Saturday 25th November 2017

Restructuring: Nigeria's Unity Must Be Our First Focus, Says Saraki Damilola Oyedele President of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola, yesterday emphasized that the nation’s unity remains a prerequisite for Nigeria’s development, stability and greatness. Speaking in Calabar, at the retreat held by the Southern

Senators' Forum, Saraki insisted: "We must always put Nigeria first" in the ongoing debate about restructuring of the country and other similar agitations. “As a nation, unity is a prerequisite for development, stability and greatness. Unity is the first focus. Without unity, we can achieve nothing. And yet we know that, since the end of the

Nigerian Civil War, our unity has never been more challenged than at the present time. “There are agitations across the length and breadth of this country that threaten our unity. And this time around, the threats are multi-faceted, and the vagaries of modern times have made the issues even more challenging than in the early post-independence

era.” He further stated that the founders of Nigeria’s Constitution had envisioned the current agitations, and had put in place guidelines to ensure that the entire country must be on the same page in order to take drastic decisions. “In seeking to carry out any reform or restructuring, it is worth bearing in mind that the founders

of our country, in their wisdom, had laid down some guidelines, making clear that it cannot be done by a simple majority, but rather by a two-thirds majority. “To this end, we must all be on the same page. We cannot bully or browbeat others into accepting our point of view or positioning. Whatever we do must be by consensus, with the buy-in

of all critical stakeholders in the debate,” Saraki said. He also emphasized that Nigeria was not alone in its current predicament, stating that in Africa and the rest of the world, similar agitations were making governments and those they rule over to question their Continued on page 8

Egypt Suffers Worst Terror Attack in Its History, 235 Killed in Assault on Mosque ... Page 6 Saturday 25 November, 2017 Vol 22. No 8255 Price: N250

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Ozekhome: Anyim Still Held By EFCC Under Inhuman Condition Anti-graft agency says he's yet to meet bail conditions Alex Enumah and Paul Obi in Abuja Contrary to speculation that

former Senate President/ Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim had been released on bail by the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, yesterday said Anyim was still being kept by the EFCC under inhuman and degrading

conditions. Anyim was arrested last Thursday after honouring an invitation by the EFCC over allegation of diversion of about

N13 billion Ecological Funds while he was the SGF. There were speculations about his release during the week, but his counsel, Ozekhome debunked

such claims, arguing that Anyim was still under the custody of the EFCC. Continued on page 6

Atiku: APC Now Gripped By Impunity, Arbitrariness, Unconstitutionality May formally join PDP December 6 el-rufai: It’s a replay of what he knows best APC expresses surprise

Olawale Olaleye in Lagos, Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who formally resigned

from the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, said that his resignation was largely influenced by the “impunity, arbitrariness and unconstitutionality” in the APC. In the statement he personally

signed, Atiku said that injustice and failure to abide by its own constitution, “which had dogged the then PDP, have now been replicated in the APC, while the PDP appears to have purged itself of the malice.”

He said while other parties had purged themselves of the arbitrariness and unconstitutionality that led to fractionalization, “the APC had adopted those same practices and even gone beyond them to

institute a regime of a draconian clampdown on all forms of democracy within the party and the government it produced.” Atiku continued: "Only last year, a governor produced by the party wrote a secret

memorandum to the president which ended up being leaked. In that memo, he admitted that the APC had not only failed to manage expectations of a populace Continued on page 6

TOURISM ON THEIR MINDS … L-R: Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe; Secretary to Jigawa State Government, Alhaji Adamu Abdulkadir; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Deaconess Grace Isu Gekpe, at the 9th National Council on Tourism, Culture and National Orientation in Dutse, Jigawa State ...yesterday

Obiano: Ojukwu’s Defection to APC Inconsequential ... Page 16

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Egypt Suffers Worst Terror Attack in Its History, 235 Killed in Assault on Mosque Buhari Condoles with Egypt Yemi Adebowale and

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

with agency report

Sinai militants killed more than 230 people in a mosque in Egypt’s North Sinai yesterday afternoon, detonating a bomb and gunning down worshippers in the deadliest attack on civilians in the country’s modern history. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but since 2013, Egyptian security forces have battled a stubborn Islamic State affiliate in the mainly desert region, and militants have killed hundreds of police and soldiers. State media showed images

of bloodied victims and bodies covered in blankets inside the Al Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed, west of El Arish, the main city in North Sinai. Worshippers were finishing Friday prayers at the mosque when a bomb exploded, witnesses said. Around 40 gunmen set up positions outside the mosque with jeeps and opened fire from different directions as people tried to escape, witnesses said. “They were shooting at people as they left the mosque. They were shooting at the ambulances too,� said a local resident whose relatives were at the scene.

Striking at a mosque would be a change in tactics for the Sinai militants, who have usually attacked troops and police and churches. Arabiya news channel and some local sources said some of the worshippers were Sufis, whom groups such as Islamic State consider targets because they revere saints and shrines, which for Islamists is tantamount to idolatry. The jihadists have also attacked local tribes and their militias for working with the army and police, branding them traitors. The Sinai branch is one of Islamic State’s surviving branches

following the collapse of its selfdeclared caliphate in Syria and Iraq after military defeats by U.S.-backed forces. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a former armed forces commander who presents himself as a bulwark against Islamist militancy, convened an emergency meeting with his defence and interior ministers and intelligence chief soon after the attack, the presidency and state television said. Security has long been one of the key sources of public support for the former general, who is expected to run for re-election early next year for another four-

year term. He promised the attack “would not go unpunished�. “Justice will be served against all those who participated, contributed, supported, funded, or instigated this cowardly attack,� Sisi said in a statement. Buhari Condoles with Egypt over Terrorist Attacks on Mosques President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday condoled with the government and people of Egypt over deadly attacks on a mosque in North Sinai which left many dead after Friday prayers. A statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media

and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said the president condemned the dastardly act on innocent worshippers, which he said had further reinforced the position that terrorism had no respect for any religion, and should be visited with the full wrath of the law. The statement said the president advocated joint intelligence sharing, and regular updates on both local and international threats as the workable panacea to such mindless and irresponsible attacks on citizens. It added that Buhari prayed the almighty God to receive the souls of the departed, and comfort victims' families.

Malam Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday mocked Atiku over his resignation from the APC, saying the former vice-president had only rekindled his trade mark of jumping from party to party. El-Rufai who made this remark while answering questions from journalists in the State House, Abuja, said Atiku's defection did not take him and APC unawares; pointing out that the earlier information at their disposal was that he would defect in December, adding that his exit earlier than expected was a welcome development. Mocking Atiku further, el-Rufai said “given Atiku's seeming desperate posture to contest election, he will not hesitate to return to APC in 2019 if he sees a fresh opportunity to pick the presidential ticket of the party before 2019.� He dismissed insinuations that his defection might pose a huge threat to the re-election of Buhari, saying no individual from the 19 northern states of Nigeria today could match the popularity of the president. He also dismissed assumptions that Atiku's exit might rock the boat of the party following speculation that some of his loyalists, including some sitting governors on the platform of APC, might dump the party in solidarity with Atiku, emphasising that no single governor would ever accompany him to another party. According to el-Rufai, the only governor Atiku might expect to leave APC with him was the Adamawa State Governor, Bindow Jubrilla, explaining that such assumption has now turned out to be a fiction as Jubrilla has openly endorsed Buhari for a second term. el-Rufai also disagreed with the notion that Atiku was forced out of the party, saying other leaders of APC like Tinubu that Atiku referred to as some of the

leaders who were sidetracked by the party, had not left the party as he described Atiku as a serial contestant. "Well, I won’t even say we were in the APC together. Some of us formed the APC; some of them joined because they thought that the APC was a platform for which they would contest election but when they didn’t get the opportunity, they started looking around. "No one has driven him out of the party. The APC is an equal opportunity platform for everyone. He has in his statement of leaving the party, made reference to the memo I wrote to Mr. President in September 2016, where I was calling on the President to reach out to party leaders that feel aggrieved and I mentioned him, the Asiwaju and many others. The others are still in the APC because they believe in the direction of the party. They believe we have come to save the country from a very bad situation. But the former vice president is always looking for an opportunity to contest. He is a serial contestant and we wish him luck.� APC Out to Sabotage Our Convention, Says PDP In a related development, the PDP alleged yesterday that it had uncovered a plot by the APC to disrupt the smooth conduct of its national convention scheduled for December 9. The party said some elements within the PDP were ready to be used by the APC to disrupt the PDP's national convention by plotting to organize a parallel convention on December 9. He said that the intention was to cause disaffection and possibly create the impression that there is division within the PDP. The Spokesman of the PDP said that apart from alerting the public to the evil plot, the party intends to reach out to the security agents to help stop any such parallel convention.

ATIKU: APC NOW GRIPPED BY IMPUNITY, ARBITRARINESS, UNCONSTITUTIONALITY that expected overnight change, but has failed to deliver even mundane matters of governance. "Of the party itself, that same governor said ‘Mr. President, Sir Your relationship with the national leadership of the party, both the formal (NWC) and informal (Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso), and former Governors of ANPP, PDP (that joined us) and ACN, is perceived by most observers to be at best frosty. Many of them are aggrieved due to what they consider total absence of consultations with them on your part and those you have assigned such duties’. "Since that memorandum was written up until today, nothing has been done to reverse the treatment meted out to those of us invited to join the APC on the strength of a promise that has proven to be false. If anything, those behaviours have actually worsened.� Atiku also alleged that the APC had failed and continues to fail its members, especially young people, and queried why the federal cabinet lacked one single youth. He said: "A party that does not take the youth into account is a dying party. The future belongs to young people. I admit that I and others who accepted the invitation to join the APC were eager to make positive changes for our country that we fell for a mirage. Can you blame us for wanting to put a speedy end to the sufferings of the masses of our people?" he said. Atiku also gave reasons for his

previous exit from the PDP, saying that he left because the party was factionalized at that time. "The fractionalization of the PDP on August 31, 2013, had left me in a situation where I was, with several other loyal party members, in limbo, not knowing which of the parallel executives of the party legitimate. "It was under this cloud that members of the APC made the appeal to me to join their party, with the promise that the injustices and failure to abide by its own constitution which had dogged the then PDP, would not be replicated in the APC and with the assurance that the vision other founding fathers and I had for the PDP could be actualized through the APC," he said. The sudden exit of Atiku from the APC might have thrown the party into a panic as it had to swiftly rally its national leadership and tried to reach out other top leaders so as to avert any unpleasant backlash. Some of the top party members that came to the national secretariat of the APC apparently, after learning about Atiku's exist, were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. Meanwhile the PDP has responded to Atiku's exit from the APC describing it a welcome development. The opposition party said that the former vice president would be welcomed anytime into the party without any preconditions. The Spokesman of the PDP Caretaker Committeè, Dayo

Adeyeye described Atiku as a true PDP man to the core, adding that having noticed that he made a mistake in joining the APC, his return to the PDP would be like a home-coming of some sort. He said that Atiku had realized that he and others that left PDP in 2013 were deceived into believing that there was a platform that would correct all the ills in the PDP and that it could create an eldorado in Nigeria. "I believe they were deceived, people like Atiku because we had challenges in our party at that point in time, they went and joined the new party called the APC which we have all now seen is a fallacy. "The day APC was born marked a tragedy for Nigeria. It has been a monumental disaster for Nigeria. There is nothing progressive in them. Everything about them is unprogressive. Everything about them is complete disaster. "It is human to make mistakes because we are not infallible. We have no knowledge of what will happen in the future. Human beings can always be deceived. But in John 8: 32, the Bible says 'And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.' "I believe Atiku has come to know the truth like he said in the statement that he has now known the truth, that the APC is not what they call themselves, is not a better platform. That platform is the worst platform in the history of politics in Nigeria. However, Atiku's former party, the APC has said although it was yet to be notified of his resignation, it would nonetheless wish the

former vice president luck in his new party if that satisfies his political interest. The APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said that politics was all about interest and that every politician would naturally act based on his or her interest. Atiku May Formally Defect to PDP December 6 Meanwhile, plans might have been concluded for the former vice president to formally join the PDP on Wednesday, December 6. The date of his defection to the PDP is believed to have been carefully chosen to allow the Adamawa State-born politician to attend the party's national convention scheduled for December 9. THISDAY gathered that Atiku had done a lot of ground work preparatory to his moving to the PDP, chief of which was his many meetings with all the state chairmen of the PDP, aside the regular networking with the top echelon of the party. What is therefore going to happen on December 6 is a formality of his transition from the APC to the PDP as he is said to have long singed off with the ruling party. Whilst it is clear Atiku is joining the PDP to fly its flag as its presidential standard bearer, it is not clear yet if the understanding had been sealed, more so that the party also parades a few persons who have their eyes on the nation's number one seat. El-Rufai: Atiku's Defection's a Replay of What He Knows Best The Governor of Kaduna State,

OZEKHOME: ANYIM STILL HELD BY EFCC UNDER INHUMAN CONDITION

COURTESY CALL ‌ R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari, Kalifah Sharif Mohammadul Kabir, Sheik Mahi Ibrahim Inyass, Ibrahim Sheikah Dahiru Bauchi meeting at the State House ...yesterday STATE HOUSE

He said: "The truth is that Anyim is still held in EFCC custody till this minute, inspite of fulfilling all administrative bail conditions laid out for him, including deposit of his international passport and being compelled, under duress and undue influence, to sign all manners of self-incriminating and property-stripping documents against his will. "Inspite of these and the clear provisions of sections 35 and 36 of the Nigerian Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), the EFCC has bluntly refused to release Anyim to go and attend to his very poor health over which he was receiving treatment before he was forcible taken away from his home. "This is calling upon the Attorney General of the

Federation and minister of Justice to prevail on the EFCC (and all law enforcement agencies), to respect the rule of law and the Constitution they have sworn to protect and defend by promptly ordering Anyim's release forthwith, since no charges have been preferred against him and since he has fulfilled all administrative bail conditions." But speaking to THISDAY, EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren explained that the commission's facilities for keeping those arrested remained under good condition and standards. Uwujaren informed THISDAY that Anyim "was given some bail conditions but was yet to meet all the conditions.� He stated that only when those conditions are fully met, will the EFCC release the former SGF.

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Chineme Okafor in Abuja and Ejiofor Alike in Lagos The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) on Friday urged the federal government to quickly step in and save the 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) in Nigeria’s power sector from collapsing on account of the huge financial burden they currently bear. This is as the Ikeja Electric Plc has emerged as the first company in the power sector to be conferred with the ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 International Certification, as a mark of its commitment to safety, and quality management of materials and resources.

Speaking on the back of the recent notice of force majeure issued to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) by some Discos, the President of NSE, Mr. Otis Anyaeji, explained in a press briefing on the just concluded annual conference and general meeting of the society in Abuja that the Discos were hugely distressed and needed quick help from the government to stay up. Up to seven Discos had recently notified the BPE of their intention to declare force majeure on their operations on claims the government had continued to change the laws that guide operation in sector to their detriment. One of the reasons they adduced

for their intention to hand back the distribution assets to the government was the recent declaration of the eligible customers’ regulation which allowed maximum demand electricity consumers to contract services directly from power generation companies (Gencos) and with minimal interference from the Discos. The Discos argued that the declaration of the eligible customers’ regulation was too early and the affected class of customers were the premium class that accounted for up to 60 per cent of their revenue, thus indicating that their already poor financial state could get poorer. Anyaeji, however noted that

when the investors in Discos were bidding for them, they were not allowed to carry out appropriate due diligence on the conditions of the distribution assets and so did not know the extent of their degeneration. He explained that on the back of this and the poor attitude to payment for electricity distributed to customers in the country, the government could step in to help the market through its difficult phase. “It goes to the question of us as a country refusing to honour contracts and obligations. The Discos started with a kind of handicap because when the negotiations were going on with the BPE, the Discos

could not assess the assets because they were not allowed to by vested interests, and so they entered the contract without knowing the state of the infrastructure,� said Anyaeji. He added: “What that means was that a bunch of the distribution infrastructure would need a lot of upgrading and rehabilitation to really get them to become functional because many of them were obsolete, and that was the situation they were. “These facilities would continue to be low on operation unless some capitals were injected in them, and the money they get is low and perhaps they are not able to pay for capital projects. All these

combine to really impose serious impediments for the Discos. “If we could manage to settle obligations, that could give some respite to the Discos and they could be able to do their jobs. Adequate funding should be made available for those who are managing the Discos, the government should step in to help them.� Meanwhile, the duo of Abuja and Kaduna Discos, have indicated they were not part of the Discos that notified the BPE of their intention to declare force majeure on their operations, to which both the BPE and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) have nevertheless rejected.

Sultan Raises the Alarm over Menace Restructuring: Nigeria's Unity Must Be Our First Focus, Says Saraki Cont’d from Pg.1 of Drug Abuse among Women Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar, yesterday challenged medical professionals to take proactive measures to checkmate the menace of drug abuse among women in the country. The monarch made this known when Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Geidam, was bestowed with Honorary Membership Status of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) at its 51st Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference held in Sokoto. He decried the rising cases of drug abuse among married women in the North, saying all hands must be on deck to tackle the problem.

According to him, as healthcare givers, there was need for medical professionals to take proactive measures in checkmating drug abuse by restricting patients' access to cough syrup. "I am challenging members of SOGON and other medical professionals to use their good offices as healthcare givers to checkmate the menace of drug abuse by our women especially the married ones. "How do we partner with your Association to checkmate this ugly trend? Can we ban the production of cough syrups or can we do without them? I think this is something you have to look into as you round up this conference. "I think there is need for restriction in the procurement of these cough syrups by stopping

people from going to chemist to buy them," the monarch opined. He said a meeting of traditional leaders in the North would be convened soon to deliberate on ways to tackle the ugly trend. "We are really worried about this issue of drug abuse among our women and children and as traditional leaders in the North, we have a lot to do by sensitising our people. "We have a conference of Northern Traditional Rulers in the next 10 days and I will specifically present this issue of drug abuse to our religious and traditional leaders to see how we can checkmate this negative trend," he added. Geidam, who was honoured with honorary membership status of SOGON, commended the society for the gesture.

continued co-existence, amid new and persistent threats to their unity. Saraki said: “The ripples of Catalonia’s failed referendum bid are still being felt in Spain. In other parts of the Western hemisphere, the rise of right wing populism - amid concerns about immigration and illegal migration - is fueling suspicion and injecting an element of the unpredictable into once stable societies. “Britain’s shock Brexit vote not only brought about a seismic shift in the political dynamics of that country, it also prefigured the dawning of Trumpian America. Sections of U.S. society are now locked in a fractious debate about what it means to be American. From

anthem protests by African American football stars to the debate over Confederate statues to inflamed confrontations in Charlottesville, the United States is roiling with its own agitations. In the Middle East, a location of historical disagreement over borders, religion and statehood, the solutions seem far off. “In all of this - the ability to dialogue, to listen to one another, to seek to understand the other person and to accept each other’s differences – is important in this issue of unity. Indeed, unity must exist before you can even talk about restructuring or reform. And so, Distinguished Colleagues, one of my messages to you today is this poser: How Do We Stay Together?� Saraki also stated that it is the

responsibility of legislators to find the necessary clarity that will allow substance to override parochial considerations and crude sentiments. He also stated that Nigeria’s democracy is built around compromise, and Senators have a responsibility to reassure their constituents and inculcate in them a sense of belonging that will also make them to always put Nigeria first. He further challenged the senators from the Southern part of the country to play their own role in boosting the profitability of commercial enterprises in their states, thereby creating an economic boom that will enhance the unity of the nation and provide more opportunities for people.

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Adebowale

Mubi Killings: The Infamy of a Nation

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or how long shall this administration continue to delude itself about progress in this war against Boko Haram? For how long shall they continue to allow these monsters to take innocent lives? For how long will the hapless people of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states continue to bury their loved ones slaughtered daily by Boko Haram? My heart bleeds for the hapless people of these states. As usual, the attack on a mosque in Mubi by Boko Haram suicide bomber on Tuesday morning left me devastated. The killing bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram, whose terrorism has left about 20,000 people dead and more than five million others homeless since 2009. As at the last count, the attack on the mosque located in Kunu Araha, a suburb of Mubi, left over 50 worshippers dead. Families of victims spent most of Tuesday burying loved ones. Women have been widowed and children have been orphaned. What a tragedy. Many tears will clearly not dry. The Mubi attack was an accident waiting to happen. Boko Haram fighters are conspicuous in the Mandara Mountains, to the east of Adamawa State, leading to persistent attacks on towns like Mubi, Gulak and Madagali. Curbing attacks on soft targets require high level intelligence and technology. These are largely lacking in our security formations. This administration is not making progress in the war against Boko Haram because of its tactics of being economical with the truth. The truth that must be told is that these terrorists are still roaming unhindered in many communities in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. The truth is that they still hold territories and control at least three local governments in Borno State, from where they launch attacks on soft and hard targets. From here, they train and unleash suicide bombers on communities in the North-east. Adamu Kamale, representing Michika/ Madagali Federal Constituency of Adamawa State in the House of Representatives, recently joined the few patriots punching holes in the lies the military leadership has been propagating about the war against Boko Haram. Kamale, a member of the rul-

This administration is not making progress in the war against Boko Haram because of its tactics of being economical with the truth. The truth that must be told is that these terrorists are still roaming unhindered in many communities in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states ing All Progressives Congress, is now in the club of few Nigerians courageously telling President Buhari the truth about the war. Kamale declared: “The Nigerian military often fed President Buhari with the wrong information on the capacity of Boko Haram to carry out deadly strikes in the NorthEast.The truth remains that the group is still very active. The situation in Madagali had been grossly under-reported in a series of security reports filed by the military to Buhari. No week passes without one ugly incident or another taking place in the border communities. I am from this place (Madagali) and I can authoritatively tell you that my people are not safe. The military are always feeding Mr. President with the wrong information that things are normalising; it’s not true.” This is the reality, which I have been hammering on in the last two years. Boko Haram terrorists are still very much potent and occupy territories in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. Hundreds of towns and villages are still not safe. This is why over two million IDPs can’t return home. Our gallant soldiers are willing to fight, but they are ill-equipped and ill-motivated. Army Chief, Tukur Buratai recently confirmed that troops on the war front have not been paid operational allowances for three

months. So, where is the motivation to fight Boko Haram? Where is the high technology equipment to tame the terrorists? This is why Boko Haram strolls into military formations and kill soldiers with ease. I can’t forget the attack on a military post in Sasawa (Yobe State) last month, during which 18 soldiers were killed. What about the attack in Magumeri town, Borno State, in March during which the military outpost in the town was sacked? An armoured vehicle, a block of office and the communication room of the military were also set ablaze. The terrorists overpowered the soldiers, with most of them fleeing. What about the killing of 69 oil explorers and soldiers in Borno State few weeks back? What about the terrorists boldly showing the video of 14 women abducted in Dalwa village on June 20? What about the humiliation of our soldiers in Gashigha and Malam Fatori? In the last eight months, the University of Maiduguri has been repeatedly attacked, resulting in the death of innocent people, including a professor of veterinary medicine, Aliyu Usman Mani. Never in the history of this institution has this much pain been inflicted on its staff and students. The list is endless. The Buhari administration must show sincerity in this war against Boko Haram by first sacking Buratai and other service chiefs who have obviously failed our gallant soldiers. If our President is desirous of progress, he has to retire those in the top hierarchy of this war and appoint fresh hands. The likes of Gabriel Olonishakin, Buratai and Sadique Abubakar are doing what they consider their best, but it is just not good enough for this war. They must make way for new hands in the interest of Nigeria. On the Mubi attack, Buhari was quoted on Tuesday, assuring the people that his government would do everything required to secure the state from the deadly menace of Boko Haram. Please, we have heard enough of this rhetoric. Nigerians want result. Under Buhari’s watch,thousands of innocent Nigerians have been killed in the last 30 months

Prickly Presidency Proposals in Budget 2018 Some bits and pieces on what the Presidency will spend in 2018 contained in the budget presented to the National Assembly few days back are upsetting. I find some of the expenses listed for the operation of the Presidency ridiculous. I was waiting for Buhari’s legion of media aides to issue denials, but none came. The first thing that startled me was the N17.4 million to be spent on buying household and kitchen items like crested plates, tea cups, cutleries and serving basins for the Vice President. Haba! They must be golden kitchen items. Do we need to remind the Presidency that there were budgetary provisions for these same items last year? What happened to the items? Or, is it that such household and kitchen items are thrown away at the end of every financial year? Why should they be buying tea cups, cutleries and plates every year? Something is clearly shifty somewhere. I am still searching for the figures allocated to President Buhari for household and kitchen items in 2018. It will surely also be boggling. Another proposed Presidency expenditure that attracted my attention was the N1.001 billion Buhari will spend on travels in 2018. Of this sum, N751.3 million would be used for international travels, and N250.02 million for local travels. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will spend N301.04 million on general travel - N217.06 million for international travels and N83.97 million for local travels. Put together, Buhari and Osinbajo are jointly proposing to spend N1.3 billion on travels in 2018 amid hunger in our land. This is aside the cost of maintaining the 10 aircraft in the Presidential fleet for these travels.

Buhari

Again, the Presidency is always buying vehicles yearly. It seems vehicles in Aso Rock are used for just a year and discarded. This is why the Presidency proposed to spend N907 million on acquisitions of new vehicles and spare parts in 2018. An additional N83 million will be spent on tyres for the vehicles in Aso Rock. The budget sets aside N986.91 million for “miscellaneous” expenses in the State House, while general utility services will gulp N476.87 million. Electricity charge is N274.79 million and N67.11 million is for internet. Why should almost N1 billion be set aside for “miscellaneous” expenses. For me, this sum proposed is huge and should not be captured as “miscellaneous” expenses. These expenses should be clearly situated

for transparency sake. Using the term, “miscellaneous expenses” has always been a tactics for hiding questionable things. Things have clearly not changed in the Presidency with the sustenance of this tactics. I am also worried that the notorious State House Medical Centre has N1.03 billion set aside from it in budget 2018. This is the same medical centre that could not account for about N3.6 billion allocated to it in 2016. It could also not provide ordinary syringe despite the funds allocated to it in 2017. For all its inefficiency, it got a pat on the back with N1.03 billion allocation in budget 2018. What a country. Since Buhari, Osinbajo and their families don’t use this clinic, this administration ought to spend quality time overhauling this centre instead of allocating more money to it. Let’s flip to repairs of Aso Rock buildings. The Presidency will spend N4.86 billion for “annual routine maintenance of mechanical/electrical installations”. Yes, almost N5 billion to maintain mechanical and electrical installations. So, how much was initially spent to install the mechanical/electrical installations, to warrant an expenditure of N4.86 billion for maintenance? There are so many questions begging for answers. There is still profligacy in the Presidency as can be seen in budget 2018 proposals, despite this administration’s orchestrated war against corruption. Our dear President has to show conspicuous commitment to this war against corruption. Things have not changed in the Presidency.

by Boko Haram. Our President has to show, in practical terms, that he is committed to this war. It is germane to make the welfare of soldiers on the war front a priority. They are, at present, getting a poor deal from their commanders. I have also persistently clamoured for the return of South African and Israeli mercenaries. We all saw their impact when the Jonathan administration used them. Buhari came and unwisely sacked the mercenaries. This country must employ the best fighters from anywhere in the world to end this trauma called Boko Haram.

Frightening Crisis in the Health Sector Authorities in our dear country have to take pragmatic steps to curb the persistent exodus of our best medical doctors. Hospitals, both public and private, are battling with inadequate doctors. I am shocked that Health Minister, Isaac Adewole, is yet to respond to the frightening statistics reeled out by the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association on this crunch. According to the gory data rolled out almost two weeks ago, more than 40,000 of the 75,000 registered Nigerian doctors are now practicing abroad while most of those still in the country are working on getting jobs abroad. The NMA went further to inform the nation that over 100 doctors resigned from the University College Hospital, Ibadan, this year. About 800 doctors resigned from Lagos State public hospitals in the last two years, and over 50 this month alone. The Chairman, Lagos NMA, Olumuyiwa Odusote laments: “Kebbi State has been unable to employ a single doctor in two years despite multiple adverts for employment; over 200 doctors and nurses have resigned from Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital this year. Seventy per cent of Nigerian doctors are making plans to leave for foreign lands and are taking exams to that effect. The health crisis in Nigeria is unprecedented as the mass exodus hits an alarming proportion. “Our healthcare system has been neglected for an extended period, evidenced by lack of funding, under-supply, inefficiency, decrepit equipment, poor quality, needless deaths and unhappy workforce. Today, many of the country’s general hospitals are not in good condition and are breeding grounds for infectious diseases. Many also do not have sufficient beds; so, corridors are turned to sleeping wards. The fatigued and overworked doctors are committing errors. The nation needs 303,333 medical doctors now and 10,605 new doctors annually to provide good quality patient care.” Clearly, exodus of doctors from Nigeria has reached an alarming proportion. Our hospitals are bleeding. To keep our doctors, NMA recommended better facilities and work environment, higher remuneration, career progression and professional advancement. The Lagos NMA also recommended an increase in the number of public health centres, fully equipped with adequate drugs and modern facilities and manned by specialists. Unfortunately, those who should be taking note are unperturbed. These people in authority care less because they travel abroad for medicals. That was why allocation to the health sector in the proposed 2018 budget was a paltry 3.9 per cent. The majority who can’t afford foreign medicals must rise and fight coldblooded politicians running Nigeria.

Adewole

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NEWS

In Brief 2019: I’ve Not Decided Yet, Says Bafarawa

FormerGovernorofSokotoStateC,AttahiruBafarawa,hasrevealed thathehadnotdecidedtorunforthe2019presidentialelection,saying hewasstillconsultingwithhisfamily,friendsandpoliticalassociates onhispoliticalambition.Healsostatedcategoricallythathehadnot authorisedanybodytoproduceanycampaignmaterialsonhisbehalf inthatregard.Bafarawasaidinastatementhepersonallysignedand issued in Abuja on Friday that he was still consulting with his family, friendsandpoliticalassociatesonhispoliticalambition.Thestatement stated:"ithascometomyattentionthatsomepeoplewhosedesires isformetocontestthepresidentialprimariesofourgreatparty,the PeoplesDemocraticParty(PDP)haveprintedpostersandproduced othercampaignmaterialswithmynameandphotographs.Iamtold that these materials have been distributed in some Nigerian cities including Abuja.

Why Nigerian Graduates are Unemployable

TheDirectorGeneralofSmallandMediumEnterprisesDevelopment AgencyofNigeria,SMEDAN,Dr.UmaruRaddahassaidthatlackofskills andentrepreneurialcompetenceweresomeofthereasonsNigerian graduateswereunemployable.TheDGstatedthisinAmawbia,near Awka, Anambra State capital during the opening ceremony of the sensitisationontheyoungbusinessownersinNigeriaprogramme.He saidasaresultofthese,onlyoneoutofevery100Nigeriangraduates isemployable.Hesaiditwastowardsaddressingthischallengethat theSmallandMediumEnterprisesDevelopmentAgencyofNigeria had initiated theYoung Business Owner in Nigeria.

RECOGNISED FOR EXCELLENCE ... L-R: Co-founder and President, World Confederation of Businesses (WORLDCOB), Mr. Jesus J. Moran, Awardee and President/CEO, Standard Insurance Consultants Limited, Dr. Ahmed Salawudeen, his wife, Mrs. Tolulope Ahmed-Salawudeen and Mr. Ajmal Khan when Salawudeen was being presented with “The Bizz Inspirational Award� at WORLDCOM Gala dinner and ceremony held at Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai last, week Wednesday

Court Remands Wife in Suleja Prison over Death of Ex-PDP Chairman’s Son Alex Enumah in Abuja An Abuja High Court on Friday ordered the remand in Suleija Prison of Maryam Sanda, wife to late Bilyaminu Bello Haliru, over the alleged murder of her husband. Justice Yusuf Halilu, of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Jabi gave the order shortly after the accused was arraigned by the Federal Government on a two count charge bordering on murder. The deceased was a son of former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Bello Haliru.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges read to her. Maryam Sanda, a nursing mother, is being accused for murdering her husband by stabbing him severally on the chest and neck region with a broken bottle on November 19, 2017 in their Abuja residence. Prosecution counsel, James Idachaba, who told the court that the instant charge against the defendant was a product of preliminary investigation, stated that there were new facts which could warrant the filing of an amended charge against the defendant. Following her not guilty plea,

Idachaba then prayed the court for a date for the commencement of trial. While not opposing the request for adjournment, defendant’s counsel, Useni Musa however, made an attempt to persuade the court to release the defendant on bail, to enable her attend to her six-months old baby. Responding, justice Halilu, declined the oral plea on the grounds that the application was improper in the eyes of the law. He then adjourned till December 7, for trial to commence. Count one of the charge reads, “That you, Maryam Sanda, female,

adult of No.4 Pakali Close, Wuse 2 Abuja, on 19/11/2017 at about 0350hours at No.4 Pakali Close, Wuse 2 Abuja within the Abuja Judicial Division, did commit the offence of culpable homicide punishable with death in that you caused the death of one Bilyaminu Bello Haliru, male adult of No. 40 Pakali Close, Wuse 2 Abuja by stabbing him on the chest with a broken bottle which eventually led to his death and you did so with the knowledge that your act is likely to cause his death. “You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 221 of the Penal Code Law."

Yuletide: Western Marine Command ‘Miyeti Allah Sponsored Attacks that Killed 2000 in 14 Benue LGs’ Kicks off 24 Hours Patrol Ahead of the yuletide, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has kicked off 24 hours patrol in its Western Marine Command (WMC). Besides its operational headquarters situated in Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos, the WMC include the tributaries of River Niger, Gbao Creek, Yekeme Creek and Yekeme/ Pashi Axis which leads to the Republic of Benin and Togo. The 24 hours patrol is part of the command anti-smuggling campaign and it is expected to rid the command of smugglers and other criminal elements. The WMC just as its counterpart in the East, the Eastern Marine Command (EMC) was created by the NCS to ensure the effective delivery of its statutory roles and

responsibilities. These include revenue generation, anti-smuggling and trade facilitation by its officers and men. The NCS, Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Mustapha Sarkin Kebbi who disclosed this in a chat with THISDAY at the weekend said the command will not rest on its oars until it attains its set goals and objectives. Kebbi who has made several strides since his appointment by the Comptroller General of Customs, Colonel Ibrahim Hameed Ali (retired) early this year warned smugglers and other criminals to stay clear of WMC area of jurisdiction as his officers and men would not spare them no matter what it takes.

From George Okoh in Makurdi The Miyeti Allah Kautal Hore, a Cattle breeders association of the Fulani herders has been accused as the sponsors the 40 deadly attacks that occurred in 14 local government areas in Benue State between 2013 to 2016. Also over 2000 people were alleged to have been killed by the herdsmen with no fewer than half a million people displaced due to Fulani herdsmen attack on the state in the past three years. This was disclosed at a press conference in Makurdi on Friday by the pan socio cultural group in Benue state, comprising of Mdzough U Tiv, Idoma National Forum and Omi Ny'Igede.

