Saturday 2nd December 2017

Atiku: I’m a Rebel, I’ll Not Accept to Be Ruled Never should the word ‘rule’ be a term in our democratic process

Obinna Chima Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who recently resigned from the All Progressive Congress (APC), has described himself as a rebel, just as he urged Nigerians never to allow the word “rule” to

be used in Nigeria’s democratic process.

Atiku made this remark on Thursday night in Lagos at the 2017 Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs conference titled: “Networking with the Giants,” where he received an award.

“For me, I am a rebel. Never should the word ‘rule’ be a term in our democratic process. You all must be governed because you must participate in that process. For me, I will not accept to be ruled, but I will accept to be governed,” he said

while responding to an earlier statement by one of the speakers, Mr. Fela Durotoye.

Atiku, who received the award of African Outstanding Entrepreneur at the ceremony, urged his audience to imbibe the entrepreneurial spirit as those

from the South-east, saying Nigerians should not be known for drugs and fraudsters, but for business and enterprise.

He dedicated the award to Wizkid, for winning the Music of Black Origin (MOBO) awards, as well as youths in Nigeria.

Abubakar took his audience through how he started his business as a young Customs officer when he came to Lagos in 1969, just as he stressed the need for entrepreneurs to be resilient.

Continued on page 6

Attack on Borno School Despicable, Says UNICEF ... Page 8 Saturday 2 December, 2017 Vol 22. No 8262 Price: N250

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Super Eagles Will Be 5th Time Lucky against Argentina, Says Rohr Promises to qualify from cluster Nigeria and Argentina will re-enact their football rivalry as the Super Eagles and the La Albicelestes were grouped in the same cluster

D, alongside Croatia and Iceland in yesterday’s World Cup draw at the Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia.

Argentina, twice World

To also tackle Croatia, Iceland Champions, had beaten Nigeria in all previous meetings at the World Cup - USA 94, Japan/ Korea 2002, South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014. However,

Nigeria defeated them 4-2 in a friendly match last month.

Iceland and Croacia, the two other teams in Nigeria’s group, are also expected to give the

Super Eagles a tough time at Russia 2018, considering their pedigree and array of stars, but Nigeria’s Manager, coach Gernot Rohr assures that the

Super Eagles will do well against Argentina this time around, and progress to the Continued on page 6

Jonathan: My Achievements in Government Unrivaled, Visible Attacks Shettima, dismisses Abdullahi’s book as ‘sore grapes, full of lies, gossip’

Yemi Adebowale Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday debunked Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima’s allegations of poor governance during his tenure, stressing that his achievements during his five years in power remained unrivaled.

Shettima, during a book launch on Thursday in Abuja, had stated that Jonathan wasted the goodwill he commanded, because of his bad governance and poor choices he made while in office.

The Borno State governor also accused Jonathan of thinking that he was behind the kidnap of the Chibok girls.

But Jonathan, in a statement signed by his media adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, debunked the allegations and also described the criticism of his handling of the Chibok girls saga by Shettima as “parochial and jaundiced.”

Eze, in the statement, further challenged the governor to come clean on the role he allegedly played in the kidnap of the Chibok school girls, emphasising that “it

goes beyond the dismissive claim that Jonathan thought I kidnapped Chibok girls.”

The statement reads: “He (Shettima) should be able to tell us if it was Jonathan's poor choices that led the governor to expose students of Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok to avoidable danger, in total disregard of a federal government directive to the governors in the three states most affected by Boko Haram to relocate their students writing the West African School Certificate Examinations to safe zones.”

Jonathan also expressed strong reservations about the recently launched book, “On a Platter of Gold- How Jonathan won and lost Nigeria,” authored by former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in which the former President was likewise severely criticised.

The statement disclaimed the book, describing it “as sore grapes, full of lies and gossip.”

Eze’s statement reads: “As a man who had never seen anything good in the Continued on page 6

NOVARE GATEWAY MALL BERTHS IN ABUJA …

L-R: Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Dr Demola Sogunle; Chief Executive Officer, Novare Group, Derrick Roppe; Chairman, Novare Group, Prof Fabian Ajogwu; Minister for State, Power, Works & Housing, Suleiman Hassan; and Minister, Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello; during the opening ceremony of the Novare Gateway Mall in Abuja ...recently

Onyeama: AU, EU Must Team up to Tacking Slave Trade, Human Trafficking in Libya ... Page 6

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Onyeama: AU, EU Must Team up to Tacking Slave Trade, Human Trafficking in Libya Alex Enumah in Abuja The Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama has called for a joint declaration by the African Union and European Union on the issue of slave trade and other crimes against humanity in Libya.

Onyeama who made the call at the Ministerial meeting of the just concluded 5th African Union- European Union Summit

in Abidjan, Cote d' Ivoire, said, "this should be a red line for us and indeed for mankind."

According to a statement by Sarah Sanda, Special Assistant to Onyeama on Media, the Minister also called for increased Foreign Direct Investment in Africa by European countries as a way of creating millions of new jobs for youths in Africa.

"The AU-EU collaboration

should focus more on addressing issues of youth unemployment and the associated skills gap, by promoting quality education and skills development, entrepreneurship, industrialisation as well as access to finance, safe and orderly regular migration and better alignment of skills with labour market needs between the two continents", she quoted the Minister as saying.

"We are also encouraged by EU support of 7.5m Euros for the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) negotiations, which have been very useful in providing technical support and expertise towards realising the target for the conclusion of the negotiations by the end of 2017, as well as the 20bn Euros spent by the European Union in Africa every two years as stated by Federica Mogherini,

EU High Representative and Vice President of the EU Commission."

He commended the on-going civilian and EU-led operations in Africa, particularly in the area of anti-terrorism and harped on the need to build capacities of security personnel through increased financial support to the Multi -National Joint Taskforce (MNJTF) operations.

While acknowledging that the

EU has been very supportive in promoting Article 4 of the Africa Agenda 2063 for a peaceful and prosperous Africa, Onyeama emphasised, "our partnership should continue to ensure the full functioning of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), especially the operationalisation of the African standby Force (ASF), as well as promote conflict preventive diplomacy".

philanthropist Bill Gates, praising Nigeria's successes against polio as one of the great world achievements of 2014. Sadly, polio has returned to the country with the likes of Shettima in charge of the endemic states. “Under Jonathan, life expectancy in Nigeria rose from 47 years in 2010 to 54 years in 2015. Just before Jonathan left office, CNN Money projected that Nigeria’s economy in 2015 would become the third fastest growing economy in the world at 7% behind China at 7.3% and Qatar at 7.1%. “Was it bad governance and poor choices that reformed the political and electoral processes to the extent that the United Nations is now pleading with the government of the day to strive to maintain the standards established by Jonathan? “Fortunately, Nigerians know where they stand with all of their leaders. All those who are calling Jonathan names today, and accusing him of having become quite unpopular, should simply take a walk on the streets of any Nigerian city as real leaders do. That way, they will accurately gauge their own approval and test their popularity with the Nigerian people. “On the book entitled ‘On a Platter of Gold- How Jonathan won and lost Nigeria’ written

by Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, we have watched for some time as some outrageous fabrications are extracted from its pages day after day by the media.

When the publication of the book, with an ominous title was first mooted, we knew it will be full of bile and sore grapes.

We didn't expect truth, sincerity and accuracy of narration, given that the author, who was sacked from his ministerial position by the subject of the book, is

now the spokesman for the ruling APC. “We will therefore like to dissociate former President Jonathan from the book's salacious contents, with all the obvious distortions, lies and exaggerations. Its pages are populated with gossip, politically influenced newspaper articles, uncoordinated raw data and unproven claims. Sadly, the author did not help matters, as there was no rigor or indepth investigations towards establishing the veracity of the allegations the book contains. “For instance, it is ridiculous for the author to have claimed that the President was forced to sack a certain minister by another cabinet member when the obvious truth known to all key members of the

administration was that the President acted based on the recommendation of an internal committee that investigated the matter. This, unfortunately, is the kind of baseless claims and narrative that runs through the entire book, and it would be pointless devoting our time towards making a case by case response to all its ridiculous allegations. “We will like to remind Nigerians of what former President Jonathan said earlier in the year when a similar book was published, that only the key actors in his Government and in the 2015 Presidential elections could give an exact account of what transpired, not speculations and conjectures by third party spectators. That time will come someday.�

JONATHAN: MY ACHIEVEMENTS IN GOVERNMENT UNRIVALED, VISIBLE administration of former President Jonathan on account of party and other differences, it has remained our considered view that in a democracy, Governor Kashim Shettima and others like him are entitled to their opinion, no matter how jaundiced. “However, it is a sad commentary on the character of some of our politicians that they go to any length to make spurious statements, in pursuit of the sad narrative to remain politically correct. We cannot be deceived by his crocodile tears and patronising claim that ‘Jonathan is essentially a decent man,� which is a ploy he deployed to justify his false allegation of a lost glory. “The man who today speaks of squandered goodwill should be able to tell Nigerians what percentage of the votes Jonathan got in 2011 from Borno State at the height of that his envisaged glory according to Shettima, and what it became in subsequent elections. What was obvious yesterday, and has remained so today, is that Governor Shettima and those who think like him never liked Jonathan based on some parochial and paternalistic sentiments. “We didn't expect anything less from Governor Shettima, knowing the ignoble roles he played in frustrating the war waged by the past administration against Boko Haram, even in his own Borno State. “He should be able to tell us if it was Jonathan's poor choices that led the Governor to expose students of Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok to avoidable danger, in total disregard of a Federal Government directive to the Governors in the three states most affected by Boko Haram to relocate their students writing the West African School Certificate Examinations to safe zones.

“The Governor is now denying that he had no hand in the kidnap of the Chibok girls even before anybody accused him of culpability. However, we share the view of those who insist that the Governor had other things up his sleeve when he promised the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) that he would secure the girls, and ended up doing the very opposite, by deliberately abandoning them to their fate, without any security presence in their school. “It is instructive that while other governors in the zone heeded the security advice, Shettima remained the only one that flagrantly flouted it. Should we also fail to point out that his decision to reward the principal of Chibok Secondary School, who was uncharacteristically absent on the night terrorists stormed the school, with the post of a commissioner, did throw up more questions than answers? “Talking about accountability, perhaps, Shettima should also do well to explain to the good people of Borno State and Nigerians what he did with the over N60 billion Local Governments fund, left by his predecessor, Ali Mode Sheriff. “We understand Shettima and those who spoke like him accused Jonathan of bad governance and poor choices, and we would like to know if it was bad governance that led Jonathan to assemble a-yet-to be matched crop of dynamic cabinet and economic management team made up of tested technocrats like Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in Finance Ministry, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman in Planning, Mr. Olusegun Aganga in Trade and Investments, as well as Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, leading the charge in Agriculture. “The efforts of the Jonathan administration in repositioning

Nigeria’s economy remain selfevident and it must have in deed been poor choices at their best for Jonathan and his team to have recorded the following key achievements: Nigeria's Gross domestic Product rose to $503bn in 2013 and became Africa’s largest economy and 26th in the world; from 3rd and 46th respectively. “Nigeria became the number one destination for Foreign Direct Investment in Africa under former President Jonathan, with the numbers rising from US$24.9 million as at 2007 to over US$ 35 billion in 2014. Jonathan Government delivered over 25,000 kilometres of motorable federal roads from just a quarter of that number in 2011. “The Jonathan Administration resuscitated the railways in the country after about 30 years of hiatus. Jonathan’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda ended fertilizer racketeering, encouraged more young Nigerians to take to farming, boosted local food production and took the country closer to self-sufficiency in food production by recording more than 50% reduction in food imports. It was as a result of this that the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, for the first time, voted Nigeria the largest producer of Cassava in the world. “Power generation under Jonathan was boosted to about 5,000 megawatts in 2014 up from 2,000 megawatts in 2011. Prices of food and other household items remained stable and inflationary pressure was down to a single digit. “Under Jonathan, Nigeria controlled, clinically, Ebola outbreak to the admiration of the whole world, became Guinea-worm-free and also eradicated polio, with United States billionaire and renowned

SUPER EAGLES WILL BE FIFTH TIME LUCKY AGAINST ARGENTINA, SAYS ROHR knock out stage. “No group is easy. A group that has Argentina, Croatia and Iceland cannot be a pushover.

We have a good chance of qualifying from the group just as the other teams in the group.

The minimum target is to have a good performance and have a good attitude,� Rohr said.

Meanwhile, Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick said he was targeting the semi-finals, but Rohr has a different focus.

"It would be wonderful if we could get out of the group and then from there, we are outsiders, but we are ambitious also. We would like to do very well, win some points and qualify for the last 16. We already made a good surprise in our qualifiers and now, we would like to do another surprise," he said.

Nigeria will start her campaign against Croatia, followed by Iceland, while

the country’s last game will be against Argentina.

Before, now, Nigeria had played in five World Cups and it was only once -France 1998 - that the Eagles were not grouped with the South American giants, Argentina.

The two countries first met in 1994 World Cup, met again at the group stage three other times in 2002, 2010, 2014, and Nigeria is yet to record a win against Argentina at that level.

Reacting to the draw, former Super Eagles Coach, Agustine Eguavoen warned that the group was very tricky, adding that with the right attitude and approach, Nigeria would qualify from the group. “Argentina will not be easy having beaten them less than two months ago in a friendly match and with Lionel Messi, Macherano and few other players playing their last World Cup for Argentina, the Super Eagles will not find it easy.

However, Nigeria still have a good chance of qualifying,�

Eguavoen said.

Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, charged his colleagues not to underrate Iceland, which many felt would be the ‘weeping baby’ in the group. “Those who believe Iceland will be a pushover will be disappointed. No team in modern football is a pushover,�

Ighalo warned.

Indeed, ex-Nigerian international, Victor Ikpeba is of the opinion that Super Eagles’ average age of 24.9, the youngest team in Russia, would be an advantage as they could outpace their older opponents. “The age of the team would be an advantage. Even after the World Cup we still have players that would campaign favourable for the 2022 World Cup,� Ikpeba said.

Eagles will open their World Cup title battle against Croatia in Kaliningrad on June 16, and

then confront Iceland before facing bitter rivals, Argentina in Saint Petersburg. Argentina will engage newcomers; Iceland in the group’s opening game.

Africa’s other representatives, Egypt are in Group A together with the hosts, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, while Senegal are in Group H with Poland, Colombia and Japan while Morocco are in Group B with Portugal, Spain and Iran and Tunisia in Group G with Belgium, England and newcomers, Panama.

The opening game of the 2018 FIFA World Cup is between hosts, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The 2018 Fifa World Cup will run from June 14 – July 15 in 11 host cities – Moscow, Ekaterinburg, Saransk, RostovOn-Don, Kazan, Kaliningrad, Sochi, Samara, Saint Petersburg, Volgograd and Nizhny Novgorod.

See full group pairing on page 34

ATIKU: I’M A REBEL, I’LL NOT ACCEPT TO BE RULED “Sometimes, entrepreneurship is not something you must be trained to do. You must have ingenuity to be an entrepreneur. “It may come to a point where you may need training,� he said.

He argued that the educational system Nigeria operated in the first republic provided students the opportunity to either go to the universities, polytechnics, farming, or whatever they wanted to do. “Suddenly, Nigeria moved away from that system of education, to a system where you train only job seekers. “They don’t know how to do anything else other than to seek for job. So, what I am trying to say is that my Nigeria is possible, and your Nigeria is also possible. “The United Nations projected that by January 2018, Nigeria would have more people in poverty. Can you imagine that!

What can we do to combat this challenge? My submission is that education, entrepreneurship, foreign direct investment. “Currently Nigeria’s out of school population is projected at 10 million while that of India is projected at 1.8 million, even though they have eight times our population. Why is it so?� he queried.

According to Abubakar, without adequate investments in education, “there is no way the country can combat poverty.� “My parents didn’t want me to go to school. I was forcefully removed from our home and taken to school. “When my father tried to resist my going to school, he was arrested and fined. He couldn’t pay the fine and he was imprisoned. That was how I went to school,� he said, while stressing the need to make education compulsory for children.

Atiku said: “We must entrench entrepreneurship in our educational curriculum. In the university that I established, in whatever course you are doing, be it law, engineering, it is compulsory for you to take entrepreneurship. “That is why most of our students who have passed out

have created jobs themselves. We must have a paradigm shift in our educational system. “Life does not give you guarantee. It only gives you opportunities and there are numerous opportunities in Nigeria. But we need an educational system that would be centred on those opportunities.�

Earlier, while making his presentation, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce told his listeners, who were majorly youth, that having Atiku Abubakar in the conference was an opportunity for them to be in the company of Nigeria’s next president.

Murray-Bruce bemoaned the failure of leadership in the country.

He added: “In discussing the budget, what shocked me was that the people who prepared the budget just copied last year’s budget and pasted it in the current year budget. “How many of you will employ some of the people in government today to work for you? They don’t have talent.

You take a guy, who had never signed a cheque of more than N3 million all his life and you put him in charge of a ministry with a budget of N3 billion. “Apart from faint and getting drunk when he gets there, he does nothing else. How can someone that has never ran a business all his life run an economy? “The word change is very popular, and everybody uses it all the time, but nobody really likes change. Do you know the only person that likes change?

It’s a baby who needs a diaper change. “Most people don’t like it and that is the biggest problem that we have. We need to try people who have created wealth, people who have created job. “If all of you vote Atiku Abubakar, we can make a difference. Nigeria can no longer have an accidental president. You must want the job, you have to desire the job and say you need this job. And if you don’t do it.�

T H I S D AY SATURDAY DECEMBER 2, 2017

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L-R: Supply Chain and Operations Director, Suntory Beverage and Food (Nig) Ltd, Cephas Afebuameh; Human Resource and Corporate Aairs Director, Suntory Beverage and Foods (Nig) Ltd, Ola Ehinmoro; Director General, Consumer Protection Council, Babatunde Irukera and Managing Director, Suntory Beverage and Foods (Nig) Ltd, Chinedum Okereke during a factory visit by Consumer Protection Council to Suntory’s factory in Agbara, Ogun State yesterday

83,771 HIV Infections Recorded in Borno, Ondo in 2016/2017 Michael Olugbode, in Maiduguri and James Sowole in Akure

No fewer than 83, 771 cases of the the Human Immunodeficiency Virus HIV infections were recorded in Ondo and Borno States between 2017 and 2017 officials of the two states have disclosed, a pointer that the virus was still very active and spreading in society despite campaigns to check it.

While Ondo State which took stock toll December 2016 discovered that 81,871 people were infected Borno State discovered that in 2017, over 1,900 persons were afflicted with HIV in the state.

Borno State in the year 2017, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia disclosed on Friday.

Briefing the Press as one of the activities marking the 2017 World AIDS Day in the state, Borno State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia disclosed on Friday that the state government had scaled up HIV services in 237 health facilities in wards across the state to achieve UNAIDS global strategy of 90:90:90 by 2030, that is “90% of population should be tested, 90% positives should be placed on therapy and 90% of those on drugs should have viral load suppressed.�

He said among the planned activities of the ministry to combat HIV/AIDS was “intensification of sensitisation and awareness creation to the public on the HIV issues.�

He said though HIVservices

was a donor-driven programme, the state “will implement the fiveyear state strategic plan and the four year sustainability roadmap developed this year.�

He said 42 HIV Testing sites had been established, including 15 at internally displaced persons camps.

He also disclosed that 12 antiretroviral therapy sites had been established in the state, as well as 52 prevention of mother to child transmission sites.

He said a total of 263,404 persons made themselves available for HIV test with 1,902 new infections discovered in 2017, revealing that 11,303 persons are currently receiving anti-retro viral therapy in the state.

Mshelia said since 2011 to date

1,402,227 cumulative HIV testing and counseling services were held in the state.

This figure Ondo State statistics was disclosed in Akure yesterday by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Hon Ifedayo Abegunde in his speech at a ceremony to mark the 2017 World Aids Day in the state.

According to Abegunde, who is the Chairman of the Ondo State Action Committee of Aids (ODSACA), 5,048 people were newly infected.

The SSG also disclosed that 8,048 persons were on treatment while 4,701 women were positive of the disease out of which 748 were on antiretroviral therapy in the year under review.

Abegunde said the administra-

tion in the state would not relent in its effort to ensuring that the disease was eradicated in the state.

The SSG also declared the state had “HIV zero-prevalence of 1.6 per cent.� adding that the government put the issue of the disease at the top of its political and practical agenda.

In his keynote address, at the occasion, the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, who declared the event open said the state government had been up and doing to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of the disease and also preventing new infections within the state.

The governor noted that the state government had been doing its best to protect the people living with HIV from being stigmatised.

"Awareness and mobilisation is going to be scaled up in the state. In addition, an investment in testing, treatment and elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV will slow down the spread of HIV infection and lead to early treatment which is the key to viral suppression and long term survival. “This treatment will also lead to reduced death and new infections among children. Also the plight of the People Living with HIV is a major concern of this administration", Akeredolu stated.

The Governor advised people to avoid multiple sex partners, non-use of condom, saying that collective fight against HIV would reduce the prevalence of the disease .

UNICEF: Borno School Attempt to Escape from Bayelsa Attack Despicable Police's Detention Facility Foiled Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Malick Fall, has condemned the recent attack on the primary school in Borno State where two pupils were killed as a despicable act that reminded of Chibok girls kidnapping incident in 2014.

Fall in a statement on Friday by the Communication Specialist, UNICEF, Ms. Eva Hinds, said that Thursday's "attack on a primary school in the town of Kuaya kusar, Borno State, in which two children were brutally killed and two others

injured, is a despicable act. “Words never come easily when children’s lives are taken in such a heinous and deliberate act of violence, especially when it happens in a school, where children should be safe and free from danger. “This is the first attack on a school in northeast Nigeria in more than two years. The last attack took place in 2015 when Euga primary school, in Bauchi State, was attacked by Boko Haram. “Since 2014, an estimated 1,500 schools have been targeted by armed groups in northeast Nigeria, causing at least 1,280

deaths among school children and their teachers. ‘’Nigeria has endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration by which it commits to implement the guidelines for protecting schools and universities from attacks and military use during armed conflict’’.

Fall called upon all parties to respect the civilian character of schools and hospitals, and to stop all grave violations against children.

He also expressed grief "with those who lost their children today, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the injured children who are in hospital.�

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

Another escape bid was averted in Bayelsa State yesterday when some detainees being held at a facililty at the police headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, attempted to escape while having their bath in the open space.

The incident came about three weeks after 10 suspects reportedly escaped from another detention facility belonging to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the state police command.

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Amba Asuquo , who confirmed the incident , said it occurred in broad daylight yesterday when the

suspects were taking their bath.

He said that the suspects in the cell had over-powered the policeman who opened the burglary proof for them, but were unaware that the outer gate in the facility was locked "It was a tense situation but the prompt alertness of other policemen around the area saved the situation, none of the suspects escaped but the fact of the matter is that we do not have proper detention facilities.

"It is a makeshift arrangement, an office with burglary proof, we were lucky to avert this one but that does not mean that it will not happen again, the

suspects can still plan another one, we desperately need to build proper detention facilities to hold suspects.

"The makeshift facilities we have are overstretched and we have written to the state government as well as engaged the judiciary to quicken the dispensation of justice because it is the slow pace of prosecution that makes our facilities overcrowded.

"The dearth of facilities here is hampering our efforts at policing the state," he said.

It is unclear if the police had been able to re-arrest all the detainees who escaped last month from the SARS detention facility.

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Toll Gates to Return? Fashola, Please, Perish This Plan

T

he news in town is that as soon as repairs are carried out on some selected federal roads, toll gates will be reintroduced.

For me, this is simply a plan to create 38 crisis points across our troubled nation. It would also amount to double taxation.

I hope our Works Minister, Babatunde Fashola, has not forgotten that the Obasanjo administration increased the cost of fuel and promised that part of the new money would be channeled to Federal Road Maintenance Agency to effectively perform its duties?

One of the palliatives Obasanjo promised and subsequently implemented after his fuel price increase was the demolition of the toll gates. The Buhari administration further increased the cost of petrol to N145 per litre.

I hope Fashola is also aware that there is an existing petroleum tax of N1.50 per litre, set aside for the maintenance of federal roads.

Where are all these funds saved for this special purpose? Assuming the previous administration stole the money, what has been happening to it in the last 30 months of the APC administration? Fashola has to respond because Nigerians are yearning for answers.

This country is clearly not in a mood for the reintroduction of toll gates. The truth that must be told is that there is too much suffering in our land at the moment. The last 30 months have been horrendous, with the cost of goods and services galloping.

So many Nigerians have also been thrown out of jobs. Nigerians are bleeding and cannot afford this extra burden of having 38 toll gates. Why make life more difficult for Nigerians in order to generate funds that will most likely be shared by a few privileged individuals? This talk about using the private sector to construct and maintain the

Fashola

planned toll gates is unconvincing.

Aside from the extra burden of paying tolls, I am also worried about the exasperating traffic gridlock associated with such toll gates, leading to loss of productive man-hour. The persistent congestion on the Lekki-Ajah toll gate at peak period is a good example of what I am talking about.

Toll gates often constitute inconvenience to motorists. Traffic gridlock apart, tragic accidents are often experienced at toll gates.

One heartbreaking scene that has remained indelible in my mind was the sight of a truck laden with petrol, ramming into a long queue of vehicles at the toll gate in Ibadan during those dark days. There were numerous ghastly accidents at toll gates across the nation. We can’t afford a recurrence, which the return of toll gates would clearly provoke. So, I urge my dear Fashola to have

a rethink about moves to reintroduce the demolished 38 toll gates across the country.

My beloved Fashola, you must first drag out the dedicated funds I have listed above and use them for the maintenance of federal roads. If after doing this, the money discovered is found to be inadequate, then, I am suggesting that you should sit down with the representatives of traumatised Nigerians to fashion out alternative sources of funding for road maintenance. This talk about returning toll gates is clearly preposterous. For a start, you should try and sell the idea of getting vehicle owners to pay a small amount as road maintenance levy while acquiring or renewing vehicle particulars.

The petroleum tax of N1.50 per litre set aside for road maintenance could also go up to N3 per litre.

Again, I am shocked that out of N25 billion appropriated for FERMA in 2017, only N800 million had so far been released to the agency by the Ministry of Finance. Obviously, this is the main reason federal roads are in a mess. It is also depressing to learn that the hyped N100 billion sourced through the Sukuk Bond for roads is yet to be released to the Ministry for work to start on the selected 25 federal roads. Why should these shenanigans be happening in an era of change? These are some of the challenges I expect Fashola to properly tackle, in order to fix federal roads.

As for our federal legislators, if indeed, they are the true representatives of Nigerians, I expect them to halt this impending ignominy called toll gate reintroduction. This country can’t continue taking one step forward and 100 steps backward.

Governor Aregbesola’s Celebration of Mediocrity Governor Rauf Aregbesola spent most of this week celebrating seven years of his administration. I am still struggling to understand the essence of the celebration. This is a state where civil servants and retirees die daily, waiting for salaries and pension.

It is even more painful that he wasted state resources for this celebration of mediocrity, amidst so much hunger, disease, poverty in the state. Key infrastructure in Osun public hospitals and schools are in a tattered state, yet, Aregbesola is celebrating. The truth be told; no administration has ever inflicted this much pain on these luckless people.

Aregbesola and his seven-year-old administration represent anguish. This governor, with unprecedented impunity, owes civil servants salaries running into several years.

Once a while, he pays half salaries. Only God knows what that means. As a result, public servants are perpetually on strike and persistently curse the day they voted for this “governor from hell”.

While Aregbesola was celebrating, the 21-day ultimatum given to him by lecturers at the polytechnics and colleges of educations owned by the Osun State government to resume payment of full salaries and address other issues including obnoxious taxes, lack of good roads and toilets for students, elapsed on November 27. The lecturers, who are operating under the aegis of Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State Owned Tertiary Institutions, (CASUOSTI) said that they had been placed on half salary for the past 26 months and had been paying high tax despite this. The ultimatum was signed by Olusegun Lana, Chairman of CASUOSTI and some of his colleagues.

The lecturers said: “For several years now, the academic staff of the state-owned tertiary institutions have been subjected to untold hardship, frustrations and unprecedented levels of demoralisation by the

Aregbesola

harsh effects of un-addressed festering issues ranging from unfulfilled collective agreement, selective justice in the reinstatement of disengaged members of staff, withdrawn statutory benefits tantamount to salary reduction, salary modulation (half salary) regime now up to 26 months, cut-throat tax, injuriously administered contributory pension scheme to several other painful conditions.” Aregbesola was also accused by CASUOSTI of not remitting pensions deducted from salaries of civil servants to appropriate pension fund administrators.

In this state of Osun, civil servants have been turned into paupers. Retirees are also in a mess. Aregbesola has spent the last seven years pummeling these hapless pensioners. They were again on the streets of Osobgo recently to protest against non-payment of their gratuities and the preposterous payment of half pensions by the state government. Omoniyi Ilesanmi, Chairman, Forum 2011/2012 Retirees remarked: “Aregbesola’s refusal to pay our

The Boko Haram Siege in Magumeri Last week Saturday was a very bad one for the residents of Magumeri town in Borno State. Boko Haram militants were in the town for several hours, ransacking and killing people. The attack came few days after a Boko Haram suicide bomber killed at least 50 people in a mosque in Mubi, one of the deadliest attacks since President Buhari came to power in 2015. Magumeri is just about 50km from Maiduguri. The terrorists strolled in with ease/unhindered and seized the town for several hours.

This is the same Boko Haram the Buhari administration claims to have defeated.

What a country. As at press time, many residents of this town were still hiding in the surrounding forests.

Army authorities confirmed that three soldiers were killed and six others wounded while fighting to repel the insurgents in Magumeri. Col. Timothy Antigha, Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 8 Task Force Division, said that the insurgents attacked and damaged military formations in the area. Wakil Malam-Tawu, the Secretary to the Magumeri Council, added that a clinic, mosque and shops were also razed in the attack. For how long must this continue? The ability of the terrorists to launch deadly attacks has clearly not been degraded by the military. This war can’t be won with deceit and propaganda. If we are going to make any progress, this administration has to be honest in all ramifications.

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Adewale Martins was apt when he remarked in January last year that the federal government must not give the populace a false sense of assurance that all was well, “when indeed there was still much to be done in safeguarding the lives and properties of Nigerians.” He added: “It is obvious that the government needs to take more proactive steps in ensuring that these sect members are completely decimated and rendered incapable of causing more havoc in the land.”

Buhari should be prepared to answer pertinent questions regarding this faltering war: How much equipment has he procured for the military in the last seven months? What have we achieved with the Multi-National Joint Task Force arrangement? Why are we not hiring foreign military experts? The President and his security team must be honest enough to admit that they are not doing well in this war. It is pertinent for them to meet and reappraise their strategies. The MNJTF is obviously not working. The terrorists are still moving across borders with ease as seen from the damages done. So, we should be thinking about prosecuting the war without MNJTF. We should be investing more in technology and intelligence gathering. Above all, we should be thinking about hiring the best brains from anywhere in the world to prosecute this war. The ultimate aim is to decapitate Boko Haram.

gratuities and pension is the height of wickedness and we retirees will not stop fighting for our right.”

These pensioners have become beggars after serving the state for years.

The plight of those who retired in the last seven years is most pathetic. While they were in service, salaries and allowances were irregular, no thanks to Aregbesola.

After retirement, pension and gratuities were also not paid. This is man’s inhumanity to man.

The Osun State governor never ceases to amaze me. His trickery is legendary.

One of such bogus projects he launched with fanfare was the state’s airport project located in Iddo. It is appalling that despite all the abracadabra around the project, the airport remains a pipe dream. Clearly, Osun State does not need an airport, considering the fact that there is one, just a stone throw in Ibadan. This project does not make any economic sense. This governor has also plunged the state into unprecedented debt estimated at about N200 billion.

Just as Segun Akinwusi, former Head of Service, HOS, of Osun State, stated recently, “When a government chooses to indulge in trivialities, the end result is for it to be looking for scapegoats to cover its infamy. Osun state economy today has collapsed, the debt profile has reduced the state indigenes to beggars and destitute.”

Aregbesola is usually not happy with people like Akinwusi. The governor recently sent the EFCC after this foremost critic of his style of governance with a dubious petition. A cooked up allegation of abuse of office was leveled against him. I doubt if this can silence a dogged fighter like Akinwusi. May Allah save Osun State.

Buratai

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NEWS

In Brief Fire Guts Kaduna Market

TradersattheoldPantekaMarketarecountingtheirlosses,followinga fireincidentthatguttedthetimbersectionofthemarket.Hundredsof shopswerereducedtoashesinthefireincidentthatwassaidtohave occurredatabout2:00amonFriday.Goodsestimatedathundredsof millionsweresaidtohavebeenlostintheincident.Thecauseofthefire wasnotimmediatelyknown,butsomeofthetradersbelievedthatit mayhavebeencausedbyelectricalfault.Traderswhowereaffected bytheincidentsaidtheycouldnotsalvageanythingfromtheirshops.

ExecutiveSecretaryoftheKadunaStateEmergenceManagement Agency(SEMA),EzekielBabaKariksaidinaninterviewthatthetimber sectionofthemarketwascompletelyburnt.Heattributedthemassive losses,partlytotheactivitiesofhoodlumswho,accordingtohim,started attackingfirefightersonarrivalatthesceneoftheincident. Kariksaid oneofthedriverswaswoundedandthevehiclehewasdrivingfellintoa nearbyditch,therebycompoundingtheproblem.Hesaidthehoodlums were going about looting shops and didn't want firefighters around.

Tambuwal Preaches Peace at Maulud

LEAVING A LEGACY ...

L-R: Dan Akpovwa, Publisher of The Abuja Inquirer, left, with Bolaji Abdullahi, former Minister of Sports and National Publicity Secretary of APC, during the official presentation of the book ON A PLATER OF GOLD written by Bolaji at the Yar’Adua Center in Abuja recently

Herdsmen Kill Four Policemen as Army Repel Attacks on Numan Daji Sani in Yola The Brigade Commander, 23 Armoured Brigade Yola, Brig.

General Muhammed Bello, has confirmed the death of four policemen killed by suspected herdsmen.

He said the policemen were killed in Numan local Government Area of Adamawa State by some suspected herdsmen numbering up to over 60 wellarmed men Gen. Bello said his men after receiving distress call, mobilised to repel the Fulani militia.

He explained that the attackers were above 60 in number that the army had to use RPG to subdue them.

According to him the worst thing is that there were no men, women or children in the village

when the army arrived there except the militia.

There is apprehension in Numan as there seems to be a slight drop in activity in the area as some residents are seen leaving the area.

Adamawa Police Public Relations Officer, SP Othman Abubakar has also confirmed to that four police officers have been ambushed and killed in an overnight deadly attack by some unknown gunmen in Numan.

