, security agencies, to legal department of the FCTA.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013

PAGE 17

Metro

TV camera men on duty, during the Needs Assessment Training Conference, yesterday in Abuja.

A welder on a motorcycle set out for his business, yesterday at Durumi, in Abuja.

Keke NAPEP drivers washing their tricycles, yesterday at Gudu, in Abuja.

Petrol attendants dispensing kerosene into line-up jerry cans, recently at NNPC filling station, in Wuse, Abuja.

Clowns adding colours to the opening ceremony of the Basic Education Summit, recently in Abuja.

Photos: Justin Imo-Owo

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 19

PAGE 20

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 21

INSIDE

Isa_abdulwahab@yahoo.com, Isaabdulwahab@gmail.com 08033045613

NERC partners Brazil on tariff determination, market monitoring

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has partnered with the Brazilian Agencia Nacional de Energia Electrica (ANEEL) on energy information exchange especially in the areas of tariff determination and market monitoring.

A statement by the Head of Media, NERC, Maryam Yaya Abubakar said the collaboration

dates back to 2011 when the National Electrical Energy Agency under the special scheme established by law resolved to partner with the commission in the area of regulation of the electricity sector.

The statement said “the agreement focuses on organization and furthering of regulatory bodies; exchange of technical and legal documentation, personnel training, tariff determination, electricity market monitoring and

development.

It said “other objectives are consumer protection issues and surveys, quality standards and renewable energy among others.

In line with the agreement, three members of staff of the commission were nominated from three divisions; Renewable Research Development, Legal and Consumer Affairs, led by the ViceChairman of the Commission, Muhammed Lawal Bello.

NSE, CBi to introduce corporate governance rating system - Pg 22

The Vice-Chairman revealed that ANEEL has a comprehensive customer redress mechanism worth emulating, stating that, “ANEEL has a very comprehensive mechanism for customer complaints, which encompass mediation, dispute resolution and stakeholder engagement”.

He noted the use of a call center as one of the network of direct contact with electricity customers.

NUPENG appeals to Borno govt to build trailer park -Pg 22 Exchange Rates L-R: Maintenance Director, Best Service Raya, Mr. Ahmed Magdy, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim, Deputy Director, Surveillance and Enforcement of Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Engineer Shamm T. Kolo, Head, Service Unit, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Raymond Olatokun, and Service Director, Samsung Electronics, Mr. Rego Lee, during the launching of the First Samsung Customer Service Plaza, yesterday at Valley Mall, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Samsung births in Abuja with customers complaint centre, grants 2–year warranty on products

By Abdulwahab Isa

T

o handle customers’ complaints arising from products purchase, Samsung Electronics West Africa Limited has opened an outlet in Abuja.

In addition to a complaint outlet now available at the disposal of its teeming customers, the leading electronics maker has announced a two–year warranty for Accidental Damage Handling (ADH) for all its electronics, including handsets.

The outlet christened 1st Samsung Customer service plaza is located on Ademola Adetokunbo crescent in the highbrow part of Wuse 11 of Abuja.

Speaking yesterday during the commissioning of the plaza that drew dignitaries including, top officials of Consumer Protection Council, Managing Director/ CEO of Samsung, Mr. Brovo Kim said the need for a customer centre specifically to handle Samsung customers’ complaints was long overdue in Abuja.

According to him, “we want to have a well organize retail/ customer service centre where uniformed maintenance staff can visit our customer’s home to fix their Samsung appliances instead of undergoing the trouble of coming down”, adding that a toll free line had been dedicated to attend to customers enquiries”.

Kim said that Samsung has enjoyed overwhelming

support from its consumers in Nigeria over the years and is always looking forward to any opportunity to improve on their experience of our products and brand touch-points.

He pledged the company’s commitment to providing total quality service at the highest pedestal to its customers and hinted of plans by the firm to increase the number of Samsung Customer Service Plazas across the country, in order to reach as many consumers as possible.

In her remarks, DirectorGeneral of CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, represented by Engr.

Shamm Kolo, Deputy Director (Surveillance and Enforcement), commended Samsung for its initiative tailored to put

customers in their kingship position.

He advised Samsung never to take customers for granted and counseled management on need to orientate staff on best courteous approaches whenever dealing with customers.

CBN as at 27th JANUARY, 2014 Buying

Selling

$

154.75

155.75

€

256.451

258.1089

£

211.55

212.9258

Riyal

41.26

41.52

YEN

1.504

1.51

CFA

0.303

0.323

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY What to do when communication styles don’t match

W

hen good communicators fail to actually hear each other, it’s often due to a mismatch of styles: to someone who prefers to vent, someone who prefers to explain seems patronizing; explainers view venters as volatile. Remember that your conversational partners do have something important to tell you – even if they’re not communicating it well.

While they talk, focus on their left eye. Remain patient. After

they finish talking, say to a venter, “I can see you’re really frustrated”; to an explainer, say, “I can see that you really had a lot that you had to say.”

Then continue, with either type of communicator, to reframe the conversation by defining practical long-term, short-term, and ASAP follow-up steps.

Handling the conversation this way will enable you to remain cool, calm, collected, and communicative.

Source: Harvard Business Review

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 22

Economy Marginal field, first step to achieve indigenous participation - Expert

T

L-R: General Manager, Operations, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC), Mr. Lawal Abdul, Managing Director, Malam Idris Mohammed, and General Manager, Human Resources, Malam Mohammed Adamu, during the inauguration of newly created Business Unit, on Monday in Kaduna.

Photo: NAN

NSE, CBi to introduce corporate governance rating system T he Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has announced plans to establish a Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS) for listed companies.

In a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, the NSE said that the objective was to raise corporate governance standards nationwide.

It said that the NSE and Convention on Business

Integrity (CBi) would host quoted companies on corporate governance to breakfast meeting on Jan. 29.

The NSE said that the session for senior executives of listed companies across sectors would focus on the importance of corporate governance in ensuring healthy investment environment.

The statement quoted Mr Haruna Jalo-Waziri, NSE Executive Director of Business Development, as saying that the

programme would encourage companies to do business in sustainable manner.

It said that the partnership with the CBi was to create a corporate governance rating system and index for companies that met certain criteria.

“The objectives are to raise overall corporate governance standards in the country by providing companies with an incentive to develop global best practices.

“It will provide opportunities for companies to differentiate themselves in the market place,” Jalo-Waziri said.

The statement also quoted the Executive Director of CBi, Mr Soji Apampa, as saying that the CGRS would be inaugurated in 2014.

The inauguration, it said, would provide information on the methodology, implementation, overall strategy and benefits of the system. (NAN)

NUPENG appeals to Borno Kebbi SURE-P scribe govt to build trailer park denies funds diversion

T

he Borno Chapter of NUPENG has appealed to the state government to assist it to build its trailer park to provide good parking environment for trucks and prevent accidents.

Its Vice-Chairman, Ali Ghana, made the appeal in Maiduguri recently in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Ghana said that the chapter had recorded four cases of burnt trailers in the last two years where many people lost their lives.

He said the union had, in the past years, secured a large piece of land that could accommodate more than five hundred trailers, but did not have the fund to develop it.

“Most of our tankers are carrying petrol, diesel and gas that can attract fire easily.

“Our tanker drivers are parking on the main roads, which is not safe because usually you

will see people using fire woods to selling their foods there also.

“As you can see we have “akara sellers”; this man is also selling tea and bread, other people are selling fish,” he said.

The vice-chairman said that tanker drivers were directed to park in their various filling stations, but lamented that many of them didn’t have filling stations.

Ghana appealed to the state government to emulate states like Gombe, Zamfara, Kano, Plateau, Kaduna and Adamawa and provide suitable trailer parks for tankers.

NAN reports that NUPENG is one of the 29 industrial unions currently affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress.

Its objectives include the unionisation of all workers employed by petroleum and natural gas industries. (NAN)

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

K

ebbi state Sure-P Secretary Comrade Abubakar Sadiq Ka’oje has denied an allegation of diversion of funds meant for projects execution.

He also denied allegation that substandard projects are executed with Sure-P funds in the state.

Comrade Abubakar Sadiq Ka’oje made the denials in an interview with Peoples Daily.

He said there was no iota of truth about the allegations and described the allegations as baseless and were concocted to tarnish the image of both Sure-P projects in kebbi state and the mission of Governor Dakingari to empower the rural populace of the state.

His denials came on the heels

of allegation of funds diversion leveled against Sure-P handlers in kebbi state.

He said those circulating such allegations are enemies of progress that lack meaningful engagement.

“Kebbi state Governor excel in prudence of public funds and I just wonder where such huge amount could be diverted, to Ka’oje questioned.

Contrary to insinuation of funds diversion, he said each of the 21 Local Government of the state has benefitted from execution of projects which include provision of adequate water, shelter belts, supply of foodstuff and rehabilitation of boreholes.

Abubakar Ka’oje said there was no states in the north-west that Sure-P funds was being judiciously utilized like Kebbi state.

he Managing Director of Seplat Petroleum, Mr Austin Avuru, has said that marginal fields were the first step to achieving meaningful indigenous participation in the Oil and Gas sector.

Avuru made the observation at the Nigerian Marginal Field Workshop in Lagos with the theme: ``Changing the Game to Deliver a Producing Asset’’. ``A marginal field is exploration plant which has oil and gas reserves reported at the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and have remained un-produced for a minimum of 10 years.

“Usually, marginal fields are portions of the oil blocks given to large companies which contain reserves. ``But, they have not been developed due to various reasons, mostly, economic consideration,” he said.

Avuru said that the ability of the indigenous operators to ensure sustainability of marginal field’s production was paramount.

“Today, marginal field is recording success, but the question is, in the next 10 years from now, how many indigenous producers will still be active in it,” he asked.

Avuru said that if long-term domestic energy security could be taken over by indigenous exploration and producing companies, the oil and gas industry would record more growth.

He said that indigenous participation should be a national priority.

“If the full spectrum of small to mid-size production will be largely indigenous and the aggregate of all production should be taken over by the indigenous operators, the sector will improve,” Avuru said.

Mr Abiodun Adeola, the Managing Partner, Lonadek Petroleum, said that there was need for collaboration between the independent marketers and NNPC for share values and win-win partnership.

“The domestic energy security has fallen on indigenous operators in terms of strategic production, LPG, natural gas, refining and petroleum product distribution of the entire downstream,” he said.

Adeola urged the operators to take the opportunity by ensuring that they worked with marginal fields that were willing and had the capacity to develop and derive the sector.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

Stock Watch

Report as at Tuesday, January 28, 2014

PAGE 23

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Special Report

How modern life is destroying Botswana’s Bushmen T

By Pumza Fihlani

T

he Botswana Bushmen have been at odds with the country’s government for more than 15 years, embroiled in several legal battles over their right to live inside the game park - and to continue their traditional lifestyle as huntergatherers.

At some point, they were denied access to water in the reserve. Their boreholes were capped and they were banned from drilling more.

The Botswana Appeals Court, in a 2011 judgment on the matter, described the plight of the Bushmen as a “harrowing story of human suffering and despair” and ruled that they be allowed access to water.

Today, many say court orders in their favour have been ignored by officials. They need permits to enter the reserve and are not allowed to hunt. Those found hunting face arrest.

But why relocated?

were

they

he government says the restriction of people on the land is intended to preserve the wildlife and the ecosystems of the vast reserve, which is slightly bigger than Denmark.

But human rights groups and the Bushmen believe the real reason is more sinister.

Mining is one of Botswana’s key industries, with diamond mining the leading source of revenue. The ancestral lands of the Bushmen lie in the middle of the world’s richest diamond field. They believe they were relocated to make way for a multimillion dollar mining project.

A London-listed diamond producer has begun plans for production of about 45km (28 miles) from the eastern border of the reserve.

Construction of the first phase of the project began in 2011, with the first output expected later this year.

The government has always denied that there is a link between the relocations and the diamond deposits, first discovered in the 1980s.

Now, just 100,000 left - mostly in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia Traditionally they lived by hunting wild animals and gathering fruits and nuts and were divided into several linguistic groups.

Though some find the term Bushmen offensive, they say that is what they prefer to be called.

Also called San, Basarwa and Khoisan - some of these terms are also seen as derogatory.

Thousands of Bushmen have lived in the vast expanse of the Kalahari Desert for many millennia. But today most have been moved. Many argue, forcibly, to government-built resettlement camps far from the reserve.

There are an estimated 100,000 Bushmen across southern Africa, mainly in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia.

The state has provided some amenities in the resettlement camps: There are clinics, schools and concrete houses in fenced-up yards - all part of a plan to modernise this community.

But modern life does not work for everyone: The Basarwa have built huts in their yards, as a reminder of happier times and their traditional lives.

“We are now dependant on government hand-outs: we are being made lazy and stupid”, says a Botswana man, Roy Sesana.

When the Bushmen were relocated, they were given

“

Kalahari Bushmen in Botswana, celebrate a court decision allowing them access to water on their ancestral lands.

Changing lifestyles he Bushmen have always been hunters and say they have never learned the skills needed to breed cattle.

Unemployment is high and this community has no expertise to speak of, or at least none that they can use in the outside world.

The village’s liquor shop has no shortage of customers. It is not uncommon to see young men stumbling out of local watering holes in the mid-afternoon.

It is not just living and social conditions that are proving problematic. Hundreds of cows and their herders are resting under thorn trees preparing for a 5km-walk (three miles) to the nearest grazing patch.

When the Bushmen were relocated, each family was given five cattle or goats to encourage them to become farmers. But being pastoralists has had its challenges.

“If you push somebody to a certain kind of lifestyle that he doesn’t know, he will be facing a lot of difficulties,” says one bushman farmer, Jumanda Galekebone.

“Our people don’t know how to look after the cows when they get sick, they don’t know about diseases of cattle like foot and mouth disease,” he explains.

His peers agree.

So, there under the thorn trees, surrounded by cattle which could do with some fattening up, they pleaded that they want to go home because modern life

T

Botswana Bushmen village cattle or goats to encourage them to become herders. The Kalahari sun is merciless: Two young women and two children little more than a year old are huddled under the only tree in the yard to escape the baking heat.

It is the new home of the Basarwa - Kalahari Bushmen, southern Africa’s first inhabitants and yet they do not take much pleasure in this honour.

Sisters Boitumelo Lobelo, 25, and Goiotseone Lobelo, 21, are kneeling in front of a basin of dirty water, washing their children’s clothes.

Their eyes filled with anger as they spoke about their life here, a desolate village half a day’s drive from their original home, which is now part of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). They complained about missing their home.

“We miss my home and the way we lived. Life was easy, there were lots of fruits, animals and there were no bars and no beer. Now we are lost,” says Goiotseone.

They had visited their homes a number of times since they were evicted but are not allowed to stay there anymore.

When they were aged nine

Some officials have referred to them as “remote area dwellers”, a “StoneAge” people, who should be pulled into the 21st Century.

In 2006, another court ruled that the government’s refusal to allow the Basarwa into the CKGR was unconstitutional.

and five respectively, Boitumelo and Goiotseone were moved to New Xade with their parents.

They speak fondly of life in the reserve, where they would wake up every morning and join the women in the village to collect berries, nuts and roots to eat.

But Goiotseone also remembers the day they were forced to leave. In narrating how they were relocated, she said, “The police came, destroyed our homes and dumped us in the back of trucks with our belongings and brought us here. They dumped us here like we are nothing.”

These two are the new generation of Basarwa: they go to school and have learned English and the Tswana language, the most widely spoken in the country. But they said, the new life has come at too high a price.

“We are getting HIV/Aids and other diseases we didn’t know about; young people are drinking alcohol; young girls are having babies. Everything is wrong here,” Boitumelo says.

Who are the Bushmen?

They are original inhabitants of southern Africa - pushed out by both Bantu groups coming from further north and European colonizers.

Molapo Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The Bushmen say their culture is now only reserved for tourism business by government has not worked for them.

“This lifestyle hasn’t improved any of their lives. We still get a lot of people going inside the park to hunt and they get arrested. Some of us here are facing court penalties for hunting. It just proves that you can’t force change on people,” says Mr. Galekebone.

But it appears that the Bushmen have no choice but to change, to adapt - at least as far as the latest government plans reveal, even though some officials believe that the Bushmen’s way of life does not belong in modern Botswana society.

Some officials have referred to them as “remote area dwellers”, a “Stone-Age” people, who should be pulled into the 21st Century.

In 2006, another court ruled that the government’s refusal to allow the Basarwa into the

CKGR was unconstitutional.

A handful has been allowed by officials to return to the park but only those whose names appeared in the court papers.

Roy Sesana, a community leader, is one of them.

But he says he does not enjoy the victory. He now lives between CKGR and New Xade to be close to his family and his people.

The community leader disclosed, “We have been separated from our children and our wives. What kind of life is this? We didn’t do anything to deserve this,” he says.

Mr. Sesana was one of the main applicants in a number of cases against the government.

For a people who have spent most of their lives roaming the land freely, hunting wild animals and gathering berries and nuts for food, this place offers them no chance to live off the land.

“We are used to feeding

ourselves - now dependant on government hand-outs, we are being made lazy and stupid,” Sesana reiterated.

“Now we are being treated like dogs. The dog is the only thing that can’t bring its own food home. It has to wait for its owner to give it some food.”

International human rights groups are calling for a boycott of Botswana’s tourism industry, its second largest revenue generator until the government “stops persecuting the country’s first inhabitants”.

President Ian Khama, who is seen as more subtle when it comes to managing the Bushmen situation, has announced that hunting in controlled areas would be outlawed by January 2014.

“The decision was necessitated by available scientific based information indicating that several wildlife

species are in decline,” Mr. Khama told parliament.

He said the Bushmen would be taught “non-consumptive” ways of using their resources.

But the Bushmen argue that their years of living in harmony with the environment prove that their ways are ecologically sustainable.

They say instead, that this move is an attempt to do away with their culture.

“The only place where you find Bushmen now in our traditional clothes surrounded by traditional huts is in the local tourism villages,” says Mr. Sesana.

“We are worried that in the future, there will be no-one who would be able to practice the Bushman culture unless they are paraded in front of tourist for companies who are using them for business,” he says.

Source: BBC Africa

The Bushmen were originally hunters before their relocation from the Game Reserve, where their forefathers lived

PAGE 26

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 27

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 29

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

Arts & Culture

New and Asian buyers propel Christie’s art sales to record high

By Julia Fioretti

C

hristie’s art sales surged to a record high of £4.54 billion ($7.13 billion) in 2013 as new buyers and rising Asian demand contributed to a buoyant art market in a fragile global economy.