They stated that people of the state were still in search of 500 persons missing as a result of Fulani herdsmen attacks. Spokesman of the group and Secretary General of the Mdzough TiV, Chief Edward Ujege who was reacting to the earlier press conference by Miyeitti Allah Kautal Hore briefing held in Abuja earlier in the week noted that the anti-open grazing law was the outcome of the yearnings of the people of the state who desired lasting solution to stop the yearly carnage by the herdsmen. Ujege who chided the Miyeiti Allah for threatening to attack Benue State over the anti-open grazing law however called on federal government to arrest and prosecute the leadership of the group.

‘Don’t Fraternise with Criminals’

TheFlagOfficerCommanding(FOC)oftheWesternNavalCommand, Rear Admiral Sylvanus Abbah, yesterday warned newly promoted officersnottofraternisewithcriminals.Abbahsaidthiswhileaddressing the17officerswhowerenewlypromotedtotherankofcommanders, captainsandCommodoresatthecommandinApapa,Lagos.Among thelieutenantcommandersthatwerepromotedtotherankofRear AdmiralwastheCommander,NigerianNavyShipBEECROFT,Maurice Enoandalsototherankofcommander,WNC InformationOfficer,Mrs. ChinweUmar.InhisaddressAbbahsaid,"Therearesomanycriminals around us. You are not to fraternise with them. Try to expose them and make way for the innocent citizen of this nation to live in peace.

‘Publish List of Corruption Cases'

ASeniorAdvocateofNigeriaSAN,Prof.YemiAkinseye-Georgehas called on the Corruption and Financial Crimes CasesTrial MonitoringCommittee(COTRIMCO)tobringtothepublicdomainthelistof highprofilecasesitismonitoring.Akinseye-GeorgeSANsaidthecall becamenecessaryowingtothepublicoutcryagainstsomemembers ofCOTRIMCO,whoaresaidtobecounseltosomeofthehighprofile defendants.HewasspeakingataStakeholdersConferencetoReview ImplementationoftheAdministrationofCriminalJusticeAct(ACJA) 2015, organised by Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) in Abuja. COTRIMCOwasrecentlyinauguratedbytheChiefJusticeofNigeria (CJN),JusticeWalterOnnoghentoserveasacheckontheexcesses of those described as bad eggs among the judges.

Germany Donates N260m to Northeast

The German Government has donated ₏610,000 (about N260 million) towards the fight against starvation in the insurgency ravaged NortheastNigeria.Germanywhichhasearmarkedthemoneytobe spent in two local governments, Mubi (in Adamawa State) and Jere (in Borno State), targeted 1,200 households. Speaking on Friday at the distribution of cash to 800 households in Jakana, in Jere local government area of Borno State, the Country Representative of Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ARDA), in Nigeria, the GermanGovernment’simplementingNon-GovernmentalOrganisation (NGO),Mr.AdeolaOmosebisaidtheassistancewouldbeextendedto otherlocalgovernmentareasofBornoandAdamawaStateswhich wereaffectedbyBokoHaraminsurgencywhenthefundingfromthe GermanGovernmentwasexpectedtohaveshotupbyJanuary,2018.

NOA, SME, ITF Train Youths

As part of its determination to empower youths in Bauchi State, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), in collaboration with Small MediumEnterprises(SME)andIndustrialTrainingFunds(ITF)Friday disclosedthatover1,200youthsdrawnfromthe20localgovernment areasofthe Statewouldbetrainedtoacquiredifferentskills.Thiswas disclosed by the Bauchi State Director of the National Orientation Agency(NOA),AlhajiNuruYusufKobi,atadaysensitisationcampaign ondevianceandothersocialvicesamongtheyouthinthestateheld in Toronto, the headquarters of Toro local government area of the state.TheNOAbosswhopointedoutthat youthempowermentand securityareveryimportantfordevelopmentineverysociety,stated that it was in view of this that the Agency decided to train the youth in the areas of Carpentry, mechanic, sowing, trading, soap making, perfume making and shoe making, adding that the training will take place in Abuja.

LBS Sets up Two Academies

LASG Promises Calm at Lagos Street Carnival Yinka Olatunbosun The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has promised Lagosians that there would be calm during the Lagos Street Carnival scheduled for December 3. Plans are in top gear by the state Government to shut down a major

road in the city’s capital, Oba Akran Avenue for its annual Lagos Street Carnival on December 3. This was disclosed in a brief meeting with the Commissioner and Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Adebimpe Adesola at the State Secretariat, Alausa. Dubbed, “Lagos Street Party’’ in

its maiden edition, the event has grown into a carnival to mark the start of the ministry’s end of the year activities. It is also designed to celebrate the multi-cultural nature of Lagosians and reposition the state as a formidable cultural destination. To this end, several adjoining roads would be closed on the day of

the carnival while alternative routes could be accessed by road users. The Commissioner revealed why the venue was moved from the island to the mainland this year. “This year, we are bringing it to the mainland. Of course, next year, we will be looking at another location.

The Lagos Business School, LBS, has announced the launch of two Academies to concentrate on Human Resources and Sales and Marketing.Accordingtotheinstitution,itslatestadditionswereline with its goals of producing a significant impact on the professional andethicalstandardsofbusinessmanagementinAfrica.TheSales andMarketingAcademy(SMA)offersfour-monthprogrammethat constitutesofeight-dayin-class,eight-weekeLearningcomponents, four-weekmentorshipprogramme,andfour-weekcapstoneproject while the Human Resources Academy (HRA) provided for innovative and holistic approach to the development of HR professionals. Speakingonthisdevelopment, Member,LBSManagementBoard andProfessorofStrategicManagement,ProfChrisOgbechie,said.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2017

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COMMENTARY

A PRINCIPAL WHO NEVER SPARED THE ROD Folu Olamiti pays tribute to Rufus Eniola Ariyo, a great character moulder

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enerable Rufus Eniola Ariyo is gone! A principal who never spared the rod to spoil the child. I was woken up early in the morning few days ago by a call from one of his children, Tokunbo, who most dejectedly broke the news that Patriarch of the Ariyo family had joined the Saints on August 8, 2017. It was a piece of news that brought vividly to my memory how God used Pa Ariyo to shape my destiny to what I am today. Through providence I was fortunate to be mentored by the late Venerable at Olofin Anglican Grammar School in Idanre, Ondo State, from 1963 to 1967, for my West African School Certificate, and at Ilesa Grammar School, Ilesa, Osun State, from 1968 to 1969 for my Higher School Certificate. I was not only his student; I was also one of his many non-biological children. I could remember vividly how on getting admitted into Olofin Anglican Grammar School at the age of 13 he took special interest in me. He had known my father a poorly remunerated Catechist in one of the village churches close to the school. Pa Ariyo graciously listed my mother to be one of the food vendors. I could remember also that the proceeds from my mum’s supplying of beans to the school helped in augmenting my father’s meagre salary. In addition to this, Papa Ariyo would not see me go hungry–he told me not to be too far from his residence. He said pointedly that if I needed anything I should let him know. On many occasions, I did and his wife, whom I fondly called mummy, always invited me with smiles into the house. The Venerable Ariyo was equally a disciplinarian who never spared the rod when we erred. I remember like it was just yesterday, an incident in the school in 1963–a day the students went on the rampage, in protest against being served a dinner without meat .In their fit of anger, the students trooped out in the dead of night chanting unprintable war songs demanding that Pa Ariyo should be transferred. I became excited as I took the scenery as fun and joined the unruly crowd

VENERABLE ARIYO WAS EQUALLY A DISCIPLINARIAN WHO NEVER SPARED THE ROD WHEN WE ERRED

to raise dust against him. Incredibly, it never crossed my mind that I was doing something bad against someone that took me as his son. When the uproar subsided the following day, late Pa Ariyo vented his anger on those of us he regarded as his children. He could not understand why we should be part of the needless protest to unseat him. He invited six of us to his residence, and in our innocence we thought we were going to have breakfast with him as usual to compensate for what triggered the wild protest the previous night. We were wrong! The Venerable had reserved ‘koboko’ canes; in his anger gave each of us six strokes of the cane. It was the first time my buttock experienced the wrath of a rod as a growing child. Papa Ariyo, like a father, blamed us for joining the protesters, more so when they were singing abusive songs against him. That was a lesson I would never forget; this taught me never to join a crowd to do evil. We learnt later that our seniors used us as pawns to protest against the principal noted for his Spartan discipline, and that they only latched onto the issue of no meat as a cover. After that incident, I became wiser and late Pa Ariyo encouraged me to take active interest in sports both in athletics and football. I was among the first eleven of the soccer team at Olofin Grammar School, Idanre. And following my brilliant performance at the WASCE, he encouraged me to follow him to Ilesa Grammar School, Ilesa for my Higher School Certificate. Undoubtedly, this sharpened my interest in sports till today–of course, I ended up being the captain of the school football team for two years. Pa Ariyo was inspiring, dedicated and helpful. Overall, the great teacher and character-builder was a person I wish everyone had had the opportunity to meet during his eventful and impactful lifetime. Olamiti (FNGE), a Media Consultant, wrote from Abuja

HUMAN RESOURCES TO THE RESCUE The Lagos State Civil Service is fulfilling the democratic will of the people, writes Akintola Benson-Oke

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he importance of the Civil Service can never be over emphasised. A public affairs commentator once noted that the civil service is the “functional body responsible for carrying on the administration under the direction and control of ‘elected representatives’ of people and in accordance with established rules and principles.â€?1 This is uniquely true: it is the function of the civil service to fulďŹ l the democratic will of the people, as formulated by the elected government and approved by the legislature. This function of fulfilling the democratic will of the people makes the civil service indispensable to the proper functioning of the society. It has thus been said that while the society and government may be able to function fairly acceptably in the temporary absence of the legislature or even the executive arm of government, noticeable breakdown of critical services would accompany the nonavailability of the civil service for any length of time. The Lagos State administration under His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode fully recognises this and has thus consistently invested in trainings and seminars directed at improving the knowledge and competence of civil servants in realisation that such improvements will translate into more efficient services on behalf of the

people of Lagos State. The aim of the Lagos State Government is to transform the civil service into the quintessential future workforce that can, in addition to delivering an effective human resources service and getting basic people processes right, also respond to the government’s current and future challenges in terms of skills gap and functionality. Thus, this training will focus on the ability of the HR team of the Lagos State Civil Service to respond to the rapidly-occurring changes in work processes and socio-cultural norms and expectations. It will also focus on the modalities for attracting and retaining talented, committed and suitable candidates to fill all government and civil service positions. Furthermore, the facilitators will devote time and attention to empowering participants to design, develop, and implement strategies for building career paths and rewards that will encourage long term commitments to the civil service and fidelity to the lofty ideals of the service. An important aspect of the training will also be the development and implementation of standards in the service. Well-formulated and implemented standards will ensure that expectations are properly managed, and top-notch service output

is maintained. These standards, in my view, should cut across all areas including recruitment, continuous training, compensation, pension administration, career advancement, and discipline, among others. Of equal importance is the aspect of this training dealing with succession planning. Going forward, we consider succession planning to be an integral aspect of the HR function. Following the sudden exit of the chief executive officer of a stock exchange-quoted company, an officer of the company noted as follows, among others, “For us, we are constantly thinking about succession, even at the board level. In this situation, our plan was for Graham to step into Chris’s role when he eventually retired or should a situation arise prior. At these times, we assess the combination of expertise and experience of our board of directors and make appointments to complement the team as a whole.� During the process leading up to crafting the plan, he noted that “It was interesting to explicitly have the conversation with key people of ‘what happens if you can’t turn up to work tomorrow?’ Often it’s just not talked about but having that conversation was very healthy, and all of our team quickly embraced the concept of identifying successors.� Furthermore, he noted that, “we also

insist our people take breaks. It’s a great test for the business if key people can be out of the office, and off email, for a few days or weeks and it continues to run smoothly. Even I do it. I often think, ‘who is the person I’d be most concerned about not being here?’ and ensuring that person takes some leave so we know they have the team to cover themselves.� Indeed, as the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has noted, succession planning is vitally important for ensuring the continued success of any organisation, in identifying and developing the talent which will fill your critical roles in the future, or in times of crisis. “Organisations of all sizes are now focusing on succession planning to ensure the leaders of the future are in place. It would be very bad business to not succession plan for the future.� A strong succession plan can identify and put together an agenda to train and mentor the right people to step into leadership positions. Typically, organisations would put together short, medium and long term succession plans. Succession plans should also form part of a structured civil service human resources plan. Dr. Benson Oke is Lagos State Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions

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INSIGHT

A new dawn?

The Paradox Of The Older Husband

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serious. Whenever they misbehave one should not hesitate to rein them in. his piece is gender-biased, and rightly so. Either because they are It is within this kind of structure that marital violence is perpetrated. In weaker, or because we have made them assume feeble roles, women the scenario above, the millennial wife may one day confront her informaare more often than not at the receiving end of domestic violence. Hence the feminine persuasions of this write up. If you’re a man you tion seeking husband. If he is provoked enough, he would think to himself: need not panic. You have sisters. You have friends. And you may as well think ‘look at me, see my life. This woman is quite rude. She is not even as old twice, before negotiating that age-hypergamous relationship. as my sister. How can she talk to me this way?’ He may instinctively land One of the causal associations that have kept intimate partner violence her a slap or two, just like he did his kid sister in the days of childhood. in perpetuity, despite agitations against it in some circles, is our collective Unfortunately some ladies themselves hope for age-disparate relationidea of what an ideal marriage should be. What we see when we think of ships. ‘I cannot marry my mate’. I will not respect him’. The very equality marriage is a union between a man - an established man, and his domestic such minds are terrified of, is what the institution of marriage seeks to appendage. This is because we rarely believe a woman can be a whole. espouse. Why get into marriage and then start trying to find a common We see them as part of a whole. After all, a woman’s call in marriage is to ground with an older man, when you can easily match into the future with support her husband. your peer? Or is marriage now supposed to be a union of the served and A successful man close to midlife takes possession of a wife. He has his servant? toiled. He has laboured. Such years of hard work should come with a During the build up to this write up, I did some literature search. I did prize. Now is the time to smile to church with a beautiful woman. Some not want to share an uninformed opinion considering the sensitive nature sort of reward. Some sort of possession to be acquired. Such arrangements of this topic. From my search, I found conflicting results as regards the are born of a good intention - the desire for social security. Many a time, association between age-disparate relationships and domestic violence. financial stability and the ability to shoulder responsibilities come with age. While some studies reported associations, many did not. It is however So it is only natural that a lady would want an older husband. He would important to note that age-disparate relationships are associated with more at least be able to care for her and treat her like a baby. adverse health outcomes and they are positively correlated with decreased What is however often ignored is the discord such age-disparate relation- longevity. While there should be no barrier to love, it is important that risk factors of intimate partner violence are avoided when identified. ships can bring. Marriage is supposed to be a bridge builder between Olusola Adeyoose, Ibadan: adeyoosesola@yahoo.com people of different classes and strata. But the more the divide, the more the resources that will be needed to build a link. When a woman marries a man outside of her peer group, there is a higher chance the two will have opposing perspectives to the world. There easily will be more arguments. There easily will be more conflicts, T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R because of their divergent world views. EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU A trivial example would be that of informaDEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE tion sourcing. For an older husband, he has MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO always listened to NTA network news at 9pm. DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI That is how he gets updates. That was how he EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN was trained. But a millennial wife will rather watch Africa Magic. She is of the jet age. She will struggle to understand why anyone would devote an hour to listen to the news, when they were not training to be journalists and when the T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D same information could be sourced online. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA This is not to insinuate that age-disparate GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, relationships cannot be seamless. They can work ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU well. But more commitment and effort will be GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OLUFEMI ABOROWA needed from both partners. This is even more DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, FIDELIS ELEMA, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE so when things are viewed in the context of our DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI patriarchal society. Our traditional and religious SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH beliefs already allow the lordship of a man over ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS HENRY NWACHOKOR, SAHEED ADEYEMO his wife. Wide age gap on the side of the man CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI only helps affirm this authority further. InequalGENERAL MANAGER PATRICK EIMIUHI ity will be enhanced. GROUP HEAD FEMI TOLUFASHE DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO The older husband has an increased sense of entitlement. His wife is his baby. But as babies TO SEND EMAIL: ďŹ rst name.surname@thisdaylive.com are to be pampered, they equally should be given clear instructions and not be taken too

Emenalo As Successor To Rhor

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t took quite a while for Nigerians to grasp the reality of the problems of under achievements of the country’s senior football team at international meets. Being a man of good hunches, I knew long ago that at the core of the problem was age-cheat speciďŹ cally and government interference generally. Really, the approach of Coach Gernot Rohr is to build a team based on the merits of actually being young rather than the merits (or lack of it thereof) of claiming to be 10 years or more than one’s true age. The outcome of Rohr’s philosophy (let us for now happily call it so) is clear for all to see: Nigerians could now gauge our true strengths and weaknesses against opposing teams. If humility permits, let us also admit that the massive injection of “oyinbo boysâ€? (foreign-raised Nigerian-rooted bi-racials like Carl Ikeme, Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, Tyrone Ebuehi, and foreign-raised Nigerian-rooted mono-racials like Victor Moses, Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Brian Idowu) has raised the standard of our play immensely because these “oyinboâ€? lads did not wait until their early 20s before they chose the route of soccer as profession. Thus, down the line in the future when Gernot Rohr eventually bids farewell to the national team, the person currently in the right circumstance that can fill his position is Michael Emenalo who was formerly Director of Football at Chelsea Football Club. Mr. Emenalo would relate very well with highly sensitive and technically-inclined youngsters of Nigerian heritage who are presently in football academies scattered all over Europe. Nigerian football has really come of age. Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna

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T H I S D AY SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2017

T H I S D AY SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2017

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚;

NEWSXTRA

Dickson Opposes Creation of N'Delta Republic Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State yesterday shut down agitations for a Niger Delta Republic, insisting that what Nigeria needed was restructuring and not secessionist tendencies. Dickson who also restated his position that the unity of the country remained negotiable, noted that military force would only assist in accentuating Nigeria's fault lines , rather than cement the country's unity. A press release signed by his Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Daniel Alabrah, and made available in Yenagoa , indicated that the governor spoke in Calabar, Cross River State at a retreat organised by the Southern Senators Forum. "I don't want to be a citizen of one tiny oil-rich country that one big African country can easily overrun. Nigeria is one of the greatest nations on the face of the earth. "Nigeria's unity depends on us and the solidarity and support we give to it. Nigeria is not a mistake neither is it just a mere geographical expression. "But we must break down the barriers. We have to challenge ourselves to see how we can create a Nigeria that is sustainable. The current state of Nigeria is not one we can hand over to our children", the governor said. Speaking on the topic "Protecting Ethnic Minorities in

Project Nigeria," the governor challenged opponents of the ongoing restructuring debate to work toward an equitable society rather than seeking solace in constitutional provisions that do not guarantee a fair and sustainable country. He cited the example of the Soviet Union, which he described as a behemoth that was very strong militarily but eventually disintegrated into many states because of its internal contradictions. According to him, Nigeria was facing a similar situation like the former Soviet Union. He however explained that restructuring was not coterminous with disintegration or division of Nigeria contrary to the claim of opponents of the debate. "Restructuring does not mean secession. It is not coterminous with a Nigeria that is divided. "Restructuring simply means a call for constitutional reforms to guarantee a more stable country. In other words, it is a return to true federalism. "We should not shy away from the issue of restructuring. The more the opinions the better. That is the reason we need this debate. "Nobody should tell Nigerians that our unity is not negotiable. A lot of people talking about restructuring do not even know the issues," he said. He added that majority of Nigerians prefer a united country, but stressed that the basis of

OIL MATTERS ... L-R: Mr. Andrew Ejayeriese, General Manager, ĂˆxxonMobil and President, Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists, NAPE, Mrs Doris Akpovwa, Chief Operating Officer, MacGraw Oil & Gas and Vice President of NAPE and Mr Nosa Omorodion, Director, Independence and NOC's of Schlumberger and Past President of NAPE, at the recently concluded NAPE Conference at Eko Hotel Lagos

that unity must be renegotiated. Dickson urged the National Assembly to develop a common template that all Nigerians could agree on, insisting that as currently constituted, the nation was not working.

Medplus, Partners Offer Free Health Assessments on World Diabetes Day Medplus, a leading retail pharmacy chain in Nigeria, with over 35 stores in the country, commemorated World Diabetes Day on the 14th of this month with series of activities across its outlets. World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year all over the world on the 14th of November and is championed by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). The IDF marks this day to create awareness about the increasing health risks posed by diabetes. The theme for this year’s World Diabetes Day is “Women and Diabetes- Our right to a healthy future.� The aim of the campaign is to promote the importance of affordable and equitable access for all

women at risk of or living with diabetes to essential diabetes medicines, care, technologies and self-management information. There are close to 200 million women living with diabetes worldwide and over 5 million Nigerians currently suffering from the disease, the company said in a statement. “Health screenings are important in early diagnosis and treatment of Type 2 diabetes to reduce the risk of serious complications.� To address this, Medplus in partnership with Pfizer, Sanofi, MG Ross and PharmacyPlus conducted free blood glucose tests for the public, especially women, in Medplus stores across the country.

Beneficiaries of the screenings said they were grateful for the activity and those that needed treatment were given free diabetes medicines courtesy of PharmacyPlus. Mrs. Toyin Oke, an insurance executive said of the exercise, “I normally do not like going for tests, but I saw the advert for the blood glucose test and since it was free, I decided to come. I am happy that my blood glucose level is normal. I also got information on nutrition and adopting a healthier lifestyle to prevent diabetes.� Medplus Pharmacy pioneers a preventive approach to healthcare through its community outreaches and health services to help Nigerians live life to the fullest.

"Let us start with the most basic of amendments. We don't have to amend everything at the same time. How many amendments has America had in over 400 years of its existence?", he queried.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to convoke a meeting of the National Assembly, the governors and the Speakers of the 36 houses of assembly in the country. Also to be included in the

national discussions, according to Dickson, should be leaders of ethnic nationalities, faith-based organisations and other opinion leaders who would address the critical issue of restructuring and true federalism.

Investor Condemns Invasion of Hotel Presidential, Enugu Bennett Oghifo

The core investor in the rehabilitation and operation of the ailing Hotel Presidential, Enugu, Mr. Chuma Anosike has condemned the invasion of the hotel premises by some security personnel on the orders of the Enugu state government. Describing it as an unfortunate development, Anosike said, “On Monday October 30th 2017, a group of armed soldiers, policemen and Civil Defence Corps/Legionnaires forced their way into the Hotel Presidential, Enugu manhandled our Security Personnel and attempted to take over the Property. Since they presented no Letter authorising them to take that action or a valid Court Order our Security Personnel naturally resisted but had to back down when their lives were

threatened.� Anosike said in his statement that “the Invaders claimed to have been instructed to “take over the Hotel� by Mrs. Rita Mbah, the Commissioner of Culture and Tourism who later came to the site in company of some other persons we learnt were “Prospective Investors.� “When I contacted Mrs. Mbah to confirm if indeed this narrative was correct, she said she was discharging a “Government Directive�. I advised her about the obvious illegality of her action but she proceeded regardless. “Our lawyers are considering our options and have instructions to take all steps necessary to protect our legal interest.� He said “Primeview Hotels Ltd is the Concessionaire of the Hotel Presidential. By virtue of the Joint Venture Agreement date 17th

September 2013 between Hotel Presidential Limited, E Hospitality Services Ltd and Primeview Hotels Ltd and the Deed of Assignment dated 6th February 2014 between Hotel Presidential Ltd and Primeview Hotels Ltd respectively legal title in the Property is vested in Primeview Hotels Ltd (PHL) for 35 years commencing from 1st of October 2013. PHL has been in uninterrupted possession of the Property since August 2013 and has carried out extensive work both on-site and offsite with a view to redeveloping and transforming the hotel to a world class Hospitality facility. “Unfortunately, we have experienced a number of setbacks the latest of which is a pending law suit by an entity which claimed to have had a previous interest in the Property.

IPOB: Non-Appearance of Judges Stalling Our Members' Freedom

‘INEC Proceeded With Anambra Poll Despite 6 Pending Cases’

By David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Vincent Obia

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has lamented the non-appearance of judges in matters concerning her, saying that such was impeding the freedom of its members who were still being held in prison. A press release signed by the group's spokesperson, Mr. Emma Powerful, which was made available to THISDAY in Awka stated that the move was a deliberate one to deny its members freedom. Part of the press release by powerful stated, "The system of delay

tactics which Nigerian Government and her judiciary uses in handling all court cases involving IPOB since 2015 has proven that common man cannot get justice from the Nigerian Judiciary unless the presidency directs the court on what to do." It added that, "Prompt dispensation of justice or otherwise is now entirely dependent on the mood of those running Aso Rock. Guilt or innocence are no longer determined by the preponderance of evidence but by the mindset of those at Aso Rock. IPOB pointedly accused President Muhammad Buhari of being responsible for the delay in cases

concerning it, wondering why the president would stoop so low to meddle in matters concerning the group. "President Muhammadu Buhari through the Attorney General of the Federation AGF has been giving instructions to the judiciary to use delay tactics in handling IPOB cases. It baffled us as to why judges presiding over IPOB cases in different courts would prefer to use adjournment or non-appearance of government prosecutors to prolong the detention of Biafrans exercising their constitutional right to self-determination.

Barely one week after Anambra went to the polls to elect a new governor, allegations have emerged about a multiplicity of court cases that had threatened to stop the election. The cases, which relate mainly to the Anambra Central Senatorial District, have the Independent National Electoral Commission as a party, according to a correspondence obtained by THISDAY. INEC was warned to put off the November 18 election, which incumbent Governor Willie Obiano won, pending the determination of the cases.

The pending lawsuits include: Dr. Obiora Okonkwo v. PDP & Ors., Suit No: FHC/ABJ/1092/2014, Federal High Court, Abuja; Comrade Anayo Nweke v INEC., Suit No: FHC/AWK/CS/69/2016, Federal High Court, Awka; PDP & Anor v. Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh, OFR & 11 Ors, Appeal No:SC/204/2016, Supreme Court of Nigeria; Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh v PDP, Appeal No: CA/A/160/2016, Court of Appeal; INEC v Peoples Democratic Party, Appeal No:CA/A/165/2016, Court: Court of Appeal; and All Progressives Congress & ANOR Vs INEC, Appeal No: CA/A/314/2017.

The letter signed by one Mrs. Onyinyechi Okeke stated, “As is clearly evident from the above listed cases, INEC is a named party in all the matters and would be directly bound by the decisions of the respective courts. It would, therefore, be inappropriate to preempt the decision of the courts in these cases by proceeding with any election prior to a final determination of these actions. This would invariably result in a situation where INEC, through its conduct, will be foisting a fait accompli on the courts and rendering the court judgements nugatory.

Plus

LOUD WHISPERS AUTO GLOBAL SOCCER FAIRGROUND TEEN CONNECT FASHION FILE

pg. 20 pg. 26 pg. 29 pg. 36 pg. 38 pg. 43

Abiodun Laja Celebrating Decades of Educational Excellence

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 25, 2017

PLUS

L-R: Laja; Former Chairman Punch News paper, Mr. Ajibola Ogunshola and his wife Iyabo; Akande and Mrs. Bola Adetula during the celebration

Celebrating Decades of Educational Excellence 40 years after she set up ABC Nurseryland which evolved into Lekki British School (LBS), Dr. Abiodun Laja has remarkably distinguished herself in her chosen career. She recently celebrated the anniversary of the school and had the crème de la crème of the society grace the occasion. Ferdinand Ekechukwu writes

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ave for the invite and imposing banners that partly read ‘Celebrating Dr. Abiodun Laja’s 40 Years Contribution to Educational Excellence in Nigeria’, one would have passed the setting at the conference and theater event center for a carnival. But then, it still would not have been out of place should that be that the exquisitely decorated hall of D-Venue, Water Corporation Drive had been mistaken for any such fete, befitting a woman who has successfully trodden the path of excellence in the education sector. Driven by passion and love for children, she became the first youngest person to found a private school in Nigeria at the age of 27 in 1977. Like a mustard seed and what it had become today, the private school she started 40 years ago has evolved into Lekki British School (LBS) from ABC Nurseryland, a Montessori nursery

and primary school. To be sure, the celebration was unique and deserving in some way that, at the time when private schools were dominated by old retired teachers, Laja beat the odds. “Her story and journey are an inspiration to many. At a time when private schools were not an easy achievement to establish, she fought against the odds to set up ABC Nurseryland in 1977 as the youngest private school owner and has never looked back since.” And so it was, therefore, worthwhile on this remarkable occasion of the anniversary on November 19, as guests from all walks of life as a mark of gratitude for her noble contribution to education, turned out to celebrate the astute educationist and administrator. Laja, who donned a glittering white dress pleated with gold embroidery, was visibly elated all through the evening. Glamorous in their resplendent outfits, the guests were quite appreciative and cautious of the day’s plan trickling in at exactly 3pm

NOVEMBER 25, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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PLUS

L-R: Erelu Keji Okunlowo; St Matthew Daniel; Laja and former Legal Adviser of Nigeriaian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Chief Sena Anthony

Celebrating Decades of Educational Excellence the scheduled time to honour a trailblazer. The dignitaries were successful men and women from various sectors: banking to judiciary; politics, culture, arts, etc. Among her many relatives, distinguished friends and guests that graced the occasion were Arc. Femi Majekodunmi; Ms. Augusta Chibutu; Princess Vickie Haastrup; Chief Mrs. Morayo Fadipe; Mrs. Ann Modupe Akindele; Hon. Mrs. Onikepo Akande; Mrs. Laila St. Mathew Daniel; Mrs. Lande Adeshina; Mrs. Modupe Sagoe; Mrs. Jojola Odukojo; Senator Daisy Danjuma; Erelu Biodun Ojutalayo; and the chairman of the occasion, Chief Mrs. Nike Akande (CON), former Minister of Industry, just to mention a few. Overwhelmed with joy “big mummy”, as most people called her, was pretty much at hand to receive the personalities from far and wide as they glided through the red carpet on to her warm embrace. She was showered with praises, prayers and testimonies. The host was described in glowing words as iconic, kind, loving, caring, unassuming, disciplinarian, trailblazer, courageous, visionary, achiever, role model, hardworking, dogged, titan, and mentor. The congratulatory message to the celebrant aptly captures the sentiments that flowed from

the testimonies given by family members, friends and ex-students in acknowledgement of her impact through the school: “We watched your schools grow from strength to strength, to the strong international institutions that exist today in three countries. Over the 40 years, you have moulded intelligent, disciplined and sensitive professionals with admirable characters. You have fulfilled your dreams. We are so proud of you,” one of them said. There was music from the famous Akin Shuga Band to the melodious harmony of saxophonist, BJ Sax. As Laja danced to the rhythm her friends joined her on the floor to make up the beautiful scene. The merry would then trip over as classics of the past wafted through the speakers, momentarily reminiscing the host’s and her friends’ youthful days. Finger foods and exotic drinks complemented with local and intercontinental dishes were on offer. And then a toast to the birthday ‘girl’ followed by picture sessions. Thrilled and overwhelmed, Laja was left speechless when asked to say a few words to the gathering. At the end, it was a time well shared together celebrating a woman who has distinguished herself over the years in educating Nigerian youths.