SP Othman said the identity of the gunmen was yet to be determined as force was still investigating the shooting.

Locals however said that there had been a sustainable gunfire involving Fulani gunmen and members of the police force causing panic and mass

exodus of residents of the area.

However about 60 Fulanis were killed in attacks by militiamen in Numan last week.

The attacks on the mainly Fulani settlements were by armed gangs suspected to be of the predominant Bachama ethnic group in the area.

Locals and security sources confided that the incident started late midnight in Dowaya village where those that were attacked in Shafaran, Shawal, Gumara, Kikam and Kadamti villages relocated, “they relocated to Dowaya village where they mourned their brethren that were killed in the recent attack. “However some residents in the area were not comfortable, so they tip-off and mobile police launched a night operation to

arrest the some Fulani leaders and the incident resulted to a serious battle during which at least 6 mobile police were said to have been killed. “As I am talking to you, more security was deployed to Dowaya area including soldiers and they have cordoned-off the village. “There is pandemonium right now in Numan and environs; already residents are fleeing for fear of reprisals. “Just last night we got distress call that some people in security uniform stormed them and had shot two youths, so definitely in this kind of situation anything could happen. “And that’s the situation for now, even we at the neighboring villages are not safe, and many had fled,’’ he said.

National Hospital Inaugurates Tension in Kwara State University over Kidnapping Cancer Treatment Center Senator Iroegbu inAbuja The Wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo on Friday in Abuja while commissioning the Radiotherapy Centre With the new Multileave Accelerator For Cancer Treatment (LINAC) at the National Hospital called on well -meaning Nigerians and corporate bodies to collaborate with the Federal Government in providing affordable treatment to cancer patients in the country.

Also, the Minister of Health, Prof.

Isaac Adewole said if care was not taken, the number of people that die of cancer may rise astronomically from 10,000 yearly to 20,000 by the year 2030.

Mrs. Osinbajo said cost of medical equipment and treatment of cancer was exorbitant and government needed the contribution of good spirited people in whatever form to assist in ensuring that cancer patients were treated in the country without seeking medical attention abroad.

She said she looked forward to

the day that cure for cancer would be found not only in Nigeria but globally.

She promised to bring to the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari through the office of the First Lady the need for the government to complement the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health in putting finishing touches to the Radiotherapy Centre and particularly ensuring the speedy acquisition of another Multileave Lenear Accelerator for Cancer Treatment machine at the Centre. “My appeal for us is to love Nigeria and love Nigerians and the result will be a beloved Nigeria�, adding that one of the true ways of loving Nigerians was by helping those suffering from cancer to have access to treatment and that it was only when we all live health that Nigeria as a country could be a better place for all to live.

The Health Minister said though it took the country almost five years to complete the Centre and equip it, a lot still needed to be done in putting the Centre in perfect shape.

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Some students of the Kwara State University (KWASU) Malete, have been reportedly abducted by unknown suspected ritualists that invaded the campus of the university on Thursday evening..

The incident according to THISDAY investigations happened during the ongoing semester examinations in the university.

It was learnt that, the suspected ritualists were said to be using shuttle taxis around the campus of the university to carry the students who were in hurry to sit for their examinations and in the process apply substances on them unconscious before driving them away to unknown destinations.

However, one of the abducted students who happened to be a 200-level student of the institution, Miss Dorcas Oluwatimilehin Olarenwaju was dumped at Omu-Aran when the ritualists were said to be heading towards Ekiti State.

Narrating her experience, Miss Olarenwaju of Mass Communication department, who was dumped in Omu Aran, Irepodun local government area of the state on Friday morning, said that whereabouts of six of the victims were unknown on Friday.

"While in the taxi I boarded, a woman in the vehicle complained of feeling cold, so the glass windows were closed up. I lost consciousness and later found myself among some people in the night. “We were about 13 in the place as at Thursday night but the ritualists have taken six victims away. They told us that they are heading to Ekiti State. I was kept inside the booth of the vehicle.

When we got to Offa, they asked of my origin and I told them that I’m from Omu Aran. So, when they wanted to take water for the faulty radiator of the vehicle at Omu Aran, I was dropped and set free, unknown to them, in front of my father's house," she said.

SokotoStateGovernor,AminuTambuwal,hasurgedallNigeriansto uphold the tenets of peaceful coexistence and respect for all faith so as to build a united and peaceful nation where everybody would feelfreeandsafe.Inamessagetocommemoratethisyear’sMaulud celebrationissuedinSokotoonFridaybyhisspokesman,MalamImam Imam,TambuwalsaidthecelebrationofthebirthofProphetMuhammad (SAW) should renew “our faith and bond of unity as one people, one nation, our diversities notwithstanding.� He said same way that the birth of the Prophet in Mecca ushered in a new dawn for humanity, Nigerians should view the occasion of this year’s Maulud Nabiyyi as anopportunityforanewbeginningforthecountry.“Ibelievethatwe will make progress towards the realisation of our shared vision of a strong,unitedandprosperousnationifourpeopleimbibetheProphet’s lessons of peace, tolerance, honesty, selflessness, sincerity, justice, equity and peaceful co-existence with others, including fairness to all,� the Governor said.

Nigeria, S'Arabia Collaborate

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Brig Gen Mansur Dan-Ali, yesterday expressedthecommitmentofNigeriatojoineffortswithothercountries todefeatterrorismglobally.AlistatedthisattheinternationalmeetingheldrecentlyinRiyadh,SaudiArabia,whichsignaledthelaunchof theIslamicMilitaryCounterTerrorismCoalition(IMCT),acoalitionof 41 countries, united in the global fight against terrorism and violent extremism. While speaking on the importance of the coalition held underthetheme:A ‘ lliedAgainstTerrorism’Alisaidsomeoftheterror attacks across the world prompted the meeting and that Nigeria is readytocollaboratewithnationswithsimilarexperiencestodefeatthe menace.MinisterofDefence,whosaidNigeriahasmaderemarkable progressintheareaofcounter-terrorismsincetheadministrationof PresidentMuhammaduBuhari,alsoaddedthattheeffortsofneighbouringcountrieswithsimilarissueslikeChad, NigerandCameroun, are yielding positive results.

Ekiti Xmas Festival

Professionalsandbusinesspeoplearesomeoftheguestexpected at the first edition of Ekiti International Festival of Arts and Culture tagged'EkitiXmasFest',scheduledtoholdat theABFoundationCivic Centre,AdoEkitionDecember26.Theprogrammeorganisedby Ekiti Foundation, was recently unveiled at a cocktail event in Lagos. In his remarks, the President of the foundation, Professor Anthony Kila remindedthegatheringthatitsmainobjectivewastofosterfriendly and productive relationships between business and professionals from and in Ekiti state with others across the globe, adding that this year'sXmasfesthasbeenconceivedtobeadayoflinkingtheworldto thestatethroughmomentsoffun,taste,discoveryandencounters.

"Itwillalsobemomentsandeventsofreunionforfriendsandfamilies of Ekiti across the world, "he said.

Professor Bala is FUT Minna VC

ProfessorAbdullahiBala,theformerdeputyvicechancelloradministration,FederalUniversityofTechnology(FUT)Minna,NigerState on Friday took over from Professor Musbau Adeyemi Akanji as the 7thVice Chancellor of the university.The inauguration of Professor Balatookplaceattheuniversity'spermanentcampusatGidanKwanu.

Professor Bala promised to "work hard in navigating the University along the trajectory of Progressiveness and development already chartedbyhispredecessor."Myadministrationwillbeguidedbythree cardinal principles of obeying the statues of the university and the lawsoftheland,goodgovernanceandglobalbestpracticesthatwill take the university to a greater height. We shall take decisions that are in the best interest of the university.

Bayelsa Gets New SSG

BayelsaStateGovernorHenrySeriakeDicksonhassworninMr.Kemela Okara as the new Secretary to the State Government with a charge onhimtobringhiswealthofexperiencetobearonhisnewjob.Kemela takesoverfromSerenaDokubo-Spiff,whoresignedabouttwomonths ago, to, according to him, face his job as a lawyer and the paramount ruler of his area. Dickson noted that Okara was not a stranger to the programmesandpoliciesofthegovernmentandthereforeheshould notfinditdifficulttoexecutehisfunctions. HeexplainedthatOkara didnotlobbyforthejobbutwasappointedbecauseofhistrackrecord inprivateandpublicservicewhichhealsodisplayedwhileservingthe state as the Commissioner forTrade, Industry and Investment. The governor,whileexpressingconfidenceintheabilityofOkara,reminded him that part of his responsibility would be to coordinate the day to day activities of the government for the overall good of people of the state. He noted that the office of the SSG is very sensitive as it is the fulcrum of government's officialdom , advising him to keep private matters private while discharging his day to day functions.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY DECEMBER 2, 2017

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COMMENTARY

CHECKMATING CHEATS WITH CHIPS Ishaq Oloyede is tackling the growing challenge of examinations conducted by JAMB, writes Hamidu Danbarewa

T

he focus is again on the annual JAMB examinations season which kicked off recently in Abuja where the Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, unveiled a package of measures featuring candidate-friendly as well as scam-jamming initiatives to critical stakeholders in his determination to exit the “exams as usual� era. Barely a year on the hot seat, the professor’s unconventional challenge of “widely-believed� impressions and attitudes in the national examinations arena has yielded unexpected insights and reforms that impacted positively on JAMB’s performance rating in management and conduct of national examinations policies and programmes.

The clean-up process however continues especially for candidates. Professor Oloyede expressed a determination to “be ahead of the cheats� as he announced that electronic jammers would be introduced at all CBT exam centres for 2018 as well as metal and lens detectors to ensure that the integrity of the tests is maintained. Accordingly, wrist watches, any form of pen excluding pencils, any electronic device or lens will be banned. Even eye glasses are to be scrutinised following expert advice indicating that there may be more than meets the eyes in the spectacles! Closed circuit TV cameras are already major components of JAMB exams security infrastructure since the professor came on board.

Last year he nabbed quite a haul of cheats and their tools including 1,386 candidates involved in impersonation, possession of prepared answer scripts, smuggling of foreign materials, possession of electronic gadgets including telephones, copying and spying from foreign materials, unruly behaviour, collusion and multiple registration and examinations with an array of tools such as shirts, slippers, belts and handkerchiefs. Specifically, the JAMB Registrar declared success in checkmating the menace of dualisation of biometric capturing to multiple persons to achieve multiple registrations with the adoption of smart software for 2018.

Similarly, CBT malpractices that were curtailed include extortion of candidates during profile creation, sale of exam materials meant to be free, collection of gate fees, using emails and telephone numbers for candidates, sub-letting access codes to cybercafĂŠs and operating outside registered locations.

The necessity of countering and preventing exam malpractices to maintain the integrity of the process cannot be overemphasised, but often the innovative measures blend into the overall objectives of JAMB to deliver a national examination process that is both candidate friendly and security assured. For the 2018 exercise, Professor Oloyede

THE PROFESSOR AND HIS TEAM REMAIN FOCUSED ON TAKING JAMB TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH CREDIBLE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES

unveiled some dual purpose measures such as creation of profile and vending of PINS in place of scratch card system for registration; more banks, financial service providers and NIPOST as outlets for sale of application documents at CBTs and activating multiple registration technology at CBT centres all of which facilitate one-stop process at CBT centres for convenience of candidates among others. Candidates can also sit for JAMB in Benin Republic, Cameroon, Ghana, Cote D’Voire, Ethiopia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UK. Candidates will be able to create their profiles from their cell phones which will then be linked to their PINS after purchase from virtually all banks and financial service providers - from ATMs to POS which will have outlets in CBT centres and JAMB offices. After successful payment and receipt of PIN on unique telephone numbers, candidates can complete registration processes at accredited CBT centres.

The board is working with the Digital Bridge Institute for a dedicated centre for blind candidates using the CBT mode of delivery even as tertiary institutions with required facilities continue to provide exams for blind candidates according to Oloyede, adding that the disbursement of N10.8 million and N18 million respectively to Ikoyi Prison for 60 computer systems and Kaduna Prison for 100 computer systems under JAMB’s corporate social responsibility would go a long way to enhance the extension of examinations to prison inmates.

All said, the professor and his team remain focused on taking JAMB to the next level with credible implementation of policies and programmes that respond intelligently and proactively to the realities of our academic and socio-political environment. Remarkably, the registrar’s profile looms large in the socio-political horizon by persistently exposing the ignoble roles of parents, students and the society at large in scuttling UTME processes.

It is hardly surprising that dynamism and innovation is the order of the day where the challenges are also ever evolving whether in terms of crookedness of candidates, collusion of corrupted patrons and service providers or raising the academic limits in determining excellence with integrity.

That is a tough agenda anywhere but with the strategy of inclusiveness in policy formulation and implementation by regular interaction with critical stakeholders, Professor Oloyede does not look like one who “took the driver’s seat while in motion with little knowledge of the crew members� anymore. This driver knows the terrain and the destination well enough for another successful outing in 2018.

Danbarewa wrote from Kaduna

TIME TO END HIV/AIDS TRANSMISSION Rasak Musbau writes on the need to curtail the epidemic through sensitisation campaigns

I

t is likely that we will never agree on exactly where, when and how HIV came into being. Though researchers now think HIV has been around since the 1940s, perhaps as far back as 1900, it came into world consciousness in 1981 through the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In Nigeria, the stage for awareness about HIV/AIDS and ensuing efforts at combating it was set by late Professor Olikoye Ransome- Kuti when in 1986 as Minister of Health, he announced the discovery of a 13- year- old girl suffering from the disease and began to openly addressed issues of stigmatisation and the need for sexual responsibility.

Right now, we have passed the stage of conjecture. We know from experience that AIDS can knock decades off national development, widen the gulf between rich and poor nations and push alreadystigmatised groups closer to the margins of society. Unlike time when the affliction of HIV/AIDS was considered by many as the Western World’s burden, the concern of everyone today is not just about fighting the virus but the best way to end the killer disease.

According to the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, there were almost 37 million people around the world living with HIV/AIDS in 2014. Of this figure, Nigeria has 3, 200,000 people living with the disease, placing us as country with the second-largest number of people living with HIV behind South Africa.

The HIV epidemic in Nigeria is complex and varies widely by region. In some states, it is more concentrated and driven by high risk behaviours, while other states

have more generalised epidemics that are sustained primarily by multiple sexual partnerships in general population.

Today, irrespective of whatever might have responsible for it spread, the major concern, of course, is how to end the deadly infection. World AIDS Day which comes up every December 1 is thus a perfect time to highlight the success of worldwide efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, as well as the importance of continued support for these efforts.

World AIDS Day, which has been taking place since 1988, provides an opportunity to organise an event to raise awareness of HIV, to remember loved ones who have died, to show solidarity with people living with HIV, to celebrate survival and health and to also importantly weigh up national investment toward ending the disease and health sector in general.

For many people the day is associated with the red ribbon, an instantly recognisable symbol. Wearing a red ribbon is deemed a simple way to show support for people living with HIV. This is good but must be backed up with a new burst of energy by everyone to end the stigma, end HIV transmission and end the isolation experienced by people living with HIV, for good.

Ambitions must be expanded to specifically address many risk practices among itinerant workers, high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI), clandestine high-risk heterosexual and homosexual practices, international trafficking of women, and irregular blood screening.

Here, attention must be given to practice of polygamy and how it predisposes people to HIV infection.

Very importantly, we have to do more about targeting schools for HIV/AIDS

education. It is our students’ right from probably primary school level to be educated about what life is like with HIV, how to protect themselves and about HIV history.

They must understand that HIV means they are more likely to live in poverty, and more likely to have poor mental health. There is one British AIDS education slogan which could also be adopted in our schools. It goes thus: ‘Every time you sleep with a boy you sleep with all his old girl friends’.

Through education of the young ones, worrisome question of average Nigerians that have turned knowledge is power into knowledge is death certificate can be solved.

Despite the availability of many voluntary counselling and testing services in various hospitals/centres across the country, very few know their HIV status. For instance, in Lagos, there are currently over 57 free HCT sites run by government, civil societies and the private sector. There are 29 free PMTCT (prevention of mother to child) sites, 24 free ART (Anti-retroviral therapy) sites, six EID (early infant diagnosis) sites in secondary and tertiary health facilities across the state.

Till date, figures on HIV in Nigeria are still one obtained through surveys of women attending antenatal clinics. Yet, only few comprehend how to assess risk to HIV with behaviour and practices that increase risk of HIV infection still rampant among our people. Persons living with HIV and AIDS require information, counselling, care and support. All these they can get and survive for longer time if their status is known on time and adhere to the needful.

In Lagos, the State Law for the Protection of persons living with HIV and AIDS was signed into law in 2007. This is in line with the views of Justice Michael Kirby

of the High Court of Australia when he said: “paradoxically enough, the only way in which we can deal effectively with the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS is by respecting and protecting the rights of those already exposed to it and those most at risk�.

A vital means of ending the infection in the state is what is being done at the health facilities concerning encouraging all pregnant women to get tested for HIV and providing ARVs to all pregnant positive women.

Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) interventions, when properly implemented had proven to reduce the risk of MTCT of HIV to less than 2% (from about 40% in the absence of any intervention). It is therefore obvious that one of the fundamental pillars of ending HIV would be to ensure increased uptake of PMTCT services.

Moreover, AIDS is not a moral issue. It is a public health problem. The vicious circle of fear, prejudice and ignorance has not and cannot help our quest to eradicate the problem. This is the time for people to stop imagining number of partners PLWHA must have slept with to be in the condition. Do we turn our back on thousands of children who are infected and are living with the virus due to circumcision by untrained health personnel? What of many who got infected through transfusion by unscreened blood? Do we also turn our back on millions of children who got infected by their positive parents? Ed Koch said: ‘if you turn your back on these people (PLWHA), you (yourself) are an animal. You may be a well-dressed animal, but you are never the less an animal’.

Musbau, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Lagos

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INSIGHT

What future?

Remembering Sardauna Keremi

Between a ‘Silly’ Governor and Ignorant Professor

I

n a bid to justify the action of Kaduna State Government to sack certain class of its teachers who it said failed a competency test, Professor Pius Adesanmi made disparaging remarks about Sokoto State Government’s decision to retrain its teachers and move those not good for classrooms to other parts of the civil service.

In his intervention, he wrote: “Then, you have a silly Governor from Sokoto, whose primary school teachers make those who failed the Kaduna test look like Harvard graduates, talking populist nonsense.�

Sorry Prof, neither Sokoto Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, nor the state government, is talking populist nonsense. What has become glaring is that our social media-loving professor has lost touch with basic elements of social commentary, which is that you don’t compare apples and oranges.

A public commentator like Adesanmi holds a position of trust. Whenever he picks his pen to write, he should espouse that which is factual. In this case, Adesanmi failed in that regard.

My initial thought was that Prof didn’t read the report of the committee set up by Sokoto State government to assess the needs of its schools, and why Governor Tambuwal took the decision he did. If Prof had cared to ask for the copy of the report, he would have arrived at a different conclusion. He would have understood that the basics of the Sokoto and Kaduna scenarios were completely different.

But to sum it up, Sokoto State government set up schools needs assessment committee to identify most pressing needs of public schools in the state.

The sub-committee was part of the technical committee on the state of emergency declared in the education sector in Sokoto in 2016. The technical committee is headed by Professor Risqua Arabu Shehu, a former Vice-Chancellor of Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto.

The school needs assessment sub-committee visited 360 public schools out of almost 9000 public schools in Sokoto state, and submitted a report detailing what needs to be done to fix them. In the 360 schools assessed, the committee discovered that 31% of the teachers were graduates but without the Requisite Teaching Qualifications like B.Ed or NCE. For instance, one may be a Chemistry graduate but is not registered with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), in effect, not qualified to be in the classroom.

The government then decided to give this category of teachers the opportunity to acquire teaching qualifications, but if they can’t after series of trainings and professional upgrading, they’ll be moved to other areas in the civil service.

What’s silly or political about that?

Let me however quote Dr. Shadi Sabeh, the chairman of the schools needs assessment sub-committee, on what he and his members did: “How can a Professor of such repute and standing make sweeping comments without understanding the basics of both the (Sokoto and Kaduna) scenarios? I will leave out the Kaduna analysis due to lack of adequate information on variables and data collection instruments that gave the emanating results. “However, Prof should be aware that competency test and data collection on teachers’ qualification are two different things. While Kaduna set out to test the competence of teachers, Sokoto embarked on a preliminary study to a sample 360 schools which had data instruments that targeted Qualification and not Competence. “Prof should know that every study has a specialised question it intends to address. Kaduna set questions for all teachers regardless of qualification while Sokoto just generated data to analyse the level of qualified or not teachers in the system. “Results from the field in the Sokoto scenario revealed 31 % of the teachers to be unqualified, this means these categories of teachers did not possess a teaching qualification and were recommended for further training.

Iman Imam, spokesman to Governor Tambuwal

“

To die completely is to be forgotten.

He who dies and is not forgotten lives forever.� Samuel Butler.

November 28, 2017 marks a decade of the death of Chief Sunday Bolorunduro Awoniyi, the Aro of Mopa and Sardauna Keremi (little Sardauna), which happened in a London hospital from injuries he sustained in an auto crash on the Abuja-Kaduna road.

Our path crossed in 1996 in the course of my journalism practice. I was then with the Vanguard newspapers as Deputy Bureau Chief; and, later Bureau Chief in Abuja. He was a director of the newspaper and I had to take copies of the newspaper to him every day.

I loved to do it because it afforded me the opportunity of daily engagements with him. He was profoundly intelligent. Like a father, he would tell me stories about one remarkable event or the other while he was in the public service; and on each occasion, I always drew huge lessons from such narratives.

T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OLUFEMI ABOROWA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, FIDELIS ELEMA, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS HENRY NWACHOKOR, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI GENERAL MANAGER PATRICK EIMIUHI GROUP HEAD FEMI TOLUFASHE DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: ďŹ rst name.surname@thisdaylive.com

He was a man of integrity and stickler for proper conducts in and out of public office. He was a careful writer, a prose stylist. Our relationship was more than the kind that is wont to exist between politicians and reporters. By his own admission, he was not really a politician, but a public administrator sucked into politics. This, perhaps, explained why he was meticulous throughout his political engagements and later life assignment as Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the socio-cultural umbrella organisation of the north.

We both did not abuse the privileges of our relationship. Despite his prime position in Vanguard newspaper, he did not notoriously appropriate the platform to project or defend his positions. He was always reluctant to grant interviews. I would occasionally pile pressure on him to offer perspectives on some national issues.

There were times when he would suggest to me that he would like to speak on some issues, which he would itemise; and, he would, in his quick-witted manner, ensure that his responses to questions and follow-ups were tied up with the issues on his mind. He was fastidious when it had to do with publishing his interview and, therefore, he would always be pleased if I allowed him to go through the transcribed interview before going to press. He would cross the “ts�, dot the “is� and make lucid, sentences that appeared tedious.

He was a simple man. He showed me fatherly affection. He was at home with my family. I remember when I travelled to Indonesia in 2000 to cover the InterParliamentary Union (IPU) Conference, leaving my wife who was due to put to bed at home, he took it upon himself to visit her in the hospital while I was away.

He was giving me updates on mother and child. He was a terrific motivator, who was always on hand to provide some forms of succour in times of distress. His interventions were great. Above all, I cherish his respect. In spite of the wide age gap, he never talked down on me. He actually spoke with me and not to me. He was always ready to receive me into his home, even at odd hours.

Sufuyan Ojeifo, Abuja

14

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2017

SUPER SATURDAY

Prince Harry Grabs His American Girl

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s

A

ll is now set for Prince Harry is to marry his American actress girlfriend Meghan Markle. The prince, fifth in line to the throne, will marry Ms Markle next spring and will live at Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace in London.

The couple, who have been dating since July 2016, got engaged in November. Prince Harry said he was “delighted to announce” the engagement and had received the blessing of Ms Markle’s parents. On Monday, the couple, who have been dating since the summer of 2016, smiled as they posed for photographs outside Kensington Palace in London, where they will live.

Prince Harry said it had been a romantic proposal, while Ms Markle said she was “so very happy, thank you”. Ms Markle, wearing a white belted coat, held Harry’s hand as they appeared briefly for the press at the palace’s Sunken Garden, and showed off her diamond engagement ring.

Asked by a reporter when he knew Suits star Ms Markle “was the one”, Prince Harry said: “The very

first time we met”. A TV interview the couple gave to the BBC’s Mishal Husain was broadcast at 18:00 GMT on Monday.

Kensington Palace said Ms Markle’s engagement ring was designed by Prince Harry and features two diamonds which belonged to his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. At the centre of the ring is a diamond from Botswana, a country the couple had spent time together over the last year and a half. The band is made from gold.

The wedding announcement, issued by Clarence House, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s official residence, said details would be unveiled “in due course”.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh said they were “delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness”, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, said they were “very excited for Harry and Meghan”, adding: “It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.”

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, whose predecessor officiated at the Duke and Duchess of

Cambridge’s Wedding in 2011, wished them “many years of love, happiness and fulfilment”.

Ms Markle’s parents, Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland, said their daughter was a “kind and loving person” and they were “incredibly happy”. They added: “To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents.”

Prime Minister Theresa May offered her “very warmest congratulations” and wished the couple “great happiness for the future”. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “I wish them well - I hope they have a great life together.”

Prince Harry, 33 and Ms Markle, 36, made their first public appearance as a couple in September at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games, a sporting event set up by the prince for injured, wounded and sick soldiers.

Their married home will be the prince’s current residence, Nottingham Cottage, on the grounds of Kensington Palace - where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, with Prince George and Princess Charlotte, also have an apartment.

Their 16-month relationship began in July 2016 when they met through mutual friends in London. Prince

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ EMBER 2, 2017

15

SUPERSATURDAY PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE’S ENGAGEMENT

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, said they were “very excited for Harry and Meghan”, adding: “It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.”

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, whose predecessor officiated at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Wedding in 2011, wished them “many years of love, happiness and fulfilment

Harry first confirmed his relationship with Ms Markle in November 2016, in a statement from Kensington Palace. That statement said the couples were “a few months into a relationship” and it was “not right” that Ms Markle should receive such treatment.

It described nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers, attempts by reporters and photographers to get into her home and the “bombardment” of nearly every friend and loved one in her life. Ms Markle spoke about her love for the prince for the first time in September, telling Vanity Fair magazine: “We’re two people who are really happy and in love”.

She said the pair were enjoying a “special” time together, adding: “I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time.”

Ms Markle may not have been a familiar name in the UK until recently, but in the US she was known for her role as Rachel Zane in TV legal drama Suits. She attended a private primary school before studying at a girls’ Roman Catholic college and later graduating from Northwestern University School of Communication in 2003, just as her acting career was beginning.

Until recently, a union with Ms Markle would have ruled Prince Harry out of succeeding to the throne - due to her being a Roman Catholic. New rules on royal succession came into force in 2015, allowing members of the Royal Family to marry a Roman Catholic and become king or queen.

Ms Markle was previously married, but the Church of England agreed in 2002 that divorced people could remarry in church at the discretion of the priest. The instant Prince Harry and Ms Markle are pronounced “man and wife” she will automatically become Her Royal Highness, Princess Henry of Wales. However, she does not automatically become Princess Meghan - because she is not of royal blood.

The Queen’s late sister Margaret was entitled to call herself Princess Margaret.

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s

The couple will live in Prince Harry’s current home, Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace The Queen’s daughter is Princess Anne and her granddaughters are Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The Queen’s great granddaughter, Prince William’s daughter, is Princess Charlotte. All of these are, or were of royal blood and so are princesses

in their own right.

But Princess Charlotte’s mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, is not known as Princess Catherine, just as the Duchess of York never became Princess Sarah and the Countess of Wessex, the wife of Prince

Edward, is not Princess Sophie.

Lady Diana Spencer was never officially Princess Diana. She was the Princess of Wales and, after her divorce from Prince Charles, she was Diana, Princess of Wales.

––Courtesy BBC.CO.UK

16

T H I S D AY SATURDAY DECEMBER 2, 2017

Plus

LOUD WHISPERS ALTERNATIVE AUTO GLOBAL SOCCER TEENS CONNECT FASHION FILE

pg. 20 pg. 24 pg. 26 pg. 29 pg. 38 pg. 43

Isiaka Abolurin

My Ambition Was to Be a Broadcaster

18

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 2, 2017

PLUS

I Was Seconded to the United Nations to Represent Nigeria Soft-spoken and easy-going, Ambassador Isiaka Adesola Abolurin is a retired Director at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this interview with Femi Ogbonnikan, Abolurin, who is the Chairman, Oba-in-Council of Ipokia Community, in Ipokia Local Government, Ogun State, bears his mind back on his experience working for the UN in South-Sudan and his present role at Ipokia Tell us a bit about your background m Ambassador Isiaka Adesola Abolurin. I was born in Ipokia, in Ipokia Local Government, Yewa, Ogun State on 7th April 1952. I attended Local Authority Primary School, Ipokia, from 1959 to 1964 and I had my secondary school education at Iganmode Grammar School, Otta, from 1965 to 1969. From 1975 to 1978, I attended the University of Ibadan, from where I obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Political Science. In 1991, as part of in-service training at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I attended the University of Lagos for a Master’s Degree programme in International Law and Diplomacy.

I

Which lineage do you hail from in Ipokia?

I am from Abolurin family. Abolurin family is from Akinbode lineage and Abolurin is one of the children of Akinbode. Abolurin decided to have a separate name from Akinbode’s lineage, in a bid to distinguish himself. The word, ‘Abolurin’ came from a deity that we worshipped and that is ‘Olu’, and it was from this that Abolurin was coined, because our great grandfather was the one in-charge of that deity. That was how we came about this Abolurin name.

What was your growing up like?

My childhood was neither rosy nor tortuous. One, my father was a headmaster of a primary school and my mother was just a petty trader. And of course, I am from a polygamous house.

My father had four wives. And you could imagine the number of children we would be. I had a good primary school education and it was really rosy.

Immediately I graduated from the primary school in 1964, I proceeded to Iganmode Grammar School, Otta, in 1965 and it was very rare at that time, because most of my colleagues, or to say, most of my classmates at that time, didn’t have that opportunity because they would have to first of all go to secondary modern school before gaining admission into the secondary school. So, as a matter of fact, in secondary school, I was between three and

four years ahead of some of them that finished primary school with me in 1964, because they had to spend three years before gaining admission into Iganmode Grammar School. But I was very lucky to have that smooth transition from primary to secondary school. It was really, really rare, to have that opportunity. Imagine somebody from a polygamous house having that transition, and before I left secondary school, or even before I entered secondary school, I had an elder brother who was in Egbado College, Ilaro; he is Dr Bolarinwa Abolurin. Luckily for him, he had Ipokia District Council scholarship, and after his secondary school certificate, he had a Western Region scholarship for his Higher School Certificate (HSC). So, he was somehow lucky. But on my own, by the time I was finishing my secondary school I have had two other younger brothers that were admitted at Iganmode Grammar School, Otta, and Egba High School, Abeokuta, respectively. So, funding became a problem as usual, and I was sent out of school for school fees, for one or two weeks. At times, I would go back home. During that time, it was not really rosy when it came to funding. You know, at that time, my mother was a petty trader and my father was just a headmaster of a primary school. And how much were they earning, then? But I thank God, because I was able to finish my secondary school. And from then, I had to do some clerical work with the Jordanian Embassy in Lagos, as a local staff. Later, I moved from there to Arab Bank, where I worked briefly, and that was where I managed to save some money to fund part of my university education.

In your career, did anybody influence or mentor you?

I would say I was influenced. It was curiosity that actually made me to join the Foreign Service. Initially, when I was growing up at that time, I mean, when I was in secondary school, my ambition was to be a news broadcaster; I liked it very much. But along the line, it changed because I had an Uncle, Ambassador Lamidi Maliki who used to come home, and anytime he came, I was attracted by the way he carried himself among his peers. He appeared superior to his peers and that influenced my decision to work in a foreign office. I thought maybe I

My childhood was neither rosy nor tortuous.

One, my father was a headmaster of a primary school and my mother was just a petty trader.

And of course, I am from a polygamous house.

My father had four wives. And you could imagine the number of children we would be. I had a good primary school education and it was really rosy.

Immediately I graduated from the primary school in 1964, I proceeded to Iganmode Grammar School, Otta, in 1965 and it was very rare at that time

Botswana President/Chairman, Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Committee in South Sudan Peace Agreement, Mr Festus Morgai (right) and Amb. Abolurin

DECEMBER 2, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

19

PLUS

L-R Sitting: the children - Femi, Sola, Kehinde and Taiwo, while standing are their parents, mother (Taobat) and father (Amb Abolurin)

My Ambition Was to Be a Broadcaster course, we had to also assist to organise workshops with the civil authorities and community leaders to assist in technical understanding of the UN’s protection of the civilian concept and also to assist in the development of the holistic state level strategy to protect civilians. And that was very important and, of course, to encourage and facilitate discussions with State Peace Commission, aimed at developing the road map for reconciliation and national healings state-wide. It was a very big job. That was where I really had to exhibit my diplomatic skill, because there were so many issues between the state government and the IDPs which needed to be resolved.

could also be in that position and take after him. That was what actually took me to foreign affairs office. There was no formal mentoring; I just saw this man as, I would not say a role model, no, but the way he carried himself as being superior to others. So, that was what really made me to decide to go to the foreign affairs office to go and see why. And to be honest with you, I didn’t see anything so spectacular about it. Maybe, that was his own trait, but he influenced me to change my mind.

After your graduation from the University of Ibadan, where did you first work?

During my NYSC, I was an information officer at the Niger State Ministry of Information, in Bida. I was heading the information office in Bida. The whole of the locality of people knew me very well because I was very active and the headquarters was in Minna. They were always requesting news. But, after that, I came back to Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro, Yewaland, Ogun State. In fact, I was a teacher there. I was teaching junior classes, Forms 1 and 2 in social studies.

I am glad to tell you this. One of my students then is a Commissioner in Ogun State cabinet. Her name is Ronke Shokefun. She is the Ogun State Commissioner for Physical Planning.

She was my pet in secondary school at Form 2, and several others. Later, I taught the HSC students Government, and I am very proud to say that when they had their A/L examination, I think, over 80 per cent of the students passed in Government. Many of them are graduates and they are in different establishments and are doing very well.

Were you at any point in time a politician?

No! And I don’t want to be. My father had warned all of us that we should not participate actively in politics but that we could align with any party that we liked. But for me, because of my current position in Ipokia, as the Chairman, Oba-inCouncil, Ipokia, in the real sense of it, I don’t really want to belong to anybody but to belong to everybody.

So, I interact with all the politicians, but I have made my point clear that I don’t belonging to anybody but I relate with everybody.