Sales at the London-based auction house rose 16 percent from 2012, Christie’s said , helped by a push to attract Asian art collectors that included the company’s first auctions in China and India in 2013.

Traditional markets in Europe accounted for 54 percent of last year’s buyers with another 30 percent from the Americas. Asia’s share was almost 16 percent and Chinese buyers increased their art spending by 63 percent on 2012.

“Over the next three years you’ll see even more significant growth from China, India, Russia and the Middle East as we engage more clients,” said Jussi Pylkkanen, President of Christie’s

Europe.

Years of booming commodity prices and a liquidity glut have led to the rise of a class of superwealthy collectors from Asia, the Middle East and Russia.

In a sign of strong prices, Christie’s New York sale of Francis Bacon’s “Three Studies of Lucian Freud” for $142.4 million in November made it the most expensive piece of art ever sold.

Overall, a third of the buyers in 2013 were new to Christie’s and accounted for over a fifth of global sales. Private sales were also a strong driver of growth, rising 20 percent to £760.5 million.

Christie’s had tiny online sales of £13.2 million, of which the most expensive item was an original Apple computer, known as Apple-1, which sold for almost $400,000.

“Our strategy to invest in new markets such as China, new channels such as private sales and online sales, and to build on our position at the leading auction

house, has enabled Christie’s to grow,” Chief Executive Steven Murphy said.

Soaring art prices at a time of economic uncertainty have stoked fears of an art bubble. But sales have remained healthy thanks to a broader range of international buyers helping support the key British and U.S. markets.

Rival auction house Sotheby’s said on Wednesday its sales grew by almost 20 percent last year, making it the fastest growing art auctioneer in 2013 and underscoring a burgeoning art market.

Sotheby’s will release 2013 results at the end of February.

Pylkkanen predicted that new buyers would continue to flock to the art market, downplaying suggestions that economic uncertainties and an impending end to easy money from the world’s central banks could dent demand.

“You’ve seen a huge expansion of collectors and institutions who are prepared to compete at the top level,” he said.

A worker poses with Paul Delvaux’s ‘’La Venus endormie’’ at Christie’s auction house in London January 13, 2014. Reuters/Andrew Winning

Musician says cultural, artistic touch, essential for entertainment industry

M

r Ayo Odia, a musician has said Nigerian musician needed to infuse culture and arts into their music for the entertainment industry to thrive.

Odia, a jazz saxophone artiste told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that infusing Nigerian culture and arts into the local music would ``sell us to the world”.

“The inability of musicians to see the beauty and simplicity of traditional music instead of importing foreign music will do them a lot of harm.

“There is a lot of money to be

made in this country in the music industry, but we have not gotten it right.

“We lack continuity and create confusion in the consciousness of fans by bringing alien music and dance to it without rhythm,’’ he said.

The Edo state born musician, who was educated in England, said Nigeria needed middle class musicians.

“We need to have an industry that is viable whereby you can have what is called middle-class musicians.

“You don’t have to be stinking rich; you have your house, you

can pay your rent, get a car, you can feed yourself, you don’t have to be a multi-millionaire.

“You don’t have to own 20 cars, have a big house, and so forth. This is how musicians are now, it’s either you are a millionaire or you are a pauper,” he said.

According to him, there have not been much reward for creative people and a lot of Nigerian artistes have not been rewarded for their good deeds and works by stakeholders.

Odia was among the All Stars band that performed at the Bayelsa International Jazz Festival 2013. (NAN)

Artiste tasks Nigerians on development of music industry

A

gospel artiste, Agboola Sadare, has said that the different genres of Nigerian music, except hip hop, were recording stunted growth.

Sadare, a Nigerian artiste based in the U.S., expressed the concern in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. ``As hip hop is growing, other genres of music such as highlife, jazz, calypso, rock and salsa should also be waxing stronger. ``Everybody has his or her kind of music; these should thrive to serve the appetite of those who

love the different music, but Nigeria seems to tilt toward one kind of music,’’ he said. ``We should not neglect other genres of music and focus only on a particular type. ``Music has to develop, and all genres growing together,” the musician, who combines jazz with gospel, said.

He claimed that the mass media was playing and writing more on hip hop and neglecting other genres of music.

Sadare also expressed dissatisfaction at the quality of music recordings, saying that it was

poor.

He also said that lyrics were not sending any useful message to the members of the public.

He urged improvement to facilitate the development of the Nigerian music industry.

The musician, who had played alongside George Benson, Mary Blige and Faith Evans, all Americans, told NAN that Nigeria could do better in music that many other countries.

He urged that talents should be groomed and encouraged to make positive impacts on the music industry.(NAN)

FROM THE LIVE STAGE with Patrick-Jude Oteh 0803 700 0496, 0805 953 5215 (SMS only)

US mission supports 8th Jos festival of theatre 2014

F

or the third year running, the US Mission, Nigeria will support the 8th Jos Festival of Theatre 2014.

The festival which will comprise of a full week of performances will be held at the Alliance Francaise, Jos and will be a combination of plays from the Nigerian repertory, a new Nigerian play and plays from the international repertory. Apart from the support by the US Mission, Nigeria, the Embassy of Spain and the Czech Embassy will also feature plays in the festival. All the plays will be performed by talented actors with the introduction of two new directors into the festival organization. This has followed the pattern in the last two years of the festival where we have witnessed the introduction of two new directors each in the last editions alongside an array of young and talented amateur and professional actors.

The 8th Jos Festival of Theatre 2014 will open with the prefestival play, Wole Soyinka’s The Lion And The Jewel on Sunday 22nd February and other plays will feature as follows: WEDNESDAY 26TH FEBRUARY: FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA’S THE SHOEMAKER’S WONDERFUL WIFE with the collaboration of the Embassy of Spain, Nigeria THURSDAY 27TH FEBRUARY: CHARLES FULLER’S ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN FRIDAY 28TH FEBRUARY: AUGUST WILSON’S TWO TRAINS RUNNING SATURDAY 1ST MARCH: LADISLAV SMOLJAK AND ZDENEK SVERAK’S THE CONQUEST OF THE NORTH POLE with the collaboration of the Embassy of the Czech Republic, Nigeria SUNDAY 1ST MARCH: AKOLO JAMES ANTHONY’S A TOAST OF TRIUMPH In the tradition of the previous festivals, there will be workshops on arts management, salsa dance and directing/acting.

The 2014 festival is also being supported by Grand Cereals and Oil Mills Limited who have supported the festival consistently since 2004, the Jos Business School, the French Embassy, Nigeria and Julius Berger PLC alongside other corporate and individual supporters.

The festival being one of the activities of the annual AfricanAmerican History Month celebrations in Nigeria will shift to Abuja in March and May 2014.

We are back in rehearsals for the annual Jos Festival of Theatre. This edition, the 8th in the series brings us to back to the stage for the year 2014. The festival which will feature six plays will see a total of over 100 artistes who will be employed over the one week festival before specific plays will be performed in the nations capital, Abuja.

This year is also witnessing more festival sponsors and collaborations than in previous editions.

The US Mission Nigeria continues to support the festival as part of the annual African -American History month with the performance of two American plays. One of the playwrights, August Wilson is featuring for the 5th time in the repertory of the Jos Repertory Theatre. This is due to the fact that apart from the universality of Wilson’s plays, his stories continue to resonate with all that makes us human with the same challenges and concerns. It is our hope that the festival this year will continue to bring to the fore of discourse those things that make us all human yearning for progress in all spheres of life. It is also our hope that these yearning will also translate to progress for the human condition.

THE ABUJA PERFORMANCES We will open our Abuja performances this year with the performance of Ladislav Smoljak and Zdenek Sverak’s The Conquest of the North Pole at 6.00pm on Wednesday March 12th 2014 at the Merit House auditorium in collaboration with the Embassy of the Czech Republic. The performance which will be open to the public will be closely followed by Wole Soyinka’s The Lion and the Jewel which will open at the French Institute from March 27th to March 29th 2014 at 7pm daily. This performance will officially open our 2014 theatre season in our nation’s capital. There is also been planned a performance of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin In The Sun. All things been equal, it promises to be a very busy year for the Jos based theatre outfit.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

PAGE 30

Arts & Culture

The Education of a British-Protected Child Book Review

C

hinua Achebe’s publisher, Alfred A. Knopf has just published a disappointing volume of Achebe’s essays titled The Education of a British-Protected Child. They are old (well, mostly old) speeches sloppily stapled together. Almost all the ideas have been previously published multiple times, ages ago, with some freely available on the Internet. Achebe has said precious little here that offers fresh insights on the world’s current condition.

Of 16 essays, only three were written in this century. The rest were written in the eighties and mid nineties. Those new to Achebe’s works may be enthralled by the power of his words but they will be better served reading his prior works; Home and Exile, Hopes and Impediments, andThe Trouble with Nigeria. The same issues are recycled ad nauseam: Racism, colonialism, Africa’s humanity, Africans, African writers, James Baldwin, etc. Achebe’s classic denunciation of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness has already attained ubiquity in books and on the Internet. I suspect the machinations of an overly aggressive publisher here, building a cash cow out of Achebe’s scrolls.

The essay, My Dad and Me, about Achebe’s father was first published in 1996, in Larry King’s book of the same title, but it is a tight-lipped reflection that is mostly devoted to Achebe’s great-uncle. The volume Hopes and Impediments alreadycovers that subject richly and warmly.

Similarly, My Daughters, although written in 2009 provides anecdotes about parenting in the late sixties and early seventies. It is a cute essay but the daughters are grown now; surely, they and perhaps Achebe’s grandchildren have given him enough to write about since then. The editing is sloppy. Several speeches from Achebe’s lecture circuit were poorly edited to adapt them to essay format. And the errors are unacceptable, Knopf should be embarrassed. In one essay, Achebe talks of his only meeting with James Baldwin in 1983; in another, the same meeting is in 1980. Furthermore, the official name of the conference sponsor changes depending on the essay.

Achebe is a master story-teller, but you soon get tired of reading the same anecdotes over and over again. There is a recurring anecdote about confronting racism in a bus. In one essay, a bus driver confronts Achebe about sitting in the Whites Only section of the bus; in another essay, it is

Title: Author: Reviewer: Year of Publication: Publisher: No of pages:

The Education of a British-Protected Child.

Chinua Achebe Ikhide R. Ikheloa October 6, 2009 Knopf 192

the bus conductor.

Achebe’s near-obsession with the West’s prejudices turns into a relentless chant: “Africans are people in the same way that Americans, Europeans, Asians, etcetera are people. Africans are not some strange beings with unpronounceable names and impenetrable minds.” (p126) It

is a position that is sadly allergic to the reality: Our black leaders are compromising our humanity. As Achebe faces the West and insists on our humanity through clenched teeth, our people stand far away, trying very hard to look like the broken people that he insists we are not. Achebe’s words drip angrily like ancient history,

“

As technology continues to democratize and individualize creative expression traditional publishing houses will be tempted to employ gimmickry to rescue them from what they imagine is a looming irrelevance.

words gone rusty in the broken pipes of Nigeria’s indifference.

Missing is the Achebe who famously urged Nigerians to look inwards in The Trouble with Nigeria: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else.” Missing is the question: Why are things the way they are? Why are we having trouble managing change? Achebe shies away from that analysis.

We are living in incredibly exciting times and technology is driving a shift in global cultural transformation. Today, the notion of the nation-state as an entity is under serious review.

The individual is becoming increasingly a municipality of one.

Economic theories that assumed finite physical boundaries have ruined today’s global economy.

African thinkers should be part of the conversation, and visioning a robust future for Africa.

Even as we confront the West, we must also engage in honest conversations among ourselves about our contribution to this mess. Those that rubbish Africa’s name today are not just white folks; black on black carnage is the rage of the day in Africa. Our leaders are openly savaging Africa; let us turn our rage on them.

This is not a review but a commentary on how Knopf conducts its business of publishing books. As technology continues to democratize and individualize creative expression traditional publishing houses will be tempted to employ gimmickry to rescue them from what they imagine is a looming irrelevance. It doesn’t have to be so. There are challenges indeed but opportunities abound to use technology to showcase the talents and gifts of emerging and established writers. The unintended consequence of recycling the dated ideas of thinkers is to trivialize their legacy. That would be unfortunate and unforgivable. Professor Chinua Achebe deserves better than that. Finally, there is a lot spoken by Achebe’s silence.

These essays are merely words that clothe Achebe in the silence of the bereaved. We must respect it, but as a child that grew up at the Eagle’s feet lapping up his every word, this silence hurts.

Speak, speak to us great teacher.

POEM OF THE WEEK Olaitan

By Rasaq Malik Gbolahan I will tell the tale of love in Manifold ways: First encounter; first midnight’s call With fears in my voice.

Memories of bygone scars— As life is a book in the wind.

II I will tell you the secrets of love In the verses of my poem: Olaitan There are wonders in the way you smile; In the way you clench the fears that hold Me hostage in the cave of life.

There are traces on the wall we lean on As the passing breeze whistles the fragrant name Of your tribe.

There is a magic in the way you swing your hips; In the way we entwine like tendrils.

There are untold stories of your beauty That will find tongues in the seasons of our songs.

Nadine Gordimer I’ve lost and found her Gordimer again – What are you made of?

She-Wolf golden butterfly Heroic damsel in distress The heart of love Has come undone Under the weight of your Lungs and stomach With the seasons Determined to change Nadine Gordimer Talk to me about therapy Landscapes of the moon Movie stars What bewitched you as a child?

Psychoanalysis Films and literature Freud and Nabokov?

Being faithful in the ordinary Attending to it extraordinarily?

The Narrative I thank you God and mother earth. And this The rural country of blood, stone and wine, rust and bone that I’ve imagined from afar all of my life. A thousands suns Could not wish you away. You are God’s gift to the world to This drowning woman with her bloodlines tied to a phoenix Rising up from the ashes. There are rituals and alchemy In everything I say. In everything I stand for. Education Is just a word within a word, an Einsteinium word? And Although the times we find ourselves in right now is so Dickinson, With the light so dappled, this side of the world is so pure, So green as if we were diving into mother’s milk again.

Source: Africanwriter.com

QUOTE

I hold that a writer who does not passionately believe in the perfectibility of man has no dedication nor any membership in literature.”

- John Steinbeck

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 31

International ANALYSIS

Y

et another deadly attack on Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya minority made the news recently, this time taking place in the village of Du CheeYa Tan, Rakhine state, not far from the border with Bangladesh. It is the latest in a series of incidents over the past 18 months in which the nation’s Muslim community in general, and the predominantly Muslim Rohingya in particular, have experienced violence at the hands of Buddhist mobs.

I consulted reliable NGO sources and interviewed witnesses shortly after the event hit the news in order to assemble a picture of what may have happened. Brutal acts of slaughter were perpetrated, so I was told, in retaliation for the killing of a policeman by the villagers, which occurred after eight Rohingya women had been allegedly kidnapped, killed and subsequently disposed of with the aid of a local ethnic Rakhine official.

Harrowing claims of rape, murder and mutilation reported in the Rohingya media were variously corroborated and denied, off-therecord, by independent monitors, although one particularly wellplaced source informed me that he could confirm that “people were... bound and executed en masse.”

At the time of writing, what exactly happened in the village is still unclear; hopefully, the full facts will emerge soon. Despite such uncertainty, one thing that all those, whom I consulted, verified was that members of the “HlonThein” riot police and army were present when the attack on Du CheeYa Tan took place, apparently letting it happen before their eyes.

This allegation should concern anyone who recognises human rights, as it appears to represent yet another example of selective tolerance of slaughter by state forces in a run of disturbing incidents.

In June and October 2012, two outbreaks of sectarian violence resulted in the death of hundreds; whole neighbourhoods were razed to the ground making more than 140,000 people homeless; the Rohingya were the principal victims. According to Human Rights Watch, the group were subjected to crimes against humanity undertaken as part of a campaign of ethnic cleansing. While those judged chiefly responsible for the abuses were local political and religious organisations opposed to the Rohingya, state forces were deemed complicit and implicated in some of the worst atrocities.

In March 2013, a dispute at a gold shop in the town of Meiktila in central Myanmar sparked a riot which led to sectarian violence and resulted in mob attacks on Muslims. This left mosques, shops and whole neighbourhoods eviscerated by fire. Children from

Patterns of impunity and deceit in Myanmar

Injured Rohingya Muslims

a madrassa were burnt alive and Muslims were filmed being brutally attacked in front of the police who watched without intervening. Later in the same year Muslim properties were subjected to arson and members of the religious minority were reportedly assaulted in front of Burmese authorities in a further two states at least. The government has not yet prosecuted a single member of the security forces despite the existence of considerable evidence of wrongdoing.

Another incident that preceded the events at Du Chee Ya Tan conforms to a similarly alarming pattern, likewise one that, at this stage, cannot be easily dismissed as coincidental: Buddhist monks from the extremist anti-Muslim 969 movement visited the nearby city of Maungdaw not long before the violence broke out, reportedly encouraging ethnic hatred.

According to the Associated Press, they gave “sermons by loudspeaker advocating the expulsion of all Rohingya”.

It is a matter of documented fact that visits by 969 proponents

preceded many major antiMuslim attacks in towns across the country, undoubtedly heightening existing tensions.

This was definitely the case in Lashio, and Thandwe; in Meiktila, weeks before the violence broke out, leaflets were circulated among the Buddhist clergy that claimed Muslims were part of a Saudi conspiracy to cause trouble in the town.

Prior to violence in Rakhine state in October 2012, Buddhist groups openly advocated the ethnic cleansing of Muslims.

The state has solidly defended both the security apparatus and the Buddhist priesthood, the two entities allegedly linked to the atrocities, against international criticism and allowed them to continue to act with impunity. Despite the existence of laws proscribing religious hate speech, the government has done essentially nothing to halt the activities of the 969 movement, even as the anti-Muslim rhetoric of the group’s spiritual leader Ashin Wirathu has grown more and

“

more provocative. Instead, the president himself, among other senior politicians, has publicly lent the demagogic monk his support.

Maintaining past form, when news broke of the events in Du Chee Ya Tan, Naypyidaw issued a stern denial that a massacre had taken place. Hmuu Zaw, spokesman for President Thein Seintweeted: “#Myanmargovt has strongly rejected that mob kills more than dozen muslims, news from#AP .And warned that false news fuelling conflict.”