Like a mustard seed and what it had become today, the private school she started 40 years ago has evolved into Lekki British School (LBS) from ABC Nurseryland, a Montessori nursery and primary school

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ NOVEMBER 25, 2017 with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

LOUD WHISPERS

Jonathan

Julian Osula : “A Well-Deserved Shout-Out’’ Once in your life, you meet someone who will change your outlook in life within minutes of meeting him. This is what happened to me the day I met Julian; a hulk of a man but as gentle as gentle can be. I had gone to prospect him for business. You guys know that I am truly an investment banker, all this Duke of Shomolu wahala na just for show o. Na lie, there is no money there o. If I do Duke of Shomolu only, na kwashiorkor go kill me. So I walked into Julian’s office for the first time in my life and I met a sweet gentleman. He shook my hand and listened to me intently without saying a word and when I was through, he offered me coffee. No be coffee I find come this morning, I had been warned that if I did not win this mandate I should face Shomolu. So I kindly declined the coffee. He then told the story of his life with his weatherbeaten Volkswagen Beetle car and how by hard work and fate, he found fulfilment. He ended by saying that it was his humble beginnings that have defined his perception of life. I was really touched and felt inspired because here was this bear of a man, with all you can imagine in material wealth but with the humility to sit me down and spend hours trying to sell to me the true essence of life. Anyway, I did not get the mandate but I found a friend that day and surprisingly as I drove off, his message began to sink in and today I remember those words with so much clarity that you would think I was listening to the Dalai lama. I was pleasantly surprised when in the run-up to my play, Isale Eko, Julian called wanting to know if the Joseph Edgar he reads every Saturday in THISDAY, the one that calls himself the Duke of Shomolu was the same bowtie-wearing freak that came to his office years back. I quickly agreed o, you know people have started stealing people’s identity. He said he was really impressed with my writings, mbok, who is not – and that he would support me in any way he could. I wanted to ask for that wristwatch he was wearing that day, but then I would not be able to afford the body guards that I would need to follow me around. So I just respected myself and kept quiet. He asked when the play was coming up and that he would send his own support. When the support came, I immediately stopped looking for sponsorship. I tell you o. I just called that person at NB plc, he knows himself o. The guy dribbled me to eternity and gleefully told him not to worry again that God would bless him and his Dutch ogas and that I would be sending them VIP tickets to come and see the show. These corporate communications people. I will still yab them one day. Well, today is for Julian, he never came for the show, who needed him? He had done the most important thing. He no need to come again. I was grateful. But the lesson today is not his magnanimity to me but his philosophy of life. He spoke to me for two hours and lifted my spirit and refocused me on the true essence of life. The talk was that spiritual. I think Julian is doing the world a great disservice by not coming out to let the world drink from his deep well. I just felt I should send out this shout-out to this baba. Some people are quietly doing their own thing in this world. Well done, sir. Daddy Freeze, the Pastors and Tithing: Joining the Fray If you noticed, I have deliberately not commented on this matter because I am a pastor pikin. But the recent report that a pastor cursed Freeze on this matter giving him a specified time to die has brought out my angst. Please, sir, wherever you are, please add me to the curse. Yes, my name is Edgar Joseph, the Duke of Shomolu. Put my name on that list, let me join hands with Freeze and die for the truth. Me, I do not know the Bible. The last time I even opened the Bible was

Osula

Freeze

Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan: A Jolly Good Fellow He celebrated his 60th birthday during the week. Although I did not see any picture of him with mummy who I want to believe with all this wahala with EFCC was really not in a mood to celebrate. Anyway, our daddy turned 60 and all his children both biological and political all came together to wish him well on this special day. I will also not be left out in sending my congratulatory message. Moving from a shoeless wanderer to the Presidency is definitely not ‘’goodluck’’ as some observers would want to say. Daddy has been imbued with some qualities that the rest of us can only pray for. Daddy as you celebrate this wonderful age, I would like to admonish you to kindly look critically at just one issue that besets us in this country and devote the rest of your life to tackling it. What I have seen since you left office is a seeming confusion as to what role you should play going forward. You have oscillated between an international speaker and a peace ambassador while also showing a deft move to withstand pressure to recontest. Let me say something about this pressure, that is the kind of pressure we call ‘’yeye pressure’’ in Shomolu. That is the kind of pressure when you are about to fight a big hoodlum and he draws a line in the sand and dares you to cross it. Your supporters will now be pushing you to cross the line knowing full well that it would be suicidal if your toe makes the mistake of touching the line talk less of your full body crossing it. You yourself know that you will not dare cross

the line but your supporters will be singing your praises and egging you on; pushing you towards the line to your seeming death. That is the kind of pressure, these your supporters are putting on you. My Lord no give in o, no even try am o because if you do, that would be like dancing naked with honey rubbed all over your scrotum in a forest filled with soldier ants. You can imagine what would happen to you in the circumstances. Well, after careful thought and deep reflection, I may have found a course that would suit your demeanour and qualifications. I have found a project that would throw you back into the good books of Nigerians and give you deserved and much-sought after international recognition and give you the fulfilment your years in the Presidency did not give you. I think you should be appointed the Commissioner of Education in Kaduna. Yes, as a former university lecturer you will be in a better position to work with El-Rufai as he attempts to reform that sector filling over 20,000 vacancies and putting strong structures that will ensure better foundations for our people. This would be beyond party lines because as a statesman, you are expected to fly above such narrow prisms. Please think about this offer very deeply and let me know if you would be open to it, so I can discuss with Mallam over the weekend and see how we can make this a possibility. Oya ball is in your court, let us know your thoughts urgently. Happy birthday sir, don’t mind me, I can be like this at times.

when I got a letter from Area F to come, that my name was mentioned in an investigation. I called my mama in Uyo who advised me to pray and read Revelation. So I read and went straight to the station. So I will not join this fight quoting any Bible portion but will join with common sense. The bobo is taking you guys out with copious logic and strong facts from the Bible and all you guys can come back with is a curse. Which kind curse? The other day I watched another big pastor who was enmeshed in some sex scandal recently saying that he has a PhD in theology and as such will not and cannot be dragged into a debate with Freeze. See, we are getting tired of this cult of Pharisees who parade themselves as pastors, living off our collective wealth. The young man that attempted to reform the sector, yes it is a business sector with the kind of wealth that is being generated, he was hounded out of office; simply because he had sought to demarcate the position of spiritual head with chief executive officer. Mbok, this tithing, we are tired. If government will not do anything about it then the people should wake up and

smell the coffee. The Muslims set up their Sukuk bringing about a banking system that shares profits and losses and is open to all faith and these charlatans have the guts to scream that they are Islamising Nigeria. Have you tried to collect a loan from a micro finance bank owned by a church? Just try it. They charge 60% per annum and woe betide you that you default, you will find yourself in the gutter all from our tithes. Me I have joined this fight, I no kuku dey pay the tithe. Have you gone to check school fees in their schools built from your tithe? God is alive and he will stand by truth and justice. Freeze nothing do you. You will not die. You will live long to continue to say the truth. I stand with you and we are plenty standing with you. God will fight for us. #nomoretithes. Let us pay taxes instead of these tithes. Any pastor that tries me on this matter will have himself to blame o. Me I don’t know how to use spiritual warfare, my own is Shomolu own o. I will come to your church stark naked with my poster standing there with a billboard asking for answers. Na wa. Enough is enough. Come out and let

Bello with wife

us debate. I challenge all you so-called great pastors, come out of your Limousines, Rolls Royces and gold mansions, let us debate. Freeze is ready, I am ready, Nigerians are ready; why the fear shebi you know Bible, let us talk. We are ready. Kai. scam. The Bello Murder: Needless Crime of Passion We have been rudely awakened to the news of the murder of this young man (I hear he was a nephew to the former PDP Chairman) by his wife because of a text message he could not explain. When the news broke, I came out with guidelines for the cheating man to adhere to if he did not want to end up like poor young Bello. The guidelines have gone viral as I have received so many phone calls from men thanking me for the guidelines and also seeking to get some more coaching since this pastime is now a matter of life and death. Well, seriously this matter has thrown up two issues – domestic violence where the man is the victim and mental illness. Shebi I have been screaming since that until we trace the actual root cause of this vile behaviour we will not solve it. I have stated in various fora that men are more victims than women and the fact that the woman usually comes out physically bruised does not in any way mean that she is not a prime mover in the wahala. So many men have been suffering in silence while the champion feminists have been going to town using their feminine wiles to get government to enact jaundiced laws to deal with a man who slaps, forgetting to address the cause of the matter. Many men have languished in jail and societal persecution simply because they have failed to contain the psychological torment and taunts and have gone ahead to physically molest their partners. Nobody listens to them, once you have slapped, that is it o. I am a victim, I will not pretend. I heard how my mother, my mama wey born me na prostitute and witch almost everyday from my wife for eight years. I cry o, I beg o, I shout o, I tell everybody but what they would say, ‘’na woman, you know how dem dey talk. One day, I slap and na Alausa I find myself. I thank God that it is not now otherwise it would have been another story we would be hearing – I even hope the law is not retroactive o, before one over-enthusiastic activist will go and put me in trouble. This is just gist to illustrate my point o, till today, I am still seen as the aggressor and not the victim. This Bello guy was mentally tortured, physically attacked and in all of this I am sure they would still have been telling him, ‘na woman, no vex’’. Today, he has lost his life and the feminists with their jaundiced laws against domestic violence remain helpless and naked. If we do not look at this matter holistically in a much more robust fashion, we will continue to see this kind of wahala in this country. Secondly, mental illness must have played a role in this matter. A lot of people are walking around mentally challenged, but as a result of the stigma placed on this type of illness by society and the lack of our medical infrastructure to handle and diagnose this case, we continue to expose ourselves to cases like this or how else can you explain a Muslim woman who was most likely nurtured with the fact that she belongs to a religion and culture that encourages polygamy will now go and kill her hubby because of a text? She should be checked. It is not normal, I tell you. Well, as they say a word is enough for the wise. I have deleted all errant texts from my phone, bought a second phone that only one babe in Shomolu near the canal who sells isi ewu knows the number and I have even saved her name as my mother which is a major repellent to avoid this kind thing. Me, I cannot shout. My phone is now a no-go area to my wife and it doesn’t even enter the house with me, I lock it up in the spare tyre compartment of the car. These are interesting times.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ

SPY GLASS

BAYO ADELABU

BAYO ADELABU’S AWFUL ENCOUNTER If the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, topshot, Bayo Adelabu, had listened to wise counsel, he would have probably had a rethink before going into politics. It was gathered that the respected banker did not heed the advice of his friends and family members who discouraged him from venturing into politics, after he declared his intention to vie for the number one job in Oyo State in 2019. But today, he knows better, as his dream of becoming the state governor is fast evaporating. Indeed, the billionaire is said to have dumped the ambition due to his recent encounters. A source said, “Adelabu never expected what played out since he made his intention known in the state. Though he has not made public his intention, many are already aware of it. His experiences have not been palatable. Hence, his reasons for dropping the ambition for now.� Until now, the respected banker, who is a grandson of the late Adegoke Adelabu, famously described as the strongman of Ibadan politics, was tipped as the successor to the incumbent governor, Abiola Ajimobi, with whom he had a warm relationship with . To underscore his seriousness, he was said to have hastened work on the completion of his 25-room country home in the Alalubosa area of Oyo State. But not long after,

with .... 08054680651 things started to fall apart between him and Ajimobi, thereby making his ambition suffer a terrible blow. Besides, another factor militating against his gubernatorial ambition is the fact that he is said to be popular only among the elite in Ibadan and not in the whole of Oyo State. Until his appointment as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), he was an Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer (CFO), First Bank of Nigeria Plc. (FBN). Prior to that, he had held the positions of General Manager as well as the West African Regional Head of Finance and Strategy (Consumer Banking Business) for Standard Chartered Bank from where he was head-hunted in 2009. Bayo holds a First-Class degree in Accounting from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a member of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria.

CAROLINE EKANEM’S DEEP WOUND IN THE HEART Caroline Ekanem, an actress and former wife of billionaire businessman, Musa Danjuma, has always been in the news for many reasons. Though she is not one of the A-list actresses in the nation’s movie industry, Nollywood, she commands respect for her charm and beauty. Her marriage to billionaire Danjuma, a brother to a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma(retd.), offered her a new lease of life. The forgoing may not be news any longer. However, Spy Glass gathered that the young lady is nursing a wound in her heart, following a series of losses she has suffered recently. It was gathered that the mother of two has been somewhat low-spirited since she lost her boyfriend, Tagbo, who was said to have died of suffocation inside a car after an outing at a nightclub. A source revealed that though she is getting attention from men, she has refused to look their way, as she is still grieving the loss.

KWARA GOV, AHMED, OONI OF IFE HONOURED If you were at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Victoria Island, Lagos last weekend, you would have given thumbs up to the organisers of the annual LEAD project lecture. It was obvious that they went the extra mile to put up the show, which was the 9th edition of the awards ceremony. One of the highlights of the evening was the recognition accorded the Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi. While Ahmed received the LEAD Project Africa ‘Man of the Year’ for 2017, the Ooni was awarded the Lead Royal Icon of the Year. He was represented by Oba AdeyemiAsaoya of Isoya-Ile. The Lead Africa Think Tank Award is an annual corporate event that recognises and rewards governments, industries, companies and individuals who are making giant strides in their fields and contributing immensely to the society. According to the organisers, the award of excellence was bestowed on the governor for his high performance since assuming office and his track record of achievements which established him as an expert in strategic planning and resource optimisation. Meanwhile, Oba Ogunwusi was honoured for his role in promoting Yoruba culture at home and abroad. The Senior Special Assistant, SSA to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Omoniyi Oduwole, Managing Director, Slot Telecommunications, Nnamdi Ezeigbo, Registrar, APCON, Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi and other top dignitaries were also honoured for their achievements.

YEWANDE PEREGRINO’S UNFULFILLED DREAM The death, last Monday in Lagos, of Yewande Peregrino, a Lagos top-flight socialite and make-up artist, has cast a pall of gloom on the beauty industry. The Lagos Island- born mother of one, Armani Moropeda, who reportedly died after a brief illness, belonged to the league of leading make-up artists in Nigeria. Very creative, she worked with

YEWANDE

many big names and built a successful brand which she ran for over 10 years. Before death plucked her, she was planning to expand her business beyond Lagos and launch a clothing line. She had, according to some sources, planned to launch the clothing line next year when she would have turned 40 in May. Sadly, these beautiful dreams seem to have died with her. However, even in death, she is still very relevant, especially as she impacted positively on those whose paths crossed hers in life.

ORJI KALU’S RISING PROFILE Without a doubt, Orji Uzor Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, has assumed the status of a man of the people in a nation where many politicians are not regarded highly. Yes, at different times, he has suffered undeserved humiliation in the nation’s political space. But like a true fighter, he has always emerged a hero. Perhaps, this explains why he has, once again, become a reference point and a colossus. Spyglass gathered that his Abuja and Igbere (Abia) country homes are like Mecca visited daily by his loyalists as well as political associates because he is a force to be reckoned with in the nation’s political circle. The youngest person to take the oath of office as a governor in Nigeria at 39, according to Forbes, he holds the double honour as the fourth richest man in Nigeria. The blunt philanthropist, who sits atop the SLOK conglomerate with interest in airline, shipping, oil and gas, amongst others, has his business tentacles spread across the world.

CAROLINE

AHMED

ORJI KALU

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ NOVEMBER 25, 2017

SUPER SATURDAY Frank Olize’s Name Opens Doors for Me

JENNIFER OLIZE

In the glorious past, Frank Olize, veteran broadcaster, used his voice in the media through his popular TV programme, Newsline, as an avenue to make a difference. Today, his daughter, Jennifer, is combining brain with beauty. Jennifer Olize is the Managing Director of Le Reve Pieces and Creative Director of Music Meets Runway, tells Adedayo Adejobi, about her plans for Nigeria and what she stands for

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ow has your father’s name, Frank Olize, inspired you as a person? I consider my father to be a great man and one of the icons in Nigeria today. He truly made a difference and I am very proud to have him as a father. He contributed a lot to the media in Nigeria. His TV show, Newsline, was very unique; he was able to draw attention to a lot of shortcomings in Nigeria. He focused on the issues in Nigeria back then and he found himself setting agenda for the authorities and people in charge to address the issues. He was live every Sunday at 9 pm to over 100 million Nigerians who tuned in every week to watch him and the news. He also gave a platform for people to share their unique stories and he helped a lot of people in need. For this he received many awards. I am extremely inspired by him and I love him very much. Who will you be without the influence of your dad? I can’t really say; I don’t know. But I’m happy and thankful to God to have a dad like mine. He believes a lot in moral values and above all, he saw quality education as the best legacy for any child that he gave my sister and I. We are very grateful. He has influenced me in every positive way possible and supported me all through.

Why did you choose showbiz and entertainment as a business? I’ve always had a passion for events. I love fashion and lifestyle events, and music concerts. When I was in the UK studying Business Economics at the University Of Reading, I realised I had a huge passion for such. I started having mini events here and there. I began earning money from my passion. After my studies in the UK, I decided to further my skills. I moved to New York and did a postgraduate in Events Management at New York University (NYU). Today, I run an events company called Le Reve Events, which specialises in lifestyle events – Music Meets Runway was the first major one in Nigeria we were able to achieve. We’ve done a couple more events but not as big as MMR. Hopefully, there will be many more. You are the pioneer of the famous Music Meets Runway. It didn’t hold last year. Was that deliberate? Well, it’s definitely not deliberate. Music Meets Runway has been on for five years. It wasn’t able to hold last year simply because of the state of the economy. Music Meets Runway requires a huge budget for it to take place; the production costs are enormous. We were not able to raise the money for the event. A show like Music Meets Runway, which is of international standard, is an event that promotes fashion designers, music artistes, models, stylists, makeup artists and so on, to exhibit their talent. Every single person that appears on the show becomes a big deal after the event. It is not just entertainment; it throws up new careers and promotes existing careers in the creative industry. The event pulls in about 5,000 guests, which consist youths, fashion and music lovers, celebrities, movers and shakers of Nigeria. We also have numerous guests from different African countries and international guests from the UK and US. So, it is safe to say the event promotes tourism in Nigeria. Events like this need to be supported by the government and the corporate world to sustain it. Sponsorship is critical. We have contributed and supported the creative industry in every way. It is time we got that support to enable us continue giving back and help in nation-building. What else do you do? I own and run Le Reve Pieces, which simply means ‘The Dream Pieces’ in French. It is a fashion store located in Lekki Phase I. It stocks the best selection of jewellery and accessories you can find. In March 2016, I launched my sunglasses line called LRP Shades. They are affordable, trendy fashion glasses everyone should have. I have also launched a bridal line this year called, Le Reve Bride (The Dream Bride) through which we cater to all brides’ needs; from their neckpieces, to veils, to earrings, lingerie and hair accessories. We are dedicated to creating the dream bride. Was there any time your dad’s name opened doors for you? My father’s name definitely opens doors for me. I noticed he has a lot of people that admire him for the role he played in the country or in their lives. It is always nice to meet people like that. They are always willing to listen to me and help me if possible. There are also some people who feel I shouldn’t be where I am today. But without using your brain, talent and passion, there’s a limit to what your family name can do for you. I’m a hard worker; very determined, focused and extremely passionate in everything I do. I don’t look for the easy way out. I face the same challenges like everyone else. My father used his voice through mass media as an avenue to make a difference. I’ll love to use this virtue in rebuilding Nigeria. I believe strongly in the potential of this country. There are so many resources here (great talents and opportunities); all we need to do is

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž OVEMBER 25, 2017

23

SATURDAY MY DREAM MAN MUST BE A GO-GETTER

Admire him for the role he played in the country or in their lives. It is always nice to meet people like that. They are always willing to listen to me and help me if possible. There are also some people who feel I shouldn’t be where I am today. But without using your brain, talent and passion, there’s a limit to what your family name can do for you. I’m a hard worker; very determined, focused and extremely passionate in everything I do. I don’t look for the easy way out. I face the same challenges like everyone else

Olize harness and make great things happen. What motivates you? I am a very passionate person. I put all my strength and passion in everything I do. I love setting goals for myself and working hard to achieve them. So, doing a good job and achieving the desired result is my primary motivation. Tell us about a time when you failed. As an entrepreneur, you are likely to undergo a lot of challenges and disappointments; a lot of things may not work as you plan. Some businesses may succeed, while others simply will not. But for every time something goes wrong, I consider it to be a learning experience. The key thing is to get back up, keep working hard, keep pushing and never give up. What does success mean to you? To me, success means having a goal, planning the steps to achieve the goal, implementing the plan, and finally attaining the goal. This simply means if you don’t set goals for yourself, you may not be in the position to establish whether or not one is succeeding in life. If you were to meet a global personality, who will that be? Michelle Obama! She is the epitome of grace and an example of a strong black woman. I aspire to be like her. She makes women believe that anything is possible. What do you do in your leisure time?

I’m an outgoing person, so I love to have fun and to be in good company. I love the process of getting dressed and looking fabulous to go out. I love travelling when I get the opportunity to get the time off and explore new places. What does fashion mean to you? I’ve always loved fashion ever since I was little – even more now, as I get older. Fashion is about expressing yourself and a glimpse into someone’s personality; it is self-expression. What fashion brands do you love? There are so many. I mostly love Nigerian brands and I’m a firm believer in supporting and buying Nigerian products. There are several fashion designers out there I adore, you can just pull out the list of all the designers that have showcased on Music Meets Runway – they are all my favorites. What fashion accessories do you always wear? I love all accessories. They are truly everything. Accessories are the icing on the cake that makes the outfit more beautiful. If I have to choose, I’ll choose sunglasses. They are fabulous. What kind of man will you like to marry? Million dollar question! Whoever God has designed for me will be just perfect. But I desire a man who genuinely believes in the institution of marriage. My parents have been together for 34

years. I’ll definitely want a marriage that is sustainable. I am attracted to go-getters with a drowning love for a great family and the fear of God to maintain that family.

Are you getting married anytime soon? Yes – by God’s special grace. I hope to be married soon to a wonderful man. I’ll love to have a beautiful family. Family means everything to me.

MusicMeetsRunwayis DesignedtoPromoteNigeria

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͺͽ, 2017

THE ALTERNATIVE

with Reno Omokri

Do We Have a Budding Grace Mugabe in Nigeria?

T

here appears to be a lot more in common between former Zimbabwean First Lady, Grace Mugabe, and Nigeria’s present First Lady, Aisha Buhari, than immediately meets the eye. I don’t even know why few people have connected the dots before now, seeing as they are both almost always in the eye of a media storm. For one, they are both breathtakingly beautiful although I favour Grace Mugabe. My gosh, Grace Mugabe is beautiful! If I had ever been Mugabe’s deputy, I may have preferred to inherit her rather than the Presidency were anything to befall my boss. I hope I am not giving Mr. Emmerson Mnangagwa any ideas. But I digress, and I beg your pardon. I am, after all, a man, and women like Grace Mugabe naturally tend to have this type of effect on our reasoning faculties if truth were to be told. But beyond their ravishing beauty, both Grace and Aisha married men that were vastly older than them and this more or less made them trophy wives. Grace Mugabe is just 52 while her husband, Robert Mugabe is 93. The age gulf between them is 41 years. When they got married 21 years ago in 1996, Grace Mugabe was 31 and Robert Mugabe was 72 years old. What about Aisha? The Nigerian First Lady is just 46 years old, meanwhile her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari would be 75 (football age? If you ask me, na who I go ask?) in less than a month. The age gap between them is nearly 30 years. Aisha Buhari was just 18 at the time President Buhari married her in 1989 when he was 47 years old. Another similarity is that at the initial rise to power of both their husbands, both men were married to different women. Robert Mugabe was married to Sally Hayfron in 1980 when he first emerged as Zimbabwe’s first Prime Minister (the nation used to be known as Rhodesia, being arrogantly named after Cecil Rhodes). Major General Muhammadu Buhari (as he then was), was married to Safinatu Yusuf when he first became Nigeria’s military head of state in 1983. But the similarities between Grace and Aisha does not end in their marriage and who and when they married. You see, although both Grace and Aisha are both ostensibly not elected or appointed government officials, they both wielded a lot of influence on their respective husbands’ government. In fact, one of the charges that ZANU PF levelled against Robert Mugabe and for which it demanded his resignation or impeachment, is the charge of allowing his wife “to usurp constitutional power.� In essence, Mugabe’s Slay Queen wife led to his downfall. Aisha Buhari may not have led to her husband’s downfall, but that she is also a Slay Queen is not in doubt. In fact, in her own case, she is officially a beautician having studied it professionally, and owns a chain of beauty spas. She is

Mugabe

also the author of ‘Essentials of Beauty Therapy: A Complete Guide for Beauty Specialists’. That she has been involved in government affairs is not in doubt after she gave her warning to her husband saying that: “I have decided as his wife, that if things continue like this up to 2019, I will not go out and campaign again and ask any woman to vote like I did before. I will never do it again� In essence, both Aisha and Grace wielded and still wield powers (in the case of Aisha) and influence that they were not given by any constitution or legitimate authority. This much was clear in the fact that Aisha Buhari was able to get the National Assembly to conduct a hearing on the state of the State House clinic after she publicly berated the Chief Medical Director of the clinic, Dr. Hussain Munir, over whom she has no constitutional or official authority. In 2016, Grace Mugabe publicly warned ZANU PF and government officials about their conduct and threatened to have them dealt with and in the same year, Aisha Buhari publicly warned a popularly elected governor and called him an “unchained mad dog�. But to me, the similarities between the two women reached its crescendo this past Wednesday (November 22, 2017). On that day, the Nigerian Government released a statement saying that its most important meeting, the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting

(whose official Constitutional name is Executive Council of the Federation meeting), was moved from its normal location (the Council Chambers) to Aisha Buhari’s conference room due to unidentified “technical challenges�. I am quite familiar with Aso Rock’s facilities having started working there at the age of 29 as an aide in the then Vice President’s office in 2003. The Vice President also has a conference room which I have been in. If the Federal Executive Council meeting had to be shifted from its normal venue, why not shift it to the Vice President’s Conference Room if ‘technical challenges’ is really the reason? First rat and now technical challenges. What next? Does Nigeria now have a budding Grace Mugabe on our hands? President Muhammadu Buhari once dismissed his wife’s foray into politics by saying “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room.� The President never told us that power also belongs in his wife’s conference room, but apparently it does since the last FEC held there. Africans once thought that exPresident Mugabe and his wife Grace played the ultimate bedroom politics, but never was it reported in Zimbabwe that meetings were officially moved from their regular locations to Grace Mugabe’s office. Maybe it was Grace Mugabe herself who was the learner despite her longer years as First Lady. Perhaps if she had

been subtler and more persuasive in “the other room�, she and her husband would have still been in power. You never even know, perhaps important meetings of state would have been shifted to her own office leaving no one in any doubt as to who is really in charge! Well the cabal seems to have defeated Grace Mugabe in Zimbabwe, but we are yet to see who will come out on top in the infighting amongst the Nigerian cabal. What we do know is that there is no love lost between major personalities in the cabal abs Aisha Buhari, who they nicknamed ‘suicide bomber’. If Wednesday shifting of the venue of the Executive Council of the Federation meeting is anything to go by, the pendulum of power may have shifted in Aisha’s favour. Who knows? Maybe her next book would be titled ‘Essentials of Power Politics: A Complete Guide for Winning Other Room Politics’. I know at least one person in Zimbabwe who badly needs such a book. Reno’s Nuggets Ladies, don’t look down on your man because he could not spend a fortune on an engagement or wedding ring. The price of the ring does not determine the value of the love it represents. Guys, the wife you marry, determines the life you carry. It is hard for a man to grow beyond the wife he marries because her MOOD affects you. Her FOOD affects you. And finally, her GOOD also affects you #RenosNuggets

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ NOVEMBER 25, 2017

25

EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES

Masquerader, Not Masquerade

EBERE WABARA

Q

UESTIONS over N500m Benue flood relief (floodrelief) fund” “It is no gain saying (gainsaying) that both officers and civilians sentenced on the incidence (incident) must….” “The suicide bombings, according to reports, had happened at about 4.30 pm (p.m.) when….” Time precision: either at 4.30 p.m. or about 4.30 p.m. The idea of using both in the same environment smacks of cloudy thinking! “Of course, the damages in goods and even cash will remain….” ‘Damage’ is non-count except in legal or other reparative circumstances. “We think the attackers were trying to ‘ethicize’ their operation in other (order) to provoke a spontaneous chain of retaliations across the country.” “…write on the enduring power of the moneybag and confidant of presidents.” The second coming of Arthur Eze: power of the moneybags. ‘Moneybag’ is the bag containing a moneybags’ money. “The man said he will (would) never say anything.” “3rd World Aviation Forum kicks-off (kicks off) in Abuja today” Phrasal verbs do not admit hyphenation. “Nigeria generates (generated) N69.2bn from solid minerals in 2015—NEITI” “1 out of 3 Nigerians suffer (suffers) hypertension—Expert” “Majority (A majority) of the opposition candidates were only seen on few posters scattered round the state.” “A philanthropist per (par) excellence….” “We thank you for the investments so far made on (in) infrastructures that are of critical importance to our dear state and the South East in general.” “NCC tasks operators on 14 days (days’)

BY

data rollover” “And like (as) someone said recently….” “…in the evacuation of dead bodies to mortuary.” On a clinical note: corpses instead of ‘dead bodies’ and a mortuary or mortuaries, depending on the fact of the matter. “…as well as condoning the place and evacuating the dead and survivors to nearest health facilities.” Bomb blasts and conflicting figures: cordoning off (take note of the spelling and correct entry) the place. “There seems (seem) to be stiff competitions among the foreign media and local press as well as….” “…politicians are also culprits in overheating the system with provocative statements in blaming their opponents over (for) every misdeed.” “…the likely antics of masquerades (masqueraders) behind some of those disasters when one juxtapose the scenario to the forthcoming general elections (election).” Additionally: juxtaposes the scenario and/with (not to) the forthcoming general election. As voter registration begins next year, let us carry out our civic duty by participating and being our brother’s keeper (not brothers’ keepers, irrespective of the number)! Let us welcome last week’s edition of this medium which contained a few errors and thereafter a cocktail of nondescript infelicities from the mass media: “Baring few skirmishes which regrettably led to the death of four persons….” An anatomy of the season of linguistic violence: there is a world of distinction between ‘a few’ (which correctly applies here) and ‘few’, which connotatively suggests an expectation of more skirmishes—except if the writer has a weird denotative inclination towards potentialities for more skirmishes! Otherwise, the extract is lexically absurd because of his regret. “Just imagine a young man that rounded

up his apprenticeship as a welder.” This is an indication of the current malaise in scholarship: a situation where a lecturer cannot distinguish between phrasal verbs, ‘round up’ and ‘round off’ (which applies here). “Will anybody please let us know which country became a super-power by allowing its best brains to roam about the world?” ‘Roam’ encompasses ‘about’. “News from the universities are no longer about innovation.…” News is news (uncountable). “The condition, which is said to be due to an abnormality in either the number or structure of the chromosomes, cuts across every races.” Get it right: every race or all races. “Janet, a twelve-year-old and the third child of her parents’ four offsprings and the only one with the problem…” ‘Offspring’ is non-count. “Since 1993, funding of oil exploration have (has) been beset by different levels of problems.” “In answering this question we classify the outcomes into long term and short term implications.” The greatest problem of journalists: unnecessary embellishment (outcome) of words. “This is clearly a danger signal as the time between discovering an oil field and commercially putting it on stream could be between four to five years.” No analysis: between four and five or from four to five years. “THISDAY checks reveal that every termination penalties goes from 500,000 US dollars to 2 million US dollars”. Check the discord as already discussed above. “Lack of funds cripple waste management activities” Another error of attraction: Lack of funds cripples. “Nevertheless, the donor country is also interested in this decision to ensure that the loan is repaid as at when due with its

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

accrued interest.” Without any periscope: the loan is repaid when due (not as at when due which is pleonastic). “Government should consider the destructive effect that further delay in the sale of rescued banks would mete out on the banking system”. Stock phrase: mete out to (not on) the banking system. “If the family cannot truely relish at least a decent meal….” Spelling counts: truly. “A man does not have to be a money bag (sic) before he can dress well and look charming in his own little way.” Brighten up your English usage: A man does not have to be a moneybags…. Moneybag is a sac! “…in addition, (sic) to dispensing drugs for immediate relief and giving counsel on the steps necessary to prevent a reoccurrence.” Good grammar: recurrence. “…it sent the signal that those responsible for the security of lives and properties in Oyo State are working at cross-purposes”. Some caution, please: life and property. “The arsonists usually escape with their loot as the embattled market lays in ashes, leaving many traders terminally ruined financially.” There should be no dilemma: ‘lays’ for ‘lies’? “If somebody had told me when I met with late Dr. Ernest Ogunade shortly before his death that it was going to be the last encounter with him.…” The first and only time when I met (not with) the (vital article) late Dr. Ogunade of UNILAG Mass Communications Department he commended this column as published in the heyday of Daily Times profusely. May his cerebral soul continue to rest in peace (not ‘perfect peace’ as abused in Nigeria)! “I still remember vividly that when it was my turn to speak at the occasion….” I thought we had gone past this stage: on (never at) the occasion.

POLITY

Ugwuanyi’s Winning Ways in Enugu LG Polls Louis Amoke

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ast week, the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) released the final results of the 2017 Local Government Elections conducted to elect chairmen and councilors of the 17 council areas and 260 electoral wards in the state, respectively. The latest results, which were the outcome of the bye-election in Eke and Obioma wards, Udi Local Government Area, saw the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Ezeako Lawrence and Mr. Chijioke Ikechukwu, emerging as winners of the two seats contested. The Chairman of ENSIEC, Dr. Mike Ajogwu (SAN) had while declaring the results of the Saturday, November 4 Local Government Elections announced that the PDP won all the 17 chairmanship seats and 258 councillorship positions, stating that elections did not hold in Eke and Obioma wards. The ENSIEC Chairman said that a new date will be fixed for bye-election in the two remaining wards, to elect their councilors. Announcing the results of the bye-election, Dr. Ajogwu held that in Eke ward, Mr. Ezeako of the PDP pulled 1,625 votes against his only contender, Mr. Philip Eze of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 384 votes. He added that in Obioma ward, Mr. Chijioke of the PDP scored 1,763 votes to defeat his only rival from the APC, Onyema Hyginus, who polled 31 votes. Describing the bye-election as credible, free and fair, the ENSIEC Chairman commended the electorate and the security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the exercise, adding that the winners will be issued with the Certificate of Return, accordingly. Dr. Ajogwu, as a promoter of sportsmanship, advised the winners to be magnanimous in victory, and urged the losers to join

Ugwuanyi

hands in the development of their areas in particular and the state in general. With the latest results, the exercise came to a peaceful conclusion with the PDP winning all the 17 Chairmanship seats and 260 Councillorship positions, a landslide victory that reaffirmed the party’s stronghold in the state, evidently made possible through the visionary and people-oriented leadership of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. The governor’s good works, his humble disposition and Midas touch in boosting the state’s lean resources through vision, innovation, accountability, fiscal discipline and prudent management for sustainable economic growth have endeared him and his administration to the people of the state. Gov. Ugwuanyi has institutionalized a culture of governance that is inclusive, endearing and also impacts positively on the lives of the people of the state in all spheres of development, despite the drought in the state’s finance, occasioned by the nation’s economic challenges.

Interestingly, Enugu State under Gov. Ugwuanyi has been experiencing peace and good governance, and fervently secure in the hands of God. The governor has shown tremendous commitment to the wellbeing of the people, through the provision of critical infrastructure, especially in the rural areas to create more urban centres for socio-economic expansion, in line with his administration’s rural development agenda. Apart from the over 10 massive road projects that were executed across the three senatorial districts of the state in the first two years of the administration, in addition to the over 35 development projects that were simultaneously executed in the 17 Local Government Areas, Ugwuanyi’s administration has recently awarded multiple road projects in some satellite areas and communities such as Abakpa Nike, Amurri, Awgu, etc to ameliorate the hardship being encountered by the people of the areas as a result of the deplorable condition of the roads. Away from infrastructural development, the governor’s giant strides in regular payment of workers’ salaries and retirees’ pensions, when many states are unable to pay not to talk of embarking on capital projects because of the nation’s economic downturn; his remarkable achievements in other strata of the economy, such as in education, health, investment promotion, empowerment, water supply, agriculture, sports, etc, have also brought enormous goodwill to the PDP-led government in Enugu State. For instance, in education, apart from construction, renovation and equipping of primary and secondary schools, more teachers are being recruited to improve the standard of learning in public schools. In line with this vision, the governor recently approved the recruitment of 2000 tutorial staff across the 291 public secondary schools in the state, under the Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB) and one is glad to note that the jobs were advertised,

accordingly. All these elements of good governance, coupled with the governor’s accessibility and closeness to the people, no doubt, contributed immensely to the overwhelming victory of the PDP in the just concluded council elections in the state. Kudos must, therefore, go to the people’s governor for this great feat recorded by the PDP at the polls, notwithstanding the challenges posed by the opposition political parties. The landslide victory was quite commendable and outstanding, considering the fact that this was the first time since 1999, the PDP in Enugu State went to the polls as an opposition political party at the national level and still won 100 percent. It shows the level of goodwill, solidarity and support the party and its government enjoy from the people of the state. Prior to the November 4 council elections, predictions were made that the PDP will sweep the polls, overwhelmingly. The prediction was based on the glaring fact that the party and its government were very popular and acceptable in the state, having kept faith with the promises they made to the people. It was also based on a critical evaluation of the engagement of the political parties in campaign, which is the most tedious aspect of the electoral process. It is on record that, Gov. Ugwuanyi, at the pre-election stage, led the PDP to prosecute an intensive, sustained and vigorous campaign in the 17 councils, traversing all the nooks and crannies of the state, canvassing for votes. The rich and well attended campaign rallies were anchored on the sustenance of good governance, continued service to the people of the state, as well as the need to deepen and advance development in the rural areas, to give the dwellers a sense of belonging as the true heroes of democracy. – Amoke writes from Enugu State

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚;

ESSENTIAL SKILLS with STEPHEN DIESERUVWE (Director General, Delta State TraďŹƒc Management Authority (DESTMA)

Driving in Rain

Velar

Velar: Fabulous Car Launched in Fantastic Location Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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estern Cape in South Africaholds some priceless legendary stories and there are real-time structures and monuments to support these accounts. These stories are incomplete without the fantasy of the Range Rover Velar, the newest addition to the bloodline, which sprang to life off and on road as it trails the landmarks of Western Cape. The impressive media launch of the Velar by journalists from sub-Saharan Africa happened at The Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden that has over 150 sculptures, according to Hanle Hill, who gave an insightful and informative overview of the gardens and sculptor’s work. Dylan Lewis has been living and working there

for the last 50 years, and from humble beginnings he bought the farm, spread on 8 hectares. As most people fall in love with the Velar, Lewis fell in love with the digger machine, which he used to sculpt the land and extended the water body. He now has the land looking like female sculptures lying on their sides against the masculine backdrop of the mountains. In fact, Lewis said the garden was created because of the mountains and that the garden was nothing without the mountains. Landscaping of the garden was done in 2009 and the first plantings were done in 2011, making it a relatively young garden. His first pieces were animal/wildlife sculptures; of birds and on to the big cats, which dominated his life for years. He later moved to human form but he still finds that space, psychologically, between wild and tame. This is also the story of the Velar – off and on road. “This is a fantastic location and it’s even a more

fabulous vehicle,� said Mr. Nigel Clarke, the Sales Operations Director, Jaguar Land Rover, sub-Saharan Africa, of the Range Rover Velar, which is now in Sub-Sahara Africa. 5IF 7FMBS JT FYQFDUFE UP MFBWF UIF TIPXSPPN RVJDLFS said Clarke, prior to a tour of the arts garden and a drive of the Velar. Combined with a comprehensive restraints system that includes six airbags, and a suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including Adaptive Cruise Control with Queue Assist, the Velar integrates the latest safety technologies. The Velar features a sophisticated all-wheel drive system, four-corner air suspension, class-leading HSPVOE DMFBSBODF PG NN NN XIFO FRVJQQFE with coil springs), class-leading wading depth of NN NN XIFO FRVJQQFE XJUI DPJM TQSJOHT and Land Rover’s unmatched suite of traction technologies including Terrain Response 2 and All Terrain Progress Control.