At the foreign mission, how taxing was it to represent Nigeria Representing Nigeria abroad is an opportunity to serve the country in a higher capacity. As you would expect, it entails a lot of responsibilities in which performance could be very interesting, and of course, otherwise.

Amb Abolurin and wife, Aobat

You see, when I was in the foreign service, what I found out was that your performance sometimes would depend on the type of relationship between the host authorities and the deciding state, and that is Nigeria. If the relationship is very cordial, you have no problem and you will be able to relate and liaise with your host authorities. But if it is otherwise, you will have some difficulties. And of course, it also depends on the situation in your country. If the situation is ok, like I am talking mostly in terms of probably you have serious human rights issues and some of other issues that are not really welcoming to the international community, then you will have a problem.

I could remember when I was in South Korea, and that was when we had this Ken Saro-Wiwa issue. It was very difficult for many of us because we knew quite alright that what the government did was wrong, but we still had to defend the government. It was not the best time for every Nigerian diplomat when Saro-Wiwa was executed by the Abacha regime. It was not the best time for any Nigerian diplomat at all, because you were always put on the defensive.

You knew quite alright that this thing was wrong but you would still have to defend the government.

So, you just have to make sure that you don’t compromise your loyalty to your government. It was really very difficult. I was seconded to the United Nations (UN) to represent Nigeria, and the position I headed last was the State Coordinator and Area Security Coordinator of the UN Mission in Sudan, where the conflict was very, very intense. And at that time, as the Area

How challenging is the task of being the Chairman, Oba-In-Council, incharge of Ipokia Community?

To be honest with you, if I say, it is easy, I am lying. Even though when I was bowing out of active service in February 2016, I had made up my mind that I was going back to Ipokia to join the people at home, in order to move Ipokia forward. But I never envisaged that I would be made the Chairman of the Oba-In-Council, because nobody expected that the Oba would die Coordinator, the security and safety of anyway. But even then, when the Oba over 20,000 Internal Displaced Persons died, it didn’t occur to me that I would (IDPs) was one of my responsibilities. be made the chairman, Oba-In-Council.

And good enough, I had the human But as providence would have it, I found resources and other resources because myself in such a situation. Yes! There are I had about three battalions, one from a lot of challenges, very many challenges.

India, one from Rwanda and then, the Unfortunately, the challenges, I would third, from Ethiopia. We had UN police. say, probably is envy, I don’t know, but I We called them Police Force Unit, just won’t say hatred. You see, that is why the like our own Mobile policemen from majority of the people of Ipokia are very Rwanda. They were about 800, a contin- happy about me being the chairman of the gent and then, we had UN Police, about Oba-In-Council; just a few of them have 95 and military observers of 55. As the been trying to undermine everything that I State Coordinator, you would have to have been trying to put in place. The reason liaise with the government of the state is probably because they could not come to with regard to the issue of reconciliation terms with the fact that somebody “from and resolution of conflicts and what nowhere” could come, and they see me as have you. Of course, with the IDPs too, destabilising their plan or position. They see you would have to constantly liaise with me as an interloper. But I have been trying their leaders, that is, the community to explain to them that everybody knows in leaders to ensure that they live together, Ipokia today that it is something that I am that they peacefully co-exist. The IDPs not really crazy about or crave for. No! And camp, which was called Protection of I have been explaining to them that there is Civilian Site (POCS) was established no benefit in it. when the conflict started in December No financial benefit, but I see it as a 2013, and in a day we had over 30,000 selfless service to my town. So, it is not people rushing into our camp. And at that I am expecting anything from it. It that time, we knew it was coming but is not that I am doing it so that I can be we were planning for only 1,000. When recognised or to see it as an opportunity to these people were first coming, they be recognised and be given any position or were just staying wherever they had title. No! I am not looking for any position space, as far as they were Sudanese, as or office at all. I just don’t want to take or IDPs, but not on ethnic basis. accept any position at all. I like to just be on But later the issue of ethnicity crept my own. But some people don’t see it that in and from there we started having way, and that has been the main challenge very, very serious problems. Even at that that I have been having, otherwise, what I time, I was not the State Coordinator would have done is to delegate anything but I was team leader of civil affairs. traditional to the chiefs; do your traditional During that time, I was the team leader things, while I do other things that relate of civil affairs and we had to liaise with to the development of the community. And the authorities at the state and county that is what I have been doing. My main levels to promote understanding of challenge is from a few individuals who the UN mandate and strategy. And of think I am an interloper.

20

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2017 with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

LOUD WHISPERS

Atiku Abubakar: Not His Will The call came very late in the night, you know being the Duke of Shomolu is such a taxing job which takes a lot from me physically and emotionally. So, I do not joke with my night’s rest. But the persistence of the call caught my attention. Which kain wahala be dis? Since the unfortunate killing of the young Bello allegedly by his madam, I had started putting my phone in a cellophane bag after wrapping with a newspaper and putting it in the same box where we keep rat poison before storing it just above the water heater in the bath which is for my exclusive use. We cannot take some of these things lightly again. The caller was lucky because I had forgotten to switch off the phone and I immediately began to thank the Lord because this could have led to my stabbing if the call was from Jumo…. Kai, the life of a Nigerian man is ‘short, brutish and laborious.

Anyway, I picked the call and it was none other than the Turaki himself, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He wanted to see me urgently because he was about to take a decision that would be announced very early the next day and he wanted my input since he relied on me for so many of his positions. Kai, I had to go o.

I had to leave Shomolu and head up to where he was staying. Na national duty and no amount of sacrifice would be too small. As I walked in, I met Turaki looking really worried, the last time he was in this mood was when OBJ had just launched his book – My Watch.

On sighting me, he went straight to the point. He was irritated by APC, the party could not deliver his ambition and as we all know, he had the manifest destiny to rule us whether we like it or not. In fact, we, Nigerians, have no say in the matter. He was thinking of leaving the party especially with that short El-Rufai irritating him with all those mischievous statements. He wanted to know my thoughts. Kai, this was a tough one. I sat down on the sofa near him, asked for food first and small palm wine. They brought in afang and fufu not minding that this was 2am, I devoured it. like I had said earlier on, it was all for the good of Nigeria or why else am I the Duke of Shomolu? A title that I got not from any election and as such, I did not have to contend with people like this El-Rufai and Tinubu. Before I continue, let me describe the lady who served the food.

This Turaki na classy guy o. He always has them and that is one major reason you see me jump each time he calls. The

Buhari

Tinubu

lady had the shape of an angel and skin as smooth as alabaster. I was ready to be stabbed for this one o. I will even buy the knife. Well, back to the matter on the ground. I had to give Turaki the best advice. This was the most important decision of both our careers and that meant that adequate thought had to be put before we arrived at a decision. I looked at the matter on the ground. Sai baba although has not said anything, his body language is showing that he may want to re-contest and even if he did not, that Yoruba Lion in Bourdillon is still there to contend with. So, the more I looked at the thing, the more I could see that the APC ticket will never be our own. So, I advised him to jumpship. He looked at me with fear, asking if I was sure. I said, of course sir, Jump. He was scared o. he was shaking. He loved APC especially the ankara they used to wear during campaigns. He had just bought plenty of the ankara, so what will he do with them.

I looked at him with anger and shouted, ‘oga focuses’. Please let’s take our wahala go. He wanted to know where we will go. I said PDP, he screamed EDGARRRRRRRRRR, OR WHAT DO YOU CALL YOURSELF? What will I do with OBJ? Don’t you know that one will rather get castrated rather than have me win that ticket? I reminded him that castration was not only physical but that the Baba at his age did not really need that weapon anymore, he had sufficiently exhausted it over the years. So please the only person there is Fayose and that one can be talked out of the race with some ‘agege bread and palm wine’. As I left, Atiku looked squarely into my eyes and asked one last time, ’Duke, are you sure of this’? In response, I stared back at him and said, baba let’s do this, why are you doubting? Were you not there when I advised Obama to run? Were you not there when I asked Mugabe not to resign and also advised Okoroacha to embark on a robust statue building initiative?As we speak my statue is being built in Imo. It’s just that I did not like the size of my head that is why it has not been unveiled. Well, Atiku seems to have taken my advice and promptly ran into a strong turbulence of public disdain.

Kai, I am in hiding. He has been calling, looking for me. Me ke? I no be Shomolu Duke for nothing o. He will not see me o, I no fit trust wetin he will do to me o.

Where is that my APC card? I need to keep it close to my chest o. Na wa. Only in Nigeria.

Buhari, Tinubu and Udom - Safe Journey The picture of these three gentlemen reclining and relaxing as they fly into Abidjan has been circulating. Tinubu looked so excited on the trip and could not hide it from his facial expression. Our President looked so relaxed, he was reading his newspaper which had him on the cover. I am sure he was reading the sports pages.

You know he is an avid sports man. For my governor, he was the one that looked really really relaxed. You know he has been going on these kinds of trips from his mother’s womb and as such he is so used to it. You can tell from the way he reclined his chair, leaned back and was listening to the very happy Tinubu as he told him stories about Isale Eko. Well, for me, I wish them safe journey and many more journeys together in the new year. Abi what else can one say?

Maina in Action If you missed that video clip, you have missed the shot of the year. The clip allegedly showed embattled ex-pension boss, Maina, offering to show Buhari where the trillions are hidden. He even gave himself target like we used to say in the bank those days. All he needed was just nine months during which he will deliver trillions to him. Well, much as his

Atiku

offer sounds exciting, he should just come out and show the money abeg. He does not have to speak to the President directly jo. Well sha, these things always have so many angles so those of us on the outside very far from the issues and complexities would not be in a strong position to make sense of the whole thing. But for the kinds of amounts we are hearing to leave the system, then this corruption thing is a lot more far-reaching than what we thought. Because only this Maina man cannot sign the cheques that would move those kinds of sums.

Strategic people along the chain and in different parastatals and ministries needed to be involved. So if Maina has suddenly disappeared and has decided to be shooting and sending videos like the Boko haram people, let us first start by asking questions from the chain that could have assisted in this massive project. Once again, I say na wa.

Mudi and His New Outlet My friend and brother, Mudi, last

Sunday opened a new outlet somewhere in Lekki. To mark the occasion he invited a few close friends to the opening where he gave us some small chops and drinks.

In attendance were some very prominent Nigerians like the legendary actor, Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), singer Timi Dakolo, Kate Henshaw and the Duke of Shomolu who wore his Mudi-made linen pants and slippers made in Akoka to the August event. It was indeed a classy event as guest were treated to just one pack of small chops which had one chicken, one ‘puff puff’ and three toothpicks. We had fun and luxuriated in his new designs while engaging in little talks mostly about the Banky W wedding extravaganza amongst others.

Well-done my brother. God bless.

Mudi

21

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşËœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ

SPY GLASS

with .... 08054680651 SANNI BELLO

TOLA ADEGBITE

B

AYIRIEMANI’SAIRYPROMISES NOTYETUHURU FOR SENAAyiri Emani is one man who surely TOR SOLOMON ADEOLA knows how to be in the news all the time.

He loves publicity, no doubt.

Though he is widely regarded as a philanthropist, many claimed that he likes to make airy promises.

A source told Spy Glass, “The claim by the newly installed Ologbotsere (Prime Minister) of Warri kingdom to be a philanthropist is nothing but a hoax. It is just a ploy to always get media attention.

He doesn’t fulfill many of these promises.

He has done this many times. He is even not as rich as he claims to be; he is broke now.�

It will be recalled that his nomination for the title had provoked anger among some members of the community when it was first announced by the monarch, a development that delayedthe installation. But his “boys� were said to have threatened to cause mayhem in the community if he was not installed.

After several months of keeping a low profile, the Niger Delta big boy had re-launched himself to reckoning in 2010 when he held his celebrated wedding.

Emami is the CEO of A & E Petrol and A & E Group of Companies that has various holdings in oil, construction, logistics, 911 Hotels & Resorts, and 911 Entertainment.

He is also the former chairman of Delta Waterways Security Committee and board chairman of NigerCat, a construction company under Chief James Onanefe Ibori administration in Delta State.

AJIMOBI’S FURY

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, is supposed to be a happy man at the moment, given the recent marriage introduction of his handsome son, Idris Ajimobi, with Fatima Baby Ganduje, daughter of Kano State Governor. But curiously, this is not the case, as the number one man in Oyo State is said to be angry.

However, the cause of his anger has nothing to do either with students’ protest or his inability to pay the state’s pensioners’ salaries.

Spyglass gathered that he is irritated by the slants given to a picture taken with his wife, Florence, on a luxury boat. The picture shows the number one couple in a romantic pose that has since set many tongues wagging and attracted all manner of reportage on the social media. “He is angry with how the picture got into the public space and the stories woven around it. The man has ordered an investigation to unravel who leaked the image giving him grief in public. Remember, it is supposed to be a private picture,’’ our source said.

AJIMOBI

If there is one aspirant who is working hard to actualise electoral dream in 2019, it is Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, aka Yayi.

The senator, who is currently representing Lagos West Senatorial District at the Upper Chamber, is leaving no stone unturned towards becoming the governor of Ogun State after the expiration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

It is believed that handsome Adeola is driven by reasonable ambitions. He is an incurable dreamer. And luckily, most of his dreams have come true, as evidenced by his current position.

His dream of becoming a governor received a boost recently when some monarchs as well as a youth forum from Yewa endorsed him as their preferred candidate for the gubernatorial race.

This reportedly rattled other aspirants from the same area, a development that gave him hope.

However, it is not yet time for victory dance. Spyglass gathered that the billionaire politician has some hurdles to cross. Indeed, the odds against him are mountainous.

A source revealed that despite the endorsement from some sections of the people of his immediate constituency in Yewa, many are still opposed to his ambition because he is seen as a Lagos politician who, according to them, has lost touch with his roots. It was also learnt that the governor has a preference for another candidate from Yewa. It is alleged that Amosun may use the obnoxious power of incumbency in favour of his preferred candidate.

Adeola, a distinguished chartered accountant established his own firm, SOOTEM Nigeria Limited, after many years of working for several companies, Following his decision to join active politics, Adeola, also a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation as well as a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), pitched his tent with the progressive arm of Nigerian politics by joining the then Social Democratic Party, SDP. In spite of the daunting challenges occasioned by the military interregnum, Adeola bravely remained in politics till the dawn of the 4th Republic. Adeola won the primary of the then ruling Action Congress, AC, and was subsequently elected to represent Alimosho Constituency 2 at the Lagos State House of Assembly from 2003 to 2007 and again from 2007 to 2011.

A man of immense financial and political skills, he is reputed to have been instrumental to the enactment of the law that strengthened the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, a legislation that cata-

SOLOMON ADEOLA

pulted the revenue of the state from N5bn to over N20bn monthly. He was also part of the team that passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Public Procurement Act of Lagos State.

open another Pool Lounge & Restaurant in the FCT, Abuja and Abeokuta.

EX-NIGER GOV, SANNI BELLO, CELEBRATES

What can be more fulfilling and exciting than seeing one’s dream come true?

While growing up, Tola Adegbite dreamt of owning a fashion brand. In realisation of that beautiful dream, she prayed, fasted and strategised.

Luckily, her prayers were answered, as she launched her fashion brand, Turfah, last weekend, amidst pomp and circumstances.

She was over the moon launching her brand at her sister’s Alara Concept Store in Victoria Island, Lagos.The launch was graced by eminent personalities, including Tunde and Reni Folawiyo; Herbert Wigwe; former CEO of Access Bank, Aigboje-Aig Imohkuede; GMD/CEO, Oando Plc, Wale Tinubu; Kemi Ibru and Ebi Williams, among others. Adegbite, just like her sister, Reni, is a fashionista of note, whose mission is to rule the fashion world.

For Col. Sanni Bello, a former military governor of Niger State, every day is special in some way. But last Monday was specially different in that it reminds him of the day he was brought forth into this world some decades ago.

In view of this, Bello, who is the Chairman of Mainstream Energy Solution, has cause to celebrate, as he was a year older last Monday. Some who were privy to it had expected it was going to be a soiree like no other, but perhaps, for his quiet nature, he opted for a low-key celebration.

The celebration was not without class and panache a man of Bello’s calibre.

Besides, even as he revels, he feels so great as he prepares for his 51st wedding anniversary with his wife, Hajia Rabi.

The man who was recently honoured with the title of ‘Kurutya U Bem’ which literally means, The Warrior of Peace, by the TIV Youth Peace Initiative, will also be celebrating his wife, who joins the septuagenarian club in a couple of weeks Forbes once famously described him as “genius, ferocious entrepreneur, impressive philanthropist.� A number of important dignitaries, including former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar; Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sanni Bello, reportedly sent congratulatory messages to him.

EULOGIES FOR ELEVEN07 BOSS, YUSUF BABALOLA

For consummate businessman and CEO, Eleven07 Group, his last birthday celebration will remain most memorable.

The birthday bash, which held at the cozy Pool Lounge & Restaurant located on Adeleke Street, Allen, Ikeja Lagos, was put together by friends to celebrate him.

Notable Fuji musician, Otunba Alabi Pasuma, who was in his elements, entertained the guests at the event.

In attendance were some big boys such as Alhaji Ola Shehu Kareem, Alhaji Suleiman Adetunji, Oba Dosumu(Akinsiku of Lagos), Bolaji Esho (Eldorado), Jamiu Disu, Ajao Babalola,Otunba Gbolahan Aigoro, Lekan Fasola and Atorise, among others. A number of his friends spoke glowingly about him on the occasion, while also highlighting his uncommon generosity and acts of fellow-feeling.

Spy Glass learnt that he is planning to

YUSUF BABALOLA

TOLA ADEGBITE’S HAPPY MOMENT

OWOLABI SALIS’ UNCOMMON HEART OF GOLD

High Chief Owolabi Salis shouldn’t have much to do with Nigeria or Nigerians, because the crust of his business is in the United States of America. but his love for his people just wouldn’t keep him away.

This year alone, the international lawyercum-businessman has sponsored at least three humanitarian projects for the good of the nation and for Nigerians, whose progress he’s most passionate about.

At the height of the agitation in some sections of the country for self-rule, the Ikorodu chieftain was in the thick of the matter, conferring with some community leaders to prevail on their people to embrace unity and shun violent agitation. This was in line with his earlier conviction that Nigeria must be one to be a true leader in the comity of nations.

The One Nigeria project, which he initiated three years ago was not by accident. The ebullient and indefatigable humanist foresaw the problem and made a move to forestall it.

The initiative which is activated in cultural rally and music concert on October 1, of every year has gone a long way in uniting different ethnic groups in Lagos, the most cosmopolitan state in Nigeria. It is particularly evident in the fact that the leaders of each ethnic group lead their people to partake in the rally every year. In the same vein, Salis recently initiated a skill acquisition programme to empower Lagos youths in more than 30 areas. In fact, this programme which kicked off last October is expected to run till December and hundreds of Lagosians have already acquired skills to live a new life and to be productive to the society.

OWOLABI SALI

22

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž Í°Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍľ

EVENTS

I

t was a celebration of love when former Miss Mary Bolanle Alemeru and Ikechukwu Phillip Okwuoken, were joined together as one at Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Root of David, Area 3, Zone 3, Omogoriola Street Sleep, Ijede, Ikorodu.

Guests of the couple and their loved ones were hosted to a reception at PMT Events Centre, Ikorodu, Lagos, recently Photo: Kolawole Alli

The couple, Ikechukwu and Mary Phillip Okwuoren

L-R: Samuel Alemeru, Bride’s father Pastor Bola Alemeru and Abbey Alemeru

L-R: Mrs.Veronica Nkiri; Groom’s mother Mrs. Angela Okwuoken, Mrs.Tina Anyandue and Mrs. Pat Ogwumoyi

L-R: CP Clement Ariyo (rtd), DSP Job Alemeru, Mrs. Veronica Ariyo and Major Joe Ajayi (rtd)

L-R: Barrister Hosana Esene and Barrister Nonye Esene

L-R: Mr. Femi Ajayi; Mrs. Omofe Olayemi; Mr. Samson Ajayi; Mrs. Omolola Fashina and Mr. Isaiah Ajayi

L-R: Mrs. Hannah Adesiyan and Evang Omolola Ajayi

Navy Commodore Andrew A. Bello (rtd) and his wife, Nkechi

L-R: Oladipupo Jinad, Ore Grace

23

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ Ͱ˜ Ͱͮͯ͵

EVENTS

L-R: Mrs. Christy Kalu; Mrs. Victoria Ojei and Mrs. Anthonia Igwe.

L-R: Gnnyi Tiamiyu; Damilola Ajayi and Ginigeme Eziafaka

L-R: Mr. Eniola Bello and his wife, Helen

L-R: Nurat Chioma Eluma, Precious Odofin, Wuraola Eniola, and Omolayo Alemeru and Blossom Odofin

L-R: Mr. Jubal Dati and Mr. Gabriel Isaiah

L-R: Dapo Lasisi and Bobby West

L-R: Mr. Ireebeniye Yomi and Mr. Clement Madamori

L-R: Mr. A. O. Ariyo, Pastor Joe Ajayi and Group Capt. Olu Daramola (rtd)

Mr. Dajo Sony and Miss Adeyomi Isaiah

L-R: Friends of the couple, Patrick Kalu; Ofre Apie Nka; Kayode Owolabi; Hopewell Efesse and Babatunde Ogunsanu

24

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2017

THE ALTERNATIVE with Reno Omokri

Gaddafi

Obama

Atiku

Buhari

Of Gaddafi, Obama, Buhari and Atiku

I

commended President Muhammadu Buhari when he belatedly did what he ought to have done quickly, which is to speak up against the enslavement of Black African migrants in Libya. I did so because the President listened to the strong criticism from civil society against his tardiness in responding to the situation.

However, I still need to ask a question.

Both the Buhari administration and the African Union condemned Germany’s 2016 terror attack that killed 12 persons within mere days (hours in the case of Nigeria). Yet, both the Nigerian Government and the African Union remained silent for weeks on the selling of hundreds (perhaps thousands) of Africans as slaves in Libya.

That being the case, have both the Nigerian Government and the African Union outlived their usefulness to their people?

Such a thing as the Libyan affair should ordinarily attract swiftest rebuke. In fact, I am still puzzled that the African Union in particular is taking this issue lying low.

It leads me to think that to a very large extent, we Africans are our own worst enemies.

I remember how I campaigned for candidate Obama during the 2008 US elections, thinking that Obama as President would do a lot for the Black Race.

Now, after eight years of Obama, Black people are worse off than they were before him in many

President Buhari has used many dirty tricks to try and intimidate his most likely opponent. Not minding that he as President has not created jobs and has rather lost the jobs that his predecessors created, President Buhari has tried to cripple the businesses of Atiku Abubakar by coming up with flimsy excuses to breach the commercial contract entered upon between INTELS and the Nigerian Ports Authority

respects and this is actually due to Barack Obama’s policies.

When Gaddafi was in power, there was no slave trade of Black Africans in Libya. As a matter of fact, Gaddafi gave financial aid to Black African nations and almost single-handedly funded the fight against White minority rule in the then Rhodesia (renamed Zimbabwe) and against apartheid in South Africa (Google it. There is a YouTube video of Mandela saying so openly in America during his thank you tour after his release from prison).

To be sure, Gaddafi had his own challenges too, but no one is perfect. Gaddafi did for the Black world much more than anything Obama ever did for Africa. He gave financial and military support to oppressed people. He funded scholarships and health schemes. He was not big on rhetoric, like Obama. He was big on helping you in reality.

And then Barack Obama staged Gaddafi’s removal and now Black Africans are being sold in Libya and you think Obama is good and Gaddafi was bad?

All over Africa, from Libya, to Egypt, to Nigeria, Obama intervened without caring what Africans really wanted and saddled us with incompetent regimes that are taking Africans backward. History will not be kind to Obama!

Certainly, it was fortuitous for the African continent that Obama’s echo in the person of Hillary Clinton did not make it to the White House. I believe it would have been more of the same.

And look at the incompetent government they helped come to power in Nigeria. I only wish Nigerians know how much of a role Obama played in the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

It was actually quite hypocritical for Obama, a blatant meddler in other people’s elections, to point the finger at Russia. If at all Russia meddled in the 2016 US Presidential elections, they were only paying Obama back in his own well-deserved coins.

In less than two years, the Obama-supported Nigerian government of Muhammadu Buhari has destroyed a once thriving economy that was projected to be the third fastest-growing economy in the world in 2014 by CNNMoney.

He has wiped off 70% of the value of the Nigerian Naira. He has increased electricity, fuel and passport costs without increasing the minimum wage.

But it is when it comes to his anti-democratic credentials that I cringe the most.

President Buhari has used many dirty tricks to try and intimidate his most likely opponent. Not minding that he as President has not created jobs and has rather lost the jobs that his predecessors created, President Buhari has tried to cripple the businesses of Atiku Abubakar by coming up with flimsy excuses to breach the commercial contract entered upon between INTELS and the Nigerian

Ports Authority.

It does not matter to the President, obviously, that by trying to ground INTELS he is putting the jobs of many Nigerians at risk.

But the most hypocritical thing that this government did is to attack Atiku’s credibility over his decision to quit the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The President even permitted one of his official spokesperson to verbally insult Atiku in public after first unleashing Malam Nasir El-Rufai to take Atiku to the cleaners right there at the Presidential Villa.

But to show that President Buhari and his surrogates are hypocrites, let’s take a quick look at the political odysseys of those criticising Atiku for leaving the APC,

Muhammadu Buhari, from: · ANPP to · APP to · CPC to · APC

Nasir El-Rufai, from · PDP to · CPC to · APC

Rochas Okorocha, from · PDP · Action Alliance · APP to · ANPP to · APGA to · APC

The only major politician on the national stage that has remained in one party since the return to civil rule in 1999 is Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and he has not criticised Atiku Abubakar, but rather, he has stretched out a hand of fellowship to him.

It seems that this is the season for decamping. In fact, I have just been reliably informed that President Buhari has sent his AGF to Dubai to open discussions with Maina so the President can decamp to Pension Fund Bazaar Party. Rochas Okorocha too would soon be decamping from the APC to Statue Party, while Nasir El-Rufai may be leaving to join Serial Betrayer party of Nigeria.

Reno’s Nuggets

True story: Fish is Norway’s biggest export after oil. Norway sent stockfish as humanitarian aid to help starving Igbo people during the Biafra War. The Igbo loved the stockfish and after the war, they bought so much that Nigeria became Norway’s largest market for stockfish, earning them billions annually. Moral of the story: Be kind to people. Your kindness will eventually benefit you #RenosNuggets.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2017

25

EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES

Miscellaneous

EBERE WABARA

T

HIS particular conspectus of errors is just to whet your appetite ahead of syntactic surgeries (a la Prof.Adidi Uyo of Unilag) next month! Most of the mistakes in the print and electronic media are the manifestations of carelessness, loose thinking and ignorance. We must be consistent in the use of either British orAmerican English—mixing up both variants in any lexical environment shows slipshoddiness.

Also note that most media audiences are sticklers for purism. For those in this finicky and fastidious class, any egregious slip counts. Unfortunately, most people who commit these facile and schoolboy blunders are persons who should know but because incorrigibility has affected them they have become ignoramuses! Why, for instance, should some journalists describe themselves as ‘media practitioners’ instead of ‘media professionals’? Doctors and lawyers practise medicine and law, respectively, clearly unlike the fourth estate.

I am not a linguistic diagnostician, but I can perform lexical and structural surgeries and make efficacious pharmacological/therapeutic recommendations based on knowledgeable familiarity with infelicities (and some of their typologies) that border on grammar, logic and rhetoric, which I had referred to elsewhere in this column as the pillars of the English language—get them right and you are on course.

Finally, I am more concerned here with the practical aspect of the English language than its critical theoretical underpinnings which are available in all standard textbooks and easily accessible. This work is a stop-gap exercise for quick resolutions of daily grammatical challenges. From my own personal experiences and encounters with people, most exonormative language users prefer easy-toread-and-follow summaries to usually massive, boring and complex theoretical prescriptions! This is hoping that I am not inadvertently encouraging intellectual slothfulness by this remedial quick-fix intervention! For starters, let’s proceed with the following tips of the iceberg: “This is an affront on (to) our collective psyche.”

(Facebook post, November 23) News around the city: “Harvests of death (deaths) inAdamawa” ‘Death’ is both uncount-

BY

able and countable. In this context of ‘harvest’, it cannot be non-count.

The extracts on the left are wrong entries and corrected right: Pool resources together Pool resources Majority of us A/the majority of us Media practitioner Media professional Counsels Counsel Opportuned Opportune/Opportunity Offsprings Offspring Invest on somethingInvest in something At a/the crossroad At a/the crossroads In the continent On the continent Junks Junk Conspicuously absent Absent Secret ballot Ballot Test run (noun) (as verb) Test Don’t pull my legs Don’t pull my leg The faithfuls The faithful Strike action Strike Congratulations for Congratulations on/upon Potentials Potential/Potentialities Log of wood Log Cutleries Cutlery Stationeries Stationery Beddings Bedding Loots Loot Luxurious bus Luxury bus Repeat again Repeat Vigilante group Vigilance group Creditably well Creditably Overaged player Overage player An hotel Ahotel Point accusing finger Point the finger Under the platform On the platform Marching order Marching orders Obituary announcement Obituary Handwriting on the wall Writing on the wall In Lagos Island On Lagos Island In the premises On the premises At the shores On the shores Matured man Mature man Double standards Double standard With regards to With regard to At the campus On the campus All manners of All manner of Pomp and pageantry Pomp and ceremony/circumstance or just pomp More grease to your elbow More power to

your elbow Harassments Harassment Heavy downpour Downpour Rest in perfect peace Rest in peace Government white paper White paper Vandalisation Vandalism On the saddle In the saddle Deploy to Deploy in Arrest over Arrest for Commend over Commend for/on Restore in Restore to Restore back Restore Converge in/at Converge on At the outskirts On the outskirts Return back Return Reverse back Reverse Unemployment problem Unemployment Insecurity crisis Security crisis/ insecurity Luggages Luggage Birds of the same feather Birds of a feather Afeather to his cap Afeather in his cap RiotAct The RiotAct Aslip of tongue Aslip of the tongue Hide and seek gameHide and seek White elephant projects White elephants Banters Banter Night vigil Vigil Wake-keep(ing) Wake Alert on something Alert to something All nooks and crannies Every nook and cranny Aliving witness Awitness Oil bloc Oil block Eye-service Lip-service Fail woefully Fail abysmally Running stomach Runny stomach Outrightly Outright Talkless of Much less/let alone Yesteryears Yesteryear Heydays Heyday Grouse against/with someone Grouse about someone Free-for-all fight Free for all Discuss about something Discuss something Equipments Equipment Evidences Evidence Protest over Protest about/against/at Last respect Last respects Raise an eyebrow Raise eyebrows The poor masses The masses Alright All right

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

Armed bandit Bandit Last week Monday Last Monday or Monday, last week On/off the generator Put on/off the generator They love themselves They love each other Very best Best Clog in the wheel Cog in the wheel Tale of woes Tale of woe By the whiskers By a whisker Neck-to-neck battle Neck-and-neck battle Stand under the sun Stand in the sun Invitees Guests Witch-hunting Witch-hunt Present status quo Status quo Apersonnel Employee/worker/staff member Meddle into Meddle in/with Bad precedence Bad precedent Decampee Defector Take someone serious Take someone seriously Lion share Lion’s share Dispose off Dispose of At the corridors of power In the corridors of power Fire outbreak Fire Good riddance to bad rubbish Good riddance Many cooks spoil the soup Many cooks spoil the broth Money is the root of all evils The love of money is the root of all evils Bite more than you can chew Bite off more than you can chew Times like thisAtime like this/Times like these Aforce to reckon with Aforce to be reckoned with Beer parlour (Nigerian English)Pub/public house/inn/bar (lounge or saloon)/hotel/ tavern Aposer: why are these errors egregiously or routinely committed? Is it a function of ignorance, carelessness or sheer blatant mistakes? Could it be tactlessness arising from slothfulness? Should it all be attributed to the evolution of what has come to be known as “Nigerian English”? Who will graciously elucidate on these growing grammatical challenges? I am at my wit’s end!

INSIGHT

Omorotionmwan’s Futile Efforts against Obaseki’s Achievements Crusoe Osagie

O

ur attention has been drawn to the rendition of falsehood by a certain Josef Omorotionmwan, which was published on page 31 of the Vanguard Newspaper of Thursday November 30, 2017, with the title ‘The Obaseki Administration: Wake and See

What?’

While Omorotionmwan’s insidious motive to turn truth is on its head is evident right from his faulty start, we are compelled to correct his tirade that was designed to misinform the good people of Nigeria and Edo State and cast aspersions on Governor Godwin Obaseki.

To begin with, Omorotionmwan’s intemperate criticism of an administration that has been adjudged transparent, goal-oriented and committed to the welfare of the downtrodden, shows a clear lack of capacity to appreciate the hallmarks of good governance.

His philosophy of good governance must have been formed in the era when public good was subordinated to the interests of a few individuals that converged to exploit the majority of Edo people and shared our common patrimony that ought to have been used to build enduring infra and superstructures for robust socio-economic growth and development.

For the first time in the history of party politics in Nigeria, Governor Godwin Obaseki appointed his 192 SpecialAssistants from the 192 wards in the state and they were all nominated by their respective wards and screened by theAll Progressives Congress (APC) party structure in the state.

Today, the 192 aides are integral part of the decision making and execution machinery of theAPC-led government of Edo State. So one would wonder what Omorotionmwan meant by the expression ‘leaving the party behind and planning to buy them at the appropriate time’ in his article. It is either his memory has been held hostage by senile forces or he derives pleasure in dispensing falsehood.

It is ridiculous to even contemplate thatAPC as presently constituted in Edo State can be bought by anyone.Against all odds, including the deep pockets

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), members of theAPC dislodged PDPfrom Edo State, not for bread or butter, but because we were committed to the redemption of Edo people from a cabal that foisted poverty on our people due to their excellent skills for grand looting.

All the organs of theAll Progressives Congress-led administration in Edo State are working together daily, to deliver the real dividends of democracy to Edo People.

When Omorotionmwan claimed in his article that: “In scoring Obaseki’s administration abysmally low, we are not unmindful of the fact that all the feats recorded in its favour are easily achievable by any of the 18 local government councils in Edo State,” it is unclear what achievements he was referring to.

The ‘Wake and See’ sobriquet of Obaseki was coined by the Edo people who still marvel at the pace at which road and other developmental projects are being delivered across Edo State. Could the local council have embarked on a N200billion Benin Industrial

Park project? Could the councils have embarked on a 60,000 metric tonnes Fertiliser and Chemical Plant?

Omorotionmwan’s reasoning is pure treachery to say the least, which must not stand, amongst right thinking men and women.