The deputy information minister, Ye Htut, told the press: “We have no information on killings.” He later suggested that the reports of violence may have been an attempt by the Rohingya to cover up the murder of a police officer.

Reading these statements, redolent of desperation as they seemed, it was difficult to resist the suspicion that such denials were prompted by the fact that the state risked being implicated in an atrocity.

What made it even harder to

Articles published during the pogroms in 2012 by governmentcontrolled media placed the blame for the violence in Rakhine state on Rohingya “terrorists”.

take such statements seriously was their similarity to past government declarations that evinced blatant, inciteful, anti-Rohingyabias.During the first outbreak of antiRohingya violence in June, Zawannouncedon Facebook that “Rohingya terrorists” had crossed the border into Rakhine state, adding “we will eradicate them until the end!. ...We don’t want to hear any... any talk of justice nor want anyone to teach us like a saint.” The comment provoked outrage and was later removed by the author.

Ye Htut’s invocation of Rohingya conspiracy over this latest event was followed by a report in the state-run paper “The New Light of Myanmar” which was headlined “AP, Irrawaddy falsely reports violence occurred in Rakhine State.”

Articles published during the pogroms in 2012 by governmentcontrolled media placed the blame for the violence in Rakhine state on Rohingya “terrorists”.

Such behaviour, all of it on record, appears to contradict Naypyidaw’s attempts to present itself as a neutral party in relation to the religious violence in the country and public claims of committed peace-promotion.

While the last year-and-a-half’s spate of anti-Muslim assaults may well be an organic by-product of Myanmar’s reforms, as has been argued cogently by some, the trends outlined above nonetheless beg for closer scrutiny, not least because they point toward apparent government disregard or even tacit acquiescence to persisting crimes which they say they wish to halt.

This is particularly so in the context of the ongoing ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, who, experts have judged to be at serious risk of genocide, in no small part due to state policy, which reflects a long-running, unconcealed contempt for the minority.

While probity of these issues is urgently required, it will be difficult to have faith in any potential internal reviews commissioned by Naypyidaw; rather, it is high time that a full investigation be undertaken under the authority of the United Nations.

The need for all this is, in my view, self-evident; the question remains: Will Myanmar’s new international friends have the courage to call for this before more monstrous crimes and vapid denials come to pass?

Source: Al Jazeera

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 32

International

Mursi faces court over Egypt prison break E

By Hassan Haruna Ginsau

South Africa opposition parties merge

S

outh Africa’s main opposition party has announced antiapartheid activist Mamphela Ramphele will be its presidential candidate this year.

Ms Ramphele, the companion of late black consciousness leader Steve Biko, only formed her Agang party last year.

Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said there was “no better person” than Ms Ramphele to lead their election bid.

Analysts say the move is intended to ward off accusations that the DA is “too white” to win power.

The two leaders said they were joining forces to bring unity to South Africa - the “unity Madiba [Nelson Mandela] fought for”.

Ms Ramphele, 66, is seen as an impressive figure with impeccable “struggle credentials” - factors which still influence the way some South Africans vote.

She is also a former World Bank director and mining magnate.

However, her Agang party has failed to make much of an impact since its launch last year. It is bankrupt and a month ago was unable to pay its staff.

The BBC’s Milton Nkosi in Johannesburg says the DA takeover of Agang will certainly make this year’s election more interesting but the governing African National Congress (ANC) is still expected to retain its overwhelming majority.

In the 2009 election, it gained 65% of the vote, compared to 16% for the DA, which came second. It gained much of its support among white and mixed-race voters around Cape Town.

Our correspondent says Jacob Zuma is likely to still be president after the elections, regardless of the long list of corruption scandals dogging his administration.

The elections are due in April and will mark the 20th anniversary of the elections which saw the ANC come to power, ending decades of white minority rule.

But Ms Zille said that South Africa’s political scene had changed with the death of Mr Mandela last December.

She said South Africans now had the opportunity to vote not simply out of loyalty but with the best interests of the country at heart.

“This is a game-changing moment for South Africa,” she said.

Ms Ramphele said: “I believe that this decision is in the best interest of South Africa as we head into turbulent waters.”

gypt’s toppled president, Mohamed Mursi, has appeared in court in Cairo to face charges linked to his escape from prison in 2011.

Mursi was shown on state television yesterday dressed in a white jumpsuit and inside a metal

cage in the court, being held in Cairo’s police academy complex.

Mursi, referred to as defendant 83, shouted at the the judge: “Who are you? Do you know who I am?”

The judge responded, “I’m the head of the criminal court.”

The MENA agency report said Mursi flew by helicopter from Borg

al-Arab prison in Alexandria, while some 130 others were driven to Cairo.

The trial opened the day after General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who led the army’s removal of Morsi last year, was cleared by the military to run for the presidency later this year.

The case against the defendants

Mursi

is rooted in the 2011 escape of more than 20,000 inmates from Egyptian prisons - including Mursi.

Also charged are members of the Palestinian group Hamas and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Mursi was accused, just before his removal by the army last year, of colluding with “foreign forces”, allowing him and others to break out of a high-security prison near Cairo.

He was being held in custody after a roundup of Muslim Brotherhood supporters during the uprising against the regime of Hosni Mubarak.

A lawyer has said the trial appears aimed at “denigrating” Morsi and his Brotherhood group.

It is Mursi’s second court appearance since Egypt’s popularly backed July 3 military coup. He missed a January 8 hearing in another trial after security officials said bad weather grounded a helicopter meant to bring him.

Gunmen killed a senior Egyptian Interior Ministry official outside his home in Cairo yesterday, security officials said.

Tunisia appeals for support in last steps towards democracy

T

unisia’s new Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa yesterday appealed to the international community for financial support to help the North African country take the last steps in its transition to a full democracy.

Three years after the uprising against autocrat Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali inspired similar revolts across the region,Tunisia on Monday adopted a new constitution.

The country’s ruling Islamists and secular opposition have set aside their differences to allow Jomaa’s caretaker government to lead until elections are held later this year -- a breakthrough deal that ended months of political deadlock.

Jomaa, a technocrat who once ran an aerospace parts company in Paris, has appointed a nonpolitical cabinet to bring stability to Tunisia, which must tackle a large budget deficit and the threat of Islamist militants.

“The friends of Tunisia and the international institutions should support Tunisia financially in this sensitive phase of democratic transition,” Jomaa said in an address to the national assembly, which was approving his cabinet.

“This phase will need some economic reforms and sources of financing.”

International lenders want a cut in subsidies as well as other reforms to trim Tunisia’s

widening budget deficit, which the government expects to jump to 6.8 percent of gross domestic product in 2013, compared to 6 percent in 2012.

Tunisia relies heavily on tourism from Europe and remittances from abroad. Protests broke out recently over a tax increase, forcing the government to roll back the measure.

Tunisian officials say the recent political and economic strides forward should be enough to persuade the International Monetary Fund to release a second, $500 million tranche from a $1.5 billion credit.

Jomaa has put ministers with experience in international

organizations into key posts. The new finance minister has worked for the African Development Bank, and the foreign minister for the United Nations.

Jomaa

Central African Republic crisis getting even worse – UN

T

he security situation in the Central African Republic is getting even worse despite the inauguration of a new leader, the UN human rights chief

says.

“Muslim civilians are now extremely vulnerable,” said Navi Pillay.

Her statement came as a

An angry mob of ‘anti-balaka’ rebels

Muslim and Christian leader met British Prime Minister David Cameron to lobby for more international assistance.

About a million people - 20% of the population - have fled their homes during months of religious violence.

“I call as a matter of utmost urgency upon the international community to strengthen peacekeeping efforts... Many lives are at stake,” said Ms Pillay.

France, the former colonial power, has 1,600 troops in CAR, working with some 4,000 from African countries.

Last week, new President Catherine Samba-Panza said this was not enough.

Since the country’s first Muslim leader Michel Djotodia resigned earlier this month, there have been widespread reports of revenge attacks on Muslim civilians.

Members of the Christian majority said they were attacked by members of Mr Djotodia’s former rebel group who installed him as leader last year.

But Archbishop of Bangui Dieudonne Nzapalainga and Imam Oumar Kobine Layama, president of the Islamic Central African community, said the unrest was caused by politicians.

“This is not a religious crisis; it’s a military-political crisis,” Mr Layama told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 33

International

UN awaiting approval to deliver food to Homs

T

he United Nations is ready to deliver a month of rations to the Old City of Homs in Syria for 2,500 people once it gets a green light from all sides, a World Food Programme (WFP) spokeswoman said yesterday.

Families trapped in Homs are a small fraction of the quarter of a million Syrians who are living under siege in the country, according to the world body’s estimates.

But Homs, much of it reduced to rubble by relentless shelling and fighting, has been a focal point of negotiations between the government and the opposition at peace talks in Switzerland.

Opposition activists living in the Old City of Homs posted a letter on social media on Tuesday saying that unless the siege was fully broken, all other measures will be “superficial”.

“We assure you and the world that the demands of the besieged are not limited to humanitarian aid,” it said, adding that there are dozens of medical cases that require surgery.

It called for “secure safe corridors to enter and exit (Homs) for those who want to, without their having to go through regime checkpoints that Shinawatra

T

hailand will go ahead with elections this weekend despite threats by protesters to disrupt the vote, following discussion between the country’s Election Commission

…as peace talks struggle in Switzerland surround the besieged area.”

The U.N. hub in Homs is preparing an inter-agency aid convoy carrying food and supplies for the besieged population in the

rebel-held city, which has been out of reach for nearly a year, WFP spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs told Reuters in response to a query.

“Once all parties on the ground

allow the inter-agency convoy to proceed, WFP will deliver to the Old City 500 family rations and 500 bags of wheat flour, enough for 2,500 people for one month,” she said.

A damaged street and buildings in the besieged city of Homs

Thailand to proceed with troubled election and the prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra.

The commission had proposed the postponement of polls for 120 days but agreed to press ahead with

the February 2 vote after discussions with Yingluck yesterday.

“We have to go forward with the election,” said Pongthep Thepkanchana, the deputy prime minister.

The commission had argued that the country was too unsettled to go to the polls, said Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a member of the panel.

“We believe chaos will ensue.

Our new recommendation is to hold elections within three or four months.”

Thailand’s capital has been gripped by protests seeking to disrupt February’s general election.

In the latest incident, shots were fired near the Bangkok army base where Yingluck was holding the meetings, as hundreds of protesters massed outside.

At least two people were injured

in the gunfire, said ChumpolJumsai, an anti-government protest leader at the site.

“Someone fired shots. One protester was hurt and the man who fired the shots was hurt, too. They have been sent to different hospitals,” Chumpol told the Reuters news agency.

On Sunday, one person was shot dead in a clash as protesters swarmed dozens of polling stations to stop advance voting for February’s election.

The protesters are demanding Yingluck’s resignation to make way for an appointed government to implement reforms to fight corruption.

The conflict broadly pits Bangkok’s middle class and royalist establishment against the mainly poor, rural backers of Yingluck and her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Philippines army kills Muslim rebel holdouts

T

he Philippines military has said it killed 17 rebels opposed to a peace deal between the government and the country’s main Muslim rebel group, in fighting which raged for two days.

More than 1,500 troops were on Tursday involved in the offensive against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in remote farming areas of the mainly Catholic country’s Muslim south, the military’s spokesman, Colonel Dickson Hermoso, told the AFP news agency.

Seventeen BIFF members had

been confirmed killed in this week’s clashes, while two soldiers and one civilian were wounded, he added.

The assault was launched on Monday, two days after the successful end of negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front aimed at ending a decades-long conflict that has killed tens of thousands.

The BIFF is a small group of fighters opposed to the peace effort, which has carried out many deadly attacks in recent years in a bid to derail the peace process.

He said small arms skirmishes were continuing on Tuesday in three farming villages on the edge of a marsh near the town of Datu Piang, about 800km south of Manila.

Hermoso said the BIFF had about 120 “hardcore” members who were backed by relatives and members of other armed groups opposed to the peace talks.

“Putting an end to the BIFF armed challenge will be a big help to the autonomous Muslim political entity that will be created by the peace agreement,” Hermoso added.

He said the soldiers were carrying out “law enforcement operations” to capture 25 of the fighters, who had been charged with a string of criminal offences, including kidnapping, murder and extortion of civilians.

Muslim rebel groups have been fighting since the 1970s to win independence or autonomy for the country’s Muslim minority in the southern region of Mindanao, which they consider their ancestral homeland from before Spanish Christians colonised the country in the 16th Century.

Asia & Middle East Israel, Abbas spar over Palestinian security steps in West Bank

I

srael and the Palestinians disagreed sharply yesterday over the effectiveness of security measures by the regional Palestinian administration in the Israelioccupied West Bank, deepening doubt about peace prospects in U.S.-brokered talks.

Foreign powers have been helping build up Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s security services in the West Bank to prevent militant attacks on Israelis and ward off any challenge from breakaway Hamas Islamists who control the Gaza Strip.

Relative calm is considered important to any chance of Israel and the Palestinians striking a long elusive deal for a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, next to Israel. But the two sides remain far apart on key terms.

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon poured scorn on the commitment of the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank under interim peace deals, to follow through in moves against Palestinian militants.

“We counted 1,040 cases that were handled by the Palestinian security services in 2013. How many of them went to trial? Zero,” Yaalon said at an international conference hosted by Tel Aviv University’s INSS think-tank.

In the same period, Yaalon said, Israel had arrested some 3,000 Palestinians, many of whom were later imprisoned.

Yaalon is a stalwart of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who balks at Palestinian calls to remove Jewish settlements from the West Bank. Yaalon ratcheted up acrimony this month with an Israeli newspaper quoting him as dismissing U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the peace patron, as “messianic”.

After Yaalon’s speech, the conference aired a videotaped interview with Abbas, who said he would stand firm on his statehood demands and could hold Hamas to a peace accord.

He did not say how. Hamas, which spurns permanent coexistence with Israel, won a 2006 Palestinian legislative election and a year later ejected Abbas’s faction from Gaza.

Abbas

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 34

International Europe and Americas US, British spies ‘get personal data’ phone apps

Obama focuses on income inequality in State of the Union speech

U

S and British spy agencies routinely try to gain access to personal data from Angry Birds and other mobile applications, a report says.

A National Security Agency (NSA) document shows location, websites visited and contacts are among the data targeted from mobile applications.

It is the latest revelation from documents leaked by Edward Snowden.

In a statement, the NSA said it was not interested in data beyond “valid foreign intelligence targets”.

“Any implication that NSA’s foreign intelligence collection is focused on the smartphone or social media communications of everyday Americans is not true,” the statement said.

The report, published by the New York Times, Pro Publica and the Guardian, says the NSA and Britain’s GCHQ have worked together since 2007 to develop ways to gain access to information from applications for mobile phones and tablets.

The scale of data gathering is unclear.

But the reports suggest data is gained from a variety of mapping, gaming and social networking applications, using techniques similar to the ones used to intercept mobile internet traffic and text message data.

The documents also reveal the two agencies are increasingly convinced of the importance of mobile applications data.

The joint spying programme “effectively means that anyone using Google Maps on a smartphone is working in support of a GCHQ system” one 2008 document from the British intelligence agency is quoted as saying.

Another GCHQ report, in 2012, laid out how to extract information from Angry Birds user information from phones on the Android operating system. The game has been download 1.7 billion times across the world.

The British spy agency said it would not comment on intelligence matters, but insisted that all of its activities were “authorised, necessary and proportionate”.

Another NSA document described a “golden nugget” - a perfect scenario where NSA analysts could get broad selections of information from the applications, including networks the phone had connected to, documents downloaded, websites visited and “buddy lists”.

Other applications mentioned by the documents include the photosharing site Flickr, movie-based social network Flixster and applications that connect to Facebook.

Developers are responsible for the information generated from each application, but there was no suggestion firms were actively agreeing to give the spy agencies data.

Obama

U

S President Barack Obama bypassed a fractured Congress to act on income inequality as he delivered his annual State of the Union address.

The White House said Mr Obama would unveil an executive order to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 (£6.10) an hour for new federal contract workers.

The Democratic president is expected to announce other executive orders, which do not require congressional approval.

He is facing some of the lowest approval ratings of his presidency.

Mr Obama has called for a “year of action”, though Congress will limit his ability to get much done.

Just over a year after his

re-election, Mr Obama must contend with determined opposition from the Republican Party, which controls the House of Representatives and has the numbers in the Senate to block his agenda.

Time is running short before Washington DC turns its attention to the 2016 race to elect his

successor, threatening to render him irrelevant even with three years remaining in office.

In the face of a divided Congress, Mr Obama has pledged to use executive action to bypass Congress, and the White House says he will flesh out some of his plans in the State of the Union speech.

As well as income inequality, Mr Obama is expected to address long-term joblessness, expansion of early childhood education and infrastructure spending.

He will reiterate his call for a broad rise in the federal minimum wage, currently $7.25 per hour, say White House officials.

To sidestep lawmakers, Mr Obama will issue an executive order raising the hourly rate of federal workers with new contracts, such as janitors and construction workers. However, that measure is only expected to benefit a few hundred thousand employees.

He is also tipped to urge the Republican House of Representatives to support a broad overhaul of the US immigration system.

Ukraine scraps protest laws as PM steps down

U

kraine’s parliament has scrapped draconian antiprotest laws and its prime minister has resigned, in moves aimed at ending a two-month standoff with demonstrators.

The decision on the protests laws was made in a special parliamentary session in Kiev yesterday, shortly before which the prime minister, Mykola Azarov, offered to stand down in a bid to ease tensions between protesters and the government.

Azarov’s resignation was accepted by the president, Viktor Yanukovich. However, opposition leaders, who have called for the removal of the president, described the moves as “a step to victory”.

Al Jazeera’s Nick Spicer,

reporting from Kiev, said the prime minister was regarded as responsible for much of the violence during the crackdown on protesters.

“The prime minister was despised by the people on the streets. He was seen as responsible for the crackdowns,” he said.

“The opposition said this was a small step. A big step would be the resignation of the president.”

The anti-protest laws, which restricted movement and assembly, and threatened tough jail terms for transgressors, had been passed earlier this month as demonstrations against Yanukovich continued unabated for two months.

Originally the protests were over the government’s failure to

sign an EU trade deal, but the antiprotest laws added another level to the demonstrations.

The laws punished the occupation of public buildings with up to five years in prison, outlawed protest convoys of more than

five cars and banned opposition activists from wearing masks or helmets.

Protesters had also started receiving text messages saying they were registered as taking place in mass disturbance.