Elizade Autoland makes Mark with JAC Vehicles

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arely four years after making an inroad into the Nigerian auto market via Elizade Autoland, JAC vehicles have become a household name rivalling Korean and Japanese models. December 10, 2017 will make it exactly four years after foremost auto distributor, Elizade Motors, decided to add another auto brand to its portfolio. On this day, the company held a big ceremony to usher in JAC brand into the country, after carrying out six months country wide test drives. At the Sheraton Hotel Club, Lagos, where the event took place, were stakeholders from public and private sectors to welcome and review the different models of the brand. Though Elizade Autoland, sole distributor of JAC vehicles in Nigeria, had secured a distributorship deal from the JAC company a year earlier, it decided to flaunt the strength of the car by giving out different models to customers and

potential customers to test drive before making an official announcement. Expectedly, the verdict from customers were impressive. One thing the test drive achieved was to clear the doubts about the age long belief that Chinese vehicles are not rugged and durable. JAC, being a leading brand from Asia, has been able to withstand the test of time, as today, its acceptability has grown. The managing director of Elizade Autoland, Mr. Demola Ade-Ojo said recently that with his company’s pedigree in the auto business, it can only be associated with brands that will not rubbish the reputation Elizade has built over the years. According to him, JAC is a brand that has come to stay, as he stated that the number of patronage and acceptability of the brand keeps growing as many customers discover that they can get better value for money with JAC. He added that JAC is currently being used by

some top blue chip companies like First bank, Access bank among others, even as he also said the brand is doing very well in the state supported public transportation scheme of Imo state. A satisfied JAC customer, Dr. Pereira Shereola who is the Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Agriculture Development Authority, said he converted the agency’s budget meant to purchase another brand of vehicle last year to buy a JAC T6 pick up because of the price differences. According to him, the vehicle offers satisfaction beyond his expectation due to its ruggedness, fuel efficiency, security features, reverse sensors and the driving capacity. As a further manifestation of the acceptability of the brand, Elizade Autoland made the bold move to open a magnificent exclusive showroom on the busy Mobolaji BankAnthony way, adjacent to the Ikeja GRA last year. The facility is said to have cost the company about N400m.

Stakeholders Discuss Nigeria Auto Sector, BeneďŹ ts of Automechanika

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xperts in the automotive industry in Nigeria and others from Middle East andAfrica, at a meeting in Lagos recently, called for urgent action that will address key challenges in the sector and ensure that projected goals under the current policy are achieved. Worried over influx of substandard automotive products, poor infrastructure, unnecessary custom regulation, lack of financing scheme and others, the stakeholders, who gathered to discuss leeway and prospects of Automechanika 2018, were hopeful that the next edition of the industry’s key event, Automechanika Dubai, which holds from May 1 – 3, 2018 would create a platform that would help government’s drive to build vehicles locally in Nigeria and reduce import of fake automobile

parts. Speaking at the event, Director, Policy and Planning, National Automotive Design and DeWFMPQNFOU $PVODJM -VRNBOO .BNVEV JOTJTUFE that there were huge opportunities in the sector. He said government is committed to addressing the challenges in the sector and ensure that objectives of the country’s automotive policy were achieved. According to him, the 2018 Automechanika in Dubai is timely and remained a key platform that will help the industry in Nigeria to grow, especially in the areas addressing aftermarket challenges. Chairman of the auto sector in the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); Dr. D.V.C. Obi called for industrial revolution that would put Nigeria on the path of development, adding that government was not committed to making the

sector thrive. Obi asked the organisers of theAutomechanika to consider hosting the event in Nigeria, saying that it would be more beneficial to the sector. Regional Brand Development Manager, Messe Frankfurt Middle East,Abdelrahman Kurdieh, said Automechanika remained the largest international automotive aftermarket trade exhibition in the wider Middle East and offer opportunities capable of helping market to growth in Nigeria. Apart from the six sections of the fair; Parts & Components, Electronics & Systems, Repair & Maintenance, Tyres & Batteries, Service Station & Car Wash and Accessories & Tuning, Kurdieh said the business matchmaking segment of the event would present stakeholders with the right opportunities.

When rain begins to fall lightly, water, dust, oil and leaves cause the roadway to become slippery. Slow down at the first sign of rain, or drizzle on the road, and turn on your windscreen wipers, headlights,anddemisters.Rainaffectswhatyoucan hear, what you can see and the grip of your vehicle on the road. In wet weather, windows are more likely to mist. In rainy conditions, other vehicles are harder to see. Using your dipped headlamps especially when visibility drops below 100 metres can help you to be seen by other drivers. When it is raining, other vehicles will be harder to hear because of the noise from the rain and from your heater fan or demisters. You will therefore have to make more visual checks and effective observations to the sides of your vehicle. You must ensure that your tyres have depth tread in order to maintain your grip in wet weather conditions. The tread will allow the water to be displaced and lessen the chance of skidding. The poor weather condition rule in driving is: ‘Slow Down for Safety’ As it is harder to see far ahead in heavy rain, it will be unsafe to drive at the speed limit of the road, so you will need to slow down and drive at speed you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear. If driving in muddy condition, you may have to stop from time to time to wipe mud off your windscreen, headlights, brake lights and taillights. As a general advice, take the following precautions when driving in rain: r 5VSO PO ZPVS IFBEMJHIUT XIFO PQFSBUJOH ZPVS wipers. r *ODSFBTF ZPVS GPMMPXJOH EJTUBODF UP WFIJDMFT in front of you. r 5BLF TQFDJBM DBSF PO DPSOFST CFOET BOE UVSOT and while braking. r "WPJE BRVBQMBOJOH CZ TMPXJOH EPXO *G ZPV TLJE XIJMF BRVBQMBOJOH USZ UP SFHBJO DPOUSPM PG the vehicle, by coming off the accelerator and correcting the skid (see the article on skidding). High Winds High winds can cause severe problems for road users. Windy conditions can make driving hazardous, which can result in vehicles travelling at high speed to be unstable. When driving in windy conditions, take special care on exposed sections of road (with little vegetation) where crosswinds may gust across the road. Wind is especially difficult for drivers of trucks, trailers, high capacity buses, etc. When driving in windy conditions, it is advisable to take the following precautions: r 3FEVDF ZPVS TQFFE BOE NBLF TUFFSJOH DPSSFDtions when you go from a protected area to an open area and when meeting large vehicles such as trucks and buses. r *O TPNF DBTFT IFBWZ SBJO PGUFO BDDPNQBOJFT high winds. So you must be alert to wet or slippery areas and plan for those conditions. The general advice when driving in poor conditions such as driving at night, rain, harmattan haze, misty/foggy weather etc, as contained in Section D of the Nigerian Highway Code are as follows: ¡ Put on your wipers; ¡ Reduce your speed; ¡ Ensure that your demister is functional; ¡ Put on your headlights; ¡ Dim your headlights in order to see and be seen; ¡ Put on your hazard lights; ¡ If visibility is poor, move off the road and park safely ¡ Leave your parking lights on ¡ Keep a safe distance from the distance in front of you In next week’s article we shall be discussing distractions and distracted driving. For further explanations or clarification on the articles in the Essential Skills of Driving column, consult the author. Stephen K. Dieseruvwe

Director General,Delta StateTrafďŹ c Management Authority (DESTMA) **DriverTrainer and Road Safety Consultant **Email: sdieseruvwe@gmail.com **Tel: +2348167814928

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27

Guinness, FRSC Hold Ember Months Anti-drink Driving Rally

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Ace coach Ose Mourinho at Jaguar‌ recently

Mourinho Makes Surprise Visit to Jaguar Production Line Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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osĂŠ Mourinho made a surprise visit to Jaguar Land Rover’s factory in Solihull, UK, to watch employees build his new car: the 100,000th F-PACE. Mourinho wore bespoke Jaguar overalls and made his way directly to the factory floor to oversee the production of his car and helped the team as it moved along the production line. Mourinho said: “It was an amazing experience to visit Jaguar’s factory and see all the cars, technology and hard work that goes into developing such a beautiful car. Jaguar is a brand that I have been involved with for many years. Back in 2014, I was the first UK customer to

receive the F-TYPE Coupe and now to become the 100,000th Jaguar F-PACE customer is something that is very special.â€? Upon arrival at the factory, JosĂŠ gave a team talk to the employees, motivating them and talking about having pride and passion in your work, and the products they deliver. Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar said: “It’s great to have one of the most successful football managers drive the F-PACE, our SUV that has been voted as the best and most beautiful car in the world by the 2017 World Car of the Year jury. Just like JosĂŠ Mourinho, the F-PACE is all about individual style and top performance.â€? The F-PACE is the fastest selling Jaguar vehicle ever and is currently the fastest Jaguar vehicle to reach the 100K sales mark. In 2016, Mourinho test drove the Jaguar F-

PACE as part of an extreme high-performance driver training experience in the Arctic Circle. JosÊ Mourinho mastered the art of high speed drifting and full throttle ice driving on a 60km frozen lake at Jaguar’s extreme testing facility in Arjeplog, Sweden. The Jaguar F-PACE offers an unrivalled blend of performance, design and practicality. To ensure that every system functions perfectly even under the most extreme conditions, the new F-PACE has been subjected to one of the most demanding test programmes the company has ever devised. The Jaguar F-PACE: a performance SUV for those who love driving, with unrivalled dynamics and everyday usability; Customers can build their own F-PACE using the Jaguar Configurator for their market, at www.jaguar.

eading manufacturer and Nigeria’s only total beverage company, Guinness Nigeria Plc, held its 13th annual Ember Months ‘Responsible Drinking’ public awareness rally in partnership with the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), which is aimed at enlightening the public on the harmful consequences of alcohol abuse. Speaking at the event, which took place at the Agege Motor Park in Lagos, Managing Director/ CEO, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Peter Ndegwa, disclosed that the partnership with the FRSC has been a truly impactful one, making it possible to jointly deliver awareness campaigns reaching millions of Nigerians yearly. “Through our ember months campaigns, we want to give ourconsumers the right information inordertohelpthemmaketherightdecisionsaround using alcohol as part of a balanced lifestyle. The message we deliver to consumers through our annual campaigns is consistent with our values at Guinness Nigeria. Consumers are at the heart of everything we do as an organisation and are the basis for our existence. We are therefore interested in using education and awareness as a way to curb instances of alcohol misuse and more specifically in this case drink driving,� Ndegwa said. He also commended the FRSC for the critical role they play in helping to reduce accidents on the nation’s highways. “I would like to specially thank the FRSC for their partnership through the years and for the good work they do every day to ensure the safety of road users in Nigeria. As a company, we are proud of the impact we have been able to make through our partnership with the FRSC and other stakeholders. I’m positive that our collective actions will help promote the culture of responsible drinking and ensure the safety of those traveling on Nigerian roads,� he enthused. “Whatever you do this season, please do NOT drink and drive. When you go out in a group to have fun, designate someone to drive and that person should not drink.�

Coscharis Motors Offers Discounts in Partnership With Jumia for Black Friday

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oscharis Motors Plc., a foremost automobile dealer in Nigeria and sole representative of globally respected iconic auto brands like Ford, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Morris Garages (MG), etc, in Nigeria, has partnered with Jumia the largest online shop in Africa to present the most exciting Black Friday shopping experience so far in this part of the world. As part of the partnership offering, Coscharis will put forward some of her vehicle brands specially to Jumia customers at heavily discounted rates. Shoppers on Jumia will also stand a chance to win a brand new Ford Figo during this Black Friday event. General Manager Marketing and Corporate Communications for Coscharis Group, Mr. Abiona Babarinde explained that this is another way Cos-

charis Motors Plc is giving back to her customers as they warm up for the Yuletide season. “We will always seek new ways to delight our customers and give them value for their money, no matter the platform on which they wish to patronise us, online or offline. Abiona also said, “During the Jumia Black Friday Promo period, we will offer a number of our vehicle brands at heavily discounted rates for willing customers to take advantage of. Also the entry level Ford Figo will be on offer to be won via a raffle draw on the Jumia platform, for those who will patronise the platform during the Black Friday Promo period.� Some of the variants which Coscharis Motors is expected to offer at heavily discounted rates

R-L: General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Coscharis Group, Abiona Babarinde receiving the award from the FRSC Lagos State Sector Commander, Hygenius Omeje when Ford was adjudged the Auto Brand of the Year at The Nigeria Automotive Industry Awards at the Eko Hotels‌ recently

ANOTHER CHILD MUST NOT DIE

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n Tuesday, 13th November 2017, channels television alerted me on a road traffic crash in Australia which claimed the life of two boys both aged 8years old .According to a report on the Web, the 52-years old woman behind the crash has since been charged with negligent driving causing death after her 4WD crashed into a southwest Sydney primary school, killing two young boys. Authorities believe that she may have been distracted by something inside her Toyota Kluger before it broke through the weatherboard walls of the demountable classroom at Banksia Road Primary School in Greenacre on Tuesday morning. The reports further said, the boys; both aged eight, suffered cardiac arrest and died in hospital.It also said there were 24 children aged between seven and 11 in the year three classroom at the time. The driver, identified as Maha Al-Shennag, has been charged with two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, driving in a dangerous manner and negligent driving although she was granted conditional bail to appear at Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday, November 29. It is understood police will allege the driver was “distracted by something in her car� before losing control The news alert immediately brought me memory to the recent the plight of Dr Kayode Ajulo , a human rights lawyer and a friend. On November 10th 2017, he was among a long

SAFE DRIVING with

JONAS AGWU

amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa (Corps Commander) Corps Public Education OďŹƒcer Federal Road Safety Corps. + 2348033026491

list of the who is who among celebrities whose trade and passion caught the attention of the management of the Federal Road Safety Corps who inaugurated a new set of celebrity special marshals to drive home advocacies and awareness campaigns aimed at inculcating safety awareness as a plank to drive the Corps specific intervention strategies meant to reduce the road traffic crash trend in our land. Top on the list was veteran actor Olu Jacobs, veteran Nigerian Musician, Zaaky Azzay and Hafeez Ayetoro, better known as Saka, aka Mr, switch brand loyalty among other top celebrities. Although I missed the colourful annual lecture which provided the plank for their inauguration, I must confess that the red carpets and African drums that beat to welcome them on board the 2017 team to crash the crash was for me lost in comparism to a statement from Dr Ajulo. For those who keep in touch with my attempt to write through this platform, Dr Ajulo is the father to Master Kayode Ajulo, the 7year old boy

and only child who died in a car crash which occurred on September 30,2017 which was my focus in the first week of October,2017. Since that tragedy, my dear friend and brother have refused to allow the dark clouds of master Kayode death hold him prisoner. Rather than mourn forever, he took the footprints of the likes of Rachel Sobel of Safe Travel International to stand up against the monster and tragedy called road traffic crash. The statement he released shortly after the induction is so touchy that I have chosen to share without his permission hoping that any other hurting parent or guardian will stand up to be counted in this fight that respects none. Here is what he said; I salute the corps marshal ‌and all in this noble platform for the privilege given in inducting my humble self into this elite group. I see my involvement as a challenge and a call to service .it will also help in channelling my grieve for my late son into something worthwhile in my continuous service to humanity. I lost haplessly, Kayikunmi Kayode –Ajulo, my lovely son in a ghastly motor accident. This regrettable occurrence eyewitnesses and experts account said the unfortunate death could have been averted where there is full compliance with regulations with regards to usage of seat belt and child safety belt. Though, kayikunmi lived a short but vibrant, good and promising life, and his demise too leaves a sore scar on me, as the ultimate victim, I have decided on the strength of the lessons learned from the foregoing, to rise above the

irreversible occurrence and instead, choose to save other innocent Nigerian children from similar fate by instituting a foundation called ’’kayikunmi kayoed Ajulo Memorial Foundation’’ with permanent endowment funds solely from my personal resources, he continued. My dear friend said his focus is to ensure that all relevant agencies particularly the Federal Road Safety Corps commences; full enforcement of the provisions of the law stating full usage of all seatbelt and child safety seat in a vehicle ,start immediate comprehensive and robust citizen engagement and sensitization drive with adequate driver education systems nationwide, ensure adequate driver education systems such as specific trainings before driving licenses can be acquired, advertisement and campaigns be embarked upon by all stakeholders, mandate conduct of specific extra education for traffic offenders and collection of traffic fines for all vehicle occupants who fail to use a seatbelt, commence programmes for public education campaigns in order to increase seatbelt and child safety seat wearing rates ,and thus reducing injuries and fatalities. In the Australian crash two eight-year-old girls were also taken to the hospital in a stable condition while a nine-year-old girl was hospitalised in a serious condition. the driver was uninjured at the scene but was taken to hospital for mandatory blood and urine tests, by the Police. I have taken the pain to narrate bits from these two crashes which claimed the life of a 7year old Nigerian only child and two years old boys in faraway Australia. As painful as these crashes and deaths are, Dr. Ajulo brave example is worth emulating.

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FAMILY HEALTH with

BOBO BODE -KAYODE

Blood in Stool

lifeissuesfromwithin@yahoo.com, .Cel, ͸΀͸ͽ͝͝Ϳͺ͝ͽ͞

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he structure of the lower parts of the body is very vascular. The anal part of the body in human is one of the most used part of the body. This is because human beings must eat, and a normal working body must pass out wastes after the food is digested and waste products are passed out through the bowel, and out in the anus. The vascular nature of the bowel means that there are numerous blood vessels, and for one reason or the order, these vessels may rupture, leading to bleeding, and it could be a sign of various conditions. Blood in the stool can be frightening, whether you discover it while wiping after a bowel movement or from a test ordered by your health care provider. While blood in stool can signal a serious problem, it doesn’t always. CAUSES: Blood in the stool can be frightening, whether you discover it while wiping after a bowel movement or from a test ordered by your health care provider. While blood in stool can signal a serious problem, it doesn’t always. Here’s what you need to know about the possible causes of bloody stools and what you -- and your doctor -- should do if you discover a problem. The color can range from bright red to dark maroon to dark black. The etiology of blood in the stool can range from benign (noncancerous) to malignant (cancerous). Rectal bleeding (bleeding from the bottom) is often noticed as small amounts of bright-red blood on toilet paper or a few droplets that turn the water in the toilet pink. In general, bright-red blood means the bleeding has come from somewhere near your anus and is a typical sign of piles (haemorrhoids) or a small tear (anal fissure) in the skin of your anus. Although these are common problems, don’t let embarrassment stop you seeing your doctor . You should always get rectal bleeding checked to rule out more serious causes. Around 10% of adults experience rectal bleeding in most places. If the blood is darker in colour and sticky, the bleeding may have occurred higher up your digestive system. This type of bleeding can turn your faeces black or plum-coloured (known as melaena). Having plum-coloured, dark and sticky faeces may be a medical emergency – you should see your doctor immediately Causes of Blood in Stool Blood in the stool means there is bleeding somewhere in your digestive tract. Sometimes the amount of blood is so small that it can only be detected by a fecal occult test (which checks for hidden blood in the stool). At other times it maybe visible on toilet tissue or in the toilet after a bowel movement as bright red blood. Bleeding that happens higher up in the digestive tract may make stool appear black and tarry. Some of the more unusual causes of rectal bleeding include r BOUJDPBHVMBOU ESVHT m TVDI BT XBSGBSJO PS BTQJSJO which are taken to reduce your chance of a blood clot but can sometimes cause internal bleeding. r JOåBNNBUPSZ CPXFM EJTFBTF m TVDI BT $SPIO T disease or ulcerative colitis. These long-term conditions DBVTF UIF MJOJOH PG UIF CPXFM UP CFDPNF JOåBNFE $SPIO T disease affects the gut higher up, whereas ulcerative colitis affects the large bowel and rectum further down. Both tend to cause bloody diarrhoea. r CPXFM QPMZQT m TNBMM HSPXUIT PO UIF JOOFS MJOJOH of the colon or rectum. These are common and often don’t cause symptoms, but may lead to a small amount of blood in your stool. Although usually harmless, colon polyps can grow, bleed and become cancerous. Colon polyps are growths in the inner lining, or mucosa, of the colon, or large intestine. It has been well established that colon cancers develop from colon polyps. The three primary types of colon polyps are IZQFSQMBTUJD JOåBNNBUPSZ BOE BEFOPNBUPVT 5IF WBTU majority of colon polyps are benign (not cancerous), but adenomatous colon polyps have the greatest potential to turn into colon cancer. Signs and symptoms of colon polyps may include blood in the stool, constipation, and diarrhea. Most colon polyps do not produce any signs or symptoms, which makes colon cancer screening with colonoscopy at age 50 very important. Colonoscopy allows for removal of colon polyps for microscopic analysis. In some instances, removal of the colon polyp is therapeutic and prevents the development of colon cancer in the future. Colon polyps rarely recur once completely removed. TFYVBMMZ USBOTNJUUFE JOGFDUJPOT 45*T m BOZ r sexual activity involving the anal area can spread STIs, which may sometimes lead to rectal bleeding. Read more about the risks of anal sex. The first question would be , Is it bowel cancer? Many people with rectal bleeding worry they may have bowel cancer. While rectal bleeding can be a sign of early-stage bowel cancer, other factors may also be present for your doctor to think you’re at risk. You should be urgently referred to a specialist with suspected bowel cancer if you have rectal bleeding and:

Hemorrhoids represent swollen and inamed veins in the anus and lower rectum. They can be caused by a variety of factors including straining during bowel movements, obesity, pregnancy, prolonged sitting, chronic constipation, and a low-ďŹ ber diet. Hemorrhoids can be internal or external. Internal hemorrhoids are located above the rectum and are typically painless. External hemorrhoids occur under the skin around the anus and can be exquisitely painful

r ZPV SF BHFE PS PMEFS BOE IBWF QBTTFE MPPTFS PS more frequent stools for the last six weeks r ZPV SF BHFE PS PMEFS BOE UIF CMFFEJOH IBT MBTUFE for six weeks or more r ZPVS EPDUPS IBT GPVOE BO BCOPSNBMJUZ TVDI BT B lump) after examining you r ZPV BMTP IBWF BOBFNJB B SFEVDFE OVNCFS PG SFE blood cells) r ZPV IBWF B GBNJMZ IJTUPSZ PG CPXFM DBODFS r ZPV IBWF VMDFSBUJWF DPMJUJT Bowel cancer is sometimes called colon or rectal cancer, depending on where the cancer starts. Cancer – Blood in stool can be a symptom of cancer along the digestive tract. Colon cancer and anal cancer are two types that can cause bleeding; sometimes not noticeable to the naked eye to more severe bleeding. Common causes of rectal bleeding Some of the most common causes of visible rectal bleeding in adults are outlined below. However, don’t try to diagnose yourself, and always see your doctor for a proper diagnosis. r QJMFT IBFNPSSIPJET m TXPMMFO CMPPE WFTTFMT JO BOE around the rectum. They can bleed when you have a bowel movement, which can leave streaks of bright-red blood in your stools and on the toilet paper. Piles may also cause itchiness around your anus. They often heal on their own. )FNPSSIPJET SFQSFTFOU TXPMMFO BOE JOåBNFE WFJOT in the anus and lower rectum. They can be caused by a variety of factors including straining during bowel movements, obesity, pregnancy, prolonged sitting, chronic constipation, and a low-fiber diet. Hemorrhoids can be internal or external. Internal hemorrhoids are located above the rectum and are typically painless. External hemorrhoids occur under the skin around the anus and can be exquisitely painful. Damage to the delicate surface of a hemorrhoid may cause it to bleed. Signs and symptoms of hemorrhoids may include blood in the stool, itching or irritation in the anal region, and a painful swelling or lump around the anus. It is estimated that just about 50-percent of adults have experienced hemorrhoid symptoms by the age of 50. Mild hemorrhoid symptoms are typically treated with over-the-counter agents. Severe hemorrhoid symptoms may require medical procedures such as removal of the hemorrhoid, rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, laser therapy, or stapling. r BOBM à TTVSF m B TNBMM UFBS JO UIF TLJO PG UIF BOVT which can be painful as the skin is very sensitive. The blood is usually bright red and the bleeding soon stops. You may feel like you need to keep passing stools, even when your bowel is empty. It often heals on its own within a few weeks. Signs and symptoms of anal fissures may include itching, pain with bowel movements, and blood in the stool. Some individuals suffer from pain secondary to spasm of the anal sphincter, or ring of muscle at the end of the anus. Diagnosis of anal fissures is made by visual inspection of the anus and canal. Most cases of anal fissures resolve with conservative over-the-counter treatments. Chronic anal fissures may need prescription medication and/or surgery (lateral sphincterotomy) to achieve healing. r $SPIO T %JTFBTF Crohn’s disease is one of two recognized forms of JOåBNNBUPSZ CPXFM EJTFBTF *#% *UT DPVSTF JT DISPOJD or long lasting. The disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from the mouth to the anus, although it most commonly affects the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine, or colon. The exact cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown, but most scientists agree it is an autoimmune disease (immune

system cells mistakenly attack healthy body cells). Signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease may include diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, blood in the stool, fatigue, anemia, nausea, and weight loss. Diagnosis of the disease is most commonly sought with visual examination of the colon, or colonoscopy. There is no cure for Crohn’s disease, but medication can be prescribed to reduce symptoms and improve an individual’s quality of life. Unfortunately, the disease can sometimes progress to where surgery is needed for treatment. r BOBM à TUVMB m B TNBMM DIBOOFM UIBU EFWFMPQT CFUXFFO the end of the bowel, known as the anal canal or back passage, and the skin near the anus (the opening where waste leaves the body). They’re usually painful and can cause bleeding when you go to the toilet. r BOHJPEZTQMBTJB m BCOPSNBM CMPPE WFTTFMT JO UIF gastrointestinal tract, which can cause bleeding. It’s more common in older people and can cause painless rectal bleeding. r HBTUSPFOUFSJUJT m B WJSBM PS CBDUFSJBM JOGFDUJPO PG the stomach and bowel, which your immune system usually fights off after a few days. It can cause diarrhoea containing traces of blood and mucus, as well as vomiting and stomach cramps. r 1FQUJD 6MDFST Peptic ulcers refer to open sores caused by exposure to stomach acids. The most common types of peptic ulcers occur in the stomach (gastric ulcer) and duodenum (duodenal ulcer). The duodenum is the first portion of the small intestine. Individuals may have both types of peptic ulcers at the same time. Peptic ulcers are caused by infections with the bacteria Helicobacter QZMPSJ PS UIF VTF PG OPO TUFSPJEBM BOUJ JOåBNNBUPSZ drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen. Signs and symptoms of peptic ulcers may include boring-type upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, blood in the stool, bloating, fatigue, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness. Diagnosis of peptic ulcers is readily made by visualization on upper endoscopy (a scope to view the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum) or upper GI series (X-rays of these areas with contrast). Peptic ulcers associated with H. pylori are typically treated with acid suppression therapy and triple antibiotics. r EJWFSUJDVMB m TNBMM CVMHFT JO UIF MJOJOH PG ZPVS MPXFS bowel. These contain weakened blood vessels that can burst and cause sudden, painless bleeding (you may pass quite a lot of blood in your stools). r CPXFM DBODFS DPMPO PS SFDUBM DBODFS m ZPV TIPVME always get checked by your doctor if you have rectal bleeding. The only symptom of bowel cancer may be rectal bleeding in the early stages, so don’t ignore it. Bowel cancer can be treated more easily if it’s diagnosed at an early stage. Colon cancer is a malignant tumor arising from the mucosa, or inner lining, of the colon. It is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. Risk factors for colon cancer include a family history of colon cancer, colon polyps (specifically adenomatous colon polyps), and ulcerative colitis. Most colon cancers develop from colon polyps, which makes colon cancer screening paramount at age 50. The removal of colon polyps can prevent colon cancer. Signs and symptoms of colon cancer may include diarrhea, constipation, narrowing of the stool, blood in the stool, abdominal pain, weakness, and weight loss. Screening for colon cancer may be accomplished with a fecal occult blood test, sigmoidoscopy, barium enema, or colonoscopy. Colonoscopy is ideal because abnormal lesions can be biopsied and categorized as precancerous, malignant (cancerous), or benign (noncancerous). Surgery is the most common treatment for colon cancer. r 6MDFSBUJWF $PMJUJT Ulcerative colitis is one of two recognized forms PG JOåBNNBUPSZ CPXFM EJTFBTF *#% *U JT B DISPOJD (long lasting) disease of the colon, or large intestine, DIBSBDUFSJ[FE CZ JOåBNNBUJPO BOE UJOZ VMDFST PQFO sores). Ulcerative colitis only affects the mucosa, or lining, of the colon. Most scientists agree the disease is the result of an abnormal response by an individual’s immune system, or autoimmunity. Signs and symptoms of ulcerative colitis may include persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Ulcerative colitis can easily be diagnosed via colonoscopy, or visual examination of the colon. There is no known cure for ulcerative colitis. Therapy is geared toward prescription NFEJDBUJPO UIBU TVQQSFTTFT JOåBNNBUJPO BOE BMMPXT healing of the colon. Medical therapy is not successful in up to 25-percent of individuals with ulcerative colitis. At that point, surgical intervention may be needed to remove parts of the colon (colectomy). Investigations that can be carried out? If your doctor needs to examine you to find out what’s causing your rectal bleeding, they may carry out a rectal examination. This involves putting a gloved finger inside your bottom (rectum). There’s no need to feel embarrassed or nervous: it’s a quick and painless procedure that doctors are used to doing. The examination usually takes one to five minutes, depending on whether your doctor finds anything unusual. You may be referred to a hospital or specialist clinic if further examinations and tests are needed.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 16, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

Brian Idowu Russia 2018 Beckons

25.11.2017

NO RED CARPET FOR BLUES PAGE. 29

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ

Brian Idowu celebrates his goal against Argentina

Russia 2018 Beckons Ă&#x;Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă“Ă˜Ă”Ă&#x;ĂœĂŁ ÞÙ Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă•Ă?ĂŁ Ă&#x;ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă‘Ă–Ă?Ă? ÚÖËãĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă‹ĂŽ Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŞĂ? Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž ͺ͸͚΀ Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă›Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă?Ăœ Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă–Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ–ĂŁ Ă‘Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‹Ëœ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă˜Ě‹ĂŒĂ™ĂœĂ˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂœËœ ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ ÎÙåĂ&#x;Ëœ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă?Ă–ĂŁ Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? ĂŽĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ăž Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ĂŒĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŞĂ? ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă— Ă‘Ă™Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͚΀ Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă“Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ë› Ă&#x;Ăž åÓÞÒ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŞĂ? ̋͟ͺ ĂĄĂ“Ă˜ Ùà Ă?Ăœ ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‹Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă•Ă‹Ăœ Ă?ĂœĂ— Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĚ‹ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă• Ă“Ă? Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž ĂŽĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂŁ ÞÙ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ëœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă’Ă? Ă?ĂžĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ? Ă‹ ÑÙÙÎ Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ? Kunle Adewale

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rian Idowu never hid his excitement at joining the Nigeria team in Russia for the friendly encounter against Argentina after the St. Petersburg-born player was named on the standby list for the Super Eagles’ clashes against Algeria and Argentina. But injuries to some members of the squad saw him called up. Revelling in his involvement with the three-time African champions, the 25-year-old via the team team's Twitter handle said: “I'm happy to be invited to the national team as part of the Super Eagles. “I want to do my best, take this chance to play my best football and be with the squad for a long time to support the team and to help the team in any way I possibly can. This is a great opportunity for all the Nigerians out here in Russia. We qualified for the World Cup and we are preparing and hope we are going to bring joy and excitement to all Nigerian fans." Idowu put up a sterling performance against Argentina and also scored the goal that shot Nigeria into the lead for the first time that evening as the Super Eagles came from two goals down to win 4-2. Little wonder Super Eagles Manager, Gernot Rohr, at a press conference following Nigeria's thrashing of Argentina

singled out the Amkar Perm defender and Deportivo de La CoruĂąa goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho, for special praise. At half-time, Idowu and Uzoho came on in place of Ola Aina and Chippa United's Daniel Akpeyi respectively for their first appearance for the Super Eagles. ''Brian is a newcomer, but he's not the only one. We have three new players, and I would like to highlight our 19-year-old goalkeeper Uzoho. He played well. ''Such matches are specially designed so that we can evaluate new players in the team. We have three players who have a special relationship with Russia. There's also Ahmed Musa and the captain of the team, he has a connection here through the family. Brian played well, scored a goal. His prospects depend on how he will perform at the club. His debut, I'm happy. On his position we have other options, so who will play better will be in the team. “I am happy we came back from two goals down to win 4-2. It shows we have great team spirit and determination, when you keep fighting after going two goals down against a great team like Argentina,â€? Rohr said after the match. However, the German has warned that the victory has not made Super eagles favourites to lift the 2018 Fifa World Cup, stating they had a lot to do. “It is good victory for us but it doesn’t mean we’ve become favourites to win the

World Cup. We stay humble and realise we have more work to do. We prepared well for this game because playing Argentina is big for us, maybe it is different for them,� he said. When Russia was announced as the 2018 World Cup hosts in 2010, Idowu harboured hopes of representing them at the tournament. He was eligible because he was born in St Petersburg (where his parents met while attending university; his father studied architecture, while his mother is a doctor) and his maternal grandmother Olga is Russian. His other three grandparents are Nigerian and, when Idowu was three, the family moved to Nigeria to live in Owerri for three years before returning to Russia. When they came back, Idowu had to learn Russian quickly before going to school - where he excelled at Russian literature - and in the same time joined the football academy at Zenit. Inspired watching Ronaldo and Roberto Baggio at the 1998 World Cup, he started out as a striker, then tried being a goalkeeper, before settling as an attack-minded right-back at the age of 12. He was considered one of the best talents in his age group, and was included in some provisional squads of the Russian Under-16 national team, but never played for them. As time went by, it became apparent

that he wouldn't get an opportunity to break into the senior Zenit squad, and he chose to leave for Amkar Perm, in the Ural Mountains, in 2010. When playing on loan at second division Dinamo St Petersburg in 2013, Idowu explained his reasons for leaving his hometown: "When I studied at school, people kept telling me that I would be the first black player for Zenit. But then, when I trained with the reserves, nobody told me anything. I was tired of waiting and joined Amkar. Later my agent openly told me that Zenit don’t accept black players. "I think it's not about the club policy, but rather about fans. They want to be different from the big rivals Spartak Moscow and CSKA Moscow who won their titles with the help of black players. Zenit fans are proud to be different, and the club doesn't want to disappoint them." With little experience of first-team games, Idowu only made his full debut for Amkar in May 2012, a few days before his 20th birthday, and spent another season in the reserves before getting some playing time at Dinamo. It took until the end of 2015 before Idowu finally proved himself at Amkar under the guidance of veteran coach Gadzhi Gadzhiev. He gradually improved his game and became the starting rightback in a team known for its defensive organisation. That form was noticed and

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NOVEMBER 25, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

AFRICA PLAYS with KENNETH EZAGA 0807 0530 677, zigi199@yahoo.com

Super Eagles players celebrating qualification to the 2018 World Cup

Supersport Needs to Rethink its EPL Strategy The best thing that probably happened to the Nigerian film and entertainment industries was that sports broadcaster Supersport lost the English Premier League TV rights for Nigeria to HITV between 2007 and 2010. Back then, my wife worked for the agency that handled the Multichoice advertising account, and she told an intriguing story of fury, the rolling of heads, and a brilliant marketing response. After soaking up the disappointment, the network’s bosses decided that the best way forward was to focus on investing in local content. What followed next were successes like Big Brother Nigeria, Nigerian movie channels, Nigerian comedy, etc.