He claimed that The Government House has become a trade post for Obaseki’s friends from Lagos and elsewhere. Omorotionmwan surely hates Edo State and her people so much, that he wishes we do not make progress through collaborations and partnerships with the private sector, bilateral and multilateral institutions that are driving economic growth in other climes.

He wants the OBSERVER Newspapers to remain as it is even when he does not buy copies of the newspaper himself. He abhors the planned reforms for Edo Broadcasting Service that will transform the media house into a world-class institution that will make it compete with the British Broadcasting Service (BBC) in educating and mobilising our people towards growth and development. It is his desire that we retain near moribund enterprises as they are, without injecting a lease of life into them.

Omorotionmwan does not have to turn himself into an uninvited interloper in the relationship between the former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Governor Obaseki, over the Central Hospital project in Benin City. Such old tactics of inciting people against themselves does not work even for low intelligent people, how much more, clear headed and visionary leaders like the governor and his predecessor. Oshiomhole has reiterated times without number that both leaders (himself and governor Obaseki) are one, share same vision to transform Edo State, though their leadership styles may be different.

Obaseki’s rising profile locally and internationally was earned through hard work and dedication to duty as well as his respect for constituted authority.

That he is an astute manager of men and material resources has been acknowledged even by members of the opposition political parties who have in many fora, owned up to the fact that only an efficient manager like Obaseki could have steered the state safely through the turbulent condition created by the terrible recession from which the country is now

emerging and still embark on delivering ambitious developmental projects like he has done in the last one year. We are however not entirely at sea as to what would have driven Omorotionmwan to such desperate measures of dispensing outright falsehood just to get the attention of Obaseki’s government.

He may, like some other indolent actors in the polity, have been hugely disappointed by Obaseki who as a matter of policy does not distribute Edo people’s collective patrimony to the kinds of ‘politicians’ who Omorotionmwan suggested in his piece to have been shut out of Government House.

For the umpteenth time, we wish to remind Omorotionmwan that being a politician does not render anyone incapacitated and unable to earn an honest living through hard work.

If Omorotionmwan will only acknowledge Obaseki’s sterling performance when he is paid money that he has not worked for, then Obaseki is willing to make do with the approval of the over four million other Edo people who toil daily for their livelihoods.

For the records, Governor Obaseki, in one year, has done what several governors could not do in eight years. He has delivered several road projects across the state, the Edo Fertiliser and Chemical Company is up and running, he has flagged off the construction of the Benin Industrial Park, the Benin Science and Technical College, 75 mass transit buses have been procured to change the face of intra-state transportation in the state and thousands of jobs have been created in the various sectors.

The Edo Development and PropertyAuthority has commenced the implementation of reforms that will restore sanity in the state-owned housing estates while several public schools are in the process of being reconstructed in the coming months. The design of the 20 new mini stadia in Edo State has been done and on completion, will serve as platforms for discovering and developing sporting talent across the state. Space will constrain me to mention several other developmental efforts for which Obaseki is now fondly called the Wake and See Governor by his people.

––Osagie is the Special Adviser to Governor Obaseki on Media and Communications Strategy

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşËœ ͺ͸͚;

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

TraďŹƒc Signs and Signals

Jaguar Land Rover

African Named Global Technician of the Year Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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aguar Land Rover South Africa Technician of the Year winner, Jan Olivier, has been crowned the best Jaguar Land Rover technician in the world. Jan won the coveted award at Jaguar Land Rover’s global Technician of the Year competition, when top technicians from the company’s global markets gathered at the company’s Learning Academy in the UK to put their skills to the test.

The best of the best from retailers in 27 countries were put through a gruelling, three-day challenge to see who could demonstrate the best technical knowledge, skill and customer service.

Olivier, who is based at Land Rover North Western, in Upington, South Africa beat 45 of his fellow Jaguar Land Rover-trained technicians to be crowned Global Technician of the Year 2017. His grand prize consists of a trip for two to watch Panasonic Jaguar Racing compete in next year’s New York round of the Formula E World Championship, plus a personalised Snap-on toolbox.

Jan Olivier, Land Rover North Western, said: “The training I have had in this company really helped me in this process, I used all my skills and learning but never imagined I would win against such tough competition. Jaguar Land Rover is committed to supporting lifelong learning and the Learning Academy offers training to employees at all stages of their careers.�

Andy Goy, Global Learning and Development Director, Retailer Operations, said: “The Technicians working in our retailers worldwide are an integral part of our business, and this event celebrates their continuous hard work and amazing talent. We want to create experiences for our customers that they will love for life, and our technicians are key to delivering on this promise. It is with these kinds of events where we can truly celebrate their skills and dedication.�

The Global Technician of the Year award is open to Jaguar Land Rover technicians from across its network of 2,600 retailers in 130 countries. Jaguar Land Rover South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa, as well as the other global regions, hosts regional competitions for technicians, with winners competing at

the global competition.

The South African and sub-Saharan Technician of the Year competitions are hosted at the Jaguar Land Rover South Africa Training Academy in Irene, South Africa. This is the same facility where all technicians in South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa receive training based on Jaguar Land Rover’s global training syllabus.

Additionally, retailers are required to have technicians who have achieved the highest level of Jaguar Land Rover qualifications, ensuring customers in all of Jaguar Land Rover’s sub-Sahara Africa markets receive world-class service and expertise.

Brian Hastie, Network Operations Director, Jaguar Land Rover SouthAfrica and sub-Sahara Africa said: “We are beyond proud of Jan for his superb success in the Global Technician of the Year competition. He is proof that our facilities, training and talent are world-class.

He joins some of his colleagues, who have finished in the top three in the global competition in previous years – so our customers can be confident that their vehicles are being looked after by highly trained technicians.�

BAW Set to Stir Mini Bus Market with Pilot

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aving penetrated the taxi (mini bus) industry in South Africa and earned an enviable share of the market since 2013 when volume production commenced, BAW mini bus is set to reproduce its success streak in the Nigerian market.

Driven by its popular name in South Africa where mini buses dominate the taxi business, Sasuka (which means “we are departing� in Zulu) has seduced thousands of loyal Toyota Hiace customers in so short a time. But in Nigeria, it has assumed another very suggestive name - Pilot!

And, with a few ‘fore-runner’ units testing the market ahead of a formal rollout from a plant in Enugu, BAW Pilot is already giving an indication that the feat in SouthAfrica was no fluke. On the inter-city routes which some early units of the bus have been plying, they have been causing a stir as the competing brands see on their side mirrors a daring new entrant rearing to catch up and possibly overtake.

BAW Pilot is counting down to a formal launch following detailed adaptations (to suit the Nigerian motoring environment)

by Transit Support Services (TSS), a sister company to ABC Transport Plc, which in collaboration with BeijinAutomobile Works (BAW) of South Africa, has commenced the assembly of the 16/15-seater bus in Nigeria.

With considerable efforts made to keep costs economical without compromising on quality or reliability, and helped by the incentives of the automotive policy, BAW Pilot may well be the relief transporters have been yearning for.

This is because it is coming with the answers to two major headaches of today’s transporters in Nigeria, namely, the high price tags of imported buses and the ever rising costs of operating commercial vehicles due to the condition of the roads and, in some cases, inadequate after-sales support.

At about N15 million, the price of BAW Pilot is nearly 50 percent of the price of a Toyota Hiace currently going for N27. 5million, while an optional 200,000 kilometre free service plan will be unveiled along with the new bus by TSS. The plan covers basic service, lubrication and brake, at 10,000km intervals through appointed service partners across the country.

In line with the goal of reducing operating costs, BAW Pilot is built on reinforced suspension with a ‘five pack’ bundle spring designed to withstand the effect of bad roads. Some of the other benefits of the extensive adaptation for Africa, and Nigeria in particular, will be felt by the bus users in various areas, including the seat configuration which makes for comfort and stability – thanks to the extended body length (100mm).

As a result of the United Nations Sponsored Workshop on Road Signs and Signals, Road Traffic AdministrationandRoadSafetyLegalInstruments which held at the CBN International Training Institute, Abuja – Tuesday 28th to Wednesday 29th November, 2017, with particular reference to the 1968 Convention on Road Signs and Signals, this week’sarticlethrowsalittlebitoflightontrafficsigns.

Traffic signs and signals help indicate the rules of the road and are designed for the safe movement ofvehicles,pedestriansandcyclists.Asadriver,you are required to know them. The shapes of traffic signs enable you to identify them easily.

Clear and efficient signing is an essential part of highwayandtrafficengineeringandaroadwithpoor signing or with badly maintained signs is classed as an unsatisfactory road. With this in mind, Nigerian roads could be classed as unsatisfactory, as they are bare of road signs. Road users depend on signing forinformationandguidance,enforcementoftraffic regulations, for traffic control, and as an aid to road safety. Having properly maintained and correctly placed road signs can help deter the number of motorists and pedestrians who are killed or injured in road traffic crashes every year.

Signsmustgiveroaduserstheirmessageclearlyand atthecorrecttime.Themessagemustbeunambiguous and speedily understood; it must be given not too soonfortheinformationtohavebeenforgottenbefore itisneeded,andnottoolateforthesafeperformance of consequent manoeuvres.

Thetypesoftrafficsignsandsignalsavailableforuse areprescribedbyRegulations.Limitingthenumberof typesofsignavailableassistsintheirquickrecognition asdoestheuniformityofshape,colourandlettering for each type. Quick recognition is further aided by using different shapes and colours for different sign groups,e.g.,warningsignsaretriangularwithblack symbols, yellow backgrounds and red borders.

Therearethreebasictypesoftrafficsign:signsthatgive orders,signsthatwarnandsignsthatgiveinformation.

Each type has a different shape. Afurther guide to thefunctionofasignisitscolour.Alltriangularsigns are red. Circular signs give orders, triangular signs warn, and rectangular signs inform.

Blue circles generally give a mandatory instruction such as “turn left�, or indicate a route available only to particular classes of traffic, e.g. buses and cycles only. Red rings or circles tell you what you must not do, e.g. you must not exceed 50 kmph. Blue rectangles are used for information signs except on expressways where blue is used for direction signs.

Green rectangles are used for direction signs. There are a few exceptions to the shape and colour rules, to give certain signs greater prominence. Examples are the “STOP� and “GIVE WAY� signs.

Warning Signs Thesesignswarnofpossibledangerousconditions immediately ahead. Warning signs are displayed in a red triangle, pointing upwards with symbol or words on a yellow background. They should be placed well in advance of a hazard and allow plenty of time for drivers to take appropriate action.

Regulatory Signs These signs regulate your driving, informing you about speed limits, permitted turns, stopping and parking rules. Most regulatory signs are circular.

A red ring or red circle indicates a prohibition. A blue circle generally gives a positive (mandatory) instruction, but two notable exceptions are: The “STOP� sign means you must stop before crossing the line on the road and ensure the way is clear before entering the major road. The “GIVE WAY� sign means you must give way to traffic on the major road.

Guide and Information Signs These tell you where you are, what road you are on or how to get to certain places. There are many different types of these signs, such as service signs, locationsigns,routemarkerinformationanddistance signs, and they vary in size and colour.

Stephen K. Dieseruvwe

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

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27

AUTO FRSC Lekki Remembers Road Traffic Victims

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L-R: Mrs. Moyo Ekiran, Mr. Jittu Singh, Mr. Vineet Mathur, Mr. Sanjay Singh, Mr. Babatunde Ajayi, Mr. Vikas Pandotra, all of InďŹ nity Tyres

InďŹ nity Tyres Launches 2017 Value Drive Promo, Inaugurate Lekki Outlet Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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n the spirit of the Festive Christmas season, Nigeria’s leading tyre, battery, and premium automobile accessories brand, Infinity Tyres Limited is offering its customers nationwide, a chance to experience Infinity’s quality automobile products and win amazing gifts with the annual Infinity “Value Drive Promo�. In a bid to consistently share this experience with its customers, the 15th edition of the Value drive promo will commence on 1st December and end on 31st December, 2017.

Infinity Tyres Limited is the exclusive importer and marketer of premium tyre brands such as Pirelli, Goodyear, Infinity, Ceat and battery brands such as; Exide and Infinity in Nigeria.

Infinity Group is also very proud & excited to announce its latest developments. The group has decided to open full-fledged branch in Lekki area,

at Heyden Petrol Station at VGC roundabout. The branch will come in to operation from first week of December 2017 & will offer its valued customers the premium sales & service experience they are so accustomed to. Secondly the Group has recently diversified into business of premium quality solar and standby power solutions in exclusive association withEastmanPowerLimited,India.Theproductsare now available across the Infinity Group network in Nigeria. The group is also working on enhancing the customer delight by adding value added products and services to be launched by 1st quarter of 2018. “Infinity Value Drive Promo� guarantees customers a chance to win amazing prizes instantly on purchase of Infinity tyre or battery at the accredited InfinitytyresoutletsandInfinityExpressstores.Every customer that purchases any of the aforementioned products will be offered a scratch card, through which a prize will be revealed once card has been

scratched. Prizes include cash, tyre services such as; Wheel balancing and wheel alignment. Other excitingprizesincludePremiumqualitycompressed T-shirts&Powerbanks.Themegaprizethisyearwill be a complete set of Eastman brand of Inverter and battery worth N 180,000.All prizes are redeemable instantly at the point of purchase.

TheManagementofInfinityTyresLimited,gratefully acknowledges the patronage of its customers across Nigeria.

This group is of the firm belief that due to the unstinted support & loyalty of its customers & stakeholders, this exciting promotion has so far been most exciting, awaited, and successful one and has become a tradition for the company. The management of Infinity Tyres Limited is indebted to its customers and therefore wishes to delight its customers and encourages them to avail the benefits of “Value Drive Promotion 2017�

he Lekki unit command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has held different programmes to mark the yearly World Day Remembrance of Road Traffic Crash victims.

According to a statement by the Unit Commander, Azubike Onyemeh, series of activities were lined up starting from Monday 13 - Thursday 19 November, 2017 with the theme “2020 Target: Reduce fatalities and serious injuries by 50%’’.

He stated that the command’s activities held to mark the Day included motor park rally at Ajah Central Motor Park rally and road show along Lekki – Epe expressway, carried out by the Lekki command only.

He added that his command equally made visitation to Safeway hospital at Sangotedo, Juma’at prayer at Ansar – u - deen Central Mosque at Ayetoro, Epe, Lagos (Involving Epe, Island and Lekki Commands), as well as Church service at Redeemed Christian Church, House of Joy Parish, Mechanic Village, Epe, Lagos (Involving Epe, Island and Lekki Commands).

Onyemeh said “more so, the Corps is passionate in the actualization of her vision to eradicate road traffic crashes. In an attempt to achieve this, the Corps implemented and enforced speed limiting device on the first of February, 2017, this is because statistic has shown that over speeding is the lead cause of RTC in Nigeria. “The essence of commemorating this day is to remember our mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, and close associates who lost their lives in road traffic crashes without notice, and many are being treated for trauma. “This simply implies that there is need for every road user to be conscious of his/her safety while on the road, as well as the consequences of RTC. In other words, it is a day to intensify safety awareness on the burden of road traffic collision on individuals, families, communities amongst others.

Elizade Autoland Commends JAC Investments in Research

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AC,arenownedautomanufacturingcompany with heavy investment in China, has committed over USD100m in building a first-class international Research and Development base covering 49173 square meters, made up of an R&D Centre, a Passenger Cars, Heavy-Duty Trucks and Light-Duty Trucks Authentication Centre, and a Design Studio etc.

Elizade Autoland, which is the exclusive representative and sole distributor of JAC vehicles in Nigeria, has been marketing both Passenger and CommercialJACvehiclessuchasJ4saloon,S3Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), S2 and S5 SUVs, as well as T6 pick up, buses and light/heavy duty commercial vehicles for the past four years.

The MD/CEO of ElizadeAutoland, Mr. Demola AdeOjo,commendedtheheavyinvestmentsbyJAC

in research and development, even as he explained that such initiatives have positively impacted on the quality of JAC vehicles.

Accordingtohim“theJACvehicleshavecometo stay, they continue to gain acceptance every day as the initial fear about a new auto brand has vanished after four years of providing quality products and solid after-sales�. The R&D base can independently undertakethetasksofdesigning,trial-manufacturing, testing of complete vehicles and core components, with its independent R&D ranking first in China.

JACowns821inventionpatentsandsuccessfully implemented national automobile development projects. In addition, 44 R&D projects of JAC have been incorporated into the national and provincial keyscienceandtechnologicalprojects,and55product technologieshavereachedthenationalleadinglevel.

JAC T6

Drivng Risk Behaviour:Buying Tyres?

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t is just about three weeks into the 2017 end f year rush. In my usual practice during this season, i wish to commence my weekly focus on specific driving risk behaviour that should interest the average traveler.These behavior ranges from distracted driving,non use of seat belt,drvivng under the influence, among others. My focus for this week is no doubt on tyes because of the yearly worry by the federal road safety corps on the increasing cases of tyres burst and the need to address this. The FRSC report over the years, indicates that tyre related crashes accounted for a substantial percentage of reported road traffic crashes. Aside the concern over tyres, the report reveals that excessive speed which will form the focus of another piece accounted for 409 cases representing 54percent with dangerous driving accounting for 98cases representing 13psecent.The report was almost similar in 2014 and 2015 respectively Tyres are among the most important part of the vehicle but unfortunately the least understood.

Without the tyres, your vehicle is useless. You need the tyres to start, move and stop the vehicle.

So buying tyres is a task you need to undertake very carefully otherwise your safety and that of other could be put in great danger.before you buy any tyre, give serious consideration into the size of the tyre,the age of the tyre and the physical conditions of the tyre.

Tyre size:On the side wall of your tyres, you will see figures like 215/75/15r, 195/65/14r and so on. These are designations for your tyre sizes.

Check your own tyre to know what is written on it. The first figure from the left is the width (from side wall to side wall) of the tyre in millimeters;

SAFE DRIVING with

JONAS AGWU

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

the middle number is what is known as the aspect ratio used to calculate the height of the side wall of the tyre. The last number is the ream diameter.

When you go to buy tyres you will mention all of those figure to the tyre seller so that he will give you exactly what you want, there are various sizes of tyres in the market that can fit your type of vehicle but that does not mean that those sizes are good/ safe for your vehicle.

Every vehicle has tyre sizes specified by the vehicle manufacturer. If you check the tyre placard by the end of your driver’s door, hood or the vehicle’s manual, you will see the specification for your vehicles tyre sizes, please stick to these specification while buying replacement tyre. Don’t let the tyre seller give you something else. The manufacturer of your vehicle have taken a lot of factors into consideration before specifying your vehicle tyre sizes. If you change that, your vehicle may not handle well, may be risking a blowout and a crash. Changing to fatter tyres like some people do may look better but not safer.

In most cases, the manufacture provides alternative sizes should you not find the original sizes the

vehicle came with. The tyre placard will specify these alternative. However, there are some calculations you can make to get sizes apart from what the manufacturer specified that will give you the same result as the original specification, but you need to know how to do the calculations otherwise stick to the original specification.

Determinig the age of the tyre:Even more important that the size of the tyre is its age. Unfortunately most motorists as well as tyre sellers themselves don’t know how to check for the tyre age they depends only on visual inspection of the physical conditions.

Some will invite a vulcanizer who will do a press up (or is it press down) on the tyre to certify if it is okay what a wrong and dangerous thing to do.

Why the emphasis on the emphasis on age of a tyre? Just as age could disqualify and otherwise promising marriage mate, age will disqualify a tyre even if every other thing seems alright from a visual inspection. Do not be deceived by a tyre’s looks every tyre has an effective life span beyond which you will be entering the danger zone. As a general rule, any tyre more than 6 years old should be discarded. This rule, however, applies to quality tyres with branded known names. Less quality tyres of course, may not last that long.

So how do you determine the age of a tyre? On like humans who can hide their ages, every tyre provides information about its age but in a coded form.Look at the side walls of your tyre and check for the letters dot. Look around the dot (to the left or to the right) until you get to either a three digit or four digit number boldly imprinted on the tyre without any alphabet attached to it. Some tyres though, may not have the letters dot printed on them. Just look around the side wall you definitely

will see a 3 or 4 digit number clearly imprinted on the tyre. The 3 or 4 digit number is the code designating the date of manufacture of the tyre.

Since it is a code, you need to decode it to get the age of the tyre. So lets decode it. If it is a 3 digit number, check to see if it has a triangle sign attached to it. A 3 digit number without a triangle means the tyre was manufactured in the 80’s , the first two number from the left tells you the week in the year while the last number tells you the year in the 80’s. For example if you have the number 341 (without a triangle) it means 34 week of 1981 (34 is the first two numbers from the left indicating the week while 1 is the last number indicating the year in the 80’s) if the 3 digit number has a triangle it means the tyre was made in the 90’s. So 341 with a triangle means the tyre was made in the 34th week in 1991. If it is a 4 digit number, it means the tyre was made any year from year 2000. For example, a tyre with 2302 means the 23rd week of year 2002. The first two numbers from the left indicating the week while the last two numbers indicating the year. Four digit numbers do not have triangle signs with them.

From the date of manufacture you can now determine how old the tyre is do a simple calculation on tyres made in the 80’s or the 90’s and see how old a such tyres could be. Even if a tyre looks brand new don’t be deceived. Check the age repeat, check the age. If possible find out for how long it has been left unused because the more unused a tyre is the more unsafe the tyre becomes. Please note that you start calculating the age of tyre from the date it was manufacture and not from the date you bought it.

Check for physical conditions: After you are satisfied with the signs and age, check for cuts, wears (either at the edges or the center) bulges, swells, cracks, warp. These may be the time to do your press up (or is it press down) with the tyres.

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FAMILY HEALTH

Importance of Acidity, Alkalinity of Your Body

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Why is pH so important? pH stands for “potential hydrogen.� Generally, pH is the measurement given to determining the acidity and alkalinity of the body. pH is the most basic and fundamental driving force of all our body functions. The pH range goes from 1-14, where 1 is highly acidic and 14 is highly alkaline. A neutral pH is 7.0, so below 7 is within an acidic range and above 7 is within an alkaline range.

The ideal pH level for your blood is right around 7.35 and your body goes to enormous lengths to maintain this level. calcium (a more alkaline substance) from the bones to try to balance out the pH level.

The balance between acidity and alkalinity in your body is referred to as pH, or potential of hydrogen. Different factors can influence whether your blood has too much or too little acid, including food and the health of your organs to filter carbon dioxide from your body.

Achieving pH balance is a complex process that occurs within your body, but you can help regulate it with healthy habits.

Certain digestive enzymes of our body that break down foodstuffs are dependent on being within a specific pH range to function most optimally. Therefore, the pH of our stomach and intestines determine the rate and quality of digestion and absorption of nutrients. A person may in fact be eating healthy, however even healthy foods being digested in the wrong stomach pH level may not yield the healthy benefits from such foods. We want our saliva and urine pH levels to baseline just below neutral (7.0), in a slight acidic range to optimize digestive enzymes, limit bacterial and viral growth, and yield good health benefits.

Red blood cells carry oxygen to every cell in the body for use. When the blood pH is within a slightly favoring alkaline range, more oxygen can be bound and stored with red blood cells. However, too high alkalinity and oxygen saturation in the body is not a good situation either because the red blood cells carrying the oxygen will not sufficiently release the oxygen at a cellular level.

The pH of our body is under very tight range of within a few tenths, and if the pH of our blood, urine, and saliva move too far out of range, minor to serious illnesses can occur, up to and including death. r ,JEOFZ BOE -VOH $PNQMJDBUJPOT Metabolic or respiratory acidosis results from excess acid in the blood. In metabolic acidosis, an abnormal metabolism from the buildup of ketones in the blood, which occurs in uncontrolled diabetes, or overuse of alcohol or aspirin doesn’t allow the kidneys to function normally.

In respiratory acidosis, your lungs do not expel carbon dioxide properly, which might result from asthma or pneumonia. Symptoms might include vomiting, fatigue, breathing complications, weakness or confusion. If left untreated, acidosis can lead to kidney failure, lung collapse and constriction of blood vessels. r "MLBMPTJT Alkalosis is the opposite of acidosis when too much bicarbonate is in your blood, causing excessively low acidity. Overuse of diuretics and hyperventilation can increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream.

Symptoms of metabolic or respiratory alkalosis include irritability, muscular twitching or cramps. Treatment involves replacing fluids to achieve acid balance or slowing your breathing in the event of respiratory alkalosis.

What causes acidosis?

1. WHAT WE EAT including meat, fish, poultry, dairy, grains, refined or processed foods, fast food 8)"5 8& %3*/, JODMVEJOH DPGGFF TPGU ESJOLT alcohol, many types of water (distilled, bottled...)

8)"5 8& 5)*/, JODMVEJOH TUSFTT XPSSJFT BOYJFUZ negative thoughts 10--65*0/ "/% 509*/4 UIBU BSF QSFTFOU JO UIF world we live in

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you can still enjoy your favorite acid-forming drinks in moderation. Do not make them staples of your diet.

he fact that your body is made up of at least 73 per cent water is an indication of the role the quantity and levels of hydrogen ions in your body would play in maintaining the levels of ions available, which is directly related to the acidity and alkalinity of your body system.

The human blood is a major medium and vehicle for bathing and carrying ions into and between various parts of the body. The overall stability and functioning of your body systems are therefore of paramount importance.

The importance of pH The pH level of water measures how acidic it is (pH stands for potential hydrogen, referring to how much hydrogen is mixed with the water.) 7 is a balanced pH for water. This is important because the human body has a natural pH of 7.4.

The lower the pH, the more acidic, and the higher, the more alkaline. Neutral pH is 7.0, the pH of water, and your level is in a healthy range between 6.0 to 7.5. Blood that is slightly alkaline, or 7.35 to 7.45, and is optimal for proper body functions.

The human body is designed to maintain a very delicate pH balance in its fluids, tissues and systems. As most biochemical reactions essential to life take place in an aqueous environment, however, it is our blood plasma and interstitial fluids surrounding the cells that are most sensitive to acid-alkaline imbalance.

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Mild acidosis can lead to such problems as r 8FJHIU HBJO PCFTJUZ BOE EJBCFUFT r +PJOU JOĂĄBNNBUJPO BSUISJUJT r #MBEEFS DPOEJUJPOT LJEOFZ TUPOFT r $BSEJPWBTDVMBS EJTFBTFT r *NNVOF EFĂ DJFODZ r $BODFS DISPOJD JMMOFTT r 0TUFPQPSPTJT r )PSNPOF DPODFSOT r 1SFNBUVSF BHJOH r "DDFMFSBUJPO PG GSFF SBEJDBM EBNBHF r -PX FOFSHZ BOE DISPOJD GBUJHVF r 4MPX EJHFTUJPO BOE FMJNJOBUJPO r :FBTU BOE GVOHBM PWFSHSPXUI

Certain digestive enzymes of our body that break down foodstus are dependent on being within a speciďŹ c pH range to function most optimally. Therefore, the pH of our stomach and intestines determine the rate and quality of digestion and absorption of nutrients. A person may in fact be eating healthy, however even healthy foods being digested in the wrong stomach pH level may not yield the healthy beneďŹ ts from such foods. We want our saliva and urine pH levels to baseline just below neutral (7.0), in a slight acidic range to optimize digestive enzymes, limit bacterial and viral growth, and yield good health beneďŹ t

*/5&/4& 1):4*$"- &9&3$*4& UIBU QSPEVDFT lactic acid 6. DEHYDRATION which slows down the body’s ability to cleanse itself through the kidneys 50#"$$0 %36( 64& How do you maintain a ph balance ? r 'PPET ZPV FBU DBO IFMQ ZPV BDIJFWF BDJE BMLBMJOF balance.

Highly acidic foods include prunes, blackberries, chocoMBUF XBMOVUT CFFG BOE DIFFTF 'PPET XJUI IJHI BMLBMJOJUZ include watermelon, asparagus, spinach and olive oil. r 5P NBJOUBJO Q) CBMBODF FBU B WBSJFUZ PG GSVJUT WFHFUBCMFT and grains that are middle alkaline or acidic and choose highly acidic foods when you have high alkaline pH. r )ZESBUF XJUI XBUFS EBJMZ r MJNJU ZPVS BMDPIPM VTF BOE r GPMMPX NFEJDBUJPO JOTUSVDUJPOT PO UIF MBCFM UP QSFWFOU high acid pH. Foods 1: Eight key acid forming foods: Yellow cheese, Egg yolk, Prawns, Sardines, Brown rice -FBO CFFG 8IPMFNFBM CSFBE DPGGFF 2: Eight key Alkaline forming foods 3BJTJOT 'SFTI 4QJOBDI %SJFE 'JHT 1BSTMFZ $FMFSZ $BSSPUT ,BMF #BOBOB Many people are shocked that healthy foods that should be included in our diet are acid forming. Remember though, this is about balance. If you find out that you are eating some foods very regularly that increase acid in the body, then you need to commit to eating more alkalising foods every day.

Your body maintains a pH balance that allows your enzymes -- the proteins that carry out chemical reactions needed for cell function -- to work properly. While your body has safeguards to keep your pH within a tight range, your diet may slightly affect your pH levels. If you’re thinking about an alkaline diet, which claims to raise your pH, you can still enjoy several healthy drinks, in addition to water. r#VUUFSNJML BOE %BJSZ "MUFSOBUJWFT While most dairy is off limits on an alkaline diet, you can still enjoy buttermilk, which is slightly alkaline forming.

Some alternatives to dairy milk, like soy and almond milks, are also alkaline forming. These drinks offer other health benefits, too. Buttermilk is high in calcium -- a cup has 28 percent of the calcium and 21 percent of the vitamin D you OFFE FBDI EBZ 'PSUJà FE TPZ BOE BMNPOE NJMLT BSF BMTP high in calcium -- they offer 30 and 45 percent of the daily value per cup, respectively, plus beneficial vitamin B-12. r)FSCBM BOE (SFFO 5FBT Herbal and green teas fit into an alkaline diet as mildly alkaline foods. They’re also calorie-free options -- as long as you don’t add dairy or sugar -- which makes them ideal if you’re trying to lose weight. Green tea comes packed with catechins, natural substances in plants that might help with weight loss. Herbal teas also offer benefits, depending on the type of tea. Peppermint tea, for example, might ease indigestion in some people. r6OTXFFUFOFE 7FHFUBCMF +VJDFT 7FHFUBCMFT BSF B TUBQMF JO BO BMLBMJOF EJFU BOE ZPV DBO also drink fresh, unsweetened vegetable juices to up your WFHHJF JOUBLF -FBGZ HSFFOT MJLF DBCCBHF CBSMFZ HSBTT cilantro and kale are especially alkalizing, along with cucumbers, ginger, cayenne pepper, beets and tomatoes.

Experiment with different blends of veggies to get a juice that suits your palate. Try beets and tomatoes juiced with ginger and cayenne for a sweet and spicy blend, or celery, cucumber and cilantro for a refreshing, herbal one. Add more flavor with a squeeze of alkalizing fruit juices, like lemon and lime.

Beverages to Avoid Avoid sweetened beverages on the alkaline diet.Artificial sweeteners and sugar are all acid-forming foods, and sweetened fruit juices and sodas are also acid forming.

You’ll need to limit alcohol, too. Beer and liquor are highly acid forming, while wine is moderately acidic. Coffee and black tea count as acid forming as well. ,FFQ JO NJOE UIBU UIF BMLBMJOF EJFU BMMPXT ZPV UP FBU acid-forming foods for up to 30 percent of your diet, so

Neutralise excess acid The body’s pH level influences its health. The acid-base balance of your blood is significant for normal daily function, healing and digestion. The acidity or alkalinity level of your body is determined by a pH, potential of hydrogen, scale. The scale ranges from zero, which indicates high acidity, to 14, which indicates high alkalinity. A value of 7.0 means the pH is neutral. Optimal acid-base balance is a pH of 7.35 to 7.45, which indicates the body is slightly alkaline. A slight deviation from this range on either side can result in significant health problems. In the event of acidosis or alkalosis, neutralizing your pH is necessary.

One of the body’s pH control mechanisms is called the acid-base buffer system. Buffers are substances which are capable of stabilizing pH in an aqueous solution. Alkaline (base) buffers are released into the blood stream when the blood becomes too acidic, and conversely, acidic buffers come into play if the blood pH becomes too alkaline.

6OGPSUVOBUFMZ IPXFWFS PVS 8FTUFSO EJFU BOE GBTU QBDFE lifestyle put a heavy acidic burden on our body and the blood’s buffer system can’t always keep up. This leads to the gradual acidification of our blood and the body will then turn to other mechanisms to try and protect itself.

However, these alternate mechanisms can sometimes trigger other types of problems that can lead to weight gain, premature aging, and the onset of multiple diseases.

Alkaline neutralizes acid Drinking alkaline ionized water on a daily basis helps neutralize acid to maintain or restore the body’s optimal pH balance. When our body is in equilibrium, our multiple self-regulating control mechanisms are able to operate in ideal conditions to efficiently deliver nutrients to our cells and to dissolve and eliminate waste products through the body’s natural elimination channels.

1. Get a physical health exam and pH test. Before employing neutralizing tactics, determine if your body has a pH imbalance. Symptoms present during acidosis PS BMLBMPTJT JT TMJHIU JO NPTU DBTFT 'BUJHVF OBVTFB PS headaches can occur, but symptoms generally appear as a result of other medical conditions impacted by pH imbalance. You can test at home with a urine or saliva test strip, which is available from health food stores. However, if you experience high or low results on your pH test, medical intervention is warranted. Consult your physician regarding pH level testing and course of treatment.

2. Take a sodium bicarbonate solution. Mild and acute cases of acidosis is remedied with baking soda and waUFS "EE UFBTQPPO PG CBLJOH TPEB UP B P[ HMBTT PG distilled water. Mix the baking soda until it dissolves in the glass and then drink the solution. To neutralize acid, take the solution four to seven times a day under the supervision of your physician. Do not exceed use of the sodium bicarbonate solution for more than a one week without physician approval.

3.

Drinkwaterandelectrolyte-containingbeverages.

Excessive blood alkalinity results from the depletion of carbon dioxide or necessary minerals, such as sodium and potassium. Returning your body to neutral involves replacing the missing fluids either through drinking electrolyte containing water or sports drinks. Severe cases of alkalosis require intravenous administration of fluids from a medical professional. In the event of low carbon dioxide from respiratory problems, acid-base neutralization can be achieved by breathing into a paper bag.

4. Eat a plant-based diet. A 2008 study in the found that using a plant-based supplement increased the research participants’ alkalinity level to neutralize acidity. Eating foods rich in fruits and vegetables is an alternative means GPS OFVUSBMJ[JOH BDJE 7FHFUBCMFT TVDI BT TQJOBDI CSPDDPMJ and beans or fruits such as raisins, bananas and apples are appropriate choices for neutralizing body pH. However, beef, pork and chicken are acid- forming foods. If you are trying to increase your acid, opt for animal-based products or eat plant foods to neutralize an acidic pH. 5.