Azarov

Ex-Bosnian Serb army chief refuses to testify for former leader

E

x-Bosnian Serb army chief Ratko Mladic has refused to testify after former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic called him as a defence witness at his war crimes trial at The

Mladic (R), Karadzic

Hague.

Denouncing the UN tribunal as “satanic”, Mr Mladic said testifying could prejudice his own case.

Both men deny charges of war crimes and crimes against

humanity.

They exchanged genial greetings in their first public appearance together since the 1990s Bosnia war ended.

As he left court, Mr Mladic said: “Thanks a lot, Radovan. I’m sorry, these idiots wouldn’t let me speak.

They defend Nato bombs.”

Mr Karadzic, 68, faces 11 charges, including genocide relating to the Srebrenica massacre in July 1995.

At Tuesday’s hearing, his lawyer argued that Mr Mladic was “the one person in the whole world who knows best what happened in the war in Bosnia” and that Mr Karadzic was asking him to do his best to testify and to tell what had occurred.

Ratko Mladic, 71, initially refused to take the oath, saying: “Your subpoenas, your platitudes, your false indictments, I do not care one bit about any of it.”

He added: “This is a satanic court, which is putting on trial us Serbs because we are defending our people from you.”

The judge warned him he could be held in contempt, with a possible jail term of up to seven years.

The session was then adjourned, apparently so Mr Mladic’s dentures could be retrieved from his cell.

The judge then advised Mr Mladic he was not obliged to answer questions if he thought the answers would incriminate him.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 35

Strange World Billionaire offers $65 million to any man who will marry daughter

A

couple of years ago, we wrote about Cecil Chao Sze-tsung, a Hong Kong-based property and shipping tycoon who offered US $65 million to any man who could woo his gay daughter, Gigi Chao. At the time, 33-year-old Gigi had just announced her wedding to her partner of seven years, Sean Eav. Fast forward to present-day and Gigi is still a happily married woman, but Cecil doesn’t appear to have given up yet. He is in the news again for raising the reward to a whopping HK $ 1 billion (approximately US $130 million), even though thousands of eligible bachelors have tried and failed at the task. 77-year-old Cecil is still refusing to acknowledge Gigi’s marriage, insisting that she is single.

The billionaire businessman

is quick to point out that he’s not homophobic. “I’m not saying that it’s not okay to be gay,” he said.

“I mean, it’s her own choice and her own tendency, but she should make sure she knows what she wants. Maybe what she wants today is different [from] what she wants in the future.”

Cecil sounds like any other concerned parent, but the words are rather strange coming from him, considering his playboy image. At one point, he had bragged about having bedded over 10,000 women. But when it comes to his precious daughter, he wants her to have a “good marriage and children.”

Gigi said that her wife Sean was left distraught by her father’s interview. But she isn’t taking it too seriously. “I don’t think my dad’s offering of any amount of money would be able to attract a

Gigi (L)

man I would find attractive,” she said. But she hasn’t let this affect her relationship with her father.

“Thank you, Daddy, I love you too,” were her exact words.

In fact, Gigi is quite willing to befriend a man who agrees to donate his ‘dowry’ to her charity, Faith in Love. Of course, he shouldn’t mind that she already has a wife and the relationship would be strictly platonic.

Back in 2012, when the plea

was first made public, Gigi received scores of marriage proposals. “War veterans from the US, someone from Ethiopia, someone from Istanbul, South America, Portugal, really from all over the world,” she said. “One American suitor wrote: ‘I’m interested in the offer. I am a male person, who also happens to be gay.’”

Although Gigi has no intentions of dating men, she understands her father’s perspective. “I understand

that he loves me, it’s just he’s from another time and it’s difficult for him to understand the plight of the LGBT,” she said.

Gigi is a part-time pilot, founder of the charity Faith in Love Foundation and an executive director at her father’s property development company. “At the office it’s business as usual. At family gatherings we hug and dance. And we just agree to disagree on what marriage is and family is.”

Artist uses fingers to create mindblowingly realistic paintings

Z

aria Forman’s paintings of icebergs are so realistic that just looking at them actually gives me the chills. Her 2012 collection, Chasing the Light, is a tribute to her mother who died from brain cancer. She also hopes to raise awareness to climate change through her work.

Forman has a unique style of creating art.

“When I travel, I take thousands of photographs and make small sketches.

Once I am back in the studio, I draw from my memory of the experience, as well as the photographs to create large scale

Zaria

compositions. I add layers of color onto the paper, smudging everything with my fingers and hand,” she said.

In 2012, Brooklynbased Forman organized and led a sailing expedition up the northwest coast of Greenland, retracing the 1869 journey of American painter William Bradford.

Along the way, she extensively photographed the Arctic landscape to u s e a s i n s p i r a t i o n for her paintings. That is how Chasing the Light was conceptualized and created.

Forman is no stranger to ‘artistic expeditions’.

She spent her childhood travelling to remote locations with her family. “I developed an appreciation for the beauty and vastness of the ever-changing sky and sea,” she said. “I loved watching a far-off storm on the western desert plains; the monsoon rains of southern India; and the cold arctic light illuminating Greenland’s waters.”

These journeys were often the subjects of her mother’s fine art photography, which has inspired Forman’s own paintings. Through the 2012 expedition, she fulfilled her mother’s last wish. She wrote:

PAGE 36

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

Digest

Wake up to the secrets of sleep

By Penny Lewis

llikely to notice sour tastes. They also h have subtle problems with hearing a and vision. A sleep-deprived person is m more easily frustrated, intolerant and sself-absorbed than if properly rested.

I

nsects, fish and even amoebas – the most basic, single-cell organisms – sleep. In fact, every member of the animal kingdom appears to snooze at some point.

When wasps do it, their antennae droop, signalling relaxed inattention to the environment. In predatory environments, this could be risky – which points to the fact it is also an absolutely vital function. Humans spend a third of our lives asleep. The big question is, why?

It’s not just to save energy – research indicates that physical prowess isn’t particularly impaired even when very sleep-deprived. The psychological impact of not sleeping, however, is dramatic. It can lead to moodiness, hallucinations, paranoia, poor memory and bad decisionmaking.

This week’s news that night-shift work may lead to changes to our DNA points to possible long-term damage caused by sleep deprivation.

But in the short term, at least, sleep impacts brain function more than it does the body.

Far from switching off, the brain moves through a highly structured pattern of activities while we slumber.

It practises tasks learned during the day, replays traumatic events to ease them and makes connections between distant concepts. By understanding the role that the nocturnal brain plays in our waking life, we can improve the relationship between the two – and even improve learning, health, creativity and memory.

Why larks need sleep more than owls The existence of ‘morning people’ and ‘night people’ has been common knowledge for as long as people have lived in groups.

Humans are genetically programmed to require a set amount of sleep per day. Some of us are long sleepers and some of us are short, although the tendencies can be adapted. Our natural pattern is eight hours asleep and 16 hours awake. But when we go to sleep is also down to our DNA. The gene that governs sleep/ wake predisposition is called Period, or PER for short, and there are two types. If you have two copies of one type you will be a lark – bouncing out

Give it a rest: Going to sleep at the right time will combat tiredness in the day

of bed long before most others. Larks don’t just like to get up early; they also get tired earlier in the day, and they can’t handle sleep deprivation – it disrupts their concentration. If you have two copies of the other type, you’ll be an owl and thrive on staying up late.

Although owls hate to get up early and often can’t really function in the morning, they handle sleep deprivation well.

Whichever you are, if you go to bed too early or get up too late you probably won’t sleep especially well.

This could show up as either taking a long time to sleep or frequent waking, both of which would be classified as insomnia. Yet reducing the amount of time spent in bed can increase the quality of sleep and may cut daytime tiredness.

Insomnia or non-restorative sleep?

Insomnia is defined as the perception of not getting enough sleep, so while some insomniacs truly don’t sleep or have a serious problem falling and staying asleep, others feel tired despite sleeping – they have non-restorative sleep.

There are two basic types of sleep – rapid eye movement sleep (REM) and non-REM (NREM). The latter is

Counting sheep: Not getting enough sleep can lead to moodiness, hallucinations, paranoia, poor memory and bad decision-making

broken into stage one, stage two and slow-wave sleep, or SWS. The brain, during each stage, has measurably different patterns of activity. And importantly, it cycles through these stages repetitively, every 90 minutes on average.

Interestingly, brain waves during waking and REM sleep look pretty much the same.

During the night we get a lot of SWS, but towards morning we tend to skip straight to REM. Non-restorative insomniacs typically show less SWS brain activity and more wake-like brain activity during sleep. You could almost say they aren’t fully asleep.

As slow waves serve a critical role in resetting the brain so that it is refreshed, it’s not surprising that missing out might leave people out of sorts.

Non-restorative sleep is the worst kind of sleep and people with this problem have no trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or getting enough sleep – but they just don’t feel rested when they wake up.

Technically they are sleeping for the same time as everyone else, but there is growing evidence that they aren’t getting the normal dose of slow-wave sleep.

Sleep stages are so tightly linked to our 24-hour body clock that napping at different times of day leads to different types of sleep.

Napping in the morning means you drop rapidly into REM, while napping late in the afternoon usually results in slow-wave sleep.

The exciting thing about the connection between sleep and your state of mind is that you can manipulate different types of sleep to your advantage.

If you want slow-wave sleep to strengthen specific bits of knowledge, then it would be sensible to take a nap in the afternoon. If, on the other hand, you want to strengthen emotional memories, it might be better to sleep longer in the morning or take a nap in the morning.

Don’t drive after a sleepless night Sleep deprivation leads to an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, a small drop in body temperature and compromised

immune function. A sleep-deprived brain acts like a brain under the influence of alcohol. In a hand-eye co-ordination task, each hour you are awake sets you back as much as an extra 0.004 per cent alcohol concentration in your blood.

This means every five hours you spend awake is roughly equivalent to one standard alcoholic beverage in terms of how your brain will perform. After 20 hours awake, your performance is impaired as if you have exceeded the legal limit in the US (0.08 blood alcohol).

Strangely, younger people seem to suffer more in this situation than older people because they don’t deal with sleep loss as well.

Perception of the world is also subtly different when overtired.

People are worse at guessing smells (is this rose or lavender?) and less

Could poor sleep cause d dementia?

The most dramatic change in ssleep occurs as we age, with a gradual rreduction in time spent asleep from eeight hours to five hours after the a age of 60 – but also with a specific rreduction in SWS. At birth, time sspent in REM and NREM is roughly eequal, but by the age of 74, time spent iin SWS is often completely absent.

It is unclear whether this is due to a reduced need for that particular type o of sleep, perhaps because of reduced p physical activity and learning, or rresults from a loss of the ability to ssustain such large-scale co-ordinated b brain activity.

Reduced slow-wave sleep may a actually compound age-related p problems through fatigue and poor m memory which can stem from lack of cconsolidation. This reduction in sloww wave sleep may even lead to some ttypes of neural damage and might be linked to neuro-degeneration that occurs with age. However, more research is needed.

Take a hot bath before going to bed Body temperature always slightly cools when you go to sleep, and artificially triggering this cooling can help you to fall asleep.

A counter-intuitive strategy for getting your body to cool at just the right time is to heat yourself up before going to bed. A hot bath an hour and a half before bedtime means cooling down afterwards is more dramatic and effective.

Subtle heating of the skin on the tummy and chest can also make you fall asleep faster, so try holding a warm water bottle.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk.

Time for bed: The human natural body-clock pattern is eight hours asleep and 16 hours awake, but when we go to sleep is also down to our DNA

Whether you are an early bird or not, going to bed too early or get up too late you probably won’t sleep especially well

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 37

2015: Who takes over from Jang in Plateau?

From Ado Abubakar, Jos

A

s the 2015 general elections is gradually drawing closer, politicians in Plateau state are tactically tightening up their belts to ensure success in the elections.

Traditionally, the issue of godfathers and god-sons often play an important role in the nation’s politics. The system has therefore become the order to the day in all states of the country. That is why politicians, who are jostling to succeed in political races, always try possibilities to get the support and sympathy of those in power.

In Plateau state, however, Governor Jonah David Jang was recently quoted to have said in his Christmas message that he didn’t know the person who would succeed him but believed that only God would direct him to know the next governor of the state.

Investigations revealed that currently, many aspirants who are from th e three geopolitical zones in the state are battling to win the governorship seat in the state.

Those who have been battling for the number one position in the state include Yiljap Abraham, Professor Long Sabo Wapmuk, Fidelis Tapgun, Senator Victor Lar, Professor Shedrak Best, Nandom Ishaku Pyennap, Air Vice Marshal Wuyep and Idwod Pwajok.

However, if PDP zoning principle is to be followed in the state, the next PDP candidate must come from Plateau South. Thus, only those who are from southern zone would have the opportunity to aspire on the platform of the PDP. But if zoning arrangement is jettisoned, all the aspirants from the three zones would have equal opportunity of being the PDP governorship flag bearer.

According to political observers, some aspirants are purposely signifying interests in the race just to make themselves popular and seek relevance. But, there are also hot contestants whom are believed to be willing to fight to the end.

Investigation revealed that those seriously contesting the seat include the former commissioner for information, Abraham Yiljap, former governor of the state, Fidelis Tapgun, Director General of Industrial Trust Fund (ITF), Professor Longman Sabo Wapmuk, State House of Assembly member, Hon. Nandam Ishaku Pyenap and Plateau state Attorney General and Commissioner for justice, Idwod Pwajok.

Before now, the level of relationship between the incumbent governor and Yiljap has improved and the people in the state have begun to think that Yiljap is likely to become the next PDP governorship flag bearer in the state. But the governor’s recent reshufflement of his cabinets which brings him down to Ministry of Tourism has given credence to the rumour making

the round that he (Yiljap) and his boss bear little relationship.

Further to this, observers are with the opinion that even if Jang throws his weight behind Yiljap, he lacks popularity in his southern zone though he was recently quoted to have said that he hardly battle for any political position and that even his current office, he did not ask for it, stressing that everything was in the hand of God. Professor Longman Sabo Wapmuk who also comes from Plateau south is also considered as a hot contestant, according to observers. He is an academician and currently an administrator with many years of experience in office. Checks revealed that he is of good character to lead but old in age and too gentle for the state and not well known as politician.

However, checks further revealed that if the governor would support Hon. Nandom Ishaku Pyenap, who is also from Plateau South, there is every possibility that the ruling PDP in the state would have better chance of winning governorship election in the state. This according to findings,

“

Investigations revealed that currently, many aspirants who are from the three geopolitical zones in the state are battling to win the governorship seat in the state

Governor Jonah David Jang

is because Pyenap is young and has the support of youths in the state. It was also learnt that even members of the State House of Assembly are loyal to him and are supporting his governorship ambition.

Fidelis Tapgun is also considered as a hot contestant in governorship race. Accordingly findings, despite the fact that he was one time a governor of Plateau State, he has been out of the state’s politics since the return of democracy in 1999 and that no remarkable achievement was recorded in the state when he was both a minister and an ambassador. Like Wapmuk, he is also old. But some observers are with the view that Tapgun has the support of common people in the state.

Findings also indicated that in the central zone of the states, only Professor Shredrak Best, who is the secretary to the state government is interested n the race. Many believe that even if zoning is not respected, the tendency of Best becoming the governor is very remote because he has lost grassroots support.

His political god-son at the just concluded PDP primaries of local government poll failed and this shows that he lacks the support of his locality.

In the northern zone however, someone like Idwod Pwajok, who is the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, is also considered as a hot aspirant among those who are eyeing the number one seat in the state.

Although he is of Berom stock, investigation reveals that if zoning is not respected, he may likely to be supported as the next PDP governorship candidate by the incumbent governor.

Although all the aspirants have been very careful in their utterances to avoid any signal that may betray their intention in the race at the moment, what would be so interesting in Plateau politics come 2015 is the decision of Plateau PDP to either maintain zoning or not. This is so because investigations have indicated that all geopolitical zones are battling to produce the next governor of the state.

Court orders service of hearing notice on 5 PDP defecting govs

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

T

he ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has secured a court order directing that hearing notice be served on five of its governors who decamped to opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) on November 26, 2013.

Those sued are Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), and Alhaji Magatakarda Wamakko (Sokoto) as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission

(INEC).

PDP had on December 13 instituted a suit against the runaway governors, where it is basically seeking an order to remove them from office as governors of their various states.

PDP’s lead counsel, Dr. Alex Iziyon (SAN), told Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court Abuja that based on the court’s order of December 13; the affected governors were served through the national secretariat of the APC, while INEC was served separately.

Iziyon therefore requested the court for a short date to enable the PDP address it because according to

him, “the matter on ground is very urgent, fundamental” stressing that “a constitutional wind is blowing across the polity”.

In a short ruling, Justice Kolawole ordered that hearing notice be served on the 5 defecting governors including INEC, adding that such notice should be pasted at the national office of the APC as well as published in two national dailies.

He adjourned the matter to February 6 for hearing.

Dr. Alex Aigbe Izinyon (SAN), who filed the suit on behalf of PDP said it was brought pursuant to Section 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c)

of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Relying on the above provision, Izinyon said PDP wants the court to declare the defected governors ineligible to remain in office as governors, having moved to APC. In the suit, the PDP is seeking an order of the court mandating/ directing the State Houses of Assembly of Adamawa, Kano, Kwara, Rivers and Sokoto states to commence impeachment proceedings against their governors forthwith.

Among the reliefs being sought are: “A declaration that by the combined provisions of

sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) the 2nd - 6th Defendants who were elected under the platform of the plaintiff (PDP) cannot continue to enjoy the mandate given to the plaintiff by the people / electorate of the respective states as the 2nd - 6th Defendants have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also, the PDP wants the court to make a declaration that in the absence of any division in the PDP, the five governors have vacated or forfeited their seats upon their defection to the APC.

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

Politics

APC inaugurates Adamawa exco From Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) has inaugurated its state chapter in Adamawa state Interim Committee and this ended months of internal bickering between members of the legacy parties and Governor Murtala Nyako over the control of the soul of the party in the state.

The State Interim Committee consists of 14 members and was formed after prolonged meeting which spanned over many hours between the various blocks that fused to form the mega opposition party in the state.

The committee which was chaired by Governor Nyako’s nominee and Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Kobis Ari Thimnu, was carefully selected from all the fusing blocks in order

to douse tension in the party.

During the Inauguration confirmation speech, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy Vice National Chairman North of the party, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, expressed satisfaction with the process that led to the formation of the State Interim Committee saying that with the development, the internal party squabbles will become a thing of the past.