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his first contact from Nigeria came soon after. "Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr contacted me and told me that he was following me. He wanted to invite me to the squad, but that was impossible because I don't have a Nigerian passport,” Idowu said in November 2016. "Gadzhiev said that such a call is not incidental, and I should keep progressing. He advised me to wait and see if I get called by Russia as well. I don't see why I can't play for Russia if I keep getting better, but they have good players like Mario Fernandes -CSKA's Brazilian-born right-back in my position. They don't miss me." But with Russia yet to make a move, Rohr was keen to revisit Idowu's nationality switch - made more complex by the fact he could have lost his place in the Amkar team because, according to Russian FA rules, each club can only field six foreigners (in a six+five system) at the same time. "A year ago, Idowu was invited to the national team, but then he did not play because of the difficulty with the limit on

the foreign players in the Russian championship,” Rohr told Sport Express Russia ahead of the Argentina game. ''But now the situation has changed ... I look forward to Brian not only as a good interpreter in Russia, but also as a fully-fledged player who will make the World Cup roster.'' Amkar have more Russian players in the squad this season, which has made Idowu's situation easier, but there is a still a chance of a U-turn if he gets a call from Stanislav Cherchesov and only plays for Nigeria in friendly matches until the World Cup. Though, after his debut performance in the 4-2 win over Argentina, the chances are that Russia will lose out on a top talent to the Super Eagles. "I feel great with Nigeria. I have been well received by both players and coaches. The atmosphere is very positive. For me this is a huge chance and experience. As for why I'm not playing for Russia, I shouldn't be asked this question. I want to go to the World Cup with Nigeria, because they believe in me," Brian said.

Club Championship Lights up Ikeja Golf Club

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keja Golf Club has become a beehive of activities as the annual club championship gets underway. The weeklong championship, which started on Monday with the caddies’ competition, also saw club-based professional golfers take turn on the course on Tuesday. It was the turn of ladies on Wednesday while a special kitty was slated slated for Thursday. On Friday, guest players will have their day on Course. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the tourna-

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE

ment defending Championship, Muyideen Olaitan, who lived up to expectation last year when he defeated a field of over 150-players to emerge winner of the 2016 edition. It was the same story in 2015 when he toppled the then defending, Chris Obije to emerge winner. Apart from Olaitan and Jimoh Ogunbdare, who are tournament favourites, there are other single handicap players like Obije, Bideni Ojo, Yomi Egbe, Niyi Latinwo, Rasaq Murtala, Austin Ojomo, Austin Aigbotsua, Fred Apah, Kunle Oguleye and Gbenga Ayodele to watch out for in the competition. Speaking ahead of this weekend event, the Club Captain, Niyi Latinwo said apart from the favourites, every player has the opportunity to win the competition. While wishing participants good luck, Latinwo urged them to continue to uphold the ethics for which the sport is known for. On his part, the Club’s Competition Secretary, Jolomi Ideh said Ikeja Golf Club Championship is event everybody looks forward to. “It is a big tournament here and that is why you see the course is always full during this competition. Some of our members who reside outside Lagos do come because of the Club Championship and that explain the value attached to the event”, Ideh explains. Sunday, October 26 is the grand finale and also the day prizes would be given to winners.

hey also invested in sport, ploughing money into our football and basketball leagues. Unlike the impressive successes recorded elsewhere however, sport struggled. Eventually they got the EPL rights back, but the bidding war between them and HITV had opened the eyes of the EPL managers to the revenue potential of their content in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. What had been seen as the poorest region in the world and allowed to pay only a pittance for the rights, suddenly promised so much more. A sharp spike in rights fees followed, and we have all been paying a steep price since. According to figures published by the UK Daily Mail on May 20 this year, for the 2016-2019 window, Supersport now pays a whopping GBP84m for sub-Saharan Africa annually – over six times the 13m Chinese broadcaster SSMG pays for the same rights, despite China being the world’s second largest economy, and having a larger population than the entire Africa. The report also claimed that for the 2019-2022 window, Supersport has agreed a new deal to pay 168m – double the current amount, at a time NBC will be paying 128m for the North American rights! Experts believe TV networks need strong sport channels to succeed, but it is hard to see how paying over-the-top fees for the EPL can be sustainable in a poor country like ours. It may have worked in the past but times have changed. I may not be competent to tell Supersport how to run its business, but in business they say the strategy that made you succeed yesterday could be the exact one that kills you today. For one, it is clear the network is also feeling the pressure of the harsh economic times Nigerians are currently enduring. When I got a call from them recently offering to give me free subscription in January if I renewed my subscription before November 20, I knew for sure some smart marketing mind was at work to bolster the numbers. With the current federal government blocking the loopholes that inspired corrupt enrichment and false spending in the recent past, Nigerians are struggling to pay more critical bills than TV subscriptions. More people are also now going out of home to public places to watch games, both as a result of cost watching, and new TV sport viewing culture. So I wonder how Supersport intends to recoup its investment in the EPL from 2019 especially when you consider that Nigeria probably accounts for half of its revenue

projections. That would mean Nigerians now pay about N18b yearly to watch the EPL, while by 2019 that figure may rise to about N36b. And that is without profit calculations. Madness! Give N10b to the right people and they will generate gripping domestic sport content that can feed a full Nigerian sports channel. The EPL option is great in the now, but it is only going to make matters worse over time as it continues to suck scarce resources from Nigeria to create more jobs and higher pay in Britain. Nigerians need the jobs here to be able to pay their subscription bills, and a successful sport industry can create tens of thousands of jobs. Yes, past experiences may be a concern, but the fact is there has hardly been any domestic sporting event packaged with 21st century realities in mind. My suggestion would be for the network to do more to find the right local partners or entrepreneurs and transform Nigerian sports. Entrepreneurs who understand the massive role sport plays in our wired world; who know sport is big business; who appreciate the fact that the real celebrities in sport are the champions and not themselves or the politicians; who are clear that it takes popular athletes to pull in massive audiences and high revenues; and who should understand that Supersport deserves not just financial returns, but societal goodwill as an excellent corporate citizen. Can domestic sport enchant Nigerians or is it a hopeless cause? Without a doubt I’d say the former, if the packaging is done right. Would Nigerians want to see extremely well paid sprinters race in 100m, 200m, and 400m races? Would the photo finishes in swimming get people on the edges of the seats? Would they be interested in watching athletes with similar star power to entertainers like Davido, Wizkid, Basketmouth, Bovi, slug it out in the semi-finals of a tennis tournament? A big yes I say. We have been here before. At the turn of the century local music was a no-no at cool Nigerian parties for almost the same reasons people dismiss domestic sport now. But today if Nigerian music is not played 80-90% of the time, even in the elite circles, the party won’t rock. I am one of a few who think the local sport industry is nearing the tipping point and just needs a little push. When this happens, as it surely will, the EPL would only be worth as much as foreign music is to Nigerians today.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ˝ËœÍşÍ¸ÍšÍż

Liverpool Search for First Home Win in 5 Years Against Chelsea ÞÞĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? Ă‹Ăž Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă–ĂŽ ÞÙÎËã Ă‹Ă? Ă“Ă Ă?ĂœĂšĂ™Ă™Ă– ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă?Ù×Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă—ĂšĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ Ă’Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă‹ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă?ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœË› ÙÞÒ ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–ĂžĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă’Ă‹Ă—ĂšĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă’Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă“ĂŽĚ‹ ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă–Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă˜Ă”Ă™ĂŁĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹ ̋͟͸ ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ëž ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂŽĂ? Ă?Ă›Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹ ̋͝͸ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽ Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂĄĂ‹Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ ËÚÚĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă? åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă Ă“Ă?Ă“Ăž Ă˜ĂžĂ™Ă˜Ă“Ă™ Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ?ËŞĂ? Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ëœ Ă‹ ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă— ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ Ă˜Ă™Ăž ĂŒĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă˜ Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? ͺ͸͚ͺ

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iverpool and Chelsea face off at Anfield this evening in the pick of this weekend's Premier League fixtures, each looking to build on their impressive recent top-flight form. The Reds are still playing catch-up following a slow start to the campaign, but they have won three in a row domestically to haul themselves back into top-four contention, while the Blues sit three points better off. For those who have watched Liverpool regularly over the past 11 months, it perhaps came as little surprise to learn that last weekend's 3-0 win over Southampton earned them three league wins on the spin for the first time this calendar year. Ever since Jurgen Klopp was appointed two years ago, the Merseyside outfit have lacked the consistency required to see through a title challenge, but nine points from the last nine on offer is a good return heading into the final throes of a mixed 2017. Even accounting for the dramatic 3-3 draw away to Sevilla in the Champions League in midweek, when somehow throwing away the most comfortable of three-goals leads at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Liverpool are still in a good position both at home and in Europe. With one defeat in their last 10 overall 4-1 away to Tottenham Hotspur a month ago - and a string of winnable fixtures to come after this weekend's tasty showdown, Klopp's men now have a chance to build some momentum as they attempt to end their prolonged trophy drought. Winning the Premier League is surely already out of the question, though, with Manchester City currently 12 points better off and showing little sign of slowing down, but another top-four finish is a realistic target as they are just one point behind Spurs in that last Champions League spot. Once again it was Liverpool's defensive unit that came under fire in Andalusia, with chief culprit Alberto Moreno confessing after the game that his teammates emerged for the second period "half-asleep", yet on home soil in the Premier League they look entirely different - more composed and far less likely to completely destruct. Just one top-flight goal has been shipped at Anfield in the Reds' last eight games, accruing seven clean sheets in

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Liverpool's Jordan Henderson in action with Chelsea's NGolo Kante

that time - most recently against Southampton last weekend when the visitors failed to muster a single shot on target for the second season running. Liverpool have also suffered only two defeats in 33 home league matches since January 2016, winning back-to-back games here by a 3-0 scoreline. A similar result today and all of a sudden that slow start to the season will have been forgotten about. Meanwhile, Chelsea have also found their feet in the Premier League in recent weeks, recording four wins in a row and keeping clean sheets in three of those, since a shock 2-1 loss to London rivals Crystal Palace on October 14. As ever with the Blues, though, all four of their defeats this term have led to talk of a behind-the-scenes crisis, including in the aftermath of their 3-0 loss away to Roma earlier this month when Antonio Conte's future again came into focus. Reports at the time suggested that Conte and his players held a frank discussion when returning to their Cobham training base the following day, with players and coaching staff

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laying their problems on the table - David Luiz going a little further than others and losing his place in the side as a result. Chelsea have won six games either side of that Roma setback, seeing off Manchester United on home soil immediately after and racking up successive 4-0 wins on their travels at West Bromwich Albion and Qarabag FK. They are not quite at the same level as this time 12 months ago, when in the midst of their record-equalling run of wins, but Conte has at least managed to bring back the winning feeling as he balances the demands of three different competitions. For all the talk of Conte still being unhappy with life in West London, the Italian has certainly made a major impression during his short time in the Premier League, collecting 118 points from his first 50 games - a tally that no other manager or team can match over the same timeframe. Chelsea have crept into third place with their latest winning streak, but the gap to leaders Man City remains at nine points

NeymarSetforOnslaughtinPSG,MonacoDuelonStarTimes

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tarTimes Nigeria is set to thrill subscribers with scintillating live matches of Ligue 1 league at Monaco’s Stade Louis II stadium on Sunday by 8pm on StarTimes World Football (Channel 254 and 245). The league leaders Paris Saint-Germain with 35 points from 13 games will be traveling down to Stade Louis II stadium to play second place, Monaco, who have gathered 29 points from 13 games.

PSG lost the French league title by eight points to Monaco last season but the tables have been turned this season, as Monaco now lags behind with six points difference. PSG is very much in the dominance; Monaco’s season threatens to unravel after early elimination from the Champions League and a tough start to its title defence. In the league, PSG has netted 43 goals in 13 games and it is on course for 126 goals tally which would crush Monaco’s formidable tally

Ambode Approves Staging of Five Sports Championships In a bid to increase activities in Lagos sporting arena, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has approved the staging of five School championships to be organised between now and end of the year. The organisation of these tournaments is part of the administration of Governor Ambode to develop Sports at the Grass roots especially in the Schools where these budding athletes abound. This was revealed by Mr. Deji Tinubu, Special

Adviser to the Governor on Sports, who stated that Ambode is so passionate about giving young athletes the chance to exhibit their God-given talents, as it is when they are discovered and groomed at their tender ages that they would become stars of tomorrow. "His Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has graciously approved the staging of five School Sports Championships. I can tell you that the first in the series will come up in the next two weeks.

of 107 from last season. A win at Monaco’s Stade Louis II stadium on Sunday night will move league leader PSG nine points clear of second-place Monaco. This will place PSG in prime position to reclaim the title it won four seasons in a row before Monaco ended the run last season. The Parisian club will unleash its three fearsome attack of Mbappe, Neymar, and Cavani (MNC) on Monaco that is far too dependend on top scorer Radamel Falcao. Edinson Cavani is now arguably the most lethal striker in Europe and took his tally to 21 in 18 games after netting twice against Celtic. According to the Brands and Marketing Director, StarTimes, Mr. Qasim Elegbede, “The live telecast of these matches reflect the firm's commitment to provide the best sporting action to its subscribers at a very affordable cost. Football lovers can enjoy the thrills and action of these games such as the Serie A, Bundesliga, French Ligue 1 and Chinese Super League. The matches can also be viewed on StarTimes Mobile App on all smart devises, he added.

Liverpool Chelsea Liverpool Chelsea Chelsea Liverpool Chelsea Liverpool Chelsea Liverpool

1-1 1-2 1-1 1-3 1-1 0-2 2-1 2-2 1-1 4-1

Chelsea Liverpool Chelsea Liverpool Liverpool Chelsea Liverpool Chelsea Liverpool Chelsea

as was the case following their defeat at Selhurst Park as the Citizens pass each and every challenge that comes their way. An 11th away win in 13 attempts this weekend will stand the Blues in good stead to push on and potentially close the gap on the pacesetters, before then returning to Stamford Bridge for three-successive home matches. Now is the time to take inspiration from last winter and ruthlessly see off all comers.

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v Everton v Arsenal v Man City

Stoke Brighton Watford Bournemouth West Brom Chelsea

15: 00 15: 00 15: 00 15: 00 15: 00 15: 00 13: 30 14: 00 16: 00

Premiership Table Man City Man Utd Chelsea Tottenham Liverpool Arsenal Burnley Watford Brighton HuddersďŹ eld Newcastle Leicester Bournemouth Southampton Stoke Everton West Brom West Ham Swansea Crystal Palace

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L-R: Tope Oshunkeye, Marketing Manager, DStv; Akinola Salu, General Manager, GOtv; Caroline Oghuma, Actg. Head of Corporate Communications, MultiChoice Nigeria; Chidozie Bede-Nwokoye, Marketing Manager, GOtv and Martin Mabutho, General Manager, Marketing $ Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria during the Press Conference on MultiChoice Festive Promo tagged "12 GOOD REASONS" held at the MultiChoice Head OďŹƒce, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island, Lagos...recently

Jennifer Ukoh, GOtv Public Relations Manager, presenting GOtv decoder to Ramon Razak, the most valuable boxer at GOtv Boxing NextGen Search 3 in Ibadan, Weekend

30 Schools to Jostle for Honours in GTB Masters Cup Thirty secondary schools consisting of 26 male and 16 female teams will be battling for honours in the 2017/18 season of the GTBank Masters Cup. At the draws held on Thursday in the Conference Room, St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka, Lagos, defending male champions, St. Finbarr’s College, will play in Group C against Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, Ansar-ud-deen College, Isolo and Bellina College, Akoka. Female defending champions, Queens College, Yaba will be slugging it out in Group C against Greensprings School, Lekki, Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls’ Secondary School,

Sabo and International School (Unilag), Lagos. The GTBank Masters Cup is an annual football tournament played by first generation colleges and other private secondary schools in Lagos aimed at actively engaging the youth through sports whilst promoting the values of excellence and fair play. The draws is a routine balloting process in each year’s tournament through which the participating schools are placed into groups. The 2017/2018 season will have 13 more teams than the previous campaign. Eight of the teams will be making their first appearances in the competition. Since inception, the GTBank Masters Cup

tournament has discovered and developed exceptional soccer talents, many of whom are currently on trials and scholarships with football clubs and academies in Nigeria and abroad. Commenting on the tournament, the Managing Director of GTBank, stated that "The Bank will sustain its drive towards ensuring the GTBank Masters Cup tournament remains a platform for identifying and nurturing young and talented players as they work towards their dream of being world class footballers, whilst fostering and building a healthier lifestyle at a critical stage in their lives.�

MultiChoice Thrills Football Fans with #12GoodReasons Promo Nigeria’s leading Pay TV operator, MultiChoice Nigeria, has revealed its festive promotion for consumers across the country with the #12GoodReasons goody bags. From November 24 until March 18, subscribers on both the DStv and GOtv platforms stand a chance to win free subscriptions and kitchenware whilst gaining access to new and exciting content at no extra cost. The #12GoodReasons promotion covers the spectrum of DStv and GOtv offerings

and gives new and existing customers the chance to amongst other things win big and enter a raffle draw. General Manager, Sales and Marketing for MultiChoice Nigeria, Martin Mabutho, said: “As 2017 draws to a close, we are rewarding our loyal customers and dealers, whilst also providing an exciting opportunity for new subscribers to get on board. For the festive season, you can now pick up a HD decoder and dish with one month compact subscription for just N9, 900. You can also get a DStv HD decoder and dish

with two months’ Family subscription for only N10, 900. Our GOtv subscribers can enjoy our ‘GOtv Chop Life’ promo which has something for everyone. New GOtv customers only have to pay N4, 300 and they get a GOtv decoder plus one month GOtv Plus subscription. If you also pay for an additional month’s subscription you automatically enter a raffle draw where you stand the chance of winning exciting prizes, including 1.5KVA generators, a set aluminum cooking of pots and 6kg Camp gas with Stainless Steel burner.�

Ighalo Launches Orphanage Foundation Dec. 16 As part of efforts at giving back to the society that made him, Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo will on December I6, officially launch his pet project- Ighalo Ophanage Foundation, in Ajah. The Changchun Yatai striker disclosed this at a media briefing on Tuesday at Jonaith Hotel, that it had always been his dream to give back to the society considering his tough background. “Life was tough growing up in Ajegunle and I vowed that if I eventually had a breakthrough, I’ll give back to the society that made me, hence, the Ighalo Orhanage Foundation,� he said. The former Watford of England striker,

however admitted that when the idea of the foundation first came to him, he didn’t really know how to go about it. “When the idea first came into my mind, I really didn’t know how to go about it, but I wanted people to know that something can come out of nothing,� Ighalo said. He disclosed that the orphanage home would be launched on December 16, just as he said a lot of people had called him to disclose their intention to support the project. Plans have be put in place to admit children between the ages of zero to one into the home and take care of them till when they are 18 years, hoping that others can take over their upbringing from there.

Unsurprisingly, sports would play a big role in the home. “Without football, I’ll not be where I am today. Coaches would be drafted to the home to teach the kids the basics and technics of playing football,� Ighalo said. On hand to lend him support are former Nigerian internationals including Peter Rufai, Samson Siasia, Austine Eguavoen, Waidi Akani and Anne Chiejine, whom all promised to support Ighalo’s pet project. “Ighalo has done very well for himself. The best thing in life is to give back to the society. In this part of the world we always want to take without given back,� Siasia said.

Dolphin Swimming League Gets Lagos Backing The status of the maiden Dolphin Swimming League continues to grow as Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) has pledged its support for the inter-school tournament already certified by the Nigeria Aquatics Federation. In a letter signed by the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Sports, Deji Tinubu, it becomes imperative for the state to collaborate with the organisers in fulfillment of the state’s vision of creating a sports culture. “The Lagos State Sports Commission is pleased to proclaim our partnership with the Dolphin Swimming League in

conjunction with Sports Commission and Lagos State’s vision of creating a sports culture within Lagos State. The Dolphin Swimming League is an organisation passionate about creating a brighter future for all young people through sports with an emphasis on swimming. Their work supports the personal development of youths, preparing them for life’s challenges by developing a range of positive character traits such as aspiration, resilience cum empathy for success and establishing a better community. These are part of values dear to the Lagos State Sports Commission which makes the Dolphin

Swimming League easy to partner with,� he said. The chairman of LSSC however said that it was based on this the commission decided to endorse the Dolphin Swimming League. The Dolphin Swimming League is organised by Dynaspro in partnership with Advanta Interactive Global Limited. According to the initiator and CEO of Dynaspro, Oluseyi Oyebode said the aim behind the tournament is to discover and develop young, talented swimmers to compete on the international stage for Nigeria while also developing youth swimming coaches across the country.

Winners displaying their dummy cheques after the event last weekend in Lagos

GOtv Boxing NextGen 3 Delivers Rich Harvest They came in large numbers; young, talented and of course, with hope in their eyes. It could not have been otherwise, given the fast rise of Rilwan “Baby Face� Babatunde, discovered at GOtv Boxing NextGen Search 1, to the status of the next big thing on the circuit. For two days, the premises of Walan Hotel (formerly D’Rovans) in Ibadan brimmed with young boxers, as GOtv Boxing NextGen 3 held at a venue famous for boxing. The programme, an audition for boxers aged between 18 and 25 and seeking to join the professional ranks, attracted boxers from as far as Jos, Abuja and the South-East geo-political zone. In attendance were members of the Nigerian boxing’s coaching royalty. They included Joe Mensah, Obisia Nwakpa and Jerry Okorodudu, who were on the judges’ panel. Also present was Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, President, Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), Mr. Remi Aboderin, General Secretary, NBB of C; and Mr. Lateef Opaleye, Chairman, Oyo State Boxing Association. Speaking at the opening, Mr. Jenkins Alumona, CEO, Flykite Promotions, the organisers, said the initiative is a continuation of the revival of Nigerian boxing being undertaken by GOtv. He noted that the first two editions of the programme held in Lagos, but was moved to Ibadan because the city was where GOtv launched in 2007 and also has a long association with boxing. Alumona advised participating boxers to see the programme as an opportunity to go further in their trade, adding that Mr. Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Chairman, MultiChoice Nigeria and GOtv Boxing, had undertaken to pay for the professional licences and medical tests for all those selected. The sparring sessions, said the judges’ panel headed by Coach Joe Mensah, were impressive. The two days devoted to sparring sessions at the Walan Hotel Gym, managed by the Oyo State Boxing Association, saw over 200 boxers attempt to catch the eyes of selectors. On the closing day, the panel had drawn up a list of those adjudged the best in readiness for announcement at a ceremony held at July 21 Hall, The Law Hub, Ring Road, Ibadan. Speaking at the ceremony, Alumona advised those that did not make the cut not to be discouraged. He counselled that failure to make the court should spur them to be better next time. Dr. Ladipo, President, NBB of C, cautioned the young boxers to avoid womanising and use of harmful substances if they want to get to the top of their game. A total of 23 boxers were selected, with three adjudged as being the most promising. Abuja-based Razak Ramon emerged as the most valuable boxer. He was followed by Akure-based Daniel Emeka and Lagos-based Sulaimon Adeosun. Each of the three boxers was given a GOtv decoder. Others selected also got prizes. A cash support of N100, 000, courtesy of the Chairman, GOtv Boxing, was announced for the Oyo State Boxing Association, while that of N50, 000 was announced for the Boxing Coaches Association in the state.

Emmanuel Wins 4-inch Heel Race The maiden edition of the much anticipated 4-inch high-heel race came to an exciting end last Saturday with Emmanuel Francesca, a 19-year old secondary school student, as the champion. The unique event which was a mixture of entertainment, leisure and sport attracted 50 ladies between the ages of 18-28 years held in Lagos. Speaking during the event, the organiser and the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, DAK Marketing Services Limited, Elder Dede Kalu, expressed enthusiasm and excitement about the event. According to him, "we are concerned about the numerous injuries ladies encounter on a daily basis while walking on heels. We have provided this platform to inculcate smartness and build confidence in them while wearing heels," he pointed out. In her remarks, the Senior Client Service Manager, Mercy Ukpai Uma, said that the event was also an empowerment programme where ladies receive cash prizes and build their future. "I am excited to be associated with the maiden edition of 4 inch heel race competition. We intend to take this concept to a higher level beyond Nigeria," she stated. The 19 years old SSCE student, Emmanuel Francisca who emerged as the winner of the maiden edition won a cash prize of N100,000, while Unaigwe Nkiruka Jennifer won the second prize with a cash prize of N50,000 and Azide JudĂ­a clinched the third prize, and won for herself N30,000. Other participants went home with consolation prizes.

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ThisdayAriseTV“GlobalNews� PresenterMarriesherNollywoodFiancee

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

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hisday Arise TV “Global News� presenter, Toyosi Phillips got married to her beau, Nollywood actor and director, Daniel Etim Effiong. The duo met while working on a project in August 2016. They tied the knot on November 4, 2017. Daniel Etim Effiong is a trained engineer turned actor/director. During a long break in university, he attended NFI Jos for a diploma in Motion Picture Arts. When school resumed he completed his degree in Chemical Engineering and worked in the oil and gas industry for a few years. He eventually turned his full attention to the arts and moved to South Africa where he studied Motion Picture Medium at AFDA, Johannesburg. His first acting break came when he got a role in South Africa’s biggest soap opera, Generations. Since then he has acted in different TV series and movies in Nigeria and South Africa. He’s also a stage actor, recently completing his tour with stage production, “Shift Lemme Faint�. He has written, produced and directed TV series and shows including Ndani TV’s Officer Titus. His personal project, Crimson, won the $10,000 Kumlar Dumor award at the 2014 Afrinolly Short Film Competition. His portfolio also includes directing commercials for Facebook, Shell, MNet, Unilever and a few other companies. He’s currently working on several projects that will be released in 2018. Toyosi studied Economics at Bowen University and University of Nottingham. She worked at Guaranty Trust Bank for a few years and then like Daniel, decided she wanted to focus on the arts. She moved to New York City and attended the New York Film Academy for two years bagging a diploma in Broadcast Journalism and Producing for TV. She worked with SaharaTV New York as a producer and presenter.

Akah Nnanni and Bolanle Okanni

Daniel Etim EďŹƒong and his bride, Toyosi Phillips Bucci Franklyn, Thomas, Udee

Mr Kehinde Phillips, Toyosi Phillips and Mrs Temitayo Phillips

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Jude Idada, Femi Olayiwola and Tony EďŹƒong

Olu Jacobs, Bride, Aramide Phillips

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Osas Ajibade and Anuel Modebe

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Gulder Hosts Winner of Ultimate Party Contest

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elebrities and other socialites joined the winner of the Ultimate Party online contest, Adedamola Awoniyi, for a memorable night hosted by Gulder in Lagos, last weekend. The all-night gig brought together leading entertainers. MI Abaga, Dr. Sid, Ice Prince, Alexx Ekubo, Uriel Oputa and Blossom Chukwujekwu. The Ultimate Party, a dream-come- true experience, was one of the brand’s activations leveraging on Guy Code, a male-centric television series currently showing on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322). Speaking at the party, the Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries, Franco Maria Maggi, said the event was to strengthen the connection between Gulder, a premium brand from Nigerian Breweries Plc, and its consumers, adding that many of such experiences should be expected from the brand. “The idea is to reward the ultimate guy. There are millions of ultimate guys out there, but we cannot reward everybody at the same time. The Ultimate Party is for the man who is striving to achieve success,� said Maggi. He described the Ultimate Party as “a celebration of new beginning� for the brand. Maggi added: “For the consumers, the important thing is to stay connected to Gulder. This is because the brand will continue to celebrate them. The week-long events leading to the party started with the unveiling of Awoniyi, an adventurous fashion designer and upcoming movie star, as the winner of the Ultimate Party contest. He was later hosted by MI at the rapper’s Lekki home where the duo discussed extensively about their favourite party, music and other adventures. Earlier on Friday, Awoniyi was treated to a spa session to prepare him for the experience, which the Kwara State-born entrepreneur described as thrilling. “I have never dreamt of this kind of treatment. I never thought of winning the competition. Of course, I am not

L-R: The winner of the Ultimate party contest Mr. Adedamola Awoniyi; Brand Manager (Gulder), Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr Oludare Olateju; and Jude Abaga popolarly known as MI), a multi award winning rapper, at the Utimate party, a dream-come-true event organised by Gulder to celebrate Awoniyi, in Lekki, Lagos

afraid of trying new things. I am adventurous, which is the reason I participated in the contest,� he said. The fashion maker said he was particularly grateful that a premium brand like Gulder honoured him while he “is still striving to attain success.� From the spa experience, hotel reception to the party venue, Awoniyi was given a royal reception. He selected the music played at the party, artistes that attended and other features that made the party truly unique and ultimate.

MI, who attended the party in company with other showbiz stars, said he had many things in common with the Ultimate Party contest winner and was honoured to host him. “Both of us,� the multiple award-winning artiste said, “are bold, daring and on our journey to success.� He added that Awoniyi was among the most hardworking and adventurous young Nigerians he had come across in recent times. Awoniyi was received with a performance

by an Egyptian Tanoura dancer who set the tone for what turned out to be a thrilling night. At some point, the fascinating performer was joined by Awoniyi and his friends. This, perhaps, was the most exciting session of the show. Earlier at a meeting with MI, the celebrated consumer described himself as a party lover. At 3:30am on Saturday, he was still on the dance floor with his friends at 4am, there was no sign that the party would end soon as over 70 per cent of the ‘clubbers’ were still having fun.

Our Luxury Hair Business Grew During Recession – Idowu

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he Founder and Creative Director of Hair We Are, Olanike Idowu, has said her luxury read-to-wear hair business grew and significantly increased its customer base during the recent economic recession that hit Nigeria. Idowu, who said this at GTBank Fashion Weekend in Lagos, noted that the economic crunch made Nigerian women to realise that it is more cost-effective to buy one luxury ready-to-wear hair that would last several years than buy any hair brand. She said, “For us, business was good during recession because women realised they couldn’t continue buying hair every now and then. They needed to invest in one that will last forever. We opened our first shop two years ago, during the recession. Trust me, our market share in the high-end section is significant. Our customer base keeps increasing every day. The value of our product stands out so much that we don’t need to market too much. “Other people seeing our products on our customers always ask them where did you get this from. That is the feedback we get always. Yes, there is recession but we can’t complain. Women always wear hair no matter what. So they’ve bought

bad hair and have seen somebody who sells great hair, why won’t they invest in great hair that will last them forever, and also help them achieve the look they want.� Idowu noted that Hair We Are had created 150 different ready-to-wear hairstyles giving their customers a wide range of products to choose from based on either texture or price. She added, “In our niche, we are the first to open a big shop with a stock of about 150 different ready-to-wear hairstyles. On a typical Saturday, we get up to 20 to 30 customers coming in, picking up different hairstyle, so they can try out different looks. So that they know what looks right. It’s not about just getting it. “Choosing a hairstyle at our shop is like a fun game. You try different hairstyles until you get the one that pops. The next question is: does it fall within your price range? As far as you are looking for luxury human hair, you will get something that fall within your price range.� She stated that because of its growing customer base, Hair We Are was working at getting bigger, more comfortable and modern shops in different locations within and outside Lagos State. She said the business already has distributors in places like Abuja and Olanike Idowu outside the country.

Ade Bakare Signature Perfume

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he long anticipated new fragrance by Ade Bakare couture London is finally here. It was launched in London, England in October to great success and immediately sold out, it’s a sensual rich scent, with warm top notes, a bouquet of creamy white flowers in the heart, mingled with spices, precious woods and a leathery amber dry down, followed by distinct animalic undertones The perfume comes in a crystal cut square bottle and cap with a silhouette of Ade Bakare’s face in front. Packaged in a beautiful black sheer organza pouch. A 100ml unisex scent. Available at the Lagos and Abuja boutiques from the 4th of December 2017.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž NOVEMBER 25, 2017

TEENS

CONNECT From Me To You

– NKECHI IBENEME

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eenagers are susceptible to inuence especially of their peers; because they love to move in clusters. This increases the tendency to be inuenced either for good or bad. The desire to follow trends and the ‘feel among’ or band wagon syndrome also

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Teens speak

08142358958 – (sms only)

Dare to be different make teenagers vulnerable to peer pressure. You don’t have to do things simply because others are doing them. It is good to socialise and be trendy; after all, no man is an island. But, it is also important to get one’s priorities right. You need to set a standard for yourself and know when to draw the line. Anybody that

alling on teenagers: this is your chance to speak out! What are the three things you think the government

stands for nothing will always fall for anything. But if you stand for something, you will remain standing even when the odds are against you. The fact that everybody is doing something, doesn’t make it right. Do the right things always. While keeping it close with your friends, set your own agenda. Decide what name and image you’d love to carve for yourself

should do to make Nigeria a better place? Make your opinion count, write to:

teensconnectmag@gmail.com Include your name, age and a passport sized photograph.

and work towards achieving that. Make your parents and other family members proud of you. Do not move with the crowd because, you’d be drowned by that same crowd. Do not try ‘keeping up with the Kardashians’ either. You are uniquely and wonderfully made. Just be the best you!