Take prescribed medications. Acid imbalance DBO SFTVMU GSPN QPPSMZ DPOUSPMMFE NFEJDBM DPOEJUJPOT 'PS instance, diabetes is treated with insulin and taking this medication as prescribed is necessary to prevent metabolic acidosis. Respiratory acidosis is another condition requiring correct use of prescribed medication, such as an inhaler.

Consult your physician regarding proper use of your medications to maintain neutral acid in your body.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 16, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

Yakubu Aiyegbeni The Yak Bows Out

02.12.2017

WENGER, MOU RELEIVE MEMORY PAGE. 29

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşËœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ

The Yak Bows Out

Ă‹Ă•Ă&#x;ĂŒĂ&#x; Ă“ĂŁĂ?Ă‘ĂŒĂ?Ă˜Ă“ Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŞĂ? ĂžĂ’Ă“ĂœĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ă?Ă?Ăž ÑÙËÖ Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?ĂœËœ åÓÞÒ ͺ͚ ÑÙËÖĂ? Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— ͽͿ ËÚÚĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÙÚ Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ăœ åÓÞÒ Î Íž ÑÙËÖĂ?Ë› Ă’Ă™Ă?Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă?ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă‹Ă–Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă?Ăœ Ă Ă?ĂœĂžĂ™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă˜Ă‘Ă–Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“Ă•Ă?Ăœ ÒÙÖÎĂ? Ă“Ă˜ Ă’Ă“Ă‘Ă’ Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă—Ë› Ă? Ă’Ă? Ă›Ă&#x;Ă“ĂžĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ă‘Ă‹Ă—Ă? ÞÒËÞ ĂŒĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’Ăž Ă’Ă“Ă— Ă?Ă™ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ëœ ÞåÙ Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ă“Ă˜ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă?Ăœ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă™ĂžĂŒĂ‹Ă–Ă– Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă‹Ă? Ă–Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă? Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă˜Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂŽĚ‹ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă‹ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă‘ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ăš Ă‘Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͚͸ Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă“Ă˜ Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ă“Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă&#x;ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă‘Ă–Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂŁ ÞÙ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂŽ ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ĂžĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ™Ă Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă– Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ëœ Kunle Adewale ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă?

Y

Aiyegbeni

akubu Aiyegbeni retired from football last Wednesday, which is his 35th birthday. He said, “I would like to officially announce my retirement from professional football today. I would like to thank God for the career I had. I would like to thank the entire Nigeria Football Federation and my national teammates for the memorable years I had playing for the Super Eagles. I would also like to thank all the clubs I played for. The managers, owners, fellow players and my dearest family and friends who immensely supported me throughout my career.�

As he says goodbye to the round leather game, his 2010 World Cup miss and his true age will continue to be subjects of discussions for a long while.

Former England international, Alan Shearer described Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s goal bound miss against South Korea at the 2010 World Cup as “the greatest miss in football history�, though the culprit does not see it as something out of this world in as much as he regretted missing the goal. “No striker love to miss a goal; it is the joy of every player to score because it does not only bring excitement to the player, it changes the atmosphere at the stadium, everybody get ecstatic, more especially when it is a goal that determines the fate of his side. Of course, I felt sad when I missed the chance against South Korea because I knew what the goal could have meant to Nigeria, but that is football and I would not kill myself for missing a goal,� Aiyegbeni told THISDAY. He said further, “Most great players in the world, including legends like Pele and Diego Maradona have missed greater chances during their football career despite having scored memorable goal and I’m no exception. After all, I’m human too. A very good example is Ghanaian striker, Asamoah Gyan, who despite almost single handedly taking the Black Stars to the quarter finals of the 2010 World Cup with his fantastic goal against United States in the second round of the competition, but when it came to the crunch in the last-eight against Uruguay, he lost a penalty that would have rewritten African history in the World Cup. He felt bad to let his country down when it mattered most but he did not kill himself and he has since been forgiven

by Ghanaians. He’s still idolised back home in his native country. So, I expected the same consideration to be extended to me

by Nigerian fans.�

Asked how he was able to get over the ordeal of missing such a great opportunity after Nigeria’s exit at the Mundial, Aiyegbeni said: “I knew how passionate Nigerians are about football and I could understand their feelings, but thank God for my family, especially my wife for standing by me and made me realise that it was not the end of the world. Though, I must confess it was not the best of time for me, but then this world is full of ups and downs. I also took consolation in the fact that great players have had their down sides too and they managed it.�

Aiyegbeni’s next game in front of Nigerian fans after the South Africa ordeal was at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos when he starred for the Eagles during the Nwankwo Kanu testimonial match and every of his moves were jeered by fans whose memory of his miss against Korea lingered. “I was not surprised at their jeering, I understand Nigerian fans very well and I knew what to expect. It’s just a matter of time before they would forgive and forget and start remembering some of the great goals I have scored for the national team.

After all, I have appealed to them and begged for forgiveness on different occasions. John Terry suffered similar fate in England, when he was booed at every stadium in England, but with time

31

DECEMBER 2, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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

Why Nigeria Needs the Bombast of Amaju Pinnick

The goal miss that will hunt Yak for a long time to come

I believe in longevity as far as the game of football is concerned and I have a lot of players I looked up to that played for longer years, so, I played as far as my bones could carry me Aiyegbeni he was forgiven,” Yakubull had said then.

On how he was able to play for so long, Aiyegbeni said: “I believe in longevity as far as the game of football is concerned and I have a lot of players I looked up to that played for longer years, so, I played as far as my bones could carry me.”

In 2008, former Everton Coach, David Moyes caused a stir when he questioned the true age of Ayegbeni and of Nigerian players in general, when he said, "He's only 25, albeit a Nigerian 25, and so if that is his age he's still got a good few years ahead of him."

The Nigeria Football Association (as the country’s football body was known then) wrote to the English FA asking for Everton manager to be sanctioned.

It is a well-known story in football circle how Osaze Odemwinge’s father, who was the doctor of Bendel Insurance while

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

Aiyegbeni was at the club, will take young Osaze to watch Aiyegbeni and teammates train at the Ogbe Stadium.

It, however, remains a mystery that while both of them were in the Super Eagles team to the 2014 edition of the Africa Cup of Nation, Aiyegbeni was the younger of the two.

Starting his professional career on the local scene with Julius Berger FC of Lagos in 1997, the Yak moved to Maccabi Haifa in 1998 and it was here his reputation for scoring goals came to the fore as he registered 24 league goals in 49 appearances for the Israeli outfit.

Aiyegbeni made a bigger name for himself during the 2002/2003 Uefa Champions League season where he banged in a hat-trick in a 3-0 triumph over Olympiakos, and also scored from the spot in another 3-0 victory over heavyweights Manchester United.

Portsmouth took him on loan in January 2003 and he was an instant hit, scoring seven goals in 13 games as Pompey gained promotion to the Premier League.

His move was made permanent that summer and the Nigerian would go on to become a household name in the English top flight. Over the course of spells with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn Rovers, Aiyegbeni scored 96 Premier League goals, the second highest African after Didier Drogba's 104 strikes.

He scored a total of 119 goals in English football, playing for seven different clubs.

Aside from his successful stint in England, Yakubu plied his trade in the Chinese Super League with Guangzhou R&F FC between 2012 and 2013, scoring 24 goals in 43 appearances. Some of his less successful spells came with Qatari club Al-Rayyan and Turkish Super Lig side Kayserispor, but at this stage, his prolific career was coming to an end.

Let me start by admitting that I have not always been a huge fan of the Nigerian Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick. However the events of 2017 have led me to admire a great quality in the man that I believe Nigerian leaders, not only in the sports sector, should emulate. Much of my problem with him had to do with what I perceived, in the early days of his administration, to be his adulation of the English Premier League.When he publicly declared that he was an Arsenal fan, I felt it bordered on the sacrilegious that the number one man in Nigerian football would become a noncommissioned brand agent for a foreign club and league when he should be totally focused on making a success of the struggling domestic game. Back then, over two years ago, I remember expressing my outrage on this column and advising that given his influential and sensitive position, Pinnick should publicly retract his Arsenal love.

I

have also not been enthusiastic about his apparent desire to scout almost every Nigerian citizen with dual nationality that has ever kicked a ball in Europe to play for the national team. Instead I believe we will never achieve a balanced national team or make the most economic gains from football commerce, until we turn our local league into a talent minting industry. In more recent times, watching Pinnick strut his stuff on the international stage, and seeing him exploit the strengths of the green-white-green with swaggering braggadocio, I have felt that few Nigerian leaders, if at all, have really understood how powerful the Nigerian brand can be and how to exploit it to their advantage on the world stage like Pinnick does.

Ideally everyone who wants to do business in Africa should first talk to us given our population size, economic potential and the industry of our people. Often you get the feeling that many of us forget how powerful being Nigerian can make you. Not Pinnick, he is bold and dramatic.

This showed when he helped unseat the legendary Issa Hayatou as president of CAF and install a man from Madagascar in his place. That was no mean feat, especially when you consider that others in his position would have withdrawn into the shadows and grumbled about the impregnability of the Franco-phone conspiracy.

He has also dribbled his way into the good books of the FIFA hierarchy, ensuring that in the high-wire politics of global football Nigeria now enjoys more voice and consideration in Cairo and Zurich.

Every head of a sports federation in Nigeria would do well to take a trip to the Glass House to see Pinnick and get a tip or two on how to flex their Nigerian muscles.

It would serve them well.

Michael Emenalo is a Nigerian legend, please respect that Someday I will understand how the Nigerian mind works, not today. Can someone please help me understand how Nigerian fans would say “good riddance” to Michael Emenalo after he resigned his position as the technical director of “their” football club Chelsea FC of London? Even sports writers, who you imagine should know better joined in the silliness for social conversation. Were Emenalo white, South American or Asian, such could never have happened as he would have been upheld as a Nigerian legend. But as they say, Africans have no heroes.

I doubt any Nigerian, alive or dead, has managed anything like the profile Emenalo has built for himself in world football. Although it is not in our nature to hero worship anyone that is not a privatejet flying pastor, Emenalo is no ordinary Nigerian. Well educated, he played at the 1994 World Cup as part a team considered the best Super Eagles of all time. He also played for the biggest club in Nigeria, Rangers International, before heading

Amaju-Pinnick

overseas. While in Israel he worked under former Chelsea coach Avram Grant and impressed him so much that the Israeli tactician recommended him to Chelsea’s Russian billionaire boss Roman Abramovich in 2007.

He rose to become the technical director just four years later, a position, truth be told, the English press and fans did not enjoy being handed to a Nigerian.

At his level he needed to be world-class at his job, and he did enough to win the respect of Abramovich. He could not have earned his promotions because anyone liked his face, and he would have had to work doubly hard as a black man and one from Africa at that. The records showed that he went on to sign some of the best talents the club has known and in his time the club won every trophy on offer, including three league titles and the FA Cup, as well as the UEFA Europa Cup and Champions League titles. He also made the club’s academy one of the most competitive in Europe, winning the UEFA Youth League in 2015 and 2016.

Proof of his quality is that French champions Monaco have now snapped him up as their new technical director in a move they said showed their ambition. I bet those guys know a thing or two more about world class football than the Nigerian fans who said “their” club was better off without him. In the words of Monaco vice president Vadim Vasilyev: “I invested a lot in him coming.

His know-how in detection and recruitment, as well as the technical experience acquired in one of the most successful clubs in recent years, are the reasons that led us to present this ambitious challenge. This appointment is another sign of our ambition and our desire to be as competitive as possible.'

Those guguru and epa sports analysts and fans should go tell Monaco they don’t know what they are doing.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşËœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ

Arsenal, United Heighten City’s Catch-up Dream at the Emirate Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂœĂžĂ‹Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ă˜ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÙÚÞÓ×ÓĂ?ÞÓĂ? ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÓÞÖĂ? Ă“Ă? Ă?ÞÓÖÖ Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă˜Ă”Ă™ĂŁĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ&#x;Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ă?Ë› ÙÎËã˪Ă? Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ĂŒĂ? Ă‹ Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă?Ă•Ă?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ Ă‹Ă˜ ËÞÞĂ?×ÚÞ ÞÙ Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă’ Ă&#x;Ăš åÓÞÒ Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ ÓÞã

T

wo of the Premier League's top four face off at the Emirates Stadium this evening, as Arsenal play host to rivals Manchester United. The Red Devils sit four points better off than their opponents after 14 matches, but both sides are essentially playing catch up on leaders Manchester City, who are well clear of the chasing pack.

Heading into the final international break of the year on the back of a 3-1 loss to Man City, even the most ardent of Arsenal supporters conceded that their side's title hopes were effectively over before a third of the season had been played.

In typical Gunners fashion, though, they have put together a run of victories when it mattered most to usurp North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur into fourth place, while just about retaining some outside hope of ending their top-flight trophy drought.

For that to happen they require the Citizens to hit a serious slump in form, with the pacesetters on course to set a new Premier League record for points won and goals scored at their current rate, though Arsene Wenger will simply be focused on the task at hand.

Three points against one of the two sides between themselves and City - champions Chelsea being the other - is the next target, using their impressive form at the Emirates Stadium to their advantage as they seek a rare win over a fellow top-six club.

The midweek thrashing of Huddersfield Town, when scoring three goals in four second-half minutes to come out on top 5-0, was Arsenal's 12th-successive victory on home soil, meaning that one more will equal their club record set at Highbury 12 years ago.

Two or more goals have been scored in their last 10 matches at the Emirates, and they have also kept an equally impressive five clean sheets in the last six - Swansea City midfielder Sam Clucas the only player to find a way through since Leicester City on the opening day.

Arsenal are adapting well to life in the Europa League, with their second-string side progressing through to the last 32 of the competition as group winners, despite losing 1-0 to Bundesliga basement boys FC Koln last week.

That was one of just three defeats in their last 18 games, though it is the other two defeats in that run - away to Watford and Man City that has already left them potentially battling it out for second. For top spot to remain a realistic ambition, three points are surely a must this weekend.

Speaking in the build-up today's showdown, Wenger claimed that he does not expect opposite number Jose Mourinho to adopt an overly-defensive approach at the Emirates Stadium or 'park the bus', to use a well-trodden phrase.

Mourinho has seen his tactics called into question away to top-six clubs since arriving at United last year, having failed to win any of their six matches in that mini-league against sides directly around them.

Furthermore, the Red Devils have netted just once against the elite sides on their travels - a Wayne Rooney consolation at White Hart Lane six months ago and were heavily criticised when coming away from Liverpool with a point last month.

Whether or not the abuse was warranted is up for debate, but there is no denying that United must start taking the initiative in these big fixtures if they are to have any hope of catching City - their next opponents, ironically - at the top of the division.

The good news for Mourinho's men is that they face the only top-six member club with a worse record than them, as Arsenal have collected 13 points from 14

games in these fixtures since the start of last season; United 14 from one game less.

In most other campaigns the Red Devils' tally of 32 points at this stage would also be considered impressive enough, but the form of City has changed all that and they cannot afford to drop further points heading into next weekend's meeting with their noisy neighbours.

United also boast their best goal difference after 14 games since 2000-01, scoring 32 and conceding just eight to give them the best defensive record in the top flight and second best attack stats after, you've guessed it, Man City.

Mourinho admitted in midweek that he was not happy with the complacency shown by his players when sitting comfortably against Watford, only to temporarily give their opponents a route back into the game, while the 1-0 loss in Basel last week also skewed the form guide somewhat.

Twelve games without defeat in all competitions is now three defeats in nine, but the visitors do still remain in a healthy position at home and in Europe heading into this defining period of the campaign.

Club-record signing Alexandre Lacazette has slowly been finding his feet in North London, netting his fifth goal on home soil against Huddersfield last time out, but a groin injury will see him spend some time on the sidelines.

That has opened up a spot for Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck through the middle, while Alexis Sanchez is another option should Wenger opt to go down the same route adopted for large parts of last season.

Alex Iwobi is another fitness doubt after missing the win over the Terriers with a dead leg, and at the back Laurent Koscielny is touchand-go as he does not tend to play three matches in the space of a week.

In terms of the visitors, the big question concerns key midfielder Nemanja Matic, who limped off early in the second half against Watford and is unlikely to play any part in this one.

Ander Herrera, on the bench for the Red Devils' last three games, could therefore come back into the fold if Marouane Fellaini is also absent.

Elsewhere, Phil Jones and Eric Bailly could yet hand Mourinho a boost by returning to full health ahead of schedule, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku may be used in tandem from the off.

Meanwhile, Manchester City, on a club record 12-match winning run in the league, have far fewer worries as they prepare for what looks

like an easy home game against a struggling West Ham United on Sunday.

The Hammers were thrashed 4-0 by Everton on Wednesday.

Everton, now up to 13th, will be under new management for their home game against Huddersfield with former England boss Sam Allardyce moving in just as Wayne Rooney rediscovers his goalscoring form.

West Bromwich Albion will also have a new face calling the shots against visitors Crystal Palace on Saturday, with Alan Pardew facing the south London club who sacked him last December.

"Confidence is obviously a little bit low at

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1-0

Man Utd

10/13/12

Man Utd

1-0

Arsenal

10/31/01

Arsenal

1-3

Man Utd

Hot Shot Mohamed Salah Harry Kane Sergio Aguero Raheem Sterling Romelu Lukaku Alvaro Morata Gabriel Jesus Jamie Verdy Alex Lacazette Wayne Rooney

Liverpool Tottenham Man City Man City Man Utd Chelsea Man City Leicester Arsenal Everton

12 10 9 9 8 8 8 7 7 7

the moment. We need a win and hopefully we will get that as quick as we can," he said when appointed on Wednesday.

Fifth placed Liverpool, rampant against Stoke City with a 3-0 win on Wednesday, are at Brighton and Hove Albion while champions Chelsea, in third, host Newcastle United in today's early match.

Tottenham Hotspur are at Watford and Burnley, up to the giddy heights of sixth, are at Leicester City.

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TODAY Chelsea Brighton Everton Leicester Stoke City Watford West Brom Arsenal

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Newcastle Liverpool HuddersďŹ eld Burnley Swansea City Tottenham Crystal Palace Man Utd

12:30 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00

SUNDAY Bournemouth Man City

v v

Southampton West Ham

13:30 16:00

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

14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14

35 24 14 12 10 3 10 -1 -1 -1 -3 -6 -11 -15 -4 -13 -9 -18 -9 -17

40 32 29 28 26 25 24 21 17 17 16 15 15 15 14 13 12 10 9 9

ÍşËœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

33

GLOBAL SOCCER 2 0 1 8 Wo r l d C u p D ra w s ‌ 2 0 1 8 Wo r l d C u p D ra w s ‌ 2 0 1 8 Wo r l d C u p D ra w s ‌

Portugal Clash Worries Spain Boss

S

pain coach, Julen Lopetegui believes an enticing clash with European champions Portugal, led

by World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo, to start their World Cup campaign leaves the 2010 champions with little room for error in Russia.

The Iberian neighbours will be favourites to progress from Group B after also being paired with Morocco and Iran in Friday's draw in Moscow, but they face each other first up in Sochi on June 15.

Real Madrid's Ronaldo is just one of a number of Portugal's top players who ply their trade in Spain, but Lopetegui was

keener to point to the overall qualities Portugal showed in claiming their first major trophy at Euro 2016 just 18 months ago.

"Straight away it isn't the time to talk about individuals," Lopetegui told Spanish TV station Cuatro.

"Portugal have won an important title and, moreover, very recently.

They are the champions of Europe, they have fantastic players and we are talking about the highest level."

Indeed, Portugal survived without an injured Ronaldo for the vast majority of the Euro 2016 final to shock hosts France thanks to an extra-time goal from Eder.

However, Portugal have failed to beat Spain in seven previous meetings

at major tournaments, including as the Spanish went on to lift their only World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

"What matters to us is to play a great game when the time comes and to be capable of beating them," added Lopetegui. "The rest is history."

Lopetegui was at least happy with Spain's draw in terms of logistics with their expected base in Krasnodar just a half an hour flight away from Sochi before facing Iran in Kazan and Morocco in Kaliningrad.

"Until it is official I can't say anything, but it is more than probable the base will be (Krasnodar)," he added.

"Knowing the distances there could be in Russia, it is quite balanced."

Iran's Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz, who also had a brief spell in charge at Real Madrid, was more enthusiastic as he claimed he couldn't have wished for a better draw. "Personally I am very happy because it is a group with two teams from two very special places for me," said Queiroz.

"It will be a very tough competition for us, it would have been no matter what group we were in, but when you are with Spain, a World Cup winner, and Portugal, European champions, it couldn't be better for me."

Martinez Looking Forward to EnglandTie

B

elgium head coach, Roberto Martinez said his side had been given a "challenging" draw for the World Cup on Friday, but that his squad full of Premier League stars would relish playing England.

The 44-year-old Spaniard, who built his coaching career as manager of Swansea City, Wigan Athletic and Everton in Britain, will be hoping to help Belgium improve on their quarterfinal showing from 2014.

Martinez's team will play their final Group G game against England in Kaliningrad on June 28.

"I lived for 21 years in England so it is very special," Martinez told the BBC.

"It's the World Cup, we have a challenging draw, lots of travelling. We are looking forward to it."

The majority of Belgium's 'golden generation' ply their trade in England's top flight, with the team led by Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, Chelsea's Eden Hazard and Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku.

"We have a really good group of players, 25 players are now in the British game so are very well known," Martinez added.

"They have important roles in important teams and they enjoy playing for their country."

Belgium, who also reached the Euro 2016 last eight, will open their campaign against World Cup debutants Panama in Sochi on June 18, before taking on Tunisia in Moscow on June 23.

Maradona at the World Cup Draws in Russia yesterday

34

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˺˺

Ikeja Golf Club Board of Trustee members, Gen. Olayinka Sule (rtd) (L), Clement Olowokande member, Board of Trustee (2nd left), Champion, Muyideen Olaitan (middle), Moses Ajaja and Dr. Awa Ibraheem in Photoshot with Club Champion

L-R: Jennifer Ukoh, Public Relations Manager, GOtv; Jenkins Alumona, CEO, Flykite Productions; Chidozie Bede-Nwokoye, Marketing Manager, GOtv and Remi Aboderin, Secretary General NBBofC during the Press Conference of GOtv Boxing Night 13th held at The Regent Hotel, 25 Joel Ogunnike Street, Ikeja GRA

Dortmund, Leverkusen Go Head-to-Head on StarTimes

In its usual manner of treating consumers to an awesome football experience, StarTimes subscribers will this weekend continue to enjoy live matches from the Bundesliga season as Bayer 04 Leverkusen slugs it out with Borussia Dortmund at the BayArena by 2:30pm on StarTimes (Channel 254 and 245).

Bayer Leverkusen, currently occupying sixth position on the Bundesliga table with 20 points, will battle it out with fifth placed Dortmund with 21 points to progress on the league table.

Borussia Dortmund's miserable season hit a new low as they threw away a 4-0 half-time lead to draw 4-4 at home to derby rivals Schalke in their last match.

Dortmund, with just one point from their last five Bundesliga games and out of the Champions League, blew away their in-form visitors with four goals in the opening 25 minutes, including three in eight minutes.

Hannover will also host Bayern Munich at the HDI-Arena on the same day. Hannover is currently 10th on the league table with 19 points heading into the clash with the league leaders Bayern Munich with 29 points. Bayern Munich star James Rodriguez is "feeling better" after suffering a suspected concussion following a collision with Tony Jantschke in his side's 2-1 defeat at Borussia Monchengladbach.

The 26-year-old took a knock to his

head after colliding with Jantscke’s shoulder and was withdrawn at half-time as a precaution, with youngster Marco Friedl making his Bundesliga debut as his replacement.

Brands and Marketing Director at StarTimes, Qasim Elegbede, said StarTimes was steadily fulfilling its commitment to deliver a fine mix of sporting cocktail live to its customers and football lovers. “We have shown and we will continue to demonstrate that our focus is on satisfying our subscribers by bringing to their living rooms live matches from the biggest players and clubs in top European leagues. This upcoming cracker is another opportunity to excite our subscribers,� he said.

GOtv Boxing Night 13

Joe Boy Promises Egyptian Opponent Hell Nigeria’s Oto “Joe Boy� Joseph, who is billed to fight Egyptian Abdulrahim Ahmed for the vacant African Boxing Union (ABU) lightweight title, has vowed to demolish his opponent when they clash at GOtv Boxing Night 13 on 26 December at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event will feature musical performances by Small Doctor, Falz The Bahd Guy, Reekado Banks and Simi.

Using a biblical allusion, Joe Boy said Joseph triumphed in Egypt despite the odds against him. While noting that the fight was not in Egypt, Joe Boy said the triumph of the biblical Joseph was a pointer to the fact that he would have victory

over the Egyptian. “I know he is his country’s champion and also holds the Mediterranean title, but I will beat him to pulp. In the Bible, Joseph became big in Egypt. In Lagos, I will become big by winning the ABU title.

I will do Nigeria proud. The Egyptian you will see that day, you will see no more after,� he said doctrinally.

On the same night, Nigeria’s Olaide “Fijaborn� Fijabi will aim for the ABU light welterweight title when he takes on Michael Odhiambo of Kenya. Another international title bout will see Nigeria’s Abolaji “Afonja Warrior� Rasheed defend his West African Boxing Union (WABU)

title against Arye Ayitteh of Ghana.

Also lined up are national lightweight and light welterweight title fights. The latter will see Rilwan “Baby Face� Babatunde take on Chijioke “Painless� Ngige, while the former will feature Rilwan “Real One�

Oladosu against Kehinde “Ijoba’ Badmus.

There will also be challenge bouts between Rilwan “Scorpion� Oyekola and Jimoh “Hogan Jimoh Jr� in the lightweight division as well as between Matthew “Wizeman� Obinna and Cosmos “Awosika�

David in the super middleweight class.

Tickets are available online at ariiyatickets. com, SLOT and Ebeano Supermarket outlets as well as the National Stadium.

Safin Questions Younger Generation after Nadal, Federer Dominance Marat Safin believes the new wave of men's tennis talent must go on to challenge the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal Marat Safin has questioned the younger tennis generation after Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s renaissance in form in 2017. The four Grand Slam titles were shared equally by the illustrious duo and they won a combined 13 titles during the season.

Safin, a former world No 1, described

Nadal and Federer as "superstars" and admitted he was "impressed" with their achievements on their return from injury but wants to see more from the new guard.

When asked what he made of Nadal and Federer's campaigns, Safin said: "What impressed me was when you consider the rest of the players. They are still winning and crushing everybody.

"I think, well, they -Nadal and Federer are superstars. What is wrong with the

juniors? They need to start to make the next step."

Alexander Zverev enjoyed a breakthrough season, winning five titles in 2017, to finish the year as the world No 4 as a 20-year-old and Safin has backed the German to continue his progression at the top echelons of the sport.

"For me, Zverev, I think," Safin said: "Plus he has a good coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero. He was a good player and has done good work with him.

Taekwondo Classics'll Groom Athletes of Int'l Standard, Says Tinubu A a 300 level student of Chemistry Education, University of Lagos, Shola Olowookere has emerged the overall winner of the just concluded Lagos International Taekwondo Classics.

Olowookere, who is a Lagos State taekwondo athlete defeated his counterpart from Ghana at the finals of the competition at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, said that the conduct of the competition was of international

standard and an exposure to the abilities of athletes from other climes. The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Sports, Mr, Deji Tinubu who spoke during the final events of the competition said that the state government would continue to use the opportunity of the Lagos International Teakwondo Classics to expose indigent athletes to the standards of the sporting activity at the global scene.

He said that the competition provided a platform for both experienced and up-coming taekwondo athletes in Nigeria to compete against their peers in other countries.Tinubu advised the athletes to continue to show interest in similar competitions, stressing that they could leverage on the various opportunities made available by the state government to launch themselves to the international scene by showcasing their various talents.

Dr Olabodunrin Waheed Oki (middle) presents prizes to Albert Emmanuel of Lagos Model College, the winner of senior category of Ola-Oki Lagos Scrabble Competition held in Badagry recently

Olaitan Wins Ikeja Golf Club Championship Muyideen Olaitan shone like the stars once again on Sunday winning his Eighth Ikeja Golf Club Championship title after a two-day battle with over 100-others who took part in the competition.

Playing one-shot off the pace going to the final and lying behind Jimoh Ogundare on count back, Olaitan grossed a score 80, beating Chris Obije and Ogundare to the second and third position respectively, leaving first round leader, Gbenga Ayodele in the fourth position.

While Olaitan grossed a two-day score of 160, the duo of Ogundare and Obije tied on 161, while Ayodele was further back at 164-gross.

One of the highlights of the event was Gen. Olayinka Sule (rtd), a former Captain and Trustee of the Club who at 81, played well enough to make the cut and played in the final round. He won in the Super Veteran category.

Other winners in the week long competition include Ayo Akande, Bode Shittu, runner-up, while former Captain Kunle Ogunleye came third.

Zed Jituboh, Clement Onyeyiri, Austin Aigbotsua, Esimaje Yomi-Egbe, Rasaq Murtala, Seyi Siwoku, Clement Olowokande, Jolomi Ideh, Awa Ibraheem, Femi Faseru, Femi Ajala, Frank Igbene are some other golfers who were honoured the tournament.

Expressing his appreciation at the end of the competition, the Club Captain Niyi Latinwo thank the sponsors and participants for their support urged his members “I am immensely grateful for the turnout of golfers for this event.

I will like to also say a special thank you to our sponsors�, he said.

While thanking every member of the Club for making the event a success, the Club’s Competition Secretary Jolomi Ideh said he will continue to do all he can to make the tournament attractive to sponsors.

Lagos Model College Shines at OlaOki Lagos Scrabble Tourney Athletes of Lagos Model College were the cynosure of all eyes as they took home most prizes in the final day of third edition of Dr. Ola-Oki Scrabble Championship in Badagry on Wednesday. The competition was held at Ola Oki Medical Centre, lbereko Badagry.

At the end of three days brainstorming activities from no fewer than 300 students of schools within Education District 5, Lagos State Model College was adjudged the best school of the tournament. In the top five rating determined by the technical officers of Lagos State Scrabble Association, the Model College students came second, fourth and fifth in the senior category, while the students of the college came first and second in the junior events.

Alabi Emmanuel of Lagos State Model College won the junior category after posting 12+1490 points, Azeez Akorede also of Model College got 10+1007 points to came second, while Anjolaoluwa Femi of Francis Xavier School came third with 9+861 points.

In the senior category, Albert Emmanuel of Ajara Grammar School with 12+1816 points came first, followed by Gazal Aishat of Lagos Model College with 10+686 points, while 9.5+1307 points gave Gnahon Michael of Ajara Senior Secondary School the third position.

Alabi Emmanuel and Albert Emmanuel were the Most Valuable Players (MVP) in the junior and senior categories respectively.

Initiator and sponsor of the competition, Dr. Olabodunrin Waheed Oki praised the spirit of sportsmanship of the participants, adding that the partnership of the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Sports Commission had really changed the fortune of the competition.

"I want to thank Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode for the state’s financial and logistics support. We are so much grateful because these have added values and glamour to the event. I'm glad that outstanding athletes discovered in this competition will be joining the state camp for future national and international events to further expose and groom them. I believe that in the future we will have world champions coming out from Ola-Oki Scrabble Tourney, " he said.

Winners in both junior and senior categories were given laptops, trophies, t-shirts and exercise books. Second positions got Techno DroiPad 70 with trophies, t-shirts and exercise books. Third placed winners got Scrabble Dictionaries, t-shirts and exercise books. Fourth to tenth positions received school bags with exercise books. All participants were given certificates of participation.

35

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ËŞ

Lessons from Writing a Book on Pastor Adeboye

BISI DANIELS bisi.daniels@thisdaylive.com Blog: www.bisidaniels.com, 08050220700

From this week, we share some of the lessons I learned writing, “Stories of Pastor E.A. Adeboye� a book on Pastor Adeboye, the global leader of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). We begin with some of the shocking realities of life we tend to ignore or live in perpetual fear of - forgetting as they say, “God pass man.� They are testimonies in his own words A Wife’s Fury

been feeling unusual snake-like movements in her stomach. Then she prayed and fasted, after which she had a dream in which she saw a snake had come out from her private part.

After a while, the snake returned, this time with a blood-soaked mouth, and it entered into her again.

After revealing this to members of the congregation, I prevailed on the woman in question to step out and receive her freedom permanently in Jesus name. She did.

T

here was this rich man who had vehicles of all kinds. One day he had a quarrel with his wife and the woman said to him, “I will see to it that you walk Lagos streets without a car.�

The man laughed over that, saying, “How can I possibly walk? I have fifty-four vehicles. How will I ever need to walk when I have so many vehicles?�

He didn’t know the kind of woman he was married to. Not long after that, he started having endless problems. Many of the contracts he had executed and that had been paid for developed problems and he was asked to refund the monies.

New jobs were no longer coming in either.

Before he knew what was happening, the cars were going. By the time he came to church to see us he had only one car left and fifty kobo in his pocket.

After narrating his story, he asked himself, “What do I do with this fifty kobo? If I eat with this fifty kobo, there will be no money to buy petrol and I will have to walk as my wife said. If I use the money to buy petrol what will I eat?�

We gave him an opportunity to surrender his life to Jesus. In that kind of situation, we did not have to preach for long. He was ready for anything. He surrendered his life to Jesus and the Almighty God took control.

A year later when he was sharing this testimony, we had dedicated two houses for him on the same day in Lagos.

The Exterminator Two men once had a bitter quarrel. While they were fighting, one said to the other, “By the time I finish with you, there will be no sign that you ever came into this world.�

His opponent thought it was an empty threat, but about two weeks or so later, he died. So his children, including the eldest who had just returned from Germany, came to bury him.

After the funeral, they all returned to their respective places of work. But the sibling from Germany had an accident on the way home and died.

When the news reached their mother, she collapsed and died too. It was too much for her to bear: having just lost her husband, she now had also lost the most prominent of her children.

The other children came and buried their mother and on their way back another accident occurred, in which the eldest daughter died.

To cut a long story short, the rest of the family died one after another until it remained only one, the last boy. The attacker, who had vowed to wipe off the memory of his adversary from the surface of the earth, saw this boy and vowed, “Before I kill this final one, I will torment him a little.�

When the boy returned to the university, he ran mad. He gathered all his books and clothes and set them on fire. He was thereafter taken to a psychiatric hospital and loaded with drugs. He was later certified as having recovered and was discharged.

When he got back home, he decided to get some money from his father’s estate so he could start all over again. The attacker saw him and said, “Oh, this one is still okay.

We shall see.�

By the time the boy returned to campus,

Stuck in Bed in Benin City

Pastor Adeboye the wicked man, once again, went to conjure up his evil plot of destruction against him, this time, increasing its potency. The boy went mad again.