“I came, I saw and I can testify that the process that led to the emergence of the State Interim Committee was free, fair, credible and transparent.

“What happened today was a culmination of what transpired between the various stakeholders and I am here as a neutral umpire to testify and accede to the agreement reached between the

various stakeholders of this great party”.

He urged the various stakeholders to ensure that justice and fair play prevails in the party as no meaningful development could be achieved in an atmosphere of rancor just as he urged all members to ensure that the people of the state were sensitized ahead of the coming registration of party membership which will commence from 5th – 10th February, 2014.

Nyako, in his speech, expressed happiness with the patriotism displayed by the stakeholders which was responsible for the success recorded during the exercise.

“I admit my shortcoming as human being, we all bury our differences to forge ahead,’’ Nyako said.

He enjoined all the

stakeholders to work tirelessly to rid the country from the clutches of impunity imposed on the people by the ruling party expressing confidence in the integrity of the stakeholders just as he expressed suitable penitence to anyone he must have offended especially those in the legacy parties.

During their separate remarks, the various stakeholders including General Buba Marwa, Engineer Nathan Gundiri, Ambassador Fatima Ballla, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Barrister Boss Mustapha all expressed happiness with the efforts of governor Nyako at enhancing the winning chances of the party acknowledging him as the leader of the party.

“We told ourselves the bitter truth. A new dawn has now been heralded in APC, shame to our enemies,’’ Marwa added.

R-L: Adamawa state Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd), All Progressives Congress (APC) Interim Deputy National Chairman (North), Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and General Buba Marwa, during the inauguration of APC Interim Management Committee, Adamawa chapter, yesterday in Yola.

Photo: NAN

PDP government’s irresponsible- Fashola From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

L

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola on Monday at commissioning a 2.1km Ejigbo-Ajao Link road in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area took a swipe at the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, saying its government is irresponsible.

Fashola who named the two bridges on the road as ‘January 27

Link Bridge’ in memory of the victims of the 2002 Ikeja bomb blast said the tragic incident was avoidable if the Federal Government and those in authorities were alive to their responsibilities.

According tonhim, women, men and children perished in the Oke-Afa canal, “Because a national government led by the Peoples Democratic Party failed to do its duties; there is no other excuse by

it. That was their responsibility to manage bombs and explosives and to look after the Nigerian Military, but they dropped the bombs.”

“Since then, they have pretended as if nothing was wrong.” the alleged negligence, according to Fashola, made the Lagos state government to intervene by rebuilding the schools and hospitals located within the Ikeja Cantonment which were

destroyed by the incident.

The Lagos state governor said the Ejigbo-Ajao Link Road was another fulfillment of the promise of the state government in 2002 to open up the area as part of government’s drive to renew inner city roads.

He said, “My predecessor promised you then that day that a bridge will be built to link Ejigbo to Ajao Estate, I have come here today to fulfil that promise”.

Group commends Jonathan for appointing Mallam minister

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

political group known as Kaduna state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Solidarity Conference, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for appointing Laurencia Mallam,

as a minister.

Speaking at a forum in Kaduna, the group said by the appointment, the commitment of President Jonathan to fair women representation in governance had been clearly demonstrated.

They promised to reciprocate

this gesture through continuous support of the administration’s transformation agenda and other polices, even as they vowed to continue to support the leadership of PDP. The group passed vote of confidence on Mallam, saying she is an achiever, who has

gained wealth of experience in life, which she is ready to bring to bear in her new appointments.

They described her as a veteran politician and a seasoned administrators, who has distinguished her self considering her track records.

APGA crisis: Court to rule on stay of judgement Feb 26

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

A

Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday fixed February 26th for ruling on the application for a stay of execution against its January 15th judgment which had ousted Victor Umeh and Sani Shinkafi as National Chairman and National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) respectively.

The Court presided over by Justice Abdul Kafarati had in his judgment named Maxi Okwu as the National Chairman of the party.

However, APGA had in a swift reaction filed a motion for stay of execution, an application for an order of injunction retraining Okwu and his co-plaintiffs from interfering in the leadership of the party pending the appeal it filed challenging the judgment of the court.

Moving the motion for a stay of execution of the judgment, Counsel to Umeh and Shinkafi, Patrick Ikwueto, SAN had told that “the application is seeking for two reliefs, a stay and an order of injunction pending appeal, there are seven grounds in support of the applicant and an affidavit in support of the application deposed to by Chinedu Eze, we seek indulgence to rely on all the affidavits and exhibits and as required by this court.

“There are four grounds of appeal on the issue of jurisdiction, they deal with the competence of the suit, the appeal is arguable and raises substantial issues for determination”, he said.

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Olawale Daudu did not raise any objection to the application for a stay of execution but urged the court to grant the application in the interest of justice.

But Oba Maduabuchi Okwu’s Counsel in his objection stated that their opposition to the application for a stay of execution is premised on the grounds that the court cannot stay its own judgment.

According to him “we oppose the application, we filed a counter affidavit of 15 paragraphs, on the grounds that the application is incompetent as it was brought under a non-existent law, in the alternative we ask that the application be struck out under laws of this court that were unlawfully made, this is because the only body that can a legislate on service and execution is the National.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 39

News Extra

NNPC/Mobil donates laptops to A‘Ibom NUJ

By Mike Etim, Uyo

A

s part of its corporate social responsibility, the Nigeria National Petroleum Company NNPC/Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Joint Venture has donated 75 laptops worth 8 million naira to members of the Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

At the presentation ceremony of the laptops held at the State NUJ Secretariat in the state capital Uyo yesterday, the Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Qua Iboe Terminal Mobil Producing Nigeria. Mr. Akaniyene Esiere said the donation of the laptops was in furtherance of the existing cordial and mutually beneficial relationship between the NNPC/MPN Joint Venture and media in the State.

He said the NNPC/MPN Joint Venture was providing the laptops as tools to enhance the work performance of recipients for the benefits of the profession and the society.

He further enjoined the beneficiaries and the media outfits to make the best use of the laptops to enhance the frontiers of the press as the Forth Estate of the Realm.

In his acceptance speech, the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Elder Patrick Albert, while commending the NNPC/Mobil Joint Venture for the good gesture, noted that the 75 laptops donated to members of the council only covers 15.8 percent of the members of the council which he said currently stands at 485 journalists in the State.

As part of governments commitment to journalism practice in the state, the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Aniekan Umana, who was the special guest at the ceremony, announced an additional 100 laptops from the State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, which he said will be donated to the council soon.

He said that the donation of the laptops was very much in line with the state government thinking of sharpening the skills of journalists in the state.

The Commissioner maintained that the state government will continue to invest in sharpening the skills of government and non government journalists and urged journalists in the state to stay on the part of objectivity and fair hearing while reporting stories.

L-R: Executive Secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Professor Junaid Mohammed, Director Human Resources, Ministry of Education, Mr. Fikpabo Ikibeh, and Chairperson, Presidential Committee on Needs Assessment of Nigerian Public Colleges of Education (PCNACOE), Hajiya Hindatu Abdullahi, during the Needs Assessment Training Conference, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Paramilitary village to be completed by end of 2014 – Moro

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

M

inister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, has assured that Paramilitary village in Sauka, Abuja, will be completed before the end of this year.

The scheme is meant to provide accommodation for officers and Men of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)

and the Federal Fire Service (FFS).

Moro who gave this assurance yesterday in Abuja during a tour to the site said, “I am confident that the whole project will be completed and commissioned by the President before the end of this year. I personally called him to launch the foundation; it is also natural that I should call him to commission the project”.

He however said financial hitches were responsible for the delay in completing the project,

assuring that, “with funds available, the project will soon be completed”.

The minister also said that the present administration will always work assiduously to provide affordable housing for the officers.

Moro said welfare of staff was necessary in order to encourage officers of various services under the ministry in the discharge of their duties.

“We all know the challenges that we are facing as a country, and

the present administration is doing its best to ensure that those who are charged with the responsibility of ensuring internal security are properly taken care of, so as to spur them to do their duty without any problem”.

On his part, the Estate Developer, Mathias Byuan, assured of providing high quality work at the site, saying his company has the capability to build one of the best Estates for the paramilitary officers.

Dukku youth disown ex- lawmaker over comments on Dankwambo

D

ukku youths in Gombe State have described as unguarded, statements credited to a former lawmaker from their locality alluding that he resigned from the Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo administration because the governor had become inaccessible and was not receptive to advise of stakeholders in the state.

Sani Adamu Dugge, a former member of Gombe State House of Assembly and immediate past senior special assistant on political affairs to Governor Dankwambo, last week resigned his appointment citing reasons which included

inaccessibility to the governor, non heeding to advise of stakeholders, amongst others.

Reacting to Dugge’s remarks, however, youths from his locality under the aegis of Dugge Youth Progressive Forum, have slammed the ex- lawmaker saying his words and actions were borne out selfish desire and not out of patriotic intent.

They maintained, “it is common knowledge that the refusal of Governor Dankwambo to meddle into the politics of endorsement of politicians ahead of 2015 might have been responsible for Dugge’s resignation and subsequent decamping to the All

Progressive Congress (APC).”

A statement made available by the youths and signed by its president and youth leader, Barrister Muhammed Buba Dugge and Sani Yau Dukku respectively, disowned the exlawmaker over his statement, saying it was not the position of Dugge youths.

According to them, “the people of the area hold the Governor in high esteem over the visible government presence of the area which is unprecedented”.

“We are convinced that Hon. Sani Adamu’s frustration is borne out of the governor’s refusal to endorse anyone for any elective office ahead of 2015 especially for the House of Reps seat

in the case of Sani Adamu.

The youths believe that since the inception of Gombe State, no government has manifested governance to the area the way and manner Dankwambo has done. He is said to have provided the communities with electricity, built roads and connected them to the outside world and has almost completed the Dukku School of Nursing and Midwifery. “To us, he is indeed God sent and this is the reason we shall continue to kick against self seeking politicians such as Sani Adamu as they are not true representatives of our people”’, the group statement concluded.

Jigawa has not benefited from FG’s agric policies - Sen. Sankara

By Chris Alu

T

he PDP senator representing Jigawa North-West senatorial district, Abdullahi Danladi Sankara, said his state has not in any way benefited from the agricultural policies of the federal government

even though the state is hundred percent agrarian He explained that the state produces over 80 percent of rice, beans, maize, and millet in huge quantity that are being exported and consumed in other states of the country. But he, however, lamented that Jigawa state has not

benefited from any of the agricultural policies of this present administration.

Sen. Sankara also argued that if federal government is sincere of using agriculture to diversify the economy of Nigeria, Jigawa state should have been one of the major state. “I tell you that the state is much known

for its agricultural produce than any other thing else” he stated. The senator opined that 50 % of federal government budget has not been implemented by the executive thereby causing short fall in all its policy implementations in the country.

He maintained that the problem

of Nigeria is not budgeting but the implementation which is below expectation.

He therefore called on the executive to concentrate more on the agricultural sector in other to diversify the economy and create job opportunities for the teaming youths.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

Photo Splash Chairman of Nigeria Christian Prigrimage Commission (NCPC) Board and Primate, Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, His Grace, Most Rev. Nicholas D. Okoh (middle), presenting the 2013 Christian pilgrimage report to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim (right), yesterday in Abuja.

With them is Executive Secretary of NCPC, Mr. John Kennedy Opara (left).

Debris from a warehouse gutted by fire, on Monday in Omu-Aran, Kwara state, where property worth over N50m was lost.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Hajiya Rabi Jimeta, going through programme of events with Supervising Minister of Science and Technology. Mrs. Omobola Johnson, during the inauguration of boards of parastatals under the ministry, yesterday in Abuja.

Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa (middle), presenting a petition to Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ambassador Olu Onafowokan (right), during the committee’s fact finding visit to Accra, Ghana, yesterday, over the death of a Nigerian student, Austin Ogukwe. With them is Minister in the High Commission, in Ghana, Kabiru Yusuf Sadauki (left).

Trainees of Nasarawa State Youth Empowerment Programme at the orientation camp, yesterday in Keffi.

Photo: Justin imo-Owo and NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 41

&+$1 )$ FKDLUPDQ FRQÀGHQW (DJOHV ZLOO VRDU DERYH *KDQD WRGD\ T (]RHQ\L DQG 6DODPL LQ JRRG PRRG

Kwambe happy to be back after ban

T

KH 6XSHU (DJOHV GHIHQGHU 6RORPRQ .ZDPEH KDV VDLG he is delighted to return in WRGD\¶V &+$1 VHPL ¿QDO DJDLQVW *KDQD DIWHU D RQH PDWFK EDQ ³, WKDQN P\ PDWHV IRU NHHSLQJ us in the tournament LQ P\ DEVHQFH DQG , SURPLVH WKDW LI , DP SLFNHG IRU WKH VHPL I L Q D O game I will

make X S IRU P\ DEVHQFH in the S U H Y L R X V JDPH ´ KH

VHPL ¿QDO FODVK DJDLQVW WKH %ODFN 6WDUV RQ 6XQGD\ QLJKW WR WKH ZDUP HPEUDFH RI 1LJHULDQV DQG UHVLGHQWV RI WKH FLW\ 7KH 1LJHULDQ WHDP ZDV VSOLW LQWR WZR RQ WKH WULS WR %ORHPIRQWHLQ ZLWK WKH ¿UVW WHDP PDGH XS RI RI¿FLDOV DUULYLQJ WKH FLW\ E\ SP ZKLOH WKH RWKHU KDOI RI SOD\HUV DQG FRDFKHV FDPH LQWR WRZQ DW DERXW SP The team is TXDUWHUHG DW WKH 3UHVLGHQW +RWHO DQG &RQIHUHQFH Centre, alongside WKH =LPEDEZHDQ national team who ZLOO EH SOD\LQJ WKH ¿UVW VHPL ¿QDO DW WKH )UHH 6WDWH 6WDGLXP DJDLQVW WKHLU /LE\DQ RSSRQHQWV DOVR RQ :HGQHVGD\ Residents RI WKH FLW\ are already S U H G L F W L Q J D 1LJHULD = L P E D E Z H ¿QDO DV WKH\ WKLQN 6RXWKHUQ $IULFD¶V RQO\ SULGH UHPDLQLQJ in the tournament DUH WKH 5REHUW 0XJDEH ER\V There is a strong 1LJHULDQ SUHVHQFH KHUH LQ %ORHPIRQWHLQ EHFDXVH RI LWV SUR[LPLW\ WR -RKDQQHVEXUJ DQG RWKHU IDFWRUV ³:H GRQ¶W H[SHFW WR ODFN VXSSRUW KHUH EHFDXVH RI WKH KXJH SRSXODWLRQ RI 1LJHULDQV

.ZDPEH LV EDFN IRU *KDQD YRZHG 7KH 6XSHU (DJOHV DUULYHG %ORHPIRQWHLQ YHQXH RI WKHLU

DQG WKH IDFW WKDW WKH 6XSSRUWHUV &OXE LV RQ JURXQG´ GHFODUHG WHDP DGPLQLVWUDWRU 'D\R (QHEL $FKRU

CHAN: Record 72 goals as tournament HQWHUV VHPL ÀQDOV

:

LWK JRDOV UHFRUGHG IURP PDWFKHV DQ DYHUDJH RI SHU JDPH WKH $IULFDQ 1DWLRQV &KDPSLRQVKLS &+$1 KDV DOUHDG\ VXUSDVVHG ODVW \HDU¶V $)&21 LQ WHUPV RI JRDOV 7KH $)&21 DOVR LQ 6RXWK $IULFD SURGXFHG JRDOV IURP PDWFKHV DW DQ DYHUDJH RI SHU JDPH D PRGHUDWH UHWXUQ IRU D WRS JUDGH WRXUQDPHQW &+$1 LV DOUHDG\ WDNLQJ WKH VKLQH RII WKH $)&21 ZKLFK XVXDOO\ SDUDGHG WKH EHVW RI WKH FRQWLQHQW¶V IRRWEDOOHUV SO\LQJ WKHLU WUDGH LQ GLIIHUHQW OHDJXHV DFURVV WKH JOREH 7KH 6XSHU (DJOHV¶ JRDOV IURP WKH IRXU PDWFKHV WKH\ KDYH SOD\HG KDYH EHHQ WKH PRVW SUROL¿F VLGH LQ WKH DWWDFN 7KH\ KDYH EHHQ DGMXGJHG DV the most entertaining side in the WRXUQDPHQW DQG WKHLU PXVW ZLQ PDWFK DJDLQVW WKH %ODFN 6WDUV RI *KDQD ZRXOG GHWHUPLQH WKHLU IDWH LQ WKH WRXUQDPHQW 7KH VXSHUODWLYH GLVSOD\ RI WKH 6XSHU (DJOHV ZDV FRPPHQGHG E\ (ULF 1ZDQNZR D 1LJHULDQ HQWUHSUHQHXU UHVLGLQJ LQ %ORHPIRQWHLQ ZKR VDLG WKDW WKH WHDP KDG GLVSOD\HG WKH QHYHU VD\ GLH 1LJHULDQ VSLULW ³:H FRQJUDWXODWH WKH SOD\HUV IRU UHDFKLQJ WKH VHPL¿QDOV DQG IRU WKH QXPEHU RI JRDOV WKH\ KDYH VFRUHG VR IDU ³,W LV D UHFRUG 6WHSKHQ .HVKL VKRXOG EH SURXG RI WKH\ KDYH WKH DELOLW\ WR JR DOO WKH ZD\ WR WKH ¿QDOV ¶¶ KH DGGHG 2Q D SRVLWLYH SRLQW IRU WKH 6RXWK $IULFDQ IDQV WKH WRXUQDPHQW¶V WRS VFRUHU LV VWLOO %HUQDUG 3DUNHU ZKRVH IRXU VWULNHV DJDLQVW 0R]DPELTXH 0DOL DQG 1LJHULD SXW KLP DKHDG RI WKH RWKHU JRDO VFRUHUV +RZHYHU 1LJHULD¶V (MLNH 8]RHQ\L DQG 5DELX $OL DORQJVLGH /LE\DQ DWWDFNHU $EGXVDODP 2PDU KDYH WKUHH JRDOV HDFK DQG :HGQHVGD\¶V VHPL¿QDOV PDWFKHV would determine the eventual KLJKHVW VFRUHU

he FCT FA Chairman Musa Talle yesterday said that he ZDV FRQ¿GHQW WKDW 6XSHU Eagles would overcome the Black E 6WDUV RI *KDQD LQ WKHLU VHPL ¿QDO 6 PDWFK RI WKH $IULFDQ 1DWLRQV¶ &KDPSLRQVKLS &+$1