Let’s hear from you. Because we are also involved.

TISHE DEJI-ROBERTS‌ Rounded, ConďŹ dent and Focused When our star teen of last week; Seni Adekeye, named him as his role model despite being just two years older than him, it elicited curiosity. Tishe Deji–Roberts is not your average kid on the block; he has a ďŹ nger in every pie and still maintains a GPA of 3.5 consistently out of a possible 4.0. TEENS CONNECT went in search of him and was awed by the conďŹ dence and ďŹ ne demeanour exuded by this 15-year-old, year 10 student of Grange School Seni Adekeye named you as his role model. How does that make you feel? It is really nice to know that I could be someone’s role model so I feel very happy and grateful. It also puts some pressure on me to live up to it knowing that someone or people are looking up to me. He also mentioned that you are fashionable; do you see yourself as fashionable? So I have been told. The truth is that I just like looking good. What is your fashion fetish? I am a big fan of long-sleeved and homage t-shirts Who is your favorite designer? Heron Preston. What is that one thing you can never be caught wearing? Skinny jeans. Who would you give the credit for your fashion sense- mum or dad? Both my parents are very fashionable and allow me to explore different things fashion-wise. How long have you been swimming? I have been swimming since I was 3 years old Who inspired your love for swimming? My dad is a fantastic swimmer and was the one who actually taught me how to swim in the beginning. My mum drops everything to be at almost all my training and competitions so I would say my parents have been very influential in my love for swimming. They push me

to the limits and make sure that I do not give up. How long have you been swimming competitively? Since I was 7/8 years old. How many competitions have you been involved in and how many medals have you won so far? I have participated in many competitions both locally and internationally representing my schools and also as a member of the Ikoyi club 1938 swim squad. I honestly cannot count how many medals and certificates I have received doing this but I can say I have gathered quite a few. What other sports do you engage in? I play basketball and soccer both leisurely and competitively as part of my school teams Who is your favorite sport personality? Currently it’s Anthony Joshua because he is very good at what he does but also seems very level-headed and humble. Favourite cartoon character? I really haven’t watched any cartoons in a few years so I don’t have a favourite character. Favorite game? NBA2K17 Who is your role model and why? Kanye West; because he inspires my generation to believe more in ourselves and he stresses a lot on modern day slavery. He is also a good example of black excellence.

Tishe

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NOVEMBER 25, 2017SS Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

TISHE DEJI-ROBERTS ‌ Rounded, ConďŹ dent and Focused Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? I hope to have already moved out from my parents’ house and started a business.

‘Gidi Vibes’, has been streamed over 6, 200 times.

What business would that be? I would like to run a chain of businesses actually; maybe even form a conglomerate.

Would you consider a career in deejaying? Deejaying for me is just leisure for now, but time would tell if I would take it seriously in future. The deal with my parents is school and career first, then anything else can come after.

Why business, why not a good job? I want to be an entrepreneur rather than work for someone.

What course will you like to study? I will like to study business administration, accounting or economics.

Favorite holiday destination? Rome. Other interests? I also play the saxophone and enjoy deejaying leisurely. One of my mixes;

Turn on? Confidence. Turn off? Rude and badly behaved people.

Advice for peers? Do not change who you are just because you want to look good in front of someone else. You can’t please ease everybody. Do the right thing always ys no matter how hard. If you become the president off Nigeria, what are the ďŹ rst three things you would do? I would work on building refineries ries so we wouldn’t have to buy back our own refined oil. I would tackle poverty verty and reduce the digital divide of the country. I would increase security to reduce uce any risks of terrorism. In three words, describe yourself? elf? Responsible, driven, adventurous..

Tishe

– by Sylvia Ignatius

Knowledge is power. Having good financial knowledge puts one on the bright path to financial freedom. It is not too early as a teenager to start working your way to financial freedom. In fact, the time to start is now! What am I even saying? The fact that you are in school right now shows you want to lead meaningful lives in future. That does not mean that without formal education one cannot live meaningfully. Scores of people have, and still do. But, formal education gives you a good start, balances you, puts you on a pedestal and presents you with unlimited opportunities in life. However, education without practical steps may not be helpful in giving you the secure future that you need in today’s world; which is competitive. Since the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, it is best you take that step now that you are young. Make hay while the sun shines. Honestly, if many adults knew back then what they know now, their lives would be pleasantly ntly y different. Now that you are still young, y dare to dream. You have ve everything going for you - age, technology, information and vast opportunities.

Tishe serenading his grandma on her 70th birthday

Steps To Financial Freedom: r 3FBE 3FBE 3FBE Knowledge is powerr and power brings freedom. dom. Show me a knowledgeable eable teenager and I will show ow you u

a teenager who is ready to conquer the world. Knowledge is progressive; the more you acquire the more prepared you are to handle the challenges of life. There are several hidden treasures in books, make it your duty to discover as many as possible by reading voraciously. Read books as though your life depends on them. Obviously, this may prove a tall order in this age of pinging, tweeting, ‘facebooking’, browsing, ‘instagraming’ and chatting on several platforms. Not to mention Telemundo and Zee world. Need I say that there is a noticeable decline in the reading culture among teenagers, a development that is quite disturbing. The teenager who makes an effort to distinguish herself by spending time and energy on knowledge-building activities, will excel and lead her generation. Decide to be that teenager, cultivate a reading habit and it will shape and prepare you for a brighter future. t .PSF TUFQT UP mOBODJBM GSFFEPN next week. neext n ext w we ek.

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FASHION FILE

Series 1.1 (Spring/ Summer 2018)

POSTER GIRL

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FASHION FILE

By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

Poster Girl

P

oster Girl is made up of the creative partnership of designers Francesca Capper and Natasha Somerville who met during their studies at Central Saint Martins. Launched in March 2017, Poster Girl has grown rapidly working with retailers including Selfridges and Opening Ceremony with a unique sense of “nostalgia-meets-the-future”. Capper and Somerville’s personal take on the fashion schedule is based on four collections a year on the same theme as a continually building and developing annual collection. Poster Girl was launched with Series 1.0 in mid-2016 and the most recent release under Series 1.1 coincides with the Spring/ Summer 2018 season. Moving on from the blacn and silver chainmail collection which Poster Girl launched with, Series 1.1 includes clashing tones and reimagines the popular pastel trend under a fresh perspec-

tive. A driving force behind the designers’ vision stemmed from Zaha Hadid’s architectural fluidity and obsession with water giving birth to this year’s “liquid metal” chainmail concept. Their grounded ethos of fun aesthetic with serious ethics means all of the piece are expertly crafted in London. The Series 1.1 look-book was shot on location at Zaha Hadid’s Roca Gallery in London as a solid and otherworldly reflection of where the breakthrough label is headed. Francesca Capper and Natasha Somerville graduated from Womenswear at Central Saint Martin’s in 2015. Between the two designers they have experience working for houses including Christian Dior, Bvlgari, Jeremy Scott, Alexander Wang, Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano among others, and have taken this wealth of experience and to found Poster Girl.

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MARKET PLACE åÓÞÒ Ă—Ă™Ă–Ă‹ĂŒĂ‹Ă•Ă? Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă‘ĂŒĂ™Ă˜Ë›Ë›Ë› ͸΀͸͝͝͞ͺ͚͸͸Î

L-P: Vice President, Finance, Medallion Communications Limited, Olatunji Sulaiman ; MD/CEO, Medallion Communications Limited, Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani; and Senior Vice President, Admin, Denzil Kentebe at the Nigeria Tech Innovation and Telecom Awards organized by ATCON in Lagos recently

L-R: Regional Sales Manager, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Udeme Jacobs; Principal, Government Girls Junior Secondary School, Ungwar Muazu, Kaduna, Adama Abdulahi Wada; Head Girl, Government Girls Junior Secondary School, Sa’adatu Shuaibu; Assistant Head Girl, Blessing Ali; Brand Manager, Knorr Social Mission, Foluke Femi-Sanda and Area Sales Manager, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Haruna Sanusi at the Knorr Force For Good event held in Kaduna recently

World TV Day: LG Promises Better Products The advent of Television has survived many barriers that would ordinarily have reduced the glamour and exciting characters of the 21st-century digital innovations. With the emergence of what Marshall McLuhan described as the cool medium, the eras of panorama, stereoscope, magic lantern and peepshow soon became forgotten while the old habit of sourcing entertainment from either staring at quintuplets, attending public dissection of corpses, taking pictures of self, watching people inflate balloons and riding escalators, all lost their flavour and pride to an interrupting technology. The 20th century’s defining technology thus came to redefine human existence while breaking the monopoly of radio and newspapers as major sources of information, education and mostly entertainment. Combining audio, visual and aesthetic ap-

peal, the idiot box, since invention in 1884 up till now has been responding to technological trends and innovation, thus, transforming its definition and improving consumers’ viewing experience. From the beginning, TV has witnessed rapid and massive progress starting with mechanical TV to black and white set, colour broadcast, LCD/LED flat screen, high definition (HD) 4k Ultra HD, pencil-thin OLED and high dynamic range (HDR). The technology has also integrated internet connectivity as well as the interactivity of newer technologies, to secure its crown. According to experts, the rapid advancement that television technology has seen since inception is indicative of an increased desire for engagement, particularly immersive viewing experiences. No doubt, the capabilities of TVs have

grown tremendously with much better picture quality than ever before. The output of the innovation has grown by leaps and bounds as a result of the dogged efforts of manufacturers who have continued to move along with trends to deliver the right products to the ever-evolving audience. It is in recognition of this feat and its legendary roles in the society that the United Nations set aside November 21 as the World Television Day to appreciate the increasing impact of the tool which represents communication and globalisation in the contemporary world. According to the United Nations, the day was a time to rewatch and relive some of the greatest moments of TV that helped bring the reality of a rapidly technologically advancing world into people’s homes while transforming their lives and how they perceive the

NB Plc Sustains Initiative Targeting Unilever Gets Global Educational Growth Commendations on Pioneer Brewing Company in bright future. “The knowledge you have now Nigerian Breweries Plc., Business Strategy Nigeria, has restated its commitment to the will help to guide you on the Fast-moving consumer goods company, Unilever Nigeria Plc, has been commended for its business sustainability plan which has kept the company glowing and growing over the years. The commendation came as the British Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria, Hon. John Howell paid a courtesy visit to the company’s Head Office in Lagos. Speaking on the company’s performance, Howell recognised that the company’s present strength was largely due to its principle of sustainability which was not only laudable but worthy of emulation by other profit-oriented organisations. He noted that the approach which has proven to be outstanding cuts across several areas to include environment, health, job satisfaction for workers and more. “This model of operation is laudable and should be emulated, I am particularly impressed with the fruitful collaborations this is building, particularly with Freedom Foundation NGO. The British Prime Minister is also aligned with partnerships of this nature. She spoke about it at the UN and called on the organised private sector’s participation to complement government’s drive to end trafficking around the world,� he said. Responding, Vice President, Supply Chain, Unilever West Africa, Sid Ramaswamy, appreciated the envoy’s visit which he said was timely and impactful. On the business approach, Ramaswamy maintained that it had favourably influenced the organisation’s mode of operations, adding that the company was chiefly concerned about its environment as well as making positive impacts through social missions. In her remark, the Executive Director of Freedom Foundation, Uzoma Dania, expressed gratitude to the company for being supportive towards the realisation of the foundation’s goals and objectives.

development of Nigerian students in this year’s edition of its ‘Beyond the School’ initiative. The initiative which was cosponsored by Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund is put together for students in public senior secondary schools and designed to expose students to career options as well as factors to consider before making a career choice. Beyond this, the programme was also established to motivate and boost students reading habit towards career goals achievement. Speaking at the event which was graced by secondary school students in Lagos Education District Four, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Kufre Ekanem, further explained that the initiative was introduced to complement other initiatives of the company targeted at the education sector. He thus called on the students to take advantage of the career guidance information provided to them, which was in line with best practices, to achieve their full potential. While addressing the students, a senior consultant with Thistle Praxis Consulting, Emilia Asim-Ita, advised them to dream big but should base their career choice on passion and interest to boast of a

disciplines that are passionate and dear to you and you must also strive to develop those skills that will aid in achieving success in your chosen discipline � In her presentation, Managing Director of Bestman Games, Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe, offered the students personal finance tips on saving, investing and spending. She counseled the students to be diligent, prudent and keep good company. Also speaking, Mr. Gbubemi Fregene popularly called Chef Fregz, urged students to take advantage of education to be on a higher pedestal in their career paths. He said: “Life is about your passion, but education is important. The relationship is symbiotic because it is actually your education that will determine how far you go with your passion.� This year’s edition drew students and teachers from Iponri Estate Senior High School; Stadium Senior High School; Onitolo Community Senior High School; Iganmu Senior Secondary High School and Adebola Baptist Senior High School, all in Lagos Education District Four. The event also saw students from the schools compete in a game of Monopoly where they won various prizes

world. In celebrating the 2017 World Television Day, multinational technology firm, LG Electronics, has promised to boost its offerings to further enhance the delivery of the tool for the benefit of the world. Speaking on the day, Managing Director of LG Electronics, West Africa operations, Mr. Taeick Son pointed out that the revolution in the TV industry could not be sung without acknowledging the company’s giant strides over the years especially in the area of designs. “Just as cathode ray tubes represented the turning point in television design, the unrivalled picture quality of OLED represents a similar turning point for TV innovation. OLED may prove to be the spark which causes TV technology to explode at an ever-increasing rate.

Coca-Cola Announces 50cl Eva Twist Bottle Coca-Cola Nigeria has strengthened its presence in the market with the launch of 50cl Eva Twist Bottle. The new product which according to the company, had been light-weighted by using 18% less plastic was in furtherance of its commitment to secure a friendly environment as well as serving consumers better. The company explained that its light-weighting efforts had resulted in the removal of some amounts of material from select packages, thus reducing the plastic materials released into the market while also ensuring the same quality of packaging. Speaking on the latest, the company’s Marketing Manager, Patricia Jemibewon, pointed out that the company acknowledged the essence of packaging in delivering products to the consumers. “We envision a world in which our packaging is seen as a valuable resource for future use. Our packaging vision is zero waste, which means we are working to support initiatives that enable recovery and reuse of our packaging,� she stated. She added that the company had also concluded arrangements to sensitise the public on the importance and impact of recycling to the environment. Speaking further, the company’s Brand Manager in charge of Stills and Flavours, Olajumoke Oyewole, revealed that the company would also embark on a national tour to raise awareness on environmental issues. According to her, the public awareness campaign would be implemented through the Eva Water ‘Twist for Good’ campaign. “The ultimate goal for us is to drive conversations around a greener environment by doing things right, such as proper disposal for recycling and sustainable purposes,� she stated.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚;

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͸Ϳ͸͞ͺ΀͚͞Ϳ͝Ϳ Ă?Ě‹Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă–Ë? ÞÙĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă?ÑÑ̜ÒÙÞ×ËÓÖ˛Ă?Ù×

OC UKEJE

How I Manage Fame, Women Ă•Ă?Ă”Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă‹ ÙÖÖãåÙÙÎ Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ ĂĄĂ’Ă™ ĂŒĂœĂ™Ă•Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ Ă–Ă“Ă—Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ăž åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă?ĂžĂ?Ă– ËÖÞË̋Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?ĂŽ ×Ùà ÓĂ?Ëœ Ă’Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ?Ë› Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?ĂĄ åÓÞÒ Tosin CleggËœ Ă’Ă? ÞËÖÕĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ ×Ùà ÓĂ?Ëœ Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă‘Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă?

My latest movie t is about a relatively recent divorcee that has his perspective on life and love and family. I played the role of Tony Gyampo, who believes in his concept of happiness and has borderline selfish motives. He’s largely successful in other aspects of life, but not as successful with love. It was a hectic couple of days, because I was only available for a pretty small window. But I enjoyed working on the film and with the team and part of the fun was trying to develop some of the scenes and the necessary dynamics required for the type of relationship between Tony and Lulu. Again, Shirley FrimpongManso and her team are a joy to work with.

Ramsey Nouah over the years. And in five years, I’d like to be a mainstay in the biggest movie industries across the globe.

I

Playing the role of a divorced man as a married man Well, I do know that experience helps a lot when acting some characters and their scenarios. But I also know that they don’t have to be personal experiences. You learn from a multitude of experiences and stories and a wealth of knowledge you glean off people you know or have heard of. So, I just held those close to my interpretations. I think the character and the movie generally portray another dynamics of relationships and I believe one of the messages is that people’s issues are valid. I also think that it speaks to people trying what they can to make their differences work. We’ll see more about the dynamics when we see the film. What has kept me on top of my game Well, to begin with, I need to say I’m immensely grateful for the successes I have enjoyed. Wanting my career shaped in a particular way has played a huge part in making me who I am today. I have always been

‘White Waters’ was my ďŹ rst attempt at being on screen And it gave me great visibility. Before that, it was all stage. So, yes there was definitely a measure of breaking into Nollywood. Then came ‘Two Brides and a Baby.’ It definitely cemented the entry into the market. Managing fame, women I think we keep learning how to manage it all. There’s no one answer that tells you how to control it all. It’s a privilege and a responsibility that I have to manage well. But, I have managed to deal with each scenario as best as possible. Marriage has been interesting. It’s an institution that teaches you many things. I intend for it to stay that way and keep happy. Challenges as an actor Established actors all over the world are dealing with different measures of challenges and I know in Nollywood, people deal with the next best step or the idea of sustained relevance or the need for a healthy bank account or the will to make your own movies or the control of success. It’s not a thing of the past at all.

OC Ukeje

consistent when it came to what kind of work I wanted to do irrespective of the fact that I wasn’t doing a lot of work anyway. I choose my roles and films based on the story and its rhythm. I’m sure that there are other actors here who may have the same philosophy. I just think that I have worked smart, probably and most

importantly, my time had just been waiting for me. I have enjoyed an immeasurable amount of favour. Plus, I just haven’t settled for popularity over performance. My role models and mentors I always enjoyed films that were made by RMD and

Actors home and abroad I would love to be in a movie with I think that RMD and Ramsey are people I have yet to work with as I’d like, even though I’ve done one film with each of them seperately– for their craft, longevity, re-invention of self, influence. I’d love to work with Leonardo DiCaprio and Denzel Washington because of their intensity and art in executing their characters. My mantra is that there’s a place .

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚;

MY STORY GISTS AFRICAN BEAUTY QUEEN PAGEANT Last Sunday was all glitter and glamour as the African Beauty Queen International Pageant was unveiled in Lagos. The event was hosted by Renowned Comedian, Ushbebe and Co-hosted by Big Brother’s, Uriel. The event had a colourful red carpet thrill with celebrities and guests taking turns to have interviews and photo shoots. Several musical performances serenaded the event with the highlight performance of the night from comedy big names, Akpororo and Shakara. Notable Nollywood stars were all present as well. The unveiling served its purpose which was to enlighten the public on what to expect from the pageant. It’s African centered and one that is designed to celebrate the African woman.

PALMIRA

I Cherish My Originality Ă‹Ă–Ă—Ă“ĂœĂ‹ Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă‘Ă™Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă– Ă‹ĂœĂžĂ“Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă™Ă? ĂŽĂ“Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă?ÞãÖĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ËÚÚĂ?Ă‹Ă–Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă‘ĂœĂ‹ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă’Ă?Ăœ Ę¨ĂœĂ?Ăž ÙʊĂ?Ă“Ă‹Ă– ĂŽĂ?ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă–Ă?Ëœ Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă—ĂŁ Ă?ĂŁĂ?Ă?Ë› Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?ĂĄ åÓÞÒ Tosin CleggËœ Ă?Ă’Ă? ÞËÖÕĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă?Ëœ Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă?Ăœ

‘THE EXPERIENCE 2017’ SHOWCASES DONNIE MCCLURKIN, DON MOEN, TRAVIS GREENE The House On The Rock Church has announced the 12th edition of its annual gospel concert, The Experience. It is scheduled to hold on the 1st of December 2017 from 7pm till dawn at the Tafawa Balewa Square Lagos. The theme of this year’s edition is “Jesus our King�. Speaking on the all-night worship concert, the Convener and Senior Pastor of House On The Rock Church, Paul Adefarasin, says ‘The Experience’ is a focal gathering point for the Christian community and its many constituencies from across Nigeria, Africa and indeed the world. “It features the very best of indigenous and international artists leading hundreds of thousands of people in worship and praise to our King and also provides an uncommon opportunity for all Christians regardless of creed, doctrine or ethnicity to offer prayers for our nation.� This year’s edition promises to be no less exciting as Don Moen, Donnie McClurkin ,Travis Greene, Tope Alabi, Chevelle Franklyn, Chioma Jesus, Sonnie Badu, Onos, Micah Stampley, Tim Godfrey, Midnight Crew, Frank Edwards, Eben, BeeJay Sax, Nathaniel Bassey and The Lagos Metropolitan Gospel Choir take centre stage and minister worship and praises to Jesus our King. As usual attendance is completely free for all! As the name implies, The Experience, is indeed a one of a kind experience and with hundreds of thousands of worshippers recorded in the past editions, we can only anticipate with bated breath what the attendance at this year’s edition will be, given the upward progression in the number of participants over the years.

H

ow long have you been in the industry?

CELEBRITIES GEAR UP FOR ‘THE WEDDING SHOWCASE’ IN ENUGU Top Nigerian celebrities like Ebube Nwagbo, Uti Nwachukwu, Bryan Okwara, Melvin Oduah and more are all geared up for the third edition of The Wedding Showcase Nigeria. The event, which is slated to hold on 24- to 26th November, 2017 in Enugu, has undoubtedly been dubbed the largest event fair holding in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria, bringing together top brands in the event industry, especially those in the wedding industry. According to the organiser, Dr. Kachy Ugwa, the exhibition fair is essentially the melting pot for top Nigerian fashion icons and parades, event, media and logistics vendors from all parts of South Eastern Nigeria. Shedding more light on what is expected of this year’s edition, Ugwa assures that the two-day exhibition, business dinner and fashion show would be topnotch. “For Exhibition, customer should expect more vendors; they would have lots of varieties and would be spoilt for choice with amazing prices for people who book vendors at the fair. And for the vendors, there will be double the traffic from the last edition based on the increased level of publicity. “The fashion show is focused on wedding attires and we have been able to attract the very best in the fashion industry like of Mai Atafo, Ouch, Weizdhurmfranklyn, James brandan, Habana bespoke and lots more. This year we expect to see the finest brands in the industry with entertainment from Nedu Wazobia (sister nkechi), Wow of the Voice Nigeria. We also have our usual squad of celebrity models with some additions,� he stated.

I’ve been singing professionally for 17 years now. I have done back up for a couple of artistes before I went solo for three years. I do Gospel according to the various genres of music. But I would say I’m versatile but I love Ballard’s, soft rock and jazz.

Who are your musical inuences and role models? When I discovered I could sing, I literally listened to Whitney Houston a lot, Celine Dion, Mary-Mary, Yolanda Adams, Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, and lots more. Some of my roles models were and are still Whitney Houston, Mrs. Ige Dupe Kachi, Yolanda Adams, my Late Parents, Rev Nkechi Anayo, Pastor Kingsley and Mildred Okonkwo, Mrs Lara Odebiyi, my siblings and more.

What’s the avour you are bringing into the music industry and what should your fans expect from you? I love fusion a lot and I won’t particularly say it’s this or that but one thing is sure - my originality, my uniqueness, and the good message I have to always pass across to the nations of the world - which are very important.

Where do you see yourself in a few years? Well, generally speaking, I see myself married to my better half, though I’m not seeing anyone at the moment, lol! See myself with my beautiful kids by then, excelling in my purpose, always relevant and evolving with time, I see my NGO-Freedom in Christ Initiative registered and functioning beyond my expectations. Right now it’s all about visiting and rendering arms to prisoners, but we also hold musical and comedy concerts.

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T H I S D AY SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2017

T H I S D AY SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2017

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ NOVEMBER 25, 2017

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ENCOUNTER Adamu Garba II

Why I Want to Rule Nigeria Thirty-five-year-old Adamu Garba II is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of IPI Solutions Nigeria Limited, a leading cloud computing company, headquartered in Lagos. At age 26, the Adamawa State-born information technology guru is already an emperor, controlling fortune and human beings, while driving competitors to the back. Away from his entrepreneurial exploits, he went to lead a nation. Though a fulfilled businessman he want to be Nigeria’s next president in 2019. Garba II tells Omolabake Fasogbon about his presidential ambition, political strategies, programmmes for Nigeria

C

an you take us through your background ? I was born 35 years ago into the family of Alhaji Adamu Jauro Garba and Hajiya Hadiza Garba at Luggere ward in Jimeta, Yola-North Local Govt of Adamawa State, Nigeria. It was pretty much adventurous growing up between Luggere and rural Jambutu wards. The memories were really exciting as I can recall how in company of other children,went fishing, fetched firewood ,fruits and vegetables from bushes around and take home as staples. I had my elementary school at Jambutu primary school and Luggere primary school, then attended Doubeli secondary school and finished in 2001. I later proceeded to Kano University of Technology through pre-degree programme where i studied electrical engineering. There,I was encouraged to contest for the position of Students’ Union President as a result of my leadership skill and interest in the people. I obliged and campaigned on principle of equal treatment for all irrespective of tribe or background which was well accepted. Being a state university, the school management was not comfortable with our action and became curious that non indigenes might want to take over the school. At a time I was away to attend a laboratory practice at Bayero University, Kano, a riot broke out and that got me rusticated,though I wasn’t involved, the school maintained its decision on me because most of the members that took part in the riot were my supporters. I later continued my education and professional certifications. You studied electrical engineering but you are an information technology expert. Yes,you are right. As a student , I became worried that most of the things that we were being taught had no practical applications outside school. I realised that when i asked questions related to the field, the answers I get from practitioners is usually different from what we learnt in school and even the lecturers seemed not to have a practical experience on what they were teaching. I opted for engineering because I needed something more hands-on, yet I ended up with a lot of calculations with no real-life application,so I felt I was wasting my time. The period I was rusticated in school offered me an ample opportunity to redirect my step. so , I joined NIIT Kano,in 2005 to study Microsoft Systems and technology under its MSCE programme. Before then,I never touched or used computer. Considering its real life applications, I fell in love with computers and became more inquisitive until I developed a career in it, the result of which is what I am today. As a successful businessman, what

were the challenges allenges you encountered? As it is usually ually said that nothing good comes easy,it wasn’t all that smooth at the beginning.Basically, ning.Basically, my venture into business at an early age put my ability and experience xperience to question as i had to compete ete with senior and older colleagues. Most of my client saw high risk in allowing a young man of 26 years old ld handle their critical IT infrastructuree worth millions of naira. A lot of checks and tests were done while some will delay lay my payment until the job is satisfactorily torily delivered. It became so difficult that hat sometimes I had to trek to work. I remember i used to trek from Suruleree to Samuel Manuwa Street, around 1004 estate in Victoria Island and trek back k because I didn’t have fare. These challenges hallenges strengthened my resolve to build ild my business. Are there politicians in your family line? No. My father ther is an Islamic scholar, with traditional title in his village while hile my mother was a full time house ouse wife and now ,a petty trader. er. Under democratic mocratic regimes, no young person erson has ever ruled Nigeria, ia, what gave you u the impression ion and courage that you can n do the job? It is important tant for us to chart a betterr way for our nation. In leadership, adership, age is not a barrier, wisdom is key. I have an excellent cellent manifesto on how we can improve the life of ordinary ry Nigerians by deliberate and committ ted effort to transit from poverty. A manifesto anifesto that will transform m us from the current supplier lier nation to a real free market arket economy. Our manifesto sto will change the entire education ucation system to skill-based d knowledge and d training systems; ems; a manifesto o that will define ne the soul of a true Nigerian an identity. A manifesto that at will unleash the power of 180 million Nigerian spirit rit to the world, to create impossible sible innovations and d produce very y successful talent pooll as is obtainable ble in advanced counn tries. I think Nigerians should start to prepare are for a new Nigerian dream am by our greatt Nigerian renaissance aissance project ctt where each citizen itizen will transparently y measure our government ment in 4 key metrics namely: Better education tion and training for our children; better standard rd healthcare facilities cilities for all Nigerians; ans; better markett to

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NOVEMBER 25, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

ENCOUNTER How I Started My Company at age 26 transact in goods and services and more money in their pocket as a result of improved trade. Do you think Nigerians will accept you? Nigeria is predominantly made of youth. Over 65 per cent of the population are below the age of 35. All they need are good , prosperous and a happy life. The present system as currently instituted cannot give them this. They will be very happy to provide it themselves in a single team, using a unified aim in a country they so dearly know have potentials to make them great. How long have you been nurturing this ambition? Since 2003 and I have read many books and studied many policies of state crafts to acquire more knowledge on how best to liberate the country. Convince us that you can and have what it takes to rule a complex country like Nigeria. Absolutely yes. The average Nigerian is an enterprising spirit. The issue we have is identity crisis. We have different bodies and systems that define many versions of us than the one that defines us as one indivisible nation. Once a country is sunk into identity crisis, it finds it hard to realise what it truly represent and therefore be pushed into primordial sentiments such as tribal and religious identities. In solving this crisis,we will start with the value system renaissance. The great reawakening of the Nigerian spirit. We will run a lot of re-orientation activities through different media channels using a lot of our talented artistes to sell Nigeria to Nigerians. We will propose a name change for the country. We think the current name is having a bad image and a “sour brand”. Since we are being reborn, we may need to consensually choose a better, more fitting African kind of name for our country that will reflect our new standing and unleash us to the world. One thing our ruling elite fail to understand is that our potential lies in our geographic location and our market size. We are named Niger-area because of river Niger, one of the longest rivers in Africa, over 2,500 miles long and it flows right through our country down to Atlantic Ocean. This was obviously strategic then to Sir George Goldie, the owner of UAC and Unilever who was actively trading through that basin during colonial exploitation. Where is river Niger today? We have about 846-mile-long shoreline around Gulf of Guinea. What are we doing with it? We left the river Niger to be drying up instead of dredging it and allowing mini boats to transport containers, through the river into the hinterland at a muchreduced price. It is 8 times cheaper to transport on water than on land. Yet we focus more on building roads that have never been well done. We need to strengthen our naval forces with the right tools and technological capacity to ensure we have total control of our shorelines and with United States support around the entire Gulf of Guinea. Yet we focus on land army while ceding some of the shorelines to militants’ control. From Calabar to Lagos is a huge advantage to Nigerian geography with the potential to make Nigeria a sub Saharan African market center. Yet crude oil has blinded our thinking and policy choices. I am so happy to learn that even the ruling class all agree that the current patronage systems are not sustainable. We will work extensively to open our market potentials. We will use oil money only to build infrastructure and not to pay salaries and state subventions. The so-called FAAC will be discontinued

Garba

One thing our ruling elite fail to understand is that our potential lies in our geographic location and our market size. We are named Niger-area because of river Niger, one of the longest rivers in Africa, over 2,500 miles long and it flows right through our country down to Atlantic Ocean. This was obviously strategic then to Sir George Goldie, the owner of UAC and Unilever who was actively trading through that basin during colonial exploitation under our government. With creation of special geo-economic zones in each state, we will support them to create their revenues locally and run their government. The shorelines, from Calabar, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta to Lagos will be a strong economic activity area and energy production zones or Shoreline Energy Production Zones (SEPZ) .We will build heavy gas pipeline across the country and explore our natural gas to power our homes for energy needs. In

addition to the hydro power for electricity, we will use, coal to build a large thermal station in Enugu capable of generating 20000MW of electricity within the first 5 years of our government. On the northern part of the country, places like Sokoto, Jigawa, some parts of Kano, Yobe, Maiduguri, Bauchi, Katsina, Zanfara and Adamawa all have great potentials of generating a high amount of solar enegy at industrial scale. We will invest $5 Billion dollars on solar and wind renewable energy in those areas. We will call this Inland Energy Production Zones (IEPZ). On Education, we will take over the control of primary school education and transfer it under presidential task force of federal government. We will focus our training on skill-based, rather than academic-based training so that we can graduate young innovative minds. We will give reasonable autonomy to all universities and make them to generate their income to run programs which will be provided with curriculum geared towards skill-based training that is applicable in modern work place. All subventions going to universities currently will be directed to primary education and our unity schools. On healthcare, we will design a contributory system that will ensure health cover for all Nigerians irrespective of status or background. The system will ensure our life expectancy increases to 60 years. We shall also empower our rural women to generate value to the economy as its done in Bangladesh and other countries More details will be available in our manifesto. When will you officially declare your ambition? We are looking at end of November 2017 or beginning of December 2017. We shall make the date known very soon. Currently, we have no political party affiliation yet, but we will keep consulting with all political parties and pick the one that will allow us to execute our policies. My sponsors are the dream I have for this country and its people and

the zeal, the will and the ability to do it subject to my 12 years plan for this position. It is a fact that politics can be demanding physically and financially, how prepared are you? I am young, strong-willed, able, healthy intelligent and smart. I have strong emotional balance and all the attributes obtainable of a visionary leader. I am fully prepared. How do you intend to engage the youths, what are your special plans for the youth? I will enable the economy to function, create a lot of skills acquisition, training and job friendly policies to get our youthful population engaged and productive. That’s why our focus will be to enable the Nigerian economy. As a technologist, if you eventually becomes the president, how would you develop the Nigerian ICT sector? Technology today is the centerpiece and anchor of the 4th industrial revolution. All countries grow when they carve their niche during a certain industrial revolution. Great Britain, Germany, France, United States all carved their niches in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd industrial revolutions from 14th down to 20th Centuries. United states, China, India and Russia are now key players in the fourth (4th) industrial revolution. This may last till the end of this century. We have an opportunity to tap into this and have one of the greatest industrial innovations zones in our country. Our youthful population, projected to grow to 400 Million by 2050 is the greatest beneficiary if effectively put to use. Imagine 400 million people production/ consumption economy with an average GDP by PPP of $20,000 by 2050. This will make our combined GDP by PPP of $8 Trillion economy. With this volume, Nigerians will only be poor by choice not by lack of adequate resources. My government will actively work to achieve this target.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͺͽ, 2017

POLITY

Sterling Bank Powers ‘Mums in Business’ Conference Bennett Oghifo

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ne-woman proposition, a product of Sterling Bank, tailored specifically for women, is partnering with Motherhood In-Style magazine in its maiden edition of a two-day event tagged: Mums in Business Fair and Conference holding in Lagos. The organisers of the event stated this at a press conference held at Sterling Bank’s head office in Lagos. In her welcome address, Head of Com-

munications, Sterling Bank, Tomi Ajakaiye, said Mums in Business was a platform that brings together successful women in business and work spaces such as fashion, law, beauty and health, among others. She said the value proposition of OneWoman comprised of an array of different value-added offerings to meet financial, business and personal needs of women in Nigeria and to foster support by providing platforms for women to support other women. Ajakaiye listed some of the offerings to include: Sterling Maternal Medical Finance

(SMMF) available to women for peculiar medical treatments like fibroid, customized debit cards with a bold feminine touch that would provide cardholders access to discounts for spas, makeover services, and furniture/household items at select outlets, discounts on lending rates of all existing retail loan products (e.g. personal loan, asset acquisition loan, MSME loans,) for women and Womenpreneurship and capacity building programme for young women. Others are internship opportunities and job shadowing schemes for young women with access to the MSME academy for free

Wike FulďŹ lls Promise of CertiďŹ cate of Occupancy to Charkin Maritime Academy

ivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has kept his promise of giving a certificate of occupancy (C of O) to the promoters of Charkin Maritime Academy (CMA), Port Harcourt. As a way of encouraging investment in the oil and gas rich state, Wike had during the formal unveiling of the first ever land ship in the country, MV Rivers Pride on February 9, 2017 approved a C of O for the land in which the land ship is situated at Ozuoba, along the East-West Road, Port Harcourt. The land ship was built by an indigenous and privately-owned maritime training institution. Apparently pleased with the strides made by the CMA, Wike stated that the Rivers State Government would do everything possible to assist the maritime training institution to grow to an enviable height for the benefits of Rivers State indigenes in particular and Nigerians in general. He lauded Wami and the management of the academy for the achievements it has recorded since it was established. The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre, Sir Charles K. Wami who disclosed this in a chat with THISDAY said

the C of O had been handed over to CMA. Wami lauded the governor for fulfilling his promise to CMA, pointing out that with this development, many investors would take the Rivers State Government serious on its drive to encourage investors to invest in the state. According to him, the fulfilment of the governor’s promise to CMA will spur him and the management of the school to do more in the years ahead. To say the least, we are very pleased with this development. You are aware that it was during the unveiling of the first ever land ship in Nigeria that the governor made the promise. Today, we are happy that the governor has kept to his promise by giving us the certificate of occupancy. We are very grateful. He explained that the support of the state government would enable the training school attain set goals and objectives. He pointed out that the school needs the encouragement of all stakeholders to continue to provide maritime education and training of international repute. “The school has a trend of rendering and improving on high quality training to guarantee competence in a conducive and friendly environment. It is a one-stop-shop for the marine, oil and gas training�, he said. The land ship comprises full mission

navigational bridge simulator; ECDIS Simulation Room; GMDSS (Navigation) Simulation Room which conforms to the 2010 Manila Amendments by the global maritime watchdog, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO); and the basic dynamic positioning class.

or at a discount. Also speaking, Chief Legal Counsel for Sterling Bank, Mrs. Justina Lewa,said it had become imperative for women to support women “because when a woman is empowered, she will, in turn, empower everything around her.� She also noted that “if a woman contributes to her home, her husband won’t take her for granted and it will further enhance the love between them.� In her contribution, Publisher and Editor of Motherhood In-Style Magazine and convener of the Mums in Business Fair and Conference, Mrs. Pauline Rumm, said: “We realised that there is need for women to be empowered so that they can be financially independent.� She said they have also identified that “women are interested in wealth accumulation in order to support their husbands and also for them to have a say in their own finances, adding that even when women are employed, they still want to delve into other businesses to support themselves.