This went on repeatedly until somebody discovered that it was fierce spiritual warfare the boy was going through, which only God could handle. By the time this poor lad was brought to the Redemption Camp, he had not slept for fourteen days. His eyes were fiery red. We prayed, and God took control; he became completely normal again. He finally graduated as a medical doctor.

One day, he came to my office crying and I cried with him. He said that but for Jesus, he would have been eating from the dustbin.

Dress Set Ablaze by the Holy Spirit During one of our meetings, I saw, from the altar, a woman running with some people following her. After the service they brought her to me and I asked, “What is happening?�

She said, “As you were preaching, my clothes caught fire, then I knew I had reached the place where I would be set free.� “What do you mean?� I asked her.

She said, “Let me tell you my story.�

She was trying to protect her children from dying, so she went to a certain “prophet� for help. While she was waiting to be attended to the prophet’s wife asked her what she wanted the man of God for.

The woman told the prophet’s wife that she wanted to prevent her children from dying.

The prophet’s wife said, “That is no problem, just take this kolanut and eat, none of your children will die again.�

Innocently, she took the kolanut and ate it not knowing that through it she had been initiated into witchcraft.

Within seven days, she began to fly at

night, attending meetings where they shared human bodies and so on to eat. Soon, they came to her to say it was her turn to provide meat for the feast. So she killed her husband.

Of course, she was very sad because that was not what she bargained for.

From that moment, she started going from one Babalawo to the other, but she was only adding petrol to the fire. The killings went round again and came to her turn once more. This time, because her husband had been killed, she had to sacrifice one of the very children she was trying to protect. I think it was almost time for her to donate the second child when she came to the church. That was when the fire of God came down mightily and her dress caught fire.

We prayed a simple prayer and she went home. In some villages, they still use what is called pit latrines. It is a kind of toilet where when you want to relieve yourself, you do it on some old newspaper, spread on the floor, and transfer it into the pit. This was what she did that night, but to her amazement, she excreted a dead snake. And from that day, she became free.

Laced Meals Some years ago at one of our Holy Ghost Services, the Lord spoke to me clearly. He said there was a woman in the crowd who used the water from washing her private part to cook for her husband. The Lord warned that if she didn’t come out, she would be inflicted with cancer in her private part. But she refused to heed to the call.

Much later, I got a message from her referring to what happened years ago and begging me to pray for her. She had started to experience the repercussion of her action.

God revealed a similar situation to me not too long ago about a certain woman who had

Sometime ago in Benin City something strange happened. I was invited by the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International to minister to them, and after I finished one evening, their leaders came to me and said there was a case I must help them deal with.

They said there was a man I must pray for urgently and I told them to bring him, but they said that was not possible; meaning I had to go and meet him.

According to them, the man left home in the morning after all his children had gone to school. He had locked his doors and windows and left. When the children returned from school earlier than their father, they used the spare key. Later, the youngest daughter decided to go to their father’s room to take something. She got to the room and found an old woman sitting on her father’s bed so she ran out shouting, “There is an old woman in my father’s room, old woman in my father’s room!

All the children ran out. When their father returned and saw the children outside, he was told what had happened, so he went to his room but saw nobody. He dismissed the claim, wondering how someone could have entered the house when all the doors and windows were shut.

That night he slept on that bed and that was the last time he was able to get out of bed; he just got stuck on the bed. We went to him and I told him I know somebody who could deliver him from the forces of darkness; somebody who could release him from captivity. We didn’t have to preach long. He gave his life to Jesus Christ. And for first time in a long while, he could walk. He escorted me to the car. We don’t know how many evil forces visit us every night.

Mother Who Was killing Her Children I once visited a family without realising that the woman of the house was a high-ranking witch. She and her husband had reached an agreement in the spirit realm that, out of every two children born to them, one must die.

As at the time of my visit, they had a little daughter who had been marked to die on that very day. Of course, I didn’t know this as I only visited to greet the family.

As I was about to leave, the child, who was strapped on her mother’s back, stretched out to me with great longing, perhaps in premonition of her impending doom. I had no option than to hold her. We were to learn later that this child never, ever allowed anyone else, to carry her.

So I carried her and prayed for her, oblivious of the prevailing circumstances. “Father bless this child, keep sickness away from her, and keep death away from her.�

And the yoke was broken! Shortly after that incident, the mother began to confess. “I killed three of my children, but the day I was to kill this one, this troublesome pastor came by and took the child from me.�

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FAIRGROUND

ELOYAwards2017Winners

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

I

t was all glitz at the Exquisite Women of the Year (ELOY) Awards 2017 which took place at Intercontinental hotel, Lagos on Sunday, November 26, 2017. The ELOY Awards holds every year to celebrate women who have been exceptional in all their endeavours and in various fields during the course of the year. This year’s being the 9th edition was no different as the ELOY Awards hosted and celebrated Nigerian women from all walks of life. The event started with the Red carpet at 5pm, with the entry point beautifully occupied by some of their sponsors to showcase their craft.

There was a beauty lounge by Dabota Cosmetics with lots of freebies and free makeovers; Instant Pick Up had a stand where they informed guests about their services, and gave five hampers to lucky guests during the course of the event; Mamador Oil had a stand where they treated guests to delicious chicken drum sticks and snails fried on the spot with Mamador Oil; Martini and Coca-Cola also had their mini bars where they served guests.

Top designer, Ayo Van Elmar also showcased her pieces all over the entry way with beautifully adorned mannequins.

The event proper started with an opening prayer, then an opening speech from the brain behind ELOY Awards, Mrs. Tewa Onasanya after which she unveiled the new ELOY Awards Logo. There were performances by Ruby Gyang and Aramide between the awards, while Sunkanmi closed the show with an amazing performance.

ELOY Awards Winners 2017 are: 1. Fashion Designer of The Year, Bisola Adeniyi – Lady Bida 2. On Air Personality, Moet Abebe – Sound City Fm; Adeyinka – R2 Fm Ibadan 3. Blogger of The Year, Oma Ehiri – Sotectonic.Com 4. Events Company Sponsored By Subzero-Trends; Dunamis Events – Funbi Akinyosoye 5. Make Up Artist, Misz Poshmua – Linda Onyinye Chukwuka 6. Tv Presenter (Terrestrial And Online Tv), Idia Aisien – Style 101 Show, Spice Tv 7. Actress Big Screen, Toyin Abraham – Alakada Reloaded 8. Female Social Entrepreneur, Abisoye Ajayi – Akinfolarin - Girl Coding (Pearl

Ceo Luminee Tewa Onasanya

Lanre Da Silva

Chioma Good Hair Dabota Lawson

Lolo 1

Ubi Franklin

Lilian Esoro

Sammy Walsh

Style Territory

Africa Foundation) 9. Female Youtuber, Sisi Yemmie 10. Tv Actress (Terrestial And Online Tv), Abimbola Craig – Skinny Girl In Transit – Ndani Tv 11. Female Chef / Food Designer Spon-

sored By Mamador, Bukky Tinko – The Kitchen Muse 12. Beauty Entrepreneur, Good Hair Limited 13. Female Movie Director, Kemi Adetiba – The Wedding Party

Niki kay

14. Female Music Artist of The Year, Symply Simi - Joromi 15. Eloy Woman Who Inspires Award in Tourism, Chiamaka Obuekwe 16. Eloy Woman Who Inspires in The Public Sector, Chinyere Anokuru.

Jasen Blu Gets Mega Recording Deal

U

pcoming R&B prodigy, Jasen Blu, is headed for prominence as his label, Nubiana Records announces a partnership deal with Bellynini Records to execute his upcoming projects, which has Twelve02 Media at the helm of management. This is coming after the release of his latest single, “Already� earlier in 2017 which, despite minimal promotion, was well received by fans and critics. It is also charting within Rhythm FM’s Top20 for twelve straight weeks.

Both companies revealed the status of the partnership on their social media pages and also confirmed the title of JasĂŤn Blu’s debut body of work aptly titled “Soulwaveâ€?, further solidifying Blu’s several earlier hints at the title

in his various social media posts.

Bellynini Records are on a high note, confirming the new partnership and announcing “Soulwave� in an excited Instagram post. “Jasen Blu is a true artist with unmatched passion, who has been able to lay a good foundation for his career with hard work and unwavering focus,� the post reads. “We are happy to have him in our corner and look forward to a great run working with him on this project and subsequent ones.� “We are highly delighted with the venture,� a Nubiana Records rep said. “We have been in talks with several record companies for a while, Bellynini Records happens to table a matching option with our direction, considering very important factors like artistic freedom, fair dealing and result-oriented mindset

as compared to other offers. We will now proceed to unleash limitless awesomeness to the world in the shape of JasĂŤn Blu and all he is capable of.â€? “I’m excited about the new deal,â€? says Jasen Blu. “I feel great, but I just suddenly got busier than ever, so I have to strike a balance. Good news is that I’ve worked so hard in past few years creating music, right now I’m several albums deep worth of materials. Now, it’s time to serve it hot and fresh for everyone. More importantly, I am very grateful to have made it to this stage so what I’m doing right now is putting that excitement into the work. I feel good; it’s going to be awesome.â€?

According to sources from both camps, Soulwave is slated for release in the first Jasen Blu quarter of 2018.

37

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FAIRGROUND

Sungold Group Launches INSPIRE 2017

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ungold Group Inc. recently launched its maiden staff inspirational and motivational programme titled, INSPIRE 2017.

Sungold Group has subsidiaries like Sungold Estate LTD, a real estate company in Abuja with branches in other parts of the country; Shirleys Confectionary, the best of its kind in the City of Abuja; Sungold Tourism; Zara Foundation; Sungold Haulage; and Sungold Farm.

The programme came about in a bid to motivate staff that were losing their vigour for work and to reignite their initial passion. Staff from all the other companies of the

group were also rewarded for their contributions, loyalty, dedication and input to the continued success of the company.

The Chairman of the Group, Sir Chyna Iwuanyanwu, and the MD, Sir Amarachi Chyna Iwuanyanwu were present at the event. The MD acknowledged the efforts each member of staff put into the growth of the company, assured them of attaining greater height together, not only as a company but also as a family.

One of the well-known motivational speakers in Nigeria Linus Okorie was also present to speak and motivate everyone in attendance. These are the faces of some of the people at the event.

Sir and Lady Amarachi Iwuanyanwu MD/CEO SUNGOLD GROUP

Engr Paul Dinwoke Director Sungold Group, Mr Frank and Engr Ben

L-R Prince Deuton Ogbuehi, Mr Festus Adebayo MD Abuja Housing Show

Senator Osita Izunaso presenting an award of outstanding service to Ms. Chibuzor Okagbue of Sungold Group

Arc Nnamdi Diribe and Mrs Balum Diribe

RĂŠmy Martin to Bring Las Vegas Experience to Lagos, Port Harcourt ĂŠmy Martin is bringing the very best of entertainment, and the crème de la crème of society together, in conjunction with the best clubs and lounges in Lagos and Port-Harcourt for the 7th and 8th edition of ‘At The Club With RĂŠmy Martin’ All-Star Extravaganza.

Set to hold on Thursday at Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos and next Saturday at The Hub event center in Port-Harcourt, the event promises to be a one of a kind experience.

Best described as “Las Vegas meets Naijaâ€?, At The Club With RĂŠmy Martin All-Star is much more than the usual club experience but raises the bar for nightlife by fusing live entertainment and dance into one

R

mega club experience; with 1500 people, multi-level seating, high tech video screens, dozens of professional dancers, brilliant costumes, acrobats, professionally orchestrated lighting, confetti, local and international celebrity impersonators, and immaculate choreography and special performances by A-list artists and DJs. This one-of-a-kind RĂŠmy Martin signature mega dance and show club concept is complete with glittery, city-like vibes that promises a multisensorial experience, where over a thousand guests will be treated to visual spectacles of performers doing death-defying stunts while dancing to non-stop music all night.

The event’s impressive roster of DJs, Dance Performers and A-List Music

Artiste performances include; international and local DJs, Tiwa Savage, Davido, Kiss Daniel, DJ Maphorisa, Phyno, hip-hop dancers, Brazillian dancers, Vegas acrobat performers, celebrity impersonators, immaculate choreography and many more.

Guests can pick up free invites to the event from any of the following partner outlets in Lagos – Bite Billionaire Lounge, Club Rumors, Grasshoppers Place & Escape nightclub, while guests in Port-Harcourt can get theirs from- Blinkx nightclub, Port-Harcourt and Las Vegas lounge, Owerri.

It promises to be extraordinary and magical night, with breathtaking performances and an opportunity for many to enjoy world class Las Vegas Remy Martins Pace Setters Party for Tiwa Savage style production in Nigeria.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2017

TEENS

CONNECT From Me To You

– NKECHI IBENEME

08142358958 – (sms only)

Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing

T

he media was awash last week with the story of a certain Samuel Rowland; a fake private tutored turned-pastor who manipulated his victims under the pretense of coaching them.

Until the bubble burst, Rowland paraded himself as a pastor who operated a private tutorial centre

Y

World AIDS day

where: boys and girls were purportedly groomed. However, it came to light after his arrest that he actually manipulated, extorted, raped and even trafficked some of his victims.

His game was up when a parent of one of the victims reported the case to the officers of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), that swung into action and arrested him with a promise to hand him over to the police and National Agency for the Prohibition

esterday, December 1, the world marked the ‘World Aids Day; a day set aside by World Health Organisation (WHO) to campaign against the spread of the dreaded o dread ded HIV AIDS. It is also a

of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for prosecution. About 10 youths were rescued during the raid.

This calls to mind some of the phony advertisements for ‘vacancies’ which I see pasted on walls on a daily basis.

Many of such vacancies appear without any address or detailed information about the recruiting organization. You’d often see “work in a milk factory, 60k a month”, then a phone number to call if interested.

time to honour those who have lost their lives to the disease, and support those living with it while celebrating their caregivers, families, friends and supp support groups. This celebration is

observed the world over, every 1st of December. The theme for this year’s celebration: Increasing Impact Through Transparency, Accountability, and Partnerships, buttresses the

NAPTIP has relentlessly been trying to sensitize young people about the existence of many wolves parading as sheep. They paint beautiful pictures of a good job; in and outside the country and when they entrap their victims, it only takes the grace of God to get off in one piece.

Now that the yuletide is approaching, crime will increase and more wolves will be on the prowl. We must be on the lookout so that we do not fall victims.

commitment of stakeholders to the war against the disease.

AIDS is real; spread the message not the disease! And do not discriminate against those living with the disease.

Blow the whistle…..

Whenever cases off domestic violence, sexual abuse or abuse of any kind happens to you or anyone you know, w, please, dial this number: *6820# to reportt it immediately.

Students of Afe Babalola University, during the matriculation ceremony of the school which held recently.

L-R: Adio Ayo Jemima, Ezevilo God’s Favour and Douglas Amber Tarimaziba

Ayomide Temiloluwa Aremu celebrated her 13th birthday. She’s now officially a teenager.

Congratulations!

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DECEMBER 2, 2017SS ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

LEO District 404B1 Nigeria, marks international day of the girl child October 11, was the International Day of the Girl Child; a day set aside by the United Nationsto celebrate the girl child and bring to light- for action, the needs and challenges faced by girls the world over, especially, those in crisis situations

Some of the participants

In a belated but impactful commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child; in the belief that no day is late to take action; the youth wing of the Lions Clubs International District 404B-1 Nigeria, the Leo District 404B-1, organized a one day symposium last week Wednesday, at Anwar-ul Islam Girls High School, Ahmadiyah, Ojokoro, Lagos State, Nigeria. Leo Club members are young men and ladies between the ages of 18 and 30 who are committed to volunteering in their communities while learning to be better leaders.

The event which was held in partnership with Spin Club and Lagos State Ministry of Health, Adolescent Sexuality and Reproductive Health Unit (Hello Lagos), had as its theme: ‘The Power of the Adolescent Girl’.

Throwing more light on the theme for this year’s celebration in his address, the president of the Leo Clubs, Leo Quadri Olanrewaju Tijani 100%P,MGA,LAH, said, “There are about 1.1 billion girls in the world, and every one of them deserves equal opportunities for a better future. They are a source of energy, power and creativity. They can drive change and help build a better future for all.

Yet, most girls are disadvantaged and face discrimination on a daily basis, and those living through crises are suffering even more.

“Every 10 minutes, somewhere in the world, an adolescent girl dies as a result of violence. In humanitarian emergencies, gender-based violence often increases, subjecting girls to sexual and physical violence, child marriages, exploitation and trafficking.

Adolescent girls in conflict zones are 90 per cent more likely to be out of school when compared to girls in conflict-free countries, thereby compromising their future prospects for work and financial independence as adults….”

The students, who were all females, were taken through vital topics viz: r $BSFFS %FWFMPQNFOU BOE DBSFFS setting by Mrs Olasode Abiola (Hello Lagos) Domestic violence and Sexual Molestation

The District President, Leo Quadri Olanrewaju Tijani 100%P,MGA,LAH

by Miss Mutiat Alli (Journalist). She gave out this number to call on *6820# whenever cases of domestic violence, sexual abuse or child abuse occur to them or anyone close to them. r 4FYVBM "CVTF BOE SPMF PG GFNBMFT in Entrepreneurship by Mrs Eno- Martins Bakare (Founder, School Bags for Smile Foundation) r )PX UP DIPPTF B DBSFFS QBUI CZ Miss Hulaimah Kolawole (Founder, Spin club) Questions and answers were entertained at the end of the session. It was an interactive and impactful session as acknowledged by the students, school authority and guest speakers.

First Aid Box was donated to the school and sanitary pads were also distributed to all the students.

About 200 students benefitted from this program.

Leos

Miss Mutiat Alli, facilitator

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 2, 2017

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2017

POLSCOPE Slavery: How History Repeats Itself with Eddy Odivwri eddy.odivwri@thisdaylive.com 08053069356

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nce Upon a time, Europeans, in search of cheap labour to work in their large plantations, came to Africa to buy slaves. There were Africans who served as middlemen, otherwise called the slave merchants who brokered the sale of their fellow Africans.

Otherwise “freeborns” were overpowered by certain chiefs and overlords and sold to faraway merchants who come from far countries in search of “human commodity”. By it, we dare say, Europe and America built their cities.

It was such a bestial and barbaric act that it began to attract global condemnation. It took even fellow Europeans like Christopher Columbus championing an end to the inglorious trade that manifested so much of man’s inhumanity to man.

By 1833, history records say, Christopher Columbus had succeeded in abolishing slave trade.

Till date, such places like the famous trading ports in Badagry (point of no return, with all the shackles) which now serve as historical relics of that ugly memory remain a blighted patch in the history of humanity.

The above narratives were the nuggets of information which elementary history of Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade taught us.

But the import of the dehumanizing act hit me hard and real when in 2002, on the entourage of then-President Olusegun Obasanjo, I travelled to the Caribbean Islands, touching down in Jamaica, the heart of the Caribbean Islands and later Barbados.

Not only were the phenotypal make-up of the average Jamaican (black skin, curly hair etc.) indicative of their African descent corrupted by the European blood of slave masters, there was a loud lamentation, hundreds of years after, about the fate that befell them.

In the big foyer of Kingston hotel, there were yet, sad memories of the slave trade. There were advertisements of slaves in what looked like a central slave market at the time.

There were descriptions of the physique and special attributes or competencies of the slaves: something like “Robert is thick and muscular, with strong capacity to do hard labour”, or something like, “Justina is 4.6 inches tall, beautiful and good with domestic attention, infection-free and baby-friendly….” The price tag on each slave depended on the number of positive things said about him or her.

Many of the “brother-man” blacks who interacted with some of us were still deeply pained that they have lost their roots, their original kith and kin.

More than four centuries after, history is repeating itself, this time in reverse order.

Rather than the slave merchants coming to Africa in search of human commodity which they chained, packed like sardine and shipped away in merchant slave ships across the Atlantic ocean, this time it is we Africans who are selling our patrimony to board the same ships that empties us into the slave yard of Europe with transit camps in African trading posts like Libya.

Many are not even lucky to make it to Libya. They sojourn through unorthodox routes, deliberately wandering through the deserts under very tough and dangerous means. Some simply die of thirst. Some die of exhaustion. Some become languid and just fall off. Many others drown trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea with either rickety boats or overcrowded boats and ships. The human loss is huge.

Many of those who have managed to survive the foolish ordeal, tell of their terribly harrowing experiences. But their sad

Abike Dabiri-Erewa tales have not been able to discourage the craze for the deadly quest.

No doubt, it is a venture fed solely by ignorance. Not even poverty. Yes, many of the victims are poor, but their poverty is caused by ignorance in the first place. Were it not so, the cost of $4,000 or $6,000 which each of them pays to embark on the “journey-of-no-return” is enough to begin a fruitful venture here in Nigeria, from which they can eke out a living and grow therefrom. But ignorance will always make them think and believe that the field is indeed greener over there. How wrong!

Their ignorance will not allow them to see through the lies told them by the middlemen, the traffickers who brainwash them that there is so much of ease and good life in Europe. It is their ignorance (powered by greed) that will deafen their ears to the campaign against illegal migrants. It is their ignorance that will not allow them ask vital questions. Some of the victims are pushed into the venture by their ignorant parents who think that soon as their children get to “oyinbo land” then they have the password to wealth and good life. They refuse to realize that many of the female sojourners end up in prostitution.

While many of them (prostitutes) die over there, those who manage to survive are terribly infected and almost eternally imperiled. It is ignorance that does not allow them to even understand the European economy: how many European economies are struggling to remain afloat.

So how can such an economy be such a harvest field? Yes, there are perhaps more opportunities there, but “making it” demands even more serious work.

The deceit is often presented to look attractive when they try to estimate their prospective wealth by calculating their earnings vis-à-vis the local exchange rate of the Naira.

The Idia Renaissance, headed by then-Edo First Lady, Mrs Eki Igbinedion, had done so much in stopping the Italy-bound

girls from Edo State who go there for prostitution.

Today, it is no longer Italy, it is Libya. A post-Gaddafi Libya!

Many of the illegal immigrants both from Nigeria and other African countries, heading to Europe stop over in Libya.

Their traffickers enjoin them to do some work to save enough money to continue the journey to Europe. They get stranded as they are not ever likely going to work and save enough to continue the journey. Even then, their traffickers are on their necks to pay up the cost of bringing them thus far, failing which they are sold out to some modern-day North African slave dealers just like common merchandise.

Nigerians being sold out as slaves in Libya, right under our nose. Nothing can be more depressing.

It is most saddening that in the 21st century, the despicable, dehumanizing trade is back on board, this time driven by Africans against fellow Africans!

It is perhaps sadder that Nigeria seems to be topping the list of such victims in Africa. Two weeks ago, 26 young Nigerian girls were found dead in an Italian ship, although official sources claim only two of the dead girls have confirmed Nigerian identity. Sources said they were sexually molested before they were killed. Curiously, the Italian authorities hurriedly buried the victims without getting either clearance from Nigeria, or even getting full details of the victims. More than700,000 illegal migrants are in Libya, just as over 2,000 have died in the sea this year alone. Over 5,000 Nigerians have been evacuated from Libya this year.

Yes, it is easy to point to the tough conditions of living here in Nigeria as a propelling force to the huge rush for Europe by the mass of Nigerian youths, yet, it must be re-emphasised, as said above, that it is all powered by ignorance. Leaving Nigeria under such desperate and illegal modes is tantamount to jumping from frying pan to fire. With improper immigration documents, such illegal immigrants are disadvantaged from the word go. They can neither do proper jobs nor can they have full rights. They have disabled status from day one.

They will soon find out (if they ever survive) that Nigeria is not as despicable as they think or believe. They will soon find out that many of the things taken for granted in Nigeria are just not available in some of these countries they flock to.

Those who are not careful enough end up in the prisons of the so-called European countries.

That said, Nigeria must begin to make conscious efforts to discourage the worse version of brain drain (of the ‘90s) in our society. Our leaders must make Nigeria liveable and less brutish. It is the harshness at home that makes a child to search for comfort outside the homestead.

The Nigerian government must do more than the avowed programme of evacuation of its citizens from Libya and Saudi Arabia. Home must be made conducive and friendly.

Besides deliberate effort to create jobs and give meaning to the life of many Nigerian youths, the favourable economy required to make private ventures to succeed cannot be overemphasised.

Although government seems to be responding to this affront late, it is consoling that the recently concluded African Union, European Union Summit, held in Cote De Voire, dealt extensively on this new threat to human decency. The National Assembly has sufficiently weighed into the matter with appreciable level of concern. But practical living with basic comforts for ordinary Nigerians must go beyond parliamentary casuistry.

Atiku and the 2019 Cross

T Atiku

he penultimate Friday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and did not say which party he was going into even though the whole world knew he was returning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from whence he went to the APC. His said resignation had dominated political conversations in the polity all through last week.

No doubt, Atiku wants to be president come 2019. His leaving the APC is because not only has he not been well treated as a senior citizen/ member of the party, his chances of testing his popularity again within the APC is bleak.

With President Muhammadu Buhari making it faintly clear now that he would seek re-election in 2019, Atiku did not stand any ounce of a chance of flying the APC presidential flag.

So it is in shopping for a presidential platform that he had to return to his vomit, the PDP. Some uncharitable commentators have described his moves as sign of desperation.

Understandably, Atiku has been consulting with the PDP chieftains on his next moves.

The fog will clear after the December 9 national convention of the PDP. Thus far, only the Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose has clearly indicated interest in running for the presidential office under the PDP, even though he had been clearly told that the office is zoned to the northern part of the country. His going ahead may just be for record purposes of being referred to as one of the also–rans.

If Atiku emerges the PDP candidate eventually, he would have President Buhari to contend with.

The odds may not be in his (Atiku’s) favour.

Already, his state governor, Alhaji Jibrilla Bindow has technically disowned him by declaring to Buhari that unlike Atiku, he would not dump the APC. It may be mere political feel-good talk, given the hold Atiku has on Adamawa politics.

In other words, will Gov Bindow dare to work against Atiku during a presidential election? Or will he secretly give tactical support to the Turakin Adamawa, his political leader while pretending to do the bidding of his boss, Mr President?

Nigerians are watching to see how it will all play out. Thus far, only the minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Aisha Alhassan, aka Mama Taraba, months ago, had openly declared support and loyalty

to Atiku. But for Atiku to make an impressive outing, he will need surely more than the lone voice of a female minister.

With rumours about some national lawmakers warming up to flock along with him, Atiku would still need to run at a double-paced speed to match or check the grip Mr President has on the political space, especially as even some PDP governors, like Gov David Umahi of Ebonyi State, have openly endorsed Buhari for second term.

Worse still, the endless infighting within the PDP is bound to rub off negatively on the chances and strength of the party. This perhaps may be Atiku’s greatest cross as he attempts, once again, to hop into the presidential train.

Younger and seemingly stronger, Atiku may have an edge, even as he seems to be saying all politically correct things in recent times: support for restructuring, focus on youth development, economic rejuvenation etc. But the deep intrigues of Nigerian politics feed on more complex dynamics other than the mere atmospherics of age and gallery talks.

The days ahead are pregnant, not only for Atiku but for Nigeria also.

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DECEMBER 2, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

FASHION FILE

FreshbyDotun Unveils Sprig of

VELDAM COLLECTION

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2017

FASHION FILE

By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

Veldam Collection

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enswear brand FreshbyDotun, has unveiled its latest fashion collection tagged, Sprig of Veldam, just in time for the festive season.

Velvety looks whipped on pieces like damask, cashmere and premium cotton are pervasive throughout.

Nollywood actors Mike Godson, Okey Uzoeshi, Godwin Nnadiekwe and Litman, modelled the stylish and refined pieces from the collection.

The collection is well developed, from the textile down to all the trims. The pieces are indeed the ideal choice for the reason that they are created from high quality fabrics and finished with embellishments at every strategic point.

You absolutely can’t go wrong adorned in FBD ‘Sprig of Veldam’ this holiday season.

Credits Designer: Adedotun Adeyeye @freshbydotun Models: @mikegodson @okeyuzoeshi @ officialbobbyblaze @iamlitman Makeup: @iaminonimodel_11oct Publicist: @moafricapr

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MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fashogbon... ͸΀͸͝͝͞ͺ͚͸͸Î

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 supplier’s meeting organized by P&G Nigeria in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria in Lagos ...recently

L-R: Managing Director, RB West Africa, Mr Rahul Murgai;Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare; Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Environment,Mr Babatunde Hunpe and Marketing Director, RB West Africa, Aliza Leferink during the occasion of 2017 World Toilet Day in Lagos...recently

Lagos, Harpic Partner to Promote Hygiene, Good Health In line with its vision for a healthy Nigeria and to commemorate the 2017 World Toilet Day, toilet-cleaning brand of Reckitt Benckiser, RB, Harpic, has joined force with the Lagos State Ministry of Environment to raise awareness on the importance of sustainable sanitation to achieve sound health and economic growth.

This initiative followed the recent report from the World Health Organisation, WHO, which states that approximately 315,000 children die every year as a result of poor sanitation and unsafe water caused by diarrhoea Another report from the World Toilet Organisation further revealed that 40% of the world’s population lacked access to toilet despite the fact that a clean and safe toilet plays a major role in human dignity and well-being.

The partnership thus arose on the need to draw attention to the link between a clean toilet and wellness as well as economic growth

Academix Clinches Best eLearning Start-up Award Fast-growing e-Library service provider, Academix.ng, has been declared the Best eLearning Start-up company in Nigeria by the Information Technology regulatory body, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

The award was presented at the 2017 eNigeria conference that held in Abuja.

Academix joined five other startup companies to be recognized for their groundbreaking record in the Information Communication Technology, ICT, industry and contributions to e government in Nigeria through the promotion of local content.

Speaking at the award ceremony, the Director General of NITDA, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami commended the ingenuity of the honoured companies and pledged the continuous support of the agency for technology firms committed to boosting local content.

Receiving the award, Founder/CEO of Academix.ng,Academix.ng, Engr.

Iso Bassey expressed delight over the recognition accorded the company on its effort to digitize and curate Africafocused research.

He noted that there are numerous social and economic benefits in making research materials more accessible and encouraged stakeholders in the private and public sectors to partner with the initiative for speedy development. “This award is a fitting tribute to the hard work our team has put into making Africa-focused research more easily accessible online,� he added.

The eNigeria conference brought together IT experts, solution providers and major stakeholders from both within and outside Nigeria to brainstorm on current and relevant IT issues across the globe.

especially as the silence surrounding sanitation crisis is beginning to break as evidenced by the Sustainable Development Goal’s inclusion of sanitation on its global development agenda which calls for universal access to adequate and equitable sanitation and an end to open defecation by 2030.

Speaking on the theme of this year’s World Toilet Day, “WasteWater�, at the sensitisation programme in Lagos, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, Mr Abiodun Bamgboye, noted that waste water management which is a potentially affordable and sustainable source of water, energy, nutrients and other recoverable materials is usually undervalued and neglected in this clime.

Bamgboye said, “This is why we constantly educate the sewage management authorities on proper disposal and recycling of wastewa-

ter which should be seen as a resource and not a burden. “There are many treatment processes and operational systems that will allow us to use wastewater to meet the growing water demand in growing cities, support sustainable agriculture, and enhance energy production and industrial development, thus contributing to a more sustainable, efficient and equitable water use worldwide. Today, Harpic, our regular partner is joining force with us in providing public awareness to the community.

The ministry of environment welcomes such corporate support and would encourage other brands to follow suit.�

Also addressing the mammoth crowd at the Ojodu Berger park, Managing Director of RB, Mr. Rahul Murgai, explained that women and children were more exposed to the risk of contracting infections caused by poor

NEWN Raises Hope for Women Investors at Trade Fair A group, Network of Enterprising Women of Nigeria (NEWN), has encouraged women entrepreneurs to take advantage of the business prospects in the country to achieve self-sufficiency and help the economy to grow.

The group tabled this at the just concluded trade fair organised for female entrepreneurs in Lagos. The fair which sought to support and promote collaborative effort among business owners had over 65 businesses and corporate organisations in attendance.

Representative of NEWN, Mrs. Augusta Nwokafor, harped on the strengths of partnership in achieving business growth.

According to her, business could only thrive on partnership that works, noting that this had impacted the way the group interact and works for business growth.

She said: “The fair is focused on adding value that will ensure sustainability of businesses and see members contributing to national economic growth. “Most of our members have never been to business schools but run successful

enterprises. This is because we support and motivate both members and nonmembers alike to strive for excellence. The network is about inspiring women to step out of the shadow to do big things that will not only impact their families but also the Nigerian economy.� “The truth is that a lot of people who desire to commence a particular business would need someone in same business line to put them through. This is why we have also come up with a mentorship programmme to identify and support young entrepreneurs to be independent.

We identify challenges faced by new businesses and encourage experienced members to mentor new business to successfully navigate the start-up phase.

Our earnest desire is to see our members meet their goals. People are registering as either mentors or mentees.�

Products and services showcased at the fair ranged from beauty and lifestyle products to fashion accessories and healthcare products. Others are food and drinks, property consultancy, educational placement services and catering services.

L-R: Executive Director/Chief Investment OďŹƒcer, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Oliver Andrews and Director Country Programming, Green Climate Fund, Pa Ousman Jarju, during the AFC signing of accreditation master agreement with Green Climate Fund in Lagos recently

sanitation which impacts on health, dignity, and safety. This explains why the organisation has taken on the challenge of creating awareness and educating Nigerians on the importance of hygienics.

He added: “Globally, over 80% of all the wastewater from our homes, cities, industry and agriculture flows back to nature without being treated or reused, thus, polluting the environment, and losing valuable nutrients and other recoverable materials. As such, quite a large number of people consume water that is already contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid polio and other diseases.

While harping on cleanliness, Murgai also called for adequate attention to solid waste, wastewater and also industrial accumulated waste management to help avoid chain of diseases.

Lions Club Steps up Humanitarian Projects in Osun As part of efforts to consolidate on its mandate, the Osogbo Living Spring Lions Club has resolved to boost its humanitarian service in Osun State to improve quality of lives.

The President of the club, Lion Stephen Yebua, made this known at the occasion of the public presentation to announce the new leadership of the club.

According to Yebua, in line with the global objectives of the clubs which majorly was to serve humanity, his administration was determined to support the effort of the government at raising lives in the society much more than before.

He disclosed that the club had planned to execute over N5million worth of projects within its jurisdiction which would see to education, health, youth empowerment, philanthropical donations, amongst others. “Osogbo Living Spring Lions Club came into existence in the year 2006 and has always reached out to the society in several ways like donation of food items and daily needs to school, people with special needs, motherless babies homes and rendering of health services, among others. The Club has also commenced the constructions of vocational centers and halls for use by the communities. “For the new administration, we will not slow down the tempo, we will only strive to do more and increase our impact in the society. We have done our homework and carefully figure out the needs of our people. For example, in the course of our research, we discovered a particular secondary school where its handicapped students use the classroom also as the hostel, our members have decided to take this up and concluded to build a befitting girls’ hostel during the Lions year 2017/2018.This is just one of our numerous projects,� Yebua said.