7DOOH WROG QHZVPHQ WKDW DIWHU D SRRU VWDUW WKH (DJOHV KDG EHFRPH D IRUFH WR UHFNRQ ZLWK LQ WKH WRXUQDPHQW 7KH (DJOHV ORVW WKHLU RSHQLQJ *URXS $ PDWFK WR 0DOL EHIRUH WKH\ ERXQFHG EDFN WR GHIHDW 0R]DPELTXH WXWRUHG 6RXWK $IULFD DQG RYHU SRZHUHG 0RUURFR ³1LJHULDQV DUH GRJJHG DQG UHVLOLHQW LW LV WKHVH IDFWRUV WKDW WHQG WR SOD\ WR RXU DGYDQWDJH ZKHQHYHU ZH DUH IDFHG ZLWK D KHUFXOHDQ WDVN ³, H[SHFW QRWKLQJ VKRUW RI FRPPLWPHQW DQG ]HDO IURP WKH

SOD\HUV EHFDXVH D ORW LV DW VWDNH IRU WKHP VRPH RI WKHP FRXOG HDUQ D SODFH LQ WKH :RUOG &XS ³7KH WHDP KDV SURYHG WKDW LW SRVVHVVHV WKH SHGLJUHH WR VXUSDVV WKH *KDQD WKH (DJOHV KDYH overtime cultivated a winning PHQWDOLW\ IRU WKHPVHOYHV ´ KH VDLG 7KH )&7 ERUQ IRRWEDOO administrator, however, noted that WKH /LRQV ZRXOG QRW EH DQ HDV\ VLGH WR VXEGXH +H ZDUQHG WKDW WKH (DJOHV PXVW EH ZHDU\ EHFDXVH WKH :HVW $IULFD FRXQWHUSDUW ZRXOG OLNH WR GLVWUDFW WKHP RQ DQG RII WKH ¿HOG ³,W ZRQ¶W EH HDV\ EHFDXVH WKH :HVW $IULFD VLGH DUH JRRG WDFWLFDOO\ DQG WHFKQLFDOO\ EXW ZLWK IRFXV 1LJHULDQV KDYH WKH FKDUDFWHU DQG VSLULW WR FRQTXHU ³7KH\ PXVW DYRLG EHLQJ GLVWUDFWHG E\ HYHQWV KDSSHQLQJ RQ DQG RII WKH ¿HOG 7DFWLFDO GLVFLSOLQH LV YLWDO ´ 7DOOH VDLG

Nigeria face Ghana in TXHVW IRU ÀQDO WLFNHW

T

he Traditional rivals EHWZHHQ *KDQD DQG 1LJHULD FRQWHVW LQ :HVW $IULFDQ VHPL ILQDO DW WKH RQJRLQJ $IULFDQ 1DWLRQV &KDPSLRQVKLSV WRGD\ SURPLVHV WR EH D KLJK RFWDQH WKULOOHU 1LJHULD¶V GHEXW DW WKH &+$1 KDV EHHQ VRPHZKDW underwhelming, although 6WHSKHQ .HVKL¶V WHDP KDYH ZRQ DOO EXW RQH JDPH QDPHO\ D loss to Mali in their *URXS $ RSHQHU ,Q IURQW RI JRDO WKH 6XSHU Eagles have EHHQ DEVROXWHO\ SUROLILF ILULQJ LQ JRDOV DW ZLOO Twice at the tournament, 1LJHULD KDYH SXW IRXU SDVW WKHLU RSSRQHQWV WKH latest coming in a rousing FRPHEDFN IURP three goals down against Morocco in the T X D U W H U I L Q D O V VWDJH DQG KDYH UDFNHG XS D WRWDO RI VWULNHV At the other end, though, 1LJHULD KDYH G L V D S S R L Q W H G letting in eight goals and giving little SURPLVH RI LPSURYLQJ LQ WKDW UHJDUG It is hard to imagine WKH %ODFN 6WDUV H[SORLWLQJ 1LJHULD¶V GHIHQVLYH IUDLOWLHV KRZHYHU LI WKH *KDQDLDQV¶ RZQ DWWDFNLQJ GHILFLHQFLHV DUH DQ\WKLQJ WR JR E\ *KDQD LQ TXHVW RI D VHFRQG DSSHDUDQFH LQ D &+$1 ILQDOH KDV UHFRUGHG MXVW D JRDO LQ HDFK RI WKHLU IRXU JDPHV LQ 6RXWK $IULFD EXW KDYH EHHQ PRUH WKDQ LPSUHVVLYH LQ SUHYHQWLQJ WKH

RSSRVLWLRQ IURP VFRULQJ KDYLQJ FRQFHGHG RQO\ RQFH /RFDO %ODFN 6WDUV WUDLQHU 0D[ZHOO .RQDGX ZRXOG EH HDJHU WR KDYH LQMXUHG VWDUV *RGIUHG 6DND .ZDEHQD $GXVHL DQG 6XOOH\ Mohammed return to s h o r e XS DQ

already ZHOO NQLW XQLW : L W K HDFK VLGH¶V IRUWHV DQG

.HVKL ZHDNQHVVHV DOPRVW SHUIHFWO\ EDODQFLQJ WKH RWKHU¶V WKLV FRXOG SURYH QR RUGLQDU\ JDPH EHWZHHQ WKHVH HWHUQDOO\ IHXGLQJ UHJLRQDO FRXVLQV

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

Sports

LOSS OF DOCUMENTS

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

LATE J.G MOHAMMED FOUNDATION

FAITH ALIVE FOUNDATION

It’s CHAN trophy or nothing- Uzoenyi vows THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE LOSS OF CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY IN RESPECT OF 17, AHMED ONIBUDE STREET, VICTORIA ISLAND LAGOS BELONGING TO PHILAL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED. ALL EFFORTS MADE TO TRACE THE SAID DOCUMENT PROVED ABORTIVE. IF FOUND, PLEASE RETURN TO THE NEAREST POLICE STATION.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS AMENDED HER CONSTITUTION ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTER ACT. 1990 AS FOLLOWS: ARTICLE 5 (A) BY ADDING SECTION 1 (IV) “AND ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT MAY BE ESTABLISHED FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FOUNDATION” Dutchman, Clemens Westerhof won theONteam in the semifi nals, (B) BY ADDING “ RENDERS HER SERVICES,With CARRIERS ITS ACTIVITIES OR WHERE FUNDS ARE BEING RAISED FOR THE FOUNDATION” TO SECTION 2 the 1994 Afcon and qualifi ed Nigeria Keshi is on the verge of winning THE TRUSTEES ARE: ARTICLE 6 BYWorld ADDINGCup, “TWO but REFEREE REPORTScontinental WILL BE REQUIRED; ONE OF WHICH MUSTwith BE 1. AHMAD GANA MOHAMMAD CHAIRMAN for the USA ’94 Keshi titles back-to-back FROM A MEMBER OF THE FOUNDATION” TO SECTION 1 (I) 2. ABDULLAHI GANA MOHAMMAD SECRETARY has raised the ARTICLE bar. 9 BY ADDING: different teams.

SECTION 4: “EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AFTER NOMINATION BY THE CO-ORDINATOR” 3. ISMAIL IBRAHIM MUHAMMADU MEMBER It’s no surprise he qualifiCOMMITTEE ed Besides AfconSHALL title, Keshi SECTIONthat 5: “EXECUTIVE AND/OR THEthe AUDITORS PREPARE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANDof SHALLraised SUBMIT SAME THE EXECUTIVE Nigeria for the third edition the TO confidence ofCOMMITTEE domestic FOR THE PRESENTATION AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE FOUNDATION. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 6: “THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL DETERMINE THEturned SIGNATORIES THE of the OrangeSECTION African Nations league stars and theTOtrio 1. TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO GOOD HEALTHCARE ChampionshipACCOUNTS” (Chan) Africa, Godfrey Oboabona, Sunday Mba ARTICLE 12:in BYSouth ALTERING SECTION 1 TO READ; “MINIMUM OF THREE (3) AND 2. TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION MAXIMUM OF EIGHT (8)” after two unsuccessful attempts in and Gabriel Reuben, into influential

BY ALTERING SECTION 2 TO READ; “AND THREE (3) OTHER MEMBERS ARTICLE 13: BY ADDING SECTION 7 members of the national team.

2009 and 2011.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED “BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAY BE ESTABLISHED IN BRANCHES OF THE FOUNDATION TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, WHICH SHALL EXERCISE AND HAVE SUCH FUNCTIONS AS MAY DETERMINE BY THE BOARD TRUSTEES FROM TIME TO TIME” PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ANY OBJECTION THEREFORE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED SIGNED: OMONUWA OGIEMUDIA ESQ SOLICITOR SECRETARY

Rufai backs Keshi on Agbim

Ejike Uzoenyi

By Albert Akota

A

s a player, Keshi was highly influential in the national team and as a coach; he has continued to dominate the scene.

Keshi’s exploits are not only documented in the history books as Nigeria’s best indigenous manager, but the most successful coaches ever to coach the Eagles.

The statistics are clear since the former captain of defunct New Nigeria Bank (NNB) received the baton as head coach of the Super Eagles after

the sack of his former teammate, Samson Siasia in 2011.

Keshi’s coronation as Africa’s Best Coach at the 2013 Glo Caf Award is a confirmation of his quality as one of Africa’s best since he guided Togo to the 2006 Fifa World Cup in Germany with relatively unknown players.

The award makes him the latest Nigerian after Kadiri Ikhana (in 2003) and Okey Emordi (in 2004) to be decorated the best tactician on the continent.

Although the duo were decorated for their achievements with Enyimba.

Keshi wasn’t the first from the

legendary class of the 1994 squad to manage the Super Eagles as Austin Eguavoen and Samson Siasia had their chances before him.

Interestingly, during the period Eguavoen and Siasia managed the Eagles, Keshi was busy with Togo and later Mali.

Truth be told. Keshi has dwarfed the achievements of his predecessors.

Against all odds, Keshi led the Super Eagles to success at the 2013 Afcon, the 2013 Nelson Mandela Challenge and secured the Brazil 2014 Fifa World Cup ticket.

Critics would argue that

Chigozie Agbim

T

he Former Nigerian goalkeeper, Peter Rufai has given a thumb up to Super Eagles manager, Stephen Keshi for keeping faith with the firstchoice shot stopper, Chigozie Agbim at the African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Agbim’s performances in the side’s first two matches against Mali and Mozambique raised dust among Nigerians leading to concerted calls for

Falconets to know World Cup opponents March 1

T

Falconets

Pillars K striker on trial in Egyptian club

ano Pillars striker Kabiru Umar is undergoing trials at top Egyptian club Arab Contractors.

“Kabiru is on trials in Egypt with Arab Contractors. He is to be there for a week,” disclosed club spokesman Idris Malikawa.

He has been registered by Pillars for this year’s CAF Champions League.

The former Heartland and Enugu Rangers striker therefore missed the on-going Super 4 in Abuja.

Umar, a skilful striker armed with a decent shot and pace, joined Pillars from Heartland two seasons, but has yet to replicate the form he showed at the Owerri club as well as at Rangers.

His dipping form has also meant he has been overlooked by the country’s ‘B’ team after being part of Coach Stephen Keshi’s team at the onset.

he Nigeria’s U-20 women’s side, the Falconets will know their group opponents for the next FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup on March 1 when the draws are made in Montreal, Canada.

The country’s representatives cruised to their seventh consecutive appearance at the World Cup after their defeat of the Basetsana of South Africa in the final round of qualifiers.

Four cities of Toronto, Montreal, Moncton and Edmonton are expected to host the 16 nations that will participate in the competition that starts on August 5 through 24, 2014.

Before sealing a place in the finals, the Falconets beat Sierra Leone, Tunisia and South Africa. They placed second at the 2010 U20 World Cup in Germany but were fourth at the last edition in Japan in 2012.

Kabiru Umar vs Rangers

his replacement at the ongoing CHAN in South Africa.

Rufai said the former Nigerian defender must have been a super human being to withstand the pressure and still allow the Enugu Rangers goaltender to keep his shirt at his lowest point.

“Keshi and his technical crew have done excellently well to keep faith with Agbim as well as assist him to regain self-confidence in the championship.

“Any other coach could have collapsed under the weight of pressure to drop the keeper especially after his unconvincing performances in the games against Mali and Mozambique.

“It’s a huge plus and uncanny demonstration of professionalism by the crew to stand by the goalkeeper in his trying time.

“Agbim truly picked up in the game against South Africa and we’re most likely to see further improved goalkeeping in the quarterfinals tie against Morocco on Saturday.

“Goalkeeping has always been a position you treat with utmost care especially as it concerns replacement.

“Right now it’s no longer an issue for discussion whether or not to drop the goalkeeper as he has picked up both in match and mental fitness as well as perfect conditioning, and tournament rating,” said the former Stationery Stores goalkeeper said.

Rufai said the Eagles will advance to the semifinals but must work hard to earn the ticket against expected tough North African foes.

“Traditionally, Morocco is fast on the flanks and technically sound but the Eagles can unnerve the side with endurance and strength.

That’s the edge we have over them that’ll decide the game.

“For the Eagles to have survived the hosts with their massive crowd showed no other obstacle will be able to hold them down.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013

PAGE 43

Sports Track World Cup: Oliva takes bronze in men’s keirin

L

ewis Oliva won his second medal at the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico, with bronze in the men’s keirin.

Welshman Oliva, 21, part of the trio that finished third in the men’s team sprint on day one, was promoted after several disqualifications.

Jon Dibben ended day one of the men’s omnium in first position after three of the six events.

Olympic and team pursuit champion Dani King is fourth in the women’s omnium.

A youthful British squad have now won three bronze medals in Mexico.

Victoria Williamson, 20, and 18-year-old debutant Dannielle Khan emulated the men with a sprint bronze on day one.

The third and final round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup ends on Sunday night with the conclusion of the men’s and women’s omnium events plus the men’s sprint and Madison, and the women’s keirin.

Fury, Chisora rematch set for June

T

yson Fury and Dereck Chisora could fight each other again in June in a WBO title eliminator, according to Chisora’s promoter Frank Warren.

The British heavyweight duo is on the same bill at the Copper Box in east London on 15 February.

Chisora headlines versus American Kevin Johnson, while Fury fights Argentina’s Gonzalo Omar Basile on the undercard.

The pair first met in July 2011 at Wembley Arena, with Fury prevailing on points after a brutal encounter.

Fury is ranked seventh in the world by the WBO, while Chisora is reigning European heavyweight champion.

“They’re the two best heavyweights in Europe, maybe the world, except for [reigning WBA, IBF and WBO champion] Wladimir Klitschko,” said Warren.

“I’m quite sure I can get a final eliminator for the WBO between Dereck and Tyson.

The proposed venue for a June fight is West Ham’s ground Upton Park, the scene of Chisora’s fifth-round knockout

by David Haye in July 2012.

Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora could fight each other again in a WBO title eliminator in June at West Ham’s Upton Park.

Sochi 2014: New sponsor secures British biathlon future

T

he future of British biathlon beyond Sochi 2014 has been guaranteed after a new sponsor for the sport was found.

The deal with a Birmingham healthcare supplier is worth £250,000 over four years, enough to ensure continued support for GB at international level.

“Just three months ago, it really did look as though Sochi would be the last Olympics for our biathletes,” said the British Biathlon Union’s Andre Oszmann.

Andre Oszmann

The financial commitment from Aspen Healthcare Solutions exceeds the £200,000 figure the team had said was necessary for survival beyond next month’s Olympics, where Lee Jackson and Amanda Lightfoot will compete for Great Britain.

All but one of the British senior team come from the military. Their continued participation in the sport’s top events - World Cups, the World Championships and the Games - had been in jeopardy as the British Army cut its contribution.

Lapthorne wins Australian Open wheelchair quad doubles

A

ndy Lapthorne claimed his third Australian Open wheelchair tennis title in the men’s quad doubles.

Lapthorne, 23, partnered American David Wagner to beat Australian Dylan Alcott and South Africa’s Lucas Sithole 6-4 6-4 in the final in Melbourne.

Britons Gordon Reid and Jordanne Whiley also reached the men’s doubles and women’s doubles finals respectively.

After wasting a match-point when 5-3 up in the second set, Lapthorne and Wagner closed out the match and took the title in their first tournament as partners.

Victory and another title offered some revenge for Lapthorne, who lost in a deciding set to Alcott

in the singles semi-final earlier in the day.

In the men’s doubles Reid and Dutchman Maikel Scheffers stretched their unbeaten sequence for the season after a 6-2 7-5 semi-final win over Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina and Michael Jeremiasz of France.

They face top seeds Stephane Houdet of France and Japan’s Shingo Kunieda in Friday’s final, while Whiley and partner Yui Kamiji saw off Germany’s Sabine Ellerbrock and South Africa’s Kgothatso Montjane in straight sets to reach the women’s doubles final.

LOSS OF DOCUMENTS

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE LOSS OF CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY IN RESPECT OF 17, AHMED ONIBUDE STREET, VICTORIA ISLAND LAGOS BELONGING TO PHILAL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED. ALL EFFORTS MADE TO TRACE THE SAID DOCUMENT PROVED ABORTIVE. IF FOUND, PLEASE RETURN TO THE NEAREST POLICE STATION.