L-R: President and Chairman, Beep Management International Group, Mr. Gilead Okolonkwo; Managing Director, Greenspring Communications Limited, Mr. Peter Nwaochei; Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Odunayo Emasealu; CEO, Essentro Classics Furniture, Mr. Ajibola Abdullah; and Managing Director, First Maximum Point Industries Limited, Mr. Muftau Abolarinwa, during the 2017 conference on Effects of Made-in-Nigeria products for national development organised by Greenspring Communications, in Lagos...recently

L-R: Director General, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Asishama Bayo Okauru; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (representing President Muhammadu Buhari); Director General, National Orientation Agency, Dr Garba Abari; and Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Conference for Media Handlers of States’ Chief Executives in Abuja...recently

L-R: Director, Africa Franchise Centre, Mr. Emma Esinnah; Commercial Attache, US Commercial Service in Nigeria, Ms. Jennifer Woods; Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Overseas Affairs & Investment, Prof. Ademola Abass; Chairman, Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi; and Managing Director, EatNGo Nigeria Ltd., Mr. Antoine Zammarieh, at the unveiling of Africa Franchise Centre in Lagos...recently PHOTO: DAN UKANA

L-R: Managing Director, YTTT Distribution Limited, Mrs. Yemisi Adewusi; Head of Sales, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, Hope Gbagi; Managing Director Ogbohu Enterprises, Dorothy Anegbe; Managing Director, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, Patrick Anegbe; and Head of Marketing, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, Mobolaji Alalade, celebrating the Platinum Award winners at the 2017 IDL Distributors’ Award, held in Abeokuta ... recently

L-R: Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Bala Mohammed; Managing Director P&G Nigeria, George Nassar; Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Francis Alaneme; and Director of Government Relations P&G, Africa Operations, Temitope Iluyemi, during the supplier’s meeting organised by P&G Nigeria in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Lagos...recently

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ

POLITY

Bickering: Can Nigeria Move Forward in Digital Broadcasting? Osola Junaid

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rdinarily, one would have kept quiet and ignored several misinformation, half-baked truths and double speak bedeviling Nigeria’s process of transition from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting. The process is unambiguous when viewed against the fact that since April 2012, government’s White Paper to that effect, outlined the different roles and expected hurdles to be faced in the process. Interestingly, after missing several deadlines on the switch over since the last date of June 17th 2017, there have been cacophony of voices and unwarranted publications by individuals oblivious of the damage said serialisation is causing the system, hoping to capitalise on the mayhem and disrupt the process to their own selfish end. Recently, there have been lots of murmurings about the state and progress of the Nigerian Digital Switch Over (DSO) and government White Paper on the Report of the Presidential Action Committee on transition from Analogue to Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting in Nigeria dated April 2012. It is no longer news that Nigeria, having missed deadlines by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to Switchover; once in June 2015 and the most recent in June 2017, may not do much this year after slating Kaduna and Kwara states for the next phase. Not many will believe the fact that most countries in the ITU’s (Europe, Middle East, Africa, Mongolia and former Soviet Union in Region 1) group have gone far and will soon leave us in the cold. Indeed, The DSO commenced in Jos, Plateau State in March 2016 and six months later, was also launched in Abuja on the 22nd of December. Progress has been slow to say the least, and as of recent, there has been little or no movement even after almost 11 months from the last launch in Abuja. Throwing stones in Glass Houses Not a lot of people would be convinced or inspired if they were to use the state of the Abuja launch of the DSO as a yardstick for

Lai Mohammed judging the ability of the Federal Government of Nigeria to successfully roll out across the country. After a year, the FCT has still not received full DTT signal coverage. There are lots of areas even in Abuja and environs where there is little or no signal coupled with numerous complaints about fluctuating services. The excuse that the entire Abuja landscape due to its peculiar terrain could not be covered since last December due to the rainy season is one joke that sounds like we do not fully understand the technical process of digitisation. That the Signal distributor has procured and is about to install the filler transmitters to cover the unreachable areas is funny and can’t be technically explained. When the above has been taken under consideration, one begs to ask why the Federal Government or the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has not appointed more or better Signal Distributors that are more capable of handling the experience-driven role. Clarity and the Government White paper

However, it is prudent to first of all state the recommendations of the White Paper on the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee that has recently been under public debate and scrutiny. For the purpose of this, it is therefore expedient to draw attention to and highlight the following recommendations of the White Paper with item 13 being most important. Clearly spelt out, recommendation 10 talks about the restructuring of the current analogue system in Nigeria where every broadcaster is also a Signal Distributor; this system is both inefficient and costly. Separating the functions is to maximise the utilization of broadcast infrastructure and improve on the quality of content creation. Truly, this makes perfect sense and can be justified. In Recommendation 11, the committee notes that there are 3 basic options for licensing SD’s, namely that each broadcaster implements its own SD network; a number of multiplex operators are licensed to provide SD for a limited number of broadcasters each and a singular BSD is licensed to provide the SD for all broadcasters in the entire country. From what may be understood to be economic, commercial and security reasons, the committee approved that more than one SD be licensed in addition to the NTA, the licensed public SD; and others would come on stream as market exigencies dictate. It was also accepted that the recommendation to establish a minimum of two and a maximum of three SD’s for a transitional period taking effect from 1st January, 2012 to 1st January, 2015. We are now at the end of 2017 and this ineffective monopoly still exists to the detriment of the DSO. Technically, the life span of licenses issued the Signal distributors have expired and need to be renewed or reviewed in line with the White paper recommendations. Under recommendation 12, the White Paper clearly states that in order to maximise existing broadcast infrastructure, the massive broadcast transmission infrastructure owned by the NTA, VON and FRCN should form the backbone for the new BSD. This has been underway and is progressing positively inspiring confidence. Now, recommendation 13 clearly states that the Committee considered three options of the ownership structure as follows: “Option A: (Public/Private Sector Partnership) which

provides for the establishment of a new broadcasting signal distributor in which the Federal Government will own a majority stake (a minimum of 51% stake); the equity participation of the private sector portion of this new signal distributor should be offered through a bid process; this option will allow a buy-in for all the industry stakeholders and also give government a controlling influence to ensure neutrality in the operations of this distributor. Option B: which provides for establishing a broadcasting signal distributor that is ‘wholly owned’ by the federal government but commercially operated; this option takes advantage of the huge investments government has made over the years in both NTA, FRCN, and Voice of Nigeria Option C: which provides for establishing a broadcasting signal distributor that is ‘100% privately owned’; the option will promote further deregulation in the industry and inject substantial private sector funds into the industry. Of the above three noted recommendations of ownership structure, the government only accepted options A and B. This begs the question of how and where option C; a 100% privately owned Signal Distributor sprung up from and was licensed by the NBC. This was expressly forbidden by the recommendations highlighted above. The committee also recommended in this same section that the federal government provide seed grants for the federal government-owned Broadcast Signal Distributor for the establishment of the new company. The House report left so many yawning gaps and failed to solve the much needed questions on why the NBC licensed a Signal Distributor that is 100% Privately-Owned when it was clearly not approved or accepted by the federal government in the White Paper according to Recommendation 13.1. Why has the National Broadcasting Commission not licensed other Broadcast Signal Distributors that are capable of performing the tasks at hand as recommended by the White Paper even after the transitional period of 2012-2015 has lapsed? This is one big question begging for answer.

KolaLawal:AGrassrootPoliticianonTrackforOgun2019Governorship Relentless in his efforts to clinch the 2019 Ogun State Governorship ticket, Kolawole Lawal Mobolorunduro (aka KLM), an Ogun West indigene and the current Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, seems to be getting it right, as he is in touch with the grassroots. Femi Ogbonnikan appraises his recent wide consultation visits to all the three senatorial districts, including his beloved Ogun West, the huge turnouts and the perceptions of the people about his ambition

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ike a household name, Kolawole Lawal has remained a formidable factor in the political equation of Ogun State. Thus, his towering and unparalleled status has elevated him over and above his co-aspirants in the 2019 Ogun State governorship race. Basking in the euphoria of the resolve and the restated commitment of Governor Ibikunle Amosun to cede power to an Ogun West candidate, come May 29, 2019 and just as the governorship contest is itching close, Lawal is unrelenting and he is leaving no stone unturned to actualize his ambition. Considered as the favourite and suitable aspirant for the coveted Okemosan, Abeokuta seat of power, his fame has bestridden all the three senatorial districts he has consulted widely for their blessing. Beginning from Ogun Central (Egba) where he kicked-start his consultation on Saturday, July 29, 2019, it was a rousing welcome at the APC State Secretariat, Abeokuta. State executives of the party and five leaders from each of the six local governments trooped out to welcome and shower their love and support for the amiable and an experienced governorship aspirant. They include Alhaji Lemboye (State Acting Chairman of the party); Alhaji Tajudeen Bello (APC national financial secretary); Alhaji Abidoye Amosun

Lawal (party leader); Chief Adesiji Lupona (State Treasurer); Alhaji Soji (State Youth leader); Ademosun (senatorial youth leader) and Mr Afolabi Afuape (Ogun State Commissioner for Community Development). They all commended KLM, describing him as a seasoned politician whom the cap fits. The same consultation train took him to Ogun East, where he was warmly

received by the APC party chieftains and supporters. The date was Sunday, October 24, 2019, at Citi Hall, Ibadan road, Imowo, Ijebu Ode. With his rousing welcome into Ijebuland, KLM is optimistic that the people of Ogun East are truly behind him. Ogun East executives and five leaders drawn from the nine local governments that make up the district - Alhaji Folorunsho Elias (Ogun East Senatorial District Chairman); State Party Secretary, State women leader, Ogun East Senatorial youth leader, Ogun East Senatorial women leader, Local Government party chairmen and executive chairman of the Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) - took turns to appraise the aspiration of the Ogun West Governorship aspirant. In the opinion of the leaders and elders of the party, KLM is a grassroot politician with a quality pedigree to lead a complex state like Ogun, come May 29, 2019. KLM hails from Eyo Quarters, in Oke-Odan, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State. He is a strong member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oke-Odan Ward, in Ifekowajo Local Council Development Area (LCDA). Born 55 years ago, KLM is a product of humble background. His foray into the partisan-politics was informed by his community service and

philanthropic antecedents which have thrown him up for recognition, and that underscores his grassroots connection and relevance at his home town. In his determination to touch as many lives as possible, KLM took a giant leap into the philanthropic world, thus, giving hope and succour. He founded “Aseele Labowaba Foundation� to enable him spread the tentacles of his generosity across the three senatorial districts in Ogun State. The foundation has been involved in many lifesaving and transforming projects in the entire Ogun State. On a state-wide scale, KLM has made a great impact in brightening the future of the youths of the state. He has secured academic pursuit of a reasonable number of indigent and/or brilliant students in secondary schools across the state through the provision of scholarship awards and mass distribution of exercise books and other writing materials and this has formed an integral part of his philanthropic programmes. He had 20 years stint with ExxonMobil Producing Unlimited where he rose to the management executive cadre. KLM is a tested and an experienced politician. He once took a shot at the governorship race in 2011 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but lost during the primary.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͺͽ, 2017

Mortgage is Critical to Housing Policy, Says Alufohai Bennett Oghifo

igeria’s mortgage as it stands today is incapable of supporting a housing policy that will deliver houses for all Nigerians. This was the conclusion of an address delivered at the National Built Environment Conference (NABECON) 2017, which began on November 8 at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. In a speech titled “Housing for all Nigerians: The Big Vision Test�, Agele Alufohai, Managing Partner Costec Consultants, one of the keynote speakers, suggested Nigeria imitate other countries with mortgage systems that have delivered housing for both the rich and poor. According to Alufohai: “The most efficient aim of housing policy is for the government to assist millions of Nigerians obtain lower-interest mortgages; this is how most citizens are helped to acquire houses in many countries with successful housing policy such as Singapore, South Africa and Malaysia.� The theme of the conference was “Positioning the Construction Industry in Nigeria for National Economic Growth�. Professor Mike Kwanashie, Vice Chancellor, Veritas University Abuja was the second keynote speaker. High mortgage rates at short tenures, a difficult business environment, high inflation, and unstable policies have hampered the growth of the housing sector in Nigeria. As a result, there is an estimated deficit of 18m housing units. The country needs to build 720,00 units per year at an annual cost of N56 trillion to bridge this gap, according to the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. Explaining the link between what he called a “transformational� housing policy and the economy, he noted that a “housing policy that works for all Nige-

Agele Alufohai rians – the rich, the poor, civil servants, small business people, artisans, informal sector workers and entrepreneurs, young graduates, young people with limited formal education, banks, construction companies etc. – will boost construction activities and make a significant contribution to economic development.� The former president of the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) also noted that “because a house is the single biggest investment for an overwhelming majority of people will ever make in their lives, an efficient mortgage system is critical to proving accommodation for most Nigerians.� Less than 3% of Nigerians acquire their homes through mortgages. Yet millions of Nigerians invest in building houses of different costs and quality without any help whatsoever from the government.

Alufohai proposed a modeling of Nigeria’s mortgage system after that of Singapore where its citizens obtain 20 to 30-year low interest mortgages to acquire houses through a pool of funds into which all workers must contribute 20% of their salary. He said: “The clear solution to me is the Singapore model – creating a pool of funds into which everybody contributes monthly and from which everybody borrows to buy a flat or house. The Federal Government ‘tops up’ contributions into this remodeled National Housing Fund (NHF) with at least N10 billion every year and it’s perfectly alright if it spends every kobo on its intervention in housing on this.� Singapore, the once poor island in Southeast Asia, evolved from a third to first world economy between 1965 (when it gained independence from the British) and 2000. Under Lee Kuan Yew, the

country’s first Prime Minister, the government transformed huge swathes of urban sprawls and slums into well-planned cities that spurred economic dynamism and growth. Nigeria’s NHF attempted the Singapore model, but it failed. “One of the key reasons for the failure is contributors couldn’t access the loans because they couldn’t afford the deposit for the houses,� said Alufohai. The NHF also failed because one effect of inflationary policies is high interest rates charged on mortgage loans. A non-inflationary fiscal policy, flexible, sustainable exchange rates and hence, low interest rates are important to attaining a mortgage system that will also attract foreign investment into mortgage market. On the role of government in the remodeled system he said, “it could provide a subsidy on the interest on mortgage loans by investing or contributing funds into this pool of ‘forced savings’ – this would have been an excellent use of the petrol subsidy.� According Prof Ikem Mbamali, chairman of the organizing committee, the aim of conference was “to bring together scholars, industry professionals/practitioners and senior public service officials/ administrators, to explore current developments and advances in the reorganisation of the construction industry for effective contribution to national economic growth.� Since Nigeria exited the recession, the construction industry is expected to spur the economy to recovery. Power, housing and infrastructure have been allocated the lion’s share in the last two national budgets. Construction is critical to bridging the infrastructure gap which in turn generates employment. Sub-themes included: Policy and regulatory framework, Economic Growth Metrics, Housing and Economic Growth, The Manufacturing Sector, Education and Training.

Eletu Odibo Bags Awards in America

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S-Nigeria Legislative & Executive Leadership Forum, on Saturday November 18, in Washington DC, USA, showered huge encomiums on the chairman, Kazeem Royal Properties Ltd, Prince Kazeem Eletu-Odibo as “Most Outstanding Philanthropist in Nigeria� for his community achievement in human development capacity and philanthropy. As if that was not enough, he also bagged a United Nations ambassadorial title from the Covenant International University and Seminary. Having been conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree (Doctor Of Philosophy). With this, he will henceforth be referred to as “Ambassador Dr. Prince Kazeem Austin Eletu-Odibo,� according to his associates. The awardee thanked his admirers and the organisers of the event, via his official Facebook page. Kazeem Royal said: “Both recognitions are somewhat special, as it reminds me how far God has brought me. It reminds me of those struggles and hustles. Much more, it reminds me that no situation is permanent. It may take time, but it won’t always be dark. “So I want to encourage someone out there who is going through hard times. No condition is permanent. Destiny may be delayed, it can never be denied!� Ambassador Dr. Prince Kazeem Austin Eletu-Odibo is a realtor with vast property on the Lekki Peninsula in Lagos, which has, over the years, grown into a huge residential and commercial hub with a few sustainable communities. One of such work and live in cities is Osapa Kingdom, popularly known as Osapa London. The kingdom is located just minutes

Eletu-Odibo from Lekki, between renowned shopping centres and surrounded by schools, parks and a flourishing local business scene, everything is right on your doorstep. Here is where a seasoned real estate developer has incorporated futuristic designs and infrastructure into the high-profile city’s development. According to the Chairman of Kazeem Royal Properties Ltd., Prince Kazeem Eletu, the company commenced operations in 2009, and over the years has evolved into a brand that is synonymous with innovation, quality, trust and customer satisfaction. He said, “Through research, we understand trends and community requirements. So, you’ll find Kazeem Royal Properties in the centre of the city.� Homes in the estate are linked and well-paved with interlocking stones and

lined with drainages to rid the city of storm water. Kazeem Royal, through its main contractor-firm, Structmatics Engineering Ltd., began the process of deflooding the city by rebuilding all the bad roads and drainages that were blocked without waiting for either the state or local government. The first road the company constructed was Prince Demola Eletu Street, followed by 7th Avenue and Bamidele Eletu Street. New Estate... The Osapa Kingdom has a new layout, which is being prepared as a world class Estate through a renowned firm, Abu Dhabi construction company that will come in from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. “It will be a whole new society out there, with the latest facilities and comparable to what is found anywhere in the world.� Inside the new Estate, there will be hotel, school, hospital, Mall, among other amenities. Besides, Kazeem Royal ensures that every facility in the city works fluidly and for this reason the Chairman of the company bought a huge transformer to power parts of the city and paved some new roads, complete with drains to ensure the area does not flood when it rains. Homes in the city are built by either the prospective owners by themselves or they contract Kazeem Royal to build for them. There are also homes for sale by the company and for lease, said the Chairman, adding that they build five bedroom homes only but that the homes on rent have two, three and four bedrooms. They all come equipped with furniture and accessories, which the occupant is at liberty to choose in consultation with the company’s interior designers. The city has exquisite Terraces and according to the Chairman,

“The design philosophy behind Kazeem Royal Terraces directs seamless expansion of indoor living to outdoor terrace areas, capitalising on Lekki’s amicable climate. “Free-flowing interiors spill onto spacious balconies and private terrace areas, providing each home with an idyllic outdoor setting all year round. He said Kazeem Royal offer an exciting opportunity to live life at its finest with such a highly versatile space for work, play, relaxation, or entertainment. “When it comes to shared facilities, Kazeem Royal gives residents plenty of reasons to love their neighbourhood. “Kazeem Royal has a significant majority of our residents will own a balcony seat to view the beauty of cotton clouds courting the reluctant sun, twinkling stars lighting up the firmament, the moody blues of the waxing and waning moon, and the colourful canvas of the twilight. “When it comes to our homes, it’s what’s inside that counts. Our renowned eye for detail and command of functional design are evident throughout Kazeem Royal, from the superbly functional open-plan living spaces to seamless finishings that exude modern charm.� The home, he said have high ceilings, quality flooring and generous storage space enhance the naturally free-flowing design. All bedrooms are fitted with built-ins and some of the expansive master bedrooms offer a spacious walk-in wardrobe. He said there are four varieties of home layouts to suit a diverse range of lifestyles from individuals to families. “With options of two, three, and four bedroom designs spanning two and three storeys in structure- most with secure two-car garages- Kazeem Royal are built to fit the needs of all residents.�

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NOVEMBER 25, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

VINTAGE

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike plays host to contestants of the Miss University Africa Beauty Pageant in Port Harcourt

Beautiful Rivers

A Peaceful Platform for African Unity and Development Simeon Nwakaudu

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ll across Africa, wellmeaning people are trooping to Rivers State to have a feel of the outstanding transformation taking place under the leadership of Governor Nyesom Wike The news of the wonderful works of Governor Nyesom Wike has permeated every nook and cranny of the continent and everyone wants to be associated with his developmental achievements. The last time, it was the African Bar Association. This time, beauty queens from 54 African countries have converged on Rivers State to compete for the Most Beautiful Girl in African Universities. One by one, the girls expressed their gratitude to the government and people of Rivers for providing the right platform for the exhibition of African unity, beauty, security and development. In the best of the African tradition, each of the girls presented special gifts to the state governor. They explained the importance of their gifts, their love and respect for the people of Rivers. The significance of their action was not lost on the Government and people of Rivers State. In the midst of the Federal Government’s persecution and deliberate falsehood, other African countries have come to appreciate the peace of the state and the revival of development in Africa. They visited from distant places to say to the governor, “Continue to be an icon of development”; “Continue to be an apostle of unity”; “Remain focused on the creation of a new Africa.” Managing Director of Visions,

Innovations and Concepts, organisers of the pageant, Taylor Nazal, praised the governor for accepting to host the pageant. He said that contrary to the negative media reports about the state, the contestants and organizers found Rivers to be a peaceful place. “Since we came to Rivers State, we have witnessed an atmosphere of peace. This event would put Rivers State on the global stage. This is a non-bikini event aimed at discouraging indecent dressing. That is why we have Muslim and Christian countries participating in this beauty pageant,” Nazal said. He added that the contestants would engage in charity works across Port Harcourt and that they would also pay visits to hospitals, elderly people’s homes and orphanages. “They call you Mr. Projects and we have seen several projects across the state. These are projects that are empowering women on the continent,” Nazal told Wike. The Rivers governor called on the 54 contestants to serve as ambassadors of the state, promoting the state as a centre of peace, development, unity and growth. Governor Wike said the pageant contestants’ presence in the state is a positive testimony and endorsement of Rivers. He said, “We must express our gratitude to you for coming to Rivers State despite the negative propaganda unleashed on us by the APC Federal Government. As you return to your respective countries, we urge you to serve as ambassadors of Rivers State. Tell people about the beauty and peace of Rivers State. Tell them that the negative

propaganda is politically motivated”. He expressed satisfaction with the infusion of charity works in the pageant, assuring that his administration will support the beauty queens. The governor also explained the structure of government in Nigeria and the state. “Move around and enjoy the beauty of Rivers State. Make sure that you anchor at Port Harcourt Pleasure Park. This is a tourist state with a hospitable population. After your visit, you will desire to return to Rivers State,” Wike said. A firm believer in the politics of ‘seeing is believing,’ Governor Wike took the beauty queens around to see first-hand the projects his administration has executed in the state. He took them to sites of completed projects within the precincts of the Government House. They inspected the reconstructed Brick House, the New Government House Chapel of Everlasting Grace, the new Government House Amphitheatre and the extended Government House Corridor of Power. Like a good teacher, Governor Wike explained the essence of each completed project. As he reeled out statistics, the beauty queens applauded in appreciation of Mr Project’s good works. Miss University Africa (Nigeria), Opara Ibinabo, a student of University of Port Harcourt, commended Governor Wike for providing the platform for 54 African countries to gather in Rivers State. Miss Fatima, (Miss University Africa, Namibia) in her contribution said, “Your Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, thank you for supporting women, unity and tourism. Blessing Obioria, Miss University Africa (Cameroon ) said, “I am so happy

to be in your state, Rivers, and I am saying a big thank-you for hosting African countries.” Miss African University Zambia, on her own part said, “Thank you for your hospitality and hosting beautiful African women.” In profound ways, Wike is re-defining the Rivers narrative. Hundreds of APC apologists holed up in dark places cannot stop the movement of God’s people in the Treasure Base of the nation. The more they struggle to de-market Rivers State, the more the news of Governor Wike’s exploits filters out to the global audience. Like it is said, a good product needs no advertisement. The new Rivers product is an outstanding product that draws all people to the state. For Africans, they want to identify with the beautiful Rivers State because it has been transformed into a home of exploits and economic prosperity. Rivers is a state where the governor ‘eats and sleeps projects’; where the people’s resources have been effectively deployed to prosper the state. As these beauty queens exited Rivers, African wrestlers from 54 countries will arrive the state in February, 2018. This is a revolving glass of economic multiplier syndrome for micro-small and mediumsized businesses within and outside Rivers State. Hoteliers, souvenir traders, transporters, hair dressers, market women and shop owners are feeling the impact of this new wave of tourism. Indeed, Wike has transformed the beautiful state of Rivers into Africa’s platform for peace and development. For the most illogical critic, the only option is to remain quiet and watch in awe the unprecedented growth brought about by the state governor.

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T H I S D AY SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2017

DISCLAIMER NOTICE OF SUSPENSION BY THE SO-CALLED “UNITED FOUNDING FATHERS OF ABONNEMA".

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he attention of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs has been drawn to the advertorial titled" NOTICE OF SUSPENSION" published on page 45 of The Nation newspaper vol. 12, No. 4134 of Tuesday, November 21, 2017 and THIS DAY NEWSPAPER in which seven(7) selfserving mischief makers, parading themselves as United Founding Fathers of Abonnema, purportedly suspended HRM, Chief Disrael Gbobo Bob-Manuel as the Amanyanabo of Abonnema and Chairman of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs, and appointed Chief (Dr.) O. B. Lulu-Briggs as Regent/Chairman of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs. For the avoidance of doubt, there is no group or body known in Abonnema Community as "United Founding Fathers of Abonnema". No such group or body exists, or has ever existed, in Abonnema.

6. Indeed, it was Chief Godwin Ngogo Alabraba who presented Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs for installation on the Chieftaincy stool of Young Briggs Sub-House of the Oruwari Briggs Group of Houses. Under no circumstances can someone on the chieftaincy stool of Young Briggs SubHouse be appointed as the Regent of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs. 7. The purported appointment of Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs as the Regent of Abonnema/Chairman of Abonnema Council of Chiefs is therefore intended to embarrass and ridicule the Abonnema Council of Chiefs and to cause crisis in Abonnema Community, especially given his current condition.

Consequent upon this mischief, the Abonnema Council of Chiefs at its Emergency General Meeting of Wednesday 22nd November, 2017 held at the Abonnema Town Hall unequivocally dissociates itself from the said advertorial as the same was published without the knowledge, consent or authorization of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs.

8. Dr. M. T. Membere, the 7th Signatory to the said publication, is not a chief in Abonnema. He was ignominiously expelled as a chief by the Abonnema Council of Chiefs in February, 1991 for engaging in anti-community activities. His expulsion was published in the Nigerian Tide of Friday, February 15, 1991. Dr. M.T. Membere has not been attending the meetings and functions of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs since 1991 till date. Based on all the foregoing, the Abonnema Council of Chiefs resolved as follows:

The Abonnema Council of Chiefs in the said meeting of Wednesday, 22nd November, 2017 DECLARED AS FOLLOWS:

a. The six (6) signatories to the said advertorial who are members of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs, namely:

1. HRM Disrael Gbobo Bob-Manuel (ii), Owukori (ix) has not been suspended by the Abonnema Council of Chiefs, and therefore remains the Amanyanabo of Abonnema and Chairman of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs. 2. The Abonnema Council of Chiefs is the apex customary administrative & adjudicatory body and custodian/enforcer of native law and custom in Abonnema community. It is only the Abonnema Council of Chiefs that is vested with the power under Kalahari custom to suspend its Chairman where necessary. No other individual or group of individuals in Abonnema has such power. 3. The Abonnema Council of Chiefs knows as a fact that Suit No. DHC/10/2017: HRM Disrael Gbobo Bob-Manuel (ii) Vs. Chief Precious Elekima & Ors was not dismissed by the High Court, Degema, as falsely claimed in the publication under reference. 4. The false allegations of witchcraft solely sponsored by Precious Elekima is still pending in Suit No: PHC/203/2017 in the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt, and the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt. 5. Chief O.B.Lulu-Briggs was not and can never be, appointed the Regent/Chairman of Abonnema Council of Chiefs as he is not qualified under Kalabari custom to be so appointed. By the custom and practice in Abonnema Community, whenever the Amanyanabo of Abonnema/ Chairman of Abonnema Council of Chiefs cannot perform his functions for any reason whatsoever, the paramount Head of Oruwari Briggs Group of Houses acts as the Regent of Abonnema/ Chairman of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs. The Incumbent Paramount Head of Oruwari Briggs Group of Houses is Chief Godwin Ngogo Alabraba, not Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs.

i. Alabo T.O Graham-Douglas, ii. Chief Enoch. F. Granville iii. Chief Edmund Kio Young Jack iv. Chief Beremabo E.K Pedro v. Alabo Anthony Gibson Oweredaba and vi. C h i e f ( N avy C a p t .) A . B. A j u m o g o b i a suspended indefinitely with immediate effect.

be

and

are

hereby

b. The four paramount Heads of Owukori (Manuel) Group of Houses, Oruwari (Briggs) Group of Houses, Otaji (Georgewill) Group of Houses and Iju (Jack) Group of Houses be maintained as the customary leadership of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs. The Abonnema Council of Chiefs hereby implores the Government of Rivers State and the relevant law enforcement agencies to call to order, Chief(Dr.) 0. B Lulu-Briggs and the authors of the said provocative publication in the interest of peace in the community. Chief O.B.Lulu-Briggs inordinate ambition to forcefully take over the Amanyanabo throne by all means is still live and ongoing in a suit in the Rivers State High Court in Suit No: DHC/2/1989. He has merely procured the services of these rebellious Chiefs who call themselves United Founding Fathers of Abonnema. Meanwhile we urge all Abonnema people and the Kalabari Ethnic Nationality to remain calm and be law abiding as the matter has been reported to the law enforcement agencies for their necessary action.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2017

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Obiano: Ojukwu’s Defection to APC Inconsequential

Ogbe Undermining Livestock Producers, Laments Miyetti Allah

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

Miyetti-Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-cultural Association has lamented that the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbe was exploiting his relationship with the president to undermine the interest of livestock producers in this country. It added that the present psychology of the minister would not bring succour to livestock producers, noting that livestock production had been neglected over the years. Miyetti Allah wondered why FADAMA project was aggressively being sponsored by the World Bank without taking livestock production into consideration. The National President of the Association, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo and the National Secretary, Mr. Saleh Alhassan made the disclosure at a press conference in Abuja. Bodejo alleged that he had been receiving death threats due to the association's stand against anti-grazing law in Benue State. Alhassan decried that livestock department in the ministry of agriculture had failed completely, describing it as a deliberate sabotage. He stated: "up till now, all the policies developed for livestock production are just at the table. The idea of creating an agency to ensure there is identification and tagging and management of livestock in this country is germane and it's an international practice. If that agency comes in place, every cattle you have in this country will carry a chip. It will address this security issue. If you say cattle have trespassed into

Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, yesterday ruled out the possibility of reaching out to Emeka Ojukwu Jnr., who defected from the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), before the November 18 governorship election, describing him as inconsequential. "He is of no consequence, I’m sorry to say," Obiano said. The governor who made this remark while answering questions from journalists in the State House, Abuja, said he had visited President Muhammadu Buhari to thank him for keeping his words that he would not interfere

in November 18, governorship election in Anambra State. He described his victory as an expression of the faith and confidence that Anambra people have in him adding that he had extended the olive branch to candidates of other political parties who contested the election against him. He said Buhari was excited that the votes of the people of Anambra counted, adding that the President remarked that such was the legacy he wanted to leave as a proponent of free and fair elections. "Well, I thank God it is the Lord’s doing. To win 21 over 21 is not an easy task. It just showed the faith the people had in me and that is exactly why it happened

and I thank Ndi Anambra for the confidence reposed on me and reassure them that this will encourage me to work harder. "Well, we have extended olive branch to my colleagues, my friends that contested with me and as you can see, they have all congratulated me and we will hold hands and march on. You see, our private ambitions can never be greater than the interest of Anambra State. I believe we are working on well,� Obiano said. Asked if his re-election would stimulate good relationship with his estranged former boss and predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi, who brought him into politics and helped him to become governor,

Obiano swiftly retorted: "I don’t have a problem with anybody. I’m doing well. I don’t have a problem with anybody," he said. He also dismissed insinuations that he was contemplating defecting from APGA to APC, describing APGA as a strong party in the South-east. "My party is very strong in the South-east and that you will see very soon in the coming elections and from there, we will march on. No. Never. That is totally unfounded. I will never leave APGA. I’m the leader and the Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, and again, by God’s grace, the governor and governor-elect," he added.