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

BIGIANO

MyTattoos Represent What I ‘ve BeenThrough Ă“Ă‘Ă“Ă‹Ă˜Ă™Ëœ ĂŒĂ™ĂœĂ˜ Ă‹ĂŒĂ‹Ă–Ă™Ă–Ă‹ Ă–Ă&#x;ĂĄĂ‹Ă‘ĂŒĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă‘Ă‹ Ă‹ĂŒĂœĂ“Ă?Ă–Ëœ Ă?ÒÙÞ Ă—Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă Ă?Ă–ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ Ă–Ă“Ă—Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ăž Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă’Ă“Ă? ͺ͸͸΀ Ă—Ă‹Ă”Ă™Ăœ Ă’Ă“Ăž Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă–Ă?Ëœ Ă’Ă‹ĂŁĂ™Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ ĂŒĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’Ăž Ă’Ă“Ă— Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ëœ Ă˜Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ?Ë› Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?ĂĄ åÓÞÒ Tosin Clegg, Ă’Ă? ÞËÖÕĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă&#x;ĂžËœ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂœËœ ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž Ă’Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ăš ÞÙ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? my results and I feel more fulfilled doing what I am doing right now. Not until Shayo became a monster hit that my dad decided to support me, and his friends got to know my music and everything started working out.

I’m very unique, with my style of music y style of music is unique. I’m still keeping that, against all odds. I have a lot of inspirational and motivational songs I’m working on. So, before the year runs out, I should come out with a lot of songs and materials.

M

So much isn’t going well in this country Everywhere else, music business is growing well and lucrative. I’m impressed things have changed. Back when I released Shayo, we had to go through with the Alaba marketers but now social media is already doing all of that. Now, a lot of cooperate bodies are going into the music business, so we are growing gradually. But, at this level we are now, it’s better than what it was way back.

My tattoos are interpretations of what I have been through My tattoos are about growing up, as well as stages in my life. The best way to put it out of myself is to put it on my body and be seeing it till I die because there is so much that has happened and I can’t be telling everybody. So, the best way was to put it on my body.

The only challenge I have as an artiste is deďŹ ning my direction It’s either I do Gospel or secular music, but I think I have found my way out of that. Apart from that, I think record labels and investors have been a bit of a challenge too. For example, if I have a big brand or a God-chosen person behind me, I would be the best in the world. I know if I have it I would be, but I know God has his own way of making things work.

My music is versatile I think I fit into any kind of genre of music, but it’s just for me to explore myself and work with a lot of producers to be able to get the best out of myself for people to listen.

The name Bigiano It’s an acronym for Born Irrepressible Genius Individual Africa Number One. I used to be with a band called, Triple B back in 1999 and 2000 when we released Eegbami and featured a couple of people.

It was BQ, B flex and BG that formed it. Then I left the band and decided not to use BG anymore, which is an abbreviation of my name Bolaji Gabriel and I decided to work around myself, as you know yourself more than anyone does.

And the acronym of my stage name is the real me and what I stand for.

By the Grace of God, Shayo is still a hit When I wrote the song, I was going through a lot of pressure. A couple of my friends and I were struggling and moving from one place to another. At that point in Nigeria, a lot of people didn’t want to listen to love or slow songs. So, it was just a determination to take over that’s why I wrote the song, Shayo.

A little bit about me My Biological name is Babalola Oluwagbemiga Gabriel from Ijesha, and my mum is from Abeokuta. I’m a Christian

Bigiano

and I grew up in a Christian way. All I wanted to do was to impact people positively and there is only one way to Heaven which is through Jesus Christ.

Somehow, I found myself in the circular world but I am retracing my steps back to Christ. So, if certain people want to judge me by my tattoos, they can and they would only be judging the book by its cover, but I know what’s in me. I know what my purpose is in life and I can’t deviate from what God has called me

to do. As I speak to you, I want to touch people’s lives.

Music wasn’t easy for my family to reckon with My dad is a retired military man and a disciplinarian. He likes you to do what he wants and at some point I had to do what pleases me. At first, he didn’t support me because he felt I have graduated and I should be doing my masters or something else. I didn’t work with

In the next ďŹ ve years I see myself taking over the world I think I should be able to stand on the pulpit and preach to people to come back to Christ. My mission in life is not to fail.

The Christ effect on me has been with me since day one, but I have just been stubborn.

You know, it’s like when God wants to use you but you don’t know how you are going to do it. God wants to use me and I am ready for him to use me. But it’s been there even when Shayo was a major hit, and he just gave me that to test me and a lot of people failed me, but he won’t fail me at all.

I am trying to restructure BG records I’m also looking for whom to partner with to grow BG records. That’s what is on my mind now, before I start thinking of dropping an album or an EP. But before the end of the year a couple of singles must drop.

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MY STORY FUTURE AWARDS AFRICA 2017 NOMINATIONS

ABBY ADESANYA

I Enjoy Dressing People

Adekunle Gold, Austin Miles ‘Tekno’ Kelechi, Ini Dinma Okojie, Akah Nnani, Nancy Isime were among the young and inspiring personalities unveiled as nominees for 12th edition of The Future Awards Africa recently.

With a total of 105 nominees covering 21 categories including the highly-coveted ‘Young Person of the Year’ award, these young personalities were selected across different sectors such as Music, Advocacy, Media Enterprise, Comedy, Fashion and Design, Sports, Technology, New Media, Professional Service and more.

Selected from diverse backgrounds and affiliations, the nominees are set apart by their exceptional talent, commitment to hard work and uncommon drive to impact the society and rewrite the African narrative.

Other nominees on the list include Ayodeji ‘Wizkid’ Balogun, Eromo Egbejule, Mayowa Tijani, Olive Emodi, Adesewa Josh, Bidemi Kosoko and Simisola ‘Simi’ Ogunleye.

With the mandate to celebrate and accelerate innovation among Nigerians aged 18 – 31, TFAA acknowledges inspiring young people, making a difference through social enterprise, social good, and creativity.

Themed Nigeria’s New Tribe, The Future Awards Africa is set to hold on Saturday, December 9, 2017 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

ĂŒĂŒĂŁ ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁĂ‹ Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă?Ě‹ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă–Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?ËÞÓà Ă? Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă™Ă? ĂŒĂŒĂŁË› ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁĂ‹Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă&#x;Ăš Ă’Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă™Ă˜ Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă?Ă˜ Ă?Ă’Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă?ÙÖÖÙå Ă‹ Ă˜Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă’Ă? Ă‹Ă–ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁĂ? Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă‹ ÖÓʾÖĂ? Ă‘Ă“ĂœĂ–Ëœ Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?ÞÓĂ? Ă&#x;ĂœĂ&#x;Ă–Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă’ĂŒĂ™ĂœĂ’Ă™Ă™ĂŽË› Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ăž åÓÞÒ Tosin CleggËœ ĂŒĂŒĂŁ ÞËÖÕĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă&#x;ĂžËœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă“Ă–ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă’Ă?Ăœ ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÖÙÞĂ? Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ?

RIC HASSANI, ARAMIDE, TJAN, JOHNNY DRILLE TO PERFORM AT LIVE & WAVY Lovers of good music are in for a treat this festive season as music concert Live & Wavythe full expression of music, is set to have its maiden edition at Freedom Park, Lagos Island on December 8.

Headlined by multiple Headies Awards nominee, Ric Hassani, Live & Wavy will feature performances from other top-rated alternative music artistes, including Aramide, TJan, Jon Ogah, Bez, JohnnyDrille, Isaac Geralds, Yung L, among others.

Commenting on his involvement, Ric Hassani said: “I am very excited to be headlining Live & Wavy. My musical journey has been challenging but interesting and I am so appreciative of the friends and fans who have supported me this far. I am convinced this concert is going to be wonderful and memorable for those who show up.�

Live & Wavy was birthed out of the demand for more music shows, dedicated to showcase diverse musical talents present in Nigeria and it aims to enthrall attendees with heart-rending and melodious musical performances.

Live & Wavy is being organised by 10Stringz Production and Media Panache Nigeria.

HOSENAT MABIFA DIVES INTO MAKE-UP ARTISTRY, TV Young and pretty Lagos-based model, Hosenat Mabifa, who is signed on Redrun Models, has decided to go into other sectors of the showbiz industry.

She recently kicked off her make-up artistry line and is bent on becoming a sought after brand in the fashion industry.

With a few works to her credit and more in line as a model, she also taps into the booming flow of the social media and TV edge, gradually cutting a portion for herself.

Hosenat has more than enough time to attain the highest of heights and do more excellently as a model having worked with H&K Cosmetics, Haduki Ewa Signature, TLC photography, and a few other brands.

T

ell us about your clothing line and what inspires your design?

I enjoy dressing people up and making them feel good. When people come into my workshop and I put together an ensemble for them and they are delighted, adding that little bit more in the way of appearance to their personalities makes them really happy!

Who are your mentors and role models, and what sets you apart from other designers?

For inspiration I look to top Nigerian and continental brands that are clearing the road for my generation of entrepreneurs. Deola Sagoe, April by Kunbi with unique pieces showcasing the wealth of the African culture and glorifying the body of the African woman, among other designers inspire my creations.

Where do you see yourself in ďŹ ve years?

In five years, Abby.Adesanya aims to have dominated the Nigerian space with affordable and commercial Ready to wear pieces, carving a handsome portion of the fashion industry’s market share to us.

After which, we would take on the world.

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NEWSXTRA

Obaseki Empowers Libyan Returnees with 150 Hectares, N100m Agribusiness Seed Capital Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has approved 150 hectares of land and N100million seed capital for the 150 Libyan returnees and victims of human trafficking, who completed skills acquisition training at the Edo Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) office in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Obaseki, who made the announcement during the graduation ceremony of the returnees, directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to immediately liaise with the relevant authorities towards securing the land for the returnees to commence agribusinesses.

According to the Governor, the returnees would be organised into cooperatives under the supervision of the Benin Owena River Basin Authority and the Edo Agricultural Development Programme (ADP).

Speaking on the need for a coordinated and multilateral partnership to end the spate of modern day slavery, a key part of which is the trafficking in persons, he said the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, marked every December 2, by the United Nations, should be seen as a day for a deep reflection on how to bring the illicit trade to an end.

He commended the returnees, 51 of whom were trained on crop production, 15 on Agro-processing, 68 on livestock farming and 52 on Fish farming, for availing themselves of the training opportunity and promised to make them ambassadors in the state-

wide campaign against human trafficking and illegal migration.

He explained that the returnees were victims of a country that had failed them, adding that the state government had a duty to make them realise their God-given potential.

Earlier, the Programme Manager of ADP, Mr. Peter Aikhuomobhogbe, commended the state government for initiating the training and expressed optimism that the trainees would put to use the skills they acquired.

On the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, Obaseki said that it was regrettable the menace of slavery still persisted after decades of efforts to abolish the menace, noting, “We ordinarily shouldn’t be talking about the menace of slavery given the experience we have had.

"But it is a reality today and we have no choice but to tackle it. However, it is pertinent to point out the fact that modern day slavery, in its various forms, such as forced labour, debt bondage and human trafficking, has no place among us. “To effectively abolish slave trade as we have it today, it takes a coordinated, deep reaching, international coalition that will take into cognisance the various forms of modern day slavery and compel perpetrators to back down.�

Noting that partnerships are key to ending the prevalence of slavery, he said, “given the economic implications of modern day slavery, there is need for tact,

IN GOOD MEMORY...

L-R: Brother, Nosa Alonge, Board Member, Ehibam Griefshare Foundation, Mrs. Jumoke Asiodu, Founder/Chairman, Ehibam Griefshare Foundation, Ms. Modupe Irele, Vice-Chairman, Iyalode Folashade Ogunbiyi at the First Anniversary Discourse of the Foundation with the theme: ‘Open Arms, Light Hearts, Leaning on Others in Times of Grief’ in memory of Ehisieme Osarieme Alonge, held at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, Lagos‌ yesterday

willpower as well as substantive financial commitment to make appreciable progress in efforts to tackle slavery.�

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is marked every December 2, which is the date

of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (resolution 317(IV) of 2 December 1949).

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), “more than 40 million people worldwide are victims of modern day slavery.

Essentially, it refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats,

violence, coercion, deception, and/ or abuse of power. “In addition, more than 150 million children are subjected to child labour, accounting for almost one in ten children around the world.�

N'Delta Group Accuses Sylva, Lokpobiri, of Destabilising NDDC over Board's Tenure

Olonisakin Lauded for Nigeria’s Declining Terror Deaths

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Sunday Okobi

A group, Youth Initiative for Education, Development and Empowerment of Niger Delta has accused former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva and Minister of State for Agriculture, Hon. Heineken Lokpobiri of stoking embers of conflict and pandering falsehood to destabilising the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over the tenure of the present board.

The group lamented that it was reprehensible that they would continue to insist that the tenure of the present NDDC board should expire this December on the basis of their claim that the said board was appointed to complete the tenure of the board it succeeded.

The president of the group, Ambassador Agbonkpolor Splendor stated

this yesterday at a press briefing in Abuja , where he stressed that in recent times, notable sons of the region had thrown decency overboard, engaged in unpatriotic acts capable of hindering the renewed growth and development in Niger Delta.

He stated: “for any individual or group of individuals out of desperation to continue to stoke the ember of conflict and pandering falsehood over the tenure of the present board of NDDC is unhelpful and begs the question on the real issues of development in the region. “Let us make the point and strongly too, that argument is a wasteful attempt to unilaterally rewrite the enabling law that set up the commission. Even the Section 5(3) which they are relying on is irrelevant as it clearly applies to situations in which there is a substantive board

in place and a vacancy or indeed a number of vacancies happen to occur therein “However, nowhere in this or any other section of the Act is there even the slightest indication that such tenure completion is envisaged for the entire board or even that a new board might complete the tenure of a sacked one, “it is curious that they failed to realise that when the commission's board was reconstituted, it was without any other members from the board it succeeded...,and cannot possibly be envisaged under any legal parameters as liable to exit their offices with persons no longer on board,� Splendor added.

The group therefore called on the federal government to ignore calls capable of balkanising the nation by vested interests.

Concerned Professionals Congress (CPC) has lauded the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, over the just-released 2017 Global Terrorism Index of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) which revealed that the Nigerian military’s ongoing counter-terrorism strategy has recorded the largest global decrease in terrorism-related deaths.

Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had, in a statement last week in Abuja expressed federal government delight at the report which he described as another proof of the Nigerian military’s successfully-sustained prosecution of the anti-terror war under what he called the visionary and dogged leadership of President Muhammadu

Buhari.

The group in a statement made available to THISDAY in Lagos yesterday by its Chief Media Strategist, Mr. Emeka Nwankpa and the North East Regional Rapporteur, Malam Baba Al-Kasim, said the report was a fitting reward for the renowned resolve and resilience of the Olonisakin-led Nigeria military in driving the national strategic defence policy towards achieving robust inter-agency cooperation among the armed services and other security agencies employing synergy, intelligence and information-sharing to end the war against terror.

According to the statement, “It is note-worthy that the report showed that terrorism deaths caused by Boko Haram dropped by 80 per cent in 2016, recalling that Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram’s dreaded stronghold,

fell on December 22. “The trend showed that Nigeria, compared in 2015 with Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria which were most endangered by terrorism, recorded 33 per cent fewer deaths thereby depleting the scourge of terror-related deaths with a 13 per cent year-onyear decline in two successive years.

This is assuring.�

CPC described as valid comments by the Executive Chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), Mr. Steve Killelea, who said: “The decline of Boko Haram in Nigeria is having a positive ripple effect with Cameroon, Chad and Niger collectively recording 75 per cent fewer deaths,� noting that the progress made by Nigeria in the fight against terrorism since President Buhari assumed office in 2015 is phenomenal.

Eid-el-Maulud: Ologbodiyan, PDP Publicity ASUU Calls on Kogi, Lagos State Governments to Recall Members Aspirant Urges National Renewal Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Publicity Secretary Aspirant, Kola Ologbondiyan has called on Nigerians to use the occasion of Eid-el-Maulud to renew their commitment to unity, patriotism and peaceful co-existence as illustrated in the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAW).

Ologbondiyan, in a goodwill message on Friday said the occasion “offers us as Nigerians a strong lesson to rally together in faith, forge a patriotic formidable front, collectively rescue our nation from despondency and

return it to the path of unity and economic prosperity. “Indeed, the celebration of the birth of the holy Prophet Mohammed, presents to us a key message on the triumph of faith over gloom and misery. The challenges and economic hardship, which Nigerians have been subjected to in the last two years, must not erode our resilience for which we are known, but a catalyst for a new beginning in our national life. “All we need at this point is to jettison our divisive sentiments, work together to overcome our imposed

economic and social travails, and rebuild a democratic nation where no man is subjugated or relegated and where the resources freely given to us by God are effectively harnessed and channeled for the good of all.w “Despite the disappointments, unfulfilled promises, constitutional violations, erosion of personal rights and freedom, and the hardship that have become the order of the day in the last two years, we must not discard our values, and we must not become dejected as there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has called on the members of the public to prevail on the Administration and Visitor to Lagos State University and Kogi State University to immediately recall the Chairperson and ViceChairperson of the Union whose appointments were allegedly terminated because of their stand against the ills being perpetrated by the University.

The Zonal Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Nsukka Zone, Professor Ukooh

David Ikoni made this known yesterday during a press conference at the Kogi State University Anyigba.

He noted that the government of Lagos State should setup a machinery to investigate the conduct of the Administration in relation to the allegation of gross misappropriation of funds.

"Since the Governing Councils of KSU and LASU have demonstrated gross incompetence in the management of University affairs, we demand the immediate dissolution of the Councils and reconstitution of new ones in line with laid down procedures of the Universities.

"If this fails, the Union will have no other option but to compel the Administrations and Visitors of these two Universities to do so using all legitimate means possible at our disposal.

He mentioned that the situation in Kogi and Lagos State Universities demand further elucidation, adding that from most quarters there had been wide condemnation of the proscription of ASUU in Kogi State University and the sack of over 150 academics of high profile, impunity still reigned as the government and the University Administration persist in these acts.

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UNIDO Tasks FG on Effective Waste Management AdedayoAkinwaleinAbuja

WORKING FOR THE FUTURE...

L-R: Chairman, Governing Board, Queens School, Ms. Ronke Azeez; President, QSOGA National,Dr Adetoun Agbe-Davies; SA Education, Oyo State, Dr Bisi Akin-Alabi; Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Adeniyi Olowofela, during the 65th Anniversary Convention of Queens School Ede/Ibadan Old Girls Association, held in Ibadan‌ recently

Digital Transmission Switch-over will Promote Peace, Values, Says Lai Muhammed Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed on Friday reiterated the commitment of the federal government towards ensuring the full commencement of the operations of the switch over from analogue to digital transmission project so as to promote peace, home culture and values of the country.

Muhammed made this submission in Ilorin, Kwara State capital yesterday when he led the digital team inspection tour of the facilities and equipment installed for the smooth switch over from analogue to digital transmission at Nigeria Television Authority(NTA) Ilorin.

He said that, the facilities and equipment installed were modern ones that could withstand the test of time in the transmission circle of the country and other continent of the globe.

Muhammmed added that, there was no doubt that, by the time the switching over was commissioned; all the people of the country would have access to quality home programmes that would promote peace and development of the country.

Also speaking at the event, the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Mallam Modibbo Kawu, noted that the National digital switchover would be done in phases, pointing out

that the process was capital intensive.

Mallam Kawu said after the pilot test in Jos, the team embarked on the digital project in Abuja, adding that all states of the federation would be switched over by picking one from each geo-political zone to cover all states.

According to him, “six states from each geopolitical zone consisting of Kwara, Enugu, Osun, Kaduna, Delta, and Niger had been selected in the first phase and expressed delight with the level of readiness for the digital switchover in Kwara State’.

In his submission, the Chairman of Digital Team, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Engineer

Lagos Prince, Odunsi Fetes Pupils A Prince of Isheri Oke Town in Lagos, Prince Jamiu Ayodele Odunsi at the weekend hosted the United African Church Central Nursery and Primary School during her annual inter-house sport where he extended philanthropic gestures Prince Odunsi in addition, invited other important personalities to interact with the children to boost their morale as icons were often role models of children and youths. He invited Chief Ayo Aina Stanza who is based in London.

A special part of the even was the taking of the over 200 pupils and their teachers to his residence where they were entertained for over three

hours as a way to bond with them.

Speaking on the reasons for his support for the school, Prince said he has always believed in giving back to his community and most especially, youth development. “This primary school which was established in 1917 is a historic school for me because coincidentally, my father, Late Oba Sarumi Odunsi was the King of the community at that time. I also believe that Government cannot do everything. We as individuals that have been blessed must do our own part to support the efforts of the government. I was able to lend my support to this year’s inter-house sport activities and the

Green House is now called Prince Jamiu Ayodele Odunsi House . Since it is an annual event, the onus is now on me that I must always make myself available to be part of the event and also support. “Most times, if you don’t get close to people, you will not know how useful you both can be to each other.

The time I spent in the school not only gave me an opportunity to interact with school, but also enabled us to communicate on areas we can further collaborate to give our children better education. I am a strong believer of good and quality education and I will do whatever I can to see it happen in my neighborhood.

'Appeal Court Ruling, an AfďŹ rmation Senator Albert Duly Elected’ Okon Bassey in Uyo

The Peoples Democratic (PDP), Akwa Ibom State has said that the Appeal Court judgment upholding the election of Senator Bassey Albert was a confirmation of being duly elected during the 2015 Uyo (Akwa Ibom North East) Senatorial District Election.

The State Publicity Secretary of PDP, Barrister Ini Ememobong who reacted on the Appeal Court ruling yesterday said “the judgement is a

punctuation in the very rich history of a man who had always sought to kidnap the legitimate mandate of others�.

Ememobong argued that even if he (Etim) is encouraged to go to the Supreme Court the case will not see the light of the day. “How can a man produce a result sheet to the party and the party came to say it is not my document and bring its authentic document. “He cannot have been the

candidate of the party when he was not physically present when the nomination was done. “For us as a party, the ruling also gives us room to look inward and reason. Politicians should also know that the years of deceit were over. “We are excited that the very rich culture of kidnapping of a popular mandate has been punctuated by the Court of Appeal in Calablar on Thursday�, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP stated.

Edward Amana, said Kwara State is set for the switchover, saying that what was lacking before had been installed.

Engineer Amana said the station would be transmitting twenty-six channels, while the inclusion of the Kwara State Television Authority was still in process to make it twenty seven channels.

The Digital Team Chairman added that three sites would be made accessible in the State, Ilorin, Patigi and Kaiama to ensure full coverage of the entire state, pointing out that there was a setback in Kaiama due to falling of the Mast which would take the team a long process to fix.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), has called on the federal government to speedily and effectively implement draft national policy on solid waste management.

It said that the draft policy had been developed through a collaborative and inclusive method, as it recognised that everyone was involved in solid waste generation and had an idea of the topic.

The Country Representative and Director for West Africa, Dr. Jean Bakole stated this in Abuja at a one day National Stakeholders' Workshop for the review and validation of draft national policy on solid waste management in Nigeria He noted that solid waste was a global problem which needed an effective and economic strategy, adding that countries were faced with increasing challenge of managing their solid waste and with an increasing global population, generation of solid waste was bound to increase.

Quoting a UNEP report, Bakole stressed that bulk density for residential waste of some countries were taken and compared and Nigeria recorded 250kg/m3 as against 330 for Egypt, 150 for UK, 100 US, 400-600 for India and 400 for Indonesia Bakole stated: "We also recognise the role of state governments if the national policy is to be successful.

It may look like a straight forward subject but I can tell you getting to this point was not particularly easy.

"The policy has been developed to recognise private sector participation and will help to guide investment in solid was management, identify the key stakeholders, build an effective institutional structure, job creation and it linkages to global environmental treaties.

"To ensure the success of this policy, there must be political will, adequate data, private sector involvement, encourage research and development, aggressive drive, a realistic action plan and effective enforcement drive."

"Nigeria is a leader in Africa and it must demonstrate its leadership through the effective implementation of this policy. It is time to put our hands on the ploughing and spot opportunities," he said.

Bakole also reaffirm UNIDO's commitment towards supporting the Nigerian government to promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation development without compromising the environment.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr. Sheu Ahmed said the workshop was expected to validate and finalise the policy document aimed at addressing the issue of sustainable allied waste management in Nigeria.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EBERE MERCY OKENYEHIKE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EBERE MERCY ONYEJESE. All former documents remain valid.

The general Public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as BULUS LIVINUS REKOT now wish to be known and addressed as PETER LIVINUS REKOT. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS YUSUF GANIAT OLUWABUKOLA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS YUSUF-OGUNTOYE GANIYAT OLUWABUKOLA . All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

50

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾DECEMBER 2, 2017

FEATURES

Tommy Odama shaking hands with Maria Pia Bernadoni, Curator International Projects, African Artists’ Foundation (AAF)

Exploring The Nexus of Arts and Architecture Ahead of the maiden edition of ‘Fusion of Real Estate, Interior Design and Art’ by Luxury Villas Group (LVG), Ferdinand Ekechukwu writes about the benefits inherent in real estate, interior design and art industries in Africa

T

ommy Odama, the CEO of Luxury Villas Group (LVG) tells you that the fusion of architecture, interior design and art has always produced beautiful pieces of real estate.

An expert in the field, he posits that art will always be an integral part of any luxury residence.

In his view, artistic architecture dates back to the first three millennia BCE in Egypt.

The artistic achievement in architecture aimed at the preservation of conventions which reflected the perceived perfection of the world as well as to accurately portray the relationship between humans and the king as well as the gods.

In modern times, though, he said, architecture and real estate have seen a major shift from a reflection of world order to more commercial purposes. “This however, has not changed the fact that art is still an integral part of real estate”, he claims. “In modern day real estate developments, what stands out a building is most likely the intrinsic design and ingenuity put into its architectural design.”

Beyond that, Odama asserts that many developers have gone ahead to weave in representational and abstract art into building projects as is mostly common in cities like Dubai, Miami and other high-end luxury lifestyle cities.

Speaking further on the nexus between art and architecture, the real estate consultant said places like the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome have not only stood the test of time but continue to draw thousands of tourists each year who come to admire its beauty and ingenuity. “Masterpieces like this were only achieved through a perfect synergy of architecture, art and interior design.

“This beautiful relationship is properly understood by experts within the field.

Defining this simply, this relationship can simply be understood as the architecture forming the external façade of the building, the interior design which involves the furniture and arrangement within the house

and art which complements the design within the home”, he explained.

Art though extends beyond just portraits hanging on the walls but extends to sculptures and can also be an intricate part of the building itself. Buildings like the St. Peter’s Basilica earlier mentioned are the works of master artists. The art is a part of the building and an extension of the building at the same time.

Another case in point, Odama noted, is seen in the Burj al’arab in Dubai, shaped like a yacht and standing at a whopping 321 meters despite the fact that 39% of it is made up of non-occupiable space. It is the fourth-tallest hotel in the world, it stands as a true testament to the art in architecture.

By Odama’s estimation, as the Nigerian economy gradually emerges from the conundrum of a recessive economy, the property market has continued to thrive and explore meaningful ways to extend the active participation of related industries in its growth and progress. The result is the steady increase in real estate investments that pave the way for more business opportunities and benefits to the consumers.

While we are yet to see a structure like the St. Peter’s Basilica, or the Burj al’arab masterpiece in Nigeria, we may not be so far off and we are certainly looking into ways of building sustainably.

To this end, the Fusion of Real Estate, Interior Design and Art (FREIA) event holding on the 8th of December 2017 aims to explore the benefits inherent in the real estate, interior design and art industries in the African luxury property market with the goal of improving on the status quo while strategically aligning connected industries.

Billed to hold at the Grand Ballroom of the Civic Center in Victoria Island, Lagos, the event had culled together some of the biggest names in these industries as speakers and panelists. Speakers for the event were strategically selected to optimize the essence of a one of a kind Afrocentric event that would create a platform to explore the synergy within the real estate, interior design and art industries.

Some of these include, Jumoke Adenowo of AD Consulting; Andrea Geday of El-Alan Construction, Sandra MbanefoObigo; Curator, SMO Contemporary Art, Titi Ogufere; CEO of Essential Interiors, Udo Okonjo; CEO, Fine and Country West Africa, Azu Nwagbogu; Director of African Artists Foundation Agatha Eric-Udorie who will serve as panelists at the conference.

The panel will be moderated by visionary architect, Mosun Ogunbanjo. The keynote address will be delivered by former Managing Director of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), Mr. Mustafa Chike Obi. With some of the country’s most brilliant minds in one room, it is expected that FREIA will spark up conversations that can revolutionize the real estate industry. There will be a carefully curated art exhibition which will be directed by notable artist and publisher, Oliver Enwonwu of Omenka Gallery and Omenka magazine.

The art exhibition, the organizers revealed, will feature masterful pieces from some of Nigeria’s greatest artists like Ben Enwonwu, Tola Wewe, Ben Osaghe, Kolade Oshinowo, Olu Ajayi, Uche Edochie among several other notable artists. With an anticipated footfall of over 2,000 people; comprising high net-worth brands and investors; FREIA is expected to provide a platform for active collaborations and networking that would significantly impact Real Estate in Nigeria.

FREIA Is the brain child of awardwinning real estate company, Luxury Villas Group (LVG), a multi-service real estate and property services group based in Lagos Nigeria. Odama stated that his experience in the real estate industry spanning over 10 years showed him the importance of interior design and art in relation to real estate and fully appreciate their role in creating real estate masterpieces hence the need for an event like FREIA. Designed to be an annual event, FREIA 2017 has been given the theme “NEXT FRONTIERS: Building Tomorrow’s Masterpieces”. This theme will drive conversations

around how stakeholders can collaborate and produce masterful designs that can compete with the best in the world.

Speaking on the theme choice, Odama, during a press conference with news men in Lagos spoke about the growing need for luxury real estate in Africa and stated that we can no longer afford to be mediocre.

“So, FREIA 2017 will champion conversations on how we can build truly masterful pieces by fusing all three, bearing in mind that every structure is a legacy”, he said.

“We want to discuss real estate of the future not just the present.”

FREIA will be a one day three-part event beginning with the art and interior exhibition in the morning, It will then move on to the conference and will wrap up with a colorful cocktail reception in the evening which will also serve as the launch of Villas and Leisure, a Luxury Real Estate and Lifestyle Magazine by Luxury Villas Group.

The magazine is designed to showcase the best of architecture, real estate, interior design and art. It will feature Nigeria’s most affluent people and households and will give up-to-date information on global trends within the real estate industry.

Odama added, “We are very excited about the launch of Villas and Leisure Magazine. The magazine will serve as an authoritative source of both local and global real estate news to aid property management service providers and shoppers in making informed decisions.” He also added: “it is of the highest standard in terms of content and production quality and will be a must have for active real estate and lifestyle enthusiasts. It has been carefully put together by a team of the best professionals and is the product of meaningful collaborations.”

FREIA will have in attendance architects, real estate investors and consultants, interior design, artists, curators, HNIs, investors and key stakeholders. They will converge on a relaxed atmosphere among other experts to discuss pertinent issues relating to the industries, network and create meaningful business relationships.

51

ÍşËœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

PERSPECTIVE

Oba Ewuare’s Diplomatic Shuttles Sufuyan Ojeifo

H

istorians recount the myth of the ancient Benin Kingdom in some awe-inspiring, superlative narratives. They talk about the power and influence of its kings who had traditionally ascended and continue to ascend the throne through primogeniture. The stool of the Oba of Benin is highly revered by the Benin people.

The king appropriates the reverence and approximates the grandeur that defines the character or quality of the royal stool in the ancient kingdom.

Just like his forebears, especially the immediate past Omo N’Oba N’edo Uku Akpolokpolor, Oba Erediauwa, his biological father, the current Oba of Benin, Ewuare 11, has gravitas, intellectual profundity and cosmopolitan disposition to engage with all issues under the sun. His worth is measured by the totality, thus far, of his life and times, which he has lived decently, dictated by the virtues of royalty. There was no scandal while he was out there in the world, developing himself academically and while offering public service, particularly as Nigeria’s ambassador to Angola and Sweden at different times.

It is therefore understandable why his subjects hold him in very high esteem.

Much more than mere symbolism, the awe-inspiring atmospherics and nuances of the palace that houses the stool and the reverential disposition of the people to everything that has to do with the palace bear testimony to the persona of successive Obas of the ancient Benin Kingdom. Oba Ewuare II is not an exception. The roles he plays in the ecology of traditional public administration in Benin, since stepping in the saddle a year ago, conduce to peace, orderliness and well-being of the Kingdom.

But above all is the commitment to ensure the development of the kingdom within the context of the provision of infrastructure by local and national governments. Besides, the Oba is committed to helping the state government develop a solid security architecture on which the pursuit of peace can be effortlessly driven and successfully executed. The realisation of the bigger picture of development of the Benin Kingdom through external interventions and potential direct foreign investments largely informed the unusual movement of the Oba out of his legally-circumscribed jurisdiction on Thursday, November 24 and Monday, November 27, 2017 to Abuja and Sokoto respectively to meet minds with President Muhammadu Buhari and His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar 111.

It is quite uncommon for any Oba of Benin to leave his kingdom on outside

for wise counsel that his mantra in Sokoto was that the traditional rulers should support the federal government to harness the benefits of cultural ethos to keep the nation as an indivisible entity. Oba Ewuare 11 posited that the role of traditional institutions in building a harmonious society cannot be over-emphasised as traditional rulers are the repositories and custodians of cultural and traditional values.

Not a few well-meaning Nigerians would concur with him that Nigeria has for some time now been bedeviled by unavoidable humanitarian crisis of unimaginable proportions; and, therefore, traditional rulers, must continue to play stabilising and developmental roles especially at the grassroots across the country. What this entails, according to him, is to constantly imbibe in our people the need to respect cultural values which teach tolerance and respect for one another.

Certainly, Oba Ewuare’s visit will further cement the warm relationship that has existed between the Caliphate and the Benin Kingdom over the years.

His commendation of the Sultan over his tireless efforts in building bridges, promoting peace, unity and harmony in the country was in apple-pie order.

Remarkably, the Oba carried along a good number of his subjects from the business and political spheres on the diplomatic shuttles. His shuttles, understandably, got their buy-in.