Andy Lapthorne and David Wagner

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

LATE J.G MOHAMMED FOUNDATION

FAITH ALIVE FOUNDATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS AMENDED HER CONSTITUTION ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTER ACT. 1990 AS FOLLOWS: ARTICLE 5 (A) BY ADDING SECTION 1 (IV) “AND ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT MAY BE ESTABLISHED FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FOUNDATION” (B) BY ADDING “ RENDERS HER SERVICES, CARRIERS ON ITS ACTIVITIES OR WHERE FUNDS ARE BEING RAISED FOR THE FOUNDATION” TO SECTION 2 ARTICLE 6

BY ADDING “TWO REFEREE REPORTS WILL BE REQUIRED; ONE OF WHICH MUST BE FROM A MEMBER OF THE FOUNDATION” TO SECTION 1 (I) ARTICLE 9 BY ADDING: SECTION 4: “EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AFTER NOMINATION BY THE CO-ORDINATOR” SECTION 5: “EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND/OR THE AUDITORS SHALL PREPARE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SHALL SUBMIT SAME TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR THE PRESENTATION AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE FOUNDATION. SECTION 6: “THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL DETERMINE THE SIGNATORIES TO THE ACCOUNTS” ARTICLE 12: BY ALTERING SECTION 1 TO READ; “MINIMUM OF THREE (3) AND MAXIMUM OF EIGHT (8)”

BY ALTERING SECTION 2 TO READ; “AND THREE (3) OTHER MEMBERS ARTICLE 13: BY ADDING SECTION 7 “BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAY BE ESTABLISHED IN BRANCHES OF THE FOUNDATION WHICH SHALL EXERCISE AND HAVE SUCH FUNCTIONS AS MAY DETERMINE BY THE BOARD TRUSTEES FROM TIME TO TIME” ANY OBJECTION THEREFORE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED OMONUWA OGIEMUDIA ESQ SOLICITOR

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. AHMAD GANA MOHAMMAD 2. ABDULLAHI GANA MOHAMMAD 3. ISMAIL IBRAHIM MUHAMMADU

CHAIRMAN SECRETARY MEMBER

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO GOOD HEALTHCARE 2. TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

LOVE TABERNACLE PROPHETIC ASSEMBLY

HUMANA FAMILY AID FOUNDATION

HOPE FOR A WOMAN RELIEF FOUNDATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSEMBLY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘’C’’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: PROPHET IYKE DESTINY OFODILE SISTER MARGRET DESTINY EVANGELIST CHUKWUDI OKOYE MR. JOHN MARTINS EZE MR. BEDE ALOZIE MRS. CHINWE NWABUIKE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ESTABLISH CHURCHES, SPREAD THE GOSPEL, HEAL THE SICK AND INCULCATE PRAYER TO MEMBERS. ENCOURAGE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTITUTIONS FOR TRAINING PASTOR, CHARITY DEALING IN LANDS ASSOCIATION.

THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR ITS CHANGE OF ITS TRUSTEES AND AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. HAJ. BARIRATU JIDDAH MUTALLAB RE-APPOINTED 2. ZARA TURI ABDULHAMEED APPOINTED 3. DAHIRU KHALID RESIGNED 4. SARATU LAWAL SABO RESIGNED 5. GEN. MUHAMMADU SANI SAMI APPOINTED 6. ALH. (DR.) UMAR ABDULMUTALLAB APPOINTED 7. ALH. LEMA JIBRILU APPOINTED 8. ALH. MUHAMMADU MACCIDO APPOINTED 9. HAJ. NORMA JIBRILU APPOINTED 10. BARIATU YUSUF APPOINTED 11. HANNATU SANI SAMI APPOINTED REASON FOR CHANGE OF TRUSTEES FOLLOWING THE RESIGNATION OF TWO TRUSTEES AND APPOINTMENT OF EIGHT NEW TRUSTEES AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION ARTICLES 2 TO 16 AND THE SPECIAL CLAUSE OF THE CONSTITUTION WERE HOWEVER AMENDED. ANY OBJECTION TO THE CHANGE OF TRUSTEES AND AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY EIGHT DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED SECRETARY

THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR ITS CHANGE OF ITS TRUSTEES AND AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. HAJ. BARIRATU JIDDAH MUTALLAB RE-APPOINTED 2. ZARA TULI ABDULHAMEED APPOINTED 3. BARR. HARUNA SHU’AIBU USMAN RE-APPOINTED 4. MALLAM MUHAMMADU MACCIDO RESIGNED 5. HAJ. FATIMA BINTA MUTALLAB RESIGNED 6. HAJ. ZAINAB KUR MOHAMMED APPOINTED 7. HAJ. FATI YABANI APPOINTED 8. HAJ. AMINA DAHIRU APPOINTED 9. HAJ. HAUWA SAMAILA ISA APPOINTED 10. MUHAMMADU HADI MUTALLAB APPOINTED 11. MAL. ALIYU KANTOMA APPOINTED 12. HAJ. AISHA INNO MODIBBO APPOINTED REASON FOR CHANGE OF TRUSTEES FOLLOWING THE RESIGNATION OF TWO TRUSTEES AND APPOINTMENT OF EIGHT NEW TRUSTEES AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION ARTICLES 2 TO 10; AND 12 TO 16 AND THE SPECIAL CLAUSE OF THE CONSTITUTION WERE HOWEVER AMENDED. ANY OBJECTION TO THE CHANGE OF TRUSTEES AND AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY EIGHT DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE PUBLICATION SIGNED ISHAKU USMAN (ESQ) AMANA CHAMBERS S.E 150 KUTA ROAD, MINNA, NIGER STATE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF KATSINA ALA

SOUL LIGHTER HAVEST MISSION INT’L

CHRIST MINISTRY IN NIGERIA

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAME HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAME HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.ADOBOH IORNZUUL PETER 2.REV.FR. ASEMAGEMA MATHEW THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE LIBERATION OF JESUS CHRIST THROUGH PROPHETIC ACTION FOR THE PROMOTION OF JUSTICE AND PEACE IN THE SOCIETY. 2.TO PROMOTE FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION OF COMMUNITIES. 3.TO ASSIST THE LESS PRIVILEDGED IN THE ACTUALIZATION OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL,LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC POTENTIALS. 4.TO ENGAGE IN OTHER AWAITABLE PURPOSE THAT MAY BE INCIDENTAL TO THE ATTAINMENT OF THE ABOVE OBJECTIVES. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRARGENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.PASTOR PETER EFE OLOMU - CHAIRMAN 2.PASTOR MRS. BLESSING EFE PETER OLOMU - SECRETARY 3.PASTOR GLORY AKPOBOME 4.PASTOR WILSON EGBODJE 5.SISTER PRECIOUS ANIDHUNO

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.PASTOR RALPH OGWU ACHENEJE 2.PASTOR SAMUEL MOMOH 3.PASTOR (MRS) GRACE UFEDO RALPH 4.ELDER NATHAN AKAN 5.PASTOR UNEKWU ABRAHAM THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2.TO EMPOWER THE POOR THROUGH CHURCH ACTIVITIES. 3.TO FOSTER UNITY,PEACE AND PROGRESS AMONG MEMBER. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.

SIGNED:BARR. C.E. ORJI 07065133770

SIGNED:IFESI NWODO & CO 08032146601

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

SIGNED:BARR.IORTYER AFA NELLY NO 1 K ROAD,SECTOR F,FEDERAL HOUSING AUTHORITY,LUDGE,ABUJA.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHIOLIVE INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION

VOLUNTARY WINDING UP/APPOINTMENT OF LIQUIDATOR

MOTHERS SUMMIT MINISTRY THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, P. M. B 420 MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY EIGHT (28) DAY FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

C & L GLOBAL INVESTMENT LTD. RC:1121973.

22,NELSON MANDELA STR,ASOKORO,ABUJA THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT,1990 COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES SPECIAL RESOLUTION OF C & L GLOBEL INVESTMENT LTD AT THE EXTRA ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF THE ABOVE-NAMED COMPANY HELD AT THE COMPANY’S REGISTERED OFFICE ON 29TH DAY OF JUNE, 2014.

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS WERE PROPOSED AND DULY PASSED AS FOLLOWS: THAT IT HAS BEEN PROVED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THIS MEETING THAT THE COMPANY CANNOT BY REASON OF ITS LIABILITIES CONTINUE ITS BUSINESS;AND THAT IT IS ADVISABLE TO WIND-UP THE SAME,AND ACCORDINGLY THAT THE COMPANY BE WOUND-UP VOLUNTARILY;AND THAT:OLUMIDE EMMANUEL SOWEMIMO ESQ. OF:FLATA5,JUBILATION ESTATE,ARAB RD,KUBWA,ABUJA,FCT; BE NOMINATED AS LIQUIDATOR FOR THE PURPOSE OF WINDING-UP.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED: DIRECTORS

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANISATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.PROF CHIOLIVE PASCAL CHIJOKE - CHAIRMAN 2.JOHN-MOSES UWANDUOMA MADUABUCHI - SECRETARY 3.PROF MARK OKORO CHIJOKE - MEMBER 4.PROF ANEZIONWU NWANKWO OKORO - MEMBER 5.DR IGNATIUS CHUKWUDI - MEMBER 6.DR (MRS) CHIKA NDIOKWELU - MEMBER 7.DR JOE NWAORGU - MEMBER THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1.TO BE SITUATED IN ENUGU,NIGERIA. 2.TO REVERSE THE WORLDWIDE RISING TIDE OF CHRONIC DISEASE BY THE ADDRESSING THE AETRIOPATHOGETIC DIETGENOME INTERACTION MECHANISM.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.PRESIDENT COMFORT OLUFUNKE ADEJUMO 2.GRACE OLUWAKEMI HARRISON 3. LOVE OLUWATOMI ADEJUMO 4.VICTORIA OLUWAFUNMILOLA DAVID-KAYODE 5. DUPE ABODUNDE. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF GOD 2.TO WIN SOULS FOR CHRIST. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

ACCORD WOMEN AND YOUTH INITIATIVE

TAY & NICE FOUNDATION

THE BALM EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAME HAS INITIATIVE APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.MRS ADA ELIZABETH OKWORI 2.QUEEN VICTORIA OCHANYA DANIEL 3.ANTHONY ABUTU 4.DEBORAH ITODO

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.AGBEBI OLADIMEJI 2.AGBEBI EUNICE

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1.TRAINING,EMPOWERING AND SUPPORTING URBAN AND RURAL WOMEN AND YOUTH FOR BETTER SOCIETY.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1.EDUCATION SUPPORT. 2.BUSINESS START UP SUPPORT. 3.CHARITY.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.ELDER UMORU ALIU OLEGE 2.DR OJO OLUGBENGA 3.FAVOUR OGHALE JOLAOLUWA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1.TO PRIVIDE FREE HIV/AIDS,MALARIA DRUG. 2.TO HELP IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION AND GENERAL HEALTH EDUCATION. 3.TO HELP THE POOR,ORPHAN,WIDOWS AND ELDERLY PERSONS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: BARR. IGBOYI ENE ROSEMARY

SIGNED: BARR. IKECHUKWU EMETO

SIGNED:BARR. IKEME GOODNESS 08033769611

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PAGE 45

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHANGE OF NAME

CENTRE FOR ABILITY REHABILITATION AND EMPOWERMENT

CRUSADERS FOR CHRIST TABERNACLE

I FORMERLY KNOWN AS ONOJA OLOCHE MARIA NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AS AGBO OLOCHE MARIA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAME HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.MRS ELIZABETH OKOFORO - CHAIRMAN 2.PROF. ABRAHAM AFOLABI - VICE.CHAIRMAN 3.MRS OKWESA KATE 4.MR CHIKE OKOGWU 5.DR MRS NGOZI OLEJEME 6.ALH NAJEEM USMAN YASIN 7.MR EMMANUEL AKAEZE 8.NUHU DANLADI - TREASURER/SEC THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1..TO HELP THE LESS PRIVILEDGED IN THE SOCIETY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTER ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. REV.DR ANTHONY OLIGBO. GENERAL OVERSEER 2. PROPHETESS MRS. ESTHER OLIGBO 3. PROPHET CHRISTIAN OMEFE 4. ROLAND CHIEDU OLIGBO 5. ANTHONY CHUKWUMA OLIGBO 6. PASTOR EZE CHUKWUEMEKA JUDANKINGS 7. DEACON PHILIP AKPORHONOL 8. THANKGOD ARIANAGBE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2. TO CARE FOR THE NEEDY IN THE COMMUNITIES. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BRIGHT EGUALEONA

CHANGE OF NAME I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MISS FEMI KEMI NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS OYETUNDE KEMI SHADE.ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. NIGERIA POLICE FORCE AND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MISS HAUWA SULEIMAN NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AS HAJIYA HAUWA SULEIMAN ABDULMALIK MRS. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID.THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,THE FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHANGE OF NAME

ALUMINIUM AND ALLIED PRODUCTS DEALERS ASSOCIATION, CROSS RIVER STATE

VICTORY BELT MINISTRY

I FORMERLY KNOWN AS HUSNA KABIR NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS SUWAIBA M. BELLO. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT BOARD, BAUCHI AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT CAP C20 LFN 2004 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR SAVIOR AKPABIO 2. MR. VICTOR DAN UKIM 3. CHIEF REGINALD ETIM 4. APOSTLE EMMANUEL ONWURUARIRI ALOZIE 5. CHIEF AMOS CHUKWU 6. CHIEF JOSEPH ISU OKOH 7. MR RICHARD ADE ALABI 8. ELDER BONIFACE EFFIONG AKPABIO AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: TO PROMOTE AND STRENTHEN THE MEMBERS OF THE ORGANISATION THROUGH LECTURE, SEMINARS, RETREATS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION OF THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET. P.M.B 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAY OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: MR VICTOR DAN UKIM SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE UNITED NIGERIAN CHAPLAINCY ASSOCIATION CAC/IT/NO.42760 THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR CHANGE OF ITS TRUSTEES UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE NEW TRUSTEES ARE: 1. CHAP.GEN.JIDEJISOS JOSIAH EJIE 2. CHAP. GEN. DAVID OLAGUNJU BAMIDELE 3. DAODU OLUSEGUN ALFRED 4. JULIUS ADEWALE TAIWO 5. PRINCE AUSTIN A. NWODIKA 6. EMMANUEL IBEKWE 7. CECILIA IMAJI OGAR 8. CHRISTOPER AKOGWU 9. DAVID MARK 10. BERTY AGBANUSI

THE OLD TRUSTEES ARE: 1. BISHOP ELEAZAR CHUKWUDI OKOYE 2. CHAP. GEN. (DR.) TONY EMEKWUE 3. ANYAOHA BENSON OGUGUA 4. NWANDU UZOMA 5. CHAP. GEN. DR. CELESTINE UBA NEBO 6. CHAP. GEN. BERTRAM AGBANUSI 7. CHAP. GEN. DAVID OLAGUNJU BAMIDELE 8. CHAP. JIDEJISOS JOSIAH EJIE 9. EMENIKE PRINCE CHIBSI 10. OFOKANSI ARINZE CHINEDU

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGE SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT CAP C20 LFN 2004 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. EVANG. JORDAN DANLADI MOMOH - GENERAL OVERSEER 2. MRS PRISCILLA JORDAN MOMOH 3. BRO. ERIC AKOJI 4. BRO. UGBEDE IDRIS 5. EVANG. EMMANUEL EGENE AMODU 6. PASTOR DAVID ISAH AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION OF THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET. P.M.B 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAY OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: TIMOTHY OGWU ADEJOH 08062609616

CHANGE OF NAME I FORMERLY KNOWN AS IBRAHIM MUSA NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS AHMED MUSA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, JUDICIARY BAUCHI AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME I FORMERLY KNOWN AS ADAMU RIFKATU BELLO NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MAXWELL RIFKATU, ALL FIRMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY CORPS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME

PUBLIC NOTICE ORGANIZATION FOR PROMOTING AFRICAN GIRLS IN ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAME HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT CAP C20 LFN 2004 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. DR. (MRS) UDUAKOBONG ANIEBIAT OKON - PRESIDENT 2. DR. (MRS) EMEM UDOFIA - VICE- PRESIDENT 3. MRS. ENO PETERS EDEM - GEN. SECRETARY AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO PROMOTE AFRICAN GIRLS IN ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION 2. TO SUPPORT AND MENTOR AFRICAN GIRLS IN “STEM” STUDIES 3. SEEK TO RETAIN GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN IN “STEM” EDUCATION 4. TO GIVE GUIDANCE TO GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN INTO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BASED CAREERS 5. TO PRESENT STEM CAREERS TO PARENTS AND TEACHERS ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION OF THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET. P.M.B 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAY OF THIS PUBLICATION

I FORMERLY KNOWN AS MURTALA IBRAHIM NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MUSTAPHA IBRAHIM. ALL FIRMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, LERE CONCERNED AUTHORITIES AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME I FORMERLY KNOWN AS RAKIYA HAMISU MOH’D, NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AISHAT HAMISU HARUNA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

THIS SPACE IS FOR SALE

SIGNED: SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

LIVING HOPE CHRISTIAN OUTREACH

BASEBALL/SOFTBALLERS ASSOCIATION OF RIVERS STATE

SOULMISSION INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED BODY HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO THE CORPORATION AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR THE REGISTRATION UNDER THE PART “C” OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED “ASSOCIATION” HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER THE PART C OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACTS, 1990.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MR. VICTOR TAMIE FINGESI 2. ENGR. DIKIBU CHRIS DIC-WILLIE. 3. MR. JACOB DENNIS ALBERT-DEDE.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR UGOCHUKWU IROANYA 2. MRS. SANDRA IROANYA 3. PASTOR ANDREW BENARD 4. MRS. BLESSING EVBODAGHE 5. PASTOR GODIYA LUMI

TRUSTEES: 1. OBAGBEMI DARE OLAONIPEKUN - PRESIDENT 2. AWOBAJO OLALEKAN AKINWUNMI -TREASURER 3. OBAGBEMI OLADAPO OLANIKE - SECRETARY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN NIGERIA AND ALLOVER THE WORLD 2. TO PROVIDE SECONDARY ROLE SUCH AS HEALTH, EDUCATION, POVERTY ALLEVIATION , CHARITY, SELF EMPLOYMENTAND HUMANITARIAN SERVICES

- CHAIRMAN.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT SPORTS

ANY OBJECTION THERETO SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO REGISTRAR - GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, P.M.B 198, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA ABUJA, WITHIN {28} DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: OBAGBEMI O. D

SIGNED BY: TRUSTEES

SIGNED: SECRETARY

PAGE 46

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

BAKER’S HOUSE CHAPEL INTERNATIONAL

REIGNING CHRIST MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL

SUPERNATURAL MANIFESTATION OUTREACH

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHAPEL HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1.) BISHOP JUBRIL AUGUSTINE ESHOBODE (2.) PASTOR (MRS.) GRACE JUBRIL (3.) UGBODAGA KHRISTEN AIMS AND OBJECTIVE TO MAKE MANIFEST THE TRUE GOSPEL OF JESUS TO BOTH BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS ALIKE THROUGH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST WHICH IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION, AND DISABUSE THE MINDS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHICH THE DEVIL HAD OPPRESSED THROUGH WRONG CONCEPTION OF GOD’S LOVE TOWARDS THEM.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, FOR CHANGE OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