AdedayoAkinwaleinAbuja

your farm, just arrest one, the chip will identify the owner. All abattoirs will not take cattle that are not tagged, it is a technology that has been used to address lack of accountability to end this bisque of unknown gunmen. "The livestock department in the ministry of agriculture has failed completely. It is a deliberate sabotage. There is underlining politics about it, unfortunately most of the people in charge of policies in the agricultural sector are from the background of crop producers. They have this inherent bias against livestock production. In fact the minister should see that policy as a complimentary policy because you have companies that are ready to come with that technology of tagging livestock. "For the minister to oppose it, I believe is either being mischievous or so ignorant of the policy. We are calling for the removal of the responsibility of livestock policy from the ministry as it is now. As it is now the chemistry, the psychology of Audu Ogbe that we know of today is not ready to bring succour to pastoralists," Alhassan said. He emphased that since the coming into force of Benue State anti-grazing law in November 1, over 10,000 herdsmen had been displaced, while over 600 cows had died. "So far, we have a reported case of a particular Fulani man, Abdukadri who committed suicide because he lost over 200 cows. We have the criminal eviction of over 10,000 headers, they are forced into Nassarawa border communities, Taraba and some into Cross River.

New Chivita Chapman Happy Hour Inspired by Nigerian Culture, Style YOU 'RE WELCOME ... L-R: Chief Marketing OďŹƒcer, Sterling Bank, Henry Bassey; French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer; Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Yetunde Onanuga and Deputy High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, Laure BeauďŹ ls at the 2017 Ake Festival in Abeokuta..recently

Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa Takes Power,Vows to Serve all Citizens Zimbabwe's new President, Emmerson Mnangagwa has addressed a packed stadium, vowing to serve all citizens. He said he felt "deeply humbled" to take the role. And he said he was "not oblivious to the many Zimbabweans from across the political and racial divide who have helped make this day." He paid tribute to his predecessor Robert Mugabe - to muted applause - calling him "a father, mentor, comrade-in-arms and my leader". Mr. Mugabe left office dramatically this week after 37 years of authoritarian rule. His departure followed a power struggle in which Mr. Mnangagwa was

sacked as vice president to pave the way for Grace Mugabe, the then-first lady, to take up the presidency. Mr. Mnangagwa fled the country but returned to a hero's welcome and yesterday struck a conciliatory tone. "The task at hand is that of rebuilding our country," he said. "I am required to serve our country as the president of all citizens regardless of colour, creed, religion, tribe, totem or political affiliation." Although Mr. Mnangagwa has unseated Zimbabwe's long-time ruler, he is still associated by many with some of the worst atrocities committed under the ruling Zanu-PF party since the country gained independence in

1980. He was the country's spymaster during the 1980s civil conflict, in which thousands of civilians were killed. But he has denied any role in the massacres, blaming the army. Tens of thousands of people packed the National Sports Stadium in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, to witness the inauguration. Pop singer Jah Prayzer provided the entertainment and, as people in the crowd danced, the atmosphere was closer to that of a concert. Dignitaries, including leaders from various African countries, filed in to cheers. Opposition leaders Morgan

Tsvangirai and Joice Mujuru - who both had their sights on the presidency at various times - were there. Mr. Mnangagwa was led in the oath of office by Chief Justice Luke Malaba, saying he would "be faithful to Zimbabwe", "protect and promote the rights and people of Zimbabwe" and discharge his duties to the best of his abilities. Mr. Mnangagwa was accompanied by his wife Auxilia and gave her a kiss after the green presidential sash was placed around his neck. However, Mr. Mugabe was not present and the official reason given was that at 93, the former president needed to rest.

Edo Head of Service, Idahor Eulogises Late father at Burial Father of the Head of Service, Edo State, Mrs. Gladys Idahor, late Pa Pius Idumwonyi Iyangbe, who died at age 97, has been buried at his residence in Benin City. The funeral mass for late Pa Iyangbe was earlier held at St. Augustine Catholic Church, Ukhegie in Benin and was attended by family members, friends and dignitaries from within and outside the state. In her tribute, Mrs. Idahor eulogised the exceptional qualities of her late father, who

she described as a great man of humility, lauding his “patience, just and, peaceful demeanour.� She said "Against all odds and advice that female children should not be educated, he sent us to school. I imagine where we would have been if he had heeded people's advice not to send us to school. I am indeed grateful for this rare opportunity and I will forever cherish his Christian values." Dignitaries at the funeral mass included the Deputy Governor

of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu; Secretary to Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie; wife of the Edo State Governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki; wife of the Edo State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Maryann Shaibu, Mr. Anselm Ojezua, Chairman of the State All Progressives Congress (APC). Others were Chairman of the State Civil Service Commission, Princess Ekiewa Ineh; Senator Roland Owie; Women Leader, APC, Edo State, Dr. Aisosa Amadasun; serving and retired

Permanent Secretaries, former Heads of Service, special advisers, and commissioners. Late Iyangbe was born on 20th day of May 1920. He attended Benin Baptist and Niger Secondary Modern School for his standard six and Modern Three Certificates respectively. In January 1954, he was employed as a teacher by the Anglican Mission and deployed to St Stephen Primary School, Odighi. Until his death, he was the Okaegbe of Emezi family of Benin Kingdom.

Chi Limited has introduced a new variant of Happy Hour by Chivita into the marketplace. The new variant, ‘Chapman Happy Hour by Chivita’ will now join other popular variants from the brand’s stable to offer consumers more choices for refreshment. Widely considered the toast of most parties and consumed as a party starter, chapman drink can easily be enjoyed by anyone. Being one of our indigenous drinks, the unique Chapman Happy Hour by Chivita contains a blend of fruits and is poised to gain huge acceptance by Nigerians because it infuses our culture and style in a refreshing mix. Hassan Mustapha, a brand analyst, stated that the new Chapman Happy Hour by Chivita offered a refreshing way to enjoy our favourite chapman drink. “It is interesting to see how this brand has been able to coin a compelling narrative, “Refreshment Naija Style� to endear itself to consumers. It ticks the right boxes in this regard as it is made in Nigeria, takes into consideration our local taste, connects with our style and offers refreshing value that is in a class of its own,� he noted. Ibiyemi Idowu, an insurance broker, stated that chapman drinks were the favourite starters in a Nigerian party and a refreshing drink the average party goer looked forward to on the menu. “I believe the new Chapman Happy Hour by Chivita is a bold statement by the brand to complement our authentic Naija experiences through amazing refreshment. It has the unique Nigerian feel that I believe would resonate with consumers with respect to preference for a readily available chapman drink,� she said. Speaking on the new variant,

Marketing Director of Chi Limited, Mr. Probal Bhattacharya said that Chapman Happy Hour by Chivita was an indigenous drink ideal for its offer of an unrivalled burst of refreshment. “Chapman is all about refreshing taste and flavours deeply ingrained in the Nigerian mindscape. For us, this is more than just a regular refreshment offering – it’s a tribute to what makes us happy and refreshed in our own Nigerian way – hence Chapman Happy Hour by Chivita is truly ‘Refreshment Naija Style’.� he stated.

I, formerly known and addressed as SABASTINE EMMANUEL, now wish to be known and address as SEBASTINE NNAMDI EMMANUEL MICHAEL. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I, formerly known and addressed as MISS RITA OTAILOBHEGBE AISEDION, now wish to be known and address as MRS RITA OTAI ROBERT. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, IGWE OVIOUS IKECHUKWU was wrongly quoted as IGWE OVIUSITY IKECHUKWU instead of IGWE OVIOUS IKECHUKWU. I wish to be known and addressed as IGWE OVIOUS IKECHUKWU. All former documents remain the same. The general public take note.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2017

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fter burial, a grand reception was held recently in honour of grandfather, Pa Emmanuel Everwhite Egun by his children and grandchildren in Lagos. The photographs below show the personalities that attended the occasion. Photos Yomi Akinyele

L-R: Celebrant, Professor Jide Elemo and his wife, Professor (Mrs) Gloria Elemo

L-R: Kunle Oluwusi and Timi Lawson

Mrs Yejide Oshunkeye and Mrs Josephine Akinwunmi

L-R: Lily Wifa-Orayeli and Mrs Beni Llar

L-R: Chief (Mrs) Alaba Lawson and Mr, Akinlade Abiodun

L-R: Iyere Onoeagbe and Adesina Odunmbaku

L-R: Mrs Annah Elemo, her husband, Professor Kehinde Elemo and Dr. Opowoye Segun

L-R: Chief Teddy Nwaokorie and Chief Acho Nwaokorie

L-R: Mrs Stella Ohuabunwa and Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa

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L-R: Professor Sunday Odunfa, Captaain Kola Abejide, and his wife, Rita

L-R: Dr. Eniola Sokefun and Mr. Jide Lawrence

L-R: Mr. Bode Ogunlola and Dr. Oladimeji Alo

L-R: Mrs Teju Longe and Mrs. Foluke Soyoye

L-R: Shade Ekundare and Mrs. Bolaji Adeyemi

L-R: Mrs Titiu Ayeni, Professor (Mrs) Oluyemisi Eromosele and Professor Ighodalo Eromole

L-R: Dr. Larry Umunna and his wife, Funmi

L-R: Kunle Abdul, Dr. Tai Oyekan and Kehinde Abdul

Sir Gregory Ashibuogwu and his wife, Lady Kema

L-R: Okeowo Oderinde and Okonkwo Okechuwu

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚; by OMOLOLA ITAYEMI omolola.itayemi@thisdaylive.com 08054699602

TRAVEL&LEISURE

Tourism Goes Uber-Tech at World Travel Market ĂœĂžĂ“Ę¨Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă? Ó×ÚËĂ?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁ ĂĄĂ? ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?Ă–Ě‹ĂĄĂ’Ă?ÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă“Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?Ě‹ĂŽĂœĂ“Ă Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ăž ĂŒĂ™ĂžĂ? Ă™Ăœ Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă’ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă‘Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ Ă“Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? ÞÙĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă—Ëœ Ă?Ă™ Ă?Ă‹ĂŁĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă”Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ ĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?Ă– Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?Ăž ͺ͸͚Ϳ˛ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž ÞÙÎËã˪Ă? ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÙĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă— ĂŒĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă’Ă?ĂœĂ“ĂžĂ‹Ă‘Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă“Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă?ĂŽ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ™Ă–Ă–Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÎËÞË Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă? Ă‹ åÒÙÖĂ? ÖÙÞ Ă?ĂœË› Omolola Itayemi ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă•Ă?ĂŁ ÞÙ Ă?ËÚÓÞËÖÓĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă™ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă?

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f course, culture was a staple with the creativity, innovation, and sheer extravagance displayed by this year’s exhibitors, not to mention the heavy foottraffic wearing grooves into the exhibition floor despite rail disruption at Excel Centre, all point to the same. From rich display of culture to very attractive and sometimes outlandish display of stands, culture, luxury and wow factor came to fore as destinations, airlines and other top travel and tourism organizations put their best foot forward. No small feat with more than new 1200 new exhibitors joining the large throng of previous years. Wither the double decker Indonesian stand or colorful masquerades from the Caribbean Islands, the vibe of the exhibition hall wore a carnivalesque atmosphere. But that didn’t take the shine off the more serious aspect of business as guests mingled business with pleasure. Having said that, what a lot of people may have missed is a new development in travel which is bound to seize their imagination. Tech Revolution The industry is growing, and it’s exciting for those who stand to gain from such growth. Tech Travel threw up discussions bothering on how data is driving travel business, the impact of big data, how bots are changing the way we travel, the role of influencers and ROI on business. The three main focus of Artificial Intelligence – Smart Info, Contextual Relevance and Speech Recognition in use now will play bigger roles in the future. Tech geeks turned billionaire merchants David Gouch, Alex Bainbridge, Henry Shi and Eltan Reisel shared their experiences and future projections at these classes. It’s clear to everyone that the industry is already very much in the throes of a technology-driven revolution and we’ve far from seen the end of it. Trivago’s Global Head of Hospitalty, JosĂŠ Murta, rounded off day one of WTM London 2017 on the Global Stage discussing “The Future of Technology in Travel and Hospitality,â€? along with fellow panellists Guy Stephenson, Chief Commercial Officer, Gatwick Airport; David Chappell, Head of Technology, Gray Dawes Group; and Andy Mallinson, Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer, Stackla; as well as moderator, Paul Richer, Senior Partner, Genesys Digital Transformation. The industry thought leaders examined what’s on the hotel-tech horizon, how evolving technologies are going to shape and shake up the industry, and how these changes can be embraced and even capitalised on. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and technology that’s faster, smarter and more affordable than ever before — this is the stuff of the future of technology. It’s thrilling — but also alarming, because it would seem that the development of fancy new technology is largely out of synch with hoteliers’ needs. This is especially true when it comes to independent hoteliers, JosĂŠ revealed. Before even considering integrating innovative new technologies to say, personalise the guest experience with speech recognition, hoteliers need to focus on the most basic of technological advances: actually getting online. “Everyone is talking about direct bookings, but most hotels don’t even have a website to be able to get those bookings,â€? JosĂŠ said,

Tech travel... the future of travel

underlining the urgency to remedy this situation. “It’s 2017!â€? Considering that online bookings are predicted to overtake offline bookings in just a few years, his insistence that it’s time for hotels to embrace technology is understandable Toward greater responsibility and sustainability Responsible and sustainable tourism is a big topic of discussion these days, little surprise, UNWTO theme for 2017 world Tourism Day is sustainable tourism. Exhibition organisers dedicated an entire stage as a platform to increase awareness about responsibility and sustainability in tourism: how far we’ve come as an industry, and how many hurdles we have yet to overcome. And overcoming them is not an option. It’s a moral imperative. Tourism is both a cause and a victim of climate change, not to mention its entanglement in other nefarious areas, such as “orphanage tourismâ€? and human trafficking. The good news is that the industry is steering itself on a more ecologically and socially responsible path. There’s a growing trend of hotels taking action to reduce CO2 emissions and water usage, to empower staff to recognize and reports signs of human trafficking. Smart Tourism‌In pursuit of personalisation Every speaker at WTO 2017 touched it - and certainly every event speaker who’s discussing any kind of technology is diving into it. So what is personalisation, and how can it be applied? Simply, it’s the science and art of providing the best experience possible by treating each guest as an individual at every stage of their customer journey. It is science, because it involves leveraging data and technology and an art, because actually, there is no one single way to personalise the guest experience. It’s about finding the right style. Fostering and nurturing relationships with potential, present, and previous guests through personalisation can be as simple as collecting basic data on guest preferences

L - R: Bukky Enuha; Brenda Modubene, Business Development and Marketing Manager, Kaya FM; Greg Maloka, CEO Kaya FM; Folorunsho Coker, DG NTDC and David O’Sullivan, Manager Programs, Kaya FM at Lunch at Commodores Boat Club, Ikoyi with selected journalist and a powerful delegation led by CEO, Kaya FM to Nigeria for a proďŹ table and worthwhile synergy with Nigerian Development Corporation (NTDC) towards promoting the patronage and appreciation of domestic tourism in Nigeria by Nigerians and foreigners

and using it to make their stay all the more memorable. Of course, it can also be as complex as harnessing artificial intelligence and machine learning. But when it comes to personalisation, more isn’t necessarily better, that’s Smart Tourism. From targeting the right audience with the right marketing content to recommending relevant auxiliary services, the trick to personalisation is finding a balance that works. Nigeria Although Nigeria as a country maintained no stand at WTO 2017, but its absence was felt at the African section especially as many Nigerians both from the private and public sectors were on ground. The Director–General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Folorunso Folarin Coker, was seen holding meetings with organisers of WTM London and consulting with a lot of organisations. Other Nigerians present include President, Federation of Tourism association, FTAN, Mallam Rabo; president NANTA, Bankole Bernard; Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi; Plateau State Commissioner for Tourism, Culture and Hospitality, Peter Mwankon; John Likita Best, Senior Special Adviser to

Governor on Tourism; C, Akapo Emmanuel, President Ten Strings Musical School, Lagos among others Ken Oloye, Belgium-based Nigerian tourism promoter said: “We are not happy that Nigeria did not have a stand here today. On the other point, going by what is happening here; I think it is a blessing in disguise for Nigeria not having a stand. It could have been disastrous if we had a stand that is nonfunctional as some of the African stands here. I want Nigeria to make sure that come 2018; Nigeria’s Stand should not only be present, but should be well funded, well organised, well- structured and the best. For what is worth doing at all is worth doing well�. Mr Akapo in his remark said: “I am happy that Folarin Coker is here. I have seen him making notes and observing how the market is doing. I am sure he is understudying the market. For, as a new person in the saddle, one expect him to observe, identify the market niche, understand how the market is being ran, make contact for the future and network for our great participation next year. I agree that our non-participation this year is a blessing in disguise and a preparatory providence for a bigger re–entry in 2018.�

63

NOVEMBER 25, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

POLSCOPE

with Eddy Odivwri eddy.odivwri@thisdaylive.com 08053069356

Canticles...

Anambra, PDP, and Other Matters

D

o you know that President Mohammadu Buhari looks set for re-election in 2019? 2019? Buhari? How?

You can ask again. All you need do is read the horizon properly and it will dawn on you that Buhari is it, come 2019. I don’t know what you are reading in the so-called horizon. The much I know is that many Nigerians have been shouting themselves hoarse that Buhari has offloaded unprecedented hardship on them. Mugabe

Mugabe Now at Bay

T

he wild jubilations that greeted the final exit of former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe from the Zimbabwean saddle last Tuesday, was enough testimonial of how poorly the people of Zimbabwe regarded the 37 long years they had to endure the rule of one man. The jubilations were thus an expression of great relief and reprieve from what had appeared like a political incubus. For a long time, it had looked like Zimbabweans were in a jinxed-lock with Mugabe. He was Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe was him. Mugabe was suffused with a messianic complex. Somehow, he believed that unless he was in the saddle, Zimbabwe will not work. And nobody seemed to be able to do anything about it. Not even the now lionised Zimbabwean parliamentarians, who have suddenly found their voice, all thanks to the military gentleman coupists. Mugabe had reluctantly thrown in the towel last Tuesday when the parliament had begun the process of impeaching him. He had earlier been sacked as the leader of the ZANU-PF, the political party that had been in control. Perhaps, Mugabe would have even preyed longer on Zimbabwe, but for his mindless domestication of the nation’s political matrix If he did not toy with the idea of replacing himself with his Lady Macbeth of a wife, he probably would have remained in office till he is 100 years, as he had once boasted. But his wife, the graceless Grace Mugabe, 52, and 41 years younger than her husband, kept goading Mugabe to sojourn deeper and deeper into tyranny. Grace had believed that political power could be matrimonially (and sexually) transmitted. She boasted with oracular certitude that whatever they (she and her husband) wanted from the Zimbabwean federation was theirs for the asking. You won’t blame her. Her husband is the oldest president in the world. He had presided over and determined the fate of Zimbabweans for 37 years. Power had become their inalienable lot. It was an infinite and unchallengeable political dogma. She once bluffed that even the corpse of Mugabe could stand and win elections in Zimbabwe. So she kicked and fired with the confidence of a marksman. She had once boasted: “I might have a small fist. But when it comes to fighting, I will put stones inside to enlarge it. Do not doubt my capabilities”. Like the Lady Macbeth that she was, she pushed her husband to not only sack his deputy, an old and trusted ally, Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa (mouthful name) but to work towards even eliminating him, all so the coast will be verily clear for her to launch in and ultimately succeed her husband. She has hardly denied her vaunting presidential ambition. See what she said in 2014: “They say I want to be president. Why not? Am I not a Zimbabwean?” Sadly, that move became her waterloo and albatross. It was evidently the last straw that broke the camel’s back. She is no doubt, a methodical planner and strategist. It was in pursuit of building her profile up and early enough that she crookedly wangled her way to “earning”(?) a Ph.D in Sociology in less than a year. Only in Mugabe’s Zimbabawe!

Here was a typist in the State House, who began to flirt with a randy President Mugabe resulting in her having two sons for him, albeit secretly, while Mugabe was yet married to his late wife, Sally, who was then terminally ill. Grace and Robert eventually married in 1996 in a lavish ceremony and thereafter had one more son. The life graph of this erstwhile typist would peak as one of the most influential First ladies in Africa, but the connecting lines crashed to a villainous low last Tuesday when her husband resigned from office. And that is the end of the notorious Gucci Grace, so called because of her huge appetite for expensive shopping spree. It is curious that she became a Ph.D holder just like that. No thanks to a pusillanimous Vice Chancellor at the University of Zimbabwe. What’s more, her thesis, unlike those of other Ph.D holders, was neither in the library stock nor has anybody ever sighted it. Africa! Mnangagwa had to flee the country, for his dear life, to escape the lethal friendly fire directed at him. He explained that the security men attached to him had hinted him of plans to get him eliminated altogether. He had to run to save his life. From his exile, he pulled all the strings possible and the military decided to weigh in. And that was the clincher as it marked the tipping point for the almighty Mugabe and his dis-Grace(d) wife. Yesterday, Mnangagwa , 75, was sworn in as the new President of Zimbabwe, thus elevating him from the status of a villain to a hero. It is bad enough that Mnangagwa is already 75, very much an old man; yet it will be more terrible for him and Zimbabweans if he decides to walk in the inglorious paths of Mugabe. It is time to rebuild the walls of Zimbabwe. He needs all constructive hands on deck so his country men and women can have a new lease of life. Under the deal between Mugabe and the military and the emerging government, Mugabe and his wife will be allowed a quiet stay in Zimbabwe at their luxurious “Blue Roof” residence. There, Mugabe will be kept at bay and will rarely be seen or heard in the years ahead. He turned down asylum offered by Zambia. Now out of power, Africans, nay, the world will miss the mischievous and lewd jokes and quotes so often credited to Mugabe. Mugabe’s Zimbabwe was one of the poorest economies of the world. He was stubborn and loathsome of the west. His determination to wrest the Zimbabwean land from the White farmers landed him and his country in rounds of economic sanctions from which the country refused to recover. The nation’s economy not only plummeted, it became so fluid that almost any currency was an acceptable legal tender. The Zimbabwean dollar had suffered a sinking value erosion so much that a million Zim Dollar was probably just enough to buy a loaf of bread. But the old man little cared. He trudged on with annoying defiance, while the people groaned in hardship and squalor. Mugabe is the last of a fading generation of African leaders, save Paul Biya of Cameroun, who are stung with the sit-tight mentality. Biya should learn from the humiliation Mugabe has suffered.

That is just one side of the narrative of the minority. Look, did you notice that the All Progressives Congress (APC) came second in the just concluded Anambra guber election? Can’t you see APC is coming up in the South East? Have you noticed also that the PDP crisis is intractable? Have you not seen that the party will continue to feud and bicker till and even after the 2019 elections? Look, I am telling you that before the elections in 2019, all the stumbling blocks between Buhari and the presidency would have all been cleared off. Even the budding economy would have waxed stronger in such a way that people will not even remember the hardship they had experienced. Who told you? Do you know that the APC stock will soon be depleting? Do you know many of the people in APC right now are just holding on for any possible benefit before they will jump off the APC ship? Or have you not heard that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has defected from the APC and that he is likely to drag the Adamawa State governor along? Don’t mind that come-and-chop politician. He is a typical politician constantly in search of what to benefit. As soon as one table dries up of what he needs, he moves to the next. Can you count the number of times he had decamped from PDP to APC and vice versa? How flirtatious can a politician be? You should be charitable in your commentary. Do you know deeply supportive of the Buhari administration Atiku had been? Do you know how many vehicles he donated to the Buhari campaign organization at the time? Do you know how much cash he also donated? What has he got in return, two years after? Don’t you know how spitefully they have treated him? Are you not aware of the trouble Intels is facing right now because there is a determination to teach Atiku a lesson or two? Say the things you know. Do you know one of the spokesmen of Buhari was nominated by Atiku? Do you know how many ministerial slots he was given? Didn’t you hear the outburst of that Mama Taraba the other time? Just stay clear of politicians’ warfare. Let me add that with or without Atiku, the PDP will not see the light day anymore. They are like Mugabe, their era is past. Who would have thought that the PDP will drop to a distant third position in the Anambra guber polls of last Saturday, with all that Peter Obi stands for and did for the people of the state? Does it not tell you that the PDP market is over? There is a strong feeling that there

Atiku

is a crackdown on politicians who could offer financial lifeline to the PDP because the ruling party knows that the main opposition party is broke and if it remains like that, it will hardly have the capacity to challenge it in the next election. And that is why there is a sudden clampdown on people like Anyim Pius Anyim, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, as well as the attempt to rein in the likes of Ayo Oke and Mr Ekpeyong, former Directors General of NIA and DSS respectively. Are you saying that Ekpeyong and Oke are also politicians that must be hacked down so as to cripple the PDP? Look, it is a sentiment like this that has kept Nigeria where we are. For God’s sake, anybody who has a case to answer should go forth and answer same and stop hiding under the thin sheet of politics. Nobody is above the law. It is also talks like this that has stalled the investigation of Godswill Akpabio since September 2015 when the operatives of the DSS broke into some guest houses in the Akwa Ibom State House where some hard currencies and arms belonging to the Senate’s Minority Leader were recovered. Till date, that matter has seemingly died. Nobody knows what happened to the case. In the same way, the bribery case against Hon Lawan Farouk seems jinxed. Mr Femi Otedola had alleged that Lawan had demanded bribe from him so his company (Forte Oil) will be exempted from indictment in a House of Reps investigation. Lawan who initially admitted committing the crime, suddenly changed his plea and since then, the Nigerian people have been in the dark on the progress of the case. Or what shall we say about the recorded voice of the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, who was heard threatening to kill an INEC official if he failed to do as instructed. When those cases are pursued to their logical conclusion, people like you will yell that it is political persecution. Look, all we are saying is that Nigeria is corrupt, we know. But the corrupt Nigerians are not just massed up in one political party. It cuts across. So the clampdown on such people should also cut across. What are you implying? Were you not here when David Babachir Lawal was sacked and now to be prosecuted for the grass-cutting scandal? Was he not an APC chieftain?

Saturday, November 25, 2017

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Price: N250

MISSILE SERAP to Buhari “Nothing more fundamentally undermines public confidence in the fight against grand corruption and trust in government than to see state security agencies paid for by public funds apparently aiding and abetting those suspected of engaging in corruption to escape justice. President Buhari must urgently instruct the leadership of the SSS and NIA to allow anticorruption agencies to carry out their mandate without any interference whatsoever.” – Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, condemning the fight involving EFCC officials and officials of the SSS/NIA, who aborted moves to arrest their former bosses.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Now That Atiku Has Dumped APC, Who Next?

F

ellow Nigerians, these are not the best of times for the ruling Party, APC. It was a prophecy long foretold by me, though. As you all know, the trending news is that the serial “decampee”, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has done what he knows how best to do, decamping from one political party to another. Let no one say it is not a big deal. And even if it is not, it is still big news, and an even bigger embarrassment to a Party that coasted to victory on the wings of a major alliance of strange bedfellows and an unprecedented conspiracy that succeeded in unseating a sitting President in Nigeria. I therefore, wish to disagree vehemently with my brother, Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State, who said yesterday that Atiku’s exit from their embattled Party is a non-event. If truth must be told, I believe this is just the beginning of a mass exodus from a fledgling Party that is certainly on the road to perdition, unless drastic measures are taken to stem the rot in the Party, seriously and sincerely heal wounds and massage miffed egos. Let no one fool our dear President Muhammadu Buhari into thinking naively that he would win the 2019 election like he did in 2015, on a platter of gold. The masters of the game are already goading him on by pretending to be endorsing him and telling him he is the best thing ever to happen to Nigeria. All you have to do to expose their hypocrisy and charade is to go back in history to see how previous Presidents had been praised to high heavens whilst these praise-singers were actually sneering and collaborating in their downfall. We saw how some people misbehaved and mis-jived during the draconian era of the Abacha regime and convinced him that Nigeria needs him to rule for life. Well, nothing of the sort happened. Here we go again, our leaders are staging their absurdist theatre by falling over themselves in endorsing a man most of them abuse and stab behind his back. It is just unbelievable seeing how deceitful human beings can be. This is why I salute the courage of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who has virtually become a pariah in a Party he partly founded and funded in recent times. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must also be mentioned, in this regard, for making bold to categorically assert that there is no automatic ticket or endorsement for President Buhari. The reasons Atiku Abubakar adduced for leaving the Party are very valid to keen observers of events after the Party came to power, even though they may sound like sour grapes, coming from him. It is certain that APC failed to learn any lessons from how it sacked PDP and history is about to repeat itself so soon. This was how PDP allowed some of its golden assets to walk away from the Party. The same words being bandied now were the same we heard repeatedly then; “Rotimi Amaechi and company can go to blazes, they won’t be missed in PDP!” Unfortunately, their exit wreaked maximum havoc on the PDP, and today the Party is still wondering what hit it like thunderbolt. I seriously doubt if Atiku would ever get the PDP Presidential ticket. I’m sure he is not under any illusion that it would be easy to defeat Buhari even if he gets the ticket. But what

Atiku

he has done is to put APC on the defensive from this moment on and probably try to encourage other dissenters to abscond and abandon ship as soon as possible from what appears a sinking ship. I would have been surprised if Atiku stayed much longer after the unfortunate harassment he’s received in recent time. His business interests have been under intense and incessant attacks and whatever love existed between him and his Party had since evaporated. If I were in his shoes, I will not contest again so that it doesn’t appear like I’m in politics and in any political party just to

obtain a Presidential ticket. That may be wishful thinking given the man’s political history and his quest for the holy grail of the Presidency! However, my opinion is that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar still has a big role to play in the affairs of Nigeria. At over 70, he is undoubtedly one of the most experienced and exposed leaders in our country. God has been very kind to him. He’s been able to establish a mega business conglomerate. He is blessed with a wonderful family. His children are well-educated and his brand is very big in Nigeria and beyond. He would do well to use his humongous resources to help drive the search for much younger and accomplished leaders for Nigeria. It shouldn’t always be about his personal ambition. I wrote recently that age is no longer on his side. Anyone above 70 cannot achieve more in Nigeria today. We supported Buhari in 2015 out of acute frustration against the recklessness and profligacy of PDP. For some of us, it was meant to be a stop gap. But as democrats, we believe the President has the right to run for a second term, if that is his wish but he should not be forced on the Party and cannot certainly be foisted on the nation. I say with all emphasis at my command, that any attempt to impose President Buhari on his political party will backfire. The President should go through the laid down democratic processes and if he gets the ticket, fine and fantastic. If he fails, he should go home quietly and enjoy his retirement, finally. There is life outside power. It would be unfortunate if opponents of President Buhari are muzzled out of the race. The sweetness of democracy is in providing a variety of aspirants and wealth of ideas. None should feel like a second class citizen in a political party that was jointly formed and consummated by many stakeholders. On

attaining power, certain APC chieftains behaved like they had everything locked down and as if they forgot another election was going to come in a jiffy. Now that reality is beginning to dawn on them, they are hurriedly rushing frantically to please many of those they’ve ignored since 2015. It is doubtful if anyone would swallow the bait, hook, line and sinker, again. The talk in hushed tones is that President Buhari cannot change his style. If he gets a second term, and chance, many politicians would be hauled into prison, for the right and wrong reasons. I hope the President gets the chance to read this script and adapt to the crisis situation he now faces. His current failure to do this, is why there would soon be a groundswell of conspiracy against him.. The trust issue would be a great determinant in the next election. Even if APC opens the vaults of the Central Bank to its leaders in the coming months, in clear and brazen disregard for its anti-corruption crusade, it is not going to be an easy ride this time around. Now that Atiku has dumped the APC, I’m certain other rebels would be emboldened to follow his example. The Presidential race is looking hot already. I foresee the PDP ticket as being a much-coveted one because APC is likely to implode as a result of imposition. If PDP manages its affairs better, and more democratically, by eliminating fifth columnists among them, APC would be in hot soup. Nigeria is blessed with many fantastic leaders with proven records in both Parties. They should be encouraged to come out from hibernation. It is payback time and I’m suspecting that APC is about to be punished for its carelessness and insensitivity. The tine to properly correct ills and wrong is now, otherwise it will be too late!

And Robert Mugabe Actually Resigned Wonders, as they say, will never end. One of those wonders of the world occurred early this week as President Robert Mugabe, one of the world’s longest serving leaders, finally agreed to step down after the military that swore to protect him as their Commander-in-Chief actually sold him out. After so much dilly-dallying and refusing to sign his resignation letter, he eventually agreed to handover to influential and his erstwhile deputy, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, aka the Crocodile, whom he had fired as a means of creating a smooth-sail for the Presidential ambition of his delectable young wife, Mrs Grace Mugabe. But this backfired big time. Indeed a veritable tale of a fall from grace to grass! When I visited the then Vice President, Mnangagwa, in Harare a few months ago, at the behest of my good friend, Josey Mahachi,, little did I realise I was meeting with a President in waiting. He appeared and sounded very loyal to the old warrior, Robert Mugabe. He said he was happy to receive me and looked forward to partnering with Ovation International magazine in the promotion of investments and tourism in Zimbabwe. He promised to send a report to the President about my visit since I couldn’t

wait the few extra days required to meet the old man in person. I was thus dazed when news broke of the great rift between both of them. I had thought theirs was a perfect synergy until, it seems, Mrs Grace Mugabe’s unbridled and vaulting ambition put them asunder. The military intervention that eventually ousted and ended the nearly four-decade reign of Mugabe was exceptionally unique in its conception and execution. For the first time, we saw a military that refused to agree that it carried out a coup against a civilian government. The world was left confused and confounded by developments in Zimbabwe for a little while. The Zimbabwean military, led by General Constantino Chiwenga, must be commended for the disciplined and professional manner it handled the impasse. It was a sight to behold seeing them showing respect for the President as he read that curious statement that had been predicted as a resignation speech but turned out to be a show of defiance by a usually loquacious and bewildered geriatric! The military was determined not to be tempted to derail democracy, but to be seen to correct an injustice and let democratic institutions do the rest. That is all history now. Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa

was sworn in as Interim President yesterday in the presence of a tumultuous crowd. Many are already wondering what the new President can and would do different from his former boss. He made a long and stirring speech in which he praised Mugabe for his service to their country and insisted that some of his policies including the controversial land acquisition from the whites were appropriate and would be followed. He asked for reconciliation, saying Zimbabweans should “let bygones be bygones”. However, he pledged to chart a new course and promised improvement in the economy and lives of Zimbabweans. He insisted elections would take place as scheduled and portrayed the image of a man of destiny. He has the next few months to organise a credible election. I’m hoping that he would act like our own General Abdulsalami Abubakar by handing over power in record time, if that is the will of his people. The world would give him a standing ovation for it. But if he falls into the temptation of grabbing power, ignoring and curtailing the democratic will and zeal that brought him to power, it would be such a monumental shame and tragedy. All eyes are now on Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zimbabwe.

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