Oba Ewuare II Business mogul, Captain (Dr) Hosa visitations or tours; rather he would alable contribution to peace in their respec- Wells Okunbo, a former member of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ehigie Uzaways, in his majestic grandeur, play host tive domains. mere, Chairman of the Senate Comto visitors with the generosity of the The Oba is relentless in his effort to mittee on Public Accounts, Senator ancient Benin cultures and traditions eradicate the activities of community Matthew Uroghide, a current member always on display in their vast flourish. development associations in Edo state, That Oba Ewuare 11 embarked on these which according to him, are crippling the of the House of Representatives, Hon. diplomatic shuttles is reflective of his state’s economy. He said the Benin tradi- Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma and a US based Consultant Pediatrics desire to build strategic links that will tional authority has been uncompromisSurgeon, Dr Tinyan Okunbo, among help accelerate rapid socio-economic ingly tackling the menace of community others, were on hand to give support to development of the kingdom as well development associations that earned their royal father. as promote national peace and stability themselves the disreputable description There is no doubt that the royal at a time like this that divisiveness and of community destructive associations. deep-seated regional suspicions have Indeed, the royal father could not have father is strategic, methodical and crept into the nature, shape and texture been more apt in his advocacy for federal sharply focused. He has his eyes on the ball. He knows the destination that he of our national politics. Therefore, government increased support for the is taking the Benin Kingdom. He has moderating voices of highly respected state governor and the people of Edo royal fathers like the Oba of Benin have state in order to effectively and decisively clearly decided to offer himself as an objective force of good over his kingbecome imperative. tackle the security challenges in the dom, leveraging on the capacity and At his meeting with Buhari, he state. He was able to get strong assurinfluence of the royal stool to attract demanded provision of infrastructure ances from President Buhari concerning infrastructure development from the not only in his domain in the south his plethora of requests, especially the state and federal governments, as well senatorial zones but also in the whole of appeal to assist Governor Obaseki in as good neighbourliness and brotherliEdo state and urged him to help address dealing with the security challenges in ness with other kingdoms both at home security challenges including human the state. trafficking in the state. He called on the He capped the diplomatic shuttles with and in the Diaspora, which will eventufederal government to assist Edo state a visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, thirty-nine ally result in tangible results in terms of growth. I wish Oba Ewuare a string of in establishing small scale industries years after a similar visit by his father, great successes as he embarks on more in rural areas to curb rural-urban Oba Erediauwa, to the Sultan. By this diplomatic shuttles endorsed by his drift. Specifically on infrastructure, he singular act of reciprocal gesture of ancestors. pleaded with the President to complete visiting the Sultan to thank him for his the dualisation of the Benin-Auchi road support during his coronation last year as –Mr Ojeifo, an Abuja-based journaland also implored him to ensure that Oba of Benin, he has no doubt built on a ist, sent in this piece via ojwonderngr@ traditional rulers are assigned roles in worthy legacy of his father. yahoo.com the constitution in view of their laudIt is to his eternal credit and capacity

Ekweremadu Urges FG, States to Invest in Vocational Training Programmes Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu

I

rked by the increasing rate of unemployment in the country, the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu at the weekend in Enugu asked the federal and state governments to invest in vocational training and skill acquisition programmes in order to meaningfully engage the youths.

Speaking at the inauguration of a vocational training institute, Learn and Work European Vocational School in Enugu, Senator Ekweremadu said the unemployment rate had remained high because of the failure of government to come up with progressive and pragmatic strategies to

resolving the challenge.

The European Vocational School is designed to train young people in different skills including web design, plumbing, tailoring/dress making and home nursing among others. The training is packaged to last for six months or 320 hours after which graduates are presented with graduation certificates. The institute, which has Ekweremadu as its promoter, is being managed by the CEPU Education Group, Italy.

Ekweremadu decried a situation where the nation’s tertiary institutions graduate thousands of ‘unemployable people’ annually, noting that the vocational training school had been packaged to fill the yawning gap in the system.

“It’s really unfortunate that we have engineers that can’t construct anything; we have technicians that can’t fix anything; we have plumbers who are just disasters,� he lamented.

He expressed optimism that the institution would in the next five years effectively address the problem of unemployment as those who pass through the school would not only be meaningfully engaged, but would also have their minds taken away from crimes and unnecessary agitations.

According to him, after six months, those who graduate from the institute would be encouraged to access soft loans from the Bank of Industry to set up their own businesses in order to become self-

reliant and employers of labour. “We must come to terms with the fact that government alone cannot solve our problems. Civil and public services cannot provide jobs for the entire populace.

We must invest in vocational training, otherwise in the next 50 years, the nation will be in a serious problem,� he said.

Earlier, the President of the Institute, Dr Francheto Politori identified education as a driving force that would assist nations in their development initiatives.

He disclosed that the vocational school was one of their packages for Nigeria, noting that they had plans to organise other types of professional courses and opening of schools starting from kindergarten to high school, and the universities.

52

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Íş, 2017

POLITY

NTDC Boss Urges Strategic Collection of Data in Tourism Sector Omolola Itayemi

irector-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mr. Folorunsho Coker has called for collaboration between public and private organisations to collect data in the tourism sector.

Coker, who stated this in a brief chat with journalists yesterday, explained that, “there are other data-banks from technologies

used by banks, telecoms companies and airlines, among others, that could be used to crystallise our overview of tourism data. “It will be by alliance and in our common interest, rather than by enforcement. This will get us where we want to be. Big data is the new oracle. We need to speak to it to maximise benefits.�

The NTDC boss commended the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for its commitment to using the Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) framework to ensure a more robust and realistic aggregation of

Homework Builds Aordable Mini Estates Bennett Oghifo

tourism statistics in the country.

He noted that the symbiotic relationship among government agencies was for the benefit of Nigeria, adding that, “this is the first time statistic will capture Tourism and its relevance to GDP. “The decision of NBS to use the TSA framework to ensure a more robust and realistic aggregation of tourism statistics in Nigeria is ground-breaking. It is the beginning of what GSM did to analogue for tourism. The DG at NBS is a timely judge of the National data requirements and is on the crest of pronouncements that reinforce our statements that the transportation, hospitality and entertainment in tourism has been big business and need to be identified and separated.�

Recall that Statistician-General of the Federation and CEO of NBS, Dr. Yemi Kale, at an interactive session with members

of the Association of Travel & Tourism Writers of Nigeria (ATTWON), recently disclosed the commitment of the bureau to using the TSA framework to ensure a more robust and realistic aggregation of tourism statistics in Nigeria.

Recommended by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the TSA framework, adopted in 2015 by the NBS, links all tourism and travel statistics in Nigeria with the national accounts framework before national Gross Domestic Product, GDP, is calculated.

Coker then emphasised the need for stakeholders in the Nigerian tourism value chain to synergize and harness the strength of domestic tourism to realise the maximum potentials of the money-spinning industry in the Nigeria economy, thereby improving the contributions of the sector to Nigeria’s GDP.

quality products in other places like Ajah, Yaba and other parts of the mainland.

He said Homework intended to deliver on the projects within a short period and that the affordable mini estates would be spread across the country. “There is a new demand for these apartments and there are people that need them for investment and related purposes since they are affordable.�

Towards this end, the company would negotiate with suppliers and manufacturers of building equipments to see how they could sell their products at discounted rates in line with the focus of the WAPI summit.

Jide Adekola said the summit has helped vendors and other developers to network with the right partners, financiers, and marketers on available and intended projects.

He explained that Homework has made remarkable progress in resolving housing deficit through its products located at Banana Island, where it has a small gated community of terraces and semi-detached duplexes and at Lekki Phase I with Dunvale Terraces.

L-R: Executive Director, Revolutionplus Property Development Company, Mrs. Tolulope Onalaja; the Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Mr. Bamidele Onalaja; and a customer of the Company, Damilola Irewele, when Revolutionplus Property Development Company won the 2017 best Real Estate Marketing company of the year in Lagos‌ recently

L-R: General Manager, Instant Apartment, Mr. Ferdinand Agwueye; Managing Director, ReHob Energy, Mr. Rere Obiasi; Managing Director, Instant Apartment, Mr. Ubi Franklin; and Head, Legal/Quality Control, Instant Apartment, Mr Franklin Agbor, during the launch of Instant Apartment, a new web-based apartment rental platform, held in Lekki, Lagos...recently PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: Chairman, PathCare Nigeria, Dr. Richard Ajayi; Managing Director, PathCare Nigeria, Dr. Pamela Ajayi; CEO, Synlab Emerging Markets, Thomas Degott; and Executive Director, Operations - PathCare Nigeria, Dr. Tolu Adewole at a Press conference to announce SYNLAB’s acquisition of majority stake in Pathcare Nigeria., held in Lagos... recently

L-R: Social Media Analyst, OLX, Ayomide Eklu; Marketing Manager, OLX, Fifemayo Aiyesimoju; and PR & Communications Lead, Uche Nwagboso, during the Nigeria Technology Awards in Lagos, where OLX won two awards ...recently

L-R: The Head, Capacity Building Monitoring, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Esueme Dan Kikile and the acting General Manager, Nigerian Content Division, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) Limited), Mr. Austin Uzoka, at the Practical Nigerian Content Conference 2017, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State‌recently

H

omework Development and Properties Limited, a leading real estate company, has shown a strong commitment in resolving the housing deficit in Nigeria through affordable mini estates of one, two and three bedroom apartments which feature innovative architectural designs.

This comes as stakeholders, who attended the two-day West Africa Property Investment (WAPI) summit held in Lagos, commended the company for its commitment to quality and standard.

Director of Homework Development and Properties Limited, Mr. Jide Adekola, whose firm participated at the summit, said the projects are driven by the passion to offer affordable quality homes to Nigerians.

Jide Adekola said that though the company has affordable projects in highbrow areas such as Banana Island and Lekki, it is looking at replicating its luxurious and

53

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşËœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ

POLITY

Senate Writes Army, SGF over Reinstatement of Retired Officer Court upholds oďŹƒcers’ right to challenge disengagement Bolaji Adebiyi Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË

ays of hope that 38 officers retired by the Nigerian Army in June last may regain their jobs has emerged as the Senate has written to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, urging the immediate reinstatement of one of them, Col. Chidi Ukoha (rtd.), and cautioned the Army authorities against arbitrary retirement in order not to demoralise its officers and men.

The officers also got respite from the Court on Wednesday when the National Industrial Court in Abuja ruled that the officers had a right to challenge their retirement in court.

In separate letters to the two senior officials of government, dated November 23, 2017 and signed by M.A. Sani-Omolori, Clerk of the National Assembly, exclusively obtained

by THISDAY, said: “The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at its sitting of Tuesday 21st of November, 2017, considered the Report of the Petition by Colonel Chidi Kalu Ukoha against the Nigerian Army for his wrongful retirement from the Army and consequently resolved to urge the Nigerian Army to immediately reinstate Colonel Chidi Kalu Ukoha and pay all his entitlements accordingly. “Caution the Nigerian Army against arbitrary disengagement of its officers, as such action would not only discourage serving officers and soldiers from giving their full commitment to service of the Army and the nation, but would also amount to colossal waste of national resources spent by the federal government on training of such officers only to suddenly dismiss them.�

The letters, according to THISDAY sources, were received by the offices of the two officials on November 27, 2017.

The Army had in June 2016 retired 38 officers for alleged serious offences. With most of them hailing from the Southern part of the country, there were murmurs that the action was politically motivated, at least two of them, Col. Ojogbane Adegbe and Brig-Gen Mustapha Onoyiveta, were former ADCs to ex-presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. None of the 38 officers were granted fair hearing or found guilty of an offence.

Many of the officers protested their compulsory retirement accusing the Army of arbitrariness and violation of due process laid down in the Armed Forces Act, CAP A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

While some of them challenged their retirement in court, Ukoha wrote a petition to the Senate complaining that the Army acted arbitrarily because he was neither formally accused, tried or found guilty of an offence before he was compulsorily disengaged.

Upon the receipt of his petition, the Senate referred it to its Committee on Ethics and Public Petition for investigation. The committee laid its report on November 21, 2017, recommending the reinstatement of Ukoha, having found out that he was wrongfully disengaged.

The Senate’s findings and directives, said some of the affected officers, who spoke anonymously with THISDAY yesterday, raised their hope that justice might come their way even as they urged the federal government to review their appeals and urge the Army authorities to comply with the Senate resolution.

The officers’ morale were further boosted when on Wednesday, the NIC upheld the right of one of them, Maj-Gen Nwokoro Ijioma, to challenge his compulsory retirement.

Ijioma had filed a suit in the court, challenging his forced retirement citing injustice, lack of due process and fair hearing.

According to PRNigeria.com, the trial Judge, Justice E.N. Agbakoba on Wednesday, ruled against the preliminary objection to the suit filed by the Army and its Chief of Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, saying the officer needed to exhaust the service’s internal processes first before approaching the court.

The court overruled the Army and fixed February 8, 2018 for hearing the suit.

Ijioma is seeking his reinstatement into the Nigerian Army, arguing that his compulsory retirement did not follow due process and procedure.

Other defendants in the suit are: Minister of Defence and Chief of Defence Staff.

In her ruling, Justice Agbakoba after considering submissions of counsels to the claimant, Godwin Iyinbor of the chambers of Mike Ozekhome SAN, and counsel for the 1st and 4th respondents, M.D. Owolabi, said: “General Ijioma has the permission of the court in furtherance of his prayers to challenge the defendants that he be reinstated back to service on the ground that his compulsory retirement did not follow due process as laid down by the Armed Forces Act for an officer of his status.�

Speaking to journalists, Iyinbor said Ijioma was challenging the validity of his compulsory retirement from the army after putting in about 33years in services and he is expected to present his sole witness before the Court on February 8 to establish his case against the

defendants.

In his submission before the court, Iyinbor said: “There was no justifiable reason(s) for the claimant’s early compulsory retirement as he has not attained the mandatory retirement age for Major Generals in the Army, which is 56 years, as he was only 53 years by 12th June 2016, and has only served for 32 years, 11 months and 5 days, as against the mandatory 35-year service age for retirement as provided for by Rule 020810 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules, which is also applicable to the Military.�

He prayed that the court to compel the respondents jointly and severally to pay to the him the sum of N1 billion as general, aggravated, punitive and exemplary damages for the unlawful, wrongful, illegal, unconstitutional and oppressive compulsory retirement and the attendant humiliation, psychological trauma, mental agony and odium caused the him and his family, by the actions of the respondents.

Ijioma, in his statement of claim, stated that on Friday, June 10, 2016, while at work, he got a text message from one Lt. Col. S. O. G. Aremu, Staff Officer to the Military Secretary in charge of recruitment, deployment, appointment informing him that the Army Council, which sat on June 9, 2016, had retired the Claimant.

A letter was conveyed to him to the effect that the Army Council at its meeting of June 9, 2016, approved his compulsory retirement from the Nigerian Army, with effect from June 9, 2016, pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph 09.02c (4) of the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers of the Armed Forces (HTACOS) 2012 (Revised), which provisions are to the effect that his purported compulsory retirement was on disciplinary grounds, i.e., serious offence(s).

Ijioma claimed that there was no justifiable reason for the his early compulsory retirement as he had not attained the mandatory retirement age for Major Generals in the Army, which is 56 years, as he was only 53 years by 12th June, 2016, and has only served for 32 years, 11 months and 5 days, as against the mandatory 35-year service age for retirement as provided for by Rule 020810 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules, which is also applicable to the Military.

Ijioma is, therefore, seeking, among others, the court’s interpretation of the law as to whether: “Whether he as a Major General in the Nigerian Army, ought to be tried by a General Court Martial for any alleged offence and cannot be tried summarily, which is a trial reserved for officers of lower rank in the Military. “Whether the claimant is entitled to repre-

sentation by counsel of his choice or to defend himself before any decision for or against his interest could be reached and whether failure to allow the claimant right to defend himself amounts to a denial of fair hearing. “Whether the conduct of the defendants is illegal null and void as the Claimant was never tried in any court of competent jurisdiction and no sentencing or verdict was pronounced against him, and as the Army Council was never handed the records of proceedings for review or confirmation of any verdict passed on him. “Whether the claimant can legally and validly be disengaged from service under the provisions of of paragraphs 09.02c(4) the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers 2012(Revised) when; No proceeding was held to try him and a verdict given, no record of proceedings is compiled and transmitted, with the verdict to Army Council, for ratification. “The claimant claimed further that he was never given any charge in the prescribed Form AB 252, which is the means of reporting an offence against service personnel. “He is therefore seeking a declaration of the Court that the purported compulsory retirement of the Claimant from the services of the Nigerian Army, vide letter dated 9th June, 2016, titled, “COMPULSORY RETIREMENT NA OFFICER MAJOR GENERAL IJIOMA NWOKORO IJIOMA (N/8304)� pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 09.02c(4) of the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers of the Armed Forces (HTACOS) 2012 Revised, did not follow due process and is consequently illegal, invalid, wrongful, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever. “A declaration that the claimant was never validly and legally retired from the services of the Nigerian Army on the 9th of June, 2016, vide letter dated 9th June, 2016, issued by the Army Council pursuant to its meeting of the same date, or at any other time. “A declaration that the Claimant is still a serving member of the Nigerian Army, and is to be accorded all rights and privileges that he is entitled to base on his rank and position, as provided for in the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service, for Officers of the Armed Forces (HTACOS) Officers (2012) Revised. “A declaration that the present action of the claimant in seeking justice before the court, shall not constitute any ground to witch-hunt or victimize the Claimant upon his reinstatement to the services of the Nigerian Army.

Bola Udom Drops New Single, Above All

A

new single, ‘Above All, released by Bola Udom a graduate of Business Administration from Lagos State University, is currently making waves.

Bola, who has released three albums previously, said this powerful single “Above All� is designed for spiritual upliftment.

The song is written and produced by her husband Uwem Udom, who confessed that Bishop David Oyedepo, inspired this wonderful song through his emphatic messages that redemption has placed Christians at a FAR ABOVE position, an arena that is outside the operational ambit of satanic manipulations. Bola Udom, whose dream and yearning is to see the nation worship God, is married and blessed with three children. Jesus is above all and we are above all; for whatever is born of God overcometh the world. Enjoy ABOVE ALL and be blessed.

She is planning to host a live concert early next year and also planning to release a full album next year. “I’m already planning a

Udom collabo with EnoMichael.�

Bola Udom, an indigene of Ekiti State, South West-Nigeria was born in 1975 to

a Christian family. She started singing at age 9. She was the Chapel Prefect while in secondary school and represented her

School in music-related events on Akure radio Corporation and NTA. Bola Udom, has been singing in the choir of the Redeemed Christian Church of God from 1993 till date. She is currently one of the worship leaders in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David Parish, Victoria Island Lagos Nigeria, under the able leadership of Pastor/Pastor Mrs. Idowu Iluyomade. Bola is also a member of R.C.C.G mass choir. An award winning Gospel singer with an unparalleled tract record, her voice has a representation in some Nollywood Movies and Commercial radio Jingles in Nigeria. She has ministered at different Christian fora both within and outside the shores of Nigeria. She has responded to invitations by private individuals and Corporate Organisations to lead them in family and corporate worship respectively and God has been faithful. Over the years, she worked behind the scene as back up artist for successful projects of notable Nigerian Artist to wit: Kinsley Ike (Wamilele) Folake Umosen (Ko so ba bi re) Kenny saint Brown (Totality) and a host of others.

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TRIBUTE

Oluyemi Adeniji: An Accomplished Diplomat, Compassionate Leader and Mentor Olufunso Olumoko

I

received the news of the passage of Ambassador Olu Adeniji, a former Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, with utmost sadness. Of course I knew he hadn’t been enjoying the best of health in his later years but I had hoped this icon would, characteristically, keep soldiering on but the Almighty God Knows best.

Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji was a first class professional not only among the first generation but in the annals of the Nigerian Foreign Service. From his distinguished career which started in the very early 60’s to his retirement in 1994, Ambassador Adeniji consistently shone like a bright star! He distinguished himself in the various positions he held at Headquarters of the Ministry including those of Regions, International Organisations which he capped by being appointed as Director General(equivalent of Permanent Secretary) in 1992.

On external representation, he had an outstanding career as Nigeria’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Offices in Vienna and Geneva as well as being Ambassador to France. In the course of his career, he distinguished himself as a foremost expert in Multilateralism, Disarmament, Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Conference Diplomacy and Negotiations. His expertise, in particular, on UN matters was so widely acknowledged and respected that immediately on retirement, the United Nations system not only made him a Consultant on Disarmament matters, he was also made member of a number of Advisory Boards on Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

The then U.N Secretary General (Kofi Annan) appointed him first as his Special Representative and Head of the U.N Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA) and later as his Special Representative and Head of the U.N Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). Towards the end of his tenure in Sierra Leone, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him as a Foreign Minister. Thus, Amb. Olu Adeniji had the rare honour of being a Foreign Service Officer not only to serve as Permanent Secretary but also as a Foreign Minister (also like Amb. I.C. Olisemeka)!

In the course of his service both to Nigeria and internationally, Ambassador Adeniji was noted for the following characteristics - top notch professionalism, disarming ambience, empathy and compassion, exemplary leadership and mentoring. Both as Permanent Secretary and Minister, Ambassador Adeniji was concerned about the general welfare of his staff - their remunerations, promotion and incentives. I was one of his Special Assistants when he was the Permanent Secretary. I recalled that he set up Committees to review, among other things, the Foreign Service Allowances, Funding of the entire service and Postings.

Principles matter a lot to Ambassador Adeniji and he was not one to sacrifice principles of social justice, equity and fairness on the altar of what he reasoned to be ill-advised policy or in obeisance of any political

Adeniji

authority. This was amply demonstrated when he was a Minister of Foreign Affairs and he was required to retire a number of very senior Officers for no other reason but to carry out a so-called “reform� agenda. Of course, as a top-notch professional, who knew his onions, Ambassador Adeniji stood on principle that he could not retire senior Officers over whom the Ministry had invested long years of training and who possessed huge experience. It did not matter to him that he was reshuffled at the earliest opportunity but he stood his grounds. Such was a clear demonstration of one of the sterling qualities of this unassuming technocrat!

To further appreciate the worth of Ambassador Olu Adeniji, I would narrate some few personal experiences I had with him as my boss. My

On external representation, he had an outstanding career as Nigeria’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations OďŹƒces in Vienna and Geneva as well as being Ambassador to France.

In the course of his career, he distinguished himself as a foremost expert in Multilateralism, Disarmament, NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Conference Diplomacy and Negotiations

first external posting was was to the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations in Geneva in July 1978. I was then a fledgling First Secretary and a complete tiro in multilateral diplomacy. The very day I reported for duty at the Mission, Amb. Adeniji whisked me off in his car to the UN to commence my duties at the Committee on Disarmament as the Desk Officer for Disarmament in the Mission. After making his interventions in what sounded esoteric to me, he left to attend another important UNCTAD meeting in another area of the vast UN building. Trouble started for me when the other delegates at the meeting started reacting to my Ambassador’s intervention and continuously glancing at me for a response. Of course, I didn’t understand what they were talking about, disarmament being a very technical issue. But I quickly gathered my wits around me and took the floor and told the meeting that my delegation had listened to their reactions and would report appropriately to my Ambassador. That was my first “baptism of fire� in multilateral diplomacy. While in Geneva, among others, I learnt three valuable lessons from Ambassador Adeniji that stood me in good stead throughout my career. These were: Learn to think on your feet Familiarize yourself thoroughly with your conference/meeting documentations In multilateral diplomacy, procedure is (if not in some instances more) as important as the substance.

Years after, in the course of my diplomatic career, the professional towering reputation of Ambassador Adeniji was widely acknowledged and saluted. I recall after a robust defence of a Nigeria’s draft resolution that was adopted at a Board of Governors meeting of the IAEA in Vienna in 1987, an old British Ambassador walked up to our delegation and asked two questions that had remained indelible in my memory.

He first asked “there used to be a formidable Nigerian Ambassador, very active and brilliant at meet-

ings of this Board some years back, he’s smallish in stature but, I can’t now recall his last name but its Olu something�. When I retorted “Olu Adeniji� his face brightened and he said “that’s him�. Then he asked “where are these Nigerian U N diplomats trained? Because you are all so smart and defend your positions brilliantly� What this British Ambassador didn’t know was that we went to no special school but we had hands-on training by our highly experienced and outstanding Ambassadors like Olu Adeniji!

Ambassador Adeniji was cerebral, a profound thinker and negotiator.

He grasped the concept, substance and nuances of complex subjects as Disarmament, Arms Control and Nuclear negotiations with ease.

He was a hard worker. He read voraciously and wrote copiously. At debates, in various fora of the UN on diverse subjects such as trade, inhumane weapons, International humanitarian law, health, labour, refugees etc. Amb. Adeniji was a pleasure to behold as he adroitly marshalled his points and deftly counter-argued the opposing delegations and make proposals until a consensus was reached! He was also an author.

He had encapsulated his thinking and visions in many publications including two definitive works: “Essays On Nigerian Foreign Policy, Governance And International Security� and “ The Treaty Of Pelindaba�.

While he was Foreign Minister, he focused as a foreign policy tool, the concept of “Constructive and Beneficial Concentricismâ€? basically aimed at, without being mercantilist, making “the Nigerian as the ultimate beneficiary of Nigeria’s foreign policy endeavors‌‌.â€?.This concept ensured that during his tenure as Foreign Minister, as much as possible, materials and personnel were sourced from Nigeria. That other countries, in particular, African countries, in return for Nigeria’s goodwill and generosity should provide conducive environment for Nigerian-owned business to thrive in their countries. His tenure witnessed the expansion of Nigeria’s business concerns like banks, petrol stations, insurance companies in some African countries.

From the foregoing, it could be seen that Nigeria has indeed lost a rare gem. Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji was a colossus and would be sorely missed not only within his immediate diplomatic and the UN communities but in the Nigerian public service at large. Whether as a Foreign Service Officer, an Ambassador/Permanent Representative, an International Civil Servant or a Cabinet Minister, Ambassador Adeniji represented and projected Nigeria professionally and brilliantly and left indelible marks on whoever and wherever he touched. He was simple, unassuming, compassionate and empathetic. He was simply a decent human being. I console the beautiful family he had left behindhis lovely wife, Auntie Bunmi and his accomplished children, Yemisi, Segun and Femi. May the illustrious soul of Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji rest in perfect peace. –Olufunso Olumoko, mni, was Ambassador of Nigeria to Thailand

T H I S D AY SATURDAY DECEMBER 2, 2017

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Saturday, December 2, 2017

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Price: N250

MISSILE Fayose to Falana “It is embarrassing, shameful, disgraceful that a man of Falana’s standing, reputed to be a human rights activist, friend of the masses, crusader of justice and defender of democracy, could be linked to such a scandal.”

– Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, excoriating human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, over allegation by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, linking the lawyer to a N1 billion property in Abuja.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

One On One Session With Atiku Abubakar

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ellow Nigerians, I’ve always wondered what drives or propels the man, former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. For real, I have never seen a man so fastidious about his dream and so obstinate about achieving a lifelong ambition to be the number one Nigerian Citizen. I’ve followed his trajectory with keen interest since 1993 when he took on both Chief Moshood Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe, in an epic Presidential primary, that Chief Abiola ultimately won. His formidability we were told was a result of the influence of his godfather and political colossus, Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, now of blessed memory. Chief Abiola actually reached out to the General, as he was fondly called, to prevail on Atiku to pull out of the race and support him. A deal was subsequently struck, between Abiola and Yar’Adua, for Atiku to be Abiola’s running-mate. Everything looked good on paper until the powerful and influential Social Democratic Party (SDP) Governors threw spanners in the works, forcing Abiola to renege on his word. Whilst Abiola wanted Atiku, the Governors led by the irrepressible Olusegun Osoba, from Abiola’s home State of Ogun, insisted on Abiola picking Kingibe. They convinced Abiola that it was dangerous to pick Atiku who would have been more loyal and too submissive to his godfather.

I have no doubt that from that moment onwards, the June 12 Presidential election was already threatened and endangered. According to insiders, the General was so miffed and enraged that he swore Abiola would not be President for dumping his godson. Efforts were made by different personages to settle the matter, but it seemed the camaraderie was over between Abiola and Yar’Adua who, once upon a time, were successful business partners at African Ocean Lines.

Anyway, Atiku was kicked out of the race to fight another day. Abiola won the Presidential election eventually but was never allowed to assume power. The June 12 election fallout led to a cataclysmic eruption that consumed many of the big players, including Abiola, his wife, Alhaja Kudirat, Major-General Yar’Adua and General Sani Abacha. The boss of bosses, General Olusegun Obasanjo, escaped only by the whiskers. He was jailed but came back to be President. Ironically, the same Atiku who was not allowed to be the Vice-Presidential candidate in 1993 became the substantive Vice President in 1999, when he ran, and won, with Obasanjo.

Whilst Obasanjo emerged, in a bid to assuage the betrayed and wounded Yoruba, Atiku’s choice appears to have been predicated on the sense of injustice that he had suffered as a result of being dumped by Abiola.

Everything initially ran smoothly between Obasanjo and Atiku in their first term in office, from 1999 to 2003. However, the relationship collapsed when Atiku started showing interest in the number one position. I will not bore you with the rest of that fiasco, including the anecdotal humbling of Obasanjo who allegedly had to beg his deputy, Atiku, to allow him a second term.

My mission was to provide some background to Atiku’s uncommon trajectory. He has pursued his dream since 1993 and has never given up.

That was 24 years ago. Indeed, Atiku has been in partisan politics for 28 years but only served in government for eight years. He has criss-crossed

Atiku Abubakar spoke exclusively to Dele Momodu yesterday in Lagos different political parties in search of that magic wand that could give him his heart’s desire. It has been a painful journey. He’s been dissed and lampooned as a serial “decampee” famed for wandering endlessly in the wilderness of Nigerian politics. That, for many people, is a major weakness which signals integrity issues.

There are other minuses weighing on him like an albatross. How does he deal with these very serious issues of perception or misperception?

The opportunity came for me to engage him very critically, and very privately, yesterday afternoon in Lagos. A mutual friend had called to arrange the meeting at Atiku’s behest. I gladly accepted not only as I was anxious to bombard him with many nagging questions, but also because by some quirk of fate, the political gladiators for the number one hot seat in Nigeria seem to feel that a session with me is a sine qua non for their aspiration. I’m deeply humbled by that trust.

The meeting was arranged for Lagos. Atiku had arrived on Thursday. I arrived in Lagos yesterday afternoon from Abuja where I had been the Chief Presenter of Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi’s book, On a Platter of Gold, chronicling President Goodluck Jonathan’s twilight days as President.

I checked into my hotel just before 12 noon and put a call through to his room. He told me to give him a short time to freshen up and invite me over. He’s obviously been doing a lot of consultations and was working well into the early mornings. I dozed off. Suddenly, I was awoken from my slumber by banging on my door. I stood up to look through the peephole and was pleasantly surprised to see the most-talked about politician of the moment at my door. I opened the door and Atiku immediately apologised for the intrusion. He came without any aide, so we were both comfortable to talk frankly.

I thanked him for the honour of actually coming to me and asked if he won’t mind me asking some tough questions. He said that was fine and I should feel free. My first shot was about his moving from Party to Party. Does this

not make him look desperate and unserious? He must have answered this question a thousand times because he wasted no time in answering very calmly and confidently: “There is nothing wrong with it. Ours is a fledgling democracy of barely two decades since the end of the last military regime. What it means is that the political parties are yet to mature and are going through constant transformations and changes. That is why even President Buhari has been able to move from party to party, including ANPP, CPC and now APC. And for those who read about world history and political books like I do, they will know that Abraham Lincoln, Sir Winston Churchill and others went through so much before achieving their dreams…”

He went further: “I’m not different. I know what I want for my country. I’ve served Nigeria in different capacities and I am one of the most experienced leaders around today. There is no part of Nigeria I’m not familiar with. I have friends everywhere. They know me and I know them. The benefit of being around for so long is that they have come to know me for certain principles and know that I have a rich knowledge of Nigeria and what it would take to move us to the height of greatness. They can also trust me that I’m not coming to government to steal their money. God has blessed me with business acumen. How can you run a nation if you cannot run your own business? I run my businesses to international standards. Let any of those who want to compete with me show what they have managed successfully. I’ve lifted over 45,000 families out of joblessness and poverty through my microfinance company in my State Adamawa and we’ve have empowered mostly women. The good news is these women have been very honest. Returns on our loans have been about 98 percent. They have not disappeared with the loans given then. We plan to replicate this nationwide…”

I asked if he was obsessed with being President at all costs. His answer was an

emphatic, No! He asked rhetorically why he should not give back some of his experience and exposure to a country that has given him so much? Why should he allow incompetent people to run down the country when God has given him the talent and wherewithal to lift up Nigeria?

I told him the belief out there is that he is a corrupt man and that the stain won’t be easy to remove. His former boss, General Olusegun Obasanjo, has sold us that line, and would stop at nothing to regale the world that Atiku is a thief who nobody should vote for. Atiku’s response was very concise and assertive: “I have the highest regards for my boss. He gave me eight years to serve Nigeria under him. We had our differences but we both tried our best. But on the issue of corruption, I have challenged anyone, anywhere, who has any evidence of corruption against me to come forward. I’m sure they would have combed everywhere trying to find anything incriminating against me, but they have not found it, or they are still searching. Dele, I’m throwing that challenge again, let them bring out whatever they have on me…”

I followed with a bazooka and asked him “how come you are running away from the United States of America? What offence have you committed to warrant not being able to visit, since all this time?” Atiku fired back at me: “It is the sole prerogative of America to determine who they want in their country or not.

I’m not running away from America. I applied, but wasn’t issued a visa. However, they did not decline me categorically either. They’ve only said my application is going through administrative process. This is not peculiar to me. For about 15 years, Buhari could not enter America on account of religious considerations. The current Indian Prime Minister, Modi, suffered the same fate for years. Today, he is being treated to red carpet treatment in America.. I fly to different parts of the world, including Europe, if America wanted me, it would be so easy for them to reach out to their allies…”

We soon dovetailed to the nitty-gritty of politics. Why did he not wait to contest the primaries in APC first and see the outcome before running away? I felt this was defeatist!

His response: “After Buhari won the election, he was no longer interested in the Party that made him President. Every activity stopped and not even the Party Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, could take any decision. I called Chief Oyegun a few times to tell him our Party was dying slowly but he told me he would not do anything unless he got clearance from the President. At a stage, I gathered about 18 prominent members and began to meet in the hope that we can re-energise Party activities, but some people lied to the President that I wanted to use the forum to launch my Presidential campaign. That forum became simply dead on arrival. No BOT, no NEC meetings, as stipulated in our Constitution.

The Party became a one-man property. Everyone grumbles behind the President’s back but they are too timid to raise a voice against the illegalities being perpetuated. I should be bold enough to know what I want, and can do so at my age, so I decided to leave…”

READ THE CONCLUDING PART OF THIS ARTICLE ON www.thisdaylive.com

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