OLD TRUSTEES. 1. REV ELIJAH TOSS MOMOH 2. PASTOR MRS VICTORIA TOSS MOMOH 3. ARET ADAMS. 4. PASTOR ANDREW UGWT 5. SAMUEL AFEMIKHE 6. FANNY UGORJI 7. BENJAMIN SUNDAY NWACHOKOR 8. IRONDI NWADONGO 9. AINS EMMAN SULE NEW TRUSTEES: 1. PASTOR MRS VICTORIA TOSS MOMOH RETAINED CHAIRMAN 2. ABDUL FAVOUR MOMOH SECRETARY 3. EVANG MOSES AIREN IYAMU 4. EMMANUEL EXCEL MOMOH 5. EVANG MATTHEW AFEALUOKHAI DAUDU AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGE SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL,CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT,AGUIYI IRONSI STREET,MAITAMA,ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARR SOLOMON AKHIGBE - 08037257296

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1990.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, P. M. B 420 MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY EIGHT (28) DAY FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. EVANG. MICHEAL O. AGBOGE 2. EVANG. JUDITH AGBOGE 3. PST PAUL UBOYI 4. PST JOSEPH AHEN 5. PST JOSEPH EMMANUEL AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY 2. TO GO AFTER THE LOST SHEEP AND TO AFFECT LIVES POSITIVELY BY THE POWER INVESTED IN HIS WONDERFUL AND GLORIOUS BLOOD. MATT. 10:6, PROV. 11:30, ZECH. 9:11 3. TO EVANGELISE THROUGH RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS 4. TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF EDUCATING AND TEACHING THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST TO BE LAW ABIDING AND RESPECT CONSTITUTED AUTHORITIES ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, P.M.B 420 MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY EIGHT (28) DAY FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGN BY MINISTER INCHARGE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

IGBOUKWU YOUNG DYNAMIC CLUB

ADDRA CULTURAL FOUNDATION

SOCIETY FOR FAMILY AND SOCIAL PROTECTION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CLUB HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ONYEMAIZU HILARY ONYEKA CHAIRMAN 2. EZEIFEKA PAUL CHIJIOKE SECRETARY 3. OFORDUM VINCENT ANISINNA MEMBER 4. OKEKE SIMON ANAYO MEMBER 5. OKOYE VITALIS ONYEBUCHI MEMBER AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO FOSTER UNITY AMONGST MEMBERS 2. TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MEMBERS 3. TO CATER FOR THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. IBRAHIM INUWA ADDRA 2. RABIATU IBRAHIM ADDRA 3. ISA IBRAHIM OGOSHI

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANISATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. DR. ABIOLA TILLEY-GYADO CHAIRMAN 2. OLUSEYI BABATUNDE OYEBISI SECRETARY 3. MGANA KAYAMA DADA 4. OLUWAFEMI OGUNLOLA SUENU 5. CHIMAOBI ADIELE 6. GRACE OYEBOLA ADETULA 7. DR. ADETOUN AGBE-DAVIES 8. DR. EUGENE ITUA 9. DR. DOLAPO FASAWE 10. DR. RITGAK DIMKA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT FAMILY VALUES 2. TO PROMOTE FAMILY HEALTH EDUCATION ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO IDENTIFY, PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE TRADITIONS, CULTURE AND VALUES OF THE ALAGO NATION 2. YOUTH MOBILIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: BARR.UCHE OKAFOR; SOLICITOR, 08035260825

SIGNED: SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

EZINWANNE YOUTH FOUNDATION

YOUNG AND ACTIVE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT ASSOCIATION

YINKA OLATUNBOSUN FOUNDATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. LADY DOZIE ANNE ONYEMAECHI 2. DR. DOZIE HENRY OKECHUKWU 3. MR. DOZIE PATRICK IKECHUKWU 4. DR. DOZIE PEACE IHUOMA 5. MR. OPARAUGO MICHAEL 6. ONYEKURU FINA NKECHI 7. EKEADA VICTOR 8. OSUJI UKACHUKWU 9. NJOKU ADRIAN NNAEMEKA 10. ONYEMECHARA NELSON CHIGOZIE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO EMPOWER THE YOUTHS OF OWERRI NORTH AND ALSO THE LESS PRIVILEGED ONES IN OUR SOCIETY (THROUGH SKILL ACQUISITION 2. GRASSROOT DEVELOPMENT AND REDUCTION OF CRIME IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES 3. TO HELP ORPHANS AND THE GIFTED BUT HELPLESS, ACQUIRE QUALITATIVE EDUCATION 4. TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE SOCIAL AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 5. TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE AWARENESS FOR RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY IN THE SOCIETY 6. FOR PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, ESPECIALLY THE LESS PRIVILEGED IN THE SOCIETY 7. TO ASSIST IN THE EDUCATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT OF CHILDREN OF THE LESS PRIVILEGED 8. TO PROMOTE AND ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING AND CO-OPERATION AMONG THE MEMBERS ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARR. YVONNE DOZIE

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR OLAYINKA DIPO OLATUNBOSUN (JP) 2. MRS. OLAYIDE MIRIAM OLATUNBOSUN 3. DR. (SIR) RICHMOND IBEGBULE 4. PROF. JAMES OLUKAYODE OMOLE 5. LT. COL. EBENEZER OLUSESAN ODUTEBA 6. HON. JUSTICE OMAKIANO CHARLES AGBAZA 7. ALHAJI HABIB GAJO AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO GIVE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT TO STUDENT IN ALL LEVELS OF LEARNING 2. TO GIVE FREE MEDICAL CARE TO AGED PEOPLE AND THE LESS PRIVILEGED 3. TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT’S EFFORT IN ALLEVIATING POVERTY IN OUR SOCIETY ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. TIMS OBETA 2. OKEWOYE OLUWASEUN 3. ADEBAMBO TOYOSI 4. CHIOMA AIK-OPARAH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PROMOTE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP, EDUCATION, ENLIGHTENMENT PROGRAMS, SPORTS ETC. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COLLEGE OGBOMOSHO OLD STUDENTS ASSOCIATION CAC/IT/NO. 25975

YORUBA PETROLEUM MARKETERS FORUM, WARRI DEPOT, DELTA STATE CAC/IT/NO. 40265

CHEVY VIEW ESTATE LANDLORDS AND TENANTS ASSOCIATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES REMAIN THE SAME NEW AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION 1. TO FOSTER UNITY AND SENSE OF BROTHERLINESS AMONG MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND TO FOSTER UNITY BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATION AND OTHER ASSOCIATION AND INSTITUTIONS OPERATING IN THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY 2. ACTING AS ONE BODY, TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS OF MEMBERS AND THE COLLECTIVE INTEREST OF THE ASSOCIATION 3. TO ENSURE THAT MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION OBSERVE AND ADHERE TO DECENT BUSINESS PRACTICES, TRADE ETHICS AND THE REGULATIONS LAID DOWN BY RELEVANT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION: THE ENTIRE PROVISIONS/ARTICLES OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION IS HEREBY AMENDED. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGE/AMENDMENT SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES REMAIN THE SAME NEW AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION 1. TO ESTABLISH AN ASSOCIATION TO BRING TOGETHER ALL OLD STUDENTS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COLLEGE, OGBOMOSHO 2. TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMAGE OF THE SCHOOL AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION: THE ENTIRE PROVISIONS/ARTICLES OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION IS HEREBY AMENDED. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS CHANGE/AMENDMENT SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MR. KENECHI AKANIRO 2. MR. IKECHUKWU EKWUEME 3. MR. ABIODUN AGBAJE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO ENCOURAGE MEMBERS TO WORK IN CONCERT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ESTATE SECURITY WELFARE AND GENERAL WELLBEING OF MEMBERS 2. TO ORGANIZE AND ENFORCE THE CLEANLINESS OF THE ESTATE. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: BARR. FREDO MALEDO, SUITE B11, MAINA COURT, CENTRAL AREA, ABUJA FCT. 08023615834

PAGE 47

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

Leisure

Some Interesting Facts

M

ost Americans’ car horns beep in the key of F. • Most cows give more milk when they listen to music.

• Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin.

• Most lipstick contains fish scales.

• Over 1000 birds a year die from smashing into windows.

• Owls are one of the only birds who can see the color blue.

• The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.

• The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year.

• The average person is about a quarter of an inch taller at night.

• The average person’s left hand does 56% of the typing.

• The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.

• The only nation whose name begins with an “A” but doesn’t end in an “A” is Afghanistan.

• The “save” icon on Microsoft Word shows a floppy disk, with the shutter on backwards.

• There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

• There are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball.

• There are over 52.6 million dogs in the U.S. • There are more chickens than people in the world.

• There are more plastic flamingos in America than real ones.

• There are only four words in the English language which end in “-dous”: tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.

• There are only thirteen blimps in the world. Nine of them are in the United States.

• When snakes are born with two heads, they fight each other for food.

• Windmills always turn counter-clockwise. Except for the windmills in Ireland.

• You’re born with 300 bones, but when you get to be an adult, you only have 206.

• You’re more likely to get stung by a bee on a windy day than in any other weather.

• Windmills always turn counter-clockwise. Except for the windmills in Ireland.

• The sound of E.T. walking was made by someone squishing her hands in Jello.

• The starfish is one of the only

animals who can turn it’s stomach inside-out.

• The state of Florida is bigger than England.

• The name Wendy was made up for the book “Peter Pan.” • The national anthem of Greece has 158 verses. No one in Greece has memorized all 158 verses.

• The Neanderthal’s brain was bigger than yours is.

• The oldest known goldfish lived to 41 years of age. Its name was Fred.

• The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world.

• The glue on Israeli postage stamps is certified kosher.

• The highest point in Pennsylvania is lower than the lowest point in Colorado.

• The housefly hums in the middle octave, key of F. • The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 672.

• The katydid bug hears through holes in its hind legs.

• The “L.L.” in L.L. Bean stands for Leon Leonwood.

• The longest one-syllable word in the English language is “screeched.”

89.The longest recorded flight of a chicken is thirteen seconds.

Say what?

SUDODKU SUDODKU EASY 29

Problems With Elephants

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Intimate connection: These adorable photographs capture the tender moments between Vanya and his five-year-old brother Yaroslav and various animals near their home.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

www.peoplesdailyng.com

QUOTABLE QUOTE I don’t want his (Senate President David Mark’s) seat but I won’t be blackmailed into not doing or saying what I feel is right because I’ve been down this road a number of times…

. . . putting the people first

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014

SPORTS LATEST

Enyimba beats Kano Pillars to win NPFL pre-season

S

ix-time Nigerian champions, Enyimba, yesterday beat Kano Pillars 1-0 to win the 2013/14 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Pre-Season Tournament in Abuja.

The Aba club defeated Warri Wolves 2-0 on Sunday with Abdulrahman Bashir and Emeka Nwanna scoring in each half.

Enyimba looked comfortable from the outset of the match and deservedly took the lead on 11 minutes through Bashir.

Mfon Udoh whipped in a superb cross from the right which Bashir met with his head but Wolves goalkeeper Ambrose Vanzekin touch to the ball was not enough to keep it out.

Wolves’ afternoon got worse when their only hope going forward Musa Najare was shown a straight red card for a silly challenge on Emma Anyanwu.

As if that was not enough, Wolves head coach, Paul Aigbogun was forced to replace injured Daddy Bazuaye with Efe Yarhere after just 28 minutes.

Though Wolves lost their attacking threat, Enyimba failed to make the numerical advantage count as the game petered out into half time.

Aigbogun threw on Stanley Dimgba in the restart and he sparked life into Wolves’ play leading to Enyimba captain Markson Ojobo getting a second booking for his reckless challenge on Michael Egbeta.

However Enyimba made the sending off of Ojobo count for nothing as Nwanna came off the bench to plant home the insurance goal from a Michael Okoyoh assist.

In the second match, Warri Wolves beat Bayelsa United 3-1 to crown second.

Bayelsa United head coach, Ladan Bosso, made 11 changes to his start list that lost 0-3 to Enyimba on Day One. Bosso’s men put up an improved performance in the business end of the game but were always on hand to foil them.

In attempt to salvage a point, Bosso sent on Sheriff Bashir, Azubuike Okechukwu and Ebitimi Agogu but Pillars held their nerves for the full points.

ADVERT: BUSINESS: NEWS: LAGOS:

0803 0805 0814 0805 0803

–Senator and former Kwara state governor Bukola Saraki

Maku’s shadow boxing

I

f I sat in a jury to decide who among the three in the President’s circle is doing the most damage to “enemy” Northern leaders between Edwin Clark, Asari Dokubo and the Minster of Information Labaran Maku, I would not hesitate to choose Maku and would tell you why. Maku is not only adept at linguistic pedagogy and propaganda, but also has the courage to take the fight to enemy territory just as he did in Kaduna recently. At the rate he is going, especially with the recent addition of the defence portfolio to his cap, Maku may run the Ijaw leaders out of business and succeed in having all to himself, the heart of the President. That prospect alone should worry those who love the minister.

Beyond occasional insults hurled at men and women, past and present, in power in the North, Maku’s edge over the two others is that he speaks Hausa to the BBC and the Voice of America, which gives him direct connections to the hearts and minds of the Northern masses. Talking about his courage, who but Maku could go to Kaduna, the so-called home of the “Kaduna Mafia” – famous for running and ruining Nigeria (?) – to tell the Northerners that they should forget the Presidency in 2015 because “power can never return to the North” (Nigerian Observer), and that “Northern leaders lack the moral authority to lead the country come 2015”?

Maku alone can look at the Northern political elite and tell them that they are tied to ethnic politics and religious bigotry. In Kaduna at the self-styled “town hall meeting” he pronounced that the emancipation of the North would not come from a Northerner (which curiously includes himself). “Every day, we keep advising people that politics is not madness, it is not about religious bigotry, it is like market… All the propaganda and fight for political power are only retarding the North’s development.”

In his view, the people should jettison ethnic politics and support the President, meaning that the democratic right to differ belongs

“

311 689 292 327 454

7458 1765 9046 1969 0344

MUSINGS By

Garba Shehu garshehu@yahoo.co.in

Labaran Maku to only the President and those on his side, and all others who disagree with them are tribalists.

Short of saying that Northern Nigeria is at war with the rest of the country using the Boko Haram, Maku has used every given opportunity to give the impression that the political leaders in the North are those who are responsible or that are behind the senseless insurgency going on. On this occasion of the Kaduna homily, it was surprising to many that he skipped the equally senseless killings going on between Fulani herdsmen and the other tribesmen in the Middle-Belt. Not a word from him on the Ombatse violence that saw the killing of nearly 100 policemen and secret service personnel by a cult formed by his own Eggon tribe and about which nothing of any serious consequence has been done to punish the perpetrators.

In America, the Mecca and Jerusalem of our political and

mental compass, a certain Michael Dukakis lost steam and momentum in a presidential nomination race he was about to win by talking lightly of the killing by an outlaw of a single policeman. In a report that he vigorously objected to, The Sunday Tribune linked the Ombatse cult murder of the security men to the existing political disagreement over 2015 between Minister Maku and Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura. This denial notwithstanding, the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, went on to denounce his promotion as Supervising Minister of Defence and not few pages of advertorial were published in opposition by some other Nasarawa state communities.

The pressure of these lingering accusations notwithstanding, Maku continues to make important contributions to the Jonathan administration through the demonization of Northern leaders, past and present, whenever the opportunity presents itself. When he spoke in Kaduna, he rubbed pepper into their eyes when he said “clearly, clearly, clearly (three times), the North had not had it better under any President than we have it under Jonathan.” At this point, you ask yourself, which North is the minister talking about? Is it the same North where Muslims and Christians are both feeling unsafe because the government has failed in its constitutional duty of protecting lives and properties?

You don’t have to be a Christian to feel the agony they feel because in Goza, Borno state, you have 80 churches now reduced to only eight and no week passes without one more being torched and worshippers

Short of saying that Northern Nigeria is at war with the rest of the country using the Boko Haram, Maku has used every given opportunity to give the impression that the political leaders in the North are those who are responsible or that are behind the senseless insurgency going on. On this occasion of the Kaduna homily, it was surprising to many that he skipped the equally senseless killings going on between Fulani herdsmen and the other tribesmen in the Middle-Belt. Not a word from him on the Ombatse violence that saw the killing of nearly 100 policemen and secret service personnel by a cult formed by his own Eggon tribe and about which nothing of any serious consequence has been done to punish the perpetrators.

shelled with bullets by extremists.

Nor are the Muslims safe from the madness, given the fact that more of them have actually been killed with bombs and guns as illustrated by reports the Human Rights Watch has published? Both groups need a government that would protect them. As if Maku had forgotten that the primary duty of government is the protection of lives and properties, he went on “Radio Link”, a talk show by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, run by him and launched what was described as a “frontal attack on Northern leaders”, in which he blamed them for every wrong of the country, past and present, and exonerated the President who gave him two cabinet jobs to run at once as a man deserving of accolades.

Would anyone be right to remain quiet, or abandon the quest for public office through democratic election in a country such as we have, where a snapshot by Daily Trust showed that Niger Delta, one of the six geo-political zones, got 86% of total projects approved by the Federal Executive Council between March and August 2011? That this sub-region alone got projects, in terms of budget implementation in that period worth N760 billion out of N883 billion they had paid?

On another occasion, he thundered that “the fiction in the North that President Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo are not developing the North is the fiction whipped up by politicians who see nothing other than their blind ambitions. When they want to do it (leadership), they continue to talk about the North. When they come to power, you don’t see anything. In terms of development, what we are witnessing is momentous, not only in Northern Nigeria but Nigeria as a whole”.

I asked a former friend of the minister if they thought the time had come for some senior people to address Mr. Maku on his continuing attacks on a victim people and he said to me “perish the thought”.

He said there are ministers in this government who don’t feel embarrassed by claims coming from some of the most respected and admired clerics and other leaders that their calls are not being picked.

A man who calls himself the “Angry Blogger”, Twitter @aderinola, and worried that the minister is busy chasing shadows and attacking victims, said that “there are serious allegations of missing trillions of Naira against his government… Your Boss cannot deal with … corrupt men and women in the executives (sic)” and Maku has given all his energy attacking perceived political enemies of the President in the North. What is this but shadow boxing?

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234 814 292 9046. Cell: +234 802 443 2099; 803 7007 759. e-mail: contact@peoplesdailyng.com; pmlnewsdesk@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141